You become an anti hero protecting the citizens of Manehatten
You hide your face behind a motorcycle helmet. To keep the ponies from knowing what you are. Riding on your bike through the night looking to protect those who cannot protect themselves. You hide because of the unknown consequences lying ahead of you just because of what you are.
Sirens rang loudly throughout the city. Rain battered the streets like a widow crying at her husband's funeral. In a low end of the metropolis, Manehatten, sat a motel with deplorable upkeep. You sat on the bed in room 26 .The room illuminated by the pink neon sign outside the window. On the nightstand sat an glass ashtray with a mountain of ash and cigarette butts piled high, a steady stream of grey smoke rising from the hill.
Hunched over in the sitting position on the edge of the mattress you cradled you face in your hands. Clad in your boxers, you peeked between your fingers over at your small mass of clothes in the floor. Blue jeans, grey v-neck t-shirt, brown scuffed up biker boots, a roughed up walnut brown leather jacket , and atop the pile sat you helmet that would accommodate the shape of a pony's head rather than yours. Peering towards the window, you watched light pink Watters dots hit the window and gently glide down the glass pane, creating a light symphony akin to marching.
As you pull your hands down from your face you , you feel the pricks of your growing stubble against your fingers. Letting out a sigh you lay down on the bed, the sound of springs compressing breaking the silence in the room. All you feel aside from the numbing melancholic emotion filling your head is the aching in your arms and torso. Reflecting on the events of the night, images flash in your mind as your eyelids grow heavier and heavier. Til finally, sleep overtakes your senses.
Images of your fists colliding with a pony's muzzle and flurries of punches being thrown your way crawl through your dreams as you slumber. The last thing to happen is you smashing another pony thugs face into a light post. Then you awake to the morning sun's rays shining in your face. You grumble slightly and roll over to avoiding the blinding light. You can't help but think to yourself "why don't I just show myself to these horse people." You sit up after a moment, while looking out the window then say. "Cause they'll think I'm a monster, a freak even." Rising to your feet, you stretch your arms out, hearing every pop and crack of your bones. The injuries of the night prior still feeling fresh. Dark purple spots dotted your torso from the beatting you were given. But those ponies robbing a convenience store got off far worse than you. You grab the TV remote out of the drawer in the nightstand, clicking the power buttom, bringing the TV to life. Hearing the local news while getting dressed seemed like a good idea before you moved to a different location to rest an work on your bike.
The hum of TV fades as you slip your clothes on. Looking down at your jeans, you see various holes and tears from the night before. Thinking to yourself that you should get new pants so the habitants of the city don't stare and get curious about you. The news station reporter explains about a robbery that occurred last night at the hours of 11:30 pm.
* the robbery was committed by three assailants, one of which had escaped before police could detaine him, til the night rider struck and stopped them in theyre tracks.*
The news station began to showcase footage of the store clerk being interviewed. The pony was a young mare with a pink coat, orange mane, brown eyes, and wearing a green t-shirt with what apeared to be a DJ Pon3 logo on it. A red headline at the bottom of the screen in bright white lettering, read Sunrise Peach. "One second the store is being robbed, the next i see the group of theives are having a brawl with only what, I can only assume is a colt in a leather coat and a motorcycle helmet. After the fight was over, the mysterious colt ran off." The channel swapped back to the news studio after the statement.
*who is this pony? Why is he doing the job of our police? Tonight we'll take a deep dive on the subject with Manehatten's chief of police, Bronze Badge, tonight at 9*
"Night Rider?" You grimace after saying your given title, you never liked it, felt too comic bookish. Grabbing your helmet in both of your hands and quickly place it over your head to conceal your identity. Slipping black leather gloves on before you exit your room. A light rain falls on the street, cars roll down the road. Puddles disturbed by various tires on the way towards they're destination. After exiting the building your eyes fall upon your bike. Scratches run along its side, revealing silver streeks on a fogged black body. The front headlight scracked, looking like a spiders web. You groan in frustration while mounting your ride. You shouldn't have fled the scene last night in such a hurry, probably wouldn't have rammed into a fire hydrant. Turning the key in the starter, the engine roars to life, then a gentle hum reverberates through your body.
The throttle rolls back and the tires spring to life in a spinning frenzy. You speed down the road hitting twists and turns sharply heading for your hide away on the other side of the city. Hours pass as the wind whips around your body, hand clenched down on the throttle.
On the south side of the city, groups of wherehouse buildings stand near the docks. Sounds of seaguls and waves gently crashing against stone could be heard. You pull into one of the vacant buildings, parking near a table with tools and parts to replace any that might have broken due to your endeavors. The room is empty all but your workbench and an old couch with a pillow and blanket taking up space. After turning the bike off, you saunter over to the couch, and promptly plop down onto the worn sunken in cushion. You pluck the helmet off of your head and sit it down beside you. Pulling out a cell phone, checking the news had become a frequent habit of yours, in order to hear the latest crimes or if the ponies are any close to figuring out any of your whereabouts.
Article after article, all you see is news of the robbery last night and adds for various foods and dating sights. Eventually your eyes fall upon a headline, that reads * Chief of MHPD, promises to find and aprehend the Night Rider*. You huff lightly while placing a cigarette in your mouth, lighting it promptly. Scanning through the paragraphs, lines stating tat what you do is unjust, and immoral. You roll your eyes at that one. Clicking the phone screen off, you take your jacket off, you lay down while pulling the cigarette from your mouth. A trail of smoke leaves your lips and nostrils. The cushions of the couch sink lower as you lay down to get more rest before you patrol the dark streets.
The engine of your bike sounds off, making you smirk. Comparing it to a devil screaming or an angel singing. The lamp post's lights flashing overtop of you. Rounding a street corner you see a mare get pulled into an alley. Applying the breaks, the bike glides gracefully to a screeching halt. Scilently you beat your feet against the concrete sidewalk, making your way towards the alleyway. Poked your head around the corner, you see two figures struggling til one hits the ground. The one standing having a more masculine form than the other. A gleaming metal object flashes in the larger figures hand. This causes your adrenaline to rush, triggering your reflexes. Dashing down the narrow alley you bring an arm up and bawl your gloved hand into a fist. The punch connects, cracking across the stranger's face. Your other fist plunging into his gut with a loud thud. The colt, with a blue coat, long sweat coated purple mane. He wore sweatpants and a dirty white tanktop. Clutched in his hand was a purse and in the other a switch blade. You quickly recognized him as one of the colts from before. He grits his teeth and rushes you, tackling you to the ground. He takes advantage of your lowered guard and plunges the knife in your side. The sharp pain shoots through your body. You can't help but let out a yell of pain, feeling the cold steel in your flesh. The colt pulls it out and prepares to thrush it back to draw more blood. The figure on the ground jumps up and shoves the colt off of you, slamming him against the brick wall of the building. You now see it's a mare, but the details are hard to tell, due to your blurred vision. Hastily getting to your feet, you slam your knee into the colts muzzle before he has a moment to recouperate. Teeth crack an shatter causing his mouth to gush blood. Causing his screams of pain to be muffled. You stagger back against the adjacent wall. Holding your side tightly, looking down to see your blood stained shirt and crimson coated hand. Your senses fade as you feel hands grab your shoulder pulling you out of the alley. Your eyes blink rapidly,fighting the urge to pass out. Words faintly echo in your head an you focus on putting one foot infront of the other.
Everything grows hazey, flashes of different locations fade by until you collect yourself. The mare pulls you into her small apartment, slamming the door behind the two of you. The apartment was rather nice. Beige walls surround you with white trim. The hard wood floors, the color of dark brown Oak. Infront of you a red wine colored couch and glass coffee table.
The mare who you now recognize as Sunrise Peach from the news interview, quickly gathers paper towels off the kitchen counter top. Then running back to you, reaching a hand to unzip your jacket. Reaching your hand down you grab her wrist, stopping her advances.
"No." You state abruptly, staring at her through your shaded visor.
She gives you a bewildered look , wondering why the hell your stopping the help you need.
"What in Tartarus is wrong with you!? I'm trying to help you!"
" I'll take care of myself. I need a needle, thread, and alchohol." You pause."And where's your bathroom?"
A look of exhaustion washes over her face. Sunrise then points down the hallway while walking towards what you can only assume is the bedroom. You stumble down the hallways towards the bathroom, hand still on your side. You push open the shut door, revealing a cramped bathroom. Hoofsteps can be heard, approaching rapidly. She cradles a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a spool of black thread, with a needle inside the wound up thread.
"Thanks." You state blankly, taking the objects from her grasp. Then you swiftly shut the door and promptly lock it.
Throwing your clothes off of you like your life depended on it, you grab the peroxide. Looking down at your open wound still spitting blood. You brace yourself in dread for the wave of pain about to come. No more hesitation, no more stalling. You pour the liquid on your afflicted area. Intense stinging begins to envelop your side, causing you to gasp out loudly. Sitting the bottle down on the white porcelain sink, you then grab your makeshift seutcher equipment. Taking a deep breath feeling the needle piece skin, lightly drawing a string of blood to pour down your side. With gritted teeth you continue the process repeatedly. After all is said and done, one final pull and your wound closes up. Stopping the light stream of blood from continuing. You sat all of the objects on the sink while grabbing papertowels. Placing them on the afflicted area with light pressure.
You take a seat on the toilet for a moment to catch your breath. Until a light knock can be heard against the door.
"Hey?.... are you alright?" The feminine voice inquires.
"Yeah, I'm fine...I'll be out in a sec." You say while getting redressed.
Moments pass before you push the door open, fully dressed. The silence is deafening as you enter back into the living room to fine Sunrise sitting on the couch. She had sat two glasses of water on the small table. You both stood there staring at eachother, waiting for one of you to break the ice. She reaches a hand up to brush a strand of her mane out of her face.
" thank you....for you know, helping me."
Hearing those two words left you speechless. Never had a pony thanked you for what you had done. Partly because you never stuck around to find out. But hearing it felt, nice.
"Uh...anytime." You state blankly staring at the mare. Then a realization hits you like a freight truck, where is your bike.
You take a couple steps closer to her but not too close, not wanting to seem like a threat.
"Where's my wheels?" You inquire with a stern tone.
Sunrise fidgets in her seat a little before saying "still parked Hoofbeat Avu. Where you left it."
Your mind races, thinking and wondering if your bike was stolen. Hoping it's still there waiting for its owner to reclaim it. Reaching into your jacket pocket you pull out your key. Seeing this, Sunrise springs to her feet and trots up to you, seeing her own reflection looking back at her.
"Listen! your in no condition to get your bike, I mean you barely made it out of that alleyway. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be standing here!" She stands with a hand on her hip and one outstreached waiting for you to hand over the key.
You stand your ground, fist clenched tightly around the key. The stare down goes on for a few more minutes. Until you see her looking past the visor of your helmet. Eyes narrowed, she leans in closer. Your heart starts to beat rappidly with rising anxiety. You do the only thing you know that will change the subject. As fast as the speed of light you drop the key in her hand.
"Fine." You say while back stepping to break the distance. Disrupting the vision of your stern eyes. She gives you a very odd look before turning to the door. As she grabs the handle she lookes over her shoulder at you.
"I'll make it quick....Night Rider." Sunrise then turns her head back and steps out the door, leaving you standing in the quiet apartment alone. You let out a sight of relief. That's the closest you'd ever been to being caught. You lean against the kitchen table, hanging Your head low. Wondering what you had gotten yourself into this time.
An hour and a half passes til you hear the door knob twist. Sunrise enters the room soaked to the bone from rain. Her mane lays flat against her face, partially covering her right eye.
"I got your bike parked outfront." She reaches her hands upward and begins to ring out her hair. "You'll have to probably have to gas it up in the morn...." Her sentence cut short as she stares in your direction. The only thing that can be heard is the rain hitting and running down the windows of your apartment. Sweat runs down the side of your brow. You heart picks up the same beating as before. You know exactly what she's looking at. The one thing you forgot to do before you arived at your hideout yesterday. Get a new pair of pants. The air around your legs feeling more prominent now that her eyes are locked onto you.
She approaches you slowly, not breaking eye contact. You mentally curse yourself for not getting a new pair. Everytime her hoofsteps grow closer all you can do is tell yourself to run. Or maybe just grab your key and walk out of the room. Sunrise stands infront of you now. Eyes locked, time seems to freeze and the only beings existing is you and her. Gently, she brings her hands up to your helmet with a curious look on he face. You grasp her wrist, being sure not to grip hard enough to hurt her.
"Please.... let me see." She udders with a calm tone.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Your eyes wide and full of worry. How many years had you kept your identity a secret? Five, six years being unknown to even a single being in this strange world? A part of you says let her find out, another says remain hidden. Your eyes shift searching for an answer to you dilemma. Feeling her fingers grip around your helmet causes your mind to race even faster. The head gear slowly rises off the top of your head. Your hands let go on theyre own, it's like your brain went on full auto pilot. The helmet is now off of your head and infront of your face. You stare forward at your own reflection in the helmet. Til its quickly replace with you looking directly at Sunrise, now face to face.
Your eyes lock, you swallow in nervousness. She stares at you, cradling your helmet in her arms. You never thought that the day would come when you'd have to talk to a pony face to face. You think of the only thing to say to break the ice.
" how about that water?" Asking nervously
She quietly takes a seat on the couch not letting go of the headgear. You slowly walk around the coffee table and take a seat on the couch.
"So what are you?" She asked in as calm a tone as she can manage.
"I'm a...human, im uh not from around here."
"So where did you come from?"
"I came from a place called earth, I can't exactly tell you how I got here, but all I know is I'm probably the only one of my kind here."
"Well I can safely say that I've never seen anything like you in my life. So why are you doing this whole....hero thing?"
" I don't know." You let out a sight and run a hand through your matted hair. " maybe to find a sense of purpose, out of fear because I don't know what your kind would do to me if they found out my existence."
"I couldn't tell you what they would do with any certanty....but what I can say is your clearly not a bad uh...pony?"
"I think the colt from tonight would say otherwise." You say sarcasticly.
Sunrise chuckles a little at your comment. She sits the helmet on the table gently before walking over the the refrigerator and returning with two bottles in her hands. She hands you one of the bottles. The label has a scene of a apple farm, the label saying Sweet Apple Acres Hard Cider. You never were the biggest fan of cider, but you weren't about to turn down the first drink you were offered since you've been in Equestria. Popping the caps off you both look th eachother. Feeling like you should say something.
Sunrise grins while holding her bottle out. "To new friends?"
You shrug pushing your bottle out, clinking it against hers. "To new friends."
You both take a deep drink from the bottles. The cider tastes sweet, crisp even, with a fairly strong hint of alchohol. Swishing the bottle around in light circular motions, you look over to her. A smile creeps across your face.
"Thanks for not freaking out when you took my helmet off."
"Well I won't lie, it was a shock. However your not ugly by any means" She says with a grin.
This causes you to chuckle. You bring the bottle upward, finishing off the bottle. Sitting it on the coffee table, you look back to Sunrise. "Got anymore of that cider?"
