Chapter 2: “Welcome to Equestria”
The War for the Ring...Enters Equestria
Legolas's Point of View
Time Since Arrival: Unknown
Location: Unknown
I awoke, instantly aware of a splitting headache. Quite frankly, it felt like a set of hot nails were being driven into my head. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts. The last thing I remembered before I slipped into unconsciousness was those six figures, and I was somewhat scared. Who knows what these creatures were? Wait, what was that? I paused my thoughts, listening hard. Somewhere, someone- or something- had spoken. I strained my ears to listen in to the conversation, but even with my Elvish hearing, I could only make out a few phrases.
“Hey, Twilight...okay?” I heard a voice, defiantly not one of the Fellowship, say.
“...fine, thanks Rainbow.” Another voice responded, sounding like the owner had gotten a beating.
“Dear, dirt and...everywhere!” Yet another voice said.
“What are these...creatures?” the first voice asked.
“I have never, ever seen one of these before,” a different voice said, this one sounding timid and shy.
Enough is enough, I thought, and opened my eyes, wanting to get answers. What I saw almost shocked me back into unconsciousness.
I appeared to be in a tree, surrounded by books. Many of these books were off their selves, and on the ground.
But it was not the books or even the bizarre scene that commanded my attention. Instead, it was the six creatures in front of me, arranged around a table and in hushed conversation, that drew my eye.
First, they were horses (ponies?) They stood at about shoulder-height and appeared to be straight out of a little girl's drawing. Second, their coats were all the colors of the rainbow. One was hot pink, another was orange with a blonde mane, the third was yellow with a pink mane, the fourth was a deep purple with a dark, almost black mane, the fifth was a pearly white with a dark blue mane. However, the sixth one stuck out to me the most. I believed it was female, and she had a cyan coat. She also had a mane that was literally the colors of the rainbow. Five of the six horses (ponies, whatever) were also wearing what looked like golden necklaces, and each where set with a different jewel. The sixth, the lavender-colored one, wore no necklace, but had what looked like a crown, though less ornamental. All six of the creatures were actually quite beautiful, in their own way.
“Hey, girls! One of them is awake!” said the pink one, quite excitedly.
I slowly stood up, raising my hands over my head in the universal, Hey, I am not carrying a big, ugly weapon sign. “May I ask, where am I?” I asked, speaking slowly.
The cyan one, who I presumed to be the one named Rainbow, due to her mane, looked at me suspiciously and asked, “Who are you? None of us have ever seen anything like you before. And we have traveled to several places in and around Equestria, the nation you are in.”
I hesitated briefly before answering, “I am Legolas, son of Thanduil, Prince to the Elves of Mirkwood. My father is the King. You have nothing to fear in me.” With that, I unstrapped my quiver and dropped my bow, leaving me weaponless.
A very quiet discussion broke about among these...ponies. I heard only one phrase in the discussion, and I could not see the speaker. The phrase was: “They have Princes? And Kings? Odd.”
After five to ten minutes, Boromir stirred and moaned, slowly getting up. Oh, great, I thought. Boromir will be a problem. I hope I can keep him under control. If I cannot, this will not end well.
Boromir's Point of View
Time Since Arrival: About 8 minutes
Location: Unknown
I awoke, feeling as though me skull had been pounded in. I looked around, barely registering my fellowship around me, slowly getting up. I saw these six creatures ahead of me, and discounted them for ignorant horses. I was shell-shocked when one of them spoke.
“Who are you? We have never seen anything like you before in our lives,” a very intelligent-sounding voice asked.
I glared at the speaker, a purple-colored...well, unicorn, and said, “What does it matter to you creature?”
A cyan-colored pegasus spoke up, “You better answer her question. This is her property, and you are trespassing on it.”
That statement ticked me off in a major way. “Well, lookee what we have here. A bright and colorful horse thinking she can mouth off to those above them. Well, look here! I am Boromir, a man of Gondor, and I will be treated as such! As for them,” I gestured to the Fellowship, “they are my fellows, and to speak to them is to speak to me, so watch that thing you call a tongue around them, as well.” With that, I drew my sword.
The pegasus did not seem cowed, however, and it flew over to me, sticking its snout in my face. “Watch yourself when you enter a new land, for things change. You may have been a big shot in your Gondor, but here you are nopony! As for you rudeness, I will forgive you because you are ignorant of where you are and who you speak to. But know this: My name is Rainbow Dash, and I bear the Element of Loyalty. As for my companions, they are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Between us, we command more magic than you can dream of! Do not disrespect us. It will come back to haunt you in the future.” The lightning-bolt shaped gem on the pegasus's necklace began to glow.
I snarled at the pegasus, and started to swing my sword.
“STOP!” Gandalf thundered, and suddenly my sword was too hot to touch. Dropping it with a cry, I glared at the Wizard.
“Who do you think you are, using your magic on me?” I screamed.
“I am saving you, disrespectful whelp!” Gandalf snapped. Calming down, he turned to the six creatures and said, “My apologies, ladies. Boromir has seen many battles and is too suspicious for his own good.”
The purple unicorn stepped forward and said, “It is quite alright. Rainbow Dash is a little big-headed for her own good, as well.” She shot the pegasus a scorching look. The pegasus, Rainbow Dash (what kind of name is that?) shied back ever so slightly, wearing a look a shame and guilt. “My name is Twilight Sparkle,” the unicorn continued, “this is Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and you have already met Rainbow Dash. We are collectively referred to as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I respectively ask again, who are you?” As she named each one of the group, they nodded welcome to us.
Gandalf hesitated a moment before beginning, “Well, I am Gandalf the Grey, this is Peregin Took, Meridoc Brandybuck, Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins, Aragorn Son of Arathorn, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, and Boromir of Gondor. We come from the land known as Middle-Earth. Do you know anything about that place?”
The Ponies looked at each other and shook their heads. “No,” said Twilight Sparkle. “None of us have ever heard of a land named that, not even in fiction. I should know, I own a library with almost every book ever published, with only a few dozen exceptions.”
Gandalf nodded, looking disappointed. “Do you know how we got here? I am the only one of our group that can use magic, and I did not cast a transportation spell,” he asked.
Twilight's head drooped at this. “Yes, I do know some of it. I had discovered a new spell and, like a foal, decided to cast it. How exactly you arrived here, I do not know. But I do know I was responsible, at least partly. I am sorry for ripping you from your world.”
At hearing the genuine concern and regret behind her voice, my heart softened. “Well,” I began, “I can tell if people- ponies, whichever- are lying. You are not. And know this: while I may love Gondor than anything else in my life, I hold nothing against you.”
“You don't?”
“Of course not. You did not intentionally snatch us, did you?”
“No...”
“Then no harm done. Anyways, we where facing our deaths when the portal transported us, so, in a way, you saved our lives. For that,” I picked up my sword, “I owe you my life. As such,” I knelt before the six ponies and held my sword out flat in my palms, “I offer my life in service to you and your fellows.”