Otonashi gets reincarnated as a pony in Equestria. Will he find his friends from the S.S.S? He gets help from the mane six sure, but is that enough to find his scattered friends and Kanade?
Otonashi and the rest of the S.S.S crew get reincarnated as these creatures that look similar to ponies. Otonashi feels the need to look for them as they have been spread across Equestria. But the first one on his mind is who he's after first: Kanade. Join him on his journey as him and the mane six look for the S.S.S, and group them back together before their new lives truly begin.
Otonashi was all alone. His feeling of loneliness and sorrow could not be beat. The one whom he wished to be with for eternity has passed on to a better place leaving him behind. He cried, and he sobbed as tears of pure sorrow and depression raced down his cheeks. All alone and yet he longed for her to come back to him, though he knew that such a wish was not grantable. He later passed on himself and had been ready to be back to where his whole life began. He was ready to find her. For he never got the answer to his confession to Kanade Tachibana.
"I will find her. I'm coming for you Kanade." Otonashi spoke to himself as the process of reincarnation began with a blinding white light that seemingly came out of nowhere as it started to envelope Otonashi.
Ponyville
"Hey. What's that light over there? Does anypony else see that?" A pony said as he stared at the mysterious ball of light. He had a confused look plastered on his face as he studied it.
Soon enough a lot of ponies gathered around the strange bright orb. It was as if it was a street performance that had grabbed the attention of every pony that passed by.
"What's going on here?!" A strong but feminine voice spoke over the loud murmuring of the large group of ponies.
"It's that bright orb of light over there your majesty! Though it seems familiar." A unicorn from the crowd explained.
A purple alicorn made her way through the large group of ponies, and approached the glowing ball of mysterious white light.
"Hmm. This seems familiar. I feel like I've seen this before." The alicorn silently whispered to herself.
After a few moments went by, the light finally began to slightly fade. As it dissipated, it revealed a unicorn with a mane that almost glowed a fiery orange with slightly darker shades of orange on the tips of his mane laying on his stomach. And the color of the pony's skin was that of a creamy white color. He was wearing some sort of uniform. It was a light brown jacket that almost resembled a tuxedo. Under the coat was a plain white shirt and to complete it, a tie that was a very dark shade of blue lazily hung from his neck and rested on his chest. His eyes were the most enchanting sight of all when they peeked under the unicorn's eyelids. Their color consisted of a reddish pink that was shaded halfway up into black as they dared anyone to stare into them for an eternity. The crowd was staring intently at his eyes so amazed by the vibrant ways that they had revealed his soul and told of his depression with a single glance.
"Where am I?" Otonashi asked himself under his breath.
He looked around at the sheer crowd of creatures that resembled those of ponies. Some had a single horn on their foreheads like a unicorn, and some had a pair of wings like a pegasus. Then there were the few that looked like a regular pony. Only, these ponies looked like they were something out of some little girl's coloring book.
"Excuse me, who are you?" A single purple pony with both wings, and a horn had taken a few steps forward. Otonashi looked up at her face and was astonished. Not because of her appearance, but, because he could understand what she was saying.
All the alicorn got in response was a dumbfounded look from Otonashi. Despite his confusion, Otonashi introduced himself to the purple one.
"M-my name is Yuzuru Otonashi. You can just call me Otonashi though..." he said as he felt a hint of awkwardness. He wondered why all of the pony-like creatures kept staring him dead in the eyes. He wondered if there was something on his face.
"Hello Otonashi. My name is Twilight Sparkle. But you can just call me Twilight." Twilight introduced herself. She remembered that the crowd of ponies was still surrounding the both of them. She noted that they were all glaring at his deep eyes that told his life story in a single stare. She knew why too. After all, she was mesmerized by his eyes as well.
Why are they all looking at me like that? My face can't be that interesting...can it? No. Couldn't be. There's definitely something on my face. Wait a sec. Is that one crying over there? Yuzuru thought to himself as he turned his head in the direction of the pony who's eyes were beginning to water as a single tear escaped their eye and ran down their cheek.
They really are crying. But why? Am I ugly to them or something? Geez if I thought I was ugly I'd be crying too. Yuzuru thought to himself as he tried to stand up. However, when he gave this a shot, he fell forward a little but his hooves caught him- wait what?
Oh my god. Don't tell me I'm one of them. If my sister could see me now. Otonashi mused as he gave a look of agitation with a half smile, and eyebrows that were angled as if he was angry. To the ponies, it looked like he was angry but instead of a frown, he was smiling.
"What's with that look?" Twilight questioned in fascination. She had never seen that look before.
"Just never mind. Hey...um...do you know anyone named Yuripe?" Otonashi doubted that she did, and he thought that he should've just asked someone else. But even so, he kept taking his chances. So far all he got was silence as a response.
"Alright everypony! You all may continue on with your daily lives. Nothing here but a lost pony with fascinating eyes." Twilight's voice cut through the silence like a sharpened katana. The sudden yell made Yuzuru jump a little bit, but he immediately recovered. With those few sentences, the crowd just disappeared as if they were never there to begin with.
"Hey, uh... Twilight?" Otonashi tried.
"Yes Otonashi?" She replied.
"Do you know anyone- anypony named Kanade Tachibana?" Yuzuru hoped that his new acquaintance could give him a lead, or something, just, anything that could help him find her. He wanted a clear answer to his confession. He longed to know if she returned his feelings. He just wanted to know if she loved him back the same way he loved her, and this. This was his big chance. And he took that chance in a heartbeat.
"Hmm...Kanade Tachibana.....umm...let me think...oh YEAH!" Twilight exclaimed. Much to Yuzuru's surprise.
"You know her!?" Otonashi was overwhelmed with a tsunami of joy, and happiness.
"Yeah! Actually, I can take you to her." Twilight happily spoke. She was happy for Yuzuru because he wasn't going to be as lost as he was when he made his outstanding entrance.
"Oh really!? That great!" Otonashi was very excited to hear that. He was delighted that he didn't have to search for her in a maze of wrong turns, and dead ends while getting cut off by mere rumors and being unable to tell fact from truth getting him nowhere near her location.
"But." Twilight began.
THERE'S A BUT!?!?!? Otonashi's mind screamed at the top of its lungs.
"It will take a while to get there." Twilight casually stated.
"How long are we talking about?" Otonashi asked letting out a small sigh as he talked.
"Depending on when the next train ride to Manehattan is and the two days it will take to get there." Twilight shrugged.
"Is this 'Manehattan' a big place like a city or something?" Otonashi slouched lazily and drooped his head hoping that Twilight would say no.
"Unfortunately, yes." Twilight answered with a bit of sympathy in her voice.
"Bite me. I think I'm still sleeping." Otonashi sarcastically remarked with a sigh.
"Why?" Twilight asked with her head tilted slightly to the side.
"Because when I wake up I'll either a barnacle or a waterflee." Yuzuru sighed.
"Hey Otonashi? Why don't I get my friends to come with us? They would love to go to Manehattan!" Twilight suggested.
Otonashi just looked at her in response.
"Well?" Twilight pushed on.
"Yeah, sure. As long as their not as crazy as my friends from the S.S.S." Otonashi said as he lightly sighed and looked at the ground.
"What's the S.S.S? What does it stand for?" Twilight was now interested because of this new topic, and subject that she had never heard of before. Her curiosity grew almost competing with her high level of knowledge.
"Well, the S.S.S, or the Shinda Sekai Sense which means "World of the Dead War Front." The name is constantly changing though. But some people like to call us the "Not Dead Yet Battlefront." Our group was formed for one reason: to eliminate Tenshi or as some people like to call her: Angel. Even though she's not an angle, we still like to call her that sometimes." Otonashi explained. Twilight's eyes got wider and wider and overflowed with curiosity as he explained about his group. She was careful not to stare too deeply into his eyes for she knew she could get stuck there gazing at them for quite some time. Before they continued their walk to seemingly nowhere, Twilight just remembered something important.
"Oh! I just remembered! I gotta go get my friends! I'll take you to the train station where you can wait for us before I go though." Twilight had a lot more questions for Otonashi, but she had to care of the task at hand first. She impatiently galloped to the train station with Otonashi far behind. He had to figure out how to run in his new equine body. His mind was so fixated on galloping right that he almost forgot an important question in his universe of a mind.
When Otonashi finally caught up with her, he asked her the question.
"Hey Twilight?" Otonashi began.
"Yes?" Twilight responded. She was hoping that he wasn't asking her a certain question about Kanade because she wanted to tell him on the way there.
"How do you know who Kanade is?" Otonashi was suspicious of this from the moment Twilight told him that she knew who he was asking about. He was too shocked, and too overwhelmed with joy and happiness that he had forgotten to ask.
This was the question that Twilight wanted to hold the answer close and hidden until they began the train ride. It was only to be set free under those conditions.
"I'll tell you on the way. But I have the same question for you. how do you know who she is?" Twilight didn't give an inch in the battle for answers and stood her ground well. Instead of giving up, she used her question as a counterattack.
"Uh...let's just say that I knew her in...the Afterlife?" Otonashi tried. He wanted to tell Twilight about the wonders of the Afterlife, he really did, but he was holding back and didn't know why.
"Huh? So your saying that you, her, and the S.S.S have been reincarnated? Is that what your saying?" Twilight implied. She couldn't believe it. In fact, she wouldn't believe it. Now she has a lot more questions for Yuzuru, but she decided that she could wait until they got on the train with her friends.
"All right Otonashi, wait on that bench while I go get my friends." Twilight said in a hurry as she made her horn glow a lavender color and seemingly disappearing leaving behind only a few sparkles and shines in the area where she once stood.
Fluttershy's Cottage
Twilight hurriedly knocked on Fluttershy's door in a form of urgency as she realized that the train would be leaving in two hours, and even with her teleportation magic, It would take an hour and a half just to get all her friends to go. She always seemingly catches them at the right time when they have nothing to do. Though Rarity and Applejack were sometimes an exception. Spike just lazily sat on her back as his hind legs lazily hung from her sides.
Fluttershy rushed to the door and opened it with ease. She was curious as to why Twilight was acting as if she had a bucket list to complete or something. Angel was laying on Fluttershy's back taking a nap, and using her pink mane as both a pillow and a blanket.
"What's the rush Twilight? You look like your being timed on doing something important. But why did you come to me?" Fluttershy gave a puzzled look.
"Fluttershy would you like to come with me to Manehattan? I'm planning on bringing the rest of the gang too." Twilight swiftly asked. She was quick with her words, but they were still understandable.
Flutter had to think for a moment. She had to think if there was anything that she was doing for the next few days. When she found her answer, she realized that her week was going to be pretty boring, so she decided to tag along.
"Yeah, I'll go with you. But why are we going to Manehattan?" Fluttershy pondered.
"We're going to see Kanade Tachibana!" Twilight exclaimed enthusiastically as she a smile grew brighter and brighter as she talked.
"You mean-"
"Yep, that's the one. In fact thats the only Kanade Tachibana that we know" Twilight said as her excitement rivaled that of a little kid that was about to go to Disneyland.
"Alright, just let me pack a few things." Fluttershy ran back into her cottage and swiftly began to pack.
"When your done, head straight to the train station! I'm going to get the others!" Twilight called as she teleported to a certain apple farm. After that, she would head to Carousel Boutique, and then off to a shop that resembled a ginger bread house, and finally, a cloud house in the sky with a rainbow as a fountain.
At the Train Station
"Are we all here?" Twilight called out.
"Yeah!" Everypony answered. For some reason though, they heard an extra voice. Twilight remember that she hadn't told them about Otonashi yet.
"Uh Twilight, who's that?" Rainbow Dash questioned with a hint of awkwardness due to the pony standing a few feet away from her.
"I mean, yeah I've seen him sitting here, but you mean to tell me that he's coming with us?" Rainbow began to question Twilight's actions.
"Yes he is coming with us, and his name is Otonashi." Twilight calmly answered.
"But why!?" Rainbow Dash was beginning to get impatient and angry like a spoiled little brat.
"Because he's looking for-"
"ALL ABOARD!! LETS GO!" The train conductor hollered.
With that, everypony boarded the train and found a seat to rest for the two day trip to the city that was like a replica of New York and acted like so.
The mane six, Spike and Otonashi took up one whole train car. As soon as the door closed the first thing Rainbow did was ask Twilight what she was about to say before they boarded the train.
The rest of the qroup introduced themselves to Yuzuru and at least seemed happy do so.
"He's looking for Kanade, so I decided to help him. Got a problem with that?" Twilight answered in a serious tone.
"No, I was just wondering." Rainbow Dash stated in a casual tone.
When all was said and done, Rainbow Dash made her way to Otonashi to introduce herself. When she did, she noticed that her friends were staring him dead in the eyes. For what reason though? Even Spike looked like he was a little interested.
Why does everyone keep glaring at my eyes. It makes this situation more awkward than it already is. I don't understand. Am I handsome or ugly because either way, it has the same affect on every pony that I've seen so far. Please tell me they think I'm handsome or at least average because if they think I'm ugly than I'd be crying along with them. Otonashi thought to himself as shifted uncomfortably.
"Why do you guys keep staring at his eyes? It makes no sense." Rainbow asked as she sported a bewildered look.
"Oh. Rainbow Dash darling, his eyes are just gorgeous, but they're somehow very depressing. Almost to the point that I want to cry." Rarity said as she walked back to her seat. She couldn't look him in the eyes anymore than she had already because if she did, she would end up sobbing.
"So that's why everypony keeps staring at me like I'm an alien or something." Otonashi was relieved that that was the only reason why they gazed at him intently.
Thank goodness they don't think I'm ugly. I was actually to beginning to believe that. Sometimes I disappoint myself. Otonashi mused as he face-hoofed.
Spike just sat next to him and wondered why he seemed like such a regular pony, but it was like he had an ocean of depression inside that he had tried to bottle up, but was seemingly impossible.
So Spike just sat with him in a form of sympathy for whatever reason Yuzuru was sad for.
The rest of the mane six quit staring at Otonashi's eyes and took their seats. All of them were pondering why he was so very sorrowful. Even Twilight was wondering what was going on with him.
"Oh yeah! Hey, Otonashi." Twilight began rather hyped.
"Yeah?" Yuzuru asked.
"I just remembered. I wanna tell you the answer to the question you asked me earlier." Twilight said as she began to walk towards Otonashi's booth-like seat.
"Are you talking about when I asked you how you knew Kanade?" Otonashi checked. He could never be too sure.
"Well, you see Kanade is-"
"A very famous pianist!" Pinkie Pie interrupted as she didn't realize what she was just about to start.
"Yes thank you Pinkie. She's also-"
"She's very modest darling, and-"
"An' she's known bah almost everypony in Equestria an'-"
"She makes beautiful music-"
"Some of her songs are really cool. Like 20% cooler than the average song."
"ARE YOU ALL DONE!?" Twilight yelled.
"Oh. Heh sorry Twi, we just got caught in the moment."
The chain of constant interruption and interference had finally been melted down by Twilight's annoyance and anger. All of this while Otonashi was quietly thinking to himself.
Wow. I never knew she would turn out to be so great. And popular at that. I hope she will still remember me. Even if it's just a little, I'll be happy. Otonashi thought as a faint warm smile melted away most of his depression.
The ponies noticed that Yuzuru was grinning in the slightest, and it made them at least a little joyful and they couldn't help but to smile along with him.
"Oh and Otonashi, I checked the next time Kanade will be performing in Manehattan before I bought the train tickets that way we could easily find her. Don't worry, I got your back. You are my friend after all." Twilight remarked as she winked at Otonashi. It made him feel good that she had already considered him her friend in such little time.
The train gave a final whistle in the night as the ponies all began to fall prisoner to dreamland as it was already late in the day when the engine had departed from its rest stop. The clicks and clacks of the wheels on the tracks hastened the enchantment of sleep on ponies all in the train. Even the conductor almost gave way to the calm noise that was the sound of his second home. He knew that he had stay awake for the night, and he had to fight the spreading relief that was a thief. A their that stole the night away. He would switch with another conductor in the morning and catch up on his sleep. As for now, he took in the beautiful moonlight and had this as a secret to keep.
Otonashi and Spike were the last ones to get up. Everypony else was just about ready to eat breakfast, but they were distracted by the soothing scene that was happening before them. Spike and Otonashi were leaning on each other as if they were brothers. Otonashi and Spike had their backs against each other as the slouched and drooped their heads while they enjoyed their peaceful sleep. Both of them giving off small snores every now and again. All the ponies admired that they were getting along so well as if they were relatives. Even though they didn't want to rip the two away from their adorable method of sleeping, they needed to wake up because the day would end up leaving them behind.
Twilight gently made her way to Spike and warmly nuzzled his scaly cheek. The others admired Twilight's motherly behavior towards the developing dragon. Spike slowly lifted the weight of his eyelids as he awakened.
"Hm. It's usually never this easy to wake him up." Twilight whispered to her friends while they giggled at the joke that happened to be a fact.
As for Otonashi, the ponies had something else in mind. Something so messed up, that it was cruel. They all remembered to blame RD for it as it was her idea. With that thought of blaming their friend when Otonashi asked, they all inhaled a deep breath.
"OH MY CELESTIA ITS KANADE!!!" They all screamed at the top of their lungs. Though Fluttershy didn't scream nearly as loud as they did. Her voice was just too gentle to be able to do so.
"GAH- WHAT THE- WHERE!? WHERE IS SHE!?" Otonashi immediately sprung into action but as he looked around, his hopes that were raised into the air hit the ground and immediately died.
"That was a lame trick guys." Yuzuru pouted as he hung his head down in the slightest.
"Believe me darling, it was all Rainbow's idea. We just helped because it sounded like fun. Isn't that right everypony." Rarity said innocently as she made her eyes as cute and innocent as possible.
"Mhm." Everypony in the room hummed in agreement.
"Don't you guys think that it was even just a little cruel though?" Spike took Otonashi's side.
They all knew perfectly well that it was wrong to do so, but they had to admit, to them, Yuzuru's reaction was pretty funny.
The train slowly came to a stop as the conductor walked off the train and left for his break. A few minutes went by before a completely different conductor approached the train and boarded it.
"ALL ABOARD!?" He called out.
When nopony else got onto the train, that was the 'go ahead' for the conductor.
Twilight's mind was swirling with questions about Otonashi. She wanted to know more about who reincarnated him, and why he was sent to the Afterlife in the first place. When she finally organized her thoughts, she made her way to Otonashi's seat, and sat right in front of him.
Why did she come over here? 'sigh' please don't tell me she's interested in my eyes again. This is really getting annoying. Maybe if I tell her off she'll leave me alone...no, that would be rude. But I should really do something because this is really just getting awkward. Otonashi pondered to himself.
"Hey, um Otonashi, this is kind of a personal question, and maybe a bit intruding, but...I want to know how got to the Afterlife. How you...died." Twilight began to feel large jolts of guilt for asking that question, and it was so powerful, that it made everypony, including Spike, winced as they cringed and looked as if they just saw something that looked like it hurt.
Otonashi just sighed, and dropped his head as he began feel a little depressed, while being annoyed at the sudden darkness of the train ride.
"...Heh...what's up with that question?" Otonashi gave a fake smile as he felt the sympathetic glares of the ponies and dragon.
"I'm sorry. Just...never mind, you don't have to answer it if you don't want to." Twilight sighed as she got up, and began walking away. The rest of the group just looked down with pained looks.
Thanks for setting the mood Twilight. Oh well, might as well tell her since she asked.
"A train." Twilight stopped in her tracks, and turned around to face Yuzuru. As this happened, the ponies' heads ascended in order to deliver their undivided attention.
"Ya got hit by a train?" Applejack piped up with that hurt look on her face.
"Oh how awful." Fluttershy gently stated.
Spike just cuddled up to Otonashi's side in a form of sympathy.
"No. It was an accident. I was on a subway one day. Though I don't remember if I was going home, or if I was going to school. Then, all of a sudden, part of the tunnel collapsed, and the subway crashed. Some of the subway cars were blocking the only other way out. Me and a few other passengers made it out of the crash alive, sure. But lives were still lost that day. We ended up having to ration food and water just to stay alive. Me and this other guy were like the leaders of a thirsty, starving village. And when they finally drilled us out, I drew my last breath. I was going to become a doctor so that i could heal people. I wanted to help. But...the only thing I could do was donate my organs to anyone in need." Otonashi finished and whirled his head around to look out the window.
They were all almost crying as tears trickled down some of their faces.
Before Yuzuru knew it, they were all cuddling with him, and hugging him. Showing any signs of sympathy they knew of (even RD!)
"I'm so sorry Otonashi. We never knew. All I wanted to do was know how you got to the Afterlife. I didn't know that it was so tragic." Twilight sobbed lightly.
"It really is alright though guys. I'm just happy I didn't get reincarnated as a barnacle or a waterflee."
"Huh?" They All asked in unison.
"Nevermind. I'll to you more about it another time."
"Aww." All the ponies and the dragon pouted.
"But wait, what about Kanade?" Pinkie asked as she looked Yuzuru dead in the eyes. It was as if she dared him to deny that he liked her.
"Kanade? Well, before she got to the Afterlife, she...she had my heart. I willingly gave her my heart. And I definitely don't regret that I helped her live just a little bit longer." Otonashi declared.
"Oh how romantic darling." Rarity admired. She wasn't only admiring his words though, she could simply die over his clothes.
"Ooh. So that's why your after her. You wanted a thank you! Heh. I know all about that." Rainbow said.
"No it's not." Otonashi stated.
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash was confused.
"I told her that I love her, and she never said it back. She couldn't. She knew that she would pass on if she did say it. So she just kept thanking me, and thanking me...then...she...she passed on without me and never said 'I love you too.'" Yuzuru slouched as a single tear formed in his eye.
"Oh" Rainbow muttered.
"That's why I'm after her. I want to hear her say what she couldn't back in the Afterlife. I want to hear what she wanted to say." Otonashi stood up and sported a determined look that was so powerful, that it lit a fire in everypony's soul, and Otonashi's fire was glowing the brightest of all.
Hours Later
Yuzuru's speech intesity died in less than 5 minutes and he was a little disappointed, but not much. He just hugged Spike like a teddy bear to which Spike took a liking to. He liked it when anypony hugged him like that at night. I had this soothing feeling to it that he could not explain try as he might.
