As I entered the station with its poster covered walls about the possibilities in equestria, And polished floors. For a primary transport hub to the bureau the place was not as busy as one would think as I walked towards othe counter in a complete daze as I walked up to the counter the attendant said. "name and ticket?"
"Oh James Jackson Hackett ma'am and here Ya go."I said handing the lady my ticket.
"Ok Mr.Hackett do you have anything with you that would be considered dangerous, and do you have any illegal drugs or the such on you?"
"No to ta the drugs but ah have a few family reminders ma'am and Mr. Hackett was my father just call me James, please."
"Ok so what kind of mement so you decided to take it to huh?"she said with a smile.
"A couple of unloaded rifles,two shotguns and a half dozen pistols and several knives all of witch have the firing pins removed for the time being and the knives are in a lockbox. Ya ah've heard from some friends that their is a lot of jobs their and that it's a better life so after think on it, not to mention most of my family and friends have either moved or have taken the conversion. Ah decided to do it. Not ta mention those that those that had wouldn't quit messing with me about it."I said laughing at the last bit.
"Ok sir. they do know it's frowned upon to push others to convert don't they?"
With a laugh I reply."hell they weren't forcing me ta do it. Ah had been planin ta do it, but things just got in tha way now is ma chance ta do it without problems in tha way."
"Oh ok that does make sense by the way my name I Lisa it's a pleasure to have meet you."she said getting up to shake my hand.
"Pleasures all mine,Lisa. So when does the bus leave fer tha port?" I ask.
"The bus doesn't leave till 9:35 p.m.why got something to do?" she said.
"Naw jus wonderin is all."I said looking at the wrist watch I had on my left arm it was 8:47 now
"Have a hot date or somethin?" She teased.
"Naw jus wonderin when thought ah'd get some shut eye is all but ah can wait till ah get on the bus fer that. So it been busy lately?" I ask.
"No it been slow lately not many goin now with them bigots are threatenin ta blow up the buses." She said.
"The hell they will they ain't that ballzy. they are all bark and no bite. probably just vandalize property by spray paintin their group name on it." I laughed "and besides if ah catches em. ah'll scare em off."
At my remark she started giggling." Sure James you will get em"
"Yer Damn right ah would. They ain't nothin but a pain in tha arse." I said striking a heroic pose.
"Your one check of a guy huh?"she said laughing.
"Ah try,Lisa." I said.
As I was waiting Lisa and I talked for quite a bit until the PA sounded for my bus and it was time for me to leave promptly saying goodbye to Lisa and as I predicted several buses were painted on with the H.L.F. logo on them shaking my head I got on the bus and waited.
The bus ride to the port was uneventful. As I stepped off the bus,there had been twelve of us on the bus, the smell of salt water was thick walking to the pier the ship was birthed at was a decent distance away so I decided to get something to eat and my choice was a quaint little restaurant that believe it or not was owned by a family of converted, never liked calling them new foals, who were very friendly me and the father hit it off well, turns out were born just up the road from one another. As I eat my food a, caesar salad and a burger, the youngest whose name was Lily grove, ask me a question.
" Are ya goin ta be one too?!" She ask.
"Am ah goin ta be wh- Oh! Am ah gonna convert ta an equestrian? Ya it's what ah'm taken tha boat fer." I answered.
"Cool we did it. it was amazingly awesome!" she hopped at her words. "We wer asleep fer it but ah dreamt ah saw tha princesses and they were smiling!" At her words a knot was forming in my chest. I'm no saint but I tried to help people where I could. I hope i had done enough to get on their good side?
Seeing my nervous look the mother smiled and said."don't you a go worryin now. they are understanding folk them princesses. Ah doubt Ya done anything worse than we have ta upset em."
"Ah'm from Tennessee ma'am. ah was a frontier ranger. Til ah decided ta go through with it" I said with hesitation.
"Oh them rangers tha have been in tha news? Tha folk who would patrol the wild areas and hunt trouble makers?" She ask lookin at me.
"Ya the same. it seemed they didn't like it when we did it and between y'all and me. Some o the folk we hunted were not nice and some of our methods are a bit extreme." I said at my words her ears splayed back and she started looking at me as if I was going to hurt her.
"Ma'am you don't have ta worry ah'm not gonna hurt anyone. not ma groove anymore. if that is what got Ya scared."he said trying his best to reassure her.
"You aren't gonna hurt anypony?" She said.
"No ma'am ah'm not. ma hurtin days are over. ah'm startin over." He said with a smile
With her mind at ease they went on talkin about other things til it was thirty minutes til the boat was to leave. Saying his thanks and paying for the food. I left the restaurant heading for the ship when two guys blocked my path one was heavy set the other was lanky. The lanky guy said. "And Where in the hell do you think you are going?"
"The ship ah'm getting on is this way and that is where ah'm head in so if y'all will excuse me ham head in there now."I said trying to get by but they wouldn't move.
What makes you think we are going to let you get by with out paying us first? huh punk?!" The fat one said.
"Now Now fellas ah ain't done nothin so why don't we jus leave each other alone and forget we met. ok nether of us needs a bad day and y'all sure as hell don't need one."I said. Something about my tone scare the lanky guy but fatso won't budge.
"And how exactly will we have a bad day huh you gonna fight us?" He laughed pulling out a knife.
"Listen ah'm trying ta give Ya a chance ta walk away my ship is leaving soon and ah ain't missin it so either move or ah'm gonna move ya!" I shouted. At my words the lanky guy turned to his friend and said" come on mate lets jet this guy is starting to creep me out."
"Hell no I'm not I'm going to carve my name into him!" With that he attacked with the knife his first move also landed him in pain
He swung the knife trying to get my throat but I ducked catching his wrist and coming in for an uppercut that lifted him off the ground and into the dumpster next to us. Me punching him in the face and closing it for good measure.
His friend decided that fighting me was a very bad idea ran away like a bat out of hell.
Chuckling I picked my bags up and made my way to the boat as I got in the stewart ask me if I had did something to my hand. Looking down I saw I had blood from where I hit the fat guy. Shaking my head no it was fine I made my way to my compartment and washed my hands of the blood. I had just got cleaned when I heard a knock at my door walking over I had neglected to put as hurt on so it was understandable to why the messenger was a little embarrassed. She had an invitation to have dinner with someone who saw my little 'incident'.smiling I thanked her giving her a hundred dollar bill for her trouble.
Closing my door I pulled my best semi formal clothes out and chose a crimson short sleeve shirt that buttoned up and my black dress pants and shoes. Combing my mop of a hair. Looking in a mirror I saw that my well tanned face was covered in dirt from not getting a proper bath so quickly I took a. Wet wash rag and wiped my face neck and arms so as to not look like I have zero consideration for others I got out the deodorant stick and a decent bottle of cologne to cover the rest. Grabbing my hide able revolver I left for the elevator.
After my elevator ride I was making my way to the dining area as I found that the people that saw me were a few equestrians. they were curious as to who I was and where I was from.
"Good Evening my good fellow who are you to day?" He ask
"Ah'm doin quite well Mr. ..." I said a bit confused.
"Oh where are my manners my name is fancypants it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr..."
"Oh ma name is James J. Hackett and there is no Mr., jus James." I said just trying to act as best as I can.
"Ahhh not much for the high life I see well the if we are just call me fancypants please no need for titles then." He said with a highly jovial expression.
"Oh ok Mr.- sorry fancypants ah'm jus not use to folks wanting to talk ta me is all. Speaking of which why did you want ta talk ta me? Ah don't peg Ya as one for dinnin with common folk."
"Oh I just wanted to see if you are ok? them terrible hoodlums didn't hurt you I hope?" He said with a concerned look.
"No they didn't ah'm use ta dealin with worse. Who are the rest dinning with us?" I ask looking at the rest.
"Oh terribly sorry to my right is my wife fleur de lee. On my left is rarity belle a fashion designer and her friends twilight sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow dash, Pinkie pie,and Fluttershy. They are the elements of harmony."
As they each greeted me in their own ways a few ask me some questions.
"So James what exactly happened fancy said it was fast fight?" Twilight said.
"Oh well they tried ta get me to pay em ta get out o tha way an when that didn't work the heavier guy got violent. He didn't think ah had training on ma side an years growing up workin on farms and mines and doing jus about any type o manual labor their was around." I laughed.
"Quite so otherwise he'd have done like his other compatriot did and fled in fear."fancypants said with a chuckle.
"Ya didn't think ah'd ever see someone move tha fast." I said wiping my eye, laughing.
"So what has you on this ship?" Rainbow dash ask.
"Oh well jobs that ah'm good at are slowly disappearing and most of the folk ah know are either gone or have went ta the bureau fer tha conversion. Do now it's ma turn."I said shrugging.
"Oh so what going for jobs huh? Well good luck." Rainbow said
"What did you mean by either gone or converted darling?" Rarity ask.
"Well mma last job was on tha frontier wilds and that is where many went well it became lawless there. we were the ones tryin ta keep tha peace well many died fight in tha criminals." I said a little sad."sufficed ta say I was a ranger."
At my confession they all looked at me surprised.
Hold on sugarcube Ya mean y'all was on of them fellers tha guarded the trails and acted like a police force fer the new towns being built?" Applejack ask to figure me out.
"Ya was one from the beginning of em. Got as high as rattlesnake class ranger before ah resigned ta pursue alternate work somethin peacefuller." I said.
"Oh what did you have in mind. If you don't mind me asking that is."fluttershy ask in a soft tone.
"What was that... fluttershy right?" I ask.
At my question she seeped and hid behind her mane. Everyone turned to me as I hit the floor holding my chest. My actions drawing the gaze of other patrons
"James my dear boy are you ok?" Fancypants ask concerned for me.
"Y-Ya ah'm o-ok jus didn't plan on ma heart a melting tonight is all." I said climbing to my seat.
"What do you mean." Twilight ask confused.
"Ah haven't ever in ma life had someone like her pull that on me" pointing my finger at the yellow pegasus."and sorry but that was the most adorable thing ah have ever seen. Sorry but it was a little bit startling is all." I said laughing.
At my words fluttershy blushed and hid further into her mane.causing the others to smile and laugh.
Ya know your alright there James but if Ya don't mind me askin what's the j stand fer." Applejack ask.
"Ah my middle name is jackson or Jack as it was." I said with an chuckle. "One o the nicknames ah had, was from a movie called.' tremors' one of them had a guy who was called desertjack for his. Graboid Safari ride he had in the town. Well when ah obtained ma last rank o rattlesnake. several other rangers started calling me that and it stuck sense."
"Oh was it an appropriate nickname for you darling?" Rarity ask.
"Ya the frontier area reworked in mostly was the Texas desert area to Nevada all desert fer the most part. Many called it tha badlands if'n tha critters didn't get Ya tha criminals or wild folk would."
"Oh. I see. well I guess it is good such a nice man like you is far away from all of that."she stammered.
"Ah'm gonna miss it at times, but it will be worth it if anything ah'll join the guard if ah get to bored." I said.
"Well if you show up in ponyville i'll have to throw you a party!" Pinkie pie shouted faster than most of them could hear but I heard her.
"Pinkie I don't think he understood what you are saying darling." Rarity said in a scolding tone.
"Sorry what I said was....why is he laughing."pinkie said in a confused tone.
"Hahahahehe... oh sorry it's jus ah understood 'er jus fine. Ah was born with attention deficient,hyperactive disorder. Means ah can understand jet speak. To which ah'll say...ahwouldbehappytacomethereandpartyanditwouldbetotallyawesome!" I said back to pinkie pie just as fast.to the worried glances of her friends.
"Ok well that was interesting so have any hobbies James?"
"Oh Uh well ah had a few but most ah doubt ah can continue soon."I said a bit crestfallen.
"Oh and what are they?"twilight ask.
"Well hunting and skeet shooting, forging, building electronic devices, and pretty much many things that ah enjoy doin or are traditions fer me."I said.
"Oh well some of them are doable and some are harder to do but most you can."twilight said.
"Oh ok. So any other questions?" I ask.
"Yes darling what do you think of fashion?" Rarity ask raising an eyebrow.
"Well Ya see tha clothes ah'm wearing. They are one of two suits ah have with me an tha rest is utilitarian, durable military grade cargo pants in several different camouflage patterns,matching short long and vests for shirts,and formal black, work, and combat boots." I said which got groans from the rest and eye twitches from rarity.
"You... you favor functionable over fashionable?!" She stammered.
"When Ya have a job where blending in ta yer environment is important ta yer health...Ya ah'll take function over fashion. Sorry outbursts yer pride but it's jus somethin ah'm used ta wearing and won't be goin without even after." I said trying to get her to see my views.
"Oh.... so you prefer useful durable clothing in patterns that are environmentally based? Wait you said after. What do you mean by after?" Rarity ask with her head leaned to one side confused.
"Oh ah'd assumed y'all knew this ship makes port at the megaplex conversion center. it's where ah'm headin. Ah think ah'd find more peaceful jobs there in equestria as a pony than I'd find here.that and my old job about caused ma heart ta fail, so no more extreme stress fer me."I said a little down.I loved being a frontier ranger it allowed me to help others and live a survival life.
"Really my dear boy you are going to take the serum and move to equestria?! Well that is marvelous. I'll need to find you when I get back home I could use a very good bodyguard. If you are ever in canterlot go to the castle and say fancypants sent me you will not be disappointed. Oh and do mind blueblood he is rather dreadfully arrogant and very entitled." Fancypants said.
"Well then avoiding him will be easy. Loud,obnoxious, fuller o shite than a clogged toilet. Ah can do that blindfolded and in an open hallway." I said with a yawn.
"Ok.. goodness it seemed we have talked ourselves into the late hours of the night. Well my good young man. I wish you best endeavours and good luck at your new life." Fancypants said with a tired yawn, drawing yawn from the others after we said our goodbyes and good night I returned to my room and changed into a pair of dark camo pants and grey tank top for the night.
The three days on the ship were pleasant and I got to hang and joke with a few others but as we pulled into the harbor I sighed and gathered my belongings and made my way off.
