The Stranger

I slowly... fluttered my eyes open. With a searing pain in my back and head. I felt my bones... they felt as if they had cracked... I tried moving my body wanting to get up...

"Come on you stupid body," I said weakly pushing my hooves up in the air. As if was stretching but the pain made me cringe lowering my legs back to myself. I took in a quick breather to recover from the pain. I felt so weak... NO! I can not give up! I'm a hero! I said rolling onto my side painfully making me growl as I clamped my jaw shut. I was now going to go for another roll but a voice stopped me.

"Say, You up small fry?" A woman said from behind me. I froze in my spot in terror. Who, wouldn't? Waking up in a darkness all by yourself; when a stranger starts talking to you.

I stayed quietly petrified in fear. As I pretended to be dead like an Opossum.

"I saw you moving you know." The woman spoke again. "I took a glom at you, and I got to say, kid, you're a coward." The woman said walking close behind me making me start to tremble in terror. "I really wanted you to go climb up a dragon's thumb, but the rest of the girlies said otherwise." She said with a Manehattan accent. I didn't have an accent even when I did live in Manehattan. I grew alone with my mom for most of my life. She reminded me of my comic books... especially with all the slang they used.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sor-r-ry.... If-f-f I c-c-caused an-n-ny trouble!" I stuttered out afraid of making the mare mad.

She proceeded to walk in front of me sitting down in the darkness with me. I began to quicken my breathing. Her hoof steps echoing in the large building we were in. But... it was odd... I could see a high roof... with the walls not reaching said roof... it was like I was in a box within a giant box! The only reason I noticed this detail was because I could say small traces of light. That would Illuminate the outline of the walls of the small room I was in inside a huge building with a roof nopony could seem to reach.

"One of the gals took care of that goon for yea. I'm the high pillow here and you will address me as such kiddo." She gently picked me up and placed me on her lap startling me. Making flinch but she soothed me stroking my mane with a hoof. "Kale took care of the jasper for you. Mugs like that jasper are just the worst." She said nuzzling my head.

I began to slowly relax in the mare's grasp. As she soothed me with her touch. But I felt the urge to say something. I had too... my mother would be worried sick! "M-mrs.." I asked shyly a bit relaxed though.

"I got ears kid." She said in an annoyed tone. "What is it that you want to ask?"

"Where am I?" I asked timidly.

"In Equestria." She said vaguely confusing me with her answer.

"What?" I said tilting as I looked up at her. Even if there was no light I felt the need to look up at her.

"I can't snitch on my own." She said with a stern tone. Looking down at me. Even in the dark, I could feel the intensity in her gaze.

My ears pinned back against my head.

"Anyways the girlies want to get to know you especially, Kale. She is the one responsible for jester being pooped." She said nuzzling Strange Newbie known as "Glass Colt."

"Say, let's see the gals right now." She said picking me up and placing me on her back. I was so confused on why she was helping me. Why would someone be so nice to me? Everyone made fun of me for being so fragile...

I rode on her back as she carried me out of the room without a roof. A weird room if you ask me. We walked into a big opened space room that seemed the dwarf the small room without a roof in comparison. There were floodlights around the gigantic room. Illuminating most empty space, but there was a corner with quite a few crates. Pony seemed to be looking through the contents of the crates. looking towards the left side of the room... well my left anyway. I could see giant metal doors that made gawk in awe.

I knew where I was! I read this in my comic books! I'm in a warehouse! With... little crates?

"So you brought the kid with you." A mare said with a nice suit on. She had a white mane and white coat. With a nice black two-piece suit and a black fedora. With her ears sticking out of holes just big enough for her ears to stick out of the brim of the fedora.

"Wanted the little fella to meet the family." The mare carrying me said with a huff. The so-called "high pillow" didn't seem to like me very much. But why was she being nice earlier? Was she trying to trick me? She laid down on her stomach as ushered me off. "Now off! you're ruining the suit kiddo!"

I swiftly got off her back not wanting to anger her further by just existing. The mare began to leave back into the darkness leaving me in the illuminated part of the warehouse. With the other ponys that were all "girls", she did say gals after all. As she was leaving I caught a quick look at her appearance while she was illuminated for the time being. She wore a white clean suit that seemed to shine even as she walked into the darkness. She also wore a white fedora with a gold band with her ears tucked in nicely into the hat.

"So, kid what's your name?" The mare with the black two-piece suit asked me as I was facing away from her. Quickly observing the "high pillow".

I quickly turned back around to the mare wince in pain.

"You alright kid?" She asked me concerned.

"Yeah! Fine-fine!" I said not wanting her to feel sorry for me. I just wanted to be normal.

"Ooookkkkkayyyyy?" She said working her mouth thinking of something to say to change the subject. "You're... uh... name?" She asked with a nervous laugh.

"My name...." My mind stopped. Some was actually asking for my name! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! "I'm Strange Newbie at your service!" I said with a giddy grin.

She smiled chuckling at my enthusiasm. "Hehe, nice to meet yea Stranger." She said giving me a nickname. "How about I call you Stranger? It kind of has a nice ring to it don't you think?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head. Her eyes gazing at me curiously.

I quickly thought about the name... it sounded actually pretty cool! No one was ever really nice enough to ask my name so I agreed. Nodding my head enthusiastically.

"Great! The name's Time Bomb by the way!" She said with a wide smile as we shook hooves. "Anyway let's meet mostly everypony here." She said leading me like if I was a new colt at school. Which I most likely was here. By the looks of it, these mares looked like gangsters with their suits. That almost exactly mirrored the comic books he read. Except stallions were usually the goons.

She started to introduce me to the others but not giving any names. I respected their secrecy excited at meeting gangsters just like in my comics books. Everypony I met were all mares. I was actually started to wonder what they stole or did.

"Hey, where is Kale?" I asked Time Bomb.

"Oh, her? She's working on a project of ours making it more... how should I put this? Reinforced..." She said with a sly smile.

"I just really want to thank her for saving me!" I said making Time Bomb burst out laughing.

"No way! Kale would never save anyone!" TIme bomb said gasping for breath as she rolled on the floor in laughter.

"Hey what's so funny!?" I said in shock and kind of angry that she was laughing at me.

"It's! It's just! It's just! That Kale doesn't help anyone! Like at all! You're lying kid! But that was a good joke! I got to say! You got me, good kid!" She said confusing me even more.

"I'm serious!" I shouted as the gangsters that overheard me laughed as well. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"Are you?! It seems very far-fetched to me!" Time Bomb said trying to suppress a laugh.

I face hoofed shaking my head. "Please, just take me to her," I said hugging her front legs giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Sorry... but that ain't going to work on me kid," She said nuzzling my face. "You're adorable... but sorry." She said with a shake of her head. "My daughter does that all the time. I have grown... immune..." She said with a mischievous smile making me groan. "Hey, kid don't you have to get home?"

"Home?... oh Shroud! My mom is going to be so disappointed in me!" I said panicking putting a hoof in my mouth to try and calm myself down. As I started pacing around in a small circle.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Time Bomb spoke as she pulled me into a soft comfortable hug; nuzzling my mane as she stroked my cheek. "It's alright... I can... take you home..." She said trying to wipe my fear away.

"Then let's... go?" I said feeling butterflies in my stomach. Shaking in place with a skittish response.

"Alright, alright..." Time Bomb said with her Manehattan accent. "Follow me Stranger." She didn't seem to use as much slang as the "High Pillow". She led me across into the dark part of the warehouse.

"Why are we doing here?" I asked walking blindly as I just leaned into Time Bomb.

"The exit is this way," She spoke softly.

"Why in the darkness?" I asked scared of the dark. Starting to shake more.

"Don't worry..." Time Bomb said trying to soothe me. "The darkness isn't as bad as you think it is." She spoke softly.

"But it's scary!" I squeaked.

"The darkness can hide the ones not wanting to be found." She explained. "The darkness is our ally. Shrouding us in darkness, hiding us from our enemies.."

"Our enemies?" I asked as we continued walking.

"Yes, our enemies." She said as we walked up to a black wall. Before stopping momentarily seeming to hesitate.

"Why did we stop Time Bomb?" I asked her making her looking down at me. I couldn't see her face as it was concealed by the darkness.

"I'm so sorry..." she said as something was forced over my head. As the darkness, I saw was now pitch black. I started to hyperventilate as I heard a high pitched whine of the metal door opening. I got lifted off my hooves as my breathing hitched in my ears.

I was so scared I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t know where I was either. I was being carried blinded by the pitch black bag over my head. I was in an automobile. As far as I could tell. By the sound of the nice cushion seat and the humming engine. I could feel the momentum as the car carried me around aimlessly. Then… it just stopped.

Then a few seconds later I heard a light metallic sound. Then the engine went dead. Silence filled the automobile making me suffocate in the silence anxious to get free!

Then a metallic screech filled my ears with what I could assume was the door open. The pony driving the car got out leaving me alone for a minute. Then the door right beside me opened up with the same metallic screech roared in my ears. Making my ear fall flat against my head. Even still with the pitch black bag over my head.

“Kid, would you please shut up,” Time Bomb said scaring me making me whimper as I was grabbed by the earth pony. She placed me on her back grabbing onto her suit with my hooves.

I only whimpered quietly in response. Shaking in fear being taken by the scary gangster.

I then heard her hooves seeming the reverberate on the pavement floor. Well, it was only what I can assume it to be. When I would walk across the street for my new comic book every day. That my mother would set on the bench for me. I would sit down on the bench reading my new comic book. When I was done I would usually just close my eyes and listen to all of the sounds around me. Hearing the children talk, laugh, and play. Just hearing all of them happy would bring a smile to my face. The sound of their echoing hooves… hitting the pavement floor…

“Where am I?” I squeaked quietly. Wondering why I was chosen to get foalnapped by some gangsters.

“I said shut-up!” Time Bomb snapped making me shake harder on her back. Making her sigh in content. Not knowing that he was giving her a nice back massage. “I’m going to let you go know Stranger,” She said as she laid down on her belly slowly.

“Okay...” I said trying to force myself to stop shaking trying to calm myself down. I felt myself get lifted by the earth pony as if I was a foal. Taking me from under my belly and laying me down on the “Pavement” sounding floor. I then felt the bag get lifted off my face startling me for the briefest of moments.

When I looked around the first thing I spotted was Time Bomb in her black two-piece with matching fedora. That her ears stuck out of the brim of the hat.

“Where am-?” The words caught in my throat as I quickly scanned the area around me. “I’m.. I’m at the park!” I said with a smile that started to grow but then quickly pauses when I looked back over at Time Bomb. “How… how did you know?” I asked her wondering how she knew I lived close by. I looked up at the older pony.

“I saw you here countless times,” She explained with a neutral expression. As she turned around to face the apartment buildings. “Well, time to tell your family that you are alright.”

“Wait, huh!” I said wide-eyed as I started to get worried hearing the word “Mom”. “My mom! I almost forgot! She must be worried sick!” I said urgently. “Yes, we must go right away!” I said walking the apartments quickly passing Time Bomb as she had seemed to have been rooted to the ground. But quickly followed seeming to have noticed me pass her.

“Don’t be so hasty kid.” Time Bomb said as we walked to the apartments building.

I couldn’t seem to run with my sides and legs burning from cracking or fracturing or whatever… I was just in pain because my bones were so brittle.

“But my mom!” I said as we entered the building. I groaned as I looked up the stairs and opted for the use of the elevator. I was forever scared of stairs after I well down a flight of them. I hit the button impatiently waiting for the doors to close and for the elevator to take me to the fourth floor. The elevator then began to play some lift music.

“Don’t rush things, it’s better to handle things smoothly and with care.” Time Bomb said cooly. As she leaned against the wall. After a few more seconds the elevator doors opened with the floor number above the elevator doors. I walked out with a groan feeling my abused bones hurting again.

“Are you alright kid?” Time Bomb asked with concern in her eyes. As she hugged me softly to her side confusing me with her “gangster” intentions. I didn’t know what she wanted or needed with me. Because I was pretty sure almost all and any gangster would have done something horrible and bad to me. But she and the ones I met didn’t seem to have a bone to pick with me. I was also still wondering who this Kale fellow is.

“Yeah, just feel a bit woozy is all,” I said as we walked together in a narrow abused hallway. Which had pictures of houses and farms that hung on the walls beside doors. That had a number right beside the doors. We walked until we stopped at room 1408. I had Time Bomb knock on the door as we waited for a response.

But no response came, so I spoke my concern to Time Bomb. “Maybe she isn’t home?” I said in concern written across my face. My question was interrupted when the door flew wide open inwards to show a griffon. Who looked roughed up he even appeared to have a few feathers plucked out of his wings here and there. He even seemed to have a musky smell to him that made me want to puke. He wore a yellow scarf with a green fedora.

What Time Bomb did startled me. She leaped into action plumbing the griffon to a pulp.

“Time, what are you doing!?” I squeaked in shock as she ruthlessly beat the griffon. Seeing the brutality scared me. I froze up as I watched wide-eyed. I started to breathe deeply and shallow. Seeing the griffon's blood fly and paint the floor with his blood.

“Kid trust me on this!” She shouted as she continued to beat up the griffon. I ran inside the door he left open. The door that was my apartment and my home. I saw picture frames shattered on the floor with vases and even the T.V. was smashed with glass littering the floor. The couch was ripped by some sharp claw marks. I looked on over at my mom’s room door.

It had seemed to have been knocked down. The splintering wood peppered close by with debris. I looked on the bed and was greeted with a torn bed with dried blood on the master bed. The sheets tossed around the bed making the bed messy. There seemed to have been a struggle. But where could mom be?

I then checked the restroom seeing some more glass on the floor sprinkled all around. “Mom are you here?” I asked aloud hoping that somehow she would hear me. I took a look into the closet and didn’t find her in there so I took a look into the bathtub moving the shower curtains out of the way. What I saw made my blood run cold.

Inside the tub was my mom… but… she wasn’t moving not even in the slightest. The tub seemed to be filled with a deep dark red color. I could only assume it to be blood. The stillness of her body was unnerving. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I felt like turning away, but I just couldn’t turn my back on mom.

I don’t know for how long I had been staring at her cold lifeless body that seemed to be glued to my mind. I didn’t even know that I had been pulled away from her to be face to face with Time Bomb.

“Kid we got to go!” She said loudly in my face.

“But…” I said trying to come up with something to say.

“We got to go quickly before we get copped!” Time Bomb said urgently.

“But what about my comic books!” I said with my eyes widening.

Time Bomb looked out a window checking for any cops. Before looking back to me. “Where are they?” She asked with a raised brow.