Chapter 3: A Startling Surprise
“Ya know what? Ah’m tired of yer attitude.” Applejack fallowed John in through the front door to the Apple family home. “Ya hardly talk, and what ya did back there, killin’ that manticore without touchin’ it. That just doesn’t happen.” She stamped her hoof, shaking dust off the ceiling. “Look at me when ah’m talking ta ya. Ah said look at me.” She rushed over to him, but before she could lay a hoof on him Fluttershy bared her way. “What the hay Fluttershy, out of the way.” She leaned in close and whispered something into her ear. AJ’s ears dropped.
“He seems very upset.” She whispered, she gently tugged at John’s pants. “John, are you alright. Is something wrong.” He turned around clutching an old wooden picture frame. “John?”
“Ah thought ah’d lost this fer good.” He breathed heavily and handed the object to her. To her surprise, the photo revealed more creatures like John, all huddled together under an oak tree. John was in it, but looked younger than he did now. An older man with scruff on his chin and a cowboy hat stood next to him with his arm on John’s shoulder. A woman, not much younger than the man, wore something similar to what the father wore, only without the cowboy hat. There were two younger children, no older than ten spins tugging at each other’s hair. “That’ s mah family, ‘bout a month before they...” he gulped “died.”
“Oh my, how did they die? Do you know?” she gave the picture back to him
“Um...how are ya able ta hold stuff in yer hooves, ya don’t have fingers like me?” she looked at him confused, then answered.
“Uh, ya. You know how unicorns use magic to move stuff.” He nodded his head. “Well, other ponies such as pegusi and earth ponies, each have a little magic themselves. They use that to hold objects such as pictures and books.”
“Whoa, whoa, off subject here.” AJ butted in. “Ah wanna know how ya took down that manticore. And how were ya able ta survive all of that?” Everypony stared at the cuts, fresh blood still oozed from several of the open wounds. “No pony survives that unless there some kind of goddess.”
“Oh, I should go get bandages.” Fluttershy sped upstairs to fetch medical supplies, leaving him alone with all the other ponies. The only one that seemed to completely trust him and actually liked him left him alone.
“Well, ya didn’t answer mah question. How did ya do it?” She tapped her hoof impatiently.
“Ya know, even if ya kick me out don’t mean ah’m gonna tell ya anythin’.” He gave her his blank stare. “Ya can torture me and burn me, but don’t expect me ta talk. Ah’ll say when ah’m ready ta say, and that ain’t now.” He crossed the room and set his bag on the coffee table. “However, ah will tell ya how ah killed it, if that’ll make ya happy.” He removed the weapons on his person and set them out on the table. “Now, these here are guns. They can fire a piece of metal thousands of feet per second in to just ‘bout anythin’, includin’ flesh. Weapons built fer war and meant ta kill. There are hundreds of different kinds and millions more of each.” He lifted up the smaller one so they could see more easily. “This one is called a nine caliber, it’s fer close range, not as accurate as a rifle but just as deadly.” He set that down and lifted up the larger, longer gun. “This one, mah favorite one, is a sniper rifle. With this scope and long barrel, ah can hit one of yer apples on the farthest corner of yer apple orchard.” All the ponies gaped at the weapons, then slowly backed away. Pinkie Pie was the only one unaffected.
“Ooh, ooh, can you show us how they work.” She was bouncing now. “It would be so cool if you could show us.”
“No.” She stopped bouncing. “If ya don’t know what guns are than ya obviously don’t make them. So that means ah should probably save mah bullets and stick with mah sword.”
“You know, I wouldn’t mind seeing your sword.” Twilight trotted over to him, eying the black gauze covered hilt. All that showed of the hilt was the gauze. “May I see it?” She reached a hoof out to grab it, but John was quick and moved it away from her. “What’s wrong?”
“Mah stuff...is kinda...personal.” she gave him an even stare, and AJ scoffed. “Well, it’s almost sundown, so ah’m hittin’ the hay, and with the look Miss Applejack is givin’ me, ah’ll be in the barn.” He repacked his bag and headed for the door when Fluttershy came dashing down the stairs.
“AJ, you’re out of bandages, that’s not good at all, what if someone gets...” she stared blankly at John at the door. “John, where are you going?” He turned around and gave her a smile that never quite reached his eyes.
“Ah’ll be sleepin’ in the barn tonight. So ah’m gonna go get a bed ready.” He reached for the door handle, but a purple hue engulfed it and wouldn’t budge when he tried to open it.
“Now wait right there. He’s our guest.” Twilights horn glowed with the same hue as the door. “John, would you mind staying with me at the library, I have extra beds?”
He looked back at her, meeting her commanding gaze. She seemed like the leader of the group with how she held herself and her tone of voice. “Ya, sure. When do we leave?” He dropped his bags on the floor with a heavy thump.
“Right now if that’s ok with you?”
“Sure.” He re-grabbed his stuff and gave his farewells in nods to each pony. “Ah’ll wait outside.” The purple vanished and he opened the door and stepped outside.
“AJ,” Twilight turned toward her. “why can’t you get along with him? He hasn’t done anything to harm us, actually the complete opposite, he saved us from the manticore.”
“Ya, maybe he’s just playin’ ya.” She scoffed, “For all we know he’s in league with those gangs raidin’ the towns.”
“AJ! How could you say that?” Fluttershy walked in on the conversation. “He’s not what you think. He’s really sweat and kind.’
“Well, ya can believe what ya want ta believe, ah don’t trust him.”
“AJ’s right.” Rainbow said, “We can’t just go trusting any creature that falls out of the sky. Plus, those weapons he has, they took down a manticore, and those gashes on his chest, no pony could survive that, let alone walk away and fight some more.”
“Well, while you debate on whether he’s evil or not, ah’m going to take him home.” Twilight exited leaving Pinkie Pie, Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack.
“I bid you farewell until tomorrow. Goodnight.” Rarity left. Pinkie Pie fallowed and Rainbow.
AJ was alone, she sighed, “Ah don’t care what they think of him,” she muttered, “ah don’t trust him one bit.” She skulked away upstairs.
~*~*~*~*~
The night was cold, though John appeared to not feel it. They walked silently down the dirt path leaving little trail as to their passing. In fact, everything was silent, not a bird chirped or squirrel scurried. All was peaceful. The moon glowed like a beacon out on the ocean. Very little could escape it radiant glow.
“You know, a funny thing happened to me yesterday.” Twilight, hopping to break the silence, she peered up into his eyes, but his expression didn’t change. It was the same as on the trip. “Well, my mentor, Princess Celestia,” she put stress on the name, hoping to grab his attention. “came down for my birthday.” She waited for an answer. Then he spoke.
“Happy birthday.” It was all that he spoke. She muttered something under her breath.
“Thank you. When’s your birthday?” There was silence, and this time there was no answer afterward. “Come on, I know you have a birthday.” She nudged his leg with her shoulder.
“February fifth.” He looked down at her. “Why do ya want ta know everything ‘bout me. Maybe ah’m keepin’ things a secret fer yer own good.” He stopped, around them was an empty field of grass, there were no sounds, but John heard otherwise. Reaching for his sword he unsheathed it, an intricate design of strange symbols marked the silver blade, then he crouched down telling Twilight to do the same.
“What’s going on?” She asked in a hushed voice.
“Somethin’s comin.” Just as he said the words the ground in front of them erupted. Pieces of dirt and rock showered on them as they fell back. The dust settled and there, standing in front of them were...dogs. There were five of them, each wearing clothes and drooling on the ground. They stood almost as tall as him.
“Diamond dogs.” John gave her a questioning stare. “We had a bit of trouble with them a while back. Kidnapped Rarity so she could search for diamonds for them.”
“Ya, so why are they here now?” He got back to his feet, he pointed his sword at them. Twilight shrugged and backed away behind him. He removed his bag from his shoulders and placed it on the ground beside him. “Ah suggest ya leave before this get really ugly.” Moments after he said the words a tall, slim dog walked out from the middle of the grouping. Standing at sword point he eyed him curiously and began speaking.
“This pony, along with her friends, stole our only way to find diamond.” He glanced at the pony behind him.
“Ya, and what way was that? Rarity?” asked John, his voice low and threatening. “Well, ah don’t see her anywhere around. Do you?”
“No, but quite frankly we came for the purple one.” A slight smile stretched across his face as he heard Twilight whimper behind her.
“What, is this some sort of act for revenge.”
“In a way, you see, the only other pony within miles of here who can use magic to find diamonds are either your friend there or the white one. But don’t worry about her, I’m sure she’s bagged and all ready on her way to our den.” John scowled at them. “Now, if you don’t mind, we’d like that pony now.”
“Ah don’t think so.”
“Your one strange creature.” He chuckled, then launched himself at John, the other dogs followed behind. In one swift and fluent move, John spun around and sliced through the first dogs chest, leaving a large, bleeding gash. John leaped backward. The dog fell to the ground and the others jumped over him, baring their teeth and darting around them. One on each corner, no hope of escape. Twilight whimpered, curled up next to him, staring in horror at the bloodied diamond dog.
“Common ya coward, the first one wasn’t that hard.” The dogs began circling them, snarling and growling, their yellow eyes penetrating the darkness. He didn’t want to kill any more of them. He was hoping to start fresh, and this wasn’t helping. I suppose if I use... NO! What am I thinking? I will not use it, I refuse. One of the dogs dashed toward them, John whipped his blade through the air and knocked it out with the flat of his blade. “Twilight!” She was being drug of by one to the hole they came through. He tried to get to her but was cut off by the fourth dog. Though this one had an ax. He slung it from off his back now, showing off with it as he swung it around.
“Common. You’re not afraid are you?” His voice was gruff and reminded him of gravel on concrete. He charged toward him, swinging his ax mercifully over his head. A slow target. With lightning speed, John darted around the beast, leaving him staring at the spot he had been. He turned around and found the hilt of a sword come pounding down upon his cranium. The diamond dog slumped lifelessly in a lump of fur and armor.
“Twilight!” He gasped and turned around, he barely saw the tip of her tail at the entrance to the tunnle. “Twiligh!” He sprinted for the hole, but before he could get to it it filled up with dirt. In shock, he sank to his knees upon the mound. I should have used it, I should have used it. NO! I will save her without it. I swore never to use it again, but only on him. John jumped up onto his feet, sheathing his sword in a flash he ran back to AJ’s house, hopefully she’ll know what to do. And if she won’t help me, hopefully she’ll help Twilight. Tree’s whizzed by, he kicked up dirt, he would get her back, he had let to many down before, he wouldn’t bake the same mistake twice.