It was a summer day. The sun was blazing high in the sky, casting its heat and rays down upon the soil below. The birds soared overhead, flying off to the horizon, where an endless ocean lied. There was an island that sat in the middle of the ocean. The island was tropical in nature, holding many forms of flora and fauna.

Colorful birds of paradise were perched on the great branches of the trees. Bright green vegetation grew high and low, blooming with brightly colored flowers. Truly, this place was a paradise.

Beyond this forest however, lied a great open mining pit. The area left no sign of plant nor animal life. Metallic fences enclosed the inner workings of this quarry. Men who were native to this island hauled away gravel and other heavy bits of stone. They passed a group of men, who were not of this land.

This group of foreigners moved deeper within the quarry, passing mounds of gravel and workers.

"Last month, we detected a radiation pocket and thought we struck uranium. When we stacked the heavy machinery..." explained one of the men, who sported formal attire consisting of dark slacks and a jacket. He led the men to a rail, where they overlooked the center of the quarry. Or at least what once was. There lied a great pit that ran deep below the earth, deeper than the quarry itself. Mangled machines and metallic structures hung over the edges of the pit.

"The entire floor collapsed, taking the machinery down with it. At least 40 miners went down as well," said the formal man, his tone grim.

"You said that this led down to a cavern and that you found something?" asked one of the other men. The formal man nodded.

Later, the men found themselves clad in radiation suits. They ventured through a deep dark cavern. Their breaths partially fogged up the visors of their masks. Rays from their flashlights shined throughout the cavern, partially illuminating their way.

"I've seen nothing like this before. I was hoping that one of you would know, considering your 'connections'," said the formal man, taking the lead ahead of the group. The group passed by large structures that stuck out of the ground, like jagged pale stones. Eventually, the men made their way to a point in the cavern, where a wide space was left, leaving a shocking sight for them to behold.

What the men saw was that of colossal vertebrae, running deep down into the cavern. Rib-like protrusions jutted out of the vertebrae, as though it were the tail of some reptile.

"Magnificent," said one of the men in awe. He turned to the formal man.

"This doesn't get out. Be sure that this stays under wraps, understood?" asked the man.

"What about the mine?" asked the formal man.

"It's collapsed. It's much too unstable to continue this operation. Understood?" questioned the man. The formal man slowly nodded, before turning back to the colossal fossils.

"Tell the Committee that we found another one," said the man.

It was late noon. The sun was beginning to set over the Far East. Just off the coast of the Haysia mainland, lied an island called 'Neighpon'. It was known as 'The Land of the Rising Sun' to some. Here in this country lied the developing cities, with great buildings being erected by the hardworking locals of this land.

But beyond the cities was the countryside. Here, smaller towns and villages lied. Some villages firmly retained some of Neighpon's oldest traditions.

A lone large house lied, surrounded by acres of trees. The house bore a crest at the face of the house, just above the front entrance. The crest was that of a sphere, with a spiral reaching the center. The paw of a dragon grasped the sphere. This was a well-known crest among those who lived in this region of the land.

Inside of this traditional home, there was a Dojo. Here, there were paintings that were hung. They depicted serpentine dragons. At the back of the dojo stood a grand painting, which depicted a great wave, caused by a stylized bipedal dragon. The creature stood with bulging eyes, and long fangs much like the Long Dragons. The creature stood in front of a red sun.

A man of grand stature stood over a young child. He bore a rough appearance, with dark spiked hair, adding to his aggressive looking appearance. A beard covered his square and strong jaw. Amber colored eyes stared at the boy, crossing his muscle bounded arms.

"Again," said the man in a commanding tone.

The child winced as he stood up, sweating. He shared many traits with the man before him, only he held softer features and wider eyes, which contrasted the adult's weathered face.

The boy grunted as he swung his leg upward. He began to swing his leg over and over again. The child was panting, his motion starting to become sluggish. As he swung his leg again, he lost his footing. In a vain attempt to regain his balance, the boy fell back onto his rear. He panted, his kimono drenched in sweat.

"You must work on your balance, my son. But, we'll stop for today," said the man as he walked out of the dojo. The child sighed in exhaustion as he rose up to his feet and followed him.

Later that evening, both father and son found themselves in a room, where a small table lied. The man passed the boy a bowl full of rice and beef. The boy eagerly took his bowl and grabbed his chop sticks.

"Junior, remember to give thanks," said the man sternly. The boy sighed as he set the bowl and chopsticks down. He clasped his hands together before bowing his head and closing his eyes.

"Thank you for this meal," said 'Junior'. The boy then quickly began to scarf down his food. The father began to eat as well.

"We need to work on your discipline as well."

"Dad, why do we have to do all of this training?" asked Junior.

"Before your mother left this world, I promised that I'd make sure that you were safe. But like her, I won't be around forever. I must teach you the ways of the samurai as my father did before me. Then you'll be able to protect yourself, when I no longer can," said the father. He took notice of his son sitting in silence, having ceased eating. A gloomy expression was on the boy's face. The thought of losing both his mother and father obviously upset the child. The father mentally scolded himself for his bluntness.

"But, that's quite a ways off," said the father. Junior sadly nodded.

Things hadn't been easy since the passing of his mother. The last night that they had together was still fresh in his mind. While Junior grieved, his father only pushed training on him, teaching him the arts of combat. He wasn't sure how his father could do that in light of what's happened. But, the boy supposed that everyone had their own way of grieving.

"Dad... Is it really alright that we're doing this? Mom always said that it was wrong to fight," said Junior.

"She said it was wrong to pick a fight. There are times where violence is senseless. But, there is no wrong in defending yourself or those you love. You need not to worry about disgracing her memory, so long as you keep that to heart," said the father. Junior nodded in understanding.

"Quick quiz. What is one of the Takeshi clan's keys to victory?" asked the father.

"To conquer thy opponent, one must meet him with unrelenting force," said Junior.

"And what is our clan's oldest saying?" asked the father.

"Fight or Die," answered Junior.

"Very good. Always remember that. To fight is to live. To run is to die," said the father with a nod. He stood up and made his way over to a counter in the room. His son looked over curiously, as his father grabbed an unfamiliar scroll and brought it over. The boy noticed a sun shaped seal to be on the scroll. It was made of a fine parchment that the boy had never seen.

"What's that?" asked Junior.

"It seems that I received a message from an old friend. I've waited until after our training to read it," said the father as he began to read the scroll. The scroll read as followed:

'Dear Gojira Takeshi, it's been quite some times since you and I have last seen each other. I hope that things are well with you. I write to you to inform you that I will soon be visiting Neighpon for a meeting with the Emperor. Perhaps we can do some catching up. I hope to see you soon. Sincerely, your friend, Celestia.'

The father smiled to himself. His son peered over his shoulder, his face scrunching up in confusion.

"What is that gibberish?" asked Junior.

"It's another language, Junior," said Senior in amusement.

"Can you read it?" asked Junior in confusion.

"Indeed. It's a message from an old friend. From Celestia, the Princess of Equestria," said Senior. Junior's eyes widened in shock.

"You're friends with a princess?!" exclaimed Junior.

"I met her long before you were born. At the time, I was in charge of being her guide and guardian when she was here for diplomatic relations. Her guards didn't take too kindly to me, being around her at all times. Especially considering the situation at the time," said Senior, smiling with a nostalgic look on his face.

"Somehow she warmed up to me as more than a bodyguard. Perhaps your old man's charm won her over. You can bet your mother was mighty jealous," said Senior with a small chuckle. Junior smiled in amusement.

"An interesting woman she was. She held a lot of fascination for our country, something I wasn't expecting from a foreign ruler. She shared tales about her homeland. I too was fascinated," said Senior.

"Was she pretty?" asked Junior, curious.

"An understatement. She was like the head goddess, Amaterasu, in power and beauty. She was quite beautiful. Second to your mother, of course," said Senior with a chuckle. Junior smiled, imagining what such a woman could look like. The way his father spoke of her hinted at the fondness of the memories that he held.

"She sounds amazing. You think I could meet her someday?" asked Junior. Senior smiled.

"Perhaps. She's to visit our land soon. Maybe we'll meet her, and I'll introduce you," said Senior. His son smiled brightly.

"I would love that!" said Junior. Senior ruffled his hair with a warm smile.

There was the sound of crashing. Senior and Junior jumped at the sound. Senior shot up to his feet and rushed to the furniture of his room, drawing out a katana. He began to unsheathe the blade.

"Junior, stay down!" said Senior, before rushing over to the next room. Junior's heart raced as he heard the sound of a scuffle, along with agonized cries. Junior quickly hid behind a wall. His breaths were quick and sweat trailed down his skin. He heard footsteps rushing over, causing the boy to shrink in fright. He saw his father stepping back into the room, wielding his katana, which was now coated in blood.

"Junior, are you alright?!" Senior asked, frantic. The boy nodded quickly, avoiding eye contact with the blade.

"What's happening?" asked Junior.

"We have to go! It's not safe!" said Senior as he held out his hand to the boy. Junior took his hand and stood. His father ushered him to the back of the house, where another sliding door was present. As Senior slid it open, he was met with a man in black. Senior barely had enough time to react, as this stranger raised his hand and cast a blinding light. Senior found himself blown back off of his feet.

"Father!" Junior cried, rushing to his father. The man in black stepped inside. From other doors and through windows, more men dressed in similar apparel stormed inside. Senior snarled as he shot up. He pointed away at the boy.

"Take cover!" shouted Senior, before rushing to engage these invaders. Junior ran to the kitchen, hiding behind the counter as Senior swung his blade at his enemies. He hacked and slashed anyone that got in his path. Those who stepped in close to avoid his swings, Senior met them with strikes from his knee or a headbutt. Junior cupped his ears and closed his eyes, drowning out the cries of the men that his father cut down.

As Senior was about to make another strike, a bright bolt of magic crashed into his chest. He groaned in pain as he staggered back. He gave a war cry as he attempted to strike back, but he was met with another bolt from his back. He was struck by the remaining men, who used their magic to wear him down. Senior collapsed to his knees. One of the men in black turned to find Junior hiding. He gave a wicked chuckle as he approached. The boy started to panic.

As Junior began to flee, the same figure suddenly appeared right in his path in a bright flash. He had warped before him. The boy was grabbed by this invader. Junior cried out to his father for his help. Senior growled as he shot up to his feet

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON, YOU BASTARD!" Senior shouted in fury as he drew his blade. However, he was met with a blunt strike to the back of his head. Senior groaned as he collapsed to the ground, as one of the men stood over him with a bulky hand gun in his grasp. The sides lit up a violet color. He aimed the weapon at the father, as the child cried out.

"No! We need them both!" shouted one of the men. The man who held the gun just looked down at Senior, his weapon still aimed at the old warrior's head.

"NO! LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!" cried Junior, kicking and squirming. The man who held him raised a glowing hand over his eyes.

"Shhhh." The man hushed. As the hand came down passed the boy's line of sight, he felt himself grow weak. His vision darkened, prompting him to slump in the invader's hold.

It was morning. The summer sun shone over this land, full of endless green fields, hills, and great mountains that reached high into that snow had frosted their top. On one mountain, a city sat on its side. A grand porcelain white castle stood among this city.

Within the grand structure, there was a large room bedroom. A bed sat in the middle of the room, and some finely crafted furniture sat against the walls. In this room sat Junior. Though, he was no longer the small nine year old boy that he once was. He had grown into a late teenager. His body had grown to be large for someone his age. His hair took on a spikier appearance. His chin had squared more, and his face lost its roundness. His physique also carried muscle that added to his stature. But, the boy's eyes were no longer large and bright. Instead, they had lost the light that he held in his childhood and narrowed into a permanent scowl. He wore a charcoal grey hoodie that hid a bit of his muscles beneath and a pair of dark jeans.

Junior was writing his thoughts down into a journal. Something he's done for quite some time now. He found that it helped him vent his feelings without troubling those around him. As he continued to write, there was a sudden knock at his door. The boy's heart jumped in his chest.

"J-Just a second!" called Junior. He frantically placed the journal into the drawer of his desk. He began to settle himself and stood from his seat. He approached the door and opened it. His eyes met with a familiar woman.

She was a woman in her thirties. She was clad in golden armor, save for the helmet. Her grey uniform exposed beneath the gaps of her armor. The woman was tall, standing at 6 foot 1. Her hair was a light blonde, with long locks that shined under the light. Her eyes were piercing as a bright blue. On her back were red bird-like wings. This guard was a member of the Valkyrie race, a sub category of humans.

"Her royal highness requests your presence at her chambers," the guard informed. Junior grimaced.

"Oh?" His brows furrowed, and his tone filled with worry.

"Relax, you're not in trouble," said the guard with a chuckle. She playfully nudged Junior's shoulder.

"C'mon. It's rude to keep a lady waiting," said the guard, winking at the boy.

"R-Right," said Junior, following the guard out of the room.

The pair trailed through the seemingly endless halls of the castle. The velvet rugs ran through the long halls. Large windows allowed the morning light to shine through the halls. The two passed a few royal guards, who were clad in similar armor, except they wore helmets with light blue plumes running on the top. A couple of maids were in the process of cleaning the windows. They stiffened as they noticed Junior. They turned their attention away quickly and went back to work. Junior sighed to himself as he noticed this.

"So, how have you been, Goji? Still getting into fights?" asked the guard.

"N-No. Not since I put the last three guys into the hospital," said Junior, his tone a bit quiet.

"Yeah, I remember that." The guard laughed. "I don't know you manage in these fights. You're like a powerhouse!"

"Thanks, Blaire. Although it's not like I wanted to. I was just defending myself. Celestia was pretty upset that day," said Junior with a somber sigh. Blaire noticed his tone. She stopped walking and turned to Junior, giving the boy a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, it's not like she was angry at you. She was just worried sick," said Blaire, reassuringly. Junior frowned.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" asked Junior. Blaire chuckled as she nudged the boy.

"Smartass. Well, you're 18 now. Have you given any thought to what you wanted to do with your future? I mean, I hope you didn't plan to live in your room for the rest of your life," said Blaire with a teasing smile.

"I-I don't know. I'm not sure what I want to do," said Junior, a discouraged look on his face. The future. That was something that he always dreaded.

"Why not enlist for the Royal Guard?" suggested Blaire. Junior glanced at her.

"The Royal Guard?" asked Junior.

"Yeah! With your athleticism, you can easily pass the physical training. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about how you deal with authority," said Blaire with a somewhat uneasy smile.

"Oh come on, I'm not that bad," said Junior with a scoff.

"You're just too proud. You tend to talk back," said Blaire. Junior sighed in dismay.

"Then maybe it's not the life for me," said Junior.

"It might be. You haven't gotten a cutie mark yet," said Blaire.

"That's because I'm Neighponese. My people don't get those," said Junior.

"Oh right," said Blaire with a titter. Junior inhaled through his nostrils, as he was suddenly greeted with memories of his father, who pushed him to train in the arts of the warrior for the time that they had. The boy may not have been proficient, but he did have a knack for it.

"I guess I'll consider it. Thanks, Blaire," said Junior, forcing a smile. The woman smiled warmly at him.

Junior had always liked Blaire. When he first came to Canterlot, he had a hard time adjusting to life here. Blaire was just a recruit when he was young. But for whatever reason, this woman began to spend her free time with him. She had grown to be a bit of sister figure to him. If not for her, then Junior doubted that he'd have been able to adjust to his new home. He only wished he could confide in her more.

Junior and Blaire soon came across a large door. It was the princess's living quarters. Blaire knocked on the door.

"Come in," called a voice with a motherly tone.

Blaire opened the door and entered the room, with Junior trailing behind her. The room had light blue walls and a lavender floor. A cushion pillow lied in the middle of the room, on top of a large purple mat that was meant to be lied on. All were placed a safe distance from the fire place. Sitting on a bed near the balcony was a woman. But, she was no ordinary woman. This was the ruler of all of Equestria. Princess Celestia.

She was radiant like the sun itself and with beauty that rivaled the goddess of the Rising Sun in Neighpon. She rose from her seat, standing at the height of 7 feet. She bore long multicolored hair. The colors were that of cool and light color tones of blues, greens and pinks. Her lovely hair flowed majestically in the air, caused by the powerful magic that she possessed.

Celestia was an 'Avatar', a human with both the wings of a Valkyrie and the magic and ears of an Elf. These beings were incredibly rare, and were like Gods, according to the inhabitants of this land.

Celestia's eyes were violet. Her skin was fair, and her wings were a grayish white. She wore a golden crown upon her head, where a purple gem sat proudly in the center, along with a white dress that exposed her shoulders, golden heels, and a necklace with a stylized sun that represented her 'Cutie Mark'. The woman appeared to be in her early 30s, but those who met her knew better as she was actually over a thousand years old. Junior realized that his father really undersold the radiant beauty that this princess held. Celestia met the two with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Sergeant. You are dismissed," said Celestia. Blaire bowed.

"Of course you majesty. See you later, Goji!" Blaire waved to the boy before walking out the door.

"Bye." Junior called out. He turned to meet the princess's gaze.

"You wanted to see me?" asked Junior.

"Yes, I wanted to discuss something with you, dear," replied Celestia, motioning Junior to sit on the bed. The boy obliged and sat down, with Celestia sitting beside him.

"As you know, I'll be in Ponyville for this year's Summer Sun Celebration," said Celestia. Junior nodded.

"Yeah, I remember."

Junior recalled watching Celestia raising the sun during these events in Canterlot. It was an amazing sight to see, and a great demonstration of her divine power.

"So what about it?" asked Junior. He wondered why the princess would bring this up. But, a sense of dread began to creep in.

"I'd like for you to join me for this year's Summer Sun Celebration," said Celestia.

'There it is,' thought Junior in dismay.

"I... I don't know," Junior struggled to think up an excuse.

"I mean, I don't mind staying here. I've seen the celebration many times before. It's really not a big deal," said Junior, turning his head away from Celestia. He felt the Avatar place her hand on his cheek, bringing his face to meet back with hers. A soft expression brought comfort to the boy.

"Junior, your father wouldn't want this for you. Isolating yourself from the world. It saddens me to see you alone. I want you to try and make some friends in Ponyville. At the very least, make an effort to interact with people," said Celestia, running her hand through the boy's dark hair. Junior sighed, his eyes downcast.

"If it really means that much to you, then I'll go," said Junior in defeat.

Celestia's face broke into a beaming smile as bright as the sun that she raised. She embraced the boy, holding him tightly. Junior was pressed against her shoulder, his face reddening at the affection. It was pretty embarrassing for a guy his age being held as if he were still a child., but he didn't fight her. Celestia broke the hug and held the boy's shoulders, looking at him directly.

"I'll have a chariot ready for you to get to Ponyville immediately. I'll even have a guard escort you while you're there," said Celestia.

"That's not necessary. I'll just take a train. I can learn my way around." Junior waved his hand dismissively. Celestia frowned.

"Junior..."

"Come on, please? I'm not a little kid anymore. Besides, the guards have better things to do instead of playing babysitter, don't they?" asked Junior. He then shook his head with a shudder.

"Besides, if people saw a royal guard hovering over my shoulder, it could attract the wrong attention," said Junior. Celestia cocked a brow.

"Wrong attention?"

"Yeah. Like someone who'd pretend to be my friend because they think I'm some kind of Lord or something," said Junior, smirking to himself. There was nothing that the boy despised more than the type of parasites that he just described. He could imagine what would happen if a bunch of small town people realized that he had a close relationship to the Princess. Besides, he really wanted to be alone during this trip. Celestia pondered his reasoning.

"Well... Alright, just be careful." Celestia reluctantly agreed. Junior nodded and smiled.

"Of course. I guess I should get ready," said Junior as he turned to leave the room. Celestia weakly smiled as the boy left her chambers. She sighed.

"I was hoping this would be a good excuse to get him and Twilight to meet," said Celestia, disappointed by the outcome.

Meanwhile, Junior returned to his chambers. He took a seat back at his desk. The boy reached into a drawer and drew out his journal. He continued to write his last thoughts with a sigh. He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He held a hand up to the ceiling, obscuring the light from the lamp above.

A brief flash of an old, hated memory filled his current thoughts. He recalled staring up at a much brighter lamp, in the middle of a dark, cold room.

Junior clenched his eyes tightly, attempting to suppress the memory before he could remember more. He sighed, rubbing his neck.

"I can't go on like this," said Junior.

A golden chariot flew in the sky, being pulled by two Pegasi covered in golden armor. A young Elf girl in a scholar uniform sat in the back of the chariot, her arms hanging over the edge, and a displeased expression on her face. Next to her was a young dragon named Spike. Spike was about 4 feet in height; his scales were a light mulberry, his chin and the underside tail were a light spring bluish grey. Spike's spikes were green, structured much like a mohawk, and his reptilian eyes were pistachio. Spike held a letter in his claws, reading off from the message.

"My dear Twilight, there is more to a young person's life than studying. So I am sending you to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville. I also have an even more essential task for you to complete," Spike sat closer to the Elf girl, "make some friends!"

The Elf slumped her head down after hearing the last part of the letter sent by Celestia.

"Look on the bright side Twilight. The princess arranged for you to stay in a library! Doesn't that make you happy?" Spike asked, attempting to lighten up Twilight's mood.

"Yes," Twilight shot up, "Yes, it does. You know why? Because I'm right. I'll supervise the preparations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof on Nightmare Moon's return."

"Then, when will you make friends like the princess said?" Spike asked, concerned about where this was going.

"She said to check on preparations. I am her student and I'll do my royal duty. But the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends." Twilight countered.

The chariot had made its way to the town Ponyville, touching down safely to ground. The Pegasi whinnied after stopping the chariot, kicking their forelegs in the air. Twilight and Spike got off the chariot, giving scratches to the Pegasi's ears.

"Maybe the people in Ponyville have interesting things to talk about!" Spike stated as pink-haired 'Earthbound girl' walked down the road of the town, with a smile on her face. She then noticed Twilight and Spike, stopping in front them.

"C'mon Twilight, just try," insisted Spike. Twilight stood, unsure how to strike a simple conversation. She started with a greeting.

"Uh...hello?"

The pink-haired girl shot into the air a few feet, her eyes wide and gasping loudly. In a second, she was gone, passing over Twilight and Spike. The two were dumbfounded by the situation.

"Well that was interesting, alright," said Twilight sarcastically.

Spike sighed as the pair continued their way down the road.

A few hours had passed. Junior found himself leaving the train station, a map of Ponyville in his hand. He took a brief look at his destination.

Ponyville was much smaller compared to the city of Canterlot. Not every building stood tall or clustered together just to fit on the mountain it was built on. Buildings made up of wood and stone were what made up the structures. A golden thatch made off the slopping roof tops of the buildings.

Junior continued to walk away from the platform, reading the map. The boy found a few places that he would be able to hang out to kill some time until the Summer Sun Celebration began, though that was going to be a long night.

Junior began to pass by a few of the locals. They gave him curious and uneasy stares. Junior noticed but did his best to ignore them. His height of 6’2 combined with his build did make him appear intimidating. That wasn't counting the unfriendly permanent scowl that was stuck on his face.

However, Junior found himself bumping into a female Valkyrie. She bore hair that was a light grayish opal color, with a large pink bow. She had eyes that were light grayish raspberry. Her feathered wings were a Persian blue. The girl stumbled a bit and turned to see who she ran into. She gasped, finding Junior to be towering over her. The Valkyrie was visibly trembling at his delinquent-like appearance.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you!" The girl spoke with a bit of a slightly slurred accent.

"What are yo-" Junior began until he was interrupted.

"Please don't hurt me! I'll do anything!" The girl braced herself, her arms raised over her head and her eyes tightly shut.

Junior was stumped; he had a few similar situations like this before, especially with girls. Junior looked at his surroundings and noticed people were staring. Some had fearful expressions for the poor unfortunate soul, some had disgusted looks on their faces at how shameful this young man was toward that girl, a few others looked like they were ready to intervene and try to fight. Junior saw how bad the situation looked, he would have to try to approach this delicately or else all hell would break loose.

'Damn.' Junior thought to himself.

"It’s no big deal. Really, it’s fine," said Junior, trying to put on a friendly smile.

The Valkyrie started to relax a bit. Junior saw this and knew that he just might avoid putting a few more people in the hospital.

"Look, it was an honest mistake. Let's just forget about it and go about our business," said Junior.

The girl seemed to completely relax as she put her arms down and looked up to Junior.

"Flitter!" called a slightly deeper, feminine voice.

The girl who apparently named Flitter turned her attention from Junior and toward another girl in the direction that she was originally running toward. The girl was also a Valkyrie, she had the same colored wings but slightly darker, her hair was spiky and was a pale cerulean with white highlights. She was flying toward Flitter and Junior.

"Cloudchaser!" called back Flitter as she waved her hand. Junior merely turned to walk off, thinking that now was as good as any to leave.

Junior noticed that some people that were watching went about their business, while some kept an uneasy eye on him and went back to what they were doing. A couple made gestures as warnings toward Junior as saying: 'I got my eye on you pal' or 'you better not cause trouble'. Junior finally moved out of the area, he noticed that he was sweating.

"Jeez, how in the hell am I supposed to make friends when crap like this happens?" asked Junior irritably. Celestia had a little too much confidence in him.

Junior was then knocked off of his feet by a pink blur. Junior groaned as he lied on the floor on his back.

"Owwwiee~," said a high, feminine voice.

Junior got up to his feet and saw what, or who ran into him. It was a pink-haired Earth bound girl with hair that looked like cotton candy. She wore a pink shirt with two blue balloons and one yellow balloon on her chest, representing her cutie mark. The girl wore hot pink shorts with baby-blue shoes and yellow knee high socks. She was on her behind, rubbing her forehead.

"Here, let me give you a hand." Junior reached his hand for the girl.

The pink haired girl stopped rubbing her forehead, looking to see who the voice belonged to. Her eyes followed up Junior's legs, covered in black jeans, all the way to his chest covered in a dark grey sweater and to his face. The pink-haired girl stared at Junior for few seconds. The girl then muttered something indecipherable

"I'm sorry, what was that?" asked Junior.

The pink-haired girl suddenly shot up in the air and moved passed Junior at incredible speed. Junior stood there trying to process what just happened. Junior furrowed his eye brows, coming to his conclusion.

"Figures." scoffed Junior.

The sun was setting over Ponyville. People seemed to be clearing the streets, as the working day came to an end. Everything had gone quiet. Junior had spent his time roaming about the humble town, taking in the sights. He had to admit, he preferred it to Canterlot. It wasn’t as cold nor as crowded as the city was. Not to mention he didn't have to travel far just to get a look at the land around him. While Ponyville lacked the height for a vantage point to see the land, he was at least able to see the green rolling hills up close, and the tall mountains from a different angle. Plus, he could see Canterlot in the distance.

After satisfying his hunger with a quick meal, he found his way to the Town Hall, the tallest structure that stood in the center of this town. It almost appeared like a tower mixed with a carousel. Many windows lined the surface of the round structure. Junior sighed.

"Now what?" asked Junior. He suddenly heard a faint sound. It was as if the wind was whispering to him. The boy tensed, looking around. No one seemed to be in the area.

"You're just like us; you're different from the rest." The whisper was feminine. It sounded close, but no one was here. But what disturbed Junior most was the fact that this voice was speaking to him in his native tongue. It sounded as though it was all in his head. The boy wondered if he was going crazy.

"Who's there?" Junior called out in response. He figured that using his native tongue would be the best way to respond.

"Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough, Takeshi-kun" spoke the voice. Junior's eyes narrowed.

"Wait, how the hell do you know my last name?!" Junior demanded.

The voice did not respond. There was only silence. Junior pondered what was going on. Worry began to grow but he shook his head, thinking that the whole thing might have been his mind playing tricks on him. He proceeded to the Town Hall to at least get a peek at the festivities for tonight.

Junior noticed a pink blur to be speeding towards him. He groaned in irritation. He found himself grabbed and dragged across Ponyville, all the way to a grand tree that stood among the other buildings. The Oak tree was made into a house, with windows built into it, a balcony hanging off the side, and a front door to be at the base of the tree. Junior was hauled into the tree and was dropped to the ground.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Junior yelled.

"Throwing you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party!" It was the same pink haired girl from earlier. Junior raised a brow, as Pinkie placed on a party hat on his head.

"Wait, what?" asked Junior, quizzically.

"When I saw you today, I realized that you weren't living in Ponyville because I know everyone's face in town and I have never met someone with a face as scary as yours-" The pink haired girl spoke so fast that Junior had a hard time keeping up with her.

"Wait, what was it that you said about my f-" Junior was cut off.

"Anyway, my name is Pinkie Pie! What's yours?"

"Um...Gojira. Gojira Takeshi." Junior replied.

"Nice to meet you, Goji!"

"It's Gojira." Junior stated, annoyed by Pinkie Pie calling him by his nickname. He wasn't comfortable with a complete stranger using it on him.

"Anyway, I gotta see if everybody is having a good time. Go ahead and enjoy yourself!" Pinkie disappeared in a blink of an eye. Junior just stood, slack jawed.

"The pink one dragged you here too?" asked a feminine voice. Junior turned to find a petite elf girl to be standing by a table, where snacks and drinks lied. Her long navy blue hair hung off her shoulders, as violet and pink highlights ran through her locks. Her violet eyes were scowling as she poured the contents from a bottle into a large chalice-like cup.

"Yeah," said Junior in dismay. Twilight sighed as she held up her drink.

"Welcome to Tartarus. We serve punch." Twilight dryly stated. She took a swig of her drink, while Junior grimaced. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who was having a tiresome day. His brows raised, having noticed that the girl began to suddenly tear up.

"H-Hey, It's not so bad. There's no reason to-" Junior stopped as he noticed the girl's face beginning to turn red, as her face contorted. The girl suddenly bolted through the crowd and snatched up a bottle of water.

"What the-?" Junior tilted his head, as a few unfamiliar girls, including Pinkie, stood by his side, looking to where the elf had disappeared to.

"Aww! She was so happy about this party that she was crying!" said Pinkie with a coo. Twilight was suddenly chugging down the water, her eyes running with tears. Junior sent the hyperactive girl a flat look.

"We're talking about the same girl, right?" asked Junior. 'Happy' wouldn't be a word that he'd describe the elf.

Meanwhile, Twilight stormed up the stairs. Spike had made his way to the table and grabbed the bottle that Twilight had used.

"Hot sauce?" Spike cocked a brow.

Pinkie suddenly pressed her hand on the bottle, pouring the sauce onto one of the cupcakes that sat on a platter. Pinkie then snatched it up and scarfed it down. The girls, Spike, and Junior looked at the girl in shock. Pinkie noticed their stares and shrugged.

"What? Ish good!" Pinkie hummed as she savored the taste. Her friends looked on in amusement at the girl's childish antics. Junior grimaced.

"I wonder if the train station is still open," said Junior, walking away from the scene. He was beginning to regret his decision to come here.

'What a day,' Junior mentally sighed, as he removed the party hat on his head.

Junior began to notice shelves of books around the room. The tree had been hollowed to be a library. Now, Junior had seen everything. People were dancing, enjoying snacks, loud music, the usual things folks do at a party. At least what Junior assumed what people did, considering that he's never been to one before.

'A library in a freaking tree? That's certainly not a hazard.' Junior thought sarcastically, thinking of the dangers that a tree being made to act as some form of building could pose.

Junior made his way toward a table in the kitchen, sitting by himself. People in the library were giving him uneasy stares and curious glances. Junior was getting irritated, but he restrained himself to avoid causing a scene. Junior noticed a familiar Valkyrie looking his way. Flitter made her way passed the crowd of people that were enjoying themselves.

'Oh crap, she's coming this way!' Junior pretended to not notice her approach; he hoped that he wouldn't run into her again.

"Hi there." greeted Flitter, standing at Junior's right.

"Oh, hello." Junior greeted back, a nervous smile on his face.

"You left before I got to say goodbye," said Flitter.

"Oh, r-right. Sorry, I just got uncomfortable with all the stares from people. I didn't mean to be rude." Junior apologized.

"No, don't worry about it," Flitter giggled. "I overreacted when I was apologizing, sorry about that."

"It's totally fine, trust me." Junior waved his hand dismissively.

There was an awkward silence between the two. Junior looked down at his hands on the table to avoid eye contact. Flitter rubbed her arm, looking around to think of something else to say.

"Soooo, where are you from?" asked Flitter.

"Wha- Oh, I'm from Canterlot," replied Junior, making eye contact again with Flitter.

"Wow, really? That's so cool!" Flitter's tone filled with genuine interest.

"It's ok. I'm not a big fan of cities. They are too crowded, and too many large buildings obscuring the view."

"Really? Hmm. Well, I guess that's one of the consequences from living in the city," laughed Flitter.

"Tell me about it." Junior smiled.

'Alright, this is going well. Man, this is the first time that I held a conversation this long with someone who wasn't Celestia or Blaire.'

"Anyway, my name is Flitter. What's yours?"

"Gojira Takeshi."

A few hours went by. The party ended and everyone was making their way to the town hall for the sunrise. Earthbounds, Valkyries and Elves stood in the crowd while a few Valkyries were airborne. Twilight and Spike were standing among them, looking to the balcony that Celestia was to come from. Just then, Pinkie Pie rushed toward Twilight and Spike.

"Isn't this exciting? Are you excited because I'm excited! I've never been so excited, well except for the time when I saw you walking into town and me-” Pinkie gasped deeply, “but I mean really, who can top that? Well at least other than that new guy with the spiky black hair that came to town a few hours after you did?"

'I feel sorry for that poor soul who ran into you.' Twilight thought to herself.

The trumpets blared, and a Valkyrie girl that wore a long dark yellow sweater, with butter yellow wings, pink long hair and moderate cyan eyes, was orchestrating birds to whistle a tune. Junior was standing next to Flitter, hearing the tune.

"Wow, she's good," said Junior in awe. Flitter nodded in response.

"That's Fluttershy, the town's animal caretaker." said Flitter.

From behind the curtain, a middle aged Earthbound woman came from behind the curtain, a light shining on her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, as Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great honor to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" The Mayor joyfully announced. The crowd erupted into cheers.

"In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this longest day of the year!"

Twilight tuned out the mayor and looked to the moon outside of the window. A shadow of the side of a woman's face could be seen on the moon’s surface, it was known as the lady in the moon. Four bright stars descended closely to the moon. In a flash of light, the image on the moon disappeared. Twilight grew nervous, knowing what happened. She then focused her attention back to the mayor.

The mayor began to name off traits of the princess for her introduction. The crowd growing excited, Flitter was shaking with excitement, and Junior smiled at how much people loved the princess. He couldn't blame them.

"-Princess Celestia!" The mayor moved away. An Elf with a styled, indigo hair and a white button up shirt and dark skirt grabbed the rope to the curtains and pulled it.

The curtains opened and revealed nobody, the crowd gasped; Junior's heart skipped a beat.

'What the hell?' Junior thought to himself, now getting anxious.

"This can't be good," said Twilight.

"Remain calm everybody, there must be a reasonable explanation," said he mayor, attempting to calm the crowd.

'There better be a damn good one too!' Junior thought to himself.

"She's gone!" said the Elf with the indigo hair.

The crowd gasped. Flitter was muttering to herself about the situation. Junior was starting to worry a lot now. He heard Pinkie give a surprised scream; he looked up at the balcony and noticed a sparkling, blue mist rise from the balcony. The mist separated from the center, revealing a tall Avatar woman.

Light Persian blue colored armor covered her chest, arms, legs and her short dark cornflower blue dress. She wore a helmet upon her head with what looked to be a pointed crest at the front. Her large wings matched the color of her dress, appearing like a crow's wings. Her skin was pale like the moon. Her eyes were slitted like a cat's, a cyan color with a moderate violet eye shadow. Her hair flowed and resembled the mist she appeared from. The crowd gasped in fear. Flitter hung onto Junior's arm and trembled, while Junior stood his ground giving this mysterious woman a hard stare.

"Oh my beloved subjects, it's been so long since I've seen your precocious, little, sun-loving faces." said the mystery woman, her pointed teeth revealed.

"What did you do with our princess?!" demanded a rainbow haired Valkyrie girl with cyan wings.

The Valkyrie attempted to charge toward the Avatar, but her legs were grabbed by a blonde Earthbound with a large Stetson hat with freckles on her cheeks. The mysterious woman gave an evil chuckle.

"What? Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?"

Pinkie Pie spoke up from the crowd, guessing silly names. Junior was too furious to even care what they were.

"Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?" The Mysterious woman moved near Fluttershy, who cowered in her presence.

"Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" The mysterious woman asked as she used her misty hair to lift the indigo haired Elf's chin.

"I did," shouted Twilight, "and I know who you are! You're the lady in the moon, Nightmare Moon!"

The crowd gasped, recognizing the name that Twilight called the Avatar by. Junior recalled the legend, but he never thought it was real.

"Well, well, well! Somebody remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here." Nightmare Moon assumed.

"You're here to...to-" Twilight hesitated to finish her sentence. Instead she gulped. Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly.

"Remember this day, my little humans, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!" Nightmare Moon laughed maniacally, her hair growing and swirling above her as lighting flashed and thunder boomed. Suddenly, a metal trash can flew toward Nightmare Moon, nearly hitting her. She turned to the perpetrator with a glare. Junior was standing in his own personal space where people once stood. The people in the building had shocked expressions on their faces along with Flitter, who feared for Junior's life.

"Damn it, I missed her!" cursed Junior as he snapped his fingers.

"You dare attempt to strike me, boy?!" Nightmare Moon shouted angrily as she pointed her finger toward Junior, the tip glowing.

"Ah hell" Junior's shoulders slumped.

A bolt of lightning fired from Nightmare Moon's finger and struck Junior in the chest. Junior yelled in agony as he was shot across the room outside of the door of the Town Hall.

"Gojira!!" Flitter screamed.

Nightmare Moon briefly had a soft look, as her pupil went from slits to round. She blinked, her expression hardening as her pupils returned to cat-like slits.

"Seize her! She knows where the Princess is!" shouted the Mayor.

Celestia's royal Valkyrie guards flew toward Nightmare Moon in an attempt to apprehend her.

"Stand back, you fools!" shouted Nightmare Moon, as she used her magic to throw the guards all over the room.

Nightmare Moon then disappeared in a mist, flowing out of the Town Hall. The citizens of Ponyville screamed and scattered all around the room. The rainbow-haired Valkyrie broke free from the blonde Earthbound that grabbed her and pursued the mist.

"COME BACK HERE!" demanded the rainbow haired girl. But, she had lost sight of the dark Avatar.

"Night time forever?" the rainbow haired girl grimaced. The very thought brought on fear of what their world would be like if this were to come to pass. She noticed that Twilight and Spike were running out of the Town Hall.

"Where is she going?" the rainbow-haired girl wondered. She was about to pursue, but then remembered that Nightmare Moon shot lightning at some guy that threw the trash can at her. She descended to the ground, searching the area. He was nowhere in sight.

"Where did that guy go?" Rainbow asked in worry and confusion.

Junior staggered as he made his way through the town. He breathed heavily, as sweat poured down his face. Junior placed a hand against a wall to support himself. His chest was scorched from the bolt of lightning. The wound gave off smoke as it began to miraculously heal itself. Junior watched his flesh regenerate back to perfect condition, leaving a bit of soreness, which quickly subsided. Junior sighed, relieved of his pain.

'That's better. If I had stayed, people would've freaked out at the fact I can regenerate my wounds. They'd certainly suspect something.' Junior thought to himself. His eyes fell upon a familiar blue mist to be flowing further away from the town, headed for a dark forest, just at the edge of Ponyville.
'There you are. I'll find her and Celestia...'

Junior's irises grew in size, as a yellow tinge darkened his sclera. Then, his pupils constricted, shaping into an oval shape, as opposed to the round shape of humans. His eyes were now those of an angry predator, determined to devour and destroy everything in his way. A growl, deep and inhuman, surged from his mouth as he moved away from the wall and ran towards the dark forest

Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Friendship is Magic Pt. 2 Estimated time remaining: 18 Hours, 58 Minutes