//------------------------------// // Chapter - 1 - Backstreet Encounter // Story: To Be A Wonderbolt // by Hawker Hurricane //------------------------------// The noise from the stadium was deafening. From my vantage point I could see and hear everything down below with perfect clarity. The tens of thousands of fans cheering on their idols, soaking up the electrifying atmosphere and going away with memories of a lifetime. That is, if you could afford the monstrously expensive tickets. I decided to get back on the ground before I was seen and given a fine for illegally watching them, 250 bits in case you're wondering. I've witnessed them been given out. Tickets start at around 60 bits for a place in the terraces all the way up to 2000 bits for the VIP treatment which included a meet and greet with the Wonderbolts themselves, dinner afterwards and a photo shoot. I couldn't even afford to pay for one meal in a week, never mind a king's ransom. Landing back on the ground, in a back alley close to the stadium, I sat myself down in my makeshift shelter, making myself as comfy as possible. I reached into my bag and took out some iced doughnuts I found thrown out earlier. Perfectly fine. The individual in question didn't want them because they were laid out 'incorrectly'. Well, I wasn't going to let them go to waste. With a flask of water, of which I acquired from the public water fountains, I laid back to have my only 'meal' of the day. After about half an hour, the calmness was disturbed when I heard hoof steps rapidly approaching. "We should be safe this way," I heard a raspy voice say. "You sure? It doesn't look safe?" I heard a stallion reply. "Yeah, sure." Getting onto my hooves to see who was approaching, getting ready to flee if needs be, I stood my ground and waited as the hoofsteps got closer and came around the corner. Bloody hell. I should have recognised THAT voice. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, they turned in my direction, stopping almost as soon as they saw me. "Oh shit," Soarin said, "A bum. We don't have any money!" "I don't want your money." "I said we don't.....oh," he replied, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. "Wait," came a raspy voice. Shit. "I know you." "I doubt it." "You know this bum, Rainbow?" asked Spitfire. Why are people so disrespectful to the homeless? They're still people. "Yeah. He came to Ponyville ages ago claiming to be a human from another world." "Really?" Spitfire replied gleefully, "You serious?!" "Totally!" "It's true," I replied, "I am-" "Oh my Celestia!" Misty Fly jubilantly said, "He even admits it!" "Are you loco in the coco?" asked Spitfire, looking at me mockingly, "Did you escape your padded room?" "How did he get out of a straitjacket?" asked Fleetfoot, "Should we call the cops?" "He can't even fly," Rainbow added, "When he was in Ponyville he tried to fly and flew straight into my friends boutique and ruined her latest creation." "What did she do?" "She used him as ponyquin for a new dress and tiara." The Wonderbolts laughed their flanks off, clearly amused at my humiliation. While true, I wasn't given a chance to speak up in my defence. It also didn't help that their friend just happens to be a Princess who used her magic to force the punishment onto me. When I heard she had been to a world of humans I thought she meant mine. But apparently it's a different human world altogether. Twilight said if I was human she would have detected magical residue from the mirror, but when she scanned me she said I was without doubt 100% Equestrian. No trace whatsoever of my transformation. It didn't help I had nothing with me to support my claim. Even though I explained the technology humans had, she pointed out that she wrote a journal about her experiences and that I only got my information from that. Apparently a mind meld is also out of the question as my mind wouldn't cope with the connection. Regardless, her friends publicly humiliated me in front of the entire town. I had to leave. I did go to the Princesses, but apparently Twilight, to whom I explained that there would be no records of me in their systems, had wrote to them about me and I was told to leave the castle immediately or be thrown into the dungeons for wasting the Crown's time. Apparently I was in their systems. My pony name, my date of birth, my place of birth (apparently I was born in Vanhoover). Except my schooling. I was listed as home-schooled as being part of a travelling side show who also suffered from amnesia, ergo I wouldn't 'remember' my childhood and my human memories were coming from my imagination to stop my mind from falling to pieces. I pleaded with them, to check more thoroughly, but they just wouldn't have it. So much for being an all-loving motherly figure who's always willing to help. "You think he's OK?" "He looks like he's zoned out on us." "Hey! Buddy!" Spitfire yelled, "You still with us?!" "Yeah," I replied lazily, still looking at the ground. "You don't sound so sure." "Come on Cap," Soarin said, "Leave this blank flank loser. We're hungry." "Yeah yeah, just let me get something." The others flew away, leaving Spitfire alone with me. She reached into her saddlebag and threw something at my hooves. A bit bag. "I said I don't want your money." "But you need it," she replied, looking somewhat ashamed, like she knew the way they acted was wrong, "By the way, what's your name?" "Why should I tell you? I'm a delusional, psychotic, blank flank homeless bum, remember?" "Honestly? I can't think of a reason why you should." A good answer. "Hawker Hurricane." She smiled, "Cool name. See you around Hawker." Before I could respond again she flew away, leaving me alone in the alley. Looking down at the bit bag, I opened it and my eyes almost boggled out. There's enough bits in hear to feed me for a month! How far I had fallen. To be elated at being able to eat a proper meal. I'd have to pay her back some day.