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// Day 1: Michaels March 
// Story: The Curious Case of Michael Crawford 
// by The Gunny 
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	“Just stand still and close your eyes.” The Lab tech said, he disappeared behind the two way mirror.
“Fuck my life.” Michael Muttered as a bright flash filled his retinas. When the flash was over Michael opened his eyes to see the room he had been in was gone, it had been replaced by a dark void that seemed to stretch out infinitely but a small sliver of light, similar to light coming under a door, caught his attention. He took a cautious step towards the door, and then another, slowly the light became brighter. Suddenly something pushed Michael through the door, again he was blinded by light. “God Damn it!” Michael shouted as he hit the ground, his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight but he wasn’t where he thought he was. Instead of being outside the pentagon he was in a very deserted forest, looking at his compass yielded mixed results. North wasn’t north anymore, it was south. “I hate my life.” 
Giving up on finding his way back to the pentagon Michael followed his instinct, he followed the path of least resistance to the north east. The forest wasn’t humid but the sun was beating down on him mercilessly like a massive heating lamp, he could barely stand the intense heat. Reaching for his canteen he found it as empty, he cursed his bad luck and continued walking.
“Okay Mikey, you’re in god knows where with no supplies. No water, no idea where you’re going. Just keep your head level and things will be fine, Right?” Michael said to himself, he rolled up his sleeves and gripped his M-16 tightly. He started humming “Devil in Disguise” trying to keep his spirits up. Walking was something he hated, just walking to nowhere specific drove him crazy. He was almost comfortable in his new surroundings when he heard a very loud roar. “Fuck!” he said as he turned to see a massive Creature with a lion’s body but amalgamations of other creatures body parts. The creature charged at him at lightning speed, Michael barley fired a shot before he was grabbed by the monster. “SHIT!” Michael shouted as he felt the muscles of the creature begin to squeeze him. Michael only had one chance, he grabbed one of his grenades, pulled the pin and shoved it down the monsters throat. As the monster gagged he dropped Michael who ran like a mad man from the creature before hearing a loud, wet “BANG!” Michael turned to see the dead body of whatever that thing was lying on the ground. Its head was gone though, what remained was a smoldering mess. 
After searching the creature Michael continued walking, his head was aching from dehydration. He thought he had busted some ribs and had also dislocated his arm. He glared angrily ahead, looking for anything else that could possibly go wrong.
“I AM NOT GOING TO DIE IN A FUCKING SWAMP!” He shouted as he began to notice the ground getting thicker and muddier. Continuing his march was an incredible feat from the injuries he had sustained but he was determined to survive, he would keep that promise he made to himself. As if by divine intervention or incredible luck he happened upon a small hut, a very small hut. By this point he was delirious, he could swear he saw a zebra inside the house. He couldn’t keep going anymore and succumb to the dehydration and pain. Before he shut his eyes he saw a zebra standing over him then it was darkness.
“Twilight my friend I must say, I never thought I’d see the day.” A voice said, Michael opened his eyes slowly he only wore fatigue pants, His boots and a T-shirt. When his eyes were fully open he saw a war mask staring right back at him. Rolling out of the bed and standing up he saw dozens more. “Well this is not a joke I would say it has awoke” the same voice said. Michael looked for the source but only saw the unicorn that he was sure was just an illusion of his water deprived mind, it wasn’t alone this time though. A Purple Unicorn was standing next to her just staring at Michael.
“What the hell? Where am I? WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU!” Michael shouted, the purple one’s horn glowed as it stepped forward. “STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!”
“Calm yourself my hairless friend we will not be your end.” The Zebra spoke, Michael just kept backing away from the purple one reaching for something at his side that wasn’t there. Not finding it he reached for one of the masks and held it as menacingly as he could. The purple one looked at him with a smile.
“You, did you just….TALK?!” Michael shouted, the purple one looked at him as if he said an obvious statement.
“Of course she did.” The purple one said, Michael lowered the mask he held a bit. “We all can.”
“We all can? There’s more of you?! WHERE THE FUCK AM I!” Michaels shouted raising the mask high again. “You, You just stay the fuck away from me you…..thing!”
“Please calm down, we won’t hurt you. Why would we have healed you if we wanted to hurt you?” The purple one said, her tone seemed to sooth Michael’s nerves enough.
“I guess you wouldn’t have…” Michael said trailing off at the end, the purple one smiled.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle and that’s Zecura” she said, Michael extended a hand.
“I’m Michael Crawford.” Michael said, Twilight extended a hoof and shook it. “Now if you mind telling me where I am?”
“Equestria.” Twilight said with a smile, Michael’s face went pale.
“What?” He said, this had to be some weird dream right? RIGHT?
“Equestria, specifically the Everfree Forrest.” Twilight said with a worried look, Michael’s face was still very pale.
“I take it you don’t know how I could get home then.” Michael said staring at the door, Twilight shook her head.
“Are you okay?” Twilight asked
“This we could not have stopped, I believe a bombshell we have dropped.” Zecura said to twilight.
“My family? My friends? What about them?” Michael said to himself, he kept repeating that sentence for ten minutes. During which Twilight and Zecura just stared at him. “DAMN THEM! THOSE BASTARDS! BECAUSE OF THOSE PENCIL PUSHERS I’LL NEVER SEE MY FAMILY AGAIN!” He finally shouted, Twilight and Zecura jumped about three feet back. They came up to his waste but they were so scared that they coward down at his knees, thinking he would certainly destroy them they closed their eyes. Instead of a yell or scream they heard a sob. Twilight felt a drop of something wet hit her head, when she looked up she saw Michael sitting on the side of the bed. His face was buried deep in is hands, twilight walked over to him and looked at him. She had so many questions but she didn’t this as the time nor the place.
“I take it you have nowhere to go then?” Twilight asked, Michael looked at her with tears streaming down his face and shook his head.
“I don’t have anything but the things I came in with.” He said, he didn’t know were his things had been taken but he really didn’t care. He just wanted to go home. “My mom and dad must be worried beyond belief.” He said, his hands were shaking as he pulled his wallet from his pants. Inside was a picture of Michael with a smiling brunette and a stoic black haired military man. “Well maybe just my mom.” Michael sighed as he handed the photo to Twilight. His eyes were still watering while he looked through the rest of his wallet, he counted the money. After Twilight looked at him after looking at the photo.
“You’re welcome to stay with me.” Twilight said, she couldn’t believe what she had said. Michael looked at her suspiciously 
“You’d do that? For me? Even though I’m not one of you?”
"This I am not sure you should do, what if he does something to you?" Zecura said, Michael sighed. This was all so unreal but it seemed so real, was this a dream or was he really there? 
"I get it, if you don't want me I understand." Michael said, he slid his wallet back into his pants. "I'll just get my things and go." Twilight looked at Zecura
"Thank you for your concern Zecura, but I think I can handle this." she said with a smile, Michael had already found his things and was walking out the door. His ribs still ached but he could move his arm which was all that mattered to him. "Michael where are you going?"
"Don't know, don't care. Maybe I'll run into one of those monsters and just let him finish me off." Michael said somberly, with that he walked out the door.
"Uh oh." Twilight sighed "I'll get him, celestia forbid he gets to Ponyville without one of us. Thanks for finding me Zecura" Zecura nodded. Twilight ran after Michael as fast as she could, when she caught up she looked at him. His face was blank, he had rolled up his sleeves and he carried an odd metallic object in his hands. For a while they walked in silence, Twilight watched as Michael constantly hummed an odd tune.
"Look I get it, I could tell you just said that back there. False Promises are what got me here in the first place, I can read people or in this case ponies like a book." Michael finally broke the silence , Twilight looked at him.
"It wasn't a false promise." She said, Michael stopped walking and turned to her.
"How am I to know? I barley met you! I don't know where I am! If I'm really here! I can't trust you or any other of you! I'm better off on my own." Michael shouted, he turned to start walking again. His normally sunny disposition replaced by anger and sadness, "I'm eighteen! I had my whole life ahead of me!" Michael looked at Twilight before sighing again. "Don't look at me like that."
"Look Michael, I understand you miss home and everything, thats why you need a friend to help you." Twilight said softly "just let me help you." Michael thought for  moment and then smiled.
"How could I say no to those eyes." Michael said with a chuckle, Twilight smiled.
"Hold still" Twilight said, her horn was glowing. She cast the teleportation spell.......