Head down and eyes firmly shut, Now that I think back on that day it seems so far away. James thought to himself as he sat against his mother’s grave. The embers of his cigarette burn down to no avail as all energy escaped him.
No one, not a single soul was near. He being the only one to show up for his mother’s funeral was no surprise to him either. His father was never in his life. Mom’s family had disowned her before he was even born, she never did talk about them.
The priest left after saying his blessing, James refused to cry in front of him, but when he left, the flood of sorrow and anguish swelled up inside of him, and he started to cry. A patch of dirt next to the grave felt his wrath as he connected a solid punch.
Tear after tear swelled and fell from his eyes as memories of his mother passed him by. He didn’t even notice the rain had started and was slowly soaking his clothes. He loved the rain, there was something always calm and cooling about the way it felt against his skin.
As he took realization of the situation, he walked to his car knowing it was time for him to leave.
James open his door as routinely as it was, although this was different to him, as he took one last look outside the car window, he mumbled under his own voice knowing that she couldn’t hear him
“Good Bye, mom.” James said, as if some trick of the light he took a hard look into the rain and noticed the rain was darker that was falling on his mother’s grave, as if the skies themselves weep for her passing.
He dismissed it, as he started his car and took off for home. Although it was a short drive, it felt like it took forever for James too make it home. He pulled up to a white house on some now nameless street. Seems the neighborhood kids took the street sign, James thought. Trash was everywhere in his yard from Burger Queen Wrappers to some Mexican taken out boxes he never could pronounce. He opened the door to his house- not even being locked- knowing that this was a safe neighborhood.
James walked in to the house to be greeted by… no one. The walls were lined with photos of him and his mother, the only family that he has ever known. He moved a lot due to his weird abilities, knowing that if anybody found out about the strange things that happened around him he would be taken away or even tested on.
He couldn’t control it, one time when he was young he turned the table into two giant salt and pepper shakers, he turned the wallpaper to different hues and colors, one time he even flip the furniture so that it stuck to the ceiling. Although he could never control it for it just happened of its own accord, there was one thing that always happened no matter the time or place however. He walked into the kitchen thinking to himself he had gotten better at controlling it. He grabbed a piece of bread, and almost instantly the bread became cared black, he pick another and another, until the loaf laid strewed along the floor of pieces of blackened bread.
“Well fuck.” He said to himself ignoring the mess on the floor, as he walked to the living room to get his mind off the events of today. He turned on the tv and change the channel to the hub network to enjoy his favorite show. My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic. He had love the show since it came on the air, although he wish they had a more manly title sequence, but since it was aimed at little girls, he guess he had no right to complain.
It was odd though was this was his mother’s favorite show as well. She was the one that introduce it to him. Although he never would admit liking it in front of his mother. It was still a show aimed for little girls. She loved it, it brightened her mood every time it aired.
Or it used too.
His mind now at ease, a smile was shown on his face after the mane six bested the Flim & Flam bothers in there cider making abilities. He turned off the television and decided to head to bed. As he walked upstairs past what used to be his mother’s room, he heard... giggling?
“Who is there!” James said as he opened his mother's room to find no one. He checked the window to make sure it was locked, and left his mother’s room. He looked out the window and saw that the rain had gotten harder.
“I really need some sleep”, he mumbled to himself as he walked into his room. He laid on his bed thinking about the events of the day as he drifted off to sleep. Knowing that tomorrow was going to bring another day, he unplugged his alarm.
“I deserve some R & R” he thought to himself knowing that he will be yelled at for being late for work at his job at Burger Queen. He drifted off to sleep, unbeknownst to him this would be the last time he ever see the room again.
"Time to come home, my dear little brother."
---
“Wake up!” James felt a jab at his side.
Groggy from what he felt like the worst sleep ever, James eyes flutter open slightly taking in the morning sun. He woke to a bright light of the sun rays bouncing off that seemed to be gilded armor on… a pony? Is that a pony?
Taking a few seconds to take in the information, he found himself on the ground propped up against a statue from what to look like a snake... dragon... thing surround by topiary, as to his best guess was a garden.
“What are you doing in the royal gardens?” The gilded pony spoke.
James eyes shot wide as he pressed his back up again the pillar of the statue.
“You... You spoke?” he stared at the gilded pony. How? What? Where? So many questions entered his mind as he tried to grip what was happening to him.
“What seems to be the problem here?” As a pony with a white coat, a mane with pink and blues and a sun mark cast upon her flank.
The gilded pony kneeled before her, “Princess Celestia I found this strange creature here resting, and there is no way nopony could get into the garden after nightfall, and he is not one of the royal pets, but he seems to know are language.”
Dafuq is going on?
She looked him up and down. James could feel her ever pressing stare upon him as he tried to figure out what was going on. “Bring him to the dining hall and gather Twilight and Shining Armor." The white alicorn pony trotted away. The guard bit the scruff of James's shirt and helped him up.
“Come with me.” The guard pony said. James followed obediently behind him. To dazed to try and understand why Princess Celestia from a cartoon was now in front of him.
How in the world did I get here? he thought. Walking slowly so that he could compose himself. There is no way I can be here of all places. He bit the inside of his cheek to check if he was dreaming or not. Sadly enough it had no effect, save for the blood that now filled his mouth.
“So how did…” He stopped himself as he walked though into the dining hall. The walls were high as tapestries hung from the archways; he could hear his footsteps on the marbled floor as he walked with the guard. He noticed who would seem to be the servants of the castle peeking behind the corner of some of the pillars in the dining hall. He walked with the guard to the table.
“Sit.” the guard spoke in a monotone voice that seemed new to him. He gladly sat down as he still tried to piece together how he got here in his mind. The guard walked away and gave a quick nod to another guard standing at the opposite end of the hall as he walked out. A minute grew into two, which grew into ten, as he sat there and waited. When he lost count of how long he did wait, a set of hoof steps broke the silence when a pony wearing purple armor and with a stern look on his face walked into the hall.
James kept his silence, he remembered him from the wedding episodes. He was Shining Armor, Twilight's Brother. He sat across from me as we locked eyes, studying each other.
“Good evening .“ James said with a light bow of his head. Shining Armor said nothing, and just kept on with his cold stare. Well nice to meet you too. When a set of hoof steps walked into the hall. Princess Celestia along with her protégé, Twilight. Not wanting to be rude and basically given up on understanding, James stood and gave a bow to show his respect to the princess. She gave him an understanding, but confused face as she sat at the head of the table. Shining Armor got up and walked to his sister.
“Twily,” he smiled which eased James's mood a little so now at least he was not the target of his cold stare. She returned a smile and hugged her older brother. James sent her a smile which levied the mood a tiny bit, the room was silent after however. Princess Celestia was the first to speak.
“What is your name and how did you get here?” She said. Simple enough of a question, he thought. I can’t alright and tell them that I’m from a world where you all cartoons. So like in situations like these, he had seen on cartoons and TV shows and movies from all walks of genres he did what had to be done. James winged it.
“My name is James,” James spoke in a gentle tone. One that sounded regal and yet simple. Twilight made a noticeable shift in her seat as she looked at him as if he said something outrageous or weird.
“How did you get here?” She repeated herself, her voice became sweet as if she could since James had become a little unease.
“Celestia I…”
“Princess Celestia.” Shiming Armor warned.
“Princess Celestia, I do not know how I got here, I fell asleep in my bed and woke up here. I am sorry I do not know more than that.” James said looking down at the table trying not to avoid her gaze; his worlds were true and sincere. Silence filled the room as they thought.
A thunderous roar came from the pits of James's stomach, his eyes widened as he had realized that he had not eaten in well over three days. Celestia smiled.
"Well let us get you something to eat.” She said.
“Do you think that is wise Princess Celestia, we do not know him, and for all we know, he could be a spy.” he stopped to give yet another ice cold glare toward James.
“Brother I do not think that is the case, he does not have any magic on him as far as I can tell, nor can I sense any malevolent intention from him.” She said and gave James pretty smile, which did not seem to please Shining Armor.
Yah, you tell him Twilight.
“Come here.” as the princess called the servant from the corner of the room where she were hiding. “Make are guest here something to eat and please be quick about it.” As she waved a hoof in the air and the little mare darted off into the kitchen.
Twilight leaned in and whispered into Princess Celestia ear, “I can’t help get the feeling that I have met him before, it is itching away at the back of my mind."
“Only time will tell my student” She smiled and turns to James. “James was your name? Please tell us of the land you come from since there is not another like you in all of Equestria."
You don’t know the half of it. He thought to himself trying to subdue the fact he was talking to a something he thought was made up.
A young pretty mare walked over to James with a tray in her mouth; “I hope it is to your liking.” she smiled and ran away almost at full gallop. He looked at the tray, James remembered a lot from the show as far as he could tell it was hay fries, an apple, and a sandwich with cheese and lettuce.
“If I may?" He looked at her with a questioning stare.
“No, by all means.“ the princess said with glee.
James smiled; “Thank you, I am really hungry” he picked up the sandwiched and the bread turned black and nearly combusted in his hand, Shining Armor stood up and slammed his hooves on the table. “I am sorry that happens when I touch bread, I don’t know what causes it myself, honest.” he said, hoping they would believe him, for even to him it sounded like a lie.
Twilight gave an amazed look at James, as if he we some wild animal that has never been discovered.
“You said he had no magic Twily” Shining Armor gave James a stern look.
“He has no magic I can SENSE big brother.” and gave him an irritated glance.
“You two settle down it is just some burnt toast,” said Princess Celestia; Whew, he thought to himself, Glad she is on my side.
James picked up the apple and notice out of the corner of his eye Shining Armor flinch, It won’t explode, he thought to himself, but a smile crept on James's face at the thought of him being afraid of him with an apple. In less than ten seconds flat, the apple had been devoured.
“That’s better, thank you, now I come from a land far away, it is a land not connected to Equestria in any way.”
“So you know where you are?” she said with a puzzled look.
“Yes, for the most part, although I don’t know why I am here or how I got…”
Soon James's vision began to get fuzzy; he could feel his heart beginning to beat faster and faster. He saw Princess Celestia say something, but the words never came to his ears. His eyes fluttered shut, and the world became dark.
"James… James… Are you awake?"
James first sight was… Twilight as his eyes fluttered open, still groggy from whatever just transpired, she stood next to the bed by another mare, with pink hair and a red cross as a cutie mark.
“Twilight what happened?” James said in a daze still on the effects of whatever medication they put in him while he was sleeping.
“Well I would like to ask you that.” She gave a weird bashful smile like she was hiding something.
“Where am I?” He said with a weak voice.
“Canterlot Hospital, we did everything we could to try to dispel what happened to you but it seem not even Princess Celestia's magic could anything.” She said in a hurried voice to the point where it was almost inaudible.
“What are you talking about?” He focused in, trying to read though the lines of what she was saying. James however let it go. “It’s OK, I guess my body just needed to get accustomed to my surroundings is all.”
He had no idea how true that was.
She wore a concern frown as she looked him in the eyes. He could tell she wanted to say something. James took his hoof and place it on hers and tried to comfort her.
[…]
[…]
[…]
Hoof?
James rips off his bedding and looked down at his body, shock over whelmed him as he sat there and stared at what was his body. His hair turn jet black, and ran his neck, he had a coat as white as snow, a white horn, hooves where his hands and feet were, to top it off a onyx black tail.
Jesus H Christ I’m a god damn transformer.
He laid there stretched out to examining his body, as he looked over to Twilight who was now blushing a deep red, he realized that my new accoutrement was sprawled out for her to see. James quickly covered himself up now blushing as much as her.
“How did this happen?” He said keeping his tone as normal as he could.
“Nopony knows, after you collapsed on the table you were surrounded in a weird prismatic wind, none, not even Princess Celestia could get near you. After a minute you fell to the floor with your new body. We rushed you over here as fast as we could. You have been in a deep sleep for almost a week."
“She has been here every day checking on you, even refused to leave your side the first night.” said Red Cross with a smirk on her face. Twilight's face started to turn dark shades of red.
You wouldn’t want to leave the side of a new species of talking life either.
“Is Twilight’s colt-friend woken up yet?“ As a purple baby dragon walked into the room, biting into what looked like a sapphire cupcake.
“SPIKE!” Twilight yelled, as he cringed in the corner of the room.
“Sorry just having a little fun,” Spike informed.
“Pleasure to make you acquaintance Spike,“ James said; the little dragon smiled.
“Nice to meet ya’, I’m Spike, number one assistant to Twilight” He beamed with a huge smile on his face.
Spike's demeanor changed, and he started to cough and hack until scroll flew out of his mouth, bits of cupcake attached the scroll. Twilight used her magic to levitate the scroll in front of her, after carefully removing the food particles.
As she sat there reading the scroll, James took a minute to admire her features. She seemed to glow when she was reading… James blinked as he caught himself daydreaming. Dude she is a cartoon pony, I am sure there are some kind of laws against that.
Something seemed off to him though, for some reason he felt like this is all happening way to fast, or that something was pushing him. Being turned into a pony was weird beyond all measures, yet he came to terms with it in mere seconds? He puzzled over conundrums in his head until he realized, Twilight was done reading her scroll.
“Yes?” James said simply with a quick smile.
“Well you should read it; the back half of the scroll is for you.”
“Me?” Not here 7 days and I get mail, back in my world, I never even received a letter!
Dear James:
It has come to my attention that, by what means you came here will remain a mystery to us for now. I have my top magicians working on a way to get you back to normal. Time/Space magic being forbidden here in Equestria, this means that for whoever brought you here did it for somepony purpose. Due to the sensitive nature of your arrival, I am sending you to Ponyville. Until we can find a means to change you back, and find a way to send you back. My star pupil has volunteered loggings for you, and as long as you are here you are to remain secretive about your origins. Henceforth, you will now be known as Brave Knight, the seventh prince of Hoofington. I do hope you enjoy your stay here in Equestria.
Yours Truly,
Princess Celestia
James sat there staring at the page, lulling over what he was reading; he looked up at Twilight and noticed her shifting in her seat. "As if I could say no to such an offer." James thought.
“So.” James said with a smile on his face “How long is the walk to Ponyville?”
:At the Castle:
“Luna what do you think of Brave Knight?” Celestia asked her sister as they looked at him though her telescope on the balcony ledge. “Let’s hope that Twilight doesn’t dissect him trying to find out his secrets.”
“He has an aura about him that seems familiar, almost dangerous.”
“I see.” she paused for a few moments, “well let us see how things play out, if he is dangerous then he will be dealt with accordingly.” Celestia waited for a response, but got none. “Sister?” She looked at Luna staring into the telescope with derped look on her face. “What are you looking at?” She moved her sister to the side and saw Brave Knight's flank as he was standing near the hospital window.
“LUNA!”