//------------------------------// // 0 - Again // Story: Reborn, Death, Again // by Hidden_Night //------------------------------// A green pony stallion stumbled up from the grass. His eyes remain blank and so does his flank. A blink from the silent pony allows for memories of his previous lives ran through his mind, until it stopped. His body grows with new understanding of his soul and feels rejuvenated. Blinking once more and his once blank eyes filled a green iris, and a frown grew on his face. He had died yet again, and his journey still moves forward. A normal person would be distraught, or devastated. A sane person would be trying to understand the concept of their existence. For the guy who just woke up, it was Tuesday. “I should’ve just left the shiny alone! Oh come on me! Of course that shit was booby trapped stupid! It was in a dome room for god’s sake! Gah!” He threw his body back on the grass, pushing his hooves to his head as he groans loudly before continuing, “I’m such an idiot! Last time I go treasure hunting!” He rolled to his side, causing his eyes to catch a gander of the world around him. It was wonderful, lush, a vibrant green, a beautiful blue sky that seemed to be controlled by magic. The stallion paused at the magic in the sky. “Wait a minute…” He stared at the sun, his eyes burning but he could see it, the lines of magic that bind the sun. “I’m in another Magical Dystopia? Or perhaps a tightly wizardly world? Am I on the backs of titans and they control the world?” The train of thoughts ran through his mind. He slammed the breaks on that thought and chuckled to himself. “It doesn’t really matter, for I am going to burn this place to the ground! The world shall shutter! They shall fear me! They shall know that I will be the strongest mage of the lands!” His voice stood proud, please ignore that he’s still peacefully lying on his side. “For you see, I have the power, the knowledge, and the experience to take this place by the reins and make it my—now I don’t want to curse, I’m doing my best to create a PG villain monologue…wait am I going to be a villain?” He tilts his head at the idea, It took no time at all to decide it was too much effort to be evil, so much scheming, fighting, putting down regimes of justice and consolidation of keys to power. It gets to your head and suddenly your advisor poisons your wine and takes over your kingdom. He’s not repeating that shtick again, it was too much paperwork. “I’ll just be…role…cmon role playing you can think of something.” He took a gander of his environment, other than the grassy fields and neat hills, there lies a dark and brooding forest. His senses immediately knew what was up, a dark and evil forest plagued with the most chaotic and evil monsters daintily placed next to a peaceful town who somehow can sleep at night. “Well that’s convenient, I could be uh…wood shaman! No…that requires me to set up alchemy stuff and know the plants.” He clicks his tongue trying to think of who to make himself as a person. “Okay. What do I look like? That usually helps in deciding my role to play.” He mumbles to himself, finding comfort in lying down flat on his stomach to inspect his new body. Already he could feel some changes, for one he’s now a quadruped. Neat! Though what wasn’t neat was a new tramp stamp upon his rear, a simple black question mark rests upon him. “I feel I could get sued if I use that as an evil supervillain symbol.” He climbs onto his hooves and continued to stare at the tree line. Taking the first step to his new life as a horse apparently. “I’ll just wing it, if I get snared I could be one of those people who walk out of the forest and-“ He sinks into the tree line. Above the stars have aligned, not by prophecy, but by force. The lock that kept a prison on the moon shattered like glass. The shadow that once crept upon the moon faded. The mare on the moon is now absent. The moon hides many secrets. None as dangerous as Nightmare Moon. Who once felt her release from the moon quickly descended to her home as a cloudy blue mist. “Finally. We are free. That Celestia thinks she could seal us and feel no repercussions?! I’ll show her! I show them all! Hahahaha!” A voice called from her own soul. Her laughing ceased once she finally saw the town of Ponyville. It was clear they intend to celebrate her sister on the longest day of the year. Ponies inside the library celebrating, laughing, and staying up at this hour. This was odd, they never stayed up all night before. They never decided to stay up all night to talk to her or do anything else. It all clicked in her mind. They always were interested in her beautiful radiant sister Celestia. It was really never about celebrating the night, it was to celebrate the new day. Never a new night. The jealousy in her heart only ignited, she needed to find Celestia and remove her out of the equation first. Despite being sealed on the moon, she kept her strength flowing, allowing it to grow, almost to the same level of the elements of harmony she once drew upon. It didn’t come without any drawbacks, she’d soon have to rely on illusions and general non-lethal blasts for a month or so. The spell to seal her sister in the sun for a thousand years. Not born out of necessity, only jealousy. She just hopes she can catch her sister off guard. The green stallion rests upon the edge of a ravine, the mist forming at the bottom suggest water, but he’s fallen into plenty of spikes to not trust the bottom. A bridge laid next to him, it seemed to basically be in disrepair. The rope could snap at any moment. Ahead of the bridge is some neat ruins the colt thought should be explored! Sure he said no ‘treasure hunting’ but this is exploring ancient ruins! Totally different. “Okay. Progress report! It’s been about uhhh…” He put on his best air pilot voice, speaking into his wrist on his hoof. “According to the sky, one day. In other news, I have found out I have a horn. Therefore making me a unicorn. Uhhh, hold on.” He sneezes into his own wrist, it is cold. “Sadly I can’t be a pretty pegasus, but a unique unicorn will do.” He puts his wrist down and poked at the horn on his head. “It’s surprisingly out of the way, considering my bone structure now has a very obvious weak point.” He tilts his head at the appendage, his body shivers from the cold at the same moment. “You know. Those ruins could make a good shelter for…reasons.” He looks back at the eyes peering from beyond the tree line. It’s odd, the wolves of wood seem to avoid the ruins and the lands surrounding them like the plague. It’s probably perhaps due to respect or fear, but considering the eyes have been keeping a keen watch on him. He suspects it’s probably fear of the land. Stumbling back onto land he decided to take a first step on the planks to test their durability. A chuckle escaped him as he tapped the wood multiple times with various strengths of pressure to determine if it’s safe. Reports: Dubious Actions: Walk across that bridge! Emergency Actions: TP. With his mind set, he decided to slowly walk across the bridge. Then his heart stopped when he heard a dangerous SNAP at the ends of the rope. “Ah shiiiIIIIII—“ He quickly started to fall downwards to the mist, before a nice POP and he’s on the other side of the bridge. “—IIIT!” He stopped yelling once his hooves felt solid ground. “Why did I do that? I can teleport.” He asked himself as he counties to the ruins. It was so exciting! There was clearly a need for the ravines around the castle. Possibly hosting a down nearby. The ground must be enchanted with something, but he felt no magic roaming free around him. Least none he can recognize, it felt but nice. Like feeling the warmth of a hug. It reminds him of the sun oddly enough. This feeling only grew stronger as he approached the castle. As he enters through the main entrance he found himself in a throne room, with a neat thing in the center. The odd decorative object in the center clearly had some sort of magic he could pick up due to one minor thing he has that maybe helped him on his journey that quite possibly ensured his survival. Magic absorption. It’s a helluva thing to just have, it kept him alive, and with experience he found out how to just let his body heal with the cycling of positive magic. “Huh…a relic perhaps. No use of it for me, relics are annoying and dumb and got me killed. I’ll pass.” He does learn, even if it takes him a few tries. Deciding to walk past the orbs, it seemed to stop sharing its energy with him. The warmth that once was there is now gone. He payed no mind. As his hooves stood at the bottom of what was once the thrones he sat himself down. Trying to get a visual of the place that was once civilization to ruins hosting some sort of magical artifact. “Interesting place here.” He said to himself, smiling somberly at the thrones. “I wonder if this is a post apocalyptic world….nah, more fallout would be around. I don’t have a Pippboy neither.” He still hasn’t found any signs of civilization other than these ruins. His eyes closed, trying to get a silent prayer out. The gods these prayers are for won’t hear them, it’s the peace of mind and to hope there’s at least another species for him to talk to. It gets lonely quick on the solo survivor stuff. “Oh? It seems there is still a loyal subject awaiting our return?” A voice from behind, strong and defiant. The stallion turned to come face to face with a tall horse. The horse whose fur that was of darkness of night, the mane of the beauty of the stars, and the strength of the cosmos. Nightmare Moon. “Okay man, first impressions you got this.” He quickly said to himself before standing up and taking a kneel. “Yes, I was waiting for…a return.” Nightmare Moon could only smile, it seems some remnants of her previous reign still hold true. One subject is none subjects, but any pawn could become strong if pushed enough. “Rise, our little pony. What’s your name?” “Anonymous.” He pushed himself back up to stand, and suddenly feels really small when near her. Not in the sense of size, but in the sheer power she is generating. It’s not much know, but he can tell that she can create magic quickly by just existing. Nightmare Moon slightly grimaced, was this pony playing a joke upon her? By not revealing his name to her?! This subordination shall not go unpunished! She raised her hoof and prepared to stomp, wanting to chastise the colt for not sharing his name. Something stopped her though, it was the lack of stench, or rather lack of the connection to Celestia. Almost as if this colt didn’t even know her. Good. This is exactly what she needed at this moment. Those six on her tail to the castle does need a distraction, and she needs to build power to prevent them from obtaining the elements. Anonymous looked up at her, he could tell she was planning something. The smile wasn’t exactly helping, the sinister glee he could see off of her. “So, you’re my Queen, if I’m correct?” Nightmare Moon already felt an odd glee that this new subject has referred to her as Queen, but now is the time for conquest. The ego can be fed once the elements have been contained. “For now, yes. Our little pony. We have a mission for our loyal subject.” Her voice commanded respect, it was captivating oddly enough. “Oh cool.” Anonymous didn’t mind, sure he’s taking orders but who didn’t want to follow after some evil power that just appeared and immediately recruited him. He wonders if he could pass off as a free agent working with whoever for cash. Though he would need to see what he’s getting out of this, other than the usual evil ‘The right to live’ and ‘to serve our glorious compony.’ He can ask after the job is done. “It shall be done my Queen.” What could possibly go wrong?