Chapters Author's Note
"Everything's going to be alright, because the things we fear the most have already happened to us! The only thing that we have to fear now is fear itself!"
-Savannah
Quelling the Fear
Hours of walking down the path surrounded by greenery left the party exhausted. With home far behind them and no civilization in sight, they were forced to make camp for the evening. After Brandon cooked some of the food his sister had packed, they settled in. Maria and Emily lied together against a tree. Maria removed her coat and placed it over them for warmth. Brandon took the first shift as a lookout, his axe at the ready.
"We'll switch out in a little while."
"That's fine. Be careful. They're everywhere."
"Night."
"Night, bro."
The already dim world grew darker behind their eyelids. All they could hope for was to see another day...
A cool breeze flew over Maria's skin. Opening the blue eyes hidden behind her hair, she noticed the air was considerably warmer than before. Examining the environment, she realized they weren't in the city outskirts anymore.
"Wake up, kiddo. Something's going on."
"FREEZE!"
Three armored equines appeared before Maria. There were no other people around.
"You can talk?"
"And it appears you understand."
"I'm assuming you're law enforcement, right?"
"That is correct."
"I'll cooperate. Just let me wake up my friend first."
"Very well, but no tricks. Understood?"
"Yeah."
Maria nudged Emily again. The young girl spoke in a groggy tone.
"What's going on...?"
"We need to follow these guys."
"Horses...?"
"More or less."
"I'm tired..."
"We'll be able to rest more soon. Just stick it out a little longer."
The residents of the passing town gawked at the pair in a mix of awe and confusion. Eventually, the guards led Maria and Emily to a set of railroad tracks.
"The train will be here shortly."
"Where are you taking us," Maria asked.
"To the highest authority in the land, Princess Celestia."
"At least that'll cut out the middle man."
"You seem awfully calm."
"Nothing can surprise me anymore."
"..."
"Hello. I assume our soldiers have told you about us?"
"Us?"
"My younger sister is attending to her duties as of now. I will conduct this interrogation myself."
"Ask away."
"Please state your name and age for the record."
"Maria Drake, twenty years old."
"And you?"
"Emily Joseph, ten years old."
"By now, you must know why you are being questioned. What species are you?"
"Human," Maria answered.
"You wouldn't happen to be from a planet called Earth, would you?"
"Yes. You're aware of it?"
"We've sent field agents on reconnaissance missions there."
"If they're over there right now, they're in trouble."
"Please explain."
"A bunch of whackjobs in clown costumes went on a killing spree less than 48 hours ago. We're a group of survivors, but right now, my brother is missing."
"Who is your brother?"
"Brandon Drake, twenty-three years old."
"May I ask how you and Emily fell in together?"
"I met her and her family using a personalized messenger computer program in 1996. Her parents were eaten by feral animals the next year. My brother and I retrieved her from the hospital after she confronted them."
"Does that explain the weapons we found in your possession?"
"Yes. They are explicitly for training and self-defense purposes."
"Did you intend to harm any of my subjects?"
"No. I was barely aware we weren't on Earth at the time of our apprehension."
"Do you know how you got here?"
"All we remember is closing our eyes and ending up in this place."
"Equestria."
"Right."
"I'm a believer that actions speak louder than words. We will undo your restraints, but I must warn you, any attempt at aggression will result in extreme resistance."
Though the princess couldn't see it, Maria gave her an emotional gaze.
"It's okay. We mean you no harm."
The assurance in Maria's tone softened Celestia's doubts. Celestia motioned for the guards to remove the pair's binds.
"Thanks."
"Both of you seem extremely sturdy for such young people."
"I've been training for four years. Emily's been training for three."
"What about your brother, Brandon?"
"On and off. He's done enough to keep himself in shape."
"What's your relationship with him?"
"He took care of me when I had nowhere else to turn. How could I be ungrateful for that?"
"I see..."
"You alright?"
"Yes. Forgive me. I apologize for the inconvenience. Years of unrecognized threats have left us on edge."
"It's cool. I'd be jumpy too."
"We will instruct the guard to search for your missing brother. Please, make yourselves at home. I will show you to the guest quarters tonight."
"You sure it's no trouble?"
"None at all..."
Author's Note
"A gap to be bridged! A life to be lived!
A soul to be saved! A hope, unscathed!"
-Disembodied
Soulscape
Maria heard a knock on her door later that night. She finished her set of push-ups before responding.
"Come in."
Celestia stepped through the barrier.
"Hello, Maria."
"Hey. What's up?"
"I would like to speak with you. I'm having trouble sleeping."
"Of course."
"I apologize if this comes across as insulting, but there was another reason I didn't trust you. The truth is, I can't read your spirit. I can't tell what kind of person you are."
"It's not your fault. I hid myself from the world on purpose."
"I don't quite follow."
Maria sat on the bed.
"To put it bluntly, I'm a hypocrite. I hated the world around me because most people I've seen are extremely conceited without any real reason to be, but I ended up becoming the same way in the process. Between the self-hatred that followed and the tension when I was living with my mom and dad, I started drifting through life. I felt like there was nothing to really live for, ya' know?"
"You needn't say anything more. I understand now. May I ask one more thing?"
"I told you the worst. It can only go up from here."
"Why are you being so honest with me?"
Maria stood up and faced the balcony.
"Because I don't want to be like that anymore. With how deep I sank, I'll probably spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it."
"Until you're on your deathbed, it's not too late to change."
"I hope so. I appreciate the sentiment."
"That hope is what saved you then, and it will again if you call on it and use it to better yourself."
"I'll try."
"Don't give up. There's still time."
"Yeah..."
"Good night. Sleep well."
Celestia exited the room, closing the door behind her.
"She's right. I've made it this far. No sense giving up now..."
Around the same time Celestia spoke with Maria, Emily received a similar visitor.
"May we come in, young one?"
"Yes, ma'am."
The younger, brooding sister of the sun-raiser approached the child.
"Our apologies. We know it is late."
"That's okay."
"We could sense your distress. What is the matter?"
"I miss mom and dad..."
"Alas, we were not here for the initial questioning."
"They were eaten by wolves. I barely got away."
"Our condolences. Though we know the pain of separation, we comprehend not the suffering of death."
"Thanks..."
"We get the distinct impression you're uncertain of your future. Are we correct in assuming so?"
Emily nodded.
"Maria said I could see my grandma and grandpa, but she wanted me to get stronger first. I don't know if the clowns got them."
"You must have faith - both in your family and your friends. We suspect this Maria character is not one to let such an important promise be broken so easily."
"I'm scared..."
"Without fear, there would be little incentive to exist. We envy your power. We rely on magic and enchantments to fight many of our battles. Every ounce of strength you possess is of your own creation. It is yours and yours alone. Wielded with courage, it can transform you into a formidable force of nature."
"Isn't that what we are?"
"Precisely. You must balance your life to achieve your highest state."
"How?"
"Take what misfortune that befalls you in stride and count your blessings. Even if your only blessing is your continued existence, you must hold on to it and cherish it. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"We bid you adieu. Rest well, Emily. Things will be better one day if you allow yourself the time and effort."
Luna vanished from the girl's line of vision. Making her own judgement call for the first time in eons, rather than continue her training, Emily took the princess's advice to heart and turned in. The sun would soon arrive to soothe her.
Celestia yawned as she strolled to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She'd slept as soundly as a filly after the night's previous discussion.
"Oh! You're up early."
Maria was already pouring a cup of her own when the princess caught her attention.
"Hey. You want some?"
"Yes. That would be delightful."
"I still have to get used to that traditional speaking manner of yours."
"I've never really been one to keep up with slang."
"Can't say I blame you. It changes way too often."
Maria poured Celestia a cup before sitting down with her.
"Anyway, me and Emily had to push ourselves beyond military standards to get where we are. We're used to waking up before dawn."
"Isn't she rather young to push herself so hard?"
"Don't worry. I never pushed her beyond what she could handle. Most of the first year was about helping her catch up with me as much as she could. We took holidays off to rest and recover. To be honest, those were my favorite times."
"Why did you take her under your wing?"
"Because I have a very firmly-rooted belief system about being strong in mind and body. If nothing else, it would help prevent any more tragedies like what happened to her from happening again."
"My heart aches for her loss as well."
"The whole world is a mess right now, unfortunately."
"You said you were running from clowns? Why would they be attacking people?"
"I have no idea."
"Where did you intend to go?"
"The southernmost region."
"Antarctica?"
"You guys learn quick. I'm impressed."
"I understand. It's so cold there they wouldn't think to chase after you."
"Yep."
"About your brother: we have yet to find any trace of him."
"It's possible he didn't even come with us, but it never hurts to check."
"Will he be alright on his own?"
"I picked up a lot of my resourcefulness from him."
"As long as you're certain."
"He's not the type to roll over and die so easily."
"I'm glad to see you three are so close. Sibling rivalries and friendship squabbles are always so taxing on everyone involved."
"I wish our kind of bond was more common. I guess most of us are just so complicated we can't let our differences go. The entirety of my life, I've had little to no sense of identity. If that's what it takes to live as peacefully as possible, I'm fine with it."
"Would you consider yourself something of a philosopher?"
"I dabble in it from time to time. You have to take what philosophers say with a grain of salt. Many of them were pessimists with an overwhelming desire for control. I'm of the opinion that people should live the way they want as long as it doesn't harm anybody else."
"I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the term 'pessimist'. Could you describe it to me?"
"A pessimist is basically someone who sees the worst in everything. I was that way for a long time."
"It can be hard to see the good when it's outweighed by the bad, I suppose."
"You get it."
"It's almost time to prepare breakfast."
"I'll do it. I doubt being a princess is easy. You chill for a bit."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I got you covered."
"Thank you."
"No sweat."
"I was wondering, given your training, if I could request a favor."
"A favor?"
"The train that brought you here frequently travels between Canterlot and Ponyville. While the royal guard is there to protect our subjects, the guards' stoic attitudes and blank expressions tend to create a sense of unease. I was hoping you and Emily could put the town at ease."
"We'll help any way we can."
"Please protect them..."
Maria nodded before serving the princess a plate of eggs, toast, and fruit.
"Bon appetit."
Celestia chuckled.
"Perhaps the soldiers could learn something from you."
"Hey, Em. Time to wake up."
"Morning..."
"We got some work to do today."
"What are we doing...?"
"We've sort of been hired as temporary soldiers. I'll explain on the way to Ponyville."
"Ponyville...?"
"The town we were picked up from."
"Oh..."
"Wash your face and get something to eat. We'll be leaving soon."
"Alright..."
Emily yawned, stretching about to console her stiff muscles.
Celestia returned the Duo's weapons near the castle's entrance - two spears with plush dolls attached and a serrated clip point pocket knife to be exact.
"I hope to the highest of heavens you will not have to use these."
"So do I," Maria agreed.
Stepping through the door, Maria and Emily headed for the train platform.
"Our job for the day is to keep the tension between the guards and the townsfolk to a minimum while guarding everyone from monsters like this."
Maria handed Emily a composite sketch.
"What is it?"
"Animated wolf carvings. No one knows exactly how or why they came to life. If we can retrieve a sample, they may be able to find a cause."
"Wolves...?"
"I'll be with you the whole time. Remember what I taught you. Stay calm and focused."
"..."
Maria glanced at the passing scenery. She hated making Emily confront her fear, but until they could get back to Earth, protecting the inhabitants of Equestria was the best alternative.
The conductor spoke over the intercom.
"We are now arriving at platform eight. Next stop: Ponyville. All disembarking passengers, please confirm all belongings are present and accounted for."
"We'll do a sweep through town first, then focus our attention on the forest for the remainder of the day."
The partners traveled down the lively-colored seat decor to the door.
"Hello."
"Who are you guys," Maria inquired.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle. These are my friends, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. This is my assistant, Spike. Spike and I are the ones who recorded the initial findings on Earth and reported them to the princesses. However, while I was there, I was unable to fully ascertain the true extent of human psychology and physical ability."
"I got you. We're about to start our patrol."
"Excellent! The data provided could prove invaluable."
"We'll help where we can."
"Princess Celestia has arranged your accommodations for the evening."
"Good to know."
"Oh! One more thing. I should also inform you my brother is the captain of the royal guard. You are to report to him and the princesses once you're finished."
"How are the reports going to get there before we leave tomorrow?"
"Leave it to Spike. His dragon breath can transport small objects in a matter of seconds."
"Right. Forgot about the magic thing."
"At the very least, you seem to be adapting to our world rather well."
"Believe me, when you've lived the kind of life I have, a happy-go-lucky place like this is a breath of fresh air."
"Yes...I'm afraid I was completely unaware of the existence of psychological trauma in your world. I'm sorry."
"Nobody can expect you to know everything. I honestly feel better knowing it didn't impact you."
Twilight gave Maria a sad smile.
"Well, no point in standing around. Let's do what we've gotta' do."
"Yes. Let's."
It took over two hours for the party to investigate the entire town. Even Pinkie was worn out by the time they were done.
"I can tell your endurance and stamina surpass the average human," Twilight noted, "That walk didn't even faze you, did it?"
"I barely noticed we'd been moving to tell you the truth," Maria answered truthfully.
"Did it have any effect on your mental state?"
"A little. I space out a lot if I'm not actively aware of my surroundings."
"Space out?"
"It's kind of like a dullness of perception. My senses go numb, and it feels like i'm on autopilot."
"Interesting. So you can enter a state of near-zombification when you let your mind wander."
"I think that's a good description, yeah."
"The next phase is combat potential. There's no guarantee we'll be able to gather data for this portion today, but it's possible we can schedule a demonstration should we deem it necessary."
"I'm letting you know right off the bat if we did a demonstration, you wouldn't get accurate results."
"Why not?"
"Our training is expressly self-defense based. Unless we intend to actually cause damage, we can't use our full strength."
"I hadn't considered that. You're right, though. Holding back would definitely manipulate the results."
"We're on our way to the forest now."
"Do you have a plan if something happens?"
"I do, actually. Based on the sketch Celestia gave me, I could use its neck as a weak point. By using its own momentum against it, I could take it to the ground and pin it until we find a way to neutralize it."
"Did you learn that technique through formal martial arts training?"
"No. This is all street fighting stuff we experimented with."
"Self-taught street fighters. That's quite unique. I don't recall ever witnessing a street fight, let alone meeting someone who applied its rules to their day-to-day routine."
"That's the thing. There aren't any rules except survival. What I have planned is only one of many ways it could probably be taken down. The reason I'm doing it my particular way is to expedite the process. For all I know, it's smart enough to find a counter. There's no telling. You can't take every possibility into account because there are infinite potential outcomes."
"One of my faults is my mind tends to think in limited, exact terms. I'm starting to understand trying to collect combat data would be pointless. There are too many variables.
"It could be useful in measuring probability for a fight or two, but that's about it."
"Hm..."
On their way to the forest, the party noticed several guards standing near a storage facility. Their expressions were stern, yet emotionless. Maria walked up to them.
"Maria, don't," Twilight protested.
"It's alright. I've got this."
The mysterious woman then spoke to the soldiers.
"You guys should lighten up a bit. I know from personal experience that protecting others is a serious job, but that's all the more reason to look out for their emotional and psychological well-being. If you won't take it from me, take it from Celestia."
"The princess," one of them asked.
"You get it."
"But...What exactly does that mean?"
"Chat with the folks in town when they come by, play with the kids; do whatever it takes to convince them to trust you. In my experience, a military that operates on trust and respect is far superior to one that relies on intimidation."
"Are you a soldier too?"
"Not in the same sense."
"I see. Thank you for letting us know the princess's orders."
"Don't mention it."
For the remainder of the day, Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy stayed by Maria and Emily. Most of their time was spent in a silence wrapped around by understanding.
"It's almost dark. You guys should go home," Maria reasoned.
"What about you," Twilight questioned.
"I think we're about to turn in too. We've got an early day tomorrow if we're still here."
"Take care of yourselves."
"You too. Stay safe."
Twilight and the other ponies left the two alone. It wouldn't be long before they followed suit.
"How are you holding up," Maria asked her companion.
"I feel better with them here."
"I hear you. Having backup is a real game-changer. What do you say we get a bit more training in and get some shut-eye?"
Emily nodded.
