//------------------------------// // The New Face in Town. // Story: Equestria, What kinda World is that? // by Nater-Grey //------------------------------// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This man stood looking towards ponyville trying to figure out a logical explanation to why he still lived. Not completely sure what it was that happened. After treating his wounds to the best of his abilities with the limited to scarce supplies he had at his disposal, the man began to plan his next course of action. Strange planet, i have only one weapon, and not sure if friendly inhabitants or hostile. must use caution. He stood up from his location, after traversing the forest for the past hours and the sun cresting on the horizon, He sheathed his sword across his back and looked to town. "Only one way to find out." Speaking to himself as he started to walk down the recently more traversed dirt path. The party had lasted most the night, many ponies were either going home or lying around unable to stand due to the large amounts of cider they had consumed. Celestia and Nathan spoke outside before her and Luna departed. "I Insist you come stay in the castle. I will make sure you have swift transportation to ponyville each morning." He smiled, she kept trying to treat him special, and he did not want that. "Its okay Princess, I will be okay down here for a few days. Besides there is some stuff they could use my help with around here. You have your own stuff to do in Canterlot, I do not wish to trouble you with worrying about me." He spoke back to her gracefully. Celestia sighed giving up as he was his same self, approaching him and hugging him. "You make sure to come visit me before you leave, or ill drag you back here till you do." she spoke playfully. "I promise ill make sure to say goodbye, no matter what." He hugged the princess back. Luna felt left out and got in on the hugging action to, since she felt that he owed her at least that. I mean come on, she remembered that spell, and helped Celestia, cant she have a hug at least? He smiled as Luna tried to nudge in and hugged the younger princess. They set off back to Canterlot leaving the tired human back at Sugar cube Corner. He wiped some sleep from his eyes, cant sleep now he told himself gotta go find out what it was that got my attention earlier. He looked out into the now night sky, the stars above him seemed to be endless, as he took off down the cobblestone road to The Everfree forest. The night air was crisp, cool and comforting. The air against his skin revitalized him. This was what he missed about his old home. The cool nights he would go walking for hours. The night was quiet and calm. A time when he could relax and think. Open his mind up to the problems he may have had that day and figure out what he was going to do about them. With a smile on his face he continued down the road as it turned from Cobblestone to dirt. The Cloaked man walked down the dirt path when he noticed someone coming towards him. He kept himself composed but ready to strike if it came to that. They both walked towards each other meeting half way stopping under the moonlight to examine themselves. Nathan stood as he looked at this rather giant looking man. He stood only a few inches taller, Clad Grey leather armor covered most of his body with a large sword strapped across his back. The man took note at this Male, cat thing in front of him. He stood only a few inches shorter, leather vest and leggings, with Combat boots. His back adorned a large staff and a tail. He spoke first. "Greetings." "Greetings there. Have a nice landing?" He said with a smile. The man looked at the Human cat thing with hesitation, eying the oddly dressed man, and his large staff on his back. "What's it to you if I did or not?" he had a rather aggressive tone and was standing defensively. Nathan looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Well you do not have to be so negative. I was just curious why you were flying like that in the first place." He looked over the man once more before lowering his guard a tiny bit. "I just got sling shot to some unknown part of the universe, kind of on edge. Last thing i saw was dozen's of spaceships simultaneously firing at me." Nate nodded and agreed. "That would put a guy on the edge, how did you come to survive such a incident ?" Lucious shrugged at the question. "Not entirely sure how i did. Kinda sitting there recapping every last moment of my life, then boom here i am." Nate nodded and rubbed his chin. "Interesting indeed. Something like that does not just happen out of the blue. You got any magical powers or tech that can shield you or something?" Lucious shook his head taking quick inventory of his available resources. "None that can resist the force of every known weapon at once. If that is what you mean." Nate nodded frowning a bit, this surely was a interesting mystery of how he survived. The men decided that neither was a real immediate threat to one another, so they shook hands to show neutrality between them. "Names Lucious." "Names Nathaniel." They nodded to each other and Lucious spoke up. "So whats this world?" Nathaniel looked around and chuckled. "Well, brace yourself! This is the land of Equestria, Who is mainly inhabited by a race of smart intellectual ponies. Ranging from Pegasus, unicorns and just regular old earth ponies." Lucious looked at the man with a raised eyebrow now. "Say what now?" Nate face palmed and just sighed, and pointed to town. "if you will follow me, ill show you." Both of the guys had found themselves outside of town. "Well here is Ponyville. It's not a bad place. Just not what you would expect is all." Lucious looked around and smiled. "I have seen a wide assortment of things in my time. i am sure this is no differe-" That is when the name "Ponyville" made sense as he saw Fluttershy, and Rainbow dash walking down the road unaware of them. Nate just smiled as he noticed, "Told you." What happened next completely blind sighted Nathan. Lucious just walked over and looked at Fluttershy... and in the most high pitched fan-boy squeal said "OMG SHES SOOOOOO CUTE!" which scared Fluttershy speechless falling over like a fainting goat. Rainbow dash jumped back as Nathan walked up and just laughed... "Lucious you done scared her silly." Lucious had a genuine look of concern on his face. "oh no! is she gonna be okay?" Nathan had to practically get between him and Rainbow who was more or less gonna knock him out. "woah Rainbow its okay. He did not know. He does not mean to harm." Rainbow looked to Nate, she trusted him enough to let Lucious off this time, but she was going to be watching him. After a moment of shaking Fluttershy she came to confused what had just happened before dashing behind Nathan seeing the large and dark man that stood before her. "Its okay Fluttershy he wont hurt you." She shook her head still scared of this man who just frightened her to faint like that. Lucious pouted seeing she did not want to meet him. "I am sorry for that, i just could not help myself." He was sort of embarrassed by the way he was acting. But soon enough Fluttershy popped her head out from behind Nathan and hiding halfway behind him and her mane, "I.. its.. okay." Lucious held his hand for her, and she very timidly and slowly extended her hoof to meet it and they shook. A few minutes later Nathaniel and Lucious, with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, were all sitting around Fluttershy's home. They chattered amongst themselves just getting to know each other, Lucious told of his dyeing universe and the monsters that sought to destroy him. Fluttershy was cowering behind her couch at the level of detail he put into his story telling, the monsters sounded horrible. Nate just chuckled at the stories Rainbow told him. She was telling him about the first time she rainboom'ed and how she saved her friend Rarity and the Wonderbolts. Fluttershy being scared to near wits end hid under her blankets, while Lucious finished his tale, with the heroic feats he performed in defeating these mighty beasts, as fluttershy looked on with awe. He described how he fought the monsters tooth and nail, to keep his life. They were swarming but something inside him, a Light which burned ever brighter shined through as he became overwhelmed, power soared throughout his body as he remembered the night... Back on the dyeing Planet of Galamora Prime Lucious stood in dark metallic blood splattered corridor whilst his arms dripped with blood, the first wave was defeated but in his blood lust he had strayed to far from the transport bay to get back safely in time. There were more and more of them closing in from every direction. Silvery Yellow eyes pierced the air around him, hundreds were approaching him as he started to fight them off. The infested creatures no longer had any effect on him but the pain they caused was still real as ever. His body became bruised and battered as wave upon wave of creatures assaulted him. The Armor had been able to hold back some of the onslaught but had become rent and torn. "Sir, your body has undergone massive physical trauma, expedient relocation to a safer area is advised." He continued to attack any he could, blood splattered across the already drenched walls as his sword sliced and cleaved through flesh. More and more kept coming, piling on him as he was engulfed into a mass of piercing yellow eyes. But something welled inside him, a light that he carried with him started to glow. One that did not stop merely glowing, but instead started to glow brighter. Time which felt like thousands of years all of a sudden stopped as he let one last breath, a inner fire within his soul suddenly burst at the seams. Piercing the darkness like thousands of swords, a shock wave erupted searing the darkness from the creatures around him and sent them vanishing in a wave of pure energy. The light shined for mere seconds but felt like a eternity to the beasts as they retreated. He laid upon the ground, rent battered and torn but alive. Quickly he got up using his sword as a crutch he looked toward the transport hatch and made his way to it as the creatures retook their hunt. "Not like this... i will not die here like this..." He told himself as he ran Equestria Fluttershy, and now Rainbow and Nathaniel all stared at him as he sat there his eyes full of tears of all the emotions he was recalling from earlier this night. A lifetime it seemed to him passed before him and the emotions were finally catching up to him. He remembered the day he had to kill his own wife and daughter because they had become infected. "It was just a routine mission... why did they have to be on Tir'lion Fath... i could have saved them." a battle inside him finally ceased as his emotions poured out and he sat crying into his hands. The other three had no idea such a story would bring such a response as fluttershy walked over and looked up at him. "a-are you okay?" she asked quite concerned to see another living being crying in such a manner. Lucious sat there, his gloves becoming soaked as he continued to cry, years of repressed memories seeped into his mind. "I am not alright... these creatures... monsters! stole my very life from me. My wife... and daughter i had to kill because they were like the rest, mindless and bloodthirsty... i had to slaughter them like the others with my own two hands." He wept as he recalled the face of the beautiful woman he had married and the loving daughter he fought for every day. He did everything he could for her. So she could grow up and live a great life.. free and happy. Fluttershy hopped up and hugged him tightly. She could not bear to see any creature, man, pony or animal in such dismay. He cried for an hour but felt like forever to him. Nathaniel and Rainbow left the two alone but made sure to keep an ear open in case. He walked out the door his bloodshot eyes finally held no tears as he sighed. "Thank you Fluttershy." Which he received a smile in return. She waved to him as they said good night and she closed up for the night. Rainbow was first to ask, "Are you going to be okay?" with a small smile. Lucious smiled and nodded. "I will be fine. I needed time to, vent." Nathan nodded. "I understand what you mean. How about we retire to my home and rest for the coming days?" Rainbow looked at Nate confused. "You have a home here?" He smiled as he nodded, leading them back to the tree he slept under the first night. "Aye and here it is." It was a single tent. Nothing extraordinary, just a small little tent. "That's your home?" The other two stood in confusion. "Its a tent." Nathaniel nodded and smiled, walking in like it was a large door. The other two were kinda confused and looked curiously lifting the flap to see not the inside of a tent but a large luxurious home. Lucious chuckled but what happened next shocked both Men and Rainbow to a level they thought they would never see.