Paradise
Chapter 7: Chatting with the neighbors
Previous Chapter Next ChapterMy systems slowly coming back online I shake my feet back and forth and squeeze my hands a few times to get my circulation pumping.
Pausing I lean up and look to my right hand quizzically. “Well that ain’t safe.” My voice extra scratchy today, I growl. Turning my revolver around in my hand and inspecting every angle I de-cock the hammer and slide it back into the holster on my chest, the brown leather creaking slightly.
“Well fuck.” I sit up and groan, all of the bones in my body popping or creaking as I do. “Must be rain in the forecast.” I clear my throat and slide out of the loft, landing on my feet with practiced ease.
Looking out of the broken kitchen window as I make my way to the fridge I see that the darkness of night is starting to be overtaken by the warm glowing rays of a rising sun. Must of been beat if I slept that long. I muse as I open the fridge and pull out a cheap bottle of brandy.
The repulsing flavor of the walmart brand brandy making me cringe I shake my head and put the bottle back in the fridge for the next morning.
Patting myself down to make sure everything I had on my kit is still there I nod and take a step forward to the gun cabinet, my right knee popping extra loudly.
The sound apparently startling not just me but Kermit as well, the large tree frog gives a series of fast chirps and croaks. Slowly taking my eyes off my right knee I look to the frog. “There ain’t no way that sound was normal or healthy fer a knee ta make.”
Kermit chirps again.
“Yer right, I prolly should get that looked at.” I reply testing my knee out a few times. “Oh well seems ta work fer now at least.”
Putting some experimental pressure on my knee I slowly walk to the gun cabinet and grab the shotgun and sniper rifle.
Due to having proper gun safety and maintenance drilled into my head since I was just a wee lad of three years old I found it almost impossible to leave a gun un cleaned after a hard day of use, and my shotgun definitely had that yesterday. Wait why am I saying this in my head? I look left and right confused before nodding a few times and smiling. Oh yeah the whole lack of social interaction thing.
With my guns cleaned and my sanity in question I put the two guns back into the gun closet in favor of my Marlin lever action I used yesterday.
With the gun slung over my shoulder I go back to the kitchen and open up the fridge, grabbing the vegetables and fruits.
Today is the day I go and get Zecora's right? I question myself, cutting the eyes off the potatoes.
Yeah It has to be… Still unsure I think for a second while I finish cutting the eyes off the potatoes. Eh I’ll just go anyway.
With the seeds removed from all of the vegetables I move to de-seeding the apples I have, the sun now shining brightly in the sky after it was seemingly grabbed by something and hoisted there.
“I can’t figure it out Kermit.” I speak to the frog as it sits on the table eating a few of the seedless apple slices, loud snapping following after every surprisingly strong bite from the tree frog.
“Maybe I shouldn’t be lookin’ into it to much cuz’ this is a whole new world and all that, but why and how would the earth suddenly change its orbit around the sun with no adverse effects felt by those on the surface?” The frog looks up to me and peeps before looking back down to its fruit and biting down again.
“Yeah you’re right I got bigger things ta worry about.” Sighing I put the seeds in my pocket and make my way out to the garden.
At the sight of the matted down grass next to the garden I smile at the memory of the conversation me and the dark blue alicorn hand last night. Wonder if she’ll be back tonight? I kinda hope so.
Hoe now in hand I begin to make the rows in the tilled soil. Starting a foot from the edge I make a sixteen foot long row, making sure it stays as straight as possible.
Repeating the process I make ten rows with two feet in between them. With the rows done I start laying in the seeds, as I go, making sure they as well have adequate spacing in between them.
“Okay.” standing back from the rows I look at it. “Row one is fer the tomatoes along with row two, row three and four are potatoes, and row five an’ six are fer the corn. So I could plant two rows of carrots and two rows of cucumbers and no cabbage or onions.” I stare off at the ground in thought.
“Nah I think two rows of carrots with one row of cabbage and one row of cucumbers. Yeah that sounds better.”
With the decision made, and the seeds placed, I plant the last four rows where I realize that I’m going to need cages for the tomatoes and cucumbers to grow up into.
The shed not having enough wood to make all the cages I’m forced to go into the woods and find some sturdy branches to make them out of. “Gonna need ta find some strong vines as well, don’t think I got enough rope.”
<><><> 1st person, Hank, Somewhere in the Everfree towards Ponyville<><><>
“Why are there no damn vines in this fuckin’ place? I got a whole bag of sticks perfect fer what I need.” Trudging my way through the forest I ramble, the sound of the sling mount clinking my only companion.
“Well I’m about a mile from Zecora’s so maybe I’ll just go by there and ask her if she knows where any vines are.”
My walk had been quiet, I was used to quiet in these woods, but this was a quiet that seemed to have been around for a while, almost a stale quietness that gave off all the wrong feelings.
Gripping my rifle tighter I begin to really look closely at my surroundings before I hear a faint crack to my right.
Snapping my rifle up to the sound I begin to walk sideways while keeping my rifle pointed in the general direction of the noise. The hair on the back of my neck starting I keep a look out but decide to keep going forward to Zecora’s.
The path to the zebra shaman’s house starting to show through the trees the smell of blood makes its way to my nostrils and grabs my attention making me stop.
“The smell is strong, either whatever died is close or there's a lot a blood.” The smell getting stronger as I get close to the path I find a puddle of blood on the trial. Knelt down I dip my finger in the puddle and bring it to my nose. “Whatever was being chased was scared when it was.” I reason with the strong scent of adrenaline still in the blood.
“At least the blood trail leads kinda away from Zecora’s, I don’t want anythin’ happenin’ ta her.” Standing I wipe the blood off my finger and look at the tracks and blood leading off the path.
Following the trail of blood for around five minutes I notice that most of the tracks are of the canine variety but there also are a few imprints of cloven hooves in the soil as well. “Well that narrows out a pony or a zebra, their hooves are one piece from what I’ve seen.”
Still following the trail I find a few broken limbs on the trees before I find a mangled deer’s leg, torn off with the ball of the femur still attached, in a large puddle of blood. “So it was a deer then. Common I guess.” I nudge the leg with my boot. “But what kind of dog can rip the leg of a deer out of the socket? And even stranger don’t come back to eat it?” Thinking out loud I see a unmoving light brown pile up ahead. “Well I think I found the deer.” I say, raising my rifle and approaching the pile.
Not knowing what to expect with a pack of dogs that can rip a leg off a deer I cautiously approach the seemingly ‘normal’ dead deer before I’m able to see over it’s back and at its stomach, or lack of one.
“God damn.” I look all around me before squatting down, to avoid soaking my pants in even more blood and inspecting the dead deer closer. “Not even the ribs are here, it’s like these things jus’ ete everythin’. Obviously they got powerful jaws too, with them being able to rip an entire leg off, on the move no less.”
Putting my hand on the carcass to push myself up I falter at the not warm but not cold temperature of the dead animal. “Shit, this happened recently, more recently than I thought. Probably within the last hour er so.”
“This really don’t have a good feelin’ ta it now.” I slightly open the chamber of my rifle to make sure it’s loaded before I continue to follow the wolf tracks further into the bush.
Finding another dead deer on the path just as ripped to pieces as the last one I think it’s the last deer before I come across a sight morbid enough to make a man any less used to violence vomit his stomach.
Standing at the edge of I previously bright and flowery clearing, much smaller than mine, I get a few flashbacks to my world in the cities at the sight of the clearing covered in blood, flesh, fur, and dead deer of all ages and sizes.
Not saying anything I slowly walk through the massacre, occasionally stepping on a torso or a severed limb of some sort as I make it to the middle of the small clearing, the ground soaked and muddy with blood. Stopping I come across a still breathing deer partially trapped under a large doe.
“Hol' on I gotcha.” I speak to the deer as I push the ripped open doe off of him. “Oh shit.” With the doe removed I was able to look at the rear half of the young buck. The deer’s breathing starting to hyperventilate I look into his eyes and place a hand on his neck, rubbing it up and down. “I ain’t gonna hurt cha, I ain’t gonna hurt cha.” I whisper as caringly as I can to the deer to calm him down.
Looking to my right I see the buck’s rear half ten feet away, some of his entrails still connected to his front half like bloody ropes. “What did they do ta ya?” I slowly set my rifle down and look into the buck’s eyes as he looks back into mine while I pull out my knife.
“It’ll all be over soon.” I place the palm of my hand on his forehead and the point of my knife at the base of his skull before I give a hard push, the deer going stiff before going limp and letting out his last breath.
Gently resting the buck’s head on the bloody ground I stand and look around the clearing seeing a area of bent over foliage to my right on the edge of the clearing.
The wet squelches sounding underfoot I make my way to the bent over foliage, slowing as I spot a large carved stick stuck in the mud.
Pulling the stick out of the mud I clean it off and inspect it before my blood runs cold. “This is Zecora’s Staff… ah fuck.” Taking off down the path I notice uncloven hoof imprints surrounded by more wolf prints.
I don’t see any blood, maybe she made it to her hut before they got her. Oh god I hope so. I Hope to myself as I run through the woods to Zecora’s, every bound covering six feet of ground.
Zecora’s cabin up ahead I bank to my right so I’ll come around to the front of the tree hut.
Breaking through the tree’s rifle raised I see two more of the large black dogs, covered in blood, ramming into the door of the tree house, the door starting to snap under the weight of the dogs.
Lining up the shot I pull the trigger and blow the dog closest to the door’s head off in a shower of skull fragments and blood.
The other dog’s attention now on me I go to rack the rifle but am unable to complete the cycle due to the mud from the clearing finding it’s way into the chamber. Struggling with the rifle I barely have time to look up and dodge to my right to avoid a swipe from the thing’s long claws.
Landing and turning my left thigh burns in pain. Looking down I notice four gashes through my pant leg starting to turn red with blood, no doubt slicing deep into my left thigh. The rifle dropped I pull the 1911 out and empty all eight rounds into the beast as it jumps into the air to pounce on me.
Not having time to jump out of the way the wolf plows into me and throws us back into the wall of Zecora’s hut, my plate carrier thankfully taking most of the force.
Throwing the down but not out wolf off me I pull the .357 from my chest holster and fire three rounds into the creature. Two to the chest before finally placing one through its right eye, the creature wobbling around a bit before falling to the ground.
Still leaning against the wall of Zecora’s home I pick myself up a pained hiss escaping my lips as I put weight on my left leg. Ignoring the pain I turn my attention to the door and knock with enough force to shake the door.
“Zecora ya in there?” No response. “Zecora answer me, it’s safe now the wolves are gone.” Still no response just silence. “Zecora if ya don’t open this door I’m gonna open it myself!” I yell hoping for a response.
“one!... two!.... three!....” I shoulder check the door and stumble inside when it gives away on me. Looking around the dark interior I limp around looking for any signs of life.
The door was locked and those wolves wanted inside bad, she has to be in here. I reason still not seeing any signs of the zebra.
About to go back outside and look around again I hear a small whimper to my left where a bed carved into the tree is. Limping over to the bed I see that it’s empty but hear the sound again.
Kneeling down I lift the covers to look under the bed carved into the wall, a small and relived smile finding my face when I see the zebra in a ball with her eyes clamped shut, no doubt scared but thankfully unharmed.
“Zecora, it’s okay now, they’re gone.” I reassure, Zecora staying in her ball breathing hard.
“C’mon Zecora snap out if it, yer fine, it’s gonna be fine.” The zebra still ignores me and continues to shake.
Getting down onto my right side I make sure my hand is clean before placing it on her neck and beginning to petting her. “Zecora it’s me Hank ya don’t need ta worry, they’re gone now.” I as comfortingly as I could reassure the mare, giving a few gentle pats on her shoulder.
“H-hank is i-it really you?” Zecora stutters, her eyes still shut but her breathing starting to slow.
“Yeah it’s me Zecora, yer gonna be fine.”
“All the Black Shucks are gone?” She asks in a shaky but firmer voice.
“If that’s what those two black dogs lying dead in front of yer house are then yes. They are gone.” I smile at the zebra who now has her eyes open.
“Oh no! Then they’ll be back!” The zebra shoots out from under the bed in a flash and starts throwing bottles and herbs into some large saddlebags.
“What do ya mean they’ll be back?” I ask perplexed at the zebra’s sudden state of active panic.
“There was at least ten of them chasing me from the...the...the clearing.” She trails off at the end, staring at the wall blankly before flinching.
“Okay then get packed up and we’ll move to my house.” I try to get up but my left thigh gives out sending me back down to my knees.
The sound of me hitting floor grabs Zecora’s attention making her turn around “Oh my. Hank did one of them get you?!” She rushes over to me and looks at the gashes in my pant leg as I lean back against the wall and unsnap my soon to be empty medical pouch.
“Yeah he got me good, But I got him better.” I laugh taking my knife out of its sheath and cutting my pant leg off to see the damage.
“Gods…” She wheezes looking at the four deep gashes running from the front of my thigh and around the side. “Yeah she’s bad.”
Still trying to catch her breath she goes to her shelf and grabs a clay pot full of white powder. “Here put a generous amount in the wound.”
“Why?” I question taking the pot.
“The powder stops bleeding, prevents infection, and helps close the wound. You’re still going to need sutures though.” She explains hurriedly rushing back over and throwing more things into the saddlebags. “But you must hurry the Shucks will return and we’ll never escape.
“Alright alright, yer right we need ta hurry.” I agree while pouring the white powder in the wound, the pain starting to fade.
Using my knife again I cut my pant leg entirely off before lifting my leg up and wrapping the wound with a thin layer of gauze.
“What happened to you Hank?” Zecora suddenly exclaims, her eyes open wide as she looks at my leg.
“Whatta mean?” I dumbly ask trying to avoid the incoming conversation while I wrap tape around the bandages.
“The scars, burns, red streaks of discoloration, and the…. Dents.” She looks me in the eyes. “What have you been through?”
“Enough. I’ve been through enough. Now let’s get the hell out of here.” I answer, standing up and pulling out my revolver to reload it.
Walking past the zebra still staring at my leg I pull out the 1911 and slide the new mag into it as well before racking it. “Do you have my plant stuff by any chance?”
“Uh... yes it’s already in my saddlebags.” She stops looking at my leg and looks up to me. “Do you have any vines by chance?” I ask remembering why I came here in the first place.
“Yes but that’s not important we need to go! Now!” She hurriedly exclaims
“Where are they?” I ask.
“Top of my shelf. Can we go now?!”
“Yes.” I answer while grabbing the bundle of vines and going out the door.
Stepping out of the hut Zecora mumbles something while I pick up the rifle I dropped. “You can run right?” I ask the zebra slinging the rifle across my back “Of course. Why?”
“Because we ain’t got much time.” I point to the foliage shaking on top of a hill a few hundred feet away.
“C’mon let’s go!” I yell at the frozen zebra as she stares at the moving underbrush. “God damn it.” I huff and pick up the zebra, carrying her bridal style as I take off toward my clearing.
“Hank what are you doing?” I look down to see Zecora blushing. How could you blush at a time like this? “I’m carrying ya while we run fer our lives from a pack of Black Shucks or whatever. Don’t ya remember?” I answer in between breaths as we run through the woods.
“Yes but why are you carrying me like a mare on her wedding day?”
“Because ya jus’ stood there starin’ as they got closer.” I reply not looking down to the zebra. “Do all y’all zebra’s lock up when y’all are scared or is that jus’ a thing ya do?” I question, jumping over a fallen tree.
“Most members of the equine species, like ponies and zebras, run or as you said ‘lock up’ when scared. It’s a trait passed down from our first ancestors.”
“Must have ta do with y’all bein’ prey animals.”
“Prey animals? What do you mean prey animals?” She asks apparently offended with my statement.
“Look Zecora I’d love have this conversation sometime, but we are running for our LIVES so I need ta save my breath.” I more or less command as I see a break in the trees. Stealing a quick glance over my shoulder I see four black wolves slowing gaining on me and Zecora.
Turning my head I pull out my 1911 with my right hand and switch Zecora into a position over my shoulder in one quick motion just as we break through the tree line.
“This isn’t a clearing! Where are we Hank?!” I hear Zecora yell over my shoulder as I slide sideways from my build up speed and start running again.
“W-We’re on the path to t-the village but headed in the direction of my house. I under shot where, I was supp- supposed ta go.” I pant, my left leg starting to give in to it’s injury.
“They’re gaining on us Hank!”
“Ah know.” I take a deep breath and turn, pistol raised.
Firing two shots on the move at the closest wolf one of the rounds finds it’s mark and impacts the wolf in the head, sending it to the ground, a loud thump followed by a yelp following.
“You got one!” Zecora reports from her position over my shoulder. Three left. I grunt and turn firing three more partially un aimed shots, the targeted wolf only flinching and stumbling for a second before regaining its footing and continuing in its chase.
Swinging back around I see the ‘Y’ in the road and a certain yellow pegasus watching us.
“GET INSIDE!” I yell after taking a deep breath, the yellow pony taking a step back. “GET INSIDE!” I repeat, the pony getting the message after seeing the wolves chasing and gaining on us.
“Hank they’re really close now.” Zecora alerts tightening her grip on my shoulder. “Damn it..egh” I turn and empty the pistol behind me before switching to my .357 and firing three more shots.
Checking on our pursuers I see the three remaining wolves starting to lag behind, due to their injuries before one catches sight of Yellow and breaks off toward her house right as she slams her door. “Fuck me man.” I huff my speed starting to slow.
“What?! You can’t stop now Hank! We have to be close to your clearing! How much further do we have to go?”
“Three minutes tops.” I half cough as we enter the path to the clearing “But I don’t think I can make it, I’m gonna drop ya and yer gonna run down this path till you hit the clearin’ when ya do jus’ call fer Lilith, she a big cat, can’t miss er.”
Slowing down Zecora tightens her grip on my shoulder again and hits me on the back, the trike barely registering on my overclocked nervous system. “No! I just saw you sprint for three kilohoofs at twenty kilohoofs an hour! You can go for another three minutes Hank, because if you can’t then we both are dieing because I'm not going to leave you.”
The encouragement from Zecora giving me a second wind I pick the pace back up and begin to pull back away from the wolves who were right at our heels.
Three agonizing, burning, stomach cramping minutes later we near the tell tale sunny clearing as it comes into view ahead.
My body damn near taxed out I half run half stumble through part of the clearing before falling to my knees. “LILITH!” Pushing the zebra of my shoulder I roll over onto my back, the pack propping me up.
Weakly raising my revolver to the three wolves as they enter the clearing I hear a series of roars and smile.
“W-why are there manticores here.” Zecora peeps, pushing herself into my side where I wrap a arm around her. “Huh? Oh that’s jus’ Lilith and her friends...they stay here.” My attention now on the cats I see them spreading out while Lilith keeps going down the middle looking absolutely livid with the two dogs, who were now growling and snapping at Lilith, not noticing how flanked they were.
One of the wolves taking off toward Lilith the other one gets immediately pounced on before being ripped to shreds. The remaining dog jumping into the air at Lily she bats it to the ground before plunging her stinger into the beast's heart where it thrashes around before the cat applies more pressure on the stinger, the last wolf going limp.
“Thank god.” I sigh and let my head go limp,the relief of not dieing letting me calm down, before Zecora presses herself into me and grabs onto my arm like a vice. “One of them is coming over here.” She whispers, starting to shake again.
“Ugh.” I groan picking my head back up to see Lilith bounding toward me with a worried look on her face somehow. The large lion getting to us she sniffs me before starting to lick at my face as I, in a futile attempt, try to stop her. “Jeez, I’m fine Lilith, jus’ tired and cut up.” I pat the big cat on head before she spots Zecora and starts to growl.
“No Lilith none a that. Zecora’s fine, she’s helped me a lot.” Upon hearing that Lilith sniffs at the still shaking zebra and chirps before softly headbutting me and starting to walk away toward the rest of the pride.
Slouching back down and taking a deep breath in my eyes shoot open as I remember the wolf that broke off at Yellow’s house. “Damnit damnit damnit.” I curse struggling to get back up, my sense of dread starting to grow.
“Hank what are you doing? You need to rest, your leg is covered in cuts, including four very deep ones, and your body is taxed.” Zecora says trying to pull me back down.
“I’ll rest when I’m dead.” I reply while calling Lilith, the big cat coming over.
“That very well may be soon, if you keep going it may be your doom.” She rhymes back, her eyes full of worry.
“Nice rhyme by the way but I can’t leave one of those things alive, especially when it’s literally knocking on someone’s door.” Putting my hand on the cat’s back I state before looking down to Zecora. “I’ll be fine, I promise, and you have some of the best protection around. I’ll be back soon, so go inside if ya want, jus’ don’t touch nothin’.”
“Okay Hank I trust you, but don’t get anymore hurt, and when you get back we are sutchering those cuts shut!” She stomps the ground with her hoof to emphasize her point.
“Okay honey want me ta get the dry cleaning on the way back too? Jeez.” Jesting at the zebra I get onto Lilith’s back and chuckle at the blushing zebra as she tries to think of a comeback.
Turning away from the blushing zebra I tap Lilith on the side and point to the exit of the clearing, the big cat tearing through the clearing, almost throwing me off her back if not for my thigh’s grip on her barrel. So this is what it’s like to ride a horse. I start to think as we weave through path to the yellow pony's house. Only the horse is a huge cat scorpion. Yeah, Way cooler.
Reaching the ‘Y’ in the roads I un sling the rifle on my back and make sure the chamber is clear of any debris before telling Lilith to go left. Digging my fingers into Lilith’s fur she jumps of the small stream where the cottage fully comes into view, the door on the cottage being held by something as the wolf slams into it, the door slowly pushing inwards with each hit.
“What’s with these things and doors?” I mumble while raising the rifle at it’s mid back, where the spine is, and pulling the trigger.
CRACK.. BOOM. The loud report echos through the trees as the black dog’s rear legs fall to the ground no longer operable. The Shuck trying to crawl away into the trees I slide off of Lilith’s back and limp over to the wolf, unsheathing my knife as I do.
Reaching the paralyzed wolf as it tries harder to crawl away I kick it in the side of the head with my good leg, the weakness of my legs almost getting the better of me causing me to stumble after the kick.
Grunting in pain I reach down with my left hand and grab the dog’s right front leg before flipping it over, the beat growling at me as I do.
“Oh yeah growl yer so scary.” I mock, cocking my right hand back before slamming the knife into the heart of the wolf and twisting it. Pulling the knife out, I push the wolf to the ground and stand. “You can have this’n if ya want Lilith.” I point to the dead wolf before limping towards the battered door, that has closed since I first arrived.
“Hey pony it’s ‘ight now, wolf’s gone.” I knock on the door twice before pausing and pressing my ear to the door. “Y’all alright in there?” Not hearing anything from the other side of the door I press on it, surprised as It falls off the hinges and onto the floor with a loud bang.
Looking up from the door I see the yellow pony peaking out from behind a bear and lots of other non amused animals, the bear and lots of other animals that did not look very happy with my presence, at all. “I’ll that as a sign ta leave.” I gesture with a thumbs up and walk away backwards before turning around to walk back to Lilith.
Almost to the big cat my left leg finally gives out and sends me to the ground on my knees. “Oh god that hurts.” I exclaim trying to get back up, my legs ultimately failing me.
Struggling to get up I finally accept defeat and sit down on the back of my calfs. Looking down to my left leg I see that blood is starting to seep out from the soaked bandages. Rolling over so I’m sitting on my ass, my legs out in front of me, I put pressure on on the wound, hissing as I do. “MmmmmHHmmmmm, oh yeahhhh. Lactic Acid and a leg covered in thorn scratches and four deep lacerations, great combo.” I sarcastically talk to myself as I watch the yellow pony slowly approach me.
“You’re hurt.” I hear the faint voice of the pony in front of me before Lilith growls at the pony, making her take a step back with a whimper.
“I'm aware and Lilith stop scarin’ the little ponies, I mean look at her.” I point to the yellow pony cowering with her stomach on the ground. “She ain’t gonna do nothin’.” The pony looks to me and stands back up, still keeping an eye on the cat behind me.
“You need to get to a hospital Mr…”
“Hank. Jus’ Hank no need fer Mr.”
“Hank you need to get to a hospital, you’ve lost a lot of b-blood and you’re obviously fatigued.” She says, her face going green at the sight of my bleeding leg.
Yeah um no. I ain’t going to a hospital. “I appreciate yer concern Mam but there ain’t a chance in hell that I’ll ever go ta
a hospital.” I look into the pony's eyes, before she looks away from mine. “I’m jus’ gonna go home and get this sorted out.” I state as I push myself back up, my right leg wobbling a bit when I stand.
“Then let me help you. I don’t want you getting anymore hurt.” The small pony more firmly states following after me.
"That won’t be necessary, I don’t want ta be a burden.” I turn and smile to the pony, only making her back away. I am I really that ugly? “Anyways Mam, have yerself a pleasant afternoon, and don’t go out after dark…. Lilith some help please.” I call the big cat closer and climb onto her back with some difficulty.
“Please go to the hospital.” The yellow pony pleads, her eyes full of worry as she takes a step towards us.
“Look alright, ya don’t even know me and I don’t know why yer pretendin’ ta care bout me but stop, I’ve got enough shit on my plate ta deal with an’ I don’t someone tryin’ ta get on my good side only ta stab me in the back later.” I take a deep breath and look down to the ground before bringing my gaze back to the pony. “Now have a good day Mam.”
Sighing and shaking my head I take another deep breath. “Let’s go get that other one Lilith, jus’ down the road aways.” I pat her on her back a few times and we start our way down the road where I shot one of the Shucks.
Lilith’s slow walk down the road had given me time to think about what I had said to the yellow pony and my situation with Zecora. Maybe that pony was just trying to help me, they ain’t really humans so maybe they are more trustworthy. I contemplate the similarities and differences between pony and human while I tighten down the makeshift bandage on my leg that I made out of my left BDU shirt sleeve. The open sleeve showing more skin and scars than I would prefer.
“I mean Granny only took one day to ask me ta work fer her, all the ponies I have had met so far are reasonably nice, even a princess. No I can’t.. I won’t think like that. If I let my guard down I’ll be fucked so hard my head will spin." I nod to myself before my mind switches to Zecora.
But what am I going to do with her? I can’t just send her back into the woods right after that happened… I mean I could but I shouldn’t, should I? Thinking over my choices I sigh. No I can’t do that I’ve already connected with her now I have to keep her safe, but I don't trust her just yet either. My thoughts sorted I notice that Lilith has stopped and is staring at Granny as Granny looks back to us, her mouth hanging open.
Rubbing Lilith she takes resumes the advance on the wold in the middle of road until we reach it. Slowly dismounting the Lion with a hiss I turn to Granny and smile “You’ll catch flies like that ya know.” Chuckling I rub my leg.
“Jus’ what are you?” In a baffled tone she asks.
“I’ve been called many things, ain’t many of those things too nice.” I dryly chuckle as I limp over to the wolf and pick it up, my leg reminding me of it’s current state.
“N-No Ah mean my mother and grandma and my great grandma all told me tales of the Black Shucks and the damage they caused to villages, the ponies they killed, towns they torn ta dust and most a all how many ponies and how long it took to take one down.” She shakes her head before looking to me “And yer able ta kill one with yer bare hands and a knife. Plus ya seemed to of tamed a manticore. What are you?”
“I ain’t nothin’ special, jus’ a product of an environment that constantly tried to kill me.” I explain as I set the dead wolf on Lilith’s back before re mounting her.
“ But how are ya riding a Manticore? It should of killed ya by now.” She asks just as baffled as earlier.
“Lilith here? Noooo Lilith wouldn’t try nothin’. Hell she’s had every opportunity ta kill me an’ she hasn’t yet, She could easily if she wanted but she’s a softie.” I pet her on the back. “Frankly I’m surprised you ain’t run or backed up yet, the yellow one down the road was real scared of her and she has a house full of animals, even a damn bear.” Finishing my sentence Lilith starts to purr, her entire body vibrating.
“I’ve lived and experienced enough, not like I could run even if ah wanted anyway.” Granny shrugs a far off look in her eyes. “Why were ya at Fluttershy’s though? Somethin’ wrong?”
Nodding I point to the wolf on Lilith’s back “This son of a bitch broke off when I was gettin’ chased by the four of em’ and when to Fluttershy’s house. Fluttershy right?” Granny nods.
“Alright well, as I was sayin’ This’n broke off and went after her. When I got back there the door was almost off its hinges, it is now, not surprising with how hard it was rammin’ into it. Quickly killing him I had Lilith here pick him up and come down the road to get this guy I killed earlier so I could skin him. You were here though so here we are.” Explaining the events Granny’s just shook her head and sighed.
“I should probably send AJ ta go look on her when she gets back. That filly is kind hearted to a fault and she never has done well with scary events or experiences.
Upon hearing what Granny had to say about Fluttershy I felt kind of bad. Fuck she probably was just trying to help me then… Oh well not really anything I can do now. Sighing I look to Granny as she looks up to me. “Did ya say somethin’?”
“Yeah. What are ya doing now?” She repeats, a impatient tone in her voice.
“Sorry bout that, I was off in space.” Granny smiles nods understandingly. “I’m jus’ gonna go home an’ get myself patched up I guess. One of those bastards licked my leg good.” I laugh as I hold up my left leg, blood still seeping out from the bandage.
“The Maker be merciful. Hank ya need ta get help with that. Now! Injuries that bleed like that are extremely life threatening.” She says as she looks at me with concern.
“As I said to that Fluttershy pony, I’m good. I’ve had worse before believe me.” Tapping Lilith on the back to get her attention I point a thumb over my shoulder to signal home before looking back to Granny and pointing to her “And try not to be out after dark, these things may be active in the day, but at night you won’t get no warnin’ ta went they’re comin’. This means keepin’ everyone inside the house after dark, and not going out.”
Patting Lilith on the back she stops and I look Granny right in the eyes. “I know yer a lot older than me and have a hole hell of a lot more experience than me in most things, and I wouldn't be doin’ this under any other circumstance, but take it from a man who is used ta fighting for his life day in and day out.” I take a deep breath in and slowly exhale. “Don’t go outside after dark, get out of the trees by evenin’ and don’t go into the forest if ya at all can avoid it, but if you have to use the buddy system. There’s safety in numbers. Please do that alright?”
Granny looking a little bit shocked she nods and clears her throat. “Yer right I usually don’t take advice from ponies younger than me but in this case I’ll make an exception if ya think it’s really that bad Hank.”
“From what you told me you already know how bad these canines are from the stories passed down through the generations to ya, jus’ remember to tell these stories to your family, no matter how scary. Believe me fear is a damn good teacher.” I nod and tip my helmet to the elderly pony “Stay safe Granny.” I tap Lilith and we begin our walk down the road in the afternoon sun.
“You too Hank, You too.” I hear faintly hear Granny reply as me and Lilith continue down the dirt road.
Nearing the ‘Y’ in the road I see the Yellow pony from before with a mouthful of nails balancing on her rear legs to put the door back up. Intrigued at how she’s holding the hammer with her hoofs I tap Lilith on the back and point to the pony, Lilith getting what I meant she walks toward the house, stopping just before the bridge, and watches as the pony lines a strike up with the hammer.
Completely entranced at the handless operation of the hammer I watch as she swings the hammer forward, the tool rotating halfway through the swing and instead of hitting the nail, striking her hoof ‘holding the nail in place'.
The meaty thump making both me and Lilith flinch, the pony drops the hammer and nails as she falls back onto her rear haunches and starts to cry. The animals Immediately rushing to her they try to comfort the pony, it not being very effective.
Looking down to Lilith I roll my eyes and wave a hand toward the cottage. Approaching the cottage I pet Lilith and tell her to stop before swinging my right leg over her back and sliding off, making sure my right leg touches down first.
Limping over to the mare and the door the animals look to me before going back to work trying to comfort the pony who was still holding her hoof, tears rolling down her face. “I’m guessin’ carpenter ain’t on yer portfolio.” I speak, the mare looking to me with scared tear filled eyes.
Ooo my heart, my cold dead heart. The mare still staring at me, the animals trying to be intimidating, the bear being the only one really pulling it off. “Hey I ain’t doin’ nothin’, I jus’ saw ya hurt yerself so I thought I’d show ya how ta drive a nail so it don’t happen again.” I shakily kneel down so I’m closer to eye level with the pony. “Unless ya got this yerself?”
The pegasus quickly shaking her head I grin and pick up the hammer and three nails.
The pony still sniffling and rubbing her hoof I begin the lesson. “Okay so the first thing ya did wrong was cocking yer arm wayyyy back here.” I copy what I saw the pony do. “Ya never want ta do that because it gives ya more time ta miss the nail, which is exactly what happened ta ya.” The yellow mare now paying close attention I continue.
“Also yer gonna wanna hold the hammer tight so it don’t slip okay.” The pony nods. “Good. now, what ya wanna do it hold the nail where ya wanna put it, obviously. Then ya wanna bring the hammer back jus a few inches and tap it inta place.” Tapping the nail in I look to the pony where she fastly nods. “Quick learner ain’t cha?” I chuckle and turn back around to the door and nail.
“Then ya wanna add some force, but because we’re using pre established holes they will go in a bit easier, this also varies for the kind of wood it is, how old it is, how wet, the season, and so on. Oh an also.” I turn back around to the pony, the mare looking up to me with big still wet eyes and sniffles.
Ope I just got diabeetus, my arteries, my cholesterol. Hnnnggggg.
“Anyways also since we’re usin’ these old and kinda bored out holes the door and hinges won’t stay tight fer too long an’ you’ll prolly have ta move the hinges around so ya have new material to drive inta. Good news is that when the woof huffed and puffed and kicked the shit outta yer door, he only ripped the nails out, the base board here.” I hit the board a few times for effect. “Is still completely sound, so yeah that’s good.” The pony now leaning on my back and looking over my shoulder meeps when I look to her.
“Now let’s get back to it. After gently starting the nail you can move yer hand or ehhh...hoof away and drive it the rest of the way in. Got it?” I look to the pony that has her chin resting on my shoulder. “Alrighty then you try.” I grab the pony, that gives off a squeek, and place her in front of me before putting the hammer up to her hoof, where it sticks like a magnet. Huh weird.
“So step one… issss?” I trail off waiting for the pony to respond.
"O-Oh! S-step one is to put the nail where you W-want it.” She stutters out uncertain.
“Good job. Make sure you are?” I trail off again before the pony jolts remembering what to do.
“Holding the hammer tightly… so it doesn’t go sideways in my hoof.”
“Great. Now ya don’t want ta murder the nail ya jus’ wanna….”
“Tap it a few times to get is started before pulling your hoof away.” She taps the nail in a bit before taking her hoof away.
“Good job yer doin’ great.” I laugh the pony blushing at the compliment. “Then ya wanna?”
“Drive it the rest of the way” She hits the nail until it’s flush with the surface of the hinge.
“Well there ya go now yer a nail drivin’ machine.” I pat the pony on the shoulder and force myself back up to my feet where I begin to limp back to lilith that ways laying just like a house cat under a shade tree.
“W-wait.” I turn around, Fluttershy walking toward me. “T-thank you.” She rears up and wraps her front legs around my waist in a tight hug.”
“Uhhh why are ya huggin’ me?” I ask, kinda put off by the sudden hug.
“W-what do you mean all ponies hug when they say thanks. Don’t you do that?” She asks looking up to me, still latched onto my waist.
“No I haven’t been hugged in over a year and a half, and I would prefer ta keep it that way.. Thanks fer the gesture though.” The pony backs up and looks up to me again, her ears pressed against her skull. “What do you mean you haven’t been hugged in over a year and a half?” She squeaks out, apparently taken aback at the idea of me not having physical, or friendly, physical interaction in over a year and some change.
“Well I’ll put it this way, if somethin’ back from where I’m from got that close ta me I’d be dead or badly injured, and believe me I’ve had worse than this mess before.” I point to my leg, the pony following my finger.
“O-oh.”
“Yeah. so I really ain’t one fer huggin’.” I turn around and begin to make my way back towards Lilih again.
“Wait.” The pegasus says again.
“Yeah?” I turn around, a tad annoyed.”
“W-well you seem knowledgeable in how to fix things so I was wondering if you could fix my door? I-If you want to of course!”
“And why would ya ask me ta do that? I’m jus’ some monster from the trees.” I cross my arms and look questioningly at the mare, the pony looking down to the ground to avoid my gaze.
“You’re not a monster! Why would you say that?”
“Oh come on you were there when I killed those wolves and that pony, you saw how they looked at me. I sigh and uncross my arms. “You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Well you seem knowledgeable in the carpentry field and builders and repair ponies are r-really expensive, I-I mean I would still pay you of course! It’s just that I was hoping you could do it cheaper.” She mumbles the last part while drawing circles in the dirt with her hoof.
“How much do builder ponies charge an hour?” I ask wondering if Granny’s complaint with the cost would match up.
“Around forty to fifty bits an hour.” She answers. Granny was right then. I Rub my head.
“And forty bit’s is a lot per hour?”
“Oh yes it’s terrible, ponies are having to do their own repairs when they don’t know how.” As Fluttershy explained the situation I just became more and more curious.
“So what would be considered a good rate? Low ball me.” I ask still thinking.
“Well a great rate almost everypony could afford would be fifteen to twenty bit’s an hour.”
“Ten to fifteen it is!” I exclaim catching Fluttershy of guard.
“W-what!? Ten to fifteen! That’s dirt cheap!” She loudly exclaims, her loud only really being an inside voice.”
“Eh I don’t need much. I’ll be by to fix yer door sometime soon.” Turning for my last time I walk to Lilith and get on her back. “Have a nice and safe afternoon Fluttery.” I smile and point to home for Lilith.
Walking back into the clearing Lilith drops me off by the in front of the cabin where I dragh the Shuck off her back and put it next to the door. “Ya can have a hay day with that’n but I want ta skin this’n.” I pat Lilith’s head a few times getting her to happily purr before she goes back over to where the other are laying in the shade. Watching the cat walk away with a small smile on my face I shake my head before opening the door and stepping inside, where a clingy zebra finds her way wrapped around my midsection in a tight hug.
“I’m so glad you’re okay Hank, I thought you died!” The zebra tightens her grip around my midsection where I just sigh and start to limp to the bathroom, dragging her behind me. “Oh right you don’t like personal contact.” She blushes and sheepishly smiles before letting go.
“Thank ya.” I mumble as I grab some peroxide and bandages. Turning around and starting to walk out of the bathroom I’m met with the zebra blocking my way. “Could ya move Zecora.” I tap her leg with my foot, the zebra jumping slightly before moving.
“Sorry Hank, I just get to looking at some of your stuff and it intrigues me, iIve never seen such strange devices.”
“Zecora that’s a refrigerator, it’s basically a fancy icebox.” I deadpan at the zebra seemingly full of childlike wonderment.
“Well how would I know that? I’ve never seen a refrigerator before.” She deadpans back at me.
“Good point.”
Walking outside I start to unwrap the sleeve and old bandages, the bandages stuck to the wounds with dry blood being painful to remove. “Ouch.”
“Hank why did you cut your sleeve off to wrap it around your leg?” Zecora asks as she pokes at the camo sleeve with her hoof.
“The bandage wasn’t enough so I had to stem the bleeding somehow and my sleeve was my last piece of long cloth.” Explaining the sleeve I hear a ‘ohhhhh’ from beside me “Makes sense.”
Uncapping the peroxide I pour it over the wound and scrub it to open it up before I pour the peroxide in the wounds, the pain making me almost fall to the ground. “Oh f-f-f-f-fuuuckkkkkk!” I bite down on my collar before pouring in again, the peroxide burning just the same if not more. “MMMMMMmmmmmmHHHHMmmmmMMMM.”
Repeating the process until the stinging went away I spit out my collar and screw the cap back on, my hands shaking so bad I had to stabilize it against my chest. Dropping the bottle I wrap a liberal amount of bandages around the wound, before taping the bandages in place. “Much better.” I shakily exhale and lean against the cabin, my entire body trembling.
“Hank are you okay?” Zecora asks from beside me her ears pressed against her head and her eyes holding a glint of sadness in them
“Y-yeah, I’m Much better now.” I push myself off the side of the cabin and slowing walk my way inside. “I’m jus’ gonna sit down and catch some rest.” I Lean down and sit on the floor with my back leaning against the couch. “And Zecora.” I add, my eyes closed. “I don’t like ta sleep with people around, so if you kill me when I sleep I swear ta the dark and powerful octopus demon Cthulhu I will haunt yer ass until the day you die, and then after ya die.” I threaten, Zeora looking taken aback at the idea.
“Why in the Maker would I kill you when you sleep? We’re friends Hank.” Zecora says nonchalantly.
What the fuck? Friends? I’ve known her for a day. “Well…. Okay I guess. It's jus' paranoia.” I mumble confused looking to the floor before my eyes grow heavy and I slip into the unwanted embrace of sleep.
<><><> 3rd person, Granny Smith, dinner with the family<><><>
“Thanks fer the great pie granny!” Applebloom excitedly jumps in her seat at the table, the piece of pie in front of her clearly making the already excitable filly even more hyper.
“Eeyup.” Mac agrees, eyeing his own pie.
“Well yer welcome everypony, I know we’re eatin’ dinner late again but with how many things have been happenin’ as of late I’m sure y’all understand.” Granny sit’s down in her own chair at the head of the table. Everypony nodding their heads in understanding, their mouths already full of pie.
“Well now that everypony's in a position ta listen, listen up.” Everypony listening to Granny with baited attention they wait for Granny to make her announcement.
“Alright now this ain’t ta big of deal cuz’ we’re usually out of the fields by sundown anyway but now under no circumstance are ya ta be out in the tree’s at or after sundown, neither are ya to be out after dark at all. This goes for everypony no matter where ya are.” The ponies around the table were extremely confused and slightly afraid at the dark tones the Granny was saying.
“If yer at a friends house stay there fer the night and come back in the mornin’, also ya ain’t EVER ta go inta the Everfree, but if ya have ta, go with a friend or a few, and don’t go unhoofed neither, take an axe or a shovel.” Granny was giving off an air of seriousness the other ponies had never seen before, even Big Mac who was starting to worry about what Granny was saying.
“Whatta talkin’ about Granny, what’s wrong?” AJ finally asked the other two ponies nodding, curious as well.
“When y’all we’re still in town I hear a series of pops and bangs coming from down the road, when I got there I was a dead Shuck laying in the road, a hole in it’s head. Thinking that my eyes were playin’ tricks on me I stayed around and inspected it untill a while later Hank come down the road, ridin’ a Manticore no less, and picked up the dead Black Shuck.” As Granny explained her story the three around the table believed less and less.
“Ah can’t believe that Granny I jus’ can’t. That Hank pony yer talkin’ about already makes me uneasy but to believe that he was ridin’ a Manticore that’s too much.” Applejack shakes her head and looks back down to the table.
“I ain’t lyin’ AJ, and I suggest ya take this seriously cuz’ this is a matter of life an’ death.” Granny explains grimly before going back to the story.
“As I was sayin’ everythin’ I told you earlier is true and goes from here on out: Don’t be out at night, get out of the orchard by sundown, and don’t go inta the Everfree.
“Now Ah’m not gonna go against your rule Granny But who gave ya these ideas?” The deep baritone voice of Big Mac asks, the red pony looking uncomfortable.
“Hank did. He told me everythin’ I jus’ told y’all.”
“And why’d ya believe his advice Granny?” Applebloom finally speaks up, curious to why Granny took advice from somepony else.
“Jus’ how he said it, he said and I quote “Take it from a man that’s used ta fightin’ fer his life day in and day out.” Frankly I’m inclined to believe him on how he dresses, in all that camouflage and weapons.
“Yeah but he could jus’ be wearin’ that stuff an’ lyin’ ta us, how would we know.” AJ argues, still not convinced.
“The scars.”
“The what?”
“The scars AJ, The scars. I didn’t ask him then and there cuz’ it’d be impolite, But other than the blood soaked bandages on his left thigh an’ torn off left sleeve and pant leg. His left arm and left leg were covered in scars. Burn scars, cut scars, puncture scars, and even red discoloration of his skin in streaks. Not ta mention the Dent’s and divtits. These covered at least eighty percent of the skin on his left leg and arm. I’m pretty sure I even saw scars from bites on his arm.” Granny pauses and looks everypony in the eye. “That’s why I really believe him, he shows every sign of that.”
Everypony had their mouths hanging open now, AppleBloom of what could do that to such a big and strong pony, AppleJack felt a tad guilty for not believing in Granny, but she was really thinking about Hank and what and who he is, and Big Mac didn't know how to feel about Hank. “W-what would do that t-to him?” Applebloom fearfully asks.
“I don’t know AB, I don’t know, and I don't suggest askin' him. Granny Smith takes a deep breath.
"I think it’s time y’all heard of these Black Shucks that jus’ popped back up after a thousand years of extinction. I know y’all have heard bits and pieces from family at the reunions.” Big Mac And Applebloom nod while Aj just stares off at the table.
“Well a thousand and some more years ago ponies were not at the top of the food chain. Many predators preyed on us but none worse than the Black Shucks, There are ancient reports of entire towns being wiped out from these beasts. It was even more dangerous to live outside of town, where most ponies would go into the woods never to be seen or heard from again.” Everypony around the table listening Granny she looks up at the ceiling and continues, deep in thought.
“After a while the princesses thought the Beasts were too much of a threat and ordered for every single one to be hunted down and killed, This was a costly effort. Your several times great grandma AppleSeed passed down the stories of that usually out of the four ponies in the team that were sent out to kill jus’ one of these creatures. Only at best three would come back, and at worst none.” Taking a moment to remember how the story went Granny starts again.
“It took a team of four ponies to take one down, just one, that’s how dangerous this is everypony, four ponies trained in jus’ that one job could barely take down one. Now the history of the apples and these beats is quite interesting----
<><><> 1st person, Hank, Five hours later in the clearing<><><>
Slowly opening my eyes I see the setting sun through the kitchen window and sigh. Well I ain’t dead so Zecora didn’t kill me, but where is she? Looking for the zebra around the cabin I don’t see her. Maybe she’s outside then. Trying to move my arm I feel a weight and a warmth on top of my right arm and right thigh. There she is. I see the sleeping zebra in a ball with her head snuggled deeply where my leg meets my torso. Ponies really are trusting creatures aren’t they?
Looking down to the sleeping zebra I run my hand down the back of her neck causing Zecora to start vibrating and giving off a faint but audible purr. Wait, What? I lower my head down closer to the zebra and pet her again, sure enough the zebra was purring. Huh, weird, but kinda cute really. Still petting the zebra I slowly pull my arm free from her grasp and over my head and behind me for a pillow on the couch.
Grabbing the square pillow I prop the zebra’s head up before scooching to the side and placing it under her. Zecora not happy with the new change of head rests rustles around before grabbing onto the pillow and hugging it, a small smile on her face. “That was adorable.” I whisper as I use the armrest of the couch to stand up, my legs hurting less than earlier especially my left leg.
Looking down gone were the messily put on bandages from earlier and in their place was a neat wrapping of bandages held with a pin instead of athletic tape. Did Zecora change my bandages when I was sleeping? I undo the pin and start to unwrap the bandages.
The last layer falling away I was surprised at the lack of four deep gashes. She stitched me up to? Poking the gashes I expect to be met with pain but find none, pulling my finger back I see some of the white powder come off the wound. What’s in that stuff?... It's probably cocaine, yep it's definitely cocaine. I snort and start to re wrap the bandage.I’m actually kinda put off by how she did that without waking me but fuck that feeling I can’t even do stitches that well and I had medic training. A quiet chuckle escapes through my lips. before attaching the clip
Walking to the washed clothes pile and unclipping the suspenders and belt I slip them off and gently set them on the floor before struggling to get the chest holster off. Moving to the plate carrier I pull it up and over my head like a really stiff shirt, the room immediately getting ten degrees cooler. “Ooooohhh yeah, much better.” I sigh in relief before unbuttoning my pants and taking them off, my boot’s catching them every so often.
Looking around in the pile I find a pair of blue jeans and inspect them.
“I thought you were male.” I hear Zecora suddenly say behind me.
“Oh fuck, Jesus! You can’t jus’ scare a guy like that.” I whip around using the blue jeans to cover myself.
“I thought you were a male.”
“What? I am male Zecora, what has ya sayin’ that?” Please don’t say what I think your gonna say.
“You have really, and I mean really big hips for a male."
“Yeah I know.” I sigh “I got a big ass and whatever. Believe me I’ve been told plenty times before.” I admit looking to Zecora who was just looking at me curiously.
“Why?”
“That I do not know, but I know that I actually have wider and larger hips than most other guys. I mean guys can have wider hips and all that shit, it comes with variations in body type and all that. I would say it's genetics I guess," I say with a shrug, "My family in general is very broad and stocky... well just large in general and that mixed with how much I focused on legs when working out or doing anything really before I worked out had to of contributed somehow."
“BUT! I assure ya I am definitely male… If ya know what I’m sayin.” I laugh, wiggling my eyebrows, it being Zecora’s turn to blush. Looking to Zecora again I wiggle my eyebrows as we both stare at each other, a few seconds passing before we are both dying laughing.
Bent over at the waist I dropped the blue jeans to hold my aching sides as I laughed, looking to Zecora I saw her rolling around on the floor holding her sides as well. Or laughter continuing for another minute or so it finally starts to die down, both of us still chuckling or snorting every so often “Oh t-thank you Hank, I-I needed that.” Zecora says through light laughter.
“No I should be thankin’ you. I needed that too, but I’m really thankin’ ya fer stitchin’ my leg up, Great work too, I’ve only seen suture work on that level once before.”
“W-well it’s no problem, it was still bleeding when you went to sleep so I was okay with possibly having you mad at me so I could help you.” She smiles.
“Zecora I’m glad ya did what ya did and I ain’t mad, but from now on if ya find me asleep, don’t wake me, the last person ta do that had his nose broken.” I warn the zebra as she nods.
“How’d his nose break?” Cocking her head to the side she asks
“I did it. My first reflex out a sleep, if I don’t come out of it naturally, is ta throw a punch or hurt whatever is near me.”
“Oh, why do you do that? Are you afraid?” Still curious she looks to me, worry in her large eyes.
“Zecora when I say I’ve been fighting fer my life fer a year and a half I mean it. That kind of thing tends ta make people… well uh….jumpy.” I nervously chuckle, my mind going back through events that happened when I was back on Earth. “Let’s uh change the subject shall we?”
“Yes let’s.” She agrees nodding her head. “I still have some questions about your um… lower regions.”
“Ya mean my ass?” I Straightforwardly correct.
Blushing she looks back down “Y-yes I just wasn’t going to be so… blunt about it.”
“If there’s one thing I don’t like doin’, it’s beatin’ around the bush. I’m a straightforward man, and I like it when others are the same, but what are yer questions? Nothin’ to private or I won’t answer em.” I put my hands on my hips and wait.
“Well first off, what are those undergarments you’re wearing? They seem tight.
Not bad. “Well the first part ya already answered, they’re just that, undergarments ta hide and add some protection for a sensitive part of my anatomy. The tightness is not purposeful though, I’ve grown quite a bit in the last year and a half an’ in that time frame I ain’t been too focused on clothes.” I answer, Zecora nodding along.
“So I’m guessing you don’t have a seath for your uh..”
“Dick?” I cut off.
“Y-yep.”
“No I do not, everythins’ jus’ kinda out there” I reply nonchalantly.
“So that bulge is your…” She gulps “Penis?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why yer so skittish bout’ this, I mean y’all don’t even wear clothes, and we're both adults.”
“A-are you erect?” She suddenly asks, cutting me off.
“What? No, why would I be?” I clap my hands to snap Zecora out of her staring.
“Oh.. Oh Sorry, well we’ve established that you have large... bone and muscle structure and you’re definitely male. He he.” She nervously laughs and blushes. “I just have to ask how big humans are.”
Looking at her deadpan I pinch my nose, "Are you asking how big my dick is?"
"NO! no no no," Waving her hooves in front of her she backpedals, "Just in general."
"Tell me how big zebras are then."
"What?" She chcukles nervously.
"How big are zebras and ponys? What are you guys packin'?" I repeat myself
Sputtering the red faced zebra finally composes herself “W-w-well the average penile length for a pony and zebra are around six and a half to seven and a half centihoofs in length. If memory serves right.” She answers a look of deep thought on her face.
“ That makes me feel less inadequate than, as long as a ‘centihoof is around the same length as an inch.” A scratch my neck before Zecora continues.
“Well then how long is the average penile length of a ‘hooman’? I think you called yourself, sorry if I’m wrong.”
“Yeah close but it’s pronounced ‘human’, and the average depends on region but fer around where I was I think six inches er so is the norm.” I nod. “Yep that’d be right.”
“A-anyway. B-back to your hips.”
"Oh god, whatttttt?" I groan.
"So... not all males are shaped like you?" Zecora asks nervously.
"No. Fuck no. I'm fuckin' weird down there, am I the only one like this? No. I have a big ass, I blame the fact that squats are my best lift. It just so happens that woman's jeans fit me better in my size than men's, but I'm not too weird so stop making me feel like I am. Not my fault Wrangler thinks men are shaped like fuckin' rectangles." Getting a little defensive I glare down at the zebra.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just you have a really big flank, and it's shapely, I mean no offence! It's probably just a difference in human to pony anatomy that is throwing me off. I mean you only have two legs so that area has to be really strong!"
Staring at the zebra I sigh and bend over to pick up the women's blue jeans. “I know ya mean what ya said in a good way Zecora, but bein’ a guy an’ having a girl tell ya that don’t really feel too much like a compliment.” I look at the jeans before frowning and slipping one leg on.
“I really do mean it as a compliment though Hank, you look good.” She tries to reassure me, the attempt only making me angrier.
“Oh yeah whatever, even befrore I was all mangled up I was made fun of for it. All I want is ta be is seen is as a regular guy, but that dream’s broken now cuz’ I doubt after seenin’ all my loved ones die, and having to kill some of em’ hardly makes me regular.” I look over to the shocked zebra as I struggle to get the pants over my thighs.
“But hell I’ve never been ‘jus’ a regular guy’. Fer my entire schoolin’ I was called thunder thighs, big bottomed bitch, among many other named I’d rather not say.” I grab both edges of the button and loop, pushing as hard as I could to get them to button.
“And that really wasn’t even that bad. Because every fuckin’ day. Every goddamn motherfuckin’ day in the locker room I would get whipped with shirts or towels, told I don’t belong in the boys’ locker room.” I throw my hands in the air in frustration. “Oh no, ya don’t belong in the boys’ locker room Hank go ta the girls’ locker room, ya gay backwoods hick.” I finally get the button snapped on the jeans.
“And then when I finally had enough I’m the bad guy for breakin’ the asshole’s arm and leg that had been messin’ with me fer three years. Least I got the last laugh.” I grab the belt and suspenders, taking the canteen off before sitting down in the old chair.
“I mean fuck, I barely fit in this goddamn chair.” I take a drink of water and lean back in the chair looking up at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry I said that Hank, I didn’t know you’ve had such a bad time with your figure.” I hear Zecora say in a near mumble. “Please don’t be mad with me.”
“Oh god, Zecora I ain’t mad at cha’, I know ya meant well. What ya said jus’ brought back some bad memories, why do ya think my BDU camo pants are so baggy? They hide my figure, I mean the tools on my belt still angle out because of my thighs and such but it's less noticeable. ” I sigh still looking up to the ceiling, feeling guilty for what I just did.
“It’s okay, I really didn’t mean to madden you though.”
“I know ya didn’t mean ta, and I’m not mad at ya, I’m mad at the ones who made fun of me.” I exhale a heavy breath. “That’s long behind me though so I should jus’ let it go.” Waving my hand in the air I pick my head up and look to Zecora “I really jus’ hate it when people make fun of me.”
“I don’t think anyone likes to be made fun of, and I think you’ll have no problem not getting made fun of from ponies.” She smiles and nods. “ I really really doubt you will be made fun of by ponies, or zebra.”
Curious I hum. “An’ why’s that?”
“Well while you may have a big, strong, attractive…”
“What?”
“What!? I didn’t say anything.” Zecora backpedals while I look to her questioningly.
“A-anyways, while you may have big hips, but you have a lot of muscle, I mean look at your arm. You can see every line where the muscles are, and main veins in your arm.” She points a hoof to my unclothed arm. “I’ve never seen such a musculoskeletal structured frame on anyone! It’s fascinating really.” She gets up from the couch and walks over to me before inspecting my arm closer before pointing to my thighs.
"Plus while they are very wide yes, Even when you were just standing I could see the huge muscles in your legs and...rear."
“Even these..” she gulps. “Scars… terrible scars… you have make you look… honestly really intimidating, and you have a lot of them, big ones, even on your legs.”
“That’s kind of a sensitive subject Zecora.” I interrupt starting to get self conscious about the scars.
“I-I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable Hank, but these scars just go to show what you’ve been through, and as I can see, you’ve been through a lot. Ponies though, nothing against them, are quite sheltered, they aren’t survivors or fighters like you, or at least not most of them. They would see these scars and probably be afraid, I doubt a scared pony would make fun of you. I mean you are also almost double our size when standing.”
Just humming and rubbing my arm Zecora continues.
“You aren’t small or weak Hank, you’re big, strong, and fast. And it’s never very smart to make fun of someone a lot bigger than you. “ Speaking of fast, another thing that has me wondering,”
“Yeah?”
“You ran Three Kilo Hoofs at full speed without stopping how?”
“Well if a Kilo Hoof is how you measure large distances like a mile, it really wasn’t that far, probably two and a quarter miles from here to your house on the path we took.” I think back to the run. “Ya are right about the sprinting part though, but humans are built for endurance so it ain’t too far fetched.”
“Well how far can humans run without stopping then?”
“A well trained, fit human can run up to forty miles minus small breaks for using the bathroom or eating and drinking.” I answer thinking back to anatomy class. “Yep forty or more.” I look over to Zecora who has her jaw to the floor and her eyes wide open.
“You’re lying.” She accuses, staring at me.
“No I ain’t humans regularly run over twenty miles in events called marathons.”
“Noooo wayyyy.” She trails off. “How far can you run?”
“Well if there’s one good thing about these things,” I pat my thighs. “They can run, I’ve ran twenty miles before.”
“That’s increadible. You can run way farther than any equine species.” She looks to me in amazement. “How fast were you running?”
“Prolly around six miles an hour for a steady pace.”
“Wooowwwwwwww,” she drags out “Zebra and pony both can only run for five kilo hoofs without stopping, at seven kilo hoofs an hour.”
“Damn, wait a sec though.” I think about how prey species escape their predators. “At what speed can ya run for one... uh kilo hoof?”
“Oh well that’s around thirty kilo hoofs an hour.” She thinks about it for a second before answering.
“There ya go then.” I point to Zecora. “Now it all makes sense.”
Zecora scratches her head with her hoof and shrugs “What makes sense? I don’t understand.”
“The fact that y’all are prey animals makes sense.” I get up from the chair with a grunt and walk over to the fridge.
“We aren’t prey animals.” The sound of offence in Zecora’s voice she walks over to me.
“Yeah ya are jus’ look and listen ta what I have ta say.” I set the bottle of whiskey on the table and kneel down to Zecora.
“Open yer mouth.”
“What!?” Zecora backs up startled.
“Jus’ open yer mouth I ain’t gonna do nothin’.”
“O-okay, I trust you.” She steps forward and opens her mouth.
Looking at her teeth I see a lot of flat teeth made for crushing but no sharp or thin ones for cutting “Okay well as I can see yer a herbivore, ya only eat plants, right?”
“Right, how’d you know?”
“Because yer teeth are flat and meant for crushing and grinding plants. Mine however,” I open my mouth and point to my K9s and incisors. “are meant fer cutting and ripping meat in the front and crushing plants in the back because I’m an omnivore, I eat meat and plants.”
“You eat meat!?” Zecora quickly backs up until she hits the side of the couch and stops before pressing herself into the floor. “Are you going to eat me! Help me escape the other predators so you can eat me instead?”
The accusation catching me off guard I stare at her for a second until what she said sinks in, making me mad. “Are ya fuckin’ joking me right now Zecora or are ya jus’ fuckin’ stupid? If I wanted to eat you I why wouldn’t I of done it when I first met ya? Huh? I could of blown ya away when ya were standing there in yer door, but instead I came inside, we had a good chat, ya decided ta help me and ya told me ta come back in three days time.” I open the fridge and set the unused bottle back in. “Then I come back and see your house gettin’ attacked by two big ass wolves and get badly injured in the process before running, with you on my shoulder, for two miles.” The Zebra gets up to from the floor and tries to say something.
“Nope, let me continue.” The Zebra looks to the floor and her ears press against her head. “That is already a hell of a lot of energy fer a fuckin’ meal, but what really gets me is that after inviting you into my home, the first person I’ve had in my home for over twenty four months, ya accuse me of tryin’ ta eat ya?” Zecora tries to say something before I continue.
“Now I may not be a man of great or many morals, and believe me I’ve done things I wish I didn’t have ta do ta survive but why in the fuck would I eat the first person I’ve really gotten ta know since everyone I knew an’ loved died? You think ten thousand calories is worth a friendship ta me?” I lean against the counter before turning around sliding down to the floor where I stare off into space, extremly painful memories resurfacing that I thought I had gotten over. “It ain’t.”
Sitting, with my legs out in front of me I hear sobbing coming from the zebra. Looking to her I see tears running down her face before falling to the floor. Zecora taking a shaky breath in she looks up and her tearstained eyes meet mine. “I-I-I’m s-s-sorry.” She looks back down to the floor, a new wave of tears hitting her. “I-I didn’t mean to accuse you, I-I was just so s-s-scared.”
“What in the world were ya scared fer?” The question catches the zebra off guard, Zecora slowly looking up to me “W-what?” She asks through sobs.
Putting my right leg under my left I stop look to zecora as she wipes her eyes. “Why we’re ya so scared?”
“B-Because when I-I left Zebrica there w-was a large group of griffons going around and attacking villages.” She explains as she regains some control. “A-apparently they w-were also eating zebras alive f-f-for sacrifice. They.. um.. attacked a nearby village and killed m-my best friend.” She breaks down crying again before stopping. “And I just accused someone who saved my life and has been my friend of trying t-to eat me.” She falls to the floor and starts to openly sob.
Staring at Zecora in shock of what she just told me I start to feel guilty myself. Why the fuck am I like this? I question rubbing my hand down my face.
I can’t stand to see her like this. I think as I scoot my way next to Zecora. Reaching a hand down I hesitate before patting her on the back.
My efforts going unnoticed by the grief stricken zebra I slide one hand under her and the other around her lower back before picking her up and pulling her into my chest.
Zecora pressing her head under my chin and into my shoulder, she snuggles as deep into me as she can before I wrap one arm around her and use the other to stroke behind her ear and down her neck.
Pulling Zecora tighter into my hug I fight off the feeling of uncomfort as I continue to run my fingers through her hair.
Zecora's crying stopping she now just gently breathed into my tear wetted shoulder.
Still using my left hand to pet behind her ears and comb through her hair I feel Zecora start to pull her head from its place in my shoulder. Pulling my hand away I let her pull her head away. Sniffling one more time she looks up into my eyes and faintly smiles.
Using my left hand, my right still wrapped around her, I use my thumb to wipe the tears out from under her eyes before smiling back. “It’s gonna be okay Zecora.” I comfort her as I resume scratching behind her ears. “I’m sorry fer what I said, if I woulda known I never would've said anythin’, I should of jus' calmly explained ta ya that I wasn't goin' ta eat cha. I had no reason ta insult ya.” I apologize as Zecora looks into my eyes.
“I’m sorry too, I don’t know what came over me.” She sniffles and rubs her cheek against mine, like cats would do.
“Fear got a hold of ya Zecora, never underestimate that emotion it can make people do and say things they would never do or would never say.” I look up to the darkening interior of cabin. “I understand completely.” A small smile on my face I run my fingers over her ear and through her hair.
“Why are you so understanding?” She sighs laying her head on my chest and closing her eyes.
“Because I’ve been in yer shoes.” I wrap my other arm around her.
“You’re a great friend Hank.” She exhales deeply before relaxing.
I wish I could believe you. Not letting my thoughts run too wild I grip her tighter and stand my legs popping in protest.
“Hank, what are we doing?” Zecora asks, not opening her eyes.
“I’m goin’ ta bed, now I don’t know bout’ you but I’m tired.” I look between the loft and the couch “Do ya want the loft or the couch?”
Picking her head back up she looks to the loft and couch before looking back up to me. “C-can I sleep with you?” she looks away from me and down to the floor.
“Why though?” I ask perplexed at the proposal.
“I-I feel safe near you and in your arms.” Her blush brightens and she hides her eyes. But you just thought I was going to eat you… I don’t… I.. I don’t understand these ponies, or zebra’s, and I don’t think I ever will. Oh here I go again talking to myself, egh whatever.
Not liking the idea but not wanting to say no I sigh. “Yeah sure I guess if ya want ta. Jus’ so ya know though I get a bit grabby in my sleep.” I warn the Zecora and look down, a smile on her face. “And remember don’t wake me up.”
“I won't.” Is the only reply I get from the zebra, her voice week from crying.
Adjusting my grip I place one hand on Zecora’s stomach before pushing her upwards and into the loft.
“W-Woah, What--- you’re lifting me with just one arm?” She looks down from her elevated place in the air with surprise.
“Uh yeah, ya ain’t heavy Zecora.” I set her in the loft before pulling myself up.
“So this is where you sleep?”
“Nooooooo. This is where I wash dishes.” I give Zecora the ‘ are you serious’ before chuckling, “Let’s jus’ get ta bed.”
“Eager to get get in bed with me I see.” She tries to tease me in a seductive voice.
“From how much you’ve been blushin’ I’d say it’s the other way round,” I snip back Zecora’s face going from ‘Seductive bedroom eyes’ to ‘ultra blushmode’.
“I betcha wouldn’t mind me eatin’ ya, if ya know what I mean.” I wiggle my eyebrows. Zecora giving out a small squeak that definitely wasn’t fear.
“Enough jokin’ though, I’m tired.” I take off my missing sleeve BDU top and throw it down below, leaving me in just my torn and worn white t shirt and overly wore in womens jeans.
Leaning back I sigh. “Night Zecora.”
“Goodnight Hank.”
<><><> Later in the Night <><><>
Still awake, not able to go to sleep the sounds of gentle breathing being the only thing I hear a rustle catches my attention before I feel a gentle weight on the crook of my neck and chest, something moving across my chest before stopping around halfway.
Opening my eyes I’m not surprised to see Zecora snuggled up to me. Smirking and rolling my eyes I snake my left arm under her before wrapping it around her, a content sigh escaping her lips causing me to smile.
Maybe I could start to get used to physical contact because this…. Ain’t too bad.
(Bingo bongo I don't wanna leave the congo also I have now edited this, see one of few blog things on the subject { https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/901632/took-a-long-time-to-find-how-to-write-one-of-these-cause-im-stupid }. I have made Hank's ass less of a focus(not by much) but made it far less fetishy it was before, I'm doing all the chapters like this and fixing what I've fucked up in the past. So if you are new and clueless about it... good but just one look in the comments will catch you up. Embarrassing on my part but I was a retard when this came out so what do ya do. Also if you are reading forward and I haven't gotten to a spot where the old writing is, don't worry, I'm working through and it will all become more uniform. If you do see such spot maybe Pm me and yell at me: "hey dipshit, you missed a spot....(Include spot here)" will work nicely.