I was standing before a field of wheat, the plants themselves swaying in the gentle breeze. A massive forest, followed by a city, lay beyond the field. It's massive buildings seemed to rise up and kiss the atmosphere, showcasing the ingenuity and perseverance of Mankind and it's conquering of the impossible. Just above, the sky was filled with puffy white clouds that lazily drifted to and fro. Some were gray, some were white, but all took the shape of something recognizable.
I saw a baby being carried in a mother's arms, a smile on his face. Another showed a young boy and his father, seemingly throwing a baseball through the sky. Next was a taller being, a young teenager of some sort, holding what seemed to be a diploma in one hand and a trophy in the other.
The clouds kept coming, each one showing something new from the past. I saw so much. A family, a business degree, first romance, broken hearts, and... and...
A tear slowly slid down my face as I saw the last one.
A man was on his knees, his head bowed and his arms hanging loosely by his side. Wispy tears trailed through the sky. I knew all too well what it was like... to lose the ones you loved. The feeling of hopelessness, the powerlessness....
A sudden bang echoed through the land and as the sound traveled, the world evaporated with it. I was left standing in an empty void. looking down, I found that my body was still there. My knee length, brown trench coat rested against the back of my jean covered legs. I reached up and adjusted my black ball cap.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, my friend." A mischievous voice with an undertone of sadness echoed through the darkness. I recognized the voice instantly and smiled.
"Discord, It is good to hear a friendly voice. Being entrapped, teleported, and left stranded is really not a comfortable feeling. I'm sure you could relate." I quickly turned and eyed the Draconequus, a smirk appearing upon my face.
"Only the first part. I still need to get revenge on those pigeons." Discords face grew dark, literally, and I chuckled.
"So what did you come here for? Surely not to brag about me being in your position? How was I supposed to know that the Destroyer was going to weaponize those weird magic thingies? I think that was the first time I've been solidified by a gay death ray." Discord smiled, but his eyes were downcast. Something was wrong, that much I could tell. I have known Discord for a while now, well most of his multiversal forms. It wasn't hard to tell when something was bothering him.
"What's wrong man? Penny for your thoughts?" I summoned a copper penny and flicked it towards him. His claw darted forward and snatched the metal piece out of the air before slowly lifting it to eye level. He gazed upon its surface for a few moments before refocusing on me.
"Well, lets just say that the multiverse might be in trouble, again. I might have broken a very important rule." Discord smiled sheepishly and twiddled his, uh, fingers together.
I narrowed my eyes and frowned. I prayed that he didn't do what I think he did. Being a god, he was bound by certain rules, unlike myself. Gods are only supposed to affect the boundaries of their own universe, and they did not act as protectors or antagonists. Discord's chaos makes him a neutral party in the grand scheme of things, I can only imagine what he did this time.
"What did you do?" I held my breath. If it was as serious as I think it was, then there was going to be quite the shitshow.
"The planet you landed on has been utterly devastated by another race due to the Destroyers influence. When I saw that you were trapped, and the very elements that had bound you were in no condition to help. I started over thinking things." He looked me dead in the eye, I stared back.
"The Destroyer is still in this universe, but her essence is physically imprisoned. Over the last hundred millennia, her influence caused death and destruction on an untold scale. Humanity wiped themselves out, the different species fought, and the artifacts that could free you have been locked away." I scowled and crossed my arms, but gestured for him to continue.
"The leader who sealed away the elements is something called a Dark Elf. Usually this would be no problem, but something happened. With the help of the Destroyer, this Elf was powerful enough to kill and absorb the magical essence of this universes' Discord."
My eyes widened. This was bad news, very bad news. Even with the infinite possibilities of the multiverse, this was something that wasn't supposed to happen. I knew that the dark powers of the Destroyer where powerful and insanely influential, but I did not know that something like the ability to kill a god and steal it's powers could become an outcome.
"Here is where I messed up. I grew scared that the Elves might be able to open the seal containing the Destroyers essence. If he got his hands on that kind of power, then he would have to ability to take on the two eternals! In last ditch effort, I.. I..." Discord looked down and stroked his tail.
"Spit it out!" I regretted snapping at him, he was my friend after all, but something this serious warranted extreme measures. I needed to get out of here! Damn that fucking horse!
Discord winced, but continued.
"I... summoned a Human from another dimension. There was a pony, a princess that was in trouble- Erk!"
He wasn't able to finish as my hand was now around his throat. He squirmed and wiggled, but my grip was stronger than Iron. he tried to snap his fingers, but a quick mental command ceased his movements. His eyes portrayed terror as I glared at him.
"You. Fucking. Idiot. Do you realize what you have done?!" My voice was quieter than a whisper, but the daggers it spat forth seemed to cut through Discords very being.
"C-Can't... Br-brea...thee!" I saw his face turning purple. After a moment of consideration, I let him go, causing him to fall to the nonexistent ground in a heap.
"I don't know what to do, Discord. By influencing two separate dimensions, as a god no less, you may have just caused a chain reaction throughout the very fabric of reality. The walls of the Rift have been forced open by you. You know that only an Archangel can cross through a Rift without immediate consequences, right? By bringing this Human through, you used an immense amount of power keeping him alive while he went to his destination! NOW IF THIS ELF ABSORBS THE DESTROYER, THIS COULD REPEAT EVERYWHERE!!"
Discord rubbed his throat and sat up.
"Guardian, I-"
"DON'T YOU GUARDIAN ME! THIS LIKELY ISN'T SOMETHING I CAN FIX ON MY OWN! DAMNIT!"
My yell caused the whole void to warp around us. My fists clenched at my sides and started to turn white. My breathing was heavy, and my brain was running at Mach ten in order to think of a solution. After a moment, I raised my clenched hand to my face. I realized how powerless I was at the moment. How I could do nothing but watch. Just like those cloud visions I saw earlier. I wonder if that was the human's life I had seen, the one that is upsetting the balance of existence.
Wait... The human!
"Discord!" I turned around and levitated towards him. He shied away at first before I grabbed him by the wrist and hauled him to his feet. He looked at me in confusion and I merely smiled.
"The human could help free me! If... if he gets those weird doohickeys and shots that gay beam at my statue, then I can fix this mess! Yes, this is perfect!" I did a little jig before wrapping Discord in a bone crushing hug; his ribs literally cracked before mending again when I let go.
"Guardian." Discord huffed and shook his head. I was too excited to care.
"Think about it. I'm sure that if that prissy white Alicorn gave the gay beam to some common folk, then he might be able to convince them to help. Once I'm out--"
"Guardian!" Discord spread his arms wide with a look of irritation. I realized I had been rambling and quickly slammed my mouth shut.
"Yeah, Discord?" I looked at him with my charming and innocent smile. He merely huffed at my antics.
"The reason I brought the human here was to get you free. That is what I have been trying to say this whole time."
Dead silence. That is what ensued. I felt embarrassment working its way through my mind and causing my cheeks to flush slightly. The silence went on for several seconds before I decided to try and laugh it off.
"Hah, hah! I'm sorry my friend! I... uh... I should have heard you out sooner. I am truly sorry." I looked down and shuffled my feet. After a second, I felt a lion's paw on my shoulder.
"It's okay. I know you are feeling anxious about what is happening with your imprisonment. If it makes you feel any better, your home universe is still in limbo from when you left so long ago." I perked up at that.
"I think that once I get out of here, I'll fix this mess and return there. Creator knows how mad Amy is going to be when she finds out I froze the universe again for more than ten thousand years." Discord chuckled.
"Well, it shouldn't be long now until you get out. Though can you do me a favour?" I laughed.
"Of course! You've helped me so much and still are! What can I do for you?" I crossed my arms and smirked. That smirk fell when Discords own features grew deadly serious. He took a breath before looking me in the eyes.
"Whatever happens, ensure that the Human lives when you escape. I had no right to pull him from his world. Especially with all that he has gone through. I have dwelt far to much in this universe, so I leave it up to the human. If I don't hear from you within the next five months, I will attempt another rescue. You are needed, Guardian. Even if it puts the multiverse at risk."
I thought over his words while he stared at me. I couldn't promise anything in reality. But if I can save a life, then by God I will.
"Very well. I will do what I can. I can't promise much, but I will do whatever it takes to help this human and keep him alive." I saw Discord begin to fade from view, a content smile on his face. A sudden thought came to me.
"And Discord..." He raised an eyebrow. "When all this is over, you and me are going and getting a drink."
Discord laughed heartily.
"I'll hold you to that, Guardian. Good luck, and keep the Human safe." And with those closing words, Discord disappeared from view. I chose to sit there in the void by myself for some time. Thinking over the millions of possibilities that could be created from the Chaos god's actions. With a quick thought, my surroundings warped. Before me stood the Human himself. His eyes were closed, as if he was sleeping peacefully. Scanning over him, I noticed something quite odd. I quickly walked towards him and placed my hand on his chest before concentrating. A pulling sensation spread through my fingers and up my arm, but I held firm. It was as if the projection of the Human before me was resisting.
Ever so slowly, a small paper photo materialized through the armour of the Humans left breast. The picture slowly levitated towards me and I slowly analyzed it. It showed a young women, maybe twenty five or thirty, with wavy brown hair and a beautiful smile. She actually resembled my mother in a strange way. In her arms was a young lad, maybe eight or nine, and he was holding a small stuffed bear in his one hand while the other grabbed his mother's shoulder.
The last person was a tall man wearing business casual attire. His well built arms were comfortingly wrapped around his wife and son from behind, while the other rested at his side. His brown hair was somewhat messy and fell down along his ears. Out of the three, his smile was the largest.
I sighed and looked back to the holographic image of the Human. A small telepathic command and I was able to find the Humans name was Dean Forrester, a Sergeant in the United States Rangers Special Task Force. He seemed like a capable man, and looking farther into his memories showed just how much of a ferocious and dedicated person he was. He was fiercely protective and loyal, always putting himself before others. He showed kindness, always comforting those who are in a situation they had no right to be in the first place. One particular example that I saw was a little girl who had lost her family. Dean had taken care of her for most of the day while high command was moving various refugees. He personally saw it through that the girl got to a safe area.
Next was his honesty. It seemed that the Sergeant wasn't one to sugarcoat things when the situation grew dire, but he was also an inspiration as well as a leader. He commanded an entire platoon of soldiers, ones that thought they were going to succumb to the Orith onslaught. This was only rivaled by both his laughter and generosity. When moods where down, he brought them back up in no time. When someone was lacking something, he would be the first to help them find it.
Then there was... something. I don't know exactly what it was, but the feeling was recognizable. It was weak, but it was there. This thing helped him out of tight situations. Where he would usually have the odds against him, he would come out on top. The closest literation of this would only be considered luck.
I saw all this in the space of a second, taking in all his attributes, strengths, and weaknesses. Atop all of these things was a battle hardened soldier, one who fought for freedom and justice.
'He will do.'
I exited the Human's mind and re-envisioned my surroundings. I was back in the wheat field but this time, I had a visitor. The hologram was gone, and instead was replaced by the Human himself. I saw him look around in confusion before turning to face me. His jaw dropped in shock and he took a step back. I simply smirked.
"Hello Dean, It's so nice to finally meet you."
*****
Dean's eyes opened. His drowsiness had disappeared, his senses were back on high alert. The first thing he noticed was the sprawling wheat field before him, the grains waving gently in the breeze. Beyond that, a forest sat before a sprawling city, the towering buildings seeming to scrape the sky itself.
'How the hell did I get here? Wasn't I in Maritime Bay?'
He felt eyes on his back and promptly turned around. At first he was confused, but that confusion soon turned to shock upon what stood before him.
"Hello Dean, It's so nice to finally meet you."
The Guardian. The hero from that ancient comic book back on his world, was standing before him. His trademark brown Trench coat, black ball cap, dark blue jeans, brown hiking boots, and gray shirt, made up the superhero before him.
His brain temporarily stopped. He had read the Rift comic when he was ten years old, and it was one of his favorites! How could the main character be standing before him!?
"Now look, I know what you are thinking, and it is not possible for me to explain at the moment. What matters right now, is that I am here to help you."
Dean slowly closed his mouth and stood up straight. His armour shifted as he moved.
"And how is that? Why are you even here? Your existence should not be possible!" Dean took a few steps forward to try and get a closer look, but the Guardian held up a hand.
"What matters is that I am here, in the flesh... er, stone. Look, I have been informed of your little mission in ponyland, and I have decided to help you." Dean tilted his head slightly.
"Why don't you come in person. If I am to understand, you are the second most powerful being in existence! So where is your real body... why are you visiting me in a dream. Or am I hallucinating? Was I po-" Dean was shut up when a small shock wave blew across the field, causing the whole setting to distort.
"I am trapped at the moment in Canterlot! Just let me explain!" The Guardian scowled from under his hat, causing the Sergeant to step back. The Guardian took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"I came to this world chasing the Destroyer. I managed to weaken her so much that I was able to entrap her. However, the inhabitants of this land had some sort of weapon that could turn any powerful entity to stone. This device was used on me, and I have been stuck here for the last ten thousand years. The Destroyer pulled one of her tricks however and was able to leave behind a part of her essence, slowly corrupting the various creatures around the planet. It is up to you to find these devices and use them to free me, so that I may fix all the problems that are being caused around the multiverse." The Guardian opened his eyes and stared at Dean.
"You will be waking up soon, but know this: I am here to guide you. I will do what I can to help you make it through this little escapade alive and well. This is all very rushed, but I didn't have a lot of time to talk to you. When you wake up, you will likely forget the majority of this conversation."
Dean stared at the Guardian. But otherwise stayed silent.
'Yep, this is definitely a dream.'
The Guardian huffed and shook his head.
"I can see you don't believe me. I will try and visit you again when you are asleep in order to clarify some things. Just so you know, I can see your thoughts and through your eyes." He smirked deviously. "You should totally fuck the purple Pegacorn!"
Dean finally reacted... by recoiling with a disgusted look.
"What the hell? That's fucked up, she's a pony! Wait, this is just a dream, so whatever you say is just a figment of my imagination." Dean smirked and crossed his arms. "I think I'll try and wake up now."
As Dean slowly began to fade away, he heard the voice of Guardian, albeit slightly distorted now.
"Be that as it may, you still thought it!"
Dean's world went black, but not before he flipped the bird to his fucked up imagination. As he regained consciousness, he swore he could hear the horrible laughter of the make believe superhero.
*****
Beep... Beep, Beep, Beep.
Dean's eyes slowly opened. His mind felt fuzzy and his lower half was killing him. His surroundings were quite blurry, so he tried to reach up and rub them, but found he couldn't.
Looking down his immobile body, he made out the blurry outline of something lavender laying on his arm. He blinked, and the world slowly came into focus. What he saw made him catch his breath.
Twilight was laying on the side of his bed, all curled up and snoring lightly. A certain trench coat wearing person suddenly made its way to the forefront of his mind.
'God Damn it.'
