Guitar's Hero

by FoxWithAMask

Meeting An Ally, A Mysterious Force And A Hothead

I jumped away from the mutant horses, “Ah! Mutant horse! Mutant horse! Stay away from me!” I squeaked. “Don’t eat me! I taste all rubbery and like sprouts! You don’t want to taste sprouts, do you?!” I threw my arms in front of my face to protect myself.

The purple horse, er...unicorn, did it say it’s name was Twilight? It just stared at me, “Er...we don’t eat meat. And even if we did we wouldn’t eat a sapient being.”

I blinked, slowly lowering my arms, “...In other words I’m just making an idiot out of myself?”

“No, no, most humans are shocked and scared when they turn up. You’re fine.” She said, smiling reassuringly.

“What do you mean, most humans?” My eyes widened as I understood, “You kidnapped me didn’t you?! A-and I’m not the first am I?!” I screamed, leaping away from her.

“You need to calm down and think rationally!” She shouted as she waved the other mutant horses to back off. Yes, stay away from the cowardly...uh, dangerously heroic human!

“Rationality is for smart people!” I screamed. I blinked, “Wait…”

“Just...hold on.” She pulled a scroll out of a bag at her side. “Step 1: Greet human.” She looked up at me. “Check. Step 2: Give human room to flail and shout if they become violent or panicked.” She took a step back. “Check.”

“What...what are you doing?” I asked. Was she going through a checklist?

“Step 3: Once the human is sufficiently calm explain that, barring illegal summoning or natural dimensional rifts, that you, nor any other being in this realm is the cause of their…’displacement’.” She looked up at me and opened her mouth.

“I...I can hear you reading that, you know.” I said, raising an eyebrow.

She coughed and grinned sheepishly, “Oh...sorry. I just sort of got carried away.” She paused, “Do you want to read it yourself, or…?”

I shook my head and looked around cautiously, “No, you’re nice to listen to.”

She blushed slightly before pulling the scroll up to her face. “Check. Step 4: Offer to have the human examined to potentially discover a way to send them back to their home if they were not ‘displaced’.” She looked up, “Do you want to-“

“Yes!” I all but shouted. I felt guilty as she winced at the volume, “Uh, sorry.”

“It’s okay. Check. Step 5: Discover if they have any special abilities, changed forms or species, feel a pull to be more evil or good and if they still go by their original name or a new one.”

I blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I...take it you’re the same as you were before you arrived here? Most humans end up turned into whatever costumes they were wearing if they arrive from a convention.”

“I...no, I’m the same as…” My eyes widened as I realised what that meant. “TOMMY! What about Tommy?! What’ll happen to him?!” I grabbed her and began shaking her, “What’s going to happen to him?!” He couldn’t become a mindless zombie! He...he couldn’t! He was the strong one! He was amazing! He couldn’t just be reduced to some mindless husk!

“Hey! Knock it off!” A new voice yelled. I looked up just in time to dive to the floor to avoid a blue blur. I pulled myself out of the dirt and looked at what had almost hit me. A blue mutant horse with rainbow hair hovered in the air, glaring at me. “I don’t know what your problem is but I’m not letting you hurt my friend!”

“Rainbow! Stop it!” Twilight shouted.

I started backing away from the raging horse mutant, “Leave me alone!” I shouted as she dive bombed me.

There was a flash above my head and a golden cross and chain fell into my hand and, as the blue mutant crashed into the ground next to me, words started being spoken inside my head.

"Hey, the name's Carlos, you need help from a Saint or, uh, just someone to talk shit out with, then just give me a call. But I won't be helping you go around killing innocents for no reason."

"Someone help me." I squeaked.

There was a small flash of gold and a guy was stood in front of me. My eyes widened as I realised he was human. He was wearing the same chain and cross that had dropped into my hand along with a purple beanie, white vest and purple pants. He looked...familiar somehow.

He flashed me a smile, “Eh, how’s it going?” He has a Latino accent. Of course, like this day wasn’t strange enough, the man who appeared out of thin air had a...I wish I was a heavy drinker.

“Help me…” I whimpered.

He glared at the crowd before reaching into the back of his pants and pulling out a handgun. My eyes widened as he yelled, "Back the fuck up!" When they scattered away he just raised an eyebrow, “Huh. You guys actually know what a gun is then? That’s new.”

That’s when it clicked. The voice in my head, his voice, had said his name was Carlos. That he was a Saint. And he had no problems waving a gun about. It was impossible but...he was… “You’re not real.”

He turned to me and raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“You’re a...you’re just a game character! You can’t be real!” I shot out in a panic.

“Oh. Right, that.” He looked over at the violent mutant, “You stay over there and I won’t put a bullet in your skull, got it?” He turned back to me, “Yeah, Carlos Mendoza is a game character. I was cosplaying him, bought some stuff from a merchant guy and woke up in my very own Equestria. Just like you.” He looked me up and down, “Though I don’t recognise what you’re meant to be.”

“I didn’t dress up, I mean, I bought a controller, I...I don’t…!” I felt faint.

He rested his hands on my shoulders, “Calm down, you won’t do anyone any favours if you faint.” He raised an eyebrow, "Look, how long have you been in this world? A few weeks? A few days?"

"About an hour...Wait, what do you mean 'this world'?!" I yelled, I couldn’t be in another...Well...it made sense and Twilight said as much, but...I had to be dreaming or...drugged or...something!

He raised an eyebrow, "You have talking ponies out there. You really think this is Earth?"

"M...Maybe I'm just dreaming? And...and that wackjob drugged me and this is some hallucination!"

"Do you think a hallucination would be this consistent? Would you be able to hold a conversation? No, sorry, man, but this is real."

"No! No, it can't...Please..." I whispered, "Let me go back!"

He sighed and rubbed my shoulder, "I...I'm sorry. It's what we all want. Home. But...we can't. I've never found a way, nor has one of my pals, and he's lived for over ten thousand years. Look, maybe you'll be the one to discover the secret but...just try and live for today. Make a new life. Just...keep your head up and try for a smile. Plans can come later, besides, you'll always have a friend in me."

I...had to keep hope. I had to find Tommy! One way or another!

“Besides with all the magic of this world and adjusting to the fact anything that happens naturally is deemed unnatural, you’ll have your hands full for now.”

A new world, new physics...magic... I heaved, "I...I need air!" I cried, running away, back into the forest.

I ran and ran, even as people shouted for me to stop, I had to get away! I needed to be alone! I needed Tommy! After a good few minutes I slowed to a walk and panted. I was so out of shape it wasn’t funny. I walked aimlessly for about ten minutes before I was spooked by a wolf howling that sent me off running towards an old decrepit castle.

---

As I sank to my knees, panting, in one of the ruined rooms I heard someone laughing. I looked up in time to see purple mist seep out of the floor and rise in front of me and gather until a form burst out of it. A tall mutant horse just taller than I was with a midnight black coat, both horn and wings, some really metal looking blueish eyes with catlike pupils and some kind of armour.

She continued laughing, showing a mouth full of fangs, “Another fool comes to these ruins. In seek of treasure, adventure or shelter? Who is to say? I certainly don’t care, but I don’t care what my food thinks!”

She...seemed to be trying too hard. I watched as she continued to snarl and try and scare me. "Are...you actually going to do anything else?" I asked.

"Go! Shoo! Run away, be scared, do something!" I just blinked. "Well, this is just great, stuck here with a...what are you anyway?" She grumbled, shaking her head.

"I am so confused right now." I muttered. "If you want me gone why aren't you pushing me out?"

"I am the dreaded Nightmare Moon!" She boomed, "Begone!"

"Hi, Nightmare, I'm Joel." I said absentmindedly.

She practically fell to the floor, "Why aren't you scared of me?!"

I shrugged, "I...uh, I'm kind of all out of panic right now." She seemed sort of put out by that. "Um, if you want we could try again later?"

"No, no. It won't have the same feel to it.”

"Sorry." I lowered my head. “Do...do you want me to pretend?” I asked, trying to make her feel better.

“No, it won’t have the same joy to it.”

I felt slightly guilty, “Sorry. So...um, why are you here?”

She raised an eyebrow, “You mean you don’t know the tale?” She flicked her mist like hair over her back, “Interesting.” She seemed much more mellow than when she first appeared, though that might have something to do with the fact I wasn’t scared by her.

“Uh, well, let’s just say I’m from...a long way away. And I don’t know if I can ever make it back.” I admitted.

“I see.” That was all she said for a while. I began to toy with my guitar, not really wanting to think of what might have happened to Tommy. "You...don't seem satisfied." She said suddenly.

"I...I need to find my cousin. He's missing. He's as close as a brother to me. I don't suppose you know what that's like? Losing a sibling to something you can't even fight against?"

She went silent.

I coughed, "Uh...sorry if I touched a nerve." Trying to break the silence I began playing the guitar again. I strummed a few cords before sighing, playing random bits of music was nice and all, but I wanted to play a proper song. Man, I would’ve loved to play something like Cherry Bomb or What Do I Get again.

Suddenly something black at the bottom of my sight popped up. I blinked and glanced down, there was a highway there, complete with a rock meter. As in from the games I’d played. It was semi-transparent and didn’t interfere with me seeing anything else, but I could clearly see it.

I just stared for a second before the first few notes started along. Out of instinct I hit down the first notes that came my way and I almost dropped the guitar in shock when music started to play around us, and not just guitar music, but a full band playing along with the song I was playing, including a singer.

When the song finished I looked up and saw Nightmare just staring at me.

“Er, sorry. I...didn’t expect that. Do you...I’ll stop.” I muttered, rubbing the back of my head.

“No! Play more! I want to hear another!” She all but shouted in a panic, her eyes filled with joy.

“Uh...okay. How...how about…” I thought of a song she might enjoy, “This?” I thought about wanting to play the song and the highway appeared in front of me again.

I pretty much aced the song. I hit most of the notes. I did well enough to hear the song properly. The notes were apparently about expert difficulty, and I had little experience with that, but it was passable.

As soon as I finished Nightmare was grinning and urged me to, “Play another!”

I shook my wrist, “Yeah, no problem! Just give a minute to rest my wrist.”

“That music, what do you call it?” She asked energetically.

“In general? Rock. And it is fucking glorious!” I paused as I thought I heard voices. “Do you hear that?”

“Someone’s coming. A group.” She frowned, looking like she was contemplating something. “You mustn’t mention me to any of them, it would endanger me.”

I nodded without hesitation, “Sure, okay.”

She stared at me, “Just like that? No questions, no demands, not even a moment to think it over?”

I shrugged, “Hey, you like rock music, you can’t be all bad.”

As the voices grew closer Nightmare let out a groan, "We'll continue this later." She said before she turned into a purple mist and flew into my mouth.

I started coughing and hacking, why did she fly into there?! I just about waved away mist remaining mist when Carlos walked in. When he saw me his eyes widened for a few seconds before shaking his head and muttering to himself. “He’s in here!” He shouted back to the doorway. He walked up to me and offered me a smile, “You calmed down now?”

“Y...yeah. I just freaked out. Sorry. It was...just too much.” I sighed, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged, “Don’t worry, man. We all freak out, I remember what I first woke up. At least you didn’t throw a brick at Twilight.”

“What’s that about a brick?” Twilight asked as she and the violent, blue mutant entered the room.

I hid behind Carlos before she attacked me again. “Don’t let her hurt me!” I squeaked.

The blue mutant winced, “Uh, yeah, look about that...I didn’t know you were freaking out, I thought you were just another dangerous human.” She rubbed the back of her head, “So I’m sorry, alright?”

I hesitated before nodding, walking out and offering her my fist, “Alright. I...I get that. Let’s start fresh. I’m Joel.”

She bumped my fist, “Rainbow Dash.”

I scratched my head, “So, uh, how’d you guys find me?”

“There was music playing, we thought it might be coming from you.” Twilight explained. “But...there aren’t any instruments here, other than that plastic thing you have there.”

I just smirked, “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” I played a few notes. “I can play the music...so long as I can hit the notes.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Carlos shouted, “Are you telling me that you can play...like a solo guy could in the games?!”

“Hell yeah.” I laughed.

“Wait!” Twilight cut in. “You mean...you have abilities you didn’t before?”

Oh, yeah, that was part of her list wasn’t it? “I can play songs on this guitar controller. That’s...pretty much it.” I shrugged, “Pretty useless, except for fun.”

She sighed, “Well...at least you seem nice.” She flashed me a smile, “Come on, let’s get back to Ponyville.”

I stared at her, “Ponyville?”

“Yeah, that’s the name of the town. Pretty shit, huh?” Carlos grinned. “You two go on ahead, me and the kid need to talk, human to human.”

Twilight and Rainbow exchanges looks before nodding and leaving us alone. “So...what’s up?” I asked.

“You were coughing pretty bad when I got here.” He said with a frown.

"I'm fine." I said, waving him off, "Just a bit of dust in this place."

Carlos raised an eyebrow, "You do realise you had purple mist seeping out your eyes when I got here, right?"

I blinked, "Uh...um...I have a medical condition...?"

Carlos sighed, "You know what? Fuck it. Fine." He shook his head, “You’re just lucky that those two didn’t see it, they tend to be jumpy around that sort of stuff. If they’re like the other versions of them at least.”

I looked down at the floor, “Sorry.”

“Ah, forget it! So what was with the freak out? A friend of yours lost somewhere?”

“My cousin. He’s like a brother to me. He was dressed as a zombie when he bought something from that merchant and disappeared. I just...I don’t know if he’s here or if he even still has his mind!” I sobbed, burying my head in my hands

I felt Carlos rubbing my back, “Hey, relax. I have friends out there who were dressed as mindless beasts, even one who’s a Licker. You know, from Resident Evil? She still has her mind. It...makes it hard to communicate, but she’s still human where it counts, I’m sure your cousin’s the same, I’ve never come across a truly mindless Displaced, that’s what we’re calling ourselves.” He hesitated, “Well, there is that one guy, but he did it to himself on purpose. He’s a hell of a freak.”

“But...could he be here?” I asked hopefully.

“You said he disappeared before you, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah, why?”

He sighed, “In my experience, Displaced who turn up in the same world are transported there together.”

I dropped my head, “So...he’s really gone.”

"Well, he's probably out there somewhere. In one of the many versions of Equestria in the multiverse. You'll just need to find his token, or him yours, and you can summon each other. But...I wouldn't really bother. The chances are you'll never find him."

I looked up at him and smiled, "I'll find him."

"Kid, the chance is astronomically low!"

"I'll find him. No question about it." It was like I always said, you had to have hope.

He smirked, “Alright. You know my opinion on it. I do hope you’re right, though. I could do with hearing some happy endings about us guys.” He draped his arm around me, “Now, before I go, how about I teach you how to make a token?”

Author's Note:

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to become a story flooded with crossovers, it will be open to crossovers after the next chapter, but I won’t be just throwing any together. Mostly it’ll be my own characters that I can use regularly, rather than throw away one time characters.

I’ve seen too many links broken in my time, so here’s the list of songs that appeared in this chapter. And I’m not going to do the whole ‘start song here and end here’ I find it annoying myself, so if during the story a song is stopped halfway in or is interrupted it’ll just say ‘part way into/halfway through/as I was getting into it’ then do an interruption.

All songs will be the uncensored versions. But if you prefer the censored versions then go ahead with them, it’s all about personal preference.

Songs in order

What Do I Get - Buzzcocks

No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Cooper

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