Chapters Reacts ------ Before ------
Chapter 1: Care
“For every action, there is an equal or opposite reaction. So try to remember; Actions can speak. ”
The sentence has resonated in his head ever since he can remember. He keeps it within his heart. It is his creed. The thing is... he doesn't know why.
<<< 0o0 >>>
Quantum's early days was... different than most other ponies his age. He only had his mother, Roadrunner, who was very overprotective towards her only child, to the point that he calls his home 'the big house', and it's not because his home is big.
As for Quantum's father, he doesn't know who he is, nor he doesn't know if he's still around, but he doesn't care.
The only thing he had to entertain himself was reading books from his father's extensive library. He secludes himself in the library for days at a time, trying to know more and more about many things, but at the same time being less and less social, but he doesn't really care.
<<< 0o0 >>>
School was the only time he could socialize with other ponies his age, but he didn't take advantage of the opportunity. The others think that the little dark teal colt was just a bit more shy than usual. But all attempts to socialize were crushed. When Quantum walked to and from school, he can hear what the others are saying, it's mostly about him.
“Is he okay?”
“Maybe he doesn't feel so good?”
“Why doesn't he speak?”
“Maybe he thinks we're not good enough for him.”
“Seriously?”
“Does he think that he's better than us?”
“No emotions on him, right?”
“Snob.”
All the gossip takes it toll. Quantum whispered, “They say it like I'm not around... Should I respond?” Quantum stopped and turned around to the direction of the talking. The group looked at him with wide eyes, waiting for the sound of his voice. Quantum opened his mouth, but he immediately closed it and continued walking.
“Told yall, snob.”
<<< 0o0 >>>
A trip to his father's library made him feel a little better. He tried to compile what his father's personality is based on what he had in here.
“'How to...', house building, gardening, cooking, poems... I already saw all of them 3 times over but still can't figure him out.”
He roughly pushed a book back in it's place. A book dropped suddenly from out of nowhere, “what the-.” The blue book had a strange aura around it.
“Cosmic...”
The weird things about it are that there was red silk tightly wrapped around it and there's no title on it. He tried to levitate the book, but it was like the book was stuck to the floor. The book started to glow, blinding Quantum for a moment. When the glow faded away, words were on the front of the book.
Command. Words are the only way to absolute. Silence, their flawed vines, will spread and constrict you.
“What's that supposed to mean...?” The words fizzled out and came back with different words.
It's a riddle, solve it. A simple task.
Quantum slammed his front hooves on the book. More words appeared.
Don't take out your frustration on me you-
“-Of course I'm frustrated! I don't know who or what you are, why are letters popping out, and ... why am I yelling at a book?!” The sentence disappeared and a lone word appeared.
Problems.
<<< 0o0 >>>
The library had been Quantum's only place he goes after school. With him spending more time in the library, it was making his mother nervous. “Maybe I should restrict his time there. He might end up being a loner.” A male unicorn with a white coat and jet black mane was walking around in the living room, looking at the nick knacks.
“You're kidding, right? What do you expect, you essentially closed him off from the outside. Quite the opposite for you in the younger days.” He levitated a frame. He stared intensively at it for a few seconds. Roadrunner walked to the unicorn's left side, “I suppose... but it's just-,” The unicorn bumped Roadrunner's head with his left front hoof.
“You really need to let it go. Believe me, I learned it the hard way. ”
Suddenly the house started shaking violently. The two ponies stood their ground, “I propose a plan as to solve your 'my son is going to be alone forever' shtick.” The unicorn whispered to Roadrunner for a few seconds, “you're dropping this on me now? Why is my house shaking?” “Behind you.” A white light was coming from the cracks of the library door. The two ponies slowly walked towards the light. The stallion chuckled.
“whats so funny?”
“The light. We're walking towards the 'light'.” Roadrunner sighs. When they made it to the door, the light ceased. They opened the door, only to see Quantum sitting in the middle of the room with a blank stare.
“...Sup. How's it going?”
<<< 0o0 >>>
“So, I'm going to ask again, OK? What was going on in here!?”
The unicorn was pacing left and right, trying to get answers from Quantum. Roadrunner was standing by her son. “I already told you. I was trying out some spells that I saw from one of my father's books. I kinda messed up the... what was it again? Oh yeah!”
A book from the other side of the room levitated to Quantum's space. The book opened to a page, “... Here it is!”
The Flash Bang: For a few extra seconds in a flash, try the flash bang.
“See, here!” He pushed the book close to their faces. The unicorn pushed the book aside.
“And you decided that a foal your age just took an interest in using combat magic? Yeah... I'm not really buying it.” Roadrunner was staring at the unicorn, he sighed.
“fine, I'll believe you... for now.” He walked towards the door, “I'm going, k?” He turned around, “just remember what I told you, later.”
Quantum had bewildered look on his face, “Geez, whats up with-” “you're going.” Quantum did a double take, “going...?” Roadrunner sighed.
“you're going with him... your uncle.”
<<< 0o0 >>>
Quantum hated trains. One reason was when it came during school hours, the horn and the rails screeching sounds would make him anxious, which will make him stick his head anywhere to try to suppress the sounds.
“Whats the matter with you? Still afraid of trains?”
Quantum was under his blanket. “Quit it.” The two had a box car to themselves, which unfortunately for Quantum, made his dislike for trains intensify. “Well then, what should we talk about?”
Quantum pulled the blanket off of his head, “I got one... Why did I have to leave?” The uncle sat next to Quantum.
“For your own good.”
“My own good?” The unicorn nodded.
“Listen. Your mother feels that you're becoming more... distant towards everypony. And that's not really a good thing for a foal your age... I think.” Quantum lowered his head.
“So the deal is that I, your worried uncle, would take you around Equestria with my troop to try to get you to meet and socialize with as many types of ponies out there, simple?”
Quantum was thinking about the last few months. After a few minutes he came to the conclusion that they were right, he was becoming more enclosed. He was spending more time in the library trying to-
“I admit it. I don't know how to talk to other ponies. I spent more time closed up than trying to open up to other ponies but... they... just don't-”
The uncle ruffled Quantum's mane, “you know, for a small colt, that was a big confession, I'm quite proud in fact.” The uncle looked at the window, “Well, time to crash right now, night.” The unicorn went to the other side of the cart, crawled into a bed, and in a few minutes, snoring was heard.
For the first time in a long time, the short conversation made Quantum smile.
<<< 0o0 >>>
Morning was beginning to rise when the train stop. The town that the train stopped was peacefully sound. A few ponies were walking around the platform, opening up the windows around the station, and getting ready for today. Quantum and his uncle were getting off the train and to the platform.
“So, wanna check out the town? Might be an opportunity to mingle?” Quantum stared at a sign right by the door to the station for a moment, “S-Sure.” “Well then, let's hope there's something to here.” They walked into the train station.
“Hey, what did that sign say?”
“It said 'Welcome To Ponyville.'”
~~~ End of chapter 1 ~~~
Reacts ------ Before ------
Chapter 2: Here
The conductor is talking to some of the engineers of the train. A lone engineer is taking a look inside the inter-workings of the train.
“Hm... it seems to have overheated for some reason. I don't know why, we checked the engine a few days ago... huh, what is this thing?”
Tick
<<< 0o0 >>>
The two traveling family members are walking in a calm pace,“Ah Ponyville, a tranquil little town that has no faults. So Quantum, do you know anything bout Ponyville?”
Quantum stares up to the sky in an attempt to think, “well... there had been many... strange things that have happened in the past.”
“Correctamundo! I personally haven't experienced the crazy adventures of these here ponies around here, but I've heard some rumors.”
The uncle noticed something on Quantum, “So... what up with the saddle bag? That's the only thing you brought with you. You think that's all you need?”
Quantum looks at his old saddle bag, “don't worry about it.”
Quantum is still gazing the sky, like he's in a trance.
Bing
He snaps out of the trance and desperately looks around. His uncle looks worried, “what's the matter?” He shakes Quantum a bit.
“H-Huh? Oh, sorry. It's just... I thought I heard a pinging sound. Like something you'll hear from...” His sentence trails off.
“Don't sweat it. This is supposed to be for the betterment of you. That means... cheer up.”
Quantum has a wide grin on his face, “Hahaha... sorry. I'll try being more cheerful.”
“That's the spirit!” He looks around, “now then, let's see if there's... aha! There's one!”
He points at a cafe. “Maybe the reason why you're daydreaming is because of an empty stomach. Come on, don't dilly dally!”
The two ran towards the cafe with smiles on their faces.
<<< 0o0 >>>
The staff of the train station are staring at what a engineer just discovered within the confines of the train. One of the tellers is walking back and forth.
“Okay, I got it. The someponies that build the train just stick it there at the last minute to... you know make it go fast.”
The rest of the staff stared at him for a second, only to start arguing each other a second later. The teller became depressed. One of engineers, a male unicorn, named Gear Head, is studying the thing slowly. The lollipop stick that's protruding out of his mouth is poking the thing.
“Hmm... I'd say this thing wasn't m-made... by pony hooves.” Everypony stopped and listen.
“I'm no expert or anything b-but... this thing looks like complex boxes sticking to become one. And the material looks l-like... nothing I've ever seen before. But that's just m-my... opinion, that's all.” Everypony stare blankly.
The box started shaking hysterically. Everypony is looking at the scene with surprised eyes. The thing is floating in place.
“Um... Question. Should we do something about this. It looks a little scary and I don't want know what happens-” The boxes that make up the whole thing is starting to move around with blinding speed. As the boxes move faster and faster, the staff is starting to back away, with some thinking they should run away all together.
Gear Head is the only one still staying still, observing the spectacle with glee, “it's trying to do something. Maybe truing t-to... something else?”
The spectacle stopped all of the sudden. It's shape is now a little tower with a tripod. It hovered for a second then it dropped like a rock. Everypony is crowding around the thing.
“Um... what just happened?”
“Why did it did that?”
“Who in their right mind would build something like this?”
Knock Knock
Somepony is knocking on the front doors. Everypony turns around.
“Oh dear! We forgot to open up. You there, unlock the doors. We'll clean up.”
“I-It's-”
“Please just do it!”
Gear Head grunted his way out and is heading to the front doors. Everypony else is cleaning up the mess the thing made.
“At least the mess is manageable.”
“Geez, it's like everything is busted except the clock.
“The clock?”
“Yeah, the clock. I can hear it tick.”
The teller looks at the clock, “Ah... The clocks' broken...” Everypony stops in their tracks.
“Then what's with the ticking.” The ticking sound starts to get louder. Everypony is trying to pinpoint it.
Tick
“I think it's around here somewhere.”
Tick
“Hey, I think I'm getting closer.” “Good for you...”
Tick
“Wait a...” The teller turns to the thing. Closer inspection reveals that the thing is making the tick. It's boxes are beeping at random. “Hey, the thing is doing something.”
“What's it doing?”
Tick Tick BEEP
Gear Head opens the doors, “Sorry for the wait. But don't worry, everything is u-under... control.” The station starts to rumble.
“I t-think...”
<<< 0o0 >>>
“So... what do you want to eat? Hay Fries, Dandelion Sandwiches... Oh, what about something sweet?” Quantum looks closely at the menu.
“You know, it's been a while since I've had some down time. I always had my troop to manage, keeping track of who's around and who's sick, the order of the acts and everything.”
Quantum caught what he just said, “I' just realize that I don't know what you do. Or for that matter, I don't even know your name.”
The uncle became quiet.
“May I take your order?” The uncle went to a defensive position. An awkward silence befalls the three ponies.
“Oh, I'm sorry. I-It's just that... I'm not a fan of ponies sneaking behind me.” The waiter bows in apology.
The uncle and Quantum made their orders. The waiter took their menus and left.
“Sorry. Not really good with-”
“I know, you just explained it. Now, an answer to my questions?”
“Oh yeah! Then allow me to introduce myself-” He extends his right hoof, “my name's Ring Meister. Nice to meet you.”
Quantum is struggling to lean over the table and extends his right hoof, “W-Well then, I'm Quantum.”
Uncle Meister sat back down and sighed, “now that we're done with that, to answer your other question-” He takes a deep breath.
“I'm kind of the leader of a circus troop. All I do is manage the acts and making sure everything is going smoothly, both inside and outside the tent. So I'll be the pony that-” Uncle Meister continues on about his responsibilities, why he doesn't like ponies behind him (a clown and tomatoes were involved), and a great story of how a family of trappist artists inspired him to literally join the circus.
“The sheer amount of technique that you need for a routine is just... And none of them were even using magic. Now that's technique.”
The two were talking deeply about their lives (mostly Uncle Meister's), even after the waiter brought them their orders (a big stack of pancakes and a small ice cream float).
“Okay, okay. One more question, and is also been bugging me; Where are we going? Is this for your 'troop' or something?”
Uncle Meister chuckles a little, “in a way, yeah. We're currently on a tour around the north end of Equestria, and our next stop is a small town around the crystal mountains.” He blushes a little.
“And I know for a fact that a certain mare from my past lives there so-” Quantum is staring blankly. Uncle Meister reassembles his composure.
“Sorry. That was just something adult ponies have to worry about.” Uncle Meister sighs.
You know, I made a promise to her. One day... One day, I said that we'll settle down and start a family. Really now, that was made when we were foals but... Maybe she's right, maybe I should slow down. I did made a promise, and a stallion can't break a promise. That's your word, you can't go back on your word.”
Quantum looks puzzled, “so if I say something, does that mean that I have to follow it?”
Uncle Meister chuckles sadly, “not to a T but... Let me just me say this; 'Once you start something, you might want to finish it.' I said 'might' because it's your choice, but it's kind of the better deal to do something, even if it's a 'bad' situation. You just take it like a stallion.”
Quantum nods slowly, trying to sink in the lecture he just heard. Silence hangs in the air.
“Whoa... that was pretty deep, huh. Well don't worry, today we'll just sit here and relax.
The ground starts to rumble. Anything that's not nailed down is rocking crazy.
Bing
Quantum hears that pinging sound again.
Prepare
Quantum then heard a voice in his head. A voice he never heard from.
“Quantum, lower your body, now!” Both of them lowered themselves to the ground and started to crawled.
Get Ready
The words are buzzing around in his head, to the point were it's giving him a headache.
A big bright light is shooting out of the distance. Quantum then hears a lot stomping, and it's getting nearer. Quantum hear various voices, he could only make out a few.
“Run!!”
“It's all over!!”
“Celestia help us!!”
“I told you so everypony!! I told you so!!”
It's coming
A lone figure comes out of the beam of light. It disappears in a flash. An explosion happened in front of the two relatives, blowing them a few yards away. Quantum is on the verge of being unconscious. With the last of his strength, his hearing shot and vision blurred, he looks around the scene.
Rubble, charred pieces of wood, big fires, and a large figure easily towering over Quantum. It's shadow cloaks Quantum's body, making it seem like it's night. Quantum's eyes were closing, thinking that giving in will make it go quick. The hulking figure started to walk towards Quantum.
Not to point out the obvious, but that 'it' that I've been warning you to prepare... it's here.
Quantum utters a faint sentence, “W-What's here...?”
Everything goes black.
~~~ End of chapter 2 ~~~
Reacts ------ Before ------
Chapter 3: Advancing
He feels sluggish. There's no scene of what's up and down. He can't hear anything and a pitch black world is all he can see. There is nothing.
“So, is this what happens after you're gone? Just floating in place forever...? Sounds pretty good when I think about it.”
So you wish to be taken out of the big picture?
Quantum moves around in the black space, frantically trying to find the source of the voice. But it's like looking around with your eyes closed.
It seems you still have some fight in you.
He turns around and sees a bright light. The light starts to fade, a four legged figure stands in front of him.
Surprised?
The four legged creature's body is sparkling, transparent, and slick, like it was made by the finest crystal. There are many strange swerving markings on it's body, from the edges of it's mismatched eyes, right down to it's ice pick like legs. It's simply beautiful.
Why thank you.
Quantum gasped. The creature smirked.
As you can see... I'm not moving my mouth, so how can I speak, per say? Use your head.
Quantum blurred out a word, “t-telekinesis?”
Bingo.
Quantum shook out the sleepies out of his eyes, and is staring at the creature, eye to eye.
Now there's what you need. All you have to do is focus it, kind of like a straight edge.
“F-Focus it? Focus what?”
The creature disappeared in a flash. Quantum looked around, but just like last time, there's only black.
“W-Where-”
The creature reappears very close to Quantum's face.
“W-What's your prob-”
The creature starts spinning around the black space. Quantum is amazed that it can freely move around within this space, as if defying it's rules.
“Why can't I move,” Quantum whispered.
OH, but you can, and more! If you want it, just say it.
Quantum looks stumped by the mental suggestion. He looks at his hooves, thinking that there might be a ground. He looks up, imaging that there's a sky. He goes in a trance. Suddenly he starts to descend down.
“Whoa... Haha, I-It's working, I'm moving! This is... Cosmic!
Yeah, about that... Just thinking about it will only get you so far. You need to say it, say it with some vigor.
Quantum is starting to panic, “say!? Say what exactly!?”
The creature shook it's head in disappointment.
Oh colt. You still don't get it... Well, you're still a young one, so I shouldn't be surprised.
Quantum looks at the creature with desperation. He continues to fall like a rock in the sea. He tries to struggle, but like being within the sea, the space is slowing down and constricting his movements.
Looks like you need a hint, you are still just a colt.
The creature nonchalantly swoops down and following Quantum's fall.
Instead of concentrating on falling, try to concentrate on landing. Land like a cat, you know, on your feet... Or hooves.
Quantum struggles more hysterically, getting more panicked. The creature again shakes it's head in disappointment.
“What?! Land?! Land on what?!”
The creature bolted down ahead of Quantum's path. As it is getting out the eye distance, it suddenly stopped. Quantum looked closely and saw that it... Landed! It landed on something.
“Oh, land... Wait! I'm gonna crash! Heeelp!
The creature disappeared again.
“Help me, please!”
The creature reappeared right beside Quantum. It had a serious face.
You... want help, right?
Quantum had a blank face.
“Well... YES! I need HELP NOW!!”
The creature has a stern look on it's face, then it smiles and slowly nods.
Hmm... that will have to do.
The creature started glowing brightly in front of Quantum, thus blinding him. When the light faded, the creature is gone, and what's there in it's place is an orb.
“What are you-”
The orb shot to Quantum's chest. A bright light is shinning within the entrance hole at his chest. The light engulfed Quantum in a ball of different shades of white.
The black space is engulfed by white space.
I'm just moving the ball forward, that's all. Oh, and just a friendly little advice; don't look back, in more ways than one.
<<< 0o0 >>>
Blurred voices, hoof steps, rickety noises... Quantum could hear that and more.
He slowly opens his eyes to see a white box, presumably a window.
“Oh, you're alive...Well, might as well tell the others... Stay put...”
He turns his head to see a snow white colored male pony with a black cape and hood combo. The male pony nonchalantly turns around and walks towards a wooden door. He turns his head and looks at Quantum with little emotion.
“... Do you need anything? Water? Extra blankets?”
The male pony turns back and opens the door. There is a female pony behind the door, it looks like she was on the verge of knocking.
“O-Oh, sorry... I came to replace the bed shee-”
She looks past the male pony and sees Quantum's groggy state.
“Y-Your... EVERYPONY, HE'S AWAKE!!”
The female pony runs out of Quantum's vision, still yelling that Quantum is awake.
“It seems that whatever happened to you... It must have been awful... Well holler if you need anything.”
The male pony closed the door behind him. Quantum hears some voices coming through the wall, but it's too faint to figure out what's being said.
Quantum is too dazed to do anything. All he can do is lay down on the bed and scratch his flank.
<<< 0o0 >>>
“So... How should we handle this? Ideas?”
“I think we should take him in. Like, we're not gonna make him fend for himself out there, are we?”
“Then what are we gonna do with an extra mouth to feed? It's bad enough that we're running low on food and supplies, also the fact that the train that was supposed to resupply us is out of service, but now we have to take care of a foal that we don't know about. For all we know, he could be a part of those... what were they called again?”
“The...Klocks? You know, with a 'K'?”
“Oh yeah, thank you.”
“A-Are we seriously having this conversation?! We're talking about what to do with somepony like what to do with a... Thing!”
“You honestly can't blame us, will you? You know better than other ponies on how tough it is out there... Wind that can turn you into, no pun intended, freeze you in your tracks... You can barely see your own hoof when it gets really nasty, the creatures that roam around and wait for any unsuspecting pony to let their guard down... And to bring up what was said before, those Klocks are, not to exaggerate but... Hunting us down. So you really can't blame us for being a little, how should I word this...”
“Paranoid?”
“Yea... Paranoid.”
“Well... Hmm...”
With all of their talking and arguing around a table, they didn't notice a small pony just out of sight, listening to what is going on over here. As time goes on, he has one question in mind.
“Where am I?”
~~~ End of chapter 3 ~~~
