6 - Presenting
She was everywhere. Eclipsing the human stars of the moment, Applejack appeared on television broadcasts, they talked about her on the radio, and rare were the Youtube channels not gabbing about her. Companies swift to leap on the bubble were offering limited time merchandise that had her, or similarities to her, available to hawk their wares.
Social media was not immune, with people posting their love, or hate, for Applejack with equal fervor. Some extremes launching offers to marry and/or murder the alien creature if ever the opportunity were to arise. The latter made the news, but not the former.
The alien was being shown in public, and to a handful of people. The majority were politicians, who wanted to be able to brag they were the first to welcome the alien to the country. She was considered such a prized asset that those that voiced credible threats towards her were not treated kindly. They didn't bring it up to Applejack, simply taking action while keeping her insulated from such things.
Allies of America pressed their favors to get their own representatives a chance to say hello to the alien, but America decided to give them all what they wanted. They would place Applejack before the United Nations. Was she not a representative of a whole-human consideration?
They coached her as best they could. Fortunately, Applejack didn't seem to be a stranger to the idea of speaking in front of an audience. "Shoot." She made a soft ticking that they'd learned was a chuckle. "Ah figured we'd be talkin' to the whole world of ya! A big room? Pretty sure ah can handle that."
But she wasn't prepared. The cars with her in one, rolled through New York, giving her a chance to peek out at the city. "You have right pretty cities, look at 'em stretch up like that." She clapped her hooves, which made sounds far closer to hands clapping. "Do you really have enough humans to fit in—"
She didn't get to finish the question, the whole car lifting in a powerful lurch. She slammed her head against the window she'd been looking through with a pained noise that needed no translation as the whole thing rolled over. She was crushed under the weight of the world. She was buried in metal and fire.
Police and Secret Service were already on the scene, the chaos only raising as angry shouts and panicked screams filled the air. In it all, a single hand gently touched Applejack's shoulder. "Ma'am, are you alright? Can you move?" It was the Secret Service agent that had been riding with her.
Applejack shook her head slowly, trying to get her head on straight. "Ow." She reached out a hoof to grab the agent. "What's goin' on?!"
"We're under attack." He seemed relieved. She was moving, and aware. "You're safest right here. This car might have been knocked over, but they're unlikely to breach it." And safer places to spirit her didn't feel close enough to risk it. "I'm glad you're alright."
"Mostly." She rubbed where she'd been bashed by the side of the car. "Now why would anyone go doin' that? Ah ain't done nothin' wrong to 'em."
Outside, it was a small war. Guns fired and small explosives detonated as a desperate attempt was made to keep the alien from reaching the UN. People shouted in firm battle cries, sure that their side was the correct one. "This one." Robert waved co-conspirators over towards the car the held Applejack, flipped over as it was. "Get this car open!"
Zealots from far more than his one congregation charged at the vehicle even as gunfire cut some down before they could reach it, the others acting as meatshields to protect their friends as they rushed forward in a desperate push to crack the armored doors. They broke bottles of fuel, throwing the liquid in before lighting them ablaze, the smoke curling into the air and bringing the scent of burning rubber and a twisted form of incense into the air.
Inside, the agent drew his gun to the ready. "The interior is airtight. We have inches of metal and protection anyone would have to get through." That didn't stop his grip from tightening around the pistol, ready to use it. "I'll protect you."
Applejack began to shiver at the wild noises of all those people prying and trying to open the door. The fear of the situation began to settle on her. "Did ah say somethin'? Ah'm sorry! Make 'em stop!" She reached out, clutching the agent close in a hug as her world turned into one of fear. "Ya gotta get me outta here!"
He paled. "I can't." His eyes turned up at the sound of an axe slamming into the vehicle.
"You are to disperse immediately," came a booming voice as tear gas cannisters landed around the assaulted car. They hissed as they dispersed the gas into the air, carried along the wind.
One attacker took a deep breath, covering his eyes with his sleeve as he launched into another swing with his axe, rocking the heavy weapon into the side of the flipped over SUV.
Heavy boots approached through the smog as officers closed in, starting to violently arrest anyone they could get their hands on, beating them with their batons. They shoved their captives onto the ground, slapping restraints around their wrists behind their backs, zip ties to keep them immobilized.
In the car, Applejack was huddled up tightly, holding onto the agent, "Is it over?" The sounds were quieting down outside. "Are we safe?"
The agent reached up, pressing on his walkie talkie. Applejack could hear human voices speaking back and forth, but only faintly. "Situation under control." He pressed the button once more. "I have the alien, she's secure and healthy. What should I do with her?"
"Nearest hospital, for safety." He looked up at Applejack. "They'll put you with medical personnel until the crisis is over. Then we'll go to the UN building as planned. Okay?"
She just nodded at him. "R-right." She followed after him as they slipped out the side of the car. There, she could see the scores of humans forcibly restrained. "They okay?" She stayed at the agent's side. "That looks kinda painful. Ain't no expert on human anatomy, but, look at 'em."
Then she saw bodies. There were no few of them to pick from. "Oh." She made a noise, a new one that none of them had heard before, and that the translator didn't pick up on. She sang for them, for the dead. They didn't know the words, and the translator wasn't following along, but it had a sad tilt to it, a mourning dirge for so much life lost.
The agent with her pushed against her though. "No time for that, ma'am. We have to keep moving."
So she did, crying in her alien way. That humans didn't have time for that was quietly remembered as she hurried to stay at his side, pushing through the smoke and chaos. Police blocked their path, but they were there to help, not harm.
They passed by the bloodied corpses of the ones that hadn't seen victory, the ones that failed to pry her open for their cause, their fallen bleeding into the cracked asphalt. The police were waving the agent and Applejack forward, paying little mind to the gruesome marks of the battle they had just survived.
She'd never been near that much blood before, and that the smell of it was a mixture of iron and copper wasn't helping. She could see a bit of white in the red, bones. It was nauseating to be so close. So many humans, living so close together. They also died together, for reasons Applejack struggled to understand.
The smells faded as they pressed into the hospital, replaced with the sterilized scents of a proper facility, cleansers and disinfectants meant to keep things free of disease. It wasn't anything new for Applejack, the pony doctor's office back in Ponyville used all the same substances, at least to the same effect.
The nurse behind the counter gasped as she saw Applejack come in. Applejack tried her best toothless smile. "Howdy."
The nurse recovered with a little nod. "Hello." She looked from Applejack to the Secret Service agent. "Can I help?"
The agent sighed gently. "We must just need to relax. She's been lightly injured, but I don't think we want anyone not trained about her, hm, unique anatomy to try to do anything about it."
The nurse's eyes went up to Applejack's bump, easily visible. "You poor thing. Let me do some basic first aid. It doesn't matter what you are, a little band aid won't hurt."
Applejack laughed gently as the woman headed for a first aid kit, the nurses and doctors working together to figure out the most likely tools they'd need for first aid on a pony. Applejack settled down to be treated. She felt comfortable, as comfortable as someone could be when they just almost died. And after seeing so many others that hadn't been so lucky.
Erring on the side of safety, they didn't use much, just gentle gauze. They jumped when she hissed in pain, but she stayed still and let them finish the bandaging. "Ah'm right grateful. This should mend on its own."
The agent motioned her forward and they continued on their way.
A little domestic terrorism wasn't going to make them late for their scheduled arrival.
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I only have one thing to say....
i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/005/378/worldburn-top.jpg
Thank god none of the Texas crew made it.
Hope to see this story continue. It's getting more and more interesting
i.pinimg.com/736x/18/e3/4e/18e34e3f5a0bd7ae917621dfbca6fc2d--stargate-nerd-stuff.jpg
Some would consider that to be the first shots of an interstellar war, even worse than offering carrots to Applejack.
🍎 🍏 🍎
🍎 🍏 🍎
11894077
Applejack is a mite more confused rather than ready to call war about the whole thin'. What was that all about?!
11893604
Also a valid point
The Peoples Republic of China must be very displeased. Meeting and greeting these aliens should be their proper responsibility as the world's greatest, oldest and most civilized civilization. They would strongly object to the actions of the Americans in this regard. I am surprised they didn't send one of their own space craft to the Equestrian ship. I would expect them to use the terrorist attack as an excuse to intervene and take over the leading diplomatic role.
11894094
First of all, imagine if she was hurt. Secondly, I was thinking that the princesses may not appreciate people trying to blow up their little ponies. It was also a loose reference to "Independence Day."
The "carrots" line was a tribute to a comment in the last chapter.
(At least I didn't point out that "walkie talking" should be "walkie talkie.")
11894336
They, as well as the Russians, didn't have a launch window that could get them there faster than the Americans, as the Equestrians are keeping their ship in a high orbit that lines up with North America.
I'll go ahead and post my thoughts about how the story has been going so far. I think most of it for now will be comparisons to things I've seen before, but I'll probably doing less of that as things continue and I start to think more directly about specific events.
To first answer this chapter's question, I don't personally feel there were pacing issues, and I feel like the chapter ended at the right place.
I sort of imagine Ponish sounding to us a bit like Breezies sounded to the ponies.
The idea of G4 ponies developing working space travel is interesting, and Applejack is interesting in the role of captain/diplomat.
The early parts with the "exploring the unknown with unease" feel reminded me a lot of the alien films, and perhaps that was partially intentional with the "stay frosty" line.
The current stage of the story reminds me a lot of Transformers, with the mix of fascination and violence from different groups on Earth. I suppose that's a bit fitting given that MLP and Transformers are "sister franchises."
I think it's interesting to think about how the anatomy of G4 ponies would actually be rather odd for humans to look at, once they were actually walking around here and not just drawings.
When Cindy was introduced, I figured she might end up being a Megan Williams of sorts, a kind of messenger of peace from the human side of things. She's more or less turned out how I thought, so far.
Applejack's reaction to humans dying suddenly and violently kind of reminds me of the some of the Conversion Bureau stories I've read in the past, in the sense of ponies (and the beings of Equus in general) coming across as naturally more empathetic and spiritual, at least on some level. I'm not sure if I would have reacted the same way in her place, but I do admit that her singing of a song to mourn and reflexively crying is, at least, how I would have wanted to have reacted. It's admirable, to me.
Uh, what else...
I guess for now, I'll say that this thought experiment seems to be touching upon how humans as a species still seem to have trouble with the concept of in groups and out groups, perhaps a part of our nature that is difficult to outgrow.
11894566
I will admit that I didn't intentionally draw from anything, but the human brain will gladly grab from wherever, and it's not like I'm trying to stop it, so I drew from the zeitgeist, and some of it looks kinda familiar.
Actually, not entirely true, at least, I kept thinking of fragments of alien contact movies, but I wasn't trying to copy them, but it's not hard to imagine some feelings creeped in anyway.
When did you notice Applejack's alien appearance(even for a pony fan)?
11894790
That's some pretty interesting insight.
I think my own imagination works similarly at times. 
I would say at the part where her limbs seemed strange.
A bit non-Euclidean, these space equines. 
Nurse: *administers band aid*
Applejack: *bursts into flames*
11896385
Mistakes were made.