//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Magyck // by legionbrony //------------------------------// Unfortunately, the Princess didn't seem to know much about these creatures either. Dear Twilight Sparkle, I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I know what you're talking about, but the most I can tell you is that these creatures disappeared just before Luna and I took the throne from Discord. I am certainly no expert. However, you were right to come to me about this. It may be dangerous, so I'll send some guards to assist you until you discover its attitude toward us. Good luck, my student! PS: I think I know somepony who might be able to help, but I'll have to remember how to contact him. Princess Celestia Twilight had immediately gone back to the book on Humans and read every word, and then found all the references in the book and researched them, too. Everything was very vague on what individual humans were really like; apparently humans didn't come into contact with ponies all that much, even when they did exist. As much as she hated to take risks, the only way to determine if this human was one of the "good" ones or one of the "bad" ones was to talk to it, and you couldn't pay her a million bits to do that by herself. So, she set out to find her friends, who she was sure would be happy to help. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everyone stared. And then stared some more. "Uh, Twilight? It...doesn't really look that dangerous..." said Rainbow Dash, a little put out. She had been looking forward to a good beat-down with a monster, but this thing didn't look like it could stand on four hooves, much less two. "Well, the book said they could once destroy entire towns, so they must be at least a little dangerous..." said Twilight doubtfully. Brandon was passed out on the too-small, pony-sized bed, with his legs hanging off the end and his arms draped over the sides. He was snoring like a dragon, and he was still in the clothes from the explosion, so the room smelled of smoke and sweat. Dust whirled and twisted in the small eddies created by the movements of the six friends. The guards Celestia had sent stood stoically outside the room, silent but alert. "Well, he certainly needs some beauty sleep...just look at him!" exclaimed Rarity, a white unicorn, wrinkling her nose. After everyone had stood there waiting for a little longer, Rainbow Dash ran out of patience - not an uncommon occurrence. "All right, that's it! This dude's waking up, 'cause he's got some questions to answer!" "No, wait!" cried Twilight. "If you wake it up, it might get angry! It's best to let it wake up itself!" Ignoring her, the impatient pegasus flew over and landed squarely on Brandon's chest with a thud. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stars danced before Brandon's eyes. He gasped and tried to get air in his lungs, but something very heavy on his chest refused to let him breathe. Had something fallen on him? He managed to concentrate enoigh to actually get a look and almost jumped out of his skin; a pegasus was standing on his stomach, looking at him with not a little annoyance. Panicking, he shoved it off the bed. Thud. It exhibited a look of surprise for an instant, then glared at him. He tried to talk, but all that came out was that raspy whisper again. His attention was brought back to the pegasus when it grabbed his pant leg with it's teeth and shot out the door, dragging him along for the ride. There was a blur of color and some shouting, and then they were clear of the building. Brandon was thankful for this. Unfortunately, the ground seemed to be traveling away from him at ridiculous speed, and as he lacked the ability to fly, he was slightly worried about this fact. None of this actually registered, as his sleepy brain was still attempting to catch up with its overloaded ocular receptors. ............Oh, crap. The penny dropped, and Brandon suddenly realized that he was a few hundred feet above the ground with no (safe) way down besides the pegasus holding him there. "Ah righ, wahth oor deal? Wa're ooh e'en oing ere?" she inquired testily around his pant leg, landing on a cloud. Brandon tried to form words, but even if he could have talked, he probably couldn't have thought of anything to say. His head was light and he felt dizzy from the height. The ever-impatient mare snorted and shook him around a bit. "Ah thed, wha're ooh oing ere?" she growled. "Rainbow! Stop!" came a voice from far below. "But he--" "Bring it down here now! That is not the proper way to ask questions!" Twilight fumed. Rainbow Dash glared at the disoriented human as best she could without letting go of his pant leg as she brought him back to earth none too carefully. "What were you thinkin', girl?!" Applejack ranted. "Ya coulda hurt it, and ya prob'ly scared it half to death! After all, the thing can't fly!" "It's not my fault! I couldn't help it!" Rainbow protested. "He was just lying there, being boring!" "Um, actually, he was sleeping...I think...?" suggested Fluttershy. "Are you okay?!" asked a bright pink pony who, similar to Applejack, had no wings or horn. She stuck her face right into his. "...Omigosh, I just realized! I should throw a party for you! I mean, I know you're not a pony, but everypony- oops, I mean everyone loves a good party! Ooh, I can't wait for you to meet everyone! There's my pet alligator, Gummy, and...wait, are there alligators where you come from? 'Cause we have them here! He's so cute and green and--" "Pinkie, he's confused enough without you helping!" chided Rarity. Twilight growled in frustration and, levitating him along with her, dragged Brandon away as the other ponies argued. Once they were back in the library, she plopped down on the floor and sighed in relief. Only Celestia's guards remained besides them, having been ordered to follow Brandon everywhere until it was determined that he posed no threat. Twilight levitated a quill, some ink, and a scroll in front of her from the other side of the room. "All right, now that we have a quiet, commotion-free environment, I would like to ask you a few questions." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brandon's perspective: FlashingColorsTalkingAngryPegasusHighintheSkyYellingBlurThudScaredhalftoDeathMockSleepPartyGummyAlligatorConfusedFloatingthroughtheairDoorSlam-- "--ask you a few questions." Twilight grinned at him. Brandon blinked.