//------------------------------// // Chapter 24 Settled in // Story: The metal HAWKEN // by NinjaTurtle //------------------------------// Chapter 24 Settled in --------------------- Applebloom, ponyville, 1 week later. --------------------- Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were in the middle of the orchard. "Do ya think he's here? " asked Applebloom. "I don't know? Did you see him Sweetie? " Scootaloo said. Sweetie shook her head. "No. I haven't seen him. " she said. *Rustle* The trio looked around and the noise. "What was that? " she asked nervously. "Ah don't know. Maybe it's a rabbit or some other critter. " Applebloom replied. *Rustle**Rustle* This time they all looked at the same bush that was hidden under a tree. "Hey, Applebloom. Why don't you go check it out? " asked Sweetie Belle. "Nu-uh! You do it! " Applebloom said back. *Rustle* This time the noise came from a different bush. The three copies slowly backed away from the bushes. There was another rustle but they didn't react to it, to busy backing away. *Thud* The fillies stopped. They all turned around slowly. "Your it. " Connor said before running. The ponies looked at scootaloo before running, laughing all the way, from her as she was now it in their little game. They had been at this since Connor finished his chores. He would often play with them, mainly because there was nothing else to do and he could keep an eye on them for their parents. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been curious about Connor and DB since they arrived but never got round to talking to them. After only a day of his return, though, they finally went up to him and talked. Connor, having been used to his younger brother and still being young enough, found playing with them fun. Applebloom also knew what happened at Canterlot because she got Connor to tell her, as long as she didn't let anyone else but her and the other crusaders know. She saw the scar on his side but was assured that humans can survive worse. They played till Applejack, who was preparing the barn for winter, called them. "Applebloom, Connor, Grannies got ya dinner! Come 'n' get it! " she shouted Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo went home as they faced towards the house for dinner. --------------------- Connor Irons --------------------- After dinner, which was good as always, i headed for his bed in the barn. I had made himself quite home-y in there and had setup things he didn't even have back home. Though the memories of home did get to me every now and again, I knew that it would be fine. Even if I don't go back, which made me sad as i would miss his family, I would be remembered as a hero here unlike at home where I would be another soldier who got my money at the end of the month. I walked in, climbed up the ladder which i had firmly tied to the ledge and moved to my bed. Next to my bed was the present i had brought back but had forgotten about. I read the label quickly before opening it. Dear Connor Irons. As Captain of the royal guard, I am happy and grateful to hear of your heroic actions against the Changelings and the saving of canterlot, the princesses and my sister. As a reward and a present, some guards of their own free-will built this for you. Sincerely from Captain Shining Armour. I didn't recognize the name of the captain but I may of had an idea of who had got the gift. I opened it up to find a bat. This one, however, was a metal bat which had a black coating of some material with some engraved writing on it. On one side, it had my name 'Connor Irons'. On the other side, it had what I could only assume was the name they had given the bat itself, 'Dark Beauty'. A bat called DB. Funny idiots. These engravings were filled with a lime green colour that almost glowed in the dark. I picked it up and got a feel for the bat. The white fabric grip of the bat was nice and the bat was pretty balanced in my hand. I gave a few test swings, even picking up a pebble he found and hit it. It connected and the stone left a small dent in the wood. I slid it down his back. It connected to the magnetic metal plate on my back which normally held my minigun. I then did a quick practice of drawing it from his back. It put up a little resistance to being pulled from the plate, which was good as he now knew it wouldn't just fall off during combat. It was already late after dinner due to days getting shorter to allow the weather ponies to make snow more easily. It was now really dark outside with only the moon to light it up. I got changed into some pajamas, which I had gotten from Rarity a few days ago, and went to bed. As I fell asleep, I awoke in my dreams. I had always been a lucid dreamer but since coming here, they were more vivid and they appeared quicker. This surprised me a bit but not much the first time. I had a nightmare of Chrysalis, but it was quickly dispelled by Luna who had to create her weapon outside my dream before entering to combat my nightmare as I was immune and/or highly resistant to magic. This includes any use of it in my dreams. Since then, most things had returned to normal. Luna came in whenever she had no dreams to protect and would give status reports on the progress of the research to send me home. One time, she brought Celestia into my dreams as she was curious on how what a lucid dream was. Let's just say, I knew of a slight addiction, obsession, favorite thing of the princess. It was sitting peacefully in a deck chair with a Coca Cola in one hand and a MC Donald's bag to my left on the dream table. I just sat there as I watched the clouds which projected happy and funny memories down. After watching the memory of me on my 15 birthday, which was the last time most of my family was in one place, I heard a door open, which allowed Luna to step in. "Hey Luna, how are you? " I said to her as I pulled out the MC Donald's burger. "We are fine Connor. How are you? " Luna said, walking over to sit in a chair I made appear for her. I smiled. "I'm fine. I finally opened the present I got from the royal guards. It's a really nice looking baseball bat with nice engravings on it. Say thanks to...what was his name?...oh yeah, Shining Armour. " I said as I ate my burger, which was perfectly the way I ordered it unlike the real ones people get which is only half of what they ordered and the other half of the stuff they put in them to increase the price. Although a dream, I could see slight discomfort in Luna as I ate the meat, but it was shook off she sat down. "You seem dedicated to the choice of going home. Why? What do you miss so much? " Luna asked. "I miss my family. Don't get me wrong, it's nice here, but you can only make friends here. You can't make family. This world wouldn't handle my family anyway. " I said as I summoned my drink to my hand. "Oh, why is that? Surely you jest as no family can be that bad. " she said. I smiled. "My family isn't bad, it's just not good. Lots of people in my family have learnt how to twist the laws and can exploit every one. And since they are technical doing all of it legally, they get away with it. " I said. "What else do you miss so much? You could always start a family here, in Equestria " said Luna, now very interested. "I miss the luxuries I had and the world I lived on. I miss eating proper human food and the sights of the glowing cities far in the distance. " I said as I looked up. "I miss days and I could just lay on the sofa or being out with my old friends. I miss watching the moon slowly and naturally move up at night or the sun's haze through my window in the morning. I even miss Britain's traditional weather. " I listed. I then sighed. Luna stayed quiet for a moment to take in everything she had heard. "I miss home…" The dream scape slowed and darkened. Memories, more vivid than ever, played around then. Memories of his mom and brother. Memories of school and home. Memories of holidays out with his nan or the view of space as the ships left of the other worlds. One memory slowly appeared in front of them. -------------------- "Oh, come on! I've got to go. ". "No you don't. You've got, like, another five minutes before you leave. ". "Yeah! Five minutes till the ship leaves without me! Idiot. ". "Now, now, boys. No arguing. I just need one picture before you go to show your nan. ". "Fine. But be quick. ". "Smile. ". --------------------- "What was that? " Luna asked, stunned at the clarity of such a memory in the dream scape. "The last time I saw my family…" I said. "Who were they? " Luna asked, a bit slower. "My mum and brother. I don't have a dad, he died in the army, so that makes this my family. " I said. "I'm sorry. We did not mean to bring up such memories. " she apologized. I shook my head. "It isn't your fault. You didn't know. " I replied. "As much as we would like to stay, we must be on our way. " Luna said before heading for the dream door. "Bye. See you soon. " I said as I waved bye. --------------------- Over 2 months later --------------------- It had been nearly 3 months since my arrival in Equestria. In that time, I had moved my stuff into a single floored house of my own, which had a barn for DB built next to it. It was a plain ordinary house on the outer parts of town so I did have to scare anyone when me or DB went hunting for meat. Aside from the new living space, not much had changed. I worked for the Apple family till winter when there's not much to do and worked part time as a royal guard stationed at ponyville. For DB, he still had his monotone voice but was a fan of the colts and fillies since he is a giant mech right out of any decent comic. I was even asked by comic writers if they could use DBs design in their work. I got a good bit of money from that agreement. I became friends with most of the town at this point. Everyone knew me and DB, the hero's from the everfree forest, which was one of our titles. I headed over to Twilight library. I went there often to read the latest comics, from the guys that asked about DB, to see what they had done. Me and spike got into conversations about comics occasionally when he and I had nothing to do. As I entered the library, I saw spike sweeping the last of the dust. Twilight was asleep on the sofa with books piled around her like a fort. The only indication of life was the movement of her chest and the quiet snores. "Hey Spike. " I whispered as not to wake the book for monster. "Hi Connor. The new comics are here. Want to go out and have a look? " Spike asked just as quietly. "Sure. You go grab them, I'll take the rubbish over there out, yeah? " I said, gesturing to the bin bag by the kitchen table. "OK. I'll be right back. " he whispered before going to get the comics. As I put the rubbish by the door, which would be taken by the bin ponies later, spike appeared with the comics in his claws. We smiled and headed for sugar cube corner. We talked as we walked. Spike was happy that he now had someone to talk with other than the CMC. I completely understood that. Those three were a bit too willing to get their cutie marks. I wonder if there is something that they wouldn't do. We spent the next half an hour reading and discussing the comic. Pinkie eventually joined us as well and brought cupcakes with her. Connor was happy here. *Burp* Connor smiled as they relaxed. Just like home. The end of The metal HAWKEN.