Justin

It didn't take long for me to free the hostages. In order to avoid having them confuse me for one of their captors, I had called through the door to let them know the thugs were dealt with, and that I was here to help, before removing the planks with the crowbar. Both ordinary pedestrians and the train station's staff came flooding out of the rooms, scared out of their wits after having gone through such an ordeal. A few of them even thanked me as they passed by, which made me feel better about myself. After that was done, I went and gave the all-clear to the two ponies I'd left hiding just outside the station's perimeter.

[Main Quest]: The Journey Begins

Objective 4: Head to the train station. (COMPLETED)
Objective 5: Defeat the hijackers and free the hostages (COMPLETED)

QUEST COMPLETED! +50 XP

"The Main Quest will be updated once a new lead on the Elements of Harmony, as well as their new bearers, is found."

Not long after, and by that I mean only a couple minutes later, a squad of royal guardsponies showed up from Canterlot, ready to handle the hijacking situation, only to find out I'd already done their job for them. Quite the coincidence they only showed up after the dust had settled.

Gee, thanks guys. It's not like I could've used your help a few minutes ago... or several hours ago...

After they questioned the hostages and I, one of the questions being what my name was, the guards helped the staff get the train station organized and running again. It took about an hour, but they managed to get everything cleaned up and back in order. This included me returning the crowbar, much to my dismay. Soon, the station was back to normal, and the train was ready to run again.

As for me, a growl emanating from my stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten anything since before I even showed up in Equestria. Not to mention the fact that I was fucking exhausted after single-handedly fighting several guys with guns, as well as a giant beast with a flamethrower. Considering all this, I decided I'd earned myself a lunch break.

Which led to where I was now: standing in the food court and looking over the menu above the service counter.

I'm surprised they have burgers and fried chicken on the menu, considering ponies are herbivores. Then again, they aren't the only race in Equestria. Griffons and humans both eat meat, to name a couple.

I didn't want to hold up the line, so I stood off to the side as I decided on what I wanted. Just as I was about to come to a decision, a familiar voice startled me from behind, "Feeling hungry?"

"GAH!!!" I definitely didn't scream like a little girl before turning around to see Disarria standing in her teleporting doorway, just a few feet away from me. Several other people stopped and stared, partially due to the door that had appeared out of thin air, but mostly due to the pantsless women standing inside it. "Disarria! Pants! Please!"

It took her a couple seconds to realize what was wrong before nonchalantly apologizing. "...Ah, forgive me. I'll only be a moment."

She retreated into her room, closing the door behind her. True to her word, she had literally only taken a moment, because barely even a second later, she opened it again, this time while wearing her trademark sweatpants. I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the constant stares. "U-Uh, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to congratulate you on defeating your first boss. Granted, when compared to the kinds of foes you'll encounter in the future, he was more of a mini-boss than an actual boss, but I still think it's an achievement worth celebrating. Why do you ask? Is now a bad time?" She cocked her head to the side in confusion. She wasn't having as much trouble ignoring the other onlookers as I was. Either she didn't notice them, or she didn't care.

"N-No, it's just that..." I leaned in and whispered to her, "...a lot of people are staring."

"Oh, pay them no mind, they'll move on eventually. While my doorway may be a bizarre sight, magic isn't an uncommon occurrence in Equestria. Plus, some of them are too busy to keep watching. We are in a train station after all, they all have somewhere to be."

After she gave her reassurance, I paid a subtle glance to the small crowd around us, and sure enough, some of the bystanders were walking away and moving on. "Huh..."

"Now, on to business. I believe you are looking for something to eat, are you not?" Before I could say anything, my stomach answered first when it let out a growl. Disarria chuckled upon hearing it. "So it would seem. Not to worry, I can provide you with whatever meal you wish whenever you so desire, free of charge."

"Anything I want, for free!? Seriously?!"

"Of course. I may sell you weaponry and equipment for a price, but basic necessities are a different story. I can't have you dying of starvation now can I? I wouldn't get much business if that happened. So, what would you like?"

I turned my attention away from Disarria and examined the menu above the service counter again. I looked down the list until I settled on what I wanted. "I could go for a-" As soon as I turned back around, I saw Disarria holding a plate with a slice of pizza and meatball toppings on it, as well as a bottle of root beer. Not even going into how she got the meal out of nowhere, she also knew exactly what I wanted before I'd even told her. I blinked, my brain still registering that what I was seeing was real. Disarria had a smug grin on her face, as if she was reveling in the fact that she was blowing my mind right now. "U-Uh...thanks."

"It was my pleasure. Is there any other business you would like to take care of?"

"Uh... well, there was one question I had." I accepted the food and drink from her, still staring at them in bewilderment. "Earlier, I tried to pick up an AK-47, but I just got electrocuted instead. Do you know what that was about?"

"Hmm... If I had to guess, that sounds like a weapon-binding spell to me." I didn't even need to ask what that was before Disarria continued to explain. "A weapon-binding spell, as the name implies, is a security spell that metaphysically binds a weapon to its owner, preventing anyone other than the owner from using it. That kind of spell is especially common amongst weaponry belonging to soldiers in the military or mercenary groups, though it's still possible for anyone who owns a gun to have this spell applied to their weapon. I imagine the AK-47 you tried to pick up had this spell applied to it."

"So, in other words, I shouldn't bank on getting new weapons from dead enemies." I sighed.

"Precisely, though I wouldn't say it's impossible to find weapons out in the wild; You never know what you might find. Now, was there anything else you needed, or will that be all?"

"I believe that's everything, thanks." I gave her a nod.

"Until next time, then." She closed the door behind her, and it proceeded to fade to dust as usual, flying through the air and out through a nearby window. After watching her leave, I looked back down at the meal in my hands, still shocked at how she did that.

"Huh... Well, bon appetit, I guess." I carried the food over to a nearby table and sat down, then started to dig in. Partway through my meal, a few royal guards sat down at a table not far from me, two stallions and a mare. I normally don't try to eavesdrop on people intentionally, but as a quiet introvert that mostly keeps to himself, I tend to overhear other people's conversations quite often without meaning to.

"Man, I was kinda hoping we'd get to see some action. I still can't believe a single kid handled everything before we showed up. Don't get me wrong, I think he did the right thing by helping these people, but I kinda wish he'd left some for us, know what I mean?" One of the stallions said. I'm guessing they either didn't see me sitting not too far away from them, or they didn't realize I was that same 'kid' they were talking about. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't be gossiping about me behind my back.

"Heh, yeah, tell me about it. Speaking of, the poor guy's probably not gonna get any recognition for what he did." I heard the mare say, which caused me to raise an eyebrow, wondering what she meant by that.

I wasn't the only one wondering, as the other stallion at the table asked the same question. "Whaddya mean?"

"I mean, there's so many newspapers and articles out there trying to paint humans in a bad light, I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same thing here. Y'know, like that guy with the news podcast, uh... damn, what was his name again?" The mare snapped her fingers, the name on the tip of her tongue.

"You mean Silver Voice?" One of the stallions asked. Judging by the disdain in his voice, it sounded like they didn't have a very high opinion of this 'Silver Voice' guy.

"Yeah, that's the one. Dear Celestia, that guy's a douche. He'll probably say this whole situation was 'another violent shootout between bloodthirsty humans' or something like that. That kid saved lives, and greedy reporters looking for drama are gonna make him look like just another 'violence-loving human' for ratings." The other guards nodded in agreement, sharing the same opinion as the mare.

I let out a small sigh after hearing that. It sounded like I wasn't gonna get much thanks for helping these people, which obviously sucked. Still, I wasn't too beat up about it. I didn't help them for fame or credit, I helped them because it was the right thing to do. I'll admit, I love getting praise and can be a bit egotistical at times, but I always try to put others before myself, even if I don't get anything out of it. There are a number of video game protagonists and comic book heroes that I look up to as role models, and they always put others first and themselves second. I take their example to heart and I always try to do what I can when I see someone in need. Those few people that thanked me when I freed them was a good enough ego boost for me, I didn't need anymore than that. Heck, even if they didn't thank me, I'd be a pretty upset, but I wouldn't regret what I did.

Switching topics, what's with the 'violence-loving human' thing the guards mentioned? I already found out some people have low opinions on humans, but is that the reason why? Because humans are more violent by nature? Now that I think about it, Equestria was an incredibly peaceful place in the show. Death was an extremely rare occurrence outside of old age, and ponies hadn't gone to war in several millennia, maybe longer. Meanwhile, back on earth, murder is much more common than it should be, and humans have had God knows how many wars amongst each other throughout our history. I guess it would make sense if that's why ponies and humans don't always see eye to eye.

Hmm... I should try looking into this later.

The guards continued to chat for a bit before they brought up another topic that piqued my interest. "By the way, has there been any word on the missing VIP?" One of the stallions asked.

The mare shook her head. "No, unfortunately not. I hope she's alright..."

"I heard she went missing, but that's about it. Was she kidnapped?" The other stallion asked.

"Surprisingly, no, nothing like that. Apparently, she ran away from home."

"What!? Why in Equestria would she do that!?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. There's rumors of family drama being the cause, but nothing concrete." The guards then paid a glance to a clock hanging on the wall. "It's almost time for us to move out. Let's go meet up with the others." The guards all nodded, got up from their table, and headed downstairs. Meanwhile, I was left thinking about what they had said.

A missing VIP from Canterlot, huh? I should keep an eye out, maybe make sure they get back to Canterlot safely...

I checked the clock on the HUD's map and saw that I should get going soon myself, if I wanted to get on a train as soon as possible that is. However, even if I took the train, I didn't have any destination in mind. To be honest, I wasn't sure where to go or what my game plan was right now. The HUD didn't give me any knew objective marker; All it said was that I have to find more leads on the Elements of Harmony and the new bearers before it would give me any updates on the quest. That left me with one question...

...What do I do now?

Maybe I should make my way to Canterlot and try to track down Twilight? She would probably be eager to help. I doubt it would take much convincing; Discord said Twilight went to the trouble of using a spell to restore the Elements, so she's probably already looking for them herself. Plus, getting to meet Twilight Sparkle in person would be awesome! ...Then again, she's the current ruler of Equestria, so I doubt getting an audience with her would be easy, if at all possible. You wouldn't be able to just stroll up to the White House and ask to speak with the president back on Earth. I imagine it would be just as difficult to speak with Twilight here in Equestria.

Either way, heading in the direction of Canterlot would be my best bet. Discord had already explained that the Elemental Gods controlled the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern parts of Equus, and I learned the hard way that I'm no match for any of them. Staying within the region that Twilight still has control over would keep me out of their sights for now, as well as give me a chance to improve my Skills before butting heads with them. "HUD, are we currently in territory controlled by Twilight Sparkle?"

"Negative. User: Justin is currently in a wild region."

"A 'wild' region? What's that mean?"

"A wild region is territory that has not been claimed by either the Elemental Gods or the Equestrian Government. Wild regions are named as such due to having a higher number of hostile creatures and infected. This is also the reason why the territory is not highly populated, as well as why it has not been claimed."

Huh, the presence of Canterlot royal guards made me think we were already in Twilight's territory, but I guess not. Either way, that's all the more reason to hightail it outta here.

"What's the nearest safe place within Twilight's- er, the Equestrian Government's control?"

"The nearest Haven under the Equestrian Government's jurisdiction is Las Pegasus."

While I did say heading for Canterlot was the best course of action, I didn’t want to immediately go straight there. My Skills are still very low, and I need time to level them up. So, why not take the scenic route? I can improve my Skills as I slowly make my way towards Canterlot, find ways to earn more money, get better equipment from Disarria, maybe learn more about this version of Equestria I find myself in, and become more prepared overall to face whatever lies ahead. Visiting familiar locations from the show would also be really cool, maybe I could make a road trip out of it. As far as I was aware, I wasn't in any rush or on a time limit, so it should be fine if I took my time with this. It sounded like a solid plan to me.

"Then that's where we're headed. Las Pegasus, here we come!" Quickly finishing the last of my pizza and root beer, I threw the empty plate and bottle in a nearby trash can before heading downstairs to buy a ticket. Had I been paying more attention, I might've noticed the person sitting at a table in the corner of the room, spying on me.

???

The spy watched the young HUD user as he went downstairs, presumably to get on a train to Las Pegasus. He'd already snapped a picture of the boy and was sending it to his handlers now. Once that was done, he pulled out a small two-way radio. He inputted the code that allowed him to contact his handlers before bringing it to his ear.

"Report." The voice on the other end said.

"I've found the new HUD user, you should have received a photo of him just now. He's at the White Tail Woods Train Station, and it sounds like he's headed for Las Pegasus." The spy relayed his observation.

"Understood. We'll send some soldiers to intercept his train before he crosses the border. Good work." With that, the communication ended, and the spy stood up from his table, leaving the station. His work was done for now.

Justin

After purchasing a ticket for Las Pegasus, I got on the train and saw that it looked exactly how I remembered it from the show. Each passenger car had rows of cushioned benches rather than normal seats, unlike the trains back on earth. Each bench had a window next to it, with a pull-down curtain in front of them. I took a seat at an empty bench located in the rear corner of the car, trying to isolate myself as much as I could. It wasn't that I didn't like people, it's just that interacting with strangers is always nerve wracking to me, so I try to avoid it when I can. Plus, if I got the bench all to myself, I could lay down and use it as a bed. It would probably be a while before we reach Las Pegasus, and what better way to pass the time than with a nap?

After a few minutes, the conductor announced that we were departing, and the train began to move. On cue, I laid down on the bench, making myself as comfortable as I could. "Hey HUD, can you wake me up when we arrive?"

"Affirmative."

With that, I closed my eyes and passed out a few minutes later. For a while, I slept peacefully without any interruptions.

. . .

. . .

. . .

Then the train came to a sudden stop, jolting me awake. I nearly fell off the bench when it happened and quickly sat up. "A-Are we there already?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Negative. The train appears to have made an emergency stop."

Opening the HUD's map, I saw that we were just shy of the Equestrian Government's region. In front of the train should be a bridge that passes over a river and crosses the border into the region. Not much farther past the bridge was the city of Las Pegasus, and my destination. That begged the question: Why did we stop?

The other passengers were equally confused, murmuring amongst each other. Some of them had their attention drawn to the windows, looking outside. I followed their example and tried to see if I could spot the reason for our sudden stop. Up ahead, I could see the bridge that we were supposed to cross, held together by sturdy metal supports. Sitting on the tracks in front of the bridge was most likely the reason why we stopped: a pair of military Humvees.

I've got a bad feeling about this...

I watched as a couple soldiers stepped out of one of the Humvees and approached the train. They wore tan-colored fatigues under light body armor, brown berets on top of their heads, and carried M4A1 assault rifles in their hands. The train conductor stepped off the train to meet them, and one of the soldiers spoke with him. After a little bit, the conductor stepped aside and allowed the soldiers onto the train.

I've got a very bad feeling about this...

"Hey, aren't those soldiers from the Earth God's army?" One of the other passengers whispered.

"Yeah, I recognize their fatigues." Another passenger replied.

The memory of the Earth God, Ajax, ripping my heart out and letting me fall off a cliff entered the forefront of my mind as I immediately tensed up.

I've got a veeeeeeery bad feeling about this...

After a few minutes, the pair of soldiers reached our train car. One of them was holding what looked like a photograph as he scanned each of the passengers, slowly moving from row to row. Eventually, he reached the end of the car and stood in front of my bench. He looked at the photo in his hand, then at me, then back to the photo, then back to me. He turned to his partner and nodded as he pocketed the photo.

"Uh... can I help y-?" I didn't get to finish my sentence as the soldier turned his rifle around and smacked me in the face with the rifle butt, knocking me out cold.

I was starting to get tired of being knocked unconscious.

I slowly regained consciousness and took in my new surroundings yet again, only to find they were surprisingly familiar. I was sitting in what appeared to be a large throne room with tall open windows lining the walls on all sides, a large throne made of crystals sitting imposingly against the far wall. In fact, the whole room looked like it was made out of crystals. The white walls, the jagged columns, the polished floor, all of it. The one thing I didn't recognize was the table I was sitting at. It was a fancy dining table carved out of, what else, crystals. There was a chair on each end of the table, as well as two chairs on the left and right sides each. Empty plates and expensive-looking silverware had been placed in front of each chair, including my own, while the rest of the table was lined with freshly prepared food. I was sitting at the end of the table farthest from the throne, looking confused as all hell.

Wait a sec... is this...?

"Finally awake, are you?" A voice to my left drew my attention.

On the left side of the table, sitting in the seat closest to me, was a human man reading a leather-bound book. He had had long, straight, jet black hair that reached past his shoulders, and while his skin was pale, his face was very defined and handsome. The scarlet red eyes that perused the book in his hand were highlighted by the black eye shadow surrounding them. He wore a formal suit jacket that was as black as his hair, a wine-red vest, a black dress shirt buttoned up to the collar, and a velvet red bowtie. Below that, he had on a pair of suit pants that matched his jacket, as well as two polished dress shoes. A fancy-looking cane was propped up against the table next to him, and a black top hat with a dark red rose in it hung on the back of the chair behind him.

If I had to describe him in one word, 'Gothic' would be the first that comes to mind.

"U-Uh... hi, uh...who are you? Where am I?" I asked, though I had a feeling I already knew the latter.

"Ah, where are my manners? My name is Agni. Amongst the other Elemental Gods, I am the Fire God." With his free hand, he snapped his fingers, lighting a small flame on his fingertips to show off a tiny bit of his power. "As for the where, you are currently in the Storm God's castle, found in the heart of the Crystal Empire." The man explained, confirming my suspicions and fears. I remembered this throne room from the show as the same one that belonged to Princess Cadance. However, the part about it belonging to the Storm God was new.

"Ah, I see...right in the heart of the lion's den..." I chuckled nervously.

"Yes, that is an apt metaphor for it." Agni also got a chuckle out of what I said, only his didn't have the same nervousness as mine. "It will be a bit of time before the others arrive, and I imagine you're a bit disoriented after being brought here so suddenly. Feel free to walk around and take in your surroundings."

"'Others'? Wha-?"

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I can assure you they will be answered, but they will have to wait until everyone else arrives. Like I said, feel free to stretch your legs and get your bearings. Oh, but I wouldn't recommend leaving the room. The guards outside have orders to shoot you on sight if you step through that door." He gestured to the large double doors behind me before returning to his book.

"...Thanks for the tip." I said sarcastically. It seemed I wouldn't be getting any answers just yet, so I took the man's advice and walked around the room. There wasn't much to look at in the throne room itself. The throne and the dining table were the only things worth noting. Instead, I took a look outside the window and gazed out across the rest of the Crystal Empire. Just like I remembered, the streets were laid out into the shape of a snowflake, and all the buildings were made of Crystal. The entire thing looked a lot bigger than I remembered, though. Unfortunately, we were too high up for me to get a good view of the streets below, so all the residents looked like tiny specks from here. I leaned forward and squinted to try and get a closer view, but to no avail.

Damnit, if only I could-

A *squawk!* from behind caught me off guard, and I whirled around to see a phoenix of all things flying in front of me. In its claws, it held an antique telescope.

"You looked like you wanted a better look, so I had one of my birds fetch something for you." Agni commented, not even bothering to look up from his book.

Figures the Fire God would have fire birds.

"Uh, thanks." I took the telescope from the phoenix, and it flew back over to its master. Agni raised a hand, and the bird proceeded to dissolve into dust midair. The dust was pulled by an invisible force as it was absorbed into Agni's hand, no trace of the bird to be found.

Freaky... and really cool...

Turning my attention away from the scene, I raised the telescope and looked through it. The city itself looked like it was under martial law, with security checkpoints set up all over, military vehicles driving around, and small squads of soldiers patrolling the streets. The 'soldiers' that I saw caught my eye in particular, mainly because they weren't normal soldiers.

They were robots.

I actually had to do a double take to make sure I wasn't seeing things. The robots looked like T-800 Terminators, only instead of skull-shaped heads, they had heads that resembled security cameras, a glowing red lens taking up the majority of their faces. They were also packing some serious heat, carrying weapons like AR-15's, LMG's, M32 grenade launchers, and more. There was something ominous about them in a 'big brother is always watching' kinda way, the red glow of their lens faces boring down on any passersby like a spotlight.

Speaking of, the civilians looked absolutely miserable. There was a mixture of humans, crystal ponies, and normal ponies all walking about, trying to mind their own business and avoid the gaze of the robot soldiers. I couldn't see a single person that didn't look uncomfortable or fearful. Definitely not a good sign.

Think I'm gonna add this stuff to my list of questions for when 'everyone else' arrives, whoever they may be.

My attention was pulled away from the city when I heard the doors to the throne room opening. I turned to see who had just walked in, and I felt my blood run cold upon seeing them.

"Well well well, look who it is. You're looking a bit better than the last time I saw you." Ajax, the Earth God that put a hole in my chest, strolled into the throne room. I could feel the scar on my chest burning from the mere sight of him. Out of both instinct and fear, I dropped the telescope and brought out my handgun from the inventory, shakily pointing it at him. All that did was make him laugh. "Relax will ya? As long as you remember your place, we won't have a problem. Unless, of course, you really insist on going for round two?"

I was too panicked to come up with a response, just trying to keep my aim focused on him. It turned out I didn't need to say anything, as Agni spoke for me. "That's enough, Ajax. He is a guest here, and you are to treat him as such. You're already in enough trouble with the little 'welcome' you gave him last night."

Ajax looked between Agni and myself before reluctantly backing off. "Tch, whatever..." he mumbled as he swaggered over to the dining table, taking a seat in the chair on the right side farthest from where I sat.

Agni turned in his seat to face me, "My apologies for Ajax's behavior. He has a bit of a superiority complex, but he's also one of the weakest among the Gods."

"Oh, fuck you!" Ajax cut in, but Agni ignored him and continued.

"As a result, he has a tendency to 'pick on the little guy' as it were, to make himself feel bigger."

"You say that, but you aren't much stronger than I am!" Ajax shot back.

"Yes, but I do not let that affect my ego, nor do I act out in the same childish manner as a schoolyard bully." Agni roasted Ajax, pun entirely intended. Ajax ground his teeth in anger, and looked like he was about to retort, only for the throne room doors to open again. This time, two people entered the room, one a human woman and the other a stallion.

The woman was well built and muscular, standing at almost seven feet tall. She had long ginger hair with a crown braid, green eyes, and a slight bit of blue tribal face paint around her eyes and chin. She was decked out in brown and blue Nordic armor lined with fur, an animal pelt cape hanging off the shoulders. A Viking shield, a thick broadsword, a large war hammer, and a giant battle axe all hung on her back while a pair of tomahawks hung from the leather belt around her waist. Despite being completely dry, her boots seemed to leave wet footprints behind with every step she took. If I had to guess, I assumed she was the Water God.

The stallion next to her was incredibly familiar. He had spiky yellow hair, pony ears of the same color, and amber-colored eyes, sharing a distinct resemblance with Amber. A part of me felt like that wasn't a coincidence. As for the rest of his outfit, he wore a studded denim vest with patches over a tight red t-shirt that hugged his abs. A pair of dog tags hung from a thin chain around his neck, and a studded leather bracelet was wrapped around his right wrist. Below, he wore ripped black cargo pants and work boots.

"Hello, my friends! It has been a long while since we have convened like this!" The Viking lady heartily greeted the others as she entered before turning her attention to me. "Ah, this must be the new HUD user! Greetings! I am Atla, The Water God! A pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She made her way over to me as she spoke before offering her hand, towering over me in height. I looked at her hand for a second, baffled by her friendliness towards me. Aren't these people supposed to be interested in killing me? What's with all the hospitality?

Either way, I accepted her handshake, still a little offput by her amiable attitude. As soon we grasped each other's hands, I felt her incredibly strong grip. She definitely lifts in her spare time. "U-Uh, nice to meet you too."

"HA HA HA! Do not be so tense, my friend! We are here to merely converse with you, nothing more! Though, I would not mind doing battle with you in the future! As a warrior, I have always wanted to test the power of the HUD in battle! Perhaps some other time, if you are interested!" Atla gave me a pat on the back before taking a seat at the table next to Agni. My hand felt damp, so I looked down to see that the handshake had left it soaking wet. I wiped my hand on my shirt to dry it, then shifted my gaze over to the stallion that had entered with Atla. He scrutinized me with a glare before making his own way over to the table, not a single word spoken the entire time.

With the table nearly filled, I decided to return to my own seat. "So, uh... is that everyone?"

"Not quite yet. We are still waiting on one mor-"

*BOOM!!!*

A blinding flash of light and a loud deafening explosion erupted as lighting struck at the base of the throne. Everyone present at the table was taken off guard, especially me. I could feel the ringing in my ears, though it thankfully hadn't been loud enough to make me go completely deaf. Everyone else turned to the source of the lightning as I tried to get my bearings, shaking the disorientation out of my head. Once my head was clear again, I looked to the throne and immediately felt a sense of dread; one that was matched by everyone else at the table.

A man clad in black, demonic armor sat on the throne, giving off an aura of cold foreboding, his mere presence striking fear into everyone nearby. A creepy helmet with metal demon horns rested on top of his head, completely hiding his face, save for the emissive, glowing eyes peeking through the eye holes. While I couldn't tell what his height was due to him sitting down, he had to be somewhere over ten feet tall with broad shoulders. In front of him, he held an abnormally large great sword that only someone of his size could wield, the sword itself looking just as demonic as his armor. Small sparks of electricity flickered across his body, which didn't seem to phase him in the slightest as he remained unmoving.

The guy was doing his best Sauron impersonation, and he was doing a damn good job of it.

No one at the table dared to speak, the mood having changed completely. Silence blanketed the entire throne room until the armored beast on the throne spoke, his voice deep and cold. "...You may eat."

At the big guy's word, everyone started filling their plates with food. I was the only exception, looking at the man on the throne while trying to avoid making eye contact. Logic and process of elimination told me he was the Storm God, the strongest of all the gods and the one in charge. I hadn't really thought about what to expect when I eventually met him, but I'd never even considered he would be so... menacing.

"...You are the new HUD User, correct?" He suddenly spoke up, catching me off guard.

"H-Huh? Oh! Uh, y-yeah, that's me." I nodded. He didn't respond immediately, seemingly studying me as his eyes bore into my soul.

"...We are aware you seek to overthrow us." He said.

"U-Um, well, I, uh..." I stammered and gulped nervously.

"We do not wish to start a war with you. If you force our hand, then we will. However, we would prefer a mutual peace."

I blinked, taking a second to process what he said. "W-Wait, you... don't want to fight me?"

"A war between us would lead to havoc unfolding, something we would like to avoid." Agni jumped into the conversation. "Our goal is to preserve order in our kingdoms, so obviously, unnecessary violence would conflict with that. Any attempts you make to disrupt our regime will be taken as a declaration of war, and we will be left with no choice but to retaliate. Actions such as searching for the Elements of Harmony would also be seen as a declaration of war, considering the threat that they pose for us, so we must also ask that you don't try to look for them."

"Basically, you don't fuck with us, and we won't fuck with you." Ajax added, though he didn't seem happy about it. While it seemed like a simple deal, I could tell there was an underlying catch to it. According to Discord, if I didn't find the Elements, then I wouldn't be able to get back home. As cool as it was to be in another world, I didn't intend on staying here, so giving up my search for the Elements was out of the question. Obviously, I kept that fact to myself; I'd rather avoid being targeted by the Gods for as long as possible. So for now, the best option was to play along.

"Ok, sounds simple enough." I shrugged. "So, uh, I still have some other questions I wanted to ask. Can I still ask them, or...?"

"You may ask what you wish." The Storm God gestured for me to continue, so I did.

"Okay then, first question: Those robots outside with security cameras for heads, what are they?"

"Those androids are the soldiers of my army." The Storm God answered. "Unlike the other Gods and their armies, I prefer a more... artificial infantry. They are more accurate, strong, and durable than the average soldier. More importantly, they are much more obedient. They would have no qualms sacrificing themselves to carry out their mission."

"Oh...I see..." I shuddered uncomfortably. That was certainly a... unique perspective. "A-Anyway, next question. I've been wondering about this for a while now... what did you guys do to Discord?"

"Did he not tell you when he summoned you?" Atla's eyebrow raised slightly in surprise.

"Nah, he kinda sped through his briefing on why he summoned me here. He was pretty vague about some things and completely left out others." I explained. With a wave of his hand, the Storm God produced a small storm cloud in front of him out of thin air. Within the storm cloud, I could see an image showing the base of the Crystal Castle we were currently in, the same area where the Crytal Heart would normally be. However, the Crystal Heart was nowhere to be found.

In its place was a stone statue of a familiar draconequus, the expression of shock on his face frozen in time.

Damn...that makes this the third time Discord has been turned to stone. Now I get why I need the Elements to free him.

"Wait, isn't that where the Crystal Heart should be? I thought it was needed to protect the Empire from outside threats?" I asked.

The Storm God waved away the storm cloud before answering. "Princess Cadence took the Heart with her when she fled to Canterlot, but we did not need it. A simple Haven Field, alongside my own power, is enough to keep the Empire safe."

I took a few seconds to collect my thoughts, trying to think of any other questions I had. Just as I opened my mouth to ask another one, the spiky-haired guy that resembled Amber spoke first. "Okay, is no one gonna talk about how he looks almost identical to Jason?"

The whole table was silent, everyone looking between themselves and at me. After a few seconds, Agni was the one to break the silence.

"Ash, that's not something you need to bring up right now-"

"I can't be the only one thinkin' about it! You all had to have noticed, right?" The Amber look-a-like, 'Ash', cut him off.

"...Who's Jason?" I asked the obvious question.

"Wait, he doesn't even know?" Ajax looked like he was about to start laughing at a joke I clearly wasn't getting.

"We will discuss it amongst ourselves. Later." The Storm God stated firmly before focusing on me. "It is not of importance. Continue with your questions." His tone implied it wasn't a suggestion.

Technically, that just became one of my questions, but apparently it's gonna go unanswered.

Hearing that I looked exactly like someone else they knew triggered a memory. I thought back to when I first met Jack in the White Tail Woods. At first, all the stuff he said to me seemed like random, insane ramblings, so I didn't think about it too much. Now though, one thing in particular stood out to me.

"Eh, you just look like someone I know. He was a real piece of shit, let me tell ya. Absolute fuckhole, that guy. I hate him with every fiber of my being. That's why your face is pissing me off. Nothing personal, I swear."

I wonder... was Jack talking about whoever this 'Jason' is?

"Okay, uh... let's see…" I tried to ignore the lingering thought of who 'Jason' is and move on to the question I was going to ask beforehand. "So, you mentioned that you don't want a war, and you're trying to keep order. Does that mean you aren't at war with Princess Twilight and her army?"

"About two centuries ago, we were, but we ended that quickly. They soon realized they were no match for us, and we came to a peaceful resolution. After signing an official peace treaty, it was agreed that Princess Twilight and the Equestrian Government would continue to rule the central territory of Equus, while we would rule over the rest of the world." The Storm God explained.

"Heh, the war didn't even last a month. We had 'em by the balls in no time!" Ajax chuckled.

So the Gods easily backed them into a corner. I'm not liking my odds here...

"One last question... I heard that there was someone who just barely managed to kill one of the Gods, but it looks like you're all still alive and kicking. Was that not true, or...?"

Ajax, Alta, and Ash all looked at each other, seemingly confused by what I just said. Agni on the other hand had a smirk on his face, seeming to have understood what the others missed. "I'm assuming this is another detail Discord neglected to mention to you." He said, "An Elemental God was indeed killed, but it wasn't any of us. It was the fifth God, known as the Wind God."

Wait, there were five Gods!? How much did Discord not tell me!?!

"S-So, who did it, then? Who managed to kill a God?"

"That would be your predecessor, the first HUD user." The Storm God answered. I let the information sink in as the realization hit me: Jack, that absolute lunatic, was the one person in all of Equus who managed to kill a God. Not only that, but if he managed to kill a God, then does that mean...

...Would I be capable of killing a God?

Obviously, I wouldn't have a chance in my current state, but if I continued to level up and grow stronger, maxing out all my skills until they're at 100, then maybe, just maybe... Well, then again, Jack only killed one of five Gods, and it was only just barely. If I had to guess, the Wind God probably wasn't one of the stronger Gods, either. I might be able to take on Agni or Ajax once I've maxed out my skills, but Atla and the Storm God would most likely be a different story. According to Discord, they're stronger than the rest of the Gods, so I probably won't stand a chance against them.

"Okay... other than the 'Jason' thing, I think that's all the questions I have."

"Hold on a sec." Ash spoke up again. "I've actually got a question I wanted to ask you myself. That's why I insisted on being here to meet you."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Uh...Okay, lay it on me."

"Tell me, did you happen to help Amber escape Tartarus?"

My eyes widened in shock. "How did you-...?"

"Just a hunch. I found out this morning that she escaped yesterday with the help of someone, a human." He shrugged, taking a bite of his food.

"W-Well, uh, yeah, I helped her. How do you know her?"

"I'm her brother, Ash Aurora, but I get the feeling you figured as much."

I nodded. "I thought it was something like that, but I wasn't 100% certain... she didn't mention she had a brother." While the revelation that Ash was her brother didn't surprise me too much, the next thing he said certainly did.

"I'm guessing she also didn't mention she was a soldier for the Storm God's army?" Ash added, and to say he caught me off guard with that would be an understatement. "Oh, and I don't mean a normal rank and file soldier like those walking tin cans outside. She was part of a special ops unit alongside me. She tried to bail and go AWOL though, so I had her thrown in Tartarus. Unfortunately, you fucked that up. She's probably running to her 'friends' in Canterlot now..."

"She is of no concern to us." The Storm God jumped in. "She does not pose any threat, and pursuing her into Equestrian territory would be a breach of the peace treaty. If she wishes to be a coward and flee, then let her."

"She isn't a coward!" I blurted out before my brain caught up, jumping at the chance to defend Amber. All eyes turned to me, and I clamped my mouth shut, immediately regretting my actions.

"Pffft! Yeah, sure. whatever you say, kid." Ash chuckled. I'm guessing by the look he was giving me, he could tell (or at least was theorizing) that I had a bit of a crush on Amber.

"If that is all for your questions, then it would seem our business is finished. Remember, do not attempt to interfere with our reign, and we will not target you." The Storm God snapped his fingers, and the doors behind me opened yet again. Two of those android soldiers, both carrying AR-15 rifles, stepped into the throne room and approached my seat. As soon as I saw one of them raise the butt of their rifle, I could tell what was about to happen.

"H-Hold on, can't you just-!?"

The rifle butt smacked me in the head before I could finish, sending me into unconsciousness once more.

This 'getting knocked out' thing is starting to become a bad habit...

That was the first thought on my mind as I started to come to. I found myself laying in the grass several feet away from some train tracks. Looking around to get my bearings, I quickly spotted a familiar bridge that crossed over a river and immediately recognized where I was. I'd been dropped off in the exact same spot where Ajax's soldiers had found me, the only difference being that the train I'd been riding in was long gone.

Great. Now I'm gonna have to walk the rest of the way to Las Pegasus.

I took a second to think about the 'meeting' I just had. I never would've expected to meet all the Elemental Gods so soon. After getting to know them, I could say for certain that they were an...eccentric bunch. Clearly, the Storm God lived up to being the strongest of the Gods, and the most intimidating. He even had the other Gods feeling nervous just by being in the same room! The revelation that there were actually five gods was also pretty shocking. Seriously, why did Discord keep so much stuff from me?

Looking up at the sky, I could see the sun setting over the horizon as nighttime approached. As I watched the sun, a part of me thought about how miles away from here, one of the alicorn princesses was currently using their magic to lower the sun. If I had to guess, it would probably be Twilight, since she took on that responsibility when she became the Princess of Equestria, but there's still the possibility it could be any four of them. Twilight, Celestia, Luna, Cadence... Actually, it would be any five of them now, right? It's been 500 years, Flurry Heart isn't a baby anymore. God, it would be weird to see her all grown up now...

I don't know why I was dwelling on the thought of the princesses so much. I guess it was just now setting in that the characters I'd grown to understand and care about were actually out there, miles away from where I was. They were real, and I had a chance to meet them in person. Would they be just like how I remember, or have they changed in the past 500 years? How are they doing right now? Were they doing okay mentally? I didn't have the full scoop of what happened in the 500 years since Twilight's coronation, but from what parts I've heard, it was one shitstorm after another. I can't imagine it's been having a good effect on them.

I shook the thought of them out of my head. Standing around and feeling concerned for them wasn't going to accomplish anything. If I wanted to change things for the better, I needed to get going. With a deep breath, I started making my way towards the bridge and in the direction of Las Pegasus. Hopefully, there would be some sort of lead I could use there to track down the Elements of Harmony.

Author's Note

General Status
User: Justin Baker
Current Level: 2
Current XP: 150/200
Money: $5,000
Overall HP: 110/110
Head: 100%
Torso: 100%
Left Arm: 100%
Right Arm: 100%
Left Leg: 100%
Right Leg: 100%

Skills
Strength: 10/100
Endurance: 5/100
Reflexes: 14/100
Agility: 3/100
Stealth: 4/100
Guns: 4/100
Explosives: 2/100
Melee: 2/100
Unarmed: 1/100
Medicine: 2/100

Finally got this chapter finished! Sorry it took so long, but I've been working on the next chapter for another fic I'm writing, Devil May Cry: Demons in Equestria, at the same time as this one (For those following that story, don't worry, it's almost finished!). On top of that, I've been busy with work and other personal hobbies while occasionally having a day where I just feel too lazy to do anything productive (Obviously, that last one isn't a good excuse and I know I should do better).

We learned quite a bit in this chapter; we got to meet the rest of the Elemental Gods (Plus Amber's brother), found out what exactly happened to Discord, learned that there were actually five gods instead of four, and found out that Jack of all people managed to kill the Wind God. However, with these answers came more questions: Who is Jason? Does he truly share a resemblance to Justin? If so, why? What importance does he hold? All will be revealed eventually, but for now, it shall remain another mystery...

This chapter was much more story-focused and had a lack of action unlike the previous chapters. However, that will change in the next chapter, which will be mostly action-focused. Hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless, and stay tuned for more!