Plip, plip, plip, plip....

The sound of water droplets hitting a puddle slowly wormed its way into Deans senses. Their soft dripping seeming to echo all around him.

Plip, plip, plip... Thu-thump...

A dull thumping started to overbear the soft fall of water, causing him to wince. It sounded at a steady pace, and a tinge started to develop around his head. Next came the musky odor of woodland rot mixed with something akin to rust. Dean's entire body twitched from experiencing the smell and he winced once again, the dull thumping only seemed to grow louder. Groaning quietly, Dean tried to open his eyes, but found a rough fabric blinding him. A fog that had previously been covering his mind began to lift, and with it, pain and thoughts began to emerge.

His head suddenly lit up like the fourth of July, a flash of torment every time his pulse reverberated through his skull. His backside began to ache uncomfortably, sending shivers up and down his spine as annoyance crept into his mind. He felt metal underneath him, curved slightly and smooth. Dean tried to scooch backwards a bit to relieve the pressure, but upon hitting the metal backrest, he groaned louder in irritation. Whomever had built this chair did not have humans in mind. Pain and annoyance was becoming the overbearing state of his mind and he could feel adrenaline slowly coursing through his veins. He could feel some sort of heavy chains binding his hands and legs to his seat, but upon rattling them, he found that he had more than enough slack to break free. Whoever had set up this interrogation was either an amateur, or an idiot.

The sudden creak of a door opening caused Dean to cease all movement and focus entirely with his ears. His training was beginning to kick in once again and he found the agony and uncomfortable anxiousness slowly dissipating. The thumping in his head dulled until all was quiet, but the pain remained, as well as that stupid water.

Plip, plip, plip - clop...

The telltale clip-clop of a ponies hooves slowly approached. Their falls seemed slightly heavier than Dean remembered, so he assumed that it was a larger pony that was coming to interrogate him; he only had Midnight as a reference after all.

"I wouldn't bother trying to escape, Elf. We have just about every anti-magic ward attached to your being right now. One attempt and your insides will likely evaporate." The hoof steps stopped and silence seemed to echo through the room. The only noise being the occasional light splash of the water hitting the the puddle.

After about ten seconds, the blindfold was suddenly ripped from Deans face, scratching his rough skin slightly. He winced as his eyes were assaulted by a bright light. He slowly blinked his eyes to try and adjust, but it didn't seem to work; the pony must've had some sort of flood light trained on his face. He heard the pony snark lightly and turned his head in that direction. Dean could barely make out the outline of a much larger than average unicorn.

"What is your goal here, Elf?" Dean heard the unicorn snarl from behind the light.

"Forester, Dean, Sergeant First Class, One-Four-Six-Zero-Nine-Three-Romeo." Dean frowned, these ponies weren't going to get any information from him. He still had yet to determine whose side they were on. The Resistance seemed like the most plausible option, but he was very aware that in times of strife, bad people tend to band together. He had to be sure.

There was a pause.

"W-what?" The stallion seemed taken aback by his response. "What in Tartarus does that mean? Your name and rank? That doesn't -- You know what, never mind. Let's try an easier question. Where were you planning on taking the Princess?"

"Forester, Dean, Sergeant First Class, One-Four-Six-Zero-Nine-Three-Romeo."

The stallion huffed in irritation. Dean could tell when someone was an amateur interrogator. He looked down and his eyes widened. His captors had left all his armour and his exo-suit on his person! After a moment of silent contemplation and a subtle smirk, he decided break interrogation protocols and mess with the stallion.

"Va sucer un oeuf, cheval-garçon!" He winced at his terrible dialect, but began to chuckle nonetheless. He could just imagine the ponies face in all its glorious stupefaction.

"Buck this," the stallion quietly growled.

The light suddenly flicked off as a purplish glow enveloped Deans head. His eyes widened in panic as he and his metal seat were levitated off of the ground, flipped sideways, and sent plummeting to the floor below. Dean had the sense to aim his shoulder towards the ground and somehow managed to avoid hitting his head. The resulting vibrations caused his previously ignored concussion to flare up once more, and he cried out in pain. The ground seemed to be made of rock and course dirt, explaining the rotting vegetation smell.

"This could go SO much easier if you would just answer my damn questions! I told them you wouldn't be able to give anything and that we should have killed you! But no, don't listen to the guy who had to watch his wife get dragged away by your kind. Don't listen to the guy who has been through Tartarus and back while trying to protect everyone from YOU heartless bastards!"

Dean didn't say a word as the stallion moved into his field of view. The only parts he could see were dark blue hooves, steel horseshoes, white fetlocks, and-and...

'Goddammit, I did not need to see that!'

But before Dean could see more, a hoof suddenly rocketed out and into his chest. The sheer force of the hit caused all the air in his lungs to forcefully eject and his eyes to widen. The clip clop of hooves sounded as he hacked and wheezed. On the final cough, blood shot from his lips and onto the floor, sprinkling a few lumps of moss in bright red mist.

'Did I just get hit by a truck? I hope the plating didn't break!'

After a full movie, Dean was able to finally get his breathing under control, he was able to tune back into the asshat of an interrogators rant.

"No, I think I'll parade you through the streets of Maritime Bay. Naked. The citizens will see you as a representation of your kind. Weak, undisciplined, disgusting animals. Then-"

"Did you say Maritime bay?" Dean interrupted the ranting pony, his interest finally piqued. "Are you part of the resistance?" There was silence from the pony, and it went on for quite some time. Dean tried shuffling sideways as a strange looking beetle slowly crawled towards him. The nasty little bug came within three inches of his face before he found himself being dragged by his head once more into the air. A few joints popped from the strain, but he ignored it, his eyes were focused entirely on the pony before him.

The stallion had a longer snout than what he had previously encountered. His horn was nearly as long, if not slightly longer than Twilights and matched with his white coat. Even though Dean could tell that the stallions fur was supposed to be white, he could see traces of grime and dirt. Upon even closer examination, Dean found the pony before him seemed very well muscled, even compared to the horses on Earth! At least Dean was still a few feet taller. He also remembered Twilight had mentioning something about how the tattoos on a ponies flank is called a 'Cutie Mark.' At the moment, he couldn't see what the white unicorn before him had as one.

'If I didn't have my armour on during that strike, my insides would be mush!' Dean thought as he hovered in the air. He briefly wondered why the pony kept going quiet, but passed it off as slow thinking.

'Or he's just failing at making this suspenseful.'

"What is it to you if I am with the resistance. You are my prisoner now, and what I say goes. I could kill you right now without batting an eye-"

"And lose a valuable asset?" Dean cut the stallion off quickly. "Look, I know that I look like a Dark Elf physically speaking, but if you ponies would just take a closer look, you would realize that I am not, in fact, with the pointed ear bigots." He fixed the stallions hard glare with one of his own. He saw the ponies eyes analyzing him once again and decided to point every difference out to him.

"My ears are similar to a primates, my nose is smaller and less sensitive, Inside my mouth are canine incisors as well as flat molars and front teeth, making me an Omnivore. I can't do magic, or I would have used it when I fought those three thugs." Dean's eyes followed the pony as he turned and began pacing; that is, until he caught sight of what was on the ponies flank...

*****

"Seriously? Cutie Mark? That has got to be the gayest shit I've ever heard. Sounds like something my Ex in grade seven would have come up with!" Dean threw his arms up to exaggerate his point. His heavy footfalls seemed to echo through the silent forest

"It's not that hard to understand, Sergeant." Midnight began. Dean could hear the scowl in his tone. "A pony gets theirs when they find their special talent. Mine is hidden at the moment, but it would show a hoof-tip moon underneath a red and gold spyglass." Dean could see the irritation portrayed on the ponies face. The only one who hadn't spoken up was Trignar, who was a good few feet ahead of them. Dean's eyes didn't leave the Dark Elf's back for more than a few seconds since the start of their trek in the woods.

"How did you get yours, Twilight?" Dean decided to ask the Alicorn beside him. She hadn't left his side the entire trip so far and still carried a light limp, but she was otherwise just fine. She looked up at him curiously before focusing on the trail once more. She quickly adjusted her Camouflaged saddlebags before replying.

"Well, when I was a filly, I was enrolled in Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. I was top of my class and so was given the hardest task when the final exam came up. I had to hatch a dragon using only magic!" Twilight sighed quietly as a smile crept onto her muzzle. "I tried and tried some more, but I wasn't able to summon the necessary power. It wasn't until a sonic rainboom startled me while I was attempting the spell. I pushed to much power into the spell and unlocked something deep inside me. I didn't remember what happened, but all I can recall was one moment there was a blinding purple light, and the next, Princess Celestia's was saying she would take me as her personal student! After the magic outburst, I got my cutie mark!" Twilight beamed at the memory.

"So what happened to the dragon in the end?" Dean glanced down at her. His ears picked up an almost inaudible grumble from the Prince, but he ignored it.

"Well, he became my adoptive brother after that and for the last thirteen or some years him and I have lived together." Her expression suddenly soured. "I-I haven't seen him since the day before the invasion, I hope he's alright. He wasn't in Canterlot the day it fell to the Dark Elves, s-so he could've gotten away."

Dean patted the Princess on the back lightly as she let out a sniffle.

"Probably a bad time to ask, but do you have any other siblings?" He suddenly asked. Midnight Flow had begun conversing with Trignar, though it seemed more like an angry rant than a conversation.

'Good, the point eared bastard deserves the hate.'

"N-no it's okay. But Y-yeah I do, his name was Shining Armour. He was my Big Brother Best Friend Forever." Her one ear flicked.

"Was he some sort of knight? Back home, we have the term 'knight in shining armour." It usually describes someone who is gallant, handsome, courageous, and strong." Dean scratched lightly at Twilight's coat, causing her to lean into him slightly as they walked.

"He was all of that and more. Shining and I would do everything together. When I was feeling down, he would cheer me up, when I was struggling with something, he would help me, when I needed someone to talk to, he would listen. He was the Captain of the Royal Guard and later a Prince." Twilight looked ahead at the conversing duo. She scowled at Trignars back.

"His Cutie Mark was a blue shield with a lavender star in the center, much like my own, plue three small stars over the top. I-It s-stood f-for h-his..." Twilights voice fell to a whisper. Dean could feel her body shake ever so slightly as she quietly cried. He knew how it felt to lose loved ones.

"....His steadfast protection and caring nature." Dean finished for Twilight. He looked down at Twilight with a soft smile once more, but this time their eyes met as she looked up. He could see tears leaking down from her eyes, so he quickly scratched behind her ear.

"I'm sorry. I-I really need to get a better grip on my emotions, I think I'm crying way to much." Twilight chuckled half heartedly.

"It's okay. You've gone through a lot in the last little while. I am here if you need someone to listen as well, you aren't alone anymore." Dean looked back towards the two bickering figures ahead of them, but he could feel Twilights grateful smile as she looked at him.

"So, now I'm curious. There are elves, mythical ponies, dragons, and draconequus monsters on this world, what else is there here?" Dean looked down at Twilight and his eyes widened. Her tail had straightened, her snout was in the air, and she walked with more elegance.

'Shit.'

"Well, to know this, we must first dwell into ancient Equestria and the first settlers to cross the Celestial sea. According to ancient texts in the Canterlot archives..." Dean sighed. This lecture was his doing, he would just have to suffer through it.

*****

"You're him." Dean suddenly said, causing the white stallion to whirl around and glare at him. "That Cutie Mark or whatever it's called. The shield, the lavender star, the three small stars! You're him, Shining Armour!" Dean suddenly laughed loudly, but began coughing as his chest flared in pain along with his head.

"That is Prince Shining Armour to you, thing." Shining snarled.

"Human, actually." Shining Armour's eyes suddenly widened at the words.

"Wait, Human? But those are myth, you can't be one!" Dean sighed and squeezed his eyes shut in irritation. His hand moved to rub the bridge of his nose, but upon an intense magical pressure on his head, he relented.

"That is a topic for another time, right now, I need to know if you are Twilight Sparkle's brother." Dean looked Shining dead in the eyes, his own complexion morphing into pure intimidation. He had to be sure in order to guarantee her safety. "Are you Twilight Sparkles brother?"

Shining armour visibly shivered. His ears folded back slightly as he gazed into Dean's eyes. He suddenly felt the instinct to run, and not look back. Whatever this thing was that was in his magical grasp, Human or otherwise, it was not something to mess with. It was intimidating enough with the bulky metal armour they had failed to extract from its body. Shining had only heard the report that this thing had moved with a speed faster than the eye could see and was able to withstand a full shock from the electric rods.

His hooves seemed to have a mind of their own as he continued to look at the creature and he took an involuntary step back. Was this it's goal? To get into the resistance base and tear it apart from the inside? To assassinate him?

'Then why did it bring Twilight and Midnight?'

Shining armour paused as the creatures eyes seemed to harden even further and its mouth solidified into a scowl. Shining realized he was acting weak, and he matched the creatures scowl with his own.

"I-I am Princess Twilight Sparkles brother,yes. Your tactics of int-"

BANG! CRACK!

Both Shining and Dean jumped as the massive wooden door to the interrogation room was blown off its hinges and smashed against the opposing wall, nearly flattening Dean as it flew past. Shining's magic grip let go of Dean as he spun around to face the new threat.

Dean on the other hand fell to his hands and knees and began coughing, the sudden movement causing pain in his chest and head to erupt once more. His world began to swim as the pounding came back in full force.

"Show yourself!" Shining called through the now broken doorway, his horn sparking with energy. He was taken by surprise however when a lavender blur shot past him, nearly knocking him over in the process. "Wha-"

"Dean! Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?!" Twilights voice echoed throughout the now silent interrogation room, her panicky voice trembling slightly with emotion.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm not made of glass you know." Dean snarked at the Princess. She merely huffed in retaliation and turned away from him, but not before swatting his chest playfully with her tail.

Shining armour couldn't believe what he was seeing. His sister, who had been unconscious, was conversing with the enemy! She must've been brainwashed by him!

"Stay away from my sister!" Shining armour teleported between Dean and Twilight and quickly spun on his hooves to deliver a powerful kick. Once more, Dean didn't see what was happening before it was to late and was launched across the room from the hit. His grunt of pain was only heard for a second before the yelling started. Dean's vision flashed as he tried to regain his bearings, but everything seemed to come out murky. He grimaced in pain as he fell on all fours. Blackness was starting to creep into the back of his mind.

'Must've hit my head. Damn ponies and their dirty tactics!'

Dean collapsed onto his stomach as the yelling continued from across the room. The voices seemed to garble together and Dean chuckled. The yelling stopped immediately and his remaining vision was suddenly enveloped in lavender once again.

"I hope this type of greeting doesn't run in the family." He managed to cough out.

And then Dean passed out, the last thing he saw being the stupefied and rage filled face of Twilight Sparkle as she looked down on him in concern.