Can’t believe I’m actually telling this story. Before I begin, my name’s Josh, but the ponies of Equestria know me as the Armored Demon on account of my titanium-A armor. Now, you’re probably wonder just how I arrived in Equestria.

Well, to put it simply, I’m what the brony fandom calls a Displaced. Essentially people who were dressed as something, were sent to Equestria, and gained the abilities of whatever they were dressed up as. Usually, not always.

So, I was at Comicon with my sisters-Samantha who was wearing a model of the Pathfinder armor from Mass Effect: Andromeda; and Christie, who was wearing model armor resembling that of the Halo: Reach Spec Ops armor for the Elites-, and I was dressed as my Spartan from Halo 5. Cyan colored Raider armor and helmet with brick-red highlights. The colors of our three outfits were the same. The only thing we were missing were model weapons to go with our outfits, not having enough time to make them, and we couldn’t find models online.

We were at Comicon both because it had become a tradition for the three of us to meet up there every year ever since Sam got in college, but also as a sort of memorial to Christie’s boyfriend, Matthew, who had gone missing at last year’s Comicon.

“Probably best he was here to see that,” Christie said, referring to a rather. . .noticeable argument related to Mass Effect: Andromeda. I’m sure you can guess what. If not, it was over the game being arguably the worst game of early twenty-seventeen, some even arguing it’s outright because of glitches. I can cite a few games to disprove that, but that’s neither here nor there.

Sam chuckled. “Yeah. He’d probably bet on it.”

I stayed silent, not exactly being a talker, but agreeing with Sam.

“Yeah,” Christie said, her tone indicating she had a sad smile..

“Hey,” I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “He wouldn’t want you to be upset. Worried, yes. Not upset.”

“I thought you hated him,” my sisters said at the same time.

“I’m supposed to,” I said. “I’m the protective brother, and we were both aware you two were entertained by it, so we agreed to put on a show,” I told them, my voice having a hint of smugness.

Both of them chuckled. “Figures you’d do something like that,” Sam said before I saw her head turn to the right, and I followed, my eyes saw a guy wearing the Hunter Raid armor from Destiny’s year three-the armor being mainly blue with some orange- standing in front of a table which had a few model weapons and other such.

“You guys want to check out what he’s got?” Christie asked. “‘Cause I’m noticing a model Energy Sword and Halo Sniper rifle.”

“And I see one of those R.C. Nomads,” Sam said. “So yes for me.”

I just shrugged. “Don’t see why not.”

“Then let’s go, bitch and bastard!” Christie proclaimed, pointing her finger in our destination’s direction dramatically as if she was an explorer. As we approached, the back of my neck began to itch, and it got somewhat worse when we got there.

When we reached the table, the Cosplay Hunter looked at us, and either it was me being paranoid, or his gaze seemed to linger on me. “Hello, you three,” he said, his voice making the itch act up a little more. “Anything catch your eyes?”

“Yeah,” Christie. “How much for the Energy sword model?”

The Hunter out a hand to his chin, and muttered to himself. “Well, considering I’ve got a few more with my friends, how about thirty dollars, keeping mind it light up and has the sound effects, along with the fact I traded a friend for it.”

“The R.C. Nomad?” Sam asked.

“That? Only one I have, so two hundred and fifty. Cheaper than other places I’ve seen, and it works fully.”

“Damn, that nearly takes all my spending money,” she muttered.

“How much for the. . .,” I trailed off, looking at the table, seeing some more Halo weapons from both design styles, Mass Effect N7 weapons, and other such stuff. “The Nornfang model?”

“Ah, that?” the Hunter asked. “Custom made with some extra stuff added in for the hell of it. One hundred.”

“I’ll take it, and cover half of the Nomad,” I said, taking out my wallet and fishing out two hundred and twenty five.

“Josh, you sure?” Sam asked. “That leaves with you seventy five.”

“And leaves you with one hundred and seventy five,” I replied, handing the Hunter the money, and he handed me the Nornfang model. “Either that, or you pay all of it.”

“Damn it,” she said before taking out her wallet, and handing the guy one hundred and twenty five dollars, who then handed Sam the Nomad and its controller.

“Here you go,” Christie said, handing the Hunter thirty dollars.

“Thank you to each of you,” he said, handing Christie the model weapon. “Been a pleasure seeing each of you.” He then looked at me. “And you again especially, dude.”

I was about to say something just before I blacked out, my itch going crazy.

After an unknown amount of time, I felt someone shaking me. “Josh?”

“Fuck off, five more minutes,” I muttered, wanting to sleep a little more.

“Come on, dude. Wake up.” I continued to lay on whatever it was with my eyes closed.

“This doesn’t even surprise me,” I heard Sam say before I got a kick to the gut, which got me to bolt up.

“The fuck!?” I asked.

“You’re on Christie.”

“. . .Oh,” I said, and I got up with Sam’s help. When I turned around to look at Christie, I nearly screamed, but I did jump upon seeing a Spec Ops Elite. “What the?” I asked before my brain fully turned on. “Excuse me a moment, I need to punch a tree,” I said, and walked to the nearest tree, pulled my right arm back, and punched said tree. I didn’t break it in half, but I did leave a sizable dent in it. Then went on an angry rant which I shall not put into this, as I don’t remember the exact order in which I said it.

“Better?” Sam asked behind me.

“Yeah, a little,” I replied. “Let me guess: Nomad’s fully sized?”

“With my preferred arsenal of weapons, yeah,” she replied. “So, we those Displaced you like to read?”

“Yep,” I said. “Christie up yet?”

“Still out,” Sam said. “I woke up ‘bout an hour ago in this forest, and did some recon. Judging from the building, I’d say we’re outside Ponyville. That, and the fact I had to deal with some guards that attacked me, and I interrogated their leader.”

“I thought you were a Pathfinder?” I said jokingly.

“Oh ha ha,” she said. “I tried to talk with ‘em, but shit ended up like first contact with the Turians and Kett.”

“Meaning we’ll have to be careful,” I said. “Or we could do what we always wanted.”

“Become evil?” she asked.

“Bingo,” I said. “Smart villains, though. Meaning if we are to have any chance of winning, we’ll need an army, weapons, a way to neutralize the Elements-bearers or gems will do-and divide the ponies so they don’t know of our overall plan until it’s too late.”

“And plan.”

“Yeah, that too,” I said. “And dependent on the time period we’re in if this Equestria even remotely follows the show events, I may have a way for the first and second one.”

Sam sighed. “Of course you do,” she said. She then lightly punched my arm. “You get to planning. I’ll go wake up Christie. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it together.”

I nodded, then sighed. “Right. You got Nornfang in the Nomad?”

“Yep,” Sam said. “It’s parked back that way,” she said, hooking her thumb over her shoulder. It’s unlocked.”

“Let me know when Christie wakes up,” I said, and made my way to where the Nomad was located.

“Got it.”

I made it to the Nomad, and saw the doors on it’s side were open. I climbed up, using one of its six tires for support, and looked around before seeing the Nornfang leaning against the middle seat in the back of the cabin. I grabbed the brown sniper rifle just above where the magazine was out in, and hopped out of the vehicle.

I walked by where Sam was trying to wake Christie up before I asked her, “Which way to the town?”

“Direction you’re going in,” Sam replied.

“Thanks.”

“Be careful,” she said. “Come on. Wake up, fat ass.”

Christie muttered something I couldn’t make out as I entered a denser part of the forest, heading what my Helmet’s HUD indicated was East.

Now, I didn’t freak out for a few reasons. One was that I was good at controlling my emotions a times, and I was lucky this was one of those times. The second? Honestly, at that point, I didn’t know, it just felt right. The Titanium-A armor and the undersuit, my muscles strong enough to punch as hard as an earth pony. It just felt right and familiar for some reason. I wouldn’t find out until later why.

Anyways, I made my way to the edge of the Everfree-the only forest close to Ponyville from the show- and sighted down Nornfang’s scope, looking at the town. It was different from the show version on account of a few things I could see. One was that it seemed to be a mix of the show and Sombra-verse versions, and the ponies I could see-mainly guards- were anthro, and seemed to match how an artist named ss2sonic drew the ponies, which is to say if MLP were an anthro anime.

The guards were on high alert from what I could tell, and it made sense, considering Sam pretty much took out a guard patrol single handedly. Another difference was that the guards wore functional medieval armor in the fact they wore full face helmets, bracers, greaves, armor for the thighs, and had chainmail underneath the armor, with pauldrons protecting the shoulders. Wouldn’t stop a High Explosive Anti Tank round, but still, it would work against weapons of their time.

“Too bad I don’t know how to hack a radio station,” I muttered. “Assuming they have radio, of course.” I shrugged just before a glint caught my eye, and I moved the scope to look at the source and zoomed in. I was a few minutes before I saw the source, which was a golden chariot, and I could barely make out two figures sitting in it with two pegasi pulling it and four more surrounding it.

I brought my right off the grip and brought up to the right side of my helmet. “Sam?” I asked over the radio.

“Yeah?”

“Looks like the royals are on their way. I got ‘em marked right now. Might want to get the Nomad ready.”

“Copy that. Starting it up now. If they get close, lose ‘em and head north.”

“I’ll be gone by the time they get here,” I said. “After all, I’m not an idiot who only hardscopes.”

Sam chuckled. “Just be careful, bro.”

“Copy,” I said, and returned my hand to the Sniper rifle’s grip as I continued to track the chariot.

It landed outside of the town, and I zoomed in further on the one in the chariot I assumed to be Celestia, going off the golden armor. I saw a small glint off her helmet, and saw the one I assume to be Luna look at it, then turn her head towards my location. She then tapped Celestia on the shoulder and I assume told her something. A few seconds passed before I barely saw a unicorn in purple armor nod before there was a flash of light, and a pop behind me.

Responding out of instinct, I turned around and saw a unicorn mare in purple armor standing behind me, two daggers drawn.

She went to stab my throat, and would have if (1)I didn’t gain Spartan reflexes from the Displacement and (2)my armor didn’t have shields. As she looked in what I imagine to be surprise at the field around my throat, I grabbed the arm she thrust forward, and threw her into a tree, most likely dislocating her shoulder.

“Agh, buck!” she yelled in pain before bringing her left hand up to the side of her helmet. “All units, this is Major Sparkle. Hostile contact at my loca-” she didn’t finish before I kicked her head with enough force to knock her out.

“Sorry, but I want to live,” I said as I knelt down and took her helmet off, and saw Twilight’s face with some blood coming down the side. “Don’t have a medkit, sorry,” I muttered as I put Nornfang on my back, the magnetic holster securing it as I magnetically clipped the stolen helmet to my waist. I deactivated my suit’s external speakers and activated the radio. “Sam, get the Nomad ready, we have hostiles inbound.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing, they sent Twilight to kill me while I was on the edge of the forest,” I said as I jogged into the forest.

Sam sighed. ”Give me a minute. I need to get Christie in the back seat.”

“Got it.”

”Wait, did you say they sent the bookwork to kill you? The fuck kind of Equestria are we in?”

“I’m going to say a militarily focused one, possible xenophobic with how they reacted to you at first.”

”Oh fucking joy.”

I made it to the clearing, dashed through it, and towards the Nomad, which Sam was just getting in the driver’s seat of. I ran to the other side, and climbed in, seeing Christie still unconscious and strapped into the back seat between my seat and Sam’s. As I strapped in, Sam brought up her Omni-tool, and closed the doors. I turned the external speakers back on, and when I was about to ask, she said, “I had an hour before you woke up. Of course I figured out the basics with this thing.” Then, to my surprise a holographic controller appeared in her hands.

“Uh?”

“Easier for me to control this way,” she said. “Even got the HUD on my helmet.”

“Nice,” I said. “Which direction we headed in?”

“North,” Sam replied. “Without proper gear, it’ll take the ponies a long time to find us there, and getting it for an entire platoon or battalion will take time, especially if I’m right and there’s nothing important up there. Also, why not just kill Twilight?”

“Because they don’t know what I’m carrying,” I said. “Especially if you didn’t use your guns. No point in telling them we have weapons that can kill as easily as an arrow that requires less effort to aim, or the damage a H.E.A.T. round can do.”

“Fair enough,” she said. “Why a helmet, though? She asked as she started the Nomad, and turned us to where we were facing North.

“They have a sort of radio,” I said. “I figured we could listen in using the helmet.”

“Assuming they don’t have protocols for that,” Sam muttered.

“Fair enough,” I said before I heard a groan behind me. I turned around, and saw Christie holding a hand to her head.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice somewhat deeper than before. Made sense, given she was now an Elite.

“You know those Displaced stories?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she replied. “What about them?”

“We’re living one,” I said. “Congrats, sis. You’re your husbando race.”

Ponyville-thirty minutes later

Ponies-mainly military with some civilian aid- marched around the small town, the citizens used to this given their proximity to the Everfree forest.

Still, it surprised many that the majors of the military were here for what many thought to be a simple wild animal. Imagine their surprise when they were ordered to exit out into the open, their king arriving to inspect the town.

The population of the town, as well as the majors of the military, was standing in and around the center of the town when a grey chariot was seen, pulled by two bat winged ponies. When the chariot landed, the ponies all bowed as their king-a grey unicorn wearing silver armor with a red cloak which matched the oddity of a horn he had, the horn being curved as if it was a predator’s tooth, the upper half being dark red.

He looked at the major in yellow armor. “What happened?” he asked, his voice cold and uncaring.

“We lost a patrol group as was reported,” the major replied. “When major Luna and I arrived, my counterpart saw a gleam off my armor that did not match my angle to the sun, and brought my attention to a glare from the forest. I sent Major Sparkle to investigate. She is currently in the nearby hospital being treated for a concussion. When found, she did not have her helmet.”

The King glared. “General Wit, what is your take on the circumstances?”

The second occupant of the chariot replied. “Well, my liege, given the tire tracks found within the Everfree in the direction the footprints showed,” the unicorn said, his armor having the pattern of the King’s favored-a black heart crossed over by two black chains- “I believe the one I told you of is here.”

“You’re infamous “Spartan”?” The King asked.

“Yes, my Lord,” Wit said with a bow.

The King was silent for a few seconds. “Major Celestia, tell Captain Armor to take a battalion North. We can not risk whatever this is capturing the Heart.”

“As you command, King Sombra,” Celestia said.

Behind Sombra, Sharp Wit, let a small smirk loose. Looks like you brought help, Spartan. No matter. You have your gifted abilities. I have mine. Only mine are from a Goddess.

Author's Note

And thus begins the rewrite and redisplacement of my second Displaced story. Those of you returning to me from that story, I thank you for you patience in waiting for this story. For those who haven't read it, it's not required to understand anything. Regardless, I look forward to entertaining you all.