A Guardian's Rise

'Ugh... Everything hurts... What happened? Last thing I remember, I... I was at a party or something, right? That doesn't sound like me... I hate parties... And ponies. And especially-- Wait, did I say 'ponies'? I meant 'people', why the buck would I-- ... Okay, something is terribly wrong here... I'm just gonna get up and get my bari-- Oh fuck! Yep, okay, legs aren't working...'

Cloud continued on like a groaning mess for a bit as he finally tries opening his eyes. Revealing his cerulean orbs to the sky, he can tell that it's far brighter than normal, even if it were summer. But the cool winds of autumn and the rustling of leaves did little but dash those thoughts to the shores of unlikelihood as he stumbled to his--

"Holy fuck, where are my feet!?" the doofus shouts in little more than terrified shock, "Yeah, I can hear you, prick..." he states plainly to-- ... Wait, are you talking to me? "Whoever you are, yeah. I can hear you narrating my every movement like some bad fanfic. Seriously, could you make looking at the sky sound any more unrelentingly poetic?"I always do this in my own head. It's kinda how I entertain myself when I got nothing better to do. "Yeah, okay. Few questions." May or may not have a few answers

Cloud went to respond before a few things suddenly clicked, "Wow, that sounds kinda like a response I'd give..." And that sounds a lot like how I'd comment on that response... "Not to mention you sound a lot like me too..." They said, stating similarities back and forth before Cloud stated what he knew they were both thinking.

"Goddammit, you're me. Wait, did you say Celestia? He's a religious figure. Because that's my principal. I don't wanna go into it."
Celestia dammit, you're me. Who's God? Yeah, why? Religious figure to who? Weird, she's the ruler here.

The two spoke simultaneously and almost instantly asked and answered one another's questions at rapid fire before both giving a solemn sigh, "Okay, this is weird." You think this is weird, don't look around you. "Wait, why nooooo fucking way..." He said as, looking around, he saw that he was outside of Canterlot High, but it seemed far different. For one, it appeared more like a castle than a school and had many new additions. Multiple spiralling towers, guards restraining civilians of varying builds, sizes and shapes with spears, shields and the like. Apparently something outrageous was going on. Stumbling to our hooves, Cloud staggered over towards the new school castle hybrid building.

At the front were the girls he'd just seen, he thought, but they all looked different. They had wings and horns and... That Twilight girl was the same, but still on the ground, bleeding profusely from her head as guards all around went to her aid and lifted her, carrying her away towards the doors of the castle/school/thing. As they did, they passed by what looked like Principal/Princess Celestia and Vice Principal/Princess Luna but something was most definitely... Off.

Wings, horns, hooved feet and all that, they were some kind of magical horse-- 'Pony' ... Whatever, hybrids. Rushing down the steps, obviously a little clumsily themselves due to the new forms, Celestia ran to Twilight as Luna rushed down to the other girls, "Applejack, girls, are you alright!?" She asked in a louder, almost devastatingly so, tone as the very sound of her voice caused a small breeze. In doing so it snapped the girls out of their dazed or even unconscious states with a scream.

"Ow! Holy crap, it's like being face to face with a stage amp!" Cloud groaned covering his ears and wobbling a bit as I laugh my ass off at the display, being fully prepared for the noise. "How are you so calm about this, dude? Is this not weird?" I am currently in my own head with another me as a pony/bipedal alien hybrid. This is hilarious as far as I care! "... Glad to see the sociopathy barrier between us is nonexistent. Eeyup.

"Anyway, why're the girls from my school... Wait, where's--" Cloud was cut off by a sudden maniacal laughter as he looked back to see that Sunset Shimmer was no different than the rest of them aside from the demonic wings and now crimson fading to orange skinfur tone. He scrambles to turn fully as he takes rapid breaths before a shout from behind him comes in the form of Applejack huffing hard as her eyes glow a bright, enraged green, her every breath seething as she charges at Cloud.

"Sunset Shimmer ya' dirty bitch!" She roars as she leaps over him, clearing him and then some as she reels a hand back and throws it out, only for Sunset to roar back, making her gasp as she is sent back by a blast of magical flame and sent back into Cloud who instinctively leaped into the air, a pair of white and turquoise striped wings erupt from his back, avoiding the flying farmhand.

"Wha-- Since when could I..." Try not to think into it too much. I'll try and explain the best I can later. For now, I think we should peace out. "But what about--" If they're anything like the ones who they've apparently been combined with, believe me when I say that they'll be beyond fine and probably fix all this in approximately two, maybe three days. "If you say so..." He said as he looked down at Applejack who groaned and shook it off looking up towards him with widened eyes of shock that soon became those of pure hate before he turned his back to her, looking back towards Sunset with semi-shocked eyes before giving a light grin and flexing his fingers in a passive farewell, making her eyes widen with shock before she seemed to look around in confusion. He then turned completely away and flew away into a random direction, flying through the tundra of the once Snowy North, now combined with what looked like a city.

"What happened... What is this place? It looks like my town but... Way too different..." Welcome to Equestria, or whatever it's become now that you and whoever those randos were showed up and made the place erupt. The other voice said as they sailed through the sky. He squinted as he seemed to be analyzing the streets before he sighed, "At least that means if the streets are sort of the same, my place should be nearby." Well that's definitely a plus. This is the most excitement I've experienced since my creation. Man was that a mess. He thought with a light cackle as Cloud blinked confused but shrugged, "You're gonna explain that later. Right?" Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Got nothing but time so why not. Let's just get to our place so we can-- "My place." Whatever, semantics. I'll explain this world, you explain yours, and we'll-- "Couldn't we just swap memories and combine them? Since you're in my head, I mean?"

There was a silence as the two landed at Cloud's front door, almost as if someone was staring at the ether after being told a good point that couldn't easily be refuted as he simply heard the voice say Huh... Yeah, I guess. Never tried that before since the only one up here is usually me, myself and whatever weird ass thoughts I have on a day-to-day basis. "Same. Anyway, let's just get in." He said as he opened the door and walked in. Within the confines of this two-story home was an instant look at the living room, set up with a C-shaped couch around a glass coffee table, a few books on it as well as a television, consoles, games across from it with a couple controllers. To the side was the kitchen, up the stairs was more crap that no one really cares much about since they probably will never see it unless they went up there so Cloud decided to walk over to the couch and flip over onto it backwards so his legs were hanging off the back, his head leaned back as his back was to the seat.

He took a deep breath and exhaled with a heavy sigh, "Alright, give it a sho-- FUCK!!!" They both shouted falling to the ground after flipping fully onto and off of the couch as they screamed, one's scream causing the other pain as it went back and forth between the two of them, clutching their head before falling over unconscious onto the ground as everything went black.

"Where the hell did he... Where'd he go!?" Applejack shouted in a fury as she then turned her attention back to Sunset Shimmer who was seemingly just as confused but seemed to sense Applejack's rage as she turned back and simply grinned, "You... You're gonna pay fer' what'cha did t' Twi..." She growled as she crouched and went to lunge at her again before Sunset put a hand out as if to tell her to stop, which she did.

"You really believe Twilight Sparkle's death is on my hands?" She said with a smirk as Applejack looked at her in confusion, "Applejack, think. I simply held the hammer. I had no intention of swinging at Sparkle, she was simply the unfortunate outcome of Cloud moving out of the way and my hands slipping." She said as she floated down and seemed to lose her demonic form as she stepped over to her with a sad smile, "I have an idea, however. He's a thorn in both of our sides and killed your friend. I never intended such a foul fate for anyone... So why don't we help each other?" She said as Applejack kept her fists up at the ready before she groaned and flinched away, tears running down her right eye as she held more of a pained grimace.

"T-Twilight... Twi would never want revenge... Even if it's for her..." She groaned as her voice softened as she let her hands slowly lower to her sides, "She knew... What she was doin' was dangerous... But..." She clenched her teeth as she growled, "Shut up! Revenge is exactly what I should be takin'!" She growled as she looked around, "Where in tarnation..." she said in confusion, panting as she looked over to Sunset, "What kinda games're y'all playin' here?!" She shouted as Sunset simply stood there dumbfounded as Rainbow Dash and the others rushed up to her sides.

"AJ, you alright? What was that?" Dash said in confused shock as she suddenly had tears falling down her face as her eyes began to flicker for a moment before she wiped her eyes, "N-No. No crying right now." She said as she looked at Sunset, "I don't like this... Why would we help you after all you did to thwart Twilight?"

"Indeed! We've no reason to assist you, she-demon! Regardless of whatever power you posses, it holds no sway over us!" She shouted through her heavy breaths, make-up running down her face as Pinkie was still attempting to console Fluttershy.

"Simple. I know Cloud and what happened to your precious Twilight Sparkle was by his hand as much as mine. You need me to get to him." She said crossing her arms, 'Not to mention whatever that vanishing act he pulled was, it could prove problematic... Better to have these fools on my side just in case.' she said as she took a breath and smirked, "Now, do we have a deal or not?" She said simply as the girls all looked at one another with concern and wavering confidence.

A few hours later, Cloud groaned and placed a hand on the glass table as he pulled himself up, "Ugh... Man, that... Was a lot at once... You alright, Ether?" Yeah... Yeah, I'm alright-- Wait, did you just call me 'Ether'? "I mean, yeah. I'd prefer to call you something other than my name so I don't feel like more of a schizo than people would probably already think I am talking to someone they can't hear." A fair statement. Alright, Ether it is I guess. Also, your life is... Yikes. "Believe me when I say I don't need anyone's pity, especially my own. By the way, what the hell is a Tirek and a Cozy Glow--" I promise that it's easier if I don't explain. Just know that they're part of my existence in one way or another-- ... You didn't mention her. "Mention who?" The Changeling Queen. Why didn't you mention her? "She reminded me of my school's Guidance Councilor that slept with a few students and got fired for it-- Wait, you know that now, why'd you ask?" Wanted to see if you'd say it out loud. Good, we still don't care about blunt statements. Now, what to do...

The two sat there for a while as they thought back and forth before snapping their fingers, "We should go check on the guys." Oh yeah, your friends... Well, now that I know where they live, I can just do this. "Do wha--" He stopped as he turned around saw that he was face to face with a door, having run face first into it with a groan, "Sonuvafuck!" Oh right, I can transport us pretty much anywhere... Probably should've shared that part. "Motherfucker, how much did you hold back on me?" I gave you the important bits! ... Meh, most of 'em anyway. "That's fair, I did too." Cool, we're even. Now let's see if he's ho-- To the left! he shouted as Ether lunged to the left and the door was blown off it's hinges by a blazing red flame as an enraged scream surged out from the house.

"What the hell was that?!" Judging from that spout of flame, I'd wager a guess your buddy's 'othersider' as we were planning to call them, is a... He wandered as he watched a dark grey, larger, long haired and bearded man with blazing, flame-like hair and emerald green eyes and a curved horn that, at the tip, ended with a deep crimson. Walking out, he was wearing a black tank top with three triangles in a pyramid formation and grey sweatpants, a seething look on his face. A Kirin. His othersider is a kirin... And one with the most pure rage energy I think I've ever seen in life. "Is that normal?" What? Him? Oh hell no, I've never seen this guy before. Cloud groaned as he then saw the Kirin man look directly at him before a shocked expression appeared on his face as he smiled wide.

The burning flame of a mane and beard faded as what was left behind was a similarly dark grey stallion man with a black half-shave with blue highlights and instead of a full beard, a simple soul patch. The horn that still remained was not curved whatsoever but was still quite a side, "Holy crap, Cloud? Is that you, dude?" He laughed as he ran over and gave him a hug which Ether seemed to walk right through as he phased through him and appeared on the other side, Gamer falling over in a groan as he shot up and rubbed his new horn, "Owowowowow...."

"Oh yeah, he's a hugger by the way." Gee, couldn't tell.

"You talking to your Invader too?" Gamer said confusedly as he stood up with a smile as Cloud looked at him with minor surprise, "Yeah, mine is kinda... Well, he's super angry. No idea why." He said with a chuckle as he sat cross legged as he leaned on one hand.

"Yeah, we could tell. Mind explaining what pissed off the big guy in the first place? Cause warning him was a last second save on my part." Ether said as he crossed his arms in a slightly slouched position with a risen brow, expectant of an answer of some form.

"No clue. I was gaming, like usual, and I died a few times which usually wouldn't steam me too much. But something in me just made my blood Boil over it for some reason..." He said, a light growling tone stressing the word as he took a deep breath and smiled, "But then when I saw you, I was all chill, cause I'm just happy to see you're alright." He said standing up and pocketing his hands, "So... Mind explaining why we're both horse people?" He said tilting his head as Cloud and Ether sighed.