Tale of Two: Guard and Adventurer

by Mega NewWays97

Origins: Renna

I open my eyes as someone knocks on the door. I grunt as I get up, several joints popping in protest as I walk over to open the door.

On the other side is a Mare in a baggy outfit, she has a green coat and a blue mane, but no other distinguishable characteristics. I give her a bored look as she stares at me. “Yes?”

“Who is it?” Discord said from his hammock.

“No idea, mind introducing yourself miss?” I asked.

“Lyra,” The mare Lyra answered. “Lyra Heartstrings, and I just dropped by to greet our new neighbors. My friend and I live right next door, and I thought it might be a good idea to meet the new faces in town.” Lyra said with a smile on her muzzle.

“Well nice to meet you I’m Allen.” In a flash Discord teleported right next to me.

“And I am Discord.” He introduced himself as he summoned up a cupcake, “Cupcake?” he offered.

“No thank you, we have enough at the shop. I really just came by to welcome you to Ponyville, although if you’d like I could show you two around after my friend and I close the shop.” She offered.

I shrugged. “Sure, why not.” I said casually.

“Alright, I’ll see you two at six.” Lyra said as she took off towards the center of town.

“Hmmm, you think she’s one of the guards Celestia sent to keep tabs on us?” Allen asked Discord.

The young Chaos god shook his head. “No, but we should keep our eyes open.”

“Alright then.” I said closing the door. “So I’ll go fetch me some breakfast, and maybe dinner for a week.” I summoned out a broadsword and opened the secret path to the everfree forest. Inside the forest I walked around waiting to find something to attack. My prey came as a manticore pounced at me expecting an easy meal. I simply swung my sword, cutting its head off with the first strike as the lifeless body sailed over my head.

“...Wow,” A voice whispered from some nearby bushes.

“I don’t think monster hunting a good idea Scootaloo.” Another voice whispered back, I pushed the bushes away to see three fillies. I notice that they are all from different tribes. One of them is an yellow earth pony with a large pink bow in her red mane. She’s dressed in a red shirt and blue jeans that have several stains on them.

The next filly is a white unicorn with a fluffy mane that looked similar to purple and white cotton candy. She is wearing a green dress that seems would be more appropriate at a high class party, than out in the woods.

The last filly was an orange pegasus with a spiky purple mane. She’s dressed in a purple shirt and a beat up pair of blue jeans. She had a look of awe on her face, but it quickly changed to one of nervousness once she realized that I had found them.

“What are you three doing out here?” I asked the fillies in a deadpan voice. The three fillies’ eyes darted towards the dead manticore before returning to look at me.

“We came here looking to get our cutie marks in monster hunting mister, but now…” Great, these three are trying to hunt monsters, and have no idea how to do it properly. They’re more likely to get themselves killed than get their marks.

“Alright, trust me on this: you shouldn’t try monster hunting. not unless you're a member of the guard.. Or a seasoned adventurer like me.” I said that last part with a bit of a chuckle.

“You’re an adventurer? Like, one that beats up bad ponies and discovers lost treasures? Like, the ponies from the stories?” The orange pegasus asked in an excited voice.

“Depends on if those stories came from over a thousand years ago. You three might be looking at the person they were all based on.” I answered back with a grin.

“Really?” The orange pegasus asked.

“Well let’s see, name a lost treasure.” Allen said with a smile.

“The Shadow Temple Dagger.” Sweetie Belle said. Allen pulled out an ancient blade from his hammerspace presenting it to the three fillies. The three looked at it in surprise and awe. “Where did you get that?” Sweetie asked.

“Hammer space.” Allen answered, “But before I braved an old tomb and got the dagger from it’s bobby trapped alter.” Allen rubbed a place on his shoulder near his joints. “Took me a week to get the metal chips out of here from the trap, having high speed regeneration has some drawbacks.” Allen lifted up the corpse of the manticore over his shoulder.

“Hey, so if you want to hear more stories just stop by the house near the forest, me and Discord would be glad to tell you.” Allen said.

“Ok mr…”

“Allen.” Allen said with a smile.

---

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’ I keep repeating in my mind as I barrel down the sidewalk. My black hair flying everywhere as I shoot around a street corner, I pour on the speed as a large distinct building comes into view.

‘I am so dead. I am so freaking dead!’ I think as the building comes closer and closer. ‘The most important day of the semester and you sleep through your alarm. Good job idiot!’ Coming up to an intersection I run in place as I repeatedly mash the crossing button on the large steel pole. Cars of every color and size flying past me as their drivers try to get through the cluttered city.

It feels like an eternity but the vehicles finally stop and the crossing symbol appears in the little electric box across the street. I charge forward the bag strapped to my shoulders hitting my back in an almost rhythmic beat. I hear a horn honking off to my right as I cross, and I throw myself forward as a feeling of dread takes hold. I roll as I hit the cement and looking back I see a green sports car speeding away.

“ASSHOLE!” I scream as I pick myself up and take off towards the building. I continue sprinting right up until I slam into one of the wood doors of the building. Yanking it open I’m greeted with a flood of people going twenty different directions through numerous hallways. Using my above average height and large frame I shove myself through the crowds. Turning the last corner I bully my way through the mob to a door with the numbers 216 painted above it.

I yank it open just as a bell rings outside. Collapsing against one of the walls of the room I clutch my sides as I gasp for air. “I’m here! I’m here professor!” I wheeze out before looking over to… my professor?

Who wasn’t even here. “Sorry I’m late Class my assistant got lost.” A voice said as two people walked in. One of them sporting a goatee with a “Balance in Mind and Body” written on his shirt under his jacket, and a girl who appeared to be in her early teens with red and yellow hair making it look like bacon. “Now your usual Professor has gotten the flu and is unable to watch you all today. I am Professor Eric Smith and this is my class assistant who goes by her nickname Sunset.”

I stare at the two individuals for a while as I gradually brought my breathing under control. I chuckle as I bring myself to my feet thanking every god out there that I made it in time.

“Your Welcome,” The Professor said before he turned to me with a raised eyebrow. I blink before turning and collapsing on a stool off to one side of the room. Looking around I see quite a few people all sitting on similar stools and all of them working on some sort of project of their own designs.

Shrugging off my backpack I open one of the smaller pockets and pull out the contents.

‘...Shit.’ I think as I stare down at the handful of broken white feathers. Sighing I walk over to the back wall and grab my project. I won’t be able to finish it now, but an incomplete grade is better than no grade.

“Is something wrong?” I jump at a voice behind me, forgetting how close I am to the wall, and accidentally smack one of the large wings against the wall as I turn.

A sickening snap fills the air as I look down at my project in horror. The pair of wings I have been working on for over three months now has a hanging limb, the force of hitting the wall snapping the support as the right wing droops to the floor.

I look at the person who startled me with malice in my eyes, only for my heart to plummet as I see who it is. “I think your project is broken.” Professor Smith said. His assistant hit him in the back of the head, “Ow! Really Sunset?” He asked.

“Yes thanks to you her project is ruined! Fix it!” She hissed at him.

“How about I just give her a complete grade?” He asks as he turns to me.

I look at the substitute for the longest time, before glancing down at my ruined pair of wings. Looking back up I can see that the entire class has frozen looking at the scene with varying degrees of sympathy.

Starring Mr. Smith in the eyes I drop my project before slugging the guy in the face. There is an explosion of noise as several people drop what they’re working on and rush forward. I grab the professor by the jacket and push him into the mob knocking them over as I rush to the door. Swinging it open I run like a madwoman through the now empty halls and don’t stop until I’m out of the building.

---

I look out across the grass covering the ground as I try my hardest not to start crying. I can see a tow truck hauling a familiar green sports car away in the distance. Sighing, I get up and start walking away from the building I have been studying at for the past year and a half. “Are you alri- Ow!” The professor yelped as I punched him in the face… Again, “That almost broke my jaw!” I grab his jacket again before he can continue and lift him off the ground.

“Three months, three freaking months of hard work ruined!” I roar in his face as I drop him.

“Look I can fix it, ok?” He said, catching my next punch with ease.

I frown as I jerk my arm back out of his grasp. Taking several deep breaths I finally unclench my hands, “Fine…” I mumble before walking away.

---

I stare at the ceiling of my apartment with wide eyes as I process what I did today.

‘I assaulted someone… I committed a crime, a federal offense crime. What the hell was I thinking?!? I’m going to have a record… A record over a stupid pair of wings.’

“Knock knock is anyone there?” A voice said knocking on the door.

“Coming” I choke out as I quickly wipe the tears from my eyes. Stumbling over to the door I look out the peephole to see who it is. I see the girl from earlier, the substitute’s assistant, standing with her arms crossed behind her back.

I hesitantly unlock the door and open it. Staring at the smaller woman I feel as if a noose is slowly tightening around my neck. “Hey so Lok- I mean Mr. Smith finally fixed your wings... and I kinda made him give you a perfect grade for the next few weeks.” She said with a wink.

I look at the woman as if she’s insane, probably because she is. I just assaulted her co-worker earlier today, shouldn’t she be scared to even be near me? I continue to stare at her in silence before I come to the only conclusion that makes sense, “...You’re a cop aren’t you?” I whisper... it made sense in a strange way. The local police probably got a hint that Harry was drug dealing so they came to check him out, and they got me instead, someone who assaulted an undercover cop. I’m honestly half expecting police to grab me as soon as I step out of the apartment.

“What? No I am not!” She exclaimed, “If this is about Mr. Smith trust me I do worse to him, he’s use to it.” She waved her hands, “Actually after you were done I hit him over the head with a chair.” Pulling out her phone she started playing a clip that showed exactly what she said.

I stare at the woman as she puts her phone away. “Well… Thank you, I guess... Listen is there a reason why you came here?” I ask as I slowly move my right hand over to where I keep my umbrellas and grabbing one just in case I need to defend myself.

“Nope though Mr. Smith did tell me to say, ‘Loki says hi’ for some reason.”

That makes no sense, and my confusion quickly turned to anger, “Well tell him that Renna thinks he deserves to have a broken jaw!” I yell at the girl as I slam the door in her face. I immediately feel horrible, but before I do anything else I run over to my pull-out bed and scream into the pillows.

‘What the hell is wrong with me today?’

---

I must have fallen asleep because I open my eyes to a dark room, the only light coming from a digital clock on the nightstand to my left. I groan as I get up off the bed and move towards the bathroom across from me. Flicking the light switch I glance around before turning on the shower. Pulling the shower curtain closed I look in the mirror right next to the light switch and I’m greeted by the image of a tall woman with horrible bed hair and red eyes.

‘I look like one of those drunks on tv.’ I muse as I check the water temperature of the shower. Contemplating my situation when I feel that it is still too cold.

‘Alright, so they’re apparently not cops, but if that video Sunset showed me is legitimate I might have been better off with the cops. In fact, why didn’t anyone else call the cops when they saw me assault Mr. Smith? In fact… Why would Sunset record herself committing a crime?’ My eyes widen as I come to my conclusion, ‘It isn’t her phone. Someone else recorded it, but why would they let her take their phone, unless she knocked them out and stole it…’

I start to hyperventilate as I realize I might be way in over my head. ‘Alright, calm down. You just met two people who are probably criminals, who have taken a special interest in you for some reason. No need to panic, just calmly call the police and… and what? Explain to them what happened today? That you attacked a possible criminal? Someone who might be an ordinary professor in an abusive relationship? Yeah, real smart Renna…’

“Or you could just ask us you know.” I yelp as I see my reflection replaced by Mr. Smith and his assistant. Turning back I see nothing but a wall with a towel rack behind me, “I’m talking to you through the mirror.” Looking back I’m relieved to see my reflection staring back at me.

“Hey you're not insane you know that right?” I jolt and see Mr. Smith as a painting on the wall in my bedroom.

I blink and the painting disappears, looking back in the mirror I take a shaky breath and check the water again. I nod as warm water washes over my hand and I quickly close the door.

---

My eyes snap open as a loud buzzing announces the start of a new day. Groaning, I slam a fist down on the clock on the nightstand silencing the noise before crawling to the edge of the bed and falling off it. “Good morning.” A talking cat said to me as it jumps off the bed.

I half heartedly glare at the cat before slowly shambling off to the kitchen.

It is way too early to deal with this.

---

My eye twitches as I stare at the two figures outside my door. “Hello Renna.” Mr. Smith said with a cheerful tone.

“...What do you want?” I ask in a monotone voice.

“He doesn’t want anything, I want to ask you a important question…” His assistant said.

“Do you believe in magic?” Mr. Smith interjected, getting a foot stomped on for his troubles.

“No. I do not believe in magic, and if you do not go away then I’m going to call the cops.” I say in a rising voice.

“How about I prove to you magic exists will you: A. Not call the cops and B. Listen to me?” Mr. Smith asked.

“You know what? Fine, if magic is real then take me to the damn moon, make the moon have air I can breath. Hell, make the moon into cheese!” I say in an aggravated tone.

“That’s all? That’s child's play.” Mr. Smith said in a dismissive tone and with a snap all of us are on a yellow surface… and there is a colorful sphere in the sky… which cheese literally surrounding us. “So what you think?” He asked as a walking cane formed out of nothingness, “By the way my name isn’t Eric Smith… well it kinda is but you may call me Loki.” he said as a top hat formed on his head.

I blink, and then I blink again. With the third blink I finally snap out of my daze and ask one simple question, “What the %&$# are you?!?”

“I am Loki and I am a reality warping, multiverse traveling god.” He states.

---

“Well that is interesting and all, but if you don’t mind me asking, why are you so interested in me?” I ask the man standing across from me. We came back to my apartment a little while ago and I still find myself wondering if Harry didn’t slip something into my drink last time we ate lunch together.

“Oh nothing much, I only meet you during my younger travels and you were like a trillion year old angel lady and your brother was a Champion to a local chaos god, no big deal,” Mr. Smith or Loki as he was known said as he started eating a plate right in front of me.

I look at the self proclaimed god with a deadpan expression, “Alright, now I know you’re lying to me. Believing in magic is one thing, believing that I am a trillion year old angel is just insane, even by the standards your story made.”

“How about I prove it by bring your future self to you?” Loki asked as a cup floated to his lips.

“No!” I exclaim quickly. I have read too many stories about people meeting their future selves and almost all the time the person either killed their past self or the universe was destroyed as soon as they met.

“Then how about your brother’s future self?” Loki asked.

I shifted uncomfortably on the bed as I’m reminded of how much this guy knows, “I’d rather not,” I mumble as I look anywhere but at Loki.

“Screw that he’s going to do it.” A ghost made of mix matched parts said appearing next to Loki.

“Oh Discord you know me so well,” Loki said as he reached into a portal.

“Because I am you.” He said.

“Got him!” Loki then pulled out Allen who was holding a sword bigger than him with one hand like it was nothing.

“What’s going on?” He asked. He noticed me then and his voice quickly took on a desperate tone, “Renna! I can explain! Please don’t turn me to stone again.”

I stare at my brother and the sword he is wielding before quickly turning back to Loki, “Ok! You proved to me that you’re a god just stop pulling stuff out of nowhere!”

“I pulled him out of another Multiverse.” Loki said before tossing Allen back into the portal.

I take a deep breath before turning to Sunset, “What about you? How do you fit into all of this, Sunset?”

“I’m an Alicorn from Loki’s dimension and I’m both his student and his assistant/traveling companion.”

I nod my head like I know what an Alicorn is and turn back to Loki, “Alright, so… Why are you here again? I get that I’m apparently an old friend or something, but why stop in now when I don’t even know who you are?”

“Well you see... how do I put this? I have to displace you otherwise a tear will open up in a transcendent timeline and delete two universes from existence by retconning them both from existence.”

“You will basically be erased from existence.” Sunset summed up.

I laugh nervously as I look between the two, “Alright, what do you have to do to ‘displace’ me?” Praying to any god out there that this is all just a bad nightmare conjured up by the stress in my life.

“One it’s your wings, and two it’s not a nightmare alright,” Loki said, “And no I’m not reading your mind I’m reading it after it’s typed in the google doc.”

“What about my wings?” I ask hesitantly, trying to actively ignore his ramblings now.

“It’s what I need to cast the displacement spell on it will send you through the void absorbing a bit of the Void energy and giving you five powers that are on this list for you,” Loki said handing me a list of powers, “You probably wouldn’t guess it but I was displaced too so don’t worry ok.”

“...Just… Just give me the wings already,” I sigh hoping that once nothing special happens I can try and start a new life… maybe in Ohio.

Loki handed me the wings which he got from... somewhere. “Ok stand back,” Loki summoned up two balls of pure energy in each hand, “Also I will give you a medal that will serve a purpose for you when this story comes to an end and choice will be given now… cya!” Loki cast his spell… and I stare wide eyed as I am tossed through a flashing tunnel of light clutching my prop wings like a safety line.

‘You know, he was right. This isn’t sc-’

I scream as I am torn apart by a force pulling me in every direction.