Great and Humble beginnings.
Author's Note
Howdy there!
I sincerely hope you enjoy the read. Maybe (big maybe), I'll make more chapters, but for now, it'll likely stay a one-shot.
Happy reading!
Great and Humble beginnings.
…”-et up! Come on, boss, up!”
Everything felt heavy. Was it morning already? ‘I don’t wanna go to class…’ he thought groggily to himself, trying to shoo away the alarm that kept blaring in his ears. He had laid his head down for a moment the night before, right after he finished a crucible game. A low rumble escaped his chest, finding how quickly he fell asleep rather amusing.
…”Gallagher, so help me… If you don’t get up!”...
“Hhmm… Just a few more minutes, ma…” he mumbled, turning over to face the other side of his sleeping spot. Despite how hard his bed was at the moment, he was still rather comfortable. Plus, it was warm! Can’t ask for better sleeping conditions than that.
…”you asked for it. UP AND AT EM’, GALLAGHER!”
“SWEET MOTHER OF CHRIST!” Gallagher yelped as an electrical current suddenly rocketed through his body, each inch of flesh flaring with pain. He had bolted upright where he had been sleeping, eyes bleary, still adjusting to his surroundings. Luckily the pain disappeared as quickly as it came.
When his eyes finally cleared up, he saw what looked like a HUD hovering in his field of vision. A little perturbed by the illusion, he went to rub his eyes, only to find something in the way. Weird. he felt around his head and realized that he was apparently wearing something! Grasping around, he realized it was a helmet of some kind, and lifted it off his head with minimal effort, a click and a slight hiss of air accompanying the action.
Gallagher blinked back the now blinding light of the verdant pasture he found himself in, the HUD now gone as his head was free of the confines of the helmet he had worn. He let out a low whistle as he admired the beauty of the prairie, his eyes lingering on the butterflies that lazily fluttered from flower to flower.
And without any warning, a star-shaped, metallic object made itself known by hovering mere inches from his face. “You done, boss?” it said, voice laced with irritation.
Gallagher yelped once more, scooching backwards, eyes fixated on the floating object. Was that a… “...a ghost?” He croaked out, his throat as dry as a desert as he gazed at something that only existed in his favorite video game. The ghost then flew up to Gallagher again, this time keeping a more respectful distance from his face.
“Yes, you nitwit! YOUR ghost! Now get up, Guardian. We need to get moving.” The ghost had a particularly masculine voice and a boston accent, filled with impatience and a hint of fear. Gallagher supposed it was a ‘he’ and not an ‘it’.
“Just give me a minute! What the fuck is happening!?” Gallagher asked, standing up with his helmet in hand. He was completely bewildered, and there was no way this could be some kind of dream, considering the shock he received only moments ago.
“I HAVE NO IDEA!” The ghost screamed back suddenly, his eye frantic, his patience apparently having snapped. The little spark’s shell heaved and pulsated, which seemed to indicate panicked breathing.
“One minute I’m nothingness, the next, I EXIST! I USED TO BE PIXELS ON A SCREEN! DO YOU REALIZE HOW JARRING THIS IS?!” He ranted, once again hovering mere inches from Gallagher’s face.
Gallagher then grasped the ghost in his hands, holding him close to his chest as he went through the motions of his breakdown. He slowly rocked back and forth where he sat, trying to soothe the hunk of metal in his hands as he whispered a series of ‘it’s gonna be okays’ and shushing until the ghost calmed down.
This allowed Gallagher a moment to think on his situation, but it was all far too confusing for somebody who’s favorite pass-times were video games and boxing. He wasn’t the thinking type, so he'd have to work together with the ghost in his hands to figure this out.
After a few minutes of rocking back and forth, the ghost finally heaved an audible sigh as he came out of his panic attack. He took a few moments to gather himself, then flew out of Gallagher's hands. He gave his guardian a weary look as he hovered above a patch of daffodils.
“Sorry about that, boss. It’s not everyday you suddenly go from unthinking and unfeeling to, well… All this.” He said, looking out at the flower-covered prairie they found themselves in. “But I'm good now, I’m cool.”
“No worries. So… uh, where are we?” Gallagher asked, looking around once more.
The ghost then joined him in surveying the landscape, taking a few moments longer than Gallagher to really soak it all in. “I’ll be totally honest, not a single clue. This planet isn’t even in my records.”
Gallagher swore under his breath.
“I can’t even feel the light of the traveler, but… I’m still functioning somehow. Looks like I’m running on an entirely different brand of juice.” the ghost mused, giving Gallagher an appraising look-over. “Come to think of it, you are too. Though it’s not all that different. Feels pretty nice, actually, wouldn’t you say?”
Gallagher thought about it for a moment, searching inside himself for whatever apparently replaced the light of the traveler. Then he felt it. It was warm, like a loving mother that embraced his very soul. The only word he could use to describe it was ‘harmonious’. Like he was in-tune with the rest of the universe. It was an inexplicably comforting feeling.
“For real! It feels great! I haven’t felt this good since I was a kid.” Gallagher said, chipper with a new found energy. He bounced from foot to foot and gave a few experimental jabs at the air, earning him a hearty chuckle from the ghost at his side.
“So, you know my name, what’s yours?” Gallagher asked, falling into a boxer stance so that he could begin shadow-boxing an invisible opponent.
“Don’t have one.” the ghost said in a simple tone, watching his Guardian punch the air with a bemused twinkle in his eye.
“Well how about we give you one? Shouldn’t be hard. That, and it’s nice to have a name to call your own.” Gallagher stopped his shadow-boxing match to look at his ghost, hands resting on his hips. The little light pondered this for a moment before nodding in agreement
“How about… Arthur? No, Louie!” Gallagher exclaimed, snapping his fingers as he settled on the name.
“I like the sound of Louie. It’s got a ring to it. Louie it is!” Said Louie, his shell expanding happily. The ghost then alighted on Gallagher’s shoulder. “Alright boss, let’s get a move on. My scans picked up on a nearby settlement! Let’s hope the locals speak english.” he quipped, disappearing in a little flash of light.
Gallagher nodded and took a moment to look at the armor he wore. He was pleased to find that it was the exact same loadout he had on his Titan. Wing Disciple gauntlets, Devastation complex chestplate, Reverie dawn Greaves and the Titan mark to match. He even had his ‘Thorn’ hand cannon! With a complete shading of frumious blue to top the whole suit off, He held his Dragonfly Regalia helm firmly in his hands.
Sliding the helmet on, it locked in with a click and yet another hiss of air as it sealed itself. The HUD returned to his vision, which was rather similar to the HUD from the game, only missing the health bar at the top of the screen. He was glad the helmet didn’t interfere with his vision, and he could even see more clearly now. He was a bit near-sighted, after all.
Gallagher then set off through the prairie, enjoying the tranquility of the field as he practically skipped through the tulips. This was pretty much every gamer’s dream! To wake up and find themselves immersed within the world of their favorite video game. Though whether or not this was Destiny’s universe remained to be seen, as the mountain off in the distance seemed to harbor what looked like a white kingdom atop it’s harrowing peaks. It was… Oddly familiar.
Gallagher didn’t dwell on it as he had soon come upon a forest, which looked just about as peaceful as the prairie he was leaving. As he crossed the tree-line, the feeling of harmony seemed to swell a tad. It was a pleasant feeling, and Gallagher found that he simply couldn’t get enough of it.
“Nice place, huh boss?” Louie said from within, the ghost’s voice emanating from inside Gallagher’s head. As somebody who played Destiny quite often, he knew that this was how a ghost operated, but experiencing it first hand was pretty strange. Although it was comforting in a way. Like knowing a best friend is always there beside you.
“No kidding, this forest is the perfect joint to set up a cozy little cottage.” Gallagher responded, really taking the time to appreciate the natural beauty of the quaint woodland as he hiked through it. It was like it came straight out of a fairy tale, with twittering birds and fluffy critters socializing when they normally wouldn’t. It was like the whole place was in harmony.
Nothing bothered to run at the sight of him either, merely giving him a quizzical look when he walked past. A litter of little baby rabbits dashed past him, squeaking playfully as they ran between his legs and towards the prairie. Gallagher let out a startled yet amused chuckle, taking extra care not to accidentally step on one. An older rabbit came hopping along as well, giving Gallagher what looked like an apologetic look, before hopping away as well to chase after its litter.
“Louie, is it just me, or do these little guys seem a bit too intelligent? I’m fairly certain a pair of squirrels over yonder is having an honest to god argument over an acorn.” Gallagher observed, pointing to the squabbling squirrels with a casual finger.
“Yeah I, uh, I noticed that. But, considering our circumstances, I’d say that isn’t the weirdest thing that’s happened today.” Louie concluded, his guardian giving an agreeable ‘mhm’ in response.
The armor-clad titan continued along his way, coming across a variety of seemingly hyper-intelligent woodland creatures. It was a pretty vivid experience on top of the already weird happenings. Little did he know it would only get more fantastical than he could’ve dreamed.
A loud bang sounded off from his right, and with muscle memory Gallagher swore he never had previously, tore his hand cannon from its holster and pointed it in the direction of the disturbance faster than you could say ‘cheese’.
The woodland creatures that had been in his vicinity seemed to cower for a moment, some even rushing to hide behind Gallagher. Without tearing his eyes from the disturbance, he slowly lowered himself down to pat a bunny on the head, before setting off in the direction that the bang erupted from.
His gun was raised and ready as he happened upon a clearing, where a booming voice, quite feminine in nature, seemed to be reciting something.
“AND FOR HER NEXT TRICK, THE GRRREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE WILL MAKE THIS BOX DISAPPEAR!”
…What?
Not only the voice, but the name as well sent Gallagher rocketing back to his childhood, where he’d sit and watch his favorite TV show pretty religiously. My Little Pony. He’d kept it a secret considering he’d be humiliated in school for liking such a ‘girly’ show, but regardless, it held a special place in his heart.
The name, the intelligent animals, the white kingdom atop the mountain…
“...Surely it can’t be…” whispered Gallagher with reverence, creeping ever towards the voice. He used a hand to hold a branch to the side so that he'd get a clear view of the forest clearing. Had he not been wearing a helmet, his jaw would’ve already been on the ground.
“Oh, but it is!” Louie finished, appearing beside him in a little flash of light as he joined Gallagher in staring at the blue pony currently practicing in the middle of the clearing. There was no doubting it. He immediately holstered his hand cannon, as there in the field was Trixie Lulamoon, egotistical magician and showpony extraordinaire.
And she was one of his favorite ponies.
His limbs and fingers twitched as he stared at her, earning him a slightly disgusted glare from Louie. “Boss, please tell me for the love of all that is right in this world- Tell me, that you are not about to do something real fuckin’ stupid.” Gallagher turned to look at him, positive that Louie could sense his giddiness.
“Louie, I’m about to do something incredibly fuckin’ stupid… Forgive me for what I must do.”
“GUARDIAN, DON’T YOU DA-” But it was already too late, Louie’s reprimand dying in the wind as Gallagher charged from the bushes in a dead sprint, stomping towards the blue pony faster than she could react. Within seconds, the titan had cleared the entire distance between them, and wrapped trixie in a firm yet gentle embrace, cradling her in his arms as if she were the greatest treasure in this world. He positioned her so that the spikes on his pauldrons weren’t an issue. He’d have to get those baby-proofed later.
It took a few moments of pure silence for the pony to come to understand just what kind of fate befell her.
“Wh-! What the- Who are you! Unhoof Trixie this instant!” she spluttered indignantly, unable to escape Gallagher’s hug. She wiggled in vain, which only made the hug that much tighter.
“Oooh! You’re even cuter in person!” Gallagher squealed, twisting left and right, the poor pony’s hindlegs swaying as he did so.
Louie soon caught up, swearing expletives all the way, so much so that Trixie’s face turned a bright red as the little ghost approached. Her flushed expression melted away as it was replaced by confusion as she stared at the flying metallic star.
“Wh-”
“I’m so sorry, lady. I-I-I don’t know what came over him, He’s not usually like this!” Louie interrupted with his apology, his shell slacking in exasperation. When he flew around to look Gallagher in the face, his eye flared with fury.
“Look, boss, I know you really like ponies, BUT THIS IS NOT OKAY! NOT! SOCIALLY! ACCEPTABLE!” He yelled, ramming into Gallagher’s face to accentuate each word, and continuing to deliver a torrent of honestly well-founded insults.
Gallagher wasn’t listening however, and began scratching Trixie behind the ears with a free hand. Despite the confusion of the situation and the raging, flying hunk of metal currently assaulting her captor, Trixie practically melted at the sensation the scratches delivered.
“A-all will be f-f-forgiven… Just… don’t stop!” She cooed, leaning into it now. Gallagher let out an excited ‘EEE!’ and continued scratching, Trixie’s eyes closing as she savored the feeling.
“Don’t ENCOURAGE him, lady!” Louie groaned, falling with an audible ‘thunk’ onto Gallagher’s shoulder, right next to her left hoof. How did Louie know of Gallagher’s love for ponies? Well, for some odd reason, he had access to nearly all of Gallagher’s memories on his records and had apparently already screened through them. It was an effort made to get to know his Guardian better, and get to know him he certainly did.
That included his troublesome quirks, like a complete lack of boundaries when he’s excited.
Finally, after a solid 10 minutes of hugging and scratching, Gallagher set Trixie down, much to her apparent disappointment. She pouted, lip quivering as she stared longingly at the Titan’s fingers. Upon seeing such an adorable display, Gallagher wanted to do nothing but hug the little blue pony and give her scratches all day long, but with great effort of will, he held himself.
“My name is Gallagher! but you can call me Gally, it’s an honor to meet you Ms. Lulamoon!” The man introduced himself happily, taking a little bow as Louie gave him one last ‘donk’ over the head.
“And I’m this idiot’s Ghost, Louie- Not a literal ghost mind you, that’s just what my kind are called. We’re like miniature assistants.” Louie quickly added after he saw her raise a concerned eyebrow.
Trixie stared at the two of them for a minute before clearing her throat and fixing her slightly tilted hat. “As you two already know the Great and Powerful trixie’s name, I shall be skipping my introduction.” She said proudly, earning herself an annoyed twitch from Louie and a quiet chuckle from Gallagher, “So, what can the Kind and benevolent Trixie assist you with today?” She asked pleasantly, shooting quick glances at Gallagher's fingers.
Louie floated up to speak, but Gallagher slapped a hand over the ghost’s eye and pushed him back, stepping up to replace him. Louie just growled insults under his breath, he was gonna get Gallagher back for this.
“We’re new to the area, and well, Equestria in general. Do you think we can tag alongside you as you travel? I can help as a roadie/bodyguard, and Louie can be an assistant show planner! We won’t even ask for payment. What d’ya say?” Gallagher finished, extending a hand and leaning forward. Louie said something about him being given a say, but the titan just waved him off.
Trixie sat on her haunches as she contemplated the arrangement, eyes looking nowhere in particular as she gave it a good deal of thought. When she came to a conclusion, she stood back up and addressed the two.
“Unfortunately, The Great and Powerful Trixie is a solo act! She doesn’t need anypony’s he-”
“I’ll give you cuddles, head pats, and ear scratches whenever you want.” Gallagher interrupted.
“Deal!” Trixie immediately replied, placing her hoof in Gallagher’s hand. After eliciting yet another groan from Louie, Trixie asked them to watch as she practiced tonight’s act. As the day stretched on, she would enjoy the applause and the multitude of ‘bravos’ and ‘encores’ that Gallagher would often shout from the non-existent crowd after each practiced performance.
Though it wasn’t the deafening roars of a loving crowd nor the showering of accolades from an announcer, Trixie’s smile widened little by little, as she adored it all the same.
Gallagher loved it when she called upon ‘somepony from the crowd’ to help her with an act, as being the only other person there besides louie, he often got to go up on the makeshift stage. Some of the tricks were rather, well, tricky to perform with Gallagher as the subject, but she managed it somehow.
The titan was honestly quite glad he came across Trixie, more so than if he came across any of the mane 6. That gaggle of multi-colored horses always had a penchant for getting into some pretty deep trouble, and although Trixie was no exception, he had always admired her determination and her spirit. He had a feeling that he and Louie were going to make a lot of fun memories traveling with this pony, and he couldn’t wait.
Louie often had to heal any injuries that Gallagher would incur during his time on stage, He and Trixie getting into shouting matches over the safety of some of the tricks that she’d be subjecting the audience to. Louie would stay true to his purpose, however, and strived to help Trixie improve her performances and would brainstorm plans for even greater stunts and tricks. The ghost begrudgingly felt himself enjoying the process of coming up with a performance, workshopping any kinks, and seeing it come to life with Trixie’s expertise.
Hours later, her wagon was all packed up with Gallagher’s help, and they were now riding through the verdant woodland while Louie played a song from the Titan’s homeland, acting as a sort of speaker. Many little forest critters poked their heads out of their hidey-holes as the motley band trundled along the forest trail in Trixie’s flashy wagon, the music ensnaring all who heard it. Trixie included!
She soon found herself humming along as Gallagher pulled the wagon forward, taking the place where Trixie would normally be, dragging the wooden carriage along without any help. The titan didn’t even look like he was breaking a sweat! And he most certainly wasn’t. It hardly weighed anything to him, so he was more than glad to apply his role as a roadie/bodyguard/assistant.
“Are we really doin’ this?” Asked Louie in a hushed tone, floating next to Gallagher’s head. The little light’s eye stared at him expectantly. The titan chuckled, imagining an exo version of Louie with a raised eyebrow.
“We sure are! And hey, what’ll it hurt? I’ve always wanted to travel, and with Trixie, there’s no telling just how much fun we’ll have!” replied Gallagher, his voice as chipper as a certain pink pony’s. The wagon rocked slightly as one of the wheels rolled over a thick root, though it seemed Trixie was no stranger to this kind of disturbance, as she paid it no mind and simply kept humming along with the song.
“No telling just how many headaches i’ll have, you mean. And I can’t even get headaches!” Louie growled bitterly, throwing a glance at the mare currently sitting in the coachman’s seat.
“Don’t worry about it, Louie. Lighten up! You’ll warm up to her eventually. you got pretty into it back there.” Gallagher pointed out, much to Louie’s dismay.
“Whatever you say, boss… Let’s just hope she doesn’t kill herself during one of her stunts, or traveler forbid, someone else.”
They said nothing else as they went along their way, the song coming to a close. Just in time it would seem, as the trees began to thin out, and the whole of ponyville opened up to them as they exited what Gallagher figured was the whitetail woods.
Equestria was a big place, and he was sure he’d get to meet all kinds of different ponies. Who knows? Maybe he’d find something or someone special along the way.
But there was one thing he did know.
He simply couldn’t wait to start the adventure.
