Fracture 1: Odd Jobs.


                                            =Fracture=


                                            >The wild songbirds sang and the wind blew through the forest.

                                            >The grass brought delightful scents to your nose and you could taste the scent of apples in the air and feel the heat of the sun on your skin.

                                            >RRRIIIIP!

                                            >And the sounds of tearing flesh.

                                            >You angled your knife in and sawed the last bits of the Manticore's hide off its haunches.

                                            >Tossing them in your bag with the rest, you threw it over your shoulder and started back towards town.

                                            >The Everfree Forest wasn't where you wanted to spend the rest of your day.

                                            >You were Anonymous and this forest was safe to walk in because of you.

                                            >Well, partially because of you.

                                            >Another cog in your great machine was waving to you from up in on high.

                                            >She dropped out of the sky, breaking only at the last second and landing in front of you in a cloud of dust.

                                            "Dash, you keep that up, you'll end up hurting yourself."

                                            >Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. "You're one to talk, Anon. Fighting that Manticore all by yourself like that."

                                            "What can I say? My time in the guard leaves me antsy for some action."

                                            >Dash sniggers as she falls in speed with you. "You've been out of there for how many years and you STILL need me to help you find thrills?"

                                            "I am able to find thrills easy enough on my own, Dash."

                                            >"I know, you STILL smell like apples."

                                            >You chortle as Dash and you keep walking.

                                            "Nice sight on this bastard, by the way. He never knew what hit him."

                                            >Rainbow hops up and flutters in your face. "I figure you need SOMEONE to spot things for you with this tiny little eyes you have."

                                            >You roll the organs in question. [spoiler][/spoiler] "You know Dash, I was in the guard for almost a decade without your expert help."

                                            >She giggles. "I'm amazed you lasted that long."


                                            -Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TezgCpPuys-

                                            >You and Dash crest the top of the hill that let you look down on Ponyville.

                                            >You could see the friends and neighbors you've had for years all trotting around living their lives in peace.

                                            >Dash flies ahead and motivates you into movement.

                                            >Equestria had been good to you in all the years you were here. Even when you spent time at the orphanage as a kid, it was fun.

                                            >Once you were of age, you were the first human in the guard, first biped too. The blacksmiths had thrown a fit whenever they had to resize your armor.

                                            >You made a point in repaying them every time you could by fighting Equestria's threats.

                                            >From monsters to Diamond Dogs to the occasional messy dragon migration, you and the rest of the guard stood against everything that tried to lay a hand on your home.

                                            >You had apparently impressed because you were a Watch Commander within a few short years.

                                            >You did what you could for Canterlot in your new position, but the nobility had eventually come to you and told you something.

                                            >It turned out that Equestria had never had a guard remain in their ranks for as long as you had, the rest had either retired or fallen.

                                            >You had told them that you wished to keep serving, but they had insisted that you at least TRY to get out and see what life was on the outside.

                                            >It was then that they sent you to Ponyville, it was then that you fell in love in more ways than one.

                                            >The quiet rustic charm, the people, the desire to protect them, it was all here in this town.

                                            >So you stayed, and formally retired from the Canterlot Royal Guard.

                                            >You still did some work with them whenever they needed a specialist and they still worked with you to keep the town safe.

                                            >And you couldn't be happier.


                                            >You wave Rainbow off and walk into the library with sack over back.

                                            "Twilight? Are you in here?"

                                            >"Come on in, Anon!" Twilight called from the other room.

                                            >You walked inside and closed the door behind you, taking in the old book smell.

                                            >You drop the sack on the floor with a wet "SMACK"

                                            >Twilight stepped out of the other room and levitated the hides into it.

                                            >"They didn't give you too much trouble, did they Anon?" Twilight asks.

                                            "These buggers? They're nothing compared to some of my old guard stories."

                                            >Twilight rolls her eyes and goes back to a blackboard, on it was what you recognized as a map of Ponyville and what looked to be air currents.

                                            "What are you researching, Twi?"

                                            >Twilight sighed. "The dragon migration is coming up and they're flying RIGHT over Ponyville again, I'd like to be ready just in case."

                                            >You put your hand to your chin and think, as the leader of Ponyville's guards, it was your job to keep appraised on these things.

                                            "How many are you thinking?"

                                            >"I can't say for sure...the dragons tend to fly their own way."

                                            >You and Twi stand in silence as you stare at the board.

                                            "...Think we should be prepared?"

                                            >Twilight took a few steps towards the board and looked back to you with a grin. "Don't worry, Anon. Even if they come? We can beat them."

                                            >You loop your hands behind your head. [spoiler][/spoiler] "That's what I'm here for, Twi."

                                            >You wave goodbye to Twilight as you step out of the library.

                                            "Be seeing you, Twi."

                                            >"See you later, Anon!"

                                            >Dragon Migration...

                                            >You could handle that.


                                            >You come up on home sweet home: Sweet Apple Acres.

                                            >The sound of a barking dog told you that the family would be out soon.

                                            >Good old Winona, always guarding the property.

                                            >As you walked to the house, you saw the other telltale sign of home.

                                            >A bright red bow bobbing up and down.

                                            >"Anon! Anon!" she shouts.

                                            "Hello, Bloom!"

                                            >You catch Applebloom as she jumps up and nuzzles into your chest, Winona right behind her.

                                            >"Did your hunt go okay, Anon?" she asks in the draw you can't even recognize anymore.

                                            "It went well, bugger didn't lay a claw, tooth or pointy tail on me."

                                            >Bloom shoots off a smile that could warm the ice caps as you take her back to the house.

                                            "So how about you, Bloom? Did you have a good day at school?"

                                            >The filly vigorously nods. "A huh! Miss Cheerilee taught us about times tables today!"

                                            "Oh? And how'd that go?"

                                            >The thousand watt smile grows ever brighter as you carry her.

                                            >You ruffle her mane. [spoiler][/spoiler] "Atta girl."

                                            >As you reach the house, Applebloom calls out. "Granny! AJ! Anon's home!"

                                            >Two mares trot out of the house after a few moments and look you over with smiles.

                                            >"Well now, look who the monster dragged in." the orange one says.

                                            "Always the charmer, AJ."

                                            >You put Bloom down on the ground and walk up to hug Granny Smith.

                                            "Hello, Gran."

                                            >You feel a hoof loop around your neck. "Hello, youngin'."

                                            >You rise to your feed and glance to the barn.

                                            "In there?"

                                            >The family nods to you.

                                            >You wordlessly make your way over to the barn and nudge the door open, catching sight of the big red body working inside.


                                            >It was later now, close to supper.

                                            >You were laying on a hay bail in the back of the barn looking up at the sky as the setting sun set it ablaze.

                                            >The body next to you shifted, his hooves bouncing against your chest.

                                            "Easy, hayseed. You have big hooves."

                                            >Mac snorts next to you. "Ah seen you take worse."

                                            >You reach over and stroke his mane.

                                            "I'll bet you have."

                                            >Mac chuckles next to you. "How'd it go today, pard?"

                                            "Got some nice hides for Twi, just like she asked."

                                            >"An' how's the rest a tha' town?"

                                            "Town's town. People are happy, stores are stocked, clocks are running and the trains are on time."

                                            >Mac laughs. "Ha! Anonymous the Human. He fought the Diamond Dogs, protected our town, and help everyp0ny he saw, but the best thing he did was get the trains on time."

                                            >Ha.

                                            >You reach an arm over and pull him close.

                                            "You know it, lover-boy."

                                            >You and Mac lay in silence together for a while.

                                            >"Been almost four years..." he says.

                                            "Hmm?"

                                            >Mac looks down at you. "S'been about four years since you came here."

                                            "Heh...Four years "pickin'n apples"

                                            >Mac chuckles under your arm and nuzzles closer. "Long way from a farmhand, huh?"

                                            "Long way indeed."

                                            >The sun finally sets over the horizon drowning the shy into purple.

                                            >Mac's lips press up against your cheek. "Love you, Pard."

                                            "...Love you too, Hayseed."

                                            >The stars wink into sight as you welcome the night with the most important guy in your life curled up with you.