Life is an Adventure

by Floozer

Chapter 8

This situation feels painfully familiar; the smell of hay, the dull light shining through a small barred up box that served as a window and finally the shackles around my ankles making any sort of kicking impossible. A major difference however is the shackles on my wrists now have a chain linking them together as well. I finally tried to sit up but that caused a spike of pain in my head so I remained lying down until that subsided. When it did I sat up and took in the sight of that dungeon cell that I was in so long ago.

At first I couldn’t remember what happened; not just what got me here but for the last couple of days all I could remember was blurs and muffled voices. Slowly and regrettably the memories began to sink back into clarity and I remembered everything. The questions, the thoughts and when I snapped, the fight. I used everything I had back then on those three…hopefully they are alright; I don’t mind being known as a fighter but a murderer…that would be too much. None of that matters now though, my cover is blown…or at the very least under serious doubt.

I sat there for an untold amount of time before I heard the door in the distance open followed by the sound of many ponies walking. I was expecting guards with an interrogator or maybe even Twilight but instead I took in the sight of Princess Celestia herself standing in front of my cell…surrounded by no less than five guards.

“Do you know why you are here Daddy Legs?”

“Yea, I already remember. It would seem that my cover is blown.”

“Explain yourself.”

“It is all very simple princess. The human you know is just some façade that I put on to keep things moving smoothly. Back in my world I would be called a criminal but I liked to call myself a business man. I was abandoned as a kid, only one year old and raised as an orphan. Because of my big legs I was seen as weird so I was never adopted. If the world wanted to be cruel than I would use what I had and what others had to make it easy. I would extort money out of anyone I could push around in return for making sure nothing bad happens to them. I did this for years! Finally things were slowing down and I would be in the clear in just another year or two and could live a normal life just like everyone else. Then your precious little student ruined everything with her magic spell and this world starts to have its way with me. As it turns out if you try to change someone so drastically they will snap and then this happens.”

“So you are truly a violent human who made his living off of the suffering of others to make up for the suffering you had to go through?”

“Yup, a perfect business man in action.”

“What I don’t understand is why you say that my world is changing you which caused your little break down. Explain that.”

“That is also simple. Before this place I was calm, cool and collected with everything I was doing. I was tough and didn’t take crap from anyone. I had money and a plan to make things keep moving. Then out of the blue I am thrown to this world and everything changes. I can’t run my normal business here so I have to get an honest job. I don’t have a plan other than keeping up a mask of the polite human so every day I have to improvise. There are no other humans so I am constantly surrounded by aliens! Not long after all these changes do I start changing myself! I actually LIKE being around these ponies. I enjoy the work I am doing alongside Applejack. Talking with almost any of them brings a smile to my face. For the love of all things holy, I actually gave a willing hug to a bunch of fillies that stole my hat! If that isn’t your world screwing with my brain then I don’t know what is.”

“So all of this built up inside of you until you couldn’t handle it and it all came rushing to the surface during that fight?”

“Seems that way.”

After that she just stood there staring at me; my guess is she was deep in thought so I just sat there and stared right back at her. I have heard stories of her banishing those she does not wish to deal with to the moon, at least that would end this all quickly…I hope. Maybe she will just leave me to rot in this dungeon cell for the rest of my days, which would suck. She might even…open my cell door? Much to the surprise of her guards and me she opened the door to my cell and walked casually inside. I didn’t think she needed to be that close to send me to the moon but hey, whatever works. However it seems she is full of surprises as she reached down and pulled me into a gentle…yet firm hug.

“I’m sorry Daddy Legs. I should have known this would happen. Suddenly having to change everything you know of, especially after the life you had, would have broken anyone I can think of.”

“Um, ok, but have you forgotten about the entire “super dangerous and violent human part?”

“Besides the fact that you are little to no threat to me, I don’t think you are so dangerous or violent at all. From what you have told me I think you act that way to hide what you really want.”

“Do tell, what do I really want?”

“Friends, family and an environment that actually cares about what happens to you.”

“You sound just like Zecora, and the answer will be the same that she got. That is not what I want.”

“Then why would you use this elaborate lifelong plan of extortion and shady business simply to live a normal life at the end?”

I had to admit it, she got me there. Why would I do all this simply to get a normal life? I didn’t have an answer so I just sat there in her embrace until she started talking again.

“Those new feelings that have been showing up in your attitude and social behavior are what you have always wanted to express but never were you given the chance. Ever since you could remember all you have known is loneliness and a feeling of abandonment, no child should have to grow up without even knowing their parents’ names. All of this came at you at once and it scared you, so you acted in the only way you knew how.”

She finally released me from her hug and looked straight into my eyes.

“But it doesn’t have to be that way anymore Daddy Legs. You can have friends and family here, you should know by now that these ponies are completely truthful in their attempts to be your friends. You don’t have to run anymore.”

I have no words to explain what I was feeling at that moment. Everything she said made sense and everything fell into place like pieces of a puzzle. For my entire life I have thought that tears could no longer be shed from my eyes but sure enough a few tears start falling. Rapidly it goes from a few tears to uncontrolled sobbing. I clung to Celestia like a child would its mother and years of frustration and pretending to be a tough fell away revealing the sad human that was being ignored for years on end. I have no idea how long I stayed like that, I only know that Celestia didn’t move for the entire time and simply let me vent as I could.

Finally and thankfully the tears stop and I composed myself as best I could. I pulled away from Celestia who used her magic to undo the shackles around my ankles and wrists.

“Ok, so you got me, but I have already ruined everything. Rainbow Dash will likely have told everyone about my whole episode thing from earlier.”

“That’s true, most every pony in Ponyville knows what happened, however they all know the real you, the you that you mistook for a simple act. Rather than fear they are worried about you. I think it’s time that you head back and get this all off your chest.”

“Right, any way I can get back to Ponyville faster than the train?”

With a grin and a few words Celestia had her chariot prepped and ready for a very fast trip. Within minutes I was in the air being pulled along by two of Celestia’s own personal guard. I already had a plan to work this all out, and having a plan was my specialty! Upon landing in Ponyville it only took a few minutes for a crowd of ponies….my friends to gather around with worried looks on their faces and questions on the tip of their tongues. With a deep breath I began telling them all the truth, about me, about what happened, and about what I have learned.