//------------------------------// // Hearts and Minds // Story: Defender // by Kaibble //------------------------------// One gut wrenching teleportation later Jack found himself looking at what appeared to be one of the biggest apple orchards he had ever seen. “A Farm?” Jack said, looking around, seeing a large barn. “I thought we were going into town?” “Sweet Apple Acres isn’t very far from town. Besides, I wanted to introduce you to Applejack first. She’s probably the most understanding and down to earth of all my friends. I think you’ll get along really w-“ “Look out Twi there’s a monster behind yah!” Jack turned in the direction of the voice just in time receive a swift kick to the gut from an orange pony wearing a cowboy hat. “Hurk!” Jack doubled over and fell onto the ground in the fetal position. Twilight ran over to him. “Oh my gosh! Jack are you ok!?” The young man weakly held up a hand to reassure her. “Yeah,” he wheezed, “just gimme a minute…” “Oh.” The orange pony said upon witnessing the scene. “I’ve done goofed haven’t I?” She smiled nervously. “Not your fault…” Jack managed, his breaths still very shallow. “You were just… looking out for your friend.” The cowpony trotted over and helped Jack get to his feet. “I’m real sorry about that pardner. Ya just looked so gosh darn suspicious creepin’ back there and I guess my instincts just kinda took over.” She blushed. “Like I said,” Jack accepted her help and got too his feet, “so long as you didn’t mean it.” Twilight helped him up as well. “Applejack this is, well this is Jack. Jack Beckett. He’s the human you’ve probably heard about. Princess Celestia made me his escort and I thought I would show him around.” She smiled sheepishly. “But I guess I should have let you know we were coming.” Jack winced as he stretched his abdominals. “Nothing I can’t walk off, I’ve been through worse after all.” “Well how about we make the walk to my place over yonder?” Applejack said pointing toward a rustic looking farmhouse. “You can meet the rest of the family and I’ll see if I can scare up some grub for ya.” “I would really appreciate that actually.” Jack said, suddenly aware of how hungry he was. They started heading towards the farmhouse, Jack trailing slightly behind, still working the kinks out of his gut. Despite the physical assault he found the farm to be rather relaxing. Applejack’s southern twang reminded him greatly of his hometown in Tennessee, a place he had only been able to visit sporadically since joining the Air Force. It was the most at ease he’d felt since the crash. Just when he was getting to his most relaxed he suddenly became aware of a rustling coming from a bush behind him. “Sister look out! There’s a monster behind ya!” “Apple Bloom no!” ---------------------------------------------------------------- Jack sat pensively at the table, his left eye obscured by a large ice pack while his right focused on the three fillies seated on the other end of the table. All three of them looked as if someone had just kicked their dog. “We’re real sorry mister.” Apple Bloom let out slowly. “Really we are.” Sweetie Bell added weakly. “Really very sorry.” Scootaloo rounded the three out. Jack let out a heavy sigh. He wasn’t an angry person by nature. The constant little misfortunes that he had suffered throughout his life had left him with a unique perspective on things. If he let every little thing get to him he would never find the time to be happy. He took unpleasant events as lessons learned and missed opportunities as gateways to bigger things. Besides, he couldn’t stay mad at these three, they were just so god damn adorable. “Just forget about it.” He said, waving his free hand lazily. “Besides, I should be complimenting you on your courage. Not every kid would attack a big, scary monster like me to protect their big sister.” Apple Bloom blushed a little. “Well to tell you the truth we were hoping we might get monster slayer cutie marks out of it.” Jack tilted his head in curiosity. “Cutie marks?” “Yeah!” Scootaloo piped up, puffing her chest out. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Sweetie Bell struck an equally dramatic pose. “And we will not rest until we have discovered our cutie marks!” Jack just looked at them, unsure of what to say without looking stupid. Apple Bloom leaned over to her friends. “Girls I don’t think he knows what a cutie mark is.” She half whispered to them. The other two gasped incredulously, the very idea of not knowing what a cutie mark was being the last thing they ever thought possible. The three of them suddenly huddled together, whispering and occasionally glancing over at Jack, who was eyeing them suspiciously. They finally broke huddle and turned to him. “Fear not Mister Jack!” Scootaloo proclaimed dramatically. “For we have decided to educate you on the importance of the cutie mark!” “Oh, well thanks, I guess.” Jack replied, rather taken aback. Apple Bloom started pacing back and forth across the room. “Now I’m sure you noticed the apple marks on my sister’s flank.” Jack brought his hand up to his chin thoughtfully. “Now that you mention it…” Apple Bloom was suddenly inches from his face. “So you’ve been starin’ at my sister’s flank huh?” She accused, slowly closing in on him. Jack backed up as much as he could on his stool without falling off. “What!? No! You just said…” Apple Bloom turned around and walked back across the table before he could finish. “I’ll let it go this time, but don’t let me catch you doing it again.” Jack just sat there, mouth agape, a little unsure of what had just happened. “Anyway, a cutie mark represents a ponies one true talent. The one thing that they are the best at and enjoy doing the most.” She continued, not missing a beat. “In my sister’s case the apples represent her talent at running an apple orchard.” “And my sister Rarity has diamonds to represent her ability to make beautiful dresses and accessories.” Sweetie Bell chimed. “And Rainbow Dash has a thunderbolt to represent her love of racing and speed!” Scootaloo said rather intensely. “In short,” Apple Bloom resumed, “a cutie mark is a big part of a pony’s identity. The three of us are the only ones in our class that don’t have our cutie marks yet, so we decided to band together and become…” The three fillies jumped together, striking dramatic poses. “THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!” Jack couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm. “Well then I wish you luck on your quest, sounds like you’ll need it.” “Hey Mister Jack, can I ask you sumthin’?” Apple Bloom looked towards him with curious eyes as they broke their collective pose. “Go for it.” “If humans don’t have cutie marks then how do they know what their special talent is?” Jack leaned back, stewing over the question for a moment. The truth, he knew, was much more complicated than these little fillies needed to know. That some people, a lot in fact, never really find the one thing that makes them happiest in life. He knew that telling them that would only discourage them. So he settled for the next best answer. “It’s just something you have to find with time.” He said, offering a smile. The three fillies let out an exaggerated groan that reminded Jack vaguely of Charlie Brown. “That’s what EVERYPONY says!” Scootaloo cried out in frustration. “It’s okay girls.” Apple Bloom reassured her friends. “With time AND tryin’ enough things out, we will eventually find our cutie marks!” The Crusaders suddenly eyed Jack again and went back into a huddle, whispering and peeking yet again. When they broke Sweetie Bell stepped forward. “Mister Jack, we know you don’t have a cutie mark. But if you did what would you say it would be?” “What would my mark be?” Jack repeated, unwilling to add “cutie” at the beginning. He thought for a minute. “Well it’s not really a mark but,” Jack dug into his pocket and pulled out a silver dollar sized, blue and bronze colored coin and set it on the table, “I was given this when I finished learning how to do my job.” The three fillies gathered around the coin to get a better look at it. The coin was face up, displaying a star with a set of feathered wings at its center. Sweetie Bell leaned in and read the inner ring. “U-United States Air Force, 1947.” Apple Bloom leaned in now, reading the outer ring. “Integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do.” Jack flipped the coin over, revealing another star and wings, except now the wings had a much sharper, more modern design. Scootaloo was almost on top of it, already intrigued by apparent air based theme of the coin. “Awarded on the oc-occasion of becoming an airman,” her eyes grew wider as she read, “in the world’s best air force!” She finished excitedly. She looked to Jack expectantly. “Does that mean you can fly!?” The airman let out a short laugh. “No Scootaloo, I can’t fly.” He answered, ruffling the fillies purple mane, making her huff indignantly. “Even the people that do have to use machines called airplanes to fly. I’m in the Security Forces, basically glorified police officers.” “Hmm…” Apple Bloom tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Cutie Mark Crusader Policeponies, that’s one we haven’t tried before.” Scootaloo jumped up excitedly. “All we have to do is find somepony being bad so we can arrest ‘em!” “Actually,” Jack started, getting up from the table, “why don’t you give Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Slayers another try?” Sweetie Bell raised an eyebrow at him. “How are we supposed to do that?” Jack spotted a small apple crate and a devilish grin spread across his face. -------------------------------------------------------- “I jus’ don’t know Twi.” The cowpony said, pushing an apple pie into the oven. “I mean, sure he seems polite enough now but so did Gilda when Rainbow was around, and we both know how that turned out. And he’s jus’ got this weird,” she struggled to find the word, “subdued attitude about ‘im.” “I know, I know.” Twilight said, using her magic to wash some apples. “It’s just… I get this feeling when I look at him sometimes you know? He gets this look in his eyes like he’s been through a lot, seen things nopony should have to see.” “Maybe yer right Twi. Maybe I’m jus’ overth-” Applejack was interrupted by a sudden scream that emanated from the dining room, drawing both ponies attention. “Unhoof me you villain!” They heard Sweetie Bell cry out. The two mares exchanged glances before rushing off to the dining room. “I told ya we shouldn’ta left them alone with,” Applejack paused as they rounded the corner into the dining room, “him?” Jack was holding a squirming Sweetie Bell up in the air, wearing an apple crate on his head. “Put down our friend you fiend!” Apple Bloom said overdramatically, squaring off against the much larger human. “Or face the wrath of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Jack let out his best villain laugh. “I’m not afraid of you, Cutie Mark Crusaders! For I am the mighty BOXOR! Master of villainous villainy and collector of small ponies!” He hammed it up fantastically. Apple Bloom pointed at Jack in a sweeping manner. “Then you have sealed your fate! Now Crusader Scootaloo!” “Haha!” Scootaloo laughed triumphantly, jumping off a table behind Jack onto his box helmet. “ARGH!” Jack fake stumbled back, leaning over to set the “captive” Sweetie Bell back on the ground. Scootaloo jumped off his head and the three fillies lined up in front of him. “A sneak attack eh? I didn’t know the Cutie Mark Crusaders played dirty!” Scootaloo puffed her chest out. “We don’t play dirty! We play to win!” “It matters not!” Jack said, straightening out his box head. “I’m far more powerful than you could possibly imagine!” He hunched over in a classic villain stance. “Face me and you will lose! And then I shall have three new ponies to add to my collection!” “Not if we work together!” Apple Bloom proclaimed. “Cutie Mark Crusaders! ATTACK!” The Crusaders charged at Jack and jumped up on him. He secured his box in place and rolled onto his back. “NOOOO! Teamwork! My one weakness!” He cried as the fillies wrestled him to the ground. “How did you know!?” “Your days of villainous villainy are over Boxor!” Sweetie Bell yelled, holding down one of the arms that just moments ago had held her prisoner. “This isn’t the last you’ve seen of me Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Jack “struggled” against their hold. “One day I shall return! And when I do-” Jack stopped abruptly when he turned his head and saw Applejack and Twilight gawping at him. He gave them a quick wave with a trapped hand. “Oh hey.” He said awkwardly. “Is, uh, lunch ready yet?” Twilight let out soft giggle while Applejack tilted her hat with an amused smile on her face. “I guess this cowpoke’s alright after all.” --------------------------------------------------------- “You seem like you’re in a better mood.” Twilight said to Jack happily as they walked down the dirt road, headed into town. “Why’s that?” Jack inquired, almost unaware of the goofy smile that was plastered across his face. Twilight giggled. “You’ve been smiling like that since we left AJ’s farm.” Jack crossed his arms and looked away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just as prickly and grouchy as I was before.” Twilight just kept on smiling. “Don’t worry I won’t tell “Boxor” that you’re losing your edge.” Jack slowly clenched a fist in front of his face. “Boxor.” He said with mock contempt. “My greatest nemesis.” Twilight laughed as they continued to walk. The lunch had gone very well. As Twilight predicted, and once he had decided to open up, Jack and Applejack hit it off right away. Jack’s grandfather had been a farmer so he knew a little about the subject. Though when they got to the raising of cows and pigs Jack suddenly got quiet and little nervous. The visit ended with Applejack telling Jack he could stop by anytime. “Seriously though,” Twilight continued, “you were really great with the girls. I know they can be a handful, but you really looked like you knew what you were doing.” Jack smiled fondly. “I have two nieces back home. They want to fight bad guys ‘just like uncle Jack does.’ That wasn’t the first time Boxor’s made an appearance and I doubt it will be the last.” “Is that why you relaxed so much? Because you were reminded of home?” Twilight asked. Jack remembered back to his first deployment. When they had returned from Afghanistan they put everyone through a sort of reintegration program. It was meant to help returning airmen decompress and return to normal life in the states. It involved a whole lot of psychobabble, sitting on couches while overpaid officers with psychology degrees asked you how that made you feel. He hadn’t really felt like his deployment had ended until he had taken leave and went to go see his family. His mom had started crying when she opened the door and saw him there, his nieces were quick to jump on his heels, wanting to play games, and his brother and sister were there with warm hugs, glad to see him home safe. In that moment he had felt all the stresses from the past 6 months melt away. “Yeah, just a little bit.” He said, still lost in thought. “Well I’m glad you’re feeling even a little bit better. And don’t worry, the Princess has the brightest minds in all of Equestria working on a way to get you sent back home.” Twilight encouraged. By now they were coming up on Ponyville. Despite being a pony town it reminded Jack very much of a human small town in the way that all the ponies greeted each other, and were just friendly to one another in general. That was of course until they noticed Jack. It wasn’t that the stares directed at Jack had any hate in them; they just kind of eyeballed him. Some of the ponies retreated into their homes upon seeing him. The general response to his presence seemed to be a mix of disbelief and fear. Jack leaned down and whispered to Twilight. “They don’t appear to be taking to me very well.” “Well they’ve never seen anything like you.” She whispered back. “But give them time, they’ll get used to you.” “Found ya!” The exclamation had surprised Jack but the voice sounded oddly familiar. He turned around and saw the same light blue and rainbow colored pony that had saved his life during the fall. “Oh hey it’s you.” “Darn skippy it’s me!” The rainbow pony stormed up to the pair. She pointed a hoof at Jack. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you forever! But every time I asked Twilight about it she just kept saying that you were being monitored and that I would get my chance to talk to you eventually. Well I was just at Applejack’s and guess who she said was there? You two!” Twilight smiled meekly. “Sorry Dash, I forgot. But we would have gotten to you eventually!” “I saved his life Twilight!” Dash said loudly. “I should have been able to talk to him first!” Jack smirked a little. “That worried about me eh?” “Pfft no.” She scoffed. “Tough guy like you? I knew you’d be fine. I’ve been tracking you down because you never thanked me for being awesome and saving your life that day.” She finished smugly. “Rainbow Dash!” Twilight started in a scolding manner before being stopped by Jack holding up his hand. “She’s right Twilight. I failed to thank her at the time and I haven’t had the chance to do so since I got here. So, Rainbow Dash, I shall give you greatest gift my people have to offer you. But, you shall have to close your eyes. Would you do that for me?” “For the greatest gift you have!? You bet I will!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly, closing her eyes and waited expectantly. She thought she heard giggling but she kept her eyes closed, not wanting to lose her reward. “I will now administer the gift!” She heard Jack say grandly. Dash suddenly felt something warm and slimy enter her left ear. “Bluh!” She cried out, jumping back and pawing at her ear. “What the hay kind of gift was that!?” Jack was laughing, wiping his finger off on his shirt. “The one prank that ponies will never be able to do.” He wiggled all ten of his fingers at her teasingly. “The Wet Willy!” A wide grin of realization spread across Rainbow’s face. “Oh so that’s how it’s gonna be huh? Alright then, but you haven’t seen the last of me!” With the challenge accepted, she sped off into the sky. Twilight was still giggling a little. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Started a prank war with Rainbow Dash? She’s one of the best you know, you heard Applejack’s stories.” “If there’s one thing you learn in the military, its pranks. No, don’t you worry about me Twilight Sparkle, I can handle this one.” “If you say so.” Twilight said knowingly. “Anyway, next stop is Rarity’s boutique, maybe we can get you some fresh clothes made.” “What’s wrong with these?” Jack asked, a little insulted. “Nothing, provided you like clothes with holes in them.” She had him there. Jack’s uniform had numerous rips and tears in various places. It didn’t bother him but maybe it would be best to get some less ragged clothes. He started to follow Twilight when he found his vision blocked by a pair of huge blue eyes and pink fluff. “Wowee! I’ve never seen anything like you before! You’re all tall and weird! What are you!?” Jack opened his mouth to answer. The pony jumped back. “Ooh ooh ooh, don’t tell me! You’rrrrre aaaaaa sasquatch with a really bad balding problem!” She interrupted quickly. “No no no, you’re a dragon with no scales! Hang on, you’re a genetic experiment gone wrong! Or maybe…” Jack just continued to stare at her, mouth agape, as her guesses became more and more outlandish. Twilight was standing just down the road, a bemused smile on her face, watching the chaos. Suddenly the pink pony clopped her hooves together and smiled wide. “I’ve got it! You’re an interdimensional being that somehow, in some unknown way for some unknown purpose, ended up in Equestria and now you’re waiting for the eggheads in Canterlot to figure out how to send you home and in the mean time you’re getting to know ponies in Ponyville so everypony won’t be so afraid of you!” Jack just kept staring. “Actually, that’s pretty much the gist of it.” He finally said, still very surprised. The pony started jumping up and down, pumping her hooves in the air. “Yes! Ten points for Pinkie Pie! Woohoo!” Twilight walked up, also very confused. “Pinkie how did you know that?” “It was easy silly!” Pinkie replied. “All I had to do was put two and two together to get seven! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lotta work to do!” Pinkie started hopping down the street slowly, humming a cheerful tune, leaving the very confused duo to themselves. Jack watched the pink mare hop down the street. “Does she do that a lot?” Twilight just shook her head. “More often than I’d like. But when it’s Pinkie Pie you learn not to question it. Thinking about it too hard will just give you a headache. Trust me, I know. Come on, let’s get to Rarity’s before your brain starts dripping out of your ears.” To Jack, Rarity’s Carousel Boutique was just another example some of the more impractically elaborate buildings he had been seeing. It took its carousel theme namesake to the next level. As they walked inside Jack saw a white unicorn pony with a purple and very stylish mane and tail. She had her back to them, working with some colorful material at a table. “Hi Rarity.” Twilight said cheerfully. “Twilight?” She started to turn around. “Pinkie Pie was just here, she said that you were bringing- OH MY CELESTIA! IT’S HIDEOUS!” She cried out, cringing back in disgust. Jack was a little put off. The fact that he might look scary to the Ponyville residents had occurred to him. That fact that they might find him ugly had not. “Well gee lady I’m sorry I can’t be a pretty pony like you.” He said sarcastically. “Oh no, not you darling.” Rarity said quickly. “But your clothes! You poor thing, being forced to wear such a garish outfit!” “Is it the holes?” Jack asked, having quite enough of people getting on him about his uniform. Rarity’s nose scrunched up. “Well the holes are just the start! That, that pattern, if you can even call it that, is actually offending my eyes! And why would so many pockets ever be necessary?! And the VELCRO! Ugh! I simply must get you into some new clothes!” Her horn glowed blue, making a nearby measuring tape float in Jack’s direction. “Take that jacket off so I can get some proper measurments.” Jack set his multi-cam top on a nearby coatrack. “I’ll have you know that this uniform is made for functionality, not style.” “Yes yes, I can tell darling, arms up please, but just because you prefer function over form doesn’t mean you can’t look fabulous from time to time.” Rarity jotted down Jack’s measurements as the tape wrapped around various parts of his body. “And pockets in the joints! What could you possibly need them for?!” “They’re for knee and elbow pad inserts.” “Well not to worry darling,” She said, continuing to write down Jack’s numbers, “by tomorrow I should have a positively dashing outfit ready for you.” “Actually if you could keep it simple I would really appreciate it.” Jack said, a pleading look on his face. Rarity was taken aback. “But I had such plans and ideas! I’ve never had the chance to tailor for something like you before! This is such an opportunity!” She looked back a forth between Jack and Twilight, vying for any kind of support. When none came she slumped in defeat. “Very well, simple it is. Just let me know what you need and I shall have it ready. And do stop squirming, you’re making it very hard to measure you properly!” “I can’t help it, I’m not used to flying tape measures!” Just as Rarity was about to retort they heard the door open. “Rarity I hope you’re not too busy.” A soft voice said. “I found these really beautiful stones in the forest and-” The voices owner, a yellow pony with a pink mane and tale, stiffened up and froze in place upon seeing Jack in the room. After a few seconds of staring the pony, still frozen in place, fell on her side like a fainting goat. “Fluttershy!” Twilight cried out, running over to her friend and tipping her back on her feet. “It’s okay he’s not dangerous.” Jack heard the faintest of whispers issue from Fluttershy’s mouth. “Yes I’m sure.” Twilight answered. “I’ve been with him all day. I know he looks kind of weird and scary,” “Hey!” Jack interjected. Twilight smiled at him. “but he’s a good pony, er, person.” Fluttershy looked at Jack as he offered the friendliest smile he could muster. “Okay.” She said quietly, loosening up a little bit. She cautiously stepped a little closer to Jack. “Um, how do you do? I’m-m Fluttershy.” She offered up a shaky smile. Jack did his best to appear harmless. “Nice to meet you Fluttershy, I’m Jack. And I promise I won’t do anything to hurt you.” “A-alright, thank you.” She managed. She turned her attention to the white unicorn, almost like she was pretending Jack wasn’t there. “Rarity I found some really beautiful stones in the forest and I thought you might want them.” “Let me see them dear.” Fluttershy opened up her saddlebag, allowing Rarity to float the colorful stones out. “Oh my, they are quite beautiful.” The next thirty or so minutes consisted mostly of friendly conversation, though much of involved pony fashion so Jack just did a lot of listening. He gave Rarity a list of things he would need. Shirts, pants, boxers, and socks. Twilight decided it was finally time for them to leave so they said their farewells and headed out into the street. “So what’s next?” Jack asked. Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Well that’s more or less everypony I wanted you to meet so I guess we’re done for the day.” “Oh no.” Jack grabbed his stomach. “That means we have to teleport back to the storage area and the hospital doesn’t it? Please Twilight I don’t think my insides can take much more jumping around.” Twilight giggled. “Actually I was thinking the sorting could wait until tomorrow. As for the hospital, you were released into my custody so you can stay at my place for now.” “Oh thank God.” Jack huffed out, so relieved that he wasn’t even bothered by being in the custody of a small, magical purple pony. Twilight smiled. “Follow me, it’s not too far away.” True to her word the walk only took a few minutes. Jack marveled at the literal treehouse that stood before him. “Nice place you’ve got here.” “Like it?” Twilight beamed. “It doubles as the town library so there’s plenty of books to read as well.” “Very cool.” Jack opened the door to step inside only to be assaulted by a storm of confetti and streamers, leaving him a little dumfounded. “Surprise!” He heard several voices cry out. Jack looked around the room. It was obviously set up for a party. Bright balloons, cake, bowls of punch, it was all there. Hanging across the room was a giant banner that said “Welcome to Equestria.” Stationed across various parts of the room were all the ponies Jack had met over the course of the day. Pinkie started jumping up and down in front of him. “Were you surprised!? I tried to get more ponies to come but they wouldn’t for some reason. They would just get all nervous and say they had plans.” Pinkie scoffed. “But what plans could possibly be more important than a PARTY!” She bounced off, assumedly to go do… Pinkie Pie things, and Jack was approached by a small purple and green lizard creature. The lizard stuck out his hand. “Hi I’m Spike, Twilight’s number one assistant.” Jack leaned down to accept the handshake. “Jack Beckett.” “Nice to meet ya Jack.” Spike said cheerfully. He looked around and beckoned Jack closer. “Just between us guys it’ll be nice to have another dude around. These mares can really drive a dragon crazy ya know?” Jack looked at all the smiling faces across the room. “Oh I dunno, they don’t seem so bad.”