Believing them to be monsters, the ponies and other races of Equus invade the human world out of fear. Soon, a desperate war is sparked as both sides find they have everything to lose, and if peace can't be reached, both worlds will fall unto ruin.
Long ago, the nations of Equus were attacked by a vicious race known as humans, who hailed from a previously undiscovered island nation. The war against this species was horrific and costly, but the peoples of Equus were able to defeat these invaders, inevitably resulting in their complete and total enslavement.
However, when Equestria discovers proof that the humans came from a world all their own, they are horrified to learn humanity could still be a threat.
Fearing another invasion, the nations of Equus decide to make a preemptive strike on this new world, known as Earth by its people, seeking to take control of both this planet and its inhabitants. However, what they fail to realize, is that the humans of this world might not be the monsters they think them to be.
Finding themselves faced with an unknown enemy, the world humanity knew suddenly flipped on its head. With the threat of enslavement looming over them, the world will have no choice but to take up arms and come together as one as they fight to defend their home and way of life.
Long ago, in the times of ancient kings and queens, there was once an island nation. This nation was ruled by a cruel man, whose heart was filled with hate, greed, and malice. That cruelty bled through to his military, who under his pleased gaze, would keep a firm grip on the populace, taking taxes and anything else he wanted while keeping them in constant fear.
However, despite all the gold and power he had, he wanted more, much more. To his powerful ego, all the world should be his to rule, with all its people his subjects. But he was hardly the biggest fish in the sea, as many much more powerful nations bordered his own, and if he tried to challenge them he would surely be conquered. So he was left with no choice but keep the peace, stewing in his own jealousy.
And then one day, something bizarre happened.
A mysterious pulse of energy washed over the kingdom, causing it to disappear from it's own world, arriving in a new land entirely. The king found that he was now neighbor to many new nations, that were home to all sorts of strange creatures. One of these new creatures were small colorful horses, who seemed to be mostly peaceful.
Upon seeing this new world, the king immediately saw it as ripe for the taking. He viewed the horses and other creatures as weak and vulnerable and thought they would be easily conquered. So he began a bloody campaign of conquest, seeking to bring all these animals under his rule.
In a surprise attack, he struck first against the outermost towns and villages, his army slaughtering all the little ponies that stood in their way; the king's military carved its way through this new world, leaving a trail of destruction wherever they went.
They were met with fierce resistance from the locals, who proved to be more of a worthy opponent than the king originally gave them credit for. The opposition had many tricks up their proverbial sleeves, such as what could only be described as magic. And while these strange powers their enemy possessed cost him countless men, he still refused to give up; his army continued their march on this world, causing untold death and destruction wherever they went.
And then the other races of this world became involved.
The inhabitants of the other nations must have realized that if the ponies fell, the king would attack them next. So it wasn't long before they joined in the fight, aiding the ponies against the king's army. Together, all the races worked as one to vanquish the invaders, quickly overcoming them.
The king's forces were pushed back to their island, much to his great displeasure. Soon, the ponies and their allies invaded the shores of his kingdom, and the king was left with no choice but to surrender.
After the war was over, the different races discussed what to do with the humans; eventually, it was decided to make them servants to the ponies and other species', believing humans too barbaric and dangerous to be free.
With the humans defeated and no longer a threat, things went back to normal as peace returned to Equestria and the other lands.
But if only the king could have known the events he'd set into motion...
The calm before the storm is like the quiet before the thunder, it's a warning that something powerful is about to happen - Unknown.
Twilight stepped out of her castle, the Crystalline doors shutting behind her. Heading down the path away from her home, she moved with an excited air about her, as she had just learned that her brother and his family were coming in for a visit. So in anticipation of this, she was currently on her way into town to get a couple things for when they arrived.
Coming into Ponyville proper, she was quick to notice how it was today: Celestia's sun shone down, with enough cloud cover to keep it from being too bright or hot out. Birds flitted about in the sky, chirping happily. Ponies greeted her on the streets, bringing a warm smile to her face as she greeted them back.
As she moved through the town she called home, something that stuck out to her was the sight of human slaves on the street. She could see them everywhere, being used to do tasks such as pull carts and carry boxes, or anything else their masters ordered of them. In this day and age, it was fairly common to see humans used as slave labor, in fact, she recently read a study that said seventy percent of households and establishments owned al least one.
Though the war with the humans happened thousands of years ago, it was still the bloodiest, and most traumatic war in the history of Equus. After they were defeated, the humans were made to be servants to the different races of the world, and it had been that way ever since.
It wasn't long before Twilight found herself at her first destination, Sugar Cube Corner. Approaching the confectionery-themed building, she began to smell the goods they were making inside. The bell above the door rang as she stepped through, the smells of sweets growing far stronger.
Sugar Cube Corner was just as packed as ever, with ponies filling the booths, alongside the odd griffin or changeling. However, there weren't any humans, as they weren't allowed in establishments like this, and were made to stay outside.
Stepping up to the counter, she was greeted by the as-ever-bubbly Pinkie Pie.
"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie exclaimed, a happy smile on her face. "Can I get you something?"
Twilight smiled back. "HI, Pinkie. I just need to pick up some cupcakes. Shining Armor and his family are coming in for a visit, so I'm out getting a couple things for when they arrive."
"Oh that's nice. As it just so happens I just took a batch of cupcakes out of the oven, just give me a moment and I'll get them ready," she said as she turned towards the kitchen. "So," Pinkie called from the back as she prepped the cupcakes for Twilight. "I heard about the rebel attack in the Crystal Empire, are Shining, Cadence, and Flurry doing okay?"
Twilight's brow furrowed as she regarded Pinkie's question. The Crystal Empire recently came under attack by human rebels, who sought to topple its rulership. And although they were ultimately defeated in the end, a lot of ponies got hurt.
"Oh, yeah, they're doing okay," Twilight replied. "They all got out of it unharmed, thank goodness. It'll be nice to see them again after all that," she said right before Pinkie came back out with a box of cupcakes.
Pinkie set the box on the counter, a sympathetic look on her face. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you too."
"Thanks, Pinkie," Twilight said as she paid for the cupcakes and took the box in her magic. "It helps to hear you say that."
"No problem. See ya around, kay?" Pinkie bid farewell with a friendly little wave.
Twilight smiled. "See you around, Pinkie," she said as she made for the door.
"Hey! Tell Shining and his family I say hello, kay?" Pinkie called after Twilight.
"Will do," Twilight replied, before exiting the store.
Leaving Sugar Cube Corner behind, Twilight continued on her way through Ponyville; with the box of cupcakes in her magical grasp, she made her way toward her next destination, which was Sweet Apple Acres. Walking down the streets of town, Twilight was well on her way to AppleJack's, when something caught her attention.
She spotted Rarity out on the road, looking just as majestic as ever as she moved through Ponyville. Her every step was elegant, as if she was eternally walking on eggshells.
Right behind the snowy white mare was her human, whose arms were loaded with stacks of boxes and bags, no doubt containing clothing and various types of fabrics. He was also dressed in fine silk clothing, unlike most other humans who were normally just dressed in rags.
"Hey, Rarity," Twilight said as she approached the fashionista in greeting.
Upon hearing her voice, the mare turned around, a kind look on her face. "Oh, Twilight, it's so good to see you, darling," she replied as she swished her mane around.
"It's good to see you too," said Twilight.
"I'm just on my way back to Carousel Boutique after doing some shopping," Rarity gestured to her human who was carrying all of her purchases.
Now that she was up close to the human, she realized that it must be extremely tiring on him to be carrying all those boxes for so long; she was able to confirm this by looking over his body and face, which seemed to be pretty tense as he clearly was struggling to hold everything. Taking pity on the human, Twilight decided to give him a rest as she took all the boxes and bags from him.
"While that was certainly sweet, you didn't need to do that Twilight," Rarity said with light objection as Twilight took it all in her magic alongside the cupcakes. "Simmons is happy to carry all that, aren't you sweetie?" The human known as Simmons put on a faux smile, something Rarity failed to pick up on.
"It's okay," Twilight replied. "I don't mind."
"Alright, if you insist," Rarity relented. The mare than turned to her human, who seemed to be in better spirit, now that he'd been relieved of his load. "Come on, Simmons, let us head home."
With all the bags and boxes in her magical aura, Twilight accompanied Rarity down the streets of Ponyville. Arriving at Carousel Boutique, Rarity went ahead and opened the door, allowing Twilight to enter.
"Where do you want all these?" Twilight asked.
"Just set them on the floor for now," Rarity replied as she closed the door behind them. "I'll have Simmons go through and organize it all later.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"I'm fine. And thank you for the help, I appreciate it darling. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Rarity asked the alicorn.
But Twilight simply shook her head. "That's alright, I was happy to help. So if that'll be all, I think it's time I go on my way, Twilight finished after a moment.
"Okay, take care then," Rarity said in farewell. "And thanks again for the help."
"No problem. Well see you later, okay," Twilight spoke, heading out the door.
Now that she was done with that little side adventure, she got back on her way to Sweet Apple Acres. Arriving at the farm, she made her way to the house and stepped up onto the porch. Bringing her leg up, she rapped her hoof on the door a few times. A few moments later, the sound of locks turning could be heard, before the door opened to reveal Applejack standing on the other side.
"Well hey there, Twi, can Ah do something for ya?" The farmpony asked.
"Um, yeah," Twilight replied. "I was hoping you might a jug of of apple juice I could have?"
"Sure, consider it done," Applejack replied with a smile and a nod. Stepping back inside, she moved deeper into the house for a few moments, before she soon came back with a jug of juice in her hooves. "Say," AJ began as she hefted the jug on her shoulder. "Since you're here, would ya care to come in for a slice of pie? It's fresh out of the oven?"
"Yeah," Twilight replied, her mouth watering at the thought of having Apple family apple pie. "Yeah, that sounds nice."
Applejack moved out of the doorway, motioning with her hoof for Twilight to step inside. "Come on in and grab a seat then." Once the alicorn was inside, Applejack shut the door behind her, setting the jug down beside it. "We'll just leave this here for now." Thinking that Applejack had the right idea, Twilight set the cupcakes she had right down beside them.
"How much do I owe you anyway?" Twilight asked as Applejack walked beside her.
Applejack scoffed, feigning an offended look on her face. "Can't a mare give her friend apple juice out of the goodness of her heart," she smiled. "Consider it on the house."
"Thank you," Twilight replied.
Stepping up to the table, AppleJack called out for someone as both she and Twilight took their seats. A moment after they'd sat down, a female human approached the table, where Applejack turned to address her.
"Bring over two slices of pie, will ya," Applejack ordered of the slave, who promptly nodded and turned toward the counter. A minute or two later, the human came back with two plates of apple pie.
As the human sat the plates down on the table, Twilight's eyes glanced to the apple branding on its upper arm. Living on a farm was hard work, so to ease the burden on themselves, the Apples owned several humans to do some of the work for them.
Applejack nodded at the human. "You can excuse yourself," she said, upon which the human made her leave.
Turning to the pie in front of her, Twilight took in the pleasant aroma, her mouth starting to water. Levitating a fork, she took a bite, her taste buds exploding with flavor as the caramelized apples came into contact with her tongue.
"So, what're ya up to today?" Applejack asked, after she took a bite of her own pie.
"Nothing exciting," Twilight replied. "My brother is coming to town with his family, so I'm getting some stuff for later."
As the two friends ate their pie, they were soon greeted with the presence of Applejack's younger sister as she came bounding into the room.
"Hiya Twilight!" Applebloom said energetically. "It sure is nice to see ya!"
Twilight smiled softly at the little filly. "Why it's nice to see you too, Applebloom."
"Hey, Applejack?" Applebloom asked, turning her attention from Twilight to her sister. "What's Earth?" The filly said, a look of curiosity in her eyes.
"Uh, Earth... you mean like... Earth ponies?" Applejack questioned, unsure of what her sister was asking.
But Applebloom just shook her head. "I heard one of the humans we have mention something about 'The Earth?' What was he talking about?"
Twilight's eyes lit up with understanding when she realized what Applebloom was talking about. "OH! I know what you mean!" She exclaimed, eliciting an excited expression from the filly. "You see, there's a legend among the humans, one that claims they come from a whole other world!"
Twilight nodded. "According to the legend, this other world is known as Earth, and it's ruled solely by humans," Twilight then shook her head. "Of course, such a notion is complete nonsense, but it's still interesting regardless," the alicorn finished.
"It sure is! Just wait till Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle hear about this!" Applebloom said. "Thanks for telling me, Twilight!"
"You're very welcome, Applebloom," Twilight chuckled lightly at the filly's enthusiasm.
The filly then scampered off after that, no doubt to go find her friends.
After Twilight finished her pie, she promptly thanked Applejack for the kind hospitality. Taking the cupcakes and apple juice, she left the farm house and made her way back home.
Arriving back at the castle of friendship, Twilight moved through it's pristine, sparkling halls. Making her way to the kitchen, she entered to find Spike standing by the oven, working on dinner.
"I'm back, Spike," Twilight announced as she set the juice and cupcakes on the counter.
'Hey, Twilight," the drake replied, looking over his shoulder towards his caretaker.
"I've got the stuff for later? How's the casserole coming?"
"It's almost done," he informed her. "I'm just about to take it out in a minute."
"Good, Shining and his family should be here soon, and I wouldn't want to keep them waiting for dinner."
Almost as if on cue, the sound of someone knocking was heard, the noise bouncing off the crystal walls and reaching them in the kitchen.
"Speak of the Discord. Spike!" Twilight quickly addressed the dragon, a haste to her voice. "Hurry up and get that casserole out of the oven and cut. Then once you've done that, get Percy to set up the table for dinner!"
"On it, Twi," Spike affirmed as he give a little salute.
Confident that Spike could handle things here, Twilight quickly tore out of the kitchen. Running through the castle, she followed the knocking until she arrived at the entrance.
Throwing open the door, she expected to see the wonderful visage of her brother and his family. Instead, she was immediately jumped by a white mass, obscuring her vision as it wrapped her in a death grip.
"Twily!" Exclaimed her attacker. "It's so good to see you!"
Wrestling her hoof free, she started weakly patting it on the back. "It's really good to see you too, Shining, but... could I have my lungs back... please!"
"Oops, sorry!" Shining chuckled sheepishly, releasing his sister as he blushed softly.
"It's okay," she replied, putting him at ease. Her expression became more serious, as she quickly pulled him into another hug. "I was so worried about you, I heard about the rebel attack."
"Don't worry," Shining Armor replied comforting his sister. "We're alright. Those dumb monkeys couldn't even touch us," he said smugly.
Breaking the hug with her brother, Twilight turned toward the pony that was both his wife and her old foalsitter. "Cadence!" She squealed, excitedly rushing up to her sister in law. The two engaged in their usual greeting, doing the same song and dance routine from Twilight's fillyhood.
Cadence smiled. "It's good to see you again, Twilight." Some babbling came from the stroller next to her, as the baby seated within made her presence known. The princess of love smiled softly. "I think somepony else wants to say hello."
"Why hello, Flurry Heart," Twilight cooed, approaching the little foal. "How's my favorite niece doing today?" Flurry Heart, just continued to babble in foal talk, a happy expression on her face. "He, it's nice to see you too," she spoke sweetly.
"Come on in," Twilight said as she held a hood out toward the open door. "Dinner should be just about down."
"What are we having?" Cadence asked as she stepped in the castle with her family.
"Casserole," Twilight replied as she closed the door behind them. "With a side of salad, and apple juice straight from Sweet Apple Acres."
"Sounds good," Cadence said.
With the promise of a tasty meal in front of them, the four ponies moved through the castle, soon arriving in an ornate dinning room with wall sconces and a sparkling chandelier. In the center of the space was a large table covered in a red tablecloth, two candelabras set in the center with a vase of flowers placed between them. Approaching the table, there was a young human setting down plates, utensils and cups for them to use.
"Hey everypony," Spike greeted as she entered the dining room.
"Hey, Spike!" Shining Armor returned the greeting. "How are you doing bro?"
"I'm doing good, thanks," Spike replied with a smile, before he turned to address the human. "Percy, go to the kitchen and bring out the food, please."
"Yes sir," the young man replied simply, before exiting the dining room.
After the human had gone, Shining Armor looked to Spike, raising a brow. "You don't need to say 'please' to it," the unicorn stated. "It's just a human, you don't have to treat it like a pony."
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't be nice to them," Spike replied, an unamused look on his face. "And Percy's a he, not an it," he crossed his arms.
"Well, I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree on that," Shining huffed as he turned to take a seat at the table.
Percy returned a minute later, pushing a cart which carried what they would have for dinner. Everybody having already taken their seats, the human took the cart to the table and began serving the food. One by one, he made his way around the table, giving them each their meal.
When Percy reached Shining Armor, the unicorn gave him a dirty look, making the human shrink under his gaze. Shining said nothing as he was given his food, only continuing to glare at the young man. "Filthy ape!" The unicorn muttered as Percy made his leave.
"Thank you, Percy," Twilight said once he finished serving them their food. "Feel free to help yourself to the leftovers."
"Thank you," Percy replied, nodding to his master as he took the cart and left the dinning room.
Shining scoffed. "Pony food is too good for humans, all they deserve is slop!" He exclaimed rather adamantly.
Taking a fork in her magic, Cadence took a bite of the casserole, her eyes lighting up as she ate. "Mmm, this is pretty good, Spike," the princess complamented the dragon after she'd swallowed.
Spike smiled at her words. "Thanks, I'm glad you like it."
"So," Twilight spoke in-between bites. "How have things been in the Crystal Empire recently? I mean... you know... aside from the rebels..." Twilight said awkwardly, giving a flourish of her fork.
"Aside from the rebels, nothing much has happened honestly," Cadence replied. "For the most part it's been pretty peaceful, you should come visit sometime," Cadence finished, taking a sip of the juice.
Twilight smiled. "I just might do that."
"So, how have things been in Ponyville?" Cadence asked.
"What was the rebel attack like?" Twilight delicately asked after a moment, a look of morbid curiosity in her eyes.
Cadence stopped eating her food, taking a deep sigh as she set down her fork. "It was horrible," Cadence replied as she shuddered. "There were ponies falling all around us as the insurgents fought the guard. I had rushed to protect Flurry Heart, fearing they would try to hurt her," she said as she looked toward her daughter, who was sitting in a highchair with a bowl of macaroni.
"We lost a lot of good ponies that day," Shining Armor added, lowering his head solemnly. He perked back up a moment later, however. "But for everypony we lost, the humans lost several of theirs. I myself slew over a dozen humans!" He finished, a tone of pride in his voice.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all that," Twilight said sympathetically. "I'm glad that you're all safe."
"Yeah," Spike nodded along to Twilight's words. "We're happy that none of you were hurt."
"I am too," Cadence said, leaning over to plant a kiss on Flurry Heart's cheek.
After dinner had been finished, Twilight soon brought out the cupcakes, especially to Flurry's and Spike's delight. Afterwards, they all retired for the night, with Twilight providing a room for her brother and his family.
Having done her normal nighttime routine, Twilight crawled into her bed. Pulling up the covers, she let herself settle into the comfy mattress, sighing in content. Laying in her bed, she allowed herself to relax, her constantly overtaxed brain finally getting a chance to rest.
At least that was the way it should have been.
As she laid there, she found her mind returning to the conversation she had earlier with Shining Armor and Cadence. In her head, she kept recalling the things they said about the rebel attack; she kept imaging she'd been there, watching as ponies fell to violent humans, unable to get the image out of her mind.
As she pictured the attack on the Crystal Empire, she found herself wandering back to what Applebloom asked earlier that day. The legend of a world ruled by humans had long been dismissed as a mares tale. And while Twilight knew the existence of such a thing was ridiculous, she couldn't help but find herself pondering it.
What would it be like, she wondered, for there to be a world ruled by humans. A barbaric race that has caused them so much pain and suffering in the past; a violent species that the world had deemed too dangerous to be allowed to be free. If there was an entire planet full of those war hungry creatures, it could prove to be a grave danger to the peace and safety of all of Equus.
Twilight shook her head, sending that thought away as she let her mind calm down. She let herself get comfortable in her bed, confident in the the fact that there was nothing to be worried about, and of how there was no such thing as planet Earth.
Cherish every moment and every person in your life, because you never know when it will be the last time you see someone - Unknown.
Phil kept his eyes on the road, his sunglasses protecting his retinas from the glare of the sun. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he piloted his jeep through the streets of Honolulu. The window was open a few inches, giving a nice flow of fresh air as he drove.
"-And in other news, tensions between North Korea and the UN continue to deteriorate!" Came a woman's voice over the radio as it played in the background. "The country continues to make threats of nuclear war, causing many to fear that a long dreaded World War 3 might be brewing under the surface!
Additionally, North Korea, as well as China have both been caught sending spy vehicles into foreign territory. There was also an altercation between a North Korean Corvette and an American cruiser over international waters! Now it's important to note that North Korea claims that this was a misunderstanding, but some doubt-"
"That's enough of that," said Phil's wife, Catherine as she reached forward and turned off the radio. She sat calmly in the passenger seat, a wide-brim hat situated atop her head, a few strands of bright red hair peeking out.
"Are we gonna be at the beach soon?" Came a small voice.
Phil took a moment to glance away from the road as he looked in the rear view mirror, his gaze falling on his five year old son Max, in the backseat. Beside him was Phil's brother Mark, who was joining them for the day.
Phil smiled as he look back towards the road. "Yeah, buddy, we'll get there in just a few minutes," he replied.
Max's eyes lit up as a large smile broke out on his face. He looked toward his uncle. "Do you wanna help me make a sand castle, uncle Mark?" The boy asked sweetly.
Mark chuckled. "Yeah, I'd love to," he said as he patted Max's leg.
Soon, the buildings and structures started thinning out as the area around them started opening up. Looking ahead, Phil could see a large stretch of sand just a hundred feet away from them. And beyond that, a beautiful blue ocean that went out all the way out to the horizon, as if it was as infinite as the stars above.
Getting off the main road, Phil turned into the parking lot and claimed a spot. Killing the engine, Phil and Catherine stepped out of the vehicle, while Mark got Max out.
Going around to the back, Phil opened up the hatch and began taking out the beach supplies. He pulled out a large beach bag, as well as an umbrella, and some chairs. Catherine came over and started helping him, taking the items from him as he took them out.
"Max, do you want to help Mommy and Daddy?" Catherine asked her son, to which the boy nodded. "Here, will you hold this for us please?" She said as she passed the beach bag to Max.
"We got everything?" Phil asked, checking to make sure nothing was left in the car.
Catherine nodded, resting the umbrella against her shoulder. "Yes, that's everything."
With that confirmation, Phil closed the hatch on the jeep and locked it. With everything safety in tow, the group left the vehicle, each of them carrying at least one item. Moving down the parking lot, the four followed a path away from all the vehicles, soon arriving at the beach.
Phil took a relaxing sigh, taking in the smell of the sea as he breathed. A cool breeze blew over them, giving a nice contrast the hot sun up above.
The beach was crowded with people, all of them seeking a good day just like Phil and his family; people were sunbathing, playing games, and playing in the sand and water - the beach was truly alive with activity.
"I'll find us a spot," said Mark as he walked off to find a free space for them on the beach.
"I wanna help!" Cried out Max excitedly, who quickly took off to tag along with his uncle. Smiling softly to themselves the couple slowly followed behind.
"It was nice of you to take leave off of your work to spend the day with us," said Catherine, watching Max and Mark as they looked for a spot.
Phil smiled warmly, laying an arm around his wife as they walked. "I was happy to do it, I love spending time with you guys."
Phil was a soldier in the military, and he was about to be sent out on a training exercise with the rest of his company. The retreat was expected to last a couple weeks, so the day before the exercise, he took a day of leave from the military so that he could be with his family.
After a moment, Mark called out to them from up ahead, telling them they found a spot as he gestured to an open space on the beach. Phil and his wife picked up their pace, the flip flops he was wearing sinking into the loose sand.
Approaching the space Mark and their son found, the group started setting up, placing out a large blanket, the umbrella and chairs.
"Can we go build a sandcastle now?" Max asked, once his parents had finished setting up the space and putting everything down.
"Not just yet," Catherine shook her head. Reaching into the beach bag, she pulled out a plastic bottle with a nozzle at the top. "You need to put some sunscreen on first," she said as she squirted a dollop into the palm of her hand. She started spreading the cream over his exposed skin and face. "We don't want your skin becoming as red as a tomato," she smiled lovingly as she booped his nose and ruffled his blonde hair.
After making sure Max's skin was protected, she applied sunscreen to her own skin, before passing it to Phil and Mark.
"Alright, Max, let's go make a sandcastle!" Mark said once he'd put on some sunscreen, much to the five-year-old's excitement. Grabbing a bucket and shovel that they'd brought along, the two made their way over to a nice open spot and began work on their project.
"This is nice," Phil said as he and Catherine took this time to relax, sitting comfortably in their beach chairs. "Wouldn't you agree?" He said, taking his wife's hand in his.
Catherine sighed, happily watching her son joyfully play in the sand. "Yes. Yes I do," she replied.
Max and Mark eventually finished the sandcastle, with the young boy excitedly trying to get his parent's attention. Phil chuckled at his child's antics, sharing a grin with his wife as he stood up.
"Okay, let's see what you've got here," Phil said as he approached his kid. Inspecting the sandcastle, he found it to be a simple build, with a mound of sand as a base, and a couple little towers. "Wow, it looks amazing, I love it!" He exclaimed to Max's delight.
Phil fished his smartphone out of his swim trunks, turning on the camera. "We need to take a picture of this, don't you think?" Max nodded, moving to stand proudly by his creation. "Okay. Three. Two. One. Smile!" Phil said, snapping a photo of his kid and the sandcastle.
"Can I see?" Max asked, wandering over to his father and peering at the phone screen. Angling the screen so his son could see it better, Phil allowed Max to see the picture.
"You like it?" Phil asked, earning a great big smile from his kid.
"Yeah. Let's show Mommy," he said. So that's what they did, returning to their spot to show Catherine the picture.
"I love it!" Max's mom said when she saw what he did. "You didn't tell me you were an architect, Max, could you redo the patio for me?"
Her words made Max roll his eyes. "Mommm!" The boy groaned. "I'm only five! I'm not an arkhamtect!" He exclaimed with exasperation.
"Okay! Okay, I'm sorry I didn't know!" Catherine and Phil chuckled at their child's antics.
"Can we go down to the water?" Max asked after a moment, pointing with his finger toward the shoreline.
"Sure buddy," Phil replied, giving Max a gentle pat on his shoulder.
"Do you wanna come Mommy?" Max asked his mother, as his father stood beside him.
Catherine softly shook her head. "I'm good. Thank you," she replied. "Go have fun with your Daddy."
"Come on," Phil said, guiding his son away from their spot as they started moving down the beach. They made their way past other beachgoers, doing their best not to disturb them. About half way to the water, Mark joined the father and son, tagging along with them.
The trio approached the water, which was mostly calm except for tiny waves lapping gently upon the sand. People were out swimming and wading in the ocean, splashing seawater as they played.
With a happy giggle, Max ran up to the water, jumping around in the salty liquid. Max was steadily getting his entire bottom half wet, but that didn't bother the five-year-old, as he continued playing with careless abandon. As Max played, Phil once again pulled out his phone and began recording, wanting to immortalize this moment.
"Daddy! Uncle Mark! Come play!" Max called out, as he stood thigh-deep in the water.
Normally, Phil would've had to decline, as he currently had his phone with him; but he recently got a waterproof case, so he didn't have to worry about it getting wet. "Alright, we're coming buddy," said Phil as he slipped off his sandals and left them laying on the beach.
Phil stepped out into the water, it was a little cold at first, but that chilly sensation quickly wore off after a moment. Mark started playing with Max, splashing water around everywhere and having a blast while doing so. As the two goofed off, Phil stood off to the side, content with letting them get soaked while he just waded calmly about - while he wore a pair of swim shorts, his torso was dressed with just a plain t-shirt, and he didn't want it to get wet.
"Daddy! Come on!" Max called out, upset his father wasn't playing. "Splash with us!"
"Sorry, budd," Phil began, trying to calm his kid. "I don't want to get too wet right now."
"Is that so?" Mark replied unnervingly, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
Phil felt a chill travel down his spine, his hair standing on edge as he stepped backwards cautiously. "Mark, don't you dare!" Phil spoke with trepidation, knowing exactly what his brother was about to do.
However, Mark didn't listen, and instead proceeded to splash a torrent of water at his brother. Phil went prone, closing his eyes and mouth as the wave crashed into him. Once the assault was over, Phil found himself soaked to the bone as the seawater dripped off him.
Slowly, Phil reached up and wiped the water off of his face, an uneasy air about him as he did so. "Ohh, you shouldn't have done that..." Phil spoke darkly, a devilish grin of his own spreading across his face.
He promptly returned fire, splashing water back at his brother in retaliation. Pretty soon, things devolved into a full on war as the three splashed at each other, big grins on each of their faces. Phil started laughing, a warm feeling coursing through his chest as excitement overcame him.
Phil's assault on his brother was brutal, relentlessly sending waves of water at Mark. He was gentler with Max, making sure not to splash as much at him since he was so young. Before long, the trio were absolutely drenched, soaked down to the bone from their water battle.
After a while, the three eventually had their fill, exiting the water as they retreated to the beach. They were dripping wet from head to toe, but a towel and some time in the sun would take care of that.
Phil grabbed his sandals and picked them up, not wanting to put them on while he was wet. "Okay, let's head back," he said, eager to grab a towel and dry off. "Come on, Max, let's go back to where Mommy is." However, Max didn't reply. Turning towards his son, Phil found that the boy had moved a couple feet away, his attention on something in the sand.
"What'd you find, Max?" Phil asked, approaching his kid and trying to see what he was looking at.
"It's a shell," Max replied, turning to show the seashell he held in his palms. It was a small one, with a pearlescent sheen to it under the sunshine.
"Wow, good find," Phil said, earning a proud smile from his kid. "Do you want to go show Mommy?"
"Wait!" Max exclaimed, turning back towards the sand where he got the shell. "I wanna find more!"
As Max started digging through the sand, Phil sighed softly, realizing that they weren't going back just yet. Oh well, he can just let the sun's heat dry him off.
"Looks like we're not going back right now, you can go without us if you want," Phil told his brother.
But Mark just shrugged. "Nah, I'm good man," he replied coolly. "I'll stick with you two."
So instead of going back to their spot, the two brothers opted to follow the five-year-old as he searched the beach for more shells. They gradually moved farther down the coastline as they walked, with Max stopping periodically to add another shell to his collection. Before long, his arms were full of all that he'd found so far, to the point where Phil and Mark had to start carrying some for him.
As they moved along the beach, Max let out an excited squeal when he came across an exceptional find. Sitting atop the sand was a large conch shell, which had been washed ashore. Max couldn't contain his delight, rushing to collect the big shell.
"Daddy, look at it!" He exclaimed proudly, as if he'd discovered an amazing treasure - and as far as Max was concerned that was exactly what happened.
"It's amazing!" Phil said earnestly, his eyes glued to the shell Max had. "It's quite a find. Do you want to go show Mommy? I'm sure she'll love it."
"Yeah! Let's show Mommy!" The kid exclaimed with excitement, eager to show his mother what he found. Without waiting for his dad or uncle, Max rushed off towards their spot on the beach, leaving the two men to hurry after him.
Upon reaching their spot, Max wasted no time. He ran up to Catherine, excitedly showing her the conch shell and all the others he'd found.
Catherine's face lit up with amazement much like Phil's had. "I love it!" She exclaimed, much to Max's delight. "What a find!"
"That's what I said," Phil said as he sat down in his own chair. "So I thought you might want to see it."
"You thought right, it's amazing that you found it," she said, making Max beam proudly.
After that, Max took all the shells he found and started playing in the sand again.
"This has been nice," Catherine said after a moment, casting a smile towards her husband.
"I'm happy to hear that," Phil replied, smiling back.
Catherine held her smile for a moment, before her face darkened as a depressed expression overtook it. "We're going to miss you," she said. "It's not going to feel right without you around."
"Hey," he cooed gently, taking her hand and holding it to his chest. "It's going to be alright," he said, trying to comfort her. "I'm only going to be gone a couple weeks, okay? I'll be back before you know it."
Her expression brightened at his reassuring words. She smiled and leaned in to give him a tender kiss. "I'll hold you to that than," she said.
Phil continued holding her hand, looking into her beautiful eyes as he returned the kiss with one of his own. "I'll be back before you know it," he repeated, a warm smile on his face.
"The imminent destruction of all we know and love, begins now." - Sir Edmund Burton - Transformers: The Last Knight.
Phil sat in the passenger seat of a Humvee, traveling down an undeveloped and bumpy road. They were in the middle of a convoy of vehicles moving through the jungles of Oahu, heading out on an exercise retreat.
"Blow out the candles buddy!" came Phil's voice from his phone, which was playing a video taken during Max's birthday. In the video, Max sat at a table, with Mark, Catherine and himself standing around the boy. He had a little birthday cake in front of him, with a number "5" candle atop it.
In the video, Max blew out the candle with a huff of air. His parents and uncle started cheering and clapping, eliciting a happy look from the child.
"What did you wish for sweetie?" Catherine asked her son.
"I can't tell you!" Max replied with an exasperated sigh. "If I tell you, it won't come true."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot," Catherine feigned ignorance as she chuckled.
"He's gotten so big," said the driver, who was a buddy of his from base.
Phil nodded his head in agreement, pulling himself away from the video when the driver spoke.
"Yeah, he sure has," Phil replied. "We just celebrated his fifth birthday about a month ago."
"I'd like to have kids at some point," said the driver, never taking his eyes off the road. "Just have to find the right partner, first."
"Are we going to be at the site, soon?" Phil asked, putting his phone away as he turned to the road in front of them.
"Just about," the driver nodded. "We should be arriving any moment now."
Soon, Phil could see the area ahead of them begin to clear up, as the trees and bushes started to thin out. He could see the vehicles in the front of the convey start to spread out. As they moved into the clearing, he noticed how they all seemed to be acting erratically, with all of them appearing to be keeping away from the center.
However, what he saw next left him utterly speechless.
"What in the world!" the driver exclaimed in shock as he pulled into the clearing, his eyes locked on the same thing Phil was seeing.
In the center of the clearing was some kind of spacial anomaly, around fifty to a hundred feet in diameter. It was made of a kind of purplish cloud, with accents throughout it that looked like stars. There seemed to be some kind of opening in the front, like a doorway. It kind of reminded Phil of the portals created by the space stone, from the MCU.
Phil couldn't believe what he was seeing, unable to take his eyes off the mesmerizing sight. This was the kind of thing that only happened in the movies, so to see something such as this in real life, it was world shattering.
The driver pulled clear off the caravan and came to a stop, allowing Phil to step out of the vehicle. It was clear that he wasn't the only one caught off guard, as this strange anomaly was causing quite a stir amongst the others; all around the clearing, people were approaching the cloud, gathering around it to do nothing but gawk at it, and wonder just what it was.
Phil stepped closer to it, joining the crowds of men and women. "What is it?" he wondered aloud, staring into the vast cloud and the stars within.
"Where do you think it came from?" he overheard someone nearby say.
"I've gone hiking in this area, and this definitely wasn't here before," said someone else.
Among the gathering crowd, Phil spotted Captain Murphy not far from his position. He stood facing the cloud, a firm look on his face.
"What do you make of all this sir?" Phil asked as he approached the captain, wanting to get his take. The Captain turned, the sun's rays being absorbed by his darker skin as he regarded him.
The black man shook his head at Phil's question. "I honestly have no idea, son," he said with clear sincerity. "I probably don't have to tell you this, but this thing was not here before."
"Well, what do we do now?" Phil questioned.
The Captain paused for a moment, a contemplative look on his face as he regarded Phil's words. "You!" he said, getting the attention of a soldier who was moving towards one of their Humvees. "I want you to radio in to base and tell them what's going on here; tell them to send more troops and resources, I want to send in a well-armed team to investigate this thing."
"Yes sir!" the solder saluted, before leaving to carry out their orders.
Upon hearing that the Captain intended to send a team in, Phil's eyes instinctively wandered to the anomaly. Ever since he was young, Phil had always had a fascination with the unknown; he had often dreamed about what else could be out there in the universe, all the world's that existed beyond their gaze.
As he stared at the anomaly, he felt a fire start to burn in his chest, a desire for adventure that wouldn't go away. He didn't know what lay within the depths of the cloud, but he yearned for the chance to find out.
"Sir?" Phil began, once again getting the Captain's attention. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to volunteer for the mission into the anomaly."
"Hmm." the Captain's lips pressed into a thin line. "What's your name, soldier?"
"Phil Matthew's, sir!" he replied, straightening his posture as he identified himself. The Captain stood there stoically, making Phil's chest grow tense with dread the longer it took him to respond.
The Captain nodded his head ever so subtly. "We'll see," he said before turning to leave.
Phil sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off of him. He hadn't exactly said yes, but he didn't say no, either. "Thank you, sir," he said to the retreating Captain.
Some time later, the additional troops Captain Murphy requested began arriving, with more resources and equipment in tow. They had also brought along plenty of ammo, something the convoy needed greatly, as the majority of the rounds they had were blanks.
A perimeter was set up around the anomaly, with soldiers making sure the area was safe and secure; whatever this thing was or where it came from, they would be ready for anything that might happen.
After being approved for the mission, Phil was teamed up with three other men, whom he would accompany into the anomaly. The newly formed squad was outfitted with the standard issue M-16 rifle and a sidearm, plus plenty of ammo. Once they were appropriately equipped for whatever they might encounter, the group set off for their mission.
Stopping at the threshold of the doorway, the squad paused just at the edge, hovering between the known and unknown. As Phil stared into the depths of the anomaly, he found himself having second thoughts on doing this. He quickly took a deep breath, letting his nerves settle as he tried steadying himself.
"You all ready?" Phil asked the rest of the squad, to which they all confirmed yes.
"Okay, let's do this," Phil said to his team, before they all stepped through into the doorway.
Stepping into the anomaly, the changes were quickly apparent. The light around them diminished rapidly, soon leaving them in near darkness. The temperature also dropped a bit as well, not to the point where it was freezing, but to the point where it was noticeable.
Within they anomaly, it was as if they were walking down an invisible road through deep space. The tunnel made by the anomaly held a purplish glow to it, bathing them all in its light.
The whole time they were in the tunnel, Phil found himself in awe, blown away by what he was seeing; it was so magnificent, he didn't know how else to describe it, it was just the most incredible thing he'd ever seen.
Soon, they reached the other end of the tunnel, light from the other side spilling through into the darkness. Exiting the doorway, they were shocked to find they had emerged in a place very different from where they were. They now found themselves to be in a regular, plain old forest, which was a far cry from the lush jungle they just left.
Cautiously, the group worked to secure the exit, making sure the surrounding area was free of danger. They were in a clearing that was considerably smaller than the other side, with this side of the doorway having that same strange cloud around it.
"let's radio in, and inform the others what we found here," said one of Phil's squad mates, once they determined the area to be secure.
"Good idea," Phil replied, before he grabbed a walkie-talkie from his person and began to speak. FOB, this is yellow one. Radio check, over." After a few moments of waiting for a response, he tried again. FOB, this is yellow one. Radio check, over." Again, there was no reply.
"I don't think they can hear us," Phil said in defeat as he put his walkie-talkie away. "We must be out of range."
"What we do now, then?" asked a squad mate who was known as Calvin. He had a medium build, with a thin beard on his face.
"I think we should leave someone stationed here at the anomaly," Phil replied. "That way, if we come across something, they could act as a relay between us and back home."
"I'll stay," said the youngest of them as he moved back towards the cloud. "I was never one for hiking anyway."
Leaving the one squad mate by the anomaly, the others started off into the forest.
Moving through the woods, Phil looked at the treeline, unsure what to make of it; the forest seemed mundane, but at the same time, had a distinctively alien feel to it.
"How much do you want to bet this is some kind of conspiracy?" put forth Calvin. "Like this is some kind of top-secret project, and we're just in Iowa somewhere?"
"Maybe this is all a prank?" suggested Shawn, the other man with them. "Maybe this is just the Captain's way of playing a joke on us?"
Phil shook his head. "I seriously doubt that," Phil said, before cracking a smile, "that would depend on the Captain having a sense of humor in the first place." The other two gave a chuckle.
They examined all the flora they came across, seeing many familiar plants that wouldn't seem out of place back home. They also saw familiar animals too; they could see squirrels scampering around in the trees, as well as little birds fluttering all around.
Overall, the forest seemed to be calm and tranquil, a peaceful sensation that appeared to permeate the air itself.
Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes caught their attention. The men went rigid and stiff, going on full alert. They brought their weapons to arm, incase whatever was moving turned out to be hostile. They kept their eyes trained on the bushes, where after a few tense moments, the perpetrator of the commotion revealed itself.
A bunny came bounding out of the underbrush, making the three men relax. The bunny scampered out into the open, unafraid of the humans, whose presence didn't seem to bother it.
Phil chuckled to himself, a warm feeling entering his chest. Kneeling down, he gently approached the rabbit, being sure not to make any sudden moves; the bunny didn't seem to be scared, resting calmly on the forest floor as Phil closed the distance.
"Hi, there..." Phil cooed softly, trying to sound friendly and unthreatening. Reaching out a hand, he gently started scratching the top of its head, earning an ear twitch in response. He felt his lips curling upward into a smile, the world seeming to fade into the background as he greeted the small creature.
Finishing with the scratches, he stood back and gave the rabbit some space. Afterwards it moved on, promptly retreating back into the depths of the woods.
The three men then continued on their way through the forest. For a while nothing of note happened, the woods proved to be completely uninteresting. However that didn't last for long.
They soon found themselves at the top of a hill, looking out over what looked to be a small town in the distance.
"Should we try and scout it out?" suggested Shawn, only to discover that Calvin had already pulled out his binoculars. Phil and Shawn waited patiently, standing by as Calvin looked at the town.
"This doesn't make any sense!" muttered Calvin.
Phil's eyebrows hiked up. "What do you mean?" he asked.
He gestured with his hand toward the town. "I don't see any people down there, just their pets!" he passed the binoculars to Phil. "Here, look for yourself."
Taking the offerd item, he gazed through the binoculars at the little town. He soon discovered Calvin's words to be true, as there were no people, only small, colorful horse like creatures. As he continued to examine them, he took notice to their movements and odd mannerisms, and found himself coming to a startling realization; his eyes going wide, he felt his jaw drop as he contended with this new revelation.
"You're not going to believe this!" Phil exclaimed, never looking away from the binoculars. "I think the pets are the people!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" said Calvin, the tone in his voice indicating his disbelief.
"Here, see for yourself," said Phil, passing the binoculars back to his squad mate. "Look closely at the horses," he said as Calvin looked toward the town.
"Well I'll be dammed," Calvin said, shocked.
"What do we do?" asked Shawn.
"I want to try and get a closer look," Phil said as he began moving down the hill.
"Should we come with you?" suggested Shawn,
Calvin shook his head. "It might not be a good idea. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves, and three soldiers are more noticeable than one."
Phil nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it'll be better if only one of us goes. These creatures have probably never seen anything like us before, we don't want to cause a panic. You two just stay here, I'll be back in a moment."
Leaving the two behind, he descended down the hill, moving toward the settlement. He kept to the trees and shadows, not wanting to be spotted and cause a panic. His boots crunching in the under brush, he soon came upon the edge of the forest, which bordered right up against the town.
Phil took cover in the bushes, keeping himself hidden as he gazed at the village. He watched these creatures with awe, his face lighting up like he was he was a four year old with an ice cream cone. They were similar to horses or ponies, but with a dazzling aray of colors they seemed to come in. Some of them also had either wings or a horn, like the myths of the unicorn and pegasus of old. As for their height, he guessed that, including their neck and head, they'd come up to around the chest of a human. Something else he noticed, was that all of them seemed to have some sort of strange symbol on their hindquarters, to which he figured they must have some kind of cultural significance.
Judging by the lack of technology and rural setting, he guessed that they were in a pre-industrial revolution civilization; there were no cars or anything, which made sense, as how would they drive with no hands?
Phil's eyes widened, a look of uncertainty etching itself upon his face. Actually... how did they do any of this without hands; they had no opposable thumbs, so how in the world did they manage to build a town such as this? It quickly rose to become a big question to him, but as much as he might yearn for an answer, it became clear it would have to be saved for a different day.
These pony things were so alien to him, and yet at the same time, also seemed strangely human. He watched how they went about their daily lives, doing mundane things like carrying out errands. He saw how they interacted with each other, greeting their fellows with kindness and smiles, showing that they were a tight-knit community.
But perhaps the thing that shocked him the most, the most unbelievable thing about all this, was that the aliens spoke English! Gravity took hold of his jaw, forcing it wide open when he first heard them; he was totally floored, a dumbstruck look plastered on his face.
One of the ponies greeted another on the street, asking how they and their family were doing; the other pony replied, saying how they were doing good, and thanked the first pony for asking. Throughout all of this, the two conversersed in perfect English, leaving Phil reeling at how that could be possible.
Shaking his head, Phil decided he had seen enough for now. He slowly and carefully lifted himself out of the bushes, before turning back towards to the woods to return to the others.
If only he knew he hadn't gone unseen...
A contingent of royal guards moved down the streets of town, drawing the eyes of ponies as they moved. They were led by a unicorn known as Stiff Blade, a brave and resilient captain. They were answering a distress call, something that had been brought to their attention when a stallion identifying himself as Sparrow Seeker came rushing to their base in a panic.
"What happened exactly?" asked Stiff Blade, casting his gaze toward the stallion that was with them.
"Okay, so I like to go bird watching, you see," began the jittery stallion. "Its a past time of mine which I engage in frequently, as I find it to be peaceful and relaxing. Anyway, I was heading out to go birdwatching today and was making my way into the woods, when all of a sudden this human came out of nowhere! It was dressed in strange clothing, and held some object in it's hands."
The captain furrowed his brow. "What did it do?"
"Nothing!" replied Sparrow Seeker. "It just sat there in the bushes outside of town, watching everypony. I found myself not far from where it was, unable to move; I think the color of my coat and mane helped conceal me from it, because it didn't seem to spot me," he said, indicating the earthen tone of his body. "Although I shudder to think what would have happened if it had seen me, surely nothing good."
The Captain nodded. "You're a lucky pony. Left unchecked, humans can be very dangerous."
"Here we are," said Sparrow when they approached the edge of town. "This is where I encountered the strange human. And after it was done spying on us, it retreated into the forest, in the direction of that hill over there."
"Okay, we'll take it from here, thank you for the tip," said the Captain.
"I'm just doing my civic duty," replied Sparrow Seeker. "Now you go and catch that human," he finished, before leaving to let the guards do their job.
Stiff Blade gazed into the forest, his eyes examining the lush foliage, half expecting to see something staring back at him; somewhere within these trees, was the greatest threat pony kind had ever faced. "Keep your guard up ponies, we're going in,"he said, never taking his eyes off the treeline.
"Why? Its just a human," said one of the guards, just as Stiff Blade was about to step into the woods. He paused, before turning away from the trees as he cast his gaze on the offending guard. She was a rookie, a peach colored pegasus who had very little combat experience.
The Captain looked her straight in the eyes, an air of seriousness exuding from him. "Never underestimate a human in battle," he said, "there's a reason we had to subjugate them."
"Sorry, sir," the pegasus said, bowing her head in apology.
"Let's go," the Captain said, as he once again turned towards the woods.
He stepped tentatively into the brush, followed closely by the other guards. They moved through the forest, gradually pulling away from the safety of the town as they went off in search of this strange human.
Stiff Blade kept a steely air about him, moving with a firm resolve. His eyes were trained on the dense foliage all around them, warily eyeing the shadows, half expecting to be ambushed at any moment; the guards held a firm grip on their weapons, ready to fight.
As they moved through the trees, some of the guards started talking amongst themselves. They spoke of finding these humans and putting them in their place; and how they should do as they're told, and obey their masters.
The Captain was about to add a comment of his own, when he suddenly paused. He maneuvered his ears forward, focusing on the trees ahead as he strained to make out any noise. Listening closely, he was able to pick up the tell tale sound of somebody speaking, coming from a short distance ahead of them.
Stiff Blade quickly raised his hoof, indicating for the guards to stop. Almost instantly, silence overcame the squad, as they heeded the Captain's instructions and became alert.
With a flick of his head, the Captain motioned towards the voices; keeping quiet, he stealthily moved in their direction, followed by the rest of the guards. He made sure to be mindful of where he stepped, making sure to avoid stepping on any twigs and prevent giving them away. Coming up on the their target, Stiff Blade and the other guards took cover in the bushes, where they proceeded to spy on the ones speaking.
Stiff Blade was able to make out three humans sitting in a small clearing. Just like Sparrow Seeker had said, they were dressed in usual garments, and were carrying strange, bulky devices with a tube on the end.
"This is unbelievable!" exclaimed one of the humans, completely unaware of those watching them.
One of the other humans nodded his head. "I know. If I hadn't seen it for myself I wouldn't have believed it."
"You three," the Captain whispered, turning his attention to a few of the guards. "I want you to circle around them. " As soon as he said that, he turned his gaze to a couple other guards on his opposite side. "You go the other way," he said, I want them surrounded!" The guards in question all nodded, before discretely moving around the clearing as they carried out their orders.
"What do we do now?" asked the third human.
"It's probably time for us to head back and tell the others what we found," replied the second human after a moment. "We should radio in and tell Avery we're on our way back," he said, to which the first human grabbed some little box thing.
Upon hearing that the humans were about to leave, the Captain went into a frenzy, his brain going into overdrive. Springing to his hooves, he rushed into action.
"Freeze!" he shouted, jumping out the bushes and catching the humans by surprise. The other guards followed suit, entering the clearing and bringing their weapons to bear.
"What the hell!" cried out the third human in alarm. The trio quickly took defensive positions, bringing up the strange things they carried and started pointing them at the guards.
"You're surrounded! Give us your equipment and surrender!" the Captain demanded.
The humans didn't obey, resulting in a stand off between the two parties, with neither side willing to back down.
Slowly, the second human lowered his object, before tentatively raising his hands in a placating manner. "Okay, everybody just relax, alright," he said calmly, trying to get both groups to stand down. "I'm sure that this is just a big misunderstanding, that's all."
Stiff Blade ignored the human's words, not paying them any heed. "Where is your master, slave?" he said, trying to gather as much information as he could. "For your sake I hope you have a good explanation."
At his words, the human paused, before slowly turning to regard the Captain. "Excuse me!" he exclaimed with passion, his eyes blinking in bewilderment. "What's that supposed to mean!"
"You heard me, slave!" the Captain said, not about to repeat himself to a human. "Where is your master? If I don't like your answer, I'm going to be forced to assume you murdered them!"
"Okay!" spoke the human, shaking his head. "I don't know what kind of Crack you've been taking, but I'm no-one's slave!" he stated with fiery conviction. "I have no master!"
One of the guards snickered to himself. "A human without a master, that's rich."
"I don't know how you people do things here, but where we come from, slavery is outlawed," said the third human, never dropping his object.
"Where's that, fantasy land?" a guard shot back, a mocking tone in her voice.
"America!" the human replied simply.
The Captain felt his anger rising, growing increasingly irate at these humans. "I said give over your equipment and surrender! I won't tell you again!"
Despite his warnings, the humans still refused to give up; They remained defiant, never dropping their guard.
"So be it," said the Captain, before turning to his squad. "Take them down, use whatever force necessary!" he ordered
The guards made to subdue the humans, moving towards them with weapons drawn. The humans did nothing, and instead just stood there as they continued to point their strange objects at the guards.
"Open fire!" shouted one of the humans.
There was a flash from the objects the humans carried, followed by several loud bangs. Whatever had happened, it left the Captain reeling, his ears feeling as if somepony was playing an instrument right into them. Upon recomposing himself, the Captain was left utterly dumbstruck to discover that half of his squad lay dead before the humans - whatever those things they had were, they were clearly a lot deadlier than appearances suggested.
Despite the newfound danger, the squad refused to back down, as they charged once more at the humans. A guard managed to approach one of the humans from behind, where they swiftly ran it through with a blade.
"Fall back!" the second human screamed upon seeing one of their own fall. The two that were left took off into the woods, attempting to escape, but the Captain wasn't going to allow that.
The guards chased after the humans, firing arrows and magic bolts at them as they fled. They tried to lose them amongst the trees and foliage, but they kept on the humans, never letting them out of their sights.
As they ran, one of the humans took that strange little box to his head. "We need help!" he yelled into it. "We're under attack! Send help! Please, send he-" he was cut off when a magic bolt struck him, taking him down then and there.
Only one human left.
Phil's legs pounded on the forest floor, every step reverberating through his body. His lungs burned in his chest, working double time as he exerted himself.
He tore through the trees, trying to get back to the anomaly and to safety. His attackers had already killed Shawn and Calvin, and despite his best attempts to do so, he couldn't manage to shake them.
They fired arrows and lasers at him, to which he returned fire, shooting back at them as he ran.
Why were they doing this? He thought to himself, leaves and branches smacking him all over. They seemed to be friendly enough when he was watching them, so why were they attacking him?
As he pondered that question, he wasn't watching where he was stepping, and ended up triping on an exposed root. He went down hard, crashing into the forest floor. The air was forced out of his lungs, as if he'd been punched in the gut.
Regaining his breath, Phil tried to recover. He could hear his pursuers gaining on him, having lost much ground due to his fall. He scrambled to his feet, trying to get running again. But he only made it a few feet, as they were on him in an instant.
They tackled Phil back to the ground. He tried resisting, but they held him down firmly. He attempted to reach for his gun, but they were quick to remove it from his person.
"Let me go!" Phil yelled, trying to wrestle free as they restrained him.
"Take him in for questioning," said one of the pony-things, whom Phil assumed to be in charge. He leaned in close to Phil, a hard look on his face. "I don't know what you were doing out here, but we're going to find out."
After that, they started dragging Phil away. He kicked and screamed, trying to escape, but to no avail; despite his most valiant efforts, they continued to carry him off, to where he had no idea.
And Phil didn't yet know it, but something big had just been set into motion.
