//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 - Post Contact - Unedited // Story: Always Vigilant // by TheScotsman //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle Equstria, Canterlot August 1st 1000 1145 I was in a hypnotic state as I walked down the vast corridors of the grand castle, the only constant being the footsteps and hoof steps of me and my guard against the hard marble floor. My mind was still racing from the past few minutes. In those precious moments I had without anyone’s assistance or guidance threatened every large power on this little world encouraging them to raise their largest armies to fight me. Though to be honest if they were going to just send an army of fucking dribblers then I really wasn't that worried. Plus I’m pretty sure Equestria would help in some way, or at least I hoped that they would if push came to shove. However now was not the time for that, Now was the time for drink and God knew I needed plenty of it to quench my sorrows right now. Trying to bring myself out of my self induced trance I cast my eyes downwards towards one of the few decent guards I had met whilst I had been here. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t really like the guards that much. They reminded me of the world’s shitiest MP and CO combined into one massive monster. Of course, there was bound to be exceptions such as the nightguard captain I had met a few days back and of course present company included. Although being completely honest I really didn’t know anything about her, she looked, walked and talked like all the other guards that I had come across, the only thing keeping her distinct was her different coloured armour that indicated she was assigned to some form of a protective branch. "So what's your name?" I asked aloud keeping my eyes locked onto the guard. She turned her head back in response shooting me a strange look. "Sir?" She replied slowing her pace to analyse if shed heard me correctly. "Sir? Well, that's a pretty shit name," I replied sarcastically cracking my first smile since my "incident". "No! Wait, sirs not my actual,". "I mean I suppose I've heard of stranger names since I got here, I mean who the fuck calls their kid Rainbow?" I interrupted, the small smirk not leaving my face just yet. "GOLDEN!" The guard shouted twirling round in front of me. "My name is GOLDEN ARCHER!" I blinked, I was actually surprised at how she had broken her stoic nature that quickly, I had been led to believe that these guards were part rock but apparently in this instance I had been mistaken. Not knowing what to do next I simply shrugged in her direction. "Cool, I had a friend called Archer on my world, out of interest what's your rank?" I asked kneeling down in order to become eye level with her. "My, rank?" Golden asked as a confused demeanour began to construct itself on her face. "I'm a Seargent," she answered as her confused demeanour was quickly replaced by one of pride and a sense of duty. "Well fuck me," I muttered to myself. Using her helmet for support (much to her annoyance) I stood myself upright again before looking back down at her. "Well, Goldy, I'll tell you this for free the universe is full of fucking weird coincidences,". Golden just stared back at me clearly not impressed with her new nickname. "Uh..." "Anyway, we should get moving, every moment your standing there is another moment I'm going without the sweet embrace of alcohol," I moaned as I began walking in the same direction we had been walking a moment ago. "Uh, yes right along this hall sir," Goldy replied as she trotted a little faster to catch up with me. Her speed would be her downfall however as just as she picked up her pace I came to a dead halt causing her to almost smash into my back legs. Turning around I looked down at her with a pair of sharp eyes. "Listen, Goldy, from this point onwards I'm relaxing, so dont call me sir, I'm Danny and your Goldy or Archer or whatever the fuck, got it?" I asked as I leaned over her. "But Sir! I'm required to address..." "Look Golden, I'm not a diplomat and I never will be, I'm a soldier just like you and although I may be a Captain when I'm relaxing I just want to be treated normally, can you please just give the sir shit a rest for a little bit?" I pleaded. After a few seconds of tense silence, Golden finally sighed as she looked up towards me. "Alright, I'll try," She said giving me a small smile. As I heard her reply my face lit up as I patted her on her back. "Atta girl! Right come on, first rounds on me, or well I'm sure It will be when I get their majesties to lend me some money anyway,". With that, we both began walking down to my much-needed salvation. As we approached the bar I began to hear some familiar sounds, the loud drone of idle bar chatter was audible to my ears even at this distance from the door. The drone was also accompanied by the sounds of glass being placed on hard wooden surfaces followed by scattered but audible chatter and laughter. "Home sweet home," I muttered as I looked down to my Golden companion. "Ready to head inside?" I asked my eagerness clearly evident within my voice. "Si, Danny I'm really not that sure that this is a good idea, you might not be aware of this but your not the most popular pon, person around after what you did in Ponyville," Golden explained as she looked up to me. I was about to comment on how she was actually showing me some genuine concern when her other words caught my attention. "Wait, did you say Ponyville?" I asked giving her an incredulous look in the process. "Yes, why is something wrong?" She replied looking at me as if I'd just said something stupid. Okay! That's It! I'm Fucking Done With These Names! I thought to myself. My anti cringe circuits reached maximum capacity as I let out a deep breath that I didn't realise I was holding. "No, no, the only things wrong is that I haven't had a drink in over a week and I'm not sure if my brain can take much more of this, if the guards in their want to start something then I trust you my noble and fearless guard to guard me whilst I get properly pished. Besides, I'm pretty sure I have diplomatic immunity or something similar so I think we'll be fine,". I finished as I began to make my way towards the dark wooden door. It was the first door I had seen that wasn't covered in bright colours of purple and gold. Instead, it wore darker more standard colours that you would expect to see in front of a medieval pub. Without waiting for Golden to make up her mind I placed my hand on the wooden door and swung it open. The noise that I had been hearing increased tenfold as I opened the door. However, as I made my way into the pub the noise vanished. The atmosphere of the room immediately dissipated as if someone had just opened an airlock into the vacuum of space. Or at least that's how it felt to me. I continued walking slowly towards the bar in the middle of the room trying not to look at anything in particular, although I could already tell that every eye in the room was focused on me. Trying to ignore them the best I could I finally looked up in order to scope out where the bartender was. After a few seconds of looking, I locked my sights of a large brown pony who had a dark apron covering the front of his body. Immediately I plotted an intercept course as I locked eyes with him. Finally, after another second of walking, we were just a few nose lengths away from each other. The bar pony seemed to quiver slightly but otherwise remained in place. "Some, Something I can help you with laddy?" He asked, the shakiness evident in his voice. "Yeah, you could actually, I need a Large Whiskey," I replied casually as I leaned in resting my arms onto the counter. "I'm sorry, a, what was it you said there son?" The bar pony replied as he took a slight step back. "A, Large, Whiskey," I said emphasising the drink in question as my calm demeanour started to crack. "Eh, I'm sorry, I'm afraid I've not heard of that one yet,". He said as he turned around to pull something from under the counter. "No Whiskey?" I asked unconvinced that a bar in the castle of one of the leading nations of this planet didn't have one single glass of Whiskey. "Well, what do you have?" I asked my annoyance clear as day in my voice. The bartender turned back around, this time with a menu of sorts in his hoofs. "Uh, here's a list of what we sell,". Snatching the list out of the ponies hoofs I scanned the menu. "Cider, Mead, Ale, Salt Cubes.. Are you shitting me!? Do you sell anything that isn't out of a fucking medieval storybook?!" I shouted placing the menu back onto the bar. "Sir, I can assure you this is the strongest stuff you'll find in Canterlot if not Equestria," He replied as he picked the menu back up from where I had placed it. "The strong.. Strongest stuff?" I laughed. "This is some of the most embarrassing shit I've seen all day," I yelled, about to continue I felt a hoof being placed on my leg. Turning around I saw a concerned-looking Archer. "Danny, it's okay the stuff tastes great, let's just get something and find somewhere to sit and relax,". Golden said as she extended her wings flying up to sit on one of the barstools that were placed all around the bar. "Tastes Great!?" I half-shouted at her causing her to flinch ever so slightly. "Goldy, I dont want it to Taste Great I want it to taste like shit, I want it to burn my neck and remove my pain and anger I dont want to sit sipping Ale or fucking MEAD!" I yelled. "Hey! Calm it down!" A loud voice barked from behind me. Immediately I did a 180 coming face to face with one of the guards flanked by two others. This guard was different from the rest, the main bulk of his armour was Purple and indicating a higher rank than the other grunts behind him. "Who the hell are you!?" I asked moving up towards him only for the two guards that were behind him to move in front of him lowering their spears in the process. "HALT!" They both shouted at the same time. "What you gonna do, stab me with your spears, well go right ahead fuckers I'll give you a clean shot!" I shouted stretching my arms out to either side leaving my stomach directly exposed to their weapons. "Go on then! FUCKING DO IT!" I screamed as I moved forward towards the tips of their spears. The guards looked between each other before moving back slightly away from me. By this point, other guards had risen from where they were sitting and had begun to encircle me whilst others appeared to flee out of the door no doubt calling for reinforcements. "COME ON THEN! WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG!?" I screamed completely losing all sense of reasoning. I honestly didn't care anymore. I'd had it with this shit ponies, their shit castle, their shit country and their shit beer. I just wanted out. "Stand Down Monster!" The purple guard spoke up anger clear in his voice as he lowered his horn lighting it up for dramatic effect. Screaming at the top of my lungs I lunged forward pushing the two toy soldiers aside as I retracted my right arm before thrusting it into the side of the purple guard's face. Pain shot up my arm as it connected with the armour causing me to yell out in pain as my bones vibrated from the impact. The guard, who had been taken by surprise fell back falling over his back two hoofs as the force of my impact made him struggle for balance. Seizing the oppertunity I lunged again going in for another blow in the same place. However, before I could strike the guard he reached his hoof out with full force as it connected with my chest making me expel most of the remaining air from my lungs. Before I could even analyse the situation the guard was back on all fours and fired a purple beam directly at my chest. Instantly I was thrown back as my back smashed into one of the wooden tables causing it to be shoved backwards by the force of my impact against it. I let out a loud yell as I struggled to remain conscious. Before I could even try to move another beam came my way again collidng directly with my chest. I tried to brace for the impact, however as the beam hit I didn't feel any force push me back, slowly I began to lose awareness of my surroundings as my eyes began to close. Gradually everything around me started to go black as I was pulled back into the black void of unconsciousness. As my senses began to return to me I was instantly greeted with pain emanating all over my body, specifically a large amount of pain was coming from my chest where I had been... Where I had been shot. Shit! I yelled at myself internally for using such undisciplined moves to strike my opponent. As I opened my eyes I wasn't met with the comforting colours of my quarters nor was I greeted by the colours of the infirmary. No. Instead, I was in a small confined cell resting on a hard stone floor that was icy to the touch. Well, I suppose this is my fate. Locked up in a tiny dungeon in a magic pony world for punching a pony guard. I should have just pushed myself into their spears instead. I tried to push the dark thoughts away from the forefront of my mind however my current situation definitely wasn't helping. "Well Danny, youve finally stuck your foot in the mud this time," I muttered to myself as I sat up and pushed my head down into my legs. "We would be inclined to agree,". A familiar voice echoed through the long and winding corridors of the dungeon. Recognising the voice instantly I looked up to see Luna standing there looking less than happy with me. "Hey, Blue, come to oversee my execution?" I asked trying to put a small smile back on my face. Luna, however, didn't seem to find my attempt at comedy amusing. "Dont, Hey Blue us! We cannot believe the stupidity of your actions today, we pleaded with our sister to come and see you alone first to talk to you and all you can do is make jokes! Does thou have any idea what he has done?!" Luna shouted stomping her front hoofs with such force they caused small cracks to form beneath her hoofs. "ALRIGHT!" I shouted as I stood up. "I get the message, I fucked up the conference, I fucked up my chances and most importantly I fucked up your guard, it doesn't matter anymore!" "Of course it matters! Your actions today could have long-lasting consequences on your future here!" Luna continued to shout as she moved closer to the bars. "I DONT WANT TO HAVE A FUTURE HERE!" I Screamed as I threw a punch at the bars in anger. Luna gasped, her ears folding back and her face of anger contorting into one of sadness and pain. "DONT YOU PONIES GET IT!? I HATE IT HERE! I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY WORLD! IF I CANT GO BACK TO MY WORLD THEN I DONT WANT TO LIVE IN ANY! WHY CANT YOU PONIES JUST ACCEPT THAT AND LET ME DIE!" As I finished my rant I collapsed onto the ground near the bars not having the strength to keep upright after expelling that much force through my voice. As I tried to bring my breathing back under my control I began to here soft sobbing from just beyond my bars. I didn't have to even take a look to know who it was that was crying. "We, W, I am sorry," Luna spluttered out between sobs tears now visibly falling from her face and splashing onto the hard rock. "We should have told you before, but, but we didn't and we, I just.." Luna continued to sob on the other sides of the bar as I felt my heart start to crack from the emotional strain, somehow I knew what was coming I just didn't want to hear it from her. "Luna, please tell me," I whispered as I sat slumped in front of her, a broken man. After a few more quiet sobs Luna looked up at me her face full of regret and sorrow. "I, We... We cannot send you home,". The words that I didn't want to ever hear had just been spoken, I wanted to jump up in anger, I wanted to scream and tare the bars straight out of the concrete holding them in place, I wanted to... I just wanted to go home. As the energy drained away from me, I let my head lean into the cold metal bars as I released a quiet breath. "How long?" I whispered, trying not to look at her instead of focusing my view on the stone walls. "Since last night, we wanted to tell you but my sister insisted we waited until after the conference and you had signed the treaty with us, she thought it would be better for you,". I didn't reply instead just breathing slowly as my breath condensed itself due to the cold conditions within the dungeons. "I did what I thought was best for everyone,". I clearly recognised the voice of Celestia but I was too tired to even acknowledge it at this point. "We thought that we could send you back to your universe by simply transporting you through the gap in space-time where you originated, however when we sent a team to analyse the fracture it had vanished. We tried to bring it back Captain, I went there myself and poured as much magic as I possessed into the surrounding areas but there was nothing I could do, the link was gone. Even if another rift appeared the chances of it being your universe let alone your planet are around a trillion to none. For what it's worth, I'm sorry,". I tried to take in what Celestia was telling me but I was still too drained to focus. "What now?" I muttered still not even trying to make eye contact with Celestia. "I dont know, the only thing I can offer you is citizenship since your diplomatic possibilities have ended with your actions,". "Fine," I said still not looking up. "Fine?" Celestia echoed clearly taken aback by my response. "Fine, as in yes, as in do whatever the fuck you want with me as long as I dont have to stay here,". I sighed. "In that case, if you have no objection I would like to place you under the care and supervision of my student, Twilight Sparkle. You can live with her until such time as you learn to adapt to our society. I do not expect this to happen overnight but it will get you out of Canterlot and away from us if that is what you wish,". "As I said, I dont care anymore, I have nothing,". "Danny you know thats not true," "Luna please stop, I know your trying to be helpful but I dont want to think positive right now. I accept I made a royal fuck up by threatening war and then assaulting your guard and I accept whatever punishment you wish to place on top of me if I'm going to be a citizen of this place," I said finally repositioning myself to rest my back against the bars looking completely away from the princesses. "The guard in question was my personal Captain of the guards and isn't pressing any formal charges against you, I made sure of it. However, even though you're going through the worst situation in your life I can't allow you to attack ponies whenever you get upset. That is why additional guards will be sent with you to make sure you stay out of... Trouble. You will also be restricted from leaving the perimeter of the town unless accompanied by my student or a member of the guard,". The more Celestia spoke the more deflated I felt, it was bad enough that I was going to be here forever but at the same time I was going to be watched 24/7 by Celestias KGB. However, none of it mattered anyway I simply didn't have the will power or the energy to argue with her. "Fine,". "For what it is worth Danny, I am truly sorry for your loss," Celestia said sympathy dripping from her voice. "Your sympathy means nothing to me, Celestia, I just want to leave this place,". As I finished speaking I could hear the bar gates clicking behind me and after a few seconds, the door finally opened. "You can return to your quarters to rest, you can leave tomorrow with Twilight and her friends,". Without saying a word I stood up and exited the cell and began to follow Celestia down the long hallway. As we walked I felt Luna walk up beside me as she slowly leaned her head into my chest her face still contorted into a mournful expression as if she had just lost a loved one. "Things will work out Danny, I promise,". Not wanting to talk anymore I simply sighed and patted Luna on the back as we continued to walk out of the darkness and into the light. My life was set out in front of me now. I was stuck here, forever with no escape. Eventually, after about 10 minutes of walking we reached my room. Two-night guards were standing at either side of my door both of them expressionless and identical in every way, though I paid them no attention at all. As we approached the door I stopped as I felt a hoof being placed onto my shoulder. I didn't want to turn around although my will to fight was gone and so slowly I turned around and stared straight into the eyes of Celestia. Her face appeared almost mournful, her usual kind smile replaced by one of sadness. "I know first hoof what you are feeling just now, believe me, I know it's hard right now but I'm sure in time things will come together,". Celestia spoke down to me, her motherly voice returning. I scoffed slightly. "I've lost everything, my home, my job, my friends, my colleagues and my family, my fucking family are gone and you want me to be optimistic, what is exactly you expect from me?" I asked using the last of my energy to push my face just a nose away from hers. "I would never speak for your family, but I'm sure they were loving and caring people that would want you to be happy and for you to make the most of what you have to work with. When you go to live with Twilight and her friends all that I ask is that you give them a chance, they are nice ponies and they can help you,". Celestia spoke her face not showing any sign of discomfort or aggression only further fulling my anger towards her. "You're asking me to just get on with my life and make friends!" I scoffed turning away from her and moving towards the door. I can't believe what shes suggesting! She's fucking nuts! "As I said just give them a chance, I can tell you from personal experience that having people around you who care will help ease you through this,". "We're done here," I said as I opened the door and slammed it behind me. I wasn't even able to make it all the way to the bed before I simply collapsed onto the floor and wept as my body began to shut down out of exhaustion. My one reason for being here, living here was destroyed. Forever.