Opening Up

by Chiron

Chapter 1

Opening Up
Chapter 1
Written by: Chiron

Warning: The follow fanfic contains material that may be considered graphic to some readers. Contains material such as: rude language and violence. Discretion is advised.

It was a quiet night in Ponyville. Stalwart had only been here a little less than a couple hours and had set up a small tent on the outskirts of town. He did a lot of traveling, never liked staying in one place to long. After the sun set and he had crawled into bed he just laid there tossing and turning not able to sleep. His mind going to more unpleasant experiences in the past.

Deciding sleep was not gonna happen, he rummaged in his duffel bag and pulled out an MP3 player and sliding his headphones on he put the player on random. After slipping it into one of the pockets on his vest he set off for a stroll through town.

He was tall and slightly built as many earth ponies are. His long mane and tail were an odd mix of dark blue & silver. Unlike most he noticed around this particular town, he wore clothes that covered him from his chest all the way to where his cutie mark would be. A durable jacket he picked up as a young colt and had kept it in good shape since one particularly bad day.

“Quiet place,” he thought, “hell everypony must go to bed right after sunset.”

After walking for a little while his music cut out mid-song and after pulling out the player he found out that the batteries had died.

“Ah crap I forgot I hadn't changed these in a while,” he said sliding the headphones down his neck so they rested against his shoulders and sliding the dead MP3 player back into a pocket, “at least it's a nice night.”

CRASH!

“What the...,” he said wondering what was causing all the noise, “probably just somepony's pet knocking over a garbage can or something”

AHHH! HELP!

“That's definitely not a cat or dog!” he said running toward the yell and noise.

Turning the corner into an alley he seen that two young stallions had a mare pinned down, one an earth pony with a knife in his mouth and the other a unicorn using his magic to levitate his weapon, pointed toward her and trying to rip her saddle bags off.

“HEY! What do you think you're doing!?” Stalwart yelled.

Everyone in the alley froze and turned to see him blocking the only exit except for the mare who was curled up and whimpering.

“Well well look at what we got here.” said the unicorn who had a brown coat with some gold coins for a cutie mark.

“Seems to me we get to make off with even more than just the loot this pretty little thing was gonna give us” the other one said with a nasty smirk.

Stalwart knew where this was gonna go but had no intention of letting them hurt her. He'd never forgive himself if he did.

“Set the bags down and leave, nobody has to get hurt tonight.” Stalwart said.

They both started laughing. “You wish buddy, now how about you empty your pockets and scram,” the first pony said, “you got no business here”.

“I won't repeat myself again,” Stalwart said this time putting more emphasis into his words, “put her stuff down and get out of here, I will not hesitate to put you both down.”

“RARRGH!” roared the earth pony and ran at Stalwart with his knife.

Seeing him charging Stalwart readied himself for when he got close enough. The earth pony with the knife ran straight at him and lunged the knife for Stalwart's face. In that moment Stalwart bent his head down and then slammed it as hard as he could into the under part of the pony's jaw. Doing so shattered that pony's teeth against the knife hilt and had him on the ground next to Stalwart writhing in pain and several of his teeth now broken and scattered around the alley. With the knife on the ground Stalwart used a fore-hoof to slide it to the other side of the alley away from them.

“You gonna try something stupid like your friend just did or are you gonna go?” Stalwart asked the unicorn.

“Nah I'm a much better fighter and a lot smarter than that idiot,” replied the unicorn still levitating his knife and now turning it toward Stalwart, “plus I don't have to get close to you like he did.”

Using his magic he flung the knife and in the blink of and eye it pierced into Stalwart's left shoulder causing him to kneel down at the impact.

“Hmph idiot” the unicorn said, “Should have just coughed up your stuff and instead I had to go and get my blade dirty”.

“I'm an idiot?” said Stalwart with his head still down, blood flowing from the knife wound.

After hearing that the unicorn could only turn his head quizzically.

“You do realize you don't have a weapon now right?” Stalwart said looking up with a stern expression and into the unicorns eyes.

He then turned his head town, grabbed the knife handle with his teeth and pulled the knife out of his bleeding shoulder. Seeing this caused the unicorn to panic.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa t-take it easy man look I-I'm sorry p-please don't, we'll leave her alone see?,” said the unicorn floating the bags back over to the mare and setting them down gently. “Y-you can let us go now right, n-no need to cut me with my own knife right?” he finished with a nervous smile.

Stalwart spit the knife out of his mouth.

“Never said I was gonna use the knife on you.” Stalwart said then bolted right at the unicorn and in one fluid motion connected his right hoof with the unicorn's face and smashed it into the alley wall. After hitting the unicorn a couple more times in the face he fell limp. Stalwart looked back over to the other earth pony who was still in excruciating pain. Neither a threat anymore, he walked toward the mare who had grown quiet.

He knelt down and gently prodded her with a hoof.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked softly.

She turned slowly and looked to the two ponies who had tried to mug her then to stallion kneeling beside her. She wanted to tell him thank you but the scare from the incident left her unable to speak. She nodded.

“Alright, lets get you someplace safe. Okay?” he said with a soft smile and extended a hoof to help her up.

Walking out of the alley Stalwart was able to get a better look at her. She was looking down at the ground but he was able to see she was an earth pony as well and had a white coat and pink mane that covered a bit of her face. Her mane had been disheveled from the mugging.

“Is your house close by?” he said, “I want to make sure you make it home alright.”

She looked around a minute and then with her hoof she pointed to which direction she lived. They started walking down the road a little bit in silence until they came upon a white house with blue trimming. She opened the gate then opened the front door and turned on the living room light. She turned around to look at Stalwart who was looking behind them to make sure the two muggers didn't follow.

“Thank you,” she said with her voice finally returning and causing Stalwart to turn toward her, “I don't know how I'll ever be able to repa...” her words cut off with a gasp.

“What!?” Stalwart asked.

“Y-your shoulder,” she said pointing at where the knife got him and the large blood stain on his vest, “You're hurt!”

Stalwart looked down at his shoulder and noticed that it was covered in a large amount of blood and that his normally gray coat was wet all the way down to his hoof.

“Uh oh,” he said, “guess I was so concerned about ya I forgot about that.” he said.

“That doesn't hurt!?” she asked concern filling her eyes.

“Just stings a little, I think I'll sit for a second though,” he said, “starting to feel a little bit light headed all of the sudden.”

“You've lost a lot of blood we need to get to a hospital quick!” she said turning off the light and closing her door.

“I-I'll be alright, I got some stuff back at my tent to patch this up and I'll be...,” he said with his words trailing off as he fell forward onto the sidewalk with a loud thump.

She shook him with a hoof but he wasn't responding and after putting an ear to his chest she could tell he was still alive but needed help fast. Knowing she couldn't carry him to the hospital herself she ran to find anyone who could help drag him down the road to the ER.

Comments

[Daxisle]

Gave it a like simply because i'm a sucker for the "silent and emotionally closed guy opening up" type of stories. But there are a few things i would like to point out: There are a few places commas would be neccesary, (it's still easy to read, but the flow is a bit daunted.) There are are a few ways to make the verbs flow a bit better,

"Walking out of the alley Stalwart was able to get a better look at her. She was looking down at the ground but he was able to see she was an earth pony as well and had a white coat and pink mane that covered a bit of her face. Her mane had been disheveled from the mugging" ; <--- This thing is the most hated key i know of, but it works wonders,

Walking out of the alley(;) Stalwart was able to get a better look at her. [She] ^The rescued mare^ (Gets a better picture on who "She" is) was looking down at the ground but he was able to see she was an earth pony as well and had a white coat and pink mane that covered a bit of her face. Her mane had been disheveled from the mugging

Good story, would like to see more.

[Chiron]

Thanks for the tips and the like! Will definitely keep it in mind.

[zombaslaya]

I.....want....MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

[Zellor]

More please