//------------------------------//
// Ponies Here! Part 2 
// Story: Guardian of the Everfree 
// by KaBar42 
//------------------------------//

Guardian of the Everfree
Chapter 5


I sat there developing my plan. First things first, whats more important. Disinfectant, no doubt about. Even if I don't get needle and thread, I can always just cauterize the wound. But without disinfectant, the thread would be useless. I would develop gangrene and would be forced to amputate my own left arm to survive. The only reason why the wound hadn't been infected yet was because I had washed it out with water and cauterized it. Not enough to permanently close, just enough to keep the skin closed.

So I would hit the orchard first, and then if I hadn't been detected yet I would hit the tiered house. I would than bug out to Citadel, and lick my wounds there. With my plan decided, I went back to reconing the town. 

(-) 

After about another two hours, I was still waiting. The sun still had about another six hours until it went down. However as I was waiting, something unsettling happened. As I watching the town square a couple of ponies started pointing to the sky.

What I saw was an overly decorated chariot that was somehow being held aloft by four pegasi in armor. In the chariot were two ponies. These ponies were a new type. I thought there were only three types of equine. Unicorns, Earth familiar, and Pegasi. But these ponies displayed both wings and a horn. So four types of equines, unicorn, Earth familiar, pegasi, and winged unicorn. Judging by their chariot, they were government. Or at least very important. But thats not what I was worried about. What I was worried about was how the FUCK is that chariot staying straight like that? It should have been dumping it's occupants out right now. The physics in this world are fucked up.

The chariot landed and the two winged unicorns exited. All the equines, at this point had bowed down. So low that their asses were in the air. Yeah, these were government. The bigger one of them, the white one was about five feet at the top of her head. Her horn was about a foot long. My 6'3 would tower over her. The mark upon her stifle was a cartoonish sun. Her mane and tail was a blue, green, purple and pink.

The second one, a dark blue one, was behind her. This one was only about 4'5. But she also had a foot long horn. Her stifle mark was a white moon set against a very dark blue background. Her mane and tail seemed ethereal. A dark blue with a lighter blue outline. They both had perfectly billowing hair, despite there being no wind. I'm beginning to really hate this place. 

They walked along the pathway that had been formed by the bowing Equines. And up to another house inside of a tree. They entered the tree and everything went back to normal in the Equine town. 

Over the next five hours, I watched as several dozen, what I assumed to be guards, patrolled around the tree. The sun had begun to set. But it seemed stuck there. After a few minutes, the white winged unicorn came out onto a balcony. Her horn lit up and… the fucking sun flew downwards as though someone had just switched placards.

My jaw hit the floor. What? Thats it, I definitely hate this place. Doesn't matter, I pushed myself and headed west to the apple orchard. This meant I had to pass through another patch of forest, but it gave me cover. This terrain seemed a bit more rough than the rest of the forest. It took me about twenty minutes to cross the patch. Before I pushed out of the tree line, I brought up my binocs and scanned for any natives. The entire visible orchard was clear. I pushed out of the treeline, and hopped the fence. Landing on the side, I fell into a crouch. Quickly doing a 360 sweep, just to be on the safe side. The house was about two football fields away. And this part of the apple orchard was completely bare. I'm going to have to be fast and quiet. I had crouched down and was making a moderate pace, especially considering that I was crouched so low I probably looked like I was taking a shit.

My luck would dictate however, that the front door would open. I dove down, the dirt softening both the shock and the sound of one-hundred-eighty pounds hitting the ground. The equine that had come out onto the porch looked like a miniature draft horse. Except it's fur was completely red, and his mane was an orange color. Firehead swiveled his ears a few time. I really hope the darkness hides me well, I fucking need that alchohol. 

My skin wasn't the darkest, my Irish blood made me pretty white. Thankfully my Greek blood picked up the slack. And I had gotten a pretty good tan in Afghanistan on my arms. Apparently enough that Firehead couldn't see me. He turned to go back in and shut the door behind him. I waited for ten minutes before I pulled my self back up.

I continued my crouch stalking and finished the last football field. I pushed myself up against the house. I needed to head around to the back. Slowly and quietly shuffling my way around the house, I made it to the back. And it was there. Cellar doors, I walked up to them, still staying low. I could see no latch or lock. Are these equines really this trusting?

They only had handles. Not that I'm complaining. I opened one of the doors slowly and set it down on the ground slowly. I then went to open the other one the same way. The cellar was now open. I slipped on the NVGs and unholstered the .45. The Whisper would be useless down here. I set down upon the stairs slowly, keeping an eye out to make sure it was clear. Thankfully it was easy to clear, due to the fact that it was just a small hallway. On each side there were shelves filled with jars and bottles. Oh, god. Finding alcohol was going to be a bit difficult. I went to the bottles that looked they would hold alcohol. I grabbed one and took my knife, popping of the cork that was sealing the bottle. No, this isn't alcohol. I did this three more times until I found the shelf. Now all I needed was 90 proof or above. But I than noticed something.

"Shit." I hissed to myself.

The equines were using a binary numerical system. You think normal math is hard? Try doing it with only one and zero. Fuck, I'm just going to have take two of each. Shrugging my pack off, I start at one end of the shelf and work my way to the other. Once I had two of each, I started to leave until something started to nag at me. I hate stealing from honest folk. It made me feel like a jackass.

Grabbing the bag of coins I had in my left cargo pocket, I reached in and grabbed a handful. I set the handful on the shelf. And then took two of the firegems I had in my right cargo pocket. They had to be worth something here. Then setting it on the shelf next to the coins, I took my leave.

(-)

Sneaking into town was not as easy. Those two winged unicorns had guards everywhere. I was constantly darting alley to alley trying to avoid them. I was still a little ways away from the tiered house that I needed. But I could make it, four more alleys and I would be there. Guard patrol, pass, turn corner, dart. Guard patrol, pass, turn corner, dart. Guard patrol, pass, turn corner, dart. Guard patrol, pass, turn corner, dart. Clear, that was the last alley. The tiered house was just up ahead. It didn't look like the lights were on. I would have to get in there quickly or risk getting seen. 

I shuffled up the edge of the building I had been hiding beside, quickly checking both corners. I was clear. I took this chance to sprint to the door, stopping before I got to the door. I walked up to the door and slowly grabbed the handle. The door slowly creaked open. Wow, these Equines aren't very secure. I slid inside of the doorway. Slipping on my NVGs again I looked around. It looked like a clothing store. To my right there were stairs, and in front of me was what is probably the main room. There were several doors in this main room. Raising my rifle I scanned the room. No one, I'm going to have to pick a door. I looked to my left and went for that door. I inched it open to make sure it wasn't a bedroom. What I saw though made me grin. The first door I had chosen and it was the thread room. 

Ok so I need something like upholstery thread. I started picking up rolls of thread and feeling them. After my fifth thread roll, I heard a door upstairs open and close. And then hooves walking down steps. I quickly set the thread down and backed myself into the corner to the right side of the door. A unicorn walked in a moment later, holding a candle. I had subconsciously stopped breathing lest it give me away.

The unicorn looked around, but never to her right. She then started to sniff the air. My heart stopped beating. I'm an idiot. I had been sweating badly while waiting in the sun. These were Equines. They could smell better than I could. I had just been so used to dealing with Humans that this possibility hadn't even crossed my mind. My left hand involuntarily moved to rest on my knife. The unicorn, who I was sure was a mare, sniffed a couple of more times, shook her head, and then muttered something in their unintelligible language while backing out.

I let go of the breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I waited a couple of minutes before moving again. I went back to checking the thread. The next roll was the one I needed. I put it in my pack along with a pack of needles I had grabbed. I left a handful of coins and four firegems.

I walked back the way I came. Taking off and stowing my NVGs when I reached the door. I inched it open and stepped out. 

Right in front of a guard patrol. Of course.

My brain now in escape mode, I ran right past them as they yelled and attempted to intercept. I ran into the town square. Right where the two winged unicorns were. I quickly turned around, only to find a larger force of guards than before. As I was noticing this, something bellowed from behind. It sounded like a damn fifty cal. I turned around just in time to see the dark blue winged unicorn charge me. I was raising my rifle to try and scare her off. However she tackled me and I'm ashamed to admit that my finger slipped onto the trigger and I had a negligible discharge. The round hit the dark blue winged unicorn in what looked like the center mass. We tumbled a bit, I was the first one to recover. She was laying at my legs, and I kicked her in the ribs. A crack was audible, and I quickly pulled my self up. Before anyone could respond, I ripped moonbutt up from the ground with my left arm wrapped around her barrel. These Equines were really lighter than they look. I had pulled my handgun out and had it pointed at her head.

"Stand down Equines!" I knew they wouldn't understand my words, but maybe they would understand what I meant. The larger white winged unicorn looked apprehensive, and than looked at my left arm. Her look changed to a slightly more caring but also with a look of disgust. I could feel blood dripping down my arm. Fuck, I reopened the wound. I don't really care.

"Stand down!" I reiterated my last spoken sentence. By this time Equines had begun to come out of their houses. Most of them looking very afraid. Sunbutt looked around, flared her wings, and spoke something in their language. Moonbutt was beginning to have trouble breathing, I could feel her chest area heaving as she gasped. I had to make this fast. By now the Equines had begun to back off, giving me a clear path to the forest. The guards moving up with me as I backed up. Moonbutt's hind hooves were being dragged along the ground. When I was close enough, I lowered Moonbutt onto the ground with my handgun still trained on her head. I didn't want to drop her and exacerbate her broken ribs. When I had her on the ground, I quickly turned heel and ran. I never stopped running until I had reached Citadel. None of the ponies had followed me.

I sat down and prepared my self for a night of disinfecting and sewing.