Fate Of The Spirited

Rise and Shine!

The room was dimly lit in the cloudy hours of the afternoon. Slowly I began to open my eyes, rubbing the night filth from them as I attempted to roll off the mattress that laid in the corner of the room. "My sleeping pattern is messed up!" I grunted to myself as I yawned slightly hanging my head. Looking to my clock that hung from the flaky barley painted walls I noticed the time. Half past two and the weather was complete shit as usual! Standing up and slipping on my black jeans which had an array of tears going down the leg and studs along the black belt I usually wore, I began to ready myself for the day ahead of me. For those of you who don't know me quite yet! My name is Ryder Saxon, I know right! Such an odd name but you get what your given. I have been on this miserable Earth for 20 years and at this point in time have little in the way of prospects for the future. I have a job but I work at some fast food joint and the pay is bloody awful! Hence I am living in an old condemned office block (So far I haven't been caught inhabiting it...YET) I was never on the best terms with my parents so never really felt like a huge loss taking on the world by myself.

Finally getting on my boots, spiking my hair and picking up my rucksack I set out for my usual day. Wonder about here, doss about there. And all in all just sat alone with my own thoughts...that's if I wasn't putting up with the locals. It seems where ever you go you always seem to come across some bastard who thinks it's funny to hurl abuse at you! You can either bite your tongue and ignore them or do what I usually do which is open my mouth to shout something back.. always resulting in them wanting to kick my head in. So if it wasn't a day to my thoughts it was a day of fighting, followed by drowning my sorrows in the nearest pub. I set out the back fire exit of the building, burying my hands deep into my pockets to protect them from the cold. I began to walk along the street looking at the gritty surroundings of the town before looking a head of me to which I saw in the distance a large group of yobs. "Every time! These dicks always seem to be down this road, almost as if they are waiting for me" I mumbled to myself. As I got further and further down the street the inevitable happened... "Oi nice boots you got cunt!" Shouted one of the hooded thugs. I turned my head, glancing behind me as I passed. To which I shouted back in reply "Fuckin funny aren't ya mate!" continuing along the road until *THUD*

Everything went hazy and a large ringing was left in my ears till I finally realized.. (Surprise! Surprise!) The guy hit me right in the side of the head. I staggered, finally lifting my head to see the largest one of the group (Cosmo I think his name was.. What a name) standing there glaring at me about to throw another punch while his gang stood behind him talking as if they thought they were from some bloody 1992 film in a LA Ghetto.

I raised my arms attempting to block the oncoming blow which I managed to absorb a bit of. Only then to throw a swing into his stomach winding him before throwing a knee to his face. At this point I realized the blood running down my head and his bloody face as he fell back. It was in this time I noticed his lackeys charging in themselves. So I turned around and began to leg it as quickly as I could down the road away from a group beating. Diving over fences and down alley ways I managed to eventually come out the other end without the extra baggage of scum following me. "Shit that was a close one!" I said to myself breathing heavily and out of breath. I looked up and wiped the blood from my head with my sleeve and continued along the road to head off to work.

I never do anything to ask for these fights, I only stand my ground like I've always been told to. But where ever you go it always seems to follow you...the Hate...the violence...the anger...It only takes so much until a human being cracks. I eventually made it to a shop where I thought I'd be cheeky and buy myself a can of energy drink and a pack of cigarettes. After paying at the counter and thanking the clark I turned around to see my mate Mitch, who was standing there clutching a case of bear and smiling at me. "Alright mate! how you doing?" I said grabbing his hand to shake it. "Yeah not too bad thanks Ryder, what's up with your head!?" Said Mitch finishing the shake and pointing to the wound on my head. "Ah those group of lads down the road attacked me." I replied. "Well ain't you gonna call the police?" Asked Mitch as he paid for his drinks. "Those fucking agents of control? Naah I think not my friend." I replied remembering my hate for the police in this country. "Well you got work tonight! So you best be off soon otherwise you won't be getting that 40 pound next week" Mitch picked up his case and we both began to exit the store. I turned to Mitch shouting I'd catch him later as we both departed down the road in separate directions. "Oh yeah...work. This is going to be so fun, especially looking at all those miserable faces!" I muttered to myself in sarcasm.

You see, all the people I serve at this place never seem to come in with any form of happiness or even a slight smile on their face. But I still have to smile through my teeth as well as wear some pratty uniform and pretend that I give a shit about their orders. That wasn't the worst part though, the worst part was this guy called Stuart who works there to. Just the amount of conflict that sparks between us...and there is nothing I can do since he has the manager in his pocket. Him and the manager are personal friends and go back long ago apparently. But the tormenting pain I have to put up with! The shit he throws at me on a daily basis...no more. This was the night everything changed for me. Where I let out a lot of built up anger.

I arrived at work, putting on my uniform and laying down my rucksack in the bathroom stall. The grease was slick on the floor and the smell of bleach was drifting through the air from the near by cleaning bucket. After I had put on my hat I stepped out, gently closing the door behind me and leaving my bag tucked away down the side of the toilet. I set off to the front counter and it was business as usual! People rushing in to get their crap and the manager criticizing my uniform and lateness. I grabbed my till but before I could put it in the drawer...Guess who! Stuart appeared seemingly out of nowhere and tripped me up causing the rest of the staff to laugh and not even help. I glanced at the manager looking in hope that he would do something. To which he just smirked and continued sitting on his mobile phone in his office. "What's your problem?" I snapped. Stuart just gave me a horrid look and smirked as he wondered back to the grill. The time passed and it was already 8 o'clock at night and you could already smell the skank of the drink machine drains. My heart began to thump as I knew the time was coming, I turned my back and walked away from my till in the brief moment of time I had. Heading off towards the bathroom I thought to myself "Here goes nothing Ryder, no mercy..". I gulped and tried my hardest to clear my head. I grabbed the bag and began to change out of my uniform and into a black jump suit followed by Kevlar plating which I had fastened to the suit. Calming the shakes in my hands I grabbed the paint ball mask, placing it over my head and fixing it comfortably to my face. The last and only thing I needed to remove was an M9 Barretta and a collection of magazines.

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I readied myself for the oncoming massacre and stormed out of the bathroom, marching down the corridor to the front. As I reached the front I kicked the door open to see the managers face as he spun around in his chair. Dropping his phone, his eyes began to widen with utter fear. It was then I aimed the pistol and pulled the trigger, pumping a round right in the left side of his chest. I fired another round in the same place before turning round and putting another round through the head of Stuart who helped give me so much of the grief over the years. The screams echoed around me at the horrible crimes I was committing. I kept moving with the sheer adrenaline pulsing through me now, as I finished off the rest of the staff and headed back to the toilets to change back into my normal clothing. Throwing my bag back over my shoulder I headed off. Back to the place I called "home".

Later that night I was already back at my room, the smoke lingered in the air as I took a few drags of my cigarette. I took a swig of whiskey, laying down the glass. I began to fall deep into intense thought about what I just did. Eventually everything just came down on me... I erupted in violence "Can't you see! Can't you fucking see! You know why I did this! You all know why I did this! What did I have?! Nothing! What did I ever do to provoke all of their hostility!? Nothing! All I ever wanted was a bit of happiness! ...What have I done... ". My head dropped as tears fell down my face and looking up to see the room in a far worse state than it was already in. Smashed desks and broken shelves littered the room. I ran my hand through my hair and wiped my eyes before climbing to my feet. It was then tha-*BANG BANG BANG!*  "This is the police open up!" A voice shouted as I ran to grab my stuff. "Oh shit! This isn't happening!" I said to myself staring at the door. "Come on then!" I shouted as I began to fire off a spray of rounds at the door. Hearing yells I turned and rolled out of the window, sprinting down the street as if my life depended on it (Which it preeetty much did!) I soon arrived at another building down the road from me and in the panic I rushed to the roof. I heard the sirens surrounding me and echoing through the town accompanied by radio chatter and barking hounds. I knew there was no way out of here.. I approached the ledge and without hesitation plummeted off the side. The ground grew closer and before I knew it.. I was in utter darkness.

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"I should of always known it would of ended like this haha." I chuckled realizing how strange it was that I could still speak. "So what now? Eh?" Before I could continue rambling on to myself it almost felt as if I was thrown into a pool. I was still covered in darkness but eventually saw a light which I swam towards hoping it would relieve me of this horror. The light crept closer and closer and soon. *GASP* I crawled to a bank near what looked like heavy forest, but I continued to finish my coughing before I got my bearings.

I looked up at a beautiful blue sky and a world full of vibrant colors. I was baffled and couldn't even begin to get over how everything was so... Technicolored? I sat on my knees for a bit taking in what amazing things I could see, after a short while I stood up and headed for the woods. I glanced back at where I crawled out from exactly and just found a lake which reflected the sky. "Onward to civilization!" I cheered to myself only then realizing how stupid I sounded.

********

The day was beaming with sunshine and Twilight was busy at work trying to organize her library as usual. "Spike! Can you find me that book on the Everfree Forest?" called Twilight. "Urg eh.. I have it.. right here!" Replied Spike, finally dropping a huge book in front of Twilight. He looked up at her with a sheepish grin to which she just chuckled and levitated the book in front of her. "Hmmm it looks like we might need to go and look around the edge of the forest" said Twilight closing the book and setting it in it's exact place on the shelves. "The f-f-forest but you know it's dangerous right?" said Spike shaking. "I know Spike but it's only the edge of the Everfree and besides I am princess Celestia's top student, what's the worst that can happen?"

********

"Ah!" I shouted as branch whipped me in the face. "This thing seems to just keep going!" I continued till eventually I could swear I saw a town in the distance. "Looks a bit more cheery than back where I'm from at least!" I said to myself with a grin on my face. I took a few more steps till I began to hear voices not too far away from me.

"Thanks for coming with me Fluttershy! If anyone knows this forest out of all of us it's you!".

"Fluttershy? What on Earth has a name like that?" I said too myself quietly but I was soon going to find out.

"Oh it's really nothing.. I was going out here to check on the squirrels anyways" Said another but more calmer voice.

I thought to myself that I'd go see who these people were.. Till i realized.. These weren't "People" to be exact.. I ran through the bush and opened my mouth "Excuse me bu-" to be frozen in mid sentence and shocked, looking right back at me in the same frozen way was a Lavender.. UNICORN!? ...And even a Pegasus!?

*Brain: A yellow one to be exact*

*Me: Shh!*

I just slowly and carefully began to sit on the ground, still with a shocked expression on my face and started to cuddle myself. "Wh-Wha-What are you?" Said the Lavender unicorn backing away slightly but still remaining curious.

I snapped out of my state of shock for a moment to reply in a way I never thought I'd have to reply. "I'm...human"

The mare stared at me for a moment. "Are you going to hurt us?" she asked with an innocent look on her face.

"No of course not! If anything I should ask the same thing" I looked at them still trying to come to terms with the fact that they could talk.

"Good, well we would never hurt you.. Do you have a name?" She asked stepping closer.

I looked back up from the ground and replied "My name is Ryder.. What about your name? I heard one of you is called Fluttershy? I think it was"

"Oh that would be me.. If you're okay with that?" asked the Pegasus, smiling slightly under her pink mane.

"Yeah of course I'm okay with that, why wouldn't I be?" I said with a warm smile on my face.

"Well my name is Twilight Sparkle, where did you come from exactly?" Replied Twilight as both of them became visibly more calm and walked up closer to me. I decided to relax a bit more myself and thought I'd explain myself as well as ask where i am.

"Don't you have people here? Like other Humans?" I inquired.

"No not at all, I can't say i have ever seen or read about anything like you before!" said Twilight.

"Well where am I then?"

"You're in Equestria...?" Twilight replied in an almost 'DUH' kind of way.

"Well I'm not from there...I mean here..whatever." The both of them looked at me with both confusion and fascination.

"So you're from another world?" Asked the Pegasus.

"Well it seems to look that way right about now haha!" I chuckled and they smiled slightly at me trying to make a bit of light of the situation.

"Well you should probably come back to my library, the princess will want to find out what you are for starters and there is so much I can learn here, I mean.. a NEW species!" Twilight said as she jumped with joy about that last bit. Meh what's the worst that could happen i guess. I climbed to my feet still kinda puzzled about that whole "princess" thing but carried walking towards the town.

After a good few minutes of walking we were in the town. I was surrounded by Ponies! All with different colors and all with different pictures on their arses. Before I could carry on looking at all the ponies around me (Which didn't really seem too happy about what I was and that I was there) I was interrupted by Twilight "Alright! here we are Ryder". I looked up to see a MASSIVE tree which looked like someone had hollowed it out and made a home inside.

"You live in a tree!?" I cried.

"Yeah, pretty cool right?" said Twilight with a smile.

"More than just a bit cool my dear!" I said walking inside the home. I found myself sat on a chair, which was kind of small but it wasn't too bad and I'm not going to complain about hospitality.

"Fluttershy, go and tell the rest of the girls to come over they will want to see this" Twilight said in a rather serious tone over to Fluttershy.

"Oh.. okay I'll be back real soon.. If that's alright?" Said the Pegasus walking out the door.

"Why doesn't she fly?" I asked in confusion.

"Well you see Ryder she doesn't like heights" I smiled and carried on waiting for whatever the next step was. Twilight headed towards what looked like the kitchen and shouted over "Would you like anything to drink?". I glanced around the room noticing all the well laid out books and just how amazingly made the home was.

I snapped out of my trance to answer "Uh, yeah i'd love a drink thanks if that's alright?". The unicorn returned levitating a glass of water towards the table which made me fall off the small chair and kind of panic slightly.

"Is everything okay?" she asked in concern.

"Yeah I'm just not used to seeing....that." I gestured at the glass enveloped in a purple aura.

"What? Magic?" Twilight asked almost surprised.

"No you see where I'm from Magic doesn't really exist.. We just have technology really.. and whatever our laws of physics can help provide us." I then slowly began to take a few gulps of the water to only then see more magic. Twilight levitated a book towards the table accompanied by an old quill. She then began to write down notes of what I was saying. "What's that you got there?" I asked.

"Oh this is going to be my book on humans" she said cheerfully as she re-dipped the quill.

Time passed fairly quick and before I knew it there was a knock at the door. Suddenly everything paused and faded to black. I stood up from my chair and started to worry that I was losing this new amazing world "Please.." I said under my breath. Suddenly an old man stepped out of what looked like a door way of light and closed it behind him.

"Don't worry Ryder, you aren't going to lose this. It's your opportunity. After all it is what you wanted." the old man approached me with a very peaceful and warm smile on his face.

He softly rested a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. "Wha-What do you mean?" I said bewildered by what was happening.

"You see Ryder you have always been unhappy correct?"

"Yes but i-"

Before I could continue he confidently cut in "Well then here is where you will find your peace.. consider it a gift"

"But why would I deserve a gift!?" I dropped to my knees and began to sob.

The old man knelt down next to me "I know how you feel about what you have done...and I know you feel you don't deserve it. But you could say your time was up in that world anyways, and here is where you will find purpose...your destiny. And here is where you will find everything you seek in life". the old man smiled at me standing to his feet and slowly walked away.

"Wait!" I cried, wiping my eyes and getting on my feet myself. "Where are you going? Who are you?"

"Oh.. I have work to do Ryder.. A lot more souls out there with the same problems as you. And you could say I'm an Angel of death.. But in this case. Call me a friend"

He smiled one last time before leaving through the blinding light of a door way and the room started to fade back to how it was, time un-paused itself and with the smile still on my face I hear Twilight call out "Come in everypony!"