Ponies Meet Boy

by Stoltzy92

Chapter 10

Twilight put down the pen with unicorn magic and quickly turned to Spike. Spike without missing a beat took the rolled note in his hands and burned it up with his green flames. “Thanks Spike.” Twilight uttered softly before she started pacing around the room.

“Hey Twilight….” Spike started after burning up the letter. “……. Why did ya come home and start writing in such a rush?”

“Something weird is going on Spike.” Twilight replied. “I’ve heard stories from a lot of places about a griffon going on a rampage, Trixie terrorizing a town, an Apploosan earth pony flying, and a couple of musicians suddenly disappearing after a show…….” She sat down on the floor and took a deep breath. “…All of them glowing a different color and wearing a ring around one of their hooves.”

Spike raised an eyebrow and scratches his chin. “Yeah…. That is pretty weird.” As soon as he was done speaking he felt a familiar rumbling in his stomach. Within a few seconds he burped out a tuft of green flame that revealed rolled up not with a wax seal on it.

Twilight instantly swiped the note and took it to her desk. “That was fast.” She said as she unwrapped the note and started reading. After quickly reading through the note she rolls it back up and turns once again to Spike. “You think you can stand being alone for a little while tonight?”

Spike looked at her with a puzzled look and replied, “Yeah I should be fine…. What’s going on?”

“I’m heading into the Everfree Forest tonight with my friends….. The Princess wants us to meet somepony.”

------- Much Later-------

“Oh! I remember this place!” Pinkie Pie Squealed as they cross the bridge to the ruins of the old castle.

“Yeah….. sure brings back some memories huh?” Applejack replied as she looked at her surroundings filled with nostalgia.

“Memories are good but the place is so filthy…. Why are we here again Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“In Princess Celestia’s letter she said that there was something here that would be able to tell us more about these rings.” Twilight responded looking at the letter once again.

“Did she mean somepony or something? It all sounded pretty vague when you told us about it earlier.” Applejack asked she walked with her friends.

Twilight looked at the letter once again and pondered. “She described it rather strangely. She didn’t say somepony…… rather she said someone.”

“Does that mean we are dealing with a griffon or someone from a different country?” Fluttershy asked now also curious.

“Either way I think we are going to find out.” Twilight rolled the note back up and placed it back in her saddlebag as the party began to walk or fly across the bridge. Familiar memories rushed through their heads as they entered the crumbling castle ruins. Memories of what brought them together.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash burst suddenly stopping the group. “Do you hear that?” The ponies listened carefully. Faintly they could hear what sounded like scraping and clanging.

“OOooooooo!” Pinkie went as she listened to the unfamiliar sounds. “I hear that. It sounds like those sounds you hear when you’re cutting something on a plate…. Like when you’re eating.”

“Eating?!” Rarity said flabbergasted. “Who in their right mind would eat in a place like this?”

“I don’t know……”Twilight responded listening carefully. “But it sounds like it’s coming from upstairs….. we should check it out.” Not far from where they were was the stair case they had climbed the year before. As they went up the stairs the sounds they were hearing steadily grew louder. They all fell silent as they continued up and up. Before long they noticed something else. There was a faint light coming from the open door at the top of the steps.

“That’s odd.” Twilight thought aloud as she started to instinctively sneak and creep towards the open door and motioned for her friends to follow suit. She slowly peaked her face through the open crevice just enough to see inside. Deep in the room, on the stone table where the elements of harmony once sat, now sat a sight she didn’t expect to see. There was a couple of lit torches mounted on the very back wall that shone brightly in the room. At the stone table in front of them sat a hunched figure covered in black clothes. It shoulders were broad and a hood covered his head. The majority of his face was shrouded in shadow because of his hood and the torches behind him. In his hands was a fork and a knife. On the plate in front of him sat… something. Twilight couldn’t tell what it was. The figure gently stabbed his fork into the mass and started cutting with the knife. Before long Twilight began to here loud and clear the scraping sounds the group had been hearing before. After the knife went all the way through the thing took that piece with the fork and put it in his mouth. He began chewing up and smiled a bit.

“Whatever he’s eating must be tasty…..” Pinkie Pie whispered as she licked her lips. The rest of the ponies took positions watching what was going on in the room as well.

The figure continued to chew with the silverware still in his hands. His shadow covered face started to peer around the room. The Ponies without thinking ducked behind the wall trying to get out of sight. The figure continued to look around but then his eyes stopped at the slightly open door. His smile was now gone as he continued chewing his food. Fluttershy tried to slowly inch her head back in but swiftly pulled back when she saw that the figure was looking right at the door. The creature then swallowed its food and turned his gaze to his side. The ponies peeked in again and saw that now he was reaching inside a large sack that was sitting next to the table on the floor. They watched closely and silently as he pulled out a few metal objects that shone brightly in the torch light. One of the objects was looked like a rectangular container filled with even smaller but a bit rounder objects versus the other one was all metal but strangely shaped. In it was what looked like a trigger. The figure’s hand griped the handle tightly, readied his finger on the trigger and slid the rectangular object into the handle of the other one followed by an audible click. He pulled back what looked like a sliding component that rested over the figure’s gripped hand with another clicking sound as he did it. He raised the object in his hand and pointed it at the door.

“What is he doing?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

Her question was quickly answered as a loud bang echoed through the room. All the ponies ducked their heads on instinct and instantly heard a ricochet noise on the door.

The figure held it weapon at the ready with both hands and walked back behind his table.
“Whoever or whatever you are show yourself!” The figure shouted towards the door.
The ponies continued to huddle behind the wall next to the opened door their backs turned on it and their breaths quickened.

“I know you’re there!” The figure shouted again. “Show yourselves now with limbs in the air!”

“Twilight…. I think we better just do as he says….” Applejack whispered over to Twilight. “Pretty sure he knows we’re here.”

“OK!” Twilight shouted back towards the figure from behind the wall. “We’ll come out!” Twilight opened the door all the way and started walking in followed by Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew in above them with their forelegs raised over their heads.

The figure looked on with his weapon still held at the ready. For a good few minutes he stood there motionless as the ponies slowly walked towards him. “Who are you?” He asked once again shouting.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle…..” Twilight said nervously knowing that the figure’s weapon was still pointed at them. “And these ponies with me are Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow…” Twilight started to look closely at the figure she was speaking to. “……….. Dash.” Twilight looked up and down at the thing with her eyes. Black cloth sleeves, black jean jacket, black pants, black shoes, black hood……. Then her eyes widened with the sudden realization. The thing they were speaking was the one that Ponyville had been telling stories about since the week before. He was the thing that crashed in on their ceremony. Rainbow Dash was the next to realize what she was speaking to but she expressed her realization less gracefully than Twilight.

“Wait a minute!” Rainbow Dash shouted pointing her hoof at the figure. “You’re that piece of crap from last week who tried to kill me!”

“Make any sudden moves you little shit and I will.” The figure loud talked back at her. The eyes of the other ponies widened as well as they quickly realized who it was.

“I’m not scared of you!” as soon as Rainbow Dash finished her sentence another loud and deafening bang echoed through the room. She closed her eyes as she heard something whiz past her ear and ricochet on the door again.

“You kiiiiinda should be.” The figure remarked as he steadied his gun again. “Another smart ass remark out of you and the next one will hit between your eyes.”

“Look! Please just out that thing down!” Twilight implored him. “We are here only to talk. Princess Celestia sent us here!”

“Oh really?” The figure responded as he slowly lowered his weapon. His expression did not change and his lips conveyed a rather annoyed sneer or growl as he sat back down behind his table. “Make whatever you want quick….” He said picking up his silverware again. “I’m not going to let my food get cold because of you.”

As the figure started to eat again Twilight cleared her throat and began to speak again. “There have been some strange happenings……… involving these weird rings…..” as she spoke she once again tried to look at his face. It was still covered in shadow except for his mouth which was still chewing his food. “…… and ponies flying when they shouldn’t……. a griffon spitting blood…….. and these weird lights…… Princess Celestia told me that you would know what they are.”

The figure reached for a container that was sitting to the left of him. He lifted up a nozzle from the lid and started to drink from it greedily. His gulps were the only audible thing from the room before he set the container down and looked back at Twilight. “Yeah….. and?”

“I…..” Twilight began to gather her courage to speak again. “…… Was hoping you could tell us what they were.”

“That’s none of your business.” The figure responded nonchalantly as he placed another piece of food in his mouth and began chewing again.

“Then…… can you tell me what they do?” Twilight asked hoping for an actual answer.

“That is no concern of yours.” He said, despite the food in his mouth, throwing those hopes out the window.

“Can you AT LEAST tell us why they are here?!” Twilight was beginning to get angry. Her eyebrows began to crunch together and her eyes were beginning to narrow.

“That……….” The figure swallows his food. “……… is also none of your business.” He then resumed to cut another piece of whatever he is eating from his plate.

“Darling…..” Rarity intervened walking towards the figure from the side of the table. “Please be more reasonable…… we had no idea you were having a meal here…… our princess told us you know something…. Why won’t you just tell us what’s going on?” Rarity figured that eventhough he wasn’t a pony, throwing in some feminine wiles might help a bit. Pony or not it’s obvious that the thing is a male what from his deep voice and broad shoulders. He might be to type to respect a lady’s words.

“Like I said…….” The thing responded as he looked towards Rarity. “It is none of your damn business.” The thing’s mouth forms a slight growl whilst bearing some of his teeth.
Rarity backs away promptly to where she sat before. Seems a mare’s touch isn’t going to do them any good here.

“OH!” Pinkie Pie leaned over the table towards the figure waving her hoof in the air. “Hey hey! Black Ghostie! Can I ask a question?”

The figure looked towards the pink pony and his mouth formed a sneer again. He placed his tongue between his teeth as he shook his head back and forth. Then with an annoyed sigh he answers with an annoyed tone. “What is it?”

“What is that you’re eating?” Pinkie asks as she points to the slab of…… something…… on his plate. “Whatever it is looks really juicy…….” Pinkie with a wave a hoof takes a deeeeeep sniff with her nostrils and sighs contently. “Mmmmmmmmm! It smells really good to.” She begins to reach towards the figure’s plate from across the table to the horror of the others. “Can I?......”

The figure aims with the dull side of his table knife and smacks her hoof with a loud TING going through the air.

Immediately the pink pony pulls back her hoof and shakes it due to the bit of pain from the blow.

The figure then points the sharper side of the knife at her and starts speaking after a long audible growl. “Do. Not. Touch. My. Food.” He reaches back towards his plate and starts cutting his food again.

As Pinkie Pie began sucking on her sore hoof she looked over at Fluttershy. Her eyes were locked on the plate and she looked like she was thinking about something. Then all of a sudden her face took a bit of a green tinge. She covered her hoof with her mouth and started to gag violently but quietly. Pinkie Pie starts to poke Twilight in the shoulder. Twilight turns towards Pinkie who immediately points at Fluttershy who looks off to the side looking like she’s about to heave.

“Hey…. Fluttershy?” Twilight says to her rubbing her friend on the back. “Are you ok?”

The Boy then also looks over at Fluttershy and takes note in his mind how sick she looks. A smile starts to spread on his face as ideas start to form in his head. “Ah.” The Boy sighs with a chuckle as he starts twirling his fork between his fingers. “Looks like your friend had no issues figuring out what’s one my plate.” He cuts off and stabs his fork into another piece and points it towards Fluttershy. “Hey there little mare.”

Fluttershy, who managed to compose herself a bit, looks up at him and notices the fork pointed at her.

“Would you like to try a piece of what I’m eating? The pink one is right. It is just scrumptious. You can still taste all the juices from the animal. I think there is even still a bit of blood in there…..” The Boy starts laughing as Fluttershy looks at the fork with horror and very quickly starts looking sick again.

“In case you haven’t noticed it’s made from cows my dear.” He continues with a chuckle as he pulls back the fork and places the piece in his mouth. The other ponies start looking a bit sick themselves as they try to comfort Fluttershy.

“The flesh of various animals all compose a part of my kind’s diet. Cow meat is particularly juicy. Oooooooh man pork is really good to. So is lamb….. and chicken……” He starts licking his lips. “Mmmmmmmmm it’s so good.” His smile disappears as he tilts his head trying to think. “Some parts of my world even serve cats, dogs, and insects……..never tried those myself……” His mouth made an ‘oh!’ expression and he licked his lips again before they spread into a very nasty looking grin. “You know what?........ Now I wonder what the….. ponies of this world taste like…..”

The group of friends gulp almost in unison. Their eyes widen considerably. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie all start to slowly back towards the door. Twilight and Applejack are the only ones staying in their places at the table.

He puts the fork on his plate and leans back a bit with his fingers rubbing his chin. He raises his head a bit and sees the terrified and wide eyed ponies in front of him. He chuckles and grins again. “Hey! Why don’t you mares and I make a deal?” The Boy started jokingly. “Stay out of my business and I’ll do my best not to make any of you part of the menu. Otherwise……” He pulls a much sharper and larger knife from the inside of his jacket and points it straight up in the air. “…. I’ll have to perform some…… experiments….. before I make one of you dinner.” He flips the knife in his hand and catches it by the blade. He then raises his arm and poised it for a throw.

Twilight and Applejack realize what’s happening and join the others as they start to all run as quick as they can out of the room. Fluttershy is the last to get out of the room as she hears a loud THUNK hit the door barely missing the end of her tail. She turns back and sees The Boy quickly walk up to the door and pull the knife out of it. He looks directly into her eyes with a wide grin still on his face. She floats there frozen in terror trying to find his eyes even though they are covered in pitch black shadow. The Boy starts to chuckle, much louder this time as he starts to walk towards her.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash yells as she swoops in front of her stunned friend shaking her shoulders. “Snap out of it! We need to leave! NOW!” They both look back towards The Boy as he pulls the weapon he fired before from out of his jacket with his left hand. “Come on! Let’s go!” Rainbow Dash grabs Fluttershy by the hoof and speeds away as she hears another loud bang followed by a ricochet on the wall behind her. As the two pegasi catch up to the others before they all start to hear a horrible peal of laughter echo through the castle. A loud, low, sadistic laugh reverberated into every wall they ran past making it seem louder and louder. They make a hasty exit through the door of the castle and start on the bridge. Twilight looks back behind her and sees the figure walk through the opening of the door with the knife and gun in his hands. He raises his left hand and points his weapon towards them. Twilight gasps and turns back around speeding herself up as much as her hooves possibly can. All of them begin to hear loud bangs emanating from the castle and winces as they feel the tiny metal projectiles whizz and zip past them barely missing their legs, heads, and flanks. Once they make it into the forest proper the loud bangs cease as their echoes can be heard throughout the forest. Many birds start to buzz and crazily zip through the air between and over the trees because of the sounds, not making the ponies’ escape any easier.

As he watches the ponies scurry and flee into the forest he lowers his smoking gun to the ground. He places both the knife and his gun in their proper places under his jacket and leans against the arch of the door with a smug grin on his face. “Now THAT……. was fun.” He starts laughing again grabbing his stomach and leaning towards the ground. He gives his bent knee a hard slap and rests his hand on it before he begins to quiet himself. He raises his finger to wipe a nonexistent tear from his eye before making deep satisfied sigh. He started to rub his chin again as he began to think himself out loud. “So the locals already noticed them huh? Hmmmmmm. This is progressing a bit faster than expected.” He picks himself up from his leaning and begins to walk back into the abandoned castle. “And they didn’t even send in the cavalry……. They recruited locals instead. Most not be able to fully cross over yet…….. “ The Boy then licks his lips and cracks his knuckles. “I better go get my equipment ready….. Looks like I’ll be going hunting tomorrow.” He places his hand on the wall taking his first step and releases a loud yawn as he starts walking back up.

********

Elseware that night……

“Hey Octy.” Vinyl said out loud as she looked at the clearing the two of them were standing. “This is the place that voice from the ring told us to come to right?”

“Yeah. It looks like it.” Octavia responded as she walked up behind Vinyl Scratch.

“Didn’t he say that there would be others meeting us here?”

“He did. But who are we…..”

Before Octavia could finish her sentence they both saw a bright red stream zooming towards them. Octavia and Vinyl Scratch instinctively jumped out of the way as the red flaming ball of light struck where they were previously standing creating a huge tuft of smoke and dust in the process. They both crept slowly towards the small crater and heard some of rabid growling and incoherent rambling. The dust slowly began to clear and it revealed a griffon. Clad in a furtight red and black suit which covered all but her head, tail, and hands.

“Woah….” Vinyl muttered to herself. “What’s a griffon doing here?”

“Look Vinyl.” Octavia started to point towards the griffon’s claw. “She has a red ring. A lot like the ones we have.”

“Well….” Vinyl scratch scratched her head with her hoof. “This looks like it’ll be some party….”

The raging griffon suddenly stopped clawing at the ground and glared right at the two other ponies. Vinyl and Octavia both readied themselves and crouched low to the ground. The griffon gave a loud roar spewing her acidic blood all over before suddenly falling flat in her beak. Vinyl and Octavia both stood up and looked on confused….. before they noticed a bright yellow rope wound tightly around her back legs.

“Crazy fricken varmint……” a gruff voice bellowed as he stepped out of the shadows of the woods. His white and gray mane shone in the moonlight under his hat casting a soft shadow over his rugged features. “I’m assumin’ you three are some of the ones I’m supposed ta be meetin’ here?”
The griffon turned back and roared at him spewing more of the acidic substance all over the ground. Shortly thereafter though her beak was also wound shut by the bright yellow rope as she crazily pulled on it trying to get it off.

“I… think so.” Vinyl responded as she walked up to the large black stallion. “I’m Vinyl Scratch and this is Octavia.”

Octavia reached out a hoof towards him. “A pleasure to make your acquatence sir.”

“Likewise…..” The stallion gruffed as he reached out as well and shook Octavia’s hoof. “Black Lasso’s the name…… and I’m the best Celestia damned bounty hunter you’ll ever meet.”

“Nice duds there big guy!” Vinyl Scratch said as she eyed the black and yellow duster that the stallion was wearing. “You get that from your ring to?”

“I did.” Black Lasso replied as he looked at the yellow ring that was around his hoof. “Must admit lil’ lady…. Whoever these Yeller ponies are they had nice taste in uniforms……”

“I think there was a mistake with mine…..” a soft voice whined

The three ponies looked in the direction of the voice and saw a Pegasus flapping her wings…… Yellow mane, grey fur which was showing through the back of her pink bodysuit all the way down to just above her tail and plot. She, like the others, had a ring around one of her forehooves, but hers was either pink or violet. The others couldn’t tell.

“It feels weird to wear….. I’ll have to talk to them about changing the uniform later…..” Her askewed yellow eyes looked downward as she fumbled her hooves and blushed in embarrassment. “I’m Derpy by the way……”

“Hey Derpy it’s no trouble.” Vinyl Scratch said she lightly punched Derpy in the shoulder. “Glad to have ya here.”

“I’m not late am I?” Another small voice chimed in.

All the ponies looked and saw a small buffalo walk into the clearing with an odd staff looking thing on her back and an indigo ring around her forehoof.

Black Lasso’s face contorted into annoyance and his flared nostrils at the sight of her. Everypony else, except for Gilda who was still struggling to free herself, trotted or flew over to the little buffalo.

“Woah! There’s a buffalo here!?” Vinyl Scratch gasped as she awed at their latest visitor. “That’s soooo cool! And your staff looks cool to.”

“Thanks…..” the small buffalo replied shyly. “I’m called Little Strongheart….. I was instructed to come and meet some ponies here.”

“Well you’re at the right place.” Octavia said calmly. “We were all given the same instructions to meet here to.”

Black Lasso glared at the buffalo as the others began talking to here. All of a sudden he heard a crack coming from the woods in the opposite direction. Black Lasso looked there and saw nothing. He walked over towards the edge of the clearing and moved his ear to the ground. He could hear the faint sound of hoofbeats echoing in the ground. He lifted his head and saw and orange glow start to reveal itself through the trees and leavings. As seconds passed the glow started to get brighter and brighter as the one bearing it got closer and closer.
“That’s just great……..” Black Lasso muttered as he quickly conjured another bright yellow lasso and started holding it at the ready. “……. Another crazy one……”

“MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!!!!!” A light blue mare screamed as she jumped out from the bushes at Black Lasso. He side steps it as the mad mare lands and rolls on the ground before quickly getting back up.

“That pretty yellow ring…..” Her crazed orange eyes shined brightly beneath her star covered hat. “I must have it…..” She jumps again at Black Lasso. “IT’S MINE!”

Black Lasso throws his rope and it wraps promptly against her midsection. With a hard pull he pulls her to the ground and starts tying her hooves together. The crazed pony struggled and struggled violently on the ground which made his task all the more troublesome.

“Stop movin’ around you salt snortin’ bitch.” Black Lasso Gruffed angrily as he continued tying his ropes around her hooves.

As he continued the others all walked over to the pair and watched as they struggled.
“Dang…..” Vinyl shook her head. “She’s as cookey as that griffon over there….. what’s her deal?”

“Her deal is greed.” Little Strongheart replied with her eyes closed and an orange insignia floating in front of her head. She opened her eyes and looked towards the still writhing griffon and the mark floating in front of her head changed and warped to a red one. “Her’s is rage……. Apparently their rings are very difficult to control if not impossible…”

“How do you know that?” Derpy asked looking towards Little Strongheart.

“I’m not sure exactly….” She replied. “My ring…… let’s my see and sense what all of you are feeling. I think I can tap into the powers of all of your rings as well as my own.”

“Yeah….. I’m just glad I’m not like those crazies….” Vinyl mumbled to herself.

“Good. All the Corps representatives are present and accounted for.”

Everyone in the group all looked around and tried to find where the new voice had come from. Then the voice started speaking again.

“I know this all be new to you. None of our corps had ever given rings to your species before. I must apologize for not being able to brief you on the situation face to face….”

“Hey that’s alright.” Vinyl Scratch started in response. “Could we see what ya look like though? Kinda odd to be talking to some random voice from out of nowhere……”

“Of course recruit. Give me a few moments….” Then a green light started to project itself from Vinyl’s ring and started to form something in the middle of the group. The various ponies gathered around the construct as it took shape with Black Lasso dragging both the orange glowing pony and the red glaring griffon closer to the group.

Before long the light began to take shape. As the light revolved and congealed it revealed the figure of a short man with a head that was large and seemingly out of proportion with the rest of his body. He wore a flowing cloak with the seal of the Green Lanterns embedded into his chest.

“Hello.” The voice started now coming from the green contruct. “I am called Ganthet. Guardian of The Green Lantern Corps. I am speaking to you from our headquarters on the planet Oa.”

“Woah……” Vinyl’s jaw dropped at what she was seeing but she quickly shook her head trying to compose herself. “You must be my boss then I’m guessing”

“Indeed. Currently I am your supervising officer for this operation.” Ganthet responded before he turned to the rest of the lantern recruits gathered around him. “Ideally I would have liked to include the senior members of the other corps here as well but I am afraid they are all busy working on how to cross over into your world…..”

“Hold on…..” Black Lasso started raising his forehoof. “We all were chosen by these various corps for membership? Why? What are we all here for?”

“That is why I wanted to gather you all here.” Ganthet began. “There is a task that must be done. It is of the gravest importance. Not only for each of your corps but for your world and ours.”

“Ok, so what do you need us to do boss?” Vinyl asked.

“There was something very important that was stolen from each of the Corps.” Ganthet resumed explain. “Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Black Lasso, Little Strongheart, Derpy Hooves, Gilda, and Trixie Lulamoon……… your task is to search for what was stolen from the Corps and track down the one responsible.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Octavia shrugged. “What was it that was stolen?”

“Sources of unimaginable power and energy. He stole the very sources of The Corps’ power as well as other dangerous energy sources. One of which is the source of life in our entire universe.”

“That doesn’t sound good……..” Derpy said with her hooves over her mouth. “Do you know who did it?”

“We do.” Ganthet turned towards Derpy in response. “He is someone who our Corps have been trying to track down for some time now. We know he is in this world and we need you to find the exact location of where he is hiding. We only need you to find him and see where he took what was stolen. He is heavily armed and extremely dangerous…. Should you encounter him whatever you do…… Do not engage him.”

Author's Note:

And the mane came back, the very next day, the man came back, they thought he was a goner but the man came back..... he just couldn't stay away.