//------------------------------// // Chapter 14- Iron Pony // Story: Marcus 657 // by John 117 //------------------------------// Marcus walked out of the town hall, exhaling deeply. Life in Ponyville just got a lot easier, and he was glad for it. Only problem was that he had no real place to stay, or any form of currency for him to buy anything. He looked around, and spotted Applejack and her sister selling apples at a stand. He walked over there, Fluttershy trailing him. He stopped about half way there, a strange feeling over taking him. He felt as if he was being watched, and looked around casually, trying not to alert whoever it was. He turned to Fluttershy, scanning the area as he did. “Someone is watching us," He said to her. She immediately froze. "No, act normal. We are just having a pleasant conservation." He gave her a smile and nodded, as if to answer a question. Marcus turned around, balling his fists as he continued to walk towards Applejack's stand. His hand stopped shaking, and his senses became sharp. Every detail was in HD, and he saw everything; ponies at the stalls, a vender pocketing a small amount of money, bees on a flower. Anything and everything he saw. Right before he made it to Applejack's stand, a blur charged at him from above. He dodged, rolling sideways and jumping back up. He swept the legs out of whoever had attacked and stood above them, holding his arm back ready to strike. He stared right back at Rainbow Dash. "Christ Rainbow, what the hell do you think you doing? You want to get yourself killed?" He said to her as she got up. He got up from the ground and looked around at the market; Ponies were staring again, but once they saw everything was ok, they returned to their own business, although some cast more glances towards him. "I was just testing you is all; wanted to see if you’re really as fast as you say you are...." Marcus sighed. "Still sore about that?" he said. Dash looked right at him and snorted. "No! I could bet you any day in a race! I just don't feeling like trying really." She turned her snout away, and began to walk away. Marcus laughed. “Oh really? Well then prove it." He smiled evilly at her. She stopped dead in her tracks. "P-prove it?" she responded. Marcus nodded. "You and me. I've been in need of a work out, and if you’re as good as you say you are, then you might prove to be a challenge, and I do love a good challenge." Dash squared her shoulders, looking right back at him; she lowered her head and snorted. “Fine, you wanna lose so badly, let’s do this. Iron Pony Competition, you and me." Marcus smiled. “Where and when?" "Sweet Apple Acres Farm, high noon. Be ready to lose," and with that, she flew off. Marcus laughed. "Oh my, this won’t end well." Marcus looked at Fluttershy. "Don't worry Fluttershy, this should be fun." And with that the two walked off, not noticing the rustle in the bushes. Something had watched the whole encounter, and left without a trace. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Marcus and Fluttershy moved through the town, going from vendor to vendor for small items that Fluttershy needed back at her cottage. Marcus helped carry the assortment of items for her since she didn't have her saddle bags with her. He noticed how most ponies didn't seem to run in terror when they saw him, although he did get a few fearful looks. Overall though, the meeting seemed to have worked. He even got a few occasional hellos from ponies who passed by. One pony ran right up to him with a large grin on her face. Do these things have plastic surgeries or something? the mare had a light green coat with streaks of other shades of green and white. "Hi! I'm Lyra! You're Marcus, right?" The spartan nodded in return. "Then that makes you a human!" Again he nodded. That made the the mare go crazy. She began bouncing up and down, quietly chanting 'I was right! I was right! Those scholars can go kiss my flank for thinking me crazy!'.Marcus just looked down to Fluttershy for an answer. She smiled nervously. "That's Lyra, our town human fanatic. She's been obsessed with everything and anything human related. Now that I think about it, she sorta sits like you too." Marcus just nodded. This place was nice, but had a lot of crazy characters in it. Fluttershy looks towards the town clock tower and gasped. It was ten til noon. Marcus looked to it as well and smiled. "Oh boy, this is going to be fun." The duo turned from their path and started to walk out to the outskirts of the town were Sweet Apple Acres was, Fluttershy leading the way. _____________________________________________________________________________________ It was high noon, and Marcus was at the empty fields of Sweet Apples Acres. To his left was a race track, and to his right was an assortment of strength testing items. Buckets of apples to be lifted, hay stack to be charged through, a spot for a hoof/arm wrestling contest. Marcus smiled. He hadn't been to anything like this before, and was sure he was going to enjoy himself. Rainbow landed a few feet away, looking ready as ever. "You ready to lose Marcus?" Marcus just laughed. "Are you?" Dash puffed up her chest. "Ya right, no one’s ever beat me in an Iron Pony competition. I'm not gonna lose to some Spartan." Marcus nearly burst out laughing at that. She really didn't know what he could do. Well, now's a good time as any to show her, and her friends.. “What’s up first?" he said. She trotted over to the arm wrestling station and had a seat on one side of it. She held up a hoof and had a grin on her face. "Fine by me." He walked over and sat across from her. He held up his hand, and crossed it with her hoof, holding on to it with his hand. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded. "On the count of 3. 1, 2, 3!" She tensed her arm, trying as hard as she could to move Marcus's arm. He didn't even have his arm in armor lock. Dash's arm was shaking at the force, but Marcus just yawned. Dash was sweating already from the effort, and still MArcus would not even budge.A crowd began to form, consisting of the Apple family, Fluttershy, Twilight, Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie Pie. Marcus noticed Spike couldn't keep his eyes off Rarity. "W-why w-wont y-you budge?" she stammered through gritted teeth. Marcus just smiled, taking g his helmet off wit his other hand and smiling before responding. "Because, I'm a Spartan," and at that, he slammed her hoof down, finishing it. He didn't do it hard enough to hurt her, but it was enough to make a point. Dash looked on is utter shock. Marcus looked at her and spoke. "Still wanna do this?" Dash nodded, shutting her mouth and looking around for the next element. She was if nothing else persistent. They moved on through most of the strength challenges, which Marcus won of course. Dash was looking ever more desperate, more and more sweat accumulating on her. "A mile around the track?" Marcus looked over at it and nodded. "Just don’t know when to give up, do ya Dash?" he asked her. She just snorted, sweat dripping off her body. They got ready at the starting line and Big Mac held up a checkered flag. He looked at them both, making sure they were ready, then swung it down, signaling to go. They took off, Marcus in the lead by a few feet. Dash knew she couldn't lose to him, or else her cred points would go way down. She got up off the ground and began to fly. She caught up with Marcus, smiling at him. "Hey! That's cheating! I don't even have wings!" "She done the same thing to me partner, you can’t do anythin bout it," Applejack called out. Marcus grunted, and picked up the pace. He began to gain distance again, and was soon far ahead of Rainbow Dash. Come on Rainbow think, how can you beat this colt? And then it hit her. A smile grew on her face, and she put everything she had left into the final lap. She was gaining speed, and already past Marcus, She neared the end when she broke the sound barrier. Wanting to show off, she passed the finish line, and headed straight up, going as fast as her wings could let her. She stuck out both her hoofs, and a few seconds later, a large sonic boom was heard, followed by a large, rainbow blast in the wake of the pony. Marcus stopped where he was and looked up in awe. He had never seen such a thing. She slowed down, and changed her angel towards a hay bail. Crashing into it, the mare stood up, a dazed grin on her face. "And that is how you do-" She didn't finish. She fell back down and began to snore. Marcus was panting, and looked down at the pony.Damn. She had to be fast, faster than most planes any human could make. She had just broke the sound AND light barrier! "Wow...that's, that sure is something." He leaned over, spitting. Fluttershy walked over with a water bottle. He thanked her and took it, downing it in a few large gulps. "You really put Rainbow Dash through her paces. She's never had to use the sonic Rainboom to beat anypony before, only to save ponies." Marcus looked over at the snoring pegasus. Her leg twitched and her tongue hung out of her mouth. She mumbled something about the Wonderbolts, and about some things she would do to Soarin, whoever that was. Marcus smirked. "Well, she beat me. Let her know when she wakes up." Marcus sat down on the ground and looked up, Fluttershy sitting next to him. She decided to speak. "How...how can you do all that?" Marcus looked down and shook his head. His hand was shaking. Fluttershy saw it and nodded towards it, her mane flooding her face. She drew back and tried to blow it away, partially succeeding. He laughed a bit and smiled. Fluttershy, after correcting her self, asked about his hand again. "Does your hand have anything to do with your strength and speed." Marcus thought, and nodded slightly. "Somewhat yes." Fluttershy frowned. "Did....did it h-hurt?" Marcus looked back up at her and stared at her for a moment. "Yes....it did. More than you could ever imagine..." MArcus looked back down and rubbed his hand. It was getting out of control, so he decided to lean back and sit on it for a bit. Doc said it was bad, but I don't care. I can't let them see it. Applejack walked up to the two of them and asked them all to come inside for dinner. Marcus and Fluttershy happily accepted, and followed Applejack inside until a small white pegasus colt ran up to them. He had a brown mane, and was shaking a bit. Applebloom walked up to him and frowned somewhat. "Feather wing, what you doing ere?" asked Applebloom. The colt leaned over catching his breath. "Fire....in town. Ponies...trapped...." Marcus didn't need to hear anymore. He put on his helmet and ran for town, following the large trail of smoke coming from town. '