Purple really isn't your color
I blinked, the purple dragon the size of a cat blinked.
"Who are you and why are you in my bed?" I spoke in slow and even tones.
"Uh... I didn't mean to take your place I just kinda woke up here." It spoke in a males voice if a bit young sounding.
"Right. Who are you? And why should I not eat you?" I spoke with a small grin as the Tiny purple rat paled through their scales.
"I-I'm Chris!" He said.
Wait. Chris? My friend Chris is the fucker who got me stuck here! OK so maybe this thing just has his name? But Chris loved to play Fairie dragons and this thing looks exactly like his character Felix.
"Chris? As in Christopher? As in lays around all day and rarely answers his phone Chris?" I said in a very excited voice.
"Uh... Yeah? How do you know me?" Chris said in a slightly nervous voice. Oh yeah the eating him comment probably didn't help this.
"Its me! Alex!" I said in a probably to excited voice.
"Alex? Why are you a dragon? Why am I a dragon!?!" Chris exclaimed much to loudly.
"No clue man but you do not understand just how much this helps man I thought I was alone." I said while thinking back on the cave incident.
"I thought you left with a girl or something when we couldn't find you at the con." Chris said evenly.
"Nah that weirdo at the con sold me a necklace and I woke up here after wearing the damn thing. I think this is Equestria man I ran into Applejack and everything!" I said thinking back on the meeting before placing a claw on my side and sitting down.
"Well since we are here I think we should set up here. The elements are here still so this is before all that drama, maybe we should fix the place up after if we can't find a way home." I said not really planning on heading back. Why would I everyone I know is either with me, at a con, or hates my guts. Even my parents stopped talking to me years ago.
"I guess but what about food?" Chris said.
"I'll hunt, seems I got new senses and a nasty bite and you seem a bit small to hunt man." I said looking at his small frame. I felt a small pang of jealousy noticing he had kept his gender. I then looked over his body noting the purple scales and colorful butterfly wings before staring at the glowing purple eyes he possessed.
"Alright man, I'm gonna look around." Chris said before shakily standing and walking out into the hall stumbling a few times adapting to his now quadruped state.
After that little conversation I began wondering around the exterior of the castle taking in the sight of the woods all around me. I walked up to the steps of the entrance to the crumbling castle and sat down staring out into the ever present woods surrounding me.
As my gaze lingered on a tree that looked almost as if it had a face pointed right at me I heard a strange *pop* above me and only barely started to look up before the blunt of a sword smacked across my forehead and bounced down to the stone steps at my feet. I looked down at this sword thinking of how in the hell a sword had appeared just like that before my face settled into a scowl as memories of my transport to this world surfaced. I took note of the silver coloring of the blade and the symbol of a sun and moon on the hilt of it. Looking down for a few more moments I picked up the blade only to drop it upon hearing a male voice in my head saying
“My name is Ladon, servant of the royal sisters of another world and caretaker of the old code. If ye seek mine help, kinship, or if thou desire to know what had happened to thyself, then ye must repeat those words after me. ‘A knight is sworn to valor, His heart knows only virtue, His blade defends the helpless, His might upholds the weak, His word speaks only truth, His wrath undoes the wicked.’”
After hearing this I grabbed the blade again and looked around to see if anything else had appeared. Sure that this was all I glanced down at the blade once more before sighing once.
With no small amount of hesitation I repeated the quote the blade requested me to and stared around.
There was a sudden spark of lightning, yet no rain cloud in the sky. Soon the air tore open to reveal a swirling vortex of unknown energy, The sounds of flapping wings drew my attention. It slowly grew in size until something winged, scaled, and much bigger than me started to descend.
I immediately froze up and stared at this being as it approached, a small shake beginning to permeate my body as I began regretting the impulsive decision to use some magical item without any forethought.
It’s wings were creating gusts of wind as it lowered itself to the ground. Its scales were bronze with his face being a darker colorization. It had multiple horns growing on the back of its head, mostly pointing backwards, each horn I counted a total of eight, four on each side of the head. The dragon's eyes were a bright orange like that of fire. Along its chest and belly were rows of armored scaled plates. The last thing I noticed were the spikes growing along its spine and down along its tail and ending with a tail tip that looked like a dark spear.
I Shakily crane my neck to meet eyes with the stranger before muttering a quite “H-hello can I help you?”
“Hello me?” The dragon asked before chuckling. “Aren’t thou the one who needs help?” it asked with a raised eyeridge.
Hearing its voice I realized this dragon is definitely male. “I uh, I kinda just wanted to see what the sword did I didn’t expect anything to actually happen.” I said before scuffing the ground looking down then back up to the much larger dragon “You have a name?” I asked a bit louder in my speaking.
“Thou may call me Ladon.” Ladon said as he placed a paw on his chest and bowed silently.
“And what art name be?”
“Alex.” I said before scrunching my muzzle and looking up to the larger dragon. “How did you get here? I know I used the sword but do you live in another plane of existence or something?” I asked cocking my head slightly.
“Surely thou jest. Am I the first displaced ye met?” Ladon asked as he looked over my face for any expression that hinted at a joke.
I let my face fall into a plain emotionless expression I had practiced many times before saying “If I had would I have asked?”
“Ah, ye be new to being a Displaced.” Ladon as looked around. “Then thou aren’t in any danger of sorts?” he asked with concern.
“Unless you count living in a collapsing castle more dangerous than it sounds no.” I said with little hesitation.
Ladon looked around again as he started to walk around the room we were in. “It looks like the same castle back back in my universe, except aged by many years.” he said before looking at me.
“The castle of the two sisters? It’s been abandoned for a thousand years as far as I know.” I said before my eyes widen as she stared at the much larger dragon “Wait your universe? As in a different universe from this one?” I asked.
“Ye are correct,” Ladon said with a nod. “Just one of millions.”
After a few moments of blankly staring up at Ladon I said “So multiverse type stuff? Never read into that. Could that possibly explain how I wound up here? Also what’s all this displaced stuff?”
“‘Tis a long explanation, so I'll give ye the short version. Thou art a Displaced, a human changed and thrown into another world for some reason or purpose, what that be will be discovered on thy own, or what thou displacer tells you…. Well, if he hasn’t messed up somewhere.” Ladon explained, giving me the simplest of explanation to this madness.
“So I got thrown here by that guy that sold me a necklace for some reason?” I asked with a slight frown.
“Aye. Mine was an accident, but despite it being so, I managed to do what I was asked.” Ladon explained as he found something comfortable to sit on.
“Alright so that explains the how of me being here, how about how you got into my universe then?” I asked following Ladon inside the castle and finding a spot to sit.
“The sword thou hold is mine token, ‘tis how you summoned me to thy equestria.” Ladon explained to me.
“Token?” I said cocking her head a solid 90 degrees.
“‘Tis what ‘Tis called; a token that presents what ye value either made from scratch or imbue into something thou own. Mine Displacer gave this to me after he explained.” Ladon said as he recalled so long ago.
“So how did I get your token then?” I inquired with a raise of her eye-ridge.
“When a token is created, the void takes it across the multiverse, multiplies it, then sends it across others who just like us, either acquiring their item from a merchant, or whichever his items are at.” Ladon explained according to the first Displaced he met.
“So these tokens are like a calling card? You just find something important to you then just kinda toss it to the void or something?” I asked with a quick glance to the library.
“Close, but ye need to fill it with thy energy, then give it a message it shall sayeth when it arrives. I suggest word of precaution; not all displaced are good beings, most of them hath gone insane, or hath used their power for conquest and greed.” Ladon said this warning in a serious tone.
“Alright so I put energy into an item somehow and then give it a message and then what? It just disappears or something?” I said before looking towards the ceiling and cringing just barely at the sight of Chris staring down at us with wide eyes and slightly panicked look.
“What’s the matter? Cat got ye tongue?” Ladon asked half joking, half curious.
“N-nothing just worried about the old walls of this place.” I quickly shot out before standing up and briskly walking to the library. “I’m gonna grab something so we can get this token stuff done, I could use more friends I guess.” I half yelled half squeaked as my nerves began to fry.
“...Alright then..” Ladon said as he laid down and crossed his arms, his tail moved about lazily.
I rummaged quickly through the library before finding a blank journal hidden amongst the many shelves. Grabbing it and a bit of old ink I walked back into the entrance hall at a brisk pace and sat back down.
“So I just put energy into this and say a message and it goes out into the multiverse?” I said in a hesitant tone.
“Pretty much. Mine token ye were required to sayeth the knight’s oath, and if thy broke it, I would instantly sent back no problem. “ Ladon explained as he looked at the book I brought. “‘Tis simple, it gives me an idea. Why not haveth a page where ye can communicate with other Displaced through simple writing, except the page resets as to not use up pages.” he suggested.
I looked at the dragon for a few moments before saying “That could work, I guess I can give it a shot.” I then took the rotting quill and dipped it into the ancient ink and wrote in faint letters ‘Adventurers guild’ before focusing on the book and trying to push some energy into it. After a few moments I felt a faint heat in my chest before it arched up my arm and into the book. I then spoke “Those in need of help or adventure simply write into the book but remember, nothing in life is truly free.” before a portal appeared before me. I simply tossed the book in and watched it split a million times over before the portal closed and a copy landed on my head.
“As thou saw, it made many,” Ladon explained, pointing out at the sword that was attached to a chain around his neck that had the same design as the sword I had in my hand. “Thus when thou are summoned, a portal will appear and all ye need to do is walk through, or deny it depending on how ye made thy token. Most others make the mistake of not including a way to go back and end up forever stuck until the summoner ushers the word ‘Thy contract is complete’,” Ladon explained, then snorted in annoyance. “Not in mine words exactly since they are forced to change.”
“Forced to change?” I asked while leaning forward to hear what he means.
“I can speak English, but sayeth thou turns into thou,” Ladon tried to explain but failed. “Y-o-u turns into Thou.” he managed to explain.
I nod looking at the dragon with a small amount of pity. “That must be horrible forced to speak in a way not your own.” Alex states before looking up at a darkening sky.
“Oh it seems a bit late, you can stay if you want or I can send ya back to your own world up to you.” I say before blowing a small amount of flames on the wick of an ancient candle setting on a holder on the wall.
Ladon was about to reply, but stopped when a rat came scurrying out of it’s hiding hole. Ladon moved his tail out and with a flick, the dull spear split itself to reveal to be razor blades. With a quick swing, he had stabbed the rat, killing it before it had a chance to react. “If it not too much trouble, I do desire to explore this place to see if there is any noticeable differences.” Ladon said as he brought his tail up to his face, he exhaled a gentle breath to start cooking the rat’s body.
After watching Ladon capture a rat and show an apparent bladed tail I looked back up to him and simply shrugged before standing and heading to my bedchambers. As soon as the door was shut behind me was a very peeved looking Chris appeared from thin air in front of me.
“Who the fuck is that and why is he in our castle?!?” Chris barely held back from shouting at me.
“Ladon some dragon guy from another universe. Apparently we are something called displaced and so is he, made a journal into a kinda token thing that people can use to ask me for help and stuff.” I said while lounging on the crumbling bed idling pawing at the air.
“Wait. So the same thing happened to him? Damn I wonder if more of us are out there.” Chris said while looking at an old tomb with a long name.
“Tons probably.” I said noncommittally as I rolled over and rested my head on the once fluffy pillow that now felt only marginally better then the floor.
After several hours hearing small clacks from the hallways as Ladon probably wondered through the halls of what was now my castle. Occasionally I’d hear a door open or an item being shuffled but nothing to bothersome. Chris finally finished up that weird book of his before yawning and lying down near the foot of the bed.
Hearing a loud crash downstairs I bolted up as did Chris before he disappeared from vision again. I quickly rushed down to the basement to see what happened.
Ladon had the bulk of his big body pressed against the door as a creature madly thrashed on the other side of the door with little to no luck getting through. “Why do ye have THAT down here?” Ladon asked as he stared at me.
I looked at Ladon briefly before exclaiming “Why do I have what? What the hell is bashing on the door?!”
“Some sort of floating creature that reminds me of Cacodemon from Doom!” Ladon exclaimed.
“Open the door, I think I have a handle on my fire breath so I should be able to blast it and see just what was hiding down here!” I shouted before bracing myself and staring intently towards the door.
Ladon’s body suddenly vanished in a ray of shadows, allowing the door to open wide open, he appeared at my side to see what I would do.
I quickly exhaled after focusing on that energy I used for the token leading to a quick blast of super-heated air and flames to spray forward and past the door igniting the now flailing creature. As I looked upon it I realized exactly what the tentacled beast with one large eye was. A gauth and a young one too.
“Careful It has some magic it blasts from its main eye if we can keep it closed it should go down quick!” I yelled bracing to pounce forward.
The moment the gauth came flying though, Ladon exhaled a breath of ice, causing frost to begin to form on its body from his assault.
Blinking a few moments at this new revelation I quickly shook my head and charged forward pinning the beast and bit down causing it to let out a shrill shriek for a few moments of flailing before falling silent, I let my grip go dropping from my mouth still tasting tho horrid detritus of its malformed body before looking back to Ladon. “Well that was certainly exciting!” I exclaimed before examining the body for a few moments noting the lack of any darker coloration denoting an older specimen.
“The most ugliest creature I've came across…” Ladon commented as he nudged the body to make sure it was actually dead.
I watched as the creature slightly jiggled at the nudge but showed no signs of life I looked over the room noting a single bookshelf past rows of cells. Odd I thought as I walked towards it and began scanning the contents.
“Ya like books?” I asked Ladon looking over my shoulder.
“They come in use considering the time period I’m from.” Ladon said as he made his way over to the bookself, his glowing orange eyes scanned over the selection.
As Ladon looked over the books I looked back to the gauth before taking a large bite out of the upper half, tasted like rubber mixed with veal. I debated for a few moments before simply eating the rest avoiding bones and the disfigured eyes of the creature. After my impromptu meal I looked back over to Ladon to see if he had found anything of note.
“Thou know, whelp. Ye could try hunting for thy meals in the wild than eat demonic creatures, not unless thou gain their powers through consummation?” Ladon said as he continued to search through the shelve, he had glanced only for a moment to see what I had done.
I shrugged at this looking at the bloody mess behind me before looking back to Ladon. “Find anything interesting over there?” I asked with a bored expression.
“So far, just a book about history, a book about the everfree, and a book regarding an old children's tale- ah!” He stopped in mid-sentence when he pulled out a book titled ‘Journal Of The Two Sisters’. “Now, to see the differences between thy royal rulers and mine.” he said as he opened the book, which looked comical in his bigger paws that have the dexterity to function as hands.
I cocked my head and look at the book in his claws before paling beneath my scales slightly. “Do the two sisters still hold the elements where you come from?” I asked quietly.
“Yes they do. It took them time to figure out the traits they needeth in order to do so, but once they got it going, they’ve learned how to use it quite easily. At the time being, they haven’t found anything to use their powers on yet,” Ladon explained as he read through the book. “So this journal goes a little head in time.” he said in amusement.
“How many years?” I asked before my eyes widen remembering his words mentioning the castle still being occupied and both sisters. “You may not want to read that Ladon, it might disappoint you a bit.” I said lowering my head and staring idly at a random stone set in the ground.
“I haven’t found any and the last page talks about the sister’s first sunrise, but thou art right about that,” Ladon said as he closed the book. “But I will be proud of them if mine world repeats the same events of this world. Multiple timelines is a funny thing after all.”
I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding before looking over at Ladon. “Huh guess I was wrong then guess I’m in a decent universe.” I said with a small albeit fake smile crossing my face.
“Well after all this drama I think I’m going to head to bed, see everything you wanted to in the castle?” I asked with a cock of my head.
“Indeed I have,” Ladon said as he placed the book back in, then stopped. “Actually, perhaps ye should keep this book somewhere safer than down here,” he said as he handed me the book. “Thy sisters, if they hold any benevolent toward thou, ye may want to give them for memory’s sake.” Ladon suggested to me.
Shrugging I grabbed the book before looking back at Ladon. “Then I guess our contract is complete. Stay safe man and let Luna know the night is always appreciated alright?” I said before turning back towards the door and walking to its entrance before staring back.
“Thank ye, Alex, Be safe whelp.” Ladon said as the portal opened up, he gave him a wink before walking through the portal.
Looking back at the place the portal left Alex gazed at the spot for a few moments slightly regretting the sudden lack of presence in the castle before turning back and walking up the stairs ruminating on the events of the day.
