//------------------------------// // Now What? // Story: Displaced, But Nothing Goes Right // by BradyBunch //------------------------------// I turned around upon hearing the fearful whispers behind me, and I saw a very pleasing sight. Six colorful anthropomorphic mares, lithe, tall, and gorgeous, were whispering amongst themselves at my appearance. I recognized all of them almost instantly. Their color schemes gave them away almost instantly. They had on clothes--some casual, some formal button-ups--but they all looked gorgeous. Their flurrying whispers were worried. “Who is he? I haven't seen a breed like him before!” “Well, Rarity, maybe he's lost. We should talk to him.” “What are you talking about, Fluttershy? He's in the castle! He could be an agent of Nightmare Moon!” “I don't think that's the case, Rainbow Dash. He looks pretty spent already. What if he'd fought her already? I don't see her around. Maybe he drove her off!” “Ah agree with Twilight. He don't look like he's ‘bout ta harm us. Ain't nuthin’ ‘bout ‘im that screams he's a threat ta us. Come ta think of it, he looks...kinda spellbound, almost.” “Do you like parties?” The question from Pinkie Pie made me shake my head and snap me back to reality. Pinkie had shot up close to me, and I leaned back to observe her appearance. She was in a light blue shirt with a pink skirt, and striped socks ran up to her thighs and fit into her small shoes. “...P-Parties? Of course I like parties!” I hastily said, eyeing her. “That's kind of a given statement, Pinkie,” Rainbow boredly said, folding her arms. She was in a black tank top with dark blue sweatpants. “Don't ask such obvious questions!” Then she suspiciously strolled over to me and bent over so we were face to face. “Are you a spy?” “I prefer Heavy myself,” I joked. She looked confused. “Um...okay…” “If you ask him outright if he's a spy, he isn't going to say he's a spy!” Rarity admonished. Her white shirt, tucked into black pants, barely contained her buxom figure. “Now let's try this again.” She gave me a sweet smile. “Darling, what's your name?” I mumbled something I thought was my name, captivated by her attractive poise. “I understand,” Fluttershy whispered, trying to empathize with me. And yeah, she was great with understanding me, and I should have paid attention to that aspect, but pssht, whatever! She was hot! A low-cut white tee that was tied off at her navel, and a long green skirt, made her look absolutely stunning. I almost lost the next couple of words she said. “I'm shy around new ponies as well. I don't know how well you’re handling this, but if you want, you could stay with us. Do you want to come back to Ponyville?” “Yes,” I slurred. Twilight and Applejack stepped forward to regard me. Applejack was in a plaid shirt much too small for her, and had long ragged jeans. Twilight wore a violet button-up shirt and a short skirt that came to her knees. It was her that spoke. “We were tracking Nightmare Moon into the Everfree Forest. Did you see her here?” I nodded, overlooking the question of why the mares would enter a dangerous forest dressed like they were out on a date. “Yeah. I saw her. I even fought her.” I held up the Zanpakuto, and its edges shimmered in the night sky. “With this baby here.” “What a big blade!” Rarity admired, running her eyes up and down the sword. She put her hands on her hips. “How does that fit in its sheath?” “That's what she said,” I whispered. “What, darling? I couldn't hear that.” “Oh, uh, nothing!” I stood up and held the blade at my side. “Anyway, I drove her off and persuaded her to come to Princess Celestia and talk. Don't worry. I think this'll work. So, uh, where's town?” “We'll lead ya to it,” Applejack offered. “C'mon. Let's git a-movin’!” As I followed Applejack and the rest of the girls, I noticed that they all were glancing back at me with interest or widening their eyes and smiling slyly. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I could clearly infer what was happening. “So,” Pinkie said cheerfully, falling back to stroll next to me. “What now?” “Um...I dunno,” I admitted. I shrugged. “I mean, now that I'm here, what am I gonna do? There isn't a threat I have to take care of anymore, and I don't know how to get back home, and I don't want to get back home, and what's in the past is in the past. So, um...I guess...I'll hang out with you for the rest of my life?” The girls all made affirmative chirps and answers, which seemed to make me glow inside and make me smile. Everything was going perfect for me. I had all these powers I coincidentally loved, but I had no direction, no plot, no interesting bits about me, no meaning to me being here in Equestria, and nothing for me to do except be pampered by my new implied marefriends. This was going to be interesting.