The Next Day

Lucas' Pov

I woke up to find that it was about noon, I guess the capsule was enough sleep. Luna had a bed that was large enough for me in her bedroom. I sneaked out of the room, hoping not to wake her up. I looked in a full length mirror. I asked the PAD to construct some clothes. It created a hoodie, a simple shirt and some combat trousers. Made from Carbon Nanotubes as carbon is very common.

I entered the throne room and I was swarmed by a wave of what appear to be scientists. They looked me up and down, like freaks. One tried to grab my crotch.

"Hey! Get your hands off there!" I shouted, turning away from the groping scientist...freak.

"I apologise for the scientists behaviour, they get excited when they find new things," Celestia apologised.

"You're not kidding," I replied. I looked at the several pictures of what appeared to be autopsy of some stallion. He had a yellow coat, brown mane. Oh and not forgetting the big fuck off hole in his chest. I pointed at what seemed to be a before picture.

"What's this?" I asked.

"The scientists report that more meteorites are opening, most contain nothing. However a few contain unknown items," she pointed to several meteorites that had opened. Those weren't meteorites. They were transport pods.

"This stallion died from a unknown fungus, we believe that the meteorites contained them," A biologist stated, pointing at a picture with fungi growing on the stallions chest region. It was disgusting I can tell you that.

"Any witnesses?" I asked, going back to my days watching CSI.

"Just 1, said that the stallion went insane, before going to the alley where he died," A detective recalled. I turned to Celestia who was panicking.

"Princess? Are you feeling OK?" She was in shock as she was presented with the brutal death of one of her subjects.

"This...fungus is more dangerous than anything we have ever encountered. Not even Discord took the lives of my subjects," she stuttered.

"I apologise Princess, but you needed to know of this," A scientist said.

"Do not be sorry, I thank you for bringing this to my attention".

"So what are you orders Princess?"

"Isolate the neighbourhood that the unfortunate victim died in. Burn any traces of the fungus and check all of the other ponies that reside there," Princess Celestia ordered.

"I know it will panic my subjects, but that is far less worse than having my entire country overrun by this fungus. Please, do be careful with them though," The scientists began to leave the room and the acting Captain of the Royal Guard rallied his reserve forces.

I watched as the force marched into the neighbourhood and isolated the neighbourhood from afar, using Luna's telescope of course.

"Do not panic, by order of her royal highness, Princess Celestia. This neighbourhood is being quarantined and checked for a new contagion that will cause harm to pony kind," The commander of the force decreed. The voice boomed all cross Canterlot. I left the telescope and went back inside. I was to remain in this tower until Celestia says it is safe.

Luna walked upstairs saw that I was fed up. I wanted to go out an explore Equestria a bit more.

"Luna, why don't we go somewhere?" Luna looked at me.

"Are you crazy? Who knows where that plague is?" She shouted, "No. I want us to remain in the castle and not to risk ourselves in the name of fun!"

"I thought you would want to spend some more time with me," I said. She was resilient at first but mentioning that caused her to give.

"Fine. We shall go to the small village of Ponyville," She decreed. She called for her personal carriage which finally came along. As it landed the two guards looked at me in suspicion. I climbed on and took flight to Ponyville.

In transit to Ponyville, I thought about the force moving to that small neighbourhood. It was clear that Celestia cared for her subjects if she was willing to contain that small area with her full reserve force to protect them. Luna was looking nervous. I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Don't worry. Villages of this size would usually report an infection much sooner than cities," I reassured her. She smiled at me and seemed a bit better. I couldn't blame her though, that fungus is some deadly shit. The rest of the journey was quiet as we thought about the future.

We landed next to Twilight's library. Twilight soon burst out of the door and welcomed me back to Ponyville. We were invited inside of the library, but before we entered Luna turned towards me.

"Say nothing of the stallion to Twilight Sparkle, she must not know," Luna whispered.

"Why?"

"The more people that know of it, the worse. We must not burden her". I simply nodded and walked inside with her.

"So what brings you to Ponyville Lucas?" Twilight asked.

"I wanted to explore more. Canterlot is nice but I would like to go out once in a while," I replied. A look of excitement was on her face as she began drafting a schedule. We were to go to Sweet Apple Acres first, then visit Fluttershy in her cottage just outside of town. For lunch we would go to a restaurant. I just hope they got food I can digest before I have to tell them I eat meat. Afterwards we will go to Carousel Boutique. Apparently Rarity wanted to make me a suit. Then me, the mane 6 and Luna will go to a Picnic in the park. A drama free day, finally.

We set off to Sweet Apple Acres, we had to cross through the town first, this will be fun. As I walked through the town, everypony panicked. They rushed indoors, closed windows and mostly just screamed. I looked at Twilight, who was slightly embarrassed. Not exactly the best first impressions of a town.

"Guess it's like Zecora all over again," I muttered.

"Not exactly," Twilight screamed, pointing a hoof towards a pack of Timber-wolves stampeding the town.

"Time to put a leash on these hounds," I shouted as I activated the PAD. Bits of metal and wood were salvaged off several items. They were moulded into shape to form a rifle. The villagers looked at me panic as they saw the deadly contraption form in my hands. Lead was salvaged from the windows and formed rounds, which fed itself into a magazine.

I pointed the rifle and looked down the sights at what I predict is the alpha. Focus. Squeeze annnnnd...

BANG

The shot rolled across the hills and silenced everyone. The round landed into the Timberwolf's head and it stopped running. It's eyes stopped glowing and it ultimately, stopped breathing. Everypony stared at me in shock. The timberwolves knew what they were dealing with as they retreated back into the Everfree forest. I walked up to the dead timberwolf and confirmed the kill.

I unloaded the magazine and put it in my pocket. Suddenly the entire town burst into life and panic filled the streets once more. After a few seconds, the place was a ghost town. I looked around and saw no danger.

"I guess now they are running from me?" I asked jokingly. Twilight simply nodded slowly. She was looking at the rifle I had made, analysing it's works.

"These weapons are for humans Twilight. Ponies can't hold them, never mind operate them". She had a look of disappointment as she was told this. Suddenly a look of panic then came across her face once more.

"Oh no! I forgot that I had Twilight Time with the girls. Sorry, we will have to arrange another meet up again Lucas," panicked Twilight. She then flew off towards her library.

"Finally. Now we can have the day to ourselves Lucas," Luna said, nudging my leg.

"So. What now?" I asked.

"That is easy, I wanted to do a picnic by ourselves in the nearby plains".

"Then there is where we will go".

It took some debating but we found the perfect spot. A flat plain with a lone apple tree on a small tree on a small bank. We decided that we will have it under the tree. Luna took out the supplies from her saddlebag and I helped her prepare. Soon we had a small picnic with several types of food...that most of them I couldn't bloody eat! I mean daffodil and daisy sandwiches? Who the fuck eats those on a sandwich! At least apples were in the banquet. Suddenly a deer come across the plains and stopped. I put my hand on my rifle but Luna suddenly took it away. She shook her head and frowned at me. Damn. I never tried venison.

We finished our lunch and found ourselves resting under the apple tree. Finally after 2 days of drama. I can finally rest in a peaceful place. Something weird suddenly happened. I was about to close my eyes until Luna snuggled up to me. I then nuzzled her. She wake up and stared at me with her turquoise eyes. They were hypnotising. Our lips attracting each-other and they were locked. It only lasted for a few seconds before we noticed what we were doing. We spent the rest of the day cuddling while we watched Celestia lower the sun. Luna then activated her horn and summoned the night.

"You come from the stars? Is that not true?" Luna asked. I sighed.

"You could say that". Luna looked at me curiosity.

"What is it like to walk amongst the stars?"

"I don't know. I was frozen in transit, I woke up in Equestria when Twilight freed me," I explained.

"A pity. We could learn a lot from you Lucas".

"Do not be mistaken though Princess, my PAD is alien to me as well," I said, "So it comes with spacecraft plans, just needs the resources". A look of excitement appeared on Luna.

"You mean it is possible for us to travel among the stars!" She shouted. Luna began to hop around like a filly on Hearth's Warming Eve morning.

Suddenly we saw a faint light come from the town. It was moving towards us. I climbed up the tree to get a better view, to my despair I saw a mob searching the area. Guess not everypony is welcoming after all. I climbed down the tree fast and rushed up to Luna.

"Luna, we must hurry! The villagers have formed a militia," I urgently whispered, "They are coming for me".

"Leave this to me". Luna flew up to and looks over the crowd of angry ponies; hateful words of fear flow forth like the tides of an ocean. Upon finishing gazing at the crowd she holds up a single hoof and silence quickly follows. Her calm exterior is replaced with a deep frown and her brow tightly knit together "Is this how you pay your respects for the one that single-hoofedly(Not having hands I'm not sure of the proper term to use in place of single-handedly) stopped a threat to your home. Saving lives he has no stake in all from the kindness of his heart, not for profit but to protect because it was the right thing to do... and this is how you repay him? I expected better of you Ponyville." Turning around before she could see the remorseful looks on the faces of the crowd. Quickly trotting back to Lucas, "We better leave" she says. Giving no response Lucas falls into place next to Luna as they make their way back to Ponyville.

"Hope I didn't scare you too," She giggled. I re-styled my hair which was swept back from the shock wave of Luna's voice.

"Not at all," I squeaked. Real manly Lucas. Luna returned with another giggle.

One Hour Later

Luna was upstairs doing her duties, Celestia was asleep and I'm stuck in this bloody castle! I need some fresh air. I tried to exited the tower but was met by the usual 2 guards. They finally remembered that I'm not bound to just the tower and moved out the way. Idiots.

I found myself in the Royal Canterlot Sculpture Garden. Looking at the fine sculpture work fine at these statues. They looked fabulous. One caught my eye more than the rest. It was a vile looking creature. It was a bipedal creature with long arms and giant talons. Its gigantic jaws were open but the most intriguing part was the cluster of cysts on its face. I looked at the plaque but just found illegible scribblings.

"Ah. Finally," A deep, dark, crackly voice boomed. I looked around me and saw nopony around.

"You will not find a single mortal here but yourself".

"Who are you!" I demanded. The voice just laughed at me.

"You desire my identity. Very well," The voice said, "I am Pestilence. God of disease, conditions and pathogens!"

"I need a champion to unlock my blessings upon this world. I need a Master Mind".