Baen sat in the darkened school, looking down the dark hallways that seemed to only lead to an endless black abyss. As he sat in front of his locker, he slammed the back of his head a few times against the metal door. He couldn’t help it; his mind was plagued by thoughts, thoughts that wouldn’t leave him no matter how hard he tried. He glanced at his axe which lay across his lap. When he had come through the portal, his armor and overall appearance vanished. His axe, it had stayed. Before he started at CHS he remembered hiding it in a shrub nearby, and when everyone was in class on his first day, he snuck it into his locker on the same day. Sighing, he stood and started to do what he had done since he arrived, wander the halls with his weapon. Glancing around, he noticed a display case that contained a photo. Approaching it, he gazed at the photo and couldn’t help but smile. In the photo was who he could only guess was Twilight with the girls who were counterparts to the ones he knew.
“How do you do it Twilight,” he shook his head as he noticed another photo of the group together with instruments, “It’s astounds me.”
He then caught a glimpse of something in the glass. Whipping around, he raised his axe. Staring at him from the far end of the hall was that same damn thing. What was this thing you ask? Ever since Baen had taken residence in the human world as well as his sleeping arrangements in the building itself, he had been stalked and been stalking something, whatever it was it had been watching him. He did not know what it was, all he had to go on was that it had golden eyes with slits for pupils, like a snakes. But at times he had noticed the pupils would be normal.
“WHO ARE YOU?!”
The eyes continued to stare at him unblinking.
Baen growled and stepped forward, “Whatever you are, begone!”
The eyes seemed to stare at him in a challenging manner, as if to say ‘make me’.
Baen rushed the target, only for several bolts of black electricity to surge forth. Baen raised the flat of his axe. The bolts hit the metal and ricocheted into a nearby locker door. The force of the impact knocked the barbarian to the floor hard. An airy laugh met his ears as he looked up and saw the eyes had vanished. Shaking his head, he stood up and walked toward the gym. Looking back toward the hall, he shook his head and shut the gym doors behind him.
*
The following morning, Baen couldn’t help but feel he was being watched. It started out as just the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, but soon he recognized the looming presence of eyes being upon him. As the day progressed, the battle hardened warrior couldn’t help but feel a tad threatened. Granted this had not been the first time he had been stalked by an unseen foe. But the fact he was surrounded by strange beings that resembled ponies he knew, it was unnerving. Soon the end of school arrived. This time of day allowed for many students to either hang around with friends for study hall or in some cases, practice extra activities. For Baen, it was a manner of him stocking up on books to read for the night. Baen rounded a corner and opened his locker, leaning against the far back of it, obscured by a few knick knacks, was his axe. Smiling, he placed his hand upon its handle. But then he tensed up, he felt the presence again. Looking slightly over his shoulder, he straightened his sports jacket. His eyes looked across the entire hall, until he noticed something. Reflected on one of the silver handles of a locker, he could make out a few shapes around the corner behind him. Narrowing his eyes, he shut his locker and started walking. His pace was steady, but he made it so his footfalls wouldn’t obscure any background noise too much. He heard it for a moment, the faint squeak of a boot heel on the floor. Snapping around, he saw nothing. Snorting in agitation, he broke into a full on sprint down the hall.
*
Rainbow Dash glanced around the corner quickly, “He’s making a run for it!”
The girls nodded and gave chase.
Applejack was focused ahead as she saw his hair round another corner, “How the heck did he know we were following him.”
Pinkie was surprisingly keeping pace even though she was skipping, “Maybe he’s a ninja? Trained to find his targets so he can take them down,” she emphasised this by bringing her fist down into her open hand.
Dash cast a look at the girls, “Or maybe it’s because someone jumped the gun.”
Applejack grimaced at Rainbow, “Ah already told ya that I lost my footin back there.”
Sunset sighed, “Can we please not argue,” she saw the computer lab door shut, “he’s in there!”
Sunset threw the door open and the girls froze.
Baen stood there staring at them with his arms crossed.
*
Baen stared at the six girls with a not too amused expression, “Care to explain why you all feel the need to follow me around this building?”
Sunset cleared her throat and stepped forward as the girls filed in behind her and shut the door, “Just who are you?”
Baen raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
Rainbow pointed an accusing finger at him, “What she means is, we’re onto you pony boy!”
Baen blinked in mild surprise of which the girls took notice.
“We don’t know exactly why you’re here,” Sunset began slowly, “or what your game is. Just know that if you do have anything planned for this school, you’ll have to get through us.”
Baen blinked for a few seconds, and then he started laughing.
Rarity became mildly flustered, “And what is so funny?”
“The sheer fact that you think I’m here for,” his words were lost in another string of laughter.
Baen wiped a tear from his eye, “Sorry,” his expression came serious as he stood in front of Sunset, he loomed over her but she was undaunted, “Whatever you think you know about me or what you suspect, you know nothing,” Baen narrowed his eyes, “so it would be in your best interest that you leave me be.”
Sunset tilted her head when he spoke the last words. But he shook his head.
“Forget it,” he gently moved her aside, “I have things to do.”
When he opened the door, Sunset turned fully toward him, “Hey Baen.”
Baen froze.
“Our band is going to be preforming at the meeting tomorrow,” the girls looked at her in confusion, “if you feel like it. You should come.”
Baen looked back at her and just shook his head in response before vanishing around the corner.
The girls looked after him and then to Sunset.
Rainbow walked up to her and then gestured after the barbarian, “What the heck was that? You just invited the guy who could probably be some monster in disguise to our performance tomorrow night!”
Sunset shook her head as she stared at the open door, “He doesn’t strike me as a bad guy,” she thought for a moment, “When he said to leave him be, I saw something.”
Fluttershy blinked, “what did you see?”
“It almost looked like,” Sunset chose her words carefully, “Sadness, maybe regret?”
Applejack looked outside, “But why would he be sad?”
Sunset shook her head, “I’m not sure. But I think in all honesty,” she nodded in finality, “we should be his friends.”
The girls blinked and collectively stated, “What?”
Sunset opened her arms, “Come on girls. Do you think Princess Twilight would just let someone like him go through whatever he’s going through alone? She would at least try besides,” she smiled knowingly, “If he was an enemy, why didn’t he shove me aside when he walked out?”
Rarity nodded, “That is true.”
Dash looked at the clock, “Shoot! We have to get moving to AJ’s, we gotta get our practice session in!”
The girls bolted out the door. As they did, down the hall, Baen was against the wall out of sight.
“Why,” he looked at the sky, “even here they somehow manage to find me,” he chuckled, “It must be some form of irony.”