> My Little Dashie: Jackson series > by Puking Coyote > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Mankind’s Plight > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Little Dashie: Jackson series Mankind’s Plight By. Puking Coyote This is dedicated to my little cousin whose love of ponies is truly absolute. Almost 6 years have passed since Brian went to Equestria to be with his daughter Dash. Due to the fact that a day in Equestria is a year on Earth it could be said many things have changed on Earth since then. I will attempt to give a quick explanation of what had transpired since that time. It has been over two thousand years in which the people of Earth have advanced greatly. Many wonderful inventions such as space travel, terraforming of planets for cultural use, teleportation, and downloadable knowledge were in full use. A few short years after Brian Left the great nation of America collapsed due to its politician’s greed and massive debt. This collapse sent a shockwave throughout the world and sent all the nations into another dark age which lasted up to 1000 years. During the second Dark Age the world’s nations broke apart into warring states and after many ruthless battles finally came together under the banner of the United Earth Forces or the UEF for short. After the second Dark Age humanity rode off to conquer the stars and colonized many planets in the Galaxy. There they were able to find many new elements but none was more important of a discovery than Lithrume which was composed of living energy. This was not just energy but energy that was living and therefore with the help of the UEF’s renowned scientist could be refined and melded into a person’s body creating a being made of both energy and flesh about half and half to be exact. The reasoning for the balance is that if a person is melded with too much energy they would cease to exist. Once a person is melded with the energy besides their skin slightly glowing white they gained long life and disease no longer plagued them. The people who were enlightened with this material also could manipulate whatever was composed of energy whether it was to create light, materialize a rock, create magnificent explosions or going through a wall, they could do it. The giant corporations of course made this ability open to the public for a large sum but as time passed they realized it could also be passed down by genetics and the ability had become available to all mankind. This ushered in the Ascended Era and it was here where humanity reached its peak. The Ascended Era was the highest point of humanities reign and also the start of its downfall for this new form that they had taken which was quite irreversible attracted the sprites. The sprites were semi-intelligent horrible looking bug creatures much like flying cockroach-lizards with jagged baby heads filled with rows of teeth. The sprites unlike human’s were creatures of magic and would have probably never have bothered a person before this time. But as we all know magic takes much energy to wield and the new race of energy filled humans proved to be too tempting of an appetizer for the sprites. At first the rumors of this new race which has never been seen before was reported on rural colony planets and were not taken seriously by the UEF even though whole worlds were wiped-out of human life. They decided that it was a small infestation by another dimension opening and that they would eventually die off in the vastness of space. They however were wrong for when a Sprite feeds they multiply much the same way as a cell would do. This said when they swarmed Jelustra the largest and most densely populated planet in the Universe they became a large and feared enemy of man. The sprites soon became known as planet killers and destroyers as they traveled to their prey’s homes by magic, this is why the UEF could never predict where they would strike next. The UEF did its best to repel the Sprites and even managed to eradicate large numbers of them but in the end nothing could be done for the sprites were simply too many. Also the weapons of man were energy based and even though they were effective against the Sprites they were naturally weak against magic. After the fall of Earth in a great battle where many lives were lost on both sides humanities last chance fell and they scattered to all different parts of the universe on the solar winds. Now there are only pockets of small human settlements that exist but even those are being hunted by the Sprites to fulfill their ever increasing hunger for energy. My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 23 and I have been living in an underground facility for nearly two years since the fall of Earth. I was part of the famed Brigaton Brigade and lost many good friends to those accused Sprites during the war. Me and my comrades who unfortunately were consumed during the battle was on the Spitekin a battle cruiser orbiting Earth. The ship was majestic compared to this hole that I am living in now even though they are about the same size. That ship was more like home than any of the settlements that I have lived in because it was where me and my friends grew up, laughed, and eventually fought. It has only been seven years since the Sprites appeared in our universe and in such a short time they crushed our once proud empire and sent us fleeing. The world today is full of fear, turmoil, destruction, and death. In fact nobody in our fifty person settlement have not seen a loved one devoured by a sprite. Those accurse fiends latch themselves onto a person and suck out their life and energy in seconds leaving a dead corpse in their wake. It’s hard to believe that such creatures no bigger than a human head could bring down the UEF. The worst thing that I remember from the battle of Earth was a swarm crashing into our ships defenses and chomping through its enhanced metal frame. The screams of the Sprites and the people they were eating on the other side of the walls and the realization that you were next to die. If it was not for my friend Daniel throwing me into an escape pod before a sprite overtook him I would not even be here today and in a way I wish I wasn’t. Some physician told me that it was a common regret of soldiers who lose a comrade to have but even though I know the reason it still bothers me every day I wake up from the nightmares of Sprites eating and splitting into other sprites eating, splitting, eating, splitting, eating its madding just to think about it. Running in fear and hiding from the swarms lusting eyes is all we can do now and every week we lose a colony soon the human race will be nothing but bones on planets surfaces and memories of the Sprites who would no doubt look back at their buffet and smack their blue snake like tongues against their lips. I laid back onto my hard bed and thought to myself for there was nothing else to do than talk to the other people in the base but I did not want to talk, not now. I looked into a mirror on the far side of the wall and saw my blond hair and blue eyed face looking back at me. In fact mine was the standard feature for men that were grown in the labs across the universe. I looked away around the stone room and found a small old holo picture of my friends and me on the ship and smiled as I remembered the good days before the sprites. Suddenly an alarm went off and a red light started to flash, I grabbed my energy rifle, the picture and ran. Those lights meant only one thing the Sprites have come. We were in an underground bunker but it would not take long for them to use their magic to get inside. I ran across a skinny hallway to one of the many hanger bays we had for we spread out to make our escapes so not to make an easy catch for the Sprites. As I ran to a Crescent Ship (singular moon shaped ship) I spotted a sprite materialize to my left and before it could even move it was disintegrated by my gun. Soon many more hundreds started to materialize and I shot wildly as I ran through their ranks. “Crap” I said to myself as I fired and no energy erupted from my gun I miscounted and ran out of energy sooner than I expected. I grabbed for my pocket looking for a spare battery clip as I dodged a sprite that flew at me “crap” I repeated when none could be found. I looked over at the Crescent Ship and saw a Sprite over a dead man looking at me hungrily with its black beady eyes I knew this was the end. Just then the Sprite started to divide this was my chance I leapt over the immobilized creature and ran into the ships door which opened as I approached “Take off!” I screamed and the ship hummed to life and flashed as it teleported to the planet’s surface. I looked around at the Sprite invested skies and cursed when I saw I was the only one to make it out. “Destination?” the ships navigation asked. “Forward max speed!” I shouted as I took my seat. The ship lurched forward and threw me into my seat as it roared through space with a small swarm of sprites tailing it. Sprites when the war began were not faster than our ships but they overtime developed a spell that allowed them to grip onto a ship with their magic much like a lasso onto a cow from one of the old American movies I had seen from the now destroyed UEF Library. “I need a way to get rid of them or I’m dead” I said to myself then an idea came to me. “Computer take me to grid AGH 12” “Warning black hole detected in that area request another location.” “Override” The ship altered its course to a black part of space. “At least the sprites won’t have me and I might take some of them with me.” I thought to myself as the black hole came into view. The ships sirens soon told me that I was in the danger zone of the black’s holes gravity field I looked at the ships screen and saw that the Sprites were still attached. “How strong is their magic?” I wondered as I moved the ship closer to the hole suddenly the sprites let go and stood there waiting for me to fly back out. There was only one way out of this mess “Computer slingshot the ship to the far side of the black hole.” The ship began the maneuver I planned to use the black holes momentum to escape the Sprites before they could lasso my ship again. However the Sprites had a different idea when they saw what my plan was and they decided if they could not have me then nobody would. They then all shot my ship with a bolt of their magic which engulfed me and cast my ship into the black hole. I could feel the ship break apart from the black holes gravity then all went black. I woke up in a strange forest at least what I thought a forest was for I never saw one in real life actually I never seen a tree before for they were wiped out by the paper mills over a thousand years ago. All of the oxygen that we had were made by machines which were cleaner than trees anyway at least that’s what I had been told. After taking a sniff I almost gagged at the hundreds of smells that filled the air “Wait I shouldn’t be breathing at all!” I exclaimed as I remembered falling into the Black Hole. I looked around again “then how?” however my thoughts were disturbed by a howl in the night not a shriek of a sprite but something much worst. I went to grab my gun but realized that it was lost along with my ship in the black hole. After looking around I found that the ground had materials that responded to my energy but it also had magic lots of magic more than I ever felt before. I felt a shiver as the realization that Sprites could very well inhabit this land. I got up and realized that there was some brown powder clinging onto my white uniform just then I remembered one of the old movies I saw from the library during a history class “Dirt?” I asked myself. I then looked at the ground and willed it to produce a sword which it did I then picked it up and started to make my way through the damp ground sword raised ready to strike anything that might pop up. I would occasionally stop and try to produce an energy weapon but the materials needed could not be produced thus forcing me to rely on my own explosive energy and the sword to protect myself. I could see very well walking under the threatening branches of the trees for the moon was very large and full tonight. “Ah the moon” the thought came to me. “It’s been years since I last saw one from a planet’s surface and the breeze how I have missed you.” Just then the sound of a rumbling startled me and I looked around quickly but all that could be seen was the shadows that moved with my own faint glowing skin. Then the rumbling happened again but this time I could feel it as well as hear it for it was my stomach. For even though humans were half energy they still needed food. “I have to get some food but first” I picked up a hand full of dirt and willed its structure into white bandages and stated to wrap it around myself “I don’t want to glow like a beacon to alert the sprites to my presence.” After that was done I headed out again. After a while I killed a bird and found that it could be cooked with my energy it was the first time I ever cooked my own food and truth to be told it was not very good but it would keep me full for the night. After a while I started to feel sleep taking me so I used my powers to lift myself into a tree where it would be safer. Actually I was very pleased with myself for I never realized that I could do so much with my abilities but I could also feel the suppressive powers of the lands magic on them for I could not go nearly as high as normal. That night was not very eventful nor was the next three nights except for a slight encounter with a wolf made of timber that I scared away with an explosive display of energy which singed its bark. “I guess that was a Timber Wolf” I chuckled to myself. As I moved through the woods I started to realize maybe there were no sprites in this land. “But where was here? I’ve never seen any world like this before it’s almost unreal.” After looking around at the crisp colors it almost looked like a painting but it was real almost like reality and imagination had mixed together. Suddenly the realization dawned upon me that maybe the combination of my energy and the sprites magic saved me from the black hole and sent me here. Just then a huge shadow flew over the woods that made me duck for cover I looked up and saw a horse, a horse flying! Impossible. Just then the sun rose in the sky faster than a sun should rise I had always been asleep during this time so I never saw the sun rise before. “Wake up sleepy heads” a voice called “Open your eyes my little friends.” I looked over at the sounds source and saw blonde pony with rabbits, squirrels, and other critters running around it. It was the pony talking! I hid myself by melding into a tree but did not take my eyes off the horse for it was magic and magic creatures hunt us of energy. I noticed its huge eyes and wondered if there was something wrong with it like a tumor or if it was supposed to look like that. After it and its critters passed I ran away to a clearing and the sight that was there horrified me for there were many of these ponies some regular and some with horns. When I looked up I fell over from shock and fear for above me were hundreds of flying ponies each one as fast as a Sprite. They were moving the clouds around the sky like they were toys then one looked in my direction it was blue with a rainbow main. It gave a cry of surprise “Crap I thought” and raised my sword. The blue pony glided down to me “Dad!” but then it stopped when it saw the sword and took a closer look keeping its distance. “Who are you? Show your face human!” I then remembered that I had the bandages wrapped around me like a mummy. I of course did not comply I was not going to let it see I was half made of living energy. Pointing my sword at it I cried “Who are you? What are you? Where am I?!” “I am Rainbow Dash and I am a Pegasus” it then took a step closer “you are in Equestria.” “Are there Sprites here?” The Pegasus looked at me curious “I don’t think so, listen you look confused you should see princess Celestia.” “No, no creatures of magic especially not your queen.” The Pegasus bit its lip “how about another human? But you can’t bring your sword.” “Human? Who is he a magic creature in disguise?” “No, he’s my dad.” I thought about it this seemed to be the most promising lead that I had had for a long time “Fine” I finally replied “lead the way.” The Pegasus took me to a house by a lake where there was a middle aged man sitting in a rocking chair staring at the sky. “Daddy!” the Pegasus cried and ran up to him. “I was just looking for you” he then saw me and quickly jumped up stepping between me and the Pegasus. He was tall and well built much like me but he did not glow at all, he was not made of living energy. “Who are you?!” He demanded. “This is not a land for people to taint with their evil you should leave, now!” “What do you mean taint?” I asked. “Humans are tainted by evil and can’t be allowed to come here they will invade, enslave, and experiment on the kind creatures of this land.” “Invade? Enslave?! Do you even realize what these creatures have done to us!!! What people will invade? We are being exterminated by these creatures of magic and you are worried of us invading! Besides you look nothing like a human what are you?” The man seemed shocked by my words then stood there silently for a while “I see I am guessing that you are two maybe three thousand years from when I was on Earth. But these creatures’ attacking you is Ludicrous to say.” “Wait three thousa…..am I in the past?” “No, see for every day here a year passes on Earth I have only been here for a few years but thousands have gone by in your world.” “Is this another dimension then?” “No, a television show” “A television show?” I wondered then remembered a term from school that he must have meant “Ah you used Black Mold?” “What?” the man asked quite confused. “Black Mold, it is a very rare dimension that was never formed. It is comprised of everything which makes nothing therefore it can be willed into form. But I must say I am surprised that you have been able to create life from it and not just matter, you have done what we have never been able to do.” I then gave him a look “with the help of some sprites magic no doubt.” The man looked at me rather confused then looked at his daughter “Don’t look at me I don’t speak crazy” the Pegasus replied. The man then stared at me again “I don’t know what this Black Mold is but it kind of makes sense. Please will you join us?” he then went inside followed by the Pegasus who motioned me in with its wing. I took a slight gulp and entered the house half expecting never to come out again. The room was very cozy looking with chairs a table and pictures around the room’s walls it was much more comfortable than the safe houses I have been living in before. The man held out his hand “May I take your errrr….wrappings?” “I would rather not.” “Please.” “Yea, what are you hiding” the Pegasus replied stepping towards me. The man must have seen me flinch from her “She won’t hurt you.” “Ok, I will take them off but if you truly are human keep her restrained when I do.” “You have my word stranger she will not harm you.” I took another gulp and started to unwrap my face and arms very aware of the faint glow it will emit all the while keeping both eyes on the rainbow creature. She must have become uncomfortable of this because she backed away behind her father. “What is he?” she whispered he however only held out his hand to hush her. “That’s better and like I said you don’t have to fear my dashie now mister if you will take a seat” he replied motioning to a chair “ and tell us what has happened during the years that we have been gone.” “It’s Jackson” I replied taking a seat in the chair which was surprisingly very comfortable. “What is?” “My name it’s Jackson” I stated again. A wave of relief seemed to spread over the man’s face “Mine is Brian and my daughter here” he motioned to the Pegasus “is Rainbow Dash.” I nodded and after a quick sip of tea which he handed me I told him everything that I could think of since the fall of America which was where he was surprisingly from. The story lasted well into the night and into the morning which could only be expected from telling two thousand years worth of history. To my relief Dash seemed disgusted with the Sprites and swore that they had none in Equestria. “I guess that you are one of the last humans now Jackson maybe the last besides me since four years have passed to my knowledge since you entered the black hole” Brian replied. “Wait I’m not going to be pulled from this world am I? If I am truly the last man left then I will have no chance of surviving the sprites!” “We never been pulled back have we dad? Even Princess Celestia could not send you back with her magic ” he nodded his head in agreement. “Do you think that he should see the Princess dad?” “Yes, she should know what has transpired and that there will be another human living in her world.” He then gave a short chuckle “that should make her happy” he stated sarcastically, Dash also grinned at this response. Just then the yellow Pegasus bust down the door with a stare on her face of pure rage that could make any man cringe in fear. I jumped away and hid from the creature’s sight before she even realized that I was there. “Brian you ate one of my birds!” “What? I never di…” “Don’t you lie to me! My animal friends saw you. You promised never to eat animals again you even pinkie promised.” Just then a pink pony burst in from some covers above the sink its mouth was full of the cookies that were in there but its look was also that of rage “Nobody breaks a pinkie promise, nobody!” The situation changed for me and I softened the mass in the houses walls and passed through it in order to escape. Once I stepped through the wall I came face to face with a purple pony with a horn on its head which Dash called unicorns. We both yipped of fright and its horn glowed as it teleported some yards away “Magic” I cursed and started to run. “Wait” the unicorn called behind me it then disappeared and reappeared in front of me forcing me to stop. “I didn’t mean to scare you human you just frightened me I came here following Fluttershy to see if I could help because she looked so distraught then I ran into you, I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what to do should I kill it or let it be and where did that pink pony come from? Am I being slowly surrounded but if I attack and these things really don’t mean me harm then I will be forced to hide from them for the rest of my life. My brain was rushing so fast that I became deathly afraid and was about to attack when Brian called for me to stop from the houses door. “Stop Jackson, Don’t hurt her she means you no harm!” “I’m Twilight Sparkle” the unicorn stated holding out its hoof to me. “Errr….I’m Jackson” I said and cautiously touched the hoof with my finger then pulled it quickly away, the pony seemed confused by this but did not ask. “So what brings you to Equestria?” “Magic, war, sprites, and a black hole” I replied. The pony’s jaw dropped then she looked over at Brian who nodded in conformation of the story. She then seemed to lose her balance and sit down “wow…that’s a new one, we should have him meet princess Celestia right away. She’s actually visiting the town today; I will call her to the library, meet me there” the unicorn then trotted away. I stared at her then looked back towards the rest of the group and saw that the yellow pony Fluttershy was flying towards me scowling. She then pressed her face against mine with surprising force “My animals are not for eating got it!” I nodded more from fright than anything else she then snubbed her nose at me and flew off. “Ummm….that was weird” “She is an animal lover its better if you don’t eat animals when you’re in Equestria” Dash replied. “Right, and where’s the pink one?” Dash glanced around “She comes and goes.” “Anyway I think we should meet the Princess at the library as soon as possible” Brian stated, Dash nodded and started to lead them down a dirt path. The buildings around the town which I learned was called Ponyville were all simple almost like nineteenth century structures. But the weirdest was the library which was apparently also Twilights residence. It was a huge tree carved out to be a building, that’s the best I could describe it. Once we got to the library we were greeted by a baby dragon named spike who let us in. Inside that library I could feel the overwhelming ugly aura of magic almost like it was sticking to my skin this was without a doubt being generated by the large white Unicorn-Pegasus with a smoky rainbow main. This was princess Celestia and even though I could easily handle magic such as that coming from Twilight with my energy I knew that I could not match the princess’s strength. This was a fact that I was not going to let her know no matter what for even sprites knew enough not to go for hard targets and if I could convince her I was to powerful to mess with I may live through this encounter. Once she spoke it affirmed my choice not to let her boss me around for she came across very snobby like a person that knows everything there is to know from reading books instead of living through them. “This is the human that you have spoken of?” she asked Twilight as if there were other humans in the land besides me and Brian. “Yes princess” Twilight replied clearly sucking up to her mentor. “Might I implore what you are doing in the fair land of Equestria?” I hated her snobby attitude already “Yes” She waited then squinted her eyes “and?” “Yes you can ask your questions but why should I be inclined to answer them after all I don’t know who you are and you have given me no reason to trust you.” The princess was taken aback by this reply clearly not use to such rejection “I am Princess Celestia who raises the sun for the ponies of Equestria I am not your enemy but would rather be your friend if you will let me.” “Friends? Ha! Like I would befriend a magical monster such as yourself.” “Such rudeness I would think that a human such as yourself would have more respect for royalty of another land.” “And I would think that you would have more respect for the creatures who created and gave you life!” The princess was very confused at this statement, I then shot a look at Brian “You never told them of how you created them from the Black Mold?” Brian shook his head “I never created them but they were a cartoon that we had.” I then remembered from our history classes the picture box that the old movies and cartoons used to be played on. “Ah, I guess that somehow they were created by your T.V.s wavelengths mixing with the Black Mold then” Just then an idea came to my head. “Were the sprites created the same way?” The princess regained her composer “Well since you are in my land I would like to know who you are.” “Listen Celest” I started to say still thinking about my revelation. “Tia” “Well Celest if you must know my name is Jackson and I am from Brian’s world just a few thousand years after he left.” “Her name is Princess Cerestia” Twilight bluntly stated. “I never have bowed my knee to an unworthy ruler and I will not call her my princess for she has never earned that title from me” I replied quite rudely. Even if Brian could call her his princess I could not especially after all the people that died at the hands of magical creatures. Twilight snorted and was about to speak again when Brian stopped her. “I’m sorry for his rudeness” he apologized to the princess “But listen to his story and you will understand why he has such a dislike for our world.” “If he hates it so much he should just leave then” Twilight mumbled. “We both know that’s impossible besides sending him back would be his death.” The princess looked at me then squinted her eyes “Fine we will hear his story for he seems like a man who has seen much trouble.” “Thank you” Brian then looked at me “please tell her what you had told me.” I sighed then started to recount Earths history and the war with the sprites taking great heed when I told of how they ate us for our living energy. Celest just sat there listening intently at my tale showing little emotion except a silent gasp of dismay at the horrors of humanities slaughter. After I was done I could have sworn that a slight tear was in the Ponies eye but it quickly disappeared when she blinked. “It is good that you told me of this now I can keep an eye out for these sprites and keep them from entering our realm. However such horrors you have seen I can’t imagine letting you keep” she then nodded at Twilight who stepped towards me. “This is my apprentice and she will take your memories from you so you can be at peace.” “Wait!” Dash shouted. “You just want his memory to be erased to keep outside ideas out of Equestria! You tried to do the same thing with me and my dad!” She gave a look that silenced her. “I let you keep your memories because Brian is a good man. But Jackson” she turned to face me. “Is a soldier and has killed in the name of war such evil cannot be allowed to exist.” “Evil, what is evil?” Defending yourself and your friends from a horde of monsters that wanted to devour them or denying a father and a daughter their memories of each other?” I asked remembering the story Brian told me of how he meet Dash. I then took a step closer to Celest “One is provoked and the other is not, your evil is your opinion just as mine is my own.” I then looked at the purple little Unicorn which had its horn glowing, I could see its struggle on its face as it tried to rewire my memories but the energy holding my mind together was far more powerful than her spell. “Are you about done?” I asked to everybody’s amazement even Celest’s mouth opened in awe. I gave a small grin “as you can see I am immune to magic” I lied. I was hoping that Celest would believe me and not try to wipe my memories herself if she did try I would have to escape quickly for her power greatly exceeded my own. “Why won’t you allow us to wipe those horrible memories from you?” Twilight asked. “Because to do so would be to destroy who I am little unicorn. A person’s soul is not formed by their DNA but by the actions that they take throughout life if I would lose my memories I would in a way cease to exist. A life that is a lie is hardly a life at all.” “He’s right Princess Cerestia” Dash agreed. “I should know for it was done to me!” Celest to my relief did not try to erase my memories herself not knowing what types of powers I had she did not want to contend with me at this time. “We have no choice then” she finally said “but you cannot live in Ponyville.” “I will take him in after all he may very well be the last of my race” Brian replied. Celest nodded to him and spread her wings out “I trust you then to keep him from mischief Brian” she then looked at me. “I recommend that you take your mind off the sprites of your world and start healing your hearts wounds for you are safe here. Also don’t do anything to entice my wrath Jackson, I will be watching you.” “That’s creepy” I commented for I knew now that she feared me and her threat was empty words. “Just like we who created them these ponies fear what they don’t understand” I thought as Celest walked out of the library rolling her eyes and flew away. After the meeting was over we headed to Brian’s house on the outside of Ponyville. As I walked down the streets many ponies stared at us as we passed the houses. Their bright colors and huge eyes almost sickened me the more I learned about this world the more depressed I became. They were cute, simple, and very annoying and I wondered what type of hell I descended into for this is not the land for a warrior from an advanced world. When we entered the house I was meet by a huge cry of “surprise!” by the pink pony from earlier along with many other ponies. Luckily I did not totally overreact to this but I still knocked over Twilight and Dash as I stumbled backwards. “Were you surprised?!” the pink pony shouted as she took my white shirt with her mouth and started to drag me into the house where they were holding a welcome party for me. “I did the decorations myself oooo do you like music this is one of Equestria’s best songs” she then let go and disappeared and repapered out of nowhere with cake and threw it into my hands. “Oh and we have pin the tail on the pony, and piñatas, board games, karaoke…” the pony just kept going on and on where my ears felt like they were about to bleed and when I thought it was finally gone it reappeared out of nowhere and started to talk again. It was not even intelligent talk but more like squeaky fast noises. Just then I realized this world was going to be the end of me. My name is Jackson Turner and I was a soldier for the UEF but now I am a stranger in the magical world of Equestria. It is day 6 of my stay in this land which has been untouched by the Sprites and already I can feel myself going crazy. This land is my sanctuary this land is my hell. P.S. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! This story was not written by or endorsed by Hasbro, it is entirely a nonprofit story created by a reader of the My little Dashie series and has not been written by or endorsed by the creators of my little Dashie either. > The Magic of Discord > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Little Dashie: Jackson Series The Magic of Discord By. Puking Coyote My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 26 and it has been three years since I had come to the land of Equestria home of the magical ponies, three long years… At first I thought that I could handle living with Rainbow Dashes Father Brian and intermingle with the local population but that proved too much for me to do. Even though the ponies I had learned over the years are caring creatures they are too simple to be able to have any meaningful relationship with. Unlike Brian and Dash who think that this world is relaxing and a wonderful place to live I don’t. I was never able to click with the ponies here for our experiences are far too different to be able to bridge. In fact when I am around these creatures I feel a little tainted by the wars and horrors that had happened to me compared to the blissful lives that they have. Only Dash and her father I am able to really talk to for they have grown up in my world. I can only eat vegetables and no meat which is a shame but I do not want to anger the yellow Pegasus Fluttershy who is still mad at me for eating one of her birds. It also did not help when I explained to her that the bird didn’t even taste that good. Twilight Sparkle also did not like me because of my refusal to call Princess Cerestia by her full name but instead call her Celest. Personally I think that getting so worked up over a name is silly but she is very protective of her teacher. At first I tried to live quietly in Brian’s house but when PinkyPie a pink pony visited every day I had to leave. If you knew anything about Pinkypie and her talent for popping up when least expected and her ability to talk for hours without saying anything of worth you would think it amazing that I am still sane at all. It was not long before I decided to move to the Everfree Forest where the ponies did not enter due to the dangerous creatures that live there. There is however a rhyming zebra witch named Zecora who lives in the woods but we give each other our space. I had at one time taken lessons from her on potion making since I could not use magic but she since then had become too busy with her new herbal shop in Ponyville to teach me. The woods creatures at first tried to attack me but after many fights they realized that I was stronger than them and now they shy from me when I walk in the woods. In fact the only creatures that I feared were Celest and some of the other powerful spell casters in Equestria. Of course I would never tell them that for fear Celest would try to erase my memories again and my powers do not compare to hers but she doesn’t know that. I must admit that I had taken liberty to make sure to be a royal pain whenever Celest was around and many times embarrassed her with my disrespecting attitude or the many pranks that I pulled on her. If it was not for these pranks I might have gone crazy for warriors are not meant to live in such places as this which could explain why I felt more at home with the beasts of the woods than with the ponies of Ponyville. Celest and I tolerate each other for I cannot stand her pompous attitude, and she can’t stand me because like I stated I make sure to annoy her in everyway possible. We are both however are in agreement that Equestria needs to be protected and I would help if needed in that regard. Constantly annoying the ruler of this land is probably not the best thing to be doing when she can erase your memories with magic but like I said planning my next pranks on her is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day. I have a job on Applejacks farm where two years ago while visiting I found out that the aura from my energy made the apples grow at an exceptional rate when I was by the trees. I basically got paid for sitting around and reading books which I was constantly borrowing from the library. It was from these books and the stories that I was told that I learned much of the history of Equestria and how it worked. I never expected to be accepted by the ponies in the town nor did I want them to but sometimes I wished that just one of them would talk to me instead of locking their doors in fright. It is because of this that I don’t go into town very often and usually had Dash buy supplies that I may need instead. After one of these trips Dash meet me in the apple orchard holding a letter in her mouth with Celest’s royal seal on it, it was a summons. This was not my first summon from Celest nor did I expect it to be my last. “What did you do this time” Dash asked while spitting out the letter in front of me. I closed my book and picked it up “I don’t know, I haven’t done anything since putting that blue dye in Celest’s bath water during last month’s visit.” I gave a slight grin of amusement at the memory for when she came out all blue the ponies mistook her for Nightmare moon and ran screaming wherever she went. I then opened the letter and read it. The Princess requests your presence at once; a chariot will pick you up at Ponyville square today at noon. I sighed and hung my head it was already noon “Give this to applejack I’m sure she will understand” I said while tossing the letter to Dash. I then got up and started towards the village. The trip to Canterlot was quite uneventful as the guards flying the white chariot never spoke. Once I had reached the palace I realized that something was off for the skies clouds seemed to move on their own and some even seemed to have fish swimming in them. Once I reached the main doors I was guided inside by two grim looking pony guards. “If this is about the clouds I had nothing to do with it. I swear it’s like whenever anything goes amiss the guards come together and decide lets blame the human, he must be responsible. I have been the scapegoat for the royal guards for three years now Celest” I proclaimed when I entered her royal court. She looked up from a scroll “because you usually are to blame Jackson.” “That may be true and it may not be but those clouds are not my doing Celest.” “Princess Celestia” the guard to my right said to me under his breath. “Celest” I said again. “Ia” the guard stated. “Bless you” I replied with a smirk. Celest rolled her eyes “anyway I know that the clouds are not your fault in fact it is the doing of Discord.” “Discord isn’t he that statue with the crazy body pieces of other animals attached to him?” “Yes, he is about to break free.” “Why don’t you just shatter the statue then?” “That would never work he would just be set free quicker as a result.” “Well bummer, if that is all I will take my leave” I then started to head to the doors but was stopped by the guards. “You can’t don’t you remember our pact that when Equestria is in trouble you will help? Now is the time to prove that you were telling the truth.” I turned around and saw her giving a slight grin “Crap” I thought to myself. “What do you have in mind?”I asked. “The only thing that can stop Discord is the Elements of Harmony but in order to use them Rainbow dash, PinkyPie, Twilight, Melody, Fluttershy, and Applejack will need to get a clear shot at him when he breaks out. I have sent a chariot for them and they should arrive very soon. Discord last time was blinded by his overconfidence and allowed the girls to shoot him with The Elements but he won’t be that foolish again.” “Ok, so what does this have to do with me?” “Since you are immune to magic I need you to hold him down until the girls can strike, it’s that simple.” I immediately felt a shiver go down my spine Discord was supposedly more powerful than Celest and she wants me to try to take him down, is she crazy? What would happen if I failed and my secret of not being immune to magic got out? “I would be happy to” I said while clenching my teeth “but why don’t you try to reason with Discord instead.” “Princess Celestia Reasoning with me” a voice sounded in the room “now that is absurd human. Even more than your claim of being immune to my magic!” “Discord!” Celest exclaimed. “The one and only” just then I saw a figure appear between me and the princess, around the weird creature which was of course Discord I could feel an aurora of powerful magic. The space about us then started to warp and change form into what I could best explain as chaos. Discord seemed to be manipulating matter around him much like my own energy powers could. However Discords was being done by magic and it was far more powerful than I ever fathomed. With that type of power the whole world could be affected by the creature. “This certainly is an honor I never put on a show for a human before!” he exclaimed. A black wig then appeared on his head and he started to fiddle with it in a handheld mirror “I hope that I am presentable enough.” “Don’t worry” I replied “you are gorgeous as you are ugly.” The wig disappeared and he looked at me curiously “Wha…that makes no sense.” He then appeared to my right and put his arm around me. “Ha! You make no sense you have a little chaos in you my boy.” All three of us Discord, Celest, and myself then appeared at the edge of ponyville my guess by teleportation but I could not be sure. “What do you plan to do?!” demanded Celest. “What do you mean?” Discord smiled. “I said that I would put on a show and I intend to do just that.” Just then the buildings started to rise in the air the animals started to change forms along with their colors. The grass under me changed into a polka dot pattern but not under Celest the grass under her remained green. I looked up when I felt a drop of moisture hit my cheek the clouds started to change dark brown a chocolate rain then started to pour. Not chocolate the color but actual chocolate. “Nice touch” I stated to myself for in a way it was kind of cool almost like a funhouse simulation. Discord moved next to me and changed his ear to astronomical size and leaned it into me “What was that, do I have an admirer?” “It’s nice but not my taste for a place to live” I then looked at his ear “do you realize how much wax you have in that thing?” Discord shrunk his ear and stuck his finger into it then took out a big ball of wax, about the same size as a baseball, “I guess it does need to be cleaned after such a long time” he then flung it into Celest. I watched as it slowly slid down her scolding face and could not help but to laugh. I know that Celest would lecture me about how Discord was harming Equestria but the sudden change from boring routine to a chaotic world was a little welcoming. Discord saw that I was laughing at this so he commanded a chocolate cloud to rain on her. Celest walked over to me “What are you doing?” She demanded in a harsh wispier so Discord would not hear. Right then Discord teleported some distance from us in order to torture another pony. I calmed my laughing “What I told you I would do I am keeping him occupied until Twilight gets here.” I then looked at her soaked main and started laughing again “but you have to admit he does have style.” Just then a cream pie came racing through the air and hit me in the face “yes, I suppose he does” Celest replied giving a slight smirk of satisfaction. We kept Discord busy for a long time as he was very entertained by our bickering. I was in the middle of giving a suggestion of having the clouds grow grass when I saw Twilight behind Discord with some ugly looking Tiara on her head along with the other ponies. That must be the Elements of Harmony I then mustered my strength and formed steel cords that shot from the ground and pinned Discord to it. Celest was helping too otherwise Discord would have broken free too quickly but even with our combined strength we could not hold him for long. But a moment was all we needed for a rainbow light left Twilights tiara and struck Discord. “Why?” Discord asked me as he began turning to stone again. “I thought you were having fun.” “It has nothing to do with you I made a promise to protect Equestria and I don’t break my promises no matter how much fun your chaos might have been.” For some reason or another this comment seemed to please Discord for he softly smiled as the last part of his face turned to stone. Just then Discords powers ceased to function and the land went back to normal and we appeared back into Celest’s castle. “Ah I see he bent the world around us to bring us to Ponyville and it went back as soon as his power waned, cleaver.” I then looked at Celest and the other ponies “Well that was interesting but I think that I will go home now if you don’t mind.” “Wait just a minute Jackson!” Celest called and slammed the huge doors in front of me with her magic before I could walk out. I turned around “What?” Celest stretched out her wings and flew down in front of me “What was that? Do you realize what type of danger you put the land into by encouraging Discord?” “What are you talking about if I didn’t hold his attention” I pointed to the smiling statue of Discord “he would have left and my job would have been harder having to track him down as well as hold him.” She didn’t know what to say about this “But you didn’t have to enjoy it so much you know.” “I know, but he was a spirit that wanted to have fun with his chaos more than anything else, I had to have fun to keep his attention.” “Well at least nobody was hurt” Celest stated looking away. “Wait…Discord teleported you! You were affected by magic!” she exclaimed looking back. Her words shocked and scared me tremendously “Actually he bent the space around us.” “Yes, but you were moved in the spaces stream by his power. Actually he did claim that you couldn’t withstand his magic” She stated taking a step towards me. “You have a limit of the magic you can block don’t you?” I took a step back from Celest and was meet by the thick wall of the throne room “Yeah, you just keep thinking that sugar. But tell me what would you do even if I had such a weakness.” Celest was grinning ear to ear obviously not believing my bluff “I don’t know maybe erase your memory or turn you into a slug, I haven’t decided. Maybe both.” She had figured me out and I knew that she was about to wield her magic on me if for nothing else to teach me a lesson. But that was ok for I had three years to figure out a plan if she found out. I gently placed my hand onto the wall and gave a slight sheepish grin then slipped through it. Once on the other side away from Celest I did the sensible thing and ran. Soon the castle was in an uproar looking for me and even Celest took to the skies. The first thing that I did was wrap myself up with an aurora that bent the light around me making me very hard to see like a wisp of steam however many times guards would see me and I would have to escape usually by creating some flash to blind them or explosive display to scare them off. I did not glide through the air for the Pegasus ponies would surely see me and I could not out fly them also Celest was up there as well. “Come on out human!” Celest cried in a gleeful tone for she was clearly enjoying herself. “Not on your life” I whispered to myself watching her from afar in a dark corner of a houses wall. Just then I got an idea and even though it would take a lot of my strength to do so it would help me escape the fortress walls before the guards could cast a barrier around it to keep me in. I summoned my energy and started to manipulate the surrounding areas mass into about a hundred puppets of myself wrapped in dark hooded cloaks. Then I sent them running towards the cities borders in all directions. The puppets had no legs and glided on the ground about an inch but the ponies did not realize that little mistake. “There he is!” shouted a guard. “No he is here” another one called. “He’s everywhere!!!” “Don’t let him escape!” Celest called to them and the city was filled with guards tackling puppets of me which disappeared in puffs of dust leaving only the cloaks behind. “Crap” I said to myself as I fumbled through the streets the energy for the dirt puppets took more out of me than I thought and it would be a while until my strength returned. Just when I had given up all hope and knew that a guard would soon find me I saw a weird disk in the street, it was a manhole to the sewers below. I softened its mass and slid through it and landed into its chilly foul waters below. I let the light from my skin light up to dark passages under the royal city. Down there I could hear some muffled cries of the guards as their search continued and decided that the majority of the sounds would be heading towards the cities walls. As I made my way moving towards what I determined was the sewers exit I started to get the feeling that I was being watched and sure enough when I turned around I saw them, three huge alligators. “Of course” I cursed to myself “it wouldn’t be a sewer without alligators.” I quickly floated myself towards the sewers ceiling out of the alligators reach and continued on my way all the while the alligators followed licking their chops. I was beginning to lose altitude as my energy began to weaken which made the alligators ecstatic and was about to turn and face them when I noticed a faint light ahead. I made my way to it and was amazed to find a passage burrowed through the sewers wall. As I made my way inside I saw a huge snake like dragon sleeping on a pile of gold and on the other side of the room was an exit outlined by the lowering sun’s rays outside. I looked back and saw that the alligators had turned away so I landed and started to make my way around the dragons treasure pile towards the exit. “Stop!” the dragon suddenly growled and slithered off its heap of gold towards me. I did and stared at it afraid for I did not have much energy left for a fight. “Great I escaped Discord, Alligators, and Celest only to be eaten by a dragon” I thought to myself. It was a little ironic to finally be able to see the exit only to be caught at the end. “All who want to gain passage through my cave have to pay a fee” the dragon stated brandishing its teeth before me. “What type of fee?” I asked. The dragon motioned its head towards the heap of gold “What if I can’t pay?” the dragon then let out a giant stream of fire at a rock next to me. I slowly nodded knowing full well what he meant by that and unstrapped my gold pouch from my waist and threw it onto the pile with a small clink. The dragon looked at my offering and gave a dissatisfied snort at it. But as I started to move again towards the exit he did not try to stop me. Once outside I ran into the woods not wanting to be by the dragon for too long. After a while I stopped exhausted from what had happened I soon laid down and lost consciousness for weariness, stress and the fact that I had just lost all my money had finally caught up to me. When I woke up I sat upright in a feathered bed. When I looked around I found myself in the home of the Zebra Zecora . “Good morning to you, have some apple brew” she said while handing me a bowl. I thanked her and began eating. “How is this possible?” I finally asked. “The last I remember was fainting on the forest floor.” “I found you lying there, under the night’s chilly air. So I brought you back you see, for my magic it was a breeze.” I nodded “What about Celest, is she still looking for me?” “Princess Celestia has a busy role, and right now can’t even take a stroll. But if you ever went back I think her anger would relent.” “I guess she would be angry that I escaped her in her own castle” I then gave a short grin and looked at the ceiling as I thought about how humiliated she must have been. “But she will avoid these woods all the ponies do even Celest.” “That is a good guess to presume, but some still come in such as Applebloom.” “I don’t know what Celest had in mind when she tried to capture me but right now I think it would be best to let her anger subside.” I then looked at the Zebra “I think that I will go into hiding for a while deep in the Forest just until I know what Celest’s plans are. You won’t tell anybody that I was here will you?” “I won’t speak unless I must, such is the nature of friendships trust.” “Thank you” I replied then took my leave of the Zebras residence and started my journey deep into the woods. My name is Jackson Turner and it has been three years since I had come to the land of Equestria home of the magical ponies. It should have been a place for me to let go of my troubled thoughts and live a life of peace but unfortunately it was not. However, I know that peace is sometimes found in having a purpose and I am off to find mine. P.S. Jackson rules, Celest drools :) This story was not written by or endorsed by Hasbro, it is entirely a nonprofit story created by a reader of the My little Dashi series and has not been written by or endorsed by the creators of my little Dashi either. > The Crescent Moon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Little Dashie: Jackson Series The Crescent Moon By. Puking Coyote My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 27. It has been one year since Celest the ruler of Equestria found out that I could be affected by magic. Since that time I have made my home deep in the Everfree Forest where I am safe from her searching eye. The forest at first was very terrifying for the deeper I went into them the more dangerous it became. Thanks to my powers however I was able to defend myself from the creatures that stalked the forest’s shadows. My powers and understanding of how evil works on a deeper level than the forest creatures has led me to be highly respected by them. The trolls, dragons, and even the vicious Timberwolves heed my words and warn me well in advance before any pony approaches my domain. It was in this way that my whereabouts remained a secret from Celest to her great annoyance. Just like before being an annoyance to the royal guards and Celest brought me joy for it gave me a goal, something to do, and on occasion a good laugh. They knew that I was still around for I made sure that when I would play my pranks on them that they would know it was me. “Last week I had even raided Canterlot and broke into the royal kitchen to put snakebale into Celest’s and her courts food. Snakebale made anybody that ate it grow a long fat forked tongue for three days. I still remembered the scene fondly of the royal guards trying to understand Celest as she tried to give them commands with it hanging out of her mouth drooling on the floor. On the kitchen wall I had wrote my initials JT for Jackson Turner which has become like a calling card so there would be no doubt in Celest’s mind of who it was. I had even enlisted the help of some of the dark creatures of the woods to pull off such feats for they were very impressed by the accuracy and thought that I put into them which could only be achieved by years of military training. In fact due to my influence the woods had become more organized and in truth safer for the ponies who lived in Ponyville. I did not visit the town and I couldn’t for they would know who I was, it’s a little hard to hide when you’re one of two humans in a world of ponies. I still visited Zecora, Dash and her father from time to time for they kept my living in the woods a close secret and in turn I had instructed the creatures of the woods to grant them safe passage when they came to visit me. The woods as I stated before became my domain. I didn’t work towards its conquest or even want it but it just seemed to happen because of the respect I had gained over the last year. The Everfree Forest was never visited by the ponies of Equestria and its residents saw themselves as independent and not to be subjugated by Celest and her royal court, this was something I had in common with them. My new home was a grey stone house built into the base of a steep cliff hidden deep in woods. It was designed so that a Pegasus flying over would never see it from the sky and a pony would not encounter it until they got a few feet from its thick wooden doors. If they were ever unfortunate enough to find the doors they would be meet by two huge Timberwolves that guarded each side of the entrance. The house I lived in however was very cozy inside with nice furniture, panel walls, warm soft beads, and many rooms such as a living room or library. It was in fact a very nice place to live and I even had a few successful parties in it. I was resting in my recliner reading a book when a knock came at the door of my home my assistant Thing went to answer it. I called it Thing because neither he nor I knew what he was. He had the body like a snake and two heads of a dragon which always bickered with each other. His right arm was a giant claw much like a crabs while the other was like a lizard’s foot. He was only two feet in height and from what I could figure he had stopped growing. I had saved him a few months ago from a Timberwolf and he had decided to repay his debt by serving me in whatever way he could which usually meant cleaning the house. “Dash is here to see you master” Thing called after answering the door. “Let her in” I replied as I put down my book just in time to see the Pegasus walk into the room with her rainbow main showing brightly in the windows light. “Morning Jackson” Dash greeted me. “Morning please take a seat” Dash did. “What can I do for you today?” Dash took a sip of tea that Thing gave to her “I just wanted to tell you that tonight is Nightmare night.” “Nightmare night?” Dash nodded “It’s a night when all the ponies in ponyville dress up in costumes, play games, get candy, and converse amongst themselves. I thought that you would want to come with me and father tonight.” “You know that I can’t come into town for if Celest found out where I am hiding she would wipe my memory, she made that quite clear a few weeks ago.” “Only because you keep playing your pranks on her, but you would not be recognized. As I have said we dress up in costumes so they won’t know who you are. Dad is going as a cloud.” I thought about it “well…I haven’t been in the town for a year now, it might be a nice change of scenery” I finally replied. “Great we will meet you at our house tonight then!” Dash exclaimed. I then got up and took a book from the shelf and turned to its front page which had a picture of a pony wizard named Greybeck who wore a gold mask. I then went outside and summoned the materials from the ground and started to form it into the costume. When I was done I put on the long blue cloak and golden mask. For my torso I wired a horse shaped cage that would be covered by the cloak making it appear that I had four legs. “Well” I asked turning back to Dash. The two Timberwolves rolled their eyes at the spectacle but Dash was ecstatic “Perfect! You look just like a pony.” I took the mask and cloak off and detached the cage around my waist “Great I think that this party should be fun just what I need.” “Excellent” she replied and stretched her wings out “I will tell my dad.” She was just about to take off when I called her “Dash!” “Yes?” she asked looking back at me confused. “Remember don’t take off from the house, walk.” “O yeah” she blushed “I keep forgetting that you had tamed these woods” she then folded her wings and started through the tree line. I watched until her blue body disappeared then went inside. I took a quick look at the costume I had made then grabbed a book off the shelf on Nightmare Night and began to read. I had just finished reading my book and got the main points of the holiday when it was time to leave so I grabbed my costume and started towards Brian’s house. The two Timberwolves which served as my guards went on ahead for they could sense a trap before I could. As I came to the clearing where they were waiting I asked if it was clear they nodded their heads, I then put on my costume and started towards the house. Once I knocked on the door Dash answered it wearing a ninja costume “Jackson you made it!” “Of course I did” I then looked at Brian who was standing next to dash dressed as a giant cloud. In fact he looked more like a marshmallow with his head sticking out of the top than a cloud; I gave a short laugh at the sight. “Well now that we are here lets go” Brian replied and after a few seconds of us pushing his cloud costume through the door we did. To my delight Celest was stuck in the castle this week according to Dash and could not make it to the festival. I was happy to hear this for the last thing that I wanted was to worry about having Celest around and having to listen to her arrogance. As we arrived at the towns square it was bustling with activities and games. There I tried smashing pumpkins, tossing little spiders onto a web which was difficult using my fake hoof to do so, and telling stories designed to frighten little ponies. Telling the stories was the most enjoyable thing to me for they really did enjoy them. If I was not in hiding I would have also created a few fireworks for the ponies to watch but that was out of the question. In truth I was quite enjoying myself that is until she came. Out of nowhere a black chariot with a hooded figure pulled by black armored Pegasus came tearing through a vortex in the sky with lightning showing all around. “Nightmare Moon” a small pony cried in fear. “Nightmare moon” I stated to myself for even being an outsider I had heard of the stories of the pony that raised the moon every night just like her sister Celest raised the sun every day. She had become jealous of her sister and tried to bring eternal darkness to the land but the Elements of Harmony defeated her and now she was the respected and feared Princess Luna once again. The chariot landed in the court yard and the pony lowered the hood from her face she had dark purple-blue hair and a blue smoky main which I could have sworn shown sparkles of the night stars in it. She got out of the chariot and went up to Twilight and the mayor who both bowed and kissed her hoof when she stretched it out to them. She then looked up to the crowd and in a booming voice declared the feasibilities to begin. She then went up to Zecora and started to plan how they were to frighten the children this year. I went back to enjoying the festival and even snuck some food under my mask when nobody was looking but I soon learned from Dash that Luna was looking for me since I was the new storyteller in town. So I decided to cut the night short and go home but a sudden urge hit me to spy on Luna and maybe pull a prank for nobody would think of Jackson being the one pulling the prank on Nightmare Night. But that was only if I felt comfortable doing so, for I had no idea what she was like in truth I had only seen her once and that was from a distance for she kept to herself unlike her sister Celest. My curiosity got the better of me and I started to follow her in the shadows taking great care that she did not see me. For the most part she acted like a normal pony but with an 18th centaury dialect which was hard to understand at first but I soon got used to it. The more I followed her and listened to her conversations the more curious I became for it was like she was wearing a mask and even though I could see the masks grooves I could not see clearly what her personality was really like. I followed her and Zecora and watched as she changed into the form of Nightmare Moon and scared the kids in certain parts of the zebras rhyming stories. In fact the two of them made a good team and it was really enjoyable. After the stories were done Zecora took the kids back to the party while Luna stood looking at a statue of her nightmare moon self then sighed. She then walked away from it back towards the party I waited until she had gone and went up to the menacing looking statue which had candy placed in a big pile in front of it. I sat down on a log and stared at it while wondering what I had witnessed for she did not have the same attitude that Celest had but instead it felt sad. “Why hath thou been following me?” a soft voice came from behind. I stood up and spun around to find Luna staring at me with a questioning expression. “Why so solus (alone) young mare dressed as Greybeck the brave?” “Princess Luna” I said making sure to say her name correctly in order not to give myself away. I then bowed to her which was against every fiber of my being to do so. “Be not so fearful, we bring no ill will against thee.” “I’m sorry my princess” I said getting up, my mind was trying very hard for a way to get out of this situation. “I had heard of your stories and wanted to hear them for myself.” She took a step closer “Thou should have joined us, your skills of storytelling hath preceded you.” “No, for I have no skill compared to you and Zecora. I just wanted to listen and watch so that I too may be someday a great story teller as you two are.” “Thou honor’s us…” “Limex” the name just came to me and I realized how dumb it sounded when it left my lips. “We thank thee Limex” she then held out her hoof to kiss. Her head was turned away and her eyes closed just like when she held it out for the mayor. I spat on my fingers which I kept hidden in my cloak and used them to mimic a kiss after that I re-hide my hand. This way I could keep at least some of my dignity. She then looked back at me “Wilt thou join us in some fun at the party.” I shook my head to say no “Why? This is a royal request.” “I think that I had enough of a party for one night thank you. I would rather stay here and look at the stars for a while” I replied without thinking. Luna however became quite excited at this “Really thou like the stars?!” I thought about the question and remembered my life of growing up on the ship Spitekin with my friends and how we would visit the suns of the universes and the planets that surrounded them. The good days before the sprite invasion when everything seemed right. “One can almost say that I, at heart, live in the stars there is truly nothing more beautiful” I replied forgetting my worries which remembering the past sometimes makes me do. She took another step closer “Thou like my art?” she asked. “You made those?!” I replied looking at the sky. “Incredible, I thought that you just rose the moon I didn’t know that you crafted the stars as well.” I looked up in wonder and thought “how can one pony create such a vastness of stars, how powerful is she? And if Celest defeated her…” “Doth it surprise thou that much?” She then waved her hoof to the sky and a multitude of shooting stars appeared overhead. I sat down again on the log in fear and wonder at what just happened I was totally at lost for words. “Art thou ok?” I nodded my head yes “good.” She then laid down next to me and stared at the sky as well “thou art different, most ponies do not take such fascination in our sky.” I could feel her sadness in these words and looked over. She had big blue eyes and as she stared up I could tell that she was lost in memories of long ago. I also saw in her eyes the same haunting feeling that has plagued me for many years since the sprites destroyed earth, loneness. “They don’t realize how precious the stars are and how lucky they are to gaze at them each night without worry.” I replied as I remembered how happy I had been when I first saw the moon here after so many years of being underground. “Such beauty should be admired and never forgotten, to see the stars is to see into one’s own soul.” “But what if thou’s soul is tainted with evil? What if one did something that could never be put right.” I knew that she was talking about her time as Nightmare Moon “Don’t listen to those who say that you are evil because of a bad decision. That’s not what defines you as a person what does define you is how you choose to live your life from that point, don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.” She stared at me very curiously then got up “Thank you Jackson.” My heart then went to my chest “How did you…” “thou hath said that’s not what defines me as a person, if thou were a pony thou would have said that’s not what defines me as a pony.” I did not know what to do but just stare at her “Worry not for we will not tell our sister yet for we think that her opinion of you is different than our own.” She then looked back at me “Will thou meet me here tomorrow night?” “Yes, but don’t bring Celest I beg you” she nodded then started back towards the party. I decided that I had enough excitement for the night and after meeting up with the two Timberwolves I went home. That night I did not sleep but I did however for part of the day until Dash woke me up wondering where I went last night. I told her that I went home and left out the part of meeting Luna for the less she knew the better. I read one of my books on nightmare Moon until dark then left to meet Luna this time I did not even bother with a costume. “Thou came” she commented when she saw me enter the clearing. “I came.” “We were afraid that thou would have disappeared.” “This is my home now and I am tired of running away from sprites, ponies, and life in general.” “But thou did run from our sister.” “She wants to erase my memory of course I did.” “Is that bad? She hath stated that with a clean mind thou wouldst be happy she would even turn thou into a pony to accomplish this.” “Yes it’s bad, if I lose my memories I myself will cease to exist! Yes, I will be alive but the part that makes me, me will be gone. My memories of friends, family, and even my home worlds would be taken from me. She even tried to erase Dashes mind of her father, erasing the memories between a daughter and father that’s monstrous. Would you have her erase all of your memories since you were Nightmare Moon?” She thought about it “I guess not” she then looked away “we had no idea our sister hath done such things.” “I have no doubt that she thinks that these actions are best for Equestria but I will not let her kill who I am without putting up a fight.” Luna looked back to me her face puzzled as she tried to figure me out “Is that why thou pulls such pranks on her? Some in the court think that thou art the spirit of mischief.” I gave a short laugh “I had no idea that they did. But no I play my pranks on them for entertainment and to give myself something to do. Besides if I can teach her and the stiff royal court some humility and maybe how to have some fun I think Equestria Will be better off for it.” She gave a slow nod then looked up at the sky “Does thou believe that you truly belong here then, even though such evil haunts your memories?” “No, and yes. Home is all but destroyed and going back if that was even possible would mean my death but it is still my home. However this land has given me a point of view that I would have never experienced there and now it is a part of me. So yes, I may not have belonged at the beginning but now I feel that I do.” “What of the ponies how doeth thou interact with them. They never do truly understand why we terrorized the land and that we wish to make amends.” I looked at her and saw a tear in her eye “we frighten children during Nightmare Night because it allows us to interact and belong. However when we come during other nights many still run from us but how can we explain to them that we have changed? How doeth thou live in a land where ponies fear you and thou are hunted by the royal guards Jackson?” “I really don’t, like you said I am different than the ponies so I had trouble interacting with most of them even before Celest put a warrant out for me. By the way has the reward for me hit a million yet?” she shook her head no “too bad I guess I still have some work to do.” I then also looked up at the sky “From what I have heard you must show them that you have changed not just tell them.” “And how pray do we do that?” I looked back at her “Improve the town perhaps, say hi more often when you pass ponies on the street, just give help where you can.” She thought about my words but did not reply to it. We stayed in the clearing until night was drawing to a close talking then Luna had to leave to make way for the rising of the sun. We however agreed to meet the next night. As the weeks drew on Luna and I meet almost every night and I learned a lot about her and her of me. Unlike Celest she took interest in what my world was like before the sprites attacked especially about our stars and had me many times explain what they were made of and looked like. She was not judgmental like Celest of what I had done in the wars mostly because she knew what it was like to do evil and try to live with it in such a world as Equestria. During this time we became friends and Luna decided not disclose my whereabouts to the royal guards. One night when we were laying on our backs looking at the stars in the clearing where we meet almost every night to talk about deep matters troubling our soul’s one of Luna’s guards that accompanied her chariot appeared. “Princess Luna?” He called then saw me, sneered, and pointed his now glowing horn at me “The human!” Luna jumped up and got between her guard and me “Hold thy magic Fredrix” “But it’s the human the one that has plagued you sister for so long.” “As your princess we order thou to stand down and keep secret of his whereabouts from our sister.” Fredrix stood there a moment then bowed his head in submission. “Now what have thou come to tell me?” Fredrix snapped to “We have spotted Timberwolves in this area.” Luna looked around the clearing “Where, what are they doing so close to Ponyville?” I then realized that they must have seen my two guards and gave a short laugh “Relax my princess for they will not harm you or any other pony I had instructed them not too.” “Thy can control the wolves of the forest, Pray what art they doing here then?” “The same reason Fredrix and your other guards are here. The two wolves are my guards each a mighty chieftain of their clans. They have good senses and can tell me when trouble is approaching long before it reaches me.” I sat up and looked at her “would you like to see my home Luna? I promise you that the woods are very tame for those that I allow to walk under its trees. Not even the dragons and wild beast would bother you if I tell them not to.” “He’s been gathering an army!” Fredrix exclaimed. “Don’t go with him my princess or you will be taken hostage.” “I am not raising an army, but I am on high standings with the creatures of the woods most of which like the Timberwolves have sworn undying loyalty to me. It’s a position that I did not partially want but it was thrown onto me anyway.” The guard was about to say more but Luna cut him off with a wave of her hoof “I will go” she then looked at Fredrix “Keep what thou heard quiet and wait at the carriage.” The guard wanted to say more but he bowed his head and walked away when he was out of sight I started to lead Luna into the Everfree Forest. It didn’t take long after entering the woods for my two Timberwolf guards to meet me. At first Luna seemed afraid of their sudden appearance but after I told them that she was allowed into the woods they warmed up to her which in turn made her more comfortable. She even gathered the courage to pet one of them when I told her she could. “Thou art amazing Jackson never have the creatures here been tamed like this.” “The animals here are not as evil as the ponies believe but are just misunderstood.” I then looked back at her “kind of like us.” she did not reply but nodded to my comment. When we got to my house the two wolfs took their places at its entrance and I opened the door for Luna to come in she almost fell back in fright when she saw Thing standing at the counter cleaning. “Ah master your back, and who is this lovely pony?” “Princess Luna” I replied. Thing slithered a little ways back “Nightmare Moon? What are you doing with the master?!” “It’s ok Thing she’s a friend besides didn’t I tell you not to call me master.” “Yes master but I am your servant. You saved my life and I am in your service therefore I can call you nothing else.” I took Luna for a tour of my house which did not take very long and afterward we ate some powdered cakes that Thing quickly prepared. “This is simply a lovely home” Luna replied looking around “however thou’s library is lacking we will bring you more books.” “Ah, the master will love that he reads them everyday” Thing commented. Luna then looked at me “We know the risk that thou art taking bringing us here. Does this mean thou trust us?” I nodded my head “I guess that it does.” About four days had passed since I showed Luna to my home and every night she brought me some gift such as books or trinkets. “You didn’t have to bring me this” I replied as she floated a partially old scroll into my home. “Yes we did it’s a fascinating story of the Everfree Forest that thou are sure to enjoy. After all thou art pretty much the Lord of these woods so thou must know its history.” I thanked her and took the scroll “You are a good friend Luna.” She walked into the living room and started to search through a bookcase to see which parts of different book series that I was still missing. Her mood then became dampened “Thou doesn’t know how long we have waited to have a friend Jackson. 1000 years of imprisonment alone on the moon I hath forgotten how great having a friend was. I don’t want to lose you but my sister will eventually find you and take thou away from me.” She started to cry to herself so I went over to her and put my arms around her neck and hugged her “It’s ok Luna you won’t lose me I promise.” I then put my forehead against hers “I will die before that happens.” I saw Luna blush but she was still crying too much to reply but after a while she had stopped. “We thank thee Jackson and we accept you.” “Accept me?” “Yes, as our special some pony.” “Special some what?” I asked. “Special some pony.” “But I’m not a pony.” “We know but It is just a title the meaning behind it is not changed” She replied. “Are you going to tell me what it means Luna?” Her expression then became sad when she realized that I did not know what she was talking about. “When thou pressed thy forehead against ours that is old custom of asking one to be your Special Some Pony. I think humans called it…dating?” “I did not know that” I replied now realizing what had happened. Luna looked at the ground “Thou did not mean it then” she replied trying to hold back her tears. I thought about what to do for Luna was not even my own species how could such a relationship work? But then again Dash and Brian had proven that humans and ponies could get along. Besides I am the last of my kind besides Brian and Luna was the only one in Equestria that I really connected to the only one who understood. I then realized that she was also my best friend. I placed my hand on her cheek and lifted her eyes to mine then gave her a warm smile as I pressed my forehead against hers again. She beamed with joy at this and seeing her happy made me happy as well “I have a special some pony” she whispered to herself. “I have a special some Pony” she said again louder and started to prance around me singing that over and over. When she was done she snuggled up to me “What now?” I asked. She looked at me “we will convince my sister to let thou keep your memories.” “And what about turning me into a pony? I don’t trust her using her magic on me.” “Nor do we” her horn then started to glow and I could feel an overwhelming power enter me I started to fight her but after she told me to trust her I let her work her magic. Once she was done I could change between a Black Pegasus stallion with green eyes a blue mane that had red stripes in it and my human form whenever I wanted. I noticed that my new form also had living energy coursing through it much like stripes on a tiger except these stripes were white and glowed brightly especially in my wings. “Thou can now change forms at will and use some magic. However when we are wed thou wilt become that of royalty and become an alicorn a eternal pony like us, a mixture of all tree pony races gifted with deep magic and eternal youth.” I thanked her for the gift then we decided to fly a little and of course show my Pegasus form to the wolves so they would not attack when they saw it. As the night waned I landed in the clearing in my Pegasus form along with Luna then summoned my energy and formed a rose from the ground and gave it to her. Just then a burning sensation flashed onto my Pegasus forms rump and when I investigated it was a picture of a golden starburst explosion with a grey explosion ring around it. Luna told me that this was called a cutie mark in which I did not partially like the name but my mark symbolized creation which did seem to suit me quite well. We then pressed our foreheads together again and decided to go to Canterlot and confront Celest together. “When my sister agrees to us I will want you to visit the moon with me darling.” “I have been too many moons but if this one is even half as beautiful as you then there can be no comparison.” She smiled at these words then commanded her chariot to drive off. I watched the chariot disappear into a vortex then started to fly. I was too excited to get any sleep because for once in these many years I knew where I belonged. I flew to Brian’s house and told him about me and Luna. I even raced Dash in my Pegasus form when she came in to visit her dad, she won of course but I was having fun. “I’m happy for you Jackson” Brian stated. “I can’t believe you are smitting with Princess Luna, that is so cool I mean a princess!” Dash exclaimed. I had changed back into my human form and we were now talking around their table “I just hope Celest sees it that way. I’m starting to regret all those pranks I pulled on her now.” “You will be fine Jackson the princess can be hard headed at times but her heart is in the right place. I am sure she will be thrilled that her little sister has found someone after all this time” Brian replied. “He’s right” I thought to myself “Celest is a caring pony.” After a while it was getting dark so I headed home when I opened my front door Luna was already inside. Once she saw me she ran over hugged me then let go “We thought about having our sister come here to meet you but think that it will be better if thou come to the castle instead. Thou wilt have to be in your Pegasus form though.” “That’s fine” I then looked at my front door “the wolves want to come with me.” “Why?” “Timberwolves as I said are very loyal they think that I might be in danger going to Canterlot and insist on coming.” “They can’t Celestia won’t let them. Besides she won’t do anything to you not while I am there.” I stroked her mane “I’m afraid they will follow even if I tell them not to but they will be satisfied waiting at the sewers there’s a dragon that I know there and he will let them wait in his cave.” “The sewers?” “How else did you think I got into the castle so many times to pull off my pranks?” She nodded “They can wait there while we visit my sister then.” We then headed towards Canterlot in Luna’s chariot and after dropping the wolfs at the sewers entrance we headed up to the castle. I was in my Pegasus form so the guards easily let us pass as we headed to the throne room. When we arrived however nobody was in there. Luna decided to look for Celest in her room and left me in the huge echoing chamber. I was having trouble walking on the stone floor and it was hurting my hoofs so I changed back to my human self. I then saw Discords statue in the corner almost like a trophy decorating the room. I went over and looked at it “Man, I hope Celest is more forgiving of me than she was to you” I commented. “At long last I found you!” I heard Celest’s voice behind me. I turned and saw her grinning at me with her horn glowing. “I knew that you were up to something big when you had stopped your weekly pranks. I guess you got tired of them and instead decided to wake up Discord from his stone slumber.” “I gave a promise to protect Equestria Celest and that means keeping Discord as a statue. I am not here to cause trouble for those days are behind me but instead I would like peace between us.” Celest snorted “Peace huh? Then come here and let me wipe your memories so we may have this peace.” “Why are you so worried about me retaining my memories? Have I ever done anything than a few pranks? Have I collapsed your society? No, I have been keeping away from your ponies and living my own life in quiet peace.” “But you are here in my throne room and I don’t have to tell you that I don’t care for your attitude human. I will wipe your memories and you will become a pony like everybody else then we will have true peace.” Celest then started walking towards me she was too close for me to escape; there wasn’t even time to meld through the floor. I quickly gathered my energy to face her for I was finally happy with Luna and I was not going to let her take that away. Our powers then clashed and even though I could hold her off for a minute or so with my energy and the magic Luna gave me I was no match for her overwhelming power. Celest’s magic pinned me to the ground and I could feel it getting closer to my mind stripping my defenses. The realization and terror that any second I would lose my memories was the worst thing imaginable. I thought back to Luna and the promise that I made her that I wouldn’t let this happen “I’m sorry Luna” I softly gasped as tears rolled down my face “forgive me…” Just then Luna entered the room “Ah, sister there thou are I need to tell you….Stop!!!” Luna’s horn suddenly glowed a deep rich blue and she slammed her sister in the side with magic sending Celest flying. Celest stopped herself in midair “Luna, what are you doing!?” Luna then ran to me “Jackson does thou remember me? Please do!” I slowly got up with her help “Thank you Luna” I weakly replied leaning on her for support. She gave a cry of relief and we touched foreheads “I love you Jackson.” “I love you too.” “What are you doing sister? He is a human who has done evil things!” Celest yelled after watching what had transpired. “We haft also done evil things but thou hath forgiven us! Do the same for him we beg this of you, we don’t want to but if thou try to take him from us we shall fight you!” Celest hovered above the ground and I could see a multitude of emotions swarming over her face “No, no, no how can this be?” she stated to herself then went flying out of the court's door leaving me and Luna alone wondering what she was going to do. My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 27. It has been four years since I have escaped the hungry eyes of the sprites by coming to the magical land of Equestria where I am one of two humans left alive. At first this simple world drove me crazy and I had nearly lost my mind several times but thanks to my friend Luna I am for once happy, truly happy. May this feeling never end. P.S. If a person seeks understanding they will learn by their own small role in this world what understanding really means. > Equestria In Turmoil > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equestria In Turmoil. By. Puking Coyote My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 27. It has been four days since Celest found out about me and Luna and flew off. At first we figured that she was in shock but as the days passed we became unsure of what to think. Luna even had to lower and raise the sun while her sister was absent; the fact that Celest had stopped performing her duties greatly troubled her. Luna had told me that it would be best for me to leave Canterlot and go back to the Everfree Forest since the royal guards were still technically suppose to arrest me. However I couldn’t leave her especially when she was so worried about Celest. So for the time being Luna was letting me use a room in the East side of the castle where there was nobody staying. She even let the Timberwolves stay in there after they showed up in Canterlot. The wolves were worried after I did not come back from the castle and after waiting two days they ventured into the city which caused a great deal of ruckus. Luna however picked them up in her chariot and brought them to the castle. The Royal guards assumed that the wolves were servants of hers from her days as Nightmare Moon and did not suspect me being in the castle as well. During this time I did a lot of reading for the castle had a large and very complete library. I was just finishing a story about the days before Celest and Luna when Discord ruled the land when I heard a mighty trumpet start blaring. I knew that tune for I have heard it many times when I was summoned here it meant that Celest was back. I quickly ran to the throne room where Luna was already waiting “Took her long enough” I stated. “You and I was the last thing on her mind at the time. It’s only natural that she had to take some time to figure out how she felt.” I nodded at Luna’s comment. We waited there for what seemed like forever as Celest made her way up the staircase. I could hear her hoof prints on the polished floor as she got closer however something was wrong and both Luna and I knew it. For Celest’s hoofs were not the only ones we could hear but there was a multitude with her. Fredrix quickly opened the door and as soon as he did Celest and twenty other unicorn soldiers came charging in. The soldiers quickly shot their magic at Luna and before she could even react they pinned her down. Luna’s guards were also quickly apprehended by the royal guards “What art thou doing sister?!” Luna demanded. “Do not struggle Luna for I do not hold you accountable for Jackson’s actions.” “What does thou mean?” Celest stared at me hatefully “This human has been using you to take over Equestria.” “Thou art wrong!” “Am I? When you two confessed your feelings for each other I was very confused. You see its human nature to dominate those around them and to create mischief and grief wherever they go. I have studied humans closely ever since Brian came into our world and I found one thing that they share, they all crave power. I knew that if humans would appear in our realm that they would conquer and enslave us the first chance that they had.” “We will admit that humans are not perfect but neither are we” Luna replied while trying to get up. “But thou does not have to fear them invading, the sprites of Jackson’s world made sure of that.” “That is where you are wrong my dear sister you see when I flew off I did some research and found some troubling news do you know what I had found?” Luna shook her head. “I found that Jackson has been staying in the Everfree Forest all this time gathering an army with the intent to take over our land.” “I have not!” I replied. “Yes, I may be held in high standings with the creatures of the forest but I am not trying to take over Equestria!” “I say that you are! You can’t tell me that out of all the ponies of the land that you chose my sister. That is more than coincidence, you planned it, for what better way to take over Equestria than to marry into the royal family? No, I will not let you Jackson!” “Sister! Thou are being paranoid. We have seen Jacksons influence on the woods and the good that hath come from it. He is not creating an army however stability hath been brought to the area, in fact Ponyville is safer because of it!” “No my dear sister he will use the creatures to solidify his position as he starts to take over our world, this I cannot allow.” “What are thou going to do, erase both of our memories?” Luna asked fearful of the answer. “For the safety of our land I must for if you are allowed to remember you will try to find a way to bring him back and I cannot allow that.” She then took a step closer to me “As for you Jackson I will first take your memories, all of them, then you will be turned into stone to make sure you can’t threaten our world again.” I looked into her eyes and saw that she would not listen to any plead that I could give. In fact hers was a look that I have seen in some commanders who would refuse to change their minds on a strategy even though another was presented that was better. That look was pride, and like the commanders who thought that accepting a plan from a lesser rank than themselves would dishonor their position, Celest was positive that her conclusion was the right one and shut all other possibilities out of her mind. “This is stupid Celest if I wanted to take over Equestria I would have by now. Not all people are like the ones you read in your books!” My words fell upon deaf ears. Celest then started to slowly walk towards me as her horn started to glow “Crap” I cursed under my breath as I looked for a way out of this mess. I looked over at a curtain and got an idea, suddenly I gathered my strength and created a huge blinding flash that filled the room. “You think that a flash of light could affect me?” Celest stated “I who raises the sun every morning, your little firework is nothing compared to the sun’s rays. “You may not have been affected by the light” I then looked behind her. “But I doubt that your guards have the same immunity.” Celest looked back at her Royal guards who were rolling on the ground holding their eyes with their hoofs. The moment that Celest took her eyes off of me I conjured up the magic abilities that Luna gave me and unhooked the curtain which fell on top of Celest. Once she was occupied trying to get out of the curtains folds I ran to Luna who was also blinded and grabbed her by the neck then I soften the floor below us and we both fell rather hard onto the floor below. “Are you ok Luna?” I asked. “Thou could have warned us before thou did that Jackson” she replied trying to get her vision back. “Sorry” I replied as I lead her through the castle until her sight came back which did not take long. “Where are we going? She asked as I slid us through the floor to avoid a group of guards that were looking for me. “To the sewers if we can get to them then we can escape.” Luna stopped “What about my guards we can’t just leave them.” I turned back and saw the fear in her eyes I went over to her and stroked her mane “If we go back we will surely be captured but if we escape we can come back later to free them.” She put her head into my hand “Your right lead the way.” As we ran through the castle we could hear Celest giving orders with a booming voice to lockdown the city. Just then we ran into a group of guards, Luna quickly shot them with her magic and froze them in place. I looked at the ponies as their eyes moved in the blue aurora that surrounded them, they tried to speak but it came out as more of a mumble. As we neared the sewers entrance we saw a terrified guard running away crying down a hallway in front of us. It didn’t take long to realize why because chasing him were two monstrous Timberwolves I gave a short whistle and the wolves stopped and looked at me. They soon tackled me to the ground and began to lick my face with their slimy bark tongues. “Good to see you too” I replied sitting up and scratching them both behind the ears. “What happened why were they chasing that pony?” Luna asked. I looked at the wolves and easily figured from their expressions what had transpired. “It appears that Celest sent a pony to investigate the room that I was staying in and these two gave chase when he entered it.” “That poor pony” she replied looking down the hall where the pony ran his cries of terror could still be faintly heard. “I don’t expect that he will be wondering the halls alone for quite some time.” Once the Timberwolves rejoined us they were able to direct us past the guards patrolling the castle grounds. I was very grateful for them each time I looked above us at the hundreds of Pegasus that were flying above. They fortunately could not see us because I bent the light around our group making us all but invisible to the naked eye. Once we made it to a manhole I melded us through it, unfortunately I forgot to tell Luna to stick to the side once we got through and she fell face first into the sewage water below. “Ewww…Gross” she stated while standing there with the foul water dripping from her hair I could not help it and started to laugh at the sight. She gave me a glare then grinned as she used her magic to dunk me into the sewage as well. We both looked at each other covered in sewage and both started to laugh. As we moved down the sewer which I knew very well Luna saw one of the gators and went over to pet it. “Luna Stop!” I shouted as I saw what she was doing. The gator charged at her mouth open I quickly shot it with a blast of energy sending it flying down the sewers tunnel. “I sorry Jason” she said clearly shook up from what happened “I thought that it was one of the creatures you have tamed. I ran over to make sure she was ok “No, I have tried to tame them but the gators minds are too small all that they think of is food and forget not to mess with me that is until I remind them like I just did.” After I was sure that she was not hurt we made our way to the dragon’s layer and the exit of the sewer system. “Ah Jackson” the dragon roared with excitement “how are you today?” It then saw the two wolves and Luna “I was wondering where those two ran off too and I see that you brought a friend.” “Who art thou?” Luna asked. “Peppermill the dragon and if you are a friend of Jackson then you are a friend of mine.” He then brought his tail up for her to see the huge diamond it was wrapped around. “Look at what he had given me” he replied. I made the diamond a year ago from the grounds materials and gave it to the dragon so I could use his cave whenever I wanted. He accepted and after we had talked he decided to befriend me and was amused by the pranks that I played on the royal court.” “Very pretty” she then looked at me “why didn’t you ever give me a diamond?” she joked. “I would give you one but a mirror would show greater beauty” I replied giving her a wink. “You have to be careful of this one he has a silver tongue” the dragon joked while elbowing me in the side. “I would love to stay and talk Peppermill but we have to get as far away from the city as we can.” The dragon looked at me “another one of your pranks?” “Not exactly but Celest is not happy.” “I understand and don’t worry like always if anybody asks I did not see you.” “Thanks Peppermill you’re a good friend” I replied then left the cave to the lit world outside. Luna also thanked the dragon and followed me. I changed into my Pegasus form and we spent that day traveling back to my house in Everfree Forest as we neared it however the wolves became uneasy for something was very wrong. We made our way cautiously to the house and saw that its front door was busted in “How did she find this place?” I asked Luna. “I don’t know” Just then we saw a figure move around in the house and we both ducked behind a tree and watched. There seemed to be a commotion going on inside the building but it did not sound like Celest. After a few minutes we saw Thing come out of the building and he was followed by Dash who was clearly disturbed. “Dash, Thing?” I asked coming from behind the tree showing myself to them. “Master glad you are back.” “What happened here?” Thing gave Dash a dirty look “she happened.” Just then Dash came running up to me “Please you have to help Jackson!” she screamed so fast that I could barely understand her. “Whoa calm down” I replied. I waited until she took a few deep breaths “Now what happened?” “Princess Celestia came yesterday asking about you and when she couldn’t get any information she came to my dad’s house and arrested him. She said that since he was also human he had to know what you have been up to and if he was ever to be free he would have to tell her.” She then looked at the ground “I’m sorry but I had to tell her that you lived in these woods and how you can do so without the creatures here attacking you. She said that she would let my father go but she didn’t instead she took him until I help Twilight use the Elements of Harmony to turn you into stone.” “Oh my poor little pony” Luna replied and put her wing around Dash who had started to cry. “What about the house is it still safe to be here or does she know where it is?” “I didn’t tell her where the house was only that you live in the forest and occasionally visited us.” “So the door was knocked down by you looking for me and not by Celest?” Dash nodded in response. “I can’t believe that Celest went this far she really does hate me.” “Actually she’s not too fond of humans in general even my father she just tolerates” Dash said between her sobs. Her revelation actually made a lot of sense “of course after reading of all the horrors that mankind has done she would have learned to hate us as a race” I thought. “Jackson?” Luna looked up at me “we have to do something; things are spiraling out of control.” I agreed but what could we do? Celest won’t do anything bad to Brian she was not that type of pony. However she is dead set on getting rid of me probably because I actually have some powers and represent a threat where Brian did not. “Celest won’t hurt Brian especially if she is using him as a hostage to get Dash to use the Elements against me. But we can’t confront her she won’t listen to reason.” “We must rescue Brian” Luna replied. “Yes, let’s go now!” Dash exclaimed and spread out her wings. “Wait Dash we need to think this through if we don’t we will be captured and Brian still a prisoner” I stated. From what I could tell by her wings twitching Dash dint know what to do but after a minute she folded them again. “Right, we need a plan.” We went into the house and sat in the living room “Ok, now Dash where did Celest take Brian?” I asked. Dashes eyes widened “I actually don’t know.” “Then, where were you about to fly to a few minutes ago?” “I haven’t the slightest idea I guess to Canterlot that’s where the dungeons are.” “That does make sense our sister would most likely take Brian there. Tell me did thou see which way she took him?” Luna asked. “No her guards tackled me when I tried to stop her in the house and held me in there as she took him away.” “Ok, Thing?” I called. “Yes master?” “See if any of the creatures in my spy network knows where Celest took Brian” Thing gave a salute with his claw then slithered outside. I then looked back at Dash “It will take some time to gather information I recommend getting some sleep.” “But I can’t sleep not…when…my…fa..t” I looked over and saw that Luna was casting some type of sleeping spell on Dash. “Hush little one we shall wake thou when we learn anything new” Luna stated. It dint take long for Dash to fall asleep. I went over picked her up and put her into the spare rooms bed then came back to talk with Luna. “What do you think we should do?” I asked her. Luna did not answer for she did not know what to think about all that happened. I put my hand on her cheek which she pressed against “It’s going to be all right.” It took about a day to get word from the different creatures that I had watching Celest but when the news came it was not good. Celest had apparently figured out that we came back to Everfree Forrest and was gathering a large number of her guards to search it. Brian we found out was being held in the dungeons of Canterlot’s castle but he was heavily guarded. This piece of news Dash took particularly hard and wanted to rush into the dungeons to free her father as soon as possible. This we convinced her not to do until we could come up with a plan to rescue him. “At least he is unhurt” I told Dash who only nodded half listening. Just then a tap came on the window from a Raven that acted as a spy in my network. Luna went over and received the message and then walked back towards us clearly disturbed. “Jackson we are in trouble” She stated. “What has happened, what’s wrong? “My sister was indeed gathering ponies to search the forest in fact it’s the royal forces.” “The army?” “Yes, she has declared war on thou and all who support you. She has vowed to not stop her invasion of Everfree until thou hath been captured.” “It’s just one thing after another. When will they get here?” “Three days from what the raven told us. Jackson we know my sister and she will not stop until thou have been captured. ” “What should we do if the army comes into the Forest the creatures will attack them for they don’t recognize the rule of your family over their land. Then there will be a war…war, that’s a word I never expected to hear in Equestria. Such a horrible creation that brings about destruction, death, hate, and sorrow but Celest throws the word around like its nothing but a word. Such stupidity, she’s acting like a child who finds a loaded gun and starts to play with it like it’s a toy. No, I shall not let it happen I know the affects of war better than anybody here. If there is bloodshed it will forever change this world and darken the hearts of those in it.” I then looked at Luna “I am being selfish putting myself before thousands of others, putting them at risk so I may escape my fate. I won’t let war destroy this world as it did mine I will not have my second home ruined by it.” I then looked at Dash, Luna, and Thing “I refuse to lose any more friends to war that accused word. I will go to Canterlot and let Celest wipe my memories and hopefully negotiate to keep her wrath from all of you.” I then got up suddenly tired and headed to my room leaving three very shocked creatures in my living room. My name is Jackson Turner and after four years of Celest wanting to erase my memories she will soon have her wish. It’s funny I would think that losing who I am would be the most frightening thing to me but that turned out to be untrue. What does scare me even more than forgetting who I am is losing those that I love…again. P.S. War is hate and hate is war they cannot exist without the other. This story was not written by or endorsed by Hasbro, it is entirely a nonprofit story created by a reader of the My little Dashi series and has not been written by or endorsed by the creators of my little Dashi either. > A War in Paradise > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A War in Paradise By. Puking Coyote My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 27. It has been what I can guess five hours since I went to bed. The sun’s rays were just starting to peek through the window as morning started to begin. I hardly slept at all since my decision last night to let Celest wipe my mind in order to prevent the oncoming war. I rolled over and stared at the wall a few minutes before getting up when I entered the living room I saw Luna sleeping on the couch. I looked around and saw thing sleeping in his little bed in the corner. I decided not to wake them and opened the door to go for a walk outside. Just then I realized that the door was rebuilt I looked back at Thing again and saw him gripping a small hammer; the poor guy must have spent the whole night rebuilding the door. As I stepped outside the sun’s rays seemed to greet me but I knew that the one who raised it would not be so pleasant. I took only one of the wolves on my walk leaving the other to watch the house. As I moved under the trees to nowhere in particular I thought long and hard of my decision last night. It did seem to be the logical thing to do my memories for the stability of Equestria, the wolf disagreed but he also decided not try to stop me if I went to confront Celest in Canterlot. In fact he was willing to come with me and be turned to stone as well if I wanted him to this was a sentiment that I knew the other wolf would have as well. “Your loyalty always amazes me” I stated to him “I am very lucky to have you as a friend.” He thanked me for my reply as we continued walking the woods grassy floor. For those who do not know Timberwolves do not speak like normal people or ponies for that matter but instead they are very expressive and talk more with their eyes than anything else. They understand spoken language but it was only when I learned how to understand their expressions and feelings was I able to communicate with them. At times I can understand the wolves better than the ponies for the ponies liked to mask their true feelings where the wolves did not. It might be hard for many to understand but I know exactly what the wolves are saying. As we walked it occurred to me that this might be the last time I would ever see the Forest again and that thought saddened me especially as I thought about how much of a blessing it had been . In fact I had also been blessed with good friends and even though this world might not have been made for me I did feel at home. I looked over at a tree and saw something sticking out of its roots half buried I went over and unburied it. After wiping the dirt from its clear surface I began to weep for it was my holo picture from so long ago, this was the place where I first came to Equestria. After running energy through its frame to charge the batteries it turned on and began to show the soft glow of me and my comrades on the battle cruiser Spitekin’s deck. “I thought that I lost you” I said to it. “In a way it’s appropriate to find you before I lose everything again. I wish that we all could have been together longer before the invasion but it seems to be my curse to always lose what is most precious to me.” I looked at the picture closer then put it into my pocket “Anyone of us would have sacrificed ourselves to end that war. I will not dishonor your memory by letting another start in this world as well, not when I can stop it.” I then carved my name into a stone at the base of the tree then started to head back with renewed dedication to my decision to let Celest wipe my memories and turn me to stone. As I arrived back at the house Luna saw me “Jackson! We were so worried we thought that thou went to confront our sister.” She ran up and hugged me almost squeezing the life out of me. She then let go letting me breath I took a few seconds then replied to her “I went for a walk but I am leaving today.” I then reached for my pocket and took out the holo picture and handed it to her “I found this in the area where I first came to Equestria.” She took it and stared into the image for a long time “A window to another world, your world.” She then touched the glass screen with her hoof “There all dead now aren’t they?” “Yes.” “This is the cost of war then? I understand why you want to prevent it.” She then handed the picture out to me. “I want you to have it I doubt that I could see when I am a statue anyway.” She nodded and floated it into her pouch resting on the table “Then thou are going to Canterlot?” “I must.” She then looked away “We thought that thou might have changed your mind.” She then looked behind me and I turned to see Dash holding a box I recognized it from the baked goods store in Ponyville. “I grabbed some cupcakes since Thing was not able to prepare breakfast in time.” Dash replied as she entered the house and put them onto the counter. She then took out two cupcakes and gave them to the wolves outside. “Thank you Dash” I replied taking one then bit into it. “I know that it’s not much but I wanted to get you something before you go.” I then noticed that Dash and Luna were not eating “are you going to eat any?” “Nope they are just for you and the wolves.” Just then I started to feel woozy “wait, wha… what’s going on” I stumbled against the counter and knocked the cupcakes onto the ground before falling myself. Luna caught me with her magic and gently placed me onto the ground then all went black. When I came to I was strapped to a chair in a dark room “Where am I, what’s going on? Dash... Luna!” I demanded into the darkness. Dash then appeared “I’m sorry but we could not let you do it. We could not let you give yourself to Celestia.” “What have you done?!” I replied struggling against the ropes tying me down. “If I don’t go Celest will cast Equestria into war!” “Actually your too late for that” Luna replied coming out of the shadows. “What, how long have I been out?” “About six days” Dash replied then Luna’s horn began to glow letting me see that we were in a cave. I could see that the Timberwolves and Thing were also tied up against a wall sleeping. “The princess has been searching the Forest for about two days now and we had to relocate when she came to close to the house.” “What about the creatures of the Forest?” “They attacked many of the soldiers and wounded them but Celestia is pushing them back that is why we need you.” “For what?” Luna came up to me “we thought that we could gather the creatures and win the war but we are losing, badly. Already I have fought my sister and barely made it back without being captured, we need you.” I lowered my eyes from them they were in a bind I could see it in their faces and Celest would not forgive them for opposing her. “So I was not able to prevent the war? Figures, most of my life is filled with it so it was only natural that it follow me here.” I then looked back up at them “Why did you do it?” “Because it was unjust and I love you we can’t allow my sister to take thou away from us.” “What right does a man have to cast a world into turmoil and destroy thousands just to live a normal life? What right do I have Luna?!” She stared at with her big blue eyes “And by what right are thou to be denied a normal life? Just because thou art different than those in this land, should thou lose everything again?” I sat there thinking to myself before replying “The war has already started and you two are already in trouble with Celest. I no longer have a reason to give myself up to her.” I then looked at them “all that matters to me now is protecting my friends.” “So thou will help?” “Yes, I will take command and we will win.” Luna then untied me “Thank you, both of you I know what you sacrificed for me.” It didn’t take long for the wolves and Thing to be woken up and they were not at all happy after I told them what happened but they soon forgave Luna and Dash when they heard their reasons. However all four of us agreed never to eat cupcakes again. I quickly got in contact with many of the Forest creatures who were ecstatic that I had come back to them to fight against Celest’s army. It didn’t take me long to figure out the state of our forces and how Luna had sent them out to Counter Celest’s forces. It was one of the worst strategies that I ever seen and I quickly reorganized them after that I pinpointed where Celest’s forces were and the path they were following, this I put onto a map that I created of the area. The enemy was taking very predictable paths through the forest and I formed many strategies in my head. The enemy outnumbered our forces 5 to 1 and had a great deal of magic on their side this of course called for guerilla tactics. As I looked over the map that the creatures were helping me make I saw something very interesting about a clearing and formulated a very daring strategy that Celest couldn’t hope to ever predict . It took the whole day but I was able to organize the dragons, birds, wolves and other creatures into military cells and set them out to start guerilla warfare. However I did tell my forces to take the ponies alive at all cost and not to kill wherever possible. I then gathered a force of 150 dragons and 300 land creatures and went out to the front to face Celest. My forces were 100 dragons for my air power with 50 in reserve and 200 land creatures with 100 in reserve. It took the day to set up our defenses were Celest and her main force was to come through but by night we were ready. The next morning we were face to face with Celest and her forces which numbered about 800 Pegasus and 1,000 pony warriors. Right then I wished that we had a good energy cannon to face them with but unfortunately we were left with ancient tactics and weapons. “I hope this plan works” Luna commented as we stared into the distance at the large mass of enemy forces coming our way. “If Celest has not changed her strategies since the last time you two fought then it will” I replied. I was surprisingly not nervous for after the sprites I had become accustomed to war and the horrors that it unveils but Luna and the other creatures of Equestria were not. I was going to use their inexperience to my advantage “Luna give the signal.” Luna nodded and shot a flare into the sky from her horn in response the main force of dragons took to the air. They had flew about halfway to Celest when they were meet by the Pegasus’s who were all carrying dark clouds of many sizes. As they collided the air was filled by an array of dragon fire and lightning from the Pegasus clouds. The battle in the air started to turn badly for the dragons but they kept the Pegasus’s busy while Celest’s forces started to get into place. I nodded to Luna who shot another flare and the dragons started their retreat with the Pegasus’s hot on their heels. Like I had planned Celest sent them all after the dragons and left her ground forces very vulnerable from the air. I then gave Luna the signal to activate the 50 dragons in reserve who came flying at the enemies main force and started to scorch the earth around them. The clearing that the enemy was in was filled with Gloxian flowers which by themselves were not dangerous but when they are burned they give out a poison that will paralyze any pony that breaths it for a week and I chose this location for that particular reason. As the dragons scorched the earth around the tightly packed lines of Celest’s army they made a fiery ring around them to prevent the ponies from escaping. Soon all but a few of the ponies who were with Celest were on the ground paralyzed by the plants fumes. On the other side of the landscape the enemies air force was being routed by my first dragon force for they fell into another of my traps. The dragons as I instructed them lead the Pegasus’s into a mouth of a volcano its heat and strong drafts destroyed the clouds they were carrying leaving them defenseless to the dragons counter attack. I then shot a flare of my own and my ground forces covered by the reserved dragons started their charge against Celest. Once she saw me Celest gave a cry of anger and charged at us as well, Luna flew up to face her sister while I stayed with the ground forces to take care of the remainder of the enemy. Everything was going as planned that is until Twilight and her friends (except Dash) showed up with the Elements of Harmony. The incomplete Elements by themselves could not have stopped our forces but when some of the creatures saw Fluttershy they stopped fighting. The wolves and dragons did not stop but the manticores and some of the other races did. This turned the tide of the battle towards, well, nobody’s favor it was probably even that is until the dragons arrived back from the volcano but that was going to take some time. I decided that if we were to win I would have to defeat the Elements of Harmony myself. “Jackson you’re not going to face them are you?” Dash asked. “If I don’t then we can’t support Luna and Celest might win” I replied looking up at the fight between Luna and her sister. “Then I am coming with you they are my friends after all.” We then made our way across the battle field only stopping to fight when a pony got in our way. “Dash! What are you doing?” Twilight asked when we confronted them. “I am going to rescue my dad that’s what I am doing!” Dash exclaimed. “What are you talking about?” “Princess Celestia is holding him hostage to force me to help you turn Jackson into stone.” “What are you talking about sugar cube? Celestia would never do a thing like that” Applejack replied. Rarity cocked her head “she’s right the princess is too kind hearted and civilized to do such a barbaric thing.” “She did and we are going to rescue him.” “Listen” Twilight stated “I don’t know anything about your dad but I do know that Jackson attacked Princess Celestia in her throne room and is now waging war against Equestria and must be stopped.” “Augh, am I going to be blamed for everything! Listen Twilight I know that your protective of your mentor but this is Celest’s fault. Luna and I went to Canterlot to tell her that we are dating and she flipped out. She has got it in her head that I am trying to take over the world but I am not!” “How are we to believe something as ridicules as that? That has to be the dumbness lie that I have ever heard.” “It is true” Dash cut in “just ask Princess Luna she’s fighting Celestia as we speak.” Twilight looked up and saw the incredible battle against the two princesses “That is Luna” she then looked back down at me. “You brainwashed her didn’t you?” “What? No!” I replied taken aback. Twilights horn then started to glow as well as the jewels around her friends “I don’t believe you! If Princess Celestia says you are bad then you. If you’re going to lie and say that someone else started a war then don’t blame the nicest pony in all of Equestria.” “I don’t even know why I bother no pony will believe the truth because Celest has blinded them to it.” “Shut up and become stone!” Twilight shouted. We then clashed powers, like I said the Elements of Harmony were incomplete but they still magnified Twilights powers tenfold. I started to lose my grip against the power but when Dash kicked Twilight in the face I regained the advantage. “Even without the extra power from the Elements I think that you have gotten stronger in your magic” I stated. I looked over at Dash and realized that she had been captured and was now struggling against Applejack and Rarity. “Thanks I have been practicing” Twilight replied. “However, you still have a lot to learn about fighting smartly.” I then summoned two cords that gripped Twilights back legs and raised her high into the air letting her tiara the centerpiece of the elements fall to the ground. “Twi!” Applejack yelled then let go of Dash to get to her friend. “No you don’t” I then summoned cords to entangle them all Pinkypie was the last and the most difficult to get but I managed to tie her up as well.” Dash then went and took the elements from them “Sorry Twilight, but I need to do this for my dad’s sake.” “You have been brainwashed, you’re all brainwashed!” I then went up to Twilight and looked her in the eyes “She’s not the one that has been brainwashed.” “Everything was fine until you arrived here, why couldn’t you stay in your world and leave us alone!” She screamed as I began walking away turning into my Pegasus form. The battle on the ground was won the wolves were just mopping up the last of the soldiers but the battle with Celest was just beginning. I took to the air to join Luna against her sister the last confrontation. I didn’t know what I could really do I was never able to give any real challenge to Celest before but I had to help Luna. I looked deep within my new form and found an ability that I had yet to try it was a mixture of my new magic and living energy. I opened my mouth and shot an energy beam out of it striking Celest, it did not really hurt her but it did send her flying a few feet and allowed Luna to get a good shot at her before Celest recovered. “Luna” I called as I flew up to her. “Jackson thank you I was starting to lose to her.” I then looked at Celest who was suddenly surrounded by the dragons and losing her ground to their numbers “Now the tables have turned.” Luna and I then joined the battle, Celest could not hold her own against our numbers especially when the dragons arrived back from the volcano and she fell to the ground defeated. I quickly tied her up with steel cords as Luna made sure that Celest could not use her magic. “What now?” I asked. Luna looked at me then her sister “We don’t know.” “Just kill me! I know that you want to you dirty human” Celest shouted then spat at me. “The last thing that I want to do is kill you, I was not lying when I said that I wanted peace between us” I replied. “But first you need to free Brian what you did to him and Dash was evil he did not deserve to be a hostage for your war.” “That’s right” Dash stated as she came over to us. “You will release my father now.” “Fine” Celest replied bitterly. “Princess Celestia you didn’t…” Twilight whispered however Celest ignored her. “I suppose that you will want control of my world now Jackson?” she asked harshly. “No, I want no such thing but the creatures here were fighting not just for me but also their independence you will give that to them.” Celest said nothing “Also I would want you to accept me and Luna.” “That I cannot do.” “I know that you hate humans in your world but we are here, get over it.” “If you think that I would marry you two so you can take over the world forget it I will fight you and even if it takes a thousand years I will stop you. You can’t be married into the family without the ruler of Equestria’s blessing.” “Then I will give it” a familiar voice suddenly reigned in the air. Celest’s eyes widened “No!” “Yes” the voice said then the figure of Discord appeared. “How did thou escape?” Luna demanded. “The Elements of Harmony work best when there’s Harmony which this little war had fortunately for me weakened.” He then appeared in front of me and Luna “I was very pleased with what I saw from you willing to give yourself up to Celestia to prevent this war. I am also happy that Luna drugged you otherwise you would be stone and I would have never seen the amazing strategic mind of a human in action.” “How do you know such things?” I asked. “I see more than Celestia gives me credit for like even now you are signaling to Rainbow Dash to give the Elements of Harmony back to Twilight Sparkle while you keep me distracted.” He then snapped his fingers and the Elements in Dashes mouth became a bucket of fish. “I can’t allow that you see I am tired of being turned to stone. Therefore I am willing to take you up on your offer.” “What offer is that?” “Don’t you remember? You were reading about me and asked why Celestia and I could not make some arrangement to share power and stop our bickering over the throne.” “Yes…I was reading in the throne room and asked your statue what it thought about having a chaos week where you could rule Equestria with chaos then things go back to normal. I didn’t think that you could hear me though after all you were a statue at the time.” “No, I could hear you very well for when you’re a statue you don’t lose consciousness. No, your awake and know what’s going on but you can’t move in fact it is a horrible existence, one that I had to live for the longest of time. You are lucky that you did not meet the same fate as I did. It’s strange that your weak compared to Celestia but you managed to escape her judgment all these years I could learn a few things from you Jackson my boy.” “So you want to make friends with Celest in order to keep yourself from being turned to stone again?” I then thought about it “there’s some type of rules that you must follow isn’t there? Otherwise you would have gotten rid of Celest a long time ago, you are clearly more powerful than she is.” “Yes, there are rules even in chaos otherwise there could be no harmony. For if there was no chaos there would be no harmony since there would be nothing to compare it to the same could be said the other way around.” “I see, so you have to act irrationally for it’s who you are at least for the most part.” “Like I said Jackson you have some chaos in you otherwise you could not have figured it out” Discord replied with a smile. “Anyway you defeated Celestia so you are by rights the new ruler Equestria so I ask you do we have a deal?” “A week of chaos every year like a holiday celebrating the first ruler of Equestria, then things will go back to normal the state of harmony?” Discord nodded I then looked at Luna. “I think that if thou art not tricking us it is a fair deal. My sister does not trust thou but she does not trust Jackson as well, we say yes” she replied. “Ok, you have a deal but if this is some type of trickery then we will be force to turn you back to stone, understand?” “Nope it is against every fiber of my being but for once I shall not trick the ponies of Equestria in my promise. One week a year is fine but the week for the year in question must be random such is the nature of chaos now for my side of the bargain you shall be wed.” “What do you mean?” “I am going to marry you and Luna I thought that I made that intention clear.” “No you can’t! Discord you…” Celest began but then a zipper appeared on her face and zipped her mouth closed. “What like now?!” I asked ignoring what happened to Celest. “Of course, no time like the present, and look I have your best man” just then Brian appeared wearing a tux. “What’s going on?” Brian asked. “I think me and Jackson are getting married” Luna answered very confused. “Oh…ok” Brian then looked around at all the collapsed ponies and creatures of the Forest and his eyes widened “did I miss something?!” “Oh, nothing too big just war and Celestia lost” Dash replied while running up to her father giving him a big hug. “Wait war, are you hurt, how many died?” “Actually nobody did” Discord answered “the ponies do not have it in them to kill and Jackson told his forces not to kill so they didn’t. Don’t you see the chaos in it? It’s a major war where nobody died absolutely priceless.” “A war where nobody died” I said to myself happy of the news “who could have guessed.” “Well let’s get this show on the road” discord continued “dearly beloved we are gathered here today.” “Wait your starting now?” “Yes, don’t you want to marry her?” “Well yeah, but…” “What about you Luna?” “Yes, however I…” “Good here are your rings” a ring then appeared on both of our hoofs “you are now married, congratulations.” Just then a huge surge of magic filled me and I could feel a horn grow on my head as I became stronger than what I ever thought possible. It was as if the sudden surge of magic and my energy became one I then collapsed and blanked out for a second before coming too. “What happened?” I asked. “I told thou would become an alicorn remember?” Luna replied. “That was unexpected” Discord replied. “Your magic is stronger than it should be for a royal pony there must have been something special about that energy you had. I wonder, you might even be as powerful as me.” “If that is true then I guess you’re grateful that we made that agreement then” I replied getting up. “Truly” he then took the zipper off of Celest’s mouth “here is your new brother Celestia. I saw what you did to the two of them starting this war and all but now is your chance to congratulate them and to try make up for what you have done.” Celest did not say anything but her look was that of a pony who was defeated in every way. “There’s one thing that I can’t stand is someone who hates based on race I mean look at me I have just about every race in my makeup, you need to learn to accept Jackson for what he is inside.” Discord then looked at me “I will see you around Jackson my boy” he then disappeared in a flash of party streamers which fell to the ground. Celest then got up now freed and flew away towards Canterlot without saying a single word about what had happened. Luna then looked at me “Are thou ok?” I thought about all that happened in just a short amount of time and started to feel overwhelmed by it all “I have the biggest headache right now.” We spent the rest of the day helping the wounded from the war and just like Discord said nobody was killed during the whole ordeal. I stayed in my pony form for that seemed easier for Celest’s soldiers to cope with when I tried to help them. Later that evening Luna started to prepare to raise the moon and to bring about the night. Her chariot arrived and to our amazement her guards including Fredrix were with it. He told us that Celest freed them when she came back to the castle. Luna came over and rubbed her head under mine then looked at me “Will thou come? I did promise to take you the moon someday.” “Yes, I will come” I then got onto the chariot and we took off through the vortex like I have seen Luna do so many times before. My name is Jackson, many times I have wondered what the right thing is and sometimes I still wonder for is it following logic or ones heart? The more time that passes the more I am thinking that it might be a mixture of both but with a definite lean towards the heart. So for now I will make sure to follow my heart even if logic tells me not to. P.S. Life is but a dream and nobody wants to wake up from it. > Sprite is a Sprite > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sprite is a Sprite By. Puking Coyote My name is Jackson Turner, Male age 28. It has been a year since the Great War in Everfree Forest which I still live in when I am not staying at the castle in Canterlot. Me and Luna have been happily married for a year now…wow, one year it seems hard to believe that I was about to throw it all away before the Everfree war when Celest threatened invasion if I did not turn myself in. Celest barely talks to me and is very hostile but since I am technically now royalty she does not argue about my being in the castle. As a new member of the royal family I have to find a way to serve the ponies of Equestria. Luna explained that every member of the royal family is provided with deep magic so they can make the world more stable and better for all the creatures in it. Celest rose the sun and Luna brought forth the night but I so far had no idea what I was meant to do this question confounded me to no end. Even discord knew what he was meant to do and brought chaos when a situation called for it I found that his chaos usually taught a hidden lesson to whoever he was doing it to. However Discord did not use his magic to warp the world except one week a year and in his home which was constantly changing places. I have been to his home a few times where we had good conversations which helped us to understand each other better. We only became friends though when Discord created The Chaotic Game which was a mixture of chess, cards, dice, and hopscotch that he taught me since that time we became good rivals in the game and were currently tied in wins. Discord had also taught me much on how to use my new abilities for they were very similar to his own with a few exceptions that is. He even let me help him in Discord week last month which was meet with mixed emotions from all the ponies I thought that it was great fun, Dash however did not agree. Dash and Brian still lived in Ponyville and Twilight moved back to Canterlot to continue her studies in magic with Celest. Twilight I had learned became part of the royal family when her brother Shining Armor the captain of the guards married Princess Cadance. Princess Cadance’s special ability was to spread love wherever she went while Twilights brother who like me was gifted with deep magic through marriage protected Equestria from evils of other dimensions with his shielding ability. His spell was very strong and protected the world from evil almost like a lamination coating on a card. I have meet Twilights brother and her new sister-n-law but that’s about it, we really don’t talk to each other. They however didn’t seem like bad ponies from what I can tell. It seemed that everybody knew what their purpose in this world was except me for even though I still maintained order in the now free Everfree Forest I did not know what my main function was to be. I still maintain a good connection with the creatures of the forest after the war and helped them whatever way I could for they sheltered me and were loyal even as Celest invaded their land. I had recently helped them set up a government system which I was voted to be the leader of which surprised me for I did not even put my name on the ballet. My win over Celest and the freeing of Everfree forest from her rule had made me a hero in their eyes and they begged me to take the position of their leader until I could not refuse without hurting the weak treaty they had made with Celest. I had managed to stabilize and even build the Forest’s communities and after I told the Forest creatures not to attack the ponies that came into their land peacefully the two countries were able to start coexisting. During this time I had gotten used to my stallion form and stayed in it most of the time when I was around the ponies but I did change back to my human form when I was in the Everfree forest. This was because the different creatures felt more at ease with either my stallion or human form. I however was fine with either one for my human form I could use my hands which were more practical for projects than hoofs and in my stallion form I could fly. I was currently in my stallions form flying back to Canterlot from Ponyville. Flying as Dash would say and I agree a hundred percent is totally awesome! I had many times flown with Dash and the other Wonderbolts, a perk of being a part of the royal family, and learned just about every trick in the book on how to maximize my speed and mobility in the air. I had even learned to use my energy to give me an extra boost in my wings which would glow bright white as I would outrace the other Wonderbolts. I could even bust through the sonic barrier and a firework display of little exploding embers would follow behind my wings a ability much like Dashe’s sonic rainboom. Even thought I could beat the other Wonderbolts when Dash and I would race breaking the sound barrier she always seemed to beat me however just barely. As Canterlot came into view I banked towards the castle where Celest was on duty watching for trouble in the land through a huge magical telescope. The telescope helped those who looked into it to see most evil auroras that were being given off from Equestria or the dimensions around it. I landed onto the platform and folded my wings “Good day Celest” I said trying my best to be polite. She mumbled something back under her breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear that” I replied knowing full well that she made a snide comment to me. “Nothing” she replied “leave me alone I’m working.” “Sure thing…sis” that last comment made her very mad and I could see her face start turning red as she tried to hold her tongue. I quickly went into the castle to avoid another confrontation for even though Luna told me that being nice to Celest would make her come around she was making it very difficult to do so. I was no longer afraid of Celest for in truth I think that I am now much more powerful than her but neither she nor I wanted to put that to the test. As I entered my room I was greeted by the two Timberwolves which I decided to keep as my guards instead of the normal pony soldiers for in truth after all the time that the two of them stuck by me I trusted them completely. I then plopped onto the bed and fell to sleep. It wasn’t long before I was woken up by a pounding on the door. “Jackson?” a pony called. “Yes?” “Mail is here.” “Great slip it under the door” he did. I stared at the door as I heard the hoof steps of the mailpony gallop away. I then diverted my attention to the white letter and saw that it was from Brian I quickly went over and read it. Dear Jackson Applejacks farm was recently destroyed by a creature called a Parasprite and I was wondering if you could use your magic to repair it otherwise Ponyville will be without much needed food this year. Your friend Brian I read the letter again I was going to get some sleep before seeing Luna tonight when she came back from her visit to a local village but this was more urgent. I wrote a note for Luna explaining where I went then took off from Canterlot. When I arrived in Ponyville I went straight to Applejacks farm it was completely ruined every leaf and apple on the trees were completely gone. I then started to work my magic and brought all the trees from the brink of death and crafted leaves onto them. As they had recovered I shot one last bit of magic to make the apples on the trees grow exceedingly fast to make up for the time that was already lost in the growing season. It took about an hour to fix all the trees for it was a big orchard and the trees were badly damaged but I finally finished. It was starting to get dark and since I was in no hurry I went to see Brian. “Jackson? Come in, come in” he stated when I came knocking on his door. “I hope I’m not intruding.” “Nonsense hey Dashie look who came to visit!’ I saw Dash come into the room from the kitchen “Hey Jackson, what’s up?!” “Oh no” I thought as I saw her covered in flour and other ingredients which meant only one thing Dash was trying to cook. “So I guess that you read my letter then” Brian commented “are you going to help?” “Actually I just finished” I replied. “Wow that was fast.” “You’re done? Then you can stay for dinner!” Dash replied excited. That was the last thing that I wanted to do if Dash was cooking “Actually I was going to meet up with Luna.” “Oh, I guess that is important” she replied disappointed “where is she?” I looked up and concentrated I could feel a powerful force somewhere around the area “Hmmm I think that she might actually be in Ponyville.” I then thanked my luck for getting out of eating whatever horror awaited in the kitchen. “I should meet her it’s been a few days since we last saw each other.” “Why is that?” Brian asked. She’s just got back from…” Just then a knock came at the door and my heart skipped a beat as a silent scream echoed through my mind. “Hold that thought Jackson” Brian stated then went and opened the door “Hi Luna.” I could hear them converse like background music as I walked slowly towards a hangman’s noose. I slowly turned to them as I heard her reply “We would love to stay for dinner.” I made a slight eeap sound as my mind seemed to crack apart like a thin piece of glass. I was so close from escaping the horror than I must now endure. Luna heard my gasp of fright and looked around Brian at me “Jackson, we thought that we might find thou here, I got thou’s letter.” She then came inside “Dash is making us dinner isn’t that nice of her?” She had never eaten Dashes cooking before and now she was trapped like me and didn’t even know it. “Yes it is” I replied through my clenched teeth all the while thinking “my poor Luna.” “Yes, I shall make a meal worthy of royalty then!” Dash cried excited she then grabbed more ingredients and disappeared into the kitchen again. “Oh no” I thought Brian then pulled out a chair at the table for Luna who sat down then he pulled one out for me. I sat down like a condemned man preparing to meet his maker. Luna and Brian talked about her trip as I listened to the pots clinking in the kitchen followed by an occasional “oww” from Dash. I had Dashes’ cooking only twice and both times I have barely made it through without puking. Actually the last time I was sick for a week with horrible stomach cramps. The last thing that I wanted to do was hurt Dashes feelings but I didn’t think that I could eat her cooking again. Luna must have noticed my silence “Jackson is thou well?” she asked. “Yes, why wouldn’t I be” I answered almost choking on my words when I heard a pot hit the floor and Dash curse. “Well your face just looks a little white is all” she replied clearly concerned. I was about to answer but then Dash came out of the kitchen and started to place dishes of stuff in front of us. I looked at my plate and saw a mixture of brownish green crunchy goo. Luna then understood as she stared at the food wide eyed then she looked up to me basically asking what it was. “I don’t know” I mouthed back to her very fearful of the thing that was place before me. “This is very…interesting food” Luna commented poking with her hoof a weird looking roll that instantly deflated. “Thank you” Dash replied sitting at the table she and Brian then started eating soon Dash looked up at me and Luna. “Aren’t you going to eat? It’s not too hot so you two don’t have to let it cool.” I looked at my plate and took a gulp, this was it my judgment day, I tried my best to steady my hand as I slid my spoon into the slimy stuff that looked like it could come alive at any moment I then brought it to my face and after a long starring match took a bite. “How do you like it?! I changed the recipes and added more spices since the last time you tried it after all the more spices the better!” I did my best not to gag as the food creped its way down my throat burning as it went down as if punishing me for daring to eat it. “Its…great…” I managed to say through my silent tears. It was in truth the worst thing that Dash had cooked yet. “Yes, you have certainly outdone yourself” Brian commented. I looked at Luna who also took a bite and could see the struggle on her face as she tried not to throw up right there and then. “Its…good…” she managed to comment in a soft wimpy voice, in it I could hear her suffering. I looked over and saw that Brian and Dash had already eaten their food and were now watching us. I knew from talking to Brian that he knew that Dashes food cooking was terrible but after so many years of eating it he had no problem gulping it down. He was actually the one that convinced me to tell Dash that the food was good even though it was not. I however did not know why Dash kept cooking and how she could eat what she made she had to know that it was bad. I even wondered at times if she used her cooking to torture people for fun, like a bad prank. Luna looked at me with her blue eyes pleading for help I answered back in kind then we both looked back down at the stuff on our plates. It took a while force down what was place in front of us and just when we thought that we were done Dash placed on the table a white burnt pie looking blob with whip cream on top. “Dessert!” she exclaimed with a smile of pride. Luna and I almost broke down crying right there as Dash placed a slice in front of all of us. The pies filling had black and red in it which made me think that it was at one time cherry filling that was until I saw the green mixed into it as well. “I better not I am watching my figure” Luna replied. “Oh, ok” Dash replied. I was amazed that Luna could get out of it that easily in fact I was jealous of it. Dash then put the slice in front of me “Jackson can eat it for you then.” Luna gave a small sorrowful cringe then gave an apologetic smile as I glared at her. I took a minute to psych myself up for the challenge then I started to eat the two pie slices, I don’t know how except for divine intervention but I managed to eat both pieces. After we were done eating we said our goodbyes to Dash and Brian then left the house, as soon as Brian shut the door we both dashed for the woods and began to vomit. We made it to my house in the woods where Luna fell onto the couch and I collapsed onto the Living room floor. “Dash is going to cook for us isn’t that nice of her” I stated. “We didn’t know” she moaned “thou could have warned us!” “We were trapped it’s that simple” just then my stomach started to gurgle and I began to drag myself across the floor to the bathroom. “How do they eat that stuff?” she asked. “I don’t know” I replied taking my head out of the toilet. Just then Luna came stumbling in and puked missing the bowl entirely hitting the wall she then fell to the ground as well “Should we call a doctor?” she moaned. “Probably” I replied but we both just laid on the floor not able to move. “I think that I see the light.” “That’s just the bathroom light Luna.” “Oh” I pressed my head against the toilets cool surface “At least you never had to eat her cider.” “Doesn’t thou mean drink?” “Not when it comes out in chunks.” She then gave a short laugh then passed out. I went to throw up in the toilet and missed by mere inches then I too lost consciousness. I woke up the next morning in my bed my stomach was killing me like someone coated it with acid. I tried to get up but I could not “Please master you and Luna are extremely ill and should stay in bed” Thing replied putting a cold cloth on my head. “Luna?” I then turned my head and saw her sleeping in a cold sweat obviously sick “What does Dash put in her food?” I then asked myself out loud. “Ah, Dashes cooking that would explain it then” Thing replied. “When I found you both in the bathroom covered in vomit I feared that you were poisoned.” “In a way we were.” I then looked at the ceiling “the more spices the better my foot. One of these days she’s going to accidently make mustard gas or cyanide. “ “I hope that you are not there that day master” thing replied. “You and me both.” It took Luna two days to get over the sickness of Dashes cooking but since I had those pieces of pie it took me three. However we both had occasional stomach pains for the rest of the week. Luna soon had to go back to Canterlot but I decided to stay in the Forest a little longer to relax. During this time I read my books and was just taking a break in my study from a story of the great dragon Jusper when I saw the pink flowery curtains over the window. Luna had put them up a month ago and I had still not found a way to get rid of them without hurting her feelings. I really didn’t care about any of the other decorations in the house but this was my study darn it. I was in the middle of entertaining the idea of telling Luna that the curtains spontaneously combusted when I realized what day it was. Today was fall and even thought I wasn’t doing anything I remembered that I had never lifted the magic on Applejacks orchard to make everything grow fast. If she was to harvest them the apples would rot away in just a few days. I quickly got up and after changing into my horses form I flew off to the orchard. When I arrived I was relieved that the harvest had not yet begun in fact when I looked around I saw that little to nothing had been done. I quickly lifted my spell and went to the nearest group of ponies to see what was going on. “What do you mean that the ponies have not painted the leaves yet?” The mayor asked Applejack very disturbed. “We can’t the weather still is not clear, if it rains before the paint sinks in then it will be last year all over again.” The mayor then looked at Dash “What are you ponies doing up there? We are way behind schedule and have only finished three sections.” “It’s not my fault” Dash replied “the cloud maker is on the frits again.” I stood there listening to the ponies they were so busy arguing that they did not even noticed me. “This is why I like Everfree Forest” I thought “its weather works on its own without anybody’s help.” I then saw Applejack and Dash butt heads in anger as they tried to stare each other down. “Excuse me, Madam Mayor?” I spoke up. They then all looked at me “Prince Jackson” they stated and gave a slight bow. “Please no need for formalities” I then looked around “I couldn’t help but overhear that you are behind schedule any particular reason?” “Well, Twilight Sparkle usually organized us during these events but since she went back to Canterlot…I have been trying my best” the mayor said apologetically. “Well let’s take a look” I then floated her clip board to me. The words were totally illiterate and half of the pages were scribbled out. What I could read however was so disorganized that I could not believe that the mayor of Ponyville had written it. I looked up from the pages and squinted my eyes making her give an embarrassed smile followed by a squeak. “Well the good news is that you will be able to make fall happen, the bad news is that it will take up to next summer to do it.” “What impossible!” she then took the clipboard and began to run over her notes. She then realized that while she had most of the crew creating fall that there was another crew tearing up the completed sections again. “Aughhh I can’t believe this even with magic falls going to be late, again!” “I dint think that you used magic for the changing of the seasons that you were the only town in Equestria to do things the traditional way?” “Your thinking of Spring, during the rest of the seasons we use magic” Dash replied. “Do you recon that you could help us here sugar cube?” Applejack asked “We could certainly use it.” I thought about it “Well…Discord did teach me how to manipulate the land, so I think I can.” I then spread out my wings and took to the skies I looked around at the mess that the ponies had made and shook my head. Letting my magic flow from my wings like shinny dust falling onto the land I began to change the land into a fall setting. I began to fly affecting all the areas under me it looked very much like I was unfolding a painting underneath. This was actually very easy like I was made for it and before I even realized I had done it I broke the sound barrier and was now racing across Equestria. It took a whole day but I had changed the whole land from summer to fall and was hovering over my work and saw that it was good. As I landed back in Ponyville I was greeted with applause and shouts of cheer “Hurray for Season!” many of them cried. “Season?” I asked Dash who was walking with me. “Yeah, because your prince of the seasons like duh” she replied with a slight smile. Just then I realized what my calling was to be in the royal family I would bring about the seasons. I smiled with this realization for of course it was after all my talent was creation the answer was so simple that I wondered why I didn’t see it before. “Hurray for Jackson the Prince of Seasons” The mayor called as we gathered into the square which Pinkypie clearly decorated. The other ponies answered in a great cheer at this then started to celebrate in my honor. That night we all partied for I had found out what I was to do for Equestria and the other ponies work load had just became tremendously lighter. It was funny that not even a year ago the ponies would have run from me and now they were celebrating me being there. I returned to my house after the party and only got a few hours of sleep when Dash came barging in. “Jackson? JACKSON?!” She called. “What?” I asked half asleep. “Jackson the Parasprites are back and are eating up the food in Ponyville, we need your help!” “Food…eating…that’s nice” I sleepily said without giving it any thought then went back to sleep. “Jackson! Wake up!!!” I opened my eyes and saw Dashes scolding face not even a few inches from my own. This sudden surprise woke me up and I stretched my wings as I got up “Ok, fine I’m up but couldn’t the ponies in Ponyville handle this?” “Usually we would use music to drive them back into the forest but for some reason it’s not working and as you know since they split every time they eat there are too many to try to catch.” This last bit of information caught my ear “What was that?” I asked hoping that I heard her wrong. “You don’t know about Parasprites? Well you see they are small puffball bugs that come in swarms and eat whatever food they can find. Once they eat they split into another Parasprite, they first arrive…” Dash did not even get the last words out of her mouth before I ran to the next room. “Thing?!” I called a little panicked. “Yes master?” “Get every creature you can find and tell them to come to me with all haste!” “Ok…where should they meet you?” “Ponyville” I then flew out my door as fast as I could going supersonic. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong I never seen you like this before, Jackson!” Dash called behind me struggling to keep up. I did not hear her for my mind was numb with fear “It can’t be not here not again” I thought over and over. As I neared Ponyville I could sense thousands of little magical creatures which were multiplying at an alarming rate a shiver went down my spine there was no doubt of what the Parasprites were. As I arrived in Ponyville hundreds of ponies were running in fright as small winged big eyed fuzz balls zipped around eating all the food and even things that were not food. When they split they gave a small pop of magic that I knew all too well for it haunted every one of my nightmares the unmistakable signature that only sprites gave out. I summoned the magic and energy in me and went to work vaporizing the Parasprites wherever I went. I had killed thousands of them in a short amount of time “Ha, I now have the power to defeat you accursed fiends!” I shouted as I ran through the overrun town. The parasprites began to fly away in all different directions when they saw me killing them and I was preparing to give chase when I heard Dashes fearful voice “Jackson please stop!” I looked around and saw a town of fear stricken ponies not just from the parasprites but also of me. I looked at Dashes pleading eyes “Sorry but I have to” I then flew after the Parasprites who had retreated into the Forest. On the way I saw many of the forest creatures coming towards ponyville I flew in front of them. “Prince Jackson, what’s going on?” a dragon asked. “No time do you know what a parasprite is?” The dragon thought about it “yes, we occasionally have them migrate to the forest why?” “There’s a swarm of them in the forest now and we need to deal with them.” “What do you suggest we do?” “Kill them, kill them all!” I replied to all of the creatures surprise however they were too frightened by the look in my eyes to disobey. That day the Everfree Forest was filled with dragon fire and death as the sprites were uncovered and eradicated the majority by me. The numbers of the parasprites found had throughout the day dropped from thousands to a few dozen every hour. I had just finished eradicating a parasprite that was hiding under a log when Luna came flying down in her chariot along with Celest. “Jackson what art thou doing?! We can see the dragon’s flames all the way from Ponyville” Luna shouted. Celest then touched down with her horn glowing and next to her was a frightened Dash. “Give me just one good reason that I should not take you down right now Jackson!” Celest screamed in rage. “You were asked to help Ponyville with the sprite infestation not to eradicate the whole species!” I snorted irritated with them stopping me from finding and killing the parasprites. However I could not answer my blood was boiling with hate and my mind was overwhelmed by it. “Thou are scaring us what’s going on?” Luna asked with a shaky voice. “Please Jackson stop this it’s not like you, don’t you remember that you hate killing even during the war you forbade it” Dash spoke up. I glared at her making her slink behind Celest “Not for them, never for them!” I answered harshly. “Call off your forces or me and Luna will have to stop you!” Celest called. Luna took a step closer to me “Please my love stop this.” “You don’t understand” I began “they are sprites!” “What?” Celest gasped then looked around “but they look nothing like the ones that you have described from your world.” I took a deep breath and tried to explain so I could get back to work. “But they are the same I can feel the parasprites magic when they divide and it is the same as the sprites!” “But you don’t know that for sure.” “Yes I do! I have lived in a world destroyed by their magic I have seen my friends die by those accursed beings don’t you dare tell me that I don’t know who they are! They may have innocent eyes but behind those are killers.” “You must stop you can’t kill off an entire species based on a hunch, even if these creatures are similar to your sprites. Besides they have almost all been destroyed and can no longer be a danger anyway.” “One easily becomes a million never underestimate a sprite!” “Sister what if what Jackson says is true and these are sprites?” Luna asked for she knew better than anybody from my stories what the sprites are capable of. “They are not we have had these creatures around ever since creation they can’t be the sprites” Celest replied. This information shocked me “Since the beginning of creation?” I thought. My anger towards the parasprites started to subside as I started to question my actions “but they have the same magic signature…” I replied. “They are not the same Jackson; now call off your forces” Celest stated sternly. “But…” I suddenly became weak and a little dizzy from fatigue “they are…” “Shhh, we shall get thou home” Luna softly whispered next to me while helping me balance. “Worry not sister we shall make sure the forest creatures stop.” “Good, you know I am very disappointed in you Jackson you should have known better. There are better ways to get rid of parasprites than killing them for example I…” Celest then got a weird look on her face “I have to go, make sure the killing stops Luna” she then jumped into her chariot and rode off to Canterlot clearly distraught. Luna soon helped me home and called off the forest creatures on my behalf “You know they looked afraid of you” Luna said while taking my temperature. “The creatures of the forest know death they will get over it” I replied bitter. I still knew that those bugs were sprites but could not continue the hunt without proof. “We actually meant the ponies in the village Fluttershy is particularly distraught.” “Luna?” I asked looking up at her “do you believe me?” “We can’t even imagine what thou have been through Jackson and sometimes when two similar things appear a pony can be tricked in their mind and relive a horror from the past.” “They are so similar though Luna.” She put a blanket over me then pressed her head against mine “I know.” She then went into the kitchen and started to prepare some soup “you know I was surprised to even see the parasprites after my sister banished the last swarm there must have been more living elsewhere in Equestria.” “u-huh” I replied not really listening. “Wait” I suddenly said coming back to the conversation “what do you mean banished?” “Oh Celestia banished a swarm of them a few years back from our world right before you appeared actually now that we think about it” she replied. I then stood up “How long before I came here?” Luna thought for a second “we remember it was right before the party so about week.” “A day in this world is a year in mine Luna! Celest banished the parasprites from this world just as the sprites appeared in mine!” “Thou does not actually think that my sister is responsible…wait Jackson!” She was too late for I had already flown through the door towards Canterlot to find out what I already knew. Celest figured it out that’s why she left, we both know that creatures banished to another dimension could easily become deformed into something else. As I arrived at the castle I went straight to Celest’s room where there were two guards that foolishly tried to bar my way. They were slammed into the rooms doors forcing them open, inside was Celest who had obviously been crying. “How long have you known Celest!” I demanded. “Not until today” she replied through her sobs “I just checked my diary to see where I sent them and it was indeed your world, I am so sorry!” “Sorry? SORRY?! Will sorry bring back my friends, family, my race? Do you even realize what you have done? Trillions Celest trillions died so you could save a few crops from a bug.” I went over to her and slammed her against a wall I was so full of rage that I didn’t know what to do. “My whole race Celest, all dead!” “I’m sorry” she cried. I then materialized a knife and floated it in front of her “I should kill you. They would if they were here for what you have done, I should.” I then placed the knife against her throat which bled a little where it was resting. “Do it! Go on, you are justified!” Celest softly stated tears streaming from her eyes. I coldly stared at her, there she was the destroyer of my race why shouldn’t I? She had killed trillions but…Luna. A mixture of emotions suddenly started to rise and weaken my anger. When I first arrived in this world I would have slit her throat, but now, now it was different I had changed. I then took the knife away “No, that’s not good enough you don’t even understand what you have done but I will show you.” “No, please don’t!” I then attacked her with magic which she resisted but after a long battle I overcame her it seemed that I was more powerful after all. I then started to bombard her with my memories of the war with the sprites, the fear, hatred, sorrow, the massacres, and of my friends long gone. When I was done she was curled into a ball on the floor broken from not just the memories but also from the knowledge that she was the cause. “I didn’t…I couldn’t, Make it stop! Pleaseeee make it stop I’m sorry.” She then started to shutter and mumble “Sorry” over and over. “Jackson?” I could hear Luna’s voice down the hall; I went out of the room and stared at her. “What is wrong, why art thou crying?” she asked. It was just then that I realized that I had tears streaming down my face I did not answer but spread my wings and flew away. I flew as fast as I could I didn’t know where I was going and didn’t care but I just needed to get away. I arrived at a secluded pond outside of; actually, I really didn’t know to be honest and sat there silently crying to myself. After a while I started to curse myself for showing such weakness “Come on what’s wrong with you” I said to myself. “You’re a soldier for goodness sakes start acting like one!” but no matter what I said to myself I could not shake off my feelings. I seemed that all the emotions that I had pushed away all these years had suddenly come all at once. I spent that night by the lakes edge looking at the faded moon in the water feeling truly alone. I knew that I was not the only one suffering for the night sky had a heavy feeling in it and I could feel Luna’s sorrow. I thought about going back but I could not, not like this and after I attacked her sister I just couldn’t so I remained in the clearing. I spent the next two weeks wondering around the rural parts of Equestria making sure to keep my distance from the other ponies as much as possible. However I did learn that Celest had just got over some sickness which I knew were the memories that I gave her. This news had mixed emotions for me a part of me wanted her to be able to overcome them and another wanted her to stay in a land of suffering. As I was walking trying to figure out what was wrong with me and why I was experiencing such crippling emotions I saw a rock with my name carved into it. “This is where I first came to this place” I stated “what would my comrades say if they saw me now?” “I think that they would be happy for you and not want you to ruin your life with sorrow” I heard Celest’s voice behind me. I turned around and saw Celest and Luna standing next to a tree “how did you find this place?” I asked not able to look them in the eyes. I felt horrible that l had forced such memories onto Celest and caused Luna much suffering because of it. I also felt tainted as I realized that I have witnessed horrors that nobody knew even existed until I showed her my memories. “Thou told me about this place when thou gave us the picture, remember?” Luna replied. “We have been waiting here for a week for thou to show up.” I looked up sorrowful “why?” “Because we finally understand” Celest stated. “Your memories showed us the horrors and I finally understand humans and how I was completely wrong before.” “What do you mean?” Clelest looked at the ground “I have to confess that I hated humans and through my research had concluded that they were evil in nature. Even though they do have a tendency to commit great sins you have taught me that they are also capable of great compassion greater than I thought possible. We felt your emotions as you laughed, played, lived with your comrades on the ship and your heart break as your world your dreams was wrested away. When your friend Daniel saved your life from the sprite I also felt a stronger bond of friendship and loyalty than in any race I ever felt before. To be able to live through such things and have compassion to spare my life even though I was the cause of your races destruction, it puts my actions to shame.” She then came up and bowed towards the ground “please Jackson forgive me. I know that I can never make it up to you or the memory of your race but I swear that I will try.” I saw that she was sincere and truly sorry for what she had done. Celest had changed for she had become humbled such as only a great travesty could bring about on a proud persons soul. I could feel my tears welding up but was able to keep them in check as I bent down and looked her in the eyes. I then decided to let go of my hatred “I can’t represent my race but as for myself I forgive you, Princess Celestia.” Her eyes widened “you called me…” “Yes, you have just shown your qualities to me sister and they are that of a ruler.” “Thank you…brother” she replied. Just then Luna flew towards us and put us both in a bear hug “Thou have become friends! How glorious!!! Now we can be a true family and go to parties together, have picnics, hol…” “Luna!” Celestia and I both squeaked out “we can’t breathe.” “Sorry!” she replied letting us go “I’m just so happy!” “I know” I then looked at her seriously “I have to ask you something.” Luna saw my mood change and also became serious “what is it?” “Celestia said that your memories have shown us the horrors that my people suffered, tell me did she share my memories with you?” Luna looked at the ground “Yes” she then looked back up pleadingly “please don’t be mad I told her too I needed to know what happened and why you acted like you did with the parasprites. It scared me but now I know you were trying to protect our world from suffering the same as yours. I never truly understood why you feared them until I saw it for myself, please don’t be mad.” I hugged her “I’m not mad, I’m just sorry that you had to see what no pony should have ever had see.” “Jackson…” I then let go and spread my wings now feeling better than I had for a long time. “Well, I think that we should all go home what do you think sister?” I asked Celestia. “I think that is a good idea.” “After all you need to clean up, you’re a mess” Luna commented realizing that I had not groomed myself these past two weeks of wondering around. “Then to Canterlot” I called as we all took to the skies disappearing through the soft white clouds. My name is Jackson. It has been five years since I had escaped the sprites invasion by coming to Equestria. During this time I struggled with who I was and who I was to become in this peaceful world inhabited by magical creatures. At first I was bitter at the hand that life dealt me but as I gained friends and was affected by this world’s kind nature that began to change. I soon found a reason for going on and someone to share that reason with. It was her that helped me as I was lost between two worlds and showed me that to live in one a person does not have to give up what they learned in the other. It was not long after that I learned from her sister the most important lesson of all, that peace the thing that I have been seeking this whole time lies in forgiveness. Now I feel like I can let go of the past and focus on the future. P.S. Life stories never truly end. Story continues in Dream Catcher