Yet his eyes seem to open. Everything around him is different. It looks real... no, it’s too real.
A vision, such is what this is. Though if it bodes good or bad is yet to be figured out.
He looks all around himself, seeing himself in the middle of the village, Ponyville.
All seems peaceful, yet the town seems to be abandoned. The air is filled with not a single noise, and nothing moves.
But then a horrible scratching noise comes from all around, the sound making Slender want to cover his ears.
Yet, before he can even move his hands, the sound stops. The only sound now are door hinges creaking.
He looks around, and sees all the doors are now open and swinging with the wind. Yet, in every door, there seems to be one of two peculiar symbols.
One is oddly familiar. A hastily scribbled ‘O’ with an ‘X’ through it. The other one rings a bell, yet what it means doesn’t come. It is three ‘Z’s getting steadily smaller, almost like a comic character going to sleep.
It is then that all the doors slam closed, yet an odd gurgling sound can be heard behind all of them.
Enough time passes for Slender’s curiosity to grow. He takes a step towards one house. This apparently triggers something as every door bursts open, and every window breaks.
Blood comes rushing through both window and door, bowling over Slender and forcing him under.
He flails in the thick liquid, trying to find purchase or at least right himself.
He manages to find which way is up, and tries to swim up that way.
Yet as he makes his first stroke upward, the blood disappears. Instead of moving up, he instead falls onto the ground, straight on his back.
The breath is knocked out of him. He takes a second to just lie there, until he decides to look up.
A hand is extended towards him. One that wears rough leather gloves. He traces the arm up to the man.
He stands there, a battered and blood coated duster on his shoulders, a hat with a shiny badge on his head, and a slight smile on his face. He nods, “Come on, she’s expecting us.”
Slender takes the hand, and is pulled to his feet. He looks around, and sees four other members of their apparent group. A colt in a cloak who stares forward without eyes. An alicorn who is currently taking a sip from a whiskey bottle. A man with a bird like mask on his face, making his appearance one of cold professionalism. And a young boy in dark glasses, a crown secured around his head, and a look of rage directed towards a distant building.
A giant palace comes out of seemingly nowhere, and it seems to be the magnet of everyone’s attention. It’s marble and gold towers raise high, yet the sun rests just above it, casting light for all of the land.
But Slender is then distracted as the others around him all dissapear. He glances all around, until his look goes right back to the castle.
But as he looks towards it, a red shockwave of energy comes and knocks him off his feet.
He tumbles for a bit, but eventually gains a hold.
He looks back up, yet everything is darker.
Something is blocking the sun. A giant ship it seems, for it floats in the air.
A loud, blaring horn comes from it, and bullets begin to fall from the sky like rain.
Slender is hit almost instantly, driving a pain through him unlike any other. Yet as he is about to fall to his knee, he sees a tiny little orange filly using him as cover. She looks up at him, with hope and quiet desperation. She holds something up.
A doll... one of Slender. It is slightly torn, showing it’s age and wear. The black and white are more like different shades of grey from constant use. It’s a symbol of hope for her. Someone that’s supposed to protect.
Almost like a father.
He looks back up, and gathers his strength to stand against the storm.
The bullets hail down, cutting through suit and skin, burning anything they touch.
But they suddenly stop as a dark aura surrounds them. Slender looks up, and sees an odd mask floating there, the same aura covering it.
It slowly floats down to Slender, looking much like his own.
He reaches out to grab it...
———
He comes out of meditation. Zecora is standing at her cauldron and stirring ingredients.
Slender looks at her, “You didn’t report me to Celestia? You didn’t do anything to harm me?”
Zecora looks over at him, “Oh, you worry to much, friend. The trust you had in me is not something I would wish to end.”
He nods, “Usually equines would. Run, try and fight, or end up betraying me.”
Zecora stops stirring for a second, and sighs, “Such actions are from ponies of another time. To do so now would be treated almost like a crime.” She smiles, “Go out there, meet a friend or two. Ponies are willing to change, the question is, are you?”