Past to Present

Chapter 3: History

NOTE: I actually accidentally clicked the little X on this post, so I had to rewrite this. Feel bad.

The small city seemed medieval in nature to James Underwood as he walked through its empty streets. The buildings he saw in his history classes closely resembled the ones he saw here. Exposed wooden frames with plaster panels for walls? Check. Fire-hazard thatched roof? Check. Jettied second floor? Double check. All in all, a classic village appearance was maintained. However, James knew that this would not be lasting. The invasion fleet was very likely in the process of razing the GAPHE capitol, and this town would very likely be obliterated soon. James only needed to establish a connection with his Captain in order to reaffirm his position and be picked up. Could these equines would have access to a radio? His was clearly destroyed, so he hoped he would actually find one.

Although they were attempting to not disturb the town's rest, the two individuals still managed to make good time, walking from one end of the town to the other within five minutes. At a corner area, the young mare halted with no announcement.

"The library's just ahead!" Was her announcement. "I'll try to explain to Twilight so that she doesn't... You know, wake up the whole town."

The two turned the corner of the house which concealed the library.

To say that James was surprised was akin to saying that Britain has been in a war. The whole building was a tree. A single tree. As in, an incredibly disproportionate wooden plant which had been hollowed out whilst maintaining itself to the point where it didn't even look like any damage had come to it! How that was possible, James didn't know. He wanted to find out though, his genius intellect would not allow for a "It just is" explanation.

"How'd you guys build that?" He asked bluntly. Since in his experience, simple questions were the best ones.

"I dunno. It's a pretty old tree."

James, intrigued, put his helmet back on and ran a diagnostic. As this feature was activated, thousands of molecule-sized nanomachines, not enough to lift or destroy anything, but a hefty amount nonetheless, flew out of the microscopic pores his suit hosted and began to examine the remaining telomeres in each cell. Ten seconds later, a nice little happy message appeared on the HUD of the glorified hat.

Telomere content on chromosomes identify the age as 127.732 years since germination. Species: Oak. Gender: Female.

"So you guys found an old tree and mutilated it." He stated coldly.

"It's not hurt or anything!"

"I wasn't accusing you of anything! What I want to know is how you carved it! Must have taken some skill..."

"Whatever. I'm going to get Twilight. You just stay here and... Do whatever." She trot off to the tree.

Why wasn't I informed of this experiment? I WAS the director of research, after all! What was so important about this that the man with the second highest rank in the whole company couldn't be told? Perhaps this was an accident? No, the presence of aged equines with apparent memory's evidence against that... I helped build that company! Their largest product was MY creation! Well... Partly my creation, but still!

"Right. You do that."

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The NUSS Harbinger tore through space with a vengeance as its left MPD engine exploded violently, propelling the massive craft at a slight angle, before it righted itself. The vacuum tore air and crew out of the damaged chassis with no mercy until the hole plugged itself.

"SHIT! What happened? CAPTAIN! Give me a full on report!" Screamed a rather pissed-off Vice Admiral Huggbees, the sole possessor of the most amazing name ever. (Say it. You know you want to. Here, I'll start! Huggbees.)

A sweaty, pimply, scrawny and unkempt adult wearing oversized glasses stepped forward, one hand mounted on his left nostril, and he sniffing loudly. He then spoke with the voice of one of the chipmunks, if puberty had hit them HARD.

"Yes sir! I-uh... I don't know. Oh! The, the, the far starboard engine's gone, and we've lost about... A hundred men? I also don't think, you know, I mean... We're not near EARTH anymore... But the planet sure LOOKS like earth... There's just no giant space battle going on, if you know what I mean! This then can't be earth, even if it looks like earth, because earth has a massive battle around it, not that you wouldn't know that, you're a major part of it, but still, I was just elaborating on the fact that no, there isn't a massive space battle around this planet, and since earth has a mass--"

"You're rambling, Captain."

"Sorry, sir."

"Who would open an Alc drive right in front of us? Did we do that?" He asked nobody in particular.

"SIR!" A red shirted uninteresting person suddenly exclaimed. "Another Alc portal's opening!"

"What?"

"Something's coming out... It's another battleship! Oh holy shit... Sir? It's a GAPHE Capital Ship! I believe it is the... Dear Lord... That's the HES Henkins!"

True, the massive craft propelling itself through a swiftly closing Alcubierre disturbance was, in fact, the HES Henkins, the ship which hosted ten thousand crew members and was commanded by none other than Vice Admiral Henkins himself, one of the most renowned admirals in all of human history.

"Well, we're fucked." Said the Captain.

As the massive ship flew uncontrolled through the portal, something strange happened. Three quarters of the way through, the spacetime warp cut off. The majority of the Henkins was cut off from the rest.

"You were saying?" Asked the Vice Admiral. "Hail them." He ordered.

The Captain immediately pointed to the uninteresting red-suited Ensign, who immediately pressed a button on his rather uninteresting, blinking keyboard touchscreen of the future. Incidentally, the Ensign was of Swiss descent.

A ginger-haired official showed up on a large monitor which descended from the ceiling.

"This is Vice Admiral Harrison Henkins, what do you want?" The man asked in a slightly southern accent.

The NUSA Admiral remained stoic, attempting to maintain some masculinity in front of sheer badassery.

"I am Vice Admiral Marty Hugbees (yes, that is his name.) It appears you're in a sticky situation there. We're in one as well, so if you don't mind, I wish to propose a temporary truce."

"That's not a bad idea, considering the circumstances. Ah'll park my ship on the opposite of this here planet. Wouldn't want to start something we'll both regret, now would we?"

"Affirmative. Thank you. Huggbees out."

The screen blipped out and the room was silent. Only for a moment though, for as soon as the crew looked away from him, Huggbees immediately collapsed.

"Pure... Testosterone..." He muttered as he struggled to maintain consciousness.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-The Planet Below-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"Lyra, you do realize that humans are earth pony myths, right?" Twilight attempted to explain to Lyra. She hated doing this, it always made her feel bad, but sometimes sense must be brought to those without it. "That... THING behind you is not a human. I don't see how that even comes CLOSE to fitting the legend! Look at it! It's white and scaly with a large... Compound eye on top! All you've got going for you are the hands!"

"Am I interrupting something?" The large... Thing interrupted.

For Twilight, it was like Jason Vorhees had decided to jump into her conversation. She stumbled backwards as the spaceman stooped down next to Lyra.

"Hi. Um, I was wondering how you actually carved that tree... Do you know?" He stared at the pony through his orange helmet, showing no emotion.

"Where is the sound coming from?" She whispered to Lyra.

"Oh, sorry... Where are my manners?" He removed his circular helmet. (For your listening pleasure.)

The mere statement "His face was handsome" is an understatement. (NO, THIS IS NOT A CLOPFIC, NOR A ROMANCE FIC. SHUT UP.) His blond hair waved in the night wind, highlighting his features. Twilight was baffled. I was wrong? I'm NEVER wrong! Humans exist? LYRA wasn't crazy? Waitaminute! Maybe she IS crazy and this is a huge coincidence! That's gotta be it.

"I'm First Lieutenant James Underwood. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He said, unnaturally nice. Maybe if I'm nice enough, she'll tell me ALL she knows! He thought.

"Charmed! I'm Twilight Sparkle! I've been told you were to stay with me, is that true? Because it would be my pleasure!" Maybe if I'm nice enough, he'll tell me ALL he knows! She thought in tandem. She was absolutely intrigued by the notion of humans and what they had. "You're a Lieutenant? So you have a military, right?"

"I'd say that was classified, if my title didn't imply it." He responded.

OH NO. He's going for the "it's classified" approach. SUPER nice time. She thought.

"Come in! We have a lot to discuss! I'm sure you want to learn about our culture, and I can tell you that I REALLY want to hear about yours.... "

"Sure!" He said with false happiness as he entered her house on her invitation. "You're the librarian, correct?"

"Yes! SPIKE!" She called.

James was confused at this calling. He wondered exactly what sort of cultural meaning shouting "spike" held. Perhaps it was a call for tea? Or perhaps it was a call for the purple dragon walking down the stairs with the same name.

"Wuuuuuuu... Whaddaya want? I'm... Tired..." The lizard asked. "What... What is that?" He asked as well, pertaining to the fleshy, armored BEAST in the middle of the library.

"Nothing. Take a letter, spike! The Princess's going to looove this one!"

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have just made a rather impressive discovery! Humans, the earth pony fairy tails, happen to exist! Now, don't immediately dismiss this, I have proof. Said proof is standing directly in front of me in white armor and flipping through my books. I suggest immediate action. I'm not really sure how to handle this, but I'm going to try to glean as much information as is physically possible from this human. This should be an exciting experience!

Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle

The letter was finished, the deed was done. Celestia was notified. The two hulking monstrosities in the sky orbited around the planet, waiting for a chance to kill each other. The marine was in the library, the student was prepared, the dreamer was informed.

The ponies of Equestria would sleep well that night. But the adventure was not over, it was just beginning. Soon, all hell would break loose, and Equestria would never be the same.

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