Chapter 8: Pleasant Company
Twilight didn't know what to think. The creature standing before her looked incredibly feeble, yet for some reason it felt even more threatening than Daniel. The Boy seemed to be looking at them, studying them, but she couldn't tell for sure. There were no eye holes in the sack that covered his face, only the chicken scratch writing and the disturbing smile. The Boy filled her with unease, and from the look of her friends, that seemed to be the general consensus.
Jacob turned back to Daniel and waited, still quivering slightly. The Zealot put a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face the entrance of the Everfree Forest. "It's time to bring the others." he whispered into the Boy's ear, stepping back and giving Jacob space. The Boy simply nodded in response, his trembling subsiding momentarily as he began to concentrate. He spread his legs out and hunched over even further, looking as though he was experiencing terrible stomach pains.
"What's he doing?" Twilight asked, but the Crow merely shot his hand up, demanding silence. Jacob continued to concentrate, now standing up straight and bringing his hands further apart as he whimpered in either pain or due to the massive amount of effort he seemed to be exerting. Suddenly, the area in front of the Boy seemed to behave differently. Twilight couldn't tell exactly what was being changed, but it was as if reality itself was bending in that particular spot. At first it looked like a shimmering in the air, like heat waves radiating off a hot surface, but then the fruits of Jacob's labor became much more apparent.
All at once, Jacob let out a blistering scream and arched his back in a way that looked both painful and impossible. He now looked up to the sky as a vertical tear opened up in front of him. Nopony said a word as he went silent once again, but held the pose and maintained the opening. Daniel acted fast, raising his arm and pointing at the open tear. A crow that seemingly came out of nowhere quickly entered into the white light and disappeared from view. The area around the tear seemed to have gotten much darker than it had looked before, fading away as if its importance to the world was now nonexistent, as if this opening in reality were now the whole idea and the only idea.
The crow returned from its journey, flying over to Daniel and hovering there momentarily. After a few caws, it promptly went back to whatever it had been doing before the Zealot's intervention, but he seemed distraught at what it had told him. The ponies shifted their gaze from the annoyed looking Crow and back to the open hole in their world. Muffled gasps accompanied the first sight of a dark silhouette making its way through the tear. Only a black outline was visible against the white background, but none of the Equestrians could identify the figure. The body looked human, but the head looked anything but. The middle was large and rounded with what looked like two bugle horns jutting out of each side. It walked in a way similar to Jacob, although it was clearly staggering more due to the heavy object on its head.
Slowly it exited the tear and became fully visible, only resulting in further gasps from the ponies. Everything about the creature looked wrong. It too wore an outfit reminiscent of a school uniform, but the large helmet on its head was the disturbing centerpiece of its messed up entirety. The oversized object didn't have any human features, save the large mouth which looked like that of a nutcracker's. The orifice in question was now open, allowing the Boy of Silence to see where he was going. He slowly made his way over to Daniel, not even looking at anything besides his goal, as yet another figure moved through the tear. The first Boy reached the Zealot just as two more helmeted Boys entered Equestria. They looked exactly the same as the first Boy, and walked over to Daniel in the same disturbing manner that the first one had.
The ponies didn't have time to study these new arrivals further, as one final figure became visible through the tear. This one was massive, a hulking beast that took up every inch of the available room that the portal provided. It grunted deeply as it squeezed through the opening and stepped into the light. While fear was still present, the ponies felt a different emotion take the helm of their feelings; shear awe. The mechanical behemoth standing before them looked like a large gorilla that found its way into a scrapyard. Its size was its most prominent feature, towering over Daniel like an elephant. It wore a black, tattered overcoat with equally tattered pants, and a pair of large conductors were mounted on its back. The creature's large, porcelain hands were firmly planted on the floor, stabilizing its crouching position. The overcoat was undone, allowing the thing's chest to be seen. A beating red heart behind thick glass was another unsettling aspect of its appearance. As if it were some twisted children's doll, the creature's head was completely normal looking. The man had white hair and a large, neatly kept mustache. There was even a monocle adorning his left eye.
"Jenkins." Daniel growled. "Why did they send you here? I can take care of this on my own."
The Handyman shrugged his broad shoulders in response and walked away from the tear, which immediately closed upon his arrival. Jacob staggered back over to the Zealot while Jenkins examined the group of ponies, bending down and studying Twilight in particular. He ever so gently adjusted his monocle with two giant fingers, a feat that must have taken hundreds of broken eye pieces to master, and looked the princess right in the eye.
"H-hello there." the princess said shakily. Much to her surprise, Jenkins put a hand behind his back and bowed politely to the alicorn, closing his eyes but maintaining an indifferent expression on his face.
"You'll have to forgive Jenkins. The chivalrous old fool doesn't talk much these days." Daniel explained. The ponies were bemused at how such an intimidating creature could be so sobering. After finishing his bow, the Handyman slowly stood up and walked over to Daniel. He looked around the forest entrance and gave the Zealot a confused look.
"We aren't there yet." the Crow explained. "I wanted to bring the Boys here before entering the forest. I don't know how this place will effect Jacob when we go further in."
The Handyman thought for a moment and then nodded, accepting Daniel's logic. He took his place behind the Zealot and the four Boys of Silence, waiting patiently for them to resume their journey. "Well then." Daniel said, looking back to the ponies. "Are we ready to continue?"
"Why are we going to the castle?" Twilight demanded. This new development had made her very on edge, and she'd had enough of the cloak and dagger. He was going to tell her his mission or he wasn't going to complete it. The choice would be left to him.
The Crow gave her a menacing look. "Once again you ponies demand information, and once again I must remind you that you are in no position to demand a thing." he hissed.
Twilight's eyes narrowed. "You don't have the castle's location."
"Yes, but like I said....."
"I don't care what you said." the alicorn interrupted. "If you do anything to harm my friends or anypony else, then good luck getting any of us to take you there."
Daniel took a step forward, intent on making a crystal clear response, when they all heard a series of loud roars come from deep within the forest. "What was that?" Daniel asked the princess.
"I'm not sure. It could have been anything." Twilight replied. Another loud bawl echoed down the path, closer this time.
"Well whatever it is...." Daniel started, elegantly drawing his sword and holding it at the ready. "Its coming this way."
* * *
Apple Bloom was running at a speed that would've made her big sister proud. Out of breath and on the verge of collapse, the only thing keeping her going was the thought of what was likely to happen to her if she stopped. The nightmares that were currently chasing her were relentless in their pursuit. She thought back to when she was running from that blood thirsty raven. It had been the very representation of fear for her up until she took a wrong turn and ended up in a part of the Everfree she'd never been in before. That's where she ran into something that made the raven look like a humming bird.
Another ferocious yell boomed through the forest, but the filly didn't dare look back. She could hear the hungry panting of the creatures as they lustfully closed the gap to their next meal. When she had run into their enclosure, she was desperately trying to evade the raven and its army of crows. Relieved by the lack of cawing she heard, the filly thought she was home free.......then she heard the low growls.
At first she saw the goat head and laughed as her eyes drifted upward, and then her laughs quickly turned into hysterical whimpering when she saw the lion head right above it. The filly stopped making noise altogether when the snake slowly slithered into view as well. Now she thought back to a school lesson she'd only half paid attention to, and Ms. Cheerilee's voice echoed through her head like a bad song.
"All right my little ponies, who can tell me the hunting tactics of the Chimera?"
"............"
"That's right Twist! While the Chimera is normally a lone predator, when food is scarce and the different animal heads become agitated, the Chimera will often hunt in packs with others of its species to promote a more successful hunt and ensure that the various animal heads wont begin attacking each other out of desperate hunger."
"This is a unique form of hunting, known as Pack Safeguard Hunting."
Apple Bloom risked a glance behind her, and instantly regretted it when she saw three of the beasts gaining on her. A scream escaped her lips as the creatures increased their speed. She turned back to the trail that seemed to be never ending. How far had she gone from the entrance? She didn't remember walking that far in before she'd escaped the birds and stumbled into the Chimeras. What would she do if she even made it to the exit of the forest? Would the beasts give up the chase simply because she crossed the Everfree threshold? The filly couldn't think that far ahead. All that mattered was getting out of the forest and back to Ponyville. One hoof in front of the other was all she had time to dwell on.
* * *
The sound of hoofsteps became clear as the group of ponies and humans turned to face whatever was about to exit the forest.
"Ruuuuuuun!" a voice screamed hysterically. The Zealot couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Apple Bloom sprinting down the pathway.
"What, but how?" he asked in angry disbelief. This is the last place he wanted the filly to be. He'd given specific orders to his avian minions, yet there she was, running toward them.
"Apple Bloom, thank Celestia you're alright!" he heard Applejack say behind him. This wasn't a very preferable situation. He didn't want the filly reunited with the other ponies this early on, but the Crow merely stepped aside as she passed and allowed the two siblings unhindered access to each other.
Another roar brought his attention back to the Everfree trail, and he now saw what had Apple Bloom in such a panic. Three creatures were tearing up the pathway, quickly reaching the group and then halting their advance. The creatures had three heads, one goat and one lion, attached to a large four legged body. A snake head also served as a deadly tail on the creature's rear end. They stopped only feet away from Daniel, sizing up their new prey.
"Well since you're here Jenkins, you might as well make yourself useful." Daniel said to his right, not breaking eye contact with the middle Chimera. The Handyman stepped forward to confront the beast on the right, punching one large fist into an open palm. Jacob assumed his position to the Zealot's left, facing the Chimera that was there. The three other Boys stayed where they were, standing completely still yet constantly observing.
"What should we do Twilight?" Fluttershy whispered to the alicorn. As if he could read her mind, Daniel yelled back to the ponies.
"Don't think about trying anything, or there will be hell to pay." he warned, bringing his sword up and preparing to engage the three headed creature standing before him. The Chimera shrieked from every head and bore its different sets of sharp fangs, scratching at the ground with its claw as it got down as low as it could. Jenkins stood his ground and waited for his Chimera to make a move, while Jacob began opening what looked like another tear. Daniel maintained his posture, not giving his own enemy any indication of what he was planning.
"Come on, then!" the Crow shouted at the beast, and in less than a second, all hell broke loose.
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The Boys of Silence are creepy fuckers... and the Handymen are hard as shit...
Oh good, now there's 3 different types of bullet sponges in Equestria.
sweet, can't beat a handyman. and i wonder if the other tear will bring in good ole george? hope so.
2634418 The boys don't really count as a sponge because it's impossible to even damage them
2634931 True, but I was actually thinking about their minions. Damn things just don't know how to die.
please let us have thomas kick daniels butt come on brothers fight.
2634946 I always equipped my melee gear and just went batshit crazy in the middle of them all :P
New Chapter!!
2635271 With a Handyman!
2635054 Did you... even read the first story???
2634946 Now that I think about it, how are the boys actually supposed to fight? After all, they can't attack on their own, and their, ahem, "devoted followers" aren't anywhere close by, and as strong with tears as they apparently are, I doubt that they'll be able to call them from across dimensions...right?
Ah, hell, this can't end well.
2635054
Yeah dude, you do realize Thomas is dead, right?
They actually make that clear throughout this story.
Although I was thinking myself it would be cool to see a faceoff between Daniel and Booker
...
2649929 Well maybe another version of Thomas from a different reality will appear and fight Daniel cause why not, if it worked for Infinite it would work for this fic.
2634435 I hope the Motorized Patriot will come, shouting random propagandas.
The only one missing now is a motorized patriot.