Prolouge: Explaining things
CRACK!
Bright colors flashed across my vision as a hoof slammed into my face.
"Answer the question!" The stallion across from me was yelling again.
I shook my head to clear some of the colors. "I'm sorry, what was the question again?" I'd lost track of time, and I'd honestly forgotten. Not that he cared.
"Don't play dumb with me." He looked at the pegasus stallion right beside me. "You," He nodded his head at the one next to me. I think it was the white one. "Hit him again."
CRACK!
That one was a backhand. The stallion leaned across the table to look me in the face. "I am sincerely regretful for the, ah, necessity for such violence." He looked me right in the eyes.
"Yeah?" I quipped back, "Coulda fooled me." He sighed and leaned back again.
"Please, just answer the question."
"What was it again? I must have forgotten it when someone," I aimed a death glare at the guard standing beside me, "Decided to give me a, uh, love tap." He moved towards me again.
"STOP! That's quite enough, Silver." Silver, the one who hit me, looked over at the pony who was quite obviously his boss.
"But he..." He was cut off by the interrogator.
"I said enough." He turned to me again. "Fine, we'll start from the beginning. Name."
"Damien Smith." He sighed and began to rub his forehead with a hoof.
"Your real name, please." He was beginning to grow annoyed. So was I.
"I told you, Damien Smith."
"Fine. Well then, Mr. Smith, what are you?" I saw the perfect chance to annoy him in that question, so I took it.
"Well, I'm sarcastic, rude..."
SMACK! Silver shook his hoof and blew on it, grimacing in pain. I, however, had gotten a lovely little nosebleed.
"That hurt? I imagine so. You see, my skeleton is made of an alloy stronger than steel."
Shadow stallion, dubbed such because I never really got a good look at him, leaned forward again. He almost whispered the next question. "Why?" I felt a spike of rage as I thought about why I had become the way I was. I stared him right in the eye.
"I'll tell you why. It's because my 'mother' wanted to make me stronger."
"Did it work?"
"Oh yeah. It worked." I rolled my neck, popping the joints. "Just a few minor... side effects."
"Side effects?"
"Yeah." I began to list them off in a flat, emotionless tone, as if I were reading a history book. "Paranoia, Depression, Schizophrenia, Insomnia. You know, wonderful things like that." I saw Silver starting to back away. "Don't worry. I'm mostly harmless. Besides," I lifted my front legs, only to have them stop an inch above the table, the chains attached to my legs stopping them there. I gave him a mocking smirk. "I couldn't hurt you if I wanted to." I turned back to the questioner.
"Now, to answer your question seriously, I," I pointed to myself as best I could. Harder than you think, especially when you happen to be chained to the table. "Am a Messenger."
"I didn't ask about your occupation, Mr. Smith, I asked you what you are."
I sighed. "I am a Messenger. Specifically, the Messenger of Technology." He gave me a blank stare. "Back home, I was chosen by a god to take a portion of his power. In exchange, I have to run around doing what needs to be done." I turned my neck again, cracking the joints once more. "But that's not the full answer. I'm a cyborg."
"A what now?" Once again, annoyance was evident in his voice.
"Unchain me, and I'll show you."
"No."
"Oh, COME ON! Does Celestia-" I was interrupted due to my face suddenly meeting the table.
"You will not talk about the Princess in such a manner!" Silver was, once again, beating me in the face! For some reason, I started laughing hysterically. That only made him hit me more. "STOP! LAUGHING! YOU! FREAK!" He slammed my head into the table again. I still couldn't stop laughing. Finally, I blacked out. When I came to again, I was hanging limply off of the side of the table.
plip
plup
The only sound was that of my blood hitting the floor. "Are you alright?" A new voice said. Female. Regal. Familiar. I struggled to lift my head. I saw a blue coat and a sparkling, flowing mane. I let my head fall onto the table with a dull thud. The cool metal felt nice, especially where Silver had hit me. There was silence again. I watched as my blood slowly pooled out away from my face. Finally, I responded.
"Been better. Yourself?" It hurt to talk. To do anything. Except think.
"What happened?" Princess Luna asked.
"Do you want the whole story? 'Cause I got nothin' but time." Ow. Goddamnit. I'd get him for that.
Damien? Sera. Where were you? Allow me to explain. As I said, I am a cyborg. I also have an A.I. living in my head with me. See, I worked for the West Continent Intelligence Front. But I'll explain more later. Sorry. I couldn't do anything. 'S all right.
"Yes, please."
"Well, I suppose it all started when I died..."
"But thou are still living." Luna pointed out.
"Yes, but I mean when I died on my dimension, or world, or whatever. Point is, I died. So, listen up. Although, I must warn you, it's not a pretty tale." I stretched out my legs as best I could. Not much. "Actually, before we begin."
"Yes?"
"Could you please unchain me. I'm starting to cramp." She laughed at that.
"Of course," The lunar alicorn said, "But only if you promise to be a good boy." I stared at her for a couple seconds. We both burst out laughing.
"O...of course......hehe...your....your majesty. HAHAHAHAHAHA!" We finally calmed down, and she unlocked the chains. They fell off with a clank. I began to rub some feeling back into my forelegs. "Thank you. Now, our tale begins on a planet called... Earth."