//------------------------------// // Step 3: Standing Tall // Story: Igniting Hope // by Theta //------------------------------// Hmm, wonder if they have any apple stands. Can't tell you why, but I really want an apple right now. My bag was now lazily tossed across my back, and my lacrosse stick firmly grasped in my hands. The taping on my stick now a complete mess, torn and ripped in various places, and no longer has any grip to it. But it's been like this for a few seasons now, I don't replace it because I love the look of it. Each rip tells a different story, each dent has a tale, and each scratch has a background. Man I could stare at these things all day, and still not be bored. Wonder if anyone here plays? Nah, probably a few old timers, but no one my age. Looking up, I found myself in the middle of the market place, with all eyes on me. Damn, must've been talking to myself... I quickly lowered my head, and had put a dim-witted grin upon my face and quickly walked away. As I have stated before, I hate drawing attention to myself, I've never been good around others; and without Nastic here, I probably won't have much of a social life, either. Bet ol' Natti would already have a few girls numbers here by now... Celestia I'm pitiful, not to mention an idiot and a killer... A tear ran down my face, reminding me of my sorrow. That single tear tripped the memories of the day before, those memories persistent to haunt me. He told me not to feel guilty, but who wouldn't? I happily spotted an apple stand, with a orange furred mare who ran it. I almost sprinted to be the first in line, the apples taunting me to eat them. "Howdy there, partner! Ya'll interested in an apple? Finest in Equestria here!," her southern voice contradicted how fast she was talking. "Yeah! I mean yes, I would love to purchase a few apples. How much for three?," I quickly respond in excitement. "That'll be 6 bits, sugarcube! Hmm, I ain't seen you 'round here before, ya new to town?," the blonde pony asked, with genuine curiosity. "Here you go," I state, handing over the coins, "I just came in last night.," I finished with a depressed voice, the question reminded me of what I ran away from. "Thank ya kindly! By the way, I'm AppleJack, it's a pleasure to meet you...pardon me I didn't catch your name?," "I'm Torque. Torque Ignitor, it's nice to meet you miss AppleJack.," I replied with a small smile and a nod. "Well, Torque, I guess I'll be seein' you at school and around town then.," as she finished, the idea of school freezing me in my tracks. "Uhh, yeah maybe. We'll see about school.," I hastily responded. The first bite into one of her apples could only be described as orgasmic. Those apples have to have something else added to them, no apple I have ever tasted has ever been this sweet! I mean sure candied apples were amazing, but these easily topped those. And they aren't even covered in sticky caramel! I started thinking, and soon realized that I had already gone through one apple. Making sure I got all the meat off the fruit, I tossed what was left into a nearby garbage can. Convenient. I quickly start on the next one in my bag, but not even those delicious apples could distract me from my thoughts. Gah, what am I going to do when I see her next? I mean I can't even enroll in school, my parents don't know I'm here, and that's the way it's going to stay! Still, it's going to be awkward when I have to explain I'm a runaway. I quickly devoured the apple in my hand, and tossed it into the same garbage can, and had noticed that I had been standing in the same spot for awhile now. Walking away, I came to the decision that I would need to find a job of some sort. No matter what, I need a place to stay, too. Fall is coming, and it's starting to get chilly out. Not even my Canterlot Guard jacket can protect me from the nearing elements. I wonder how many employers won't ask questions about where I'm from. I came back from my thoughts, only to see that I had knocked down a grey-blue furred mare. Ahh, in the name of the Creator, I've got to be the clumsiest stallion ever. No wonder mare's don't find me attractive. I had quickly lowered my hand to her, and brought her to her hooves with ease. "S-Sorry about that, I was...was just lost in my head.," I stuttered as I tried to find the right words. She just stared at me, and after a few seconds I noticed something; her eyes, they're at completely different angles! Dude that's sweet! "Uhh, hello anypony home?," I sputtered, and found that she didn't not respond. At last I heard a very bubbly voice say, "Oh, sorry mister! No pony has ever helped me back up before is all. In fact, I'm usually the one that is apologizing! It's finally good that it's the other way around. Oh..I mean no I don't want to make you feel bad, I mean it was probably just as much my fault, as yours. If not more so!" I let out a lifeless laugh, "That isn't right. No matter who one is, one should always help another pony up. And miss, I take full responsibility for knocking you over, I'm an idiot whose always caught up in his thoughts. Say you got really sweet eyes, dude." At this her smile faded, and a saddened look appeared on the once happy face, "Y'know mister, it's not nice to make fun of somepony you just met." Making fun of her? I really do like her eyes though, I mean they're so surreal. So odd, out of the ordinary, it's what makes her stand out. "Miss, I would never. I, uh, I have had bullies too. I really meant what I said, you have amazing eyes. Celestia strike me down if I'm lying. What's your name? I must know it, you'll never be forgotten in my mind. Not with those awesome eyes, anyway." "It's-" she is cut short by a very deep voice, and shroud of laughter. "Hey guys look! Derpy's got a boyfriend! Hey Derpy, who's the unlucky stallion?" A rather large earth pony asks. The mare quickly hid behind my arm, looking down at the ground in terror. "It's Torque, and I don't think I like how you spoke to this fine mare." "Fine? Have you seen her eyes? She's a fuckin' retard!," the stallion is quick to lay out his words. "Yeah, you heard me; fine. Why do you pick on her? I happen to like how her eyes are, it sets her out from the norm, makes her who she is.," I growled. "I think your vision is just as screwed up as hers is, bro. I mean look at her, she's ugly as sin, and only Celestia herself would stand to be around her." "Look man, take your crew and get lost. Can't you see you're hurtin' her?," I asked in mock coolness. The laughter of the group ceases, and the large stallion approached me, "Look I suggest you drop the act, you ain't scarin' no one.," and just like that I found myself looking straight into the earth beneath me. He punched me...man there is no way I can beat him, might as well let him get tired... Either he'll tire out or I'll die. After this thought, I am turned over and am witness to a fury of punches. Each one connecting with the side of my head, I counted 1..2..3..4..5- and that's it, I'm out. "Dude, get up! Don't let that son of a mule beat you up like that! C'mon Torque, you can take him...just you gotta get up man!," Natstic's voice cut into my cerebellum like a razor. I slowly rose to find the blonde pegasus on the ground, with a black eye. That's it. You've gone too far. The group of bullies was dead ahead, and I was out for blood. Leaving my lacrosse stick and bag on the ground, I slowly started my sprint, still dizzy from the punches to my head, and my wings started flapping wildly. I could finally feel my hooves leave the ground. Full speed ahead, I shoulder checked the groups leader in the back, forcing him to the ground. His cronies only watched in astonishment. "Dude, you never beat up on a mare. Never. Didn't your parents ever teach you that?," I started in on his home life, half in amusement and half in anger. I started throwing punches like there was no tomorrow, making sure that I hit everywhere on his upper body. There I sat on top of a stallion almost twice my size, standing up for what's right. "Oof," I spewed out along with my breath, finding yet again to be on the ground, taking punches. A crack sounded from a punch, and a quick surge of pain in my chest confirmed that I had broken a rib. Fuck it. It's on now, you stupid son of a changeling! With adrenaline rushing throughout my body, I pushed the stallion off of me with full force, and once again sat atop him, this time only throwing punches to the head. CRACK. Yet another wave of pain met me, as it shot up my arm, but I looked down finding that he was bleeding from the mouth, and unable to close it. With a malicious grin on my face, I rose over the stallion, "Look, I was never here got it? You don't ever, and I mean ever, talk to that mare or me again. If you so much as glance at her again, I will break every bone in your body. Got it?," anger and adrenaline talked to the stallion. All he could manage to do was nod in terror, and just like that I got up and ran back to the grey-blue pegasus. Upon arrival, I saw that she still lay unconscious. Dear Celestia, please be alright... I slung both my bag and the mare on my back, picking up my stick with one hand and holding onto the passed out mare with the other. I stumbled through the street, and eventually reached a tree building with a book sign on the outside of it. I approached, knocked on the door and...well everything went black after that. "I'm proud of what you did, dude. Not many ponies, especially a pegasus, could endure that kind of beating. I'll be waiting till next time dude, but right now you gotta get up!," his voice rocking my soul. I opened my eyes to find five mares talking next to me. "Ugh.," is all I could muster up, my rib cage felt like Tartarus. And as if on queue, all eyes were thrust upon me, the first pony I saw was the one that the bullies called 'Derpy'. Tears running out of her eyes, she quickly perked up and a smile crept its way onto her face. "Thank Celestia! I thought you had died. Don't scare me like that!," sincerity and fear in her voice. "Hey, you never," I clenched my side in pain, the look must have worried the lot of them, as they all closed in around me, "I'm fine, anyway I never got your name, miss." I finished through grit teeth, the pain growing worse and worse as I lay awake. "It's Ditzy Doo. And thank you sososososososososososososososososo much for standing up for me, you're the first stallion to ever do that, I mean stand up for me like that!," at that, she starts crying once more, and is quick to give me a hug. A fast cringe makes her release me, but I didn't want that hug to end. She smells like muffins and sunshine...wait sunshine? Aww shit, here I go again... I awoke once more in a different room, a purple painted bedroom with bandages around my rib cage. On the nightstand next to me lay a plate of muffins and a glass of water with some pills next to it. I rolled out of the bed, needing to use the bathroom, and upon arriving there, I looked out the window which sat above the toilet, and found that it was night time. Damn, how long was I gone? More or less, where am I and where is my stuff? Emptying my bladder proves successful, and I managed to flush the crapper. Holding onto the nearby counter, I started washing my hands, and looked up to a stallion with cuts and bruises all over his face. Oh, Celestia is that me? The thought dawned on me, as I realized that I was looking into a mirror. Making my way back to the bedroom, I noticed that Ditzy Doo was sitting the room next to mine, looking just as depressed as when that bully was harassing her.