Chapter one: First Contact
Author's Note
Welcome to the new fic, Everyone! This a project between myself and three lovely individuals Maziodyne, Pyro Mance and *drumroll* Naturefang!
If you could not tell from both the short/long description, I don't blame you as I suck with explaining stuff so I'll try here. This is a Displaced fic (Insert "Ugh, Displaced? Downvote!" comment here)! I know this first chapter may be confusing but...that's because Naturefang has the Prologue in his story so you should probably read that first to get a better understanding of what's happening to our characters. Just a tip.
Now for my story. This is something I've wanted to try for a while and I think I've gotten the chance. Journal entries! Yes, I love them, do you? I hope so, cause that's what this story is all about! Well, It's more about the struggles of a man who been taken over by his own character and that character writing about his adventure in the Griffon Empire but I digress. I'd appreciate constructive criticism and all that. SO! I hope you enjoy the ride..cause it's gonna be a dozy.
Chapter one: First Contact
5/4/456
The only few things I can really say about being unconscious is that it’s dark, like pitch black to the point you couldn’t even see your hand. But, the other thing I can say is that it feels brief most of the time, key point there is that it feelsbrief. I mean, you could be in a coma for what, five years? When you wake up, you’d have felt like it was five to six seconds. Why do I say “Most of the time”? Well...the black out I’m was feeling two weeks ago did not feel like it was seconds.
I don’t know how I can describe it. Fuck, I don’t think I know if I could describe the sensation I felt when I arrived here. But, Tavi suggested that I write my thoughts down so...I guess I might try. Have you ever gotten sleep paralysis? When you’re conscious and can look around but your muscles aren’t awake yet, locking you in place. That’s what it was like for me...and let me tell ya, it is terrifying, more than terrifying actually. What was even worse,was the darkness. You see, most of the time in sleep paralysis you actually see your surroundings. But, since I saw nothing, I felt the ground I was sitting on, the tree my back laid against, the maggots getting at my dead flesh. I could hear their wriggling, the sounds of steps and wheels of carts rolling by, not noticing me. I smelled the fumes of smoke from distant campfires...rotting corpses of animals long since past.
When I woke up, my vision was blurry, I could feel the soft rain hit my body as I winced a bit when it got in my eyes. I blinked a few times, feeling as if time itself was slowing down for me, lack of blood is most likely the cause of that. Each blink felt so slow, it felt like I could see the world a tiny bit more clearly but then lose it as blackness would engulf me for about ten or fifteen seconds before I’d see the world again, only for the process to repeat. I don’t know, maybe that’s just a thing that happens but, at least at the time, it felt like that was on purpose but I don’t know why.
It was then..at that moment, I saw my surroundings for the first time. I was in a small clearing, or at least my back was facing the clearing. It was hazy, a fog was rolling in with it’s gentle touch as I could see the dying rays of light from the sun beside me on a rock that wasn’t covered in shade like I was. I tried to move but all I felt was pain as I slumped back against the tree. Through all that time, I don’t think I opened my mouth once to speak, only to moan in pain or to breathe.
...I, I remember feeling...dread? Yep, it was dread that I felt, in the fog. I can’t explain why it just, made my spine tingle. I got up after what felt like at least an hour though it was most likely five minutes, I looked around for awhile, hoping to hear some sound of footsteps or a cart going down the road or, anything for that matter. I would have accepted the sound of a bird chirping or a wolf growling...but I got nothing, just the sound of my breathing.
I looked down at at my hand for the first time since I had woken up and my eyes went from they’re frightful confusion to “what the fuck!?”(truth be told, those where the first words I said during this time) amounts of confusion at what I had witnessed. My hand looked like it was from a cartoon to be truthful with you, my skin was olive in tone with a darker tone of it at the edge, acting as some sort of outline for my arm which reminded me of cartoons. I looked down and, low and behold, the brown trench coat I was wearing also had that effect. Now that I think about it, where did I get this trench coat? As I said before, it was brown, kind of a...bland colour? Most likely the best way to describe it, yeah. I had these arm slings and holsters attached to my clothing, I wasn’t really sure of it at the time but..I can assure you now that it was for things like weapons and potions..that sort of stuff. Actually, maybe that’s why the right side of my back didn’t feel as hard on the tree as my left side? The scabbard for my favorite weapon helped most likely. Anyway. Where was I?
Oh, yeah..forgive me, I remember..a lantern, I can’t exactly remember where or even how I found it. But, it seemed to have been just there, almost waiting for someone to hold it and turn it on to guide them through the dark, and let me tell you, this lantern as become like, my best friend. So, Here I am, in an unknown place with the fog rolling in and the night sky blooming over like a flower with it’s stars twinkling in the sky, with my skin and clothing being all cartoonish in style and clutching a lantern with a hand that’d put an early stage Parkinson's victim to shame. No..that, that was bad, forgive me, please, That was just distasteful.
Now, I know what you may be thinking, I’m losing my fucking mind with seeing this kind of shit. Now, back then, with me looking behind my back every five seconds, I would have believed you...and, to be honest. I think I still am losing myself. But, that’s not important now. See, as I was walking, I felt I was being watched...and the scary part is that I think it was the forest itself that was watching me. No ghouls or skeletons or anything physical. I mean, yeah, trees are technically alive but that’s not what I mean, I felt as though they were watching my every move..every step, every single taken breath. It was scary, I’ll be honest..hell, I’ll be more honest by admitting that I cried like a baby. But, something happened, something that I praise all the time now that has helped me keep my sanity...I saw something.
Now this...god, I remember this. The fog at the time had gotten heavier, but I was still able to see somewhat. The moon, or at least what was left of it was swallowed up by the clouds above, leaving me with only the lantern to keep me calm. Even though I remember the event almost vividly, I’m not sure where the creature popped up from. It was like..I saw this space in between some trees, then when I blinked, it was there. At the time, it was just an outline, just a shadow..but now, as I sit here in this rickety chair and think it over, every detail was burned into my mind.
It was tall, around six foot nine to seven foot three in height, I’m not entirely sure which I should go with. Now, I’ve faced many things in my travels, but this thing..this thing was different. It wasn’t demonic, or at least I couldn’t sense any demonic energy from it. It was just..there, a creature. Every move I made, slow or fast drew its attention. I smelled death..and rot off it’s wet, leathery skin, I almost gagged at the picked scabs and open wounds around it’s body, almost as if it was showing off. From what I now know of it through local villagers, it was called a Blindsider. That wasn’t the worst part either...I think the worst part was it’s face. No eyes...none whatsoever, a mouth that split off at the middle of the jaw, making look like an insect’s mandibles as they could move by themselves was the only thing on it’s face.
Then, I felt the ringing...the absence of sound as its mouth moved, almost like it was saying something but I couldn’t hear, only my breath. I did the most logical thing I thought of at the time by reaching for a sword on my back, which resulted in me remembering that a sword was not there. So, I stood there, stiff with fear as the creature’s hand glowed a faint white. This glow, as I later found out, was it using its magic as sounds of the forest flowed into my ears. I’d had been with only my breath for so long, no animal noises or the sound of my foot hitting the ground or even the rusty swinging of my lantern. When the sound came back, I was disoriented but still held my footing.
That, I hope, was the one thing that helped save my sorry ass. The creature started to slowly walk towards me, allowing me to see more of it’s body. It’s legs were mangled and deformed like a cat or goat, still no fur or any trace of hair on it as it walked. It’s mouth was chattering, almost as if it were trying to speak to me as it continued onward while each step making a squishing sound. The mud having formed a bit ago, sorry if I had not mentioned that. I just stayed there, I don’t know why I stayed there, I just felt so scared, so lost...so hopeless for some reason that I can’t explain.
When it got to me, towering over me with it’s anorexic body, I could hear its breath. It was soft, cold and distant, wheezing for an unnatural amount of time. “...You...are mine..” was the only thing that came out of its mouth, its tone being that of someone you would hold dear, a friendly voice that was jumbled up with a killer’s.
“Wha-what?” I asked, barely getting the words out as the being’s three fingered hand wrapped around my neck, cutting off my air supply. I struggled, I flailed about as adrenaline finally kicked into high gear but it wasn’t enough. This thing overpowered me greatly, picking me up with ease as it brought it’s face closer to mine. Even though it didn’t have any eyes, it felt as if it was staring into my soul...that still terrifies me.
Sorry, I’m being emotional again, this staring went on for what felt like forever, just me and this thing. We stared at each other for long enough that, I’m sure we’d both remember the other’s face for a long time. Then, when it seemed like I was about to black out again, a miracle happened. I could hear the sound of a kart coming by, the sounds of hooves carrying it across the land. With one last use of my strength, I called for help as loud as I could. Funny, if it was just a little quieter, I would have been dead.
The thing dropped me when the kart stopped, the hooves moving around in strange patterns that I didn’t know about until recently. There was knocking and talking but I couldn’t make out any of it. I turned back to where the beast was and it was gone, practically vanished from sight. I lay my head in the mud, taking in the air with long, heavy breaths as I heard the hooves coming towards me. At the time, I thought it was the people using their horses to get to me faster...what I actually saw was far different from what I was expecting.
Four beings approached my battered form, just as cartoonish looking as I did. Two of them looked like a mixture of a horse or pony and a human, with equine ears on the top of their head and small muzzles where their mouths and noses were. They dressed like humans, though, with one wearing a black tank top with a purple jumper or hoodie tied around it’s waist. I could also tell that it was female or just feminine in appearance with white fur all around it’s body. Its hair was long and spiky with two tones of colour in it, dark blue and light blue with a tail of the same two tones. Her legs were also like that of a horse or pony, bending backwards a bit.
The other...pony (god is that hard for me to get used to) was also feminine in shape with the same characteristics in biology. The fur on her body was grey as well as her hair and tail. She was wearing a formal dress, Black in colour with a pink waistband. She also appeared to have a bowtie around her neck but for such a backwater place that we all seemed to be in, it still confuses me why she’ll only take it off when she sleeps. Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself.
The last two were not a mix of equine and human but rather human and bovine. However, they were not Minotaurs, I was asked to remind anyone who reads this of that fact that their species and Minotaurs are entirely different..I don’t know the difference myself but I’m not one to get into trouble due to racial stuff.
One was taller than the others, who I wish to say as a reminder to myself were about four foot to about four foot 2 inches in height, not exactly sure on that one. However the Bulls were about five feet tall. They were both wearing cloaks to keep themselves dry from the rain but I could make out that one had armor underneath. I think it was leather armor but, the rain still in my eyes and the fact I was blacking out made that difficult.
As soon as they came, I was losing my vision. The cold embrace of darkness filling me once again as I could only hear or feel. I heard them speaking. One of the...ponies...I think saying. “What the hell is this thing?” with the other sounding like she was scolding the first in a rather posh voice. Though, it did seem natural.
One of the bulls said, in probably the gruffest voice I would ever hear in my life. “Come on, let’s get this thing in the wagon and go back to town..” with him then apologizing that the two mares would be late for something, I couldn’t make it out as I finally fell unconscious.
Now, I would continue but Tavi is calling me for dinner so I’ll have to cut this first entry short, Yeah I know, it was long as hell but I could have made it longer, ta ta for now.
Chapter Three: A Memory Awakens (A collaboration with Maziodyne)
Author's Note
If you like this chapter then please, visit the author that helped me write this, Masiodyne and check out his story!
Chapter Three: A Memory Awakens (A collaboration with Maziodyne)
17/4/456Well, have you ever had that feeling that something that was so weird happen to you..that you think could never happen again at such a magnitude? Whelp, I think I just had that feeling. I don’t even remember what the hell happened clearly but..I’ll try to write it down..I hope.
I remember that I was busy thinking in the bunk that Tavi and Scratch had given me, staring at the bottom of the top bunk which had the sleeping form of Tyson inside it. I remember reminiscing over the events that had led me to being allowed to attend this journey that these four were going on. I honestly felt like a freeloader, I felt..like a leech. It was like I has popped up out of nowhere and was sucking on these folks good will like a leech sucking on an open wound. Was that wrong? I’m not sure myself...but I felt wrong, that’s for sure.
I remember that, I was smiling for whatever reason, a warm dinner that Scratch had provided was still in my gullet and I remember patting my stomach lightly, having enjoyed the good meal I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about it, coming to the conclusion that even if I was a leech, I was a protective leech..a leech that would defend it’s bloodbags to the end. I knew that..I saw those two mares as different from any other being I had seen.
I mean, Tyson was...decent, just as protective as me and I tell you he could do much more damage than I could ever hope to pump out. But, I don’t think I can see anything other than another leech protecting the same blood, even if that leech wasn’t draining that blood like I was. I could see in his eyes that he didn’t care for Tavi and Scratch in the way I did..I something more, something more passionate and loving, especially with Tavi..to tell you the truth, I think I saw love in his eyes, not the love that a father would give, that love being what I gave to the two mares. But, it was the type of love that someone who have for a woman that lets them know that they want to spend the rest of their life with that woman...and that was the kind of love I saw..though, I’m not sure how Tavi feels, don’t even know if she knows about it.
Then, I felt something, I can’t quite explain it but it felt kind of..tingly, almost pleasant even. I opened my eyes and saw that I was surrounded by a light, purplish aura that smelled of lavender. My eyes went wide as I lifted my arm and saw that my hand was disappearing, the rest of my arms following suit.
“What the fu-” I remember stating before my mouth also disappeared, I looked around frantically, falling out of the bed only to discover that my legs were gone too, but there was no sign of injury or even pain, they were just gone. It even felt like I still had them as I could feel them, I could feel the hard, wooden floor my hand was on even though I was laying on a carpet, my hand was somewhere else. I tried to call out to someone, anyone but all that came out was nothing as my entire body disappeared and I blacked out.
I regained consciousness after a while of having to suffer more of that dark, terrible abyss that was known as being knocked out cold. I remember my hearing was fuzzy, my sight blurry as I could have sworn that I was being talked to by someone. “Come on, Valentine,” was the first thing I could eventually make out, the voice was that voice I had fallen for in a non romantic way(I cannot stress that out enough), it was Scratch.
“..S-Scratch?” I remember asked, looking around as frantically as I could but my strength was not up to snuff. But then, I turned to see a face that caused my eyes to widen and my nostrils to flare...lavender…
“Yeah, It’s me Val,” Scratch said in a tone that was meant to calm me down as my gaze locked onto the form of a purple mare who was looking at me with confusion, intrigue even. The sight of both the horn on her head and the folded up wings on her back indicated to me that she was, as Scratch and Tavi put it, an Alicorn. “Now..you need to get a grip and calm do-” But, it was too late, for as she almost finished those words my fist had already landed onto the mare’s cheek with force. This sent the mare tumbling back, letting out a shocked gasp of surprise as she feel onto her rump, her back against the wall with a few books falling onto her in an almost comedic fashion now that I look back on it. But, at the time my blood was pumping and my face had a scowl as I reached for my belt, the dagger that Tyson had given me a few days ago still being in it’s spot.
Now, it was most likely due to the connection made from the portal and this pony smelling of lavender, but I could tell you now that at the time I really did think that this alicorn was going to harm me and my friends, something I couldn’t let happen. But, before I could get the knife out of my belt, the feeling of hands trying to stop me. “Valentine!” Vinyl shouted as she failed to hold me down onto the table, me falling off as a result. “Calm down!”
“What!? Who is she?! What happened!? Where are we?!” I remember shouting at the top of my damn lungs, getting up and leaning onto the table I had fallen off of, a pain in my hip.
Scratch then proceeded to slap me in the face, hard...I can still feel the sting and taste the blood even as I write this. “I said..calm..down,” she said slowly, her tone cold and almost distant.
“But..Lavender..” I remember coming up with, and now I think I deserve that second slap she gave me, I can still taste the blood in my mouth from the force of it...ow.
“Val, stop being stupid,” Vinyl said as she helped me to keep my balance. “That mare you just knocked out was Twilight Sparkle...Princess of Friendship.”
This news caused my eyes to widen, and I think I would have punched myself in the gut if I had known this sooner. “P-Princess?” I asked again, I think my voice sounded like a scared eleven-year-old who just found out that he had messed up big time.
Scratch chuckled. “..Yep, Princess,” she repeated with an almost sadistic smirk on her muzzle. “Let’s hope you’re lucky enough to not be thrown into the dungeon for a billion years and made immortal so you can stay there for all of your sentence.”
I remember quaking in my boots, the same feeling of dread I had gotten from the forest so many days ago coming back to my mind as I looked at the body of the Princess of Friendship.
Thankfully she was still asleep/knocked out, her closed eyes and slightly open mouth giving her a rather cute atmosphere about her, an adorable, rather petite mare. This, combined with how Vinyl’s voice had come back to it’s normal, not sadistic way, I began to calm down slowly, the paranoid and stressed expression on my tired face slowly turning into one I would feel while sitting down at a fire with my best friends and loved ones.
But, that calmness and almost enlightened experience fell short when the sound of the door opening, Vinyl and I snapping our heads towards the noise. What stood there was a feminine figure, around five foot seven inches in height, though I’m not entirely sure if I could even guess the weight (not to say she was fat or anything mind you, she was actually pretty slim, I’m just not good at seeing the weight on someone). Her hair came down to her shoulders, the auburn colour of it sticking out against the crystal walls and floor she stood on. What confused me was the different coloured irises she had in her eyes, the one being her left eye was purple while her right eye was a crimson that stared into my very soul, even though her face didn’t give off such intent.
She opened the door fully from its half closed state and walked inside, her face turning from concern to shock at the sight of the knocked out Alicorn. “What the hell…?” she asked, turning her gaze from Twilight to us, me in particular and I could have sworn that she muttered “Why do I feel like I known this man?” under her breath. I stayed back, not sure how to handle this situation as I had long since learned to never underestimate anything in this world.
But, instead of this girl rushing to attack me like I had expected, she carefully walked up to us, looking confused but not hostile just yet. In this instance of temporary calmness, I noticed the small white horns just sticking out of her hair, indicating that this girl wasn’t human. Her attire was a long white dress that ended just below the knee, a red and blue ribbon tied around the waist with the the bow of the ribbon being visible at behind her. The actual dress itself had designs that seemed strange to me then and even now. The skirt had a stylized electricity pattern all over it in blue. I wouldn’t say that I found it particularly pretty, but I’d be lying if I said it looked bad.
“You know..” Vinyl stated as she suddenly went for the door. “I think I’ll let you two get to know each other for a bit,” she explained, thankful they couldn’t see her frightful expression as she exited the room.
I would have been angry with her like I am a bit now, but to be honest I was too busy feeling scared out of my mind as I looked at this girl. “Um…” I remember saying as I tried to regain my composure. “..W-who are you?”
She seemed to just stare at me silently, almost as im she was examining my entire form. She then looked up into my eyes before answering with. “My name is Alexandria Kijin, who are you?”
I looked at her for a second before sighing, leaning onto the wooden table I had been lying on. “Is it strange that for some reason I remember myself having two separate names?” I had asked, looking tired and honestly just glad I had just met someone who was the closest thing I’d probably find to a human.
Alexandria stood there, silently for several moments, I could see shock on her face as she stared. After what felt like forever in that long silence she spoke up. “I’m not sure if this is the same thing,” she started, looking up at me with confusion on her round face. “But, I know that I’m Alexandria but for some reason, I sometimes feel like my name is suppose to be John Grant. I don’t even know who that is.”
This, sent what I can only recall as the feeling of lightning going off in my mind as memories came to me. The scene was unfocused at best with blurry outlines of figures all over the damn place. One of the figures came up to me and put their..hand, I guess? On my shoulder. “Come on Clay, just a few more stalls and we can go back to the hotel.”
“Sure, whatever you say, John,” I remember responding, though I didn’t actually speak it, but it also felt like I was smiling when I knew I had the biggest frown on my face at the time. As soon as the memory came to me, it left, leaving me dazed and confused as the last time it had happened. I looked to her, sighing before I began. “..I know what my actual name is, I know I’m Clayton Bigsby..but for some reason I don’t give that name when I am asked..I give Benjamin Valentine,” I explained.
As I said my explanation, Alexandria’s eyes widened with surprised, at the name of my actual name. “I know that name...Clayton,” she said, looking confused by all of this. “But, I swear that it’s not my memory. I’m really confused.”
“Trust me, Kid..so am I..” I said with another sigh. Looking to the ground. “..I remember a John Grant..maybe we somehow knew each other or something? Um..before you had the sex change, though,” I added, somehow managing the joke in this confusing situation.
Unfortunately, the girl’s face made it look like I had offended her, something I regret now but you know how it is, can’t change it. “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve always been Alexandria and never once have once have I been a guy.” she began before a soft rustling sound could be heard behind her. Then the strangeness of the situation became even worse as a small, doll-like thing arose from behind the girl, landing on her right shoulder..and it looked quite upset let me tell you.
“Are you being mean to Alexandria?” it asked, accusingly before said Alexandria turned to it with a small smile.
“Relax Shanghai, there’s no reason to hurt him,” she reassured before she turned back to face me, her facing showing that she had calmed down a bit, something I was very thankful for even today. “Maybe I somehow have the memories of this John Grant person?”
“..I..I’m not sure what to think..” I admitted, looking at her for a small while before looking back to the still unconscious Twilight. “Can you help me get her to a couch or bed?” I remember asking.
“Sure,” Alexandria responded to me as she then began to walk over to Twilight, me following just behind her as I looked very confused at the situation. That thing, Shanghai was it? I can’t really remember to be honest so let’s just stick with that. Anyway, it was looking at me, giving me a kind of look that was filled with curiosity, almost as if she had never seen a..me before. Though, I don’t actually know whether or not she has.
I then went to Twilight’s upper half, taking her forearms into my hands while Alexandria took her legs, hoisting her up into the air. I looked around for a place to put her. Not wanting the most likely pissed off alicorn to wake up with a sore back, I avoided the table I had awoken from as we then moved around carefully, like we were both holding an oversized baby in our arms.
Eventually, we settled(well, more like, I settled, I think Alexandria didn’t speak throughout that entire time) on the couch, gently placing Twilight’s body atop of it and letting her rest. “..What now?” I remember asking.
Alexandria looked as if she had just now had an opportunity to speak up after thinking long and hard about something, like a kid would when they try their best to think of an answer and are all like, super excited when they get picked, you know? Actually, now that I think about it was that what she was like? Maybe not, I’m probably wrong. But anyway, she finally spoke up. Saying. “Well, we’ve only really talked about our mental problems, with names and memories that aren’t our own. Why not introduce the real us to each other now? You can start.”
The thought honestly scared me, I had never really told anyone about myself before, or at least to an extent as I thought she would probably like to know. After sighing and giving myself a mental peptalk. I began to explain how I was born in a world in ruin, a place where demons and monsters of all kinds roamed the world. A world where it was survival of the fittest in most cases.
I told her about my daughters, how I loved them so much, that I would do anything for them. I mean anything. This meant killing someone, stealing from someone less fortunate, when I say anything, I mean anything to keep them not only alive, but also happy. As I was explaining this, I could see a small change in Alexandria’s expression, though I wasn’t sure what it was at the time. But now, as I sit in this chair and write this, I can only guess it to be...Jealousy? Envy? One of the two.
Look, I really don’t like talking about myself, I really don’t and I’ve already had to go through that with telling her my life story. So, I shall skip it, not only for my own happiness and good will but for yours as well, I don’t think reading several journals to get the basis of my life would be very exciting.
Alexandria starts by explaining that she comes from a place called… well it was some long Japanese name, where Japanese mythical creatures called ‘Yokai’ are a common sight. She goes on to explain that she's actually half human, and that her mother (who has some Japanese name I can't be bothered to try and remember) is some kind of Yokai with a long name. She says that her mother was a terrible person, locking her away from the world since birth. She goes on about the hardships she had to go through because of who her mother was, but I'll spare you the long explanation just incase she finds this and so she won’t try to kill me.
After this, we simply just stood there, or at least that’s how I remember it. We kept standing there with not much to say, having already told the other their life in it’s entirety. After a long while, I noticed that the sun had gone down. “It’s getting late,” I remember noting.
Alexandria looked out the window as soon as I noted this, her eyes going wide with surprise. “Jeez, you’re right,” she said with small frown. “I need to get back home.”
I remember seeing her turn to leave, opening the door and almost leaving. Then she turned to me. “I wish I could help you find a place to stay, but I’ve already been out too late as it is,” she then said before leaving.
With not much to do, I then went back to the cold, hard table I had woken up on, after a few minutes, I remember falling into a dreamless, restless sleep.
