I do not own MLP: FIM. All right's reserved, Hasbro
The sun had risen, waking Eric from his light sleep. Out of reflex over the years, his first action was to grab his sidearm. He lifted the weapon forward, scanning the fore with his ironsights. When it was clear, he rolled away from the tree was propped up on and checked the wood behind him. Nothing moved, save for a rabbit that had ran for cover. He lowered the weapon, exhaling his pent-up breath. He sat down on the dirt path he found himself on. Removing his shemagh from his neck and laying it out onto the dirt. Eric took off his backpack, unzipping the side pocked. He rummaged in it for a moment before finding what he wanted. It was a small, rectangular tin with a dulled and worn enamel label. "How I miss Altoids," he muttered, chuckling to himself.
He drew his .45s, disassembling them and laying the weapon parts on the cloth. Opening the tin, he withdrew a nozzle bottle of lubricating oil, two synthetic swaps, and a wire brush. He proceeded to clean all the dirt, goo, and residual cordite powder out of the barrels, springs, mechanisms and magazine housings. He lubricated the chamber, spring and barrel. After depositing the refilled tin in his pack, he assembled the firearms. He held down the receiver release, working the slide several time before loading.
Eric holstered the weapons, slipping his arms to the backpack and shouldering the load. He shrugged several times, the boxes of ammunition jingling as the pack settled properly. He clipped the latch on his pistols shut to keep them in place before picking up his shemagh. He wrapped the faded green and black cloth around his head and neck, lowering the hood and running a hand through his hair. The long dark blond hair fell down the back of his pack, laying between and around two sword guards that protruded from under the pack.
Eric looked around the area for the first time since his arrival. He was on a rather broad, dirt road that seemed to be lightly traveled. Hoof prints were expected, and present. "further proving my suspicion that the dominant species are Equines with human range cognitive thought," He said, falling back into his old science prattle. He followed the tracks, noting the majority of them led over the top of the hill he was on. "I guess either town or a settlement is that way," he said, standing.
He looked back at the pile of ash where he had cremated the Lazarus Risen. Several bones remained, all be it charred and cracked from the high heat of the bonfire. He pulled a large plastic bag out of a pouch on his vest, depositing all bone fragments he found in he ash pile into it. He pressed all the air out of the bag that he could, tightly closing the double zipper lock. He held it up in front of his face. There was half a sternum, several fragments of a pelvis, a full set of hand phalanges, and a large toe. "Unlikely to have survived the fire," he said, rolling it up and returning the bag to the pouch. "But, with the uneven heat distribution and lack of control once it was in…" he trailed off as he returned his attention to the road, walking with the tracks. "Could be worse. I could have a whole damn skeleton on my hands." He smirked, morbid humor abounding.
He traveled along the path, jogging to the rhythm of a rock song he remembered. The flora and fauna here was astoundingly similar the earth, but severely displaced. He observed a pair of North American deer grazing beneath an Australian Baobab tree alongside several some English hedge hogs that were digging for grubs. After about three minutes of jogging, he heard a conversation ahead. It was rather soft and the sentences were sparse. As he became closer he was able to distinguish voices and words.
"So what do y'all think that bright light was last night?" a female voice asked. The accent sounded to be northern Texan or Oklahoman.
"I'm not sure," the reply was very well pronounced, the lack of accent only betrayed by it being American English. "But whatever it was, the Princesses charged us to investigate it." Eric continued jogging along.
"What the hay is that?" the former asked as Eric crested another hill. He saw two ponies, one violet and the other orange. The orange one darted into the underbrush, followed by the other. He continued past their location, not really caring what they were after. He had come to terms with talking equines being the intelligent life.
"Twilight, I don't think we should follow 'em," the orange pony said, peeking through the leaves of a large fern she was hiding behind. "It look a might strange if ya ask me." The violet pony, Twilight, followed the creature as it passed by.
"I don't know Applejack," she said. "But I've never read about anything like it. What I do know is it looks like a fully upright, furless ape." He began to move around the bush she was behind. "Come on, AJ. Whatever it is, it's headed towards Ponyville." He dashed out from behind the bush, following the creature at a distance. Applejack joined her, staying behind her.
The creature was moving a trot, Twilight observed. It had a tan colored hide and a dark yellow mane that fell down a hump on its back. What she suspected as a green frill surrounded its neck, falling down its torso partially. It seemed to wear clothing, what she recognized as a black vest with sand colored sleeves adorned its upper body. It had leggings on its lower half that matched the sleeves, pockets adorning the sides. She spotted the shine of steel on its waist and legs. It was armed virtually to the teeth, the steel also present on its hump, upper arms, and she suspected its chest.
Eric was aware that the ponies were following him. he could feel their eyes boring into his back and hear their hoof beats as the followed. He spied the crest of a hill ahead. 'it's not nice to follow people,' he thought sarcastically. When he was a few yards from the rise, he broke into a full run. He crested the hill and ran down it a ways. He jumped to his left, falling behind a tree surrounded by ferns. He reached behind his head, grasping the haft of the sword and drawing it. The black anodized steel didn't reflect, so he held it out of sight as the ponies crested the hill, trying to spot him.
"Oh, horse apples!" Twilight said as the creature began to gallop away. She broke into a run, trying to keep pace while AJ yelled for her to be careful. She crested the hill, looking down the road for the creature. "Darn it, he got away," she fumed as she began to descend the hill. She looked left and right into the trees for the thing she was trailing. There was no sign of it. Twilight was fascinated by how easily it had escaped. "Shoot," she said, stomping her hoof in frustration. The AJ regrouped with her momentarily, aiding her in her search.
Eric tossed a stone, luring them closer. 'I want answers,' he decided in his mind. The ruse worked as the two ponies drew closer to the trees. The violet one walked in, passing by Eric's prone position. The orange pony decided to hang back. Eric drew a Kukri from his belt, holding it in his left hand. He burst from cover, knocking the pony over onto its side and lifting it into his arm. The orange pony charged as he rose the curved Kukri to the purple ones neck. Eric held up his sword, causing the orange pony to skid to a halt mere inched from the point. Eric clicked his tongue in a tut-tut fashion, letting the orange one know he wasn't going to have any of that bravado.
"Names," he said in the clearest accent possible. The pony was obviously surprised by his ability to speak. He nodded before saying, "Eric Johnson." He waved the sword tip up, tapping the orange pony on the chin. "And you name is?" he asked lowering the knife he held to the purple pony's throat slightly, still holding it in his elbow.
The orange pony swallowed hard, backing away a little. "Ahm Applejack," she said, her voice distinguishing her gender to Eric. "Ahm from Ponyville, Ah run th' farm there." Eric nodded, swinging the sword away from her in a wide motion and seating it back into its scabbard on his back.
"Good," he said, releasing the violet pony and helping it to its hooves. "Sorry for the hostilities." He apologized. "I'm not used to anything that follows me being friendly." He seated the Kukri into its scabbard, the wood clacking against another knife on his leg. "What's is your name," he asked, kneeling in front of the violet pony to look into its eyes.
The pony shook, obviously still afraid. Eric reached out and stroked her neck soothingly. "I really am sorry for that. I had to fight for my life for the last five years, so kindness is hard to surface before violence." He removed his hand from her neck, having calmed her. "May I know your name, ma'am?" he asked in a softer voice.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle," she said, backing away to join AJ. "Where in Equestria were you? I don't know of anywhere where any being has to fight so much." Eric looked at the ground, watching a vole scurry under the leaves. He shook his head, looking back up at them.
"I'm not from here." He confessed. "I come from another planet, a planet with a mass illness that caused all its inhabitants to become cannibalistic monsters." The shock on the ponies faces was evident. Eric removed his pack, opening the outside pouch and removing a quarter loaf of bread. He tore off a bit and handed it to applejack. She shook her head. Eric offered it to Twilight, who also refused. He shrugged and bit into the bread. It was still fresh to his surprise.
'a saddle bag, not a hump.' Twilight corrected her observations mentally. Eric returned the pack to his back and lifted his mane out from under it with his…hands? He took the lump of food from between his teeth and held it as he chewed.
"So," he began. The ponies still couldn't believer his voice was as deep as it was. It vibrated in their chests and caused a chill to creep up their spines. It didn't seem natural. "I was told I am in Equestria by a princess named Luna and, now, by you two." The ponies cocked an eyebrow at the mention of their night princess.
"You met Luna?" Twilight asked, looking over at Applejack. "Why would the princess be out here in Whitetail wood?" Eric shrugged as he took another bite of his bread.
"Dunno," he said. "But she nearly greeted me upon my arrival here. We sat and watched the stars rotate until sunrise. Then she just left." He stood up, once again surprising the ponies. They backed away as he rose to a full six and a half feet. Eric opened his left thigh pocked, pulling out a canteen. He opened it, pouring some of the water into a cup he removed from the base. "Water?" he asked, offering them the cup. This time Applejack took the offered refreshment. Drinking some and handing it to Twilight. Eric lifted the opening to his lips, drinking the remainder of the bottle. Twilight passed the cup back to Eric, who seated the canteen into it as he capped it.
"Well, I would love to continue our little chat," he said walking out of the trees and into the road. "But now is not the time, nor the place to talk about matters of importance. Thus, I bid you both adieu." He bowed slightly, continuing his jog towards the now visible town.
"Wait!" Twilight called out, running after and ahead of Eric. She stopped in front of him, forcing him to stop. "The ponies of Ponyville aren't used to getting…" she searched for the right word. "Guests like you." Eric placed a hand on his head, scratching it slightly. He couldn't argue, if a talking pony had walked into Los Angeles, or just a plain Unicorn, the public would have gone ape shit. He nodded slowly, tugging on the inch long beard he had failed to notice he had.
"Okay, your right." He surrendered. "Do you have any where I could stay at that I wouldn't be screamed at and feared?" he asked, smirking in amusement. Twilight nodded, still slightly wary of Eric after the hostage incident. She led him down the road, musing how Fluttershy would handle the surprise visit.
"Well that went as expected," twilight fumed. Upon seeing her friends, Fluttershy was delighted. But then her view fell on the tall, deep voiced creature behind them. The squeaked in her usual fashion, followed by a door slam. "Fluttershy, come out please!" she called through the door.
Eric felt something beating on his steel toes boot. He looked down, lifting his foot up and away from the white rabbit that was scuffing the rough leather with its claws. "Hey there, little buddy." He said cheerily, bending over and picking up the rabbit. "What's your name?" he asked as he rubbed under the bunny's chin with a finger. The rabbit seemed to be content to just sit there and be petted.
Fluttershy opened the door a crack, peeking through at Eric. He held her bunny, angel up next to his face, smiling and scratching under her chin. Fluttershy opened the door the rest of the way, backing into the room so they could enter the house. "C-come in," she said, almost too quiet to be heard. Eric followed Twilight inside, handing the rabbit to the yellow pegasus.
"Is this your bunny?" he asked, smiling and scratching the rabbit behind the ears. Fluttershy took Angel from his hands, nuzzling the white rabbit. Eric continued in, sitting down on the couch opposite Twilight. Applejack came in behind Eric, choosing to sit in a chair as far away from him as possible. She still didn't trust him after he held her as sword point.
"Fluttershy," Twilight began as her pink maned friend sat in a chair with her bunny. "I need a favor from you." Fluttershy nodded, letting Angel down. The rabbit scurried away. "I need you to let Eric here stay with you tonight. I have to notify the princesses of his arrival here. And I have to tell the mayor that he is going to be staying in Ponyville until I can take him to Canterlot. Is that ok?"
Fluttershy looked over at the creature on her couch. She didn't trust him, but Twilight did. She trusted Twilight and she would let him stay if she needed her to. He looked rather scary to her. He had a dark yellow patch of fur around his chin and cheeks, the green and black frill was also frightening. It made him look like something from the Everfree Forest. "O-okay, Twilight," she mumbled. "If you think its ok, then I will." She hid behind her mane as he smiled at her. It was scary, especially with the four sharp teeth. She whimpered slightly.
"Great!" twilight exclaimed, standing and going to the door. "I'll start on that right away. He should be out of your hair by tomorrow morning." And with that, Twilight left. Applejack stared at Eric, watching his every move incase he should try to hurt her friend. Keith looked around the room slowly, lingering on a woven tapestry over Fluttershy's mantle. It had a Celtic knotting pattern, and the design was woven in with silver yarn.
"That's a beautiful tapestry, Fluttershy." He complimented, pointing to the item in question. "Did you make that?" he asked, getting only a nod in return. The time ticked by slowly, the only sounds were those of angel scratching at something and a clock ticking on the wall. Eric brushed his jaw with the palm of his hand, wishing he had a shaving kit. 'Wait a minute, I do.' He thought. He made his excuses and walked out of the house. He looked around the area, spying a well pump to his right.
"Ah ha!" he exclaimed, withdrawing his canteen from his pocket. Eric worked the pump, filling the canteen and its cup with water. He looked around again after returning the full canteen to his pocket. He spotted a small glade with a presumably dead tree. Eric walked over to the tree, unwrapping the shemagh from his neck. He took off his pack, setting it on the ground. He placed the cup of water on a flat rock near the tree before unzipping the pack and fishing inside of it. He withdrew a straight razor with a rubber band around the handle to hold the blade closed. He took out a bar of soap and a small mirror.
Eric set the mirror and the razor on a wide branch of the dead tree before taking off his vest and shirt. His physique wasn't model perfect, but five years of swinging swords and running for his life on minimal food kept him in peak, if slightly emaciated, condition. His abdomen was chiseled and taught, his chest likewise from the swordplay he used to survive. His arms were solid, about fourteen or fifteen inches around, due to the moving of crates and fallen bodies. His shoulders looked to be made of bunched steel chord, rippling and knotting as he moved around. His back was defined and strong as well. All around he looked to be a featherweight boxer, despite all of the scars from being scratched and bitten by the Lazarus Virus victims.
He created a thick lather with the soap, smearing it across his face. After the beard was coated, he lifted the razor and removed the rubber band, the razor glided out of the handle smoothly, folding back to create a narrow 'V' shape. He held the blade at an angle against his cheek, pulling the edge down across the beard. The hair fell away without complaint under his practiced hand. He heard the four beat cadence of a pony approaching in the grass behind him. "Hello?" he asked, making another swipe and finishing one side of his face.
Fluttershy looked at Eric's back, noticing several designs that resembled cutie marks. On his arms and back were also several pink scars, some of them looked like teeth marks. "H-hi," she mumbled stopping a few feet away. "Um… w-what are you, I mean if you don't mind me asking, what are you…" she trailed off, not finishing. Erick chuckled at her demure personality. His son had been the same way.
"I, my dear, am shaving this dreadful beard." He answered, turning around and pulling the razor down the other cheek. Fluttershy watched as the white hair was cut from his face. He turned around, dunking the blade in the cup and returning it without the foam it had before. He continued his shaving until he had cleared his neck and cheeks, leaving a line across his jaw and a trimmed down goatee. He put the razor aside, pulling out his canteen and splashing his face. The soap ran don his neck before he wiped it away with his shirt.
Fluttershy was sitting in the grass, looking at his newly trimmed face while he returned the razor to his bag. He looked up at her every now and then as he searched his bag for something else. Now that she could see the rest of his face, he didn't seem quite as frightening. "What's on your mind my shy friend?" he asked, smiling at her after closing up his bag. He now held a pair of scissors in his right hand and the mirror in his left, further trimming his beard.
Her eyes fell on his shoulder, the mark consisting of two swords crossed between two rose vines that encircled them. "W-what is that mark on your shoulder?" She asked quietly. "Is it a Cutie mark like mine?" she asked, exposing her flank to the light. It had three pink and blue butterflies on it. Eric shook his head.
"Only if your mark was put there by someone else." He held the mirror at arms length, satisfied with the quarter inch mustache and beard combo. He lowered the mirror, opening his pack slightly and dropping the mirror and scissors in. He rested his elbow on his knee, pointing to the tattoo on his right shoulder. "This is a Tattoo. It is painted permanently to your skin by small, ink filled needles that pierce the top layers of your skin. It never goes away, although it might fade a little."
Fluttershy cringed at the thought, having needles paint something on you was frightening. "Oh no, a cutie mark appears when a pony finds out his or her special talent. Mine is my ability to care to small animals." She held out a hoof, letting a Blue Jay land on it before flying away.
Eric watched the bird fly off. "Well, I guess Tattoos are kind of similar. Most people don't get them for any purpose other than the fact that a design looks good." he explained. "But I got mine to advertise my achievements." He pointed to the swords again. "This one is to show my proficiency with dual swords. He pointed to the two swords attached to his backpack. He turned around and pointed to his right shoulder. it was a design of a knife with a red crosshairs behind it. "This means that I can hit anything I am at with a throwing knife. He pulled a slender, silver knife with a ring on the end from a group on his thigh. He slung the knife behind him nailing a bulls eye on the tree.
He walked back to the dead tree taking the knife. "The one on my left shoulder I got to mark my degree in advanced chemistry." The design was a beaker filled with a bubbling liquid. "And this one," he pointed to the dove on his right chest muscle. "Is a marker I did myself. I considered myself to be the last hope for my world. And on Earth, the dove is a symbol of hope." He grabbed a lock of hair, slicing it off with his knife. Fluttershy's eyes widened.
"Why are you cutting off you beautiful mane?" she demanded, running up and prizing the knife from Eric's hand. He let her have it, holding the hair up for her to see.
"I'm a human, so I don't have a mane. I have hair. And for humans, long hair is difficult to keep clean. So I prefer to keep it short." He dropped the lock of hair, taking the knife back from her. "It all has to do with opinion though. Some humans like their hair long, mostly the girls though." He continued to cut the hair from his head, soon having a ragged, short, blond mop about three inches long. He pulled the mirror and scissors out of his bag again. "Some of the males have long hair, but they very seldom leave it to hang down. Most braid it or twist it into dreadlocks." He continued talking to Fluttershy about human hair fashions as he trimmed his.
He soon had a very neat and squared away feather cut. He bent over and poured water from his canteen over it. He grabbed his shemagh and soaked up most of the water that was still in it before running a pocket comb through it backwards. It stood up like a movie soldier's haircut. He looked into the mirror again, satisfied with the way the beard complemented his look. "How do I look?" he asked, smiling at her.
Fluttershy had to admit, the shorter hair and trimmed beard made him seem much friendlier. It took the hard, scary look out of his grin and made him seem to glow with happiness. She nodded, smiling back for the first time since he had arrived "Hey! A smile. See? I told you I would look better." He grinned and patted her gently on the shoulder. "Come on, it's getting dark." He said as he put on his shirt and vest again. He shouldered his pack and collected the remaining possessions that were scattered around the tree.
They walked back into the house as Applejack walked out. "Sorry y'all," she apologized. "I best be headin' back to th' farm. Big Macintosh is probably getting' a might worried." Fluttershy nodded, walking inside. Eric waved but was cut off by AJ. "You, Eric. Come 'ere. I wanna talk to ya." He followed her around the cottage. When he turned the corner, Applejack knocked him against the wall, pinning him to it with her fore-hooves.
"What in the world are you doing?" he yelled before she placed a hoof on his mouth. She stared him down like a killer, intent on being heard out.
"Listen 'ere bub," she said in a hushed tone. "Ah don't trust y'all, ya hear? Ah don't know where y'all 're from, Ah don't really care much neither. All Ah know, is that y'all held me at the point of a sword. Twi may play dumb to you holdin' that there knife to her throat, but you here me now." She paused for effect, planting both hooves on his shoulders and bearing down with a mild margin of her strength. Eric winced in pain, eliciting a smirk from AJ. "If'n you ever do that to any pony again, Ah'll kick you so hard, havin' a hard time eatin' will be the least of y'alls problems." She pressed hard on his shoulders again before backing off.
Eric grabbed her by the hoof, twisting it in ways it was never meant to move and forcing her face down on the ground. He drew a pistol, pulling back the hammer and holding it to her head. "Alright then. now you listen, Apple-crack." He growled into her ear, barely loud enough to hear. "I have seen things that would cause your tough act to shatter. I have killed undead humans, cows, dogs, bears and ponies. I've even killed a few living humans that tried to steel what was mine." He pushed the gun against her skull harder. "I will not!" he snarled, twisting her leg further as she kicked out. "I repeat, not warn you again. If you endanger my life of cause harm to me that is beyond my ability to fix alone, which is a lot by the way, I will not hesitate to kill you. This little thing here," he said, holding it up to her face. It smelled like burning sulfur to Applejack. "It does more than look pretty. It can kill you from fifty feet away, easily. So don't fuck with me, and we can be good friends. I'm sorry I had to do this, but I don't take any crap from a pony with an attitude."
He let go of her leg, helping her up. "Now I am a great guy when you get to know me. If you're nice to me, then I'm nice to you. And if we can get along, I will even protect you with my life. So please," he said, stopping to wipe a tear away from her face. "believe me when I say I am sorry for what I did in the forest. Honesty and sincerity are virtues I hold dear. So you can trust what I say. But my word and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee." He chuckled slightly as she gave him a confused glance. "It's… an expression where I'm from." He punched her on the shoulder lightly.
She hated to admit it, but he was right. She had acted brash and roguish just now. She did deserve his retaliation in full. "Ahm sorry, I guess I was being protective of mah friends. No hard feelings, righ'?" she asked, mimicking his motion with a forehoof. Eric nodded, holstering his pistol.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too. And don't worry," he said turning around. "Fluttershy's safe with me." He walked around the corner, out of sight of Applejack. She lowered her head, pawing at the ground with a foreleg. She sulked for a moment more before heading down the road to home.
Eric entered the cottage, noticing Fluttershy's bustling activity to make the couch comfortable for sleeping. "What are you doing?" he asked in a deadpan. She looked up after laying a blanket on the table beside the sofa.
"Oh, um, I w-was just going to sleep here tonight. Y-you can have the bed." she added with a shy smile. Eric shook his head, refusing her offer.
"No, I am not going let you sleep on the couch." He walked over and laid out on the couch. "Besides, I like these things. They're comfy." He smiled, ignoring her various protests and 'oh it's ok, I don't mind's.
Later that night, Eric laid on the couch staring at the ceiling. He had tried and tried to fall asleep, but each time he would doze off a noise would wake him up. Every time he thought he heard the strangled hiss of a Lazarus Risen, and every time it seemed to be coming from nowhere but his mind. He knew the hissed in two parts, inhale and exhale. He would hear the inhale and wake up, then he would wait. Every time the exhale would fail to come forth. 'You're just jittery from having to survive five years of it,' he thought, closing his eyes and drifting again.
It happened again. He opened his eyes and waited. This time there was the second gurgling hiss of the exhale. It came from outside. The hiss sounded again, followed by a thump. He rolled off the couch, quickly strapping his belt with the Kukri knives on and slipping the swords onto his back. He rose to a military crouch, stalking his way to the door. Again there was the two part hiss. He drew one sword looking through the peephole in the door. All clear out front. He opened the door, silently sliding out and closing the door behind him. The hiss came from out back. 'What are these monsters doing here.' He thought as he stalked around the west facing wall. The hiss came again, followed be the same thump. But it was different, there was a squelching sound with it.
He turned the corner, lashing out and stopping just before striking a chestnut pony. Under its hooves were the mangled remains of a dog that had the bulbous, mutilated skin of a Lazarus Risen. "Friendly!" the pony hissed, stomping the Lazarus dog again. The pony didn't seem stunned to see him, and this intrigued him more than the fact that it was stomping a Lazarus dog's head.
"Who are you?" He asked, keeping the blade beside the pony's neck. The chestnut pony had a black braided mane and tail. A cutie mark of an upright pentacle with yellow circled around it adorned his flank.
"Keith, 2nd Force-Recon division, Iraq war veteran," he introduced, stepping back and off of the undead beast. "Cut off the dog's head and follow me. The princess's want to see you at the library with Twilight. Don't worry about Fluttershy, Twilight already left a note on her nightstand. Go get your things and hurry." The pony, Keith as it were, ran off around some bushes and waited. Eric walked back into the house, wrapping his face and neck in the shemagh and shouldering his pack. He slipped the two .45s into their holsters and rejoined Keith.
The pony looked back at him, pulling a walkie-talkie up from a necklace. "I have the package, Oscar Mike to your six." He started off at a fast trot. "Come on, we gotta get there before the moon goes down." They ran through the open field that separated Fluttershy's cottage from town. Neither talked, keeping their ears open for any sounds of the Lazarus. Eric held both of his Kukri blades as he ran, catching glimpses of movement in the corners of his eyes. The two part his echoed every now and then from the distance. They closed in on the town's residential section, slowing to a slow jog. Every now and then Keith would signal Eric to hide. He understood the need to remain hidden from the other ponies.
They wove through the alleyways and streets quickly, coming to the large, converted tree that served as Twilight and Keith's house and the town library. Keith opened the cellar door, ushering Eric inside. "Hurry, the Princesses are waiting for you. Eric ran down the stairs two at a time, standing in the dark landing as Keith closed the door. He lifted the walkie-talkie again as he walked up to Eric. "Package secure, do you want me to bring him up?" the reply echoed through the room and the device. "Affirmative, the welcome mat is out, Red." Eric followed Keith up the stairs and into the main room of the library.
Yeah, yeah, "Cliffhanger OMG!" oh well. so what is going on? Why is the Lazarus in Equestria? What the buck is Keith doing in this story? Why am I asking you people? I already know! Hahahahahaa!
R&R please :)