It had been a rough reunion for Earnest Ciarelli and the Wolfpack. In his first game for New England since he left the team in free agency just three seasons earlier, the team had fallen in overtime 4-3 as Berger’s 11th of the year had lifted the Hamilton Steelhawks to a win over the defending Challenge Cup champions. It wasn’t the welcome home Ciarelli had been hoping for, and he had ducked into the showers during media availability to try and clear his head.
As he walked out of the showers, he found the locker room empty except for defender Jasper Clayton who was known to be a little long-winded in front of the microphone at times. “Still loves to hear himself talk,” Ciarelli thought to himself. Normally he’d love chatting with Clayton after the game, but not today. He just wanted the day to be over. He reached into his locker and pulled out his clothes. It was the usual postgame outfit from when he’d played with the team before, although it appeared they had gotten new sweatshirts. He closed his locker door when he heard a thud behind him.
He turned to see Clayton’s equipment bag open on the ground, his shoulder pads and one of his skates spilling out of the opening. Next to the bag was Clayton, mouth agape, staring into his open locker.
Ciarelli took a step towards him. “Jasper?” he asked, but Clayton didn’t seem to hear him. “Jasper,” he repeated as he took a step closer, but there was still no response from the Brit. “Jasper!” Ciarelli was nearly shouting by now, but still Clayton merely stood and stared. Ciarelli reached his teammates side and turned to look in the locker as well, and was surprised to see…nothing.
Well, not nothing. There was something, but…it was just an empty white light. All of Clayton’s belongings, the shelf, his Rainbow Dash plush…all of it was missing, replaced by this weird glow. “What is it?” asked Ciarelli.
“I have no idea,” Clayton responded. He looked on either side of the locker. “I don’t see any power cords or anything.”
“It’s probably Phil, this is his kind of prank. Probably some kind of projector system or something.” Ciarelli started pawing at the sides of the locker.
“Personally I think it has Mia written all over it,” Clayton replied. He watched Ciarelli feel around, and after a moment of thought he added, “I’ll bet it’s a rear projection system of some kind.”
Ciarelli stepped aside as Clayton reached into the locker. He frowned as he reached back. “It’s bigger than I remember.” He turned sideways and took a step up into the lower part of the locker to try and get further back. “I think whoever did this took out the backboard or something,” he said. “It seems to go a ways back there.” Clayton crawled up into the locker to try and get further back. He reached through to the other side of the locker and pulled himself through, disappearing into the white light.
Ciarelli watched and waited for a moment. “Jasper?” he asked. There was no response. “Jasper, are you there?” Still nothing. He looked around the locker room, but it was empty. Seeing no other option, he followed his friend into the glowing white light of the locker.
* * *
As Ciarelli emerged from the locker he found himself in someplace…different. Somehow both foreign and yet very familiar to him, though he couldn’t quite place it. Looking around nothing seemed all that out of the ordinary. Clayton was standing a few feet away, and the two of them appeared to be on the outskirts of a forest of some kind. There was a river running nearby, and Ciarelli could just make out some colorful looking buildings through the clouds in the distance. Unfortunately, he could neither see anyone else around, nor could he see a way back to the locker room. “Any idea what’s going on?” asked Ciarelli.
Clayton shook his head. “Not a clue. I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen this place before, but I can’t place it. I’m not sure why that would be.” Clayton looked back at Ciarelli and added, “To make things worse, it looks like we’re stuck here. I don’t see a way back at all.”
Ciarelli frowned. His friend was right, they were stuck, and unfortunately there was nobody around to help them. Perhaps the city he could see in the distance might hold some answers? “You see those buildings over there?” he asked. “If we start heading that way, maybe we’ll run into somebody who might be able to help us.”
Clayton nodded. “You’re probably right. Let’s start walking.”
* * *
It was a short walk to the city, yet once they got there they still couldn’t see anyone. It was dead, though there were signs of life. Clearly people had been around recently – the ground was extremely trodden and worn. But there was nobody here now. Looking around, Clayton still couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew this place, but he still wasn’t sure why. Everything was new, yet so familiar to him.
Walking next to him, Ciarelli felt the same way. In the back of his mind he knew this place – he was sure of it. But why? And why was it so empty?
As they walked further on towards the center of town, they heard someone talking near what appeared to be a town hall. Ciarelli turned to Clayton. “Did you hear that?”
Clayton nodded. “Let’s go check it out.”
As they approached the town hall, they could hear muffled cheering coming from inside. At least they’d finally figured out where everyone went. They walked around the side of the building to try and find the front door, when suddenly they stopped in their tracks.
Ciarelli grabbed his friend’s arm. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Clayton didn’t respond. He was once again frozen, unable to speak.
There were six figures standing in front of them, and suddenly it all made sense. This wasn’t just any random place.
This was Equestria.