Chapter Six
Armor
"There," I point to our target. "You see it?"
Flex gives a cry loud enough that only I could hear it.
"Okay, you know the plan." He nods at me as I remove my knife ever so slowly. We both know what happens if this fails.
So let's make sure it doesn't.
Flex flies up through the trees. He needs to get around our target, hopefully he'll be able to capture him. If not then he'll be herded over to me where I can get him.
I sit idly by, observing the target. There's a break on the other side of the trees as Flex flies at the target. I get ready if he misses his chance.
The instant Flex is seen the target bounds in the opposite direction, towards me. His claws come in front of him, aiming to nab the target. As fast as the target may be, Flex is faster; but not as agile. Just as Flex's claws close around the target, he dives left, escaping the burning grasp of the phoenix.
My turn.
I jump out from my hiding spot and bring my knife down upon the target. I could see the fear as the target realizes his mistake. But like I said, he's agile.
Much like Flex's attempt, the target dodges left as soon as he possibly could. My blade just nearly grazes his fur brown. He runs full force into some nearby bushes.
Because of his small size I had to jump low to the ground. So by the time he was already dodging my attack, I was too far on the ground to stop myself from falling. But I was determined not to let him escape. I threw my knife after him through the bushes.
Flex flies behind the bushes to inspect. "Did I get him?" I ask with little hope. I push myself off the ground to inspect.
A mix of emotions come over me as I approach the bush. I slow down my pace, stalling for disappointment, but savouring my excitement.
As I round the bushes I see my knife sticking vertically out; Of the tree that was behind it, and underneath that tree was a small hole.
"Dammit!" I shout as I grip the back of my head and crane it back so all corners of Equestria could hear. Flex looks at me in unsurprised disappointment, like ge wasn't expecting this to work.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. It was a good plan and you know it. We just never anticipated his reflexes to be that quick." I pull out my knife in disagreement. "But hey, who knows, maybe if a certain phoenix was a little faster, than maybe we could have had him by now."
Flex doesn't take too kindly to my insult and retaliates, flapping his feathers everywhere pecking me lightly me.
"Ow! Ow! Hey stop that!" I yell. "Okay look, we're both a little cranky because he got away. But that doesn't mean we have to start killing each other."
Flex stopped pecking and flies on my shoulder, giving me a small, apologetic whine.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too buddy." I begin stroking him under his neck, he always likes that.
We've been searching for dinner for the past few hours. The two of us have been trying to hunt whatever we could get, unfortunately there has been little game. We came across that rabbit and planned a way to get it, we couldn't be too hasty seeing as though it has been the only game we've seen in three days. Now it looks like we're going to be eating nuts and fruit again.
The two of us have been together for about five days now. Where ever that pony settlement that Flora was taking about is, we've either passed it or I was given wrong directions. I guess not a lot of ponies travel these dirt paths, I can see why, a lot of times we've been attacked. But still, nothings been able to beat the two of us.
A not too delightful dinner later, Flex and I get ready for a night's sleep.
Flex perches on a branch high in a tree. He is a very fast sleeper.
I stay awake for a while watching our camp fire dance and crackle as I think about what has happened in the last week.
On the night I met Flex I noticed that night had come a little sooner, and the sun rose sooner than usual following that night. At first I thought it was just my imagination, but after these past few days, I've noticed that the moon and sun seem to rise sooner and sooner each time. I'm certain that Equestria goes on a 24-hour clock just as we do, but days seem to get shorter each time the sun rises. Same thing with the night. It was hard to tell at first, but It looks like there's about a half-hour less of day and night each time. At first I thought winter was approaching because of the short mornings, but back home it was mid-spring. So unless Celestia is teaching Luna how to be a massive troll, then something has happened to them.
I'm also practising how to control my new powers that were given to me by Flex. So far I've been able to coat the steel in flame and extend the fire for a longer reach. But close combat was not the only thing it is able to do, if I point it at something then it will blast a streak of fire like dragon's breath, or if I swing it it will send a long sliver of fire and cut through anything in its path.
But neither of those thing is what had my mind occupied. And it wasn't what bronies would probably be thinking like: How will a pony react when seeing me? How am I going to get back? What will I do if I can't go back home? Will I meet the mane 6? And if I do, what will I do when I meet them?
No, the real question on my mind was Balto. Not a lot is surprising that he was a were-timberwolf, seeing as though this place has mythical creatures and all. But what was surprising was that he was part human (obviously, see as though that's what a were-wolf is: half human, half wolf.) And he said he had brothers and sisters like him but not the same. That means there could be more half human creatures in Equestria.
Flora! Took me long enough to realize this one. She's half human, why didn't I realize that earlier. And if she was related to Balto then why didn't she mention about Mother?
Damn, hate being left in the dark. I go back to my original thoughts. If there are half human creatures, then that means there had to be a human involved in this. Mother. But who is she? And what other children are there?
I turn over on my back, tired that I keep asking the same questions with no answer. I've gained more questions that need answering than when I first started asking questions. I close my eyes and try getting some sleep. Something strange is happening, and I need to find out what it is before I go home.
By the time I woke up it looked like it was about late morning. The sun and moon were definitely rising at a faster pace. I look up at the tree and see Flex sleeping soundly. He looked so peaceful and elegant when he sits there high up in that tree and I see the sun reflecting off his feathers giving him a shining appearance.
I grab a small rock and throw it at the leaves above him. He wakes with a startled face too priceless to describe as he flaps his wings and hangs upside-down shrieking loudly.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!" I fall on the ground clenching my stomach and pointing at him. "Your face... When I.. You just... BWAHAHAHAHA!" It was too funny for me to say anything else.
"MIRORR!" I don't know what it was, but I think Flex didn't look so amused. Maybe it was the fact that he was trying to catch his breath, or perhaps because he was hanging upside-down on the tree with his feet and wings, or even because he looked like he wanted to pluck out my eyes and use them as his stress balls.
I finally calmed down and pick myself off the ground, wiping a tear from my face.
"Heh-heh-heh, come on, we've still got a bit to go before we find a settlement." I gesture to him to come down, he just looks ridiculous like that.
He lets out a rejecting screech and flies above the trees, but stays in sight. He probably won't talk to me for a while, but he knows that it was harmless fun.
Flex stays away from me for the past few hours, gives me the silent treatment whenever I try talking to him.
I sit down on a rock and take my bag off. "Come on, you've been fly for a while now Flex. You need to rest." I was starting to feel a little guilty. He looked down at me from where he was circling and gave in. He flew down and perched beside me, not looking ar me.
"Here." I hand him a palm full of raspberries trying to apologize. He loves raspberries. He faces away trying to ignore the raspberries. I push a little further. He glimpses at the raspberries but quickly looks away in case I saw him, of course I did.
I try once more. He gives in to his pleasures and begins eating.
I think we're cool.
I watch Flex merrily eat his berries. Then he stops and looks down the path. His feathers started to get a little puffy. He knows something is coming, something bad. Over the past few days I've learnt to never take any of Flex's warnings for granted.
"Alright. Come on, let's not get into any trouble this time." I grab him and we hide around the big rock and croutch down.
We wait for whatever it is that's coming up the path. I'm nervous, I don't know what it is, how big it could be, how good its senses are, or how deadly it could be if we're spotted.
Then I hear it. Its sounds like his feet are hard, they echo off the ground everytime he takes a step.
*clok-clok, clok-clok.*
A steady beet of four. But they're off, he's breathing heavily, he's badly wounded.
The beet stops at the rock we're hiding behind. "Huff, huff. Just-just need a short break. Before I-I keep moving."
That's definitely a him. But he can talk, so that means he intelligible, unlike just about everything else I've met on this adventure.
"Huh? Hey, is there anypony around?" He calls. His voice is a little husky, but it also sounds kind and caring. But he said 'anypony.' That means he is one too. Right? But how would he know if there was anypony around?
"You left your bag here."
Oh.
Flex jumps out of our hiding spot and on top of the rock. Startling the pony on the other side.
"Oh! Hello there. You wouldn't happen to know where the closest town is? Or whoever it is that owns this bag do you?" He asks.
Introducing myself to a pony at this point would be pretty risky. I mean think about it. You hear a voice behind a large rock, and then an alien appears. That's real smart.
... Screw it.
"Well I can't tell you where the closest pony settlement is, seeing as though I'm having trouble looking for one as well." I say staying behind the rock taking things slow. "But that bag belongs to me."
"Oh, hello there. I wasn't sure if there was anypony around, do you think that you could lend a hoof? I'm a little banged up at the moment." He asks.
"Uhh sure, but look, I'm a little odd to whatever you're accustomed to seeing when meeting ponies. I'll come out and greet you properly, but please, don't freak out or anything."
"Um, alright. But listen I've meet other species before, griffins, diamond dogs, zebras, my little sister even has a baby dragon as a friend. So I'm sure you can't be that odd to what I've met." I can hear him trying to hide his nervousness.
"I doubt that." I say under my breath.I slowly stand up. I'm about to meet the first pony since I've come to Equestria, I don't know how we'll react when we see each other. Flex flies back around and perches on my shouldr, making me look a little friendlier.
I come around the corner and come face to face with a big unicorn, ready for a greeting. Until I freeze in realization as to whom this was. He had three shades of blue color in his mane, and around his body was a suit of purple armour with gold trimmings. In the center of his chest was a symbol, a purple shield with a pink six-pointed star, identical to that of his cutie mark. This was no random pony, this was Princess Celestia's Captan of the Canterlot Royal Guard and older brother to Twilight Sparkle.
This was Shining Armor.
We just stare at each other in complete and utter silence. I wasn't sure if he wasn't freaking out because he was too stunned as to what I was or because he was keeping his word.
Flex looks at me and then at Shining Armor and breaks the awkward silence with a loud squak.
"Ow! Dammit! Flex, that was right in my ear!" I yell at him as I grab my ringing ear.
"What in the Celestia's mane are you?" Shining Armor yells taking a few steps back.
"Well," I say calming down. "First off, I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you're wondering. Secondly, I'm a human, kind of like a bipedal, intellectual, hairless and tailess monkey. No, I do not want a banana. Yes, I am strange and would appreciate it if you would help me in answering a few questions." There's a brief explanation for you.
"Well," Shining Armor takes a step forward, a little less nervous around me.vBut still wary. "What are the questions?"
"Well for starters, how close am I to Canterlot?"
"What buisness do you have in Canterlot?" He asks tensing up.
I sigh knowing that this might take a while. "Listen, all I want to do is go back home. But unfortunately, I don't know where that is from where we are now. So I'm heading off to Canterlot to ask Princess Celestia for help. If there is one pony who can help me, it's her."
Shining Armor stares at me, still in a defensive stance. "I don't see any deception in you're eyes. You're telling the truth." He relaxes. "Sorry to tell you this but that's a no-go. Canterlot has been taken over by an ancient enemy who has lived just as long as the Princesses, if not longer." He reels back and grunts in pain.
"What's wrong?" I asked concern.
"Erg- My soldiers and I had a run-in with a dragon not too long ago. I was the only one to make it out alive." I notice that his armor is banged up and he's bleeding. "It's not a fatal wound, I was able to stop the blood flow, but I've lost quite a bit of it." He looks up at me exhausted.
"Flex," I look at my feathered friend. "Work your magic." It was more of an order rather than a request. Something was wrong in Canterlot and I needed to know what.
As Flex baths Shining Armor in his healing light, I watch his blood move against gravity and back into his body while bruises disappear and cuts close.
Flex's light disappears and Shining Armor stands before us fully healed. "Thank you. I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Captain Shining Armor, Captain of the Cantrlot Royal Guard." He says in a salute.
"Nice to meet you." I pretend I don't know how he is. "I am Jesse Ruesgen, vagabond looking for a way home. So why were you attacked? And what happened at Canterlot?" I ask.
"It's kind of a long story, but I guess I should tell you. Tell me, what do you know about draconqui?" he asks.
Draconqui? Wait, does he mean Discord? Does this mean I'm in the beginning of season two?
I play things safe. "Well, I know of one named Discord, but he was defeated by the Princesses by using the Elements of Harmony."
"Yes. How do you know about the Elements?"
"Er, back where I come from there are stories about some of Princess Celestia's and Princess Luna's great achievments. Like when Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon." That's not a whole lie, more like a half truth. "Didn't Nightmare Moon return only to be defeated again and restored to her natural state by six ponies? I heard that they became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony."
"You might want to sit down for this. Like I said, this is going to be a long story."