//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 - The Start of Something New. // Story: A Gamer In Equestria: Reborn // by The Dark Brony //------------------------------// As I sat on the long train ride to canterlot I just stood there and contemplated what I had just done. Well I have to say this is strange to think about I have Discord in my head, a house to return to and Scootaloo as a daughter soon. Life couldn't be better. However, I was quickly cut off by a certain Draconequus that said “Oh of all the things on your mind I'm the first. How quaint.” “Great you can hear my thoughts” I groaned before I decided to try something “what am I thinking about now?” “You're thinking about what happened to Scootaloo's old dad. But you know it doesn't make sense what happened.” “Discord in my world Lightning is a random occurrence. However here it can be controlled and in theory, be aimed at a pony but I don't know enough about how lightning works here. I'll need to ask Rainbow about it.” “We got plenty of time till we reach Canterlot why not ask her now?” “I suppose you're right” I then opened my eyes to see everybody staring at me I then just ask “what?” Twilight then looked at worry pasted over her face before she said “Thank Celestia you're alright I thought you couldn't hear us. We were talking to you but you were completely unresponsive.” I then smiled before I told her “I was asleep Twilight, but unlike you, I'm a bit big for those tiny bunks so I slept standing up” “That wasn't the only thing you were doing Craig. Were you aware that you were creating sparks from your hooves… or whatever you call those things?” “Sparks? No, I wasn't aware of that Twilight and there called hands.” I then began to think about my powers before I said “Skyrim of course.” “What does a game have to do with this?” she asked. “Would you believe me if I said it was magic? I have just one question was the sparks a certain colour?” “I wouldn't believe it's magic but for the sake that it is it was a dark blue colour similar to the shade of Luna's mane.” “In that case, that could be a destructive spell with the properties of lightning.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy then looked at me before Rainbow Dash asked me, “Wait you can create lightning from your body?” “I could in the game, but I was never great with that type of destruction magic. I was more adept with fire based magic” I then clicked my fingers and a red spark appeared and I slowly open my hand to see an orb a red light emanating from my palm I then clenched my fist again and the light fades. I then look to Twilight and said “that was the basis of a fireball spell.” Her eyes then twitched before she said “but, you don't have a horn. By all rights, magic shouldn't be possible for you to do.” “In my world that would be the case the same goes with me floating in the air but here something has happened to me to give me powers, also Twilight I think I proved earlier that I can do magic, you’re just choosing not to accept it.” A brown and grey coated stallion with a black and red mane and tail then appeared standing next to me before he said “to be fair that’s not something I can't tell you because I don't know myself.” “Okay, then Discord then how did I learn those abilities?” “Maybe, because your world was void of magic, you never had a source to pull magic from, and now you're in a world which has it your body is accessing the ambient magic around you and using it in a way you know how to use,” Discord explained. “So you're saying Craig’s powers are feeding off the magic surrounding him to allow him to use his magic and abilities?” Asked Twilight. “That’s one theory, the other is that whatever brought him here adapted his body and powers to survive.” “That still doesn’t explain how I am able to instantly master weapons and gear I pick up?” “And once again I don’t know, I never planned for you to come to this reality.” I then sighed before I said, “well I guess it can’t be helped I’ll just need to figure this out in my own time.” I then turned to look at Rainbow Dash before I said “by the way I was wondering what you could tell me about Equestria's lightning?” “Oh Mr I can create lightning from my hands need to know more about lightning,” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Yes, I do Dash. I need to understand how it could have killed Scootaloo’s previous father.” Rainbow Dash then sighed before she said “In all rights, it shouldn't have been able to kill him the lightning clouds that Equestria manufacturers at the Rainbow Factory are supposed to go around a pony's body. It's been made that way to protect everypony. The only way it could have happened is if somepony targeted him or he was carrying something that conducted the lightning towards it. “Okay, but where would the cloud have to be to hit him?” “It would have had to be right above him or he would have had to be inside the cloud at the time. But even then somepony would have to manually discharge the cloud.” “Okay, then that tells me that the death of Scootaloo’s father wasn't an accident. Somepony wanted him dead.” “But who would have a reason to do that?” “I have no idea but we do know it wasn't an accident, and that the culprit would have been a pegasus. Oh god my head hurts I need to rest fighting Discord took a lot out of me” Discord then laughed before he announced, “I thought that you didn't try against me.” “Oh I didn't Discord but considering the fact that I haven't eaten anything in two days I'm just hungry it’s just leaving me a little drained.” I then heard Pinkie say “I'll go and grab you some food Craig” before she disappeared in a pink blur. I then just smiled before I said “she's one of the kindest creatures I've ever met reminds me of one of my cousins. Always full of energy.” I then looked towards the ground and muttered “hard to believe I may never see her, or any of my family again.” as I sunk to the ground to sit on crossed legs. Applejack then took off her hat placing it near her body before she made her way towards me and placed one of her hooves on my shoulder then said “as long as ya don't forget em they'll always be with ya” She then reached towards my chest and said “in ‘ear” I then smiled and said “if you were meaning in my heart you would want to point to here” I then move her hoof just in front of the location of my heart. I then heard Rainbow Dash say “besides you have the squirt now. That's sort of a family.” “I suppose after one door shuts another one opens. I may have lost my old family but I can always start again.” Fluttershy then smiled before she said “I suppose you are taking the changes well. I mean you lost everything and yet you still act like this is normal for you. I can't understand how you must be feeling.” “You know what Fluttershy you are right about one thing. I am acting as if everything is normal and you know why” I then stood up and announced "and this is why” I then flicked my guitar from the ground into my hand before I began to sing a cover of Feeling Good by Michael Buble. As I finished the song I looked towards Rarity and Fluttershy before I said “I’m definitely feeling good.” I then heard the sound of someone applauding behind me before I turned around to see a small group of ponies looking towards me and strangely not running away in fear of my presence. I then smiled before I heard a voice from the crowd say “You know you're not that bad,” Causing me to look around before I saw a white unicorn with a cyan and cobalt blue colored mane and tail, that was wearing some black and purple glasses and a set of headphones on her head. She then continued to ask me “Is music your special talent?” I then shrugged my shoulders before I said “I don’t have any idea I'm afraid, my kind don’t get any indication of what their talents are.” I then shook my head before I asked the pony “but enough about me, my names Craig, may I ask your name miss?” She then walked closer to me before saying “Well most ponies know me by my stage name DJ Pon3 but my friends call me Vinyl Scratch.” “Well, then Miss Scratch it’s a pleasure to meet you.” “The pleasure’s all mine.” Vinyl replied before she continued to say “It’s my pleasure to meet the amazing creature that saved Ponyville.” “How did you know that?” “Pinkie, she’s not exactly the best at keeping quiet about new friends, she was talking about you as she travelled through the train.” “That sounds about right for Pinkie,” chuckled Rainbow Dash. “Yeah, but she got something wrong, I’m nothing amazing.” Vinyl then looked at me before saying “So maybe Pinkie wasn’t accurate when she said you were an amazing friend.” “Don’t you ever say that about him,” shouted Rainbow Dash “Rainb…” “Don’t you ever say he isn’t an amazing friend he could have abandoned us after what happened to him but he came back to save everyone instead.” “Rainbow Dash calm down!” I shouted causing her to jolt back before I said “It doesn’t matter if that's her opinion because that's all it is. Maybe I’m not as great of Pinkie made me out to be, it’s not like I'm anything special.” “Craig! You single handedly defeated Discord. You can't say anyone helped you to defeat him.” Rainbow Dash shouted. Vinyl then froze before she stuttered out “That was you, I heard the commotion from the station, a few of us were hiding there waiting for the train to arrive so we could escape.” “Guilty as charged” I chuckled. “So I guess that makes you a hero?” Vinyl asked me. “You bet he is!” Shouted Rainbow Dash. “No I'm not a hero, I’m just a guy that was in the right place at the right time.” I then smiled before saying “You know, I remembered a song that fits me at the moment, it called Hero. I then began to perform the song. As I finished the song I once again heard everyone around me applauding me before Vinyl said “You sure your special talent doesn’t have something to do with performing, you seem to be very good at it.” I then began laughing before I said “I doubt it, besides I'm my own man, if I need to perform to live then I'll do it, same as I became a guard to allow me to help everyone.” “Well then if you are ever in need of a DJ just ask for best DJ in Equestria and I'll see what we can do,” Vinyl said calmly. “Will do Vinyl. Might call you up to open one of my performances in Ponyville.” I joked “More like you covering me, I'd always be headlining any show.” “Sure you would,” I chuckled as she walked away. “Once you get settled, give me a call” Vinyl replied as she began to walk out of the carriage we were on and back into the attached carriage she came from before. Once she had gone and the door separating the carriages shut Rainbow Dash shouted “Do you know who you just spoke to!” “Yeah Vinyl Scratch, a celebrity DJ, no big deal,” I admitted. “Craig you just spoke to a celebrity like it was nothing. Most ponies would die for a chance to speak to her and you got to perform to her not once but twice!” Shouted Rarity. I then rubbed my head before I said “Okay maybe I was a bit calm about meeting a celebrity.” Pinkie Pie then walked back into the carriage somehow carrying a box on her back before placing it on the floor before throwing me a small box that read ‘Daisy and Daffodil Sandwich’ before she said “Nope Vinyl’s a nice mare. She may seem to be a big deal but she prefers to be treated like anypony else.” “Thanks, Pinkie,” I replied as I opened the package that the sandwich was in before I said “So I guess heard me performing.” “Yep, I heard the whole thing sound like you and Vinyl and friends now. Hey, maybe one day we should perform with her.” “Yeah maybe. Wait. what do you mean by we?” “Well yeah you need a band and I would like to be a part of it.” I then tilted my head to the side before seconds later looking back at her. I then placed my hand out to her and said “welcome aboard Pinkie. You've already proved yourself to be adept with the drums and I couldn't think of anypony I rather perform by my side.” We then heard a voice over the loudspeaker say “Attention everypony we will be arriving in Canterlot shortly.” I then sighed before I said “guess this is our stop, we best get moving. I'll meet you girls on the platform” I then began to walk towards the door to the carriage we were on, as I waited for the train to come to halt before exiting the carriage. When we finally arrive at the palace both me and Discord began to organise a plan for when things inevitably got out of hand... or claw depending on the individual. “Discord you will need to say out of the way whilst we talk to Celestia. I have a feeling if she found out we didn't reseal you, she'll have my guts for garters,” I explained. “Your what?” Discord asked me in confusion. I then sighed before I said “she'll end me, or put me in stone for one-thousand years.” “Oh I hope you don't deal with that, it's not a nice experience, at least I could still have fun using my magic.” “Oh yes, all the fun had ruining my life, you know I could very easily ask them to put you back in stone.” I then stopped before I remembered what he had said earlier before asking him, “didn’t you mention something about me being a different reality.” “Well yes… but why does that matter?” “There was a few stories from back home that would have referred to me as a Displaced.” “A what?” Discord asked me “A Displaced or Dimensionally Misplaced, from what I remember most of the time the person who was Displaced is sent to an alternative Equestria from buying an object of some kind. But there are rare occasions when this happens from finding an object or from just plain dumb luck,” I explained. “So these other realities have no connection to each other?” “Well no they all can meet up but I'll explain more later, right now we have a meeting to attend.” I admitted before I continued to say “Just promise me you'll stay quiet whilst in the meeting.” “Fine but if she tries to do something I'm going to throw her off.” “Using your magic are you?” I chuckled Before I heard a voice shout “Craig, What’s wrong!” I then smiled before I said, “Look like they're worried about me, we’ll talk later.” Discord then chuckled before he said “Good luck.” I then opened my eyes before I saw Luna staring at me as she shouted “Craig! Craig! Is thou okay!” I then flinched backwards before I said “Please Luna, can you not shout, I just spaced out that’s all.” She then backed away from me slightly before she said “We are sorry, but at least thou is okay.” “Well, it would make sense for his mind to feel all over the place. After all he has done so much for us in such a short space of time,” Celestia admitted. I then bowed to the Princesses before I said “it was an honour to do that for you and your pe... ponies. Besides, if someone needs help I will make it my job to try and help them.” “As is a noble mission for a new father to protect those thou cares for?” Luna announced. “Wait how do you know about me adopting Scootaloo?” I asked in surprise. “A ponies dream can tell us a lot of things about current events,” Luna explained. “So she was dreaming about me?” I checked in surprise. “Well that and thou saving her from Discord then defeating him alone” “So you know about that,” I said as I looked to the ground. Celestia then said “we know that you have show kindness to a creature that almost took your life. I also know he is here right now so maybe you should tell Discord to show himself.” I then gulped before I said “Discord she knows you're here. You might as well come out.” “Oh I was enjoying playing minesweeper in there,” Discord groaned. I then stopped at what I heard him say before I asked him “Wait I have games in there?” “Yeah. Minesweeper, Snake, Hill Climb Racing and Jetpack Joyride,” he clarified. “Oh god don't download anything else you might just cause me to buffer.” which caused both me and Discord just laugh as everyone else just stared at us in confusion I then smiled at them before I said “inside joke. You'd only understand it if you've seen how a computer works on the internet back home. “Craig, why did you choose not to reseal Discord and let him remain free instead?” Celestia asked. “I spared him because of something I felt. I felt like he was terrified of something or someone, he told me that he was threatened whilst he was in stone, and that someone was going to destroy him, I refuse to let him die and I won't break a promise.” Celestia then smiled before she said “that's a very noble thing for you to do Craig. But I have a feeling there's something else you're not telling us.” I then rubbed the back of my head before I said “Well from what Discord told me, I believe that I am what is referred to as Displaced. In layman's terms, it means that I have come from a different reality, not a different planet like I originally thought.” Twilight then asked me “Wait so you're saying the multiverse theory is true and that It's possible for us to travel between different realities.” as she pulled out a notepad from somewhere. “Well, not alone it's not. Not many people know how it actually works apart from someone called The Merchant. There are literally thousands of other realities each with a small difference in them although I can’t tell what it is here.” “What sort of difference do you mean?” Twilight asked. “Well, I can tell you more when I actually get to see what it’s like first hand.” “Is there a way for you to travel between these worlds?” “Yes there is, but only between different displaces realities. We can use an object called a token, it's an object that represents a different Displaced.” Rainbow Dash then asks “Do you have one of these token things?” “No I don't, I need to make one, but first I need an object that says what I am.” I then looked at my guitar before turning it back into a sword before I asked Celestia, “may I make a copy of the sword you gave me to use as my token, it does show who I am after all.” Celestia smiled before she said, “You may.” “Thank you” I then drew my sword from its sheath, held it facing away from everyone in my right hand while loosely holding my left closed and then closed my eyes. I then carefully slowed my breathing before I felt what seemed to be a small object appear in my other hand. I then opened my eyes before opening my left hand to see a small replica of my sword in it that almost looked like a small amulet that could fit on a chain. I then sheathed my sword before I turned back to everyone and said “this is the token that will be seen by other displaced. All that I need to do is record a message that any Displaced will hear.” I then sighed before I told everyone “I have no idea what to say, though.” Luna then said, “Maybe thou should just say who thou is and what thou believes in?” “I think you're on to something there Luna give me a second,” I then closed my eyes once again before the amulet of my sword began to glow. I then said “Hi my name is Craig. If ever you are in danger, are scared, frightened or even just need an ally to stand by your side in your darkest hour. Call on me and I will come and do everything in my power to aid you.” I then open my eyes again before glow ceased before I said “the message is now transcribed in the token ready to be sent off.” I then heard Twilight say “Do other displaced have tokens similar to yours?” “Well yes but I have no idea what they look like until I get summoned or I find someone else's and summon them to me.” I then stop as I realised it would be easier to keep a previously transcribed copy of my token on me to copy when I met someone who didn’t have my token. I then muttered “I just thought I'm going to need more than one of these things” I then closed my eyes once again holding the amulet in my right hand another replica appear in my left hand. I then put one of the tokens into my pocket and then moved my hand with the other token in it in a downwards slashing motion before a small black rift in the space in front of me was visible. I then slowly placed my hand inside and let go of the token as it floated away from my hand as I pulled it back. I then removed my hand from rift before it began to reseal leaving no clue it was ever there. I then heard Twilight stutter “what was that?” “It's called the void, It's a space between realities. Displaced use this space to travel between realities we also use it to send our tokens between the different realities.” “So this void, is it dangerous?” Asked Twilight “Well, I don’t know anything about the Void apart from what I already said... I’m sorry Twilight.” “Don’t worry about it, I can’t expect you to know about something like that,” Twilight admitted. “Well now that’s sorted I suspect we should expect to see more of your kind in Equestria?” asked Celestia. “Yes, but I can't promise they'll all have good intentions. Some of them may want to cause trouble. We will need to be ready for when that happens.” “So there will be people like you appearing all over Equestria?” asked Twilight. I then shook my head and said “not all over Equestria. They will most likely appear nearby if they use my token. If they ever are a threat I will be able to stop them and if they aren't bad, I will be nearby to help them. They shouldn't cause any damage that can't be fixed. At least I hope that's the case.” “You seem sure you can handle them,” Celesta replied. “To be honest from what I remember there are few displaced who would want to cause harm to anyone.” To this Celestia said “Well Craig I trust you. I will also leave Discord to you, on your head be it. I just want to know where you will staying whilst you are in Equestria?” “I have a place organised thanks to the Mayor in Ponyville. She has offered me a place to stay at on the concept that I perform some music in town on some occasions.” “Well, when one of those shows come up ask Twilight to send me a letter I believe both me and my sister would like to see you perform,” Celestia said calmly. I then once again bowed to her and said “I would love to perform to royalty. I'll make sure that I get Twilight to send you a letter near any performance I get.” “We would be grateful to hear thou's music again,” admitted Luna. “Would you like a performance now?” I asked calmly “Thou would do that?” She asked in surprise. “Yeah why not. I've got time” I then brought my guitar that was resting against my back to my front before I began to check each of the strings and then began to play Boyce Avenue's cover of Coldplay's Viva La Vida. Once I finished the song I heard Luna announce “Thou has improved since we met you in thou's dream yesterday” “I need to be good, and I guess I have had a little practice. Heck, I even have a group of amazing friends and an amazing band member.” I then smiled at Pinkie as she said “yeperoonie we’ll make a fantastic team.” “Well we look forward to seeing what you two can do together,” announced Celestia. “Thank you,” both my myself and Pinkie replied. Celestia then said “and to thank you for what you have done for our people, we would like to give you all a room in the castle for the night.” She then turned to Shining Armour before she said “Shining Armour would you mind showing them to their rooms.” He then bowed to her and said “It would be a pleasure” He then looked at all of us before he made his way towards the door. “Thank you,” We all said to the Princesses before we followed Shining Armour out of the room. One by one we each were shown to our rooms until only me, Discord and Shining Armour were left. Once we reached a room further down the hall Shining Armour said to me “you know you are truly and amazing creature. Not only have you quickly learnt to control your new powers but you were able to use them under pressure. You would make a good soldier.” “Like you will make an amazing husband.” I pointed out. He then just stopped before he asked me “How do you know about me being engaged?” “Hello from another reality I know about Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and the fact that you are getting engaged to her… it also helps you screamed her name before you kissed Luna earlier.” “Okay well two things one, never mention that to anyone and two after what you did today you're more than an ally. I'd be inclined to call you a friend.” “Well if I was honest with you I saw you as that from the beginning.” To this he just smiled before he said “Anyway I would like to give you this.” he then handed me a scroll and then continued to say “I heard the mayor say about you needing documentation to prove who you are. I went ahead and had Spike send Celestia a letter in advance so she could get something for you. This is basically a document to say that you are part of the guard… the only problem is I didn’t know your full name, so Luna filled it out for me.” I then opened the scroll to see what they had used for my name before I stopped as I saw the name ‘Craig Jordan Rhodes’ clearly near the bottom of the Scroll. I then look back to Shining Armour as I rolled the scroll back up and said “How did she know my full name? I haven't told anyone that.” “Well who knows, she seemed sure when she handed me that scroll.” I then smiled before I said, “Thank you, you didn’t need to this for me.” “Well, what are friends for” Shining Armour then continued to say “I would also like it if you attended the wedding when it comes around.” I then stopped before I asked him “You'd really want a strange creature like me at a wedding?” “Well yes, it is a royal wedding and I would like to have somepony or as you keep saying someone around who I know is prepared for what's coming.” “So it has nothing to do the fact that you want a performer to help entertain everyone?” He then began to rub his mane before continued to say “That may amount to a bit of it.” “Well, you can have me free of charge.” I chuckled before I said, “I would never ask a friend to pay for me to perform. Although I would hire more than me... maybe get that DJ... what was her stage name... DJpon3?” I suggested. “Thank you. You don't know how much easier it is now I have a little less to worry about if we can't get some more entertainment, it helps you've recommened someone else aswell.” I then stopped as I thought yeah you just need to worry about the Changeling’s and Queen Chrysalis attacking Canterlot. I then told him “anyhow I would like to get to my room and finally get some sleep that's not been forced due to injury.” He then just smiled and said, “Yeah you've earned that much after the day you’ve had.” With that, we both said bye to each other before I entered my room for the night. I then heard Discord say “Well it looks like your life is getting better. Not only is everything ready for you to adopt Scootaloo but we are going to a royal wedding.” “Well buddy I suppose you're right but I was wondering who we will be visiting or be visited by first. I wasn't joking when I said there are thousands of different realities.” “Well wherever we go, we go as a team.” “Wouldn't want it any other way,” with that I took my guitar from my side before placing it on the floor next to me. I then slowly began to lay down on the bed to find that the armour did not disappear as I lay down and thought well… looks like it’s going to be hard for me to get a comfortable night's sleep as I began to attempt to drift off into a natural sleep for the first time in two days.