//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: The Anonymous Mr. Green Hill // by Sipioc //------------------------------// There was a breeze.  An unmistakable one that made me shift in my seat ever so slightly. Nopony was staring, were they?  No, of course not, and why would they?  I’m just like them. Just like them. So why the discomfort? Let me put it this way, you never really think about the way you’re sitting until you do so without nothing between the seat and your… “Nuts!”  Lyra sputtered as she plucked a napkin from the table, and began blotting up the strawberry lemonade that began to dribble down her chin and on to her coat. “Well, slow down.”  Scolded Bon Bon as she sensibly sipped her tea.  “Nopony is going to take it from you.” Lyra further wadded up the napkins with her magic, leaving them in a neat pile on the table. My eyes focused on her golden aura absently for a moment or two before I felt Sweetie Drops’ gaze fell on me. It was no accident she sat closer to me, specifically between me and Lyra. I just chose to look away and not think about it, instead opting to sip on my water with a lime twist.  Such is the lavish life I lead. “Here yah go, bud.”  I am handed a small rubber pouch by our waiter. Taking the pouch I can feel a slight chill emanating inside it.  “Thanks.” “No problem.”  He shrugged before levitating a pitcher of water from the serving cart, topping off my glass before he continues. “No offense but that is quite the shiner, chum.” I muster a grim smirk as I gently press the ice pack to my swollen face.  Releasing a hiss as the cold numbs at my tender skin. “Oh! Duh!  That’s why we came here!”  Realization coming to Lyra as she set down her now empty glass. Forcing myself to relax I allow the cold sensation roll over me as I breathe through the slowly dulling stinging sensation. It was in the third slow release of air that I realized that the table had gone quiet.  Looking up I see the expectant expression of not only Lyra, but our waiter seems to have taken interest in my plight. Pretty sure the table next to us also seemed to have their ears perked toward my direction. My mind raced to think of an explanation. Something that would account for a black eye and bum leg.  ‘Crap! They are all looking at me! What do I-‘ “Ugh, it was just awful.” Unexpectedly, Bon Bon had chosen to step in, I did my best to hide my shock as I let her continue. “We had just finished up at the municipal building,” She eyed me at that, as if she was scolding me for the lie she was now weaving. “On our way back to the train station; we had taken the subway.” Her tone, her mannerisms, everything was so natural, like she was truly regaling us all about the whole thing and she hadn’t even gotten how I got hurt. It was scary how good she was at this. “Well, the lights on the train started to flicker a bit then went out all together.  The train coasted for a bit, then their we were.” She looks up to Lyra, a veneer of unease on her face. “Underground and in the dark.” “You’re kidding!” Lyra gasped, nearly knocking the pitcher out of the waiter’s grasp as he refilled her fifth glass. “The train broke down?” “Never did trust those things.”  Murmured one of the ponies next to us. “Can’t even get out and walk.” Bon Bon simply shrugged and continued on.  “What’s worse is that an annoying little alarm that went off every few minutes to remind us that we were stalled.  I can still hear it, can’t you Green?” “Y-Yeah…” I stammer, “annoying.”  My contribution doesn’t help and I know it, so she deftly keeps the story going. “It was around the hour and a half mark that I think some ponies had had about enough.”  She said sipping the last of her tea, before placing it down, our waiter already refilling it before it settled back into place. “It started with some loud idiots.  Nothing but a bunch of rowdy colts who had it in their heads that the only way to make the situation better was to make it worse.” “Hate those guys.”  Agreed Lyra as she went after her straw for another pull. “Well they started shoving and before we knew it a lot of the other passengers were getting squished. Well enough it enough it seems.” “I know!  Right! What’d you tell them Bonny?” Lyra said with eagerness. “Not me.” She said with a shrug. “Not you?” Quirked Lyra. ‘Not her?’ I wondered myself. “Nope.” She snaps her gaze to me. “What you tell them Green?” ‘…oh you suck.’ I feel my face burn and my ears droop as the eyes are back on me.  Somehow having to continue the story is worse. I clear my throat a bit and look away from the captive audience I am now locked in with.  “They...were just a bunch of idiots...I told them to stop.” “That’s not what you said.” Bon Bon said looking at me cooly over the rim of her tea. She was putting my feet to the fire now, did she want me to fail?  Letting me dig my own hole? Or was this fun for her? Fine. Nothing for it then.  I steeled my gaze at her and let out a snort.  “I told them if they didn’t shut up and sit down I would throw them off myself.” Silence surrounded us.  But I didn’t break my look from Drops.  She was a statue, unflinching. It was around the five second mark I began to wonder if I overplayed my hand. “Whoa!  Green! Way to show some chutzpah!” I didn’t know what that was, but Lyra was clearly impressed. “Yeah, well, fat lot of good it did me.”  I say off hand returning the ice pack to my face. “You got your licks in.” Bon Bon adds, the tense atmosphere seeming to thin a bit.  “I and a few others had to pull those jerks off of you, but all in all you made your point to them.” Things seemed to ease back down after that.  The crowd around us thinned and ponies went back to their regular conversations.  It was after my third glass of water that I excused myself. “Don’t fall in.”  Lyra chortled as I left, ever the fun spirit. What does she see in Bon Bon? ————— One thing that they didn’t go over in my ‘orientation’ on my release, was Bathroom etiquette, and technique.  Back home I would just revert to human form and aim. Public restrooms where a bit trickier, you kind of had to go to the side.  I won’t go to much more in depth than that, but needless to say I weirded that guy out the first time I was in one.  Not like I could ask Bon Bon either. After formally relieving myself I took a dollop of soap from the dispenser and clunkily began washing my hooves. Down right pointless if you ask me.  I mean, I was going to walk out on them anyway. Floor looked clean enough, I suppose. “That was quite a story out there sug’.” The echo reverberates off the walls and down my spine as I turn to face the speaker. “ Any of it true?” “...this is the Stallion’s Room.” I say dumbly, not really sure what to say in this situation. “Well aware.” She says unphased walking right up to me. I instinctively back up till I feel the porcelain of the sink dig into my plot, another reminder of how further exposed I feel. Applejack looks at me sharply but not unkindly, her gaze holding on my swollen face. “Did she do it?” She asks cooly. Is that what she thinks? Bon Bon slapping me around? Truth be told she avoids all contact with me she can, cautious lest I somehow leech some magic from her, or disgust. “No.” Letting out a breath I turn away from the orange mare. “It’s like she said.” “Green, I can smell a lie like a skunk in a flower bed.  Bon Bon has her stories and ah always just let them slide because it t’werent mah business.”  She paused tilting her head a bit so I would look at her proper. “But I can’t stand by and let her hurt somepony.” She wasn’t going to let this go, was she?  “She didn’t hurt me, Miss Applejack.” I said inhaling deeply.  The truth is, I found myself in a place I didn’t want to be. A place nopony would want to be.” Just like that I am back in that darkness.  The sound of vines, writhing and twisting. The metal cage full of my hard work being cracked open like an oyster and being devoured. How frozen in fear I was before the unmistakable sensation of hooves pulling me away. “Bon Bon got me out of there.” Applejack seemed to mull this over a bit. “Not sure why she did.  She doesn’t like me very much.  Pretty sure she hates me.” My bluntness actually phasing the mare, but for once I was speaking completely honestly. Felt liberating.  “Which is fine considering I really don’t like her either. But she’s also the best I have right now.” “That’s something Ah frankly don’t understand, Green.” She tilted her hat back sighed a bit. “But ah reckon their are all types of kin out there, many likely not care for one another.” Having spoke her mind she turned to leave, only to stop at the door. “If what you say is true though, the least you can do is make the best of it, both of you.” I opened my mouth to respond only to freeze mid thought. ‘Somethings not right.’  The sensation hits me like a cold sweat. “Green? Something  wrong-“ now she is cut short. Whatever it is has us both on alert. “What in blue blazes is that?” She goes outside with me not far behind. The whole town seems to have stopped what they are doing.  There is a vibration in the air, a sort of chattering noise, and it’s getting louder. All around are murmurs of confusion and alarm. “What is that?” “The train?” “That’s on the other side of town.” “Are we being attacked?” The noise grows to such a loud pitch, the cutlery and glasses have begun to vibrate off tables. Through the haze of confusion and further rumblings, Bon Bon moves past me, snapping me out of my stupor.   “Bonny what is it? Stampede?” Lyra comes to her side, looking genuinely scared. “No. The pitch is too high.” Bon Bon says absently.  Her gaze looking out past town; toward the tree line. Door are slamming shut and citizens begin clearing the streets.  It’s not a full on panic just yet, but that sound seems to make my whole head tingle.  I’d been told about the attacks that befell Ponyville every now and again, was this truly one of them? As if on cue the sound stops and it’s deathly silent. The town holds its breath collectively. All at once the undergrowth explodes, revealing a large amber brown creature.  It’s half the size of a train car, looking like a giant beetle, with a deadly looking horn atop its head. Any further inhabitants make a mad dash for cover as the creature come lumber down the cobblestone road smashing carts and boxes outside of buildings. I am yanked by the arm into an alleyway and all but thrown to the ground. Looking up I see Sweetie Drops is back and is not looking happy. “That hit to your head mess up your hearing?” She hisses at me.  “I said your name like three times!” “W-what is that?” Huddled in the alley I see the Waiter. Lyra is here as well, with several other patrons, their eyes wide in horror as they hear the pandemonium happening just a block or two away. “Doom Bug.” Bon Bon hisses, the name coming out more like a curse than an answer. Pulling myself back up I can hear the giant insect crashing around, every so often a squeal or shriek can be heard followed by the sounds of running.  The creatures giant wings jitter in irritation, a thrum that rattles the pit of my stomach. “That’s quite enough yah big cockroach!”  ————— This was not at all what Applejack was hoping to do today.   -Drop some mail off at the post office.  -Stop at the pharmacy for Granny’s vitamins. -Check up on the Library for some general upkeep. -Then back home in time for a little lunch before the afternoon kicked in. Wrangling another critter from the Everfree that got it into its head that Ponyville was on the menu was not on that list. Still she was an Element of Harmony, not to mention a hometown gal, and it wasn’t like she would do nothing. The big critter hardly seemed to notice the insult she lobbed at it but rather continued to mow down on the contents of Strawberry Sunrise’s cart. No problem there, if anything it made things easier. With the expert twist from a lifetime of practice she let loose her lariat sending the loop spiraling towards the chittering bug. As she planned, she snagged him around the horn, the rope going taught as she gave it a forceful yank in her direction. Feeling it’s body constricted, the beetle let out a hiss in protest as she forced its focus on her.  Despite her bravado she couldn’t help but feel slightly unnerved that sound as well as the hollow clacking of its jaws.  The tomatoes it ate splattered over its maw also didn’t help. ‘Okay girl, now what?’ She thought uneasily to herself.  She had the thing, but now what was she going to do with it. Not like she could convince it to leave with Fluttershy, or poof it away without Twilight.  She couldn’t even hogtie the thing; six spindly legs about as wide as her. She would be needing more rope. Best she could do was stall for help or try and lead it out of down. As if taking advantage of her moment of thought the disgusting bug hocked a wad of gunk at her, which she narrowly missed.  The wagon behind her wasn’t as lucky as it took the mass full on and began to dissolve with an audible sizzle. A simple swish of the tail wasn’t gonna swat this gnat. The cavalry showing up right now would be- her trusty rope goes loose as the creature lunges forward.  It’s a move she was expecting as she bobs and weaves through its legs managing to loop one of its middle legs, only to get grazed by its hind leg. Despite knowing how to take a hit in a fight, the creature’s jagged armor does her no favors.  Applejack’s vision swam as she came to a halt, just managing to stay on her hooves. Glancing down she could see a deep gash on her right fetlock.  She gritted her teeth and shook her head to keep her vision clear. ‘Not good.’ She thought to herself as she rounded about holding the rope as tight as she could, bad leg and all. It lets out another hiss and prepares to charge only for a blur to come out and hit it’s side. It’s balance off from the one snared leg it’s simple mind doesn’t know how to compensate and instead opts to crash to it’s back. As it squeals and kicks trying to rock itself back up the Cowpony is able piece together what just happened and is surprised to find it starts with one stallion named Greenhill, who is at present clutching his head and writhing on the ground. ————— ‘Oh, that hurt.’ I reel, as I try to push past the pain now coursing through my head and neck. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight hooves first probably would have been smarter. The living roadblock I just hit shrieks in anger and alarm at being attacked and this is enough for me to stagger back a bit and try and recover. “Clear out Greenhill!” I look up to see Applejack staring at me with a look of anger and pain. Her leg is bleeding badly but she still holds her rope tight. I see the rope twist and it’s enough for me to remember what’s on the other end.  Just in time too as one of it’s legs looms over head forcing me to jump. Landing on my side and clumsily scurrying further away to clear the distressed ‘Doom Beetle’ as Bon Bon called it. Some monster hunter she is.  When we saw Applejack get hurt she didn’t say anything just started digging through the waiter’s cart.  Not exactly time to go looking for creamer, Drops! Still, now that I was here, what do I do? Sure I knocked it down, but that hurt me more than it did it. If I could change I might be able to match its strength, but there are far too many ponies here. Applejack is forced to let go of her rope and pull back herself.  She winces as she grips her leg. By now the Beetle has managed to pull itself up, buzzing its wings in clear anger. I feel my hackles rise, out of fear more than anything. Just as it lunges it stops itself. Coming right from behind me steps none other than Bon Bon herself.  In her hoof she holds some sort of bundle wrapped in an apron. Whatever is in their has the large bug utterly hypnotized, it’s mandibles clucking and it’s eyes following it as she waves it back and forth. “Can you move?”  It takes me a moment to realize that she isn’t talking to it, but me. Noticing I am still on the ground I stagger to my hooves. “Y-yeah.” The beetle still follows the thing she has but is beginning to step closer. Nipping at it even as Bon Bon slowly backs up. “What is that?  A repellent?” I ask, slowly backing away with her. “No.”  She responds through gritted teeth. “It’s a lure.” Before she shoves it to my chest. “Get going!”