not so lonesome road

by Xerain

Arrival

What roads do we walk to show who we are? What flags do we fly to show what we believe?

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Ulysses' eyes darted open, taking in the bright sunlight of a world not his own. He sat himself up on the ground, confused. Trees, bushes and other forms of foliage surrounded the courier. He stared at the plant life in shock. The Divide never had trees; it was never covered in life.

"Where am I?" he asked himself. His only answer was the silence of the strange forest.

Ulysses slowly tried to rise to his feet, only to struggle and fall back onto his haunches. He looked down at where his feet should have been, only to be greeted by hooves and forelegs. He stared in quiet confusion at his new extremities, pondering how his human form turned to that of an animal of the old world. He looked to his body, finding his duster with the old world flag covering a dark brown coat, and faintly seeing the dreadlocks and braids of both his mane and tail.

Ulysses tried rising again, this time on all fours. He found it was strangely comfortable, though very alien. He pondered his predicament fully now. How did he become a pony? Why is he here in this forest? His thoughts were interrupted by a voice in the distance.

"I think it came from over here!" a female voice shouted, making Ulysses become defensive. He waited for an attack-some sort of assault-to come his way. Rustling bushes made it known that whatever had said that sentence was close. What emerged from the foliage, however, was something that he was not expecting.

Standing in front of him was a beast of myth, something the old world would classify as fairy-tale. What stood there, was a unicorn. More specifically, one named Twilight Sparkle. She spotted Ulysses immediately, giving the courier a look of lost confusion. Ulysses returned her gaze with an emotionless stare, the breathing mask on his face showing no feeling whatsoever.

"Uhm, hi." She said.

Ulysses continued to stare at her, still showing no emotion. The unicorn was then flanked by more horses, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.

"Is he the one who caused the flash?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight.

"I think so." She replied. "Who are you?" she asked him.

"My name is Ulysses," He replied. his tone was monotonous, emotionless.

"That's a weird name," Pinkie Pie piped up.

Ulysses glared at her.

"Not my given name. A name taken from history." He said to her. "Brought two flags together under one. United a nation torn apart."

All the ponies looked at him strangely, not comprehending his words.

"What are you doing here?" Rarity asked. "The Everfree Forest is much too dangerous for anypony to actually want to step foot in."

"I do not know." He replied. "I am not where I should be."

"Ya got that right. Let's get you back to Ponyville." Applejack said. "Ya'll look a little worn out."

Ulysses stood there. Ponyville was not a place he's heard of in the wastes. And Being a Courier and Frumentariius, he would have known it.

"Ponyville?" he asked. "Not a place I'm familiar with. Where is it?"

"It's only the bestest most beautifullest place in all Equestria!" The bouncing pink pony screeched.

Ulysses looked down somberly.

"So it's true, I'm not in the wastes anymore." He said monotonously. "The invisible fires have changed me, brought me to another world."

The ponies stood dumbfounded at his words

"Fire can't be invisible, silly filly." Pinkie said. "It's all bright and burny, it won't change you that much."

"It no longer matters." He simply stated. "Where is this 'Ponyville'?"

"Follow us, and we'll take ya there, pardner" The cowboy hat wearing pony said with a smile. Ulysses thought about her offer for a moment. Deciding that he knew nothing of the land or it's landmarks, he agreed to follow the ponies. They turned from him and started on their way back to Ponyville, and he followed soon after.

He hoped he wouldn't regret his decision.

Comments

[Crystonian]

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