Bonds between worlds ch 3

By Foxgear

(June 3th, 1988, Nico’s log

Roughly a month has passed since the timber wolf attack and Mr. Bailey hired me to be the guardian of his residence. The task has been easy thus far as no further attacks have happened. My newly awakened magic abilities I gained from devouring the magical core of the timber wolves have left me with many gifts, one being able to see and sense the presence of magic. Throughout the farm are several pockets of magic, my guess is that they are either old portal sites or ones yet to open. Strangely almost all of these sites are in the west orchard near where I was reported to have been found upon my arrival. I have investigated the location, but have turned up nothing so far.

In other recent events, Miss Applejane has graduated from her high school, her ceremony for this achievement is to take place sometime this week, followed by a party at the farm. I was invited to attend both gatherings, but have declined. There is much about my new magic I don’t understand and I cannot afford to slack in my training.

End of Log)

Nico stood in the middle of a clearing not far from his shack. Set up on wood posts several yards away were a line of rotten red apples. In his hand, the revolver bailey had given him. Slowly he cocked the hammer back his sights trained on the rotten apple. Gently he squeezed the trigger making sure to pull his finger straight back as to not jerk the gun off target.

BANG!

Smoke rose up from the barrel as the apple exploded. He worked the hammer again rotating the cylinder for another shot. He took aim and squeezed his finger back.

“WHAHOO!”

Nico’s finger jerked. The gun cocked to the side as it fired, missing the apple completely. He took a deep breath and holstered his gun. Someone was nearby.

A ‘Yeehaw’ followed by two splashes came from the direction of the pond. Meaning there were at least two to three someone’s out by the pond. Not really much of his concern, but it would be dangerous to continuing practicing. There could be more people around and he didn’t want them stumbling into his makeshift firing range. It didn’t seem like something someone smart would do, but as Bailey has been telling him some people just weren’t that smart sometimes.

Making his way to the pond Nico stuck to the shadows of the trees making his way to the edge of the tree line. Perhaps he was being over cautious but he should find out who was here first and then address how to handle the situation.

Looking towards the pond he saw Applejane in a red bikini with two others, both female. One was taller with white skin and multicolored hair wearing a yellow V swimsuit, the second was shorter, about as tall as Applejane with darker blue skin and blue hair and wearing a white swimsuit with a black crescent moon design.

Nico held himself steady not believing what he was seeing. It couldn’t be them! He was just seeing things!

Applejane waved from the water and yelled, “Celestia, Luna, take a picture of this!” She climbed onto the bank and swings off the rope hanging from an overhanging tree and jumped back into the water with a big splash.

“Got it,” Celestia yelled waving the camera.

“Awesome, these are going to look great!” Applejane said excitedly as she exited the pond. The three girls sat down on their towels to enjoy a quick drink of juice.

“Who’s that?” Luna said pointing towards the trees. Applejane and Celestia looked at the direction of her finger but didn’t see anyone.

“Who are we looking for?” Celestia asked straining her eyes, but still getting nothing.

Applejane squints her eyes, spotting the brim of a hat sticking out from behind a tree. The gunfire from earlier stopped and there was only one person that would be out here this far. “Must be Nico, he might have heard us shouting while he was shooting and come to see what was up.”

Celestia smiled, looking intrigued, “Nico, as in the same Nico you’ve been blabbering about these past few weeks?”

The farm girl’s cheeks turned red, “I haven’t been blabbering about no one. He just comes up a lot these days is all? Besides yawl the ones that always ask about him. Right, Luna? Uh… Luna?” Applejane looked around for her blue skinned friend and saw her jogging towards Nico’s position. “Hey, Luna what are you doing?”

“I’m going to ask him to come over!” She yelled back.

“Wait don’t…” Applejane’s words died as Luna reached Nico’s position cursing under her breath as she looked up at Celestia Cheshire grin smile.

“Hey, if she hadn’t done it, I would have. You knew you couldn’t keep your boyfriend hidden from us, Janie.”

Applejane grabbed her hair in frustration, “He’s not my boyfriend! You just keep calling him that! Just because you keep saying it doesn’t make it true!”

Celestia shrugged, “Sure fine, whatever you say, but if that’s true why are you blushing?”

“I AM NOT BLUSHING!”

“Settle down,” Celestia chuckled holding her hands up in defense. “How about we just ask him then? Looks like Luna’s convinced him to come over.”

“What? Really?” Why was she surprised by that? Quickly Applejane glanced at Luna practically dragging Nico by the arm towards them. Nico looked… stiff… not in the sexual innuendo way, but in a… well, she didn’t know for sure. The best thing she could relate to it was when her mom told her to do something she didn’t want to but did it anyway.

“This guy is a lot shyer than you let on AJ. I practically had to drag him here!” Luna said with laughter as she pulled Nico along. She sat down on her towel, Nico remained standing. “Come on sit down.”

Nico’s muscles tightened, he seemed to be fighting back against something, but none of the girls could tell what. His right arm twitched and moved up. He quickly slapped it down and seemed to be biting his tongue. Frankly, it was weird and concerning at the same time.

“Nico… are you ok?” Applejane asked out of concern. She’s never seen him act like this around anybody. “Are you feeling sick?” He didn’t reply his eyes still focused on Luna.

“Is that an order?”

The three girls looked amongst themselves feeling confused.

Applejane followed Nico’s glaze which remained fixed on Luna, “What was that?” She demanded. She looked to Celestia who shrugged, equally confused. Nico’s arm moved again and he forcibly held it down as his lips twitched. Was he trying to salute?

“Is that an order Prin- ma’am, to sit down, is that an order?” Nico gritted out. His feet were at pressed firmly together his body was stiff and rigged like a soldier at attention. He couldn’t help it, it was instinct. He knew this Luna was not the princess he served under, but his body didn’t seem to know that. She was Luna; she looked like what Luna would look like in this world and for all intense and purposes he was under her command as far as his instincts were concerned.

(But I work under Bailey now. Would that not mean I am not under Luna’s service anymore?) He tried to reason, but his body still didn’t want to give in, not till it was ordered to.

Luna looked to her friend and sister for help. No one’s ever asked her to order them around before. “Um… I guess…” Immediately Nico sat down in the grass, his entire body relaxing.

“Thank you, sorry if I freaked you out, you… you remind me of my old superior, sort of like a doppelganger almost. My body and mind weren’t really getting along. My mind knew the truth, but my body…well; let’s just move on from this awkward exchange. I’m Nico Vega and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Nico extended his hand to which Luna gingerly took and shook.

“Luna and this is my big sister Celestia,” Celestia waved and took a gulp of juice.

Nico waved back, “Nice to meet you two. Have you been friends with Applejane for a long time?”

“Since about Elementary,” Celestia answered giving Nico a half eye closed glance as she leaned back further to finish off her drink. He wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be some enticing act as her chest became more pronounced or if it was by accident, either way, he ignored it and moved on.

“So you’ve known each other since childhood?” Luna and Celestia nodded as they shared a glance at Applejane, further confusing Nico. He hadn’t really understood mares back home, so understanding human females is even further beyond him. “I find that funny since Applejane has not mentioned you before, at least by name I think. Or have you?” He looked Applejane for an answer.

“What does that matter, I only see ya when you’re working so it’s never come up.”

Nico hummed nodding while doing so, “I suppose you have a point. It’s been nice meeting you two… but I think I’ll be going now.”

“Wait!” Both Celestia and Luna shouted at once, surprising both Nico and Applejane, the two shared a look as the sisters composed themselves.

Celestia cleared her throat ignoring the twos looks, “What we mean is, we as in my sister and I, were wondering if you would perhaps like to join us for a movie in town tonight. We will be attending with our boyfriends so Luna and I thought you could accompany Applejane so she wouldn’t feel like… I guess in this case the fifth wheel.”

“Celestia!”

“What? It’s true!”

Applejane grumbled and blushed, “Well you didn’t need to tell him that!” She whispered harshly. “Please just ignore them Nico, their just teasing me. Uh… Nico, what are you looking so confused about?” That frowned brow in thought was really causing her some concern. Was he actually planning on taking her? Why did that make her heart rate pick up?

“What’s a movie?”

Celestia and Luna looked in shock from Applejane to Nico, completely flabbergasted.

“That hitches it, he’s coming with us,” Celestia stated.

Luna chimed with “And that’s an order!”

Was he on a date? Nico didn’t know. Also, he wasn’t sure what a date was. Was it like courting? There were similarities for sure, but the wisdom of experience dictated he best not act like he would as a pony. So no staring at Applejane’s tail waiting to see if she would raise it, mainly because she didn’t have one.

She was wearing a skirt.

Now, this was a first for Nico, not because he’s never seen a skirt before, but because this was the first time he’s seen Applejane wear one and an explicitly short one too. The farm girl walked quietly beside him, her white and green blouse very form fitting with her arms pulled behind her back resulting in her chest being puffed out more than usual.

Ahead of them were Luna and Celestia, both in skirts and blouses. Their color scheme was partly baffling to him, Celestia wore black, while Luna wore white, maybe he was just injecting his view of the princesses onto the sisters, but it just seemed strange to him.

As for the twos dates, seems he’s been doped as they didn’t have any. Seems they made the whole thing up to get him to come with Applejane. A fact she seemed silently miffed about, hence her silence. For him it just made him smirk, it seemed like something the princesses would do. Granted it would have been a clever military maneuver in Equestria rather than a simple trick to get him to leave the farm, but it was still a well thought out plan that even escaped Applejane’s notice.

As they say, if you want to trick your enemies, you much first trick your friends. On that note, he was probably playing the biggest trick of them all.

On to more interesting things, firstly the town, this would mark his first visit to the town of this world. Hard to believe he’s spent so much time just on the farm, but between his ribs healing and work, it was no surprise really hasn’t had time to explore. That and he didn’t he wouldn’t know where to go, it’s not like he had much money. About five hundred dollars is all he’s acquired to date with his employment under the Apples and most of that come from when Bailey hired him to protect the farm.

Now Applejane and her friends called it a town, but to him, it would be more keen to a small city. It was no Canterlot, well it was called Canterlot, but it wasn’t his Canterlot as none of the buildings really reached for the sky, with three to four floors being the highest, but the sheer size and radius of the city made it so much more than a mere town, which usually had only one to two roads leading in and out. It was for sure too big to call a village for that much he was sure.

The buildings were equally interesting. The shops along Main Street where they were currently walking was made of stout, sturdy brick with a fair number of windows. Many of the houses were made of wood frame houses, not sod or hay, in fact from what little history he was able to learn of this world sod houses have long since been rendered obsolete, in this country at least.

“We’re here!” Luna exclaimed excitedly as they come to building with bright flashing lights and on a big white sign displayed ‘lethal weapon 2, show time 7:00’.

“Ugh, you want to see this,” Groaned Applejane.

“The first one was great!” Luna defended, while Applejane rolled her eyes.

“It was ok, but tell me how Nico’s supposed to get the story if he hasn’t seen the first one? Where’s the fun in that?”

“She does have a point Luna,” Celestia said stepping between the two. “Perhaps we should watch something else.”

Luna’s eyes began to swell, “But I’ve waited so long for it to come out! And I won’t have enough money until next weekend and by then it will be gone!”

“How about I simply go see a different show?” Nico suggested looking up at the display board for something else. “This… Tango and Cash… seems interesting enough.”

Luna crossed her arms and huffed, “Fine, but Applejane has to go with you!”

Nico just raised a brow while Applejane looked a gasped. Before she could even speak Celestia and Luna dragged her away and spoke to her in hush tones. She replied back, looking flustered and red faced. Their conversation came to an end with Applejane walking back to him and taking his hand.

“Come on, let’s go in,” She said pulling him into the theater. He divisively decided to just go with the flow of things. They bought their tickets, some pop, and popcorn and they were seated in the cool theater as the machine above shined a light onto the giant white screen at the front of the room.

The whole thing astounded Nico as pictures began to appear on the screen and not only that, but they moved.

“It’s like a prerecorded play.”

Applejane shushed him as and he kept his eyes focused ahead, this world was truly filled with amazing things.

The movie lets out, Nico and Applejane walked out… not holding hands much to Celestia’s and Luna’s dismay. That was a lot of careful planning down the drain. None the less they better strike up some conversation.

“How was your movie?” Luna asked almost right away.

“It was a fine action flick, probably similar to lethal weapon really, had a few good comedic moments,” was Applejane’s review.

“And you? How was your first movie, Nico?” Luna asked earnestly, maybe a bit too earnestly if Applejane’s glare was anything to go by, not that the blue toned girl seemed to be paying attention.

“I suppose it was a different sort of play. I don’t have much to compare it too, didn’t have much time for such things when I was… stationed overseas.” Stationed overseas was the go to cover story as per Bailey’s suggestion, it covered a wide variety of questions that he did not have answers to. “Had a lot more action than what I’ve seen in a play before. Most plays don’t have such things till the climax and even then they are nothing compared to the scenes portrayed.”

The three girls looked between themselves. Wondering where in the world you would see a play this day and age, besides Broadway or some elementary or high school thing.

“So Nico,” Celestia spoke up trying to keep the conversation going, “Where did you live before? Applejane has informed us of your memory issues, but what were you doing for the past two years?”

Shit, he didn't have an answer for that.

“Well… um, I was…” As he struggled to answer a man flew through the brushes and landed on the sidewalk. A godsend of a distraction if there was ever one. The man was muscular and probably a good five inches taller than Nico. He wore black boots, black jeans, and a black leather jacket with flames running of the sleeves, but that wasn’t what held Nico’s attention, it was the man’s hair, hair that was a bright and fiery red that was only a shade darker than the man’s red brick skin.

He kind of looked like Commander Fierce Fury.

More men showed up, a total of five walking out of the park, each wearing the same white clothes with a purple sweater vest with an emblem on the left breast, the emblem was that of a purple lightning bolt with wings.

“I think those guys are from Crystal College,” one of the girls whispered behind him. He didn’t dare turn and see who, his attention held by the six men in front of him. There was blood on the Fury look a likes face and clothes and also on the five others. There was blood on their knuckles and sleeves and one was sporting a bloody nose. Seems they were fighting.

It wasn’t a very fair fight though.

“Aw look, some more country bumpkins,” one of the men sneered; he was rather slim man with light brown skin and black hair.

“Now, now Filthy, at least the ladies are fine looking. For being country bumpkins that is.” The man next to the first said with a stuck up tone, he was purple with white hair in a flamboyant style and he also wore shades.

“Probably just some whores, the guy must have paid out the nose for three of them!” The third man over joked, the other two mindlessly laughing.

The purple man stepped ahead from the group, stack of bills in his hands, “Yes, yes, you’ve had your fun Hoops, now if you ignorant folks would jest step aside we’ll be taking our friend Ferocious here and teaching him a lesson over yonder. I’m sure this will be enough to keep your silence?”

“Why waste money on these bumpkins, Hoity” Filthy Rich snorted angrily.

Hoity tossed the bills to Nico’s feet as he leaned down grabbing Ferocious by the collar of his shirt, “Now, now Rich, it’s only a little insurance, to ensure the peons know their place. After all, they wouldn’t want to be convicted of robbery if they were to...”

He never got to finish his sentence as Nico’s booted foot came crashing into the flamboyant man’s teeth. Everyone stared god smacked as they watched Hoity’s blood and teeth fly through the as if in slow motion. The purple man hit the side of the sidewalk out cold.

“Stay back,” Nico warned the girls as he grabbed hold of Hoop’s wrists as the burly man tried to take a swing at him. He ducked and tossed the big man face first onto the pavement and punched at Dumb-bell and Score who tackled him to the ground. They landed a few good hits as he tried to throw them off. He managed to throw one off, but Rich come running in with his leg back for a kick.

Ferocious sprang up and grabbed Rich by the leg tripping him. The angry red man rose with shining yellow eyes his leg raised high he stomped his foot on the Filthy's face.

“Goddamn college mother fuckers, fucking JUMP ME! Huh! You think you’re better than me! FUCKING come to my town and think your tough shit! I’ll fucking show you fuckers!” He screamed stomping on Rich’s wrist, there was a distinct sickening crack as the wrist broke. Ferocious then turned his attention to Dumb-bell and Score.

He grabbed Score by the hair and hauled the slightly obese man off. The fat college boy whimpered as Ferocious hauled him over to a street lamp and smashed his face repeatedly against the hard metal pole. He finally let him go, Score’s face sliding down the pole in a bloody mess.

Ferocious extended a hand which Nico took and together they glared at the last man standing, Dumb-bell. The stocky college boy quivered, backing slowly way as Nico and Ferocious stalked closer. Ferocious reached into his pocket pulling something from it, there was a flash and the sound of something clicking, Ferocious was holding a switchblade knife.

“I’m going to gut you like a fucking piglet and put you up for butcher with the rest of your friends.”

Nico eyed his ally warily, he was going a bit far, which with him probably being this world’s Fierce Fury was to par.

Dumb-bell let out a scream of pure terror, reaching into his own pocket he produced a pocket knife, which put both of them on edge, but it was what he did next that had Nico boiling over the edge. Dumb-bell ran, knocking Celestia and Luna to the ground, but taking Applejane hostage. The farm girl struggled, almost breaking free but stopped when the tip of the knife was pressed against her neck.

“You-u-u leave me be now, I’ll let her go when I’m safely away from you monsters!”

“No,” Nico said harshly, wisps of magic rising off his body. He glared at Dumb-bell reaching his hand back to his waist. “You’re going to let her go, right now.”

Dumb-bell’s hand began to shake, up above storm clouds suddenly gathered, so fast that it wasn’t natural. Lightning flashed in the sky spooking the already terrified college boy.

He closed his eyes for only a brief second. A second was all it took. His hostage was ripped from his grasp and he was forced to the ground, a long hard metal object was forced down his throat. He opened his eyes, scared beyond scared, Nico’s cold blues eyes looking wild and crazed has he held his gun down Dumb-bell’s throat.

Click, click, click, click was the sound the hammer made as Nico pulled it back. The sound of a colt single action beginning cocked to fire. Just a hairpin squeeze of the trigger would send the .45 caliber round through Dumb-bell’s throat and kill him.

He began to cry, “Please don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Mommy! Mommy!” Dumb-bell screamed his teeth hitting against the barrel of the gun.

“Nico,” A gentle voice said, followed by an equally gentle hand touching his shoulder. Blond hair fell into Nico’s vision as a warm body wrapped around him. “It’s ok; I’m fine it’s over. Take the gun out of his mouth.”

It was Applejane’s voice, sweet like honey and soothing like fresh cool water. Nico breathed in slowly through his nose. The storm subsided in the sky and inside him. His vision widened. He saw the gun. His hand wrapped firmly around the handle, his finger barely touching the trigger. On top of his hand was Applejane’s, soft and warm. He pulled down on the hammer and eased the trigger forward, decocking the gun.

“Your right, your right,” he said calmly as he could. He was having a real hard time being calm right now. He took the gun out of Dumb-bell’s mouth, the college boy fainting out of relief. He swiped the salvia off on Dumb-bell’s sweater and stood up and holstered the gun behind his back.

He turned around to face the others and received several gasps.

“Oh my god you got stabbed!” Luna pointed and shouted.

Applejane immediately began patting him down looking for the wound, fully prepared to get her hands bloody, only there was no blood. She looked confused as she unzipped Nico’s jacket and moved the flap with the knife sticking in it aside. The knife didn’t make it through the jacket. Removing the knife revealed a shiny chain link sewn underneath the cloth of the coat.

“Is that… chain mail?” Applejane sighed in relief that Nico wasn’t hurt, but then, “Wait is that why this thing is so heavy! This thing broke the damn washer machine you know! Also, why is your coat made of chain mail?”

(I guess I know where my armor went.)

“Um… let’s talk about that later. We best be getting out of here.” Nico said, bringing everyone back to the reality that they were standing on the sidewalk surrounded by unconscious bloody bodies.

They all began running for the truck.

“Why did you come with us?” Applejane screamed at Ferocious as they all piled into the truck, only realize they brought along a straggler.

From the back of the truck bed, Ferocious just shrugged, “Seemed like a good idea. Really like the cut of your body friend here lass and your friends are rather fine too. All respectable praise of course ladies,” he smiled and winked at the sisters. Celestia didn’t seem too flattered, but Luna… Luna was blushing slightly.

Applejane just huffed and started the truck, “Whatever, we’ll drop you off somewhere outside of town, but that’s it. I don’t want you to know where we live.”

“Fine by me boss lady, I’m Ferocious, no last name, what’s your name buddy?” Ferocious asked extending his hand to Nico, who was also in the back of the truck.

“Nico Vega.”

“Nico Vega huh, has a nice ring to it,” Ferocious said smiling as the truck pulled out of the parking lot. “Listen you saved my ass tonight Nico if you ever need a hand just find me and I’ll help you out. I have a few friends that would be willing to join in.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Nico replied smiling, they rode in silence for the remainder of the trip, Ferocious jumping off the back and onto the side of the road. He shook Nico’s hand one last time and spotted the patch on Nico’s shoulder.

“Nice patch, where’d you get it?”

“Come with the coat.”

Ferocious cracked a smile, “My dad said the same thing. He had a patch like that too.”

That made Nico pause, “What was his number?”

The truck began to pull away and Nico scrambled to the back as Ferocious waved and yelled his goodbyes. Nico strained his ears, barely catching the numbers Ferocious was saying.

The numbers were 0756.

Luna and Celestia were dropped off at home and he and Applejane returned to the farm. They didn’t speak for the entire trip. His mind to focus on the numbers Ferocious had told him. He tried and tried, but he couldn’t recall a patroller with that number. Could it be a new patroller? One he didn’t know? That was possible. They were rescuing a good number of ponies from Madhoof’s lab just before he wound up in this world.

Maybe it could be a patroller he knew. After they started taking names it was hard to remember what everyponies number was.

He sighed, he was tired. Too tired to be thinking of numbers or anything, he just wanted to sleep.

“We’re here,” Applejane announced as she turned off the truck. He looked up, surprised to see they were parked in front of his shack.

“Why aren’t we in the yard?”

“I didn’t want you to walk. There’s an old road that runs back here. You probably would have noticed the extra bumps if you weren’t so focused on whatever it is your thinking about.”

Applejane’s grip was tight on the steering wheel; her hands were shaking, and were those tears? Why was she crying?

“What’s the matter? The attack finally getting to you,” He asked. It was understandable she would be upset. She did have a knife to her throat. Honestly, he was surprised she lasted this long.

Applejane angrily wiped away her tears, but more fell, she looked straight at him. Her look was strange; it wasn’t how she normally looked at him. There was a hint of something, a hint of fear?

“What are you afraid of? Is it that guy that grabbed you?” Applejane shook her head, sending tears flying as she whipped her head back and forth. She was trying really hard to keep her body under control, but she was close to breaking.

“No, well, it was scary, but…”

Nico raised a brow, “But?”

“What really scared me was you!” She yelled no longer trying to hold back her tears. “I’ve seen fist fights; I’m no stranger to blood, but the way you went after that guy. Your eyes were so cold; you were going to kill him, weren’t you. You were going to kill him and it wouldn’t have bothered you a bit would it?”

“Applejane…”

“Tell me the truth!”

He sighed, “Yes, I would have killed him.”

“How can you just say that so casually?”

Nico closed his eyes, he was a soldier, he was dragon pony, he’s killed monsters, and he’s killed other ponies, killing humans… it was just another thing on the list of things he’s killed. This was different. He wouldn’t have killed that kid because he was ordered to or anything like that. It was the same feeling he had when he was drowning Madhoof in the river. The boiling hatred and anger, he had wanted to kill that kid the same way.

He looked Applejane squarely in the eyes and touched her cheeks with his hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb, “Because he threatened you.”

Applejane gasped and he got out of the truck and all but ran for his shack, it had started to rain, but he didn’t mind. He just needed to get away from her. His chest… his chest felt like it was going to burst.

The door flew open and he stomped inside like an angry beast. Applejane was afraid of him and that tore his heart apart. He slammed his fists against the wall fighting back a scream. Now he really wanted to kill that kid. At least then her fear would make sense. He saved her life! What more was there!

He heard the sound of footsteps and he turned around catching the faintest glimpse of Applejane before she threw herself at him. Their lips crashed and he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight as she did the same.

When they finally pulled back, both of them breathless she whispered, “Thank you.”

Author's Notes:

Fun facts
Tango and Cash and Lethal weapon were both released in 1989, which is what I thought the date in Nico's log was, but it wasn't, it's 1988.

Colt revolvers are known to make four clicks when the hammer is cocked, which is how you tell it was made by colt and not a European reproduction or so some gun lovers say.