• Published 9th Nov 2016
  • 3,376 Views, 138 Comments

Hazel Eyes in the Moonlight - Oddling



What would you do if you were born with a curse? Would you simply live with it? Or would you go to the ends of the earth to find a cure? What if that cure... was in another world? Follow Jim as he pursues the cure to his curse in a land beyond ours.

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9 - The Plan

It did not take long for Jim to be led to his next destination… and boy did he have to hand it to the ponies of Equestria, there was nothing like walking into an actual tree house (despite the tree being made of shimmering crystal). It was also the first time that being an eight to nine foot tall werewolf had not been an issue. Well, aside from the few times he had to squeeze through a smaller doorway inside of the structure, having such broad shoulders was never a big deal.

Still, he eventually managed to squeeze himself through the doorways and he curled up in the center of the large room they eventually arrived in. Things were quiet for a while as they waited for the remaining two members of the group to join them. Well, that is to say that the ten minutes of peace that Jim had been granted was pleasant until Twilight decided she wanted a few answers.

“So… you mentioned that you’re a werewolf? What, if you don’t mind me asking, is that? Is it common back on Earth?” Twilight asked while her horn glowed slightly.

Jim stopped looking around the fairly barren room and eyed the purple Alicorn Princess for a long moment before he shrugged. “Werewolves aren’t common, per say. We’re more of an urban legend. If humans knew we really did exist, the ones that think we’re just a hoax, then I have no doubt that my kind would be savagely hunted to extinction.”

“Why is that, exactly?”

“Because we’re practically the apex predators of the planet. Most of my kind are known for being extremely vicious and mindless in their acts of aggression. Unfortunately… none of them have any control over it. In my case, the curse sucks away any and all free will, replacing it with an insatiable need to kill. For others… it depends on the type of werewolf strain that inflicted them. Majority of the time it’s caused by a curse. The rest of them are… well, they’re more like True Wolves; werewolves that were born from an old wolf god of sorts. Some say that the giant wolf was a demon… but due to the lack of written history for our kind, there’s no proof to support the idea,” Jim said.

Jim’s ears twitched slightly to the sounds of soft scratching from somewhere nearby. It was really annoying, especially since it would happen while he was talking. He let out a soft growl as he looked around for the source of the noise. “What is that sound? Do you have mice in this place?” he asked idly as he sought the source.

“Oh,” Twilight chuckled and levitated out three open scrolls, each paired with a quill, “I’m recording data.”

Jim gave the purple Alicorn a flat look. “I do hope you’re not planning to turn me into some kind of science experiment,” he said with a flick of his tail.

Twilight simply smiled sheepishly. “Oh don’t worry, I just like keeping records of things like this. It isn’t every day that you encounter something like a werewolf. Though I would like to study you in depth, I couldn’t in good conscience keep you against your will. I would, however, like to request more of your time at a later date to learn more about you.”

A gentle chuckle slipped through Jims fanged grin. “I take it you’re a very studious pony?” he asked lightheartedly.

Applejack suddenly started in a fit of giggles. “Oh, you have no idea. Twi here is the biggest bookworm ah’ve ever met, but ah gotta admit that her smarts have been a huge help more often than ah can count.”

Twilight gave her orange friend a playful glare before she shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah, I’m an egghead. In any case, Jim… uh, what else can you tell me about your curse?”

Jim’s mood soured once more as he thought about the latest discoveries regarding his curse. “Well… aside from having my mind reduced to that of your basic killing machine with just the right amount of cunning, the curse changes me from being a human into a wolf – or it used to. This appearance is new to me. I’ve never looked like this in all my life. There were other types of werewolves that resembled this appearance, but those were of a lesser strain and were the dumber of our kind. To add to it, Princess Luna said that she and Princess Celestia could feel Equestrian magic within my curse. I could tell you more, but I think it’s a moot point now because everything about what I am changed when I arrived in your world. The only thing that’s remained the same is my desire to be rid of this curse.”

Twilight tilted her head slightly. “Why do you want to get rid of the curse? Is it really such a bad thing? Why not live with it since things have changed for you?”

“Because there’s no guarantee that these changes will remain when I go back to Earth,” Jim growled testily, scaring the ponies in the room. “Let me ask you something, Twilight. Do you know what it’s like to kill?” he asked, his voice deeper and more throaty than normal, adding to his menacing snarl.

Twilight’s ears pinned back and she shook her head.

“Then I’ll assume you’ve never tasted the blood of another either. That you’ve never hunted someone down, tracking them through the woods, listening to their breathing as they run for their life, all while taking twisted pleasure from the thrill of the hunt… only to be satisfied beyond words when you finally catch them and sink your fangs into their throat before eating them,” Jim finished with a hard glare toward every pony present, though his gaze did soften slightly when his eyes passed over Scootaloo and Fluttershy. He found it very difficult to hold a mean face toward them.

Twilight gulped audibly as she tried to find her voice again. “I… I think I can see your point now.”

“Good,” Jim replied curtly. “So now it’s time I asked you something else. What’s your idea to cure me? If your princesses failed to do it, what makes you confident in any way?” he asked with a lifted brow of intrigue.

Twilight’s wings ruffled as she thought about how to best explain her idea. Surprisingly, though, it wasn’t the purple princess who had the answer.

“Are you thinking of using the Elements of Harmony?” Scootaloo asked quietly.

Jim’s curiosity increased as he glanced around to see the various expressions on the faces of everypony present. Most expressions were those of uncertainty, but it was Fluttershy’s wide fearful eyes that really garnered Jim’s attention. “Something wrong with that idea, Fluttershy?” Jim asked, trying to keep his voice gentle so as to not scare her for some reason. Seriously… why was he showing some of these ponies such consideration?

The yellow pegasus started slightly before her ears pinned back. “O-oh… um… the Elements of Harmony are like a special thing that my friends and I can use to do good things,” she said softly. “They’re magical components, or that’s what Twilight called them once, but they’re capable of making the bad in things go away.”

Fluttershy’s attention shifted to Twilight as a look of concern graced her gentle face. “Twilight… you don’t think anything bad can happen to Jim if we used the elements, do you?”

“Well…” Twilight replied uncertainly.

“What would the worst case be if they did anything to me?” Jim asked.

Twilight clenched her teeth as her head started to hang low. “They… could possibly banish you,” she admitted reluctantly. “To be perfectly honest, there’s no telling what the Elements might do. Usually they just isolate the afflicting evil within somepony, or something, and then they remove it. However, there is the chance that they may see you as completely evil and then send you to Tartarus or who knows where.”

“Eh, I’ve already prepared myself for banishment, so you don’t have to be concerned about that,” Jim replied with a shrug. The next thing he knew, he had an upset Fluttershy hovering in his face.

“Why would you be willing to let yourself be banished?” asked Fluttershy, her voice surprisingly firm.

Jim returned her gaze with one of steely determination. “Because it’s the least I deserve for the lives I’ve taken. In my lifetime alone I have killed at least a thousand others, animal or human,” he responded firmly, and before Fluttershy could interject he lifted a claw between them. “And before you try to say that I had no choice, or that there was nothing I could do, you’re wrong. There were many things that I could have done to prevent more than half of those deaths. I will not lie… there is a part of me that found the act of killing to be… addictive. There is nothing quite like feeling blood shoot into your mouth, fresh and hot and filled with adrenaline. But I also cannot deny the immense guilt I feel for it. I’ve been torn between liking and hating what I am forever. I never needed anyone to tell me that killing was wrong. I knew it from the beginning, and defending myself or having someone else defend me only makes what my father said sound true – and I hate him for everything he did and tried to teach me… even now. So don’t say that I don’t deserve banishment.”

Fluttershy’s ears drooped as she slowly sank to stand on the floor. Jim felt a little bad for being so blunt about his standing, but it was a necessary evil. He turned his attention back to the others and noticed the feeling of sadness had infected all of them – especially Scootaloo. Great… now I’ve gone and made them all upset. Oh well, it’s not the first time anyone has been disappointed by what I feel about myself. Why doesn’t anyone ever agree that I deserve to be punished? Jim thought with slight bitterness.

“In any case, this will be about the last thing that could work to cure me,” Jim said monotonously. “Was there anything else you needed to know, or that you feel I should know about this idea, if we are still going to give it a try?”

All eyes fell to Twilight as the purple Alicorn thought on the matter. Her thoughts were interrupted when the front door opened and the pink pony entered with Rarity in tow. The sulking form of Rainbow Dash suddenly perked up as she looked to her friends. “Hey Pinkie, Rarity, how did things go at the hospital?”

Rarity sighed gently before she looked to Jim with a slightly reluctant expression. “Well, it would seem that I owe this… werewolf an apology. It seems that Sweetie did have a small fracture in her leg. The doctor practically scolded me about waiting so long to get her medical attention. You were right to be concerned about her safety… and I must admit that I was feeling more suspicious of you than I should have. I’m deeply sorry for thinking so poorly of you,” she said with a graceful bow of her head.

Jim sighed and waved her bow off. “Enough of that, I understand why you felt protective over her. What I want to know is if her leg will heal. She will recover, right?” he asked.

Rarity offered a small smile and a nod of her head. “Yes, she should make a full recovery in a few days.”

Jim smiled warmly. “Good. She’s a sweet little girl… it makes her name all the more fitting. I’m glad she’ll be alright.”

“So what did we miss?” asked Pinkie. “Everypony’s got pouty faces… did something bad happen?”

“No, Pinkie,” Twilight answered gently. “We’ve just been discussing something with Jim. Please, take a seat girls… we’ve got something important to discuss,” she said.

Pinkie and Rarity looked to each other curiously before they took a seat on the available two cushions on the floor near the other ponies. When the two had settled, Twilight proceeded to explain what had been discussed to catch them up. Once everything had been explained, and the idea broached, it was Pinkie who responded with a raised hoof.

“Yes, what is it Pinkie?” Twilight asked curiously.

“So… what if we banish him? That would be super bad, right?” Pinkie inquired. “I mean I haven’t even set up his ‘Welcome-to-Ponyville-Sorry-We-Thought-You-Were-a-Monster' party!”

Everypony stared at her for a moment, Jim with his mouth slightly agape as he questioned what the heck was wrong with this pink pony, before Rainbow Dash shook her head and chuckled. “You’re so random sometimes, Pinks. Are you seriously gunna throw him a party? He’ll scare most of them off as soon as they see him… uh, no offense.”

“None taken,” Jim replied with a smirk. “I agree with you. I’m not exactly the easiest thing to look at. Heck, if I smile I bet I could clear out the whole party in ten seconds flat.”

Rainbow and Pinkie burst into a fit of giggles at that, with the cyan pegasus actually hovering over to slug him goodheartedly on his shoulder. “I’d pay to see that. Hay, we could make into a contest to see who’s faster; me clearing the sky or you clearing a room,” she chortled.

Jim chuckled as well, though he lifted a brow curiously. “How would you clear the sky?” he asked.

Twilight’s ears perked up as she fluffed her wings slightly. “Oh, that has to do with her race’s intrinsic magic. Pegasi have a deeper connection to the weather, so they are able to move, shape and influence clouds.”

Jim’s ears perked up as he listened to Twilight’s explanation. “Hmm… that’s actually interesting. Would I be correct in assuming the other ponies, like Miss Applejack, have their own magic? It would seem that your world has a lot of magical beings in it; what with the precautions we were told to take if we ever left the protection of pony settlements.”

“Oh yes, and Applejack is an Earth Pony, one without wings or a horn. They have a deeper connection to nature and they’re also the sturdiest of us,” Twilight replied helpfully.

“I see,” Jim said as he eyed the orange mare. It was easy to overlook it at first, but with a more detailed examination of Applejack, Jim did notice the bulge of her muscles. He had to admit; she did not seem to be as weak as he originally thought. He looked back to Twilight to address her once more when a new sound drew his ears to a small door. Jim’s head swiveled to look at the source and spotted a small reptile of some kind with purple scales and green rounded spines.

The little reptile paused as it saw Jim’s massive form in the room. The two locked gazes and stared at each other for a moment before Twilight cleared her throat nervously. “Um, Spike, this is Jim,” she said.

Spike narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “What’s a diamond dog doing here?” he asked in a very young sounding voice.

Jim’s expression slipped into full deadpan. “Oh look, the lizard can talk.”

“I’m not a lizard – I’m a dragon!” Spike rebuked with a raised claw.

“Then don’t call me a dog,” Jim fired back with a smirk. “I’m a werewolf.”

“Uh… right, do you two think you could turn it down? You’re scaring Fluttershy,” Rainbow cut in.

Jim looked away from the little dragon to see Fluttershy slightly cowered as she stared at the spot where Jim’s claws had dug into the floor. He lifted his hand and stared at his claws for a long moment as he softly apologized. “I’m sorry… there are a few things that really get under my skin. Being called a dog or a mutt kind of bring back unpleasant memories.”

Fluttershy’s fear subsided slowly as she saw the faraway look of pain in Jim’s eyes. She gently placed her hoof onto Jim’s hand and pulled it down softly. His hazel eyes focused on her and they held each other’s gaze for a few moments.

She really is too nice, Jim thought as he looked into her cyan eyes.

Everypony looked on quietly as they saw the strange moment transpire. It was an oddly tender thing, one that almost felt too sweet to interrupt… if you weren’t a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane. “Uh… Shy? You’re not doing that weird animal bonding thing are you?” Rainbow asked as she hovered closer to her friend.

Fluttershy blinked and looked away and in that moment, Jim struck. Two powerful arms swooped out and pulled her close, as warmth and gentle pressure was applied to her body. Jim hugged her with a content sigh. “Can I keep her?” Jim asked with big round eyes and an oddly perfect pouting lower lip, the sad look being complimented by his splayed back ears.

The room was silent for a few long moments, with only the softest of squeaks coming from poor Fluttershy as Jim gentle squeezed her. Yet again, it was Rainbow who spoke to ruin the mood, though it was actually welcome this time around. “You do know that you’d have to fight a Lord of Chaos to get her, right?” she asked with a smug grin.

Jim’s face lit up with surprise before his expression hardened. He rose up onto one knee, cradling the little yellow pegasus like she was a foal. Then he extended one arm dramatically. “Then a fight I shall have! For the fair maiden deserves the best mate in all the land!” he declared boldly… before a sly grin replaced his noble expression. “Then again, maybe I’ll just negotiate so that I can borrow her on the weekends. Her fur is so soft and fluffy… I might get addicted to snuggling with her to ease stress. It almost makes me wonder if all pegasi are this soft…”

Jim’s eyes shifted to lock onto Rainbow as she hovered within grabbing distance. The cyan mare reacted instantly, zooming to hide behind Twilight, her eyes wide. “Don’t you dare try to get all mushy with me – that is so uncool!”

Jim burst out with a hearty laugh at Rainbow’s display, secretly making it his mission to test her cuddle-ability at a later time. He carefully placed Fluttershy down on the floor before nuzzling the top of her head playfully. “Thank you for letting me hug you, Miss Fluttershy, and also thanks for being considerate. You’re a very nice pony.”

Fluttershy blushed faintly from the praise and she twirled the end of her mane with a hoof. “I-it was no trouble. The hug was… nice. You’re also very welcome. If you ever need somepony to talk to, you can come visit me any time, if you don’t mind.”

Jim smiled warmly for her before turning his attention back to Twilight. “So, now that the shenanigans have come to a pause… what’s next?” he asked.

Twilight smiled and shook her head gently. “I think it’s safe to say that our next stop will be a cave where the Elements are being kept. Is everypony ready?”

The group of ponies all nodded with various degrees of smiles and confidence. Twilight nodded in turn and stood up. “Should I teleport us there?” she asked.

Instantly the faces of Rainbow and Applejack turned uneasy and sheepish. “No offense, Twi,” Applejack said nervously, “but ah think it’d be best if we walked. Teleportin’ just ain’t mah thing.”

Twilight smiled understandingly. “I understand. Well, let’s go then.”

The ponies walked through the building to the front doors with Jim following behind them. Twilight paused to close the doors only to spot Jim doing it for her, which she thanked him for. He nodded quietly and they proceeded to their next destination. Jim’s eyes drifted from pony to pony as they walked. Now that he had time to think, he found it odd at how quickly they had come to accept him to the degree that they had so far.

Not that he was complaining… it was simply that it was the first time that anything, with very few exceptions, had been so quick to open up to him without fear. He found himself smirking as he eyed Rainbow. She was an interesting pegasus. Of course, he knew that it would only take one act of him losing himself to his curse to end everything that had been built up. The question now was… would their cure work for him? If not, then how long would it take before he became a mindless killer once more?

Jim sighed and pushed off of his hands to stand upright, towering over everypony. At the very least he felt it necessary to keep them afraid of him, so he let his body move with a more predatory nature. I’ll keep them on their toes… that way they’ll not be surprised if I change… he thought as they walked through and past the edge of Ponyville.

Author's Note:

Well... I'm not too sure about how this chapter turned out. I've been having a little trouble recently with a few stories (getting the right feeling put into them, or wording things in a better/more descriptive way). Hopefully this one still gets what I aimed for across. I kind of felt that I was making Jim's mood swing a little too much from one extreme to the other... then again, maybe I intended it to be that way. So tired... :raritydespair:


Anyway, Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Look forward to the next one folks! :twilightsmile:


On a side note, I also found myself mixing up a few timelines after I wrote this chapter. Let me know if I missed anything. I had originally wanted this story to take place before Tirek's rampage, but had to adapt it to a more current point in the show's history so that my ideas wouldn't cause conflict.