CH14: Without a Leg to Stand On
Another day another bout of insane pony antics. Barrett leered throughout the town square. Ponies here, ponies there, no strange blots of nothing in sight. He let out a snort and sipped at the coffee he’d bought moments before. It was in this small joy he recounted the strange reality that was yesterday. The world felt so empty and very, very horror filmy.
“I wonder if the comics are canon? I mean, I never really read em’ so, who knows if this, or that--” Barrett scanned the periphery of his vision for anything strange. “--thing, is part of it?”
Barrett had little time to dwell on these ponderings. For, in an act of Solaris’ brilliant divinity, a sudden impact wrought forth pain aplenty into the unprepared side of the reflecting human.
“Scoots, watch where you’re-,” the sound of a familiar accent followed the throbbing pain in Barrett’s legs and the searing pain of splashed coffee over his face. “Oh, never mind.”
Barrett shifted from his sprawled position on his side and was met with orange fur. “Barrett, dude, I’m so sorry,” Scootaroll said as he jumped from his perch, a perch where his hooves had been stabbing hard into Barrett’s oh so precious ribs.
“How the heck did that even happen?” Barrett asked as he rubbed his side. Barrett looked over at the CMC, Silver Bell having joined as he regained his wits. “Like, why are ponies light enough to stand on clouds, but strong enough that a kid can knock my ass to the ground?”
“Barrett dear, mind your tongue. There are children present, as you know,” Barrett felt the sudden rush of magic over his body as he was pulled from the ground and plopped squarely back on his feet.
“Lucy?” Barrett said force strained as the sudden weight on his injured knee sent a shock down his side. “Please for the love of everything decent, don’t magic me like that,” This was followed swiftly by the sudden buckle of Barrett’s leg and a hiss of pain.
“Barrett,” Silver Bell ran to the human’s side, with a whimper. Barrett, if he’d not been in pain would have as always when dealing with the foals of this world had a miniature heart attack and then patted the worried colt and shrugged off the incident.
“You gonna be okay, Barr, that was a pretty solid hit, Scoots landed,: Apple Buck nudging his guilty friend forward.
“Yeah, okay,” the pegasus growled back at Buck whose gaze only steeled further. Scootaroll walked forward slowly and sat next to his still fretting friend. Silver Bell had taken to doing a look about over the kneeling human, insistent on finding any broken bones. “I’m sorry I tackled you, I wasn’t looking where I was going, we cool?” Scoots asked. Barrett held back a laugh as the tough little colt tried so hard to look nonchalant. All the while his eyes glistening as he stared up at Barrett.
Barrett managed to hold back his laughing fit and instead took to a single pat atop the colt’s head. “It’s all good,” Barrett reassured trying to rise only to quickly regret his choice and fall back to one knee.
“Barrett, while it’s nice to see you not holding an accident against, a mischievous little colt,” Elusive added with a disappointed scowl at the colt’s in question. “I do believe you might need an ice pack or bandage.”
“No really,” Barrett said only to catch the same disappointed scowl Elusive had worn a moment ago with the CMC.
Elusive sidled up beside the human and offered his side as a crutch. “I won’t hear another word. I can’t have my precious human getting hurt and simply do nothing.”
“Seriously Lucy--” Barrett said as he pressed a hand over his friend’s side. He didn’t get to finish the thought before the familiar tingle of magic covered his mouth.
“Not another word. I will nurse you back to health myself if I must. I won’t allow you to harm yourself for something as silly as pride. You are my light, and I shall see you shine once more,” Lucy finished his declaration with an elegant wave and wink.
Barrett smiled and shrugged. After all, not one more word right. He thought as he hobbled along the street toward to the humble, if one can call it that, the abode of the dramatic tailor. The CMC had fallen into line in front of the pair.
“Ooo, maybe we can get our Cutie Marks in Human healing,” Silver suggested. The other colts adding other possible outcomes as they trotted along. Barrett for his part simply let his mind wander. It could be worse, sure Elusive was a bit much at times, and the ‘light’ comment earlier was a bit much, but, he meant well.
The walk to Carousel Boutique was a short one, only made longer by the hobbling of a crippled human and the fussing of his rather doting crutch. The nest of fabrics and high fashion was just as Barrett recalled it. The front room scattered with ponequins, dresses, vests, jackets, and accessories adorned each, with several bare or covered in materials.
Barrett had thought that being male would have hosted more apparent changes in Elusive and Rarity, but nope, they were the same, overly dramatic, fashionista, with a pension for fine crafts and high society. Barrett recalled the day he’d met Lucy, and thought the same thing back then.
“Now then,” the stallion in question said. “You sit yourself down right there,” Elusive pointed to the famous ‘fainting’ couch that sat in the corner of the room. The irony being, that out of the differences between the two variants of Elusive, the other Rarity, Elusive did not and to Barrett’s knowledge never once fainted in any of the escapades the Elements had been on. “And, I’ll get you an ice pack,” with that the stallion sauntered off and was instead replaced with three smiling colts.
“So, what exactly were you three doing, that had you so preoccupied?” Barrett asked. The smile of Scootaroll wavering just a bit as he let out an embarrassed chuckle.
“Oh, well we’re sleepin’ over with Silver, and we were gonna do some real intense crusadin’.” Apple Buck said with a grin.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be awesome,” Silver added jumping about his friends. “Of course we’ll wait till your all fixed up first,” Silver added when he finished his hopping circuit.
“Be that as it may, Silver Bell, I believe I can handle Barrett. Why don’t you three go upstairs and plot your next Cutie Mark scheme or whatnot,” Elusive said rejoining the group, an ice pack hovering beside him. He offered the CMC a smile and shooed them away.
“Are ya sure, I mean, I did trip him,” Scootaroll said. He reached for the ice pack only for Elusive to pull it out of reach.
Elusive shook his head and waved them off again. “That’s quite alright, you apologized and took responsibility for the accident. I can more than handle clean-up. You boys only have so much daylight to burn, after all.”
The colts turned to Barrett who sat watching the exchanged. “Don’t look at me, those Cutie Marks aren’t gonna find themselves.”
The three colts beamed up at Barrett before shouting thank you and racing upstairs. “Heh, those three have way too much energy,” Barrett said turning to Elusive who’de taken to watching his brother and friend’s storming up the stairs.
Elusive nodded and floated the ice pack over to Barrett. “True, though they have good hearts and intentions. Even if, they sometimes overthink things.”
Barrett sighed as the cool package settled on his throbbing patella. “Agreed, oh right,” Barrett snapped as he remembered his plans the following day. “You free tomorrow?”
Elusive raised a brow, a very ungentle-colt like glint in his eye. “Perhaps, did you have something in mind?” the stallion stepped closer to Barrett, a hoof laying gently on Barrett’s uninjured leg.
Barrett coughed and slid further back on the couch. “Well, I’m kinda hosting a party for AJ and Dusk, you know for fixing my house and all.”
Elusive’s grin wilted, and he moved back a bit, withdrawing his hoof. “Oh, yes, I believe Barry mentioned that this morning. I would be happy to join you,” Elusive coughed and looked off to the side. “Though a more private affair would have been nice,” he muttered under his breath.
“Lucy?”
“I said I’d have to bring the Crusaders then,” Elusive said a bit louder than needed. He offered a flashy smile and nodded.
“Oh, yeah okay,” Barrett said as he leaned back into the plush and tucked an arm behind his head. “Well, at least the party will be lively.”
“A bit too lively,” Elusive said with a pout.
“Speaking of lively, you haven’t noticed anything, strange lately have you?”
Elusive’s brow rose as he thought through the last few days. “I don’t suppose you could be more specific?”
“Well, ya see, the other day, I kinda swore that half the town went missing and there was some sort of black blob following me around,” Barrett raised a hand to the ceiling and traced a circle as he recounted the events.
“Well, that certainly is strange,” Elusive shrugged. “I can’t speak for the missing townsfolk, but I can certainly believe ponies would follow you about,” Elusive jumped onto the couch beside Barrett. “I would dare say, too assume you didn’t have dozens of suitors would be ludicrous. Even if they aren’t worthy of such affections,” he continued inching closer toward Barrett, whom could do little to evade the disregard for personal space so long as his knee was bruised.
“That’s uh, a nice sentiment I guess,” Barrett offered with a humorless laugh. “Though, I don’t think whatever this blob is, is a secret admirer. It’s honestly got me a little on edge.”
Elusive’s predatory grin returned as he nestled himself against Barrett. “Well, pardon me if I’m overstepping my bounds, but, I can think of a few ways to take the edge off,” Elusive said a hoof resting on Barrett’s chest.
Barrett pulled at his collar, the room suddenly quite a bit warmer. “Yeah, erm, I don’t think I need any help there.”
Elusive pouted once more, eyes locked on Barrett’s. “Are you sure?”
“Lucy, me and the guys are going out,” Silver yelled as he ran down the stairs. Elusive broke his stare and retreated a few inches from his snuggle with Barrett and blushed.
The CMC came bounding into the room laughing and jumping and otherwise being the overly excited children they were. Barrett let out a breath he’d swore he’d taken and smiled at the colts.
“Actually, that’s probably a good idea, I should really get home too,” Barrett agreed pulling himself from his seat and dropping the ice pack where’d he been. He winced a bit as the sudden pressure on his injured limb set a wave of pain through his leg, though weaker than before.
“Darling, are you sure you can walk in your condition?” Elusive asked.
“It’s not that far, and then I can just relax until tomorrow, it’ll be fine. I promise,” Barrett nodded as he limped toward the door. Apple Buck threw the door open for his friends and held it for the hobbling human.
“If you say so,” Elusive said, picking up the ice pack and watching his dearest as he thanked Buck for his politeness. The door closed, and Elusive tossed the ice pack across the room. “Stupid Lucy, really stupid. You lost yourself to your desires, like a wild animal. No wonder, mon amore fled, you foolish stallion.” Elusive laid across the couch and stared blankly across the room, where the ice pack sat tucked between the back legs of a ponequin.
---
Barrett may or may not have acted too quickly. He grit his teeth with every limping step he took. “Damn, seriously, these ponies and their crazy biology is gonna be the death of me I swear,” Barrett muttered to himself as the road seemed to stretch on endlessly. Would his misery ever cease, would he ever just have a normal day again? The sudden rush of a shapeless mass behind him begged to retort. He barely saw it out of the corner of his eye. Barrett felt his knuckles whiten as he balled his fists.
He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stiffen. He pushed down harder on his uninjured leg, foot pivoted hard into the packed earth beneath him. The blob was moving, it was faster than Barrett had thought. He took a deep breath and twisted on his one good foot Eyes pinpricks he threw a punch with all his might at the incoming blob. The fist met no resistance as it hung in the open air. The position where the blob had been was empty space, the road beyond bare as well.
Barrett hadn’t noticed in his dash home, to prop up his leg, but the roads seemed, almost as empty as the day before. He blinked, eyes darting around the way and back over his shoulder. His shoulders bared, teeth gnashing as the empty street was hung in a tense silence. The throbbing in Barrett’s ears was the only sound he could make out in the ghost town.
A sudden rustle behind him was all he needed before he whipped around, a fist lashing out with all he could muster. “Whoa,” a voice called as the new arrival managed to flee to the side and away from the attack. “Geez Biggs, this for the shiner a while ago?” Barrett blinked, the world returning to focus.
Rainbow Blitz looked down at Barrett his hooves held out in surrender, a cheeky smirk on full display. “You okay?” he asked the huffing human.
Barrett looked up at Blitz his eyes trying to compute the victim of his paranoid assault. He lowered his arms and hissed when he straightened himself and leaned a bit too hard on his swollen knee.
“Biggs?” Blitz asked as Barrett’s leg shook violently. Blitz landed and peered down at the shaking limb. “What happened?” Blitz’ words were measured, but the sudden intensity in his eye caught Barrett off guard. Blitz was in Barrett’s face faster than he could perceive. The daredevil, high flying ace of Ponyville had his hooves clamped firmly on Barrett’s cheeks as he peered solely into Barrett’s eyes.
“I uh, fell?”Barrett offered. Blitz’ eyes narrowed as he continued his stare.
“Nope, try again,” Blitz recalled his limbs and pointed down to the leg in question. “I’ve taken more than my fair share of spills. Unless you were jumping off rooftops today, that kind of swelling takes more than a common fall,”
Barrett sighed as the apparent fact that Blitz had far too much experience getting banged up meant he wasn’t going to buy what Barrett was selling. “I fell when the CMC came barreling down the street earlier,” Barrett confessed.
Blitz nodded solemnly. “Right, then I guess I have some colts to find,” he said as he lifted off the ground with a single might flap of his wings.
Wait,” Barrett said before Blitz could get too far. “They already got scolded and apologized. They were with Elusive when they tackled me,” Barrett took the liberty of not singling out Scoots and the accident. The kid didn’t need a tongue lashing from his idol over something like this.
Blitz hovered in the air for a few more seconds in an internal debate between his need to correct the situation and the fact it had already been fixed. “Fine,” he conceded and joined Barrett back on the ground. “So, that explains the leg, but wait about the punch?”
Barrett let out an embarrassed chuckle and adjusted his glasses. “Right sorry about that,” Barrett paused and recounted the blob. “Wait, was that you trailing me earlier. Like yesterday and a minute ago?” Barrett asked taking an unsteady step toward the pegasus.
Blitz blinked and scratched the side of his head. “Biggs, what are you talking about?” Barrett rolled his eyes and recounted both the scene from yesterday and the one only moments before. The story ended with Barrett pouting and Blitz on his back in a fit of laughter. Between his humor, Blitz managed to respond to Barrett’s question. “You actually think I need to stalk you when have I ever not been upfront with you?”
Barrett opened his mouth and realized he had no retort. He felt his eyes cross as he thought back through all his times around Blitz. Barrett found that as annoying as Blitz’ blunt confrontations could be, Blitz never let things fester, or at least not often. Barrett cracked a smile as he recalled the scene with AJ back at the farm.
“Fair enough,” Barrett finally said as he tried to hobble forward.
“Nope,” Blitz stopped Barrett with a hoof. “You shouldn't be walking on that,” Blitz said pointing to Barrett’s leg.
“Then how will I--” Barrett was cut off as he suddenly found himself no longer on the ground. In a blur, he’d been placed firmly on the back of Blitz who looked back over his shoulder with a massive grin.
“I got your back,” Blitz said. “And I always will,” he added as he looked away, a pink line sketched from cheek to cheek, the pink thickest across his muzzle.
“Uh, thanks,” Barrett added lamely. The two moved in silence as Blitz made his way toward Barrett’s home.
It wasn’t long however before Blitz’ mind went back to the story Barrett had told. “So, any idea what these weird black things are?” Blitz didn't give him companion a chance to answer before another question was presented. “Also, now that you mention it, Ponyville has felt a bit...off today,” Blitz pointed around the street, which was eerily silent.
“Yeah, not really sure on either account. /The town was empty like this yesterday too, and then” Barrett waved his hands fingers fidgeting back and forth. “It was normal, just like out of nowhere, like nothing had happened.”
Blitz hummed. “And the blob thing?” he asked.
“Dusk said he’d look into it, but, this was the first time it ever seemed like it was moving. Creepy, no matter how you slice it.”
“Yeah,” Blitz agreed as the ride came to an end. Blitz stood in front of Barrett’s humble home and let the human dismount him. A feat which rekindled Blitz’ earlier pink streak.
“Hey Blitz, I appreciate the ride. It was nice, kinda reminded me of home,” Barrett said patting Blitz’ side as he smiled at the now flushed stallion. “Oh right, before I forget. There’s a party tomorrow at Sugarcube Corner, you free?”
Blitz a dopey smile glued to his muzzle, face verging on Red Gala, nodded mindlessly. Barrett offered one more pat before he managed a hop to his door.
“Great, I’ll see ya there,” Barrett added a wave before shambling into his home.
Blitz nodded again. “Yeah, see ya then,” Blitz pulled himself into the air. “I love you,” he mouthed wordlessly. He sighed at the already closed door and flew away, the tinges of a blush and tingles on his back fresh from his jaunt with Barrett still fresh on his mind.
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This story might be gayer than Paris in the spring, but it's still good
9177942 It is a delicate balance of relatable stupidity and over the top gay horses.
that death ball is really taking the piss isn't it
9177971
You what m8?
9177976
its really creepy
i bet, its Thorax. yup thats my guess
This story needs an otome game.
9178028
You mean the female version...lol, I wonder what you'd name Fem-Thorax?
Damn, all of the stallions are pursuing him hard. Still wonder how this story will end.
9178053
Thot
9178511
But why would we want her gone?
Cadance? No wait.... Solaris? Is it Solaris?
Hm,I just realized I sounded like a douche when I wrote that previous comment. Wasn't my intention,just meant I don't usually look for gender-bending in the male direction,not my cup of tea with this being a solid exception.
On that note,fuckin stallions,man.
9179000
Nah, you good fam. We wrote this solely because at the time, there were like no Genderflipped HIE stories...it is niche, but that is life.
Goddamit
9184487
what, dies the poor guys' inflection cause anger or confusion?
Mayhaps it was commentary beyond the scope of the story, or maybe just the author trolling...