//------------------------------//
// The Rift Opens 
// Story: The Final Crusade 
// by Enfield 
//------------------------------//

James tried to shield his eyes from the blinding light that was shining through his eyes. He had no idea if it was morning or not but he knew that the light was too bright to be the sun or a flashlight. James faced away from the light, fixed his bayonet to the Enfield and turned back to the bright light. James had no idea what he was looking at but he was able to see that it was a ball of light suspended a foot above the ground and no more than ten feet away, James still had to try and shield his face from the light, this might be a hallucination brought on from lack of sleep but the light had dropped in intensity. 
“James,” Apple Bloom said, “What it that light?”
“Stay behind me,” James said. 
Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were both woken up by the bright light and they too hid behind James.
“What is it?” Sweetie Bell asked. 
“It looks like the San Francisco Lights but much closer,” said James. 
“Are we dreaming?” Scootaloo asked. James jabbed himself with the bayonet point. He felt it and if he was dreaming he would wake up.
“Hey, its stopped moving,” Apple Bloom said. 

James aimed his rifle at the ball of light and loaded a round into the firing chamber. The light stopped pulsating and it grew steady. James had no idea what to expect, he hoped that it wasn’t going to end up like the movie “Knowing”, but then again, he wanted to get the Crusaders away from the US government no matter what. Once the light stopped spinning, James thought he heard garbled voices. 
“I must be out of my mind,” he thought. The voices kept speaking, James wasn’t sure if the Crusaders could hear the voices but it was driving him insane.
“Shut up!” he yelled, James fired a round into the air and pointed the gun back at the light. 

“Well he’s not too friendly,” said a voice, it was a little less garbled and muffled. Apple Bloom stepped out from behind James.
“Applejack?” she said to the light. 
“Sis, sis is that you?” the voice that Apple Bloom recognized said. Apple Bloom took a step toward the light and James pulled her back by her bulletproof vest. 
“Don’t go into the light,” he said. 
“But it’s my sister,” Apple Bloom said.
“We might be going mad,” said James, “I just want to say that now.” 
“We’re not going insane!” Apple Bloom said as she pulled herself out of James’ grip.
“It could be nerve gas,” said James. 
“I don’t think it is,” said Sweetie Bell.
“Sweetie Bell? Sweetie Bell are you there too?” another voice from the light asked.
“Rarity!” said Sweetie Bell.
“Gah! More voices!” James said.
“Are you okay?” a third said.
“No I’m not,” James said to the light, he had given up on staying normal, “I’m just going through the most traumatic and painful three weeks of my life.”
“Have you been sleeping?” another voice asked, this one was barely audible but sounded kind and calming, this however didn’t settle James.
“No, because I don’t want to wake up with an M-16 down my gullet,” James said, not taking his rifle off the light. 
“What are you doing out here then?” one of the voices asked.
“I’m not saying anything else until I can see you,” said James, “I know you’re behind that light, show yourself or I will start shooting.”
“Okay okay just chill out,” said a rather irritated voice. Scootaloo grabbed James’ uniform.
“I swear that was Rainbow Dash’s voice,” she said in a whisper.
“Really? Because I don’t remember anything about who you three are talking about,” James said as he tried to use his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his face.

The light intensified again and James was blinded as it burned his eyes, he staggered a little bit before being brought to his senses in front of what was undoubtedly a wormhole.  
“I am going nuts,” he said in a whimper. 

On the other side of the wormhole, six colorful ponies stood in a lush countryside. The land was untouched by civilization or war, the land looked peaceful. James lowered the rifle and stared through the wormhole at the ponies, he couldn’t help but feel as if he remembered their looks from somewhere. 
“Apple Bloom, how did you get so dirty?” an orange looking pony with a cowboy hat asked. James’ mood shifted from fear to annoyance.
“I just got them through a war zone and you’re asking how she got so dirty,” James said, he held up his arms, “Look at me, I almost got blown up!” 
“Righttt,” a purple pony said, James looked closer to the pony and realized it had a horn, the same could be said for the white pony.
“Unicorns,” James said as he threw up his arms and looked to the sky, “Bloody fantastic! Now I’m seeing unicorns, am I tripping out? No, it just so happens that they’re right in front of me like they usually are!” 
The Crusaders looked at James and realized that he had lost his mind. James looked back to the wormhole and then span around in disbelieve.
“And there are pegasi here as well!” he said, “Maybe there could be dragons as well.”
“We do have dragons!” said a pink pony.
James had dropped his Enfield when he saw the ponies, he went over to it, reloaded, and stuck the barrel under his chin.
“I’ve had enough, okay?” he said, “I’ve been through too much and I’m getting sick of one crazy instance after another. My life had taken a turn for the worst and now, I’ve become well and truly sick of it.” 

James found the trigger with his thumb, but before he fired Scootaloo kicked him in the side of his knee, grabbed the rifle and smashed the side of the rifle butt across James’ face. James flew to the ground and Scootaloo took his 1911 from him. James got up, holding the side of his face that had been battered and he looked back at the Crusaders.
“You’re not crazy alright?” Scootaloo said in a rather harsh and commanding tone, “You never were crazy and you’re life hasn’t take a turn for the worst! Don’t go insane on us now James, we need you now more than ever.”
James wiped the blood off his face and took in every word that Scootaloo said. He pulled himself up off the ground, walked over to Scootaloo, looked at her and hugged her.
“Thanks,” he said, “I needed that.” 
“I know you’re not sick of life, you just need time to get better,” Scootaloo said.
“Mental scars take longer to heal,” said James. 
“I’m sorry but what’s going on?” the purple unicorn asked.
“More to the point is who the crazy guy is,” said a blue pegasus.
“James Rogers,” James said, “Ex-Enforcer and Guardian of these kids.” 
The six ponies looked at James with approving faces. 
“I’m sorry I went a little nuts there,” James said as he let go of Scootaloo, “I’ve just been through the worst three weeks of my life.”
“What happened?” a yellow pegasus asked.
“And where did you get that uniform so dirty?” the white unicorn asked. 
James ignored the unicorn and went to answer the pegasus.

“It started when I discovered that my parents tried to kill me for sixteen years,” James said, he then started to get choked up as he tried to continue, “Sixteen years of lies and attempted murders, now everyone is after me, but, I-”
James sank down to one knee and hid his face behind his hand, he was trying to not cry again but he couldn’t hold back the few tears that escaped. Sweetie Bell, feeling bad for James, hugged him around his neck, James took her hand in his.
“Sweetie Bell, you’ll get all dirty,” the white unicorn said.
“He’s lost everything in his life, can’t you think of anything nicer to say?” Sweetie Bell hissed. 
“I understand that he needs love,” said the yellow unicorn.
“So long as you don’t stab me in the back,” James replied.
“He does have love,” said Apple Bloom.
“Yeah, from us,” said Scootaloo.
James got a hold of himself and he stood up, he wiped his face off and smiled at the ponies.

“They’re right,” he said, “Three months and we’re almost family, we’ve been through the worst times and we pulled through.” 
“But I’m your family Sweetie Bell,” the white unicorn said.
“It’s only temporary,” said Sweetie Bell.
“You’re still my sister AJ,” said Apple Bloom.
“I just realized we didn’t tell him our names!” the pink pony said.
“I know who you are Pinkie Pie,” said James. The pink pony switched from excited to being really shocked and surprised.
“How do you know her name?” the blue pegasus asked.
“I remember all your names now, yours especially Rainbow Dash,” James said as he took his rifle and pistol from Scootaloo. 
“Can you name us all?” the purple unicorn asked.
“Sure I can,” James said, “Starting from left to right, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”
“How did you know?” Fluttershy asked. 
“I bet the girls told you,” Applejack said.
“No,” said James, “Truth is, you’re famous here.”
The ponies looked at one another, confused about what James had told them.
“So tell me James,” Twilight said, “How are we famous here?” 
“It all started on TV,” James replied.
“We’re all on a TV show!” Sweetie Bell said.
“I think you’ve been with the human too long,” Rarity said.
“She’s not joking,” said James, “You seriously are a part of a TV show.”
“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash said, “Prove it.” 

James pulled his iPod out of his back pocket and thumbed through the TV shows he had, he knew that he had gotten the first two seasons of MLP on his iPod because he lost a bet with Jason. James found the first episode in the series and faced the iPod toward the wormhole, he tried to get as close to the wormhole as he possibly could. As the six watched the first several minutes of the episode they became more and more baffled.
“This actually happened to us,” said Fluttershy. 
“I remember everything as well,” said Twilight. James slid the iPod back into his pocket.
“Proved it,” he said. 
James and the six ponies stared at each other in silence for three minutes before anyone said anything.
“Guess you humans aren’t as violent as we expected,” said Twilight.
“You lot do have fans by the way,” James said, “Each of you is loved and admired.” 
“Wow, I have fans!” Pinkie Pie said rather enthusiastically.
“Hey, can we come through to your world? I want to be famous again,” Rainbow Dash said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said James.
“Why? There are humans out there who think I’m amazing, what’s so bad about it?” Rarity asked.
“It’s more of the fact that there are fans, but there are some who take things a little too far,” James said, “I’ve seen some messed up stuff about you, all fake of course, but still messed up.” 
“He’s not lying,” Scootaloo said, “There are people here who might try to kill you.” 
“Which is why I’ve been taking care of the Crusaders,” said James. 
“And this is when we go home,” said Apple Bloom. 
“Sadly yes,” James said, “It’s better this way, I can at lest have a fighting chance against the jets because I have my Spitfire.” 
“Come on Apple Bloom, you don’t belong there, you belong here,” Applejack said. 
“Go on,” James said. 

Apple Bloom took a step forward closer to the wormhole, she slowly reached out to touch it when James called out to her again.
“I don’t think you’ll need that vest,” he said. Apple Bloom looked down and saw that she was still wearing her bulletproof vest. 
“Oh yeah,” Apple Bloom chuckled, “I guess I don’t need it.” 
She pulled the vest over her head and went to hand it to James, she gave it to James and looked up at him.
“Guess we go our separate ways now,” Apple Bloom said. 
“Just how it is,” James said. Apple Bloom threw her arms around James for the last time.
“I’m gonna miss you, James,” she said. 
“Same here,” James replied, “But you’ll still remember me right?”
“I’ll never forget you,” Apple Bloom said. 
“I know you won’t,” said James, “I’ll walk you to the rift.”

James and Apple Bloom both went to the wormhole, Applejack had taken up the front of the group on the other side. Apple Bloom let go of James’ arm and stepped forward, the wormhole absorbed her and an even brighter light shone in James’ face, once his sight had been restored he saw Apple Bloom on the other side of the wormhole back in her filly form, and hugging her sister.
“You’re next Sweetie Bell,” James said. 
Sweetie Bell gave James her bulletproof vest and stepped forward to the wormhole. She hugged James once more and stepped though, James was blinded and saw Sweetie Bell with Rarity, he could see the similarities between Sweetie Bell and her older sister. 
“Can I ask what that strange piece of clothing is?” Rarity asked James.
“Kevlar,” James said as he pulled a slab out of the vest, “I can toss it though the rift if you want.” 
“What can it be used for?” Rarity asked.
“Protective clothing,” James replied. 
“I don’t think I can use that for anything,” Rarity said.
“Very well,” said James, “Alright Scootaloo, your turn.”
“I’m not going,” Scootaloo said. 
“Um, why not?” James asked as he went over to her.
“Because I want to stay here with you,” Scootaloo said.
“Scoot, you can’t stay here,” James said, “I can’t risk you getting in the hands of the government or having you die.”
“We can both run,” Scootaloo said, “We can both run away to Cuba, be happy and safe.”
“No,” James said, “It’s not going to work, I can’t let you stay here, you have a home you have a family.”
“Are you sure?” Scootaloo asked. James turned to the wormhole and looked for Scootaloo’s family.
“Maybe they don’t know that you’re being brought home,” James said. 
“I don’t have a family!” Scootaloo said. 

These five words hit James right in the stomach, he knew that over the months Scootaloo was hiding something from him and now he knew what it was, Scootaloo had no family.
“You’re an orphan?” James asked.
“I never knew my parents,” Scootaloo said, tears forming in her eyes, “I’ve been living in a box for my entire life and surviving by helping ponies out around town in exchange for food and money.” 
“Why didn’t you tell me?” James asked her. 
“Because I didn’t wan to look weak in front of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell,” Scootaloo said. 
“You never told them did you?” asked James asked. 
“No,” Scootaloo said. James knelt down so she could look him in the face.
“I don’t think you were weak,” he said.
“Why?” Scootaloo asked, “What make you think I’m not weak?”
“You’ve broke nine gees,” James said, “You mastered CQC, you’re probably the best shot in the CMC, you’ve been in a Spitfire and you helped me when I needed it.”
“I guess there’s that,” Scootaloo said. 
“Even though you think you have nothing, you still have your little achievements to cling onto,” James said.
“I still don’t want to leave,” Scootaloo said, “You’re like my family.”
“You have to go,” James said.
“But why now?” Scootaloo said, “Why do I have to leave? I don’t want to.” 
“Look if you don’t go now you’ll regret it, probably not now, or tomorrow but you will eventually and that will stick with you for the rest of your life,” James said.
“But I’ll never be able to fly,” said Scootaloo.
“Sure you will,” James said, “We’ll always be pilots.” 

Scootaloo hugged James and started crying, James didn’t cry but he held her tightly to his chest. James had almost been her father and brother, to Scootaloo, this was almost like what James went through when his parents left him, but James was hugging her instead of forcing her to go through the rift. 
“Ready?” he asked her. He felt Scootaloo nod. He walked her over to the wormhole and took the bulletproof vest from her, Scootaloo looked up at James one last time and went to step though the wormhole.
“Contact sighted in the woods!” a shout came.