//-------------------------------------------------------// Unexpected turns -by Phantomkotsu- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Headlights //-------------------------------------------------------// Headlights Where to start. I suppose the best place is the beginning. My name is Liam Jackson. I lived in a small town in Virginia and was there up until a couple of years ago when I joined the United States Marine Corp. I was young when I joined and spent the last 12 years following any and all orders given to me. But enough of that for now. You’re here for how I ended up in Equestria. On my way coming back from seeing a friend off for his redeployment, I took a shortcut through heavy forest to try to get home before it gets to dark to see. Lost in thought, flying through the woods, I wondering what new part I should order for my bike. I was interrupted by a roaring engine to my right and my bike disappearing from underneath me. The world spun in slow motion and I caught a glimpse of the car. Douche didn’t even have his headlights on. The ground rushed to meet me and everything went black. When I came to I was not on the road or in a hospital, but deeper in the woods. They probably didn’t even try to look for me after they hit me. I finally came to my senses and gently checked myself for injuries. My right arm was pretty torn up from the road, abrasions and lacerations covering my shoulder and forearm and some bone showing on my elbow. Sunlight is streaming through the trees. Made me wonder how long i was out for. Checking for my helmet, I instead fine a small cut near my hairline, leading towards the back of my head. My helmet lays next to me split in two. It was supposed to be strong enough to survive a car crash intact. If only I knew then what really cracked it. At least my backpack stayed intact. I looked around for my bike and it was bent at a pretty nasty angle. It was roll-able but no chance that it would turn over. My phone somehow survived the the carnage, as did my knife. Taking stock of my backpack, I had a nice size water bottle, a solar charger for my phone , a spare set of clothes, and small trauma kit. I began the painful adventure of patching myself up. I unlock my phone to try to call for help, but a notice of no service squashed that hope.. Since I’m wasn’t going anywhere fast, I figured the first thing I should do was look for a place to take shelter for the night. After ambling around with my bike for two hours, I found a cave. For lack of other options, I entered the cave. I chose to leave my bike on the left side of the cave and started to carefully collect firewood for tonight. It was 15:12 in the afternoon when I had gathered a nice sized pile and left to look for water. I went South in hope to find water after about 3 km I found a large river I filled the bottle in my backpack and headed back to the cave. When I made it back is was only 18:34 and I saw my bike was now on the right side of the cave. All thoughts about that were quickly washed away by surging pain. Staggering inside I worked on the fire. With a source of heat I carefully settled down and checked my phone again, and it had only lost 3%. I set an alarm for 04:00 and started to boil the water from the river. After it cooled, I downed half of it and layed down to sleep. A noise outside the mouth of the cave jolts me from my sleep. Disoriented, and noticing the fire was out, I reached for my phone and turned on the flashlight, searching for the source of the scurrying I was hearing. Seeing nothing, i take note of the time; 02:27. Following the river upstream would be my best hope to find somebody who could properly tend to my injuries. Not wanting to wait for whatever made that noise to come back, I begin to load my things onto my bike. The alarm wakes me from the daze I had entered during my uneventful walk to the river. 02:00. Fumbling to turn it off I look around. There was thick forest behind me, and a plain on the other side of the river. There were mountains in the distance, with the sun rising behind it, but nothing else of note. Taking note of the rivers flow and using the sun as a compass, I decided to head east, upstream. A fair bit of walking later, the forest pulls away into a small plain. The suns fully overhead and I checked the time.12:56. I hear a loud whistle and see a train fly by on the far side of the plain. Since railroad tracks are the only sign of life I had seen, I decided to follow them. But first, a break. My body was aching and I needed some rest. I thought about where I was, and about the person who hit me. After a while I pulled myself out of my thoughts and check the time. 32 minutes have passed, so I decided to get moving again. At about 15:40 I finally reached the railroad tracks. They had a small bridge connecting to it so I could go south across a bridge, north following the tracks, or continue east with the river and into another forest. I went north because it went around the forest and I could follow the river on the other side any way. The best decision for my injuries would still be to follow the railroad, so I head north with the tracks. After about an hour of walking along the tracks I came across a junction one lead north the other continued east into a tunnel through a mountain. Mulling it over, I grabbed the water bottle from my bag and finished off the water. Placing it back I continued north. Coming around a bend on the tracks I see a small village on the horizon. As I got closer I did not see any people walking around. Instead I saw small techna colored horses. Normal ponies, Unicorns and even Pegasi. Getting even closer to the village I noticed some were wearing armor. The only thing running through my mind was why were there not any other people. Approaching the edge of town, 5 of the armored ones rushed towards me. They circled, seeming ready for a fight. One directly in front of me looked ready to charge me. After a brief moment it started running and me. My training instantly took over and I dropped my bike ready to deflect the hit. As it came into my range it pivoted on its front legs to try to buck me with its hind legs. I try to roll out of the way but my injured leg gives. I fall to the side, still avoiding the kicks, and kicked it in the side pushing it back several meters. I climb back to my feet while two more changed me. One pegasus took too the air while the other ran at me. I tried to dive out of the way but my feet wouldn't heed my command. I looked down to see they were glowing with a light, rose tinted hue. Glancing around, I see a Unicorn with their horn glowing the same color. I hadn't wanted to hurt them, but that option is now officially off the table. As the normal one got close I could see they were not planning to buck me, but just ram through me. I grab hold of the normal one and try to throw them at the Pegasus. Arm and leg screaming, i managed to launch the pony at the Pegasus. Both Pegasui see this and attempt to catch their friend, giving me time to ready my knife. They must have been a bit surprised to see me brandish a weapon, cause they backed off a bit. I threw my knife at the unicorn I think was holding me in place. The blade never got close as a rose tinted glow surrounded them. I was free to move again, but was really starting to feel my injuries, lack of food, and lack of sleep slow me down. As they readied for another attack everything's color fades and my vision begins to swim. I could only guess blood loss was getting to me. During this small time of weakness a normal one tackled me to the ground. A Unicorn stomps over and put their horn to my head and I felt something push into my head and I black out. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 “Auntie you need to get better chiefs, they don’t know how to prepare a salad right. Oh and don’t even get me started on how they don’t even understand the difference between a berry wine and a grain alcohol, I was given a 150 year old grape wine when the dish I was served required a 185 year old.” Princes Blueblood winded when a royal guard came bursting through the door. “Princess Celestia, there is an unknown creature attacking Ponyville. Lieutenant Water Lily has engaged the creature.” the private frantically whispered into my ear. “Sorry to cut our little talk short nephew but something came up in Ponyville that needs my immediate attention” I informed him. As I made my way out of the throne room, the guard followed “Guard would you please ready a chariot for Ponyville immediately” I asked of him. He bowed as he ran off to the chariot hanger to inform them to be ready to leave upon the time I arrive. I made my way to my sisters room to inform her we need to leave for Ponyville at once. Arriving at her bedroom I heard shuffling behind the door. Upon knocking, the door opened to reveal a disheveled and groggy Luna. “Hello sister how may we help you. I thought night-court did not start for 2 more hours?” she asked. “Sister I thought I told you to talk like a normal pony, none of that royal “we”. I am here to inform you we need to leave for Ponyville immediately, there in an unknown beast attacking and we might be needed to stop it.” I informed her. She responded with a grunt “fine give me a moment to be ready.” As Luna and I made our way to the chariot hanger a guard trotted up to us, “Princesses, the creature has been captured and is being given medical treatment for injuries it sustained before the fight. Twilight Sparkle is requesting your presence” the guard informed us. We boarded the the chariot they had ready for us. Upon making it to Ponyville and making our way to the hospital where we found my pupil Twilight. “PRINCESS CELESTIA you made it.” Twilight said running up and nuzzling me which I happily returned. “The creature is still asleep but it will not die from the injuries that it somehow got. Although it did have on it many objects I have never seen before.” “Unknown objects? Hmm. Shall we go take a look?” I followed her to a small room with only a table. On the table lay a small 2 wheeled thing, a small knife, a black reflective rectangle, a odd looking saddle bag, a bottle, a set of clothes, a small gridded object, and a small first aid kit. As I was leaving the room I saw a doctor. “Could you take me to the creature that was brought in earlier” I ask a doctor. “Why yes your majesty.” he lead the way to the room. ===***=== BEEP...BEEP...BEEP The sound of a heart beat monitor was the only sound thing I could hear as I slowly came to. I suspect that I’m in a hospital room, based off the overwhelming smell of high grade disinfectants. When my eyes opened that suspicion was confirmed by the drab walls and small bed I was laying in. I looked down to my arm and saw it was wrapped up snuggly in medical gauze. I saw an IV in my other arm and the fluid bag was almost empty. As I was preparing to stand I heard what sounded like footsteps coming steadily down the hall. The clopping of hooves coming down the hall told me I did not have much time to find a way out. I started to panic thinking about what happened earlier, and how I was attack by the armored ones. I frantically look for my stuff, realizing I was naked and in a small room with only a bed and medical equipment. I realized that they knew how to patch me up so they had some form of sentience and medical knowledge. The sound of hooves stopping outside the door made me realized that they were maybe 4 meters from the door. I had to act quickly, pushing the bed in front of the door t block it. Hopefully this gives me enough time to get out through the window. ===***=== As we approached the room we heard something big and heavy move inside. The doctor tried in vain to open the door because it was blocked from the other side. As we stood there trying to get in I decided to teleport the doctor and myself into the room, and what we saw there shocked me to the core. A strange bipedal creature was trying to crawl out the window i grab it and tried to calm it down. “Please be still. I do not wish to hurt you. I only wish to help” I said gently. It didn't seem to understand. ===***=== In a bright flash a large white horse and a smaller, light brown one in a lab coat appeared in the middle of the room. I was stunned for a few seconds seconds, until I tried to escape again out the window. As I got it open I was wrapped in a golden light and lifted towards the white horse. “Fcoujo ro jkacc. A te dek najx ke xihk 0ei. A edc0 najx ke xocf.” What the hell did it just say? It doesn’t matter, right now I just need to focus on getting out of here. I struggled to get free, but no matter how much I struggled I couldn’t feel any sign of getting loose. As I floated closer to the large white pony, I tried get out of its grip more vigorously than earlier. “Teskeh sud 0ei te jemokxadw ke jkef ad vehm xihkadw akjocv” Did they say venom? ===***=== The creature will not stop moving and trying to break me grip on it. “Doctor can you do something to stop in form hurting itself” the doctor pulled out a syringe and filled it with a sedative and tried to injected it into the writhing creature. It keep moving to the doctor could not get a safe injection spot strengthening my grip on the creature i held it so the doctor could get a good spot. ===***=== I saw the light brown one pull a syringe out of its lab coat and fill it with some clear liquid. I redoubled my efforts to escape its grasp and make my way to freedom. After about 30 long seconds of struggling I felt its grip tighten around me, making it harder to move. The the light brown one stabbed the syringe into my neck and push the plunger down. About 45 seconds later I started to feel the effects of whatever the injected into me. My struggling slowly came to a stop as I passed out from whatever was in that syringe. ===***=== Once the sedative started to take effect I set the creature down “Are you ok on little one?” I ask softly. There was only the sounds of soft snoring as a response. “Doctor i think you gave him a little bit to much.” I said, concerned. “Sorry Princess, I just didn’t want it tearing any of the stiches on its arm and causing more damage.” //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3 “So Dr., how long do you think the creature will be out for?” I asked the Doctor. “Mmmhmm maybe and hour or so. I didn’t give him too much, just enough to knock him out for the time being.” responded the Doctor. “Thank you Doctor, please come getus when he finally wakes. I’ll be heading back to the to the others now” I said with a smile. As I slowly walk back to the others I started thinking; what is this creature? How did it get here? What are all these mysterious objects it has? Approaching the room containing the strange items, I overhear the elements and my sister having a conversation. “Oh. When can we see the poor creature?” Fluttershy excitedly asked. “Well I’m sorry to inform you Fluttershy but that’s unlikely to happen for at least an hour.” I told her. “Why?” she asked, concerned. “Did something happen” “Yes. When the Doctor and I went to go see this creature he barricaded the door and tried to escape out the window” I said. A look of concern washed over her face “I bet he was just scared.” she said.’ Now that i think about it there was a look of pure terror in his eyes. I should have brought fluttershy so she could have calmed it down.’ i though. “What are you thinking about sister?” Luna asked pulling me from my thoughts “Oh nothing that important i was just thinking that i should have taken Fluttershy with me when the Doctor and I went to see the creature earlier” i told her. “Well how were you to know that it would try to run and block the door so you could not get in the room?” she asked. “Don’t be so hard on yourself about this it will wake in a little bit and we can all go see it then.” she reassuringly told me. “I guess you’re right sister but now that i think about it he look so scared for his life who were the guards who attacked him again?” I asked her. “ It was Lieutenant Water Lily and her squad that were the first ones to make contact with the creature.” she told me “ Princesses as you asked the creature will be a wake shortly” the Doctor politely announced. “Thank you Doctor we will be heading that way now will you please join us?” I graciously asked. “ Yes, your highness.” he responded.on the way to the room we saw a scared nurse leave the creature’s room. “Is he awake yet nurse?” the Doctor asked. ===***=== As I was regaining consciousness I felt something on my wrists. Opening my eyes, I was unsuprised to find myself in the same room, only now restrained to the bed. “At least they aren’t trying to kill me. At least.” I mused out loud. It might be time to try to figure out where I am. I heard the sound of hoof steps again coming down the hall this time although I couldn’t do anything to move or hide. It might be time to try to figure out where I am. As the hoof steps stop outside my door, I heard what sounded like that weird language they were speaking. It was too muffled for me to understand them. I watch in awe as the door shined in the same golden color that surrounded me as I tried to escape. ===***=== “Yes, Doctor he was waking as I was leaving.” the nurse told him. As we entered the room he was awake. And seemed to examine us very closely he seem to look at us as if he was trying to guess are intent. Almost as if he was trying to see if we were there to hurt him. Fluttershy imditly ran up to the side of his bed it seemed to be a little disturbed at the way Fluttershy moved up to him. It was at this moment i saw it was hoofcuffed to the bed. “Oh you poor creature, what happened to you?” Fluttershy asked it. The creature only seemed to struggle to get away from Fluttershy. The hurt look on her face seemed to affect the creature. As if by her looking sad for it made it mad. “Doctor why is he hoofcuffed to the bed?” I asked the doctor. “He is like that because we did not want him hurting himself or others when he woke up.” The Doctor told me. ===***=== As the door opened I saw the same larger horse come in with a bigger group. Going from biggest to smallest it is large white one with a horn and wings with an ever-flowing mane and tail that was blue, green, purple and pink, a smaller blue one with an ever-flowing mane and tail as black as night, a lavender colored one with a three-tone mane, an orange one with an old stetson with a blonde mane and tail, a bubblegum pink one with joker grin and a darker pink mane and tail, an all white unicorn with a purple mane and tail, a light brown unicorn in a lab coat, a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail, and lastly a yellow colored Pegasus with a pink mane and tail rushing towards me and stopping next to the bed “Teskeh nx0 aj xo xeevsivvot ke kxo rot?” the large white one said to the smaller brown one. “Xo aj cabo kxuk rosuijo no tat dek nudk xam xihkadw xamjocv eh ekxohj nxod xo nebo if” the smaller brown one said to the large white one. ===***=== “Ex 0ei feeh shoukiho, nxuk xuffodot ke 0ei?”it said. The way it rushed towards me was unsettling. I struggled against my bindings trying to escape, but to no avail. The more I struggle the more the yellow Pegasus looked hurt. ‘Why is she looking hurt, I’m the one who’s stuck here bound to the bed’ I thought. ===***=== “Fluttershy! What are you doing? Get away from that thing it might hurt you!” Rainbow Dash yelled at Fluttleshy. “She’s right Fluttershy we don’t know what it might do!” Rainbow yelled. “It’s fine girls he just looks scared and lost to me. Where did you come from big guy?” she asked looking right at him he seemed to be thinking something maybe “Vcikkohjx0! Nxuk uho 0ei teadw? Wok unu0 vhem kxuk kxadw ak mawxk xihk 0ei!” the cyan one yelled. “Ak’j vado wahcj xo zijk ceebj jsuhot udt cejk ke mo. Nxoho tat 0ei semo vhem raw wi0?” the yellow one said while looking at me. Well it is now or never time to give this my best shot let’s make it a good one.