The Pathway to Home

Chapters

Chapter 8
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12

Chapter 8

Instead of taking the now clearly injured girl to a proper hospital, Doctor Helena insisted that they take care of this in house. Not wanting to jeopardize the program if the public discovered this.

Now they have brought in medical professionals and staff, and set up their little makeshift operation room.

Brimstone was waiting for answers. A part of him was angry at himself that he didn't see that the girl was injured. It would explain her lashing out.

Knowing when a wounded creature gets backed into the corner, more likely they will attack. Or in cases, seen her act the way she did.

The stallion was in his office the program provided him. He tried to get through the rest of the picked candidates but the girl passing out on him took precedence.

Having his teaching and history diploma hung on the wall, a few medals he selected from his personal collection in a case. The table and chair was small so it was a tight fit.

On the desk he had a framed photograph of his daughter Lilysky. It was of her at one of her dance recitals in her ballet school. Image was of her in Equestria's version of The Nutcracker as one of the mice. Even though she should have gotten the lead role, she had a blast in that costume and on stage, ended up being one of his favorite pictures of her.

Next to the photo were Rachel’s items. He had brought them in so he could have a better look. Might help get an idea more of Rachel’s situation before he talks to her again.

He put her items on the desk neatly, organizing what he could so it was out in view. The only thing he didn't have was the bag of drugs. Those were sent out to be processed and see what they were.

Again, Brimstone was amazing at human technology.

So he had the teen’s clothes in one pile, the cash in another, knife, book, makeup products, forge docs and photo in their own piles.

The backpack was up against the desk so the keychain bear was on the floor.

He first examines her bloody shirts. Some of them had blood all over the backside. Seeing the trek pattern going down. Impressions of the wounds.

“Just what happened to you?” Brimstone muttered.

He wondered if when he had shoved her off in her chair did he reopen whatever wound she already had?

The pony sets the clothes down before briefly picking up her book.

There are other ways of getting to the truth, and it's to do a little detective work.

Brimstone held the sketchbook in his hand before he opened it up.

First thing he saw was a ghastly scene done in pencil. A horrific scene of a large man crucified and disemboweled. Brimstone flips another and it was another scene, same male, having his skin peeled off his body. For twenty pages it was the same man dying in rather many creative, brutal ways.

The last one was the man shackled to a table with a large jar of rats glued to his stomach. The jar was on fire so the rats were eating the man alive to escape.

And everything was detailed.

“Sweet Celestia.” Brimstone couldn't believe what he was seeing.

All of them were of the same man.

When the stallion flips to the next page, preparing for the next hellish scene, found himself relieved.

It was a drawing of Rachel and another girl with a mohawk, on top of the Empire State Building. The rest of the sketchbook was a lot more light hearted, imaginative even.

Even the torture art, her artistic skills were quite good.

“This girl's art looks like something my mother would have drawn.” He noted. His mother was an artist as well, a very talented one. Worked in galleries when he was younger.

Rachel's art style was a lot like hers.

The sketchbook was completely filled with art, going to the last two pages where it was a pair of black tattered angel wings expanding out.

Brimstone closed the sketchbook and set it back down.

He was about to grab the bagged up cash when he saw the photograph of Rachel and her mother.

Admittedly, the girl had the guts to lunge out the way she did, just for this photograph.

Brimstone picks it up to look at it. At first glance it was just a pair of humans smiling. The mother and daughter looked nearly identical but the girl was much taller than the older woman.

The more he stared at the photo, Brimstone noticed something…familiar. To both of them, the background and to their clothes nearly.

Brimstone momentarily digs into his pants pocket, grabs his wallet and pulls it out. It was a little heavy as he still had bits in it.

He opens it up, goes through a few of his own pictures before stopping at one in particular.

It was of Lilysky and Darling Rose and of himself smiling at the camera. Besides Lilysky having the red streak in her mane and tail, she also shares a likeness of her mother. Brimstone's single eye softened as he gazed longly at his late wife.

He stared at his late wife and young daughter and looked at Rachel and her mother. Father is absent. Staring at the Humans and Pegasi. Putting the two side by side.

Brimstone looked at the details carefully between the two photographs. “What in the world?” Noticing how closely similar both his loves and Rachel's looked. Light colored hair/mane, warm brown eyes. Lilysky and Rachel have near identical smiles. Filled with pure innocence and bliss.

The girl he interrogated had none of that in her eyes. Nothing but rage and aggression.

Seeing her mutilated back and the torture art of the man. How almost uncanny the photos were of each other.

And now how different the two girls were.

Before Brimstone could ponder this more, a rhythmic knock on the door.

“Come in.” He quickly closed his wallet and put it back in his pockets and stood up as one of the medical personnel came in with files.

A young man in blue nursing scrubs. He jumped in sight of the pony. “Oh!” He yelped in surprise. “Jesus, the other guys were right!”

Brimstone sighed. “Yes yes, talking sentient animal on two legs, what a sight, can I help you?”

The nurse took a second to get the shock out of the way. “Uh yeah, I was told to, um, give you a copy of Doctor Que's report on the girl that was brought in.” He walks over and hands the Professor the folder.

Brimstone takes it. “Thank you, is she alright?” he asked.

The young man frowned and sighed. “It's pretty bad. S-she's fine but…”

Brimstone opened her file and was taken aback.

“Multiple contusions, lacerations, broken ribs, fractured orbital socket on the right side, both shoulders show signs of repeated dislocation, deep bruising on most of her body, infection from the mutilation of her back. This girl absolutely went through the wringer.” Dr. Que explained as he and Brimstone were outside one of the bedrooms the facility provided. Inside was Rachel resting.

“The reports said that you had to perform surgery on the girl?” Brimstone asked.

“We did to repair the broken bones and tissue damage. Not to mention to address her back. This patient was tortured.”

Brimstone tensed up, gripping tightly in the documents. He looks through the small window of the door. Peering inside.

Rachel was awake but she was staring at the ceiling. Her wrists were bound to the bed. The makeup gone to fully reveal her battered face.

She looked completely broken.

“Why is she tied up??” Brimstone asked, trying to control his already boiling anger.

“Because when she was coming out of anesthesia, the patient attacked one of my staff members.” Dr. Que said, directing the stallion’s attention to the next room.

Brimstone glanced at the other door to see the staff member being tended to with a broken nose and laceration to his face and neck from being clawed at.

“We gave her some sedatives to calm her down. I've seen a lot of abuse patients with PTSD lash out.” The doctor continued to explain. “You say she carried drugs, I bet my bottom dollar that she was taking them to manage the pain.”

“Do we know how long she had these wounds?” Brimstone asked, getting angrier and angrier the more he heard of Rachel's situation.

“Majority of it, two weeks old. However I saw signs while working on her that this abuse was repeated. Her back has been repeatedly cut and burned.” He said as he took the file from Brimstone and opened it, flipping through it before showing the pony the picture. Showing off the ghastly scars and wounds they had to seture. “Oldest cut there was two years old.”

Brimstone was beginning to feel sick and that hadn't happened in a long time. “How…how old is she??”

“Fifteen.”

Brimstone felt his heart stop when another voice answered. He and Dr. Que looked to see Dr. Helena approaches them with her own file.

“What…” Brimstone asked, trying to compose himself.

Lilysky just turned fifteen a month ago… Brimstone thought.

Rachel was a child??? Her size didn't give that but how she acted was consistent that of an adolescent!

“Fifteen years old.” Dr. Helena repeated. “Called a friend who works in Quantico for a favor. Managed to hit off dental and medical records.” She then opens the file and begins reading her findings out loud. “Rachel Ophelia Lockhart, fifteen years old, she and her mother, Darline Lockhart were frequent fliers at the ER. Reports made of domestic abuse but no charges were ever filed. Father, real piece of work, Damian Lockhart, works as a mechanic in Hunt's Point. Mother died in a freak car accident two years ago.”

O…Ophelia???

Ophelia was Brimstone's mother's name.

Brimstone felt like he was going to throw up.

“You said reports were filed on the father?” Brimstone asked. “If there was clear sign of abuse, why wasn't it handled???”

“Yup, but none were ever filed. Social services made visits to the home but like the police reports, nothing happened after.” Dr. Helena said. “Sad to say, cases like this happen. Some kids just fell through the cracks of the system. I might be wrong on my initial statement, she wasn't trying to infiltrate the Program.”

“The child was escaping Tartarus.”

Rachel stared blankly at the ceiling. Looking at the fan go round and round.

Her life was over. She knew it. She would get sent back to that bastard and that was the end. She blew it.

She was tired, Rachel was so tired. Tired of running, tired of fighting.

Her father won….

The door to her room knocked. “Rachel??”

Rachel's hands balled up tightly when she heard his voice. Tugging at the restraints.

He was here.

However, when the door opened, Brimstone came in with her backpack.

She turns her head to look at him. “Holy shit, so I wasn't hallucinating you?” her gaze remained lifeless and cold. “You're an actual talking pony.”

“So it seems, child.” Brimstone said as he approached her. “How are you feeling?”

“What do you want?” She asked him. Not wanting the pleasantries.

“We have unfinished business.” He responded as he set the backpack down. “I'll make a deal, I'll undo your restraints, you answer my questions. I want to help you because I know you've been hurt, deal?”

Rachel closed her eyes and shook her head. “It doesn't matter. It's over.”

Brimstone analyzed her body language. He has seen other creatures when in the Royal Guard like her. Those who have given up.

Those he dealt with were adults, never a child.

With the similarities he discovered, it easily could have been his baby girl in Rachel's state.

Brimstone went ahead and undid her restraints. “I'm sorry, Rachel, but I am not the type to take no for an answer.” He released both of her hands before stepping back.

Rachel lay on that bed for a moment before pushing herself to sit up. Grunting and wincing with each movement.

Brimstone watches her as he hands her the backpack.

“Thanks..” Rachel muttered, holding her backpack before unclipping the keychain, setting the bag aside on the bed and holding the small bear.

Brimstone grabs a chair from the otherside of the door in the hallway. Dr. Helena tried to talk to him but he waved her off. Still a little salty of her reasoning for bringing him here.

But in this case, he was glad.

Brimstone pulled the chair over to the teen and sat down. Pulling out a pencil and notepad out of his pocket and flipped it to a clean page. His legs did stuck out a bit, having him crossing them.

Rachel looks at his hooves. Still amazed that this Professor was a pony. Shame that she doesn't like his fur color and voice. And the one eye thing.

“Now, shall we begin?” He asked.

Persistent fucker, she thought. Rachel doesn't trust him.

But she has zero choice.

Rachel sighed, messing with the bear. “What do you want to know?”

“Just the truth.” Brimstone said. “What's your name?”

“Rachel Lockhart.”

Brimstone nodded. “How old are you?” He asks as he writes down her information.

“Fifteen.”

“Day of birth?”

“December 25th. Christmas Day.” Rachel's voice added a layer of venom and disdain when saying that. Hands tightened around the bear.

The pencil in Brimstone's hand snapped in two. His brief learning about humans when crossing over, Christmas was the human equivalent to Hearth’s Warming.

Lilysky was born on Hearth's Warming…..

Brimstone looks at Rachel, breath taken away.

For a split second, he was seeing his daughter on that bed.

What is this universe????

Author's Note

Round 2

Chapter 1

January 15, Hunt Point, Manhattan. Year 2010

The island was getting snowed in, but it wasn't a peaceful moment on one lone brick building.

Two girls ages between fourteen and eighteen were making a mad push out the small window. Fear and panic set in as the eldest helped the young girl out.

“Hurry Rachel!” The pink haired mohawk styled girl shouted. Trying not to push on the young girl's back, letting her go first.

The entire back of Rachel's was soaked in her own blood. The backing of the gray shirt drenched.

Her skin was pale and sweaty, hissing at the cold snap as she grabbed the makeshift wooden ladder. Her friend Justine grabbed the top of the ladder so Rachel could climb down.

Rachel started to climb before she heard the door knob jiggled and fist pounding. “The fucks's the door locked, Rachel!?”

The roar of her father's voice made the young girl shout.

“Go, go go!” Justine shouted as she said fuck it and began climbing.

Forcing through the pain and cold, Rachel climbed down.

Her foot slipped and she ended up falling off the ladder and she landed on her bleeding back.

“Fuck!” Rachel cried out as pain wrecked her.

Justine drops down and helps her up. “Come on!” Helping the tall kid up on her feet, hearing her shout when her back was touched. The snow mound she had landed was stained red.

The door is broken open, Rachel's father runs in. He took three steps over to the window and saw the girls making the run for it.

Growling, he moves out of the room and ran downstairs.

Justine dragged Rachel to a beat up blue pickup truck that was parked not far from the building.

The doors of the truck were unlock and let's Rachel in.

Rachel moaned and groaned as she made herself get in and sat in the passenger seat.

Once in, Justine closed the door and ran around to the driver side and gets in.

She gets in, closes and locks the door. Just as the young woman started the truck, Damian comes running up the truck.

The large burly man punched the window out, breaking the glass. He grabs Rachel by her arm and tries to drag her out.

Rachel and Justine screamed. Rachel claws and hits her father's arm and try to pull back.

Justine slammed her foot on the gas, gasket blew, black smoke bellowed out, tires spun as the truck took off.

Damian tried to hold onto the truck, still trying to pull his daughter out before he was forced to let go, hitting the pavement and ice as the girls took off.

“Whoo! Fuck you, mother fucker! That's what you get!” Justine cackled as she drove.

Rachel could barely open her eyes as the pain was getting too much to handle. Breathing heavily, getting paler and paler by the blood loss.

“Shit! Shit, Shit! hold on!” Justine punched it. “Stay with me girl, stay with me!”

Rachel breathes heavily, eyes unable to keep open. Her friend's voice became distorted, echoing.

Unable to fight it off, Rachel slips unconscious, confronting the darkness once more. The dark she was accustomed to her whole life.

Rachel soon comes to with a groan. Laying on her stomach on what she knows to be a dingy, filthy bed on the floor of an abandoned junkyard near the railroad tracks.

A barrel was on fire for warmth, bottles of alcohol littered the cold, concrete floor. Her back was still in a lot of pain. Her left arm was extended out and there was a makeshift IV bag of sugar water draping over a broken coat hanger and has a rubber tube and needle connected to her with masking tape, taped to her arm.

She slowly pushes on her arms before Justine came to her. “Whoa hold it,” she tells her, slowly laying her down. “You'll break the glue.”

Rachel looked at her friend tiredly. “You glued my back???” She asked.

“You swore you would never gonna let me sew you up, so glue is your next best thing.” Justine said before handing her a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka and three white round pills “Here, it's for the pain.”

“What is it??” The fourteen year old asks, taking the bottle and pills and takes it, not even knowing what it was before popping them in her mouth and washing it down with the alcohol. Coughs at the burning sensation.

“Uh Tramadol. It's what I could nab at the vet clinic.” Justine said.

Justine turns her attention to her back. Pulling back the blanket.

Rachel groaned and grunted, feeling the cold air hitting her wounds.

“Jesus fucking Christ, the bastard seemed to dig this go around.” Seeing the fresh wounds, the burns and cuts all over her back. The scar tissue on some of her back reopened from the cuts. Heated jagged metals carved into her back.

She checked to see if the glue was holding up, dabbing a bit of blood that trickled a little, hearing the kid whimpering.

“I-i deserved it.” Rachel shuddered before taking another drink. A long one.

“Stop it, nothing you did deserves this.” Justine grunted. She made sure her back was fixed before Rachel attempted to sit up.

“Ah ah shit fuck!” Rachel cried out as she finally sat up.

Justine carefully takes the blanket and covers her friend. Having to remove the girl's shirt to work on her back. “Easy, don't push yourself.”

Rachel didn't say anything as she sat there.

“Rach, say the word, I will go back to that house and I'll kill the bastard.” Justine says. “Please give me the word.”

“Don't bother….” Rachel muttered, taking another drink, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, feeling numb.

“Bullshit. Let the mother fucker come here, I'll kill him where he stands if he ever touches you again.” Justine then pulls out a handgun out of the waistband of her pants.

Rachel's eyes widened. “Where the shit you get a gun???”

“Got it from one of mom's prick boyfriends. Guy's from Texas, he won't miss one.” Justine explained.

“Do you even know how to shoot, don't fucking wave it in my face, Justine!” The barrel coming close to her face.

“Finish that bottle and find out.” Justine grinned as she took the mag out to look at the bullets.

Booze, pills and guns, story of her life.

Rachel sighed heavily, taking another swig before handing the bottle to her.

“Feeling numb yet?” Justine asked, down the rest of the vodka. “Whew, this stuff's good.”

“Got school in the morning.” Rachel muttered.

“Fuck it. America's education system sucks balls. In your condition you wouldn't even make it to the school building.” Justine then loads the gun up, takes the empty bottle and set it on the open window still.

“Come on, let's practice. We may need it.” Justine said, stepping back to Rachel. She raised the gun, took aim and pulled the trigger.

However, she couldn't pull it back. “What??” Justine slaps the gun, trying to get it to work. “Oh come on, Texas, don't fail me.”

Rachel watches the older girl before taking the gun from her, takes a look at it before taking the safety off, cocks it back, takes aim and fires a single shot. Even tipsy, she manages to shatter the bottle.

“Holy shit, Rach you holding out on me??” Justine laughs.

Rachel didn't say anything, hating even having the gun in her hand, does the safety and hands the gun back to Justine. “I hate guns. I hate my dad, I hate this life.” The rightfully moody teen says.

“Sorry Hawkeye, no bows here.” Justine sighed. “Look, we got a few hits left. Once we get the cash, we're leaving this fucking island and head to Alaska. We'll freeze our tits off but we'll be far away. You'll never have to worry about your asshole dad ever again.”

“If he doesn't find me again.” Rachel said softly.

As Rachel watched the fire in the lit barrel danced, she began sensing something. The teen moved her choppy layered blonde hair away from her pierced ears and listened.

At first she thought her father's truck was coming towards them, but it wasn't.

“What is it?” Justine asked, examining the gun.

“I…. I don't know.” Rachel responded. Something told her things were off. A shift in the air happened.

Soft whispers seemed to echo out of the lit barrel causing Rachel to turn towards it. Flames illuminating her warm brown eyes as she listened.

Rachel didn't know what the words were saying, but she knew. She knew something changed in the world. She didn't know how to explain it to her friend.

One year later

Now fifteen year old Rachel was in the small kitchen. She was cooking eggs, bacon and toast in the morning. She hunched down a little to cook, hoping to get it done before he wakes up in a moment.

Nearby she had the small boxed TV playing in the background in the living room. Turning on KNN news as background noise. If it wasn't the news or true crime shows, nothing else was allowed on the screen.

“And now on other news, this marks the first year since the fabric of reality was ripped open and the Portal to another world was revealed.” One of the news anchors said.

Rachel cracked some more eggs on the pan, only to drop some shells in the pan. “shit.” the teen grunted, grabbing a utensil and tried to dig the shells out.

“Discovered by Doctor Helena Jurgen, the Temple of Draconia lay near the cold mountains of Denmark. We have her here, Dr. Jurgen, good to have you here.”

“It's good to be here. Thank you.”

Rachel glanced up to see the woman with glasses as she attempted to cook.

“Now, can you explain to us the viewers what we know about what's on the other side of this Portal? Is it dangerous?”

“Going into the unknown is always dangerous. There are creatures beyond our comprehension. The darkest parts of our oceans themselves are dangerous and yet we explore. What lies beyond this world is nothing like us, it's remarkable, wonderful, full of life.”

“And it's people?”

“Magical, Erin.”

“As a woman of science, why use the term magical? Surely what you've seen are illusions. Smoke and mirrors.”

The doctor laughs a little. “I am a woman of science, however, what I've seen, what our world leaders have seen, science cannot explain. This new world, Equis, is a land of opportunity to learn about our world.”

The pan with the bacon started to smoke and the cheap smoke alarm went off.

“No nono!” Rachel quickly turns off the stove, grabs the burning hot pan handle with her bare hands.

The heat was enough to burn her palms as she tossed it in the sink. She winced and pants as she flipped the water in and stuck her burning hands in the water.

“What the hell??” Sound of her father snapping at the sound of the alarm.

Rachel begins to internally freak out as the large man strides in the kitchen. Having to duck through the doorway.

“Dammit girl, what did you do??” Damian snarled as he went over to the smoke alarm, twisted the thing out of the ceiling and manually turned it off. He had unkempt brown hair, crooked nose from it breaking many times. His eyes were a cold green with the right eye more milky white. Being partially blind. Haven't shaved in over a month.

“S-sorry sir, I was trying to cook breakfast.” Rachel quickly apologized.

Then the scrambled eggs caught on fire. “Fuck!”

Damian roughly pushes Rachel out of the way, she collides with the wall with a shout.

Her father quickly grabbed the extinguisher from underneath the sink, spraying the solution all over the stove.

Once the fire was out, he turned his attention to his visibly frightened child. “You trying to burn me??” He asked coldly.

Rachel shook her head. “N-no sir. It was an accident, I swear!”

He grabbed the back of her head, forced her to look up at him. “Useless little bitch, just like your mother.”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” Rachel tried to make him loosen his grip. “Dad please, I'm sorry!”

Damian smiled eerie, liking the look on her face. “Who owns you?”

Rachel shudders. “You do…sir…” She says.

Something she was forced to say for the past two years since her mother's death.

His good eye looks at the stove and back to her. Seeing her shaking.

He lets out a chuckle before shoving the end of the extinguisher into her gut, knocking the wind completely out of her. Forcing her down on the ground.

“You're lucky I got things to do today.” Damian said, watching her spasming before putting the extinguisher back underneath the sink. “Place better be clean by the time I get back or you will get it.”

Rachel couldn't answer him as he leaves her on the floor.

She listened as her father walked out the door, hearing him gripe about her lack of cooking skills and having to buy his meal. Hearing his loud steps going down the stairs.

She heard the truck soon turn on and drove off.

“So, are you saying, Doctor, that the people of Equis are not man, but anthropomorphic animals? You know that's crazy, right?” The news anchorman continued to talk on the TV.

“Portals to other realms sounds crazy, but here we are.” The doctor said.

Rachel pushes herself up on her feet, struggling to breathe. She drugged herself over to her room. Feeling like something was cracked, she limps to her nightstand.

Pulls the drawer and pulls out a bottle of pills. Just another bottle Justine stole for her to help manage the pain.

Rachel pops the cap, takes a couple and takes them dry. Her ears still tuned to the TV in the living room.

What she didn't know, her life will forever change as the path to home was opening up.

Author's Note

And so it begins

Chapter 2

Rachel hangs outside of the convenience store at the dead of night, having a hood and a scarf to obscure her face from the cameras facing near the door somewhere downtown.

“Come on, come on.” Rachel taps her foot anxiously. Her friend could be heard inside of the store shouting at the store clerk.

She checked the timer on her watch. The time for the cops to come in was close.

It's the money they need, what was Justine doing, robbing the entire inventory???

Just as the teen was about to take off before hearing the infamous song of the police, Justine bolts out the door with a backpack full of cash, wearing a full face mask.

“Go-go-go!” Justine orders and the two girls raced off as if demons of hell were on their asses.

Knowing the streets of Manhattan like the back of their hands, the girls knew how things worked, what streets the boys in blue won't take. The least likely places they would not search.

“What took ya so long??” Rachel asked as they ran. Hearing the sirens belting out nearby. Streets lighting up blue and red.

“Less talk, more running.” Justine grunted as they took a turn down 24th street.

The two soon came to an old build board, siding reinforced wooden planks. A rustic car was parked in front of it, nature reclaiming the abandoned vehicle.

The two quickly climbed on top of the car. Rachel boosted Justine up on the ladder before she lifted herself up and climbed behind.

The two climbed the four story build board before coming to on top. The girls crouched through a hole and goes inside of it.

Planned on waiting until the coast was clear before they head off to their hideout.

“You got it?” Rachel asked, pushing the hood and scarf down.

“Yeah, I got it.” Justine rips the ski mask off before taking their loot.

She opens up the bag to see the cash. The dead presidents staring back at them. The oldest girl takes the cash out and quickly counts it. Arranging the ones, fives, tens, twenties and hundreds, carefully laying it along the catwalk they were sitting on.

“Four-fifty five, four-fifty six, seven,” Justine counted out loud as she sorted the cash. It took her under a minute to sort. “a buck under five hundred.”

“Huh, Wallace working tonight?” Rachel asked, asking about the clerk.

“Yup. he was working. It's what took me a long time to get the cash.” Justine said, quickly stuffing the money back in the bag. “Guy's so old he thought for a second I was selling girl scout cookies.”

“Does he know it's the third time he got robbed by said girl scout?” Rachel grinned.

“Or by an amazon.” Justine grinned back before they laughed.

When the police car buzzed past the build board, the two girls shut up. Frozen still as the police looked for the two thieves.

It was a long five minutes of activity below. The police searched the grounds but unable to find anyone and moved on, not knowing the culprits were high above them. The chilly weather muffling sounds and footwork below.

Once they left the scene, the girls breathed in relief.

“Let's get to the beater and bounce.” Rachel quickly suggested.

“Good idea.”

The two soon got to solid ground and marched on through the snow.

They came to the alleyway where they saw the truck currently being vandalized by a couple of guys. Seeing one of them pillaging through the glove compartment and the other worked on unbolting the tires.

Rachel gave Justine a look before popping her knuckles.

Justine gave Rachel a knowing look before sending her out.

The large, 6'5 teenage girl, runs up to the guy outside of the beater, grabs the guy by the shoulders and slammed him down with a shout.

“The fuck you shitholes doing?!” Rachel snarled, pressing her foot on the guy's chest.

“What the fuck?!” The guy on the ground yelped in surprise.

Before he could pull a knife out of his pocket, Rachel slams her fist down on his face. Blood sprayed and a nasty crack was felt. She punched him two more times and the guy was out cold.

The thief inside got out. “Yo, get off of my boy!” He shouted. Goes to square up against Rachel with a crowbar.

He swings hard but misses as Rachel ducked. She grabs the bar, rips it out of his hands before ramming one end into his stomach.

The man lets out a gasp, falling to his knees. Rachel kicked his face, sending him falling backwards, knocking him out cold as well.

Justine watched with a chuckle, watching the show. “That never gets old. Feeling better now?” She asked the girl.

The guy Rachel first knocked out moved, Rachel turns and begins to kick the shit out of him. Letting out shouts with each harsh kick to his sides, stomach, groin and legs.

Sheer brutality the fifteen year old has was unlike most her age. Unable to take her savagery out on the sack of shit that was her sperm donor, these two assholes were getting it.

When finally satisfied, she stepped back with a pant.

“Now, I'm good.” Rachel huffed, tossing the crowbar in the bed of the beater. Feeling a lot better now she let out some steam.

“If I was into girls, I'd kiss ya.” Justine said with a chuckle.

However, the chuckles died when she saw the cardboard used to cover the passenger side window was knocked and the radio was missing.

Justine looked over at the two guys and cursed. “Don't tell me I was robbed before these guys???” Unable to find the radio.

Rachel looked. “No honor amongst thieves.”

“Fucking vultures.”

The girls fixed what these two hoodrats had done before getting in the beater and drove off.

Rachel, since she doesn't have a license, sat quietly while Justine drove.

As the truck drove through the streets, the two spotted a group of protestors gathering around the civic building. Protestors were nothing new, part of the culture here.

However, glancing at their signs, some had heads of horses but legs of a human drawn horribly were clear.

“Close the Portal, protect our world!” Chants loudly, trying to get anyone who would listen.

“It's the Portal to hell. The end is nigh!” Another set of protestors chanted.

“Holy crap, everyone is really freaking out about this Portal.” Justine said as she pushed on, trying not to hit a protestor as they were getting onto the road.

Rachel looks at her. “Yeah, can't believe it's already a year since…what do you think of it?” she asked her curiously.

Justine shrugged. “The concept of it itself sounds something out of a Doctor Who episode. You think there's actually life-like furries in this world?”

Rachel shrugged. “I don't know.” She said as some woman stopped in front of the beater, yelling at the girls of the rhetoric they were spatting off.

Justine grunted by honking the horn. “Out of the way, bitch.” She tells her.

The woman called her a harlot as she was pushed out of the way.

Rachel sighed, flexing her fingers. Knuckles scraped from the beat down but she didn't care. Getting lost in her mind, a dangerous rabbit hole she can't seem to get out.

Justine looked at Rachel for a moment. Recognizing where her friend was heading. With one hand on the taped up wheel, she grabs the loot bag that was on the floor board and pulls it up. Putting in the space between the girls.

Rachel didn't pay attention to what she was doing. The teen was just in her head, too lost to see what was happening.

Suddenly, just floating into her vision was a keychain.

Rachel blinked when she saw the object. The chain was thin but there was a small teddy bear. The fur of the bear was mainly a pastel purple with emerald green ears, muzzle, and the tiny paws pads underneath.

“Swiped it from the store on the way out, thought that you may like it.” Justine said, keeping an eye on the road, still holding the keychain.

“You got it for me?” Rachel asked but takes it. “it's cute, thank you.” She smiled, holding her gift. “Why though?”

“Has anyone told you to just shut it when you receive a gift?” Justine shook her head but then looked at her with a small smile. “It's nothing. The run was good, we're almost at the Yard. Spreading good vibes….especially with the news I'm about to tell you.”

Rachel gripped onto the bear comfortingly. “What is it?” she asked.

“Remember when I had to leave all of last month?” Justine asked.

“Yeah, worst month ever.” Rachel muttered, waving the tiny bear’s paws. “You said you were following a lead on a job?”

“Well, I got it.” Justine said as she soon turn down the street to the abandoned district to the tracks. “Boss guy's a psycho but he paid well. Wants me to work full time.”

Rachel knew Justine was more into the dark underbelly of society. Being a lost girl herself, she was drawn to the dark side of humanity. Something Rachel knows all too well.

“What's his name again?” Rachel asked, looking at her.

“Guy calls himself the Storm King. More like a small-time mob boss, but he pays good money.” Justine said. “Gave me the nickname of - get this - Tempest Shadow.”

Rachel snorted. “Really??”

“Don't start, yes it's edgy as fuck, but with what I was paid with, fucker can call me Fizzypop Berrytwist or some shit all he wants.” Justine said as she drove to the junkyard.

“What did you do for him?” Rachel asked as her friend shut off the truck. Justine didn't say a word before getting out of the beater with the loot.

She motioned the teen to follow her into the building.

Rachel sighed, holding onto the keychain before clipping it to the belt loops and getting out as well.

The teen follows her inside, wondering what she was hiding.

Justine opened the door and let Rach inside.

Inside, normally still rundown, dingy bed in the corner, a couch made from the backseat of a car, burn barrel, rundown and smelly as usual.

But Rachel instantly saw there was something new. In the far back of the building was a brand new wooden easel, a couple of different size canvases that the easel could hold. On the brush holder propped up was twelve new acrylic paints and brushes.

“Consider this your birthday/Christmas present.” Justine smiled, seeing the sparkles in the young girl's eyes. “Bought it from the money I earned from the job.” She said as she walked over to the mattress.

Lifting it up to reveal a twelve inch hole. In many ziploc baggies were stacks of cash they collected the past two years.

“Got about thirty grand total.” She said as she took the stack of cash she got today, put it in its own baggie and put it in the rest. Pushing the bed back over it.

“If you got paid to buy this, why did we do the robbery tonight?” Rachel asked. Though she was glued to the art set.

“Because it's the last time we're stealing nickels and dimes.” Justine said. “Rach, this is it. This Storm King dude, the money is there. He paid for the trip.”

“You never told me what he paid you to do.” Rachel said.

Justine sighed, approaching her. “Not gonna lie to you, he paid me to take some guy out. Not to beat him up or scare him. I did it.”

Rachel's eyes widened. “You killed for him??? That's a big fucking jump from stealing from old people.” She was appalled by it.

Though the girls steal, this was literal blood money.

Justine ran a hand through her hair. “Rachel, look at us. We're two degenerates the world literally doesn't give two shits about. We live in the same world that allows good for nothing garbage lay a hand on you to get off on. You're physically strong and smart, a good asset to have with the right and wrong person to guide you. Good guys turn a blind eye on a kid here.

“I'm already in the shithole, but that doesn't mean you have to be. I'm not trying to recruit you into joining this guy, but I can get you out of the hellhole you're living in.”

Rachel's eyes widened. “Seriously??”

Justine nodded. “I'll be going off on jobs but you'll be set up. We'll be set.”

Rachel's eyes watered before wrapping her arms around her smaller friend and hugged her. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She trembled.

To finally escape her father, at this point, Rachel doesn't care how she was going to leave with Justine, but she was leaving.

They were finally leaving Manhattan.

“Now, let's see what you can come up with.” Justine said, poking her sides to get her to go.

Rachel giggled, nodding her head as she went to her new easel. Excitement filled her up at her new possession, ideas flowing in her head before digging into her pocket. She pulled out a small pencil and began to sketch out what she wanted before grabbing her paints and brush.

And began to paint her heart out.

Chapter 3

Normally, Rachel would sneak back home roughly early in the morning, but she has spent the night celebrating with Justine and painting.

The girls threw themselves a little party throughout the evening, planning out their future and where they'll go.

For the first time in a long time, Rachel was feeling hopeful. It's not ideal given Justine’s new occupation but they have a way out.

She had a way out. Who knows, maybe if she works with this Storm King, he could help with her situation.

Rachel already knows Hell may be waiting for her after what happened to her mother, she's already living this degenerate lifestyle, might as well take the plunge and go deeper.

By the time the sun rose over the horizon, Rachel had finished her new painting.

As bleak and dark her life has become, her art work just exploded in bright colors. Mirroring the hopefulness the artist was feeling. There were butterflies, a field of gold wheat with some flowers hidden in the field. Overlooking the blue skies and fluffy happy looking clouds. Adding a white feather as her artist signature on the bottom right of the canvas.

Justine let out a whistle once Rachel stepped back, her hands, face and clothes had paint all over her. Her friend looks at the artwork. “Girl, that should be up in some gallery in Paris.”

“Oh I would love to go to Paris. Think with your new job, can we go?” The young teen asked, having an infectious smile, still in a celebratory mood, though a bit sleepy now.

“Oh I'm planning on taking you all over the world.” Justine said.

A phone rings off in her pocket. Justine pulls out her flip phone, sees the caller ID. “Speaking of the boss, I gotta take this call.”

“Okay.” Rachel said, grabbing a rag off of the car seat couch and cleans herself up a little as Justine steps away to have the call.

Rachel tried not to eavesdrop as she cleans her mess. Thinking about the future she and Justine will have. Surely her father wouldn't be dumb enough to go toe to toe against this Storm King fellow.

She knew she would have to make a final trip back to the house to grab her personal belongings. Since she didn't get back home in time to make food, her father would be furious, she knew it. The girls would have to sneak in while either the guy was at work or out hunting for his daughter.

Avoiding the predator was easier said than done.

Or just forget all of her stuff and clothes and use the robbery money to purchase what she needs and just go. Living a life was worth more than revenge.

Rachel unclipped the bear chain off of her belt loop to look at it. “You are cute,” she tells it with a smile and giggle, messing with its head and tiny arms. She loved its color pattern.

“Yeah, yeah, yes sir, I'll be there.” Justine comes back, closing the phone as she rejoins the teen.

“Everything okay?” Rachel asked as she slipped the bear in her pocket.

“Yeah, that was the boss. He just assigned me another job. Going to Mexico on this one.” Justine explained.

“Can the beater even make it to Mexico?”

“It barely made it to New Jersey. No, I gotta get a new ride. Good thing Storm King said he has a car ready for me to use, I just need to pick it up.”

“What about me?” Rachel asked.

Justine grinned. “Hope you're ready to eat some spicy tacos and look at Aztec Art work for two weeks..”

Rachel was ecstatic.

“Okay, I gotta go get the car and make some arrangements. Once I get back, we'll just get in the car and go. Last thing you need is to go back to your father's.” Justine said.

As much as she wants to get a few things, especially some of her mother's things, this was the best course of action.

“Okay, I'm gonna go get the car, pick some food up and come back for you. Promise.” Justine swore. “Hang back, catch some zzz's and be ready.”

Rachel nodded. “Okay, I'll wait here.”

With that, Justine gets into the beater and drives off, leaving the young girl alone.

Once by herself, Rachel stretched her arms and back out with a groan and a wince.

She slipped a hand underneath her shirt and felt her back, or what she could. The wounds on her back were still tender. From being repeatedly reopened by the monster whenever he felt like it.

Each time she would feel the hot object carved into her, she could smell her flesh cooking. That's how hot the bastard would get it to do damage.

Not wanting to dwell on this any longer, Rachel took Justine’s advice and went over to the mattress. Happily the last time she'd lay her head on it.

When she lay down, she took the keychain out. Smiling tenderly at the tiny bear before giving it a kiss on the head before curling up with it in her hands and closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

A few hours went by, Rachel was still resting. Was in the middle of having a good dream, dreaming about her and Justine relaxing on the beaches of Mexico. As she dreamed, she was suddenly awakened to a nightmare when a large hand covered her mouth and nose. Eyes panickingly opened and she muffled a scream.

Standing over her was her father!

“Hello baby girl.” Damian greeted his daughter with a malicious smile.

Rachel's heart raced as fear slid into place. As hard as she could, she kicked him in the balls.

Damian gasped from the kick, let's go of his daughter then kicked his knee before scrambling out of the bed and ran out of the building.

Parked just outside was his truck. Though it wasn't the same truck her mother died in, it had the same red color.

Rachel ran past it and took off running. Her worn out sneakers kicked up dirt as she raced through the field of discarded crushed cars and discarded various junk. Knowing the Devil himself was on her tail.

Rachel turned towards a rundown train car, pulled open the sliding door, jumped in and slid it close. There wasn't another set of doors so Rachel was shut in. Only lights were coming through various holes and cracks in the car.

She covers her mouth with her hands to muffle her erratic breathing.

“Oh Rachel!” her father called out to her from outside. Taunting her. “Come out, come out wherever you are. You know you can't run from me, I'll find you.” She could hear his footsteps coming closer and closer. “I always find you, my little killer.” He chuckled darkly.

Rachel scoots as far as she could backwards. Clutching onto the bear for comfort, knowingly her doom was near.

Rachel briefly digs out for her phone, hands completely shaken as she flips the top and dials Justine up. Going straight to the automatic voice mail.

“Thank you for calling, the number you're trying to reach is unavailable, hang up and try again later.”

Rachel calls the number twice and the same automatic response is picked up. Hot tears streaked her face.

Where the hell is Justine?!

Bang Bang Bang!

The siding of the train car was getting hit, causing the teen to shout out of fright. Phone and bear slipping out of her hands.

Damian starts humming to himself as he slides the door to the car open.

Unable to control her bodily functions as the teen soiled herself when she watched her father stepping into the train car.

And he looked like he was about to eat the canary with that twisted smile on his face.

“There you are, little girl.” He chuckled darkly.

Rachel was petrified, feeling so incredibly small and helpless against him.

Damian stalked his child. He grabbed her by the throat, causing her to choke out, shoving her against the car wall, pinning her so she couldn't move.

“Where's your little friend now?” He asked in a taunting voice, his hand cutting off her oxygen supply.

Rachel gasped, desperately trying to breathe while trying to get his hand off of her but she couldn't.

She was completely at his mercy. Mercy which he never had given to anyone.

Most certain towards his late wife and now daughter.

With his free hand, he pets her head rather sickly tenderly. “Who owns you?” He asks.

When she didn't respond, he slammed the back of her head into the wall before dragging her out of the traincar, throwing her out on the ground.

Rachel cried out and groaned from the impact.

When hearing him jump down, Rachel tried to crawl away, trying to leave but Damian caught her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and grabbing her left wrist in a death-like grip. Grabbing so hard that will leave bruises.

He leans into her ear. “No one is coming for you, Rachel. No one is. No savior, no knight in shining armor, no one gives a shit about you.”

“Please….stop.” Rachel begged between sobs. “Please dad, don't hurt me, I'm sorry.”

Damian laughs. “But that's the fun of it.”

POP!

Rachel lets out a scream when her shoulder was pulled out of the socket, dislocating her whole arm. Crying uncontrollably.

“I own you, Rachel. And I'm going to make sure you get it through that thick skull of yours.”

By the time Rachel came to, every fiber of her being was wrecked in pain. Her body, her soul, everything was in agony.

Her swollen blackened eyes barely opened, seeing that she was on the floor of the kitchen of her hellhouse. No telling how long she had passed out from the torture or left in her pitiful state.

Her back was screaming as fresh wounds were exposed.

Did she pass out after he started cutting her or after he had poured salt all over it to maximize the pain?

The tiled floor had a pool of her blood. Since she bleeds more profusely than some, there was a lot.

How long was she out??

The battered girl moans in pain as she used her good arm to slowly push herself to sit up. Everything screaming at her to lay back down but didn't. She sat there in silence, ears ringing as she tried to get her bearings.

“You alive, baby girl?” Damian calls out. Coming from the living room. “Yeah, you're still kicking. I'm impressed, most terrorists I've dealt with died with the punishment I gave you.” He giggled as if what he did was a big joke.

“Come into the living room, I got something here you need to see.”

No more, please God no more. Rachel whimpered. Just leave me alone…

“Don't make me drag you in here.” Damian calls out.

Having no choice, Rachel ends up crawling to one of the chairs at the dining table. Each move added more pain.

She used the chairs to slowly push herself up to her feet. Her dislocated arm hung limp as she shuffled across the small apartment.

She sluggishly comes into the living room, the TV was currently broadcasting the news live.

Damian looks up from his couch to look at his daughter. “Wow, you really took all of that.” He chuckled, acting proud that she took all torture and was still moving about.

Rachel said nothing but stared at him.

Her father then picked up the remote and unmuted the TV. “Take a look at this.” He motioned her to look. “If you can see that is.”

Fucker…

Rachel looks, barely seeing anything. There was a man on camera.

“Yes Morgan, a body was just recently found in an alleyway just outside of Brooklyn. The victim’s name is Justine Varon, a young 19 year old alleged petty thief was found beaten to death.” They then showed a picture of Justine on the TV. It was before she had dyed her hair that fushia pink, back when she was just a dirty blonde. “No suspect has been charged for the murder at this time.”

For the second time in Rachel's young life, her life shattered into trillions of pieces.

“Isn't that your friend?” Damian asked casually. “That's too bad. She was getting on my nerves.”

“What…did….you….do.” Rachel managed to speak. Each painful breath she could have a word.

Her father shrugs. “Maybe I did something, maybe I didn't. Who knows…I will say this, she put up one hell of a fight, I see why you liked her so much.” He then turned and gave her the most evilest smiles on his face. “And you know how I like it when they put up a struggle. Right, little killer?” Then proceeds to laugh at her dismay.

The laugh seemed to echo in her ears on constant repeat as Rachel finds herself sitting on the bottom of the shower. Stripped bare and having the hot shower running on her.

There wasn't a single part of Rachel's body that wasn't covered in deep, black bruising. Joints swollen, some organs internally probably were punctured, sure some bones were broken from her father's savage punishment.

Water constant turning red as her blood ran down the drain.

The echoes of Damian’s laugh grew with each passing moment.

What hope Rachel had of leaving was gone. The only light she saw in this bleak, cruel world was viciously ripped away from her.

First her mother, and now her only friend…gone.

Rachel was completely, and utterly alone.

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!!!!!

Unable to hold it in any longer, against her the pain of her chest, Rachel belts out the most inhumane sound that rattled the tiles and mirror of that bathroom.

Author's Note

Help is available
Speak with someone today
National Domestic Violence Hotline
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Call 800-799-7233

For those who have been reading the other fics:

Rachel at this age still believes she had killed her mother when we all know the truth 🔥🌋

Chapter 4

Rachel sat on the edge of her bed later that night. Body in extreme pain, nerves were shot.

Next to her on her nightstand was a bottle of pain pills.

She had no strength left, nothing to keep her in this world. Rachel wants to stop this life. She can't take this torture anymore.

Her father was never going to let her know peace. Never going to let her go.

She tried killing him before, and it backfired in the most exponential way possible. Costing her mother's life.

Her father was too strong for her to fight off. He'd hunt her down wherever she goes, there's no place in this world where he would find her. No matter how many times her and her mother had tried to leave the monster, he'd find them.

Rachel wants it to be over. She wants out of this miserable life. Out of her father's demented hands.

If she was going to Hell, it still would be better. She already has been going through just about every painful punishment the bastard brought onto her, Hell would be a goddamn paradise in comparison to the living shithole she was in now.

Rachel picks up the pill bottle with her good hand, grunting at the movement.

Normally, she would take any pain pills Justine would give her just so she could move during the day after being in the hands of her father. Over the small time she had known of her friend, she helped manage the teen’s pain. Rachel never considers herself as a pill junkie, but she has felt dependent on opioids.

The ones she had in her hand was one of the strongest pills she had taken in to manage her injuries.

Now, she saw them as a way out. Her idea was that she takes the whole bottle and just sleeps. Never have to be in Damian’s clutches again. Never had to endure this endless torture.

Her father will eventually kill her. Rachel knew it. She knew it would be a matter of time before she died by his hand.

This was one thing he had no control over. It was her life.

This was her way out.

Rachel goes to open the lid. To surprise, she didn't have the strength to pop it off. She whimpers as she tries to use her bad arm and hand to hold the bottle, but she can't seem to get it to open.

Please let me die, I want to die. Open you mother fucker!!!!

Rachel struggles for a good minute before ultimately throwing the bottle at the wall of her bedroom with a roar.

The pill bottle opened and the pills scattered.

To her dumbfounded luck, all the pills fell into the vent on the floor and went inside the closed dance studio below.

She stared at the now empty pill bottle in disbelief before she began laughing, going into a state of hysteria.

One of God's best damn jokes of all time.

As her mind was teetering towards a complete mental breakdown, feeling all of her sanity was going away, a random memory came to her mind. One that came all of the sudden.

She was around five. Her mother had just taken her for the third time in the middle of the night. Her being the near splitting image of her lovely mom. The two had stopped at a motel somewhere around Chicago.

Her mother was badly beaten but still fought to protect her baby. The two shared a bed, taking in each other for comfort and support.

“Why does daddy like hurting us?” Young Rachel asked her mother.

“Some people are just born evil, little Doppelganger.” her mother calls her, petting her daughter's long pretty hair, moving some out of her face. Little Rachel didn't get the full brunt of her father's torment but was still trapped.

“Will he find us?? I don't wanna go back home.” Rachel whimpered, clinging to her mother's shirt.

Darline, her mother, gazed down at her, giving her a kiss on her head. “He'll follow us as long as we stay in this world. He won't for long, love.” She tells her in a cryptic way.

“What do you mean by that, mama?” The girl asked, looking up at her.

Though her face was black and blue, Darline gave her child a hopeful, loving smile. “There are other worlds out there, Rachel. One full of life, love, and magic. Creatures, people living life in peace and harmony.”

“Can we go there now??”

Darline just hugs her. “Not right now…but you will go to this place when the time's right…”

The laughter died down as Rachel began recomposing herself. The memory still lingers on.

“There are other worlds….” She muttered.

A Portal to another world had just been discovered….

Rachel briefly lies down on the bed. Grabs a pillow and bites into it. She painfully pulls her bad arm above her head. Grabs it with her good hand and pulls. Fighting back the screams, the agony, she pulled and pulled before she felt another POP. Popping her shoulder back in place.

With a grunt, she tossed the pillow on the mattress and went over to her laptop, pulled up a chair and lifted the lid up. Screensaver was of her and her mother dancing in the studio.

She quickly pulled up the search engine and began an intense research on this Portal. A small flame was lit within her.

After combing through every sort of information ever regarding the Portal to Equis, grazing through the gossip blogs, conspiracy theorist sites, religious sites, she finally finds something.

She finds a website that is about Doctor Helena Jurgen, the scientist and archeologist that discovered the Portal and the Temple it resides in. A personal website built by the woman herself. Dictating how and her colleagues were originally trying to find more about vikings and their cultures when they stumbled to the Temple of Draconia.

Images they took were incredible. The statues looked like tall dragons on two legs. Seeing various bloody, amazing looking murals on the walls, piles of forgotten gems and gold.

And the image of the Portal itself. And a couple of images on the other side. Depicted a land called Equestria. Including a map of the continent.

Equestria, equestrian she knows it has something to do with horses.

Each second she spent researching the Portal and what she could know about this Equestria, the brighter her internal flames grew. It grew to become a raging firestorm coursing through her veins.

Towards the end of her research, Rachel had discovered a program Doctor Helena had started. A settlement project called the Two Hundred Application Trial. An exploration experiment to see how humans and the people of Equestria could coexist with the Portal leading to both worlds was opened.

And there was a limited time to sign up and apply to join it.

It starts in a couple of weeks.

Rachel stared at the website for the longest time. Damian has hunted her down all over America and parts of Canada at this point of her life. If she stays there, Rachel will only suffer more.

There was no one coming to help her. No police officer wants to help a killer and a thief…

A flip was switched inside of her mind.

If her father could find her in this world, Rachel would just have to go to another.

Without wasting a second longer, Rachel, now with rejuvenating energy, memorized the address before moving from her laptop.

She grabs her black school bag she hadn't used in awhile, dumped everything school related out and began packing what she could grab. Clothes, sketchbook, pencils, picture of her mother. Only grabbing what she needed for the trek.

Once changed into better clothes, ignoring the blaring pain of her back and body, Rachel grabs her laptop, opens it back up and breaks it over her knee. Destroying the screen before slamming the keyboard and motherboard to the ground and began stomping it to pieces. Making sure she left no trace of her whereabouts, destroying everything to the point it couldn't be put back together.

The same feeling she had in the first attempt to kill the sonuvabitch returned and it was in full swing.

She needed to make sure Damian never finds her again.

After collecting her items, Rachel slowly sneaks across the small apartment. She heard her father's snoring coming from the living room.

She had to be quick.

Rachel snuck into his room. After mom died, she never stepped foot in here. Now, she was on a mission for her life.

She slowly watched her step, trying not to make much noise that'll wake Damian up. She goes to the closet, digs in the back to his personal gun safe.

Rachel had memorized the code before and punched the numbers in. The door opened and a single Glock 45. stared back at her. She grimaced, knew her father had way more guns than this. Guns and bows with arrows.

She takes the gun, unloads the magazine and grits her teeth. Seeing that it was completely empty.

She dug around and realized that the bastard had planned far ahead, removing every gun and bullet and archery wise. Leaving only this empty paper weight.

“The one fucking time I needed a gun.” Rachel grunted but it didn't change her plan.

She went ahead and took it.

Rachel marched up to the living room. Seeing her sack of shit of a father asleep on the couch, some cans of beer littered around the couch and feet.

She raised the empty gun, pressed it up to his head hard enough to wake him up. Though her eyes were black and still swollen, she had the coldest, death-like glare in her eyes. Fire burning behind her stare.

Damian wakes up in a startle to see the gun pointed at her.

“Whatcha got there, baby girl?” He asked in a condescending manner. “That's not a toy for you to play with.” speaking to her as if she was a toddler.

Rachel said nothing as she pulled the hammer back. If there was a bullet, she would have pulled it.

There was no love towards him. Nothing warm and compassionate. Just pure, unadulterated hatred and disgust, just knowing that they share blood.

Damian let out a chuckle, pressing his forehead against the barrel. “Go ahead, shoot me, killer.” He taunted her. “You killed your mother, might as well add me too on your rapture. You don't have the balls.”

Rachel stared coldly at him. “Dumbass, there's no bullets.” She tells him, raising the gun and slammed the butt end of it to his face as hard as she could. Hearing his nose break on impact, drops the gun and runs into the kitchen.

“You fucking bitch!” Damian shouted out loud before hopping off the couch and running after her. His nose is now bleeding from the hit.

He ran in the kitchen after her, only to take a hit by the end of the fire extinguisher right in the face.

A tooth got knocked out with the biggest Pikachu surprise look on his face.

With a shout, Rachel hits him again in the head, again and again, finally knocking him to the ground. She takes the red canister and beats her father with it over and over again. Letting years of frustration, anger, pent up energy she had been boiling for years was released onto him. Letting out inhumane shout after shout with each hit.

NO MORE! NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!

Once he was knocked completely out, the canister dripping in blood, Rachel gave him a few more hits with it with the rest of his body before tossing it aside.

“Mother fucking cum sucking bitch.” Rachel pants. The man was still alive, but it would buy her time, hopefully long enough until she's safely in Equestria. Where he'll never find her.

She grabs a pack of cigarettes and lighter from the kitchen, makes herself some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the trip and leaves the apartment.

The dance studio below, once filled with students eager to learn ballet, now turned into a catch all storage.

And she knew what she wanted.

Among the piles of junk stacked up over the two years, there was a gasoline canister.

She grabs it, feels how full it was, takes it outside to her father's truck.

Vividly remembers herself tampering with the old truck that got her mother killed, meant only for him, Rachel takes the gasoline and doused the entire vehicle with it. The outside, inside, the engine.

She knows the term burning bridges well, Rachel was willingly going to burn the whole world if it means getting as far away from Damian as possible.

She empties the gas can, tosses it in the bed of the truck and steps back. Rachel then took the pack of cigarettes out, took one out of the pack and put it between her lips. The cold did not bother her one bit as she lit the lighter. The end of the cigarette glowed red.

She took a few calming slow drags, letting the nicotine hit her system. Blowing smoke out of her mouth. “I'll see you in Hell, father.” with a flick of her fingers, the lit cigarette flew in the air.

It spiraled before landing inside of the truck. Immediately, the truck was engulfed in flames.

Before the fire fighters could be called from the neighbors nearby, Rachel takes off running into the cold night.

Despite being close to 9 degrees, she was covered in sweat by the time Rachel ran back to the junkyard. She raced into the hideout, goes to the mattress.

She pulled the bed out, seeing that the cash she and Justine stolen was still there.

Rachel takes the thirty grand and stuffed it in her backpack, filling it up to the brim. Ran back out to the train car.

She grabs the purple and green bear keychain, clips it to her backpack, leaving the phone behind.

Rachel then embarks her epic journey to Equestria. A world far away from this world.

In Equestria….

Morning has risen in Manehatten, sun shined over a set of brick townhouses.

Fifteen year old Lilysky was finishing making breakfast and coffee for her and her dad. “Dad, breakfast is ready.” she called out to her father, her voice light and airy like as she set plates of eggs, haybacon and biscuits on the breakfast table. Lilysky was a yellow pegasus with blonde hair with a streak of red in her mane and tail. Warm brown eyes filled with life.

She sits down at the table, father still not coming down the stairs. “Dad, you're going to be late for the train!” She called out again before she began eating. Ears flattened when she tasted eggshells in the scrambled eggs.

The tall red stallion by the name of Brimstone shuffles his hooves down the steps. Fixing the tie on his pressed suit. “I'm here, I'm here.” He said. His left eye covered in an eyepatch, silver hair slicked back, tail cropped short. “thank you Lily, you're a saint.”

“What would you do without me?" Lilysky joked with a giggle as she ate.

The stallion chuckled, looking at his child with his good eye as he sat down at the table. Grabs the fork and scoops the eggs into his mouth. Instantly tasting the shells. “I don't think scrambled eggs should be crunchy.”

“Adds protein.” Lilysky said as she ate.

Brimstone chuckled. Had no idea what he would do without his daughter keeping him humble.

After a few moments of eating the crunchy eggs, burnt bacon and biscuits harder than hockey pucks - desperately missing his first wife Darling Rose's or Penny Cents, his second wife's cooking, Brimstone looks to Lilysky. “Are you going to be okay with me leaving for three months?” He asked her.

“Yes dad, I'll be fine. I'm used to you taking trips when you worked for the university. But this, this program you got selected to, is the biggest thing of your career. Out of billions of Ponies, twelve were selected to cross over to earth and teach…what are the species called again?”

“Humans, baby girl.” Brimstone reminded her as he ate.

“Right. Out of billions, you got picked. Heck I would go if I was chosen.”

Brimstone chuckled. “Offer still stands if you want to come with me, it could be a vacation for the both of us.”

“Got school and you know it. You wouldn't want me to skip out on my academics, do you?” She asked as she ate.

Brimstone takes a drink of his coffee, just about the only thing that was well done. “No, I suppose not.”

When the older stallion looks up, he sees the time. “Oh I’m running late.”

“Told you so.”

Brimstone gets up, takes his leftover plate to the trash bin and scrapes the food out before tossing the fork and plate in the sink.

He quickly goes to grab his luggage, already packed and ready for the voyage out of the hallway closet. Brimstone walked back to his daughter as she ate, gave her a loving kiss on the head and hug and she reciprocated it.

“I love you, I'll be home soon, no boys in the house while I'm gone.”

Lilysky rolled her eyes. “I know the drill Dad. Love you too, have fun on your trip and please be careful.”

Brimstone nodded, grabbing his things. “You too hon. See you later.”

“Bye dad.” She waves him off.

Brimstone quickly leaves the townhouse, catches a rolling beetle taxi cart and makes his way to the Portal.

Author's Note

What I was listening to while writing this chapter.

Chapter 5

Being on the run was nothing new for Rachel, it's different when it has a purpose. Migrating to a whole new world, a new reality, not really on her bucket list but here she was.

It's been a couple of weeks since her initial escape. Though she hasn't seen her father, she was on high alert. Sleeping in abandoned buildings, sewers and hole in the wall bug infested motels, keeping as much of a low profile as possible.

Some of the bruising had started to disappear and the swelling had gone down, but Rachel was still walking around in pain. Her back and sides were the most bothersome.

Inside of the motel she was staying, Rachel was in front of the cracked mirror in the bathroom. Trying to doctor up some of the cuts on her back. What she could reach that is.

Some of the cuts hadn't fully healed and she recognized signs of infection. Skin felt quite clammy as her antibodies were attacking the infection.

“Hope that bastard ends up a damn vegetable.” Rachel grumbles as she tries in vain to reach one of the infected areas.

Tomorrow was orientation for the Trials, the last thing she wanted was to get sick and unable to go.

Her father took everything from her, she wasn't going to let him win this time.

After doing what she could, she slips her shirt and bra back on, wincing at the movement. She exits the bathroom and goes to her backpack, opens it up and pulls out a small baggie of pills.

Rachel knew it was risky going up to a drug dealer and getting these pills from them but at this time, she couldn't get meds from the pharmacy. Can't risk it, she's too noticeable.

No id, no birth certificate, social security card, Rachel left those things. Having to spend six thousand dollars and some change to some forty year old man living in his mother's basement to print her the forged documents she needed. 17 fucking hours in that creep’s place.

Being on the run, you have no choice but to use what's around her, and that means buying pain drugs from some guy at a back alleyway.

The guy did seem sympathetic towards the battered girl, and gave her extra pills from his stash.

She takes a couple of pills from the bag, pops them in her mouth and washes it down with some soda.

Hopefully the pills could help fight the infection off.

She then turns her head to the keychain bear that was staring at her.

“It won't be long until I can stop taking these, it's fine.” She tells the bear.

The bear looks at her silently.

Rachel knows it can't talk back, it's a cheap, convenient store toy for young children.

But until she actually has someone to talk to, this was her version of Wilson the Volleyball. Hasn't fully stopped to grieve for her dead friend, she couldn't at the moment.

Rachel then puts the pills back up and pulls out what she did manage to buy from the store. A bunch of cheap makeup products she bought from the dollar store.

She couldn't show up to the facility looking like this. As much as Rachel didn't know anything about makeup, she was going to try and cover some of the bruises, especially on her face.

Maybe with her being taller than the average woman, her physical appearance and makeup might make her look like she's older. The Trials are only accepting ages 18 years or older. Her being just three years shy.

She read the packages of each product she bought. Reading the labels and seeing what they do. Never tried painting her face before.

She then sets the stuff aside, grabs the bear and lays down on the creaky bed. “We'll get through this. One way or another, I'm leaving this godforsaken world. There's no question about it.”

She reached her other hand under the pillow, pulling out a hunting knife she did go ahead and bought for extra protection. Her eyes reflected off the blade. Be damned if Rachel wasn't going to be caught in her sleep again. If the man finds her, he'll get this blade in his neck.

She slides the knife back under the pillow, keeping one hand gripping the handle while holding the bear for comfort. “Got a big day tomorrow.”

The day finally arrived. After planning and running, it was time to go. Dressing herself in a two tone red and black tank top, with a solid black long sleeve shirt underneath, bracelets and bangles on her wrist, her attempt to apply on the makeup, a beanie to cover her ears because Rachel knew she was a terrible liar and the ears were a dead giveaway.

The address she looked up was on the outskirts of New York in a large facility somewhere surrounded by trees. A large college-like classroom filled to the brim of applicants. Filling up the four hundred seats and others hanging around the side of the room. Enthusiasts, adventurers, scientists, young adults to old.

The chance of traveling to another world and being one of the first Humans. Chance to be among the citizens to learn and coexist.

Rachel had just made it in before they announced the application maxed out. Read and filled out a six page document, general standard stuff in a waiting room with the other adults.

When it came to them wanting her brief life summary, Rachel made up a story about how she was eighteen years old, a freshman college student at NYU. Making up lies on paper, just whatever she thought of that will impress those to let her in the program.

She even used a false name. Her mother's actual and maiden name.

Only one thing she wrote down was the truth and it was her allergies. Writing that she is allergic to garlic and certain chemicals in strong perfumes. Didn't bring an epi-pen because the bastard never believed she was allergic and never got her the items when she was allergic.

Rachel filled more pages out before getting to the last page.

In big bold red letters on top.

Warning

Equestria does possess dangerous creatures that we still have not fully processed. In a land such as this, anyone who finds themselves in dangerous clutches that we cannot control, the Program is NOT liable for any wrongful deaths and cannot be sued in the court of law.

No you can't sue Equestria if you or your loved one may get in an accident.

Please sign in at the bottom to let us know you understood and waive your rights.

“Dangerous creatures??” Rachel read.

This was a new frontier for most, any adventure would have perils if come across.

Rachel would still rather face them than the man responsible for her conception and sign the name she used.

As she signed, she started to feel dizzy. Gritting her teeth as the meds were starting to wear off.

Whatever that drug dealer gave her wasn't strong enough. She knew she can't stop, she can't let her pain keep her here.

Rachel shot up from her seat, took her packet and gave it to the receptionist. She was then escorted into the classroom. Taking the first seat she saw and it was near the exit, first desk at the door.

Her body shook from the infection and she felt like she was sweating.

Just let me get through the first stage. She thought as she and everyone else waited. Not wanting the makeup she wore to give away the truth, though it's perfectly clear that she had no idea how to use makeup well.

As Rachel waited, she still couldn't believe she made it this far. Mind began playing tricks, visioning her father bursting in these doors and dragging her out. Legs and feet jittered underneath the desk anxiously.

She just hoped her pale attempt to look older was good enough.

Fifteen minutes later, doors from another entry below the classroom opened and a single woman doctor came in.

“Sorry for the late start everyone,” The brown haired woman with glasses wore a purple blouse, black skirt with a white lab coat and black heels came waltzing in. “Traffic for our new guests was brutal, but we’re all here now.”

There was clamoring going around with the other applicants before things quiet down.

“Now, for those who don’t know, my name is Doctor Helena Jurgen, I specialized in Quantum Physics and was on the research team that had discovered the portal to Equestria. For the next six weeks, my team and I will comb through each and one of you. Not only for your physical strengths and mental capacity to cross over to a new world.” The Doctor explained, gazing at every one of them in the room.

“For the first two weeks, all of you will be educated about this new world. What better way of educating you than some of the natives of this land. Bring them in.”

Everyone sat up in their seats as they watched these creatures walking into the room. No sound was made, only the sounds of their hooves going against the tile wood floors. It was the first time besides a handful would see these three different ponies show up.

A normal looking pony, a pegasus and a unicorn, all tall, all walking on two hind legs, normal looking torsos and arms but with horse-like heads and tails. All pastel and colorful unlike anything they have seen.

No fucking way, are these guys wearing furry costumes?? Rachel though and probably a lot of people thought when they saw the Equestrians for the first time.

There was no way, right?

The earth pony, the red stallion with the slick back short silver mane and tail, had an eyepatch covering one eye while the other eye, as black as coal, stepped forward and spoke. “Good morning everyone, My name is Professor Brimstone.” He talked.

Unless the costume was brilliantly done well to actually mimic real features - which was unlikely - this anthro pony just talk english!

When he spoke however, something about it made Rachel’s heart stop. She whipped her head around the room to make sure she wasn’t hearing who she thought it was. Something about his voice was so familiar that it was making her sweat bullets even more.

As the other two gave their names, Professor Brimstone was looking around the room, seeing a collection of awed faces, and a lot of confusion and disbelief. When his eyes landed on the teen however, she had none of those faces.

She was scared and nervous and couldn't kept her eyes off of him. The girl wasn’t looking at the more fancier ponies, the unicorn and pegasus, she was looking at him specifically.

And something about her seemed….familiar to him too.

Without saying a word, she and Brimstone stared right at each other.

“Now, the three of us will be separating you into three groups. One group will be learning one thing while the others work on another. Each day, we will rotate you in our care to ensure each of you will learn about the Ponies in Equestria. Learning about our culture and ways so there will not be any ignorants running their smart mouths and angering our residents.” Professor Brimstone said, trying to explain to the humans.

“Each and every one of you will learn whatever you’ve been taught, you will be quizzed and tested on. Those with failing scores will automatically be out of the program.” The pegasus said.

“Brimstone, care to pick first?” The female unicorn asked her.

The corner of his lips lifted a little. “Dr. Velvet Skies, thank you very much.” The Professor nodded to her.

Then the stallion turned his single gaze over up at the teen. “You there. Far right near the exit.”

Rachel stiffened when he pointed her out.

“What’s your name?” he asked her.

Rachel gulps, coughing into her hands before standing up. “Darline… Darline Burk.” she spoke. Her ears burned red from her lying, her beanie obstructed the view

“You are with me, Miss. Burk.” Professor Brimstone said in a serious tone.

Rachel instantly became afraid.

Chapter 6

After each Pony selected their Humans, they began the processing of one on one conversations. Not a long one, a maximum of five minutes of talking, an initial interview, to get a sense of what kind of characters they have on this voyage.

Rachel was the twentieth interview for her Pony.

Putting her in what reminded her of an interrogation room. Same feeling too, cold, dark with a low hanging light, two way mirror so others can watch and monitor. A security camera in the upper left corner of the room. Two chairs in front of a table and no Pony in sight.

She hangs back a little, folding her arms across her chest.

The entire time when waiting for her turn, she couldn't get how this Professor Brimstone, an anthropomorphic talking horse, just happened to have the man she despises the most actual voice coming out of that pony’s mouth.

Or a muzzle? Snout? The only time Rachel ever saw an actual horse was seeing the occasional cops riding them down the more touristy streets of Manhattan. But other than that, there is nothing to know about them.

Her head towards the mirror. Seeing her reflection bounce right off, grits her teeth when saw how much makeup was fading away. The bruises and cuts were rearing their ugly heads.

You get what you can get from Dollar Store makeup products. Cheap products produces cheap looks.

She could have reapplied the makeup but she had given them her bag as requested. That of it itself made her worried because everything she had was in it.

The drugs, the knife, stolen bagged up cash, fake documents, her clothes. She knew it herself it was not a good look. Easily a trip to jail, juvie and back to him.

And with the drugs in her system now wore off, Rachel was in pain.

Watching her in another room, on the other side of the mirror, Professor Brimstone was standing in front of it with his arms crossed.

He was waiting in the room where the teen was in just moments ago before he was asked to be brought in the other room, left before she came in.

He couldn't stop analyzing her, something about her seemed all too familiar to him. Watching her body language and her stance.

The girl was on high alert. Seeing her occasionally looking at the door, pacing around before finally making her way to one of the chairs and sat down. Sitting to face the door. Folding her hands on the plastic table.

Brief moment of pain twisted on her face when she sat. Shoulder tensed and sat with a slouch.

A moment later, Dr. Helena came in with him with the girl's backpack.

“Sorry for the delay, Professor.” The woman said as she placed the bag on the table.

“Oh it's alright, Doctor. How long will it be? I have a lot of interviews to undergo or otherwise it would take much longer to complete.” The Professor asked, stepping aside from the mirror and approaching the table. He dwarfs the human woman by a lot, standing over her.

“Not long, however, that girl in there,” Dr. Helena motioned to Rachel's room. “is not who she claims to be. We ran the information she wrote down, doing a background check, everything she wrote down were all lies. There wasn't a Darline Burk at the college.”

Brimstone hummed. “You can do that?” He asked, rather fascinating. The technology humans have were far superior than what Ponies have back at Equestria. Able to look up a person's background with such ease.

He wondered what else humans are able to do.

However, the realization of now knowing the girl was clearly lying confirmed his suspicion. When she gave her the name, he saw signs of her deception. How she was fidgeting, her voice filled with uncertainty.

“Not only that, during the bag search, we found a plethora of illegal contrabands.” the doctor said as she opened the backpack and then pulled out the bag of pills. Since Rachel signed the waiver - abid a false name- she also signed her rights which allows the Program to bag search her items. “Plus a weapon and what appears to be stolen cash, twenty three grand.”

There were addicts and thieves in Equestria, Brimstone knew this, but seeing how it was only day one and they had already found one trying to join. “Then alert your authorities and send the young girl out. She poses a threat to the Program which just got its legs to walk on.”

If any one of their Worlds discover this, the program would instantly shut down. The girl has got to go.

But Helena had other ideas.

“Not yet. You were part of The Royal Guard for Princess Celestia, yes?” she asked him. “You have a unique set of skills we like for you to use on the girl.”

Brimstone's jaw tensed when she brought that up.

“Why? We already know she's lying, there's no need to do this. Cut her loose and let's move on.” he says.

“But she may be hiding more things. With how things are on this side, we can't really chance this program. She could be working for someone trying to undermine our operation. You interrogated the worst offenders in your land. You can get the truth out of her.”

“I don't do that anymore. I got out of it before I could lose my soul. I'm a history professor, you brought me here to teach.” Brimstone said as he felt anger swelling up.

Can't believe he was chosen because of that. Not his profession, but what his special talent was.

Of all the things to get a cutie mark of.

“Yes, but The Princesses requested you specifically because of your reputation. Now believe me, there are other deceptions in the other candidates.”

“But you want me to interrogate her.” Brimstone grunted.

“We just want the truth before calling the police. You know how to draw them out.”

His good eye glaring at the woman before turning his head back to the girl in the other room.

Brimstone then grabs the baggie of pills from Helena, puts them back in the backpack and picks it up. “I'll see what I can do.”

Considering reevaluating his decision to cross worlds while he goes to have a talk with the girl.

Rachel's legs jittered underneath the desk, her anxiety levels were high, was getting dizzy just sitting there. She felt something wet trickling down her back but she couldn't tend to it.

The door finally swings open and the red earth pony steps in.

And to her not surprise, he has her backpack. The teddy bear keychain dangling in the air.

“Forgive me for being so late, how rude of me. Ms. Burk.” The Professor says. Though he wore an eyepatch, she couldn't read his emotions, his black eye stoically looking at her.

“You're good, sir.” Rachel said as she tried to adjust her posture, trying to mask her extreme discomfort.

What the hell was this thing’s voice sounded almost just like her father? The way he was looking at her made her tensed up tremendously.

The pony studied her. “Actually, Miss, you're not.”

Brimstone opens the back and just dumps her bag on the table, startling her.

“What the hell?!” she gasped.

Everything she had was on the table, the cash, weapon, everything out in plain sight.

Rachel immediately knew she was fucked.

And learns this little pony is not playing games.

Author's Note

Round 1 begins.

So yeah, Rachel and Brimstone’s first interaction. 🏹🏹

Chapter 7

Rachel stared at this fucking horse after dumping her stuff all over the table in front of her. Knowing that her plans of running to Equestria were gone.

Already, she doesn't like Brimstone. Not at all.

Her frightened gaze lingered but it added a layer to the coldness she had behind them.

“There, now we can start this talk with the honest truth.” The Professor said, watching her closely as he lingered over her items.

There wasn't much clothes she packed, so out of the corner of his good eye, on the table, he could see some spots of blood on some of her clothes.

He picked up both one of her bloody shirts and the knife. Taking it out of its sheath.

Rachel gritted her teeth. “I can explain, I know how all of this looks.”

“Can you?” Brimstone asked as he eyes on the blade. Looking for any discrepancies or any identifiers that its been used for what at first glance was a heinous act.

However, the blade was too new. No knicks of any kind, no signs of blood in the cresses. Never been used for anything.

Noting that it was just bought recently.

He sets the clothes and sheath down but the knife still in his hands.

“Take your hat off, please.” He tells her but there wasn't any niceness behind the tone.

This creature isn't him, forcing herself to think that.

“I won't ask again.” Brimstone grunted.

Rachel continues eye contact as she raises her hand up and grabs her beanie, pulling it off of her head. Exposing her ears.

“Thank you. Now Miss, the instant you came to this facility, it has been nothing but lies. I do not tolerate liars the slightest so you are already off to a bad start.” Brimstone used the tip of the knife and pushed items off the pile to be in clear view. The drugs, documents and cash to be exact. He then motioned to the bloody clothes with the knife. “With everything else that was discovered, we have the right to alert your authorities. This trial is a crucial part of both our histories with the discovery of the Portal and all and our sides open. Judging at first glance of you, you are a danger.”

This fucker has no clue, Rachel thought.

“Now, if its up to me, I'd go ahead and send you off, but my colleague wants me to get more out of you. Since I'm virtually stuck here and want to go home myself, make this easier for the both of us.”

“What do you want?” Rachel asked him.

“The truth, little girl.”

Rachel tensed up when he called her that. Her fists squeezing the beanie tightly but she said nothing.

Brimstone leans against the table near her, casually flipping the knife and catching with ease. “You're already caught and out of the program just by this stuff alone, I'm trying to be civil here, my dear. Corroborate with me and we won't alert the authorities and we'll let you go. At least give me your real name to start. Who are you?”

Rachel swallowed her remarks before responding. “Rachel…” She tells him.

Brimstone studied her for any lies. However, to her relief, that was the truth. “Rachel who?”

Rachel just glared at him in silence.

Brimstone waited a moment before speaking. “You said you can explain to me your situation, please, I want to hear it.”

Again, she was in silence. The glare unwavering.

“How old are you?” He asked.

Silence again.

“Day of birth~”

“Why the hell should I answer these?” Rachel asked, unable to control her impulse. “You said it yourself, I'm out of the program.”

Brimstone stops flipping the knife. his good eye looks down at her items. Seeing something sticking out of a sketchbook.

Using the knife, he slides what looks like a snowy photograph with two people. A mother and daughter, both having similarities in appearance. Noting that the little girl was the girl he's talking to now.

“Who's this?” Brimstone asks her.

Rachel suddenly launches up across the table to reach for the photo.

Brimstone had his arm out, briefly struggling with the girl before shoving her back in her chair. Pointing the tip of the knife at her, photo out of her reach..

“NO!” Brimstone angrily snapped. His tone grew to a grittiness she's all too familiar with. “You did not just fucking did that.” He growled. Feelinghis anger rising that this human just tried him like that. He had this intense dominating aura about him that would have made anyone coward away.

He doesn't want to go all the way with her but she's pressing him at this point his old self was coming out.

Something he did not want but the girl's actions were bringing it out.

If looks could kill, both of them would have died by the looks the two of them had upon looking at one another. Tension was so thick it was suffocating.

It must be the infection because this fucker is acting like him. Rachel thought as she felt her back getting drenched and it wasn't from sweat. The movement she just did made her feel worse.

She must be hallucinating this day. She's still asleep, she tells herself.

Brimstone took his free hand and fixed his hair, slicking it back as he composed himself. Lowering his elevations so he doesn't lose control.

“Rachel, before I came here, I teach History at a local college. Before that I was in the Royal Guard. I have a unique skill set that draws out the truth. If you keep acting out and trying my patience, I will use them on you and trust me, you do not~”

As soon as he said that, Rachel couldn't believe it.

Remembering seeing her reflection the first time after enduring her father's last session, how she was feeling right now, Rachel began to giggle softly.

The giggle then grew to a dark laughter, feeling her lips curled to a twisted smile.

Of all the pain and suffering she put up with, she's getting threatened by a talking horse!

Brimstone grimaced as he watched her. Watching her laugh as if she just heard a joke.

She laughs for thirty seconds before looking up at the stallion. “Are you kidding me? Please tell me for the love of God that you're kidding me?” She asked, still having that twisted smile on her face. It was unsettling to say the least.

She huffed, looking at him up and down. “This is just to perfect, honestly you Professor, are doing a fantastic job.”

“I don't think you understand what you-”

“Oh I do, oh I fucking do.” She cuts him off again. Irritating him even more. “And I hear you loud and clear, pony, oh I really do. Just a question for you. Sir,” her hands bracing the table, she leans close to him. “Just what are you going to do to me, what I have already been through?” She asked him with a snarl. “So fuck you.”

The two stared down at each other. Both of them were unable to yield.

Brimstone however, had enough. He spun the knife before throwing it. Landing perfectly between the space of two of Rachel's fingers on her left hand, sticking straight up on the table. It didn't hurt her but it made her jump and startled her.

“You're done here.” He growled before moving away from her and went back to the door. Opening it up and stuck his head out. “Someone call security and alert the authorities.” he called out.

“N-now hold up!” Rachel goes to stand. “Please I'm s….” Her world started to spin, unable to finish speaking. Getting up too fast, she ended up collapsing to the ground. Falling onto her stomach.

Brimstone gasps, turning to see her fall. He quickly came to her side, kneeling to her. “Ma'am?? Rachel??”

He touched her shoulder and back and tried to shake her, but she became disordinant. Seeing her face was twisted in pain and anguish. Hearing her moan and whimper out from his touch.

When Brimstone felt something wet on her back, he pulled his hand back and let out a small gasp. Even though his fur tone was a shade of bright red, he saw blood coating his palm.

Now this close to her, he smelt something foul radiating off of her. He just barely pulled the back of her shirt, he paled and was startled to see the mutilation of her whole back. Seeing the necrotic infection, pus and blood painted her skin.

Brimstone whips his head to both the mirror and the door. “We need a medic in here, now!” He shouts. He then turns back to Rachel. “It's going to be okay, Rachel, hold on.” He tells her.

All Rachel heard were echoes of his voice as she finally succumbed to her father's abuse.

Author's Note

Welp that went well :pinkiehappy:

Pinkie, no its not🏹

She's gonna be fine btw but yeah, off to great start with these two.

Chapter 9

Rachel wiggles the head of the bear as she waits for more questions.

However, she noticed The Professor grew silent. She turned her head to see that he was looking at her with a strange look.

“What?” she asked him. “Why are you staring at me like that?” She looked down on the floor to see the broken pencil and back at him.

Brimstone looked as if he was seeing a ghost before blinking back to reality. “Oh? Oh apologies, i… My mind just went blank for a moment.” He said before coughing into his hand.

Having to look into this more in a bit. But even when he would investigate this for his benefit, this was the discovery of the century. Sadly it's based around the fact that this abused teen was another version, a variant, of his beloved daughter.

Another question he'll have to solve will be…if his own variant is responsible for Rachel's torment or someone else. On a whim if the variant of his was either dead or just not in the picture.

He straightened up his posture. “Okay, what I want to know is this: Who did this to you?” He wanted her to say it. He knew reports mentioned her father did this but he needs to hear it from her.

Rachel tensed up and went silent when asked that. An involuntary response. Was told in the past to never mention the abuse or she'll get it. After being ignored several times and beaten then, she stopped answering them. But the beatings never stopped.

If she was to be handed over, she can't say it.

Brimstone studied her reaction. “You don't have to say anything. You can just nod yes or no and that will be enough. I want to help you Rachel. You won't be sent back to whoever did this, but you need to answer.” He assured her. “Yes or no, is your father responsible for this?” he asked.

Rachel trembled, petrified by fear even trying to mention him.

She looks at this creature. Even though he was of different species and color, he has similarities to her father. But the way he was looking at her, the way he was speaking. When wanting to help, it was soft spoken. It sounded…kind. Unlike how harsh he was in the interview.

However, he was nothing like the bastard in the slightest.

Brimstone tilted his head a little. “I have a daughter myself back home. She's around your age, if something happens to her the way you have been treated, make no mistake whoever did it would pay for it.” He promised. “Rachel, he's not going to hurt you again.”

She pressed the bear to her lips then held it over her heart. Rachel looks to Brimstone. “How can you be sure?” she asked him in a whisper.

Brimstone's heart nearly shattered. Rachel has a deep raspy growl voice, which he could guess was the result of damaged vocal cords because when she whispered, she sounded just like Lilysky.

“I'm a pony of my word.” He tells her. “No matter what, he's not going to hurt you anymore, you're safe.”

Her eyes widened with a soft gasp.

“Is there anyone you want us to contact? Any other family member?” He asked the teen.

She shook her head. “There's no one.” Her voice trembled. Shoulders starting to shake.

“No one? No other relative or a friend~”

“There is no one!” Rachel exploded, cutting him off. “There is no one else, he made sure of it!”

“Rachel??” Brimstone jumped at her outburst.

“There’s nobody. Everyone I ever loved and cared about is dead, it's only him! You can't send me away because he'll find me and I'm dead!” Rachel sobbed. “My dad will kill me if he finds me, please you have to let me cross over!” She pleaded to him. “Let me go to Equestria, I'll do anything. I mean it, I'll do whatever it takes, name anything and I will fucking do it, I don't care what it is, but I need to cross the portal! I can't take it anymore!”

With her shouting alerting the staff members, a couple of security and a nurse with a needle comes in.

Brimstone snaps his head towards them, arm out. “Don't come closer.” He quickly tells them. “Rachel, you need to br~”

“He'll find me, he'll find me, he always finds me!” Rachel continued hysterically. “I tried everything to get away from my father but nothing ever works! No one helped, NOBODY!!! I DON'T WANT HIM TO HURT ME ANYMORE!!!! Let me cross over, I beg of you, I don't want to die, please!!!!”

Her chest started to constrict, her heart was beating so much and hurt so much that she was having problems breathing. Gasping for air.

“Rachel, Rachel!” Brimstone gets close to her. Seeing her triggering a panic attack, he stands up, gently puts one hand on her shoulder and another against her heart. “Breathe, child, you have to breathe.”

Brimstone starts demonstrating a breathing technique he used in the past. Not only to control his temper but also help get the heart rate down.

And by a stroke of miracle and with witnesses, this pony was able to work on getting her to calm down reasonably. Her gasps of air turned to uncontrollable wails.

By his surprise, however, the child twisted around and grabbed him. She grabbed handfuls of his clothes and leaned her head against his chest, shaking from head to toe.

“Please….please….” She spoke in between sobs.

Feeling his own eyes watered, Brimstone placed a comforting hand on her.

In all other accounts, the two were nothing to each other. Both from different universes and species, but it was clear that this child cannot go back to the monster who did this to her. With what he knows for certain, Brimstone was not going to let that happen.

The Human's system had failed her.

He doesn't know how he'll pull it off, but he knows two things for sure.

Rachel was going to Equestria, even if he had to smuggle her across himself. And Brimstone was going to pay the bastard a visit, regardless if they were his variant or not.

Chapter 10

“You're going to do what now???” Brimstone, and Dr. Helena had gathered in her office. Rachel was now asleep, her emotions wore her out.

And Brimstone was not liking what he just heard.

“Professor Brimstone, I'm sorry but it's the law. We have to alert the father of the girl’s whereabouts so he can get her. She's a minor.”

“She's in danger if you send her out.” Brimstone growled. “Her father is responsible for her abuse, you're going to be sending her back to the lion’s den!”

“It's. The. Law.” the Leader of the Trials emphasized. “I don't like this either, believe me, I don't but we have no choice. The man can sue us for holding her “captive” and we will get shut down. We'll hand her over, pay whatever compensation needed to keep this quiet and move on. No charges were filed on the father or otherwise I'd be calling social services.”

“I can't believe what I'm hearing. That child cannot return to that vile creature. This is an outrage!”

Brimstone slams Rachel's medical file and opens it. “Look! Broken bones, organs nearly pulverized, burns from both flame and electricity, these are works of a sadistic inquisitor. I can recognize the methods used on the poor girl. Judging by these alone and how she suffered, she should have died from all that abuse! Just about everything but rape has done to her.” He displayed the photos and reports to the human.

“I'm not risking the shut down of the Trials because of this.”

“She will die if she doesn't join it.”

“That's out of the question.” The Doctor spoke harshly. “The Trials are important because we are trying to see if Equestria and Earth can coexist. It's way too dangerous for a child to slip in at this time. She only has three more years until she turns 18. Where she can legally leave her father.”

“Something tells me that's highly unlikely.” Brimstone glared at her. Wanting to go after the bastard more and more with each second.

“Professor, as heartfelt as this is that you care so much, there's nothing you can do. By all means, you are a guest in a world not yours.”

“There has to be some way. Rachel is on Death's doorstep. If we hand her over to her father, Death will claim her. No one else seemed to be fighting and advocating for her. She has no one to help her.”

“This isn't some halfway house for displaced runaways.”

Brimstone gritted her teeth. Can't believe that Humans would turn away a child screaming for help. Though tales of abuse do happen in Equestria, it's rather peaceful. If somepony said they were being abused, actions were taken seriously and stopped.

From his point of view, Humans don't.

Unless…. An idea came to Brimstone's mind. Might be a way to keep Rachel in the program.

“I have a fifteen year old daughter as well.”

“Brimstone, I think you need to-”

“Let me finish, Doctor.” Brimstone snapped before recomposing himself. “Apologies.” He digs out his wallet and pulls out the photos of his daughter. Just of her posing on the steps of their townhouse.

He then shifts the stack of photos in the file before pulling out a picture of Rachel’s face and putting them side to side. “I have a fifteen year old daughter back home, Rachel is fifteen. My daughter was born on Hearth's Warming, that girl was born on Christmas.”

“I fail to see your point.” Dr. Helena said, watching the aggravating stallion trying his case.

“Well look. Yes it's clear at first glance that they are of different species, but look at the details of the photos. You're a woman of science, yes?”

Dr. Helena gave the pony a look, sighed and looked down at the two girls.

At first glance, she didn't see what Brimstone was seeing.

However, the longer she stared at the two side by side, her eyes grew. Now looking closely, envisioning the battered bruises on the pegasus’s face, seeing the facial structure, the eyes.

Despite one being human and the other a winged horse, the two were nearly identical.

“What is this?” She asked Brimstone as she studied the two photos.

“Rachel is my daughter's variant. I know what my own child looks like, I can tell by just looking at the human girl.” Brimstone admits. “Give me some time and will hand you concrete proof of the matter. Rachel deserves a life away from here, she's willing to do whatever it takes. Everyone she ever cared for and loved is gone and I believe that. Just like how I believe Rachel and Lilysky, my daughter, are the same being.”

“If that's true, wouldn't you and her father be variants as well?” she asked.

Brimstone's fists squeezed tightly. “I know I'm nothing like the bastard. Let me run some tests. As a woman of Quantum Physics, one of your theories is that there are alternate versions of ourselves and alternate realities. Allow Rachel to go to Equestria and I will work on this theory. I'll be responsible for her crossing and I will give you more definitive proof that multi variants exist.”

“But you’re a History Professor. Hardly a pony of science.”

Brimstone stared down at the woman. “One of the quirks of my cutie mark, my special talent, is the need for extracting the truth. I can spot lies and know how to find truths. I became a history professor because it's all about recounting the truths of Equestrian history. I'm sure I can use that quirk in this profession to dig for the truth about variants. It's all about observing the small, finer details, like how an artist can spot any discrepancies in their work.

“Do not call up her father, let Rachel stay on the trials and I will make you a successful woman.”

The doctor leans back in her chair. “Brimstone, if you're correct about this, this will get you a solid foot, er, hoof in this community.”

“All I care is getting Rachel to Equestria.” he straightened up. “You had me interrogate the child, now I know what I know, I can't turn her away. What do you say?”

The doctor looks at him before looking down at the photos. Seeing the two teens. One filled with happiness and bliss while the other filled with pain and terror.

Staring at the battered girl the longest.

“If this project of yours blows up in our faces…”

“I will take full responsibility for the fallout and you can deport me. Just don't let this bastard get his hands on her.” Brimstone swore.

The human thinks about it. “Okay, I won't call him or alert the authorities yet. Give me a couple of days to work something out. If it works, you'll start your research on this matter.”

“I'll start in the morning.”

“For now, she stays on this side of the facility until something can be done. No interacting with the other candidates until at least the next phase of the Trials. You are in charge of her. Do not make me regret this, Brimstone.”

Relieved, he gathers the documents. “Thank you, Doctor, you won't regret it.”

With a wave of her hand, Brimstone leaves the room.

On his way to his room, he stopped by Rachel's room. Glancing through the window of the door to see her asleep.

But judging by her body language, she wasn't having a blissful sleep. Clinging to that small bear like her life depended on it.

“So how did that go?”

Brimstone turned and was greeted by his two selected colleagues. The other nine ponies that were selected went to three other facilities across the world. The female unicorn by the name of Dr. Velvet Skies, a medical doctor and female pegasus, his actual colleague and friend from the college, Professor Gala Knight, archeologist.

He looks to Velvet who spoke. “As well as expected.” He then silently glanced at the Humans nearby before focusing on the mares. “I don't trust humans the slightest.”

“Some do give me the creeps.” Velvet admits.

“What about the kid? how's she?” Gala asks, crossing her arms.

“Resting, and in need of our help.” Brimstone said. “I manage to buy the child time but I don't know how long she has here. I do believe Helena will try but with how the human system failed Rachel time and time again, she needs a secure way to Equestria, she's not to stay on this side.”

He said that as Velvet glances inside Rachel's room. Her yellow horn glowed pink, her magic seeping inside of the room, engulfing the bear. The bear grew to a large size.

In sleep, Rachel curled up to it for comfort, feeling something large and soft around her.

“How do you suppose she go? Humans have their rules.” Gala said.

“We may need a..divine intervention to ensure her transport…and I know just which princess to go to.” Brimstone said.

The only princess that can transverse through the realm of dreams.

Chapter 11

Later that evening, Brimstone was in his room. Ready to go meet with the Lunar Princess. He gets ready to lie down, holding in his hand a medallion token of the princess's moon on it.

All twelve ponies who were selected for the Trials received one. If they fall asleep with it in their hands, Luna would appear in their dreams and they can interact with her. It was meant to be used for emergencies only.

Brimstone didn't think he'd be the one to use his token first. Especially in this manner.

He removes his eyepatch and lies down, token in hand. “Here goes nothing….” He closed his eyes. The token shimmered in his hands.

Slipping into the dreamscape, Brimstone was inside of an isle. Purple and blue trees surrounded him in a haze. Colorful galaxies covered the sky above.

“You summon me, General?”

Brimstone sighed being called that. It had been years since he was called by his Rank before turning around.

Standing off to the side, dressed in her dark lunar armor was Luna herself.

“What seemed to be the problem?” the princess asks.

“Princess Luna, hello, m’lady.” He formally bowed to her. “It's Professor Brimstone now.”

Luna nodded, “Professor. Is there something you need for me, I can sense you're troubled.”

“I am, Princess. I seemed to find myself in a predicament that needs attention. A child’s life depends on it.”

Brimstone then explains the situation with Luna. Detailing what he had found and about Rachel. Telling her what he knows wholeheartedly of the human child and the dire need this is.

Luna listened to the stallion speak in silence, taking in his words as he explained his case. Her gaze darkened when he asked for Rachel's behalf of going to Equestria.

“Professor, do you know the risks of what you are asking me for?” Luna asked, looking down at him. “Portals of other worlds are nothing new, but when it comes to this rip between realities, everyone is on high alert. Asking me to allow this human child, as horrible as her circumstances are, to cross over could stir up trouble.”

“We'll cross that bridge when we come up to it. This girl is in danger if she stays here…especially if the one who did this to her is the worst version of myself. And if I'm correct, he will find her if she remains here.” Brimstone explained.

Luna studied him. “Whether or not your daughter and this human child are the same being but from different realities, the fact of the matter is that you and Rachel are nothing to each other. You're not bound by blood. What you're feeling is guilt you yourself are not responsible for.”

“But I can't turn her away. Regardless of what anyone says. Princess Luna please, just look at the child. She's screaming for help but no one in this reality is helping. Dr. Helena was going to send her back to the monster that torments her. If Rachel doesn't cross over, next time anyone else sees her will be in the obituary in the papers. I'm not doing this because she's a variant to Lilysky, I'm doing this because a life is at stake. If she can't get into the Trials then grant her special access to allow to migrate over.

“Just see her yourself.”

Luna hummed in thought, taking in the information.

With a sigh, her horn didn't glow but with the wave of the Princess's hand, a door, Brimstone's dream door materialized. The door had the sigil of the Royal guards in Canterlot on top of the frame, the wood was dark and showed signs of battle on it. His cutie mark engraved in the center of the worn out door, a large black but sharpened question mark with three gnarly gashes that was meant to be cuts of a knife across it as part of the design.

The door opens. “Follow me, Professor.” The princess beckoned as she walked out the door.

Brimstone briefly looks at his door before following the moon princess. As soon as his hoof steps out of the door, he ends up in a very tall, very long hallway. Doors to other creatures' dreams as far as his good eye could see. On the floor and gaps of the walls between doors was a material similar to the princess's flowing ethereal mane and tail.

“Brimstone, welcome to the realm of dreams. My dear sister has no authority or control over my domain. Or at least in Equis.”

“Can you peer into the human's here on Earth like you can with our kind?” Brimstone asked as he gazed at the doors.

His eye immediately sees Lilysky's cutie mark. A pair of pink ballet slippers with white wings, The wood itself was yellow and has etching of heart. Never seen or been through any trauma in her life besides losing her mother. The door was whole.

Curiosity getting to him, he walks over the door and opens it.

Instantly he sees what his child was dreaming about. Lilysky was performing in one of Equestria's biggest theaters, all dressed up in her ballerina get up. From her extravagant costume she was the lead role.

She was dancing about, the crowd admiring her moves and performance.

A serene smile split on Brimstone's lips as he watched his baby girl's dream.

Luna then closes the door. “Dreamwalking is a gift a few have, you Professor do not have that gift, I am allowing you to walk among this realm. If you get lost in these doors, you will never wake up again, understand?”

Brimstone nodded. “My apologies, Princess.”

“Yeah it gets easy to lose your way.”

Brimstone jumped when turned around to see a pink earth mare with very kinky poof of a pink mane. Wearing a white shirt with short overalls on.

“Hi Luna! ooh who's your new friend, hiya I'm Pinkie Pie!” The energized pink pony bounced over to Brimstone. “Wow, you are so broody, do you know Cranky The Donkey?? He broods alot even after he got married. Why are you blind in one eye but not the other? Is that why you're brooding because you can't see clearly.”

As Pinkie continued to bombard the Professor, who is taking everything he can not to physically shut her up, Luna graciously saves him the trouble.

With a wave of her hand, Pinkie's sugary party decorated door opens. Sucking Pinkie Pie in with a yelp like a vacuum, shuts and locks the door up with thick chains and locks.

“Then you got cases like her.” Luna sighed.

“How did she…”

“Words from her friends, “its Pinkie Pie, don't question it”. I do wonder what kind of eldritch entity gave her the abilities. I know I didn't.” Luna rubs her forehead as a headache forms.

After that they moved on. “We have to be careful, the realm of dreams on Earth has its own rules. I may control the realm for all Equis but where we are going is run by another entity. Let's hope we don't step on any toes here.”

“Your variant isn't controlling it?” Brimstone asked.

Luna laughs. “Not remotely. My human variant is a high school vice principal, hardly a goddess. Variants, though they are a version of ourselves, live their own lives. Out of all the countless good versions out in the vast multiverse, there are countless of the worst. Keep that in mind.”

Her horn glows, she summons an arched door, no markings of any kind. “Alright, let's see if Earth's dream guardian will allow us to travel.”

Brimstone muttered something before the door opened. Crossing over to this a world’s dreams, crossing over to the humans.

Like the Ponies, all the human doors have imagery on their doors to express what each human’s personalities and mental state.

The walls were darker, mimicking the colors of the night sky.

“Well, it seems we've been granted access.” Brimstone said, trying to look at the doors to see if he could find Rachel's door.

“Yes, however we need to make it fast.” Luna said, looking around for any signs of the Earth Dream Guardian. “We can't overstay.”

She steps out more in the hallway, the arched door closed behind them and disappeared.

Luna closed her eyes, raising a hand out and her horn and hands glowed.

The doors began shifting all around them. Combining through billions of humans on the planet at a rapid pace. Doors shifted a blur.

It took her a minute to find the teen’s room.

And it was rattling. The dingey door was of her bedroom, held up by duct tape. Distress marks all over the frame and wood from repeating beatings.

When Brimstone was hearing her screams of agony and sounds of a male hitting her coming from inside, he tried to bolt forward at it but Luna stopped him with her magic. “Hold on!”

Using her magic, it seeped through the doors. Hoping she was able to manipulate her nightmare in this alternate realm.

The screaming and shouts lasted what seemed to be eternity, the sounds came to a slow stop, fading away. The shaking of the door stopped and settled.

Luna let's Brimstone go and he rushes to the door, opening it up and entering.

What he expects was something horrific, to his shock, it wasn't.

Rachel's dream changed into a lush forest. Close to the afternoon. Birds were chirping, critters could be heard. Echos of the wind rustling the leaves.

Brimstone looks around before looking ahead of him. It was of Rachel.

However she looked younger, around eight years old. Dressed in camping clothes, toting a bow and arrows that wasn't a beginning user over her back and hands. She was admiring the scenery, life was in her eyes, taking in everything as she walked around, though the bow looked heavy and was struggling to carry it.

And she was all alone.

Brimstone was surprised to see her like that, not knowing how to respond.

Seeing her with that specific weapon. A common interest of archery himself.

Then, she looked at him. Gasping, the little girl froze.

Uh oh.

“W-who are you??” The girl asked. Now sounding how his daughter sounded that age.

Brimstone gives her a wave. “Uh…don't be alarmed. It's okay.” He assures her as Luna enters.

“Quaint, peaceful out here.” Luna observed before looking at young Rachel.

Rachel tilts her head curiously at them. “You guys look weird, what are you??” She asks.

Brimstone couldn't help but chuckle. “We're just visitors.” He said, approaching her. Soon kneeling her height. “You like the bow?” He asked her.

Rachel nodded. “I do. This is my first time shooting one.” She holds the heavy bow up with a grunt.

“Looks heavy, is it for adults?”

“Yeah, dad's. He told me to not lose it again.” She said, rubbing her head. “He hit me when I missed the target until i got it and sent me out on my own.”

Brimstone fighting the urge to grimace.

“I’m gonna catch something big, drag it to him and then, I'm gonna find the biggest rock and pelt him with it.” She said before lowering the bow. “Until then, I like it out here.” She then smiled at him. “You look like a pony.”

Brimstone snickered. “No doubt he deserves it. And it is nice out here.”

“Professor, you need to see this.” Luna called out.

He motioned Rachel to stay before following her sound. Going through some of the woods until he finds the Princess standing in front of a mountain base. A very large stone door greeted them, covered in ivy and limbs. Some of the carvings were unknown to them.

“Is this part of her dream?” Brimstone asked, seeing the tall structure.

Luna tried to manipulate the door, trying to change it but she couldn't. “No, I don't think this is a dream element.”

“Don't go in there.”

The two turned to see young Rachel standing there. “It's not time yet, you need to leave.” She said ominously.

“Rachel, do you know what's beyond this door?” Brimstone asked her.

She shook her head. “She says it's not time to open. Heed her warning.”

Luna blinks, noticing the child's voice shifting.

The two ponies shared a look with each other before turning to ask more, but Rachel had vanished.

“Where did she go? Rachel?” Brimstone called out for the child but there was no one.

“Who is She?” Luna asked.

They turned back to the collosal size door. The more Brimstone studied it, he recognized the characters of the symbols and hieroglyphics.

“These look like something from the Temple of Draconia.” Brimstone mentioned. “Don't know what they mean but they resembled what's all over the walls.”

“Has Rachel ever traveled there?” Luna asked.

“I don't think so.” He responded.

The princess used her magic to engulf the door. When she tried to pull it open, she was straining. “It's so heavy I'm having problems opening it.”

“Whatever is in there doesn't want to reveal itself.” Brimstone muttered. “Princess, I think we should leave.”

With a few more tugs she manages to scoot the door open just inches, enough for them to squeeze through.

Like many sealed tombs, air rushed out of them with a wail. The world around them began to wither.

“Rachel is going to wake up soon, if we're in here when she awakens, we won't get out until she sleeps again.” Luna said, peering into the darkness of what's behind the door. “We have time.” She then looked at him. “You summoned me to look at the girl, pleading for her extradition, I need to know what we are actually dealing with.”

Brimstone signed heavily, seeing no other way. “Lead on then.”

Luna’s horn lit up a bright light on the tip. The two squeezed through the small opening and ventured inside.

There was total darkness inside, Luna made the light brighter but it could not reach past a foot of them. Forcing the two to stay close to one another. The feel of sand on their hooves, there was a sense of large space but they really can't tell how big it is.

“Where are we?” Brimstone asked, trying to make out what's ahead of them but it was so pitch black, not even Luna’s magic could pierce it.

“I don't know. This isn't in her subconscious, not a dream either. This is something else… has an ancient feel to it.” Luna responded. “Like I told you, variants are of the same being, but they can lead on different lives. Have different pasts, ancestry, magic even.”

Sounds of something rushing past them, clicking sounds echoing around them.

“What was that??” Luna looked around to try and see what it was but the light wasn't allowed to see.

Brimstone looks around as well, only seeing the darkness but hearing something moving about and making sounds.

“Something that doesn't want us here. Princess Luna, I'm afraid we over….stayed…” Brimstone trailed off when he noticed something glowing near them.

It was a cluster of blue crystals with a single black slitted pupil staring back at them. The clicking sound grew louder and louder before it fades into a colossal growl.

Luna then created many balls of light, spreading them around to see what was in front of them.

The blue clusters turned out to be a acrest of a shiny dark blue underbelly, black scales covering the rest of the massive creature. The lights made out a slender snout, horns curving along the head and pointed up, glowing golden draconic eyes, wings closed.

A dragon stood over them. Crystals glowed and it snubbed all of Luna’s lights.

“GET OUT!!!!!!!!!” A hellish voice roars at them, mouth opening to have fire ready to shoot!

“Run!” Brimstone yelled before he and Luna bolted in the darkness.

The dragon breathed a stream of its blue and white flames at the two before charging after them.

Brimstone and Luna scrambled in the darkness, only the occasional bursts of the flames lit their way. The stallion felt hairs of his mane and tail getting scorched by the fire.

Luna tried to use her magic but it was not working at all, she couldn't even fly, only able to run to the cracked door.

The alicorn made it first, tucking in her wings close before squeezing herself out.

Brimstone soon followed after, dodging more flames. He shouted when he felt the fire hitting his arm as he squeezed for the life of him through the door.

Luna grabs his hand and pulls him out in the dream forest, pulling him to the ground. She and him slapped the fire out of his arm and clothes.

Once Brimstone pats the fire out, he looks back at the door and froze.

Glaring at them through the cracks was a girl that looked like Rachel, well, how she looks now, but her hair was raven black and draconic golden eyes staring down at them.

Without a word, the girl easily pulls the door like it was nothing closed.

Rachel began stirring before waking up. “What a weird dream.” She muttered, rubbing her head before realizing she was laying on something plush and it's not a pillow.

She sat up and looked and gasped. Seeing her two inch keychain bear had grown to one of the biggest teddy bears she had seen. Bigger than her and the bed.

“Uh….you were two inches last night.” She said, poking the bear's green belly.

Author's Note

Safe to say Luna is on board 🤣

Chapter 12

Morning came around, Rachel was looking at the tray of food the facility gave out, just some cereal, yogurt and toast, and a carton of milk that came with it.

She knew she needed to eat but she felt like she couldn't.

The large keychain is still next to her. Still baffled how the two inch keychain was bigger than this bed.

A rhythmic knock caused her to look up at the door before it opened. To her surprise, it wasn't the human staff and doctor coming in, it was the yellow unicorn, Dr. Velvet Skies.

“Oh good morning, Rachel, glad to see you're awake.” The doctor greeted her with a smile.

“Uh…hi.” Rachel muttered, watching the unicorn approach her. Taking a seat on a chair.

I can't believe a mother fucking unicorn is in front of me, Rachel thought. Her inner child was delighted to see one in person.

“Well, I hope you don't mind, I need to check your vitals.” The doctor said before her horn began glowing.

Rachel's eyes grew huge when she saw the magic glow on the doctor's horn. Rachel began feeling strange as she felt her body covered in the same aura. A metallic taste on her tongue.

“What's happening?” She asked the unicorn.

“Just checking your vitals. I have trouble reading the X-rays, this is faster for me.” Dr. Velvet Skies says as she looks at the teen's body. She smiled satisfied. “You're healing quite nicely. You're lucky to have come to us when you did.” The horn stopped glowing and the magic faded away from the girl's body.

“That felt weird.” Rachel said, shivering as she could still feel it on her skin.

The doctor giggled. “It does feel strange but it's something you may have to get used to once you cross over.”

Rachel's eyes widened slightly. “Wait, what? Am I going to Equestria???” She then looked at the door. “Where's the professor?”

Velvet waves a hand for her to settle down. “Professor Brimstone is being treated for an injury right now. He'll be here in a moment.”

“Is he okay?” She asked the unicorn with concern. Even though she was still weary of the stallion, she was worried.

“He'll be ok, but the important thing is that he's advocating for you. He's working out a way for you to travel between worlds.”

Rachel's eyes began to swell, her chest fluttered with hope and a pang of disbelief. “So I'm going?”

The doctor smiled softly. “You should hear it from the pony himself.”

Rachel grabs the large bear and holds it close for comfort, shaking softly.

Was this really it? Was she going to leave Earth? Rachel didn't want to give herself any high expectations, didn't want to be hopeful again only to have it shattered once more.

The doctor watches her, looking at the bear. “You must really love whoever gave you this.” she said, seeing how the child was holding it.

Rachel didn't want to say who. She couldn't bring herself to say Justine, the bear being the last thing she had of her friend.

“it was smaller when I got it…” she instead said, not complaining though.

“I know, I made it grow last night.” The doctor admitted, amused by the look in Rachel's face. She then studied the bear. “It's a nice bear.”

“I like the colors.” Rachel muttered.

“Oh?”

She nodded in response. “Green and purple, they're Halloween colors.” Rachel said. It was one of the things she liked about the bear.

The doctor chuckled more. “Halloween, I think that's similar to the Equestrian holiday, Nightmare Night.”

“Nightmare Night?”

“Yes, Rachel. Every creature dresses up in elaborate costumes, little ones go collect candy. A little superstition we do is that we have to give an offering to Nightmare Moon’s statue so it won't come alive and gobble us up.” The unicorn giggled. “Of course our princess is not that anymore and…oh you got lost.”

Rachel was staring at her very confused. “So Equestria is like Earth then with the holidays?”

“Among other things. It's not much different, we have schools, phones, and ways of transport. Though our technology is a lot more basic than yours.” The doctor explains. She gazed at the teen softly. “What you are doing is very brave. Not many would take their chance like you did for a new life.”

“Life isn't much living for on this side.” Rachel muttered. “There has to be something better…Equestria is my last chance to live, staying on this side is not an option for me…”

The doctor nodded. “You are lucky that Brimstone is trying. I don't know him as well as my other colleague but what I do know is that he's persistent. He won't stop until you're over to our world.”

As she said that, the large bear suddenly shrinks back down to two inches. “Whoops, the spell wore off.” she giggled, the bear fell on Rachel's lap. “Sorry, I'm not a powerful unicorn so my spells are limited.” She giggled, seeing Rachel's face of shock to see that.

Rachel picked up the tiny bear, looking at it closely. “What the fuck??” She couldn't believe her eyes.

“That is magic for you.” Velvet smiles. She then looked at the teen's untouched food. Using the magic to scoot it closer to her. “Eat up, you need your strength.”

Another knock on the door alerted them before it opened. A very exhausted, tired Brimstone walks in. His right forearm and hand visibly bandaged up, holding various documents in his hands. He looked up and saw Rachel wasn't alone.

“Oh sorry, am I interrupting something?” He asked then.

“Oh no, I was finishing up.” Velvet said.

Rachel looks at him, seeing his arm, suddenly feeling a rush of guilt. She didn't know why she was feeling guilty all of the sudden towards him. Seeing the bandaged arm.

Brimstone follows her gaze to his arm. “It's nothing.” He lied, his ears twitched as a result of his lie.

“What happened?” Rachel asked.

“Human technology. Messed with things I shouldn't have, got burned in the process, I'm fine.” Brimstone said.

Though he himself was never a good liar, this was one of those moments a lie, be a partial, is good. Not wanting to expose the fact he was in Rachel's dreamscape.

And his injuries were a result of a goddamn dragon the girl has locked up!

It was interesting though, his injuries carried on from the dream to the real world.

“Did you sleep well, Rachel?” Brimstone asked as he approached the bed.

“Somewhat.” She responded. Her eyes landed on the documents he has on hand.

Velvet backs away so Brimstone could have a moment with the teen. Watching the two.

“Now Rachel, I need you to do something real quick.” Brimstone said, handing her the documents and a pen.

She grabs it and looks down. Instantly she saw it was the same fill out packet she had filled out before but it's a new one to fill out. However, after she got to the Warning page, she noticed there was one more slip of paper behind it. It was a much fancier, slightly thicker slip of dark blue paper with moon motifs on it. Written in white ink.

Rachel Lockhart

This is a letter regarding you seeking asylum to cross over to Equestria. Much of us had heard of your grueling circumstances and found evidence of your reasoning. Since you are a minor in this case, you will be assigned a temporary guardian that will guide you through the process and ensure the transfer. The guardian will be Brimstone.

As such, by the Royal decree of Sister Princess of Canterlot, your application for asylum has been approved.

Princess Luna, Princess of the Night.

Rachel's hands shook as she read the letter, eyes filled with tears. “Is this real?” Her voice crackled.

Brimstone smiled softly at her, his single eye gazing at her tenderly. “It is, my dear. You're going to Equestria.”

Rachel breaks down, covering her face with her hands as tears of joy flowed out. “Thank you, thank you so much.” She sobbed, feeling as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

Brimstone, though hesitant, reached out and touched her shoulder, rubbing it softly as she cried.

Velvet was surprised this was happening but glad it was. “Congratulations Rachel, this is so great!” She clapped happily.

“How, how did you manage to get this??” Rachel asked him, turning to look at him through her tearful eyes.

“I won't go into details, but as you read in the letter, you are able to cross over, pull a few strings but everything is in motion.” He responded. “Now, even though you are going, I am assigned guardianship, I will still like for you to participate in the classes. It is better for you to go through the Trials so you are fully prepared. Hence the new fill out packet.”

“What about Dr. Helena? She may object to this, I don't think she'll let her join.” Velvet said.

“You let me worry about Helena. Rachel is not staying in this universe. Her life will not be snubbed out, not on my watch.” Brimstone said, glancing at the unicorn before looking at Rachel. “Are you okay with this arrangement?”

“Better than okay,” Rachel said before she quickly began filling out the packet correctly. “Thank you, professor, I don't know how to repay you, but I will find a way.”

He sighed, taking a seat, flexing his bandaged hand, ignoring the burning discomfort. His reminder of just how extraordinary the child is, and how he can't let her remain in this realm.

“Just do what you are told and behave yourself. I have a tendency to be tough and strict, my children know this, my colleagues know it. If you start to stray off, I will do what I see fit to ensure you stay on the path. You understand me?”

Rachel nodded. “Yes sir.” She said, finishing up filling up the packet, kept her letter and handed the documents back to the stallion.

“Good girl, now eat up, you need your strength for the upcoming months.”

With determination, Rachel starts eating her breakfast.

Author's Note

:pinkiehappy: Oh dragons, she's on her way!!!!

Seriously, Pinkie you are worse than Discord

I can be worser :pinkiecrazy: 🔪