A Past Best Forgotten...by Dawning AshChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1"Wake up..." Ray's eyes shot open wide. His eyes darted left and right looking for the voice that was nowhere to be seen. Ray turned around or at least what felt like turning around to again have no luck at find the owner of the voice. "I see you look for me yet I am everywhere but nowhere at the same time." The voice spoke lightly. Ray continued to look not believing the voice, interpreting it as some sort of trick, his mind speaking to himself, fooling him into thinking he was alone. "Most would have responded, but you haven't... why not?" It asked. Ray pinpointed the source of the voice to the vast constellation of a pony like human in the sky with... wings and a horn? "You’re looking at me? But how no mortal has ever found me. Speak, now or face the consequences!" The once calm voice bellowed at him. He looked up the the pony-human's eyes and shook his head pointing to his mouth while trying to speak. Only faint noises that the pony-human could hear burrowed their way out of his body. Memories of that day flew into his mind, reminding him of his failure as a brother, as a son, family and how he was punished for it. Before the memories could plague his mind more they were cast away by his will and brought forth memories of his family on a day of happiness. Yet no memory could save him from the past. The voice softened as it spoke, "Y-You're mute... aren't you? How horrid... such a kind soul treated like a pet." Ray's eyebrows furrowed in anger at her knowledge as his gaze reached her, he somehow felt her recoil from his gaze. At her surprise his gaze softened to a look of a parent disproving of a child. "I-I apologize, your memories are your's and your's alone. I promise to never view them again... after that, I don't think I want to either." It whispered quietly. Ray's gaze returned to normal as he nodded. A solitary tear falling from his face. The pony-human figured looked upon him with a motherly gaze as she saw his tear. It smiled softly at him. "Do not worry... your free now those horrid people can NEVER hurt you again", the pony figure shrunk to around six foot. Six and a half foot if you included the horn which put him without horn at just taller at 6 foot 3 inches but just under it's height with the horn, "My... I did not realize you were this tall..." Ray felt proud at his height and smiled triumphantly as he forget her trespassing into his mind. The pony giggled then spoke, "Well I suppose introductions are in order, I am Selene. Goddess of the moon. And your are?" Ray's mouth hung open a little bit, here he was standing in front of a REAL goddess... he smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and a stack of small notes. He wrote on one small sheet and handed it to Selene. She looked confused at his writing tool since they used quills and ink pots and even more confused at the note. "It reads... Hello, my name is Ray. Human. No fancy title like yours," she giggled and then continued, "there is a colon and a bracket? What is this?" Ray flipped it over for her. "I... uh still don't get it?" She questioned. Ray sighed and face palmed. He pointed to himself and smiled and then pointed to the paper. "Huh... OH... my bad whoops." Selene said sheepishly. Ray shook his head and smiled as he sat down. He wrote another note asking where they were. "Where are we... well we're in the world between worlds. Me and my husband watch over the planet and our daughters who are ruling the largest country on the planet." She said with a smile. Ray's smile faded and then quickly shot back up without her noticing, he wrote her a note asking if she could play movies from his memories. "Hmm oh a memory spell... that's easy, how long is the memory?" Selene asked. He wrote on another note saying it was three hours and fifty minutes and the movie is called Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. "Oh that might be good lets play it then." She said as she touched his head and a memory appeared in front of them. Two Hours Later... "Wow! That was incredible, and that is the standard in your world? I've seen a few Equestrian movies but they're not that good and weren't in color... and your asleep... well lets get you off to bed then." Selene said to herself as she held him in her magic grip which made him more comfortable. She laid Ray onto a bed made of clouds as he was still snoring away. Selene smiled as she saw him snoring away. Leaving him in the room by himself to sleep. That was the first night he had had in a long time that was nightmare free. The Next Morning... Ray shot out of the bed as he looked at his surroundings. With tired and squinting eyes he tried to find his way around until he stumbled onto a black door with a unlocked lock on it. His curiosity got the better of him as he opened the door to find a black figure on it's knees crying into it's hands. Ray approached the figure being careful to always keep the door open in case. He reached the figure and walked in front of it and then did the most stupid thing. Tapped it on the head. It instantly stopped bawling only a few faint sobs now remained as it removed it's face from it's hands. It looked towards him with deep red eyes and white teeth. "W-Who are you?" The figure questioned in a voice that vaguely resembled his own before it was taken. Ray smiled and pointed to his throat and shook his head causing the figure to tilt it's head sideways. "What?" It asked again. Ray wrote on a piece of paper saying that he is mute. "Your mute huh? Well for what it's worth... I-I'm sorry." Ray smiled and wrote another note asking him what was wrong. "Whats wrong... well to begin with... I don't know where I am, who I am or what I am but... i feel all these raw emotions overpowering my rational senses and it's just making me cry. I guess I'm just lost." the figure replied. -What do you want me to call you then? "Well um... any suggestions? Wait...I got it... how about Theta?" Ray put his thumbs up and smiled. Ray PoV "Hey... thanks, some people wouldn't have even asked how I as feeling so... thank you. Theta said. I put my arms out to hug Theta and Theta accepted it. However after we hugged we merged and now Theta is inside my mind and I can feel emotions properly again, Selene didn't tell me I was fragmented? Did she do that on purpose? As I came too i heard the door i came through creak open as Selene looked inside with her husband Solarei. Only to find me on the ground confused dazed and in shock at what happened. "R... R..A.... RAY!" Selene shouted as she shook me. I nodded. "What are you doing in here this is where a emotion demon was being kept. Where did it go?" At first I pointed to the door and wrote a note saying it was unlocked. And then I took note of what she said afterwards 'Emotion Demon', was Theta just a Demon playing off my unwieldy emotions from my past? I had to get answers so in my head I asked him. "W-What no I'm not an emotion Demon as I told them, I said I had no idea who I was and they said I was lying... s-should we tell them the truth?" Theta asked inside my head. I sighed out loud which gained the attention of both Selene and Solarei. They both looked my way in confusion as to why I sighed. So I wrote down what happened and they kinda freaked out... "W-wait Solarei don't kill him... he may be telling the truth..." Selene pleaded. "They're demons, and if one found his way in him, it means they're going to get into ponies too... even our daughters!" Solarei yelled. Selene looked shell shocked as she realized this and she took a few steps to the side while trying to comprehend what her husband had said. Taking advantage of her dazed state he turned to burn me to a crisp yet I had already ran... not wanting to die. "SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Solarei boomed at Selene "NOW HE HAS GOTTEN AWAY!" "Your fear is clouding your vision Solarei, this hatred is blinding you... don't give into fear, we're gods remember so just relax..." Selene calmly said successfully calming down Solarei. I heard all of this from just outside the door as i returned to see Solarei sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. As i re-entered the room both Selene and Solarei looked towards me as i made my way inside, Solarei avoided eye contact until I walked up to him. I offered my hand in friendship to him and he accepted it. I suddenly felt something or someone leave my body, it was Theta. Since Theta could talk and I couldn't he talked for me. "I realized that I lied to you now..." Theta began. "What do you mean?" Asked Solarei. "I finally realized that I was Ray's emotions all along... because once we merged I got access to his memories which helped me remember... Also what day did I appear?" Theta questioned. "If i remember correctly you appeared inside this room on the 17th May 2002 IF my memory is correct, 8 years before our dear Luna was freed from her prison, why? Is that date significant?" My eyes had already shot open and were welling up with tears, that date was the date my family was murdered and the day I became mute over sixteen years ago when I was thirteen. I openly cried because i finally realized why I barely felt anything over my families' death because on that day the stress was so much that it split me, all my emotions were sent away while all my memories stayed with me. I collapsed on the floor head in my hands as i cried for my family, for myself and for Theta. Theta, Selene and Solarei came over to me and comforted me until I collapsed from exhaustion from crying and finally fell asleep waiting for the nightmares to take over my dreams. Chapter 2I woke with a start and sweat was dripping down my forehead as I sat up, I tried to move only to have something keep me restrained on the ground. I looked over there in the almost pitch black to see iron chains keeping me from moving. I was confused at first, confused as to why they would chain me to the floor. I tore my eyes away from the chains after pondering and looked in front of me only to see an imposing figure looming over at the front of where i was locked up. I was about to smile until i heard the voice of a familiar man. "Well, Well, Well... the little dog is awake. Finally ready to serve your masters slave?" The dominant voice sneered. My eyes shot open as my mouth hung wide. I-I thought I was free from this place, why am I back here in this hell! Where are Selene, Theta and Solarei. I started hyperventilating at the thought of having to endure hell again only to receive one night of respite. "Aww how cute... the dog is panting, do you want food Mutt?" The voice cackled. If anyone were to see me in the light, I would visibly shake at this person's burning words. I looked for anything to escape with but to no fruition since a second later he spoke again. "Well, I'll take of those restraints so you can come and serve your masters you old dog..." As he removed the restraints I followed him making no attempts to escape, the scars flaring up from the last time I tried to escape. As I followed after the man who called me, I could see the frightened faces of the new looking at me... I had lasted years in that place... sixteen years of fighting to stay alive. Once I returned for the night we all would try to communicate unless a guard was stationed inside our 'pen'. After following the man down the same corridor I walked through everyday of this hell a new guard stopped him and said he would escort me. The other guard reluctantly agreed as he walked off. I finally took in my surroundings. The wall was made of an old grey stone like you would see old castles made out of. However the walls were chipped, and even some stones had splotches of blood plastered all over them. I looked down towards the carpet... red, blood red. On the day I first arrived this carpet was a different color, now it was stained with the blood of dead people. I looked at the man... his face was relatively normal except for a mark on his cheek which symbolized his allegiance to the slave ring and a scar down his left eye which was whited out, I presumed he was blind in his left eye. He had a black goatee and white hair. His eyes were dark red from the contact lenses all the guards were required to wear. As I rounded the corner following behind the guard I came into the once throne room now a room used for beating, raping and killing slaves. Once the guard entered the room I saw him smile which was uncharacteristic of the guards, they never smiled. I chalked it up to the fact that it was my seventeen year anniversary in this place. On the throne was the leader of this whole operation that spanned many countries. His name was Johnathon Santiago along with his wife Samantha Santiago, a deceitful woman who enjoyed giving people hope and then crushing it in front of their eyes... I have had a few run-ins with her. None of them were pleasant. As I approached the throne Santiago stood up and looked towards me with a smile. "Ahh if it isn't the slave that lasted the longest... Ray wasn't it?" Santiago spoke firmly. Not wanting to be beaten by the various guards I nodded and bowed my head the the 'king'. "Why don't you speak Ray i'm sure we would like to hear what you have to say... OH wait I forgot. I was the one who cut your chords and took away your speech. One of the most important human tools, well good thing you don't have them you dog!" Santiago bellowed causing many in the room to laugh at his joke, except the guard that escorted me here. I grimaced while my head was still bowed so no-one could see me. "Well, since it is your seventeenth anniversary in my world I thought you could use a few days off from work to keep up your productivity. And as a gift from me to you for being here so long a comfortable mattress will be fitted in your cell." Santiago spoke softly. This confused everyone in the room, even his wife because usually on big year anniversaries like mine i would be beaten to a bloody pulp by the guards until I could barely walk but he didn't. Even I was confused. But instead of questioning it I smiled and bowed my head as I was escorted back to the cells. I finally got a glimpse of a clock, it read half seven in the morning since work didn't start until half eight I would have an hour until the others would work. As me and the guard walked I looked behind us and say a mattress being carried by two guards. All four of us reached the pen and to my cell which was the largest by a small margin. The others looked in confusion as they saw me enter and looked even more confused when the mattress arrived and was placed in my cell. All the guards left and the one that escorted me stood watch outside. I was in my cell when one of the others spoke to me. "H-Hey how'd ya get that mattress bud?" He spoke while stuttering. I pointed to my throat since I couldn't speak but he figure out why I was doing that. So he asked again. "Hey bud why aren't you speaking?" He asked again. Thankfully one of the other people answered for him, she was called Zoey and she had been here for around three and a half years which was actually quite rare since most people's bodies couldn't keep up with the stress and just gave out. "Hey guy, get off his back. He has been here longer than any of us Aidan over there has been here for over five years which is the second longest according to him." Zoey explained. "Pfft that guy hasn't been here for longer than six years at most." the man said. I stood up to my bars and showed off my back while Zoey and Aidan both showed off their's. On our backs were lines carved into our skin Zoey had three and Aidan had five. "Hey uh I can't see that guy's back." said the man. I turned to a better light to show off now seventeen lines drew into my back with the seventeenth dripping blood. I was currently on the third row with six per row. Also on my back were a battleground of scars littering it but avoiding the count of years. The other's eyes widened in horror at the fresh wound from on my back. The man sputtered and gasped at how long I had been here. "How old were you when you were taken?" Zoey asked. I visibly grimaced and held up my fingers in a code showing twelve. After I put up my fingers a few grimaced, some cried and the others looked down in despair. "T-Twelve? You were twelve! What happened to your family?" Aidan asked. I drew a line across my throat to shoe that they were dead. "They're dead? Everyone of them?" the man asked. I nodded which made everyone go quiet. After silence, I laid down on the new mattress and fell asleep awaiting what nightmares would manifest in my dreams. I shot up to see an empty space around me, nothing not even my cell or anyone. I just walked alone to pass the time. The sky was a dark grey with grey clouds covering the sky. I kept walking until I heard something. "Hey Ray." The voice spoke. I whipped around to see what the voice was to see Theta. My eyes widened and my mouth was open wide. So it wasn't just a crazy dream that I had to try and cope with the crushing weight of my life. I ran over to Theta and grabbed him in a hug. As Theta returned the hug he spoke again. "Solarei and Selene are trying to find a way to bring you from your world to theirs. They have been watching you throughout the day and are determined to get you out." I looked him in the face and smiled. -Can I see them? "Uh... no sorry they're using all their energy to find a way to bring you here away from this hell. But don't worry for all that time I'll be here with you. To keep you sane." Theta smiled I smiled back and sat down gesturing for Theta to sit down next to me. -Do you want to watch a movie? "Sure why not? It'll kill time right?" Theta said -How about Harry Potter: Chamber of Secrets? "Sure when you watched it over seventeen years ago i remember you enjoyed it a lot so lets take a trip down memory lane. When I woke up I saw my cell again and sighed, I looked out and saw everyone was still out working and I saw a few guards inside the pen playing Blackjack. I stood up and knocked my knuckles on the bars of my cell. The guards looked over at me. "What do ya want slave?" One of them asked. I pointed to the cards asking if I could be dealt in. "Uh... well considering you got a couple days off we'll let ya play but we won't go easy on ya." the man said with a gruff voice. As they moved towards me cell they started dealing the cards and got to playing. "What... y-ya must have cheated!" "B-But how are you so good?" "Wha... how you've almost won everything!" "Well that's it boys were out of things to gamble." one of them said pointing at the pile of cash on my side of the table. I smiled sheepishly as they all looked at me with annoyed faces. I grabbed the stack of money and split it into four piles and dealt back three of the piles to the three guards as I kept one of them. "Hey... for a slave yer not so bad." One of them said. "Yeah, thanks this here is a grand this is a months pay right here so... thanks. We'll play again sometime." Another spoke. "How are you that good at blackjack?" A third said still shocked. "Come on Mark we gotta get going rounds are shifting." One said. The three walked out and mere moments later the rest of the slaves arrived back in the pen after a hard day at work. "Hey Ray enjoy ya day?" Zoey asked. I nodded and walked over to the door with a smile. "Did something good happen while we we're gone?" Aidan asked. I just shrugged and sat down as I listened in on the slaves conversations, listening to them as i slowly fell asleep... *BOOM* I shot up to find the pen on fire and the doors blasted open. Dead bodies of the slaves littered the floor with bullet holes in their heads. I looked around hoping not to find Aidan and Zoey there and luckily they weren't. As I stood up and shook off the initial ringing of the blast I stepped outside the pen room to find dead guards everywhere. Their bodies littering the floor with various gunshot wounds. One or two were torn in half by explosives, either malfunctioning or otherwise. I continued down the hallway to the sounds coming from the familiar corridor. I walked past the body of another guard his body charred by the flames. As I walked past I saw a PDW on the floor along with a few magazines for it as well as an M1911. I picked up the weapons, ammo and knife from the dead corpse as I slowly proceeded to walk slowly down they hallway. I had never used a gun before so It could mean life or death If i couldn't get used to it. I reached the once throne room and saw bodies everywhere. Some died from bullets others from explosions but there was blood everywhere. I looked up to the throne and saw Samantha's lifeless corpse laying there dead. I took out my 1911 and practiced by firing at her head, relieving some stress on the way to the noise. "H-Help... M-Me..." A voice spoke weakly. I turned around to find a SWAT officer bleeding out on the floor. I rushed over to help him. "H-Hey were you one of those slaves?" He asked. I nodded and put a finger up to my lips telling him to keep quiet. I saw some bandages discarded to the side of him and picked them up. I carefully took off his uniform and saw three bullet wounds. All had minor bleeding which meant luckily none had hit a vein. I wrapped the bandages all around his stomach to stop the slow bleeding which helped keep up his energy a small bit. In the distance I saw a small med-pack which could help. I ran over to grab the bag and ran back. Rummaging inside I found a morphine shot which would help. I injected him with it and got him on his feet and made for the entrance which was back the way I came. As I got him on his feet I started walking to the entrance and listened to the Swat radio for ongoing reports, with the PDW strap around me and the 1911 in my left hand I continued to walk to the front. I heard about the last patches resistance being in the old catacombs of the castle. I then heard a report of a person walking out the front which I presumed was me. I continued to walk while keeping the officer awake. "H-Hey by the way my name is Sam..." Sam spoke. I nodded and pointed to my throat and shook my head showing him i was mute. "Oh your mute h-huh i'm s-sorr- AHH - sorry." Sam whispered as he grunted in pain. I continued to walk keeping an eye on my surroundings so no guards got the drop on me as i continued to make my way out of the castle. *Kshht* "Unable to put down resistance requesting backup in the catacombs, over." *Kshht* I finally reached the exit and at that point the Swat waiting outside told me to freeze. I kept walking to get Sam to a medical point. "I SAID FREEZE!", "DON'T MOVE!" "W-Wait stand down he's got an injured with him... MEDIC!" The police shouted. I continued to walk until a Swat with a red cross appeared to take him. "I'll take it from here, you did a mighty fine job on those bandages son..." The medical officer told me. I nodded and turned around running back into the castle despite the warnings from the Swat. I ran to the catacombs to give the Swat support. Along the way I picked up a bulletproof vest to protect me from shots to the chest. As I made it to the catacombs I saw the Swat were already down there shooting. I made my way down as I grabbed the PDW I acquired. "Hey Civie, What in tarnation are you doing down here!" One of them shouted. I pointed towards the resistance and help up my weapon. "Your not aloud to fight get outside now!" I shook my head and moved up to the barricade only to hear shouts behind me. I saw a guard look at me and ducked just in time before he took my head off with a bullet spray. I was breathing heavily as i looked to my right to find a grenade. I pulled the pin and threw it at the guards. "OH SHI- *BOOM*" 1 I climbed over the barricade briefly looking at the mangled corpse full of shrapnel and got behind a bundle of boxes as I took aim. One person was trying to flee back as I shot him in the back killing him instantly. 2 I looked at his lifeless corpse hit the ground, but I shook out of my shocked state quickly enough to avoid getting my head blown off. I took aim again and caught another unaware while firing at a pinned group of swat the bullets ripped through him killing him before he hit the ground. 3 The other guards took note of me and pinned me down. I took a quick peek only to receive a hail of bullets. As soon as the Swat started firing again they forgot me and focused on them long enough for me to grab my 1911 and fire all eight bullets into a person killing him. 4 Before they could respond I quickly moved up to a stone wall causing them retreat further into the catacombs. I stopped and finally breathed normally as I reloaded my PDW and 1911. I had two magazines for my PDW left and one for my 1911. A Swat officer moved over to me. "Are you alright?" He asked. I nodded as I watched the rest of the Swat move up. "Your a good shot and a good fighter just don't get your head blown off." I nodded again and moved up with the rest of the Swat. As they rounded the corner LMG fire cut down three officers unable to get to cover in time. I stared at their lifeless corpses and had a small silence for them. I looked at their belts and one of them had a flash-bang. I quickly grabbed it and turned to the other officers and showed them. They understood and I pulled the pin and threw it down the hallway blinding the guards. I ran down the hall and cut down two of them with my PDW while the Swat got the other four shutting down the LMG fire. 5 and 6 We were coming up on the last room in the catacombs and there were at least 15 guards in that room all armed with rifles, smgs and pistols ready to kill us. I looked at the officers and pointed to a grenade and a flash-bang and did the give them gesture. They un-clipped them and passed them to me. I pulled the pin on the flash-bang and counted to two before throwing then I grabbed the grenade pulled the pin and threw it after. "Oh god why m- *BOOM*" 7 We all moved up while they were flashed and we managed to take out eight of them before they returned fire I got another one with a clean head shot from my 1911. 8 I grabbed my PDW and sprayed as I heard two pained cries and two bodies hitting the floor. 9 and 10 After seeing the rest of their comrades die they surrendered we asked them where Santiago was and said he ran further into the panic room. We all piled outside the panic room and knocked. "I heard the shootin' stop did you win?" Santiago asked. "YEAH! Boss WE GOT EM!" One of the Swat guys shouted excitedly. "Good work I'm coming out." The door to the panic room opened and Santiago stepped out, he saw my face and my smile. I waved and put a bullet into his skull. 11 Author's Note I hope you guys like this one, I had a blast writing it! Chapter 3Santiago's lifeless corpse hit the ground hard. I stared as the remaining Swat cleared the rest of the catacombs searching for any hidden slaves or guards still fighting. My thoughts ground to a halt when the officer from before came up to me and spoke. "Hell of a job you did out there... Ever handled a gun before?" the captain asked. I shook my head as I removed the empty magazine from the PDW and slotted in the last one that I had one me. I took a brief glance at the M1911 and everything seemed in order. I turned back to the captain as he spoke again. "Well for someone who'd never shot a gun before you handled that calmly and rationally, even some certified Swat officers have trouble sometimes." he spoke truthfully. I nodded and started walking to the exit as the captain followed me. The adrenaline in my body finally reaching normal levels leaving me tired and lethargic, I rounded the corner as I felt my legs getting weak. Suddenly, a hidden guard peeked out and before I could react he fired a shot at me. I felt it barrel into my chest. I cried out in pain as I fell to the floor. A hailstorm of bullets flew over me as I heard his body hit the floor with a thud. I gasped for breath as the corner of my vision started to go black. I drew in one more breath and heard the captain speak. "Shit, get him out the front... carefully! We don't want the bullet to hit anything vital! Fucking idiots..." Before my vision faded. "Oh god is that Ray?" "Mein gott, he's been shot get him ze paramedics!" "Hang in there Ray your gonna be fine." "I told you to be careful son..." *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* I woke up to the faint sound of the heart monitor slowly beeping to my left. I looked to the corner of the room and saw Theta with tears in his eyes. I tried to move my arm but to no avail. Theta took notice of my moving and shot up to my side. "R-Ray... you scared me. You scared Selene and Solarei. Why did you jump head first into danger?" -It just felt right, like I was doing the right thing.- "It may have felt like the right thing to do but remember, I live inside you. I'm a part of you now so that means if you die... I die too." Theta explained. My eyes widened as I realised the gravity of what I had done. If I were to have died from my wounds, Theta too would suffer the consequences of my actions. Tears started to well up into my eyes as I stared at Theta. "Come now Ray... there's no need to cry. Besides were both fine. Well except from the gunshot wound buuuut..." Theta dragged off. At that moment a nurse walked in and I tensed up but when she paid Theta no mind I threw a confused glance his way. "Remember Ray, they can't see me. I may be my own person but in the end i'm just emotions given life." I slowly nodded my head as I used my only strength to tap on the metal bed frame to get the nurse's attention. The nurse visibly jumped at the noise and slowly turned around to see me looking at her with a tired stare. "O-Oh it's just you. Well it's good to see your awake. You've been under for around three weeks and two and a half days." My eyes widened in shock as I heard how long I had been asleep for. I looked around the room to take in my surroundings. The walls were made of tile and were a clean white seemingly devoid of any dirt or damage. The heart monitor slowly beeping as I breathed slowly. I was dressed in a blue hospital gown with various fluids being injected by needles and IV bags. "Hmm well everything seems in order. Do you need anything other then a drink of course." She said with a smile. I weakly pointed to my throat trying to show her that I couldn't talk. "I think I don't quite understand?" she questioned. Luckily for me both Zoey and Aidan walked in. I smiled as I turned to them and waved weakly. "Hey Ray, how you holding up?" Zoey asked. I put a thumbs up to show that I was OK. "Well glad to see your holding up buddy... finally out of that place huh? Free to try and continue with our life. Most of us require counselling after what happened to us in that place, I would imagine you do too." Aidan explained. "Um, can I ask a question? Why isn't your friend talking. He pointed to his throat but I didn't quite understand." the nurse asked. "Oh. Yeah, he's mute. They sliced his vocal chords stopping him from speaking seventeen years ago." "T-That's horrible... who did it?" "He can't tell us but I presume it was Johnathon Santiago himself, the now dead leader of the Santiago Cartel that was toppled around three weeks ago." Zoey explained "Well at least he got his comeuppance in the end. Well visitor hours are now so i would make the most of them before time runs out." the nurse said as she left the room. "Well lets chat... er communicate, heh sorry." "Well visiting hours are over Ray, we best be going now let your get some rest." said Aidan. I waved as they exited the room and silence once again overcame the room again. I felt my eyes slowly close as I drifted off to sleep. I opened my eyes to once again find myself in my mind again. However this time the dark clouds had parted and sunshine was shining down onto the ground allowing me to see clearer. I sat under one of the suns ray's ,(heh), and I once again felt the warm sunshine on my face after seventeen years of almost no freedom. I heard the sound of teleportation behind me and I was smothered by Selene as she hugged me. I gasped for breath as she cut of my airways. "Selene! Get off him your smothering him to death!" Solarei shouted. "Oh... I'm so sorry Ray here let me help you up." Selene spoke as she held out her hand. I grabbed Selene's hand and used it to get up. I then grabbed Selene in a hug as I smiled. "Don't worry Ray, we've almost figured out how to get you from your world into ours only a couple more days and we should be able to get you to Equestria." I smiled at Selene and Solarei and gave both of them a hug. Suddenly, the world around me shook as I started to hear muffled voices. "Hmm seems like someone is waking you up earlier than you would. Well goodbye for now and we will see you in Equestria soon." Solarei explained. I waved as the world around me started to crumble until only I was left and then everything went dark. "We need to speak to him... It's imperative." spoke a muffled voice. "He is currently sleeping you will have to return later." said the nurse from earlier. I banged on the side of the bed to alert them that I was awake. "See... he is awake. Now if you would be so kind to let is see him." "Fine but don't keep him for too long, he needs to sleep so his wounds can heal." The door clicked open and the light was switched on as the captain from the castle entered the room. I stared at the captain and waved to greet him as he entered the room. "Hello again Ray. How are you holding up last time I saw you was when you were carted off in an ambulance to the hospital after we got you out of there." The captain asked. I shook my hand to do a so-so gesture and the captain nodded. "Good. Good. At least your recovering. Well I came to tell you that the remaining Cartel members that were apprehended are set to stand on trial on the fifth of May we were wondering if you would be able to write a witness report and give detail on what took place there. However if you wish too you can leave out any personal details on what happened there. If you give a more detailed description then the trial will go smoother with most of them receiving life sentences for what they've done. And since you were in that hellhole for over half your life, your description will be key to the prosecution." Explained the captain. I nodded saying yes to writing a detailed report. "Good, Tomorrow I will be around to help you write the report. Just try and get some sleep and get your head in order to write that report tomorrow." I nodded once more and the captain left turning out the lights and leaving me to sleep. And soon the darkness took me once more. I woke to the suns ray's pouring in through the clear window as a light breeze drifted from the fan in my room. The nurse from yesterday walked in and did what she did yesterday. The nurse then turned the fan off and opened the window to let in fresh air. "There, that's better some fresh air. Now how about I get you some food?" She asked. I nodded vigorously, hungry from hardly eating anything yesterday. Once I responded the nurse left the room to get me some hospital food, which was probably better than what we got while we were kept as slaves. I looked to my left and saw some flowers that someone had left there. I smiled at the fact that someone left flowers for me. I then looked outside and saw dark clouds in the sky as rain fell from the sky. I then realised something that I completely forgot about. I needed the toilet. After the nurse returned and I notified her of my predicament everything from that point on went smoothly. The captain arrived a few hours later to help me write the statement. "So now I need you to write about what happened in that place and how you got there. I'm sorry if it's painful dredging up those memories and if you need to take a break you can. Just write it at your own pace and don't force yourself to write if you don't want too." The captain said. I nodded and began to write about the first memory that led to these past seventeen years. Me and my family were walking up the hill past the old abandoned castle late at night when we were returning from a family gathering early 2002. It was late at around eleven PM when my parents first started hearing noises. At first it didn't bother them but as we went on I saw the noises started to worry them more and more. By this time my seven year old sister had almost fallen asleep in my mother's arms. My nineteen year old brother walked with my dad as I walked with my mom. It was late at night when they jumped me and my family. They first shot my father and brother in the head killing them instantly. I watched as their lives were cut short. I watched as their bodies hit the cold floor. My mother was about to scream until another masked person shot her in the back of the head killing her too. All that was left was me and my sister. My sister was about to start crying so one of them hit her in the back of the head to knock her out. The second grabbed me and pulled a black bag over my head as I heard a car pull up and I was forced inside. The car journey was short. I was pulled out of the car and lead forward like and animal to slaughter. They removed the bag off my head as soon as we entered the castle and I took in that my little sister was still unconscious an we were being lead to the throne room. We arrived at the throne room quickly and I stood in front of the leader of the Cartel. Johnathon Santiago. Johnathon was a bulky man, powerful and strong, he didn't mind if he got his hands dirty killing, maiming and scarring people. In the end he was killed by my own hands about a month ago when this was written. As I was guided forward Santiago spoke. "Well, Well, Well two new animals to add to our pen! Look at this one, she'll make a fine toy when she gets older!" Santiago laughed heartily. "Your sick! Your empire will fall. T-the police will find us..." I spoke foolishly. "The police will find you and tear down your empire, everything you have will be gone one day." At that time I had no idea how my words would affect my life from that day forth. "*sigh* Well we got ourselves a tough one... seeing you family die wasn't enough hmm? Well how about this then!" Santiago shouted. When he finished his sentence he stabbed my little sister multiple times in the head killing her instantly. My eyes widened as tears welled up in my eyes as i saw he lifeless eyes stare into nothingness. "Is that not enough? OK then... bring the boy here." Santiago's men brought me over to him while he wielded the knife covered in my sister's blood. "Since you like your voice so much how about I take it from you?" My hand was trembling as i dropped then pen onto the table tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the events that started my life in that hell. The captain looked at me with a sincere smile on his face. I looked back to the paper and reached for the pen to continue writing again. One Year Later... I still couldn't sleep... no dare sleep. The faces, etched into my mind like a scar. I was resting in the pen waiting for work to start. At the usual time, the guards came and collected us to work. But a separate guard pulled me to the side and escorted me to the throne room. Once we arrived at the throne room I saw him sitting there with his newly wed wife Samantha. Once I entered I bowed as usual and then he spoke. "Well if it isn't your one year anniversary. Your tough, i'll give you that you survived much more than other twelve year old kids, i'll tell you that now." I stood there with a straight face and kept listening to him. "Well every anniversary we celebrate with a mark. We scar marks on our slaves backs to show how long they had been here. And today is your first one." Santiago said with a smile. My mouth opened wide as they brought me to Santiago turned me around and removed my shirt. Santiago grabbed his knife and slowly cut down my back leaving a singular mark to show my first year of survival. Author's Note This will probably be the only chapter with actual spoken dialogue by Ray, not between him and Theta which I classify as mind speaking, since they share the same mind. Chapter 4I finished writing up my statement/ life story on the fourth of may, a day before the trial. The captain thanked me for my statement and left the hospital without another word. On the TV monitor a new series had begun detailing the rise, success and eventual fall of the Santiago cartel. I watched the first episode while in bed and learnt that the cartel began in 1967 in Mexico as a small time drug trafficking business. Johnathon's grandfather, Alexander Santiago, started a continent wide cartel in a garage with nothing more then effort and £50,000 worth of drugs. I sighed unhappily as I switched the TV off leaving a black void. The hospital room had gotten slightly dusty since the janitors couldn't really clean the room while I was conscious and still in it. Food trays from yesterday that belonged to: Me, Aidan and Zoey after they stayed for dinner at the hospital. After they left, I fell asleep and it seems the nurses haven't checked me yet. I stretched my arms and heard a few satisfying cracks from them. The door opened and i heard several running footsteps run past the door as a doctor and nurse dived into the room and slammed the door shut. They didn't hear me in the bed so i tapped the metal bed frame which made their skin go pale. When they slowly turned around to see me, they visibly relaxed and started to speak. I quickly cut them off with a finger to the mouth before I used sign language to talk. Thankfully the doctor could understand and replied that a group of people ran into the hospital shouting with automatic rifles. I blanched at this news since it could mean two things, an unlucky coincidence or the remnants of the cartel forming a 'purification' squad to kill as many witnesses as possible; it just so happened that they raided the hospital I was in. Pointing to the IV drips wanting them removed, thankfully the nurse understood and removed them quietly. Then we heard footsteps and the click of a magazine from a rifle outside. The three of us froze as the footsteps got louder and closer. The usually clear white room now dark as the power was cut and the blinds closed. It seemed to get darker as we heard doors opening. A door opened down the hall... shouts and screams. Then nothing as they killed as many people as possible doing the job they sought to do, revenge against the people. Door after door, murder after murder, footsteps echoing closer in the blackened halls. Then our door handle was moved. Yet it was locked when the doctor and nurse entered. "Hmm? Oh, HEY GUYS! This one is locked, get the shotgun!" One of the cartel shouted. The nurse started crying silent tears as two more pairs of footsteps got closer. They doctor held onto her and tried to comfort her in our last moments. "Hey come on man, it's probably not being used. Plus we gotta scram cops are only four blocks away they'll be here any minute." The second cartel member said. "You’re right, blinds are drawn as well. You heard em boys, MOVE!" "Hey Viper?" The boss spoke into a radio. "What's up boss?" The radio blared. "The explosives primed?" "Yep ready to go boss man." The radio replied. As the words reverberated down the corridor my heart sank. I had not come this close to losing life to lose it to a unfortunate turn of events. They nurse was now shaking violently as the doctor was letting off tears of his own praying silently to his gods. As soon as the footsteps left I took the key and ripped the door open with speed. I signed to the doctor to quickly check the remaining rooms. He nodded and told the nurse, both of them checking the last five rooms. I went to the end of the corridor to see if there was anyone there. There wasn't although that was to be expected since they were going to blow this building sky high. I turned to see three more people with them. One couldn't walk since he had been in a car accident while the other two were his family. I ran into the darkened corridor to get out, the others following closely behind. As we made our way down the stairs, since the power was out, the man's mother tripped and dropped him down a flight of stairs causing him to scream in pain. Blood dripped from his head wound because he smashed into the wall. I quickly picked him up as i motioned for the others to run. As we were running the man told me his name was Alan, a 23 year old motorcyclist. As we got to the bottom floor the others had already made it out of the building through the forced open automatic door. I was about to get out as well before i was tripped by a man in a skull mask. "You thought you could get away with killing my old man eh cabron(1)? My mother too huh? Well... you thought wrong bastardo!" The man said as he kicked my stomach causing me to try and protect myself. "Hey! Leave him alone you fucking puta(2)!" Alan said. "Made a new friend eh? Fiesty one. Lets fix that!" I watched on in horror as he pulled out a baseball bat and beat him everywhere. When he made it to his legs Alan screamed in agony despite the anaesthetic in his veins. "Hmm that head is useful for one thing no? Being smashed in!" My hands shook in anger as this asshole caved in Alan's head with several blows. "Don't like that eh? Well get over it." He said smugly. "Remember my name bastardo. Robert Santiago, where ever you go I will FIND you. Don't try to hide." He turned around and started to walk away. I struggled to get up as he walked away slowly and spoke into a radio. "Blow it in one minute... I'll be there. The pier you fucking idiota!" Robert shouted angrily. My eyes widened for the twentieth time that day as i remembered the explosives were in the building. I picked myself up and ran... before i looked back and saw Alan's body. Almost nothing was left of his head. Brain matter and blood filled my mind and the reception. I then ran out of the building into swarms of people and police. I waved my arms in a run motion before the doctor from before came up to me. "T-they won't believe there are explosives in the building... they refuse to move." I looked in horror at the police line before the captain from earlier motioned me over. "Nice to see you up. Are the criminals still in there." He asked. I shook my head and motioned for the doctor to come over. He came over and I signed to tell him about the explosives. "For the last time doctor. You. Are. Delusional. Lieutenant, get this man out of here." I shook my head and pointed at him and nodded. "There are explosives? How do you know?" the captain questioned. The doctor answered, "We both overheard the cartel members. You need to get everyone to leave. "Shit..." The captain whispered as he grabbed a megaphone. "EVERYONE GO! THERE ARE EXPLOSIVES IN THE BUILDING GET OUT OF HERE." The crowd screamed and started to run away from the hospital as the police and emergency services started to leave. Then an explosion and all went dark. I woke up in the world between worlds with Theta in a ball crying next to me. I looked over to him and grabbed him in a hug as tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. We both held each other in a tight embrace for what felt like hours before he talked. "I-I was so scared. When I the flames begin to wash over us i thought it was the end... but luckily Sel and Sol managed to find a way to pull you, though you wouldn't wake up." I wouldn't wake up why? "They said it was some sort of 'magical imbalance' that cause it. Your real body getting used the the abundant magic of this realm and then the world of Equis." I nodded and looked into the distance. Where are they? "Sleeping. Even immortal alicorns need sleep." Explained Theta. Can... Can I see them? "I'll go and get them wait here." I waited for Theta to come back and saw he was taking a while. I went exploring in the immediate area because I was bored while waiting before I saw a door slightly open with white light pouring out of it. Curiously, I went in the room to have a look and found a room full of what seemed like old magical artifacts. One that interested me was a scroll with coarse texture and red handles, wrapped up with a thin void like string that held it closed. On the pedestal there were what seemed like runes plastered onto the stone. I looked on in confusion then realised that they were probably explaining what it was and what it did. Curiously i touched the scroll and got the biggest migraine of my life as the scroll did something. After the pain started to dull to the point i could think again I once again looked at the scroll only to see a pile of ashes on the pedestal. However when i looked at the runes again I could understand them. It read: The Scroll Of Words: The key of the languages of Equis. I blanched. Had just touching and accidentally absorbing the scrolls knowledge given me the power to understand every language on Equis? Past, Present and Future? I shook my head and moved on to the other artifacts. These were probably old ancient magical artifacts that held god like power compared to regular magic. I passed many artifacts some normal like The Staff of Starswirl the Bearded others strange like the Stone Rod of Raven Choir which was said to hold powers that could move the earth, the artifact looked live a shovel. And others mystically terrifying, artifacts which sent shivers down my spine by just looking at them. Three artifacts were The Sword of Talion the Gravewalker, The Cloak of Mt Doom which was forged in the now destroyed volcano that rested in the now Everfree forest and The Angel's Bow, which was said to hold mystifying healing and time slowing powers. The three powerful artifacts were all on one pedestal which confused me. Other weapons had their own separate pedestal and less powerful ones had their own sections. However these three were placed together specifically. I touched the pedestal and knelt down to try and get a better look at the runes. When i touched the runes ethereal chains flew out of the sword and bow and the chains wrapped themselves around my arms while the sword went in a new scabbard on my back while the bow followed suit and attached to my back as well while the cloak lifted over my head and went in between the weapons and my back. When the cloak clasped around my shoulders an ethereal light started shining from all three artifacts and i saw visions. A voice spoke during these visions as i looked on in bewilderment. The tyrant is dead... Not dead Talion, just gone for a time Then how do we make sure the future prepare for it's return when it does return! Because we will not be here to stop it again. You know the great beyond has been calling for us for over five millennia we should've died over five thousand years ago and now that we serve no purpose we have no reason to refuse it's call. That is why as we have turned his forces to ash we left plans, information and tools to cut him short again. Even so Celim, what of the time after that? How will they prepare when he knows the plans they used I do not have an answer Talion but they will succeed just as we did with the Dark lord before we arrived here. I hope Celim, I hope. The tyrant is dead... Not dead *%£$%$^7), just gone for a time Then how do we make sure the future prepare for it's return when it does return! Because we will not be here to stop it again. The great beyond has been calling ever since we got here. We should've died remember! I do not forget *%£$%$^7) but we cannot tell them to prepare. You remember the visions. Aye... I do *$^ but I still must fear for them because they will not know it will be coming. Lets hope what they have is enough All i see in the third vision is Canterlot in flames as the countryside is burning full of wildfire that belongs do dragons not of that realm. I am standing on top of Mt Canterhorn over 10 Kilometers away from Canterlot with tears in my eyes as i watch everything i sought to protect burn infront of me. They may have won the battle Ray, But they won't win the war... I know Theta but... it doesn't make it any less painful. At least our friends made it out of the inferno as well as our other. Thankfully... but we must prepare for the storm that is brewing Then lets reply with storm more powerful than theirs... End Of Prologue Chapter 5As the vision faded a ball of light exploded in front of me and threw me out of the artifact room. As I tried to understand what the visions meant I was picked up by Selene who then activated her hands in an ethereal blue light which covered my skin. I immediately noticed that the bruises from my rough collision mostly disappeared as the light gently glided over them. I looked to Selene to see her looking down at me with worry in her eyes. I then turned of to Theta to see him arguing with Solaire, however all I could hear was ringing from the explosion. As the light made it’s way across my body the ringing subsided and I was able to hear again. "-ou kidding me Solaire! How could you think he would do something like that?" questioned Theta. "Well I am taking things at face value. I see him getting blown away from the artifact room, which is off limits by the way, and leaving a crater in my floor!" Solaire exclaimed, "For all we know he could have broken the magi-lock holding the door closed." "W-what are you insane or is you're head just full of empty air! He has no CLUE on how magic works in this place let alone at all! You really think a human with no prior experience to magic was able to easily break a master magi-lock without setting off some kind of alarm?" Theta shot back. "W-well... I... uh, maybe if..." Solaire stammered as he was cut of by Selene. "Will you both SHUT UP and let me concentrate on making sure he doesn't have permanent brain damage!" "Yes... sorry" "Of course dear..." I looked over to Selene with a small smile on my face and held my thumbs up signalling to her that I was okay and that she could stop healing me. Selene nodded and gave me a warm smile as she pulled away deactivating her magic. A few seconds after Selene moved away I tried to stand up but I quickly fell over as my head was still spinning from the collision. Luckily before I landed on the ground again Theta managed to grab my arm and hold me upright. Thanks Theta I signed to him. Theta smiled and patted me on the back. "Well If you get hurt I get hurt as well... to a limit anyway." I cocked my head to the side as I was wondering what he meant. "Well I'm part of you am I not? Your emotions to be specific." He replied. I nodded my head in realisation, anything I do to get hurt means that Theta is in pain as well, I must be more careful for both mine and his sake. I was in the middle of thinking when Theta yanked me up onto my feet. I glared at him while he sheepishly smiled. "Well that's all dandy now isn't it? But can we focus on something important. Like how you got past the magi-lock keeping the artifact room from being opened?" Solaire questioned. I looked at him confused, The door was slightly ajar, I just walked in. I had no clue there was a lock. Solaire's faced morphed into one of worry as he looked around, "You mean it was open! I'm sure it was locked, no-one else could have opened it other than Selene." "This is the world between worlds right?" asked Theta. "Yes? What is you point?" said Solaire. "Well maybe something else who can travel freely through world between worlds was able to disrupt the lock." "While that is true that something could have done that, what entity is strong enough?" Solaire asked. I saw Selene's usually bright face morph into one of concern as she whipped her head around looking for something. She looked past me and her face went completely white. "You need to go now! Solaire charge the world hopping spell!" "On it!" "What's going on?" Theta asked "We will explain as soon as we can contact you in Equestria. Now go before it spots you!" As soon as she says that an ethereal screech sounded from behind me as a swirling purple portal appeared in front of me an Theta. I could feel the entity's presence closing in on us both so I pushed Theta into the portal and jumped in after him. As we fell through the wormhole I could hear it's protesting screeches get quieter and quieter as we continued down the wormhole. "You think this thing has an end?!" Theta shouted from below me. I shrugged and he face-palmed at my uncaringness of our situation. After some time of falling the wormhole changed from purple to blue and white. I for one was happy at the change of scenery however Theta not so much. "We're gonna die!" Theta screamed I looked around and realised we were actually in the sky. I started to panic too as we got closer and closer to the ground. I really did think we were gonna die for a solid 10 seconds until a coloured blur flew towards us and caught us. "Gotcha, no one is dying on my watch today!" The figure stated proudly. I promptly passed out from the shock of nearly dying... again Ugh did you catch the license plate of the bus? Theta? Theta! "Surprise sleepy head welcome back to the world of the living." Theta spoke jovially. Where are we? "In Equestria of course come on get up." How long have I been out "For quite a while to be honest. Long enough to make the pony who saved you worry." Theta explained. "Also time passes weirdly in your head, did you know that?" Fine I'll get up... As my mindscape disappeared around me I was met with face full of yellow fur as a woman was reaching over me to open the window. I shot up suddenly trying to breathe after being suffocated underneath her. As my breathing slowly calmed I noticed that the woman was gone. I quickly took in my surroundings and noticed that I was most likely inside a log cabin. After taking in my surroundings I decided to have a quick look around the room, in one corner of the room stood a bookshelf with books surprisingly in English? "Actually Ray, It's Equish, the language of the ponies. However technically it is English it just goes by a different name." I nodded and looked through the books, they were mostly about how to help animals and about how they acted during different seasons of the year information an animal caretaker or veterinarian would need to know. However one of the books was different it was in the back covered by the other books as if it was hidden... "What is it called?" inquired Theta. It's called the 'Pony Sutra Vol 1' an interesting title. "Read the description Ray." Sure just let me... no, nope, nadda lets put that back. "Honestly I agree lets just put it back where we found it, I don't want to know... that yet." After putting the... special book back I saw that the window she was trying to open was in fact open. The air coming from the outside felt so... fresh and clean it felt so much cleaner than the air back on earth. "I'm not surprised the air is so clean, I mean who would need fossil fuels when you have magic?" Theta explained I agreed with him again and looked closely out of the window, I noticed to the right of the window was a large forest made up of oak and dark oak trees. It also seemed very dark in the forest as a darkness covered the edge of the forest preventing me from looking further inside of it. After seeing all I could I looked to my left and saw small thatch housed on top of a hill which means there is potential civilisation over there, probably a village or a town if i'm lucky. Just below the window was a garden full of beautiful flowers and neatly trimmed bushes that made the Earth nature preserves look like dumps. In the middle of the garden was a massive oak tree most likely centuries old going by it's size. Scattered throughout the tree were small bird feeds and if i looked closely enough I could see the faint outlines and silhouettes of birds hiding in the tree. Down to the right of the tree was a chicken pen filled with hay and scattered seeds all over the place, however no chickens were to been seen. "Maybe they're sleeping?" offered Theta. Yeah you're probably right. As I took in the last view of the outside I went to turn back inside but a large brown figure hiding behind the tree caught my eye. The brown figure then stepped out from behind the tree and revealed itself to be a massive brown bear. My eyes widened as I ducked down beneath the windowsill and slowly crept towards the door hoping the bear didn't see me. Suddenly through the window I hear multiple voices coming down the road towards the house. I decided to listen in before deciding what to do. "So you're saying this thing attacked you?" I heard one say. "Oh.. well i'm not sure... but he startled me and I got scared... so I um.. sorry." I heard another one say in a near whisper. "Hey it's no problem Flutters we're friends remember, plus if he did attack you I would pound him into the ground!" The first voice replied back. "Hey Fluttershy how did y'all know he was a male?" A third one questioned. "Um well when... I uh... When Rainbow brought him here, he had a bruise on his arm so I um... undressed him to check for other wounds... and I uh saw... his..." Fluttershy answered. Breach of privacy much, shouldn't be surprised though... "You saw his dick!? Wow Flutters I didn't take you for THAT kind of mare." The tomboyish sounding one, most likely Rainbow, laughed out. "Oh I... um i'm sorry... I uh..." Fluttershy stammered most likely blushing. "Hey come on now Rainbow that kind of teasin' aint nice. Plus you're one to talk having 'secret meetings' with Spitfire whenever y'all get the chance." "H-hey that's not fair, we only meet up to work on our duo performances alone..." Rainbow replied. I snickered Yeah right 'duo performances'. "Hey Flutters did you see anything else when you undressed him?" Rainbow asked. "I did... and it was horrible!" Fluttershy cried out. I winced, She probably saw all the scars on our back Theta. "I'm gonna have to agree with you there Ray." Theta replied "What was horrible Shy? What did you see?" "His back is um... horribly scarred. There were around seventeen distinct gashes I could see. That doesn't count the uh... large amount of scars on his chest and arms... I feel so bad for him." Fluttershy said with most likely tears in her eyes. "Oh my Celestia, must be why the fella is so agitated, probably used to a life of fightin' to stay alive." The one with the southern accent replied. "You're probably right AJ, which means we need to be very careful when approaching him in case he lashes out at us." As Rainbow finished speaking Fluttershy opened the door and the trio walked in and slowly started heading up the stairs. I sat back down on the bed waiting for them to come in the room. "Come on Flutters. You'll be fine." Rainbow spoke. "I'm fine down here thanks..." Fluttershy replied. "But what if he needs ya help to calm down Shy?" AJ reasoned. "You're right and I haven't turned my back on anything yet, not even a manticore!" Fluttershy whisper shouted. As they creeped slowly up the stairs my breath hitched as both me and Theta remained silent. Waiting. Hoping their reaction would be a friendly one. The door knob on the door turned slightly and the door was pushed inwards. My eyes then met their adorable faces. Author's Note Sorry, I know i promised but... Excuses Excuses I know. I should have more time now since my studying is over but no promises... Fine I promise just for you Pinkie. If anything is wrong let me know.
Chapter 1"Wake up..." Ray's eyes shot open wide. His eyes darted left and right looking for the voice that was nowhere to be seen. Ray turned around or at least what felt like turning around to again have no luck at find the owner of the voice. "I see you look for me yet I am everywhere but nowhere at the same time." The voice spoke lightly. Ray continued to look not believing the voice, interpreting it as some sort of trick, his mind speaking to himself, fooling him into thinking he was alone. "Most would have responded, but you haven't... why not?" It asked. Ray pinpointed the source of the voice to the vast constellation of a pony like human in the sky with... wings and a horn? "You’re looking at me? But how no mortal has ever found me. Speak, now or face the consequences!" The once calm voice bellowed at him. He looked up the the pony-human's eyes and shook his head pointing to his mouth while trying to speak. Only faint noises that the pony-human could hear burrowed their way out of his body. Memories of that day flew into his mind, reminding him of his failure as a brother, as a son, family and how he was punished for it. Before the memories could plague his mind more they were cast away by his will and brought forth memories of his family on a day of happiness. Yet no memory could save him from the past. The voice softened as it spoke, "Y-You're mute... aren't you? How horrid... such a kind soul treated like a pet." Ray's eyebrows furrowed in anger at her knowledge as his gaze reached her, he somehow felt her recoil from his gaze. At her surprise his gaze softened to a look of a parent disproving of a child. "I-I apologize, your memories are your's and your's alone. I promise to never view them again... after that, I don't think I want to either." It whispered quietly. Ray's gaze returned to normal as he nodded. A solitary tear falling from his face. The pony-human figured looked upon him with a motherly gaze as she saw his tear. It smiled softly at him. "Do not worry... your free now those horrid people can NEVER hurt you again", the pony figure shrunk to around six foot. Six and a half foot if you included the horn which put him without horn at just taller at 6 foot 3 inches but just under it's height with the horn, "My... I did not realize you were this tall..." Ray felt proud at his height and smiled triumphantly as he forget her trespassing into his mind. The pony giggled then spoke, "Well I suppose introductions are in order, I am Selene. Goddess of the moon. And your are?" Ray's mouth hung open a little bit, here he was standing in front of a REAL goddess... he smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and a stack of small notes. He wrote on one small sheet and handed it to Selene. She looked confused at his writing tool since they used quills and ink pots and even more confused at the note. "It reads... Hello, my name is Ray. Human. No fancy title like yours," she giggled and then continued, "there is a colon and a bracket? What is this?" Ray flipped it over for her. "I... uh still don't get it?" She questioned. Ray sighed and face palmed. He pointed to himself and smiled and then pointed to the paper. "Huh... OH... my bad whoops." Selene said sheepishly. Ray shook his head and smiled as he sat down. He wrote another note asking where they were. "Where are we... well we're in the world between worlds. Me and my husband watch over the planet and our daughters who are ruling the largest country on the planet." She said with a smile. Ray's smile faded and then quickly shot back up without her noticing, he wrote her a note asking if she could play movies from his memories. "Hmm oh a memory spell... that's easy, how long is the memory?" Selene asked. He wrote on another note saying it was three hours and fifty minutes and the movie is called Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. "Oh that might be good lets play it then." She said as she touched his head and a memory appeared in front of them. Two Hours Later... "Wow! That was incredible, and that is the standard in your world? I've seen a few Equestrian movies but they're not that good and weren't in color... and your asleep... well lets get you off to bed then." Selene said to herself as she held him in her magic grip which made him more comfortable. She laid Ray onto a bed made of clouds as he was still snoring away. Selene smiled as she saw him snoring away. Leaving him in the room by himself to sleep. That was the first night he had had in a long time that was nightmare free. The Next Morning... Ray shot out of the bed as he looked at his surroundings. With tired and squinting eyes he tried to find his way around until he stumbled onto a black door with a unlocked lock on it. His curiosity got the better of him as he opened the door to find a black figure on it's knees crying into it's hands. Ray approached the figure being careful to always keep the door open in case. He reached the figure and walked in front of it and then did the most stupid thing. Tapped it on the head. It instantly stopped bawling only a few faint sobs now remained as it removed it's face from it's hands. It looked towards him with deep red eyes and white teeth. "W-Who are you?" The figure questioned in a voice that vaguely resembled his own before it was taken. Ray smiled and pointed to his throat and shook his head causing the figure to tilt it's head sideways. "What?" It asked again. Ray wrote on a piece of paper saying that he is mute. "Your mute huh? Well for what it's worth... I-I'm sorry." Ray smiled and wrote another note asking him what was wrong. "Whats wrong... well to begin with... I don't know where I am, who I am or what I am but... i feel all these raw emotions overpowering my rational senses and it's just making me cry. I guess I'm just lost." the figure replied. -What do you want me to call you then? "Well um... any suggestions? Wait...I got it... how about Theta?" Ray put his thumbs up and smiled. Ray PoV "Hey... thanks, some people wouldn't have even asked how I as feeling so... thank you. Theta said. I put my arms out to hug Theta and Theta accepted it. However after we hugged we merged and now Theta is inside my mind and I can feel emotions properly again, Selene didn't tell me I was fragmented? Did she do that on purpose? As I came too i heard the door i came through creak open as Selene looked inside with her husband Solarei. Only to find me on the ground confused dazed and in shock at what happened. "R... R..A.... RAY!" Selene shouted as she shook me. I nodded. "What are you doing in here this is where a emotion demon was being kept. Where did it go?" At first I pointed to the door and wrote a note saying it was unlocked. And then I took note of what she said afterwards 'Emotion Demon', was Theta just a Demon playing off my unwieldy emotions from my past? I had to get answers so in my head I asked him. "W-What no I'm not an emotion Demon as I told them, I said I had no idea who I was and they said I was lying... s-should we tell them the truth?" Theta asked inside my head. I sighed out loud which gained the attention of both Selene and Solarei. They both looked my way in confusion as to why I sighed. So I wrote down what happened and they kinda freaked out... "W-wait Solarei don't kill him... he may be telling the truth..." Selene pleaded. "They're demons, and if one found his way in him, it means they're going to get into ponies too... even our daughters!" Solarei yelled. Selene looked shell shocked as she realized this and she took a few steps to the side while trying to comprehend what her husband had said. Taking advantage of her dazed state he turned to burn me to a crisp yet I had already ran... not wanting to die. "SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Solarei boomed at Selene "NOW HE HAS GOTTEN AWAY!" "Your fear is clouding your vision Solarei, this hatred is blinding you... don't give into fear, we're gods remember so just relax..." Selene calmly said successfully calming down Solarei. I heard all of this from just outside the door as i returned to see Solarei sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. As i re-entered the room both Selene and Solarei looked towards me as i made my way inside, Solarei avoided eye contact until I walked up to him. I offered my hand in friendship to him and he accepted it. I suddenly felt something or someone leave my body, it was Theta. Since Theta could talk and I couldn't he talked for me. "I realized that I lied to you now..." Theta began. "What do you mean?" Asked Solarei. "I finally realized that I was Ray's emotions all along... because once we merged I got access to his memories which helped me remember... Also what day did I appear?" Theta questioned. "If i remember correctly you appeared inside this room on the 17th May 2002 IF my memory is correct, 8 years before our dear Luna was freed from her prison, why? Is that date significant?" My eyes had already shot open and were welling up with tears, that date was the date my family was murdered and the day I became mute over sixteen years ago when I was thirteen. I openly cried because i finally realized why I barely felt anything over my families' death because on that day the stress was so much that it split me, all my emotions were sent away while all my memories stayed with me. I collapsed on the floor head in my hands as i cried for my family, for myself and for Theta. Theta, Selene and Solarei came over to me and comforted me until I collapsed from exhaustion from crying and finally fell asleep waiting for the nightmares to take over my dreams.
Chapter 2I woke with a start and sweat was dripping down my forehead as I sat up, I tried to move only to have something keep me restrained on the ground. I looked over there in the almost pitch black to see iron chains keeping me from moving. I was confused at first, confused as to why they would chain me to the floor. I tore my eyes away from the chains after pondering and looked in front of me only to see an imposing figure looming over at the front of where i was locked up. I was about to smile until i heard the voice of a familiar man. "Well, Well, Well... the little dog is awake. Finally ready to serve your masters slave?" The dominant voice sneered. My eyes shot open as my mouth hung wide. I-I thought I was free from this place, why am I back here in this hell! Where are Selene, Theta and Solarei. I started hyperventilating at the thought of having to endure hell again only to receive one night of respite. "Aww how cute... the dog is panting, do you want food Mutt?" The voice cackled. If anyone were to see me in the light, I would visibly shake at this person's burning words. I looked for anything to escape with but to no fruition since a second later he spoke again. "Well, I'll take of those restraints so you can come and serve your masters you old dog..." As he removed the restraints I followed him making no attempts to escape, the scars flaring up from the last time I tried to escape. As I followed after the man who called me, I could see the frightened faces of the new looking at me... I had lasted years in that place... sixteen years of fighting to stay alive. Once I returned for the night we all would try to communicate unless a guard was stationed inside our 'pen'. After following the man down the same corridor I walked through everyday of this hell a new guard stopped him and said he would escort me. The other guard reluctantly agreed as he walked off. I finally took in my surroundings. The wall was made of an old grey stone like you would see old castles made out of. However the walls were chipped, and even some stones had splotches of blood plastered all over them. I looked down towards the carpet... red, blood red. On the day I first arrived this carpet was a different color, now it was stained with the blood of dead people. I looked at the man... his face was relatively normal except for a mark on his cheek which symbolized his allegiance to the slave ring and a scar down his left eye which was whited out, I presumed he was blind in his left eye. He had a black goatee and white hair. His eyes were dark red from the contact lenses all the guards were required to wear. As I rounded the corner following behind the guard I came into the once throne room now a room used for beating, raping and killing slaves. Once the guard entered the room I saw him smile which was uncharacteristic of the guards, they never smiled. I chalked it up to the fact that it was my seventeen year anniversary in this place. On the throne was the leader of this whole operation that spanned many countries. His name was Johnathon Santiago along with his wife Samantha Santiago, a deceitful woman who enjoyed giving people hope and then crushing it in front of their eyes... I have had a few run-ins with her. None of them were pleasant. As I approached the throne Santiago stood up and looked towards me with a smile. "Ahh if it isn't the slave that lasted the longest... Ray wasn't it?" Santiago spoke firmly. Not wanting to be beaten by the various guards I nodded and bowed my head the the 'king'. "Why don't you speak Ray i'm sure we would like to hear what you have to say... OH wait I forgot. I was the one who cut your chords and took away your speech. One of the most important human tools, well good thing you don't have them you dog!" Santiago bellowed causing many in the room to laugh at his joke, except the guard that escorted me here. I grimaced while my head was still bowed so no-one could see me. "Well, since it is your seventeenth anniversary in my world I thought you could use a few days off from work to keep up your productivity. And as a gift from me to you for being here so long a comfortable mattress will be fitted in your cell." Santiago spoke softly. This confused everyone in the room, even his wife because usually on big year anniversaries like mine i would be beaten to a bloody pulp by the guards until I could barely walk but he didn't. Even I was confused. But instead of questioning it I smiled and bowed my head as I was escorted back to the cells. I finally got a glimpse of a clock, it read half seven in the morning since work didn't start until half eight I would have an hour until the others would work. As me and the guard walked I looked behind us and say a mattress being carried by two guards. All four of us reached the pen and to my cell which was the largest by a small margin. The others looked in confusion as they saw me enter and looked even more confused when the mattress arrived and was placed in my cell. All the guards left and the one that escorted me stood watch outside. I was in my cell when one of the others spoke to me. "H-Hey how'd ya get that mattress bud?" He spoke while stuttering. I pointed to my throat since I couldn't speak but he figure out why I was doing that. So he asked again. "Hey bud why aren't you speaking?" He asked again. Thankfully one of the other people answered for him, she was called Zoey and she had been here for around three and a half years which was actually quite rare since most people's bodies couldn't keep up with the stress and just gave out. "Hey guy, get off his back. He has been here longer than any of us Aidan over there has been here for over five years which is the second longest according to him." Zoey explained. "Pfft that guy hasn't been here for longer than six years at most." the man said. I stood up to my bars and showed off my back while Zoey and Aidan both showed off their's. On our backs were lines carved into our skin Zoey had three and Aidan had five. "Hey uh I can't see that guy's back." said the man. I turned to a better light to show off now seventeen lines drew into my back with the seventeenth dripping blood. I was currently on the third row with six per row. Also on my back were a battleground of scars littering it but avoiding the count of years. The other's eyes widened in horror at the fresh wound from on my back. The man sputtered and gasped at how long I had been here. "How old were you when you were taken?" Zoey asked. I visibly grimaced and held up my fingers in a code showing twelve. After I put up my fingers a few grimaced, some cried and the others looked down in despair. "T-Twelve? You were twelve! What happened to your family?" Aidan asked. I drew a line across my throat to shoe that they were dead. "They're dead? Everyone of them?" the man asked. I nodded which made everyone go quiet. After silence, I laid down on the new mattress and fell asleep awaiting what nightmares would manifest in my dreams. I shot up to see an empty space around me, nothing not even my cell or anyone. I just walked alone to pass the time. The sky was a dark grey with grey clouds covering the sky. I kept walking until I heard something. "Hey Ray." The voice spoke. I whipped around to see what the voice was to see Theta. My eyes widened and my mouth was open wide. So it wasn't just a crazy dream that I had to try and cope with the crushing weight of my life. I ran over to Theta and grabbed him in a hug. As Theta returned the hug he spoke again. "Solarei and Selene are trying to find a way to bring you from your world to theirs. They have been watching you throughout the day and are determined to get you out." I looked him in the face and smiled. -Can I see them? "Uh... no sorry they're using all their energy to find a way to bring you here away from this hell. But don't worry for all that time I'll be here with you. To keep you sane." Theta smiled I smiled back and sat down gesturing for Theta to sit down next to me. -Do you want to watch a movie? "Sure why not? It'll kill time right?" Theta said -How about Harry Potter: Chamber of Secrets? "Sure when you watched it over seventeen years ago i remember you enjoyed it a lot so lets take a trip down memory lane. When I woke up I saw my cell again and sighed, I looked out and saw everyone was still out working and I saw a few guards inside the pen playing Blackjack. I stood up and knocked my knuckles on the bars of my cell. The guards looked over at me. "What do ya want slave?" One of them asked. I pointed to the cards asking if I could be dealt in. "Uh... well considering you got a couple days off we'll let ya play but we won't go easy on ya." the man said with a gruff voice. As they moved towards me cell they started dealing the cards and got to playing. "What... y-ya must have cheated!" "B-But how are you so good?" "Wha... how you've almost won everything!" "Well that's it boys were out of things to gamble." one of them said pointing at the pile of cash on my side of the table. I smiled sheepishly as they all looked at me with annoyed faces. I grabbed the stack of money and split it into four piles and dealt back three of the piles to the three guards as I kept one of them. "Hey... for a slave yer not so bad." One of them said. "Yeah, thanks this here is a grand this is a months pay right here so... thanks. We'll play again sometime." Another spoke. "How are you that good at blackjack?" A third said still shocked. "Come on Mark we gotta get going rounds are shifting." One said. The three walked out and mere moments later the rest of the slaves arrived back in the pen after a hard day at work. "Hey Ray enjoy ya day?" Zoey asked. I nodded and walked over to the door with a smile. "Did something good happen while we we're gone?" Aidan asked. I just shrugged and sat down as I listened in on the slaves conversations, listening to them as i slowly fell asleep... *BOOM* I shot up to find the pen on fire and the doors blasted open. Dead bodies of the slaves littered the floor with bullet holes in their heads. I looked around hoping not to find Aidan and Zoey there and luckily they weren't. As I stood up and shook off the initial ringing of the blast I stepped outside the pen room to find dead guards everywhere. Their bodies littering the floor with various gunshot wounds. One or two were torn in half by explosives, either malfunctioning or otherwise. I continued down the hallway to the sounds coming from the familiar corridor. I walked past the body of another guard his body charred by the flames. As I walked past I saw a PDW on the floor along with a few magazines for it as well as an M1911. I picked up the weapons, ammo and knife from the dead corpse as I slowly proceeded to walk slowly down they hallway. I had never used a gun before so It could mean life or death If i couldn't get used to it. I reached the once throne room and saw bodies everywhere. Some died from bullets others from explosions but there was blood everywhere. I looked up to the throne and saw Samantha's lifeless corpse laying there dead. I took out my 1911 and practiced by firing at her head, relieving some stress on the way to the noise. "H-Help... M-Me..." A voice spoke weakly. I turned around to find a SWAT officer bleeding out on the floor. I rushed over to help him. "H-Hey were you one of those slaves?" He asked. I nodded and put a finger up to my lips telling him to keep quiet. I saw some bandages discarded to the side of him and picked them up. I carefully took off his uniform and saw three bullet wounds. All had minor bleeding which meant luckily none had hit a vein. I wrapped the bandages all around his stomach to stop the slow bleeding which helped keep up his energy a small bit. In the distance I saw a small med-pack which could help. I ran over to grab the bag and ran back. Rummaging inside I found a morphine shot which would help. I injected him with it and got him on his feet and made for the entrance which was back the way I came. As I got him on his feet I started walking to the entrance and listened to the Swat radio for ongoing reports, with the PDW strap around me and the 1911 in my left hand I continued to walk to the front. I heard about the last patches resistance being in the old catacombs of the castle. I then heard a report of a person walking out the front which I presumed was me. I continued to walk while keeping the officer awake. "H-Hey by the way my name is Sam..." Sam spoke. I nodded and pointed to my throat and shook my head showing him i was mute. "Oh your mute h-huh i'm s-sorr- AHH - sorry." Sam whispered as he grunted in pain. I continued to walk keeping an eye on my surroundings so no guards got the drop on me as i continued to make my way out of the castle. *Kshht* "Unable to put down resistance requesting backup in the catacombs, over." *Kshht* I finally reached the exit and at that point the Swat waiting outside told me to freeze. I kept walking to get Sam to a medical point. "I SAID FREEZE!", "DON'T MOVE!" "W-Wait stand down he's got an injured with him... MEDIC!" The police shouted. I continued to walk until a Swat with a red cross appeared to take him. "I'll take it from here, you did a mighty fine job on those bandages son..." The medical officer told me. I nodded and turned around running back into the castle despite the warnings from the Swat. I ran to the catacombs to give the Swat support. Along the way I picked up a bulletproof vest to protect me from shots to the chest. As I made it to the catacombs I saw the Swat were already down there shooting. I made my way down as I grabbed the PDW I acquired. "Hey Civie, What in tarnation are you doing down here!" One of them shouted. I pointed towards the resistance and help up my weapon. "Your not aloud to fight get outside now!" I shook my head and moved up to the barricade only to hear shouts behind me. I saw a guard look at me and ducked just in time before he took my head off with a bullet spray. I was breathing heavily as i looked to my right to find a grenade. I pulled the pin and threw it at the guards. "OH SHI- *BOOM*" 1 I climbed over the barricade briefly looking at the mangled corpse full of shrapnel and got behind a bundle of boxes as I took aim. One person was trying to flee back as I shot him in the back killing him instantly. 2 I looked at his lifeless corpse hit the ground, but I shook out of my shocked state quickly enough to avoid getting my head blown off. I took aim again and caught another unaware while firing at a pinned group of swat the bullets ripped through him killing him before he hit the ground. 3 The other guards took note of me and pinned me down. I took a quick peek only to receive a hail of bullets. As soon as the Swat started firing again they forgot me and focused on them long enough for me to grab my 1911 and fire all eight bullets into a person killing him. 4 Before they could respond I quickly moved up to a stone wall causing them retreat further into the catacombs. I stopped and finally breathed normally as I reloaded my PDW and 1911. I had two magazines for my PDW left and one for my 1911. A Swat officer moved over to me. "Are you alright?" He asked. I nodded as I watched the rest of the Swat move up. "Your a good shot and a good fighter just don't get your head blown off." I nodded again and moved up with the rest of the Swat. As they rounded the corner LMG fire cut down three officers unable to get to cover in time. I stared at their lifeless corpses and had a small silence for them. I looked at their belts and one of them had a flash-bang. I quickly grabbed it and turned to the other officers and showed them. They understood and I pulled the pin and threw it down the hallway blinding the guards. I ran down the hall and cut down two of them with my PDW while the Swat got the other four shutting down the LMG fire. 5 and 6 We were coming up on the last room in the catacombs and there were at least 15 guards in that room all armed with rifles, smgs and pistols ready to kill us. I looked at the officers and pointed to a grenade and a flash-bang and did the give them gesture. They un-clipped them and passed them to me. I pulled the pin on the flash-bang and counted to two before throwing then I grabbed the grenade pulled the pin and threw it after. "Oh god why m- *BOOM*" 7 We all moved up while they were flashed and we managed to take out eight of them before they returned fire I got another one with a clean head shot from my 1911. 8 I grabbed my PDW and sprayed as I heard two pained cries and two bodies hitting the floor. 9 and 10 After seeing the rest of their comrades die they surrendered we asked them where Santiago was and said he ran further into the panic room. We all piled outside the panic room and knocked. "I heard the shootin' stop did you win?" Santiago asked. "YEAH! Boss WE GOT EM!" One of the Swat guys shouted excitedly. "Good work I'm coming out." The door to the panic room opened and Santiago stepped out, he saw my face and my smile. I waved and put a bullet into his skull. 11 Author's Note I hope you guys like this one, I had a blast writing it!
Chapter 3Santiago's lifeless corpse hit the ground hard. I stared as the remaining Swat cleared the rest of the catacombs searching for any hidden slaves or guards still fighting. My thoughts ground to a halt when the officer from before came up to me and spoke. "Hell of a job you did out there... Ever handled a gun before?" the captain asked. I shook my head as I removed the empty magazine from the PDW and slotted in the last one that I had one me. I took a brief glance at the M1911 and everything seemed in order. I turned back to the captain as he spoke again. "Well for someone who'd never shot a gun before you handled that calmly and rationally, even some certified Swat officers have trouble sometimes." he spoke truthfully. I nodded and started walking to the exit as the captain followed me. The adrenaline in my body finally reaching normal levels leaving me tired and lethargic, I rounded the corner as I felt my legs getting weak. Suddenly, a hidden guard peeked out and before I could react he fired a shot at me. I felt it barrel into my chest. I cried out in pain as I fell to the floor. A hailstorm of bullets flew over me as I heard his body hit the floor with a thud. I gasped for breath as the corner of my vision started to go black. I drew in one more breath and heard the captain speak. "Shit, get him out the front... carefully! We don't want the bullet to hit anything vital! Fucking idiots..." Before my vision faded. "Oh god is that Ray?" "Mein gott, he's been shot get him ze paramedics!" "Hang in there Ray your gonna be fine." "I told you to be careful son..." *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* I woke up to the faint sound of the heart monitor slowly beeping to my left. I looked to the corner of the room and saw Theta with tears in his eyes. I tried to move my arm but to no avail. Theta took notice of my moving and shot up to my side. "R-Ray... you scared me. You scared Selene and Solarei. Why did you jump head first into danger?" -It just felt right, like I was doing the right thing.- "It may have felt like the right thing to do but remember, I live inside you. I'm a part of you now so that means if you die... I die too." Theta explained. My eyes widened as I realised the gravity of what I had done. If I were to have died from my wounds, Theta too would suffer the consequences of my actions. Tears started to well up into my eyes as I stared at Theta. "Come now Ray... there's no need to cry. Besides were both fine. Well except from the gunshot wound buuuut..." Theta dragged off. At that moment a nurse walked in and I tensed up but when she paid Theta no mind I threw a confused glance his way. "Remember Ray, they can't see me. I may be my own person but in the end i'm just emotions given life." I slowly nodded my head as I used my only strength to tap on the metal bed frame to get the nurse's attention. The nurse visibly jumped at the noise and slowly turned around to see me looking at her with a tired stare. "O-Oh it's just you. Well it's good to see your awake. You've been under for around three weeks and two and a half days." My eyes widened in shock as I heard how long I had been asleep for. I looked around the room to take in my surroundings. The walls were made of tile and were a clean white seemingly devoid of any dirt or damage. The heart monitor slowly beeping as I breathed slowly. I was dressed in a blue hospital gown with various fluids being injected by needles and IV bags. "Hmm well everything seems in order. Do you need anything other then a drink of course." She said with a smile. I weakly pointed to my throat trying to show her that I couldn't talk. "I think I don't quite understand?" she questioned. Luckily for me both Zoey and Aidan walked in. I smiled as I turned to them and waved weakly. "Hey Ray, how you holding up?" Zoey asked. I put a thumbs up to show that I was OK. "Well glad to see your holding up buddy... finally out of that place huh? Free to try and continue with our life. Most of us require counselling after what happened to us in that place, I would imagine you do too." Aidan explained. "Um, can I ask a question? Why isn't your friend talking. He pointed to his throat but I didn't quite understand." the nurse asked. "Oh. Yeah, he's mute. They sliced his vocal chords stopping him from speaking seventeen years ago." "T-That's horrible... who did it?" "He can't tell us but I presume it was Johnathon Santiago himself, the now dead leader of the Santiago Cartel that was toppled around three weeks ago." Zoey explained "Well at least he got his comeuppance in the end. Well visitor hours are now so i would make the most of them before time runs out." the nurse said as she left the room. "Well lets chat... er communicate, heh sorry." "Well visiting hours are over Ray, we best be going now let your get some rest." said Aidan. I waved as they exited the room and silence once again overcame the room again. I felt my eyes slowly close as I drifted off to sleep. I opened my eyes to once again find myself in my mind again. However this time the dark clouds had parted and sunshine was shining down onto the ground allowing me to see clearer. I sat under one of the suns ray's ,(heh), and I once again felt the warm sunshine on my face after seventeen years of almost no freedom. I heard the sound of teleportation behind me and I was smothered by Selene as she hugged me. I gasped for breath as she cut of my airways. "Selene! Get off him your smothering him to death!" Solarei shouted. "Oh... I'm so sorry Ray here let me help you up." Selene spoke as she held out her hand. I grabbed Selene's hand and used it to get up. I then grabbed Selene in a hug as I smiled. "Don't worry Ray, we've almost figured out how to get you from your world into ours only a couple more days and we should be able to get you to Equestria." I smiled at Selene and Solarei and gave both of them a hug. Suddenly, the world around me shook as I started to hear muffled voices. "Hmm seems like someone is waking you up earlier than you would. Well goodbye for now and we will see you in Equestria soon." Solarei explained. I waved as the world around me started to crumble until only I was left and then everything went dark. "We need to speak to him... It's imperative." spoke a muffled voice. "He is currently sleeping you will have to return later." said the nurse from earlier. I banged on the side of the bed to alert them that I was awake. "See... he is awake. Now if you would be so kind to let is see him." "Fine but don't keep him for too long, he needs to sleep so his wounds can heal." The door clicked open and the light was switched on as the captain from the castle entered the room. I stared at the captain and waved to greet him as he entered the room. "Hello again Ray. How are you holding up last time I saw you was when you were carted off in an ambulance to the hospital after we got you out of there." The captain asked. I shook my hand to do a so-so gesture and the captain nodded. "Good. Good. At least your recovering. Well I came to tell you that the remaining Cartel members that were apprehended are set to stand on trial on the fifth of May we were wondering if you would be able to write a witness report and give detail on what took place there. However if you wish too you can leave out any personal details on what happened there. If you give a more detailed description then the trial will go smoother with most of them receiving life sentences for what they've done. And since you were in that hellhole for over half your life, your description will be key to the prosecution." Explained the captain. I nodded saying yes to writing a detailed report. "Good, Tomorrow I will be around to help you write the report. Just try and get some sleep and get your head in order to write that report tomorrow." I nodded once more and the captain left turning out the lights and leaving me to sleep. And soon the darkness took me once more. I woke to the suns ray's pouring in through the clear window as a light breeze drifted from the fan in my room. The nurse from yesterday walked in and did what she did yesterday. The nurse then turned the fan off and opened the window to let in fresh air. "There, that's better some fresh air. Now how about I get you some food?" She asked. I nodded vigorously, hungry from hardly eating anything yesterday. Once I responded the nurse left the room to get me some hospital food, which was probably better than what we got while we were kept as slaves. I looked to my left and saw some flowers that someone had left there. I smiled at the fact that someone left flowers for me. I then looked outside and saw dark clouds in the sky as rain fell from the sky. I then realised something that I completely forgot about. I needed the toilet. After the nurse returned and I notified her of my predicament everything from that point on went smoothly. The captain arrived a few hours later to help me write the statement. "So now I need you to write about what happened in that place and how you got there. I'm sorry if it's painful dredging up those memories and if you need to take a break you can. Just write it at your own pace and don't force yourself to write if you don't want too." The captain said. I nodded and began to write about the first memory that led to these past seventeen years. Me and my family were walking up the hill past the old abandoned castle late at night when we were returning from a family gathering early 2002. It was late at around eleven PM when my parents first started hearing noises. At first it didn't bother them but as we went on I saw the noises started to worry them more and more. By this time my seven year old sister had almost fallen asleep in my mother's arms. My nineteen year old brother walked with my dad as I walked with my mom. It was late at night when they jumped me and my family. They first shot my father and brother in the head killing them instantly. I watched as their lives were cut short. I watched as their bodies hit the cold floor. My mother was about to scream until another masked person shot her in the back of the head killing her too. All that was left was me and my sister. My sister was about to start crying so one of them hit her in the back of the head to knock her out. The second grabbed me and pulled a black bag over my head as I heard a car pull up and I was forced inside. The car journey was short. I was pulled out of the car and lead forward like and animal to slaughter. They removed the bag off my head as soon as we entered the castle and I took in that my little sister was still unconscious an we were being lead to the throne room. We arrived at the throne room quickly and I stood in front of the leader of the Cartel. Johnathon Santiago. Johnathon was a bulky man, powerful and strong, he didn't mind if he got his hands dirty killing, maiming and scarring people. In the end he was killed by my own hands about a month ago when this was written. As I was guided forward Santiago spoke. "Well, Well, Well two new animals to add to our pen! Look at this one, she'll make a fine toy when she gets older!" Santiago laughed heartily. "Your sick! Your empire will fall. T-the police will find us..." I spoke foolishly. "The police will find you and tear down your empire, everything you have will be gone one day." At that time I had no idea how my words would affect my life from that day forth. "*sigh* Well we got ourselves a tough one... seeing you family die wasn't enough hmm? Well how about this then!" Santiago shouted. When he finished his sentence he stabbed my little sister multiple times in the head killing her instantly. My eyes widened as tears welled up in my eyes as i saw he lifeless eyes stare into nothingness. "Is that not enough? OK then... bring the boy here." Santiago's men brought me over to him while he wielded the knife covered in my sister's blood. "Since you like your voice so much how about I take it from you?" My hand was trembling as i dropped then pen onto the table tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the events that started my life in that hell. The captain looked at me with a sincere smile on his face. I looked back to the paper and reached for the pen to continue writing again. One Year Later... I still couldn't sleep... no dare sleep. The faces, etched into my mind like a scar. I was resting in the pen waiting for work to start. At the usual time, the guards came and collected us to work. But a separate guard pulled me to the side and escorted me to the throne room. Once we arrived at the throne room I saw him sitting there with his newly wed wife Samantha. Once I entered I bowed as usual and then he spoke. "Well if it isn't your one year anniversary. Your tough, i'll give you that you survived much more than other twelve year old kids, i'll tell you that now." I stood there with a straight face and kept listening to him. "Well every anniversary we celebrate with a mark. We scar marks on our slaves backs to show how long they had been here. And today is your first one." Santiago said with a smile. My mouth opened wide as they brought me to Santiago turned me around and removed my shirt. Santiago grabbed his knife and slowly cut down my back leaving a singular mark to show my first year of survival. Author's Note This will probably be the only chapter with actual spoken dialogue by Ray, not between him and Theta which I classify as mind speaking, since they share the same mind.
Chapter 4I finished writing up my statement/ life story on the fourth of may, a day before the trial. The captain thanked me for my statement and left the hospital without another word. On the TV monitor a new series had begun detailing the rise, success and eventual fall of the Santiago cartel. I watched the first episode while in bed and learnt that the cartel began in 1967 in Mexico as a small time drug trafficking business. Johnathon's grandfather, Alexander Santiago, started a continent wide cartel in a garage with nothing more then effort and £50,000 worth of drugs. I sighed unhappily as I switched the TV off leaving a black void. The hospital room had gotten slightly dusty since the janitors couldn't really clean the room while I was conscious and still in it. Food trays from yesterday that belonged to: Me, Aidan and Zoey after they stayed for dinner at the hospital. After they left, I fell asleep and it seems the nurses haven't checked me yet. I stretched my arms and heard a few satisfying cracks from them. The door opened and i heard several running footsteps run past the door as a doctor and nurse dived into the room and slammed the door shut. They didn't hear me in the bed so i tapped the metal bed frame which made their skin go pale. When they slowly turned around to see me, they visibly relaxed and started to speak. I quickly cut them off with a finger to the mouth before I used sign language to talk. Thankfully the doctor could understand and replied that a group of people ran into the hospital shouting with automatic rifles. I blanched at this news since it could mean two things, an unlucky coincidence or the remnants of the cartel forming a 'purification' squad to kill as many witnesses as possible; it just so happened that they raided the hospital I was in. Pointing to the IV drips wanting them removed, thankfully the nurse understood and removed them quietly. Then we heard footsteps and the click of a magazine from a rifle outside. The three of us froze as the footsteps got louder and closer. The usually clear white room now dark as the power was cut and the blinds closed. It seemed to get darker as we heard doors opening. A door opened down the hall... shouts and screams. Then nothing as they killed as many people as possible doing the job they sought to do, revenge against the people. Door after door, murder after murder, footsteps echoing closer in the blackened halls. Then our door handle was moved. Yet it was locked when the doctor and nurse entered. "Hmm? Oh, HEY GUYS! This one is locked, get the shotgun!" One of the cartel shouted. The nurse started crying silent tears as two more pairs of footsteps got closer. They doctor held onto her and tried to comfort her in our last moments. "Hey come on man, it's probably not being used. Plus we gotta scram cops are only four blocks away they'll be here any minute." The second cartel member said. "You’re right, blinds are drawn as well. You heard em boys, MOVE!" "Hey Viper?" The boss spoke into a radio. "What's up boss?" The radio blared. "The explosives primed?" "Yep ready to go boss man." The radio replied. As the words reverberated down the corridor my heart sank. I had not come this close to losing life to lose it to a unfortunate turn of events. They nurse was now shaking violently as the doctor was letting off tears of his own praying silently to his gods. As soon as the footsteps left I took the key and ripped the door open with speed. I signed to the doctor to quickly check the remaining rooms. He nodded and told the nurse, both of them checking the last five rooms. I went to the end of the corridor to see if there was anyone there. There wasn't although that was to be expected since they were going to blow this building sky high. I turned to see three more people with them. One couldn't walk since he had been in a car accident while the other two were his family. I ran into the darkened corridor to get out, the others following closely behind. As we made our way down the stairs, since the power was out, the man's mother tripped and dropped him down a flight of stairs causing him to scream in pain. Blood dripped from his head wound because he smashed into the wall. I quickly picked him up as i motioned for the others to run. As we were running the man told me his name was Alan, a 23 year old motorcyclist. As we got to the bottom floor the others had already made it out of the building through the forced open automatic door. I was about to get out as well before i was tripped by a man in a skull mask. "You thought you could get away with killing my old man eh cabron(1)? My mother too huh? Well... you thought wrong bastardo!" The man said as he kicked my stomach causing me to try and protect myself. "Hey! Leave him alone you fucking puta(2)!" Alan said. "Made a new friend eh? Fiesty one. Lets fix that!" I watched on in horror as he pulled out a baseball bat and beat him everywhere. When he made it to his legs Alan screamed in agony despite the anaesthetic in his veins. "Hmm that head is useful for one thing no? Being smashed in!" My hands shook in anger as this asshole caved in Alan's head with several blows. "Don't like that eh? Well get over it." He said smugly. "Remember my name bastardo. Robert Santiago, where ever you go I will FIND you. Don't try to hide." He turned around and started to walk away. I struggled to get up as he walked away slowly and spoke into a radio. "Blow it in one minute... I'll be there. The pier you fucking idiota!" Robert shouted angrily. My eyes widened for the twentieth time that day as i remembered the explosives were in the building. I picked myself up and ran... before i looked back and saw Alan's body. Almost nothing was left of his head. Brain matter and blood filled my mind and the reception. I then ran out of the building into swarms of people and police. I waved my arms in a run motion before the doctor from before came up to me. "T-they won't believe there are explosives in the building... they refuse to move." I looked in horror at the police line before the captain from earlier motioned me over. "Nice to see you up. Are the criminals still in there." He asked. I shook my head and motioned for the doctor to come over. He came over and I signed to tell him about the explosives. "For the last time doctor. You. Are. Delusional. Lieutenant, get this man out of here." I shook my head and pointed at him and nodded. "There are explosives? How do you know?" the captain questioned. The doctor answered, "We both overheard the cartel members. You need to get everyone to leave. "Shit..." The captain whispered as he grabbed a megaphone. "EVERYONE GO! THERE ARE EXPLOSIVES IN THE BUILDING GET OUT OF HERE." The crowd screamed and started to run away from the hospital as the police and emergency services started to leave. Then an explosion and all went dark. I woke up in the world between worlds with Theta in a ball crying next to me. I looked over to him and grabbed him in a hug as tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. We both held each other in a tight embrace for what felt like hours before he talked. "I-I was so scared. When I the flames begin to wash over us i thought it was the end... but luckily Sel and Sol managed to find a way to pull you, though you wouldn't wake up." I wouldn't wake up why? "They said it was some sort of 'magical imbalance' that cause it. Your real body getting used the the abundant magic of this realm and then the world of Equis." I nodded and looked into the distance. Where are they? "Sleeping. Even immortal alicorns need sleep." Explained Theta. Can... Can I see them? "I'll go and get them wait here." I waited for Theta to come back and saw he was taking a while. I went exploring in the immediate area because I was bored while waiting before I saw a door slightly open with white light pouring out of it. Curiously, I went in the room to have a look and found a room full of what seemed like old magical artifacts. One that interested me was a scroll with coarse texture and red handles, wrapped up with a thin void like string that held it closed. On the pedestal there were what seemed like runes plastered onto the stone. I looked on in confusion then realised that they were probably explaining what it was and what it did. Curiously i touched the scroll and got the biggest migraine of my life as the scroll did something. After the pain started to dull to the point i could think again I once again looked at the scroll only to see a pile of ashes on the pedestal. However when i looked at the runes again I could understand them. It read: The Scroll Of Words: The key of the languages of Equis. I blanched. Had just touching and accidentally absorbing the scrolls knowledge given me the power to understand every language on Equis? Past, Present and Future? I shook my head and moved on to the other artifacts. These were probably old ancient magical artifacts that held god like power compared to regular magic. I passed many artifacts some normal like The Staff of Starswirl the Bearded others strange like the Stone Rod of Raven Choir which was said to hold powers that could move the earth, the artifact looked live a shovel. And others mystically terrifying, artifacts which sent shivers down my spine by just looking at them. Three artifacts were The Sword of Talion the Gravewalker, The Cloak of Mt Doom which was forged in the now destroyed volcano that rested in the now Everfree forest and The Angel's Bow, which was said to hold mystifying healing and time slowing powers. The three powerful artifacts were all on one pedestal which confused me. Other weapons had their own separate pedestal and less powerful ones had their own sections. However these three were placed together specifically. I touched the pedestal and knelt down to try and get a better look at the runes. When i touched the runes ethereal chains flew out of the sword and bow and the chains wrapped themselves around my arms while the sword went in a new scabbard on my back while the bow followed suit and attached to my back as well while the cloak lifted over my head and went in between the weapons and my back. When the cloak clasped around my shoulders an ethereal light started shining from all three artifacts and i saw visions. A voice spoke during these visions as i looked on in bewilderment. The tyrant is dead... Not dead Talion, just gone for a time Then how do we make sure the future prepare for it's return when it does return! Because we will not be here to stop it again. You know the great beyond has been calling for us for over five millennia we should've died over five thousand years ago and now that we serve no purpose we have no reason to refuse it's call. That is why as we have turned his forces to ash we left plans, information and tools to cut him short again. Even so Celim, what of the time after that? How will they prepare when he knows the plans they used I do not have an answer Talion but they will succeed just as we did with the Dark lord before we arrived here. I hope Celim, I hope. The tyrant is dead... Not dead *%£$%$^7), just gone for a time Then how do we make sure the future prepare for it's return when it does return! Because we will not be here to stop it again. The great beyond has been calling ever since we got here. We should've died remember! I do not forget *%£$%$^7) but we cannot tell them to prepare. You remember the visions. Aye... I do *$^ but I still must fear for them because they will not know it will be coming. Lets hope what they have is enough All i see in the third vision is Canterlot in flames as the countryside is burning full of wildfire that belongs do dragons not of that realm. I am standing on top of Mt Canterhorn over 10 Kilometers away from Canterlot with tears in my eyes as i watch everything i sought to protect burn infront of me. They may have won the battle Ray, But they won't win the war... I know Theta but... it doesn't make it any less painful. At least our friends made it out of the inferno as well as our other. Thankfully... but we must prepare for the storm that is brewing Then lets reply with storm more powerful than theirs... End Of Prologue
Chapter 5As the vision faded a ball of light exploded in front of me and threw me out of the artifact room. As I tried to understand what the visions meant I was picked up by Selene who then activated her hands in an ethereal blue light which covered my skin. I immediately noticed that the bruises from my rough collision mostly disappeared as the light gently glided over them. I looked to Selene to see her looking down at me with worry in her eyes. I then turned of to Theta to see him arguing with Solaire, however all I could hear was ringing from the explosion. As the light made it’s way across my body the ringing subsided and I was able to hear again. "-ou kidding me Solaire! How could you think he would do something like that?" questioned Theta. "Well I am taking things at face value. I see him getting blown away from the artifact room, which is off limits by the way, and leaving a crater in my floor!" Solaire exclaimed, "For all we know he could have broken the magi-lock holding the door closed." "W-what are you insane or is you're head just full of empty air! He has no CLUE on how magic works in this place let alone at all! You really think a human with no prior experience to magic was able to easily break a master magi-lock without setting off some kind of alarm?" Theta shot back. "W-well... I... uh, maybe if..." Solaire stammered as he was cut of by Selene. "Will you both SHUT UP and let me concentrate on making sure he doesn't have permanent brain damage!" "Yes... sorry" "Of course dear..." I looked over to Selene with a small smile on my face and held my thumbs up signalling to her that I was okay and that she could stop healing me. Selene nodded and gave me a warm smile as she pulled away deactivating her magic. A few seconds after Selene moved away I tried to stand up but I quickly fell over as my head was still spinning from the collision. Luckily before I landed on the ground again Theta managed to grab my arm and hold me upright. Thanks Theta I signed to him. Theta smiled and patted me on the back. "Well If you get hurt I get hurt as well... to a limit anyway." I cocked my head to the side as I was wondering what he meant. "Well I'm part of you am I not? Your emotions to be specific." He replied. I nodded my head in realisation, anything I do to get hurt means that Theta is in pain as well, I must be more careful for both mine and his sake. I was in the middle of thinking when Theta yanked me up onto my feet. I glared at him while he sheepishly smiled. "Well that's all dandy now isn't it? But can we focus on something important. Like how you got past the magi-lock keeping the artifact room from being opened?" Solaire questioned. I looked at him confused, The door was slightly ajar, I just walked in. I had no clue there was a lock. Solaire's faced morphed into one of worry as he looked around, "You mean it was open! I'm sure it was locked, no-one else could have opened it other than Selene." "This is the world between worlds right?" asked Theta. "Yes? What is you point?" said Solaire. "Well maybe something else who can travel freely through world between worlds was able to disrupt the lock." "While that is true that something could have done that, what entity is strong enough?" Solaire asked. I saw Selene's usually bright face morph into one of concern as she whipped her head around looking for something. She looked past me and her face went completely white. "You need to go now! Solaire charge the world hopping spell!" "On it!" "What's going on?" Theta asked "We will explain as soon as we can contact you in Equestria. Now go before it spots you!" As soon as she says that an ethereal screech sounded from behind me as a swirling purple portal appeared in front of me an Theta. I could feel the entity's presence closing in on us both so I pushed Theta into the portal and jumped in after him. As we fell through the wormhole I could hear it's protesting screeches get quieter and quieter as we continued down the wormhole. "You think this thing has an end?!" Theta shouted from below me. I shrugged and he face-palmed at my uncaringness of our situation. After some time of falling the wormhole changed from purple to blue and white. I for one was happy at the change of scenery however Theta not so much. "We're gonna die!" Theta screamed I looked around and realised we were actually in the sky. I started to panic too as we got closer and closer to the ground. I really did think we were gonna die for a solid 10 seconds until a coloured blur flew towards us and caught us. "Gotcha, no one is dying on my watch today!" The figure stated proudly. I promptly passed out from the shock of nearly dying... again Ugh did you catch the license plate of the bus? Theta? Theta! "Surprise sleepy head welcome back to the world of the living." Theta spoke jovially. Where are we? "In Equestria of course come on get up." How long have I been out "For quite a while to be honest. Long enough to make the pony who saved you worry." Theta explained. "Also time passes weirdly in your head, did you know that?" Fine I'll get up... As my mindscape disappeared around me I was met with face full of yellow fur as a woman was reaching over me to open the window. I shot up suddenly trying to breathe after being suffocated underneath her. As my breathing slowly calmed I noticed that the woman was gone. I quickly took in my surroundings and noticed that I was most likely inside a log cabin. After taking in my surroundings I decided to have a quick look around the room, in one corner of the room stood a bookshelf with books surprisingly in English? "Actually Ray, It's Equish, the language of the ponies. However technically it is English it just goes by a different name." I nodded and looked through the books, they were mostly about how to help animals and about how they acted during different seasons of the year information an animal caretaker or veterinarian would need to know. However one of the books was different it was in the back covered by the other books as if it was hidden... "What is it called?" inquired Theta. It's called the 'Pony Sutra Vol 1' an interesting title. "Read the description Ray." Sure just let me... no, nope, nadda lets put that back. "Honestly I agree lets just put it back where we found it, I don't want to know... that yet." After putting the... special book back I saw that the window she was trying to open was in fact open. The air coming from the outside felt so... fresh and clean it felt so much cleaner than the air back on earth. "I'm not surprised the air is so clean, I mean who would need fossil fuels when you have magic?" Theta explained I agreed with him again and looked closely out of the window, I noticed to the right of the window was a large forest made up of oak and dark oak trees. It also seemed very dark in the forest as a darkness covered the edge of the forest preventing me from looking further inside of it. After seeing all I could I looked to my left and saw small thatch housed on top of a hill which means there is potential civilisation over there, probably a village or a town if i'm lucky. Just below the window was a garden full of beautiful flowers and neatly trimmed bushes that made the Earth nature preserves look like dumps. In the middle of the garden was a massive oak tree most likely centuries old going by it's size. Scattered throughout the tree were small bird feeds and if i looked closely enough I could see the faint outlines and silhouettes of birds hiding in the tree. Down to the right of the tree was a chicken pen filled with hay and scattered seeds all over the place, however no chickens were to been seen. "Maybe they're sleeping?" offered Theta. Yeah you're probably right. As I took in the last view of the outside I went to turn back inside but a large brown figure hiding behind the tree caught my eye. The brown figure then stepped out from behind the tree and revealed itself to be a massive brown bear. My eyes widened as I ducked down beneath the windowsill and slowly crept towards the door hoping the bear didn't see me. Suddenly through the window I hear multiple voices coming down the road towards the house. I decided to listen in before deciding what to do. "So you're saying this thing attacked you?" I heard one say. "Oh.. well i'm not sure... but he startled me and I got scared... so I um.. sorry." I heard another one say in a near whisper. "Hey it's no problem Flutters we're friends remember, plus if he did attack you I would pound him into the ground!" The first voice replied back. "Hey Fluttershy how did y'all know he was a male?" A third one questioned. "Um well when... I uh... When Rainbow brought him here, he had a bruise on his arm so I um... undressed him to check for other wounds... and I uh saw... his..." Fluttershy answered. Breach of privacy much, shouldn't be surprised though... "You saw his dick!? Wow Flutters I didn't take you for THAT kind of mare." The tomboyish sounding one, most likely Rainbow, laughed out. "Oh I... um i'm sorry... I uh..." Fluttershy stammered most likely blushing. "Hey come on now Rainbow that kind of teasin' aint nice. Plus you're one to talk having 'secret meetings' with Spitfire whenever y'all get the chance." "H-hey that's not fair, we only meet up to work on our duo performances alone..." Rainbow replied. I snickered Yeah right 'duo performances'. "Hey Flutters did you see anything else when you undressed him?" Rainbow asked. "I did... and it was horrible!" Fluttershy cried out. I winced, She probably saw all the scars on our back Theta. "I'm gonna have to agree with you there Ray." Theta replied "What was horrible Shy? What did you see?" "His back is um... horribly scarred. There were around seventeen distinct gashes I could see. That doesn't count the uh... large amount of scars on his chest and arms... I feel so bad for him." Fluttershy said with most likely tears in her eyes. "Oh my Celestia, must be why the fella is so agitated, probably used to a life of fightin' to stay alive." The one with the southern accent replied. "You're probably right AJ, which means we need to be very careful when approaching him in case he lashes out at us." As Rainbow finished speaking Fluttershy opened the door and the trio walked in and slowly started heading up the stairs. I sat back down on the bed waiting for them to come in the room. "Come on Flutters. You'll be fine." Rainbow spoke. "I'm fine down here thanks..." Fluttershy replied. "But what if he needs ya help to calm down Shy?" AJ reasoned. "You're right and I haven't turned my back on anything yet, not even a manticore!" Fluttershy whisper shouted. As they creeped slowly up the stairs my breath hitched as both me and Theta remained silent. Waiting. Hoping their reaction would be a friendly one. The door knob on the door turned slightly and the door was pushed inwards. My eyes then met their adorable faces. Author's Note Sorry, I know i promised but... Excuses Excuses I know. I should have more time now since my studying is over but no promises... Fine I promise just for you Pinkie. If anything is wrong let me know.
