"Hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hmm~ I'll do what it takes, do what it takes..." Alone in the ruined and forgotten remains of the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters, yeah, a mouthful, a soft tune was sung across the empty room of an old bedroom. The right-hand corner facing the forests beyond was nothing more than rubble, a large tarp mounted over the holes in the roof and overhang of this breach using one of the man fabrics left behind by the previous owners.
Sat beside a makeshift bed of carpets and old, preferably not moldy, banners lay a large, black weapon. The design was that of an M320 Grenade Launcher Module, the strap hanging over the old bed railing. Many discarded casings littered the aged, ash flooring, a few live rounds placed neatly in a line beside the muzzle of the explosive device. Across to the left-hand side was a workbench dragged in from several other rooms, scrapped together with many tools and a rucksack.
Spilling from inside were more M32 rounds, as well as a small device like a lightswitch, a few bundled, hand-sized boxes stacked beside it, one of them pulled apart to reveal the wiring and intricate make-up of the device, primarily, the tan squares the wires fed into. In the tidiest corner of the room was a large, wooden tub filled with water, the primary source of the singing as steam rose from the cleanest source in the whole castle. Since no one ever came out here it was the perfect, secluded home for a single living being. It even had a perfect view of the world beyond.
Sat at the edge of the water was a grinning, human girl, or as human as she can be. Two red antennae bobbed atop her head, swaying by her forehead over wild, damp locks of silver-white hair. One either side of her head were two small, curved deep-red horns, giving her the depiction of a demon. Opening her eyes they gleamed like embers while a black, pointed tail snaked out from the water, inspecting its surroundings before slithering back into the warmth of the bath.
"Ah... nothing those stuck-up ponies can do to ruin this every day..." It wasn't the best life but it was enough for her. Given how her first interaction with the ponies of Equestria went it could have been worse. She might have killed someone.
...
...
"Ah yes, I guess I should explain why a cute, sexy, badass Merc like myself is enjoying a nice soapy bath in the middle of an untamed forest in the ruins of a castle no one really cares about, funny story, ahem, alright people let's do this one last time..."
"My name is Aoi Miles, I made a deal with some Resident Evil-looking guy and got myself thrown into another world, and for the last two weeks I have been the one and only, W."
The world changes, depicting a whitette in a hoodie buying a torn, black scarf with a red accent down the hem of the fabric. Then the world turned to a vortex sucking the girl through, herself landing in the middle of a forest as she panicked, her long hair cut short, and her clothing and even her bust had changed dramatically leading toward a mental breakdown a second later.
"You see I was turned into W, got bitten by some wolves, maybe started a forest fire - totally wasn't my fault - my mentality got testy - found the town of Ponyville, that's where... everything went wrong, so very wrong..."
[※•⁎·°•⁎․•°·•⁎※]
Two weeks ago, a young woman not of this world wandered toward the outskirts of the most famous town in her world, even though her memories of the location were vague, it was clear where exactly she had been sent to. The world slipped out her lips, breathlessly at the colorful, vibrant world beyond the meadows. "I'm in Equestria... that's Ponyville... I'm, I'm..." It made her stumble back, wishing this weren't real, then steadied herself with a scowl. "Come on, Aoi, keep it together!" She slapped her cheeks twice, focus renewed while carefully hiding the large weapon poorly behind her back, adjusting the strap. "Just go in, maybe find someone who can help, yeah, yeah that'll work."
The girl, Aoi, wore a black, red, and white attire suitable for that of a mercenary. She wore charcoal sneakers with red soles and a pair of dark grey leggings. A short black combat skirt with a red splash tone on the inside. Her signature black jacket with two red buckles danging down from her shoulders, red markings down the rolled-up sleeves with red cuffs. Under that was a grey shirt with a familiar black scarf with a red line down the hem and middle, the same she bought from that old man that sent her here.
She adjusted her fingerless gloves, noting the red nail polish, and across her right forearm were three scars like a claw. If Aoi was pleased about one thing, she was stronger, faster, and her body had curves, something she was more than willing to be pleased about. While strolling toward a dirt road that led into the town she had to grin sharply to herself. "I have a body that rivals those petty bitches back at school, how about that?"
With the confidence that drew a parallel to the real W, Aoi kept her posture laid-back but steady. If she knew these ponies somewhat, then seeing her will probably put them on high-alert, not often a human walks into town, especially one with horns and a tail like she crawled from the fiery pits of hell.
True to her insight, many ponies of colorful natures fled to their houses or watched with bated breath, wondering who she was and what she might do. Their judgemental eyes prodded at her body, her outfit, the gear she carried with her, even her eyes that burned like fresh embers. If Aoi was honest, it was a little embarrassing being stared at by so many, it's not often anyone would so a part of her was skittish while another fragment relished it.
Approaching what appeared to be a courtyard, she heard a commotion, due to her being W, that meant she was what you call a 'Sarkaz', and with that came heightened hearing, though not by much. It did allow her to pick up on the panic in the distance, something was wrong and it wasn't her doing. Picking up her steps she jogged through the street, she appeared before a market strip where, to her dumbfounded eyes, were creatures she never would have expected to see in town, let alone in this world.
"Originium Slugs?" Her voice muttered sharply, brow perked up while feeling her fingers slip around the barrel of her weapon like back in the woods facing those stupid, wood wolfs, Timberwolves? She nodded, yeah, that sounded right. The 'Slugs' she was referring to weren't just some garden insects, far from it. Unlike the normal variants, these were far more grotesque to look at.
Their bodies had mutated, appearing more like arachnids than slugs. Their abdomens were formed of a vibrant, marigold substance under a cracked, hardened shell of rock, Three legs poked out each side, crawling across the dirt road to pounce onto carts and corner ponies who were lost in a panic. Glowing mandibles clicking toward the innocent equines. It happened again, Aoi felt her body move without thinking, not that there was time to think at all, people were about to be killed if she didn't move!
"Oi, you pests! Come bite on some prime, Sarkaz meat right over here!" Aoi bellowed, waving her hand to draw the several 'Slugs' away from the ponies. Wearing a cool grin she giggled cutely, eyes lit with a dangerous glare. "That's it, come and get me."
The first turned away from the stall it was on, hissing angrily at Aoi as it skittered toward her location. Flicking her weapon high, she felt her muscles move on their own, pulling the grenade launcher to rest in both arms with ease. Pulling the trigger the second it leapt at her face the M32 exploded against the softer skin underneath, showing the ground in bits of rock and originium goo. The rest soon took offense to this, moving with haste to kill the merc with a smile.
Loading her weapon once more she plucked a grey-tinted device off her jacket, yanking the pin as her ear listened closely to the racing tick before rolling it toward one of the mutated abominations. It ran for her, only to explode in a blaze, the body slammed through the side of a building while the impact scattered the rest, one kicked back from a pony, exploding not a moment later if not for Aoi's intervention.
Two more flanked her, so Aoi pulled the muzzle down at her feet, the 'thunk' was followed by the payload erupting under the soil, creating a haze of dirt to cover her tracks while she moved behind one of the monsters, bringing her foot crashing down on its abdomen, flinging it into the side of a stall, seeing it immediately explode, leaving nothing but smoldering timber in its wake. That was why she wasn't going to let them get close to the ponies. Through the cloud she rolled to her right, evading the sprung legs that almost caught her ankle, flicking a kunai to stagger the creature for her muzzle to press to its head.
"Boop." One-click and the grenade blew open the slug, dispersing the plume of dirt with a combined effort of her M32 and the unstable originium inside the Slug's body. Dusting off her jacket she yelped, hopping back from a slug as it blew open the earth under her, flinging the whitette onto her back while her antenna flicked at the spindly legs crawling around her. Sighing, she produced a small remote. "No choice now I guess, aw well."
Rolling back onto her feet she swiveled back on her left leg, the black and yellow monster flying past her while ducking to avoid another pounce, seeing it crash into another Slug, the pair exploding in a small fountain of goo that stained and partially destroyed the corner of a building. Keeping her distance, Aoi pulled out from her small rucksack a small, cubic device, pushing a button while casually tossing it toward the mindless animals, holding out her remote to her left with her tongue poking out mockingly.
"Boom! Ahahaha..." The green light overtook the red, signifying the charge was ready under her thumb. Pushing once, the small device chimed three times then expanded outward in a large, fiery mesh of Slugs, rock, and shrapnel. It was enough to even make Aoi cover her eyes momentarily from the blast, but oddly enough it was the most satisfying sensation in the world, such power just at the tips of her fingers. "Wow... I even impress myself."
Looking around at the carnage, she was somewhat scuffed up from the explosion, dirt, and some remnant goo staining her clothes while the town's square was left rather beaten and bruised in its own right. Parts of roofs and walls were cracked or had remains of the Slugs embedded in the material. What baffled Aoi more was why they were here, to begin with. She knew of the concept of displacement but this was... new, to see the enemies of Arknights here was troubling to say it lightly.
"Ehehehe, whoops," Looking around, even she realized the market wasn't exactly up-to-scratch anymore. Sighing, Aoi slung her weapon back, looking at the still frightened ponies watching her warily. Putting on an eased smile she motioned them forward. "Sorry about that, got rid of the pests for ya." Yet in that instance, Aoi only saw one thing playing in their wide, cartoony eyes. Terror.
*Bam!*
Like a sack of potatoes, Aoi met the cold, hard dirt, feeling her body crumple to the earth in a heap. Whatever struck her was fast and strong, like a cart was thrown into her back. Shaking the dizziness from her vision she focused back on the world, hand on her launcher while she spun around, thinking it was another of those bugs. "Nice hit-" With a sly grin she flicked the safety off. "-But that's all you're gonna get, Slu - huh?"
"Like you're one to talk, freak!" Hold on. She blinked, lowering her weapon slightly at the sight of magenta eyes piercing her ember orbs, flapping in place with their hooves raised in preparation to attack. The cyan pegasus moved closer in the air around Aoi, inspecting her distastefully. It was her, the very embodiment of Loyalty. Rainbow Dash. Had it not been for that rough kick to the shoulder blades Aoi might have been happy to see the brash, athletic mare. "Where the heck did you crawl from? The Everfree?"
"In a manner of speaking, ow," She winced, rubbing her shoulder with a glare. "What's with the kick, I just helped these people out and that's the thanks I get?"
"'Help'? You were swinging that... thing around with the evilest smile since Nightmare Moon!" Rainbow snapped, flying back with her muscles taut, that didn't sit right with Aoi. "I'm taking you down, you should be honored, being knocked out by the best flyer in Equestria!"
She was boasting about a claim toward Aoi that had never occurred. She'd admit when W smiles it's not exactly the most heartwarming sight and her methods of attack weren't what one would consider as 'tame', but again, she had done nothing to warrant being attacked like this? "Those monsters could've destroyed this place and killed people, I saved them!"
The prismatic mare wasn't having any of it, lunging down with a sudden rocketing speed. "Why would I listen to some creature from the Everfree!?" Not a second later and Aoi evaded the mare with a metal canister to the ground, the device spinning, spraying a thick, grey smoke cloud to blot out any sign of her. "Hey, where'd you go!?"
"Like I'd tell you!" One solid knuckle to the jaw and the pegasus was grounded, seeing the black figure move through the fog like a viper, kicking her while she was down. Rainbow ended up sprawled against a destroyed stand, growling as she flung the tarp off her stomach, or until a foot pressed against her chest. "Stop! I mean it, you either back off or I swear-!"
"Now, Twi!" Oh shit. Aoi hadn't the time to dodge the sheer brightness that incorporated the twilight, blinding her as something burned against her hands, pulling her down to the ground with a single tackle to her stomach. "Haha, nice work, egghead!"
"Again with the nickname... but yes, good work baiting It Rainbow," A new, familiar voice broke in Aoi's ears. Rubbing her chin against the dirt to adjust her view, she winced as the veil that enveloped her hands burned against her skin, she was stuck and struggling to move at all. Grunting, Aoi struggled to lift her head higher, but she saw it, the curious, purple eyes watching her movements, even her hoof prodded at her skin like she was some kind of pet to a child. "Fascinating, this creature is not only vastly intelligent but resembles something akin to a Diamond Dog's stature," Her brow furrowed a moment. "No, not a canine, maybe a monkey?" One particular stroke to her tail caused Aoi's foot to miss a kick.
"Watch the tail!" She hissed, wincing at the burning sensation once more. "Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong, I was trying to help you!"
Rainbow scoffed, tapping the purple unicorn's shoulder. "Don't listen to it, Twi, the thing's been giving everypony this creepy smile that would even make Discord shiver," To emphasize her own feathers ruffled. "It used that thing on its back to make all these explosions that even I felt them up in the clouds!"
"Amazing!" Twilight's eyes sparkled, but the pun wasn't funny at all to Aoi. She was just being used as a lab rat, what did she do wrong? She... she had the power to do something and she did, she felt proud for jumping into the help them but now... why didn't they see that? Why? Why!? Why!?! "Princess Celestria might know more, we should probably keep It locked up until-"
"I have a name! And I'm a girl you stupid horse!" Aoi was losing it, and her vulgar language made the mares gawk in fright at her outburst, but Aoi wasn't done, glaring daggers at the two. "I don't know why I'm even here! I wanted to find answers here but none of you will listen to me! I helped your stupid town and now I'm being used like some rat in a cage!?" Anger festered in her heart, now beating erratically. It wasn't fair, why her? What kind of world is this!? "If there's more of those creatures too I'm the only one who knows anything about them!"
This was also apparent if Originium Slugs had started appearing in Equestria, did that include the other traits of that world? Would more monsters begin to appear? Would maybe other people like her? What about the Catatrophes? If they appeared, could Equestria even be as peaceful as it is now? It was too much to risk rotting in some lab just because no one would listen to her, she had to get away, she needed to try something or else what was the point to any of this?
Twilight spoke next, huffing with a strong, disapproving stare. "You attacked our town and Rainbow Dash, how can you justify that?" Aoi's mouth parted but again, that stupid rainbow mare stuck her muzzle in.
"'Cause, It's just some violent animal from the Everfree! Come on, look at it!" She did while Rainbow ran Aoi's identity into the mud, not seeing the panic and fright in the silverette's eyes at this startling revelation. "What Diamond Dog has a black tail and red horns? It doesn't look like anything you've seen in all those books of yours, it can speak Equestrian, AND it can make things explode! Plus it has a scary face!"
"I..." They weren't serious, right? That was the one question infecting Aoi's mind. Why? She had just saved them from suffering at the legs of those monsters, she willingly put her life in harm's way despite having no combat experience, or did she? No, given her fight it was clear she must have inherited W's skills, that would explain alot. But that wasn't the issue, she helped them, and yet... she was the bad guy here? "I was only trying..."
It was happening again, no one was listening - no, they never even acknowledged she was in the right at all. Not a soul would speak up, no one was coming to voice the truth, they were scared of her, scared of the smile she couldn't shake when she fought. Gripping the sides of her head, she felt the horns rough surface, remembering the tail that flicked at the ground behind her. She was a demon to them, even though she was only doing the right thing.
Her heart felt something new, beating harder, unlike the times she was shunned by the world and treated like a nobody, this time, she had a voice, the power to stand on her own two feet. This world was not different from her own, when something new and unknown appears many would raise their voice in anger and fright, she was that unknown variable. Now her teeth were ground against one another, straining against the magical force suppressing her ability to stand.
The reason was so simple that Aoi almost laughed. She was another 'monster' for the 'heroes of Equestria' to stop, it didn't matter what context you threw at them, this was just their way of making themselves look better, "Yeah, that's it, that's why I'm being shut down and bound like a wild animal." It was infuriating, she felt no less chained here than she did back home. Home? No, she only had her family, everyone else was trash, just forgotten, indiscriminate strangers.
"The ponies here don't believe me either..." She glanced between her locks, seeing fear and panic in their eyes and expressions. Some were smiling triumphantly. Finally, Aoi found it within herself to vocalize her thoughts directly to the elements of Loyalty and Magic. "Fine then... screw you all, I don't care how you feel... you're all trash, just pests in my way...!" Each word was snarled and bitter, never in Aoi's life had she wanted to lash out, lacking so much to make that initial push. And yet, ironically, it was the world of Equestria that finally tipped the scales. Bearing her teeth she roared. "You heard me! I'll handle this threat of MY OWN!!"
Her body strained against the lilac bindings around her wrists, hearing them chip and moan under the pressure her muscles provided. Rainbow looked to Twilight in a panic, seeing the sweat trickle down the unicorn's forehead. "Twi, how is this thing moving!?"
"I-I don't know! I-It's like my magic can't-!" It was beyond frustrating for Aoi, and she finally snapped. "A-ah!"
"GET THE HELL OFF ME!!!" Her voice thundered, shattering the spell in seconds before her burnt hands lashed out for Twilight, hooking her raw fingers around the unicorn's throat to cut off any hopes of escape or breathing. With blazing eyes, she glared soullessly down at Rainbow, the pegasus unable to move less she put her friend in harm's way. That caused Aoi's glare to match her unwavered frown. "Go on, move an inch, ANY OF YOU, and I'll snap the egghead's neck like a twig." Screw being the better person, what a load of shit! If they wanted a monster they'll get one!
Everyone ounce of her wanted to scream in defiance, to take one more step and end one source of her pain thus far. But, Aoi let the purple equine flop to the ground, hacking beside her best friend while Aoi strolled by, flicking her tail angrily at the two. "Follow me, and I'll have you running in circles. Hurt me, and I'll hurt you back," Both Twilight and Rainbow froze in fright at the muzzle of the black weapon poised right at their snouts, watching it and the glare above the iron sights inspect them closely. "Get in my way, and I'll raze this town, my name is W, a Sarkaz Mercenary, and my life is my own."
Lowering her weapon with a heavy sigh, Aoi quickly sprinted for the nearest alleyway, the more distance put between her and that speed-demon with wings the better, especially when they call on her bluff. Each step was furious, all the commotion made her blood boil and her skin crawl. Their words stained her mind like so many others. She was an enemy of this world now, but the innocent lives didn't know this, they didn't understand the danger of Originium if it were to begin cropping up further in this world.
"Is that why I'm here? Or is this just the world's way of making me suffer some more?" In a way, Aoi - no, that girl was kinder to people, even if some never deserved it, but these ponies were certainly undeserving of her compassion, what little was left. No, W, relished that idea. It sounded like fun, being a renegade to Equestria. Maybe if she gains the people's trust she can make the likes of the Elements of Harmony look like fools, that'll be a sweet way to get back at them. "Okay then..."
Smiling devilishly through the streets, she enjoyed the frightened ponies' reactions when she sprinted past their stalls and houses. The people of two worlds hated her, then she'll just prove them wrong in her own way. "Come and get me, heroes!"
[※•⁎·°•⁎․•°·•⁎※]
[Present Day]
Back in the castle, W stretched out a sigh as the cool air of the afternoon tickled her bare skin. In the time since she became public enemy number one, she had hidden away in the Everfree, finding this castle as the perfect home base until she was certain of her next motive. She had no heading, and if anything of the world her body came from was infecting this world finding it would also be challenging. All in all her plans were scrapped.
"What to do, what to do...?" Grabbing a cloth to wrap around her body she peered out the hole in the wall. The sun was only just past midday, there was time to sweep the underground layers of this castle before nightfall. Yet she rooted herself to the edge, watching the sky blue hue vanish behind puffy, white clouds, the sun basking the world in its vibrance.
Then a warm liquid slipped down her cheek. Flicking the tear onto her nail W realized something, she was crying? Yeah, of course, she was. Aoi was still just a nobody little girl with a body of a powerful mercenary, that's all this was a facade. "Heh, can make enemies with powerful, magical ponies but falls apart at a beautiful world's view?" It was pathetic but she was okay with that. Stretching her arms she turned back to her workbench, a grin crossing her lips. "Time to get to work."
Once she grabbed her clothes, now in need of some cleaning she threw them on and picked up her bag and weapon. Today was going to be a fun one, a little risky venturing never hurt anyone, right? "Day fifteen in Equestria, my agenda today?" She looked around, noting her state of living with a teary-eyed wail. "I need money or I'm going to die out here~!"
To Be Continued...