The Man Inside Colt

Chapter 10: Catch Me if You Can

It was before the sun rose, I had my pack and equipment for the days journey. Mom was still asleep, before I left through the door.

I gently closed the door, just in case mom wakes up. Just hope the note is enough to keep her from worrying.

The half moon provided little light, but luckily the pegasi cleared it for the morning’s delivery.

I quickly made my way to the forest, my way was clear, but if someone saw me I don't think they'd stay quiet about a colt running towards the most feared forest of this country.

I made it to the edge of the forest, I was a bit out of breath, but luckily I was able to avoid any ponies that were awake. Though those deer and bunnies were interesting company. A bit strange to find them huddled around a hill.

They grew scared when I got near the forest, some of them tried to keep me from going in, but they were pretty easy to walk past. However now I have this little raccoon they followed me.

"Come on little guy!" I said to the little nocturnal rodent, it shook it's head and decided to cling to my pack. I just shook my head and started to take my ghillie suit out. I took my shirt off and stuffed it into the free space in my pack.

The raccoon moved around to keep from getting in my way, but it still clung to the pack. I smiled at the little guy, and then started to look for some mud.

It wasn't hard to find damp earth in the forest, but the constancy would make it dry in an hour or so.

"This'll have to do... I guess." I mumbled as I rubbed mud all over my body, to try to get rid of my scent, "Huh... it should smell of something dead.... yet yet there’s no scent whatsoever."

I kind of liked it, but worried if there would be a problem later, "Hope this works... Or else I just got dirty for no reason."

I turned and put on my pack, then I grabbed my knife from its makeshift holster, just an old sweater I butchered up and made into a sheath. I began cut some branches and foliage, to weave into the netting on the ghillie suit.

Once I had the suit covered with leaves and moss, I donned it. I had to bend down a bit I wanted to cover my legs, but at least now I can move without being spotted.

The little raccoon burrowed into my pack, and threatened to tear away at the fabric if I tried to pull him out. At least the little guy was safer in there than out here, hopefully.

With my hood on, I began my hunt for those wolves.

As I traversed through the forest, an odd feeling welled up inside. It wasn’t fear, more like anticipation.

This place felt so free, the clouds drifted without assistance and forest felt like the one I hunted in. It was all nostalgic, and I felt like my old self again. Though this body needed to be retrained.

A squirrel ran past me and climbed up an opposing tree. I jumped when I saw the little critter.

“Damn… that nearly gave me a heart attack...” I mumbled, as I tried to calm myself. I looked around at the trees, as I tried to remember how I used to hunt, “Really wished I had something other than the knife… at least it’s magic.”

I continued to step forward, happy that I could hear the birds in the trees. They were my alarm if something came along that could eat me.

There was a path through the forest, and some odd blue flowers that dotted the path. They were pretty so I picked up a few, and they smelled amazing. I dropped the one in hand, and planned to come back for some later.

I quickly made my way into the dense trees, and avoided the path. It was hard to move in the suit, but if I was seen, then all that time making the suite would have been wasted.

An hour passed and no sight of wolves, or any other predator for that matter. I was lucky on the later, but the former was becoming a headache.

“If you weren't so important...” I grumbled, as I looked for tracks. The book said they were elusive bastards, and the glowing piece of wood in them was the bases for the medium. There are others, but they seemed way out of my reach.

I stopped as I heard a howl and a scream from the distance. I quickly put my back to tree and crouched. I eyed my surroundings, I had plenty of exits to use and I could weave through the trees if I was chased.

I waited as I whispered to my pack that shivered, “Stay still… something’s coming.”

It wasn’t long till the bush broke, and someone I never expected tripped and fell in front of me.

I diverted my attention from the mare to the now, magical anomaly which was the timberwolf. I could smell the putrid stink of the beast, and how it howled and growled at the mare as shrank to a ball.

“You have to be kidding me.” I mumbled as I unstrapped my pack. I unsheathed the grass blade, as I whispered orders to the coon, “When you can… make sure you get your ass out of here.”

I dropped the pack as I stepped out of my spot. The wolf paused as it saw me move forward.

Hello,” I said to the wolf, as I stepped in between it’s meal. I kept my focus on the wolf, “Hey! You okay?” I hear a slight murmur from the frightened mare, “If you can move… use those wings of yours to get up those trees.”

“W-what are you going to do?” I heard her shaky voice, as the wolf stepped forward.

“Not dying if that’s what you're asking.” I said, as I crouched ready for its strike. “When I get this guy’s attention… get to the trees.”

The wolf bared its fangs, and I could see the shimmer in its mouth.

’I was just going to observe you for later… but this was going to happen sooner or later.’ I pointed my blade at the beast, with my fingers pinched around the flat of the grass, ‘Shame it came to this… looks like I’ll have make one from scratch again.’

The wolf rushed forward and I channeled what mana I could into the grass part of the knife. The blade extend forward, and pierced through the wolf.

It was a one shot move, and made the blade unwieldy afterwards. This was grass blade number four, two ended up wilted and brown when I found it in the morning. Three pierced through a boulder when I tested how long it could go if I poured mana into it.

It was a good ten feet, pour boulder was pierced all the way through, luckily I still had two at the time. Celestia however wasn’t happy about it, but at I was able run back to town before she got her hands on grass blade number two.

I let go of the blade and walked up to the shocked wolf. The book mentioned that these things would collapse if enough damage was done, and it did.

“Huh… almost like a lizard,” I said, as I observed its defensive mechanism. In a few hours it would return to it’s normal self, “Now let’s get that wood out… that’s sounded wrong.”

I shook my head as I dug through the pile of wood. The stench of rotting something, increased as I dug deeper.

"Wh-why did you kill him?" I turned my head to spot the butter yellow mare, tears formed under her teal orbs.

"What?" I said, as I raised an eyebrow. She stepped away from me, as I shifted through the pile.

"The timber wolf... why did you kill him?" This time she held firm, determination in her voice.

"Kill?" I turned my head to the pile of rotten wood, then to the mare, "I didn't kill him."

"But your blade..."

"My blade?" I cut in and tilted my head in confusion. "You do realize these guys regenerate... Right? "

"They do?" She stepped forward, to observe the fallen wolf. I turned back to the pile as my hand wrapped around something smooth.

I looked down at the glowing piece of darkened wood. I pulled it out of the pile, a smile present on my muzzle.

"What's that?" The mare asked, as I turned my gaze toward her, her pink mane a large contrast in the background of green and brown.

"Hm... You mean this?" She nodded and I stood up. The mare moved back, as I held the odd glowing wood, "its just a piece of wood."

I stood up and walked pass the mare, and she followed suit. I stopped as I spotted the raccoon, its head poked out of my pack and its black eyes stared at me.

“I thought I told you to run!” I said, as the raccoon shook its head. I sighed and shook my head, “Just out of there… so I can stuff this in there.”

The raccoon nodded, and crawled out of the pack. I shoved the arm sized piece into the pack, careful to not hit any of the tupperware. It stuck out of the hole and I closed the pack as much as I could.

I felt the bottom of my suit being tugged on, I looked down to spot the big eyed coon. It hung to my cloak, I raised an eyebrow, “What do you want?”

“Uhm… she wants you to carry her!” The mare said, and I turned my attention towards her.

“What?” I asked, I looked to the raccoon then the mare, “What are you talking about?”

The raccoon let out a low growl, the mare giggled, “She really likes you.”

“You can understand her?” I asked, and the mare nodded. I was about to say something, until howls was heard over the distance. I took a quick look and only spotted trees, “We better go… Now!”

I quickly donned the backpack and held the raccoon in one hand. I ran up to the mare and grabbed an arm, “Let’s go before the rest of the pack get here!”

I led her away from the area, I took the straightest route I could towards the path of blue flowers. If we could get there, it would be a straight shot toward the town.

“You could fly you know!” I huffed, as I nearly fell over from the panicky raccoon and the mare.

“Sorry!” She heaved, as we took a break once we reached the path.

“Don’t take this wrong… but you could have just flown out of here,” I said, as I cracked my neck. I placed the raccoon on the ground as it vomited the contents of its stomach unto the ground. It was an odd yellow substance, “Is that?’

I quickly dropped my pack and searched through the contents. The tupperware was open and the content long gone, “You ate my lunch.” I glared at the little heathen as it gave me those big old forgive me eyes. I shook my head, “Whatever… at least I got what I need.”

I closed my backpack and put the sleeves over my shoulder. The little raccoon looked at me, and tugged on my now torn suit.

“What now?” I asked, as the raccoon clung to the suit.

“She wants to go with you…” I didn’t hear what pink hair said, as a force pushed me off my feet and towards the ground.

“Fluttershy!” I heard pink’s name yelled, but the my instincts kicked in and I clenched my fist.

Whatever held me to the ground, I started to punch it.

“Ow,” the thing on me repeated, as I continued to lay blows on it. I felt something hard hit my face, and I just continued to punch whatever it is.

“Stop!” I heard a familiar voice yell, as the weight atop me lessened and something else held me to the ground, “Rainbow Dash! Button Mash! Stop now!”

"But he punched me Twi... Wait a minute," I was able to look up from my spot on the ground, and at the rainbow maned mare that was coated in a purple aura. She looked down at me, "Oh pony feathers! I just beat up a colt!"

"Speak for yourself," I shot back, as I tried to break free from the magic hold, "I was the one winning."

“Enough… and how are you able to move!” Twilight came into my vision, and I smirked at the mare.

“It’s simple Ms. Sparkle,” I said, as I continued to force my way back up, “Compared to the Princess… this is nothing.” I screamed as I pushed off the ground.

“What the!” I felt the magic fade, as I stood up. I felt my muscles tensed, and I grinned at the flabbergasted mare.

“Now if you don’t mind,” I said and smiled at the purple mare, “I’m going to head home now.”

Twilight stepped in front of me, her face in a scowl, “Oh no you don’t! You have a lot to explain right now young colt.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” I waved off the mare as I made my way past her. She stepped in front of me, her horn covered in that aura of hers, “Can’t this wait?”

“No young colt,” She glared at me, and her horn glowed a brighter shade of lavender, “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

A howl echoed around us, I looked around at the forest and as did the mare in front of me. I turned my attention back towards purple, “We better get going… I don’t think those wolves would be too happy finding us here.”

Twilight looked towards me then to the forest. She didn’t say anything but just nodded, and turned towards the other two mares, “Let’s go girls… and you.”

I smiled as we started to make our way out of here. As soon as we made it out, I was going to haul ass.

As we made our way down the path, the mares avoided the blue flowers. I simply walked through it, and rainbow girl shook her head and smirked. The other two were too busy to notice, as they concentrated on avoiding the flowers.
’That’s strange… I wonder why are they avoiding those flowers….’ I felt the tug on my head, and eyeballed the coon on my head. She pointed toward the exit, as she continued to look back.

“It’s okay,” I whispered to the raccoon, as I kept my ears trained on the sound of birds, “we’re still in the clear.”

A howl was heard in the distance, and the little critter shivered. I just chuckled as I felt my body tense. I could feel the corner of my muzzle rise, ’Now all I need is my rifle… I think grandad would be happy to hunt these guys.

Some forest in the north:

“You know,” I turned to the old man, his hands moved to expertly stripe and clean his pistol, “I agreed to come with you… but did you have to forget the tents again?”

“You know how I forget things,” he chuckled, as he pieced the gun back together, “I’m forgetting a lot these days.”

“But the tent,” I said, as I wrapped my body with a tarp, “It’s freezing out here.”

I watched the old man cock the gun, I shook my head and chambered a round in my rifle. We stood up, our weapons in hand.

“I hope this trip was worth it,” I grumbled, as the old man holstered his own rifle.

“Relax.” He patted my back, as we made our way into the forest. The weather was clear and our gear was safe in the lean-to, “Don’t worry so much… after all we’re here for vacation.”

“Really wished we’d go somewhere more warm,” I said as I forged a path through the dense foliage, “I like hikes and all… but this is starting to get annoying.”

“Please!” Grandad said, as we made our way to the hiking trail, “We only have a couple more days till we reach the mountain… so quit complaining.”

“Whatever,” I grumbled, as we started to head down to the river for some water. I turned to face the old man, “but did we have to go when bears are just getting out of their hibernation?”

“Better them than tourist,” he said, as I pushed through a bush. I just shook my head and we continued on our hiking trip.

Though I couldn’t help but smile, as I felt the odd sensation of being here. The air was filled with the smell of wet earth, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved as I pushed through the brush.

Present:

“Wow… what’s in this stuff?” I asked, as the butter yellow mare put some odd salve on my cuts, “I can’t feel the pain anymore… and it’s already healing.”

She smiled, and continued to apply the salve, while purple walked back and forth. She was talking about how stupid it was for me to enter the Everfree. I ignored her, as I continued to pay attention to the yellow mare.

“And another thing!” I turned my head to look at Sparkle, as she pointed at me, “Did you know how dangerous it is to go into the forest!?”

I blinked and simply answered the mare, “Of course… why do you think I went in there?”

She stood with her mouth open, and her hair started to frazzle. Rainbow started to chuckle, and Flutter-something just continued to apply the salve. The raccoon climbed the couch, and curled up next to me.

“Then why would you go in there?” Twilight said, as I petted the furry creature.

“That’s simple… because I needed a horn,” I said, as yellow wrapped a bandage on the bigger cuts. I looked over the bandage, and turned to the mare, “You're really good at this.”

She smiled, and got up to put the med kit away. I stood up and looked at Sparkle, “If you don’t mind I need to get going.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Twilight's horn glowed again, as her her hair began to smolder.

“Woah… Calm down Twi,” Rainbow said, as she stood up to confront the smoking mare, “you don’t want to burn Fluttershy’s house down.”

‘Huh… so her name’s Fluttershy,’ I thought, as I slowly made my way out. I grabbed my pack, but the little raccoon, clung to it. I didn’t want to try to push her off, in fear that purple would turn her attention towards me.

Rainbow stood in front of her and her extended wings provided excellent cover. I turned and quickly headed for the door.

“I know Rainbow… it’s just that Celestia assigned me to teach him and…”

Twilight stopped talking as I opened the door. Her voice grew in volume as I took a step outside, “Where do you think your are going!?”

“Ah… home,” I pushed open the door and made a break for it. The coon let out a wail as I slammed the door behind me. I hoisted the pack on my back, the rodent held firm as I ran.

I made it past the fence, until the door blew open and Twilight screamed, “Button!”

I didn’t bother to look back, as I sprinted home. I could hear Twilight behind me, but knowing her type, I don’t think she can keep up for long.

“Holy shit… how are you keeping up,” I yelled, as I neared the town. I turned and spotted the purple mare, her hair on fire while her mouth foamed on the edges.

Fear gripped me and I ran harder, away from the mare. This body maybe stronger than my original one, but the same could be said for the mare behind me. How her hair was on fire was the scariest part.

“Button!” She yelled as I veered toward an alleyway. I dodged trash cans and debris, while Twilight just bowled through them.

The raccoon clung for dear life and screamed. I thought for a minute that it was an panic scream, but it sounded happy for a moment.

As I ran out on the street, I quickly headed through the crowds of ponies. They turned their attention towards me, but I could swear all their eyes grew wide when sparkle came out of the alleyway.

“Not again,” I heard someone scream, as I headed down the street. The ponies started to clear a path, they either hid in buildings or simply ran from the street. I was a virtual sitting duck as the mare behind me chased after me.

I started to panic, because I wasn’t sure how to interpret their actions. Why they feared the inferno of a mare was beyond my reasoning. Though I didn’t put too much thought into it, as Twilight continued to scream my name at the top of her lungs, and the flames that replaced her mane, intensified.

The little creek that bordered a side of town came into view, and I moved toward it.

As I reached the edges of the stream, I jumped and hoped I made it in. The raccoon, still don’t know how or why it held on for so long, let out a scream as I plunged into the water.

Luckily the water was waist deep, I turned to spot Sparkle jumping to tackle me. Though I wasn’t going to let her.

I crouched and as she neared me, I pushed off the sandy surface. I jumped out of the way and as she hit the water a column of steam grew from the spot.

“Woah… that was actually pretty cool!” I said, as I laid in the water, my chest above the water. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned to see the soaked coon. She gave me a death glare, as she stood on my shoulder, a hand clung to my hair for support.

The raccoon started to punch my cheek, and she cursed a storm on my shoulder. Kinda wished I could understand her, and her punches were ticklish, so it came to little surprise that I started to laugh from it.

“Why are you laughing?” I turned my gaze from the little mammal, to the now soaked mare. She looked like she was going to cry, actually she was crying as I noticed the tears that fell from her lavender orbs.

I felt bad just watching her cry, she rubbed her eyes with her forearm and sobbed into it. I sighed as I felt my, something tug on my heart.

I stood up, and waded through the crystal clear water. I walked up to the mare, she tried to push me away, but I pushed her arm away and hugged the purple mare.

I held her head against my chest, she started to cry and I started to comfort the mare, “Shh… it’s alright.”

“No it’s not!” She sniffed, I patted her back and she continued to cry on my chest, “I’m trying so hard… yet you are…”

“Shh.” I cut her off, I increased my hold on the mare and she cried harder. It was strange how physical comfort can calm these ponies, hell even I can feel how comforting it is to be held by another. Strange how the instincts of being a pony killed off my natural tendency to punch someone if they got close.

“I’m sorry.” I said, as I switched to petting her head, “For everything.”

I moved back a bit to stare into her reddened eyes. She sniffed and rubbed the snot that formed on her muzzle. I continued my heartfelt apology, “Look… I’m not the easiest guy to get along with.” I rubbed the back of my head, “And I’m sorry for that.”

She started to smile, “Thanks… um I think we should get out of here.”

Sparkle started to look around and blush formed on her muzzle. I did the same and noticed the crowd around us.

I turned to the mare, “Yeah… we better get out of here before they come up with some odd rumor or something.”

I moved back and held out an arm for the mare. She grabbed hold and I helped her up.

We started to make our way out of the creek and the ponies tried to feign ignorance. I ignored their feeble attempts, as I continued to hold on to Twilight’s hand and led her away from that place.

I couldn’t really tell how or why I held onto the mare until I brought her home. Only that physical contact made me feel relieved and it probably did the same for her. Strange how this pony body behaved in this way.

I heard the raccoon sneeze, and I just sighed, “Looks like you're coming home with me.” As I said those words the little fella rapped my neck in a hug, and I could feel her claws stab my skin, “Now what to tell mom?”