A Faraway Land.

Chapter 7

Recovering the Lost and Forgotten

Twilight and I started walking further down the road. While we walked towards the forest. I tried to piece together my dreams. It just didn't understand them. Something was missing, something important. As I pondered how I got here. As Twilight broke the silence.

"So James. Can you tell me more about your Hornet?" Twilight asked with a smile.

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"How where you able to fly it without wings?" As Twilight continued to walk.

"If I was to guess. You didn't see it flying. You where watching me fall." As I thought about it a little more.

"You got it in the air some how... How did you get up so high..." Twilight asked in an irritated tone.

"The Hornet has wings built into it. It uses aerodynamic lift to fly. A jet engine propels it forward. I can see where this is going. So please don't ask me what a jet engine is. I honestly don't know much in how it works."

"That's okay. Will I be able to see it on your Hornet?" As Twilight sounded exited in discovering something new.

"I don't think so... An aircraft is not meant to land as hard as I did in one piece." As I chuckled. "I know of only one thing that will have survived in it. It's what I am going to get now."

"Ohh? What is it?" As Twilight and I reach the tree line of the forest.

"It's called a Black Box. It records all of the instruments inside the plane. It also records all incoming and outgoing radio signals. They build them to find out what happens to the plane if it crashes."

"So how do you know the Black Box will help you?"

"I don't. It's just a feeling I had." As we walked further into the forest. We could hear all sorts of birds chirping, twigs breaking and the occasional rustling in the bushes.

"So this is more about your dreams?"

I stopped walking as Twilight continued. A couple seconds pass as Twilight finds me stopped.

"How did you guess?"I asked.

"Nurse Readheart told Dr. Stable about the night Applejack and I brought you to the hospital. Dr. Stable asked me to talk to you about them." She replied with a heartwarming smile. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No... I'm sorry. I don't like sharing personal stuff to someone I just met." I continued to walk forward. "Pleas don't take offence to that." I said; not wanting her to cry.

"It's okay. I understand. It will take time." Twilight turned off from the path we were walking on. "It's just a little further."

We continued forward into the bushes. It was easy to tell that we were getting close. The smell of jet fuel and burnt grass lingered in the air. As I walked behind Twilight. I could see drag marks on the ground. I slowly overtook Twilight; now walking in front of her.

"Do you know where you're going James?"

"Ya." As I pointed to the ground. "I am guessing I was dragged down this path." As we walked for about a minute. Following the drag marks. I see my ejection seat.

"Hay James."

"Yes?" I asked while looking at the drag marks.

"Is that the chair you floated down on?"

"Yes..." I chuckled. "It's called an ejection seat. The cloth attached to it is call a parachute. It slows your decent to the ground. So you don't end up as a pancake."

"So the fire under the chair. Its designed to get you far from your Hornet?" As Twilight puzzled.

"You guessed it!" I followed my nose to the stronger smell. I was looking for the strong scent of jet fuel.

We found a clearing in the forest. As we cleared the treed. I saw what was left of my Hornet. As twilight and walked up towards wreckage. The look on her face was one of disgust.

"What's wrong Twilight? You don't like the smell?"

"No... What is that smell..." Twilight asked while standing still. Bringing a hoof up to her nose to block the smell.

"That's the smell of good old jet fuel!" I said excitedly. "You might want to wait here. It's not a good idea to get any closer."

"Why?" Twilight asked with a wired look on her face.

"That!" I pointed at what was left of the wing. "I don't know how, but that Sidewinder still looks intact."

"Why are you going over their then!? If its dangerous... I can use my magic to help." Twilight looked on at me with a worried expression.

"Sure. I will let you go over. On one condition." I looked in her eyes with a smile. "Tell me where the black box is." As Twilight looked down at the ground. "I won't be long." I walked over to the wreckage. I feel random parts of the Hornet with the back of my hand. "Still a little warm form the fire..." I muttered to myself. Thinking it was safe. I jumped up onto the wing. I made my way to what was left of the cockpit. I looked under the dash. "Bingo!" I said with a smile. As I inspected the black box. I noticed 4 bolts holding it in place. I take my gun out of its holster. Flipped the safety off. I made sure a round was chambered. I turned to Twilight.

"Hay Twilight!" I yelled "You might was to cover your ears!" I see her hunker down and use her front hoofs to cover them. I bent down and took aim while using my free hand to cover my face. I gently squeeze the trigger. Bang!

"James! James! Are you okay!" Twilight yelled as loud as she could.

"I'm fine!" I yelled while waving my hand as high as I could. I took aim again and fired. Both bullets hitting the mark. I aimed again at another bolt. I gently squeeze the trigger again. Bang! I was showered in sparks. I dropped my gun in a panic. I stood up in the cockpit and searched myself. "Nothing seemed out of place." I said to myself. I soon felt a gentle breeze in my inner thigh. I looked down the leg of my pants. I found a hole. About two inched away from some important equipment.

"Well I don't think I'm going to do that again..." I said to myself. I position myself in the cockpit in a way so I can kick the box. When I felt stable. I started pounding on it. It took a few good kicks to knock it down. When it hit the floor. I bent down to pick it and my gun up. I tossed the box as close to Twilight as I could. I put the gun back on safe and holstered it. I jumped off the rubble and made my way back to Twilight.

"James! Are you okay!? What was that noise!" Twilight was franticly scanning over me.

"I'm fine. One of the rounds ricocheted off the box..." I reach around my pants and poked my finger in both of the holes. "I think I am going to need new pants..." I smiled and looked at Twilight for a response.

"That's not funny! you could have gotten hurt! How did you make that loud noise!?" Twilight looked at me with a mixture of worry and anger.

"My gun..." I pointed to it on my right side. By the sound of it I was lucky. I don't think Twilight knew what a ricochet was. I picked up the Black box and put it under my arm.

"Any way... It's getting dark. we need to get out of the forest... It is very dangerous out at night." Twilight said.

"Shhhh... Stay still and be quite for a bit. Listen..." I said to Twilight. It was dead quiet. Not a bird chirping. Not even the bushes made a noise. "I think the gun shots scare whatever is out here."

"That doesn't matter. How long will they be scared... Because I don't think they will be for long." Twilight looked at me while I gave her a nod. "Let's get back to Ponyville." As we started walking back to Ponyville. Twilight suddenly got talkative.

"So James... You don't have a place to stay tonight do you? Because if you don't; I have an extra bed already for you."

"Sure. That will be great." I didn't know what to say next. I got lucky as Twilight followed up with another question.

"Hey James... I have seen how useful your gun it to scare stuff... Do you think I can see it?" Twilight looked on at me with anticipation.

"Maybe tomorrow." I don't know why, but I had a feeling that was coming.

"So James... How are you going to get what you need from the Black Box?"

"I need to get my hands on a comp..." I stopped myself. "I cant... I can't get what I need..." As I realized I can get information from it without a computer. I got slightly angry. "I will just hold onto it until I find a way to use it."

As we made our way out of the forest and into Ponyville. The moon started to rise. As we walked down the street. Not one of us said a word. As the lights around us started to turn off. I concluded everyone was heading off to bed. I looked straight ahead and see a large tree. It looked to have a door and windows. As odd as it looked; the light where on inside. As we got to the door. Twilight turned and looked at me.

"Here we are! Home sweet home." Twilight smiled.

"You live in a tree?"

"Well this is more of a library, but yes I live here."

I had to bend down a little, but I followed her inside. Closing the door behind me. I glanced at all of the books on the shelves. I walked over to a table. I set the Black Box on the floor by the table.

"Welcome home Twilight!" A voice said.

"Hey Spike. This is James. He is going to stay with us for a little bit."

"Hello James! I'm spike. Nice to meet you." Spike reached his hand out and extended his claws.

"Hey Spike. Nice to meet you. Thanks for helping me out of that forest." I bent down and extended my arm to shake his hand. "I am guessing you are a dragon?"

"Ya! Howdya know?"

"Where I come from... We have a lot of stories about dragons." I let go of his hand and stand up.

"Follow me James. I will show you where you're going to sleep." I followed Twilight up some stairs. She pointed her hoof to a bed resting against some shelves. "You can sleep here tonight. You can also put your stuff on the shelf behind the bed."

"Thank you Twilight. Thank you for giving me a place to stay. Also thank you for helping me in the forest." I gave Twilight a smile while thinking. She might not be too bad of a person. Twilight jumps in her bed and gets under her blankets. I see spike head down stairs as the lights shut off. I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Spike walked over to a small basket next to my bed. He jumped in it and pulled the blanket over himself.

I walked over to my bed and sat down. I looked out the window and saw the moon. The moon was full tonight. I took of my shirt and hung it on the corner of the bed. I stood up taking my belt along with my gun. Placing them both on the shelf. I sit back on the bed and took off my boots. I kicked my feet up and rested back on the bed. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I hear a door close. I open my eyes and look around. I was standing in a room. I have never been in a place like this before. It seemed I was in an office building. I walk around the room. While I look around. It feels like I am being watched. I walk down the hall and found myself in a large room. A desk was by the wall and on the other end had double sided doors. I walked out the doors and look around. I see a sign on the wall of the building.

"The Pentagon Washington D.C."

I look around. I cans seem to shake the feeling I am being watched. I look up at the sky. I saw no stars, but the moon was full. I looked closer at the moon and realized. It wasn't the moon I recognize. I jumped as a loud voice echoed all around me.

"Your dream are filled with fear. What do you fear human? Is it death that you fear so much? Or is it because you are the only human here? Do you fear being all alone?"

As I tried to speak. A pressure in my lungs built up. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk. As I fell to the ground. The voice continued.

"You have nothing to fear here human. In this world; you are never alone. I will be here whenever you need me. Now... Be gone from my realm!"

I woke up finding myself gasping for breath. I looked around the room. Twilight and Spike were still asleep. I wipe the sweat off my forehead. I got up and sat on the edge of the bed. As I started to relax. I put my shirt and boots on. I made my way quietly outside and started to walk.

As Spike was curled up in a ball under the blanket. A noise woke him. Spike looked around the room. Spike gets up and ran over to Twilight bed.

"Twilight! Twilight wake up! James is leaving!" Spike yelled as Twilight awoke.

"What!" Twilight yelled half asleep.

"Come on Twilight! We have to follow him! he just left."

Twilight rushed out of her bed. As Twilight started to gallop to the stairs. She grabbed Spike and tossed him on her back. Twilight rushed out the door to follow James. Twilight caught up in no time. She was keeping a safe distance. She didn't want James to see her.

"Where do you think he is going this late Twilight?"

"I don't know spike..." Twilight continued to follow James into the forest. "I think he is going back to where he crashed."

As Twilight followed James. She knew she was right. He was going back to where he crashed. Twilight stayed back in the bushes to observe.

I made my way up on the wing of my Hornet. I sat on the edge and laid down. As I looked up at the full moon. As I looked at the moon. I got the same feeling I had in my dream. I was being watched. I got comfortable and took a deep breath. I remembered a song as I rested.

[Far away, A long lost home will rise.]

[Leaves me standing, Upon the height.]

[Once was before, Is never more.]

[My country, A distant flame.]

[Fires burning, Beneath the golden sun.]

[My words unspoken, Will be there soon.]

[And all who find me, Will know my pain.]

[I'll ride the gathering storm, Until I find my long lost home.]

[A fate unknown, A dream once known.]

[For what was stolen, Will be returned.]

[I must awake, To brave this day.]

[To find my once, Forgotten home. ]

I closed my eyes and waited. It didn't take long before I heard a familiar voice.

"How can something so full of life sing of something sad?" The voice asked.

"It was you. You were the voice in my dream. Can I ask for your name?"

"You can call me Luna."

"Well Luna. Do you mind talking with me for a little?"

"Sure."

"Twilight!" I yelled." You mind letting me and Luna talk alone!?" As I looked around. I see Twilight get out of the bushes.

She turned around and walked away with Spike on her back. I sat back up on the wing. "Luna... I need your help with something." As I looked back at her.

"Sure." She walked up to the edge of the wing and sat down on the ground.