The sun had long since set over Sweet Apple Acers, yet Applejack had jest now settled in to bed after a long hard day’s work. Just on the verge of sleep her night was disturbed by a panicked cry of “Applejack” and the sound of three pairs of hooves beating on her door.
With a soft groan Applejack reluctantly got out of her bed and opened her bedroom door to stare down at three fillies staring up at her with their big eyes. “What is it” her irritation coming out a little in her voice.
Apple Bloom took in a deep breath and spoke quickly “we were out in the club house having our slumber party when” Sweetie belle cut in “one of those two legged things walked by”!
“A Human” interjected Applejack.
“Yea, one of those” she taped her hooves together a sheepish smile on her face.
Apple jack turned her head to the little orange pegasus an eyebrow raised, curios about her silence. Scootaloo meet Applejacks gaze for a second before hers went to the floor. She spoke slowly and quietly “I smelt blood… lots of blood… …it was bad”.
“Big Mack ya catch all that” Applejack yelled down the dark hall. A loud “Eyep” resounded back. “I’ll meechya there, now you three” Applejack held the fillies close, and said “I need you to run has fast has you can over to Flutershy’s and lead her back, ifen this one is really hurt we’ll need her.”
The three saluted before running off to complete their appointed mission. Applejack rushed down the stairs grabbing her hat before dashing out the door herself. While the fillies head off to the road Applejack dashed into the orchard. The light of the moon did little to illuminate beneath the apple trees, but Applejack knew these trees and quickly found her way to the clubhouse. Even in the open it was too dark to make out any kind of trail in the grass… yet the scent of blood was heavy in the air. She quickly identified the trail, one way lead to the Everfree forest the other back into the orchard. Applejack rushed off following the scent. No creature could get far losing this much blood.
Dashing around the next tree Applejack skidded to a halt. Six feet ahead mostly hidden in the shadow of a tree was a human facing her. A large bag of sorts fell to the ground behind him with a dull thump and the human rose even taller arms splayed out slightly, the moonlight shining off some metal object in his hand. Applejack shuddered at the display before collecting herself and speaking “hello I would”. The Human lunged forward his right arm swinging down on her from above. The blade gest barely missed her has she jumped back.
The human stepped forwarded pressing the assault, Applejack relented stepping back. Another step and her rump smacked into a tree. A big step forward and the human’s blade came down on a diagonal. Having no choice Applejack hoped as well has she could to the left to doge. The blade turned and sailed horizontal directly into her right shoulder. Crying out in pain has blood dripped down her foreleg, she limped away.
This time the human did not press on has Applejack moved away, only turning to once more face her impassively. Though now in the moon light it revealed only the dark blue cloth that adorned the human stained red with blood in many places. A hat much like her own shadowed all of the man’s face from view. Applejack stood there staring back at the human thinking about what to do. Even though he had hurt her she refused to leave him out here.
“Applejack” bellowed out a strong voice from behind the human. He tensed up and swung his blade around to the right, it sailed right towards the big red stallion’s neck. The loud thunk echoed as the blade sunk deep in to Big Mac’s yoke. With a cry of surprise Big Mac reared up tearing the weapon away from the human.
Seeing her chance applejack rushed forward intending to tackle the humans back. Unfortunately he spun around to face her before she hit, and knocked him to the ground. Placing a leg to either side of his shoulders in hopes of detaining him Applejack stood over him. “Now listen” she began before the human’s arms shot up easily knocking her legs away and making their way to her throat. They latched on pushing her up until her forelegs no longer touched the ground. It was impossible to breathe their grip to tight and Applejack had not the leverage to brake there hold. Gest has her lungs were beginning to burn Big Mack came to her rescue, grabbing an arm and yanking it away.
Together they each held one of the human’s arms down, his legs kicking and flailing ineffectually. “Now! Listen here” demanded Applejack. The human went still and turned to face her, his hat having been knocked off she could see his deep green eyes and golden hair that fell down across his face. “We don’t want to hurt you, we only want to help, I promise, relax now okay”. They stared into each other’s eyes Applejack’s pleading with him to trust her; the human’s an expressionless void. His eyes closed and his body went completely limp, the rise and fall of his chest the only sign of life.
Applejack and Big Mack tentatively rose off the human and relaxed. Applejack held her shoulder the pain worsening has she looked up to the sky “please hurry Fluttershy”. Looking to her brother she saw him dislodge and let drop to the ground the hatchet the human had been using.
Twilight Sparkle hurried down to the hospital this morning. Only minutes earlier had she been informed about last night’s incident. Muttering silent curses has she entered through the front doors, Twilight’s attention was caught by a familiar voice. Has she approached the voice became distinct words “I already toldga I don’t need no dang crutch”.
“Applejack” called Twilight rushing over to embrace her friend.
“Well howdy Twilight” Applejack gingerly returned Twilights hug “I was wonderen when you would show up”.
After a hesitant glance to Applejack’s bandaged shoulder Twilight replied “I only gest got word and don’t have many details”?
“Not much to say really, poor fella was hurt pretty bad when he showed up, can’t really blame him for being a little aggressive”.
With another glance to her shoulder Twilight hesitantly asked “and you’re alright”
Applejack pleased a reassuring leg on her shoulder “its gest a cut twilight, I’m fine” the last bit directed over her shoulder at sum hospital staff.
With a reassured smile Twilight then asked “and him, how is he doing”.
A glum expression took over Applejacks face “I really can’t speak on that matter” she glanced away for a moment “but Fluttershy Didn’t look good while or after she was treating him, she even went into the forest with Lero to find out what happened”.
“Lero, why would she take Lero?”
“I don’t know sugar cube, now if you’ll excuses me I’m sure after staying here all night Apple Bloom’s mighty worried about me”. Applejack limped out the door a couple staff following her out. “I told you I don’t need no help!” Twilight watched her go, sad her friend was hurt, but reassured by her strength. Strength she would need.
Slowly, hesitantly Twilight made her way up to the room the human was recuperating in. The door slowly swung open, and Twilight peeked into the room. It looked has plain and dreary has any other hospital room. A curtain blocked the view of the bed by the window from the door. With hesitant steps she made her way over to the bed. Each clop of her hoof falls feeling like an intrusion on the silence of this domain.
Carefully Twilight examined the human’s features has he came into view. The blanket was tucked in all the way up to his neck. Only his left arm was exposed, and hooked up to an IV. Around the elbow his skin went from light tan to pale white. Now she had made her way over to the window side of his bed, and was approaching his head. Golden hair messily parted over his face peaceful in sleep. Creeping closer Twilight examined his face in great detail. The little scare on his forehead, a wispy mustache the same color has his hair, stubble gest beginning to come in, and all the proportions of his face.
Skirissssss “good morning Twilight”. Eep. Twilight jumped back, tripping on her own hooves and falling. The doctor raised an eyebrow looking down on Twilight has she got back up. Saying in his usual flat professional voice “Twilight please do not harass my patient.”
“Sorry Dr. John” Twilight apologized looking up at the human. His face was angular and firm but his eyes could be gentle behind his glasses if need be. Brown hair, brown shirt and white jacket made for the perfect image of an overall boring person, if not for the fact that he was one of currently five humans in all of Equis. An extensive knowledge of medicine far beyond any pony saw him employed at the ponyvile hospital soon after arrival. Nervously taping her hooves together Twilight asked “how is he doctor”?
“His only major injury is a puncture to the abdomen” Dr. John pulled back the blanket to reveal a well-defined chest and a heavily banged torso. “There was also minor damage to the liver and small intestine. That has all been patched up and his condition is now stabile.” The doctor replaced the sheet after checking the wrap. Twilight was upset her examination was cut short. “Fluttershy suspects the wound was inflicted by a Manticor stinger so we started him on anti-venom, hopfully she can confirm or deny when she and Lero return. Right now the major concern is his significant blood loss which has rendered him comatose. Without knowing his blood type a transfusion is too risky so we can only wait for him to replenish on his own.”
“Do you know why Lero went with Fluttershy into the Everfree forest”?
With a heavy sigh John unlocked a nearby cabinet. The sudden and unusual tension in his posture unnerved Twilight. From the cabinet John removed a long narrow cloth bundle. “This is a bolt action rifle recovered from his person” he held it out for her to take but Twilight hesitated in taking the weapon. “We wrapped it in cloth to remain discreet, has you head back to the library.” When Twilight finally did take the rifle in her telekinesis John turned around and pulled out two large bags. One was recognizable has an Equestrein cloth bag, the other was alien to her. “This bag he brought with him, and is filled with varies survival supplies I’m sure you will find fascinating, we put everything he was wearing into this bag” he pulled out what looked like a small pocket with straps “this is a pistol holster, the pistol however was not recovered, there are also shotgun shells in his pack so it is likely he had one of those too.”
With so many new things to examine Twilight decidedly toke the bags and began to leave. Right at the door her brain caught up with her. She turned around and hesitantly asked “so how have you been John”.
Without looking at her he replied “Twilight, I need to instruct sum of the nurses on the differences in treating humans from ponies”.
“Oh…ok see you later then” with no response Twilight left, her ears hung low.
“Good evening Sister” called Luna trotting into the dining hall at Canterlot castle with an extra bounce in her step.
“Good evening Lulu” retuned Celestia nuzzling her sister has she took her seat next to her. Despite the ruckus of hundreds of royal guards eating before either going on or off duty, the royal table Celestia and Luna sat at alone at the head of the hall was rather quiet. “You’re not usually this jolly after waking up.”
“I slept exceptionally well this day Tia, and I have been awake for a little while”.
“Oh and what is it that held your attention prior to dinner”?
“Reading mainly, there is still much about this new time that fascinates and confuses me”.
Celestia placed a reassuring hoof on her sisters shoulder “it’s okay Lulu, it’s only a matter of time before everything will seem normal”.
Luna shone a grateful smile to her sister “thank you Tia”.
They continued idle chit chat while eating has the various guards slowly filed out to assume there positions. Once the hall was once more empty save her sister and herself Luna spoke up “well Tia I believe it seems time to assume my royal duties” then she sadly whispered “what little I have”.
“Wait Lulu, I have a request to make, if you would”?
Luna blinked in surprise “of course Tia, whatever you ask”.
Celestia gave a grateful smile yet it did not hide the sadness in her eyes “if you did not already know, another human arrived last night, and I would like you to investigate him”.
This was a startling and by no means casual request “this is not sum thing you ask often Tia, what has the human done to warrant such action”.
Celestia dabbed at her chin with a napkin, really jests a habit to buy time to think. Finally she spoke calmly and carefully “there was an incident upon his arrival that resulted in the element of honesty being injured, he has also brought sum of the more advanced weapons of his world… I am simply concerned as to his character”.
“Do you not trust Twilight to handle the situation?”
“Twilight is an exhalent student” she paused “however she still is not very good at handling people”. Luna failed to form a reply. Celestia pressed into her sister’s side “I know these are concerning matters but we must be cautious. I wish you luck sister. Good night”.
“Good night sister” Luna called to Celestia has she left the hall too stunned to say anything else. In an attempt to hold back these troubling thoughts she went to oversee night court, where there was nothing for her too do. Tonight like many nights none came to attended night court. So Luna sat slouched over in the throne, bored out of her mind, and boredom is a poor defense against troubling thoughts.
Why exactly was her sister’s request so troubling? It’s not like this would be her first time doing this. She’s done so hundreds of times before. It will however be the first time since her return.
Is that the reason? Luna looked around, taking in all the details of the throne room. Despite having returned years ago, despite being adorned with the image of her and her night, this white marble hall this throne was her sister’s. Luna wiggled uncomfortably at that thought. She missed the old castle. The duel thrones, the banners of both night and day, the gray stone a perfect balance between the two … the place she had destroyed.
A fresh wave of shame overcame her. “Night Shift!” The old mare to Luna’s left saluted “night court is over.” Luna hurried out to her room without looking back. She had started out felling so good this morning now she only wanted to return to bed, but Celestia had made a request. After several minuets out on the balcony staring out upon her night Luna was ready to try.
Retreating back to the couch in her room Luna made herself comfortable resting her head on a cushion. Now she cast her mind out over equestrian in the direction of ponyville, taking a moment to check on the citizens. All were sleeping peacefully this night except twilight working intently in the base of the library. Both the humans Jenifer and Albert where also using the peace of the night to work. Moving on to the hospital where an unfamiliar mind called to her, Luna found a few standing watch in case of emergency including the human doctor, and several others dozing with no immediate need of them. The mind she sought was too inactive to simply be asleep. “Has he been injured? ...Well it will make things essayer for me.” Luna submerged herself in his head.
Luna flew, suspended within an endless dark void. Descending down she settled onto a clear plain, a single ripple moving out about twenty feet with each hoof before fading. The darkness surrounding her though perfect was not empty, it contained a depth and character all its own. The surface she stood on did not appear to any sense other than touch and seemed to have no effect on the environment. Streaks of red flash across the distant darkness like darting fish, seeming more a projection on a surface that wasn’t there. In the distance in all directions large blurry white pillars extended infinitely up and down, gently drifting about. This place baffled her.
With steady steps Luna seat off looking, for what she did not know. Nothing changed, no matter how long she forged on, except the white pillars, steadily moving across the void. One wandered close and Luna could now see why they were blurry. Their form made out of many two dimensional white blocks of various sizes. The meaning was lost on her, but Luna was growing tired of this wandering. “Can you hear me” she called out and waited when nothing happened she continued “I only want to know more about you”.
Suddenly something was coming. Luna lowered into a ready stance with her wings flared, scanning for any treat. All around nothing had changed, and then she looked down. A large mass of white was growing beneath her. She leaped away. With tremendous force the thing burst from the surface behind her. With curious eyes Luna watched as the new white pillar grow into the sky while bits of the surface rained down and washed over her like water. This new pillar was exactly the same has any other except it remained stationary.
“Have you come to answer me?” Luna wasn’t really expecting an answer has she approached the pillar. Jest a hoof length away Luna saw the white blocks change. Colored images flashed within, images flashing by too fast to identify. “Thoughts, these white pillars are thoughts” she considered the pillar carefully, gingerly lifting a hoof to it. “What can you show me”? Anger, joy, fear, exhilaration, a thousand different thoughts and feelings flashed through her faster then she could make sense of them. Withdrawing her hoof Luna once more considered the white pillar “I will not simply be able to sit here and sift through to find what I want will I” again no response. With a heavy sigh Luna resigned herself and jumped in.
We sat in a desk, many other young humans around us. Their voices echoed in our head. It hurt. We sat there hands clamped over our ears, and it still hurt. The agony continued for several minutes until a new seen replaced it. We sat on our couch, our pet brown lab next to us, playing a video game. Our avatar died for the tenth time. We jumped up and angrily shouted at the screen. Our dog gave us a nerves look making us feel guilty. Turning the game off we sat back down. Maybe we should get busy, there is a lot we need to do. After a few minutes we started a different game. The seen changed again. We sat before a large monitor adorned with the obvious double helix shape of DNA. Taping at the keyboard several different gene strands appeared at the edge of the screen. They came in replacing sections of the original DNA strand. We leaned back in our chair satisfied with our work.
“I need to know if you are a threat”.
Threat!!!
We run desperately down the street, the sound only bringing more of them. One shambles out ahead of us, but is knocked down by a hatchet to the skull. Has we keep running our friend meets up with us also running for his life. With a swarm approaching from both sides of the street we burst into a store and lock the door. In these numbers however, it douse not take them long to begin bursting through the windows. Has they come after us our friend and we dash though the metal door in back and bar it, this door is too strong for them to break down. With a satisfied grin and a high five our friend and we climb into the back of a pickup truck driven by another survivor. Has we leave town a large explosion goes off centered at the store. Tomorrow we would be back to kill the rest of them.
It was wet and uncomfortable lying in the foliage like we have been doing most of the past several days, but finally our target approached. A large convoy of troop transports, supply trucks and a few tanks came trudging down the muddy trail before us. The fools thinking their superior toys made them better, now they would be there undoing. In a second the muddy road exploded around the vehicles doing no damage to their armored halls, but causing all the heavy rigs to sink up to a foot into the muck. Numerous gun shoots ring out across the hills from our comrades, the caravan returning fire where they could. We took aim through the scope of our rifle, sighting in on the gunner. We shot. The bullet pierced to back of his helmet; the body went limp and fell back into the transport. We aimed now at the rear of the transport where soldiers had disembarked and are returning fire. Our next shoot barley missed the soldier’s head striking the hull next to him. He moved to take shelter behind the door. We did not miss our next shoot, perfectly through the upper thigh. Before we could shoot again one of the tanks trailed gun fire over our heads. The bullets ripped through the trees raining splinters down on top of us. A rocket fired off but uselessly impacted the frontal armor. Several more where fired and one struck the point between body and turret. A gout of flame erupted from the top hatch and the tank moved no more. The battle was all but over now. Our forces moved down from the surrounding trees to ransack the cargo train. Several soldiers were still trapped in there transports. We gave them grenades has parting gifts.
Luna ripped herself away from that train of thought before it could gain too much strength. “But all of that was imagined. Why do you honor violence so much, why do you cherish guns?”
Guns!!!
At an age so young we can barely recall we were hunting with a Beebe gun in the back yard. Many tweety birds gathered around the burn pile. When we shot one fell. Blood poured from its beak and its chest pulsed at an alarming rate. We were not aware, we were not prepared, we stayed by the bird for an hour hoping for it to get beater, until it died. What we had done was horrible, but perfectly alright. It would take us years to come to terms with that, and we would never hunt the tweety birds again.
A little older a little wiser we clutched a 22 rifle to our chest following our father though the forest. Often he would look back to check on us and make sure we were fallowing the rules, we were. In fact we did so well when a grouse jumped into a tree ahead of us we got to shoot it. It may have taken five shoots too do so, but we got it. The body was laid out on a stump twitching in death. We were ready, prepared for this, but the sight still stirred our guts.
It was early, the sun only gest peeking out over the horizon, and it was unspeakably cold. So cold that ice still covered our waiters after seating out the decoys, and likely will until we return to the car. Despite the cold we were exited, and eagerly sat in the blind next to our father. Our target appeared flying fast overhead. We brought our plastic call to lips and let lose a horrendous sound, that was apparently attractive to them has they circled round. This time they flow within range we fired, two fell into the water. We rushed out to retrieve our kills. One flouted still in the water, the other was ineffectively trying to fly or swim away. We grabbed it by the head and flung the body around until it merely twitched. Taking a moment we appreciated the beauty of the duck’s body then laid it on the floor of the blind and waited for more.
Flushed with adrenaline we approached the deer from behind. It had obviously been a bad shoot. In our excitement we did not make a fatal shoot though the chest, but had struck the spine. Now the deer’s rear legs where paralyzed has it struggled to get away. We laid our riffle in the grass has we approached, pulling out our hunting knife with a blue wood handle. Quickly but cautiously we approached behind the crippled deer, and pounced. Our left hand grabbed hold of an antler, and we plunged our knife into its neck. Hot blood poured out over our hand. The body went limp in a minute, though it felt like an hour. Our hand soaked in blood, breathing so hard it hurt, we turned to greet our family filled with a feeling grater then most others we had ever experienced.
Luna pulled back her body shaking both from his memories, and her body’s reaction to them. It was odd jest how much more structured and organized those thoughts where then the previous. However none of this gave her a definitive answer. The memory’s came again perhaps intentionally in contrast to those prior.
Our chickens chirped happily has we feed them this morning. We held down a hand full of feed for them. Our favorite hen comes forth with her chicks to eat out of our hand. We sit by our old dog, so sick with age he won’t eat any more. So we sit by him gently stroking his face and neck while the vet puts him to sleep. We hold our grandmother has tight has we dare. Time has left her frail and weak. We know of her pain both physically and mentally, but can do nothing more than hold her in this moment.
“Stop!” Shouted Luna waving away the thoughts that would’ve continued on forever. The white light faded and Luna was dropped onto the mental surface. She looked around. All the white pillars where collapsing into the void below and the streaks flashed fare more frequently and somehow more aggressively; it was all very foreboding.
With a sigh Luna realized she must have triggered the minds defenses with her careless actions. Once more she noticed movement below her. Though there was nothing distinct she decided to play it safe and flew higher up. Slowly a virtual sea of black tendrils rose above the surface idly swaying back and forth. Intrigued, having never seen anything like them before Luna observed there complex movement. Several lashed out further then she expected and wrapped around her hoofs. They dug in under her skin burning like fire as they forced their way up her body.
With a scream of pain Luna fell to the floor sweating and panting hard. A light knock came from the door before a guard peeked his head in and asked “everything alright Princess”?
Luna took a deep breath, purging all of the false feelings from her body and replied “yes, I am perfectly fine”. The guard nodded confirmation and returned to station. Letting out her breath Luna relaxed, slumping onto the carpet. With a tired smile “ok, that was rather intense”. Already the memories where growing hazy, to alien and wild to hold onto clearly. Seeking out the cool comfort of her night Luna wondered back onto the balcony, she looked up at her stars more concerned and conflicted now than before.
