//------------------------------// // Preparing For Future Collision // Story: Humans and Ponies Don't Mix // by Masked_Frenchman //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Preparing for Future Collision “HECTOR!!!” Hector jolted upright. Sweat running down his cheeks and goose bumps trailed up and down his arms like a rocky road. He panted loudly to himself, trying to calm himself down. “It was just a dream. Relax, it was just a dream,” Hector said to himself. He looked around his surroundings to find himself under an oak tree next to a river. Everything was quiet and calm all around him. A gentle breeze caressed his bare cheek and arms, gently nipping his clothes. “Or maybe I’m still in it,” He looked around again to find the small town of Ponyville to his right. It looked like a nice, peaceful little village. Almost too peaceful. The sky was clear of any clouds and the sun was high in the sky. “I must have dozed off at some point. That doesn’t sound like me,” He tried to get up but he felt the soreness of his body deny his request, making him return to his sitting position. “Dame it! Why do I hurt so bad?” He asked himself in alarm. He laid back down, leaning against the tree he slept under. “Alright, let’s try to think all of this through. What do I know right now? I’m trapped in a weird magical world of talking horses. Some of them have wings and some have horns. I have no way out of here that I know of. No job, no house, no money, all I have is-” Hector looked down at his side to see his backpack by his side. “My bag!” Hector grabbed the backpack and placed it on his lap. He smiled for the first time that day as he unzipped the zipper. He scanned the contents of the inside and started pulling some stuff out of it. “Ok, let’s see what we got here. My combat knife, taser, note book, my laptop and charger? Nice! Umm, my wallet that I never keep money in, figures, my headphones and. . .  my phone!” Hector pulled it out a cell phone with a black case from his bag and his smile got even larger. “Yes! I can call for help now!” Hector turned his phone on, the little robotic voice saying “Droid” letting him know that it’s turning on. His phone brought him to his main screen, the background of some skulls burning up in blue flames. His apps was loading and was making him antsy. “Come on, come on come on! Work. Work!” Hector whispered to himself. After a moment longer the apps came on and showed he had no signal, both cell phone and WiFi. “Dame it!!” He pulled back and was about to throw his phone into the small river but stopped. “Dame it, dame it!” he calmed down a bit more and lowered his hand and put the phone back in his bag. “It may be useless but I can still listen to music and play some games. So it’s not completely the end of the world. I still have some of my stuff left. Yeah, this could work,” His wore a small smile on his face as if trying to fool himself. “I can do this,” “Oh wow! I’ve never seen this kind of stuff before,” Said a voice behind Hector. “Yeah, this is all I have-” He stopped and froze. He realized he was no longer alone here. He slowly turned around to find a sea green horse with a horn staring at him with amazement burning in her golden eyes. The sudden appearance of this said horse made him jump backwards and fell onto his back. “Opps, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, honest!” Hector closed his eyes and shook his head, cursing under his breath. “it’s fine. I’m just not use to all of this. This is all so weird to me,” “Yeah I bet. I mean one day you are in your own world and home, the next you are here,” Hector raised an eyebrow at her in suspicion. “And how would you know about that?” The pony smiled nervously and looked away, scratch the back of her head. “Well, I kinda saw you land here, and I’ve always wanted to see a human, so I kinda hid and listened in on your conversation with Twilight and her friends,” “Who is Twilight?” The pony looked back at him, returning to her usual posture. “Twilight was the alicorn who talked to you, the purple one,” “I see, so she is an alicorn. . . What are you then?” “Me?” Her eyes went up to her horn and then back to him with a smile. “ I’m a unicorn! The ones with wings are pegasi,” “Uhuh. So I have fallen into a mythological world where every mythological creature I have ever read or studied are actual living beings here,” The pony who stood before him looked at him confused. “Well, kinda, I guess. I’m not sure what that means,” Hector chuckled at that. “My mistake. I suppose ancient legends aren’t legends here,” They sat in silence for a moment, not sure how to proceed. “Well, umm. My name is Lyra Heartstring, it’s nice to meet you!” Hector looked at her in question but couldn’t help but smile. “My name’s Hector Salvator. I’ve never heard of a name quite like yours before,” Lyra giggled at that. “Thanks, your name is a little different as well. I guess that is just because you have a human name,” “Yeah, that would make sense,” Hector tried to get up once more, this time slowly. He felt the pain wash over his form but managed to stay up with little struggle. Lyra watched him as he stood straight up, completely mesmerized by his size. Once he stood up, he was easily over a foot taller than her. “Wow! You are so tall!” Hector looked down at Lyra and chuckled lightly. “I guess, but by the looks of it, you guys have more of body mass so it is a sort of equal exchange of size,” Lyra looked at him funny. “What does that mean?” Hector laughed lightly to himself. “Sorry, I forget that sometimes. It means we aren’t so different in total size. You are thicker than me, and I am taller than you,” “Are you saying I am fat?” Lyra asked sharply, crossing her front hooves at him and glaring. Hector shook his head annoyed. “No, I am saying by what I have seen so far, you guys have bigger and thicker bones than me. Do you understand now?” Lyra calmed down a bit and uncrossed her arms. “Yeah, sorry about that. So do you need a place to stay for a while? I honestly don’t mind,” Hector shook his head towards her. “Look, that is a nice gesture, and I really appreciate it, but this is all so strange and queer to me. I am not sure I am comfortable with talking to you, let alone crashing at your place,” Lyra’s ears dropped down, her expression saddened. “Oh, well I guess I understand. What if I promised you I won’t try anything or talk to you till you are comfortable with it?” Hector shook his head once again. “Sorry, but I don’t think I could stay at your place for free, it just seems-” “Then why don’t you just help me with the chores?” Hector was taken back by her sudden outburst. Her face almost looked desperate, covered by a smile. He didn’t know why she wanted him to stay so bad, but it is almost as if she was trying to help out a long lost friend or something. “Why do you want to help me so badly?” Hector asked carefully, putting both hands behind his head and watching her for a reply. Lyra held her smile, her tail twitching behind her. “Well. . . it’s just that. . .” Her smile faded slightly but her expression turned more like bliss. “Well you are a human. I mean to me you are like an idol, and we are raised to help fellow ponies in need, but you are included too!” Hector was a little stunned to hear such words spoken by an animal. To think that this new world was so much softer and so much kinder than the world he had just left behind. He may not want to be here in this new realm, but it could be much worse. “Well, I understand your standpoint in this situation. . .” He looked at her softly and her smile grew just ever so slowly. He sighed, shaking his head with his own smile poking through ever so slightly. “I guess spending a couple nights wouldn’t be-” Lyra’s smile maxed out on her face and she leaped forward with a tackle hug. “Yes yes yes! Oh thank you so much! You won’t regret it!” Hector’s eyes were wide open in shock and pain. Her weight on him was crushing all of his sores and bruises. “Lyra. . Lyra! Please get off!” Lyra stopped squeezing for a moment to process his request in her mind. She crawled off of him and helped him get back on his two feet. “I’m sorry. I guess I got a little over excited, he he,” She smiled up at him innocently, making him roll his eyes. “Yeah, a little. Anyway, so am I going to be crash at your place then? Where is it?” Lyra turned toward town and pointed to the other side of it. He bent down and picked up his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. “It’s across town. I know of a path way were we won’t see anypony. Come on,” She started walking down the river towards a bridge. Hector shrugged his shoulders and followed her pace. “So why would it be a bad thing if other ponies see me?” Lyra’s ears perked up and she turned to look at him with her side vision. “Because ponies have never seen a human before. Almost no pony has ever even heard of the name! I mean eventually everypony will know about you and come to terms with you living around here, but for now, let’s just keep you being here a little secret till I start spreading the word,” Hector looked at her questioningly but shrugged it away. “Well, I guess that makes sense. Ok, so do you have a roommate or someone you are living with?” Lyra raised an eyebrow confused but looked back at the path. “No, I live alone. I only hang out with Bon Bon every other day, but other than that I don’t get visitors really,” Hector nodded to the information, thinking everything over. “Alright, sounds pretty safe. So do you have a couch I can crash on?” The unicorn walking next to him nodded but a faint blush formed under her eyes. “Well, yes, but it is kinda small. You can sleep in my bed though, and I’ll sleep on the couch,” Hector face palmed and closed his eyes. I can already tell this is gonna be trouble.