//------------------------------// // Big Book of Truths // Story: Humans Assemble! // by Mistershield //------------------------------// Chapter 78- Big Book of Truths Baltimare ponies and tourists gathered mostly in hotels by the sea. The hotel staff moved from pony to pony, offering them blankets and supplies. The hotel owners understood the situation and were more than generous enough to offer the town citizens free rooms and water. Food, however, was going to be tough. Many ponies tried to stay in the lobbies, looking for lost family members or for any info. The little colts and fillies had been snatched up by adults, not caring if they were family or not. They just needed to get them safe. Some of the elderly ponies, unable to run, had been carried by those able to fly or use magic. Many that had been injured but didn’t flee to a hospital were getting treated with first aid kits by staff able too. Confusion filled the rooms, but it was overshadowed by the many ‘thank yous’ that were heard in them. Washed up naval ponies and police tried their best to keep things under control. The town mayor was nowhere to be seen. The big wigs of the navy were still in base, so only a few important ponies that took command were scared. It fell on the police Chief Breaker to speak orders. He was a brown earth pony with a gold badge as his Cutie Mark. “Alright, alright! Everypony Quiet!” He had to yell through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, he had to go to every hotel and give the same speech every time. “This is Police Chief Breaker speaking. I know you are all worried, scared, sad and other things. But the bad creatures are not attacking this area. We are safe here. Right now, it’s important to stay calm and work together.” The ponies stopped and looked up to the loudspeakers. They all stayed quiet, listening to their Chief. “Now then, the hotel managers have agreed to give food, water, and shelter during this crisis. Please thank them, but don’t make demands of them. They are doing this for free and with little staff to help. If there are any volunteers to help with the elderly or to go from room to room, please inform the staff,” Breaker spoke as he read off a list. “Now to the good news. Princess Celestia has been informed of the situation, and we had received a letter that she will send help. Also, the attacks have stopped thanks to the valiant efforts of the new defenders. Angelo, that fellow in red flying in his carpet, is now working in coordination with pegasi to spread the news.” A lot of cheers went up, but a lot of ponies also stayed quiet. The new ‘defenders’ looked a lot like those aggressors. “Please, treat the defenders with courtesy at least. One of them, Red Medic, has been working non-stop to help treat the injured. Speaking of which- Pegasi are flying to hospitals and other sites to collect names of the dead, injured, and missing. Please understand, there are many ponies unaccounted for. For that reason, we ask you all stay in the hotels overnight.” Needless to say, this made a lot of ponies feel bad. So many of them wanted to go back home and feel secure with their families. Chief Breaker licked his lips, as this was the hardest part to convey. “Finally, please understand all the measures and work we all have to do. We are all working as fast as we can. Before we can all go home, construction ponies and others are working to clear away debris and helping missing ponies. We also miss our families and want to find out what just happened. Kratos and Eddie are helping with clearing. Barry and Angelo are also working to finding others and to make sure the aggressors don’t return. Also, to any ponies thinking about leaving the town- Please don’t. The train tracks have been destroyed not too far away from the city. A ‘Zeke’ is helping trying to fix the situation with others to try to get more relief in. So far, we only can receive help via airship. I know it’s a lot to ask, but we all have to endure.” With that said, Chief Breaker turned off the loudspeaker and sighed. That was the last major hotel. Others had been sent to the smaller hotels to save time. Least the Defenders were not making demands to them. The earth pony had to take a second to lean back in his seat and look out the window of the manager’s office he was in. As fast as the attacks started, they almost ended as quickly. Was that just a scare tactic to lure them all in one place? Was that a distraction like Mr. Steakfries thought it could be? He had a feeling that the ponies may have to stay in hotels for more than just one night. __________________________________ Angelo sat with Photo Finish, flying on the carpet to look down at the city. So far, most of the citizens that decided to stay home were asked to head to the hotels. It was easier to take a census if the citizens were all together. They greeted Eddie and Kratos as they passed them in the City Hall and saw the God of War using the Blades’ chains to lift rocks. Unicorns would coordinate with them to lift and carry the debris away. They had found the dead body of both the Mayor and the Assistant Mayor. It looks like Luthor’s attacks had not been without casualties. Iron Will and Octavia could only wince and cry at the mess made. Barry flew over the hospital to get an updated list of injured and confirmed dead. Confirmed, because sometimes it was hard to identify names when ponies looked alike. Red Medic sat down on a chair, exhausted. Every now and then he needed to stop and let the medigun cool down. Any chance to try and grab pony organs were stopped every time Redheart brought another patient in. Least after hours, the injured list was whittling down to more manageable numbers. It wouldn’t be until an hour later when Samus was finally able to make it to Baltimare and retrieve the Defenders. ___________________________________ The ponies walked away from the landing pad, the humans all leaving. While Samus took the Appleloosan crew back, chariots took the other humans away. They agreed the best place for them to stay was the Everfree Forest- specifically, the ruins. While Zecora made an excellent guide for them, she was held back by her Ponyville friends. The zebra was being accepted by the community, and being associated with the humans would not help her cause. The next issue to address though, was damage control. With the afternoon dying, the ponies and other Equestrians sat down in the garden to rack their brains. A lot of the truths presented were awful, especially them being dead and murdered. It didn’t help that some of the ponies were still cross with the humans. Sure, things like Johnny being a womanizer could have been overlooked, but some like Rarity wanted to tear The Doctor apart. Then, there was Otacon’s involvement with the changelings as well. Twilight sat with the other Elements of Harmony looking over the list. She forgave Otacon, true, but the others may not be so understanding. Pinkie Pie was being serious, her head laying down on a tabletop to stare at the air. I mean, she was guilty too, she agreed to help Dan burn the hospital. Rarity tried her best to try and rationalize Nate’s colorful history. Rainbow Dash laid down on a cloud upside down, trying to get blood in her head to see if it would help her think. Fluttershy still tried to ponder why Soma would threaten to kill a pony. Applejack had her Stetson lowered in thought. The little colts and fillies were in the clear, as the KND were innocents. Still, Cheerilee sat with them, telling them of how she met Ralf and their adventures together. Carl sat with Scootaloo, still trapped inside the Daedric body. He was taking care of Johnny’s pet chicken, Bush Bravo. The former pegasus was worried; this day was going to end soon and no one was having any luck. Derpy joined in with them but stayed quiet, wondering how to explain this things to her daughter. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had left long ago, leaving the other royal ponies in a huddle. Prince Blueblood sat with his aunties to try to look at a list of influential ponies. If they could get a famous pony to speak on the ponies behalf- One that was not partnered to a human- they could try to get an unbiased spokespony for them. Trixie sat alone, underneath Snake’s box. She didn't want anypony to see her crying. Being alone most of her life- She never felt loneliness. Now, she was useless, not even able to think about her job. There was nothing like feeling lonely after meeting a special somepony that could make everything feel it would be ok. Junebug sat with Lyra, trying to see if a lesson in human history or maybe business ideas would help. Mayor Mare discussed things with Zecora. The zebra listened to Mare as she tried to bounce speeches off herself. Big Mac and Spike, being the only guys and not really big talkers, took the opportunity to eat. There was so much to go over, and they all would have to go home soon. “So, any ideas?” Twilight picked up her head, turning to look at the other groups with a hopeful smile. “Ziltch,” Lyra replied. “I can think of something for some of them, but not for everyone.” “Yeah- Deaths and murder from Nate, Travis, Snake...” Mayor Mare lowered her head, letting her ears fall against her head. “It would help if we knew more about the circumstances behind these histories,” Princess Luna added. “I understand how Travis is a killer by trade- But I know not what drove him to do so.” She picked up her head to look at them. “With all the time I spent with him, I never saw him with the need for money or fame. Yes, he was brash and cocky, and on a quest for revenge- But not evil or bloodthirsty.” “Would knowing really help you all?” “Who?” Princess Celestia turned her head to look over at her partner. “Doctor?” “The Doctor?” Twilight and the others turned to look over at the Time Lord. The (10th) Doctor was leaning against a pillar, holding a book under his left arm. Unlike the other Doctor that wore a bowtie, this one was wearing a tie and a blue suit. His hair was kinda the same, but he did look... Different. “Well, I admit I do look a bit different-” “Prepare to die!” Rarity yelled out, rushing over to charge her horn at his chest. “Oi, you could poke someone’s eye out with that!” The Doctor called out. moving to stand behind Celestia. The alabaster unicorn stopped herself, her teeth clenched and snorting at the Time Lord. “Rarity, do show some decorum,” Princess Celestia lowered her head, giving Rarity an understanding look. Both of her eyes were closed halfway. “Besides, this isn’t The Doctor that tried to kill Nathan Drake.” “Princess!” Rarity stopped herself, realizing who she was addressing. She shut both eyes to bow politely. She stopped though, picking up her eyebrows. “Wait- Not him?” “Oh yes. I believe...” The alicorn picked up her head to inspect her champion. “You look... Different.” “Good different or bad different?” The Doctor picked himself to stand up and walk out from behind her. “Just... Different.” “Aww. I was going to ask if I was ginger, but its not the time,” The Doctor turned to address Rarity. “I apologize that my future self caused you any trouble.” The Equestrians slowly turned to look and inspect this new Doctor. He did look different. Maybe younger? “Your... Older self?” Rarity asked, leaning her head back to narrow his eyes at him. “You do look different. Very well, I suppose I can’t punish an innocent pony.” “Did you call me a pony?” The Doctor picked up his eyebrows. “I think I like it!” He smiled, moving to look at the others. “Nice to finally meet you all.” Mumbled and confused hellos greeted him. “So, why are you here then? Why not... Umm- You? The other Doctor?” Rainbow Dash asked, a bit confused. Still, Phoenix looked better in the blue suit. “I suppose it was that whole poison incident,” The Time Lord replied. He shrugged, and then moved to hold out the green book for them all to see. “I came to explain about your champions.” The title of the book was written in gold letters. ‘The Book of Champions.’ “Where did you get that book?” Twilight asked, lifting her head up to look at the book. “Is this how you- Er, the other Doctor got the info to publish the newspaper article?” “Actually, that was me,” He replied, lowering the book. “But before any- pony?” He turned to look at Celestia, who simply nodded. “Gets angry- It was not my intent to get only the bad things about them published.” “Whatta ya mean?” Applejack asked, her right eyebrow raised. “Well, believe it or not- I did not get the info to protect you ponies. I did it to protect the humans.” “Mind... Blown,” Prince Blueblood moved his hooves to the sides of his head as his eyes bugged out. “Protect them?! The powerful humans?” He was not the only one confused by this. “Well, I owe no alliances to Equestria,” The Doctor replied. “My other self did. But something we do hold in common- We will protect humanity.” He opened the book up, flipping through a few pages. “I looked them up because my other self was busy with Snape. So I took a team he assembled to investigate them.” “A team?” Pinkie Pie picked up her head. “Oh! I knew my Pinkie sense was trying to tell me something! Where is your team now?” Her head turned to the sides quickly, trying to find the other humans and ponies. “Oh, they are on assignment now. I only stopped by because I had a feeling you need to know this...” The Doctor moved to sit down on a stone step. “Sit down everypony. What I’m about to tell you will betray the trust of the humans. But, I do this because I don’t want them persecuted or potentially threatened.” He waited for them all to sit properly, gather around like a storyteller waiting for his audience. The alien did blink once, spotting a cardboard box shuffling it’s way over to the group. “Uh...” “Get on with it,” The box called out. “I could bring down your government with a single word,” The Doctor mumbled under his breath. With a sigh, he brought the book to rest on his lap to bring up the first champion. “Fantastic. First- I want you to understand the word ‘Champion.’ Twilight?” “Champion? Champion is a noun, a title or word used to describe a pony- or in this case human- that has defeated or surpassed all rivals or challengers.” “Oh, a very good definition. But I want to add this to that- A champion is also someone that will also defend or win at any cost. A winner doesn’t have to be an honorable victor; a champion can be good or evil. That is why some of the humans have a dark side.” The Doctor waited for this fact to sink in. “Let’s begin then. Who do you know of already?” “Well, we know somethings about them all, but some of us didn’t hear the whole story,” Twilight turned her head to look at Prince Blueblood. Some of the ponies weren’t around for story time. “Very well. First Phoenix Wright. A defense attorney. A lawyer that protected the innocent, suffering at a great cost to his own health and honor.” He stopped there, and then look at Rainbow Dash. “And you know how he was disbarred, though it was a frame up?” She nodded. “Well, that was a waste. But I do want to add this, he brought hope to everyone he has met. He has never faked evidence.” “Anything that can help us defend his cause?” “Well, these is this...” He looked back down at the book. “Even though it would take him nearly a decade and he is no longer a lawyer- He kept trying to find the guilty client, clear his name, and prove that Trucy’s father was innocent.” “What?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yes. He spent his time even developing a new form of justice system to do it. Let me tell you, it is not easy convincing an entire country to form a new form of justice.” “Phoenix...” Rainbow smiled a bit, casting her eyes a bit low. “I knew he would never give up.” “Next, Dan Mandel.” “Danny?” Pinkie Pie picked up her head. “Yes. Dan Mandel. Although he seems to throw his weight around and also throws temper tantrums- He does it because he refuses not to be heard.” “What?” Pinkie Pie asked, paying more attention. “Well, you’ve seen Dan’s height? He comes from a society where people are judged by their height and appearance. Even children are close to his size.” He stopped there to look up. “People in society see height as a positive element. When people crowd around, they block his view and his voice is drowned out. True, he lives by his own ideals- But his only crime is that he cares too much.” “Woah- Cares too much?” Rarity asked. “That- no offense Pinkie- that uncouth fellow?” “Well... His Element is anger. Tell me, do you get mad if a pony you never knew is insulted? Or would you get mad if your friend Pinkie is insulted?” The Doctor asked. “Of course I would care if Pinkie was insulted! I would even...” “Get angry?” The Doctor smiled, seeing Rarity stop and hesitate to answer. “Yes. Of course you get angry. But you can only get angry if you care about something. Dan cares about children and their education. Dan cares that people are getting stupid. Dan cares that people neglect themselves.” Her stopped there to look at them all. “But what about all the violent things he’s done?” Twilight asked. “He responds with how society responds to things. Peaceful protests? It takes time and bureaucracy. Arrange a party or pull pranks? Such immature acts are not seen as responsible. Dan is a man of action and he expresses himself in a way that cannot be ignored. It is not an accident that he bears the “King of Hearts.” Only someone capable of great anger can love so much as well. Do you care if you lose a race? Of course! You cared about winning. But Dan... He cares so much about many things. What do you asked yourselves when you see Dan? How much anger fit inside such a small form? The question should be- How can so much caring fill such a small man?” The ponies had to think about that a moment. “Moving on then. Soma Cruz. According to my team, he was born with part of the soul of an evil deity. While he controls the power, he doesn’t allow himself to be evil. True, he grew up ostracized, Soma never acted with a cruel heart. He has very few friends, and only one of his own age.” “But why would he threaten to kill a pony?” Fluttershy asked. “Well, because he has so little friends- He will do anything for them. Nate is well liked among the humans if you have noticed,” The doctor chuckled. “And this vet made a joke about Nate’s condition.” “I remember that,” Rainbow nodded. “Soma would allow himself to turn into a demon, just to save his friends without a second thought. You all value your friendships, but how far would you go? Can you say, “I would become a demon” or form a pact with the devil to save them?” Eyes on him, the Time Lord waited for an answer. Only Rainbow Dash picked up her hoof up without thinking about it. “Exactly. Soma’s element may be Acceptance, but believe me, I pity the being that makes the mistake to threaten his friends.” “I am going to have a few choice words with that doctor,” Fluttershy mumbled under her breath. Her friends quickly leaned back from her. She was protruding a dark aura. “Nathan Drake next then,” The Doctor quickly turned the page. Seeing an angry Fluttershy made him very nervous. “Well, Nathan Drake is a tomb raider. While I would like to say a lot of the people he’s killed was out of self defence- It would be a lie.” “Nate... killed other humans for bad things?” Sweetie Belle spoke up again. Rarity frowned, turning to look at her sister. Why did she have to fall for the bad colts? “Well, did you also know he was an orphan?” “What? No mother or father?” Rarity asked, turning to look back at the doctor. Now that she thought about it, Nate said he did have so very little people in his life. “Yes. Nathan Drake isn’t his real name.” “Amnesia?” Rarity asked, lifting her left eyebrow. “I wish it was so, but no,” The Doctor shook his head to the sides. “At the age of five, his mother committed suicide. With no father, he was taken into St. Francis Boy’s Home and raised by nuns.” “What’s suicide?” Sweetie Belle asked. Rarity bit her lower lip, moving to hug her sister close. She turned to look at the other young fillies and colts. “It means- His mother died from unnatural causes,” Cheerilee explained. The colts and fillies lowered their heads. No mom or dad in their lives? It was not a pleasant thought. “Yes. For seven years he grew up without a real family. Desperate for a heritage, he read the exploits and voyages of Francis Drake. He believed himself to be his ancestor, and took the name Nathan Drake. He left the orphanage at the age of 12. Victor Sullivan then took him in, and taught him.” “Is that Sully?” Rarity asked, moving a hoof to pat Sweetie Belle’s mane. She was doing this more for herself than for her sister. Trying to imagine what it was for Nathan was impossible. He was so friendly and approachable! Even funny! “Yes. Sully didn’t exactly raise him, but he taught Nate a trade. It was a dishonest trade, yes- But it gave Nate a trade that let him explore and learn languages and adventure.” “Like Daring Do?” ________________________________ “Can someone please explain to me who is Daring Do? It’s been bothering me for a while...” Nathan asked. “Also, are you guys getting the feeling you’re being talked about behind your back again?” ________________________________ “Nathan grew up in a dangerous trade as well. Other treasure seekers lied, betrayed, and threatened his life. He had to grow up and learn how to fight and defend himself. But he’s never gone after the dangerous or evil payoffs. Once, he even wanted to dispose of drugs so no one would get them. But, realize this- Nathan Drake is a man that is genuinely understanding and dedicated. Even with his whole life surrounded by danger- He’s the one guy all the humans liked for a reason.” The Doctor took a moment to swallow, wondering why Nate reminded of himself too much. “I see...” Rarity nodded. “Nathan is a product of environment. Well, I don't care if his name is not Nathan Drake. He is who he is.” “Well said. Dovahkiin is next...” “Woah now- Let me stop ya there. Is Dovahkiin’s story worse than the others?” Applejack asked. No way she handle all these sad stories. “Sad? No. But it’s filled with nothing but hardships,” The Doctor replied. “The Dovahkiin was a wheat farmer, born a Nord. But there was a battle near his farm. A civil war in fact.” “Civil War? Is that the war Dovahkiin was on about?” Applejack asked. “Most likely. The losing side got captured, and Dovahkiin was taken as well. They were all declared traitors and sentenced to death.” “Death?!” Applejack asked. “But traitors or not-” “Skyrim... is vastly different from Equestria,” The Doctor answered in a low tone. “Even though his name was not on the list of traitors, he was still going to be killed. But he escaped thanks to a dragon attack, and that is when he learned of his powers. From there on in, he dedicated his life to ensure peace in the land.” “But why a thief?” Applejack asked. “In Skyrim nothing is free. Even though so many people had their hope in him- They never gave him a home. Never gave him supplies other than food. Never even weapons or armor.” The Doctor shook his head to the sides. “All the armor, weapons, homes, political positions, accomplishments- he had to earn them on his own. Even though he was the Dovahkiin, he had no job. No steady income. He had to loot dungeons and worse to supply himself and earn enough money to buy a new home.” “But what about his farm?” “It was taken away from him on the day he was captured. He had no home to go back. For days, he hunted, did quests, saved lives, gained allies, protected others from dragons, and more- Without a place to rest his head. All he could do was rent a room in an inn or sleep in caves taken from bandits.” The Time Lord picked up his head to look at the startled look of Applejack. “No farm or home?” Applejack managed to asked after imaging herself without Sweet Apple Acres. “I think you understand now why he took the path of a thief. And let me tell you, the cheapest home he could afford took a long time to collect the gold. Although he became a thief, he never stole things that people needed to live. Not the noblest of fellows mind you, but far from being the ultimate evil.” The Doctor turned the page. “Why didn’t he just say...” Applejack mumbled under her breath. “Would any of you want to admit that these sad or bad things they had to overcome to become champions were good?” The Doctor asked. The ponies stayed quiet. “Otacon then.” “Dr. Hal Emmerich...” Twilight interjected. “Oh, yes. Doctor. Well, his is a sad story as well,” The Doctor sighed. “Otacon went to college at a very young age. His mother died when he was young- but his father remarried.” He waited for Twilight to say something, but she stayed quiet. “His step mother however, did a bad thing. When Hal’s father found out- He drowned and almost took Hal’s step sister with her.” He was glad he left out the seducing part, no time to mention that with little ones around. “Wait... Did you say drowned?” Twilight asked. “A tragic incident for Hal. He left home, and dedicated himself to his career. He did his best to develop a peaceful tank, one that could stop weapons. But, he was lied to. That tank was made to be the ultimate weapon of war.” “Who lied to him?” Twilight asked, suddenly narrowing her eyes. First changelings had lied to him and used him, and now someone else did it before? “The company he worked for, having already sold it to a government. When he found out what they did to his peaceful tank, he helped Snake. Solid Snake was sent to destroy the tank if he needed to, because it was being stolen. When the situation was stopped, Otacon quit and joined Snake-” He stopped there, taking note that the cardboard box had a set of eyes peering at him. “They both created ‘Philanthropy,’ an organization dedicated to stopping all forms of Otacon's tanks to be used or created at all.” “Is... That all?” Twilight hesitantly asked. The Doctor bit his lower lip and continued. “You remember I mentioned his step-sister? Well, while working in Philanthropy, he found out that his sister continued with his work and that she was taken hostage by a group wanting to steal a new tank.” The Time Lord stopped, hearing a gulp swallowed. “His sister died in his arms, just a few hours before he came here.” “What was her name?” Twilight asked “Emma. She was smart, just like her step-brother. She helped stopped the bad guys too. Otacon’s had to leave her body behind to save the other hostages also taken by the bad guys. After he saved their lives, he returned for Snake and the others, and this is when he was attacked. I think... In either case, he was sent here.” The Doctor said to look back at Twilight. “So... Emma died just a few hours before he arrived then. I guess Otacon wanted to help others so much,” Twilight shut both eyes and lowered her head. “What... happened to David?” The Doctor turned to look at a blue unicorn that emerged from the box. He really did not want to go through Snake’s story. “Very well. Solid Snake’s real name is indeed David-” He stopped himself, turning to look at Cheerilee. “Could you take the little ones away?” “Oh...” Cheerilee turned to look down at the children. They were in the clear technically, their partners were innocents. “We should get you all home.” “Indeed. I imagine their parents must be worried,” Princess Celestia added. She sent for a coach for them to sent in. “Do we have to?” Scootaloo asked. She wanted to be brave, but listening to these sad stories was... was worse than nightmares or scary stories. “Princess Celestia said so, squirt...” Rainbow Dash smiled, trying to put on a good show. “Ergh, ok. Coming Dad?” Scootaloo asked. The Daedric warrior stepped up, carrying the two chickens in his arms to head away. Once they were in the clear, The Doctor released a sigh as his cheeks puffed out. This one... was going to take finesse. “Get on with it, The Great And Powerful Trixie demands it!” The unicorn demanded, getting impatient. “You asked for it,” The Doctor turned the page to look down at the words. “David has no parents or family-” “Then how did he kill his father and brother?!” Trixie demanded, moving in front of the others to confront the Doctor. “Snake is a copy...” The Doctor picked up the book, trying to use it to push back the pushy one. “He has no real family, he’s not even considered a real human.” “A... copy? A magical copy?” Trixie narrowed her eyes. “Was his twin also...?” “Yes and no. It’s complicated. Stand away from me,” The Doctor sighed. He turned to look at the others and shook his head to the sides. “There was once a soldier considered to be the greatest of his time. His codenames were Naked Snake, Punished Snake, or Big Boss. He accomplished the impossible. The government wanted more- so they copied that soldier. But there was complications.” “What kind?” Trixie inquired, lifting an eyebrow. “You see, copying people without magic is hard, and not easily done. In fact, it was so complicated, that only two were made from that soldier. Solid and Liquid Snake. But- Snake was made from all the imperfections. Liquid was made from only the best parts of Naked Snake.” “Are you saying... The imperfect copy killed the perfect copy and the original?” Trixie tried to understand. Was David angry at the others? But he didn’t seem angry... “He did kill them, but he never knew who they were. They were all soldiers, part of a program to create perfect soldiers and agents. Neither had much of a family life.” “What?” Trixie immediately snapped her head up. “Remember that group that was trying to steal the tanks in Otacon’s story?” “Are you saying...” “Yes. Snake killed Big Boss in his first mission, and then his twin in another occasion. Snake and Liquid were separated at birth, and they never told any of the Snakes they were family. Even his twin didn’t find out until recently. When he did find out, that is when Liquid decided to steal a tank.” “Who would do such a thing?” Trixie asked. “Would you tell a copy what’s important?” The Doctor asked. “But David isn’t just a copy!” Trixie shouted. Her eyes were narrowed, getting watered a bit. “Are you telling me they made him kill his own family because he was just a tool?” “There’s more though.” “What can be possibly worse?!” Trixie asked, lifting her hooves up to stand. “Snake’s dying.” __________________________________ “You know...” Snake stopped to look over at Otacon in their chariot ride. “I’ve seen espers, my brother’s soul living in an arm inside Ocelot, giant tanks, shamans, and more. But I never had the feeling I was being talked about. My ears are so hot right now I’m getting a weird feeling...” “Tell me about it,” Otacon sighed. __________________________________ “He’s... He’s what?” Trixie calmed down, lowering her hooves to stand. Her voice had gone very soft. “He’s sick. Although he doesn’t look it, he has an illness that will kill him slowly. According to my research, he did drown in an operation. But even if he gets his life back, he will die in a few years,” The Doctor looked away from the book and look at Trixie’s face. “When he went to stop his brother, he was injected with something to help him. But that also had the poison that’s killing David.” “So David did his duty, the government lied to him, and he’s dying because of it,” Trixie whispered. “That’s the gist of things. There’s more, but I think I should stop here for now. He can tell you the rest himself, that is, if you care to hear it from him.” “I...” Trixie turned her head away to look at David’s box. “Are the rest of the stories that bad?” Princess Luna asked, almost afraid to hear about Travis now. “Speaking of twins...” The Doctor turned the page. “Travis Touchdown. He does have a living brother, Henry Cooldown.” “Travis never mentioned him.” “That’s because Mister Sir Henry Mother Fucker,” The Doctor mumbled under his breath. “Well, Travis and Henry were separated shortly after their birth. Henry grew up in another country. But.. He also had a half sister, Jeanne.” “A sister? Brother?” Princess Luna stepped up next as Twilight moved to comfort Trixie. “Jeanne was... abused by their father. She later killed Travis’ mother and father when he was about five years old.” Princess Luna’s mouth fell open at this news. Were humans this evil to champions and heroes? Or did these hardships made them grow up to be hardened? “As a result, he grew up... a bit loony. He grew up mostly alone, learning combat from videos mostly. When he was old enough, he learned formal combat from a master and obtain his first beam saber. It was then that he became a hitman, though he was tricked into a desperate struggle. When he joined, he was ranked in a deadly assassin game. When he killed an assassin to join, he gained that rank.” “So the only way to work up the ranks...” “Is to kill a higher ranked assassin. Travis, from this point in his life, had a target painted on his back. The only way to escape, was the put a stop to the games. He managed to escape once, but then they killed the only man he considered a friend. His name was Bishop.” “So he rejoined the game, swearing revenge on the Number One ranked,” Princess Luna finished. No wonder Sir Travis was so obsessed with reaching he number one rank. “I hesitate to ask... but-” “Yes. Thanks to the game, he met with his sister and killed her. He also fought Henry, but they reached an understanding.” The Doctor looked away from Luna and down back at his book. “I should let you know, he did spare some of those in the ranked game. He has shown some mercy by also killing many of them.” “Mercy?” Luna asked, feeling a wing to hug her. Princess Celestia joined her sister to hug her close. “Many in this ranked game were tired and weary of this game. Their only way out was to die. Travis took the life of some of them to send them to paradise and end them from this useless struggle. Some of these other assassins were also vile villains that deserved to die for all the deaths they brought to humanity.” The Doctor rested both arms on his thighs, wondering how much his body could handle these stories. “I see. I understand now. Like Nathan, he was an orphan and grew a product of his environment,” Princess Luna idly spoke against her sister neck to lean on. The Doctor turned to look at the others, lifting his eyebrows. A lot of the ponies were looking down, hugging each other, on the verge of tears, or comforting each other. He couldn’t blame them, these were all horrible stories to share. “Should I continue?” “We can skip Ash. I explained to them how Ash lost his love, his arm, and how he’s battled forces of evil,” Mayor Mare explained. “Ah, yes. Ash is one of the more heroic champions. He’s battled the forces of darkness by himself many times, but also been a champion for others. He’s lost many he’s held close though...” The Doctor turned to look at the others, wondering who else wanted to hear. “I already know about Jack,” Spike voiced out. “But I never told the others.” “Very well. Jack is a samurai, but that’s not his real name. It’s a name given to him in his own time traveling adventures. He’s certainly the noblest of the champions. Although he lost his lands, father, and heritage against the evil Aku, he emerged victorious. He defeated Aku and he’s gained the respect and admiration of all. His code of Bushido is harsh, but it kept him on the right path.” The Doctor responded to Spike’s smile. “Don’t tell them ‘bout Samus,” Big Mac called out. “Why not?” The Doctor raised his eyebrows. “A lady is entitled to her secrets. And it ain’t right to say things unless she wants to,” Big Mac replied. “Alright, I can respect that. But I will tell the rest of them,” The Doctor raised his left hand at the ponies. “She’s a bounty hunter because there are many harmful aliens out there. She only hunts things that can harm the environment or wipe out planets.”. “Fair enough,” Big Mac said with a nod. That much was good to know. “Can... Can you tell me about Merchant Pasta?” Junebug picked her head up. “Ah. Do you know why Merchant is dressed like that?” The Doctor asked. Junebug shook her head to the sides. “You’ve seen his red eyes? Those are the signs of an albino.” “A wino?” Lyra asked. “Dear lord, no! Albino!” The Doctor frowned. Though it was damn funny. “Albino is a skin condition, one that affects skin pigmentations. From what you saw, all the other humans had different tones of skin color? Merchant lacks that. His skin is oddly white, because his skin and eyes cannot make colors. If the sun, which emits so much colors-” “Will burn his skin something awful,” Junebug admitted. Her daisies could not last in the sun too much either. “Indeed. If he steps out without wearing protection, he could suffer very much. Also, he was used for experiments,” The Doctor added. “He was made copies of, just like Snake. He knows about his brothers. But I’m not sure of that yet. My team had troubles with Umbrella...” ____________________________________ “I want to eat your brains!” Deadpool screamed out as his ripped off head chased after Vinyl. ____________________________________ “Anything on Johnny?” Prince Blueblood asked. “Hmm? Ah, Johnny Bravo,” The Doctor smiled. “Johnny Bravo grew up without a father. Mama Bravo raised Johnny the best she could, but... Well, without a male role model in his life, Johnny was stuck emulating styles seen in magazines, movies, and other things.” “Is that bad though?” Prince Blueblood asked. “Well, these are styles his mother liked when she was young. His mother liked manly men, but these men were stylized models, with no depth to them. Also, you know how styles can change. The rest of the world grew up with other tastes and styles, while Johnny was only exposed to one. He was quickly left as a man that others see as antiquated.” “But he’s so cool...” Prince Blueblood raised his eyebrows. “Because this is the perfect era for him. But, he seeks love. And in all honesty, he’s a good man. He does nothing evil, and he’s even saved the lives of others. In his search for love though, no one can see past his flashy persona to see the man and heart Johnny has inside.” “Well, Johnny was never a worry anyway...” Prince Blueblood shrugged. Least his partner wasn’t a monster like some of the others. “Uh... Who has the Wabbajack?” Princess Luna asked. ________________________________ “Hm... It seems the staff is out of power. Let me charge it up for you,” Dovahkiin said as he used a soul gem on the wabbajack staff. Johnny grinned. ________________________________ “I know Sephy was experimented on...” Lyra replied, moving to look at the Doctor. “So was he crazy?” “Sort of. I’m not so sure I understand myself,” The Doctor replied. “The Other Doctor actually managed to scan him. From what my team gathered, Sephiroth was a soldier, and a pretty good one. He was picked to be experimented on- Enhancing many things about him, even giving him the wing. But it also corrupted his mind, giving him feelings he couldn’t comprehend or control. Needless to say, that experiment left his psyche really damaged. It seems being separated from Mako energy made him a bit saner at least.” “Was he a terrorist?” Lyra added. “A bit of an environmental loon, really. Believed humanity to be a parasite on the planet. He can control so much power, but at a great cost to his sanity. In the end, he was defeated, but he honestly believed he was doing the right thing.” The Doctor decided to spare them the long story, as Snake’s story was draining on them all, himself included. “I do not know if I can handle anymore of this...” Twilight admitted. “Our champions suffered so much, and we brought them here to suffer more.” The lavender unicorn lowered her head, her ears falling against her mane. “Is this what it means to be a champion? To suffer? To stand against all odds?” “Champions, good or evil- Have to overcome every obstacle in their way. Only true champions though, get up nine times after falling eight,” The Doctor said as he stood back up. “Now you know them, and why they came. I think my future shared this truths with you, because he wanted you all to grow in a deeper bond.” “Do you think they would tell us these things on their own?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh yes, I believe so. But not while there is danger or something that needs to be taken of. Champions will get the jobs done first, and then share if they want to. Though I honestly think, some of them would never reveal some of the things I did.” The Doctor brought the book in front of Twilight. “Make the ponies see these humans as the heroes they are, not as monsters.” “But how?” “I think the answer is pretty obvious. A song of course, you silly pony,” The Doctor said with a smile. Proofreaded by LyonAzakura Bonus: Gilda released a sigh, walking along the desert road. The rodeo had been postponed, due to a lot of crap. Her team was upset, as were a lot of other races. The First International Rodeo was an official Bust. Gilda lifted her head up, looking at the red setting sun. The first human she ever had met was that stupid and infuriating Phoenix Wright. Then that hunk Sephiroth. Her cheeks turned red, trying to get the heat out of her beak. Damn his hotness. “Huh... what a weird place.” What the? Gilda picked up her head, turning to look at the voice. It looked like a human, but it was holding a really weird looking weapon. It looked like a giant key...