A Roegadyn in Equestria

A Roegadyn in Equestria.

Chapter 4: Ponies and hydras oh my!

*Point of view: Brex Mith*
*Location: Everfree forest*
*Time: Forth day after his arrival in Equestria*

It has been a few days sense Brex arrived in Equestria and had already made a few new friends while out in these woods. Well, he would use the term friends too loosely, as they all tried in one way or another to see just what this new creature that called itself a Roegadyn would taste like. Just a while ago, he had to deal with this thing that had the body of a snake and the head of a chicken. It hissed a few times and had attempted to get him into a staring contest. After dealing with it in a very aggressive manner, Brex was finally back on his way.

He thought to himself as he moved a large tree branch out of his way, “Wow, I can’t believe that last one thought I would just stand there and let this thing look me in the eyes long enough to turn me into stone. I mean really! You would have to be a very weak-minded person to allow that to even happen… Oh! Didn’t that twilight character let that happen to her? Hmm, isn’t she meant to be the smart one…?”

After that, Brex started walking down a dirt path, well not on said path, that would be ridiculous. He wanted to stay hidden and wanted to know the routes so it would help in the future. So, he stuck to the shadows along said path, this way not only would it be mapped, but any one that would be traveling on it wouldn’t see him if they crossed ways.

This went on for what seemed like a good hour, er maybe two… Ok, ok, so he didn’t have a good sense of time. But after a while, Brex looked to the top on his sight and got a small shock, right there above the mini map was a clock, yes, a clock, he started to have a faint blush at his lack of foresight. Then said to himself, “For crying out loud, there was always one in the game, why didn’t I see it. Ugh! I really need to start paying more attention, that would have been helpful this whole time.” Brex took another glance at the now almost mocking sight and did see that it was twenty-nine past eleven in the morning.

So far, he has not come across anything else in the forest that could talk. Maybe he was way farther inside than he had first thought. Another forty-five minutes passed by with nothing but the sounds of the forest around. The light wind that managed to pass through the thick canopy, the subtle warmth of what could pass as spring or possibly early summer here in this world. There was the light crunch of leaves… Wait, leaves. He wasn’t the one doing that, in fact he hardly made any sound himself. This led Brex to consider that it was another animal, but that idea went sailing out the window as he could hear the sound of voices coming ever so closer.

There was a young male voice that had a tone of… well what could he say. It sounded snobbish, you know, like those guys that had a big ego that could choke a whale. The male could be heard saying, “Hurry it up, oh why did I have to be placed on these patrol duties. This is just beneath my status. Clearly a mistake was made by some buffoon and I could have been at Canterlot for the completion ceremony. The princess is there and I’m just missing it.”

Brex thought, “Yup. I was right, its a snob. Doesn’t this man… I mean guy…” He had felt that it would have been an insult to all others in this world, to admit that this person was a man. This guy just doesn’t seem to understand just how important the job patrolling, is for the security of his country land.

After the male had taken a few more paces, another set of footsteps… he meant, hoof steps could be heard. No, it wasn’t just one, but two sets seemed to be following close behind the male. These however sounded lighter, this was then accompanied by the second voice Brex had got a chance to hear ever sense coming to this place. “Just wait up Break Down… Don’t go and have a break down on us.” The female voice snickered right after making her terrible pun. The now identified, Break Down had just came into view of Brex’s hiding spot. Just to make sure that he was not detected, the Roegadyn used the skill HIDE to become undetectable.

Skill: Hide, A skill that allows the user to go into a stealth state, those from level 1 and up to 10 levels higher than its user cannot see the one using this skill. Targets more than 10 levels higher than the user can see past its effects. Some creatures have skills or ability’s that allow them to see past this effect regardless of their level.

Brex’s eyes went wide as he saw that the ones talking were not ponies per say but or of the Anthro variety. He had fully expected them to be the type to be on all fours but with this situation he was a little more thankful. At least this way if he was ever spotted then he wouldn’t be outright called a monster for being on two feet.

Brex could see that the one known as Break Down, had turned on his heels and stared daggers at the one that had made the joke replied a condescending tone, “That was the worst joke, I ever had the misfortune to hear in my life! Huhg! On top of all this, I’m also forced to be in a group with and uncivilized mare like you… I can’t believe they just let a pony such as yourself into the royal guards. Really, a whore straight out of the red district, parading as a guard is laughable. I can think of much better things for one of your position to be doing, or should I say, who you should be doing.” Brake Down tilted his head down slightly and had begun to slowly trace the young women’s figure with a predatory grin.

Now this was really getting on Brex’s nerves after hearing this and began to think, “This guy really needs to respect his co-workers. Isn’t this blatant sexual harassment? He really needs to clean up his act, otherwise things will get messy for him down the road. Oh well, I just hope no one else gets dragged along for the ride when it finally happens.”

During the time the two were continuing with their little spat, the last set of hoofs that he heard from before had emerged into the open space and stopped just several paces from the other two. This mare just stood there, shuffling on her hoofs and had been turning her head back and forth to look in all directions. One hand on the handle of her sword and the other was tightly grasping the hilt. The first thought that Brex had was, “Nervous much there little one?... Why did I call her little one? Well, they all happen to be little to me if I think about it. The tallest one isn’t even up to six feet tall and here I am bordering at eight feet.”

Finally, when some time had passed by, the last person to come along said something to get the others attention, “Um… Excuse me… B-But I d-don’t think we shoul-“ This was when the male, Break Down interrupted what she was trying to say and quickly turned towards her direction and really began to raise his voice, “SHUT UP. I DON’T NEED TO BE ORDERED BY SOME MUD PONY LIKE YOURSELF!” Break Down’s voice caused the female to shrink down in fear. There were streams of tears rolling down her face as she tries to keep herself standing from the verbal abuse.

From what he remembered in a number of fan fictions. The term ‘mud pony’ was a type of derogatory slang that was made for earth ponies. So basically, a really hurtful insult to describe their tribe. It would seem that this term is widely used by the unicorns in an attempt to assert their dominance over those that could not use magic or fly.

The other female steps in and places her body between Break Down and the poor girl and glares at him. She then says, “Now that’s enough, stop right now or do you want me to report you to the captain. I’m sure he would like to hear all about how you have been conducting yourself on duty. Not to mention the treatment of your subordinates.” That gets a growl from the stallion as he locks eyes with hers. After a second or two, he turns and continues on the rout they were on previously. The others soon fallowing.

This sort of thing seemed to happen regularly as Brex had seen the very same set of ponies pass by the area over the course of days to come as he traveled around and explored more of the forest. Of course, there was more run-ins with the indigenous plants, animals and the ones in between. Yes, just in case if it wasn’t clear, right there he was referring to the Timberwolves.

*Point of view: Brex Mith*
*Location: Everfree forest*
*Time: The Sixth day after his arrival*

It was around nine in the morning. The sun was behind a small amount of overcast, there was still the slight chill in the air from earlier that morning. A figure stood in yet another open area inside the woods and is looking over what laid Infront of him.

After the flames faded, Brex looked at the ashes right before him and walked towards the remains and did the usual thing that he was now very much accustomed to doing and collected the monster drop items. While doing this, his thoughts were, “Wow, they just don’t know when to give up do they.? This makes what… The sixteenth time now?” Brex was relieved that he had his item box that came from the game. Things would have been really bothersome if he had to carry all this stuff the normal way. With this, he could have anything he needed and at any time without the hassle of how much there was or the weight.

As the last of the crystals and random drop items such as small plant seeds and other types of rocks such as flint, where all being gathered. He found something new. This one encounter seemed to have a gold coin in one of the piles of ashes. Brex came to the conclusion that this was a coin that they called bits. From the stories, this was their form of currency that was used in that show.

He then came to a thought, “Why did they use solid gold coins in the first place? Those things are way heavy when one had a lot on hand. Also, what did the ponies even do when they needed to make a purchase at a store that required a large sum of these bits? Don’t tell me they just had to get a wheel barrel or something. Otherwise, things would have to be priced in a way that the bits got you more than one would have originally perceived. Huhg! My head hurts just trying to figure out their monetary system. Why am I doing this anyhow, it’s not like I can just go and buy something in a town. That would just get them to call in the guards… or worse… Celestia… NOPE! NOPE! Not going to deal with her!”

Brex was admiring the details on the coin and started to notice the way things were being depicted. Such as there was a sun symbol on one side and on the other, a pair of wings. Brex started to think to himself, “Hmm… it would seem that Celestia is already rewriting things to take her younger sister out of the history books as they say by starting with their currency. I remember on the show, er or was it the stories, that they said that there was a sun on one side that represented Celestia and a crescent moon on the other that represented Luna.”

Ideas where already running in his head. All the stories and the speculations on how Celestia did things and how they lined up with her long-term plan that spanned over a thousand years. They all couldn’t have been all right as there were way too many of them. Also, with how those very stories went, the history was off in one way or another.

In the original time line, like that witch was in the television show, Luna was not getting the attention and recognition of her subjects. This caused her self-esteem to plummet to the point that the feeling of jealousy festered and this transformed her into Nightmare Moon. This right there sparked a list of technical reasons that the Princess of the moon, would have gone through such a transformation.

From the top of his head, Brex remembered that in one, the alicorns magic was so strong that this would cause them to go through a drastic mental and physical change when their feelings got too strong and out of control. The next theory was that Luna had gotten infected by some parasite and this caused her to develop the symptoms that led to the birth of Nightmare Moon.

The last of the popular reasons was, Luna was somehow always Nightmare Moon and Celestia was power hungry and used the elements to banish her to the moon and when she returned, the new element bearers would use the power again, but this time to weaken Nightmare Moon. Thus, turning her into Luna, a much weaker and more docile version that Celestia could control and insert her will. Thereby keep herself as the ruler that had the most power, all the while under the disguise of Celestia being the good older sister and looking out for the younger one wellbeing.

It never made sense to Brex that after all that time, the so-called sun goddess, would have never mentioned that Nightmare Moon was in fact her sister Luna, but until after all was said and done. With all that time that passed, not once did Celestia try to make her Nightmare Moon, A.K.A. Luna out to be a good pony. But instead let the whole, she was evil and to be feared roll on. There was also the Nightmare night holiday that made the younger sister out to be some foal eating monster. This just caused him to start bursting with anger, these thoughts only fueled his fear that the proclaimed sun goddess was just some power-hungry tyrant that manipulated the masses for her own gain.

Now that he was like those characters in so many of the stories he had remember reading regarding the displaced, Brex came to a decision. Sense Princess Celestia had always misjudged the changed humans and caused them so much pain and suffering when they only wanted a way home or to just live-in peace. Then he, Brex Mith the Roegadyn, wouldn’t make it that easy to mess with him, he was going to come up with a way to make sure that the one ruling in this world would be kept in check. In fact, the idea of making sure that whenever she went out of line, then Brex would be there with a plan that would make her immediately regret it.

First things first. He was going to need to find out just what was the real story on this whole world. From the time of founding, when the sisters came to power, the incident and leading up to the present day. Information was considered the most powerful weapon in a fighter’s arsenal, Brex was going to stock pile enough to blow the mountain of Canterlot right up and into orbit, figuratively speaking.

Brex already knew the gist of everything from the many, many, stories he had read when it came to their basic system of tribes. There was the Unicorns and their use of magic. Fees or the primary residence of the city of Canterlot and made up the majority of those in power. Do Unicorns always see themselves as superior due to their ability to use magic and basically do anything they wanted because of it. This gave them a humongous superiority complex that they like to hold over the other races.

Next up were the Pegasus. They were the flying types and could move clouds as well as stand on them. They mostly reside in a floating city known as Cloudsdale. Dairy usually known for their brash and stubborn nature. They are no doubt the most competitive ones of all three races.

The next is the Earth ponies and as the name implies, they are the most basic of them all. What they lack in magic and flight capabilities, they more than made up for with their sturdy bodies and superhuman like strength. They’re mostly known for working the land and providing food for the other three races.

Now there’s those three types of ponies but there is a fourth category that has a very, very, low number in it. These are called the Alicorns. They are a combination of all three of the pony races. This means that they not only have the strength of the earth ponies, but they also have the flight capabilities of the Pegasus. Now couple that together with the magic that a Unicorn has then you got one powerful being. But from what he understands they primarily focus on magic the most.

But what stands out the most about the Alicorns, is that they have an exceptionally long lifespan and a nearly limitless amount of magic compared to the normal Unicorn. From what he understands at this timeframe there should only be two in existence. Those being of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

Brex news of some of the history in the show but that can’t be relied upon too heavily. So some more accurate information is required for future plans. In order to carry out said plans, Brex was going to start off by heading towards the structure he was overlooking last week.

Which would happen to be known as the castle of the two sisters. As he was going through the forest, Brex noticed that the sounds around him were changing ever so slightly, at first, he didn’t know what to make of this. However, soon he felt under his feet that the ground was beginning to give off a vibration that he had not encountered before. Brex kneeled down and placed a hand on the muddy earth after another second passed, he felt the tremor again as time went on second by second. They began to increase in both magnitude and frequency, this was then accompanied by a large beast’s roar.

To him, it sounded as if it was off quite a distance, yet it was capable of shaking the leaves above Brex’s head. The roar went on for several more seconds then stopped, but the tremors continued. It was right then and there that he realized and said in a very loud and startled voice, “OH SHIT!! I remember that sound from the show, it’s a fucking hydra!”

*Point of view: Shadow Lily*
*Location: Everfree forest*
*Time: several minutes before the beast’s roar was heard by Brex*

The sun had not yet come close to reaching its zenith in the sky. The young anthro earth pony mare was walking through the forest, donning her light metal plated armor and a short sword at her side. Standing at five feet and two inches tall, with purple fur and a black mane. She was being accompanied by two others while on her patrol. Looking over to her right, she noticed the other female of the group. This one was a Unicorn that came up to five feet and three inches. This pony had pink fur and a light blue mane. Her name was Swirl Sugar. She carried a short silver tipped spear and donned a familiar armor just like the one she was wearing. Shadow Lily was looking to and fro down their path as they walked.

The last member of their group was a male unicorn. This one was at a height of five feet and eight inches tall, with brown fur and a light brown main. This guy’s name was Break Down and he had armor similar to the previous two, but this one was obviously made for the male member of their species. Furthermore, with a closer glance one could tell that his was in fact well-polished, too well-polished.

One might even believe that this Unicorn hardly ever got dirty. Brandishing a short sword that appeared to have a golden handle protruding from its hilt and a mid-sized shield. That too also was well polished, in fact it continuously reflected the light all over the place. There were times while he walked, it would even blind his companions, causing them to raise an arm in order to prevent them from being blinded as the sun reflected off the polished surfaces.

Swirl Sugar, after getting annoyed for the umpteenth time so far today called out to the male Unicorn in front of her, “HAY! Break Down, why do you always have to do that, really! We can’t see a dang thing in front of us with you acting like a walking mirror and blinding us every few seconds!”

With that, Break Down turned and looked over his left shoulder and replied with a condescending attitude, “Hold your tongue whore! How dare you insult me in this manner. I am your superior in both class, status and rank. It would be best if you showed me proper respect, furthermore I paid good money for my armor to look this fabulous, just like myself.” He said this all the while coming to a stop and making a grandiose pose. Holding his shield up with his left arm and his right fist lifted and placed on his chest. Break Downs chin tilted ever so lightly towards the heavens and looking off in the distance as if holding in place for a portrait.

While gazing at this site of what could only be considered, pure outrageous stupidity. Swirl Sugar closed her eyes and lifted her right hand only to pinch the bridge of her muzzle, this was obviously a sign that she was nearing her end and was close, so very close to just letting loose and throttling this idiot of a commander standing right in front of her. After taking a few very slow and deliberate breaths, Swirl turned then looked at the one who has yet to say anything during the whole patrol.

Then asked in a whisper to the purple mare, this was done for the simple fact to not startle her or to gain the attention of a certain individual that is still standing in place like an idiot. “So how are you holding up over there Shadow Lily? It’s been nearly three weeks now since you have been assigned to this group and you’ve hardly said much of anything aside from a few days ago. I’m really sorry that you had to deal with this guy. They should have put you in another group, really any of the others would have been better. I’ve been with him for nearly a month now and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve considered the idea of leaving his body out in the woods.”

Shadow Lily turned towards Swirl Sugar and replied in a subdued tone that also reflected her friends attempt to keep their conversation to themselves and replied, “I… I-its ok. I just have a hard time telling others what I think, that’s all. Also, I don’t want to get into trouble with our commander, I mean he is from a noble family. I just don’t understand how you can even talk to him the way you have. I mean, are you not scared that he is going to do something?”

She asked in a concerned tone, it was not uncommon, in fact it was more widely believed that the nobles always had their way when it came to their pride and would do anything in order to keep said pride intact. This led to the common belief that they would in fact cause problems to those who insulted them in any way, shape or form.

Things would even progress to the point that it would affect their families that weren’t involved. There have been times where nobles would go around and take land and drum up some phony reports to get the commoners thrown into the dungeons, where they would mysteriously be forgotten and left to die. But these were just stories… Stories she hoped that were vastly over exaggerated.

As the two mare’s continued on with their conversation, the male member known as Break Down had continued forward without even looking back in their direction and entered deeper into the forest. Just as he was passing a shrubbery, his foot got caught on an extended branch and this caused the stallion to fall forward. In an attempt to keep from colliding to the floor, his arms flailed erratically. By doing so he stumbled further at a greater speed and right through a thick patch of low hanging branches.

At this time, the two mare’s had finally noticed the odd sounds that were coming from in front of them and turned towards the disturbance, only to notice that their third party member had disappeared beyond their line of sight. Quickly there was the following sound of splashing water, accompanied by the indignant wailing of an insufferable noble stallion.

Shadow Lily, along with Swirl Sugar both regained their senses and chased after their would-be commander. Unsheathing her short sword, Shadow Lily made a diagonal cut along the thick branches that showed signs of the recent disturbance that was caused by Break Down passing through.

This quickly opened up a path as well as giving them a perfect view of the situation right in front of them. Instead of finding Break Down, they also came face to face with a large body that took up most of their view directly on the other side of the stallion in front of them. Its size was to the point that it was even casted a shadow across all three of them and a good portion of the tree cover above their heads. Shadow Lily looked up and in a frightened, timid, borderline, squeaky voice said, “Oh sweet Celestia, it’s a hydra…”

Just as Shadow Lily finished with her exclamation, the stallion who was drenched in mud finally got up. With his eyes still closed, he turned towards the mare’s and yelled at them at the top of his lungs, “WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK YOU’RE DOING! GET OVER HERE AND GET ME OUT OF THIS DREADFUL MUD! IT IS STAINING MY OUTFIT AND JUST WHAT IS THAT DREADFUL SMELL? OH, AH! IT IS GOING TO MAKE ME VOMIT!”

This caused Shadow Lily and Swirl Sugar to stare blankly at the stallion and think in their heads, “Oh my, he is so stupid! Stop yelling! You’re going to get us all killed, open your eyes and turn around!”

Finally, after ten seconds, the stallion reaches up with his right hand and yanks his helmet from the top of his head. Then using the back of his forearm, wipes the mud from his eyes. He then looks over at the two mare’s with an indignant stare. This whole thing only took the span of those ten seconds but in the mind’s eye of the two in front of him, it was an eternity. It took him but a moment to notice their facial expressions, soon it then dawned on him that they were not looking at him per say, but what was… behind. Slowly the stallion began to turn in place. There was a strange feeling in the air, as his field of vision panned to the right and he began to notice just where he was.

Break Down tilted his head up very slowly while still turning. First, he noticed the wet ground, the brown, green and the murky wet mud and tall weeds of vegetation scattered about. In a few areas close and far away, he can see pockets of green gas coming from large bubbles that popped on the water surface.

Then finally his vision began to be covered by a large, brownish green wall of flesh that started from his right side until finally that was all he could see. Just as Brake Down thought he couldn’t crane his neck upwards any further, he finally found what looked like the base of a neck, no not a neck, it was the base of three necks.

Straining to do more, he managed to bring his sights to a higher point, but what he found made him wish he had been unable to do so. The stallion’s eyes widened to a comical size and the irises shrank to pin pricks. For what was in front of him, he knew very well from what the other guards back at the barracks had mentioned.

After a short pause, the three ponies came to a unanimous decision within their minds, which was, “RUN! RUN!” This was followed by them all dashing back into the woods through the opening, all the while screaming their heads off as they ran at full speed.

*Point of view: The Hungry Hydra*
*Location: Everfree forest*
*Time: Moments ago*

While the ponies were all standing in the presence of one of the apex predators and going on with their little moment. The Hydra stood right behind the very loud one that appeared to have not noticed the situation that it was now in. This caused the creature to pause and watch the spectacle unfolding before it.

Right at this place and time, before these ponies, was one of the most powerful kings of the Everfree Forest. Standing at thirty-six feet tall, over twelve feet wide, forty-eight feet long if stretched out and its weight was around fourteen tons. Moss green scales covered its body that only became a lighter shade on the underside. This color pattern leading from the tip of the tail, running all the way past its two thick legs and up to the necks only to end at the creature’s jaws.

Three necks had grown from the upper section of the body and each one had a lizard head that almost resembled a dragon. But one key factor was the spines along the sides did not have the standard horns, instead in their place, were thick spines and webbed fins that ran down the back sides and along the sides of its tail. The Hydra had slitted dark green, reptilian eyes. There was a set of long sharp teeth that ranged from an inch long to three inches that were in the places humans would have had their canines.

(This is roughly what the Hydra looks like.)

The left head tilted towards the middle and glanced over to its counterpart. It then gave it a raised eye lid, which could have been taken for a raised eye brow. Afterwards it gave the head a thought through their mental connection that said, “I don’t get what is going on here. Do you?”

The middle head had a puzzled expression and then looked to the right head to get its input on what was going on. Quickly noticing that the third head appeared as if it wasn’t even paying attention to the loud one, but was looking towards the other two ponies with a toothy, hungry gaze.

The hydra who happened to be watching these three ponies right in front of him just standing there, caused a small amount of confusion. But the action they chose in which they ran and screamed snapped the hydra’s attention back to normal.

The once confused faces of the Hydra quickly morphed into a predatory like grin. It then drew in a large amount of air through its three gaping wide maws’. This caused the chest area to expand to a certain degree, then after craning its necks, all three lunged forward and delivered a mighty roar that echoed through the woods.

(Play this for the hydra roar.)