Chapters Son, your work on earth is done (Reworked)
Jared's newly ex-fiance paced the floor. When an AWAC departing Eielson Air Force Base had him suddenly disappear off their radar, they were concerned. When they couldn’t raise him on the radio or find him on 121.5, they called the CAP. Two Cessna 185s were sent out, along his flight path to investigate. In a few hours, they returned with bad news. They’d crested bare mountain tops leading to a narrow pass, and through intense turbulence they found new paint strike marks on the rocks, remnants of a wing below. It was clearly his, the last three digits of his N-number painted in brilliant magenta on the silver skin. The news quickly champed at the story, as the Air Guard picked up the trail. They combed the nearby mountains, he could not have gotten far without a wing. They would never find the rest of the airplane. He was declared missing and presumed killed. News didn’t take long to travel back to his friends and family.
His best friend in the world and his roommate Clay, sat in the dark in his tri-five Chevy. They’d gotten into a fight over something dumb, he didn’t even remember what it was. Jared was testy, overwhelmed. Clay was going to talk to him, and had tried calling him when Jared took off in his Beaver. Jared had left the house rather than continuing to argue, slamming the door on his truck, stomping on the gas, laying rubber on the blacktop. His rear end swung loose and he compensated in the steering, driving for the airport. Since then, Clay had a steadily sinking feeling in his gut.
His ex, having broke up that same day, lay crying in his bed. The room felt huge, and empty. She blamed herself. She’d never been very loyal to Jared, and he’d just found out in the worst way possible, by walking in on it. He’d treated her like a queen, and now for the first time she felt as low as she had acted. She sobbed in the quiet room, blankets pulled up close to her head. His words ran through her head constantly.
“Are you fucking kidding me?!”
“Jared!”
“When we first started dating I had a feeling, but I never thought I’d be right.”
“It’s not what it looks like!”
“It’s exactly what it fuckin' looks like and if this prick doesn’t get out of my house this second I’ll shove my pistol up his ass sideways!” Her ‘lover’ took off nude out the door as fast as he could. “I can’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry...” she cried.
“Y'know what? You go to hell! I loved you, I always put you first and this is how you treat me? He fuckin' can keep you! Get your shit and get out before I'm back.” He slammed the bedroom door behind him, wiping his wet eyes with the back of his wrist, snatching the keys to his plane from the hook on his coat rack on the way out.
She sobbed harder. He wouldn’t have left if not for what she did. Wouldn’t have had so much on his mind, he wouldn’t have been so distracted, wouldn’t have let himself get so close to the mountains. He’d flown in the bush so often he knew better, and he had ignored it. He’d put himself in the position to die in his favorite place in the world, the mountains of Alaska. For as long as he could remember he’d loved the mountains, their blue, white, and grey landscapes captivated his imagination.
He’d had his first ride in a Super Cub when he was 6. A friend and missionary pilot based with a place called ‘King Ranch’ out of Chickaloon had inspired him as a young kid, and he followed aviation since. He worked with a mechanic and pilot from the time he was 13 till he was 20, before moving on to something else. A few months later he bought the Beaver, and here we are.
A young man, 21 years old, found himself struggling to come to life. He’d spent the better part of his life trying to help people and put himself second. It didn’t always work out, but he tried his hardest. He had influenced many people for the better, even ones he didn’t think would listen. He had no idea his lifetime of service would lead him here.
A steady beeping made his weak, pained eyes snap open. His shoulders hurt so bad that he expected to be strapped upside down in his seat. He feebly held up his hands, both arms were in casts, as well as his legs. Typical of a small plane crash, his wrists and ankles broken from the yoke and rudder pedals. The next thing he noticed, was the plastic tube down his throat, pumping air into his lungs. They burned intensely. It meant he was alive, in his pain he relaxed and quickly passed out again. He awoke once more, in what felt like minuets. His casts were off and the tube was out. His body was far more sore A doctor was gently changing his Iv. More accurately, a therapy animal was gnawing at it. Jared weakly swatted at the miniature horse, attempting to shoo it away.
“Leav eb alon!” He managed to say after a moment, his nose plugged by mucus from having sat for so long. He fumbled with a napkin on a try beside him and blew his nose, and immediately felt pain shoot through his body. He cringed and sat back until it subsided, blowing the other side of his nose. The animal had ran out, he didn’t care. Why would they let those things run loose anyway? His eyes gently lulled shut for a moment, before snapping back open. He forced himself to a sitting position and looked out the door as best as he could. The horse was painted, with an abnormal head. He knew exactly what that was, and he didn’t like it.
“I’m dead, arent I? I’m dead.”
“Quite the contrary!” A large white alicorn walked in.
“Oh please god no...”
“I’m quite surprised you survived that... Much less that you can speak, in perfect Equis no less.”
“Dont... Dont with the horse puns...” Jared sighed, holding his head in his hands.
“Excuse me?” She raised an eyebrow, appearing very offended.
“Of all the punishments in hell... Why this...”
Author's Note
Thanks so much for all the interest!
Hell’s Angels (Mildly re-worked)
“Excuse me?” Celestia asked.
Jared slowly tried to sit up. He fumbled for the lever to adjust the bed up to meet him.
“You’re real, aren’t you.” He said after a moment, eyes wider. “Really real.”
“Believe me, I’m just as real as you are.” She replied, walking closer to his bedside. “You’ve been unconscious for the better part of two months, its surprising you’ve woken up at all. The injuries sustained from what happened... Your chariot must have crashed at an immense speed...”
“Oh my god.” He leaned back in the bed and shut his eyes. “How bad is it..?”
“I’m afraid I dont understand..” She said.
“If I can’t fly you might as well kill me.”
“We’ve... Reclaimed the wreckage of your aerocraft... There’s not much left. Mainly twisted metal.” She stated. He screwed his eyes shut further.
“Do you have any idea who I am... At all.. About me...” He asked.
“I.. Do not, you say that like you are of importance?” Celestia answered, honestly befuddled. The look on her face screamed confusion.
‘Well then.’ He thought. ‘the fanfictions aren’t all that true, she isn’t all knowing. Lets just assume I don’t know her anyway.’ "I'm nobody, just a kid from Palmer. Who are you?”
“I am Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of the land of Equestria... You are more than welcome to stay in our lands during your recovery.”
“Thank you... Princess.. That’s very kind of you...” He cringed, hard. He hadn’t seen the show since probably season 4. They had just ended the show on season 15, something along those lines. He did enjoy the show when he watched it, but something about thinking of it now made him want to punch his forehead in. “So I’m not dead. Or in hell..”
“Excuse me?”
“So what exactly is this Equestria, and do you have any idea how I can go home?” He asked, trying to play the ignorant part. In a massive amount of pain, hopped up on morphine, and arguing with a pastel horse, he was incredibly tired.
She began explaining, and he zoned out in thought.
‘Maybe this is the fresh start I needed... Maybe if I just embrace the dumb, it’ll all work out...” He smiled gently.
“-Would you like that?” She asked him.
“Definately.” He said in a voice that could be interpreted as sarcastic or serious, depending on the question. Unbeknownst to him, he was just asked if he wanted to be moved out of the city, to a small town some miles away where his Beaver was being stored, as it was largely aluminum, and it was much easier to acquire it in Ponyville. Jared took several deep breaths, and tried to sit up on his own, all the way.
“My arms and legs were casted.. Are they healed enough to use..?” He asked softly after a while.
“The doctor has assured me you’d healed completely except for the trauma to your brain stem, the swelling must have gone down.” Celestia replied.
“Explains my headache...” He slowly swung his wobbly legs over the bed in an attempt to stand. He instantly crumpled, grabbed the bedrail, and started forcing himself to his feet. After a moment of Celestia watching in pity, he managed to stand with the help of his IV pole.
“So uh.. Where’s my clothes?” He asked, covering his schlong with a blanket from the hospital bed. He was completely buck-ass naked.
“I will retrieve them.” She nodded gently.
“Thank you...” He smiled gently, releasing the blanket as she walked away. He fumbled with the IV, finally pulling it free and reaching for a square of gauze on the nearby shelf. When the door re-opened, a dark blue alicorn entered instead, carrying his clothes. His eyes went wide as he scrambled to better cover himself. She rolled her eyes.
“You don’t get to be my age and not see a few stallions.” She said. “You do not appear to have a sheath, is that why you wear clothes?”
“Uhh, yeah, thats why..” He grimaced, beat red. “God please just fucking take me now.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“My apologies, I am Princess Luna, guardian of the night.” She stated. “I am not pleased you wear leather.”
“Princess..” He paused to explain himself, snatching his boxers from her and quickly slipping them on. “Where I am from, my race is the only dominant race, it's durable, warm, and just looks cool. They're just animals to most.” He explained as he quickly pulled on his jeans, socks, and grease/blood stained white shirt.
Her look went from anger to thinking, and then her face softened. “Alright.” She dropped his boots in front of him, he slipped them on. “These are cowhide.. I wish I had my jacket but it probably burned up. It was a really old school motorcycle jacket..”
She slowly pulled into view a black leather jacket, clad with colors on the back, the name was Alaska Iron, the patch for the logo was black, gold, and red. Like the rest of it, reading a big 751 and MC. He nearly teared up in joy as he taped up the gauze over his IV hole.
“Thank you, so much.. You have no idea how much this means to me...” He slowly put the jacket on and smiled broadly
“You’re welcome..” She smiled gently. She’d always been his favorite in the show. She seemed the most real of them all, the most down to earth. More caring than her sister, at least that was his opinion. He broke the hug and beamed. “Princess, this means the world to me, thank you.”
“Of course.” She blushed. “I must be going, I simply came to check on you.”
“See you in my dreams, then?” He asked, playing on the ‘guardian of the night’ thing while trying to make her blush harder. Dear god did it work, her face turned a bright crimson and she turned to leave. He noticed her walking with much more of a sway in her hips now, attempting to draw his eyes in. An embarrassed face and an "A-ha." was all she got when she looked back.
"Always running my fuckin mouth.." He sighed in despair and slipped his boots on once she had left. He walked out of the room slowly, as a doctor headed towards him, leading him to the nurses desk, and checking him out. He stepped out the front doors of the hospital beside a silent Celestia, and breathed deeply. He smiled.
“Well then..”
“Well?”
“Let’s go to your new home.” Celestia lead him away. He followed.
Yesterday and days before (reworked)
Jared walked, dazed, out of the hospital. He followed the alabaster pony out, who met up with her sister. She lead him down the marble steps into the courtyard of Canterlot. He looked around, the confusion on his face tangible as ponies stopped and watched the trio. Everything felt in slow motion to him, everything he heard seemed muffled, like he had tinnitus. He continued to follow them. Celestia stopped at the steps to the keep, or what he presumed was the keep. A large chariot with two pegasi connected waited in the grass.
"My guards will take you in my chariot you to your new dwelling, it is with your aircraft. We've requisitioned a building for it, roughly 120 hooves by 90 hooves." She stated. "The front of the building opens, much like an air balloon hangar."
"Thank you." He said quietly. "Thank you for helping me, for saving me from that crash..." Jared had tried to give thanks as they more or less left him by the chariot. He had more to say, but they probably had things to do. He slowly stepped aboard, and held on. It was gold, literally gold. He felt the metal, polishing it with his wrist. He looked around in the clouds, the wind whipping through his face felt nice, he looked over the railing to see forest far below. The green treetops looked like small shrubs from his position. Jared was in absolute awe at the scenery below him. This was a whole different kind of flying. He smiled gently and mouthed ‘wow’. He closed his eyes in content, and felt his stomach go into his lungs as they descended, and landed. “Already..?” He asked, somewhat annoyed.
“Get off, filthy creature, be glad the princess took pity on you. Monkey.” The guard stated.
Jared paused, put his hands on his hips, and sighed as he stepped around. He gently kicked the hooves of the guard with the toe of his boot. "Well. First off, I'm not a monkey, or an ape, or a gorilla, I'm a human. Secondly, seeing as your boss was flirting with me in the hospital, I'd shut the fuck up."
The guards looked at each other, bewildered and the two simply took off. Jared turned around to find a magenta unicorn staring, mouth agape.
“Hello, Miss, I presume you’re the person Celestia sent to lead me to the hangar?” Jared asked. The pony nodded, still in shock.
“Shall we?” He asked. She slowly lead him away. “I’m Jared. What’s your name?”
“M-“ Her voice broke, she cleared her throat. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, the princess sent me to show you around.” She explained.
“A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Sparkle, thank you, my plane now?” He said with an undertone of urgency.
“Now wait a minute mister. You insulted that guard after they flew you here, and Celestia spent a lot keeping you alive when she didnt have to.” Twilight stopped.
“Mrs. Sparkle... I’m in a world with cartoon ponies... After crashing one of the few possessions to my name because I'm an idiot. I’m fairly certain I’m in a coma right now, but on the off chance I’m not, please.. Let me see my plane first..” He said softly.
“Alright.. Why do you keep calling me missus?” She caved, leading him towards the hangar, only about 100 feet away from where his ride had dropped him, over a grassy hill. He walked to the hangar’s side door, and opened the metal handle, walking in.
"What, you are aren't you?" He asked. He smiled, knowing he'd set it up perfectly. He'd charm them, that's how he'd introduce himself to them in good graces.
"Wh-no, I'm not married." She replied, understanding what he was meaning, she chuckled a little.
"Well that's a surprise, someone as pretty as you?"
She blushed and looked away as she lead him through a side door. "In here."
The wings of the beaver were badly burned and damaged, sitting in a wood sling. The fuselage was crumpled in about six different places, and flattened about 3 inches more than it should have been. The tail was badly dented in. The floats sat independently, full of gouges and slashes from the rocks, but mostly okay. The engine had continued to puke oil, causing a small spot on the hangar floor, it looked to have cracked a cylinder clean off the block. He walked around it, breathless. He slowly ran a hand gently over the artwork on the cowling, a portrait of a girl looking toward the nose, clouds around her head, smiling broadly, 'Hannah' clearly scrawled beneath it. He slowly rubbed his fingers through his hair and let it fall. Tears came to his eyes, he slowly put a foot in the frame of the ripped off door, sitting in the blood coated pilot’s seat, looking around the decimated cockpit. His Colt .1911 was sitting on the dash, placed there by someone. It looked okay. He rubbed the scruff on his cheeks from two months of not shaving, overwhelmed.
“Are you okay...?” She avoided the shredded bits of aluminum everywhere, trying to step closer to him.
“Yeah..” He sniffed, wiping his face, as he pulled a picture from the corner of the GPS Indicator. He shoved it in his pocket. It was of Hannah. His ex before the one that had cheated on him, a great girl, he missed dearly. He should have never let her go. Then again, that would be several people he should never have let go. Not counting the true love of his life whom he lost. “I uh...” He looked around the cockpit before making his way aft and looking in the tail cone. He sniffed, trying to be optimistic. “She needs work.”
“Work?!” Twilight asked, surprised. “This is completely destroyed..”
“If you think I can’t, I will, and if you think I won’t, then watch me.” He replied, resting his head on the cowling. He tried not to cry. “This plane... She means a lot to me, okay..?”
“It’s just a piece of metal..” She cocked an eye.
“Just a piece of metal?” He asked, incredulous. “This is the first plane I ever flew.. I've had it in my life for 20 something years... And I'm only that old.” He replied. “It’s the only consistent thing in my life..” He gently popped the latches on the cowling, lifting the top off, then the bottom, and setting them safely in the corner of the hangar, though the bottom half was badly damaged.
“Well, now can I show you around?” Twilight asked, impatiently. "Wait, flew?"
“Yeah. Flew. You can show me around.. Sorry, Ms. Sparkle.” He said, standing and slowly following her out of the building. Walking past the cockpit, he snatched the handgun and stuck it in his back waistband again. She lead him along gravel roads until they reached a wooden sign. ‘Welcome to Ponyville’.
“Come on, I’ll show you around!” She smiled and dragged him down to the market, introducing him to a few ponies who didn't stick around to shake his hand. Eventually they came upon the Apple stand. Everything within a ten foot radius smelled of apples.
“Well, smells good, is that you or the stand?” Jared asked jokingly, talking for the first time in the last ten minuets. Twilight elbowed him in the thigh.
“Hi, Applejack. This is Jared, he’s currently a ward of the princess’s.” She introduced.
“Nice to meet you. I like your hat.” He stated with a smile, straightening his jacket lightly. Applejack looked up at him and swallowed.
“W-ah.. Ah’ Ah’ll be right back.” She turned and walked away for a minute.
“Is it something I said?” Jared asked Twilight.
“You’re impossible.” She groaned, trying to drag him further.
“Well now that's not fair.” He stopped. “I'm trying to be polite, I want to be nice to you and the other people here, but I’m not going to fit into your niches, you need to learn that right now or we’re going to have more problems. Nobody is going to like me, or care. I wasn't even rude. I’m a full pony taller than all of you, and I’m weird and different. Half the town is hiding, I mean, come on.” Jared gestured at the empty streets.
“Oh.. Where did everypony go?” She asked.
"Wheredideveryponygo." He said in a high pitched tone. He jerked a thumb at a barely open window shutter. “I didn't say anything to deserve the attitude that you gave me, or that they're giving me.”
“But.. I'm sorry. You're right, I've never seen something like you. It's not your fault, you're just new, the towns ponies don't really like change.” She pawed at the ground. "If you want to wait at your building, I'll try and spread some word before introducing you."
“Thank you. I'm sorry for mocking you.” He slowly spun on his heel and began walking away, back to the hangar. First impressions, not so good.
Author's Note
Sorry for the short chapters, I’ve been really sick and exhausted the last couple days, it’ll pick up eventually, promise!
Chapter’s Song
Sun is cold, rain is hard
Jared gladly strolled back to his shop, and paused, He’d been walking in the shade for about five minutes now, but there was a clear blue sky. He looked up to see a steadily darkening, lone cloud above him.
“What-“ BOOM A white and blue bolt of lightening flashed, and his entire body was pain. Not in pain, it was. Pain.
Everything he saw was bright and distorted. His entire essence was pain. He was on the ground before he knew what was happening, gripping his shoulder. It felt bubbled and hot. He slowly got to his feet and limped at first, falling on his face before climbing up again and sprinting to his shop in a hobble. He locked the doors. All of them. He locked the gust locks on the hanger door as he slipped off his jacket and torn shirt. He walked to one of the shredded wings, using the reflective aluminum as a crappy mirror. Even in the dull surface, he could tell he was hurt. A jagged burn mark, spidered down his front like a disease. It was blackened, reddened, and raised above the rest of his skin.
“That mother fucking BITCH!” He screamed, sitting in the doorframe of his airplane, still holding his shoulder. He then remembered something. He had survival gear. He climbed over the back seat and began throwing equipment out the door. First a sleeping bag, then foodstuffs, the ELT, Then he found it. His 12 gauge trench gun. He held it up and grinned maniacally at first, then shook his head, and dropped it on his stuff. He had 10 rounds. 2 Buckshot, 3 birdshot, and 5 slugs. Hopefully he wouldn’t need them. He pulled out a first aid kit, attempting to dress the burn, the spiderweb burn would be impossible for him to bandage, but the entry point would not. He covered it in antibiotic ointment and a bandage.
Looking around, Jared then dug engine covers and a backpack from the back, as well as miscellaneous junk he hadn’t got around to cleaning yet. He walked around his shop, peering through a dark window. It was what appeared to be at one point an office. Walking through the door, he spotted a short hallway. He laid out his possessions and rolled out the sleeping bag in one corner of the office. It was a fluffy, down filled, red and black plaid bag. He slowly laid himself down on it, hissing in pain as his shoulder touched the canvas.
Jared looked at the ceiling, exhausted. “What the hell man...” He asked himself quietly. “Why couldn’t I just...” He sighed. He could hear rain, loudly, on the roof of his hangar. To say he was mad at the pegasi, who ever it was, would be an understatement. He slowly stood, listening as the rain poured off the tin roof, and picked up his shotgun. He loaded one slug, one buckshot round in the tube, then three birdshot. He racked the pump, sending a birdshot round into the chamber.
“Alright, let’s try this again.” He walked out of the office, across the concrete hangar floor to his beaver. He popped open the glovebox, built into the co-pilot's dashboard. It was ripped from an old Cessna, just convenient for storage of small things. Inside was some documents, cigarette lighter adapters, and most importantly a glasses case. He slipped a pair of silver reflective aviators out of them, and put them on, unlocking the door to his hangar and strolling out. He headed out from his building, dashing out of range of the rainclouds, and heading back towards the town. In his right hand, he held the shotgun by the breech. Self defense, of course. His 1911 still tucked into his belt, now clearly visible without a shirt. He whistled quietly, a cloud following him. Jared waited patiently, continuing to walk as the dark cloud drew nearer. When it got close enough he could see the shadow trying to envelope him, he switched off his safety and aimed directly at the cloud, shouldering the shotgun.
“You’ve got about two seconds to fuck off or you’re gonna be looking like mince meat, buddy.” Jared stated. Nothing. The cloud froze in place. “That’s what I thought.” He stated, annoyed. He continued walking towards the town. “Not putting up with this bullshit.”
Shirtless, he walked through the market, before spotting the purple magenta unicorn he was looking for through the window of the ridiculousness diabetes house. He kicked open the swinging door, the stock of the shotgun on his hip, pointed skyward. The room was silent. He snapped his fingers and pointed at a certain butter colored pegasus. While his wounds from the crash were prominent, the new scar was obviously just that, new. The bandage was already soaked red and yellow.
“You. Get the one on the cloud outside and bring her ass in here. Capisci?” He asked. She was in a mix between on the verge of fainting and doing what he said, she zipped out the door before nervously dragging in a rainbow maned pegasus. Rainbow was struggling in the shuddering grasp of Fluttershy, yelling for her to let go.
“Twilight.” Jared slowly walked towards her, his heavy boots resounding on the wood floor.
“J-“
“I want to talk to the princess. Now.” He stated calmly.
“Spike.. Take a letter..” She looked at him, terrified. Celestia and Luna both appeared into the cafe, using their magical bullshit before his pen touched the paper. Most ponies bowed, except Rainbow, being held by the scruff, and Twilight, holding the blue menace with magic, in fear for herself.
“Jeff, What seems to be the matter?” Celestia asked.
“Jared.” Luna corrected.
“Rather than simply scattering this criminal’s brains across the grassy knoll, I figured this time I’d do things diplomatically.” He stated, Celestia’s pupils dilated as Luna’s eyes narrowed. “I've tried to be polite in meeting the townspeople, I've done nothing to deserve what she just did. Believe it or not, when living things get hit by LIGHTENING, IT USUALLY KILLS THEM.”
“It does not, natural magic protects against it!” Rainbow argued.
“She is correct.” An irritated Luna argued. He gestured at his chest, smiling darkly.
“I don’t have magic.” He stated flatly. Both princesses looked shocked, eyeballing the plain electrical burn. “I want to press charges.”
“I can’t let you do that.” Celestia stated. “These mares are the bearers of a very important status, and if it was found they couldn’t uphold that status it would be chaos.”
“Are you telling me.” He loosely gripped the shotgun. “This BITCH has diplomatic immunity?” Jared gritted his teeth.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a chat with my little ponies.” She said. He slowly walked out the door, stopping at the exit before he turned back. He pointed an accusing finger at Rainbow. “You stay the hell away from me, you hear?”
Jared continued out the door. He walked down the gravel road towards his hangar, still mad as hell.
Luna looked at Celestia.
“Sister.. He has been through a great trauma to cause his low patience in the first place, I fear he has none. He may do something drastic.” Luna commented in a whisper.
“Then go to him.” She stated, the most terrifying thing about her was her current lack of emotion. “Rainbow Dash, what caused you to think it was a good idea to strike him?”
“I don’t know, he just wasn’t very nice to Twilight and then stormed out of town.”
Celestia inhaled deeply. “Rainbow Dash I am sentencing you to 50 hours of community service in assisting him with his project. Do. Not. Make the same mistakes. Again.” She stated. The six girls’ mouths fell open in shock, in unison.
Jared was on the outskirts of town when he heard someone running up behind him. Something struck his head, hard. “Fuck!” He collapsed forward. He put a hand to the back of his head, it came away crimson. He slowly stood and spun around, raising his trenchgun. A small crowd was following him.
“Begone, beast!” A mint green unicorn threw another rock which he quickly dodged, it soared over his left shoulder.
“I am not in the mood for your bullshit, you have four seconds to clear out.” He stated, lowering the barrel of his weapon. They all looked mildly surprised.
“JARED!”
He looked past the crowd, and a navy blue alicorn teleported in front of his weapon. “Let’s walk.” She told him. He spun on his heel and the crowd dispersed at the princess’s appearance. She looked back and glared at them as soon as he was facing the other way.
“Jared.. I’m worried about you..”
“What could you possibly be worried about. I’m only armed and mad.” Jared sighed. His hair felt hot and sticky, he could feel the blood dripping down his head.
“I’m serious, Jared.” She said, dropping her royal air about her. “I once fell into a jealous rage, being consumed by it, I turned into a monster. Please, they don’t know better..”
“Luna.” He said. “...Princess.. This town has the literal living embodiment of friendship and kindness. And the first thing that happens to me is people hide and treat me like a Lovecraftian horror, before physically attacking me because they can’t BEAR me being frustrated.”
Jared continued walking, she rushed up, matching his step. She was quiet for a moment.
“Why are you so frustrated? It’s more than your accident, I can tell that much.” She asked.
He closed his eyes in debate. Should he tell them? Nah, cover story.
“All of this world I am in now seems so fake, and I just can’t bear it. I can already tell my life is going to be a living hell...”
Luna said nothing until they arrived at the shop. “Jared. We will try our best to get you home, but as far as we know it isn’t possible... Please, try to have patience...”
“Why should I, nobody gives a shit, why do I need to?” He kneed open the door to the office.
“Because I do!” She replied. Jared sighed, and slouched. He turned back to her. “Because like it or not, you’re stuck here, possibly for good, and everypony will care if I have to make them care. You matter purely because you are alive. So make the best of it.”
Jared leaned against the wall and slid down, holding the shotgun between his feet before gently reaching over to put it in the corner.
“I hate you.” He sighed. She looked hurt. “No. I don’t really. I’m sorry.”
“May I come in?” She asked.
“Yeah, I mean, come on, you’re the princess of course you can.”
She slowly stepped into the dim office, noting the single steel desk, his sleeping bag, and scattered packaged supplies from the plane.
“Were you not given accommodations?”
“I was given a freakin' Hangar, I’m not going to complain about sleeping on the floor.” Jared smirked.
“Is your craft here?” She asked.
“Yep.”
“May I see it?”
“What’s left of it.” He stated, standing. He kicked the office door shut as he walked through another door into the hangar. She followed him to see the room filled with the scraps of wrecked airplane, and gasped.
“It’s astonishing... How does it fly..?”
“Now it doesn’t.. But the wings are an airfoil, angled to divert the air downward, producing lift. The motor has a propeller, another airfoil, that spins to give it forward thrust.” He said, He pulled his worn leather wallet from his jeans and a small photo of him and Miranda sitting on the steps of the floats as they smiled happily, his arm around her, the plane in the water of an Alaskan lake. The photo was worn, looked like it was old as well. Luna smiled gently. “Is she your mate?”
He choked and laughed for a moment.
“No.. She uh.. She's gone.” Jared replied as they walked around the fuselage. She noticed the art on the cowling and looked mildly confused
“I see.”
“Princess...” He began.
“Luna.”
“Princess Luna..”
She rolled her eyes. “Just. Luna.”
“Just Luna..”
She choked back a laugh. “Yes?”
“Are we friends?”
“I.. Suppose so.” The question caught her off guard.
“Neat.” He smiled gently. He dug through his first aid kit, attempting to mop up the blood on the back of his head. It was sore. He was pretty happy with the fact someone of such high standing had his back. He turned around on his heel, hearing the crunching of gravel outside. And a knock on the door.
Author's Note
To set the mood for the first half of this chapter, this. The Weight
The Weight
Hannah sighed gently, rain came down hard over the city of Palmer, Alaska. It had been a few months that Jared had been gone, but she only got the news a week ago. She sat in the small coffee shop of Vagabond Blues, drinking her tea. She held the cup close to her as she watched the rain form puddles and drip from the rooftop. She closed her eyes, trying not to cry. Every time she’d open them, she’d expect to see Jared sitting across from her with that stupid grin. His hair would be a little messy, his white tee shirt smothered in grease stains.
His worn black jacket would fit him like a tent, but it was all part of what made him, him. She felt selfish, she’d usually ignored him, or put him second when it came to conversing with friends. She never realized how much he really cared until he was gone. With a shuddering breath, she opened her eyes, and saw someone in the rain, across the street. He had slicked back hair and a black jacket, 751 patches on it. The collar was turned up to the cold rain. Her heart raced, and she leapt up, running out of the dim cafe. She dashed across the street, drew near, and shouted “Jared!”
The man turned around, it was Clay. She’d met him a few times, and instantly she broke into tears. Clay slowly walked up, took off his jacket, and wrapped it around her. He walked her back to the door of the cafe and hugged her tightly.
“I know, Hannah... I know...” He said softly, followed by a large sigh. She sobbed into his shoulder as he held her. They stayed that way for several moments, he gently rocked back and forth. “That jacket used to be his... He gave it to me years ago, when he formed his group...”
She looked up and wiped her tears. “It was..?”
He nodded. “Keep it.” He gave a soft smile. “See you around..” Clay brushed her cheek with his thumb in a semi-rough, playful way. She smiled and gave a light chuckle. He walked backwards away from her, before turning and bolting through the rain to his black chevy parked down the street.
She slowly returned to her drink, and pulled at the edges of the zipper, holding the coat around her tighter, like a blanket. She could smell, very faintly, an all too familiar aftershave, almost engrained in the leather. It wasn’t Clay’s. Hannah closed her eyes. And cried.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jared opened the door, unamused to see a small rainbow pegasus.
“Not interested.” He slammed the door. A heavier knock came, he opened it again, Twilight was beside her. “Ah, Ms. Sparkle, come in!”
Twi walked into the hangar, Rainbow was about to follow, when he slammed the door again. “Hey!”
“How can I help you?” He asked, arms crossed.
“Celestia is assigning Rainbow to 50 hours community service, assisting your project.” She said. Jared walked back to the door and opened it, Rainbow was poised to knock.
“Ever do sheet metal work?”
“No?”
“Ever work on machinery or internal combustion engines?”
“Internal what now?”
“Any aviation experience or understanding of aerodynamics?” He asked.
“Well GUH!” She flapped her wings. He shut the door again, then after a moment, opened it.
“Get in here, jackass.” He sighed. She slowly walked in. Luna said nothing, Twilight looked beside herself.
“I assume there’s tools in the toolbox, vice is over there, air compressor is in the corner, start by taking the interior out of the plane, and take the inspection panels off.” He said. She slowly walked around and looked at the wreckage.
“This thing flew?”
“Yes, for 65 years.” He said. All the ponies looked surprised.
“Jeez, it was flying before I was born..” She gaped.
“Yeah, me too. It will be long after you and I are gone.” He said, walking to the toolbox and rolling it to the nose of the airplane. The prop was bent on all three blades, the motor had stopped hard. He opened a few drawers, determining where the tools were, and opened the drawer with the open end wrenches. He found strange markings stamped on them, but they looked to be Imperial. He tried what he guessed would be a 9/16ths on a prop hub bolt, and it fit.
“Halle-fuckin-lujah.” He grinned and began work taking the prop off.
“Uhm, excuse me?” Rainbow asked, sheepishly. “How do I.. Do what you said?”
He walked to the door, and pointed at the seat. “The feet of those are held on the rails by pins on either end of the rail, they slide off where the grooves are. The carpet just snaps in, let me know when you get that far.” He left her to it, and returned to the motor. She struggled for about ten minuets, Twilight examining the wreckage and nose art, Luna sitting in the office, on Jared’s sleeping bag like a possessive cat.
Eventually, Dash yelled “HOOVES!”. At which point Jared came and removed the seat stops, allowing her to remove the seats. When she finished removing the seats, he already had the prop on a table, the oil drained, and the damaged cylinder off the engine. Which wasn’t hard, he just pulled really good, and it slid off the bent piston rod. The cylinder itself looked to be in good condition, with a couple of cooling fins chipped, and the block bolt holes wallowed out a bit. The bolts holding it on had torn their threads off, he could fix that. He hoped. Machining a new connecting rod would be a pain in the ass, but it was feasible. What worried him was the cost, so he’d focus on disassembly at the moment.
“I’m done.” She said, he sat the cylinder on the bench and walked over, carrying a flathead screwdriver. He popped up the snaps on one panel, then put the screwdriver down, taking the panel off.
“Pull all of those.” He stated, returning to his work on the motor. After about an hour, a good portion of the interior was out, and the cylinders were off the motor, as well as the pistons, laid out in order on the floor. His stomach growled loudly. He gently held his stomach, and walked to the office to raid his supplies.
Rainbow Dash was feeling pretty proud of herself. She’d done a lot of work with her hooves in meticulous things she didnt know possible in the last 20 minutes. She liked the challenge, and was almost disappointed when the creature walked away.
“Where are you goin?”
“Food.” Jared shrugged, walking into the office to see the princess sleeping ungracefully on his bag. He grabbed a can of peaches, a P38, and walked back into the shop. He sat on one of the Beaver’s seats that was on the floor, and opened the can. He ate his peaches, chucked his tin can into the nearby trashcan, and picked up his shirt, pulling it on over his wounds.
“What do you want me to do next?” Dash asked. He handed her a marker and a flashlight. “Climb into the tail, and inspect every single rib, every inch, front and back. Mark each crack or what you even suspect to be a crack. Every bend and pinch too. Keep count of how many there are in each rib, and total.” He handed her a notepad. It was mainly busywork, but would give him an idea of how much work there was to do to the fuselage. The wings were the worst part of the aircraft in looks, the fuselage didn’t look all that bad. Jared’s eyes felt heavy. “Now wait.” She paused, on the way into the door jam.
“Go home, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said, it was only about 6 o’clock, she didn’t need to be told twice. She zipped out of the shop in an instant. Jared inspected the ribs himself, before walking to the office and sitting in the lone swivel chair at the desk. He sketched out the fuselage and ribs on the notepad, marking which were destroyed beyond repair. He needed to make 5 brand new, and straighten the others if possible. All new skin on the upper and sides of the plane was in order. New float attachment points, too. Twilight had apparently left a while ago, Luna had fallen asleep waiting for them. Atop his flannel sleeping bag. Why she didn't just leave, he didn't know.
He sighed and put down the notebook, setting his head on the desk. Luna awoke in an instant. “What’s wrong, Jared?”
“Nothin.” He said, sitting up again, and looking at the paper. “It’s 6, do you have somewhere you need to be?”
“Not until sunset, even then, I can do them pretty much anywhere.” She shrugged.
“I get the feeling you were much more formal at one point.”
“Quite right, Sometimes we find ourselves using the olde equish.” She said fluently, without sarcasm.
Jared shook his head and laughed. “Fuck me, man. This is bullshit.” He looked at the stats again, then into the hangar at his wreckage. Luna looked confused, then nodded with eyes closed.
"Indeed, do you think you can repair it?"
"Theoretically yeah, in reality, it's probably done for... If I don't use it to distract myself, I might as well give up... But I probably ought get a job and work on paying you folks back for helping me.
"Nonsense, it was a gift, consider it an act of diplomacy between our two species." She smiled at him.
"Thank you princess.."
"Please, call me Luna." She replied, sitting across from him.
"Well, tell me about yourself?" He crossed his hands, putting them together behind his injured head.
"Not much to say... I'm a princess.. I like to read, I like meeting new ponies.." She replied sheepishly.
"When's your birthday? What do you like to read?" He asked.
"The 14th of Harvest." She grinned. "I like to read historical texts, and.. Well.. Romance novels."
She added the last portion with a blush and he grinned, nodding.
"Can't blame you." He laughed. "Learning from the past as not to repeat it, wishing for a romance you yourself don't have, that's practically my tagline."
The two chuckled for a minute, then she looked to meet his hazel eyes, their gaze held for a moment, they didn't speak. She slowly stood. "I suppose you're right, my sister will wonder where I've been.."
"Well thank you for staying, I enjoy speaking with you." He stood as well. She bit her lip for a moment, then took a breath and hesitated. She finally mustered her thought. "Inter-species relationships are fairly commonplace today."
"Yeah I uh.. I don't uh... Not really comfortable with that." He replied, turning bright crimson. He was doing everything in his power to keep from cringing immensely, the situation was painfully awkward.
"Well have a good evening, Jared." She smiled, slowly walking towards the office door. She walked again with sway, as before in the hospital.
"Don't do that to me, ponies. Please never do that to me again.." He held his face in his hands, tilting his head back.
Perhaps the charming approach was a bad idea.
This was going to be harder than he thought.
Author's Note
Song These Dreams Of You
Yes, this chapter is a benign mindfuck, stick to the end.
These Dreams of You
Jared lay with his eyes shut.
“Jared?”
“Yeah?” He opened his eyes, the girl wrapped tightly in his arms.
“Do you love me?”
“Of course I love you.” He smiled his big, goofy smile. She smiled back.
“Why?” She asked after a moment.
“Miranda... You’re sweet, you’re kind, you’re gorgeous... And you make me smile..” He fought for words. Jared may have had confidence, but he was far from good with words. She exhaled in a laugh and hugged him tighter.
“Thank you...”
Jared smiled and awoke roughly as the back snapped off his swivel chair, and he hit the floor. His heart was racing, he breathed heavily, pushing himself off the floor with his forearm.
“Jesus.. Talk about ruined dreams.” He slowly got to his feet, looking at the broken chair. “Well that sucks.” He kicked it over gently. He looked through the office window at his damaged beaver and sighed gently. “Maybe there’s a logging business or need for mechanics in town...”
He slowly walked to his things, grabbed the strap for his shotgun from his supplies, and put it together. He then slung the weapon over his shoulder, stepping out of his hangar, whistling.
“There he is!” Someone shouted. A crowd of picket sign carrying ponies were surrounding his hangar. Jared looked around.
“The fuck are you up to?” He asked.
“You need to leave ponyville!” One pony with a high pitched voice yelled.
“Believe me, I’d love to be snug at home instead of here with a bunch of xenophobic, talking, cartoon ponies.” He said, spinning the shotgun under his arm to his hands, a hip firing position.
A large brown stallion slowly walked up. “Go back in the house.”
“Yeah I blow a hole in your face, then go back in the house and sleep like a fuckin baby.” He raised the weapon to his eye.
“Is that a threat?”
“An entire town against one person they’ve never talked to is a threat, this is a guarantee.” Jared growled, switching off his safety. The stallion charged, grabbing his legs and pummled Jared through the door, the shotgun went flying before the strap caught his wrist. Jared backhanded the stallion with a closed fist, the pony recoiled long enough for him to get his shotgun back in his hands. The stallion stomped on his face, Jared’s head hitting the hard concrete with a smack. He charged back before catching the pony across the face with the steel butt plate of his firearm, the stallion tumbled off, blood splattering the wall. Someone in the crowd screamed. The stallion stood and wiped his mouth, leapt at Jared, and he fired.
A loud resounding ‘Boom’ echoed out as the slug tore down the rifling of the Winchester, before exiting. Less than a foot away it entered the skull of the stallion, between his oversized eyes. The slug tumbled, shredding the majority of the pony’s brain before uncapping the entire back of the skull. The slug skimmed off the concrete and through the wall just behind, painting the majority of the wall red. Having just ducked beyond the doorway, the ponies only heard the shot and saw the splatter. Grey matter stuck to the floor and wall as a puddle began forming across the pad. Jared pumped the next round, trying to convince himself it was like killing a deer. That it was self defense. They all screamed.
Someone in the crowd yelled “Get the princess, he killed Davenport!”
Jared stood, this time a buckshot round in the chamber. he walked over, flipping the desk and scooting it to the corner. He knelt behind it, resting the barrel of his shotgun on the desk for cover. No one entered. No one left. A minute later two royal guards walked up to the door.
“Drop your weapon and come quietly!”
“You think I fuckin wanted this? You think I wanted to be attacked in my own home, by some bigots who can’t accept this world is bigger than their society?!”
“Just drop your weapon and we can talk this out, Wright.” The other guard stated.
“I’m done talking! Talking is what I did when the motherfucking element of Loyalty tried to kill me based on my looks. Talking is what I did when I was told my life was over, my aircraft destroyed, and that I have to live with a bunch of fuckin horses.” You want to talk, get the princess. You want to fucking die? Walk through that door..” Jared’s voice wavered with the threat.
He heard a flash of magic in the hangar and he backed into the corner to watch both doors, it opened to reveal Luna. She gasped, her pupils pinpricks at the sight.
“IS THAT HOW YOUR COUNTRY RUNS, YOU SEND A PROTECTED PERSON TO A TOWN THATS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM, AND THEY GET ATTACKED, ATTEMPTED TO BE RUN OUT OF TOWN?!” He screamed at her, she recoiled at first. Celestia walked past her, into the room. The shotgun was now aimed at the princess. “You couldn’t even fucking remember my name, like I should’ve expected you to be able to actually keep me safe, from having to do this!”
“Jared.” She slowly stepped towards him.
He gestured with the shotgun, waving it between her chest and face. “DON’T YOU FUCKING TAKE ANOTHER STEP!” He screamed.
She did.
His finger tightened. “Celestia one more step and I swear to god your brains are gonna look worse than his on that wall.” She took another step. “Better yet I’ll shoot your horn off.”
Now she stopped.
“Yeah, ever wonder the effects of a bullet on magic?”
No response.
“Do you wanna find out?”
“Jared.” She said. “You have killed one of my subjects.”
“I gave him the chance to leave and he beat me.” Jared stated with a growl. Celestia looked unamused.
“I don’t care if it was self defense or not. He is a citizen, you are not.” She said. Now he really couldn’t give a shit. “You will pay for your crimes.” He pulled the trigger. Eight pellets of 00 buckshot flew downrange, one grazed the top of her head, the others tore the top third of her horn clear off. Before she had time to react, Jared bunted her with his shotgun, leapt over a stunned Luna, and raced out the side door. He pumped in another round as he ran, towards the forest. He heard a faint whistling and spun to see a rainbow pegasus charging him.
He pumped out the buckshot, in a birdshot, and fired. The small pellets clipped her wing and barrel, she went down with a scream. He grabbed the buckshot shell, loaded it, and continued running. Once he cleared the forest, he slid into a small den in the ground, where the roots of trees had been hollowed out. Presumably from a timber wolf, he didn’t care, He poked the barrel of his shotgun out from under the trees like a VietCong, and he waited. Maybe they’d be too preoccupied with the Princess and focus on her, maybe they’d divide and conquer.
After a moment, he fully realized what he’d just done, his breathing got quicker and with one hand he grabbed his hair and screamed. “FUCK.”. the back of his head was wet, he brought it forward, it was crimson. From where his head had hit the concrete. “God dammit... Why couldn’t they just leave me alone..” He said, closing his eyes tightly as tears welled up. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he sobbed. Thick, choking sobs. He had a balled fist to his mouth, somewhat muffling him. Luna wrapped his arm around him, he pushed her away.
“It’s alright, Jared...” She said softly. “Wake up..”
“What do you mean wake up..? I am awake..” He replied, and sniffled. Which was when it hit him. “How did you find me-“
“Wake up.” She smiled
He awoke in a cold sweat.
Jared looked around the dim office, he was face down on his desk, sitting in his chair. He slowly moved to the side, falling to the floor by his sleeping bag. He rolled to his side, curling up in the corner of the room.
Jared cried.
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Have You Ever Seen The Rain (lightly reworked)
Author's Note
Real short chapter just to break the writers block and throw in some exposition.
This is in no way my best writing, more a project for fun I write that I decided to share. Even then, as I rush back and forth frantically trying to at least make it somewhat presentable, I feel bad. Inadequate. It’s kinda nice to know despite this there’s some people who genuinely like this story, and I promise I will do my best to improve it and see it through without exemption. Thank you for reading!
Have You Ever Seen The Rain (lightly reworked)
Jared awoke slowly, his tired eyes still shut. Daylight filled the office, judging by the orange glow in his closed eyes. He squinted and rolled out of his sleeping bag to sit up. He then gingerly made his way to his office chair, and leaned back in it. He slowly mixed up the last of his rationed food, and a canteen cup full of coffee. His breakfast would be a cold half-can of peaches mixed with a packet of oatmeal, though dry it would give him much needed calories. His hair was a greasy mess from the pomade he hadn't washed out. He slowly walked into the bathroom, stopping in the hallway to slip on his boots stacked by the wall. As he faced the sink, he washed his face and dampened his hair. Grabbing his comb, he re-styled the greasy hair back into the pompadour of the days before.
As he was finishing, he heard a knock on the office door. Jared stopped, returning to the office. He sat behind the desk as he called out a response.
“Yeah.”
The door opened and in walked the six, and Luna.
“How are ya now?” Jared asked.
“Good N’ you?” Pinkie replied.
“Oh not so bad.” Jared answered, sipping his coffee. “What can I do ya for?”
"Well.. I told them about your dream... Your weapon.. We feel you're potentially dangerous, we want you to hand it over." Luna spoke softly. Jared reached out and snatched up the shotgun from behind him.
"Bite me." He stated, putting his feet flat on the floor.
They all had their mouths agape.
Luna swallowed. "Please, in a show of good faith..."
"Good faith? I tried to be polite and courteous, I was attacked not once but twice and almost killed, I have good reason to have the ability to defend myself." Jared now stood, towering above them. "And I intend to do so if I'm placed in such a position. If you can't inform your people and hold them accountable for their actions, then I will."
"That's vigilante justice." Luna's hoofs clopped quietly as she slowly walked towards him.
"It's justice. What about the pony who hit me with a rock? They just walked away. Who gets community service for attempted murder, or at least manslaughter." Jared held the shotgun with both hands now, clearly on the defensive, prepared for anything.
"Jared, hand over the weapon."
"Fuck. You." He growled, racking a shell into the chamber.
Fluttershy slowly stepped towards him, a scary look on her face, and in a loud voice yelled.
“How DARE you talk to the princess like that! After all they’ve done for you, they saved your LIFE and you STILL insult them!” She snapped.
“That’s. The point!” He shouted in a low roar. He tapped the desk with the barrel of the shotgun, kicking the side of it as he stood. “I’m stuck in this world without a single human. Without the girl I love, the world I knew, and I’ll never find it again. I’d be better as a charred cadaver on the railroad track, than being some dumbfuck who’s trying to piece together a wreck with no parts and no food. To top it all off, you're demanding I hand over my only means of defense when you've done nothing to prove you can keep me safe.”
She softened a bit, her voice returning to it’s normal volume. “It’s still not how you treat people...”
“Fluttershy.” He stated, bringing the butt a little tighter in his shoulder, still pointed at the ground. Steam rose from his coffee on the table. It slowly wound into the air, accenting against himself in the dim room. His hazel eyes a deep brown this morning like twin pools of molten chocolate as he leaned forward. They burned with anger though his face was soft. “I don’t give a damn about any of this. If you're demanding I relinquish something rightfully mine because your people can't be decent, then I don't give a damn about you."
They were all silent.
“I just want to go home. And I can’t. I don’t care anymore.” He grabbed his cup in his right hand and down his steaming beverage. The situation was getting to him. This isn't what he wanted, it never was. He stood and hurled the tin cup at the wall as hard as he could before storming into the hangar, slamming the door behind him.
Jared tossed the weapon on his toolbox, and leaned his head against the fuselage of the airplane.
“Jared...” Someone said “It’s hopeless... You cant keep going like this... Life is worth living you just... Have to find the reasons...”
“Can’t you see..” Tears escaped his eyes and he put his arms over his head to shield their view. “This IS my life... With the tools and materials it’ll take years to fix her... If I even can...” Spots appeared slowly on his dusty boots. Wet spots. Twilight stared at them for a moment, confused, before she realized. She looked up at his face.
She put an arm gently around his leg and he pushed off of the plane. He did a small circle and wiped his tears. Overwhelmed and completely checked out, he walked to the toolbox.
“Oh Jared...” Twilight spoke softly. “Take a deep breath...”
She turned to the other six ponies. “I think we need a little time...” They started to leave. “Can we talk, Jared?” She asked.
“Fine..” He caved.
The two sat on the concrete floor. He was nestled against his plane, cradling his shotgun is his arms.
“Jared. You were in destress long before you got here, that much is clear.” Twilight announced. She stared into the deep brown of his eyes, he slowly met the brilliant, large, purple orbs, perched on her face, intently watching him with mild curiosity. “What is going on.”
In this moment, she felt more like a friend to him than just some animal. He opened up.
“I’ve had a hard life... I’m not trying to appear entitled, it just.. It hurts... Just when I think it’s looking up I get hit over the head... I lost the girl I really cared about, when I thought I moved on to someone else, she couldn’t give a shit and I’m still stuck on her... Then just before I took off I walked in on my soon-to-be wife in bed with someone else.” Jared began “I took off to live in seclusion. I wrecked out of my own stupidity, and now I’m here.”
“In bed with?” She coked an eyebrow.
“When a greasy scumbag and a cheating whore love each-other very much-“ He began.
“Oh.” She got the picture.
“Yeah.” Jared stated. “I just.. I cant deal with this. I dont want to be here, I just... The townsfolk attacking me, random abuse from those guards and Rainbow.. Luna betraying me and demanding my shotgun for no reason... This place is only going to get worse...”
“Just.. Hang in there, okay? It’ll get better, I promise..” She said. She draped her hoof around his shoulder gently. He could feel the soft fur of her muzzle nuzzle the back of his head.
Jared took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “Alright.”
“I stayed up all night reading the documents you gave me, they’re in Old Equis but I was able to understand them well enough.” She changed the subject.
He raised an eyebrow.
“Jeez you read fast.” He replied, shaking his head with a choked laugh, wiping his eyes. He’d given her more material than she should have been able to read in a week, much less a night. She beamed, taking it as a compliment
“Twilight?”
“Yes?”
“When I die. I want you to have my stuff. You’ll make better use of it than anyone else here will...”
“Don’t talk like that.” She stated dismissively. She’d never dealt with somebody this persistently sad before. It hurt and confused her. “Pinkie’s been excited to throw you a welcoming party!”
“I’d be the only one there not enjoying it.” He smirked with a chuckle.
“Oh come oooon.” She kicked at him lightly.
“I’m just... I’m just not ready..” He stated.
“You’ll enjoy it, I promise.” She smiled.
“Don’t make a promise... If you know you can’t keep it.”. Jared looked at her with sad eyes, and tussled her hair. She shook her head gently, re-arranging her hair. He shook her hair loose once more with a stupid grin. Twilight looked at him with an eyebrow raised, and smiled gently. She left her hair messed up.
Jared slowly sat up straighter, switching the motion to getting to his feet. “Alright, alright... I’ll try things your way... But I'm keeping my shotgun.”
Jared slowly stood, growing to his full size. He slowly walked back towards the office, his heavy boots rung out on the concrete. He opened the door, all eyes were now on him. Jared paused as he entered before sitting in his chair and leaning his shotgun in the corner.
“Princess.” He began. “When you invade my personal thoughts and voice them to others, it makes me feel very violated, like I can’t trust you... When you demand action based on those, even more so. With that said, I’m sorry I reacted as harshly as I did.”
All of the ponies in the room paused in shock, mouths agape.
“I- Forgive you.” Luna replied. “We-I am sorry as well.”
“Let’s just let bygones be bygones. Huh?”
“That sounds good...” Luna smiled gently. She was strangely attracted to the creature despite his apathy. She couldn’t shake the distinct feeling he was having none of it. Pinkie slowly approached the desk, and threw a card onto it, towards the human. She turned and walked back to the group. Jared reached out and picked it up. He opened it, reading the contents aloud.
“You’re invited! A special event at 2:30, sugarcube corner, tell your friends!” Jared read aloud, feigning excitement. He set the card down and with utmost serious announced. “Hey guys there’s a special event that told me to tell my friends, wanna go?”
The group looked at each other quizzically. Applejack spoke for them.
“Uhh.. You feelin’ alright?”
“Never better!” Jared lied through an unfaltering smile. Almost, quite literally, lying through his teeth.
“Partner, that ain’t gonna fly.” Applejack called him out.
“Whelp, I guess that makes two things in this hanger that won’t fly.” He replied, pausing for a moment. The ponies looked at each other nervously.
“So how are you really feeling then.” Applejack demanded, rather than asked.
“Dude, I just want to sleep.” He sat back in the chair his eyes screwed shut. Jared put his hands over his face, slowly moving them off in a wiping motion. “I don’t have the words to describe the emotion and what I’m going through, I swear to god I’m going to have a fucking aneurysm if I dont wake up from this twisted nightmare.”
“Look buddy, you’re not going home any time soon. You’re gonna have to accept that and learn to live here if you want to keep from goin’ crazy.” Applejack said.
“Thanks, Jackie. Very cool.” Jared stated. He leaned forward in the seat, abruptly standing up. “Depressed? Don’t be! Stressed? Nah, live with it! Just put it aside, no worries!”
The ponies looked at him, befuddled. They didn’t get his point.
“You can’t see what’s wrong with that? Really? Telling me what my end goal is doesn’t help me get there. It doesn’t help set aside the pain in the mean time. That shit takes time dude.”
“But distracting yourself can help, when you’re alone with your thoughts, sadness gets all up in your brainy...” A depressed Pinkie said. “The party is already ready if you wanna go...”
“Ten minutes. I’ll stay for ten minutes, okay..?” He compromised. She looked up with a slight smile.
“Okay..”
He slowly stood. Jared grabbed the blued steel barrel of the shotgun, tossed it up, and caught it by the receiver with the same hand in one swift motion. He walked to the door, past the ponies, and opened it. He slowly turned to them, as they stayed frozen.
“Well... Are ya’ coming?”
Cigarette Daydreams (Somewhat reworked)
Jared sat at the small table. The noisy cafe was packed with ponies, there for the party. All of them paid Jared no heed. Twilight and Co. and wandered off to do party stuff, leaving Jared to sit alone at his table. He sighed and felt up the side pockets of his jacket. He pulled what was left of a pack of Marlboro Reds from his right pocket. He rarely smoked, but given he had no caffeine, little sleep, and a lot of stress, he figured now would be as good a time as any. He tucked it into the corner of his mouth and pulled his faded zippo out of his left jeans pocket. He lit the cigarette, and closed the lighter.
He flicked it open and shut once more. He remembered a time when it was new. When the hinge didn’t wiggle side to side. When the deep gouges, the dent on the spine of it, didn’t exist. A time when the American flag on the side wasn’t merely a handful of small colored flakes on the side, but a bright, brilliant design. The field of white and red, the corner of navy with white stars.
He bought it for $13.99 when he was 13, or, rather his mother purchased it for him with his money, claiming it was a waste for all those years, that BIC lighters were better. He never used it to light a cigarette until he was 21. She’d been wrong about a number of his choices in life. The lighter was one of them. When it came to her thoughts on his fiancé, however, she wasn’t so far from the truth.
Jared’s mind drifted. He wandered through the woods with his friend, they were both only 14 or 15. They found a nice spot by the creek, and made a small fire just inches from the babbling brook. The salmon were running, swimming upstream. The two played in the water, made some mud bricks to lay a better fire. They fished for lunch. It felt so long ago. A life time away. He remembered that spot. A cottonwood tree roughly four feet in diameter had fallen across the creek, making a pool about thigh deep. A wall of roots was at the end, making a neat crevasse against the small hillside. When the day was through they’d head back to his house. It was atop a ridge, down a long gravel road. The entire country around them was packed with dense foliage. Birch, Cottonwood, and Spruce grew around them. The alders, grass, and devils club littered the ground.
They’d reach home and sprint up the chocolate brown wood steps. Running through the arctic-entry front porch, they’d burst through the white front door, into the living room and kitchen. They’d get a glass of that crystal cool, Alaskan artesian well water and go off to play some game, talk to some other friends, make some other mischief. That was a great summer...
He remembered when he’d shown his crush a lighter trick, opening and striking the zippo in one swift snapping motion with his right hand. She was impressed. She was his best friend for years. People change, and grow apart. People leave people. People hurt people. Jared hated that. He missed her. His thoughts turned to the handful girls of the past 8 years. He wished he had one more chance to make things right, with most of them. He knew he’d never have a chance to make it right with any of them. He held back his tears. Staring through the lighter and floor beyond, he was absolutely transfixed on the past. His hand closed slowly over the lighter. He looked away and pocketed it. He glanced at his watch, he’d filled his 10 minutes. Jared stood, taking his shotgun, and stepped out the front door unnoticed.
His boots crunched on the gravel as he walked towards the hanger. His cigarette was burning low. He pulled the stub from his mouth, crushed it out with his fingers, and flicked it away.
“You sigh, look away...” He sung to himself, quietly. His thoughts drifted to one girl. She was never much for romance. Some how he’d managed to get her to go from a good friend, potentially interested, to annoyed with him in the span of two weeks. He had no idea what he’d done to make either thing happen. She was great.. He missed her.. That nervous little stressed out ball of weeb. She meant a lot to him. A handful of the nervous weeb type had been his friends, she stood out above them. “I can see it clear as day... Close your eyes, so afraid...”
He kicked an array of pebbles toward a nearby tree with his left foot, the boot was black and worn, scuffed and torn up all across the toe.
Jared looked up to see his hangar. He entered through the office door, and walked through to roll open the hangar doors. All was quiet, all was calm. It was a beautiful day. If only he didn’t have this heartache inside. He hooked up his stereo, to play the song stuck in his head. He then stared at the beaver for a while, opting to just sit on the nearby wooden workbench as the song played. He could’ve sworn he heard something behind him.
“I don’t understand.” Jared began. “How... Everything can hurt so much at once. I don’t understand why... I couldn’t have just been killed. I’ve done everything by the book my entire fuckin’ life, and now I’m here.”
He turned his head, looking over his shoulder. A tall white Alicorn, with a shorter pink one stood in the door. “Y’know?”
“I understand your frustration.” She slowly walked up. “I’m afraid the only cure for this kind of pain is time...”
“I know...“ He sighed gently.
“Jared, this is Princess Cadence.” Celestia.
“Of the Crystal Empire.. I’ve heard of her..” Jared nodded gently. He slowly hopped off the bench, walking over to the two. He held out a hand to the monarchs. Cadence shook his hand momentarily.
“A pleasure to meet you!” She smiled.
"You as well, ma'am." Jared replied. He looked from the plane, back to her. "I know you didn't come all the way down here for me... What brings you around here?"
"Just visiting some family." Was her reply. "Is this it? The miracle flying machine?"
"The prodigal broken machine." Jared quipped in reply. "If I had any motivation I'd have that skin off and pull the bulkheads out by tomorrow."
Jared paused for a moment, toeing the floor with his boot. "But I don't."
"I'm sorry to hear that!" She said, a downtrodden look on her face.
"Yeah." He stated, turning away. Jared leaned on his toolbox. "Was this just a PR meet the human thing or...?"
“Princess Cadence is on her way to Canterlot on official business. She has a layover while the engine fills its boiler and tender, I decided it a good opportunity for the princess to meet you.” Princess Celestia explained.
He studied her face carefully for a moment. “There’s more to it.”
“Twilight expressed her concerns for your mental health and your attachment to that ‘item’ of yours.” Celestia spoke.
“For god’s sake...” Jared sighed. “I’m overwhelmed, not a fuckin’ nut job.”
“Please, watch your language.”
Jared sighed. “You’re an ancient sun sorceress but you tell me to watch my language.”
“Did you just call me old?” She asked in mock horror.
“Your words, not mine, boomer.” Jared shrugged, turning back to his stuff piled under the workbench. He grabbed a clump of green cloth in one hand as he began taking off his jacket.
“What did you call me?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed slightly. He chucked his leathers onto the table as he rolled out the jumpsuit in a sweeping motion. It was an old green U.S. Air Force flight suit. On the left lapel velcro patch was an embroidered oval, “Jared” was in navy blue thread, on a white background, surrounded by red thread. Across the back was a “August’s Aircraft Service” embroidered in gold.
He zipped up the legs, and the front as he rolled the sleeves. He slowly turned to face Celestia. “Boomer?”
She was visibly pissed. Her eye twitched.
“As in, baby boomer, the generation after the G.I.s got home from World War Two.” He clarified. A look of confusion, then subtle anger passed her face.
“In our world it is a grave insult, you would do best not to call anypony such things. We will leave you to your work.” Celestia stated, Cadence was simply in shock. “Come, Princess Cadence.”
They teleported out of the hangar. Jared smiled smugly. “Boomer.”
Author's Note
Hey guys, sorry for the slow updates! Here’s a filler while I work on the bigger chapter! Sorry about the formatting errors, I’m still figuring that out..
Hang Me Up To Dry (Mildly re-worked.)
Jared looked away from where the ponies had been standing. He looked around the hangar before walking to the pile of things from the plane. He dug through it, pulling out a large steel mag light flashlight. He reached down, unzipping the deep pocket on his left calf, and dropping the flashlight, pommel first, into the pocket. It ran neatly along his calf, adding a lot of weight to his leg. Jared walked across the hangar to his flight bag, which he’d left on the toolbox. He unzipped it and pulled a notepad, number 2 pencil, and pen from it. He stuck the utensils into their slots on his left shoulder, moving the flight bag to the pile of stuff. He tossed the bag upon the heap. Bright orange engine and wing covers, log books, his survival bag, and an empty rifle case were comprising the pile.
Jared turned from the organized chaos and strolled to the toolbox. He opened the drawers on the far right, mid level. He pulled an air drill and a handful of drill bits from the box, setting them atop it. In the far left drawers, third from the bottom, he dug out a large hammer and a screwdriver chisel. He strolled across the hangar, through a door into the out building, and threw a switch on the wall. The air compressor chugged to life and he stepped out of the room. Jared shut the door behind him, and paused as his hand slipped off the handle.
“Wait.”
He stared at the door handle. It was a normal handle. He looked at the rolling stool near the plane. It was a normal shop stool. He slowly walked to the office and looked through the window. The desk had standard drawer pulls. He looked back at the tools on his bench, jogging back to the surface. Standard pistol-grip style of drill with a quick-chuck on it. He deflated. The toolbox had the usual, overhanging shape on the drawers, to grab the lip of it and slide it open. Built for fingers.
Jared slowly stepped back. His stereo changed songs to Cough Syrup as he gripped his hair in his hands, rotating slowly. He'd need answers whenever his "Friends" payed him a visit. He took a deep breath, and walked into the office. Jared grabbed his survival bag and walked into the bathroom with it. From inside he pulled a straight razor and a small tin of pomade. Survival in style, right?
He pulled a comb from his back pocket as he turned on the sink. He trimmed his hair, bangs, sides, sideburns, and back as best he could. He palm-stropped the razor and gently began trimming the short beard he’d acquired in the time he’d been unconscious. He used the water to lubricate as best he could without shaving soap. While a little uncomfortable, water and a bar of hand soap worked well enough. Jared felt his now bare face, closed the razor, and dunked his head under the running water. He turned the water off as he grabbed the hand towel to dry his hair. Shaking the water off, he opened the tin of pomade. Carefully, he scooped some out with his middle and ring finger, spreading the thick, waxy substance between his palms.
Gently, Jared spread the product through his hair, making sure to agitate and get it engrained through the layers of his hair. He then washed it off his hands, dried them, and grabbed his comb. Beginning by slicking his hair back, he used the thicker part of his comb to tease the front up, forward. After about ten minutes, he washed off the comb. Having finished his Elvis Presley-esque messy pompadour, he pocketed the comb and razor both.
By the time Jared re-entered the shop, the compressor had shut off, finally filling its tank. Jared sat down on the shop stool, rolling backwards across the hangar. He grabbed an air hose and unrolled it over to the beaver. He snatched the tools he’d previously set out and tossed them under the stool, rolling to where he needed to work. He grabbed the drill and connected it to the air. He tested it twice, revving the drill twice. It screamed with the force of the air whirring through its gearbox. Jared chucked up a drill bit and gently set the tip atop the center of a rivet. He drilled out the center of the head, moved the bit to the side, and pulled off the head. Jared lifted the drill, setting the bit on the next rivet.
He heard hooves on the concrete outside the hangar.
Jared quickly reached behind him for the biggest quick chuck bit he'd pulled out, putting it in the drill. He slowly stood, as the pony came into sight. His grip tightened on the handle of the drill.
“Why’d you leave so early?” Twilight asked. “Oh, you look... Different!”
“I said ten minutes, I stayed ten minutes.” Jared stated. He slowly raised his left arm. “I have a question for you.”
He pointed at her, almost aggressively with his left hand. His right hand clenched the drill with frustration.
She stopped, seeing his offensive stance and the drill.
“Explain. This.” He threw it on the wooden workbench. She slowly walked up to it, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s a drill.”
“THE GRIP.” She paused, looking it over. “THE DOORKNOBS. They’re on EVERY HOUSE in TOWN.”
She started to see what he was getting at.
“THE DRAWER PULLS, I COULD SEE PAST THE COUNTER IN THE CAFE. THAT KITCHEN HAD THEM TOO.”
“Jared-“
“Humans. Have been here. Before.” Jared stated.
“I don’t know what your talking about, unicorn royalty invented them. They’re tradition.”
“How the fuck do you expect hooves to open these?” He pointed at the toolbox. She opened a drawer with her magic, deadpanning at him.
“Not everybody is a unicorn, Twilight.” Jared stated. She walked up, equally frustrated at his outburst. She held up her hoof and grabbed the drawer. She promptly slid right off the surface.
“What the?!” She looked at her hoof, and then at the drawer. She tried again, this time skittering her hoof back and forth against the chrome, unable to grip anything. She looked at Jared bewildered.
“How many. How long have they been appearing.”
Twilight didn’t answer. She stood frozen. The room faded to black. Jared heard a deep, gravely sigh.
“I didn’t think you’d notice, honestly.” Came a voice. The tall, culmination of animals walked through the hangar door. Frozen in time.
“Discord... How many, how long. We got the show somewhere, I know that much.” Jared demanded.
The draconequus paused.
“You're a bright one. For the last 900 years, mankind has been appearing in Equestria. I’ve never known why, I’ve never known how. Even Celestia doesn’t understand it. A body will wash up on the beach. A servant will find a corpse in the garden. The last time we had a human show up was nearly twenty years ago. He was alive, but on his way out.”
“What do you mean..?”
“He was in some kind of metal contraption. A vehicle, I gather. A pipe was stuck through the front, and through him. An accident of some kind. Had his hair done a lot like that, real greasy. A package of those nasty cigarettes rolled up in his right sleeve. Didn't last long enough to do more than cough up blood and pass away.”
Jared’s heart skipped a beat. He unzipped the right zipper on his jumpsuit, reaching into his jeans he pulled out his wallet. He slid a picture out of the billfold, A worn polaroid of a woman in a cream sundress, a man in jeans and a white tee shirt. Hair slicked back like Marlon Brando, he had a pack of reds rolled up in his sleeve, a burnt out one saved for later behind his ear. They smiled happily, their two year old son sitting on the hood of the pickup between them. They leaned against a forest green 1977 Ford F250 Highboy. He flipped the picture around to Discord.
“Like.. Him....” Discord said from behind. “Oh... Poor kid..”
He put a paw on Jared’s shoulder. “Discord, I know you like fucking with people, are you serious?”
“Kid..” Discord said solemnly. Jared turned around, his eyes looked to be the eyes of age. Old, broken, hurt. “I wish I were joking. I don’t know how to send you back. There's not even a sliver of chaos magic involved. It just feels evil, archaic, yet almost natural. I dont know that we can.. You have to.. Try to be nice to them.. They’ve grown on me.. I've tried to wrap up loose ends each time. I don't know that even Celestia still knows. Nobody else realizes the importance these moments have had. A leftover piece of knowledge here and there... It's why we have the train, grease-able bearings for wagons, gunpowder, cannons, scientific equipment... It's why we have technology.”
“Wait...” Jared called out as the darkness began to brighten.
“Yes?”
“Where is he buried..?” Jared asked.
“Canterlot, with the rest of them.. The east gardens. That neat rows of flowers? It's a graveyard. He's the bush of Chrysanthemums."
"Dad was working as a carpenter. He had his pickup and a bunch of tools in it. Where's his truck?"
"The vehicle?" He asked. Jared nodded feverishly. "A shed in the Everfree. East of the ruins of the Old Equestrian Kingdom."
Discord walked back out of the hanger, as the room brightened. Twilight blinked gently and laid her ears flat as she backed up.
"I don't understand..." Twilight spoke quietly, scared.
"You wouldn't.." Jared paused, looking around slowly. He grabbed his shotgun off his toolbox and sprinted out the hangar doors. It wasn't far to the forest. He could see the ominous trees nearby. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, only stopping once he reached the edge. He stopped to catch his breath, realizing he had no idea where in the forest it would be. Twilight teleported in front of him.
"Are you mad?! That's the Everfree Forest!"
"You're gonna take me to the old kingdom ruins. The castle of the two sisters, whatever the fuck it's called. Now. I need to prove him right or wrong."
"What?!"
"Cmon, Twilight. Now. I need to find a shed just East of the ruins, wherever they are." Jared plead.
"Jared there's a lot of dangers in there.."
"I can handle myself and I can handle you too, cmon Twi.." Jared begged, still breathing heavily.
She hesitated. "Will it make you calm down, will you stop yelling..?"
"Yes, please for god's sake just.. Please."
She gave a big sigh. They disappeared in a white flash. Jared stumbled and fell backwards into the dirt, holding in the bile rising in his throat. Jared rolled on his side, trying to resist throwing up as he caught his breath. He slowly pushed himself up. On his feet again, he stood, wobbling back and forth. "East, due east."
"That way." She pointed into the woods. His vision stopped swirling and he examined the edge of the clearing. The foliage had a clear wear spot, what used to be a footpath. He knew a trail in the brush when he saw one. Jared slowly walked through it the gap in the shrubs, shouldering his shotgun. He followed the winding path, crunching through the underbrush. Strange birds sounded all around him, but that didn't concern him in the slightest. He was listening carefully, for other noises. For the birds to stop. In only about 300 feet, he spotted a metal shack. Rusted tin lined the walls and roof, no windows lined the walls. It seemed to be a solid mass with a shallowly peaked roof. He circled the shed once, finding a double-door latched shut with a large rusted padlock.
"Twi, help me out..?"
She enveloped the lock in her magic, the lock jiggled, then fell back on its hasp.
“Why would it be shielded..?” She muttered.
Jared sighed and smashed the steel buttplate of his trenchgun into the lock, the shackle popped open and fell to the ground. He kicked the brush out of the arch of the doors and with several jerking heaves, he opened the door wide. He breathed out and fell to his knees, the shotgun clattering to the dirt. His heart raced, completely overtaken by emotion. He barely remembered this pickup. He'd bought one similar just to feel closer to his dad he couldn't remember. His eyes welled with tears. A three inch round hole was in the drivers side windshield. Through the dust he could see red specks on the interior.
"Jared!" Twilight rushed to him, putting an arm over him. He scrambled through the doors and put his hands on the hood. He felt the chrome O and D, looking at the pickup.
"It's real, it's really real... Discord was right.. He didn't lie.."
Twilight froze as he slowly got back to his feet.
"What did you just say? You've been talking to Discord?!" Twilight looked violently angry.
"I need to talk to the princess, right now." Jared stated.
"I can't send messages out of the Everfree Forest, my magical messages can't escape the canopy." She stated. He gave her a 'what the fuck' look. He opened the gas cap on the cab. Pulling the maglight from his leg he looked to see it was 3/4 full of lacquered gasoline.
"Twilight.. If all that he said is true... Hundreds of humans have been here. We've got to talk to the princesses." Jared spoke softly. "Every man on my father's side has gone missing for some reason or another. We thought it was just coincidence. I think it's something bigger... I think we're fuckin' cursed."
Author's Note
Sorry for the delay
Be Unbroken (Mild re-work)
Author's Note
I’m sorry for the poor quality lately, I’ve just been so stuck on this story.
Be Unbroken (Mild re-work)
Celestia nervously watched the human take a seat on the couch, the draconequus slowly stepped up behind him, arms crossed, a scowl on his face. Together, the two had a brooding delinquency about them. Luna looked crestfallen.
“Did you just not know, or did you think I was better off not knowing?” Jared asked. Celestia looked shocked, as if she’d been slapped in the face.
“What are you talking about?”
“The others. The dead ones. My father disappeared when I was three, they never found him. His truck is now parked on Twilight’s lawn. There’s been others.” Jared tried to keep his cool as he spoke, his face’s expression showed anger and frustration that betrayed his tone of voice.
Celestia looked as though staring right through him. Discord looked at the floor, almost ashamed. He nudged Jared, whispering in his ear.
“She’s remembering, forgive her, she’s 10,163 years old this year and... I may have helped her forget.”
“I-I’m so sorry...” She almost choked. She looked to Jared and her eyes welled. “I.. I’d completely forgotten.. I..”
“Didn’t want to remember.” Jared filled in her sentence. “The strange creatures that kept dying on your lands...”
He sighed, tilting his head back and cover his face with his hands. “I wanna be mad. I want to be angry and just yell at you guys and storm out dramatically with some emotional music playing as the rain comes down or some shit... I want to give a speech while music plays in my head."
"But it's pointless to." He brought his hands down, setting them on his thighs. He smiled broadly, but sadly.
The princesses slowly looked to Jared.
“Sister..?” Luna looked befuddled. She’d never heard of such incidents, she’d been imprisoned on the moon, after all.
“You’d have every right to...” She sniffled.
“Nah... I wouldn’t... I can’t do that anymore, such an insignificant thing to you would understandably be forgotten to the annals of history... Why be angry. It’s gone and over.” Jared slowly uncrossed his legs and scooted to the edge of his seat, leaning forward, setting his elbows his knees. “But now we have a starting place.”
“Wha-what are you saying?” The deity slowly wiped her cheek, cocking her head gently.
“Man I haven't been as excited as I am today in years. I’m saying... There were others... Every single man on my dad’s side of the family has gone missing or been killed awfully young... Missing in action... Dead on the side of the highway.. Nothing but an arm left in a cotton field...” Jared’s gaze didn’t falter from the princess, and he began to smile again, bigger. “We’ve got the fact that at least myself and my father have ended up here, we’ve got some symbol I saw on the mountains before the wreck, we know it’s been happening for hundreds of years, and we have this guy.”
Jared slowly pointed to Discord.
“You want ME to help YOU?” Discord looked almost shocked, before giving a smirk. “What’s in it for me?”
“A lesson in friendship or something I’m sure.” Jared sarcastically waved his hand. The room froze. Jared could feel his face flush, but didn’t give it any notice. He wanted to power through like he knew what he said, and meant it differently than how he'd obviously meant it.
“...What did you just say..?” Celestia asked. Without missing a beat, he thought of a brilliant counter.
“Cmon, from what I’ve seen, your people are all about friendship.” Jared explained.
“Smooth.”
“Will you help me or not?”
“...Yeah, fine, I guess.”
“We’ve got a team, we’ve got places to start, how hard could it be?”
————————
The green Ford sat on the grass, ponies slowly gathered around the beast. Water dripped from it’s back, it made soft, quick ‘tickticktick’ing noises as if hot metal was contracting.
“What do you think that sound is..?” One pony asked.
“Maybe it’s trying to communicate!” Another replied.
“Quick, go get Featherweight, he can transcribe the code!” A filly yelled.
————————
Celestia sniffled gently, nodding quickly at Jared. “With this new information, we’ll be sure to get progress... Given you’re the only living human on Equis.. May we have your permission to exhume the gardens, try to make parallels with DNA if nothing else?”
“Sure!” The words caught in Jared’s mouth. He never got to bury his father, now he was giving his blessing to dig him up? “S-sure..”
The draconequus slowly reached his paw across Jared’s shoulder, comfortingly, the somber expression was back. Like a father consoling his son, Discord’s face read nothing more than ‘I know how you feel, it’ll pass.’
“We will begin work immediately... I am so sorry, Jared.” Celestia spoke gently, rising from the floor. The princesses made their way to the door, quietly. “You have my condolences.”
The heavy door shut quickly.
“Thanks...” Jared said to the empty room, he turned on his heel. “Discord?”
No reply, silence was his only answer.
He stood alone in the room. The conversation was over so fast. They were gone like it was nothing.
He slowly stepped across the oak floor, gripping the brass doorknob. He twisted it, pulling open the door. A crowd was surrounding the Ford, and his pace towards it picked up.
“Alright, what's the big deal, nothing to see.” Jared called, waving his arms. Then he spotted it. The broken glass, the hole. His right headlight was decimated. “Aw, what the fuck, guys?”
The crowd scampered away, dispersing at his displeasure. Jared knelt, picking up the glass shards. He walked around the driver’s side, and opened the door. He hopped in and dumped the glass into the ashtray. As he turned to look at his gages, there was a cassette tape and a note, taped to the dash.
“The hell?”
“Figured you could use this! -D” Jared read the note aloud, then sighed as he turned the key and pushed the clutch in, noticing the word scribbled on the tape. ‘Wallflowers’. “I fucking hate you.”
The engine roared to life, and he pushed the cassette into the tape deck on the dash. Turning the volume up and pressing the play button, he shifted into gear and idled down the street, a familiar drum and bassline filled the cab. When the organ sounded, he knew the song.
Jared sighed, and gave a stupid smile. He waited for the chorus, before loudly and incoherently singing along.
“COME ON TRY A LITTLE”
He stepped down hard on the gas pedal, clearing the city limits.
“NOTHING IS FOREVER”
He grabbed fourth gear, the Windsor motor screamed, the sound of dual Cherry-Bomb glasspacks filled the air.
“THERE’S GOT TO BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN IN THE MIDDLE”
He rested his right hand on the bench seat beside him, longingly.
“BUT ME AND CINDERELLA”
His right hand returned to the steering wheel, as he dodged potholes and ruts in the path.
“WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER” Jared slammed his fist on the dash twice, in tune with the beat. He crested the hill overlooking his shop, a large cloud of dust following his wake.
“WE CAN DRIVE IT HOME”
Jared whipped the wheel aside, slamming on the brakes, shoving the clutch pedal in unison. The truck slid across the grass to a stop, the radio and CB Radio antennas whipping back and forth with the force.
“WITH ONE HEAD-light.” He let the words quietly die off on his tongue, the music blared and he leaned back in the bench seat, listening to the melody that he didn’t know he needed.
He shut off the pickup, and turned the key to accessory, the music loud enough to hear from a good distance away, he shut his eyes.
Jared tinkered boredly with the prop governor from the massive radial engine of the Beaver. He leaned against a wooden work bench, turning it end over end, playing with the linkage. Music cooed over the stereo, the end of a Dean Martin song, something about getting kicked in the head.
“Jared, how does this-“ Rainbow Dash began, her head stuck under the dash of the beaver. He heard a muffled thunk as the shock mounted panel suddenly slammed down into the bottom of the dash. “Nevermind... I got it.”
He shook his head and chuckled as the pegasus slipped out of the fuselage, carrying the gyroscope and the DG. She gently sat the instruments on the bench beside him. He looked at the instruments, The gyro was centered, the DG shattered.
“Well both of those look fucked.”
“You can tell just by looking at them?” Rainbow cocked her head at him in confusion.
“This one doesn’t sit in the middle when it’s not wound, this one shouldn’t be shattered.”
“Ohhh...” Rainbow called in acknowledgement.
“God, Change it.” Jared sighed heavily as the song changed to I’m On Fire, Bruce Springsteen.
Rainbow dashed over to the makeshift stereo, tapping the skip button on the iPhone’s display aggressively. The song changed to a modern country beat, a heavy drum sound with piano cutting in between a soft guitar.
“Skip.”
“Why do you keep songs in here if you dont like them?” She asked, a confused look on her face.
Jared hung his head. “I love Springsteen’s music. This song about Springsteen. I love the Wallflowers, I love Def Leppard. They’ve just been ruined is all.” He slowly sat the prop governor down, raising his face to glance at the confused pegasus.
“Ruined?”
“Sometimes you have awesome times with someone close to you, and you associate music with that time... And sometimes you lose those people. And every time you hear that song it’s like going through that loss all over again... But you can’t bear to let go.” Jared explained slowly, shaking his head. He didn’t want to be like this, emotional, useless, dramatic. The heartache that devoured his being was uncontrollable, inconsolable though he tried.
“Oh.” Rainbow sat on the polished concrete floor, looking at the ground. Her gaze traveled up to meet his face. “So what did you have pinned to this song?”
Jared chuckled at first. “Well... It was the fall of 20’, my Summer of 1969 as it were...”
The red and grey bullnose Ford whipped past the roundabouts of the Bogard extension, easily exceeding the 35 Mile Per Hour school zone of Colony. He ripped through the circular path as fast as he could without squealing the tires. It was the beginning of October, in the early evening. The sun rested with a golden light over the Valley as Jared grabbed fourth gear. Windows down, the chilly wind whipping in the cab, his passenger laughed as her brown hair whipped in the wind. The force of the turns pushed them into the bench seat and door panels. Jared grinned stupidly as she laughed. Hannah had left him a year ago, his long distance relationship had crashed and burned, and this girl gripping the frame of the wing window with one hand, the back of the seat with the other, had been his world for quite some time. Bruce Springsteen blared over his stereo, Dancing in the Dark. He sang along, very loudly, very exaggerated for the sake of entertaining his friend.
After bopping along Bogard all the way to Wasilla High school, he haphazardly whipped the wheel of the pickup, careening into the parking lot. The straight piped exhaust gave a subtle roar as he pulled into a spot. The parking lot was packed, this was the biggest event of the season. The annual Palmer High V Wasilla High match. The Potato Bowl. Jared shut off the truck and pulled his door handle.
“Hey Jared?” His passenger asked.
“Yeah?” He looked over with his stupid face to meet her stunning green eyes.
“Nick told me...” She said nervously, looking out the window.
“Told you... What exactly?” Jared pulled his door closed, befuddled as to why they were playing the pronoun game. The door shut with a solid ‘thunk’ and she paused, screwing her eyes shut.
“He told me what you said, how you feel.”
“Hey. Forget it.” Jared smiled. “I know you don’t feel like that, you don’t need me to be that to you anyway. I get it. Don’t sweat it. I don’t give you special treatment because of it, I’m not gonna stop caring. We’re friends, thats what matters.”
“Jeez man, how many girlfriends have you had?” Rainbow cocked an eyebrow
“6.” Jared replied without missing a beat. “Some were the right people at the wrong time... Others just.. The wrong people at the wrong time. I try my best to be competent and caring. Sometimes it’s too much, sometimes it’s not enough.”
“Which was Hannah?”
“3. The first were just... Me being lost and stupid. The 4th was genuine, but so far away, she couldn’t take it anymore... 5th is this story, 6th is the cheater.”
“So why’d you paint Hannah on your plane and not this girl? Clearly you loved this girl a lot, if you knew her for so long but never said anything, just trying to keep her happy instead...”
“I’d had that spare cowling painting of her long before I had the Beaver. Originally it was just garage art. The Beaver is named Hannah now. She never really connected with me, we didn’t last long, but I cared about her a lot. Some of the hardest times... She was there for me even if she didn’t really show much more emotion beyond talking about our problems...”
“So what happened next?”
She slowly looked back to meet his genuine smile, then down at the red carpeted floorboards.
“Cmon, Clay’s had a hell of a time keeping seats for us.” He nodded towards the football field.
She smiled, pulling her door handle. The two hopped from the cab and shut the doors, walking towards the stadium. The made their way to the far side, the Palmer stands. Quickly finding the leather-clad stud that was Jared’s bestie, the pair quickly made their way down the stands to Clay and his fiancé.
“Sorry we’re late, traffic was hell.” Jared called.
“Oh whatever man, there is no traffic on Bogard tonight.” Clay laughed and slugged his friend in the arm. They hugged briefly, before sitting back down.
The game raged on for hours, by the time it ended, the final score was 21-18, Palmer as the winner, closer scores than it had been previous years.
As the game ended, the stadium lights were dimmed. The field was opened. Hundreds of people left for the evening, while several dozen more filtered onto the field to congratulate players. As the lights went out completely, fireworks lit up the sky. Jared’s companion nearly jumped with the unexpected, resonating boom. Jared slowly walked to where Clay and his soon to be wife sat in the grass, he held her tight, watching the spectacle. Jared sat behind them, about 6 feet away. His friend sat beside him, she watched the firework’s captivating glow. Brilliant oranges and blues, reds and greens lit up the evening sky.
“Yknow... I never did get to finish what I was saying about what you had felt...” She called to him over the cacophony of reverberations.
“Oh, sorry..!” Jared called, feeling like a moron for having interrupted and never let her finish.
“Well it’s just... We’ve had our differences sometimes, but always managed to stick through it. You mean a lot to me.” She smiled kindly at him.
“Oh... Well.. Thank you.” He smiled softly.
“No... I mean.. Jared I know how you feel, and I know you don’t want to jeopardize our friendship...” She struggled with words, it was like Freshman year all over again, though they were both out of school as of that spring. “What I’m trying to say is..”
She leaned in, quickly kissing him. The gesture only lasted a few seconds, but to Jared it felt like a life time. Illuminated by the light of the fireworks, time stopped as she made her move. His heart fluttered as she pulled back away, looking to the stands and moving a strand of hair from her face.
Jared slowly leaned back on his hands in the grass. After a moment to think, when his companion looked like she was about to sink into the earth, he put his arm around her, his calloused hands laying gently on her bicep. She softly leaned into him, the two watching the explosions of color in the night sky. Music was playing over the PA, Eric Church’s song aptly titled Springsteen. The piano riffs cut deep into Jared’s heart.
“So... Does this mean you want to go out?” He asked, looking down to meet her gaze. She wordlessly nodded. He looked back at the fireworks, his stupid signature smile plastered on his face. “Neat...”
After the fireworks stopped, the stadium lights stayed out, people filed out of the field. The two couples sat, watching the stars for a moment. Clay got up, holding a hand to Jared. Jared pulled himself up before holding his hand to his companion.
“Mcdonalds?” Clay asked, abstractly.
“I should probably be getting home...” The light brown haired girl spoke up, voicing her concern.
Jared checked his phone, it was getting late. He reached to hug Clay “Next time.”
“Alright, you two drive safe.”
“Me? Dangerous?” Jared held a hand over his chest in mock horror, before grinning and dropping the hand, walking backwards towards the gate. “You must have me confused with someone else.”
Clay and his fiancé called goodbye one last time, Jared faded into the crowd, holding the hand of his companion. They made their way to the old beat up Ford, he opened the door for her. The truck wasn’t lifted, but stock trucks from 1984 didn’t need to be. The XLT package on 16 inch rims was much taller than the short girl. Jared climbed into the cab briefly before seeing she hadn't gotten in.
“How do you make it look so easy?” She asked with a laugh, defeated. He slid out of the cab and walked around to her side.
“Take your hand that’s on the outboard side.” He gently took her right hand, placing it on the A Pillar of the doorframe.
“Then step up with your inboard foot, pulling in with that hand. You can put your other hand on the back of the seat too, but if you do it quickly you shouldn’t need to.” Jared smiled gently, holding his hands out on either side, to keep her from falling back. She made a swift hop, and pulled herself in.
“Good job.” He grinned, shutting the door gently and climbing back behind the wheel.
“So you guys got together?” Dash asked. “You seemed so happy, what happened..?”
“She uh...” Jared sniffled lightly, wiping his right eye. “She was going rafting with some friends... I told em’ not to go, but when they refused to stop I decided to go with them, thought maybe I could help if something went wrong... Things were going well, the water was pretty calm, if not fast. She unclipped her life preserver to put her jacket on... I mean, it was only 15 seconds at the most... There was some kind of huge drop in the water, it was swift moving glacial drainage to begin with but... Threw her off balance. Someone got thrown too far to the side or something... The raft flipped. I bobbed back up as everyone was swimming to shore... I was tangled in the line that ran from the Quarter Breast to the Forward Breast.. It caught me by my ankle, kept sucking me under.”
Jared took a heavy breath as his eyes began dripping gently.
“And uh... And I saw her. She wasn’t far... She was struggling, hard... I reached for her... Screamed for her but I don’t think she even heard me... She went under and... And the raft hit some boulders, whipped me right into them... When I woke up, I was all kinds of fucked. Tangled in a logjam six miles downstream from where we flipped. Hypothermia, broken fibula, pneumonia... I managed to find my knife on my belt and cut the damned line now that I wasn’t focusing on keeping my head up... Pulled myself up on the logjam and I saw... Something bobbing in the water on the far side of it... See... The vest is designed to help keep you face up... Well I found her face down...”
His voice actively broke, deep sucking breaths as the tears filled his eyes were the only way to breath.
“Jared...”
“We should have never gone... I should’ve put my foot down, it was April dammit.. It was so cold, it was a bad idea from the start... And now she’s gone, all because I wouldn’t stand up for the smart thing...”
Rainbow Dash was silent. She had no idea what to say to this.
“Anyway...” He sniffed, smearing his hand across his face, wiping the tears. “Sometimes music hurts, even if you don’t want to get rid of it... I didnt think I’d ever move on, when I got lonely ai thought I fell in love but clearly the feeling wasn’t mutual... I’m not gonna look for someone else if I ever get home...”
“But why not..?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head, her ears flat. “Don’t you have a right to be happy..?”
“I had the best... And she’s gone.” Jared remarked. “I’m not going to try and settle for second best. I tried, thought I found it, and it was a mistake...”
“One I do not intend to make twice.”
Author's Note
Filler chapter, its not so good, I’ve been very busy, just trying to keep it alive. Sorry guys.
Darlin’, Darlin’, Darlin’
Author's Note
Hey all, sorry I have been super duper busy lately. Formatting is still broken for me so it still looks like a brick for some reason. I've been re-doing these as best as I can, trying to make it less... Garbage as I like the potential of this story.
Darlin’, Darlin’, Darlin’
Rainbow looked at the floor. She didn’t quite know how to respond.
“That’s just... Depressing...”
“Heh, yeah.” Jared shook his head, turning to the bench.
He slapped his closed fists on the top of it twice before turning back to the pony. “That’s me. I say stupid shit all the time, sometimes it’s funny. Sometimes it’s just how I feel. It’s like an angsty teenager because I want help, but at the same time I don’t want anyone to know so it just ends up.. Confusing and making people uncomfortable and whatnot. I always wanted the storybook romance. I like a girl who likes me, taking her home from the big game, she kisses me on the front porch.. High school sweethearts that grow old together...”
“But I guess in the real world, the guy doesn’t always get the girl.”
Rainbow nodded slowly. “Yeah.. I get that.. When you lose a good friend or you love somepony and it hurts... But you’ve got people there for you and don’t want to bring them down. You just kinda.. Move on when you’re around them, only for it to all come back when you’re alone... Cuz if you stop moving.. It gets to you.”
“All you want to do is move, keep yourself from having too much time to think.” Jared nodded, slowly putting some of his tools away. “Fastest in Equestria, huh?”
“Heh...” Dash looked to the floor.
“Why don’t you head on home?” Jared offered. “You’ve been here a while, I dont need more help today. This is pointless anyway.”
“Then why are you doing it?” Dash paused, raising an eyebrow.
“Just to keep moving.” He smiled gently, painfully in her direction. “I’m sorry we had such a rough start, you’re alright kid...”
Dash looked away, embarrassed.
“You’re pretty on the level yourself. See you later.” She walked toward the open hangar door, pausing to look back at him. He was walking slowly towards his workbench and his ghetto stereo system.
“Jared?”
“Yeah?” He paused, looking back to face her.
“Don’t do anything stupid, you’ll make it home someday.”
“Thanks Dash.” Jared said softly, watching the pegasus take off. A gentle guitar riff and drum beat filled the hangar. The only Houndmouth song he ever listened to.
He closed his eyes tightly, envisioning himself holding his wonderful woman. Out of all the girls he thought he loved, the only one he lost completely was the one he’d truly loved completely. There’d been others before that didn’t feel the same, didnt pan out. For years he’d deluded himself in thinking they still cared in some form. The only one who was a maybe was Hannah, but she didnt even know he existed anymore. And the one he’d lost to the rapids...
She was the one who haunted him.
He could feel her soft hands in his, slowly swaying to the music. He slowly made the motion to spin her out, reeling her back in tightly against himself, in a large hug.
“Why don’t you sleep at night...?” He sung the lyric, emotion clear on his face. He could hear her soft, quiet voice singing along to the song. Feel her leaning against his chest as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.
Jared slowly opened his eyes to find himself alone in the hangar. The broken shell of an airplane beside him. The broken shell of a man within him. He took a long, deep breath. The song seemed to stab him in his heart, the tears slowly rolled down his cheeks.
His footsteps hesitently crossed the floor, sitting in the doorframe of the Beaver. He pulled out his wallet. He had one of those old-man photo organizers in it, the same he’d previously shown the princess. He slid Hannah’s picture out of the first compartment, showing the picture of his lost one beneath. It’s always been top, but he’d always tried to forget. He couldn’t do that anymore. If he was going to survive here, he needed to remember. Everything that made him, him. All the mistakes, and the successes. He moved Hannah to the empty slot below.
Jared flipped the whole organizer out of his wallet, looking over the smiling faces.
His father boarding a C130 for Vietnam at Love Field in his Class A uniform, 1969. His mother’s high school family photo.
Of them holding his baby sister.
Of them holding him as an infant.
Them at his graduation.
His friends and himself posed on their various shitbox classic cars.
His friends in high school band.
Half a dozen of him and her, canoeing, camping, problem solving, and living life.
He looked at Clay’s face, as he was splayed across the hood of his tri-Chevy on the left, Jared sitting on the bumper of the 1965 Chevy Caprice sport sedan next to him, sandwiched in the middle. Their mutual friend Josh on the far right, leaning against his 1963 Chevy C10. Tears slowly rolled down Jared’s cheeks, landing on the aluminum floorpan beside him. He slowly lowered his head, holding it to his knees, holding his head to his knees.
—————————
Some time before, as Jared and Twilight stumbled through the everfree, looking for the shed, there was a buzzing in the hive, a halfing changeling advisor addressing his queen.
“My queen, the human is useless if he is constantly in a state of depression. The one he loved is dead, he may never make it worth our while to follow him without her. If we are lucky his love would be that of a normal pony. We need him loving at a higher capacity to make our feast worth the effort to bring him...” The advisor quietly spoke in a hushed whisper. Half changeling, half pony, the mutant had been the product of unpleasant activities by the queen. While loosely attatched to the hive, he was not a droid, only what information he wished would be dispatched to the whole hive. He was sent on recon for the human, in the event he was captured, his interrigators could not connect to the hive through him.
“We have been working on grabbing humans from his bloodline for 60 years, the unfortunate fools had been going missing long before us, how do you propose we narrow the timestream enough to bring her back?” The queen hissed, angrily. Her chitin hooves echoed on the floors. The low ceiling of the hive’s main chamber served to dampen and simultaneously echo the sounds of the room, even the Queen’s frutration.
Especially the Queen’s frustration.
“Perhaps you could barter with the griffon medicine man once more... Surely he would know how to transfer someone from a specific point, rather than at random...” The advisor suggested, gesturing with a navy blue hoof, spiderwebbed with black chitin.
“Perhaps... I’ll go to him myself.” Chrysalis turned from the advisor in a huff. She quickly exited the main chamber, winding through several small tunnels as her drones rushed about, constructing and repairing the hive. It had been damaged during the monsoons several weeks before, they were still tirelessly working at repairs. Recent weather had not helped.
The Queen found herself in daylight shortly, since her banishment from Canterlot, many of her children had been killed, her hive destroyed, this newer hive was much smaller, easier to navigate. Yet far less productive...
She took to the sky, quickly zipping above the treetops. A few minutes away lived an old Griffon, a medicine man. Shaman. He was the reason that they’d acquired Jared in the first place. His tutelage several years ago allowed them to create the portal, when the hive finally gained enough energy, they’d summoned the human.
She slowly walked up the flagstones to his door and rapped roughly with a glossy black hoof.
“Nyeah hold your ponies, I’m coming.” Came the squawk, coupled with the sound of scratching nails. The thick wooden door swung open, revealing a homely interior, and a senior, mean looking griffon. “Chrissy.”
The queen shook off the frustration she held, about to retort.
“Come in.” Shaman lead her into his living room, round in shape with dark wood across the floor and lower walls, a flower wallpaper covering the top halves. “Now, you only come to me when you need something, never to visit or take care of my old bones... What is it.”
“The human.”
“It worked? You got a live one?!” The griffon opened one eye wide at her, to see how serious she was. He cheered breifly. “So what’s the problem?”
“He’s deeply hurt and depressed, anxious. He hides much of it well enough when others are present, but recently he's begun his explaination. I want to bring someone important to him here. Unfortunately... She’s been dead a long time.” The queen hissed the end of each word maliciously.
The griffon stood silently, pondering for a moment. He dashed out of the room, returning with armfulls of scrolls. He dropped them on the floor, spreading each one open to look at momentarily. He found two and splayed them across the floor. He grabbed for an empty slip of parchment, snatching a quill from an ink jar off a table in the front room. He scrawled hastily, glancing between the two documents as he wrote. Queen Chrysalis stood somewhat awkwardly until he finished.
“There! Now... To have any shred of accuracy you’ll have to wait until somepony casts a high amplitude spell. Somepony powerful. Using it in the same manner you used the other human, it should work well. Since we are tampering with the past, this will create a duplicate of the human, allowing the duplicate to die, and the original to live, in our own world. Much like you did with the first human, barring the fact you failed to duplicate him.”
“Brilliant.” The queen reached for the paper.
“Not so fast.” The griffon grinned evilly. “One condition.”
“What might that be?” The queen was infuriated, red in the face at the cretinous griffon.
“You would get far more to feed off him posing as the human yourself. I want to keep her as a servant while you play your little charade.” He chuckled darkly.
The queen thought for a moment, the normal color returning to her cheeks as the frustration subsided.
“I see no problem with this. One of the princesses or their twaddling protégés should attempt to cast something soon enough, and you will have the girl.. Only until we can find some way to feed from her as well.”
“Fine. But I need some kind of help around here, I’m not getting any younger.” The griffon handed over the paper. The Queen grinned madly as she looked over the spell on the parchment.
“This should do just fine..”
She could feel a disturbance in the magic of the land, a strong, powerful draw.
Twilight was fixing his stupid truck, and letting Chrysalis have the power she needed.
Why Dont You Sleep At Night?
Hannah sat quietly inside the Mug Shot Saloon. She was buried inside of the tent that was Jared’s old jacket. Sitting at a table alone, she sipped her drink. She’d had one too many about four glasses ago, but she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t forget that man. He’d always felt so passionately, cared so deep, and she’d only ever acknowledged it as clingy. She thought about how it was clear she'd hurt him.
As time wore on, as she watched others hurt him, she found him becoming more and more damaged. More unstable. He held himself together even when life got stressful, but he was hanging on by a thread. Her insides turned around themselves in anxiety as she thought about what she’d done to him. She'd only made his state worse. She knew in the year after his one relationship had ended tragically, he’d suggested going out several times.
She’d always claimed to be busy, instead of just telling him she didn't want to.
The bar was dim, it was evening now. She didn’t necessarily wish she had him back...
But she at least wanted to hold him one last time, that she could treat him better. That maybe, just maybe she could help him move past his hurt, to let go. That she could be a good friend.
Aw hell, of course she wanted him back. She’d never once hinted at it, so she knew he’d moved on. He was even engaged before he died.
Surely he didn’t care about her anymore, after all she’d done to show his existence little meaning...
She took another drink as she knew she’d never get the chance to ask. Sometimes you don't get second chances. Sometimes it hurts, but you're exactly where you need to be.
A rather attractive man sauntered towards the table, sitting down across from her. He was dressed up in a sharp red plaid and light blue jeans. He was dressed a lot like Jared used to, except this man had longer hair.. Blonde hair..
“This seat taken?” He asked.
“Take it, I was just leaving.” She stood, stumbling out towards the front door.
She wanted to tell him... She wanted someone to know.. She stepped out the door.
————————
"Mr. Johannisson.." The Psychiatrist addressed Clay. Clay had brought Jared in, it was July of 2021. Miranda had been killed that spring. Jared had lost a lot of weight. He wasn't doing good mentally, or physically since then. "I appreciate you bringing him in to speak with me.."
"He won't do medication.." Clay said. "He was always a little strange, I guess he's really ADD or something but.. This is just.. Different.. He's constantly depressed.. He can't move on.. I don't know how to help."
"He's heartbroken... He needs time, I'm confident if he keeps coming in we can work through things.." The psychiatrist spoke. "But about him being in future relationships, or high stress situations.. Moving to new places.. These things could push him over the edge, make him act irrationally. He may feel in control and be absolutely spiraling."
"I'll do my best to keep an eye on him." Clay replied.
Twilight awoke from her rest, having heard a strange noise. She slowly sat up, listening in the dark. After a few moments, she laid her head down again. Her eyes had just closed when the noise sounded again. A knock on the oak front door. She slowly rolled out of bed and clicked on the light beside her bed. Looking at her wind-up alarm clock, it was 3 in the morning. Twilight slowly made her way downstairs as the firm, yet calm knock sounded for a third time. She cracked open the door, staring into the faces of two royal guards.
"Hello..?" Twilight asked.
"Ma'am. Urgent news from the princess. Another human has been found off the coast of Vanhoover. Nearly frozen to death, washed up in one of the log jams of the Northumbria Log Driving camp. Our sources say the human is stable and will be moved to Canterlot by train, scheduled to arrive in a few hours. Princess Luna has requested that the elements as well as the human known as "Wright" be brought to the palace.
She rubbed her eyes with her forelegs, suddenly wide awake.
"Will she send to collect us, do we take the train?" She asked, in a worrisome tone.
"The princesses have reserved seats aboard the royal coach, it will be coupled to the Ponyville express and be waiting for you at 9:30." The second guard replied.
"Thank you." Twilight spoke softly. They bowed and turned to leave. She slowly closed the door, then abruptly sprinted to her bedroom. "Spike, wake up!"
His snores continued. She zipped to his side, shaking the wooden bed he slept in. He jolted awake.
"Twilight..? It's.. 3:12, what is it?" He groaned, looking at the clock before slamming his eyes shut again.
"We need to go to Canterlot today with Jared, they found another human. Alive." Twilight explained ecstatically as she rushed about, packing a small suitcase with writing equipment and an empty journal.
"When do we leave." He groaned, rolling over.
"We need to be at the station at 9:30." She replied. He let out a noise of defeat as he put his pillow over his head.
"Goodnight."
Jared awoke to a pounding on the door. His jumped to consciousness, startled. It was still dark outside. He slowly got to his feet and fumbled in the darkness for his 1911. He held the .45 in his left hand as he walked to the door. He unlocked it and pressed the barrel of the handgun to the door, opening it with his right hand. A pony stood outside, he couldn't see who.
"Can I help you?" He asked groggily.
"Jared, I have news." It was Twilight. He flipped on the light at her voice and sighed.
"You scared the shit out of me." He threw his handgun on the desk, walking around as she let herself in.
"Sorry, they found another human, alive."
He was walking towards the bathroom, then stopped in his tracks. He whirled around to look at her, confused.
"Fucking what?"
"The princesses have a train waiting for us at 9:30." She replied. "It'll be about 12 before we get there, it takes a while for the train to climb the mountain." Twilight informed him.
"Is there a carriage path, like for stagecoaches?" He asked.
"Well.. Yes, but there aren't any stagecoaches in Ponyville, and it's dangerous.. There's many wild animals along it.."
"How long is it?"
"It's about 30 miles... Can't miss it, it follows the tracks at the base of the mountain." She replied.
"What time is it?" He rushed to get dressed, he was in his boxers. He slipped on socks, pants, then a shirt. He rushed to the bathroom to wash out his greasy hair using the hand soap.
"It's about 5:30, the sun will be coming up any moment." Twilight called from the other room. Jared rubbed his now wet hair with a towel, attempting to dry it as he rushed back into the office. He dug through his things and fished out a ball cap. Black face and brim with a white mesh back and white lettering, it read "ALASKA EST. 1959." He threw the hat on, quickly hopping as he pulled his boots on, rolling his jeans down over them. He snatched his pistol off the desk and tucked it in the back waistband of his jeans, fastening his black leather belt. He pulled on a red and black plaid flannel shirt as he grabbed his shotgun as well.
"Where are you going, we still have a few hours?" Twilight asked, dropping an ear quizzically.
"Canterlot." He replied hastily, dashing out the front door. She slowly followed him out, shutting the door and switching off the lights with her magic. Jared sprinted to his truck, still somewhat limping on his bum leg. He opened the door and threw his shotgun onto the bench seat as he climbed in. He pumped the gas twice, turned the key still in the ignition. The truck started right up with a roar, he quickly put it into gear and tore off across the grass. He was headed vaguely towards Canterlot, trying to intercept the train tracks before they hit the mountain. Eventually he spotted the giant iron scar in the earth, and followed it closely into the hills. Slowly his rate and hopping the rails, he crossed the tracks to dive onto the old carriage path.
The truck tore down the bumpy, yet clear dirt road for some time, after about half an hour of off-roading and climbing the steep grade, the path merged with the railroad tracks once more. As the golden morning sun was rising, he reached the city gates. The city was nearly empty, merely a few ponies headed to their places of work. Jared took his foot off the gas, slowing and downshifting as he cleared the gates. Guards quickly rushed to meet the truck, he stopped. Putting the truck in neutral and rolling down a window, he set the parking brake and hopped up, sitting in the windowsill.
"I was summoned, I'm going to the princesses, get out of my way cuz I'm coming through." He called. They lowered their weapons, aiming the spears at him defensively.
"Wright!" One called. "If you do not tame your beast, we will be forced to attack!"
"It is tamed, get the fuck out of the way!" Jared yelled as he slid back into the window. He popped the brake, dropped it into 2nd gear, and took off towards the guards. They parted around him like water and he shifted into 3rd, idling along at 30 miles per hour. He followed the narrow cobblestone paths to the palace's steps and stomped the brakes, screeching to a halt. He shut the truck off in gear, grabbed his shotgun, and hopped out as the truck's two antennas whipped back and forth gently. He rushed up the steps, slinging the shotgun over his shoulder. He burst through the doors to successfully startle two servants watering plants.
"Princess." He stated. One pointed a hoof down a hallway, then made a gesture as if to say "On the left."
Jared sprinted down the hallway, dodging between three or four servants on his trek. His motorcycle boots slipped and skidded on the polished marble floors as he rounded the corner. He slid, catching himself on his hands. He never lost momentum as he continued down the hall. At the end were two large oak doors, he burst through them unannounced to find a dining room with a long table. Luna was paused with a smile, mid-sentence, talking to Celestia. Two cups of coffee sat steaming on the table before them. They looked at him speechless as he panted.
"Jared! You weren't due for hours!" Luna exclaimed.
He knelt, putting his hands on his knees as he panted. The shotgun slung on his shoulder swung loose on his now bent arm, smacking him in the face. He re-adjusted it and stood full height, smiling broadly as he attempted to catch his breath.
"Where." He panted out, stepping towards them with a limp, having aggravated his leg. "Who is it? How are they?"
Guards burst in behind him, rushing to take him into custody.
"Sentry! What is the meaning of this?" Celestia asked in a booming voice. The guards hesitated. "He is our guest!"
"Princess, he brought a growling beast through Canterlot, endangering dozens!" The guard argued.
"Bitch those streets were empty." His panting eased. "And it's a machine I was in full control of."
"Vigilant Sentry, thank you for your concern. Please post a guard of his carriage to ensure nopony damages it." Luna stepped in. "Dismissed."
The guards hesitated, before turning to leave.
"It is a female, Jared. She is stable, her train arrived about 40 minutes ago. She's expecting visitors far later in the day, please, eat something?"
He looked across the packed table, various breakfast dishes were laid out, as well as unclaimed china.
"Thank you, thank you very much." He smiled as he took a plate, piling what appeared to be grits, toast, eggs, and an apple onto it. The first real meal since he'd been here, he devoured it in an instant. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he set the silverware and folded napkin on the plate. "What do I do with these?"
"The servants will take care of them." Celestia spoke gently. "Jared, I must warn you.."
"What's that?" He paused, raising an eyebrow.
"She asked about you.."
"Okay?"
"Before we told her you were here."
Author's Note
First chapter in a long time, it's not great, but now that I've re-written myself out of the hole I was in I think we can make some progress!
Ain’t that a kick in the head?
Jared paused, racking his brain as to who it could be, he froze as he thought.
"Hannah? Chloe? Jenn?" Jared's eyes beamed in excitement. Luna shook her head. "I'm gonna keep guessing, tell me when I hit it, alright?"
"Alright." The princess smiled in slight amusement.
"Okay, Heather, Brenda, Julie, Kayli, Savannah, Millie, Gertrude, Meghan, Allie, Alex, Cheyenne, Makayla, Sydney, Luanne, Libby, Charlie, Loraine, Kendra, Darlene, fuckin' Becky?" He asked in one breath, one hand out, tilting his head slightly in anticipation of hitting the right name.
"Nope." Luna smiled gently, slowly walking towards the doorway. "Follow me."
Jared looked to Celestia, who nodded at him as if a mother telling her child they may do something. "And she's okay, right?"
"Absolutely, just cold from the waters, possibility of pneumonia from aspirating." Celestia answered. Jared followed Luna through the doorway. She lead him down marble floored hallways, red velvet carpets covering the stones.
"She's very excited to see you, but isn't expecting you so soon." Luna replied, slowing to a stop outside the door. "She is resting inside... Be mindful she did nearly drown, she will need to rest and save her strength."
Jared nodded respectfully. He slowly reached for the doorknob, then looked to Luna for approval. She nodded. He removed his hand and rapped on the door gently, several times. He then gripped the doorknob, slowly opening it. The heavy oak door opened with ease, gently swaying open on its hinges.
Her form was facing opposite him, laying in the dim morning light.
His boots sounded on each footfall, heel-toe, heel-toe across the floor. He approached quizzically, trying to make out the silhouette, yet not startle her.
She slowly rolled over and his breath caught in his chest. His knees wobbled and gave out under him, he fell on his ass to the floor, halfway catching himself on the tile as the shotgun clattered to the tile. She sat upright at the noise of metal on stone.
He tried to stand again, but couldn't stand. It was like he was staring at a ghost, his legs crumbled again, falling to his hands. He whimpered, his breaths shaky and sudden, he inhaled sharply, slowly raising his arms towards her as she got to her feet. He was crying.
"Jared..?" Her voice, though her throat was rough and irritated, sounded like honey on his ears.
"Oho-my-god." He sobbed, trying to make his legs work, to stand and walk to her like the strong man she'd known.
He sat in the middle of the floor on his knees, crying like a child. She threw off the down covers and rushed over to him, taking him in her arms and shushing gently.
"It's alright.. It's okay.. I'm here.." She called. He choked out another breath as his shaking hands wrapped her in an embrace, holding her tightly.
"Y-years.." He sobbed into her shoulder, his fingertips curling into her back, her oversized overshirt bunching in his hands. "You have been dead.. For years.. I buried you.. I watched you drown... I couldn't do anything... I was tangled.."
"Hey.. Hey.. Baby... I'm here, I'm alive.. It's not your fault.." She replied, her arms wrapped around his head, holding him into her chest. His sobbing didn't subside as he held her in his arms. He never though that he'd see her again. The love of his life, here, in front of him. Her messy hair, bags under her eyes... She'd never looked more beautiful. He quickly broke the hug when he stood, walking backwards. He breathed, in the nose, out the mouth as he made a small circle of the room. He shook his hands, overwhelmed as he walked. He wiped his eyes and then rushed back, picking her up and spinning around in a circle. He held her tight as she squealed for a moment.
"Jared, take it easy!" She laughed. He held her tight, then loosened his grip to look at her face.
"God if you're not real I'm going to break shit.."
"I'm here... The raft flipped, I was drowning.. I got caught in a logjam and was able to pull myself out of the water.. My lifejacket was too loose, it kept riding up in the back, trying to flip me over.. I was lucky to get it on at all I guess, considering it was off when I hit the water."
"I have missed you so much..." He slowly let go. "Oh god have I missed you.. Nothing's been the same since you've been gone.."
"I can see that." She chuckled.
"What? Oh, well yeah obviously." He laughed with a choking breath and gestured around them. "I just mean.. I haven't really been happy.. Not for any real amount of time.. Just moments.."
He pulled back, holding her shoulders with gentle hands. He gave the same choking laugh and let go, running his hands through his hair, his hat falling to the ground.
A knock came at the door. Jared turned to look at it as Miranda slowly stood. She walked to open the door, Jared snatched up his hat and shotgun, composing himself. He put the hat on and re-hung his shotgun on his shoulder.
Miranda opened the oak door, holding the brass ring door pull in her gentle hands. It was a royal guard with peircing eyes, almost predatory.
“Sir, the princess requests your accompaniment in the main chamber.” The guard spoke. “Just you, Mr. Wright.”
“Alright.. Get some rest Miranda..” Jared walked across the tile, hugged her tightly once more, kissed her forehead, and waked out the door. The guard started down the hall.
“I love you..” Jared stopped, looking to Miranda’s gorgeous blue eyes.
“I love you too.” She giggled, giving him a knowing look. “Now get.”
He turned to see the guard disappear around a corner.
“Hey!” Jared jogged to the corner. A light green flash shone on the opposite wall. “Where’s the-“
Around the corner was a long hallway. The guard had vanished, a maid stood watering a plant.
“Oh. I’m sorry ma’am, I was looking for the guard. Could you tell me where the main chamber is?” Jared asked, chocking the disappearance up to magic.
“Down the hall, go through the second door on the left and follow the hallway to the end.” She instructed.
“Thank you.” He gave a smile, walking down the long marble hallway. Halfway down the hall, Luna exited through a doorway in front of him. “Hey Luna, you guys wanted me in the main chamber?”
“Main chamber?” She asked, confused. Jared gathered a look of confusion as he turned to look at the maid. She was gone, the water pitcher lay on its side, spilling its contents on the floor. Jared pieced together in his head, that someone obviously wanted him away from Miranda. He looked back to Luna before sprinting down the hallway.
“Jared?” Luna called after him. He stepped in the water and slipped on the wet tile, smashing his head through the pot the sprawling fern resided in.
“GahhH!” He exclaimed, slipping to a standing position. Now soaking wet, his temple beginning to bleed, he stumbled down the hallway. His injured gait turned into a sprint once more as he reached her room. Jared burst through the door, hearing a startled gasp inside.
“Miranda!”
She rolled over, she had clearly just gotten in bed again.
“Jared? What’s wrong?” She asked.
He slowly, suspiciously walked towards her. “Was anybody just here? After I left?”
“No..?” She replied in a confused, but ingenuine tone.
“Thank god.” He relaxed his tense shoulders, reaching up to his bleeding head now. He made a small circle of the room, trying to appease his suspicion as an idea struck him. He pretended to be looking the windows over. “I thought you said nobody was in here?”
“Nobody was..?”
“That window was open when I left.” He stated, still not facing her.
“I closed it, I was getting a chill.” Miranda hesitently knelt on the bed, as if she was about to step off and walk to him. Jared clenched his fist, turning slowly, intently. “Jared, what’s wrong..?”
“It’s a fixed window. It doesn’t open. Why would you lie about something like that, you never lie to me. You’re too damn smart to have just “mistakenly thought” you closed a window that can’t open in the first place.” Jared demanded, his tone growing darker.
“Jared, you’re scaring me..” She backpedaled.
“Tell me something only you would know. Tell me how we met.” Jared stated. A sudden, intense headache brought him to his knees. He let out a howl of pain as his hands flew to his temples. Miranda rushed to his side and he held out a hand.
“Stay away from me!” He growled, slowly reaching one leg in front of him, attempting to stand as a twinge built inside his right eye. A static haze formed in his vision. “Answer the question!”
As soon as it had come on, the headache stopped. A new feeling of renewed happiness came over him. Of seeing her again.
“I-I”
“Miranda..” He stated, more calmly, his breathing still heavy as he steadied himself. His vision cleared as he took a step towards her. Her eyes flashed briefly to a flourescent green. Jared reached in his belt loop for his .45, holding it limply at his side. “You’re going to tell me who you are, right now.”
She began to cry, tears falling from her face as she slowly sat on the floor and pulled her legs to her chest.
“Cut the shit, Miranda would have been confrontational if I’d pulled my gun out. She wouldn’t have sat and cried. She’s a fighter dammit..” Jared growled, trying to mask the inexplicable happiness he felt. The girl stopped crying, just like that. Her gaze still at the floor.
“It was a mistake, bringing you here. Your lack of natural magic... Everyone else in the hive could know what was going to happen. She was so thirsty. She wouldn’t listen.” She spoke, softly.
“Oh-ho-ho, that’s what this is. Disappearing guard, maid, fake room.” He raised his sidearm, stepping closer. His boots echoed on the cold tile. “Hive. Drop the disguise, I already know what you are.”
In a wave of green, his love disappeared and a large changeling replaced her. The fake happiness feeling disintigrated with the disguise, and he was filled with blinding rage. Firing from the hip, Jared placed a round through the left foreleg of the changeling. A spray of green blood painted the wall as the creature screamed in pain. Jared’s ears were ringing, his hearing felt like they were stuffed with cotton. The changeling’s already hole-pocked leg now dangled by nothing but soft tissue. The lateral Palmar nerve and a string of damaged muscle were all that attached the creatures limb to its body. It lay quietly moaning and wimpering, attempting to move its leg. To stand.
He slowly advanced, grabbing the changeling by the throat and pinning it to the wall. He held his pistol to the creature’s skull and got nose to nose with it.
“You’re going to tell me where the fuck she is. And you’re going to tell me right fucking now.” His breath fogged the cold chitin of the Changeling’s face as he tightened his grip.
The door swung open behind him, it was Luna, completely aghast. “Jared! Put it down!”
Jared looked at her, then thought for a moment. “Yeah. I’ll put it down.”
He choke slammed the creature to the hard masonry. A tile shattered with the force, Luna gasped.
“Jared! Be reasonable!” She stepped forward.
He knelt before the creature as it lay gasping for air, slowly attempting to crawl away.
“Is that what this is about? You’re trying to use me?” He asked the creature in a cooing, patronizing voice. “I bet you’re the reason I’m here. I bet you’re the reason they all died here.”
Jared stood and placed his boot on the changeling’s head. “Last chance.”
“You’ll never find her, she’s with Shaman now...” It spoke in a low, choking voice. Luna approached slowly, silently. “Mercy...”
“Excuse me?” Jared asked.
“We have seen that you showed mercy to even those who hurt you worst, you held your fist... Have mercy...”
“Your people have taken everything from me. You were direct accessory to it.” He growled as he stepped off and held the chin of the creature up with his boot’s toe. The sight and smell of the leather drove fear into the Changeling. “Hive eh? Hive mind, they see and know what you do?”
The creature wimpered.
“Then know this.” He knelt on the floor, getting in the changelings face as its life blood drained from the damaged hoof. “I will stop at nothing to get her back. I will find her, or kill you all trying. There is nowhere you can hide long enough, nowhere you can run fast enough. I will have her back.”
Jared slowly stood, Luna walked to his side.
“And there ain’t thing one you can do about it.”
He swiftly brought the heel of his boot down upon the Changeling’s head.
Author's Note
Quick chapter! Sorry for the mistakes!
On That Mountain (Reworked)
Jared pulled his tired old Ford pickup into the floatplane slip, pulling as close to his DHC-2 Beaver as possible without sending his truck into the lake. He shut off his truck and climbed out, shutting the door with a slam. Heaving himself into the bed, he knelt and pull-started a small pony motor. The motor chugged to life, providing power to the pump for the 120 gallon gas tank crammed into the bed of his pickup. He grasped the thick fuel hose and the small ground strap and drug them out over the water to his plane, climbing aboard the left float, and unscrewing the chrome gas cap on the side of the fuselage.
He inserted the nozzle, pulled the trigger, and waited. A few minuets later, the nozzle switched off with a heavy ‘clunk’. He slowly stepped back to dry ground, careful not to push the float away from himself and end up in the lake. He put the nozzle away, shut off the small gas motor for the pump, and drove his truck out of the way, against the far embankment. He walked back to his airplane, neglecting his pre-flight, and untying the gleaming craft. Climbing into the pilots seat, he shut his door and began his mental checklist, turning on the master, the lights, the avionics, magnetos, prior to priming the engine, cracking the throttle, and turning the magneto key. The engine cranked over with a whine, one, two, three blades of the prop spun by and the motor caught, firing up.
The loping of the powerful Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior at idle carried the floatplane out of the slip. He didn’t really care where he went, he just wanted to get away from the terrible feeling sitting in his heart. When he’d maneuvered to the longest stretch of the lake, he pressed a button on his yoke.
“Wolf Lake traffic, Beaver 6-5-6 Alpha Romeo departing the lake to the northwest, exiting the pattern straight out, Wolf Lake.” He announced across the radio, opened the throttle and held the stick all the way back to keep the nose of the floats out of the water. Within moments, his Beaver was on step, then torn from the water, ripped into the sky’s domain.
He knew a small lake in central Alaska, 350 miles away or so, in the mountains. A beautiful spot, one he liked to frequent on weeks off of work. Days he’d save up or holiday. He guided the plane away from Wasilla, wanting to leave and never look back. Hurtful words floated in his mind, subconsciously piloting the plane as he’d done so many times before. He climbed to an altitude of 9000 feet and leaned his motor properly. Beneath him, snowy peaks glittered in the sunlight, white clouds billowed in a carpet below. He smiled softly at the sight. It had been almost 2 hours of flying over the mountains, valleys, and rivers below, when he descended to get a closer look at the mountains. A strange sight on the peak. The airplane slowly circled as he lost altitude. Now only a few hundred feet above the peaks, he spotted what looked almost like an old medicine wheel of rocks atop one of them.
Jared navigated down over the tops of the rocky mountain side, and as he passed the medicine wheel, entering a narrow pass, his plane lurched to the right, rolling almost a full 70 degrees. He kicked left rudder and corrected with the yoke, as his plane got nearer to the rock face.
"Oo-oH fuck." He exclaimed, attempting to straighten his craft.
He had seconds to react before the airplane struck the rocks. His plane straightened, and suddenly lost lift as the mountains changed their airflow. He pushed mixture in full, and power, simultaneously pushing the yoke full in.
“Christ!” He groaned, every ounce of strength he had was put in his arms. Trying to recover from the sudden dive, the wind fought him tooth and nail for control. He put his boots on the dash and pulled back as hard as he could. He reached to pull out the throttle, losing more ground with the yoke as the right wing clipped a rock outcropping in the pass. It sheared off at the end of the strut, metal and pieces of long range fuel tank falling away, fire now dripping from the wing. The airplane, suddenly producing more lift on the opposite side began to spiral.
He pulled the mixture out, dropped the flaps, and countered the spin. He tried anything to slow his descent, there was no way to recover, but maybe he could still survive. Putting his feet down on the pedals, he tried to yaw and aid him in slowing down. 215 Miles per Hour. Way too fast. He gritted his teeth. The last words he formed were unintelligible, blended into a harrowing cry of defeat.
The plane skittered off the gravel slides at first as the pitch of the mountain closely matched the drop of the airplane. The floats dug in, the nose tipped down as it clipped a boulder, shearing off the floats altogether. The fuselage immediately going ass-over-teakettle. On it’s roof, the plane screeched as it slid across the gravel for what felt like an eternity. After several minutes, it slowed to a stop on what appeared to be a wide roadway on the mountain. Jared didn’t have the focus to realize he was on train tracks, or what they were doing in the middle of nowhere. The plane was in pieces, completely totaled. Upside down, in pain, and confused, Jared fumbled for his belts. He was in shock, the stage where nothing feels quite real, his hands were at awkward angles, probably from the yoke slamming into his hands due to the force on the elevator in the crash. With his wrists fumbling limply for the latch, AVGAS quickly pouring around him, his vision slowly faded. His strength was quickly dissipating as he fought the fatigue to reach the belts. His head hurt, he couldn't make his hands work like he wanted. He quickly fell unconscious as the fire was engulfing the cabin, his chest hurt with every breath.
Gasoline filled the wreckage, surrounding the rocks. The ELT Blared over the empty radio waves, the small orange box didn't know that no human being would ever find the wreck. He would be the only human to see his crash site.
Celestia sat in the Royal throne room, discussing with two ponies, both male, a matter of the royal court. It was only a zoning dispute, but it still required her and her sister Luna.
“Then this impolite 'mare' comes out of nowhere, and plants her bush on my lawn!” One stallion complained. She began to zone out as they made their arguments. She would make a small speech about friendship and property lines, and send them on their way. She only snapped out of it when she heard a droning sound in the distance, getting closer. Somewhat like a desk fan, but louder. As if bigger, spinning faster.
“Excuse me, my little ponies.” She stood and walked down a short hallway behind the throne. She peered through a stained-glass window, quizzically darting from side to side to find a clear pane. The droning grew in pitch before it cut off, a sound equivalent to a lawnmower hitting gravel echoed through the mountains. Scraping of steel on rock. A large metal creature careened over the hill, dripping fire. The bottom portion, its legs, broke cleanly on a boulder. The creature flipped, its wings detaching. It rolled and skidded to a stop some 250 hooves away. She rushed back into the throne room, quickly addressing her personnel.
“Royal Court is Adjourned for the day. Guards! There has been an accident on the tracks just south of the city. Send a detachment of the fire brigade, I will be there immediately.” Celestia spread her wings and leapt through a nearby window without another word.
She soared above the city, setting her sights on the black smoke billowing from the tracks. The noise of air beneath her wings was deafening as she propelled herself towards the crash. She landed not far away, the heat singed her fur, even at a distance. Ignoring the discomfort, she rushed up to the wreckage. An ovaled, blazing, yet fairly intact, DHC-2 lay flaming on the tracks. A strange hominid creature was sprawled across the tracks, covered in lacerations, blood dripping from his face, he lay unconscious on a railroad tie. It appeared as if he'd crawled from beneath the defeated carriage. She rushed up, watching him for breath. After a moment, she found the faint rise of his chest. She nearly gasped, supposing him to be dead. The princess surrounded the creature with her magic, gingerly. She slowly lifted him from the ground. The deity closed her eyes gently before disappearing. She apparated in Canterlot General Hospital's Emergency Room.
"This creature is in dire need of medical assistance!" She announced. Two nurses leapt from behind their desk, one striking a button on their way from behind it. Two doors swung open, revealing a long hallway. From the end, two ponies in lab coats rushed a stretcher down the hall. They slowly swung it under the floating body, Celestia putting him down upon it. The doctors rushed back down the hall, the princess looked to the front desk clerk.
"Alert me, as soon as it's awake. And do your best" Celestia instructed. The clerk nodded quickly, as Celestia walked out the front doors.
Author's Note
Story inspiration
Reworked, revamped. Better.
After the Thrill is Gone (Lightly Reworked)
Author's Note
Sorry it’s been a while, and this chapter is pretty choppy, things will be better moving forward!
After the Thrill is Gone (Lightly Reworked)
Jared slowly awoke, birds were singing loudly outside, he stretched and yawned, his back ached. He had to double check he was really awake, and really still in Ponyville. He slowly sat up, feeling much better than he had yesterday. His pent up frustrations he’d let out in last night’s dream, and the resounding tears. To say he felt weak, was an understatement. He was mad at himself, for getting that worked up. At least nobody was there to see him cry.
He forced himself up, and sat on his desk. Slipping his boots on, he heard a knock at the door. He reached over and opened it as he pulled them on. Luna walked in.
“Good Morning!” She smiled. "I'm so sorry if I overstepped last night, you seemed to be in such distress..
He paused, blinking. “What?”
“I didn’t figure how my magic may effect you..” She replied.
“Wait, fucking what?” He held up his hands. “Are you telling me, that you saw all that?"
“Of course!” She replied nonchalantly.
He went quiet, not looking at her. "I'm not like that. I don't want to be like that. But I won't back down from a confrontation." His gaze slowly met hers, she had a soft smile on.
"I know. It's okay. Would you like to go to breakfast with me?" She asked.
"I don't have any money and I'd rather not rack my bill up more." He replied.
"Come, it's an invitation, a gift." She insisted.
"Alright.. Well let me change my shirt, I think I have one of my favorites in here... He slowly stood to his feet, unzipping the backpack against the wall. He dug around until he found a black polo, he pulled off his stained white tee and slid on the polo shirt. It fit him well.
"I love these shirts."
"I can see why, it looks soft" Luna replied. He looked away, grabbing the 1911 he'd set on the desk and sticking it in his belt, behind the right side of his back. He saw movement through the office window and quickly entered the shop.
His knee hurt, and he walked with a slight limp as he confronted the ponies.
“G-goodmorning, Jared!” Twilight called, a few others in labcoats surrounded his plane.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” He asked, clearly upset.
“Just examining your aircraft is all!” She smiled nervously.
“Out.”
“What?” she paused. “b-but you can’t-“
“It’s fuckin-“ He checked his watch, and stumbled over his words. “7 In the morning, I’m tired, and woke up to strangers s-f-l-e-GAH. Words. Examining my property. Out.”
Luna entered through the office in surprise, watching him as he sighed.
They nervously filed out the door, he walked to the wall and slumped his head into it with a ‘thump’. “I can’t take this.” He slowly meandered to his bench as the door opened. He held a piston head, setting it atop a book on his bench.
“Jared, I forgot my book, is it alright if I..?” She asked. He quickly moved the piston head and with greasy hands, handed her the book. She looked at it in distain, as the back now had a coffee-stain like ring of oil. In a puff of magic it was like new. He stood, leaning away from his bench.
“What was that.”
“A spell of restoration for the book, I just restored it to the condition of about a month ago!” She smiled. “Thats how I keep all my books brand new!”
"That's... Nice." He replied. He paused as she was walking out the side door. “Twilight.”
“Yes?” she perked up
“You like to read, then?” He asked.
She grinned, nodding aggressively.
“What do you like to read?”
“Mainly historical and nonfiction material. I love to learn!” She replied, grinning happily.
Jared slowly walked to the mound of miscellaneous things beside the remains of the plane... He dug through the pile of equipment and found two flight bags. He opened the one to find his logbooks, spare headset and such. He dropped several things onto his bench, before handing the bag to her.
She took it in her magic, confused. “In there’s the FAR AMT and 43.13., that should keep you busy for a while. They should let you better understand aircraft if you really want to know, take good care of them. I got back from a job for a friend out in Kodiak Monday and had a bunch of stuff with me for professionalism and laziness sake. Good thing for me.” He looked over the overhaul manuals on his toolbox.
She gingerly held them. “T-thank you!” Twilight beamed. Jared smiled lightly, rolled his eyes, and shook his head. He turned back to his airplane, looking at the noseart as Twilight walked away.
"Luna, I'm gonna take a raincheck on breakfast. I think I'd like to be alone for a bit." He stated after a moment of silence. She bowed her head gently.
"Of course, another time. Farewell."
Jared watched her disappear out the door, and hung his head, placing a hand on the cowling of the Beaver.
Jared stepped back, looking at the motor of the destroyed airplane.
He sifted through the pile of stuff by the plane to find two smashed wooden speaker boxes. They were already worn, crackling fairly bad, when he took them out of his pickup down in the states for new ones. He set them on a workbench and walked over to his airplane. He reached up, fishing under the dash for a moment before pulling out and unplugging a small box from the wires. It was an amplifier he’d installed to broadcast auxiliary input into the cabin.
Jared turned the box, looking into the plugs for a moment, then at the wires, remembering which ones were power, input, and output wires. He sat it gently beside the speakers, and walked into the office. He grabbed his phone from his jacket pocket, as well as his aux cord. He held the power button. The screen lit up black with a white apple logo, though cracked in several places. Jared walked back to his contraption and finding dikes in the toolbox, delicately cut the cord in the middle. He stripped the shielding of the wires, and after some finesse, managed to attach the speakers to the amp, and the phone to the amp.
He looked at his now alive phone, and logged into it. It read 79%. He knew he could use the alternator of the plane and build a crank for it if worse came to worst, so he didn’t mind using the battery. He carefully plugged in his phone and opened iTunes, tapping ‘shuffle all’. The sound of The Eagles, After The Thrill Is Gone, called out over the speakers. The sound of guitar caught Jared off guard. He slowly, almost shocked, stumbled back for a moment. Familiar, yet totally foreign. He turned up the volume of his phone. The speakers were loud enough to hear from across the hangar, but not deafening. Jared smiled gently. It sounded like playing a record with the speakers busted, but that was music to his ears.
“What can you do when your dreams come true, and it’s not quite like you planned?” the lyric rung out, hitting Jared in the feels. He sighed gently, and hung his head for a moment, before sifting through the toolbox, finding a marker. Jared walked along the fuselage, marking sections that needed to be drilled out or replaced. He inspected the plane. He’d seen worse, but they’d never been his. If he didn’t strive to fly, he’d give up altogether.
“Hey, let go!”
Jared peeked up over the cowling to see Twilight dragging Dash into the hangar. Twilight dropped Dash and zipped over to look at the speakers.
“Did you do this?!” She asking, looking intently at them. Rainbow slowly walked up, curious.
“Yeah?” He replied. “What’s she doing here?”
“Community service, remember?”
“Damn. Alright well, hope you like The Eagles. If not, you will. Get a screwdriver, pull the panels on the wings.” Jared turned back to his motor, his soul now soothed by the music as he set to work continuing to disassemble the engine, careful not to get grease on his nice polo.
“Jared, would you mind if I brought a few ponies over, I think they’d enjoy your music..” Twilight asked, Dash sighed and picked up a nearby screwdriver, trying to take off wing panels.
“Nah, go for it.” He shrugged. She beamed, and teleported away. Jared paused. “Wait-. Shit.. How many is a few...?” He looked to Rainbow, who shrugged. Jared slung his shotgun over a hook on the back of his toolbox, just to get it off him while he worked.
“Where’ve you been lately?” Jared sung to the music unceremoniously, proceeding to air-guitar. “DUH NUN NUNNN, New kid in town.”
Dash looked at him and shook her head. “Weirdo.”
“No you.” Jared shot fingerguns at her, setting cylinder parts in order on the table. Jared had stripped most of the accessories off the motor, and Dash had just finished the wing panels. It had been hours. The sun was low in the sky. Twilight hadn’t come back.
“Alright Rainbow. I won’t keep you all day. Thanks for the help, go on.” Jared nodded toward the hangar door. She shrugged and dropped the screwdriver and zipped off. Jared stood slowly, snatching up the screwdriver off the floor, putting it away. He leaned on his toolbox and stared at the mural on the cowling. “Your baby’s gone, and you’re all alone, and it looks like the end...” Jared sung softly. His phone died a short time ago.
He spent the next fifteen minutes attempting to rig up a crude wiring system to his lightning cord, but was too lazy to sit and turn the alternator on the contraption. He sighed and jumped up, sitting on the table, quickly spinning the crank. After about half an hour the phone came back to life, claiming 52%. He signed back in, and opened iTunes. Immediately, Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion poured over the speakers. Jared hopped back down, looking at the airplane. He sighed.
“Jesus I’m too young to feel this damn old..” He groaned, his back aching. He slowly strolled out onto the pad in front of the hangar, looking up.
“Swee-eeeet emoo-ootion.” called out into the cool night. It was a beautiful night out, the stars twinkling above. He tried to make out constellations and failed, before noticing the gleaming moon above, it was fairly large. It appeared larger than the Earth's moon. He slowly sat in the gravel, leaning back on his elbows to look at the night sky.
Will The Circle (Somewhat re-worked)
Twilight stared at the human, bewildered. Too much was going on at once. All of this was happening too fast. She closed her eyes and shook her head momentarily.
"You mean to tell me.. That you think your family is cursed, and that's what brought you here?" Twilight asked. She watched the human walk around the pickup several times, examining it.
"That's the theory." He opened the driver-side door to see bloodstains across the bench seat. He shut the door.
"What I would have to do to get this running and driving again is another question..." Jared walked to the front of the truck, reaching into the grill he toggled the latch. It didn't open until he brought his fist down on the middle of the hood, where it sloped to the grill. The sound of the latch releasing was masked by the 'THUD' of the sheet metal meeting his hand. He lifted the stiff hood open and looked inside. Dusty, but clean. Hoses and belts seemed cracked and rough, but not quite dry rotted. Jared sighed.
"What do you think?" She asked.
"I think I wish I had all your people's magic bullshit. I'd find a way to magic my stuff back to pristine rather than having to work for it." Jared sighed, leaning on the radiator support as he looked at the motor. "But things aren't that easy. Nothing in life is free, as soon as I have my stuff fixed I need to figure how to pay the princesses back for letting me use the hangar..."
"Jared, the hangar is yours. They gave it to you as a gift, bills paid, in good faith." Twilight replied, somewhat dumbstruck at his outlook.
Jared slowly turned to face her. "Why..? I didn't earn it. Any of it. Someone had to pay for that. They had to work and by the sweat of their brow, they paid for where I am. That's not right."
"So pay it forward. Do good with the gift given to you and help others instead of trying to pay an individual back directly for a gift." Twilight replied.
Jared was silent. "I never thought of it that way." He said after a few minutes of quiet. He gently rested his hand on the driver’s side fender. The truck was slowly enveloped in a magenta glow. Jared stepped back, recoiling his hand. He quickly whipped his head around to face Twilight. Her eyes were screwed shut as she concentrated. Grime and moss slowly receded from the steel. Dust lifted from the motor and interior. Cracks slowly crossed the windshield, removing the massive hole in the windshield. The glass turned clear and the paint’s luster came back to life. The cracked and destroyed battery slowly returned to it’s original state.
“What are you doing?!” Jared asked. He could clearly see what she was doing to the truck. He wanted to know why, more than anything. The truck slowly lifted to its ride hight as the tires filled with air and the cracks in the rubber disappeared.
As the truck began to look brand new, Twilight collapsed to the dirt floor. Jared rushed to her, kneeling to pick her up. She breathed heavily, but steadily. Her heart was racing.
"Twi..."
Jared groaned as he lifted her 250 pound form off the ground, and set her in the cab. He shut the door, rushing to the driver’s side. Jared stepped on the clutch, pumped the gas twice, and wrapped his fingers around the keys dangling from the ignition.
“Hope this works...” He breathed. He turned the key, barely touching it, and the truck roared to life. Jared chuckled at first, then laughed. He jumped out of the cab, quickly locking the front hubs. He then jumped in, threw the pickup in 4 High, and shifted into second gear. He slowly let out the clutch as he stepped on the gas pedal, rolling out of the shed. He navigated the pickup back towards the ruins, around the edge of what appeared to be a deep canyon. He guided the truck around the edge of the chasm and as he drove around the hole, he spotted the end of a drawbridge. Using the cartoon logic, the edge of the Everfree would be facing away from the drawbridge. Jared didn’t even think about the river crossing in Season one...
He drove in 3rd gear, doing about thirty miles per hour. He crushed branches and small trees as he bounced along through the underbrush. Spotting what looked like a break in the trees up ahead, he held on and sped up. He realized the moment he broke through the thick trees that it was a swift moving river. The 35 Inch tires were sunk to the upper rim, the water coming up the fenders.
“Shit.” Jared shouted, turning downstream and nearly flooring the gas. He kept the RPMs high as the truck trudged downstream and across, making the 50 second crossing feel like a lifetime. Jared stopped the truck when they’d climbed back up the opposite bank. He let out a high and loud “WOO HOO!” As they cleared the rapids. Water dripped from the doors, steam poured out from every crevasse on the truck as the water burned off the hot engine and exhaust. He pulled open the ashtray and pushed the cigarette lighter in for several seconds. With his free hand he pulled a Red from the pack rolled in his sleeve, and lit it with the lighter. Trying to calm the shakes, his hands shook violently with adrenaline and fear.
“Not even back from the dead an hour and I almost drowned you.” Jared laughed, rubbing the dash gently.
He dropped the truck back into gear and re entered the monotony of bouncing through the trees. After a short time, the trailblazing ended when he found a dirt path. Jared stepped on the gas, grabbing the next gear as he sped up to 45. Roaring past trees, bushes, and wildlife, he saw the sky begin to lighten, and spotted green grass ahead. Jared grinned madly as the truck broke into the clean grass. He slowed as he crested grassy hills, stomping on the clutch to shift the transfer case into 2 High. He drove the truck straight for his hangar, about 500 yards away from the point he’d exited the forest. Once he reached the hangar, he was about to shut off the truck when a thought came to his mind.
He’d just have to walk to town to get her checked out.
The 351 Windsor growled as he pushed the pedal to the floor again, heading for the town. He rolled his window down and cracked the wing window as he sped towards the town. He slowed once more as he entered the settlement, doing about 25 until he reached the library.
“SPIKE! WE NEED THE... Princess.”
The princesses were already in the library, sitting around a table, sipping from what looked like teacups. Celestia and Cadence were seated, Luna stood beside them as if she’d just arrived.
“Fantastic. Twilight passed out after doing a bunch of magic, and I need to talk to you.” Jared clapped his hands, walking forward as he interrupted the princesses conversation, Twilight thrown over his shoulder. They looked at each other, Celestia rushed to the unconscious form of Twilight. Jared set her down as gently as he could on the floor, the princess kneeling over her. She touched her own horn to Twilight’s, a brilliant white light flashed for split second, much like a camera flash.
Twilight sat up with a start. She was panting as she looked around. Jared knelt by the pony, putting a hand on her back.
“Now what’d you go and do that for...” Jared said softly.
“Figured... I’d been given enough gifts, I might as well follow my own advice...” Twilight replied as she tried to calm her breathing. “Did it work?”
“Yeah it worked.” He laughed. “Are you alright?”
“She needs rest.” Celestia spoke, almost harshly.
“I’ll be fine, I’m going to go... Lie down..” She slowly made her way to the stairs, wobbling as she stepped slowly, one stair at a time.
“Now, I need to talk to you.” Jared addressed Celestia. He slowly stood to his full height, placing his hands on the hips of his belt line. “I spoke with a certain spirit of chaos.”
Celestia’s eyes grew as Discord materialized beside the human. Jared continued to unfalteringly meet her gaze. She could feel herself almost shrinking behind the stare.
"And it's time to remember where your traditions come from."
“And we have quite a few things to discuss.”
Author's Note
Sorry for the fast-paced garbage chapters lately, I’m not doing so hot right now. Thanks for sticking with me!
