Disclaimer time: Hasbro owns all rights to MLP:FIM and Funimation owning Tenchi Universe
His hearing was the first of the senses to return him from the land of Nod, which was quickly followed by the sense of smell that was much sharper than he recalled; his hearing also seemed to be better since he could immediately tell he was in a large forest even in his addled state of mind. A low groan escaped his lips before he attempted to stand straight as slowly as possible, only to stop when he realized he no longer felt that his feet and hands were now shaped different. ‘Paws, I have paws now’ he thought to himself as he attempted to keep urge to fall into depression and panic from consuming him completely. Fortunately after a few (dozen) deep breathes, each breathe coming out a “nyan” which only added to his panic, his mind balanced itself back into order. Getting himself on all fours again, eyes still closed to keep from having a sensory overload; he believed it was time to see if he could even talk “Nyan…N-n-nyan!” ‘Well talking is out’ he thought, grumbling as he became frustrated at the lack of communication through vocal means. With a final sigh he knew it was time to let his last sense to adjust to his new form and slowly let his eyelids open up. Green and brown blobs quickly focused into being trees and grass as other blobs quickly became defined as well, become stones, brushes and other objects you’d find in the woods. It didn’t take him long to see he was much shorter now since the tall grass was towered over him ‘That makes me what, a foot to two feet in height maybe? Perfect.’ Sticking out his nose he quickly picked up the scent of water, he might as well figure out what he looked like. ‘Okay Ken, just like the song, just place foot in front of the oth-‘ was where Ken’s train of thought ended as he tripped over all four of his paws and soon figured out he had large ears as they fell over his face. “….Nyan Ny Nyan~ (This is going to suck).”
With careful movement Ken managed to get back onto all four of his paws “Nyan nya nyan ny nyan nyan, NYAN! (Now I have to relearn how to move anywhere again, GREAT!)” He shouted, wondering what else could be thrown at h-
[ENGAGING MUSCLE MEMORY DOWNLOAD]
And this time he found himself facing the treetops after jumping in fear and gravity brought him back to the ground. “N-Nyan? (W-what?)”
[DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. MOVEMENT NOW POSSIBLE]
“….nyan?(….what?)”
[CPU HAS RESTORED UNIT DNA MEMORY TO ALLOW MOVEMENT WITHOUT FURTHER HINDRANCE]
With little effort anymore Ken found that the words in his head were right as he quickly found himself easily moving on all fours, even hopping. ‘What are you?’
[CPU TO THIS UNIT]
You mean me, as in we’re one and the same?’
[NEGATIVE. THE CPU IS ONLY CONNECTED TO UNIT. UNIT IS IN CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE UNIT. NOT CPU]
Blinking as he tried to compute on the impossibility of a CPU not being in control of a machine he quickly came to a sudden realization ‘CPU why can’t a remember how I am here and the past 24 hours?’
[SCANNING UNIT’S MEMORY…..SCAN COMPLETE. CPU HAS FOUND CORRUPTION IN UNITS MEMORY BUT HAS FOUND BACKUP OF CURRUPTED MEMORY IN UNITS DNA. DOES UNIT WANT MEMORY RESTORED?]
‘Yes, how long until full restoration?’
[ESTIMATED TIME IS 15 MINUTES AND 35 SECONDS]
With a heavy sigh Ken made his way where he smelt where there was water, which turned out to be a small river. ‘Well…moment of truth time’ and with that last thought he looked at his reflection in the water. Looking back at him was a white furred creature looking like a mix between a rabbit and cat with red eyes, black pupils, and a yellow diamond gem in its forehead. His long ears had a light pink from the lack of fur on inner side which was made up from long hairs growing out to help protect the inner ear. His face had four pairs of whiskers, two long pair on each cheek and another shorter two over on each brow. In other words Ken was seeing Ken-Ohki looking back at him instead of Ken. “…N nyan. Ny nyan nyan an nyan. (A cabbit. By all the gods I’m a cabbit).” He softly mewed, no longer denying he was meowing after seeing himself in the water. He was alone gods know where, in a body not of his own but of a minor anime character, and with no memory of the past 24. ‘Pretty sure that somewhere out there that this kind of situation is someone else’s Tuesday.’
(…*sob*…)
A flick of his ear
(…*sob*…)
Ken shifted to look further into the woods “Nyan?”
(…Anyone….help. *sob*)
He bounded off, towards the cry of help. He might be having a shitty day, but he would not let anyone suffer if he could help it, damn his
situation.
10 Minutes later
“Nyan ny nyan~ (This looks familiar but I can’t quite place why).” The cabbit stated as he became stared at the dilapidated castle before him, it must have been beautiful back in its prime and great symbol of power too. However the now louder sounds of painful crying brought him back to reality and realize that it wasn’t coming from the ruins, but a hole at bottom of what was probably once a moat probably (it was a pretty deep pit). Hopping his way down a conveniently shaped ledge, angled to allow someone to make their way safely to the bottom with little difficulty, he darted into the cave and tripped head over tail at what he saw.
There was no one in the cave, just a tree.
A crystal tree.
A very familiar looking crystal tree.
A very familiar looking crystal tree, that was important enough to have a “name”.
A very familiar looking crystal tree that was important enough to have a “name” from a show he and his group of friends watch.
The Tree of Harmony, from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
(*sniff* oh, what a cute little critter you are.)
And it was Sentient.
(What are you doing here; I’ve never seen a creature of the likes of you before. Not like you can underst-)
“Nyan nya (I’m a cabbit).” He replied, wondering if it, no if she understood him. The voice sounded feminine and it was a sentient being, no reason to call her an ‘it’.
(Did…did you just speak to me?)
“Nyan nyan (Sure did)!” Ken replied as cute as possible, even going as far as winking while posing victoriously with his right front paw making the Victory sign. Women like cute things if his female friends were the proof of concept.
The tree let out a wonderful giggle as she sudden shined so bright she lit up the whole cave, sounding much better than she did not too long ago. (Oh you are just adorable little cabbit. But why did you come here?)
“Ny nyan yan nyan ny (Well, I heard you crying).” Ken stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Nyan ny ny (So, why were you crying)?" he asked, though he wasn't an advent watcher of the show he has an inkling of what she was troubled with.
The Tree of Harmony's branches wilted a bit as she recalled why she was crying. (Those thieves still have my fruits, all that I am are within them and they took them! Yes that chaotic god needed to be stop but they still refused to return them! Even after one used them on the other they still kept them from me, ABOVE ME NO LESS!!) her entire form shown bright once more, though this time a feeling of pure angry was radiating from her instead of joy. The force itself knocking Ken back till he was on his little back. (Than my fruits found new hosts after a thousand years and are now further from me than before. I feel the mad god's last strike trying to overpower me, and without my fruits and my power stored within them I will soon succumb to them.) Her light dimmed as she wept once more.
Ken's ear drooped as she wept once more, here was a poor soul in trouble and he was stuck as cabbit with no idea to do. "Ny-nyan, ny ny nyan ny (P-please don't cry, um what's your name)?"
(I have no name, just a title those thieves called me.)
Now that wasn't right, everyone needs a name. If no one gave her one yet he might as well do it, but what should it be? It has to have meaning; telling everyone who she was, where she came from, what she does. It needs to be grand, powerful, and perfect for her. 'Come on Ken think, think, think. She's a tree, the elements of Harmony are the Deus Ex Machina of the show, since they came from her that could make her a goddess on a technicality, and now your ears itch.' That last one made his eyes nearly pop out of his head as he had a "Nya nya (light-bulb)." he softly said to himself in the same manner as a certain bald headed, long nose, former villain. "Nyan ny ny nya (How about Tsu)?"
(Tsu?) The tree asked, if she had a face Ken was sure it would be tilted cutely with how much confusing was in that one word.
"Nya, nyan nyan ny nya nyan (Yes, it's apart of the name of a tree goddess so it's perfect for you)!" he stated with excitement, believing that this would make her feel a bit better till he could help her out with her situation, his soul demanded it.
(Y...you're giving me a name?)
"Nyan (yep)."
The now named Tsu was left speechless, what exactly was going on? First she was weeping as she felt those damnable vines attack her roots once again, the next this odd creatures appears before her and does everything he can to make her feel better. Now she has a name, Tsu. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy. Was this what having a friend feels like. Sure she felt what those bearers of her fruit experience about friendship; but this was one a different level to feel it for herself. No creature ever treated more than anything but a tree, now she had a name and having conversations with this little white cabbit. (Thank you little one. Oh how thoughtless of me what is your n-) then she felt them. Those THIEVES were returning here, the must have felt her bursts that she had let out and are now coming here.
"Nyan (Tsu)?"
She felt the icy grip of fear when her friend, her first and only friend called out to her. If the find him they'll take him away, she has never seen someone like him before and no doubt neither have they. They'd take him to the bearer of Kindness and that foal will never let him go, not with how cute and unknown he is. (QUICK, HIDE! THEY ARE COMING!) she cried out, letting her fear out, she was too weak to protect him and herself. Oh she would have chosen him in a heartbeat but if she were fall then the world would be next, she couldn't be that selfish and she doubt her new friend would too.
With a start Ken didn't even bother to question as he quickly searched for someplace to escape to, whatever was scaring Tsu was not what he wanted to mess with right now, especially as a cabbit with no idea how to do anything remotely like the show. His salvation came when he spotted a gap in the cave wall, to the left of Tsu's trunk and it looked just large enough for him to fit into. It wasn't too high up, but he doubt he'd get a second leap to reach it if he missed the first. 'Okay, Hail Mary time!' and with that last thought he made a running leap into the hole. Lady Luck seemed to be on his side as he just barely got his front paws into the gap and dug them into the rock as best he could. With some effort he pulled himself in. Just in time as he heard the clopping of hooves behind him. He carefully peaked out, making sure to not expose himself too much, his fur was white after all and would stick out against the rocky cave wall.
He saw two figures walk into the gave, both female based on the body shapes. They looked like...well like an odd mix of pony and human. Instead of legs they have hooves and pony legs, Their torsos and arms looked human, but they had Horseheads. What uncovered parts he could see had horse hair coats instead of skin. Anthropomorphic would be his best general description 'Well, this isn't like the show but still close enough I guess.' Then his heart jumped into his throat when he got better look 'Oh F myself'.
Not only did the pair have horns, long ones too at about a foot he guessed, but he could clearly see both had a set of wings. These two were Alicorns, more specifically Princess Luna and Celesita. Both of them were wearing gowns; Celestia's in white and gold, Luna in dark blue and black. The crowns and their heads were show accurate still but those were the last things Ken was currently worried about. "It is strange to see the Tree of Harmony again after so long sister, it still looks as majestic as when we first saw it." Luna stated as she looked over the tree, Ken ducking his head further into the hole as she walked around.
"Indeed it does Luna, but still why did it just react right now?" Celestia questioned, the tree had never sent such burst of power out before so whatever happened to cause it to do so now set her on edge.
"Perhaps it is seeking what we took from it," the night princess pondered as she rest her head on one of fists, "we probably should return the elements to it. We should have done it once Discord was resealed."
"I don't want to take the chance Luna," Celestia nervously rubbed her hands as she looked at the tree, "what if we need them again, we need the elements as close as possible for ease of use."
"Yet we let the Bearers stay in Ponyville while the Elements are with us in Canterlot."
"Not for long." The sun princess stated, causing her sister to look at her in confusion. "Once the wedding is over I plan to see if the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy, can reform our old foe. If so, the elements will stay in Ponyville with Twilight as...insurance should Discord fall back into his old ways."
"And close enough to allow them to turn her into one of us if she should pass your last few tests too, dear sister?"
With a heavy sigh Celestia hung her head, her eyes full of doubt and worry "Her element is Magic Luna. Even her cutie mark shares the same mark as the one on the tree's trunk. It's practically telling us she is to be one of us....but still..."
"But you still feel like you are not giving her a choice in the matter."
All Celestia could do was nod in reply. Was it so wrong to let her wonderful student live her own life? There were times she just wanted to buck it all and just sit Twilight down and just come clean, tell her everything she believe would come to pass. But she knew that would just break the poor filly by trying to do everything herself, to be like them before she was ready; and after the Smartypants incident it was clear she wasn't ready to know yet. The only condolence was she still could give her the choice but it was at the very end of the spell that Starswirl the Bearded had made. She gave a small smile when she remembered how he turned it down, stating "Like bucking Tartarus am I going to be a Princess; I have more spells to make and no time to deal with those idiot nobles and their petty problems." She was brought out of her musing when her sister placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Your student won't hold it against you for keeping this all from her, remember she has seen what happens when you try messing with time first hoof. This would be no different and she will still love you as she does now." Luna comforted her elder sister, a gentle smile on her face as she finished.
Relief filled Celestia at her sister's word, "Thank you Luna, I guess I just needed to hear that from somepony else." Looking around once more she became satisfied that there was no threat here or nearby, "Well everything seems to be fine, we might as well head back and finish are fitting for our gowns." And with that both disappeared in a flash of light.
Releasing his held breath Ken worked his way out of hole, only to tumble down the wall and land on his rear. "Nyan, nya nya (Phew, close call)," shaking himself clean he hopped back in front of Tsu "nyan nyan nyan nya (thanks for the warning Tsu)."
(….)
"Nya (tsu?)"
(What's your name little one?)
"Ny...Nyan nya nyan ny nyan nyan (Well my name is Ken or Ken-Ohki)."
(….Ken... Would you be willing to help me?)
Ken had to suppress the shiver that wanted to go down his spine, he knew that tone of voice so well. That was the tone that meant he was going to be in so much trouble, 'Ie-Ah~, Ken's got the willies.'
YOOOOOOOOooo *clap* *clap*