A Forum For Change

A Forum For Change

"Do you mean them, the times you say the numbers?"

The question faded from the unicorn's mind as he awoke, strangely not in his bed. Rather the unfortunate fellow is laying on some grass in a vast plains-y area with a few small hills a few near a few far. When he stood up, looked about whilst rubbing his throbbing head with a forehoof just under the pointed horn there, and as he did so he noticed that the world was a little too bright to be normal. As if his eyes were seeing without the haze of polluting gases he was so used to. This was bad. Aside from that he noticed a town in the distance, another oddity to him for every building he ever saw was pushed up next to another one in massive cities, cynically built to run at the maximum of efficiency.

This is bad.

In fact it took him a full minute before he realized the spread out shapes in the distance were buildings, houses probably, in a vaguely village-appearance. Upon realizing this, the unicorn attempts a step forward and promptly falls onto his face. Another oddity to him, having four legs instead of his standard three. This is bad.

After several more falls he figured out the balancing act, and while it was easier with four than with three he was not a fan of all these sudden changes. Bad changes, which made him uneasy and told him he was no where near home.  So with a look of concern and bewilderment he set forth towards the distant town, many thoughts running through his head and some out his mouth.

"What is this place? It looks a bit.. cartoony. Am I dreaming..? Didn't I just wake up? I wonder.." He wonders aloud, but softly

But of them all he questioned how he managed to sprout a third leg, and become a whole meter shorter with stubbier, and stockier, legs. He stopped when he neared the town and saw his first pony, she was about his size, also a unicorn, with a purple coat and a long flowing dark blue mane. His initial reaction was to report this strange creature, along with the majority of the scenery, the buildings, the empty space, and this odd oaken thing the bad new creature is laying on. This is what he had been encouraged to do to all unfamiliar items and creatures since he could recall, the creature having sparked his memory of the hardly-used reporting stations. His attempt to find one of said stations was thwarted when he turned to go report and he realized he had no idea where the nearest reporting station was. Or where anything was, for that matter.

The mare hadn't noticed him in the several minutes he stared at her though as he approached her she set the book down, the title written in some form of runes so as to be unreadable, and looked to him "Why are you staring at me?"

"Wh-what?" He asks, both shocked at the speaking oddity and confused as to how such an unassuming creature could speak and know he had been there. The mare seems to look annoyed, apparently having taken offense at the invader's tone

"I asked why you've been staring at me the past few minutes."

The invading creature clears his throat anxiously, shaking his head a little before answering the unicorn "I-I've just... n-never seen a thing like you..."

Her annoyed expression lackens as she asks slowly "Are you, one of those spider creatures that keep coming here? They all seem to come from that..." She trailed off as she sees his confusion growing

"Spider creature..? What's a spider?" He sits down, still anxious and now sounding a little scared  "D-do I report it?"

"Report it?" She laughs briefly, unable to hide a smile now "To who'd we do that? Celestia?"

"I-I don't know who th-that is..." His voice is quieter now, shy and nerve-wracked

"Don't worry th- you're gone..." She stares after him with a sigh as he runs off, having suddenly bolted during her sentence to get away from the strange town and creature who was talking all that non-sense "I should bring him to Celestia..." She says, seemingly to herself.

Some time passes, the invader hides away from the town. He watches, staring at ponies as they

go about their daily business, but would never go up and speak to another one of the natives. This is, he did that when he was not searching for a way back home. All he recalled from his movement to this cartoon land is that there was a blinding white light, massive head pain as if a hammer had just been brought down on it, and a strange falling sensation interrupted every few seconds by a WOOSH noise.

But this time passes, then the purple mare he had first met, Dusk Kurl, comes up behind him "Don't be scared." She starts off cautiously "I should take you to Celestia." He spins around, eyes wide in fright, and locks up at the sight of Dusk Kurl. At least for a few seconds at which point he forcibly relaxes himself, albeit slowly. Dusk smiles comfortingly at him "Please, don't be scared. I think I know what happened to you, you just need to come with me to see our leader."

The invader takes a few moments as if to decide, then nods "Take, take me th-there.."

Dusk brings him into town and onto the train platform, asking if he knew what a train was. When he said yes but looked quite uncomfortable at the idea of getting on one Dusk asked "What's wrong with trains?"

"I-i-it's just... People always die on trains. They're never safe, the wheels are always unsturdy, the cars derail constantly, and that's not to mention the crew if they find you.." He shivers at the thought of this supposed crew "and they always give off that choke dust from their smokestacks, purifying the air around them."

"Oh.." She sighs lightly "Our trains aren't like that, they're very safe. Don't worry... and uh, they don't give off choke dust."

He nods but doesn't seem to have changed his mind on the issue. The train in question takes around an hour to show up. Most of the time is spent in silence between the two, with Dusk Kurl only getting up to get their train tickets to Canterlot.

After boarding the train they sit silently, Dusk making sure no ponies disturbed them, all the way to Canterlot. Their walk through the town is uneventful, though they are stopped at the doors of the castle by the guards there.

"What business do you have in Canterlot Castle?" The guard on the right asks commandingly

"I am taking a special visitor to meet with Princess Celestia." Dusk Kurl says

The guard looks at his post-mate then back to Dusk "Very well, proceed."

Dusk and the invader, he never got a name did he? Oh well, move together towards the throne room. The throne room door is open when they arrive, Celestia and Luna sitting on dual thrones next to each other and staring at the doorway the two ponies come through. Dusk bows to them from the doorway.

However the invader simply walks up to the rulers, probably uncomfortably close for the ponies, and cranes his neck back to stare up at them "I am Zagoroth." He says, much to the surprise and sudden suspicion of every pony in the room

"And.. You do not know who we are or what this place is, Mister Zagoroth?" The elder asks

"Nay, I doin't. I would like to go home too, this place is scary and bright.. And it hurts to breathe here..."

The white alicorn nods understandingly "What is the name of your planet?" The suspicion fades quickly from her tone

"Uh... I don't know, i-it never came up before..."

Once again every pony got a look of surprise, with one of Celestia's eyes twitching slightly before she opens her mouth to speak again and is cut off by Zagoroth the Invader who sounds very anxious "Oh, I've upset you haven't I? I-I'm sorry.."

Luna stands up and walks past him to Dusk Kurl, nudging her gently then walking out of the room to signal her leave. The smaller purple unicorn follows the alicorn compliantly.

"No no," Celestia quickly reassures him "Not at all."

Celestia stands as her sister and the citizen leave the throne room and, navigating around the invader, steps away from the seat she had been in the past hour "I just do not know how you might be sent back if I do not even know your name for your planet."

His ears flatten and his expression deepens in sadness with acceptance "I'm sorry.. I don't really know much, that is King Sombra's job, is knowing."

Celestia stiffens at the name and carefully asks, once more suspicious and concerned, however she was a lot more confused than anything else "King Sombra? Can you tell me about him?"

"N-no sorry.. H-he knows a lot, though! B-but that's about it.. He uses the tele a lot, seems a little paranoid to me too."

"Uses the tele? What does he use it for?"

"Oh just.. edicts, required knowledge..." His gaze has turned to the side "Sombra once called

himself the destroyer. I don't know why, we haven't destroyed anything in

decades..." His tone is soft, distant, and pained near the end.

Celestia opens her mouth to ask several more questions F I L E C O R R U P T E D