Lost and Fallen
Chapter 22: Gathering
Wanted
The Masked Man
Dead or Alive
7000 bits
Has SWAT written on his back
After all this time on the run, the Humans had finally gotten more descriptive with my appearance. It was only one line, but that small addition would quickly get me into more trouble than I needed. My only set of clothing had S.W.A.T. written on the back! And I was walking around Manehattan with it on!
I should have been vigilant, I should have been looking down the alleyway I stood in for bounty hunters, but I didn’t. I just stared at my wanted poster as my mind flew over to how dead I was. The others with me would be dead too! Or maybe the Humans would kill me, and take them prisoner…
Fuck! My mind was going places I didn’t even want it to tread. I had to think positive, but just staring at this poster was making my hands shake in anger. In one stroke, I tore the paper in half and let the breeze take the pieces away. Why did everything have to blow up in my face? Why couldn’t I just come into the city, get Rarity, and leave?
“It’s not your fault, Nolan,” Twilight stated, turning to me with guilt written all over her. I almost snapped at her to shut up. I was tired of hearing that. Of course it was my fault. If I hadn’t come along, we wouldn’t have been in that situation.
“I hate this place,” I grumbled, leaning against the wall.
Despite our major setback, we were able to get into the city. Some dumbass so happened to provide a boat for us to get across to the island. Some part of me was disappointed it was so easy. If I had it my way, I would have loved to have rammed a train right into the blockade. That thought at least put a smile on my face.
The city itself was pretty grand in many areas. Electrical lighting, real pavement instead of cobblestone, large billboards, skyscrapers; a true metropolis if I ever saw one. My view from the hill didn’t give the place justice. The only underwhelming thing was the population. There was hardly a person walking around. The night would explain that though; it was still very late, or very early, depending on the exact time.
“All clear,” Applejack called, trotting with Twilight up to me. “I don’t see why we can’t just cover ya up with another blanket. We brought plenty.”
I rolled my eyes, holding my hands against my head. The gloves were cold, and soothed my burning forehead. All this tension was going to make me sick. As viable as Applejack’s suggestion sounded, it just urked me to no end.
“I think having a blanket wrapped around me would be pretty suspicious,” I said, trying not to sound hostile. The last thing I needed to do was distance myself from my only allies.
“We’re out of options,” Twilight countered, already levitating another blanket out of her bag. It was the same as the one on her back. “No one followed us, but you need something to cover up the word until we can find a way to remove it.”
I stared at the blanket, wanting it to disintegrate so I wouldn’t be forced to use it. I knew how Twilight felt with her blanket; it felt like I was covering up a part of myself. I couldn’t see the word written on my back, but having it reminded me of, well, myself. But if Twilight could deal with a blanket, so could I. Shaking my head, I snached the blanket from the air.
“Fine,” I said hotly, swinging the blanket around me and catching the other end. Adjusting it was no problem, and by the looks from Applejack and Twilight, they were content with my decision. “But I’m not heading out until Carrot Top gets back. We need to get into that inn.”
Applejack nodded, “Darn Tootin’. I thought we’d find that inn right quick.”
“Same here,” Twilight nodded, pawing at the ground, “Maybe it closed down, or maybe the Humans tore it down for an armory, or-”
“Or maybe you’re looking too much into it,” I interrupted, giving the blanket a firm tug to keep it nice and tight around my shoulders. I can see why Twilight didn’t like having the blanket on; It wasn’t even in contact with my skin and the damn thing was making me itchy. I took a deep breath, knowing I had a lot worse to think about than small irritants like that. “We just need to keep our heads straight here.”
Twilight glanced behind her before facing me again, stomping a hoof. “You’re right,” she announced in determination, “This is just a road bump. I mean, you’ve been through a lot of bad situations right?”
“Yeah,” I answered with a grunt, growing weary just thinking about those situations. After getting stuck in a basement with a hundred men trying to kill me, it would take some really bad shit happening to top that. At least in this situation, I hadn’t lost anyone… I was really hating myself for forgetting their names. Hell, nearly forgetting that fire fight in the first place.
“Ya alright, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked sincerely. My memories must have been showing through. Her concern was something I needed though.
“No,” I said with a shake my head. I didn’t want to admit it, but the pit in my stomach was a testament to how I felt. “I just feel like I’m dragging you guys down. The one who seems to start the fights rather than avoid them.”
“That ain’t true,” Applejack argued, but she didn’t put much effort into it. She knew how wrong she was.
“Isn’t it?” I questioned, clenching my blanket, “Getting your things back, the library in Ponyville, the Everfree Forest, Fillydelphia; most of those fights were because I was there. No one recognized you or Twilight. It’s my fault.”
An afterthought struck me: Why didn’t anyone spot Twilight back in Ponyville? She had her wings out and everything. It’s even stranger how that never occurred to me earlier. That was at least a week ago though, and Ponyville was far away. It wouldn’t affect us at the moment. Returning to the situation at hand didn’t help much, making my heart drop ever so slightly. I wasn’t in the brightest mood.
A hoof wrapping around my body snapped me back to reality. Applejack pressed herself against my chest, tightening her hold on me. I raised a hand and petted her neck, heaving a heavy sigh.
“Come on, Nolan,” Applejack whispered with a weak chuckle, “Share some of the burden, would ya?”
My hand tightened around her neck. Sharing the burden felt like something that I shouldn’t do. These Ponies were suffering; they had served their time in hell. Even if I was overthinking it, I had to keep it up. I had to harden my heart and push on. But… Applejack wanted to help. And she was a stubborn mare.
“Sure, AJ,” I said tentatively, a smile easing on my lips, “I wouldn’t want to argue with you.”
She pushed away from me hastily, flashing a smile to show it wasn’t out of anger, “Now what’s that supposed ta mean?”
The two of us had been through a lot, Applejack and I. Just the thought of what we’ve accomplished together cooled me off. Even before we met, our lives haven’t been the easiest. Our connection was through those harsh times, leading us to this very moment.
And with all that, I smirked, “You’re the kind of girl I wouldn’t want to mess with. Reminds me a lot of myself.”
“No offense, Nolan,” Applejack said with her head to the side and her eyes closed, “But I think I’m a class all my own.”
A chuckle escaped my lips, not out of mockery, but from simply getting back to joking about things. I needed the distraction, we all did. As serious as our situation was, we knew we needed to relax a little to make it through in one piece. I was glad I was able to pick up on that, and Applejack as well.
“What exactly are you two talking about?” Twilight questioned, confused out of her mind. I suppose not everything could be picked up as quickly by everyone. For someone versed in friendship, some ideas went right over her head.
“Found the inn,” Carrot Top suddenly spoke, standing at the end of the alley way. It almost seemed like she had been there the whole time. She was stoic, damn near emotionless. It didn’t feel like her at all. Applejack and Twilight grimaced ever so slightly; they must have been feeling the same thing.
“Uh, great work!” Twilight congratulated, hurrying over to stand by Carrot Top and peering into the street. The occasional Human passed by, but Ponies were even rarer. It was bizarre. I expected the place to be just the same as Fillydelphia, yet there were so few Ponies. And of the people walking around, they were far more casual than usual. No military clothing or weapons of the sort.
Something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what.
“Where’s it at?” Twilight asked, turning to Carrot Top.
She stared at me.
“Carrot Top?”
She still didn’t break eye contact with me.
“Carrot Top,” Applejack said louder, and she finally turned her eyes away to focus on her. “Where’s the inn at?”
“Oh,” Carrot Top said simply, blinking. It was like she was lost in her own little world. It was still creepy how intently she put her attention on me though. She must still be upset about me taking off for Cloudsdale. “It’s just a couple blocks away, past an old battleground. It’s occupied too.”
“Battleground?” Applejack mumbled, almost like a whine. Something had dawned on her, and it was anything but good. Her eyes trailed off to the ground, wide with shock. Her body was rigid, not even her chest moved with her breathing.
“Applejack?” I questioned, crouching down to her level. She didn’t register what I said, but what startled me was what I could hear. Her breathing was quick and ragged, and almost unnoticeable. Seeing her in that state scared me; I had only seen her break down twice, and this was getting close to those same heartbreaking moments. The old battleground Carrot Top had mentioned had hit somewhere in her.
With a push of her legs, Applejack bolted straight down the alley, nearly shoving past Carrot Top, and sharply turning around the corner. Panic stricken for her safety, I gave chase, clutching my blanket behind me as my heart made its way to my throat. My earlier attitude towards myself was shoved as far away as possible in my mind. Applejack was the one who needed comfort from whatever terror had suddenly infected her mind.
Upon reaching the street itself, I kept my eyes glued on Applejack’s form as it grew smaller with each second. Just as I broke off after her, ignoring the watching eyes of the Humans, Twilight did the same. She mirrored my feelings, but was in more despair. As for Carrot Top, I could only assume she was following us.
All my senses were clouded. My thoughts were so loud that everything I felt was nothing compared to my worry for Applejack. All I knew was I needed to get to Applejack, to figure out why she had torn off without so much as a word. Just seeing her run, I could tell something was very off. She stumbled often, and couldn’t decide if she wanted to focus ahead or on the pavement.
The buildings were too similar to draw my attention, which made the street lights stand out more. Running underneath each one was like going through a spotlight: a moment of extreme attention before being swallowed by the darkness again. The repetitive nature of the lighting, along with my heaving chest, caused the hazy world that I failed to interpret in favor of Applejack to become clear. What I really took note of was where we were heading. Based off what I could remember from my scouting just under an hour ago, we were heading for the entrance to the city, the bridge. Considering the inn was just past it, as well as the battleground, I doubted Applejack wanted to leave the city.
No, her destination was at the battleground. And based off the marks on the buildings coming up, we were closing in.
Sure enough, Applejack slowed to a trot, then to a stop just at the boundary. Mine and Twilight’s stop was more abrupt, skidding just a couple feet behind Applejack. A thick rope linked between repeating poles as it looped around the site, hugging it and dividing it from the normal street. The way it went from one side of the street to the other made it out like it was public art. Something to be left alone, to admire or learn from. The battleground itself painted it in a whole different light.
A definite chaos of sorts had been unleashed. The fence that had been erected couldn’t contain the entirety of the destruction the supposed battle had wrought. Bullet holes upon bullet holes covered every wall upon the confines of the battleground, and even in several other surrounding buildings. Shattered windows were so prominent that everything underneath them was a death trap of glass waiting to happen. Medieval-like weapons were strung around, mostly spears, but the occasional sword could be seen. If I didn’t know better, the original wielders of those weapons had simply dropped them and left, leaving behind an abandoned site that was left to its own demise. But the ground itself was enough to tell me that was not the case. Black stains were splattered around giving no discern where their true origins lied. The stains were grimy and sickening to stare at. Even from where I stood, I could tell they were the dried remains of blood. A lack of cleanliness over the months had allowed the blood to sit and bake under the sun, with no rain to wash them way. To an extent, the battleground had been preserved, untouched.
Yet the absence of bodies, Pony or Human, did not cement that sentiment.
Applejack had her mouth open, the words refusing to come out. She didn’t want to say what was on her mind, but her body forced it out of her.
“Big Macintosh...” she got out, her voice trembling. That name, she had mentioned it before as her older brother. I was thankful that fact came to me. After all, the one time Applejack was able to get those heavy burdens off her chest was not something I would easily forget. Just thinking about her older brother popped up more information of him: He was shipped off to fight the Humans, stationed in Manehattan… the Humans attacked…
“No,” I whispered lightly. My mouth fell agape, more out of horror than shock. This was the spot where the Ponies had made their stand against the Humans. Where they had lost, as well as the city itself. Their bravery to stand against an enemy with superior weaponry was astounding. Where I would say brave, the Humans undoubtedly saw them and laughed. I tightened the hold on my blanket.
“This…” Twilight said, gazing around, “This is where the Royal Guard made their stand in Manehattan.”
“Twilight,” I said coldly.
“Where the Humans... “ Twilight continued, grimacing, “massacred them.”
“Twilight,” I scolded, facing her.
“And where Big Macintosh-”
“Twilight!” I yelled, causing her to jump and allowing a few stray tears to come out. I knew she could feel my intense gaze, turning away as she shrunk down as much as possible. She knew she had gone too far; Applejack still hadn’t moved.
Before I did anything else, I got a better look of the battleground, or I suppose a more accurate word would be battlefield. The scope was enormous! I didn’t notice how far the battle had raged, going down the street and across the train tracks. The Ponies must have fought the Humans as they crossed the bridge. Defending whatever Ponies were left in the city, if they weren’t already evacuated. I actually didn’t have a grasp on what happened in Manehattan during the invasion. Maybe the city had been unoccupied, or maybe the Ponies had no warning.
“Big Mac!” Applejack screamed, stepping back and forth frantically. “Where are ya?!”
I winced, too shocked to shush her. Or maybe my heart was too sympathetic. How desperate was she to expect her brother to just come around the corner? That was like if I had expected my mom to wake up while at her funeral… I figured out why I hadn’t spoken up.
“Big Macintosh!” she yelled, sounding hoarse. “Come out! Please!”
“Applejack,” I called, feeling weak as I walked towards her. I wanted to yell at her for her actions, knowing it would draw the attention we were trying to avoid. But I couldn't bring myself to come even close to berating her.
“Come back!” she cried, sobbing at the end, “Just come back!”
She fell to the floor, splaying her body while covering her snout with a hoof. Her crying was undeniable at that point, letting the world know of her pain. The closer I grew, the easier it was to see the tears dripping off her chin. I wished I couldn’t see them, I wished the old Applejack that I was joking with not three minutes ago would come back. And yet my wish would come true as soon as Applejack’s wish did.
I knelt down to her when I was close enough, resting a hand on her shoulder. Her shudders came hard and fast, matching with her sobs.
“He isn’t coming back, AJ,” I said monotonically, trying to stay sturdy for her. “He’s never coming back.”
“He didn’t want to go,” Applejack got out through her hitched breaths, “But we encouraged him, we didn’t think it’d get so bad, we didn’t think he’d…” Another deep breath, shakier than before. “Princess Celestia… she came to the door. As soon as I saw her face, I knew. I knew! He was gone. Gone…”
Fresh tears erupted from her eyes, and she clenched them shut in a vain attempt to stop them. Her sobs were silent, allowing a terrible memory to bubble up inside me. The days following the death of my mom, after my dad had left for the military without a word to me, I wanted him to die in battle. I didn’t care how, I just wanted to wake up one day to find a notifier at my door, telling me of the news.
Next to Applejack, crying over someone she knew was dead, finding where he died… I was selfish. No matter what I felt about my dad, he was still a member of the military; protecting lives in another country. And I just wanted him to die, and to have someone come up and tell me that. Maybe what I really wanted was some feeling of communication with him. To be acknowledged by him. I didn’t know why I expected to get that feeling from his death.
In that way, I was worse than him. Worse than what he could ever do to me.
Interrupting Applejack in such a state was not the right thing to do. So I backed away, and let her get it all out. A quick glance around told me that we were drawing a crowd. Mostly Humans, men and women alike. Over my travels of Equestria, I had only seen one woman, and to see others suddenly did raise my curiosity. As for Pony spectators, I could only spot one, another strange occurrence in the city. It was like the Humans refused to have a Pony slave. Pretty doubtful, but there were too many other possibilities to question.
There I was getting distracted again, and I shook out my thoughts to my original intention of worrying over the crowd. Yet despite the commotion Applejack was causing, she needed to get all her emotions out before we continued on. I could only figure she hadn’t truly accepted the loss of her brother. Some sliver of hope had been clutching to her heart. And seeing this battlefield had caused that hope to shatter.
She just needed time. It could be a minute, it could be an hour. She just needed to accept it, like I had to with Emma.
“Sir!” a man called sternly behind me. I whipped around to see the familiar army get-up; green fatigues with a holster around his waist. I cursed under my breath. “What’s your Pony doing?”
We had to move, to get away and not draw any more attention. If a Military Policeman was taking interest, than we had to leave before he found me out. Luckily, Twilight had the same reasoning as she rushed ahead to Applejack’s side, lowering herself. I turned to face him with my hands holding tightly to the blanket. My back was burning, like everyone was staring at it. The blanket had come in handy, as much as I hated to admit it.
“She’s…” I started, seeing the MP grow closer. He walked with authority, and his worn disapproval wasn’t something I wanted up in my face. “She was getting claustrophobic. I had to get her away from others.”
As the MP continued his advance, I growled, “That means she doesn’t want other Humans around at the moment.”
That stopped him, though he was none too pleased as he put a hand on his hip. “Exactly how would a Pony get crowded around here?” he asked, using his free hand to gesture around. I followed his meaning, seeing that despite the crowd, there wasn’t many witnesses, just a dozen or so.
“She doesn’t get out often,” I explained, my voice trembling. Lying on the fly wasn’t exactly my forte.
“And who’s this Big Macintosh?” he questioned again, his hand resting against the handle of his revolver. I didn’t think he was buying what I was selling.
“Teddy Bear,” I blurted. If I was able, I would have punched myself for that one. Carrot Top was sharing the same sentiment, though her gaze was enough of a punch to make me swallow. The MP raised a brow, probably having dealt with bullshit like what I was dishing.
“One last thing,” he said dangerously low, his fingers wrapping around the handle of his revolver, “You do know that citizens aren’t allowed weapons, right?”
Citizens!? When the hell did that ever become a factor!? No one brought it up, and no one cared I had a firearm anywhere else! He had to be lying, this fucker was just trying to get to me. Because why, of all the god forsaken times, did that rule suddenly make an appearance!? Carrot Top was just as stunned as me, staring at the man and backing away slowly. It took me a moment to realize I still had to respond.
“I… have a permit,” I answered, averting my gaze.
He grunted with pursed lips, walking forward again, “You’re coming with me.”
Applejack was still whimpering behind me, but Twilight tried to mellow her whines by shushing her while stroking her mane. Carrot Top was backing away faster as the man approached. Her fear reminded me of the times of her own enslavement, how she was beaten mercilessly. And the man gave just enough of a smirk after seeing her to know he was enjoying his power. All these Humans were the same, to the point where it was just infuriating.
I only had seconds before the MP would be close enough to realize I was the Masked Man. My options were limited; Applejack wasn’t in the condition to be running and the MP had seen my face.Though a lot of people around had seen it too, I could only hope they couldn’t get an accurate depiction from where they stood. I could hardly make out what they looked like.
I had to kill the MP, but the crowd would panic, seeing as they don’t have weapons of their own - I still couldn’t believe that shit. Who knew what would happen in all the chaos.
Then there was a crack, and suddenly the MP’s head had splattered open, blood shooting out the side. I recoiled at the gruesome sight as he flopped to the ground. The crowd broke into the chaos I had predicted, crying out in fear as they pushed and shoved to get as far away as possible. It was actually the first time I had seen Humans run away in fear. Maybe there really were ‘citizens’ in the city.
“If you don’t want to get arrested,” a grave voice spoke up from an alleyway. A glance over showed a silhouette in the shadows, a rifle in his arms. “Then I suggest you get your rear in gear and follow me.”
He might as well have been telling us to piss off from his tone. He couldn’t at least feel a little urgent? The figure shifted into the darkness without waiting for a response, and I knew we didn’t have much time to linger. The crowd wasn’t as completely crazy as I had thought, as shouts of orders were already breaking through the screams. As the dead MP had indicated, there weren’t many people around in the first place.
“Applejack, let’s go!” Twilight hissed.
Carrot Top was already bounding after the Human, and Twilight was shaking an indisposed AJ. She couldn’t have completely shut down, could she? She knew her very life was at stake, and the life of her best friend! I made to check it out, keeping a good hold on the blanket, but was thwarted when more commands and questions were coming from behind. A look behind me showed a handful of MPs pointing at me with their revolvers drawn. Time was up.
“Twilight, levitation!” I ordered, changing course and going full sprint for the alleyway. Twilight did the same, actually surprising me with her burst of speed as her magic picked up Applejack. She didn’t even care, floating there without any resistance of the sorts.
A single bullet ripped through the air, nicking my hand. A gasped sharply, my hands releasing the blanket as I dived the rest of the way into the dark alleyway. On my side, I clutched my wrist as the stinging grew worse. Any motion of my hand brought a flash of pain. Nevertheless, I stumbled back to a stand as Twilight rushed past me, following behind the retreating Carrot Top around the corner.
“Don’t shoot him, you fucking idiot!” a man demanded, “Let’s get him alive!”
“Yeah,” another responded as I rounded the corner, seeing Twilight and Carrot Top head for a building across the street. “So we can beat the crap outta him for killing Phil!”
I had to hand it them, they sure were different from the other Humans I had met thus far. Everyone else wanted to kill me on sight, but not those guys, they just wanted to fuck me over then kill me. Tossing away the thought, I hurried after the Ponies, my heart hammering in my chest, both from the exertion and the guilt. It was Fillydelphia all over again. Why was I so incompetent!?
The MPs' footsteps behind proved they were hot on my tail. I couldn’t lose them in that building! What was that man thinking?! Or maybe he had abandoned us and Carrot Top was just heading for the closest shelter. With little choice, I stayed in line with the Ponies and flew through the open doorway left by Twilight. In my hurry, I misstepped and lost my balance, stumbling forward just enough to slam into a counter and flip over the side.
I landed on my back, my body hidden behind the counter, and it was only then that I had a feeling for my surroundings. Warm wood bathed in a gentle light, the counter having a couple glass bottles underneath, and a man standing over me. From my position, I could only make out his tan boots and black pants. Carrot Top actually stood next to me, just by my legs. Her head was pulled back, and a hoof was held up to her chest in a form of protection. My brilliant entrance had caused her to freeze up.
“Stay where you are,” the man whispered, and I was able to detect that urgency I wanted earlier. Even though it wasn’t the same voice - this one being a bit lighter - I definitely wasn’t in a position to argue with his demand. Everything was happening so fast, and I was just trying to keep track of everything, but for the time being he was helping us.
The door slammed open stopping any chance of a recap, heavy footsteps entering the threshold of the room. Carrot Top ducked slightly in panic, her eyes turned towards the counter. I had a flashback of the boutique back in Ponyville, and I hoped it didn’t turn out the same with our Human helper.
“You there!” someone called out, “Did anyone come in recently?”
“No…” the man above me replied, sounding weary, “Is there a problem?”
“We’re searching for a man, brown hair, black clothing. Had a purple and orange Pony with him.”
“Shit! Right there!” A different man bellowed, “There’s an orange Pony right there!”
Carrot Top gave a whine as she stepped closer to me, her head just above my own. Her tail must have been sticking out just enough for them to catch. My ears were close enough to the ground to hear someone heading right to the counter we hid behind. I reached for my revolver, hoping I could get a clear shot with Carrot Top so close.
In fact, she was very close to me, close enough to see her shiver. Her eyes staring at me with confliction, as if she was having an inner debate. She leaned in close, her breath brushing against my skin. It smelt of carrots, of all things, and I had to chastise my brain for bringing that up.
Quickly and shockingly, Carrot Top rested her chest on my own, laid her hooves against my shoulders, and kissed me.
Not on the forehead, not on the cheek, but right on my lips. My eyes shot open, feeling her own lips pressing down on me. It was furry, but still had the essence of a woman’s kiss. The mixture between how natural the kiss was and Carrot Top kissing me herself left me stunned. And Carrot Top had her eyes closed, getting really into it. I wasn’t sure what her plan was; my brain might as well have shut down at that point.
But with only a second left before a MP saw us, I closed my eyes too, scrunching my face just enough to appear like I was enjoying it too. With a final throw of my arms, I held onto Carrot Top’s back. A brief moan escaped her lips, but it disappeared as soon as I heard it. There was no sound, not the footsteps nor my own breathing. I could feel someone’s gaze burn a hole through me and it was making my back tense up.
“Geh,” I heard above me at last, along with a hasty step back, “Fuck, it’s just someone groping a Pony. A different orange Pony.”
“Oh, them,” the Human standing just inches away from us said, his voice bored. I had nearly forgotten he was standing there. “They’ve been at it all night. They’ve been pretty rowdy, but I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Fucking Pony Lovers,” the MP swore, “They’re as bad as the Masked Man.”
“Come on,” a different man spoke, “Don’t knock it till you try it. Those Ponies are really easy to force a blowjob.”
“Yeah, you would enjoy that wouldn’t you.”
“Enough chit chat,” the MP closest spat, “That murderer must have gone through another building. We need to hurry before we lose them.”
Footsteps filed out of the room, and the door fell shut before there was only silence. That was, until Carrot Top pulled away, her cheeks burning redder than I had ever seen them. She got off my chest and gave me room as I stared at her in wonder. I could still feel where she had pressed against my lips, as if they were on fire.
“Carrot Top…?” I spoke slowly, unsure how to interpret that kiss. She looked away, her cheeks somehow blushing even harder. She had kissed me to disguise the fact that we were hiding - and those MPs must have been really thick to not blatantly see that it was me. Even still, some part of her had been enjoying it, I could tell through the kiss alone. It was hard to tell if it was just another part of the guise to throw off the MPs.
“I’m sorry,” she spoke rapidly, “I didn’t want us to get caught and it was the only thing that came to mi-”
“Wow!” the man above me exclaimed, grabbing hold of an arm and pulling me up. There was no hint of force, like he was simply helping up someone who had tripped. Given how I had gotten to the floor in the first place, that wasn’t too far off. Back on my feet, I was finally able to see our rescuer. After all, if it wasn’t for his assistance, I think we would have left the building in chains.
By his voice alone, I knew it wasn’t the same man that had killed the MP earlier. Hell, his face was a dead give away to that. He wasn’t downright cheerful like Pinkie was, but the smile on his face was definitely a pleasant one. What also caught my eye was his appearance. He resembled someone of southeast Asian descent, though I couldn’t pick out the exact country.
“That was one close call we had there, huh?” he asked, resting an arm against the counter. “I almost lost character there for a moment when they spotted your Pony.”
“Yeah,” I said with an uncertain look. I was still trying to get over that Carrot Top, a pony, had kissed me. It was to throw off the MP for sure, but… she was a Pony! And I was a Human! Even Carrot Top was blushing over the absurdity of the action. Taking a long breath, both from the kiss and from dodging the MP, I studied the other Human
His intentions couldn’t be malicious, with the situation earlier as proof, so I doubted he was like most other Humans around. Probably closer to Alex. He had on a long sleeved shirt, as green as his eyes. A scarf was wrapped around his neck, sharing the same color. Although scarf wasn’t very accurate. It was too bunched up to be a scarf.
“Hey, Anthony,” the man called, leaning to the side to look behind me as he cupped a hand around his mouth, “I don’t mind saving a couple lives, but a little warning next time.”
“I don’t think the MP gave me much choice,” a familiar voice grumbled. It was the same one who had shot the man from before. Turning around with Carrot Top, another man came around a corner from within the building. “So, deal with it.”
This one had orange-brown hair, with flecks of gray. His face matched the gruffness of his voice, more haggard than I had seen from others. A thin scar shined on his cheek as he brushed his shoulder, showing his red t-shirt. His pants were similar to the other man standing beside me. However, following behind the man was Twilight, relief evident in her expression as she watched the scene unfold.
“Alright, hold up,” I said stepping around the counter and away from the two. They both watched me with a raised brow, “Who the hell are you guys?”
“Ah,” the man behind the counter sighed, “You’d think we would learn to introduce ourselves before squabbling.”
“You’re the one who’s overexcited all the time,” the other one said before taking a breath, “The name’s Anthony.”
“Vincent,” the man behind the counter waved, his smile dying slightly, yet the humor still remained. “And I assume you’re the one Anthony saved from the MPs.”
I nodded, and Anthony’s lips twitched in a smirk, “The Masked Man himself.”
I balked alongside Carrot Top, and Twilight was more fearful than surprised as she stiffened. “How do you know that?” I asked, hovering a hand by my revolver just in case.
Anthony pointed to me, “You have S.W.A.T. written on your back. Those wanted posters were spot on with that.”
Not only that, but I had lost the blanket too. My hand was still hurting from the bullet that had grazed me, but I was more concerned with the two gentlemen. I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing that they knew of my other self. Though certainly they had saved us from the verge of arrest.
“What’s that mean anyway?” Vincent questioned, leaning against the counter as he squinted his eyes, “Are you a bug exterminator or something?”
Carrot Top and Twilight both had to cover their muzzles from their amusement. Admittedly, I had never heard someone come to that conclusion before. It even got a smile out of Anthony, who hadn’t really expressed anything up to that point.
“Special Weapons and Tactics,” I answered, waving away his comment of being an exterminator. “A special forces division of the police department back home.”
“Never heard of them,” Anthony muttered, though I didn’t argue with that. I gazed around the room, getting a better feeling of the atmosphere. The best word to describe it was cozy. Many round tables with adjoining chairs were placed around, though a wide path was made from the entrance to the counter. Behind the counter were several shelves chock full of bottles of varying size, shape and color. All of them had liquid, and it wasn’t difficult to figure that they were alcoholic.
“Where are we?” I asked, glancing past Twilight, noting the back room where she and Anthony had emerged from.
Vincent cleared his throat, as he stood up straight, holding out a hand as if presenting a brand new car at a game show. “Welcome to the Hard Hoof Inn! We accommodate all Humans and Ponies here, no questions asked!”
Vincent looked to Anthony expectantly, causing the latter to groan under his breath. “We also have a bar,” he stated plainly, crossing his arms, “So there’s that.”
Vincent was put off by his lack of enthusiasm, but kept the ball rolling with a wide smile. “And it’s run by your very own Vincent and Anthony!”
“And Berry Punch!” someone spoke up. Yet another person came around the corner, but it was a Pony instead. Her mane and tail somewhat resembled the teacher had I rescued with the children back in Appleloosa, though the color was a darker shade of magenta. Her coat was a much lighter tone, and her Cutie Mark revealed a bunch of grapes with a strawberry. She flashed a smile, her magenta eyes - jeez, there was a lot of that color - shining in the light. “These two nimrods wouldn’t be able to run this place without me.”
“I mean,” Vincent shrugged, slightly embarrassed as he faced away from her, “We kind of know about drinks.”
“Hardly,” Berry responded, looking to me with a snide smile, “These guys don’t even know how long to ferment red wine.”
“I could have sworn it was an hour,” Anthony said with a shake of his head. Berry just blankly looked at him, her deadpan stare almost making me laugh.
“Okay, back it up,” I interrupted, catching all of their attention, “I know who you are and where we are, but I think an answer to what the hell just happened would be nice as well.”
“Easy,” Anthony replied, pulling out the rifle that had been strung behind him. It was a lever action rifle, probably the first I had seen in the country. Given that that variety of weaponry was superior to the bolt action, I had to wonder why they weren’t more common. “I saved your ass, and your Ponies' asses, before you guys could get grabbed by an MP.”
“What have I said about using that word?” Berry Punch scolded, glaring at Anthony who rolled his eyes, “You know that’s offensive to them.”
“I don’t see any Donkeys around,” Anthony shot back. My mind took a moment to wrap around the notion of sentient Donkeys, the kind that actually don’t like the use of the word ass… Why didn’t I think that there were Donkeys in this world? Off track again!
“Listen,” I said sternly, holding up a hand for them to focus. Also for something I can focus on; I was tired of getting off topic. “I get what you did, and I’m grateful, but I would like to know why.”
This gave everyone pause. Given the nature of my question, I didn’t think it would be difficult, but with more thought, I had essentially asked why they saved the one man that was making a huge difference for the Ponies. The one man sympathizing with the Ponies. The one man who’s working to kick the Humans out of Equestria.
Vincent was the most thoughtful, and Anthony just looked to him, as if he was the reason he was doing any of it. Berry Punch did the same, though she looked more curious than patient. Perhaps my question was too broad for them to answer, so with a sigh, I kept things to more recent times.
“Where’s Applejack?” I asked, noting she wasn’t amongst us. The ears on Twilight folded back as she looked to the back of the building. Grim with concern, I headed that way, only to be stopped as Twilight trotted up to me with a hoof on my chest. “She needs some alone time, Nolan. Seeing that battleground really tore her up.”
I closed my eyes, “I can only imagine.”
“It was strange,” Twilight said, stepping away from me as she sat on her haunches. “She didn’t cry during his funeral. The rest of us couldn’t figure it out, but…”
“Yeah,” I replied, crossing my arms. Not much point discussing a topic that I already knew about.
“The battleground?” Vincent asked absentmindedly. Then again, there were still people in the room who were not as well acquainted. If they knew what was right, they would drop it. “Oh, you mean the one down the street? We were finally able to cart the bodies out a few days ago.”
“A few days ago?!” I exclaimed, looking to the door. I could almost picture the Humans just getting a few wheelbarrows and throwing the bodies like they were nothing more than sacks of dirt. And Vincent spoke like he was a part of it! I faced him again as I shouted, “It’s been months since the battle!”
“Damn military wouldn’t let us near the dead Ponies,” Anthony filled in, his voice graver than it had ever been. “They’d get their own, but wouldn’t spare a moment for the Ponies. No matter how many times people protested, they wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t until a few of them had been shipped away did we get a chance to bury them.”
Something wasn't right with that sentence, and the news about the bodies must have been messing me up, because I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. And my brain wasn't helping by thinking of Big Macintosh as one of those bodies.
“What’s with all the care for Ponies?” Carrot Top questioned, sounding aggressive, but looking more frightened than when we were nearly caught. “You talk like the Humans actually want to help the Ponies.”
“Cause they do,” Berry stated with a smile, looking to Anthony. “I was almost executed for trying to escape. But they bought me before that happened.” Her smile dipped into a frown, “I lost some good friends though.”
“And they treat you well?” I asked begrudgingly, keeping my hopes from lifting.
“What kind of question is that!?” Vincent fired out angrily, slamming his hands against the counter. Twilight and Carrot jumped, but I stayed still, furrowing my brow. “Of course we treat her well. We’re not the sack of shits that beat them until they can’t stand. We heal them! Fix their wings and send them on their way!”
Wings? Twilight’s wings were still hidden under the blanket and pack, there was no way he could have figured out she had them. Vincent placed a hand on his head, sweat protruding all over his face.
“I’ve always said that to them,” he muttered, his voice going in and out. “And they followed my orders, and what do they get for their compassion?”
His voice had gone down to a whisper. A very dangerous whisper. It was actually putting Anthony on edge, his face breaking away from tough to worry. “Shit,” he said, stepping quickly to Vincent. Berry had the same look as she swiveled and took off for the back room.
“Fucking torture and death!” he screamed, swiping a hand and smashing it into a glass bottle on the shelf behind him. His hand was already bleeding as liquor dripped onto the floor. Carrot Top and Twilight were backing away frantically in terror, and I was on the cusp of knocking him out before he completely lost it.
“What the hell is wrong with him?” I questioned as I pointed to him. Anthony didn’t answer as he grabbed one of Vincent’s arms. All that did was push him even further as he lashed out with his free arm, hitting Anthony in the arm.
“Fuck you!” he yelled at me, or maybe Anthony. If it was for the latter, it didn’t faze him as he grabbed his other arm, twisting them towards each other as Anthony struggled with every ounce of strength he had. I wanted to intervene, but something kept me rooted to the spot, and it was uncertainty. Anthony knew what was happening, but he wasn’t spilling what that was, and I wasn’t going to mess things up by running in blind.
“Berry!” Anthony shouted over his shoulder. Vincent was close to shoving him right into the shelves when she came skidding around the corner, a photo in her mouth. She quickly hopped her forelegs onto the counter and showed the photo to Vincent. At first, nothing happened, trying to break the hold Anthony held him in. But Anthony never broke his eyes away from the photo, and his movement slowed to a crawl.
In disbelief, I looked to Twilight, who was in the same boat as me. Carrot Top was just scared, actually hiding underneath one of the tables as she watched the scene unfold. At one point, Anthony released Vincent onto the counter. He rested there with deep breaths, a bleeding and shaky hand reaching for the photo. Berry gave it to him as he slid off the counter and onto the floor.
He was still staring at the photo.
Everything was still, Anthony and Berry were in relief, but I couldn’t bear to let my guard down. Twilight was the same, though she didn’t have her horn alight for self defense. We just stood there and did nothing as Vincent remained motionless on the floor.
I couldn’t bear it any longer, “What the actual fuck just happened?! And I don’t want some bullshit answer either!”
Anthony ground his teeth at my tone, but didn’t retort. He looked to Vincent again, then to my waist, where he narrowed his eyes. “I’ll tell you once you put that thing away,” he sneered, wiping the sweat from his brow. I looked down to see my revolver in my hands, drawn from its holster. I was holding it on the grip, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. I didn’t even realize I had gotten it out.
I did as he instructed as Berry dropped off from the counter, sitting on her haunches with a sigh. Rubbing his head, Anthony showed his arms, and I noticed some sort of scar. It was dark and wide, and that was all I was able to get before it was hidden again in his sleeve.
“His team was tortured to an inch of their life,” Anthony explained, gesturing to Vincent, “Then the Military snuffed that last inch. Him and a few others were ‘rehabilitated’, in their words.”
“So what?” I followed up, a hand on my hip, “He has PTSD?”
Anthony grunted, a ghost of a smile emerging that meant nothing to anybody, “Right on the nose.”
“We’re not sure exactly what causes his breakdowns,” Berry continued, her gaze full of sorrow as she looked at Vincent. He wasn’t looking at the photo any more, but simply leaned against the wall while clutching it tightly to his chest. “But when he sees that photo, it calms him down.”
“W-What’s it a photo of?” Twilight spoke up, her voice trembling.
Anthony gave a genuine amused smirk, though it was half hearted, “That’s the weird part. It’s-”
“Me,” a very familiar voice spoke at the entrance. I turned my head, and when I saw the person, my eyes slowly grew wide.
Spitfire. Of all the people, of all the Ponies, it was Spitfire. She was pushing open the door with a hoof, her expression more somber than I had ever seen it. Not outside Fillydelphia, nor in Cloudsdale. She hadn’t changed one bit as she strolled into the room, locking her gaze on Vincent. She kept her distance as she remained still. Looking between her and Vincent, I realized she wasn’t looking at him, but at the photo he held so tightly to.
“He break down again?” she asked, barely moving. She didn’t even look to me, and she knew I was sharing the same room as her. She had greeted me like an old friend the last time we ran into each other, but at that moment, I might as well have been a chair.
“Yeah,” Berry answered, giving Vincent a sideways glance before focusing on Spitfire, “I had to-”
“I know,” Spitfire interrupted with a far away smile, one that was more from a memory than from what she was looking at. If one word could describe the whole scenario I had witnessed, it would be baffling. No, more than that, I was downright dumbfounded!
“What!?” I whined out, not realizing how high my tone was. Everyone looked to me like I was the weird one, and I could do nothing but wave my hands in front of me. “Okay, hold it. Hold everything! No one do a damn thing until someone explains this! I don’t want another surprise until I’m at least caught up.”
Spitfire nudged her head to the side, finally breaking away from the photo to look me up and down before giving a brief smile, “Hello, Nolan.”
I hadn’t said hello to her yet, and I was yelling for an explanation. Well, I was just the pinnacle of good manners. Even though Spitfire was acting differently than usual, she still could be snarky when she wanted to. Although I didn’t recall her ever being snarky before hand…
“Eh… hi,” I said back awkwardly. I felt like such a jerk for not saying my salutations first, but everything was happening way too fast for my liking. I had been kissed by a Pony! And I still wanted answers on that! I took a deep breath, brushing my hand through my hair. Remembering Emma’s one true rule fit the situation: expect the unexpected. I had to wonder if she would be saying that in this completely overwhelming night.
“First question,” I said loudly, staring at my feet, “Why are you here, Spitfire?”
She chuckled quietly, “You almost sound like you don’t want me here.”
I just looked at her tiredly. I suppose I was right in that she had always been snarky in one way or another, but I was too exhausted to deal with it. Luckily, she picked up on it, closing her eyes a moment as she scraped a hoof against the wooden floor.
“Staying with Vincent,” she explained, lifting her head, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes. “He was the one who helped me when my wing was shot, along with his squad. After leaving Cloudsdale, after you nearly… killed Lightning Dust, I flew away. I didn’t know where to go, so I wandered around Manehattan, and found Vincent here, of all places.”
She shook her head, “He changed though. The Humans broke him after they learned he had helped a Pony, a Pegasus. Tortured him and his squad. A lot of them died, and the rest were so traumatized they were scarred for life. Vincent included. The photo… it’s a picture of me, to remind him that their suffering wasn’t in vain, that he went through all that for a reason.”
“Yeah,” Vincent spoke up at last, spooking Twilight and Carrot Top, who was still underneath the table. I had to admit, he even scared me a bit. I half expected him to throw a bottle of liquor at me. Even as he pushed himself to stand, I tensed up, ready for another freak out. But he was drained, ashamed of what he did. He didn’t even have the energy to keep himself up, holding a hand out against the wall for support as he cradled his bleeding hand.
Spitfire flapped her wings and hovered over to Vincent. His wistful smile was actually very nice to see, and Spitfire’s was very much the same. They both were worn out, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Spitfire wrapped her forelegs around his neck. He reciprocated by hugging her back, petting her back all the while. Blood smeared on her fur, but she didn’t mind in the least.
My head was still bustling with questions, but I got what I needed from Spitfire. They deserved to share that moment. Facing Anthony, I could see the longing in his eyes, yearning for something Vincent had. He glanced down to Berry, but turned away hastily, like he didn’t want to be caught doing so. Too late for that, but I wasn’t going to hang it over his head.
“Second question,” I said quietly, trying hard not to break the moment Spitfire and Anthony were sharing. “What sets this city apart from any other Human occupied city? I’ve seen Ponyville and Fillydelphia, and Manehattan is nothing like those.”
“Like what?” Twilight asked, equally as quiet as my voice.
I held up my hand, counting each finger, “This inn, the lack of Ponies, a lot of Humans wanting to help Ponies. And that’s just from the top of my head.”
“Don’t forget the women,” Anthony added with a smile. I raised a brow at his direction, and he grunted, “It’s not illegal for women to join the Military, but they’re so uncommon that it might as well be. I say it’s because they're too kind hearted, not a bad reason in my book.”
“Kind hearted?” Carrot Top said, poking her head out from underneath the table. She really needed to get out from there, it’s getting embarrassing seeing her like that.
“Yep,” Anthony nodded, “That’s why a lot of them are here. Helping out the Ponies and all that.”
“Okay,” I nodded, propping up a hand to my chin, “And the answer to my question?”
Berry Punch intervened, hopping up on the table - the one Carrot Top was hiding under - and held up a hoof as if presenting the world to us. As dramatic as it was, it was far brighter than what the atmosphere had been undergoing for a while.
“The first true Human-occupied city in Equestria!” she bellowed triumphantly. I didn’t think that was much better than any other city, but I let her continue, “One that has Humans not from the Military.”
“So that’s…” I started before realization hit me. A city that has citizens, people not in the Military. The Humans were actually moving into this city to live a life amongst Ponies. “So wait, the Humans in this city are actually those who live here for the betterment of Ponies?”
“Exactly,” Anthony answered, pointing at me, “Lots of folks back home who weren’t happy with the invasion came here to set things right; prove that not all Humans are jackasses.”
“Anthony, that woooord,” Berry reminded him through clenched teeth. He waved her off.
“They buy Pony slaves so they don’t go to bad owners,” Anthony went on, actually showing some excitement. Berry nodded, probably showing herself as an example to that testament.
“Why not just free them?” Twilight said. That was actually a good point, and probably something that would have been bugging me in the back of my head for a long time.
“Military law,” Berry spat, growing cross as she kicked what little dirt was on the table, “All Ponies must be in enslavement. No exceptions.”
“Granted,” Anthony brought up, holding up a finger as he looked to Berry playfully, “If Ponies became freed, they’d stop at nothing to free all Ponies. Though, as much as it’s warranted from the Military, I don’t see any reason to keep the slaves in the first place.”
As much as I agreed with that statement, discussing a topic like that was opening a whole new can of worms. The buildings that were supposedly burned by the Ponies was one major point. It all came down to the Baron, who wanted the invasion of Equestria in the first place… one person I hadn’t heard a thing from in a long time. Too long.
I had another question regarding him in my little list, but I had more pressing matters to tend to.
“Third question,” I said, growing hopeful with the situation around here. Although my next question was a far more touchy than I would have liked. But if it wasn’t answered in some way, I was always going to ask myself the question until I went insane. Shifting uncomfortably between my feet, I pointed to Vincent, “How come he’s… Asian?”
Everyone, and I do mean everyone, gave me the oddest looks. Even Spitfire and Anthony had broken their small embrace to look at me like I was asking why the sky was blue. Damn, I didn’t think I was being that offensive!
“Asian?” Vincent asked slowly, “What does that even mean?”
The question took me off guard, and all I could do was open and close my mouth like an idiot. I already knew I was one for asking my previous question, but jeez, his question left me speechless. I had to remind myself that Asia was a part of my world, not this one.
“Are you asking why he’s a Unique?” Anthony asked, tilting his head to the side.
“A what!?” I yelled. What other things did I not know about in this dumb fucking world!? First I ask why he’s Asian, and then Anthony goes and says he’s a Unique! That’s… I sighed, “Okay, you got me. What’s a Unique?”
“People like me,” Vincent responded with a wave, “Most people are generally the same, but there are some who have varied traits that make them different. There are some with dark or tan skin, some with eyes like mine, and so on.”
“You’d think another Human would know that,” Anthony remarked, grabbing a bottle from the shelf. “I know they’re somewhat rare, but come on, they practically run our country.”
I couldn’t take this any longer. Pulling up a chair, I fell into the seat with my head in my hands. Uniques; essentially any race that wasn’t Caucasian. That would explain the lack of them in Equestria. If they were as well regarded as Anthony made it sound like, they were probably the high class of society; rich, governmental roles, and the highest on the food chain. That certainly made things interesting. Of course, my world tried to make everyone equal, but nope, this world has Caucasians on the bottom rung.
“So what does that make people like you or me?” I snapped at Anthony, suddenly feeling hot. “Are we just groveling at the feet of Uniques then?”
“Hardly,” Anthony said, popping off the lid of the drink and giving a quick swig of the contents. He shook his head from the alcohol before placing the drink in front of me. “Everyone’s pretty well respected on an equal plain, especially with the Ponies being the ‘bad guys’. The Uniques are just… a bit higher on that ladder.”
That sounded way too perfect in my eyes. But I wasn’t in the mood to argue any further. At that point, I was fatigued. The day was way too long to begin with, what with landing in the Everfree Forest. But then getting to Manehattan to find a new Wanted poster, Applejack’s break down - I should check on her when I got the chance - and the little chase into this very inn. Then, a kiss by Carrot Top, meeting Anthony and Vincent, Berry Punch, Anthony’s own break down, Spitfire, the citizenship in the city, Uniques-
“I need a vacation after all this!” I yelled out to the world, not caring in the least who heard me. In fact, let the Baron hear it, maybe then I could stop having all these sudden revelations in such a short amount of time and get some peace and quiet in my head for more than twenty four hours!
Everyone was quiet as I rested my head on the table, staring at the bottle in front of me. Gin, seven-fifty-four, good shit, or so says the label. Maybe the alcohol would do me some good. Lifting myself up, I grabbed hold of the neck of the bottle, shaking the contents.
“What the hell is with all this yelling?” a voice rang from the other side of the inn, where a set of stairs sat. Creaking of wood was heard as someone stepped down, revealing Alex… “Some people are trying… to…”
He stared at me, I stared at him…
Well, the night was still young, and my brain might as well keep going at it. I took a sip of the gin.