//------------------------------// // Subject 16: Seedy Encounter // Story: Interviews With Equestrians // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// Babs Seed. I remember her now. She and I attended the same school in our youth. I was about 3 years older than she was, and I could expressly recall how aggressive she would be towards the fights that routinely broke out among the foals. Back then, she often lashed out. And last I heard of her, she still did. She was no different even as an adult. She ran with me until we arrived at an indoor buckball court. This was new to me. I figured they would only have these outside, but one that was located inside? Color me shocked. “C’mon, Blood Vipa! Let’s play!” the brown mare had already grabbed buckballs in her hooves. “Wait, wait, wait...Babs hold one one second,” I removed my vest and hat. I set them down on a nearby bench so they wouldn’t get messy. “What are we doing here?” “The old timas don’t come down here ‘til lata. We got time to practice like the old days, yo.” “Woah!” I dodged one of the rubber balls. This was not how one played b-ball. But I suppose I could have a bit of fun with myself. So I retaliated, and tossed one back at her. “That still doesn’t explain why you suddenly tackled me!” She dodged it flawlessly, and gave an arrogant cackle. “Ha! You think I’mma tell ya everythin’?” “Uh, yes? I believe I have a right to know! Yikes!” “C’mon, you can do betta than that!” This was troublesome. After getting my flank handed to me in bowling, I was now being assaulted in a game of dodgeball by somepony I sort of knew from my childhood. By the time it was over, I was lying on the wooden court floor. My breath labored and annoyed. “Haha, yeh! That was awesome, wasnit?” I groaned and looked up at the redhead. “Alright...I think you owe me an explanation,” I said as I sat up. I had endured too much strife as it is, and wasn’t in the mood for any extra. “Alrighty, alrighty, bro, chillax.” She sat down next to me, “I’mma keep it a bit-fifty--I need ya help.” “My help? Why?” “I dunno if ya know dis, but I’mma barba now--ya know, mane stylin’ n’ such,” she said with a flick of her own flat, cherry red mane, “but lately I’ve been havin’ some pretty sus folk near muh place. Been hearin’ things about substances n’ junk.” Sounded awful. And worth investigating. But hang on. I knew full well Manehattan had its own active investigation force. Why would she come out here for me? “Wait wait wait, hold up, friend. Why didn’t you report this to the Manehattan PD?” She huffed with frustration, “Uh, yeah ya dummy. I did that? Guess what happened? EHHH. Time’s up. Nuttin’. Nuttin’ happened. I hate to think o’dis, but it’s entirely possible that they’s in on it.” Okay. That made a bit more sense. But there was still something that was missing from her explanation. “...And you came to me because?” “Okay look...I was actually gonna wait ‘til my vacay with Aunt and Uncle Orange was ova, and come find ya in Ponyville. But since I caught ya here, it’s much easia to explain. I think yous would know ya way ‘round the place betta than anypony else since ya grew up there. And...it’s all I got,” she explained while collecting the balls we used just now, “I can’t trust nopony else.” Was that all? This would be nothing. “Ha! Don’t you worry yourself, BS.” “Dope,” she clapped her hooves, “I knew ya’d listen to reason, homie.” I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter lest I allow my reputation to sink voer refusing a request. Plus...I did intend on visiting home again at some point. I just never thought it would be due to something like this. “Alright...once our respite is over, I shall head down there immediately.” “Gotcha. We gots just enough time until I head back home.” That’s when I felt her hoof around my neck. It was a surprisingly tight grip, “So whatcha been up to, ya big bloodsucka? I ain’t heard about ya since ya started that turf war--oooh…” I pushed her off, and hid my face beneath my hat. That was not something I wanted to recount. “I’ve been fine. Just...fine,” I exited the indoor court, and walked outside on the open lakeside trail once more. “Hol’ up, hol’ up!” Babs raced out after me, “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was a touchy bit for ya. I know what it’s like to be made fun of, trust me.” I lifted my head with a cheeky sort of smile, “Heh. Is that why you were always the first to rush into fights?” “W--yeah, ain’t it obvious? When I was a filly, I couldn’t help but prove muhself for the sake of makin’ me look stronger than I was. Then I met muh cousin and her friends. They showed me how I can make friends without havin’ to resort to buckin’.” “I see...and now?” She stretched out one of her front legs--her left, “I only buck somepony up when it’s necessary, bro. When ya hit the gym hard like me, ain’t nopony gonna mess witcha.” Her leg looked just like any other pony appendage at first glance. But I took a closer look. I even felt it through the earth. Babs was jacked. Like, insanely so. Her muscles were overclocked to limits that only an Earth Pony like herself could reach. Blood pumped through her veins at a faster rate than even my own. It was freaky, yet amazing to witness. “...Hot damn, BS. No one is ever going to mess with you.” She put her hoof down and continued to walk, “Yeah, not unless they gots a death wish.” Quite intriguing. This could help with the research I would conduct for other Earth Ponies like myself. “Inspirational. But with that much exercise, I can’t imagine the sort of diet you need to maintain that form…” “Pfft. Easy, fam. I gotta eat lots. Protein especially. Love me some protein. Starches too. But I gotta eat constantly to keep muh energy up. Ya neva know when ya gonna need it.” I could respect someone so dedicated to their craft. “I see. And just what else do you tend to eat?” “Hayburgas, salads, sweet potaytas, rice, beans, all that good stuff. But I stay the hell away from things like cakes and sweets.” “Oh? Why is that?” “Things like chocolate turns to suga and suga turns to bubblin’ fat. Can’t stand it. Yeah gives ya energy at first, but you have to work ya ass off twice as hard just so it won’t go to ya ass. Ya feel me?” I made a few mental notes. The lunch menu at the school would have to be altered somewhat. But I could manage. “Wow, you have rather keen insight. Do you think--” I was interrupted by a cartoonish rumbling in the mare’s stomach. “Whoops. Sorry. Looks like I need to get somethin’. Why don’tcha come join me?” “Oh no I don’t think I…” “C’mon...ya need to loosen up old man,” she nudged my side with her hoof. I wasn’t amused. “I’m like, not even four years older than--” but I sighed, and relented. Now wasn’t the time for stress. It was a time to relax. “Sure.” “Awesome, yo. Come with me, they got this special buffet with all the fixins’--” Thankfully, she didn’t pull my hoof again. She likely would’ve tore it out of its socket this time. So we arrived at this special buffet restaurant. I didn’t think Silver Shoals would be experts in more refined tastes, and yet here they were. It was also nice to see lots of older ponies able to relax and eat without the annoying sounds of children. I sat at a table. The feeling of being in such a lavish diner was nostalgic to me for some reason. I almost felt like I could slip into a monochrome universe of-- PLOP! “What the devil?” Babs had returned with two plates piled high with chimichangas. Of course. These delicacies contained most of the foods she mentioned earlier. Rice, beans, and...did I smell jalapenos? “Eat up, brutha. You gon’ need it to keep ya stamina up,” she munched on one, and licked the sauce off her muzzle. “Now I’ve been thinkin’. Is it true ya tryin’a open up an Earth Pony school in Ponyville?” I nibbled one of those fried rolls of food, “...No. It’s not my idea. It’s Cheerilee’s. I merely suggested to her. She’s the one following through on it in order to make it a reality.” “Feh. Betta be careful, yo,” she took a sip from her glass of water. “Pardon?” “You know damn well that there’s ponies out there that wanna uphold the natural orda,” she explained with a worried look in her eyes, “lots of ‘em out there live as if the rulas can do no wrong and don’t think for ‘emselves. There be so much about Equestria we can explore that nopony bothas to deal with...shame.” “That’s right...fear is what keeps us back. Sometimes for the better,” I put my hoof on the table, and rested my cheek on it. I looked outside, up at the clouds in the sky. “And yet, there’s so much potential we have that...if we could just...unlock our power. The future would become clearer…” “How noble of ya...just be prepped for conflict. Some ponies can’t stand those of us who wanna be diffrent.” I turned my attention to her again. “‘Us’ you say?” “Yeah, I mean, lookit me. You think it’s common for a filly to be wrapped up in turf wars? I was always bein’ judged...ain’t had no friends ‘til I met cuz.” “Your old Crusader friends...do you still chat?” She had eaten about three more chimichangas in the meantime. Manners seemed to be a word that didn’t exist in her vocabulary. “Oh yeh. I visit way more often now. But I often wonda if I could eva change ponies minds...get them to appreciate me more. Auntie and Uncle O seem like they wanna, but I...eh, forget it.” “Oh no no, I completely understand. My own parents were...well, let’s just say they didn’t respect who I was.” “Yo, for real? But ya so respectable lookin’ witcha hat ‘n vest and well-payin’ job. How could anypony’s parents hate that?” I didn’t respond right away. I wasn’t going to burden a nice mare like her with my troubles. “I...it’s not worth talking about.” “Uh-huh...well I ain’t gonna force ya to tell me or nuttin’. But what I am gonna say is that Aunt and Uncle O are ridicyalous. They wanted me to become a prissy candy-ass noble pony of class like they. If ya don’t know, they own the largest orange juice factory in Equestria.” I clapped my hooves. “Ah! The Succulent Orange brand of juices. Those are my favorite. Your aunt and uncle own the whole thing?” “Meh,” she sipped her water again, “more like a family thing that’s been around fer years. Don’t gemme wrong, I love the stuff. But I ain’t aboutta walk around in some dress in orda to hide how fat muh flank is!” Yeesh. She was clearly irritated by the idea of inheriting anything to do with her fellow family members. I looked at her cutie mark--the pair of scissors. “Is that why you prefer to be a mane styler?” “Heck yeah, I mean...I ain't' one for frettin’ about my appearance. But havin’ the right ‘do will keep ya spirits up. Make ya feel prouda, stronga. It’s about bein’ ya best no matta what time’a day it is. When a pony entas my shope, they gonna be welcomed by me and my crew as we take care of ‘em. But Auntie and Unc don’t think so,” she leaned back in her seat and folded her hooves. “Somethin’ about bein’ a stylist bein’ beneath our status as a fam.” I leaned forward. “Okay. Pray tell, what sort of future do you wish for yourself?” “Futcha? I...I wanna be famous. I want ponies to be able to walk around and go, ‘yeah lookit dat guy! He had his mane done by Babs!’ ya know? Heck, maybe if I’m fortunate enough, I could open a whole damn gym of my own along with it.” A gym? Combined with a salon? Wonders never cease. But it was good to hear that this mare was doing her best to better herself. In Manehattan, things were rougher than other cities, but it was also more profitable. Easier to earn a living and thrive there. One must take risks to earn the greatest spoils as they say. “What about ya?” Babs asked me out of the blue, “I dunno about all the deets of ya past, but maybe you could enlighten me on ya futcha instead?” Future? Future… “I...want to change the world.” She flashed me her usual smirk, “Damn, where’dja get that? Out of a fortune cookie?” I shook my head. “I’m serious. I wish...to bring about a unification of all the lands. One where everyone can be truly aware of each other’s differences and be able to form their own opinions. Equestria has a lot of secrets...secrets that harm its population more than it helps. I intend to uncover those secrets, so that we all can finally understand the truth about who we are…starting with Cozy Glow.” “I ‘member her...can’t say I feel anythin’ for her, though. But you smart. You can set her free if ya make a good enough case to the princess of friendship or whateva,” Babs finished her water as well as her plate of fried food rolls. I couldn’t tell if she really understood everything I said or not. But it occurred to me that she wished for something similar. “But...I can’t wait to see ya reaction to how things are back in da city,” she was about to get up and go get more food, but she paused in her seat, “In fact...maybe I could use ya.” “Um...what?” “Maybe I could get Aunt and Uncle O off muh back if I showed ‘em I had a coltfiend, eh?” she said with a playful nudge from under the table. My heart skipped a beat. I felt like I passed out for a nanosecond. “...what?!” “Hahaha! I’m jokin’! I’m jokin’! Now ya betta eat up or else ya won’t unlock ya hidden strength. Next is fruits and veggies!” she got up to get more food. I watched her closely as she muscled her way to the buffet again. Something about Babs was...deceptive to say the least. As if there were a set of dragon claws she was hiding and waiting to unleash at the right moment. Huh. That sounded rather familiar. Still, I couldn’t wait to see just what she was able to pull off. We ate and spoke more with each other until it got a bit late in the afternoon. After that, we left the restaurant, and waved at each other as we left. I smiled, “See you next week, yes?” “Betta not be late, Blood Vipa!” Gah, that name would never escape me. But it was rather poetic, wasn’t it? The viper is a classification of venomous snakes that stalk their prey and wait for the right time to strike due to the fact that their venom doesn’t take effect right away. It needs time to take effect. The Russell’s Viper in particular caused excess bleeding within the skin of the afflicted area. “Heh…” Nah. I wasn’t a philosopher. It was just a silly title with no bearing on how I lived my life. None… Meanwhile, from a nearby table with two observers... “I heard them talking about Manehattan and Cozy Glow...is that the guy we’re looking for?” “Most likely. We better talk to him before he causes any extra damage.” “For trying to manipulate my wife? I’ll make sure he doesn’t even if it kills him.”