The End of the End and the Start of the Beginning

by AyeNowWai

First published

A rather paranoid, slightly sociopathic teenager finally gets his desire for an adventure. What he doesn't expect is magical, mythical creatures.

Steven is a very abnormal teenager with something akin to bipolarity. Not to mention: he has been bored with just about everything in life. One of the few things he still finds pleasure in is running. It's on one of these runs that he finally gets the chance to have a grand adventure. He ends up in Equestria, but something strange and unexpected happens.
He gets two separate bodies to use with his one mind.

There will be a lot of slice-of-life at first. This site just doesn't allow that tag to be paired with the adventure tag.

Prologue

View Online

"It's been a long time since we sent him over."
"I suppose. I don't fancy it should be all that long to you though."
"Oh no, it is. Longevity does very little to diminish one's concept of the passage of time compared to what most might think."
"I see. So what is the reason you ordered my presence?"
"What do you know of our enemy?"
"... I assume you are pertaining to the Separation... Well, I know it is supposed to be unstoppable by any except by one from the other side. But that is why you sent him over, is it not?"
"Indeed."
"... So what is it you wanted?"
"I think it's time we bring him over."
"So soon? He's barely matured."
"Yes. He's been bored with it all. It's too easy for him. Not to mention that he could help us with our problem."
"Null, we've been over this. He-"
"Yes, I know. He's much different. But that may be just what we need."
"We have plenty of time. Just let him mature first. He'll be able to help us even more."
"Trust me on this. I've been thinking about it a lot. Now is the best time."
"But why?"
"..."
"...Very well. I'll arrange it."
"Very goo-"
"But I still don't approve. In my honest opinion, I think you are doing this far too soon."
"We shall see, Tharin, we shall see... What strange creatures, unicorns..."

Chapter 1

View Online

Chapter 1

Steven was running through the woods for the first time in what seemed like months. For all he knew, it could have been. Or it could have just been weeks. It was hard to tell with his terrible sense of time. This time he had decided to go without his backpack so he could go at top speed. He had no idea how fast he really was, but he felt like the fastest thing on Earth. He was jumping through the tangled branches and over rivers without slowing his pace one bit. The whole time, he was smiling a genuine smile that could only be seen when he was alone.

Eventually, he reached an area he knew partially well. Just past those trees, there would be a deep, wide chasm. On the edge, there was a nearly-sideways tree, reaching about half way across. This was his favorite spot to traverse, for reasons he could not decipher.

As he reached the tree, he sped up, running along the extended trunk. A little bit before the tip, as the highest part was a bit flimsy, he made the jump. He never particularly liked dangerous stunts or large heights, but whenever he jumped across this chasm, he never felt any fear. Never any extra rush of adrenaline, never any apprehension, just pure elation in the physical exertion.

Just before he landed on the other side, something unexpected happened; a bright, glowing sphere seemed to grow out of thin air a few meters in front of where he was about to land. It grew rapidly, and in the span of about two seconds was about the size of the hight of a bus. Then it sat there, swirling with incomprehensible complexity.

Landing successfully before it grew to completion, Steven allowed the initial adrenaline from the start of his run to wear off and jogged to stand in front of the mysterious sphere. It wasn't a perfect sphere, as the light being emitted by it was rather irregular in pattern, much like one might imagine the solar flares on the sun, but much more numerous. The light itself was mostly white, tinged with a very feint, light blue.

Unlike most people would have been, Steven wasn't all that surprised by it. Now, that doesn't mean he expected it, no. It was still unexpected, and very strange, but he wasn't surprised per sé.

First, he took a moment to assess what it might be. There didn't seem to be anything holding the apparent energy together. There didn't seem to be any machinery nearby capable of doing this. It could be a portal. That was what first came to mind when he saw it. It could also be some sort of self-contained explosion. Whatever it was, it didn't seem very believable. Perhaps he had been in a computer-generated world his whole life, and things were just now starting to be messed with outside the set parameters of physics. Or maybe he was only just recently placed in the fake world. Either would work. Or perhaps it was simply an illusion. There could be laser beams hidden in trees, however unlikely. It could be a hologram from a satellite in space, despite the probable lack of reason for doing something like that.

His mind went on like that for about a second before he made a decision. He reached out a hand and carefully touched the sphere. After no immediately apparent side-effects, he slowly began to immerse his arm into it.

At this point, he was extremely exited, not that one could tell by his expression. This was the first time in a long while that adrenaline was activated without being forced. He hoped, or rather wished, that this was indeed his first guess; a portal.

By now, his shoulder was fully inside the sphere. After a moment of hesitation, he jumped fully into it.

———~§~———

The Everfree Forest was always wild. The plants grew on their own. The weather happened without any help, and was even difficult to manipulate. The wildlife was ferocious. Not to mention the plants. It's doubtful anyone even knows of all the different kinds in there, much less what they all do.

Today, though, something unusual even for this bizarre forest happened. Out of nowhere, a bright, glowing sphere appeared. It just sat there, swirling endlessly, with no rhyme or reason. It didn't last long though. As quickly as it appeared, the sphere Imploded on itself, leaving behind a curious creature.

To any onlookers, the event transpired so quickly it may have been missed if said observer would have look away for just a moment. It was completely silent, despite it's visible flair. But what was left behind was much more difficult to go unnoticed.

It was a little under two meters tall, and stood on two legs. It was wearing loose grey sweatpants, a grey shirt of a slightly darker shade, and had thick blonde hair that slightly drooped over the eyes. The creature (which you have likely identified as Steven by now) looked up and apparently neutrally assessed it's bearings. After a short second, the creature ran off, breaking into a massive grin.

———~§~———

This was exactly what Steven wanted. Something new. Who knew what this place was like. There was so much to do and so much time to do it. Only about a second after he started running, he heard something fall on the ground behind him. Turning around, he saw that his backpack was sitting where the portal had been.

Of course, he didn't have it with him when he got here, so that means someone intentionally placed it for him. And that would imply that he was being watched, used, or both. Of course there was a catch. Whatever the case, it significantly decreased his feeling of freedom, but he also knew that he probably couldn't do anything about it at the moment.

Knowing it would be useful, he quickly grabbed it and continued running. He didn't know where, but he wanted to find out. Finally, he could have an adventure. What he didn't realize was just how much more than a simple adventure it would turn out to be.

Chapter 2

View Online

Chapter 2

That's something I don't adore. New footsteps. But two, not four.

Zecora rarely heard anything new in this area of the woods. And that she did now was not good considering she just found some new goods. New creatures lately had the tendency to desire her supplies. Such as a cat-like creature, for example, though it failed with many tries.

Picking up the pace, she made it back to her hut without further incident. Deciding to check out the creature later, back to potion making she went.

———~§~———

Steven was still running, enjoying the relative feeling of ease in the dark, misty forest, when he came upon a rather deformed tree with decorations, a warm glow coming from a window, and a little dirt path. He snuck around to the front where, as he suspected, a door was present. The whole house made him think of an old witch brewing potions in cauldrons in the woods.

Being very curious, he approached the house and knocked seven times. A specific rhythm to it being the little tune stuck in everyone's head since hearing it. Immediately afterwards, the door opened to a small zebra with golden bracelets, necklaces, and an earring. The zebra's face was more animated than a regular equine's would've been, and was showing obvious confusion at the person in front of it.

Despite being surprised for the first time in a long time, Steven managed to maintain his neutral, friendly smile. "Hello, there," he started, using his slightly slurred, slightly goofy voice that could be mistaken as a regular speech pattern. "I appear to be lost, and would like some assistance in acquiring a direction which I can use to travel to a desired location." By the end, it sounded more like a narration.

The zebra adopted a look of deep thought. "I believe what you seek can be found by that path," she pointed to the dirt path Steven saw earlier, "but I foresee a rather troublesome aftermath. By the way you act and the way you stand, you seem the type to desire solitude. But if you go there, you will receive attention to a great magnitude."

Because of what had happened so far, Steven wasn't too surprised that the small zebra could talk. Although it did raise a lot of questions, such as The odds of another sentient life form existing other than humans, much less that speaks English, is basically statistically impossible. That means that this really is a fake world, they were created by humans, the multiverse theory is true (which I highly doubt), or something else I haven't thought of. Realizing in the brief moment that passed during his thinking that the zebra was done talking, Steven went ahead and commented. "'Ey, that rhymed." It even seems like she did it on purpose. She probably did. Maybe. I dunno.

"If you desire, you may go that way. Or I could tell you a lone place to stay."

Yep, definitely on purpose. "Sure, I'll take both." The zebra started to look questioning, so Steven elaborated. "I mean I'll go sleep at that lone place or whatever, and then I'll check out the civilization or something." If they consist of just zebras, this one's probably right about them being curious about me. Or maybe there are other animals as well. Probably are. Would be a bit weird if there were just mythical zebras but nothing else. Either way, they probably haven't seen humans ever or in a long time, judging by how they were predicted to react to my presence. Or maybe humans here are mean. Or-

As Steven was thinking, the zebra started walking ahead. "I will lead you there, then. Then your adventure can begin."

Steven made a mock-frown and raised one eyebrow. "And how do you know I haven't been on an adventure for a while now?" Now this zebra is suspicious. Perhaps it (probably a she) knows why or how I got here. Perhaps she is the one who brought me here. If this is a fake world, perhaps every creature is a spy for whoever put me here...

"I can tell many things just by the way you act. Although it seems expression is something you have lacked."

"I see, I see." Bored of the conversation, he decided now was a good time to get some information. "So what's your name?"

"Zecora is the name that was given to me. It was passed down throughout my ancestry."

"Zecora..." Steven made another mock-frown. "It's like Zebra. But less br and more cor."

"You certainly do have a strange manner of thought. But yes, it's similar, as much so as it's not."

———~§~———

A short time later, the two arrived at a large-ish tree next to a cliff that went a good ways above their heads. The tree had a small hole at the bottom, reaching about halfway in. It was obviously cut out, but very crudely. Covering the hole was a large tangle of bush and vines.

Having started running about halfway there, as per Steven's request, Zecora waited slightly panting while Steven examined the makeshift shelter.

"Well, this is quite a convenient shelter you have here."

"Yes, it was left here a long time ago by a forest-dweller. She eventually left to become a fortune teller." Steven stopped his attempt at thinking of a reason for the structure really being there to consider that fortune tellers may be a thing here, and how the structure should likely be different due to being rather old. After finding nothing apparently odd about it's aging, he walked back over to Zecora.

"Welp, thanks for this shelter then." He stood there for a moment, making an uncomfortable silence and internally grinning at it.

After a moment, Zecora nodded her head once and made her exit. Deciding to not use the structure provided, Steven pretended to examine the tree some more before striding over to the cliff. Letting his ever-false smile drop, he began walking along the side of the cliff. His thought were mostly on his situation and various possibilities his rather paranoid mind came up with. Perhaps they can read my mind. Perhaps they're trying to brainwash me somehow. Whatever the case, I must continue to act normal, just in case they will do something if they think I know, or this really is possible and real. Oh, I haven't been thinking of my mind-securities. I've been too distra-

Just then, he saw a small cave in the cliff ahead. Perhaps this is where they realy want me to go. Steven made a grin imagining the frustration a normal person would have due to his obsessive paranoia. Suddenly feeling a wave of uncaring, he shrugged and walked into the cave.

As soon as he set foot inside, he went completely unconscious.