Chapter One- Welcome to Equestria
All Marcus wanted was to sleep for just a few more minutes, but the light tapping on his shoulder began to stir him from his sleep. With a grunt, his eyes opened and he was met with an irritated bunny that had its little paws crossed and was tapping its foot.
He rolled his eyes and lifted his head from the plush pillow. After rolling his neck and rubbing his eyes, he attempted to stand up only to fall face-first towards the ground, earning an evil giggle from the bunny before him.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, little guy,” he muttered as he pulled himself back onto the couch and started to take in his surroundings.
Man… so it really wasn’t a dream… I’m a talking horse in a world full of talking horses.
The walls almost seemed to close in on him, but it wasn’t in a claustrophobic way. It was almost as if a loving parent would cradle their child. The wooden architecture of the entire room seemed like a perfect foreground to the picturesque backdrop he could see through the windows. Even the birds seemed to agree, as Marcus strained his ear to hear birds chirping just outside.
I’m definitely not dreaming right now. He thought to himself before the bunny from before began to tug on his tail.
“Alright, I don't know what… I had a rough day yesterday. So if you could, just let me rest until my injuries heal, okay?” he asked with as much patience as he could muster, earning a scowl from the furry little creature before it hopped off the couch and disappeared into another room. “What a weird little guy… then again, who am I to talk?”
Marcus tried to stand up again on all fours this time, but he still wobbled and shook like a tower in danger of imminent collapse. Despite his struggles, he was able to tense his muscles and stand on shaky hooves.
Alright, moment of truth!
He took a deep breath and moved his right hoof forward. It landed on the ground with a soft clop. Tentatively, he then tried to move the second one…only for his hindlegs to buckle and send him sprawling to the floor, nearly hitting the coffee table on the way down.
“Ow…” he groaned like a dying animal.
“Oh goodness! A-Are you alright, sir?!” an angelic voice asked, causing the stallion to scramble to his hooves before turning to his right to see a butter-yellow pegasus standing at the doorway. She carried with her wing what looked like a steaming bowl of soup.
“I-I’m fine…” He stammered. “Just trying to get my bearings is all.” He chuckled nervously as his cheeks flushed before taking a seat back on the couch and raising a hoof to cover a cough.
“O-oh, well after what happened yesterday, I thought you’d stay and rest a little longer. At least until your injuries healed?” she said as she set the bowl on the small coffee table.
“Um, I-I’ve been meaning to ask, but I don’t know if you’ll be comfortable with me asking though.” Fluttershy asked, letting her ears and gaze fall.
Marcus simply sighed.“It’s fine… Uh, ask away?”
“A-Are you related to Princess Celestia?” she asked, hiding behind her mane as the stallion before her gave her a puzzled look and tilted his head like a dog.
“Princess who-now?” he asked.
“You don’t know who Princess Celestia is?” Fluttershy’s eyes went wide as dinner plates as she stared at the stallion. “W-Well she’s one of Equestria’s rulers actually and… um… She raises the sun and has been around for a thousand years, and she’s an alicorn. I thought that since you are also one, I thought that maybe you two were related is all,”
Marcus could only cock his eyebrow and let his mouth hang open a little in response.
Raising the sun… A thousand years… I find that to be very hard to believe, but then again, I was reincarnated as a horse with wings and a horn… There must only be a few that have wings and horns, which means I need to be a bit careful going out in public. He thought as he tapped his chin. However, once he noticed the kind mare looking at him, he cleared his throat. “Oh, well thank you for explaining it to me… Uhm… What was your name again?”
“It’s F-Fluttershy,” she whispered, trying to hide behind her mane. Marcus had to strain his ears.
“Well… thanks for everything you’ve done, Fluttershy, but I really-”
“Wait!” she exclaimed, pushing him back down onto the couch before he could even finish. Her eyes widened before she buried her face in her hooves and her face turned beet red. “I’m sorry! But you can’t leave yet! I-I need to make sure your injuries are okay first!”
With a confused expression to rival someone meeting Discord for the first time, he simply nodded.
She did help me after Death oh-so-kindly threw me into this world with all the grace of a two-year-old playing with LEGOs. Well, I don’t exactly have anywhere to go, or go back to, and Death did give me a second chance. This seems like the best path to make that work.
Based on what I know about them from reading the Marvel comics back home, the first stone I need to look for is the space stone as that will allow me to travel anywhere… plus if I need to escape it’ll come in handy. That will be my first step to fulfilling my deal with Death.
“So, Mister Obsidian, why were you in my backyard, and what brings you here to Equestria, if you don’t mind me asking?” she asked, snapping him back into reality. He gaze focused on the newly acquired tea kettle that was in her grasp, steaming with a fresh brew.
“O-oh… Well, I’m actually just looking for a fresh start. A lot happened back at my… old home that I just needed a change in my life, you know? As for how I ended up in your backyard, well… I just kinda stumbled into it accidentally, I really don’t know where I am at the moment, but a lot happened and I’d really like to avoid talking about the previous night. Worst night of my entire life.”
“When you’re ready to tell me about what happened, I’ll be happy to listen. A-anyways, where are you from if you don’t mind me asking?" she asked, pouring herself a cup of tea for herself before pouring one for Marcus as well as he took a moment to contemplate her question.
“It doesn't really matter anymore, I can't go back anyways. But I will say that even if I'm a bit new here, I'm going to make the most of my new life. Although, I do have a question for you…Why did you help me? I mean, I'm a total stranger that you have no business dealing with. You should have left me to die. So... why?”
“Well, you were hurt and I couldn't just leave you there.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to, you know… take me to a hospital, then? That way I’d be out of your hair? I mean, you don’t know me at all. I could be a horrible guy for all you know,” he asked before looking down at his food and tea, still untouched.
“It’s just that it was very late last night and I’m not exactly strong enough to carry you all the way to Ponyville Hospital. I’m sorry, I thought-"
“Nonono! It's okay really… I was just asking, is all. I mean, it was very kind of you to help me out. Is there anything I can do to repay you?” Marcus asked, scratching the back of his.
“There really isn’t any need for that! I was just doing what anypony else would have done.” Fluttershy said, her cheeks flushing again.
Fluttershy watched as the charcoal stallion sat there silently, his brows furrowed as he tapped his chin with his hoof. She couldn’t help but stare at him. She smiled to herself before her eyes widened.
I’m alone with him in my house!
“Mister Obsidian! Um… sorry for shouting, but if you want I can give you a tour of Ponyville if that's okay with you?”
“Hmm… I would like that actually,” he replied, giving the mare a smile as he stood up.
“By the way, you don’t need to call me Mister or anything like that. Just call me Coal.”
“O-okay… C-Coal,” she replied. For a brief moment, Marcus couldn't help but smile at the pegasus, but it lasted for a moment before he tripped over his own hooves and fell face-first to the ground again.
"Oh my goodness! Are you okay Coal!?"
“Never better.” He croaked. “Maybe we could wait just a little longer before leaving, not exactly used to walking on hooves…” He threw his mouth back open when he saw Fluttershy’s cocked eyebrow. “It’s a long story, which I promise to tell you in the near future, but can I have a minute?” He asked, giving the mare a sheepish smile as she began to giggle.
“Well, let me be the first to say…. Welcome to Equestria Coal.” Fluttershy helped the stallion to his hooves as she gave him a gentle smile who had returned the gesture with a smile back and a nod.
“Heh, it’s a pleasure to be here Fluttershy, thank you for helping me out.”