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Warning : the following twisted fanfiction contains dark material of a violent and sexual nature. Viewer discretion is advised... seriously, brony. I scared the shit outta myself writing this.

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My Little Pony

The Aeons of Equestria

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Episode 1: The Arrival (Part 2)

The platform was alive with motion. Ponies shuffled into position, boarding the train that awaited departure. Somewhere midway through the carriages the conductor blew his whistle and called out over the noise of people talking among themselves.

"Ten o'clock train to Ponyville, all aboard!" the elderly stud with a powerful pair of lungs bellowed for all to hear.

Across the station, two peach orange ponies said their final goodbyes. "Well, it's been a ball, Cus'n." said Apple Crumble, gently tipping the brim of his hat with one finger. "Y'all say hi to your friends for me, y'hear?"

His cousin from half a world away gave a broad smile. Mimicking her cousin's action, Applejack tipped the edge of her earth-brown cowboy-hat. The peachy-orange mare was slightly taller than her cousin from Trotton, and somewhat more athletic. Under her slender curvature were the muscles of a fit pony accustomed to manual labour. Her frame was clad in a pair of faded denim leggings with a brown poncho draped over her shoulders and bust, leaving her arms and mid-riff exposed. On her hands were a pair of heavy duty work-gloves, and tucked over her white-blonde hair tied back in a ponytail was her signature stetson-hat, pulled down low over her brow. Wrapped around her neck was her dark red bandana, a token she never parted with like her hat.

"Ah'll make sure they get 'yer regards, Crumble." She replied in a distinct accent that ran through the family.

They shook hands one last time and Applejack stooped to pick up her knapsack. Slinging it over one shoulder she nodded and turned, moving through the crowd to one of the train carriages. As she stepped in, she gave a wave. Up at the front was a blistering whistle blow, and the five burly studs tied to the front carriage heaved. The train started crawling, picking up speed with every second, and before Applejack knew it, she was looking at a blur of green and grey speeding past as they wound up and down along a pass cut into the edges of the mountains.

Figuring she might as well get comfortable for the two hour ride back home to Ponyville, the mare slipped further into the carriage and observed the space inside. It was packed, overhead luggage compartments bulging with suitcases and bags. On first glance all the seats seemed to be taken. But about four rows down she spied an empty seat beside a stranger clad in the strangest attire she'd ever seen. It just didn't seem to make any sense to her.

It was like his pants had been fletched together out of trees and plants turned into canvas. His top was ashy grey and almost fuzzy, with a hood pulled up over his head to hide his features in a gloomy shadow. His arms were folded tight across his chest, hiding his hands under his armpits. His bag lay on the floor hiding his hooves from view.

At first she thought he was asleep, but noted his head moved to look at her as she sat down.

"Howdy, partner!" Applejack greeted rather loudly, shaking off any of the stranger's residue grogginess. "How're y'all doin'?"

The hooded pony cleared his throat. "Yeah... m'okay." He mumbled in a tired tone, confirming he was a stud. He sounded young though, probably no older than Applejack was herself.

"You been travellin' long, stranger?" Applejack furthered, angling her head trying to get a look at his face. Seeing her attempt seemed to deter him, causing him to lean tighter against the window. "Where 'ya comin' from?"

"About a day." He replied shortly. "Been coming from the south all day."

"Well it's not where 'yer from, but where 'yer goin' is what counts, jus' like mah' ol' granny-smith used 'ta tell me. Where 'ya headed? Ponyville?" Applejack continued to converse un-fazed. She just kept smiling, now crossing her legs and letting one arm drape over the seat's backrest.

"Ponyville?" the stranger sounded like he'd heard that place-name before, and sounded a little eager to get there. "Where is that?" As he asked it, the hooded pony gave a hiccup, followed by his stomach grumbling audibly. Equally surprised, he looked down at himself as Applejack inspected him.

"Well you sound famished, sugah-cube!" Applejack let out almost shocked. "I'll tell 'ya what! I run the Sweetapple Acres right next door to Ponyville. You come along with me on the next stop, I'll show 'ya where the best apple products of all Equestria are at!"

His hood shifted to give her a proper look over. "Uh. That's kind of you, but I think I'll make my own way. Thank you." He retreated back into his corner again and they sat in silence for a while.

Over to the front of the carriage a young filly woke up and gave her mother some hardship by beginning to cry. There was a persistent tap-tap-tap noise as a young colt behind Applejack played with a racket and ball connected by an elastic string. A young pony-couple sat giggling and chatting on the opposite side of the carriage.

The stranger beside Applejack suddenly sat up and looked out the window. The train sped clean over the edge of a cliff and rattled over a bridge suspended on steel girders between two sheer mountains. Beyond the mountains the train was winding through he saw it. Clear blue skies, open rolling hills and in the midst of it in a perfect, glittering valley, a village.

The houses were evenly spaced all over the place, cobbled streets running between them. Clean smoke rose from some of the chimneys and the golden thatch roves glistened with moisture under the afternoon sun. The architect looked like he may have been a mad-man. All the buildings had relatively small ground floors, with seriously overhanging upper floors and windows that looked crooked and out of place. Some of the buildings were completely out of place, like a carousel-like structure on the outskirts. There was another such round building in the central square, and growing amongst it all was a mighty tree, a monolith towering over the buildings surrounding it.

"Tha's Ponyville all right." Applejack said with some pride creeping into her voice. "Finest place in Equestria if you ask me."

The stranger reached into his pocket and pulled a scrap of paper. His gloved fingers unfolded it and smoothed it out over his knees before he moved it closer for Applejack to see. "If you don't mind me asking, have you heard any of the following names before? I'm told I can find this person in Ponyville."

Applejack picked up the scrap and frowned at the scribbled names. They were familiar, but simply wrong.

Twinkle Arkle, Twilight Twinkle, Winkle Sparkle.

"Well these all look like a twisted versions of mah' friend's name, Twilight Sparkle." Applejack said, squinting at the twisted together names.

"Twilight Sparkle." The stranger repeated. "That must be it. Is she in Ponyville?"

"Why yes, she is." Applejack nodded, handing back the paper. "She lives in the library, a big tree near the centre o' town. You know her?"

The stranger looked like he was about to answer when the door to the far rear of the carriage noisily slammed open. Applejack twisted in her seat to look back. Standing framed for a moment at the back of the compartment was a stud, broad and dark grey, clad in similarly grey armour with midnight black fatigues. The stud moved forward, clutching the hilt of a sword sheathed on his belt. As he moved he leaned in to check the faces of the ponies he passed. Closing in behind was a second stud in armour, followed in turn by a figure clad entirely in dark grey fatigues and a head-wrap hiding his face, carrying some sort of long barrelled weapon cross his back.

"Shadow Legion?" Applejack asked out loud at the sight of the southern Equestria bandits she had heard of through old pony-tails. The armed individuals were plainly identified by the symbol etched into their brass belt-buckles, a black four fingered claw. "What are those pirates doin' so far north?"

Even as she asked, she felt something brush by her knees. She looked up just in time to see the stranger who had been sitting beside her step out into the aisle and briskly walk towards the front of the carriage.

"Whoa, partner. Where are 'ya off 'ta?" Applejack asked, but he didn't answer.

Behind her the lead Shadow Legion stud pointed at the stranger-pony who strapped his bag in place while walking. "You there! Halt! Identify yourself!"

He didn't reply. The hooded stranger pulled open the door, the chug of the wheels rattling over tracks growing louder with a whoosh of cool mountain air rushing into the cabin. He quickly moved through and slammed the door behind him. The trio of Shadow Legion bandits quickly gave chase, jogging after the young stranger.

"Well now." Applejack mused to herself, counting the three versus one pursuit. "That just ain't right.

---***---

It had turned bad to worse. It was difficult enough keeping the conductor off his back for the whole train ride. It was even tougher figuring out what he was going to do with himself in this strange environment. Now he had... what did that pony in the cowboy hat call them? Shadow Legion? Those murderers from last night when he arrived in this world were now chasing after him. And where could he go? He was on a train for the love of God!

No point crying to a God that doesn't exist in this world. He mused to himself. A little bit of humour helped keep spirits up in an impossible situation.

He forced his way closer to the front of the train, jumping from an exterior bridge into the next cabin, slamming the door behind him. Looking up, the hooded figure saw a single Shadow Legion conscript stud inspecting various ponies inhabiting the carriage. He was the hooded figure's height, carrying a rifle of sorts somewhat clumsily, even to an untrained eye.

He was lucky.

"Oi! Suzie!" the hooded figure cried loudly, dashing closer.

The conscript twisted around with a mixture of shock and surprise. The rifle was held at hip height, but was gripped loosely and at an angle that even if he managed to fire the bullet would shoot harmlessly out a window. The hooded figure ducked a little, grabbed the barrel of the weapon and the stock, then levered it upward. The weapon slipped from the stud's grip and the muzzle shroud slammed into his face. The pony's head snapped back and he collapsed, only to have a boot smash into his face for good measure.

The attack left several ponies shocked and gasping, but not at the sight of a Shadow Legion bandit hitting the deck with blood dribbling from his nostrils. They were looking up, eyes fixed on the human with shorn black hair and brown eyes standing in their midst. Their minds probably couldn't even come to terms with what exactly Reno was as his hood fell down, gathering in a lump at his neck.

It was one of those moments where Reno really should have fired off a clever one-liner to calm the locals, but truthfully he had lost his nerve. The door behind him swung open and the Shadow Legion giving chase burst through. They saw who he was and froze. The commander at the rear leaned past his conscripts and locked eyes with Reno. Under the folds of the headwrap he saw a dark skinned human region around the eyes of the commander.

"Tha's a human!" the commander bellowed in a typical 'Manhattan Gansta' tone, definitely not the same commander from last night. "He's human! Kidnap that foo'!"

The sound of metal on metal rang out as two swords were pulled from their sheaths. Weapons in hand, the conscripts ignored the screams filling the train carriage and moved closer to Reno. The young human gritted his jaw, threw the rifle he'd confiscated in its sling over one shoulder and ran the other way. He burst through the doorway out onto the bridge between carriages, then forced his way into the next cabin.

The very front carriage was the most densely populated. There were several equines on their feet hanging on to the luggage racks and blocking the aisle.

"Movemovemovemove!" Reno yelled at the top of his lungs, forcing his way between them. "Move aside! Go-go-go-go!" the ponies seemed to leap at the sight of him, parting the way for the young man to pass, then closing in behind him, watching absently as he made his way through the carriage.

He bashed his shoulder against the door at the front of the cabin, but it didn't budge. He flexed the handle, but it wouldn't move, locked tight. Peeking through the window he saw only the locomotive at the very front of the train. Letting out a frustrated cry, he looked back to see his pursuers enter the carriage.

Reaching back he grabbed the rifle and swung it to his front, pressing the stock against his shoulder. It was much like what he used to use in airsoft games. The rifle was all black, resembling a simple armalite design commonplace with American made Colt M4 assault rifles, or the German HK416. Along the top were a set of kite-sights, and moulded into the forward rails was a fold-away front-grip. With relative ease he pushed the safety lever into the 'semi-automatic' setting and squeezed the trigger back.

The weapon had a bit more kick than an airsoft gun. It punched into his shoulder like a mule. The muzzle flash left black spots in his vision, and the round propelled from the barrel slammed into the lock where he was aiming. There was a sharp crack that left a ringing in his ears and the door swung open. Dropping the weapon back into its sling the young man pushed through into the locomotive.

There was no one there. The furnace was empty and cold. There were strings and ropes attached to the frame and various brakes and levers in the locomotive. Reno quickly leaned out one of the pane-less windows and looked to the front. A dozen or so metres out were several studs reigned to the locomotive, dragging the train along its track.

Reno took a moment to start. Holy shit, it's like the freakin' dark ages! He thought to himself.

So now was he supposed to go? Looking back through the carriage behind him he saw the conscripts gaining ground. There was nowhere to go... 'cept maybe up.

Reno jumped from the locomotive, across the latch holding the carriages together and clutched the metal rungs of a ladder leading upward. His feet pounded the metal as he climbed quickly, scrambling up onto the roof of the passenger cabin. The subsequent winds whipping his body felt icy, stabbing the cold right down into his bones. Gusts ripped against his body, attempting to throw him off his feet. He managed to straightened up unevenly, then started running towards the back of the train, his boots pounding the roof of the passenger carriage.

It was tough keeping his balance, like running on a treadmill, or running down an upward rolling escalator. Wobbling slightly, he approached the first gap between carriages and leapt forward. He cleared the gap and then some, landing heavily and falling to his knees, the padding in his trouser absorbing the impact. Forcing himself up again, Reno heard a cry.

Unintelligible in the howling wind that brought tears to his eyes, Reno turned to face where the sound was coming from. The two conscripts had climbed up after him, the commander nowhere to be seen. They scrambled to their hooves on the carriage roof, swaying as they found their balance. But the studs with swords weren't what the human was looking at. He was looking past them, at a mountainside rushing closer with every passing second.

At the sight of the low tunnel cut into the mountainside, Reno cried out with a; "Whoa, shit!" and hit the deck, laying as flat as he could on his side.

The mountainside crashed into the two conscripts with a blur of grey and red before the tunnel rushed all around and the duo disappeared altogether. Bare, cold stone rushed just inches past Reno's face as hollow noise filled his ears. It persevered for a few seconds before the train burst out into open air again. They started a steep climb, the rear of the train angling downwards as the ponies upfront huffed and pulled with all their might. The whole train slowed noticeably though and the piercing winds let up, allowing Reno to catch his breath and climb to his feet.

He started running towards the rear carriage again when a figure emerged on the next roof ahead of him. The human commander dragged his own rifle to his front and aimed at Reno, yelling something but going unheard under the wind rushing all around. The young man was about to slow to a stop when he glanced down and noticed something. Looking back up the way the dark skinned commander was holding his rifle sideway and looking along the 'top' of the rifle instead of the sights, Reno sucked in a breath and lowered into a sprint.

His rifle dangled unnoticed by his side as he kept his head low, swinging his arms back and forth with his long strides for balance. The commander seemed to yell another warning and fired. The deadly cracks of gunfire and the sharp hiss of bullets whizzing right past Reno were heard. But he just lowered his head and bravely pushed through.

Dropping back all of a sudden, he heard the next volley of bullets snap overhead as he fell into a slide. He careened onwards in his slide, boots first directly at the commander, who shifted his aim downward. The younger human entered his sights, practically at his feet now. At this range it would be impossible to miss.

The rifle flashed and kicked at the air beside the commander's face, his eyes flashing with what looked like pleasure... but Reno was gone and the round slammed into the wooden roof of the carriage. Wide eyed, the commander saw Reno had disappeared into the gap between carriages, slammed into one of the carriage doors and was sent crashing to the metal bridge running over the clamps connecting the cabins.

He lay there below for a moment, sore and bruised as the commander towered above, laughing almost maniacally. The train had made it over the brow of a hill and was heading back downward, picking up quite a bit of speed now. Regardless the commander held his footing, and held his weapon in a relaxed fashion, looking down at Reno almost pathetically.

"You all outta' tricks, lil' foo'." He said in a stereotypical 'black dude' tone that threatened to give Reno an aneurism out of sheer stupidity. He felt like his intelligence was suffering along with the commander's just by staying close to him. "Any last words, sucka'?"

"Yeah!" Reno managed to sit up and yell at the top of his lungs, finally delivering that overdue one-liner. "Go back to English-class, mother-..." the end of that sentence was drowned out by a wet squelch, followed by a deafening whoosh!

Reno quickly looked away as the commander disappeared in a red mist, pancaked against the side of a mountain as the train disappeared into another tunnel. They wound through the grim darkness for at least five minutes before Reno managed to fight back the shaking in his hands enough to climb to his feet.

Riding the straps of his back-pack a little higher, Reno took a deep breath, then opened the door back into the carriage he'd started out from. He stepped in, hood down, closed the door and shuffled back to his seat... at least he would have, was it not for the tall mare standing in his way.

"Ah'lright, 'nuff is e'nuff with the runnin' around!" the cowgirl pony Reno had been sitting beside earlier cried standing in front of him. "Who, or what are 'ya and what were those guy's after you for?"

The whole train jolted to a halt and they looked out the nearest window overlooking a platform. Hanging visible was a sign that read Ponyville. Reno didn't have any answers right now, but in the name of every bad memory, shaken nerve and throbbing bruise he'd get some.

"Let's find out." He growled, turning away and kicking his way out the carriage's side door. He didn't even hear any of the pony in the Stetson-hat's complaints as he leapt onto the platform and ran off down a winding path cut through the meadow separating the train station from the rest of Ponyville.

He dashed clean over a small ridge leading over a brook and crossed the cobble square. The circular town house with the statue of a rearing pony was left in his dust as he identified the top of the mighty tree over the rooftops. The library, a giant tree near the centre of town. That was what she had said.

On his way there, dodging through alleys and several ponies wandering the streets he noted another particularly impossible abode. It seemed to be cobbled together out of gingerbread, with candy-cane support beams, glazed windows and cake windowsills, decorated with lollypops, wrapped bon-bons and other sweet goodies. A sweet scent escaped the open farmhouse door that alluded Reno's senses for a moment, but he focused on getting to the library. That's where he'd find Twilight Sparkle, and some much needed answers.

On his way he dashed past a hot-pink pony with frizzy hair balancing a tray of what looked like cupcakes in both hands. She leapt aside at the sight of the running human with a high pitched squeal, almost dropping her treats.

He skidded around a corner and saw the tree before him. With a massive trunk forming the main building with windows dotted around the bark area and in the foliage. High atop the tree were several balconies and turrets, with what looked like an astronomical-observatory at the very top of the 'structure.'

As he approached a figure stepped out. A tall, slim unicorn with light purple fur and a straight combed dark purple mane, she had a single streak of pink running through her hair and her tail. She was clad in a plaited, checker skirt and a fitted white blouse, with a shoulder bag hanging from one shoulder. She seemed the bookish type, and looked to be locking up.

"Are you Twilight Sparkle!?" Reno's voice carried through the air as he ran straight at her.

Eyes shut, the unicorn turned on the spot with a kind, broad smile on her face. "Yes, I a-aaaAAAAAAHHHH?" her gentle reply turned into a distressed cry as Reno's body connected with hers.

She was thrown into the library door, which burst off its hinges with the impact, sending a shower of splinters and bark scattering across the wooden floor. The two of them fell to the deck and slid pain fully to a halt, Twilight Sparkle pinned flat on her back with Reno sitting on top of her, keeping her hands pinned to the floor at the side of her head. Her mane had gathered like a ruffled halo around her head, seemingly attenuating her lovely, petite features.

But he wasn't admiring a canvas. Reno was dead set on answers and started firing off questions: "The throne of the moon, what is it?" the human yelled.

Twilight just stared up into the human's eyes. Their faces were close enough that she could feel his heated breath on her face. But she didn't flinch, even though he was using such high volume in such close proximity. She seemed lost in him, possibly dazed... possibly rattled.

"Hey!" Reno yelled pulling her out of it. "Focus. Throne of the moon, start talking!" the human demanded.

"I... uh... I don't..." Twilight Sparkle stammered shaking her head. "Who... what are you?" she managed to ask in a steady tone though.

"I was dragged into your crazy world and the first thing I was witness to was a bunch of insane armoured guys laying waste to villages and torturing people about something call the throne of the moon. Now you're apparently some kind of super-smart pony, and you're going to tell me what I wanna know!" Reno's patience was wearing thin. He sounded like he was about to hurt somebody.

But could he? Could he really stoop as low as that commander from the village last night? Did he even have it in him to actually torture answers out of this pony...

His thoughts were derailed by a loud voice. It sounded like an adolescent boy, crying out, almost screaming in his ear.

"Get off her!"

CRACK!

Reno wasn't even sure what kind of noise it made. It was hard though, and seemed to break on impact with the back of his head. The sound of wood raining down on the floorboards came from all around as the world turned black in an instant. He only just about felt the cold ground press against his cheek as he slumped to one side.

"Spike! What did you do that for?" came Twilight Sparkle's disconcerted voice.

"He was attacking you! What was I supposed to do? Invite him in for tea?" came 'Spike's boyish reply.

"Grab some bandages, I think he's bleeding!" Twilight ordered through the murky darkness, only growing thicker and stickier.

Panting breaths came through the pitch black. "Wha... puff... what did... huff... did ah miss?"

"Applejack! Give me a hand. We need to move him. Spike! Where are those bandages?"

Warmth seemed to drool down the back of his head as Reno opened his mouth to say something. He couldn't quite force it out. All that came was a distorted garble...

The world span away into an invisible drain and Reno was out cold...

---***---

Preacher stumbled clumsily out of the train carriage and landed heavily on the Ponyville platform clutching his bloody nostrils. The Shadow Legion conscript stud reached up, plucked loose his helmet and threw it forcefully to the ground where it landed with a loud clang!

A nearby pony moved over and touched his shoulder seeing the armoured stud was bleeding. "Hey, can I help you there, buddy?"

Preacher twisted around and grabbed the pony by the collar. "The human! The creature like a pony but not like a pony! It was aboard the train! Where is it? Where did it go?" the conscript bellowed, his eyes literally ablaze.

The pony attempting to help Preacher leaned away with shock, pointing a shaky finger towards Ponyville not far away. "It ran off. Into Ponyville!"

Anger burning in his heart after the humiliation of having his weapon taken away and being knocked out by the human, Preacher shoved the pony aside where he landed in the dust with a pronounced thud! Fists clenched like his teeth, Preacher marched off the platform and followed the path to Ponyville, eager for some revenge.