//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Korzhakov Rises Again // Story: Well, this is new... // by CommunistTaco //------------------------------// Date: 07:01:2014 Location: CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia Status: Agent Terence Hoover currently on a secure line with Dr. Alexander Collins of Area 51 Time: 14:23 "So your saying that these two events are somehow linked? And that we should put more investigation into it?" "Indeed. There may be some connection. I can only access a certain amount of the CIA database, so I need you to find the file for Case 9035A. You think you could do that?" "I'll see what I can do, but I'm afraid it may take months considering this isn't a very high priority situation." "Not high priority?! What if this happens again, then what?" "You said yourself that before happening a month ago, this had occurred exactly 200 years prior. I doubt it would happen again any time soon." "Ugh fine. I'll keep researching with what I have for now while I wait for you." "Thank you for understanding, Goodbye." *click* "Nutty science bastard," Hoover muttered under his breath as he went back to work... As Twilight and Applejack approached me, I wasn't sure if I should panic or relax. I assumed that either Twilight was here to chew me out again or apologize. I hoped it was the latter because I was in no mood to be criticized at the moment. I just sat there, cup of tea in hoof, staring at the new arrivals. "There ya are Vlad, we've been lookin' all over fer ya'll." Applejack stated breaking the ice. "And why would that be?" I asked rather intrigued. "Because...," Twilight began stuttering on her words as she did, "B-because I want to apologize. I shouldn't of judged you over something that you couldn't help. When you said what you said, I just reacted prematurely and for that I'm truly sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Twilight said literately begging me to accept her apology. *Sigh* "Usually I wouldn't be too quick to forgive something like this, but I know you didn't mean it and I'm fairly certain you had nothing to do with the whole town finding out. I forgive you... Rainbow, however, is another story..." Twilight seemed relieved for a second that I had forgiven her and then spoke up again, "Rainbow can be a bit... overzealous sometimes but her heart is in the right place. She just needs to be give the time to see that you are a good pony." I tossed her words around in my head for a few seconds before opening my mouth to reply, "It still doesn't excuse spreading rumors around town. Those ponies looked like they were about to maul me to death. If it wasn't for Applejack defending me I would of most likely ended up in a hospital. Now I need to set things straight... again and I have no idea how to go about it." Twilight seemed deep in thought by the end of my reply obviously thinking about what I said. All of a sudden she jumped up and exclaimed, "Oh. Oh. I know! We could arrange a town meeting in which you can explain your current situation to all the ponies. I'm sure they'll be willing to at least let you stay in town once you explain yourself." "Um, Twilight. How am I gonna get up to speak without getting food, rocks, & insults thrown at me from a angry crowd of ponies?" "We could try and get one of the princesses to come to town and help maintain order! Ponies can be rambunctious at times but the presence of a princess is enough to get them to calm down in a instant." Twilight replied. "I guess that could work... but what makes you think one of the princesses has the time to come down and do such a thing?" I asked. "We might as well try," Twilight answered with a smile. "How comforting," I retorted rolling my eyes. "Anyway... why don't you lie low until its time to make your speech as not to cause any more trouble, okay?" "Yeah, I just love getting myself into trouble, its my favorite pastime," I said my voice dripping with sarcasm. Twilight gave me a glare that said 'shut it' and then left to go arrange the speech thingy. Applejack decided to return home on the premise that standing anywhere near me was bound to get her trampled, or so I assumed. Once again I was alone with Fluttershy. "So... Fluttershy. On the off chance that I come back from my "speech" with less limbs than I currently possess, is there anything you need help with beforehand?" "Oh... I couldn't ask you to do anything for me Vlad. You're having enough of a hard time as it is," Fluttershy said dismissing me with a hoof. "Nah, don't worry about me. I'm tough, like my Russian bretherans!" I declared pumping a hoof against my chest. Fluttershy looked at me like I had completely lost it for a second before regaining her composure. "Well, if you insist... the chickens need to be fed..." "Awesome! I'll feed the chickens then. It's the least I can do after you provided me with such hospitality." I said before making a move towards the door. Fluttershy looked like she was going to say something but decided against it. I shrugged and made my way over to the chicken coop located around the side of the cottage. 'Manual labor seems to be my new thing' I mused before diverting my focus to the task at ha...hoof... "AHH SHIT!" Let me just tell you, chickens are little demons. Every time I would try to feed them they would peck the fuck out of me until I was covered in scrapes and bruises. Eventually I got fed up and decided to just quit while I was ahead. That was the cue for them to begin chasing me around the yard with killer intent. I wasn't the best at running so the devil chickens were able to stay right on my heels. I was currently making my fifth lap around the house when Fluttershy came out of her cottage to check on me. The moment she spotted me and my chicken pursuers, she let out a gasp and leaped into action. While I ran around the house like an idiot, Fluttershy grabbed up the chickens one by one and returned them to their coop. I continued running around the house screaming like an idiot until I noticed that Fluttershy had long since put the last chicken back. I stopped my now pointless escapade and gave a sheepish look towards Fluttershy who was looking on with amusement. "Oh, um. *giggle* I forgot to mention that the chickens can be rather rowdy towards ponies they don't know. Sorry about that..." she said giving me an innocent look. "*huff* Don't *huff* worry about it. *huff* Just try to remember to tell me next time. *huff*" "I'll be sure to do that. Oh! I think I see Twilight headed this way!" I looked in the direction that Fluttershy had motioned and sure enough a now ragged looking Twilight was heading in our direction. Her mane was messed up for some reason and her expression looked strange. "Um, hey Twilight, are you okay...?" I asked. "Oh just fine! I was able to organize a speech with the mayor but both Celestia and Luna are busy so you'll have to just wing it. Oh and by the way your speech starts in ten minutes so lets go C'MON." "Twilight your insAANE..." And with that I was dragged through the streets faster than I thought possible for the deranged unicorn grabbing my hoof. Within a few minutes I was behind a small stage of some sort about to speak in front of a bunch of ponies. 'The hell Twilight! What is wrong with you! *Sigh* I guess I better get this over with...' I stepped up onto the stage and saw what seemed to be the entire town before me. Ponies of all shapes and sizes staring into my soul as I walked to the center of the stage. It was strangely silent when I had expected at least some insults shouted in my direction. I decided that it would be best to address them now while they were being somewhat respectful. I reached the very center of the platform and cleared my throat. 'Well here goes nothing...' "*Ahem*. Thank you all for attending today. I know that some of you may not like me, and I understand considering the information you have been given... I hope to clear up any false accusations, and tell you my story which should hopefully put your concerns to rest. Several over-exaggerated statements that I eat sentient creatures and show no remorse while doing so have been thrown around. Now let me say, I will not deny that at one point I have eaten cow, pig, chicken, and sheep." A few gasps sounded from the audience, "However... Let me tell you my story of how I came to Ponyville. You see, I'm am from another universe, another dimension altogether. This may seem superstitious but you have my word, and both princesses can back me up. In my old dimension, I was part of a species that was omnivorous. We ate all sorts of fruits and vegetables as well as animal tissue. In my dimension, the creatures that are sentient in this dimension were nothing more than wild or farm animals possessing no sentience. I would never in my lifetime, eat another creature that showed intelligence of any kind. And I promise you, for as long as I stay in your world, I will never eat a sapient creature. I am a pony now and I am to be likely for the rest of my life, so I will follow your rules, eat what you eat, and hopefully live the best life I can. All I ask is that you can forgive me for my past. Thank you all for your time..." I stood there as the crowd stared directly back at me. I gulped and began to panic at the extreme silence. 'Shit, they don't believe me...' "Ah believe him!" a voice rang out from the back of the crowd no doubt belonging to Applejack. This seemed to spark a reaction in the crowd as many of ponies nervously looked at each other as if trying to decide what to do. Then all of a sudden out of the blue, I heard what sounded like a pony stomping the ground. It was soon followed by another pony, then another, and another, until the whole crowd was giving me a gracious applause or so I thought. I gave a huge shit-eating grin and walked off the stage with my head held high. Vladimir Korzhakov was back, and he was here to stay... After being congratulated by Applejack, Twilight (who was much less completely insane than before), and Fluttershy, I walked around and began talking with assorted ponies. Many tried to apologize for harassing me earlier but I assured them it was fine. It was nice to be able to just have casual conversation sometimes. I was quite surprised about how forgiving ponies were but I guess that's what they were taught to do. Twilight had informed me that forgiveness was a key virtue of pony society. I spotted Rainbow Dash hanging out by herself surprisingly and decided to go talk to her. Upon spotting me coming towards her she gave me a glare much to my surprise. "Hey Rainbow. I just wanted say sorry about earlier. I think we both said some things we didn't mean yesterday and I just want you to know that I'm willing to put it behind us if you are." "I'm no so sure about that..." she replied flatly obviously trying to ignore me. "Uhh... well if you change your mind come find me," I said before backing away slowly. 'Whoa, whats her issue? Oh well, maybe she just has a problem with holding grudges. I might have to find somepony else to give me flying lessons...' I though as I left Rainbow behind and headed for Sweet Apple Acres. "Whelp, hopefully tomorrow will bring some good news for once. I could go without all the hostility and negativity around here..." I said to myself. Boy what a week this was turning out to be...