//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: First Contact // Story: Take to the Skies // by DamnToasty //------------------------------// Take to the Skies Chapter 3: First Contact Written and Edited by RobertBel98 I elegantly raised both arms to the sides of my helmet. My fingers pressed down firmly gripping the fiberglass shell. Slowly, I removed the weighted helmet from my skull emitting a sigh of relief as the head gear relinquished its grasp of me. I rotated my neck in a circular motion emitting a series of popping sounds from my tense vertebrae. Taking a deep breath I directed my sight to the bottom right corner of the cockpit. There sat a small holster strapped to the wall of the canopy. In the holster rested my M9 Beretta pistol. I grabbed the holster stripping it from the several Velcro restraints, and relocated the object over to my lap. Unbuckling the small weapon I motioned my thumb over to the clip release button pressing down as the 15 round mag fell from the pistol. Swiftly, I re-positioned my hand under the falling magazine catching it. After seeing for myself that the clip was filled to capacity, I pushed the magazine back up into the M9. Once the mag was locked in the weapon I placed my hand over the slide gripping it then pulling it back, cocking the hammer as a result. Satisfied with the load out I strapped the M9 back into the holster. ‘You can’t be too careful.’ I thought to myself as I wrapped the gun around my left thigh. I grabbed both sides of the canopy to provide some support as I lifted myself out of the seat. I found my balance as I stood erect in the open capsule. I then hopped out of the jet momentarily forgetting the height at witch I was elevated. I slid down the side of the aircraft’s main body before impacting the barren farmland with a slight tumbling motion. After regaining my composure I stood back up finally catching a proper view of the world around me. Covering the entire immediate land mass I could see row after row of apple trees all dressed with seemingly symmetrical bright red apples. Even further down the hillside I could see an elegant barn house covered with intricate wood banisters and painted almost an identical color to the fruits which hung from the trees. I was even able to detect a small glimpse of the town I flew over earlier. “God, I probably got some attention from that little display.” I mumbled to myself. “I need to move, secure a perimeter. The last thing I want is for some alien or whatever messing with my equipment, and more importantly me.” After saying this I placed my hand over the holster on my thigh. Opening the holster, I grasped and brought the weapon up from the waist band. I advanced heading for the tree line entering the dense forest of apple trees. Surrounding me were hundreds of the red vibrant fruits. Seeing them caused me to realize how long it had been since my last meal. The thought was instantly followed by a light grumbling from my stomach. ‘Doubt it will do much harm if I just ‘borrow’ a few’ I grinned moving for the nearest plant. Looking up I was once again greeted by a small bushel of apples. My arm reached up grasping the lowest one. With a quick and decisive motion I twisted and plucked the fruit from the tree. My mouth opened as I brought the long awaited sustenance to my face. With a swift chomping motion I bit into the apple emitting an audible crunch. My consumption was quickly interrupted. THUMP! A loud sound echoed through the fields. I turn my head trying to locate the source. THUMP! The sound was closer this time. “What the hell is that?” THUMP! “Whatever it is it is getting way too close for comfort. I better find some form of vantage point; see what I’m dealing with.” I proceeded to retreat into the forest searching for some form of cover. A large rock jutting out of the surface catches my eye. I advance to it moving around to the backside hiding myself away. THUMP! It sounded almost as if it was right on top of me. Against my better judgment, curiosity overwhelms me as I slightly peek out from the rock. Seeing nothing I continue to move out of cover until… THUMP! The nearby sound causes me to dash back behind cover. A mix of nervous breaths and skipping heartbeats flows over me. I finally regain the courage to try to look once again. Once more my head slowly bobs out from the rock only this time I did not stop myself. My head is almost completely out of cover; my eyes turn in all directions still trying to find the source of the mysterious sound. I take one last look and finally I see it. A small creature was roaming through the forest in front of me. It was dressed with an orange coat and a tied back blonde mane. On its back were several baskets, all filled to the rim with apples. I remain in my position analyzing it. It was almost reminiscent of a small horse or pony, but different. It was shaped oddly and seemed less like an ‘animal’. The way it moved gave of some sense of intelligence. I couldn't quite understand it. Suddenly I hear a large amount of commotion coming from the north. I felt it get closer and closer. It seemed to also grab the attention of the orange pony. Then a gust of wind pushed me back with great force. I felt like a jet engine had just been blown right in my face. I struggle to sit back up still dazed by the sudden impact. Refocusing my sight on the orange pony I see it suffered a similar reaction, and then I look up. I freeze. For what was hovering just above was the cyan Pegasus I had seen only mere minutes prior. “Applejack I need to talk to you now!” ‘Did it just speak?!’ I stare in bewilderment as the flying Pegasus continues to converse in the all too familiar dialect. “Oh Rainbow, yah made me drop all my apples. Yah know how much buckin it took to gather all those.” “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I really need to talk to you!” “Well alright Rainbow what’s got yah so riled up?” The blue Pegasus takes a deep breath before responding. “I was practicing some stunts to use during my freestyle period next season at the Wonder Bolt academy when something surprised me. There was a huge flash in the sky then I felt something just zoom past me. It caught me off guard so at the time I didn't see it so I went after it!” “Well what was it?” “I don’t know, I was able to catch up with it and I had never seen anything like it before. It was like a flying metal bird with fire coming out of it.” “Are yah sure you didn’t just hit your head or somethin.” The orange pony snickered. “Applejack I’m being serious!” “Alright sugar cube. Just doesn’t really sound all that likely.” “I know but am sure of what I saw and get this there’s more!” The orange pony leans in as the blue Pegasus repeats the action lowering her voice to a whisper. “When I was flying after it I managed to get alongside it and I… saw something.” “Well what did you see?” “When I passed by the front of it there was some kind of window. Well I could kind of see through it and there was something inside. Something that was moving.” “Well what was it.” “That’s the thing I still don’t know what it was. I was only able to get a brief glimpse of it before it…” “It did what.” “Well, it might have kind of sort of got away.” The orange pony went into a slight chuckle. “Hey what’s so funny?!” The blue Pegasus says forming a serious expression as the other pony continues to laugh. “Oh nothin, just seems like you finally found somepony that can give you a run for your bits.” “Hey look here I was just distracted!” “Whatever yah say Rainbow Dash.” The Pegasus begins to calm down. “Alright and… Applejack. I don’t think it was a some ‘pony’ inside that thing.”