Four Starred Hero (Revamped)by WurkyWilk358 0w0ChaptersA Hero’s ArrivalA Hero’s IntroductionA Hero Settles InA Hero’s WelcomeA Hero Seeks EmploymentA Hero’s ResolveA Hero’s Friend In NeedThe First Guardian Part 1The First Guardian Part 2The First Guardian Part 3The First Guardian Part 4Dilemma Of A HeroA Hero and The SnobsA Hero’s First ActA Hero’s DreamA Hero’s New MentorA Hero’s NightmareA Hero’s ClarityA Hero’s BeginningA Hero’s Helping HandA Hero’s ArrivalChapter 2 Pain. All I could feel was pain throughout my whole body. It made itself apparent whenever I tried to move some part of me. I could feel that my eyes were shut, yet I could not open them. It felt like something glued my eyelids together as I strained to open them. In my mouth, I could taste a thick, iron flavor, which could only be blood; my blood. Even though I was in constant pain, it also felt like I was floating in cold water. I tried to think back to what happened before I ended up in this situation: I had just received a call from my sister, I was about to head home, then all of a sudden, I was struck by some kind of speeding vehicle, which sent me over the edge and into the river. After what felt like many unbearable minutes, I managed to open my eyes to see the trees above me as they slowly moved downwards. I knew these trees since they surround my neighborhood, and judging by the fact that I felt wet meant that I was floating down the river. I can barely move, I can barely breathe, my arms and legs won’t listen, my gut feels like it’s been cut open and blood was leaking out, and all I can see is the night sky above me. I can’t even move my damn head, so I assume that my neck’s also broken. All I know is that, of all the things to happen to me, why this? All I wanted to do was go for a walk and I’m now at the bottom of the ravine. I’m being carried to who knows where and my body is a bloody, broken, and mangled mess. I even tried to move my fingers, but all I got was a pained shock all the way up to my brain and a loud gurgling grunt from my mouth that’s full of blood and river water. My thoughts were in a daze and I couldn’t think straight. I don’t know how long I’ve been drifting. I can’t even tell what’s up and what’s down. All I can do is wait until I somehow miraculously survive this, or just wait until whatever being comes for my soul and guides me to where my late grandparents are. Then it hit me: is this what dying feels like? Am I dying now? A wave of sadness, on top of the pain from my battered body, washed over me as my eyes teared up. I start to realize that this might be my end, and I’ve barely done anything yet worthwhile in my life. I started to think about my career, how I was about to show Ivan that I was ready to advance to the next level of black belt. Ivan had once told me he’d be retiring soon and was thinking of making me the sensei of the dojo as soon as I reached 10th Dan. I’m sorry, Ivan. I failed you. I then thought about my friends I’ve made over the years, the people I’ve come to know and admire in this small town, and how I shared many laughs with them. I remembered the laughs we shared, the juvenile pranks we pulled on others, even the parties they all invited me to and how I’ll probably never see them again. My mind wandered through the buried memories of my past until a certain boy appeared from them. I can’t see his face, I can’t even hear what he’s saying, but I know he’s someone who was very dear to me before I moved away with my mother. We drifted apart so soon…I wish we had more time, my forgotten friend. My tears start to pour from my eyes as I start to think about my family. My relatives who I’ve always enjoyed spending time with during their visits, especially my cousins. I then start to think about my parents and sister… I’m painfully, but subtly, whimpering because of the fact that I’ll probably never see them again. I start to think about my Dad, how he always told me he was proud of me for coming out of my shell all those years ago and accepting him as my father. I’ve always been proud to be a Saber, and I was so lucky and fortunate that Robert Saber was the father who accepted me as his son. Dad, I just want to hear you say that you’re proud of me just one more time. Yet now, I’ll never get that chance. My sister. My older, smart, admirable sister who was basically my best friend. I won’t be able to laugh with her or tease her anymore. She’ll be all alone without her brother looking out for her. I always hated when she frowned; it made me sad to see her unhappy. I never once let her frown on my watch because I loved to hear her laugh. Rachel was special in many ways, but what stood her out was how excited she’d always get whenever I made brownies for the family. I’m sorry, Rachel, but I won’t be able to make you my famous brownies anymore. At least try to savor the ones I had already made for you… The pain and sadness only intensified when my mother came to mind. My tears are flowing down my blood stained face as I start to think about her. My mother. My beautiful mother who’s always been there every step of the way. The woman who always told me she loved me every day, every chance she got. She always knew how to make me smile, even when I didn’t feel like it. From the day of my birth, to dealing with that bastard who was my biological father, to before this unfortunate turn of events, she’s always smiled for me. When I was crying, she’d always hug me. When I looked for advice, she’d always guide me. When I strayed from the path, she’d help remind me what I do and why I do it. Despite my sometimes unwise decisions in the past, she’d always be there no matter what. Now my heart breaks as I start to realize that this night would be the last night I’d’ve ever spoken with her. Mom, I’m so sorry for leaving you like this. At least…I won’t be suffering anymore. Soon, I’ll see Trisha. I’ll be sure to tell her hi for you. The blood loss and dizziness made my vision blurry as the water continues to carry me downstream. My eyes grow heavy and I feel like I’m drifting away. I hope…someone finds my body. I at least owe my family the right to see me off properly. I somehow had managed to open my eyes once again. I can barely see the trees up above me, but it seems like they aren’t moving anymore. After thinking about it, I guess I must’ve washed up on the shore some time during my unconsciousness, even though I don’t know where I am. It felt like hours have passed since my fall and I’m fading in and out. I know I’ll soon fall into eternal slumber soon since I no longer feel any physical pain. I try to move again, but I’m met with similar results from before and grunt in pain, but only briefly. I so desperately wanted all of this to be some sort of horrible nightmare and be done with it. But to my dismay, this was anything but unreal. All I could do now is agonizingly wait for my end. How am I even still alive? I should’ve at least passed sometime sooner by now… “…” …? “W........l.......ve” Someone’s there…? “Do.......yo........nt...........live.........ain?” Am I imagining or…? “Do you want to live again?” …! All of a sudden, a light shines brightly through the trees above me, making me wince as my eyes try to adjust despite the blood making everything still blurry. In front of me, I could barely make out a silhouette of a figure. From what I could tell, it was a feminine-like figure, but I still couldn’t make out who or what it was. She was standing in front of me, staring down at my mangled body. She then started to lean down to get a better look at me. She reaches a hand out and touches my chest. For a moment, I thought I was going to feel pain, but instead, it felt warm. It was soothing, like her very touch was melting the pain away. I tried to say something, but no words were able to come out despite the fact I’m barely awake anyway. I heard the strange being sigh and I got the sense that she was frowning down at me, like she took pity at my current state. “I can tell you do not wish to die, young youth, but I cannot save you from your current situation. Your body is too damaged for repair and your life is on the brink of passing on to the world beyond. So at this very moment, you have one of two choices. Either you accept your fate and you may pass on to the world beyond, or I can send your soul to a new world with a new, yet familiar body. There, you would embrace a new destiny and become something great, should you have the will to do so. But heed this warning, young youth. This will be your one and only chance,” she said calmly. Her voice sounded as soothing as her appearance. I wanted her to keep talking, but she just wanted my response. I was confused and a little scared that this being of light showed up out of nowhere. I also couldn’t help but feel a little angry and upset that my end was nearing, and even this unknown entity couldn’t do anything about it. However, I was strangely hopeful and happy with what she had just offered me. I didn’t want to die and just let this be my end, so I considered accepting her offer. But that would also mean leaving everything I’ve ever known behind and seemingly ending up in another world. That last part she said: embracing a new destiny? Becoming something great? Just what did she mean by that? I wish I had more time to think about this, but my body and consciousness said otherwise. My eyes were getting heavy again and my breathing was laboring more than it already was. I’m surprised I managed to stay alive this long, but I had little time to dwell on it. So I summoned what strength I had left into uttering something I’d probably regret later on. “Please…I…want…to…live…again…” I croaked weakly. The figure then rose up and continued to stare down at me. The light behind her started to shine more brighter, and soon, I couldn’t see anything except white, and what little I could see was her, but barely. “Very well, young youth. Embrace your new destiny and live your second life to your fullest extent,” she tells me. After that, I slipped more and more into unconsciousness, and it feels like I’m being lifted up into the air until all the white in my vision turns black. I hope…I made…the right choice… 3rd POV The figure held her arm straight out as a small orb of flickering light rose from the body of the young man. As the orb left the body, the young man then took his last breath, succumbing to his wounds and passing on. Or so it would seem. The figure then turned her hand upwards and extended it. The orb drifted away from the lifeless corpse of the young man and hovered just above the figure’s hand, flickering like a lit candle. In her hand is the still active soul of the young man known as William Saber. The figure then used her abilities to lift William’s body from the ground with her left arm and levitated it over to her. Her hand shone with a pure white sparkling aura, and William’s body began to glow dimly, but was then encased in light. After a few moments, the light dimmed, and his body was now healed of all damages. The figure moved her hand with the young man’s soul closer to the body. The soul then slowly re-entered its host, making it glow once more. After a few minutes of patiently waiting, William gasped as he began to breathe again, but was still unconscious. With his body now repaired and his soul where it should be once again, the figure lifts her left arm out again and her hand starts to glow. Suddenly, a crack in midair appeared. The crack started to spread until it shattered, creating a portal to who knows where. But the figure knew all too well where this portal led to. Before the figure sent the unconscious human on his way, she had decided to do one last thing for him. With the last of her power, she placed her hand on William’s head and closed her eyes to focus. “I can only do so much for you, young youth. These new skills of yours must be yours to hone by your own hand. I know you will do me proud. You and him are the future of Equestria.” Her hand stopped glowing and continued to levitate William’s body through the portal. As soon as William passed through, the portal closed and disappeared without a trace. The figure then looked up to the still night sky, where the moon started to begin its descent so the morning may start. In the distance, there were voices of other humans calling out for something, or someone. The figure turned toward the voices and frowned pityingly. “One day, I hope you all can forgive me for what I have done. But I know that one day, you will all see each other again and be in each other’s embrace.” The figure returned her gaze to the sky and closed her eyes. “I wish you luck on your journey, young youth. You will definitely need it, as the Equestrian Guardian…” And with that, the figure vanishes, leaving only the sound of the flowing river, the crickets still chirping, and the voices still echoing throughout the area. Many Hours Later William 1st POV My body felt like it was floating in a void, and I couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything. It felt like I’ve been floating for hours and it felt like I was in the middle of a sleep paralysis cycle. It’s happened before, like my mind was awake, but my body couldn’t move. This must be what it was like to die, and I was on my way to the great beyond. A little while later, it felt like my body had stopped floating and lowered onto a hard surface. Little by little, my body’s senses started to come back to me, the first of which was my hearing. I could hear birds tweeting, the wind blowing, trees rustling. Second was my sense of smell, the scent of the wilderness filled my nostrils. It took longer than it should have, but I managed to open my eyes to view my surroundings. I was outside. It looked like it was still night time and there were trees all around me. I blinked as I took a deep breath, holding it until I released it in a deep exhale. I tried to move my arms, but my whole body felt like it weighed a ton. I wasn’t planning on staying on the ground, so I forced myself to at least sit up straight. After multiple grunts and strains, I sat myself up to get a proper look at where I was and my own body. As I surmised, I was in some kind of forest, and all I could see were trees. I’ve been in wooded areas before, but this forest seemed to give off some kind of eerie feeling in my gut. I looked down at my body to see I still had my arms and legs. Though I felt sore as hell, I felt no major pain anywhere, as if I was never hit by that speeding vehicle. I then noticed that I was wearing some kind of cloak that draped over my shoulders, which was weird since I don’t recall putting it on, let alone owned one. “Was…was all of that just a dream?” I guessed out loud. I then slowly but surely picked myself off the ground so I could stand up on my feet again. I almost fell a few times, but managed to regain my balance. Step by step, I walked over to a nearby tree and leaned on it for support. A slight throb started to pound at my head, making me place my hand on it as I tried to process my situation. “Okay…okay, just think,” I said to myself. “I…should be dead, right? Or it could have all just been a VERY realistic dream. I was knocked over the head and dumped in the middle of a creepy forest.” As I continued to ponder out loud to myself, I felt something in my pocket. I reached inside to pull out my wallet, smartphone, and earbuds, which made me smile a little. “Well, at least I still have the essentials,” I sighed. I went to tuck my belongings back in my pockets when something fell out of my jacket pocket. I looked down to see it was some kind of scroll tied with a ribbon. I reached down and examined the scroll curiously as I untied the ribbon and unrolled the scroll. It looked like some kind of letter meant for me, so I decided to give it a read. Dearest Young Youth, If you are reading this, then I must ask you to burn these words into your mind. You are likely believing that this is all a dream and you shall wake soon. Unfortunately, that is not the case. What has happened to you did indeed happen: you were struck off the bridge of your home, became riddled with serious injuries, and was left within an inch of your life. I regretfully have more ill news. Due to the severity of your injuries, you had succumbed to the pain and passed away. However, before you did, I offered you a chance at a second life, to which you accepted. I extracted your soul to repair your body anew so that your soul would live on as you are now. Your mind and soul are still one in the same, but your body is different physically, and soon, you shall discover, mentally. I wish I could tell you more, but know this; I chose you because I wanted to prove something to myself and to someone dear to me. The world you now reside in is nothing like the one you came from. It is peaceful, but also has its dangers, so I must ask that you hone your newfound skills and power so that you may properly face these dangers. I understand you still have questions, but rest assured, this will not be the last we speak. We shall one day meet again, and I shall be waiting to provide you with more of the answers you seek. I wish you the best of luck and I hope to see you again, Young Youth. Sincerely, ~F I had to steady my nerves after reading the letter. I really wanted to believe that this was a dream or I had actually passed on. Whoever this F person was could only have been the entity who came to me during my final moments. I folded the scroll back up and tucked it in my pocket as I turned around, leaned my back on the tree, and looked up to the branches. “I’m…in another world?” I mumbled aloud. “But it feels like I’m still home. If what she said was true, then…does that mean I won’t be able to see my family again? And she chose me? Of all the people on Earth, she chose me? Why me? I’m no one special. I’m anything but special, yet she still chose me.” The late night breeze blew against me as my emotions started to take hold of me. Sadness, anger, regret, confusion, fear, thankfulness, happiness, I didn’t know what to think or how to feel. But I now know one thing: this was real…everything that has happened so far was real. The car accident, the pain from my wounds, my life ending, waking up in a different world, and being told that I am to fulfill some kind of grand destiny. In all honesty, it felt like I was in some kind of cheesy fantasy movie. I looked at my hands and finally noticed that I was wearing white fingerless gloves, yet another strange occurrence like the cloak over my shoulders. I had so many questions swirling around in my head, a migraine started to make itself known. Not to mention I was in the middle of the damn forest and that eerie feeling wouldn’t go away, which seemed to always keep the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “Ugh, I can’t focus here. I need to get out of this damn forest,” I grumbled before pushing myself off the tree and looked around. “There should be a path somewhere around here. Hopefully I’ll find one soon.” I then slowly began my trek through the forest in search of a path so I could find my way to whatever civilization there was around here. I never really minded the forest, but when you’re out in the middle of the night in a dense forest with woodland creatures and predators probably stalking you, being nervous seems to always be a standard issue. I looked up to the sky and saw the moon past the branches. It seemed to look the same as any other moon, but somehow, it looked like it had a brighter and softer glow to it than the one back home. “If it weren’t for the creepy forest, I could go for some star gazing right about now to ease my nerves.” Suddenly, in the distance, I heard what sounded like voices. My hopes of getting out of here rose as I headed in the direction of the voices. I couldn’t help but also feel a little nervous for some reason. If I truly was in another world, then that would mean I’d be encountering aliens for the first time. Not to mention, I would be seen as an alien as well to them. But first impressions are always important, and I wanted to make sure I made a good one to whoever or whatever lived in this world. As the voices drew nearer, I hid behind a tree and readied myself. I straightened my jacket and tried to fix my hair to look presentable for these people. Just as I was about to walk out to meet the approaching group, I noticed that a spider had crawled up on my shoulder. My face went pale as I gasped and jumped away from the tree as I hastily brushed the spider off. “SHIT! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!” I yelped, slapping my shoulder and making sure there were no other creepy crawlies on me. “Ugh…I hate spiders.” A collection of gasps was heard behind me, making me flinch and slowly turn around. Only…I now wish I hadn’t, since I was face to face with individuals that were too shocking for words. They appeared to be standing on two legs like me, but their bodies’ other characteristics said otherwise. Their faces looked like horses: they had muzzles, and their ears were on top of their heads. Instead of feet, they had actual hooves, which only made things more confusing than they already were. I was at a loss for words; I was in the presence of what I could only describe them as anthropomorphic horse people. Oddest thing is, they were all female due to their physical appearances and all seemed to have different colored fur. We both just stared at each other, unmoving and still processing the situation. After what felt like a minute passing by, the pink one seemed to break the ice and actually spoke. “HI!” “WHAT THE HELL?!” Author's Note He’s arrived! Side note: Special thanks to the talented pawpaul for this great artwork! Also, HUGE shoutout to Codex92 for his amazing editing! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s IntroductionChapter 3 “Holy crap! Holy crap! HOLY CRAP!” I hyperventilated quietly as I hid behind a nearby tree. As I was in the middle of a panic attack, I tried my best to contemplate my current situation. I somehow wound up in a creepy forest, I just found out that I supposedly died and was sent here for some special reason, and now there’s these weird ass anthro horse creatures I ran into while trying to escape from said creepy forest! I thought that maybe I was in the middle of some crazy fever dream, but unfortunately, I was very much awake and in mid-panic. Who or what are those things? Why do they have bodies like humans, but characteristics like horses? Why were they all so colorful? My mind spun like a top in my head that I almost felt dizzy due to all these questions. I peeked out from behind the tree to see the horse people had huddled up and were talking amongst themselves. They didn’t seem to notice me peeking, so it was a good opportunity to examine them visually. From what I could tell, they were all female due to their, shall we say, physical appearance. One of them reminded me of someone who looked like they worked on a farm or ranch or something. She had orange fur with a blonde mane and tail tied at the end to make the hair look like a loop. She also had emerald green eyes and was wearing a brown stetson hat on her head. She wore a red and white checked shirt with a brown waistcoat and blue jeans that went well with her muscular figure. Next to her was a girl who had cyan blue fur, a rainbow mane and tail, a pair of wings, and magenta coloured eyes. She was wearing a white tank top, blue jacket, and black pants that hugged her athletic curves. The wings, however, seemed to stand out of her appearance since only one of the others had wings like hers. If these girls were horse hybrids or something, then I can only assume that she’s some kind of pegasus. Speaking of the other winged girl, this one had butter yellow fur with a long pink mane and tail. She has blue eyes and wore a green sweater and blue jeans. I noticed that she hid behind her mane a bit and had a bit of a shy look to her. The next girl looked like she belonged in some cartoon. She had pink fur with a pink, puffy, curly mane and tail that looked like cotton candy. She has blue eyes and was wearing a pink skirt and top. For some reason, she seemed to be smiling constantly and hopped in place as she conversed with the others. The pink horse girl looked in my direction and waved to me, to which I just hid back behind the tree. I waited a bit before peeking out again to see she went back to talking to the others. The girl standing next to her looked like she was all posh and elegant due to what she was wearing and how she styled her mane and tail. Her white fur seems to glisten more than the others and her curly mane and tail was purple. She has light blue eyes and was wearing a white button up shirt and a skirt that matched the colour of her mane and tail. I was confused as to why she had a horn, but like the pegasus girls, I surmised that she could only be a unicorn horse girl. Lastly, another unicorn girl stood in the middle of the huddle. She had lavender fur with a purple and pink streaked mane and tail. Like the white furred girl, she also had a horn and magenta eyes, wearing a purple skirt with a white undershirt and lavender sweater. Her outfit made her look like she was some kind of school girl and seemed to be doing most of the talking. I hid back behind the tree and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Okay…okay, Will, calm yourself. Who or whatever these people are, they at least don’t look as hostile as you think. I mean, that pink girl seemed nice, right? Why else would she wave at you like that? Then again, you did just wake up from your supposed death, so this could all just be some illusion from blood loss. Argh! Why does my head have to hurt so damn much!? I thought as I held my head with both hands. “Um…excuse me?” I flinched at the sound of someone talking and gulped as I peeked around the tree once more. The lavender furred girl was standing just before the tree as the others stood close behind her. “You don’t have to be scared,” she said softly. She’s talking to me? “How…how do I know that?” I asked. “You say not to be scared, but I have no idea who or what any of you even are.” The lavender girl looked back to her friends and then back to me with a bit of a pleading look. “We promise, we mean you no harm. As for what we are, we’re ponies, and I can assure you that we’re anything but dangerous.” Ponies? Wow, I sure was off. “So, if I come out, you promise not to attack me or anything? Just so you know, I know martial arts. I’m trained to protect myself if need be,” I warned. “Martial arts? What is that?” she wondered. “In other words, hand to hand combat,” I added, making her and the others become wary. “I’m just letting you know, is all.” “I see,” the girl said, clearing her throat. “Regardless, you have my word that no pony here will hurt you or try to attack you.” “Uh, don’t you mean no one?” I questioned. “No, I meant no pony.” “But…actually, never mind,” I shook my head. “If you insist, then I’ll come out.” The girl smiled and stepped back and waited for me. I took a few more deep breaths before stepping away from the tree and out in the open. I stepped more into the moon’s light so that they could get a good look at me. I hadn’t noticed before, but seeing them all up close put all my worries away since they were all not as intimidating as I thought. Although, I couldn’t really say the same when they saw me. Their expressions were a mix of interest, confusion, caution, slight fear, and curiosity. “So…hi there,” I said with a mock wave. “It’s, uh…nice to meet you.” “What exactly are you?” the lavender pony asked. “You don’t look like a pony, yet you have somewhat similar characteristics.” “He looks kind of weird,” the rainbow-haired pony said. “Rainbow Dash! Don’t be rude!” the white-furred pony snapped. “What? I mean, look at him. He doesn’t even have a tail or hooves for that matter. It’s just weird. No offense.” “None taken?” I shrugged. “Well, if ya ain’t a pony, then what are ya?” the orange-furred pony asked in a southern accent. “I…guess if you wanna call me something, I’m a human,” I said, making them all gasp. “A human?!” the lavender girl yelped. “No way! You can’t be a real live human!” the rainbow-haired pony accused. “Oh my…a real human,” the butter yellow-furred pony whispered. “WOWIE!” All of a sudden, my vision was blurred by pink and a pair of blue eyes. “YOU’RE A HUMAN?! THAT’S SO COOL! HI, I’M PINKIE PIE! I LIKE PARTIES! DO YOU LIKE PARTIES?! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF CAKE?! DO YOU KNOW ANY FUNNY JOKES?! HERE’S ONE! WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?!” “Uuuuhhhh…” I mumbled as my eyes spun in circles. “Woah there, sugarcube,” the orange-furred girl said as she pulled the energetic pink pony away from me. “You’ll make him see stars with all them questions.” “I…think I already am,” I half joked. “But I assure you all, I’m a pure-blooded human. The more scientific term would classify me as a Homosapien .” “How extraordinary!” The lavender pony squealed as she pulled out a paper and quill from her pockets. “You must tell me everything about yourself! Like, where do humans come from? Why are your ears so small and on the sides of your head? Can you tell me what kind of diet humans have that might differ from ponies?” For god’s sake, one hyperactive pony girl is enough! “Twilight, darling, I believe you are going to stress the poor dear out,” the white-furred pony girl said. The lavender pony girl soon realized how overwhelmed I was and smiled sheepishly as she backed away to give me space. “Sorry about that. Can you at least tell us your name?” “That, I can actually answer at the moment,” I said, rubbing my head. “My name is William Saber. What about you all?” “William Saber? That’s an interesting name. My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said with a polite bow. “Name’s Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Ponyville!” Rainbow boasted as she unfurled her wings. “I’m Applejack, partner,” Applejack said, tipping her hat. “And ya already met Pinkie Pie.” “Hi, Willy!” Pinkie chirped. Willy? “I am Rarity, darling,” Rarity said, batting her eyes. “Charmed.” “Um…I’m Fluttershy,” Fluttershy whispered, still hiding behind her mane. “Fluttershy? Huh, nice name,” I nodded, barely managing to hear her quiet voice. “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you all. How come you’re all walking in this creepy forest?” “Oh goodness! I almost forgot! Come on, girls, we need to get to the old castle right away!” Twilight said as she walked past me. “Where are you all headed?” I wondered. “We’re on a mission to save the world!” Rainbow said confidently. “From who?” “An evil mare who wants to plunge the world in eternal night,” Rarity said. “While I do enjoy stargazing, I would prefer to at least show off new designs for my summer collection.” “Hey, Willy, why not come with us?” Pinkie chirped. “Me? This seems like something you all should be handling on your own,” I said. “Aw, come on, Willy! The Everfree Forest is no place for a group of young mares like us to roam around. We might need a strong, brave stallion like you to protect us!” “Okay, first of all, I’m not a stallion,” I stated. “Second, I may know how to fight, but I don’t see how effective I can be against whatever’s lurking around here.” “Well ya can’t exactly leave here if ya don’t got anywhere to go,” Applejack said. “Like Pinkie said, the Everfree ain’t no cakewalk, especially at night.” “Cake? Where?” Pinkie asked. Applejack did have a point. If I tried to leave the forest, I’d probably end up getting more lost than I would’ve wanted to. Not to mention I wouldn’t even know where to go if and when I managed to get out of the forest. “Okay, I guess I can tag along,” I shrugged. “Great! You might even help us save the world!” Pinkie said as she grabbed my arm and pulled me along. What have I just gotten myself into? My walk with these…mares, I guess I would call them, was all mostly quiet, excluding Pinkie Pie, who’d occasionally badger me with questions. I mostly hung back as we walked through the forest and kept to myself, mostly because I was still trying to contemplate how the hell I was even walking with bipedal, talking pony creatures in the first place. It wasn’t until the blue mare, Rainbow Dash I think her name was, paced back to walk near me and gave me a look. “Uh, there something you need?” I asked. “Yeah, you said you knew how to fight, right?” she questioned. “I prefer the term self-defense, but yes, I do,” I nodded. “What kind of fighting?” “Karate. I’m an 8th level black belt.” “Seriously?” Rainbow said, rather surprised. “How are you such a high rank?” “Years of hard work and dedication, I guess,” I shrugged. “Plus my sensei always told me that I was a fast learner. Do you know karate?” “Of course I do! I learned it as a hobby, but I’m only a red belt for now.” “Wow, that’s pretty cool. You aiming to get a black belt?” “You better believe I am,” Rainbow proclaimed proudly. “And don’t think you’re cooler than me just cause you’re a black belt. Once I get mine, I wanna challenge you to a bout!” “Sure, I’ll be happy to accept your challenge,” I nodded. “Hey, Will, was it?” Applejack asked, also hanging back as I glanced at her. “I’ve been meanin’ to ask. What’s the deal with yer eyes?” That question seemed to grasp the attention of all the mares, making them stop for a moment to look at me. I had a feeling one of them would ask about it, which is understandable since my eyes seem to stand out more than the rest of me. “Hey, she’s right. Your eyes are two different colors,” Rainbow said, pointing at me. “Oh my, they look rather…alluring,” Rarity cooed. “Uh, thanks, I guess?” I shrugged. “Never got called that before. Anyway, it’s not really anything conversation worthy. I have Heterochromia.” “Herero-whata?” Pinkie asked, unable to pronounce the word. “What the hay is that?” Rainbow asked. “It’s as you said before; it’s when someone has two different eye colors. As you can see, my right eye is hazel and my left eye is light blue,” I explained, pointing to each of my eyes. “I’ve had it since I was born.” “It ain’t anythin’ like a sickness, is it?” Applejack asked warily. “Oh no no, far from it,” I shook my head. “The condition is completely benign, which means it’s harmless.” “Do all humans have this condition?” Twilight asked as she scribbled on her paper. “Not all humans, but there are some breeds of animals that are known to have it all the time.” “What kind of animals?” Fluttershy wondered. “Mostly dogs, cats, and a couple of other species. It actually isn’t as common with humans as it is with animals as you think.” “How fascinating,” Twilight said. “And what are these other animals that may have it.” “If I were to guess, I’d say-HOLY SHIT, WHAT’S THAT?!” I pointed past the girls as a monster appeared before us. It had the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion. I was completely frozen at what I was bearing witness to; this thing was a goddamn Manticore from the stories of myth! “A Manticore!” Twilight yelped. “We’ve gotta get past him!” “Are you crazy?! That thing will tear us apart!” I said. The Manticore roared at us, then leapt into the air and made a swipe at us. We all jumped out of the way and Rarity spun around and kicked the lion monster in the snout. “Take that, you ruffian!” Rarity shouted. The Manticore just shook its head and roared in her face, making her mane blow back and get all frizzy. “My hair!” Rarity ran away from the beast as it gave chase. Before it could chase her any further, Applejack jumped on top of it and began riding it like a bull. “YE HAW! Git along, little doggy!” she whooped as the Manticore tried to shake her off. “Holy crap, that girl’s got guts,” I said astonished. “Wait…” Fluttershy whispered. “Wait for what?” I asked. Before she could respond, the Manticore managed to throw Applejack off, who sailed through the air and saluted Rainbow Dash as if she was tagging her in to face the monster. “Wait…!” Fluttershy said again. She dashed at the Manticore with amazing speed and spun around the beast, creating a miniature rainbow hurricane. It looked like the Manticore was getting annoyed with the rainbow pegasus, so it used its tail to swat her away like she was a fly. “Rainbow!” we all cried out as Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop across the ground in a daze from the spinning. As Rainbow tried to pick herself up, the Manticore stalked over to the downed pegasus with its tail raised in the air. No one could do anything as they tried to figure out how to save her, and time was running out. I’m not sure what came over me. Maybe it was an act of pure stupidity, but I knew I had to do something or Rainbow Dash was a goner. I sprinted toward the monster, ignoring the shouts of protest from the others. I then did a cartwheel and began jumping off my hands and feet, leaping off the ground while maintaining the momentum of my spin and extended my leg. I brought my foot down on the Manticore’s head with a fierce ax kick, making it roar in pain as I backflipped in the air and landed right in front of Rainbow Dash. “She’s not on the menu tonight, pussy cat,” I said as I spread my legs and raised my arms into a Front-Stance. The Manticore shook its head and growled at me, readying to come in for another attack. I prepared myself and waited for the monster lion to attack. “WAIT!!” Everyone froze as Fluttershy flew in between me and the Manticore. I was confused as to why she told everyone to wait, but she seemed serious in her request. We watched as the yellow pegasus went over to the Manticore and gently rubbed its paw. “Fluttershy, get away from that thing! It’s pissed and will eat you alive!” I called out. “No it won’t, look,” she said as she pointed to the Manticore’s paw. The beast turned its paw around to reveal a thorn stuck in the padding of its paw. “Oh you poor, poor little baby.” “Little?” I questioned. “Now this might hurt for just a second,” Fluttershy said as she pulled out the thorn. As soon as it was removed, the Manticore grabbed the mare and let out an ear-splitting roar. “FLUTTERSHY!” we all shouted, but were more surprised at what the Manticore was actually doing. Instead of devouring her, the Manticore was grooming her while purring, and it looked like a mother cat grooming her kittens. “The hell…?” I muttered to myself. “Aw, you’re just a little baby kitty, aren’t you?” Fluttershy giggled. “Yes you are, yes you are~.” Taking the opportunity while it was distracted, we all sneaked past the Manticore until we were a safe distance away. The Manticore eventually released Fluttershy and walked back into the forest and Fluttershy rejoined us. “How did you know about the thorn?” Twilight wondered. “I didn’t. Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a little kindness,” Fluttershy said. “Huh, go figure,” I hummed as Twilight smiled. “Hey…” I looked over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking away bashfully and rubbing her arm. “That was…pretty cool. What you did back there.” “No problem. You also had a pretty decent plan yourself,” I said. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” “Yeah, well, don’t think you’re gonna be saving me again anytime soon,” Rainbow said, slugging my arm. “Next time, I’ll be the one saving your sorry flank.” “I look forward to it,” I chuckled as we continued on. The forest seemed to become more creepy and dank as we walked deeper in. I sometimes had to wipe the bottom of my shoes on a tree trunk to get the mud off and there always seemed to be a twig here and there getting stuck on my cloak. Regardless, we still carried on, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes on us constantly. “Igh, my eyes need a rest from all this icky muck,” Rarity complained. We soon came to a point where more foreboding trees loomed over us and the air became more musky. “Well, I didn’t mean that literally.” “I can vouch for that,” I agreed. “Normally, I wouldn’t mind a hike through the woods, but this place kinda kills the whole vibe.” “At least there ain’t no more cliffs to fall off of,” Applejack said, making Twilight shiver nervously. “Please don’t remind me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared,” Twilight said. “At least I was truthful with ya,” Applejack said. “Mind filling me in?” “Oh. Well, before you showed up, we were on the edge of a cliff, and it collapsed from underneath us,” Twilight said. “Oh damn. How’d you all get out of that?” I wondered. “We saved everypony, that’s how!” Rainbow said proudly, wrapping an arm around Fluttershy, who blushed at the attention. “It’s true. We were tumblin’ down the hill and were unable to stop when the cliff gave way,” Applejack described. “Ah managed to grab a thick root to stop mahself and caught Twilight just in time. Ah was about to pull her up, but Ah was afraid the cliff might collapse again. It wasn’t until Ah noticed Rainbow and Fluttershy flying back up in the air after makin’ sure Rarity and Pinkie were safe that I asked Twilight to let go of mah grip.” “You asked her to let go? That seems pretty dangerous though,” I said, a little shocked. “But I’m glad she did,” Twilight said. “She knew that Rainbow and Fluttershy would catch me and she even assured me she would never lie.” “Looks like you put your trust in the right mare,” I commented and Twilight nodded. “Shucks, you two. It weren’t nothin’,” Applejack said, rubbing the back of her head. “On the contrary, trust is a two-way streak,” I said. “The fact you were able to convince Twilight to put her life in your hands speaks volumes. There aren’t many who are willing to do what you were able to do.” “Well, thank ya kindly, Will,” Applejack smiled. SQUISH “Oh wait, I think I stepped in somethin’.” Suddenly, Fluttershy screamed in a panic, making me flinch at the sudden screaming. “It’s just mud.” “Uh…I think she was screaming at that!” Rainbow said fearfully, pointing at the tree. The tree in question had a very scary face on it, which sent a cold shiver down my spine. Soon, the rest of the girls started screaming as more of the trees seemed to have terrifying faces on them. It was like I was in some kind of messed up version of Alice in Wonderland. We all soon stopped screaming when the sound of laughter of all things grabbed our attention. Pinkie Pie was clutching her stomach, pointing at one of the trees and actually laughing at it despite it having a creepy face, and she was making her own funny faces. “Pinkie, what are you doing?! Run!” Twilight cried out. “Oh girls, and Willy, don’t you see?” Pinkie asked. Then out of nowhere, she began to sing of all things. After she and the rest of the girls sang their little song, they all laid on the ground laughing up a fit like they had the best time. I couldn’t help myself but laugh along with them since it was so fun watching them make the faces disappear by just laughing and singing. “Hahaha! Man, who knew breaking out in a musical number would lift spirits so much!” I said, wiping my eye. “Of course! Laughing is always the best cure for anything!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped along and we followed after her. The path led us out of the dank part of the forest and into a more open area. “I must say, William, your attire certainly is interesting. Especially your jacket. I’ve never seen such a design before,” Rarity said as she walked up next to me. “You think so? It’s just something I wear on a regular basis,” I shrugged. “Do you perhaps have any other clothing you can show me?” “Unfortunately, this is all I’ve got at the moment.” “Truly? How is that possible?” “It’s…a long story, but what you see me wearing now are the only clothes I have on me.” “I see. Then I suppose we will have to remedy that once all of this is over,” Rarity hummed. We soon arrived at a raging river. The waves looked so violent that any one of us could be swept away if we even tried to cross. “How are we gonna cross this?” Pinkie wondered. “Anyone got a zipline handy?” I asked, but they all just stared at me. Downstream, we heard what sounded like someone crying their eyes out. We followed the noise and saw a large purple sea serpent creature with nicely styled hair and a moustache, only half his moustache was cut off. The guy was thrashing around in the water, which explained why the water was so crazy. “What a world! What a world!” he cried as he smashed his fists in the river. “Man, that guy needs to chill,” I mumbled. “Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?” Twilight asked. “Well, I don’t know! I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved moustache clean off!” the serpent said sadly as he pointed to his face. “And now, I look simply horrid!” He flailed around dramatically and made a big wave of water splash on us. “Hey! What the hell, dude?!” I snapped as my clothes were drenched. “Oh, give me a break…” Rainbow grumbled. “That’s what all the fuss is about?” Applejack asked. “Anyone got a towel?” I asked as I tried to wring my cloak dry. “Why, of course it is!” Rarity said. “How can you be so insensitive? Oh, just look at him. Such lovely, luminescent scales!” “I know!” the serpent sniffled. “Your expertly quaffed mane!” “Oh, I know, I know!” “Your fabulous manicure!” “It’s so true!” “Good god, is she always like this?” I groaned to the others as I tried to dry the rest of my clothes. “More than she cares to admit, partner,” Applejack sighed, the others nodding in agreement. “All ruined without your beautiful moustache,” Rarity frowned. “It’s true! I’m hideous!” the serpent cried out dramatically. “I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected!” Rarity proclaimed. She reached over and pulled a scale out from the serpent’s body, making him yelp in pain. Rarity raised the scale up high and swiped it behind her, cutting her tail off completely and the serpent fell over on the shore in a dramatic fashion. “Oh damn, that was unexpected,” I said. Rarity’s horn sparkled and glowed a light blue glow as the rest of her tail she cut off levitated off the ground. It floated toward the cut off part of the serpent’s moustache and tied around it so it could replace what was cut off. “Oh ho ho ho! My moustache! How wonderful!” he cheered gleefully. “You look smashing!” Rarity complimented. “Oh Rarity, your beautiful tail,” Twilight said pityingly. “That was a gutsy move you pulled,” I said. “Sacrificing your own tail to fix his moustache?” “Oh, it’s fine, my dears. Short tails are in this season,” Rarity said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, it’ll grow back.” “So would the moustache,” Rainbow whispered. “Don’t ruin the moment,” I chided, giving her a light elbow. “And check it out. We can cross the river now.” “Allow me,” the serpent said as he used his body as a platform for us to hop on to the other side. “Thanks for the lift, big guy,” I said to him. “Oh, anytime, my new friends! I wish you luck on the rest of your journey!” the serpent beamed. Heh, interesting guy. “So, remind me again what it is you’re all looking for?” I asked as we continued our trek. “We’re supposed to find the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters,” Twilight said. “It is supposed to be the last known location of the Elements of Harmony.” “Uh huh, and these element things are what exactly?” I asked, still unclear what she was talking about. “All you need to know is that they’re what we need to save the world,” Rainbow said. Our walking soon led us to a gorge with a rickety looking bridge hanging in between. On the other side, I could see what looked like the ruins of an old castle. “There it is! The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony! We made it!” Twilight said happily as she ran ahead of us and we ran after her. “Twilight, wait for us!” Applejack called out. “We’re almost there!” I soon saw that the bridge was out, making my eyes widen. “TWILIGHT, STOP! THE BRIDGE!” Twilight had stopped just in time before she fell off the edge. Rainbow was able to grab her tail and pull her back before she fell forward. “What’s with you and falling off cliffs today?” Rainbow teased. “Sweet jeezus, I thought I was gonna have a heart attack,” I exhaled. “Now what?” Pinkie whined, gesturing to the broken bridge. “Duh?” Rainbow said, unfurling her wings and flew off. She flew down, diving into the gorge to retrieve the fallen rope bridge. She flew out of the gorge with the bridge in hand and disappeared into the fog to reach the other side. We waited for a few minutes, but hadn’t heard anything back yet. “You think she’s okay?” I wondered. “It shouldn’t be that hard to tie a rope.” “Rainbow Dash! What’s taking so long?!” Twilight called out. Through the fog, we saw more ponies talking with Rainbow, and Twilight became fearful at the sight of them. “Oh no…Rainbow Dash, don’t listen to them!” As she tried to call out to Rainbow Dash, the fog mysteriously moved in and blocked our vision from seeing her. We all then grew worried for her until she eventually came flying back with a proud smile. “See? I never leave my friends hanging,” Rainbow said as we crossed the bridge. “It’s good to see you Rainbow. Now we-” CRACK! I was cut off when one of the wooden boards broke and my leg fell through. All the girls snapped their heads to me as I desperately tried to hang on to the board in front of me. Rainbow gasped and flew toward me to catch me, but my grip slipped too soon and I began plummeting down below. “OH FUCK!!!” I screamed. “WILLIAM!!!” they all cried. I was in a complete panic as I plummeted down in the gorge. I spun around to see that I was nearing the bottom at a rapid pace. It was all so soon. I had just returned to life, and I’m now about to die again. But…I didn’t want to die! I wanted to keep living! I wanted to know why I was sent here! “I WANT TO LIVE!!!” I screamed as I shut my eyes and focused with all my might. I waited for my untimely end, but it seemed like I was waiting longer than expected. Daring to open my eyes, I looked around and saw that I was still alive and well. Only thing about my current situation is that I was frozen in place as my face was mere inches from the ground. I slowly looked down and my eyes widened in total disbelief. Not only was I still alive, but I also was somehow floating in midair. More to the point, I felt a very strange sensation within me, like an unknown force was keeping me in the air. My body soon relaxed, but I kept hovering in the air and looked at my hands. I was completely unscathed and there wasn’t a scratch on me, yet I was still completely baffled by what was happening. “How…how is this possible?” I wondered. I looked up to the bridge and thought about the others. They probably think I’m dead right now, and I’d very much prefer to ease their minds. “Okay, Will, just focus.” I inhaled and exhaled as I concentrated to make myself go up. “Easy does it.” As I had hoped, I began floating upwards and back to the bridge. I almost had a few close calls when I fell a little, but I kept flying upwards. “I’m flying. I’m actually flying on my own. This is such an incredible feeling.” The bridge and the girls then came into view on the other side of the gorge, and every single one of them were crying their eyes out. Twilight’s head hung low, Applejack had taken her hat off her head as Fluttershy hugged her and cried into her shoulder, Rarity buried her face in her hands, Rainbow was on her knees and punching the ground, and Pinkie was crying harder than the others as her mane and tail had deflated. I hovered in the air just above the girls and cleared my throat, gaining their attention. Once they all saw me, none of them were able to form words they were so surprised. “Hey, girls,” I said with a weak smile. “WILLIAM?!?” “Bu-ho-yo-” Twilight tried to speak. “You’re alive!” Rainbow said as she flew up to meet me in the air and wiped her eyes. “And…holy hay, you’re flying!” “That I am,” I nodded. “But how?! You never told us you could fly!” “Honestly, I figured it out not two minutes ago,” I shrugged. I then attempted to land back on the ground, but I ended up falling on my ass on the dirt with a loud thump. “Ouch! Damn, that hurt…” Suddenly, I was swarmed by the girls, who all embraced me in a big group hug and they continued to cry. “Sweet stars above! We thought you died!” Twilight cried. “Don’t you ever scare us like that again!” Rarity shrieked. “I’m so happy you’re ok!” Fluttershy wept. “You still owe me that bout, you jerk!” Rainbow snapped. “Consarnit, ya nearly gave us a heart attack!” Applejack barked. “WAAAAHHHH! I WAS SO SAD! BUT NOW I’M HAPPY YOU’RE OKAY!” Pinkie bawled. I was taken aback as to why they were so happy to see me again. But as they hugged me, a warm feeling washed over me. They were genuinely sad when they thought I had died after I fell. It was a comforting feeling, being cared for by others this much, even if we had all just met tonight. “I told you, I don’t know. It just happened.” “How can flying on your own without wings be something that just happened? You were literally in the air and we saw no wings!” “For god’s sake, Twilight, if I knew, I’d know, but I don’t!” As we approached the castle ruins, Twilight took it upon herself to badger me with questions about how I was able to fly on my own without wings. I had told her many times before I had no clue as to how I was able to do it in the first place. It was all just in the spur of the moment as I fell, and it just happened when I needed it most. I at least recall what it felt like while I was flying. It was as if a feeling of unknown energy from within allowed me to gain the ability of flight, like a warm flame in the center of my body. Ignoring Twilight’s constant questions, we opened the doors of the old castle. The inside looked like no one had been here in a very long time. Old tapestries were rotting away with age while stone bricks were falling out of the walls. Large stone pillars towered over us and were covered in both vines and moss, and glass windows were either cracked or shattered. In the center of the room sat a large pedestal with five stone orbs resting on it. “Wow, what a view,” I said. “Come on, Twilight, isn’t this what you’ve been waitin’ for?” Applejack asked. “The Elements of Harmony! We found them!” Twilight cheered. Rainbow and Fluttershy flew up to pick them up and set them on the ground. Not wanting to be left out, I decided to help out and tried to fly up myself. I focused on the feeling from before and concentrated as much as I could. Slowly but surely, I lifted off the ground and into the air. Still keeping my focus, I floated over to the pedestal and gently grabbed a stone orb to bring it back down to the floor. “Careful…careful,” Twilight said. I almost dropped the orb when I landed, but managed to catch myself when I set the orb down on the floor. “One, two, three, four…there’s only five,” Pinkie said. “Where’s the sixth?” Rainbow wondered. “The book said when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed,” Twilight said as she examined the orbs. “What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack asked. “Maybe it’s a riddle?” I guessed. “Sounds like a dumb riddle,” Rainbow said. “I’m not sure, but I have an idea,” Twilight said. “Stand back, I don’t know what will happen.” We all did as instructed and took a few steps backwards. Twilight then closed her eyes as her horn began to shine a light lavender glow. “Come on now, y’all, she needs to concentrate,” Applejack said as she led the others out. I was about to follow her when my eye caught the sight of something behind one of the pillars. I thought I saw what looked like a purple mist-like substance, but it soon disappeared when I looked over to it. “Will? Are ya comin’?” “Yeah, I’m right behind you,” I said as I followed. We stepped back outside and waited for Twilight to finish whatever it is she was doing. Meanwhile, I was off to the side and left to my thoughts as I looked down at my hands. I wasn’t sure why, but I somehow got the impression that I had seen this somewhere before. Why was I able to fly without wings? Is it due to that warm feeling I had earlier when I flew? To test a theory, I began to focus that feeling in my hands instead of for when I fly. As expected, the feeling in my chest returned and I tried to make it so it went into my hands. My hands soon began to glow faintly, which only drove me to concentrate more. My hands glowed more and more until a small orb of light appeared in front of me. It was a little bright and glowed a yellow hue as it illuminated my face. I was astounded by the results. It was as if I somehow manifested my own energy into a ball of light, and I’m now holding it in my hands. As soon as I had that thought, a realization hit me. “Wait a sec. Energy, being able to fly, the warm sensation within,” I mumbled to myself. “Is…is this Ki?” Suddenly, I heard Twilight yelp in a panic, making me break my concentration and the orb dissipated from my hands. “Twilight!” we all shouted as we ran back to the castle. We pushed open the doors to see Twilight in a panic. In front of her was some kind of large purple whirlwind and the element orbs were flying around in the air. “The Elements!” Twilight cried and jumped into the whirlwind. “Twilight, wait!” I called out, but it was too late. Both she and the orbs disappeared in a flash before any of us could join in. “Shit!” “Twilight, where are you?!” Applejack called out. “Where could she have gone?! What the hell was that whirlwind?” I wondered as we all ran around looking for Twilight. “Look!” Rarity called out,pointing out a window. We all looked out to see another tower and flashing lights from inside. “She’s gotta be in there!” I said. “Come on!” Applejack said and we ran out of the room. We followed the path toward the tower as fast as we could. Before we could reach the tower, the same purple mist swirled in front of us, making us stop in our tracks. From the mist, a pack of wolf-like creatures that looked like they were made of pieces of wood growled as they blocked our path. “What the hell?!” I shouted. “Timber wolves!” Rarity shrieked. One of the wolves crouched down and leapt at Rarity with its fangs bared. Thinking fast, I jumped in front of Rarity, raised my hands in front of me, and concentrated as hard as I could. A bright orb of energy quickly formed in my hands and I thrust them forward, making the orb shoot from my hands and blast into the timber wolf. The orb blew the creature up into pieces as they fell to the ground. “What the hay?!” Rainbow cried. “William, how did you-?” Rarity tried to say. “No time to explain! Get to the tower, I’ll hold them all off!” I said as I got into my stance. “By yourself?! That’s crazy talk!” Applejack argued. “And I said there’s no time! Twilight needs you all right now!” They were hesitant at first, but nodded anyway as they ran past me. Rarity looked over her shoulder, but continued onwards to the tower with the others. The timber wolves were about to run after them, but I stood in their way and glared at them. “Not another step, you freaks of nature!” I growled. The wolves all barked and gnashed their wooden fangs at me as they advanced. I ran toward them and jumped forward to deliver a flying kick to the closest one. My foot smashed into its face, making it yelp in pain, but I was far from done. I reeled back and punched its muzzle upwards and spun my body around to kick it in the side. The force of my kick sent the wooden wolf flying as it burst into pieces upon impact on the ground. Another wolf tried to pounce behind me, but I managed to duck just in time. It turned around and tried to bite my arm, but I raised my hand and pointed it at its open jaw. “Eat this, Fido!” I managed to fire another orb of energy straight down its throat, which caused it to explode from the inside and into pieces. I looked around to see that there were still a few more of these creepy ass wolves left, and they had surrounded me. The lights from the tower looked like they were shining a bit brighter than before, and I could only guess what was happening with Twilight and the rest of the girls. I was brought out of my thoughts when all three timber wolves jumped at me at the same time. I reacted quickly by jumping in the air and flying upwards, making the wolves crash into each other. I decided to finally put an end to this as I raised my hands in the sky and focused all my energy. This time, the orb of energy I was building was much larger than the normal ones I’ve been firing off so far. Once I was satisfied with its size, which was the size of a large beach ball, I swung my arms downwards toward the pile of wooden creatures. There was a large explosion beneath me as the orb exploded, making me cover my face as dust and debris flew everywhere. When I lowered my arm, I saw that I had made a small crater from my attack, which made me smirk a little at my efforts. Though my little victory was short-lived when I lost focus a little and fell out of the air and on my ass again. “Ouch! Damnit, this shit’s gonna get old real quick,” I grumbled as I picked myself up. Only once I stood up straight, I staggered a bit and my head spun a little. I shook my head and I soon felt very exhausted, like I had run a mile or two nonstop and I could feel my heart beating rapidly. “Ugh, guess I overdid it with that last attack.” I looked to the tower and remembered that the others were still in there. “Come on, Will, no throwing in the towel just yet.” I shook my head and slapped my cheeks as I jogged up toward the tower. Whatever was waiting for me, I could only guess at this point. I wiped my brow for the upteenth time as I neared the tower. I felt like my body was on the verge of collapsing due to the fatigue and overexertion of power I unleashed back with my fight with those timber wolves. Part of me wanted to rest and catch my breath, or at least conserve a little more energy, but I wasn’t in a situation where that would be possible. I had no choice. I had to press on and help the others as best I could with whatever it is they were facing. I finally made it to the tower and saw the girls standing together, and in front of them was a taller mare. Her fur was black with a hint of blue, and her mane and tail was a misty purple that had little specks of light that twinkled like the stars in the sky. What caught my attention was the fact that this mare seemed to have both a horn and wings. Her eyes were cyan with her pupils slitted like a cat’s, and her teeth had two sharp fangs that protruded from her lips. She wore some kind of blue battle armor and stood about a full head taller than the girls. The mere sight of her set a bad feeling in my gut. It was only confirmed when I saw shards of stone that littered the ground. “Fuck! The element things, they’re completely busted!” I cursed. “You little foals!” the dark mare laughed. “Thinking you could all defeat me?! Now you will never see your Princess or your sun! The night will last forever!” She laughed out loud as her mane seemed to swirl above her like a vortex. “And just so my rein will be eternal, I shall make sure to wound my sister further by snuffing out the life that is her precious pupil!” I watched as the mare raised her hand and a spear appeared in her grip. It was dark blue with a crescent moon. Under the tip, the two points were facing upward to help stab or slice. She raised the spear and prepared to throw it, but I wasn’t gonna have any of it. “Come on, body! Just a little more juice!” I said. I concentrated hard and lifted in the air. I then shot forward as fast as I could just as the dark mare threw the spear at Twilight. Time slowed down as I outstretched my arms toward Twilight. My arms slid under her legs and back as I scooped her up and time started to move normally again as the spear impacted the ground. “TWILIGHT!” the girls cried out. When the dust settled, all they saw was the spear, which shocked everyone, and soon turned to me. I held Twilight in my arms as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She then looked up at me and I gave her a tired smile. “William?” “Hey, you okay?” I asked as I set her down. “Yes. Thank you, but all is lost,” Twilight frowned. “The elements are destroyed.” “Don’t give up just yet, Twilight.” “But they were the only chance of defeating Nightmare Moon! How can we win when our best chance has been lost?” “Twilight, look at me,” I said, grabbing her shoulders and she looked me in the eye. “We may have only just met, but I can tell you’re as smart as you look. I may not know the full details why those elements were so important, but something tells me there’s more to it than that.” “How can you be so sure? They’re all shattered to pieces.” “What was it you said? That the elements needed some kind of spark?” I asked, to which she nodded in response. “Think of it this way. It’s like I said before: this whole thing is one big riddle, and it has yet to be solved. You’re so close, Twilight. If anyone can figure this ordeal out, it’s you.” Twilight clung to my words and looked away for a moment, but then looked back to me with a more confident expression and nodded. “Good. Now hurry back to your friends,” I said as I turned to the dark mare. “I’ll handle her.” “What?! That’s crazy! She’s way too powerful! And you look like you’re about to collapse from exhaustion!” “I’ll handle it. You focus on figuring this mess out,” I said as I approached the dark mare. I stood just before her as the wind blew past us, making my cloak billow in the wind and her mane and tail blow off to the side. “Well, well,” the dark mare hummed with a sadistic grin. “A little colt stands to face me. How amusing.” “Yeah, well, considering how you nearly shishkebabed my friend back there, I didn’t really see an opinion not to intervene.” “Do you have any idea who I am?” she accused, unfurling her wings out wide. “Nope, but I have a feeling you’re gonna tell me anyway.” “I am Nightmare Moon! Ruler of the night, and eternal Princess of Equestria!” “Pleased to meet you. I’m William Saber,” I nodded. “No fancy titles, just the name is all I have on me.” “And just what kind of creature are you, William Saber?” Nightmare demanded. “I’m a human,” I replied, making her arch a brow. “Human? Truly?” She then smiled a wicked grin and started sauntering toward me with a slight sway in her step. “How intriguing. I never believed to encounter a human of all creatures. Especially one with unique abilities.” “How do you know I have powers?” I questioned as she began to circle and examine me. “I have been observing those mares since my return, even their trek through the Everfree Forest,” Nightmare said as she ran her hand along my cloak. “I thought I would be rid of them by placing obstacles in their path, but they seemed to overcome each one. I also took notice when you appeared. You have skill, for somepony so young, and your power is unlike any I have seen.” “Is there a point to this flattery?” I asked as she stood right in front of me. I was just as tall as her, but it looked like I was about a few inches taller. “Indeed. You show potential. More potential than any pony with combat experience, which is impressive, to say the least. Why waste your skills trying to bring back the day when you could put them to more of a good use?” Nightmare pointed out. “Such as?” I asked. Nightmare’s smile widened and her eyes lidded a bit as she gently cupped my chin. “Serve me,” she purred, rubbing my chin. “Use your power for a greater purpose and become my personal champion. With your power and my authority, we shall invoke a new world order the likes of which Equestria has never seen.” “Hmm. You know, I’d be lying if I said that idea didn’t sound half bad,” I hummed, making her giggle. “But, it’s too bad for you that I prefer to tell the truth.” I backed away and she narrowed her eyes. “That’s a terrible idea. And I want no part of your tyrannical plan to take over. The world needs the sun just as much as it needs the night. If you can’t see that, that’s your problem.” “A pity,” Nightmare sighed. “I would’ve liked an alluring warrior such as yourself to serve me, but your discolored eyes say otherwise. I suppose I have no choice but to dispatch you from this world.” I tried to fake her out by throwing a swift punch, but she managed to block my strike with ease. I quickly stepped back and spun my body around to deliver a roundhouse kick, but she weaved her body to dodge. Punch after punch, kick after kick, I tried so many times to land hit, but to no avail. She just kept dodging or blocking my attacks, and moved around as if she was dancing. It’s like she was toying with me, and it pissed me off just how outmatched I was than I thought. I jumped back and leapt into the air in a front flip and tried to hit her with an ax kick. Nightmare’s horn glowed and she disappeared as my foot slammed into the ground, cracking the stone beneath a little. I looked around for the dark mare until I felt something hard hit my back, making me fall forward onto the ground. I grunted as I turned to see Nightmare smirk at me and I was back on my feet. I then summoned an orb of Ki in my hands and fired it at her. Nightmare stood there for a moment until she raised her hand and swatted it aside like a ball. “Shit…!” I cursed. Before I could try something else, she teleported again and appeared right in front of me. She shot her hand to my throat, choking me and lifting me in the air. I tried to pry her hand away, but her hand was like a vice grip, crushing my throat. “Any last words before you meet your demise?” Nightmare said with that sadistic grin. I glared at her for a moment until I glanced behind her and smirked. “Gak! Y-Yeah…” I gasped. “Y-You should really l-learn to not g-get so caught-up in a c-conversation!” Nightmare arched a brow until there was a shining light behind her. She turned around to see Twilight and her friends all standing together, and the shards of the stone orbs circling around them. “What is the meaning of this?! The elements were supposed to be destroyed!” Nightmare snapped. “Guess you miscalculated,” I said mockingly. Nightmare seethed at me before throwing me across the room. I slammed into a stone column and hit my head on impact as I fell to the ground. My vision was blurred and my body ached in pain from being thrown. I didn’t expect her to be so strong with just a throw. I shakily picked myself up on my hands to see Twilight and the others now floating in the air, and above them was another stone orb shining brightly. I could barely hear what they were saying due to my ears ringing, but Nightmare seemed to be in a state of panic. I watched through my blurry vision as the light surrounding the girls became a rainbow and swirled above them. Before I lost consciousness, the rainbow shot down toward Nightmare. She screamed as the beam completely enveloped her before I collapsed and everything went black. I opened my eyes and noticed I was surrounded in some kind of void of light. I looked around and noticed I was floating in midair, but I couldn’t move my body. I even tried to speak, but nothing came out, which left me a little more confused. Suddenly, a bright light shined in front of me, forcing my eyes to close tightly until it died down somewhat. When I opened my eyes, the light continued to shine in front of me, and I swore I thought I saw something from within the light. Is…someone there? “Your journey…” I heard a voice say. “Has only begun…” What…? Before I could hear any more, I started to faintly hear more voices all around me. The light then disappeared and my vision began to blur again. Wait…what are you? “William…” My consciousness was returning, as well as movement throughout my body, and the voices from before were heard again. “William…!” “Come on, big guy, wake up…” “You think he’s alright…?” “She threw him quite hard, the poor dear…” Soon, I was fully awake as I groaned and opened my eyes. Though blurry at first, it soon cleared up quickly, and I saw the girls surrounding me as I lay on my back. The first thing I noticed about them was that they each were wearing some kind of necklace, excluding Twilight. Fluttershy’s necklace had a pink butterfly gem, Rainbow’s had a red lighting bolt, Pinkie’s was a blue balloon, Applejack’s had an orange apple gem, Rarity’s was a purple diamond, and Twilight wore a tiara with a magenta-colored six-pointed star on it. Once they met eyes with me, they all smiled as I tried to pick myself up on my elbows. “Steady there, partner. Ya got tossed around pretty hard back there,” Applejack said as I sat up. “Ugh…I feel like someone hit my head with a hammer.” “Goodness, darling, are you alright?” Rarity asked. “I’ll live. I’ve had worse.” “You sure got some serious guts,” Rainbow smirked. “Taking on Nightmare Moon? You must be a special kind of crazy!” “I agree. That was very reckless of you, William,” Twilight scolded. “She could’ve killed you!” “Hey, I’ll admit it wasn’t the best idea, but if it’s any consolation, I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance.” “Then why the hay did you do it anyway?!” Twilight demanded. “To buy you all time,” I said as I slowly stood up. “You needed a way to do what you needed to do without Nightmare getting in the way. That crazy mare was bent on preventing anything from stopping her, and she was willing to cross a line. It was a gamble, but I’m glad it worked out in the end.” “Be that as it may, it was still very foolish of you to challenge Nightmare Moon,” Twilight said. “Well Ah for one am glad that it’s all over,” Applejack said with a smile. “Ah thought you were spoutin’ a lot of hooey, Twilight, but I reckon we really do represent the Elements of Friendship.” “I’ll say. Those necklaces suit you all,” I said. “Indeed, they do.” Suddenly, a light shone in the room through a window to reveal that the sun had finally risen over the horizon. From the sun, an orb of light entered the room and hoverd just in front of us as a silhouette began to form from within the light. When the light died down, I was awestruck at who was standing before us. A tall alabaster white mare with a horn and wings with a green, blue, and pink mane and tail that billowed in a non-existent breeze, wearing a white dress with gold trimmings, and a picture of the sun on it stood before us with her wings unfurled out wide. She also wore a thick gold necklace with a purple gem in the middle and a gold tiara that also had a gold gem. The girls all immediately left my side and all bowed on their knees to the new mare as she gracefully landed on her hooves with a warm smile. Holy crap, who’s this? “Princess Celestia!” Twilight said gleefully as she ran up to her. “Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student,” the mare said in a motherly tone as she hugged Twilight. Hold up, Princess?! “I knew you could do it,” she said proudly. “But you told me it was all an old pony tail,” Twilight said. “I told you that you needed to make some friends,” Celestia corrected. “Nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon’s return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart.” Twilight smiled at her friends and I smiled as well as I held my bruised side. I then noticed that there was another mare in the room off to the side that caught my eye. She was starting to wake up, and I noticed some different characteristics about her than Nightmare Moon. She had blue fur and a light blue mane and tail. She also had a horn and wings and cyan eyes, but her pupils were more rounded instead of slitted. She was wearing a blue dress with black trimmings and her dress had a picture of a crescent moon on it. What happened to her? She looks nothing like Nightmare Moon. “Now if only another will as well,” Celestia said as she approached the mare, who gasped and sat up. “Princess Luna, it has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. It is time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.” “Sister?!” some of the girls gasped. How unexpected. “Will you accept my friendship?” Celestia asked. We were all silent as we waited for her response until she stood up on her hooves and wrapped her arms around Celestia. “I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I missed you so much, big sister!” “I missed you too!” Celestia said as she hugged her close as she cried happy tears. My smile only widened at their reunion, and even felt my eyes moisten a bit, making me wipe my eyes. Pinkie began bawling her eyes out and literally cried a fountain of tears. I was about to walk over and join the others, but then my head started spinning again and my body ached. I staggered a bit before leaning myself on the column, still clutching my side as I closed my eyes to clear my thoughts. That all really did a number on me. I might have used too much of my energy tonight, not to mention I stayed awake without any sleep. I looked at my hands and tried to summon more Ki, but nothing came out. Not sure why I have these powers, but I guess I’ll eventually find out while I’m here. “William?” I looked up to see Twilight and the girls approaching me. I gave them another tired wave. “Hey, sorry, but I’m having a little trouble standing at the moment. I think the adrenaline is starting to wear off.” “Will you be okay?” Twilight asked. “I might have a few bruised ribs here and there, but nothing too serious.” “And who might this be?” The two princesses made themselves known as the girls stepped to the side so they could stand in front of me. If I were standing up straight right now, I’d say I was about a few inches taller than this Celestia mare, and I was half a foot taller than her sister. “It’s, uh…a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesties,” I said politely with a curt nod. “I’m William Saber.” “An equal pleasure to meet you as well,” Celestia said. “Why are you clutching your side like that? Are you in some kind of pain?” “Yeah, kinda, but I guess that’s what happens when you try to go toe-to-toe with an all powerful being like Nightmare Moon.” “Oh my stars! You’re the one who faced me on your own!” Luna finally recalled. “I am so deeply sorry for hurting you!” “Hey, come on now, no need to get all frantic about it,” I said with a mock wave. “I don’t blame you or anyone for what happened. You obviously weren’t in control, so how could I blame you anyway?” “But you’re injured!” “Bruises. Nothing but bruises. I’ll live,” I argued. “Perhaps I may be able to help you with that?” Celeista said as she made her horn glow. I was soon covered in some kind of golden aura and felt a very soothing feeling wash over me. It was as if my strength was returning to me, and I felt more rejuvenated than before. Her horn soon stopped glowing and I stopped leaning on the column to stand at my full height. “I…feel much better now,” I said in awe. “Thank you, Princess.” “I’m happy to help. My name is Princess Celestia, now co-ruler of Equestria,” Celestia said. “And…I am Princess Luna,” Luna said shyly. “I am sorry again for hurting you.” “Really, it’s nothing to worry about,” I insisted. “So tell us, William Saber, what exactly are you? I cannot place it, but I feel as though I’ve seen your type of face before,” Celestia hummed. “Now that you mention it, sister, he does look familiar in a way,” Luna added. “Not sure how that’s possible, considering I’m human and all,” I said. Both Princesses’ eyes widened as they looked to each other, then back to me. “I’m sorry, but did you say you are a human?” Celesita asked. “Yes,” I nodded. “Like an actual human? Truly?” Luna asked. “Uh…yes?” I shrugged. “I had just arrived in this world last night, but I have no idea how.” There was a brief pause before they both composed themselves. “I see. It seems that we have much to discuss, William Saber, but for now, it is time for you all to rest. The night has been long and I would like to also return home with my little sister.” Celestia wrapped an arm around Luna as she snuggled into her embrace. “May we invite you to the capital some time? What we have to say is quite important, I assure you, but we must verify something first.” “That works for me, I guess, since my schedule’s pretty much nonexistent,” I shrugged. “Slight hiccup though. I don’t exactly have anywhere to stay.” “That won’t be a problem,” Celestia said and turned to Twilight. “My faithful student, from what I understand, you have taken up residence in the local library of Ponyville, correct?” “Yes, Princess. Spike and I have become very comfortable at the Golden Oak Library,” Twilight said. Spike? “Then I must ask for a request. May you please allow William Saber to stay with you in your new home until further notice?” Twilight looked at me and I only shrugged in response, but she smiled and nodded to Celestia. “Of course, Princess, I can do that no problem.” “Wow, seriously?” “Yes. I also feel it is appropriate since you saved my life,” Twilight said. “Consider this my thank you.” “Huh, well, when you put it that way, I’ll just have to accept,” I said. “Then it is agreed,” Celestia said. “Let us now return to Ponyville for the time being before my sister and I return home.” We then left the old castle and made it through the forest until we arrived at a small town that was filled with more technicolor anthro ponies. They were all waiting for us, and they ended up having a big party for the girls’ success in stopping Nightmare Moon and saving Luna. I mostly kept to myself and away from all the excitement since I wasn’t all that ready to mingle with anyone at the moment. I sat under a tree and relaxed from all that had transpired and looked up to the leaves covering me. So much had happened this night, and I could only begin to imagine what else was in store for me. My eyes then unintentionally got heavy and soon closed all the way. Before I knew it, I was out like a light and slept for the rest of the day. Author's Note His first act of heroism, but he has a long way to go. Side Note: This chapter and revamp would not have been possible without my co-writer The Saiyan Brony. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero Settles InChapter 4 They say that dreams can sometimes feel so real, you don’t even realize that you’re dreaming. I’ve certainly had dreams like that before, but none as real as this. Talking anthro ponies, dying and ending up in a new world, and somehow gaining the ability of Ki? It was like I was having one of those fever dreams and I was somewhat enjoying the experience of feeling somewhat like a superhero of a fantasy land. My senses were soon returning to me as I began to wake up, and I noticed that I felt as though I wasn’t lying under the tree I sat down by. It felt like I was laying on something soft as my eyes slowly opened to reveal that I was indeed no longer outside. I blinked as my vision returned to me, where I found myself in some kind of room and the walls were made out of wood. I lifted my hand to my face and opened and closed my palm. I then started to wiggle my toes and took a few deep breaths as I layed there. Everything seems to be functioning properly. Although this doesn’t exactly look like my room. I lifted my head to see I was laying down on a bed in a room that had a sort of woodland theme to it. The walls were very much made of wood and sorta curved upwards. It kinda felt like I was inside the trunk of a tree or something. I looked to my left to see a nightstand with a lamp on top and a chair next to it. Draped on the chair was my white cloak and my shoes sat below it. To my right was a four drawer dresser and a door next to it that was opened ajar. I could see what looked like the rim of a toilet, so I assumed that was the bathroom. Above the dresser was a window that showed the outside. It was still daytime, and the blue sky looked peaceful. I looked back at the far side of my new quarters to see another door that was closed. I could hear voices from the other side, one female and one male, but I couldn’t quite hear what they were saying. I lifted myself up on my elbows and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, sitting there for a moment. I was still wearing my clothes, which was a little uncomfortable since I slept in them, and looked down at my hands again. I started to play back everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. I somewhat wanted to convince myself that everything was a dream, that maybe I’m still dreaming somehow, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the harsh reality. “It’s not a dream…” I covered my face in my hands and took a deep breath. It was all real, everything that happened, and I was wide awake in another freaking world filled with these anthro pony creatures and whatever else that resided around here. A wave of sadness washed over me as I began to think about my family, how I never got the chance to say goodbye, and I somehow died, but was brought back from the brink. I then remembered the letter I read, reaching into my jacket pocket and pulled it out to read again. No matter how many times I read it, it still didn’t make sense. Who this F person was and why, of all people, she chose me threw me for a loop twice over. I shook my head as I tucked the letter away in my jacket again and stood up. It was no use just wallowing in bed and expecting something to just magically happen and I’d get the answers I need. For now, I should just start getting used to my new surroundings and make the best with what I’ve got. I put my shoes back on and reached for my cloak again, but paused. I didn’t exactly need to wear it at the moment, so I decided to just leave it where it was for the time being. I then approached the door and reached for the handle, only to hesitate slightly. What exactly was I gonna see once I left the room? Would I meet those girls again from last night? Would they still treat me as kindly as they did before? My anxiety told me to just stay indoors until they would come to me, but I figured that wouldn’t really be a good impression on my part. Steeling my resolve, I grasped the handle and opened the door. On the other side was something I half expected to be true, but didn’t realize I was right. The main room literally looked like I was standing inside the trunk of a huge tree. I looked around to see tree roots along the walls and windows that showed the outside. I seemed to be on the second floor of the building and looked down to see rows upon rows of books, shelved neatly and well kept. In the center of the room were some furniture pieces, a couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table. Off to the side was a larger table with chairs and what looked like a stove and a fridge, which meant that was some kind of kitchen area or something. Sitting on each piece of furniture were the girls I had met the other night, and they all seemed to be conversing with each other about their own thing. The rainbow-haired girl, Rainbow Dash I think her name was, was hovering around the group until her eyes caught sight of me and smiled widely. “Well, look who’s finally awake!” she proclaimed as she pointed to me. All the other mares turned to me, making me gulp as I slowly made my way down the stairs. I could feel their eyes on me as I walked down, pulled the collar of my shirt anxiously. “Uh, hey there,” I said with a small wave. “It’s about time, partner,” Applejack said, leaning on the armrest of her chair. “We almost thought you’d never wake up.” “Yeah! Rainbow said she was thiiiiiis close to barging in your room and giving you a Wonderbolt style wakeup call!” Pinkie Pie said, holding her hand up with her finger and thumb and inch apart. “Oh, how long was I out?” I wondered. “A day, darling,” Rarity said, shocking me. “A whole day?!” I yelped. “Didn’t we just come out of that creepy forest like an hour ago?” “I’m afraid not, William,” Twilight shook her head. “After Princess Celestia and Princess Luna left to return to Canterlot, we found you by a tree completely unconscious.” “We believed you were still hurt from your confrontation against Nightmare Moon, but Princess Celestia assured us that she healed you as best she could,” Rarity added. “We, or should I say I, wanted to wake you right then and there, but egghead here insisted we let you sleep.” Rainbow rolled her eyes, pointing her thumb at Twilight. “If I had known you were gonna sleep for a whole freaking day, I’d have just done what I said I was gonna do!” “Rainbow! I told you that it wouldn’t be nice to just wake him up out of the blue!” Twilight lectured. “He went up against Nightmare Moon for Celestia’s sake! Not to mention he took quite the beating for our sakes!” “I wouldn’t say I took a beating,” I sighed. “I mean, I was up against an all-powerful being. I’m just one guy with karate skills. It was more like she was just toying with me.” “Oh…I think you did your best, William,” Fluttershy whispered. “At least, that’s what I think.” “I agree, darling. It was very brave of you to keep that villainess at bay for as long as you did,” Rarity said with a nod. “Yeah! Especially how you took care of those timberwolves by blasting them away with that cool magic of yours!” Pinkie chirped. “Still doesn’t mean my pride was spared.” “Not to mention how you’re able to fly without wings! How do you even do that?” Rainbow wondered. “I would also like to know,” Twilight said, pulling out a piece of paper and what looked like a quill pen. “Uuuuhhhh…” I mumbled, feeling their eyes gaze at me a bit too intently. “Girls, Ah think the poor feller is overwhelmed at the moment,” Applejack spoke up, making them look back to her. “Oh, sorry about that, William,” Twilight said sheepishly. “It’s cool. I mean, I get it,” I shrugged. “None of you have ever seen someone, or something, like me before, so it’s natural to ask questions. My only concern is what I’m going to do from here on out.” “Princess Celestia informed me to tell you that she needs time to help Princess Luna settle back in after being away for so long. Once they’ve made preparations, they would send a letter for us to travel to Canterlot so we could help situate your reason for being here.” “I see. By the way, how did I even get in that room I woke up in?” “Spike helped carry you,” Rarity smiled. “Spike? Who’s-?” “I’m back, everypony!” The front door opened to reveal something I had to do a double take on. This guy, whatever he was, was no pony. His skin was purple and looked like scales, there were green spikes sticking out on top of his head that trailed down on his back and under his grey shirt. He wore torn dark blue jeans and strange open-toed footwear that showed his claw-like toenails. His tail swung lazily as he walked in and he had a more pointed snout than the mares. His eyes were green and his pupils were slitted. I stood there, still trying to comprehend what he was. “I got some stuff for the library like you wanted, Twilight,” he said, holding up the bag he carried. His sights soon set on me and smiled a toothy grin as he approached me. “Hey there, stranger. Glad to see you awake after I managed to carry you up the stairs. Name’s Spike, Spike the Dragon, Twilight’s number one assistant.” Spike stood before me and held out his hand, waiting for me to shake it. He was about half a head shorter than me and looked like was around maybe 17 or 18 years old. I glanced at his hand, then slowly reached up to take it and shook it, trying not to make things awkward. “I’m sorry, but did you say you were a dragon?” I asked as the handshake ended. “Yep,” Spike nodded. “Like an actual dragon? The creatures said to be myth? That dragon?” I asked again. “Well, of course I am,” Spike chuckled. “Geeze, dude, you live under a rock or something?” “Well, I-” “I’m just messing with you, man,” he said playfully. “Twilight and the others told me all that happened in the Everfree. Are you really a human?” “Last I checked,” I nodded. “Like an actual human? The creatures said to be myth? That human?” Spike said with a shit-eating grin, using my own words against me. “Okay, okay, I see what you did there,” I chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you, Spike. My name’s William Saber, but you can call me Will.” “Sounds easy enough to remember.” “Well, we’re glad you’re up and about, Will, but Ah gotta get back to the farm now,” Applejack said as she and the girls stood up, excluding Twilight. “Indeed. I too must return to my boutique. I hope you can stop by so we may access your lack of clothing situation, darling,” Rarity said. “I’ve got some flying records to beat,” Rainbow boasted. “You still owe me that spar once I get my own black belt.” “Bye Willy!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped away. “Um…goodbye William,” Fluttershy whispered. As soon as they all left, I stepped over to the vacant chair and slumped on it with a deep exhale. “Well, they sure are an interesting collection of girls that I’ve met,” I sighed. “You got that right. Especially…Rarity,” Spike said with a sigh and a dopey grin. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots that this guy had a thing for the posh unicorn, and I smirked while keeping my thoughts to myself. “So what will you do now, William?” Twilight wondered. “I don’t really know,” I shrugged. “Are you sure it’s alright for me to stay here? I mean, I’d hate to mooch off you without giving anything in return.” “Don’t be silly! You are in no way, shape, or form mooching off of anypony. You can stay here for as long as you like. I have no problem with it at all.” “She’s right, man. Besides, you think you’d have any luck finding a place to stay without a bit in your pocket?” Bit? “I…guess not,” I admitted. “I would at least like to know more about the place I’ll be living in.” “Then allow me to give you a tour,” Twilight offered as she stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the chair and toward the door. “Come on. I’m a little new to Ponyville too, so we can explore together.” “Erm…okay?” I said, taken by surprise as she pulled me out the front door. “Have fun!” Spike called out. As Twilight and I walked through town, I felt like all eyes were on me, but not in a good way. I looked around the cozy looking town as its citizens were going about their day with smiles and friendly waves. However, when their eyes fell on me, they either stared with curiosity or uncertainty. I know I said that I understood why I’d get the sideways glance from these ponies, but this all seemed like I was one of the world’s wonders. I nervously kept my eyes to the ground and tucked my hands in my pockets, which Twilight seemed to notice and tilted her head. “What’s wrong, William?” she asked. “Nothing, just walking along,” I said. “You seem a bit nervous.” I stopped walking, sighed, and rubbed the back of my head. “It’s just…I feel like these ponies are staring at me more than I care for them to. I just feel so displaced.” Twilight smiled pityingly and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You shouldn’t feel too nervous, William. It’s natural to feel nervous when living in a new place.” “Yeah? How do you figure?” “Well, to start, Spike and I have been here nearly as long as you have.” “Seriously?” “Very. And the first thing I wanted to do before coming here was returning to Canterlot after making a single friend. Little did I know that I had decided to stay after making six new ones.” “Hold up, six?” I asked, counting the others with my fingers. “But there’s only five other mares I’ve met.” Twilight giggled in her hand. “You silly human. I’m also talking about you.” I blinked in surprise as the gentle breeze blew against us. Twilight’s hair fluttered in the wind as she smiled at me, which made me smile and scratch my cheek. “We’re friends? Already?” I asked, and she nodded in response. “But we only met last-er, I mean, yesterday.” “What does that matter? You stuck with us throughout the night and helped us when we needed it. Not only that, but you saved me from certain doom and I am very grateful for that.” “I see. Well, then I’m glad to hear that, Twilight. Thanks for being my friend,” I smiled. “You’re most welcome. And don’t worry. Given time, these ponies will warm up to you before you-” “I KNEW IT!!” Before I could react to whoever it was that shrieked at the top of their lungs, I was tackled by an unknown force and sent skidding across the ground. I saw stars for a moment until I regained my senses, finding myself face to face with another mare. She was a unicorn with minty green fur and her mane and tail were pale, lightish grey cyan with white highlights. Her eyes were a sort of brilliant gamboge. She wore a light green top and skin tight jeans that hugged her figure pretty well and a single gold earring in her ear. Her tail swished side to side as she sat on my chest with arguably the widest smile I’ve seen. “Um…can I help you?” “It talks!” the mare chirped as she leaned down, pressing her muzzle against my nose. I could smell her breath, which smelled like she ate a pack of mint altoids. “I knew it! I just knew it! Humans do exist! I’m Lyra Heartstrings, and you’re my ticket for the many days of boasting I’ll be dishing out to all the ponies of this town who doubted me and my beliefs!” “Wait, can’t we just-?” “Oh wow!” Lyra said as she grabbed my jaw and forced it open. “Look at your teeth! You’ve got flat ones and sharp canine-like ones, too! What’s the deal with that?!” “Aaaaa gaaagaaaahaa!” I tried to say without the use of my jaw. “And your face! Your muzzle is so tiny!” She released my jaw to pinch my nose, then my ears. “Not to mention your ears! They’re also kinda small and on the sides of your head instead of on top!” “Would you please calm down and-?” “And what’s this?” She placed her hands on my chest and began rubbing and kneading them. “Oh wow, I can tell through your shirt that you’re kinda buff, aren’t ya?” She smirked as she looked over her shoulder and at my lower area. “I wonder what it looks like?” “OKAY, TIMEOUT!” I yelped, shoving her off me and scrambled to my feet. “Jeez, lady, learn to take a hint that you’re way past personal space!” “Hey!” I heard Twilight shout as she stomped over to us. “How could you just tackle William like that?! Who even are you?!” “Oh, nice to meet you. You’re that new mare that moved in with that dragon kid. I’m Lyra Heartstrings,” Lyra said as she sat on the ground. “William, are you okay?” Twilight asked as I stood back up and dusted my clothes off. “Yeah, I’ll live,” I said as I gave the mare named Lyra a deadpanned leer. “Way to make a first impression. You’re lucky I’ve taken worse beatings.” “What’s that mean?” Lyra asked, tilting her head. “Just something that comes with being a martial artist, but that’s not the point. Why did you tackle me like that out of the blue?” Lyra could tell that I was a little annoyed with her and she frowned as she stood up as well. “I’m sorry about that. It’s just I heard Rainbow Dash bragging that she was friends with a creature called a human. I have these theories of other creatures that are said to be mere folklore and humans are one of the biggest conspiracies out there. I just had to see if what she said was true, so here I am. But I guess my meeting was a little forceful, wasn’t it?” “That’s one way of putting it,” I commented. “Look, I’m all for meeting new people…er, ponies I should say, but there are other ways of getting to know me.” I raised my hand toward the mare for a simple shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Lyra. My name’s William Saber, and yes, I am a human being.” Lyra’s face lit up as she went for another aggressive approach, but took a moment to calm down as she took my hand and shook it herself. “It’s also nice to meet you, William!” As we broke the handshake, a vibrating noise followed by a chirp was heard from Lyra’s pocket as she pulled out what looked like a flip phone. It surprised me a little to see modern technology in this world as Lyra flipped the phone open. “Hello?…Hey, Bon Bon…No, I went to see the human!…Yes, he’s real! I’m standing right in front of him!…Just ‘cause we’re roommates doesn’t mean you gotta be so mean!…Yes, you are!…Oh yeah?! Well just you wait until Pinkie’s party tonight! I’ll make you eat those words, along with everypony else who doubted me!” Lyra snapped the phone shut and shoved it in her pocket as she walked away in a huff. Now, I’m no therapist, but something tells me she had a little unwanted tension between her and her friend. “What was that all about?” Twilight wondered. “Not sure, but I think it’s best we leave her be. I’m more curious about the party she mentioned. There’s a party going on later today?” “Oh, you’ll just have to wait and see.” Twilight smiled as she walked ahead of me. “Fair enough. I didn’t know you had cell phones in this world,” I said as I walked alongside her. “Of course. It’s actually a new invention that was created about 10 years ago. Do humans have cell phones?” “Better.” I smirked as I pulled out my smartphone, making her eyes widen. “This is a little something called a smartphone.” “Oh my goodness! That’s a cellular phone?! The screen is so big!” Twilight chirped as she held it in her hands. “And it feels much more dense! How does it work?! Is it powered by magic?!” “Easy there, miss bookworm, I’ll show you everything there is to know about it. Starting with the camera.” I took my phone back and tapped it a few times while Twilight watched intently. I tapped the camera app and surprised her by wrapping my arm around her shoulders, then held the camera up. “Smile!” Click! “Wh-Wha-? What just happened?” Twilight wondered as I tapped the picture I took. “Check it out, my first selfie in a new world with my first friend!” I said. “Oh my Celestia! That’s us! You just took a photo?! With your phone?!” “Yep, and there’s plenty more I can do with it than just take photos.” “Oh, please show me more! This is incredibly interesting!” Twilight cheered as she made a paper and quill pen materialize out of nowhere. “Sure. Now, let’s see which of these filters looks best.” Our walk through Ponyville was an enjoyable one to say the least. Twilight and I spent most of the time fiddling with my smartphone more than getting to know the rest of the town. My photo library was filled with pictures of either her standing next to a building, the both of us taking more selfies with silly faces or filters, and I even let her take pictures of me sometimes. I even showed her how I can play music on my phone, to which she found to be quite enjoyable. There was one song on my phone she particularly enjoyed and asked to listen to it again. I don’t know how she did it after just listening to it once, but she managed to sing the whole thing pitch perfectly. It still boggles my mind how she was able to do that, but she just said it was just something that happens naturally. Twilight soon had to return to the library so she could write a letter to Princess Celestia, so we went our separate ways as I was making my way to a lake she told me about that was nearby. I soon arrived at the lake, which was a calming sight to see as the later afternoon sun shined down on me. I took in a deep breath, then took off my jacket and set it aside. There was something I needed to do, and I needed total seclusion for it. I looked down at my hands and the white fingerless gloves that covered them. Not sure if I remember ever owning gloves like these, but I guess they came with the cloak when I arrived here. I closed my eyes and started to focus. My mind played back the night with Nightmare Moon and those wooden wolf monsters. Those energy blasts I fired from my hands, it felt like they came from within my very soul or something. I soon opened my eyes and thrust my hand forward to fire another blast, but nothing came out. I arched a brow and tried to focus again. It couldn’t have been a fluke. I just did all that a whole day ago. “Hah!” I thrust my hand out again, but was met with the same results. “Oh come on! How could I have done it so perfectly before, yet now I’m not able to do it at all?!” I complained. I plopped on the ground and crossed my legs and arms. There had to be something I was missing here. If what I did that night was Ki, then it should be working on my command without delay. I focused more and more, trying to build up whatever energy was within me, just so I could get some kind of result. I had focused so much that I didn’t realize I made myself float in midair about a few feet off the ground. I opened my eyes to see myself floating, which made me smirk a little. “It’s something, but not what I was driving at,” I said. “Okay, Will, just relax. Remember all that Ivan taught you. Patience is a virtue.” I took a few deep breaths and closed my eyes. Forcing it wasn’t gonna help, so I had to be smart about it. Nothing says a clear mind like a good old fashioned meditation session, and something told me that I was going to be doing a lot of it from now on. “My new training…begins now.” Later I hovered in midair, my breathing calm and collected. My meditation allowed me to search deeper within me for that feeling from that night. Needless to say, I made some satisfyingly good progress. It also has something to do with being a seasoned martial artist that I was able to achieve a sort of zen phase. My power, or should I say Ki, felt like it was covering me in a layer of power. I slowly opened my eyes to see that there was a faint, yet still noticeable white aura surrounding me. I was still hovering in midair with my legs crossed and I eased my hand. I watched as the aura flickered along my hand and arm. It was a comforting feeling, like my very soul was brought out and I could see it. I soon relaxed myself as I descended to the ground and stood back up. I cracked my neck and stretched my arms out, feeling the satisfying pops here and there and exhaled. “Haaaaa…I feel good.” I looked at my hand again and wondered if I would be able to do it again. However, instead of just trying to force it, I decided to go for a more practical approach. I raised my hand in front of me and began to focus. I could feel my Ki building up within me, but I was careful not to force it and let it fizzle out. From the center of my palm, a small light appeared and began to slowly expand in size. I kept staring at the light as it grew bit by bit. After a few minutes, an orb of pure Ki the size of a baseball shined a calming white glow as it sat in my hand. It was a little unexplainable, seeing how I was holding a ball of my own energy. I almost felt like I was in one of those old Dragon Ball shows I used to watch. “William!” My thoughts were interrupted when I looked up to see Twilight running up to me. My lost focus made the ball dissipate and the faint aura around me fade away. “There you are, William! Where have you been?!” “Oh, hey Twilight, I was here. Something you needed?” I asked. “Do you have any idea what time it is?!” “Late afternoon?” “No! It’s already night time!” I blinked and finally realized that the sun was in fact no longer in the sky. I looked up to see twinkling stars litter the darkened sky and a bright full moon that shined down on us. For some reason, the moon seemed to have more of a pretty glow to it than the one back on earth. “Oh damn, how did I not notice?” “Pardon my language, but what in the hay were you doing out here all this time?” Twilight asked, crossing her arms under her chest. “It’s…a long story. I was working on something.” “Well, you can tell me all about it later. Let’s get home for now.” Twilight grabbed my hand and pulled me along, away from the lake. I chuckled to myself how she lectured me like that. It was amusing seeing how her muzzle scrunched up a little. Heh, she sure is a cute one. I thought, but then slapped myself in my head for thinking that. Dude, what? No, she’s not cute! She’s a pony girl, not human! Quit thinking nonsense! “Are you feeling okay? You got quiet all of a sudden,” Twilight said, peeking over her shoulder. “Oh yeah! Totally fine! I’m just living the dream here!” I said out of the blue. “Okay…if you say so,” Twilight said with a shrug. Smooth, Saber, real smooth. Twilight soon led me back to the library and up to the front door. It was still a little unbelievable that we were living in a freaking tree, but I chose not to dwell on it. The lights in the tree were off for some reason as Twilight opened the door for me. The whole room was dark and I couldn’t really see anything. As soon as I stepped in, the lights flickered on, and I was met with dozens of ponies all at once. “SURPRISE!!!” “WHAT THE?!?” Author's Note Next chapter, party time! Side Note: In case you all were wondering, Spike is a little older and taller than he normally is in this story. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s WelcomeChapter 5 I was frozen like a deer in headlights and my eyes felt like they bugged out more than one of those stress toys you squeeze. The sight before me was something completely unexpected as there were multiple ponies all standing at attention and smiling at me. There were balloons in midair here and there, a large table filled with various treats and hors d’oeuvres off to the side, and a big banner hanging above that read “Welcome to Ponyville, William Saber!” That last bit on the banner made me blink after several moments. Was this all for me? No, it couldn’t be. From the group of ponies, a familiar pink mare came hopping toward me with a wide smile on her face. “Hiya, Willy!” Pinkie chirped. “Uhh…h-hi?” I said back, still looking surprised. “Well? Were you surprised? Huh? Were ya? Were you surprised, Willy?” she asked as she hopped excitedly in place. “Surprised is one word for it,” I nodded, making her smile wider, if that were possible. “What is all this?” “It’s your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party, silly!” Pinkie said. “Me? You put all this together for me?” I asked, and she nodded happily. “Yeah! I always throw parties for any new friend I meet! Especially when there’s a new friend in Ponyville!” “It’s true,” I heard Twilight say as she came into view from behind me. “Pinkie threw Spike and I a party like this a couple days ago when we first moved here.” “You got that right.” From the crowd, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack emerged from the crowd and approached me. “Pinkie is well-known to throw awesome parties like this. She even threw one for us when we all first met,” Rainbow said. “Indeed, Pinkie Pie’s soirees are most enjoyable,” Rarity commented. “Never been to a shindig of Pink’s I never not enjoyed,” Applejack nodded. “Do you like it William?” Fluttershy wondered. I looked around the room as all the ponies continued to smile at me. Pinkie had set all of this up for me and I didn’t even ask her to. I placed a hand on my chest as a warm feeling within my heart spread, a feeling of happiness. I had only been here for a mere two days and they already threw a welcome party for me. “I…I don’t really know what to say,” I said slowly. I looked at Pinkie and smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie. You didn’t have to do all this for me, but I very much appreciate it.” “Aaaawww!” Pinkie said as she hopped over and wrapped her arms around me, giving me a nice big hug as she buried her face into my chest. “You’re super duper welcome, Willy!” She let me go and twirled around to face the crowd. “Alright, everypony, LET’S PARTY!” “YEAH!!” Music soon began to play from a couple of speakers in the room and the party was officially a go. Ponies were mingling with each other while some were dancing in the middle of the room. Meanwhile, I was busy making small talk to any pony who decided to make the effort to come and talk to me. It wasn’t all bad at first, but I couldn’t help feeling a little awkward from the whole situation. Sure, this party was thrown for me, but I didn’t exactly feel like I was getting the attention Pinkie had intended for me. This wasn’t something I was unfamiliar with since I never really attended many parties back on earth. The only kind of celebration I ever had for myself was for my own birthday. I remember that my mother and step-family would either celebrate it with me on our own or they’d invite some of the neighbors as an added bonus. Although my birthday would always be a bittersweet event for me on account of what had happened before with my birth father. “Hey, Will!” I was brought out of my thoughts when I looked to see a familiar mint-colored unicorn pony approach me with a wide grin. Trailing behind her was another mare who looked pretty annoyed for some reason. She had beige colored fur, pigment blue mane and tail styled with small swirls with a rose pink streak, and cerulean blue eyes. She wore a simple yellow t-shirt and jeans as Lyra dragged the mare towards me. “Hello, Lyra,” I said to her. “You remembered my name!” Lyra smiled. “Hey! I wanna introduce you to my friend! See, Bon Bon, I told you humans exist!” “I can’t believe I let you convince me to come here and you won’t drop that stupid conspiracy!” the other mare grumbled, rolling her eyes. “I keep telling you, humans don’t-!” Her rant was cut short when her eyes finally set on me. It took her a moment, perhaps several to fully comprehend the very sight of me as her eyes slowly widened. “-…exist?” “Nice to meet you,” I said, raising my hand to her. “Name’s William, William Saber, but you can call me Will if you like.” “U-Um…y-yes, it’s nice to meet you, too,” the mare said, slowly reaching for my hand. I gently clasped it and shook it slowly as I continued to smile nicely at her. “I-I’m sorry, but are you really a human?” “Well, let’s see,” I said, raising my hand away to count with my fingers. “I do not have a snout, my ears are small and are not on top of my head, I don’t have fur growing all over my body, and I have feet instead of hooves.” I listed each of my characteristics while pointing to each one. “Not to mention, I also have no tail.” “This is…this is just…” she tried to say, but the words seemed to die in her mouth as she pinched the bridge of her muzzle. “I really wish Lyra was wrong about you.” “Why’s that?” “HA! I TOLD YOU!” Lyra boasted and turned to the rest of the crowd. “I TOLD ALL OF YOU! HUMANS DO EXIST! YOU ALL OWE ME SO MANY BITS!” “That’s why.” I let out a sheepish chuckle before she took a breath to calm herself. “Anyway, I guess now I shouldn’t be so quick to judge Lyra when she comes to this kind of stuff. You’re an actual human when everypony else always believed they were nothing but an old ponytale.” “Sorry to disappoint,” I joked, making her giggle. “Nah, it’s fine, but now I’m just not looking forward to her constantly berating me about how she was right about humans. Anyway, my name is Sweetie Drops, but everypony calls me Bon Bon for short.” “I wish you luck on whatever Lyra has in store for you and her victory boasting,” I said. “Gee, thanks,” Bon Bon rolled her eyes with a coy smile. “Come on, Lyra, let’s go get some punch.” “I was right! You hear me?! I was right all along!” Lyra continued to say as they walked away. “I know you were, alright! Just get over it!” “Never!” I laughed at the two as Bon Bon dragged her friend back toward the crowd. Seeing how these ponies were happy and friendly toward me set me at ease. As the party went on, I was invited by Pinkie to play some old school party games, like pin the tail on the donkey or bobbing for apples in a barrel. I managed to make them all laugh when I accidentally placed the donkey’s tail on its face. Another fun party game I played was a good old fashioned game of darts, which was surprising to see in this world. I was facing Applejack, since she challenged me, and we were down to our last darts and turn. Applejack was aiming her dart very carefully as she had one of her eyes closed and stuck her tongue out. The surrounding ponies watched as I stood on the side, waiting for her to throw her dart. She exhaled and threw it as it hit the line that gave her 11 points. “Shoot! Ah meant 14,” she grumbled. “Ah’m just shy of 1 point, so if ya miss, I win!” “Guess we’ll see,” I said as I aimed my dart. I had my eyes set on the line that would score me 12 points. I just need to hit my mark and I’d win the game. I took several deep breaths and drowned out all the noises and music around me. My eyes were set on my target as I held my dart close to my face. I focused so much that I could almost hear my heart beating as I readied my aim. With one last, deep breath, I threw my dart once I was absolutely sure it would hit where I wanted it to. We all watched the dart fly as it soon struck the circle, and to my satisfaction, right on the 12 point line. “He did it!” a stallion cheered. “Wow! I didn’t think he’d do it!” a mare said. “Yes! Now pay up!” “Damn…there goes my 20 bits.” “Gotta admit, partner, ya can toss ‘em darts,” Applejack said as she held out her hand to me, to which I smiled, took it, and gave her a friendly shake. “Good game, Applejack.” “How’d you get so good?” “I used to play darts with my dorm mates during my college years. I certainly wasn’t as good as I am now when I first started playing, that’s for darn sure.” “Well ya sure impressed me, Will,” Applejack said with a wink. “Great playing, Willy!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped up from behind Applejack. “Hey! I just got a super duper idea! Why don’t you go sing us a song?!” “Er, what?” I blinked, confused. “You want me to sing?” “Sure! It’s easy! Just grab the microphone and start singing away!” “Uh…well, it’s not like I can just break out into song. Plus, I’m not that good,” I tried to say, but Pinkie just grabbed my hand and pulled me toward where the mic was. “Aw come on, Willy! It’s not that hard! If everypony in Ponyville can do it, then so can you!” “I question that logic of yours.” We eventually found ourselves in front of a table where a unicorn mare stood between two speakers. She had snow white fur and blue, two-toned mane and tail. She wore a white top with jet blue lining and a picture of two bridged eighth notes. She wore skinny jeans that seemed to hug her waist nicely, not that I would know, and she wore a pair of snazzy looking sunglasses and headphones on her head. “What’s up, man!” she said cheerfully. “Saw you play a mean game of darts with Applejack! You got some skills! Name’s Vinyl Scratch, but tonight, I’m DJ-Pon 3!” “Nice to meet you too, DJ-Pon 3. I’m Will,” I greeted back. “Hi, Vinyl! Willy here is gonna sing a song for us!” Pinkie chirped. “Is that right? Well by all means, let’s hear those pipes of yours!” Vinyl said as she handed me a microphone. “I’m still not so sure about this…” I said hesitantly. “Trust me, Willy, it won’t be as bad as you think! Want some advice? Just sing from your heart!” “Well…when you put it like that, I guess I can give it a shot. But just fair warning, I’m no superstar.” “I’m sure you’ll do great, dude,” Vinyl reassured me. “Real quick, do your speakers have some kind of audio jack?” “You mean this?” she asked, holding up a cord. “That’s perfect! Just give me a moment.” I pulled out my smartphone and scrolled through my playlist. If I was gonna do this, I had to pick a song that would be a memorable one. I soon found what I was looking for, took the audio jack, and handed my phone to Vinyl. “When I give you the thumbs up, press this button here and I’ll take it from there.” “Whatever you say,” she nodded, taking a moment to examine my phone. I nodded as I walked toward the center of the room, and every pony in the room now had their eyes on me. I gulped nervously as I pulled my shirt collar and waved at them timidly. “Um…hello everyone,” I said into the microphone. “Not sure why, but I guess I’ll sing a song for you all. Fair warning, I may not be as good as I hope to be, so bear with me.” They all laughed a little and I closed my eyes and took some breaths to psych myself up. Not wanting to keep them waiting, I looked over to DJ-Pon 3 and gave her the thumbs up. She raised her thumb back and pressed the button on my phone As soon as I heard the first note, I immediately began singing the song. I tapped my foot on the beat of the song and began having fun with the music that played. I found myself bobbing my head and weaving my body from side-to-side and danced a little. The ponies were watching me sing and dance, some a little surprised since this was the first time they had heard a song like this. When I reached the part where I had to hit a high note, I jumped up on the small table with a horse bust on it and started to really get into the singing. The ponies cheered for me a little as I sang and Pinkie began tossing confetti around me. I felt an exciting feeling in my soul as I sang that made me smile. I had never sang like this before, and here I was singing like there was no tomorrow. It had been a long time since I had this much fun, and right now, I was having a blast. Soon, the song came to an end and I looked at the crowd, who stared back at me in silence. They all soon cheered all at once and clapped for me as I hopped down and gave them a small bow. “Bravo!” “That was such a great song!” “Great job, Will!” “Wow, thanks everyone,” I said with a smile. “WILLY!” I felt something jump on my back as I looked over my shoulder to see Pinkie Pie smiling widely at me. “THAT WAS SUPER DUPER AMAZING! HOW COULD YOU SAY YOU AREN’T A GOOD SINGER?!” “First of all, ears please,” I said as she hopped off me and I rubbed my ear. “Second of all, I honestly didn’t expect to sing like that. I used to sing on my own all the time and that was the first time I actually performed for anyone.” “Well, we think you did a marvelous job, darling!” From the crowd, Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Spike walked up to me. “That was some sick singing, dude!” Spike said. “That was a nice song, William. At least, that’s what I think,” Fluttershy said timidly as she hid her face behind her mane, but I could see that she was smiling a little. “You sure know how to bring the house down!” Applejack smirked. “I agree, that was a very nice song you sang, William,” Twilight agreed. “I’ve never heard of that song before.” “It’s actually a song from my world. I have plenty of others stored on my playlist on my phone.” “Playlist?” Rainbow asked, tilting her head curiously. “I’ll explain later. I’m just glad you all enjoyed my little performance.” “You bet we did! Now let’s continue the party!” Pinkie chirped. “That, I can agree to.” The party dragged on until it became late in the night and the rest of the ponies from town had to go home. Soon, it was just the six pony girls, Spike, and myself as we all pitched in to clean up. “Man, I can’t remember having this much fun at a party before,” I said as I swept up the floor with a broom. “Get used to it, cause the next party Pinkie throws will be just as fun,” Rainbow said. “I look forward to it.” “Don’t you have parties in your world, William?” Twilight wondered as she used her magic to take the streamers that were hanging down. “We do, but it depends on the party. There are tons of things we celebrate that call for a party in my world. Although, the only party I’ve ever celebrated was my birthday.” “You weren’t invited to other parties?” Pinkie asked. “Afraid not.” “How come?” Spike wondered. I paused my sweeping and blinked as a small frown formed on my lips. “My, um…childhood wasn’t exactly the most pleasant.” Everyone stopped their cleaning as I sighed to myself. “Let’s just say my parents split up when I was very young, and it sort of messed with my psyche ever since. I didn’t really socialize with many people during my teen years until I entered college, so being invited to other parties was sort of rare for me.” “Oh darling, I’m so sorry for you,” Rarity said sadly. “You don’t come across as somepony who would go through something like that,” Twilight said. “It was a long time ago,” I shrugged. “I’ve learned to not let it bother me anymore. Besides, my mother had remarried to a more respectable man and he was more of a father than…him. I even managed to gain a sister afterwards.” “You got a sister too?” Applejack asked. “Yep. She’s older than me and we were as close as any other sibling in a family.” “What is her name?” Rarity inquired. “Rachel. Rachel Saber. And I considered her to be my actual sister rather than just a step-sister.” I smiled fondly at the memory of Rachel, but then became sad again and hung my head. “I just wish I had a little more time before I left to say goodbye…” The mares around me looked at each other before Twilight walked up to me and placed both hands on my shoulders. I raised my head to look at her, and she gave me a comforting smile. “I can’t speak for your family, William, but I’m sure that they miss you as much as you miss them. Though your current situation was unaccounted for, you should always remember the memories you shared with them.” “I agree,” Rarity added. “You should not dwell on what could have happened, for it would most likely wane on your noble soul and you would do more harm to yourself than good.” “Ah’m sure if yer family knew what happened, they’d understand, partner,” Applejack said. “Yeah! And don’t forget how much fun you had and how happy you were during the party!” Pinkie pointed out. “You could also think of it as a fresh start,” Spike suggested. I thought about their words and found myself smiling more and more. I nodded to them all and faced the lavender mare in front of me. “Thanks for the words of confidence, everyone. I’ll try to keep all you said in mind.” They all smiled back at me as we continued to clean the library. It took a little while, but we managed to straighten the place up real nice. The rest of the mares later went home for the night after taking some leftovers from the party, Pinkie taking most of them with her as she literally balanced them on her head. As Spike was in the kitchen preparing some tea, I sat on the sofa as Twilight sat on the chair beside me. “Tonight sure was fun,” I said with a yawn. “I agree,” Twilight nodded. “It was just like how Spike and I first arrived not a couple days ago.” “Oh yeah, you’re also kinda new in town. Where’d you say you were from?” “Canterlot, the royal capital of Equestria.” “Canterlot? Huh, sounds almost like Camelot,” I chuckled. “What’s a Camelot?” Twilight asked. “It’s just about some fictional story about a legendary city ruled by King Arthur. He and his Knights of the Round Table were said to be the protectors of one of the greatest kingdoms ever to exist. I remember writing a paper about it back in high school.” “Amazing. Are there any other stories like that in your world?” “Tons, too many for me to count or recall. And it sounds like this world has its fair share of stories and legends as well. Especially with all these cool looking books you got shelved all around.” That last statement seemed to perk Twilight’s ear. “Do you like books?” “Sure. Anyone who’s anyone enjoys a good read from time to time. I sometimes frequented the school library to find a good book to read, so I guess you could call me somewhat of a bookworm.” “Oh great, another book lover,” Spike complained as he lifted the kettle to pour the tea. “Hush, Spike!” Twilight snapped. “I keep telling you that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good book!” “And why’s that?” Spike wondered sarcastically. “Because, according to an old saying from my world: knowledge is power,” I answered. “Exactly! Finally, somepony who gets it!” Twilight said happily as she stood up and sat herself down next to me. “I’m so glad that there’s another book lover besides me! I’d be honored to recommend a few starting books from the library!” “Er, thanks?” I said sheepishly as I gazed into her amethyst purple eyes. “Well now you’ve done it, dude,” Spike sighed as he brought over a few mugs with him. “Once you get her talking about books, nothing can stop her.” “So tell me, William, what kind of books do you like?” Twilight asked, ignoring Spike, as she leaned in close while I tried to back away on the sofa. “Literature? Science? Agriculture? History? Literature?” “You said literature twice,” I pointed out. “Told ya,” Spike said as he set the mugs down on the coffee table before sitting down in a chair. “Woah, woah, take it easy, Twilight,” I said, raising my hands defensively. “Now while I do enjoy reading on my own terms, there’s still the matter of where and how to start. While I do appreciate the sentiment, I think it’s best I go at my own pace. There’s plenty of books around here after all, so I’ve got plenty of time to do so.” Twilight blinked at me and pulled back, clearing her throat to compose herself from her rambling. “Apologies. It’s just I was afraid I wouldn’t meet anypony else in Ponyville who enjoys books as much as I do.” “It’s cool,” I shrugged as I picked up my mug and took a sip. Mmm, never really had tea before. Is that honey? “So just curious, is it really okay to be crashing here? I know that princess lady told you to take me in, but I’d hate to be a freeloader.” “Freeloader?! Celestia, no!” Twilight yelped. “I’d never consider you in such a way. Aside from Princess Celestia requesting I take you in, I already said that I was more than happy to do so. In fact, I would even allow you to live here as long as you want.” “Wow, now that’s consideration if I’ve ever seen and heard it,” I smiled admirably. “Be that as it may, I’d still like to somehow pitch in instead of just lounging around. Regardless of your hospitality.” “So what do you suggest?” Spike wondered. “Well, considering I’m in a town full of ponies, there’s bound to be some businesses around, right?” I asked and they nodded. “So I’ll just do what any responsible adult my age would do: look for a job.” “You want to work in Ponyville?” Twilight questioned before taking her own sip from her mug. “Might as well start somewhere,” I shrugged again. “Princess Celestia said that they’d call us over to Canterlot so that they could explain why I’m here in this world. So until then, I’ll just be pulling my weight by working.” “You sure are dedicated to that,” Spike commented. “My step-dad always told me that honest men earn an honest living.” “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Twilight smiled. We all enjoyed our little small talk together until we finished our tea and it was time to go to bed. We all said goodnight to each other and I climbed the stairs and entered my room. I kicked off my shoes, threw my pants, shirt, and jacket on the chair in the corner and plopped myself on my bed. As I lay there, I thought all that was happening was still some kind of prolonged dream and my mind was taking longer than it should’ve to wake me up. But if that were the case, then I most likely would have woken up by now. I grabbed my smartphone from the nightstand and switched it on. I opened my contacts list and saw my parents and sister’s phone number. I hesitated, but decided to try and call my sister as I tapped her name and held my phone up to my ear. “The number you have reached is not available. Please check your device’s-” “Tch, figures,” I grumbled as I hung up the call. I then tapped my phone’s recent calls and saw that the last message I received was from my mom. I tapped the message and held it up to my ear. “Hi William, it’s Mom. Just checking in to make sure you’re at Ivan’s and to make sure you’re going to be home soon. I know you said not to call and that you would call me, but you know how I am. Rachel wanted me to tell you that she wants you to stop by the convenience store to buy those sour gummy octopuses she likes so much. You know how she is,” Mom giggled in the message. “Anyway, call me or text me when you can so I know you’re on your way home so I can begin preparing dinner. I’m making your favorite: homemade pizza with salami slices and olives! Take care honey, I love you.” As the message ended, I felt drips of liquid drop from the sides of my face. I reached up and rubbed my cheek to see that they were my tears. I ended up crying at the sound of my mother’s voice, and how this message was the only source of hearing her. I closed my phone and set it on the nightstand and laid my head on the pillow. I blinked as a few small tears managed to escape my eyes and I slowly closed my eyes. “…I love you too, mom,” I whispered as I drifted off to sleep. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be together like we promised.” 3rd POV Canterlot Castle Within the mighty palace that sat on the side of the mountain and loomed over the royal capital, the two princesses were searching within the royal archives as stacks of scrolls, books, and other old documents filled the area. Celestia used her magic to skim through an old scripture as Luna read three different scrolls at the same time. “Oh f’r moon’s sake…” Luna sighed as she rolled up the scrolls. “Sist’r, we has’t been searching f’r ov’r a day and night anon. We has’t yet to findeth aught about yond human and his ‘rigin.” “Patience is a virtue, dear little sister,” Celestia remarked as she scanned the bookshelves. “You and I both know why we must do this. The words told to us are still fresh in my mind, as I hope they are in yours. I am positive the text we seek is here, and we must find it.” “How doth thee knoweth yond the booketh we seeketh is still in these fusty archives? Our teachest’r may has’t been quite the did light’rate one, but yond doesn’t cullionly that gent hath kept ev’rything.” “I beg to differ, most of these books were written by our old teacher to begin with. So I doubt he would ever want to be rid of his own work.” Luna rolled her eyes as she went back to searching. She checked the top shelf of one of the many bookshelves, but realized that she had already read from this section and huffed in irritation. Before the lunar princess left to search elsewhere, her eye caught something in the very back. Luna then used her magic to light up her surroundings to see there was another very old looking text, caked with dust and riddled with cobwebs. Curious, she engulfed the book with her magic and pulled it out, trailing dust behind it, making her scrunch her muzzle and cough a little. “Something the matter, dear little sister?” Celestia called out. “Are your old allergies bothering you once again?” “Nay-cough…We hath found this,” Luna said as she carefully levitated the book to her elder sister. Celestia took the book with her own magic and examined it. She waved her hand as the dust blew away and she could make out the title on the cover, which made her gasp a little but then smile proudly. “Well done, little sister, you have discovered what we have been searching for,” Celestia said as Luna walked up and stood next to her. “It hast been a longeth timeth since We has’t seen this fusty text,” Luna said fondly. “But sist’r, couldst that gent truly beest the one? The bodement spoken to us bef’re our moth’r’s disappearance, couldst yond timeth beest upon us already?” “It would appear so, and we must do our part as the Princesses of Equestria to fulfill our mother’s wish,” Celestia said as she brushed her hand along the cover. The book itself was an old text that looked to be over a thousand years old. It had a symbol of a sword that went over a shield and above it read the title of the book. The Legend of Sir Rokai Stourmborne The Equestrian Guardian Author's Note A party to remember. Side Note: I’m back and better than ever! The artwork, and any future ones you will see, was created by Zahira96! The same talented individual who made the cover art! Hope you all enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero Seeks EmploymentSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.A Hero’s ResolveChapter 7 Things have been going well for me these past couple of weeks, or at least as well as it can be. Ever since I got a job at Sweet Apple Acres, I felt like I was a little more comfortable with my surroundings and new neighbors. I sometimes deliver apples whenever Applejack asked me to, I helped kick apples off of apple trees with Big Mac, and I even had the pleasure to meet their grandmother, Granny Smith. She was an elderly mare with lime green fur and wore a summer shawl and apron with an apple pie embroidered on it. I still chuckle a little to myself sometimes when I showed her how I kicked the trees. Poor old mare nearly fell back on the ground from the surprise, but seeing how I was able to kick all the apples off the tree seemed to have won her over almost immediately. As I was helping Mac out on the farm, I overheard Applejack trying to get on Twilight’s good side since she had received a letter from Princess Celestia that had these gold tickets inside. Something about a fancy party in the capital? I didn’t really pay attention since I was too busy focusing on work and my training. Speaking of my training, the work on the farm seemed to have paid off fruitfully. My meditation sessions by the lake and constant heavy lifting on the farm have allowed me to utilize my Ki manipulation. I can now hover a few meters in the air for a couple hours before taking a break on the ground and I can form a decent sized Ki sphere in my hand without having to focus too hard. I once tried this training technique. I remembered Ivan telling me about when I was still a blue belt: Mental Image Training. It’s when I closed my eyes and imagined myself fighting against someone in my head for my hand-to-hand combat. During my days climbing the belts of karate, I was pitted up against a number of talented karate fighters. The local tournaments I had signed up for proved to be a challenge each time. Some fights I won, others I lost, but I never gave up to strive forward and push myself harder. Now it feels different whenever I train to improve myself. Before, I didn’t have these special powers to literally manipulate Ki and what not, but now I’m able to freaking fly because of it. I suppose my motivation would be because of the letter from F I still kept with me and my fight with Nightmare Moon. I still painfully remember how she was toying with me and I couldn’t land a single blow on her. The way she moved and avoided my attacks, like she was dancing and could read my every move. My attempts to land even one decent blow on her were laughable at best, but I guess I shouldn’t beat myself up too much since I basically was going up against a literal goddess. Still though, she has been my mental image training partner lately, and I’ve still yet to land a single blow on my imaginary foe. As for F’s letter, the words spoken on that piece of paper still echo in my mind, and how she chose me. I mean, of all the people on planet Earth, why me? I was no one special in any way, shape, or form. I honestly considered myself to be quite average, among other people, yet I was still chosen, as she put it, and sent to this colorful world of walking, talking ponies. All I could do at the moment was play a guessing game with myself as to why all this was happening to me in the first place, which was a little perplexing, but I couldn’t really do anything else for the time being. Today was another training session for me as I was throwing punches and kicks in the air. I had my jacket, shirt, and shoes off, and my mind was sharp and focused. I threw blocks, elbow strikes, palm heel strikes, and even jumped in the air to do split kicks. I unleashed a series of straight punches and followed it up with some ridge hand strikes. I spun my body around and delivered a fierce double roundhouse kick that swung my leg down for an axe kick. I finished my open spar with a double palm heel strike and wide crescent kick. I took a long deep breath and exhaled before relaxing my stance, slowly raising my arms in a circular motion and bringing them down in front of me. I wiped my brow from the sweat on my face, walked to the edge of the lake, and kneeled down to splash my face with water. “Whew. Well, that was a good session,” I said aloud. I splashed water over my body to try and wash some of the sweat off and put my shirt and shoes back on after waiting for the water to dry off my body. I glanced over at the town and thought about the ponies for a little bit. Some of them were still indifferent about me and preferred to keep their distance whenever I tried to say hello. I was a little bummed that they still didn’t trust me, but I had to remind myself that I was an alien to them and I was viewed as unpredictable. Can’t say that I blame them either, since I’d probably do the same thing in their position. Earning their trust was going to take time and I had to be patient and wait for the opportune moment to do so. “Hi, William!” I turned my head to see an unexpected visitor walk up to me. It was the mint colored unicorn mare, Lyra, and she had a wide smile across her face. “Well hey there, Lyra. What brings you here?” I said to the mare. “Oh you know, just gloating to the town how I was right about humans existing,” Lyra said proudly. “You knew about humans?” I asked, curiously. “Of course! Humans were one of the many wonders of the world until you showed up!” Lyra chriped. “I’ve always been interested in old pony tales, and humans were at the top of my list. Seeing you here in the flesh and not fur makes all the years of me being teased worth it!” “Wait, you were teased?” I caught on, making her gasp and cover her muzzle. “Oh…uh, yeah, maybe a little,” Lyra soon admitted. “Wanna talk about it?” I offered. “Why do you care, if you don’t mind me asking?” “I may not look like it, but I know what it’s like to be teased,” I said. “Point is, I’m also a good listener when it comes down to it.” Lyra seemed hesitant, but nodded as she sat down next to me. “Y’know, the only other pony I’ve ever spoken about this was Bon Bon.” “So you were teased with this human conspiracy of yours?” “Yeah. Like I said, I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of there being other life forms from other worlds like humans; like you. Whenever I tried talking to somepony about it, I’d get made fun of and be called names.” “Must’ve been rough.” “Not exactly. I mean, it did sting sometimes when they called me crazy or a conspiracy nut, but I still kept my head up high. So I one day vowed to prove humans exist and wished every day that one would show up. Guess all my wishes paid off, right?” “Heh, I guess they did,” I chuckled. “You must think I’m also crazy, considering how we met and how I always wanna talk to you.” “You know you can just ask,” I said. “I love talking and meeting new people, or in this case, ponies.” “You don’t think I’m weird?” “Lyra, I’m the very definition of weird,” I retorted. “I’m practically a living alien around here. So the fact that you want to go out of your way to talk to me while others prefer to keep their distance, it’s honestly comforting considering I’m still very new to this world.” I offered my hand to her for a shake. “So what do you say, new friends?” Her wide smile returned and she immediately grabbed my hand with both hers and shook it. “Yes! Yes of course I’ll be your friend!” “I’m glad.” I smiled as I stood back up and she followed suit. “We should hang out sometime, Lyra.” “I’d love to! Hey! Maybe you can show off some of that cool karate stuff I saw you do!” “Of course I’d be happy to-” My sentence was cut short when I noticed something in the corner of my eye. I looked to see a black cloud of smoke billowing out from the edge of town. The way the black smoke was rising in the air made me narrow my eyes at the ominous-looking cloud, and Lyra seemed to notice too. “What’s that?” Lyra wondered. “I think I know,” I frowned as I picked up my jacket. “I just hope I’m wrong. Lyra, if there’s some kind of local fire department in town, do it now.” “Fire department? Why?” Lyra asked, now sounding worried. “Because there might be a house on fire.” I wasted no more time and began running toward the plume of black smoke. I don’t know what compelled me to run toward the smoke. Call it a gut feeling. All I knew is that I needed to get to where the smoke was coming from as soon as possible. I ran through the town with my sights dead set on the black smoke that was continuing to billow into the sky. The closer I got to it, the more my fears of what it was became more prominent. As I ran, some of the ponies also started to notice the smoke in the air and others even started walking toward the direction. “Will!” I looked up to see Rainbow Dash fly from the sky and beside me as I kept running. “What’s going on? What’s that smoke?” “I’m about to find out!” I said as I picked up the pace. We soon made it to the edge of town to see a disastrous sight. It was a two story house and half the building was completely coated with flames. The fire was slowly spreading to the rest of the house as Rainbow and I were in complete shock. “Holy buck! How the hay did this happen?!” Rainbow yelped. “I have no idea! But it’s getting dangerous!” I said as the flames roared. “Maybe I can try and blow some of it out with my wings?” Rainbow suggested as she was about to fan open her wings. I immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her down to stand next to me. “Are you crazy?! That’ll only make them burn even more!” “Then what are we supposed to do?! Let it burn?!” Rainbow snapped. “I already told Lyra to call the local fire department! They should be here any minute!” “But what if they’re too late?!” “Well, we can’t exactly do much ourselves!” “Help me!” Our arguing was cut short when we heard a sound from the house. My heart dropped as I looked to the second floor of the house and saw the window open a little. “Oh no…don’t tell me.” “Help! Please! Mommy!” “Oh jeezus! Someone’s still in there!” “We gotta do something, Will, we can’t wait!” I tried thinking of a solution, any solution on how to get whoever was stuck in the house. Help was on the way, but they probably wouldn’t get here in time. Rainbow wanted to use her wings, but that would only worsen the situation. I then got an idea. An incredibly stupid idea, but it was the only one I had at the moment. “Rainbow,” I said, taking off my jacket and handing it to her. “Make sure no one else gets anywhere near the house.” “What’re you-HEY WAIT!” I took off running toward the house, ignoring her pleas, and straight toward a window. I raised my arms and jumped forward, crashing into the window and into the house. 3rd POV “That idiot! What’s he thinking?!” Rainbow snapped. As Rainbow was cursing William out to herself, more ponies arrived and were shocked to see the burning building before them. The rest of Rainbow’s friends also arrived and joined their speedster friend. “Rainbow Dash! What happened?!” Twilight asked. “The house is completely on fire!” “Somepony call the fire department!” Applejack said. “I already did!” Lyra said, joining them. She looked around the crowd as if she was looking for someone. “Wait a sec, where’s William?” “That crazy human just jumped straight into the fire!” Rainbow said, holding up his jacket. “He what?!” Spike shouted. “What on Eques was he thinking?!” Rarity screeched. Meanwhile, a grey pegasus pony mare with a short blonde mane and tail tried to run towards the burning building. She wore what looked to be a mail delivery outfit with a white colored shirt and brown work pants. Rainbow Dash reacted quickly and grabbed her by her arms while she tried to escape from her grip. “Let me go! Please let me go!” She cried. “No way Derpy, are you nuts?! You’ll get burned alive in there!” Rainbow Dash yelled. The mare named Derpy turns around with tears staining her face and looks at Rainbow Dash and the others, along with the other ponies who had gathered at the sight. “PLEASE LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GET IN THERE! MY DAUGHTER IS STILL INSIDE!” Derpy pleaded. All the ponies gasp in horror. “WHAT?!” William 1st POV I rolled on the ground onto my feet. I looked up and saw the inside of the house was filled with smoke, making it difficult to breathe. The side that was covered in flames had bits of fire seeping through the walls and floor while continuing to spread. It looked like I was in the living room and there was furniture all around me. I had to get whoever was still in the house fast or we’ll both be burned alive. I winced when I felt a stinging pain in my arm and looked to see some glass poking out of my skin. Probably not the best option to jump through a window, but I didn’t exactly have time to dwell on such precautions. I carefully pulled out the shards of glass in my skin and covered my mouth and nose with my shirt. “Hey! Are you here?! Where are you?!” I called out. The smoke was already making it a little difficult to breathe as I tried to listen for anything in the house. “H-Help me!” I heard the voice again and it sounded like it came from up the stairs. I quickly, but carefully made my way toward the stairs leading to the second floor. The fire is starting to rage and smoke is filling the area at a quick pace, making me cough every so often. I kept my shirt up over my face to mask my breathing, if only slightly. I made it to the top of the stairs and looked down the hall, finding three rooms; two on each side and one at the end. “Kid! Speak to me!” I called out. “I-I’m here! Please help!” It sounded like a little girl was crying out, and it was coming from the room to the right. I quickly walked toward the door, when suddenly, a floorboard gave way, causing my leg to fall through. “Oh shit!” I managed to catch myself just in time by grabbing onto the doorknob. I looked down and saw the 1st floor was flooded with flames. I reclaimed my breath, pulled myself out from the hole, and faced the door. I tried to turn the knob, but I wouldn’t budge. I look down and see it’s bent downwards and broken, due to me catching it during my fall. “Of all the shitty things to happen at such a shitty time…” I cursed myself. I started banging on the door to get whoever was in the room’s attention. “Hey kid! Are you still there?!” “Y-yes, please help!” she cried. “I’m right here, don’t worry! I need you to stay away from the door, ok?! Stay as far away from it as you possibly can!” “O-ok!” I wait about a minute before stepping back slightly. I slowly took a breath and closed my eyes. After gaining my focus, I opened my eyes and raised my left leg and kicked the door as hard as I could. The door bursts off the hinges and flies toward the other side of the room. I heard a small scream coming from the right side. I walked in the slightly smoke-filled room and looked around. To my right is what looked to be a closet, so I stepped over to it and opened the door. Inside is a unicorn filly with a pale violet coat and a light grayish gold mane and tail. She’s wearing a little light teal dress with a floral pattern on the side and had a burn mark on it. The poor girl had her arms covering her face in total fear and was trembling up a storm while whimpering. “Hey, hey, it’s ok. You’re safe now,” I told her calmly. The filly brought her arms down and looked at me. She’s still a bit fearful, but seems to calm down a little bit after seeing me. “Wh-wh-who are you, mister? Where’s my mama?” she asked fearfully. I knelt down while pulling down my shirt and holding out my arms, “I’m here to save you kid. Your mom’s probably outside waiting for you. So let’s get you out of here so you can see her again.” She nods and gets up and moves towards me. I pick her up in my arms and cradle her in my grasp. I looked down at her and smiled at her reassuringly. “Hold on tight and don’t let go, ok?” She nods and wraps her little arms around my neck, squeezing as tight as she can, but is still trembling. I make my way out of the room and down the hall. The house is now almost filled to the brim with smoke, which causes the filly to cough. I have to duck down out of the smoke so that we’re not breathing in the cloud of death. I made it to the stairs, but frowned in anger as most of the steps had now been burned to a crisp and a single step would probably cause the whole thing to collapse. I had few options at this point and looked back down at the filly, who looked like she’s on the verge of tears again. I nudged her slightly, getting her attention and she looked up at me. “I’m gonna try and jump down to the bottom of the stairs ok? You just keep holding on as tight as you can and don’t let go.” She nods in understanding and again squeezes around my neck as hard as she possibly can. I looked back down the stairs and took a few steps back. I took one last breath and ran towards the stairs and planted both my feet on the top step and jumped all the way down the stairs. I managed to clear all the steps and land on the bottom with a loud thud that seemed to vibrate the house slightly, causing it to groan again. Seeing how I’ve probably just sped up the process of its collapse, I proceed to run towards the door and body-check it open. Suddenly, the house lets out a loud groan and I look up to see the support beam start to splinter. It breaks and comes crashing down on us, and the filly starts to scream in terror. I quickly raise my right hand as the beam falls on it, catching it and halting the collapse midway. “GAH! SHIT!” I yelled. This fucking thing was heavy as hell. It feels like I’m carrying the whole damn house. I’m grunting and panting in exhaustion, if I don’t think of something right now, I’m a goner along with the filly. I had to drop the filly on the floor so that I could carry the beam with both hands. I then felt something wet trickling down the side of my head. Soon after, I felt a throbbing pain in my head and deduced that the beam hit my head, and I was now bleeding. The fire was spreading all around us, the filly was crying hysterically, and I was forced down on my knee. She grabbed my shirt while sweat was dripping off my body and I was coughing every so often. “Mister! What are we gonna do?!” the filly cried. “I’m…thinking!” I grunted as I tried to keep holding the beam. Damnit, Will, think! There’s got to be a way out of here! I glanced down at the weeping filly and my body started to feel weak. The fire was creeping closer and closer to us and blood was dripping from my head and off my chin. I was delirious, tired, in pain, and coughing more often due to lack of oxygen. The beam began weighing me down and I couldn’t hold it any longer. “Kid…you gotta get…out of here!” I grunted. “B-But what about you?!” “Don’t worry about me! You need to leave!” I grit my teeth in anger and cursed myself again for being so damn reckless. Maybe I should’ve waited for the fire department to get here, but if I did that, it would’ve been too late to save the filly. Was this gonna happen to me again? Was I just gonna die again like before? Only this time, I doubt I’d get a second chance. No…hell no! I REFUSE TO DIE AGAIN! NOT WHEN THIS FILLY NEEDS ME! I felt something inside me, like a burst of energy swelling up within me and was about to burst. I grunted from the strain and glared at the floor before shouting in anger. Suddenly, a burst of energy erupted from within me and a flash of white aura surrounded me like a flickering flame. The energy allowed me to gain the strength I needed to lift myself up little by little as my power continued to grow. “I WON’T…GIVE UP!!” I shouted defiantly. “I already died once, and once was enough!” I sneered. “You think I’m gonna let something like this take me down?!” My hands began to glow as I felt energy build up more and more. “I was ripped from my world without any warning! I was sent to this one for a reason I still don’t know! And I’ll be damned if I mess up this second chance so soon!” I felt something within my soul and the white aura flared more violently around my body. “So until I figure out why I of all people was sent here and what my purpose is, I make this solemn oath right here, right now!” At this point, my hands are shining as bright as possible to the point where the energy is close to erupt. “As long as there is even a shred of strength left in my soul…I REFUSE TO DIE AGAIN!!” The light from my hands seemed almost blinding and the aura was flickering nonstop. The huge amount of energy reached a breaking point and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Get down, kid!” The filly, who was in complete shock during the whole display, quickly nodded, sat down, and covered her head. “BUSTER CANNON!!!” The energy in my hands erupts and a brilliant blue sphere of energy forms, becoming bigger and bigger each passing second. The sphere then shined brightly and shot upwards in a huge explosion, causing the beam to be blasted away and enveloping our vision with light. The blast lasts for a few minutes until it starts to dissipate and the light dies down. I can no longer keep standing as I fell down on both my hands and knees. My vision is blurry and there’s a ringing in my head. I looked to my side to see the filly was safe and sound as she uncovered her head from her arms and looked at me. “Hey…kid,” I wheezed with a smile. “You okay?” “Y…yes,” she nodded slowly. “Good…” I nodded as my body leaned to the side and I fell over on the ground on my back. “That’s good…I’m glad you’re…safe.” “Are you okay?” she asked. “I’m fine…” I nodded weakly. “Just…exhausted.” “DINKY!!” I glanced to the other side to see a pegasus mare running toward us. She had grey fur, a pale blonde mane, and goldish yellow eyes that were looking in different directions. “MOMMA!!” the filly cried as she stood up and ran toward the mare, the two hugging each other close. “Oh my precious little muffin, thank sweet Celestia you’re ok!!” the mare cried through her tears. “I was so scared, Momma!” the filly whimpered. I smiled a little through my exhaustion at the happy reunion. I then noticed more ponies showing up from behind, including ponies who wore similar clothing to what normal firefighters wear as they all had a stupefied look on their faces. I then saw Rainbow Dash and the others to boot, which made me lift my hand to them a little. “Hey…everyone.” “William! Holy Celestia! What in the hay was that explosion?!” Twilight demanded. “It’s a long story…” I said. “Long story short…I was in a difficult situation and had to get this one to safety.” I gestured to the filly. “You saved my daughter?” the mare asked me. “He did, momma! This brave stallion burst through my room and saved me!” the filly chirped. “At a price, unfortunately,” I added, glancing around the charred remains of the house. “If this was your house, ma’am, I’m sorry I blew it all to hell.” The mare looked at the burned remains, then back to me and smiled while shaking her head. “That’s alright,” she reassures me, “My daughter and I were actually planning to move out anyway. It’s a good thing we managed to get all of our personal belongings out before the fire.” The mare then tears up again as she looks down at me. “All I care about right now is my daughter is safe, and you saved her. That’s all that matters to me.” She knelt down and placed her hand on my chest. “Thank you…th-thank you so much for saving my little girl.” “No problem, miss…” “Derpy. You can call me Derpy Hooves.” “And I’m Dinky Hooves!” the filly squeaked. “Glad to meet you both. I’m William Saber, but you can both call me Will for short.” “Can you get up, Will?” Spike asked me. “Not at the moment. My body is all stiff and my head hurts. That blast pretty much took all the stored up energy I had. I’m using what little strength I have left to stay awake,” I said with a slight groan. “I’LL SAY! WHAT IN THE HAY WAS THAT BEAM OF LIGHT?! DID YOU REALLY DO THAT?! I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I NEED ANSWERS NOW!” Twilight shrieked in my ear. The others nod furiously, wanting to know what happened and how I did what I did. God, why the bloody hell do they gotta be so damn loud all the time… As her friends tried to calm her down, I soon began to overhear some of the ponies from the crowd talking amongst themselves. “Did you hear that? He’s the one who saved Dinky!” “Oh my goodness! It’s the human!” “Did he seriously jump into that burning building all by himself? That was too reckless of him!” “Who cares about that?! He managed to save Dinky before it was too late! He’s a hero!” Soon, all the ponies are starting to comment and praise me about my heroics. They all then start to applaud and cheer for my deed, despite my extreme actions. I felt a warm sense of pride as they cheered for me. It felt pretty damn good to have saved a life and they’re so welcoming of it. “We should get you to the hospital, William. Those injuries look bad,” Rainbow said. “Yeah, that’s probably the best course to take right about now,” I agreed. “Do you have anywhere else to stay in the meantime?” I asked Derpy. Derpy nods and says, “Yes, Dinky and I were actually going to stay with my sister until my husband returns from his travels.” I nodded in agreement and looked back at Dinky. She’s still staring at me with that cute smile, making me smile back. “You take care of yourself, ok?” “Thank you again for saving me, Mr. Will!” Dinky said with a happy chirp in her voice. She and her mother walk away, along with the rest of the crowd until it’s just me, the girls, and Spike. “Well…I gotta admit that I was not expecting to pull something like that off,” I sighed as I continued to lay on the ground. “What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “That huge blast, that was not on purpose.” “You didn’t do it on your own?” Rarity questioned. “Well, I did, but I didn’t mean to,” I explained. “I’ve just been learning the basics of Ki manipulation lately and all I could do was fly a few meters in the air and hold small orbs of Ki in my hands. That may have been in the spur of the moment, but it’s still a little baffling to me how I was able to pull it off.” “Maybe you were in desperate need of power in a desperate situation?” Spike guessed. “Maybe. Who knows? I still can’t move my body at the moment.” “Well, I for one am glad you’re okay, Willy!” Pinkie said with a wide smile. “You’re a real hero today! I should throw you a party!” “Thanks for the offer, Pinkie, but for now, I’d rather just rest,” I said. “Aw, well alright, since you insist!” I chuckled a little as I stared up at the sky. Today was not a day I was expecting to happen, yet it did anyway. I managed to save a kid from a burning building. The feeling I felt before I blasted the house away, all that energy released at once. Was that really me doing it? How was I able to do such a powerful attack? More importantly…I called it Buster Cannon, just like in the show I used to watch. I mean, it looked similar to the original, so it was the only thing that came to mind. Well, besides all that, I’m just glad it’s all over. My eyes started to grow heavy as my consciousness faded away. I may not know what’ll happen tomorrow, or the day after that, but I do know one thing. That experience was something I don’t plan on forgetting, it’ll serve as a reminder if and when I ever find myself in a situation like that. No matter what, I’ll stay alive, even if it kills me. Author's Note His first heroic act of many. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s Friend In NeedChapter 9 WHACK! My kick struck the trunk of the tree, causing it to shake wildly. One by one, the apples fell off the branches and into the baskets below. I wiped my brow and fanned myself with my shirt, then picked up the apple baskets and hoisted them over my shoulders. Another day at the apple farm, and like always, I was hard at work. I could definitely feel the progress in both my physical and mental Ki training. I’m able to fly into the air without putting much effort into it and my speed has increased steadily to a nice 40-50mph, or so I’d estimate. My body has also improved in a physical sense. Before, I was just semi-fit and worked out regularly. Now, I feel stronger and more fit than ever. It’s little wonder Mac is as fit as he is now, considering he’s done this kind of thing since he was a kid. Smirking to myself, I grabbed my jacket that I hung over a branch and draped it over my shoulder. As I walked back toward the farm, I started to question myself a little as to why I’ve been putting so much effort in my Ki training lately. Gaining physical strength and a clear mind through work and meditation is one thing, but I felt as though there was more to it than just improving myself. If I wasn’t blessed with these new powers, I’d probably just be another ordinary new citizen of Ponyville and inhabitant of this world. My mind trailed back again to the letter I got from F upon my arrival here. What she said kinda irked me whenever I remember reading about how she chose me. Why did she choose me out of all humans? I’ll probably never know. I recall the princesses I met on my first night here said they’d send for me once they’ve confirmed something, but I’ve still yet to hear anything. Pushing my dilemmas aside, I saw Mac and a small girl standing by him. She wore a cute little pink bow tied in her red hair. She wore blue jeans and a green shirt, both slightly covered in mud. Her eyes were a pretty orange color and looked to be about ten or twelve years old. “Hey there, Mac. Got some more baskets here for you,” I called out to the farmer stallion. Mac looked at me and smiled with a nod. The young filly turned to me and smiled widely at me. “Well, hey there.” “Howdy! So you’re the famous human feller mah sister and brother’s been talkin’ about?” the filly chirped. “I wouldn’t say I’m famous,” I said bashfully. “I assume you’re Mac and Applejack’s little sister?” “You assume right, partner! Mah name’s Apple Bloom!” I set the baskets down and held my hand out to Apple Bloom. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Apple Bloom. I’m William Saber, but you can just call me Will for short.” “Can do, Will!” Apple Bloom grabbed my hand and shook it. Even for a young girl her age, she’s got quite a grip. Must run in the family. “Y’all can go on home, if ya want, Will,” Mac said. “Really? I still have about a couple hours in my shift,” I said. “Naw, you’ve earned it. Since ya harvested all them apples on your own, there ain’t many trees to buck. Bloom and Ah’ll take care of it,” Mac waved it off. “I was happy to help, Mac. You don’t have to give me special treatment,” I said. “It ain’t. Just call it a personal reward from me to you.” “Well, if you insist, then I’ll be on my way.” “Buh-bye, Will!” Apple Bloom waved at me. I gave the two Apple siblings a two fingered salute before jumping in the air and flying off. “WHAT THE HAY?! HE CAN FLY?!” I chuckled when I heard Apple Bloom’s shouting and continued my flight back toward the library. She seemed like a nice young girl with a lot of energy, kinda like…Rachel. I stopped in midair when the thought of my sister came to mind. It’s been over a month since I came to this world. I imagine my whole family is worried sick to tears about me disappearing. If circumstances were different, I’d still be home and living my life with my step-family and mother. I frowned as the wind blew against me in the air and I looked up at the clouds. “I wish I could see them again,” I said to myself. “Just so I could at least give them closure that I’m alright.” “Move it, jerk wad!” My reminiscing was interrupted when something flew past me and nearly sent me spinning out of control. I shook my head and looked toward the rude flyer who was nearly out of sight. “Hey! I’m flying here! Up yours, you prick!” I shouted at the flyer. “Sheesh, some people have no manners.” Choosing to brush off the rude encounter just now, I continued flying back toward the library and touched down in front of the door. When I opened it, I was met with a weird scent of burnt flowers. I waved away the smoke in the air and saw Twilight cleaning up a little mess she made with her potions. “Trouble with your studies, Twilight?” I spoke up, getting her attention. “Oh, welcome back, Will. No, it’s just another one of Pinkie’s and Rainbow’s pranks,” Twilight said with a sigh. “They replaced my writing ink with invisible ink so I couldn’t see the notes I had just written down, and this is the result. Those two have been pulling practical jokes like this all day.” “Invisible ink? Pfft, that’s actually pretty funny,” I chuckled. “Reminds me of when I used to pull pranks like that on my sister.” “If you don’t mind me asking, Will, what is your sister like?” Twilight asked as she cleaned. “Heh, well, she may be older than me, but I sometimes feel like I’m the older sibling because of how childish she can be.” I laughed a little as I sat down on a chair. “I remember when we were younger, we used to play with these little stuffed animals. She wanted to pretend that they all lived happily together and smiled all the time. I, on the other hand, wanted them to fight each other.” “You wanted stuffed animal toys to fight?” Twilight asked, perplexed. “I know how it sounds, but I just figured it’d be cooler to play like that. I honestly made any toy I owned fight each other. Anyway, she always used to complain all the time when I had my stuffed elephant try to beat her little stuffed frog to a pulp.” “That sounds violent,” Twilight commented. “Like I said, I thought it was cooler than just having them sit around and talk about their feelings.” I shrugged. “I remember I once took one of her toys and hid it, then told her my toy had banished it and it wouldn’t be seen forever. She cried the whole day and I got grounded by my parents after I gave it back to her.” “Seems like you got your just desserts,” Twilight said as she finished cleaning the mess. “I guess I did, but besides that, my sister and I got along just well. Even though she was my step-sister, she still felt like she was my actual sister.” I smiled as I reminisced about Rachel. “Every time, whenever I saw Rachel sad or upset about something, I’d always make a fresh batch of brownies for her. I had come up with a personal recipe and she was the first to try it. She told me it was the best thing she’s ever eaten.” Twilight set down her cleaning supplies and walked over to me and sat down beside me. “Do you miss your family?” “Every day.” I leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. “I often wonder how they’re all coping with my disappearance, my mother especially.” Twilight frowned pityingly and reached over to place her hand on mine. “I’m sure they’re missing you too, Will. I’m sorry you were taken from your world so suddenly. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.” I looked back at Twilight and smiled at her. “I appreciate it, Twilight, and I’ve been through worse heartache than this. All I can do now is just keep my head up high and continue moving forward. I’m here in this world now, so I might as well get used to it.” “Still, it’s nice to let your feelings out whenever you feel the need,” Twilight reassured me as she pulled her hand away. I nodded at her, but then found myself gazing at Twilight. I hadn’t noticed before, since this was probably the longest time we’d ever spoken to one another, but her eyes seemed to have a certain twinkle in them. Not to mention…this mare was admittedly kinda cute. Her hair looked so smooth and wavy, along with her tail. The way the two-toned streak in her hair hung over her eye a little, was all appealing to me. …wait, the hell am I thinking?! “Ahem! Well, uh, I’m gonna hit the showers,” I said sheepishly. I stood up and quickly made my way up the stairs toward the bathroom, leaving Twilight by herself. I shut the door behind me, took off my sweaty clothes, and threw them in the hamper. I then turned the knob in the shower so the water could heat up and gazed at the mirror in the room. I looked at both of my different coloured eyes and leaned my hands on the bathroom countertop. Those thoughts of mine while looking at Twilight made me question my very sense of reason. “Just what the hell are you thinking, Saber?” I asked myself. “You do realize that you’re a human? And she’s a pony? You both are two completely different species, and you go and have the thought process of finding her cute? Get it through your thick skull. it’s not gonna happen no matter how you try to spin it. It’s better you just forget what happened entirely.” I shook my head and entered the shower to wash myself off. It would seem that the longer I stay in this world and associate with these ponies, the more I wonder what else entails for me in the coming future. The Next Day Another day in Ponyville as I flew toward the lake for another Ki training session. My mind was set on improving my flight speed and learning how to perform more advanced Ki blast techniques. My goal was to further adapt my body to the usage of Ki and whenever I use it in such large quantities. I imagined myself being able to perform well-known techniques from Dragon Ball. As I flew, I caught sight of Rainbow Dash flying through the clouds with someone. When I looked down, I saw Pinkie running after them with a trampoline, which piqued my interest as to what that party mare was up to. Deciding to take a detour, I flew down toward Pinkie until I was just above her. “Sup, Pinkie. What’s the deal with that trampoline?” I asked. “Hi, Willy! I’m trying to catch up with Rainbow Dash and her friend Gilda!” Pinkie chirped as she continued to run while holding the trampoline. “Gilda? Who’s Gilda?” I wondered. “She’s a griffin who Rainbow used to know back in the day, and I wanna try to be her friend too! So I’m gonna use this trampoline to jump up in the sky to talk with them!” “Hmm, interesting plan.” I then got an idea that she might like. “Hey, if you want, I can just carry you and fly up there?” Pinkie halted in her tracks and looked up at me as I hovered in midair. “You’d do that for me?!” “Well, sure.” I landed back down on the ground. “Seems like a drag for you to lug that thing everywhere, so why not make it easier for yourself and let me give you a ride?” “That’s super duper nice of you, Willy!” Pinkie hopped up and down. “But is it really okay? What if I’m too heavy and I hurt your back?” “Please, I lug heavy-ass apple baskets all day long. I think I can handle carrying you,” I waved it off and turned around. “Hop on.” Pinkie squealed and practicality jumped on my back, making me grunt. As I hooked my hands under her legs and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, her generous bust pressed against my back. My cheeks blushed a shade of red as I felt those two mounds of flesh press into me. Not to mention, her legs were incredibly soft on my hands. “Let’s get going…” I said, trying to compose myself. “Up, up, and away!” Pinkie cheered. I nodded and flew up into the air. Pinkie giggled and swung her legs back and forth as she tried to touch any clouds we passed by. When we neared the cloud Rainbow and this Gilda were sitting on, I got a look at the new griffin. True to Pinkie’s word, this girl did indeed have the body features of an actual griffin. She had the head of a bald eagle with a few feathers brushed over the side of her head. Her body had brown fur, a long tail, and legs like a lion. Her hands looked like talons with sharp claws and she had golden-yellow eyes. On her back was a pair of fairly large brown, yet scruffy-looking wings. She wore torn black jeans and a black tank top to go with it. This girl looked like she worked out on a daily basis since she had a lot of muscle on her arms, legs, and torso. At first glance, as we flew nearer, I could get the sense that this girl was a bit of a punk. However, since Pinkie said Gilda was an old friend of Dash’s, I suppose I could give her the benefit of the doubt. “Hiya, Rainbow! It’s later, and I caught up with Willy’s help!” Pinkie chirped. “Oh, that's great. Really, great,” Gilda said in an annoyed tone while looking away. “And nice to meet you, to you too,” I said sarcastically. “So, who’s your rude friend, Rainbow?” “This is Gilda, an old friend of mine from Jr. Flight School.” Dash introduced the griffon. “G, this is Will Saber.” “Sup,” she said with a bored tone. “Charmed,” I said. Sheesh, what crawled up her ass and made it their home? I thought. “Wait.” Gilda seemed to perk up after about a minute. “Will Saber? You’re that human thing?” “I wouldn’t call myself a thing, but I am a human,” I said. “So you’re the one Dash told me who took on Nightmare Moon alone?” “I prefer to say I kept her distracted while Rainbow and her friends did the finishing blow,” I shrugged, only for Gilda to chortle at me. “So you’re a pussy, then? Ha! I knew Dash was just pulling my feathers. You probably hid behind some bushes and jerked off while Dash took on that bitch,” Gilda said with a smirk and mocking tone. To say what she had told me ticked me off would be an understatement. I’ve dealt with bullies before, and this griffin was no exception. “Hey, that’s not true! Willy stood up to Nightmare Moon as best as he could,” Pinkie said. “You wanna run that by me again, bird brain?” I sneered, making Gilda glare at me. “What did you say to me?” Gilda stood up on the cloud and walked over to me. “Why don’t you say it again to my face,” she said with a glare aimed at me. “Hey, quit it, guys!” Rainbow said, getting between us. “G, you know I told you that in confidence. Will tried his best against Nightmare Moon.” “Hmph. He looks like a kitten could beat him,” Gilda snarked. “By the way, I could care less what you say about me.” My gaze turned into a glare. Pinkie looked my way nervously, along with Rainbow as my aura rose little by little. The cloud they stood on began to dissipate a little from my aura as my Ki levels became more intense. “But if you dare insult Princess Luna like that again, I’ll show you how much I’ve improved since my fight with Nightmare Moon.” “Pfft, whatever. Come on, Dash, let’s blow this dump and hit up a bar,” Gilda said before taking off with Dash right behind her. “Uh, wait up G!” Rainbow turned back to us. “Sorry guys, I’ll catch you later.” Rainbow flew off after Gilda and I simply clicked my tongue at them as I descended to the ground. “What are you doing, Willy? Fly after them!” Pinkie said while bouncing on my back. “Trust me, Pinkie, it ain’t worth it,” I shook my head. “But why not?!” “Because people like Gilda aren’t the type you wanna associate with. They’ll drag you down and insult you just to seem like they’re cool, when they’re actually not. In other words, Gilda’s a massive bully,” I explained. “Awww, that’s sad to think about. Maybe if we threw her a party, she’d open up more?” Pinkie pondered while going limp and leaned back, so she was upside down. I chuckled as I touched back down and Pinkie just slumped to the ground on her back. “Hate to break it to you, Pinks, but that griffin’s got issues that I don’t even wanna think about,” I shrugged. “Well, maybe you’re wrong!” Pinkie protested as she sprang back to her hooves. “I just know Gilda will be a good friend if I try!” “Then I wish you luck. Sorry I can’t fly you up there anymore.” “Aw, it’s okay! I’ve got plenty of ways to get up there!” Pinkie ran off. “Ignorance is bliss, I suppose,” I shrugged again and tucked my hands in my pockets and decided to walk toward the lake. Later “Pant…pant…pant…Well, I’d say that was a success,” I breathed heavily as I kept my hands in front of me. The water rippled violently after my Ki blast attack and small waves crashed along the shoreline. My whole body ached a little, but it was well worth it. All the preparation, mental and physical training, had all proved to be a fruitful endeavor. “I think I got enough Ki in me for one more test,” I said aloud as I assumed the position again. I focused my Ki in my hands as I held them above my head. My Ki rose and my aura surrounded me like a white flame and my hands glowed bright. I felt my power about to be unleashed and saw a bright light shine in my hands, then thrusted them forward. “Masenko!” A beam of energy shot from my hands and impacted the water in the lake. An explosion of water erupted from the lake and water rained down on me. I smirked at the first successful Ki blast attack. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!” I pumped my fists, but then felt a wave of fatigue hit me. “Ugh, I still need to expand my Ki pool a bit more.” Growl! My stomach made itself known and I chuckled sheepishly. “Maybe I should get something to eat first.” I then remembered hearing about a new shop that had opened on the edge of town that sold specific goods. “Maybe I’ll pay that shop a visit.” After putting my jacket back on, I made my way to Ponyville to get some grub. Along the way while smiling and waving at the ponies I passed by, I spotted Pinkie sitting at a café and slurping a milkshake in a huff. “Pinkie?” I called out to her. “What’s wrong? That’s quite the scowl you got there.” “Sigh. I’ve been following Gilda all day to see how to make her my friend. All I've come up with is that she's a bully and a thief," Pinkie said sadly. “How so?” I asked, getting suspicious. “Well, I saw her use her tail to scare the horseshoes out of poor Granny Smith! Then, when no pony was looking, she stole an apple right off the stall after insulting their freshness! So Twilight was wrong when she said I was jealous, because I was right and so were you! She’s a meanie and a thief!” “I’m honestly not that surprised. People like that always have a tendency to hide their true colors. I wonder what Rainbow would think if she knew about the things that griffin had done,” I said, crossing my arms. “Maybe we should tell her how mean Gilda is? Rainbow doesn’t deserve a bully like Gilda as a friend,” Pinkie said. “You’d be right, but I doubt Rainbow would believe us since the two of them have history.” While Pinkie was throwing a pout, I noticed Fluttershy walking backwards and leading a family of ducks through the street. Any pony who saw her gave her space so she could help them, except when I saw Gilda marching in the other way. Fluttershy accidentally bumped into Gilda. “Oh, please excuse me,” Fluttershy said. “Hey! I’m walking here!” Gilda shouted in Fluttershy’s face while bowing up and flaring her wings out. “I-I’m sorry. I w-was just trying to-to get across, for the-” Fluttershy started, only for Gilda to mimic her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was just trying not to suck. Why don’t you move it before I really make you sorry!” she said while getting in her face. “I-I-I-I…” Fluttershy tried to say while falling to the ground on her ass. “I said move it, you yellow cunt!” Gilda yelled at her before letting out a lion's roar in Shy’s face. “Oh that’s it! Stay put, Pinkie!” I stomped over toward Gilda as Fluttershy cried behind her mane. Before Gilda could bash Fluttershy any longer, I shoved her away and stood in front of Fluttershy. “The cluck?!” Gilda snapped. “You okay, Fluttershy?” I asked the timid mare, looking over my shoulder. “W-William…?” Fluttershy whimpered. “She…she yelled at me.” “I know, I’ll take care of this.” I looked back at Gilda with a glare of my own. “Hey! Back the hell off, you bitch! No one yells at my friends like that!” Some ponies stopped and turned toward the commotion. “Who the hell do you think you are?!” “Gilda, you clucking retard! And what’s a pussy ape like you gonna do about it?!” she challenged while balling her fists. “I’ll show you!” I widened my stance and held my hand up in front of me and my fist at my side. “You mess with Fluttershy, you mess with me!” “Fine then! Two dweebs, one fist!” Gilda said before rushing at me with her fist raised. I blocked her fist with my palm and threw her over my shoulder. I winced a little since her fist was heavy and her hands had sharp talons. Gilda came back at me with her claws at the ready. Leaning my body back, I evaded her strike and swung my knee right in her gut. She coughed as I then spun around and side kicked her, sending her tumbling across the dirt. “Your attitude is shit, you yelled at my friend, and you picked a fight with me!” I said as Gilda sneered at me. “I guess I learned something new today; griffins are nothing but cold-hearted bullies!” “You little shithead! I’ll smash your face into a pulp and mount your ass on a wall!” she raved before charging again. I waited until she was just a foot in front of me and I ducked out of the way. I twirled around and grabbed her arm, then swung her onto the ground. Before she could recover, I held her arm and pinned her to the ground by digging my knee into her back so she wouldn’t be able to use her wings. “Rrrgh, let me go, you freak!” Gilda said while struggling under my weight. She looks to the side, before smirking. “Ow! My wing! You broke my wing! I’ll never fly again!” “Oh shut the hell up!” I rolled my eyes at her poor attempt to frame me. I looked to see Rainbow approaching us. “Rainbow, you should hear what your oh so good friend did to poor Fluttershy.” “Don’t listen to this creep! Help me get him off before he decides to stick his dick in me!” Gilda pleaded with fake concern for her well-being. “Gilda!” Rainbow’s voice sounded both annoyed and disappointed. “I saw everything!” “Then why are you standing there? Help me up!” Gilda said, thinking Dash only meant she saw the fight. “You think I would after what you said?! I was just coming back to fly with you when I saw you yell and insult Fluttershy to her face! Not to mention you picked a fight with Will, who’s also my friend! Not cool, Gilda! I thought you were better than that!” “Never judge a book by its cover,” I said aloud, still pinning Gilda. “The heck, Dash? I thought you were cool, not like the rest of these dweebs,” she argued. “You’re so naïve.” I pulled Gilda up and shoved her away from us. “Just because you think you’re hot shit doesn’t mean Rainbow has to be, too. Sure, Rainbow’s cool in her own right, but at least she doesn’t put herself on a pedestal and mock anyone who’s not like her, like you do.” Gilda was about to come at me again when I just shook my head. “Don’t. Just don’t, Gilda. You already embarrassed yourself in front of the whole town and in front of your only friend. Do yourself a favor. Just leave before you humiliate yourself any more.” Gilda clenched her fists hard as she looked at Dash for some sort of last chance, but the mare scoffed and looked away. Gilda growled, a hint of a tear started to escape her eyes before she shook her head and turned her back on us. “Fine! I don’t need any of you pansy-ass pussies!” She gave everyone the double bird before taking off. I sighed and noticed Rainbow’s ears droop. “You okay?” I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, I’ll be okay,” she told me while watching her old friend fly off into the distance. “Just when you think you know somepony.” “Trust me, I know that feeling all too well,” I nodded somberly. Just saying those words began to bring back some…unpleasant memories of my childhood, but I managed to suppress them before they had a chance to surface. I turned around to see Fluttershy wiping her eyes and still sitting on her knees. I approached the crying mare and offered my hand to her. “It’s okay, Fluttershy, she’s gone.” Flutters wiped away a few more tears before taking my offered hand. When she was back on her hooves, she quickly wrapped her arms around my neck and quietly whimpered in the crook of my neck. “Thank you, William.” I was a little caught off guard at the hug, but I returned the gesture by gently wrapping my arms around her and rubbing her back. “I’m sorry you were treated so poorly. You didn’t deserve that from a bully like her,” I said. “I’m just glad you were here to stop her,” she told me while tightening her hug. “I was just so scared.” “I know.” As I hugged her, I noticed the ponies around us were whispering to each other. Some were smiling at me and giving me nods of approval. The feeling I had before, when I saved Dinky, returned to me as I felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me. Being able to save someone and protect them from others almost made me feel like I was some kind of hero. But I brushed that feeling off since I just did what I felt like I needed to do. Fluttershy soon stepped away from me and smiled warmly up at me. “You gonna be okay from now on?” I asked. “I think so. Oh no! What happened to the ducks?” Flutters began to panic. “Got ‘em right here, Fluttershy!” Pinkie skipped over to us with the ducks following her. “I managed to get them away before things got hairy!” “Thank you, Pinkie. Come along, little duckies.” Fluttershy led the duck family away. As she left, she glanced back at me past her mane and I could swear I saw a hint of pink in her cheeks, but thought it was my imagination. “Now that that’s been settled, I’m gonna go get some grub.” I turned to leave and tucked my hands in my pockets. “See ya later, Willy!” Pinkie waved goodbye and I waved to her and Rainbow over my shoulder. Later That Evening After an eventful day, I had returned home to relax with Twilight and Spike. We were sitting around the living room table and I had told them about what had happened. “I can’t believe someone would just yell at Fluttershy like that! She’s the sweetest mare in Ponyville!” Spike said bitterly. “I was surprised too,” I nodded. “Good thing I was there to stand up to that bully.” “Was it really necessary to pick a fight with Gilda?” Twilight wondered. “Twilight, I have a certain vendetta against bullies. Whenever I see someone being picked on by another, I’m gonna step in no matter what,” I argued. “Besides, she had it coming.” “I suppose,” Twilight sighed. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The door knocked and we all looked toward the door. “Who could that be?” I wondered. I stood up from my seat and walked over to the door. When I opened it, I was met with an armored pony stallion who was just a few inches shorter than me. “Uh…can I help you, sir?” “Sir Saber? I’m here to deliver a summons from the princesses themselves,” the guard said before handing me a scroll with Celestia’s insignia stamped on the seal. “The princesses?” I asked, surprised. “Thank you for your time.” The stallion nodded and turned to leave. I shut the door and turned back to Twilight and Spike. “Who was at the door?” Twilight wondered. “Some stallion in armor.” I showed them the letter. “Princess Celestia wants me to come to Canterlot tomorrow.” “She does?! Did you do something wrong?!” Twilight yelped. “What? No!” I sighed as I unrolled the scroll. As I read the contents, I arched a brow in confusion. “It says…they want to talk to me about someone called the Guardian.” “Guardian? That sounds cool,” Spike said. “The Guardian…where have I heard that name before?” Twilight wondered. “I just have one question…what’s Canterlot?” Author's Note Whenever a friend in need, the hero will always be there to help. And what secrets do the princesses have in store for our hero? Side Note: I would like to take this opportunity to apologize. I know I said some weeks ago that I was back, but then I hit a bit of a writer’s block and couldn’t get motivated to write anything for a while. Thankfully, after psyching myself up little by little, I think I have my spark for writing back. Thank you all for your continued patience, and I’ll see you all in the next chapter and my other stories! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… The First Guardian Part 1Chapter 10 “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” “Twilight, if I had a nickel for every time you’ve asked me that, I’d be the richest human in Equestria.” “What are nickels? We only use bits.” “I-…y’know what, nevermind.” It was a little early in the morning and I had just finished packing for my trip to Canterlot. After a couple hours of Twilight explaining to me what and where Canterlot is, I figured I should pack appropriately. I had bought a duffel bag some time ago and packed some clothes that Rarity made for me over the course of my stay in Ponyville. Honestly, I didn’t expect to get a summons from the princesses so soon, but I suppose now was as good a time as any. “Any idea why the princesses would want to talk to you?” Spike wondered with a yawn. “No clue,” I shrugged as I zipped up my duffel bag. “Sounds like it’s pretty important, though.” “I still can’t place what this Guardian they mentioned in the letter is,” Twilight said, scratching her chin. “I could swear I’ve read the name before in a book.” “Maybe you just haven’t read enough books?” Spike quipped. “Oh, ha ha, I’ve read all the books in the library!” “Thrice, and still counting,” Spike said back. “Alright, you two, that’s enough,” I chuckled lightly as I stood up with my duffel bag. “I’ll be back in a couple days. Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone.” “That’s an impossible request since Pinkie’s all about having fun,” Spike said. “Fair enough. Then instead, try to have as much fun for me.” The two nodded and I headed out the door. The sun had just risen over the horizon about an hour ago as I made my way to the train station. It was a good thing I told Applejack about my trip to Canterlot. I wouldn’t want her to think I’m playing hooky from work. Upon my arrival at the train station, I approached the window where a young-looking mare was distributing tickets. “Excuse me? One ticket to Canterlot, please,” I said to her. “Hm? Oh! Hello,” the mare said. “You’re the local human, aren’t you?” “That’s me, Will Saber.” “Nice to meet you, Mr. Saber. One ticket for Canterlot.” She tore off a ticket from the dispenser and handed it to me as I pulled out some bits and paid her. “So what’s the occasion for traveling to the capital?” “Official business from the princesses themselves,” I replied. “The princesses? Wow, I’m so jealous!” “It’s probably no big deal,” I shrugged it off as I took my ticket. “Thanks, you have a good one.” “You too, Mr. Saber!” The mare waved goodbye. I rounded the corner and saw the train already parked and waiting for passengers trying to board. I waited my turn in line and stepped onto the train car. The interior was pretty spacious compared to the trains I’ve been on back on Earth. I picked my seat in the car and set my bag on the rafters above, then took my seat. As I waited for the train to start moving, I started to think about what I would be told by the princesses. The letter mentioned something about someone called the Guardian. Could he have been some kind of protector? I thought back to the night when I first met the princesses, how they reacted when I told them I was a human. It seemed like they already knew what a human was, which couldn’t be possible since I should be the first and only human in Equestria. Then again, I’ve heard from time to time, ponies refer to humans as being a myth. But that’s probably because of Lyra and her conspiracy theories. That is, until I showed up. “All aboard!” The conductor called out as he rang his little bell. “Last call for Canterlot!” I adjusted in my seat as the doors began to close and the train began to move. I watched out the window as the world outside moved along as the train chugged along. All I could do now was wait for my questions to be answered once I met with the princesses in person. A Few Hours Later “Attention! Now arriving at the royal capital, Canterlot!” I looked up from my phone, as I was playing a game, and saw us just arriving at the train station. When I looked back down at my phone, the game said that I failed. “Ugh, guess I’ll have to try beating my high score in Jetpack Joyride later,” I mumbled as I turned off my phone and stood up. When the train came to a stop, I grabbed my duffel bag from the rafters. The doors opened and I stepped out to see a pristine-looking city with a huge White Castle standing over it. The castle looked like it was built along the side of the mountain. It looked just as tall as the mountain it sat on, making me whistle in amazement. “Buckingham Palace ain’t got nothing on this place,” I said aloud. “Hey! Language!” a mare snapped, covering her son’s ears. “Uh…sorry?” I said sheepishly, but decided not to dwell on it and move along. After leaving the platforms, I stopped just outside the station to take in the city. Everywhere I looked, there were the words fancy and entitled written all over. Most of the ponies who walked by had their muzzles pointed upwards, like they knew they were important and wanted to flaunt their expensive suits and dresses they wore. “Oh joy, I’ve arrived in the city of the snob,” I joked while rolling my eyes. “Pardon me.” A voice caught my attention and turned to my right to see a few guard ponies. Two of them were pegasus stallions and one was a unicorn stallion. The unicorn stallion wore gilded armor and had muscled arms almost the size of Big Mac’s. The hair in his mane and tail were two-toned blue and his fur was pure white. His eyes were a light baby blue, but had a fierce and stern gaze about them. I stood up straight as he approached me and noticed he was just as tall as I was. “Can I help you, sirs?” I asked as politely as I could. “You aren’t a pony, so I can only assume you’re the human we were sent to escort?” the stallion asked. “Escort?” I repeated, but dismissed it. “Erm, yeah, that’s me.” I held out my hand to the stallion for a shake. “Name’s William, William Saber, but you can just call me Will for short.” “Uh huh, pleasure’s mine,” the stallion nodded, but didn’t shake my hand. “Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard.” “Woah…you’re a captain?” I said, lowering my hand. “That’s pretty badass.” Shining Armor arched a brow at my statement. “I mean…I just think it’s pretty cool that I’m meeting a Captain for the first time in my life.” “That a fact?” Shining then managed to crack a small smirk. “Well, I’m glad you think so. Shall we head to the palace?” “Sure, might as well,” I shrugged. Shining nodded as he and I walked side by side with the other two guards following behind. As we walked, I noticed I was being watched by snobby passerbys. Some looked at me with mild curiosity while others just stared at me with disgust and confusion. I didn’t let it bother me. If they wanted to stare, then let them. “Kinda surprising to be escorting a real human,” Shining said. “My little sister and I always believed it was all just a ponytale our parents used to tell us when we were foals.” “I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” I chuckled. “My friend, Twilight, wouldn’t stop badgering me with questions after I moved in with her.” Shining stopped suddenly and shot me a glare. “Twilight? As in…Twilight Sparkle?” “Yeah…?” I said as Shining gripped the handle of his sword attached to his hip. “Twilight Sparkle is my little sister,” Shining growled. My face went a little pale, and I gulped nervously. I was in the presence of a very intimidating-looking stallion, who was Captain of the freaking Royal Guard, and I just blurted out that I’m rooming with his kid sister like a moron. Not my smoothest moment, I know. “Now hold on a sec, Captain, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that,” I said, raising my hands defensively. “Oh? Care to elaborate?” Shining said, still glaring at me, ready to slice my head off with his sword. “I only moved in with Twilight because Princess Celestia requested it. She’s been a very welcoming and easy-going mare. I’ve always treated her with respect. In no way, shape, or form would I even imagine doing anything that would betray her trust. What kind of man would I be if I did?” “So you’re telling me that you wouldn’t pull any funny business with my sister?” Shining questions. “Twilight is my friend, I can say that to you in confidence,” I said in a more serious tone. “I also respect you for being on edge toward someone, a guy for that matter, rooming with your sister. Hell, if I were you, I’d be doing the same thing. And to be honest, it makes me respect you too.” “We only just met. How can you already respect me when you don’t even know me?” Shining wondered. “I don’t need to know you, but I do know you’d do anything to keep your family safe. I should know, since there was a time when I wanted to do anything to keep my own family safe.” Shining and I stared at each other for a good long while until he managed to crack another smirk, releasing his grip on his sword’s handle. “That’s twice today I’ve been surprised. You’re alright, Saber.” “I’m glad you think so, Captain.” We continued our trek to the palace as the mood around us changed to a more calming atmosphere. I admit, I was expecting him to ignore my words and try to hack my head off, but he decided to take my word for it. Mom always said that I had a way with words. Now I’m starting to see that she may have had a point. After a while of walking, we made it to the castle gates. The castle itself was much larger up close than how it looked back at the train station. I saw guards everywhere I looked as Shining gave the order to open the gates. The gates opened slowly and we walked through, all while I kept trying to take in all that I saw around me. It was a little overwhelming, considering this is my first time entering an actual functioning castle, with guards and staff walking around and two princesses awaiting my arrival. The interior of the castle was just as fancy and regal-looking as the outside. Red carpets stretched down the hallways, portraits hung on the walls like in a museum, and there were servants and more well-dressed ponies walking around. “First time in a place like this?” Shining guessed. “How’d you guess?” I asked. “You keep looking around wherever we walk, your hands are fidgeting quite a bit, and you almost walked into me a few times.” “Oh, sorry.” “Don’t be. You remind me of me when I first walked through these halls as a recruit. You get used to it.” “Really?” “Not really, but soon.” I rolled my eyes at his quip, then heard someone yelling off in the distance. “You call this clean?! I’ll have your job by the end of this day if you make another poor excuse!” “Please, my lord, don’t fire me! This job is all I have!” The inner good samaritan in me wanted to go see what all the commotion was about, but Shining had the same idea as he turned in the other direction. “You go in and meet the princesses, Saber, I have some personal matters to attend to,” Shining said. “I can wait, or come with you,” I offered. He knew what I meant, but shook his head with a smile. “Nah, I got this, you go on ahead.” I wanted to protest and lend a hand, but I didn’t want to impose since I had other priorities to attend to. Continuing my trek, I looked around and gazed at the interior of the castle in awe. Pushing my fascinations aside, I eventually arrived at a set of a pair of large double doors at the end of the hallway. Two more guards were standing beside the doors and they eyed me suspiciously. I straightened my jacket out and pulled out the scroll I received from Celestia. “I’m here to see the princesses?” I said, holding the scroll up to one of the guards. They looked at each other and one of them took my scroll to read it. After giving it a onceover, he nodded and handed the scroll back to me. “They’re in session, but I’ll let them know you’re here.” The guard opened one of the doors and stepped inside. I waited for about a few more minutes until he came back out with a small group of noble-looking ponies. Some of the nobles looked a little irked and shot me a stink eye, to which I simply ignored. “They’ll see you now.” I nodded as the guards opened both doors for me. The throne room was just as pristine and regal-looking as the rest of the castle. The interior looked to be made of pure white marble and there were windows with murals on them. Sitting on the far end of the room were two thrones, each with a day-like and moon-like theme to them with both princesses on their respective thrones. Celestia and Luna watched me approach them, making me gulp nervously and grip the strap of my duffle bag, as I tried to fix my hair a little. Once I was standing just before them, I realized I wasn’t acting appropriately and immediately bowed to them. “Hello, your majesties, it’s a pleasure to see you both again.” I mentally kicked myself in the gut for sounding so plain. “And an equal pleasure to see you as well, Mr. Saber,” Celestia said with a warm smile. She glanced at the two guards standing by the thrones and gestured for them to leave. The guards saluted and left the throne room, leaving only me and the two princesses. “I gotta say, this place is very fancy,” I said, looking around once more. “It’s nothing like any palace I’ve been to back home.” The princesses looked at each other and then back at me. “Thee wast speaking so formally a moment ago, wherefore did doth thee changeth thy tone so suddenly?” Luna said, sounding like she was a character from Shakespeare. “Oh, well it’s just how I usually talk, I guess?” I shrugged. “Sorry, I’m not used to being in the presence of royalty like you two. Sort of a new experience for me.” “On the contrary, we rather welcome it,” Celestia said. “It is refreshing to hear somepony address us in a casual manner rather than always speak as though they are appealing to us.” “We oft wish the nobility wast not so strict and serious with one another.” Luna sighed. “Just because we hold a royal status, doest not cullionly we cannot communicate with one another as equals.” “Must be tiresome,” I nodded. “And here I thought they were uptight because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” My lame joke managed to somehow earn slight giggles from the princesses as they stood up from their thrones and walked down the steps towards me. “I trust your trip was a smooth one?” Celestia asked. “It was alright,” I said. “I somewhat wish I could’ve flown here, but trains are just as good.” Once again, the princesses looked at each other quizzically as they stood in front of me. “Would thee has’t did prefer we hath sent a hot air balloon f’r thy trippeth hither to the capital?” “Hot air balloon?” I realized why they were confused and stifled a laugh. “You haven’t seen my latest trick. You recall that I have special powers, yes?” They both nodded as I set my duffel bag down. I placed my hands on my hips and focused my Ki. I then slowly lifted off the ground and kept rising a good six feet and hovered in midair. The sight of me flying made the princesses stare up at me in shock and awe. “During my time in Ponyville, I took the liberty of honing my abilities. Figured I should take advantage of what I could do, since the night of my arrival, and this is the result.” “Mine own marry, thou art flying! How is this possible?” Luna unfurled her wings and flew up to meet me in the air. She flew behind me, and examined my back closely as if she was trying to find something. “Thee doth not has’t wings on thy back, yet thee float in the air on thy own as a pegasus would.” “Like I said, it’s thanks to my new powers.” I slowly descended to the ground, with Luna following me, and I touched the floor. “I’m still learning the basics of Ki manipulation, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. Whatever that F person did to me really changed who and what I am on the inside and out.” As soon as I mentioned F, their mood changed almost instantly. Celestia took a breath, as to compose herself, and then looked at me with a serious expression. “Mr. Saber-” “You can call me William,” I said. “Very well, William, do you know why we have summoned you here?” “According to your letter, you wanted to talk about someone named the Guardian?” “Forsooth.” Luna nodded. “Ev’r since thee toldeth us what thou art, we did search within our personal archives f’r a booketh our former ment’r hath left f’r us.” “A book?” I repeated. Celestia’s horn glowed and something appeared in a flash. It was a very old-looking book that had some rips and tears and the pages looked worn out and faded. Celestia levitated the book over to me and I saw the title on the cover. “The Legend of…Sir Rokai Stourmborne.” I read aloud, my heart began to beat a little faster. “The Equestrian Guardian.” I looked up at the princesses, not knowing how to react. “Who’s Rokai Stourmborne?” “By your reaction, you’ve already noticed something?” Celestia guessed as she levitated the book back towards her. “It’s…the name.” I paused to collect myself. “I’ve heard a variety of names in this world. Some sound like play-on words or silly expressions and whatnot. But this name sounds nothing like them.” I looked Celestia and Luna dead in their eyes. “Who is he?” The princesses said nothing as they gestured to me to follow them. I walked behind them as they led me through a door by the thrones. We soon found ourselves outside and walking through a garden of some kind. Bouquets of flowers grew from bushes, there were sculpted marble pony statues here and there, and we walked along a stone path. I wanted to ask where we were going, but they seemed to be too lost in thought about something. We walked in the gardens for about ten minutes until we arrived in an area that felt more secluded than the rest of the garden. We arrived at a large hedge that stood a good few feet taller than us. Both Celestia and Luna lit up their horns and the hedge began to move on its own. The hedge parted ways, like a gate, and more of the stone path we walked on was revealed to us. My nerves were a bit on edge as I continued to follow them and the hedge closed behind us. I heard the sounds of trickling water and caught sight of a fountain further down the path. Next to the fountain was another statue, but as we drew closer, my nerves became more on edge. I thought it was another pony statue, but its distinguishing features became more clear. It looked to be wearing some kind of armor. What shocked me about this statue was that it wasn’t a pony, but had a physique similar to mine. My mouth became dry when Celestia and Luna approached the statue and stood by it. My place slowed and my mouth hung open, trying to find the words to say but none came out. I could see the statue up close. It wasn’t a pony, as I had guessed, and it held some kind of sword downwards by the handle. Its face looked stern, yet proud, like the figure was ready for anything. There was a tuft of hair on its head and the sides looked shaved, from what I could tell. Cracks and little cobwebs all over the statue, but that wasn’t important. This statue…looked like a human. “This, William Saber,” Celestia said as Luna smiled a little up at the statue. “This…is Rokai Stourmborne, the first Guardian of Equestria. And he, like you, was a human.” If I were to imagine how fast my mind was spinning as I gazed at the statue, unable to form a sentence due to the shock, I’d imagine it like one of those dreidel tops I’ve seen in those little nicknack stores. I slowly walked around to face the statue in front. The man looked like he was staring me down and was ready to give his life for whatever purpose he served. I looked back at Celestia, who stared back at me, then at Luna, who also stared back at me, and then back at the statue. “He…was a human?” I managed to say. “How is this possible?” Celestia held up the old book she brought with her. “This text was written by our former teacher, Starswirl the Bearded,” she explained. “It is the only piece of history that depicts the events that happened over a thousand years ago. How Sir Rokai came to us when we needed him most, how his actions made an impact on Equestria and the neighboring kingdoms, and his legacy as the first Guardian.” “We w’re v’ry young during the timeth Sir Rokai wast still alive, but we shall nev’r f’rget all that gent hadst done f’r us.” Luna said. “And just what did he do?” I wondered. “To answer that, you must see for yourself,” Celestia said as she walked over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, then looked at Luna. “Keep watch for us.” “Thee can counteth on us, sist’r, showeth William ev’rything,” Luna nodded. “Bare with me, William, this might be a tad discombobulating,” Celestia warned me. Before I could question what she meant, Celestia leaned horn towards my forehead as it lit up. The tip of the horn tapped my head and there was a sudden flash of light. The scenery around us changed and Luna had disappeared. The garden around us changed and it felt like everything was moving backwards at high speed, even the statue disappeared from where it stood. When everything finally came to a halt. There was a new pony standing just to the side. He looked like an elderly unicorn pony, wearing wizard robes and a wizard's hat with bells on it. The robe had stars embroidered on the cloak and he held a wooden staff. The most noticeable thing about this pony was the long white beard that grew from his face. The old stallion was sitting on the grass and his eyes were closed, like he was meditating. “Who’s that?” I wondered. “My former mentor,” Celestia said with a fond smile. “Lord Starswirl!” A pony pegasus guard came flying in and landed in front of the stallion. The guard wore darker plated armor than what I had seen before. “Yes, what is it?” Starswirl asked calmly as he opened his eyes to look at the pegasus. “There’s been another attack! To the east of Canterlot! The settlers are about to be overrun!” “Again?!…Where are the troops we deployed there?!” Starswirl shouted as he moved to stand, which he had some difficulty in doing. “They…they were killed, sir,” the guard said grimly, making me gulp at the unexpected report. “I was sent to find you and the Pillars! The settlers barricaded themselves in their homes, but they won’t be able to hold out for much longer!” “And where are the others?” Starswirl asked. “I already informed Sir Rockhoof, Sir Flash Magnus, and Lady Somnambula! They are already on their way, but they need you too! I tried looking for Ms. Meadowbrook and Lady Mistmane, but they’re still tending to the wounded from the last few attacks.” “Very well, I shall depart immediately.” Starswirl declared before he teleported to the place of attack. “What the hell is happening?!” I finally managed to blurt out from the turn of events. “Didn’t you say that this all happened over a thousand years ago?!” “I did, I had cast a memory spell just now, we are seeing the memories my mentor had shared with me,” Celestia explained, gesturing to ourselves. It was then I finally noticed that our bodies were transparent. “Whoa…ok, back on topic, what was Starswirl talking about?” “During this time, the kingdom of Equestria was still young, since its founding. The earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns put aside their differences and lived in peace,” Celestia explained as we walked through the gardens of the past. “Over time, neighboring countries sought out Equestria to offer an alliance, to which we accepted and remained strong as a united coalition of kingdoms. However, that peace soon became threatened. An unknown evil unleashed relentless attacks on the populace, killing any whom they saw fit. It wasn’t just in Equestria, these attacks also happened in the griffin, minotaur, and even as far as the zebra and hippogriff kingdoms. There were even reports of attacks in the kingdom to the far north where beings known as caribou reside. These attacks were unprovoked, as if the attackers simply killed and destroyed all in their wake for their own sick desire.” “And who were these attackers,” I wondered. Celestia grabbed my shoulder again and the scene around us seemed to change. We were now standing in a sort of old timey village, but I was unprepared for what I saw. Most of the village was destroyed, fires burned some houses, and there were dead ponies almost everywhere I looked. My face went extremely pale when I saw the gaping wounds from the pony soldiers, some had their eyes still open. Laying next to them were creatures I had not seen before. They were all grotesque and their bodies looked unnaturally deformed. Some had claws, others had razor sharp teeth, and some had crude-looking weapons laying next to them. The creepiest part about them was that they looked like they were made of some kind of shadowy substance. “My god…what happened here?” I began to tremble a little from the gruesome scene before me. I soon heard some commotion and saw a group of ponies standing over the villagers. The villagers were crying their eyes out and were thanking the group of ponies watching over them with Starswirl. One pony was a huge, muscley stallion. The guy’s arms and legs looked like his muscles could put Mac’s to shame. His fur was a pale, light cyan blue, his eyes grayish blue, and his mane and tail both gamboge with a gold stripe running through them. He also sported a beard, mustache combo, and a bit of his mane was braided together. His outfit consisted of brown leather clothes on his chest, and legs, with a metal plate tied around his chest, and a headband on his forehead and one on the end of his tail. He carried a large shovel over his shoulder and looked as fierce as he tried to make himself be. Next to him was a pegasus stallion. His fur was yellowish-amber color, his eyes turquoise, and his mane and tail were dark red. He wore armor that reminded me of what the Spartans used to wear during the times of ancient Greece, which was a strange coincidence to me. He carried a heater shield in his hand and looked very brave. The last of them was a pretty pegasus mare with light scarlet fur, arctic blue mane and tail, and amethyst-purple eyes. She wore robes and a headdress that reminded me of what the ancient Egyptians used to wear, which was another strange coincidence to me. “This cannot go on…” Starswirl said as he gripped his staff. “Starswirl?” The pegasus asked. “These attacks have to stop,” Starswirl said with a determined stomp of his hoof. “What can we do?” The mare said sadly. “It wasn’t like this a year prior.” “Aye,” the larger stallion said in a gruff voice. “We can’t be goin’ on like this forever. Too many have lost their lives.” “But we barely know anything about these creatures,” the pegasus said. “And they just keep attacking for no reason!” “We do know one thing, however,” Starswirl said. “The dark magic that surrounds their bodies comes from Tartarus.” “But the gateway to Tartarus is sealed shut! It’s impossible to breach,” the mare said. “Nevertheless, something must be done. And I believe I have a solution.” Starswirl turned to walk away. “In order to combat evil such as this, we need a greater fighting force. Somepony who has the will and tenacity to help protect our home.” “What are ya suggestin’?” the larger stallion asked. “Fetch Mistmane and Meadowbrook, we depart for Ponehenge.” “Should we get Stygian as well? His knowledge of magic is almost equal to yours,” The pegasus suggested while following his comrade through the battlefield. “A good suggestion, Flash Magnus, fly to his village with all haste. Time is against us.” Flash Magnus gave a quick salute before taking off like a shot and flew off into the direction their friend Stygian was. Celestia used her magic again and the scene changed once more. We were now standing by an area with large stone pillars standing around a stone altar. The ponies from before were here along with three other ponies. One was a smaller-looking unicorn stallion wearing a brown cloak. He had a bowl cut style cerulean hair for his mane and tail, his fur was medium gray, and his eyes were brilliant azure. The other two ponies were mares. One was a very elderly-looking unicorn mare with pale purple fur, dark green mane and tail that flowed like a nonexistent wind, similar to Celestia's, and wore a floral gown. The other mare wore a tropical-looking dress and had her orangey-red hair tied up in a bun. Her eyes were light blue and she was an earth pony mare. “I don’t know about this, Starswirl,” Flash said warily. “Trust me, my friend, Stygian and I did all the proper research.” “But it’s still risky, we don’t know what kind of being we might end up summoning or if they’ll be willing to join us,” Stygian said as they took their positions. “Do not lose hope, my friends. Even in the darkest of times, there is light,” Somnambula said with a confident smile. “I still think Flash is right to be cautious. He and Rockhoof should stand guard in case things go south,” Meadowbrook suggested. “What exactly are we attempting to summon?” Stygian wondered. “Somepony who can combat the creatures and help us save more lives,” Starswirl said. “This new spell I invented should be able to bring forth a worthy adversary. However, if on the off chance this does go wrong…be prepared for anything.” “Well, as long as our new friend can crack some skulls then I’m all for it!” Rockhoof said with a hearty laugh as Starswirl began the spell and chanted something in an old-sounding language I’ve never heard of. Soon the skies darkened and thunder and lightning was everywhere as an unnatural storm formed above Ponhenge and a rift began to form at its center. I watched in astonishment at the levels of magic being used to perform this spell. The refit in the center began to open more and more as the group of ponies stood their ground. Starswirl began to chant louder as he held his staff and his horn sparked like crazy. Soon the other ponies began to glow and beams of light shot out from at the rift. A bright flash of light, so bright I had to cover my eyes, filled the area as lighting echoed throughout the sky. Smoke filled the area as the light died down. I lowered my arm to see a new figure standing in the middle amongst the smoke. It was hunched over but soon stood up straight. I could see that they were wearing a tattered scarf around their neck and a cloth around their waste. As the smoke cleared up more, the figure looked to be wearing plated armor from head to toe. He carried a broadsword in his right hand as he gripped it tightly. The smoke eventually dissipated so I could see their face. I gasped when I finally recognized the figure as the statue from before. It was a man. He had short brown hair and a beard grown on his face. His eyes were a piercing blue and his skin was slightly tanned. I could barely register what I was seeing, an actual human man was standing before everyone that Starswirl managed to summon. From what I could guess, he looked to be around his late thirties. “By my grandpa’s beard! IT WORKED!!” Rockhoof shouted in astonishment. “Greetings, my friend,” Stygian said while approaching the human. “My name is Stygian and I’m sure you have many questions but know that you have been summoned for a noble purpose.” SHING! “Not another step, beast.” The man pointed his sword at Stygian’s neck with a glare. Flash immediately took action and shielded his friend with Rochoof joining him as the atmosphere quickly became intense. “Easy, friend, we don’t want any trouble,” Rockhoof said while keeping an eye on their new visitor. “Your actions say otherwise,” The human countered while noticing the other members of the group. “We mean you no harm, honest!” Meadowbrook pleaded. “Says the walking, talking horse woman,” the man shot back. “Now here’s what’s gonna happen. I ask, you answer, and you keep your heads. Sound fair?” The ponies wanted to argue, but had little choice and nodded. “Good, now where the bloody hell am I?!” “You are in Equestria,” Starswirl replied as he walked up towards the human, unafraid that the sword was now pointing at him. “I am Starswirl The Bearded, and my friends and I have called you here because we need your help.” He finished his answer with a gentle tap of his staff. “Help you? Hah! And why should I?” The man scoffed. “I ain’t some noble knight, come to save the damsels in distress, I’m a rogue. Know what that is? Means I do jobs for coin.” “We figured as much.” Stygian smirked before tossing him a small bag of bits. “That is merely a sample of the payment you’ll receive and if it is worthless in your old world, you can always melt it down.” The man looked skeptical at first before opening the bag and heard the familiar jingle of coins before taking one out and trying to bend it with his teeth to be sure they were genuine. “May we have your name good sir?” Stygian asked while Flash kept his guard up. “Hmm…Rokai, Rokai Stourmborne, third of my name.” My jaw went slack as he tucked the pouch in his armor. “Remember it. So, what’s the job?” Author's Note The history of the First Guardian of Equestria revealed, Rokai’s story begins. Side Note: I am SO very sorry for the delay and lack of posting chapters. I’ve been brainstorming nonstop how I should play this out and eventually decided to break it into parts. But don’t worry! I plan to get the next part out as soon as possible! Thank you all so VERY much for your continued patience, and look forward to the next part! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… The First Guardian Part 2Chapter 11 “That was quite a sight to see,” I said, still reeling from the Pillars summoning Rokai. “Indeed, it still baffles me, but Starswirl has always been a master of magic and spell casting,” Celestia said. “War,” Starswirl answered Rokai bluntly while leading them away from Ponhenge. “In the past year, strange creatures have been appearing all over our lands and beyond. They can be killed by normal means but for each one we kill, a hundred more take its place and our resources are growing thin.” “We have asked our allies for help but even that is not enough,” Stygian added with a sad look on his face. “So, even a world like this is prone to war,” Rokai scoffed as Celestia and I followed the group. “What exactly do you want me to do about it?” “You seem like the kind of veteran warrior, yes?” Starswirl said. “I’ve wielded a blade since I was a lad, what’s your point?” “My point being is our forces are embarrassingly outmatched. My companions and I have been on the front lines constantly. Shameful as it is to admit, we end up doing most of the fighting.” “So on top of me fighting your war with you, you also want me to kick some greenhorns into shape?” Rokai rolled his eyes as he carried his sword over his shoulder. “I suppose it beats the shit out of my last job.” “So you’ll do it?” Flash said. “Sure, but that’ll cost extra,” Rokai grinned. “Typical mercs, all about the coin,” Rockhoof scoffed. “Not exactly the heroic type,” I said spitefully. “He was indeed difficult to get used to, according to Starswirl’s writings.” Celestia used her magic and the memory changed again. We were back at the castle and much of the interior was a little outdated-looking than back in the present. We were in some kind of training grounds with lines of soldiers standing at attention. Rokai stood off to the side while Flash Magnus and Starswirl addressed the troops. “Listen up! From this moment on, this…human man will be your instructor,” Flash said, still a bit confused as to how he should address his new comrade. “He has seen more combat than any of you will in a lifetime. Listen to him, follow his orders and you may just survive this war.” “SIR!” The recruits shouted in unison as Rokai took the stage and began examining his new recruits. Rokai rolled his eyes and approached the group of recruits. He paced back and forth and glared at each one, making them nervous of his presence. I watched him stop and approach a young stallion as he got close to his face. “Right or left, boy?” Rokai asked. “I-I’m sorry?” The stallion said. “Right…or left?” Rokai said in a low tone. “L-Left?” SMACK! “Uhh…r-right?” The stallion stuttered before being smacked again. The stallion lost his balance and fell down, making Rokai scoff irritably. “Down after only two strikes from my hand? How disappointing.” Rokai watched the soldier stand back up, but I saw that he was on the verge of tears. “Pathetic…weak!” Rokai barked. “Downright makes me sick, looking at the lot of you! All I see are a bunch of crying babes, fresh off your mum’s teat! A bloody miracle you’ve lasted this long, and a damn shame to any who lost their lives had to die so soon! I was brought here to whip you sorry lot into shape, but it seems I’ve got my work cut out for me! You think I’m tough now? Too bad for you, this is me when I’m in a bloody good fucking mood! So until you can hold a sword properly, no one leaves these grounds unless I say so!” “Gentlestalions, welcome to the Royal Legion.” Flash said before marching off with Starswirl to report to the royal council. “Rockhoof left this morning with a patrol, we had reports of more of those creatures near the east border.” “Shades, that is what those creatures are called,” Starswirl said while keeping pace. “We need to find out how they are escaping Tartarus and stop them as soon as possible.” As Starswirl and Flash left, Celestia changed the scene again. “So those creatures are called Shades?” I asked and Celestia nodded as she used her magic. “Sir Rokai’s arrival was an unexpected one for many, and the attacks from the Shades kept on increasing.” Celestia raised her arms as large spheres appeared out of thin air, each one showing a different event. There were some of Rokai training the recruits, him talking with Starswirl and the others from time to time, and most of the time just by himself. “During his stay, Sir Rokai was unwavering with his brutal training, but he soon was able to show results. Sir Rokai’s relationship with the Pillars weren’t always on good terms, but as time passed, slowly but surely, everypony began to grow on him.” “Judging by these memories, it doesn’t look like he was much of a team player in return,” I said, crossing my arms. “He said it himself, he’s nothing but a merc doing this for profit.” “True, but that wasn’t until he met my sister and I,” Celestia smiled as the scene changed to Rokai’s personal guest quarters. I saw Rokai sitting at a desk and he was writing something down on a piece of paper. It wasn’t until there was a faint knock on the door that caught his attention. “Who is it?” Rokai asked aloud while focusing on his writing. There was another knocking, which seemed to irritate Rokai, making him stand up and trudge over to the door. “I swear to hell, if this is another complaint about my training, I-!” Rokai swung the door open and saw no one. He blinked until we both looked down to see two young fillies. One had pristine white fur and pink mane and tail. The other had far blue fur with light teal hair that twinkled like the stars. Both fillies were alicorns, dressed in fancy frilly dresses, as they looked up at Rokai with curiosity and he stared back in confusion. “Who…are those two?” I said. “Can you not tell?” Celestia teased. It took a few moments before the gears began to turn. “You and Luna?” She nodded and my jaw went slack again. How…cute. I thought to myself as I watched the memory play out. “Uh…who’re you two tykes?” Rokai asked. “I’m Tia and this is my baby sister Lulu,” young Celestia said as young Luna hid behind her. “Are you the alien everypony’s been talking about?” The little filly asked as I snickered and watched the scene. “Uh…I ain’t no alien, lass, I’m a man.” Rokai shook his head and went to close the door. “This ain’t no place for wee girls like you, go to your mum and bother her.” “Our mom is busy,” Little Tia replied when one of the maids came frantically running down the hall. “There you are, your majesties! How many times must we tell you not to wander off?” “Sorry.” The little filly smiled as the maid bowed to Rokai. “I’m sorry the princesses troubled you, sir.” “Wait. Princesses? These little tykes?” Rokai asked as he got a better look at the two foals. “Indeed, their mother is the queen,” the maid said. Once again, the gears in my head began to turn as Rokai shut the door and went back to his business. “You have a mother?” I asked Celestia. “Yes…she was a wonderful and loving mare, but we shall first focus on this memory before you see her.” The memory changed and Rokai was back in the training grounds. I watched as he swung his sword like a pro, as the ponies watched him in awe. He held his sword with both hands and spun his body like a top. He then started switching his grip from his left hand to his right while keeping his feet planted on the ground with each step. The ponies watching him looked like they hadn’t seen such masterful swordsmanship like his before, even I was amazed at how talented he was. Celestia tapped my shoulder and she pointed to the entrance of the courtyard. A line of elite-looking guards came marching in and every pony immediately knelt down to their knees, making Rokai stop his swordplay. In the middle of the surrounding elite guards was another taller mare. She had a veil covering her face, but I could see her mane and tail. They were both cherry red and looked smooth as silk. Her dress she wore, the crown on her head, and the jewellery she adorned just screamed royalty. Rokai just stood there as the mare approached and the ponies around him looked like they were panicking that he wasn’t kneeling. “What’s all this then?” Rokai asked bluntly. “Can you not see you lot are interrupting?” “Sir Rokai, have some respect! You’re addressing Lady Faust herself! The Queen of Equestria!” A guard snapped just as Tia and Lulu appeared from behind the veiled mare. “Hi mister alien!” Tia shouted happily, making some of the guards laugh. “How many times do I gotta tell ya, I ain’t no alien!” Rokai snapped. I laughed a little at him getting annoyed, until the veiled mare stepped forward. She was half a head taller than Rokai and stood with her hands cupped over the other in front of her. I couldn’t see her face, but I got a suspicion that she was trying to get a read on him. “So, the Lady in charge herself makes an appearance, eh?” Rokai said nonchalantly as he slung his sword over his shoulder. “Greetings, good sir, I am Queen Faust, ruler of Equestria. Starswirl has told me of how you plan to help us in these dark times,” the queen greeted, still hidden behind her veil. “Aye, so long as I’m paid well enough,” Rokai shrugged. “Luna, come say hi to the nice man,” Faust said as her youngest daughter walked out from behind. “Ooh, I had forgotten how cute Lulu was back then!” Celestia squealed after seeing her baby sister. I stared at Celestia and she managed to calm herself after realising how childish she sounded. Rokai looked down at the young lunar princess and I saw something I didn’t think I’d see. Rokai actually managed to crack a smile and he knelt down to be at eye level with her. “So your name’s Luna?” Rokai said and Lulu nodded as she fidgeted nervously in place. “My my, that’s quite the pretty name you got there.” “Thank you.” The little filly smiled back as Faust picked her up. “We were just about to have tea, care to join us?” The queen offered. “Tea?” Rokai stood back up and stroked his beard. “I suppose it would hurt.” The ponies all had looks of hopefulness that they were about to get a break. “As for you lot, I want five hundred sword swipes done by the time I get back!” Or…maybe not. They went to the castle gardens where a set of tea and snacks had been arranged and like the eager little filly she was, little Tia immediately asked for a slice of cake as the maids prepared her plate and poured her some tea. “Now be careful, your highness, it’s hot,” the maid said. “Yes ma’am,” Little Tia said “I admit, I wasn’t expecting to be invited to drink tea with the Queen herself,” Rokai said as he set his sword aside and lounged on the chair. “But, I suppose it’s a nice change of pace from kicking those greenhorns around the practice field.” “Despite my advisors’ protests, I did want to get to know our kingdom’s newest soldier,” Queen Faust said while fixing a cup for Lulu and herself. “I’m curious, what did you do before you were summoned to this world?” I could tell there was a sudden change of attitude from Rokai as his face became serious. He leaned forward and leaned on the table with his elbows. “I was a knight.” This perked the queen’s, her daughters, and the staff’s ears; including my own. “I served a king and queen for years. My family had served the royal family for generations.” Rokai grit his teeth as he looked more angry. “But I was accused of a crime against the crown I had not committed. I was excommunicated, my rank stripped, and my honor stained.” Rokai’s fists clenched. “I would have gone on a hate-filled hunt for those who betrayed me, but I couldn’t be bothered since the damage had already been done. What’s the point if no one had any faith in me and my name to begin with?” “I’m sorry to have brought up such painful memories,” The queen apologised. “Don’t.” Rokai raised his hand as he stared at Queen Faust as if he could see her eyes past her veil. “Don’t pity me, I don’t need nor want it. What’s done is done, no use weeping over it. I’ve made a better living as a hired blade anyway, free to do what I please without any limitations. That is, until I found myself in this fever dream of a world.” “Yes, well, I never expected an otherworldly being to appear in Equestria, yet here we are,” she said back. “Mommy, can we go play?” Tia asked her mother who affectionately nuzzled both her daughters. “Of course, my dears, have fun.” Rokai watched the young fillies run off with another small smile. “You must be proud,” Rokai commented. “I am. I feel so blessed to have them in my life.” Faust sighed as she watched her daughters play and laugh. “I don’t suppose you had family back home.” Once again, Rokai’s mood changed. But instead of answering, he stood up from the table and left. “Sir Rokai?” The queen called out for him but he didn’t answer and kept walking away. “What’s his deal?” I wondered as Celestia made the memory change again. “This was one of the rare moments Sir Rokai opened up about himself. Learning that he was once a knight, only to have been betrayed and cast out, was unexpected from somepony like him,” Celestia said. “Ever since that day, Rokai barely spoke to anypony and focused primarily on the preparations for the coming battle. That is, until one day.” The environment around us changed to a wide open field. Rokai stood with Starswirl, Rockhoof, and Flash Magnus. Behind them was a battalion of pony soldiers, all armed and waiting for orders. I wondered what they were waiting for until I heard screeching noises from the other side. I looked to see a group of those Shade things charging from the distance. The sound of their monstrous cries sent chills along my skin, but Rokai barely looked perturbed. “How many are there?” Rokai asked Starswirl, not looking at the wizard. “Our scouts report at least five thousand strong,” Starswirl replied as the men began to panic. “Five thousand?!” “Can we face that many?!” “Have courage, men!” Rockhoof shouted while raising his shovel up high. “This is what you trained for! Never forget, you are the shields of this kingdom and so long as we stand together our foes will not defeat us so easily!” “Rockhoof is right! We all swore an oath to defend this kingdom, now is the time to fulfill that oath! FOR EQUESTRIA!” Flash Magnus cheered as he raised his spear and the men began to follow his lead and let out a battle cry that sounded across the field. Before the troops could make any headway, Rokai slammed his boot in the dirt and went in a full sprint. He was much faster than I thought he’d be, even more so than the rest of the troops. I caught sight of his eyes as he charged. They were fierce and full of intense ferocity. Rokai reached back and unsheathed his sword from his back and gripped it with both hands. The Shades met him halfway and a few jumped at him. Rokai spun around and swung his sword, cleaving the Shades in two. The Shades seemed to have been taken off guard as Rokai hacked and slashed his way through the hoard. He sidestepped and twirled his sword then thrusted it to the side, impaling two Shades heads. Like an acrobat, Rokai jumped on top of a Shade and forward into the air with a flip. He plunged his sword straight into a Shade’s chest before pulling it out and killing more Shades. I could tear my gaze away at how unrelenting Rokai was against these demonic creatures. Starswirl and the others were also in awe of his skill as they caught up to him. “Do not falter, men!” Rockhoof shouted as he held his large shovel up into the air. “LET US JOIN OUR COMRADE AND PUSH THE ENEMY BACK!” “CHAAARGE!!” Flash roared as he led the charge. What followed was a ferocious battle, no quarter was given and no mercy was shown as both sides inflicted heavy casualties on one another. Only until the last shade was slain did the fighting stop and the men cheered in victory. “What are you all cheering for?” Everyone stopped when they looked at Rokai. The man was giving them all a death glare as he pulled his sword out from a Shade and marched towards the nearest soldier, grabbed his chest plate, and hoisted him in the air. “What the bloody hell are you all so cheerful about?!” Rokai threw him down on the ground and looked around him. “Look at this…LOOK AT ALL OF THIS!” He gestured to the pony soldiers who lay dead on the field. “Brothers, husbands, maybe even fathers lay dead in this field, yet you all cheer! YOU’RE ALL STILL FUCKING WEAK! OTHERWISE, WE WOULDN’T HAVE LOST THIS MANY!” “Hey, that’s enough lad,” Rockhoof said before he was suddenly pushed back. “You know nothing…NOTHING!” Rokai snapped. “I want all the dead gathered and buried properly.” He scoffed harshly and stormed off. “Expect my training to be twice as difficult from here on out!” “Hey…HEY!” Flash shouted as he stopped Rokai in his tracks. “What in Tartarus is your deal? We gave it all we had to win this fight!” “Not enough apparently…” Rokai hissed before being sucker punched by Flash. “Did you expect our soldiers to be invincible like you?! WAR HAS CASUALTIES! It’s a fact!” Rokai chuckled darkly as he rubbed his chin before reeling back and slugging his fist straight across Flash’s chin, making me wince. The Pegasus stallion fell down as Rokai loomed over him. “Don’t you dare lecture me about war, boy, I’ve seen things that will make you run back to your mum with shite in your trousers!” Rokai’s fists trembled with rage before he turned away again. “Don’t forget, it was you lot who brought me here. I didn’t ask to be part of this bloody war.” “You think you’re the only one suffering then?” Rockhoof questioned as he got in his face and planted his shovel in the ground. “I’ve buried hundreds-nay, THOUSANDS with this shovel when this war started and way before you came along! So trust me when I say I understand where you’re coming from…I had to bury me own kin…what was left of them.” The large stallion huffed while fighting back tears. “Me Ma, Pa, siblings…all gone…butchered like animals…I buried so many with this damn shovel that I’ve lost count! But unlike YOU…I don’t let that pain control me.” With that being said, Rockhoof retrieved his shovel and helped Flash off the muddied ground as they told their men to carry out Rokai’s orders. “What an asshole,” I said as I looked at Rokai with disappointment as Celestia changed the memory. “It’s one thing to bear the losses of your fellow soldiers, but taking it out on others is just wrong.” “I agree with you, but this was the first war Equestria had to endure the most loss of life,” Celestia tried to say. “That still doesn’t mean Rokai was right. I thought he’d be different from what I imagined him to be, guess I was wrong.” I shook my head. Celestia sighed as the memory changed back and we were standing in the throne room. It looked different than what it was back in the present. The windows didn’t have murals on them and Faust sat on a single throne with her advisors surrounding her and discussing private matters. “It had been over half a year since Sir Rokai’s arrival, and the war efforts against the Shades was slowly but surely coming to our favour. Reports of Sir Rokai’s actions had spread to the other kingdoms. There was talk of a summit being held, but there was another issue that had to be addressed.” Suddenly, the doors swung open to reveal Flash and Rockhoof, both looking extremely pissed with Starswirl behind them. “My friends, please! Be rational about this!” Starswirl pleaded. “Your majesty, he’s out of control!” Flash snapped at the queen. “Pardon?” Faust asked. “It’s Rokai, your highness, he is overstepping his bounds,” Rockhoof said as the queen ordered her staff to clear the room. “He is pushing our troops way too hard and already we got a quarter of our recruits quitting their training regiment!” “And he’s risking too many troops in one skirmish after the next, our army is spread too thin!” Flash added. Faust raised her hand for their silence. “What do you propose I do? Should I address him in it?” “That animal needs to be caged!” Flash proclaimed much to the shock of everyone present. “Flash, do you hear yourself?!” Starswirl questioned. “I’m sorry, Starswirl, but he is an uncontrollable beast! And if we’re not careful, he could turn his sword against us one day!” “Now now.” Queen Faust stood up from her throne and slowly walked down the small staircase. “Perhaps I can convince him to change his ways?” “Good luck with that, your highness, that human man is more mad than a rabid dog,” Rockhoof said as they followed her to the training grounds where Rokai was putting the recruits through the ringer. “I said push through the pain!” Rokai barked as the recruits were doing push-ups. “I don’t bloody care if your arms feel like they’re gonna fall off! Let them! If they do, then you were never cut out for the front lines in the first place! And you!” Rokai pointed at a group swinging practice swords, their hands were scabbed and bloody from holding the handles too long and swinging them constantly. “I want a hundred more slashes! Double fucking time!” “Sir Rokai, a word?” The queen said while the recruits kept training. “Take a breather, men, you’ve earned it,” Flash used his authority as a superior officer to save the troops from dying of exhaustion, much to Rokai’s annoyance. “What gives you the right to order around my men?” He glared at Flash. “They’re MY men,” Flash snapped. “Funny, they seem to be following my orders,” Rokai scoffed. “Can he be an even bigger asshole?” I said bitterly?” “It was a mistake ever bringing you here!” Flash barked. “I agree, you all should be rotting in the ground as piles of Shade shite!” Rokai snapped back. “You son of a-!” “ENOUGH!!” Faust bellowed in a booming loud voice just as they were about to come to blows. “Aw!” I covered my ears as they rang painfully. “What the hell was that?!” “It’s just the royal Canterlot voice,” Celestia explained. “We alicorns have a unique decibel in our voices whenever we address our subjects or when we demand order.” “And I thought megaphones were loud…” I said, rubbing my ears. “You should keep a tighter leash on your dog, Queen, he’s all bark and no bite,” Rokai mocked. Flash was about to go for another round, but Faust stopped him. “Sir Rokai, walk with me,” Faust said calmly behind her veil. Rokai scoffed as he walked with the queen and we followed. We followed them in silence until Rokai clicked his tongue every so often. “You do realise you’re interfering with my job?” Rokai boldly questioned the queen. “Yes,” the queen said plainly. “Is there a reason you stopped me from training the recruits?” Rokai asked again. “Yes,” she responded again when they came to a balcony overlooking the gardens. “I often come here when I feel overburdened. Being queen and mother is not an easy job.” “Who says I’m overburdened?” Rokai scoffed. “If you hadn’t noticed, the war is slowly turning in our favor. We got the bastards on the run.” “And you haven’t slept properly in days,” Faust replied while sitting down. “Sit.” “I’ll stand, thank you.” “That is a command from your queen,” she insisted. “Who said you’re my queen?” Rokai shot back with a glare of his own. “I don’t remember swearing loyalty to you. I’m a hired blade, remember?” “Just sit down.,” she insisted once more, sounding like a mother scolding her child. “Bloody hell…fine.” Rokai slumped down next to the queen. “Happy?” “Now…” Faust paused and suddenly made Rokai rest his head on her lap by using her magic. “W-what the bloody hell are you doing?!” Rokai yelped as he tried to stand, but couldn’t move. “Shh. Just relax,” The queen said while stroking his head like a child. “Wow, what a twist,” I chuckled at Rokai’s struggles. “As queen, and the first born alicorn, I have many abilities, one is to see into the dreams and memories of others.” “Your point?” Rokai grumbled, looking like he didn’t want to admit that what he was enduring at the moment was very relaxing. “I saw your past and I want you to know, you don’t have to hold onto that pain.” Faust said while looking down at him through her veil. Rokai glared up at Faust. “Who the bloody hell gave you the right to poke in my head?!” “Shhh,” she said while placing a finger on his mouth, still holding that motherly appearance. “I just want you to know that you can trust those around you. You can have good friends here, if you’ll allow it.” “Tch! Friends…I have no friends, you all are just clients to me,” Rokai scoffed. Faust would only continue to stroke his head and slowly, Rokai began to feel a sense of calm he seemed to not have felt in years. “Wow, your mom really has a way with people,” I said. “That is why she was beloved by any who met her,” Celestia smiled. “Why…?” Rokai managed to say. “Why are you doing this? I treated old Starswirl and his companions like dirt, I’ve been working your men to the bone, and I’m probably doing more harm than good despite the accomplishments.” “Which is why I’m doing this. You must remember you’re not alone in this fight,” Faust said in a warm voice that seemed to soothe him. “I’ve been alone most of my life,” Rokai said. “My father was a knight, like I was, but he was injured and had to be let go. He wanted me to succeed where he failed and forced me to pick up a sword. My mother was always silent, never dared to question my father. I didn’t hate him, but the old bastard could’ve been more lenient. It’s not the fact I was betrayed that angers me, it’s the fact that my father tried so hard to mold me into the perfect soldier. Only to lose it all.” Rokai was silent for a few moments. “He died a broken man…” “You are not your father, you can choose your own path,” Faust said to him. “You can start over. Make friends…possibly find a wife? I hear the mares have taken a shine to you.” The queen teased while pinching his cheek. I snorted in amusement as Rokai managed to break out of her magical grasp and stand up. His back faced the queen and his shoulders were slumped. “It’s too late for any of that. For my heart had withered away long ago,” he said in a low tone. The queen couldn’t see it, but I could see his eyes. How sad they looked as Rokai slowly walked away. “Please tell Starswirl and the others that I will be on leave for while. They may do as they please for their training in the meantime…” Faust sighed in disappointment as he walked away and returned to her duties for the remainder of the day. The Pillars made a few adjustments to Rokai’s training regiment while making sure the soldiers weren’t slacking off. The memory changed again and I contemplated all that I had seen this far. “Rokai’s been through a lot,” I said, almost pitying him. “Indeed, which begs the question, William, do all humans go through hardship where you come from?” Celestia asked. “More than you’d think,” I said sombrely. “There’re plenty of humans back on Earth who deal with personal problems such as the ones Rokai had experienced.” Me included… I thought to myself. The scene changed to another open field where another battle was happening. The ponies were putting up a more decent fight, but I could tell they were having trouble pushing the Shades back. I looked around for Rokai, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Only Starswirl, Rockhoof, and Somnambula were fighting alongside each other. “We can’t keep this up!” Flash said as he fought two Shades with his spear. “We need reinforcements!” “Starswirl is on his way! We need to hold them off until then!” Somnambula said as she fought with daggers. “Where is Sir Rokai?! He’s been gone for over a week!” “He’s abandoned us!” Rockhoof barked angrily before sending a shade flying with his shovel. “COME ON YA MANKY GOBSHITES!!” He shouted towards the enemy, making me laugh a little before we heard the sound of horns and distinct marching of armor plated boots. “There! On the hill!” Asoldier shouted when an army of griffons appeared. I was in shock and awe as I saw Rokai in front of the army of griffins. He stepped forward and unsheathed his sword and held it up high. “ALL TROOPS!! CHARGE!!” Rokai bellowed. “Holy hell!” I gasped as the griffins charged in, all at once. The griffin backed up the ponies and completely overwhelmed the Shades. Rokai tore his way where Rockhoof and Somnambula were fighting. A Shade was about to get the drop on Rockhoof before Rokai jumped in and hacked its head off with his sword. “Apologies for being late, lads!” Rokai joked. “Well human, it’s about time!” Rockhoof said before he bashed in a Shade’s skull with a headbutt that even made Rokai flinch. “Rokai, I got a squad pinned down on the eastern flank. If they don’t get backup soon, they’ll be wiped out!” Flash called out before having his pegasus squad form a spear wall. “Ya heard that, Gallon?!” Rokai called out to a falcon griffin soldier. “Get your boys over there, double time!” “Yes sir!” The soldier responded before taking off with a squad of soldiers to the eastern flank. “I see you had some time to think,” Somnambula said with a smile as the reinforcements took positions around them. “Get the wounded off the field!” A griffon captain ordered as his men began gathering the wounded soldiers. “P-please…help…”A soldier that was just a few feet away from Rokai cried out. “I-I don’t wanna die!” “Easy soldier, you’ll be fine,” Rokai said in a surprisingly caring manner before two pegasi carried him off. “Sir Rokai!” A pegasus scout shouted as he flew down, completely covered in dried blood and dirt. “There’s some kind of creature going on a rampage out there! It’s not a Shade and none of our troops can get close enough to it!” “Go! We’ll handle these lot!” Rockhoof shouted. Rokai nodded and I watched him run through the battlefield. Celestia grabbed my shoulder and made us float into the air and follow him. In the distance, there were screams of anguish and pain as I saw bodies fly off in the air. What caused this was what could only be described as a monster. It was heavily armored with large horns sticking out the sides of its head, wielding a twin bladed spear, and had a sort of lanky build but was ver muscular at the same time. The monster was laughing maniacally as it slashed through the pony and griffin soldiers. I watched Rokai grit his teeth in anger as he readied his sword. Just before the monster could bring his spear down on a unicorn mare soldier, Rokai stepped in just in time to block the monster’s strike. CLANG!! The sound of metal clashing echoed around the area as the monster looked down at Rokai. “Go!” Rokai ordered the mare. She nodded her head frantically and ran off. “Your fight is with me, demon!” “Well well, a soldier with skill!” The demon spoke, sounding almost as if he were glad that Rokai blocked his attack. “I am Rakun of The Ten Legionnaires and Great General to his Dark Eminence. Speak your name, warrior, and let us do battle!” “I am Rokai Stourmborne, third of my name! I have no title to my name, but I shall smite you and send you back to hell where you belong!” Rokai said as the two began to exchange blows. Rakun was surprisingly agile as he twirled his spear with blinding speed and was able to keep Rokai on the defensive. “YEES! Finally some sport!” The demon cackled like a madman before cutting Rokai’s cheek and booting him into the mud. Rokai grunted and pushed himself out of the way before Rakun pierced his chest. Rokai sprang to his feet and clashed with the demon and pushed with all his might. Before Rakun could headbutt him, Rokai ducked down and kicked one of the demon’s legs. Rakun fell to his knees and Rokai reeled back and slammed his fist into Rakun’s helmet. The blow made Rakun fall to the ground but he jumped back up and twirled his spear in the air. Rokai charged forward once more and the two met each other head on. Rokai adjusted his grip on his sword. He swung his sword to the side, pulling Rakun’s spear down with it so Rokai could swing his sword back and managed to slash Rakun across his chest. Black leaked from Rakun’s wound but he started cackling to himself. “You think this amusing?” Rokai growled. “Outstanding…” Rakun said with a disturbing grin as an even more sinister aura appeared around him. “Now…I WON’T HOLD BACK!!” Rokai barely had time to react as Rakun charged at him and Rokai managed to block it. The force nearly made Rokai fall backwards but he managed to keep his balance. Blow after blow, Rakun was relentless as Rokai was again left to defend himself. The demon managed to cut Rokai a little here and there, but it didn’t deter the man. “Shit…that demon’s got him pinned!” I said, clenching my fists. “Rrraaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!” Rokai shouted out loud and pushed against Rakun. It was as if Rokai summoned every ounce of willpower to meet his opponent head on. The two breathed heavily as they were at a standstill, neither one looking like they were gonna back down. It wasn’t until Rokai grit his teeth and put all his weight on his right leg. He brought his knee up and right into Rakun’s gut. The brief stun was all Rokai needed to turn his sword around and make Rakun lose his grip a little on his spear. Rokai used the opportunity to swing his sword as hard as he could, straight across Rakun’s chest as he stepped past him. Black blood erupted from the demon as Rakun fell to his knees and Rokai wheezed to catch his breath. “Holy shit! He did it!” I cheered. Rakun, however, was still cackling weakly as he dropped his spear. Shadowy wisps billowed from his body. “Even after defeat, you still laugh?” Rokai managed to ask as he looked back at his defeated opponent over his shoulder. “Outstanding…” Rakun said with his dying breath as his armor became an empty husk and the Shades slowly began to disappear. As the Shades disappeared, Rokai nearly fell to the mud but managed to catch himself. The troops all stared at him, waiting for some kind of response. The rain fell from the sky as Rokai looked around. I watched, not blinking, as Rokai took a deep breath and raised his sword to the sky once more. “THE DAY IS OURS!!” Rokai roared triumphantly. The thundering of the soldiers’ cheers drowned out the rain and cleansed the soldiers of all the blood and dirt now staining their armor. Many who were wounded on the field had suddenly found the strength to stand and join in the celebration as they marched back towards Canterlot with their heads held high. “This was still only the beginning,” Celestia said as I kept staring at Rokai. “Of how Rokai’s legacy came to fruition.” Author's Note His legend grows, and his actions witnessed. What else will William learn from this experience of Rokai’s ascension to greatness? Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… The First Guardian Part 3Chapter 12 Watching Rokai go toe-to-toe with a demon like Rakun was one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had. He was just a man with a sword, yet he stood his ground and never turned away. I felt somewhat inspired by his bravery and tenacity. Celestia used her magic again and the scene changed. We were in some sort of large conference room and Faust was sitting at the head of a table, waiting for Rokai and the others. When the doors opened, Rokai, Starswirl, and two griffons, escorted by some griffin guards, walked in. The two griffons were adorned with very fancy-looking robes and clothing. One was a male griffon with a bald eagle’s head and the body of a white lion. His eyes were fierce and he wore a gold crown on his head with gems encrusted in it. I noticed that each of his talons had a ring with a gemstone on it. Next was a younger-looking female griffon. She had a tiara on her head with a diamond encrusted in the middle. She had the head of a falcon with grey feathers and the body of a black jaguar. Faust still had her veil over her head, but she stood up to greet her guests. “King Longclaw,” Faust greeted. “And princess Greesha. I had heard the griffons aided my army against the Shades, you have my thanks.” “It is grand to see you again as well, Queen Faust,” King Longclaw said with a curt nod. “But all thanks should go to this man, Stourmborne. He has done me a service that I cannot repay enough in this lifetime.” “Oh? And what did he do?” Faust wondered. “Seems that one of those fiends, The Legionaries, as they call themselves, led an attack on our fleet but by pure luck Sir Stourmborne happened to be in the area.” The griffon king said before summoning two servants with a snap of his talons as they showed Queen Faust a cracked helmet similar to Rakun’s. “This is all that is left of the fiend.” “Bloody Tartarus, that makes two, lad! Congrats!” Rockhoof laughed with a hard slap to Rokai’s back. “Thank you, I suppose,” Rokai said, rubbing his back. “I needed to clear my head after some, shall we say, sensitive and personal affairs of mine were reminded. So I made my way north and ran into this lot. I suppose my days as a knight kicked in, since I couldn’t exactly leave them to fend for themselves.” “You did more than that, my new friend, you saved my precious daughter,” King Longclaw said, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “You escorted her all the way home after being pursued by those wretched Shades.” When Rokai glanced at princess Greesha, I saw her cheeks turn red as she smiled shyly at Rokai. “Then please, stay for tonight’s feast,” Starswirl offered, escorting the royals inside as Greesha waved goodbye with Flash giving him a friendly nudge. As the royals and the Pillars made their way to the dining hall, Celestia and I followed, and Rockhoof, Mistmane, and Flash walked beside Rokai. “So, you came back?” Flash asked. “Of course I did. I still have a job to do,” Rokai said, brushing off the question. “Plus I figured these griffons would provide proper reinforcements.” “Deary, are you certain you only came back because of the agreed contract?” Mistmane asked. “Nothing more, nothing less,” Rokai replied. “And they say I’m the dense one.” Rockhoof rolled his eyes. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Rokai questioned. “Ahem, let’s focus on the task at hoof, shall we?” Starswirl said impatiently. “Agreed,” Rokai nodded. Celestia used her magic and the scene changed to the royals, the Pillars, and Rokai sitting at a large table. They were all eating together, the ponies were eating vegetable dishes and the griffons were provided some meat dishes; Rokai as well. As they ate, I noticed princess Greesha glancing at Rokai every so often. “Queen Faust, this meal has been a very delectable one,” Longclaw said. “Thank you. It was actually Sir Rokai who helped prepare the meat,” Faust said as she ate with her veil still over her face while the nobles, who had gathered at the table, watched with disgust as Rokai carved himself a piece of steak and plopped it in his mouth. “So humans eat meat? How repulsive,” a noble muttered. “Indeed. It seems like the human truly is an animal,” another noble said. “He should have stayed in the wilds where he belongs.” “Another thing about us humans,” Rokai interjected, startling the snotty nobles. “We’ve got keen ears. I don’t really care what any of you prissy shites got to say about me, but you can all shove it up your arses all the same.” Rokai didn’t bother looking at them as he continued to eat, and I laughed out loud at his words. “Ha! Serves those snobs right!” I said. “Y-YOUR MAJESTY!” the noble who was insulted earlier shouted. “This slave needs to learn his place!” “Since when did I say he was a slave?” Faust questioned with a calm tone. “Sir Rokai was allowed to leave whenever he saw fit when we first summoned him to this world, and is paid for his services like any other employee of the kingdom. So I suggest you refrain from insulting him in my presence.” “B-But, your majesty!” “That’s an order, as a matter of fact,” Faust said, her voice sounding strict behind her veil. “Now then, onto more pressing matters,” Longclaw said. “Queen Faust, I propose an alliance between Grifforia and Equestria.” “That sounds like a most beneficial suggestion. The Equestrian crown approves of this alliance,” Faust said. “Furthermore, I also propose we extend this alliance to the neighboring kingdoms across the land. We must bind together against this dark enemy. I also propose we even extend it to the continents to the north and south, across the vast seas.” “The zebras and the caribou?” Starswirl said. “Would they even accept such an alliance?” “If we appoint a proper leader,” Faust said while looking at Rokai. “I propose that Rokai leads this new coalition as a representative of the crown.” This suggestion made those in attendance a bit surprised, with most approving of Rokai’s new position while the nobility still had their objections. “Your highness, no! You cannot let this…THING represent our kingdom! Other nations will look down on us!” “And if they refuse our help, then that is their fault and theirs alone,” Faust argued. “Sir Rokai, what say you?” “Hmm.” Rokai hummed in thought as he caught sight of a noble giving him the evil eye. “Oi, you there.” He pointed at the noble. “What’s your name?” “Hmph, if you must know, I am Baron Bluebone, a member of her majesty's court and her first cousin.” “And do YOU have any experience in leading an army?” Rokai questioned. “Well uh…” “Can you manage supply lines, troop regiments, and military strategy?” “Uhhh…” “Your silence is very reassuring.” Rokai deadpanned, making me chuckle. “However.” Rokai held up his hand. “I’m not one to accept such an important responsibility without proving that I deserve it. So, how does this sound? You, a noble of your stature, has a personal band of soldiers on his pay, yes? Send your best man at me in a duel. If I win, I shall accept the role of leading the coalition. If I am defeated, I shall request to be sent back to my home.” The last part shocked the Pillars, even Faust. “HA! I accept! And when you lose, I will lead the coalition!” Bluebone said with confidence while Tia and Lulu sighed from embarrassment. “Mommy, is Uncle Bluebone being a dummy again?” Lulu asked her mother. “I’m afraid so, my child.” Faust sighed. After they had finished their meals, the group were escorted to the training grounds, where Bluebone had already sent for one of his men. I saw a large earth pony stallion, about 7ft tall, and had muscles that looked like he could split a boulder open. “Let’s make this interesting, shall we? Brawn? If you would?” Bluebone snapped his fingers and the stallion tore off his shirt and armor. “Yeaaaahhh!” Brawn bellowed as he flexed his arms. “No weapons, no armor, only fisticuffs.” Rokai arched his brow and shrugged. A servant mare stood by him as he began taking off his armor. Piece by piece, he set his armor plating aside until he was left with his shirt. What surprised me next was the reveal of his torso as he pulled his shirt off. Scars, big and small, decorated his body like a canvas. There were scars along his chest, stomach, back, even along his arms. What’s more is that Rokai looked like he had just as much muscle on him as Brawn did. The guy looked like he had been through so much and had seen a lot of battles in his time; a true veteran warrior. I glanced over to the group to see an amusing sight. Somnambula, Mage Medowbrook, and Greesha, along with any other maid or female soldier had their eyes glued on Rokai. “Pfft, I guess that’s one way to draw a crowd,” I chortled. “Indeed. I never noticed how many scars had adorned his body. Rokai must have been through a lot of rough battles,” Celestia said. “That’s not what I meant,” I said, nudging Celestia and pointing out how the females were gawking at Rokai. “You should know Brawn has never lost one single fight in his entire career as a brawler. I wish you luck,” Bluebone said with sarcasm as both fighters took center stage. “Scared, little man?” Brawn asked, trying to intimidate Rokai, who just yawned. “Let’s get this over with. I got paperwork to prepare for the coalition,” Rokai said. “Grr! Fighters ready?!” Bluebone said as Brawn prepared to charge. “Begin!” Brawn stomped forward and made a swing for Rokai. As if he saw it a mile away, Rokai dodged to the side and swung his own fist straight across Brawn’s jaw. WHAM! The punch was swift, yet loud, as Brawn stood there dazed. Rokai took a step back, cracked his knuckles, and reached up to lightly tap Brawn’s head. “This is the part where you fall down,” Rokai whispered. “Uggghhh…” With a loud thud, Brawn hit the ground like a ton of bricks and the fight was finished within seconds. “Sir Rokai is the winner!” Flash Magnus shouted with the crowd giving a rousing cheer. “NO! I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS!” Bluebone yelled in anger. “Bluebone…” Faust said in an icy tone. “You and I shall have words later on for embarrassing me.” “Holy shit! That was awesome!” I said with a proud grin. “Rokai took down that beef head like he was nothing!” “Hey, Somnambula,” I overheard Mage say to Somnambula. “Tall, good-lookin’, can fight like a demon, and has a bod like that?” The southern-sounding mare lidded her eyes and licked her lips as Rokai cracked his neck. “Just how is he still single~?” “Now THAT is indeed a good question.” Somnambula smirked along with the mares as they got an eyeful of the human’s figure. “If you all need me, I shall be in my chambers,” Rokai announced as he grabbed his shirt and slung it over his shoulder with one hand and carried his armor pieces under his other arm. “A splendid display of combat!” Longclaw applauded. “Just how is he so skilled? He took that brute down with a single strike! Where did you say you met him, Queen Faust?” “That, I’m afraid, is a royal secret,” the queen said playfully while her daughters giggled. Celestia used her magic, changing the scene again. “Despite the disagreement between the nobility and the Pillars and my mother, Sir Rokai was the newly appointed leader of the coalition’s army,” Celestia said. The area around us became a void as I saw more large spheres float by us. Each was a memory of Rokai training the ponies and griffon soldiers, fighting on the front lines with the Pillars, and attending diplomatic meetings with other kingdoms of other species. I also saw Rokai fighting more of those more menacing-looking Shades, the Ten Legionnaires as they’re called, in some of the memory spheres. Each battle I saw pass by looked like Rokai was putting his life on the line each time. “Sir Rokai’s actions spread across the land like the rays of the sun coming over the horizon. Every battle fought, every diplomatic gathering, every step of the way during the war, Sir Rokai was there to fight for Equestria, despite being a hired blade. By this point, a full year and a half since Rokai’s summoning had passed. The Diamond Dog kingdom had also joined the coalition, and we were about to make our way to the Minotaur kingdom.” “This is…incredible,” I said before noticing a memory where a unicorn mare tried to seduce Rokai, but was gently turned down. “How is it that he never married?” “That was a question for the ages,” Celestia told me. Celestia made the memory change back to Rokai’s chambers. He was sitting at his desk, probably going over some papers on his next move against the Shades. There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Mage Meadowbrook. “Mage,” Rokai greeted, glancing up at the mare. “To what do I owe this visit?” “Well…I just came by to thank ya again for saving my life,” Mage said. “You were cornered by Shades and another one of those damn Legionnaires during the battle for the Diamond Dog’s mines,” Rokai said. “Any other soldier would’ve done the same. I just happen to be the first one to act. Has Flash sent word to those Minotaurs for our pending proposal to join the coalition?” “Yes, he should be back within a few days,” Meadowbrook replied as Rokai invited her in and brewed some tea. “I noticed some of the mares were flirting with you again today. It must be nice to be so popular with the ladies,” she teased, making Rokai chuckle a bit. “Hmph, they can keep their flirtations to themselves. I’ve no time for such distractions,” Rokai dismissed. As Mage brewed the tea, I noticed her purposely trying to get Rokai’s attention by swaying her hips and tail back and forth. “Oh, this outta be good,” I chortled. “Come now, Rokai, you mean to tell me there isn’t at least ONE girl you fancy out there~?” she asked while purposely pulling down her sleeve to expose her shoulder and a bit of her chest. “Mage, if I had rejected every woman who fancied me since my arrival, what makes you think you’d be any different?” Rokai glanced up at Mage as she was about to pull down her shirt. “As flattering as it is, and as much of an admittedly lovely-looking woman as you are, I’m afraid it’s not mutual.” “And why not?” Meadowbrook asked while redressing herself. Rokai was silent for a moment. He sighed out loud and slowly reached under the collar of his shirt, pulling out a chained necklace. Hanging from the necklace were two silver rings. Mage stared at the rings in mild shock as Rokai held the chain up with his finger. “The days of me loving another…had long since passed,” Rokai said as he tucked the necklace back under his shirt. “You were married?” she asked in surprise. “Once…” “What happened?” “It’s best I keep it buried…” Mage frowned as she approached Rokai and knelt down beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his and another on his shoulder. “Darlin’, you can tell me anything. I’m your friend.” Meadowbrook reassured him with a warm smile that seemed to bring him some comfort. Rokai looked at Mage and was silent once more. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. “Her name…was Lauren,” Rokai sighed. “I was a squire when I met her.” Meadowbrook listened to how Rokai met his first love, how they flirted, fell in love and were soon married and planning to start a family, but she wasn't prepared for what came next. “One night, she came to me and told me she was with child. I was overjoyed with the news that I was to become a father. Soon after, I was promoted and knighted with high honors. Then…my son, Edward, was born. But fate is a cruel mistress, because it was only a few years later when I lost everything. My knighthood stripped, the respect I earned was lost, I was cast out by my former comrades, and…I became a shadow of my former self. I expected my wife to be at my side…but it turns out she couldn’t bear to stay with a man with no merit to his name. So she took my son away and left, never to be seen again.” “That’s terrible!” Meadowbrook exclaimed. “For a wife to leave her husband and take her only child away from his father…that woman is…is heartless!” She gasped, realizing what she had just said. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…” “It is quite alright, Mage. I was expecting that reaction,” Rokai said with a fake smile. “Ever since then, it has hardened me. I became cold, bitter, and distant from anyone who tried to get close to me. I later joined a small mercenary guild and made my earnings. After making a name for myself, I foolishly believed that perhaps I could win back Lauren. So I did the most foolish thing and tracked her down.” Rokai leaned forward over his desk and clenched his fists. “Only…when I found her, she was with another man.” “That bitch!” I snapped, being frustrated by his story. “I remember being so angry. I wanted nothing more than to rip that fucker’s innards out for laying with my woman! But…but then I saw Edward. He had grown much since Lauren left with him. And you know what I saw?” Rokai looked up at Mage, for the first time, a tear trickling down his cheek. “He was happy…Lauren too, the same way when she was with me. It infuriated me even more, but I realized something when I looked at my reflection in a window. I was a cold-blooded mercenary who killed and did grunt work for coin, and this man she had found was a simple, yet respectable, tavern owner. I thought to myself, how could I show my face to my family when they probably wouldn’t even recognize me? They were happy again, and I had no right to take that happiness away from them. So…I let them be, and I never turned back.” I felt immense sadness for Rokai and Mage was wiping her tears away, but she kept crying. “Oh, Rokai…” she said before hugging him tight. It was a feeling of comfort that was long overdue, and without a care in the world, he began to cry lightly and held Mage like a child holding his mother. “Let it all out, sugar.” “I…I just miss them so much.” Seeing Rokai made me forget about all the intense battles and unruly remarks he made. When it came down to it, Rokai was still just as human as me. “Could I have done something different? Should I have at least met my son one last time?” “It’s alright now.” Meadowbrook soothed him while letting him hold on. “You’re not alone anymore.” “You’re right about that.” Rokai wiped his eyes and stood up. “I realize that now, and there’s something I feel I should have done in the first place.” Mage followed Rokai out of his office as Celestia and I followed as well. Rokai made his way to where Starswirl’s study was and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Rokai and Mage entered the study and saw Starswirl with Tia and Lulu. Starswirl looked like he was in the middle of a class with the two alicorn fillies. “Sir Rokai, what a pleasant surprise.” Starswirl smiled as the fillies waved hello. “Greetings, Starswirl. There’s something I need to give you.” Starswirl tilted his head as Rokai dug into his pocket and handed the wizard a sack of coins. “This is the first payment you gave me. I’m returning it. I don’t need it anymore, nor do you need to keep paying me.” “Does this mean you wish to leave our service then?” Starswirl asked, looking a bit saddened. “Do you not like us anymore?” Lulu asked with puppy dog eyes. “Not at all.” Rokai shook his head. “Tell me something. Mage had just told me that she is my friend. Does that apply to us as well?” “Uh huh,” Lulu said just as he gently stroked her head. “What about you, Starswirl?” Rokai looked at the wizard. “I realize I’m not the best company on most occasions. I doubt Rockhoof and Flash even see me as a companion.” “Why don’t you ask my friends?” Starswirl said with a smug grin as Rockhoof and Somnambula walked in. “First things first, lad, YOU are still getting paid so you can buy us drinks,” Rockhoof joked while wrapping an arm around him. “I’ll admit, you weren’t exactly…pleasant to be around,” Somnambula admitted. “But you’ve proven to be a loyal comrade.” “I am thankful for that.” Rokai sighed. “For many years, I have only kept to myself. My reputation as a hired blade was met with mixed feelings from the people of my homeland. I didn’t much care for how they saw me or what was said about me. All I cared about was earning coin and living life as I pleased. And then I was brought into this mad world, filled with walking, talking creatures. Which, I should mention, were nothing but animals that stood on all four legs and couldn’t speak a word. Let alone the creatures I’ve only heard in fairytales when I was a lad.” “Ah yes, still getting over the fact that YOUR people think WE are a myth,” Rockhoof said while gesturing to Somnambula and Starswirl. “Pretty sure you’d be called a looney if you told everypony back where ya came from about us.” “I do not doubt that,” Rokai admitted. “My point is, despite the circumstances, I suppose you could say that my arrival in this world was a sort of silver lining. In my homeland, all I had to my name was my sword, my armor, and my occupation as a hired blade. Here, I am viewed as a leader, a voice of encouragement, and even a friend. I’ve been here for nearly two years already and it’s still somewhat difficult to grasp such a reality. This war we fight is for the sake of peace, and all I cared about was you all making my efforts worth my while. Yet you, even the queen, still attempted to befriend me and managed to reveal some quite personal subjects about me, despite all the nasty things I’ve said and done. Which brings me to a curious thought; just how do you all do it? How can you still try to see what little good I have in me and be my friend?” “I’ll tell you why, silly!” Tia spoke up in a cheerful tone. “It’s all thanks to the magic of friendship!” “Pardon?” Rokai tilted his head in utter confusion. “You’ll understand in time.” Starswirl winked. “Now girls, back to your lessons.” “I’ll leave you to it,” Rokai said and he and the remaining Pillars left the room. “I sure am glad you’re starting to open up, sugar. I just wish Stygian could do the same,” Mage said with a small frown. “Your tactician? What’s wrong with him?” Rokai wondered. “He’s been…distant as of late. Seems downtrodden about something,” Rochoof said as they continued down the hall. “I’m sure it's nothing. Now, how about we take that bag of bits and help ourselves to a pint of Spiced Apple Cider, eh?” “That’s a grand idea,” Rokai said. Celestia used her magic to make the scene change again. “Wow, I hardly recognize him now,” I said. I then noticed Celestia looking sad. “What’s wrong?” “This…is the last memory when the Pillars and Rokai would be together,” Celestia warned me, which surprised me. The memory changed back near Ponehenge, where the Pillars first summoned Rokai. All the Pillars were present, and they all looked very distressed. “Are you certain he took them?” Rokai tried to ask. “The boy seemed like a harmless young lad, why would he steal what is yours?” “It is obvious that Stygian was jealous of us this whole time,” Starswirl said. “He feels that he was not appreciated for his efforts in helping us combat the threats to the kingdom and has now become a threat himself.” “This must be some mistake…” Mistmane protested. “And a mistake it was…” Celestia sighed as she explained. “Starswirl assumed that Stygian wanted to steal the power of the pillars for himself, but in truth, he only wanted to make replica’s so that he could join them in battle. He tried to explain, but my teacher was a stubborn old pony.” “Where is he?” Rokai asked. “Ponehenge, hence why we have come all this way,” Starswirl said. The wizard led the group to the site and Celestia and I followed. When we arrived, Stygian was caught in the act with six objects placed on pedestals: a shield, a shovel, a mask, a flower, a book, and a scarf. “Stygian!” Starswirl barked, startling the pony. “You dare take what is not yours?!” “No, please! You don't understand!” Stygian begged as the pillars surrounded him. “Understand what?” Flash snapped. “You took my shield! Who does that?!” “Stygian, you’ve crossed a line we did not think you would. I am sorry, but as leader of the Pillars, I hereby cast you out!” Starswirl announced. Stygian looked like his heart broke into a million pieces. His face then went from looking heartbroken to pure hatred. “If you will not listen, then I will SHOW YOU!” Stygian shouted before activating the spell he created, unaware that a creeping shadow had entered his body. “Wait…Stygian, stop!” Rokai yelled. “So…even you turned against me, Rokai? Then I truly am alone!” “No! Stygian, listen!” Rokai tried to get him to listen, but by the time the spell was fully activated, Stygian was transformed into a Shade like none had ever seen before; a Pony of Shadows. “Good lord…” Rokai gasped “What the hell happened to him?!” I yelped. “The fragment of a Shade from one of the previous battles was drawn to Stygian’s sorrow and desperation, and found him to be the perfect host for his new form,” Celestia explained. “It was a catastrophe no pony could have foreseen.” “Gods above…Stygian, what have you done?” Rockhoof asked, completely heartbroken by his friend’s betrayal. “We must stop him now!” Starswirl commanded. The group engaged in combat with the transformed Stygian. I watched in horror as Stygian used his new dark powers to fight back against his former friends. Rokai kept his sword in his hand, but he couldn’t bring himself to strike Stygian down. The battle kept on for a good long while, and it looked like Stygian was gaining the upper hand. “We can’t keep on like this!” Rockhoof said. “Rokai, what are you waiting for?! Strike him down, now!” Flash said. “Are you bloody mad?! Stygian’s still in there!” Rokai barked. Starswirl was at a loss as he desperately tried using his magic to counter his former friend. I then noticed Starswirl’s expression looked grim, even saddened for some reason. It looked like he had a plan, but not the good kind. “Rokai!” Starswirl called out to his comrade. “I need you to do something for me!” “Can it wait?!” Rokai asked as he dodged a shadow tendril. “I’m afraid not! Please!” Starswirl begged. “Bloody hell! Okay, fine! What is it?!” “Swear to me that you’ll protect Equestria and win this war!” Starswirl said. “What are you on about?!” Rokai demanded. “Just swear to me!” “Fine! You have my word, Starswirl, this land shall have its peace again! I swear it on my life!” Rokai barked. Starswirl then smiled sadly at Rokai, which confused him greatly. “I don’t like where this is going…” I said anxiously. “Thank you, my dear friend…” Starswirl said and channeled his magic. “Pillars! Subdue the Pony of Shadows! Today, we meet our destiny!” “Your only destiny, dear Starswirl, IS DEATH!” The Pony of Shadows roared before he was suddenly bound by Starswirl’s magic and began activating the artifacts. “W-what're you doing?!” “Securing Equestria’s peace…” Starswirl said as he closed his eyes and a portal suddenly opened above them. “That…that is the portal to LIMBO! ARE YOU MAD?!” Stygian shouted in protest. “STARSWIRL!! NO!!” Rokai shouted in horror as he attempted to run at the wizard, but it was too late. The rest of the Pillars looked at Rokai in sorrow and sad smiles as they were all pulled into the portal. Before I knew it, the portal above closed, leaving Rokai by himself. “No…no! Starswirl! Mage! Rockhoof!” Rokai looked around the area desperately. He dropped to his knees, letting go of his sword. The rain began to fall as Rokai clenched his fists and slammed them repeatedly into the dirt. “Flash…? Mistmane…?! Damn you… Damn you all!” Rokai’s face was full of anguish and emotional pain as he had lost his closest allies and friends. “WHY?!? YOU FUCKING BLOODY FOOLS!!!” Both Celestia and I were saddened as the Pillars just vanished into thin air, leaving Rokai alone amongst the ruins of Ponehenge. Once more, he was alone. Celestia slowly made the memory change again after she wiped away her tears. We were in the throne room, the late sun’s rays piercing through the windows, and Faust was pacing back and forth. The doors slowly opened and Rokai slowly trudged in. His head was hung over, he dragged his feet with every step, and he was still a little wet from the rain. “Sir Rokai! Thank the stars! Where are Starswirl and the others?” she asked before Rokai looked at her with heartbroken eyes. “Where are they?” “They’re…gone,” was all he said before falling to his knees, startling everypony in the room. “Sir Rokai!” one guard said while helping him up. “They sacrificed themselves to save us…” “Wh-What are you saying?” Faust asked. I could tell she was about to break into tears behind her veil. “I was there…they were pulled into a portal by Starswirl’s doing. Stygian…he betrayed us.” Rokai grit his teeth and stomping his boot on the marble floors. “THEY WERE GONE BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING! I JUST STOOD THERE LIKE A FUCKING DULLARD! STARSWIRL, MAGNUS, ROCKHOOF, MISTMANE, MEADOWBROOK, SOMNAMBULA! THEY’RE ALL GONE BECAUSE I WAS WEAK!” Before he could do anything else, Faust wrapped him into a gentle hug that seemed to instantly calm his rage, Her wings slowly enveloped them both and she began to shed a few tears under her veil. “Please, do not blame yourself,” she begged. “You know that isn't what they would want.” “I swore to him,” Rokai said in a low tone. “I swore I would win this war and reclaim this land’s peace.” Faust stepped back from Rokai. She then reached up and removed her veil to finally reveal her face. Before, I always personally thought Celestia and Luna were both beautiful in their own right. But Faust, her beauty felt like it was on another level. Her eyes were a soft baby blue and she wore light pink lipstick and light eyeliner. Rokai seemed to also be in a trance since this was his first time also looking at the queen’s face without her veil. “And you will not be alone,” Faust swore before bringing him back into her embrace. What followed after was years of conflict across Equestria. From the burning wastes of the dragon lands to the snowy plains of the north, the war raged on, and Rokai had even found some new allies amongst the caribou and zebra races. I witnessed more memory spheres of Rokai engaging in battle after battle with those elite demons known as the Legionnaires. The memories also showed me how Rokai was able to gain favor with all the kingdoms of the world, ranging from actual dragons to creatures Celestia told me were hippogriffs. The scene later changed back to the throne room where Faust sat on her throne. Rokai was standing in front of her and I noticed he looked older than when I first saw him. “Your majesty, the coalition armies have reported that they’ve located the last of those Legionnaires,” Rokai reported. “I am to meet with the Minotaurs in the mountain range to the west.” “Well done, Sir Rokai. As always, the kingdom thanks you,” Faust replied just before the nobles were allowed in for morning court. “Ah, Sir Rokai, good morning.” “Bluebone,” Rokai said with a deadpan greeting, still not pleased to see his usual pain in the neck still around. “Cousin, I am pleased to report that the eastern provinces have recolonized the land and have already constructed several farms,” Bluebone said smugly. “Thank you, Bluebone, please wait with the others outside for a moment. I have something personal to discuss with Sir Rokai,” Faust said. Bluebone scowled at Rokai, along with most of the other nobles, before they left the throne room to leave Faust and Rokai alone. “Prick…” Rokai said under his breath. “How are little Tia and Lulu?” Rokai asked sympathetically. “They are still sad over the loss of their teacher, despite him being gone this long. Starswirl was practically a grandfather to them.” Faust said. “But today is a day for celebration. Sir Rokai, please kneel.” “Excuse me? Why?” Rokai wondered. “It’s a surprise,” the queen said with a giggle as Rokai bent one knee to the queen. He pulled out his sword and held it with one hand and rested his other arm on his knee. “Sir Rokai, you have served this kingdom faithfully, and have gone above and beyond the call of duty countless times. For this, I wish to bestow you an honorary title.” “Is this…?” I asked, but Celesita gestured for my silence as I watched. My heart was racing as I witnessed this unforgettable moment. “Do you swear to protect this land with all your heart, soul, and strength?” Faust asked. “I swear,” Rokai said. “Do you swear to stand against injustice and evil?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to defend the weak and protect them?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to respect the honor of your fellow comrades?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to never bring harm to those undeserving and only to those who would threaten our way of life?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to speak the truth at all times?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to be generous and willing to share?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to persevere and finish the task at hand?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to pursue excellence in all you do?” “I swear.” “Then it is with pride that I, Queen Faust of Equestria, do hereby proclaim you Guardian of Equestria.” Rokai was in shock as he felt his shoulders being tapped by a ceremonial blade given to the queen. And just like that, he was knighted once more, and looked up at Faust smiling down on him. “Arise, Guardian Rokai Stourmborne.” Rokai stood up as the guards in the room saluted him. I was still coming to grips that I had just witnessed Rokai being named Guardian as I could not find the words. “His name would be known throughout the world,” Celestia said. “But little did Sir Rokai or even mother know, their greatest adversary was about to reveal himself.” Author's Note He’s made his mark in Equestria, but all journeys must eventually come to an end. Next chapter, Rokai encounters his greatest adversary… Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… The First Guardian Part 4Chapter 13 Celestia and I took a break from seeing memories as we stood in a starry void. “My god…Rokai was incredible!” I said with enthusiasm. “I never imagined someone like him would even exist! And he was the first guardian?” “Indeed. It was thanks to him that all the kingdoms of the world banded together and rose up against the Shades,” Celestia said with a fond smile. “You mentioned he would soon fight his greatest adversary,” I pointed out. “Who, or what, was it?” “…A monster,” Celestia said as we warped to a battle taking place deep within a large forest, where Rokai was leading a contingent of Equestrian soldiers as they engaged the demons with the help of some unexpected allies. “CHAARGE!!” “MOW THEM DOWN!!” “Minotaurs?” I said in surprise as I watched two of the hulking brutes impale several shades on their horns before sending them flying. “I was surprised as well, but despite their brute strength, the minotaurs were no match for the Shades’ overwhelming numbers. And, of course, we offered our aid,” Celestia explained when one minotaur female caught my eye. “Who’s that?” I asked Celestia, who watched the female warrior send several shades flying with a swing of her warhammer. “That is Princess Raster, daughter of King Arkan the One-Horned,” Celestia said. “She led the entire minotaur army since she was only sixteen years old. She was known for her strength as a warrior, fierce will of a commander, and was said to be just as beautiful as her mother.” “Raster!” Rokai jumped in and kicked two Shades before they got the drop on the female minotaur. “Watch yourself, girl, keep your head on a swivel!” “That’s what you’re for, my dear future husband,” Raster teased while blowing a kiss before leaping into the fray again. “As you may have guessed, Minotaur females admire strong males, and she was no exception,” Celestia said, earning a small chortle from me as we watched the two cleanse the area of Shades before Rokai noticed a figure watching from the shadows. “You! Come out and fight!” Rokai charged at the figure, but I noticed he was bigger than I anticipated. The figure cackled maliciously as he stood at least over ten feet tall. The figure raised his fist and tried to crush Rokai, but Rokai managed to jump out of the way. Rokai twirled his sword and went for an upward slash, only for the figure to dodge and step into the light. I heard Raster gasp and I saw it was another menacing-looking minotaur. His fur was pale gray and his eyes were blood red. He had two curved horns growing out of his head. His body looked like it could withstand a grenade explosion and come out unscathed. What also caught my eye was that he had an extra pair of arms under his original ones. “I-It can’t be!” Raster said. “Janus?! Is that you?!” “Not anymore…”The beast spoke in a growling voice. “I am Khazrak. Khazrak The Red!” “You know him?” Rokai asked as he cautiously took a few steps back. “He was a member of my tribe once. My father banished him for his crimes against the other nations,” she said with a look of disgust. “What crimes were those exactly?” “…He devoured the flesh of his victims,” Raster said with disgust, making a chill crawl up Rokai’s spine. “How is it a crime to revel in the spoils of your victory?” Khazrak asked while picking up a dead soldier. “The minotaurs have always prided themselves on their love of battle…AND MEAT!” CHOMP! I almost hurled as I watched the monster bite into the carcass of the fallen soldier and swallowed his meal whole before tossing it aside. “JOIN ME, MY BRETHREN! Together, we can reclaim our former glory!” he shouted to the other minotaurs, but none would listen. “You sick monster! I’d rather die than join you!” One minotaur warrior spat with disgust. “You killed and devoured so many of us! Tartarus awaits scum like you!” Another said, glaring at the demonic-like minotaur. Rokai pointed his sword with anger at the demon minotaur. “You disgust me to no end, demon. I am Rokai Stourmborne! Guardian of Equestria and the Realm! I am your opponent and you shall fall by my sword!” With a bull-like roar, Khazrak charged Rokai with every stomp of his hooves, making the earth shake as the guardian braced himself for impact. The moment they came to blows, Khazrak scored the first hit and sent Rokai tumbling across the ground with his charge and laughed, mocking the human he considered weak. “THIS is the leader of your pathetic army?! This frail, pitiful meatbag?! I’m gonna enjoy eating you…” He glared at the princess and licked his lips. “Right after I’ve taken the girl for myself~.” As if a switch flipped within Rokai, he sprung to his feet. He let out an ear-piercing cry of his own and charged straight back at Khazrak with his sword raised. Khazrak swung his fist to try and punch Rokai again, but Rokai jumped out of the way just in time as he swung his sword at one of Khazrak’s horns. CLANG! Rokai landed back on the ground as Khazrak’s horn fell to the ground. As Khazrak was dazed, Rokai reeled his fist back and slammed it across his cheek, causing the demon minotaur to stumble back a bit. “You will not touch her…” Rokai seethed in anger as he picked up the horn. “I WILL SEND YOU TO HELL BEFORE YOU EVEN SAY HER NAME AGAIN!” They clashed once more in what could only be described as an epic duel with Khazrak using all four of his arms and monstrous strength to crush Rokai, who matched him blow for blow without giving an inch of ground. “DIE YOU LITTLE WORM!!” the monster roared as he raised all four arms to deliver a crushing blow, thinking he had Rokai cornered. STAB! Rokai quickly plunged the horn he picked up into Khazrak’s side. Unlike his sword, the horn pierced deeper, which caused Khazrak to roar in pain. He swung his arms down, but Rokai rolled out of the way before getting crushed. The demon’s attack created a small crater from the sheer force of the blow. “So something can hurt you, demon,” Rokai joked as he gripped the horn. I noticed his hands were trembling from fatigue and pain from his wounds. “Once I use this to pierce your heart, I will go after your final brother and end this war!” “Grrr wait! WAIT!” He panted through the pain and raised his hands in surrender. “I only wanted to restore my people’s glory! To give them a better life just like you! You and I are alike! Join me!” he begged while one of his extra hands moved toward a dagger hidden under a body. CRUNCH!! “AGGH!” “I don’t think so,” Raster said after crushing his hand with her hammer. “BITCH!” WHACK! Khazrak backhanded Raster away from him and knocked her out. “BASTARD!!” Rokai roared and tackled Khazrak and began punching him relentlessly. “YOU DARE! STRIKE! A LADY?!” Rokai did not stop until Khazrak’s face was swollen and bruised and his men were forced to pull Rokai away, despite their better judgment. “Sir, stop! STOP! We need him alive!” a soldier said as Rokai regained his composure. “Alive?! ALIVE?!” Rokai stood up and picked his sword and the horn back up. “Get up! Get up, wretch! I know you were holding back! I won’t accept this! I said I would send you to hell, and I’ll make sure you go screaming knowing a weak meat sack, as you called me, beat you at your best!” The minotaur struggled with his broken hand to grab a weapon while the other held his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding as he picked up his axes again. “After I kill and eat you…I’m going to rape her and those two pony princesses of yours!” I expected Rokai to yell in anger, but he kept a calm, yet intimidating, composure. The two circled each other as the fighting between the two armies raged. Rokai and Khazrak charged and met each other with their weapons. Blow for blow, their attacks were relentless as they exchanged wounds with one another. Rokai kicked Khazrak’s abdomen as Khazrak cut Rokai’s arm a bit. Rokai then stabbed the horn into Khazrak’s leg and twisted it, forcing Khazrak to drop one of his axes and slam his fist into Rokai’s head. Rokai stumbled back as he pulled the horn out and held his head, no doubt his ears were ringing from the blow. “Come on, Rokai, come on!” I chanted for him. “Any last words?” The monster grinned while picking up Rokai by the throat. “I have none to share with the likes of you…!” Rokai gagged. “Because today is not the day I choose to say them!” Rokai slashed his sword to the side, right across Khazrak’s eyes. The demon roared in pain as he was blinded and threw Rokai to the ground. Khazrak began swinging his axes and arms around wildly, trying to find his opponent and kill him. Rokai was on his hands and knees, attempting to catch his breath as he grasped his sword and the horn again. Among the other Legionnaires Rokai faced, this one was one of the toughest he’s ever fought. Standing up on his feet again, Rokai grit his teeth and ran toward the blinded demon. “Is he nuts?! He’ll get caught in that monster’s flailing!” I panicked. Rokai jumped, dodged, and weaved out of the way of Khazrak’s arms. He pinpointed his attacks and slashed and stabbed away at Khazrak’s body. There were points when Rokai suffered a blow or two, but Rokai kept his attacks head on. “You want me, beast? Here I am!” “Rrrg! I’LL KILL YOUUU!!” Khazrak went for another swing, which Rokai barely managed to dodge as he readied the horn. Khazrak’s other axe came in to slash Rokai as Rokai was about to stab Khazrak’s heart with the horn. STAB!! SLASH!! I couldn’t blink as I watched in horror as the ax managed to slash at Rokai’s back. Blood seeped down Rokai’s back, but Rokai kept standing as he had driven the horn straight into Khazrak’s chest and into his heart. “Burn in Hell with your demonic comrades…” Rokai said in a low voice. The lumbering brute staggered back just as Rasper regained consciousness to see Rokai was badly hurt and watched as Khazrak fell to the ground with his own horn sticking out of his chest. “ROKAI!” she shouted and rushed over to help him stand. “Help him, quick!” She called for the medics. Rokai grit his teeth and refused to fall on the ground. He wiped blood from his mouth, but blood still dripped from his back. Raster and Rokai watched Khazrak’s body blacken over and dissolve into dust, along with all the Shades he had brought with him. “The day is ours…” Rokai groaned, still standing. Despite the dirt, blood, and muck covering his face, Rasper could only thank the human in the only way she knew how and kissed him right in front of the entire army with many of their troops cheering. “MMM?!” “MMMMMWAH! You are definitely going to be my husband now!” Rasper said after breaking the kiss for air. “ARGH! Damnit Raster! My wounds!” Rokai barked. “Oh! S-Sorry!” Raster said sheepishly with a bright blush and the medics soon helped him away. “Wow, she’s a bold one,” I said as the memory changed. “She wasn’t the only one. Sir Rokai had a great many admirers during his campaign. And yet, despite their boldness, Rokai still wouldn’t accept any marriage proposals,” Celestia said. The memory reformed again and we were in the middle of a different throne room that had an assortment of animal statues all around us. The room was filled with minotaurs and there was one sitting on a throne made of animal bones. A large one-horned minotaur sat on the throne and he wore fancy-looking furs and padded armor. His muscles were freaking ginormous under his white and black patched fur. Standing in front of him was Rokai, still bandaged, but standing with his hands held behind his back. “Daughter, are you certain you wish to marry this one?” the old bull asked while stroking his beard. “He’s perfect, daddy!” Rasper said with glee. “He seems…skinny,” the king said skeptically. “With all due respect, great King Arkan, but I must respectfully decline this proposal,” Rokai said calmly. “Ohh no,” I said as both Celestia and myself watched as the minotaurs brought out their axes. “You dare turn down the hand of the princess?!” Arkan growled while gripping the armrests of his throne to the point of breaking. “Great King Arkan, please understand. I am a man of principle and honor,” Rokai said, still remaining calm. “I will not deny that your daughter is a woman of both great honor and incredible beauty. However, my main priority at the moment is the continuation of seeing an end to this war. If I were to promise myself to Raster during the midst of combat, my enemies would most likely use her as leverage.” Though he was still angry, the king saw the wisdom of Rokai’s words and accepted his decline of his daughter’s marriage. “Still, it would be a great shame if a warrior like you were not able to leave behind a legacy. To be honest, I crave having grandchildren to spoil,” Arkan sighed in disappointment. “I’m sure your daughter will find an equally worthy mate. However, I am not the one to be,” Rokai said. “I respect your wishes, and I thank you for aiding us in this war. The Minotaurs shall continue to aid the Coalition army,” Arkan said. Rokai bowed and left the throne room. I watched the minotaurs and Rokai celebrate their victory. When the sun went down, Rokai had retired for the day and left the party to return to his quarters. In the corner of my eye, I saw Raster sneak away and follow Rokai before the memory changed again. I’ve watched enough movies and tv shows to know where that’s going. I thought to myself. “Due to the…um, ahem, nature of the next memory, I suggest we move on,” Celestia told me before snapping her fingers. Side Memory Rokai 1st POV I returned to my quarters and winced a little from my injuries. I thank the gods in a way that I was spared from the minotaurs signature back slaps, otherwise I’d be in even more pain. I slowly took off my armor platings and undressed until I was only wearing my trousers. I brushed my hand along the bandages wrapped around my torso. I looked to the small desk next to my bed and saw the horn I brought with me from the fight. As I looked at my trophy, my mind suddenly drifted back to when the princess kissed me. I’ll admit it was pleasant, but it was still too sudden, and we only ever saw each other at military meetings or victory banquets, but never had time to really socialize. Knock, knock, knock. “It is open,” I said without turning around. The door opened to reveal the princess herself and she stepped in. I glanced over my shoulder as the door closed, and her face went as red as a fresh apple. “Raster, evening,” I greeted. “How are your injuries?” she asked me while looking at the bandages on my back. “I’ll live,” I said while rolling my shoulders to loosen up some tension. “So, what brings you here?” She suddenly hugged me from behind. “Rokai…may I please spend this night with you?” Raster asked as she held me close. “Raster, we talked about this,” I sighed. “I know, and I want you to know, this is not an attempt to get you to marry me. I just want to thank you the only way my people know how,” she said while gently rolling me on my back onto the bed. “You see, we Minotaur women don’t lay with just any bull. Only the strongest and bravest warriors have the privilege of bedding us, and you, Sir Rokai, have proven to be all those things…and more~,” Rasper said while letting her top slowly fall off her chest, using her hands to cover her breasts. “Tonight, I’m yours.” CLOP! I gazed at her body and began to admire her as a woman. She had a muscular torso and arms, but she was also slender in her hips and stomach. Her bosoms were also a sight to see, despite her hands covering them. Large, plump, just like her backside. I raised my hands toward her breasts, but paused. “If this is what you wish, may I?” I asked for permission. “Of course.” She giggled, finally letting her breasts bounce free. The moment I touched her, I could feel how soft and smooth her fur was. The sound of her aroused gasp caught me off guard since it had been a long time that I had laid with a beauty like her. “You can squeeze if you want~.” I obliged and began fondling her bosoms. She moaned and smiled at me, grinded her hips on my lap. “You’re an incredibly beautiful woman, Raster,” I said softly. “Mmm, and you are quite the human man, Sir Rokai~,” she replied before finally kissing me and holding my hand. “Mmmm~.” This time, I did not relent and kissed her back. Years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of bedding a female of this world. The mere thought of it was nonexistent to me. But now, after all my time in this world, I welcome it. Our kissing continued as I trailed my hands down her body until they found their way to her plump, yet firm, derriere. Her buttocks were firm, yet soft, as I kneaded it like dough. “Mmm, I’m surprised how gentle you're being~,” she complimented while I gave her a curious look. “Our ancestors say that human males are lust crazed beasts who force themselves on their women~.” She began to whisper into my ear. “Stripping them naked, forcing them to suck on your fat cocks and pounding their bodies until they’re good and full with your offspring while calling them your whores or bitches~.” Rasper grinned while nomming on my ear. As much as I wished to indulge her fantasies, I was a gentleman at heart. “Well, unlike them, Raster, I don’t exactly do those kinds of things.” I leaned up and kissed her again before resting my forehead on hers. “I want you to remember this night for us, so let me worship you like the princess you are.” Raster could only giggle as we kissed and fondled each other with the room seemingly growing hotter with every passing second until she was finally on her back, eager to have her chastity taken by her chosen lover. “B-Be gentle, please?” she asked while turning her head away. “Of course.” I aimed my cock at her moist entrance. When I was about to penetrate her, she flinched nervously. “Raster, look at me.” She hesitated and slowly turned to me. Once again, I was awestruck at the beautiful woman who lay under me. Her eyes were like gemstones and I cupped her cheek. “I’m here for you. I won’t ever hurt you.” Raster smiled as I pushed in. She gasped and squirmed as she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me until I felt a thin barrier within her. I pulled back a little before pushing forward all at once and claimed her virginity as mine. “AHHN~!” She gasped while clinging to me, nearly snapping my spine in two before finally adjusting. “S-Sir Rokai…” She panted as we kissed. “I pray that…I am blessed with your offspring.” Raster smiled while saying that, and before I knew it, I was plowing her into the bed and holding her legs apart while I did so. Her words struck a chord in me, but I kept making love to her nonetheless. She wanted to have a child with me, but we were completely different species. Had I been a different man and there was not a war to be fought, I would consider the possibility of one day attempting to settle down with someone once more. “You feel heavenly, my dear!” I said as I fondled her breasts again. “Ahhh, harder my love, take me~!” Raster cried out just before her breasts began to leak. I arched a brow at her breasts and decided to test something. As I thrusted into my Minotaur beauty, I leaned down and latched my mouth upon her nipple. She squealed in surprise as I suckled, and milk came leaking out. I instinctively drank her milk and was surprised how good it was. “Ohhh, yes my love, drink your fill~!” Raster cried out with her legs dangling in the air as we kept going. Soon enough, I was fulfilling her earlier fantasy by pounding her muscular body like a beast with her cries echoing through the entire castle. “NNG! ROKAI!” She screamed my name after being made to go on all fours while I pulled her hair and tail from behind as we kept going. “Rokai, I love you~!” “Raster!” I gritted my teeth as I felt a familiar tension build up. I kept my thrusting and picked up the pace until I couldn’t hold it anymore. With one last thrust, I climaxed deep inside her as her feminine juices sprayed all over my groin. We both basked in the afterglow of our climaxes until we collapsed and we took a moment to catch our breaths. As I lay on my back, Raster crawled up beside me and laid her head on my chest. END OF CLOP! “That was…quite amazing, my dear,” I said, wrapping my arm around her. “Mmm, so that’s what a REAL man feels like~,” Raster said with a lustful giggle as we kissed once more. “I never want this night to end,” she sighed as we cuddled together. “Rokai, my love?” she said to me in a gentle voice while drifting off to sleep. “Yes?” “In the morning, I wanna do it again~.” “Gods, you’re insatiable,” I chuckled before drifting off to sleep. Main Memory William 1st POV “The war had turned in our favor. The Shades were almost completely overwhelmed and peace was within our grasp,” Celestia said. “It was all thanks to Sir Rokai’s leadership, courage, tenacity, and unwavering support that provided the edge we needed. Rokai sometimes said it was bittersweet that Starswirl and the Pillars weren’t there to witness all he had succeeded, but he knew they would be proud of him.” “I’ll say. All of Rokai’s battles are etched into my mind,” I said. “I admire him greatly for everything he’s done.” “Yes, like you, my mother also held Rokai in high regard,” Celestia said as the memory played out. We were back in Canterlot, and Rokai was in the council room going over battle plans and placing markers on a map. The door opened and Faust walked in, causing Rokai to bow to her. “Your Majesty,” Rokai greeted. “I am pleased to inform you that we have located the last of the Legionnaires.” “Well done, Sir Rokai. At last we can end this war,” Faust said while looking over the map. “We have sacrificed much in this conflict, but it will all be worth it once this foe has been vanquished once and for all,” one of the generals said with confidence with the queen nodding in agreement. “Thank you, thank you all. May I please speak with Sir Rokai alone?” Faust said. The generals nodded and bowed as they left Rokai and Faust. Once they were by themselves, Faust smiled widely and quickly embraced Rokai in a hug. “You really must stop with this immaturity, Faust. You act as though I am some kind of child who needs to be embraced all the time,” Rokai sighed as Faust giggled like a schoolgirl. “How…unexpected?” I said, tilting my head. “Come now, Rokai, you are practically family. I’ve seen you play with the girls from time to time,” Faust said with a smile. “And I heard you and Princess Raster have gotten rather close in these past few months. Won’t be long before we hear wedding bells~.” Rokai blushed a little while he cleared his throat. “Ha! Called it,” I laughed out loud. “I have explained to you countless times that she and I simply spent the night together!” Rokai deadpanned. “You know how I feel about proposals.” “Oh?” Faust took a step back. “Then how is it I was able to smell the little cow all over you?” “Smell…?” Rokai repeated. “Oh, indeed Rokai. As a human, your senses are unlike ours. We creatures of the realms have a keen sense of smell. Especially when two lovers share a bed with one another.” “I…oh, hang me,” Rokai groaned and facepalmed. “Fine, I confess, but that doesn’t mean I am betrothed to her!” “Not yet,” Faust teased again as Rokai grew more frustrated. “Oh Rokai, I’m only teasing. In all seriousness, I was hoping you would join me this afternoon for tea.” “I suppose I have some time.” Faust held out her hand and Rokai obliged by holding out his arm and letting her hook hers with his. Rokai then escorted Faust out the door and we followed them. “Celestia and Luna have grown up quite big recently. It’s as if it was only yesterday they stood only at the height of my knee. I wonder what it is about me they find so endearing that they feel the need to include me in their little play times?” Rokai wondered. “They think of you as their big brother,” Faust answered. “Though, I can’t imagine any sister who would want their brother as their future husband. Lulu has quite the imagination.” The queen giggled while some of the servants noticed them walking with arms linked as they approached the gazebo in the gardens, a tea set and some snacks waiting for them. “A big brother, ha! Even though I was the younger sibling in my family,” Rokai said as they sat down. “You had a sibling?” Faust said as the servant’s poured their tea. “Once. When I was much younger, I actually had an older sister. I had later learned that she was only my half sister since my mother was…raped when she was young by a drunkard.” “How awful…” Faust said pityingly. “Despite it all, however, my mother made sure to love her daughter as much as she could. Then she met my father and I was born. By the time I was only around seven years old, my sister was already an adult woman. She and I got along as well as any other siblings.” Rokai frowned a familiar frown as he went quiet for a moment. “Then…she met someone.” “Oh my…was he a good man?” Faust asked before sipping some tea. “In the beginning, he seemed decent. My father was skeptical, call it a soldier’s intuition, so was my mother, but my sister seemed happy with him. That is…until he began showing his true colors. As a boy, I always liked sneaking around the home we lived in. Finding little crevices and hiding holes in the walls was a sort of hobby for me. One day, when my mother and father were out and I was hiding in the walls of our home, I discovered the man…violently raping my sister on the bed.” “Jeezus…” I said. “It was then I finally saw through the mask he wore. I tried to tell my sister that he was bad, but she wouldn’t listen. My sister was a ray of sunshine to my mother and always kept her smiling. That bastard intruded into her life and warped her mind, making her think she couldn’t have any other man besides him. To this day, I regret not having the courage to say anything sooner. Because…she eventually got pregnant with his child. One would think it was a blessing, but the abuse had taken too big of a toll on her.” “What happened?” Faust asked hesitantly. “By the time the baby was to be born…my sister had succumbed to the abuse he kept under the noses of my parents. She could not deliver the child properly…she died with it still in her belly…which also died.” “Gods above…and the man?” Faust inquired. “When she died…that braggart was drunk and complained how he didn’t beat her hard enough so that she could give birth properly. Then…my father beat him to a bloody pulp, tied him up, and threw him in the river where he drowned…” “Good…” I said, unintentionally gritting my teeth. “Fucking prick got what he deserved.” “William?” Celestia said to me. “Oh…sorry, just personal stuff is all,” I said, forcing myself to calm down. “Since my sister died, I vowed to never cower away and face any challenges head on. It’s why I became a knight, in honor of my sister.“ Rokai gave Faust a halfhearted smile. “Your girls are lucky to have a mother like you. Your love for them is what gods fight over.” “You flatter me,” Faust said with a polite bow when they heard shouting coming from across the courtyard. “Oh, that must be our new captain. He just transferred from the western provinces.” A line of pony soldiers marched in, and leading them was a stallion wearing gold plated armor. His fur was pure white, his eyes were forest green, and his hair was a deep black that almost looked dark purple in the sunlight. The stallion bowed in respect to Queen Faust, but only gave Rokai a sideways glance. “Your Majesty, thank you once again for bestowing me the honorary rank of Captain of your guard,” he said. “No thanks needed. Sir Rokai, meet Sir Kruber,” Faust introduced. “Ah the famous hero! Been dyin’ to meet ya,” Kruber said with a friendly smile and firm handshake. “Charmed.” Rokai looked over Kruber. “What’s your weapon of choice, mate?” “I like a good shield and sword as much as the next soldier,” Kruber said. “There’s reports of Shades about to invade the eastern border. I am currently still planning my assault on the last Legionnaire. If you can push them back without losing any men, then you’ll have my respect. Deal?” “Ha! You’re on, mate! I’ll show ya what my boys are made of!” Kruber boasted. “Even in that century, stallions had inflated egos.” Celestia shook her head with a smile. “And to think, he is my student’s ancestor.” “Say what?” I said, looking at Celestia. “Captain Kruber is Twilight’s Sparkle’s ancestor,” Celestia said. “Seriously?” I looked back at Kruber before he left and scratched the back of my head. “It’s weird, but I can somehow see how that makes sense.” “Kruber was an ambitious stallion,” Celestia said as she made the memory fade. “His first task Rokai gave him was as successful as anypony expected. So not only did Kruber gain his respect, he also slowly but surely began to earn his trust.” Memory orbs appeared and it showed scenes of Rokai and Kruger. I saw memories of them fighting together, training together, and sometimes just hanging out with one another. “Kruber was one of the few ponies who Rokai respected as much as he did the Pillars. It was a shame that those times did not last long.” For some reason, I felt very anxious by Celestia’s words as the memory changed to a new memory. We were standing in a very wide, vast, snowy field. Standing with Rokai was Kruber and an anthro caribou man. An army of pony and other caribou soldiers stood behind them as the cold winds blew the snow around them. “This is where the last of the Legionnaires was reported to have been sighted,” Rokai said as he pulled up his scarf. “But there’s nothing here.” “Chief Aron, are you certain your stags reported the right place?” Kruber asked the chieftain. “He’s there. We’ve seen scores of these Shades marching in and out of that accursed place,” the stag told them while pointing to a set of mountains in the distance. “I sent stags in to scout the place…their heads were sent back as a warning.” “Bloody Tartarus, this is gonna be one for the history books,” Kruber said while adjusting his cloak. “Alright, let’s move-!” BA-BUMP!! The air suddenly became thick as the skies blackened. Rokai and the others became extremely on edge as the winds blew around in a large vortex. A black aura surfaced and something was beginning to form within the vortex. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as the creature within stood up high, and I heard a very maniacal, demonic laughter. When the creature stopped laughing, the black aura surrounding the area blew the vortex apart, revealing what was inside. A sense of fear burned in my soul at the demon standing before everyone. It was very tall, skinny yet muscular, and had a goat skull for a head with large, curved horns. Its eyes were bloody red as the black aura surrounded it like a wildfire. “What the fucking hell is that thing?!” I yelped. “The Accursed One…” Celestia said, her voice also sounding quite fearful at the sight of it. “Ten…” The demon spoke, his voice sounding like it could tear my soul in half. “Ten of my most loyal followers, slain by a single gnat.” “Bugger me! What is that?!” Kruber shouted while readying his blade, yet as the creature looked at him, he could feel his legs trembling with fear. “This…primitive world was meant to be my newest conquest of shadow, yet my Legionnaires failed such a simple task?” The demon growled in annoyance. “Very well, I shall then do it myself.” “All troops! CHARGE!” Aron said as he and the stags charged. “No! Aron, wait!” Rokai called out, but it was too late. The demon raised his clawed hand and multiple shadow tendrils shot out from the black aura surrounding him. Nearly all the stags following Aron were skewered and butchered, leaving Aron and a handful of survivors left. “Such delicate creatures,” the demon said. “You shall all serve me as Shades.” The dead bodies convulsed and were enveloped in black aura as they morphed into grotesque-looking Shades, which horrified me and angered Aron to no end. “YOU BEAST! I swear by all the gods you’ll pay for this!” Aron roared. “I’m not one to be a coward, mates, but I suggest we retreat!” Kruber said as more Shades appeared from the snow. “We’re outnumbered!” Rokai dashed forward toward the demon with his sword raised. The demon shot out more shadow tendrils, but Rokai managed to evade or deflect them. Once he was close enough, he went to slash at the demon with a forward strike. The demon created a spear of pure shadow and blocked Rokai’s attack. “I am the one who slew your followers, foul creature!” Rokai said as he tried to push against the demon. “I see…” The demon cackled at Rokai as his eyes glowed red. “State your name, warrior.” “I am Rokai Stourmborne! Guardian of Equestria and the Realms!” Rokai responded. “Rokai Stourmborne? Ah, I see, the human creature from another world.” The demon took a step forward, pushing Rokai back. “You have my recognition, Sir Stourmborne. I had not even imagined these peons would have the strength to face my minions, let alone have the ability to slay them. But you? A human? You are an unforeseen obstacle I admittedly did not anticipate.” Rokai grit his teeth and dug his boots into the snow as he pushed against the demon, barely moving the demon back. “You have more strength than I had presumed. As a reward for recognising your tenacity, I shall tell you my name.” With his free hand, the demon slashed his claws across Rokai’s chest. Rokai roared in pain as his armor was cut like paper and blood erupted from his wounds. Rokai fell to his knees as he clutched his chest in agony. “I am Valafar, High Lord of the Rings of Tartarus. I have come to this realm to spread my shadow across the lands.” “Sir Rokai!” Aron charged forward on his own. “That idiot!” I yelled. “Aron! Don’t!” Rokai tried to call out, but it was too late. Valafar disappeared in a puff of shadow and reappeared behind Aron. “You are as simpleminded as the rest of your ilk.” SKLRGE!! Much to everyone’s dismay, Valafar stabbed Aron through his back as his hand held his still beating heart in his clawed hand. “ARON!!” Rokai screamed as he struggled to stand back up. “BASTARD!!” Kruber roared as he rammed the monster with his shield before cutting him across the chest. “Well look at that, the bastard bleeds after all!” Valafar growled angrily before reeling his hand back and struck Kruber across his face. Kruber flew across the snow and Rokai was helpless to watch his forces and friends being overwhelmed. “Dammit all! Fall back!” Rokai ordered as he limped away. “ALL TROOPS! FALL BACK! GET CAPTAIN KRUBER AND CHIEF ARON! FALL BACK AND RETREAT, THAT’S AN ORDER!” “That was only the beginning of our troubles,” Celestia said as images of Valafar’s army appeared as they marched across the lands. “Battle after battle, our troops fought to push them back, but with every victory, we grew weaker.” She then showed me a battle taking place in a set of trenches outside of a battered fortress with Kruber leading a desperate counterattack. “WEAPONS UP! FIGHT LIKE IT’S PAYDAY!” Kruber said as he tried to rally the troops. “Where is Sir Rokai?!” a soldier cried. “Facing the main bastard himself!” Kruber said, pointing off in the distance. Rokai was in the middle of fighting Valafar and he was desperately trying to land a blow on the demon. Valafar, on the other hand, parried and blocked Rokai’s attacks with minimal effort. Rokai swung his sword as blood dripped from his hands from gripping it too tight. His armor was battered and cracked and he had bloody bandages wrapped around his head. “He’s fighting while injured?” I asked with worry. “Ever since his first encounter with Valafar, he did everything while injured,” Celesita said. “You’re improving little by little, Stourmborne,” Valafar mocked as he parried another strike and slugged Rokai in his gut. The wind was knocked out of him and he fell on one of his knees. “But this will be another victory for me. I shall be taking this fortress.” “Not…yet!” Rokai coughed up blood. “The way I see it, Stourmborne, you have one of two options. Stay and continue to struggle against me, or go and provide backup for your troops. They are almost overwhelmed, and your Captain is fighting on his own. You should at least help them live another pitiful day before being consumed by shadow.” “OI! GOAT FACE!” Kruber shouted as he suddenly came charging out of nowhere and rammed Valafar in the chest. “YOU LITTLE-!” Valafar hissed. “I’m a bloody battering ram! That’s what!” the captain yelled with a hearty laugh before being blasted back. Rokai saw this opportunity and stood back up. Ignoring the pain from his hands and wounds, he charged forward and spun his body around to deliver a fierce roundhouse slash. His sword managed to cut through Valafar’s thick skin, forcing Valafar to stagger backwards and clutch his new wound. “You may have the advantage in combat, Valafar, but I have my own advantages! Such as my comrades backing me up!” Rokai said. Valafar hissed venomously as he and Rokai charged once more. CLANG!! “Oh shit!” I yelped. Kruber shook his head and picked himself off the ground. When he looked back where Rokai and Valafar were, he gasped when he saw both fighters’ weapons piercing the other through the sides of their guts. “Gah!” Rokai coughed blood. “Curses!” Valafar growled as they pulled back. Rokai used his sword as a crutch as Valafar held his wound with his free hand. “You surprise me once again, Stourmborne.” Valafar pointed behind him to show the fortress was about to be lost to Rokai’s troops. “We shall end this duel with a draw, but this battle’s victory goes to my troops. We shall meet again on the field of battle.” “Wait!” Rokai said but Valafar disappeared. “Come back here, you bastard! I can still fight-ARGH!” Rokai fell to his knee and coughed more blood. “Hey! Easy, mate,” Kruber said before noticing the Shades were overrun by the coalition army. “GET ME A MEDIC NOW! NOW!” the captain shouted while helping his friend to walk. “Did ya see the look on his face when I tackled him? Ha! That bastard’s gonna be bruised for a month!” “Heh…yeah…” Rokai panted as the medics met them halfway. “We need to retreat!” Rokai said. “But the fortress-!” Kruber said. “Is lost! I won’t let any more of our men die this day! Order a full retreat! That’s an order!” Rokai barked. Though he was against it, Kruber ordered the stallions, griffins, and caribou soldiers to abandon the fortress and take whatever supplies they could carry while the Shades and Valafar were driven back. It was a pyrrhic victory for the alliance. “Another scar for the ladies, eh mate?” The captain smirked with his usual positive attitude as Rokai was placed on a stretcher. Kruber expected a witty remark when Rokai’s arm fell limp. Blood smeared the stretcher and Kruger’s face went pale. “Hey…hey, mate! ROKAI!” he yelled while shaking his friend. “No…No NO NO NO!! ROKAI!” Before I could question what happened, Celestia made the memory change and we were back in Canterlot. We stood in a hallway and Faust was pacing back and forth in front of a set of double doors. Little Tia and Lulu were there as well, and they looked older; looking around maybe ten or twelve years old. Sitting in nearby chairs were leaders of each kingdom of the world. I even saw Princess Raster and her father and the poor princess was crying in her father’s arms. The double doors opened to reveal a stallion wearing a doctor’s medical coat and bloody gloves. “Doctor, how is he?” Faust asked. “It was touch and go for a few moments, but he'll live,” the doc said, making them sigh with relief. “He’ll be out of the field for a few months.” “Bugger that…!” All heads turned and gasped to see Rokai leaning on the wall, dressed in a white gown. “I ain’t gonna stay bedridden like some old tosser! Bring me my sword and armor!” Rokai demanded. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir,” the doctor replied while forcing him back into bed. “I must agree with the doctor. You barely survived this time,” Faust said as the nurses put the blanket back on him. “Until you are back at full strength, I will have Sir Kruber lead the campaign against Valafar.” “Valafar is still out there!” Rokai said defiantly. “He and I have unfinished business, I still owe him for the other wounds he gave me!” “Rokai, please! You need rest!” Raster begged. “Do you people not realize that we’ve lost the edge we fought for?!” Rokai yelled at the many rulers in the room. “Valafar has retaken the territories we had liberated from the Legionnaires and his Shades are closing in on each of the kingdoms of the realm!” “And we understand, but you can’t fight him like this!” Arkan shot back while grabbing one of his injured arms. “OW!” “See? Just one touch is all it would take to overpower you.” “Bugger me, I fucking hate being weak…” Rokai said bitterly. “You are not weak, good sir,” the zebra leader said. “Quite right, you are more than capable to face whatever conflicts are thrown your way, but even you have limits, yes?” King Longclaw said. “I must speak with the queen in private,” Rokai answered with a request. The other rulers nodded as they and the medical staff vacated the room. Raster glanced back once more at Rokai before the door closed. “This cannot go on, Your Majesty. With every confrontation I have against Valafar, more lives and territory are lost. I was naïve to believe that victory was assured, not taking into consideration what the leader of the Shades would be like.” “You mustn’t blame yourself, Rokai,” Faust said. “Even I did not anticipate that Valafar was who he is.” “There must be a way to match that monster's strength…” Rokai grumbled. The queen looked like she hesitated before answering. “Rokai… if I were to say I may have a solution, but only as a last resort, how would you feel about it?” Faust asked. “Depends on the last resort,” Rokai said. Faust leaned in and whispered in his ear. I watched as Rokai's expression turned from shock, to rage, and looked like he was appalled from what she said to him. “With all due respect, Your Majesty,” Rokai sneered. “But that is out of the damn question!” “Well, it’s as you said, we lose more and more with every battle. Soon there won’t be a land to defend and our citizens grow more restless,” Faust argued. “And what about your daughters?!” Rokai challenged, pointing at Faust. “They would be devastated!” “You think I want to do something as outrageous as this?!” Faust snapped back, tears forming in her eyes. “My precious daughters are everything to me! They’re all I have left after Starswirl and the Pillars disappeared! That even includes you!” “Me?” Rokai said, when Faust hugged him close and cried into his shoulder. “You are like a son to me…losing one of my most closests friends was bad enough, but if we lost you…” Faust would say nothing as she hugged him tighter. “I…I would be lying if I said I did not see you as family as well, Faust,” Rokai said somberly as he wrapped an arm around her. “But there must be another way. Please, for me, do not tell anyone about what we discussed. I will recover as soon as I can and you go back to leading the kingdom.” Faust leaned back and Rokai smiled at her. “We will find a way to prevail, I swear it.” “…Very well, I will say nothing of this to the others,” the queen promised before kissing his forehead. “Now rest, I’m sure by the time you recover, Sir Kruber will be our new hero,” Faust jokes, making both him and myself laugh a little. “Such a bitterly happy moment…it’s a shame it could not last,” Celestia said as we warped to a battlefield. The fighting was so intense, so real that I ducked from an exploding trebuchet that hit the ground before seeing Kruber facing off with Valafar in single combat. “He’s fighting that monster on his own?!” I panicked. There were Shades fighting against Equestrian troops and griffin soldiers. Kruber looked completely out of breath as Valafar twirled his shadow spear around. “These memories are from one of the soldiers who followed Kruber into battle. This confrontation was happening just outside Grifforia’s capital city,” Celestia explained. “You are quite the courageous one, young warrior,” Valafar said. “I still remember the lucky blow you inflicted on me. Commendable, but I have shared deeper wounds with Stourmborne.” “Ohh. don’t worry, I’m just warming you up for him…” Kruber huffed as they circled each other, smiling with confidence despite his armor being in complete tatters and his sword and shield were damaged beyond repair. “I will make your death quick,” Valafar threatened, readying his spear. “Don’t bark if ya can’t bite, ya TWAT!” Kruber snapped, making Valafar lunge at him as he parried with his shield and swung his sword down to cut him across his chest. The slash left a wound, but not deep enough to cause any serious damage. Valafar growled in annoyance as he faced off against Kruber. I could tell that the demon had underestimated Kruber and was just as skilled as Rokai. Valafar went for a thrust with his spear, which Kruber managed to block with his shield just in time. However, the force of Valafar’s thrust was so strong that it pierced the shield, narrowly missing Kruber’s gut. Valafar cackled a little as he pulled his spear back along with Kruber’s shield, forcing Kruber to let go of it. Valafar dropped the shield on the ground and stomped on it with his clawed foot, crushing the shield, making it useless. “Now you have nothing to protect yourself with,” Valafar hissed maliciously. “Eh, it was tacky anyway,” the captain joked, earning more of the demon’s frustration while drawing a line in the dirt. “If you got guts, come over here!” “You…INSOLENT WORM!!” Valafar roared in anger as he charged at the captain, not seeing the broken spear hidden in the dirt. “That’s right…come to Kruber…” Kruber said to himself. With one quick stomp of his foot, the spear suddenly sprang from the dirt and pierced Valafars left leg, allowing Kruber to cleave him on the right side of his torso as he ran past him to a safe distance. “Oh look, I’ve cut you. What a shame,” Kruber said with a smug grin, but still kept his guard up. “Hell yeah! He’s got him-!” I was cut off when I saw something on the ground. Just as Kruber was about to get the drop on him again, Valafar’s shadow looked like something was sticking out of it and was aiming for Kruber. “Oh shit! KRUBER!” I called out, as if trying to warn him, even though it was a memory. “KRUBER, WATCH OUT!!” STAB!! It was too late, and I had to watch it happen. A tendril of shadow shot out of Valafar’s shadow and pierced right through Kruger’s chest. “NOO!!” I yelled. “You have been a thorn in my side LONG ENOUGH!” Valafar yelled as he tossed the dying captain aside, the entire field suddenly grew quiet. “Kruber!” A soldier came running and knelt beside him as Valafar turned away to finish the battle with his Shades. The soldier pulled their helmet off and revealed to be a unicorn mare as she held him close. “It’s okay, I’m here,” she whimpered. “SOMEPONY GET ME A MEDIC!!” “I’m sorry, love…” The captain croaked while holding her cheek. “I guess I…won’t be able to go to our little girl’s party…” “No, no, don’t talk like that! Just breathe…WHERE’S THE DAMN MEDIC?!” she screamed as one finally arrived to try and help stop the bleeding. “Please…tell our girl that I…I…” Kruber tried to say as the light left his eyes. Before he could finish his sentence, Kruber’s hand slipped from her cheek and fell to the ground. The mare cried out as tears flowed from her eyes and wailed out loud as the Coalition forces were pushed back by the Shades. I felt my heart break at the sad sight before me; a great captain fell against that monster and he didn’t get to see his children grow up. Celestia wiped her eyes and made the memory change. “Grifforia, along with the rest of the kingdoms of the world, were on the brink of being completely overrun. My mother had called for an emergency gathering of the Coalition alliance to discuss what must be done.” The memory brought us to the council room where all the rulers of the world sat with Faust at the head. The sword and destroyed shield Kruber used sat on the table with a piece of cloth wrapped around it, stained with blood and mud. I didn’t see Rokai, which meant he was probably still recovering. “Wait…where is representative for the Northlanders?” one member of the council asked. “I am sad to say that…they have broken their treaty with us,” Faust said, shocking the entire council. “Cowards!” the yak leader said angrily. “They cannot be blamed,” the zebra leader sighed. “This war brings such a heavy toll; I’m surprised we’ve lasted this long.” “Queen Faust, hasn’t Sir Rokai recovered yet?” King Arkan asked as she stared at the sword and destroyed shield. “I am afraid not, and with the loss of Sir Kruber, our troops morale has dropped drastically,” Faust said, rubbing her temples. “And we just got reports that the Shade army is on the move again.” SLAM!! The doors swung open, almost flying off their hinges, and startled all in the room. Rokai stood in the doorway, looking more livid than I ever would’ve imagined to see him. The council was silent as he slowly walked in, I could feel his anger pierce the very air they were breathing. When he stopped at the table, his eyes panned to the sword and shield and he balled his hands into fists. “Kruber…he’s fallen?” Rokai said in a low voice. “I’m sorry, Rokai,” Faust said as she could see the tears welling in his eyes. “He fought bravely to the end.” Rokai went to Krubers seat and picked up the now tattered blade, feeling nothing but regret at the loss of his friend. “Who killed him?” Rokai asked. “Valafar,” King Arakan said just before he slammed the sword back down. “I should have been there…” Rokai grit his teeth. “I should have stood by his side…” “Rokai-” Faust tried to say. “HE IS DEAD BECAUSE I WAS NOT THERE WITH HIM!!” Rokai roared with remorse. “WHY?! WHY AM I SO FUCKING HELPLESS?!” “THAT’S ENOUGH, STOURMBORNE!!” Arakan shouted before forcing Rokai to look straight at him. “That stallion died doing his duty and now you need to do yours! There will be time to mourn, but now we need you more than ever.” “He’s right, Rokai,” Faust said, wiping her tears. “I believe the time has come for…our last resort.” “Last resort?” a council member asked. “Indeed. I have devised a method to bring down our demonic foe and restore peace. However…it comes at a tremendous cost,” Faust explained. “What could we possibly lose, more than we already have?” the zebra leader asked. “Allow me to explain. As you all are aware, I am the first born Alicorn in the world. I have lived through the founding of these lands, this kingdom, and the growth of your own kingdoms as well. Throughout my lifetime, I have had considerable practice with my magic, inventing new spells and broadening my magical capabilities. When I met Starswirl, makers rest his soul, he helped me with my magical discoveries. To my point, I have a spell that might just be able to vanquish Valafar. The only downside is…I must use my inner magic core for it to be effective.” “Inner magic core…?” King Longclaw repeated. “But, Your Majesty, that would mean-!” “Yes…the price would be my own physical form in this realm, while my soul is called to the planet’s core in order to replenish the magic I used,” Faust said with a frown. “Out of the question!” the leader of the dragon lands shouted. “Do you know what’ll happen if you do this? The nobles will seize power and all we have worked for will be undone! Already, they’re trying to divide our races, even amidst this terrible war!” “And we should be concerned as to what our other enemies will do if they learn of this,” said Longclaw. “Which is why I have decided to name my daughters as co-rulers,” Faust said. “They may be young, but they are more than ready to take my place. However, I will not take action without Sir Rokai’s consent.” “Sir Rokai?” the zebra leader asked. “Why him?” “Because he is also needed for this plan to work.” Faust turned to Rokai. “What say you, Sir Rokai Stourmborne?” Rokai was torn between winning the war and sacrificing the queen as he tried to find the right decision. “…Will you give me time?” he asked the council, who nodded in agreement, knowing this decision could decide the very future of the kingdom. Rokai left and made his way to the courtyard. As Celestia and I followed him, I could tell he was going for a very shitty time right now. He lost one of his closest friends again, after Starswirl and the other Pillars. I wished I could talk to him, had this not been a memory. Rokai sat on a bench in the courtyard and buried his face in his hands before dragging them down. “What to do, what to do, what to bloody do…?” Rokai uttered to himself. “Need some company?” Rokai turned, and Celesita and I saw, Princess Raster was behind him with her usual warm smile. “Would it matter if I said no?” she asked. “No,” Rokai shook his head, smiling briefly. The two shared a quick laugh and kiss as Raster leaned on her old flame’s shoulder, holding his hand as they looked at the flower petals falling from the tree. “I’m sorry about your friend,” she said, breaking the silence. “He was a good man…” Rokai sighed sadly. “I am sorry I keep you waiting for an answer regarding your heart for me. Now I find myself at a crossroads that keeps splitting into different paths. No matter which one I take, I fear as though it is the wrong one, and everyone else will fall under Valafar’s reign.” Raster kissed him in hopes of calming his worries, and it seemed to work as she looked at him with the same smile that made all his worries fade. “Whatever path you take, know that I support you,” Raster told him before pressing her chest on him. “And when this war is over, I'll be there to warm you at night~.” “Heh, you always seem to want to bring my spirits up,” Rokai said with a half-hearted smile. “Raster…am I strong enough to be able to face Valafar one last time? He’s bested me every time we meet on the battlefield. I am just a man, after all, despite me being able to land my own share of wounds on him, and he is a demon from the pits of Tartarus.” “But he is a demon who bleeds,” Raster said while looking at her lover. “Do you know what happened before Kruber died?” she asked as Rokai shook his head. “He wounded that monster so badly that he had to resort to trickery to escape defeat. Kruber had that fiend right in the palm of his hand before he fell, and if he can beat him, then so can you.” I saw Rokai’s eyes form determination I’ve never seen before. He stood up from the bench and looked down at his hand before clenching it. “Raster.” He turned around to face the Minotaur princess. “When this is over, I will return to make an honest woman out of you.” Rokai left a bewildered princess to think on his words. Raster looked like she wanted to be happy to hear what he just said, but she looked somewhat…sad at the same time. “Don’t make a girl a promise you can’t keep, my love,” Raster said to herself. We followed Rokai as he walked back to the council room, where he found Tia and Lulu crying in their mother’s arms. I also noticed Celestia trying her best not to cry as Faust tried to console her daughters. “Mother, please don’t go!” Lulu begged while clinging to her mother’s side. “Don’t leave us alone!” Tia sobbed as they were brought in for a gentle embrace by their mother. “Oh, my dears, you won’t be alone,” she promised while wiping away their tears. “I’ll be with you, always.” “But what if we’re not ready yet?!” Tia asked. “My little sunshine, you are more than ready. As is your sister,” Faust said. “You both have made me so very proud, and so would Starswirl. You both must promise me to be strong and be there for each other. Once this war is finished, this kingdom will look to you for guidance.” “What about Rokai?” Lulu asked as Rokai knelt down. “I will be back as soon as I can. I will look after you as if you were my own,” Rokai said. The girls then hugged him close as Faust turned to the other rulers. “Words cannot express my gratitude for keeping this alliance together for as long as it has. Hopefully, when this war is over, it shall continue to thrive,” Faust said with a thankful smile. “I must now prepare for the end, my friends. I wish you all good fortune for the foreseeable future.” Celestia made the memory change again and we were floating in midair. That day, all was quiet as the Coalition armies stood on an open field, miles away from Canterlot where lines of siege engines were armed and ready to fire upon the army of Shades that blanketed the horizon. Both sides charged at each other and engaged in fierce combat. Creatures of all shapes and sizes battled tooth and nail against the Shades, but I couldn’t see Rokai anywhere. “Where’s Rokai?” I asked Celestia. When the next memory came into focus, I was shocked and in awe by what I saw. Standing almost half beaten to death was Rokai, wielding his sword with a rainbow-like aura. I could see Faust’s hands aimed at the sword as though she was finishing casting a spell. I saw Rokai smile and his mouth moving, but for some reason I couldn’t hear him. “What’s going on? What did we miss? And why can’t I hear Rokai just now?” I asked Celestia. She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know myself. This was all that my mother passed onto me when she left me these memories.” The duel between Rokai and the demon was one for the ages. Rokai was guided by honor and duty to his kingdom as he fought while Valafar was fueled by his rage and hate as they met in single combat on the field of battle. “There will be no interruptions, Valafar!” Rokai said as he clashed with Valafar’s shadow spear. The skies darkened as lightning crackled violently from the blackened clouds. “Only one of us shall see another day, and I shall ensure your defeat, no matter what! This world shall have its light once again!” Valafar laughed as he parried another blow and sparks were sent flying with every clash of their blades. “So brave, so boastful! Just like your friend Kruber!” The demon chuckled provokingly. “Would you care to know how he died?!” “YOU BASTARD!! I’LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!!” Rokai roared. Rokai ran toward Valafar as if he wanted to destroy him where he stood. Rokai swung his sword for a sideways slash and Valafar tried to block. Thanks to the mysterious rainbow aura surrounding Rokai’s sword, Valafar was pushed back considerably and struggled to withstand Rokai’s attack. When Valafar spun his spear to try and throw Rokai off balance, Rokai jumped back just in time before spinning around and slashing Valafar across his chest. Valafar forced out a painful roar as both blood and shadow burst from the wound a little. However, Rokai did not give the demon time to recover. He kicked Valafar right in his skull helmet, cracking it, and sent Valafar back a ways. The eye sockets of Valafar’s skull helmet glowed a deep red as he seethed at Rokai with malice. “WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?!” Valafar hissed. When he tried to heal the wound, his power did not respond properly. “HOW DARE YOU?! THIS IS MY AGE OF SHADOW!! I SHALL NOT BE DEPRIVED OF ALL I HAVE STRIVED FOR!!” “Not while I still draw breath!” Rokai shot back as he cut Valafar again before stabbing him in his side with a cracked blade. “THAT’S FOR KRUBER!” Valafar roared viciously as he tried to use his shadow tendrils to skewer Rokai. As if the aura surrounding his sword was guiding him, Rokai dodged and weaved, blocked, and parried any shadow tendrils coming his way. Rokai was fighting for his life against the demon. He was fighting for his new home, his friends, his new family. Despite looking like he’d topple over just by pushing him, he still had the strength of an army on his back. When Valafar tried to stab Rokai with his spear again, Rokai managed to dodge and grab his spear midway. Rokai reared his sword back and slashed across Valafar’s chest again, cutting him deep. “No…NO!! THIS CANNOT BE!! YOU ARE A HUMAN!! A WORTHLESS APE!! A MORTAL!!” Valafar roared in anger as the Coalition forces began routing his army. “WHAT ARE YOU?!” “You haven’t figured it out yet?” Rokai pointed his sword at Valafar as the lighting in the sky continued to crackle violently. “I am the mortal who came to this world for the sole purpose of defeating you! I am the mortal who is pure of heart and who will slay you! That is what I am! I am the mortal who will protect the light that shines on this world!” Rokai took a runing stance and gripped his sword before taking off in a sprint towards his demonic foe. “ALLY TO ALL THAT IS GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU! I AM THE GUARDIAN OF EQUESTRIA AND THE REALM!” Rokai bellowed with triumph in his voice. I could tell Valafar was getting desperate as Rokai’s attacks were giving him the edge he needed. Rokai jumped around Valafar and swung his sword with various, fluid motions. Whenever Valafar blocked or parried his strikes, he would get hit by two or three more. A few shadow tendrils shot from the ground from all sides at Roaki. Rokai bent down and jumped in the air as high as he could and dodged each tendril. When he landed back down on the ground, he lunged towards Valafar and slammed his fist into Valafar’s gut. The demon lurched forward as Rokai then slashed him across his helmet. I was silently cheering for Rokai, thinking he’d pull it off. It wasn’t until Valafar noticed Faust sitting on her knees, trying to catch her breath from the amount of magic she used as she watched the fight. “So…this is all because of you!” the demon said with a manic grin before turning into a shadow. “LEAVE HER BE, COWARD!!” Rokai shouted while giving chase. Rokai sprinted towards Faust and it was a race to see who would make it first. Valafar sounded like he wanted to rip Faust in two and Rokai wasn’t going to let it happen. Faust tried to protect herself with a barrier, but was too weak from enchanting the sword and could only brace herself for death. Valafar materialized from the shadows with his sword ready to skewer her where she sat. Time slowed down as Rokai kept running towards the queen without any regard of the danger he was throwing himself in. The worst part was I already could tell what was going to happen, but Rokai kept running forward. “NO!! ROKAI, DON’T!!” I screamed. CLAASH!! It happened in an instant, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart at the mere sight. Faust slowly opened her eyes and looked up to an image that would burn in her memory. Rokai stood in front of her as Valafar’s spear had pierced his chest where his heart was. Faust’s eyes widened as Rokai coughed, but kept his sword in his hands. “RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!” Rokai roared a battle cry. With one last push of his strength, Rokai drove his empowered sword straight into Valafar's chest and kept piercing his flesh. “YOUR RAMPAGE OF SHADOW AND TERROR IS OVER!!!” Rokai screamed in Valafar’s face. “GO TO HELL!!! AND TAKE THE SHADOWS WITH YOU!!!” With one last agonizing roar, Valafar exploded into a puff of smoke and an explosion of bright lights, and the storm that had formed was suddenly blown away by a fierce wind. The Shades slowly turned to dust, leaving only empty husks of armor and cracked weapons. At first, all began to raise their arms in triumph when I noticed the queen holding Rokai with tears in her eyes. “Oh…oh no,” I said sombrely. Faust held Rokai close, his sword having been broken into pieces from the blast. “Ugh…Faust,” Rokai croaked. “Stay with me!” Faust begged. “You need to live!” “Don’t…don’t cry, Faust.” Rokai reached up with his free bloody hand and Faust clasped it. “It’s…it’s alright.” As the queen felt his grip weakening, her tears fell onto his face, washing away the blood and dirt while the surviving coalition soldiers had gathered around and began to kneel in respect. The clouds started to part from the sky and the sun’s rays pierced through the clouds. The rays shone down on Rokai and lit up the tattered battlefield around them. It felt so unfair, seeing Rokai dying like this. He had fought so hard and given it his all to bring peace to the world, yet it had cost him his life. “It was an honor…to serve as your knight…” Rokai said in a raspy voice. “Rokai…” Faust cried hysterically. “I know…” Rokai’s breathing was becoming weaker. “My journey…has come to an end. You…everyone I have met…gave me a blessing…I did not believe it to be possible. My only regret…is not being able…to see the girls…continue to grow…into beautiful flowers.” Faust gently held his hand and comforted him as best she could. “If I were to have a son…it would be you.” She smiled sadly. “I am…so proud of the man you have become.” “Do you think…my son…would be proud of me?” Rokai wondered as the light in his eyes began to fade. “Yes, of course he would,” the queen replied, and with one last smile. “Then…I have no…regrets…” He said with his last breath, Before I knew it, Rokai Stourmborne, the Guardian of Equestria and the Realm, passed away peacefully in her arms. Faust slowly stood up, tears streaming down her cheeks, with Rokai still in her arms and carried him over to the soldiers nearby. I watched sadly as some of them stood up as they helped take his body. All of a sudden, Faust’s body had little lights coming off her. “Y-Your Majesty?” a soldier uttered. “It appears I too have run out of time,” Faust said. She lit up her horn one last time as an orb of magic of some kind appeared in her hands. “Listen to me very carefully. I need you to give this orb of memories, combined with Rokai, myself, and any whom he interacted with, to my daughters.” “Of course, Your Majesty,” a soldier said as he took the orb. “Furthermore…” More of the little lights flickered around Faust as her body began to fade. “You must pass my last words to my daughters. A prophecy they must keep in mind for the foreseeable future.” They all nodded as Faust closed her eyes. “The darkness has been quelled, but it will not last forever. There will come a time when the world needs a hero like Sir Stourmborne. So I say unto you, my daughters, await the day when a new hero arises. Await for him to come and vanquish all that is evil. For he shall succeed all what Rokai Stourmborne was. He shall be…the new Guardian of Equestria and the Realm.” At this point, Faust’s body was almost as transparent as Celestia’s and mine. “Remember, my daughters, keep the fire of friendship alive in your hearts, for you will need it in the days ahead, and…know that I will love you always,” Faust said with a single tear dropping onto the orb as she faded into a cloud of glittering dust that floated away with the wind. For a moment, I saw Celestia wipe the tears away from her eyes. The memory then changed to a large tent in the Coalition’s camp, where the leaders of each faction had gathered after hearing the tragic news of Sir Rokai and Queen Faust. “What should we do with the sword?” King Longclaw asked after seeing the shattered blade. “It should be hidden,” King Arakan suggested. “Until a new guardian is chosen, we cannot risk anyone abusing its power.” “Agreed. Each piece should go to one of the three pony tribes,” said the dragon lord, who picked up the broken hilt of the sword. “Should evil arise again, the dragon smiths will reforge the sword with our very flames. This I vow.” And so, the blade was divided amongst the three tribes of Equestria. The blade’s pieces were given to the Pegasai and Earth Ponies while the hilt was given to the unicorns. Just when I thought there’d be more memories, the world around us faded into the void. My vision blurred for a moment until I took a deep breath, and we were back in the present in front of the statue. “What the…” I saw Luna was still here, and she stared at me. “You’ve been waiting this whole time?” “Thou has’t only been in a trance f’r about five minutes,” Luna said. “This is his resting place,” Celestia said as she placed a hand on the statue. “It was…a very difficult day that day. Not only did we lose our mother…but we lost somepony who was like a dear brother to us. I cannot tell you how many moons we both cried after Rokai’s body was laid to rest.” “So…what Faust said, before she disappeared,” I said, trying to come to terms with Faust’s last words. “Yes…it is why you were summoned to this world,” Celestia said while looking at the statue of Sir Rokai. “Me…?” I asked as Celestia and Luna both faced me. “Thou art the guardian chosen to protecteth our kingdom and the realm,” Luna said with a proud smile. It took me a full minute to process what she said. “…Are you shitting me?” Author's Note And so, ends the valiant tale of The First Guadian of Equestria and the Realm, Rokai Stourmborne. Side Note: Sorry this took so long, there was a whole lot of planning put into this chapter. Which includes waiting for the awesome artwork! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… Dilemma Of A HeroChapter 14 I lost track of how long I stood in the gardens. My mind was still trying to process all the memories of Sir Rokai and his battles. His fight with Valafar was something that burned itself into my head and I would never be able to forget it. And as if things couldn’t be more unpredictable, I was still trying to come to terms with Faust’s prediction before she disappeared and what Celestia and Luna had just told me. That I was to be the new guardian of Equestria. “This is a mistake…” I managed to finally say and began pacing back and forth. “This has to be some kind of miscommunication or misunderstanding or something! Why, of all people, why me? More so, how could it be me?” “How could it not be you?” The calm, gentle voice of princess Luna spoke up as she approached me from behind. I looked behind me to see Celestia and Luna still standing by the statue of Rokai. “I’ll tell you!” I said in a panic and pointed at the statue. “I just bore witness to that man, that incredible, courageous, and honorable man and all he’d done for this kingdom! No, more than that, this whole freaking world! He fought hordes of shadow monsters, dueled some of the most vicious-looking demons I’ve ever seen, and he gave his life in order to defeat that monster, Valafar! Me?! I’m just plain old William Saber who can’t even hold a candle to Rokai Stourmborne!” “You are more than plain old William,” Celestia reassured with a smile. “But I am!” I protested. “I’m not a knight or a seasoned warrior like Rokai was! What good am I if I can’t even get a proper handle on my own powers?!” Before I could hear anything, the princesses had to say, I ran off feeling more frustrated than ever. Before all of this, I was just your average guy living an average life and now I was tasked with saving an entire nation. “This is bullshit…!” I grumbled as I marched out of the gardens. “Why should I have to risk my life for a world that’s not even my real home?!” I made it back to the throne room and pushed the doors open, startling the guards. I felt like I was cheated out of living a second normal life and was forcefully given a task without my consent. A Guardian? Really? It all sounded like a five-year old playing make believe with his toys. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going as I just kept walking through the castle walls, when I heard someone yelling. “MOVE YOUR FLANKS, SOLDIERS!” A commanding voice shouted. I came to the castle courtyard to see the royal guards doing some drills and sparring with each other with the pony in charge shouting instructions and making sure none of them were slacking off. I recognized the leader from before. Shining Armor, I think his name was? His ear flicked a bit and noticed me watching the other ponies doing drills. “Oh. Good morning,” he said to me before returning his attention to his men. “Um, hi, Mr. Armor,” I said respectfully as I walked in the training yard. “Doing some drills, or something?” “Just call me Shining,” He said before blowing his whistle. “Alright men, break. Get some water and head back to the barracks.” “SIR!” the soldiers shouted in unison as they sat wherever they could to catch their breath. “So, how are you enjoying Canterlot?” he asked me with a friendly smile. “To be honest? Not what I was expecting,” I admitted as I followed him over to a water dispenser. I felt as though keeping the whole guardian thing should be kept under wraps, for the time being. “I guess you could say I’m still not used to being the only human in a magical world of walking, talking ponies.” “Well, most would agree with you,” Shining said while hinting at a few ponies giving me strange looks. “Our scientists were hoping to study you since you’re the first human to be seen in over a thousand years. Everypony believed humans were nothing but a ponytale He chuckled while filling a small cup for himself. “Remind me to steer clear of any scientists,” I joked as I took a sip. I noticed a couple pony soldiers sparring and hummed to myself. “Elbows should be up, wider stance for better balance,” I unintentionally thought out loud. “Ahh, you know combat?” Shining inquired, snapping me out of my daydream. “Hm? Oh! Well, kinda,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “I had been taught martial arts since I was very young.” “What kind?” Shining asked. “Karate, I’m a black belt,” I explained. “Is that so? Alright.” Shining placed his cup aside and began popping his knuckles. “How’s about a little one on one?” I blinked in surprise and looked around before pointing at myself. “You serious?” I asked dumbly. “Sure. I’m getting bored just standing here anyways. Plus, it’ll be a good display for the rookies,” Shining replied while doing a few stretches. He removed his shirt that made some of the female staff cry out in excitement. I arched a brow at their reaction but could see why they were gawking at Shining so much. Under all that armor he wore; I couldn’t tell before how fit he was. The guy had as much muscle mass as Mac, which is saying something considering Mac’s arms look like he can crack a cannonball in two. As Shining did his stretches, I shrugged and decided to take him up on his offer. I took off my jacket and draped it over one of the training dummies. I put my hands together and closed my eyes. I focused my senses and let my body move with the flow of my Ki. I lifted my arms up over my head while arching my back. Then I lowered my arms and lifted my leg all the way up to the point I was doing a standing split. I started to hear the recruits murmur amongst themselves about my flexibility. “Ten bits says the captain floors him in a second,” one recruit said. “Fifteen says the new guy gets the first hit,” another said back. The soldiers began taking bets amongst themselves which I’m pretty sure was against regulations, but Shining didn’t seem to care as he stepped into the sparring ring and rolled his shoulder a few times. “Ready?” He asked. I exhaled and lowered my leg back down and entered the ring. I took a step back and widened my stance while bending my knees. I held one hand at my side and the other in front of me. “Ready,” was all I said with a serious expression. To my surprise, Shining took a standard MMA stance once he neared the center of the ring, all that was left was for the referee to begin the match and everyone in the area could sense the tension. “BEGIN!” The ref called out. Shining shuffled towards me as I kept my eyes focused. He tried taking me out by throwing fake punches, but I didn’t flinch. I noticed him lean on his left leg and he clenched his right fist. Reacting quickly, I raised my arm and blocked a fierce haymaker thrown by Shining. My arm managed to block the attack, and I countered it by weaving my body to the right and struck his chest with a palm strike. Shining took a step back after getting the wind knocked out of him and rubbed the pain out of his chest with an approving nod. “Not bad,” he complimented me before dashing his way towards me. He looked like he was going for a grapple, but he caught me off guard and delivered a flying knee right to my chest, no doubt as payback for the blow I delivered him and tried to finish it with an elbow drop to the head. I raised both my arms to block his elbow. I then put all my weight on my left leg so I could kick his side, forcing him to back up. I squatted down and backflipped away before jumping back in the air towards Shining and delivering a fierce scissor kick. Shining barely had time to block and was forced backwards and I took a stance again. Shining narrowed his eyes at me, and we both charged at each other and exchanged blows. His punches were heavy and hard to block, especially his kicks since I had to evade most of them and tried to avoid blocking them. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t return the favor. My punches and kicks were swifter and more precise as I landed three blows for every single blow, he landed on me. During our punch fest, I tried to get some distance from him by stepping backwards and tried to follow up with a spinning back kick. However, Shining seemed to see through my plan and rushed me. “No you don’t!” He shouted before trapping me in a guillotine grapple and forced me to the ground. There was no mistaking that he was good and was captain of the guards for a reason. I grunted as his arms tightened around my neck. I tried to pull away, but that only made his arm crush my windpipe even more. “Give up, kid! You had a good run!” Shining said. Those words seemed to strike a chord in me. I had been in many fights before at tournaments, other times in self-defense in public. One thing Ivan knew me for as his student was that I was prone to be stubborn. Instead of pulling away, I grabbed his arms and began pulling upwards. I grit my teeth hard as I focus my Ki on my legs. I couldn’t really see, due to him holding my head down, but I could definitely feel myself slowly rising upwards. I put all my strength in my arms and legs as I managed to pick the large stallion up and hold him in the air. My arm and leg muscles bulged through my clothes and a white aura of Ki appeared around me. “Oh crap!” Shining yelped and braced himself as I threw him across the ring, and I was immediately declared the winner for fear of the captain suffering further injuries. I wheezed and tried to catch my breath. Sweat trickled down the side of my head as I noticed everyone was staring at me. Even Shining looked at me like he had just witnessed a strange phenomenon while sitting on the ground. I approached Shining and offered my hand to him. “You okay? Did I throw you too hard?” I asked. “I’ll live.” Shining grunted as I helped him up. “But man, you got a grip. Almost crushed my arms,” he said while showing me the hand shaped bruises on his arms. “Where’d you learn to do that?” “My teacher, back home,” I explained. “He was sort of a jack-of-all-trades when it came to combat. That was a good spar.” “Let’s go again some time,” Shining smirked while giving me a friendly jab and redressed himself. “Alright troops, get back to work!” The captain shouted before blowing the whistle. “How long have you been captain of the guard?” I asked as the troops began a set of push-ups. “Ever since I graduated from the academy, and ever since I was a colt, I always dreamed of joining the royal guard. And man, was I excited. Especially when I was made captain, my little sister also.” Shining smiled fondly while looking at his reflection in a guard’s helmet. “Who was captain before you?” I wondered. Shining pointed over at a plaque on the wall that had a picture of another unicorn stallion. He had a scar over his eye and was saluting. The name under the plaque was the name Iron Spirit. “Iron Spirit. That stallion was tough as nails and would not tolerate even the smallest infractions. I remember this one time, I failed to polish my helmet properly and he made me polish every last one in the barracks,” Shining said as his tone changed to one of despair. “It was a living nightmare…but the guy was pretty alright if you didn’t get on his bad side.” I thought about Shining’s experience with wanting to become captain of the royal guard and about my own predicament. “Can I ask you something a bit personal?” I asked. “Shoot,” Shining said. “Did you feel qualified when you finally got the job? Like, did you have any idea how to properly fill the role of being in charge of protecting the princesses?” I asked. “Hmm, now that is a good question,” he answered while scratching his chin. “Well, truth be told, I didn’t feel qualified at first. At one point, I passed out from overexertion while on guard duty and it gave my family quite the scare. I even ended up in the hospital.” He smiled as I listened. “But while in bed, I got the biggest surprise from Princess Celestia. She had come to visit me herself to apologize.” “Apologize? For what?” I wondered. “She said she figured it would be hard for a young stallion like me to act as a proper captain, but I was touched by her words and said that I wouldn’t let it happen again. Wanna know what happened next?” Shining asked me. I leaned in a little and listened closely. “She laughed!” Shining said as he began laughing himself. “I was so confused when she began laughing and said that I reminded her of my little sister!” He continued to laugh for a few moments before calming down. “She said she admired how determined I was to fulfill my role but told me not to be so anxious and do my best and since then I’ve been a pretty good captain.” His response was so unexpected that I stared at him for several minutes to see if he was joking, but he was dead serious. “So, what did you do after that?” I asked. “Well, I just acted the way I normally did but I also made sure none of the guards under my command were slacking off,” Shining said before blowing the whistle on one of the trainees. “MOVE IT ROOKIE! Ain’t no room for deadweights around here!” “Y-YES SIR!” The recruit yelped and jogged faster. His words stuck with me and the anxiety I was feeling from earlier had dwindled away. He had been given a job that sounded like he had to put everything on the line for, yet Celestia told him not to overthink it too much. It made me think of the position I was meant to fill. I was still admittedly scared and felt unqualified, but maybe I’m also overthinking it? “I guess sometimes you just gotta take a chance and believe things will turn out for the better,” I said. “Exactly, but if you still feel unsure, feel free to come by for advice,” Shining said with a friendly slap to my back before telling his troops to take a break. “Thanks, I really needed this.” I grabbed my jacked off the practice dummy and focused my power. I rose into the air, surprising Shining since he hadn’t seen me fly before. “Ahem, I think I’m owed a few bits?” Said one of the guards who took bets. “Yeah, yeah, don’t rub it in,” the other grumbled as he dropped a small coin pouch into his hand. “How are you flying?!” Shining asked. “I’ll catch you later, Shining, thanks again for the talk,” I said as I gave him a two-fingered salute and flew away. Later That Evening I sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the castle and city of Canterlot. I couldn’t bother to go back to the princesses after my little outburst, so I kept my distance for the rest of the day. The sun was about to set, and I was just enjoying the view. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” A voice startled me and nearly made me fall off the cliff when I turned to see Princess Luna floating down from the sky as the sun was about to set completely. “I come here every night, to watch the sunset. It’s my favorite time of day.” “Oh, hello, Princess,” I said politely and stood up and bowed to her. “I didn’t expect to see you here. “Neither did I, and you’re just in time to watch me perform my royal duties,” Luna said, confusing me. Her horn began to glow as she raised her arms and before I knew it, I was seeing the sunset sky being transformed into a starry night followed by the light of a full moon. To say it was like walking into a dream would be an understatement as the princess lowered her arms after completing her task. “It is wonderful, is it not?” She asked while admiring her own work. “Woah…” I said as I looked at the starry sky. “Wait, you can lower the sun and rise the moon?!” “Not exactly,” Luna giggled at my reaction. “I govern the night and lower and rise the moon. It is my sister who governs the day and lowers and rises the sun.” “For the sake of my sanity, I’m gonna pretend that makes sense,” I said with a sigh. “All this magic stuff gives me a headache whenever I try to think about how it works.” “It is difficult for someone who is new to magic. According to what Sir Rokai once told me when I was a filly, I understand that in your world, your planet revolves around the sun itself.” Luna shared a bit of knowledge she had about the world I came from while conjuring a bench for us to sit. “Yeah, it does,” I nodded as I sat next to her. “But there isn’t anyone who can lower and rise the sun and moon. As for the moon, it revolves around our earth in its own orbit.” “How fascinating. A world where magic is non-existent save for the stories in your fairy tales and legends,” She giggled again. “That’s true,” I said as I leaned back on my hands. “Hey, um…I’m sorry about my outburst earlier.” “You were frustrated, I understand. Once upon a time, I was like that,” she said, surprising me. “When I was very young, after my mother disappeared and the throne was passed on to my sister and I, I felt envious of Celestia as our subjects played in the day while very few enjoyed the night. Over time, that envy turned to jealousy and then into rage, a rage that would cost me a thousand years of isolation from my one and only sister…” Luna said with sadness in her voice. “To this day, I still regret my actions even though she has forgiven me.” “I never really got the full story between you and Celestia,” I said curiously. “If you don’t wanna talk about it, I understand, but I’m a good listener when it counts. I should know, since I also have a sister back home.” “Well…when we were fillies, Celestia always pushed me to be my best even when our lessons seemed difficult but as we grew older, the citizens only had eyes for her and very few would acknowledge me,” Luna sighed. “But you had just as an important role as she did, right?” I inquired. “Raising the moon sounds just as important as raising the sun.” “Yes, but in those times, ponies feared the night even before Nightmare Moon,” Luna explained when I spotted a shooting star. “In those times, much of Equestria was still unexplored territory and monsters roamed the lands freely, so ponies felt safe during the day. I was also in charge of ensuring my citizens had pleasant dreams and were free of nightmares, but even then, I felt jealous of my sister.” “I bet it didn’t help that Starswirl, Sir Rokai, and your mom weren’t there anymore, huh?” I said somberly. “To lose three people whom you care for the most…” Old memories began resurfacing in the back of my mind, but I forced them back into my subconscious. “Yes. With my mother and Starswirl gone, I didn’t know who to turn to for advice and the loss of Sir Rokai was very tragic. Yet despite all that, my sister wore a smile on her face and basked in the praise of our citizens while I was left in her shadow. Over time my jealousy grew, and it would eventually turn into hate…hate for my own flesh and blood…” Luna said sadly, her ears folded onto her head. Seeing how sad Luna became, I decided to comfort her by putting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve gone through so much, Princess. It may not be as serious, but I can kinda understand where you’re coming from.” I said. She looked at me curiously before I spoke. “When I was younger, I wasn’t exactly a good kid. I’d slack off and avoid my responsibilities, even though I was well-liked by many in my town that I moved to. There was a point where I almost didn’t do anything of what I was supposed to do and it almost cost me my future.” Memories of my youth flashed in my mind as my mood darkened. “By the time I realized what I was doing was not only affecting me, but my own family, I believed it was too late and I began to become severely depressed. I had wasted my life doing frivolous things and not taking the initiative for anything. All because I couldn’t move on from something that happened in my old town before I moved.” I clenched my fists and turned away. “There was a point in my depression when I thought it would’ve been best if…I just wasn’t around anymore, since I felt like such a burden to everyone around me, including my family…” “So, what did you do?” The princess asked. “Someone saved me from the darkness, my stepdad,” I said as a smile started to form across my lips. “My stepdad was the wisest and patient man I’ve ever known. He helped me when all seemed lost and provided me with an opportunity to better myself. It took a long time for me to adjust and to move on from my younger past. It was a tough process, so tough that there were times I would want to give up because of how pointless it sometimes felt. But my stepdad wouldn’t allow it. He kept pushing me and helping me, believing in me when I didn’t really believe in myself,” I said, remembering my stepdad. “Soon, I was finally able to let go of what I once was and improve my well-being. Ever since I changed, my stepdad always looked at me with pride because he knew I could achieve anything as long as I didn’t give up on my ideals.” I looked up at the moon with my smile still there. “He sounds like a good man.” Luna smiled with admiration. “When was the last time you saw him?” “The night Faust saved me and brought me here,” I said. “I’m sure he’s worried sick about me. Him and my mother and stepsister.” “You all sound very close,” Luna sighed pityingly. “I am truly sorry that you came to this world on such short notice.” “Can’t do much about it now,” I said with a shrug. “You know,” I said, thinking back to Luna’s experience. “When you said she looks at you full of disappointment, I don’t think you’re the one she’s disappointed in.” Luna looked at me a little confused at my claim. “What do you mean?” She asks. “Maybe it’s her herself she’s disappointed in.” I guessed. She went wide eyed as I crossed my arms in deep thought. “Maybe, when you were sent to the moon, she blamed herself for what happened to you. She probably believes she could’ve done a better job with handling the situation back then. But because she underestimated your feelings, you became too emotional and went rouge. She’s most likely been cursing herself all this time for sending her own sister to the moon for a thousand years and is still cursing herself despite your return.” “But…why? I was the one at fault, not her!” Luna said in disbelief. I shrug my shoulders. “It’s only a hypothesis. If you want to confirm this, then I suggest you talk to her about it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll both find the closure you didn’t realize you were both missing.” I said to Luna. For a moment, both of us just sat there in each other’s company until we heard the distant chime of a bell. “Oh, my goodness, we're late for dinner,” Luna said as we stood up and the bench poofed into dust. “We best return to the castle before my sister worries.” “I guess we should,” I said and stretched. “Wanna fly there?” “Fly? But you have no wings. I doubt I can carry you,” Luna said. I only smirked as I focused my Ki and lifted up into the air. “Don’t worry, I’m covered.” “Oh, well, this is an unexpected development.” Luna smiled as she joined me in the air. “Shall we be off then?” I nodded and we both flew back down towards the castle. I followed her through the skies until we arrived at the entrance of the castle. When we both landed, the guards standing at attention saluted to Luna. The princess merely gave them a curt nod as we walked past them and into the building. While making our way to the dining room, I noticed Luna didn’t say much after our talk. She looked like she was deep in thought about something. “Penny for your thoughts?” I asked. “Hm? Oh, it’s nothing,” Luna said as we made it to the dining room. Celestia sat at the head of the table and smiled warmly at us. “Good evening sister!” Celestia said cheerfully as we sat down. “I take it you've sorted things out?” She asked me with a warm tone. “Somewhat,” I answered as Luna, and I sat down. I sat on Celestia’s left and Luna sat on her right. “May I ask you something, princess?” “You may,” Celestia nodded. “Do you honestly believe I’m capable of becoming the next Guardian?” I asked seriously. “Hmm…I honestly can’t answer that for you, William,” the princess replied while the servants prepared my plate. “That is something you must discover on your own.” Before I could say anything further, my nose caught the familiar scent of a five-star steak dinner being served up to me as my mouth hung open from the sight. “This was one of Sir Rokai’s favorites. I hope it’s to your liking,” Celestia said as she tied a napkin around her neck. “Y-You prepared steak for me?!” I asked as the plate was placed in front of me. “But I thought ponies can’t stand the sight of meat!” “My sister and I are more tolerant than others,” Luna smiled. “Well don't be shy, have a bite,” Celestia insisted. I wiped my mouth from the small dribble of drool from the corner of my lips. I picked up the knife and fork and began cutting the meat. It was tender and juicy, just the way I liked it. When I held the piece up in front of me with my fork, I could smell the seasonings and spices that were sprinkled on it. The aroma of the steak made me salivate as I opened my mouth and took a bite. A flurry of delicious flavors filled my taste buds as I chewed. My whole body shivered with delight, and I savored my meal. “So good!” I said aloud as I swallowed and went for another piece. “All the compliments I could think of goes to the chef!” “Glad you like it, Sir William,” Celestia said with a warm smile. “Now, I know you still have much on your mind, but we must discuss your training.” I swallowed another bite before looking at Celestia curiously. “But I already know how to fight. I just sparred with Shining Armor earlier today and won,” I said. That last statement made Luna nearly choke on her water. “I beg your pardon?” The lunar princess said with a slight cough. “We sparred in the courtyard today, the guards were even taking bets,” I said casually while the royal sisters gave each other strange looks. “I trust nothing happened during this little match?” Celestia asked. “Nah, gulp, it was actually kinda fun,” I said as I ate. “Reminds me of the tournaments I used to participate in.” “Oh, well, good then, but I really meant training with your magic,” Celestia said. “What you can do now is only a fraction of your true potential.” “Hate to break it to you, Princess, but what I have isn’t magic,” I said before taking a sip of my drink. “It’s Ki.” “Ki? Never heard of such a word,” said Luna who took a sip of water. I placed my fork down and held my hand up. I focused my power and an orb of Ki appeared in my palm. “This is Ki, you’ll notice that it both looks and feels different than what magic does,” I stated. “Impressive.” Celestia said while admiring the glowing orb. “But how does it differ from magic exactly?” “Ki is also known as latent energy or fighting power,” I explained as I made the orb disappear. “This force is a tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being on the center of the body. By drawing it out, I am able to manipulate it and use it outside my body. Ki can be used for many different techniques. But because there are physical limits to the strength of my body itself, it is necessary to increase my Ki to overcome this barrier and become stronger.” “How fascinating,” Luna said after hearing the explanation. “Just as magic requires one’s mental power, your Ki requires your physical strength in order to increase in power.” “Exactly,” I said with my fork pointing at the princess. “If I could, I would be able to flatten a continent.” The princesses looked at me warily before I let out a small laugh. “Pfft! I’m just kidding! I’d never do that,” I reassured them. “Ki also gives me advanced physical abilities as well. The more Ki I’m able to gather and expand for myself, I’m able to gain enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and can increase the power of my attacks. Even my teacher once told me: maintaining proper balance between the body and spirit is important in utilizing energy, and the more properly balanced they are, the more energy I can project.” “Your teacher sounds very wise,” Celestia said as we finished our dinner. “He is,” I said as I swallowed my last bite, then looked at them seriously. “Regarding this new…role, I guess I should call it, of mine, I’ll be blunt with you two. I still doubt I’m your guy for the job. It still baffles me that out of all the billions of humans on Earth, Faust, your mom, the queen, picked me.” “Our mother would not have picked you without good reason,” Luna said, hoping to dispel his doubts. “Know that you are not alone on this journey. If you need us, we will be here to support you,” Celestia smiled. I let out a heavy sigh and scratched the back of my head. These women-er, mares were willing to support me no matter what and we hadn’t even known each other for over a day. They meant well, but perhaps they’re a little too trusting of me. “I can’t promise I’ll be anything like Sir Stourmborne,” I said. “And I doubt I could live up to any expectations you might have for me. But, if you’re so sure that Faust chose me for a good cause, then I can at least try and give this a shot.” “Thank you, Sir William,” Luna said just as she noticed the clock. “Forgive me but I must tend to the dream realm. Goodnight, sister.” “Goodnight, Luna,” Celestia smiled while hugging her sister goodnight. I watched Luna walk away and noticed Celestia staring at her. Her smile may have been genuinely happy, but her eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. Seems my theory was on the money, I thought to myself. “I know what happened,” I said out of the blue. “Between you two.” I stood up from my chair and approached Celestia who looked at me with surprise. “Just know, it’s not your fault.” “…So you say,” Celestia sighed. “I still can’t help but feel I was responsible for what happened to her…I was so arrogant in my youth, so stern and cold-hearted. Even to my own little sister…” “You both grew up without a parent,” I said as I turned away. “I know what that’s like.” “Your mother?” Celestia asked as I walked away. “No…my father,” I said in a subtlety bitter tone and left the dining room. I headed back to my guest room to turn in for the night, not saying another word to anyone along the way. Author's Note Though his doubts may weigh on his self-confidence, he can at least find some comfort that he will not be alone on his journey. Side Note: Special shout-out to the wonderfully talented RandomArtXx01 for this gorgeous scene! Check out her other work on her page! Hope you enjoyed! WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero and The SnobsChapter 15 Whack! Pow! Bam! The sounds of fists and kicks being blocked, struck, and parried filled the outside ring as Shining and I sparred again in the training area. It’s been about two days since my time in the royal capital and I was able to ease my mind a bit after the last few days. I was still coming to terms with my supposed new role in the world, but I decided to not worry about it at the moment. Shining came at me with a haymaker which I managed to block with my forearm. “That all you got, Shining?” I asked with a cocky tone. “What…just taking it easy on ya,” Shining said with a smirk as he bounced in place as if ready to move to intercept my next strike. I obliged his challenge by sidestepping and following up with a flying roundhouse kick. Shining crouched below my kick and then swept one his leg towards me in an attempt to knock me off my feet. I hopped in the air just in time before going for a palm strike. Shining blocked my attack and followed up with another haymaker and surprised me by quickly trying to kick my side. I blocked his punch but took the kick hard on my side. I was lucky that I tensed my muscles in time before receiving the hit, but it hurt like hell and almost knocked the wind out of me. When Shining went for another kick, I raised my knee up to block. I used this chance to deliver a few swift punches to his chest. Shining stumbled back a few steps but still the stallion held his ground and moved to counterattack. I was still feeling winded from the kick I received earlier and found it difficult to power through the pain as I tried to take a back step, but Shining wasn't giving me any room to breathe and instantly saw I was in pain as he went on the offensive again. As we brawled, many of the guards and trainees who were watching started taking bets and cheering us on. “Wow you’re doing pretty good,” Shining complimented with a devilish grin. “I almost hate to do this to you.” Before I could even ask what he was talking about, the captain caught me in a full body takedown before trapping me in a figure four leg lock that was almost too much for me to bear. “Nnnng! Shit!” I grit my teeth. I tried pulling out, but it only strained my legs every time. I had no choice but to tap the ground in surrender, which Shining obliged by releasing his legs and freeing me. “Ugh, damn that smarts,” I said, rubbing my leg. “You lasted longer than last time,” Shining said as he stretched his arms. “Barely, so what did I do wrong this time?” I wondered, seeking more of his combat advice. “Nothing, I was just faster.” Shining said as he helped me up. “You’re getting better, just a few more years of practice and you might be good enough to beat me.” “Seriously?” I deadpanned. “I’ve been practicing karate since I was teenager! I’ve fought in multiple tournaments, spars, and even traveled out of town, back home, to fight seasoned karate veterans, and I even beat some of them! How is this any different?” “Have you ever been in REAL combat?” Shining asked while wiping off the sweat. “Have you ever had to actually fight someone because your life was on the line without hesitating to kill them?” “Well…no, not exactly,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my head. “Trust me, it’s not easy. It never is.” Shining said while tossing me a water sack. “Get cleaned up and then head to the mess hall for lunch, we’ll train again after I finish up some duties back at my office.” I nodded as he walked back over to the barracks. I drank a mouthful of water before dumping some on my face. The cold water felt nice on my skin as I shook my head. The sound of giggling caught my ear and I glanced over to see a few mare recruits whispering to each other while staring at me. “Seems like you got some admirers, bud.” One of the other recruits teased with a friendly nudge and a wink. “But, uh, don’t try anything. Illicit relations are forbidden in the ranks.” Another said while polishing his helmet. “Um…okay?” I said with a shrug, blushing a little. The one with the helmet set his helmet aside and raised his hand at me. “Bolt Strike, pleasure,” he said. The stallion was a pegasus with auburn brown fur and a dirty blonde crop top haircut. “And I’m Lancer Ice,” the other unicorn stallion said. He had light blue fur with a dark, two-toned, white mane and tail. “Will Saber, nice to meet you too,” I said, shaking their hands. “How long have you two been here?” “A while. Both of us signed up with Shining Armor before he was promoted to captain,” Bolt said while inspecting his helmet. “Not to mention we were both teammates in the academy’s hoofball team.” Lancer boasted while thumping his chest plate in hopes of impressing the mares. “But besides us, you got some serious skill, Saber,” Lancer said, slugging bone playfully. “I’ve never seen anypony be able to go hoof-to-hoof with the captain like that before. Let alone being able to win in a spar!” “Oh, it’s nothing,” I said bashfully. “Besides, he wasn’t coming at me seriously the first time. So it doesn’t count. These last few bouts are different.” “Be that as it may, it’s still pretty cool,” Bolt said. “What’s that fighting style called?” “Karate, been doing it for many years,” I answered. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the two rejects and the freak of nature.” Our eyes turned to see a stallion walk up to us with a couple other stallions following him. He was another unicorn stallion with dark pink hair and deep yellow fur. “What do you want, Cherry Gold?” Lancer spat. “My business isn’t with you, reject. I need to speak with this one.” Cherry pointed his finger at me. “And what business do you have with me?” I asked, not liking his tone already. “Feel honored, peasant. You have the great privilege of becoming my subordinate,” Cherry said with a proud grin as though he just gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. “I could use somepony of your skill and after seeing the way you trounced that upstart Shining Armor, I was thoroughly impressed. I’ve been waiting for somepony to take him down a notch.” “First of all, I didn’t trounce him,” I said. “If you were paying attention, I was the one who got my ass handed to me. Second of all, what makes you think I’d wanna be your subordinate? Because no offense dude? But you’re too much of a pompous ass for my liking.” That last comment earned some snickers here and there. “You dare to insult Sir Cherry Gold?!” One of his lackeys growled, but Cherry held up his hand. “The worm is entitled to his opinions, even if they are incorrect,” Gold said with a smirk. “Says the entitled one,” I shot back with a smirk of my own. “Know this, worm, I always get what I want,” Cherry said before leaving with his minions. “What’s his deal?” I asked the guys after he left. “Cherry Gold, he’s the son of a noble family so it’s standard for him to attend this military academy.” Bolt answered as we made our way to the barracks and changed out of our workout clothes. “Are all nobles like that?” I asked. “Oh no, he’s an upgrade to their usual snooty behavior.” Lance said. “He uses his family’s influence to worm his way up and he absolutely hates the captain.” “I can only imagine why,” I said as they led me to the mess hall. The hall was filled with recruits and high-ranking officials. We approached a lunch bar with bowls of salad, and what looked like loaves of hay? I steered clear of the hay loaves and served myself a large bowl of salad. “I’ve been curious about something,” Lance said as we sat down. “Are there any more humans like you somewhere in this world?” “Nope, last I checked, I’m the only human standing around here,” I answered. “Really? Because my grandpa once told me about an old legend when I was a colt,” Lance said. “What legend?” I wondered. “Well, long ago, during the reign of Queen Faust, a warrior was summoned from a different world by Starswirl the Bearded himself; a human like you. He wore strange clothes and carried weapons that could fell hundreds of foes in the blink of an eye, weapons of fire and thunder.” Lance continued his tale as the mess hall grew quiet and the other recruits began to listen. Fire and thunder? I thought, trying my best not to laugh. Rokai was just a regular knight, and they’re painting him as some kind of battle mage. “What happened to the warrior?” A recruit asked. “What’s his name?” Another asked. “Nopony knows, his name was completely forgotten. One thing is certain, this warrior feared nothing,” Lance said as he began to describe the incredible feats accomplished by Rokai during his life. “According to legend, the pieces of his sword are scattered across Equestria, waiting for a worthy master to find them.” “Ugh! This drivel again?” Cherry interrupted as he entered the hall like he owned the place. “And here comes the ball-buster,” I groaned with a roll of my eyes. “Honestly, you all need to grow up. That was just some ponytale made up to fascinate little foals at bedtime. There was never a great warrior from another world, nor was there some magical sword. Besides, even if there was, why would the royal family hide it away, hmm?” “Maybe to keep it out of the hands of pricks like you?” Bolt replied, earning a chuckle from the hall. “It’s a good thing I don’t acknowledge the words of a subpar wannabe recruit who barely scored a passing grade on their combat entrance exam,” Cherry scoffed, earning a growl from Lance as he was about to stand up, but I put my hand on his shoulder. “What’s your deal, Gold?” I said, stepping in front of him with my arms crossed. “You think you’re better than everyone because you’re some noble son?” “I know I’m better,” Cherry replied without hesitation. “No matter how much all you peasants struggle, you’ll always be lowborn scum in the eyes of nobles like me. It doesn’t matter if you become a captain, a general or even a hero, you’ll still just be peasants.” “Then I guess the same thing can be said about you,” I remarked at Cherry. “What do you mean?” Cherry said with a sneer. “Was your family always noble? Of course not. The reason your family is where it is now is because a peasant, like me, clawed his way to the top and amassed himself more wealth than anyone's ever seen in their lifetime so in all honesty Cherry, you're no different from us,” I said with confidence in my voice. Cherry growled at me and grabbed my shirt collar. “I dare you to call me a peasant again!” Cherry snapped. “Better idea,” I said and swiftly grabbed his wrist. I held his wrist in the bend of his arm while using my legs to keep me stationary and on my side. I then folded his hand downward while forcing it to move towards him, holding Cherry in a tight wrist lock. “AAGH!” Cherry yelped. The entire crowd was in shock after seeing me put him in a submission hold while his goons just stood there unable to do anything. “Don’t stand there, you idiots! Get him!” He commanded as I gave them a menacing glare, daring them to make a move. One goon tried jumping me and I lifted my leg to deliver a standing side kick straight to his gut while keeping my balance. The goon was sent toppling backwards while I put more pressure on Cherry’s wrist. “That wasn’t very nice,” I said smugly. “Uhh, I’m out!” The second one said as he made a run for it. “Damn coward…” Cherry growled before feeling his wrist get twisted to the point of snapping. “AAGH!” Cherry yelped again. “Do you yield?” I asked after he let out another pained grunt. “To a commoner?! Never!” Cherry snapped. “Your funeral,” I said as I let him go and allowed him to get a free shot. As expected, he went for a right hook hoping to put my lights out when I suddenly ducked down and did the splits. I reeled back and gave him the infamous nut punch. “OOOoooohhhhh!!” Cherry’s voice ended up sounding like he sucked in a whole tank of helium before he toppled over and curled up in a ball of pain. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” I smirked while the rest of the cadets applauded. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!” Shouted one of the officers who happened to be passing by. All recruits in the mess hall stood up at attention as a very tall and muscular pegasus stallion marched in. “SERGEANT STORM FLY ON DECK!” Bolt yelled. “At ease!” The sergeant said before coming up to me and Cherry. He looked down at Cherry and shook his head. “Pick yourself up, recruit. This isn’t naptime.” “He attacked me!” Cherry accused me while pointing his finger at me. “Is this true, human?” The sergeant asked. “It was self-defense, sir.” I answered while keeping my eyes forward. “Thought as much. Cherry! You’ll be scrubbing the latrines for a week. As for you, Saber.” I straightened up, awaiting whatever came next. “Grab some pudding before Bolt over there takes it all.” “Will do, sir,” I said, giving him a mock salute. “As you all were,” the sergeant said as he left. Cherry’s goons were left to carry the whimpering noble away. “Dude! That was nuts!” Lance said. “You had complete dominance over Gold!” “It’s just a basic wrist lock,” I shrugged. “One of the most common techniques in karate.” “Not to mention you’re flexible!” Bolt said. “It felt so good seeing that prick put in his place.” “If you guys want, I can teach you a few moves,” I offered after grabbing a pudding cup. “Heck yeah!” Lance said along with a few others. While we were chatting it up, Cherry was fuming with rage and humiliation as he was handed a mop and bucket. “My father will hear about this!” He shouted from across the mess hall. “Is that a threat?!” One of the other commanding officers snarled in Cherry’s face. “I could tell you stories about your father that would even curl your greasy hair!” “Now, where have I heard that before?” I asked myself. “I’ll see you guys later!” I said, waving goodbye to my new friends as I left the barracks. “Sweet you later, Will!” Bolt said as he and Lance and some others waved goodbye. “Don’t be a stranger!” Lance said. I left the barracks and made my way back to the castle. The sun was about to set, and I was in a better mood than I was a couple days ago. Even though the lingering doubt was still apparent about my role in this world, I didn’t let it bother me. For now, I was just gonna enjoy my time in this world and whatever it has to offer. As I made my way to the main gates and through the garden, I noticed a different band of guards were now guarding the castle. Unlike most of the ponies I met, they seemed to have more batlike features with their long ears and fangs but what was most intriguing was their dark armor. It kind of reminded me of Princess Luna. “Oh, there you are, William,” a voice said, belonging to Princess Luna. “Hello, Princess Luna.” I bowed as the princess of the night came to greet me herself. “I was just on my way back from the barracks.” “I have heard from Captain Armor that you have been sparring with him,” Luna said as we walked together. “How did you fair?” “To be honest? I got my ass kicked,” I chuckled, then mentally punched myself in the gut. “Oh…sorry, that was rude of me. “No worries. You know, you don’t need to be so formal with me,” she said as we entered the main hall. “I hope you're getting along well with the cadets. Seems you’ve become the topic of gossip lately.” “Me? How so?” I asked. “Well for starters, you’re a human, you can fly without wings, you’ve become quite accustomed to our captain of the royal guard, and, while you may treat my sister and I with respect as princesses, you speak to us as if we’re not royalty.” “Is that a bad thing?” I wondered. “On the contrary, it’s rather refreshing to hold a conversation with somepony without them kissing my hooves,” Luna said. “Should I?” I joked. “You must keep your hooves quite clean, Luna.” “Oh stop,” Luna laughed. “Onto another topic. There’s an event I'm hoping you can attend, the Canterlot Garden Party.” “Garden party?” I asked out of curiosity. “An event for the nobility to gather and mingle,” Luna explained. I took a moment to look down at my current attire and frowned. “I’m a little underdressed for a shindig with nobles, don’t you think?” I asked. “Not to worry, I’m sure the royal tailor will fix you up something spiffy for the event. For now, I suggest you take a bath before your stench stinks up the castle,” Luna said. “I don’t…” I was about to retort when I caught a whiff of something rancid, only to see that it was indeed coming from me. “Fair point.” “So will you attend?” Luna asked. “I…dunno” I wanted to say no, but I figured it would be rude to deny a princess’s request. “I guess…I can pop by.” “Splendid!” Luna said and snapped her fingers. Two bat-looking pony servants approached Luna and bowed. “Take Mr. Saber here to get cleaned and ready for the party,” Luna said. “As you wish, your majesty,” the servants said. I parted ways from Luna and followed the servants. They led me to a room where I saw a large bath and figured it would be best to wash up. “Strip,” one of the servant mares said, making me turn around and arched a brow at her request. “Come again?” I said. “You heard her.” the other maid said while holding a scrub brush. “Uh, thank you ladies but I can wash myself,” I said when one of them suddenly trapped me with a freezing spell. “I see we'll have to do this the hard way,” the first maid said with an innocent smile. “…shit.” “Hey! Hey! I said I can scrub that part!” I snapped as the maid stubbed my ass with a brush “Oh, don’t be such a baby.” The maids insisted as they held up my arms and rubbed me down like I was some helpless toddler. “This is a SERIOUS violation of my personal space!” I protested while they giggled. “We need to make sure every bit is scrubbed so that no filth goes near the princess,” the maid said. “Hey! I shower every day!” I barked back. “Indeed,” the maid said when she started scrubbing towards my crotch. “That’s off limits!” I said, snatching the brush out of her hand. “I insist I be in charge of washing my unmentionables!” For what seemed like an eternity, the maids gave me a good scrub down and even wiped me down as I was given a clean shave and dressed. “You look good,” said the maid who trapped me in the first place. “…I feel violated,” I frowned as one of the maids stood on the tips of her hooves and tied a bow tie around my new shirt collar. “There we go, all neat and tidy for the party,” she smiled while fixing my shirt. “Now hurry along.” I sighed heavily as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my earrings. I spied a small mirror on the wall and put each earring on my ears. I also took note of my new suit. It was a sharp black suit with a white dress shirt underneath. A red bow tie was tied around my neck and they even procured dress shoes for my feet. Probably something the princesses had made for me ahead of time. The maids even went as far as to comb my hair down and smooth it out so it wasn’t so spiky anymore. Once I put my earrings on, I nodded to myself in satisfaction. “I make this suit look good,” I said aloud to myself. The servants directed me to the area where the party was taking place and it was just as Luna had described. All the elites of Canterlot were gathered and having tea while playing croquet. “Ugh…I can feel the snob on my skin,” I groaned. “Good evening William.” I saw Luna approach me to greet me again. She wore a beautifully made midnight blue dress that twinkled a little like the stars. She wore white gloves that went up to her elbows and I caught sight of blue glass skippers on her hooves underneath her dress. Something else that caught my eye was that she had some makeup on her eyes, some tint on her cheeks, and she wore light blue lipstick. Her mane had its normal breezeless look to it, but she had it styled more regally than usual. “Woah…” I said, without realizing I was blushing a little. “You look…beautiful, Luna.” “You look dashing as well.” She replied before linking arms with me. “Shall we?” “U-Um…s-sure?” I said sheepishly, pulling my collar to let some air in. I nervously walked with Luna through the party while the nobles and elites stared at me. Some had looks of curiosity, others looked at me with disgust. Meanwhile, I was trying to keep calm due to the fact that I was walking side by side with one of the freaking princesses of Equestria. “Sorry if I’m a little awkward, Princess,” I apologized. “You say that a lot, don’t you?” Luna said, looking up at me. “Huh?” I replied. “You’re always apologizing. Don’t be so nervous,” Luna advised when a unicorn stallion with a monocle came to greet us. “Princess Luna, so glad you could make it,” the stallion said with a grateful tone. “Fancy Pants, it is good to see you this evening,” Luna smiled while I tried not to laugh at the fact his actual name was Fancy Pants. “And who is this strapping young lad you have your arm hooked around?” The stallion asked. “Erm, my name is William, sir,” I said with a small bow of my head. “William Saber.” “Ahh, the human who’s been the talk of the town. A pleasure to meet you at last. I must say, you’re not at ALL what the rumors described you as,” Fancy said while adjusting his monocle. “What did they describe me as?” I asked while he brought us to his table. “Well, to be honest, they said you were a vicious, meat-eating brute,” Fancy chuckled when he introduced us to a mare who was almost as beautiful as Luna. Almost. “This is Fleur De Lis, my wife.” The mare next to him was also a unicorn with pristine-looking white fur. Her name was royal pink and she wore a beautifully made one piece red dress that hugged her incredible body nicely. “Charmed, Mr. Saber,” Fleur said, holding up her hand. I decided to respond in kind by using my free hand and taking hers gently. “The pleasure is all mine, madame De Lis,” I said before lightly kissing her hand. “To what do we owe your company?” Fleur asked as her husband sat next to her. “He is my escort for the evening,” Luna smiled while clinging to me. “I see, well do enjoy yourself, dear boy, we have plenty of refreshments to go around,” Fancy said while flagging down a waiter to bring us some drinks. “So, how are you liking Canterlot?” “To be honest, it’s not really my style,” I said bluntly. “There’s sometimes so much uptightness around here that it might give me a wedgey.” I was worried that I made a fool of myself thanks to my inappropriate joke, but to my surprise, Fleur almost spat out her drink before laughing hysterically. “Oh, I know what you mean, dear boy. One does grow tired of all the sophistication and mannerisms of the upper class. It’s why my wife and I like to go explore the city and even far off places,” Fancy said. “Like where?” I asked when another waiter brought us some hors d’oeuvres. “Well, there is this little town not that far from the city. Ponyville, I believe it's called,” Fancy said. “A quaint little hamlet. Lots of farms, nice ponies, and the townsfolk are quite friendly,” Fleur added. “Ponyville?” I said. “That’s where I’m staying.” “Really now? And what are your living arrangements?” Fleur asked. “I’m rooming with Twilight Sparkle,” I answered, piquing Fancy’s attention. “Princess Celestia’s pupil? You are indeed a lucky young stallion to be friends with a talented unicorn indeed,” Fancy said. “Lucky is indeed the correct word…” Another stallion said when I noticed Fancy's expression change to an annoyed mood. “Oh, Lord Amber Gold. I didn't know you were coming,” Fancy said with a bored tone. The moment I heard his name, I immediately knew this was Cherry’s father. “Your majesty,” Lord Gold said with a curt nod to Luna, but Luna just stood there, barely acknowledging him. The stallion had peach pink fur with a dirty blonde mane, similar to his son’s. He wore a whitish-pink tuxedo with a white bow tie. “I’m surprised you decided to crawl all the way to this soirée, Fancy Pants. And here I thought you would be mingling with the commoners as usual.” “Those fine folk are more pleasant than you give them credit for. You should try seeing for yourself, Amber,” Fancy remarked. “As if I would sink to your level,” Amber scoffed before he noticed me linking arms with Luna. “Princess, surely you could’ve arranged for a more…civil escort to bring you to tonight’s event?” “He is my guest by invitation, Lord Amber, I’ll thank you not to insult him,” Luna said as he gave another bow. “I meant no disrespect, your majesty, I was only looking out for your image,” Lord Gold said. “Since when does image matter?” I asked. “Prin…no, Luna shouldn’t have to be put on a pedestal all the time. She’s a pony like the rest of you, right? Who cares who she spends time with.” All the nobles gasped when they heard me mention Luna by name and even the musicians had stopped playing when they heard me. “You dare address the princess in such an informal manner? YOU?! A filthy commoner?!” Amber said in outrage. “Oh, you cut me so deep,” I said with a fake dramatic accent before stepping up to Amber. “Look pal, I’m not from around here, so I’m not as well-mannered as anyone here, but I try. However, in my opinion, whoever Luna decides to socialize with, regardless of her title, shouldn’t matter to the likes of you.” I glanced back at Luna with a smile. “You don’t mind me calling you by your name, do you Luna?” “Of course not, dear William.” Luna winked, giving the crowd a sort of wrong idea about our relationship. “Wait…” Amber paused. “William? William Saber?” “That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” I said. Ba-dum tss! Everyone looked at the drummer and he smiled sheepishly. “Saber…you’re the one who attacked my son!” Amber growled. “Oh, Cherry’s your son?” I said. “Although, you might wanna double check, since I may have made him a daughter.” “You…” Without thinking, Lord Amber removed his glove and in one swift motion swatted it across my face. “I challenge you to a duel.” Slap! The crowd gasped while I just gave a pleasant smile. “Hmm.” I tapped my chin. POW! “I accept,” I replied after knocking him to the ground. The entire party was agape with shock as Amber yelped in pain as he held his cheek. He managed to collect himself before standing back up and glared at me. “So it’s come down to this, has it?” Amber said bitterly. “A fight to the death. Mano a mano, stallion to stallion.” I glanced back at Fancy with a face that asked if this guy was serious. Fancy only shrugged while Lord Amber collected his glove and glared at me. “Courtyard, tomorrow, come if you dare.” He said before storming off. “Come if you dare~!” I said in perhaps the most ridiculous snooty accent I could make while the others gave a short laugh and the party resumed. I saw Luna trying her best to not laugh as she covered her mouth. “That was fun,” I smiled. “You’re quite bold to accept his challenge,” Fleur said. “Eh, I’ve faced tougher-looking pricks than him,” I shrugged. “You truly are an interesting young human,” Fancy said. “How long are you staying in Canterlot?” “Two more days, why?” I asked. Fancy reached into his coat pocket and handed me a card. “If you ever find yourself in Canterlot again, I would like to invite you to brunch, if you would like?” Fancy said. “Wow, thanks! I’ll take you up on that,” I said as I tucked the card in my pocket. “Let’s continue enjoying the rest of the party, shall we?” Luna said. The Next Day I never thought I’d be challenged during my stay here, but here I am. Standing in the castle dueling ring, standing on the opposite end with my hands in my jeans pockets while Amber readied himself. “You picked a fight with a noble?” Shining asked as he stood on my side. “Dude can’t take a joke,” I responded with a shrug. “Just be careful. Nobles never fight fair when fighting, well…” Shining trailed off. “Commoners?” I asked while doing a few stretches. “Yeah,” Shining nodded. “Are you prepared for a thrashing, whelp?!” Amber said. “Sure, I guess?” I said. I took off my jacket and cracked my knuckles. One of his servants came over with a set of dueling swords for us to use. This guy was really going old school on me as he grabbed his sword and began to do a few twirls to show off to the audience. Even both princesses decided to watch this bout of ours. “Fair warning, I am a Manehattan fencing champion,” Amber said. “My heart’s all a flutter,” I replied while giving the sword a quick twirl as we took our stances. “Are the duelists ready?” The servant asked as the other nobles watched. “Have at thee!” Amber said. “Alright,” I said, then tossed the sword away. I crouched down and went in a full sprint towards Amber. “Rushing to your death? Brave, but foolish!” Amber lunged at me, going for a quick kill but just as his arm extended forward, I instantly got the drop on him and surprised him with a judo flip before dislocating his arm in one quick movement. The fight was over in seconds before anyone knew what had happened. “AAAH!! Aaahhh…Haa…” Amber screamed as his arm hung limp. “Still wanna go?” I asked as he glared at me with hateful eyes. “How dare you?! This is not honorable!” Amber spat. “You didn’t even use your sword!” “Eh, not much of a sword guy,” I shrugged. “I let my fists do most of the fighting. But, judging by your arm, it looks like this is my win.” “No…I refuse to accept this!” Amber protested as he tried to reach for his blade. “Enough! The duel is decided,” Celestia commanded. “Your highness please! Let me-!” Amber tried to say. “It is over, Lord Amber, accept your loss with dignity,” Luna said. Amber sneered at me, to which I just shrugged, as he walked away holding his arm. “I think I’m beginning to like this place,” I smirked. “I believe you just set a new record of ending a duel so quickly, William,” Celestia said. “It’s a shame you are returning to Ponyville tomorrow.” “What? Tired of me already, Celestia?” I teased and placed a hand over my chest. “And I thought we were friends! Woe was me! Where did I go wrong!” Luna giggled at me while covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh hush, little sister. I truly am saddened to see you go, but I know Twilight will be missing you. Do give her my regards, will you?” Celestia requested while the staff cleared the courtyard. “Of course I will,” I nodded. “Come on, Shining, let’s go get a drink.” “Now you’re talking,” Shining said as we walked away. 3rd POV The two princesses stood by as they watched William leave until he was out of sight. “Sister,” Luna said, looking at Celestia who still kept her eyes glued to where William walked away. “Is this wise? Keeping it from him?” “It’s what’s best, Luna. At least until he’s ready.” Celestia said as they made their way back to the throne room. “For now, let us focus on our duties. And maybe you can tell me how your date went last night.” “D-Date?! Surely you jest!” Luna argued. Meanwhile Back On Earth The sky was vast with clouds as a gloomy atmosphere hung over the rural town William grew up in. Signs of his picture were posted on every telephone pole, window, and even at the train station. Months had gone by since his disappearance, months since word of his disappearance reached public news. His search was nearing the point where authorities would have to expand their search on a national level. The residents of the town were in no better mood since most of them knew Will. It devastated some of them that such a bright young man ended up missing in the blink of an eye. A train from the main city chugged along the tracks just outside of town. When it stopped at the train station, only a few people got off. One of them was a man wearing a hooded trench coat, dark blue work jeans, boots, and gloves to stay warm. The man breathed into his cupped hands to warm them, before pulling a piece of paper. “I should be close,” he said with a serious tone, as he made his way out of the station and hailed a cab. The local cab pulled up to the curb and the man opened the door and stepped in. “Morning, where we headed?” the driver asked. The man passed the cab driver the piece of paper. “Can you take me here please?” The driver took the paper and read the address. He frowned and looked in his rearview mirror. “Not to pry, but why there? Those folks are going through a rough time,” the driver said. “I’m well aware.” The man flashed the driver his badge. “I’m hoping I can shed some light and bring them some peace.” The driver merely glanced at his badge, but nodded as he drove along. The man looked out the window to see the missing person signs all over town with Will’s face on them. “It’s like a curse,” the driver said. “Ever since the kid went missing, there’s hardly ever been a sunny day. I knew the kid, sadly, he always bought me a donut whenever he saw me doing my rounds.” “William is a kind person. I’m sure when I bring him back, the town will regain its missing light.” The mystery man spoke in an almost confident tone. “Every other cop or detective said the same thing,” the driver said. Both glanced over to the right and saw a man sitting outside the local dojo with a bottle in his hand. “Breaks my heart to see Ivan hitting the sauce. Will was his best student and his good friend.” There was a brief silence before the mystery man spoke. “A person is only deemed dead when a body is found. Over the last seven months, six bodies have been found around the states. None of which belonged to him. There is hope that he is still alive.” The driver sighed as he drove across the bridge towards the neighborhood. The man noticed a large memorial with flowers, candles, and a picture of Will in the middle. “Stop the car,” the man spoke. The driver did as he was told and the man walked out of the car. He slowly approached the memorial and gazed at all the flowers and heartfelt words written along the picture frame. “Sir, tell me something, is this where they believe he died?” The mystery man pulled out an envelope. “Investigators say he got hit by a truck or something,” the driver said and pointed off behind the memorial. “Right over the bridge, over there.” The man opened the envelope and looked through it while explaining the papers inside. “Sir, do you know if the day he went missing, the river below would be full?” “It was the beginning of winter, so yeah,” the driver said. “The water usually rises a few feet every raining season, nearly full.” “Would you say the river would be strong enough to carry someone downstream if they were, say, unconscious?” The mystery man questioned. “Yep, the water that flows from the rain and into the river would do it,” the driver nodded. “It flows down from the surrounding mountains and gives the current an extra oomph.” The mystery man continued to read the papers until he saw a part that made him smile. “The river leads to a small lake right? One that is only three hours away from here, yes?” “Yep, but don’t waste your breath," the driver said. “Authorities got a scuba crew to go down there and try to see if he sank. Turned up squat.” “And why do you think that is?” The man turned to the driver. “I looked over the reports of wildlife around this area, and much to my surprise when I see there is practically none, especially big preds.” “Your point?” the driver asked. “Despite there being no body found at the lake, and that no animal could have eaten the body. Why else wouldn’t they have found anything?” The man spoke with an almost prideful tone. “That he’s still alive?” the driver guessed. “Correct. And that means there is hope,” the man grinned. “Well, here we are,” the driver pulled up to Will’s house. The mystery man got out of the car and paid the driver his fee. “Hey buddy.” The man looked back at the driver. “You really think he's still alive?” “If William is the same as he was as a kid, I’m pretty sure he’s too stubborn to die.” The man smiled and turned to walk to the house. The driver drove away and the man walked up to the house. The man gently knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. After a few moments, the door slowly opened to reveal a tired-looking young woman. Her blonde hair was frizzy and unbrushed, she wore a sweatshirt and sweatpants with a few stains here and there, and her eyes were baggy and red from lack of sleep and probably crying. The young woman’s name was Rachel Saber, William’s stepsister. “Can I help you…?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding raspy. The man revealed his badge. “Good evening miss, I’m here to speak with the family members of William Saber.” “Look, I already told you cops everything,” Rachel sighed. “What more do you want? My brother’s dead…he’s never coming back.” “Miss I’m not a cop, I’m a private eye detective, and if you’ll let me have a moment of your time.” The man seemed persistent. “Please, just go away…” Rachel said, sounding like she was going to cry again. “Let us mourn in peace…” “I would. But you can’t mourn someone who may not be dead.” The mystery defective spoke in a caring tone. “Rachel? Who's at the door?” a gruff voice came from inside the house. A man walked to the doorway and had a slight glare in his eye. He was a tall man with blonde, graying hair. His build was slightly muscular, but he too had bags under his eyes. This man was William’s stepdad, Thomas Saber. “Some PI who wants to talk about Will,” Rachel said bitterly. “Will, huh?” Tom said. “And who are you to want to talk about my son?” The man bowed slightly and looked at the adult father. “My name is Holmes, Rook Holmes.” “And what business do you have with my dead son?” The man asked. “Authorities have been looking for him for months.” “Look sir, despite what those amateurs said, your step son isn’t dead, not until we find a body,” Rook said with confidence. “And how do you know? You’ve never even met my son,” Tom said. “Furthermore, how did you know he was my stepson?” “Because sir, I do know your son.” The defective smiled and looked past Tom and pointed. “If you don’t believe me, you may ask her.” Both turned around to see William’s mother standing behind them. The poor woman looked like she’d seen better days since she looked as though she had been crying longer than Rachel. Her dark brown hair was also a bit of a mess, and her eyes were baggy from lack of sleep. She slowly approached the PI, her eyes scanning the man’s face. “You…you look…familiar,” William’s mother said. “It’s been some time, but I think you still look as kind as the days when me and William hung out.” Rook then pulled out a photo that showed a young William and himself playing together, with William’s mother in the background looking much younger. William’s mother gasped and covered her mouth. She looked at the man again as tears leaked from her eyes. “R…Rook! Rook Holmes?!” William’s mother said in shock. “Hello Victoria, it’s been a long time,” Rook said as he pulled his hood off his head. Rook Homles had straight light brown hair, and emerald green eyes. “I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but I’m here to help.” “Dear? You know this man?” William’s father asked as Victoria wept happily. “Rook Holmes. The boy who was William’s only friend before we moved here. They used to play at the park almost every day,” Victoria said. “I don’t buy it,” Rachel said. “If you knew my brother, what’s his worst fear?” Rook leaned in and whispered into Rachel’s ear. “He’s absolutely terrified of spiders.” “His favorite candy?” Rachel asked. “He loves skittles, he and I would always trade candy on Halloween, my skittles for his crunch bars.” Rook sounded like he had found memories. “Woah…you really do know my brother,” Rachel said in astonishment. “I…suppose introductions are in order,” William’s father said. “Name’s Tom, Thomas Saber.” “I’m well aware.” Rook then looked at Rachel. “And that makes you Rachel Saber, William’s stepsister.” He gave a slight bow of his head. “Rook, what are you doing here?” Victoria asked. “More importantly…how on earth did you find me?” Rook looked around before entering the house and closing the door. “I found where you guys moved thanks to my connections. I’m a well-known PI, so I have access to a lot of information. Including cases regarding missing people. I was in my office when I saw a news report about Will going missing.” “But…even with them still out there?” Victoria asked nervously. Rook noticed Rachel and Tom looked like they knew what she was talking about. “I know you wanted help finding William, but I was worried that they might have seen the broadcast.” Rook moved to a nearby window and peaked his eyes around before looking back. “Thankfully, I have an insider that told me they hadn’t seen it, and they aren’t making any movements. But you should be more careful next time.” “We covered our tracks thoroughly when we left,” Victoria said as she sat down in the living room. “Thanks to Ron, god rest his soul.” Rook walked over next to Victoria and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Listen, I came here because I want to help you guys find William.” “What else do you want to know?” Rachel wondered. “You probably already know everything about the case.” “Yes, but I came here to tell you that there is still hope.” Rook pulled the envelope from before out along with another. “I have reason to believe that they are involved.” Opening the second folder, Rook pulled out some papers. “The truck that had hit William was reported as stolen several hours prior. And when police arrived on the scene there wasn’t a driver in sight. What’s more is that the truck was still fully functional, meaning the person who stole it left the vehicle behind on purpose.” “How could they be involved?” Tom wondered. “They should be across the whole damn country.” Rook pulled a photo that depicted a gas station and in the image was a man stepping into a truck. There was a second photo of the man’s face blown up to look bigger. “This man was the one who stole the truck, and I ran his face through criminal records. Do you wanna take a guess who he had worked for?” “V…Vongeonce,” Victoria shuttered. Rook nodded. “He hasn’t been caught yet, which leads me to believe that he is still at large and may know where William is.” Rook had a slightly grim look on his face as he took a deep breath. “If Vongeonce is involved, I will be going in to look into the matter myself.” “NO!!” Victoria yelled. Her face went pale as she began to hyperventilate. “YOU CAN’T GO AFTER HIM!! THAT…MONSTER!! HE HAS NO REMORSE!! HE’LL KILL YOU!!” “Mom! Please calm down!” Rachel said. “Rook, you do realize what you’re saying, right?” Tom said. “My wife told me all about her…former husband after we got married.“ Rook sat in silence for a moment, his hands together with a pensive look. “I’m well aware of the dangers, I’m also aware my life would be on the line.” Rook looked up with a now stoic look. “But I don’t care. Because if it means I can find my best friend. I’ll go to hell and back.” “You’re really set on this, aren’t you?” Rachel said, still tending to Victoria. “And you believe my brother’s still alive?” Rook had a smile on his face as he looked down at the floor. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. William is a stubborn-ass guy, and that means he’s too stubborn to die.” Victoria took a deep breath and managed to calm herself. “P-Please wait here.” Victoria left the living room and went to the master bedroom. Everyone heard her rummaging a little until she came out holding something in her hand. “Rook…if you do find William, please give this to him.” Victoria handed Rook a small medallion with an image of a howling wolf in front of a full moon engraved on it. “I-Is that?” Rook gently took the medallion in his hand and let one of his fingers trace over it. “He kept it. All these years?” “Yes…” Victoria smiled sadly. “He kept it, despite everything. You’ll have to jog his memory a bit if you wish for him to remember you, since he locked away those memories years ago.” Rook moved the medallion around his neck and patted it. “I will.” Rook stood up and turned to look at Tom, he reached a hand into his pocket pulling out a paper and set of keys. “Listen, I’m still not sure if Vongeonce is involved. But if they are, they might know where you guys are.” He handed the paper and keys to Tom. “That’s a safehouse I own, and that paper has the address and pin for the safe room in the basement. The keys are to the house and my gun cabinet inside. Take Rachel and Victoria there and lay low for a while.” “So soon? For how long?” Tom asked. “I’m not sure, but at best six months.” Rook looked at Victoria. “We both know the kind of man Vongeonce is, so if he does have any idea where William is, he’ll know where you are too.” “O-Of course,” Victoria said. “Bring my brother home, Rook, please,” Rachel begged. Rook smiled and moved to hold Rachel’s hand and lightly pat it. “I will do my best, or die trying.” Rook exited the house and walked back down the street. Once he was far enough away, he pulled out the medallion from under his shirt and looked at it. The name Vongeonce rang in his head, which only made his resolve and anger heighten. “I swear to God, if you are behind all this pain, I will end you.” His voice was full of rage, and his eyes lit with a fire of determination. “I’m gonna find you, Will, just you wait.” A Hero’s First ActChapter 16 It felt like it was yesterday when I had arrived at the royal capital to visit the princesses, only to find out about a man who was once revered as the guardian of this world, and I was to become his successor. For a while, I was content with just living in Ponyville with my new friends. Sure, I still missed my home, but at least I wasn’t alone in this world. In the back of my head, I hated the idea that I was expected to pick up the pieces Sir Rokai left behind. At least I wasn’t pressured by anyone to just pick up the job and do what needed to be done. The princesses reassured me that I can take as long as I needed to let my new role sink in. For now, I was due for a return to the humble town of Ponyville. “Sure you don’t wanna stick around for another day or two?” Shining asked as he was tasked to escort me to the train station. “Much as I would love to keep throwing hands with you, I’d rather get back to Ponyville,” I said with a chuckle. “Besides, you’ve given me a new perspective when it comes to combat. I think I’ll be taking my training a bit more seriously from now on.” “Glad to hear that,” Shining said as we walked up to the platform. “I expect a challenge from you the next time we meet.” I chuckled as I saw ponies loading onto the train car. “Well, this is me,” I said. “You take care now, Will,” Shining said. “Oh! Before I forget, I need some advice.” “Sure, what is it?” I asked. “Well, the thing is, I’m seeing somepony,” Shining said, sounding a little nervous. “We’ve been together for a while and I love her very much. I’m actually thinking of proposing to her.” “Hey! Good on you, man!” I said while punching his arm playfully. “You’ll make a great husband!” “Thanks, but that’s not the issue,” Shining said. “I have no idea how to propose to her. I was thinking I could bring her out to a fancy dinner, maybe have some music playing in the background, order her favorite desert-” “Hey Shining?” I said finally, trying not to laugh out loud. “What?” He said. “Is it possible that maybe you’re overthinking this?” I asked. “How am I overthinking this? I want to propose to the mare I love!” Shining said, sounding more nervous. “Shining, let me let you in on a little advice,” I said as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “Don’t overdo it. How long have you known this mare?” “Since she was my little sister’s foalsitter,” Shining said. “And how long have you been dating?” I asked. “A few years now, give or take,” Shining said. “Do you love her?” I asked. “Of course I do,” Shining nodded. “And does she love you?” I asked. “She tells me she does whenever she gets the chance,” Shining said. “Then what’re you so worried about?” I asked. “When my mom was dating my step-dad, I remember him always bending over backwards to appeal to her. He’d wanna take her out to fancy dinners, buy her clothes he thought would look good on her, and always was there at her beck and call. But the thing about my mom was that she didn’t really need all those things. All she cared about was if my step-dad would love her and be there for her like any good husband would. And that’s exactly what he did once she told him that. Then, after over a year of dating, he proposed to my mom and they’ve married ever since. So don’t try and go the extra mile for your girlfriend, Shining, you should just propose to her in your own way. I’m sure she’ll say yes.” Shining thought about my words and a smile grew across his lips. “Huh, I never thought of it that way,” Shining said. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks, Will.” “Any time, Shining,” I said. “You sure you’re not married too since you gave such good advice?” Shining teased. “Ha! As if! I’m only twenty-four!” I laughed. “Last call for Ponyville!” The conductor called out. “Guess it’s time,” I said and shook Shining’s hand one last time. “Be seeing you, Shining.” “Don’t be a stranger, Will,” Shining said before I stepped away and entered the train car. I took my seat and waved to him out the window and he waved back as the train started to move. I was finally on my way back home and I was looking forward to seeing everyone again. I pulled out my phone and earbuds and scrolled through my playlist to listen to some smooth jazz as the train chugged along the tracks. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” the clerk asked, pushing a cart full of snacks and beverages. “Nah, I’m good, thanks though,” I said as I sipped my water. “Alright.” The clerk went down the aisle while I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by while listening to jazz. I then started to think about the memories I watched from Sir Rokai’s past. He was so brave and didn’t blink an eye when facing those monsters. Especially when it came to Valafar. No matter how many times they did battle, Sir Rokai met the demon head on. It made me wonder if I would be as brave as him if it ever came down to it. My thoughts were pushed aside when I saw something in the distance out the window. It looked like something was flying towards the train, which made me sit up straight. “Are those…ponies?” I asked out loud. Suddenly, I hear the train bell going off in alarm as the Conductor ran through the cars. “Remain calm! Stay in your seats!” “What the hell?” I said, when the group of ponies flying towards us flew up and over the train. We all heard a dozen or so thuds on the roof of the train. As I got up from my seat, the door leading to the car behind ours slammed open, revealing a pair of pegasi with crossbows aimed at the crowd. Behind them, a griffon with black feathers walked in. He had on a black coat with a black hat covering his face. When he looked up at us, he had a cracked beak where the split reached up to a scar over his right eye. The guy strolled in without a care in the world as he eyed all the passengers. When he made it to the middle of the car, he cleared his throat before addressing us. “Ladies and gentlestallions. My name is Gabriel. My crew and I just came to relieve you of all of your bits and valuables,” he said more as a statement, rather than as a threat. “If you all cooperate, then no one will get hurt and me and the boys will be on our way. If you don’t.” He reached for his belt and pulled out a large knife before cleaning his claws. “Then things will get complicated for everyone.” I gulped at the sight of the gang. To think, out of all the things that could happen on this train ride, it just had to be a train heist! As the griffin’s crew began demanding money and valuables from the passengers, I had to think quickly on what to do. I could just keep my head low and give them whatever I had on me. But then I thought that would’ve been the most cowardly thing I could possibly do. If it were Sir Rokai, he’d lay these guys out no problem! I knew it was stupid, but I couldn’t just let these guys rob everyone blind. I had to do something. I mustered all the courage I could and stepped in the middle of the aisleway. “Hey!” I shouted, gaining their attention. “Didn’t your mothers teach you it’s bad to take things that aren't yours?” “Haha! Boy, who do you think taught me in the first place?” Gabriel said after bringing out a handheld crossbow pistol. “Now listen. I get that you wanna be the big hero and feel tough in front of everyone, but you talk back to me again and you’ll find yourself with a bolt between your eyes.” The griffon aimed his weapon at my head and gave me a death glare. “Now, sit down!” The passengers all cowered away and looked at me as if they begged me to comply so I wouldn’t get hurt. I’ll admit, I felt a little on edge that I was up against a group of thugs armed to the teeth, but I thought about Sir Rokai again and it kept my nerves in check. “I got a better idea,” I said. I widen my stance a bit and raised my arms a little. “How about you leave these good ponies alone, and I won’t kick your ugly beak in.” Gabriel stared me down before smirking. “You got guts, kid. I like that. Too bad they’re gonna be all over the floor in a minute.” He gestured to the two pegasi he came with and had them aim their crossbows at me. I watched them aim their weapons at me and focused my ki as much as possible. My senses were dialed to eleven and the world around me began to slow. I watched the thugs slowly pull the trigger of their weapons and the bolts came flying at me. My eyes were unblinking as I watched the bolts come flying at me. I then leaned to the right and watched the bolts fly past me. One of the bolts whizzed past my face by a mere few inches. Twisting my body around, I stomped my foot on the floor and kept staring at one of the thugs as the world around me sped up. I grit my teeth, clenched my fist, and delivered a hard flying right hook across the first pony thug’s face. He stumbled backwards and I followed it up with another punch across his jaw and a knee to his gut. As he fell, I jumped in the air again while swinging my leg and kicked the second thug with a flying back kick right in his chest. The second thug was sent crashing against the wall as I landed on the ground. Everyone was slack jawed at my display of martial arts as I looked back at Gabriel with a mock glare. “Still wanna go?” I challenged, taking a Cat Stance. “Can’t scare me that easily,” Gabriel said before taking out his knife and throwing it. The blade missed me by a mile. “Aaaahh!” The scream came from behind and when I looked back, an elderly mare was almost impaled by the knife. While I was distracted, I felt a sharp pain in my right lower leg. I cried out in pain and looked down to see a large cut on the side of my leg and a bolt sticking out from the floor. The bolt had just grazed me, but it was still a deep cut and hurt like hell. I looked back at Gabriel as he was loading another bolt in his handheld crossbow. Thinking quickly, I ran straight at Gabriel just as he fired another bolt. I managed to dodge out of the way and tackle him through the door. We landed on the connecting walkway outside and he kicked me off him before taking flight. I decided to follow him by focusing my ki again and took to the skies after him. Only as soon as I was in the air, I was met with the rest of his gang who were either waiting on the train cars or flying in the air above the train. “I gotta say,” I looked up to see Gabriel aim two crossbows at me. “I didn’t think you could fly. But since you’re here, I’ll guess we’ll have to ground you.” The other gang members aimed their bows at me. “Fire!” I quickly amped up my ki while crossing my arms in front of me. “Here goes nothing!” I said as they all fired at me. “Spirit Explosion!” I swung both my arms out while letting loose a large wave of ki. The wave blew back all the bolts aimed at me and even blew back some of the airborne ponies. I took advantage of the opportunity and flew straight towards two pegasi ponies. “Hawk Charge!” I elbowed one thug in the gut and followed up with a palm strike. I sent the thug falling down and tumbling across the dirt. I then spun in midair while swinging my legs to land a triple helicopter kick to the thug’s gut, chest, and face which sent him plummeting to the ground and crashed. Looking down at the roof of the train car, I pointed my finger at the thugs while they aimed their crossbows at me. “Dodon Ray!” A beam of ki shot out my fingertip and exploded on the roof. The explosion knocked a couple of thugs off the car while others were knocked back onto the roof of the train car. Just then, Gabriel tackled me from behind and we stumbled on the roof of the caboose. I managed to jump back on my feet and he had brandished his knife. The remaining goons were right behind him and I took a stance. “Not so cocky, now that I took out half your crew!” I boasted. “Rrrg! I was just going to beat you half to death, but since you took out most of my crew, we’re just gonna have to kill ya!” He let out a roar that was a combination of a lion’s roar and an eagle’s screech before charging at me. He came at me with his knife at the ready and went for a stab. I sidestepped out of the way and elbowed the back of his head as he flew by me. Two of his goons then charged and I engaged in a two on one brawl. I blocked the thug on my right while the one on my left punched me in my side. I countered by delivering a straight left to his jaw. Both thugs grabbed my arms with one hand each and reeled back to punch me together with their free hands. I leaned back as far as I could to dodge them and watched their fists swing in front of me. When I leaned back I pulled as hard as I could and made them butt heads with each other before tapping their sides with my palms. “Spirit Palms!” I used my ki to send a small ki shockwave from my hands and into their bodies. The two thugs were sent toppling across the roof and rendered unconscious as there were now only a few thugs left. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up and I barely had time to move out of the way from another one of Gabriel’s stabs from behind. The knife almost grazed my side and I grabbed the griffin’s arm and threw him forward. He didn’t fall off the moving train, but he was even more pissed that I managed to outmaneuver him and his gang. I wiped my lip and nose of the blood leaking and took another stance. “Pile on him!” Gabriel commanded as they came at me all at once. I took a step back and with all the momentum I could muster I jumped forward to meet them head on while swinging my fists and legs as fast as I could with the help of my ki enhancing my speed. “Justice Rush!” I punched and kicked all of them from different angles. A punch to the gut, liver, face, and neck. A kick to the groin, chest, jaw, and followed up with a couple roundhouse kicks. My blows felt heavy as I laid into them and all the goons were knocked off of the train and tumbling across the dirt. Once my attack was over, I had to catch my breath from the exertion. To my surprise, only Gabriel managed stay on the train and stood back up, and he glared at me like a madman. I took another stance when I felt another sharp pain on my side. I looked down to see a deep slash wound and was leaking blood through my shirt. I also glanced down at my leg to see the sleeve of my jeans completely drenched in blood and leaking down into my shoe. Shit, this hurts… I thought, to keep weight off my leg. “What’s the matter, boy?! Finding it hard to stand?!” Gabriel mocked. “Just shut up and let’s end this,” I said. “I won’t fall until you’re off this train or seeing stars. These ponies won’t be getting robbed by the likes of you!” “Big words for a dead creature!” Gabriel grabbed two of the large crossbows and aimed them both at me. “Die!” Gabriel fired them at me and I ducked out of the way just in time. However, it ended up being a distraction because he kneed me in the nose and used his claws to cut my chest. I yelled in pain and raised my arms for another one of his claw swipes, but it only wounded my arms in the process. I decided to go on the offensive again and kicked Gabriel in the thigh, ribs, and his arm. He staggered back a little and I went after him. Suddenly, he pulled something out from his coat and something sharp pierced my shoulder. I yelled again and stepped back to see a knife sticking out of my shoulder. “Fuck!” I cursed from the pain as blood oozed from the wound. “There’s more where that came from, boy!” Gabriel boasted before brandishing two knives in each claw. “I’ll skewer you and fry you over a spit!” As Gabriel reeled his hands back to throw the knives at me, I raised my hand and aimed to fire ki blasts at him. I charged my ki in my hand and fired the orbs right at him. They detonated on impact as the griffin was forced backwards, coughing up a little blood from the damage. We were both breathing heavily as the wind from the moving train blew against us. I grit my teeth and grabbed the knife in my shoulder. I grunted loudly as I pulled the blade out of my flesh and threw the knife away. “Give up, Gabriel!” I said, raising my fists once more. “I’ll keep coming at you no matter what!” “Then you better keep coming! Cause this ain’t over, as long as I’m breathing!” He yelled while pulling out yet another knife. “Fine…you asked for this!” I said and readied my hands above my head. Please work, please work, please work! I thought as I charged up as much ki as I could in my hands. Gabriel flared open his wings as a bright light shined in my hands above my head. He roared at me again and flew at me while holding the knife out. Just as he was a few feet away, I thrusted my hands forward after building up as much ki as I could. “Masenko!!” A large blast of ki shot out from my hands and enveloped Gabriel. “Aaaaaa-!!” Gabriel screamed before he went silent and slowly lean to the side until he fell off the train and slammed into a tree. As I watched Gabriel fall off the train, the toll from the use of ki and damage I took began to weigh in. My wounds stung as the wind of the moving train blew against me. I needed to get back inside the train, so I limped my way to the end of the caboose and saw a ladder. I carefully leaned down to climb down the ladder, while trying to be mindful of my wounds despite the pain. Once I managed to climb down the ladder, I opened the door back in the train car. The ponies inside were speechless when they saw me hobble towards one of the seats. I grunted loudly as I slumped onto one of the seats. I tried to catch my breath and looked at the ponies who stared at me with mild concern. One of the clerks walked up to me. “Are you okay?” He asked. “I’ll live…” I said with a pained smile. “Can you all do me a favor? Let me know when we arrive in Ponyville. I’m gonna…get some shuteye…” My eyes began to close as I started to lose consciousness. My vision blurred as the clerk told the passengers something but I couldn’t hear very well due to the sudden ringing in my ears. The last thing I saw was the ponies scrambling around me as darkness overcame me. 3rd POV The passengers suddenly freaked out as William’s body went limp on the seat he sat on. Sure enough, someone immediately called for a doctor while others began panicking on what to do next. “Is anypony a doctor?! This colt needs help!” The clerk cried out. “Hey get back! Give him some air!” One of the other passengers shouted as he moved the crowd back when a pony with a black bag finally appeared and proceeded to give me first aid. “Celestia’s light, it’s a miracle he’s alive!” The doctor said in disbelief as he pulled out his tools to patch William up as the train was about to arrive in Ponyville. “This colt needs a hospital immediately!” The doctor said. At the Ponyville train station, Twilight and Spike were standing on the platform to welcome their human friend back from his trip to Canterlot. Twilight eagerly awaited Will as her eyes glued to where the train would arrive while Spike stood by her. “Did we have to wake up so early, Twilight?” Spike said and yawned. “Of course! I want to be the first one to know how William’s meeting with the princesses went!” Twilight said. “Hi, Twilight! Hi Spike!” Twilight and Spike looked behind them to see Lyra approach with her friend Bon Bon. “Well hi there, Lyra, Bon Bon,” Twilight said. “What brings you by?” “Oh, I’m just here to see Bon Bon off before she makes the trip to Dodge Junction,” Lyra said. “What’re you two here for?” “We’re welcoming William home, his train should be arriving any minute,” Spike yawned before hearing the sound of the train grinding to a halt as it pulled into the station. “They’re here!” Twilight said with excitement but the moment the doors opened, passengers came flooding out as they began making a path. “What’s going on?” She asked aloud when the train’s conductor ran up to her. “Miss Twilight! Oh thank Celestia, we need your help!” The conductor said. “What happened?” Twilight asked with concern. It was at that moment when William was brought out by several passengers all covered in bloody bandages. Twilight gasped in complete horror after seeing he was beaten to a pulp. “WILLIAM?!” Twilight shrieked at the sight of her friend. “Oh my Celestia!” Lyra yelped as they followed William. “What happened to him?! Why’s he all hurt like that?!” “I saw the whole thing!” One of the clerks said as he too followed. “Bandits attacked the train! This colt single-handedly beat them all and saved us!” “Spike, see if you can get any of our friends to help while I try to keep him stable,” Twilight told Spike. “Can you do that?” Spike asked with worry after seeing his friend’s condition. “Don’t worry, I read plenty of medical books. Now hurry!” Twilight said. Spike nodded and ran off while William was gently laid on the floor and some of the other ponies went to call for a medical carriage. “I’ve done all I could with the tools I brought with me, but he’s taken some serious damage!” The doctor said. “You don’t happen to know any healing spells, do you?” “The wounds are too severe for that, he needs surgery,” Twilight said as she used her magic on some of William’s wounds. Just then, the mediacal carraige arived as medical ponies rushed to bring the young human into the carriage. “Careful, looks like he’s got some broken bones.” the first medic said while helping his partner wheel him in. “It’s like somepony ran the colt over twice and then threw him off a cliff!” The second medic replied before shutting the doors and pulled the carriage towards the hospital. As the ponies watched the mediacl carraige take William away, a mix of unpleaseant emotions filled their hearts. Twilight clutched her chest as she ran off to the hostpital while Lyra and Bon Bon stayed behind. “Bon Bon…what just happened?” Lyra asked, still in shock. “I…I don’t know, Lyra. I don’t know,” Bon Bon answered. Author's Note This is just a touch of what is to come. Side Note: Hey. It’s been a while, huh? Especially with this story. I’m gonna level with you all. This story has become a bit of an on an off project. Unlike my other stories, there isn’t as much thought put into it. I know it’s not something I thought I’d say about this story, considering it’s a revamp of my very first story, but it's just how I feel. I want to try and remedy this. So, as far as my stories go, I'm gonna try and put a little more effort into this story as I did before. Hopefully, and it's a big hopefully, I won’t abandon this story for half a freaking year again. To my readers who’ve been diligently waiting for an update from this story, I sincerely thank you for your patience. Special thanks to Cali Luminos for the amazing artwork! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s DreamChapter 17 I couldn’t explain my current position at the moment since all I could see was the dark void of my subconscious. I floated aimlessly without direction and couldn’t really feel my body. The last thing I remember was driving off those train bandits before succumbing to my wounds and passing out. I don’t know how long I’ve been out, nor do I know what became of me after I passed out. I just hope I didn’t die again, otherwise I’d be a little disappointed in myself that I allowed this to happen again. “Wish I could wake up soon…” I said aloud. “I wonder if the others will worry for me?” I looked around the void, as if expecting to see or hear someone. “Kinda strange that I’m having this dream.” Suddenly, a bright light shined from within the darkness of the void. I shielded my eyes from the light with my arm as my eyes adjusted. From the light, I could faintly see a faint silhouette make its appearance. This was by far the strangest thing that’s ever happened in a dream. Considering that the silhouette has the figure of a person with large wings on its back. I considered my options and decided to try and talk to whatever was standing before me. “Uh…hello?” I called out to it. The figure said nothing and despite my hesitation, I cautiously floated closer towards it as the light began to dim a bit and I started to hear the familiar sound of tea being stirred in a cup. “Well, it is about time you got here.” A voice said making me stop in my tracks. “It is rather rude to keep somepony waiting, you know.” I spun my head around looking for the source of the voice. “What the?! Who’s that?! Who’s there?!” I panicked. “Are you normally this flustered, young youth?” The voice said again as the light continued to dim. I looked back to see a tall white mare with light cream-white fur, deep red mane that went down her lower back, and tail, and baby blue eyes. She wore a regal-looking dress and was sitting on what looked like a wooden chair, holding a teacup while stirring it with a little spoon. There was something about this mare that seemed familiar to me, like I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Whoever she was, she somehow made my heart race a little. “Uh…hi?” I waved a sheepishly. “Welcome, young William.” She said my name as if she knew me before taking a sip. “I have been expecting you.” “How…do you know my name?” I asked. The mare sipped her tea as she waved her hand, and another chair materialized before me. “Come. Sit,” she offered. Not seeing any other option, I managed to float my way towards the chair and maneuvered myself to sit down on it. “Tea?” She asked, making another cup appear with a pot. “Um…sure,” I said, and she poured me some. We sat in silence for several minutes. Honestly, I felt a little awkward just sitting here with this unknown mare. She obviously was an alicorn, which I was still trying to comprehend, and I didn’t know what to say to her. Either she was waiting for me to say something, or she was taking her time to speak while she enjoyed her tea. I waited for a few more minutes only to still not get a response before finally speaking up. “I’m sorry, but who are you?” To this, the mare calmly placed her cup down and looked at me with a warm smile as she stood up to introduce herself. “My apologies. I am Faust; Lady Faust.” I blinked several times at the name as I froze mid sip from my tea. It wasn’t until I felt like I was just slapped across the face did I finally remember the name and recognize the mare before me. When the realization hit me, I nearly choked on the tea, and I had to hit my chest a few times. After managing to catch my breath, I looked at the alicorn before me with my mouth agape, my eyes so wide they felt like they would pop out, and my heart was pounding so hard that I could swear even she could hear it. I was in the presence of the alicorn of legend, the mother of princess Celestia and Luna, the one Sir Rokai directly served under, the Queen of Equestria, Lady Faust herself! “W-W-WHAT?!” I yelped in a state of panic. “Y-You’re Queen Faust?! THE Queen Faust?!” The queen let out a burst of laughter at my reaction while I composed myself. “My goodness, I have never had a reaction like that,” she said while handing me a handkerchief. “A-Apologies, ma’am!” I said while trying to fix myself. “Oh please, there is no need to be so formal,” Faust said sweetly. “I am just happy to finally meet you at last.” “But you’re the Queen! How could I not be formal in your presence, your highness?!” I said and tried to stand up from the chair and bow to her, only to do somersaults in the air. “Crap! Sorry!” The queen could not help but laugh even more as my cheeks turned red from embarrassment. This is just perfect. My first encounter with Queen Faust herself, and I end up making a complete idiot of myself. “You are certainly livelier than I anticipated you would be,” she said before using her magic to stop me from spinning and set me back down on the chair while fixing up the tea set. “Now that we have had our fun, I am sure you wish to know why you are here.” “I have loads of questions!” I said, then socked myself internally for being rude to the queen again. “Um…if you don’t mind, your majesty.” “Ask away then,” Queen Faust said while folding her hands. “Where exactly are we?” I asked, looking around. “Am I dead?” “No, not dead, just unconscious,” Queen Faust answered. “It is a spell that allows me to speak to you through your soul. I cannot disclose to you about my current whereabouts at the moment so I believed that this method would suffice.” “My soul?” I said and she nodded. “How long have I been out?” “A few days,” she answered, surprising me. “You took quite the beating. Honestly, you are lucky to be alive. Not many can survive a battle against multiple foes unless they are quite seasoned in combat,” she said while summoning a tray of snacks for us to enjoy. I watched her daintily pick up a cookie and eat it before considering my next question. “Why me?” I asked, making her pause and look at me. “Just…why me? Out of everyone? You could’ve picked someone who was more driven, brave, and influential among the human population. Yet, you chose me while saving my life in the process. You also gave me my new powers, and enhanced capabilities to boot. So, why me?” “Hmm, that is a fair question,” she said as her gaze turned to me. “It is true. I could have chosen anypony from your world to be Rokai’s successor. Even somepony here in Equestria would suffice. I admittedly at one time considered choosing Twilight Sparkle but that filly already has her own path and destiny to follow.” She leaned her head on her fingers as she gazed at me. “You, on the other hand, have shown great promise. You have already proven yourself to be a protector of the innocent after besting those bandits for the sake of others. Not to mention your encounter with my daughter’s dark form, Nightmare Moon.” “Yeah, but I wasn’t exactly helpful that night,” I said, scratching the back of my head. “If it were Sir Rokai, he probably would’ve subdued Nightmare Moon no problem. As for those bandits, I honestly wasn’t really thinking. I just jumped into action without considering my own safety.” “Just as a true protector would,” Faust acknowledged. “But as for Rokai…he would have killed my daughter without hesitation,” Faust said in a deadpan tone, catching me off guard. “Make no mistake, William, he was a great hero, and a savior to our people and the world but when it came to his enemies, he was nothing short of ruthless even when giving them a quick death. After all, you bore witness to his memories and all of his experiences during his time as Guardian. Can you honestly say he would have tried to save Luna with mere words?” “But…why?” I said, still shocked. “He wouldn’t have done that to Luna. Not after all he’d been through with her and Celestia.” Faust just kept staring at me with a serious expression. It made me feel discouraged that even Rokai wouldn’t have shown mercy to Luna as Nightmare Moon. I looked down at my hands while contemplating the Queen’s words “Is that what it means to be the Guardian? To destroy your enemies even if they’re considered family?” “A guardian is expected to make hard choices, young one,” Faust said as she changed the scenery to a vast hallway of stained-glass windows depicting Rokai’s many battles and his eventual death. I was now standing on solid ground and Faust led me down the hall. Each window we passed showed Rokai in the different kingdoms of this world, fighting alongside its inhabitants against the Shadow Legion. “Those memories I saw of his battles,” I said as I noticed some of the windows showed Rokai almost losing. “Each seemed more intense than the last.” I looked at Faust. “Were the Legionaries that ruthless?” “They were monsters...” Faust said with contempt. “They came to our land not to conquer but to simply destroy. Homes were burnt to the ground, families were slaughtered, and everywhere they went left nothing but death and misery, but Rokai helped turn the tide of battle not through mere strength of arms but with his bravery. He was a beacon of hope when none had it. I admired him not only as a warrior but as a person too.” Faust walked up to one of the windows and placed her hand near Rokai’s picture. “He grew to be like a son to me, and I miss him ever so dearly to this day.” “I know…” I said, looking at some windows of him making a victorious pose. One of which looked like he was standing with that minotaur princess, Rastor. “He also made quite the impression on everyone too. All the friends he made and the bonds he shared with the Pillars. He didnt just win the war for Equestria, he ushered an era of peace for the entire world.” “Indeed, he did,” Queen Faust agreed. “And you would not believe how many marriage proposals we got from the nobility.” Faust giggled as we came upon the window depicting his final battle. “The poor human was constantly badgered by noble mares demanding his hand in marriage so that they could climb the ranks of stature and merit.” I laughed a little to myself imagining what else Rokai must’ve gone through behind the front lines. “As for why I chose you, you have the potential to be every bit of a hero he was. This world has had an era of peace that I wish to remain intact. You may doubt yourself, but Rokai also had his doubts, yet he succeeded on multiple occasions.” “You really think so? Even though I barely just got here?” I stated, looking at the window where Sir Rokai battled Valafar. “He was a seasoned warrior, even before the Pillars summoned him. How exactly am I supposed to live up to his great name?” “It is simple. You do not,” the queen said as she turned to me. “Instead of trying to be like him, be your own type of hero.” “My own type?” I asked still feeling a bit confused, and she nodded. “Just as Rokai chose his path to becoming a legend, you must find your own and you will not be alone either.” Queen Faust smiled at me with confidence. “The friends you have made now, and any you make along the way, will be there to help guide you. No one said you had to do this alone. Not even Rokai, with all his strength and merit, relied on the Pillars when he needed them most.” “My own path…” I said, thinking about her words. “Not sure where I should start.” I then thought about the six mares, Spike, and the rest of the ponies I’ve met upon my arrival in this world. “But I think I’ll be able to figure it out.” “You will find your way. Of that, I am sure,” Faust said before a strange wind suddenly began to blow through the hall. “Oh my, seems our time is up.” The world around us began to fade, and even Faust started to fade away herself. “Wait! What’s gonna happen to me?! What should I do now?!” I frantically asked. “Trust your heart! That is all I can tell you! We shall meet again, young youth!” Faust shouted over the howling winds as the hall began to disintegrate. “And one more thing! Tell Tia to ease up on the cake! It will go straight to her flank!” Before I could ask anything else, I was flung from where Faust stood back down the hall. There was a light at the end of the hall, and it got brighter and brighter until it enveloped my vision. Beep beep beep The sound of digital beeping filled my ears. My consciousness was beginning to return, and I felt my body lying on some kind of mattress. My eyes felt like they were glued shut, and it took a bit of effort to open them. I was then met with a white ceiling and a fan hanging off to the side. I blinked slowly and looked to the side to see what looked like a heart monitor with cords attached to my wrist. If I had to guess, I was in some kind of medical room. When I was able to look down, I noticed I was wearing a hospital gown which confirmed my suspicions. Underneath, my torso was covered in bandages and my leg was in a cast. It was then I felt a migraine come along which made me groan from the sudden pulsating from my head. “Ugh…not the best wake-up call…” I said groggily. As I regained my vision, a nurse walked into the room holding a clipboard to see I was wide awake. She was an earth pony mare who wore a traditional-looking nurse uniform and had white fur, peach-pink mane and tail, and her eyes were light teal blue. “Oh my! You’re awake!” The nursed yelped and ran back out of the room before I could say anything. After about a minute, she came back with and earth pony stallion wearing a lab coat and had a stethoscope hanging off his neck. His was fur yellowish-brown, his mane and tail were chocolate brown, and his eyes were a slightly darker shade of blue as the nurse’s. The doctor walked up beside my bed with a welcoming smile. “Welcome back, mister William. I am Dr. Greymare. This is Nurse Redheart.” he greeted as he took off his stethoscope to check my vitals. “You gave us quite the scare.” The doc sounded almost impressed while taking hold of my hand. “Can you squeeze my hand?” I squeezed the doctor’s hand just as he told me to, and he nodded as the nurse took notes. “Water…please,” I said in a raspy voice. “Of course, son. Nurse?” The doc nodded to the nurse who handed me a small cup of some much-needed water. “Drink slow.” Greymare instructed as he helped me drink. Every sip felt like nectar going down my throat as I finally managed to regain my voice. “Where are my friends?” I asked, still feeling weak. “It’s early in the morning, so they should still be waking up,” the doc said, but then he glanced over on the far side of the room. “Or should I say, most of them.” I looked to where he was gesturing to and saw Twilight, of all ponies, slumped in a chair fast asleep. Her mane was a bit messy, and a little drool dripped out of the corner of her mouth. “Twilight?” I spoke. “She…she’s been here the whole time?” “Never left your side even while you were in surgery,” Redheart said as she continued to scribble down the numbers on her clipboard from the monitor. “You’re lucky you have such good friends, son.” Greymare smiled before giving me a second cup of water and some pills. “Here, something to help with the pain.” I took the water and pills and downed them. “Surgery?” I said after swallowing. “Were my injuries that severe?” “You fought a griffin, Mr. Saber,” Redheart said. “Not many come out as unscathed as you did. Most tend to either flee or barely make it out alive.” “Truth be told, we thought you wouldn’t make it. It was really touch and go during your operation.” The doctor explained. “We had never operated on a human before, so we had to be as delicate as possible. Luckily, we were able to operate without any compilations, and we were able to aquire some very interesting data on you and your human biology.“ All this talking seemed to stir Twilight from her slumber as she finally began to wake up. She let out a cute yawn while stretching her arms out until she looked at me. When she noticed I was awake, she gasped, and her eyes went very wide. “William!” Twilight cheered and rushed to my bedside as the doc and nurse smiled. “Easy, miss Sparkle, he just woke up,” Greymare advised as she held my hand, eyes flooding with tears. “Hey, Twilight,” I said with a smile. “Sorry for scaring you, bandits kinda threw me for a loop.” “Do you have ANY idea what you put me through?!” She sobbed while holding my hand. “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” “Hey, what was I supposed to do? Let them rob the train?” I said, only for her to look at me with her tear-filled eyes, making me feel guilty. “Sorry…didn’t mean to worry you.” The doc let out a small chuckle as she cuddled with me and after what I was put through, I definitely needed it. “We’ll just leave you two to catch up then. Got other patients, you know?” Greymare winked as he left with Redheart. It was then Twilight realized what she was doing and immediately got up and stepped away from me with a flustered face. “I-I…um…I’m happy you’re okay!” Twilight said nervously. “Sheesh, Twilight, no need to be so anxious,” I chuckled, and she looked away while twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers. There was a pause between the both of us and I remembered my dream I had with Faust. It still baffled me that I met the Queen herself while I was unconscious. Everything we discussed was imprinted in my mind. Come to think of it, ever since I came to this world, the inhabitants have always referred to humans as nothing but a myth. Apart from Celestia and Luna since they were there and knew Rokai when they were very young. So, it begs the question, just how much do these people know about humans since Rokai’s time? Were Celestia and Luna the only ones to confirm of his existence while everyone else allowed his memory and existence to fade away? I looked back at Twilight and thought of telling her all I knew. Maybe she could have some insight to all of this. “Hey, Twilight? Can I ask you something?” I asked my friend. “Sure, William, what is it?” Twilight said. “What do you know about humans?” I questioned. Twilight blinked for a few seconds as she tried to think of an answer. “Hmm…well. I only know them through legends and stories in the scrolls at the Canterlot Library when I was still living there. But other than that, there’s not much else about your species.” Just as I thought, I thought to myself. I guess it makes sense since it’s been over a thousand years since Rokai was alive. “Then let me confirm it for you,” I said, looking at her in the eye. “But you need to swear to me that you’ll keep what I tell you a secret.” “I promise,” Twilight said without even a hint of hesitation. I took a deep breath before deciding to tell her. “They did exist in your world, once, and it was only one human. His name was Rokai Stourmborne, and he served the missing Queen Faust.” Twilight gasped upon hearing this and sat herself down calmly. “Are you sure?” She asked to make sure I wasn’t delirious from my injuries, and I simply nodded yes. “Celestia told me this herself,” I said. “It’s why she wanted me to come to Canterlot in the first place. She wanted to share with me about Equestria’s long forgotten history.” “Oh my stars!” Twilight said with glee, then paused. “Wait, Princess Celestia told you?” “She and Princess Luna,” I nodded. “I saw his statue in a hidden garden at the castle. Princess Celestia even showed me visions of his memories and how he was summoned here by a one Starswirl the Bearded and his companions.” “STARSWIRL?!” She yelped loudly before suddenly getting in my face with a twinkle in her eyes. “YOU SAW STARSWIRL THE BEARDED?!” “ACK! Twilight! Ribs!” I gasped as pain shot through my body. “Ah!” Twilight stepped away again as the throbbing in my chest made me wince. “Sorry…!” “It’s fine,” I said, still wincing. “But yeah, I saw the whole thing. Starswirl summoned Rokai to this world with a powerful spell. He did so because of these demons from Tartarus called the Shadow Legion were wreaking havoc across Equestria and other neighboring kingdoms.” “The Shadow Legion? So, they were real,” she said with a look of amazement. “You know about the Shadow Legion too?” I asked. “Well, according to some ancient scriptures Princess Celestia gave me to study, I read about how there was a time when the world faced an unimaginable evil from depths of Tartarus wreaking havoc on Equestria many moons ago but that too was believed to be a legend,” Twilight said. “It was thanks to the combined might of the kingdoms of the world and the Pillars that the evil was banished for good to usher in an era of peace. This Rokai, what happened to him?” She asked, desiring more information like the quirky book worm she was. “At first, he was a merc,” I explained. “Didn’t do anything unless he was paid. Starswirl had him train soldiers, create battle plans, and fight on the front lines. His efforts allowed the allied forces to push the Shadow Legion back on multiple occasions. I guess it was his unpredictable tactics that allowed the allies to gain the upper hand many times. Even against an army of demons.” “He sounds like he was a great hero…but I don’t think there’s any mention of him in the history books.” Twilight pondered about this mysterious hero. “Why is that?” “You tell me,” I said. “This was over a thousand years ago. Only ones who would even remember Sir Rokai so vividly are people like Celestia and Luna since they’re supposedly the only immortal beings around, right?” “Hmm, then we should ask them when we see them again once you’ve recovered,” Twilight said, and I nodded in agreement. “Please, continue.” I spent about an hour sharing all the battles I saw through the memories Celestia showed me about Sir Rokai. The Legionaries he vanquished, the bonds he made with the Pillars and comrades, and how he was like a brother to Celestia and Luna. Twilight was so fascinated by my stories that she may have forgotten how to blink. “And you know that Captain Kruber I told you about?” I asked and she nodded. “Turns out he was your ancestor.” “REALLY?!” Twilight gasped in excitement. “That explains my brother’s desire to join the guard.” “And your ability to find trouble when you least expected.” I commented, earning a scolding look from my friend. “But yeah, it seems we’re…connected somehow.” “Connected? How?” Twilight wondered. “Well…” I said, not sure how else to tell her. So, I sat myself up in order to speak properly. “Queen Faust foretold a prophecy before she disappeared during the memories. She said there would come a time when the darkness would rise again, and a new champion would be called to carry on the flame Sir Rokai held.” I looked down at my hands and clasped them together. “And…that’s why I was brought here by Queen Faust.” I looked back at Twilight who now was looking at me like she was hearing something extraordinary. “I am to be Sir Rokai’s successor. I’m…supposed to be the new Guardian of Equestria.” “A guardian? But I thought that’s what the elements were for?” Twilight said in confusion but before we could discuss any further, the nurse returned with my lunch. After being out for an entire day, it soon hit me that I was quite famished. “Here you go, dearie, some mashed potatoes and steamed fish to help you get those muscles back,” Redheart said sweetly. “Thank you, nurse,” I said with a smile before she left again. “The Elements, from what I know, are used to protect the peace of the land. However, the Guardian’s purpose is to protect this entire planet. Which means every kingdom that exists, their inhabitants, everything, and everyone. That’s the role Rokai played as Guardian.” “But to take on such a role…can you do it alone?” Twilight asked with worry when I smiled remembering Faust’s advice. “Who said I’ll be doing it alone? I’ll have you and the others helping me. right?” I asked making her smile. “Of course, we would be honored to assist you in any way we can,” Twilight reassured me. Before I could take the fork and knife, Twilight took them and started cutting the fish. She looked at me with a teasing smile and I already could catch on with her intentions. “Oh no, don’t even think about it,” I said with a deadpanned stare. “I am more than capable of feeding myself, Twilight.” “Nonsense, you need to preserve your strength,” Twilight argued before taking a piece of fish and holding it up for me. “Now say aah~.” She was treating me like a baby, and I felt nothing short of humiliated as I reluctantly ate the fish. “There, see? that wasn’t so hard.” “Yeah, yeah…” I rolled my eyes as I ate another piece. Just as she was cutting another piece, I found myself staring at Twilight a little. Her smile made my heart beat a little faster than normal, which was a strange feeling for me. The way her hair looked silky smooth and how she surprisingly had a teasing side to her was somewhat endearing. I then smiled at her as she poked the fish piece and fed me again. As she did, I found myself somewhat lost in her pretty dark purple eyes. She’s…pretty cute, I thought to myself. It made me smile after acknowledging how admittedly attractive this mare is. Maybe I’m not so crazy after all. “Now how’s about those potatoes?” Twilight asked while taking the spoon and prepared a small scoop for me. “Here comes the choo-choo train!” “Really?” I quirked a brow at her as she began making train noises. “It’s coming through the tunnel!” She giggled. I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth so she could put the spoon in my mouth. “You’re enjoying this too much, you know that?” I said with a laugh. “Guilty,” Twilight admitted while continuing to feed me. While the situation itself was humiliating, it felt good to spend some time with her even if I was trapped in a hospital bed. Her presence made me forget about the pain of my wounds and was rather soothing to me. “There, all done,” she said after making sure the plate was cleaned and proceeded to wipe my mouth of any food bits. “Now, how’s about some jell-o?” She asked while holding the desert cup. “Ah!” I swiped the cup from her hand and grinned at her. “That’s enough assistance from you, thank you very much. I’ll take it from here.” “I’m only teasing,” Twilight laughed at my now blushing cheeks as I snatched the spoon from her. I took a bite but upon doing so, I suddenly realized that the jell-o was absolutely horrid, and my stomach was about to make me pay for it. It tasted like I was eating flavored toothpaste with too much fluoride infused into it. “Twilight…bucket!” I grunted, my face turning green when Twilight realized what I was asking. Twilight frantically looked around and used her magic to grab a small pale and hovered it over to me. I grabbed the pale and spit out the disgusting jell-o before I could yak up my lunch. “Ugh! What kind of sorry excuse for jell-o was that?!” I gagged. “It defiles the very name of jell-o!” “Guess we can skip desert,” Twilight said while putting the pale back in the corner. “I need to go. I promised the girls I’d let them know as soon as you woke up.” “Sure thing,” I said, and she got up and left. Before she stepped out the door, she glanced over her shoulder to look at me. She and I stared at each other for a few seconds before she gave me a warm and comforting smile. “I’m really glad you’re okay, Willlaim, truly I am,” Twilight said. Hearing that made baring some of the pain easier but as she left, I felt a bit sad and soon it was nothing but the beeping of the monitors and the humming of the vents as I laid there in my bed. As the beeping continued, I felt my eyes grow heavy until they closed completely, and I soon drifted off to sleep again. “I-I don’t know how it’s possible!” “You checked his body, yes? Yet there’s nothing left!” “You think I don’t know that?! I’m a doctor for crying out loud and I’ve never seen anything like it!” I must’ve dozed off for a bit but was awoken to the voices of the staff outside my door. When I opened my eyes, the door opened and the doctor from before walked in followed by two nurses. “Everything alright, doc?” I asked. “Erm…yes, well, sort of,” Greymare said. “How do you feel?” “Honestly?” I said and looked at my hand and opened and closed it. I looked down at my chest and patted it a few times but didn’t feel any pain. “I feel good. Like I’m good as new.” “That’s what I thought,” Greymare said, pinching his snout under his glasses. “Mr. Saber, I was going to keep this to myself, but it would seem that my presumptions are correct.” “What’re you talking about?” I asked. “Your injuries, Mr. Saber,” one of the nurses said. “I came in earlier to check in on you and change your bandages while you slept, only to find that they had completely healed!” I blinked at her words and pulled my gown to check my torso. The bandages had been removed, as she said, and the injuries I sustained during my fight had completely faded away. It was both shocking and unexplainable considering that I felt sore the whole time Twilight was here. “What the heck?” I asked aloud after noticing all my bones were healed and the bruises and cuts from before were gone. “Did you perhaps drink some king of healing potion?” Greymare asked. “No, I didn’t even know that was a thing,” I said. Although, considering this is a world of magic, it wouldn’t be surprising if there was. “Did miss Sparkle use a spell?” Redheart asked. “Not that I know of, we just talked, and she left to meet with her friends,” I said. I decided to take off the covers and stand on my feet. When I placed my feet on the cool hospital floor, I slowly stood up and felt no discomfort whatsoever. “It’s like I was never hurt…” I said, patting my stomach and arms again. “Um…if I may?” The other nurse said. “I do recall seeing something odd when I came to check on you.” “Odd how?” I wondered. “Well, it was faint, but I noticed some sort of strange aura surrounding your body. I thought it was just my imagination, but now that I think more about it, it almost looked sort of dim and flame-like.” Her description made me ponder what she could’ve meant. No one was in the room with me, and I clearly fell back asleep when Twilight left. It obviously couldn’t have been magic, so the only explanation was that I somehow unconsciously healed myself. With Ki? I thought, scratching my chin. But I’ve never even tried practicing healing techniques… As soon as I thought that I recalled something Ivan once told me years ago. During ancient times, masters of martial arts who devoted their lives to fighting and mastering the manipulation of spirit energy had been known to recover from their injuries subconsciously by focusing their ki to heal themselves. This, however, was a talent that only those deeply connected with the energy of their soul could perform. Though they could not manifest their ki into anything like beams or ki waves like I now can, Ivan explained to me that their connection with their inner energy was so deep, it allowed them to do incredible things that no normal human or any modern-day martial artist could do. Could I have done it while sleeping because of my own newfound connection with my powers? I thought. “Well, though you were supposed to stay here for another week or so, I guess we can give you the all clear,” Greymare said while scratching his head at this surprising miracle before giving me back my clothes. “Oh great…” I said after seeing the many holes cut into my shirt as well as the blood stains. “Rarity is gonna kill me for this.” “We’ll leave you to get changed,” the doctor said and he left with the nurses to discuss something in private. I shrugged and took off my gown and draped it on the bed. I was still wearing my boxers and grabbed my pants to put them on. Suddenly, as soon as I put my pants on, the door burst open and Twilight and the others ran in. “WILLY! We’re so glad you’re-!” Pinkie cheered when they all stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they saw me with my bear chest on display. “It’s called knocking for a reason, girls,” I laughed. All the girls were wide-eyed, and their cheeks flushed pink as they just stared. Save for Applejack who was impressed with my physique. “Well dang, sugarcube, where were ya hiding them guns?” AJ asked while coming over to check out my biceps. “Ya might actually give Big Mac a run fer his money.” Applejack started poking my chest and arms and I just smirked at her. “Keep it up, AJ, and I might just have to charge you,” I joked. “Name yer price sugarcube.” She winked, turning my joke against me as I blushed. “Ahem! While this has all been entertaining, I suggest we find a more suitable attire for William’s…imposing figure~.” Rarity batted her eyelashes at me while gazing at my pecs. “What, and deny you a show, Rarity?” I teased, purposely flexing my abs a little. This of course caused Rarity to swoon as she was caught by Fluttershy while Rainbow seemed to grin at me with pride. “Not bad, Saber,” Rainbow said aloud while examining my abs. “Are you okay, William?” Fluttershy asked, peeking from behind her mane. “Sure am,” I nodded, grabbing my torn bloody shirt. “First time I ever fought off a gang of bandits on a train. I felt like I was in one of those old western films.” The girls seemed confused at the word film for some reason but I ignored it. “Man this was my favorite shirt…” “Perhaps I can be of assistance,” Rarity said after managing to collect herself. “It’s the least I could do after that dreadful battle you just endured.” “You do realize my clothes are covered in blood?” I said out of concern. “Fear not, darling, some hot water and bleach and it’ll be good as new,” Rarity said as she used her magic to levitate my shirt away before catching a sour smell. “Eugh! Um, and perhaps you should get yourself freshened up as well, darling. You smell worse than Rainbow’s gym socks after practice.” “HEY!” Rainbow protested. “Eh, no offense taken,” I shrugged. “I should throw you a special hero party for saving the ponies on the train!” Pinkie chirped. “It’s the thought that counts, Pinkie, a party isn’t necessary,” I said. “I just did what needed to be done.”Although, I would’ve been worse off if I was weaker, I thought to myself. If only there was a way to improve my mental training somehow. “Hey girls? Do any of you happen to know someone who’s proficient in meditation around here?” I asked, earning confused looks. “I meditate for my training, but I need a more efficient method instead of just sitting by the lake.” The girls pondered my question for a bit until Twilight perked up. “What about our friend Zecora?” She said. “She meditates pretty frequently and is very spiritual.” “Who?” I asked, unfamiliar with the name. “She’s a zebra who lives on the edge of the Everfree forest,” Twilight explains. “Wait…a zebra? Like an actual zebra with stripes from Africa?” I wondered. “Africa? Never heard of that place,” Applejack said while scratching her chin. “How come I’ve never met her?” I wondered as I put my shoes on. “I think it's because we’ve all been so busy,” Fluttershy said after realizing we had gone through some crazy stuff since my arrival. “Fair enough,” I shrugged. “But first, let’s get me the heck outta this hospital,” I said, slinging my jacket over my shoulder and put my earrings back on before tucking my earbuds and phone in my pockets. After signing the papers and getting the all clear from the doctor, we were finally out and off to Rarity’s boutique to get my clothes fixed but, on the way, I noticed a lot of the townsfolk were more cheerful to see me than before. Some even cheering as I walked by like some kind of bigshot star. “Did I miss something?” I asked my friends who just giggled. “You’re the talk of the town, dude! Everypony knows it was you who stopped those bandits,” Rainbow said before zipping over to the nearest news stand to give me a paper and the headline was shocking to say the least. Sure enough, the front page was of me being carried to the hospital and the headline read: Heroic actions from Ponyville’s local human! Our top story, the Friendship Express was recently under threat from a gang of bandits! All passengers on board were about to be cleaned out of all their valuables had it not been for the courageous efforts of the human, William Saber! Reports from eyewitnesses say that he boldy confronted the bandits all on his own and managed to quite literally blast them all away with his strange powers! All of Ponyville thanks him for saving not only their possessions but also their lives as well! “Wow, that was fast,” I said. In the corner of my eye, I noticed a group of mares eyes me and my shirtless torso with lustful smiles. “The sooner I get new clothes the better…” “I don’t know, maybe you should go shirtless,” Rainbow suggested with a wink making the mares gasp. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded. “Oh please! Like you haven’t been ogling him since we left the hospital!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Hmph! I’ll have you know I was estimating his measurements,” Rarity scoffed with a flip of her mane while the rest of the girls rolled their eyes. “By the way, anyone seen Spike?” I asked after noticing the little drake wasn’t around. “I had him send word to the princess of your recovery; he went back to the library,” Twilight said. I nodded and decided to check if my Ki was still in tact. “Hey Pinkie, can you hold onto this for me?” I said, handing her my jacket. “Yeppers!” Pinkie said with glee. I smiled at her and hopped up and down a few times. I then focused my ki and centered it within my core. Once I felt the familiar sensation build up, I allowed myself to float into the air until I was hovering above the ground. “Yep, still got it,” I said with a smirk. Feeling the need to show off, considering the number of eyes on me, I looked up in the sky and flew upwards as fast as I could. The feeling of the wind blowing against my skin and through my hair was a newfound enjoyment that I could get addicted to. “Woohoo! Flying is just the greatest!” I cheered to my heart’s content and did a few loop-the-loops. I decided to fly a little higher to get a better view. I flew higher and higher until I flew high enough to just barely see Canterlot Castle in the far distance. I closed my eyes and held my arms do drink in the sun’s rays on my skin. “I’m still alive…” I said to myself, letting it sink in. “And no matter what, I’ll stay alive.” I slowly descended back down to the ground where the girls were waiting for me. “Sorry for the delay, girls,” I said as I touched down. “Had to get it out of my system.” “It still baffles me how you can fly so well without wings,” Twilight said. “Yeah, same for me.” I admitted. “Stuff like that only happens when you’re either born an alien from another world or have a super high-tech suit,” I joked. “WILLIAM!” I turned around from the sudden voice, only to be tackled to the ground by an unknown force. When I looked up, it was none other than Lyra as she looked down at me with a wide smile and happy tears. “Oof…hey Lyra, nice to see you too,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were out of the hospital?!? I THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER WAKE UP!” She sobbed while holding onto me. “I’m sorry,” I said while patting her back. “But I’m okay now, really.” Lyra managed to calm down and helped me up. It didn’t take long for her to finally notice I was shirtless, and she ended up staring. “Lyra, staring is rude,” another voice spoke up and Bon Bon approached us. “Good to see you upright, William, gave poor Lyra a scare when you were carried out of the train covered in blood.” “That’s what you get for taking on a gang of bandits, Bon Bon,” I said sarcastically. “I agree,” Bon Bon nodded. “We should get going, Lyra, we still need those ingredients for my new candy.” “Right. I’ll see you around?” Lyra asked while holding my hand. “Yeah, sure Lyra,” I said with a smile, and she let go. I heard giggling from the girls, and I argued a brow at them. “What?” “We saw that,” AJ said. “Saw what?” I wondered. “Oh, don’t be coy, darling, you are obviously attracted to her,” Rarity winked. “A-Attracted?” I stuttered sheepishly. “Please, me? Come on… She’s just a friend. Right? Besides, I’m…” I paused as we neared Rarity’s boutique. “I…I’m a human. What’s the point anyway?” “Darling, I don’t think she cares about that. What matters is how you both feel about one another,” Rarity reassured me. “Blech! Mush…” Rainbow grumbled, making Rarity scowl at her. Rarity opened the door for me, and the girls and I was met with the sight of several different clothes and dresses hanging in possibly every corner of the room. “I feel like I’m in one of those Say Yes to the Dress episodes my mom and sister watch,” I said to myself. “This is very impressive, Rarity, no wonder everyone in town comes to you for clothing needs.” “Oh, darling you flatter me,” Rarity said while fixing her mane as she gave me the tour of the place. “This is where I deign all of my fashion pieces. It is my special talent to create the most fabulous dresses and clothing in the land! One day, I hope that my brand is known throughout all of Equestria!” There was a sparkle in her eye as she was probably picturing herself as a big shot in the fashion industry. “Now let’s find you a new outfit, shall we?” “First thing’s first,” I said, catching a whiff of my now pungent odor. “May I please use your shower? I’d rather not soil any new clothes you have for me.” “Oh, but of course. My powder room is up the stairs, first door on your right. There’s towels on the shelf and some conditioner to help loosen your hair,” Rarity said, and looked at my raggedy hair. “No offense, darling, but you look like you’ve done nothing to maintain your appearance.” “Noted.” I said while heading towards her shower and gave my head a quick scratch as I noticed the amount of dirt underneath my fingernails. “Do you um…” “In the cabinet darling,” Rarity answered for me with a knowing smile. I nodded and made my way up the stairs. I opened the first door on my right and saw arguably the fanciest shower I’ve ever seen. Everything was very posh and refined, as expected from someone like Rarity. “Guess I better get started,” I shrugged and turned on the faucet. Meanwhile With the mares All the mares waited until they heard the water running and they all visibly and physically relaxed while looking very stressed out. “That was exhausting…” Rainbow groaned. “Does he realize how much heartache he put us through?!” “That was…a lot of b-blood,” Fluttershy said sadly. “I thought he was going…to…” “It's a miracle he’s even alive,” Twilight said while she slumped on a chair. “I think this was my first time seeing somepony so badly hurt. Shining always came home with bruises and black eyes from his training days, but this is different since it was actual wounds and blood.” “Then how in tarnation is he walkin’ upright like nothin’ happened?” Applejack wondered. “Perhaps it’s due to his…strange powers,” Twilight said. “Powers? Isn’t it some kind of weird magic?” Pinkie asked. “In a sense, yes, but what we’ve seen from Will is something entirely new. It looked like magic but at the same time it wasn’t,” Twilight expalined. “I’m confused,” Rainbow said while rubbing her head. “If it’s not magic that he can do, then what the hay is it?” “We gotta ask Will more about this when he's done with his shower,” Twilight sighed as she began rubbing her head in frustration. “There are just SO many questions we don’t have answers to!” “He is quite the enigma,” Rarity admitted. “I’m still honestly quite shocked that we are in the presence of a human. Something our mothers and grandmares told us about in ponytales when we were fillies.” “But don’t humans…eat meat?” Fluttershy asked cautiously, making the mares look at her with confused expressions. “I noticed William has sharp incisors in his mouth. So that would mean…he eats meat?” “Oh, come on,” Rainbow waved it off with a roll of her eyes. “This is Will we’re talking about. Of course he doesn’t eat meat!” “Actually, Rainbow, he does,” Twilight said. “According to my research, humans are omnivores.” “Omni…what now?” Applejack asked. “It means they can eat fruits, vegetables and…other living creatures, according to some old history books I’ve read back in Canterlot,” Twilight explained. “They even hunted animals to make clothes.” “How barbaric!” Rarity gasped, feeling queasy. “Now, now, hold on there, girls,” Applejack said, sensing the growing uneasiness from her friends. “Fer as long as we’ve known him, do y’all really think Will is the type of feller to eat meat like some kind of monster? Heck, that colt looks as though he wouldn’t hurt a lil’ ol’ barn mouse, even if he wanted to.” “Well, for his sake, let’s hope you’re right, Applejack,” Twilight said, and the others nodded in agreement. Just as the mares finished their conversation, they detected the feint floral aroma of Rarity’s shampoo before noticing a cloud of steam coming from the stairway as William walked down the steps from out from the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. “Thanks for the shower, Rarity, I really needed that,” William said as he combed his hair with his hand. “The feeling after a nice hot shower will never not be one of my favorite experiences.” All the mares were once again taken by surprise when they saw the young human walk out holding a towel. His muscled frame was on full display and his hair was slicked back a little from the wetness of the shower. His discolored eyes gazed at the group of madly blushing mares as the human looked back at them with an innocent smile. “What?” He asked, tilting his head a little. “Um…William, darling, step right this way. I already have your new wardrobe ready.” Rarity scrambled into action and grabbed one of his muscular arms but failed to hide the smirk on her face as she bit her lip while feeling his muscles. “So, what’ve you been talking about?” William asked, not realizing some of the mares were jealous at Rarity for subtly feeling up his arm. “Oh, just the usual girl talk, you know,” Rarity replied while taking him to the standing blinds to get changed. “I hope you like the selection I picked out for you. It might not be your style but it’s better than wearing tattered and bloody rags.” “Wow, these look great,” William said as he tossed his towel over the blind. “Nice and casual, and just my style.” Twilight gulped as Rainbow and Applejack lidded their eyes. Fluttershy was hiding her blushing face and neck behind her mane and Pinkie covered her mouth as to suppress her laughter. “So, how do they feel, dear?” Rarity wondered, trying not to sound too nervous. “Um…the shirt’s a little tight but it feels alright,” William said from behind the blinds when they heard the distinct sound of a zipper being pulled up. “The pants seem to fit though.” “I’m glad,” Rarity said and glanced at the towel. It took every fiber of her being to not lean in and sniff the towel as she swallowed hard, and she felt a slight dampness on her forehead. Just then, William came out do the changing room wearing a fresh set of clothes with his signature jacket on. “How do I look?” William asked. All the mares could do is stare at their human friend. “Hello? Earth or…Equestria to girls? Am I talking to myself here?” “Oh! Uh, you look great!” Twilight answered, snapping out of stupor. “Oooh, spiffy!” Pinkie added while getting a look at him from all angles. “Remind me how you stick to the roof like that?” William wondered as he literally watched the pink mare look at him from upside down. “It’s Pinkie Pie, hon, don’t question it,” Applejack advised with a wink. “I’ve learned not to,” William said while rubbing his head. “Well. I’m still kinda tired, so I’ll be heading back to the library. I’ll catch you all later. Thanks again for the clothes, Rarity.” Will waved the mares goodbye and left the boutique. The mares were still trying to calm themselves down as Rarity fanned herself with her hand. “Okay, I’ll say it,” Rainbow said, holding her hands up. “He’s hot.” “Hot? Darling, he’s smoking,” Rarity corrected. “Ah’ll admit, he’s not too shabby, and he gave us quite the gun show,” Applejack said with a tip of her hat. “And his arms were beefy too!” Pinkie chirped. “Yes! Will is attractive, we get it,” Twilight shook her head while pinching her muzzle. “So, you admit it?” Rainbow teased, making Twilight flustered. “Can we focus please?!” Twilight snapped with her face flushed pink before storming off. “You think she likes him? I think she likes him,” Pinkie said as they followed. “Hard to say,” Applejack shrugged with a chuckle. “But Ah’m willin’ to say she does.” Author's Note A dream of the queen has answered some questions. Yet more still addle his mind as his new life in this world continues. Side Note: One word: College. That is all. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s New MentorChapter 18 “Huff huff huff huff!” My lungs burned as I kept up my sprint. The cool early morning air blew against me as I ran as fast as I could around the lake. I had rounded the large body of water for the tenth time this morning. I saw the tree where I began my sprint close in, and I pushed myself to run faster for the final stretch. I grit my teeth and held my left hand out towards the incoming tree while I simultaneously pulled out my phone with my right hand. Just as I reached my goal and touched the tree, I pushed a button on my phone at the same time. I ran past the tree and slowed down my run while taking deep breaths. Sweat dripped down my skin, and my leg muscles felt like they were beaten and tenderized with a meat hammer. My heart was beating at least a hundred times a minute as I tried controlling my breathing to calm it down. When I looked at my phone’s screen, I saw the stopwatch time read fifteen minutes and four seconds. “Not bad, just four seconds short of my record.” I panted as the sun began to rise over the hills and a gentle breeze began to blow in from the west. It felt good to be out of the hospital after what I went through but all that time in bed had seriously cut into my workout regime and I needed to get back in fighting shape if I was gonna face any more dangers like those bandits on the train. I walked back over to the tree I passed as I put my phone back in my pocket. I put my hand on the bark and glided it along the rough exterior of the large plant. My hand stopped when I ran it over a spot on the tree. I then made a fist and pressed it against the spot, which was a perfect fit for my fist. I closed my eyes and widened my stance, straightened my arm, and raised my other hand to my side. I cleared my mind of any outside distractions and focused on my ki. My body moved on instinct as I reeled my fist back and delivered a punch right on the tree’s bark. The blow was strong enough to shake the tree but not enough to destroy it and only allowed a few leaves to fall and I repeated the process until all of Ponyville was up and about. By that time, I was drained and decided to take a little nap back at Twilight’s place after wiping the sweat from my body. I looked down at my hands and noticed a few splinters sticking out of my knuckles. I carefully picked the splinters out, which caused a little bit of bleeding. “My progress is good but not good enough,” I said to myself. “I need to push myself further.” I then thought about my sparring match with Shining and how he mentioned there’s a difference between fighting for sport and fighting like your life was on the line. He’s a soldier, which isn’t surprising why he’s got way more experience than me. It actually reminded me of a conversation I once had with Ivan years ago. Flashback “Ivan?” I asked, making my sensei pause from punching a wooden plank. “Have you ever fought outside of karate tournaments?” “Do you mean, have I killed anyone?” My sensei replied while maintaining his focus. “To answer your question, my pupil, I have not. At least not intentionally.” “So, that’s a yes?” I asked. “Why? You always said the art of karate should never be used dishonorably.” “That I did. But one night, I met a group of drunks who were looking to cause trouble. I, of course, tried to mind my own business and went along my way but they, in their drunken stupor, accosted me and demanded I give them money. I refused and so they sought to beat me to a pulp not knowing I was a master,” Ivan said as he stopped to wipe the sweat off his brow. “In the scuffle, one of them pulled a knife.” “Seriously?” I said, imagining what that must’ve been like. “Knives are scary…” “Indeed, and dangerous if used carelessly.” My sensei then showed me a horrid scar on his right arm as he rolled up his sleeve. “After I received this blow, I struck my enemy down without holding back. When I came to, he was covered in bruises and was bleeding from his eye and lip, his face was so swollen that he didn’t even look human. By the time the police arrived, the other two were gone and I was arrested.” “What?!” I yelped. “But…but they were trying to mug you! They’re the ones that should’ve been punished!” “That did not change the fact that I did not restrain myself. In my rage I became my enemy and acted in haste and anger.” Ivan walked up to me and bent down on his knee to look at me at eye level. “Never forget, my pupil: Martial Arts is a means to defend yourself and those around you, never use it for vengeance.” Present “Not for vengeance, huh?” I said to myself as I quietly opened the door to the library. “You make it sound so easy, Ivan.” Two Hours Later 3rd POV Spike sluggishly walked down the stairs and yawned loudly. Twilight was sitting at the table sipping coffee while reading over some scrolls. “Morning, Twilight…” Spike said. “Morning Spike, sleep well?” She asked as they greeted each other with a hug. “Well enough, I saw Will go out for his morning training earlier,” Spike said with another yawn. To this, Twilight sighed knowing Will was supposed to be taking it easy after getting out of the hospital. “Where is he now?” Twilight wondered. “Back in bed I think.” Spike yawned once again while digging through the fridge for some breakfast. “Still?” Twilight said, looking out the window. “The sun’s already almost fully risen.” “Guess he must’ve really pushed himself,” Spike shrugged as he pulled out a few fruits. “Well, that’s no excuse for sleeping all day,” Twilight said and stood up. “I’m gonna go wake him up. I still have a lot of questions for him about humans.” “I’ll be down here stuffing my face,” Spike said with a content smile as he pulled out a cupcake and a glass of milk as Twilight stormed upstairs. Upon nearing Will’s room, she swore she could hear the sound of an engine revving up as Will snored away much to her annoyance. “Will?” Twilight called out and knocked on the door but received no response. “Will! Wake up!” Still nothing. “I’m coming in, Will! You don’t want to experience how I wake up Spike sometimes when he oversleeps!” The threat fell on deaf ears, which made Twilight stamp her hoof irritably. “You asked for this!” Without hesitation, Twilight opened the door to Will’s room and stepped inside. The librarian saw Will laying on his side on the bed with his back turned to Twilight. Will was snoring like a train so loud that she could swear she heard the window shake a little. “Honestly, Will…” Twilight sighed as she approached the snoring human. “You can’t just sleep all day, you need to wake up and-!” Twilight’s voice was suddenly brought to an immediate end when Will rolled over on his back. Her eyes went wide and almost popped out of her skull when she saw Will’s bear chest on full display. Twilight had seen Will without a shirt on back at the hospital but she wasn’t really paying any attention to his physical features. Now, however, she was alone and in the same room as her human roommate. Heat began to rise in Twilight’s cheeks as she found herself staring at Will’s body. “No…shirt!” she squeaked while staring at his chiseled body as he snored away and grumbled. “Haaa…aaaabs~,” She said with a bit of drool trailing down the side of her mouth while fanning herself. “Wait…what am I doing?!” Twilight yelped quietly. “This is so uncouth!” She paused and mentally facepalmed. “Ugh, I sound like Rarity.” Twilight shook her head and then found herself staring at Will’s chest again. The way it rose and fell with his breathing made his abdomen muscles flex a little every so often. “Okay, maybe a few minutes more,” the blushing mare said, once again losing herself to her desires. “Who knew humans could be so…physically fit.” Her observation was cut short when a rooster let out a loud crow that roused will from his sleep. Will 1st POV “Mmf…” I mumbled a little and slowly opened my eyes. I sat up and stretched my arms over my head while smacking my lips. It wasn’t until about a minute into me waking up did I finally notice I wasn’t alone. I looked to my left to see Twilight standing stiff as a statue. “Uh…morning?” I said to Twilight but she didn’t answer. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” “Oh! Uh N-N-Nothing’s wrong, I just didn’t wanna disturb you!” She replied while darting her head the other direction leaving me a bit confused as I got out of bed to find a shirt. “Sorry if I slept in, I was out doing some training,” I said as I sat on the edge of my bed. “I-I-It’s fine,” Twilight stammered. I stood up and stretched my arms out to the side and yawed. “So, what’s on the agenda today?” I asked with a smile. “Oh, well, to be honest you should just rest. Doctors said you need time to fully heal before doing anything…extreme,” Twilight said, having completely forgotten the glorious sight she had witnessed earlier. “Eh, I’m fine,” I shrugged. “In fact, I gotta get back out there.” “Uh uh uh! not until you’ve had a proper breakfast,” Twilight objected just as my stomach started to growl. “Well…I guess I do need some sustenance,” I shrugged. “Need to keep my ki levels full, after all.” I walked past her and she flinched when I accidentally bumped my elbow against her arm. “You coming?” I asked as I slung a fresh shirt over my shoulder. For some reason, when I turned around Twilight looked like she was in some kind of trance and I could swear I could see little hearts floating above her head. “Hello? Earth to- uh, I mean Equestria to Twilight!” I said, waving my hand in front of her face. “Huh? what?” She snapped out of her trance and shook her head. “We gonna grab something to eat or what?” I asked again. “Oh! Uh, sure!” Twilight said before suddenly darting ahead of me, almost like she was avoiding me or something. I headed downstairs after Twilight while Spike was in the middle of mixing batter. “Morning, Spike, what’re you making?” I asked. “My signature pancakes! extra fluffy,” Spike said while humming a tune as he stirred the batter while Twilight set up the table but once more she seemed to be daydreaming and was setting up the tableware in the wrong places. “Hmm…mind if I add something?” I offered while opening some cupboards. “You got any spices?” “That cupboard on the left,” Twilight said. I opened it up and looked inside to see different bottles of spices. Surprisingly, they had similar spices like the ones back home. I reached inside and grabbed the cinnamon and nutmeg. “Here, allow me,” I said and stirred the bowl for Spike while adding the spices. “Ooh you cook?” Spike asked while taking the used dishes to the sink. “Did it a lot with my mom, back home. She made the most phenomenal breakfast your taste buds ever tasted! it took me years to perfect her recipes,” I said as I rolled up my sleeves. As I stirred the bowl, Spike was buttering the pan for me while Twilight read a scroll. I added a spoonful of honey to the mix to give it that extra sweet taste. “So, Will. Now that you’re out of the hospital, you gonna go back to work with Applejack?” Spike asked me. “Not exactly. I’m gonna go find this Zecora Twilight told me about,” I said as Spike flipped on the stove and placed the pan on top. “She’s a shaman right? Which means she’s big on meditation.” “And potions,” Spike added while the first of the batter was poured. “Did you know she actually found a cure for a chicken’s sore throat? She’s awesome but not as awesome as Rarity.” “Alright I get it, lover boy,” I teased. I waited until the pancakes were done on one side and flipped them with a spatula. The sides were golden brown and the room was filled with the sweet aroma of the pancakes and spices I added. “I’ll make another batch after this one,” I said. “Does anyone want me to add fruit? Or perhaps chocolate chips?” “ME!” Spike cheered with his hand raised. “I’ll get the whipped cream,” Twilight smiled while going to the fridge as the first stack was laid on the table. “Wow, these smell great!” Spike was preparing to dig in before noticing me fold my hands as I closed my eyes. “Thanks for the food!” I said before digging in. The minute I tasted the pancakes, it reminded me of my mother’s recipe and back home. I smiled ear to ear as the sweet taste of pancake, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey spread across my mouth. I then noticed Spike and Twilight looked awestruck as they had yet to finish their first bite. “Something wrong? I’m sure I got the recipe right,” I asked before they resumed their meal in earnest with Spike stuffing his cheeks to the brim with every bite. “So GOOD!” Spike cried “This is amazing!” Twilight said while savoring her meal. “Wait, are you telling me you don’t put any spices or sweeteners in pancakes?” I asked. “Not like this!” Spike said with his mouth still full. “This recipe is amazing! You gotta teach me!” Twilight said in earnest hoping I would divulge my family secrets but much to her disappointment I zipped my mouth shut with a smug grin. “Sorry but family recipe means family only,” I proclaimed proudly. “Then I guess Twilight should marry you, huh?” Spike joked. Twilight choked on her pancake and began coughing up a storm while holding her throat. I reacted quickly by jumping from my seat to the mare and wrapped my arms around her stomach. “Breathe, Twilight! Breathe!” I yelped while giving her the Heimlich maneuver. “MM! PLECH!” The bit of food that was jammed in Twilight’s throat came out like a shot and allowed her to catch her breath. “What was that about?” Spike asked in confusion while she tried to compose herself. “Spike, never EVER joke about stuff like that!” She scolded with her cheeks turning pink. Twilight sat down to catch her breath and I poured some water for her and rubbed her back. “You okay?” I asked out of concern. “I-I’m fine. Just a little startled, that's all.” Twilight fanned herself before resuming her breakfast. “We should finish up if we wanna stay on schedule.” “Can I have some more?” Spike asked. “Sure,” I said while shooting Spike a deadpanned look. “But after that comment, you’re on dish duty.” “Aw man…” Spike grumbled. When our breakfast was finished, I made my way towards the Everfree Forest and followed Twilight’s directions as I headed through town and was greeted by everyone I passed by. I followed the path that led me on the outskirts of town. The trees were beginning to get a little thicker but I managed to stay on the path. As I walked, I heard the sounds of someone humming a tune. When I looked up, I saw Fluttershy flying above me carrying a basket. “Fluttershy!” I called out. “AH!” Fluttershy quickly ducked behind the nearest bush and dropped her basket. “Oops, sorry,” I apologized sheepishly. “Oh, it’s you, Will.” She came out from her hiding spot after recognizing my voice and collected her basket. “What brings you all the way out here?” I asked. “Just picking up some vegetables for my little friends,” Fluttershy said. “What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting?” “I’m actually fully recovered,” I said. “It was thanks to my power that I was able to heal so fast. I’m off to see this Zecora person to see if she can help me with something.” “Oh, well, in that case could you ask if she can make some potions for my animals? A few rabbits have a case of the sniffles.” She asked with a polite smile. “Of course. Well, I better get going.” I waved goodbye as I continued to the forest. “Be careful, Will!” Fluttershy said. “Man, this forest is nuts!” I said as I pushed more tree branches out of the way. It had been an hour since I began my trek through a thick brush of trees and it felt like I wasn’t making much headway despite staying on the path. Not to mention the fact that I felt like I needed to keep my head on a swivel because of all the unsettling noises I heard around me. It was as if the forest had eyes and they were all staring at me from every corner. “I better be getting close…” I grumbled. “I wonder if it would be easier to fly there? Even though I have no idea what her place looks like.” My train of thought was interrupted when I tripped over a root and fell into a puddle of what I hoped was mud. “If there were three guys following me right now, they’d throw their heads back and laugh…” I grumbled. I stood back up and saw a big mud stain on my shirt and frowned. “Man, I just got clean!” I complained, getting a bit irritated. “Just where the heck is this Zecora anyway?! All I see is forest!” In my frustration, I noticed a smoke stack not far off and could smell something brewing. I figured I was getting close as I kept moving towards the smoke and found myself staring at a small hut made of straw and twigs decorated with masks. and inside a large bubbling cauldron. “A hut?” I said aloud and approached it. “What’s a hut doing in the middle of the forest?” “What do we have here?” A sudden voice said behind me. “A visitor far from anywhere near?” I turned around to see a mare walk out from the brush with a satchel on her shoulder. She had gray fur with darker gray stripes on the sides of her arms, legs, body, and neck. Her black and white striped hair was styled in a mohawk, her eyes were a darkish turquoise color, and she wore golden rings on her neck. However, the most noticeable thing about his mare was her attire. The zebra mare wore what could only be described as a bra made out of fur and a loincloth that wrapped around her waist to cover her front and back, just enough so it wouldn’t show anything private. The fur bra, however, looked like it was holding up her admittedly large bust firmly enough so it would provide enough cleavage for the imagination. Impure thoughts, begone! I thought to myself before clearing my throat. “Um…are you perhaps Zecora?” “Indeed that is my name, I trust there is a reason that you came?” She asked while sauntering over to the cauldron with a sway in her hips as I found myself being drawn in by her ample flank and tail. For god’s sake, why is she wearing something so freaking exposing like that?! I screamed internally before speaking. “My name’s William, ma’am,” I said politely. “William Saber. I’m a friend of Twilight.” “Ah yes. In many a tale your name was told so tell me what brings you to my humble abode?” She asked before sampling her brew and added a few more ingredients. “It’s kinda a long story,” I said, scratching the back of my head. “Then all the more reason to listen to your tale, for I am accustomed to aid in any avail,” Zecora said. “Before I start, may I ask why you rhyme like that?” I asked, curious of her speech. “I’ve never met anyone who talks like that.” “A tradition from my homeland far, for when we tell stories under the stars. To entice young ones and enchant their mind, we learned to speak in rhythm and rhyme.” Her response was so poetic I almost lost myself. She’d make a killing at poetry clubs, I thought. “I don’t mean to be rude, but is there any way you can speak without rhymes?” “It is not a difficult task, all you need to do is ask,” zecora said, making me facepalm myself before she let out a short laugh. “Forgive me, I couldn't help myself!” She finally spoke without rhyming much to my relief. “Twilight never mentioned you were also a teaser,” I said with a smile as I sat down by her. “And she never mentioned you were so handsome~.” She winked as she finished her brew and wiped the sweat from her curvy body. I couldn’t help but notice the gleam from her boobs before slapping myself in front of her. “Uhh mosquitoes!” I said sheepishly while she blinked at me. “I see,” she nodded. Get it together, Saber! You’re here for a reason! Not to ogle at the pretty zebra lady! I thought. I spent the next hour telling Zecora a little about myself and how I came to this world. I told her about my encounter with Nightmare Moon, my experience in Canterlot with the memories of Sir Rokai, my battle on the train, and even the dream I had about Faust. Zecora remained silent the whole time while closely listening to my story. “So I came here to seek you out,” I finished. “I need to improve my meditation skills so I can increase my ki center’s strength and capacity.” “I see. You came here so there would be no distractions to your training,” Zecora repeated my circumstance in a more simpler term while pondering how she could help. “Hmm I know a few places where you may train but the Everfree Forest is filled with many dangers. I myself risk my own life each time I go out to forage for ingredients.” “Does that mean you won’t help me?” I asked nervously. “I didn’t say that,” Zecora said. “I’d be more than happy to assist you. Which reminds me. You say you are a warrior, yes?” “Well, I wouldn’t say a seasoned warrior, but I know how to fight,” I answered. “Why?” “In my homeland, I hail from a village of well-renowned zebra warriors,” Zecora said. “I too am no stranger to hand-to-hoof combat.” “Uh…” I mumbled, trying to process what she said. “You know how to fight?” Zecora would then demonstrate her skills by grabbing a staff from the wall and began twirling it like a pro before pointing one end at my throat. “Care to test your skills against mine?” She said with a smirk almost as if she were flirting with me. “Woah…” I gulped but nodded. “Okay, I’m never one to back down from a challenge.” I stood up while taking off my jacket and set it aside. We both stepped away from the hut and cauldron and we both took a stance. “Are you prepared?” Zecora asked, pointing her staff at me. “Sure am,” I said. “Here I come!” I hopped in place while holding my fists up and shimmied towards Zecora. Once I was within range, I tried throwing a straight punch at her. In a simple sidestep, she dodged my attack and threw me to the ground using her staff. I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me as I stared up at the canopy in bewilderment when she stood over me. “Are we done warming up or do you still not take me seriously?” Zecora asked with sarcasm in her voice as I got up and dusted myself off. I shook my head and decided to get serious. I jumped at her while swinging my leg for a roundhouse to her head. Only she saw it coming and ducked out of the way like she slid past it. I landed on the ground and dug my foot in the dirt to try and deliver a back kick by thrusting my other leg backwards. “Better,” Zecora said while blocking the attack. “But you’re wide open.” She then surprised me by slamming her staff right on top of my head before tripping me up and making me taste dirt once more. “Never expose your back to your opponent unless they are on the ground!” She lectured as I got up. “And do not be so predictable with your attacks, throw your opponent off balance.” “Ugh…how are you doing this?” I groaned. “Shining right all along. There is a difference between fighting for sport and fighting for your life.” “For starters, I don’t use flashy moves and brute strength,” Zecora started while circling me like a real instructor. “Reckless attacks should only be used in desperation and secondly.” She pointed her staff at me with a smirk. “I don’t get distracted by my opponent’s assets.” Zecora was right, and I knew it. If the train battle was any indication, I would probably be facing another situation like that again with my life on the line. Rokai was fighting for his life every day on the front lines. Even while beaten and bloodied, he still stayed strong for the sake of others. Meanwhile, I wasted a few days in the hospital after only a single fight with bandits. With my conviction heightened, I adjusted myself on the ground until I was sitting on my knees. I looked up at Zecora, and then bowed my head at the mare. “Zecora, I, William Saber, do humbly request you make me your student,” I said formally. “Please teach me how to fight with my life on the line.” “I suppose I could use an apprentice but mind you, I will not simply teach you combat. You will learn how to survive in nature, to thrive in it. Only by becoming one with the land can you truly rise to be its protector.” Zecora then stood me up and pointed me towards two empty buckets and I already knew where this was going. “For your stamina training, fetch water from the well without spilling a single drop.” “Sounds simple enough,” I said, but she bonked me on the head. “Ow! What was that for?!” “You must be humble even with the simplest tasks. Furthermore, you are forbidden from using ANY of your powers!” She said sternly while placing her staff against the hut. “Now go and do not dawdle.” I rubbed my head and picked up the buckets. “Wait, are you talking about the river I passed by?” Zecora smirked at me as she resumed stirring her cauldron. “But that’s at least an hour away from here!” “Better hurry then, the sun will be setting and that's when the timberwolves hunt,” Zecora said in a casual manner while stirring the pot. “There will be a nice dinner waiting for you when you get back.” “Why am I starting to regret this already?” I asked while walking away. My shoulders felt like they were going to fall off as I carried the buckets back from getting water from the river. I had a feeling Zecora made me use these large buckets on purpose because she knew how heavy they’d be once they were filled up. I had almost spilled the water no thanks to the uneven terrain of the forest so I had to walk as slowly and calmly as possible. Every step I took felt like it weighed more than the last until I somehow managed to make it back to the hut. Zecora was sitting in a lotus position. “Made it…” I groaned, setting the water buckets down. “What do you need the water for?” “To bathe of course,” Zecora said with her eyes closed. “I may live in the wild but even I am not foolish enough to wash in the river where I might be attacked by predators or peeked at by a certain someone.” “I-I would never!” I said with my cheeks turning pink as she smirked at me with one eye open. “Could have fooled me with the way you were staring at me earlier,” she teased. “You’re such a tease, Zecora…” I scoffed. “Bwana,” Zecora corrected as she stood up and picked up her staff. “Huh?” I said. “It means master in my native tongue. and that is what you will call me during your stay,” Zecora said before getting up to stretch. “Stay? Wait, how long am I staying?” I asked, and she eyed me. “Um…I mean, how long am I staying, Bwana?” “Until I say you are done. Now, go into the woods and find something for us to eat,” she ordered. “In...there? Unsupervised?” I gulped, having not been in the forest at night before. “Is that a problem?” Zecora questioned. “No…I guess not…” I sighed and trudged into the forest. Later The sun had long since set and the stars illuminated the night sky. I honestly lost track of time since Zecora had me scrounge for food. I somehow managed to find some berry bushes and whole mushrooms all around and carried them in the bucket Zecora gave me. When I finally managed to return to the campsite, Zecora was doing some kind of motion with her staff that looked like tai chi. “I’m back…again,” I groaned. “Good, let us see what you brought,” Zecora said. Without a care in the world, I dropped various mushrooms and fruits on the ground as I dropped to my knees and watched as she began inspecting my harvest. “Hmm,” she hummed as she examined my loot. “So…how’d I do?” I asked before she began chucking everything away. “HEY! What gives?!” “Everything you brought was poisonous,” Zecora said while showing me some of the mushrooms I brought. “This causes hallucinations, this one causes paralysis, and this one slows your blood flow.” I facepalmed and dragged my hand down my face with an exhausted sigh. “We’re gonna starve…” I complained as my stomach growled. “I didn’t even have lunch yet.” “Not to worry, I have a stew ready,” Zecora said, surprising me when I caught a whiff of her cooking. “Then why have me forage if you already have food?!” I shouted in outrage as she prepared some bowls for us. “A lesson in survival, young cub. Not everything in nature is edible,” Zecora smirked before we began to dine under the stars. “Also, be sure to take a bath after this. You smell.” “Gee! I wonder why?!” I groaned as Zecora suppressed a laugh and handed me a bowl of stew. “I hope Twilight isn’t too worried about me…” Meanwhile Twilight had been pacing back and forth in her library as the hour grew late, she'd been waiting for me to return and figured I'd be back in no time at all. “Ohh, where is he?” She asked herself when Spike came in wearing pajamas. “Twilight? Why are you still awake?” Spike asked. “I’m awake because Will isn’t home yet!” Twilight shrieked. “He should be back by now!” Tap Tap, Tap! Twilight paused her pacing and looked to see a crow pecking at the glass window. Twilight cocked her head and noticed there was a little piece of paper strapped to its leg. “A crow?” Twilight wondered as she opened the window for it. “CAW!” The bird gave Twilight the scroll before giving a feathered salute and flew off as Twilight read the scroll aloud. Twilight, this is from Zecora. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, young William shall be staying with me until his training is complete. No need to worry, it won't be long. Your friend, ~Zecora. P.S. Don’t be shocked I didn’t rhyme. “WHAT?!” Twilight shrieked. “DID ZECORA JUST FOALNAP MY ROOMMATE?!” “Uhh…I don’t think this counts as foalnapping mainly ‘cause Will chose to go and he’s not a foal. He’s not even a pony,” Spike pointed out. “NOT helping, Spike!” Twilight snapped. Author's Note Our Hero’s newest experience begins with his newest mentor. Side Note: Apologies for the extended wait on this. Ideas have been kinda stagnant but my cowriter and I are staring to pick it up. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s NightmareChapter 19 Sleep has always been one of my favorite times of the day. You’re in the comfort of your own bed, a nice fluffy pillow under your head, and covered in warm blankets. However, since I’m now under the tutelage of Zecora the zebra for the past few days, I’ve now been reduced to sleeping on the cold muddy ground within Zecora’s hut with Zecora. It would be a massive understatement to say that this is the most uncomfortable experience I’ve had in my life. I had no pillow, no covers, and no mattress that I usually am used to having during my sleep. Zecora, somehow, didn’t seem at all bothered by it and had managed to fall right to sleep. I’m not sure how or why but after forcing my eyes shut for about ten minutes, I somehow managed to fall asleep as well. I soon found myself floating in a familiar starry void. I looked around for anything else in particular but there was only emptiness. “Well, at least I’m sleeping…” I said to myself. “I don’t know how Zecora does it.” Suddenly, the atmosphere became thick, and a chill ran up and down my spine. A sort of shadow loomed over me from behind and I looked back to see three shadowy figures look down at me with piercing gazes. “Who the hell are you?!” I asked. “…bug,” one of the figures said in an echoey voice. My whole frame was completely locked up at the sound of the figure’s voice. It was a voice I had hoped and prayed to forget about for so many years. My breathing became erratic, and my body started shivering all over. The figures became larger and taller as their eyes kept boring holes into my very soul. “N-No…” I tried to say. “Y-You can’t…h-hurt me anymore! W-We escaped! You have n-no control! No control! NONE!” “You can’t run from me, BOY!” Another voice called out. “You a hero? What a joke!” “GET AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed and tried firing a ki blast, but nothing came out. “S-STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!” I tried running away but the shadows began overwhelming me. “You are a bug!” “How dare you try to speak! Bugs like you should know their place!” “You are a disgrace!” “Life is wasted in a mere bug like you!” “You shall become fodder to the ritual!” The fear felt soul-crushing as despair filled my soul, and I could hardly breathe. “HELP! HELP ME! SOMEBODY! MOM! MOM, HELP!” “BEGONE!!” In a flash of light, the images were dispersed, and a bright glow filled the room before I found myself under a starry sky in a grassy field. I fell to my knees as I hugged my arms and was hyperventilating. My body felt like it was vibrating I was shivering so much. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t think straight which made me dizzy. “William?” I heard a faint voice, followed by a gentle touch on my shoulder. I reacted by swatting the hand away and crawling away from whoever touched me. “Get away! Get away!” I screamed. “Don’t hurt me!” “William, it’s me! It's Luna!” I snapped out of my fear-induced trance and looked up to see Luna staring down at me with concern. “P-Princess Luna?” I said in quivering voice. The lunar princess looked at me like she never expected me to be wallowing in fear. “I-I’m sorry… Let me get up.” I tried to stand up, but my legs betrayed me due them still shaking a little. “Damnit…this is embarrassing.” “Here, let me help you.” Luna helped me to stand yet still my legs were quivering and she could feel my skin was cold as ice. “What was that you just saw? I’ve never seen nightmares like those.” I looked away from Luna with a frown. “It’s…trauma. Very deep-seated trauma. From my childhood,” I said. “Those shadows were…people I longed to forget about. It’s honestly been many years since I had a nightmare like that.” Luna then wrapped a wing around me as I quivered like a frightened child. I felt pathetic appearing like this in front of her yet when she placed her hands on me, I felt safe and warm, and my fears seemed to fade almost instantly. “What happened? you can tell me,” Luna said with a pleading look, begging me to let her in. When I tried to speak, the words died in my throat when those voices echoed in my head. I tried to hold in my fear, but the hyperventilating came back, and I was breathing heavily again. “Won’t…go back…” I mumbled to myself. “Don’t…control me…!” “William, look at me.” Luna spoke in a warm voice as she held my face, her gaze was like that of a mother looking worried for her child and I couldn't help but sob when I embraced her, and she held me close with her wings wrapping around me. “Shh it’s alright, you’re safe now,” Luna whispered. “I was never safe…” I wept. “Me…and my mother. Those monsters…they weren’t human.” “…your father?” She asked while still holding me. “And my brother…” My voice turned from fear to anger, and it seemed to change the dreamscape as the grass began to die and storm clouds formed overhead. “And…my uncle!” My rage grew and grew as my fear vanished and thunder began crackling in the sky. Luna was forced to back off from the wind as a massive wave of ki burst forth from my body, covering me like a white flame. “THEY ROBBED ME OF MY INNOCENCE! THEY TORE A HOLE IN MY HEART THAT WILL NEVER BE FILLED!” I screamed as the aura around me flickered violently. “I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM I HATE THEM I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM ALL!” Even as the storms raged around me, Luna did not cower in fear or demand that I stop. Instead, she placed her hands on my shoulder and looked at me with sadness. “I understand your rage, William, but it does not define you, your past does not define you. You are who you chose to be,” Luna tried to say. “How can you understand my pain?!” I yelled back. “Because I too once hated my own sister,” Luna confessed. “WE ARE NOT THE SAME, LUNA!” I bellowed, shoving her away. “MY OWN BROTHER KILLED SOMEONE PRECIOUS TO ME!” “Tell me so I can help!” Luna shouted over the raging storms even as the lightning struck around her. “NOBODY CAN HELP ME!” I screamed as the ground started to shake. “Sister!” Luna called out as her horn glowed. “Sister! I need you!” As the storm grew with intensity, Celestia came rushing through a portal to see Luna struggling to stand against the winds as my rage grew out of control to the point where the earth cracked beneath us and turned into a molten wasteland. “Luna, what’s wrong?!” Celestia asked while shielding her sister. “William’s rage! It’s taking him over! if we don’t stop him soon, he could be lost to us!” Luna warned. “I’LL KILL THEM!” I seethed with hatred. “I’LL FIND A WAY BACK WITH THESE POWERS AND BLAST THEM ALL TO FUCKING PIECES!” “William, please listen to me!” Celestia called out before being forced to use her magic to trap me in a bubble. “Vengeance is not the way, no matter how angry you feel. I promise that even if you take your revenge, you will feel empty!” “THEN WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE IN THIS WORLD?!” I yelled at her. “MY LIFE IS BACK ON EARTH WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS! I HAVE NO ONE AND NOTHING!” “YOU HAVE US!!” Celestia yelled back in an equal tone that seemed to almost instantly snap me out of it. “You have your friends! We have looked after you, we were there for you when you were hurt! you are not alone…not anymore.” I stared into Celestia’s and Luna’s eyes and the storm raged around me. Their words struck something in me that managed to calm my nerves little by little. As I slowly started to calm down, the storm around me began to subside. Celestia and Luna took the opportunity to slowly approach me as my anger and frustration turned into shame and embarrassment. “I’m so pathetic…” I spoke in a defeated tone. ”It’s alright to be angry,” Luna said as they hugged me. “But you don't have to keep those emotions to yourself, let us help you heal.” Celestia smiled and brought my head to rest on her chest like she was a mother. I stayed like this for an untold amount of time as Celestia caressed my head. The storm had completely passed, and the starry sky came back above us. “Are you okay now, William?” Luna asked. “Yeah, I’ll be okay…” I sighed. “Can’t remember the last time I had a panic attack like that. I almost forgot what it felt like.” I was silent for a moment before looking up at the stars. “Twenty years…” “Hm?” Celestia looked down and saw I was clenching my fists in anger. “I haven’t thought about those thugs in twenty long years…” I stated. I stood up from Celestia’s hug and tried recounting my methods to calm my nerves. “When I was five years old, something happened to my mother and I with my biological father, brother, and uncle,” I spoke softly. “It shook me to my very core, and warped my mind for several years as I grew up. It wasn’t until my mother met my stepfather and sister did I manage to be brought back from the brink.” “If this memory brings you pain then speak no more of it,” Luna said after seeing storm clouds form overhead again. “Come to me when you feel like talking.” “Only YOU sister?” Celestia quirked a brow at Luna. “Oh, come now Celestia, you know what I meant,” Luna brushed it off. “I wouldn’t want to burden either of you,” I said, shaking my head. “But it is refreshing to be able to dream about some familiar faces.” “Dream?” Luna spoke. “We are no illusion, William, we are very real.” I cocked my head at her remark with a perked brow. “I beg your pardon?” “I guess you didn’t know but my sister has the power to see one’s dreams in order to help deal with their nightmares. She summoned me because well…” Celestia trailed off. “You were more than even I could handle, dear William,” Luna confessed while demonstrating her power to me as she made the grass beneath us bloom into a field of flowers with a single touch. “In the dream realm, one is not bound to the limits of the waking world. It can be a place of great joy but also…a place of great fear.” “You can control dreams?” I asked. “More like I watch over them so those who sleep may slumber soundly, but yes, I do,” Luna nodded. “That’s…pretty damn cool!” I spoke enthusiastically. “No wonder everyone always looks like they had a good night’s sleep. And why I haven’t had a nightmare since I got here.” “Indeed, but for those whose nightmares are too strong, I help them confront their fears,” Luna explained. “While this has been a lovely chat, I must return to my dream. I do have meetings in the morning,” Celestia hinted to her sister as another portal was summoned. “Fare thee well sister, have fun on Cake Island,” Luna teased. “LUNA?!” Celestia yelped. “Oops! That was supposed to remain secret!” Luna teased. I laughed a little as Celestia left in a huff and it was just me and Luna. “I’m really sorry you had to see my ugly side, princess,” I said in a guilty tone. “I thought I had buried that part of me deep within my subconscious years ago.” “Perhaps it’s time to learn to control your dreams,” Luna said while letting a butterfly land on her finger. “I can do that?” I wondered. “Of course, dear William. As I said, one is not limited in dreams. In this realm, every thought, every imagination becomes real, and I have seen many extraordinary and somewhat strange dreams in my time,” Luna explained to me. I contemplated her words and looked around us. If what she said was true, then I could make the landscape around us into anything I so desire it to be. I thought about what else this world could be used for, until I had an interesting idea. “Princess, would you say this world could also have an effect on me in the physical world?” I asked. “How do you mean?” Luna asked. “Well, I’ve recently become the apprentice of Zecora the zebra.” Luna nodded as if knowing who Zecora was. “She said she’d help train me to fight properly and how to survive in a wild environment. So, my question is, is it possible to train myself in the dream realm as well?” “Hmm…there was a theory that said it was possible,” Luna said while pondering my question. “Really?” I asked. “When I first was learning how to govern the dream realm, ponies would often dream about their special talents,” Luna said. “In theory, whatever they learned while dreaming, they were able to replicate in the physical world.” “So, if I were to say practice to improve my martial arts skill or strengthen my ki center, could it have the same effect on me in real life?” I asked. “I suppose it’s possible. Only one way to find out,” Luna said. “How?” I wondered. “Simple. I shall be your guide in the dream realm,” Luna proclaimed. I had to do a double take at Luna after processing what she offered to me. It soon dawned on me that I just got offered to be Princess Luna’s dream apprentice. “You wanna teach me?” I asked dumbly. “But…why? What about your duties?” “I’ve already finished them, you were actually my last stop,” Luna smiled as she stood up and fixed her dress. “Now, I suppose we can train in this field, but I think a more practical setting is needed. wouldn’t you agree?” She asked me with a smile. “I want you to picture a place in your mind, a place where you can focus your abilities.” I looked around me at the endless plain of grass and starry sky. I crossed my arms and thought about how else I could make the landscape in order to train properly in the dream realm. It had to be something I was familiar with; something I had always wondered what it would be like if it were real. “…that’s it!” I said to myself after coming up with the perfect setting. I focused my mind and the landscape around us began to morph and change. The starry sky was replaced with a bright and sunny day, the grassy plains were replaced with a stage-like arena with stone plates, and large stadium-like bleachers surrounded us. A building also rose up by us along with some rows of flags, and a gong appeared by the entrance. When I was done with my preparation, I couldn’t help but grin excitedly as Luna and I stood in the middle of the ring of the World Martial Arts Tournament ring from my favorite tv show, Dragon Ball Z. “Woah…” I said as I looked around. “I can’t believe I’m here! It’s so much bigger than I thought it looked in the show!” “Hmm, quite the arena. Are you a competitive fighter?” Luna asked as I continued to geek out at my childhood fantasy. “Oh, uhh, no. I actually saw this from a TV show I really loved as a kid.” I began to feel embarrassed after revealing something so personal, but the princess didn’t seem to mind. “No need to fear, young William, we are all children at heart but um…” Luna trailed off. “Something wrong?” I wondered. “Do cheerleaders really dress like that in your world?” She pointed to the line of babes in smoking hot bikinis waving pom poms. “Crap!” I focused as hard as I could to make the women disappear as I felt a hot wash of embarrassment. “Um…please ignore that.” “No worries, ‘'ve seen far more scandalous dreams in the minds of young colts…some of which involve me and my sister doing all sorts of-” “AHH! Can we get back to the training please?” I pleaded, unable to hide my embarrassed blush. “Oh, yes. My apologies,” Luna said sheepishly. I had to take a deep breath and force myself to forget what she just said. “Now then, William, let us start with a simple test of your skills,” Luna said. “Okay, how?” I asked. “Show me what you can do. Pretend you are practicing on your own,” Luna said as she stepped away to give me space. I shrugged at her request but nodded anyway. I took off my jacket and tossed it aside before taking a stance. I started out with skipping in place and delivering a series of punches in the air. I showed her inverted punches, hook punches, blocking punches, followed by two-handed punch techniques like parallel punches, scissors punches, and mountain punches. I then switched up my style by using some palm strikes, and four-knuckle punches and a few spear hand techniques that Ivan once showed me. I kept punching the air, showing off all the punching techniques I knew, before switching to kicking techniques. I jumped in the air and delivered a crescent kick, followed by a roundhouse kick and tornado kick. My kicks were smooth and sharp as I recalled everything I could that Ivan taught me. All the while, Luna was patiently watching me as if she was analyzing my fighting styles. “Hmm, very good. you had an excellent teacher,” Luna complimented. “One of the best,” I said as she complimented my sensei. “Now let us see how you fare against magic, I will be your opponent,” Luna said. “Say wha?” I said, stopping mid kick. “None of our battle mages are fit enough to be an opponent for you. Therefore, I will take it upon myself to instruct you.” Luna then began to form an orb of magic in her hands before making it zip around in all directions with a speed faster than my eyes could keep up with. “Let us test your battlefield awareness.” I was about to say something when the orb suddenly wizzed right at me and I quickly leaned back to dodge it. The orb swung back around and I jumped out of the way just in time before it came back around. Luna used her finger to make the orb try to hit me and I was jumping and ducking all over the ring. “Yipe! Luna! Too fast!” I yelped as the orb brushed against my arm. The orb slightly singed my skin as it flew past me. “Focus!” Luna shouted before turning her hand upwards and sent the orb flying into the sun to blind me. “Do not rely on your eyes alone!” POW! Before I knew what happened a second orb hit me from behind just as the first one came smashing me down into the arena. It felt like getting hit by two cars going full speed on the highway. “GUH!” I wheezed and fell to my knees. Luna sighed and shook her head as she approached me with her orbs as I tried catching my breath. “You didn’t…mention…a second one!” “Do you expect your opponents to fight fair?” Luna asked while allowing me to recover. “You must learn to rely on all your senses and anticipate your opponent’s next move. Your battle on the train shows you are not adept at fighting more than one opponent in close combat.” “I was fighting against armed thugs!” I tried to say. “But you still have those strange abilities,” Luna countered. “Tell me more about this power of yours. Perhaps if I know more about it, we can work on strengthening your power.” “You wanna know more about ki?” I asked and she nodded. I pondered how I could explain this, considering I only knew very little about it since Ivan wouldn’t really delve on the subject. I then thought of another idea that might work with my explanation. If I have ki, then perhaps I can explain it in Dragon Ball terms? “Well, princess, Ki is also known as latent energy or fighting power, which directly translates as life force.” I explained. “This force is a tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being in the center of the body. By drawing it out, an individual is able to manipulate it and use it outside the body. Ki can be used for many different techniques. Because there are physical limits to the strength of the body itself, it is necessary to increase one’s ki to overcome this barrier and become stronger.” “And can you use this power in other ways?” Luna asked while making the orbs spin nervously around us. “Well, I could use it to sense danger but I haven’t gotten that far yet,” I said. “No time like the present then,” Luna smirked before making the orbs take off in opposite directions. “Ack!” I ducked out of the way again and decided to retaliate. I summoned my own orbs of ki and fired them at Luna while dodging the magic orbs. “Attempting to eliminate the threat at its source, very good.” She complimented while flying just out of reach as our duel continued. “If you can tag me, I’ll consider you the winner.” She said before increasing the speed of her attacks and forcing me to give chase as we zipped around the arena. Having more experience in flying, Luna outmaneuvered every attempt I made to try and tag her and the various spins and flips were starting to make me sick and now I knew how fighter pilots felt after their first day of flight training. Come on, Saber, get it together! I thought and powered up. A white flame-like aura surrounded me, and I picked up my speed after Luna. She smiled teasingly at me as she flew away and I reached out for her. I panted and wheezed and I started to feel dizzy due to the constant flying. Which was strange since this was all supposed to be a dream yet it felt real. My vision started to get blurry, and I was forced to slow down until I brought myself to a stop. Sweat dripped down my face as I descended back down to the ring. When I landed, I stumbled back a little but caught myself as I leaned on my knees to try and catch my breath. “Shit…that sucked,” I wheezed as Luna landed gracefully next to me. “I couldn’t even…catch up…to you!” “But you came close. A fine effort.” Luna smiled while looking down on me and again I felt like I was being praised by my own mother. “Let’s call it a day for now. You still need rest after what you've been through and I will have no arguments.” “Yes, princess,” I sighed. “And don’t worry, you won’t be sweaty in the waking world but you will still feel the effects of the training so be prepared,” She advised while summoning a portal back to her dream. “And William?” “Yes?” I perked up. “Do try to keep the bikini models to a minimum?” Luna teased. “That was an accident! I swear!” I yelped. “I’m innocent, I tell ya!” Unconvinced of my argument, Luna turned the dreamscape back to the green field which made me land flat on my ass. I think she was punishing me. “Rest up, you’ll need your strength,” Luna said before departing and left me to gaze at the stars above with a gentle breeze to help me relax. I laid there for several minutes as I gazed up at the stars. So much has happened these past couple of days and I didn’t know where to start. I now had two teachers willing to help train me, and one of them is one of the freaking princesses of Equestria. If anyone told me that these series of events would happen to me, I’d’ve never believed them. It’s almost like some unknown force was trying to move my training along, and I had to get stronger as soon as possible. As I continued to gaze up at the stars, I felt my eyes grow heavy until they closed completely. My consciousness started to fade away until darkness overtook me. The morning sun’s lights pierced through the branches of the hut, making me wince. As my body started to react and wake up with me, I felt something laying on my arm. It felt heavy but soft at the same time. More so, there was something soft pressing against my back and I could feel someone breathing on my neck. The hairs on my neck stood straight up when I heard a subtle moan, indicating someone was pressing against me. I slowly turned my head to be met with Zecora with her arms wrapped around me as she slept and cuddled me. My eyes went wide and my mouth was dry and at a loss for words. “Mmm…” Zecora murred as she snuggled against me. To make things more difficult, her boobs were against my arm. They were soft, supple and furthermore one of them was on the verge of slipping out of her top. “Ok, don’t panic,” I said to myself and laid as still as possible. Just as I said that, Zecora shifted a little and opened her eyes and met with mine. “Um…m-morning, B-Bwana,” I managed to say. “Oh my, did I end up in your bed by accident?” Zecora asked just as her top slid further ways down and I could see a bit of her nips showing. “It’s…um…no trouble!” I shrieked and began shaking like crazy. “Whatever is the matter, my pupil?” Zecora asked. “B-Bwana! Top! Slipping! Fix! Now!” I blurted, trying to keep in a bloody nose. Zecora tilted her head and sat up, only for her top to completely slip off and her bare breasts bounced free. Her dark gray nipples seemed to wink at me as I could no longer hold it. SPLURT! “AH! WILLIAM!” Zecora freaked out the moment my nose erupted like a fountain and I found myself laying in a pool of blood. One could swear I was murdered if they saw me but thankfully my Bwana had some medicine to help ease my blood pressure and get me back on my feet. “I’m so sorry…” Zecora apologized as we sat down for breakfast. I groaned as she fixed her top and continued to apologize to me. “I don’t know what’s gonna be the end of me first…” I said to myself as Bwana tended to my nose. “The training, or the overstimulation…” Author's Note His inner demons continue to haunt him but perhaps this experience will help clear his addled mind. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building… A Hero’s ClaritySomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.A Hero’s BeginningChapter 1 “Alright, Will, that’ll do for today.” “You sure, Ivan? I can keep working.” “I appreciate that, but you’ve done more than enough. Your mom is probably waiting for you anyway.” “Well, ok, if you insist.” “You have a good one, Will, and stay safe.” “Yup, you too, Ivan.” I took off my uniform and hung it on the rack in the corner. After I collected my belongings and waved my Sensei goodbye, I headed out the front door and began my trek back home. I live in a rural town in California, which was always a breath of fresh air. It’s also one of the few places where the sun sets just the right way so everyone stops and stares just to enjoy the beauty of it. Oh! Where are my manners? My name is William Saber, but everyone in town calls me Will for short. I’m a 24 year old college graduate, living a peaceful life with my mother, step-father, and step-sister. It’s fortunate that I’m living so peacefully now since…well, my childhood growing up wasn’t exactly enjoyable, to say the least. To make a long story short, my mother divorced my birth father and we had moved away from our home town so we could start a new life somewhere else. When we moved here and I was old enough to start looking for a job, I was lucky enough to have met Ivan Rhodes. He is the local karate instructor in town, and he was generous enough to grant me the honor of becoming his personal student with no charge. At first, I flat out refused him, mainly due to me believing it was more than I deserved. But after many different methods of him annoying the ever-loving shit out of me, I relented and accepted his offer. Ivan has sort of been a mentor to me in more ways than one. He helped me find my inner peace and taught me the many different techniques of karate. Five years later, I’m now as skilled as he is in the martial art as an 8th Dan Black Belt. After I graduated from a 7th Dan, he offered me a job as his assistant at his dojo, to which I accepted. I now help Ivan train kids in the junior division or anyone else who wishes to know how to fight. It was pretty cool when some of the younger students actually called me Sensei because of my belt rank. I always made sure to treat them with respect and teach them properly, just as Ivan did with me. My mother’s name is Janet Saber, and she’s my whole reason for living. We never once got on each other’s bad side and never saw any reason to. My dad, or should I say step-dad, is named Robert Saber. He’s a wise man who I wished was my biological father since he’s been nothing but caring and compassionate toward my mother and I. Then there’s my dorky older step-sister, Rachel Saber, who treats me like I’m her flesh and blood, and makes me laugh almost all the time. When I was a young juvenile, I was sort of a loner punk kid who didn’t really like to interact with others. I spent most of the time on my own and almost rarely spoke out loud. I had my ears pierced, wore baggy clothing, and never really trusted anyone I met unless I’ve known them for a certain period of time. I was highly skeptical of my mom remarrying to Robert, but after seeing how much happier she’s been, I decided to give the man a chance. I'm happy that I did, because now my mom and I are part of a family that, well, actually cares about us as people. As I continued my walk through the small town, I passed by the tv store that had different television sets on display. One of which had the news channel on, and I could hear what the anchorman was saying. “And in local news, a young private eye detective continues to make a name for himself as he brings down an infamous drug ring. The drug ring had been the local police’s main goal to find and put a stop to, but no matter how hard they tried, they could never find it. That is until Detective-” “Jeez, what a world we live in,” I sighed as I moved on. I never liked listening to the news, or even watching the news for that matter. No matter what you watch, it’s always about some drama about the violence of the world. Personally, I’ve already experienced enough violence for one lifetime, and I’d prefer it if I could continue living the life I am now. As the sun began its final descent beyond the horizon, I checked my watch to see it’s just past seven o’clock. My walk had finally led me to a bridge that connected the town to my neighborhood. As I walked along the side of the bridge, I glanced over the railing to watch the flowing river below. I smiled as I took in a deep breath of fresh air and listened to the running water of the river below me. “Yup. This right here will always be my favorite spot in town,” I said to myself. I crossed the bridge and made my way past the houses that made up my neighborhood. Since this was a small neighborhood, which consisted of only a few blocks of houses, everyone basically knew everyone. My house was at the end of the third block and it was a cozy little place, probably the most distinguishable since there were two huge redwood trees towering over our house from across the street. My house was a simple one story beige house with a simple lawn and a few bushes here and there. “Evening, Will!” I glanced over on the other side of the street to see one of my neighbors, Mr. Downey, wave to me in a kind manner. “Good evening to you too, Mr. Downey,” I greeted back. “You gonna go out for another one of your late night walks?” “Yup. You know me. Just one of the little things I enjoy in life.” “I’m sure, I’m sure. Well, you take care now, ya here?” “I’ll certainly try, Mr. Downey.” I chuckled as I waved him goodbye before walking up to my house’s front porch. As soon as I knocked on the door, it swung open to reveal my vibrant step-sister with her trademark wide smile. Her blonde hair and green eyes always seemed to glow, even at this time of day. “Well, look what the cat dragged in!” Rachel chirped as she pulled me in for a hug. “Hey, sis. You do realize I’m still sweaty from my training at the dojo, right?” “Who cares?! I like the way you smell!” Rachel chriped again, making me chuckle. “I could list many things as to why that sounded so wrong, but I’ll let it slide since you’re my sister and all,” I sighed as I pulled away. Rachel skipped inside the house as I followed her and was met with the scent of mom’s delicious cooking. I kicked off my shoes and walked further inside to the living room, where my dad was lounging in his favorite chair, reading a book. He, too, had blonde hair with a few grey streaks and green eyes like my sister. He always has a few wise words to share from time to time. He looked up at me and smiled as he placed a bookmark inside his book and closed it. “Hey there, son, how was the dojo?” “I kicked some punk’s ass who thought he was hot shit, so I guess it was pretty good,” I shrugged. “Sweetie, what have I told you about your language?!” I hear mom call out from the kitchen. “Sorry, mom!” I called out. “Heh, your mother really has it bad for your language, not that I give a fuck.” My dad winks at me. “I heard that, dear!” My mom called out again, making him flinch. “Now look who’s the potty mouth,” I snorted as I entered the kitchen with Rachel. “You gonna make your signature brownies again?” Rachel asked with a bright smile. “Of course, they’re your favorite, after all.” “Yes!” She pumped her fist into the air. We entered the kitchen to see my mother in front of the stove. Her hair was brown like mine and reached down to the middle of her back. She looked over her shoulder to see me and smiled as she resumed cooking. “Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a nice day at the dojo with Mr. Rhodes?” She asked. “Yup. He let me beat someone up who was talking shi- I mean, not saying nice things about us and our teachings.” “Well, I hope you didn’t hurt him too bad,” my mother lectured. “Relax, mom. All he got was the wind knocked out of him and a bloody nose. Nothing a stubborn ass like him couldn’t get over,” I said nonchalantly. “Will, hurry and get the batter ready! I wanna eat those brownies as soon as dinner’s done!” Rachel whines. “Alright, alright already. Jeez, what is it with you and the brownies?” “The ingredients are in the fridge, William. Just make sure you finish up before we eat,” Mom said as Rachel started to set the table. “Of course,” I said as I opened the fridge and gathered the ingredients. “Now then, let’s get started.” 1 Hour Later Dinner was delicious, as usual, and I had just finished cleaning the dishes with Rachel. The brownie batter was mixed, set in a pan, and baking in the oven on schedule. I was in my room playing my favorite video game, Dragon Ball Xenoverse, and I was in the middle of an online match. My opponent was a Frieza race character while mine was an Earthling. Most people always chose to be Saiyans because they believed them to be the most powerful race, but not me. I stuck with being an Earthling because I believed that they could be just as powerful. The match lasted the whole time limit and both our characters were on the brink of knockout with only 10 seconds left. I was trying my best to evade his attacks while also keeping an eye on my Ki meter. As soon as it was full, I hit the buttons to transform into Potential Unleashed. Before the time limit ended, I grappled my opponent and threw him to the far side of the ring. I then unleashed a Big Kamehameha wave, which overwhelmed my opponent and helped me win the match. “Whew, that was a tough match,” I sighed as I stood up and switched off my system. I looked at the time and saw it was almost eight o’clock. All that was left to do was to do what I always do every night: walk through the neighborhood and to my favorite bridge. I slipped my shoes on, grabbed my jacket, tucked my smartphone, earbuds, and wallet in my pockets, and made for the front door. As I passed by the living room, I could hear my dad watching the late night news from another city’s reporter. “We’re coming to you live from an abandoned scrap yard from outside the city. Authorities are baffled as to how a slave ring of all things managed to stay so well hidden. The mastermind behind such a horrible crime was none other than Jonothan Viper, a notorious criminal who unfortunately made his escape during the authorities raid. Look! Some of the victims are coming out right now!” “Poor kid, Those damn vultures wouldn’t know restraint if a bitch slapped them in the face…” My dad sighed. “Is it that time already?” I looked over my shoulder to see Rachel standing behind me with her hands on her hips. “There’s still time before the brownies are ready,” I said. “Will you be back before then?” “Of course. And how’s about this? I’ll let you take them out of the oven and have the first bite if I don’t come back before they’re done.” “Really?!” Rachel asked gleefully. “You know it.” “Well, what are you doing standing around here for? Go on and take your walk! Don’t worry about taking too long, take as much time as you need!” Rachel insisted as she pushed me out the door. “Be careful on your walk, sweetie!” Mom called out. “And if someone tries to mug you, don’t hesitate to kick the shit out of them!” Dad adds. “Dear, please!” “I will!” I called back while laughing before I shut the door. I smiled as I looked up to see the moon was in the sky and the stars were out. I tucked my hands in my pockets to pull out my earbuds and smartphone to play some music. I started to slowly make my way down the sidewalk and toward the bridge. It always relaxes me whenever I do this, helping me find a peace of mind to think about my day and unwind. Most of the lights from the other houses were still on as I walked past them. The cool breeze of the night blew against me as I took in the sights of the all too familiar moonlight that shined down on the place I called home. There’s another reason why I choose to walk in the night instead of during the day: it’s because the night is my favorite time of the day. The night is when everyone gets to relax and rest after a hard day’s work. I also get to gaze up at the moon as long as I want as it stares back at me with its gentle glow. Though, sometimes, I often think about someone I used to know many years ago who had a knack for naming the constellations that stars procured. I vaguely remember my past, though most of it is quite unpleasant, I try to remember the good times. Back then, I was a big nerd for the show Dragon Ball Z, and I kinda still am. The adaptation of the show, the awesome fight scenes, the comedic jokes, and the iconic characters are what made me watch each and every episode over and over again. I even remember I used to role-play a lot with an old buddy of mine, where we used to always pretend to have intense battles against each other. My OC was an Earthling blessed with special strength and personalized abilities that were unique for him and was a legendary hero. I often dreamed of what it would be like to actually be able to fight alongside characters like the ones from the show. To be a hero for those who’re too weak to stand up for themselves and be a shining beacon of hope and peace. My walk eventually led me to my favorite bridge as a few lamp posts lit the whole area. I walked up to the side of the bridge and leaned over the railing to gaze at the river below. The water was calm and flowed smoothly below me as a perfect reflection of the starry sky made it seem like there was another world within the water. I turned around and leaned back on the railing to gaze up at the stars again to see if I could name any consolations of my own. “Let’s see…Orion’s Belt, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, there’s Sagittarius, Scorpio’s over there, and Ursa Major. Not bad for tonight’s discoveries,” I said proudly. RING! RING! RING! I’m brought out of my thoughts as my phone rings from my pocket. I pull it out of my pocket to see my sister calling me. I hit the answer button and held it up to my ear. “What’s up sis?” “Hey, Willy! How’s your walk?” Rachel asked comically. I chuckled and said, “Nice and chill like usual, sis. It’s a full moon out, and I’m relishing in it.” “You know, I’ll never understand why you’re such a night owl. Anyway, mom says to come home soon, because the brownies are out of the oven.” “Alright, I’m about to head back anyway.” “You better get home soon, or I’m gonna eat all of the brownies you made!” “I swear to god, if I come home and there’s not a single brownie for me left, I’m taking those old Polly Pocket doll things and jamming them in the garbage disposal!” I warned. There was a brief silence before my sister burst out laughing over the phone. “Only if you can get into my room! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some brownies to claim! BYE, WILLY!” CLICK! “SIS!…Sis?…fuck…” Not wanting to stick around anymore, I tucked my phone in my pocket and made for my house. I looked back up at the moon and smiled. “Until tomorrow, my dear, just keep up that lovely glow like always.” Suddenly, I heard what sounded like tires screeching in the distance from downtown, making me pause and look behind me. “What the…that’s weird,” I mumbled as I continued my walk, only to hear the sounds of tires screeching again. “Why the hell would someone be speeding at this time of night?” After waiting a few minutes to see if I’d hear any more screeching tires, the only sound heard was the silence of the night, which could only mean whoever went on a joyride had finally stopped. “Well, glad that’s over.” No sooner did I turn back around, a light shined behind me, making me turn around once more to see a pair of headlights speeding toward me. I was like a deer in the middle of the road as time seemed to slow, and the vehicle was getting closer and closer with each passing moment. I tried to move, but it was a wasted effort as time sped up again. “OH FU-” CRASH! … SPLASH! Author's Note The return of the Guardian has begun again. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your patience. I have been working diligently with my co-writer on this and I hope I have done it the justice I promised I would. Big thanks to Hamilton-Animations for this awesome drawing! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building... A Hero’s Helping HandChapter 8 “Hi William!” “Oh, uh, hey there.” “Hey Will, you doing alright?” “Fine, thanks.” “Good morning, Will!” “Good morning to you too.” Everywhere I went, ponies would wave to me and greet me in the morning like any other. It’s like it was almost yesterday when most of these pony folk would just give me the sideways glance. Now, ever since I saved that filly from the house fire a week ago, it’s like I’m a fully fledged citizen of Ponyville. Ever since then, I’ve been receiving praises and wishes of good fortune from everyone in town. I guess my act of heroism made more of an impression than I thought it would. Who knew that all it took was a blind act of bravery to prove that I’m not an enemy of Equestria? My head still throbs from time to time from that hit I took when I caught the support beam from crushing Dinky and I. Thankfully, the doctor said there was no serious damage to my head and it only left a small gash that he managed to heal rather easily. All this magic stuff is still something I’m getting used to since my injuries were able to heal more quickly than any other medical examination from a doctor back home. “I think I’ll fly to work today,” I thought out loud and focused on my Ki. I felt my body rise into the air, higher and higher, until I was able to almost touch the clouds. I smiled as I leaned forward and flew straight toward Sweet Apple Acres. It still sends an exciting chill through my soul whenever I fly through the air, especially since flying was always my answer whenever someone asked me what super power I would have. I looked down to see that some of the ponies were staring up at me in surprise to see me smiling, but I just waved back at them in response. As I flew, I heard a pair of wings flapping toward me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Rainbow Dash fly up next to me. “Hey there, Mr. Hero,” Rainbow teased. “Fancy seeing you up here.” “Sup, Rainbow. I thought I said not to call me that,” I said, rolling my eyes at her. “How come? Everypony else is calling you a hero,” Rainbow said. “All I did was save a filly from a burning building. It’s not that big a deal,” I waved it off. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Rainbow shrugged. “Where are you headed anyway?” “Work. Applejack says there’s a lot of apples to harvest this season.” “I hope they make cider out of them,” Rainbow said as she licked her lips. “That’s the best drink in Equestria!” “I can imagine,” I chuckled. “Say, since you can now fly properly, how’s about you and me going for a race?” Rainbow challenged. “Race you? Ha! Good one,” I laughed. “I’m serious! What, you too scared I’d mop the clouds with you?” Rainbow taunted. “It’s not a matter of being scared, Rainbow. I’m the kind of guy who likes to think in the logical sense,” I argued. “I just recently figured out how to fly properly without falling on my ass and learned the basics of Ki manipulation. I still have a long way to go, to my knowledge, before I can even think about doing something like racing you. The speed I’m flying right now is just under my fastest speed I can go.” “Seriously? That’s kinda lame. No offense,” Rainbow said. “None taken. I just have to keep at my training. And when I have better control over my powers, then we can race each other as much as you want.” “Well…alright, I guess, but you better Pinkie Promise we will!” Rainbow pointed at me. “Sure, I pinky promise,” I said, holding out my pinky finger at her. Rainbow stared at my hand before she gave me a confused look. “Something wrong?” “Don’t you know how to make a Pinkie Promise?” Rainbow questioned. “Aren’t I doing it?” I wondered. “No, this is how you do a Pinkie Promise.” She raised her hand over her chest. “Cross my heart.” She drew and x with her finger. “Hope to fly.” She threw her hand up in the air. “Stick a cupcake in my eye.” She pointed at her eye with her thumb. “Now you do it.” “Uh…okay?” I looked at my hand and copied her movements. “Cross my heart and hope to…fly? Stick a cupcake in my eye-ouch!” When I pointed at my eye with my thumb, I accidentally poked it, making me rub my eye. “Hahaha! Smooth, but I guess that’s passable,” Rainbow laughed. “Make sure to keep that promise, Will. I’ll see ya later!” With that, Rainbow veered off and flew in another direction. “Tch! Girls.” I rolled my eyes and realized I was flying over the apple orchard. “Now where are those Apple siblings?” I looked around in search of Applejack and Big Mac until I saw them standing on top of a hill overlooking the orchard. I flew toward the two ponies and they seemed to notice me flying toward them. “Hey, you two! Ready to knock some apples down?” I landed just beside them onto the ground. “Sweet applesauce! Y’all can fly?” Mac gasped. “Oh yeah, you didn’t know that, huh?” I shrugged. “Yeah, I can fly. I can tell you how if you want?” “Now’s not the time, Will. We got a bit of a problem,” Mac said, gesturing to the cast covering his leg that I just now noticed. “Woah. You hurt your leg?” I asked, concerned. “Eeyup. Let’s just say Ah bit off more than Ah could chew. Somethin’ mah sister here can’t seem to understand,” Mac said. “Ah said we’d be fine, Mac. Ya worry too much,” Applejack rolled her eyes. “It sure is a lot of apple trees,” I said, looking out at the pasture of the hundreds of trees. “But I’m sure Applejack and I can manage it.” “Normally. Ah’d agree with ya, partner, and even though ya got a strong kick, this all might be too much for just the both of y’all to handle,” Mac said. “Exactly! We’ll take a bite outta this job by day’s end,” Applejack said confidently. “And it’s what Ah’ve been sayin’; bitin’ off more than y’all can chew is just what Ah’m afraid of,” Mac said. “See what Ah’ve been dealin’ with, Will? It’s like he’s accusin’ me that mah mouth is makin’ promises mah legs can’t keep!” “Eeyup,” Mac nodded. “Sure, it’s a lot of work, but I’m sure if we work together-” I tried to say, but Applejack cut me off with a scoff. “This is your sister Applejack, remember?! The loyalest of friends and the most dependable of ponies?!” Applejack snapped, getting into Mac’s face. “Uh, don’t forget me,” I called out. “I can kick as many apple trees as I want without stopping if I wanted to.” “Yeah, but you’re still only one pony, and you’re only one human,” Mac said, pointing at us. “And there’s hundreds of apple trees. It just doesn’t really add up.” “I appreciate the concern, Mac, but you don’t have to-” “Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!” Applejack cut me off again. “Ah said Ah can handle this harvest, and Ah’m gonna prove it to ya! Both of y’all!” “How’d I get blamed? I just got here,” I said, confused. “Ah’m gonna get every last apple outta those trees this apple buck season all by mahself!” “Timeout, by yourself?” I said, looking at Applejack. “What about me?” “Don’t need ya! Ah’m fine on mah own!” Applejack huffed and marched off. “Well, that was unexpected,” I said. “Sorry for makin’ ya come all the way out here for nothin’, Will, but whenever mah sister sets her mind to somethin’, it’s near impossible to convince her otherwise. And Ah should know from experience,” Mac sighed. “It’s cool, my sister was the same way back home,” I waved it off. “So I guess no work for me today?” “Not for a while, Ah’m afraid, but we’ll be sure to compensate ya to make up for it.” “Don’t sweat it, Mac, I’d rather be rewarded for actually doing something rather than just sitting around. I just hope Applejack knows what she’s doing.” “You and me both, partner,” Mac said. I waved him goodbye and jumped in the air to fly away. I soared through the air toward the lake since there wasn’t much else to do now that I have no work for the day. I thought about going straight back to try and convince Applejack that this job would be too much for her, but I figured that would only upset her, which is the last thing I’d wanna do. Wanting to change the subject, I started to think about how I would train today at the lake. My Ki center felt much stronger than before, thanks to the meditation and mental image training, so that’s a start. I wondered if I could try to utilize it so I can create Ki attacks or use it as a means of defense; possibly healing? There were so many possibilities I could try, so I was eager to put it to the test as soon as possible. In the corner of my eye, I saw something fly at high speeds much higher in the sky than I was. I looked to see a pegasus pony wearing some kind of blue bodysuit. For a moment, I thought it was Rainbow Dash, but then I caught a glimpse of her mane and tail. Her hair was orangish-yellow, like a flickering flame, and she left a smokey trail in her wake. She was doing somersaults and twists in the air, which was pretty entertaining to watch. The mare then began to fly around a cloud, bunching it up in a lump before flying above it and dive bombing straight through it, dispersing the cloud like an explosion. “Damn, that was cool.” I hovered in mid air as I continued to watch the spectacle. The mare continued to dive straight down and just as she was about to hit the ground, she pulled up and flung straight back up while spinning like a top. I was rather impressed with her flight skills and she went back for another dive bomb. Only this time, I noticed that she was aiming for the forest nearby. The mare dove straight down once more, which made me a little worried about her intentions, but she managed to fly straight up once more. I smiled at her skill to pull a stunt like that off, but I soon noticed something off about her. It looked like she wasn’t flying straight and her wing wasn’t flapping as much. My fears proved to become a reality when she began to fall and it looked like she was out of control. “Oh shit, she’s actually falling!” I wasted no time and flew straight toward the falling mare as fast as I could. My eyes were locked on the falling pony and I had my arms stretched out. The wind blew against my face and I tried putting more effort into my speed, but it looked like I wasn’t gonna make it. “No, no, no! Come on…come on, damnit!” I said as I flew faster. As much as I tried to pick up speed, it felt like I wasn’t gonna make it with the rate I was going. I could feel myself pushing to go faster just so I could save the mare. She looked like she was in a state of panic as she tried to level herself, but couldn’t maneuver properly because of her injured wing. “Damnit all, I won’t let her die! Go faster!” I grit my teeth and glared at the falling mare. “Faster!” A white aura soon began to flicker around my body as my speed increased. “FASTER!” The wind whizzed gainst my face as the aura glowed brighter and flickered like an open flame. “GO FASTER, DON’T LET HER FALL!” Suddenly, a burst of energy coursed through me and I was flying at breakneck speeds. I didn’t stop flying, nor did I slow down in the slightest, as I drew closer and closer towards the falling mare. Just as she was about to pass the point of no return and hit the dirt, I was able to reach her just in time and catch her in the air. As soon as I caught her, I pulled myself up and flew high in the air while holding on to her. I then began to slow my ascent and relax as the white aura around me died down. “What the hay?! What happened?! Am I dead?!” The mare in my arms shrieked as she gripped my jacket. “Woah there, take it easy,” I said to her. “You were in mid freefall after something happened to your wing. Good thing I spotted you.” The mare looked up at me and arched a brow. “Uh…who’re you?” “Me? I’m Will Saber. Pleasure,” I smirked. “And before you ask, no, I’m not a pony. I’m a human.” “How did you know I was gonna ask that?” the mare questioned. “You’d be surprised how often that question gets tossed around here.” “A human, huh? Guess Soarin and Fleets were right,” the mare said to herself. She looked down at the ground below us, then glanced at her left wing. She tried to move it, but winced, and I noticed there was a bit of blood dripping from her feathers. “That looks bad,” I said. “Must’ve clipped a tree when I went for that second divebomb.” The mare sighed and looked up at me. “Thanks for saving my flank. You mind setting me down?” “Oh, sure,” I nodded. I slowly began descending toward the ground. “It just occurred to me that you don’t have wings,” the mare said, leaning her head to look at my back. “And?” I said. “How are you flying without wings?” she wondered. “It’s a long story, but to make it short, I guess you could say I was given these powers by someone special.” “Not sure what you mean by that, but I guess I can roll with it,” the mare shrugged. “So, you gonna tell me your name or am I gonna have to play the guessing game?” I joked. “Because I have a few suggestions on what your name could be.” “I’m sure you do,” the mare scoffed playfully. “Name’s Spitfire. I’m surprised you don’t know who I am.” “And why’s that?” I wondered. “Well, have you ever heard of the Wonderbolts?” “Hmm, can’t say I have,” I shook my head. “You could say I’m still new to Equestria. Why? Are they famous?” “You could say that,” Spitfire nodded. I finally made it to the ground and planted my feet in the dirt. I gently set Spitfire back on her hooves, and she winced again when she moved her injured wing a little. “You want me to bring you to the hospital or something?” I offered. “Thanks, but I can just make a call to one of my teammates to pick me up nearby. It’s only my wing that was busted, not my legs,” Spitfire said. “Hmm. Well, if you say so.” I scratched my chin in thought when an idea came to mind. The idea was purely theoretical, but I might just be able to at least ease her discomfort by a little. “May I try something? I can’t treat your wing fully, but I can at least take away some of the pain.” “How’re you gonna do that?” Spitfire wondered. I stepped forward and raised my hand towards Spitfire’s injured wing. I took a deep breath and channeled my positive Ki into my hand and drowned out all distractions. I kept taking deep breaths to control my breathing as my mind became as clear as possible. Soon, my hand began to glow a soft light and I held it close to Spitfire’s wing. I kept my hand there for several minutes until I had to cancel my Ki and stepped back. A few drops of sweat were already dripping from my forehead and I felt very tired all of a sudden. “Whew…I think that should help,” I sighed. Spitfire moved her wing a little and didn’t wince this time. “Wow…I’m impressed. Not sure what you just did though. It still kinda hurts, but not as much anymore.” She smiled warmly at me. “Thank you.” “It’s no problem. So if you’re okay on your own, I’m gonna head home,” I said, trying to keep a straight face and hiding my fatigue. “Sure, and thanks again for saving me, hero,” Spitfire said with a wink. “Heh, yeah, hero,” I chuckled as I waved goodbye and walked the other way toward Ponyville. “Well, I’m glad my experiment was a success,” I said to myself as I walked away. “But man, am I tired. Guess healing Ki takes a little more out of me than flying or ki blasts. Which means I still have much to improve on.” A Few Days Later My mind was calm and my breathing was focused as I sat by the edge of the lake in a lotus position. I wore a pair of black sweatpants, courtesy of Rarity upon request, but I kept my shirt and shoes off. My whole body was aching a little after the intense workout session I put myself through. I ran about twenty laps around the entire lake without stopping, I did ten sets of thirty pushups, situps, and squats each, and I spent a full hour doing mental image training as I used a variety of my martial arts skills. On top of my physical training, I also made sure to improve my Ki manipulation. When I saved that mare, Spitfire, even before, when I saved Dinky, I felt a sudden surge of energy course through my body; giving me increased strength in the spur of the moment. Nothing is usually a coincidence if it happens twice in a row, in my opinion. I never forgot the feeling of all that energy giving me such power, which means I have more locked potential than I might realize. With this in mind, I now am working on manipulating my Ki properly. I can now form Ki sphere’s without them dissipating and I can fly in the air for prolonged periods of time. Rescuing Spitfire also influenced me to increase my flying speed. I practice by flying from one side of the lake all the way to the other side as fast as I can. The method feels a tad redundant, but it’s no different from running on the ground in a way. After one last deep breath in, I exhaled and slowly opened my eyes. I looked down at my hands and opened and closed them. “It’s a slow process,” I said aloud as I stood back up. “But progress is progress, as Ivan would always say.” After washing away the sweat from my body and drying myself, I put my shirt back on and picked up my shoes and jacket. I then rose into the air and flew back towards Ponyville. As I flew back, I noticed there was some kind of commotion going on downtown. When I changed course to see what was up, I saw that there was a literal stampede of cows racing towards Ponyville. “What the-they’re gonna bulldoze the town!” I said as I acted immediately by flying straight towards the lead cow. However, a certain farm pony seemed to be quicker on her hooves as she sprinted through the herd of cows with her laso. I watched as Applejack swung her rope around and managed to tie it around the lead cow and pull her off to the side, away from town before they could cross the bridge. “Wow. Color me impressed.” I waited until she stopped the cows’ running entirely and floated down toward her as she spoke with them. “Ah completely understand,” Applejack nodded. “Just next time, try and steer clear of Ponyville.” “We certainly will, Applejack. So long, Winona!” the cow spoke and Winona barked in response. “I shouldn’t be surprised that cows can talk in this world.” I shook my head as I landed near Applejack. “That was pretty impressive, Applejack.” “Oh! Hey, Will. It was nothin’. They all just got spooked over some snake,” Applejack said as she pet Winona. I then noticed that she looked a little ragged, like her eyes had faint bags under them and her hair was a little unkempt. “You doing alright? You look a little fatigued.” “O’ course Ah’m alright. Ah’m as fit as a well-tuned fiddle,” Applejack proclaimed. “So you say. Is that whole orchard a work in progress?” I guessed. “You know, I can lend a hand any time you want.” “Ah do, and Ah already said Ah don’t need help,” Applejack huffed as she crossed her arms under her chest. “Did Mac put ya up to talk sense into me?” “What? No. I’ve been at the lake for the past few days training,” I argued. “No one put me up to do anything. I’m just concerned for you, that’s all.” “Well, while Ah appreciate your concern, there ain’t nothin’ to be concerned about!” Applejack turned away. “Now that this matter is settled, Ah gotta go make sure every pony in town is okay.” As she walked away, I could only sigh and wonder what I did to make her upset. Was it a matter of pride? A sense of entitlement that she needed to harvest the orchard on her own? I couldn’t really say. When I made it back to Ponyville, everyone was talking about Applejack and giving her words of praise for her heroism. It made me happy that she was at least being acknowledged around here, so I guess that counts for something. With nothing else to do, I resumed my trek back to the Treebrary and headed home. Some Days Later It was another normal day at the Treebrary, and I was sitting on the couch enjoying a book called The Adventures of Daring Do. It was quite a fun read, since this Daring Do character has lots of adventures of discovering lost cities and finding ancient artifacts and treasures, kinda like Indiana Jones. Suddenly, something crashed outside on the platform where Twilight was reading a book. When I set my book aside and went to see what it was, Rainbow was hanging off the railing of the balcony and had startled Twilight from reading her own books. “Can I help you?” Twilight asked the dazed Rainbow. “I think somepony else needs your help…” Rainbow groaned. “Applejack?” Twilight guessed and Rainbow nodded. I knew what they were talking about, especially since I kinda figured something like this would happen. My mind thought back to what I’ve been hearing around town as of late. After Applejack stopped the cows’ stampede, the town wanted to reward her for her efforts by giving her a trophy and honoring her. Only, when Applejack did show up, an hour late I might add, she looked more ragged than when I saw her. She looked like she hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep in days and her legs were shaking from the exertion she was putting herself through. Not only that, but I had heard from the other mares that she was barely responsive with whatever they needed her help with. Pinkie said she needed Applejack’s help with making some pastries, but it ended up being a disgusting pile of mush. There was another animal attack on Ponyville, and the culprit was the small rabbits Fluttershy was looking after. Apparently, Applejack spooked them and they all tore up the gardens in town, something that I least expected to happen from Applejack. “Ugh, that mare’s gonna either cause more damage to the town or herself, moreso the latter,” I said as I went back down the stairs and left for Sweet Apple Acres. I took to the skies and flew straight for the farm so I could talk some sense into Applejack before Twilight and the others got a word in. I know she said she’d handle this on her own, but I can no longer stand by if what’s happening to her is starting to affect the others. I eventually made it to the farm, touched down on the ground, and began looking for the farm mare. I immediately noticed that half the acres were already harvested, which I’ll admit was impressive, but she still had the other half to tend to. My search for Applejack wasn’t long as I found the mare still tirelessly kicking apple trees. She looked far worse than before. Her mane and tail were frazzled, her eyes were red with thick bags under her eyes, and she seemed so out of it that she missed the tree she tried to kick and hit the basket of apples, causing the basket of fruit to tip over and dump all its contents on the ground. “Whoops…” Applejack said. “Applejack,” I called out. “Huh?!” She whipped her head around and saw me and relaxed. “Oh…h-hey Will. What brings ya by?” “I heard you’ve been causing a bit of worry in Ponyville, so I figured I’d check in to see how you’re doing.” I crossed my arms. “When was the last time you slept?” “Ah got a good night’s rest just last night,” Applejack said. “Yeah, how long? Two, maybe three, hours?” I guessed rhetorically. “…More like an hour and a half?” Applejack shrugged. “But that’s all Ah need in order to get this here harvest done.” “Oh come on, AJ, have you seen yourself?” I asked, walking up to her. “You’re a mess! You’ve barely slept, you haven’t eaten properly despite being literally surrounded by apples, and your legs look like they’re about to break from the amount of kicking you’ve done. Why can’t you just let me help you with the rest of the harvest?” “Because Ah don’t need your help!” Applejack snapped. “This here’s an Apple family tradition, and you ain’t even family!” I recoiled at her words and it took a while for it to register what she said. “Ah…A-Ah’m sorry, Will, Ah didn’t mean that.” “Well, you’re right about one thing, I’m not an Apple,” I said. “But I am your friend, and friends look out for each other. You may claim to be the most honest and dependable pony in Equestria, but not even you can do everything by yourself. Besides, Twilight’s always going on about how you’re there for anyone in need, so maybe it’s best to swallow your pride and let me help you.” “And how would you know?” Applejack wondered. “Let’s just say I used to know someone who taught me the value of relying on others when you need it most,” I said. “So please, AJ, let me help you. If we work together, I’m sure we can get this done in no time.” Applejack stared at me for a moment, processing my words, but she frowned and shook her head. “Ah’m sorry, Will, but Ah just gotta do this. If Ah can’t, then Ah would be goin’ back on mah word and no pony would believe in me no more.” I sighed and shook my head at her words. “You and I both know that’s not true, AJ. You’re the most dependable and amazing mare I’ve ever had the privilege to meet, and I’m honored to be your friend.” She looked up at me with a bit of surprise as I turned away. “At least try to get a decent night’s sleep, AJ. You owe yourself at least that much.” With nothing more to say, I took to the skies again and flew away from the acres. I glanced over my shoulder and frowned pityingly at the state AJ was in. I was worried that she might push herself too far, and if she kept going at the state she was in… “No…” I stopped mid flight and turned straight back around and flew back to the acres. “I don’t care if she hates me for doing this, I’m gonna help my friend whether she likes it or not!” Later That Night I’ve been keeping an eye on Applejack all day, waiting for my chance to act out my plan. I thought about doing it during the day, but I figured it’d be too abrupt, so I waited until night time. I hid behind a tree as Applejack was swaying left to right and approached another tree. She yawned out loud and looked up at the sky with tired eyes. “Hrmm…oh, alright, Ah guess Ah can get some shuteye. But it’s back to work after a few hours!” Applejack sighed as she dropped the baskets of apples on the ground and leaned against a tree. She tipped her hat over her eyes and got comfortable. “Finally,” I whispered and came out from my hiding place. When I tiptoed over to Applejack to see if she had fallen asleep, she surprisingly was out cold and snoring loudly. “Guess she really did need a good night’s rest.” I nodded as I faced the remaining apple trees and did some leg stretches. “Don’t hate me for doing this, AJ, but it’s for your own good.” The Next Day 3rd POV The sun was shining over the horizon as Ponyville was beginning to bask in its rays. The rooster cawed so the residents of Ponyville could begin their day. Twilight and her friends had all agreed to confront Applejack and try to convince her to let them help in the harvest. “Remember, girls, we’re doing this because we care,” Twilight said as they neared Sweet Apple Acres. “I hope we can help her see reason,” Fluttershy said as she tugged on her green turtleneck. “She better, or else I’ll just harvest all the apples myself!” Rainbow proclaimed, puffing her chest out. “Rainbow please, we must be civilized about this,” Rarity lectured. “And once we help her gather all the apples, we’ll throw a huge party!” Pinkie chirped. “Regardless, we still need to treat this delicately. And be prepared to help harvest the apples once we are able to convince her,” Twilight said as they walked past the entrance to the Acres. “Picking apples is easy, Twilight, I bet we can get it done in under an hour!” Rainbow waved it off. “Um…girls?” Fluttershy called out. “While I’m not a fan of dirty work, I suppose I can make an exception for Applejack,” Rarity said as she flipped her mane with her hand. “Girls?” Fluttershy said again. “What’s up, Fluttershy?” Pinkie asked. “Um, well…if we came to help Applejack with the harvest, where are the apples?” Fluttershy asked. It was then that the mares noticed that every tree that they passed by since arriving were all bare. Rainbow flew up high in the air and squinted her eyes as she scanned the whole area. “Hey! What gives?! All the trees are empty!” she exclaimed. “What?! How can that be?!” Twilight wondered. “Beats me, but I think I see Applejack over that way!” Rainbow said, pointing due east of the Acres and flew off. “Come on, girls,” Twilight said and they all went running to where Rainbow flew. It didn’t take the girls long to find their friend laying under an apple tree, with her hat over her face and sound asleep. Covering her was a familiar-looking jacket that was used as a sort of blanket to keep her warm. “Wake up, Applejack!” Rainbow barked. “Huh?! Wha?!” Applejack gasped as she sat straight up. “What happened? What’s goin’ on?” She looked up to see her friends standing over her. “What’re you all doin’ here?” “We came to talk some sense to you about how harvesting all the apple trees on your own was crazy, that’s what!” Rainbow scowled. “But Ah thought Ah said Ah didn’t need help?” Applejack sighed. “Applejack, why did you feel the need to do this on your own? While we all can respect the Apple family way, you should’ve at least let us help you,” Twilight said. “What’re you on about? Ah ain’t even done yet. Ah only finished the first half,” Applejack said. “Yeah right. Then how come the whole orchard is empty?” Rainbow asked. “Empty?” Applejack looked around and noticed all the preset baskets under the trees were gone, and the trees she hadn’t yet bucked were all apple free. “What in tarnation? Did Ah go sleep buckin’ again? Naw, Ah couldn’t have…” “Darling, might I ask what you are doing with William’s jacket?” Rarity asked. Applejack looked down and saw said jacket in her lap. She picked it up and arched a brow, but then realized who might’ve been behind this. “He didn’t…” Applejack stood up and immediately ran for the barn. The others followed her, not knowing what was going on until they reached her barn, and they were met with a surprising sight. Several tens of rows of barrels, each filled with apples were lined up beside the rustic storehouse, all prepped and ready to be shipped. It was an unexpected sight to see for the group of mares, more so from Applejack since she had no recollection of ever doing any of this. “Wow, that’s a lot of apples!” Pinkie chirped. “But Ah…Ah don’t understand!” Applejack said. “You really didn’t do this, Applejack?” Fluttershy wondered. “Course Ah’m sure! Ah just wanted to rest mah eyes for a little bit, but ended up fallin’ asleep! Now Ah wake up to this?!” Before any other questions could be asked, there was the sound of someone laughing, who turned out to be Big Mac as he approached the mares with a mug of coffee in one hand and his crutch to support his leg in the other. “Mornin’, sis. Ladies,” Mac greeted. “Mac! Did you do this?!” Applejack asked. “With this leg? Please. Ah’d rather not risk not bein’ able to buck apple trees for the rest of mah days. Y’know, Ah kinda figured he’d pull a stunt like this when Ah saw him try to talk to you the other day, but Ah didn’t expect to power through the whole night.” “Who?!” Applejack demanded. Mac gestured to the mares to follow him toward the barn. He led them to the open barn door ajar and held up a finger to his lips so they could remain quiet. When they peered inside, they saw the human, William, laying sprawled out on a bale of hay. He was sound asleep, out like a light, and was snoring somewhat loudly. Applejack noticed that his jeans had rips and tears in them and his shoes were all scuffed up and had small holes in them. William didn’t even register their presence since he was so deep in slumber as the ponies stood around the hay bale. “He plopped himself in here about a half hour before y’all came along,” Mac whispered. “In all mah years, Ah ain’t never seen somepony apple buck as hard or as fast as him. He managed to clear out the other half of the orchard all by himself, without stoppin’. Ah was about to wake him to send him home, but Ah figured he deserved a proper rest. Guess he was also lookin’ out for ya, sis.” “He did all that…for me?” Applejack muttered, gripping William’s jacket she still held in her hands. “Aw, that’s so sweet!” Rarity said. “Gotta give credit where credit’s due, he sure proved us right,” Rainbow smirked. “You see, Applejack? Even though you always put yourself before your friends, and while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it’s also important to accept what your friends have to offer,” Twilight smiled as she glanced over to Applejack. As the farm mare watched Will sleep, she felt a slight tightness in her chest. She then felt herself smile a wide and grateful smile towards Will as she stepped forward and returned his jacket by draping over him as he did for her. “Thank you, Will. Thank you very kindly for what you’ve done for a stubborn mare like me,” Applejack whispered. Author's Note Help goes a long way with friends who are willing to offer it. Side Note: So very sorry for the two friggen months of not posting anything for this story. Had a little bit of a writer’s block, but I’m over it now. Thank you for your patience. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s ArrivalChapter 2 Pain. All I could feel was pain throughout my whole body. It made itself apparent whenever I tried to move some part of me. I could feel that my eyes were shut, yet I could not open them. It felt like something glued my eyelids together as I strained to open them. In my mouth, I could taste a thick, iron flavor, which could only be blood; my blood. Even though I was in constant pain, it also felt like I was floating in cold water. I tried to think back to what happened before I ended up in this situation: I had just received a call from my sister, I was about to head home, then all of a sudden, I was struck by some kind of speeding vehicle, which sent me over the edge and into the river. After what felt like many unbearable minutes, I managed to open my eyes to see the trees above me as they slowly moved downwards. I knew these trees since they surround my neighborhood, and judging by the fact that I felt wet meant that I was floating down the river. I can barely move, I can barely breathe, my arms and legs won’t listen, my gut feels like it’s been cut open and blood was leaking out, and all I can see is the night sky above me. I can’t even move my damn head, so I assume that my neck’s also broken. All I know is that, of all the things to happen to me, why this? All I wanted to do was go for a walk and I’m now at the bottom of the ravine. I’m being carried to who knows where and my body is a bloody, broken, and mangled mess. I even tried to move my fingers, but all I got was a pained shock all the way up to my brain and a loud gurgling grunt from my mouth that’s full of blood and river water. My thoughts were in a daze and I couldn’t think straight. I don’t know how long I’ve been drifting. I can’t even tell what’s up and what’s down. All I can do is wait until I somehow miraculously survive this, or just wait until whatever being comes for my soul and guides me to where my late grandparents are. Then it hit me: is this what dying feels like? Am I dying now? A wave of sadness, on top of the pain from my battered body, washed over me as my eyes teared up. I start to realize that this might be my end, and I’ve barely done anything yet worthwhile in my life. I started to think about my career, how I was about to show Ivan that I was ready to advance to the next level of black belt. Ivan had once told me he’d be retiring soon and was thinking of making me the sensei of the dojo as soon as I reached 10th Dan. I’m sorry, Ivan. I failed you. I then thought about my friends I’ve made over the years, the people I’ve come to know and admire in this small town, and how I shared many laughs with them. I remembered the laughs we shared, the juvenile pranks we pulled on others, even the parties they all invited me to and how I’ll probably never see them again. My mind wandered through the buried memories of my past until a certain boy appeared from them. I can’t see his face, I can’t even hear what he’s saying, but I know he’s someone who was very dear to me before I moved away with my mother. We drifted apart so soon…I wish we had more time, my forgotten friend. My tears start to pour from my eyes as I start to think about my family. My relatives who I’ve always enjoyed spending time with during their visits, especially my cousins. I then start to think about my parents and sister… I’m painfully, but subtly, whimpering because of the fact that I’ll probably never see them again. I start to think about my Dad, how he always told me he was proud of me for coming out of my shell all those years ago and accepting him as my father. I’ve always been proud to be a Saber, and I was so lucky and fortunate that Robert Saber was the father who accepted me as his son. Dad, I just want to hear you say that you’re proud of me just one more time. Yet now, I’ll never get that chance. My sister. My older, smart, admirable sister who was basically my best friend. I won’t be able to laugh with her or tease her anymore. She’ll be all alone without her brother looking out for her. I always hated when she frowned; it made me sad to see her unhappy. I never once let her frown on my watch because I loved to hear her laugh. Rachel was special in many ways, but what stood her out was how excited she’d always get whenever I made brownies for the family. I’m sorry, Rachel, but I won’t be able to make you my famous brownies anymore. At least try to savor the ones I had already made for you… The pain and sadness only intensified when my mother came to mind. My tears are flowing down my blood stained face as I start to think about her. My mother. My beautiful mother who’s always been there every step of the way. The woman who always told me she loved me every day, every chance she got. She always knew how to make me smile, even when I didn’t feel like it. From the day of my birth, to dealing with that bastard who was my biological father, to before this unfortunate turn of events, she’s always smiled for me. When I was crying, she’d always hug me. When I looked for advice, she’d always guide me. When I strayed from the path, she’d help remind me what I do and why I do it. Despite my sometimes unwise decisions in the past, she’d always be there no matter what. Now my heart breaks as I start to realize that this night would be the last night I’d’ve ever spoken with her. Mom, I’m so sorry for leaving you like this. At least…I won’t be suffering anymore. Soon, I’ll see Trisha. I’ll be sure to tell her hi for you. The blood loss and dizziness made my vision blurry as the water continues to carry me downstream. My eyes grow heavy and I feel like I’m drifting away. I hope…someone finds my body. I at least owe my family the right to see me off properly. I somehow had managed to open my eyes once again. I can barely see the trees up above me, but it seems like they aren’t moving anymore. After thinking about it, I guess I must’ve washed up on the shore some time during my unconsciousness, even though I don’t know where I am. It felt like hours have passed since my fall and I’m fading in and out. I know I’ll soon fall into eternal slumber soon since I no longer feel any physical pain. I try to move again, but I’m met with similar results from before and grunt in pain, but only briefly. I so desperately wanted all of this to be some sort of horrible nightmare and be done with it. But to my dismay, this was anything but unreal. All I could do now is agonizingly wait for my end. How am I even still alive? I should’ve at least passed sometime sooner by now… “…” …? “W........l.......ve” Someone’s there…? “Do.......yo........nt...........live.........ain?” Am I imagining or…? “Do you want to live again?” …! All of a sudden, a light shines brightly through the trees above me, making me wince as my eyes try to adjust despite the blood making everything still blurry. In front of me, I could barely make out a silhouette of a figure. From what I could tell, it was a feminine-like figure, but I still couldn’t make out who or what it was. She was standing in front of me, staring down at my mangled body. She then started to lean down to get a better look at me. She reaches a hand out and touches my chest. For a moment, I thought I was going to feel pain, but instead, it felt warm. It was soothing, like her very touch was melting the pain away. I tried to say something, but no words were able to come out despite the fact I’m barely awake anyway. I heard the strange being sigh and I got the sense that she was frowning down at me, like she took pity at my current state. “I can tell you do not wish to die, young youth, but I cannot save you from your current situation. Your body is too damaged for repair and your life is on the brink of passing on to the world beyond. So at this very moment, you have one of two choices. Either you accept your fate and you may pass on to the world beyond, or I can send your soul to a new world with a new, yet familiar body. There, you would embrace a new destiny and become something great, should you have the will to do so. But heed this warning, young youth. This will be your one and only chance,” she said calmly. Her voice sounded as soothing as her appearance. I wanted her to keep talking, but she just wanted my response. I was confused and a little scared that this being of light showed up out of nowhere. I also couldn’t help but feel a little angry and upset that my end was nearing, and even this unknown entity couldn’t do anything about it. However, I was strangely hopeful and happy with what she had just offered me. I didn’t want to die and just let this be my end, so I considered accepting her offer. But that would also mean leaving everything I’ve ever known behind and seemingly ending up in another world. That last part she said: embracing a new destiny? Becoming something great? Just what did she mean by that? I wish I had more time to think about this, but my body and consciousness said otherwise. My eyes were getting heavy again and my breathing was laboring more than it already was. I’m surprised I managed to stay alive this long, but I had little time to dwell on it. So I summoned what strength I had left into uttering something I’d probably regret later on. “Please…I…want…to…live…again…” I croaked weakly. The figure then rose up and continued to stare down at me. The light behind her started to shine more brighter, and soon, I couldn’t see anything except white, and what little I could see was her, but barely. “Very well, young youth. Embrace your new destiny and live your second life to your fullest extent,” she tells me. After that, I slipped more and more into unconsciousness, and it feels like I’m being lifted up into the air until all the white in my vision turns black. I hope…I made…the right choice… 3rd POV The figure held her arm straight out as a small orb of flickering light rose from the body of the young man. As the orb left the body, the young man then took his last breath, succumbing to his wounds and passing on. Or so it would seem. The figure then turned her hand upwards and extended it. The orb drifted away from the lifeless corpse of the young man and hovered just above the figure’s hand, flickering like a lit candle. In her hand is the still active soul of the young man known as William Saber. The figure then used her abilities to lift William’s body from the ground with her left arm and levitated it over to her. Her hand shone with a pure white sparkling aura, and William’s body began to glow dimly, but was then encased in light. After a few moments, the light dimmed, and his body was now healed of all damages. The figure moved her hand with the young man’s soul closer to the body. The soul then slowly re-entered its host, making it glow once more. After a few minutes of patiently waiting, William gasped as he began to breathe again, but was still unconscious. With his body now repaired and his soul where it should be once again, the figure lifts her left arm out again and her hand starts to glow. Suddenly, a crack in midair appeared. The crack started to spread until it shattered, creating a portal to who knows where. But the figure knew all too well where this portal led to. Before the figure sent the unconscious human on his way, she had decided to do one last thing for him. With the last of her power, she placed her hand on William’s head and closed her eyes to focus. “I can only do so much for you, young youth. These new skills of yours must be yours to hone by your own hand. I know you will do me proud. You and him are the future of Equestria.” Her hand stopped glowing and continued to levitate William’s body through the portal. As soon as William passed through, the portal closed and disappeared without a trace. The figure then looked up to the still night sky, where the moon started to begin its descent so the morning may start. In the distance, there were voices of other humans calling out for something, or someone. The figure turned toward the voices and frowned pityingly. “One day, I hope you all can forgive me for what I have done. But I know that one day, you will all see each other again and be in each other’s embrace.” The figure returned her gaze to the sky and closed her eyes. “I wish you luck on your journey, young youth. You will definitely need it, as the Equestrian Guardian…” And with that, the figure vanishes, leaving only the sound of the flowing river, the crickets still chirping, and the voices still echoing throughout the area. Many Hours Later William 1st POV My body felt like it was floating in a void, and I couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything. It felt like I’ve been floating for hours and it felt like I was in the middle of a sleep paralysis cycle. It’s happened before, like my mind was awake, but my body couldn’t move. This must be what it was like to die, and I was on my way to the great beyond. A little while later, it felt like my body had stopped floating and lowered onto a hard surface. Little by little, my body’s senses started to come back to me, the first of which was my hearing. I could hear birds tweeting, the wind blowing, trees rustling. Second was my sense of smell, the scent of the wilderness filled my nostrils. It took longer than it should have, but I managed to open my eyes to view my surroundings. I was outside. It looked like it was still night time and there were trees all around me. I blinked as I took a deep breath, holding it until I released it in a deep exhale. I tried to move my arms, but my whole body felt like it weighed a ton. I wasn’t planning on staying on the ground, so I forced myself to at least sit up straight. After multiple grunts and strains, I sat myself up to get a proper look at where I was and my own body. As I surmised, I was in some kind of forest, and all I could see were trees. I’ve been in wooded areas before, but this forest seemed to give off some kind of eerie feeling in my gut. I looked down at my body to see I still had my arms and legs. Though I felt sore as hell, I felt no major pain anywhere, as if I was never hit by that speeding vehicle. I then noticed that I was wearing some kind of cloak that draped over my shoulders, which was weird since I don’t recall putting it on, let alone owned one. “Was…was all of that just a dream?” I guessed out loud. I then slowly but surely picked myself off the ground so I could stand up on my feet again. I almost fell a few times, but managed to regain my balance. Step by step, I walked over to a nearby tree and leaned on it for support. A slight throb started to pound at my head, making me place my hand on it as I tried to process my situation. “Okay…okay, just think,” I said to myself. “I…should be dead, right? Or it could have all just been a VERY realistic dream. I was knocked over the head and dumped in the middle of a creepy forest.” As I continued to ponder out loud to myself, I felt something in my pocket. I reached inside to pull out my wallet, smartphone, and earbuds, which made me smile a little. “Well, at least I still have the essentials,” I sighed. I went to tuck my belongings back in my pockets when something fell out of my jacket pocket. I looked down to see it was some kind of scroll tied with a ribbon. I reached down and examined the scroll curiously as I untied the ribbon and unrolled the scroll. It looked like some kind of letter meant for me, so I decided to give it a read. Dearest Young Youth, If you are reading this, then I must ask you to burn these words into your mind. You are likely believing that this is all a dream and you shall wake soon. Unfortunately, that is not the case. What has happened to you did indeed happen: you were struck off the bridge of your home, became riddled with serious injuries, and was left within an inch of your life. I regretfully have more ill news. Due to the severity of your injuries, you had succumbed to the pain and passed away. However, before you did, I offered you a chance at a second life, to which you accepted. I extracted your soul to repair your body anew so that your soul would live on as you are now. Your mind and soul are still one in the same, but your body is different physically, and soon, you shall discover, mentally. I wish I could tell you more, but know this; I chose you because I wanted to prove something to myself and to someone dear to me. The world you now reside in is nothing like the one you came from. It is peaceful, but also has its dangers, so I must ask that you hone your newfound skills and power so that you may properly face these dangers. I understand you still have questions, but rest assured, this will not be the last we speak. We shall one day meet again, and I shall be waiting to provide you with more of the answers you seek. I wish you the best of luck and I hope to see you again, Young Youth. Sincerely, ~F I had to steady my nerves after reading the letter. I really wanted to believe that this was a dream or I had actually passed on. Whoever this F person was could only have been the entity who came to me during my final moments. I folded the scroll back up and tucked it in my pocket as I turned around, leaned my back on the tree, and looked up to the branches. “I’m…in another world?” I mumbled aloud. “But it feels like I’m still home. If what she said was true, then…does that mean I won’t be able to see my family again? And she chose me? Of all the people on Earth, she chose me? Why me? I’m no one special. I’m anything but special, yet she still chose me.” The late night breeze blew against me as my emotions started to take hold of me. Sadness, anger, regret, confusion, fear, thankfulness, happiness, I didn’t know what to think or how to feel. But I now know one thing: this was real…everything that has happened so far was real. The car accident, the pain from my wounds, my life ending, waking up in a different world, and being told that I am to fulfill some kind of grand destiny. In all honesty, it felt like I was in some kind of cheesy fantasy movie. I looked at my hands and finally noticed that I was wearing white fingerless gloves, yet another strange occurrence like the cloak over my shoulders. I had so many questions swirling around in my head, a migraine started to make itself known. Not to mention I was in the middle of the damn forest and that eerie feeling wouldn’t go away, which seemed to always keep the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “Ugh, I can’t focus here. I need to get out of this damn forest,” I grumbled before pushing myself off the tree and looked around. “There should be a path somewhere around here. Hopefully I’ll find one soon.” I then slowly began my trek through the forest in search of a path so I could find my way to whatever civilization there was around here. I never really minded the forest, but when you’re out in the middle of the night in a dense forest with woodland creatures and predators probably stalking you, being nervous seems to always be a standard issue. I looked up to the sky and saw the moon past the branches. It seemed to look the same as any other moon, but somehow, it looked like it had a brighter and softer glow to it than the one back home. “If it weren’t for the creepy forest, I could go for some star gazing right about now to ease my nerves.” Suddenly, in the distance, I heard what sounded like voices. My hopes of getting out of here rose as I headed in the direction of the voices. I couldn’t help but also feel a little nervous for some reason. If I truly was in another world, then that would mean I’d be encountering aliens for the first time. Not to mention, I would be seen as an alien as well to them. But first impressions are always important, and I wanted to make sure I made a good one to whoever or whatever lived in this world. As the voices drew nearer, I hid behind a tree and readied myself. I straightened my jacket and tried to fix my hair to look presentable for these people. Just as I was about to walk out to meet the approaching group, I noticed that a spider had crawled up on my shoulder. My face went pale as I gasped and jumped away from the tree as I hastily brushed the spider off. “SHIT! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!” I yelped, slapping my shoulder and making sure there were no other creepy crawlies on me. “Ugh…I hate spiders.” A collection of gasps was heard behind me, making me flinch and slowly turn around. Only…I now wish I hadn’t, since I was face to face with individuals that were too shocking for words. They appeared to be standing on two legs like me, but their bodies’ other characteristics said otherwise. Their faces looked like horses: they had muzzles, and their ears were on top of their heads. Instead of feet, they had actual hooves, which only made things more confusing than they already were. I was at a loss for words; I was in the presence of what I could only describe them as anthropomorphic horse people. Oddest thing is, they were all female due to their physical appearances and all seemed to have different colored fur. We both just stared at each other, unmoving and still processing the situation. After what felt like a minute passing by, the pink one seemed to break the ice and actually spoke. “HI!” “WHAT THE HELL?!” Author's Note He’s arrived! Side note: Special thanks to the talented pawpaul for this great artwork! Also, HUGE shoutout to Codex92 for his amazing editing! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s IntroductionChapter 3 “Holy crap! Holy crap! HOLY CRAP!” I hyperventilated quietly as I hid behind a nearby tree. As I was in the middle of a panic attack, I tried my best to contemplate my current situation. I somehow wound up in a creepy forest, I just found out that I supposedly died and was sent here for some special reason, and now there’s these weird ass anthro horse creatures I ran into while trying to escape from said creepy forest! I thought that maybe I was in the middle of some crazy fever dream, but unfortunately, I was very much awake and in mid-panic. Who or what are those things? Why do they have bodies like humans, but characteristics like horses? Why were they all so colorful? My mind spun like a top in my head that I almost felt dizzy due to all these questions. I peeked out from behind the tree to see the horse people had huddled up and were talking amongst themselves. They didn’t seem to notice me peeking, so it was a good opportunity to examine them visually. From what I could tell, they were all female due to their, shall we say, physical appearance. One of them reminded me of someone who looked like they worked on a farm or ranch or something. She had orange fur with a blonde mane and tail tied at the end to make the hair look like a loop. She also had emerald green eyes and was wearing a brown stetson hat on her head. She wore a red and white checked shirt with a brown waistcoat and blue jeans that went well with her muscular figure. Next to her was a girl who had cyan blue fur, a rainbow mane and tail, a pair of wings, and magenta coloured eyes. She was wearing a white tank top, blue jacket, and black pants that hugged her athletic curves. The wings, however, seemed to stand out of her appearance since only one of the others had wings like hers. If these girls were horse hybrids or something, then I can only assume that she’s some kind of pegasus. Speaking of the other winged girl, this one had butter yellow fur with a long pink mane and tail. She has blue eyes and wore a green sweater and blue jeans. I noticed that she hid behind her mane a bit and had a bit of a shy look to her. The next girl looked like she belonged in some cartoon. She had pink fur with a pink, puffy, curly mane and tail that looked like cotton candy. She has blue eyes and was wearing a pink skirt and top. For some reason, she seemed to be smiling constantly and hopped in place as she conversed with the others. The pink horse girl looked in my direction and waved to me, to which I just hid back behind the tree. I waited a bit before peeking out again to see she went back to talking to the others. The girl standing next to her looked like she was all posh and elegant due to what she was wearing and how she styled her mane and tail. Her white fur seems to glisten more than the others and her curly mane and tail was purple. She has light blue eyes and was wearing a white button up shirt and a skirt that matched the colour of her mane and tail. I was confused as to why she had a horn, but like the pegasus girls, I surmised that she could only be a unicorn horse girl. Lastly, another unicorn girl stood in the middle of the huddle. She had lavender fur with a purple and pink streaked mane and tail. Like the white furred girl, she also had a horn and magenta eyes, wearing a purple skirt with a white undershirt and lavender sweater. Her outfit made her look like she was some kind of school girl and seemed to be doing most of the talking. I hid back behind the tree and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Okay…okay, Will, calm yourself. Who or whatever these people are, they at least don’t look as hostile as you think. I mean, that pink girl seemed nice, right? Why else would she wave at you like that? Then again, you did just wake up from your supposed death, so this could all just be some illusion from blood loss. Argh! Why does my head have to hurt so damn much!? I thought as I held my head with both hands. “Um…excuse me?” I flinched at the sound of someone talking and gulped as I peeked around the tree once more. The lavender furred girl was standing just before the tree as the others stood close behind her. “You don’t have to be scared,” she said softly. She’s talking to me? “How…how do I know that?” I asked. “You say not to be scared, but I have no idea who or what any of you even are.” The lavender girl looked back to her friends and then back to me with a bit of a pleading look. “We promise, we mean you no harm. As for what we are, we’re ponies, and I can assure you that we’re anything but dangerous.” Ponies? Wow, I sure was off. “So, if I come out, you promise not to attack me or anything? Just so you know, I know martial arts. I’m trained to protect myself if need be,” I warned. “Martial arts? What is that?” she wondered. “In other words, hand to hand combat,” I added, making her and the others become wary. “I’m just letting you know, is all.” “I see,” the girl said, clearing her throat. “Regardless, you have my word that no pony here will hurt you or try to attack you.” “Uh, don’t you mean no one?” I questioned. “No, I meant no pony.” “But…actually, never mind,” I shook my head. “If you insist, then I’ll come out.” The girl smiled and stepped back and waited for me. I took a few more deep breaths before stepping away from the tree and out in the open. I stepped more into the moon’s light so that they could get a good look at me. I hadn’t noticed before, but seeing them all up close put all my worries away since they were all not as intimidating as I thought. Although, I couldn’t really say the same when they saw me. Their expressions were a mix of interest, confusion, caution, slight fear, and curiosity. “So…hi there,” I said with a mock wave. “It’s, uh…nice to meet you.” “What exactly are you?” the lavender pony asked. “You don’t look like a pony, yet you have somewhat similar characteristics.” “He looks kind of weird,” the rainbow-haired pony said. “Rainbow Dash! Don’t be rude!” the white-furred pony snapped. “What? I mean, look at him. He doesn’t even have a tail or hooves for that matter. It’s just weird. No offense.” “None taken?” I shrugged. “Well, if ya ain’t a pony, then what are ya?” the orange-furred pony asked in a southern accent. “I…guess if you wanna call me something, I’m a human,” I said, making them all gasp. “A human?!” the lavender girl yelped. “No way! You can’t be a real live human!” the rainbow-haired pony accused. “Oh my…a real human,” the butter yellow-furred pony whispered. “WOWIE!” All of a sudden, my vision was blurred by pink and a pair of blue eyes. “YOU’RE A HUMAN?! THAT’S SO COOL! HI, I’M PINKIE PIE! I LIKE PARTIES! DO YOU LIKE PARTIES?! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF CAKE?! DO YOU KNOW ANY FUNNY JOKES?! HERE’S ONE! WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?!” “Uuuuhhhh…” I mumbled as my eyes spun in circles. “Woah there, sugarcube,” the orange-furred girl said as she pulled the energetic pink pony away from me. “You’ll make him see stars with all them questions.” “I…think I already am,” I half joked. “But I assure you all, I’m a pure-blooded human. The more scientific term would classify me as a Homosapien .” “How extraordinary!” The lavender pony squealed as she pulled out a paper and quill from her pockets. “You must tell me everything about yourself! Like, where do humans come from? Why are your ears so small and on the sides of your head? Can you tell me what kind of diet humans have that might differ from ponies?” For god’s sake, one hyperactive pony girl is enough! “Twilight, darling, I believe you are going to stress the poor dear out,” the white-furred pony girl said. The lavender pony girl soon realized how overwhelmed I was and smiled sheepishly as she backed away to give me space. “Sorry about that. Can you at least tell us your name?” “That, I can actually answer at the moment,” I said, rubbing my head. “My name is William Saber. What about you all?” “William Saber? That’s an interesting name. My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said with a polite bow. “Name’s Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Ponyville!” Rainbow boasted as she unfurled her wings. “I’m Applejack, partner,” Applejack said, tipping her hat. “And ya already met Pinkie Pie.” “Hi, Willy!” Pinkie chirped. Willy? “I am Rarity, darling,” Rarity said, batting her eyes. “Charmed.” “Um…I’m Fluttershy,” Fluttershy whispered, still hiding behind her mane. “Fluttershy? Huh, nice name,” I nodded, barely managing to hear her quiet voice. “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you all. How come you’re all walking in this creepy forest?” “Oh goodness! I almost forgot! Come on, girls, we need to get to the old castle right away!” Twilight said as she walked past me. “Where are you all headed?” I wondered. “We’re on a mission to save the world!” Rainbow said confidently. “From who?” “An evil mare who wants to plunge the world in eternal night,” Rarity said. “While I do enjoy stargazing, I would prefer to at least show off new designs for my summer collection.” “Hey, Willy, why not come with us?” Pinkie chirped. “Me? This seems like something you all should be handling on your own,” I said. “Aw, come on, Willy! The Everfree Forest is no place for a group of young mares like us to roam around. We might need a strong, brave stallion like you to protect us!” “Okay, first of all, I’m not a stallion,” I stated. “Second, I may know how to fight, but I don’t see how effective I can be against whatever’s lurking around here.” “Well ya can’t exactly leave here if ya don’t got anywhere to go,” Applejack said. “Like Pinkie said, the Everfree ain’t no cakewalk, especially at night.” “Cake? Where?” Pinkie asked. Applejack did have a point. If I tried to leave the forest, I’d probably end up getting more lost than I would’ve wanted to. Not to mention I wouldn’t even know where to go if and when I managed to get out of the forest. “Okay, I guess I can tag along,” I shrugged. “Great! You might even help us save the world!” Pinkie said as she grabbed my arm and pulled me along. What have I just gotten myself into? My walk with these…mares, I guess I would call them, was all mostly quiet, excluding Pinkie Pie, who’d occasionally badger me with questions. I mostly hung back as we walked through the forest and kept to myself, mostly because I was still trying to contemplate how the hell I was even walking with bipedal, talking pony creatures in the first place. It wasn’t until the blue mare, Rainbow Dash I think her name was, paced back to walk near me and gave me a look. “Uh, there something you need?” I asked. “Yeah, you said you knew how to fight, right?” she questioned. “I prefer the term self-defense, but yes, I do,” I nodded. “What kind of fighting?” “Karate. I’m an 8th level black belt.” “Seriously?” Rainbow said, rather surprised. “How are you such a high rank?” “Years of hard work and dedication, I guess,” I shrugged. “Plus my sensei always told me that I was a fast learner. Do you know karate?” “Of course I do! I learned it as a hobby, but I’m only a red belt for now.” “Wow, that’s pretty cool. You aiming to get a black belt?” “You better believe I am,” Rainbow proclaimed proudly. “And don’t think you’re cooler than me just cause you’re a black belt. Once I get mine, I wanna challenge you to a bout!” “Sure, I’ll be happy to accept your challenge,” I nodded. “Hey, Will, was it?” Applejack asked, also hanging back as I glanced at her. “I’ve been meanin’ to ask. What’s the deal with yer eyes?” That question seemed to grasp the attention of all the mares, making them stop for a moment to look at me. I had a feeling one of them would ask about it, which is understandable since my eyes seem to stand out more than the rest of me. “Hey, she’s right. Your eyes are two different colors,” Rainbow said, pointing at me. “Oh my, they look rather…alluring,” Rarity cooed. “Uh, thanks, I guess?” I shrugged. “Never got called that before. Anyway, it’s not really anything conversation worthy. I have Heterochromia.” “Herero-whata?” Pinkie asked, unable to pronounce the word. “What the hay is that?” Rainbow asked. “It’s as you said before; it’s when someone has two different eye colors. As you can see, my right eye is hazel and my left eye is light blue,” I explained, pointing to each of my eyes. “I’ve had it since I was born.” “It ain’t anythin’ like a sickness, is it?” Applejack asked warily. “Oh no no, far from it,” I shook my head. “The condition is completely benign, which means it’s harmless.” “Do all humans have this condition?” Twilight asked as she scribbled on her paper. “Not all humans, but there are some breeds of animals that are known to have it all the time.” “What kind of animals?” Fluttershy wondered. “Mostly dogs, cats, and a couple of other species. It actually isn’t as common with humans as it is with animals as you think.” “How fascinating,” Twilight said. “And what are these other animals that may have it.” “If I were to guess, I’d say-HOLY SHIT, WHAT’S THAT?!” I pointed past the girls as a monster appeared before us. It had the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion. I was completely frozen at what I was bearing witness to; this thing was a goddamn Manticore from the stories of myth! “A Manticore!” Twilight yelped. “We’ve gotta get past him!” “Are you crazy?! That thing will tear us apart!” I said. The Manticore roared at us, then leapt into the air and made a swipe at us. We all jumped out of the way and Rarity spun around and kicked the lion monster in the snout. “Take that, you ruffian!” Rarity shouted. The Manticore just shook its head and roared in her face, making her mane blow back and get all frizzy. “My hair!” Rarity ran away from the beast as it gave chase. Before it could chase her any further, Applejack jumped on top of it and began riding it like a bull. “YE HAW! Git along, little doggy!” she whooped as the Manticore tried to shake her off. “Holy crap, that girl’s got guts,” I said astonished. “Wait…” Fluttershy whispered. “Wait for what?” I asked. Before she could respond, the Manticore managed to throw Applejack off, who sailed through the air and saluted Rainbow Dash as if she was tagging her in to face the monster. “Wait…!” Fluttershy said again. She dashed at the Manticore with amazing speed and spun around the beast, creating a miniature rainbow hurricane. It looked like the Manticore was getting annoyed with the rainbow pegasus, so it used its tail to swat her away like she was a fly. “Rainbow!” we all cried out as Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop across the ground in a daze from the spinning. As Rainbow tried to pick herself up, the Manticore stalked over to the downed pegasus with its tail raised in the air. No one could do anything as they tried to figure out how to save her, and time was running out. I’m not sure what came over me. Maybe it was an act of pure stupidity, but I knew I had to do something or Rainbow Dash was a goner. I sprinted toward the monster, ignoring the shouts of protest from the others. I then did a cartwheel and began jumping off my hands and feet, leaping off the ground while maintaining the momentum of my spin and extended my leg. I brought my foot down on the Manticore’s head with a fierce ax kick, making it roar in pain as I backflipped in the air and landed right in front of Rainbow Dash. “She’s not on the menu tonight, pussy cat,” I said as I spread my legs and raised my arms into a Front-Stance. The Manticore shook its head and growled at me, readying to come in for another attack. I prepared myself and waited for the monster lion to attack. “WAIT!!” Everyone froze as Fluttershy flew in between me and the Manticore. I was confused as to why she told everyone to wait, but she seemed serious in her request. We watched as the yellow pegasus went over to the Manticore and gently rubbed its paw. “Fluttershy, get away from that thing! It’s pissed and will eat you alive!” I called out. “No it won’t, look,” she said as she pointed to the Manticore’s paw. The beast turned its paw around to reveal a thorn stuck in the padding of its paw. “Oh you poor, poor little baby.” “Little?” I questioned. “Now this might hurt for just a second,” Fluttershy said as she pulled out the thorn. As soon as it was removed, the Manticore grabbed the mare and let out an ear-splitting roar. “FLUTTERSHY!” we all shouted, but were more surprised at what the Manticore was actually doing. Instead of devouring her, the Manticore was grooming her while purring, and it looked like a mother cat grooming her kittens. “The hell…?” I muttered to myself. “Aw, you’re just a little baby kitty, aren’t you?” Fluttershy giggled. “Yes you are, yes you are~.” Taking the opportunity while it was distracted, we all sneaked past the Manticore until we were a safe distance away. The Manticore eventually released Fluttershy and walked back into the forest and Fluttershy rejoined us. “How did you know about the thorn?” Twilight wondered. “I didn’t. Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a little kindness,” Fluttershy said. “Huh, go figure,” I hummed as Twilight smiled. “Hey…” I looked over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking away bashfully and rubbing her arm. “That was…pretty cool. What you did back there.” “No problem. You also had a pretty decent plan yourself,” I said. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” “Yeah, well, don’t think you’re gonna be saving me again anytime soon,” Rainbow said, slugging my arm. “Next time, I’ll be the one saving your sorry flank.” “I look forward to it,” I chuckled as we continued on. The forest seemed to become more creepy and dank as we walked deeper in. I sometimes had to wipe the bottom of my shoes on a tree trunk to get the mud off and there always seemed to be a twig here and there getting stuck on my cloak. Regardless, we still carried on, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes on us constantly. “Igh, my eyes need a rest from all this icky muck,” Rarity complained. We soon came to a point where more foreboding trees loomed over us and the air became more musky. “Well, I didn’t mean that literally.” “I can vouch for that,” I agreed. “Normally, I wouldn’t mind a hike through the woods, but this place kinda kills the whole vibe.” “At least there ain’t no more cliffs to fall off of,” Applejack said, making Twilight shiver nervously. “Please don’t remind me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared,” Twilight said. “At least I was truthful with ya,” Applejack said. “Mind filling me in?” “Oh. Well, before you showed up, we were on the edge of a cliff, and it collapsed from underneath us,” Twilight said. “Oh damn. How’d you all get out of that?” I wondered. “We saved everypony, that’s how!” Rainbow said proudly, wrapping an arm around Fluttershy, who blushed at the attention. “It’s true. We were tumblin’ down the hill and were unable to stop when the cliff gave way,” Applejack described. “Ah managed to grab a thick root to stop mahself and caught Twilight just in time. Ah was about to pull her up, but Ah was afraid the cliff might collapse again. It wasn’t until Ah noticed Rainbow and Fluttershy flying back up in the air after makin’ sure Rarity and Pinkie were safe that I asked Twilight to let go of mah grip.” “You asked her to let go? That seems pretty dangerous though,” I said, a little shocked. “But I’m glad she did,” Twilight said. “She knew that Rainbow and Fluttershy would catch me and she even assured me she would never lie.” “Looks like you put your trust in the right mare,” I commented and Twilight nodded. “Shucks, you two. It weren’t nothin’,” Applejack said, rubbing the back of her head. “On the contrary, trust is a two-way streak,” I said. “The fact you were able to convince Twilight to put her life in your hands speaks volumes. There aren’t many who are willing to do what you were able to do.” “Well, thank ya kindly, Will,” Applejack smiled. SQUISH “Oh wait, I think I stepped in somethin’.” Suddenly, Fluttershy screamed in a panic, making me flinch at the sudden screaming. “It’s just mud.” “Uh…I think she was screaming at that!” Rainbow said fearfully, pointing at the tree. The tree in question had a very scary face on it, which sent a cold shiver down my spine. Soon, the rest of the girls started screaming as more of the trees seemed to have terrifying faces on them. It was like I was in some kind of messed up version of Alice in Wonderland. We all soon stopped screaming when the sound of laughter of all things grabbed our attention. Pinkie Pie was clutching her stomach, pointing at one of the trees and actually laughing at it despite it having a creepy face, and she was making her own funny faces. “Pinkie, what are you doing?! Run!” Twilight cried out. “Oh girls, and Willy, don’t you see?” Pinkie asked. Then out of nowhere, she began to sing of all things. After she and the rest of the girls sang their little song, they all laid on the ground laughing up a fit like they had the best time. I couldn’t help myself but laugh along with them since it was so fun watching them make the faces disappear by just laughing and singing. “Hahaha! Man, who knew breaking out in a musical number would lift spirits so much!” I said, wiping my eye. “Of course! Laughing is always the best cure for anything!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped along and we followed after her. The path led us out of the dank part of the forest and into a more open area. “I must say, William, your attire certainly is interesting. Especially your jacket. I’ve never seen such a design before,” Rarity said as she walked up next to me. “You think so? It’s just something I wear on a regular basis,” I shrugged. “Do you perhaps have any other clothing you can show me?” “Unfortunately, this is all I’ve got at the moment.” “Truly? How is that possible?” “It’s…a long story, but what you see me wearing now are the only clothes I have on me.” “I see. Then I suppose we will have to remedy that once all of this is over,” Rarity hummed. We soon arrived at a raging river. The waves looked so violent that any one of us could be swept away if we even tried to cross. “How are we gonna cross this?” Pinkie wondered. “Anyone got a zipline handy?” I asked, but they all just stared at me. Downstream, we heard what sounded like someone crying their eyes out. We followed the noise and saw a large purple sea serpent creature with nicely styled hair and a moustache, only half his moustache was cut off. The guy was thrashing around in the water, which explained why the water was so crazy. “What a world! What a world!” he cried as he smashed his fists in the river. “Man, that guy needs to chill,” I mumbled. “Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?” Twilight asked. “Well, I don’t know! I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved moustache clean off!” the serpent said sadly as he pointed to his face. “And now, I look simply horrid!” He flailed around dramatically and made a big wave of water splash on us. “Hey! What the hell, dude?!” I snapped as my clothes were drenched. “Oh, give me a break…” Rainbow grumbled. “That’s what all the fuss is about?” Applejack asked. “Anyone got a towel?” I asked as I tried to wring my cloak dry. “Why, of course it is!” Rarity said. “How can you be so insensitive? Oh, just look at him. Such lovely, luminescent scales!” “I know!” the serpent sniffled. “Your expertly quaffed mane!” “Oh, I know, I know!” “Your fabulous manicure!” “It’s so true!” “Good god, is she always like this?” I groaned to the others as I tried to dry the rest of my clothes. “More than she cares to admit, partner,” Applejack sighed, the others nodding in agreement. “All ruined without your beautiful moustache,” Rarity frowned. “It’s true! I’m hideous!” the serpent cried out dramatically. “I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected!” Rarity proclaimed. She reached over and pulled a scale out from the serpent’s body, making him yelp in pain. Rarity raised the scale up high and swiped it behind her, cutting her tail off completely and the serpent fell over on the shore in a dramatic fashion. “Oh damn, that was unexpected,” I said. Rarity’s horn sparkled and glowed a light blue glow as the rest of her tail she cut off levitated off the ground. It floated toward the cut off part of the serpent’s moustache and tied around it so it could replace what was cut off. “Oh ho ho ho! My moustache! How wonderful!” he cheered gleefully. “You look smashing!” Rarity complimented. “Oh Rarity, your beautiful tail,” Twilight said pityingly. “That was a gutsy move you pulled,” I said. “Sacrificing your own tail to fix his moustache?” “Oh, it’s fine, my dears. Short tails are in this season,” Rarity said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, it’ll grow back.” “So would the moustache,” Rainbow whispered. “Don’t ruin the moment,” I chided, giving her a light elbow. “And check it out. We can cross the river now.” “Allow me,” the serpent said as he used his body as a platform for us to hop on to the other side. “Thanks for the lift, big guy,” I said to him. “Oh, anytime, my new friends! I wish you luck on the rest of your journey!” the serpent beamed. Heh, interesting guy. “So, remind me again what it is you’re all looking for?” I asked as we continued our trek. “We’re supposed to find the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters,” Twilight said. “It is supposed to be the last known location of the Elements of Harmony.” “Uh huh, and these element things are what exactly?” I asked, still unclear what she was talking about. “All you need to know is that they’re what we need to save the world,” Rainbow said. Our walking soon led us to a gorge with a rickety looking bridge hanging in between. On the other side, I could see what looked like the ruins of an old castle. “There it is! The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony! We made it!” Twilight said happily as she ran ahead of us and we ran after her. “Twilight, wait for us!” Applejack called out. “We’re almost there!” I soon saw that the bridge was out, making my eyes widen. “TWILIGHT, STOP! THE BRIDGE!” Twilight had stopped just in time before she fell off the edge. Rainbow was able to grab her tail and pull her back before she fell forward. “What’s with you and falling off cliffs today?” Rainbow teased. “Sweet jeezus, I thought I was gonna have a heart attack,” I exhaled. “Now what?” Pinkie whined, gesturing to the broken bridge. “Duh?” Rainbow said, unfurling her wings and flew off. She flew down, diving into the gorge to retrieve the fallen rope bridge. She flew out of the gorge with the bridge in hand and disappeared into the fog to reach the other side. We waited for a few minutes, but hadn’t heard anything back yet. “You think she’s okay?” I wondered. “It shouldn’t be that hard to tie a rope.” “Rainbow Dash! What’s taking so long?!” Twilight called out. Through the fog, we saw more ponies talking with Rainbow, and Twilight became fearful at the sight of them. “Oh no…Rainbow Dash, don’t listen to them!” As she tried to call out to Rainbow Dash, the fog mysteriously moved in and blocked our vision from seeing her. We all then grew worried for her until she eventually came flying back with a proud smile. “See? I never leave my friends hanging,” Rainbow said as we crossed the bridge. “It’s good to see you Rainbow. Now we-” CRACK! I was cut off when one of the wooden boards broke and my leg fell through. All the girls snapped their heads to me as I desperately tried to hang on to the board in front of me. Rainbow gasped and flew toward me to catch me, but my grip slipped too soon and I began plummeting down below. “OH FUCK!!!” I screamed. “WILLIAM!!!” they all cried. I was in a complete panic as I plummeted down in the gorge. I spun around to see that I was nearing the bottom at a rapid pace. It was all so soon. I had just returned to life, and I’m now about to die again. But…I didn’t want to die! I wanted to keep living! I wanted to know why I was sent here! “I WANT TO LIVE!!!” I screamed as I shut my eyes and focused with all my might. I waited for my untimely end, but it seemed like I was waiting longer than expected. Daring to open my eyes, I looked around and saw that I was still alive and well. Only thing about my current situation is that I was frozen in place as my face was mere inches from the ground. I slowly looked down and my eyes widened in total disbelief. Not only was I still alive, but I also was somehow floating in midair. More to the point, I felt a very strange sensation within me, like an unknown force was keeping me in the air. My body soon relaxed, but I kept hovering in the air and looked at my hands. I was completely unscathed and there wasn’t a scratch on me, yet I was still completely baffled by what was happening. “How…how is this possible?” I wondered. I looked up to the bridge and thought about the others. They probably think I’m dead right now, and I’d very much prefer to ease their minds. “Okay, Will, just focus.” I inhaled and exhaled as I concentrated to make myself go up. “Easy does it.” As I had hoped, I began floating upwards and back to the bridge. I almost had a few close calls when I fell a little, but I kept flying upwards. “I’m flying. I’m actually flying on my own. This is such an incredible feeling.” The bridge and the girls then came into view on the other side of the gorge, and every single one of them were crying their eyes out. Twilight’s head hung low, Applejack had taken her hat off her head as Fluttershy hugged her and cried into her shoulder, Rarity buried her face in her hands, Rainbow was on her knees and punching the ground, and Pinkie was crying harder than the others as her mane and tail had deflated. I hovered in the air just above the girls and cleared my throat, gaining their attention. Once they all saw me, none of them were able to form words they were so surprised. “Hey, girls,” I said with a weak smile. “WILLIAM?!?” “Bu-ho-yo-” Twilight tried to speak. “You’re alive!” Rainbow said as she flew up to meet me in the air and wiped her eyes. “And…holy hay, you’re flying!” “That I am,” I nodded. “But how?! You never told us you could fly!” “Honestly, I figured it out not two minutes ago,” I shrugged. I then attempted to land back on the ground, but I ended up falling on my ass on the dirt with a loud thump. “Ouch! Damn, that hurt…” Suddenly, I was swarmed by the girls, who all embraced me in a big group hug and they continued to cry. “Sweet stars above! We thought you died!” Twilight cried. “Don’t you ever scare us like that again!” Rarity shrieked. “I’m so happy you’re ok!” Fluttershy wept. “You still owe me that bout, you jerk!” Rainbow snapped. “Consarnit, ya nearly gave us a heart attack!” Applejack barked. “WAAAAHHHH! I WAS SO SAD! BUT NOW I’M HAPPY YOU’RE OKAY!” Pinkie bawled. I was taken aback as to why they were so happy to see me again. But as they hugged me, a warm feeling washed over me. They were genuinely sad when they thought I had died after I fell. It was a comforting feeling, being cared for by others this much, even if we had all just met tonight. “I told you, I don’t know. It just happened.” “How can flying on your own without wings be something that just happened? You were literally in the air and we saw no wings!” “For god’s sake, Twilight, if I knew, I’d know, but I don’t!” As we approached the castle ruins, Twilight took it upon herself to badger me with questions about how I was able to fly on my own without wings. I had told her many times before I had no clue as to how I was able to do it in the first place. It was all just in the spur of the moment as I fell, and it just happened when I needed it most. I at least recall what it felt like while I was flying. It was as if a feeling of unknown energy from within allowed me to gain the ability of flight, like a warm flame in the center of my body. Ignoring Twilight’s constant questions, we opened the doors of the old castle. The inside looked like no one had been here in a very long time. Old tapestries were rotting away with age while stone bricks were falling out of the walls. Large stone pillars towered over us and were covered in both vines and moss, and glass windows were either cracked or shattered. In the center of the room sat a large pedestal with five stone orbs resting on it. “Wow, what a view,” I said. “Come on, Twilight, isn’t this what you’ve been waitin’ for?” Applejack asked. “The Elements of Harmony! We found them!” Twilight cheered. Rainbow and Fluttershy flew up to pick them up and set them on the ground. Not wanting to be left out, I decided to help out and tried to fly up myself. I focused on the feeling from before and concentrated as much as I could. Slowly but surely, I lifted off the ground and into the air. Still keeping my focus, I floated over to the pedestal and gently grabbed a stone orb to bring it back down to the floor. “Careful…careful,” Twilight said. I almost dropped the orb when I landed, but managed to catch myself when I set the orb down on the floor. “One, two, three, four…there’s only five,” Pinkie said. “Where’s the sixth?” Rainbow wondered. “The book said when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed,” Twilight said as she examined the orbs. “What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack asked. “Maybe it’s a riddle?” I guessed. “Sounds like a dumb riddle,” Rainbow said. “I’m not sure, but I have an idea,” Twilight said. “Stand back, I don’t know what will happen.” We all did as instructed and took a few steps backwards. Twilight then closed her eyes as her horn began to shine a light lavender glow. “Come on now, y’all, she needs to concentrate,” Applejack said as she led the others out. I was about to follow her when my eye caught the sight of something behind one of the pillars. I thought I saw what looked like a purple mist-like substance, but it soon disappeared when I looked over to it. “Will? Are ya comin’?” “Yeah, I’m right behind you,” I said as I followed. We stepped back outside and waited for Twilight to finish whatever it is she was doing. Meanwhile, I was off to the side and left to my thoughts as I looked down at my hands. I wasn’t sure why, but I somehow got the impression that I had seen this somewhere before. Why was I able to fly without wings? Is it due to that warm feeling I had earlier when I flew? To test a theory, I began to focus that feeling in my hands instead of for when I fly. As expected, the feeling in my chest returned and I tried to make it so it went into my hands. My hands soon began to glow faintly, which only drove me to concentrate more. My hands glowed more and more until a small orb of light appeared in front of me. It was a little bright and glowed a yellow hue as it illuminated my face. I was astounded by the results. It was as if I somehow manifested my own energy into a ball of light, and I’m now holding it in my hands. As soon as I had that thought, a realization hit me. “Wait a sec. Energy, being able to fly, the warm sensation within,” I mumbled to myself. “Is…is this Ki?” Suddenly, I heard Twilight yelp in a panic, making me break my concentration and the orb dissipated from my hands. “Twilight!” we all shouted as we ran back to the castle. We pushed open the doors to see Twilight in a panic. In front of her was some kind of large purple whirlwind and the element orbs were flying around in the air. “The Elements!” Twilight cried and jumped into the whirlwind. “Twilight, wait!” I called out, but it was too late. Both she and the orbs disappeared in a flash before any of us could join in. “Shit!” “Twilight, where are you?!” Applejack called out. “Where could she have gone?! What the hell was that whirlwind?” I wondered as we all ran around looking for Twilight. “Look!” Rarity called out,pointing out a window. We all looked out to see another tower and flashing lights from inside. “She’s gotta be in there!” I said. “Come on!” Applejack said and we ran out of the room. We followed the path toward the tower as fast as we could. Before we could reach the tower, the same purple mist swirled in front of us, making us stop in our tracks. From the mist, a pack of wolf-like creatures that looked like they were made of pieces of wood growled as they blocked our path. “What the hell?!” I shouted. “Timber wolves!” Rarity shrieked. One of the wolves crouched down and leapt at Rarity with its fangs bared. Thinking fast, I jumped in front of Rarity, raised my hands in front of me, and concentrated as hard as I could. A bright orb of energy quickly formed in my hands and I thrust them forward, making the orb shoot from my hands and blast into the timber wolf. The orb blew the creature up into pieces as they fell to the ground. “What the hay?!” Rainbow cried. “William, how did you-?” Rarity tried to say. “No time to explain! Get to the tower, I’ll hold them all off!” I said as I got into my stance. “By yourself?! That’s crazy talk!” Applejack argued. “And I said there’s no time! Twilight needs you all right now!” They were hesitant at first, but nodded anyway as they ran past me. Rarity looked over her shoulder, but continued onwards to the tower with the others. The timber wolves were about to run after them, but I stood in their way and glared at them. “Not another step, you freaks of nature!” I growled. The wolves all barked and gnashed their wooden fangs at me as they advanced. I ran toward them and jumped forward to deliver a flying kick to the closest one. My foot smashed into its face, making it yelp in pain, but I was far from done. I reeled back and punched its muzzle upwards and spun my body around to kick it in the side. The force of my kick sent the wooden wolf flying as it burst into pieces upon impact on the ground. Another wolf tried to pounce behind me, but I managed to duck just in time. It turned around and tried to bite my arm, but I raised my hand and pointed it at its open jaw. “Eat this, Fido!” I managed to fire another orb of energy straight down its throat, which caused it to explode from the inside and into pieces. I looked around to see that there were still a few more of these creepy ass wolves left, and they had surrounded me. The lights from the tower looked like they were shining a bit brighter than before, and I could only guess what was happening with Twilight and the rest of the girls. I was brought out of my thoughts when all three timber wolves jumped at me at the same time. I reacted quickly by jumping in the air and flying upwards, making the wolves crash into each other. I decided to finally put an end to this as I raised my hands in the sky and focused all my energy. This time, the orb of energy I was building was much larger than the normal ones I’ve been firing off so far. Once I was satisfied with its size, which was the size of a large beach ball, I swung my arms downwards toward the pile of wooden creatures. There was a large explosion beneath me as the orb exploded, making me cover my face as dust and debris flew everywhere. When I lowered my arm, I saw that I had made a small crater from my attack, which made me smirk a little at my efforts. Though my little victory was short-lived when I lost focus a little and fell out of the air and on my ass again. “Ouch! Damnit, this shit’s gonna get old real quick,” I grumbled as I picked myself up. Only once I stood up straight, I staggered a bit and my head spun a little. I shook my head and I soon felt very exhausted, like I had run a mile or two nonstop and I could feel my heart beating rapidly. “Ugh, guess I overdid it with that last attack.” I looked to the tower and remembered that the others were still in there. “Come on, Will, no throwing in the towel just yet.” I shook my head and slapped my cheeks as I jogged up toward the tower. Whatever was waiting for me, I could only guess at this point. I wiped my brow for the upteenth time as I neared the tower. I felt like my body was on the verge of collapsing due to the fatigue and overexertion of power I unleashed back with my fight with those timber wolves. Part of me wanted to rest and catch my breath, or at least conserve a little more energy, but I wasn’t in a situation where that would be possible. I had no choice. I had to press on and help the others as best I could with whatever it is they were facing. I finally made it to the tower and saw the girls standing together, and in front of them was a taller mare. Her fur was black with a hint of blue, and her mane and tail was a misty purple that had little specks of light that twinkled like the stars in the sky. What caught my attention was the fact that this mare seemed to have both a horn and wings. Her eyes were cyan with her pupils slitted like a cat’s, and her teeth had two sharp fangs that protruded from her lips. She wore some kind of blue battle armor and stood about a full head taller than the girls. The mere sight of her set a bad feeling in my gut. It was only confirmed when I saw shards of stone that littered the ground. “Fuck! The element things, they’re completely busted!” I cursed. “You little foals!” the dark mare laughed. “Thinking you could all defeat me?! Now you will never see your Princess or your sun! The night will last forever!” She laughed out loud as her mane seemed to swirl above her like a vortex. “And just so my rein will be eternal, I shall make sure to wound my sister further by snuffing out the life that is her precious pupil!” I watched as the mare raised her hand and a spear appeared in her grip. It was dark blue with a crescent moon. Under the tip, the two points were facing upward to help stab or slice. She raised the spear and prepared to throw it, but I wasn’t gonna have any of it. “Come on, body! Just a little more juice!” I said. I concentrated hard and lifted in the air. I then shot forward as fast as I could just as the dark mare threw the spear at Twilight. Time slowed down as I outstretched my arms toward Twilight. My arms slid under her legs and back as I scooped her up and time started to move normally again as the spear impacted the ground. “TWILIGHT!” the girls cried out. When the dust settled, all they saw was the spear, which shocked everyone, and soon turned to me. I held Twilight in my arms as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She then looked up at me and I gave her a tired smile. “William?” “Hey, you okay?” I asked as I set her down. “Yes. Thank you, but all is lost,” Twilight frowned. “The elements are destroyed.” “Don’t give up just yet, Twilight.” “But they were the only chance of defeating Nightmare Moon! How can we win when our best chance has been lost?” “Twilight, look at me,” I said, grabbing her shoulders and she looked me in the eye. “We may have only just met, but I can tell you’re as smart as you look. I may not know the full details why those elements were so important, but something tells me there’s more to it than that.” “How can you be so sure? They’re all shattered to pieces.” “What was it you said? That the elements needed some kind of spark?” I asked, to which she nodded in response. “Think of it this way. It’s like I said before: this whole thing is one big riddle, and it has yet to be solved. You’re so close, Twilight. If anyone can figure this ordeal out, it’s you.” Twilight clung to my words and looked away for a moment, but then looked back to me with a more confident expression and nodded. “Good. Now hurry back to your friends,” I said as I turned to the dark mare. “I’ll handle her.” “What?! That’s crazy! She’s way too powerful! And you look like you’re about to collapse from exhaustion!” “I’ll handle it. You focus on figuring this mess out,” I said as I approached the dark mare. I stood just before her as the wind blew past us, making my cloak billow in the wind and her mane and tail blow off to the side. “Well, well,” the dark mare hummed with a sadistic grin. “A little colt stands to face me. How amusing.” “Yeah, well, considering how you nearly shishkebabed my friend back there, I didn’t really see an opinion not to intervene.” “Do you have any idea who I am?” she accused, unfurling her wings out wide. “Nope, but I have a feeling you’re gonna tell me anyway.” “I am Nightmare Moon! Ruler of the night, and eternal Princess of Equestria!” “Pleased to meet you. I’m William Saber,” I nodded. “No fancy titles, just the name is all I have on me.” “And just what kind of creature are you, William Saber?” Nightmare demanded. “I’m a human,” I replied, making her arch a brow. “Human? Truly?” She then smiled a wicked grin and started sauntering toward me with a slight sway in her step. “How intriguing. I never believed to encounter a human of all creatures. Especially one with unique abilities.” “How do you know I have powers?” I questioned as she began to circle and examine me. “I have been observing those mares since my return, even their trek through the Everfree Forest,” Nightmare said as she ran her hand along my cloak. “I thought I would be rid of them by placing obstacles in their path, but they seemed to overcome each one. I also took notice when you appeared. You have skill, for somepony so young, and your power is unlike any I have seen.” “Is there a point to this flattery?” I asked as she stood right in front of me. I was just as tall as her, but it looked like I was about a few inches taller. “Indeed. You show potential. More potential than any pony with combat experience, which is impressive, to say the least. Why waste your skills trying to bring back the day when you could put them to more of a good use?” Nightmare pointed out. “Such as?” I asked. Nightmare’s smile widened and her eyes lidded a bit as she gently cupped my chin. “Serve me,” she purred, rubbing my chin. “Use your power for a greater purpose and become my personal champion. With your power and my authority, we shall invoke a new world order the likes of which Equestria has never seen.” “Hmm. You know, I’d be lying if I said that idea didn’t sound half bad,” I hummed, making her giggle. “But, it’s too bad for you that I prefer to tell the truth.” I backed away and she narrowed her eyes. “That’s a terrible idea. And I want no part of your tyrannical plan to take over. The world needs the sun just as much as it needs the night. If you can’t see that, that’s your problem.” “A pity,” Nightmare sighed. “I would’ve liked an alluring warrior such as yourself to serve me, but your discolored eyes say otherwise. I suppose I have no choice but to dispatch you from this world.” I tried to fake her out by throwing a swift punch, but she managed to block my strike with ease. I quickly stepped back and spun my body around to deliver a roundhouse kick, but she weaved her body to dodge. Punch after punch, kick after kick, I tried so many times to land hit, but to no avail. She just kept dodging or blocking my attacks, and moved around as if she was dancing. It’s like she was toying with me, and it pissed me off just how outmatched I was than I thought. I jumped back and leapt into the air in a front flip and tried to hit her with an ax kick. Nightmare’s horn glowed and she disappeared as my foot slammed into the ground, cracking the stone beneath a little. I looked around for the dark mare until I felt something hard hit my back, making me fall forward onto the ground. I grunted as I turned to see Nightmare smirk at me and I was back on my feet. I then summoned an orb of Ki in my hands and fired it at her. Nightmare stood there for a moment until she raised her hand and swatted it aside like a ball. “Shit…!” I cursed. Before I could try something else, she teleported again and appeared right in front of me. She shot her hand to my throat, choking me and lifting me in the air. I tried to pry her hand away, but her hand was like a vice grip, crushing my throat. “Any last words before you meet your demise?” Nightmare said with that sadistic grin. I glared at her for a moment until I glanced behind her and smirked. “Gak! Y-Yeah…” I gasped. “Y-You should really l-learn to not g-get so caught-up in a c-conversation!” Nightmare arched a brow until there was a shining light behind her. She turned around to see Twilight and her friends all standing together, and the shards of the stone orbs circling around them. “What is the meaning of this?! The elements were supposed to be destroyed!” Nightmare snapped. “Guess you miscalculated,” I said mockingly. Nightmare seethed at me before throwing me across the room. I slammed into a stone column and hit my head on impact as I fell to the ground. My vision was blurred and my body ached in pain from being thrown. I didn’t expect her to be so strong with just a throw. I shakily picked myself up on my hands to see Twilight and the others now floating in the air, and above them was another stone orb shining brightly. I could barely hear what they were saying due to my ears ringing, but Nightmare seemed to be in a state of panic. I watched through my blurry vision as the light surrounding the girls became a rainbow and swirled above them. Before I lost consciousness, the rainbow shot down toward Nightmare. She screamed as the beam completely enveloped her before I collapsed and everything went black. I opened my eyes and noticed I was surrounded in some kind of void of light. I looked around and noticed I was floating in midair, but I couldn’t move my body. I even tried to speak, but nothing came out, which left me a little more confused. Suddenly, a bright light shined in front of me, forcing my eyes to close tightly until it died down somewhat. When I opened my eyes, the light continued to shine in front of me, and I swore I thought I saw something from within the light. Is…someone there? “Your journey…” I heard a voice say. “Has only begun…” What…? Before I could hear any more, I started to faintly hear more voices all around me. The light then disappeared and my vision began to blur again. Wait…what are you? “William…” My consciousness was returning, as well as movement throughout my body, and the voices from before were heard again. “William…!” “Come on, big guy, wake up…” “You think he’s alright…?” “She threw him quite hard, the poor dear…” Soon, I was fully awake as I groaned and opened my eyes. Though blurry at first, it soon cleared up quickly, and I saw the girls surrounding me as I lay on my back. The first thing I noticed about them was that they each were wearing some kind of necklace, excluding Twilight. Fluttershy’s necklace had a pink butterfly gem, Rainbow’s had a red lighting bolt, Pinkie’s was a blue balloon, Applejack’s had an orange apple gem, Rarity’s was a purple diamond, and Twilight wore a tiara with a magenta-colored six-pointed star on it. Once they met eyes with me, they all smiled as I tried to pick myself up on my elbows. “Steady there, partner. Ya got tossed around pretty hard back there,” Applejack said as I sat up. “Ugh…I feel like someone hit my head with a hammer.” “Goodness, darling, are you alright?” Rarity asked. “I’ll live. I’ve had worse.” “You sure got some serious guts,” Rainbow smirked. “Taking on Nightmare Moon? You must be a special kind of crazy!” “I agree. That was very reckless of you, William,” Twilight scolded. “She could’ve killed you!” “Hey, I’ll admit it wasn’t the best idea, but if it’s any consolation, I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance.” “Then why the hay did you do it anyway?!” Twilight demanded. “To buy you all time,” I said as I slowly stood up. “You needed a way to do what you needed to do without Nightmare getting in the way. That crazy mare was bent on preventing anything from stopping her, and she was willing to cross a line. It was a gamble, but I’m glad it worked out in the end.” “Be that as it may, it was still very foolish of you to challenge Nightmare Moon,” Twilight said. “Well Ah for one am glad that it’s all over,” Applejack said with a smile. “Ah thought you were spoutin’ a lot of hooey, Twilight, but I reckon we really do represent the Elements of Friendship.” “I’ll say. Those necklaces suit you all,” I said. “Indeed, they do.” Suddenly, a light shone in the room through a window to reveal that the sun had finally risen over the horizon. From the sun, an orb of light entered the room and hoverd just in front of us as a silhouette began to form from within the light. When the light died down, I was awestruck at who was standing before us. A tall alabaster white mare with a horn and wings with a green, blue, and pink mane and tail that billowed in a non-existent breeze, wearing a white dress with gold trimmings, and a picture of the sun on it stood before us with her wings unfurled out wide. She also wore a thick gold necklace with a purple gem in the middle and a gold tiara that also had a gold gem. The girls all immediately left my side and all bowed on their knees to the new mare as she gracefully landed on her hooves with a warm smile. Holy crap, who’s this? “Princess Celestia!” Twilight said gleefully as she ran up to her. “Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student,” the mare said in a motherly tone as she hugged Twilight. Hold up, Princess?! “I knew you could do it,” she said proudly. “But you told me it was all an old pony tail,” Twilight said. “I told you that you needed to make some friends,” Celestia corrected. “Nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon’s return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart.” Twilight smiled at her friends and I smiled as well as I held my bruised side. I then noticed that there was another mare in the room off to the side that caught my eye. She was starting to wake up, and I noticed some different characteristics about her than Nightmare Moon. She had blue fur and a light blue mane and tail. She also had a horn and wings and cyan eyes, but her pupils were more rounded instead of slitted. She was wearing a blue dress with black trimmings and her dress had a picture of a crescent moon on it. What happened to her? She looks nothing like Nightmare Moon. “Now if only another will as well,” Celestia said as she approached the mare, who gasped and sat up. “Princess Luna, it has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. It is time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.” “Sister?!” some of the girls gasped. How unexpected. “Will you accept my friendship?” Celestia asked. We were all silent as we waited for her response until she stood up on her hooves and wrapped her arms around Celestia. “I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I missed you so much, big sister!” “I missed you too!” Celestia said as she hugged her close as she cried happy tears. My smile only widened at their reunion, and even felt my eyes moisten a bit, making me wipe my eyes. Pinkie began bawling her eyes out and literally cried a fountain of tears. I was about to walk over and join the others, but then my head started spinning again and my body ached. I staggered a bit before leaning myself on the column, still clutching my side as I closed my eyes to clear my thoughts. That all really did a number on me. I might have used too much of my energy tonight, not to mention I stayed awake without any sleep. I looked at my hands and tried to summon more Ki, but nothing came out. Not sure why I have these powers, but I guess I’ll eventually find out while I’m here. “William?” I looked up to see Twilight and the girls approaching me. I gave them another tired wave. “Hey, sorry, but I’m having a little trouble standing at the moment. I think the adrenaline is starting to wear off.” “Will you be okay?” Twilight asked. “I might have a few bruised ribs here and there, but nothing too serious.” “And who might this be?” The two princesses made themselves known as the girls stepped to the side so they could stand in front of me. If I were standing up straight right now, I’d say I was about a few inches taller than this Celestia mare, and I was half a foot taller than her sister. “It’s, uh…a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesties,” I said politely with a curt nod. “I’m William Saber.” “An equal pleasure to meet you as well,” Celestia said. “Why are you clutching your side like that? Are you in some kind of pain?” “Yeah, kinda, but I guess that’s what happens when you try to go toe-to-toe with an all powerful being like Nightmare Moon.” “Oh my stars! You’re the one who faced me on your own!” Luna finally recalled. “I am so deeply sorry for hurting you!” “Hey, come on now, no need to get all frantic about it,” I said with a mock wave. “I don’t blame you or anyone for what happened. You obviously weren’t in control, so how could I blame you anyway?” “But you’re injured!” “Bruises. Nothing but bruises. I’ll live,” I argued. “Perhaps I may be able to help you with that?” Celeista said as she made her horn glow. I was soon covered in some kind of golden aura and felt a very soothing feeling wash over me. It was as if my strength was returning to me, and I felt more rejuvenated than before. Her horn soon stopped glowing and I stopped leaning on the column to stand at my full height. “I…feel much better now,” I said in awe. “Thank you, Princess.” “I’m happy to help. My name is Princess Celestia, now co-ruler of Equestria,” Celestia said. “And…I am Princess Luna,” Luna said shyly. “I am sorry again for hurting you.” “Really, it’s nothing to worry about,” I insisted. “So tell us, William Saber, what exactly are you? I cannot place it, but I feel as though I’ve seen your type of face before,” Celestia hummed. “Now that you mention it, sister, he does look familiar in a way,” Luna added. “Not sure how that’s possible, considering I’m human and all,” I said. Both Princesses’ eyes widened as they looked to each other, then back to me. “I’m sorry, but did you say you are a human?” Celesita asked. “Yes,” I nodded. “Like an actual human? Truly?” Luna asked. “Uh…yes?” I shrugged. “I had just arrived in this world last night, but I have no idea how.” There was a brief pause before they both composed themselves. “I see. It seems that we have much to discuss, William Saber, but for now, it is time for you all to rest. The night has been long and I would like to also return home with my little sister.” Celestia wrapped an arm around Luna as she snuggled into her embrace. “May we invite you to the capital some time? What we have to say is quite important, I assure you, but we must verify something first.” “That works for me, I guess, since my schedule’s pretty much nonexistent,” I shrugged. “Slight hiccup though. I don’t exactly have anywhere to stay.” “That won’t be a problem,” Celestia said and turned to Twilight. “My faithful student, from what I understand, you have taken up residence in the local library of Ponyville, correct?” “Yes, Princess. Spike and I have become very comfortable at the Golden Oak Library,” Twilight said. Spike? “Then I must ask for a request. May you please allow William Saber to stay with you in your new home until further notice?” Twilight looked at me and I only shrugged in response, but she smiled and nodded to Celestia. “Of course, Princess, I can do that no problem.” “Wow, seriously?” “Yes. I also feel it is appropriate since you saved my life,” Twilight said. “Consider this my thank you.” “Huh, well, when you put it that way, I’ll just have to accept,” I said. “Then it is agreed,” Celestia said. “Let us now return to Ponyville for the time being before my sister and I return home.” We then left the old castle and made it through the forest until we arrived at a small town that was filled with more technicolor anthro ponies. They were all waiting for us, and they ended up having a big party for the girls’ success in stopping Nightmare Moon and saving Luna. I mostly kept to myself and away from all the excitement since I wasn’t all that ready to mingle with anyone at the moment. I sat under a tree and relaxed from all that had transpired and looked up to the leaves covering me. So much had happened this night, and I could only begin to imagine what else was in store for me. My eyes then unintentionally got heavy and soon closed all the way. Before I knew it, I was out like a light and slept for the rest of the day. Author's Note His first act of heroism, but he has a long way to go. Side Note: This chapter and revamp would not have been possible without my co-writer The Saiyan Brony. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero Settles InChapter 4 They say that dreams can sometimes feel so real, you don’t even realize that you’re dreaming. I’ve certainly had dreams like that before, but none as real as this. Talking anthro ponies, dying and ending up in a new world, and somehow gaining the ability of Ki? It was like I was having one of those fever dreams and I was somewhat enjoying the experience of feeling somewhat like a superhero of a fantasy land. My senses were soon returning to me as I began to wake up, and I noticed that I felt as though I wasn’t lying under the tree I sat down by. It felt like I was laying on something soft as my eyes slowly opened to reveal that I was indeed no longer outside. I blinked as my vision returned to me, where I found myself in some kind of room and the walls were made out of wood. I lifted my hand to my face and opened and closed my palm. I then started to wiggle my toes and took a few deep breaths as I layed there. Everything seems to be functioning properly. Although this doesn’t exactly look like my room. I lifted my head to see I was laying down on a bed in a room that had a sort of woodland theme to it. The walls were very much made of wood and sorta curved upwards. It kinda felt like I was inside the trunk of a tree or something. I looked to my left to see a nightstand with a lamp on top and a chair next to it. Draped on the chair was my white cloak and my shoes sat below it. To my right was a four drawer dresser and a door next to it that was opened ajar. I could see what looked like the rim of a toilet, so I assumed that was the bathroom. Above the dresser was a window that showed the outside. It was still daytime, and the blue sky looked peaceful. I looked back at the far side of my new quarters to see another door that was closed. I could hear voices from the other side, one female and one male, but I couldn’t quite hear what they were saying. I lifted myself up on my elbows and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, sitting there for a moment. I was still wearing my clothes, which was a little uncomfortable since I slept in them, and looked down at my hands again. I started to play back everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. I somewhat wanted to convince myself that everything was a dream, that maybe I’m still dreaming somehow, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the harsh reality. “It’s not a dream…” I covered my face in my hands and took a deep breath. It was all real, everything that happened, and I was wide awake in another freaking world filled with these anthro pony creatures and whatever else that resided around here. A wave of sadness washed over me as I began to think about my family, how I never got the chance to say goodbye, and I somehow died, but was brought back from the brink. I then remembered the letter I read, reaching into my jacket pocket and pulled it out to read again. No matter how many times I read it, it still didn’t make sense. Who this F person was and why, of all people, she chose me threw me for a loop twice over. I shook my head as I tucked the letter away in my jacket again and stood up. It was no use just wallowing in bed and expecting something to just magically happen and I’d get the answers I need. For now, I should just start getting used to my new surroundings and make the best with what I’ve got. I put my shoes back on and reached for my cloak again, but paused. I didn’t exactly need to wear it at the moment, so I decided to just leave it where it was for the time being. I then approached the door and reached for the handle, only to hesitate slightly. What exactly was I gonna see once I left the room? Would I meet those girls again from last night? Would they still treat me as kindly as they did before? My anxiety told me to just stay indoors until they would come to me, but I figured that wouldn’t really be a good impression on my part. Steeling my resolve, I grasped the handle and opened the door. On the other side was something I half expected to be true, but didn’t realize I was right. The main room literally looked like I was standing inside the trunk of a huge tree. I looked around to see tree roots along the walls and windows that showed the outside. I seemed to be on the second floor of the building and looked down to see rows upon rows of books, shelved neatly and well kept. In the center of the room were some furniture pieces, a couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table. Off to the side was a larger table with chairs and what looked like a stove and a fridge, which meant that was some kind of kitchen area or something. Sitting on each piece of furniture were the girls I had met the other night, and they all seemed to be conversing with each other about their own thing. The rainbow-haired girl, Rainbow Dash I think her name was, was hovering around the group until her eyes caught sight of me and smiled widely. “Well, look who’s finally awake!” she proclaimed as she pointed to me. All the other mares turned to me, making me gulp as I slowly made my way down the stairs. I could feel their eyes on me as I walked down, pulled the collar of my shirt anxiously. “Uh, hey there,” I said with a small wave. “It’s about time, partner,” Applejack said, leaning on the armrest of her chair. “We almost thought you’d never wake up.” “Yeah! Rainbow said she was thiiiiiis close to barging in your room and giving you a Wonderbolt style wakeup call!” Pinkie Pie said, holding her hand up with her finger and thumb and inch apart. “Oh, how long was I out?” I wondered. “A day, darling,” Rarity said, shocking me. “A whole day?!” I yelped. “Didn’t we just come out of that creepy forest like an hour ago?” “I’m afraid not, William,” Twilight shook her head. “After Princess Celestia and Princess Luna left to return to Canterlot, we found you by a tree completely unconscious.” “We believed you were still hurt from your confrontation against Nightmare Moon, but Princess Celestia assured us that she healed you as best she could,” Rarity added. “We, or should I say I, wanted to wake you right then and there, but egghead here insisted we let you sleep.” Rainbow rolled her eyes, pointing her thumb at Twilight. “If I had known you were gonna sleep for a whole freaking day, I’d have just done what I said I was gonna do!” “Rainbow! I told you that it wouldn’t be nice to just wake him up out of the blue!” Twilight lectured. “He went up against Nightmare Moon for Celestia’s sake! Not to mention he took quite the beating for our sakes!” “I wouldn’t say I took a beating,” I sighed. “I mean, I was up against an all-powerful being. I’m just one guy with karate skills. It was more like she was just toying with me.” “Oh…I think you did your best, William,” Fluttershy whispered. “At least, that’s what I think.” “I agree, darling. It was very brave of you to keep that villainess at bay for as long as you did,” Rarity said with a nod. “Yeah! Especially how you took care of those timberwolves by blasting them away with that cool magic of yours!” Pinkie chirped. “Still doesn’t mean my pride was spared.” “Not to mention how you’re able to fly without wings! How do you even do that?” Rainbow wondered. “I would also like to know,” Twilight said, pulling out a piece of paper and what looked like a quill pen. “Uuuuhhhh…” I mumbled, feeling their eyes gaze at me a bit too intently. “Girls, Ah think the poor feller is overwhelmed at the moment,” Applejack spoke up, making them look back to her. “Oh, sorry about that, William,” Twilight said sheepishly. “It’s cool. I mean, I get it,” I shrugged. “None of you have ever seen someone, or something, like me before, so it’s natural to ask questions. My only concern is what I’m going to do from here on out.” “Princess Celestia informed me to tell you that she needs time to help Princess Luna settle back in after being away for so long. Once they’ve made preparations, they would send a letter for us to travel to Canterlot so we could help situate your reason for being here.” “I see. By the way, how did I even get in that room I woke up in?” “Spike helped carry you,” Rarity smiled. “Spike? Who’s-?” “I’m back, everypony!” The front door opened to reveal something I had to do a double take on. This guy, whatever he was, was no pony. His skin was purple and looked like scales, there were green spikes sticking out on top of his head that trailed down on his back and under his grey shirt. He wore torn dark blue jeans and strange open-toed footwear that showed his claw-like toenails. His tail swung lazily as he walked in and he had a more pointed snout than the mares. His eyes were green and his pupils were slitted. I stood there, still trying to comprehend what he was. “I got some stuff for the library like you wanted, Twilight,” he said, holding up the bag he carried. His sights soon set on me and smiled a toothy grin as he approached me. “Hey there, stranger. Glad to see you awake after I managed to carry you up the stairs. Name’s Spike, Spike the Dragon, Twilight’s number one assistant.” Spike stood before me and held out his hand, waiting for me to shake it. He was about half a head shorter than me and looked like was around maybe 17 or 18 years old. I glanced at his hand, then slowly reached up to take it and shook it, trying not to make things awkward. “I’m sorry, but did you say you were a dragon?” I asked as the handshake ended. “Yep,” Spike nodded. “Like an actual dragon? The creatures said to be myth? That dragon?” I asked again. “Well, of course I am,” Spike chuckled. “Geeze, dude, you live under a rock or something?” “Well, I-” “I’m just messing with you, man,” he said playfully. “Twilight and the others told me all that happened in the Everfree. Are you really a human?” “Last I checked,” I nodded. “Like an actual human? The creatures said to be myth? That human?” Spike said with a shit-eating grin, using my own words against me. “Okay, okay, I see what you did there,” I chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you, Spike. My name’s William Saber, but you can call me Will.” “Sounds easy enough to remember.” “Well, we’re glad you’re up and about, Will, but Ah gotta get back to the farm now,” Applejack said as she and the girls stood up, excluding Twilight. “Indeed. I too must return to my boutique. I hope you can stop by so we may access your lack of clothing situation, darling,” Rarity said. “I’ve got some flying records to beat,” Rainbow boasted. “You still owe me that spar once I get my own black belt.” “Bye Willy!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped away. “Um…goodbye William,” Fluttershy whispered. As soon as they all left, I stepped over to the vacant chair and slumped on it with a deep exhale. “Well, they sure are an interesting collection of girls that I’ve met,” I sighed. “You got that right. Especially…Rarity,” Spike said with a sigh and a dopey grin. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots that this guy had a thing for the posh unicorn, and I smirked while keeping my thoughts to myself. “So what will you do now, William?” Twilight wondered. “I don’t really know,” I shrugged. “Are you sure it’s alright for me to stay here? I mean, I’d hate to mooch off you without giving anything in return.” “Don’t be silly! You are in no way, shape, or form mooching off of anypony. You can stay here for as long as you like. I have no problem with it at all.” “She’s right, man. Besides, you think you’d have any luck finding a place to stay without a bit in your pocket?” Bit? “I…guess not,” I admitted. “I would at least like to know more about the place I’ll be living in.” “Then allow me to give you a tour,” Twilight offered as she stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the chair and toward the door. “Come on. I’m a little new to Ponyville too, so we can explore together.” “Erm…okay?” I said, taken by surprise as she pulled me out the front door. “Have fun!” Spike called out. As Twilight and I walked through town, I felt like all eyes were on me, but not in a good way. I looked around the cozy looking town as its citizens were going about their day with smiles and friendly waves. However, when their eyes fell on me, they either stared with curiosity or uncertainty. I know I said that I understood why I’d get the sideways glance from these ponies, but this all seemed like I was one of the world’s wonders. I nervously kept my eyes to the ground and tucked my hands in my pockets, which Twilight seemed to notice and tilted her head. “What’s wrong, William?” she asked. “Nothing, just walking along,” I said. “You seem a bit nervous.” I stopped walking, sighed, and rubbed the back of my head. “It’s just…I feel like these ponies are staring at me more than I care for them to. I just feel so displaced.” Twilight smiled pityingly and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You shouldn’t feel too nervous, William. It’s natural to feel nervous when living in a new place.” “Yeah? How do you figure?” “Well, to start, Spike and I have been here nearly as long as you have.” “Seriously?” “Very. And the first thing I wanted to do before coming here was returning to Canterlot after making a single friend. Little did I know that I had decided to stay after making six new ones.” “Hold up, six?” I asked, counting the others with my fingers. “But there’s only five other mares I’ve met.” Twilight giggled in her hand. “You silly human. I’m also talking about you.” I blinked in surprise as the gentle breeze blew against us. Twilight’s hair fluttered in the wind as she smiled at me, which made me smile and scratch my cheek. “We’re friends? Already?” I asked, and she nodded in response. “But we only met last-er, I mean, yesterday.” “What does that matter? You stuck with us throughout the night and helped us when we needed it. Not only that, but you saved me from certain doom and I am very grateful for that.” “I see. Well, then I’m glad to hear that, Twilight. Thanks for being my friend,” I smiled. “You’re most welcome. And don’t worry. Given time, these ponies will warm up to you before you-” “I KNEW IT!!” Before I could react to whoever it was that shrieked at the top of their lungs, I was tackled by an unknown force and sent skidding across the ground. I saw stars for a moment until I regained my senses, finding myself face to face with another mare. She was a unicorn with minty green fur and her mane and tail were pale, lightish grey cyan with white highlights. Her eyes were a sort of brilliant gamboge. She wore a light green top and skin tight jeans that hugged her figure pretty well and a single gold earring in her ear. Her tail swished side to side as she sat on my chest with arguably the widest smile I’ve seen. “Um…can I help you?” “It talks!” the mare chirped as she leaned down, pressing her muzzle against my nose. I could smell her breath, which smelled like she ate a pack of mint altoids. “I knew it! I just knew it! Humans do exist! I’m Lyra Heartstrings, and you’re my ticket for the many days of boasting I’ll be dishing out to all the ponies of this town who doubted me and my beliefs!” “Wait, can’t we just-?” “Oh wow!” Lyra said as she grabbed my jaw and forced it open. “Look at your teeth! You’ve got flat ones and sharp canine-like ones, too! What’s the deal with that?!” “Aaaaa gaaagaaaahaa!” I tried to say without the use of my jaw. “And your face! Your muzzle is so tiny!” She released my jaw to pinch my nose, then my ears. “Not to mention your ears! They’re also kinda small and on the sides of your head instead of on top!” “Would you please calm down and-?” “And what’s this?” She placed her hands on my chest and began rubbing and kneading them. “Oh wow, I can tell through your shirt that you’re kinda buff, aren’t ya?” She smirked as she looked over her shoulder and at my lower area. “I wonder what it looks like?” “OKAY, TIMEOUT!” I yelped, shoving her off me and scrambled to my feet. “Jeez, lady, learn to take a hint that you’re way past personal space!” “Hey!” I heard Twilight shout as she stomped over to us. “How could you just tackle William like that?! Who even are you?!” “Oh, nice to meet you. You’re that new mare that moved in with that dragon kid. I’m Lyra Heartstrings,” Lyra said as she sat on the ground. “William, are you okay?” Twilight asked as I stood back up and dusted my clothes off. “Yeah, I’ll live,” I said as I gave the mare named Lyra a deadpanned leer. “Way to make a first impression. You’re lucky I’ve taken worse beatings.” “What’s that mean?” Lyra asked, tilting her head. “Just something that comes with being a martial artist, but that’s not the point. Why did you tackle me like that out of the blue?” Lyra could tell that I was a little annoyed with her and she frowned as she stood up as well. “I’m sorry about that. It’s just I heard Rainbow Dash bragging that she was friends with a creature called a human. I have these theories of other creatures that are said to be mere folklore and humans are one of the biggest conspiracies out there. I just had to see if what she said was true, so here I am. But I guess my meeting was a little forceful, wasn’t it?” “That’s one way of putting it,” I commented. “Look, I’m all for meeting new people…er, ponies I should say, but there are other ways of getting to know me.” I raised my hand toward the mare for a simple shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Lyra. My name’s William Saber, and yes, I am a human being.” Lyra’s face lit up as she went for another aggressive approach, but took a moment to calm down as she took my hand and shook it herself. “It’s also nice to meet you, William!” As we broke the handshake, a vibrating noise followed by a chirp was heard from Lyra’s pocket as she pulled out what looked like a flip phone. It surprised me a little to see modern technology in this world as Lyra flipped the phone open. “Hello?…Hey, Bon Bon…No, I went to see the human!…Yes, he’s real! I’m standing right in front of him!…Just ‘cause we’re roommates doesn’t mean you gotta be so mean!…Yes, you are!…Oh yeah?! Well just you wait until Pinkie’s party tonight! I’ll make you eat those words, along with everypony else who doubted me!” Lyra snapped the phone shut and shoved it in her pocket as she walked away in a huff. Now, I’m no therapist, but something tells me she had a little unwanted tension between her and her friend. “What was that all about?” Twilight wondered. “Not sure, but I think it’s best we leave her be. I’m more curious about the party she mentioned. There’s a party going on later today?” “Oh, you’ll just have to wait and see.” Twilight smiled as she walked ahead of me. “Fair enough. I didn’t know you had cell phones in this world,” I said as I walked alongside her. “Of course. It’s actually a new invention that was created about 10 years ago. Do humans have cell phones?” “Better.” I smirked as I pulled out my smartphone, making her eyes widen. “This is a little something called a smartphone.” “Oh my goodness! That’s a cellular phone?! The screen is so big!” Twilight chirped as she held it in her hands. “And it feels much more dense! How does it work?! Is it powered by magic?!” “Easy there, miss bookworm, I’ll show you everything there is to know about it. Starting with the camera.” I took my phone back and tapped it a few times while Twilight watched intently. I tapped the camera app and surprised her by wrapping my arm around her shoulders, then held the camera up. “Smile!” Click! “Wh-Wha-? What just happened?” Twilight wondered as I tapped the picture I took. “Check it out, my first selfie in a new world with my first friend!” I said. “Oh my Celestia! That’s us! You just took a photo?! With your phone?!” “Yep, and there’s plenty more I can do with it than just take photos.” “Oh, please show me more! This is incredibly interesting!” Twilight cheered as she made a paper and quill pen materialize out of nowhere. “Sure. Now, let’s see which of these filters looks best.” Our walk through Ponyville was an enjoyable one to say the least. Twilight and I spent most of the time fiddling with my smartphone more than getting to know the rest of the town. My photo library was filled with pictures of either her standing next to a building, the both of us taking more selfies with silly faces or filters, and I even let her take pictures of me sometimes. I even showed her how I can play music on my phone, to which she found to be quite enjoyable. There was one song on my phone she particularly enjoyed and asked to listen to it again. I don’t know how she did it after just listening to it once, but she managed to sing the whole thing pitch perfectly. It still boggles my mind how she was able to do that, but she just said it was just something that happens naturally. Twilight soon had to return to the library so she could write a letter to Princess Celestia, so we went our separate ways as I was making my way to a lake she told me about that was nearby. I soon arrived at the lake, which was a calming sight to see as the later afternoon sun shined down on me. I took in a deep breath, then took off my jacket and set it aside. There was something I needed to do, and I needed total seclusion for it. I looked down at my hands and the white fingerless gloves that covered them. Not sure if I remember ever owning gloves like these, but I guess they came with the cloak when I arrived here. I closed my eyes and started to focus. My mind played back the night with Nightmare Moon and those wooden wolf monsters. Those energy blasts I fired from my hands, it felt like they came from within my very soul or something. I soon opened my eyes and thrust my hand forward to fire another blast, but nothing came out. I arched a brow and tried to focus again. It couldn’t have been a fluke. I just did all that a whole day ago. “Hah!” I thrust my hand out again, but was met with the same results. “Oh come on! How could I have done it so perfectly before, yet now I’m not able to do it at all?!” I complained. I plopped on the ground and crossed my legs and arms. There had to be something I was missing here. If what I did that night was Ki, then it should be working on my command without delay. I focused more and more, trying to build up whatever energy was within me, just so I could get some kind of result. I had focused so much that I didn’t realize I made myself float in midair about a few feet off the ground. I opened my eyes to see myself floating, which made me smirk a little. “It’s something, but not what I was driving at,” I said. “Okay, Will, just relax. Remember all that Ivan taught you. Patience is a virtue.” I took a few deep breaths and closed my eyes. Forcing it wasn’t gonna help, so I had to be smart about it. Nothing says a clear mind like a good old fashioned meditation session, and something told me that I was going to be doing a lot of it from now on. “My new training…begins now.” Later I hovered in midair, my breathing calm and collected. My meditation allowed me to search deeper within me for that feeling from that night. Needless to say, I made some satisfyingly good progress. It also has something to do with being a seasoned martial artist that I was able to achieve a sort of zen phase. My power, or should I say Ki, felt like it was covering me in a layer of power. I slowly opened my eyes to see that there was a faint, yet still noticeable white aura surrounding me. I was still hovering in midair with my legs crossed and I eased my hand. I watched as the aura flickered along my hand and arm. It was a comforting feeling, like my very soul was brought out and I could see it. I soon relaxed myself as I descended to the ground and stood back up. I cracked my neck and stretched my arms out, feeling the satisfying pops here and there and exhaled. “Haaaaa…I feel good.” I looked at my hand again and wondered if I would be able to do it again. However, instead of just trying to force it, I decided to go for a more practical approach. I raised my hand in front of me and began to focus. I could feel my Ki building up within me, but I was careful not to force it and let it fizzle out. From the center of my palm, a small light appeared and began to slowly expand in size. I kept staring at the light as it grew bit by bit. After a few minutes, an orb of pure Ki the size of a baseball shined a calming white glow as it sat in my hand. It was a little unexplainable, seeing how I was holding a ball of my own energy. I almost felt like I was in one of those old Dragon Ball shows I used to watch. “William!” My thoughts were interrupted when I looked up to see Twilight running up to me. My lost focus made the ball dissipate and the faint aura around me fade away. “There you are, William! Where have you been?!” “Oh, hey Twilight, I was here. Something you needed?” I asked. “Do you have any idea what time it is?!” “Late afternoon?” “No! It’s already night time!” I blinked and finally realized that the sun was in fact no longer in the sky. I looked up to see twinkling stars litter the darkened sky and a bright full moon that shined down on us. For some reason, the moon seemed to have more of a pretty glow to it than the one back on earth. “Oh damn, how did I not notice?” “Pardon my language, but what in the hay were you doing out here all this time?” Twilight asked, crossing her arms under her chest. “It’s…a long story. I was working on something.” “Well, you can tell me all about it later. Let’s get home for now.” Twilight grabbed my hand and pulled me along, away from the lake. I chuckled to myself how she lectured me like that. It was amusing seeing how her muzzle scrunched up a little. Heh, she sure is a cute one. I thought, but then slapped myself in my head for thinking that. Dude, what? No, she’s not cute! She’s a pony girl, not human! Quit thinking nonsense! “Are you feeling okay? You got quiet all of a sudden,” Twilight said, peeking over her shoulder. “Oh yeah! Totally fine! I’m just living the dream here!” I said out of the blue. “Okay…if you say so,” Twilight said with a shrug. Smooth, Saber, real smooth. Twilight soon led me back to the library and up to the front door. It was still a little unbelievable that we were living in a freaking tree, but I chose not to dwell on it. The lights in the tree were off for some reason as Twilight opened the door for me. The whole room was dark and I couldn’t really see anything. As soon as I stepped in, the lights flickered on, and I was met with dozens of ponies all at once. “SURPRISE!!!” “WHAT THE?!?” Author's Note Next chapter, party time! Side Note: In case you all were wondering, Spike is a little older and taller than he normally is in this story. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s WelcomeChapter 5 I was frozen like a deer in headlights and my eyes felt like they bugged out more than one of those stress toys you squeeze. The sight before me was something completely unexpected as there were multiple ponies all standing at attention and smiling at me. There were balloons in midair here and there, a large table filled with various treats and hors d’oeuvres off to the side, and a big banner hanging above that read “Welcome to Ponyville, William Saber!” That last bit on the banner made me blink after several moments. Was this all for me? No, it couldn’t be. From the group of ponies, a familiar pink mare came hopping toward me with a wide smile on her face. “Hiya, Willy!” Pinkie chirped. “Uhh…h-hi?” I said back, still looking surprised. “Well? Were you surprised? Huh? Were ya? Were you surprised, Willy?” she asked as she hopped excitedly in place. “Surprised is one word for it,” I nodded, making her smile wider, if that were possible. “What is all this?” “It’s your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party, silly!” Pinkie said. “Me? You put all this together for me?” I asked, and she nodded happily. “Yeah! I always throw parties for any new friend I meet! Especially when there’s a new friend in Ponyville!” “It’s true,” I heard Twilight say as she came into view from behind me. “Pinkie threw Spike and I a party like this a couple days ago when we first moved here.” “You got that right.” From the crowd, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack emerged from the crowd and approached me. “Pinkie is well-known to throw awesome parties like this. She even threw one for us when we all first met,” Rainbow said. “Indeed, Pinkie Pie’s soirees are most enjoyable,” Rarity commented. “Never been to a shindig of Pink’s I never not enjoyed,” Applejack nodded. “Do you like it William?” Fluttershy wondered. I looked around the room as all the ponies continued to smile at me. Pinkie had set all of this up for me and I didn’t even ask her to. I placed a hand on my chest as a warm feeling within my heart spread, a feeling of happiness. I had only been here for a mere two days and they already threw a welcome party for me. “I…I don’t really know what to say,” I said slowly. I looked at Pinkie and smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie. You didn’t have to do all this for me, but I very much appreciate it.” “Aaaawww!” Pinkie said as she hopped over and wrapped her arms around me, giving me a nice big hug as she buried her face into my chest. “You’re super duper welcome, Willy!” She let me go and twirled around to face the crowd. “Alright, everypony, LET’S PARTY!” “YEAH!!” Music soon began to play from a couple of speakers in the room and the party was officially a go. Ponies were mingling with each other while some were dancing in the middle of the room. Meanwhile, I was busy making small talk to any pony who decided to make the effort to come and talk to me. It wasn’t all bad at first, but I couldn’t help feeling a little awkward from the whole situation. Sure, this party was thrown for me, but I didn’t exactly feel like I was getting the attention Pinkie had intended for me. This wasn’t something I was unfamiliar with since I never really attended many parties back on earth. The only kind of celebration I ever had for myself was for my own birthday. I remember that my mother and step-family would either celebrate it with me on our own or they’d invite some of the neighbors as an added bonus. Although my birthday would always be a bittersweet event for me on account of what had happened before with my birth father. “Hey, Will!” I was brought out of my thoughts when I looked to see a familiar mint-colored unicorn pony approach me with a wide grin. Trailing behind her was another mare who looked pretty annoyed for some reason. She had beige colored fur, pigment blue mane and tail styled with small swirls with a rose pink streak, and cerulean blue eyes. She wore a simple yellow t-shirt and jeans as Lyra dragged the mare towards me. “Hello, Lyra,” I said to her. “You remembered my name!” Lyra smiled. “Hey! I wanna introduce you to my friend! See, Bon Bon, I told you humans exist!” “I can’t believe I let you convince me to come here and you won’t drop that stupid conspiracy!” the other mare grumbled, rolling her eyes. “I keep telling you, humans don’t-!” Her rant was cut short when her eyes finally set on me. It took her a moment, perhaps several to fully comprehend the very sight of me as her eyes slowly widened. “-…exist?” “Nice to meet you,” I said, raising my hand to her. “Name’s William, William Saber, but you can call me Will if you like.” “U-Um…y-yes, it’s nice to meet you, too,” the mare said, slowly reaching for my hand. I gently clasped it and shook it slowly as I continued to smile nicely at her. “I-I’m sorry, but are you really a human?” “Well, let’s see,” I said, raising my hand away to count with my fingers. “I do not have a snout, my ears are small and are not on top of my head, I don’t have fur growing all over my body, and I have feet instead of hooves.” I listed each of my characteristics while pointing to each one. “Not to mention, I also have no tail.” “This is…this is just…” she tried to say, but the words seemed to die in her mouth as she pinched the bridge of her muzzle. “I really wish Lyra was wrong about you.” “Why’s that?” “HA! I TOLD YOU!” Lyra boasted and turned to the rest of the crowd. “I TOLD ALL OF YOU! HUMANS DO EXIST! YOU ALL OWE ME SO MANY BITS!” “That’s why.” I let out a sheepish chuckle before she took a breath to calm herself. “Anyway, I guess now I shouldn’t be so quick to judge Lyra when she comes to this kind of stuff. You’re an actual human when everypony else always believed they were nothing but an old ponytale.” “Sorry to disappoint,” I joked, making her giggle. “Nah, it’s fine, but now I’m just not looking forward to her constantly berating me about how she was right about humans. Anyway, my name is Sweetie Drops, but everypony calls me Bon Bon for short.” “I wish you luck on whatever Lyra has in store for you and her victory boasting,” I said. “Gee, thanks,” Bon Bon rolled her eyes with a coy smile. “Come on, Lyra, let’s go get some punch.” “I was right! You hear me?! I was right all along!” Lyra continued to say as they walked away. “I know you were, alright! Just get over it!” “Never!” I laughed at the two as Bon Bon dragged her friend back toward the crowd. Seeing how these ponies were happy and friendly toward me set me at ease. As the party went on, I was invited by Pinkie to play some old school party games, like pin the tail on the donkey or bobbing for apples in a barrel. I managed to make them all laugh when I accidentally placed the donkey’s tail on its face. Another fun party game I played was a good old fashioned game of darts, which was surprising to see in this world. I was facing Applejack, since she challenged me, and we were down to our last darts and turn. Applejack was aiming her dart very carefully as she had one of her eyes closed and stuck her tongue out. The surrounding ponies watched as I stood on the side, waiting for her to throw her dart. She exhaled and threw it as it hit the line that gave her 11 points. “Shoot! Ah meant 14,” she grumbled. “Ah’m just shy of 1 point, so if ya miss, I win!” “Guess we’ll see,” I said as I aimed my dart. I had my eyes set on the line that would score me 12 points. I just need to hit my mark and I’d win the game. I took several deep breaths and drowned out all the noises and music around me. My eyes were set on my target as I held my dart close to my face. I focused so much that I could almost hear my heart beating as I readied my aim. With one last, deep breath, I threw my dart once I was absolutely sure it would hit where I wanted it to. We all watched the dart fly as it soon struck the circle, and to my satisfaction, right on the 12 point line. “He did it!” a stallion cheered. “Wow! I didn’t think he’d do it!” a mare said. “Yes! Now pay up!” “Damn…there goes my 20 bits.” “Gotta admit, partner, ya can toss ‘em darts,” Applejack said as she held out her hand to me, to which I smiled, took it, and gave her a friendly shake. “Good game, Applejack.” “How’d you get so good?” “I used to play darts with my dorm mates during my college years. I certainly wasn’t as good as I am now when I first started playing, that’s for darn sure.” “Well ya sure impressed me, Will,” Applejack said with a wink. “Great playing, Willy!” Pinkie chirped as she hopped up from behind Applejack. “Hey! I just got a super duper idea! Why don’t you go sing us a song?!” “Er, what?” I blinked, confused. “You want me to sing?” “Sure! It’s easy! Just grab the microphone and start singing away!” “Uh…well, it’s not like I can just break out into song. Plus, I’m not that good,” I tried to say, but Pinkie just grabbed my hand and pulled me toward where the mic was. “Aw come on, Willy! It’s not that hard! If everypony in Ponyville can do it, then so can you!” “I question that logic of yours.” We eventually found ourselves in front of a table where a unicorn mare stood between two speakers. She had snow white fur and blue, two-toned mane and tail. She wore a white top with jet blue lining and a picture of two bridged eighth notes. She wore skinny jeans that seemed to hug her waist nicely, not that I would know, and she wore a pair of snazzy looking sunglasses and headphones on her head. “What’s up, man!” she said cheerfully. “Saw you play a mean game of darts with Applejack! You got some skills! Name’s Vinyl Scratch, but tonight, I’m DJ-Pon 3!” “Nice to meet you too, DJ-Pon 3. I’m Will,” I greeted back. “Hi, Vinyl! Willy here is gonna sing a song for us!” Pinkie chirped. “Is that right? Well by all means, let’s hear those pipes of yours!” Vinyl said as she handed me a microphone. “I’m still not so sure about this…” I said hesitantly. “Trust me, Willy, it won’t be as bad as you think! Want some advice? Just sing from your heart!” “Well…when you put it like that, I guess I can give it a shot. But just fair warning, I’m no superstar.” “I’m sure you’ll do great, dude,” Vinyl reassured me. “Real quick, do your speakers have some kind of audio jack?” “You mean this?” she asked, holding up a cord. “That’s perfect! Just give me a moment.” I pulled out my smartphone and scrolled through my playlist. If I was gonna do this, I had to pick a song that would be a memorable one. I soon found what I was looking for, took the audio jack, and handed my phone to Vinyl. “When I give you the thumbs up, press this button here and I’ll take it from there.” “Whatever you say,” she nodded, taking a moment to examine my phone. I nodded as I walked toward the center of the room, and every pony in the room now had their eyes on me. I gulped nervously as I pulled my shirt collar and waved at them timidly. “Um…hello everyone,” I said into the microphone. “Not sure why, but I guess I’ll sing a song for you all. Fair warning, I may not be as good as I hope to be, so bear with me.” They all laughed a little and I closed my eyes and took some breaths to psych myself up. Not wanting to keep them waiting, I looked over to DJ-Pon 3 and gave her the thumbs up. She raised her thumb back and pressed the button on my phone As soon as I heard the first note, I immediately began singing the song. I tapped my foot on the beat of the song and began having fun with the music that played. I found myself bobbing my head and weaving my body from side-to-side and danced a little. The ponies were watching me sing and dance, some a little surprised since this was the first time they had heard a song like this. When I reached the part where I had to hit a high note, I jumped up on the small table with a horse bust on it and started to really get into the singing. The ponies cheered for me a little as I sang and Pinkie began tossing confetti around me. I felt an exciting feeling in my soul as I sang that made me smile. I had never sang like this before, and here I was singing like there was no tomorrow. It had been a long time since I had this much fun, and right now, I was having a blast. Soon, the song came to an end and I looked at the crowd, who stared back at me in silence. They all soon cheered all at once and clapped for me as I hopped down and gave them a small bow. “Bravo!” “That was such a great song!” “Great job, Will!” “Wow, thanks everyone,” I said with a smile. “WILLY!” I felt something jump on my back as I looked over my shoulder to see Pinkie Pie smiling widely at me. “THAT WAS SUPER DUPER AMAZING! HOW COULD YOU SAY YOU AREN’T A GOOD SINGER?!” “First of all, ears please,” I said as she hopped off me and I rubbed my ear. “Second of all, I honestly didn’t expect to sing like that. I used to sing on my own all the time and that was the first time I actually performed for anyone.” “Well, we think you did a marvelous job, darling!” From the crowd, Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Spike walked up to me. “That was some sick singing, dude!” Spike said. “That was a nice song, William. At least, that’s what I think,” Fluttershy said timidly as she hid her face behind her mane, but I could see that she was smiling a little. “You sure know how to bring the house down!” Applejack smirked. “I agree, that was a very nice song you sang, William,” Twilight agreed. “I’ve never heard of that song before.” “It’s actually a song from my world. I have plenty of others stored on my playlist on my phone.” “Playlist?” Rainbow asked, tilting her head curiously. “I’ll explain later. I’m just glad you all enjoyed my little performance.” “You bet we did! Now let’s continue the party!” Pinkie chirped. “That, I can agree to.” The party dragged on until it became late in the night and the rest of the ponies from town had to go home. Soon, it was just the six pony girls, Spike, and myself as we all pitched in to clean up. “Man, I can’t remember having this much fun at a party before,” I said as I swept up the floor with a broom. “Get used to it, cause the next party Pinkie throws will be just as fun,” Rainbow said. “I look forward to it.” “Don’t you have parties in your world, William?” Twilight wondered as she used her magic to take the streamers that were hanging down. “We do, but it depends on the party. There are tons of things we celebrate that call for a party in my world. Although, the only party I’ve ever celebrated was my birthday.” “You weren’t invited to other parties?” Pinkie asked. “Afraid not.” “How come?” Spike wondered. I paused my sweeping and blinked as a small frown formed on my lips. “My, um…childhood wasn’t exactly the most pleasant.” Everyone stopped their cleaning as I sighed to myself. “Let’s just say my parents split up when I was very young, and it sort of messed with my psyche ever since. I didn’t really socialize with many people during my teen years until I entered college, so being invited to other parties was sort of rare for me.” “Oh darling, I’m so sorry for you,” Rarity said sadly. “You don’t come across as somepony who would go through something like that,” Twilight said. “It was a long time ago,” I shrugged. “I’ve learned to not let it bother me anymore. Besides, my mother had remarried to a more respectable man and he was more of a father than…him. I even managed to gain a sister afterwards.” “You got a sister too?” Applejack asked. “Yep. She’s older than me and we were as close as any other sibling in a family.” “What is her name?” Rarity inquired. “Rachel. Rachel Saber. And I considered her to be my actual sister rather than just a step-sister.” I smiled fondly at the memory of Rachel, but then became sad again and hung my head. “I just wish I had a little more time before I left to say goodbye…” The mares around me looked at each other before Twilight walked up to me and placed both hands on my shoulders. I raised my head to look at her, and she gave me a comforting smile. “I can’t speak for your family, William, but I’m sure that they miss you as much as you miss them. Though your current situation was unaccounted for, you should always remember the memories you shared with them.” “I agree,” Rarity added. “You should not dwell on what could have happened, for it would most likely wane on your noble soul and you would do more harm to yourself than good.” “Ah’m sure if yer family knew what happened, they’d understand, partner,” Applejack said. “Yeah! And don’t forget how much fun you had and how happy you were during the party!” Pinkie pointed out. “You could also think of it as a fresh start,” Spike suggested. I thought about their words and found myself smiling more and more. I nodded to them all and faced the lavender mare in front of me. “Thanks for the words of confidence, everyone. I’ll try to keep all you said in mind.” They all smiled back at me as we continued to clean the library. It took a little while, but we managed to straighten the place up real nice. The rest of the mares later went home for the night after taking some leftovers from the party, Pinkie taking most of them with her as she literally balanced them on her head. As Spike was in the kitchen preparing some tea, I sat on the sofa as Twilight sat on the chair beside me. “Tonight sure was fun,” I said with a yawn. “I agree,” Twilight nodded. “It was just like how Spike and I first arrived not a couple days ago.” “Oh yeah, you’re also kinda new in town. Where’d you say you were from?” “Canterlot, the royal capital of Equestria.” “Canterlot? Huh, sounds almost like Camelot,” I chuckled. “What’s a Camelot?” Twilight asked. “It’s just about some fictional story about a legendary city ruled by King Arthur. He and his Knights of the Round Table were said to be the protectors of one of the greatest kingdoms ever to exist. I remember writing a paper about it back in high school.” “Amazing. Are there any other stories like that in your world?” “Tons, too many for me to count or recall. And it sounds like this world has its fair share of stories and legends as well. Especially with all these cool looking books you got shelved all around.” That last statement seemed to perk Twilight’s ear. “Do you like books?” “Sure. Anyone who’s anyone enjoys a good read from time to time. I sometimes frequented the school library to find a good book to read, so I guess you could call me somewhat of a bookworm.” “Oh great, another book lover,” Spike complained as he lifted the kettle to pour the tea. “Hush, Spike!” Twilight snapped. “I keep telling you that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good book!” “And why’s that?” Spike wondered sarcastically. “Because, according to an old saying from my world: knowledge is power,” I answered. “Exactly! Finally, somepony who gets it!” Twilight said happily as she stood up and sat herself down next to me. “I’m so glad that there’s another book lover besides me! I’d be honored to recommend a few starting books from the library!” “Er, thanks?” I said sheepishly as I gazed into her amethyst purple eyes. “Well now you’ve done it, dude,” Spike sighed as he brought over a few mugs with him. “Once you get her talking about books, nothing can stop her.” “So tell me, William, what kind of books do you like?” Twilight asked, ignoring Spike, as she leaned in close while I tried to back away on the sofa. “Literature? Science? Agriculture? History? Literature?” “You said literature twice,” I pointed out. “Told ya,” Spike said as he set the mugs down on the coffee table before sitting down in a chair. “Woah, woah, take it easy, Twilight,” I said, raising my hands defensively. “Now while I do enjoy reading on my own terms, there’s still the matter of where and how to start. While I do appreciate the sentiment, I think it’s best I go at my own pace. There’s plenty of books around here after all, so I’ve got plenty of time to do so.” Twilight blinked at me and pulled back, clearing her throat to compose herself from her rambling. “Apologies. It’s just I was afraid I wouldn’t meet anypony else in Ponyville who enjoys books as much as I do.” “It’s cool,” I shrugged as I picked up my mug and took a sip. Mmm, never really had tea before. Is that honey? “So just curious, is it really okay to be crashing here? I know that princess lady told you to take me in, but I’d hate to be a freeloader.” “Freeloader?! Celestia, no!” Twilight yelped. “I’d never consider you in such a way. Aside from Princess Celestia requesting I take you in, I already said that I was more than happy to do so. In fact, I would even allow you to live here as long as you want.” “Wow, now that’s consideration if I’ve ever seen and heard it,” I smiled admirably. “Be that as it may, I’d still like to somehow pitch in instead of just lounging around. Regardless of your hospitality.” “So what do you suggest?” Spike wondered. “Well, considering I’m in a town full of ponies, there’s bound to be some businesses around, right?” I asked and they nodded. “So I’ll just do what any responsible adult my age would do: look for a job.” “You want to work in Ponyville?” Twilight questioned before taking her own sip from her mug. “Might as well start somewhere,” I shrugged again. “Princess Celestia said that they’d call us over to Canterlot so that they could explain why I’m here in this world. So until then, I’ll just be pulling my weight by working.” “You sure are dedicated to that,” Spike commented. “My step-dad always told me that honest men earn an honest living.” “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Twilight smiled. We all enjoyed our little small talk together until we finished our tea and it was time to go to bed. We all said goodnight to each other and I climbed the stairs and entered my room. I kicked off my shoes, threw my pants, shirt, and jacket on the chair in the corner and plopped myself on my bed. As I lay there, I thought all that was happening was still some kind of prolonged dream and my mind was taking longer than it should’ve to wake me up. But if that were the case, then I most likely would have woken up by now. I grabbed my smartphone from the nightstand and switched it on. I opened my contacts list and saw my parents and sister’s phone number. I hesitated, but decided to try and call my sister as I tapped her name and held my phone up to my ear. “The number you have reached is not available. Please check your device’s-” “Tch, figures,” I grumbled as I hung up the call. I then tapped my phone’s recent calls and saw that the last message I received was from my mom. I tapped the message and held it up to my ear. “Hi William, it’s Mom. Just checking in to make sure you’re at Ivan’s and to make sure you’re going to be home soon. I know you said not to call and that you would call me, but you know how I am. Rachel wanted me to tell you that she wants you to stop by the convenience store to buy those sour gummy octopuses she likes so much. You know how she is,” Mom giggled in the message. “Anyway, call me or text me when you can so I know you’re on your way home so I can begin preparing dinner. I’m making your favorite: homemade pizza with salami slices and olives! Take care honey, I love you.” As the message ended, I felt drips of liquid drop from the sides of my face. I reached up and rubbed my cheek to see that they were my tears. I ended up crying at the sound of my mother’s voice, and how this message was the only source of hearing her. I closed my phone and set it on the nightstand and laid my head on the pillow. I blinked as a few small tears managed to escape my eyes and I slowly closed my eyes. “…I love you too, mom,” I whispered as I drifted off to sleep. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be together like we promised.” 3rd POV Canterlot Castle Within the mighty palace that sat on the side of the mountain and loomed over the royal capital, the two princesses were searching within the royal archives as stacks of scrolls, books, and other old documents filled the area. Celestia used her magic to skim through an old scripture as Luna read three different scrolls at the same time. “Oh f’r moon’s sake…” Luna sighed as she rolled up the scrolls. “Sist’r, we has’t been searching f’r ov’r a day and night anon. We has’t yet to findeth aught about yond human and his ‘rigin.” “Patience is a virtue, dear little sister,” Celestia remarked as she scanned the bookshelves. “You and I both know why we must do this. The words told to us are still fresh in my mind, as I hope they are in yours. I am positive the text we seek is here, and we must find it.” “How doth thee knoweth yond the booketh we seeketh is still in these fusty archives? Our teachest’r may has’t been quite the did light’rate one, but yond doesn’t cullionly that gent hath kept ev’rything.” “I beg to differ, most of these books were written by our old teacher to begin with. So I doubt he would ever want to be rid of his own work.” Luna rolled her eyes as she went back to searching. She checked the top shelf of one of the many bookshelves, but realized that she had already read from this section and huffed in irritation. Before the lunar princess left to search elsewhere, her eye caught something in the very back. Luna then used her magic to light up her surroundings to see there was another very old looking text, caked with dust and riddled with cobwebs. Curious, she engulfed the book with her magic and pulled it out, trailing dust behind it, making her scrunch her muzzle and cough a little. “Something the matter, dear little sister?” Celestia called out. “Are your old allergies bothering you once again?” “Nay-cough…We hath found this,” Luna said as she carefully levitated the book to her elder sister. Celestia took the book with her own magic and examined it. She waved her hand as the dust blew away and she could make out the title on the cover, which made her gasp a little but then smile proudly. “Well done, little sister, you have discovered what we have been searching for,” Celestia said as Luna walked up and stood next to her. “It hast been a longeth timeth since We has’t seen this fusty text,” Luna said fondly. “But sist’r, couldst that gent truly beest the one? The bodement spoken to us bef’re our moth’r’s disappearance, couldst yond timeth beest upon us already?” “It would appear so, and we must do our part as the Princesses of Equestria to fulfill our mother’s wish,” Celestia said as she brushed her hand along the cover. The book itself was an old text that looked to be over a thousand years old. It had a symbol of a sword that went over a shield and above it read the title of the book. The Legend of Sir Rokai Stourmborne The Equestrian Guardian Author's Note A party to remember. Side Note: I’m back and better than ever! The artwork, and any future ones you will see, was created by Zahira96! The same talented individual who made the cover art! Hope you all enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero Seeks EmploymentSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
A Hero’s ResolveChapter 7 Things have been going well for me these past couple of weeks, or at least as well as it can be. Ever since I got a job at Sweet Apple Acres, I felt like I was a little more comfortable with my surroundings and new neighbors. I sometimes deliver apples whenever Applejack asked me to, I helped kick apples off of apple trees with Big Mac, and I even had the pleasure to meet their grandmother, Granny Smith. She was an elderly mare with lime green fur and wore a summer shawl and apron with an apple pie embroidered on it. I still chuckle a little to myself sometimes when I showed her how I kicked the trees. Poor old mare nearly fell back on the ground from the surprise, but seeing how I was able to kick all the apples off the tree seemed to have won her over almost immediately. As I was helping Mac out on the farm, I overheard Applejack trying to get on Twilight’s good side since she had received a letter from Princess Celestia that had these gold tickets inside. Something about a fancy party in the capital? I didn’t really pay attention since I was too busy focusing on work and my training. Speaking of my training, the work on the farm seemed to have paid off fruitfully. My meditation sessions by the lake and constant heavy lifting on the farm have allowed me to utilize my Ki manipulation. I can now hover a few meters in the air for a couple hours before taking a break on the ground and I can form a decent sized Ki sphere in my hand without having to focus too hard. I once tried this training technique. I remembered Ivan telling me about when I was still a blue belt: Mental Image Training. It’s when I closed my eyes and imagined myself fighting against someone in my head for my hand-to-hand combat. During my days climbing the belts of karate, I was pitted up against a number of talented karate fighters. The local tournaments I had signed up for proved to be a challenge each time. Some fights I won, others I lost, but I never gave up to strive forward and push myself harder. Now it feels different whenever I train to improve myself. Before, I didn’t have these special powers to literally manipulate Ki and what not, but now I’m able to freaking fly because of it. I suppose my motivation would be because of the letter from F I still kept with me and my fight with Nightmare Moon. I still painfully remember how she was toying with me and I couldn’t land a single blow on her. The way she moved and avoided my attacks, like she was dancing and could read my every move. My attempts to land even one decent blow on her were laughable at best, but I guess I shouldn’t beat myself up too much since I basically was going up against a literal goddess. Still though, she has been my mental image training partner lately, and I’ve still yet to land a single blow on my imaginary foe. As for F’s letter, the words spoken on that piece of paper still echo in my mind, and how she chose me. I mean, of all the people on planet Earth, why me? I was no one special in any way, shape, or form. I honestly considered myself to be quite average, among other people, yet I was still chosen, as she put it, and sent to this colorful world of walking, talking ponies. All I could do at the moment was play a guessing game with myself as to why all this was happening to me in the first place, which was a little perplexing, but I couldn’t really do anything else for the time being. Today was another training session for me as I was throwing punches and kicks in the air. I had my jacket, shirt, and shoes off, and my mind was sharp and focused. I threw blocks, elbow strikes, palm heel strikes, and even jumped in the air to do split kicks. I unleashed a series of straight punches and followed it up with some ridge hand strikes. I spun my body around and delivered a fierce double roundhouse kick that swung my leg down for an axe kick. I finished my open spar with a double palm heel strike and wide crescent kick. I took a long deep breath and exhaled before relaxing my stance, slowly raising my arms in a circular motion and bringing them down in front of me. I wiped my brow from the sweat on my face, walked to the edge of the lake, and kneeled down to splash my face with water. “Whew. Well, that was a good session,” I said aloud. I splashed water over my body to try and wash some of the sweat off and put my shirt and shoes back on after waiting for the water to dry off my body. I glanced over at the town and thought about the ponies for a little bit. Some of them were still indifferent about me and preferred to keep their distance whenever I tried to say hello. I was a little bummed that they still didn’t trust me, but I had to remind myself that I was an alien to them and I was viewed as unpredictable. Can’t say that I blame them either, since I’d probably do the same thing in their position. Earning their trust was going to take time and I had to be patient and wait for the opportune moment to do so. “Hi, William!” I turned my head to see an unexpected visitor walk up to me. It was the mint colored unicorn mare, Lyra, and she had a wide smile across her face. “Well hey there, Lyra. What brings you here?” I said to the mare. “Oh you know, just gloating to the town how I was right about humans existing,” Lyra said proudly. “You knew about humans?” I asked, curiously. “Of course! Humans were one of the many wonders of the world until you showed up!” Lyra chriped. “I’ve always been interested in old pony tales, and humans were at the top of my list. Seeing you here in the flesh and not fur makes all the years of me being teased worth it!” “Wait, you were teased?” I caught on, making her gasp and cover her muzzle. “Oh…uh, yeah, maybe a little,” Lyra soon admitted. “Wanna talk about it?” I offered. “Why do you care, if you don’t mind me asking?” “I may not look like it, but I know what it’s like to be teased,” I said. “Point is, I’m also a good listener when it comes down to it.” Lyra seemed hesitant, but nodded as she sat down next to me. “Y’know, the only other pony I’ve ever spoken about this was Bon Bon.” “So you were teased with this human conspiracy of yours?” “Yeah. Like I said, I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of there being other life forms from other worlds like humans; like you. Whenever I tried talking to somepony about it, I’d get made fun of and be called names.” “Must’ve been rough.” “Not exactly. I mean, it did sting sometimes when they called me crazy or a conspiracy nut, but I still kept my head up high. So I one day vowed to prove humans exist and wished every day that one would show up. Guess all my wishes paid off, right?” “Heh, I guess they did,” I chuckled. “You must think I’m also crazy, considering how we met and how I always wanna talk to you.” “You know you can just ask,” I said. “I love talking and meeting new people, or in this case, ponies.” “You don’t think I’m weird?” “Lyra, I’m the very definition of weird,” I retorted. “I’m practically a living alien around here. So the fact that you want to go out of your way to talk to me while others prefer to keep their distance, it’s honestly comforting considering I’m still very new to this world.” I offered my hand to her for a shake. “So what do you say, new friends?” Her wide smile returned and she immediately grabbed my hand with both hers and shook it. “Yes! Yes of course I’ll be your friend!” “I’m glad.” I smiled as I stood back up and she followed suit. “We should hang out sometime, Lyra.” “I’d love to! Hey! Maybe you can show off some of that cool karate stuff I saw you do!” “Of course I’d be happy to-” My sentence was cut short when I noticed something in the corner of my eye. I looked to see a black cloud of smoke billowing out from the edge of town. The way the black smoke was rising in the air made me narrow my eyes at the ominous-looking cloud, and Lyra seemed to notice too. “What’s that?” Lyra wondered. “I think I know,” I frowned as I picked up my jacket. “I just hope I’m wrong. Lyra, if there’s some kind of local fire department in town, do it now.” “Fire department? Why?” Lyra asked, now sounding worried. “Because there might be a house on fire.” I wasted no more time and began running toward the plume of black smoke. I don’t know what compelled me to run toward the smoke. Call it a gut feeling. All I knew is that I needed to get to where the smoke was coming from as soon as possible. I ran through the town with my sights dead set on the black smoke that was continuing to billow into the sky. The closer I got to it, the more my fears of what it was became more prominent. As I ran, some of the ponies also started to notice the smoke in the air and others even started walking toward the direction. “Will!” I looked up to see Rainbow Dash fly from the sky and beside me as I kept running. “What’s going on? What’s that smoke?” “I’m about to find out!” I said as I picked up the pace. We soon made it to the edge of town to see a disastrous sight. It was a two story house and half the building was completely coated with flames. The fire was slowly spreading to the rest of the house as Rainbow and I were in complete shock. “Holy buck! How the hay did this happen?!” Rainbow yelped. “I have no idea! But it’s getting dangerous!” I said as the flames roared. “Maybe I can try and blow some of it out with my wings?” Rainbow suggested as she was about to fan open her wings. I immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her down to stand next to me. “Are you crazy?! That’ll only make them burn even more!” “Then what are we supposed to do?! Let it burn?!” Rainbow snapped. “I already told Lyra to call the local fire department! They should be here any minute!” “But what if they’re too late?!” “Well, we can’t exactly do much ourselves!” “Help me!” Our arguing was cut short when we heard a sound from the house. My heart dropped as I looked to the second floor of the house and saw the window open a little. “Oh no…don’t tell me.” “Help! Please! Mommy!” “Oh jeezus! Someone’s still in there!” “We gotta do something, Will, we can’t wait!” I tried thinking of a solution, any solution on how to get whoever was stuck in the house. Help was on the way, but they probably wouldn’t get here in time. Rainbow wanted to use her wings, but that would only worsen the situation. I then got an idea. An incredibly stupid idea, but it was the only one I had at the moment. “Rainbow,” I said, taking off my jacket and handing it to her. “Make sure no one else gets anywhere near the house.” “What’re you-HEY WAIT!” I took off running toward the house, ignoring her pleas, and straight toward a window. I raised my arms and jumped forward, crashing into the window and into the house. 3rd POV “That idiot! What’s he thinking?!” Rainbow snapped. As Rainbow was cursing William out to herself, more ponies arrived and were shocked to see the burning building before them. The rest of Rainbow’s friends also arrived and joined their speedster friend. “Rainbow Dash! What happened?!” Twilight asked. “The house is completely on fire!” “Somepony call the fire department!” Applejack said. “I already did!” Lyra said, joining them. She looked around the crowd as if she was looking for someone. “Wait a sec, where’s William?” “That crazy human just jumped straight into the fire!” Rainbow said, holding up his jacket. “He what?!” Spike shouted. “What on Eques was he thinking?!” Rarity screeched. Meanwhile, a grey pegasus pony mare with a short blonde mane and tail tried to run towards the burning building. She wore what looked to be a mail delivery outfit with a white colored shirt and brown work pants. Rainbow Dash reacted quickly and grabbed her by her arms while she tried to escape from her grip. “Let me go! Please let me go!” She cried. “No way Derpy, are you nuts?! You’ll get burned alive in there!” Rainbow Dash yelled. The mare named Derpy turns around with tears staining her face and looks at Rainbow Dash and the others, along with the other ponies who had gathered at the sight. “PLEASE LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GET IN THERE! MY DAUGHTER IS STILL INSIDE!” Derpy pleaded. All the ponies gasp in horror. “WHAT?!” William 1st POV I rolled on the ground onto my feet. I looked up and saw the inside of the house was filled with smoke, making it difficult to breathe. The side that was covered in flames had bits of fire seeping through the walls and floor while continuing to spread. It looked like I was in the living room and there was furniture all around me. I had to get whoever was still in the house fast or we’ll both be burned alive. I winced when I felt a stinging pain in my arm and looked to see some glass poking out of my skin. Probably not the best option to jump through a window, but I didn’t exactly have time to dwell on such precautions. I carefully pulled out the shards of glass in my skin and covered my mouth and nose with my shirt. “Hey! Are you here?! Where are you?!” I called out. The smoke was already making it a little difficult to breathe as I tried to listen for anything in the house. “H-Help me!” I heard the voice again and it sounded like it came from up the stairs. I quickly, but carefully made my way toward the stairs leading to the second floor. The fire is starting to rage and smoke is filling the area at a quick pace, making me cough every so often. I kept my shirt up over my face to mask my breathing, if only slightly. I made it to the top of the stairs and looked down the hall, finding three rooms; two on each side and one at the end. “Kid! Speak to me!” I called out. “I-I’m here! Please help!” It sounded like a little girl was crying out, and it was coming from the room to the right. I quickly walked toward the door, when suddenly, a floorboard gave way, causing my leg to fall through. “Oh shit!” I managed to catch myself just in time by grabbing onto the doorknob. I looked down and saw the 1st floor was flooded with flames. I reclaimed my breath, pulled myself out from the hole, and faced the door. I tried to turn the knob, but I wouldn’t budge. I look down and see it’s bent downwards and broken, due to me catching it during my fall. “Of all the shitty things to happen at such a shitty time…” I cursed myself. I started banging on the door to get whoever was in the room’s attention. “Hey kid! Are you still there?!” “Y-yes, please help!” she cried. “I’m right here, don’t worry! I need you to stay away from the door, ok?! Stay as far away from it as you possibly can!” “O-ok!” I wait about a minute before stepping back slightly. I slowly took a breath and closed my eyes. After gaining my focus, I opened my eyes and raised my left leg and kicked the door as hard as I could. The door bursts off the hinges and flies toward the other side of the room. I heard a small scream coming from the right side. I walked in the slightly smoke-filled room and looked around. To my right is what looked to be a closet, so I stepped over to it and opened the door. Inside is a unicorn filly with a pale violet coat and a light grayish gold mane and tail. She’s wearing a little light teal dress with a floral pattern on the side and had a burn mark on it. The poor girl had her arms covering her face in total fear and was trembling up a storm while whimpering. “Hey, hey, it’s ok. You’re safe now,” I told her calmly. The filly brought her arms down and looked at me. She’s still a bit fearful, but seems to calm down a little bit after seeing me. “Wh-wh-who are you, mister? Where’s my mama?” she asked fearfully. I knelt down while pulling down my shirt and holding out my arms, “I’m here to save you kid. Your mom’s probably outside waiting for you. So let’s get you out of here so you can see her again.” She nods and gets up and moves towards me. I pick her up in my arms and cradle her in my grasp. I looked down at her and smiled at her reassuringly. “Hold on tight and don’t let go, ok?” She nods and wraps her little arms around my neck, squeezing as tight as she can, but is still trembling. I make my way out of the room and down the hall. The house is now almost filled to the brim with smoke, which causes the filly to cough. I have to duck down out of the smoke so that we’re not breathing in the cloud of death. I made it to the stairs, but frowned in anger as most of the steps had now been burned to a crisp and a single step would probably cause the whole thing to collapse. I had few options at this point and looked back down at the filly, who looked like she’s on the verge of tears again. I nudged her slightly, getting her attention and she looked up at me. “I’m gonna try and jump down to the bottom of the stairs ok? You just keep holding on as tight as you can and don’t let go.” She nods in understanding and again squeezes around my neck as hard as she possibly can. I looked back down the stairs and took a few steps back. I took one last breath and ran towards the stairs and planted both my feet on the top step and jumped all the way down the stairs. I managed to clear all the steps and land on the bottom with a loud thud that seemed to vibrate the house slightly, causing it to groan again. Seeing how I’ve probably just sped up the process of its collapse, I proceed to run towards the door and body-check it open. Suddenly, the house lets out a loud groan and I look up to see the support beam start to splinter. It breaks and comes crashing down on us, and the filly starts to scream in terror. I quickly raise my right hand as the beam falls on it, catching it and halting the collapse midway. “GAH! SHIT!” I yelled. This fucking thing was heavy as hell. It feels like I’m carrying the whole damn house. I’m grunting and panting in exhaustion, if I don’t think of something right now, I’m a goner along with the filly. I had to drop the filly on the floor so that I could carry the beam with both hands. I then felt something wet trickling down the side of my head. Soon after, I felt a throbbing pain in my head and deduced that the beam hit my head, and I was now bleeding. The fire was spreading all around us, the filly was crying hysterically, and I was forced down on my knee. She grabbed my shirt while sweat was dripping off my body and I was coughing every so often. “Mister! What are we gonna do?!” the filly cried. “I’m…thinking!” I grunted as I tried to keep holding the beam. Damnit, Will, think! There’s got to be a way out of here! I glanced down at the weeping filly and my body started to feel weak. The fire was creeping closer and closer to us and blood was dripping from my head and off my chin. I was delirious, tired, in pain, and coughing more often due to lack of oxygen. The beam began weighing me down and I couldn’t hold it any longer. “Kid…you gotta get…out of here!” I grunted. “B-But what about you?!” “Don’t worry about me! You need to leave!” I grit my teeth in anger and cursed myself again for being so damn reckless. Maybe I should’ve waited for the fire department to get here, but if I did that, it would’ve been too late to save the filly. Was this gonna happen to me again? Was I just gonna die again like before? Only this time, I doubt I’d get a second chance. No…hell no! I REFUSE TO DIE AGAIN! NOT WHEN THIS FILLY NEEDS ME! I felt something inside me, like a burst of energy swelling up within me and was about to burst. I grunted from the strain and glared at the floor before shouting in anger. Suddenly, a burst of energy erupted from within me and a flash of white aura surrounded me like a flickering flame. The energy allowed me to gain the strength I needed to lift myself up little by little as my power continued to grow. “I WON’T…GIVE UP!!” I shouted defiantly. “I already died once, and once was enough!” I sneered. “You think I’m gonna let something like this take me down?!” My hands began to glow as I felt energy build up more and more. “I was ripped from my world without any warning! I was sent to this one for a reason I still don’t know! And I’ll be damned if I mess up this second chance so soon!” I felt something within my soul and the white aura flared more violently around my body. “So until I figure out why I of all people was sent here and what my purpose is, I make this solemn oath right here, right now!” At this point, my hands are shining as bright as possible to the point where the energy is close to erupt. “As long as there is even a shred of strength left in my soul…I REFUSE TO DIE AGAIN!!” The light from my hands seemed almost blinding and the aura was flickering nonstop. The huge amount of energy reached a breaking point and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Get down, kid!” The filly, who was in complete shock during the whole display, quickly nodded, sat down, and covered her head. “BUSTER CANNON!!!” The energy in my hands erupts and a brilliant blue sphere of energy forms, becoming bigger and bigger each passing second. The sphere then shined brightly and shot upwards in a huge explosion, causing the beam to be blasted away and enveloping our vision with light. The blast lasts for a few minutes until it starts to dissipate and the light dies down. I can no longer keep standing as I fell down on both my hands and knees. My vision is blurry and there’s a ringing in my head. I looked to my side to see the filly was safe and sound as she uncovered her head from her arms and looked at me. “Hey…kid,” I wheezed with a smile. “You okay?” “Y…yes,” she nodded slowly. “Good…” I nodded as my body leaned to the side and I fell over on the ground on my back. “That’s good…I’m glad you’re…safe.” “Are you okay?” she asked. “I’m fine…” I nodded weakly. “Just…exhausted.” “DINKY!!” I glanced to the other side to see a pegasus mare running toward us. She had grey fur, a pale blonde mane, and goldish yellow eyes that were looking in different directions. “MOMMA!!” the filly cried as she stood up and ran toward the mare, the two hugging each other close. “Oh my precious little muffin, thank sweet Celestia you’re ok!!” the mare cried through her tears. “I was so scared, Momma!” the filly whimpered. I smiled a little through my exhaustion at the happy reunion. I then noticed more ponies showing up from behind, including ponies who wore similar clothing to what normal firefighters wear as they all had a stupefied look on their faces. I then saw Rainbow Dash and the others to boot, which made me lift my hand to them a little. “Hey…everyone.” “William! Holy Celestia! What in the hay was that explosion?!” Twilight demanded. “It’s a long story…” I said. “Long story short…I was in a difficult situation and had to get this one to safety.” I gestured to the filly. “You saved my daughter?” the mare asked me. “He did, momma! This brave stallion burst through my room and saved me!” the filly chirped. “At a price, unfortunately,” I added, glancing around the charred remains of the house. “If this was your house, ma’am, I’m sorry I blew it all to hell.” The mare looked at the burned remains, then back to me and smiled while shaking her head. “That’s alright,” she reassures me, “My daughter and I were actually planning to move out anyway. It’s a good thing we managed to get all of our personal belongings out before the fire.” The mare then tears up again as she looks down at me. “All I care about right now is my daughter is safe, and you saved her. That’s all that matters to me.” She knelt down and placed her hand on my chest. “Thank you…th-thank you so much for saving my little girl.” “No problem, miss…” “Derpy. You can call me Derpy Hooves.” “And I’m Dinky Hooves!” the filly squeaked. “Glad to meet you both. I’m William Saber, but you can both call me Will for short.” “Can you get up, Will?” Spike asked me. “Not at the moment. My body is all stiff and my head hurts. That blast pretty much took all the stored up energy I had. I’m using what little strength I have left to stay awake,” I said with a slight groan. “I’LL SAY! WHAT IN THE HAY WAS THAT BEAM OF LIGHT?! DID YOU REALLY DO THAT?! I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I NEED ANSWERS NOW!” Twilight shrieked in my ear. The others nod furiously, wanting to know what happened and how I did what I did. God, why the bloody hell do they gotta be so damn loud all the time… As her friends tried to calm her down, I soon began to overhear some of the ponies from the crowd talking amongst themselves. “Did you hear that? He’s the one who saved Dinky!” “Oh my goodness! It’s the human!” “Did he seriously jump into that burning building all by himself? That was too reckless of him!” “Who cares about that?! He managed to save Dinky before it was too late! He’s a hero!” Soon, all the ponies are starting to comment and praise me about my heroics. They all then start to applaud and cheer for my deed, despite my extreme actions. I felt a warm sense of pride as they cheered for me. It felt pretty damn good to have saved a life and they’re so welcoming of it. “We should get you to the hospital, William. Those injuries look bad,” Rainbow said. “Yeah, that’s probably the best course to take right about now,” I agreed. “Do you have anywhere else to stay in the meantime?” I asked Derpy. Derpy nods and says, “Yes, Dinky and I were actually going to stay with my sister until my husband returns from his travels.” I nodded in agreement and looked back at Dinky. She’s still staring at me with that cute smile, making me smile back. “You take care of yourself, ok?” “Thank you again for saving me, Mr. Will!” Dinky said with a happy chirp in her voice. She and her mother walk away, along with the rest of the crowd until it’s just me, the girls, and Spike. “Well…I gotta admit that I was not expecting to pull something like that off,” I sighed as I continued to lay on the ground. “What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “That huge blast, that was not on purpose.” “You didn’t do it on your own?” Rarity questioned. “Well, I did, but I didn’t mean to,” I explained. “I’ve just been learning the basics of Ki manipulation lately and all I could do was fly a few meters in the air and hold small orbs of Ki in my hands. That may have been in the spur of the moment, but it’s still a little baffling to me how I was able to pull it off.” “Maybe you were in desperate need of power in a desperate situation?” Spike guessed. “Maybe. Who knows? I still can’t move my body at the moment.” “Well, I for one am glad you’re okay, Willy!” Pinkie said with a wide smile. “You’re a real hero today! I should throw you a party!” “Thanks for the offer, Pinkie, but for now, I’d rather just rest,” I said. “Aw, well alright, since you insist!” I chuckled a little as I stared up at the sky. Today was not a day I was expecting to happen, yet it did anyway. I managed to save a kid from a burning building. The feeling I felt before I blasted the house away, all that energy released at once. Was that really me doing it? How was I able to do such a powerful attack? More importantly…I called it Buster Cannon, just like in the show I used to watch. I mean, it looked similar to the original, so it was the only thing that came to mind. Well, besides all that, I’m just glad it’s all over. My eyes started to grow heavy as my consciousness faded away. I may not know what’ll happen tomorrow, or the day after that, but I do know one thing. That experience was something I don’t plan on forgetting, it’ll serve as a reminder if and when I ever find myself in a situation like that. No matter what, I’ll stay alive, even if it kills me. Author's Note His first heroic act of many. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s Friend In NeedChapter 9 WHACK! My kick struck the trunk of the tree, causing it to shake wildly. One by one, the apples fell off the branches and into the baskets below. I wiped my brow and fanned myself with my shirt, then picked up the apple baskets and hoisted them over my shoulders. Another day at the apple farm, and like always, I was hard at work. I could definitely feel the progress in both my physical and mental Ki training. I’m able to fly into the air without putting much effort into it and my speed has increased steadily to a nice 40-50mph, or so I’d estimate. My body has also improved in a physical sense. Before, I was just semi-fit and worked out regularly. Now, I feel stronger and more fit than ever. It’s little wonder Mac is as fit as he is now, considering he’s done this kind of thing since he was a kid. Smirking to myself, I grabbed my jacket that I hung over a branch and draped it over my shoulder. As I walked back toward the farm, I started to question myself a little as to why I’ve been putting so much effort in my Ki training lately. Gaining physical strength and a clear mind through work and meditation is one thing, but I felt as though there was more to it than just improving myself. If I wasn’t blessed with these new powers, I’d probably just be another ordinary new citizen of Ponyville and inhabitant of this world. My mind trailed back again to the letter I got from F upon my arrival here. What she said kinda irked me whenever I remember reading about how she chose me. Why did she choose me out of all humans? I’ll probably never know. I recall the princesses I met on my first night here said they’d send for me once they’ve confirmed something, but I’ve still yet to hear anything. Pushing my dilemmas aside, I saw Mac and a small girl standing by him. She wore a cute little pink bow tied in her red hair. She wore blue jeans and a green shirt, both slightly covered in mud. Her eyes were a pretty orange color and looked to be about ten or twelve years old. “Hey there, Mac. Got some more baskets here for you,” I called out to the farmer stallion. Mac looked at me and smiled with a nod. The young filly turned to me and smiled widely at me. “Well, hey there.” “Howdy! So you’re the famous human feller mah sister and brother’s been talkin’ about?” the filly chirped. “I wouldn’t say I’m famous,” I said bashfully. “I assume you’re Mac and Applejack’s little sister?” “You assume right, partner! Mah name’s Apple Bloom!” I set the baskets down and held my hand out to Apple Bloom. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Apple Bloom. I’m William Saber, but you can just call me Will for short.” “Can do, Will!” Apple Bloom grabbed my hand and shook it. Even for a young girl her age, she’s got quite a grip. Must run in the family. “Y’all can go on home, if ya want, Will,” Mac said. “Really? I still have about a couple hours in my shift,” I said. “Naw, you’ve earned it. Since ya harvested all them apples on your own, there ain’t many trees to buck. Bloom and Ah’ll take care of it,” Mac waved it off. “I was happy to help, Mac. You don’t have to give me special treatment,” I said. “It ain’t. Just call it a personal reward from me to you.” “Well, if you insist, then I’ll be on my way.” “Buh-bye, Will!” Apple Bloom waved at me. I gave the two Apple siblings a two fingered salute before jumping in the air and flying off. “WHAT THE HAY?! HE CAN FLY?!” I chuckled when I heard Apple Bloom’s shouting and continued my flight back toward the library. She seemed like a nice young girl with a lot of energy, kinda like…Rachel. I stopped in midair when the thought of my sister came to mind. It’s been over a month since I came to this world. I imagine my whole family is worried sick to tears about me disappearing. If circumstances were different, I’d still be home and living my life with my step-family and mother. I frowned as the wind blew against me in the air and I looked up at the clouds. “I wish I could see them again,” I said to myself. “Just so I could at least give them closure that I’m alright.” “Move it, jerk wad!” My reminiscing was interrupted when something flew past me and nearly sent me spinning out of control. I shook my head and looked toward the rude flyer who was nearly out of sight. “Hey! I’m flying here! Up yours, you prick!” I shouted at the flyer. “Sheesh, some people have no manners.” Choosing to brush off the rude encounter just now, I continued flying back toward the library and touched down in front of the door. When I opened it, I was met with a weird scent of burnt flowers. I waved away the smoke in the air and saw Twilight cleaning up a little mess she made with her potions. “Trouble with your studies, Twilight?” I spoke up, getting her attention. “Oh, welcome back, Will. No, it’s just another one of Pinkie’s and Rainbow’s pranks,” Twilight said with a sigh. “They replaced my writing ink with invisible ink so I couldn’t see the notes I had just written down, and this is the result. Those two have been pulling practical jokes like this all day.” “Invisible ink? Pfft, that’s actually pretty funny,” I chuckled. “Reminds me of when I used to pull pranks like that on my sister.” “If you don’t mind me asking, Will, what is your sister like?” Twilight asked as she cleaned. “Heh, well, she may be older than me, but I sometimes feel like I’m the older sibling because of how childish she can be.” I laughed a little as I sat down on a chair. “I remember when we were younger, we used to play with these little stuffed animals. She wanted to pretend that they all lived happily together and smiled all the time. I, on the other hand, wanted them to fight each other.” “You wanted stuffed animal toys to fight?” Twilight asked, perplexed. “I know how it sounds, but I just figured it’d be cooler to play like that. I honestly made any toy I owned fight each other. Anyway, she always used to complain all the time when I had my stuffed elephant try to beat her little stuffed frog to a pulp.” “That sounds violent,” Twilight commented. “Like I said, I thought it was cooler than just having them sit around and talk about their feelings.” I shrugged. “I remember I once took one of her toys and hid it, then told her my toy had banished it and it wouldn’t be seen forever. She cried the whole day and I got grounded by my parents after I gave it back to her.” “Seems like you got your just desserts,” Twilight said as she finished cleaning the mess. “I guess I did, but besides that, my sister and I got along just well. Even though she was my step-sister, she still felt like she was my actual sister.” I smiled as I reminisced about Rachel. “Every time, whenever I saw Rachel sad or upset about something, I’d always make a fresh batch of brownies for her. I had come up with a personal recipe and she was the first to try it. She told me it was the best thing she’s ever eaten.” Twilight set down her cleaning supplies and walked over to me and sat down beside me. “Do you miss your family?” “Every day.” I leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. “I often wonder how they’re all coping with my disappearance, my mother especially.” Twilight frowned pityingly and reached over to place her hand on mine. “I’m sure they’re missing you too, Will. I’m sorry you were taken from your world so suddenly. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.” I looked back at Twilight and smiled at her. “I appreciate it, Twilight, and I’ve been through worse heartache than this. All I can do now is just keep my head up high and continue moving forward. I’m here in this world now, so I might as well get used to it.” “Still, it’s nice to let your feelings out whenever you feel the need,” Twilight reassured me as she pulled her hand away. I nodded at her, but then found myself gazing at Twilight. I hadn’t noticed before, since this was probably the longest time we’d ever spoken to one another, but her eyes seemed to have a certain twinkle in them. Not to mention…this mare was admittedly kinda cute. Her hair looked so smooth and wavy, along with her tail. The way the two-toned streak in her hair hung over her eye a little, was all appealing to me. …wait, the hell am I thinking?! “Ahem! Well, uh, I’m gonna hit the showers,” I said sheepishly. I stood up and quickly made my way up the stairs toward the bathroom, leaving Twilight by herself. I shut the door behind me, took off my sweaty clothes, and threw them in the hamper. I then turned the knob in the shower so the water could heat up and gazed at the mirror in the room. I looked at both of my different coloured eyes and leaned my hands on the bathroom countertop. Those thoughts of mine while looking at Twilight made me question my very sense of reason. “Just what the hell are you thinking, Saber?” I asked myself. “You do realize that you’re a human? And she’s a pony? You both are two completely different species, and you go and have the thought process of finding her cute? Get it through your thick skull. it’s not gonna happen no matter how you try to spin it. It’s better you just forget what happened entirely.” I shook my head and entered the shower to wash myself off. It would seem that the longer I stay in this world and associate with these ponies, the more I wonder what else entails for me in the coming future. The Next Day Another day in Ponyville as I flew toward the lake for another Ki training session. My mind was set on improving my flight speed and learning how to perform more advanced Ki blast techniques. My goal was to further adapt my body to the usage of Ki and whenever I use it in such large quantities. I imagined myself being able to perform well-known techniques from Dragon Ball. As I flew, I caught sight of Rainbow Dash flying through the clouds with someone. When I looked down, I saw Pinkie running after them with a trampoline, which piqued my interest as to what that party mare was up to. Deciding to take a detour, I flew down toward Pinkie until I was just above her. “Sup, Pinkie. What’s the deal with that trampoline?” I asked. “Hi, Willy! I’m trying to catch up with Rainbow Dash and her friend Gilda!” Pinkie chirped as she continued to run while holding the trampoline. “Gilda? Who’s Gilda?” I wondered. “She’s a griffin who Rainbow used to know back in the day, and I wanna try to be her friend too! So I’m gonna use this trampoline to jump up in the sky to talk with them!” “Hmm, interesting plan.” I then got an idea that she might like. “Hey, if you want, I can just carry you and fly up there?” Pinkie halted in her tracks and looked up at me as I hovered in midair. “You’d do that for me?!” “Well, sure.” I landed back down on the ground. “Seems like a drag for you to lug that thing everywhere, so why not make it easier for yourself and let me give you a ride?” “That’s super duper nice of you, Willy!” Pinkie hopped up and down. “But is it really okay? What if I’m too heavy and I hurt your back?” “Please, I lug heavy-ass apple baskets all day long. I think I can handle carrying you,” I waved it off and turned around. “Hop on.” Pinkie squealed and practicality jumped on my back, making me grunt. As I hooked my hands under her legs and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, her generous bust pressed against my back. My cheeks blushed a shade of red as I felt those two mounds of flesh press into me. Not to mention, her legs were incredibly soft on my hands. “Let’s get going…” I said, trying to compose myself. “Up, up, and away!” Pinkie cheered. I nodded and flew up into the air. Pinkie giggled and swung her legs back and forth as she tried to touch any clouds we passed by. When we neared the cloud Rainbow and this Gilda were sitting on, I got a look at the new griffin. True to Pinkie’s word, this girl did indeed have the body features of an actual griffin. She had the head of a bald eagle with a few feathers brushed over the side of her head. Her body had brown fur, a long tail, and legs like a lion. Her hands looked like talons with sharp claws and she had golden-yellow eyes. On her back was a pair of fairly large brown, yet scruffy-looking wings. She wore torn black jeans and a black tank top to go with it. This girl looked like she worked out on a daily basis since she had a lot of muscle on her arms, legs, and torso. At first glance, as we flew nearer, I could get the sense that this girl was a bit of a punk. However, since Pinkie said Gilda was an old friend of Dash’s, I suppose I could give her the benefit of the doubt. “Hiya, Rainbow! It’s later, and I caught up with Willy’s help!” Pinkie chirped. “Oh, that's great. Really, great,” Gilda said in an annoyed tone while looking away. “And nice to meet you, to you too,” I said sarcastically. “So, who’s your rude friend, Rainbow?” “This is Gilda, an old friend of mine from Jr. Flight School.” Dash introduced the griffon. “G, this is Will Saber.” “Sup,” she said with a bored tone. “Charmed,” I said. Sheesh, what crawled up her ass and made it their home? I thought. “Wait.” Gilda seemed to perk up after about a minute. “Will Saber? You’re that human thing?” “I wouldn’t call myself a thing, but I am a human,” I said. “So you’re the one Dash told me who took on Nightmare Moon alone?” “I prefer to say I kept her distracted while Rainbow and her friends did the finishing blow,” I shrugged, only for Gilda to chortle at me. “So you’re a pussy, then? Ha! I knew Dash was just pulling my feathers. You probably hid behind some bushes and jerked off while Dash took on that bitch,” Gilda said with a smirk and mocking tone. To say what she had told me ticked me off would be an understatement. I’ve dealt with bullies before, and this griffin was no exception. “Hey, that’s not true! Willy stood up to Nightmare Moon as best as he could,” Pinkie said. “You wanna run that by me again, bird brain?” I sneered, making Gilda glare at me. “What did you say to me?” Gilda stood up on the cloud and walked over to me. “Why don’t you say it again to my face,” she said with a glare aimed at me. “Hey, quit it, guys!” Rainbow said, getting between us. “G, you know I told you that in confidence. Will tried his best against Nightmare Moon.” “Hmph. He looks like a kitten could beat him,” Gilda snarked. “By the way, I could care less what you say about me.” My gaze turned into a glare. Pinkie looked my way nervously, along with Rainbow as my aura rose little by little. The cloud they stood on began to dissipate a little from my aura as my Ki levels became more intense. “But if you dare insult Princess Luna like that again, I’ll show you how much I’ve improved since my fight with Nightmare Moon.” “Pfft, whatever. Come on, Dash, let’s blow this dump and hit up a bar,” Gilda said before taking off with Dash right behind her. “Uh, wait up G!” Rainbow turned back to us. “Sorry guys, I’ll catch you later.” Rainbow flew off after Gilda and I simply clicked my tongue at them as I descended to the ground. “What are you doing, Willy? Fly after them!” Pinkie said while bouncing on my back. “Trust me, Pinkie, it ain’t worth it,” I shook my head. “But why not?!” “Because people like Gilda aren’t the type you wanna associate with. They’ll drag you down and insult you just to seem like they’re cool, when they’re actually not. In other words, Gilda’s a massive bully,” I explained. “Awww, that’s sad to think about. Maybe if we threw her a party, she’d open up more?” Pinkie pondered while going limp and leaned back, so she was upside down. I chuckled as I touched back down and Pinkie just slumped to the ground on her back. “Hate to break it to you, Pinks, but that griffin’s got issues that I don’t even wanna think about,” I shrugged. “Well, maybe you’re wrong!” Pinkie protested as she sprang back to her hooves. “I just know Gilda will be a good friend if I try!” “Then I wish you luck. Sorry I can’t fly you up there anymore.” “Aw, it’s okay! I’ve got plenty of ways to get up there!” Pinkie ran off. “Ignorance is bliss, I suppose,” I shrugged again and tucked my hands in my pockets and decided to walk toward the lake. Later “Pant…pant…pant…Well, I’d say that was a success,” I breathed heavily as I kept my hands in front of me. The water rippled violently after my Ki blast attack and small waves crashed along the shoreline. My whole body ached a little, but it was well worth it. All the preparation, mental and physical training, had all proved to be a fruitful endeavor. “I think I got enough Ki in me for one more test,” I said aloud as I assumed the position again. I focused my Ki in my hands as I held them above my head. My Ki rose and my aura surrounded me like a white flame and my hands glowed bright. I felt my power about to be unleashed and saw a bright light shine in my hands, then thrusted them forward. “Masenko!” A beam of energy shot from my hands and impacted the water in the lake. An explosion of water erupted from the lake and water rained down on me. I smirked at the first successful Ki blast attack. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!” I pumped my fists, but then felt a wave of fatigue hit me. “Ugh, I still need to expand my Ki pool a bit more.” Growl! My stomach made itself known and I chuckled sheepishly. “Maybe I should get something to eat first.” I then remembered hearing about a new shop that had opened on the edge of town that sold specific goods. “Maybe I’ll pay that shop a visit.” After putting my jacket back on, I made my way to Ponyville to get some grub. Along the way while smiling and waving at the ponies I passed by, I spotted Pinkie sitting at a café and slurping a milkshake in a huff. “Pinkie?” I called out to her. “What’s wrong? That’s quite the scowl you got there.” “Sigh. I’ve been following Gilda all day to see how to make her my friend. All I've come up with is that she's a bully and a thief," Pinkie said sadly. “How so?” I asked, getting suspicious. “Well, I saw her use her tail to scare the horseshoes out of poor Granny Smith! Then, when no pony was looking, she stole an apple right off the stall after insulting their freshness! So Twilight was wrong when she said I was jealous, because I was right and so were you! She’s a meanie and a thief!” “I’m honestly not that surprised. People like that always have a tendency to hide their true colors. I wonder what Rainbow would think if she knew about the things that griffin had done,” I said, crossing my arms. “Maybe we should tell her how mean Gilda is? Rainbow doesn’t deserve a bully like Gilda as a friend,” Pinkie said. “You’d be right, but I doubt Rainbow would believe us since the two of them have history.” While Pinkie was throwing a pout, I noticed Fluttershy walking backwards and leading a family of ducks through the street. Any pony who saw her gave her space so she could help them, except when I saw Gilda marching in the other way. Fluttershy accidentally bumped into Gilda. “Oh, please excuse me,” Fluttershy said. “Hey! I’m walking here!” Gilda shouted in Fluttershy’s face while bowing up and flaring her wings out. “I-I’m sorry. I w-was just trying to-to get across, for the-” Fluttershy started, only for Gilda to mimic her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was just trying not to suck. Why don’t you move it before I really make you sorry!” she said while getting in her face. “I-I-I-I…” Fluttershy tried to say while falling to the ground on her ass. “I said move it, you yellow cunt!” Gilda yelled at her before letting out a lion's roar in Shy’s face. “Oh that’s it! Stay put, Pinkie!” I stomped over toward Gilda as Fluttershy cried behind her mane. Before Gilda could bash Fluttershy any longer, I shoved her away and stood in front of Fluttershy. “The cluck?!” Gilda snapped. “You okay, Fluttershy?” I asked the timid mare, looking over my shoulder. “W-William…?” Fluttershy whimpered. “She…she yelled at me.” “I know, I’ll take care of this.” I looked back at Gilda with a glare of my own. “Hey! Back the hell off, you bitch! No one yells at my friends like that!” Some ponies stopped and turned toward the commotion. “Who the hell do you think you are?!” “Gilda, you clucking retard! And what’s a pussy ape like you gonna do about it?!” she challenged while balling her fists. “I’ll show you!” I widened my stance and held my hand up in front of me and my fist at my side. “You mess with Fluttershy, you mess with me!” “Fine then! Two dweebs, one fist!” Gilda said before rushing at me with her fist raised. I blocked her fist with my palm and threw her over my shoulder. I winced a little since her fist was heavy and her hands had sharp talons. Gilda came back at me with her claws at the ready. Leaning my body back, I evaded her strike and swung my knee right in her gut. She coughed as I then spun around and side kicked her, sending her tumbling across the dirt. “Your attitude is shit, you yelled at my friend, and you picked a fight with me!” I said as Gilda sneered at me. “I guess I learned something new today; griffins are nothing but cold-hearted bullies!” “You little shithead! I’ll smash your face into a pulp and mount your ass on a wall!” she raved before charging again. I waited until she was just a foot in front of me and I ducked out of the way. I twirled around and grabbed her arm, then swung her onto the ground. Before she could recover, I held her arm and pinned her to the ground by digging my knee into her back so she wouldn’t be able to use her wings. “Rrrgh, let me go, you freak!” Gilda said while struggling under my weight. She looks to the side, before smirking. “Ow! My wing! You broke my wing! I’ll never fly again!” “Oh shut the hell up!” I rolled my eyes at her poor attempt to frame me. I looked to see Rainbow approaching us. “Rainbow, you should hear what your oh so good friend did to poor Fluttershy.” “Don’t listen to this creep! Help me get him off before he decides to stick his dick in me!” Gilda pleaded with fake concern for her well-being. “Gilda!” Rainbow’s voice sounded both annoyed and disappointed. “I saw everything!” “Then why are you standing there? Help me up!” Gilda said, thinking Dash only meant she saw the fight. “You think I would after what you said?! I was just coming back to fly with you when I saw you yell and insult Fluttershy to her face! Not to mention you picked a fight with Will, who’s also my friend! Not cool, Gilda! I thought you were better than that!” “Never judge a book by its cover,” I said aloud, still pinning Gilda. “The heck, Dash? I thought you were cool, not like the rest of these dweebs,” she argued. “You’re so naïve.” I pulled Gilda up and shoved her away from us. “Just because you think you’re hot shit doesn’t mean Rainbow has to be, too. Sure, Rainbow’s cool in her own right, but at least she doesn’t put herself on a pedestal and mock anyone who’s not like her, like you do.” Gilda was about to come at me again when I just shook my head. “Don’t. Just don’t, Gilda. You already embarrassed yourself in front of the whole town and in front of your only friend. Do yourself a favor. Just leave before you humiliate yourself any more.” Gilda clenched her fists hard as she looked at Dash for some sort of last chance, but the mare scoffed and looked away. Gilda growled, a hint of a tear started to escape her eyes before she shook her head and turned her back on us. “Fine! I don’t need any of you pansy-ass pussies!” She gave everyone the double bird before taking off. I sighed and noticed Rainbow’s ears droop. “You okay?” I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, I’ll be okay,” she told me while watching her old friend fly off into the distance. “Just when you think you know somepony.” “Trust me, I know that feeling all too well,” I nodded somberly. Just saying those words began to bring back some…unpleasant memories of my childhood, but I managed to suppress them before they had a chance to surface. I turned around to see Fluttershy wiping her eyes and still sitting on her knees. I approached the crying mare and offered my hand to her. “It’s okay, Fluttershy, she’s gone.” Flutters wiped away a few more tears before taking my offered hand. When she was back on her hooves, she quickly wrapped her arms around my neck and quietly whimpered in the crook of my neck. “Thank you, William.” I was a little caught off guard at the hug, but I returned the gesture by gently wrapping my arms around her and rubbing her back. “I’m sorry you were treated so poorly. You didn’t deserve that from a bully like her,” I said. “I’m just glad you were here to stop her,” she told me while tightening her hug. “I was just so scared.” “I know.” As I hugged her, I noticed the ponies around us were whispering to each other. Some were smiling at me and giving me nods of approval. The feeling I had before, when I saved Dinky, returned to me as I felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me. Being able to save someone and protect them from others almost made me feel like I was some kind of hero. But I brushed that feeling off since I just did what I felt like I needed to do. Fluttershy soon stepped away from me and smiled warmly up at me. “You gonna be okay from now on?” I asked. “I think so. Oh no! What happened to the ducks?” Flutters began to panic. “Got ‘em right here, Fluttershy!” Pinkie skipped over to us with the ducks following her. “I managed to get them away before things got hairy!” “Thank you, Pinkie. Come along, little duckies.” Fluttershy led the duck family away. As she left, she glanced back at me past her mane and I could swear I saw a hint of pink in her cheeks, but thought it was my imagination. “Now that that’s been settled, I’m gonna go get some grub.” I turned to leave and tucked my hands in my pockets. “See ya later, Willy!” Pinkie waved goodbye and I waved to her and Rainbow over my shoulder. Later That Evening After an eventful day, I had returned home to relax with Twilight and Spike. We were sitting around the living room table and I had told them about what had happened. “I can’t believe someone would just yell at Fluttershy like that! She’s the sweetest mare in Ponyville!” Spike said bitterly. “I was surprised too,” I nodded. “Good thing I was there to stand up to that bully.” “Was it really necessary to pick a fight with Gilda?” Twilight wondered. “Twilight, I have a certain vendetta against bullies. Whenever I see someone being picked on by another, I’m gonna step in no matter what,” I argued. “Besides, she had it coming.” “I suppose,” Twilight sighed. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The door knocked and we all looked toward the door. “Who could that be?” I wondered. I stood up from my seat and walked over to the door. When I opened it, I was met with an armored pony stallion who was just a few inches shorter than me. “Uh…can I help you, sir?” “Sir Saber? I’m here to deliver a summons from the princesses themselves,” the guard said before handing me a scroll with Celestia’s insignia stamped on the seal. “The princesses?” I asked, surprised. “Thank you for your time.” The stallion nodded and turned to leave. I shut the door and turned back to Twilight and Spike. “Who was at the door?” Twilight wondered. “Some stallion in armor.” I showed them the letter. “Princess Celestia wants me to come to Canterlot tomorrow.” “She does?! Did you do something wrong?!” Twilight yelped. “What? No!” I sighed as I unrolled the scroll. As I read the contents, I arched a brow in confusion. “It says…they want to talk to me about someone called the Guardian.” “Guardian? That sounds cool,” Spike said. “The Guardian…where have I heard that name before?” Twilight wondered. “I just have one question…what’s Canterlot?” Author's Note Whenever a friend in need, the hero will always be there to help. And what secrets do the princesses have in store for our hero? Side Note: I would like to take this opportunity to apologize. I know I said some weeks ago that I was back, but then I hit a bit of a writer’s block and couldn’t get motivated to write anything for a while. Thankfully, after psyching myself up little by little, I think I have my spark for writing back. Thank you all for your continued patience, and I’ll see you all in the next chapter and my other stories! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
The First Guardian Part 1Chapter 10 “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” “Twilight, if I had a nickel for every time you’ve asked me that, I’d be the richest human in Equestria.” “What are nickels? We only use bits.” “I-…y’know what, nevermind.” It was a little early in the morning and I had just finished packing for my trip to Canterlot. After a couple hours of Twilight explaining to me what and where Canterlot is, I figured I should pack appropriately. I had bought a duffel bag some time ago and packed some clothes that Rarity made for me over the course of my stay in Ponyville. Honestly, I didn’t expect to get a summons from the princesses so soon, but I suppose now was as good a time as any. “Any idea why the princesses would want to talk to you?” Spike wondered with a yawn. “No clue,” I shrugged as I zipped up my duffel bag. “Sounds like it’s pretty important, though.” “I still can’t place what this Guardian they mentioned in the letter is,” Twilight said, scratching her chin. “I could swear I’ve read the name before in a book.” “Maybe you just haven’t read enough books?” Spike quipped. “Oh, ha ha, I’ve read all the books in the library!” “Thrice, and still counting,” Spike said back. “Alright, you two, that’s enough,” I chuckled lightly as I stood up with my duffel bag. “I’ll be back in a couple days. Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone.” “That’s an impossible request since Pinkie’s all about having fun,” Spike said. “Fair enough. Then instead, try to have as much fun for me.” The two nodded and I headed out the door. The sun had just risen over the horizon about an hour ago as I made my way to the train station. It was a good thing I told Applejack about my trip to Canterlot. I wouldn’t want her to think I’m playing hooky from work. Upon my arrival at the train station, I approached the window where a young-looking mare was distributing tickets. “Excuse me? One ticket to Canterlot, please,” I said to her. “Hm? Oh! Hello,” the mare said. “You’re the local human, aren’t you?” “That’s me, Will Saber.” “Nice to meet you, Mr. Saber. One ticket for Canterlot.” She tore off a ticket from the dispenser and handed it to me as I pulled out some bits and paid her. “So what’s the occasion for traveling to the capital?” “Official business from the princesses themselves,” I replied. “The princesses? Wow, I’m so jealous!” “It’s probably no big deal,” I shrugged it off as I took my ticket. “Thanks, you have a good one.” “You too, Mr. Saber!” The mare waved goodbye. I rounded the corner and saw the train already parked and waiting for passengers trying to board. I waited my turn in line and stepped onto the train car. The interior was pretty spacious compared to the trains I’ve been on back on Earth. I picked my seat in the car and set my bag on the rafters above, then took my seat. As I waited for the train to start moving, I started to think about what I would be told by the princesses. The letter mentioned something about someone called the Guardian. Could he have been some kind of protector? I thought back to the night when I first met the princesses, how they reacted when I told them I was a human. It seemed like they already knew what a human was, which couldn’t be possible since I should be the first and only human in Equestria. Then again, I’ve heard from time to time, ponies refer to humans as being a myth. But that’s probably because of Lyra and her conspiracy theories. That is, until I showed up. “All aboard!” The conductor called out as he rang his little bell. “Last call for Canterlot!” I adjusted in my seat as the doors began to close and the train began to move. I watched out the window as the world outside moved along as the train chugged along. All I could do now was wait for my questions to be answered once I met with the princesses in person. A Few Hours Later “Attention! Now arriving at the royal capital, Canterlot!” I looked up from my phone, as I was playing a game, and saw us just arriving at the train station. When I looked back down at my phone, the game said that I failed. “Ugh, guess I’ll have to try beating my high score in Jetpack Joyride later,” I mumbled as I turned off my phone and stood up. When the train came to a stop, I grabbed my duffel bag from the rafters. The doors opened and I stepped out to see a pristine-looking city with a huge White Castle standing over it. The castle looked like it was built along the side of the mountain. It looked just as tall as the mountain it sat on, making me whistle in amazement. “Buckingham Palace ain’t got nothing on this place,” I said aloud. “Hey! Language!” a mare snapped, covering her son’s ears. “Uh…sorry?” I said sheepishly, but decided not to dwell on it and move along. After leaving the platforms, I stopped just outside the station to take in the city. Everywhere I looked, there were the words fancy and entitled written all over. Most of the ponies who walked by had their muzzles pointed upwards, like they knew they were important and wanted to flaunt their expensive suits and dresses they wore. “Oh joy, I’ve arrived in the city of the snob,” I joked while rolling my eyes. “Pardon me.” A voice caught my attention and turned to my right to see a few guard ponies. Two of them were pegasus stallions and one was a unicorn stallion. The unicorn stallion wore gilded armor and had muscled arms almost the size of Big Mac’s. The hair in his mane and tail were two-toned blue and his fur was pure white. His eyes were a light baby blue, but had a fierce and stern gaze about them. I stood up straight as he approached me and noticed he was just as tall as I was. “Can I help you, sirs?” I asked as politely as I could. “You aren’t a pony, so I can only assume you’re the human we were sent to escort?” the stallion asked. “Escort?” I repeated, but dismissed it. “Erm, yeah, that’s me.” I held out my hand to the stallion for a shake. “Name’s William, William Saber, but you can just call me Will for short.” “Uh huh, pleasure’s mine,” the stallion nodded, but didn’t shake my hand. “Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard.” “Woah…you’re a captain?” I said, lowering my hand. “That’s pretty badass.” Shining Armor arched a brow at my statement. “I mean…I just think it’s pretty cool that I’m meeting a Captain for the first time in my life.” “That a fact?” Shining then managed to crack a small smirk. “Well, I’m glad you think so. Shall we head to the palace?” “Sure, might as well,” I shrugged. Shining nodded as he and I walked side by side with the other two guards following behind. As we walked, I noticed I was being watched by snobby passerbys. Some looked at me with mild curiosity while others just stared at me with disgust and confusion. I didn’t let it bother me. If they wanted to stare, then let them. “Kinda surprising to be escorting a real human,” Shining said. “My little sister and I always believed it was all just a ponytale our parents used to tell us when we were foals.” “I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” I chuckled. “My friend, Twilight, wouldn’t stop badgering me with questions after I moved in with her.” Shining stopped suddenly and shot me a glare. “Twilight? As in…Twilight Sparkle?” “Yeah…?” I said as Shining gripped the handle of his sword attached to his hip. “Twilight Sparkle is my little sister,” Shining growled. My face went a little pale, and I gulped nervously. I was in the presence of a very intimidating-looking stallion, who was Captain of the freaking Royal Guard, and I just blurted out that I’m rooming with his kid sister like a moron. Not my smoothest moment, I know. “Now hold on a sec, Captain, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that,” I said, raising my hands defensively. “Oh? Care to elaborate?” Shining said, still glaring at me, ready to slice my head off with his sword. “I only moved in with Twilight because Princess Celestia requested it. She’s been a very welcoming and easy-going mare. I’ve always treated her with respect. In no way, shape, or form would I even imagine doing anything that would betray her trust. What kind of man would I be if I did?” “So you’re telling me that you wouldn’t pull any funny business with my sister?” Shining questions. “Twilight is my friend, I can say that to you in confidence,” I said in a more serious tone. “I also respect you for being on edge toward someone, a guy for that matter, rooming with your sister. Hell, if I were you, I’d be doing the same thing. And to be honest, it makes me respect you too.” “We only just met. How can you already respect me when you don’t even know me?” Shining wondered. “I don’t need to know you, but I do know you’d do anything to keep your family safe. I should know, since there was a time when I wanted to do anything to keep my own family safe.” Shining and I stared at each other for a good long while until he managed to crack another smirk, releasing his grip on his sword’s handle. “That’s twice today I’ve been surprised. You’re alright, Saber.” “I’m glad you think so, Captain.” We continued our trek to the palace as the mood around us changed to a more calming atmosphere. I admit, I was expecting him to ignore my words and try to hack my head off, but he decided to take my word for it. Mom always said that I had a way with words. Now I’m starting to see that she may have had a point. After a while of walking, we made it to the castle gates. The castle itself was much larger up close than how it looked back at the train station. I saw guards everywhere I looked as Shining gave the order to open the gates. The gates opened slowly and we walked through, all while I kept trying to take in all that I saw around me. It was a little overwhelming, considering this is my first time entering an actual functioning castle, with guards and staff walking around and two princesses awaiting my arrival. The interior of the castle was just as fancy and regal-looking as the outside. Red carpets stretched down the hallways, portraits hung on the walls like in a museum, and there were servants and more well-dressed ponies walking around. “First time in a place like this?” Shining guessed. “How’d you guess?” I asked. “You keep looking around wherever we walk, your hands are fidgeting quite a bit, and you almost walked into me a few times.” “Oh, sorry.” “Don’t be. You remind me of me when I first walked through these halls as a recruit. You get used to it.” “Really?” “Not really, but soon.” I rolled my eyes at his quip, then heard someone yelling off in the distance. “You call this clean?! I’ll have your job by the end of this day if you make another poor excuse!” “Please, my lord, don’t fire me! This job is all I have!” The inner good samaritan in me wanted to go see what all the commotion was about, but Shining had the same idea as he turned in the other direction. “You go in and meet the princesses, Saber, I have some personal matters to attend to,” Shining said. “I can wait, or come with you,” I offered. He knew what I meant, but shook his head with a smile. “Nah, I got this, you go on ahead.” I wanted to protest and lend a hand, but I didn’t want to impose since I had other priorities to attend to. Continuing my trek, I looked around and gazed at the interior of the castle in awe. Pushing my fascinations aside, I eventually arrived at a set of a pair of large double doors at the end of the hallway. Two more guards were standing beside the doors and they eyed me suspiciously. I straightened my jacket out and pulled out the scroll I received from Celestia. “I’m here to see the princesses?” I said, holding the scroll up to one of the guards. They looked at each other and one of them took my scroll to read it. After giving it a onceover, he nodded and handed the scroll back to me. “They’re in session, but I’ll let them know you’re here.” The guard opened one of the doors and stepped inside. I waited for about a few more minutes until he came back out with a small group of noble-looking ponies. Some of the nobles looked a little irked and shot me a stink eye, to which I simply ignored. “They’ll see you now.” I nodded as the guards opened both doors for me. The throne room was just as pristine and regal-looking as the rest of the castle. The interior looked to be made of pure white marble and there were windows with murals on them. Sitting on the far end of the room were two thrones, each with a day-like and moon-like theme to them with both princesses on their respective thrones. Celestia and Luna watched me approach them, making me gulp nervously and grip the strap of my duffle bag, as I tried to fix my hair a little. Once I was standing just before them, I realized I wasn’t acting appropriately and immediately bowed to them. “Hello, your majesties, it’s a pleasure to see you both again.” I mentally kicked myself in the gut for sounding so plain. “And an equal pleasure to see you as well, Mr. Saber,” Celestia said with a warm smile. She glanced at the two guards standing by the thrones and gestured for them to leave. The guards saluted and left the throne room, leaving only me and the two princesses. “I gotta say, this place is very fancy,” I said, looking around once more. “It’s nothing like any palace I’ve been to back home.” The princesses looked at each other and then back at me. “Thee wast speaking so formally a moment ago, wherefore did doth thee changeth thy tone so suddenly?” Luna said, sounding like she was a character from Shakespeare. “Oh, well it’s just how I usually talk, I guess?” I shrugged. “Sorry, I’m not used to being in the presence of royalty like you two. Sort of a new experience for me.” “On the contrary, we rather welcome it,” Celestia said. “It is refreshing to hear somepony address us in a casual manner rather than always speak as though they are appealing to us.” “We oft wish the nobility wast not so strict and serious with one another.” Luna sighed. “Just because we hold a royal status, doest not cullionly we cannot communicate with one another as equals.” “Must be tiresome,” I nodded. “And here I thought they were uptight because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” My lame joke managed to somehow earn slight giggles from the princesses as they stood up from their thrones and walked down the steps towards me. “I trust your trip was a smooth one?” Celestia asked. “It was alright,” I said. “I somewhat wish I could’ve flown here, but trains are just as good.” Once again, the princesses looked at each other quizzically as they stood in front of me. “Would thee has’t did prefer we hath sent a hot air balloon f’r thy trippeth hither to the capital?” “Hot air balloon?” I realized why they were confused and stifled a laugh. “You haven’t seen my latest trick. You recall that I have special powers, yes?” They both nodded as I set my duffel bag down. I placed my hands on my hips and focused my Ki. I then slowly lifted off the ground and kept rising a good six feet and hovered in midair. The sight of me flying made the princesses stare up at me in shock and awe. “During my time in Ponyville, I took the liberty of honing my abilities. Figured I should take advantage of what I could do, since the night of my arrival, and this is the result.” “Mine own marry, thou art flying! How is this possible?” Luna unfurled her wings and flew up to meet me in the air. She flew behind me, and examined my back closely as if she was trying to find something. “Thee doth not has’t wings on thy back, yet thee float in the air on thy own as a pegasus would.” “Like I said, it’s thanks to my new powers.” I slowly descended to the ground, with Luna following me, and I touched the floor. “I’m still learning the basics of Ki manipulation, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. Whatever that F person did to me really changed who and what I am on the inside and out.” As soon as I mentioned F, their mood changed almost instantly. Celestia took a breath, as to compose herself, and then looked at me with a serious expression. “Mr. Saber-” “You can call me William,” I said. “Very well, William, do you know why we have summoned you here?” “According to your letter, you wanted to talk about someone named the Guardian?” “Forsooth.” Luna nodded. “Ev’r since thee toldeth us what thou art, we did search within our personal archives f’r a booketh our former ment’r hath left f’r us.” “A book?” I repeated. Celestia’s horn glowed and something appeared in a flash. It was a very old-looking book that had some rips and tears and the pages looked worn out and faded. Celestia levitated the book over to me and I saw the title on the cover. “The Legend of…Sir Rokai Stourmborne.” I read aloud, my heart began to beat a little faster. “The Equestrian Guardian.” I looked up at the princesses, not knowing how to react. “Who’s Rokai Stourmborne?” “By your reaction, you’ve already noticed something?” Celestia guessed as she levitated the book back towards her. “It’s…the name.” I paused to collect myself. “I’ve heard a variety of names in this world. Some sound like play-on words or silly expressions and whatnot. But this name sounds nothing like them.” I looked Celestia and Luna dead in their eyes. “Who is he?” The princesses said nothing as they gestured to me to follow them. I walked behind them as they led me through a door by the thrones. We soon found ourselves outside and walking through a garden of some kind. Bouquets of flowers grew from bushes, there were sculpted marble pony statues here and there, and we walked along a stone path. I wanted to ask where we were going, but they seemed to be too lost in thought about something. We walked in the gardens for about ten minutes until we arrived in an area that felt more secluded than the rest of the garden. We arrived at a large hedge that stood a good few feet taller than us. Both Celestia and Luna lit up their horns and the hedge began to move on its own. The hedge parted ways, like a gate, and more of the stone path we walked on was revealed to us. My nerves were a bit on edge as I continued to follow them and the hedge closed behind us. I heard the sounds of trickling water and caught sight of a fountain further down the path. Next to the fountain was another statue, but as we drew closer, my nerves became more on edge. I thought it was another pony statue, but its distinguishing features became more clear. It looked to be wearing some kind of armor. What shocked me about this statue was that it wasn’t a pony, but had a physique similar to mine. My mouth became dry when Celestia and Luna approached the statue and stood by it. My place slowed and my mouth hung open, trying to find the words to say but none came out. I could see the statue up close. It wasn’t a pony, as I had guessed, and it held some kind of sword downwards by the handle. Its face looked stern, yet proud, like the figure was ready for anything. There was a tuft of hair on its head and the sides looked shaved, from what I could tell. Cracks and little cobwebs all over the statue, but that wasn’t important. This statue…looked like a human. “This, William Saber,” Celestia said as Luna smiled a little up at the statue. “This…is Rokai Stourmborne, the first Guardian of Equestria. And he, like you, was a human.” If I were to imagine how fast my mind was spinning as I gazed at the statue, unable to form a sentence due to the shock, I’d imagine it like one of those dreidel tops I’ve seen in those little nicknack stores. I slowly walked around to face the statue in front. The man looked like he was staring me down and was ready to give his life for whatever purpose he served. I looked back at Celestia, who stared back at me, then at Luna, who also stared back at me, and then back at the statue. “He…was a human?” I managed to say. “How is this possible?” Celestia held up the old book she brought with her. “This text was written by our former teacher, Starswirl the Bearded,” she explained. “It is the only piece of history that depicts the events that happened over a thousand years ago. How Sir Rokai came to us when we needed him most, how his actions made an impact on Equestria and the neighboring kingdoms, and his legacy as the first Guardian.” “We w’re v’ry young during the timeth Sir Rokai wast still alive, but we shall nev’r f’rget all that gent hadst done f’r us.” Luna said. “And just what did he do?” I wondered. “To answer that, you must see for yourself,” Celestia said as she walked over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, then looked at Luna. “Keep watch for us.” “Thee can counteth on us, sist’r, showeth William ev’rything,” Luna nodded. “Bare with me, William, this might be a tad discombobulating,” Celestia warned me. Before I could question what she meant, Celestia leaned horn towards my forehead as it lit up. The tip of the horn tapped my head and there was a sudden flash of light. The scenery around us changed and Luna had disappeared. The garden around us changed and it felt like everything was moving backwards at high speed, even the statue disappeared from where it stood. When everything finally came to a halt. There was a new pony standing just to the side. He looked like an elderly unicorn pony, wearing wizard robes and a wizard's hat with bells on it. The robe had stars embroidered on the cloak and he held a wooden staff. The most noticeable thing about this pony was the long white beard that grew from his face. The old stallion was sitting on the grass and his eyes were closed, like he was meditating. “Who’s that?” I wondered. “My former mentor,” Celestia said with a fond smile. “Lord Starswirl!” A pony pegasus guard came flying in and landed in front of the stallion. The guard wore darker plated armor than what I had seen before. “Yes, what is it?” Starswirl asked calmly as he opened his eyes to look at the pegasus. “There’s been another attack! To the east of Canterlot! The settlers are about to be overrun!” “Again?!…Where are the troops we deployed there?!” Starswirl shouted as he moved to stand, which he had some difficulty in doing. “They…they were killed, sir,” the guard said grimly, making me gulp at the unexpected report. “I was sent to find you and the Pillars! The settlers barricaded themselves in their homes, but they won’t be able to hold out for much longer!” “And where are the others?” Starswirl asked. “I already informed Sir Rockhoof, Sir Flash Magnus, and Lady Somnambula! They are already on their way, but they need you too! I tried looking for Ms. Meadowbrook and Lady Mistmane, but they’re still tending to the wounded from the last few attacks.” “Very well, I shall depart immediately.” Starswirl declared before he teleported to the place of attack. “What the hell is happening?!” I finally managed to blurt out from the turn of events. “Didn’t you say that this all happened over a thousand years ago?!” “I did, I had cast a memory spell just now, we are seeing the memories my mentor had shared with me,” Celestia explained, gesturing to ourselves. It was then I finally noticed that our bodies were transparent. “Whoa…ok, back on topic, what was Starswirl talking about?” “During this time, the kingdom of Equestria was still young, since its founding. The earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns put aside their differences and lived in peace,” Celestia explained as we walked through the gardens of the past. “Over time, neighboring countries sought out Equestria to offer an alliance, to which we accepted and remained strong as a united coalition of kingdoms. However, that peace soon became threatened. An unknown evil unleashed relentless attacks on the populace, killing any whom they saw fit. It wasn’t just in Equestria, these attacks also happened in the griffin, minotaur, and even as far as the zebra and hippogriff kingdoms. There were even reports of attacks in the kingdom to the far north where beings known as caribou reside. These attacks were unprovoked, as if the attackers simply killed and destroyed all in their wake for their own sick desire.” “And who were these attackers,” I wondered. Celestia grabbed my shoulder again and the scene around us seemed to change. We were now standing in a sort of old timey village, but I was unprepared for what I saw. Most of the village was destroyed, fires burned some houses, and there were dead ponies almost everywhere I looked. My face went extremely pale when I saw the gaping wounds from the pony soldiers, some had their eyes still open. Laying next to them were creatures I had not seen before. They were all grotesque and their bodies looked unnaturally deformed. Some had claws, others had razor sharp teeth, and some had crude-looking weapons laying next to them. The creepiest part about them was that they looked like they were made of some kind of shadowy substance. “My god…what happened here?” I began to tremble a little from the gruesome scene before me. I soon heard some commotion and saw a group of ponies standing over the villagers. The villagers were crying their eyes out and were thanking the group of ponies watching over them with Starswirl. One pony was a huge, muscley stallion. The guy’s arms and legs looked like his muscles could put Mac’s to shame. His fur was a pale, light cyan blue, his eyes grayish blue, and his mane and tail both gamboge with a gold stripe running through them. He also sported a beard, mustache combo, and a bit of his mane was braided together. His outfit consisted of brown leather clothes on his chest, and legs, with a metal plate tied around his chest, and a headband on his forehead and one on the end of his tail. He carried a large shovel over his shoulder and looked as fierce as he tried to make himself be. Next to him was a pegasus stallion. His fur was yellowish-amber color, his eyes turquoise, and his mane and tail were dark red. He wore armor that reminded me of what the Spartans used to wear during the times of ancient Greece, which was a strange coincidence to me. He carried a heater shield in his hand and looked very brave. The last of them was a pretty pegasus mare with light scarlet fur, arctic blue mane and tail, and amethyst-purple eyes. She wore robes and a headdress that reminded me of what the ancient Egyptians used to wear, which was another strange coincidence to me. “This cannot go on…” Starswirl said as he gripped his staff. “Starswirl?” The pegasus asked. “These attacks have to stop,” Starswirl said with a determined stomp of his hoof. “What can we do?” The mare said sadly. “It wasn’t like this a year prior.” “Aye,” the larger stallion said in a gruff voice. “We can’t be goin’ on like this forever. Too many have lost their lives.” “But we barely know anything about these creatures,” the pegasus said. “And they just keep attacking for no reason!” “We do know one thing, however,” Starswirl said. “The dark magic that surrounds their bodies comes from Tartarus.” “But the gateway to Tartarus is sealed shut! It’s impossible to breach,” the mare said. “Nevertheless, something must be done. And I believe I have a solution.” Starswirl turned to walk away. “In order to combat evil such as this, we need a greater fighting force. Somepony who has the will and tenacity to help protect our home.” “What are ya suggestin’?” the larger stallion asked. “Fetch Mistmane and Meadowbrook, we depart for Ponehenge.” “Should we get Stygian as well? His knowledge of magic is almost equal to yours,” The pegasus suggested while following his comrade through the battlefield. “A good suggestion, Flash Magnus, fly to his village with all haste. Time is against us.” Flash Magnus gave a quick salute before taking off like a shot and flew off into the direction their friend Stygian was. Celestia used her magic again and the scene changed once more. We were now standing by an area with large stone pillars standing around a stone altar. The ponies from before were here along with three other ponies. One was a smaller-looking unicorn stallion wearing a brown cloak. He had a bowl cut style cerulean hair for his mane and tail, his fur was medium gray, and his eyes were brilliant azure. The other two ponies were mares. One was a very elderly-looking unicorn mare with pale purple fur, dark green mane and tail that flowed like a nonexistent wind, similar to Celestia's, and wore a floral gown. The other mare wore a tropical-looking dress and had her orangey-red hair tied up in a bun. Her eyes were light blue and she was an earth pony mare. “I don’t know about this, Starswirl,” Flash said warily. “Trust me, my friend, Stygian and I did all the proper research.” “But it’s still risky, we don’t know what kind of being we might end up summoning or if they’ll be willing to join us,” Stygian said as they took their positions. “Do not lose hope, my friends. Even in the darkest of times, there is light,” Somnambula said with a confident smile. “I still think Flash is right to be cautious. He and Rockhoof should stand guard in case things go south,” Meadowbrook suggested. “What exactly are we attempting to summon?” Stygian wondered. “Somepony who can combat the creatures and help us save more lives,” Starswirl said. “This new spell I invented should be able to bring forth a worthy adversary. However, if on the off chance this does go wrong…be prepared for anything.” “Well, as long as our new friend can crack some skulls then I’m all for it!” Rockhoof said with a hearty laugh as Starswirl began the spell and chanted something in an old-sounding language I’ve never heard of. Soon the skies darkened and thunder and lightning was everywhere as an unnatural storm formed above Ponhenge and a rift began to form at its center. I watched in astonishment at the levels of magic being used to perform this spell. The refit in the center began to open more and more as the group of ponies stood their ground. Starswirl began to chant louder as he held his staff and his horn sparked like crazy. Soon the other ponies began to glow and beams of light shot out from at the rift. A bright flash of light, so bright I had to cover my eyes, filled the area as lighting echoed throughout the sky. Smoke filled the area as the light died down. I lowered my arm to see a new figure standing in the middle amongst the smoke. It was hunched over but soon stood up straight. I could see that they were wearing a tattered scarf around their neck and a cloth around their waste. As the smoke cleared up more, the figure looked to be wearing plated armor from head to toe. He carried a broadsword in his right hand as he gripped it tightly. The smoke eventually dissipated so I could see their face. I gasped when I finally recognized the figure as the statue from before. It was a man. He had short brown hair and a beard grown on his face. His eyes were a piercing blue and his skin was slightly tanned. I could barely register what I was seeing, an actual human man was standing before everyone that Starswirl managed to summon. From what I could guess, he looked to be around his late thirties. “By my grandpa’s beard! IT WORKED!!” Rockhoof shouted in astonishment. “Greetings, my friend,” Stygian said while approaching the human. “My name is Stygian and I’m sure you have many questions but know that you have been summoned for a noble purpose.” SHING! “Not another step, beast.” The man pointed his sword at Stygian’s neck with a glare. Flash immediately took action and shielded his friend with Rochoof joining him as the atmosphere quickly became intense. “Easy, friend, we don’t want any trouble,” Rockhoof said while keeping an eye on their new visitor. “Your actions say otherwise,” The human countered while noticing the other members of the group. “We mean you no harm, honest!” Meadowbrook pleaded. “Says the walking, talking horse woman,” the man shot back. “Now here’s what’s gonna happen. I ask, you answer, and you keep your heads. Sound fair?” The ponies wanted to argue, but had little choice and nodded. “Good, now where the bloody hell am I?!” “You are in Equestria,” Starswirl replied as he walked up towards the human, unafraid that the sword was now pointing at him. “I am Starswirl The Bearded, and my friends and I have called you here because we need your help.” He finished his answer with a gentle tap of his staff. “Help you? Hah! And why should I?” The man scoffed. “I ain’t some noble knight, come to save the damsels in distress, I’m a rogue. Know what that is? Means I do jobs for coin.” “We figured as much.” Stygian smirked before tossing him a small bag of bits. “That is merely a sample of the payment you’ll receive and if it is worthless in your old world, you can always melt it down.” The man looked skeptical at first before opening the bag and heard the familiar jingle of coins before taking one out and trying to bend it with his teeth to be sure they were genuine. “May we have your name good sir?” Stygian asked while Flash kept his guard up. “Hmm…Rokai, Rokai Stourmborne, third of my name.” My jaw went slack as he tucked the pouch in his armor. “Remember it. So, what’s the job?” Author's Note The history of the First Guardian of Equestria revealed, Rokai’s story begins. Side Note: I am SO very sorry for the delay and lack of posting chapters. I’ve been brainstorming nonstop how I should play this out and eventually decided to break it into parts. But don’t worry! I plan to get the next part out as soon as possible! Thank you all so VERY much for your continued patience, and look forward to the next part! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
The First Guardian Part 2Chapter 11 “That was quite a sight to see,” I said, still reeling from the Pillars summoning Rokai. “Indeed, it still baffles me, but Starswirl has always been a master of magic and spell casting,” Celestia said. “War,” Starswirl answered Rokai bluntly while leading them away from Ponhenge. “In the past year, strange creatures have been appearing all over our lands and beyond. They can be killed by normal means but for each one we kill, a hundred more take its place and our resources are growing thin.” “We have asked our allies for help but even that is not enough,” Stygian added with a sad look on his face. “So, even a world like this is prone to war,” Rokai scoffed as Celestia and I followed the group. “What exactly do you want me to do about it?” “You seem like the kind of veteran warrior, yes?” Starswirl said. “I’ve wielded a blade since I was a lad, what’s your point?” “My point being is our forces are embarrassingly outmatched. My companions and I have been on the front lines constantly. Shameful as it is to admit, we end up doing most of the fighting.” “So on top of me fighting your war with you, you also want me to kick some greenhorns into shape?” Rokai rolled his eyes as he carried his sword over his shoulder. “I suppose it beats the shit out of my last job.” “So you’ll do it?” Flash said. “Sure, but that’ll cost extra,” Rokai grinned. “Typical mercs, all about the coin,” Rockhoof scoffed. “Not exactly the heroic type,” I said spitefully. “He was indeed difficult to get used to, according to Starswirl’s writings.” Celestia used her magic and the memory changed again. We were back at the castle and much of the interior was a little outdated-looking than back in the present. We were in some kind of training grounds with lines of soldiers standing at attention. Rokai stood off to the side while Flash Magnus and Starswirl addressed the troops. “Listen up! From this moment on, this…human man will be your instructor,” Flash said, still a bit confused as to how he should address his new comrade. “He has seen more combat than any of you will in a lifetime. Listen to him, follow his orders and you may just survive this war.” “SIR!” The recruits shouted in unison as Rokai took the stage and began examining his new recruits. Rokai rolled his eyes and approached the group of recruits. He paced back and forth and glared at each one, making them nervous of his presence. I watched him stop and approach a young stallion as he got close to his face. “Right or left, boy?” Rokai asked. “I-I’m sorry?” The stallion said. “Right…or left?” Rokai said in a low tone. “L-Left?” SMACK! “Uhh…r-right?” The stallion stuttered before being smacked again. The stallion lost his balance and fell down, making Rokai scoff irritably. “Down after only two strikes from my hand? How disappointing.” Rokai watched the soldier stand back up, but I saw that he was on the verge of tears. “Pathetic…weak!” Rokai barked. “Downright makes me sick, looking at the lot of you! All I see are a bunch of crying babes, fresh off your mum’s teat! A bloody miracle you’ve lasted this long, and a damn shame to any who lost their lives had to die so soon! I was brought here to whip you sorry lot into shape, but it seems I’ve got my work cut out for me! You think I’m tough now? Too bad for you, this is me when I’m in a bloody good fucking mood! So until you can hold a sword properly, no one leaves these grounds unless I say so!” “Gentlestalions, welcome to the Royal Legion.” Flash said before marching off with Starswirl to report to the royal council. “Rockhoof left this morning with a patrol, we had reports of more of those creatures near the east border.” “Shades, that is what those creatures are called,” Starswirl said while keeping pace. “We need to find out how they are escaping Tartarus and stop them as soon as possible.” As Starswirl and Flash left, Celestia changed the scene again. “So those creatures are called Shades?” I asked and Celestia nodded as she used her magic. “Sir Rokai’s arrival was an unexpected one for many, and the attacks from the Shades kept on increasing.” Celestia raised her arms as large spheres appeared out of thin air, each one showing a different event. There were some of Rokai training the recruits, him talking with Starswirl and the others from time to time, and most of the time just by himself. “During his stay, Sir Rokai was unwavering with his brutal training, but he soon was able to show results. Sir Rokai’s relationship with the Pillars weren’t always on good terms, but as time passed, slowly but surely, everypony began to grow on him.” “Judging by these memories, it doesn’t look like he was much of a team player in return,” I said, crossing my arms. “He said it himself, he’s nothing but a merc doing this for profit.” “True, but that wasn’t until he met my sister and I,” Celestia smiled as the scene changed to Rokai’s personal guest quarters. I saw Rokai sitting at a desk and he was writing something down on a piece of paper. It wasn’t until there was a faint knock on the door that caught his attention. “Who is it?” Rokai asked aloud while focusing on his writing. There was another knocking, which seemed to irritate Rokai, making him stand up and trudge over to the door. “I swear to hell, if this is another complaint about my training, I-!” Rokai swung the door open and saw no one. He blinked until we both looked down to see two young fillies. One had pristine white fur and pink mane and tail. The other had far blue fur with light teal hair that twinkled like the stars. Both fillies were alicorns, dressed in fancy frilly dresses, as they looked up at Rokai with curiosity and he stared back in confusion. “Who…are those two?” I said. “Can you not tell?” Celestia teased. It took a few moments before the gears began to turn. “You and Luna?” She nodded and my jaw went slack again. How…cute. I thought to myself as I watched the memory play out. “Uh…who’re you two tykes?” Rokai asked. “I’m Tia and this is my baby sister Lulu,” young Celestia said as young Luna hid behind her. “Are you the alien everypony’s been talking about?” The little filly asked as I snickered and watched the scene. “Uh…I ain’t no alien, lass, I’m a man.” Rokai shook his head and went to close the door. “This ain’t no place for wee girls like you, go to your mum and bother her.” “Our mom is busy,” Little Tia replied when one of the maids came frantically running down the hall. “There you are, your majesties! How many times must we tell you not to wander off?” “Sorry.” The little filly smiled as the maid bowed to Rokai. “I’m sorry the princesses troubled you, sir.” “Wait. Princesses? These little tykes?” Rokai asked as he got a better look at the two foals. “Indeed, their mother is the queen,” the maid said. Once again, the gears in my head began to turn as Rokai shut the door and went back to his business. “You have a mother?” I asked Celestia. “Yes…she was a wonderful and loving mare, but we shall first focus on this memory before you see her.” The memory changed and Rokai was back in the training grounds. I watched as he swung his sword like a pro, as the ponies watched him in awe. He held his sword with both hands and spun his body like a top. He then started switching his grip from his left hand to his right while keeping his feet planted on the ground with each step. The ponies watching him looked like they hadn’t seen such masterful swordsmanship like his before, even I was amazed at how talented he was. Celestia tapped my shoulder and she pointed to the entrance of the courtyard. A line of elite-looking guards came marching in and every pony immediately knelt down to their knees, making Rokai stop his swordplay. In the middle of the surrounding elite guards was another taller mare. She had a veil covering her face, but I could see her mane and tail. They were both cherry red and looked smooth as silk. Her dress she wore, the crown on her head, and the jewellery she adorned just screamed royalty. Rokai just stood there as the mare approached and the ponies around him looked like they were panicking that he wasn’t kneeling. “What’s all this then?” Rokai asked bluntly. “Can you not see you lot are interrupting?” “Sir Rokai, have some respect! You’re addressing Lady Faust herself! The Queen of Equestria!” A guard snapped just as Tia and Lulu appeared from behind the veiled mare. “Hi mister alien!” Tia shouted happily, making some of the guards laugh. “How many times do I gotta tell ya, I ain’t no alien!” Rokai snapped. I laughed a little at him getting annoyed, until the veiled mare stepped forward. She was half a head taller than Rokai and stood with her hands cupped over the other in front of her. I couldn’t see her face, but I got a suspicion that she was trying to get a read on him. “So, the Lady in charge herself makes an appearance, eh?” Rokai said nonchalantly as he slung his sword over his shoulder. “Greetings, good sir, I am Queen Faust, ruler of Equestria. Starswirl has told me of how you plan to help us in these dark times,” the queen greeted, still hidden behind her veil. “Aye, so long as I’m paid well enough,” Rokai shrugged. “Luna, come say hi to the nice man,” Faust said as her youngest daughter walked out from behind. “Ooh, I had forgotten how cute Lulu was back then!” Celestia squealed after seeing her baby sister. I stared at Celestia and she managed to calm herself after realising how childish she sounded. Rokai looked down at the young lunar princess and I saw something I didn’t think I’d see. Rokai actually managed to crack a smile and he knelt down to be at eye level with her. “So your name’s Luna?” Rokai said and Lulu nodded as she fidgeted nervously in place. “My my, that’s quite the pretty name you got there.” “Thank you.” The little filly smiled back as Faust picked her up. “We were just about to have tea, care to join us?” The queen offered. “Tea?” Rokai stood back up and stroked his beard. “I suppose it would hurt.” The ponies all had looks of hopefulness that they were about to get a break. “As for you lot, I want five hundred sword swipes done by the time I get back!” Or…maybe not. They went to the castle gardens where a set of tea and snacks had been arranged and like the eager little filly she was, little Tia immediately asked for a slice of cake as the maids prepared her plate and poured her some tea. “Now be careful, your highness, it’s hot,” the maid said. “Yes ma’am,” Little Tia said “I admit, I wasn’t expecting to be invited to drink tea with the Queen herself,” Rokai said as he set his sword aside and lounged on the chair. “But, I suppose it’s a nice change of pace from kicking those greenhorns around the practice field.” “Despite my advisors’ protests, I did want to get to know our kingdom’s newest soldier,” Queen Faust said while fixing a cup for Lulu and herself. “I’m curious, what did you do before you were summoned to this world?” I could tell there was a sudden change of attitude from Rokai as his face became serious. He leaned forward and leaned on the table with his elbows. “I was a knight.” This perked the queen’s, her daughters, and the staff’s ears; including my own. “I served a king and queen for years. My family had served the royal family for generations.” Rokai grit his teeth as he looked more angry. “But I was accused of a crime against the crown I had not committed. I was excommunicated, my rank stripped, and my honor stained.” Rokai’s fists clenched. “I would have gone on a hate-filled hunt for those who betrayed me, but I couldn’t be bothered since the damage had already been done. What’s the point if no one had any faith in me and my name to begin with?” “I’m sorry to have brought up such painful memories,” The queen apologised. “Don’t.” Rokai raised his hand as he stared at Queen Faust as if he could see her eyes past her veil. “Don’t pity me, I don’t need nor want it. What’s done is done, no use weeping over it. I’ve made a better living as a hired blade anyway, free to do what I please without any limitations. That is, until I found myself in this fever dream of a world.” “Yes, well, I never expected an otherworldly being to appear in Equestria, yet here we are,” she said back. “Mommy, can we go play?” Tia asked her mother who affectionately nuzzled both her daughters. “Of course, my dears, have fun.” Rokai watched the young fillies run off with another small smile. “You must be proud,” Rokai commented. “I am. I feel so blessed to have them in my life.” Faust sighed as she watched her daughters play and laugh. “I don’t suppose you had family back home.” Once again, Rokai’s mood changed. But instead of answering, he stood up from the table and left. “Sir Rokai?” The queen called out for him but he didn’t answer and kept walking away. “What’s his deal?” I wondered as Celestia made the memory change again. “This was one of the rare moments Sir Rokai opened up about himself. Learning that he was once a knight, only to have been betrayed and cast out, was unexpected from somepony like him,” Celestia said. “Ever since that day, Rokai barely spoke to anypony and focused primarily on the preparations for the coming battle. That is, until one day.” The environment around us changed to a wide open field. Rokai stood with Starswirl, Rockhoof, and Flash Magnus. Behind them was a battalion of pony soldiers, all armed and waiting for orders. I wondered what they were waiting for until I heard screeching noises from the other side. I looked to see a group of those Shade things charging from the distance. The sound of their monstrous cries sent chills along my skin, but Rokai barely looked perturbed. “How many are there?” Rokai asked Starswirl, not looking at the wizard. “Our scouts report at least five thousand strong,” Starswirl replied as the men began to panic. “Five thousand?!” “Can we face that many?!” “Have courage, men!” Rockhoof shouted while raising his shovel up high. “This is what you trained for! Never forget, you are the shields of this kingdom and so long as we stand together our foes will not defeat us so easily!” “Rockhoof is right! We all swore an oath to defend this kingdom, now is the time to fulfill that oath! FOR EQUESTRIA!” Flash Magnus cheered as he raised his spear and the men began to follow his lead and let out a battle cry that sounded across the field. Before the troops could make any headway, Rokai slammed his boot in the dirt and went in a full sprint. He was much faster than I thought he’d be, even more so than the rest of the troops. I caught sight of his eyes as he charged. They were fierce and full of intense ferocity. Rokai reached back and unsheathed his sword from his back and gripped it with both hands. The Shades met him halfway and a few jumped at him. Rokai spun around and swung his sword, cleaving the Shades in two. The Shades seemed to have been taken off guard as Rokai hacked and slashed his way through the hoard. He sidestepped and twirled his sword then thrusted it to the side, impaling two Shades heads. Like an acrobat, Rokai jumped on top of a Shade and forward into the air with a flip. He plunged his sword straight into a Shade’s chest before pulling it out and killing more Shades. I could tear my gaze away at how unrelenting Rokai was against these demonic creatures. Starswirl and the others were also in awe of his skill as they caught up to him. “Do not falter, men!” Rockhoof shouted as he held his large shovel up into the air. “LET US JOIN OUR COMRADE AND PUSH THE ENEMY BACK!” “CHAAARGE!!” Flash roared as he led the charge. What followed was a ferocious battle, no quarter was given and no mercy was shown as both sides inflicted heavy casualties on one another. Only until the last shade was slain did the fighting stop and the men cheered in victory. “What are you all cheering for?” Everyone stopped when they looked at Rokai. The man was giving them all a death glare as he pulled his sword out from a Shade and marched towards the nearest soldier, grabbed his chest plate, and hoisted him in the air. “What the bloody hell are you all so cheerful about?!” Rokai threw him down on the ground and looked around him. “Look at this…LOOK AT ALL OF THIS!” He gestured to the pony soldiers who lay dead on the field. “Brothers, husbands, maybe even fathers lay dead in this field, yet you all cheer! YOU’RE ALL STILL FUCKING WEAK! OTHERWISE, WE WOULDN’T HAVE LOST THIS MANY!” “Hey, that’s enough lad,” Rockhoof said before he was suddenly pushed back. “You know nothing…NOTHING!” Rokai snapped. “I want all the dead gathered and buried properly.” He scoffed harshly and stormed off. “Expect my training to be twice as difficult from here on out!” “Hey…HEY!” Flash shouted as he stopped Rokai in his tracks. “What in Tartarus is your deal? We gave it all we had to win this fight!” “Not enough apparently…” Rokai hissed before being sucker punched by Flash. “Did you expect our soldiers to be invincible like you?! WAR HAS CASUALTIES! It’s a fact!” Rokai chuckled darkly as he rubbed his chin before reeling back and slugging his fist straight across Flash’s chin, making me wince. The Pegasus stallion fell down as Rokai loomed over him. “Don’t you dare lecture me about war, boy, I’ve seen things that will make you run back to your mum with shite in your trousers!” Rokai’s fists trembled with rage before he turned away again. “Don’t forget, it was you lot who brought me here. I didn’t ask to be part of this bloody war.” “You think you’re the only one suffering then?” Rockhoof questioned as he got in his face and planted his shovel in the ground. “I’ve buried hundreds-nay, THOUSANDS with this shovel when this war started and way before you came along! So trust me when I say I understand where you’re coming from…I had to bury me own kin…what was left of them.” The large stallion huffed while fighting back tears. “Me Ma, Pa, siblings…all gone…butchered like animals…I buried so many with this damn shovel that I’ve lost count! But unlike YOU…I don’t let that pain control me.” With that being said, Rockhoof retrieved his shovel and helped Flash off the muddied ground as they told their men to carry out Rokai’s orders. “What an asshole,” I said as I looked at Rokai with disappointment as Celestia changed the memory. “It’s one thing to bear the losses of your fellow soldiers, but taking it out on others is just wrong.” “I agree with you, but this was the first war Equestria had to endure the most loss of life,” Celestia tried to say. “That still doesn’t mean Rokai was right. I thought he’d be different from what I imagined him to be, guess I was wrong.” I shook my head. Celestia sighed as the memory changed back and we were standing in the throne room. It looked different than what it was back in the present. The windows didn’t have murals on them and Faust sat on a single throne with her advisors surrounding her and discussing private matters. “It had been over half a year since Sir Rokai’s arrival, and the war efforts against the Shades was slowly but surely coming to our favour. Reports of Sir Rokai’s actions had spread to the other kingdoms. There was talk of a summit being held, but there was another issue that had to be addressed.” Suddenly, the doors swung open to reveal Flash and Rockhoof, both looking extremely pissed with Starswirl behind them. “My friends, please! Be rational about this!” Starswirl pleaded. “Your majesty, he’s out of control!” Flash snapped at the queen. “Pardon?” Faust asked. “It’s Rokai, your highness, he is overstepping his bounds,” Rockhoof said as the queen ordered her staff to clear the room. “He is pushing our troops way too hard and already we got a quarter of our recruits quitting their training regiment!” “And he’s risking too many troops in one skirmish after the next, our army is spread too thin!” Flash added. Faust raised her hand for their silence. “What do you propose I do? Should I address him in it?” “That animal needs to be caged!” Flash proclaimed much to the shock of everyone present. “Flash, do you hear yourself?!” Starswirl questioned. “I’m sorry, Starswirl, but he is an uncontrollable beast! And if we’re not careful, he could turn his sword against us one day!” “Now now.” Queen Faust stood up from her throne and slowly walked down the small staircase. “Perhaps I can convince him to change his ways?” “Good luck with that, your highness, that human man is more mad than a rabid dog,” Rockhoof said as they followed her to the training grounds where Rokai was putting the recruits through the ringer. “I said push through the pain!” Rokai barked as the recruits were doing push-ups. “I don’t bloody care if your arms feel like they’re gonna fall off! Let them! If they do, then you were never cut out for the front lines in the first place! And you!” Rokai pointed at a group swinging practice swords, their hands were scabbed and bloody from holding the handles too long and swinging them constantly. “I want a hundred more slashes! Double fucking time!” “Sir Rokai, a word?” The queen said while the recruits kept training. “Take a breather, men, you’ve earned it,” Flash used his authority as a superior officer to save the troops from dying of exhaustion, much to Rokai’s annoyance. “What gives you the right to order around my men?” He glared at Flash. “They’re MY men,” Flash snapped. “Funny, they seem to be following my orders,” Rokai scoffed. “Can he be an even bigger asshole?” I said bitterly?” “It was a mistake ever bringing you here!” Flash barked. “I agree, you all should be rotting in the ground as piles of Shade shite!” Rokai snapped back. “You son of a-!” “ENOUGH!!” Faust bellowed in a booming loud voice just as they were about to come to blows. “Aw!” I covered my ears as they rang painfully. “What the hell was that?!” “It’s just the royal Canterlot voice,” Celestia explained. “We alicorns have a unique decibel in our voices whenever we address our subjects or when we demand order.” “And I thought megaphones were loud…” I said, rubbing my ears. “You should keep a tighter leash on your dog, Queen, he’s all bark and no bite,” Rokai mocked. Flash was about to go for another round, but Faust stopped him. “Sir Rokai, walk with me,” Faust said calmly behind her veil. Rokai scoffed as he walked with the queen and we followed. We followed them in silence until Rokai clicked his tongue every so often. “You do realise you’re interfering with my job?” Rokai boldly questioned the queen. “Yes,” the queen said plainly. “Is there a reason you stopped me from training the recruits?” Rokai asked again. “Yes,” she responded again when they came to a balcony overlooking the gardens. “I often come here when I feel overburdened. Being queen and mother is not an easy job.” “Who says I’m overburdened?” Rokai scoffed. “If you hadn’t noticed, the war is slowly turning in our favor. We got the bastards on the run.” “And you haven’t slept properly in days,” Faust replied while sitting down. “Sit.” “I’ll stand, thank you.” “That is a command from your queen,” she insisted. “Who said you’re my queen?” Rokai shot back with a glare of his own. “I don’t remember swearing loyalty to you. I’m a hired blade, remember?” “Just sit down.,” she insisted once more, sounding like a mother scolding her child. “Bloody hell…fine.” Rokai slumped down next to the queen. “Happy?” “Now…” Faust paused and suddenly made Rokai rest his head on her lap by using her magic. “W-what the bloody hell are you doing?!” Rokai yelped as he tried to stand, but couldn’t move. “Shh. Just relax,” The queen said while stroking his head like a child. “Wow, what a twist,” I chuckled at Rokai’s struggles. “As queen, and the first born alicorn, I have many abilities, one is to see into the dreams and memories of others.” “Your point?” Rokai grumbled, looking like he didn’t want to admit that what he was enduring at the moment was very relaxing. “I saw your past and I want you to know, you don’t have to hold onto that pain.” Faust said while looking down at him through her veil. Rokai glared up at Faust. “Who the bloody hell gave you the right to poke in my head?!” “Shhh,” she said while placing a finger on his mouth, still holding that motherly appearance. “I just want you to know that you can trust those around you. You can have good friends here, if you’ll allow it.” “Tch! Friends…I have no friends, you all are just clients to me,” Rokai scoffed. Faust would only continue to stroke his head and slowly, Rokai began to feel a sense of calm he seemed to not have felt in years. “Wow, your mom really has a way with people,” I said. “That is why she was beloved by any who met her,” Celestia smiled. “Why…?” Rokai managed to say. “Why are you doing this? I treated old Starswirl and his companions like dirt, I’ve been working your men to the bone, and I’m probably doing more harm than good despite the accomplishments.” “Which is why I’m doing this. You must remember you’re not alone in this fight,” Faust said in a warm voice that seemed to soothe him. “I’ve been alone most of my life,” Rokai said. “My father was a knight, like I was, but he was injured and had to be let go. He wanted me to succeed where he failed and forced me to pick up a sword. My mother was always silent, never dared to question my father. I didn’t hate him, but the old bastard could’ve been more lenient. It’s not the fact I was betrayed that angers me, it’s the fact that my father tried so hard to mold me into the perfect soldier. Only to lose it all.” Rokai was silent for a few moments. “He died a broken man…” “You are not your father, you can choose your own path,” Faust said to him. “You can start over. Make friends…possibly find a wife? I hear the mares have taken a shine to you.” The queen teased while pinching his cheek. I snorted in amusement as Rokai managed to break out of her magical grasp and stand up. His back faced the queen and his shoulders were slumped. “It’s too late for any of that. For my heart had withered away long ago,” he said in a low tone. The queen couldn’t see it, but I could see his eyes. How sad they looked as Rokai slowly walked away. “Please tell Starswirl and the others that I will be on leave for while. They may do as they please for their training in the meantime…” Faust sighed in disappointment as he walked away and returned to her duties for the remainder of the day. The Pillars made a few adjustments to Rokai’s training regiment while making sure the soldiers weren’t slacking off. The memory changed again and I contemplated all that I had seen this far. “Rokai’s been through a lot,” I said, almost pitying him. “Indeed, which begs the question, William, do all humans go through hardship where you come from?” Celestia asked. “More than you’d think,” I said sombrely. “There’re plenty of humans back on Earth who deal with personal problems such as the ones Rokai had experienced.” Me included… I thought to myself. The scene changed to another open field where another battle was happening. The ponies were putting up a more decent fight, but I could tell they were having trouble pushing the Shades back. I looked around for Rokai, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Only Starswirl, Rockhoof, and Somnambula were fighting alongside each other. “We can’t keep this up!” Flash said as he fought two Shades with his spear. “We need reinforcements!” “Starswirl is on his way! We need to hold them off until then!” Somnambula said as she fought with daggers. “Where is Sir Rokai?! He’s been gone for over a week!” “He’s abandoned us!” Rockhoof barked angrily before sending a shade flying with his shovel. “COME ON YA MANKY GOBSHITES!!” He shouted towards the enemy, making me laugh a little before we heard the sound of horns and distinct marching of armor plated boots. “There! On the hill!” Asoldier shouted when an army of griffons appeared. I was in shock and awe as I saw Rokai in front of the army of griffins. He stepped forward and unsheathed his sword and held it up high. “ALL TROOPS!! CHARGE!!” Rokai bellowed. “Holy hell!” I gasped as the griffins charged in, all at once. The griffin backed up the ponies and completely overwhelmed the Shades. Rokai tore his way where Rockhoof and Somnambula were fighting. A Shade was about to get the drop on Rockhoof before Rokai jumped in and hacked its head off with his sword. “Apologies for being late, lads!” Rokai joked. “Well human, it’s about time!” Rockhoof said before he bashed in a Shade’s skull with a headbutt that even made Rokai flinch. “Rokai, I got a squad pinned down on the eastern flank. If they don’t get backup soon, they’ll be wiped out!” Flash called out before having his pegasus squad form a spear wall. “Ya heard that, Gallon?!” Rokai called out to a falcon griffin soldier. “Get your boys over there, double time!” “Yes sir!” The soldier responded before taking off with a squad of soldiers to the eastern flank. “I see you had some time to think,” Somnambula said with a smile as the reinforcements took positions around them. “Get the wounded off the field!” A griffon captain ordered as his men began gathering the wounded soldiers. “P-please…help…”A soldier that was just a few feet away from Rokai cried out. “I-I don’t wanna die!” “Easy soldier, you’ll be fine,” Rokai said in a surprisingly caring manner before two pegasi carried him off. “Sir Rokai!” A pegasus scout shouted as he flew down, completely covered in dried blood and dirt. “There’s some kind of creature going on a rampage out there! It’s not a Shade and none of our troops can get close enough to it!” “Go! We’ll handle these lot!” Rockhoof shouted. Rokai nodded and I watched him run through the battlefield. Celestia grabbed my shoulder and made us float into the air and follow him. In the distance, there were screams of anguish and pain as I saw bodies fly off in the air. What caused this was what could only be described as a monster. It was heavily armored with large horns sticking out the sides of its head, wielding a twin bladed spear, and had a sort of lanky build but was ver muscular at the same time. The monster was laughing maniacally as it slashed through the pony and griffin soldiers. I watched Rokai grit his teeth in anger as he readied his sword. Just before the monster could bring his spear down on a unicorn mare soldier, Rokai stepped in just in time to block the monster’s strike. CLANG!! The sound of metal clashing echoed around the area as the monster looked down at Rokai. “Go!” Rokai ordered the mare. She nodded her head frantically and ran off. “Your fight is with me, demon!” “Well well, a soldier with skill!” The demon spoke, sounding almost as if he were glad that Rokai blocked his attack. “I am Rakun of The Ten Legionnaires and Great General to his Dark Eminence. Speak your name, warrior, and let us do battle!” “I am Rokai Stourmborne, third of my name! I have no title to my name, but I shall smite you and send you back to hell where you belong!” Rokai said as the two began to exchange blows. Rakun was surprisingly agile as he twirled his spear with blinding speed and was able to keep Rokai on the defensive. “YEES! Finally some sport!” The demon cackled like a madman before cutting Rokai’s cheek and booting him into the mud. Rokai grunted and pushed himself out of the way before Rakun pierced his chest. Rokai sprang to his feet and clashed with the demon and pushed with all his might. Before Rakun could headbutt him, Rokai ducked down and kicked one of the demon’s legs. Rakun fell to his knees and Rokai reeled back and slammed his fist into Rakun’s helmet. The blow made Rakun fall to the ground but he jumped back up and twirled his spear in the air. Rokai charged forward once more and the two met each other head on. Rokai adjusted his grip on his sword. He swung his sword to the side, pulling Rakun’s spear down with it so Rokai could swing his sword back and managed to slash Rakun across his chest. Black leaked from Rakun’s wound but he started cackling to himself. “You think this amusing?” Rokai growled. “Outstanding…” Rakun said with a disturbing grin as an even more sinister aura appeared around him. “Now…I WON’T HOLD BACK!!” Rokai barely had time to react as Rakun charged at him and Rokai managed to block it. The force nearly made Rokai fall backwards but he managed to keep his balance. Blow after blow, Rakun was relentless as Rokai was again left to defend himself. The demon managed to cut Rokai a little here and there, but it didn’t deter the man. “Shit…that demon’s got him pinned!” I said, clenching my fists. “Rrraaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!” Rokai shouted out loud and pushed against Rakun. It was as if Rokai summoned every ounce of willpower to meet his opponent head on. The two breathed heavily as they were at a standstill, neither one looking like they were gonna back down. It wasn’t until Rokai grit his teeth and put all his weight on his right leg. He brought his knee up and right into Rakun’s gut. The brief stun was all Rokai needed to turn his sword around and make Rakun lose his grip a little on his spear. Rokai used the opportunity to swing his sword as hard as he could, straight across Rakun’s chest as he stepped past him. Black blood erupted from the demon as Rakun fell to his knees and Rokai wheezed to catch his breath. “Holy shit! He did it!” I cheered. Rakun, however, was still cackling weakly as he dropped his spear. Shadowy wisps billowed from his body. “Even after defeat, you still laugh?” Rokai managed to ask as he looked back at his defeated opponent over his shoulder. “Outstanding…” Rakun said with his dying breath as his armor became an empty husk and the Shades slowly began to disappear. As the Shades disappeared, Rokai nearly fell to the mud but managed to catch himself. The troops all stared at him, waiting for some kind of response. The rain fell from the sky as Rokai looked around. I watched, not blinking, as Rokai took a deep breath and raised his sword to the sky once more. “THE DAY IS OURS!!” Rokai roared triumphantly. The thundering of the soldiers’ cheers drowned out the rain and cleansed the soldiers of all the blood and dirt now staining their armor. Many who were wounded on the field had suddenly found the strength to stand and join in the celebration as they marched back towards Canterlot with their heads held high. “This was still only the beginning,” Celestia said as I kept staring at Rokai. “Of how Rokai’s legacy came to fruition.” Author's Note His legend grows, and his actions witnessed. What else will William learn from this experience of Rokai’s ascension to greatness? Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
The First Guardian Part 3Chapter 12 Watching Rokai go toe-to-toe with a demon like Rakun was one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had. He was just a man with a sword, yet he stood his ground and never turned away. I felt somewhat inspired by his bravery and tenacity. Celestia used her magic again and the scene changed. We were in some sort of large conference room and Faust was sitting at the head of a table, waiting for Rokai and the others. When the doors opened, Rokai, Starswirl, and two griffons, escorted by some griffin guards, walked in. The two griffons were adorned with very fancy-looking robes and clothing. One was a male griffon with a bald eagle’s head and the body of a white lion. His eyes were fierce and he wore a gold crown on his head with gems encrusted in it. I noticed that each of his talons had a ring with a gemstone on it. Next was a younger-looking female griffon. She had a tiara on her head with a diamond encrusted in the middle. She had the head of a falcon with grey feathers and the body of a black jaguar. Faust still had her veil over her head, but she stood up to greet her guests. “King Longclaw,” Faust greeted. “And princess Greesha. I had heard the griffons aided my army against the Shades, you have my thanks.” “It is grand to see you again as well, Queen Faust,” King Longclaw said with a curt nod. “But all thanks should go to this man, Stourmborne. He has done me a service that I cannot repay enough in this lifetime.” “Oh? And what did he do?” Faust wondered. “Seems that one of those fiends, The Legionaries, as they call themselves, led an attack on our fleet but by pure luck Sir Stourmborne happened to be in the area.” The griffon king said before summoning two servants with a snap of his talons as they showed Queen Faust a cracked helmet similar to Rakun’s. “This is all that is left of the fiend.” “Bloody Tartarus, that makes two, lad! Congrats!” Rockhoof laughed with a hard slap to Rokai’s back. “Thank you, I suppose,” Rokai said, rubbing his back. “I needed to clear my head after some, shall we say, sensitive and personal affairs of mine were reminded. So I made my way north and ran into this lot. I suppose my days as a knight kicked in, since I couldn’t exactly leave them to fend for themselves.” “You did more than that, my new friend, you saved my precious daughter,” King Longclaw said, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “You escorted her all the way home after being pursued by those wretched Shades.” When Rokai glanced at princess Greesha, I saw her cheeks turn red as she smiled shyly at Rokai. “Then please, stay for tonight’s feast,” Starswirl offered, escorting the royals inside as Greesha waved goodbye with Flash giving him a friendly nudge. As the royals and the Pillars made their way to the dining hall, Celestia and I followed, and Rockhoof, Mistmane, and Flash walked beside Rokai. “So, you came back?” Flash asked. “Of course I did. I still have a job to do,” Rokai said, brushing off the question. “Plus I figured these griffons would provide proper reinforcements.” “Deary, are you certain you only came back because of the agreed contract?” Mistmane asked. “Nothing more, nothing less,” Rokai replied. “And they say I’m the dense one.” Rockhoof rolled his eyes. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Rokai questioned. “Ahem, let’s focus on the task at hoof, shall we?” Starswirl said impatiently. “Agreed,” Rokai nodded. Celestia used her magic and the scene changed to the royals, the Pillars, and Rokai sitting at a large table. They were all eating together, the ponies were eating vegetable dishes and the griffons were provided some meat dishes; Rokai as well. As they ate, I noticed princess Greesha glancing at Rokai every so often. “Queen Faust, this meal has been a very delectable one,” Longclaw said. “Thank you. It was actually Sir Rokai who helped prepare the meat,” Faust said as she ate with her veil still over her face while the nobles, who had gathered at the table, watched with disgust as Rokai carved himself a piece of steak and plopped it in his mouth. “So humans eat meat? How repulsive,” a noble muttered. “Indeed. It seems like the human truly is an animal,” another noble said. “He should have stayed in the wilds where he belongs.” “Another thing about us humans,” Rokai interjected, startling the snotty nobles. “We’ve got keen ears. I don’t really care what any of you prissy shites got to say about me, but you can all shove it up your arses all the same.” Rokai didn’t bother looking at them as he continued to eat, and I laughed out loud at his words. “Ha! Serves those snobs right!” I said. “Y-YOUR MAJESTY!” the noble who was insulted earlier shouted. “This slave needs to learn his place!” “Since when did I say he was a slave?” Faust questioned with a calm tone. “Sir Rokai was allowed to leave whenever he saw fit when we first summoned him to this world, and is paid for his services like any other employee of the kingdom. So I suggest you refrain from insulting him in my presence.” “B-But, your majesty!” “That’s an order, as a matter of fact,” Faust said, her voice sounding strict behind her veil. “Now then, onto more pressing matters,” Longclaw said. “Queen Faust, I propose an alliance between Grifforia and Equestria.” “That sounds like a most beneficial suggestion. The Equestrian crown approves of this alliance,” Faust said. “Furthermore, I also propose we extend this alliance to the neighboring kingdoms across the land. We must bind together against this dark enemy. I also propose we even extend it to the continents to the north and south, across the vast seas.” “The zebras and the caribou?” Starswirl said. “Would they even accept such an alliance?” “If we appoint a proper leader,” Faust said while looking at Rokai. “I propose that Rokai leads this new coalition as a representative of the crown.” This suggestion made those in attendance a bit surprised, with most approving of Rokai’s new position while the nobility still had their objections. “Your highness, no! You cannot let this…THING represent our kingdom! Other nations will look down on us!” “And if they refuse our help, then that is their fault and theirs alone,” Faust argued. “Sir Rokai, what say you?” “Hmm.” Rokai hummed in thought as he caught sight of a noble giving him the evil eye. “Oi, you there.” He pointed at the noble. “What’s your name?” “Hmph, if you must know, I am Baron Bluebone, a member of her majesty's court and her first cousin.” “And do YOU have any experience in leading an army?” Rokai questioned. “Well uh…” “Can you manage supply lines, troop regiments, and military strategy?” “Uhhh…” “Your silence is very reassuring.” Rokai deadpanned, making me chuckle. “However.” Rokai held up his hand. “I’m not one to accept such an important responsibility without proving that I deserve it. So, how does this sound? You, a noble of your stature, has a personal band of soldiers on his pay, yes? Send your best man at me in a duel. If I win, I shall accept the role of leading the coalition. If I am defeated, I shall request to be sent back to my home.” The last part shocked the Pillars, even Faust. “HA! I accept! And when you lose, I will lead the coalition!” Bluebone said with confidence while Tia and Lulu sighed from embarrassment. “Mommy, is Uncle Bluebone being a dummy again?” Lulu asked her mother. “I’m afraid so, my child.” Faust sighed. After they had finished their meals, the group were escorted to the training grounds, where Bluebone had already sent for one of his men. I saw a large earth pony stallion, about 7ft tall, and had muscles that looked like he could split a boulder open. “Let’s make this interesting, shall we? Brawn? If you would?” Bluebone snapped his fingers and the stallion tore off his shirt and armor. “Yeaaaahhh!” Brawn bellowed as he flexed his arms. “No weapons, no armor, only fisticuffs.” Rokai arched his brow and shrugged. A servant mare stood by him as he began taking off his armor. Piece by piece, he set his armor plating aside until he was left with his shirt. What surprised me next was the reveal of his torso as he pulled his shirt off. Scars, big and small, decorated his body like a canvas. There were scars along his chest, stomach, back, even along his arms. What’s more is that Rokai looked like he had just as much muscle on him as Brawn did. The guy looked like he had been through so much and had seen a lot of battles in his time; a true veteran warrior. I glanced over to the group to see an amusing sight. Somnambula, Mage Medowbrook, and Greesha, along with any other maid or female soldier had their eyes glued on Rokai. “Pfft, I guess that’s one way to draw a crowd,” I chortled. “Indeed. I never noticed how many scars had adorned his body. Rokai must have been through a lot of rough battles,” Celestia said. “That’s not what I meant,” I said, nudging Celestia and pointing out how the females were gawking at Rokai. “You should know Brawn has never lost one single fight in his entire career as a brawler. I wish you luck,” Bluebone said with sarcasm as both fighters took center stage. “Scared, little man?” Brawn asked, trying to intimidate Rokai, who just yawned. “Let’s get this over with. I got paperwork to prepare for the coalition,” Rokai said. “Grr! Fighters ready?!” Bluebone said as Brawn prepared to charge. “Begin!” Brawn stomped forward and made a swing for Rokai. As if he saw it a mile away, Rokai dodged to the side and swung his own fist straight across Brawn’s jaw. WHAM! The punch was swift, yet loud, as Brawn stood there dazed. Rokai took a step back, cracked his knuckles, and reached up to lightly tap Brawn’s head. “This is the part where you fall down,” Rokai whispered. “Uggghhh…” With a loud thud, Brawn hit the ground like a ton of bricks and the fight was finished within seconds. “Sir Rokai is the winner!” Flash Magnus shouted with the crowd giving a rousing cheer. “NO! I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS!” Bluebone yelled in anger. “Bluebone…” Faust said in an icy tone. “You and I shall have words later on for embarrassing me.” “Holy shit! That was awesome!” I said with a proud grin. “Rokai took down that beef head like he was nothing!” “Hey, Somnambula,” I overheard Mage say to Somnambula. “Tall, good-lookin’, can fight like a demon, and has a bod like that?” The southern-sounding mare lidded her eyes and licked her lips as Rokai cracked his neck. “Just how is he still single~?” “Now THAT is indeed a good question.” Somnambula smirked along with the mares as they got an eyeful of the human’s figure. “If you all need me, I shall be in my chambers,” Rokai announced as he grabbed his shirt and slung it over his shoulder with one hand and carried his armor pieces under his other arm. “A splendid display of combat!” Longclaw applauded. “Just how is he so skilled? He took that brute down with a single strike! Where did you say you met him, Queen Faust?” “That, I’m afraid, is a royal secret,” the queen said playfully while her daughters giggled. Celestia used her magic, changing the scene again. “Despite the disagreement between the nobility and the Pillars and my mother, Sir Rokai was the newly appointed leader of the coalition’s army,” Celestia said. The area around us became a void as I saw more large spheres float by us. Each was a memory of Rokai training the ponies and griffon soldiers, fighting on the front lines with the Pillars, and attending diplomatic meetings with other kingdoms of other species. I also saw Rokai fighting more of those more menacing-looking Shades, the Ten Legionnaires as they’re called, in some of the memory spheres. Each battle I saw pass by looked like Rokai was putting his life on the line each time. “Sir Rokai’s actions spread across the land like the rays of the sun coming over the horizon. Every battle fought, every diplomatic gathering, every step of the way during the war, Sir Rokai was there to fight for Equestria, despite being a hired blade. By this point, a full year and a half since Rokai’s summoning had passed. The Diamond Dog kingdom had also joined the coalition, and we were about to make our way to the Minotaur kingdom.” “This is…incredible,” I said before noticing a memory where a unicorn mare tried to seduce Rokai, but was gently turned down. “How is it that he never married?” “That was a question for the ages,” Celestia told me. Celestia made the memory change back to Rokai’s chambers. He was sitting at his desk, probably going over some papers on his next move against the Shades. There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Mage Meadowbrook. “Mage,” Rokai greeted, glancing up at the mare. “To what do I owe this visit?” “Well…I just came by to thank ya again for saving my life,” Mage said. “You were cornered by Shades and another one of those damn Legionnaires during the battle for the Diamond Dog’s mines,” Rokai said. “Any other soldier would’ve done the same. I just happen to be the first one to act. Has Flash sent word to those Minotaurs for our pending proposal to join the coalition?” “Yes, he should be back within a few days,” Meadowbrook replied as Rokai invited her in and brewed some tea. “I noticed some of the mares were flirting with you again today. It must be nice to be so popular with the ladies,” she teased, making Rokai chuckle a bit. “Hmph, they can keep their flirtations to themselves. I’ve no time for such distractions,” Rokai dismissed. As Mage brewed the tea, I noticed her purposely trying to get Rokai’s attention by swaying her hips and tail back and forth. “Oh, this outta be good,” I chortled. “Come now, Rokai, you mean to tell me there isn’t at least ONE girl you fancy out there~?” she asked while purposely pulling down her sleeve to expose her shoulder and a bit of her chest. “Mage, if I had rejected every woman who fancied me since my arrival, what makes you think you’d be any different?” Rokai glanced up at Mage as she was about to pull down her shirt. “As flattering as it is, and as much of an admittedly lovely-looking woman as you are, I’m afraid it’s not mutual.” “And why not?” Meadowbrook asked while redressing herself. Rokai was silent for a moment. He sighed out loud and slowly reached under the collar of his shirt, pulling out a chained necklace. Hanging from the necklace were two silver rings. Mage stared at the rings in mild shock as Rokai held the chain up with his finger. “The days of me loving another…had long since passed,” Rokai said as he tucked the necklace back under his shirt. “You were married?” she asked in surprise. “Once…” “What happened?” “It’s best I keep it buried…” Mage frowned as she approached Rokai and knelt down beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his and another on his shoulder. “Darlin’, you can tell me anything. I’m your friend.” Meadowbrook reassured him with a warm smile that seemed to bring him some comfort. Rokai looked at Mage and was silent once more. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. “Her name…was Lauren,” Rokai sighed. “I was a squire when I met her.” Meadowbrook listened to how Rokai met his first love, how they flirted, fell in love and were soon married and planning to start a family, but she wasn't prepared for what came next. “One night, she came to me and told me she was with child. I was overjoyed with the news that I was to become a father. Soon after, I was promoted and knighted with high honors. Then…my son, Edward, was born. But fate is a cruel mistress, because it was only a few years later when I lost everything. My knighthood stripped, the respect I earned was lost, I was cast out by my former comrades, and…I became a shadow of my former self. I expected my wife to be at my side…but it turns out she couldn’t bear to stay with a man with no merit to his name. So she took my son away and left, never to be seen again.” “That’s terrible!” Meadowbrook exclaimed. “For a wife to leave her husband and take her only child away from his father…that woman is…is heartless!” She gasped, realizing what she had just said. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…” “It is quite alright, Mage. I was expecting that reaction,” Rokai said with a fake smile. “Ever since then, it has hardened me. I became cold, bitter, and distant from anyone who tried to get close to me. I later joined a small mercenary guild and made my earnings. After making a name for myself, I foolishly believed that perhaps I could win back Lauren. So I did the most foolish thing and tracked her down.” Rokai leaned forward over his desk and clenched his fists. “Only…when I found her, she was with another man.” “That bitch!” I snapped, being frustrated by his story. “I remember being so angry. I wanted nothing more than to rip that fucker’s innards out for laying with my woman! But…but then I saw Edward. He had grown much since Lauren left with him. And you know what I saw?” Rokai looked up at Mage, for the first time, a tear trickling down his cheek. “He was happy…Lauren too, the same way when she was with me. It infuriated me even more, but I realized something when I looked at my reflection in a window. I was a cold-blooded mercenary who killed and did grunt work for coin, and this man she had found was a simple, yet respectable, tavern owner. I thought to myself, how could I show my face to my family when they probably wouldn’t even recognize me? They were happy again, and I had no right to take that happiness away from them. So…I let them be, and I never turned back.” I felt immense sadness for Rokai and Mage was wiping her tears away, but she kept crying. “Oh, Rokai…” she said before hugging him tight. It was a feeling of comfort that was long overdue, and without a care in the world, he began to cry lightly and held Mage like a child holding his mother. “Let it all out, sugar.” “I…I just miss them so much.” Seeing Rokai made me forget about all the intense battles and unruly remarks he made. When it came down to it, Rokai was still just as human as me. “Could I have done something different? Should I have at least met my son one last time?” “It’s alright now.” Meadowbrook soothed him while letting him hold on. “You’re not alone anymore.” “You’re right about that.” Rokai wiped his eyes and stood up. “I realize that now, and there’s something I feel I should have done in the first place.” Mage followed Rokai out of his office as Celestia and I followed as well. Rokai made his way to where Starswirl’s study was and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Rokai and Mage entered the study and saw Starswirl with Tia and Lulu. Starswirl looked like he was in the middle of a class with the two alicorn fillies. “Sir Rokai, what a pleasant surprise.” Starswirl smiled as the fillies waved hello. “Greetings, Starswirl. There’s something I need to give you.” Starswirl tilted his head as Rokai dug into his pocket and handed the wizard a sack of coins. “This is the first payment you gave me. I’m returning it. I don’t need it anymore, nor do you need to keep paying me.” “Does this mean you wish to leave our service then?” Starswirl asked, looking a bit saddened. “Do you not like us anymore?” Lulu asked with puppy dog eyes. “Not at all.” Rokai shook his head. “Tell me something. Mage had just told me that she is my friend. Does that apply to us as well?” “Uh huh,” Lulu said just as he gently stroked her head. “What about you, Starswirl?” Rokai looked at the wizard. “I realize I’m not the best company on most occasions. I doubt Rockhoof and Flash even see me as a companion.” “Why don’t you ask my friends?” Starswirl said with a smug grin as Rockhoof and Somnambula walked in. “First things first, lad, YOU are still getting paid so you can buy us drinks,” Rockhoof joked while wrapping an arm around him. “I’ll admit, you weren’t exactly…pleasant to be around,” Somnambula admitted. “But you’ve proven to be a loyal comrade.” “I am thankful for that.” Rokai sighed. “For many years, I have only kept to myself. My reputation as a hired blade was met with mixed feelings from the people of my homeland. I didn’t much care for how they saw me or what was said about me. All I cared about was earning coin and living life as I pleased. And then I was brought into this mad world, filled with walking, talking creatures. Which, I should mention, were nothing but animals that stood on all four legs and couldn’t speak a word. Let alone the creatures I’ve only heard in fairytales when I was a lad.” “Ah yes, still getting over the fact that YOUR people think WE are a myth,” Rockhoof said while gesturing to Somnambula and Starswirl. “Pretty sure you’d be called a looney if you told everypony back where ya came from about us.” “I do not doubt that,” Rokai admitted. “My point is, despite the circumstances, I suppose you could say that my arrival in this world was a sort of silver lining. In my homeland, all I had to my name was my sword, my armor, and my occupation as a hired blade. Here, I am viewed as a leader, a voice of encouragement, and even a friend. I’ve been here for nearly two years already and it’s still somewhat difficult to grasp such a reality. This war we fight is for the sake of peace, and all I cared about was you all making my efforts worth my while. Yet you, even the queen, still attempted to befriend me and managed to reveal some quite personal subjects about me, despite all the nasty things I’ve said and done. Which brings me to a curious thought; just how do you all do it? How can you still try to see what little good I have in me and be my friend?” “I’ll tell you why, silly!” Tia spoke up in a cheerful tone. “It’s all thanks to the magic of friendship!” “Pardon?” Rokai tilted his head in utter confusion. “You’ll understand in time.” Starswirl winked. “Now girls, back to your lessons.” “I’ll leave you to it,” Rokai said and he and the remaining Pillars left the room. “I sure am glad you’re starting to open up, sugar. I just wish Stygian could do the same,” Mage said with a small frown. “Your tactician? What’s wrong with him?” Rokai wondered. “He’s been…distant as of late. Seems downtrodden about something,” Rochoof said as they continued down the hall. “I’m sure it's nothing. Now, how about we take that bag of bits and help ourselves to a pint of Spiced Apple Cider, eh?” “That’s a grand idea,” Rokai said. Celestia used her magic to make the scene change again. “Wow, I hardly recognize him now,” I said. I then noticed Celestia looking sad. “What’s wrong?” “This…is the last memory when the Pillars and Rokai would be together,” Celestia warned me, which surprised me. The memory changed back near Ponehenge, where the Pillars first summoned Rokai. All the Pillars were present, and they all looked very distressed. “Are you certain he took them?” Rokai tried to ask. “The boy seemed like a harmless young lad, why would he steal what is yours?” “It is obvious that Stygian was jealous of us this whole time,” Starswirl said. “He feels that he was not appreciated for his efforts in helping us combat the threats to the kingdom and has now become a threat himself.” “This must be some mistake…” Mistmane protested. “And a mistake it was…” Celestia sighed as she explained. “Starswirl assumed that Stygian wanted to steal the power of the pillars for himself, but in truth, he only wanted to make replica’s so that he could join them in battle. He tried to explain, but my teacher was a stubborn old pony.” “Where is he?” Rokai asked. “Ponehenge, hence why we have come all this way,” Starswirl said. The wizard led the group to the site and Celestia and I followed. When we arrived, Stygian was caught in the act with six objects placed on pedestals: a shield, a shovel, a mask, a flower, a book, and a scarf. “Stygian!” Starswirl barked, startling the pony. “You dare take what is not yours?!” “No, please! You don't understand!” Stygian begged as the pillars surrounded him. “Understand what?” Flash snapped. “You took my shield! Who does that?!” “Stygian, you’ve crossed a line we did not think you would. I am sorry, but as leader of the Pillars, I hereby cast you out!” Starswirl announced. Stygian looked like his heart broke into a million pieces. His face then went from looking heartbroken to pure hatred. “If you will not listen, then I will SHOW YOU!” Stygian shouted before activating the spell he created, unaware that a creeping shadow had entered his body. “Wait…Stygian, stop!” Rokai yelled. “So…even you turned against me, Rokai? Then I truly am alone!” “No! Stygian, listen!” Rokai tried to get him to listen, but by the time the spell was fully activated, Stygian was transformed into a Shade like none had ever seen before; a Pony of Shadows. “Good lord…” Rokai gasped “What the hell happened to him?!” I yelped. “The fragment of a Shade from one of the previous battles was drawn to Stygian’s sorrow and desperation, and found him to be the perfect host for his new form,” Celestia explained. “It was a catastrophe no pony could have foreseen.” “Gods above…Stygian, what have you done?” Rockhoof asked, completely heartbroken by his friend’s betrayal. “We must stop him now!” Starswirl commanded. The group engaged in combat with the transformed Stygian. I watched in horror as Stygian used his new dark powers to fight back against his former friends. Rokai kept his sword in his hand, but he couldn’t bring himself to strike Stygian down. The battle kept on for a good long while, and it looked like Stygian was gaining the upper hand. “We can’t keep on like this!” Rockhoof said. “Rokai, what are you waiting for?! Strike him down, now!” Flash said. “Are you bloody mad?! Stygian’s still in there!” Rokai barked. Starswirl was at a loss as he desperately tried using his magic to counter his former friend. I then noticed Starswirl’s expression looked grim, even saddened for some reason. It looked like he had a plan, but not the good kind. “Rokai!” Starswirl called out to his comrade. “I need you to do something for me!” “Can it wait?!” Rokai asked as he dodged a shadow tendril. “I’m afraid not! Please!” Starswirl begged. “Bloody hell! Okay, fine! What is it?!” “Swear to me that you’ll protect Equestria and win this war!” Starswirl said. “What are you on about?!” Rokai demanded. “Just swear to me!” “Fine! You have my word, Starswirl, this land shall have its peace again! I swear it on my life!” Rokai barked. Starswirl then smiled sadly at Rokai, which confused him greatly. “I don’t like where this is going…” I said anxiously. “Thank you, my dear friend…” Starswirl said and channeled his magic. “Pillars! Subdue the Pony of Shadows! Today, we meet our destiny!” “Your only destiny, dear Starswirl, IS DEATH!” The Pony of Shadows roared before he was suddenly bound by Starswirl’s magic and began activating the artifacts. “W-what're you doing?!” “Securing Equestria’s peace…” Starswirl said as he closed his eyes and a portal suddenly opened above them. “That…that is the portal to LIMBO! ARE YOU MAD?!” Stygian shouted in protest. “STARSWIRL!! NO!!” Rokai shouted in horror as he attempted to run at the wizard, but it was too late. The rest of the Pillars looked at Rokai in sorrow and sad smiles as they were all pulled into the portal. Before I knew it, the portal above closed, leaving Rokai by himself. “No…no! Starswirl! Mage! Rockhoof!” Rokai looked around the area desperately. He dropped to his knees, letting go of his sword. The rain began to fall as Rokai clenched his fists and slammed them repeatedly into the dirt. “Flash…? Mistmane…?! Damn you… Damn you all!” Rokai’s face was full of anguish and emotional pain as he had lost his closest allies and friends. “WHY?!? YOU FUCKING BLOODY FOOLS!!!” Both Celestia and I were saddened as the Pillars just vanished into thin air, leaving Rokai alone amongst the ruins of Ponehenge. Once more, he was alone. Celestia slowly made the memory change again after she wiped away her tears. We were in the throne room, the late sun’s rays piercing through the windows, and Faust was pacing back and forth. The doors slowly opened and Rokai slowly trudged in. His head was hung over, he dragged his feet with every step, and he was still a little wet from the rain. “Sir Rokai! Thank the stars! Where are Starswirl and the others?” she asked before Rokai looked at her with heartbroken eyes. “Where are they?” “They’re…gone,” was all he said before falling to his knees, startling everypony in the room. “Sir Rokai!” one guard said while helping him up. “They sacrificed themselves to save us…” “Wh-What are you saying?” Faust asked. I could tell she was about to break into tears behind her veil. “I was there…they were pulled into a portal by Starswirl’s doing. Stygian…he betrayed us.” Rokai grit his teeth and stomping his boot on the marble floors. “THEY WERE GONE BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING! I JUST STOOD THERE LIKE A FUCKING DULLARD! STARSWIRL, MAGNUS, ROCKHOOF, MISTMANE, MEADOWBROOK, SOMNAMBULA! THEY’RE ALL GONE BECAUSE I WAS WEAK!” Before he could do anything else, Faust wrapped him into a gentle hug that seemed to instantly calm his rage, Her wings slowly enveloped them both and she began to shed a few tears under her veil. “Please, do not blame yourself,” she begged. “You know that isn't what they would want.” “I swore to him,” Rokai said in a low tone. “I swore I would win this war and reclaim this land’s peace.” Faust stepped back from Rokai. She then reached up and removed her veil to finally reveal her face. Before, I always personally thought Celestia and Luna were both beautiful in their own right. But Faust, her beauty felt like it was on another level. Her eyes were a soft baby blue and she wore light pink lipstick and light eyeliner. Rokai seemed to also be in a trance since this was his first time also looking at the queen’s face without her veil. “And you will not be alone,” Faust swore before bringing him back into her embrace. What followed after was years of conflict across Equestria. From the burning wastes of the dragon lands to the snowy plains of the north, the war raged on, and Rokai had even found some new allies amongst the caribou and zebra races. I witnessed more memory spheres of Rokai engaging in battle after battle with those elite demons known as the Legionnaires. The memories also showed me how Rokai was able to gain favor with all the kingdoms of the world, ranging from actual dragons to creatures Celestia told me were hippogriffs. The scene later changed back to the throne room where Faust sat on her throne. Rokai was standing in front of her and I noticed he looked older than when I first saw him. “Your majesty, the coalition armies have reported that they’ve located the last of those Legionnaires,” Rokai reported. “I am to meet with the Minotaurs in the mountain range to the west.” “Well done, Sir Rokai. As always, the kingdom thanks you,” Faust replied just before the nobles were allowed in for morning court. “Ah, Sir Rokai, good morning.” “Bluebone,” Rokai said with a deadpan greeting, still not pleased to see his usual pain in the neck still around. “Cousin, I am pleased to report that the eastern provinces have recolonized the land and have already constructed several farms,” Bluebone said smugly. “Thank you, Bluebone, please wait with the others outside for a moment. I have something personal to discuss with Sir Rokai,” Faust said. Bluebone scowled at Rokai, along with most of the other nobles, before they left the throne room to leave Faust and Rokai alone. “Prick…” Rokai said under his breath. “How are little Tia and Lulu?” Rokai asked sympathetically. “They are still sad over the loss of their teacher, despite him being gone this long. Starswirl was practically a grandfather to them.” Faust said. “But today is a day for celebration. Sir Rokai, please kneel.” “Excuse me? Why?” Rokai wondered. “It’s a surprise,” the queen said with a giggle as Rokai bent one knee to the queen. He pulled out his sword and held it with one hand and rested his other arm on his knee. “Sir Rokai, you have served this kingdom faithfully, and have gone above and beyond the call of duty countless times. For this, I wish to bestow you an honorary title.” “Is this…?” I asked, but Celesita gestured for my silence as I watched. My heart was racing as I witnessed this unforgettable moment. “Do you swear to protect this land with all your heart, soul, and strength?” Faust asked. “I swear,” Rokai said. “Do you swear to stand against injustice and evil?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to defend the weak and protect them?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to respect the honor of your fellow comrades?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to never bring harm to those undeserving and only to those who would threaten our way of life?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to speak the truth at all times?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to be generous and willing to share?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to persevere and finish the task at hand?” “I swear.” “Do you swear to pursue excellence in all you do?” “I swear.” “Then it is with pride that I, Queen Faust of Equestria, do hereby proclaim you Guardian of Equestria.” Rokai was in shock as he felt his shoulders being tapped by a ceremonial blade given to the queen. And just like that, he was knighted once more, and looked up at Faust smiling down on him. “Arise, Guardian Rokai Stourmborne.” Rokai stood up as the guards in the room saluted him. I was still coming to grips that I had just witnessed Rokai being named Guardian as I could not find the words. “His name would be known throughout the world,” Celestia said. “But little did Sir Rokai or even mother know, their greatest adversary was about to reveal himself.” Author's Note He’s made his mark in Equestria, but all journeys must eventually come to an end. Next chapter, Rokai encounters his greatest adversary… Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
The First Guardian Part 4Chapter 13 Celestia and I took a break from seeing memories as we stood in a starry void. “My god…Rokai was incredible!” I said with enthusiasm. “I never imagined someone like him would even exist! And he was the first guardian?” “Indeed. It was thanks to him that all the kingdoms of the world banded together and rose up against the Shades,” Celestia said with a fond smile. “You mentioned he would soon fight his greatest adversary,” I pointed out. “Who, or what, was it?” “…A monster,” Celestia said as we warped to a battle taking place deep within a large forest, where Rokai was leading a contingent of Equestrian soldiers as they engaged the demons with the help of some unexpected allies. “CHAARGE!!” “MOW THEM DOWN!!” “Minotaurs?” I said in surprise as I watched two of the hulking brutes impale several shades on their horns before sending them flying. “I was surprised as well, but despite their brute strength, the minotaurs were no match for the Shades’ overwhelming numbers. And, of course, we offered our aid,” Celestia explained when one minotaur female caught my eye. “Who’s that?” I asked Celestia, who watched the female warrior send several shades flying with a swing of her warhammer. “That is Princess Raster, daughter of King Arkan the One-Horned,” Celestia said. “She led the entire minotaur army since she was only sixteen years old. She was known for her strength as a warrior, fierce will of a commander, and was said to be just as beautiful as her mother.” “Raster!” Rokai jumped in and kicked two Shades before they got the drop on the female minotaur. “Watch yourself, girl, keep your head on a swivel!” “That’s what you’re for, my dear future husband,” Raster teased while blowing a kiss before leaping into the fray again. “As you may have guessed, Minotaur females admire strong males, and she was no exception,” Celestia said, earning a small chortle from me as we watched the two cleanse the area of Shades before Rokai noticed a figure watching from the shadows. “You! Come out and fight!” Rokai charged at the figure, but I noticed he was bigger than I anticipated. The figure cackled maliciously as he stood at least over ten feet tall. The figure raised his fist and tried to crush Rokai, but Rokai managed to jump out of the way. Rokai twirled his sword and went for an upward slash, only for the figure to dodge and step into the light. I heard Raster gasp and I saw it was another menacing-looking minotaur. His fur was pale gray and his eyes were blood red. He had two curved horns growing out of his head. His body looked like it could withstand a grenade explosion and come out unscathed. What also caught my eye was that he had an extra pair of arms under his original ones. “I-It can’t be!” Raster said. “Janus?! Is that you?!” “Not anymore…”The beast spoke in a growling voice. “I am Khazrak. Khazrak The Red!” “You know him?” Rokai asked as he cautiously took a few steps back. “He was a member of my tribe once. My father banished him for his crimes against the other nations,” she said with a look of disgust. “What crimes were those exactly?” “…He devoured the flesh of his victims,” Raster said with disgust, making a chill crawl up Rokai’s spine. “How is it a crime to revel in the spoils of your victory?” Khazrak asked while picking up a dead soldier. “The minotaurs have always prided themselves on their love of battle…AND MEAT!” CHOMP! I almost hurled as I watched the monster bite into the carcass of the fallen soldier and swallowed his meal whole before tossing it aside. “JOIN ME, MY BRETHREN! Together, we can reclaim our former glory!” he shouted to the other minotaurs, but none would listen. “You sick monster! I’d rather die than join you!” One minotaur warrior spat with disgust. “You killed and devoured so many of us! Tartarus awaits scum like you!” Another said, glaring at the demonic-like minotaur. Rokai pointed his sword with anger at the demon minotaur. “You disgust me to no end, demon. I am Rokai Stourmborne! Guardian of Equestria and the Realm! I am your opponent and you shall fall by my sword!” With a bull-like roar, Khazrak charged Rokai with every stomp of his hooves, making the earth shake as the guardian braced himself for impact. The moment they came to blows, Khazrak scored the first hit and sent Rokai tumbling across the ground with his charge and laughed, mocking the human he considered weak. “THIS is the leader of your pathetic army?! This frail, pitiful meatbag?! I’m gonna enjoy eating you…” He glared at the princess and licked his lips. “Right after I’ve taken the girl for myself~.” As if a switch flipped within Rokai, he sprung to his feet. He let out an ear-piercing cry of his own and charged straight back at Khazrak with his sword raised. Khazrak swung his fist to try and punch Rokai again, but Rokai jumped out of the way just in time as he swung his sword at one of Khazrak’s horns. CLANG! Rokai landed back on the ground as Khazrak’s horn fell to the ground. As Khazrak was dazed, Rokai reeled his fist back and slammed it across his cheek, causing the demon minotaur to stumble back a bit. “You will not touch her…” Rokai seethed in anger as he picked up the horn. “I WILL SEND YOU TO HELL BEFORE YOU EVEN SAY HER NAME AGAIN!” They clashed once more in what could only be described as an epic duel with Khazrak using all four of his arms and monstrous strength to crush Rokai, who matched him blow for blow without giving an inch of ground. “DIE YOU LITTLE WORM!!” the monster roared as he raised all four arms to deliver a crushing blow, thinking he had Rokai cornered. STAB! Rokai quickly plunged the horn he picked up into Khazrak’s side. Unlike his sword, the horn pierced deeper, which caused Khazrak to roar in pain. He swung his arms down, but Rokai rolled out of the way before getting crushed. The demon’s attack created a small crater from the sheer force of the blow. “So something can hurt you, demon,” Rokai joked as he gripped the horn. I noticed his hands were trembling from fatigue and pain from his wounds. “Once I use this to pierce your heart, I will go after your final brother and end this war!” “Grrr wait! WAIT!” He panted through the pain and raised his hands in surrender. “I only wanted to restore my people’s glory! To give them a better life just like you! You and I are alike! Join me!” he begged while one of his extra hands moved toward a dagger hidden under a body. CRUNCH!! “AGGH!” “I don’t think so,” Raster said after crushing his hand with her hammer. “BITCH!” WHACK! Khazrak backhanded Raster away from him and knocked her out. “BASTARD!!” Rokai roared and tackled Khazrak and began punching him relentlessly. “YOU DARE! STRIKE! A LADY?!” Rokai did not stop until Khazrak’s face was swollen and bruised and his men were forced to pull Rokai away, despite their better judgment. “Sir, stop! STOP! We need him alive!” a soldier said as Rokai regained his composure. “Alive?! ALIVE?!” Rokai stood up and picked his sword and the horn back up. “Get up! Get up, wretch! I know you were holding back! I won’t accept this! I said I would send you to hell, and I’ll make sure you go screaming knowing a weak meat sack, as you called me, beat you at your best!” The minotaur struggled with his broken hand to grab a weapon while the other held his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding as he picked up his axes again. “After I kill and eat you…I’m going to rape her and those two pony princesses of yours!” I expected Rokai to yell in anger, but he kept a calm, yet intimidating, composure. The two circled each other as the fighting between the two armies raged. Rokai and Khazrak charged and met each other with their weapons. Blow for blow, their attacks were relentless as they exchanged wounds with one another. Rokai kicked Khazrak’s abdomen as Khazrak cut Rokai’s arm a bit. Rokai then stabbed the horn into Khazrak’s leg and twisted it, forcing Khazrak to drop one of his axes and slam his fist into Rokai’s head. Rokai stumbled back as he pulled the horn out and held his head, no doubt his ears were ringing from the blow. “Come on, Rokai, come on!” I chanted for him. “Any last words?” The monster grinned while picking up Rokai by the throat. “I have none to share with the likes of you…!” Rokai gagged. “Because today is not the day I choose to say them!” Rokai slashed his sword to the side, right across Khazrak’s eyes. The demon roared in pain as he was blinded and threw Rokai to the ground. Khazrak began swinging his axes and arms around wildly, trying to find his opponent and kill him. Rokai was on his hands and knees, attempting to catch his breath as he grasped his sword and the horn again. Among the other Legionnaires Rokai faced, this one was one of the toughest he’s ever fought. Standing up on his feet again, Rokai grit his teeth and ran toward the blinded demon. “Is he nuts?! He’ll get caught in that monster’s flailing!” I panicked. Rokai jumped, dodged, and weaved out of the way of Khazrak’s arms. He pinpointed his attacks and slashed and stabbed away at Khazrak’s body. There were points when Rokai suffered a blow or two, but Rokai kept his attacks head on. “You want me, beast? Here I am!” “Rrrg! I’LL KILL YOUUU!!” Khazrak went for another swing, which Rokai barely managed to dodge as he readied the horn. Khazrak’s other axe came in to slash Rokai as Rokai was about to stab Khazrak’s heart with the horn. STAB!! SLASH!! I couldn’t blink as I watched in horror as the ax managed to slash at Rokai’s back. Blood seeped down Rokai’s back, but Rokai kept standing as he had driven the horn straight into Khazrak’s chest and into his heart. “Burn in Hell with your demonic comrades…” Rokai said in a low voice. The lumbering brute staggered back just as Rasper regained consciousness to see Rokai was badly hurt and watched as Khazrak fell to the ground with his own horn sticking out of his chest. “ROKAI!” she shouted and rushed over to help him stand. “Help him, quick!” She called for the medics. Rokai grit his teeth and refused to fall on the ground. He wiped blood from his mouth, but blood still dripped from his back. Raster and Rokai watched Khazrak’s body blacken over and dissolve into dust, along with all the Shades he had brought with him. “The day is ours…” Rokai groaned, still standing. Despite the dirt, blood, and muck covering his face, Rasper could only thank the human in the only way she knew how and kissed him right in front of the entire army with many of their troops cheering. “MMM?!” “MMMMMWAH! You are definitely going to be my husband now!” Rasper said after breaking the kiss for air. “ARGH! Damnit Raster! My wounds!” Rokai barked. “Oh! S-Sorry!” Raster said sheepishly with a bright blush and the medics soon helped him away. “Wow, she’s a bold one,” I said as the memory changed. “She wasn’t the only one. Sir Rokai had a great many admirers during his campaign. And yet, despite their boldness, Rokai still wouldn’t accept any marriage proposals,” Celestia said. The memory reformed again and we were in the middle of a different throne room that had an assortment of animal statues all around us. The room was filled with minotaurs and there was one sitting on a throne made of animal bones. A large one-horned minotaur sat on the throne and he wore fancy-looking furs and padded armor. His muscles were freaking ginormous under his white and black patched fur. Standing in front of him was Rokai, still bandaged, but standing with his hands held behind his back. “Daughter, are you certain you wish to marry this one?” the old bull asked while stroking his beard. “He’s perfect, daddy!” Rasper said with glee. “He seems…skinny,” the king said skeptically. “With all due respect, great King Arkan, but I must respectfully decline this proposal,” Rokai said calmly. “Ohh no,” I said as both Celestia and myself watched as the minotaurs brought out their axes. “You dare turn down the hand of the princess?!” Arkan growled while gripping the armrests of his throne to the point of breaking. “Great King Arkan, please understand. I am a man of principle and honor,” Rokai said, still remaining calm. “I will not deny that your daughter is a woman of both great honor and incredible beauty. However, my main priority at the moment is the continuation of seeing an end to this war. If I were to promise myself to Raster during the midst of combat, my enemies would most likely use her as leverage.” Though he was still angry, the king saw the wisdom of Rokai’s words and accepted his decline of his daughter’s marriage. “Still, it would be a great shame if a warrior like you were not able to leave behind a legacy. To be honest, I crave having grandchildren to spoil,” Arkan sighed in disappointment. “I’m sure your daughter will find an equally worthy mate. However, I am not the one to be,” Rokai said. “I respect your wishes, and I thank you for aiding us in this war. The Minotaurs shall continue to aid the Coalition army,” Arkan said. Rokai bowed and left the throne room. I watched the minotaurs and Rokai celebrate their victory. When the sun went down, Rokai had retired for the day and left the party to return to his quarters. In the corner of my eye, I saw Raster sneak away and follow Rokai before the memory changed again. I’ve watched enough movies and tv shows to know where that’s going. I thought to myself. “Due to the…um, ahem, nature of the next memory, I suggest we move on,” Celestia told me before snapping her fingers. Side Memory Rokai 1st POV I returned to my quarters and winced a little from my injuries. I thank the gods in a way that I was spared from the minotaurs signature back slaps, otherwise I’d be in even more pain. I slowly took off my armor platings and undressed until I was only wearing my trousers. I brushed my hand along the bandages wrapped around my torso. I looked to the small desk next to my bed and saw the horn I brought with me from the fight. As I looked at my trophy, my mind suddenly drifted back to when the princess kissed me. I’ll admit it was pleasant, but it was still too sudden, and we only ever saw each other at military meetings or victory banquets, but never had time to really socialize. Knock, knock, knock. “It is open,” I said without turning around. The door opened to reveal the princess herself and she stepped in. I glanced over my shoulder as the door closed, and her face went as red as a fresh apple. “Raster, evening,” I greeted. “How are your injuries?” she asked me while looking at the bandages on my back. “I’ll live,” I said while rolling my shoulders to loosen up some tension. “So, what brings you here?” She suddenly hugged me from behind. “Rokai…may I please spend this night with you?” Raster asked as she held me close. “Raster, we talked about this,” I sighed. “I know, and I want you to know, this is not an attempt to get you to marry me. I just want to thank you the only way my people know how,” she said while gently rolling me on my back onto the bed. “You see, we Minotaur women don’t lay with just any bull. Only the strongest and bravest warriors have the privilege of bedding us, and you, Sir Rokai, have proven to be all those things…and more~,” Rasper said while letting her top slowly fall off her chest, using her hands to cover her breasts. “Tonight, I’m yours.” CLOP! I gazed at her body and began to admire her as a woman. She had a muscular torso and arms, but she was also slender in her hips and stomach. Her bosoms were also a sight to see, despite her hands covering them. Large, plump, just like her backside. I raised my hands toward her breasts, but paused. “If this is what you wish, may I?” I asked for permission. “Of course.” She giggled, finally letting her breasts bounce free. The moment I touched her, I could feel how soft and smooth her fur was. The sound of her aroused gasp caught me off guard since it had been a long time that I had laid with a beauty like her. “You can squeeze if you want~.” I obliged and began fondling her bosoms. She moaned and smiled at me, grinded her hips on my lap. “You’re an incredibly beautiful woman, Raster,” I said softly. “Mmm, and you are quite the human man, Sir Rokai~,” she replied before finally kissing me and holding my hand. “Mmmm~.” This time, I did not relent and kissed her back. Years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of bedding a female of this world. The mere thought of it was nonexistent to me. But now, after all my time in this world, I welcome it. Our kissing continued as I trailed my hands down her body until they found their way to her plump, yet firm, derriere. Her buttocks were firm, yet soft, as I kneaded it like dough. “Mmm, I’m surprised how gentle you're being~,” she complimented while I gave her a curious look. “Our ancestors say that human males are lust crazed beasts who force themselves on their women~.” She began to whisper into my ear. “Stripping them naked, forcing them to suck on your fat cocks and pounding their bodies until they’re good and full with your offspring while calling them your whores or bitches~.” Rasper grinned while nomming on my ear. As much as I wished to indulge her fantasies, I was a gentleman at heart. “Well, unlike them, Raster, I don’t exactly do those kinds of things.” I leaned up and kissed her again before resting my forehead on hers. “I want you to remember this night for us, so let me worship you like the princess you are.” Raster could only giggle as we kissed and fondled each other with the room seemingly growing hotter with every passing second until she was finally on her back, eager to have her chastity taken by her chosen lover. “B-Be gentle, please?” she asked while turning her head away. “Of course.” I aimed my cock at her moist entrance. When I was about to penetrate her, she flinched nervously. “Raster, look at me.” She hesitated and slowly turned to me. Once again, I was awestruck at the beautiful woman who lay under me. Her eyes were like gemstones and I cupped her cheek. “I’m here for you. I won’t ever hurt you.” Raster smiled as I pushed in. She gasped and squirmed as she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me until I felt a thin barrier within her. I pulled back a little before pushing forward all at once and claimed her virginity as mine. “AHHN~!” She gasped while clinging to me, nearly snapping my spine in two before finally adjusting. “S-Sir Rokai…” She panted as we kissed. “I pray that…I am blessed with your offspring.” Raster smiled while saying that, and before I knew it, I was plowing her into the bed and holding her legs apart while I did so. Her words struck a chord in me, but I kept making love to her nonetheless. She wanted to have a child with me, but we were completely different species. Had I been a different man and there was not a war to be fought, I would consider the possibility of one day attempting to settle down with someone once more. “You feel heavenly, my dear!” I said as I fondled her breasts again. “Ahhh, harder my love, take me~!” Raster cried out just before her breasts began to leak. I arched a brow at her breasts and decided to test something. As I thrusted into my Minotaur beauty, I leaned down and latched my mouth upon her nipple. She squealed in surprise as I suckled, and milk came leaking out. I instinctively drank her milk and was surprised how good it was. “Ohhh, yes my love, drink your fill~!” Raster cried out with her legs dangling in the air as we kept going. Soon enough, I was fulfilling her earlier fantasy by pounding her muscular body like a beast with her cries echoing through the entire castle. “NNG! ROKAI!” She screamed my name after being made to go on all fours while I pulled her hair and tail from behind as we kept going. “Rokai, I love you~!” “Raster!” I gritted my teeth as I felt a familiar tension build up. I kept my thrusting and picked up the pace until I couldn’t hold it anymore. With one last thrust, I climaxed deep inside her as her feminine juices sprayed all over my groin. We both basked in the afterglow of our climaxes until we collapsed and we took a moment to catch our breaths. As I lay on my back, Raster crawled up beside me and laid her head on my chest. END OF CLOP! “That was…quite amazing, my dear,” I said, wrapping my arm around her. “Mmm, so that’s what a REAL man feels like~,” Raster said with a lustful giggle as we kissed once more. “I never want this night to end,” she sighed as we cuddled together. “Rokai, my love?” she said to me in a gentle voice while drifting off to sleep. “Yes?” “In the morning, I wanna do it again~.” “Gods, you’re insatiable,” I chuckled before drifting off to sleep. Main Memory William 1st POV “The war had turned in our favor. The Shades were almost completely overwhelmed and peace was within our grasp,” Celestia said. “It was all thanks to Sir Rokai’s leadership, courage, tenacity, and unwavering support that provided the edge we needed. Rokai sometimes said it was bittersweet that Starswirl and the Pillars weren’t there to witness all he had succeeded, but he knew they would be proud of him.” “I’ll say. All of Rokai’s battles are etched into my mind,” I said. “I admire him greatly for everything he’s done.” “Yes, like you, my mother also held Rokai in high regard,” Celestia said as the memory played out. We were back in Canterlot, and Rokai was in the council room going over battle plans and placing markers on a map. The door opened and Faust walked in, causing Rokai to bow to her. “Your Majesty,” Rokai greeted. “I am pleased to inform you that we have located the last of the Legionnaires.” “Well done, Sir Rokai. At last we can end this war,” Faust said while looking over the map. “We have sacrificed much in this conflict, but it will all be worth it once this foe has been vanquished once and for all,” one of the generals said with confidence with the queen nodding in agreement. “Thank you, thank you all. May I please speak with Sir Rokai alone?” Faust said. The generals nodded and bowed as they left Rokai and Faust. Once they were by themselves, Faust smiled widely and quickly embraced Rokai in a hug. “You really must stop with this immaturity, Faust. You act as though I am some kind of child who needs to be embraced all the time,” Rokai sighed as Faust giggled like a schoolgirl. “How…unexpected?” I said, tilting my head. “Come now, Rokai, you are practically family. I’ve seen you play with the girls from time to time,” Faust said with a smile. “And I heard you and Princess Raster have gotten rather close in these past few months. Won’t be long before we hear wedding bells~.” Rokai blushed a little while he cleared his throat. “Ha! Called it,” I laughed out loud. “I have explained to you countless times that she and I simply spent the night together!” Rokai deadpanned. “You know how I feel about proposals.” “Oh?” Faust took a step back. “Then how is it I was able to smell the little cow all over you?” “Smell…?” Rokai repeated. “Oh, indeed Rokai. As a human, your senses are unlike ours. We creatures of the realms have a keen sense of smell. Especially when two lovers share a bed with one another.” “I…oh, hang me,” Rokai groaned and facepalmed. “Fine, I confess, but that doesn’t mean I am betrothed to her!” “Not yet,” Faust teased again as Rokai grew more frustrated. “Oh Rokai, I’m only teasing. In all seriousness, I was hoping you would join me this afternoon for tea.” “I suppose I have some time.” Faust held out her hand and Rokai obliged by holding out his arm and letting her hook hers with his. Rokai then escorted Faust out the door and we followed them. “Celestia and Luna have grown up quite big recently. It’s as if it was only yesterday they stood only at the height of my knee. I wonder what it is about me they find so endearing that they feel the need to include me in their little play times?” Rokai wondered. “They think of you as their big brother,” Faust answered. “Though, I can’t imagine any sister who would want their brother as their future husband. Lulu has quite the imagination.” The queen giggled while some of the servants noticed them walking with arms linked as they approached the gazebo in the gardens, a tea set and some snacks waiting for them. “A big brother, ha! Even though I was the younger sibling in my family,” Rokai said as they sat down. “You had a sibling?” Faust said as the servant’s poured their tea. “Once. When I was much younger, I actually had an older sister. I had later learned that she was only my half sister since my mother was…raped when she was young by a drunkard.” “How awful…” Faust said pityingly. “Despite it all, however, my mother made sure to love her daughter as much as she could. Then she met my father and I was born. By the time I was only around seven years old, my sister was already an adult woman. She and I got along as well as any other siblings.” Rokai frowned a familiar frown as he went quiet for a moment. “Then…she met someone.” “Oh my…was he a good man?” Faust asked before sipping some tea. “In the beginning, he seemed decent. My father was skeptical, call it a soldier’s intuition, so was my mother, but my sister seemed happy with him. That is…until he began showing his true colors. As a boy, I always liked sneaking around the home we lived in. Finding little crevices and hiding holes in the walls was a sort of hobby for me. One day, when my mother and father were out and I was hiding in the walls of our home, I discovered the man…violently raping my sister on the bed.” “Jeezus…” I said. “It was then I finally saw through the mask he wore. I tried to tell my sister that he was bad, but she wouldn’t listen. My sister was a ray of sunshine to my mother and always kept her smiling. That bastard intruded into her life and warped her mind, making her think she couldn’t have any other man besides him. To this day, I regret not having the courage to say anything sooner. Because…she eventually got pregnant with his child. One would think it was a blessing, but the abuse had taken too big of a toll on her.” “What happened?” Faust asked hesitantly. “By the time the baby was to be born…my sister had succumbed to the abuse he kept under the noses of my parents. She could not deliver the child properly…she died with it still in her belly…which also died.” “Gods above…and the man?” Faust inquired. “When she died…that braggart was drunk and complained how he didn’t beat her hard enough so that she could give birth properly. Then…my father beat him to a bloody pulp, tied him up, and threw him in the river where he drowned…” “Good…” I said, unintentionally gritting my teeth. “Fucking prick got what he deserved.” “William?” Celestia said to me. “Oh…sorry, just personal stuff is all,” I said, forcing myself to calm down. “Since my sister died, I vowed to never cower away and face any challenges head on. It’s why I became a knight, in honor of my sister.“ Rokai gave Faust a halfhearted smile. “Your girls are lucky to have a mother like you. Your love for them is what gods fight over.” “You flatter me,” Faust said with a polite bow when they heard shouting coming from across the courtyard. “Oh, that must be our new captain. He just transferred from the western provinces.” A line of pony soldiers marched in, and leading them was a stallion wearing gold plated armor. His fur was pure white, his eyes were forest green, and his hair was a deep black that almost looked dark purple in the sunlight. The stallion bowed in respect to Queen Faust, but only gave Rokai a sideways glance. “Your Majesty, thank you once again for bestowing me the honorary rank of Captain of your guard,” he said. “No thanks needed. Sir Rokai, meet Sir Kruber,” Faust introduced. “Ah the famous hero! Been dyin’ to meet ya,” Kruber said with a friendly smile and firm handshake. “Charmed.” Rokai looked over Kruber. “What’s your weapon of choice, mate?” “I like a good shield and sword as much as the next soldier,” Kruber said. “There’s reports of Shades about to invade the eastern border. I am currently still planning my assault on the last Legionnaire. If you can push them back without losing any men, then you’ll have my respect. Deal?” “Ha! You’re on, mate! I’ll show ya what my boys are made of!” Kruber boasted. “Even in that century, stallions had inflated egos.” Celestia shook her head with a smile. “And to think, he is my student’s ancestor.” “Say what?” I said, looking at Celestia. “Captain Kruber is Twilight’s Sparkle’s ancestor,” Celestia said. “Seriously?” I looked back at Kruber before he left and scratched the back of my head. “It’s weird, but I can somehow see how that makes sense.” “Kruber was an ambitious stallion,” Celestia said as she made the memory fade. “His first task Rokai gave him was as successful as anypony expected. So not only did Kruber gain his respect, he also slowly but surely began to earn his trust.” Memory orbs appeared and it showed scenes of Rokai and Kruger. I saw memories of them fighting together, training together, and sometimes just hanging out with one another. “Kruber was one of the few ponies who Rokai respected as much as he did the Pillars. It was a shame that those times did not last long.” For some reason, I felt very anxious by Celestia’s words as the memory changed to a new memory. We were standing in a very wide, vast, snowy field. Standing with Rokai was Kruber and an anthro caribou man. An army of pony and other caribou soldiers stood behind them as the cold winds blew the snow around them. “This is where the last of the Legionnaires was reported to have been sighted,” Rokai said as he pulled up his scarf. “But there’s nothing here.” “Chief Aron, are you certain your stags reported the right place?” Kruber asked the chieftain. “He’s there. We’ve seen scores of these Shades marching in and out of that accursed place,” the stag told them while pointing to a set of mountains in the distance. “I sent stags in to scout the place…their heads were sent back as a warning.” “Bloody Tartarus, this is gonna be one for the history books,” Kruber said while adjusting his cloak. “Alright, let’s move-!” BA-BUMP!! The air suddenly became thick as the skies blackened. Rokai and the others became extremely on edge as the winds blew around in a large vortex. A black aura surfaced and something was beginning to form within the vortex. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as the creature within stood up high, and I heard a very maniacal, demonic laughter. When the creature stopped laughing, the black aura surrounding the area blew the vortex apart, revealing what was inside. A sense of fear burned in my soul at the demon standing before everyone. It was very tall, skinny yet muscular, and had a goat skull for a head with large, curved horns. Its eyes were bloody red as the black aura surrounded it like a wildfire. “What the fucking hell is that thing?!” I yelped. “The Accursed One…” Celestia said, her voice also sounding quite fearful at the sight of it. “Ten…” The demon spoke, his voice sounding like it could tear my soul in half. “Ten of my most loyal followers, slain by a single gnat.” “Bugger me! What is that?!” Kruber shouted while readying his blade, yet as the creature looked at him, he could feel his legs trembling with fear. “This…primitive world was meant to be my newest conquest of shadow, yet my Legionnaires failed such a simple task?” The demon growled in annoyance. “Very well, I shall then do it myself.” “All troops! CHARGE!” Aron said as he and the stags charged. “No! Aron, wait!” Rokai called out, but it was too late. The demon raised his clawed hand and multiple shadow tendrils shot out from the black aura surrounding him. Nearly all the stags following Aron were skewered and butchered, leaving Aron and a handful of survivors left. “Such delicate creatures,” the demon said. “You shall all serve me as Shades.” The dead bodies convulsed and were enveloped in black aura as they morphed into grotesque-looking Shades, which horrified me and angered Aron to no end. “YOU BEAST! I swear by all the gods you’ll pay for this!” Aron roared. “I’m not one to be a coward, mates, but I suggest we retreat!” Kruber said as more Shades appeared from the snow. “We’re outnumbered!” Rokai dashed forward toward the demon with his sword raised. The demon shot out more shadow tendrils, but Rokai managed to evade or deflect them. Once he was close enough, he went to slash at the demon with a forward strike. The demon created a spear of pure shadow and blocked Rokai’s attack. “I am the one who slew your followers, foul creature!” Rokai said as he tried to push against the demon. “I see…” The demon cackled at Rokai as his eyes glowed red. “State your name, warrior.” “I am Rokai Stourmborne! Guardian of Equestria and the Realms!” Rokai responded. “Rokai Stourmborne? Ah, I see, the human creature from another world.” The demon took a step forward, pushing Rokai back. “You have my recognition, Sir Stourmborne. I had not even imagined these peons would have the strength to face my minions, let alone have the ability to slay them. But you? A human? You are an unforeseen obstacle I admittedly did not anticipate.” Rokai grit his teeth and dug his boots into the snow as he pushed against the demon, barely moving the demon back. “You have more strength than I had presumed. As a reward for recognising your tenacity, I shall tell you my name.” With his free hand, the demon slashed his claws across Rokai’s chest. Rokai roared in pain as his armor was cut like paper and blood erupted from his wounds. Rokai fell to his knees as he clutched his chest in agony. “I am Valafar, High Lord of the Rings of Tartarus. I have come to this realm to spread my shadow across the lands.” “Sir Rokai!” Aron charged forward on his own. “That idiot!” I yelled. “Aron! Don’t!” Rokai tried to call out, but it was too late. Valafar disappeared in a puff of shadow and reappeared behind Aron. “You are as simpleminded as the rest of your ilk.” SKLRGE!! Much to everyone’s dismay, Valafar stabbed Aron through his back as his hand held his still beating heart in his clawed hand. “ARON!!” Rokai screamed as he struggled to stand back up. “BASTARD!!” Kruber roared as he rammed the monster with his shield before cutting him across the chest. “Well look at that, the bastard bleeds after all!” Valafar growled angrily before reeling his hand back and struck Kruber across his face. Kruber flew across the snow and Rokai was helpless to watch his forces and friends being overwhelmed. “Dammit all! Fall back!” Rokai ordered as he limped away. “ALL TROOPS! FALL BACK! GET CAPTAIN KRUBER AND CHIEF ARON! FALL BACK AND RETREAT, THAT’S AN ORDER!” “That was only the beginning of our troubles,” Celestia said as images of Valafar’s army appeared as they marched across the lands. “Battle after battle, our troops fought to push them back, but with every victory, we grew weaker.” She then showed me a battle taking place in a set of trenches outside of a battered fortress with Kruber leading a desperate counterattack. “WEAPONS UP! FIGHT LIKE IT’S PAYDAY!” Kruber said as he tried to rally the troops. “Where is Sir Rokai?!” a soldier cried. “Facing the main bastard himself!” Kruber said, pointing off in the distance. Rokai was in the middle of fighting Valafar and he was desperately trying to land a blow on the demon. Valafar, on the other hand, parried and blocked Rokai’s attacks with minimal effort. Rokai swung his sword as blood dripped from his hands from gripping it too tight. His armor was battered and cracked and he had bloody bandages wrapped around his head. “He’s fighting while injured?” I asked with worry. “Ever since his first encounter with Valafar, he did everything while injured,” Celesita said. “You’re improving little by little, Stourmborne,” Valafar mocked as he parried another strike and slugged Rokai in his gut. The wind was knocked out of him and he fell on one of his knees. “But this will be another victory for me. I shall be taking this fortress.” “Not…yet!” Rokai coughed up blood. “The way I see it, Stourmborne, you have one of two options. Stay and continue to struggle against me, or go and provide backup for your troops. They are almost overwhelmed, and your Captain is fighting on his own. You should at least help them live another pitiful day before being consumed by shadow.” “OI! GOAT FACE!” Kruber shouted as he suddenly came charging out of nowhere and rammed Valafar in the chest. “YOU LITTLE-!” Valafar hissed. “I’m a bloody battering ram! That’s what!” the captain yelled with a hearty laugh before being blasted back. Rokai saw this opportunity and stood back up. Ignoring the pain from his hands and wounds, he charged forward and spun his body around to deliver a fierce roundhouse slash. His sword managed to cut through Valafar’s thick skin, forcing Valafar to stagger backwards and clutch his new wound. “You may have the advantage in combat, Valafar, but I have my own advantages! Such as my comrades backing me up!” Rokai said. Valafar hissed venomously as he and Rokai charged once more. CLANG!! “Oh shit!” I yelped. Kruber shook his head and picked himself off the ground. When he looked back where Rokai and Valafar were, he gasped when he saw both fighters’ weapons piercing the other through the sides of their guts. “Gah!” Rokai coughed blood. “Curses!” Valafar growled as they pulled back. Rokai used his sword as a crutch as Valafar held his wound with his free hand. “You surprise me once again, Stourmborne.” Valafar pointed behind him to show the fortress was about to be lost to Rokai’s troops. “We shall end this duel with a draw, but this battle’s victory goes to my troops. We shall meet again on the field of battle.” “Wait!” Rokai said but Valafar disappeared. “Come back here, you bastard! I can still fight-ARGH!” Rokai fell to his knee and coughed more blood. “Hey! Easy, mate,” Kruber said before noticing the Shades were overrun by the coalition army. “GET ME A MEDIC NOW! NOW!” the captain shouted while helping his friend to walk. “Did ya see the look on his face when I tackled him? Ha! That bastard’s gonna be bruised for a month!” “Heh…yeah…” Rokai panted as the medics met them halfway. “We need to retreat!” Rokai said. “But the fortress-!” Kruber said. “Is lost! I won’t let any more of our men die this day! Order a full retreat! That’s an order!” Rokai barked. Though he was against it, Kruber ordered the stallions, griffins, and caribou soldiers to abandon the fortress and take whatever supplies they could carry while the Shades and Valafar were driven back. It was a pyrrhic victory for the alliance. “Another scar for the ladies, eh mate?” The captain smirked with his usual positive attitude as Rokai was placed on a stretcher. Kruber expected a witty remark when Rokai’s arm fell limp. Blood smeared the stretcher and Kruger’s face went pale. “Hey…hey, mate! ROKAI!” he yelled while shaking his friend. “No…No NO NO NO!! ROKAI!” Before I could question what happened, Celestia made the memory change and we were back in Canterlot. We stood in a hallway and Faust was pacing back and forth in front of a set of double doors. Little Tia and Lulu were there as well, and they looked older; looking around maybe ten or twelve years old. Sitting in nearby chairs were leaders of each kingdom of the world. I even saw Princess Raster and her father and the poor princess was crying in her father’s arms. The double doors opened to reveal a stallion wearing a doctor’s medical coat and bloody gloves. “Doctor, how is he?” Faust asked. “It was touch and go for a few moments, but he'll live,” the doc said, making them sigh with relief. “He’ll be out of the field for a few months.” “Bugger that…!” All heads turned and gasped to see Rokai leaning on the wall, dressed in a white gown. “I ain’t gonna stay bedridden like some old tosser! Bring me my sword and armor!” Rokai demanded. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir,” the doctor replied while forcing him back into bed. “I must agree with the doctor. You barely survived this time,” Faust said as the nurses put the blanket back on him. “Until you are back at full strength, I will have Sir Kruber lead the campaign against Valafar.” “Valafar is still out there!” Rokai said defiantly. “He and I have unfinished business, I still owe him for the other wounds he gave me!” “Rokai, please! You need rest!” Raster begged. “Do you people not realize that we’ve lost the edge we fought for?!” Rokai yelled at the many rulers in the room. “Valafar has retaken the territories we had liberated from the Legionnaires and his Shades are closing in on each of the kingdoms of the realm!” “And we understand, but you can’t fight him like this!” Arkan shot back while grabbing one of his injured arms. “OW!” “See? Just one touch is all it would take to overpower you.” “Bugger me, I fucking hate being weak…” Rokai said bitterly. “You are not weak, good sir,” the zebra leader said. “Quite right, you are more than capable to face whatever conflicts are thrown your way, but even you have limits, yes?” King Longclaw said. “I must speak with the queen in private,” Rokai answered with a request. The other rulers nodded as they and the medical staff vacated the room. Raster glanced back once more at Rokai before the door closed. “This cannot go on, Your Majesty. With every confrontation I have against Valafar, more lives and territory are lost. I was naïve to believe that victory was assured, not taking into consideration what the leader of the Shades would be like.” “You mustn’t blame yourself, Rokai,” Faust said. “Even I did not anticipate that Valafar was who he is.” “There must be a way to match that monster's strength…” Rokai grumbled. The queen looked like she hesitated before answering. “Rokai… if I were to say I may have a solution, but only as a last resort, how would you feel about it?” Faust asked. “Depends on the last resort,” Rokai said. Faust leaned in and whispered in his ear. I watched as Rokai's expression turned from shock, to rage, and looked like he was appalled from what she said to him. “With all due respect, Your Majesty,” Rokai sneered. “But that is out of the damn question!” “Well, it’s as you said, we lose more and more with every battle. Soon there won’t be a land to defend and our citizens grow more restless,” Faust argued. “And what about your daughters?!” Rokai challenged, pointing at Faust. “They would be devastated!” “You think I want to do something as outrageous as this?!” Faust snapped back, tears forming in her eyes. “My precious daughters are everything to me! They’re all I have left after Starswirl and the Pillars disappeared! That even includes you!” “Me?” Rokai said, when Faust hugged him close and cried into his shoulder. “You are like a son to me…losing one of my most closests friends was bad enough, but if we lost you…” Faust would say nothing as she hugged him tighter. “I…I would be lying if I said I did not see you as family as well, Faust,” Rokai said somberly as he wrapped an arm around her. “But there must be another way. Please, for me, do not tell anyone about what we discussed. I will recover as soon as I can and you go back to leading the kingdom.” Faust leaned back and Rokai smiled at her. “We will find a way to prevail, I swear it.” “…Very well, I will say nothing of this to the others,” the queen promised before kissing his forehead. “Now rest, I’m sure by the time you recover, Sir Kruber will be our new hero,” Faust jokes, making both him and myself laugh a little. “Such a bitterly happy moment…it’s a shame it could not last,” Celestia said as we warped to a battlefield. The fighting was so intense, so real that I ducked from an exploding trebuchet that hit the ground before seeing Kruber facing off with Valafar in single combat. “He’s fighting that monster on his own?!” I panicked. There were Shades fighting against Equestrian troops and griffin soldiers. Kruber looked completely out of breath as Valafar twirled his shadow spear around. “These memories are from one of the soldiers who followed Kruber into battle. This confrontation was happening just outside Grifforia’s capital city,” Celestia explained. “You are quite the courageous one, young warrior,” Valafar said. “I still remember the lucky blow you inflicted on me. Commendable, but I have shared deeper wounds with Stourmborne.” “Ohh. don’t worry, I’m just warming you up for him…” Kruber huffed as they circled each other, smiling with confidence despite his armor being in complete tatters and his sword and shield were damaged beyond repair. “I will make your death quick,” Valafar threatened, readying his spear. “Don’t bark if ya can’t bite, ya TWAT!” Kruber snapped, making Valafar lunge at him as he parried with his shield and swung his sword down to cut him across his chest. The slash left a wound, but not deep enough to cause any serious damage. Valafar growled in annoyance as he faced off against Kruber. I could tell that the demon had underestimated Kruber and was just as skilled as Rokai. Valafar went for a thrust with his spear, which Kruber managed to block with his shield just in time. However, the force of Valafar’s thrust was so strong that it pierced the shield, narrowly missing Kruber’s gut. Valafar cackled a little as he pulled his spear back along with Kruber’s shield, forcing Kruber to let go of it. Valafar dropped the shield on the ground and stomped on it with his clawed foot, crushing the shield, making it useless. “Now you have nothing to protect yourself with,” Valafar hissed maliciously. “Eh, it was tacky anyway,” the captain joked, earning more of the demon’s frustration while drawing a line in the dirt. “If you got guts, come over here!” “You…INSOLENT WORM!!” Valafar roared in anger as he charged at the captain, not seeing the broken spear hidden in the dirt. “That’s right…come to Kruber…” Kruber said to himself. With one quick stomp of his foot, the spear suddenly sprang from the dirt and pierced Valafars left leg, allowing Kruber to cleave him on the right side of his torso as he ran past him to a safe distance. “Oh look, I’ve cut you. What a shame,” Kruber said with a smug grin, but still kept his guard up. “Hell yeah! He’s got him-!” I was cut off when I saw something on the ground. Just as Kruber was about to get the drop on him again, Valafar’s shadow looked like something was sticking out of it and was aiming for Kruber. “Oh shit! KRUBER!” I called out, as if trying to warn him, even though it was a memory. “KRUBER, WATCH OUT!!” STAB!! It was too late, and I had to watch it happen. A tendril of shadow shot out of Valafar’s shadow and pierced right through Kruger’s chest. “NOO!!” I yelled. “You have been a thorn in my side LONG ENOUGH!” Valafar yelled as he tossed the dying captain aside, the entire field suddenly grew quiet. “Kruber!” A soldier came running and knelt beside him as Valafar turned away to finish the battle with his Shades. The soldier pulled their helmet off and revealed to be a unicorn mare as she held him close. “It’s okay, I’m here,” she whimpered. “SOMEPONY GET ME A MEDIC!!” “I’m sorry, love…” The captain croaked while holding her cheek. “I guess I…won’t be able to go to our little girl’s party…” “No, no, don’t talk like that! Just breathe…WHERE’S THE DAMN MEDIC?!” she screamed as one finally arrived to try and help stop the bleeding. “Please…tell our girl that I…I…” Kruber tried to say as the light left his eyes. Before he could finish his sentence, Kruber’s hand slipped from her cheek and fell to the ground. The mare cried out as tears flowed from her eyes and wailed out loud as the Coalition forces were pushed back by the Shades. I felt my heart break at the sad sight before me; a great captain fell against that monster and he didn’t get to see his children grow up. Celestia wiped her eyes and made the memory change. “Grifforia, along with the rest of the kingdoms of the world, were on the brink of being completely overrun. My mother had called for an emergency gathering of the Coalition alliance to discuss what must be done.” The memory brought us to the council room where all the rulers of the world sat with Faust at the head. The sword and destroyed shield Kruber used sat on the table with a piece of cloth wrapped around it, stained with blood and mud. I didn’t see Rokai, which meant he was probably still recovering. “Wait…where is representative for the Northlanders?” one member of the council asked. “I am sad to say that…they have broken their treaty with us,” Faust said, shocking the entire council. “Cowards!” the yak leader said angrily. “They cannot be blamed,” the zebra leader sighed. “This war brings such a heavy toll; I’m surprised we’ve lasted this long.” “Queen Faust, hasn’t Sir Rokai recovered yet?” King Arkan asked as she stared at the sword and destroyed shield. “I am afraid not, and with the loss of Sir Kruber, our troops morale has dropped drastically,” Faust said, rubbing her temples. “And we just got reports that the Shade army is on the move again.” SLAM!! The doors swung open, almost flying off their hinges, and startled all in the room. Rokai stood in the doorway, looking more livid than I ever would’ve imagined to see him. The council was silent as he slowly walked in, I could feel his anger pierce the very air they were breathing. When he stopped at the table, his eyes panned to the sword and shield and he balled his hands into fists. “Kruber…he’s fallen?” Rokai said in a low voice. “I’m sorry, Rokai,” Faust said as she could see the tears welling in his eyes. “He fought bravely to the end.” Rokai went to Krubers seat and picked up the now tattered blade, feeling nothing but regret at the loss of his friend. “Who killed him?” Rokai asked. “Valafar,” King Arakan said just before he slammed the sword back down. “I should have been there…” Rokai grit his teeth. “I should have stood by his side…” “Rokai-” Faust tried to say. “HE IS DEAD BECAUSE I WAS NOT THERE WITH HIM!!” Rokai roared with remorse. “WHY?! WHY AM I SO FUCKING HELPLESS?!” “THAT’S ENOUGH, STOURMBORNE!!” Arakan shouted before forcing Rokai to look straight at him. “That stallion died doing his duty and now you need to do yours! There will be time to mourn, but now we need you more than ever.” “He’s right, Rokai,” Faust said, wiping her tears. “I believe the time has come for…our last resort.” “Last resort?” a council member asked. “Indeed. I have devised a method to bring down our demonic foe and restore peace. However…it comes at a tremendous cost,” Faust explained. “What could we possibly lose, more than we already have?” the zebra leader asked. “Allow me to explain. As you all are aware, I am the first born Alicorn in the world. I have lived through the founding of these lands, this kingdom, and the growth of your own kingdoms as well. Throughout my lifetime, I have had considerable practice with my magic, inventing new spells and broadening my magical capabilities. When I met Starswirl, makers rest his soul, he helped me with my magical discoveries. To my point, I have a spell that might just be able to vanquish Valafar. The only downside is…I must use my inner magic core for it to be effective.” “Inner magic core…?” King Longclaw repeated. “But, Your Majesty, that would mean-!” “Yes…the price would be my own physical form in this realm, while my soul is called to the planet’s core in order to replenish the magic I used,” Faust said with a frown. “Out of the question!” the leader of the dragon lands shouted. “Do you know what’ll happen if you do this? The nobles will seize power and all we have worked for will be undone! Already, they’re trying to divide our races, even amidst this terrible war!” “And we should be concerned as to what our other enemies will do if they learn of this,” said Longclaw. “Which is why I have decided to name my daughters as co-rulers,” Faust said. “They may be young, but they are more than ready to take my place. However, I will not take action without Sir Rokai’s consent.” “Sir Rokai?” the zebra leader asked. “Why him?” “Because he is also needed for this plan to work.” Faust turned to Rokai. “What say you, Sir Rokai Stourmborne?” Rokai was torn between winning the war and sacrificing the queen as he tried to find the right decision. “…Will you give me time?” he asked the council, who nodded in agreement, knowing this decision could decide the very future of the kingdom. Rokai left and made his way to the courtyard. As Celestia and I followed him, I could tell he was going for a very shitty time right now. He lost one of his closest friends again, after Starswirl and the other Pillars. I wished I could talk to him, had this not been a memory. Rokai sat on a bench in the courtyard and buried his face in his hands before dragging them down. “What to do, what to do, what to bloody do…?” Rokai uttered to himself. “Need some company?” Rokai turned, and Celesita and I saw, Princess Raster was behind him with her usual warm smile. “Would it matter if I said no?” she asked. “No,” Rokai shook his head, smiling briefly. The two shared a quick laugh and kiss as Raster leaned on her old flame’s shoulder, holding his hand as they looked at the flower petals falling from the tree. “I’m sorry about your friend,” she said, breaking the silence. “He was a good man…” Rokai sighed sadly. “I am sorry I keep you waiting for an answer regarding your heart for me. Now I find myself at a crossroads that keeps splitting into different paths. No matter which one I take, I fear as though it is the wrong one, and everyone else will fall under Valafar’s reign.” Raster kissed him in hopes of calming his worries, and it seemed to work as she looked at him with the same smile that made all his worries fade. “Whatever path you take, know that I support you,” Raster told him before pressing her chest on him. “And when this war is over, I'll be there to warm you at night~.” “Heh, you always seem to want to bring my spirits up,” Rokai said with a half-hearted smile. “Raster…am I strong enough to be able to face Valafar one last time? He’s bested me every time we meet on the battlefield. I am just a man, after all, despite me being able to land my own share of wounds on him, and he is a demon from the pits of Tartarus.” “But he is a demon who bleeds,” Raster said while looking at her lover. “Do you know what happened before Kruber died?” she asked as Rokai shook his head. “He wounded that monster so badly that he had to resort to trickery to escape defeat. Kruber had that fiend right in the palm of his hand before he fell, and if he can beat him, then so can you.” I saw Rokai’s eyes form determination I’ve never seen before. He stood up from the bench and looked down at his hand before clenching it. “Raster.” He turned around to face the Minotaur princess. “When this is over, I will return to make an honest woman out of you.” Rokai left a bewildered princess to think on his words. Raster looked like she wanted to be happy to hear what he just said, but she looked somewhat…sad at the same time. “Don’t make a girl a promise you can’t keep, my love,” Raster said to herself. We followed Rokai as he walked back to the council room, where he found Tia and Lulu crying in their mother’s arms. I also noticed Celestia trying her best not to cry as Faust tried to console her daughters. “Mother, please don’t go!” Lulu begged while clinging to her mother’s side. “Don’t leave us alone!” Tia sobbed as they were brought in for a gentle embrace by their mother. “Oh, my dears, you won’t be alone,” she promised while wiping away their tears. “I’ll be with you, always.” “But what if we’re not ready yet?!” Tia asked. “My little sunshine, you are more than ready. As is your sister,” Faust said. “You both have made me so very proud, and so would Starswirl. You both must promise me to be strong and be there for each other. Once this war is finished, this kingdom will look to you for guidance.” “What about Rokai?” Lulu asked as Rokai knelt down. “I will be back as soon as I can. I will look after you as if you were my own,” Rokai said. The girls then hugged him close as Faust turned to the other rulers. “Words cannot express my gratitude for keeping this alliance together for as long as it has. Hopefully, when this war is over, it shall continue to thrive,” Faust said with a thankful smile. “I must now prepare for the end, my friends. I wish you all good fortune for the foreseeable future.” Celestia made the memory change again and we were floating in midair. That day, all was quiet as the Coalition armies stood on an open field, miles away from Canterlot where lines of siege engines were armed and ready to fire upon the army of Shades that blanketed the horizon. Both sides charged at each other and engaged in fierce combat. Creatures of all shapes and sizes battled tooth and nail against the Shades, but I couldn’t see Rokai anywhere. “Where’s Rokai?” I asked Celestia. When the next memory came into focus, I was shocked and in awe by what I saw. Standing almost half beaten to death was Rokai, wielding his sword with a rainbow-like aura. I could see Faust’s hands aimed at the sword as though she was finishing casting a spell. I saw Rokai smile and his mouth moving, but for some reason I couldn’t hear him. “What’s going on? What did we miss? And why can’t I hear Rokai just now?” I asked Celestia. She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know myself. This was all that my mother passed onto me when she left me these memories.” The duel between Rokai and the demon was one for the ages. Rokai was guided by honor and duty to his kingdom as he fought while Valafar was fueled by his rage and hate as they met in single combat on the field of battle. “There will be no interruptions, Valafar!” Rokai said as he clashed with Valafar’s shadow spear. The skies darkened as lightning crackled violently from the blackened clouds. “Only one of us shall see another day, and I shall ensure your defeat, no matter what! This world shall have its light once again!” Valafar laughed as he parried another blow and sparks were sent flying with every clash of their blades. “So brave, so boastful! Just like your friend Kruber!” The demon chuckled provokingly. “Would you care to know how he died?!” “YOU BASTARD!! I’LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!!” Rokai roared. Rokai ran toward Valafar as if he wanted to destroy him where he stood. Rokai swung his sword for a sideways slash and Valafar tried to block. Thanks to the mysterious rainbow aura surrounding Rokai’s sword, Valafar was pushed back considerably and struggled to withstand Rokai’s attack. When Valafar spun his spear to try and throw Rokai off balance, Rokai jumped back just in time before spinning around and slashing Valafar across his chest. Valafar forced out a painful roar as both blood and shadow burst from the wound a little. However, Rokai did not give the demon time to recover. He kicked Valafar right in his skull helmet, cracking it, and sent Valafar back a ways. The eye sockets of Valafar’s skull helmet glowed a deep red as he seethed at Rokai with malice. “WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?!” Valafar hissed. When he tried to heal the wound, his power did not respond properly. “HOW DARE YOU?! THIS IS MY AGE OF SHADOW!! I SHALL NOT BE DEPRIVED OF ALL I HAVE STRIVED FOR!!” “Not while I still draw breath!” Rokai shot back as he cut Valafar again before stabbing him in his side with a cracked blade. “THAT’S FOR KRUBER!” Valafar roared viciously as he tried to use his shadow tendrils to skewer Rokai. As if the aura surrounding his sword was guiding him, Rokai dodged and weaved, blocked, and parried any shadow tendrils coming his way. Rokai was fighting for his life against the demon. He was fighting for his new home, his friends, his new family. Despite looking like he’d topple over just by pushing him, he still had the strength of an army on his back. When Valafar tried to stab Rokai with his spear again, Rokai managed to dodge and grab his spear midway. Rokai reared his sword back and slashed across Valafar’s chest again, cutting him deep. “No…NO!! THIS CANNOT BE!! YOU ARE A HUMAN!! A WORTHLESS APE!! A MORTAL!!” Valafar roared in anger as the Coalition forces began routing his army. “WHAT ARE YOU?!” “You haven’t figured it out yet?” Rokai pointed his sword at Valafar as the lighting in the sky continued to crackle violently. “I am the mortal who came to this world for the sole purpose of defeating you! I am the mortal who is pure of heart and who will slay you! That is what I am! I am the mortal who will protect the light that shines on this world!” Rokai took a runing stance and gripped his sword before taking off in a sprint towards his demonic foe. “ALLY TO ALL THAT IS GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU! I AM THE GUARDIAN OF EQUESTRIA AND THE REALM!” Rokai bellowed with triumph in his voice. I could tell Valafar was getting desperate as Rokai’s attacks were giving him the edge he needed. Rokai jumped around Valafar and swung his sword with various, fluid motions. Whenever Valafar blocked or parried his strikes, he would get hit by two or three more. A few shadow tendrils shot from the ground from all sides at Roaki. Rokai bent down and jumped in the air as high as he could and dodged each tendril. When he landed back down on the ground, he lunged towards Valafar and slammed his fist into Valafar’s gut. The demon lurched forward as Rokai then slashed him across his helmet. I was silently cheering for Rokai, thinking he’d pull it off. It wasn’t until Valafar noticed Faust sitting on her knees, trying to catch her breath from the amount of magic she used as she watched the fight. “So…this is all because of you!” the demon said with a manic grin before turning into a shadow. “LEAVE HER BE, COWARD!!” Rokai shouted while giving chase. Rokai sprinted towards Faust and it was a race to see who would make it first. Valafar sounded like he wanted to rip Faust in two and Rokai wasn’t going to let it happen. Faust tried to protect herself with a barrier, but was too weak from enchanting the sword and could only brace herself for death. Valafar materialized from the shadows with his sword ready to skewer her where she sat. Time slowed down as Rokai kept running towards the queen without any regard of the danger he was throwing himself in. The worst part was I already could tell what was going to happen, but Rokai kept running forward. “NO!! ROKAI, DON’T!!” I screamed. CLAASH!! It happened in an instant, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart at the mere sight. Faust slowly opened her eyes and looked up to an image that would burn in her memory. Rokai stood in front of her as Valafar’s spear had pierced his chest where his heart was. Faust’s eyes widened as Rokai coughed, but kept his sword in his hands. “RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!” Rokai roared a battle cry. With one last push of his strength, Rokai drove his empowered sword straight into Valafar's chest and kept piercing his flesh. “YOUR RAMPAGE OF SHADOW AND TERROR IS OVER!!!” Rokai screamed in Valafar’s face. “GO TO HELL!!! AND TAKE THE SHADOWS WITH YOU!!!” With one last agonizing roar, Valafar exploded into a puff of smoke and an explosion of bright lights, and the storm that had formed was suddenly blown away by a fierce wind. The Shades slowly turned to dust, leaving only empty husks of armor and cracked weapons. At first, all began to raise their arms in triumph when I noticed the queen holding Rokai with tears in her eyes. “Oh…oh no,” I said sombrely. Faust held Rokai close, his sword having been broken into pieces from the blast. “Ugh…Faust,” Rokai croaked. “Stay with me!” Faust begged. “You need to live!” “Don’t…don’t cry, Faust.” Rokai reached up with his free bloody hand and Faust clasped it. “It’s…it’s alright.” As the queen felt his grip weakening, her tears fell onto his face, washing away the blood and dirt while the surviving coalition soldiers had gathered around and began to kneel in respect. The clouds started to part from the sky and the sun’s rays pierced through the clouds. The rays shone down on Rokai and lit up the tattered battlefield around them. It felt so unfair, seeing Rokai dying like this. He had fought so hard and given it his all to bring peace to the world, yet it had cost him his life. “It was an honor…to serve as your knight…” Rokai said in a raspy voice. “Rokai…” Faust cried hysterically. “I know…” Rokai’s breathing was becoming weaker. “My journey…has come to an end. You…everyone I have met…gave me a blessing…I did not believe it to be possible. My only regret…is not being able…to see the girls…continue to grow…into beautiful flowers.” Faust gently held his hand and comforted him as best she could. “If I were to have a son…it would be you.” She smiled sadly. “I am…so proud of the man you have become.” “Do you think…my son…would be proud of me?” Rokai wondered as the light in his eyes began to fade. “Yes, of course he would,” the queen replied, and with one last smile. “Then…I have no…regrets…” He said with his last breath, Before I knew it, Rokai Stourmborne, the Guardian of Equestria and the Realm, passed away peacefully in her arms. Faust slowly stood up, tears streaming down her cheeks, with Rokai still in her arms and carried him over to the soldiers nearby. I watched sadly as some of them stood up as they helped take his body. All of a sudden, Faust’s body had little lights coming off her. “Y-Your Majesty?” a soldier uttered. “It appears I too have run out of time,” Faust said. She lit up her horn one last time as an orb of magic of some kind appeared in her hands. “Listen to me very carefully. I need you to give this orb of memories, combined with Rokai, myself, and any whom he interacted with, to my daughters.” “Of course, Your Majesty,” a soldier said as he took the orb. “Furthermore…” More of the little lights flickered around Faust as her body began to fade. “You must pass my last words to my daughters. A prophecy they must keep in mind for the foreseeable future.” They all nodded as Faust closed her eyes. “The darkness has been quelled, but it will not last forever. There will come a time when the world needs a hero like Sir Stourmborne. So I say unto you, my daughters, await the day when a new hero arises. Await for him to come and vanquish all that is evil. For he shall succeed all what Rokai Stourmborne was. He shall be…the new Guardian of Equestria and the Realm.” At this point, Faust’s body was almost as transparent as Celestia’s and mine. “Remember, my daughters, keep the fire of friendship alive in your hearts, for you will need it in the days ahead, and…know that I will love you always,” Faust said with a single tear dropping onto the orb as she faded into a cloud of glittering dust that floated away with the wind. For a moment, I saw Celestia wipe the tears away from her eyes. The memory then changed to a large tent in the Coalition’s camp, where the leaders of each faction had gathered after hearing the tragic news of Sir Rokai and Queen Faust. “What should we do with the sword?” King Longclaw asked after seeing the shattered blade. “It should be hidden,” King Arakan suggested. “Until a new guardian is chosen, we cannot risk anyone abusing its power.” “Agreed. Each piece should go to one of the three pony tribes,” said the dragon lord, who picked up the broken hilt of the sword. “Should evil arise again, the dragon smiths will reforge the sword with our very flames. This I vow.” And so, the blade was divided amongst the three tribes of Equestria. The blade’s pieces were given to the Pegasai and Earth Ponies while the hilt was given to the unicorns. Just when I thought there’d be more memories, the world around us faded into the void. My vision blurred for a moment until I took a deep breath, and we were back in the present in front of the statue. “What the…” I saw Luna was still here, and she stared at me. “You’ve been waiting this whole time?” “Thou has’t only been in a trance f’r about five minutes,” Luna said. “This is his resting place,” Celestia said as she placed a hand on the statue. “It was…a very difficult day that day. Not only did we lose our mother…but we lost somepony who was like a dear brother to us. I cannot tell you how many moons we both cried after Rokai’s body was laid to rest.” “So…what Faust said, before she disappeared,” I said, trying to come to terms with Faust’s last words. “Yes…it is why you were summoned to this world,” Celestia said while looking at the statue of Sir Rokai. “Me…?” I asked as Celestia and Luna both faced me. “Thou art the guardian chosen to protecteth our kingdom and the realm,” Luna said with a proud smile. It took me a full minute to process what she said. “…Are you shitting me?” Author's Note And so, ends the valiant tale of The First Guadian of Equestria and the Realm, Rokai Stourmborne. Side Note: Sorry this took so long, there was a whole lot of planning put into this chapter. Which includes waiting for the awesome artwork! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
Dilemma Of A HeroChapter 14 I lost track of how long I stood in the gardens. My mind was still trying to process all the memories of Sir Rokai and his battles. His fight with Valafar was something that burned itself into my head and I would never be able to forget it. And as if things couldn’t be more unpredictable, I was still trying to come to terms with Faust’s prediction before she disappeared and what Celestia and Luna had just told me. That I was to be the new guardian of Equestria. “This is a mistake…” I managed to finally say and began pacing back and forth. “This has to be some kind of miscommunication or misunderstanding or something! Why, of all people, why me? More so, how could it be me?” “How could it not be you?” The calm, gentle voice of princess Luna spoke up as she approached me from behind. I looked behind me to see Celestia and Luna still standing by the statue of Rokai. “I’ll tell you!” I said in a panic and pointed at the statue. “I just bore witness to that man, that incredible, courageous, and honorable man and all he’d done for this kingdom! No, more than that, this whole freaking world! He fought hordes of shadow monsters, dueled some of the most vicious-looking demons I’ve ever seen, and he gave his life in order to defeat that monster, Valafar! Me?! I’m just plain old William Saber who can’t even hold a candle to Rokai Stourmborne!” “You are more than plain old William,” Celestia reassured with a smile. “But I am!” I protested. “I’m not a knight or a seasoned warrior like Rokai was! What good am I if I can’t even get a proper handle on my own powers?!” Before I could hear anything, the princesses had to say, I ran off feeling more frustrated than ever. Before all of this, I was just your average guy living an average life and now I was tasked with saving an entire nation. “This is bullshit…!” I grumbled as I marched out of the gardens. “Why should I have to risk my life for a world that’s not even my real home?!” I made it back to the throne room and pushed the doors open, startling the guards. I felt like I was cheated out of living a second normal life and was forcefully given a task without my consent. A Guardian? Really? It all sounded like a five-year old playing make believe with his toys. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going as I just kept walking through the castle walls, when I heard someone yelling. “MOVE YOUR FLANKS, SOLDIERS!” A commanding voice shouted. I came to the castle courtyard to see the royal guards doing some drills and sparring with each other with the pony in charge shouting instructions and making sure none of them were slacking off. I recognized the leader from before. Shining Armor, I think his name was? His ear flicked a bit and noticed me watching the other ponies doing drills. “Oh. Good morning,” he said to me before returning his attention to his men. “Um, hi, Mr. Armor,” I said respectfully as I walked in the training yard. “Doing some drills, or something?” “Just call me Shining,” He said before blowing his whistle. “Alright men, break. Get some water and head back to the barracks.” “SIR!” the soldiers shouted in unison as they sat wherever they could to catch their breath. “So, how are you enjoying Canterlot?” he asked me with a friendly smile. “To be honest? Not what I was expecting,” I admitted as I followed him over to a water dispenser. I felt as though keeping the whole guardian thing should be kept under wraps, for the time being. “I guess you could say I’m still not used to being the only human in a magical world of walking, talking ponies.” “Well, most would agree with you,” Shining said while hinting at a few ponies giving me strange looks. “Our scientists were hoping to study you since you’re the first human to be seen in over a thousand years. Everypony believed humans were nothing but a ponytale He chuckled while filling a small cup for himself. “Remind me to steer clear of any scientists,” I joked as I took a sip. I noticed a couple pony soldiers sparring and hummed to myself. “Elbows should be up, wider stance for better balance,” I unintentionally thought out loud. “Ahh, you know combat?” Shining inquired, snapping me out of my daydream. “Hm? Oh! Well, kinda,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “I had been taught martial arts since I was very young.” “What kind?” Shining asked. “Karate, I’m a black belt,” I explained. “Is that so? Alright.” Shining placed his cup aside and began popping his knuckles. “How’s about a little one on one?” I blinked in surprise and looked around before pointing at myself. “You serious?” I asked dumbly. “Sure. I’m getting bored just standing here anyways. Plus, it’ll be a good display for the rookies,” Shining replied while doing a few stretches. He removed his shirt that made some of the female staff cry out in excitement. I arched a brow at their reaction but could see why they were gawking at Shining so much. Under all that armor he wore; I couldn’t tell before how fit he was. The guy had as much muscle mass as Mac, which is saying something considering Mac’s arms look like he can crack a cannonball in two. As Shining did his stretches, I shrugged and decided to take him up on his offer. I took off my jacket and draped it over one of the training dummies. I put my hands together and closed my eyes. I focused my senses and let my body move with the flow of my Ki. I lifted my arms up over my head while arching my back. Then I lowered my arms and lifted my leg all the way up to the point I was doing a standing split. I started to hear the recruits murmur amongst themselves about my flexibility. “Ten bits says the captain floors him in a second,” one recruit said. “Fifteen says the new guy gets the first hit,” another said back. The soldiers began taking bets amongst themselves which I’m pretty sure was against regulations, but Shining didn’t seem to care as he stepped into the sparring ring and rolled his shoulder a few times. “Ready?” He asked. I exhaled and lowered my leg back down and entered the ring. I took a step back and widened my stance while bending my knees. I held one hand at my side and the other in front of me. “Ready,” was all I said with a serious expression. To my surprise, Shining took a standard MMA stance once he neared the center of the ring, all that was left was for the referee to begin the match and everyone in the area could sense the tension. “BEGIN!” The ref called out. Shining shuffled towards me as I kept my eyes focused. He tried taking me out by throwing fake punches, but I didn’t flinch. I noticed him lean on his left leg and he clenched his right fist. Reacting quickly, I raised my arm and blocked a fierce haymaker thrown by Shining. My arm managed to block the attack, and I countered it by weaving my body to the right and struck his chest with a palm strike. Shining took a step back after getting the wind knocked out of him and rubbed the pain out of his chest with an approving nod. “Not bad,” he complimented me before dashing his way towards me. He looked like he was going for a grapple, but he caught me off guard and delivered a flying knee right to my chest, no doubt as payback for the blow I delivered him and tried to finish it with an elbow drop to the head. I raised both my arms to block his elbow. I then put all my weight on my left leg so I could kick his side, forcing him to back up. I squatted down and backflipped away before jumping back in the air towards Shining and delivering a fierce scissor kick. Shining barely had time to block and was forced backwards and I took a stance again. Shining narrowed his eyes at me, and we both charged at each other and exchanged blows. His punches were heavy and hard to block, especially his kicks since I had to evade most of them and tried to avoid blocking them. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t return the favor. My punches and kicks were swifter and more precise as I landed three blows for every single blow, he landed on me. During our punch fest, I tried to get some distance from him by stepping backwards and tried to follow up with a spinning back kick. However, Shining seemed to see through my plan and rushed me. “No you don’t!” He shouted before trapping me in a guillotine grapple and forced me to the ground. There was no mistaking that he was good and was captain of the guards for a reason. I grunted as his arms tightened around my neck. I tried to pull away, but that only made his arm crush my windpipe even more. “Give up, kid! You had a good run!” Shining said. Those words seemed to strike a chord in me. I had been in many fights before at tournaments, other times in self-defense in public. One thing Ivan knew me for as his student was that I was prone to be stubborn. Instead of pulling away, I grabbed his arms and began pulling upwards. I grit my teeth hard as I focus my Ki on my legs. I couldn’t really see, due to him holding my head down, but I could definitely feel myself slowly rising upwards. I put all my strength in my arms and legs as I managed to pick the large stallion up and hold him in the air. My arm and leg muscles bulged through my clothes and a white aura of Ki appeared around me. “Oh crap!” Shining yelped and braced himself as I threw him across the ring, and I was immediately declared the winner for fear of the captain suffering further injuries. I wheezed and tried to catch my breath. Sweat trickled down the side of my head as I noticed everyone was staring at me. Even Shining looked at me like he had just witnessed a strange phenomenon while sitting on the ground. I approached Shining and offered my hand to him. “You okay? Did I throw you too hard?” I asked. “I’ll live.” Shining grunted as I helped him up. “But man, you got a grip. Almost crushed my arms,” he said while showing me the hand shaped bruises on his arms. “Where’d you learn to do that?” “My teacher, back home,” I explained. “He was sort of a jack-of-all-trades when it came to combat. That was a good spar.” “Let’s go again some time,” Shining smirked while giving me a friendly jab and redressed himself. “Alright troops, get back to work!” The captain shouted before blowing the whistle. “How long have you been captain of the guard?” I asked as the troops began a set of push-ups. “Ever since I graduated from the academy, and ever since I was a colt, I always dreamed of joining the royal guard. And man, was I excited. Especially when I was made captain, my little sister also.” Shining smiled fondly while looking at his reflection in a guard’s helmet. “Who was captain before you?” I wondered. Shining pointed over at a plaque on the wall that had a picture of another unicorn stallion. He had a scar over his eye and was saluting. The name under the plaque was the name Iron Spirit. “Iron Spirit. That stallion was tough as nails and would not tolerate even the smallest infractions. I remember this one time, I failed to polish my helmet properly and he made me polish every last one in the barracks,” Shining said as his tone changed to one of despair. “It was a living nightmare…but the guy was pretty alright if you didn’t get on his bad side.” I thought about Shining’s experience with wanting to become captain of the royal guard and about my own predicament. “Can I ask you something a bit personal?” I asked. “Shoot,” Shining said. “Did you feel qualified when you finally got the job? Like, did you have any idea how to properly fill the role of being in charge of protecting the princesses?” I asked. “Hmm, now that is a good question,” he answered while scratching his chin. “Well, truth be told, I didn’t feel qualified at first. At one point, I passed out from overexertion while on guard duty and it gave my family quite the scare. I even ended up in the hospital.” He smiled as I listened. “But while in bed, I got the biggest surprise from Princess Celestia. She had come to visit me herself to apologize.” “Apologize? For what?” I wondered. “She said she figured it would be hard for a young stallion like me to act as a proper captain, but I was touched by her words and said that I wouldn’t let it happen again. Wanna know what happened next?” Shining asked me. I leaned in a little and listened closely. “She laughed!” Shining said as he began laughing himself. “I was so confused when she began laughing and said that I reminded her of my little sister!” He continued to laugh for a few moments before calming down. “She said she admired how determined I was to fulfill my role but told me not to be so anxious and do my best and since then I’ve been a pretty good captain.” His response was so unexpected that I stared at him for several minutes to see if he was joking, but he was dead serious. “So, what did you do after that?” I asked. “Well, I just acted the way I normally did but I also made sure none of the guards under my command were slacking off,” Shining said before blowing the whistle on one of the trainees. “MOVE IT ROOKIE! Ain’t no room for deadweights around here!” “Y-YES SIR!” The recruit yelped and jogged faster. His words stuck with me and the anxiety I was feeling from earlier had dwindled away. He had been given a job that sounded like he had to put everything on the line for, yet Celestia told him not to overthink it too much. It made me think of the position I was meant to fill. I was still admittedly scared and felt unqualified, but maybe I’m also overthinking it? “I guess sometimes you just gotta take a chance and believe things will turn out for the better,” I said. “Exactly, but if you still feel unsure, feel free to come by for advice,” Shining said with a friendly slap to my back before telling his troops to take a break. “Thanks, I really needed this.” I grabbed my jacked off the practice dummy and focused my power. I rose into the air, surprising Shining since he hadn’t seen me fly before. “Ahem, I think I’m owed a few bits?” Said one of the guards who took bets. “Yeah, yeah, don’t rub it in,” the other grumbled as he dropped a small coin pouch into his hand. “How are you flying?!” Shining asked. “I’ll catch you later, Shining, thanks again for the talk,” I said as I gave him a two-fingered salute and flew away. Later That Evening I sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the castle and city of Canterlot. I couldn’t bother to go back to the princesses after my little outburst, so I kept my distance for the rest of the day. The sun was about to set, and I was just enjoying the view. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” A voice startled me and nearly made me fall off the cliff when I turned to see Princess Luna floating down from the sky as the sun was about to set completely. “I come here every night, to watch the sunset. It’s my favorite time of day.” “Oh, hello, Princess,” I said politely and stood up and bowed to her. “I didn’t expect to see you here. “Neither did I, and you’re just in time to watch me perform my royal duties,” Luna said, confusing me. Her horn began to glow as she raised her arms and before I knew it, I was seeing the sunset sky being transformed into a starry night followed by the light of a full moon. To say it was like walking into a dream would be an understatement as the princess lowered her arms after completing her task. “It is wonderful, is it not?” She asked while admiring her own work. “Woah…” I said as I looked at the starry sky. “Wait, you can lower the sun and rise the moon?!” “Not exactly,” Luna giggled at my reaction. “I govern the night and lower and rise the moon. It is my sister who governs the day and lowers and rises the sun.” “For the sake of my sanity, I’m gonna pretend that makes sense,” I said with a sigh. “All this magic stuff gives me a headache whenever I try to think about how it works.” “It is difficult for someone who is new to magic. According to what Sir Rokai once told me when I was a filly, I understand that in your world, your planet revolves around the sun itself.” Luna shared a bit of knowledge she had about the world I came from while conjuring a bench for us to sit. “Yeah, it does,” I nodded as I sat next to her. “But there isn’t anyone who can lower and rise the sun and moon. As for the moon, it revolves around our earth in its own orbit.” “How fascinating. A world where magic is non-existent save for the stories in your fairy tales and legends,” She giggled again. “That’s true,” I said as I leaned back on my hands. “Hey, um…I’m sorry about my outburst earlier.” “You were frustrated, I understand. Once upon a time, I was like that,” she said, surprising me. “When I was very young, after my mother disappeared and the throne was passed on to my sister and I, I felt envious of Celestia as our subjects played in the day while very few enjoyed the night. Over time, that envy turned to jealousy and then into rage, a rage that would cost me a thousand years of isolation from my one and only sister…” Luna said with sadness in her voice. “To this day, I still regret my actions even though she has forgiven me.” “I never really got the full story between you and Celestia,” I said curiously. “If you don’t wanna talk about it, I understand, but I’m a good listener when it counts. I should know, since I also have a sister back home.” “Well…when we were fillies, Celestia always pushed me to be my best even when our lessons seemed difficult but as we grew older, the citizens only had eyes for her and very few would acknowledge me,” Luna sighed. “But you had just as an important role as she did, right?” I inquired. “Raising the moon sounds just as important as raising the sun.” “Yes, but in those times, ponies feared the night even before Nightmare Moon,” Luna explained when I spotted a shooting star. “In those times, much of Equestria was still unexplored territory and monsters roamed the lands freely, so ponies felt safe during the day. I was also in charge of ensuring my citizens had pleasant dreams and were free of nightmares, but even then, I felt jealous of my sister.” “I bet it didn’t help that Starswirl, Sir Rokai, and your mom weren’t there anymore, huh?” I said somberly. “To lose three people whom you care for the most…” Old memories began resurfacing in the back of my mind, but I forced them back into my subconscious. “Yes. With my mother and Starswirl gone, I didn’t know who to turn to for advice and the loss of Sir Rokai was very tragic. Yet despite all that, my sister wore a smile on her face and basked in the praise of our citizens while I was left in her shadow. Over time my jealousy grew, and it would eventually turn into hate…hate for my own flesh and blood…” Luna said sadly, her ears folded onto her head. Seeing how sad Luna became, I decided to comfort her by putting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve gone through so much, Princess. It may not be as serious, but I can kinda understand where you’re coming from.” I said. She looked at me curiously before I spoke. “When I was younger, I wasn’t exactly a good kid. I’d slack off and avoid my responsibilities, even though I was well-liked by many in my town that I moved to. There was a point where I almost didn’t do anything of what I was supposed to do and it almost cost me my future.” Memories of my youth flashed in my mind as my mood darkened. “By the time I realized what I was doing was not only affecting me, but my own family, I believed it was too late and I began to become severely depressed. I had wasted my life doing frivolous things and not taking the initiative for anything. All because I couldn’t move on from something that happened in my old town before I moved.” I clenched my fists and turned away. “There was a point in my depression when I thought it would’ve been best if…I just wasn’t around anymore, since I felt like such a burden to everyone around me, including my family…” “So, what did you do?” The princess asked. “Someone saved me from the darkness, my stepdad,” I said as a smile started to form across my lips. “My stepdad was the wisest and patient man I’ve ever known. He helped me when all seemed lost and provided me with an opportunity to better myself. It took a long time for me to adjust and to move on from my younger past. It was a tough process, so tough that there were times I would want to give up because of how pointless it sometimes felt. But my stepdad wouldn’t allow it. He kept pushing me and helping me, believing in me when I didn’t really believe in myself,” I said, remembering my stepdad. “Soon, I was finally able to let go of what I once was and improve my well-being. Ever since I changed, my stepdad always looked at me with pride because he knew I could achieve anything as long as I didn’t give up on my ideals.” I looked up at the moon with my smile still there. “He sounds like a good man.” Luna smiled with admiration. “When was the last time you saw him?” “The night Faust saved me and brought me here,” I said. “I’m sure he’s worried sick about me. Him and my mother and stepsister.” “You all sound very close,” Luna sighed pityingly. “I am truly sorry that you came to this world on such short notice.” “Can’t do much about it now,” I said with a shrug. “You know,” I said, thinking back to Luna’s experience. “When you said she looks at you full of disappointment, I don’t think you’re the one she’s disappointed in.” Luna looked at me a little confused at my claim. “What do you mean?” She asks. “Maybe it’s her herself she’s disappointed in.” I guessed. She went wide eyed as I crossed my arms in deep thought. “Maybe, when you were sent to the moon, she blamed herself for what happened to you. She probably believes she could’ve done a better job with handling the situation back then. But because she underestimated your feelings, you became too emotional and went rouge. She’s most likely been cursing herself all this time for sending her own sister to the moon for a thousand years and is still cursing herself despite your return.” “But…why? I was the one at fault, not her!” Luna said in disbelief. I shrug my shoulders. “It’s only a hypothesis. If you want to confirm this, then I suggest you talk to her about it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll both find the closure you didn’t realize you were both missing.” I said to Luna. For a moment, both of us just sat there in each other’s company until we heard the distant chime of a bell. “Oh, my goodness, we're late for dinner,” Luna said as we stood up and the bench poofed into dust. “We best return to the castle before my sister worries.” “I guess we should,” I said and stretched. “Wanna fly there?” “Fly? But you have no wings. I doubt I can carry you,” Luna said. I only smirked as I focused my Ki and lifted up into the air. “Don’t worry, I’m covered.” “Oh, well, this is an unexpected development.” Luna smiled as she joined me in the air. “Shall we be off then?” I nodded and we both flew back down towards the castle. I followed her through the skies until we arrived at the entrance of the castle. When we both landed, the guards standing at attention saluted to Luna. The princess merely gave them a curt nod as we walked past them and into the building. While making our way to the dining room, I noticed Luna didn’t say much after our talk. She looked like she was deep in thought about something. “Penny for your thoughts?” I asked. “Hm? Oh, it’s nothing,” Luna said as we made it to the dining room. Celestia sat at the head of the table and smiled warmly at us. “Good evening sister!” Celestia said cheerfully as we sat down. “I take it you've sorted things out?” She asked me with a warm tone. “Somewhat,” I answered as Luna, and I sat down. I sat on Celestia’s left and Luna sat on her right. “May I ask you something, princess?” “You may,” Celestia nodded. “Do you honestly believe I’m capable of becoming the next Guardian?” I asked seriously. “Hmm…I honestly can’t answer that for you, William,” the princess replied while the servants prepared my plate. “That is something you must discover on your own.” Before I could say anything further, my nose caught the familiar scent of a five-star steak dinner being served up to me as my mouth hung open from the sight. “This was one of Sir Rokai’s favorites. I hope it’s to your liking,” Celestia said as she tied a napkin around her neck. “Y-You prepared steak for me?!” I asked as the plate was placed in front of me. “But I thought ponies can’t stand the sight of meat!” “My sister and I are more tolerant than others,” Luna smiled. “Well don't be shy, have a bite,” Celestia insisted. I wiped my mouth from the small dribble of drool from the corner of my lips. I picked up the knife and fork and began cutting the meat. It was tender and juicy, just the way I liked it. When I held the piece up in front of me with my fork, I could smell the seasonings and spices that were sprinkled on it. The aroma of the steak made me salivate as I opened my mouth and took a bite. A flurry of delicious flavors filled my taste buds as I chewed. My whole body shivered with delight, and I savored my meal. “So good!” I said aloud as I swallowed and went for another piece. “All the compliments I could think of goes to the chef!” “Glad you like it, Sir William,” Celestia said with a warm smile. “Now, I know you still have much on your mind, but we must discuss your training.” I swallowed another bite before looking at Celestia curiously. “But I already know how to fight. I just sparred with Shining Armor earlier today and won,” I said. That last statement made Luna nearly choke on her water. “I beg your pardon?” The lunar princess said with a slight cough. “We sparred in the courtyard today, the guards were even taking bets,” I said casually while the royal sisters gave each other strange looks. “I trust nothing happened during this little match?” Celestia asked. “Nah, gulp, it was actually kinda fun,” I said as I ate. “Reminds me of the tournaments I used to participate in.” “Oh, well, good then, but I really meant training with your magic,” Celestia said. “What you can do now is only a fraction of your true potential.” “Hate to break it to you, Princess, but what I have isn’t magic,” I said before taking a sip of my drink. “It’s Ki.” “Ki? Never heard of such a word,” said Luna who took a sip of water. I placed my fork down and held my hand up. I focused my power and an orb of Ki appeared in my palm. “This is Ki, you’ll notice that it both looks and feels different than what magic does,” I stated. “Impressive.” Celestia said while admiring the glowing orb. “But how does it differ from magic exactly?” “Ki is also known as latent energy or fighting power,” I explained as I made the orb disappear. “This force is a tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being on the center of the body. By drawing it out, I am able to manipulate it and use it outside my body. Ki can be used for many different techniques. But because there are physical limits to the strength of my body itself, it is necessary to increase my Ki to overcome this barrier and become stronger.” “How fascinating,” Luna said after hearing the explanation. “Just as magic requires one’s mental power, your Ki requires your physical strength in order to increase in power.” “Exactly,” I said with my fork pointing at the princess. “If I could, I would be able to flatten a continent.” The princesses looked at me warily before I let out a small laugh. “Pfft! I’m just kidding! I’d never do that,” I reassured them. “Ki also gives me advanced physical abilities as well. The more Ki I’m able to gather and expand for myself, I’m able to gain enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and can increase the power of my attacks. Even my teacher once told me: maintaining proper balance between the body and spirit is important in utilizing energy, and the more properly balanced they are, the more energy I can project.” “Your teacher sounds very wise,” Celestia said as we finished our dinner. “He is,” I said as I swallowed my last bite, then looked at them seriously. “Regarding this new…role, I guess I should call it, of mine, I’ll be blunt with you two. I still doubt I’m your guy for the job. It still baffles me that out of all the billions of humans on Earth, Faust, your mom, the queen, picked me.” “Our mother would not have picked you without good reason,” Luna said, hoping to dispel his doubts. “Know that you are not alone on this journey. If you need us, we will be here to support you,” Celestia smiled. I let out a heavy sigh and scratched the back of my head. These women-er, mares were willing to support me no matter what and we hadn’t even known each other for over a day. They meant well, but perhaps they’re a little too trusting of me. “I can’t promise I’ll be anything like Sir Stourmborne,” I said. “And I doubt I could live up to any expectations you might have for me. But, if you’re so sure that Faust chose me for a good cause, then I can at least try and give this a shot.” “Thank you, Sir William,” Luna said just as she noticed the clock. “Forgive me but I must tend to the dream realm. Goodnight, sister.” “Goodnight, Luna,” Celestia smiled while hugging her sister goodnight. I watched Luna walk away and noticed Celestia staring at her. Her smile may have been genuinely happy, but her eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. Seems my theory was on the money, I thought to myself. “I know what happened,” I said out of the blue. “Between you two.” I stood up from my chair and approached Celestia who looked at me with surprise. “Just know, it’s not your fault.” “…So you say,” Celestia sighed. “I still can’t help but feel I was responsible for what happened to her…I was so arrogant in my youth, so stern and cold-hearted. Even to my own little sister…” “You both grew up without a parent,” I said as I turned away. “I know what that’s like.” “Your mother?” Celestia asked as I walked away. “No…my father,” I said in a subtlety bitter tone and left the dining room. I headed back to my guest room to turn in for the night, not saying another word to anyone along the way. Author's Note Though his doubts may weigh on his self-confidence, he can at least find some comfort that he will not be alone on his journey. Side Note: Special shout-out to the wonderfully talented RandomArtXx01 for this gorgeous scene! Check out her other work on her page! Hope you enjoyed! WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero and The SnobsChapter 15 Whack! Pow! Bam! The sounds of fists and kicks being blocked, struck, and parried filled the outside ring as Shining and I sparred again in the training area. It’s been about two days since my time in the royal capital and I was able to ease my mind a bit after the last few days. I was still coming to terms with my supposed new role in the world, but I decided to not worry about it at the moment. Shining came at me with a haymaker which I managed to block with my forearm. “That all you got, Shining?” I asked with a cocky tone. “What…just taking it easy on ya,” Shining said with a smirk as he bounced in place as if ready to move to intercept my next strike. I obliged his challenge by sidestepping and following up with a flying roundhouse kick. Shining crouched below my kick and then swept one his leg towards me in an attempt to knock me off my feet. I hopped in the air just in time before going for a palm strike. Shining blocked my attack and followed up with another haymaker and surprised me by quickly trying to kick my side. I blocked his punch but took the kick hard on my side. I was lucky that I tensed my muscles in time before receiving the hit, but it hurt like hell and almost knocked the wind out of me. When Shining went for another kick, I raised my knee up to block. I used this chance to deliver a few swift punches to his chest. Shining stumbled back a few steps but still the stallion held his ground and moved to counterattack. I was still feeling winded from the kick I received earlier and found it difficult to power through the pain as I tried to take a back step, but Shining wasn't giving me any room to breathe and instantly saw I was in pain as he went on the offensive again. As we brawled, many of the guards and trainees who were watching started taking bets and cheering us on. “Wow you’re doing pretty good,” Shining complimented with a devilish grin. “I almost hate to do this to you.” Before I could even ask what he was talking about, the captain caught me in a full body takedown before trapping me in a figure four leg lock that was almost too much for me to bear. “Nnnng! Shit!” I grit my teeth. I tried pulling out, but it only strained my legs every time. I had no choice but to tap the ground in surrender, which Shining obliged by releasing his legs and freeing me. “Ugh, damn that smarts,” I said, rubbing my leg. “You lasted longer than last time,” Shining said as he stretched his arms. “Barely, so what did I do wrong this time?” I wondered, seeking more of his combat advice. “Nothing, I was just faster.” Shining said as he helped me up. “You’re getting better, just a few more years of practice and you might be good enough to beat me.” “Seriously?” I deadpanned. “I’ve been practicing karate since I was teenager! I’ve fought in multiple tournaments, spars, and even traveled out of town, back home, to fight seasoned karate veterans, and I even beat some of them! How is this any different?” “Have you ever been in REAL combat?” Shining asked while wiping off the sweat. “Have you ever had to actually fight someone because your life was on the line without hesitating to kill them?” “Well…no, not exactly,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my head. “Trust me, it’s not easy. It never is.” Shining said while tossing me a water sack. “Get cleaned up and then head to the mess hall for lunch, we’ll train again after I finish up some duties back at my office.” I nodded as he walked back over to the barracks. I drank a mouthful of water before dumping some on my face. The cold water felt nice on my skin as I shook my head. The sound of giggling caught my ear and I glanced over to see a few mare recruits whispering to each other while staring at me. “Seems like you got some admirers, bud.” One of the other recruits teased with a friendly nudge and a wink. “But, uh, don’t try anything. Illicit relations are forbidden in the ranks.” Another said while polishing his helmet. “Um…okay?” I said with a shrug, blushing a little. The one with the helmet set his helmet aside and raised his hand at me. “Bolt Strike, pleasure,” he said. The stallion was a pegasus with auburn brown fur and a dirty blonde crop top haircut. “And I’m Lancer Ice,” the other unicorn stallion said. He had light blue fur with a dark, two-toned, white mane and tail. “Will Saber, nice to meet you too,” I said, shaking their hands. “How long have you two been here?” “A while. Both of us signed up with Shining Armor before he was promoted to captain,” Bolt said while inspecting his helmet. “Not to mention we were both teammates in the academy’s hoofball team.” Lancer boasted while thumping his chest plate in hopes of impressing the mares. “But besides us, you got some serious skill, Saber,” Lancer said, slugging bone playfully. “I’ve never seen anypony be able to go hoof-to-hoof with the captain like that before. Let alone being able to win in a spar!” “Oh, it’s nothing,” I said bashfully. “Besides, he wasn’t coming at me seriously the first time. So it doesn’t count. These last few bouts are different.” “Be that as it may, it’s still pretty cool,” Bolt said. “What’s that fighting style called?” “Karate, been doing it for many years,” I answered. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the two rejects and the freak of nature.” Our eyes turned to see a stallion walk up to us with a couple other stallions following him. He was another unicorn stallion with dark pink hair and deep yellow fur. “What do you want, Cherry Gold?” Lancer spat. “My business isn’t with you, reject. I need to speak with this one.” Cherry pointed his finger at me. “And what business do you have with me?” I asked, not liking his tone already. “Feel honored, peasant. You have the great privilege of becoming my subordinate,” Cherry said with a proud grin as though he just gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. “I could use somepony of your skill and after seeing the way you trounced that upstart Shining Armor, I was thoroughly impressed. I’ve been waiting for somepony to take him down a notch.” “First of all, I didn’t trounce him,” I said. “If you were paying attention, I was the one who got my ass handed to me. Second of all, what makes you think I’d wanna be your subordinate? Because no offense dude? But you’re too much of a pompous ass for my liking.” That last comment earned some snickers here and there. “You dare to insult Sir Cherry Gold?!” One of his lackeys growled, but Cherry held up his hand. “The worm is entitled to his opinions, even if they are incorrect,” Gold said with a smirk. “Says the entitled one,” I shot back with a smirk of my own. “Know this, worm, I always get what I want,” Cherry said before leaving with his minions. “What’s his deal?” I asked the guys after he left. “Cherry Gold, he’s the son of a noble family so it’s standard for him to attend this military academy.” Bolt answered as we made our way to the barracks and changed out of our workout clothes. “Are all nobles like that?” I asked. “Oh no, he’s an upgrade to their usual snooty behavior.” Lance said. “He uses his family’s influence to worm his way up and he absolutely hates the captain.” “I can only imagine why,” I said as they led me to the mess hall. The hall was filled with recruits and high-ranking officials. We approached a lunch bar with bowls of salad, and what looked like loaves of hay? I steered clear of the hay loaves and served myself a large bowl of salad. “I’ve been curious about something,” Lance said as we sat down. “Are there any more humans like you somewhere in this world?” “Nope, last I checked, I’m the only human standing around here,” I answered. “Really? Because my grandpa once told me about an old legend when I was a colt,” Lance said. “What legend?” I wondered. “Well, long ago, during the reign of Queen Faust, a warrior was summoned from a different world by Starswirl the Bearded himself; a human like you. He wore strange clothes and carried weapons that could fell hundreds of foes in the blink of an eye, weapons of fire and thunder.” Lance continued his tale as the mess hall grew quiet and the other recruits began to listen. Fire and thunder? I thought, trying my best not to laugh. Rokai was just a regular knight, and they’re painting him as some kind of battle mage. “What happened to the warrior?” A recruit asked. “What’s his name?” Another asked. “Nopony knows, his name was completely forgotten. One thing is certain, this warrior feared nothing,” Lance said as he began to describe the incredible feats accomplished by Rokai during his life. “According to legend, the pieces of his sword are scattered across Equestria, waiting for a worthy master to find them.” “Ugh! This drivel again?” Cherry interrupted as he entered the hall like he owned the place. “And here comes the ball-buster,” I groaned with a roll of my eyes. “Honestly, you all need to grow up. That was just some ponytale made up to fascinate little foals at bedtime. There was never a great warrior from another world, nor was there some magical sword. Besides, even if there was, why would the royal family hide it away, hmm?” “Maybe to keep it out of the hands of pricks like you?” Bolt replied, earning a chuckle from the hall. “It’s a good thing I don’t acknowledge the words of a subpar wannabe recruit who barely scored a passing grade on their combat entrance exam,” Cherry scoffed, earning a growl from Lance as he was about to stand up, but I put my hand on his shoulder. “What’s your deal, Gold?” I said, stepping in front of him with my arms crossed. “You think you’re better than everyone because you’re some noble son?” “I know I’m better,” Cherry replied without hesitation. “No matter how much all you peasants struggle, you’ll always be lowborn scum in the eyes of nobles like me. It doesn’t matter if you become a captain, a general or even a hero, you’ll still just be peasants.” “Then I guess the same thing can be said about you,” I remarked at Cherry. “What do you mean?” Cherry said with a sneer. “Was your family always noble? Of course not. The reason your family is where it is now is because a peasant, like me, clawed his way to the top and amassed himself more wealth than anyone's ever seen in their lifetime so in all honesty Cherry, you're no different from us,” I said with confidence in my voice. Cherry growled at me and grabbed my shirt collar. “I dare you to call me a peasant again!” Cherry snapped. “Better idea,” I said and swiftly grabbed his wrist. I held his wrist in the bend of his arm while using my legs to keep me stationary and on my side. I then folded his hand downward while forcing it to move towards him, holding Cherry in a tight wrist lock. “AAGH!” Cherry yelped. The entire crowd was in shock after seeing me put him in a submission hold while his goons just stood there unable to do anything. “Don’t stand there, you idiots! Get him!” He commanded as I gave them a menacing glare, daring them to make a move. One goon tried jumping me and I lifted my leg to deliver a standing side kick straight to his gut while keeping my balance. The goon was sent toppling backwards while I put more pressure on Cherry’s wrist. “That wasn’t very nice,” I said smugly. “Uhh, I’m out!” The second one said as he made a run for it. “Damn coward…” Cherry growled before feeling his wrist get twisted to the point of snapping. “AAGH!” Cherry yelped again. “Do you yield?” I asked after he let out another pained grunt. “To a commoner?! Never!” Cherry snapped. “Your funeral,” I said as I let him go and allowed him to get a free shot. As expected, he went for a right hook hoping to put my lights out when I suddenly ducked down and did the splits. I reeled back and gave him the infamous nut punch. “OOOoooohhhhh!!” Cherry’s voice ended up sounding like he sucked in a whole tank of helium before he toppled over and curled up in a ball of pain. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” I smirked while the rest of the cadets applauded. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!” Shouted one of the officers who happened to be passing by. All recruits in the mess hall stood up at attention as a very tall and muscular pegasus stallion marched in. “SERGEANT STORM FLY ON DECK!” Bolt yelled. “At ease!” The sergeant said before coming up to me and Cherry. He looked down at Cherry and shook his head. “Pick yourself up, recruit. This isn’t naptime.” “He attacked me!” Cherry accused me while pointing his finger at me. “Is this true, human?” The sergeant asked. “It was self-defense, sir.” I answered while keeping my eyes forward. “Thought as much. Cherry! You’ll be scrubbing the latrines for a week. As for you, Saber.” I straightened up, awaiting whatever came next. “Grab some pudding before Bolt over there takes it all.” “Will do, sir,” I said, giving him a mock salute. “As you all were,” the sergeant said as he left. Cherry’s goons were left to carry the whimpering noble away. “Dude! That was nuts!” Lance said. “You had complete dominance over Gold!” “It’s just a basic wrist lock,” I shrugged. “One of the most common techniques in karate.” “Not to mention you’re flexible!” Bolt said. “It felt so good seeing that prick put in his place.” “If you guys want, I can teach you a few moves,” I offered after grabbing a pudding cup. “Heck yeah!” Lance said along with a few others. While we were chatting it up, Cherry was fuming with rage and humiliation as he was handed a mop and bucket. “My father will hear about this!” He shouted from across the mess hall. “Is that a threat?!” One of the other commanding officers snarled in Cherry’s face. “I could tell you stories about your father that would even curl your greasy hair!” “Now, where have I heard that before?” I asked myself. “I’ll see you guys later!” I said, waving goodbye to my new friends as I left the barracks. “Sweet you later, Will!” Bolt said as he and Lance and some others waved goodbye. “Don’t be a stranger!” Lance said. I left the barracks and made my way back to the castle. The sun was about to set, and I was in a better mood than I was a couple days ago. Even though the lingering doubt was still apparent about my role in this world, I didn’t let it bother me. For now, I was just gonna enjoy my time in this world and whatever it has to offer. As I made my way to the main gates and through the garden, I noticed a different band of guards were now guarding the castle. Unlike most of the ponies I met, they seemed to have more batlike features with their long ears and fangs but what was most intriguing was their dark armor. It kind of reminded me of Princess Luna. “Oh, there you are, William,” a voice said, belonging to Princess Luna. “Hello, Princess Luna.” I bowed as the princess of the night came to greet me herself. “I was just on my way back from the barracks.” “I have heard from Captain Armor that you have been sparring with him,” Luna said as we walked together. “How did you fair?” “To be honest? I got my ass kicked,” I chuckled, then mentally punched myself in the gut. “Oh…sorry, that was rude of me. “No worries. You know, you don’t need to be so formal with me,” she said as we entered the main hall. “I hope you're getting along well with the cadets. Seems you’ve become the topic of gossip lately.” “Me? How so?” I asked. “Well for starters, you’re a human, you can fly without wings, you’ve become quite accustomed to our captain of the royal guard, and, while you may treat my sister and I with respect as princesses, you speak to us as if we’re not royalty.” “Is that a bad thing?” I wondered. “On the contrary, it’s rather refreshing to hold a conversation with somepony without them kissing my hooves,” Luna said. “Should I?” I joked. “You must keep your hooves quite clean, Luna.” “Oh stop,” Luna laughed. “Onto another topic. There’s an event I'm hoping you can attend, the Canterlot Garden Party.” “Garden party?” I asked out of curiosity. “An event for the nobility to gather and mingle,” Luna explained. I took a moment to look down at my current attire and frowned. “I’m a little underdressed for a shindig with nobles, don’t you think?” I asked. “Not to worry, I’m sure the royal tailor will fix you up something spiffy for the event. For now, I suggest you take a bath before your stench stinks up the castle,” Luna said. “I don’t…” I was about to retort when I caught a whiff of something rancid, only to see that it was indeed coming from me. “Fair point.” “So will you attend?” Luna asked. “I…dunno” I wanted to say no, but I figured it would be rude to deny a princess’s request. “I guess…I can pop by.” “Splendid!” Luna said and snapped her fingers. Two bat-looking pony servants approached Luna and bowed. “Take Mr. Saber here to get cleaned and ready for the party,” Luna said. “As you wish, your majesty,” the servants said. I parted ways from Luna and followed the servants. They led me to a room where I saw a large bath and figured it would be best to wash up. “Strip,” one of the servant mares said, making me turn around and arched a brow at her request. “Come again?” I said. “You heard her.” the other maid said while holding a scrub brush. “Uh, thank you ladies but I can wash myself,” I said when one of them suddenly trapped me with a freezing spell. “I see we'll have to do this the hard way,” the first maid said with an innocent smile. “…shit.” “Hey! Hey! I said I can scrub that part!” I snapped as the maid stubbed my ass with a brush “Oh, don’t be such a baby.” The maids insisted as they held up my arms and rubbed me down like I was some helpless toddler. “This is a SERIOUS violation of my personal space!” I protested while they giggled. “We need to make sure every bit is scrubbed so that no filth goes near the princess,” the maid said. “Hey! I shower every day!” I barked back. “Indeed,” the maid said when she started scrubbing towards my crotch. “That’s off limits!” I said, snatching the brush out of her hand. “I insist I be in charge of washing my unmentionables!” For what seemed like an eternity, the maids gave me a good scrub down and even wiped me down as I was given a clean shave and dressed. “You look good,” said the maid who trapped me in the first place. “…I feel violated,” I frowned as one of the maids stood on the tips of her hooves and tied a bow tie around my new shirt collar. “There we go, all neat and tidy for the party,” she smiled while fixing my shirt. “Now hurry along.” I sighed heavily as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my earrings. I spied a small mirror on the wall and put each earring on my ears. I also took note of my new suit. It was a sharp black suit with a white dress shirt underneath. A red bow tie was tied around my neck and they even procured dress shoes for my feet. Probably something the princesses had made for me ahead of time. The maids even went as far as to comb my hair down and smooth it out so it wasn’t so spiky anymore. Once I put my earrings on, I nodded to myself in satisfaction. “I make this suit look good,” I said aloud to myself. The servants directed me to the area where the party was taking place and it was just as Luna had described. All the elites of Canterlot were gathered and having tea while playing croquet. “Ugh…I can feel the snob on my skin,” I groaned. “Good evening William.” I saw Luna approach me to greet me again. She wore a beautifully made midnight blue dress that twinkled a little like the stars. She wore white gloves that went up to her elbows and I caught sight of blue glass skippers on her hooves underneath her dress. Something else that caught my eye was that she had some makeup on her eyes, some tint on her cheeks, and she wore light blue lipstick. Her mane had its normal breezeless look to it, but she had it styled more regally than usual. “Woah…” I said, without realizing I was blushing a little. “You look…beautiful, Luna.” “You look dashing as well.” She replied before linking arms with me. “Shall we?” “U-Um…s-sure?” I said sheepishly, pulling my collar to let some air in. I nervously walked with Luna through the party while the nobles and elites stared at me. Some had looks of curiosity, others looked at me with disgust. Meanwhile, I was trying to keep calm due to the fact that I was walking side by side with one of the freaking princesses of Equestria. “Sorry if I’m a little awkward, Princess,” I apologized. “You say that a lot, don’t you?” Luna said, looking up at me. “Huh?” I replied. “You’re always apologizing. Don’t be so nervous,” Luna advised when a unicorn stallion with a monocle came to greet us. “Princess Luna, so glad you could make it,” the stallion said with a grateful tone. “Fancy Pants, it is good to see you this evening,” Luna smiled while I tried not to laugh at the fact his actual name was Fancy Pants. “And who is this strapping young lad you have your arm hooked around?” The stallion asked. “Erm, my name is William, sir,” I said with a small bow of my head. “William Saber.” “Ahh, the human who’s been the talk of the town. A pleasure to meet you at last. I must say, you’re not at ALL what the rumors described you as,” Fancy said while adjusting his monocle. “What did they describe me as?” I asked while he brought us to his table. “Well, to be honest, they said you were a vicious, meat-eating brute,” Fancy chuckled when he introduced us to a mare who was almost as beautiful as Luna. Almost. “This is Fleur De Lis, my wife.” The mare next to him was also a unicorn with pristine-looking white fur. Her name was royal pink and she wore a beautifully made one piece red dress that hugged her incredible body nicely. “Charmed, Mr. Saber,” Fleur said, holding up her hand. I decided to respond in kind by using my free hand and taking hers gently. “The pleasure is all mine, madame De Lis,” I said before lightly kissing her hand. “To what do we owe your company?” Fleur asked as her husband sat next to her. “He is my escort for the evening,” Luna smiled while clinging to me. “I see, well do enjoy yourself, dear boy, we have plenty of refreshments to go around,” Fancy said while flagging down a waiter to bring us some drinks. “So, how are you liking Canterlot?” “To be honest, it’s not really my style,” I said bluntly. “There’s sometimes so much uptightness around here that it might give me a wedgey.” I was worried that I made a fool of myself thanks to my inappropriate joke, but to my surprise, Fleur almost spat out her drink before laughing hysterically. “Oh, I know what you mean, dear boy. One does grow tired of all the sophistication and mannerisms of the upper class. It’s why my wife and I like to go explore the city and even far off places,” Fancy said. “Like where?” I asked when another waiter brought us some hors d’oeuvres. “Well, there is this little town not that far from the city. Ponyville, I believe it's called,” Fancy said. “A quaint little hamlet. Lots of farms, nice ponies, and the townsfolk are quite friendly,” Fleur added. “Ponyville?” I said. “That’s where I’m staying.” “Really now? And what are your living arrangements?” Fleur asked. “I’m rooming with Twilight Sparkle,” I answered, piquing Fancy’s attention. “Princess Celestia’s pupil? You are indeed a lucky young stallion to be friends with a talented unicorn indeed,” Fancy said. “Lucky is indeed the correct word…” Another stallion said when I noticed Fancy's expression change to an annoyed mood. “Oh, Lord Amber Gold. I didn't know you were coming,” Fancy said with a bored tone. The moment I heard his name, I immediately knew this was Cherry’s father. “Your majesty,” Lord Gold said with a curt nod to Luna, but Luna just stood there, barely acknowledging him. The stallion had peach pink fur with a dirty blonde mane, similar to his son’s. He wore a whitish-pink tuxedo with a white bow tie. “I’m surprised you decided to crawl all the way to this soirée, Fancy Pants. And here I thought you would be mingling with the commoners as usual.” “Those fine folk are more pleasant than you give them credit for. You should try seeing for yourself, Amber,” Fancy remarked. “As if I would sink to your level,” Amber scoffed before he noticed me linking arms with Luna. “Princess, surely you could’ve arranged for a more…civil escort to bring you to tonight’s event?” “He is my guest by invitation, Lord Amber, I’ll thank you not to insult him,” Luna said as he gave another bow. “I meant no disrespect, your majesty, I was only looking out for your image,” Lord Gold said. “Since when does image matter?” I asked. “Prin…no, Luna shouldn’t have to be put on a pedestal all the time. She’s a pony like the rest of you, right? Who cares who she spends time with.” All the nobles gasped when they heard me mention Luna by name and even the musicians had stopped playing when they heard me. “You dare address the princess in such an informal manner? YOU?! A filthy commoner?!” Amber said in outrage. “Oh, you cut me so deep,” I said with a fake dramatic accent before stepping up to Amber. “Look pal, I’m not from around here, so I’m not as well-mannered as anyone here, but I try. However, in my opinion, whoever Luna decides to socialize with, regardless of her title, shouldn’t matter to the likes of you.” I glanced back at Luna with a smile. “You don’t mind me calling you by your name, do you Luna?” “Of course not, dear William.” Luna winked, giving the crowd a sort of wrong idea about our relationship. “Wait…” Amber paused. “William? William Saber?” “That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” I said. Ba-dum tss! Everyone looked at the drummer and he smiled sheepishly. “Saber…you’re the one who attacked my son!” Amber growled. “Oh, Cherry’s your son?” I said. “Although, you might wanna double check, since I may have made him a daughter.” “You…” Without thinking, Lord Amber removed his glove and in one swift motion swatted it across my face. “I challenge you to a duel.” Slap! The crowd gasped while I just gave a pleasant smile. “Hmm.” I tapped my chin. POW! “I accept,” I replied after knocking him to the ground. The entire party was agape with shock as Amber yelped in pain as he held his cheek. He managed to collect himself before standing back up and glared at me. “So it’s come down to this, has it?” Amber said bitterly. “A fight to the death. Mano a mano, stallion to stallion.” I glanced back at Fancy with a face that asked if this guy was serious. Fancy only shrugged while Lord Amber collected his glove and glared at me. “Courtyard, tomorrow, come if you dare.” He said before storming off. “Come if you dare~!” I said in perhaps the most ridiculous snooty accent I could make while the others gave a short laugh and the party resumed. I saw Luna trying her best to not laugh as she covered her mouth. “That was fun,” I smiled. “You’re quite bold to accept his challenge,” Fleur said. “Eh, I’ve faced tougher-looking pricks than him,” I shrugged. “You truly are an interesting young human,” Fancy said. “How long are you staying in Canterlot?” “Two more days, why?” I asked. Fancy reached into his coat pocket and handed me a card. “If you ever find yourself in Canterlot again, I would like to invite you to brunch, if you would like?” Fancy said. “Wow, thanks! I’ll take you up on that,” I said as I tucked the card in my pocket. “Let’s continue enjoying the rest of the party, shall we?” Luna said. The Next Day I never thought I’d be challenged during my stay here, but here I am. Standing in the castle dueling ring, standing on the opposite end with my hands in my jeans pockets while Amber readied himself. “You picked a fight with a noble?” Shining asked as he stood on my side. “Dude can’t take a joke,” I responded with a shrug. “Just be careful. Nobles never fight fair when fighting, well…” Shining trailed off. “Commoners?” I asked while doing a few stretches. “Yeah,” Shining nodded. “Are you prepared for a thrashing, whelp?!” Amber said. “Sure, I guess?” I said. I took off my jacket and cracked my knuckles. One of his servants came over with a set of dueling swords for us to use. This guy was really going old school on me as he grabbed his sword and began to do a few twirls to show off to the audience. Even both princesses decided to watch this bout of ours. “Fair warning, I am a Manehattan fencing champion,” Amber said. “My heart’s all a flutter,” I replied while giving the sword a quick twirl as we took our stances. “Are the duelists ready?” The servant asked as the other nobles watched. “Have at thee!” Amber said. “Alright,” I said, then tossed the sword away. I crouched down and went in a full sprint towards Amber. “Rushing to your death? Brave, but foolish!” Amber lunged at me, going for a quick kill but just as his arm extended forward, I instantly got the drop on him and surprised him with a judo flip before dislocating his arm in one quick movement. The fight was over in seconds before anyone knew what had happened. “AAAH!! Aaahhh…Haa…” Amber screamed as his arm hung limp. “Still wanna go?” I asked as he glared at me with hateful eyes. “How dare you?! This is not honorable!” Amber spat. “You didn’t even use your sword!” “Eh, not much of a sword guy,” I shrugged. “I let my fists do most of the fighting. But, judging by your arm, it looks like this is my win.” “No…I refuse to accept this!” Amber protested as he tried to reach for his blade. “Enough! The duel is decided,” Celestia commanded. “Your highness please! Let me-!” Amber tried to say. “It is over, Lord Amber, accept your loss with dignity,” Luna said. Amber sneered at me, to which I just shrugged, as he walked away holding his arm. “I think I’m beginning to like this place,” I smirked. “I believe you just set a new record of ending a duel so quickly, William,” Celestia said. “It’s a shame you are returning to Ponyville tomorrow.” “What? Tired of me already, Celestia?” I teased and placed a hand over my chest. “And I thought we were friends! Woe was me! Where did I go wrong!” Luna giggled at me while covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh hush, little sister. I truly am saddened to see you go, but I know Twilight will be missing you. Do give her my regards, will you?” Celestia requested while the staff cleared the courtyard. “Of course I will,” I nodded. “Come on, Shining, let’s go get a drink.” “Now you’re talking,” Shining said as we walked away. 3rd POV The two princesses stood by as they watched William leave until he was out of sight. “Sister,” Luna said, looking at Celestia who still kept her eyes glued to where William walked away. “Is this wise? Keeping it from him?” “It’s what’s best, Luna. At least until he’s ready.” Celestia said as they made their way back to the throne room. “For now, let us focus on our duties. And maybe you can tell me how your date went last night.” “D-Date?! Surely you jest!” Luna argued. Meanwhile Back On Earth The sky was vast with clouds as a gloomy atmosphere hung over the rural town William grew up in. Signs of his picture were posted on every telephone pole, window, and even at the train station. Months had gone by since his disappearance, months since word of his disappearance reached public news. His search was nearing the point where authorities would have to expand their search on a national level. The residents of the town were in no better mood since most of them knew Will. It devastated some of them that such a bright young man ended up missing in the blink of an eye. A train from the main city chugged along the tracks just outside of town. When it stopped at the train station, only a few people got off. One of them was a man wearing a hooded trench coat, dark blue work jeans, boots, and gloves to stay warm. The man breathed into his cupped hands to warm them, before pulling a piece of paper. “I should be close,” he said with a serious tone, as he made his way out of the station and hailed a cab. The local cab pulled up to the curb and the man opened the door and stepped in. “Morning, where we headed?” the driver asked. The man passed the cab driver the piece of paper. “Can you take me here please?” The driver took the paper and read the address. He frowned and looked in his rearview mirror. “Not to pry, but why there? Those folks are going through a rough time,” the driver said. “I’m well aware.” The man flashed the driver his badge. “I’m hoping I can shed some light and bring them some peace.” The driver merely glanced at his badge, but nodded as he drove along. The man looked out the window to see the missing person signs all over town with Will’s face on them. “It’s like a curse,” the driver said. “Ever since the kid went missing, there’s hardly ever been a sunny day. I knew the kid, sadly, he always bought me a donut whenever he saw me doing my rounds.” “William is a kind person. I’m sure when I bring him back, the town will regain its missing light.” The mystery man spoke in an almost confident tone. “Every other cop or detective said the same thing,” the driver said. Both glanced over to the right and saw a man sitting outside the local dojo with a bottle in his hand. “Breaks my heart to see Ivan hitting the sauce. Will was his best student and his good friend.” There was a brief silence before the mystery man spoke. “A person is only deemed dead when a body is found. Over the last seven months, six bodies have been found around the states. None of which belonged to him. There is hope that he is still alive.” The driver sighed as he drove across the bridge towards the neighborhood. The man noticed a large memorial with flowers, candles, and a picture of Will in the middle. “Stop the car,” the man spoke. The driver did as he was told and the man walked out of the car. He slowly approached the memorial and gazed at all the flowers and heartfelt words written along the picture frame. “Sir, tell me something, is this where they believe he died?” The mystery man pulled out an envelope. “Investigators say he got hit by a truck or something,” the driver said and pointed off behind the memorial. “Right over the bridge, over there.” The man opened the envelope and looked through it while explaining the papers inside. “Sir, do you know if the day he went missing, the river below would be full?” “It was the beginning of winter, so yeah,” the driver said. “The water usually rises a few feet every raining season, nearly full.” “Would you say the river would be strong enough to carry someone downstream if they were, say, unconscious?” The mystery man questioned. “Yep, the water that flows from the rain and into the river would do it,” the driver nodded. “It flows down from the surrounding mountains and gives the current an extra oomph.” The mystery man continued to read the papers until he saw a part that made him smile. “The river leads to a small lake right? One that is only three hours away from here, yes?” “Yep, but don’t waste your breath," the driver said. “Authorities got a scuba crew to go down there and try to see if he sank. Turned up squat.” “And why do you think that is?” The man turned to the driver. “I looked over the reports of wildlife around this area, and much to my surprise when I see there is practically none, especially big preds.” “Your point?” the driver asked. “Despite there being no body found at the lake, and that no animal could have eaten the body. Why else wouldn’t they have found anything?” The man spoke with an almost prideful tone. “That he’s still alive?” the driver guessed. “Correct. And that means there is hope,” the man grinned. “Well, here we are,” the driver pulled up to Will’s house. The mystery man got out of the car and paid the driver his fee. “Hey buddy.” The man looked back at the driver. “You really think he's still alive?” “If William is the same as he was as a kid, I’m pretty sure he’s too stubborn to die.” The man smiled and turned to walk to the house. The driver drove away and the man walked up to the house. The man gently knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. After a few moments, the door slowly opened to reveal a tired-looking young woman. Her blonde hair was frizzy and unbrushed, she wore a sweatshirt and sweatpants with a few stains here and there, and her eyes were baggy and red from lack of sleep and probably crying. The young woman’s name was Rachel Saber, William’s stepsister. “Can I help you…?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding raspy. The man revealed his badge. “Good evening miss, I’m here to speak with the family members of William Saber.” “Look, I already told you cops everything,” Rachel sighed. “What more do you want? My brother’s dead…he’s never coming back.” “Miss I’m not a cop, I’m a private eye detective, and if you’ll let me have a moment of your time.” The man seemed persistent. “Please, just go away…” Rachel said, sounding like she was going to cry again. “Let us mourn in peace…” “I would. But you can’t mourn someone who may not be dead.” The mystery defective spoke in a caring tone. “Rachel? Who's at the door?” a gruff voice came from inside the house. A man walked to the doorway and had a slight glare in his eye. He was a tall man with blonde, graying hair. His build was slightly muscular, but he too had bags under his eyes. This man was William’s stepdad, Thomas Saber. “Some PI who wants to talk about Will,” Rachel said bitterly. “Will, huh?” Tom said. “And who are you to want to talk about my son?” The man bowed slightly and looked at the adult father. “My name is Holmes, Rook Holmes.” “And what business do you have with my dead son?” The man asked. “Authorities have been looking for him for months.” “Look sir, despite what those amateurs said, your step son isn’t dead, not until we find a body,” Rook said with confidence. “And how do you know? You’ve never even met my son,” Tom said. “Furthermore, how did you know he was my stepson?” “Because sir, I do know your son.” The defective smiled and looked past Tom and pointed. “If you don’t believe me, you may ask her.” Both turned around to see William’s mother standing behind them. The poor woman looked like she’d seen better days since she looked as though she had been crying longer than Rachel. Her dark brown hair was also a bit of a mess, and her eyes were baggy from lack of sleep. She slowly approached the PI, her eyes scanning the man’s face. “You…you look…familiar,” William’s mother said. “It’s been some time, but I think you still look as kind as the days when me and William hung out.” Rook then pulled out a photo that showed a young William and himself playing together, with William’s mother in the background looking much younger. William’s mother gasped and covered her mouth. She looked at the man again as tears leaked from her eyes. “R…Rook! Rook Holmes?!” William’s mother said in shock. “Hello Victoria, it’s been a long time,” Rook said as he pulled his hood off his head. Rook Homles had straight light brown hair, and emerald green eyes. “I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but I’m here to help.” “Dear? You know this man?” William’s father asked as Victoria wept happily. “Rook Holmes. The boy who was William’s only friend before we moved here. They used to play at the park almost every day,” Victoria said. “I don’t buy it,” Rachel said. “If you knew my brother, what’s his worst fear?” Rook leaned in and whispered into Rachel’s ear. “He’s absolutely terrified of spiders.” “His favorite candy?” Rachel asked. “He loves skittles, he and I would always trade candy on Halloween, my skittles for his crunch bars.” Rook sounded like he had found memories. “Woah…you really do know my brother,” Rachel said in astonishment. “I…suppose introductions are in order,” William’s father said. “Name’s Tom, Thomas Saber.” “I’m well aware.” Rook then looked at Rachel. “And that makes you Rachel Saber, William’s stepsister.” He gave a slight bow of his head. “Rook, what are you doing here?” Victoria asked. “More importantly…how on earth did you find me?” Rook looked around before entering the house and closing the door. “I found where you guys moved thanks to my connections. I’m a well-known PI, so I have access to a lot of information. Including cases regarding missing people. I was in my office when I saw a news report about Will going missing.” “But…even with them still out there?” Victoria asked nervously. Rook noticed Rachel and Tom looked like they knew what she was talking about. “I know you wanted help finding William, but I was worried that they might have seen the broadcast.” Rook moved to a nearby window and peaked his eyes around before looking back. “Thankfully, I have an insider that told me they hadn’t seen it, and they aren’t making any movements. But you should be more careful next time.” “We covered our tracks thoroughly when we left,” Victoria said as she sat down in the living room. “Thanks to Ron, god rest his soul.” Rook walked over next to Victoria and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Listen, I came here because I want to help you guys find William.” “What else do you want to know?” Rachel wondered. “You probably already know everything about the case.” “Yes, but I came here to tell you that there is still hope.” Rook pulled the envelope from before out along with another. “I have reason to believe that they are involved.” Opening the second folder, Rook pulled out some papers. “The truck that had hit William was reported as stolen several hours prior. And when police arrived on the scene there wasn’t a driver in sight. What’s more is that the truck was still fully functional, meaning the person who stole it left the vehicle behind on purpose.” “How could they be involved?” Tom wondered. “They should be across the whole damn country.” Rook pulled a photo that depicted a gas station and in the image was a man stepping into a truck. There was a second photo of the man’s face blown up to look bigger. “This man was the one who stole the truck, and I ran his face through criminal records. Do you wanna take a guess who he had worked for?” “V…Vongeonce,” Victoria shuttered. Rook nodded. “He hasn’t been caught yet, which leads me to believe that he is still at large and may know where William is.” Rook had a slightly grim look on his face as he took a deep breath. “If Vongeonce is involved, I will be going in to look into the matter myself.” “NO!!” Victoria yelled. Her face went pale as she began to hyperventilate. “YOU CAN’T GO AFTER HIM!! THAT…MONSTER!! HE HAS NO REMORSE!! HE’LL KILL YOU!!” “Mom! Please calm down!” Rachel said. “Rook, you do realize what you’re saying, right?” Tom said. “My wife told me all about her…former husband after we got married.“ Rook sat in silence for a moment, his hands together with a pensive look. “I’m well aware of the dangers, I’m also aware my life would be on the line.” Rook looked up with a now stoic look. “But I don’t care. Because if it means I can find my best friend. I’ll go to hell and back.” “You’re really set on this, aren’t you?” Rachel said, still tending to Victoria. “And you believe my brother’s still alive?” Rook had a smile on his face as he looked down at the floor. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. William is a stubborn-ass guy, and that means he’s too stubborn to die.” Victoria took a deep breath and managed to calm herself. “P-Please wait here.” Victoria left the living room and went to the master bedroom. Everyone heard her rummaging a little until she came out holding something in her hand. “Rook…if you do find William, please give this to him.” Victoria handed Rook a small medallion with an image of a howling wolf in front of a full moon engraved on it. “I-Is that?” Rook gently took the medallion in his hand and let one of his fingers trace over it. “He kept it. All these years?” “Yes…” Victoria smiled sadly. “He kept it, despite everything. You’ll have to jog his memory a bit if you wish for him to remember you, since he locked away those memories years ago.” Rook moved the medallion around his neck and patted it. “I will.” Rook stood up and turned to look at Tom, he reached a hand into his pocket pulling out a paper and set of keys. “Listen, I’m still not sure if Vongeonce is involved. But if they are, they might know where you guys are.” He handed the paper and keys to Tom. “That’s a safehouse I own, and that paper has the address and pin for the safe room in the basement. The keys are to the house and my gun cabinet inside. Take Rachel and Victoria there and lay low for a while.” “So soon? For how long?” Tom asked. “I’m not sure, but at best six months.” Rook looked at Victoria. “We both know the kind of man Vongeonce is, so if he does have any idea where William is, he’ll know where you are too.” “O-Of course,” Victoria said. “Bring my brother home, Rook, please,” Rachel begged. Rook smiled and moved to hold Rachel’s hand and lightly pat it. “I will do my best, or die trying.” Rook exited the house and walked back down the street. Once he was far enough away, he pulled out the medallion from under his shirt and looked at it. The name Vongeonce rang in his head, which only made his resolve and anger heighten. “I swear to God, if you are behind all this pain, I will end you.” His voice was full of rage, and his eyes lit with a fire of determination. “I’m gonna find you, Will, just you wait.”
A Hero’s First ActChapter 16 It felt like it was yesterday when I had arrived at the royal capital to visit the princesses, only to find out about a man who was once revered as the guardian of this world, and I was to become his successor. For a while, I was content with just living in Ponyville with my new friends. Sure, I still missed my home, but at least I wasn’t alone in this world. In the back of my head, I hated the idea that I was expected to pick up the pieces Sir Rokai left behind. At least I wasn’t pressured by anyone to just pick up the job and do what needed to be done. The princesses reassured me that I can take as long as I needed to let my new role sink in. For now, I was due for a return to the humble town of Ponyville. “Sure you don’t wanna stick around for another day or two?” Shining asked as he was tasked to escort me to the train station. “Much as I would love to keep throwing hands with you, I’d rather get back to Ponyville,” I said with a chuckle. “Besides, you’ve given me a new perspective when it comes to combat. I think I’ll be taking my training a bit more seriously from now on.” “Glad to hear that,” Shining said as we walked up to the platform. “I expect a challenge from you the next time we meet.” I chuckled as I saw ponies loading onto the train car. “Well, this is me,” I said. “You take care now, Will,” Shining said. “Oh! Before I forget, I need some advice.” “Sure, what is it?” I asked. “Well, the thing is, I’m seeing somepony,” Shining said, sounding a little nervous. “We’ve been together for a while and I love her very much. I’m actually thinking of proposing to her.” “Hey! Good on you, man!” I said while punching his arm playfully. “You’ll make a great husband!” “Thanks, but that’s not the issue,” Shining said. “I have no idea how to propose to her. I was thinking I could bring her out to a fancy dinner, maybe have some music playing in the background, order her favorite desert-” “Hey Shining?” I said finally, trying not to laugh out loud. “What?” He said. “Is it possible that maybe you’re overthinking this?” I asked. “How am I overthinking this? I want to propose to the mare I love!” Shining said, sounding more nervous. “Shining, let me let you in on a little advice,” I said as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “Don’t overdo it. How long have you known this mare?” “Since she was my little sister’s foalsitter,” Shining said. “And how long have you been dating?” I asked. “A few years now, give or take,” Shining said. “Do you love her?” I asked. “Of course I do,” Shining nodded. “And does she love you?” I asked. “She tells me she does whenever she gets the chance,” Shining said. “Then what’re you so worried about?” I asked. “When my mom was dating my step-dad, I remember him always bending over backwards to appeal to her. He’d wanna take her out to fancy dinners, buy her clothes he thought would look good on her, and always was there at her beck and call. But the thing about my mom was that she didn’t really need all those things. All she cared about was if my step-dad would love her and be there for her like any good husband would. And that’s exactly what he did once she told him that. Then, after over a year of dating, he proposed to my mom and they’ve married ever since. So don’t try and go the extra mile for your girlfriend, Shining, you should just propose to her in your own way. I’m sure she’ll say yes.” Shining thought about my words and a smile grew across his lips. “Huh, I never thought of it that way,” Shining said. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks, Will.” “Any time, Shining,” I said. “You sure you’re not married too since you gave such good advice?” Shining teased. “Ha! As if! I’m only twenty-four!” I laughed. “Last call for Ponyville!” The conductor called out. “Guess it’s time,” I said and shook Shining’s hand one last time. “Be seeing you, Shining.” “Don’t be a stranger, Will,” Shining said before I stepped away and entered the train car. I took my seat and waved to him out the window and he waved back as the train started to move. I was finally on my way back home and I was looking forward to seeing everyone again. I pulled out my phone and earbuds and scrolled through my playlist to listen to some smooth jazz as the train chugged along the tracks. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” the clerk asked, pushing a cart full of snacks and beverages. “Nah, I’m good, thanks though,” I said as I sipped my water. “Alright.” The clerk went down the aisle while I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by while listening to jazz. I then started to think about the memories I watched from Sir Rokai’s past. He was so brave and didn’t blink an eye when facing those monsters. Especially when it came to Valafar. No matter how many times they did battle, Sir Rokai met the demon head on. It made me wonder if I would be as brave as him if it ever came down to it. My thoughts were pushed aside when I saw something in the distance out the window. It looked like something was flying towards the train, which made me sit up straight. “Are those…ponies?” I asked out loud. Suddenly, I hear the train bell going off in alarm as the Conductor ran through the cars. “Remain calm! Stay in your seats!” “What the hell?” I said, when the group of ponies flying towards us flew up and over the train. We all heard a dozen or so thuds on the roof of the train. As I got up from my seat, the door leading to the car behind ours slammed open, revealing a pair of pegasi with crossbows aimed at the crowd. Behind them, a griffon with black feathers walked in. He had on a black coat with a black hat covering his face. When he looked up at us, he had a cracked beak where the split reached up to a scar over his right eye. The guy strolled in without a care in the world as he eyed all the passengers. When he made it to the middle of the car, he cleared his throat before addressing us. “Ladies and gentlestallions. My name is Gabriel. My crew and I just came to relieve you of all of your bits and valuables,” he said more as a statement, rather than as a threat. “If you all cooperate, then no one will get hurt and me and the boys will be on our way. If you don’t.” He reached for his belt and pulled out a large knife before cleaning his claws. “Then things will get complicated for everyone.” I gulped at the sight of the gang. To think, out of all the things that could happen on this train ride, it just had to be a train heist! As the griffin’s crew began demanding money and valuables from the passengers, I had to think quickly on what to do. I could just keep my head low and give them whatever I had on me. But then I thought that would’ve been the most cowardly thing I could possibly do. If it were Sir Rokai, he’d lay these guys out no problem! I knew it was stupid, but I couldn’t just let these guys rob everyone blind. I had to do something. I mustered all the courage I could and stepped in the middle of the aisleway. “Hey!” I shouted, gaining their attention. “Didn’t your mothers teach you it’s bad to take things that aren't yours?” “Haha! Boy, who do you think taught me in the first place?” Gabriel said after bringing out a handheld crossbow pistol. “Now listen. I get that you wanna be the big hero and feel tough in front of everyone, but you talk back to me again and you’ll find yourself with a bolt between your eyes.” The griffon aimed his weapon at my head and gave me a death glare. “Now, sit down!” The passengers all cowered away and looked at me as if they begged me to comply so I wouldn’t get hurt. I’ll admit, I felt a little on edge that I was up against a group of thugs armed to the teeth, but I thought about Sir Rokai again and it kept my nerves in check. “I got a better idea,” I said. I widen my stance a bit and raised my arms a little. “How about you leave these good ponies alone, and I won’t kick your ugly beak in.” Gabriel stared me down before smirking. “You got guts, kid. I like that. Too bad they’re gonna be all over the floor in a minute.” He gestured to the two pegasi he came with and had them aim their crossbows at me. I watched them aim their weapons at me and focused my ki as much as possible. My senses were dialed to eleven and the world around me began to slow. I watched the thugs slowly pull the trigger of their weapons and the bolts came flying at me. My eyes were unblinking as I watched the bolts come flying at me. I then leaned to the right and watched the bolts fly past me. One of the bolts whizzed past my face by a mere few inches. Twisting my body around, I stomped my foot on the floor and kept staring at one of the thugs as the world around me sped up. I grit my teeth, clenched my fist, and delivered a hard flying right hook across the first pony thug’s face. He stumbled backwards and I followed it up with another punch across his jaw and a knee to his gut. As he fell, I jumped in the air again while swinging my leg and kicked the second thug with a flying back kick right in his chest. The second thug was sent crashing against the wall as I landed on the ground. Everyone was slack jawed at my display of martial arts as I looked back at Gabriel with a mock glare. “Still wanna go?” I challenged, taking a Cat Stance. “Can’t scare me that easily,” Gabriel said before taking out his knife and throwing it. The blade missed me by a mile. “Aaaahh!” The scream came from behind and when I looked back, an elderly mare was almost impaled by the knife. While I was distracted, I felt a sharp pain in my right lower leg. I cried out in pain and looked down to see a large cut on the side of my leg and a bolt sticking out from the floor. The bolt had just grazed me, but it was still a deep cut and hurt like hell. I looked back at Gabriel as he was loading another bolt in his handheld crossbow. Thinking quickly, I ran straight at Gabriel just as he fired another bolt. I managed to dodge out of the way and tackle him through the door. We landed on the connecting walkway outside and he kicked me off him before taking flight. I decided to follow him by focusing my ki again and took to the skies after him. Only as soon as I was in the air, I was met with the rest of his gang who were either waiting on the train cars or flying in the air above the train. “I gotta say,” I looked up to see Gabriel aim two crossbows at me. “I didn’t think you could fly. But since you’re here, I’ll guess we’ll have to ground you.” The other gang members aimed their bows at me. “Fire!” I quickly amped up my ki while crossing my arms in front of me. “Here goes nothing!” I said as they all fired at me. “Spirit Explosion!” I swung both my arms out while letting loose a large wave of ki. The wave blew back all the bolts aimed at me and even blew back some of the airborne ponies. I took advantage of the opportunity and flew straight towards two pegasi ponies. “Hawk Charge!” I elbowed one thug in the gut and followed up with a palm strike. I sent the thug falling down and tumbling across the dirt. I then spun in midair while swinging my legs to land a triple helicopter kick to the thug’s gut, chest, and face which sent him plummeting to the ground and crashed. Looking down at the roof of the train car, I pointed my finger at the thugs while they aimed their crossbows at me. “Dodon Ray!” A beam of ki shot out my fingertip and exploded on the roof. The explosion knocked a couple of thugs off the car while others were knocked back onto the roof of the train car. Just then, Gabriel tackled me from behind and we stumbled on the roof of the caboose. I managed to jump back on my feet and he had brandished his knife. The remaining goons were right behind him and I took a stance. “Not so cocky, now that I took out half your crew!” I boasted. “Rrrg! I was just going to beat you half to death, but since you took out most of my crew, we’re just gonna have to kill ya!” He let out a roar that was a combination of a lion’s roar and an eagle’s screech before charging at me. He came at me with his knife at the ready and went for a stab. I sidestepped out of the way and elbowed the back of his head as he flew by me. Two of his goons then charged and I engaged in a two on one brawl. I blocked the thug on my right while the one on my left punched me in my side. I countered by delivering a straight left to his jaw. Both thugs grabbed my arms with one hand each and reeled back to punch me together with their free hands. I leaned back as far as I could to dodge them and watched their fists swing in front of me. When I leaned back I pulled as hard as I could and made them butt heads with each other before tapping their sides with my palms. “Spirit Palms!” I used my ki to send a small ki shockwave from my hands and into their bodies. The two thugs were sent toppling across the roof and rendered unconscious as there were now only a few thugs left. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up and I barely had time to move out of the way from another one of Gabriel’s stabs from behind. The knife almost grazed my side and I grabbed the griffin’s arm and threw him forward. He didn’t fall off the moving train, but he was even more pissed that I managed to outmaneuver him and his gang. I wiped my lip and nose of the blood leaking and took another stance. “Pile on him!” Gabriel commanded as they came at me all at once. I took a step back and with all the momentum I could muster I jumped forward to meet them head on while swinging my fists and legs as fast as I could with the help of my ki enhancing my speed. “Justice Rush!” I punched and kicked all of them from different angles. A punch to the gut, liver, face, and neck. A kick to the groin, chest, jaw, and followed up with a couple roundhouse kicks. My blows felt heavy as I laid into them and all the goons were knocked off of the train and tumbling across the dirt. Once my attack was over, I had to catch my breath from the exertion. To my surprise, only Gabriel managed stay on the train and stood back up, and he glared at me like a madman. I took another stance when I felt another sharp pain on my side. I looked down to see a deep slash wound and was leaking blood through my shirt. I also glanced down at my leg to see the sleeve of my jeans completely drenched in blood and leaking down into my shoe. Shit, this hurts… I thought, to keep weight off my leg. “What’s the matter, boy?! Finding it hard to stand?!” Gabriel mocked. “Just shut up and let’s end this,” I said. “I won’t fall until you’re off this train or seeing stars. These ponies won’t be getting robbed by the likes of you!” “Big words for a dead creature!” Gabriel grabbed two of the large crossbows and aimed them both at me. “Die!” Gabriel fired them at me and I ducked out of the way just in time. However, it ended up being a distraction because he kneed me in the nose and used his claws to cut my chest. I yelled in pain and raised my arms for another one of his claw swipes, but it only wounded my arms in the process. I decided to go on the offensive again and kicked Gabriel in the thigh, ribs, and his arm. He staggered back a little and I went after him. Suddenly, he pulled something out from his coat and something sharp pierced my shoulder. I yelled again and stepped back to see a knife sticking out of my shoulder. “Fuck!” I cursed from the pain as blood oozed from the wound. “There’s more where that came from, boy!” Gabriel boasted before brandishing two knives in each claw. “I’ll skewer you and fry you over a spit!” As Gabriel reeled his hands back to throw the knives at me, I raised my hand and aimed to fire ki blasts at him. I charged my ki in my hand and fired the orbs right at him. They detonated on impact as the griffin was forced backwards, coughing up a little blood from the damage. We were both breathing heavily as the wind from the moving train blew against us. I grit my teeth and grabbed the knife in my shoulder. I grunted loudly as I pulled the blade out of my flesh and threw the knife away. “Give up, Gabriel!” I said, raising my fists once more. “I’ll keep coming at you no matter what!” “Then you better keep coming! Cause this ain’t over, as long as I’m breathing!” He yelled while pulling out yet another knife. “Fine…you asked for this!” I said and readied my hands above my head. Please work, please work, please work! I thought as I charged up as much ki as I could in my hands. Gabriel flared open his wings as a bright light shined in my hands above my head. He roared at me again and flew at me while holding the knife out. Just as he was a few feet away, I thrusted my hands forward after building up as much ki as I could. “Masenko!!” A large blast of ki shot out from my hands and enveloped Gabriel. “Aaaaaa-!!” Gabriel screamed before he went silent and slowly lean to the side until he fell off the train and slammed into a tree. As I watched Gabriel fall off the train, the toll from the use of ki and damage I took began to weigh in. My wounds stung as the wind of the moving train blew against me. I needed to get back inside the train, so I limped my way to the end of the caboose and saw a ladder. I carefully leaned down to climb down the ladder, while trying to be mindful of my wounds despite the pain. Once I managed to climb down the ladder, I opened the door back in the train car. The ponies inside were speechless when they saw me hobble towards one of the seats. I grunted loudly as I slumped onto one of the seats. I tried to catch my breath and looked at the ponies who stared at me with mild concern. One of the clerks walked up to me. “Are you okay?” He asked. “I’ll live…” I said with a pained smile. “Can you all do me a favor? Let me know when we arrive in Ponyville. I’m gonna…get some shuteye…” My eyes began to close as I started to lose consciousness. My vision blurred as the clerk told the passengers something but I couldn’t hear very well due to the sudden ringing in my ears. The last thing I saw was the ponies scrambling around me as darkness overcame me. 3rd POV The passengers suddenly freaked out as William’s body went limp on the seat he sat on. Sure enough, someone immediately called for a doctor while others began panicking on what to do next. “Is anypony a doctor?! This colt needs help!” The clerk cried out. “Hey get back! Give him some air!” One of the other passengers shouted as he moved the crowd back when a pony with a black bag finally appeared and proceeded to give me first aid. “Celestia’s light, it’s a miracle he’s alive!” The doctor said in disbelief as he pulled out his tools to patch William up as the train was about to arrive in Ponyville. “This colt needs a hospital immediately!” The doctor said. At the Ponyville train station, Twilight and Spike were standing on the platform to welcome their human friend back from his trip to Canterlot. Twilight eagerly awaited Will as her eyes glued to where the train would arrive while Spike stood by her. “Did we have to wake up so early, Twilight?” Spike said and yawned. “Of course! I want to be the first one to know how William’s meeting with the princesses went!” Twilight said. “Hi, Twilight! Hi Spike!” Twilight and Spike looked behind them to see Lyra approach with her friend Bon Bon. “Well hi there, Lyra, Bon Bon,” Twilight said. “What brings you by?” “Oh, I’m just here to see Bon Bon off before she makes the trip to Dodge Junction,” Lyra said. “What’re you two here for?” “We’re welcoming William home, his train should be arriving any minute,” Spike yawned before hearing the sound of the train grinding to a halt as it pulled into the station. “They’re here!” Twilight said with excitement but the moment the doors opened, passengers came flooding out as they began making a path. “What’s going on?” She asked aloud when the train’s conductor ran up to her. “Miss Twilight! Oh thank Celestia, we need your help!” The conductor said. “What happened?” Twilight asked with concern. It was at that moment when William was brought out by several passengers all covered in bloody bandages. Twilight gasped in complete horror after seeing he was beaten to a pulp. “WILLIAM?!” Twilight shrieked at the sight of her friend. “Oh my Celestia!” Lyra yelped as they followed William. “What happened to him?! Why’s he all hurt like that?!” “I saw the whole thing!” One of the clerks said as he too followed. “Bandits attacked the train! This colt single-handedly beat them all and saved us!” “Spike, see if you can get any of our friends to help while I try to keep him stable,” Twilight told Spike. “Can you do that?” Spike asked with worry after seeing his friend’s condition. “Don’t worry, I read plenty of medical books. Now hurry!” Twilight said. Spike nodded and ran off while William was gently laid on the floor and some of the other ponies went to call for a medical carriage. “I’ve done all I could with the tools I brought with me, but he’s taken some serious damage!” The doctor said. “You don’t happen to know any healing spells, do you?” “The wounds are too severe for that, he needs surgery,” Twilight said as she used her magic on some of William’s wounds. Just then, the mediacal carraige arived as medical ponies rushed to bring the young human into the carriage. “Careful, looks like he’s got some broken bones.” the first medic said while helping his partner wheel him in. “It’s like somepony ran the colt over twice and then threw him off a cliff!” The second medic replied before shutting the doors and pulled the carriage towards the hospital. As the ponies watched the mediacl carraige take William away, a mix of unpleaseant emotions filled their hearts. Twilight clutched her chest as she ran off to the hostpital while Lyra and Bon Bon stayed behind. “Bon Bon…what just happened?” Lyra asked, still in shock. “I…I don’t know, Lyra. I don’t know,” Bon Bon answered. Author's Note This is just a touch of what is to come. Side Note: Hey. It’s been a while, huh? Especially with this story. I’m gonna level with you all. This story has become a bit of an on an off project. Unlike my other stories, there isn’t as much thought put into it. I know it’s not something I thought I’d say about this story, considering it’s a revamp of my very first story, but it's just how I feel. I want to try and remedy this. So, as far as my stories go, I'm gonna try and put a little more effort into this story as I did before. Hopefully, and it's a big hopefully, I won’t abandon this story for half a freaking year again. To my readers who’ve been diligently waiting for an update from this story, I sincerely thank you for your patience. Special thanks to Cali Luminos for the amazing artwork! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s DreamChapter 17 I couldn’t explain my current position at the moment since all I could see was the dark void of my subconscious. I floated aimlessly without direction and couldn’t really feel my body. The last thing I remember was driving off those train bandits before succumbing to my wounds and passing out. I don’t know how long I’ve been out, nor do I know what became of me after I passed out. I just hope I didn’t die again, otherwise I’d be a little disappointed in myself that I allowed this to happen again. “Wish I could wake up soon…” I said aloud. “I wonder if the others will worry for me?” I looked around the void, as if expecting to see or hear someone. “Kinda strange that I’m having this dream.” Suddenly, a bright light shined from within the darkness of the void. I shielded my eyes from the light with my arm as my eyes adjusted. From the light, I could faintly see a faint silhouette make its appearance. This was by far the strangest thing that’s ever happened in a dream. Considering that the silhouette has the figure of a person with large wings on its back. I considered my options and decided to try and talk to whatever was standing before me. “Uh…hello?” I called out to it. The figure said nothing and despite my hesitation, I cautiously floated closer towards it as the light began to dim a bit and I started to hear the familiar sound of tea being stirred in a cup. “Well, it is about time you got here.” A voice said making me stop in my tracks. “It is rather rude to keep somepony waiting, you know.” I spun my head around looking for the source of the voice. “What the?! Who’s that?! Who’s there?!” I panicked. “Are you normally this flustered, young youth?” The voice said again as the light continued to dim. I looked back to see a tall white mare with light cream-white fur, deep red mane that went down her lower back, and tail, and baby blue eyes. She wore a regal-looking dress and was sitting on what looked like a wooden chair, holding a teacup while stirring it with a little spoon. There was something about this mare that seemed familiar to me, like I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Whoever she was, she somehow made my heart race a little. “Uh…hi?” I waved a sheepishly. “Welcome, young William.” She said my name as if she knew me before taking a sip. “I have been expecting you.” “How…do you know my name?” I asked. The mare sipped her tea as she waved her hand, and another chair materialized before me. “Come. Sit,” she offered. Not seeing any other option, I managed to float my way towards the chair and maneuvered myself to sit down on it. “Tea?” She asked, making another cup appear with a pot. “Um…sure,” I said, and she poured me some. We sat in silence for several minutes. Honestly, I felt a little awkward just sitting here with this unknown mare. She obviously was an alicorn, which I was still trying to comprehend, and I didn’t know what to say to her. Either she was waiting for me to say something, or she was taking her time to speak while she enjoyed her tea. I waited for a few more minutes only to still not get a response before finally speaking up. “I’m sorry, but who are you?” To this, the mare calmly placed her cup down and looked at me with a warm smile as she stood up to introduce herself. “My apologies. I am Faust; Lady Faust.” I blinked several times at the name as I froze mid sip from my tea. It wasn’t until I felt like I was just slapped across the face did I finally remember the name and recognize the mare before me. When the realization hit me, I nearly choked on the tea, and I had to hit my chest a few times. After managing to catch my breath, I looked at the alicorn before me with my mouth agape, my eyes so wide they felt like they would pop out, and my heart was pounding so hard that I could swear even she could hear it. I was in the presence of the alicorn of legend, the mother of princess Celestia and Luna, the one Sir Rokai directly served under, the Queen of Equestria, Lady Faust herself! “W-W-WHAT?!” I yelped in a state of panic. “Y-You’re Queen Faust?! THE Queen Faust?!” The queen let out a burst of laughter at my reaction while I composed myself. “My goodness, I have never had a reaction like that,” she said while handing me a handkerchief. “A-Apologies, ma’am!” I said while trying to fix myself. “Oh please, there is no need to be so formal,” Faust said sweetly. “I am just happy to finally meet you at last.” “But you’re the Queen! How could I not be formal in your presence, your highness?!” I said and tried to stand up from the chair and bow to her, only to do somersaults in the air. “Crap! Sorry!” The queen could not help but laugh even more as my cheeks turned red from embarrassment. This is just perfect. My first encounter with Queen Faust herself, and I end up making a complete idiot of myself. “You are certainly livelier than I anticipated you would be,” she said before using her magic to stop me from spinning and set me back down on the chair while fixing up the tea set. “Now that we have had our fun, I am sure you wish to know why you are here.” “I have loads of questions!” I said, then socked myself internally for being rude to the queen again. “Um…if you don’t mind, your majesty.” “Ask away then,” Queen Faust said while folding her hands. “Where exactly are we?” I asked, looking around. “Am I dead?” “No, not dead, just unconscious,” Queen Faust answered. “It is a spell that allows me to speak to you through your soul. I cannot disclose to you about my current whereabouts at the moment so I believed that this method would suffice.” “My soul?” I said and she nodded. “How long have I been out?” “A few days,” she answered, surprising me. “You took quite the beating. Honestly, you are lucky to be alive. Not many can survive a battle against multiple foes unless they are quite seasoned in combat,” she said while summoning a tray of snacks for us to enjoy. I watched her daintily pick up a cookie and eat it before considering my next question. “Why me?” I asked, making her pause and look at me. “Just…why me? Out of everyone? You could’ve picked someone who was more driven, brave, and influential among the human population. Yet, you chose me while saving my life in the process. You also gave me my new powers, and enhanced capabilities to boot. So, why me?” “Hmm, that is a fair question,” she said as her gaze turned to me. “It is true. I could have chosen anypony from your world to be Rokai’s successor. Even somepony here in Equestria would suffice. I admittedly at one time considered choosing Twilight Sparkle but that filly already has her own path and destiny to follow.” She leaned her head on her fingers as she gazed at me. “You, on the other hand, have shown great promise. You have already proven yourself to be a protector of the innocent after besting those bandits for the sake of others. Not to mention your encounter with my daughter’s dark form, Nightmare Moon.” “Yeah, but I wasn’t exactly helpful that night,” I said, scratching the back of my head. “If it were Sir Rokai, he probably would’ve subdued Nightmare Moon no problem. As for those bandits, I honestly wasn’t really thinking. I just jumped into action without considering my own safety.” “Just as a true protector would,” Faust acknowledged. “But as for Rokai…he would have killed my daughter without hesitation,” Faust said in a deadpan tone, catching me off guard. “Make no mistake, William, he was a great hero, and a savior to our people and the world but when it came to his enemies, he was nothing short of ruthless even when giving them a quick death. After all, you bore witness to his memories and all of his experiences during his time as Guardian. Can you honestly say he would have tried to save Luna with mere words?” “But…why?” I said, still shocked. “He wouldn’t have done that to Luna. Not after all he’d been through with her and Celestia.” Faust just kept staring at me with a serious expression. It made me feel discouraged that even Rokai wouldn’t have shown mercy to Luna as Nightmare Moon. I looked down at my hands while contemplating the Queen’s words “Is that what it means to be the Guardian? To destroy your enemies even if they’re considered family?” “A guardian is expected to make hard choices, young one,” Faust said as she changed the scenery to a vast hallway of stained-glass windows depicting Rokai’s many battles and his eventual death. I was now standing on solid ground and Faust led me down the hall. Each window we passed showed Rokai in the different kingdoms of this world, fighting alongside its inhabitants against the Shadow Legion. “Those memories I saw of his battles,” I said as I noticed some of the windows showed Rokai almost losing. “Each seemed more intense than the last.” I looked at Faust. “Were the Legionaries that ruthless?” “They were monsters...” Faust said with contempt. “They came to our land not to conquer but to simply destroy. Homes were burnt to the ground, families were slaughtered, and everywhere they went left nothing but death and misery, but Rokai helped turn the tide of battle not through mere strength of arms but with his bravery. He was a beacon of hope when none had it. I admired him not only as a warrior but as a person too.” Faust walked up to one of the windows and placed her hand near Rokai’s picture. “He grew to be like a son to me, and I miss him ever so dearly to this day.” “I know…” I said, looking at some windows of him making a victorious pose. One of which looked like he was standing with that minotaur princess, Rastor. “He also made quite the impression on everyone too. All the friends he made and the bonds he shared with the Pillars. He didnt just win the war for Equestria, he ushered an era of peace for the entire world.” “Indeed, he did,” Queen Faust agreed. “And you would not believe how many marriage proposals we got from the nobility.” Faust giggled as we came upon the window depicting his final battle. “The poor human was constantly badgered by noble mares demanding his hand in marriage so that they could climb the ranks of stature and merit.” I laughed a little to myself imagining what else Rokai must’ve gone through behind the front lines. “As for why I chose you, you have the potential to be every bit of a hero he was. This world has had an era of peace that I wish to remain intact. You may doubt yourself, but Rokai also had his doubts, yet he succeeded on multiple occasions.” “You really think so? Even though I barely just got here?” I stated, looking at the window where Sir Rokai battled Valafar. “He was a seasoned warrior, even before the Pillars summoned him. How exactly am I supposed to live up to his great name?” “It is simple. You do not,” the queen said as she turned to me. “Instead of trying to be like him, be your own type of hero.” “My own type?” I asked still feeling a bit confused, and she nodded. “Just as Rokai chose his path to becoming a legend, you must find your own and you will not be alone either.” Queen Faust smiled at me with confidence. “The friends you have made now, and any you make along the way, will be there to help guide you. No one said you had to do this alone. Not even Rokai, with all his strength and merit, relied on the Pillars when he needed them most.” “My own path…” I said, thinking about her words. “Not sure where I should start.” I then thought about the six mares, Spike, and the rest of the ponies I’ve met upon my arrival in this world. “But I think I’ll be able to figure it out.” “You will find your way. Of that, I am sure,” Faust said before a strange wind suddenly began to blow through the hall. “Oh my, seems our time is up.” The world around us began to fade, and even Faust started to fade away herself. “Wait! What’s gonna happen to me?! What should I do now?!” I frantically asked. “Trust your heart! That is all I can tell you! We shall meet again, young youth!” Faust shouted over the howling winds as the hall began to disintegrate. “And one more thing! Tell Tia to ease up on the cake! It will go straight to her flank!” Before I could ask anything else, I was flung from where Faust stood back down the hall. There was a light at the end of the hall, and it got brighter and brighter until it enveloped my vision. Beep beep beep The sound of digital beeping filled my ears. My consciousness was beginning to return, and I felt my body lying on some kind of mattress. My eyes felt like they were glued shut, and it took a bit of effort to open them. I was then met with a white ceiling and a fan hanging off to the side. I blinked slowly and looked to the side to see what looked like a heart monitor with cords attached to my wrist. If I had to guess, I was in some kind of medical room. When I was able to look down, I noticed I was wearing a hospital gown which confirmed my suspicions. Underneath, my torso was covered in bandages and my leg was in a cast. It was then I felt a migraine come along which made me groan from the sudden pulsating from my head. “Ugh…not the best wake-up call…” I said groggily. As I regained my vision, a nurse walked into the room holding a clipboard to see I was wide awake. She was an earth pony mare who wore a traditional-looking nurse uniform and had white fur, peach-pink mane and tail, and her eyes were light teal blue. “Oh my! You’re awake!” The nursed yelped and ran back out of the room before I could say anything. After about a minute, she came back with and earth pony stallion wearing a lab coat and had a stethoscope hanging off his neck. His was fur yellowish-brown, his mane and tail were chocolate brown, and his eyes were a slightly darker shade of blue as the nurse’s. The doctor walked up beside my bed with a welcoming smile. “Welcome back, mister William. I am Dr. Greymare. This is Nurse Redheart.” he greeted as he took off his stethoscope to check my vitals. “You gave us quite the scare.” The doc sounded almost impressed while taking hold of my hand. “Can you squeeze my hand?” I squeezed the doctor’s hand just as he told me to, and he nodded as the nurse took notes. “Water…please,” I said in a raspy voice. “Of course, son. Nurse?” The doc nodded to the nurse who handed me a small cup of some much-needed water. “Drink slow.” Greymare instructed as he helped me drink. Every sip felt like nectar going down my throat as I finally managed to regain my voice. “Where are my friends?” I asked, still feeling weak. “It’s early in the morning, so they should still be waking up,” the doc said, but then he glanced over on the far side of the room. “Or should I say, most of them.” I looked to where he was gesturing to and saw Twilight, of all ponies, slumped in a chair fast asleep. Her mane was a bit messy, and a little drool dripped out of the corner of her mouth. “Twilight?” I spoke. “She…she’s been here the whole time?” “Never left your side even while you were in surgery,” Redheart said as she continued to scribble down the numbers on her clipboard from the monitor. “You’re lucky you have such good friends, son.” Greymare smiled before giving me a second cup of water and some pills. “Here, something to help with the pain.” I took the water and pills and downed them. “Surgery?” I said after swallowing. “Were my injuries that severe?” “You fought a griffin, Mr. Saber,” Redheart said. “Not many come out as unscathed as you did. Most tend to either flee or barely make it out alive.” “Truth be told, we thought you wouldn’t make it. It was really touch and go during your operation.” The doctor explained. “We had never operated on a human before, so we had to be as delicate as possible. Luckily, we were able to operate without any compilations, and we were able to aquire some very interesting data on you and your human biology.“ All this talking seemed to stir Twilight from her slumber as she finally began to wake up. She let out a cute yawn while stretching her arms out until she looked at me. When she noticed I was awake, she gasped, and her eyes went very wide. “William!” Twilight cheered and rushed to my bedside as the doc and nurse smiled. “Easy, miss Sparkle, he just woke up,” Greymare advised as she held my hand, eyes flooding with tears. “Hey, Twilight,” I said with a smile. “Sorry for scaring you, bandits kinda threw me for a loop.” “Do you have ANY idea what you put me through?!” She sobbed while holding my hand. “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” “Hey, what was I supposed to do? Let them rob the train?” I said, only for her to look at me with her tear-filled eyes, making me feel guilty. “Sorry…didn’t mean to worry you.” The doc let out a small chuckle as she cuddled with me and after what I was put through, I definitely needed it. “We’ll just leave you two to catch up then. Got other patients, you know?” Greymare winked as he left with Redheart. It was then Twilight realized what she was doing and immediately got up and stepped away from me with a flustered face. “I-I…um…I’m happy you’re okay!” Twilight said nervously. “Sheesh, Twilight, no need to be so anxious,” I chuckled, and she looked away while twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers. There was a pause between the both of us and I remembered my dream I had with Faust. It still baffled me that I met the Queen herself while I was unconscious. Everything we discussed was imprinted in my mind. Come to think of it, ever since I came to this world, the inhabitants have always referred to humans as nothing but a myth. Apart from Celestia and Luna since they were there and knew Rokai when they were very young. So, it begs the question, just how much do these people know about humans since Rokai’s time? Were Celestia and Luna the only ones to confirm of his existence while everyone else allowed his memory and existence to fade away? I looked back at Twilight and thought of telling her all I knew. Maybe she could have some insight to all of this. “Hey, Twilight? Can I ask you something?” I asked my friend. “Sure, William, what is it?” Twilight said. “What do you know about humans?” I questioned. Twilight blinked for a few seconds as she tried to think of an answer. “Hmm…well. I only know them through legends and stories in the scrolls at the Canterlot Library when I was still living there. But other than that, there’s not much else about your species.” Just as I thought, I thought to myself. I guess it makes sense since it’s been over a thousand years since Rokai was alive. “Then let me confirm it for you,” I said, looking at her in the eye. “But you need to swear to me that you’ll keep what I tell you a secret.” “I promise,” Twilight said without even a hint of hesitation. I took a deep breath before deciding to tell her. “They did exist in your world, once, and it was only one human. His name was Rokai Stourmborne, and he served the missing Queen Faust.” Twilight gasped upon hearing this and sat herself down calmly. “Are you sure?” She asked to make sure I wasn’t delirious from my injuries, and I simply nodded yes. “Celestia told me this herself,” I said. “It’s why she wanted me to come to Canterlot in the first place. She wanted to share with me about Equestria’s long forgotten history.” “Oh my stars!” Twilight said with glee, then paused. “Wait, Princess Celestia told you?” “She and Princess Luna,” I nodded. “I saw his statue in a hidden garden at the castle. Princess Celestia even showed me visions of his memories and how he was summoned here by a one Starswirl the Bearded and his companions.” “STARSWIRL?!” She yelped loudly before suddenly getting in my face with a twinkle in her eyes. “YOU SAW STARSWIRL THE BEARDED?!” “ACK! Twilight! Ribs!” I gasped as pain shot through my body. “Ah!” Twilight stepped away again as the throbbing in my chest made me wince. “Sorry…!” “It’s fine,” I said, still wincing. “But yeah, I saw the whole thing. Starswirl summoned Rokai to this world with a powerful spell. He did so because of these demons from Tartarus called the Shadow Legion were wreaking havoc across Equestria and other neighboring kingdoms.” “The Shadow Legion? So, they were real,” she said with a look of amazement. “You know about the Shadow Legion too?” I asked. “Well, according to some ancient scriptures Princess Celestia gave me to study, I read about how there was a time when the world faced an unimaginable evil from depths of Tartarus wreaking havoc on Equestria many moons ago but that too was believed to be a legend,” Twilight said. “It was thanks to the combined might of the kingdoms of the world and the Pillars that the evil was banished for good to usher in an era of peace. This Rokai, what happened to him?” She asked, desiring more information like the quirky book worm she was. “At first, he was a merc,” I explained. “Didn’t do anything unless he was paid. Starswirl had him train soldiers, create battle plans, and fight on the front lines. His efforts allowed the allied forces to push the Shadow Legion back on multiple occasions. I guess it was his unpredictable tactics that allowed the allies to gain the upper hand many times. Even against an army of demons.” “He sounds like he was a great hero…but I don’t think there’s any mention of him in the history books.” Twilight pondered about this mysterious hero. “Why is that?” “You tell me,” I said. “This was over a thousand years ago. Only ones who would even remember Sir Rokai so vividly are people like Celestia and Luna since they’re supposedly the only immortal beings around, right?” “Hmm, then we should ask them when we see them again once you’ve recovered,” Twilight said, and I nodded in agreement. “Please, continue.” I spent about an hour sharing all the battles I saw through the memories Celestia showed me about Sir Rokai. The Legionaries he vanquished, the bonds he made with the Pillars and comrades, and how he was like a brother to Celestia and Luna. Twilight was so fascinated by my stories that she may have forgotten how to blink. “And you know that Captain Kruber I told you about?” I asked and she nodded. “Turns out he was your ancestor.” “REALLY?!” Twilight gasped in excitement. “That explains my brother’s desire to join the guard.” “And your ability to find trouble when you least expected.” I commented, earning a scolding look from my friend. “But yeah, it seems we’re…connected somehow.” “Connected? How?” Twilight wondered. “Well…” I said, not sure how else to tell her. So, I sat myself up in order to speak properly. “Queen Faust foretold a prophecy before she disappeared during the memories. She said there would come a time when the darkness would rise again, and a new champion would be called to carry on the flame Sir Rokai held.” I looked down at my hands and clasped them together. “And…that’s why I was brought here by Queen Faust.” I looked back at Twilight who now was looking at me like she was hearing something extraordinary. “I am to be Sir Rokai’s successor. I’m…supposed to be the new Guardian of Equestria.” “A guardian? But I thought that’s what the elements were for?” Twilight said in confusion but before we could discuss any further, the nurse returned with my lunch. After being out for an entire day, it soon hit me that I was quite famished. “Here you go, dearie, some mashed potatoes and steamed fish to help you get those muscles back,” Redheart said sweetly. “Thank you, nurse,” I said with a smile before she left again. “The Elements, from what I know, are used to protect the peace of the land. However, the Guardian’s purpose is to protect this entire planet. Which means every kingdom that exists, their inhabitants, everything, and everyone. That’s the role Rokai played as Guardian.” “But to take on such a role…can you do it alone?” Twilight asked with worry when I smiled remembering Faust’s advice. “Who said I’ll be doing it alone? I’ll have you and the others helping me. right?” I asked making her smile. “Of course, we would be honored to assist you in any way we can,” Twilight reassured me. Before I could take the fork and knife, Twilight took them and started cutting the fish. She looked at me with a teasing smile and I already could catch on with her intentions. “Oh no, don’t even think about it,” I said with a deadpanned stare. “I am more than capable of feeding myself, Twilight.” “Nonsense, you need to preserve your strength,” Twilight argued before taking a piece of fish and holding it up for me. “Now say aah~.” She was treating me like a baby, and I felt nothing short of humiliated as I reluctantly ate the fish. “There, see? that wasn’t so hard.” “Yeah, yeah…” I rolled my eyes as I ate another piece. Just as she was cutting another piece, I found myself staring at Twilight a little. Her smile made my heart beat a little faster than normal, which was a strange feeling for me. The way her hair looked silky smooth and how she surprisingly had a teasing side to her was somewhat endearing. I then smiled at her as she poked the fish piece and fed me again. As she did, I found myself somewhat lost in her pretty dark purple eyes. She’s…pretty cute, I thought to myself. It made me smile after acknowledging how admittedly attractive this mare is. Maybe I’m not so crazy after all. “Now how’s about those potatoes?” Twilight asked while taking the spoon and prepared a small scoop for me. “Here comes the choo-choo train!” “Really?” I quirked a brow at her as she began making train noises. “It’s coming through the tunnel!” She giggled. I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth so she could put the spoon in my mouth. “You’re enjoying this too much, you know that?” I said with a laugh. “Guilty,” Twilight admitted while continuing to feed me. While the situation itself was humiliating, it felt good to spend some time with her even if I was trapped in a hospital bed. Her presence made me forget about the pain of my wounds and was rather soothing to me. “There, all done,” she said after making sure the plate was cleaned and proceeded to wipe my mouth of any food bits. “Now, how’s about some jell-o?” She asked while holding the desert cup. “Ah!” I swiped the cup from her hand and grinned at her. “That’s enough assistance from you, thank you very much. I’ll take it from here.” “I’m only teasing,” Twilight laughed at my now blushing cheeks as I snatched the spoon from her. I took a bite but upon doing so, I suddenly realized that the jell-o was absolutely horrid, and my stomach was about to make me pay for it. It tasted like I was eating flavored toothpaste with too much fluoride infused into it. “Twilight…bucket!” I grunted, my face turning green when Twilight realized what I was asking. Twilight frantically looked around and used her magic to grab a small pale and hovered it over to me. I grabbed the pale and spit out the disgusting jell-o before I could yak up my lunch. “Ugh! What kind of sorry excuse for jell-o was that?!” I gagged. “It defiles the very name of jell-o!” “Guess we can skip desert,” Twilight said while putting the pale back in the corner. “I need to go. I promised the girls I’d let them know as soon as you woke up.” “Sure thing,” I said, and she got up and left. Before she stepped out the door, she glanced over her shoulder to look at me. She and I stared at each other for a few seconds before she gave me a warm and comforting smile. “I’m really glad you’re okay, Willlaim, truly I am,” Twilight said. Hearing that made baring some of the pain easier but as she left, I felt a bit sad and soon it was nothing but the beeping of the monitors and the humming of the vents as I laid there in my bed. As the beeping continued, I felt my eyes grow heavy until they closed completely, and I soon drifted off to sleep again. “I-I don’t know how it’s possible!” “You checked his body, yes? Yet there’s nothing left!” “You think I don’t know that?! I’m a doctor for crying out loud and I’ve never seen anything like it!” I must’ve dozed off for a bit but was awoken to the voices of the staff outside my door. When I opened my eyes, the door opened and the doctor from before walked in followed by two nurses. “Everything alright, doc?” I asked. “Erm…yes, well, sort of,” Greymare said. “How do you feel?” “Honestly?” I said and looked at my hand and opened and closed it. I looked down at my chest and patted it a few times but didn’t feel any pain. “I feel good. Like I’m good as new.” “That’s what I thought,” Greymare said, pinching his snout under his glasses. “Mr. Saber, I was going to keep this to myself, but it would seem that my presumptions are correct.” “What’re you talking about?” I asked. “Your injuries, Mr. Saber,” one of the nurses said. “I came in earlier to check in on you and change your bandages while you slept, only to find that they had completely healed!” I blinked at her words and pulled my gown to check my torso. The bandages had been removed, as she said, and the injuries I sustained during my fight had completely faded away. It was both shocking and unexplainable considering that I felt sore the whole time Twilight was here. “What the heck?” I asked aloud after noticing all my bones were healed and the bruises and cuts from before were gone. “Did you perhaps drink some king of healing potion?” Greymare asked. “No, I didn’t even know that was a thing,” I said. Although, considering this is a world of magic, it wouldn’t be surprising if there was. “Did miss Sparkle use a spell?” Redheart asked. “Not that I know of, we just talked, and she left to meet with her friends,” I said. I decided to take off the covers and stand on my feet. When I placed my feet on the cool hospital floor, I slowly stood up and felt no discomfort whatsoever. “It’s like I was never hurt…” I said, patting my stomach and arms again. “Um…if I may?” The other nurse said. “I do recall seeing something odd when I came to check on you.” “Odd how?” I wondered. “Well, it was faint, but I noticed some sort of strange aura surrounding your body. I thought it was just my imagination, but now that I think more about it, it almost looked sort of dim and flame-like.” Her description made me ponder what she could’ve meant. No one was in the room with me, and I clearly fell back asleep when Twilight left. It obviously couldn’t have been magic, so the only explanation was that I somehow unconsciously healed myself. With Ki? I thought, scratching my chin. But I’ve never even tried practicing healing techniques… As soon as I thought that I recalled something Ivan once told me years ago. During ancient times, masters of martial arts who devoted their lives to fighting and mastering the manipulation of spirit energy had been known to recover from their injuries subconsciously by focusing their ki to heal themselves. This, however, was a talent that only those deeply connected with the energy of their soul could perform. Though they could not manifest their ki into anything like beams or ki waves like I now can, Ivan explained to me that their connection with their inner energy was so deep, it allowed them to do incredible things that no normal human or any modern-day martial artist could do. Could I have done it while sleeping because of my own newfound connection with my powers? I thought. “Well, though you were supposed to stay here for another week or so, I guess we can give you the all clear,” Greymare said while scratching his head at this surprising miracle before giving me back my clothes. “Oh great…” I said after seeing the many holes cut into my shirt as well as the blood stains. “Rarity is gonna kill me for this.” “We’ll leave you to get changed,” the doctor said and he left with the nurses to discuss something in private. I shrugged and took off my gown and draped it on the bed. I was still wearing my boxers and grabbed my pants to put them on. Suddenly, as soon as I put my pants on, the door burst open and Twilight and the others ran in. “WILLY! We’re so glad you’re-!” Pinkie cheered when they all stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they saw me with my bear chest on display. “It’s called knocking for a reason, girls,” I laughed. All the girls were wide-eyed, and their cheeks flushed pink as they just stared. Save for Applejack who was impressed with my physique. “Well dang, sugarcube, where were ya hiding them guns?” AJ asked while coming over to check out my biceps. “Ya might actually give Big Mac a run fer his money.” Applejack started poking my chest and arms and I just smirked at her. “Keep it up, AJ, and I might just have to charge you,” I joked. “Name yer price sugarcube.” She winked, turning my joke against me as I blushed. “Ahem! While this has all been entertaining, I suggest we find a more suitable attire for William’s…imposing figure~.” Rarity batted her eyelashes at me while gazing at my pecs. “What, and deny you a show, Rarity?” I teased, purposely flexing my abs a little. This of course caused Rarity to swoon as she was caught by Fluttershy while Rainbow seemed to grin at me with pride. “Not bad, Saber,” Rainbow said aloud while examining my abs. “Are you okay, William?” Fluttershy asked, peeking from behind her mane. “Sure am,” I nodded, grabbing my torn bloody shirt. “First time I ever fought off a gang of bandits on a train. I felt like I was in one of those old western films.” The girls seemed confused at the word film for some reason but I ignored it. “Man this was my favorite shirt…” “Perhaps I can be of assistance,” Rarity said after managing to collect herself. “It’s the least I could do after that dreadful battle you just endured.” “You do realize my clothes are covered in blood?” I said out of concern. “Fear not, darling, some hot water and bleach and it’ll be good as new,” Rarity said as she used her magic to levitate my shirt away before catching a sour smell. “Eugh! Um, and perhaps you should get yourself freshened up as well, darling. You smell worse than Rainbow’s gym socks after practice.” “HEY!” Rainbow protested. “Eh, no offense taken,” I shrugged. “I should throw you a special hero party for saving the ponies on the train!” Pinkie chirped. “It’s the thought that counts, Pinkie, a party isn’t necessary,” I said. “I just did what needed to be done.”Although, I would’ve been worse off if I was weaker, I thought to myself. If only there was a way to improve my mental training somehow. “Hey girls? Do any of you happen to know someone who’s proficient in meditation around here?” I asked, earning confused looks. “I meditate for my training, but I need a more efficient method instead of just sitting by the lake.” The girls pondered my question for a bit until Twilight perked up. “What about our friend Zecora?” She said. “She meditates pretty frequently and is very spiritual.” “Who?” I asked, unfamiliar with the name. “She’s a zebra who lives on the edge of the Everfree forest,” Twilight explains. “Wait…a zebra? Like an actual zebra with stripes from Africa?” I wondered. “Africa? Never heard of that place,” Applejack said while scratching her chin. “How come I’ve never met her?” I wondered as I put my shoes on. “I think it's because we’ve all been so busy,” Fluttershy said after realizing we had gone through some crazy stuff since my arrival. “Fair enough,” I shrugged. “But first, let’s get me the heck outta this hospital,” I said, slinging my jacket over my shoulder and put my earrings back on before tucking my earbuds and phone in my pockets. After signing the papers and getting the all clear from the doctor, we were finally out and off to Rarity’s boutique to get my clothes fixed but, on the way, I noticed a lot of the townsfolk were more cheerful to see me than before. Some even cheering as I walked by like some kind of bigshot star. “Did I miss something?” I asked my friends who just giggled. “You’re the talk of the town, dude! Everypony knows it was you who stopped those bandits,” Rainbow said before zipping over to the nearest news stand to give me a paper and the headline was shocking to say the least. Sure enough, the front page was of me being carried to the hospital and the headline read: Heroic actions from Ponyville’s local human! Our top story, the Friendship Express was recently under threat from a gang of bandits! All passengers on board were about to be cleaned out of all their valuables had it not been for the courageous efforts of the human, William Saber! Reports from eyewitnesses say that he boldy confronted the bandits all on his own and managed to quite literally blast them all away with his strange powers! All of Ponyville thanks him for saving not only their possessions but also their lives as well! “Wow, that was fast,” I said. In the corner of my eye, I noticed a group of mares eyes me and my shirtless torso with lustful smiles. “The sooner I get new clothes the better…” “I don’t know, maybe you should go shirtless,” Rainbow suggested with a wink making the mares gasp. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded. “Oh please! Like you haven’t been ogling him since we left the hospital!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Hmph! I’ll have you know I was estimating his measurements,” Rarity scoffed with a flip of her mane while the rest of the girls rolled their eyes. “By the way, anyone seen Spike?” I asked after noticing the little drake wasn’t around. “I had him send word to the princess of your recovery; he went back to the library,” Twilight said. I nodded and decided to check if my Ki was still in tact. “Hey Pinkie, can you hold onto this for me?” I said, handing her my jacket. “Yeppers!” Pinkie said with glee. I smiled at her and hopped up and down a few times. I then focused my ki and centered it within my core. Once I felt the familiar sensation build up, I allowed myself to float into the air until I was hovering above the ground. “Yep, still got it,” I said with a smirk. Feeling the need to show off, considering the number of eyes on me, I looked up in the sky and flew upwards as fast as I could. The feeling of the wind blowing against my skin and through my hair was a newfound enjoyment that I could get addicted to. “Woohoo! Flying is just the greatest!” I cheered to my heart’s content and did a few loop-the-loops. I decided to fly a little higher to get a better view. I flew higher and higher until I flew high enough to just barely see Canterlot Castle in the far distance. I closed my eyes and held my arms do drink in the sun’s rays on my skin. “I’m still alive…” I said to myself, letting it sink in. “And no matter what, I’ll stay alive.” I slowly descended back down to the ground where the girls were waiting for me. “Sorry for the delay, girls,” I said as I touched down. “Had to get it out of my system.” “It still baffles me how you can fly so well without wings,” Twilight said. “Yeah, same for me.” I admitted. “Stuff like that only happens when you’re either born an alien from another world or have a super high-tech suit,” I joked. “WILLIAM!” I turned around from the sudden voice, only to be tackled to the ground by an unknown force. When I looked up, it was none other than Lyra as she looked down at me with a wide smile and happy tears. “Oof…hey Lyra, nice to see you too,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were out of the hospital?!? I THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER WAKE UP!” She sobbed while holding onto me. “I’m sorry,” I said while patting her back. “But I’m okay now, really.” Lyra managed to calm down and helped me up. It didn’t take long for her to finally notice I was shirtless, and she ended up staring. “Lyra, staring is rude,” another voice spoke up and Bon Bon approached us. “Good to see you upright, William, gave poor Lyra a scare when you were carried out of the train covered in blood.” “That’s what you get for taking on a gang of bandits, Bon Bon,” I said sarcastically. “I agree,” Bon Bon nodded. “We should get going, Lyra, we still need those ingredients for my new candy.” “Right. I’ll see you around?” Lyra asked while holding my hand. “Yeah, sure Lyra,” I said with a smile, and she let go. I heard giggling from the girls, and I argued a brow at them. “What?” “We saw that,” AJ said. “Saw what?” I wondered. “Oh, don’t be coy, darling, you are obviously attracted to her,” Rarity winked. “A-Attracted?” I stuttered sheepishly. “Please, me? Come on… She’s just a friend. Right? Besides, I’m…” I paused as we neared Rarity’s boutique. “I…I’m a human. What’s the point anyway?” “Darling, I don’t think she cares about that. What matters is how you both feel about one another,” Rarity reassured me. “Blech! Mush…” Rainbow grumbled, making Rarity scowl at her. Rarity opened the door for me, and the girls and I was met with the sight of several different clothes and dresses hanging in possibly every corner of the room. “I feel like I’m in one of those Say Yes to the Dress episodes my mom and sister watch,” I said to myself. “This is very impressive, Rarity, no wonder everyone in town comes to you for clothing needs.” “Oh, darling you flatter me,” Rarity said while fixing her mane as she gave me the tour of the place. “This is where I deign all of my fashion pieces. It is my special talent to create the most fabulous dresses and clothing in the land! One day, I hope that my brand is known throughout all of Equestria!” There was a sparkle in her eye as she was probably picturing herself as a big shot in the fashion industry. “Now let’s find you a new outfit, shall we?” “First thing’s first,” I said, catching a whiff of my now pungent odor. “May I please use your shower? I’d rather not soil any new clothes you have for me.” “Oh, but of course. My powder room is up the stairs, first door on your right. There’s towels on the shelf and some conditioner to help loosen your hair,” Rarity said, and looked at my raggedy hair. “No offense, darling, but you look like you’ve done nothing to maintain your appearance.” “Noted.” I said while heading towards her shower and gave my head a quick scratch as I noticed the amount of dirt underneath my fingernails. “Do you um…” “In the cabinet darling,” Rarity answered for me with a knowing smile. I nodded and made my way up the stairs. I opened the first door on my right and saw arguably the fanciest shower I’ve ever seen. Everything was very posh and refined, as expected from someone like Rarity. “Guess I better get started,” I shrugged and turned on the faucet. Meanwhile With the mares All the mares waited until they heard the water running and they all visibly and physically relaxed while looking very stressed out. “That was exhausting…” Rainbow groaned. “Does he realize how much heartache he put us through?!” “That was…a lot of b-blood,” Fluttershy said sadly. “I thought he was going…to…” “It's a miracle he’s even alive,” Twilight said while she slumped on a chair. “I think this was my first time seeing somepony so badly hurt. Shining always came home with bruises and black eyes from his training days, but this is different since it was actual wounds and blood.” “Then how in tarnation is he walkin’ upright like nothin’ happened?” Applejack wondered. “Perhaps it’s due to his…strange powers,” Twilight said. “Powers? Isn’t it some kind of weird magic?” Pinkie asked. “In a sense, yes, but what we’ve seen from Will is something entirely new. It looked like magic but at the same time it wasn’t,” Twilight expalined. “I’m confused,” Rainbow said while rubbing her head. “If it’s not magic that he can do, then what the hay is it?” “We gotta ask Will more about this when he's done with his shower,” Twilight sighed as she began rubbing her head in frustration. “There are just SO many questions we don’t have answers to!” “He is quite the enigma,” Rarity admitted. “I’m still honestly quite shocked that we are in the presence of a human. Something our mothers and grandmares told us about in ponytales when we were fillies.” “But don’t humans…eat meat?” Fluttershy asked cautiously, making the mares look at her with confused expressions. “I noticed William has sharp incisors in his mouth. So that would mean…he eats meat?” “Oh, come on,” Rainbow waved it off with a roll of her eyes. “This is Will we’re talking about. Of course he doesn’t eat meat!” “Actually, Rainbow, he does,” Twilight said. “According to my research, humans are omnivores.” “Omni…what now?” Applejack asked. “It means they can eat fruits, vegetables and…other living creatures, according to some old history books I’ve read back in Canterlot,” Twilight explained. “They even hunted animals to make clothes.” “How barbaric!” Rarity gasped, feeling queasy. “Now, now, hold on there, girls,” Applejack said, sensing the growing uneasiness from her friends. “Fer as long as we’ve known him, do y’all really think Will is the type of feller to eat meat like some kind of monster? Heck, that colt looks as though he wouldn’t hurt a lil’ ol’ barn mouse, even if he wanted to.” “Well, for his sake, let’s hope you’re right, Applejack,” Twilight said, and the others nodded in agreement. Just as the mares finished their conversation, they detected the feint floral aroma of Rarity’s shampoo before noticing a cloud of steam coming from the stairway as William walked down the steps from out from the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. “Thanks for the shower, Rarity, I really needed that,” William said as he combed his hair with his hand. “The feeling after a nice hot shower will never not be one of my favorite experiences.” All the mares were once again taken by surprise when they saw the young human walk out holding a towel. His muscled frame was on full display and his hair was slicked back a little from the wetness of the shower. His discolored eyes gazed at the group of madly blushing mares as the human looked back at them with an innocent smile. “What?” He asked, tilting his head a little. “Um…William, darling, step right this way. I already have your new wardrobe ready.” Rarity scrambled into action and grabbed one of his muscular arms but failed to hide the smirk on her face as she bit her lip while feeling his muscles. “So, what’ve you been talking about?” William asked, not realizing some of the mares were jealous at Rarity for subtly feeling up his arm. “Oh, just the usual girl talk, you know,” Rarity replied while taking him to the standing blinds to get changed. “I hope you like the selection I picked out for you. It might not be your style but it’s better than wearing tattered and bloody rags.” “Wow, these look great,” William said as he tossed his towel over the blind. “Nice and casual, and just my style.” Twilight gulped as Rainbow and Applejack lidded their eyes. Fluttershy was hiding her blushing face and neck behind her mane and Pinkie covered her mouth as to suppress her laughter. “So, how do they feel, dear?” Rarity wondered, trying not to sound too nervous. “Um…the shirt’s a little tight but it feels alright,” William said from behind the blinds when they heard the distinct sound of a zipper being pulled up. “The pants seem to fit though.” “I’m glad,” Rarity said and glanced at the towel. It took every fiber of her being to not lean in and sniff the towel as she swallowed hard, and she felt a slight dampness on her forehead. Just then, William came out do the changing room wearing a fresh set of clothes with his signature jacket on. “How do I look?” William asked. All the mares could do is stare at their human friend. “Hello? Earth or…Equestria to girls? Am I talking to myself here?” “Oh! Uh, you look great!” Twilight answered, snapping out of stupor. “Oooh, spiffy!” Pinkie added while getting a look at him from all angles. “Remind me how you stick to the roof like that?” William wondered as he literally watched the pink mare look at him from upside down. “It’s Pinkie Pie, hon, don’t question it,” Applejack advised with a wink. “I’ve learned not to,” William said while rubbing his head. “Well. I’m still kinda tired, so I’ll be heading back to the library. I’ll catch you all later. Thanks again for the clothes, Rarity.” Will waved the mares goodbye and left the boutique. The mares were still trying to calm themselves down as Rarity fanned herself with her hand. “Okay, I’ll say it,” Rainbow said, holding her hands up. “He’s hot.” “Hot? Darling, he’s smoking,” Rarity corrected. “Ah’ll admit, he’s not too shabby, and he gave us quite the gun show,” Applejack said with a tip of her hat. “And his arms were beefy too!” Pinkie chirped. “Yes! Will is attractive, we get it,” Twilight shook her head while pinching her muzzle. “So, you admit it?” Rainbow teased, making Twilight flustered. “Can we focus please?!” Twilight snapped with her face flushed pink before storming off. “You think she likes him? I think she likes him,” Pinkie said as they followed. “Hard to say,” Applejack shrugged with a chuckle. “But Ah’m willin’ to say she does.” Author's Note A dream of the queen has answered some questions. Yet more still addle his mind as his new life in this world continues. Side Note: One word: College. That is all. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s New MentorChapter 18 “Huff huff huff huff!” My lungs burned as I kept up my sprint. The cool early morning air blew against me as I ran as fast as I could around the lake. I had rounded the large body of water for the tenth time this morning. I saw the tree where I began my sprint close in, and I pushed myself to run faster for the final stretch. I grit my teeth and held my left hand out towards the incoming tree while I simultaneously pulled out my phone with my right hand. Just as I reached my goal and touched the tree, I pushed a button on my phone at the same time. I ran past the tree and slowed down my run while taking deep breaths. Sweat dripped down my skin, and my leg muscles felt like they were beaten and tenderized with a meat hammer. My heart was beating at least a hundred times a minute as I tried controlling my breathing to calm it down. When I looked at my phone’s screen, I saw the stopwatch time read fifteen minutes and four seconds. “Not bad, just four seconds short of my record.” I panted as the sun began to rise over the hills and a gentle breeze began to blow in from the west. It felt good to be out of the hospital after what I went through but all that time in bed had seriously cut into my workout regime and I needed to get back in fighting shape if I was gonna face any more dangers like those bandits on the train. I walked back over to the tree I passed as I put my phone back in my pocket. I put my hand on the bark and glided it along the rough exterior of the large plant. My hand stopped when I ran it over a spot on the tree. I then made a fist and pressed it against the spot, which was a perfect fit for my fist. I closed my eyes and widened my stance, straightened my arm, and raised my other hand to my side. I cleared my mind of any outside distractions and focused on my ki. My body moved on instinct as I reeled my fist back and delivered a punch right on the tree’s bark. The blow was strong enough to shake the tree but not enough to destroy it and only allowed a few leaves to fall and I repeated the process until all of Ponyville was up and about. By that time, I was drained and decided to take a little nap back at Twilight’s place after wiping the sweat from my body. I looked down at my hands and noticed a few splinters sticking out of my knuckles. I carefully picked the splinters out, which caused a little bit of bleeding. “My progress is good but not good enough,” I said to myself. “I need to push myself further.” I then thought about my sparring match with Shining and how he mentioned there’s a difference between fighting for sport and fighting like your life was on the line. He’s a soldier, which isn’t surprising why he’s got way more experience than me. It actually reminded me of a conversation I once had with Ivan years ago. Flashback “Ivan?” I asked, making my sensei pause from punching a wooden plank. “Have you ever fought outside of karate tournaments?” “Do you mean, have I killed anyone?” My sensei replied while maintaining his focus. “To answer your question, my pupil, I have not. At least not intentionally.” “So, that’s a yes?” I asked. “Why? You always said the art of karate should never be used dishonorably.” “That I did. But one night, I met a group of drunks who were looking to cause trouble. I, of course, tried to mind my own business and went along my way but they, in their drunken stupor, accosted me and demanded I give them money. I refused and so they sought to beat me to a pulp not knowing I was a master,” Ivan said as he stopped to wipe the sweat off his brow. “In the scuffle, one of them pulled a knife.” “Seriously?” I said, imagining what that must’ve been like. “Knives are scary…” “Indeed, and dangerous if used carelessly.” My sensei then showed me a horrid scar on his right arm as he rolled up his sleeve. “After I received this blow, I struck my enemy down without holding back. When I came to, he was covered in bruises and was bleeding from his eye and lip, his face was so swollen that he didn’t even look human. By the time the police arrived, the other two were gone and I was arrested.” “What?!” I yelped. “But…but they were trying to mug you! They’re the ones that should’ve been punished!” “That did not change the fact that I did not restrain myself. In my rage I became my enemy and acted in haste and anger.” Ivan walked up to me and bent down on his knee to look at me at eye level. “Never forget, my pupil: Martial Arts is a means to defend yourself and those around you, never use it for vengeance.” Present “Not for vengeance, huh?” I said to myself as I quietly opened the door to the library. “You make it sound so easy, Ivan.” Two Hours Later 3rd POV Spike sluggishly walked down the stairs and yawned loudly. Twilight was sitting at the table sipping coffee while reading over some scrolls. “Morning, Twilight…” Spike said. “Morning Spike, sleep well?” She asked as they greeted each other with a hug. “Well enough, I saw Will go out for his morning training earlier,” Spike said with another yawn. To this, Twilight sighed knowing Will was supposed to be taking it easy after getting out of the hospital. “Where is he now?” Twilight wondered. “Back in bed I think.” Spike yawned once again while digging through the fridge for some breakfast. “Still?” Twilight said, looking out the window. “The sun’s already almost fully risen.” “Guess he must’ve really pushed himself,” Spike shrugged as he pulled out a few fruits. “Well, that’s no excuse for sleeping all day,” Twilight said and stood up. “I’m gonna go wake him up. I still have a lot of questions for him about humans.” “I’ll be down here stuffing my face,” Spike said with a content smile as he pulled out a cupcake and a glass of milk as Twilight stormed upstairs. Upon nearing Will’s room, she swore she could hear the sound of an engine revving up as Will snored away much to her annoyance. “Will?” Twilight called out and knocked on the door but received no response. “Will! Wake up!” Still nothing. “I’m coming in, Will! You don’t want to experience how I wake up Spike sometimes when he oversleeps!” The threat fell on deaf ears, which made Twilight stamp her hoof irritably. “You asked for this!” Without hesitation, Twilight opened the door to Will’s room and stepped inside. The librarian saw Will laying on his side on the bed with his back turned to Twilight. Will was snoring like a train so loud that she could swear she heard the window shake a little. “Honestly, Will…” Twilight sighed as she approached the snoring human. “You can’t just sleep all day, you need to wake up and-!” Twilight’s voice was suddenly brought to an immediate end when Will rolled over on his back. Her eyes went wide and almost popped out of her skull when she saw Will’s bear chest on full display. Twilight had seen Will without a shirt on back at the hospital but she wasn’t really paying any attention to his physical features. Now, however, she was alone and in the same room as her human roommate. Heat began to rise in Twilight’s cheeks as she found herself staring at Will’s body. “No…shirt!” she squeaked while staring at his chiseled body as he snored away and grumbled. “Haaa…aaaabs~,” She said with a bit of drool trailing down the side of her mouth while fanning herself. “Wait…what am I doing?!” Twilight yelped quietly. “This is so uncouth!” She paused and mentally facepalmed. “Ugh, I sound like Rarity.” Twilight shook her head and then found herself staring at Will’s chest again. The way it rose and fell with his breathing made his abdomen muscles flex a little every so often. “Okay, maybe a few minutes more,” the blushing mare said, once again losing herself to her desires. “Who knew humans could be so…physically fit.” Her observation was cut short when a rooster let out a loud crow that roused will from his sleep. Will 1st POV “Mmf…” I mumbled a little and slowly opened my eyes. I sat up and stretched my arms over my head while smacking my lips. It wasn’t until about a minute into me waking up did I finally notice I wasn’t alone. I looked to my left to see Twilight standing stiff as a statue. “Uh…morning?” I said to Twilight but she didn’t answer. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” “Oh! Uh N-N-Nothing’s wrong, I just didn’t wanna disturb you!” She replied while darting her head the other direction leaving me a bit confused as I got out of bed to find a shirt. “Sorry if I slept in, I was out doing some training,” I said as I sat on the edge of my bed. “I-I-It’s fine,” Twilight stammered. I stood up and stretched my arms out to the side and yawed. “So, what’s on the agenda today?” I asked with a smile. “Oh, well, to be honest you should just rest. Doctors said you need time to fully heal before doing anything…extreme,” Twilight said, having completely forgotten the glorious sight she had witnessed earlier. “Eh, I’m fine,” I shrugged. “In fact, I gotta get back out there.” “Uh uh uh! not until you’ve had a proper breakfast,” Twilight objected just as my stomach started to growl. “Well…I guess I do need some sustenance,” I shrugged. “Need to keep my ki levels full, after all.” I walked past her and she flinched when I accidentally bumped my elbow against her arm. “You coming?” I asked as I slung a fresh shirt over my shoulder. For some reason, when I turned around Twilight looked like she was in some kind of trance and I could swear I could see little hearts floating above her head. “Hello? Earth to- uh, I mean Equestria to Twilight!” I said, waving my hand in front of her face. “Huh? what?” She snapped out of her trance and shook her head. “We gonna grab something to eat or what?” I asked again. “Oh! Uh, sure!” Twilight said before suddenly darting ahead of me, almost like she was avoiding me or something. I headed downstairs after Twilight while Spike was in the middle of mixing batter. “Morning, Spike, what’re you making?” I asked. “My signature pancakes! extra fluffy,” Spike said while humming a tune as he stirred the batter while Twilight set up the table but once more she seemed to be daydreaming and was setting up the tableware in the wrong places. “Hmm…mind if I add something?” I offered while opening some cupboards. “You got any spices?” “That cupboard on the left,” Twilight said. I opened it up and looked inside to see different bottles of spices. Surprisingly, they had similar spices like the ones back home. I reached inside and grabbed the cinnamon and nutmeg. “Here, allow me,” I said and stirred the bowl for Spike while adding the spices. “Ooh you cook?” Spike asked while taking the used dishes to the sink. “Did it a lot with my mom, back home. She made the most phenomenal breakfast your taste buds ever tasted! it took me years to perfect her recipes,” I said as I rolled up my sleeves. As I stirred the bowl, Spike was buttering the pan for me while Twilight read a scroll. I added a spoonful of honey to the mix to give it that extra sweet taste. “So, Will. Now that you’re out of the hospital, you gonna go back to work with Applejack?” Spike asked me. “Not exactly. I’m gonna go find this Zecora Twilight told me about,” I said as Spike flipped on the stove and placed the pan on top. “She’s a shaman right? Which means she’s big on meditation.” “And potions,” Spike added while the first of the batter was poured. “Did you know she actually found a cure for a chicken’s sore throat? She’s awesome but not as awesome as Rarity.” “Alright I get it, lover boy,” I teased. I waited until the pancakes were done on one side and flipped them with a spatula. The sides were golden brown and the room was filled with the sweet aroma of the pancakes and spices I added. “I’ll make another batch after this one,” I said. “Does anyone want me to add fruit? Or perhaps chocolate chips?” “ME!” Spike cheered with his hand raised. “I’ll get the whipped cream,” Twilight smiled while going to the fridge as the first stack was laid on the table. “Wow, these smell great!” Spike was preparing to dig in before noticing me fold my hands as I closed my eyes. “Thanks for the food!” I said before digging in. The minute I tasted the pancakes, it reminded me of my mother’s recipe and back home. I smiled ear to ear as the sweet taste of pancake, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey spread across my mouth. I then noticed Spike and Twilight looked awestruck as they had yet to finish their first bite. “Something wrong? I’m sure I got the recipe right,” I asked before they resumed their meal in earnest with Spike stuffing his cheeks to the brim with every bite. “So GOOD!” Spike cried “This is amazing!” Twilight said while savoring her meal. “Wait, are you telling me you don’t put any spices or sweeteners in pancakes?” I asked. “Not like this!” Spike said with his mouth still full. “This recipe is amazing! You gotta teach me!” Twilight said in earnest hoping I would divulge my family secrets but much to her disappointment I zipped my mouth shut with a smug grin. “Sorry but family recipe means family only,” I proclaimed proudly. “Then I guess Twilight should marry you, huh?” Spike joked. Twilight choked on her pancake and began coughing up a storm while holding her throat. I reacted quickly by jumping from my seat to the mare and wrapped my arms around her stomach. “Breathe, Twilight! Breathe!” I yelped while giving her the Heimlich maneuver. “MM! PLECH!” The bit of food that was jammed in Twilight’s throat came out like a shot and allowed her to catch her breath. “What was that about?” Spike asked in confusion while she tried to compose herself. “Spike, never EVER joke about stuff like that!” She scolded with her cheeks turning pink. Twilight sat down to catch her breath and I poured some water for her and rubbed her back. “You okay?” I asked out of concern. “I-I’m fine. Just a little startled, that's all.” Twilight fanned herself before resuming her breakfast. “We should finish up if we wanna stay on schedule.” “Can I have some more?” Spike asked. “Sure,” I said while shooting Spike a deadpanned look. “But after that comment, you’re on dish duty.” “Aw man…” Spike grumbled. When our breakfast was finished, I made my way towards the Everfree Forest and followed Twilight’s directions as I headed through town and was greeted by everyone I passed by. I followed the path that led me on the outskirts of town. The trees were beginning to get a little thicker but I managed to stay on the path. As I walked, I heard the sounds of someone humming a tune. When I looked up, I saw Fluttershy flying above me carrying a basket. “Fluttershy!” I called out. “AH!” Fluttershy quickly ducked behind the nearest bush and dropped her basket. “Oops, sorry,” I apologized sheepishly. “Oh, it’s you, Will.” She came out from her hiding spot after recognizing my voice and collected her basket. “What brings you all the way out here?” I asked. “Just picking up some vegetables for my little friends,” Fluttershy said. “What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting?” “I’m actually fully recovered,” I said. “It was thanks to my power that I was able to heal so fast. I’m off to see this Zecora person to see if she can help me with something.” “Oh, well, in that case could you ask if she can make some potions for my animals? A few rabbits have a case of the sniffles.” She asked with a polite smile. “Of course. Well, I better get going.” I waved goodbye as I continued to the forest. “Be careful, Will!” Fluttershy said. “Man, this forest is nuts!” I said as I pushed more tree branches out of the way. It had been an hour since I began my trek through a thick brush of trees and it felt like I wasn’t making much headway despite staying on the path. Not to mention the fact that I felt like I needed to keep my head on a swivel because of all the unsettling noises I heard around me. It was as if the forest had eyes and they were all staring at me from every corner. “I better be getting close…” I grumbled. “I wonder if it would be easier to fly there? Even though I have no idea what her place looks like.” My train of thought was interrupted when I tripped over a root and fell into a puddle of what I hoped was mud. “If there were three guys following me right now, they’d throw their heads back and laugh…” I grumbled. I stood back up and saw a big mud stain on my shirt and frowned. “Man, I just got clean!” I complained, getting a bit irritated. “Just where the heck is this Zecora anyway?! All I see is forest!” In my frustration, I noticed a smoke stack not far off and could smell something brewing. I figured I was getting close as I kept moving towards the smoke and found myself staring at a small hut made of straw and twigs decorated with masks. and inside a large bubbling cauldron. “A hut?” I said aloud and approached it. “What’s a hut doing in the middle of the forest?” “What do we have here?” A sudden voice said behind me. “A visitor far from anywhere near?” I turned around to see a mare walk out from the brush with a satchel on her shoulder. She had gray fur with darker gray stripes on the sides of her arms, legs, body, and neck. Her black and white striped hair was styled in a mohawk, her eyes were a darkish turquoise color, and she wore golden rings on her neck. However, the most noticeable thing about his mare was her attire. The zebra mare wore what could only be described as a bra made out of fur and a loincloth that wrapped around her waist to cover her front and back, just enough so it wouldn’t show anything private. The fur bra, however, looked like it was holding up her admittedly large bust firmly enough so it would provide enough cleavage for the imagination. Impure thoughts, begone! I thought to myself before clearing my throat. “Um…are you perhaps Zecora?” “Indeed that is my name, I trust there is a reason that you came?” She asked while sauntering over to the cauldron with a sway in her hips as I found myself being drawn in by her ample flank and tail. For god’s sake, why is she wearing something so freaking exposing like that?! I screamed internally before speaking. “My name’s William, ma’am,” I said politely. “William Saber. I’m a friend of Twilight.” “Ah yes. In many a tale your name was told so tell me what brings you to my humble abode?” She asked before sampling her brew and added a few more ingredients. “It’s kinda a long story,” I said, scratching the back of my head. “Then all the more reason to listen to your tale, for I am accustomed to aid in any avail,” Zecora said. “Before I start, may I ask why you rhyme like that?” I asked, curious of her speech. “I’ve never met anyone who talks like that.” “A tradition from my homeland far, for when we tell stories under the stars. To entice young ones and enchant their mind, we learned to speak in rhythm and rhyme.” Her response was so poetic I almost lost myself. She’d make a killing at poetry clubs, I thought. “I don’t mean to be rude, but is there any way you can speak without rhymes?” “It is not a difficult task, all you need to do is ask,” zecora said, making me facepalm myself before she let out a short laugh. “Forgive me, I couldn't help myself!” She finally spoke without rhyming much to my relief. “Twilight never mentioned you were also a teaser,” I said with a smile as I sat down by her. “And she never mentioned you were so handsome~.” She winked as she finished her brew and wiped the sweat from her curvy body. I couldn’t help but notice the gleam from her boobs before slapping myself in front of her. “Uhh mosquitoes!” I said sheepishly while she blinked at me. “I see,” she nodded. Get it together, Saber! You’re here for a reason! Not to ogle at the pretty zebra lady! I thought. I spent the next hour telling Zecora a little about myself and how I came to this world. I told her about my encounter with Nightmare Moon, my experience in Canterlot with the memories of Sir Rokai, my battle on the train, and even the dream I had about Faust. Zecora remained silent the whole time while closely listening to my story. “So I came here to seek you out,” I finished. “I need to improve my meditation skills so I can increase my ki center’s strength and capacity.” “I see. You came here so there would be no distractions to your training,” Zecora repeated my circumstance in a more simpler term while pondering how she could help. “Hmm I know a few places where you may train but the Everfree Forest is filled with many dangers. I myself risk my own life each time I go out to forage for ingredients.” “Does that mean you won’t help me?” I asked nervously. “I didn’t say that,” Zecora said. “I’d be more than happy to assist you. Which reminds me. You say you are a warrior, yes?” “Well, I wouldn’t say a seasoned warrior, but I know how to fight,” I answered. “Why?” “In my homeland, I hail from a village of well-renowned zebra warriors,” Zecora said. “I too am no stranger to hand-to-hoof combat.” “Uh…” I mumbled, trying to process what she said. “You know how to fight?” Zecora would then demonstrate her skills by grabbing a staff from the wall and began twirling it like a pro before pointing one end at my throat. “Care to test your skills against mine?” She said with a smirk almost as if she were flirting with me. “Woah…” I gulped but nodded. “Okay, I’m never one to back down from a challenge.” I stood up while taking off my jacket and set it aside. We both stepped away from the hut and cauldron and we both took a stance. “Are you prepared?” Zecora asked, pointing her staff at me. “Sure am,” I said. “Here I come!” I hopped in place while holding my fists up and shimmied towards Zecora. Once I was within range, I tried throwing a straight punch at her. In a simple sidestep, she dodged my attack and threw me to the ground using her staff. I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me as I stared up at the canopy in bewilderment when she stood over me. “Are we done warming up or do you still not take me seriously?” Zecora asked with sarcasm in her voice as I got up and dusted myself off. I shook my head and decided to get serious. I jumped at her while swinging my leg for a roundhouse to her head. Only she saw it coming and ducked out of the way like she slid past it. I landed on the ground and dug my foot in the dirt to try and deliver a back kick by thrusting my other leg backwards. “Better,” Zecora said while blocking the attack. “But you’re wide open.” She then surprised me by slamming her staff right on top of my head before tripping me up and making me taste dirt once more. “Never expose your back to your opponent unless they are on the ground!” She lectured as I got up. “And do not be so predictable with your attacks, throw your opponent off balance.” “Ugh…how are you doing this?” I groaned. “Shining right all along. There is a difference between fighting for sport and fighting for your life.” “For starters, I don’t use flashy moves and brute strength,” Zecora started while circling me like a real instructor. “Reckless attacks should only be used in desperation and secondly.” She pointed her staff at me with a smirk. “I don’t get distracted by my opponent’s assets.” Zecora was right, and I knew it. If the train battle was any indication, I would probably be facing another situation like that again with my life on the line. Rokai was fighting for his life every day on the front lines. Even while beaten and bloodied, he still stayed strong for the sake of others. Meanwhile, I wasted a few days in the hospital after only a single fight with bandits. With my conviction heightened, I adjusted myself on the ground until I was sitting on my knees. I looked up at Zecora, and then bowed my head at the mare. “Zecora, I, William Saber, do humbly request you make me your student,” I said formally. “Please teach me how to fight with my life on the line.” “I suppose I could use an apprentice but mind you, I will not simply teach you combat. You will learn how to survive in nature, to thrive in it. Only by becoming one with the land can you truly rise to be its protector.” Zecora then stood me up and pointed me towards two empty buckets and I already knew where this was going. “For your stamina training, fetch water from the well without spilling a single drop.” “Sounds simple enough,” I said, but she bonked me on the head. “Ow! What was that for?!” “You must be humble even with the simplest tasks. Furthermore, you are forbidden from using ANY of your powers!” She said sternly while placing her staff against the hut. “Now go and do not dawdle.” I rubbed my head and picked up the buckets. “Wait, are you talking about the river I passed by?” Zecora smirked at me as she resumed stirring her cauldron. “But that’s at least an hour away from here!” “Better hurry then, the sun will be setting and that's when the timberwolves hunt,” Zecora said in a casual manner while stirring the pot. “There will be a nice dinner waiting for you when you get back.” “Why am I starting to regret this already?” I asked while walking away. My shoulders felt like they were going to fall off as I carried the buckets back from getting water from the river. I had a feeling Zecora made me use these large buckets on purpose because she knew how heavy they’d be once they were filled up. I had almost spilled the water no thanks to the uneven terrain of the forest so I had to walk as slowly and calmly as possible. Every step I took felt like it weighed more than the last until I somehow managed to make it back to the hut. Zecora was sitting in a lotus position. “Made it…” I groaned, setting the water buckets down. “What do you need the water for?” “To bathe of course,” Zecora said with her eyes closed. “I may live in the wild but even I am not foolish enough to wash in the river where I might be attacked by predators or peeked at by a certain someone.” “I-I would never!” I said with my cheeks turning pink as she smirked at me with one eye open. “Could have fooled me with the way you were staring at me earlier,” she teased. “You’re such a tease, Zecora…” I scoffed. “Bwana,” Zecora corrected as she stood up and picked up her staff. “Huh?” I said. “It means master in my native tongue. and that is what you will call me during your stay,” Zecora said before getting up to stretch. “Stay? Wait, how long am I staying?” I asked, and she eyed me. “Um…I mean, how long am I staying, Bwana?” “Until I say you are done. Now, go into the woods and find something for us to eat,” she ordered. “In...there? Unsupervised?” I gulped, having not been in the forest at night before. “Is that a problem?” Zecora questioned. “No…I guess not…” I sighed and trudged into the forest. Later The sun had long since set and the stars illuminated the night sky. I honestly lost track of time since Zecora had me scrounge for food. I somehow managed to find some berry bushes and whole mushrooms all around and carried them in the bucket Zecora gave me. When I finally managed to return to the campsite, Zecora was doing some kind of motion with her staff that looked like tai chi. “I’m back…again,” I groaned. “Good, let us see what you brought,” Zecora said. Without a care in the world, I dropped various mushrooms and fruits on the ground as I dropped to my knees and watched as she began inspecting my harvest. “Hmm,” she hummed as she examined my loot. “So…how’d I do?” I asked before she began chucking everything away. “HEY! What gives?!” “Everything you brought was poisonous,” Zecora said while showing me some of the mushrooms I brought. “This causes hallucinations, this one causes paralysis, and this one slows your blood flow.” I facepalmed and dragged my hand down my face with an exhausted sigh. “We’re gonna starve…” I complained as my stomach growled. “I didn’t even have lunch yet.” “Not to worry, I have a stew ready,” Zecora said, surprising me when I caught a whiff of her cooking. “Then why have me forage if you already have food?!” I shouted in outrage as she prepared some bowls for us. “A lesson in survival, young cub. Not everything in nature is edible,” Zecora smirked before we began to dine under the stars. “Also, be sure to take a bath after this. You smell.” “Gee! I wonder why?!” I groaned as Zecora suppressed a laugh and handed me a bowl of stew. “I hope Twilight isn’t too worried about me…” Meanwhile Twilight had been pacing back and forth in her library as the hour grew late, she'd been waiting for me to return and figured I'd be back in no time at all. “Ohh, where is he?” She asked herself when Spike came in wearing pajamas. “Twilight? Why are you still awake?” Spike asked. “I’m awake because Will isn’t home yet!” Twilight shrieked. “He should be back by now!” Tap Tap, Tap! Twilight paused her pacing and looked to see a crow pecking at the glass window. Twilight cocked her head and noticed there was a little piece of paper strapped to its leg. “A crow?” Twilight wondered as she opened the window for it. “CAW!” The bird gave Twilight the scroll before giving a feathered salute and flew off as Twilight read the scroll aloud. Twilight, this is from Zecora. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, young William shall be staying with me until his training is complete. No need to worry, it won't be long. Your friend, ~Zecora. P.S. Don’t be shocked I didn’t rhyme. “WHAT?!” Twilight shrieked. “DID ZECORA JUST FOALNAP MY ROOMMATE?!” “Uhh…I don’t think this counts as foalnapping mainly ‘cause Will chose to go and he’s not a foal. He’s not even a pony,” Spike pointed out. “NOT helping, Spike!” Twilight snapped. Author's Note Our Hero’s newest experience begins with his newest mentor. Side Note: Apologies for the extended wait on this. Ideas have been kinda stagnant but my cowriter and I are staring to pick it up. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s NightmareChapter 19 Sleep has always been one of my favorite times of the day. You’re in the comfort of your own bed, a nice fluffy pillow under your head, and covered in warm blankets. However, since I’m now under the tutelage of Zecora the zebra for the past few days, I’ve now been reduced to sleeping on the cold muddy ground within Zecora’s hut with Zecora. It would be a massive understatement to say that this is the most uncomfortable experience I’ve had in my life. I had no pillow, no covers, and no mattress that I usually am used to having during my sleep. Zecora, somehow, didn’t seem at all bothered by it and had managed to fall right to sleep. I’m not sure how or why but after forcing my eyes shut for about ten minutes, I somehow managed to fall asleep as well. I soon found myself floating in a familiar starry void. I looked around for anything else in particular but there was only emptiness. “Well, at least I’m sleeping…” I said to myself. “I don’t know how Zecora does it.” Suddenly, the atmosphere became thick, and a chill ran up and down my spine. A sort of shadow loomed over me from behind and I looked back to see three shadowy figures look down at me with piercing gazes. “Who the hell are you?!” I asked. “…bug,” one of the figures said in an echoey voice. My whole frame was completely locked up at the sound of the figure’s voice. It was a voice I had hoped and prayed to forget about for so many years. My breathing became erratic, and my body started shivering all over. The figures became larger and taller as their eyes kept boring holes into my very soul. “N-No…” I tried to say. “Y-You can’t…h-hurt me anymore! W-We escaped! You have n-no control! No control! NONE!” “You can’t run from me, BOY!” Another voice called out. “You a hero? What a joke!” “GET AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed and tried firing a ki blast, but nothing came out. “S-STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!” I tried running away but the shadows began overwhelming me. “You are a bug!” “How dare you try to speak! Bugs like you should know their place!” “You are a disgrace!” “Life is wasted in a mere bug like you!” “You shall become fodder to the ritual!” The fear felt soul-crushing as despair filled my soul, and I could hardly breathe. “HELP! HELP ME! SOMEBODY! MOM! MOM, HELP!” “BEGONE!!” In a flash of light, the images were dispersed, and a bright glow filled the room before I found myself under a starry sky in a grassy field. I fell to my knees as I hugged my arms and was hyperventilating. My body felt like it was vibrating I was shivering so much. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t think straight which made me dizzy. “William?” I heard a faint voice, followed by a gentle touch on my shoulder. I reacted by swatting the hand away and crawling away from whoever touched me. “Get away! Get away!” I screamed. “Don’t hurt me!” “William, it’s me! It's Luna!” I snapped out of my fear-induced trance and looked up to see Luna staring down at me with concern. “P-Princess Luna?” I said in quivering voice. The lunar princess looked at me like she never expected me to be wallowing in fear. “I-I’m sorry… Let me get up.” I tried to stand up, but my legs betrayed me due them still shaking a little. “Damnit…this is embarrassing.” “Here, let me help you.” Luna helped me to stand yet still my legs were quivering and she could feel my skin was cold as ice. “What was that you just saw? I’ve never seen nightmares like those.” I looked away from Luna with a frown. “It’s…trauma. Very deep-seated trauma. From my childhood,” I said. “Those shadows were…people I longed to forget about. It’s honestly been many years since I had a nightmare like that.” Luna then wrapped a wing around me as I quivered like a frightened child. I felt pathetic appearing like this in front of her yet when she placed her hands on me, I felt safe and warm, and my fears seemed to fade almost instantly. “What happened? you can tell me,” Luna said with a pleading look, begging me to let her in. When I tried to speak, the words died in my throat when those voices echoed in my head. I tried to hold in my fear, but the hyperventilating came back, and I was breathing heavily again. “Won’t…go back…” I mumbled to myself. “Don’t…control me…!” “William, look at me.” Luna spoke in a warm voice as she held my face, her gaze was like that of a mother looking worried for her child and I couldn't help but sob when I embraced her, and she held me close with her wings wrapping around me. “Shh it’s alright, you’re safe now,” Luna whispered. “I was never safe…” I wept. “Me…and my mother. Those monsters…they weren’t human.” “…your father?” She asked while still holding me. “And my brother…” My voice turned from fear to anger, and it seemed to change the dreamscape as the grass began to die and storm clouds formed overhead. “And…my uncle!” My rage grew and grew as my fear vanished and thunder began crackling in the sky. Luna was forced to back off from the wind as a massive wave of ki burst forth from my body, covering me like a white flame. “THEY ROBBED ME OF MY INNOCENCE! THEY TORE A HOLE IN MY HEART THAT WILL NEVER BE FILLED!” I screamed as the aura around me flickered violently. “I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM I HATE THEM I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM ALL!” Even as the storms raged around me, Luna did not cower in fear or demand that I stop. Instead, she placed her hands on my shoulder and looked at me with sadness. “I understand your rage, William, but it does not define you, your past does not define you. You are who you chose to be,” Luna tried to say. “How can you understand my pain?!” I yelled back. “Because I too once hated my own sister,” Luna confessed. “WE ARE NOT THE SAME, LUNA!” I bellowed, shoving her away. “MY OWN BROTHER KILLED SOMEONE PRECIOUS TO ME!” “Tell me so I can help!” Luna shouted over the raging storms even as the lightning struck around her. “NOBODY CAN HELP ME!” I screamed as the ground started to shake. “Sister!” Luna called out as her horn glowed. “Sister! I need you!” As the storm grew with intensity, Celestia came rushing through a portal to see Luna struggling to stand against the winds as my rage grew out of control to the point where the earth cracked beneath us and turned into a molten wasteland. “Luna, what’s wrong?!” Celestia asked while shielding her sister. “William’s rage! It’s taking him over! if we don’t stop him soon, he could be lost to us!” Luna warned. “I’LL KILL THEM!” I seethed with hatred. “I’LL FIND A WAY BACK WITH THESE POWERS AND BLAST THEM ALL TO FUCKING PIECES!” “William, please listen to me!” Celestia called out before being forced to use her magic to trap me in a bubble. “Vengeance is not the way, no matter how angry you feel. I promise that even if you take your revenge, you will feel empty!” “THEN WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE IN THIS WORLD?!” I yelled at her. “MY LIFE IS BACK ON EARTH WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS! I HAVE NO ONE AND NOTHING!” “YOU HAVE US!!” Celestia yelled back in an equal tone that seemed to almost instantly snap me out of it. “You have your friends! We have looked after you, we were there for you when you were hurt! you are not alone…not anymore.” I stared into Celestia’s and Luna’s eyes and the storm raged around me. Their words struck something in me that managed to calm my nerves little by little. As I slowly started to calm down, the storm around me began to subside. Celestia and Luna took the opportunity to slowly approach me as my anger and frustration turned into shame and embarrassment. “I’m so pathetic…” I spoke in a defeated tone. ”It’s alright to be angry,” Luna said as they hugged me. “But you don't have to keep those emotions to yourself, let us help you heal.” Celestia smiled and brought my head to rest on her chest like she was a mother. I stayed like this for an untold amount of time as Celestia caressed my head. The storm had completely passed, and the starry sky came back above us. “Are you okay now, William?” Luna asked. “Yeah, I’ll be okay…” I sighed. “Can’t remember the last time I had a panic attack like that. I almost forgot what it felt like.” I was silent for a moment before looking up at the stars. “Twenty years…” “Hm?” Celestia looked down and saw I was clenching my fists in anger. “I haven’t thought about those thugs in twenty long years…” I stated. I stood up from Celestia’s hug and tried recounting my methods to calm my nerves. “When I was five years old, something happened to my mother and I with my biological father, brother, and uncle,” I spoke softly. “It shook me to my very core, and warped my mind for several years as I grew up. It wasn’t until my mother met my stepfather and sister did I manage to be brought back from the brink.” “If this memory brings you pain then speak no more of it,” Luna said after seeing storm clouds form overhead again. “Come to me when you feel like talking.” “Only YOU sister?” Celestia quirked a brow at Luna. “Oh, come now Celestia, you know what I meant,” Luna brushed it off. “I wouldn’t want to burden either of you,” I said, shaking my head. “But it is refreshing to be able to dream about some familiar faces.” “Dream?” Luna spoke. “We are no illusion, William, we are very real.” I cocked my head at her remark with a perked brow. “I beg your pardon?” “I guess you didn’t know but my sister has the power to see one’s dreams in order to help deal with their nightmares. She summoned me because well…” Celestia trailed off. “You were more than even I could handle, dear William,” Luna confessed while demonstrating her power to me as she made the grass beneath us bloom into a field of flowers with a single touch. “In the dream realm, one is not bound to the limits of the waking world. It can be a place of great joy but also…a place of great fear.” “You can control dreams?” I asked. “More like I watch over them so those who sleep may slumber soundly, but yes, I do,” Luna nodded. “That’s…pretty damn cool!” I spoke enthusiastically. “No wonder everyone always looks like they had a good night’s sleep. And why I haven’t had a nightmare since I got here.” “Indeed, but for those whose nightmares are too strong, I help them confront their fears,” Luna explained. “While this has been a lovely chat, I must return to my dream. I do have meetings in the morning,” Celestia hinted to her sister as another portal was summoned. “Fare thee well sister, have fun on Cake Island,” Luna teased. “LUNA?!” Celestia yelped. “Oops! That was supposed to remain secret!” Luna teased. I laughed a little as Celestia left in a huff and it was just me and Luna. “I’m really sorry you had to see my ugly side, princess,” I said in a guilty tone. “I thought I had buried that part of me deep within my subconscious years ago.” “Perhaps it’s time to learn to control your dreams,” Luna said while letting a butterfly land on her finger. “I can do that?” I wondered. “Of course, dear William. As I said, one is not limited in dreams. In this realm, every thought, every imagination becomes real, and I have seen many extraordinary and somewhat strange dreams in my time,” Luna explained to me. I contemplated her words and looked around us. If what she said was true, then I could make the landscape around us into anything I so desire it to be. I thought about what else this world could be used for, until I had an interesting idea. “Princess, would you say this world could also have an effect on me in the physical world?” I asked. “How do you mean?” Luna asked. “Well, I’ve recently become the apprentice of Zecora the zebra.” Luna nodded as if knowing who Zecora was. “She said she’d help train me to fight properly and how to survive in a wild environment. So, my question is, is it possible to train myself in the dream realm as well?” “Hmm…there was a theory that said it was possible,” Luna said while pondering my question. “Really?” I asked. “When I first was learning how to govern the dream realm, ponies would often dream about their special talents,” Luna said. “In theory, whatever they learned while dreaming, they were able to replicate in the physical world.” “So, if I were to say practice to improve my martial arts skill or strengthen my ki center, could it have the same effect on me in real life?” I asked. “I suppose it’s possible. Only one way to find out,” Luna said. “How?” I wondered. “Simple. I shall be your guide in the dream realm,” Luna proclaimed. I had to do a double take at Luna after processing what she offered to me. It soon dawned on me that I just got offered to be Princess Luna’s dream apprentice. “You wanna teach me?” I asked dumbly. “But…why? What about your duties?” “I’ve already finished them, you were actually my last stop,” Luna smiled as she stood up and fixed her dress. “Now, I suppose we can train in this field, but I think a more practical setting is needed. wouldn’t you agree?” She asked me with a smile. “I want you to picture a place in your mind, a place where you can focus your abilities.” I looked around me at the endless plain of grass and starry sky. I crossed my arms and thought about how else I could make the landscape in order to train properly in the dream realm. It had to be something I was familiar with; something I had always wondered what it would be like if it were real. “…that’s it!” I said to myself after coming up with the perfect setting. I focused my mind and the landscape around us began to morph and change. The starry sky was replaced with a bright and sunny day, the grassy plains were replaced with a stage-like arena with stone plates, and large stadium-like bleachers surrounded us. A building also rose up by us along with some rows of flags, and a gong appeared by the entrance. When I was done with my preparation, I couldn’t help but grin excitedly as Luna and I stood in the middle of the ring of the World Martial Arts Tournament ring from my favorite tv show, Dragon Ball Z. “Woah…” I said as I looked around. “I can’t believe I’m here! It’s so much bigger than I thought it looked in the show!” “Hmm, quite the arena. Are you a competitive fighter?” Luna asked as I continued to geek out at my childhood fantasy. “Oh, uhh, no. I actually saw this from a TV show I really loved as a kid.” I began to feel embarrassed after revealing something so personal, but the princess didn’t seem to mind. “No need to fear, young William, we are all children at heart but um…” Luna trailed off. “Something wrong?” I wondered. “Do cheerleaders really dress like that in your world?” She pointed to the line of babes in smoking hot bikinis waving pom poms. “Crap!” I focused as hard as I could to make the women disappear as I felt a hot wash of embarrassment. “Um…please ignore that.” “No worries, ‘'ve seen far more scandalous dreams in the minds of young colts…some of which involve me and my sister doing all sorts of-” “AHH! Can we get back to the training please?” I pleaded, unable to hide my embarrassed blush. “Oh, yes. My apologies,” Luna said sheepishly. I had to take a deep breath and force myself to forget what she just said. “Now then, William, let us start with a simple test of your skills,” Luna said. “Okay, how?” I asked. “Show me what you can do. Pretend you are practicing on your own,” Luna said as she stepped away to give me space. I shrugged at her request but nodded anyway. I took off my jacket and tossed it aside before taking a stance. I started out with skipping in place and delivering a series of punches in the air. I showed her inverted punches, hook punches, blocking punches, followed by two-handed punch techniques like parallel punches, scissors punches, and mountain punches. I then switched up my style by using some palm strikes, and four-knuckle punches and a few spear hand techniques that Ivan once showed me. I kept punching the air, showing off all the punching techniques I knew, before switching to kicking techniques. I jumped in the air and delivered a crescent kick, followed by a roundhouse kick and tornado kick. My kicks were smooth and sharp as I recalled everything I could that Ivan taught me. All the while, Luna was patiently watching me as if she was analyzing my fighting styles. “Hmm, very good. you had an excellent teacher,” Luna complimented. “One of the best,” I said as she complimented my sensei. “Now let us see how you fare against magic, I will be your opponent,” Luna said. “Say wha?” I said, stopping mid kick. “None of our battle mages are fit enough to be an opponent for you. Therefore, I will take it upon myself to instruct you.” Luna then began to form an orb of magic in her hands before making it zip around in all directions with a speed faster than my eyes could keep up with. “Let us test your battlefield awareness.” I was about to say something when the orb suddenly wizzed right at me and I quickly leaned back to dodge it. The orb swung back around and I jumped out of the way just in time before it came back around. Luna used her finger to make the orb try to hit me and I was jumping and ducking all over the ring. “Yipe! Luna! Too fast!” I yelped as the orb brushed against my arm. The orb slightly singed my skin as it flew past me. “Focus!” Luna shouted before turning her hand upwards and sent the orb flying into the sun to blind me. “Do not rely on your eyes alone!” POW! Before I knew what happened a second orb hit me from behind just as the first one came smashing me down into the arena. It felt like getting hit by two cars going full speed on the highway. “GUH!” I wheezed and fell to my knees. Luna sighed and shook her head as she approached me with her orbs as I tried catching my breath. “You didn’t…mention…a second one!” “Do you expect your opponents to fight fair?” Luna asked while allowing me to recover. “You must learn to rely on all your senses and anticipate your opponent’s next move. Your battle on the train shows you are not adept at fighting more than one opponent in close combat.” “I was fighting against armed thugs!” I tried to say. “But you still have those strange abilities,” Luna countered. “Tell me more about this power of yours. Perhaps if I know more about it, we can work on strengthening your power.” “You wanna know more about ki?” I asked and she nodded. I pondered how I could explain this, considering I only knew very little about it since Ivan wouldn’t really delve on the subject. I then thought of another idea that might work with my explanation. If I have ki, then perhaps I can explain it in Dragon Ball terms? “Well, princess, Ki is also known as latent energy or fighting power, which directly translates as life force.” I explained. “This force is a tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being in the center of the body. By drawing it out, an individual is able to manipulate it and use it outside the body. Ki can be used for many different techniques. Because there are physical limits to the strength of the body itself, it is necessary to increase one’s ki to overcome this barrier and become stronger.” “And can you use this power in other ways?” Luna asked while making the orbs spin nervously around us. “Well, I could use it to sense danger but I haven’t gotten that far yet,” I said. “No time like the present then,” Luna smirked before making the orbs take off in opposite directions. “Ack!” I ducked out of the way again and decided to retaliate. I summoned my own orbs of ki and fired them at Luna while dodging the magic orbs. “Attempting to eliminate the threat at its source, very good.” She complimented while flying just out of reach as our duel continued. “If you can tag me, I’ll consider you the winner.” She said before increasing the speed of her attacks and forcing me to give chase as we zipped around the arena. Having more experience in flying, Luna outmaneuvered every attempt I made to try and tag her and the various spins and flips were starting to make me sick and now I knew how fighter pilots felt after their first day of flight training. Come on, Saber, get it together! I thought and powered up. A white flame-like aura surrounded me, and I picked up my speed after Luna. She smiled teasingly at me as she flew away and I reached out for her. I panted and wheezed and I started to feel dizzy due to the constant flying. Which was strange since this was all supposed to be a dream yet it felt real. My vision started to get blurry, and I was forced to slow down until I brought myself to a stop. Sweat dripped down my face as I descended back down to the ring. When I landed, I stumbled back a little but caught myself as I leaned on my knees to try and catch my breath. “Shit…that sucked,” I wheezed as Luna landed gracefully next to me. “I couldn’t even…catch up…to you!” “But you came close. A fine effort.” Luna smiled while looking down on me and again I felt like I was being praised by my own mother. “Let’s call it a day for now. You still need rest after what you've been through and I will have no arguments.” “Yes, princess,” I sighed. “And don’t worry, you won’t be sweaty in the waking world but you will still feel the effects of the training so be prepared,” She advised while summoning a portal back to her dream. “And William?” “Yes?” I perked up. “Do try to keep the bikini models to a minimum?” Luna teased. “That was an accident! I swear!” I yelped. “I’m innocent, I tell ya!” Unconvinced of my argument, Luna turned the dreamscape back to the green field which made me land flat on my ass. I think she was punishing me. “Rest up, you’ll need your strength,” Luna said before departing and left me to gaze at the stars above with a gentle breeze to help me relax. I laid there for several minutes as I gazed up at the stars. So much has happened these past couple of days and I didn’t know where to start. I now had two teachers willing to help train me, and one of them is one of the freaking princesses of Equestria. If anyone told me that these series of events would happen to me, I’d’ve never believed them. It’s almost like some unknown force was trying to move my training along, and I had to get stronger as soon as possible. As I continued to gaze up at the stars, I felt my eyes grow heavy until they closed completely. My consciousness started to fade away until darkness overtook me. The morning sun’s lights pierced through the branches of the hut, making me wince. As my body started to react and wake up with me, I felt something laying on my arm. It felt heavy but soft at the same time. More so, there was something soft pressing against my back and I could feel someone breathing on my neck. The hairs on my neck stood straight up when I heard a subtle moan, indicating someone was pressing against me. I slowly turned my head to be met with Zecora with her arms wrapped around me as she slept and cuddled me. My eyes went wide and my mouth was dry and at a loss for words. “Mmm…” Zecora murred as she snuggled against me. To make things more difficult, her boobs were against my arm. They were soft, supple and furthermore one of them was on the verge of slipping out of her top. “Ok, don’t panic,” I said to myself and laid as still as possible. Just as I said that, Zecora shifted a little and opened her eyes and met with mine. “Um…m-morning, B-Bwana,” I managed to say. “Oh my, did I end up in your bed by accident?” Zecora asked just as her top slid further ways down and I could see a bit of her nips showing. “It’s…um…no trouble!” I shrieked and began shaking like crazy. “Whatever is the matter, my pupil?” Zecora asked. “B-Bwana! Top! Slipping! Fix! Now!” I blurted, trying to keep in a bloody nose. Zecora tilted her head and sat up, only for her top to completely slip off and her bare breasts bounced free. Her dark gray nipples seemed to wink at me as I could no longer hold it. SPLURT! “AH! WILLIAM!” Zecora freaked out the moment my nose erupted like a fountain and I found myself laying in a pool of blood. One could swear I was murdered if they saw me but thankfully my Bwana had some medicine to help ease my blood pressure and get me back on my feet. “I’m so sorry…” Zecora apologized as we sat down for breakfast. I groaned as she fixed her top and continued to apologize to me. “I don’t know what’s gonna be the end of me first…” I said to myself as Bwana tended to my nose. “The training, or the overstimulation…” Author's Note His inner demons continue to haunt him but perhaps this experience will help clear his addled mind. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
A Hero’s BeginningChapter 1 “Alright, Will, that’ll do for today.” “You sure, Ivan? I can keep working.” “I appreciate that, but you’ve done more than enough. Your mom is probably waiting for you anyway.” “Well, ok, if you insist.” “You have a good one, Will, and stay safe.” “Yup, you too, Ivan.” I took off my uniform and hung it on the rack in the corner. After I collected my belongings and waved my Sensei goodbye, I headed out the front door and began my trek back home. I live in a rural town in California, which was always a breath of fresh air. It’s also one of the few places where the sun sets just the right way so everyone stops and stares just to enjoy the beauty of it. Oh! Where are my manners? My name is William Saber, but everyone in town calls me Will for short. I’m a 24 year old college graduate, living a peaceful life with my mother, step-father, and step-sister. It’s fortunate that I’m living so peacefully now since…well, my childhood growing up wasn’t exactly enjoyable, to say the least. To make a long story short, my mother divorced my birth father and we had moved away from our home town so we could start a new life somewhere else. When we moved here and I was old enough to start looking for a job, I was lucky enough to have met Ivan Rhodes. He is the local karate instructor in town, and he was generous enough to grant me the honor of becoming his personal student with no charge. At first, I flat out refused him, mainly due to me believing it was more than I deserved. But after many different methods of him annoying the ever-loving shit out of me, I relented and accepted his offer. Ivan has sort of been a mentor to me in more ways than one. He helped me find my inner peace and taught me the many different techniques of karate. Five years later, I’m now as skilled as he is in the martial art as an 8th Dan Black Belt. After I graduated from a 7th Dan, he offered me a job as his assistant at his dojo, to which I accepted. I now help Ivan train kids in the junior division or anyone else who wishes to know how to fight. It was pretty cool when some of the younger students actually called me Sensei because of my belt rank. I always made sure to treat them with respect and teach them properly, just as Ivan did with me. My mother’s name is Janet Saber, and she’s my whole reason for living. We never once got on each other’s bad side and never saw any reason to. My dad, or should I say step-dad, is named Robert Saber. He’s a wise man who I wished was my biological father since he’s been nothing but caring and compassionate toward my mother and I. Then there’s my dorky older step-sister, Rachel Saber, who treats me like I’m her flesh and blood, and makes me laugh almost all the time. When I was a young juvenile, I was sort of a loner punk kid who didn’t really like to interact with others. I spent most of the time on my own and almost rarely spoke out loud. I had my ears pierced, wore baggy clothing, and never really trusted anyone I met unless I’ve known them for a certain period of time. I was highly skeptical of my mom remarrying to Robert, but after seeing how much happier she’s been, I decided to give the man a chance. I'm happy that I did, because now my mom and I are part of a family that, well, actually cares about us as people. As I continued my walk through the small town, I passed by the tv store that had different television sets on display. One of which had the news channel on, and I could hear what the anchorman was saying. “And in local news, a young private eye detective continues to make a name for himself as he brings down an infamous drug ring. The drug ring had been the local police’s main goal to find and put a stop to, but no matter how hard they tried, they could never find it. That is until Detective-” “Jeez, what a world we live in,” I sighed as I moved on. I never liked listening to the news, or even watching the news for that matter. No matter what you watch, it’s always about some drama about the violence of the world. Personally, I’ve already experienced enough violence for one lifetime, and I’d prefer it if I could continue living the life I am now. As the sun began its final descent beyond the horizon, I checked my watch to see it’s just past seven o’clock. My walk had finally led me to a bridge that connected the town to my neighborhood. As I walked along the side of the bridge, I glanced over the railing to watch the flowing river below. I smiled as I took in a deep breath of fresh air and listened to the running water of the river below me. “Yup. This right here will always be my favorite spot in town,” I said to myself. I crossed the bridge and made my way past the houses that made up my neighborhood. Since this was a small neighborhood, which consisted of only a few blocks of houses, everyone basically knew everyone. My house was at the end of the third block and it was a cozy little place, probably the most distinguishable since there were two huge redwood trees towering over our house from across the street. My house was a simple one story beige house with a simple lawn and a few bushes here and there. “Evening, Will!” I glanced over on the other side of the street to see one of my neighbors, Mr. Downey, wave to me in a kind manner. “Good evening to you too, Mr. Downey,” I greeted back. “You gonna go out for another one of your late night walks?” “Yup. You know me. Just one of the little things I enjoy in life.” “I’m sure, I’m sure. Well, you take care now, ya here?” “I’ll certainly try, Mr. Downey.” I chuckled as I waved him goodbye before walking up to my house’s front porch. As soon as I knocked on the door, it swung open to reveal my vibrant step-sister with her trademark wide smile. Her blonde hair and green eyes always seemed to glow, even at this time of day. “Well, look what the cat dragged in!” Rachel chirped as she pulled me in for a hug. “Hey, sis. You do realize I’m still sweaty from my training at the dojo, right?” “Who cares?! I like the way you smell!” Rachel chriped again, making me chuckle. “I could list many things as to why that sounded so wrong, but I’ll let it slide since you’re my sister and all,” I sighed as I pulled away. Rachel skipped inside the house as I followed her and was met with the scent of mom’s delicious cooking. I kicked off my shoes and walked further inside to the living room, where my dad was lounging in his favorite chair, reading a book. He, too, had blonde hair with a few grey streaks and green eyes like my sister. He always has a few wise words to share from time to time. He looked up at me and smiled as he placed a bookmark inside his book and closed it. “Hey there, son, how was the dojo?” “I kicked some punk’s ass who thought he was hot shit, so I guess it was pretty good,” I shrugged. “Sweetie, what have I told you about your language?!” I hear mom call out from the kitchen. “Sorry, mom!” I called out. “Heh, your mother really has it bad for your language, not that I give a fuck.” My dad winks at me. “I heard that, dear!” My mom called out again, making him flinch. “Now look who’s the potty mouth,” I snorted as I entered the kitchen with Rachel. “You gonna make your signature brownies again?” Rachel asked with a bright smile. “Of course, they’re your favorite, after all.” “Yes!” She pumped her fist into the air. We entered the kitchen to see my mother in front of the stove. Her hair was brown like mine and reached down to the middle of her back. She looked over her shoulder to see me and smiled as she resumed cooking. “Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a nice day at the dojo with Mr. Rhodes?” She asked. “Yup. He let me beat someone up who was talking shi- I mean, not saying nice things about us and our teachings.” “Well, I hope you didn’t hurt him too bad,” my mother lectured. “Relax, mom. All he got was the wind knocked out of him and a bloody nose. Nothing a stubborn ass like him couldn’t get over,” I said nonchalantly. “Will, hurry and get the batter ready! I wanna eat those brownies as soon as dinner’s done!” Rachel whines. “Alright, alright already. Jeez, what is it with you and the brownies?” “The ingredients are in the fridge, William. Just make sure you finish up before we eat,” Mom said as Rachel started to set the table. “Of course,” I said as I opened the fridge and gathered the ingredients. “Now then, let’s get started.” 1 Hour Later Dinner was delicious, as usual, and I had just finished cleaning the dishes with Rachel. The brownie batter was mixed, set in a pan, and baking in the oven on schedule. I was in my room playing my favorite video game, Dragon Ball Xenoverse, and I was in the middle of an online match. My opponent was a Frieza race character while mine was an Earthling. Most people always chose to be Saiyans because they believed them to be the most powerful race, but not me. I stuck with being an Earthling because I believed that they could be just as powerful. The match lasted the whole time limit and both our characters were on the brink of knockout with only 10 seconds left. I was trying my best to evade his attacks while also keeping an eye on my Ki meter. As soon as it was full, I hit the buttons to transform into Potential Unleashed. Before the time limit ended, I grappled my opponent and threw him to the far side of the ring. I then unleashed a Big Kamehameha wave, which overwhelmed my opponent and helped me win the match. “Whew, that was a tough match,” I sighed as I stood up and switched off my system. I looked at the time and saw it was almost eight o’clock. All that was left to do was to do what I always do every night: walk through the neighborhood and to my favorite bridge. I slipped my shoes on, grabbed my jacket, tucked my smartphone, earbuds, and wallet in my pockets, and made for the front door. As I passed by the living room, I could hear my dad watching the late night news from another city’s reporter. “We’re coming to you live from an abandoned scrap yard from outside the city. Authorities are baffled as to how a slave ring of all things managed to stay so well hidden. The mastermind behind such a horrible crime was none other than Jonothan Viper, a notorious criminal who unfortunately made his escape during the authorities raid. Look! Some of the victims are coming out right now!” “Poor kid, Those damn vultures wouldn’t know restraint if a bitch slapped them in the face…” My dad sighed. “Is it that time already?” I looked over my shoulder to see Rachel standing behind me with her hands on her hips. “There’s still time before the brownies are ready,” I said. “Will you be back before then?” “Of course. And how’s about this? I’ll let you take them out of the oven and have the first bite if I don’t come back before they’re done.” “Really?!” Rachel asked gleefully. “You know it.” “Well, what are you doing standing around here for? Go on and take your walk! Don’t worry about taking too long, take as much time as you need!” Rachel insisted as she pushed me out the door. “Be careful on your walk, sweetie!” Mom called out. “And if someone tries to mug you, don’t hesitate to kick the shit out of them!” Dad adds. “Dear, please!” “I will!” I called back while laughing before I shut the door. I smiled as I looked up to see the moon was in the sky and the stars were out. I tucked my hands in my pockets to pull out my earbuds and smartphone to play some music. I started to slowly make my way down the sidewalk and toward the bridge. It always relaxes me whenever I do this, helping me find a peace of mind to think about my day and unwind. Most of the lights from the other houses were still on as I walked past them. The cool breeze of the night blew against me as I took in the sights of the all too familiar moonlight that shined down on the place I called home. There’s another reason why I choose to walk in the night instead of during the day: it’s because the night is my favorite time of the day. The night is when everyone gets to relax and rest after a hard day’s work. I also get to gaze up at the moon as long as I want as it stares back at me with its gentle glow. Though, sometimes, I often think about someone I used to know many years ago who had a knack for naming the constellations that stars procured. I vaguely remember my past, though most of it is quite unpleasant, I try to remember the good times. Back then, I was a big nerd for the show Dragon Ball Z, and I kinda still am. The adaptation of the show, the awesome fight scenes, the comedic jokes, and the iconic characters are what made me watch each and every episode over and over again. I even remember I used to role-play a lot with an old buddy of mine, where we used to always pretend to have intense battles against each other. My OC was an Earthling blessed with special strength and personalized abilities that were unique for him and was a legendary hero. I often dreamed of what it would be like to actually be able to fight alongside characters like the ones from the show. To be a hero for those who’re too weak to stand up for themselves and be a shining beacon of hope and peace. My walk eventually led me to my favorite bridge as a few lamp posts lit the whole area. I walked up to the side of the bridge and leaned over the railing to gaze at the river below. The water was calm and flowed smoothly below me as a perfect reflection of the starry sky made it seem like there was another world within the water. I turned around and leaned back on the railing to gaze up at the stars again to see if I could name any consolations of my own. “Let’s see…Orion’s Belt, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, there’s Sagittarius, Scorpio’s over there, and Ursa Major. Not bad for tonight’s discoveries,” I said proudly. RING! RING! RING! I’m brought out of my thoughts as my phone rings from my pocket. I pull it out of my pocket to see my sister calling me. I hit the answer button and held it up to my ear. “What’s up sis?” “Hey, Willy! How’s your walk?” Rachel asked comically. I chuckled and said, “Nice and chill like usual, sis. It’s a full moon out, and I’m relishing in it.” “You know, I’ll never understand why you’re such a night owl. Anyway, mom says to come home soon, because the brownies are out of the oven.” “Alright, I’m about to head back anyway.” “You better get home soon, or I’m gonna eat all of the brownies you made!” “I swear to god, if I come home and there’s not a single brownie for me left, I’m taking those old Polly Pocket doll things and jamming them in the garbage disposal!” I warned. There was a brief silence before my sister burst out laughing over the phone. “Only if you can get into my room! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some brownies to claim! BYE, WILLY!” CLICK! “SIS!…Sis?…fuck…” Not wanting to stick around anymore, I tucked my phone in my pocket and made for my house. I looked back up at the moon and smiled. “Until tomorrow, my dear, just keep up that lovely glow like always.” Suddenly, I heard what sounded like tires screeching in the distance from downtown, making me pause and look behind me. “What the…that’s weird,” I mumbled as I continued my walk, only to hear the sounds of tires screeching again. “Why the hell would someone be speeding at this time of night?” After waiting a few minutes to see if I’d hear any more screeching tires, the only sound heard was the silence of the night, which could only mean whoever went on a joyride had finally stopped. “Well, glad that’s over.” No sooner did I turn back around, a light shined behind me, making me turn around once more to see a pair of headlights speeding toward me. I was like a deer in the middle of the road as time seemed to slow, and the vehicle was getting closer and closer with each passing moment. I tried to move, but it was a wasted effort as time sped up again. “OH FU-” CRASH! … SPLASH! Author's Note The return of the Guardian has begun again. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your patience. I have been working diligently with my co-writer on this and I hope I have done it the justice I promised I would. Big thanks to Hamilton-Animations for this awesome drawing! Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building...
A Hero’s Helping HandChapter 8 “Hi William!” “Oh, uh, hey there.” “Hey Will, you doing alright?” “Fine, thanks.” “Good morning, Will!” “Good morning to you too.” Everywhere I went, ponies would wave to me and greet me in the morning like any other. It’s like it was almost yesterday when most of these pony folk would just give me the sideways glance. Now, ever since I saved that filly from the house fire a week ago, it’s like I’m a fully fledged citizen of Ponyville. Ever since then, I’ve been receiving praises and wishes of good fortune from everyone in town. I guess my act of heroism made more of an impression than I thought it would. Who knew that all it took was a blind act of bravery to prove that I’m not an enemy of Equestria? My head still throbs from time to time from that hit I took when I caught the support beam from crushing Dinky and I. Thankfully, the doctor said there was no serious damage to my head and it only left a small gash that he managed to heal rather easily. All this magic stuff is still something I’m getting used to since my injuries were able to heal more quickly than any other medical examination from a doctor back home. “I think I’ll fly to work today,” I thought out loud and focused on my Ki. I felt my body rise into the air, higher and higher, until I was able to almost touch the clouds. I smiled as I leaned forward and flew straight toward Sweet Apple Acres. It still sends an exciting chill through my soul whenever I fly through the air, especially since flying was always my answer whenever someone asked me what super power I would have. I looked down to see that some of the ponies were staring up at me in surprise to see me smiling, but I just waved back at them in response. As I flew, I heard a pair of wings flapping toward me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Rainbow Dash fly up next to me. “Hey there, Mr. Hero,” Rainbow teased. “Fancy seeing you up here.” “Sup, Rainbow. I thought I said not to call me that,” I said, rolling my eyes at her. “How come? Everypony else is calling you a hero,” Rainbow said. “All I did was save a filly from a burning building. It’s not that big a deal,” I waved it off. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Rainbow shrugged. “Where are you headed anyway?” “Work. Applejack says there’s a lot of apples to harvest this season.” “I hope they make cider out of them,” Rainbow said as she licked her lips. “That’s the best drink in Equestria!” “I can imagine,” I chuckled. “Say, since you can now fly properly, how’s about you and me going for a race?” Rainbow challenged. “Race you? Ha! Good one,” I laughed. “I’m serious! What, you too scared I’d mop the clouds with you?” Rainbow taunted. “It’s not a matter of being scared, Rainbow. I’m the kind of guy who likes to think in the logical sense,” I argued. “I just recently figured out how to fly properly without falling on my ass and learned the basics of Ki manipulation. I still have a long way to go, to my knowledge, before I can even think about doing something like racing you. The speed I’m flying right now is just under my fastest speed I can go.” “Seriously? That’s kinda lame. No offense,” Rainbow said. “None taken. I just have to keep at my training. And when I have better control over my powers, then we can race each other as much as you want.” “Well…alright, I guess, but you better Pinkie Promise we will!” Rainbow pointed at me. “Sure, I pinky promise,” I said, holding out my pinky finger at her. Rainbow stared at my hand before she gave me a confused look. “Something wrong?” “Don’t you know how to make a Pinkie Promise?” Rainbow questioned. “Aren’t I doing it?” I wondered. “No, this is how you do a Pinkie Promise.” She raised her hand over her chest. “Cross my heart.” She drew and x with her finger. “Hope to fly.” She threw her hand up in the air. “Stick a cupcake in my eye.” She pointed at her eye with her thumb. “Now you do it.” “Uh…okay?” I looked at my hand and copied her movements. “Cross my heart and hope to…fly? Stick a cupcake in my eye-ouch!” When I pointed at my eye with my thumb, I accidentally poked it, making me rub my eye. “Hahaha! Smooth, but I guess that’s passable,” Rainbow laughed. “Make sure to keep that promise, Will. I’ll see ya later!” With that, Rainbow veered off and flew in another direction. “Tch! Girls.” I rolled my eyes and realized I was flying over the apple orchard. “Now where are those Apple siblings?” I looked around in search of Applejack and Big Mac until I saw them standing on top of a hill overlooking the orchard. I flew toward the two ponies and they seemed to notice me flying toward them. “Hey, you two! Ready to knock some apples down?” I landed just beside them onto the ground. “Sweet applesauce! Y’all can fly?” Mac gasped. “Oh yeah, you didn’t know that, huh?” I shrugged. “Yeah, I can fly. I can tell you how if you want?” “Now’s not the time, Will. We got a bit of a problem,” Mac said, gesturing to the cast covering his leg that I just now noticed. “Woah. You hurt your leg?” I asked, concerned. “Eeyup. Let’s just say Ah bit off more than Ah could chew. Somethin’ mah sister here can’t seem to understand,” Mac said. “Ah said we’d be fine, Mac. Ya worry too much,” Applejack rolled her eyes. “It sure is a lot of apple trees,” I said, looking out at the pasture of the hundreds of trees. “But I’m sure Applejack and I can manage it.” “Normally. Ah’d agree with ya, partner, and even though ya got a strong kick, this all might be too much for just the both of y’all to handle,” Mac said. “Exactly! We’ll take a bite outta this job by day’s end,” Applejack said confidently. “And it’s what Ah’ve been sayin’; bitin’ off more than y’all can chew is just what Ah’m afraid of,” Mac said. “See what Ah’ve been dealin’ with, Will? It’s like he’s accusin’ me that mah mouth is makin’ promises mah legs can’t keep!” “Eeyup,” Mac nodded. “Sure, it’s a lot of work, but I’m sure if we work together-” I tried to say, but Applejack cut me off with a scoff. “This is your sister Applejack, remember?! The loyalest of friends and the most dependable of ponies?!” Applejack snapped, getting into Mac’s face. “Uh, don’t forget me,” I called out. “I can kick as many apple trees as I want without stopping if I wanted to.” “Yeah, but you’re still only one pony, and you’re only one human,” Mac said, pointing at us. “And there’s hundreds of apple trees. It just doesn’t really add up.” “I appreciate the concern, Mac, but you don’t have to-” “Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!” Applejack cut me off again. “Ah said Ah can handle this harvest, and Ah’m gonna prove it to ya! Both of y’all!” “How’d I get blamed? I just got here,” I said, confused. “Ah’m gonna get every last apple outta those trees this apple buck season all by mahself!” “Timeout, by yourself?” I said, looking at Applejack. “What about me?” “Don’t need ya! Ah’m fine on mah own!” Applejack huffed and marched off. “Well, that was unexpected,” I said. “Sorry for makin’ ya come all the way out here for nothin’, Will, but whenever mah sister sets her mind to somethin’, it’s near impossible to convince her otherwise. And Ah should know from experience,” Mac sighed. “It’s cool, my sister was the same way back home,” I waved it off. “So I guess no work for me today?” “Not for a while, Ah’m afraid, but we’ll be sure to compensate ya to make up for it.” “Don’t sweat it, Mac, I’d rather be rewarded for actually doing something rather than just sitting around. I just hope Applejack knows what she’s doing.” “You and me both, partner,” Mac said. I waved him goodbye and jumped in the air to fly away. I soared through the air toward the lake since there wasn’t much else to do now that I have no work for the day. I thought about going straight back to try and convince Applejack that this job would be too much for her, but I figured that would only upset her, which is the last thing I’d wanna do. Wanting to change the subject, I started to think about how I would train today at the lake. My Ki center felt much stronger than before, thanks to the meditation and mental image training, so that’s a start. I wondered if I could try to utilize it so I can create Ki attacks or use it as a means of defense; possibly healing? There were so many possibilities I could try, so I was eager to put it to the test as soon as possible. In the corner of my eye, I saw something fly at high speeds much higher in the sky than I was. I looked to see a pegasus pony wearing some kind of blue bodysuit. For a moment, I thought it was Rainbow Dash, but then I caught a glimpse of her mane and tail. Her hair was orangish-yellow, like a flickering flame, and she left a smokey trail in her wake. She was doing somersaults and twists in the air, which was pretty entertaining to watch. The mare then began to fly around a cloud, bunching it up in a lump before flying above it and dive bombing straight through it, dispersing the cloud like an explosion. “Damn, that was cool.” I hovered in mid air as I continued to watch the spectacle. The mare continued to dive straight down and just as she was about to hit the ground, she pulled up and flung straight back up while spinning like a top. I was rather impressed with her flight skills and she went back for another dive bomb. Only this time, I noticed that she was aiming for the forest nearby. The mare dove straight down once more, which made me a little worried about her intentions, but she managed to fly straight up once more. I smiled at her skill to pull a stunt like that off, but I soon noticed something off about her. It looked like she wasn’t flying straight and her wing wasn’t flapping as much. My fears proved to become a reality when she began to fall and it looked like she was out of control. “Oh shit, she’s actually falling!” I wasted no time and flew straight toward the falling mare as fast as I could. My eyes were locked on the falling pony and I had my arms stretched out. The wind blew against my face and I tried putting more effort into my speed, but it looked like I wasn’t gonna make it. “No, no, no! Come on…come on, damnit!” I said as I flew faster. As much as I tried to pick up speed, it felt like I wasn’t gonna make it with the rate I was going. I could feel myself pushing to go faster just so I could save the mare. She looked like she was in a state of panic as she tried to level herself, but couldn’t maneuver properly because of her injured wing. “Damnit all, I won’t let her die! Go faster!” I grit my teeth and glared at the falling mare. “Faster!” A white aura soon began to flicker around my body as my speed increased. “FASTER!” The wind whizzed gainst my face as the aura glowed brighter and flickered like an open flame. “GO FASTER, DON’T LET HER FALL!” Suddenly, a burst of energy coursed through me and I was flying at breakneck speeds. I didn’t stop flying, nor did I slow down in the slightest, as I drew closer and closer towards the falling mare. Just as she was about to pass the point of no return and hit the dirt, I was able to reach her just in time and catch her in the air. As soon as I caught her, I pulled myself up and flew high in the air while holding on to her. I then began to slow my ascent and relax as the white aura around me died down. “What the hay?! What happened?! Am I dead?!” The mare in my arms shrieked as she gripped my jacket. “Woah there, take it easy,” I said to her. “You were in mid freefall after something happened to your wing. Good thing I spotted you.” The mare looked up at me and arched a brow. “Uh…who’re you?” “Me? I’m Will Saber. Pleasure,” I smirked. “And before you ask, no, I’m not a pony. I’m a human.” “How did you know I was gonna ask that?” the mare questioned. “You’d be surprised how often that question gets tossed around here.” “A human, huh? Guess Soarin and Fleets were right,” the mare said to herself. She looked down at the ground below us, then glanced at her left wing. She tried to move it, but winced, and I noticed there was a bit of blood dripping from her feathers. “That looks bad,” I said. “Must’ve clipped a tree when I went for that second divebomb.” The mare sighed and looked up at me. “Thanks for saving my flank. You mind setting me down?” “Oh, sure,” I nodded. I slowly began descending toward the ground. “It just occurred to me that you don’t have wings,” the mare said, leaning her head to look at my back. “And?” I said. “How are you flying without wings?” she wondered. “It’s a long story, but to make it short, I guess you could say I was given these powers by someone special.” “Not sure what you mean by that, but I guess I can roll with it,” the mare shrugged. “So, you gonna tell me your name or am I gonna have to play the guessing game?” I joked. “Because I have a few suggestions on what your name could be.” “I’m sure you do,” the mare scoffed playfully. “Name’s Spitfire. I’m surprised you don’t know who I am.” “And why’s that?” I wondered. “Well, have you ever heard of the Wonderbolts?” “Hmm, can’t say I have,” I shook my head. “You could say I’m still new to Equestria. Why? Are they famous?” “You could say that,” Spitfire nodded. I finally made it to the ground and planted my feet in the dirt. I gently set Spitfire back on her hooves, and she winced again when she moved her injured wing a little. “You want me to bring you to the hospital or something?” I offered. “Thanks, but I can just make a call to one of my teammates to pick me up nearby. It’s only my wing that was busted, not my legs,” Spitfire said. “Hmm. Well, if you say so.” I scratched my chin in thought when an idea came to mind. The idea was purely theoretical, but I might just be able to at least ease her discomfort by a little. “May I try something? I can’t treat your wing fully, but I can at least take away some of the pain.” “How’re you gonna do that?” Spitfire wondered. I stepped forward and raised my hand towards Spitfire’s injured wing. I took a deep breath and channeled my positive Ki into my hand and drowned out all distractions. I kept taking deep breaths to control my breathing as my mind became as clear as possible. Soon, my hand began to glow a soft light and I held it close to Spitfire’s wing. I kept my hand there for several minutes until I had to cancel my Ki and stepped back. A few drops of sweat were already dripping from my forehead and I felt very tired all of a sudden. “Whew…I think that should help,” I sighed. Spitfire moved her wing a little and didn’t wince this time. “Wow…I’m impressed. Not sure what you just did though. It still kinda hurts, but not as much anymore.” She smiled warmly at me. “Thank you.” “It’s no problem. So if you’re okay on your own, I’m gonna head home,” I said, trying to keep a straight face and hiding my fatigue. “Sure, and thanks again for saving me, hero,” Spitfire said with a wink. “Heh, yeah, hero,” I chuckled as I waved goodbye and walked the other way toward Ponyville. “Well, I’m glad my experiment was a success,” I said to myself as I walked away. “But man, am I tired. Guess healing Ki takes a little more out of me than flying or ki blasts. Which means I still have much to improve on.” A Few Days Later My mind was calm and my breathing was focused as I sat by the edge of the lake in a lotus position. I wore a pair of black sweatpants, courtesy of Rarity upon request, but I kept my shirt and shoes off. My whole body was aching a little after the intense workout session I put myself through. I ran about twenty laps around the entire lake without stopping, I did ten sets of thirty pushups, situps, and squats each, and I spent a full hour doing mental image training as I used a variety of my martial arts skills. On top of my physical training, I also made sure to improve my Ki manipulation. When I saved that mare, Spitfire, even before, when I saved Dinky, I felt a sudden surge of energy course through my body; giving me increased strength in the spur of the moment. Nothing is usually a coincidence if it happens twice in a row, in my opinion. I never forgot the feeling of all that energy giving me such power, which means I have more locked potential than I might realize. With this in mind, I now am working on manipulating my Ki properly. I can now form Ki sphere’s without them dissipating and I can fly in the air for prolonged periods of time. Rescuing Spitfire also influenced me to increase my flying speed. I practice by flying from one side of the lake all the way to the other side as fast as I can. The method feels a tad redundant, but it’s no different from running on the ground in a way. After one last deep breath in, I exhaled and slowly opened my eyes. I looked down at my hands and opened and closed them. “It’s a slow process,” I said aloud as I stood back up. “But progress is progress, as Ivan would always say.” After washing away the sweat from my body and drying myself, I put my shirt back on and picked up my shoes and jacket. I then rose into the air and flew back towards Ponyville. As I flew back, I noticed there was some kind of commotion going on downtown. When I changed course to see what was up, I saw that there was a literal stampede of cows racing towards Ponyville. “What the-they’re gonna bulldoze the town!” I said as I acted immediately by flying straight towards the lead cow. However, a certain farm pony seemed to be quicker on her hooves as she sprinted through the herd of cows with her laso. I watched as Applejack swung her rope around and managed to tie it around the lead cow and pull her off to the side, away from town before they could cross the bridge. “Wow. Color me impressed.” I waited until she stopped the cows’ running entirely and floated down toward her as she spoke with them. “Ah completely understand,” Applejack nodded. “Just next time, try and steer clear of Ponyville.” “We certainly will, Applejack. So long, Winona!” the cow spoke and Winona barked in response. “I shouldn’t be surprised that cows can talk in this world.” I shook my head as I landed near Applejack. “That was pretty impressive, Applejack.” “Oh! Hey, Will. It was nothin’. They all just got spooked over some snake,” Applejack said as she pet Winona. I then noticed that she looked a little ragged, like her eyes had faint bags under them and her hair was a little unkempt. “You doing alright? You look a little fatigued.” “O’ course Ah’m alright. Ah’m as fit as a well-tuned fiddle,” Applejack proclaimed. “So you say. Is that whole orchard a work in progress?” I guessed. “You know, I can lend a hand any time you want.” “Ah do, and Ah already said Ah don’t need help,” Applejack huffed as she crossed her arms under her chest. “Did Mac put ya up to talk sense into me?” “What? No. I’ve been at the lake for the past few days training,” I argued. “No one put me up to do anything. I’m just concerned for you, that’s all.” “Well, while Ah appreciate your concern, there ain’t nothin’ to be concerned about!” Applejack turned away. “Now that this matter is settled, Ah gotta go make sure every pony in town is okay.” As she walked away, I could only sigh and wonder what I did to make her upset. Was it a matter of pride? A sense of entitlement that she needed to harvest the orchard on her own? I couldn’t really say. When I made it back to Ponyville, everyone was talking about Applejack and giving her words of praise for her heroism. It made me happy that she was at least being acknowledged around here, so I guess that counts for something. With nothing else to do, I resumed my trek back to the Treebrary and headed home. Some Days Later It was another normal day at the Treebrary, and I was sitting on the couch enjoying a book called The Adventures of Daring Do. It was quite a fun read, since this Daring Do character has lots of adventures of discovering lost cities and finding ancient artifacts and treasures, kinda like Indiana Jones. Suddenly, something crashed outside on the platform where Twilight was reading a book. When I set my book aside and went to see what it was, Rainbow was hanging off the railing of the balcony and had startled Twilight from reading her own books. “Can I help you?” Twilight asked the dazed Rainbow. “I think somepony else needs your help…” Rainbow groaned. “Applejack?” Twilight guessed and Rainbow nodded. I knew what they were talking about, especially since I kinda figured something like this would happen. My mind thought back to what I’ve been hearing around town as of late. After Applejack stopped the cows’ stampede, the town wanted to reward her for her efforts by giving her a trophy and honoring her. Only, when Applejack did show up, an hour late I might add, she looked more ragged than when I saw her. She looked like she hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep in days and her legs were shaking from the exertion she was putting herself through. Not only that, but I had heard from the other mares that she was barely responsive with whatever they needed her help with. Pinkie said she needed Applejack’s help with making some pastries, but it ended up being a disgusting pile of mush. There was another animal attack on Ponyville, and the culprit was the small rabbits Fluttershy was looking after. Apparently, Applejack spooked them and they all tore up the gardens in town, something that I least expected to happen from Applejack. “Ugh, that mare’s gonna either cause more damage to the town or herself, moreso the latter,” I said as I went back down the stairs and left for Sweet Apple Acres. I took to the skies and flew straight for the farm so I could talk some sense into Applejack before Twilight and the others got a word in. I know she said she’d handle this on her own, but I can no longer stand by if what’s happening to her is starting to affect the others. I eventually made it to the farm, touched down on the ground, and began looking for the farm mare. I immediately noticed that half the acres were already harvested, which I’ll admit was impressive, but she still had the other half to tend to. My search for Applejack wasn’t long as I found the mare still tirelessly kicking apple trees. She looked far worse than before. Her mane and tail were frazzled, her eyes were red with thick bags under her eyes, and she seemed so out of it that she missed the tree she tried to kick and hit the basket of apples, causing the basket of fruit to tip over and dump all its contents on the ground. “Whoops…” Applejack said. “Applejack,” I called out. “Huh?!” She whipped her head around and saw me and relaxed. “Oh…h-hey Will. What brings ya by?” “I heard you’ve been causing a bit of worry in Ponyville, so I figured I’d check in to see how you’re doing.” I crossed my arms. “When was the last time you slept?” “Ah got a good night’s rest just last night,” Applejack said. “Yeah, how long? Two, maybe three, hours?” I guessed rhetorically. “…More like an hour and a half?” Applejack shrugged. “But that’s all Ah need in order to get this here harvest done.” “Oh come on, AJ, have you seen yourself?” I asked, walking up to her. “You’re a mess! You’ve barely slept, you haven’t eaten properly despite being literally surrounded by apples, and your legs look like they’re about to break from the amount of kicking you’ve done. Why can’t you just let me help you with the rest of the harvest?” “Because Ah don’t need your help!” Applejack snapped. “This here’s an Apple family tradition, and you ain’t even family!” I recoiled at her words and it took a while for it to register what she said. “Ah…A-Ah’m sorry, Will, Ah didn’t mean that.” “Well, you’re right about one thing, I’m not an Apple,” I said. “But I am your friend, and friends look out for each other. You may claim to be the most honest and dependable pony in Equestria, but not even you can do everything by yourself. Besides, Twilight’s always going on about how you’re there for anyone in need, so maybe it’s best to swallow your pride and let me help you.” “And how would you know?” Applejack wondered. “Let’s just say I used to know someone who taught me the value of relying on others when you need it most,” I said. “So please, AJ, let me help you. If we work together, I’m sure we can get this done in no time.” Applejack stared at me for a moment, processing my words, but she frowned and shook her head. “Ah’m sorry, Will, but Ah just gotta do this. If Ah can’t, then Ah would be goin’ back on mah word and no pony would believe in me no more.” I sighed and shook my head at her words. “You and I both know that’s not true, AJ. You’re the most dependable and amazing mare I’ve ever had the privilege to meet, and I’m honored to be your friend.” She looked up at me with a bit of surprise as I turned away. “At least try to get a decent night’s sleep, AJ. You owe yourself at least that much.” With nothing more to say, I took to the skies again and flew away from the acres. I glanced over my shoulder and frowned pityingly at the state AJ was in. I was worried that she might push herself too far, and if she kept going at the state she was in… “No…” I stopped mid flight and turned straight back around and flew back to the acres. “I don’t care if she hates me for doing this, I’m gonna help my friend whether she likes it or not!” Later That Night I’ve been keeping an eye on Applejack all day, waiting for my chance to act out my plan. I thought about doing it during the day, but I figured it’d be too abrupt, so I waited until night time. I hid behind a tree as Applejack was swaying left to right and approached another tree. She yawned out loud and looked up at the sky with tired eyes. “Hrmm…oh, alright, Ah guess Ah can get some shuteye. But it’s back to work after a few hours!” Applejack sighed as she dropped the baskets of apples on the ground and leaned against a tree. She tipped her hat over her eyes and got comfortable. “Finally,” I whispered and came out from my hiding place. When I tiptoed over to Applejack to see if she had fallen asleep, she surprisingly was out cold and snoring loudly. “Guess she really did need a good night’s rest.” I nodded as I faced the remaining apple trees and did some leg stretches. “Don’t hate me for doing this, AJ, but it’s for your own good.” The Next Day 3rd POV The sun was shining over the horizon as Ponyville was beginning to bask in its rays. The rooster cawed so the residents of Ponyville could begin their day. Twilight and her friends had all agreed to confront Applejack and try to convince her to let them help in the harvest. “Remember, girls, we’re doing this because we care,” Twilight said as they neared Sweet Apple Acres. “I hope we can help her see reason,” Fluttershy said as she tugged on her green turtleneck. “She better, or else I’ll just harvest all the apples myself!” Rainbow proclaimed, puffing her chest out. “Rainbow please, we must be civilized about this,” Rarity lectured. “And once we help her gather all the apples, we’ll throw a huge party!” Pinkie chirped. “Regardless, we still need to treat this delicately. And be prepared to help harvest the apples once we are able to convince her,” Twilight said as they walked past the entrance to the Acres. “Picking apples is easy, Twilight, I bet we can get it done in under an hour!” Rainbow waved it off. “Um…girls?” Fluttershy called out. “While I’m not a fan of dirty work, I suppose I can make an exception for Applejack,” Rarity said as she flipped her mane with her hand. “Girls?” Fluttershy said again. “What’s up, Fluttershy?” Pinkie asked. “Um, well…if we came to help Applejack with the harvest, where are the apples?” Fluttershy asked. It was then that the mares noticed that every tree that they passed by since arriving were all bare. Rainbow flew up high in the air and squinted her eyes as she scanned the whole area. “Hey! What gives?! All the trees are empty!” she exclaimed. “What?! How can that be?!” Twilight wondered. “Beats me, but I think I see Applejack over that way!” Rainbow said, pointing due east of the Acres and flew off. “Come on, girls,” Twilight said and they all went running to where Rainbow flew. It didn’t take the girls long to find their friend laying under an apple tree, with her hat over her face and sound asleep. Covering her was a familiar-looking jacket that was used as a sort of blanket to keep her warm. “Wake up, Applejack!” Rainbow barked. “Huh?! Wha?!” Applejack gasped as she sat straight up. “What happened? What’s goin’ on?” She looked up to see her friends standing over her. “What’re you all doin’ here?” “We came to talk some sense to you about how harvesting all the apple trees on your own was crazy, that’s what!” Rainbow scowled. “But Ah thought Ah said Ah didn’t need help?” Applejack sighed. “Applejack, why did you feel the need to do this on your own? While we all can respect the Apple family way, you should’ve at least let us help you,” Twilight said. “What’re you on about? Ah ain’t even done yet. Ah only finished the first half,” Applejack said. “Yeah right. Then how come the whole orchard is empty?” Rainbow asked. “Empty?” Applejack looked around and noticed all the preset baskets under the trees were gone, and the trees she hadn’t yet bucked were all apple free. “What in tarnation? Did Ah go sleep buckin’ again? Naw, Ah couldn’t have…” “Darling, might I ask what you are doing with William’s jacket?” Rarity asked. Applejack looked down and saw said jacket in her lap. She picked it up and arched a brow, but then realized who might’ve been behind this. “He didn’t…” Applejack stood up and immediately ran for the barn. The others followed her, not knowing what was going on until they reached her barn, and they were met with a surprising sight. Several tens of rows of barrels, each filled with apples were lined up beside the rustic storehouse, all prepped and ready to be shipped. It was an unexpected sight to see for the group of mares, more so from Applejack since she had no recollection of ever doing any of this. “Wow, that’s a lot of apples!” Pinkie chirped. “But Ah…Ah don’t understand!” Applejack said. “You really didn’t do this, Applejack?” Fluttershy wondered. “Course Ah’m sure! Ah just wanted to rest mah eyes for a little bit, but ended up fallin’ asleep! Now Ah wake up to this?!” Before any other questions could be asked, there was the sound of someone laughing, who turned out to be Big Mac as he approached the mares with a mug of coffee in one hand and his crutch to support his leg in the other. “Mornin’, sis. Ladies,” Mac greeted. “Mac! Did you do this?!” Applejack asked. “With this leg? Please. Ah’d rather not risk not bein’ able to buck apple trees for the rest of mah days. Y’know, Ah kinda figured he’d pull a stunt like this when Ah saw him try to talk to you the other day, but Ah didn’t expect to power through the whole night.” “Who?!” Applejack demanded. Mac gestured to the mares to follow him toward the barn. He led them to the open barn door ajar and held up a finger to his lips so they could remain quiet. When they peered inside, they saw the human, William, laying sprawled out on a bale of hay. He was sound asleep, out like a light, and was snoring somewhat loudly. Applejack noticed that his jeans had rips and tears in them and his shoes were all scuffed up and had small holes in them. William didn’t even register their presence since he was so deep in slumber as the ponies stood around the hay bale. “He plopped himself in here about a half hour before y’all came along,” Mac whispered. “In all mah years, Ah ain’t never seen somepony apple buck as hard or as fast as him. He managed to clear out the other half of the orchard all by himself, without stoppin’. Ah was about to wake him to send him home, but Ah figured he deserved a proper rest. Guess he was also lookin’ out for ya, sis.” “He did all that…for me?” Applejack muttered, gripping William’s jacket she still held in her hands. “Aw, that’s so sweet!” Rarity said. “Gotta give credit where credit’s due, he sure proved us right,” Rainbow smirked. “You see, Applejack? Even though you always put yourself before your friends, and while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it’s also important to accept what your friends have to offer,” Twilight smiled as she glanced over to Applejack. As the farm mare watched Will sleep, she felt a slight tightness in her chest. She then felt herself smile a wide and grateful smile towards Will as she stepped forward and returned his jacket by draping over him as he did for her. “Thank you, Will. Thank you very kindly for what you’ve done for a stubborn mare like me,” Applejack whispered. Author's Note Help goes a long way with friends who are willing to offer it. Side Note: So very sorry for the two friggen months of not posting anything for this story. Had a little bit of a writer’s block, but I’m over it now. Thank you for your patience. Hope you enjoyed! ~WurkyWilk has left the building…
