Dark Pony Brotherhood

Equestria

He started to feel again, it was a strange and foreign feeling at first, like being born again, suddenly going from nothingness to everything. His Body was solid once more. Blood, flesh, hair, and bone were one with his Mind and Soul once again.

Butt his body felt foreign now too. It felt like a mere moment in time that he was in the void, but it felt like he hasn’t been a physical being in thousands of years. His mind and soul and body slowly reacquainted with one another.

And he took in a hard breath. Air being needed once more in, for how long he didn’t know. He shook his head, and slowly started to remember everything, his life, his death, and the wordless orders of Sithis that still rang in his skull.

He felt his new muscles stretch in his new body. The Dread Father had given him this new body, in this new world. As he breathed in deeply once again, he began to notice smells, flowers, and other smells of the wilds. He felt a breeze on him, and he heard the noises of other life.

He slowly started to open his eyes, and closed them against the light. He slowly began to adjust his new eyes to the light, and looked around as he tried to move his muscles. He looked to be in the clearing of a small wooded area, it reminded him of the wilderness near Cheydinhal.

But there was something…. odd…. about this new body. It wasn’t just getting used to a physical body again, it seemed, strange, he never felt a body like this. He turned his head and looked at his new body, and his eyes widened.

He was a horse.

His mind tried to register this fact, when he thought to when he heard the will of Sithis he remembered something. It somehow made sense. He was supposed to be a horse, that the populace of this world was horses, or at least something similar.

But that raised another question in his mind.

Why would Sithis send him to such a world? The Dread Father seemed to have “told” him the bare minimum of what he needed to know. He didn’t question at the time, because he didn’t understand it when it was being said but felt he would when the time came.

Mind still filled with questions, the newly reborn Lucien Lachance pushed himself up, and started to get used to his new body. Once he was standing, he started to move, taking a step forward, he started to walk. It was slow going, but he was getting used to it quickly. He smiled to himself, “So far, so good,” he said, surprising himself. He hadn’t expected to be able to talk. Was this normal for this world? Or was it a gift from Sithis? He put the thoughts to the back of his mind, and refocused himself on learning to walk again. He would find out later.

He started to move faster, and got himself into a run, and started to run around in the clearing he was in. He stopped, and practiced kneeling and getting back up. Moving each individual hoof, and getting used to his new body as a whole. He then stopped, smiling at his success in his new body, and had another look around.

Taking a more focused look, he saw what seemed to be a town in the distance, and a farmhouse nearby. Even from this distance, he could see the speckles on the trees. He licked his lips knowing they were apple trees. It had been so long since he had a juicy red apple.

He made his way to the farm. He would figure out a way to pay them later, or perhaps just steal one, though he hated the idea of being impolite when he just came to this world. He liked to think of himself as a gentleman, even if he did dedicate his life to murder in the name of Sithis. It was just so infrequent that he met anyone else in his profession, or family for that matter, who had a similar mentality. Perhaps he could come to some agreement with the owners of the farm.

On his way there, he passed by a shallow pool of water. He walked over and leaned to take a short drink, and then looked at his reflection. His eyes were black, as was his fur, and his mane, he smiled to himself, happy that if he was to be a horse for this life, that his colors suited him. He also made note of his other features. He wasn’t exactly a horse in appearance, he had much larger eyes than a normal horse, and his facial structure was capable of a much wider variety of emotion, almost human-like in expression.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be so difficult to cope with. He looked over his body again, and noticed a mark on his flank. It was in the shape of a drop of water, but green in color, like a drop of poison. He wondered if it was something given to him by Sithis. He pondered this for a moment, before his stomach growled, reminding him of his original goal. He continued on his way to the farm, contemplating how he was going to trade for the apples, maybe by working for them; farms were often in need of workers.

.............

He got there a few minutes later, and looked around. Not seeing anyone he went to the front door of the house, and raised his hoof to knock on the door. Things seemed to be coming more and more natural to him. After a few minutes the door opened, and he found himself looking into the green eyes of an orange pony. He was able to control himself from recoiling in shock at the sight, but he was surprised at the sight of such a strange color of a creature.

“Can I help ya?” the orange pony asked with a feminine voice. It broke Lucien out of his musings.

“Um, yes, I’m sorry if I’m disturbing you miss, but I was interested in a few of your apples, I don’t have any money but I’d be glad to work for them,” he said. It was still strange to him, to be talking to a pony of all things, but he was always one who could keep his cool in any situation. And it wouldn’t serve Sithis if he went insane.

The Orange pony looked thoughtful for a second, and then smiled, “sure, we could use an extra hoof on the farm for the next couple ‘a days,” she said. “I think we could work somethin’ out, come on in, we were just sittin down for lunch.”

Lucien smiled back at her, “much appreciated, I promise I’m a hard worker,” he told her. “If it’s not too late to introduce myself, my name is Lucien Lachance, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

She opened the door for him and invited him inside. “Pleasure’s all mine, Mr. Lachance, name’s Applejack, let me introduce you to the family,” she said, leading him into the dining room. There they got the attention of the ponies that were at the table eating. One was a large red one; male if Lucien were to chance a guess, a small yellow one with a ribbon in her red hair, and a green elderly one, who didn’t seem too intent on him, probably could barely tell he was there.

Applejack pointed out the red one first, “that there is my big brother, Big Macintosh,” she said, “And this here is my little sister Applebloom, and Granny Smith,” she said, pointing to the small yellow pony, and then the old one respectively.

Lucien smiled and nodded to them all, “a pleasure to meet you all, I am Lucien Lachance, I intend to work here for the next few days in exchange for some apples,” he said, introducing himself. This earned him a nod from Big Macintosh, while Granny Smith seemed to be falling asleep. The one named Applebloom however had come over to him and began asking questions.

“Wow, it’s nice ta meet'cha Mr. Lucien,” she said. “Where ya from? Ya got any friends? Where ya'll stayin?” she asked one question after another. Lucien just smiled.

“Now now Applebloom, it’s impolite to ask a hungry pony so many questions,” Applejack lightly scolded. “Now then, would ya care ta join us for Lunch before we get ta work Mr. Lachance?” he asks her.

Lucien smiled to her, “I’d be very pleased,” he said, taking a seat when Applejack offered him one.

“Ya sure do talk fancy Mr. Lucien,” chimed in Applebloom again.

Applejack put piece of apple pie in front of Colt, “Rarity would just love ta meet’cha, I’ll take you inta town after work, get ya intraduced ta everypony in Ponyville,” she said.

Lucien smiled to her, “that sounds fine,” indeed it did. He could learn who everyone was, and maybe find a few potential Dark Brothers and Sisters. His first goal, before beginning to spread the fear of the Dread Father, was to find a Listener.

He would also need to build a shrine for the Night Mother. An epitaph of the Lucky Lady would suffice. If these Ponies can build houses he was sure there was one somewhere that could make the sculpture.

He shook himself from his plans, and ate the pie, enjoying the taste of the apples within. The family made small talk while they ate. Once they were finished, Applejack, Big Macintosh, and himself went outside to get to work.

...........

Lucien had to admit, these ponies were able to do a lot without the help of hands and fingers. It was a curious sight. Bucking the trees to make the apples fall, but it worked out fine. They bucked a couple dozen trees, and the sun looked like it was going to go down soon. “Well, I reckon that’s enough for today, good work there Mr. Lachance,” Applejack congratulated.

“Thank you, Applejack,” he said with a smile. “It’s always good to work, it’s been a while since I’ve had the joy of doing so much,” he said, stretching his sore muscles.

“Ya’ll still up for goin inta town?” she asked him.

Lucien nodded, “I am, I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, I’m not from around here, to be honest, I have no clue where I am,” he said.

Applejack nodded, “well, this here is Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple Family Farm for Ponyville, in the country of Equestria, the rest I guess you’ll have ta study up on,” she said. “My friend Twilight lives in the Library in town, I’m sure you can look inta all ya need to there,” she suggested.

Lucien smiled more and agreed, “Sounds like an idea to me, Ms. Applejack.”

“Just Applejack is fine, now let’s go, we’re wastin daylight.”