Chapters View Online
Chapter One: The first step on a long journey
A new beginning
Chapter One: The first step on a long journy
I lay on my back just like what I would've done a week ago, under a hot tin roof. But no... now I was on my way to Equestria to start a new life. It was almost like a dream come true. No more men hunting you, no more bounty on your head and no more having to eat rotten food. Now it was going to be a nice life in Equestria, free as a pony could be.
The last words made a frown form upon my face. These ponyisms had began to get on my nerves, sure everypony... or... well I guess it was everypony now but it was still annoying as heck. I guess that was one of the prices of ponifying, having to use their words and language. Well I guess its what I signed up for, even if I did ponify myself.
I rolled over and looked at the slumbering filly on the hammock. She had a silver mane that you could almost call steel and a sage green coat that looked like dark green grass that once populated the Earth. She had hazel eyes that were like the color of tree trunks, to say the least, she was adorable and I was glad that she decided to come alone with me and not wanting to stay with the PER*.
I rolled back onto my back and stared up at the wooden ceiling of the boat that was faring me to Equestria. The ship rocked gently back and forth almost trying to lull me back to sleep in my hammock, but instead made sleep much harder. I couldn’t stand the constant motion which made me feel sick to the stomach.
I slowly rolled off the hammock which made a small clop noise when my hooves connected with the ground. I still couldn’t get over the fact that I now walked on all fours and had hooves instead of hands. I still felt like I had fingers but I guess it was like ghost limb syndrome or something where the patient could still feel his limbs even though they weren’t there.
I looked at my hooves, they were the same pale navy blue that they were in the dream. It was strange how the hooves matched the color of my coat, and how I could almost feel the wood beneath my hooves. Must have been some sort of magic, it was how I ended up in this mess in the first place.
Thaumatic radiation sickness was the term for when a human is exposed to lethal amounts of magic and I was the unlucky ~~colt~~ kid who got hit with the stuff. Lucky me, that and I was also being hunted by the head of a group bent on revenge who also killed my father. I guess when the universe was handing out luck, I got the shortest straw that was made out of nails.
But I put that whole ordeal behind me, right now I just wanted to get some fresh air before my lunch came back up. As quietly as I could I crept out of the cabin that we had claimed for the ferry ride to Equestria.
I trotted up the deck as the sun began to slowly set over the horizon lighting up the sky in a red haze along with the sea. It reminded me of that small tin house I called home, but that was behind me now. Even though I got rid of somepony chasing my tail I instead picked up another.
I trotted up to the side of the ship and placed my forelegs on the side and stared off into the sunset as a small tear began to form in my eye. It reminded me so much of home and all the good times I had as a child. I could feel it rolling down my muzzle, I raised my hoof and smeared it across my face.
I could feel the soft breeze toss my mane idly as I continued to stare into the sunset with a look of grief upon my face as I remembered all the fun times I had.
“Hey, why the long face?” asked a pony as he trotted up next to me.
“Nothing, just remembering the old days before Equestria and the HLF** knocking down my door.” I responded as I could see a burgundy muzzle and a brown mane which I could barely see in my peripheral vision.
“Sounds bad,” he said as he rested his forearms on the oak railing of the ship.
“Yeah, usually when the HLF are involved thing end up dying or blowing up around you.” I responded as I could feel the pain inflicted by them over my short life as a human.
“I’m guessing they took something away from you,” he said with a sincere tone of voice.
“Well it’s kind of a long story,” I said as I turned my head towards him.
“Well it’s a long boat ride and I do like stories.” he said as the large earth pony turned towards me.
“Well it all started three years ago when I joined the Australian Defence Force.” I began,
I told him about my time in the Army and the hard life it was enforcing martial law on the civilians of Australia. Then I told him about Equestria emerged and the government collapsing, but there was one part in my life important before that which I tiptoed around as it hurt to much to go back to that week of my life.
“Wow, thats one heck of a life,” he said as I continued my story.
“Yeah, but that’s before I had to...” I said as I could feel the pain coming back from that day.
I told him about how I wondered upon that HLF safe house and stormed it killing several high ranking officers. It was a feat that most riflemen dream to achieve, which is how I earned a promotion and a nice bounty. I hated it but one officer survived and he came after me like a bat outta hell. I told him about that night and how he killed my father, critically injured my mother and left me to hang as an example of those who would defy the Human Liberation Force. I could see in his eyes the dread and fear that my story inflicted, I wasn’t surprised because it even made most people I told it to sick to the stomach.
“Wow, sounds like this guy really hated you.” he said as he gulped in fear of what horrors my life would reveal.
“Don’t worry, it gets better... kinda, but this all started a few days ago.” I began again as I told him about the small tin roof I called a home and how I ran to the closest Convention Bureau to seek a new life.
There I was told I had advanced Thaumatic radiation sickness and where my mind split in two, one side I was my mind and the other was Rose. She was the voice in the back of my head that told me to use common sense but the magic made her voice audible. Shortly after the news the HLF decided to attack the bureau in a futile attempt to kill me.
I told him about how I ran out of that bureau and sought help from the Ponification for Earth’s Rebirth where I had some friends who got me in the front door without being covered in a thick layer of ponification serum.
I explained to him what my plan was that I told the Knights of the PER, most of them were in favour of storming the HLF’s headquarters but I told him my ulterior motive of exacting revenge on the man who killed my family.
“Wow, you work quickly. I mean you did all that in under two days, heck it would take the Royal Guard to do anything like that a week at the most.” he said,
“Yeah well when you have the possibility of not waking up tomorrow. It usually makes you work faster.” I said as a land mass began forming out of the horrizon.
“So you were going to tell me about that attack,” he said as he moved his mane out of his eyes as the wind began to pick up.
“Well theres not much to tell. I walked in there threw the potion bombs, exact my revenge and downed the potion,” I said as I waved my hoof.
“Well I saw you come aboard with a foal, is she your sister or something?” he asked as I forgot to tell him about Remi.
“Oh well you see,” I said as I flattened my ears against my head, “Remi was in the base when the PER attacked it and she was caught in the crossfire. Her mother abandoned her and I found her crying in a corner. I took her with me because she needs a family and I don’t trust that the PER has good moral standards. They may be nice but I don’t think I foal should be raised there.”
“I see, I know what you mean. I have a little sister I found when I was doing a job in the Everfree forest and I’ve been raising her ever since.”
“Oh, well what happened to the parents?” I asked,
“Well... It wasn’t pretty but it looked like a griffin attacked them and little Leapfrog was left to fend for herself so I took her in.” he said,
“Right... wait I don’t think we properly introduced ourselves.” I said as I had no idea who this mountain of an earthpony was.
“Oh right,” he said as he held out a hoof, “My name is Aegis Exemplar.”
I took pressed my hoof against his , guessing it was the pony form of a handshake and replied with, “Blue Rune.”
“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Runey,” he said as I could already feel that nickname was going to slowly become my real name in no time.
“How’d you know what Remi calls me?”
“I heard her call you that when you both boarded, but I guess you want to hear about me.” he said as the land mass slowly began to grow larger as the sun lowered ever so slowly.
He spent hours talking about his exploits as a freelancer in Equestria and how the Royal Guard was a both a military force and a regular police force at the same time. After that I asked about Equestria and whatnot and from what I heard it was just a peaceful land with ponies and full of fun and laughter. It really sounded like a ‘Garden of Eden,’ if God was taking drugs and was into watching childrens shows.
“So that’s how Equestria was made, according to legend.” Aegis joked as I began to laugh,
“Oh that’s never going to get old.” I laughed as I saw the sun began to set and a small port beginning to emerge from the landmass which had crept up on me.
“Looks like we’ll be on Equestrian soil soon, so I better get my things ready.” Aegis said as he stretched out his forelegs.
“Yeah and I better get Remi up, I know how long it took me to get up. I can only imagine how long it’s going to take her,” I said chuckling as I began making my way towards the lower deck.
“Hey! You have any idea where you’re going to stay in Equestria?” yelled Aegis as he galloped over to me.
“Well my mum said she was staying in a town called ‘Ponyville’ last I heard.” I said as I pushed open the large oak door.
“But I thought you said your mother was dead.” he said,
“I said ‘critically injured’ and didn’t I tell you she got ponified?” I asked as I walked up to the cabin that Remi and I had claimed for the trip.
“No but I think we could travel together since I don’t think you even know how to even walk properly.” Aegis said as he playfully punched me in my shoulder as I was quickly introduced to the ground again.
I brought myself uneasily back to all four, “Yeah, that and it would be nice company instead of wandering around in circles as Remi tugs on my mane asking ‘Are we there yet?” I said as I returned the playful punch.
“Right, well I’ll see you on the docks.” he said as he continued down the hallway.
I trotted into the cabin and began to pick up some of our things we had taken out to reach the blanket.
Remi was still there silently sleeping snuggled up in her blanket as if she was attempting to make a cocoon with it. I walked up to her and gave her a little nudge as I whispered into her ear, “Remi, were going to be in Equestria soon and we have to leave the ship so five more minutes of sleep.”
“Mmmhmh, noo. Carry me there,” she mumbled as she pushed my muzzle away with her hoof.
“I’ll be back and you better be bright eyed and bushy tailed.” I whispered back as I began to pack the saddle bags for the journey ahead.
Remi slowly began to stir from her blanket cocoon and unravel herself which nearly made her fall off the hammock. I walked up to her as she clung on to my neck to get down onto the floor, she was light but she made me feel like my neck was going to pop off from my body.
“Come on Remi, wakey wakey. We’re nearly there.” I said as she grabbed the blanket with her teeth and dragged it over herself and fell asleep once more.
I shook my head as I knew she was wanting me to carry her on my back, but it was a cold night so I ignored her as I finished packing our saddle bags.
I fastened the two brown bags to my back and wrapped up Remi carefully, as I placed her on my back. I could feel her wrapping herself into the blanket as she wrapped her hooves around my neck.
‘I think that’s everything, ’ I mentally said to myself as I quickly checked the room for any of our belongings that we left behind, ‘No that looks like it, now to find Aegis then off to Ponyville we go... god I hope mum doesn’t have a heart attack when she see us. ’
Author’s Notes: Well here we go again, and thanks to Aegis who is going to now edit it so if it looks bad with grammar then blame him.
Terms:
Chapter Two: Are we there yet?
A new beginning
Chapter Two: Are we there yet?
I trotted up the stairs to a relatively empty deck let alone for some ponies who were moving boxes back and fro from the cargo hold to the docks. Some were moved by magic seamlessly through the air and others were carried by pegasi. I was still amazed how they defied gravity, and I felt kind of glad that I turned out as a unicorn.
I trotted to the gangplank of the ship being careful not to be hit by the various boxes that flew through the air. I trotted down the wide wooden that had long blocks of wood that were supposed to be improvised steps.
I scanned the darkened port that was only lit by the light given off by the pale white moon. I could see the various dock hands that were unloading the cargo and placing it in wagons that were empty waiting for somepony to pull them along.
It was hard to make out but I could see a large Earthpony’s standing over near the edge of the long wooden docks in something that glistened when ever moonlight struck it. I could barely make him out but it must have been Aegis because of how large the Earthpony was.
I walked up towards him along the dock which creaked and moaned with each hoof I set down. It felt like the dock was ancient but felt as stable as solid ground, but I didn’t want to take my chances so I picked up the pace.
The earthpony turned his head towards me and I could see his white teeth shine in the darkness as he smiled at me.
“Aegis, is that you?” I asked as I slowly approached him.
“Yes, who else would be waiting for you at the end of the docks,” he smugly commented as my eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkened conditions. Instead of seeing Aegis’s dark red coat all I saw was a heavy silver metal that was polished to a near on mirror sheen. His armor also seemed to have dings and various scratches from battles he must have been in but the strangest thing was his helmet. What was strange was that it wasn’t like the other helmets I saw the Royal Guard wear, it was still the same color as the rest of the armour but had two large horns on the muzzle that made him look like a rhinoceros.
“Well, I don’t know,” I said as I pawed the ground, “I guess I would say something that didn’t look like it was going to rob me.”
“Why would I...” he said as he looked at his armor and the spikes on his helmet, “Well, point taken but it’s easier to wear armor than carry it around.”
“I know that feeling far too well,” I said as I remembered how heavy that tactical vest was, I never dared carry it around in my hands in fear that it would dislocate my shoulder because of its weight.
“Well, lets get this show on the road and head out. We have a long journey ahead of us,” he cheerfully said as he began a brisk trot. I followed as well and had to near on gallop to catch back up to him.
“Well have any idea how long the trip is going to take?” I asked as I kept a steady pace with him.
“Well it usually takes me half a day but I think we will make it there tomorrow morning.”
“Alright, well I guess we have a lot of time to kill,” I said as I prepared myself for the long journey with a small filly on my back and two saddle bags that felt like they were weighed down with cinderblocks.
“I guess so. Well, want to tell some stories to pass the time?” he asked.
“You read my mind,” I said as I began to grin.
“So I’m guessing you want to know what the war spikes are for on my helmet.” I sighed as I waited eagerly for the story. “Well I was doing a mission with the Royal Guard in Africa and I met these rocks... well they weren’t really rocks but rhinos. They were the friendliest ponies I’ve ever met, and I admired their strength and armored hides. The horns seemed useful for everything and they also had a practical role in combat.”
“What kind of roles?” I asked as I felt the cold breeze hit my coat.
“Well first of all I can ram into anything and make them turn into a pancake. It's also like a lever attached to my head and it also makes for a good poking device,” he said jokingly.
“A poking device, couldn’t you just use a stick?” I asked as I knew that sticks were the best poking device.
“No, sticks sometimes sticks break when you poke stuff.”
“Not unless you get a big one.”
“True but this big horn,” he said pointing to the largest steel horn that looked almost like a small curved sword sticking out of his face, “is made of steel, so why would I need a stick?”
“Because sticks are good, and stuff,” I said in defence.
We both started laughing like mad colts in the silliness we had turned the conversation into.
“Oh Blue, you’re such a silly pony,” he said as he began to slowly stop laughing.
“Yeah, I had that effect on people when we used to be on recon missions,” I said as I felt Remi roll over and bury her muzzle into the back of my mane.
“Well, I wish we had more like you in the Guard to make missions less of a bore.”
“I don’t think I’m going to touch any form of military in my new life. I’ve already had enough of it to last a lifetime or two,” I replied as the moon was nearly the highest point in the night sky.
“Oh, it couldn’t have been that bad,” he replied waving a hoof in dismissal.
“I just didn’t like it, too many raids on gang hideouts and civilian houses, that and I have Remi here to look after,” I said, motioning to Remi who quietly slept on my back, “So I think I’m going to stay away from the Guard.”
“Ah well, it was worth a shot,” Aegis said as he stared into the night sky, “Wow we're making great time.”
“Groovy, so I’m guessing we're nearly there,” I guessed as I could see the massive mountains that I saw in my conversion dream.
“Well we’re a bit shy of half way but you can see the mountains of Canterlot from here,” he said pointing towards the mountains.
“Sweet, so I’m guessing those are the mountains I saw in my dream,”
“Yeah, I think most newfoals see the Canterlotian mountains in their dreams. If I may ask, what was your dream about,” he asked, seeming to be genuinely curious.
“I... I don’t want to talk about it,” I said as a tear rolled down my muzzle in Rose’s passing. I missed her, she was always there telling me to not blow my fingers off or not to look down the barrel of my rifle. Her presence may have been brought on by the thaumatic radiation but she was probably the only one who cared about me in that wasteland.
“I see, a touchy subject...” he said as we progressed on in silence.
The small township of Ponyville began to appear just as the sun began to peek its head from the distance, lighting up the small valley township in a warm inviting light.
It was a long night of walking but we had made it, and I could say that.
“Dear Celestia, how in Equestria can you do this so easily?!” I moaned as I could feel my legs ready to buckle underneath the weight of the two saddle bags and Remi, who continued to sleep on my back and sometimes hug my mane.
“I’ve been all over Equestria with these legs, and I think I’ve perfected the art of distance traveling... and the Guard keeps you in shape, but I’ve seen a lot of newfoals give up in half the distance we’ve traveled,” he said as he inhaled, taking in the fresh country air. “Ahhh, smells like home.”
“I thought you were from Snaffleton?” I asked as I near on dragged myself down the small hill that led towards the town.
“Oh I am, but Snaffleton is just a stone’s throw away from Ponyville,” he said as he began to speed up in front of me.
“Cool, would you mind slowing down a bit,” I said struggling to keep up.
“Alright, I think you deserve some rest,” he chuckled as he slowed down to a near crawl.
“So, since you're from around here. Do you know much about Ponyville?” I asked as we slowly began to pass a farm that had a long winding path up to a large barn. It was set right in the middle of a massive orchard full of all kinds of apple trees.
“Well we’re passing one of the largest apple farms in Equestria now. Ponyville is a nice town. Everypony there is friendly and there’s this nice bakery that has the best donuts,” he said as my ears perked up.
“Donuts?” I asked as it seems one of my old vices as a human carried over to my new pony body.
“Yeah. What, have you never had one?” he asked as we slowly began to enter the outskirts of the town.
“No, I love donuts. I used to buy a box of a dozen and I used to eat them while I cleaned the rifles at the base. That and they used to give me boxes if they wanted their rifles fixed or if they wanted me to throw on a laser pointer or place a telescopic scope on their rifles,” I said as I nearly began to drool at the memory of all the donuts I had eaten.
“Wow, sounds like you had it made.”
“Yeah, well it was worth it when thats all I did all day,” I said as the town began to fill up with various ponies of all the different races and colors of the rainbow. I nearly felt out of place with my navy coat, but never the less I liked it.
We trotted up to what seemed to be the middle of the town where it seems like an administration building of some sort sat.
“So this is where I must part ways Runey,” he said smirking, “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, you too mate,” I said extending my hoof as we met in a hoofshake. It was strange because it felt like we were shaking hands even though we had no fingers. I just shook it off and passed it off as just some sort of Equestrian magic.
He trotted off into the sun rise as I waved him off. I then turned towards the building and nudged Remi.
“Wakie wakie Remi, were here,” I said as she yawned loudly and unwrapped the blanket around from her deep slumber.
“Mmmmm, you better not be lying,” she moaned as she rubbed her eyes with her forehooves.
“Why would I lie to you, now up on your hooves so we can see where mum is,” I said as she sluggishly slid off my back and onto her hooves.
“Because you want me to walk everywhere,” she yawned out as she stretched out her back from all the sleeping she had done on my back.
“Well you’re going to have to walk yourself around one day and not have to break my back, but come on we have to get moving because I need to sleep at some point this week,” I said as I pushed Remi towards the stair of the building.
“Stop that, I think I can take it from here,” she said as she struggled up the stairs while I just bypassed them with a leap.
“So Remi, how was your little nap?” I asked as I picked her up with my mouth and placed her on the wooden veranda.
“It could've been better if your mane was more fluffy, then it would have been a better pillow.”
“Very funny,” I said as I approached the local town clerk who was busy doing paperwork, “Ummm... Hi, I’m looking for somepony.”
“Buah!” she scream as all the paperwork scattered all over the place, “Sorry about that, I wasn’t expecting anypony this early in the morning, so what can I do for you?”
I looked at the cream colored earthpony with a coffee colored mane in confusion not knowing if she had heard me or not.
“Yeah, well I was looking for somepony,” I repeated.
“Okay, let me just pull out the ledger and I’ll see what I can do,” she cheerfully chirped as she pulled out a big book that seemed older than the building itself, “So who are you looking for Mister...”
“Rune, Blue Rune and it would be my mother. She’s a newfoal from Australia,” I said as I straightened my neck and back.
“Oh, you must be Coco Cream’s son. Your mother and I are good friends. Anyhow, she lives on 10 Mane street, it’s just around the corner from here,” she said smiling. “Oh and tell your mother that the book club meeting was moved to Tuesday instead of Monday.”
“Oh, alright. So I guess I’ll see you around miss-”
“Coffee and Cream,” she chirped back.
“Alright, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then,” I said as I walked out the front door with Remi, and around the corner as I faced down the main street that was, ironically, dubbed Mane street.
Author’s Notes: I made a fanfic, what Uganda do about it?
A new beginning
Chapter three: I’m home
I trotted up to the bleached white fence of the thatched roof house painted in a happy shade of yellow. It was a small two story town house that had its own back and front yard with a path connecting them at the right side. It was a quaint little house and it reminded me so much of home, but it also brought back painful memories that I pushed back into the recesses of my brain.
“Come on Remi, were nearly there,” I said as the filly bounced around me with glee.
“Yay, we’re nearly home. We’re nearly home!” she sung as I chuckled a bit.
I trotted up to the door and raised my hoof towards the cherrywood door, but I stopped and wondered how I was going to do this.
‘Well, this is going to be interesting, ’ I thought to myself as I knocked using my hoof.
“Coming!” sung the voice of my mother, but it also sounded less like my mother and more Equestrian.
The cream colored earthpony opened the door and was nearly shocked to see me. Her mane was the same color as chocolate and her cutie mark was a chocolate cake. It was strange to see my mother as a pony but I could see her old human features as her eyes were the same shade of brown.
“Oh, I thought you were somepony else, but may I ask who you are sir?” he asked shying away a bit.
“I thought you’d be happy to see me again mum,” I said as my mother’s face began to have that look of confusion she always had.
“Alex?” she asked as she stared into me.
“No, just your other son that was in the army and got ponified,” I said as I was nearly knocked off my hooves from her tackle like hug.
“Alex! Oh I missed you so much,” she said as she tightened her hug on me.
“I missed you too mum, but could we go inside, because I think Remi wants to go to sleep some more,” I said as Remi tugged on my tail, but my mother gave me that look of ‘what have you done this time?’
“Alright, but you have to tell me all about it,” she said as we all entered the house.
The interior of the house was warm and inviting with candles on the wall that seemed to light up the room. It seemed like that ponies didn’t use doors as I could see an archway that led into the kitchen from the living room and a guest bedroom that was adjacent the main room. The stairs also seemed to be wider and longer in size as they lead up the the next level up where the main bedrooms likely were.
The living room looked nearly like the one in Australia expect it was missing a large television set, but it was replaced with a radio on a bookshelf filled with various books and a small necklace my mother had collected, including a picture with her and a pegasus stallion with burnt orange fur and a light brown mane. I could barely make out his cutie mark of a thundercloud as it was covered by this wings.
Remi darted from behind me and claimed the large couch and began to find a comfortable position to lie on it. My mother motioned me towards a couch to take a seat, which I did as I awkwardly sat next to Remi.
“So sweetie, how have you been? You stopped writing to me a few months back,” she said as I shifted around to find a comfortable position to sit in.
“Well after my last letter to you I had nowhere to go and the Human Liberation Force were gunning after me, so I decided to hide in the bush until things blew over,” I replied as I just folded my legs and just went with the flow.
“So I’m guessing they left you alone,” she said as I could almost imagine her reaction of what came out of my mouth next.
“Well, not exactly,” I said shuffling my hooves and flattening my ears against my head, “They still hunted me and well... I did some things I’m not too proud of.”
“Well..." she began as a sadden expression grew on her face before it turned into a smile, "well at least you’re safe but where did you find this adorable filly?” she said as she began to pinch Remi’s cheeks.
“Stop that,” cried Remi as my mother began to tickle her senseless.
“Well she was abandoned and I decided it was for the best that she came with me instead of being left in the wrong hooves,” I said as my mother looked up at me baffled.
“That still doesn’t answer my question,” she said.
“I did a lot of bad thing mum, and I’m ashamed of what I did,” I said as I began to imagine all the lives I ruined by ponifing most of the Brisbane’s HLF.
“Alright, but when you’re father gets back we’re going to have a talk mister,” she replied in that voice that always meant I was in real big trouble.
“Okay,” I said as I flattened my ears against my skull before picking back up again, “Wait, did you say-”
“Sweetie, I’m home!” came a stallions voice as the door flung open and the sound of wings flapping.
“I’m in the living room with somepony I want you to meet!” she called back.
In walked a burnt orange coated pegasus with a light brown mane, he looked to be the same pony from the picture. Then it clicked in my head that my mother had found love with an Equestrian.
“Oh, hello,” he said a bit baffled with my presence, “You must be the new neighbors Coco was talking about. I’m Sunset and you must be Mister-”
“Actually I’m Blue Rune, Coco’s son,” I said interrupting him as I got off the couch with relative ease.
“I thought your name was Alejandro,” he stated.
“I changed it before I came to Equestria,” I replied back as he extended a hoof which I shook.
“I see, so I guess you came by carriage this morning then,” he said as I could hear the giggles of Remi as my mother began to tickle her.
“No, I walked here with Remi on my back,” I said as we walked into the kitchen, a quieter room, as Remi began laughing hysterically.
“Oh, must of taken a lot out of you,” he said as he poured the two of us a glass of water from a jug that was near the sink.
“Yeah, but I’ve had worse,” I said as I took a seat at one of the chairs on the marbled floating island that was in the middle of the kitchen.
“I would imagine with what I’ve heard from your mother, but she never did tell me what you did exactly,” he questioned as he took a sip of water.
“I was a rifleman in the army that got a bounty placed on his head when he killed a bunch of Human Liberation Force officers,” I said as I waved a hoof dismissively.
“Wow, sounds like you caused quite a stir,” he said as I picked up the glass with my teeth and drank slowly.
“I’m guessing that you didn’t go to a Bureau,” he said chuckling.
“Yeah, how’d you know?” I asked as I carefully placed down the glass,
“Well first of all your posture is terrible, almost all unicorn newfoals know how to use a little magic and you seem to be on edge most of the time,” he said as he read me like an open book.
“Look,” I said as I checked to make sure my mother was out of hearing distance, “The reason I’m a pony in the first place is because I made a deal with the PER to get revenge on the people that killed my father and nearly killed mum. So I went there, got my revenge and downed a vial of the potion because I was on death’s doorstep from the Thaumatic Radiation poisoning.”
“By Celestia’s bea-!” he began before I covered his muzzle with my hooves to silence him.
“Please don’t tell mum, it would break her heart and I think she’ll also kill me for causing that much trouble let alone if she hears about what I did,” I pleaded Sunset.
I removed my hooves as he reflected on my words. I began to sweat bullets; he could use this information to ruin my new life.
“Well we’re family now and I guess it would have to be our little secret,” he said as I hugged him.
“You have no idea how much this means to me,” I said as he returned the hug.
“Sure, now I’m sure your mother would love to hear about your time away from her because she’s always talking about you,” he said as we trotted back into the living room. Remi was getting her mane groomed my my mother who held a comb in her mouth.
“Oh hi Runey, grandma was just telling me about your colthood,” she said giggling.
I felt my cheeks flush and my ears flattened against my head. It had become very annoying but it felt right. It must’ve been my pony brain helping me adjust or it could be social interaction from observing other ponies talking to each other.
“Oh boy,” I said as I imagined my face looking as red as a cherry.
“It wasn’t that embarrassing,” she said as I felt my face begin to return to its natural state.
“I hope so. Anyhow, where is the bathroom because I smell worse than an open sewer.” I could feel the dirt and oil that had built up on my coat.
“Oh sure thing sweetie. It’s through that arch, down the hall and on the right,” my mother said as she pointed her hoof at an arch on the other side of the room.
“Now lets see if I can’t get these knots out of your mane Remi,” my mother said as she picked up the brush in her forelegs and began to fight the tangled mess that was Remi’s mane.
I trotted up to the bathroom door and pushed it open with my head. I entered a surprisingly roomy bathroom complete with a large bathtub and a strange looking toilet. Hay, I couldn’t even call it a proper toilet because it was closer to the ground as was almost like a hole but had some sort of collection system.
‘Please don’t tell me I can make fertilizer, ’ I thought to myself as I eyed the toilet.
I put it out of my mind and trotted over to the bath and turned on the hot water tap along with the cold one to create a torrent of warm water, but it looked like it would take some time and since there was a mirror in the room I couldn’t resist.
“Daaaaaaaamm, I look good,” I said as I began checking out my complexion. I still had my pale navy blue coat but some of the hairs changed color as they got closer to my mane, they slowly changed from the pale navy blue to a more defined electric blue along with bright red hairs mixed in. My mane was a mess. I considered styling my mane to something besides messy but I would probably do more harm than good.
My eyes wandered towards my long muzzle, where I flashed my pearly whites to see that they were no longer sharp and pointy buy all flat and fairly uniform. I learned in school that most herbivores teeth are flat as their diet of plant matter didn’t need to be cut up by sharp incisor teeth.
I began to look directly into my dark crimson eyes and how wide they were. They were almost like the size of dinner plates and I could almost see everything in super high definition. Everything was so much clearer and everything seemed to have more color to it.
I checked on the tub and saw that it was nearly full, so I turned off the taps and let the water sit for a bit. I looked around for some soap or shampoo so I could get clean and make myself look presentable.
I found a small bar of soap and a small bottle of shampoo and settled into the tub. The warm soapy water hit my coat and I could already feel the dirt come off. I sank lower into the tub and began to relax for the first in a long time of living on the edge in fear.
Author’s notes: I’m really enjoying myself with this story.
A new beginning
Chapter four: War story
As I slowly and unsteadily rose from the tub, I attempted to grab the towel with my mouth. Looking back on the idea, maybe I should've stuck to getting out of the tub instead of doing two things at once.
Needless to say, it was a quick introduction for my muzzle and the railing of the tub.
“Are you alright?!” yelled the muffled voice of my mother as I carefully stepped out the tub.
“YEAH!” I yelled back as I regained my footing on the solid ground, “Just tripped, don’t worry I’m fine.”
“Just checking!” she yelled back.
I sighed and looked back at the semi-brown and very soapy bath water. I held my breath and dunked my head into the water looking for the plug. After a few seconds my muzzle bumped into it and I yanked on the chain making the water quickly drain.
“Ack,” I said as I spat the plug out with disgust. I could taste the terrible bath water along with the suds. I could feel the water dripping down my long neck and my mane.
Sighing again, I reached for the towel with my hooves and attempted to dry myself the best way I could. Even then I could feel damp patches of fur and I could even feel beads of water slowly moving into my ear canal.
I ignored it and went back to furiously rubbing my coat in a futile attempt to dry myself.
‘I’ve got a feeling things aren’t going to get easier from here on out, ’ I thought to myself as I hung up the towel.
As I left the small bathroom rejuvenated from the bathroom with my mane the tiniest bit damp.
“Ahh, there you are Rune,” said my mother as she poked her head up from in front of the couch, “How was your bath?”
“Really good, seeing how it’s the first bath I’ve had in months,” I replied as I trotted back into the living room to find a spare seat. Sadly there was none as my mother and Remi were busy braiding each-others mane and tail, while Sunset took up the other couch by lying on it spreadeagle. So I decided to find a nice place to sit down on the floor instead.
“So sweetie you never told me about the trip over,” mum eagerly said as she moved a fine comb through Remi’s steel mane.
“Well there wasn’t much to it. We just got our things together and hopped on the next boat to Equestria. Remi slept most of the way and I wondered around up deck for most of the trip,” I said as I sat down on the fuzzy carpet.
“So you didn’t find anypony to talk to then?” said Sunset as he rolled over to face me.
“Well I did meet a Royal Guard pony,” I began as Sunset sat up again.
“Oh do you remember his name. I used to be a guard you know,” he stated as I tried to recall his name from the recesses of my mind.
“It was Aegis-,” I said rubbing my chin with a foreleg, “Aegis Exemplar.”
“Did he have a burgundy coat and a brown mane?”
“Yes; how come?” I asked as I could feel a war story from my father was about to be heard.
“Well back when I was just a scout for the pegasi division we had contracted a few mercenaries to help us track down a lair of a hydra,” he began as he waved his hooves to create a scene.
It was a humid heat that filled the air. It made my wings stick to the metal plates of my armour and I was sweating buckets underneath the thing as well. But after a long haul to the eastern reaches of the Zebricorn territory right next to the border of Equestria, we had come to the small village of Mire Muck.
“Well Capitan. We did make it to the village with my navigation skills instead of your plan to send the scouts out to find a simple path in the dirt,” nastily said a petite female unicorn who only wore a long flowing robe that covered her from mane to tail.
“Yes after we got lost six times,” playfully retorted a large pegasus who wore the same golden and blue trimmed armour as us all. We all had the same color mane and coats as our armour that had been enchanted with magic to make us look the all the same. White was our coats to represent our pure hearts that made us all honest ponies and a royal blue mane and tail to show our regal support for Princess Celestia.
“Still, we got there faster with my plan,” retorted the unicorn.
“Come on guys, can’t we just get along for one mission. Please I swear this constant bickering is going to drive us apart,” begged another pegasus guard.
“Private Flowers you know it’s never going to happen. They’re like an old married couple, constantly bickering back and forth. Don’t be surprised if you hear them arguing over what dinner is going to be,” I joked as both officer ponies glared at me.
“Very funny Lance Corporal, but I’ll to have you know that you’re treading on thin ice. Especially that stunt you pulled back in basic training,” glared my Commanding Officer Clouddagger.
“Alright I’ll keep my mouth shut, but I think we have our friends waiting up ahead,” I defensibly said as we trotted up to two ponies waiting for us at the outskirts of the lakeside town.
One was a very jumpy pegaus who kept on sharpening his sword on a small grindstone he held in his mouth. The other was a massive Earth pony with gleaming iron armour which covered him. All I could see of the stallion was his tail and his massive helmet which hid two large blue eyes.
“I’m to assume one of you is Aegis and the other Flash. Am I correct?” asked Moonwater, our unicorn doctor.
“Yes ma’am,” said the earth pony as he removed his helmet to reveal a burgundy coat and his brown mane.
“Aegis Exemplar at your service miss,” he said as he held out his hoof to Moonwater who shook it.
“Pleasure to meet you Aegis,” she politely responded as she faced toward the pegaus that was still sharpening the sword.
He quickly looked up at Moonwater and spat out the stone. In a motion that was quicker than a charging bull, he had placed his sword into a sheath he held on his back.
“I’m Flash, so you’re the pony I talk to get paid?” he asked as he moved over to Moon.
“Payment after the job is done,” sternly said Cloud as Flash cocked his head towards him.
“Just saying,” he said as he snapped his head back to Moon, “So I guess follow me to the hydra’s lair.”
“Lead the way,” said Moon as we followed him. I unfurled my wings and began to follow him through the town.
I’d decided to fly next to Aegis seeing as he seemed like the only pony to talk to.
“During the trip to the layer me and Aegis talked about life and this whole incident with the hydra,” Sunset concluded.
“So what happened to the hydra?” asked Remi who seemed enthralled by the story.
“Turns out it was just a family of dragons who’d set up camp for the two weeks for the great migration of the dragons,” he said as he leant over and ruffled Remi’s mane.
“Hey, I just finished styling that,” complained my mother as she let out a sigh of frustration before combing the cute fillies mane again.
“Quite the tale,” I responded.
“Yes and I’ve got plenty more where that came from,” he boasted as he puffed out his chest in pride.
“Oh darling, don’t bore him to death. And besides I’m sure he has quite the tale of how he got to Equestria,” mum quipped.
“It isn’t that interesting, trust me,” I said as I could feel the lie eating away at me.
“Alright, but I’ll find out one day,” she said as I felt my heart begin to rush in fear of what she would do to me if she did find out.
“Anyhow, I think I might stretch my legs and see what’s around town. Is that alright with you?” I asked mum as I slowly began to rise from my seated state.
“It’s fine by me, but just don’t be too long,” my mother called out as something snapped at the back of my head.
“Also before I forget, the book club meeting was moved to Tuesday instead of Monday. Oh and do you know where Twilight Sparkle lives?” I asked as I quickly trotted over to my saddle bags and pulled everything out except the book that Shadow Jester gave me.
“She lives in the big tree near the outskirts of town… why?” she asked as I slung the saddlebags over my back.
“Oh a friend recommended I see her to advance in the field of magic,” I said as I trotted out.
“Okay, just be careful sweetie!” she yelled out as I closed the door behind me.
I trotted through the now busy and bustling country town. Even though I’ve always been on edge in large crowds, I felt at ease as I walked among everypony.
“FRESH ASPARAGUS!” yelled one pony from a stall filled with crates of asparagus. His voice was mixed in with other street vendors selling their crops at the market. Even looking down the long street full of tents, it was like a rainbow of colors with ponies of all different shapes and sizes to match them.
“Ahhh, the sounds of a farmers market,” sighed a pony who’d trotted up next to me.
“I guess so,” I responded, “Then again I’ve never been to one in my life.”
“Oh,” said the feminine sounding voice, “So you must be somepony new?”
“I guess so,” I said as I turned my head to see whom I was talking too. She was a seafoam green unicorn with a white mane with several stripes of seafoam throughout her mane. She bore a cutie mark of a golden harp, but I snapped my eyes back to her face as I shouldn’t have my eyes wandering to a pretty mare’s flank.
‘What am I thinking? I’m a human for Pete’s sake… Well not anymore I guess, ’ I though as I could my face begin to warm up in embracement.
“Sorry I didn’t catch your name miss?” I began while she responded with.
“Lyra Heartstings,” she said blushing.
I blushed as well. She was downright cute and I couldn’t help this new emotion I was feeling, but I snapped myself out of the trance.
“Sorry I got to be somewhere. I’d love to talk to you but I have to leave,” I said as I broke the conversation.
“Yeah same as I, but you didn’t tell me your name,” Lyra said.
“Oh sorry, it’s Blue Rune. See you around?” I asked as rubbed my neck in embarrassment.
“Well I’ll see you around Bluey,” she winked as she trotted off.
She trotted off down the main street of the markets with her saddle bags on her back. Then without a moment’s notice she vanished into the crowd of ponies leaving me breathless.
‘What just happened? ’ I questioned myself as I began to wonder to the large tree that loomed out of the ever growing forest.
It felt like all the air had just gotten out of a fight; heart racing, breathless and thoughts racing. I couldn’t piece together what just happened and I felt I was going to lose my balance.
‘Come on Al. Pull yourself together, ’ I ordered myself as I pulled myself back on track from the unbalanced trot I had previously been in, ‘Just take it slow, and besides it’s just our new pony brain trying to cope with all these new feelings right? I mean it can’t be love? How could it be, she’s a pony and I’m a -, ’
“Pony,” I said as I stopped in my tracks.
‘It couldn’t be love, how could it be love? It has to be my brain getting used to my new body, ’ I thought denying all thoughts of this notion of love.
Sighing and holding back the thought I continued on my journey towards the ever growing tree that was barely even a half kilometer in front of me.
Authors Notes: Ahhh, it’s good to be back.
Chapter Five: First lesson
A new beginning
Chapter five: First lesson
As I continued to trot down the dirt path towards the tree I began to notice a difference in the houses I passed; before all the houses had thatched roofs and walls made out of wood covered with a mixture of clay and hay painted over with a strong mixture of sand yellow. Now some of them had just plain wood or concrete walls and flat roofs.
Did the town have more newfoals than I had originally believed or did human engineering slowly creep into Equestrian house making? Never the less, it stood out like a sore thumb amongst the other country style houses and the massive oak tree.
The tree was massive, totally dwarfing me and the houses surrounding it. It’s bark was twisted near it’s roots as it began to smooth out into a near flat surface; the roots also seemed to… glow in a pale green light from the twists and curves which almost seemed to form a pattern in the bark. The tree was also carved out, as the window showed a library well stocked; which seemed to be far larger on the inside than the outside.
‘Well Rune, time to learn how to use that horn, ’ I mentally told myself as I raised a hoof to the door. I tapped the door with my hoof making the door almost open from the force.
“Coming!” cried a juvenile voice as the pitter patter of feet against wood was heard.
The door flung open to a small purple lizard thing with emerald scales sticking out of its head, running down the length of its back finishing at the end of his tail. The creature had the same color eyes that were almost cat like in appearance. I was a bit taken back by the small bipedal lizard, but it seemed almost childlike in appearance; with its large build-up of fat in the cheeks and belly.
“So, what can I do for you bro?” asked the purple lizard.
“Ummm-, I was wondering if I could see Twilight please?” I politely asked as I was still put off by the creature that stood before me.
“Okay, just give me a moment,” it said as it turned around, “TWILIGHT! WE HAVE SOMEPONY HERE TO SEE YOU!” he yelled into the library.
“Coming Spike!” yelled Twilight.
‘What the hay is that thing? ’ I wondered as a purple mare began trotting down the stairs, ‘I mean it looks like a… Oh please don’t tell me that is a dragon. ’
“Who is it Spike?” asked Twilight as Spike turned around to face me almost blankly staring at him.
“Oh, sorry. I phased out there for a minute,” I said focusing on the purple unicorn, “My name is Blue Rune and a friend said you could help me with my magic.”
“Oh… well come on in,” she said stepping out of the way and leading a hoof inside to the library.
“Thanks,” I replied as I entered, but as I entered I felt a strong presence hit me. It was like I was passing through a barrier of frozen air and into a warm room. I could feel an energy beginning to build up inside of me, almost as if I had a small cup of coffee before entering.
“So Mr. Rune-,” she began before I cut her off.
“Please, just call me Rune,”
“Alright Rune; so tell me. Who is this friend of yours?” she asked as she waved Spike off into the next room as her posture slightly lowered to the ground and he eyes were almost dead locked onto me.
“Shadow Jester. Apparently he was one of your students when you worked in a Conversion Bureau in Australia,” I said as I reached back and opened my saddle bag with great difficulty to reach the book Shadow had given me.
“Shadow Jester?” she replied as she went from a state of defensiveness to one that looks like she had been knocked off her hooves.
“Yeshmp why?” I said muffled by the papery tasting book.
“But… Wait, did he give this to you?” she said as the book was snatched from my mouth by her purple field of magic.
“Yes… but why?” I asked again as she flipped through the pages looking for something, “He wrote something on the first page.”
She heard what I said and quickly open up to the very first page of the book.
“Oh Shadow,” she whimpered as she looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“Are, are you alright?” I asked as I took a step forward in concern.
“Yes, quite alright… I just thought I would never hear again from my special somepony,” she replied as she whipped away a tear from her muzzle.
“Oh?” I stated as I was confused.
“Yes, he and I were close… but…” she began, “Well, it’s a long story and a bit personal. Anyhow, let’s teach you some basic magic.”
‘Well now… that came out from nowhere, ’ I mentally said as she began levitating various books from the shelves and towards us.
“So let’s begin with the simple things,” she said as she placed a single book in front of me as she took several steps back.
“I want you to focus on that book,” she said pointing at the thick brown book that separated us.
“… Okay,” I responded trying to fathom how in the world I would do that.
I began to stare intently at it, as if it was going to explode into tiny bits and pieces. But nothing happened.
‘Come on, there has to be a way to this, ’ I told myself as I took a long breath and relaxed.
I stared at it again, and began to visualize the book in my head. I began to make a mental image of the brown pulpy substance that made the book’s hard cover; the thin delicate pieces of papyrus that made the pages, and where words of another language were written. I then began to see the ancient wood that the book sat upon as I closed my eyes I began to put all my effort into focusing on it.
As I focused more, and more on the book; I felt something begin to build up inside of me, something big that moved in motion to my heart beat. That something began to almost feel like a small wave moving throughout my body. It began to channel itself into one solid stream, as it moved from the very core of my body and towards my head.
It was almost like a strong pressure pushing through my neck. It felt as if it was going to pop my head right off my body. But it didn’t stop, it continued to the base of my skull where it began to build more pressure. It was immense, like a kink in a hose that stopped the water from coming out. I began to relax my neck muscles and let the pressure move through me.
Then in a sudden burst of power, I felt the book move. I could almost see it through my closed eyes. Then the mental image began to take color; it was a darkened purple color that made up the room, but the book was lit up in a purplish light blue aura.
I could feel the book; its weight, the hard brown cover and it’s delicate pages. I felt like I was holding it in my ghostly grasp.
‘Lift it, ’ A voice that sounded like me echoed in my head. I acknowledged it and began to put more of this strange pressure underneath the book, to almost push it up in a torrent of wind. Then the book began to slowly rise, as I began to feel weak; very weak.
I began to strain underneath the weight of the book. I began to almost force my energy into making it continue to rise, but I couldn’t even stand my own weight. The room began to slowly fade, as the aura around the book began to diminish. I couldn’t take the strain I was under and opened my eyes to a blinding light.
“Guah!” I exclaimed in pure exhaustion as I buckled underneath my own weight.
“Oh my,”Twilight exclaimed as she caught me in her magic. I could feel her trying to prop me up as my world faded quickly to black.
Then my world sprung back to life with color and noises, but I was completely exhausted.
“Rune? Rune?!” yelled a muffled Twilight as she placed her hooves on my muzzle to bring me back to reality from my lethargic state.
“Wait, what?” I said as I felt a massive shot of adrenalin hit me, making everything kick into overdrive.
“Oh thank Celestia you’re okay,” she said bear hugging me.
“You had me scared for a bit, but don’t you ever do that again,” she quipped as she broke the hug and dropped me to the ground.
I was confused as to what I had just done. Did I faint from lifting a single book?
“What did I do?” I asked as I got back on my hooves with almost relative ease.
“Well first you focused on the book like I said, but then all of a sudden you began focusing on everything. Then-, well then you began to lift the book with a sudden burst of energy, along with every single book I’d taken out.” She said as I looked around the room to see several books tossed carelessly around the room.
“Did I do that?” I said as I ignored what she had said as I looked at the mess I made.
“Yes… but what concerns me the most… well,” she began as I faced her pawing at the ground.
“What you did there was something I’ve only seen done once, and that was by me as a foal… but not to that extent,” she said as she looked at me with her deep purple eyes.
“What did I do?” I asked as I had begun to slowly feel anxiety come on.
“You successfully levitated ten books, two plants, a heavy oak guard bust, and the table it sat under… Rune… that was some powerful magic you conjured up,” she said with a great deal of emphasis.
“So,” I stated not truly concerned for what I had done.
“Rune… I’m the personnel protégé of Princess Celestia, who picked me to attend the School for Talented young Unicorns after I did something like that,” she said, “I… I think there’s something powerful within you Rune, waiting to be let out.”
“I... I don’t understand?” I asked confused as I almost began to panic, “What can a harmless newfoal that can’t stand up on four hooves hold inside of him?”
“I don’t know, but what you did was magic that was far beyond any newfoal, let alone some grown unicorns can do. Never the less it was raw and undefined, I can teach you how to control it, but only if you promise me not to do that again,” she said as if she was going to save me from myself.
“What could I possibly do? I mean come on, I’m a newfoal,” I stated again as I began watching her trot to a bookshelf.
“Blue Rune, magic is something that is far more powerful than the sun itself. And if some unicorns can’t control their magic… well…” she said as she pulled out a large thick tome with her magic from the top shelf.
“Well, they can end up becoming consumed by their power and go mad,” she sorrowfully said.
“Here look,” she said as she motioned me to the tome she had opened, “This is King Sombra, he was recently rediscovered after being forgotten by history. He was the only recorded case in Equestrian history to ever be consumed fully by his magical powers. To say the least, he enslaved a nation of ponies and then upon his defeat cursed them to an eternal slumber and confused state when awoken.”
“You don’t say,” I said as I looked at the menacing portrait of a black unicorn wearing a silver crown. His eyes were a deep purple, and his mane a menacing black, but his horn… it was curved towards the end and completely smoothed; as it ended in a red tip.
“That is why I’m afraid of what you just did, if you can’t control your magic that’s inside of you… well, let’s just hope that history doesn’t repeat itself,” she said as she rested the book down on the table behind me.
“Come on, let’s clean up this mess and start again,” she said as she began pushing books into a pile with her magic.
“But I thought you said never to do that again,” I stated as I pushed a book with my muzzle towards the pile she was creating.
“I know, but if I can teach you how to control how much magic you put into levitating a single book, then I’ll be relieved that you can control your magic.”
“Alright,” I said as she arranged the books into a stack of five, creating two piles.
“Let’s try that again, but this time please focus on the book with your eyes open, and breath through your nose this time,” she said as she placed a thick book in front of me.
Author’s Note: And then he became an alicorn with a flaming mane and tail. Also thanks for Ocean Breeze for coloring my cover art I drew and my new editor that likes to remain anonymous... unless on skype where I haunt him daily with my stories.
Chapter six: Beginning Anew
A new beginning
Chapter Six: Beginning Anew
I was covered in sweat as I strained myself to lift up the four large books Twilight had told me to levitate in front of me for a minute.
“I-, can’t hold on much longer Twilight,” I struggled to say as the weight was almost impossible for me to carry.
“You can do it Rune,” she cheered as I could hear the timer’s ticks become evermore slower.
“How much longer?!” I strained to say as my legs began to wobble as I forced all my magic at holding the pile of books.
“Ten more seconds, come on you’re nearly there,” she continued as I counted the seconds in my head.
‘Do it, ’ the voice at the back of my head ordered. I did as I was told and relaxed as I let less magic flow out of my horn and moved into an almost meditative state.
“Three, two, one. See you did it, I told you a foal could do it,” she remarked as I exhaled and let the books float gently towards the ground.
“Yeah… but that took a lot out of me,” I said as I lied down on the ground panting.
“Oh hush you,” she said as she helped me back up, “Besides for a pony whose never done magic before, you’re doing really well.”
“Really?” I asked as I thought I had the magic ability of a rock.
“Yes, but you still need practice. Tell you what, if you practice picking up heavy objects or just practice holding things with your magic; you’ll get levitation down pat in no time,” she replied nodding once.
“Okay… but I was wondering something,” I said as I regained my breath and strength. By now Twilight had already begun to put some books away.
“What is it?” she replied.
“Well, I have a little filly and well fillies need to go to school right?” I asked as I pawed at the wooden floor with my hoof.
“Yes?” she leaded.
“Well, do you know any where she could go to school?” I asked as I looked back up to her.
“Well how old is she?”
“… I don’t know really, but she’s about the same height as Spike,” I said a bit ashamed I didn’t know my adopted daughter’s age.
“Well she is probably about seven years old then, if we're going by human years. So she could probably go to Miss Cheerilee’s School,” she said as she gave me a funny look.
“But speaking of age; how old are you?” She asked as she looked at me with an even more quizzical look.
“Eighteen… why?” I asked confused as why she wanted my-. Oh dear lord, please don’t tell me she’s attracted to me.
“Oh, well you still look like a colt. Well not really a colt but a young stallion,” she said as I was relieved of that thought, but why would she want to know my age?
“Okay… but why is it a problem if I look like a really young stallion, I mean it’s not going to make me stand out like a sore thumb; I mean I don’t have a cutie mark and all so that adds to the whole,” I said as I stood up awkwardly on my hind legs, “Look at me everypony! I’m a silly newfoal from Australia that doesn’t know any magic!”
“Blue keep it down,” she said as she helped me back down to all fours.
“Why? I thought a lot of newfoals came to Equestria?” I asked as she gave me a worrying look.
“Well not a lot of ponies like newfoals around here, because of what they’ve heard what humans do to each other. That and with you not having a cutie mark just adds to the suspicion that you could be up to no good,” she replied back to me in a worried tone of voice.
“Why they're not going to kill me are they, because if they are; I’ll have them know I’ve been on top of the Australian’s HLF bounty list for the last past year,” I boasted about my extremely high bounty I probably still had on my head.
“Wait, you’re Alejandro Linstorm?!” she nearly shouted in fright.
“That I am,” I responded puffing out my chest in pride of what I once was.
“That is bad, that is really bad,” she said.
“Oh it can’t be that bad, can it?” I asked back as I deflated my chest.
“Look, let’s just say that lots of ponies don’t like it when newfoals have a history of hurting other ponies or people, but from the stories we’ve heard about you killing all those men and then that incident I heard this morning of a man helping the PER ponify the entirety of the Brisbane’s HLF; who may I just add looked a lot like the Alex in the photograph… well let’s just say a lot of ponies aren’t going to trust you and are going to be worried standing next to you,” she admitted as I was shocked about how quickly word had travelled of my attack.
“Okay… so what should I do?” I asked wondering how I was going to keep my past from biting me in the flank.
“Well just be you… well not the human you, but the new pony you. I mean what all humans have been offered to them is something that nopony in Equestria can ever have, and that’s a new life,” she said as I realized I was no longer a six foot eleven male from Australia anymore, but a four foot blue unicorn.
“So I’d suggest using the gift you’ve accepted and begin a new life,” she said putting a hoof on my shoulder.
Then it hit me, and it hit me hard. I was truly given a new life; a new face, a new voice, a new body. Hay, I was a totally different species for Pete’s sake; it was a new beginning for me and a new beginning I hoped I would not mess up this time.
“Wow…” I stood there still in awe of what I had been given.
“Yes, so I’m going to say to try and put your old life behind you and embrace being an Equestrian,” she said stepping back a bit.
“So any idea of how to do that? I mean I don’t have a job, I’ve got minimal skills as a pony and well… I don’t know how to be a pony at all,” I said as the odds looked to be weighed against me.
“Don’t worry, I have a friend who can give you a job. If you’re willing to put in some hard work. Also I’d suggest bringing your daughter to school every day so everypony will see you wandering around, also I’d try applying to get into Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. You're about the age and from what I’ve seen, well you look like you’ve been using magic all your life,” she said as I took in every bit of what she said.
“Okay, so who is this friend of yours?” I asked.
“Applejack, she works on the big apple farm you probably saw coming on the carriage ride in,” she said as we walked over to a window to see the massive apple orchard in the distance.
“Okay… is there anything I should say to her?”
“I’ll tell her to expect you, just say your name and she’ll put you to work bucking apples,”
“Okay then, but Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. How would I get into that?” I asked as we turned back to face the library and its many books.
“Well, I can help you write an application for it,” she said as she rubbed her hooves together in glee.
“Oooohh it’s going to be so fun writing an application again and it might get read by one of my old teachers,” she excitedly said as she acted like a colt in a candy shop.
“Does that mean I might get in easier?”
“No, it’s going to be signed by you, but I’m also going to teach you how to write your own really; because they only accept student’s who’ve written their own reason why they want to attend such a school, they need to see the drive that’s in you Rune,” she said sounding like my mother.
“Well, alright. But thank you for all you’ve done for me today Twilight, if I didn’t have your help… well let’s just say I would have been better off back in Australia,” I said hugging her.
“It’s quite alright Blue Rune, but just remember that you’ve got a new life now. Try and think about that and less about Australia,” she said as she broke away from the hug.
“Okay, so I guess I’ll see you around?” I said as I picked up my book with my magic and my saddle bags.
“I guess so, but could you leave the book here… it just means a lot to me,” she said as the book hovered in front of me.
“Okay, Twilight, it’s the least I can do for now. But I promise you, I will repay you,” I said as I placed the book over on the table.
“Rune don’t worry about paying me, it’s quite fine. But I’m sorry to be pushing you out like this but it is getting late, and I do have to tell AJ that you’re coming tomorrow. That and Spike has probably escaped and gone to help Rarity,” she said since we hadn’t seen Spike at all during my training.
“Okay, well I’ll let you get to your things… so see you tomorrow, maybe?” I asked as I fastened my saddle bags to myself.
“Maybe Blue Rune, Applejack is probably going to make you work from sunrise till sunset. But if you do finish early you can come by and I can help you some more with your magic, before we teach you Equestrian, but come on. I’ve got to get Spike back home before he misses his bed time,” she said nearly pushing me out of the library.
“Well see you whenever… I guess,” I said as I began to trot towards my parent’s home.
“See you around Rune,” she said as she shut the door.
I continued along the main road, past the now vacant market as the sun began to set.
‘Wow, has it really been a whole day for teaching me how to levitate a few books? ’ I asked myself as I could see someponies still closing up their stalls and stores.
Sighing, I continued my journey home wondering what tomorrow would be like.
I then began to see the white fence of the house as the sun had begun to set.
“Oh boy, I’m going to be late and mum’s going to kill me if I’m late,” I said as I began to gallop towards the house.
I reached the fence and jumped over it, sending me flying through the air and onto the grassy lawn. I then stopped my gallop and trotted up slightly puffed from it and pushed it open with my face. Well I had planned to, but I felt a bit cocky and decided to open the door with my magic.
I reached out to the door handle with my magic and pushed it in slightly, and the door nearly flung open if it weren’t for me keeping it from opening all the way.
“I’m back!” I cried out as I closed the door behind me with magic and then proceeded to unbuckle the saddlebags from me.
“We’re about to sit down for dinner sweetie! Come and join us, we’re having salad tonight!” yelled mum from the kitchen as I let the saddle bags slide off to hit the ground with a nice solid thud.
“Alright,” I said as I trotted into the kitchen to see the whole family sitting down to eat dinner; they literally sitting down on throw pillows that came from the living room.
“So how was your day?” asked mum as she placed a large helping of green leafy salad into my wooden bowl.
“Learnt about magic,” I said as I began to dig into the salad by shoving my face into the bowl and devouring anything that came close to my mouth.
“So what was it like?” asked Sunset as he took a bite of his salad.
“Really weird, but powerful… it…” I began as I tried to describe the sensation I felt as I performed magic, “It was like lifting something with your mind, but putting all the strength you have in your body and forcing at one object, but you have to be relaxed and let what comes naturally.”
“Wow, sound interesting,” said mum as she poured some olive oil in her salad.
“When do I get to do magic Runey?!” excitedly asked Remi as she licked off a leaf of lettuce from her short green muzzle.
“Hopefully tomorrow when you go to your first day of School,” I said as I had finished the entire bowl of salad, and I still felt empty.
“Awww… wait, yay! I get to go to school!” she cheered for joy.
“I know, but finish your dinner so we can get you to bed. You need to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for school tomorrow,” I said as I ruffled her mane and scooped myself another bowl of salad with my magic.
“Wow son, you’re quite good at magic,” Sunset said as I placed it back with relative ease.
“Thanks, but Twilight says I’ve got a long way to go,” I said as I dug into the next serving of salad.
“So I’m guessing you’re going back to see her again tomorrow?” he asked as I looked up.
“Actually I found myself a job, well I hope. But Twilight said that she’ll put in a good word for me down at the orchard,” I replied back as I took another massive bit of my salad.
“I see. Apple bucking is a hard job, do you think you’re up for it?” he asked as if I was a meek and scrawny colt.
“I’m sure I can handle it,” I said as I finished up my bowl, “Anyhow I should get this cute little filly to bed so she can get up in the morning and then I’m going to head to bed.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow morning. Oh and your rooms are in the guest bedroom for now, but you're going to be sharing a bed. I hope that’s alright?” mum said as I escorted Remi towards the guest bedroom.
“Should be fine, anyhow; good night all,” I said as I entered into the well laid out bedroom.
It was like the bedroom on the ship but without the seashell wallpaper and the emptiness of the room. Instead it had the standard bed, a large wardrobe, a table with a matching chair, and a nice light burnt yellow paint that covered the walls.
“Come on Remi, into bed you go,” I said as I helped her onto the bed with my long neck.
“Okay,” she said as stood up on the bed.
Once she was on the bed I unfurled the bed sheets as she hopped underneath them. I sighed and moved over the top of her to get to the spot in the double sized bed closest to the wall. I then moved underneath the bed covers and slid down until my hind legs hit the base of the bed.
“Goodnight Remi,” I said as I kissed the back of her mane then rolling over to get to sleep.
“Goodnight Runey,” she said as she rolled over and hugged me goodnight, until she rolled over to go to sleep within my forelegs.
I silently let out a sigh and rolled over to hug her, making sure she was safe. She moved closer into the hug and then promptly began to fall into a deep sleep.
‘Well, tomorrows a new day of a new life… God I hope I don’t stuff this one up, ’ I thought to myself as I closed my eyes, still hugging Remi as I fell into a deep sleep myself.
Author’s Notes: Sleep is for the weak.
A new beginning
Chapter Seven: Dreaming
As I fell deeper and deeper into my slumber I felt at ease. I was still a bit excited about what had happened today. I mean I had gotten the basics of levitation and how to control my magic, that and Twilight said I could attend that school for gifted unicorns.
Maybe that conversion dream was just a vision of what’s to come. I mean could I be accepted into this Runic Order? What was the Order, and what did it have to do with me, or my future.
Was this whole ordeal planned from the beginning? I mean the magic poisoning, the dream and Rose. But that dream, it was just so real.
I mean I know the dream was supposed to be real, but everything in the dream; the dirt, the stone wall with the runes carved into them and that snake. What was that thing? It looked like a snake, but it was hollow and shone a neon blue; not to mention it’s cyan glowing eyes and its massive fangs that came from its massive jaw.
The more time I spent thinking about the snake, the more I felt underwhelmed by the concept of the magical serpent. Was it a warning, or something more sinister?
‘Buah, this is foolish! ’ I thought to myself as I began to feel more sleepy with each thought.
I decided to cave into my sensation for sleep and was plunged into a sea of darkness; a darkness that seemed similar to the one in the dream.
The darkness consumed me like a small stone cast into an ever ending ocean. I was that small stone sinking into the never ending pool of darkness.
I began to see light at the bottom of the seemingly endless abyss. Floated down I felt like I was a divine being descending from the heavens themselves. As I neared the light I could see a small platform had begun to form. It had grey stone walls that began to twist and turn while the light changed to a dark purple.
As my hooves hit the ground, I felt the weight of the world placed upon my shoulders. It was a heavy and cumbersome weight that had been forced upon me. I wasn’t able to see it, all I knew was it was there. I could feel it pressing up against my spine and rolling off my sides. The weight also brought on some pain and discomfort but it was something I was going to have to deal with for now… wherever I was it wanted this weight to be an annoyance.
As I became more aware with my surroundings I noticed that things had changed once I hit the ground. The ground was almost like mud, but felt solid; if not a bit squishy. The walls were a dark crimson color only to be lighted by a cyan light that emanated from a carved symbol in the walls. The room wasn’t a box like before as well, it was closed on both sides and had a curved roof that looked like it was sewn together, making me feel like I was in a tunnel.
Feeling curiosity strike, I began to explore my surroundings. I trotted cautiously ahead making sure each hoof I placed on the ground was not going to give way to the gelatinous substance.
The tunnel began to curve becoming more narrow as well as the walls becoming wrinklier in appearance. The symbols that had provided me light began to more farther away from me, but it didn’t move in front of me to lead me; the lights moved behind me, lighting up the path from behind.
I was scared of this unknown. I was never afraid of the dark, but I always liked to know what was in the dark. Many a time I had been fooled by the shadows, often concealing a creature that would jump out at me and scare me while I was off guard. I hated that unknown, for it was something I couldn’t control.
I didn’t want to proceed but something from the core of my body told me to move. It came from the same place where I had first discovered my magic to come from. I set one hoof in front of the other as I proceeded into the darkness.
===
It was perhaps minutes or hours I had spent moving down the ever winding tunnel of darkness, I had come to what seemed to be an opening; like a cathedral inside a cave system.
The light from behind me disappeared for a split second leaving me in the dark, only to reappear on the ground leading me down a spiralling ramp like staircase to the bottom of a shaft.
Curiosity said I should go and explore, but my gut told me to turn around. It was an impassable choice I had to make. Do I descend into the dark unknown ever more to see where I was going, or turn around and abandon all ambition of adventure and the work I had put in earlier to reach this place.
‘Okay Blue, you can do this. It’s just a spiralling ramp that leads into a dark endless abyss. What’s the worst that could happen? ’ I questioned myself as I gulped.
I set one hoof on the ramp like staircase and the lights changed from a cyan color to a darkened blue.
I sighed and continued on regardless of the lights.
As I began to near the bottom, the room began to change. It wasn’t a spiralling stair ramp but now a long square tunnel with smoothened crimson walls. Although the lights had disappeared, only leaving the now emanating crimson light at the end of the tunnel. I had come far to reach this point of my confusing dream I had to press on, no matter the cost. I had to know what was drawing me to this point.
Whether it was a sudden burst of light or the darkened environment I was suddenly in front of a door.
The door itself was that of an old mahogany; weathered by years of use and slowly decaying. But on a small copper plaque in clear printed words were, “Fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream. ”
Baffled by the plaque I raised a hoof to the door and began to push it open. The door was heavy and even as I pushed, the weight I was carrying increased making my breaths laboured and my footing even harder to keep.
But I kept on persevering, pushing the door more and more; but all my effort wasn’t enough. The door wouldn’t budge, and I couldn’t keep my strength. Whatever this door was holding behind it was something that I couldn’t overcome.
With one shove I rammed myself against the door in what felt like a fit of rage, I collapsed. Not on the door, but in front of it; my blue muzzle was nearly touching the door. It was in reach but it was still too far away from me.
Everything felt heavy, my chest, the weight I carried and my eyes. I couldn’t hold them any longer and I slipped into a somewhat peaceful sleep.
Author’s notes: I… I really don’t know what to say. Also I'm taking a quick brake from writing, just got to get done with some of my tests.
Oh wait now I remember. Vague and confusing dreams are foreshadowing and a view into the main character's soul.
Chapter Eight: Dawn of a new day
A new beginning
Chapter eight: Dawn of a new day
I felt the sun beginning to slightly warm up the back of my neck as the sweet sound of birds filled my ears. I felt at ease even though the dream I had the night before was horrifying… Could I even call it a dream at that, it was more like a nightmare; yet it all felt so real.
Sighing I began to slowly shuffle Remi off of my foreleg, but it was hard as she was just so adorable sleeping.
‘Wait I have work, and she has school. Oh curse you modern day problems; you love to steal sleep away from me. Don’t you? ’ I questioned myself as I began to become more alert with each passing second.
“Remi,” I whispered into the slumbering filly’s ear, “It’s time for school.”
“Mmmm, five more minutes?” She mumbled as she buried her head into the pillow.
“Come on Remi, wakie wakie,” I said as I slid her off my foreleg.
“Mhfhrph,” she replied as I nudged her with my muzzle.
“Don’t make me get a bucket of ice water. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again,” I threatened her as she slowly began to stir.
“Fine,” she moaned as she slid off the bed and waddled over to the large fluffy rug in the centre of the room.
I chuckled and then moved off the bed to steady her before she collapsed on the floor. She nearly fell back into her sleep but I nudged her awake again and helped her get to her hooves.
“How do you even know if school is on or if it starts this early?” moaned Remi as she stretched her back in the same fashion a cat would.
“It’s a Friday and the sun’s just broke the horizon, so it’s around six and school starts at seven, now lets get you some breakfast and on your way,” I said as I pulled the bed covers back up with my mouth.
“Fine, but I want to take the Runey limo,” she slightly said.
“The Runey limo isn’t running today so looks like you're going to have to walk with me,” I replied back as I gently pushed open the door with my magic, “Come on lets get some food.”
Remi nodded and followed me out into the kitchen where my mother was already up making a pot of coffee.
It was quite funny seeing my mother in a robe and wearing slippers as a pony. The pink robe and slippers clashed with her cream colored coat. She even had curlers in her mane. It was quite the funny sight and I could hear Remi letting out a small giggle as I could barely contain my own laughter.
“What’s so funny you two?” she asked looking back at us before she poured herself a cup of black coffee.
“Oh nothing,” I said as I let out a small chuckle.
“Well then,” she said as she put the pot on top of the stove, “Do you two want some hay pancakes or just hay on its own?”
“Pancakes,” Remi and I blurted at the same time.
‘Wow, she’s more like me than I imagined, ’ I thought to myself as we moved over to the island table to grab a seat.
“So, how was your dream last night?” mum asked as she opened up the large pantry to look for ingredients.
“How did you kno-,”
“You still talk in your sleep,” she said cutting me off, “but from the sounds of it was one crazy dream.”
“You could say that, but it was an… alright dream,” I said trying to describe the dream without getting lost on words.
“Well at least it wasn’t a bad one,” she said as she began mixing the batter for the hay pancakes. It seemed to just be regular pancake batter mixed with crushed up hay.
“Good morning all,” said Sunburst as he happily trotted into the kitchen and promptly took a seat next to me.
“Hey,” I replied back as I was more focused on the pancakes.
“Oh something smells good,” he said as he sniffed the air, “Oh hay pancakes, I love hay pancakes.”
“Yep and they're nearly done,” my mother said as she flipped off the last pancake off the frying pan.
She then proceeded to pour maple syrup on the stack of pancakes she had created in a flash. The syrup slowly rippled down the sides of the delicious pancakes and then began to pool at the bottom.
“Bon appétit,” she said as she moved the plate of pancakes with her head onto the table.
“Oops, almost forgot the plates,” she said as she opened up a cupboard and removed enough plates for us.
“Now you can dig in,” she said. I couldn’t resist the alluring scent of the pancakes or the delicious syrup they covered them. So I grabbed one with my magic and placed it on Remi’s plate, then grabbed another one and pretty much moved it into my mouth.
“Wow sompony’s hungry,” commented my mother as all three of us were too busy to respond while we were devouring the pancakes.
“So,” I said as I finished swallowing the pancake I had in my mouth, “What are you doing up so early Sunburst?”
“Well the clouds aren’t going to move themselves,” he chuckled as he picked up his napkin and whipped his muzzle.
“Umm… don’t clouds usually move themselves around on air currents and stuff?” I asked baffled to why clouds wouldn’t move by themselves. I knew that the clouds on Earth did, but why was Equestria so different… then it snapped in the back of my head.
Equestria wasn’t like Earth. There was no magic on Earth, there were no talking animals and humans ruled the land with machines and our brilliant minds. We weren’t like Equestrians who lived in harmony with the land, we conquered it and survived in it. Equestrian’s kept the land they lived in alive by taking care of it while we just used it until it was exhausted.
“Well,” he began as if he were explain it a foal, “most pegasus ponies take care of moving clouds to give the ground water and if somepony needs water on their farm we move some clouds over there, or to put out fires.”
“Ahh,” I said as I was still taken back by mini epiphany on the Equestrian ecosystem. Perhaps that was my whole mindset since day one of being a newfoal. I was always comparing Equestria to Earth, and myself to a human. I’m not human anymore, I’m an Equestria… but still deep inside I felt I was still human, and I don’t think I can let go of that part of me.
“Ummm… Runey?” asked Remi as she waved a hoof in front of my muzzle, “Are you okay?”
“What?” I asked as I just noticed I was staring at the pancakes that my mother had set out front of us, “Oh sorry, but the pancakes are good and they're ever so enticing,” I said trying to cover up my inner conflict of identity.
“Well there is no need to stare at them,” Sunburst said as he picked up a pancake with his fork and placed it on my plate, “You can have them. Unless you were trying to pick one up with magic… that’s how magic works… right?”
“No… well I don’t think so,” I said as I promptly picked up a fork and butter knife in my hooves, “I think magic is more like an extension of yourself… like another pair of hooves that can pick up anything.”
“Oh,” he said as he took a bite of his pancake, “Well then. I always though it was some sort of superpower that all unicorns had.”
“I wouldn’t blame you, I’m beginning to think it is a super power,” I said as I began cutting up my pancakes and shoving them into my mouth.
“Heh,” he chuckled with a mouthful of pancake in his mouth.
‘Wait, what time is it? ’ I thought to myself as I remembered I had to take Remi to school and get me to that farm.
“Umm… what’s the time?” I asked as I finished swallowing down half of the pancake that was in my mouth.
“About a quarter to seven,” she said as she looked behind my head, “Why?”
“Well I have to get Remi here to her first day at school and I got to get going to that farm,” I said as I ruffled Remi’s mane.
“Alright, you might want to clean up first,” mum said as she pointed to the syrup that covered our muzzles.
“Okay,” I said as I whipped my muzzle with my forehoof, cleaning it off the syrup.
“I said clean it off, not whip it off,” she said in that motherly tone of voice, “Bathroom. Now,” she said stamping one hoof on the ground as the other pointed to the bathroom.
“Fine,” I moaned as I left my seat at the table, “Come on Remi, you heard what she said.”
“I don’t see why you’re making a big fuss out of it,” mum said, “You don’t want to be going around all dirty."
“I get it mum, no need to run in circles,” I moaned as I dragged myself toward the bathroom door. I then pushed it open to let Remi go inside first as I knew she was too small and weak to open the door by herself.
“Alright, think you can turn on the tap?” I asked as I closed the door behind us, but to my surprise she had already turned it on and was cleaning her muzzle with the water.
“What?” she asked as she looked back at me, “It’s not that hard.”
“Well…” I said surprised that I didn’t need to tell her to clean herself, “Yeah that is true, but you did forget the soap.”
“Oh, well…” she said as I picked up the bar of peach smelling soap and placed it in the basin.
She then began scrubbing her fore hooves with the soap then rubbed some of the excess on her muzzle.
“Good, now move over,” I said as she did. I then did what she had done to clean herself and in no time I had gotten the sticky residue of the maple syrup off of my coat.
“Now, lets get you off to class,” I said as I opened up the door to see two packed lunches sitting on the now cleared table we were just sitting at.
“Now I made a packed lunch for Remi, but your father tells me they’ll feed you at the farm,” my mum said as she shoved Remi’s packed lunch into my muzzle to carry.
I looked at Sunburst quizzically or almost as to say, ‘are you sure?’
“Don’t worry,” he said picking up my thoughts somehow, “I’ve worked there a few times myself, you’ll be fed there at midday.”
I then picked up the packed lunch bag and with utmost care placed it on my back making sure not to put too much energy into my magic making it fly and hit the roof.
“Alright, we’ll be heading out I guess… so see you later,” I said as I hurried Remi out the door.
“Okay, see you then!” called out my mother as the door closed behind me on to a street full of busy ponies going about their day.
Author's Note
I feel bad for this chapter and sorry for having to put it up for you guys. I just feel it’s a bit rushed and only expanded on Blue Rune a smidgen, that and I was hoping to have it him dropping off Remi at school and having some sort of feel, but when I wrote it was crappy and such. So I’ll get to work on the next chapter of this to make up for it… please don’t be mad if you were expecting more. Also going to switch to typing this up on LibreOffice to see if formatting is better and stuff. So expect changes... maybe?
Chapter Nine: School is now in session
A new beginning
Chapter Nine: School is now in session
“Now stick close Remi,” I said as I moved her closer to me with a flick of my tail, “I don’t want you to get lost in the crowd.”
“I wouldn’t get lost if you slowed down a bit... or let me ride on your back,” she slyly added as I let out a small chuckle.
“Maybe if you didn’t take too long in the morning I would, but now we’re late so it’s time for some walking and besides, its a nice day,” I said as I looked at the bright morning sky and the birds that flew around. It still was strange to see a few pegasi flying around the sky along with the birds.
“Sooo... are we there yet?” asked Remi as we passed the markets.
“I don’t think so, but I don’t think its that far away,” I said as I remembered that on the way into town we had passed a small school like building... well it was a barn, but it did have a swing set and a massive bell in the tower on its roof.
“Okay... so are you going to school?” she asked as we began climbing one of the small rolling hills that dotted Ponyville.
“No... well I wouldn’t call my lessons with Twilight school,” I said as we continued trotting, “But if I get into that school for unicorns I might be.”
"Ooooohhh that’s cool!" Remi said as she let out a small squeal of excitement from the idea.
"I guess so," I said as she almost had a bounce in her step.
"Can we go there one day?" she asked excitedly as we began reaching the outskirts of Ponyville.
"I don't see why not, but if I get to into the school we might be going there everyday," I said as I began to ponder.
"What makes you say that Runey?" she asked me as the cogs in my head turned.
"Well if I'm allowed in there as a student then I'm going to ask if you can join me and learn about magic too," I said as I saw the enormous smile on her face. Although I didn't see the flying hug she gave me. I don't know how but I was on the ground and Remi had her forelegs wrapped around my neck hugging me.
"Eeeehhhh,' she squeed as she squeezed a bit more.
"Woah there," I said as I slowly lifted Remi off of me, "No need to get that excited."
"But-, but-, I get to learn magic and stuff and thats soooo coool!" she exclaimed as she was almost bouncing in place from the sheer excitement from the idea of learning magic.
"Heh," I chuckled as I ruffled her mane a bit, "Well lets first take you to regular school before we begin to teach you magic."
"Awwww," she moaned as a small pout appeared on her face.
"Hey," I said as I kneeled down and gave her a reassuring hug, "I'm sure this school is just as fun and who knows, you might make some new friends today."
I heard a small sniffle but she slowly grew to the idea of this new school.
"Okay," she said as she broke away from the hug and then slowly continued on the dirt path.
"Don't worry Remi. I'm sure you'll love this school," I said as I caught up with her.
She looked at me and gave me a smile and then returned to her joyful skip.
As we slowly made our way down the hill we were on, the school I was taking Remi to drew closer and closer. It wasn't very far as I could see the sign with a large book on it and the native Equestrian characters written on the book. The white picket fence that surrounded the towering school house was along the front and seemed to mark out a massive chunk of land for colts and fillies of all ages to play in. The school house was almost massive in comparison to the rest of the flat land surround it along with some trees but I could see that the swingsets and the jungle gym next to the schoolhouse were large as well.
"Woooaaahh," Remi said in awe as she began to gallop egerly towards the school grounds.
"Wait for me!" I yelled as I broke into a gallop to catch up with her.
She giggled as I caught up with her. She looked back at me and poked out her tounge and said, "Last one to the school is a rotten egg!"
With that she slowly sped up and was galloping as fast as her little legs could take her. Surprisingly she was a fast filly as I almost had a tough time keeping up with her.
In no time we were almost neck and neck but being generous I let her cross the finish line of the white picket fence that surrounded the school first.
"Heeee, I won!" she squeed as I slowed down.
"Well that's because your smaller and faster than me but I wouldn't get used to it," I said as I ruffled her mane again.
"Hey stop that," she said as she playfully swatted my hoof away from her mane, "You keep on ruining my mane when you do that."
"But you look so cute and your mane is fine," I said as she sat down and began styling her mane with her hooves.
"Hello there!" yelled a fuchsia colored mare that briskly trotted up towards us. Her mane was a mute color of pink and fuschia that somewhat reflected her coat color. I could see her cutie mark were of three happy flowers arranged in a triangle but her eyes were a bright lime green color.
"Hi," I said back as Remi continued to brush her mane, "I guess you're one of the teachers her?"
"Actually I'm the only teacher but how can I help you..." she said as she stood in front of me waiting for me to respond.
"Blue Rune," I said as I gave a small smile, "But you would be?"
"Miss Cheerilee," she said as she returned the smile, "So mister Rune, how can I help you?"
"Well I was wondering if I could enroll my little filly here to this school," I stated as Remi looked up at me to almost give me the 'I'm not a little filly speech.'
"That's not a problem, I always enjoy teaching new students and I'm sure the rest of the class will enjoy having somepony new in their class," she said as she bent down to Remi's height and looked towards her.
Remi hesitated a bit and moved closer to me for safety but she seemed to be handling it well.
"What's your name?" Cheerilee asked as Remi slowly moved closer to my foreleg.
"Remi," she shyly said.
"What a cute name," Cheerilee said, "Now Remi, do you think you could play with the other fillies and colts for a while, while your daddy and I go and sign some papers?"
"Okay," she said as I could tell she was going to need some more persuasion to stop being magnetically held in place to my leg in anxiety.
"Don't worry Remi," I said as I turned to her and crouched down to comfort her, "Look, I see a nice group of young fillies over there about your age. Why don't you go over and introduce yourself to them."
She seemed a bit hesitant at first but when she spotted the trio of fillies galloping around and laughing, she soon became more energetic and trotted over to them.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell and Applebloom will get along with your daughter real quick seeing as they don't have their cutie marks yet," she said as I watch Remi approach the group. I feared for a second of what could happen next but Cheerilee was right as I saw Remi and the trio talking to her as Remi's mood seemed to turn from anxious back to the happy and energetic filly she was.
"Okay," I said as I turned back to her, "Now you mentioned something about those papers."
"Oh yes," she said as she slowly began trotting towards the schoolhouse, "Please follow me."
As we trotted into a massive room it was almost like a flash from the past. This school had everything I had as a colt. Well... except for the feeling of being back in the past as everything was made out of wood and had that 80’s vibe to it. It had desks with chairs attached to them, even if the seat was strange looking but it must be made so that ponies can sit on them properly. Around the room were drawings that foals had drawn and some diagrams of trees and even had a map of Equestria.
"So mister Rune," asked Cheerilee as we headed towards her desk, "What brings a newfoal such as yourself and your daughter out to Ponyville?"
"What?" I said as I was blindsided by that question.
"I said what brings you to Ponyvi-,"
"No I heard that but how did you know I was a newfoal?" I asked as I trotted up to her desk where she looked through the draws of it.
"Well you're nearly a full grown stallion and you don't have a cutie mark. Not only that but you do have an accent," she said as she pulled out a few sheets of paper with her mouth.
"Huh," I said standing there a bit confused as to what to say, "Guess so."
"But you still haven't answered my question," she stated.
"Oh my mum lives here, so I guess I do now... or until I move out," I said as I focused on the papers with my magic to get a better look at them. The forms she had seemed to be written in two languages, proper Equestrian and a small translation in English.
"I see but you are going to need to fill out those forms before she can attend classes," she said as she picked up a pencil from a cup on her table containing many forms of stationary, before setting it on the table in front of me.
"Okay," I said as I set them back down and gently picked up the pencil with my magic.
'Alright Ale-, I mean Blue Rune. You can do this... it can't be that hard... can it? ' I asked myself as I slowly but steadily wrote in clear large capital letters everything that the paper asked for. Remi's name, where she lives, birthday, how old she is and who was the parent or guardian.
This one threw me off... what was I to her? I mean I did take her out of the hands of the PER before they could twist her mind to suit their needs. She did have a biological mother who did look after her, I hope, but she did abandon her. The question was almost impossible to answer. Was I her father now or like a big brother to her?
"Is there something wrong?" Cheerilee asked.
"No," I said coldly as I circled the word parent and wrote down my name in the box next to it.
"Well then," she said as she took the sheets of paper, "Mister Rune, your daughter will be attending classes here until she graduates from middle school and goes onto high school. Class starts at eight AM sharp and finish at ten past three. I can expect you to pick her up and drop her off most days?"
"Yes," I said as we slowly made our way towards the door.
"Well then. I guess I'll see you around mister Rune," she said as she guided me to the door, "See you later."
"Seeya later," I said as I left the schoolhouse to hear the school bell ring to signal classes.
It was like a wave of fillies and colts of every color and race rushing past me, until Remi galloped up to me.
"Runey!" she yelled, "Do I get to go to this school?"
"Yep," I said as she let out a small squee before she tried to rush past me, "Woah hey there, you nearly forgot your lunch." I said as I handed her the brown bag with her lunch in it.
"Thanks Runey, you're the best!" she said as she galloped in but before she entered I heard her yell to me, "I'll see you after school, dad!"
A tear swelled in my eye and my heart grew a few inches bigger.
"I'll see you after school," I said as a smile and a tear appeared upon my cheek.
Author's Note
Author's notes: I do good? Also if anyone knows how to draw ponies at different angles then please shoot me a message.
Chapter Ten: Hard Days Work
A new beginning
Chapter Ten: Hard Days Work
It was hard to even walk straight. Not because I was still trying to get the hang of it but because of what Remi had called me.
‘Does she really see me as her father? ’ I thought as I tried to compose myself, 'I mean, she doesn't have anypony else looking after her and I am the closest thing that she has to a father right now. '
But it occurred to me that it was a class full of colts and fillies, anypony in their could've been saying goodbye to their dad. It saddened me a bit but I quickly dismissed the thought as I knew it was her voice. It had to be her voice, I mean how many other fillies have an Australian accent?
Then it hit me like a sack of bricks, I had no idea how to be a father.
'It couldn't be that hard... could it? ' I thought to myself as I quickly looked back at the school to slowly see it vanish off into the distance.
'I mean all have to do is look after her. That means I'll need to feed her, keep her clothed, have all she needs for school and maybe a little pocket money on the side. So I guess that means I'll have to get a better job than apple bucking... maybe the... ' I began to think as I slapped myself out of my line of thought.
"No, I'm not going to ever join the military ever again. Its brought me nothing but good being in the army and look where its got me!" I shouted to myself as I attempted to calm myself down.
"... I don't want to be ripped away from my family again and I have to be there for Remi. She is my daughter now," I said to myself as I sighed and sat down on my flank.
"Life isn't going to get much easier is it?" I asked the long winding dirt road that laid ahead of me as if it would respond.
"I guess not," I said as I sighed once more. A gentle breeze began to blow behind me, gently tossing the hairs of my mane and tail but almost as if to tell me to carry on.
Letting out another sigh I picked myself up and carried on down the long and winding dirt road towards a forest of apple trees.
"Yeeehaaaaaw!" exclaimed an orange pony as I watched her kick all the apples off a tree with her hind legs.
"I guess this must be the place," I said underneath my breath as I slowly trotted past a white picket fence and underneath a sign that had a large red apple on it.
"Applejack!" yelled a massive red stallion who was carrying a bucket of apples on his back, "Somepony is coming up the front path! Go see what he wants!"
"Alright Big Mac but you got to finish up what's left of the southern field, ya hear!" yelled who I assumed must be Applejack as she quickly trotted over to me.
"Howdy," Applejack said as she stood in front of me, "What can I do for ya' today?"
"Ummm... Hi, you're friend Twilight Sparkle said you could have a job opening for another farm hand?" I asked as I was almost thought she was going to turn me down on the spot with the funny look she gave me.
"Hmmm," she hummed as she rubbed her chin with her forehoof and began to looked me over as if I were a show pony, "Well you ain't no Big Macintosh or Caramel but I suppose you couldhelp buck some trees and cart them back to the barn. I tell ya what, if ya' follow me, I can show you the ropes."
"Thank you so much," I said as I exhaled my breath I was holding onto to make my chest look bigger.
"You're welcome," she said as she began leading me down a long narrow dirt path to a small orchard of red shiny apples, "Name's Applejack by the way, mind if I can ask you yours?"
"Blue Rune," I said as I looked at the green trees we passed that held baskets underneath them filled up with apples.
"So Blue, how'd ya' meet Twilight?" she asked me in a friendly sort of manner.
"Well a friend of mine said that she could help me with my magic," I replied as we continued down the dirt track.
"Oh I see. She always did want a young stallion who was as interested in magic as she was," she said as I was confused as to what she had said.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Well you see, before you became her coltfriend she was going out with one of them newfoals who seemed to be quick on his hooves with magic and always quick with a joke. Though after he fell into a terrible crowd of ponies called Ponies for Earths Rebirths or something, they kinda broke up seeing as how the Princess frowns upon them," she said as we approached a shady grove of trees that held more apples than I had ever seen in my life.
"What?!" I exclaimed as I almost whinnied in fright.
"What, she didn't tell you about her and that Shadow Jester character?" she asked as if I had already knew about his.
"No! Why would she?! All she's doing is teaching me magic," I almost yelled back in fright.
"Oh..." she said as she turned the shade of red as the apples that surrounded us, "I thought you two were going out seeing as she's been much more happier these days."
I didn't know how to respond to what had been said about the stallion who had snuck me out of Australia and how he and Twilight were close.
"Umm... well," I stammered as I tried quickly to think of my next words, "Well, I guess I vague on how I came to knowTwilight, that and I guess it happens to everypony. I mean we are all ponies, right?" I said trying to comfort her.
"Yeah... I guess so, but we’re all ponies'? I ain't ever heard that phrase before, you from Manehatten or Canterlot?" she asked as the names almost made me chuckle.
“No, I’m actually from Australia,” I replied which almost seemed to make her stop in her tracks.
“Oh... I guess that makes sense...” she said as there was an awkward silence between the both of us.
“So... if you don’t mind, do you mind telling me why you ended up ponifying?” she awkwardly asked as I could feel the tension between us growing.
“Not at all. Well, I was going to ponify after I left the army because Australia was going down the drain and I didn’t like the fact that most of the land was ruled over the HLF and PER. Also my mum was ponified after... well after an accident we had with the HLF and there was nothing left holding me back,” I said as I did my best to dodge the real reason I ponified myself.
“Huh, so nothing to gain from stayin’ in a place that didn’t exactly like you. Well I guess that’s a good reason, well unless you were in big trouble with those nasty HLF ponies and ya’ did it to get out of trouble with ‘em,” she said as if she already knew the answer.
“Not really but we were on... shaky terms but I didn’t want to risk it,” I said as I rapidly though on how to change the topic.
“So... how do I get the apples off the tree?” I asked as we approached a grove that was full of empty buckets.
“Well thats easy,” she said as she trotted up to a tree and turned around, “Just kick ‘em as hard as you can and the apples just fall off.”
She then reared up on her forelegs and let out a mighty kick, shaking the apple tree violently. As the tree shook a near on torrent of apples fell from the branches landing in or around the buckets.
“Wow,” I said as she lowered herself back down and crossed one of her forehoof across the other.
“Thanks,” she said as she moved out of the way, “Now why don’t you give it a try?”
“Ummm, alright,” I hesitantly said as moved over to the tree, “So I just kick it?”
“Well its more like a buck but give it a nice strong kick with your legs. Go on give it a try,” Applejack said as I backed up towards the tree.
I looked back over my shoulders and saw the tree was right behind my hind legs. Taking a big breath in I slowly raised myself on my forelegs and began building up power within my legs and back.
“Here goes nothing,” I said underneath my breath and then let out all the built up energy I had within me.
If felt my hooves connect with the tree as well as all the force of that buck went into that tree. The tree reverberated with the force of my kick and as the tree shook I saw apples fall towards the ground. There were only a few apples but I say for a first time try it was an alright amount.
“Heheheh,” Applejack quietly laughed, “Not bad for a colt but you’ll get better.”
“Well I guess I’ve got a lot of trees to practice on,” I said as I reared up on my legs again.
“Yeah sure but if you use your legs more and not your back it would be a whole lot easier,” she said as I carefully balanced on my forehooves.
“Alright so like,” I began as I let another massive kick out using my legs instead of putting my back into it, “That?”
As my hooves hit the thick bark of the tree it shook more than the last and almost every apple I could see that was on the tree was now on the ground.
“Whooohie,” she hollered as she reared up in excitement, “Now we’re talking and between the both of us I think we can get this orchard harvested before nightfall.”
“Well...” I said as I pawed at the ground, “I have to pick up my daughter after school-.”
“Ah’ can understand,” she said as she began picking up the apples, “I should probably pick up Applebloom myself but between the new mouths to feed and this years harvest, I barely have the time.”
“Oh?” I asked as I helped pick up a few apples with my magic, “Is she your daughter or something?”
“No she’s mah sister,” Applejack said as she began bucking a tree near a bunch of buckets.
“Ahhh... wait does she happen to be a yellow filly with a big red bow?” I asked as I remembered the small group of fillies Remi ran off to play with this morning.
“Yes but how come?” she hesitantly answered.
“My daughter ran off with her and two of her friends. Seemed to become thick as thieves from the beginning,” I said as I finished picking up the apples with my magic.
“Well thats Applebloom,” she said while letting out a little chuckle at the end, “I could imagine she’s trying to get your daughter into her little club of hers.”
“Little club?” I asked as I moved over to another tree with buckets underneath it to begin bucking again.
“The Cutie Mark Crusaders,” she said as I began to buck the tree, “Its a little club of her, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They try all these talents to get their cutie marks.”
“Heh, cute,” I commented as I began picking up the apples that feel once I bucked the tree.Source
Author's Note
Author’s Note: I’m just going to stop it here and stuff. Its been a bit of a hassle to write it because I’m doing this in the tiny amounts of free time I have between my homework and assignments. Also here is a picture of Blue Rune apple bucking a tree... well up there because A/N doesn't like url or img for some reason... anyhow, later.
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Chapter Eleven to power of zero: We are getting fo realz right now
Chapter Eleven to power of zero: We are getting fo realz right now
A new beginning
Chapter Eleven power of zero: We are getting fo realz right now
As me and Applejack continued to buck trees I remembered something that Twilight told me.
"Applejack," I said as I turned to her, "I must save Equestria with you as my sword."
"Oh yeah," she said as she turned into a massive orange broadsword, "Lets go and get Fluttershy before we go and save Equestria."
I nodded and placed Applesword on my back and used my new found powers that was taught to me by Twilight when I walked into her treehouse for the first time. I didn't know I had them at all but she told me I had via some sort of mind reading powers we super ponies had. I forgot what we were called but I think it was something like 'Blunicorns ', she wasn't one of us but inorder to be one you had to be a blue unicorn of massive strength and power. Her farther was one and her sister Trixie was one as well.
I had to complete my suit of armour but I had no time for that as I knew Discord was gaining power from all the newfoals that had immigrated to Equestria.
"So super sepia Blue Rune why do we need Fluttershysan?" asked Applesword as I continued down the path.
"I don't know but it is my destiny Applesword," I said as I teleported the rest of the way there to see a yellow kite shield with the cutie mark of Fluttershy.
"I AM I NO WAY RELEVANT TO THE STORY!" it shouted as Fluttershy walked onto her front lawn with an AK-47 and a red bandana.
"Blue Rune," she grunted as she tossed me an AK-47 with a ACOG sight and duel taped magazine, "You're gonna need this is you're ever going to take down Discord."
"Thanks Flutters, now warn Braeburn otherwise his power to make every stallion in Equestria gay could be used by Discord to turn every stallion in Equestria gay," I said as I put the AK on my back next to Applesword. I was already imune to Braeburn's effect of turning straight stallions into gay stallions as I was already gay.
"I must no go to final place to fight Discord," I said as I flew up into the air on a small rocket named 'Poland '.
As Applesword and I landed upon the misty mountains of Ponyville.
There he was, sitting upon a throne of apples and chocolate milk.
"You am no real super blunicorn master," he said as he stood up and began charging his power.
"I am and I shall destroy you Discord," I said as I attached Applesword to the bottom of the AK-47.
{REALLY GERD MUSIC FER DA BATTEL}
Then with a torrent of bullets I mowed down Discord until he was on his knees and he said, "The horror, the horror," In almost a single breath.
"420 yolo blazin' it," I said as I jumped up in the air as the AK-47 with Applesword turned into a Barret 50 Cal sniper rifle plated in gold with the tag 'SWAG '.
I quickly decended but as each foot passed I began to rotate to the left and by the time I had reach the ground I had turned around twice. Right before my hooves hit the ground I fired one last shot at him.
"BOOM HEAD SHOT!" a disembodied voice yelled as Discord's head went missing.
"I am da greatest blunicorn that ever lived," I said as Braeburn clung to my legs.
"Lest go home best blunicorn," Braeburn said as I flew into the air to make many babies with Braeburn in our new super castle where I could dance like Twilight and nopony would care.
DA END
Also I made a picture of Braeburn's and Blue Rune's foal.Source
Author's Note
leik if u crie evahry time.
