Two hours after the 'fight', and things managed to settle down.
After I ordered the Grimm to look for survivors, I went off to find a library or anything that may have history books. To be fair, I was locked away for over a thousand years, so I'm not completely in the know. Finding these books may come in handy later in down the line. Coming across what looks like a bar, I thought I'd help myself to a drink; only to come across a problem.
My size.
The building itself is 2 stories tall, and I'm about 1 and a half in comparison. Thinking upon my dilemma, I decide to go down the easy route; smash down the front wall. Rearing back my right arm, I launch at the bar hoping to bring down the front. To my surprise, it works wonders as the entire front part immediately collapsed from the impact. Looking down to my arm, I couldn't help but voice my shock.
"Just how strong am I?" I asked softly. Going back to my current task, I see that while the second floor remains, keeping me from completely entering, I have just enough movement room to look for anything useful and/or to drink. Looking to the board showing their different styles of drink, I pretty much anime sweatdropped. Different styles and methods go into the drinks, but the thing is the same.
"That is a lot of apple cider." I couldn't help but say. Seriously, I count at least 15 different methods on serving it, but from this distance I can't read them properly. Going back to surveying the establishment after that shock, I didn't really find anything noteworthy. All just your standard bar necessities, with chairs and tables for patrons to sit at. I don't feel like having a drink here, as I don't want to be drunk off my nuts on apple cider. Perking my head, I thought of something that might prove different.
'I'm thinking of my tolerance from back when I was human, not Grimm. So maybe...' I trailed off, looking to the bar and picking out a bottle of cider. Without looking at the label, I pooped of the top and downed half of it, it being around 750ml most likely. After drinking half of the bottle, I can be safe to say that I don't feel the buzz of alcohol. Checking the label this time, it does in fact say that its alcoholic.
"Wonderful, now I can't get drunk later on." I said annoyed. If there will ever be a time to celebrate, now I'll just end up drinking cider and not get hammered.
Walking away from the bar, I continue to look around the deserted town for anything that may help. 'If anything, I'm hoping for a couple history books, a map and a compass.' I listed off in my head. Walking some more, I eventually found a building resembling a Mayor's office. Though coming across the same size problem as before, it is understandable that I'd get fed up with it.
"Okay, gonna be real, this is starting to get annoying." Why couldn't I get sent as a smaller Grimm? Wait...
"Could that work?" I thought out loud. Every time a Grimm is killed, they evaporate into black smoke, including their bone plating. Maybe, through sheer will, I could change myself? "In order for that, I'd need a reference, like in art class." I concluded.
Deciding to use the ponies as a starting model, I began thinking on what I would look like. Black fur, black and white striped mane, with my eyes the same (at the time, I didn't know they were silver). For clothing, a white undershirt, a black denim jacket, black denim jeans and white combat boots, along with a necklace of my Nuckelavee horse head, horns included. Trying to think of anything else, I found that I have everything I want.
Not a moment later, I feel my body disintegrating almost, Not so much as being ripped apart, but rather reassembled basically. I feel my mouth stretch out, my horns vanish and just my body being turned into something else. Opening my eyes after a minute, I look over my new body, seeing everything in order. Black fur, black jacket...yep, all how I pictured it. Though I did have to get used to being on two legs again after having half my body become a horse.
Walking into the building, I find that it indeed was a Mayor's office. All around the lobby is scattered documents and paperwork, no doubt abandoned when the sheriff and buffalo chief informed them about me. Looking some more, I find a section labelled 'Traveller's aid'. This section contains mainly information on the surrounding and even a couple of maps too. Taking one of them, I see its not just a map for the town and the desert around it, but rather the whole country.
Suffice to say, its a pretty big country. Especially if I'm going to have to get around from place to place without any sort of transport. I would've took the train, but my entrance blew that idea before it could even be thought of. Looking up the North-West part of the map, just behind a string of small mountains, a town embedded in a forest is there. Looking closer, I see the name reads 'Hollow Shades'.
Reading that, a memory struck home.
All around me is death.
Buildings collapsed and/or on fire and bodies strewn all over the ground. Men, women, children; it didn't matter, they were all dead.
Hearing the clanking of armour and footsteps, I look to the left to see a platoon of what looks like guards. They look around, seeing the destruction, and their eyes show fear, horror and shock at the carnage. Looking to me, they steel the expressions while their supposed leader steps forward.
"Men, this creature has reaped these innocent lives!!" he called out to the others. "And for the destruction it has caused, the death it has brang; TAKE IT DOWN!!!" he yelled out, all of them charging to me giving battle cries. Through all of that, I only had one thought.
'You will die for your insolence.'
Clearing my head of that sudden intrusion, I thought on it. 'It would seem that all those years ago, in my instinctual rampage back when I first arrived here, it was in the town of Hollow Shades.' I concluded.
Going back to looking over the map, I found other towns/cities that are noteworthy, like Vanhoover and Las Pegasus. Though Canterlot, it would seem, is the capital of the country. "Best to steer clear of there for the time being." I muttered to myself.
Rolling up the map, I looked around for a compass or book. Luck seemed to be on my side today, as I find both within a few metres of each other. Looking through the book, I find a section labelled 'Worst Threats Throughout History'. In it, I find something interesting, specifically the last one.
Chapter 1. Discord the Chaos God
Chapter 2. Tirek the Magic Stealer
Chapter 3. The Sirens of Negativity
Chapter 4. The Black Horseman
For some reason or another, that last chapter, 'The Black Horseman', seemed to strike a cord within me; then I realised why. "That must've been what they called me all those years ago." I concluded. Deciding to see what has been written on me, I turn to chapter 4.
I'm almost scared on what I'll read.
Time skip: 15 minutes later
Closing the book shut with a bang, I sit down to not hurt myself, should I fall down from shock.
"Fifteen hundred...All men, women and children of all ages..." I muttered in horror. I knew I killed so long ago, but never, NEVER, did I think it tallied to 1,500 deaths; in just civilians, not counting the soldiers I killed in the confrontation. At best, I estimated between 45 and 60, heck, even 100; but not 1,500.
Coming out of my shocked state, I noticed my voice stayed the same. Okay for now, but it'll have to change should I ever come across any others. Standing up, I pick up the map, compass and book before proceeding towards the door, when I faced a problem (again). "How the hell am I gonna carry all of th-" I never got to finish as the items in my hands vanished in a haze of black smoke. Twisting my head in all sorts of directions, I wasn't able to find them.
"Wh-What, where did they go?!" I exclaimed in shock. I tried thinking of where they could've gone, when out of nowhere, a black ball of smoke appeared, before fading into the items from before. As they flopped to the floor harmlessly, I just stared at them like the world was about to collapse, blabbering gibberish in my incoherent state.
Taking a deep breath, I assessed the situation accordingly.
"What the fuck just happened?" I asked out loud. Knowing I wasn't going to get an answer, I just picked up the stuff and went on my merry way. Still, I need something to carry these things, so I started looking for a bag. Finding a standard school bag (probably belonged to a kid), I stuffed the map and book in there and put the compass in my pocket.
Walking towards the Northern most edge of the town, I shifted back into my Nuckelavee form and began my trek. I don't have a clear destination in mind, so right now I'm just going along with the flow, as it is. 'I wonder if anyone will come back here? Maybe, but by then I'll be long gone.' I think to myself, before hearing a multitude of growls and hisses behind me. Looking behind me, I see the Grimm horde somehow snuck up behind me without me noticing it. Ignoring them, I continued walking only to still hear them behind me. Knowing that they're following me, I thought on why that is.
'Let's see, with Grimm there is always an Alpha of sorts, that being the strongest among them. Maybe, with me being a Nuckelavee, they consider me their Alpha?' I thought questioningly. Thinking back to when I ordered them to look for survivors, it seems to be the case. "Well that's great, how am I going to explain this?" I muttered exasperated to myself. Just ignoring them, I continued walking, while my mind flashed back to the history book and the threats mentioned. Two I haven't met, and one I kicked off a cliff.
I wonder when I'll meet the other two?