North Woods NightMares

by Starfighter

Chapter 8: Inside Information

The untimely couple in the hallway yielded back to a suitable passing area.

“Thank you, please excuse me and sorry about that.” Snowheart nodded as she passed them by. Luckily these ponies were understanding and weren’t annoyed by her.

Back in her quarters 2 fixed up her berth so she and PW could use it as a seating area again. Even sitting opposite each other her knees extended all the way into PW’s seat, pushing hard into the cushions. Thus PW had to insert his legs into the gaps on either side of her enormous knee.

“Hey, PW.” She called.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to use the downstairs bathroom. I recommend you don’t for the rest of the day.”

He furrowed his brow in thought. “How does that even work?”

“How does what even work?”

“The bathrooms are not spacious, even for me.”

“Exactly. Avoid it. The shower’s even worse. I can’t fit, period.” He blanched as she stood. “Oh, that’s right. You’re going to have to deal with a stinky, sweaty, dirty Night-Mare for the next two days!” The mare said, pulling the door open.

“No worries, Miss Snowheart.” PW responded, properly addressing her this time.

“Good boy.” She responded, walking off.

Finally, PW was able to spread out. Though it wasn’t like he couldn’t just put the bunk down and climb up there to have the whole bed for himself. But, there was no window up there, and certainly no Night-Mare. And when the big mare did return, he had to climb up into his bed above to let her get situated again. As promised, she ate her dinner in the cabin. There was no extra room, so PW ended up being the table, and had to smell all of her “eastern food” on his lap (and as the Night-Mare ate with mess hall ethics, some of the food did in fact end up on him).

After the sun set PW went off to take a shower. There was barely enough room for him- even less than in the hallway, so he knew if somehow the mare got into the shower, she definitely would have plugged the stall up and created a bathtub with her back. He also looked up at the showerhead, which wasn’t much higher up than his back.

‘She’d probably rip it right off its mount!’ PW realized. He laughed out loud to himself, imagining what a disaster that’d be. ‘Imagine if she drowned that way! Supersoldier got stuck in the shower, sheared the head off, water started pouring out, unable to stop, and surface tension holding her in place until the whole upper part of the stall became a tank. They’d likely have to dismantle the car just to get her out!’

PW came back up the stairs to find Miss Snowheart draped over all the lower seats, seemingly zoning out.

PW climbed up to the top bunk and shut the door to the room. ‘I’m sleeping over with a Night-Mare!’ He reminded himself in gleeful disbelief. “Nighty night!” He called down, hoping the night would go better than the nights in coach on the way up to her.

He really got behind on sleep due to a great deal of stops and squealing brakes, so he hoped laying down would solve the issue.

“G’night.” The simple reply.

He silently squealed like a filly. ‘She told me goodnight!’ He mouthed.

PW was just about to fall asleep when the train lurched left and right, passing over a switch and he was jarred awake for the seventh time. “Ugh, not again!” He complained to himself.

But there was now another noise. A grating noise below him. It was growing louder, in pulses. PW peered below and found the source; it was the Night-Mare herself!

“I didn’t know the girls snored! That’s so cute!” Snickered PW, rolling back over.

Then it got louder. A LOT louder. “Kwhkhkhkhkaaaaaa!” She rumbled.

PW’s eyes snapped open. “Oh no!”

In a few moments it got so loud that a conversation in the room would have been impossible. Even the train’s noise was washed out by this world-class snoring. By the time the brakes were applied for the next signal, the only indication PW got that they were in fact applied was the tugging force pulling him forward.

“Sweet Celestia, make it stop!” He complained, smashing a pillow over his ears.

---

“Hey, PW.”

"..."

“PW.”

".."

“PW GET UP!”

“AGH!” Shouted the stallion, suddenly shaken awake. He was met with 2’s face taking up the majority of his groggy vision.

“It’s 9:30. We’re making a smoke stop soon at Rainbow Falls. Why’d you sleep in so late?”

“Night-Mare 2, you snore so damn loud I couldn’t sleep!”

She cocked her head at that. “I snore? Really?”

“Yes, really! I would have thought that to be a liability in the field!” Barked PW.

Her ears folded back and her voice went unusually quiet. “Well, you’re not wrong, PW.”

His expression softened. Was she… embarrassed? “Erm, sorry for snapping. I should be kinder to a Night-Mare.”

In a flash she was back to herself. “Not wrong about that one either. C’mon.”

PW leapt and used his wings to cushion the fall.

“Cool move.” She complimented.

A few minutes later the train stopped and they could get off.

“Have fun. I have to work out.” Snowheart said, bolting off on all fours like an ox. PW could only imagine how much momentum she carried once she got up to speed. She ran out a ways and then towards the engine before suddenly stopping, turning about and running towards the end of the train. One there, she would stop and reverse back and forth, doing laps.

PW took to the sky, taking in the lay of the land and keeping a close eye on his favorite Night-Mare. After several dozen laps she began doing pushups and then sit-ups. Finally, the ‘all-aboard’ call was made. PW intercepted her far enough from the crowd to avoid the antics he had planned from going too far.

“Oh no; not you, ma’am. You’ll have to walk. Your snoring is too loud!” Challenged PW, holding his hoof out to stop her.

“You really want to try and stop me?” The giant mare growled. Her augments clicked from their sockets and she reared to her full height to leave PW eye level with her thighs.

“No, but I’d sure love to see what you can do to somepony!” He squeaked, yielding the way to her.

She fell to all fours and kept walking to the train. “Then you’ll like this upcoming mission. Interceptions make for great takedowns.”

“Nice, I can’t wait!” He called, heading back onto the train with her.

After another day of travel, the Night-Mare and her adoring assistant arrived in Crystal Heart City around noon. “Where are we going?” He asked as they deboarded.

“We’re looking for a stallion wearing sunglasses and a saddlebag with an all-black mare on it.”

“Is that the secret sign?”

“That’s classified.”

“One of these days I’m going to get it for not knowing.”

“Then get a job working with me or beat it, colt.” The mare fired back.

A slim figure on their left moved into their path. “Ah, Quarter.” Snowheart greeted him.. The slim stallion lowered his sunglasses and swept the bag with the all-black mare around so it was hidden again.

“Miss Snowheart.” The stallion responded in a refined Trottingham accent before looking over at PW. “Ah yes; and you must be Polaris Wind!”

“Yes, sir!” He replied.

“Well, Miss Snowheart, I’m impressed. At a glance I can tell you actually got a set of measurements right! For once.”

“Yes, I wanted to make extra sure they were true.” Said Miss Snowheart, shooting PW a creepy smile.

“The auto-wagon is just outside, if you please.” Quarter said, leading the way to a waiting pony-less carriage.

PW gawked at this remarkable and incredibly rare example of equine ingenuity. Whoever was running this operation had powerful friends. He wouldn’t be surprised if things went straight to the top - to the princesses themselves. He clambered inside after Quarter and Snowheart.

“So, Mr. Wind.” Quarter addressed him as they departed.

“Yes sir?”

“You were on the contract during Fitment, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yes sir, I was a Ponyeon employee who had the honor of testing a Night-Mare with the augmentations. This one, actually." PW gestured to 2. "And, I remained their employee up until yesterday.”

“Am I correct in assuming that your attachment with the Night-Mare was what drew you out here?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. Did somepony tell you?”

“No, all of us at Lockhoof Colton are selected because of certain qualities. Chief among them being intellect.”

“Lockhoof?” PW’s ears perked at the name.

“Yes, that’s right. Ponyeon lost the sustaining support contract and the department was reassigned to Lockhoof Colton by the Royal Guard.”

“Oh! Uh… That’s really good news! Because, I, well... I kind of vanished from my previous job at Ponyeon. To do this.”

“Well… you were chasing your passion! Mr. Wind, there are a lot of recent murmurs at the top; of potential in-field support opportunities. That was already being discussed when the contract was reassigned. And lucky you have walked on and shown management firsthoof how to do that job!”

“Which means I have a good shot at staying?”

“You have experience working with the Night-Mares for one. If you’re Lockhoof Colton material - and I for one think you are - I recommend getting in contact with this individual.” Said Quarter, slipping PW a contact card. “I do wish you good luck. And that reminds me, if you are awarded the job you will see the classified information that your Night-Mare friend here is holding hostage from you. There’s a whole fascinating datasheet on each Night-Mare if you’re into statistics. And I have a hunch that this is the reason the Night-Mare tried to get your measurements as best as she could. She too believes you’re going to get it and is collecting, shall we say - ammunition.” Said Quarter.

PW looked over at the large mare who crossed her forehooves and was developing a deep look of disgust with a scrunched nose. “I agree with you!” PW laughed. 2 began pumping her hooves in a flurry of mock punches in a display of power.

“Let us get you some lunch.” Quarter said, pulling into a Hayburger drive-through such that PW’s window was beside the call-tube.

“Can I get a number 13 with a lemonade?” Asked PW.

“Yes, and what else?” Asked the voice through the call tube.

“That’s it for me! Miss Snowheart, what would you… S- Snowheart?” Asked PW in terror as the goliath began climbing over him to the window, practically burying him under hundreds of pounds of muscular earth-pony.

“Relax, Mr. Wind, she intends to order for herself.” Quarter chuckled as he watched the show.

“I’ll have two number 9’s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45’s, one with cheese, and a large soda!” Snowheart gruffed and slumped back into her seat.

“Holy mother-of-Celestia, Snowheart!”

“That’s what happens when you make me miss breakfast, PW!”

“You kept on snoring Snowheart!”

"Seriously PW?!?"

“Can I confirm that with you once more…” the voice said, snapping the ponies out of the argument.

In fact, it took two more attempts to get the order right and they ended up waiting a good half hour for their food to be prepared.

Author's Note:

Hopefully it's obvious, but I derived the personality of Quarter from Q in the James Bond universe! I also had to call the location of the Crystal Heart "Crystal Heart City" instead of Crystal Empire, since calling a single city an Empire does not meet the definition of one.

Also, just to help everycreature out with terminology, we're referring to the Night-Mare's classified identification that PW knows her by in private settings, and her "cover name" in public settings.
Hope you're enjoying the read! Things to come will get even more spicy!

Comments

[bkam]

I can't believe it took me this long to realize that Ponyeon was Raytheon.

[Starfighter]

11838905
Yes we must draw our inspiration from somewhere! Not poo-pooing them of course- Ponyeon fell victim to, well, something classified that will be addressed in a later chapter.
Thank you for your continued interest in the story!

[bkam]

11838931
You're welcome.