//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Return of the Revenge // Story: Caught In the Mind's Web // by CanterlotCrusader //------------------------------// ~Tags: MLP, a bit of comedy, a bit of emotion/drama, Hie, looking deep into a character's psyche, one sided romance, slice of life/philosophy. ~ Be gentle and offer constructive criticism as this is my first fanfic. Hoping to improve skill and extend boundaries. ~Hasbro owns mlp and Lauren Faust thought of generation 4. None of their characters are mine nor do I claim them to be. ------------------------------------------------- Our story begins like any other adventure, romance, comedy, thriller, action, crime, Godzilla story with Darth Vader and ponies... Exposition! ------------------------------------------------------- As I lay down here, completely confused as to my situation and trying to understand what happened, I try to recall my steps before making any rash decisions. (*flashback*) It is a chilling night on the seemingly endless road, a road that everyone drives on and could take you practically anywhere. They say the journey is the destination, well I never saw it that way. Maybe I should, now that the destination seems so unclear. They say there is something about the open road that gives man time to think and it was never more clear to me on that night. I think of these thoughts somewhat as my mental journal, something I do just to try and spice up life or make it seem more important. Where I was didn't really matter as much as where I was going. I was an aspiring college graduate with 6 years of the best the American educational system could offer...so basically I had a 10% chance finding a job rather than 5%. Ah America! Anyway, I had just finished my major in psychology with minors in other areas such as chemistry and philosophy. I was always dedicated to the pursuit of the human mind and education. I felt if you could be smart, be the smartest you could be. Plus there was something, as with all human beings, that drives us to be curious and go past our boundaries. That night, I was going to celebrate at a friend's party and spend the weekend with my parents, since they wanted to know what I was going to do in the future. That sort of triggered a flood of thoughts and worries from the reservoir I filled over the years. "So this is it. My goal of college has been achieved and now I have a degree. Even after all the sleepless nights, the hard part hasn't even started. Loans are going to be a pain. Man, I hope I will actually be able to help people with my degree by the time I finish the loans. Just wish I could start soon." It just happened on that day Murphy and his law heard my plight and rushed to help in his unique way. By his way I mean a drunk driver rammed into my car out of the void of night, while I was still thinking about the future. I was sent flying in the air through the "windshield", correctly named as it only protected against air, which broke upon impact with the car. This sudden event gave me an otherworldly experience as time seemed to slow down. I forget to buckle up didn't I? Parents:1 Me:0 Moving on, I flew directly toward a tree off the side of the road.. Except when I was about to hit the tree, I phased through it. Somehow. It disturbed me as it felt like I was going through a tub of jelly. It was so weird and gross that it would take a deranged mind to actually stand through that experience. That, however, doesn't matter as much as the swirling vortex of darkness and ominous clouds that went past me, with me in the eye of this storm. "A-am I dead? There was no way I survived the crash, right? Then where am I? Am I in purgatory or coma or something because a swirling black void was not on the brochure of the afterlife at church!" I thought in utter helplessness. Needless to say, I was a bit shaken. Unfortunately, my feelings would have to be put on hold as a light of pure radiance ended my journey into the cold unknown, filling me with a warming presence and a sense of security...only to have it taken away when I hit another tree.*Smack* "#$@&^&*$$ son of *&**& with a god damn pig!" I screamed in frustration, my eyes shut in pain. (Spoilers, at the end of this journey, I would be sick of trees). Yet, for now, I had to figure out why I wasn't dead and what happened. "Uhhh...man! Am I hurt? Can I get to the hospital in time? It feels as if I can still move and talk. Maybe I can call 911 if my phone survived too." I thought as adrenalin pushed me to think quickly to save my life. I reached for my phone and held my head to see if I was losing blood, to shockingly find that there was nothing, but a big bruise or two. I slowly opened my eyes to see what really happened as I found myself laying flat on a balcony. Not just any balcony, but a balcony to some sort of tree with windows. Could a tree really be a wise choice for a house? Maybe the economy was rougher than I thought. "Wait a second, wasn't I in my car?" I thought as I examined the strange building, hard to do on this chilling night. I also tried to see over the balcony as to what neighborhood I may be in, but it was also hard as it seemed there were no streetlamps or anyone with their lights on, with only the luminous sky to guide my vision. The sky itself was utterly beautiful as I could actually see it, unlike back home. The moon was in a crescent shape while the twinkling lights of the night sky danced across the endless canvas, seemingly giving a sense of how vast the universe really was. As I forced myself to look away, I looked at my phone and saw I have no bars. No one can hear me now. Even if I had AT&T. "Maybe I went into shock and am hallucinating. My phone has always had great coverage and there is no way anyone would turn off all their lights. I could just wait and see if anything weird happens like a creepy old guy saying 'WEST!'. Yet, if I don't do anything, my mind might think of it as giving up and I am not dying before the release of the Superman/Batman movie! Even Ben Affleck won't keep me from it!" I started to get up slowly as the fear of not being in a coma could mean I was still injured, when I realize that I'm moving just fine, as if I was never hit by a car or, maybe, never hit a tree. *Foreshadowing*. Anyway, I peered into the glass door when I saw several rows of books, quills, and ink. By several, I mean there were more books here than angry followers of Miley Cyrus after that awards show. A. Lot. What got me most puzzled was the quills as I was sure no one used those unless they were a giant nerd or something, which the books let me know, was a safe bet. "Hmm...maybe this is some sort of local library. It would make more sense than one person owning all these books. If I knock, maybe they might let me use their phone, assuming this is real." I thought aloud. I spent more time knocking and waiting than a Jehovah's witness until I just decided to see if it was open. It was. As I stepped through, using my phones light to look for a switch, I called out, " Hello, anyone in here? Sorry to be in here, but I'm kinda disoriented and may be in shock from a car crash. I would really appreciate it if you let me use your phone, please. Mine seems to have no signal." I waited for a response, but nothing came. Good thing because I just realized coming in through the balcony seems like breaking and entering. Legal code aside, I realized that I haven't found a single switch in this place and instead, found a candlestick. "Who's bright idea was it to put a candle in a tree house that seems to be a library? Smokey the bear's worst nightmare." I thought. Deciding not to be committed for arson as I had no optical mask nor copy of "Do You Believe in Magic?", I kept using my phone's light and saw that I am in a bedroom of sorts, possibly for a young teenager due to the size of it. I took note of that as I headed downstairs to find a phone. I'm not sure why exactly, but I felt uneasy. A feeling of dread, paranoia, and just chills went through my spine as if the dark void of the room held a creature of unimaginable darkness, waiting to have me in its clutches. "It's almost as if someone wants to SELL ME SOMETHING!" I exclaimed as I whipped my head around, trying to discourage anyone tricking me into a time share. Seeing as nothing was there I calmed down a bit as I committed cliche#1: turning around. What I saw will haunt me for life, more than the Bat credit card (maybe), as I saw two giant eyeballs staring straight at my soul, as if to say 'Does this look like the face of mercy.' "Hoo." the terror called in a way that made me turn in my man card as I screamed like a little girl. Something, I normally don't do, mind you, because I do lift. "Eeeeekkkk!" I screeched as I landed on my back. I saw the owl who just rustled my jimmies, observing me as if it were slowly calculating how to take me down faster than I could process. His plans would have to wait, however, as I swore I heard something outside. "Wooo! That last adventure was so awesome!" a voice, that I would either distinguish as a rough female or very frilly male that liked to play pretty pink princess, exclaimed outside. "'Awesome' would not be the dialogue I would use to describe this uncouth day, Rainbow Dash!" a very feminine and whiny voice stated in an almost British accent. "What! Are your crazy! That was one of the best adventures ever!" a very high pitched, very fast talking voice just said. "I mean, did you see how those timberwolves just came out of nowhere with those bunnies riding them! Then there was that squirrel carrying that mask of unlimited evil, saying something about 'Akatosh', and then...(due to the fact no one can comprehend Pinkie Pie and just how much she says, we will be fast forwarding in and out till she is done)...skiing ninjas with crossbows...mushrooms that make you grow...and did you see what happened when Applejack accidentally bucked Rainbow in the fa-," the voice exclaimed and suddenly stopped. "Now that's enough Pinks!" a southern voice exclaimed. "You SO owe me some cider for that." this 'Rainbow Dash' mumbled. "Don't be like that Dashie. You're just embarrassed that you cried over that for twenty minutes." a soft voice said in a way that suggested if she spoke more quietly, space would tell her to speak up. I heard very hearty laughter and a 'Hey!' after that last statement. "Well, at least we were able to deal with it without being able to tell the Princess. We'll just inform her when Spike gets back soon from Canterlot. How about we go inside girls and I'll see what's in the fridge?" another voice informed. Meanwhile, I was just standing there like the dolt that the world deserved, but not the one it needed as I analyzed the conversation outside. "Ninjas? Talking squirrels? Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash? Why are they talking about cereal or alcohol?" I thought as the sheer stupidity of the situation threw me off. "Wait, are they coming inside?". Indeed they were, as the door handle was beginning to turn. "Damn, got to hide! Go to prison wasn't on the checklist." I went to the nearest closet just as the door opened. I heard their steps rumbling very loudly as if they were wearing steel boots. I guessed they all gathered in the living room or something when the stomping stopped. "Just got to keep my cool that I bought at the 99 cent store, and I'll see later if I can find a way out of here." I processed. Unfortunately, I felt something sharp sting my back as I slowly turn around again, as if I would ever learn. "HOO." the owl stated in a masculine way that would make Clint Eastwood cry. "Ahhh!" I shout as I fumbled out of the closet. Once I've realized what just happened, I turned around to meet my maker, but am surprised instead by 6 multicolored horses with the biggest eyes I have ever seen staring right at me. I could have sworn I saw wings and horns on a few of them. (*flashback ends, time to upon the present*) The room is silent as both parties stare at each other as if time froze. I decide that I have to make the first move. "...Well...that escalated quickly."