Back on Earth
"Those BASTARDS! Another dead end with some idiot looking for sex. God why do these idiots just think with their dicks," sighed the girl as she tipped her bottle of beer and drained it's contents. The girl, who looked like she was in her mid twenties was piss angry and was trying to come down with a drink or ten. Its lucky for her that she has a good tolerance for alcohol or else she would be surling her words.
"Miss," said the bartender," Haven't you had enough?"
"With this swill? I'm not even buzzed. So hit me with another!"
"Don't worry, I got it." said a man who had come up behind her, handing the bartender a twenty dollars. The man who looked pretty average but definitely not one of the drinking crowd, he looked at her and asked as the bartender passed her a bottle," So what's your deal? Not many drink ten bottles of beer and still stay this angry."
"Piss off."
"Hey no need to get angry, not that you already aren't. Come on, it's not like anyone else will listen."
This guy was getting on my nerves but he is right. NO man is going to hear what the fuck I have to say other than staring at my breast like some sort of slut," Fine you want to know my deal? You got to treat me to something other than cheep beer and give me your name."
"Deal. Barkeep, Firestarter, shaken please." said the man. I haven't heard of that drink before but when the bartender took out what looked like two types of vodka (or at least I think its vodka, both bottle held the iconic transparent liquid) and added a shot of red liqueur followed by a garnish of green pepper and handed it to me. The drink didn't look funny and I certainly didn't see the bartender slip anything in the cocktail glass. With the drink in hand, I followed the man to a table that is out of the way from the bar and the rest of these fools. The drink was nice and sharp, as well as hell of a spicy but my latina butt could handle it without a problem. Plus if this guy is not on the level I can always throw it in his face and watch him writhe in agony.
"The name's Kevin and I run a game-slash-hobby-slash-comic shop down the block. I come here once in a while since most places doesn't stock Shandy and I know the owner, Morgana and her husband, Dis."
So this place is run by a woman eh? No wonder this place hasn't gone under yet, I looked at him and took another sip of the drink. Kevin just waited for me to start and was just looking at me, for some reason I find his eyes... somewhat blanked out. As if the man's eyes had no pupils or something but then again I did drink a lot.
"Ok, my deal starts right at the beginning so it tends to be a bit long," God why am I even saying this. Maybe he did spike my drink somehow," Me and my family are pretty tight, especially between me and my younger brother, Milo. When he started to play pen and paper rpgs such as Dungeons and Dragons and the like, I decided to accompany him and to make sure no one messes with my baby brother. Except me of course. Well that was all fine and dandy, since then me and my bro have been hooked on pen and paper rpgs and meet a few people who have been our friends for the longest of times. But a couple of weeks ago, Milo sends me a message that he was going to some LARP and didn't want me to come along. Two days later and I am told by one of my friend who was at that LARP, he wasn't there. Bryan, bless his gay ass, help me double check their registry and ask around if anyone saw him. No one did, and now I've been jumping from coast to coast looking for him but men take one look at my body and.. well you can guess the rest."
"I see," said Kevin with actual concern," and what does your brother look like? I can put up something in my store in case someone actually sees something?"
Ok this guys is definitely on the level. i took out a recent picture of my younger brother and showed it to him. Kevin took a good look at it and his eyebrows shot straight up. He looked at me and said with the utmost clarity and concern," You better come with me."
"And why should I?"
"Because I HAVE seen your brother, and it isn't good."
*****
An hour later, Kevin finally stops driving as the car stops near an old mansion that looks like it's been neglected for to long. Getting out, he mentions to me to follow. While it was a bad idea, if it could get me closer to Milo then it would be worth it.
During the car ride, Kevin didn't speak a word, so when we entered the house (which by the way looked like it was brand spanking new on the inside) I jumped a little when Kevin spoke.
"Second floor, third door on the right, don't mind the idiot in the nightgown."
"I HEARD THAT YOU ASS!" shouted a voice from above.
Now I was one hell of a confused, but I followed his direction and opened the indicated door to see a old man with a rather long beard standing over my brother. Rushing to him, I found myself suddenly held back by Kevin.
"What the Fuck?! Let go you bastard!"
"Come down," said Kevin," You were about to do something very very foolish."
"What are you.... oh my god." By now I had a good look at my younger brother. His body was the same as it always was, skinny but well built. But his face, looked like someone took the worst monster imagined and super glued it on. Worse it was shifting and changing back and forth, from his disfigured face to some sort of demonic creature. The straps that held him down were made of iron and even that was barely holding on. I turned and looked at Kevin who had a look of concern and asked," What happened to him? WHAT DID THIS TO MY BABY BROTHER!"
"A bitch, named Lamashtu."
I froze as I looked at Kevin then back at my brother, I knew of Lamashtu, she was a deity from the Pathfinder game that Milo plays once in a while. She was in charge of misshapen and malformed creatures but what had it to do with my brother. Furthermore are they real? Are the monsters and creatures and gods from those games real?
The old man walked towards the door and said to me," Don't worry lass, I've done everything in my power to make sure Lamashtu didn't completely change your brother into a monster, and it only a matter of time before my friends bring me the ingredients which can save him."
I sank to my knees as I watch my little baby brother twist and turn in the bed he was strapped to, helpless for once in my life. I turned to Kevin yet again to see that I was right. The bastard didn't have any pupils, in fact all that was in there was darkness and stars. I got up and looked at him," How can I help?"
"Well there isn't much you can do here." replied Kevin as he lead me out and into his library. There I got a shock when I saw a werewolf arranging books in it. Although it did look a bit comical to see a werewolf wearing reading glasses. Kevin continued talking once the werewolf place a set of book on the table," We got things handled here, your brother was the first and only incident and while the ingredients are rare as a nudist in a Catholic convent, the curse can be reversed. But I could use your help in another world entirely."
"What do you mean?"
"Lamashtu had her eyes on this world for a while, heck that's how she found and infected your brother. But after that, something made a deal with her, I don't know who or what yet, my only agent there isn't working as fast as I would like. So now she is infecting the other world which is also under my protection. If you want to help Clara, then help me in that world."
"How did yo-"
"Know your name? Well you don't get to be the Titan of all fucking Ether for nothing, there are a few perks... the mansion not withstanding."
I though for a while before picking a book off the table," If it allows me to get revenge at Lamashtu, then count me in."
"Well then, start rolling up a character Clara, after all she is stat-ed and thus-"
"I can kill it."
*****
Celestia was reading the most recent proposal made by General Atlas regarding the mobilization of the Royal Solar Guard against the rising monster threat. The rather long winded proposal sounded rather tempting, all the messages between the lines made Celestia's head hurt. While it would help destroy the threat immediately, it wuld also allow many of the nobles to wrestle more power away from Celestia and Luna. As she was about to write a reply back to the stoic general, her sister let herself in.
"Tia I must speak with you, it is of grave importance."
Celestia placed the blank paper down and looked into her sister's eyes. Luna had that look that mean there is actual danger ahoof. Beside her however was what caught her attention. The old pegasus was breathing heavily and looked like he had ran all the way behind Luna.
Snapping her attention back to her sister, Celestia asked," What's wrong Lu? Did something happend?"
"Nay sister but something horrible is about to happen. We were visited by a creature of power and magic, one which controls our Ether and it gave us a visions of our future."
"This creature, was it tall, somewhat an hairless ape and sarcastic as all hell?"
"Yes sister! Has the creature visited you to?"
"No Lu, he was from a time so long ago. I can't believe he came back and didn't even say hi to me. But there are those void-damned rules of his. But if he went and told you about what was coming then it must be important. Tell me Lu, what did you see?"
"I sa-"
"Princess! Oh hello Luna, er nevermind, Princess! I found someone I would like you to meet!" said Twilight as she escorted Swift Note, Gold Honour and Terry into the room," This is-"
"YOU! You are the creature that I saw in my vision! Pray tell what news do you bring?!" shouted Luna as she interrupted Twilight.
"Oh this is going to take some explaining," sighed Terry as he beckoned everyone to get conformable and took a chair for himself," Now where to start...."
*****
"...what," said Twilight as she finished scribbling everything Terry and Luna had to say.
"Yeah you heard me, all of the non-native monsters are all from a game we have back in my world. Or at least that what I assume, the jerk that sent me here and changed Gold didn't explain much. Nevertheless, I am familiar with many of them and I know how to deal with them."
"I see, well if Kevin sent you then the situations must be even more dire than I had though," said Celestia," Now how can I help?"
"Well" said Terry," A place to start would be nice, I need to take a look at any reports which can point us to the right direction and as well as give us a few clues as to who and what we may be facing. Futhermore, following what Luna has told us, I think we should also go to Ponyvile or at least the surrounding area to see if there is any of the... creatures Luna described."
"I agree," said Swift Note," I can handle the reports and complilation without any problems Terry, so you and Gold can go to Ponyvile."
"And I'm coming with you!" said Twilight," That is my home and I'll be damned if-"
"Stay thy hoof Twilight! Your friends will be fine, the Titan has meddled enough to change the course of the future! Furthermore I believe it would be safer to evacuate the town intermediately and bring your friends here where it is safe."
"Yeah Twilight," said Spike," And remember deep calm breaths."
Twilight took a deep breath and sighed," Yeah your right, Princess by your leave I'll start organizing the evacuations and the space for the Ponyvilians."
Twilight walked out f the room which was followed by Spike and Swift Note, leaving the two adventurers with the two alicorns and the old peguses. Before Celestia could speak, a new figure walked into the room and said," You really need to beef up the security in this place. I had absolutely no trouble sneaking from Lower Canterlot into this very room."
Terry instinctively drew out his true crystalline katana and pointed it at the new figure, before sheathing it," How long have you been in Equestria?"
"Oh not much, was dropped in at sunset last night."
"You two know each other?" asked Celestia.
"Nope, the name is Clara by the way. And I plan to kill myself a very specific daemon."