//------------------------------// // Chapter I: Introductions and Infatuations // Story: Equus Astartes // by HighRoller //------------------------------// The space marine in equine form awoke with a start and a shout. He breathed heavily, looking around, evaluating the situation. First, he lifted a hoof in front of his face. Hoof…yes, it was indeed still a hoof. So this whole scenario wasn’t, as far as he could tell, some vision conjured up by daemonic torturers. Next, he looked around the room. It appeared to be made of wood, with some simple décor no doubt intended to make it seem inviting. However, for a warrior who thrived on the sparse, Spartan comforts of a chapel-barracks, it was as alien to him as anything. ‘Now to see if I can stand on these strange legs,’ he thought to himself, climbing out of the bed and to his feet. He felt a bit wobbly. Perhaps the effects of the warp? That raised another question in his mind…how had he survived, and, more importantly, how had he ended up in this strange world of talking, colorful horses? His thoughts were quickly interrupted when a cyan blur followed by a multicolored trail sped up and into the room. Rather than falling backward in surprise, the warrior simply stared it down as it materialized into a vibrant blue pony with a mane and tail in a variety of colors. “Hey, Twilight!” the creature called in a slightly scratchy but undoubtedly feminine voice. “He’s up…and he doesn’t look too happy.” A sturdy-looking orange pony in a wide-brimmed hat climbed the stairs, followed by the purple one from before. They all stood before him. “Careful, everypony,” the purple one said quietly. “We don’t want to scare him.” The male laughed bitterly. “Scare me? Warp-spawn, I have seen and even killed some of the most massive abominations that the galaxy has to offer. You and your little…friends do not scare me!” The light blue one turned to look at her compatriots and swirled her hoof around the side of her head in a circular motion and made a strange face. “Dash, be nice,” the purple one said. She gave a slightly timid smile and stepped forward carefully, as not to make the defensive, edgy male think she was doing anything suspicious. “Hello…my name is Twilight Sparkle. What’s yours?” The space marine pony gazed at her suspiciously out of the corner of one eye. “I am Brother Captain Arceus, of the Ultramarines.” The ponies before him kept staring at him, as if expecting him to say something. The well-built orange one tilted her hat back and scratched her head. “What in the hay is an…Ultramawhatsit?” The battle brother shook his head, tossing his ragged pitch mane back and forth as he did so. “It…it will take some explanation, if you xenos are worthy of such.” He turned up his nose, looking down his muzzle at the colorful equines before him. Even as a pony, he was significantly taller, bulkier, and more muscular than what was normal for the species, befitting his Space Marine enhancements. The vibrant blue one flew right into his face and snorted, her nose pressing right against his. Arceus didn’t budge or even flinch in response. “Listen, pal…I don’t like the tone you’re taking with my friends. This is our turf, and if you’re gonna come in here talking down to everypony-“ “Wait, winged one,” Arceus interrupted in his deep baritone voice, powerful even at a relatively quiet tone, such as the one he was currently using. “Did you just say, every-…pony?” The battle-hardened warrior couldn’t help but crack a small smirk. “Yeeeeeah…” the pegasus started slowly. “Everyp-…I mean, we all say that.” Arceus was now more steady on his feet, and simply turned and walked away from the hovering blue creature, mildly perturbed by the clip-clopping of his newly acquired hooves. He gazed out the window at the bright sun, surveying the quaint, sunbathed landscape visible form the building’s second floor. “Emperor…give me strength…” he prayed quietly, bowing his head. Finally, realizing he had best not show these strange alien beasts any weakness, as he had yet to ascertain their true nature, he turned around, his head held high once more. “You, violet xenos!” he said, looking straight at the one who’d introduced herself as Twilight. “You will take me to your leader, so that we may have words. I must know how I came to be here. I have a sacred duty to which I must attend!” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof nervously. “Well, I’d like to...but I’ve already sent off a missive to our princess notifying her of your arrival, and it seems she hasn’t gotten back to me yet. I’m sorry, Arceus.” She walked slowly over to the burly stallion and tried to lay a hoof on his sturdy shoulder. He jerked away, as if repulsed. “I will not allow you to lay a ha- um, hoof on me until I am sure that this is not all some devious plot to ensnare me and turn me from the path or righteousness!” he bellowed. His sudden change in tone caused the purple mare’s two friends to bristle, as if ready to spring to her defense. He stood his ground, as always. “And if any of you try to harm me, I will not hesitate to shatter your equine skulls underfoot.” The stallion’s tone was icy and deadly serious, and it sent a shiver down Twilight’s spine. The orange one, still as yet unintroduced to him, lowered herself into a defensive stance. “He’s serious ‘bout this, Twi!” she warned her friend in her peculiar, twangy accent. “You better back yerself up! Let Rainbow and I handle ‘im, you go ‘an get help.” Twilight shook her head vigorously to her friends, tossing her streaked mane. “No, girls. It’s okay. I’ll handle this.” She did her best to offer a reassuring smile, despite the fear she felt. She’d faced down cerberi, enraged moon goddesses, hydras, even the embodiment of chaos himself. Something about this stallion radiated a cold, raw power greater and more fearsome than anything she’d yet encountered, and yet at the same time, despite his currently threatening posture, he seemed like a guardian, a defender of good. She knew she could trust him, if she could just make him understand their intentions. “You were unconscious. I brought you here, and did my best to take care of you, despite not knowing where you were from, and the fact that you tried to tackle me to the ground. What reason do you have to believe we mean you any harm?” Arceus sighed and seemed to relax his posture, if only the slightest bit. “I see the reason in your words, horned one.” He bit his bottom lip, as if contemplating something. Finally, he snorted softly and lifted his head high again, assuming his former rigid stance. “Very well. I can see that the three of you are no threat to me. Perhaps I can learn a bit more about this…world I seem to have woken up in while we wait for a reply from this, um, princess.” Both of the ponies behind her looked visibly more at ease, though the blue one still seemed to regard him cautiously. She started to walk away, but Arceus took a step forward and called after her. “Wait! Winged one, what is your name? You too,” he said, looking towards Applejack. “It would do well to learn your names, if I’m going to be staying here.” The orange one trotted up to him and offered a hoof. “Howdy, Arceus. Ah’m Applejack. It’s a pleasure ta meet ya!” Arceus awkwardly took her hoof, shaking it firmly. “Likewise, Applejack.” The look that alit on his face was only a ghost of a smile, but it was reassuring compared to the scowl he’d been giving them previouisly. “Twi and ah’ll be here if ya need somethin’, stranger,” Applejack said, descending the simple wooden stairs. “C’mon, Twi. We were s’posed ta meet Rarity ‘bout ten minutes ago.” The rainbow-maned pony attempted to sneak off, but Twilight grabbed hold of her tail and pulled her back into the upper room. “Don’t be rude, Rainbow!” she whispered harshly. “Introduce yourself.” The pegasus rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. I’m Rainbow Dash. It’s nice to meet you, I guess…” she muttered, looking away and offering him a hoof, which he shook with a firmness that bordered on uncomfortable. “Alright, Rainbow…Dash. I apologize for my earlier behavior. It was unbecoming of an honorable warrior.” He lowered his head in a small act of contrition. “I do hope there will be no further animosity between us.” He lifted his hoof in a salute, then walked down the stairs carefully behind the other two ponies, Rainbow watching him go. Her gaze fixed on those strong, powerful haunches, and the muscles rippling underneath them, and… “No!” she whispered urgently to herself. “I don’t trust him, even if he is…pretty awesomely strong. I’ve got my eye on you, Captain Arceus,” she said as much to herself as to anyone else. After a bit, she fluttered down to the lower room of Twilight’s library home, her eyes fixed in a half-glare. But was she upset with the newcomer for his behavior, or with herself for her thoughts? She wished she knew. *** "Ah, there you are, dears!” a pure white pony with a ravishing purple mane called out to the approaching party. Her eyes went a little wide when she spotted the rugged dark blue stallion. “Ooooh, who’s he?” Arceus made his way over to the table the mare was occupying. He touched a hoof to his chest in a salute and greeting. “Brother Captian Arceus, of the Ultramarines, at your service, my lady.” His expression remained stern. The white pony nearly squealed. “Oh, Twilight, is he one of your brother’s guard? Did Shining Armor send this hunk of handsome stallion down from Canterlot to keep his little sister safe?” She winked at the purple mare, who merely blushed in response. Arceus just looked confused. “Canterlot? What is this ‘Canterlot’ of which you speak?” he asked, looking over at Twilight for an answer. The white one smiled. “Oh, so he’s a foreigner?” “Y-you could say that,” Twilight said. “It’s really a long story, Rarity.” The one apparently named Rarity propped up her forelegs on the table, and rested her face on her hooves. “We’ve got allll afternoon, Twilight. You and your, um, friend simply must come have a seat! I’m sure you’re all famished!” Arceus shook his head. “No, thank you, my lady. My battle brothers and I are gifted with a metabolism that gives us the ability to function without eating for long periods of time. I will, however, accept your offer of a seat.” The ornate metal chair beside the glass table creaked a bit when the huge stallion sat in it, the ornate wire ornamentation seeming to bend under his weight. Rarity cringed. “Um, perhaps we should fetch you a bench, Captain…?” “Whatever for?” Arceus questioned, before the chair gave way beneath him, sending his rump crashing into the restaurant’s patio pavement. “Oh…I-I suppose that wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all,” he said, standing. He did his best to maintain a dignified pose. Rarity admired this very much. “My, such poise, even when a lesser stallion would be making excuses and groveling. You are a remarkable pony, Captain Arceus.” She batted her long, thick eyelashes at him, clapping her hooves together a couple of times. “Waiter? Could you please fetch us a new seat for the Captain here? Something…sturdy.” The mustachioed, grey waiter pony bowed and without a word ran to fetch the requested seat. He and another pony came back bearing a large wooden bench, looking as if it had been hauled from the waiting area. “I can take it from here,” Arceus said, trotting over and lifting it with one hoof as if it were made of wicker and not of solid wood. Everypony present went slack-jawed, and simply stared as Arceus made himself comfortable in his new seat. “Hmm? Is something the matter, ponies?” he asked curiously. Rarity was the first to speak. “My, my…such a big, strong stallion, aren’t you?” she asked with a titter. The other ponies shook themselves, a couple of them laughing nervously. All of the guests present (with the exception of Arceus) placed an order, which the still dumbfounded waiters went off to take care of. “Are you sure you don’t want anything, Arceus?” Twilight asked. “No water or anything?” “I’m quite alright, thank you, Lady Sparkle.” “Just ‘Twilight’ is fine, please,” she said, grinning sheepishly. “Nonsense, darling!” Rarity said. “You should revel in the opportunity to receive such treatment and attention from such a distinguished gentlecolt. Now, would you ladies – and Captain- mind informing me about how you happened to meet?” A length of time passed, and the bulk of the story so far had been related to Rarity between bites of salads and daffodil-and-dandelion sandwiches. The ivory mare listened with rapt attention, nodding every so often. When the tale was done, she nodded once more. “I see…so Arceus claims he came from another world. But you didn’t happen to see the portal he claims he fell out of?” she asked, looking in Twilight’s direction. The other unicorn grinned shamefacedly. “N-no. I was too absorbed in my reading. I heard the crash, though, and there was this huge pile of blue…armor, I guess it was, sitting beside him when I found him.” She had left out the part about him tackling her to the ground, partly out of embarrassment but mostly to prevent her friends from getting the wrong impression about the stallion. Arceus leapt off of the bench and landed bolt upright. “My armor!” he cried in alarm, and made as if to gallop away. Twilight tugged his tail with her teeth and felt as if they were about to be pulled from her mouth as she tried to keep him from running off at a speed that secretly impressed even the sullen Rainbow Dash. The purple unicorn let go quickly. “Arceus, wait! I’m one of the most powerful mages in Equestria, and my magic could barely lift the smallest piece! I don’t think it’s in any danger of being stolen!” The space marine stallion skidded to a stop, tearing up clumps of earth and grass as he did so, his mighty hooves digging into the ground. “I suppose you’re right…but that armor is more than armor. Before I was sent here and assumed this form, that armor was like a part of me. No, it was a part of me. My vitals and everything were connected to it. It was like an extension of my body. I still marvel at the fact that it’s no longer attached to me.” Twilight shook her head softly. “We’ll go check it out after lunch, okay?” she suggested. The big stallion sighed. “Alright, then. But if any harm befalls my armor…I…I don’t know what I shall do. I can’t face the Chapter without it!” “With all due respect, Captain, I believe that facing this 'chapter' of yours should be a secondary priority to finding out how you’re going to be able to get home,” Rarity said. “If it’s even possible,” Rainbow Dash chimed in. “That ain’t helpin’, Rainbow,” the previously silent Applejack chided. “No, she’s right. We have no idea if I’ll be able to return at this point, but even so, it would put my mind greatly at ease to know that my armor were safe. Bearing that suit of armor was a sacred responsibility, bequeathed to me by a centuries-old code. I have carried it into many a fierce, bloody battle, and it has borne me safely to victory just as many times. Except…” he trailed off, lowering his head. Twilight gazed at him sympathetically. “’Except’ what?” “Except the battle that occurred before my arrival…was a defeat. I neglected to tell you all about it, because of my preoccupation with other matters. But now the memories are growing clearer. A great many of my brothers fell that day. But I suppose I must carry on in their memory, and do all that can be done to ensure that I find a way back to my universe, if this one is indeed apart from it.” “That’s the spirit, Arceus!” Applejack encouraged. “We’ll talk to Princess Celestia ‘bout all this, and we’ll have ya back home ‘fore you kin say ‘apple-buckin’!” Rarity pouted a bit at the prospect of the handsome, well-built stallion leaving them so soon, but she nodded along with the others. Arceus turned about and smiled a genuine smile. “Thank you all. I will not forget your generosity and kindness, even should I find a way to return home. You have all shown yourselves worthy of being my sisters, as admirable as any of my blessed brethren, Emperor rest their souls.” “Arceus, who’s this ‘Emperor’ fella ya keep talkin’ ‘bout so much?” Applejack inquired. Arceus moved toward her and pressed a hoof to her lips, huddling close to her in a conspiratorial manner, looking around as if he were afraid someone were going to leap out at them at any moment. “Shhhh! What if the inquisitors hear you? They will purge you all as heretics, or try to convert you by force, if you are lucky.” Rainbow Dash yawned and shook her head. “Welp, I’ve heard all I need to hear. This pony is batty. Catch ya later, everypony!” she said, then shot off into the air like a multicolored streak of lightning before a word could be said in reply. “What’s gnawin’ at her core?” Applejack asked curiously. “I don’t know, girls,” Twilight replied, “but I get the feeling we ought to just leave her be.” All the ponies present nodded in agreement. “Now, how about we go take a look at Arceus’ armor?” They all nodded again, and lunch was officially adjourned.