Adventures of the Moon Son: Chapter 1 - The Raising

by TheAuthorsApprentice

Chapter 2 - An Otherworldly Encounter

When the Princess received the Element Bearers in their throne room, a small group of ponies whose careers, looks and personalities that couldn't be more different, but the same in their unyielding love and friendship for each other and their desire to protect the land and the ponies within it. Preparations where being made to complete Luna's party, a small and private affair that would be held at noon.

It was to be held outside, in a clearing within the majestic gardens of the castle, flanked by beautiful patches of wildflowers that seemed to catch the light of day. Ponies of all types hurried to make the area ready, a marquee had already been set up and filled with tables and cushions to accommodate the famous guests, A quartet was performing a warm up act to get themselves ready for the performance, treats in the form of rare and exquisite cakes, pastries and beverages where being set out.
Behind all of this, hidden behind the marquee was a single pony working on the rigging for the fireworks, tying several fuses into the large cylindrical containers that housed the coloured explosives, measuring to ensure the display's timing would be perfect.

Coordinating all of these ponies was a particularly no nonsense mare by the name of Check list, light brown in colour with a stylish blonde mane, the mark on her flank was, unsurprisingly, a check list.

"Orderly!" she cried out at a random stallion that walked past "Is the guard presence on the way?"

"Yes, Miss Check list, they will be here shortly"

"Good, carry on. Water lily, is the royal bouquet ready yet?"

"Almost, Miss Check list, we're just putting together the finishing touches"

"Quickly, if you please, my dear, we don't have a lot of time. Tea Leaves!"

"Yes, Miss Check list?"

"Remember to place the blueberry tea at the front! This gathering is for Luna after all"

"Of course, Miss"

With the final command issued and her meticulous eye failing to find anything significant, Check list allowed herself to relax. Another job well done, she could treat herself afterwards, that was for sure. Maybe a trip to the sweet shop? or Donut Joes? or maybe even-

"What is that?"

It was Tea leaves that asked and everypony within earshot turned to him, he had his head slightly cocked and one ear was swivelling in the air, Check list raised her own and listened for this mysterious sound. For a few seconds she heard nothing except for the usual sounds associated with the castle at day time.

Then she heard it.

It was a low buzzing sound, like a bee hive but almost silent. normally she would pay this no mind but the sound seemed to be coming from thin air in the middle of the space set aside for the party. Casting an uneasy glance to Water lily, who only shrugged in reply, she made a step towards the sound.

Slowly but surely, the buzzing rose in volume and pitch until it was easily audible and more ponies where noticing it. Suddenly, there was a spark, or something similar as a small flash of yellow light appeared from nowhere. The ponies watching it gasped in shock and froze in place... staying still when another flash lit up, then another and another until the flashes expanded. Rippling and growing into a column of seemingly yellow lightning, contained within an almost immediate area.

"Should we get the guards, Miss Check list?" Water Lily said murmured.

"Yes. They should be here by now, Go and see what's taking them so long!"

Before Water lily could even move, the arching yellow lights vanished, taking the sound with them so suddenly it would have seemed like nothing had even happened. Or at least it would have, if there wasn't something left behind in the same space as the light. Whatever it was, it caused Check list's breath to catch and her blood to run as cold as ice.

*******

The young man materialised into the universe the same way he always did, knelt down on one knee with his fists pressed into the floor. The conversion process from pure energy to a physical form always took the wind out of him but by now he was used to the process so it passed quickly.

He stood up fully, being rewarding with a series of pops within his joints that drove the remaining weariness away. His recent entry to reality had left his senses dulled and his perception narrowed so he didn't sense the movement of the ponies behind him running for any spot of cover. He did, however, notice the white stone curtain wall on the other side of the magnificent gardens.

"Woah!" he cried as he spun to survey the castle behind him, gaping up at the high gilded towers and exquisite windows. "Look at this place, Jeeves! Its amazing!"

"Indeed it is, Master Switch, a truly awe inspiring building to be sure!" came a voice belonging to an eighteen century butler, only audible to the Switch.

"Well its reminiscent of medieval architecture... This is definitely better than barren wastelands or a Scorgon den... I wonder who built it?"

"Obviously people of refined taste, sir, judging by the gathering they had planned"

"Obviously! Look at this, pastries and teas and oh! Little chocolates!"

"Bio-signatures detected, sir!"

"Where?"

In Switch's field of vision, a small patch of marquee's cloth wall was highlighted in red, indicating the signs of life behind it. Not being new to this kind of introduction and knowing how intimidating it could be to literally appear out of this air, Switch slowly made his way to the open side of the large tent.

Stepping around the corner with his posture relaxed and his hands raised, Switch found himself stunned as he gazed into the eyes of the people responsible for the world around him, after several seconds of stunned silence he responded using the only word his brain would allow him to say.

"Ponies?!"

The ponies, namely Water lily, responded in turn with the only words her brain would allow her to say.

"The Monster found us!! RUN!!"

It was the only encouragement the terrified equines needed and each of them took off in their own direction, screaming at the top of their lungs as they did.
Switch's eyes went half lidded and his expression went deadpanned.

"'Yes! look! Its a monster... run!'" he imitated flatly as he began to stride through the throng of panicking ponies "'Raaarr', he's come to take our children and livestock, hide the jewels and precious metals'"

"He's so hideous!" one of the passing ponies yelled, which caused Switch to frown

"Now that's just hurtful! You know what, I'm taking a treat for that!" he cried as he snatched a pastry from the table and waved it at the retreating back of the stallion.

"Well, sir, this introduction is certainly not going as well as I hoped" Jeeves said into Switch's ear.

"Yeah, I think i'll take that Scorgon den now..."

By now most of the Ponies had managed to run away from the monstrous invader, all except one... one who had just received a very big dose of adrenaline and courage. One who decided that he would fight this vile creature for the sake of his home and everypony in it.

One that knew an great deal about pyrotechnics.

Firecracker was his name, and he was currently hoisting the largest rocket he could find from the pile he had brought to the lunch, the pony's in charge had told him he couldn't use it! Told him it wasn't safe! Well, he'd show them when he saved everypony!
Amidst the chaos he had dug the firework into the ground, and was currently aiming it at the monsters face. It lit and Firecracker's face split into an insane smile.

"Hey, Monster!" he yelled, causing Switch to turn around with a mouth full of pastry, he barely managed to before the firework screamed and launched straight at him. Switch threw himself downwards into a crouch that took him clear of the Firework's path.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" he yelled at Firecracker who, upon realising his plan of monster slaying had failed and who also realised he had just used his only weapon, ran away screaming.

Switch shook his head and turned... just in time to see the firework soar towards the side of the castle, it hit a spot in between two of the many windows and exploded in a fantastic display of colours and smoke intermingled with brick and mortar.

Switch looked at the raining chunks of stone and sighed.

"Ah shit..."

*******

Two minutes earlier

"I'm so glad your willing to come to ponyville for your first nightmare night, Princess!" Twilight sparkle, a purple unicorn with a lavender mane whispered with excitement.

"As am I, Twilight, I must admit that I am rather looking forward to tonight's festivities... but why are we whispering?"

"Because the girls don't know you're visiting yet, I want it to be a surprise"

"I am not sure that is a good Idea, Twilight, I think the other element bearers are still afraid of me. I would hate to scare anypony"

"Maybe they are... slightly.. uncomfortable. But what better way to fix that than a night of fun and games!"

"Well... alright, I just hope the citizens of Ponyville do not object to my presence"

"They're going to love you, Princess, I promise you're going to have so much fun tonight"

Luna nodded at that, assured by the words of her sister's student and she turned her gaze to the rest of the element bearers walking a short ways ahead with Celestia, with a motion of the head to Twilight, Luna closed the distance between them.

"Well, I'm glad that business with the Canterlot elite is going so well, But I must warn you to watch yourself, Rarity, unfortunately the members of the upper class can be rather... unpleasant with ponies they deem beneath them" Celestia said to the bearer of generosity, a white unicorn with a stylish purple mane.

"I understand, your majesty, and fear not! I will be resolute in any dealings with them" Rarity answered in a rather well spoken voice.

"I'm glad, I just wish I didn't have to make such warnings about my little ponies"

"Well. Not everyone can be as awesome as us, Princess!" A cyan pegasus with a chromatic mane shouted as she leapt into the air with a dramatic pose

"Not, I suppose not, Rainbow dash" Luna replied with a small chuckle as she joined in the conversation, Rainbow dash giggled back although it was obviously nervous.

"I am so Super Duper excited for this lunch party!!" Pinkie, an all pink earth pony with a permanent smile and a mane reminiscent of bubblegum, yelled as she hopped and danced around the place

"Its not a 'party', Pinkie darling, Its just a quiet luncheon between friends!"

"Any gathering with friends and food is a party, Rarity! and before nightmare night too! this is gonna be the best day ev-"

Pinkie didn't get to finish her rambunctious statement as suddenly the left wall of the corridor they where walking down was ripped apart in a spectral explosion. Nopony was ready for it and was therefore flung against the opposite wall, each of them collapsing to the ground with the wind knocked out of them and a piercing ringing in their ears, even the Princesses, with their godly powers found themselves stunned and breathless.

Each of the mares struggled to get to their hooves and peer through the smoke, even worse was the cracks that had spread from either side of the hole across the corridor.
Rarity tried to shout to her friends as she struggled to stand up, she could make out the slightly coloured shapes of them through the chocking mist, she put a tentative hoof forward.

It was then that the floor decided it wanted to collapse...

With the roar of breaking stone, the floor listed lethally towards the gap in the wall with enough force to throw Rarity towards it. She screamed as her back hooves skidded across the tiled floor and out of the hole. A glance was all she had before she fell out of it completely, and in that glance she saw the others in relative safety away from the collapsing floor, she heard Rainbow dash yell her name and try to dive and catch her despite one of her wings being bloodied.

The only thing Rarity felt was the feeling of weightlessness as she began to plummet several stories past the many windows that the castle contained, she found herself to shocked to scream as the unforgiving ground rushed up to meet her. Only able to make strangled gasps, Rarity closed her eyes... and prepared to die...

But that death would have to wait as Rarity suddenly felt her deathly descent reversed, she felt the breath being knocked out of her lungs as somepony tackled her in mid air, carrying them backwards. That same pony wrapped his body around her and took the impact as they crashed to the floor, his broad fore hooves kept her still as inertia caused them to roll and bounce several times, Rarity hardly felt anything as this mystery pony took the punishment for her.

They eventually rolled to a stop and Rarity allowed herself to breathe again, her mind racing at a mile a minute she cracked open her eyes to find the world obscured by the fore hooves of her saviour.

"You saved my life..." she whimpered more to herself than him. The stallion only replied with a groan of pain as he unfurled himself from around her.

"I... I don't know what-"

Rarity froze when she saw Switch with a grimace on his face, immediately she forgot that this creature had saved her life and her instincts screamed at her to run, to get away from this alien thing. Her thoughts where cut off when the thing's yellow glowing eyes seemed to widen, he suddenly threw his arms up to roughly shove her to the side, launching her several feet to the left of him. Gasping in shock as she landed on her side, Rarity was about to berate him for his uncouth behaviour, monster or not! when there was a sudden stony crash, a pile of stone and mortar that had come loose from the gap in the wall above them came tumbling down with increasing velocity as gravity snatched hold of them.

Again, Rarity found herself speechless as sight of the mystery creature that had come to her rescue was replaced by a pile of rubble, unable to do anything except stare at it.

"Rarity!" Came a voice from behind her and she turned just in time for Twilight to throw her forelegs around her.

"Thank the princesses, are you alright!?" she cried with a cracking voice, Rarity brought her own hooves up to return the embrace.

"Yes, Twilight, I'm fine" she murmured, shock was starting to sap her emotions, leaving her tone flat and dull.

By now, either by means of flying or teleportation, the rest of her friends and both the princesses had arrived onto the ground level of the castle.

"Why happened, My little pony? When I heard you fall through that breach, I feared the worst!" Celestia asked

"Somepony caught me... snatched me out of the air..."

"Really?" Luna's eyes widened in surprise and she turned her head to gaze across the area "And where is this rescuer now?"

"He's under there..." Rarity pointed a hoof at the pile of rubble a short way in front of them.

"What!? Come, sister!"

Celestia and Luna wasted no time in using their extensive magical power to start shifting the rubble from the pile, the gravel shifted in piles and the largest boulders moved one at a time. It wasn't long before the concern on the Princesses' faces was replaced with confusion as a very non pony like hand was revealed, then a foot, then the semi metallic face.

Noticing that it was unconscious and had a rather nasty looking gash running across the side of its head. Celestia's natural maternal instincts replaced some of the wary confusion. She wrapped her magic around the mysterious creature and gently pulled it from the rubble, where it hung limply in the air surrounded by a golden aura.

Nopony had the willpower to break through their shock and silence descended over the garden... or at least it did until a very loud and tomboyish voice cut through the quiet.

"What in Equestria is that thing?!"

Author's Note:

There it is, readers, chapter two. In which we introduce another of the core characters. The one who will show the ponies everything Human's can offer! The man known only as...

THE SWITCH

Just so you can get a picture of how important he is to me, I started designing my own characters over ten years ago. Some for franchises I created, and others as characters for franchises that I really like.
Switch was the first, the first character I ever designed completely. He is the sum of over ten years of design and everything about him has been meticulously designed... His back story however? that will have to be revealed later...

I'm sorry to big up my own character... but he's very important to me and I'm very excited to be sharing him with you guys! 🤸

I kept the description of the Switch very vague in this chapter, as it is done from the perspective of the ponies. They've never seen a human at this point so everything about him they will assume to be naturally occurring, for all they know every human has half a metallic face, and skin that's the same colour as the Switch's armour.
His appearance will be revealed in the next chapter so have no fear!

As for Jeeves, the equivalent of Jarvis to Iron man for the Switch, His voice is very similar to codsworth from fallout 4, for those that play the game!

Thanks for reading guys, and more will be coming real soon,

The Author's Apprentice 📖

Comments

[EverfreeSky]

looking good so far keep it up.