The Man Inside the Colt

Chapter 16: The day’s not over yet

I limped down the road, I held onto a pole I found that could support my weight. The salve ran dry awhile ago, and my leg hurt like crazy.

“God how I wish I had some pain killers… or more salve.” The pain from the wound was more annoying than painful. It was a constant feeling of having a needle stabbing into me.

As I made my way into the town, I passed that Applejack mare and she just looked at me with one of those concerned but confused looks. Then again, everyone seemed to be giving me a look. Though in their defense, I looked like I got my ass kicked.

“Yah okay there, partner?” Applejack left her cart to walk beside. I kept my gaze concentrated forward, as I addressed her.

“I’m fine miss Applejack!” I said, I flinched when I stepped into a hole. Applejack leaned in to support me, and I couldn’t help but let her. I grumbled my thanks to the mare, “Thanks Miss Applejack.”

“No problem… but we really need tah get yah some help.” Applejack started to lead me somewhere, but I just kinda fought back from her attempts to help.

“I appreciate it… but I’m fine.” I tried to push the mare away, but her grip on me was like a steel clamp.

“Ah don’t think you're okay.” She held me in place, and looked down at me. I just sighed and gave in.

“Fine… I’ll go to doctor or something.” I was too tired right now for this, and the pain on my leg was getting to me, but I really didn’t want to piss off the mare next to me.

Applejack nodded, and told me wait there so she can get her cart to drag me to the hospital.

“You don’t have to do this.” I said, as I sat in the back of the cart. Applejack was careful not to hit any bumps, though I didn’t mind since I atleast don’t have to walk. Coco seemed to have curled up on my lap and started to fall asleep. I noticed however that we weren’t heading to the hospital, I turned to ask the mare, “Say… umm… where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to Twilight’s!” She said, all the while my mind went to a sudden halt. It took some time for the gears in my head to start working again, but when they did I was a bit surprised.

“Why?” I asked a little too loudly. She stopped the cart and turned toward me with a raised eyebrow.

“Cause the hospital’s to far away.” She shook her head and continued to move forward, not before grumbling something along the lines of, “Just like a colt.”

Truthfully I didn’t really question her reason to where she was taking me, but what she said was really bugging me, ‘What the fuck did she mean just like a colt?’

As I pondered this, I was ignorant of the fact on how close we were to Twilight’s. Or even the fact that we stopped in front of said building.

It wasn’t until Applejack said my name did I bring my attention to where I was at.

“You okay there, Button?” She asked, as I brought my attention to those emerald eyes of hers.

“Y-yeah… I’m good,” I managed to say, she nodded and made her way inside. I carefully got off the cart and followed after the mare.

“What happened to you?” Twilight asked, when I entered the library. Her horn glowed and a first aid kit appeared in front of her.

“Do you have pain killers first?” I asked, my rump on the only chair in the room again. Why she doesn’t have more than one was getting to be an annoying matter.

“I’m afraid not!” Twilight said, while the bandages on my leg unraveled to reveal the gaping wound. She flinched when she saw it and so did the apple mare. I just relaxed on the bean bag, Coco made her way to my lap and watched as Twilight mended my leg.

“Is that alcohol?” I asked the mare, and with a nod from her, I grabbed the bottle from the kit.

“What are you…” Twilight began, but when I poured the liquid on my leg she stopped to stare, as the clear liquid mixed with the crimson. It formed a scarlet stream, that dripped on the floor.

“Now can you just wrap the bandage… ow.” Twilight pinched my ear, and I had to hold back from punching her, “Let go!”

“Not until you tell me what happened!” She yelled in my ear, and I tried to move away but she held me there.

“Okay! I’ll talk!” She let go of my ear, and I just glared at the lavender mare.

“Well?” Twilight crossed her arms and returned a glare of her own. I looked down at my bleeding leg and pointed to it.

“But first can you get me a bandage or something?” Twilight nodded, a white bandage started to coil around my leg.

The cloth tightened, and Twilight began to speak, “Now start talking.”

“I fell,” I said, as I tested the durability of the bandage.

“You fell?” I looked up to see Twilight’s eyebrows raise. “There’s no way you could get a wound just from falling… and where did you fall?”

“Funny story really.” I began, as I rubbed the back of my head, “You see… I was off on a hike and well… I kinda tripped on a rock and fell.”

From the looks of it, Twilight didn’t buy it and somehow neither did Applejack. That country mare just glared at me and somehow I wanted to sink into the bean bag. She really scared me for some reason.

“Now how can yah just fall and get that there wound?” Applejack asked , her arms crossed under this ginormous tits.

“Oh umm… there was a sharp rock sticking out the ground.” I said, but Applejack didn’t seem to buy it. I tried to avoid eye contact with her and as my eyes glanced on the clock, “Well look at the time… I better get going before mom gets all…”

“Yah ain’t telling the truth partner.” Applejack stepped in my way and blocked it. She kept me from moving forward, and apparently Twilight did the same. A wall of magic blocked my way, as Applejack continued to talk, “There something yah ain’t telling us… so yah better start talking.”

I stared at the apple mare, my eyes met her emerald orbs. With all the seriousness I could muster, “You still owe me a shirt.” Her head whipped back, and I could only smirk at the mare, “But if you really want to know… I just went for a hike is all.”

“You went for a hike,” Twilight said, her eyebrow raised. She looked down at my leg then back to me, “You cut your leg on a hike?”

“Yup,” I answered, and tried to move past the orange wall of muscle. Though I opted for the purple barrier over the apple pony, “Hey ah… can I go now or what?”

Twilight looked at me and her face contorted to a scowl, she then sighs, “Fine… but you better come to my lecture tomorrow.”

“No problem Twilight!” I smiled as the barrier around me dissolved. I walked past the mares, but stopped to say one final thing, “I’ll see you tomorrow Twilight… Miss Applejack?”

I made my way to the door, with Coco cradled in my arms. Kinda wished I stuffed her in the pack, but I didn’t want to face off against a pissed off raccoon.

As I left through the door, I heard one of the mare’s sigh. On instinct I caught a glimpse of Applejack, her shoulders slumped and her head downcast. Twilight said something, but the door closed before I heard any of it.

I just shrugged and made my way home. Whatever it was it didn’t concern me, and I really didn’t want to have anything to do with orange iron hands.

“Mom… I’m home!” I called out as I entered the house. I let Coco down and started to make my way to my room. Though there was something that nagged at the back of my head, something really important…

All of a sudden I felt my legs leave the ground and something tried to put my head in a lock. My head was firmly held in place, as I heard my the perpetrators scream in my ears.

“Say Aunty and I’ll…”

I didn’t let them finish, my head whipped back and forth. With my arms trying to land a blow on them.

I would have known if this was mom, since I would have been suffocated by her tits. This pony wasn’t even close to mom, when it came to total submission by boobage.

The pony dropped me to the floor and, grumbled some curses. I collected myself, but gasped for air in the process. I faced my attacker, and as they laid eyes on me, I dove in to lay blow to her sides.

She moved back from the blow, and I just continued my assault until the mare was back against the wall.

“Aunty! Aunty!” She yelled, as I continued to punch away at the pony.

“Button!” I stopped for a second to stare at mom, who stood in the hallway. A mare was standing behind her, but I wasn’t able to take a good look since the pony I was punching sucker punched me. That punch just made me angry, and I continued to assault on the mare.

After I laid two more blows, I felt someone pull me apart from my… I guess she would be the victim at this point. I stopped trying to fight this force, that held me, it was just like apple mare’s grip, but much harder.

“What is going on here.” I turned to the mare that held my arm, and I had to struggle to keep my self up. She looked like me, except for the boobs and the blue eyes, this mare would have been my exact double.

Though my thoughts were caught off by the pain that radiated from my chest. Luckily my older female double held me in place, and I glared at the mare that assaulted me.

I roared in anger, and flung myself at the mare, but I was held firmly in place.

“Button calm down!” The female double yelled, but I ignored her. Since I couldn’t put my face to their face, I opted to use my hoof instead.

Which was a terrible idea, since I missed completely or the mare simply dodged it, but the outcome was a hole in the wall. The mare I aimed the kick at, looked with wide eyes as I tried to get hand on her.

Though the only thing that happened, was me being forced to the ground. I laid on the floor dazed, as I heard my double blow air and say, “He’s got some spunk… I don’t see what you are so worried about.”

“Gavel!” I heard mom’s voice over my thrashing, “Please let go of my son!”

“Sure. Sure… but are you going to calm down?” She directed the last part to me.

“Yeah… just let go of my arm already!” I grumbled the last part, this mare increased her hold on me and my position allowed her to maximize that force.

I heard her chuckle and let me go, I pushed off the ground and nursed my arm. I glared at her, then the mare that started it all.

“Button.” I turned to ward mom’s disapproving face. Somehow I felt my heart drop, and my ears kinda splayed from her words, “What has gotten over you?”

I drew my eyes away from mom, which was a bad thing since I now stared at my assailant. I tried to look at something else, but my vision was surrounded by the three mares.

I just sighed and looked down to avoid all eye contact. I answered mom with my eyes to the floor, “Nothing… can I go to the bathroom for a minute?”

“Not until you answer me young colt!” Mom huffed, and I couldn’t help but be a little heated to what I said next.

“Fine… but you mind if we can do this in the kitchen.” I pointed down to the floor, at the pool of blood that came from the open wound, “Cause I don’t think you’d be too happy if I bleed out in the hallway.”

Mom looked down at the blood on the floor, and I watched as her eyes shrank when she must have seen the wound.

“You are hurt!” Mom yelled, and I couldn’t help but be a bit sarcastic.

“Yeah… I kinda figured that out wi…” I wasn’t able to finish, as mom grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me into the kitchen.

For some reason, I will never know how mom got me in the kitchen chair. The cloth tied around my leg to cut off the circulation was also on the list of things that mystified me. It all happened in a blur, and now a first aid kit was opened next to me.

I looked around the kitchen as mom went to go wet a cloth with a firm order, “Make sure to tighten that leg.”

I instinctively obeyed with the thoughts of, ‘What the hell just happened… I was just in the hallway then I’m in the kitchen.’

The fact that, it felt like it happened in such lightning speed, plagued my mind. I could only stare at my wound, with the sound of chairs being scraped against the floor next to me.

I turned to spot the older female me take a seat, and she examined the wound on my leg.

“What happened?” She asked, and moved those blue eyes toward me.

“I fell.” For reason it came out of my mouth for no reason, it seems that ponies are very nosey about these things, “Down a hill.”

She narrowed her eyes, “I see…”

She grew quiet and just stared at me, it was that critical examination look on her face. Though I used this opportunity to ask a question of my own.

“Since we’re asking questions… mind telling me who you are?” I asked, then looked at the mare that started the fight and pointed at her, “And her as well… if you don’t mind.”

My weird female double raised an eyebrow then smirked, “So you really don’t remember eh?”

“If you're talking about the amnesia… then yeah I can’t remember a thing,” I said, and she chuckled at the end of my sentence.

“Then I think it’s best to introduce myself.”

“It’s a start!” I said, I watched as the mare placed a hand on her chest.

“My name is Gavel… Gavel Mash.” She smirked, and I could only raise an eyebrow at her proclamation, “Your grandmother… and she...” Gavel pointed toward the other mare, while mom began to clean my wound, “...is your cousin Cheval Glass.”

I blinked at her proclamation, my finger rose to point at my supposed grandmother, “You're my grandmother?” She nodded, and I just could help but let the words slip out of my mouth, “But… but you look like so young.”

She looked at me for a second, then bursted into laughter, “Haha! You really are different from the Button I knew.”

“I get that alot for some reason...” I mumbled, and flinched when mom started to wrap my leg.

“We need to get you to the hospital.” Mom said, as she clipped the bandage on. I untightened the cloth that I wrapped to cut off the blood flow.

“I don’t think a cut this shallow would warrant a trip to the hospital,” I said, as I tried my best to persuade mom not to take to the hospital. It seemed like it was starting to become an apparent thing with me.

Mom sighed, and just turned to granny, “Talk to him, will you.”

Granny giggled at mom’s reaction, “Oh, let him tough it out… besides he doesn’t look like it’s bothering him.”

Mom shook her head, and began to pack away the first aid. Coco seemed to have entered at the right time with a necklace on her back.

She moved toward mom, and grabbed the bottom of her pant’s leg. Mom looked down and Coco presented her with the necklace.

“Coco… did you go through my jewelry ag…” Mom stopped as she examined the necklace in the coons paws. Her brow furrows at the sight, “Wait minute… that’s not mine.”

She bent down and retrieved the necklace from the coon. Mom looked over the necklace, then looked at me, “Button… where did you go?”

“I went for a hike.” Mom’s stare turned to a glare, and I shivered from her angry mother look. I quickly added, “In the mountains.”

“Where?” Mom asked, as she moved closer to me. My head had to move back, so I could see past her mounds.

“The mountain trail… just outside of town.” I mumbled the last part, as mom glared down at me.

She dangled the necklace in front of me, “Where did you find this?”

I gulped, “In a cave.”

“What cave?” Mom bent down to stare me in the eye, I flinched from her icy blue gaze.

“Ahh… in the mountains.” I mumbled, as mom moved closer to my ear.

“We’ll talk about this later,” She whispered, and moved away from me. I looked down, ashamed that I just angered my mother.

“Woah… you're in trouble.” I looked at the face of my cousin, a smirk adorned her muzzle. I glared at her, as she started to snicker. Though granny was able to step in before I threw something at her.

“Cheval.” Granny’s voice was low, but I could hear the authority behind it.

I got up from my chair and made my way to the bathroom.

“Where are you going?” Gavel asked, and I answered the mare without tuning from the door.

“Bathroom… I need a bath.” I said, and as I ended that sentence, Coco scurried next to me. She really loved her baths.

“This is a really weird way to take a bath.” I looked at the bandaged leg that hanged on the bathtub’s edge. Then to the raccoon that rested on my chest. I still couldn’t believe that this worked, but it did and when I fell into the tub would have been hilarious, if it wasn’t me.

I rested my head on the tub, and just let the warm water relax my muscles. I looked down at the raccoon, as she started to paddle around the tub.

“Why did you give mom that necklace?” She turned toward me, with the biggest puppy dog eyes. I just sighed and patted her head, “Whatever… she would have found out sooner or later.”

I stared at the ring on my finger, a smile formed on my muzzle.

“I wonder, what you do?” I said to the ring, a shimmer of red coursed over the silver. My eyes narrowed as I stared at the gleaming gems. The green gems seemed to glow like lanterns, I just shrugged my shoulders at the sight, “Lucky I still have that option if this ring turns out to be trouble.”

I closed my eyes and just relaxed in the water. I felt Coco’s claws rake against my chest, but I just ignored it. Though a good clipping would do her some good.

It was getting late in the night, and we had just finished dinner. I sat in the living room, while everyone else headed to their rooms. I had the red scale out on the table, while Coco had her treasure spread out on the couch.

“You better not hide them in the couch,” I said, as I tested the durability of the scale, “I don’t want mom screaming at me… especially when you hide your food in there.”

Coco looked at me with sad eyes and I just sighed, “Fine… you can hide it in my room, but after our guest leave… okay?”

She let out a squeal and hugged me, while I just continued to examine the scale.

I bent the scale, but I could feel the sharp edges dig into my skin. Then I tried to put the scissors to it, and it it only made a dent to the scissors.

“This stuff is hard… better look over the book,” I mumbled, the world suddenly went dark and I felt pressure on my eyeballs.

“Guess who…”

“Granny,” I quickly said, but sighed at the mare’s attempts.

“Sharp aren’t you,” Granny said, and the world of light returned. The mare took a seat across from me, while I laid the scale down on the table. Granny stared at the scale,and pointed at it, “So what do you have there?”

“Nothing at the moment,” I said, and stared into her blue eyes. She looked just like me, though the reverse would be more accurate.

“That doesn't look like nothing,” She said, her hands clasped together. She stared at the scale then back at me, her face turned serious when those stared into mine, “Why do you have a dragon’s scale?”

I narrowed my eyes at the mare, “How do you know that its a dragon scale?”

She broke out in laughter, and stood up, “It’s getting late… we should get some sleep.”

The mare walked by me and headed down the hall, I returned my gaze to the scale. I picked up the thIng and carefully placed it into my pack.

“Let’s get some sleep,” I yawned, and began to help Coco pack her treasure into her red purse. Once done I picked her up, along with our treasures and headed to mom’s room. I was tired, and I wouldn't be able to solve anything the way things are right now.