Blacklight Retribution: Stranger on a Stranger World

“So run it through me again, why do you wear the skull helmet? It doesn’t do shit,” Tanny chortled.

“Ah by the contrary, mate,” Freddie dismissed with a hand, “It produces intimidation.”

Tanny shook his head to this, “You’ve got to be fucking shitting me.”

Freddie quickly approached Tanny with the skull mask on him, this startled him, “Intimidated enough?”

Tanny gave a light chuckle, “Alright, alright, you win. Still doesn’t do shit to physical damage.”

Freddie scoffed at this statement, “I wear it because they can’t touch me.”

“Whatever,” Tanny gave in, “Hey, where’s that new guy? You know, the new guy that was supposed to be here about an hour ago?”

“His records are solid,” Poet cut in.

“Ma’am,” the two saluted.

Poet sighed at this, “Both of you shut the fuck up, it’s making me feel old.”

“Yes, bitch,” Stranger responded in the same tone, which earned a smack in the back of the head from her.

“Worth it,” Stranger mumbled to Tanny, who chuckled in return.

“What do you mean solid?” Tanny asked.

“I haven’t checked yet,” she said flatly, pulling out a tan file then gesturing it, “Here it is.”

“Well? What does it say, woman?” Tanny asked expectantly, “Is he good?”

Poet smacked Tanny in the head, which made him recoil in slight pain before opening the file, “I haven’t even seen a fucking word on this damn file and you ask me?!”

“Just-” Freddie started, but interrupted by Poet putting a hand up.

“It says here that he is a highly decorated veteran, a typical pro at shooting people, if you really needed that layman’s language.”

She looks more into the file, then pauses.

“Oh my god,” she gasped, still staring at the set of words she gasped. The silence and anticipation were killing the two males.

“What?” Tanny spoke up, “What’s wrong? Was he dishonorably discharged?”

Poet uncomfortably cleared her throat, “He survived the first outbreak.”

Silence filled the room once again, but with shivers down everyone’s spine.

“That,” Freddie stuttered, “That can’t be right. No one survived that with that Militia and infected at the same time.”

“Well this bastard did,” Poet snapped at Freddie, “And you’d better show deserved respect to a man who survived the first outbreak. He lost his sister surviving.”

Tanny decided to ask the stupid question, “How?”

“How he lost his daughter or-”

“How he lost his sister,” he interrupted.

Poet took another look at the file, “It says he personally shot her in the head. She was infected.”

“Damn,” Freddie sighed, “I wonder what it was like before the first infection. You know, twenty-five years ago? This guy must be too old to serve with us.”

“He can tell you about it when he gets here.”

“What do we call’em?”

Poet took a glance to the file, “Ryman.”

“Ryman? What the hell kinda name is Ryman?” Stranger didn’t notice the door opening and the new guy coming through.

Stranger only looked at Ryman for five seconds and, “Eh, I’m sorry?”

Ryman just walked silently to his bunk, and sat on it, looking oblivious to the fact that the three were uncomfortably staring at him. He looked surprisingly young, it was just the grey hair that was doing it.

“Good to have you on our fire-team, mate,” Stranger approached him, “I guess it’s your fault this group went from Squad to Fireteam, eh?”

Silence.

“Uh, look, mate,” Freddie hoped that he didn’t offend him, “If you need anything just ask... I’ll just uh... Leave you alone, take all the time you need.”

Freddie basically looked like a total kiss-ass to Tanny and Poet, and this got more laughter from Tanny than Poet, which earned a glare from Freddie to Tanny [lol].

“Name’s Ondra,” the newman spoke, this made Freddie jump by the elderness of the voice.

“That voice does not fit that face,” Freddie thought.

“Name’s Freddie,” he stuttered, but regained composure and smiled, “I think we’re going to be best friends!” he looked at his fake [non-existent] watch, “Oh, there ya go, we got to go get that lunch we were going to get five minutes ago,” he was nervously laughing, Ryman looking at him like he lost his mind, “I’m just gonna go to the mess hall, meet y’all there!”

Poet waited until the door closed and then she spoke.

“Well that’s settled, we need to give the man some space,” Poet cut in, “I’m Linda Beirch, codename: Poet, and I-”

“I know who you are, all of you,” Ryman interrupted, this startled her.

Linda cleared her throat, “Well, Ryman, lunch is almost ready so meet us at the mess hall when you’re ready, you’re going to be our new universal rifleman. I am your fireteam leader, is that understood?”

Ryman only nodded and the rest of the fire team made their way out of the room.

Once the door was closed, once Tanny ensured that the door was closed, and then met with Freddie.

“So, what do you think?” Poet asked the two.

“I think he’s crazy,” Tanny cut in, “I mean, the first outbreak? That kind of shit messes with people as much as that Vietnam war that happened a long, long time ago. Do you realise how many soldiers got dementia from that? Imagine that tenfold on this guy!”

“I know, I know,” Poet responded, “But his records ensure that won’t happen, you’re just going to have to give this man a chance.”

“She’s right, mate,” Stranger cut in, “We need this fifth man, The Order is becoming more and more aggressive. And we’re going to need more aggressive.”

Tanny sighed, “Fine, but if this does not go well, mark my words.”

“It will go well, you know why?”

Tanny looked at him expectantly with an irritated face.

“Because he’s now my friend,” he pointed a thumb at himself.

“So damned cheesy,” Poet face palmed.

“You’re so damned retarded,” Tanny groaned and followed the facepalm.

“Yo, guys,” Raven cut in through the comms.

“Yeah?” Stranger removed his helmet.

“I’m at the mess hall, y’all better get here before you don’t get anything to eat.”

“We’re coming,” Poet said, “Come on, guys. Stranger?”

Stranger was looking through the door’s glass and saw that Poet was focusing on some kind of toy... A small doll?

Poet shook him out of his trance, this earned a startled noise and shake from him.

“What?”

“Time to eat? To the mess hall,” Poet gestured him to follow, so di Tanny.

“Yes ma’am,” Poet groaned at this.

***

Equestria Mountains

***

“I am still alive?!” Freddie thought to himself as he knew he was breathing.

He opened his eyes and looked around, he was immobile, as in restrained.

He was in a dungeon, it was obvious, what with the environment of a cell and a cell door with bars.

“Hello?” he called out, no response.

“Hello?” that was basically bellowing out.

He had no injuries, as far as he knew because he didn’t feel anything, but his limbs felt weird. He was hesitating to look at himself, then he saw himself.

“HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIT! WHAT THE FUCK?!” he screamed, he knew that he felt naked and he had black skin, ash black skin.

He darted his head towards the restraints he felt, he had holed legs.

“How do I not feel this?!” he was talking to himself.

“This is a dream,” he chanted to himself, “It’s not happening.”

“This is a dream,” he closed his eyes, “It’s not happening..”

He opened them, “FUCK!”

“You in there!” a mysterious authoritative voice called out, “Silence!”

“Oh thank the world! Can you help me?”

Laughter.

“What... What is funny?” Stranger asked worriedly.

Then a horse came into view.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Stranger yelled.

“A HORSE WITH ARMOR AND A SPEAR?! … And a horn on it’s head?! I MUST BE DREAMING!”

The guard only stared at him.

“Come on, mate! Help me out of these chains, and I’ll help you turn back into a human, whaddya say?!”

The guard continued staring at him.

“You deaf, mate?”

“You’re very lucky to be alive,” the guard continued glaring at him, Freddie only chuckled at this.

“Yeah,” he sighed as he looked at the ground, “Yeah, I am. Where am I?”

He looked at him like he asked if he had wings.

“This guy did not want to be turned back into a human,” Freddie thought disappointedly.

“Why?” the guard asked.

“I’m supposed to be dead,” he responded flatly with a straight face staring into the guard’s soul, “Now how about you tell a dead man what FUCKING world he is chained in!”

The guard decided to humor him, “You’re in Equestria, and-”

“Ah ah ah,” Freddie interrupted him, “I’ve heard enough, I’ll hear the rest from someone else important.”

“I was sent here to check to see if you’re awake,” the guard sighed in disappointment, “The princess would like to see you.”

Freddie put on an intrigued face, “Princess? You mean monarchs still exist?”

Ignoring the question, the shackles were engulfed into a strange aura.

“What is...” the shackle opened, “You blokes developed telekinetic technology? Impressive.”

Ignoring the compliment, the guard was joined by two others before the cell door opened.

“I do not have a fighting chance, there is no point,” Freddie thought to himself as he sized them up.

“Where do we go?”

“Follow,” the first gestured.

“What do you think made the Princess want to spare the Changeling?” the third guard spoke, obviously knowing that the said changeling would hear.

“That’s what I am? Changeling?” there was a pause, “I can change into things?”

The three guards turned around to look at Freddie.

Then they started snickering.

“Oh man, he really did hit his head hard?” the second one mockingly asked as his comrades were laughing.

“Oh, ok, don’t be a bundle of penises,” Freddie huffed, “Let’s just get to that Princess.”

The first glared at him for calling him a penis, but he shrugged it off and continued onwards.

“No one will believe me if I tell’em what happened to me...” Freddie thought to himself.

“So where did you find this thing anyway?” the third asked.

“I found it at the gardens, just laying there,” there was a pause for the speaker, the first guard, to look at Freddie, “he looked like he was having a very nice rest on the grass.”

“And resisting your urge to kill him was enough to the princess to make it your responsibility?” the second one chimed.

“I have a damned name you know,” Freddie grumbled.

The three stopped and slowly turned their heads towards him expectantly.

“Come on think fast, man,” he quickly thought to himself, “Oh shit, I know!”

“Stranger, nice to meet y’all,” he struck out a hoof towards them, they bolted back because they thought the holed hoof was disgusting, “Aw come on! It’s not that bad is it?”

They all glared at Freddie.

“I wasn’t going to hurt ya,” he put the ‘repulsive’ hoof down, “racists.”

He mumbled the last part so they wouldn’t hear.

“Let’s just get this over with,” the first one sighed.

***

Moments Later

***

“Here we are,” the first guard said, “she wanted to see you alone.”

He then approached Freddie to jab him firmly with a hoof to his chest.

“Do NOT make me regret this,”

“Yes, ma’am,” Freddie joked, then received a blow to the stomach from the second guard.

“What did you do that for?!” the first one yelled exasperatedly.

“He-” the second one was interrupted.

“It’s alright,” Freddie coughed and wheezed to recover his air, “I’m dead anyway.”

“The Princess would not do that, even I know she wouldn’t kill anything,” the third guard tried to talk.

“These horses do not understand,” Freddie thought as he chuckled.

“Wish me luck,” the second one only glared at Freddie, the first one having a hopeful face, and the third one giving a full face of ‘I don’t give a fuck’.

The doors open and a larger horse with a horn AND wings is revealed.

“Ho... Ly... Spaghetti,” Freddie said in awe of the comparison in sizes of the princess and the guards.

“Hello there,” she gave a gentle smile, “guards, please leave us.”

“Yes, Princess,” the three guards saluted, much to Freddie’s amusement.

“The salute is stranger for these ponies,” he thought to himself.

Once the doors fully closed, the Princess cleared her throat.

“I am assuming you’re going to ask where you are?”

Freddie only gave a slow nod, hoping that his voice of a reptile wouldn’t lower his chances of survival on his second wing.

“You are in Equestria, a land of Harmony that is defended by the bravest and strongest,” she calmly stated, Freddie nodded slowly in the same to say to continue.

“I am Celestia, co-ruler of this land, along with my sister, Princess Luna,” she paused to look around, “she is asleep, and I do not want to bother her about this. I move the sun for the day and lower it for Luna to bring her moon to the skies and bring the night.”

Another nod convinced her to continue the talking, “You were not the first to be sent into this world... Or dimension.”

“You said that you move the sun and your sister moves the moon? You must be high,” Freddie chuckled, “ and you said I’m not the only one that was sent here?”

“Yes, he is a strange one, but we will discuss that later,” she pointed a political hoof to him, “you too, are a strange one. I have never seen a changeling with those eyes, you also seem to not be connected with a HIVE like most changelings, your wings-”

WINGS?!

“are also nothing like a normal changeling’s, they are whole. And as for your friend we will discuss that later.”

“Can... Can I get a mirror?” Freddie asked, with making it obvious that he was uncomfortable.

“If you’re worried about execution for being a race that my subjects do not enjoy company of, you do not have to. I have made you a citizen of this land.”

“Why?”

“You’re a clean slate, I know you haven’t been in touch with the HIVE that influences changelings into wrongdoing. I know I can trust you,” she laid out a gentle smile.

She gestured a hoof towards a convenient reflective surface, it would have to suffice.

Approaching it, Freddie could already tell that his eyes were a bright color in contrast to his black exoskeleton. His eyes were blue and looked like they were made up of pearlescent hexagons. His wings... He would call himself a giant fly.

His pupils were triangles, blue glowing triangles... His HRV burnt into his skull?

“How would I go into turning on HRV in my own head?” he thought to himself, he started tapping his own head. It didn’t work. He started doing some stuff that he thought came from the movies for Superheroes. Celestia took note of this.

“May I ask what you are doing?”

“It’s,” growing frustrated, he quit, “nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“If you’re wondering about your changeling powers, despite what I have against you  using them, I will tell you that everything that everypony does is based on magic.”

Freddie looked at Celestia, “Are you high? Magic? This is a mutation! Not fantasy!”

“I will not tell you again; I will however, tell you that it takes some imagination,” Celestia stated.

“I am going to let you roam around Canterlot, on one condition,” she said more firmly this time.

“You’re going to trust me THAT much?”

“It’s either that or you spend time in dungeon,”

“Eh, I could use some inspiration to my ‘imagination’,” mockery was added to the last word.

“CAN I trust you?”

“You’re going to have to find out,” Freddie shrugged, “What’s the condition?”

“If you harm anypony,” her glare intensified, “ANYpony, you will be executed in a private area.”

“Why do you trust me with this decision, again?”

“Because I know you did not come from the influence of the Changelings I know who want to ruin this land, because I know there is some good inside you. I informed the guards of Canterlot that you will be walking among them in the city, do NOT disappoint me. I am surprised I had to repeat myself for you there.”

Freddie slowly, mockingly bowed down, “Yes, your highness. Where’s the exit?”

“I will send for a guard to escort you there. Good luck,”

“You’re also sending me out to make friends?”

“How did you guess?”

“This is a land of harmony,” Freddie shrugged, “I figured that kind of gay shit would happen.”

Celestia was not going to pry about that last part, but.

“What did you mean ‘getting high’?”

“It’s what the stupid portion of my people did, I’d rather not explain it,” Freddie dismissed the subject with a wave of the hoof, his holed hoof. He recoiled it, and started staring into his own self.

“Goddamn, I’m ugly,” he sighed, “which is cool, I guess.”

Celestia felt pity for the creature, “Would you like me to help you with transforming?”

Freddie glanced up, “Nah, I think I’d look like something from halloween, I wanna scare some folks!”

Freddie beamed a smile that looked like he was a nerd with a bunch of high grade GPUs in front of him.

Celestia put up a smile that represented pity for him, but he saw it as a parental smile, the kind of smile when a parent sees that his or her child is making good progress and is proud.

“This one might actually have a chance,” Celestia thought to herself, and brought a better smile to her face.

***

BLR HQ

***

“So, Freddie,” Tanny started, “Why do you like the skull helmet again? Tell all of us.”

Tanny gestured to all that was on the table, this earned a sigh of disappointment from Freddie.

“I like it because it intimidates our enemies,” he said flatly with a stoic expression, the other three burst out laughing, slowly breaking his stoic expression.

“No, seriously,” Tanny continued after laughing with the other two, “We’re dealing with men who created a plague that outranks the bubonic, what makes you think they’re going to be intimidated?”

“Look, mate, just piss off,” he flipped the bird to Tanny, “I’ve had it up to here with your complaints about my damned helmet.”

“Fine,” he gave in, “Just remember, that if you die by a headshot, you owe me in the afterlife.”

Freddie groaned in irritation, “Fine.”