Project Peacemaker

Talking Equines

Why were you here?

Here, in a small room with blanched walls and a small square window with only a little nightstand and an unusually comfortable bed to keep you company? The setting would have made a nice simple hotel if it weren't for the characters outside that remained shrouded in mystery. In fact, it was barely a day ago before they came for you. They had painlessly made you unconscious, and before you knew it, you were here. In a shadowed room of an unknown location. You rubbed your head, expecting even the slightest of a headache, but there was none. No aches, no pains and a somewhat serene state of mind.

But these did not comfort your stressed mind. Questions still remained; How did you get here? Who are these... things? And on top of it all, what do they want with you? These questions swirled in your mind, along with many other inquiries that were, as of the moment, impossible to answer. However, you had one small hint. In the time between your arrival and your supposed kidnapping, you had done anything but sit around. You had gained some knowledge of your new surroundings, but in a way, it only disorientated you further. But one thing was certain:

This place was anywhere but Earth.

Upon waking from your cozy slumber, you find it unnaturally difficult to panic. Whether it was a drug or a therapeutic aroma, you could not shake the feeling of relaxation that bordered on drowsiness. In your state, you are forced to take in the minor details of your room, hoping to at least find some sort of familiar indication. Unfortunately, the only thing worth taking notice of in your room was the Bible, Quran and the Theory of Revolution, leaning side by side underneath the dustless nightstand, alongside the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton. A glass of still water sat by the bedside, which you quickly guzzled to comfort your parched throat. The only thing that hung from the ceiling was a plain wooden fan, spinning lazily and producing the lightest breeze. And there was nothing else. No other item that showed any form of hostility towards you. Although their intentions remained unclear, whoever they were, they seemed to want whoever stayed in this room to have a pleasant stay.

You were almost reluctant to rise from your strangely comfortable cot as you moved groggily to the window. Thin lines of mellow morning light peeped through the closed blinds, almost reminding you that there was a world outside these closed walls. It just wasn't the world you thought it was. Oddly enough, the blinds hung outside your closed, square-framed metal windows. Whoever was outside wasn't letting you see the sun, let alone where you were. You walk to all three barren sides of your room, knocking lightly on each wall to find that they were all made of thick concrete. There was no way you were busting out anytime soon.

There really was nothing left in the room to examine. It was barren and confined until an unknown time! And you still did not know what kind of creatures lurked beyond the safety of this confined space. Nevertheless, it was better to make the best of it.

You attempt to remember. To think back to where you were before all of this. To when you had so unexpectedly landed in a, dare you say it, kingdom that was a far cry from human civilization. Above all, you recollect the vile surroundings of a dank, dark and musty jungle. Oh, how you panicked when you ate the dirt of that stench-filled forest when you first landed. It didn't take too long for you to want to leave that place as quickly as you could. But as soon as you did, the land changed beneath you. The revolting jungle gave way almost instantly to much greener grounds, along with what came with it. The buildings were so different, so grand yet medieval, so... so...

So familiar...

You had seen those constructs before. You're sure of it. Why hadn't it occurred to you until know? Maybe it was the disorientation that prevented you from making any connection? Nonetheless, you were certain that this wasn't the first time you had seen something like this! After all, what country in this day and age makes houses that use hay for roofs? It seemed so strange  when you came across those cluster of houses you saw from a distance. It was really quite a sight; with that... village backdropped by several high mountains. Speaking of those mountains, you couldn't help but notice that there was more than this little civilization in your view. You recall foggily another settlement, somewhat clinging to the side of one of the mountains! Even in memory, it was a breathtaking sight!

That was... until they found you.

Honestly, you wondered how they had managed to get ahold of you without you even noticing. As if they had come out of the jungle as well.

What if that was what they were?

What if you were simply taken somewhere in the depths of the foul vegetation?

Above all, you had to ponder one question that rose above all others: How on Earth were you going to get home?

Suddenly, from the recesses of the room, a faint sound is heard. You freeze, partly in fear and anxiety. Straining your ears, you listen, hoping to catch more of the sound beyond these white walls. On the contrary, the sounds were growing louder. It became more distinguishable as it came closer. It was...

Clop, clop, clop...

It was definitely not human.

Your mind races for a moment, hoping to find a means of escape. That moment passes when you realize, yet again, that the only way out of your room was the door, which was locked. The door that the sound drew towards. A part of you was scared, but a greater part of you was curious. And what choice did you have? You had nowhere to hide, let alone run. You had nothing to defend yourself, but then again, it appeared that nobody was out to hurt you. Scream? Why would you? As far as you could tell, no person would or could hear you. And that... thing outside might not like it. It could be provokable.

Clop, Clop, Clop...

You turned to concentrating, attempting to decipher the possibilities of the creature that was advancing to your window. What kind of creature clops? Hooved ones, obviously, but what? A cow? A horse? A giraffe even? And why would it be outside? Were you at a stable?

The passing shadow that moved along your closed blinds caused your heartbeat to race, but not to a state of panic. You stood still, half hoping that the shadow would pass, and half hoping that you could see its face.

The sound of hooves against a hard floor came to a halt. It had stopped right outside your door. There was nothing to be done, but to let events unfold.

Tock-tock-tock

"Hello, hello?" The knock on the door was followed by a muffled voice.

A human voice?

"Is anyone in here?"

It was the voice of a man. An englishman for that matter. He spoke softly, and you began to wonder if he would leave if he thought you were asleep.

Tock-to-to-tock-tock

"I know someone is in there! I saw your scouters drop you off in this specific room last night!"

That was news to you. But that brought up even more unanswered questions. You let got off the breath you unconsciously held, but did not speak a word.

"Listen, human, maybe you'd love to sleep more. But it's already eleven in the morning!... On the contrary, you are the only new one around here for today..."

Human! He called you human. But why would he do that? Surely, that voice must've come from another human... right? And what did he mean when he said you were a 'new one'?

"Oh blast... looks like I'll have to coax this one out... Alright, listen. I know this may be just a tad scary for you." The somewhat jolly voice went on, "You know, winding up somewhere new, with no idea as to what is going on and so on and so forth? Well, I can assure you, my friend, things are about to get a lot weirder!"

You stood in the center of the room, staring blankly at the door and worried by the voice's words.

"Oh. Hang on, that's probably not the best way to go about this... um... alright, listen. Things may be confusing now, but trust me... trust us... and we'll get you home, understand? Now, I'm going to pull up the blinds. You hear me? I am going to let the sun in, but you must promise me this: you will NOT panic at what else you see. Promise?"

You swallowed the nervous anticipation. What's the worse you could see anyway?

"... I'm taking your silence as consent! Up we go!"

The blinds outside your window abruptly shot up in a second, allowing the bright morning sun to temporarily blind you. As soon as you adjust, you spot the figure that was standing by your door.

And you couldn't believe your eyes.

A horse, a particularly small one, was looking into your room. But it was no ordinary horse. Its coat was bright red! And it's face was like no other horse you'd seen before! It wore a grin that looked too human to befit a horse. And there... jutting out of its bright brown mane was something. A rod maybe? You couldn't tell when you tripped over the side of your bed in astonishment.

"Good morning, you early riser you!"

You jaw hit the floor as you began breathing at a level below hyperventilation. Did that horse just say something?!

"Oh, the funny expressions you humans make when you're surprised! Alright, before I continue, allow me to clear up a few things. Yes, I'm talking to you. No, this isn't a dream. And yes, I'm a Unicorn."

A what?! Either your wildest dreams had come true or somebody was playing a really cruel prank. You guess wasn't the latter.The glaring sun prevented you from telling otherwise.

"Alright. Now, I'm going to unlock your door. Why? Because its procedure that I check all bridge-walkers of their physical health. Yes yes, I'll tell you what a bridge-walker is later. But please. We found that it was easier when the patient opened his or her own door, so as to prevent one from... shall we say... 'freaking out'."

You had come to be backed up against the far side of the wall, giving the door a frightened glare. A slow succession of clicks came from the door as the head of the supposed 'Unicorn' vanished behind it. You took the time to take in what you just saw. A self-proclaimed Unicorn was about to converse with you more closely, and you had little to no choice. Also, you doubted that hitting him and making a run for it was a good idea.

"There! Whenever you're ready, human. Of course, after a while, I may have to come in myself. I haven't got all day, you see!... Well, technically, I do, because you're the only one in this little hostel..."

The strange creature disappeared from the window, presumably waiting behind the door beside it. Now, you could clearly see what was beyond this small room. And it was just another overwhelming sight.

Wherever you were, it gave a good vista point of another town. Not one full of olden cottages, but one of concrete and tall modern structures mixed with specks of light colours. It was clearly organized, at the bottom of a shallow valley facing an open sea. Some buildings appeared as a myriad of colours, depending on some sections of the settlement. And to top it all off, another hill jutted out over the sea, and a tall castle of rock stood where a light tower would have been constructed. It was like nothing you had ever seen before.

"Hellooo? I saw you in there. Don't act like you're not there."

You shook off the amazement temporarily, returning to the situation at hand. By now, curiosity and excitement had overcome the feeling of fear. You barely hesitated as you turned the golden knob.

The door swung open, revealing the red unicorn in a clearly light. A wide grin was spread across his not-horselike face, and his eyes looked like it had come from a cartoon.

... a cartoon.

"Oh, well you responded fast! You know, usually, I'd have a hard time trying to convince others like you to open up. But not today! Have you slept well? You should have. Our pillows are filled with hypnocatrice feathers."

There were no words to express the weirdness of what was in front of you. A horse, that's height was up to your shoulder, had the ability to conduct human at a human level. It was far too real to be a joke, but it was still unbelievable.

"Oh, where are my manners! Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me Professor Trotter, certified Scholar of Magic. Nice to meet you!"

The Unicorn extended a hoof. At least.. it looked like a hoof. A square red blob that had no proper hoofed ending extended towards you in greeting. You awkwardly attempt to find a way to grip it.

"Oh, just grip it like a handshake!"

You do as were told. However, you wondered how this creature, without hands, knew what a handshake was. You shut your mouth that still hung agape.

"Now, let's carry on shall we? The sooner we get over this small health check, the sooner you'll understand what is going on around here. Please sit."

With a swing of a leg, he gestures you towards your unmade bed. You shuffle towards it as you try to slow your breathing again. Immediately after you plopped yourself onto the bed, the Unicorn got to work. You never took your eyes of the creature as he pulled tools from a small pouch he had slung over his shoulder. As he did, he began to speak.

"You're probably wondering why you're here, aren't you. Everypon-... sorry... everyone who came by here did. That, dear fellow, will be known to you soon enough. But I am entitled to tell you this: you are not on Earth. Too simple? Okay, then how about this: You are in Equestria."

Equestria?!

Of course! Everything began to make sense, relatively speaking. The strange locations that were so familiar, the fact that this was a unicorn, the fact that it could even talk! This was greater than you could ever imagine!

"I'm judging by that elated expression that you've heard of this place then?" Professor Trotter raised an eyebrow.

You nodded like a fool in reply.

"Ah, well that will make things a lot simpler to explain! You should've said so earlier! I'm also going to guess that you are those 'brony' types?"

If you weren't, then you would have been more scared than happy. Equestria, a land of magic and friendship. A place deemed as a paradise by parts of the community. A place where three different races of ponies lived in harmony. Yes! That's what they were; ponies! You felt so stupid that you hadn't come across this earlier.

But wait... if this was a Unicorn attending to you, did that mean...

As if in answer, the horn of the professor began to glow a crimson hue. You stare wide-eyed at this magical part of this creature. You then watch as a stethoscope levitated out of his pouch, wrapped in a thick layer of the same crimson glow. It fit neatly into the pony's ears, and the diaphragm floated onto your chest.

"Hmm... high heart rate. That's normal for someone in your position... Anyway, as I was saying, I was going to explain how you got here. Brony or not, this is a part of Equestria that you have not seen before. Mind you, the fact that your kind even watch us excessively on television scares some of us." You feel slightly embarrassed by this statement, but continue to listen intently as the Unicorn carried on with his procedure. Shining a torch into you eye, he carried on.

"This is Peacemaker City. PC for short. You will not have heard of us at all, as our little settlement is far from Ponyville. More specifically, between Smokey Mountain and White Tail Woods. Know those places? Good." He levitates another object, this time poking a tongue depressor into your mouth. "We are a small organization, consisting of a mix of humans and ponies living in harmony under the Princesses approval. Our little town is an experimental one. For you see, upon a human discovery, we have found something stowed away within humans for a long long time."

A sphygmomanometer is quickly strapped around your arm. "A few years ago, one of your kind arrived in Equestria. Sad to say, it was a little like your absurd pieces of fanfiction at one point. However, he came across something new altogether! Whether it was fate or dumb luck, that man discovered a portal. A portal that, with a certain kind of magic, would open to any human on Earth. And that magic, my dear fellow, is inside you!"

You remained silent, trying to comprehend what this Unicorn had just conveyed. It sounded like a cliche story alright. But this was turning out to be something different. Professor Trotter made it sound like the greatest achievement since the Man landed on the moon. Perhaps he had a right to do so.

"Maybe I'm explaining it a little too quickly. But worry not! I'm almost done, and I'll bring you down to your... captors. Just so you know, they said they were really sorry." The Unicorns medical check ended with a sharp prick to the finger. You flinch after the needle pierced the skin. Unexpectedly, a warm sensation wrapped the end of your forefinger. You watched in astonishment as a drop of blood was pulled by an invisible force from your finger before it magically sealed itself. "And I'm sorry for doing that. You might be needing it later."

The Unicorn had answered some of your questions. But in return, he gave you more than you bargained for. Peacemakers? Portals? This had nothing to do with that cute show you had come to know and love!

Professor Trotter continued as he floated all of his items back into his pouch. "Since that discovery, we have been discovering more and more as our kind learn alongside yours. We've made hybrid inventions that have benefitted both your society and ours. We've taught you magic. You've taught us science beyond our time. And above all, everyone's happy."

The red colt seemed to only scratch the surface of what you were getting in to. You yourself began to believe that your arrival was really not a coincidence at all. But what role did you really play in all this? You contemplated the possibilities as the Unicorn trotted for the door.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way, let's bring you down to your... er... finders shall we? Don't worry, whatever you brought with you is still with you. We're not thieves." He stopped halfway out the door, "Well... most of us aren't. Now come on!"

You did not expect any of this. In the slightest chance that you hoped you would one day wind up in Equestria, you thought you would be visiting the Mane Six, just like all the fan-made content made it out to be. Instead, you've come across a greater mystery that was not presented on your television screen. This was something far beyond that. You rose from the bed, eager to leave this desolate hostel for the land of Equestria that you never heard about. This was a new world and a new part of it.

And who knows? Maybe you might even see the Mane Six.

Thank you for reading. If you would like this story to continue, please select a gender, along with two traits that you would like the persona to portray.

Are you a boy or a girl?:

F. Female

M. Male

Attitude towards coming events:

1. Enthusiastic

2. Hesitant

Attitude towards stay in Equestria and arrival:

a. Curious

b. Quiet/Listener

Please put your choice, along with any criticism you may choose to give, in the comment section below.

(Example: F1b. This story sucks trololololol.)