The Dark Pony Age
by BronyManiac
Chapters
Trap or Treasure?
Prologue
Its was a long time ago since I started watching ponies. I didn't start by myself. It was introduced by friends and I loved it. its vibrant colors smooth animation and hilarious plot. it was a different kids show than most because it didn't have cheesy plots or terrible animation. But it hurt me, Because it was the complete opposite of our own world. Something That would remain as a shining hope that someday it may become a reality. well that day came. and I didn't like it. Not as much as I hoped. But I am old. the person who experienced something that will always be remembered has died a long time ago he was so distant from me that it was almost as if he was a different person. back in that day I was known as Alex. So lets travel back in time and meet me Alex.
Beginnings
I trudged through the park. It had been raining. The moist cold air hung around dancing on my skin lightly as I strolled along with ease. This distracted me from the loud booming of construction as I breathed in the fresh air. It wont last once I reach the exit then the world comes back I hooped out of the park only to be hit with a fresh smell of carbon monoxide burning my nose. I huddled my jacket and walked briskly back home. This was my everyday schedule only five minutes of fresh air before it a twenty minute cloud of dirt filled my lungs. Then I saw a flash in a particularly dark alley I would avoid. In a box was a round coin. It glowed with a burning red as I got closer until There was a bright flash.
1....2...3 BATTLE!
A loud booming sound filled my ears. It was deep and deafening my heart beat followed its hypnotizing beat. I could have lay there forever if it weren't for a sharp pain in my side. A dark voice echoed.
"Hey a new one dropped in." I opened my eyes to see a creature fully clothed in dark armor staring down on me. " lets see if it can put on a show." two armored guards dragged me towards a small light. my blurred vision made out green skin under the chinks of the armor "what are you-" I was thrown. Hard.
The dust settled and my chest hurt even more. The booming sound was now mixed with the chants of "kill him" and "rip him to shreds". Not good, they were probably talking about me. I rose, my eyes adjusted to the light and I saw a large arena with badly made buildings blocking me from seeing the full area. Above was a thick cage wire which ran through to the ground and the audience was safely behind more nets.
"ladies and gentleman for today's entertainment. Give it up for the tenth and final contestant who will be our guest creature to battle, let it begin!"
the loud voice boomed through the arena. The crowd went wild screaming and banging on the nets, a box was dropped in front of me. " And by decision of the audience the pity box goes to the guest challenger!" I unwrapped it....it... I couldn't do it my fingers were gone. replaced by a grey hoof.....hoof...... HOOF i fell on my back and kicked the box. it opened and more bright light filled the stadium my eyes blurred once more, and my body felt heavy. nearby was a puddle of water. Rushing over I saw something that both dropped and rose my heart. I had become a pony!
I smiled in the water checking my body to see a full set of armor and a sword hitched to my leg. Then I heard a sound. instinctively I pulled out the sword with my mouth and swung around only to be faced with a large grey beast towering two times my height wait what is my height I didn't bother to answer myself as a foot smashed onto the ground causing me to roll aside. I swung my mouth slashing at its knee. It howled in pain as the carbon steel dug into his tough flesh causing him to reel over in shock. I Jumped on him plunging my sword into his shocked face. "I killed it." A millions thoughts ran through my mind as I tried to process what I just did "I just killed whatever it was" my feet gave way under me. I keeled beside the unmoving carcass in shock completely oblivious to the one eyed creature lumbering with an iron mace aiming for me. it was too late I swung around and put my hooves up to defend myself, but that could not stop anything, I braced for the pain to come.
It never came. A bright flash slammed into the cyclops throwing it into a wall rendering it unconscious. in the shadows I heard a voice. "come with me if you want to live." I smiled at the words and galloped towards the voice. "thanks a lot I could have died if it wasn't for you." do not thank me yet soldier what is thy name and I hope you'd be an ally? Thy? and that voice is so familiar Luna? LUNA! my heart leaped with joy. I was in Equestria! "Luna is that you?"
I could make out a surprised face " how does thy know my name?" I began to explain when a talon raked through our hiding spot ripping three large holes in it. "Crap Luna run!" we both rushed out from the cover to see a lizard on two feet swipe at my heart. Luna's horn glowed and whipped at it with magic it ducked but was nipped on the arm. it howled in pain but for a second as its arm began to regenerate. "Thy opponent shalt never win against a princess" the lizard ran into the deep cover hiding in the shadows.
"Well thanks again" I reached out my hoof to shake the princess' hoof but she looked at me with a questioning face. "why does thou not use his unicorn magic thy cannot rely on me all the time." I smiled embarrassed wait....Unicorn? I felt my head to feel a sharp hard object sticking out "I'm a UNICORN". I could have jumped for joy if the princess wan't there. I looked back at the princess to see her stare at me.
"Erm okay I'll try." I looked down sheepishly but the princess was already moving. I galloped quickly to keep up. I caught sight of her. she was wearing her nightmare moon armor which dimly glowed and shimmered as I walked by.
"Princess Luna What is going on and why are we here."
"Have thy I'm sorry you suffered from a brain injury we are fighting for our lives!"
I didn't get another question in as a rumbling shook the ground causing dust to rise. I crouched into a defense position but Luna kept her chest high and waited for the attack. the dust did not settle. but out of it we could make out glowing eyes. waiting for the attack
"By vote timber wolves have been added into the arena" the crowds cheers erupted into a euphoria. I pulled out my sword and stood flank to flank with Luna waiting for the strike. its growls drummed into my soul. I stood tensed while the princess stood there unafraid.
Her eyes glowed and she transformed into the shadow bolts. I lashed out at the nearest one while she or they flashed out to the next catching the first by surprise it cut it down reducing it into a pile of twigs. Luna had ganged on the second one as its howls were slowly drowned out. the remaining pack took a step back in fear. but a large shadow forced them to step forward.
I swung my head and threw it at the dark shadow the sword stuck in but it did not howl in pain. It simply took a step forward pulling out the sword and dropping it into the dust. "uh oh" the dust cleared and the shadow formed into a giant timber wolf twice the size of its companions. in it a hole where my sword had struck. the timber wolves cowered in fear as the leader took a step forward rumbling the floor. I ran straight for it plan plan plan I really need one right now....ah ha I thought of one. rushing it I suddenly swerved to the side charging straight into its own companions. the giant wolf tried to intercept me crushing his own kind beneath his large feet.
They ran quickly avoiding it as it blindly charged at me. heh brains over brawn but they didn't get the brawn part wrong. its mighty jaws clamped on my armor and it tossed me into a prop house.what the hell I flew ten feet into the air i felt my side to find the creature had punctured my armor leaving large bite marks across my body dammit I heard it roar as I guessed Luna was beating the crap out of it I lugged my body to my feet and walked out of the house.
I was right, Luna had beaten it. it lay on the ground a large pile of firewood. the crowd was overjoyed "well folks a contestant that beat the mighty timber wolf give it up for the princess Luna and the guest fighter" I stared at the board to see there were only four of us left. a crude drawing of a lizard told me the two legged lizard had been killed and its picture was put next to a troll, cyclops and other creatures i didn't see. My wound ache. medics rushed onto the field to greet us and tend our wounds. the crowd dispersed quickly and the presenter had already left." I felt side go numb as they injected me with something. then my vision went black.
Awakenings
"He is getting up." the voice echoed in my head. I opened my eyes to be facing a dimly lit ceiling with the warmth of a furnace blowing through the room.
"Hey man that was some fight, its the first time anyone has survived the timber wolves." I turned my head to my side to be facing a unicorn looking at me with a toothy grin. he was wearing an eye patch and had a large scar streaking through his face. where his left back leg should have been was replaced with a crooked prosthetic limb.
"hey where am I" I tried to sit up but the pain in my side said otherwise " hey settle down for a bit. that pack leader took a huge chunk out of you." I looked down to see a messy bandage of my torso up to my chest. three light blood stains leaked onto the white bandages. " what happened while I was out."
"well the medic team shot you with some tranquilizer and started to settle your wound Our mighty princess followed you all the way back here with the medical group until the guards took her away. She went to her room and started mumbling about you."
His grin got wider.
"well who cares anyway, your name is being chanted throughout the halls, everyone saw your insane charge towards the wolves, heck they even gave you a stage name, it was eh.... Grey Ghost. pretty creepy but you know they need to sell tickets and Grey Ghost became your name. In fact they even gave you your own coat, and on your first battle"
"Coat?" I began to stand up and adjust myself.
"well after an amazing feat in combat they give you a name and a coat. you know something that the audience can recognize you by. After my scrape with the warlord of the swamps my own leg was taken off me. so I got the name Three legs. not so catchy but it works."
I smiled at him and began to walk towards the heat." so why did they call me Grey Ghost?"
He grinned back "'cos they said you already dead."
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I limped towards the fire. my wound had taken its toll and my hind leg felt as if it was slammed by a sledge hammer. Around the fire place were other ponies which huddled together with empty bowls beside them. My stomach rumbled. I guess I also had to eat. Three-legs read my mind.
"Here you go boy. Not the Kanterlot palace but you know, its still food." He plopped beside me, passing me a bowl. "By the way, take as much as you want. they try to make us as comfortable or we don't fight as good. if you get popular you get a little extra gold from your fans. I got plenty myself, maybe soon I can buy my way out." he chuckled and carried on eating his food. It was like porridge except with carrots and potatoes inside.
"well don't be shy, dig in." he wasn't kidding, it was pretty good. I finished my bowl and thanked three-legs. I looked around the room. The other ponies had gone to sleep. "Hey how come there are only ponies in this area?" Three-legs pushed the bowls into the bin "Well they separate the groups to avoid inside fighting. You know so we go fight outside"
He smiled. "well now that you are all better go see the Princess, she wants to talk to you." he carried on tending the fire and I went to see the princess in her room. I walked down the dim corridor, as I went deeper I heard a voice echo " search for the room with the moon on it." I smiled and carried on walking. To my right I saw it. The moon shimmered illuminating the area around it. It amplified the dim candle making that portion of the corridor brighter. I knocked on the door.
I waited for a few minutes when i heard a muffled "enter" I opened the door with my front hoof and unconsciously bowed, she is still royalty. Luna was looking at letters from fans when she realized I was still kneeling. "rise pony Thy does not need to show honorifics when in my presence, i but a soldier such as yourself in the middle of a battle."
I rose sheepishly smiling at her. "Princess Lu-"
"Please, call me Luna, or if you want my stage name Nightmare Moon." the princess interrupted spitting at the words Nightmare Moon.
"Well pri- I mean Luna you wanted to see me?" she looked at me then went back to her letters.
"Yes its about your inability to use magic, and something else." She put the letters down and approached me.
I slowly sank lower. even though she was an ally her presence was overwhelming. She stood inches away from me and bit onto the bandages on my back. I reeled in shock, the bandages blinded me as I stumbled around the room. The princess just stood and waited for me to regain my balance. "I was right, its a good thing those bumbling fools did not realize what you are."
I stood up in a daze. "what?" Luna looked at me with a confused look. "Did you not know?" she huffed and pulled a mirror from her bedside. In it I saw my wings.
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"WHAAAAT" I looked in shock and awe, I HAD WINGS. I flapped them slowly as being cramped in the bandages made them numb. "when you wore that armor The wings were hidden, I only saw it when they wrapped you with bandages." I had stopped listening I had both a horn and wings....I'M AN ALICORN I hopped around in glee feeling lighter than air.
Until Luna pulled me back to earth "there is not point if you can't use magic." I dropped back to the ground " Bu..bu..but I can learn can't I" She shrugged " perhaps you can, but it isn't easy, during training hours come find me. I will teach you. For now go to Three-legs and see if he can help you out.
I left the room and closed the door behind me. "I'm an Alicorn!" I found myself smiling for no reason. I saw Three-legs smiling back at me. " So you are an Alicorn." he grinned "Well come on we need to go to bed, tomorrow we have to train."
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I woke up to three legs jabbing me in the side with his good leg. "Hey come on sleepy rise and shine." he shoved another bowl in front of me. "time to get training lets go" I quickly ran though a creek to get freshened up and headed outside. Three-legs was waiting. "well I need you to be a better fighter. that troll you beat was only a peon or a worker troll. We need you to be strong enough to take out a full grown one." I shuddered at the thought of how tough a full troll might be
" So let me take you to your arsenal of weaponry allowed in the arena." We walked to a large room where other ponies practiced magic or were hand to hand fighting. "well here we are." he lead me to a large table. on it were an assortment of weapons ranging from swords and shields to crossbows to boots with sharp edges and even what looked like steampunk weapons.
"Well first the sword." he picked it up with his mouth. "you shee that ith can be wielded withh your mouth". he spat it out and attached something like a cup holder. "or you can use one of these." he clipped the sword to it and swung it around. "personally the mouth is better. faster more flexible and keeps your hooves empty, axes clubs scythes can all be held with your mouth, your shield will be on your arm."
He placed the sword back and picked up the cross bow. "This baby needs the clip-on. very dangerous. he clipped it to his front arm and raised it. he shot and it stuck into the bulls eye of a nearby target. "To reload simply pick another bolt from your pouch and spit it in. then use your mouth to pull the trigger back." He expertly spat his bolt in and flicked his front hoof and the crossbow was loaded. "well if you use it long enough loading isn't a problem."
He unclipped the crossbow from his arm. "now we go to the guns." these are only loaded with shells. very fast loading and bullets pack a punch. however the bullets can't get through the really thick armor that the crossbows can." he clipped it to his
arm and punched the side of the cannon. The Bullet spat out and sailed through the air before exploding into a ball of flame.
He smiled. "all showy but its more for the spread shots." he heaved the heavy weapon back onto the table.
Three-legs Picked up a small revolver. "very light and fast firing reloading can be a pain and the bullets that can survive the blast are only buck shots which frankly don't do much damage. but its good for a distraction.
He pulled off the pistols with his mouth.
He looked exhausted. looking on he picked up the sharp boots on the table. "alright there are these boots which are good for kicking. your armor can be filled with weapons such as a dart launcher or a lasso and maybe even a flail. he picked up the flail and swung it onto the nearest dummy. it was decapitated in one hit. he took a breather. "well then now that you are all set lets start training.
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