"Pure Anarchy could never exist in the real world. This is because there will always be people, or ponies as the case may be, that will band together to surmount some large obstacle. These groups may go so far as to call each other friends after repeated actions together. So, truly, what is a friend? Is it someone who stands by your side no matter what, during the good and the bad? Or is it someone who you want at your side when things go to shit or when you have something to gain from their involvement? Surely, trust is a definite with a friend but how much trust can you instill without escalating up the social ladder? How much trust is too little trust? In the end, each person has, or pony, has their own ideas of friendship and trust. This, I must admit, is the scariest aspect of all."

--------

"I don't trust it AJ," Rainbow whispered. The two mares had fallen behind Fluttershy and the monster so that they could talk amongst themselves. "It and it's pet."

"Ah hate to say it, but Ah agree with ya. Something is off about the fellow, besides the obvious," Applejack replied. Rainbow nodded. Already, the monster and it's pet looked off with the scratches and speckles of blood on it's armor and the dried blood on the pet's muzzle. Everything also looked as if it hadn't been washed in months, maybe even years.

"Just keep an eye on it," Rainbow insisted.

"Why'd ya think Ah agreed to come inside?" Applejack replied as the two trotted after Flutter and the creature, who were already inside. Entering the cottage, they were met with the many alcoves that housed all sorts of animal life. They were also met with the sight of the creature knelt next to it's bag, attaching it's bow to the side. The dog, K9 if Rainbow's memory served her, was laying next to a couch with it's eyes closed. It looked, for all the world, like it was asleep but Rainbow was sure that it was still very alert.

--------

Vol had no idea what he was doing. He would admit that. If someone had told him that he'd be sent to another world to meet talking horses, he would've called that person crazy. However, here he was in a house that seemed chock full of wild creatures with three talking horses, two of which were showing signs of hostility. The third, well... it was a mystery. He had no idea what was driving it's actions but he did know that it was no hostility. It was the opposite actually, as if it had known him it's whole life.

Having seen the other two come in, he finished strapping his bow to his pack and stood up, placing the pack next to K9. Vol knew the dog wasn't sleeping. His breathing was too fast and there was the minute flicks of the ears as he listened to the world around him. No, he wasn't sleeping, just resting. Resting after a very exciting day. Looking at the couch the dog was next to, Vol thought about sitting down. He then thought twice of it as the couch looked small and he was sure he would crush it anyway, not being built to take the weight of Vol's armor. So, without further thought, he sat down cross legged in front of the couch.

"Umm, why don't you sit on the couch?" asked the rainbow maned one.

"Worried I'd crush it," Vol replied.

"O...kay?"

"Tea's done!" Fluttershy called as she, he was tired of thinking of her as an 'it', trotted into the room with a platter on her back. The platter held a tea pot and four small cups. The winged pony stopped and looked at Vol with confusion.

"Too heavy for the couch," Vol answered the unspoken question. He briefly wondered how dull these ponies were if they couldn't make the connection themselves.

"Oh, okay," she replied quietly, hiding an eye behind her mane, "As long as you're okay with it."

"It's fine, I promise," he responded. Nodding, the yellow pony stepped forward as her two friends sat on chairs set up around the coffee table in front of the couch. She twisted her head around, grabbed the platter with her teeth, and expertly maneuvered it onto the table. This left one human who was very confused as to how that could work. Choosing to not voice that question, Vol watched the pony serve the tea to each of her guests before serving herself. Vol looked down at the small cup and it's brown liquid. He'd never had tea before and, to him, it looked like irradiated water. However, he wasn't one to be rude to his host.

Lifting up his hands, he brushed his hood back before unclasping the locking mechanisms of his helmet. With it loose, it gave it a sharp twist to release the secondary locking function. This elicited a rather unpleasant scream.

-------

Fluttershy was close to fainting after seeing her the creature twist it's own head with a snap. A scream had escaped her muzzle as she now stared wide-eyed at the creature. The dog, K9, was looking on with a tilted head. It didn't look the least bit concerned for it's master... who was now chuckling.

The pegasus looked in shocked confusion as the creature laughed and lifted it's 'head' off it's shoulders. She was surprised to see that there was another head beneath what she had, at first, believed to be it's head. This head had a flat face and two, small ears. A brown, shaggy mane, fell down out of the helmet. It covered a portion of it's right eye, much like Fluttershy's mane did. What she noticed more though was it's smirk... and the three claw scars going across the left side of it's face.

"Did I scare you?" it asked, concern coming over it's face. Fluttershy simply nodded, causing it to smile softly, "My apologies. I should have warned you."

"Yeah, ya should've," Applejack cut in. The creature looked over at her with a raised brow.

"Wait, so that wasn't your face?" Rainbow asked, scratching the back of her head with a hoof. Fluttershy, examining the creature's 'new' face, saw it stare at Rainbow for a little longer than necessary before answering.

"No," it replied with a smile, setting it's helmet aside as it picked up the tea, "Just a helmet."

Fluttershy watched as the creature stared at the tea with a confused, and slightly disgusted, look. She became worried; did it not like tea? Is tea something bad for it's kind?

"What? Never had tea before?" Applejack asked as she took a sip of her own drink. Why are they acting this why? Do they not trust it? Fluttershy asked herself, It did attack them but... it was sorry. Anypony could've seen that.

"No, actually," it replied, to the shock of all in the room. It hasn't had tea?

"Try it," Fluttershy said softly, "it's good."

Fluttershy watched it shrug and knock back the tea like it was hard cider. It then began coughing.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly while Rainbow burst into laughter. The creature just held up a finger in a 'wait a second' motion as it coughed.

"F-fine," it coughed out before taking a deep breath, "just a lot sweeter than I thought it would be."

"I'm sor-"

"No, it's not your fault," It replied with a smile as it set the cup down. It then frowned, "I don't believe I've told you my name. I'm Vol and the dog is K9."

"Fluttershy," Fluttershy replied before pointing at her two friends, "That's Applejack and Rainbow Dash."

"Nice to meet you," he stated. The two simply nodded. Fluttershy couldn't believe that her friends were acting this way. Well, she could, but she wished that they weren't.

"I see. Well, for what it's worth, I apologize for what occurred out there. Please believe me when I say that I wouldn't have harmed you, neither would have K9. I understand that mistakes are made."

"Ah... can't accept your apology right now," Applejack replied, to Fluttershy's surprise.

"And I understand," Vol replied before turning back to Fluttershy, "I appreciate the hospitality but I do have a few questions."

"Oh, o-okay."

"Where am I?"

"Equestria," Fluttershy replied. She was excited that they were talking. And she knew his name! 'His'? Well, she had to admit that it sounded male.

"I see. And that is the country?" Vol asked.

Fluttershy nodded.

"And the village near here is called Ponyville, if I remember one of our earlier conversations correctly. Yes?"

"Yes," Fluttershy replied with a smile.

"And what exactly are you?" he asked, motioning toward Fluttershy.

Taken aback by the bluntness of the question, Fluttershy stammered, "I-I'm a pony. We all are. Rainbow and I are pegasi while Applejack is an earth pony."

"So, winged is a pegasi-

"Pegasus," Rainbow interrupted, "Pegasi is multiple."

"My apologies; winged is a pegasus and non-winged is earth."

"Correct," Fluttershy replied with a smile. She watched as Vol lowered his head to look at the helmet he had set on the table. He picked it up and looked at the 'face'. He then looked out the window at the Everfree forest that sat just outside the cottage. Ponies often wondered how a timid mare like Fluttershy could live so close to the forest. For her it was simple because the forest is where her animal friends lived.

"And your entire world is like..." he hesitated, a finger half-heartedly pointed at the trees. Fluttershy could see the conflict in his eyes when he looked at her. He looked sad, angry... scared. "-like that?"

"Er, no," Applejack replied.

"Some of the world is covered in snow year round while other parts are deserts. But most of it is like this, yes." Fluttershy elaborated when it became clear that Applejack wouldn't. What was wrong with her friends today? If Twilight was here, she'd be more accepting. But she's still in Canterlot learning about politics. Twilight had been very busy since her coronation.

"I see," he replied sadly, looking at his helmet once more. Fluttershy watched him, unsure of what to say or do. This was a first for her as she usually knew exactly what to do but, now, she was at a lost. She didn't really know what he was even sad about.

"A-are you okay?" she finally managed to ask. She mental hit herself. Of course he wasn't okay!

"I'll never see any of them again," he whispered as a tear dropped onto his helmet.

-------

No one. I'm all alone here, in some strange new world with talking ponies that fly. Vol watched another tear fall on his helmet. Charles, who strived to be an outstanding member of the militia, Yoncy, who was the sweetest little girl you'd ever met, Rachel, who was like a sister to him. He'd never be able to see their smiling faces ever again and that was hitting him hard.

"See who?" asked Fluttershy in a caring tone.

"My... my friends. Back home."

"Where is your home?" Applejack asked, her hard tone breaking.

"On a different world."

"Wait, what now?" Rainbow asked with a confused smirk.

"My world is a dead world. Burned by the fires of wars waged by my ancestors. I... I am a product of that world," he stated, motioning to his damaged and bloodied armor. What will they think of me now? he asked himself, readying himself for their hated words.

"So... you-you've k-killed? O-other humans?" Fluttershy asked. Vol nodded, braced for the repercussions. He heard a collective gasp and thought he had time to explain finer details.

"You have to understand that it was all for survival. I didn't want to. I never wanted to."

"How is killing somepony for survival? You couldn't try talking to them?" Rainbow asked. Vol looked in her eyes and could see the confusion and the anger. He also saw something else; he saw that she'd never truly understand. None of these ponies would, but if you could make them understand at least a little.

"In my world," he began softly as he sat cross-legged on the floor next to K9. He scratched behind the dog's ear, "In my world, there's a shortage of clean water and of food, because of the war. This drives people to different actions. Most will allow others to drink from the same well, a settlement soon forming. Some will sell it for caps. Some, however, will claim it as theirs and theirs alone."

"They won't understand your world. War. Hate. Death."

The voice came not from outside but from inside Vol's cranium. He paused in shock.

"Just like you'll never understand theirs. Peace. Friendship. Love."

Vol shook his head as he felt an icy presence leave his mind. There's no way they were always peaceful. Something, someone, made it this way for them, Vol reasoned internally.

"You see," he continued, dismissing the voice, "those people will attack anyone who tries to take from their well. I had ended up as one of those people. I was refilling my canteens from a sink that had clear-looking water. That was when some guy jumped out of a side room and charged at me with a knife. I... I shoved his arm away and drew my own blade. I think you can fill in the rest."

"Ah think you should'a tried to talk to him," Applejack replied.

"While I was locked in a fight?" Vol asked incredulously, "He came at me with a knife!"

"You had a knife to my throat and we're talking now," Rainbow stated. Vol paused. She had told the truth. One wrist jerk and he could've ended her life; more blood on his hands.

"Th-that's different. I had you pinned, I was able to evaluate the situation. With him, it was constant movement," he explained, his voice sounding unsure.

"Was it really all that different, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, her voice sounding more and more accusatory. Was it different? he asked himself, Could I have talked my way out of it? No. No! I was fifteen! He was out to kill, not drive away! I... I...

"I need to go for a walk," Vol said as he quickly got to his feet. K9 jumped to his paws but sat down with a whimper when Vol barked out a "Stay!"

Without grabbing his helmet or his pack, Vol exited the cottage and walked. He didn't go to the forest, as it reminded him of his hunting grounds. No, he went into an open field next to the cottage. The field bordered the forest on one side and the village on the other. Finally noting his surroundings, he was surprised to see that it was currently night. He looked up to see a full moon making it's way into the sky. This moon was big. Either it was big or it was a lot closer than the one back on his world.

He put up his hood and continued on. While the night sky was beautiful, a part of him had been screaming for him to put up his hood. Without his helmet, it came over to his brow line, effectively shadowing his face. It could have come even further if he had let it.

That was when a noise reached his ear, a noise he had recently relived in that cottage. The noise of steel hitting steel.

Figuring it's direction, Vol took off at a sprint, his power armored legs propelling his body faster than any unassisted human. His hood, the one he had just put on, blew back off his scalp as he sprinted across the plains, looking for the fight. As he ran, he unclasped the pistol holster on his torso and drew the 10mm inside, cursing himself for leaving his pack and helmet. It was a spur of the moment thing, just like telling K9 to stay. It was also a rookie mistake.

Seeing the fight, he quit beating himself up as his heart rate quickened. He examined the duel as he closed in. One fighter was holding their wings in front of their face in an obviously defensive posture. This person, pony, whatever, was obviously losing as it backpedaled with one leg held up. The other fighter was pressing forward, using a... horn to attack the first fighter. The noise of blades came from both horn and wing. Metal sheaths? Vol asked himself as he came sliding to a stop. Who do I help?

Upon closer inspection under the moonlight, he could see that the first fighter wore a dark purple armor over their black fur. The other was of a darker black than the first and appeared to have holes in it's legs. It looked like a mutated, diseased pony. If that wasn't an obvious 'I'm a bad guy' than Vol didn't know what was.

Raising the pistol, he lined up the shot. Just as his finger began to squeeze, the horned attacker saw him and turned. Revealing a pair of fangs and membrane wings, it hissed at him...

...just as the back of it's head exploded outward with a thunderclap.

The creature fell over like a sack of potatoes, dead before it hit the ground. While it gave it's last twitches of life, Vol lowered his pistol and turned to the other fighter. It was sitting down now, looking as if it was struggling to remain upright. Finally, it plopped onto the grass next to the corpse, looking like it was join it in death.

"Shit!" Vol hissed as he dashed to get closer, holstering his pistol. Sliding to a stop next to the fighter, he examined it's body. A good sized cut adorned it's right rear leg close to it's main body. Blood caked it's dark fur. Surprisingly, metal did cover the top of it's leathery wings. This made him pause once more. Fluttershy and Rainbow, by his observations, had feathers. So, what made this pony different? Now that he was looking more closely, he saw that the tops of the ears had a little tuft of fur and, with it's mouth open, he saw what looked like fangs amongst it's other teeth. Granted, they were smaller than the other creature's, but it was still unsettling.

He also noticed that it was still breathing. Then, he remembered what Fluttershy had carried.

"Hang on," he said assuredly. Taking the red cloth off his belt, he tied it tight above the wound. The pony whimpered in response, which he ushered a cooing "Shhh" in reply. Satisfied that the flow of blood was greatly stemmed, he gently scooped the pony into his arms. More whimpering. Another soft, "Shhh".

"Everything's alright," he said softly as he turned back toward Fluttershy's cottage, lights visible in the distance, "I'm taking you somewhere safe."

There was no reply. A quick check showed that the pony was still breathing, however. So, alone with his thoughts, Vol used one hand to put up his hood. He felt right with it on, even in a moment like this. And it wasn't as if the pony was heavy.

So, with a bleeding pony in his arms and an unknown future, he trudged through the night.

What will they think of this, I wonder? Next Chapter: Messages and Friendmaking Estimated time remaining: 33 Minutes