Wait! Stay right where you are. I believe you are in the Everfree Forest. It's a very dangerous place and shouldn't be travelled in on your own. I'll help you as best as I can, Twilight Sparkle told the stranger.
Oh sweet relief! Thank you whoever you are! the stranger replied. Twilight sensed the joy in the stranger's words when suddenly the connection broke, much to Twilight's surprise.
"I told the stranger to stay in one spot! How hard is that to do? Unless…" She suddenly gasped as it dawned on her what could have befallen the pony. "What if something happened to him? Oh no, oh no no no!" She frantically started pacing back and forth in her quarters at the royal palace in Canterlot. "Ohhhh! Where's Spike when you need him? Spike! Spiiiiiike!"
"Yes Twilight? Your number one assistant is here like always!" Spike slid into Twilight's bedroom and came to a stop before her. "What do you need Twilight?"
Twilight's horn began to glow as she lifted a quill from a nearby ink pot and began to scribble frantically on a piece of parchment. "I need you to quickly notify Celestia that something has happened to the stranger, and all will be for naught if he isn't found immediately." The piece of parchment she was writing on suddenly rolled up and pressed itself into Spike's hand. "Go Spike! Hurry!"
"I'm on it Twilight! You don't have to be worried about a thing," Spike replied and he left the room as quickly as he had arrived. Twilight sighed and trotted over to the bedroom window where she gazed upon the castle gardens.
I hope the stranger is okay. He might be the answer to our problems… just maybe… she thought.
Ouch… I really have to stop hitting my head. Fortunately, it seems that I have quite the thick skull... Eldon thought as he opened his eyes.
"Ah… the large one is finally awake! Yesss…" a voice spoke from the shadows.
"Who goes there? What do you want?" Eldon asked. He slowly got up from the ground and tried to look for whoever or whatever was speaking.
"Ohhh nothing much… just give us your pretty jewel necklace and we shall let you go," the voice replied. The speaker then stepped forward from the shadows, revealing itself to be a dog standing on its hind legs.
"And what if I say no?" Eldon looked up into the dog's eyes. He was slightly taller than Eldon, but only barely. The dog sported a red vest stuffed with gems — that were most likely stolen — and a diamond studded collar, but unfortunately they weren't able to distract Eldon from the dog's awful scent.
"Then we'll just have to rip it off of youuu!" the dog said with a snicker. Eldon looked around the clearing to find that it was only him and this strange dog present.
"Uh, yeah, I don't know what you mean by—" Eldon was interrupted when the dog brought his paw to his mouth and whistled. Two more dogs immediately showed up from within the depths of the trees, both dressed in a similar fashion like the first dog. One was rather small, but the big one left Eldon feeling worried. "Oh, that's what you meant by we."
The first dog laughed at him and he elbowed the smaller one, giving the other two the hint that they too should laugh at him.
"So what will it be pony?" the first dog asked. "Will you give us your jewel in exchange for your life? Or would you rather have us take it from your corpse? We couldn't take it off, so this is your only chance."
I can't just let them have the orb, but I don't really want to die either, Eldon thought. I think I can handle them... although the big one will definitely be a problem... Oh what am I thinking? I can't fight like this! I can barely walk! Maybe they will go away if I tell them the truth...
"Time is rrrunning out pony!"
Eldon tugged on his necklace and sighed. "I- I can't give it to you. This necklace can't come off, I swear!"
The first dog shook his head in disappointment. "That's a shame pony, but I'm afraid your time has run out. Don't worry though, we'll try to make your death as quick as possible. Your last thoughts will be of the Diamond Dogs!" Eldon's heart began to race as the dog pointed at him. "Get him boys!"
The big one immediately lunged towards Eldon and with a swipe he struck Eldon's face with his arm, sending Eldon staggering back into a tree and leaving him dazed. Eldon quickly shook his head and was able to duck in time as the big one smashed his fist against the side of the tree. The big one growled, annoyed at the fact that he had missed.
"Come on Fido! You're supposed to hit him! Not the trees!" the small dog yapped.
"You know, this would be easier if you two would also help!" Fido snapped back at him as he pulled his paw out from the tree.
"Fine, but don't expect me to fix whatever injuries you give yourself," the small one said. "Come on Rover, you may be the leader, but this was your idea in the first place!"
Rover growled with impatience and slapped his paw onto his face. "Gah! Less talking, more killing Spot!"
"Uh you guys, he is trying to get away," Fido told them as he watched Eldon back away into the trees and gallop away.
Legs, don't fail me now! Eldon thought. I really should have taken gym class...
"Well don't just stand there! Let's get him!" Rover yelled. He began to run after the fleeing pony on all fours, shortly followed by Fido and Spot. Eldon was breathing heavily as he galloped through the foliage, dodging branches and swerving around trees. He looked behind him to see that the dogs were hot on his trail, slowly catching up.
Of all the things I had to meet first, it just had to be something that wants to kill me! Eldon thought. The trees soon began to decrease in number until they finally disappeared and he found himself on a cliff, just barely stopping himself in time before tumbling over the edge.
Eldon peered over the side to see jagged rocks at the bottom. A fall from this height would have surely killed him. He slowly began to back away and he turned around in time to see the dogs appear from the forest.
"Thought you could get away from us that easily eh?" Rover shouted. "Because it looks like you are stuck between a rock and a few dogs that want your necklace!" Eldon slowly began to back away as they inched closer, only to stop just before the edge of the cliff.
"Listen, I don't want any trouble. I would give you the necklace, but like I said, it won't come off, it can't!" Eldon shouted. He was desperate to change their minds. His heart hammered in his chest as if it was running a marathon.
"That just gives us a better reason to tear it from your neck!" Rover replied. Eldon gulped, but he planted his hooves firmly on the ground.
"If you want to have this necklace then so be it, but I'm not giving up without a fight!" The orb gave off a faint pulse of white light after Eldon spoke those words, but it wasn't noticed by any of them. As the dogs were just about to lunge at him, Spot glanced up at the sky and his eyes widened in fear.
"Duck you fools! duck!" Spot shouted and he dropped to the ground. Eldon did the same, onlybecause he didn't know what was behind him.
"Duck? Where?" Fido and Rover asked in unison, but when they looked at the sky, their faces fell.
"Aw horse apples, not-" Rover began to say, but was interrupted as he and Fido were struck by a blur of colours, sending them tumbling over Spot and landing some distance behind him. Spot picked himself up and he shook his head in disgust.
"Those fools never listen to me, but I guess duck probably wasn't the best thing to say," Spot said out loud.
"Hey! Think fast!" Eldon shouted. He too had gotten back up and charged at Spot with the only thing he could think of. His head. He hit the dog square in the stomach and sent him flying towards the other two who had just gotten back up, sending them crashing to the ground once again. Rover growled and slammed his paw on the ground in frustration.
"He has back up boys, we have to retreat!" Rover shouted. He pulled himself out from the pile and he picked up Spot who was clutching his stomach in pain. "Come on Fido, we have to leave!" Fido rolled over and slowly stood up and saw the blur returning for a second attack.
"Right behind ya boss!" Fido shouted as they retreated into the forest. Rover turned around to look at Eldon and he shook his paw in anger at him.
"This isn't the last that you will see of the Diamond Dogs! We shall meet again pony, and next time, you won't have your pony pal to rescue you!" he yelled. The blur passed just above him, causing the trees to sway and Rover backed up into the forest. "This isn't over!" With that said, Eldon saw him disappear and he sighed in relief, glad that he hadn't been turned into mincemeat.
"So you're the one everypony is so concerned about!" a voice out of nowhere shouted. "You would have been a goner if it weren't for me!" Eldon's heart jumped in shock and he quickly looked for the source of the voice.
"Who is it this time?" Eldon asked. "Wait... are you that blur of colour that I saw?" He looked around some more and still couldn't find where the voice was coming from.
"Eh, I'm above you silly," the voice said.
Eldon looked up, only to see a cloud above him that wasn't there a few minutes before. "Talking dogs and now a cloud? I must truly have gone mad!"
"No, not mad, although it was pretty brave of you to stand up to those dogs like that."
Eldon squinted his eyes at the cloud and he was able to make out a faint silhouette of a... another pony on top of it! He rubbed the spot were he had been hit by Fido and winced. It still felt very sore to the touch.
"Well, thank you for coming when you did stranger. You're right though, I would have been a goner, but who are you? Eldon asked.
"That's not important right now stranger, it's high time you get to Canterlot, stat!" the voice replied. As Eldon continued to listen to the voice, it began to sound like someone that he knew.
"Wait... your voice sounds familiar. Can I at least see your face?" Eldon asked.
"Nope, anonymity is important they said! Just follow my voice and this cloud and I'll get you out of here, nice and easy now!" Eldon hesitated before he spoke again. The name Canterlot had stuck a chord in his memory.
"W- wait! Did you say Canterlot?"
"Uh, yeah? I said that not even thirty seconds ago! Come on we are burning daylight! Let's go!"The cloud that the rescuer was on suddenly began to drift away from the cliff and Eldon did his best to follow it.
"Okay... I guess you can lead the way then," Eldon replied. Canterlot, talking dogs... and that voice! I think I'm starting to have an idea about where I am…
Eldon was greeted to a bright and sunny landscape, covered in flowers and sweet-smelling grasses. A river gently flowed to his left. His jaw dropped in awe at the sight of it.
"This… This is beautiful!"
"Eh, it's really not that much to look at, in fact, you can find these places pretty much everywhere," the voice replied. "Oh yeah, by the way I have to leave you here because I got some, uh, important business to attend to. Urgent business."
"Wait! How do I get to Canterlot?" Eldon asked.
"Oh that's easy! Just head straight for that mountain with the castle on the side! Simple!" the rescuer replied. "See ya!" The voice of the rescuer suddenly disappeared along with the cloud and Eldon watched it as it drifted towards the mountain, leaving him on his own once again.
"Okay then... Head towards that mountain, that shouldn't be too difficult," Eldon said. Hey... I should probably check my haunch again since I have better lighting now, to see what is on there. He checked once again, but the symbol was faded, as if it was hiding in the shadows. "Damn, what the heck can it be?" He sighed as he began to wonder if he would ever find out what it was. "Ah well, I guess I should get going before it gets dark, whenever that'll happen."
On that note, Eldon began his long trek north.
By keeping the river to his left, it wasn't long until he had at last reached the base of the mountain. The sun had long disappeared behind it, casting a shadow which made the area grow cold.
Alright, so this is the mountain, but how do I climb it? I don't really see a way up... Eldon scanned the mountainside until he looked down someways to his left and saw a wooden sign. Curious, he went over to it and the weathered sign read that the trail behind it was a historic trail used to reach Canterlot back in the old days. Eldon looked past the sign to see that there was indeed a trail behind it with crumbling stone steps that led upwards.
He looked back at the sign to see that there was also a warning inscribed on it it. Beware of falling rocks and loose stones, Canterlot will not be held responsible for any injuries. Huh, that's great, but I need to get to Canterlot, dangerous or not. He then walked past the sign and began the perilous climb upwards.
Eldon felt like he had been climbing for hours. His legs were sore and he still hadn't had anything to eat since he had arrived in this strange land. It didn't help that he also slipped from time to time, almost meeting a disastrous end more than once.
While the scenic views are nice, there must have been another way up here other than this death trap! Eldon thought. He climbed yet another set of crumbling stone stairs when he at last made it to the top. He collapsed on the grass and laid there for a few minutes, glad that there weren't anymore rocks he had to worry about. When he had the strength to stand up again, he did so and the first thing he saw was a road and a set of railroad tracks.
Eldon's right eye twitched a little, but he was able to contain his rage. Just barely though since he didn't have the time to make a scene. The road led towards the city of Canterlot, and he saw that a gate blocked entrance to the city which was also guarded by armored ponies. The sun was just sinking on the horizon as he approached the gates at last. Eldon hoped that all this would be worth the climb. He stood before the gates when one of the guards there in front of him suddenly spoke.
"Halt! What's your business in the royal city, pony?" the guard on the left asked.
"I was told to come here from I guess who I should call a friend. I came from a forest sort of place down to the south," Eldon replied. "May I go in?"
"Y- you came from Everfree Forest?" The guard's eyes widened in surprise. "But nopony can survive in there! Well, except of course the princesses and the Elements of—" he was interrupted with a sudden bump to his chest from the first guard.
"Quiet you! That's classified information, and it shouldn't be given out to somepony like him just willy nilly!" the first guard said as he scolded the other.
"Wait, the Everwhat now?" Eldon asked.
"Nevermind what I said," the second guard replied and quickly changed the subject. "We are going to have to ask you to stay here until we get some verification."
Eldon sighed. He had hoped he could have just walked right in. "I can afford to wait a little longer, take your time."
The second guard then departed and went through one of the side doors that only Canterlot guards were allowed to access. A short amount of time passed and the second guard returned. He looked very tired, as if he had galloped to the castle and back without stopping.
"Y- you are allowed in pony," the second guard said and he paused to catch his breath before he continued. "Apparently your visit has been greatly expected! Apologies for the inconvenience."
"It's not that big of a deal," Eldon replied. "You were just doing your jobs after all, thank you."
"You are most certainly welcome!" the first guard replied. "And now without further ado, welcome to the grand city of Canterlot, the capital of Equestria! Open the gates!" Eldon heard a small rumbling coming from the gate as it slowly began to rise, granting him access at last to the city. "The castle is just straight ahead sir, you can't miss it."
So... I'm in Equestria eh? If that is so then there is one last thing I require in order to confirm it. If I'm truly here, then I must see at least one of the princesses, Eldon thought as he trotted down the street that led towards the castle. It's not possible that I'm in the world of Friendship is Magic... is it? No, that's just ridiculous! This is all just a dream... but for some reason it feels so very... real.