He walked down the sidewalk. People got out of his way, some of them stared. His size was definitely one reason, at a shade over eight feet tall and easily four feet across the shoulders he stood out a bit you might say. Another was the confidence he exuded, he walked as if nothing could stop him and no one would dare to even try.
But hell this was New York, after a glance or two most people just shrugged and moved on, strange sights were common here.
Stopping at a street corner to wait for traffic he took a deep breath and looked around. It was nice not having any warrants out for him, no bunch of costumed hero types always on his ass. Yup he definitely should have tried this hero thing sooner. Granted it was still probationary but it was a pretty sweet gig. Crossing the street he kept his eyes open for any nice skirts, it was too bad his relationship with Jen hadn't worked out but it was probably for the best, he couldn't stand that smart ass stretchy prick she worked with anyhow.
Walking for awhile he suddenly heard an alarm ring out then was silenced as quickly as it had started at the bank across the street. Hmm probably some trouble, not my business he thought.
Crap... I guess it is my business now. He walked across the street and entered the main foyer of the bank. Sure enough there was a lot of people grovelling on the ground, looked like five criminals keeping them in line.
As he walked in one of them spun around, Christ the kid couldn't be much more then eighteen. Tall and skinny with some acne Wearing a crappy costume that looked like he bought it in a second hand store. The kid took a step back but seemed to remember what he was doing bringing up the weapon he had clutched in his hand. Looked like some sort of laser, not important.
"Freeze mister! Down on the ground with the others!" The kid shouted nervously.
"Ya kid, that’s not gonna happen." He replied leaning against a pillar. "Look, who’s in charge of you’re little criminal enterprise here?"
"Well..." Before he could go any further another of the criminals walked up.
"Carl… Oh I mean number seven. What the hells going on." This one was also a youth, much bigger though looked like a jock of some sort. He too was wearing an ill fitting costume that didn't match with any of his fellow criminals.
"He… he doesn't want to get down on the floor…” Number Seven stuttered. The bigger youth he now noticed he had a poorly drawn number on his shirtfront as well, a seventeen. Looked the man up and down he cocking back his fist which had a metallic gauntlet on it attached to a exoskeleton up both his arms and down his back and legs.
"We'll see about that. Night night freako!" Swinging his fist mightily he contacted with the mans chest thought he didn't get the reaction he was hoping for. Rather then the man flying backward or crumpling to the floor he simply stood there seemingly unaffected. With an almost casual backhand he sent number seventeen flying across the foyer crashing into a bench.
"I guess he’s over there then?" He asked pointing over to the other three criminals by the cashiers. Ignoring number seven he strode off in that direction leaving the kid standing there, pistol forgotten in hand, slack jawed. As he strode over to the other three criminals he noticed one of them was equipped with a exoskeleton like number seventeen and a young girl with another pistol, they also had numbers, eleven for the exoskeleton suited youth and sixty-one for the girl.
What the heck is with these guys, he thought. Their leader, who was busy yelling at the cashiers to hurry and fill his bags, looked like an older man wild grey hair sticking out of his costumes cap. Some large 2-handed energy weapon slung over his back that looked like it had been soldered together with whatever he could find in his kitchen as well as another laser pistol at his hip.
Seeing him stride over the two backed up into their leader.
"What is it!? Can't you see I’m busy!?” Turning he noticed the intrusion. Seemingly unconcerned he motioned and number seven came running from the lobby to his side.
"And what do you want you Cro-Magnon? This is none of your concern!" He shouted.
The man sighed. "Look buddy..." The leader interrupted him abruptly.
"I am the Professor!" He announced with a maniacal laugh. "And these four are my Prime Numbers!"
He rubbed his forehead trying to head off an inevitable headache. Was I ever this dumb? He thought.
"That’s great Prof. Why don't you and your numbers just lie down on the ground and wait for the cops to get here and go along quietly." The Professor just stared at his a second then burst out laughing, his crew laughing with him though less convincingly.
"Seventeen! Eleven! Grab this brute!" Seventeen who had been sneaking back up looking for some payback and Eleven rushed forward both clamping their exoskeleton enhanced arms around his arms holding them outspread. He looked back and forth at them.
"Great, you got me. Now what are you gonna do?" Without waiting for an answer he simply swung his arms together dragging them unwillingly and very quickly together with a bone crunching THUD. Seventeen and Eleven slumped to the floor unconscious. The Professor was turning a bit red in the face he quickly snatched out his laser shouting.
"Seven! Sixty-one! FIRE!" All three lifted their pistols red beams of light erupting from them. Immediately three small holes appeared in the mans shirt, looking down at the holes he shouted.
"Dammit! This was a new shirt." Seemingly undeterred by just being shot he took a step forward swinging his big hand forward and snatching the pistols from all three of their hands to their shock. He crushed the pistols easily in his hand and tossed the peices behind him. In the distance he could hear police sirens approaching.
"We done now?" He asked. Seven and Sixty-one immediately fell to the floor covering their heads. The Professor however was beet red at this point he reached over his shoulder and yanked his 2-handed energy weapon out.
"I haven't tested this yet; I guess you will have the honour of being the first to be annihilated by its power!" Adjusting a few knobs the gun suddenly erupted with a beam of white and orange light surrounding the man. As he looked down at himself noticing no damage not even to his clothing he looked up and grinned at the Professor.
"Playtimes over Prof." He took a step forward. The Professor, eyes wide, frantically fiddled with dials and fired again this time a blood red beam shot out followed by the device sparking giving off smoke. He noticed the aura from the first shot hadn't left him yet and was combining with the other; he started to get a feeling from the energy. It was a feeling he had experienced before, teleportation!
"You son of a..." He raised his arms to pummel this annoying little bug into the ground when he suddenly found himself in the middle of a forest?
"...Bitch!" His hands slammed down gouging two large furrows in the ground. "Dammit!" He looked around, old trees, moss and lichen, shrubs… Maybe he was in the bayou somewhere? Angrily he turned smashing a tree in two with his fist.
"Pain in the ass!" Turning he began striding thru the trees smashing any aside that got in his way, he wasn't in the greatest of moods. Walking for a few minutes he heard a commotion up ahead.
Coming to a clearing he beheld a strange sight, three little... Ponies? Wearing capes of some sort, there was a white one with a purple and pink mane and tail with a horn sticking out of its head? A yellow one with a red mane and tail a light pink bow on top of its head and a orange one with a purple mane and tail small wings sticking out from under its cape.
Now he'd seen some strange things in his days but this was definitely one for the books. They were backed up against a tree another group of creatures a short ways in front of them. They looked like large wolves but made up of branches and vines. They were growling and advancing on the terrified ponies.
To the rescue again, Cain what have you gotten yourself into?
He easily leapt the fifty feet landing right behind the wolf creatures. Swinging his massive fists he smashed them aside, several of them falling apart into their component pieces when they struck the ground. The rest gathered themselves up and with a yelp fled into the forest.
Cain turned to the three little ponies, he knelt down and held out his hand like you might to an unfamiliar dog and tried to calm them.
"Don't you worry little un's. I won't hurt you." To his surprise one of them stepped forward and put a hoof in his large hand and shook it up and down.
"Well thank ya kindly mister! My name is Applebloom and these are my friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo." Cain stared at her confused for a moment.
"You can... Talk? Where the hell am I?" All three of the little fillies covered their mouths and giggled.
"Well sure we can. I was surprised when you did too..." All three little ponies circled him cautiously. "Never seen anything like you here before... Ya'll sure are big. Oh this is the Everfree forest. We're not really supposed to be in here." Cain scratched his chin for a second.
"Never heard of it. Never the less I had better get you three out of here. You live nearby?"
"The farms over thataways mister. I'm sure my sister Applejack'll want ta thank ya." He looked in the direction Applebloom had indicated, then straightening up he gathered up the three little ponies in his arms.
"Trust me girls, this will be faster." Without waiting for an answer he leapt into the air, he wasn't able to clear nearly as much ground with a leap as that big green asshole but he could easily manage several hundred meters in a jump. The three ponies screamed clutching his arms tightly and squeezing their eyes closed. At the apex of his jump he could see an orchard in the distance. After landing he asked.
"Is it the orchard Applebloom?" She opened her eyes and peered up at him.
"Uh... Ya, pleased don't drop us mister!" He laughed.
"Not a chance." With that he leapt again as the three of them screamed anew, he noticed the little Pegasus... Scootaloo was it? Didn't squeeze her eyes shut this time though. She stared straight ahead a big smile on her face as she squealed.
"Open your eyes guys! This is great!"
The next jump all three ponies were screaming and squealing with laughter. With a few more jumps they landed right at the border of the orchard, Cain let them down gently.
"Wow! That was almost as much fun as flying with Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo gushed.
Applebloom led them all into the orchard eventually coming to a clearing, apple trees all around and another pony there, considerably bigger then the other three it had a dark orange coat and a straw colored mane and tail, a cowboy hat on it's head.
As he watched it galloped full tilt at an apple tree and at the last moment turned kicking it's back legs against it with a loud THUD. With a shake the tree dropped its bounty of apples right down into waiting baskets.
"Hey sis! We're back!"
"Applebloom! You know I'm busy, with Big Mac and Granny out of town I need to..." She turned around talking then catching sight of Cain stumbled backwards falling on her ass. "Whoa nelly! What the hay is that!" The three ponies immediately galloped over to calm her down.
"Well... We were kinda crusading in the Everfree forest to see if we could get our cutie marks for adventuring. And some Timber Wolves maybe had us trapped... But he tossed em around like nothin and saved us!"
"You went into the forest again! I swear Applebloom when Granny gets back she's gonna cut a switch and..." She broke off and turned to Cain walking up cautiously. "I do thank ya kindly mister for what ya done. Names Applejack." With that she held out a hoof and he shook it his huge hand engulfing it easily.
"Right... Call me Cain. I've really got some questions..."
"And I’d love to help ya sugar. I reckon I should take ya to see my friend Twilight. She's the smartest pony I know and she knows a heap about everything. But my brother is in Canterlot right now with my Granny an I gotta buck all these apples outta the trees pronto!"
Cain turned and looked around, there were a great deal of apple trees around, each with baskets strategically placed around them to catch the apples when she bucked, them? He walked to the center of the clearing.
"Well maybe I can help you with that little task." Without waiting for an answer he lifted his right foot and brought it down violently to the ground causing a minor tremor to echo through the orchard shaking all the trees around. Like clockwork the apples rained down into the waiting baskets. Applejack just stared stunned for a moment, and then she shook her head.
"Now that’s some fine applebuckin! Well if'n yer willing I got a few more orchards to finish and then I’ll take ya right to town!" Cain followed her with the three little ponies following behind.
Together they easily finished her bucking and gathered up the apple baskets. Uncharacteristically he found doing a domestic chore like this felt... Good. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he hadn't had to worry about one thing or another. He found it strangely relaxing.
After that was done Applejack led them to town, Ponyville she called it. He was beginning to doubt he was on Earth at all, he hadn't heard of anyplace like this before. As they walked through town ponies of every kind stopped to stare at him, they were every color and every shade of color he could think of. It seemed there were three distinct types of ponies as well, with horns, with wings or neither.
As they walked another pony came galloping up, screeching to a halt right in front of them. A horned one with a bright teal coat and a white and lighter teal mane.
It just stared at him with an excited look on it's face for a few moments.
"A human! Yayyayyay!!! I knew they existed! I knew it!" She trotted around him excited while he looked at her in amusement. "Bon-Bon can't call me crazy anymore! Oh look! Legs! And hands!" She clopped her front hooves together excitedly. "I've got to go get Bon-Bon!" And with that she turned and galloped off.
Applejack rolled her eyes with a smile. "That’s just Lyra. She's been goin on as long as I've know her about humans. Is that what you are mister? A human?"
"I was at one time. Close enough." He said with a grin.
They continued through the small town to a large tree which seemed to have a house built into it. Applejack walked up to the door and knocked, the door opened and a small lizard looked out and immediately jumped back inside slamming the door as soon as he saw Cain. Through the door they could hear a muffled.
"Twilight!!!" In a few moments the door flew open again and standing there was another horned pony, this one with a light purple coat and a darker purple mane and tail with a dark pink stripe in it. Applejack stepped forward.
"Twilight, this here’s Cain. He saved the Crusaders here when they went into the Everfree forest without supervision... Again!"
The three little ponies hid behind Cain's legs at Applejacks outburst. "Anyhow, I got no idea where he came from and I figured you'd be the best to answer any questions he might have sugar. Anywho, its gettin late an I gotta get these three home. See ya later, an thanks again Cain for helpin the girls." With that she herded up the three little ponies and they headed back the way they came.
"Bye Cain! Thanks for saving us!" They called back as they left. He turned to Twilight to find her studying him carefully.
"Oh...! Well please come in. I hope I can answer some of your questions." He ducked down almost crawling through the doorway sideways, fortunately once through it opened up and was quite spacious.
"Please have a seat... Um... Anywhere?" She offered. He looked around the room, any furniture that was there would likely break under his weight so he simply lowered himself to the floor.
"I have a lot of questions for you! But you came for answers so... How can I help you?"
"Well, Twilight was it? I really only have one question. Is this Earth?"
"Earth? Like dirt?"
"No. That’s the name of the planet I'm from. Never mind, I guess that did answer my question."
"I'm sorry. How did you get here?"
"Ahh just some cockamamie mad scientist with a jury rigged transporter of some kind. At least it wasn't some jackass wizard." He said with a laugh leaning back against the wall.
"They have magic in your world too? Fascinating." Her horn glowed lightly as a piece of parchment and a quill floated over to her and she began to write quickly.
"Magic hmm... I suppose you have a bunch of costumed heroes and psychics running around too?" She stopped writing and looked at him a second.
"Costumes? Well we wear costumes on Nightmare Night... Hero's? Well there is Mare Do Well..." She seemed to blush slightly when she said that. "And psychics? There’s no such thing, it’s all a bunch of silliness. Why I've conducted extensive studies..." Cain interrupted her suddenly.
"Wait, are you saying there are no psychics in this world?"
"I just said that! Magic and science is what we put our faith in, not malarkey like that..."
Twilight kept talking but Cain was only half listening.
Not having to keep my guard up twenty-four seven for people poking around in my head?
I could get used to that. Sooner or later I guess they'll get that Doctor Weird or whatever his name is to locate me, until then I might as well take it easy.
He leaned back on the floor lacing his fingers behind his head as Twilight continued to talk…
Who the hell is this now?!
Cain's relaxation, not to mention Twilights speech was suddenly interrupted as the door to the library slammed open.
Standing in the doorway was the teal colored pony... Lyra he thought her name was. She had another ponies tail in her mouth and it looked like she had dragged it here, this pony had a light yellow coat and a dark blue and pink mane and tail and seemed quite annoyed as it spoke.
"Lyra! Stop pulling me! You’re wearing out my hooves!" Lyra stopped and spit out her tail, she just stood there staring at Cain with a big grin on her face.
"Fine you got me here, now what’s the big..." Turning as she spoke she got her first look of Cain and stopped dead staring at him.
"See Bon-Bon! It’s a human! I told you! I was right!" Lyra squealed happily hugging Bon-Bon.
"Wha...? How...? Where...?" Bon-Bon fell back on her haunches her mouth agape.
Cain reclined back onto the floor waving his hand as he did. "Heya Lyra."
"He knows my name! A human knows my name Bon-Bon!" She was trotting excitedly in place. "Ooh... I gotta pee! Twilight can I use your bathroom?"
"Wha? I mean, yes you may Lyra. But I..." Before Twilight could finish Lyra galloped off like a shot. "Ooh! Bon-Bon! Can't you control her?!"
Bon-Bon looked back and forth between Twilight and Cain clearly at a loss for words.
"It... Talks? Are you saying that Lyra has been right all this time?" Bon-Bon asked.
"Yes yes, we're all shocked. Suffice to say we're very busy here Bon-Bon, so if you and Lyra could..." At that moment Twilight was interrupted by Lyras return.
"Back! Do you believe me now Bon-Bon?" Bon-Bon could only nod slowly, she seemed a bit overwhelmed. "Ooh! Twilight! Can I show him around town?" She quickly turned to face Cain. "I mean... Can I show you around town mister human…? Um sir? Do you have a name? Do humans have names? Of cource they do! I mean, right?"
Cain grinned down at this little overexcited pony. Cute. "Just call me Cain, Lyra. And sure I wouldn't mind looking around your town." Lyra quickly pushed Bon-Bon out the door as Cain squeezed out behind them and waved to Twilight. "Later, Nightlight."
"Wait... But I had questions... Ugh!" As Lyra led Cain and Bon-Bon away they heard the door to the library slam shut. "And it’s Twilight!"
"Where should we go first Bon-Bon? The Couch’s and Quills store? No, no! The Drycleaners!"
Bon-Bon looked at Lyra like she was insane.
"The Dry...? No Lyra, things are getting confusing a little too fast. Let’s just walk around town. If that’s alright with you, uh Cain."
"Sure, I got nothing but time." He replied while he walked along with them, Bon-Bon trying to pretend she wasn't staring at him and Lyra excitedly pointing out buildings and stores. Strange, strange place he thought.
Walking through the town they encountered quite a few ponies, most fled around corners or dove into buildings when they saw him coming. A few, perhaps bolstered by Lyra prancing unafraid alongside him and Bon-Bon following closely behind, watched curiously from a distance.
After walking awhile Bon-Bon stopped suddenly. "Okay, I can't say when I've had more fun. But I have work to do. Nice to have met you Cain. And fine Lyra, you were right, ok? Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Lyra nodded exuberantly. "Thanks Bon-Bon! I'll see you at home ok?" Bon-Bon trotted away looking over her shoulder at them as she left.
"So Lyra, you and Bon-Bon Live together do you?" Cain asked with a knowing grin.
"Yup! Best of friends for years and years!"
"I mean, you spend a lot of time together right? Close together..." He raised his eyebrows for emphasis.
"Everyday. I help her with her sweet making and sometimes she helps me work out my chords."
"What I mean is when no one else is around. Private time..."
Lyra seems to think for a second. "Well sure. We hang out at home together all the time. We do live together you know?"
Cain smacks his forehead with his palm. "Lesbians Lyra. I'm insinuating your lesbians. Wow..."
Lyra just stared at Cain for a moment. "What?! Me and her..." She blushes. "Nooo... We're not like that. Is... Is that what everypony thinks of us? Who said so?! Ooh I'm so embarrassed!"
"Relax Lyra. No one said anything to me, it just seemed obvious."
Lyra started pacing back and forth. "But if it was obvious to you... Then it must be obvious to everyone! Are humans better at seeing obvious?! Should I go tell Bon-Bon? Would she be mad?? Maybe she would be glad I let her know... No. She'd be mad." Lyra collapsed down on the ground hanging her head.
Cain looked down at her, he felt a bit bad for even bringing it up. He looked around to see if anyone was around, seeing no one he crouched down and gently patted her on the head. Have to be careful, compassion, once revealed can never be hidden again.
"Its ok Lyra, I won't bring it up again."
She looked up a few tears in her eyes. "Okay... I'm sorry I just never realized people might see us that way."
"Don't you worry about what other people think Lyra. It only matters what you think." He straightened up. "Anyhow, it’s getting late. You better head on home. I'll see you later though ok?"
She looked up at him with a little smile on her face. "Thanks! I'll see you later then!" She trotted off a short ways then rose up on her back hooves and tried to walk on them while standing straight for a few faltering steps, she fell forward and caught herself with her front hooves, shook her head and trotted off.
Cain just shook his head and looked around for someplace to rest.
He didn't need to sleep of cource, or eat, drink or even breathe , but he enjoyed doing so on occasion. Finding a small park he laid back under a tree stretching out and getting comfortable.
As he began to drift off suddenly someone spoke.
"Well, well, well... Aren't you the big one."
He sat up and looked around, no one there...
"Who is it?" He asked unconcerned as he lay back down.
The voice seemed to come out of the air right beside him, then above him, moving all over. "My name is Discord. I, much like you am an agent of chaos. Currently I am... Well let’s just say, out of sorts. But perhaps you could help with that?"
"Uh-huh. And what exactly is it you need?"
"Those damned ponies turned me to stone! Again! And for what? Just because I turned their world upside-down? A little chaos never hurt anyone." He chuckled.
"Right. So I free you and you make life difficult for these ponies here. That what I'm hearing?"
"Oh it'll be more then difficult... Ahem well, I'll simply do what I do best."
"You really remind me of someone with that line. I don't like it. How about this, you shut up. And I'll give it some thought."
Silence was his reply.
Finally a little piece and quiet.
