Stalker

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7

Chapter 1

Chapter One

My men and I were in the briefing room waiting for the General to come in. Same old, same old really. Just a different room, in a different building, in a different city. We were slowly being driven north by the Dark as it kept catching up to us, even though my company had stopped the monsters from advancing multiple times. Humans are bad but the Dark is so much worse. Literally a nightmare that just never ends, it just keeps getting back up to come at you again no matter how many bullets you put into it, how many times you push it back. Not the best thoughts to be having near my men, obviously the feelings were showing on my face but when you hear about how great America had been only to have been born after it started to crumble, it is hard to imagine it being anything but dead, dark, and sick.

That is what the world is: sick. It's been dying for years now and we try to fight, but it just seems so pointless. I just have to remember that not all of it is dying. Not all, but America isn't going to last unless we really turn the war against the Dark around soon.

Thankfully General Darwen walked in along with some stands, boards with maps, and diagrams. He looks us over while a couple of privates set up everything and once they are done he starts with the briefing.

"Got some bad news for you boys," General Darwen said after everything was set up. "You are going south to hold the line while we evacuate civilians north toward Canada." This would be the fourth time my men would have to hold that southern line against the Dark in a month. Once is bad, but to have to take casualties three times and now a fourth was pushing everyone's tolerance to the bullshit that was handed to us. "Two points have been chosen for you to hold. You will be taken by helicopter and dropped-"

"We know the drill, General. We go and hold the line without support of any kind, take more causalties, while you take the credit for getting the civilians to safety," said a sergeant. There was silence even though we were all thinking the same thing. We never got the support promised to us and the company had taken numerous deaths because of it. Of course, if you wanted to be promoted or not executed you kept your mouth shut.

"Captain Roderik, I would advise that you remind this sergeant of why we fight," General Darwen said.

"Yes, sir," came my response.

"Now, point A will be on Helmings ridge," General Darwen pointed at an L shaped line on a diagram that was set up in the front. "I advise setting up into a line that follow the ridge. The long stretch will be facing directly south, while the short stretch will be facing a South-Westerly direction. You will hold this ridge until you are pushed off. You will then fall back to point B, this office building just outside of the city, and hold until you hear otherwise." Doesn't help that he acts like we don't know what to do in these kind of situations, as if we have no common sense or strategic skills, and it looked like we were all going to get killed on this one. The ridge line was a little over 2 miles long and that can't be held by two platoons. "Now, for the good news. You will only be holding off walkers, maybe a few runners." This statement was met with a cheer as those were easy to take care of.

The last three engagements we had been faced with involved dragons, fatties, and brutes. Dragons were by far the worst for the simple reason that they could peg you with a spike from their tail eighty yards away. They were about ten feet long (real fun inside a house) with claws and teeth like daggers. They were named dragons because they're covered in scales and generally look like a dragon. A European one, not Chinese or Japanese. The fatties, well, they were just fat and slow, not much of a threat unless they got you in a bear hug. The brutes were a larger threat, despite being blind. They had a keen sense of smell, were relentless and were a nightmare if they closed the distance . As fast as dragons and able to take twice the beating. Walkers and Runners on the other hand, they were a cake walk, no more durable than a normal human. Sounded like we finally caught a break even though we were going to be spread thin.

"Alright men, grab your gear and go hold that line," said the General. As one, we stand and file out of the room into a hallway.

The hall was fairly plain, with dim lights stretching down its length. I made a couple of turns before entering my room and gathering my gear, which consisted of my gun-belt with my .357 magnum and a .45 semi. Both were my father's till I inherited them after his death when I was young. The memories were still sickening. I strapped it around my waist, feeling the familiar weight. Then I picked up the ZZR.47 assault rifle slinging the strap over my shoulder. It was a newer version of the old AK-.47. Next was advanced carry bag. Stupid name, but that's what the eggheads wanted to call it. It looked like a regular combat back-pack but it could hold many more things. Mine could hold up to 800 pounds or a couple hundred items. I never bothered to figure out how that worked but damn if it wasn't useful. It still had everything that I needed considering it was part of the rules in case we had to leave fast. Soldiers rarely ever took their combat armor off even though it was almost useless considering everything we faced could cut through it with ease, well, except for the walkers and runners. Lastly I took my dog-tags from a peg on the wall. I hated the things, made me feel like I was expendable.

Double checking everything I left the room and made it to the tarmac to wait for the last few stragglers. There were the helicopters ready to go, along with a vehicle transport. I wondered why they would suddenly dispatch vehicles when I heard the distinct rumble of tanks coming. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or angry. We could have used tanks for the last three engagements, but if all we were facing were walkers and runners there was no need for them now. Admittedly it was fun to watch them cut down walkers. Ah fuck it, zombies is what they are and I would like to slap the egghead who thought it would be cute to call them walkers. Oh well, it meant more men and that always raised sprites; plus, having something that can leave a five foot crater is nice too. The last of the men lined up for inspection.

"Well, same shit just a different night," my statement was received with a couple of chuckles. There was nothing to say that hadn't already been said at one time or another. "Sounds like it'll be an easy night but for the love of god don't drop your guard. Thankfully, we have tanks backing us up though you would think we wouldn't need them. Tank master, would you like to say something?" I asked the man that came up to my side while I was speaking. He was small, no more than five-six, bald, and had a permanent scowl on his face.

"Let's go blow some shit up," safe to say he was greeted with a roar of approval. Without being told, they loaded up onto the helicopters and the tanks rumbled their way onto their transports. I walked onto the lead heli and sat down on a seat near the ramp. I watched as the first half of first platoon walked on and took their seats. Most of the faces on board were haunted and… detached. It was then I noticed that there were a couple of fresh faces on board. It was depressing seeing that from so many young men, most being around nineteen. The youngest was seventeen while I was the oldest at twenty-four. I looked back at one of the younger guys when I noticed that he was giving me a strange stare.

"Can I help you," I asked.

"Is it true that you killed a brute while in trance on the last engagement," he asked. The small talk that was happening on the helicopter stoped and we all look at the kid.

"No. No, I'm no viking, I didn't go into berserker mode or something," we all started to laugh while the kid turned red.

"Don't feel too bad, kid," said a corporal next to him, "I think we've all heard that rumor once or twice. Though when I was in another company we had a guy that could sort of do that. Shit, he killed a fattie with a pitchfork. Then again, that might just be because he was fucking insane. He did a lot of things that could have gotten him killed." I shook my head before letting it roll back and let my eyes close.

The helicopter landed with a small thump and we filed out, with the men falling into a line while I watched the tanks exit their transporters. There were three tanks, meaning there would be an extra twelve hands on duty. That sounded small but behind a tank it counted for sixty men easily. I pulled an about face and addressed the men.

"Get to the hill, gentlemen, what are you waiting for?" I yell at them.

"Shit, sir, we don't know," they yelled back and then ran to the hill. It was then that I noticed that it was getting pretty dark, almost like a presence was out there reaching toward us. The tanks rolled up to the ridge alongside the men. It was finally going to be an easy ride for once. They set up quickly, getting the LMGs and sniper rifles in place while the guys with assault rifles spread themselves out so that each were covering one of the aforementioned gunners. I climbed up the hill so I was almost even with one of the tank crew members. He had a tablet out, so I sneaked a peep at what he was looking at. I expected a movie or pictures of his family; instead I saw what looked like two horses locking lips. One was a blue color, the other was orange.

I grabbed the man by his shoulder and hauled him to his feet, taking the tablet out of his hands. "What the hell is a matter with you? We're on business and you're getting off on horses fucking?" He lowered his eyes, not wanting to look at me. I placed the tablet into my bag and then stared at him until he gave me a response.

"Well, sir," he started and looking up at the same time, "they're technically ponies and… we all have our own fetishes."

"That didn't answer my question. We're on business so why are you trying to get off on some weird ass porn? Furthermore, I don't care what you're into, just not when we're out. You won't get your tablet back till we get to home base."

"Yes, si-" his head was gone and my face was covered in blood and bits of brain.

"GET DOWN, NOW!" I yelled, not missing a beat as more spikes came down on us, hitting a few more men and disabling a tank. The LMGs and sniper rifles let loose a torrent of hell on the dragons, cutting down the few that were there. It was over in seconds, but from what I could see the damage was sickening. At least five men were down: two dead, one missing an arm, and the other two with a gaping hole in their stomach. More importantly though: how the hell did we not see them? Was it really that dark out there?

"Sir, we got two down on the short end and the tank took one to the engine but we killed the dragqueen," came a voice over the headset using a nickname for the dragons. I was going to respond when I saw a brute come level with the hill. That made no sense, we should have seen the fucker long before he got that far. The men lit his ass but he stilled charged at the line and reached it. He quickly tore into a private that was too slow to run.

"FALL BACK TO POINT B!" My voice nearly cracked with my shout, but the men didn't hesitate and they started to run. I let loose short spray, putting a walker and a runner down, before going thirty yards and stopping to let loose another spray. The intelligence was shit; there were brutes and fatties along with the walkers and runners. We had already encountered the dragons, though there would probably be more of them.

We were half a mile from the hill when the remaining tank was tipped by a brute charging into it. The gunfire was deafening, but was nothing compared the to sound coming from the hill. It was a deep throaty sound. We continued for another minute or two before what was making the sound came over the hill. It was a giant, they were rare but existed. They had the general shape of a man but were lumpy with growths on their body and this one stood about twenty feet tall. Their skin was hard needing an explosive to cause damage or a very high caliber bullet. That was it for the men, they stopped leapfrogging and just ran like hell to the office building. We made it and ran inside.

"Find something to barricade the door," yelled a sergeant and they all started throwing what was ever loose at the doors. There was heavy banging coming from the other side and we all knew that it wasn't going to hold long.

"Get upstairs and start blocking the stairways and get ready for a last stand," I say as calmly as I could but it was hard, knowing that the men, my men weren't going to live. That last look before the doors were closed made sure there wasn't much hope. There had to have been hundreds of them, of everything on top of the giant. They followed the command and we all started up the stairs, my mind still going back to how we missed all of them when we first arrived.

It wasn't until we were on the fourth floor that we heard a large, almost explosive in nature, sound from below signaling that they broke through. We continued up till we were at the top, the sixth floor. It was empty with just its pillars to hold up the ceiling. I took a hard look at the men counting them. There was fifteen left not including myself. Fifteen out of seventy-two in less than an hour of fighting. I walked over to the radio man.

"Radio Darwen and tell him what happened, and that we'll hold for as long as we can. Tell him he needs to hurry," the radio man gave a curt nod and did as I told. "Get into a firing line and get ready to meet God." They did just that without a sound. We all knew we were done. There were more sounds of them breaking through doors, going up the stairs, looking for us, and as time went by they got closer and closer.

The first runner came out of the door way, charging, and was cut down with two bullets to the chest. Same with the second and third. Then the fatties were pushing there frames through the doorways and we killed them too. This went on for close to an hour and we were all down to our last magazines. I pulled out my revolver and felt the familiar buck in my hands as I squeezed the trigger. Soon that ran out and the line broke as half the men ran toward the windows in the back, figuring suicide was better than being torn apart. The other half charged with knives ready when the windows to our right shattered inward. It became black, blacker than black but I could still hear, the screams coming from my men and the Dark were loud enough to almost break my ear drums.

I was slammed from the right and I felt my feet leave the ground. I stopped when I slammed into something hard knocking the remaining breath out of my lungs and leaving me in pain. I wasn't sure but it felt that ribs were broken and blood was running down my face. The blackness lifted and I was met with a sight of blood, guts, and various body parts strewn all over the place. There was still a brute standing along with a few walkers and a fatty. I started to push myself up grunting as I did so and catching the attention of the beasts. I wasn't going to die laying on the ground.

They moved toward me when the brute seemed to explode in a fountain of blood and various organs and so did the fatty and the walkers. I didn't see what killed them but I took comfort knowing that it would be quick. "Well come on then, you still have one more to go," I say softly. The comment was met with a grunt from the stairway I turned my head that way to fast causing it to swim dropping me to my knees. I looked again going much slower and I was greeted with golden eyes not a foot from my face.

My breath caught in my throat. It broke eye contact and moved toward the center of the room, my eyes following it. I was staring at a Stalker. The very thing that started the extermination of the human race. They came from a different world or dimension through a portal. The ones for the Americas happened in Brazil and their disease quickly spread. We were never sure how it spread from them but for everything else it was through biting. The sudden increase in immigration to the north was immense but to be expected but the disease spread so quickly we were forced to fire bomb everything midpoint of Mexico south. They were known for their looks and there scream which could incapacitate anyone in its radius with fear. It was black like a night with no stars or moon. Easily fifteen feet if not a little bit more. Had a tail that added another ten that ended with a spike. Claws and teeth sharper than a dragons and faster. Its skin was smooth almost looked like glass. And it had wings that were large but they were folded against its back.

I found breathing hard as I stared at it but my examination was interrupted as the building took a large lurch forward causing me to tumble forward and then the angle grew worse with a great groaning and shacking from the building causing me slide toward the nightmare. The Stalker simply hooked its claws into the floor but it didn't see me as I slammed into it causing a yelp to escape from it. The windows were coming up fast and shortly before reaching them our positions changes so that I was on top of it. Whether that was fortunate or not is debatable as the stalker took the glass shards in the window frame to its back and wings. Then we were free falling toward the ground, I closed my eyes before we hit.

The dull ach in my side grew and grew with every breath leaving little else to focus on. Slowly my eyelids opened showing a thick foliage above me with sun trying to break through. I start to move only to gasp and stop. The impact from the stalker definitely cracked a rib, maybe more than one, hopefully it was only one and cracked, not broken. Slowly I get myself into a sitting position with my back straight only to notice my gun belt was gone. This scared me, it was one of the few things that I found comforting, and the only thing (besides the pistols) from my father that I had. I couldn't do anything about it so instead I investigate my surroundings. I was in a forest it looked like, dense too.

All of this was confusing, I was falling about to meet the ground outside of a city, but now I'm not. I would have been killed from the fall but the building was also coming down on top of me. This wasn't right at all. I looked around as much as I could by only turning my head and saw that the trees, while having dark green foliage, were oddly shaped. Many looked like they had faces in them while others were bent and crooked like old women. I try to stand up and succeed but it wasn't without a great deal of pain from the movement and the increase in breathing.

My chest wasn't the only thing in pain, everything was whether it be from an actual injury or just the ach of muscle fatigue. A light brown bag that was sitting against a tree a few yards away caught my attention. Moving as carefully as possible as to avoid causing more pain than needed I pick the bag up with a grunt only to see that the name tag on it said DeLain. I didn't recognize the name but it gave me hope. It meant that there were other people here that could help me, could maybe tell me what happened. I open the bag and saw a welcome sight.

There were a few roles of clean bandages that I could use to wrap my chest with. Besides the bandages there was also a small pocket knife that looked like it was relatively new. Dropping the bag after taking out the bandages and knife I take off the body armor and started to cut the shirt underneath. Soon it was off and I could see the bruising on my side. It was quite extensive and looked as bad as it felt but considering I wasn't passing out or dead I figured that the rib or ribs were only cracked and not broken. Next I take the bandages and start wrapping just under my armpit going as far as my naval. They weren't too tight but, snug like a blanket wrapped around you in a cold night. Taking slow deep breaths I continue to look through the bag.

I find some painkillers and a map. I take a couple of the pills and spread the map out on the forest floor. The map showed what looked like a massive forest called Everfree and a red circle with the note saying town one. There was a total of four red circles marked on the map and a line cutting off what looked like five miles worth of forest at the edge of it. The red line had the word avoid written over and over again all the way through, though one of the circles was in the woods as well. There was no note for this circle. The third circle was next to town one but with the note of apple orchard. The last circle was high up on the map with 'capitol?' next to it.

Sighing I stand again taking the bag I started to walk looking for a suitable location to rest for a day or two. I went a mile, maybe a little bit more when I came across a little hollow in an especially dense copse of trees. I drop the bag and quickly lay down on my uninjured side and try to sleep but it wouldn't come quickly. Thoughts of how badly we were beaten ran through my mind. Intel was never hundred percent but to miss what had come at us meant that we were all lied to or something else was involved, like a stalker. The question of why it didn't kill me in the office building ran through my mind again and again without an answer till I fell asleep. Hell maybe they liked to play with their food.

My sleep was pitiful due to the dreams, well more like memories from my past. The gunfights with rebels, bandits and the slaughter of men, my men, at the claws of the Dark. I was damaged goods that was for sure. I sit up stretching my sides slowly and taking deep breaths I grabbed the bottle of painkillers and took a couple more. Deciding not to wait for my ribs to heal I stood up and exited the copse and looked up. It was fairly dark still but I could make out light from my left. That way was east and according to the map town one was in that direction.

I walked in that direction at least an hour but I had only covered what felt to be half a mile. Taking extra care not to jostle myself was slowing me down on top of traveling through a thick forest. I continued but had to correct myself again and again because I kept veering to the left. The veering actually helped me in the end because I came to a road. Deciding that a break was in order I lean back against a tree next to it and stayed that way for a while.

I sing a few songs to myself to help pass the time and soon I was at it again albeit I was making much better time, even though it was still slow. The sun was going down when something good came across my nose. It wasn't food but something to do with camping, happy memories came back to me when everything was simpler. When my father and I would roast a hot dog over a hot fire- oh shit. There had been a breeze since I had gotten on the road pushing against my back and it had slowly increased into actual winds.

I turn and see smoke above the tree line and guessed that the fire was a few miles away since the smoke thin near me. Turning back around I pick my pace up covering about a mile when a sudden strong gust of wind sent smoke around me. I look back to see that the fire had moved swiftly and was only a mile, maybe less, away. I start to run not wanting to be caught in the fire but I didn't get far before smoke was hugging my clothing and the heat of the fire was pushing at my back.

Centering myself on the road I run faster causing my side to cry out in pain but I pushed my battered body on any way. Out of the corner of my left eye I could see the flames jumping from one branch to another like a monkey. The smoke was much heavier and my breathing was ragged not drawing in enough oxygen. Suddenly a tree came down in front of me causing me to dash into the trees on my right to avoid it.

The sound of roaring could be heard on the other side of the trees on the road causing me to hesitate about pushing back onto it. Then I feel the heat of the fire lick my back causing me to sprint forward and dodge whatever was in the way. My side was on fire with the pain from my ribs but I push myself onward staying just ahead of the flames. If I did slow down the sudden heat against my back made sure I went faster. My breathing was coming in gasps now but really it was only smoke I was taking in now. I was slowing down and not even the fire could make me go any faster. My vision was blurry as tears went down my cheeks trying to stop what was irritating them but to no avail.

Suddenly the tree line broke but I kept moving forward, stumbling and eventually tripping. I take deep breaths despite my ribs crying out in pain. Shrugging the bag off my shoulders I lay on my back staring up into the smoke that was blocking out the sky. I stayed like this for- well I don't even know. It started to rain and soon the smoke was gone only to be replaced by dark rolling clouds. I didn't complain though, the rain was soothing to my body, calming me. Rain always had that effect on me. My sight was fading, going tunnel vision on me. I tried to fight it, but it was to no avail and I slipped under the waves of unconsciousness.

Oh god, my lungs were in agony. Every breath caused excruciating pain to radiate from them plus the ribs were not helping at all. Slowing my breathing down, I took stock of my situation. I was completely naked but I did have a blanket laying over my bottom half. There were bandages wrapping my entire torso along with my arms, and I was pretty sure that my left leg was wrapped half way. I looked over to my right to spot a glass of water on a nightstand. I began to reach over but stopped when the dull ach of my shoulder flared. This was going to take a while.

After slowly reaching and stopping many times I had the cup in my hands and with a sweating brow I took greedy gulps. The glass was empty much too fast for my liking. Eventually I set it back on the nightstand and felt myself slowly drifting off again. Figuring that fighting the feeling was useless I let it take me.

There was slight tugging on my leg but not wanting the person doing the tugging know I was awake I left my eyes closed. I felt that it was better to figure out what I could then talk to whoever it was that had possibly saved my life. While the person was doing the rest of their examination I took stock of my body again. I was still naked and I realized how awkward this was; i remember what this room looks like, it wasn't a hospital, in fact it had looked like a more like a bedroom when I drank the water.

Pushing out the thoughts of whether I was in the home of a doctor or a rapist I let my mind turn to my body's condition. My lungs felt much better considering that they didn't feel like they were on fire. My ribs were still hurting but not as much, guess I was getting more used to it or some time had passed. The rest of my body ached, I would move my arms and legs when the person left. Eventually they did and my limbs became active. I was quite happy to feel that, despite mild discomfort, they didn't elicit as much pain as the previous night.

No, I felt too good for this to simply be two nights after my sprint through an almost literal hell. I guess a few days could have passed from then to when I first woke but my body was telling me that it had been a lot longer. Just then my stomach let out a growl bringing my attention to the fact that I was hungry. This revelation brought further bad news. I was weak, and not just the 'you've been through a terrible accident' but the 'you haven't had anything solid food to eat and haven't moved for a while' kind.

There was a knocking sound coming from below me. I guess that meant I was on the second floor of the house. I glance to my left was greeted with a picturesque fireplace. There came a chirping from above me causing me to look up only to find myself in amazement. In the rafters there were multiple bird nests and even a few houses. Damn this was cool and peaceful, something that I wasn't use to, something that was wrong. There was no such thing as peaceful in my world, only violence and death with a couple of mild moments in between.

Footsteps come up the stairs snapped me out of my thoughts and I closed my eyes. The door at the end of the room opened and the footsteps came closer. The sound from them was wrong though, it was comparable to the sound of hooves striking wood. This set my nerves on edge but I tried my best to stay still and not alert the person, maybe thing, that I was aware of its presence. What worried me more so was that I didn't notice this anomaly the first time they were in here. The steps stopped near the side of the bed by my head.

"I hope you wake up so I can find out what you are," said a quiet female voice. She eventually walked away leaving me to ponder what she had meant by finding out what I was. This was not good on many levels yet there was concern and a feeling of kindness in the voice even if what was said made me worried. I heard talking and then eventually the door opened and then closed with what might if been enough time for two people to walk through.

Grunting with the effort I got to my feet only to realize that the rafters were maybe an inch or two above my head. I make my way to the door where I was met with steps going to the floor below. I didn't hear anything so I started my way down and eventually made it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but I stilled ached and was breathing harder than I should have. Looking around I was met with a rather peculiar looking home. It was odd mostly because of all the little homes for the many animals milling around.

"Ok, so the person is a vet, great. Now where is the kitchen so I can get something to munch on." I walk through a doorway to my right at the bottom of the stairs and look around again. This might be the living room considering it had a long couch which had a blanket on it- shit they've been sleeping on the couch while I've had the bed. I look to my right and see the kitchen. Moving in that direction I enter the new room and start going through the cupboards only to find a strange assortment of foods.

There was a lot of food that a farm animal might eat such as hay, oats, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There was also a few sweets like cupcakes and cookies. God how long has it been since I had a cookie. I grab one and took a small bite only to be sent on a journey of bliss from how good it tasted. After finishing the cookie I grabbed an apple and a banana and quickly ate those and walked outside of the house. There was a cool breeze which felt nice against my sore body but at the same time all the animals looking at me was disconcerting. Seeing some woods nearby I walk closer and chuck the core of the apple and the banana skin in there.

I had a few choices about what I could do now. One: leave right now without clothing and make my way in the woods. This was probably the worst considering that my ribs weren't fully healed yet plus I had nothing. Two: stay and act like I was comatose and hope my caretaker didn't catch on to my lie while I healed up a bit more. Three: I could stay and 'wake up' and learn about where I was, acquire clothing, get supplies, and get a good damn explanation about what happened.

They all had a good thing going for them and a bad thing. Fuck, what was I going to do? The second choice. I'll stay and heal up until I can make it on my own with more ease; maybe that'll turn into three depending on what happens over the course of the next day or two. I enter the house after relieving myself and admiring the architecture of the building. It was essentially a tree house only to the extreme. I return to the upstairs and lay back down on the bed with the covers laying over my lower half. Amazing how fucking easy it was to fall asleep.

The creature was downstairs probably asleep considering it was in the middle of the night, though I had woken up an hour before Whatever the indigenous species were they defiantly weren't human. If anything I would say they would be horse in nature only. At least that's what I gleaned from what she told me. She had arrived home shortly before dark and had come up and checked on me only to say that she needed to take care of all the other animals. When she came back she had a soup of some kind and I didn't know how to fake sleep swallowing, but she didn't seem to notice anything wrong. The real problem was to not react to what she said while feeding me.

She started off by telling me how worried that I was going to die, then about how she made me clothing then it finally got to what she and her friends did and that progressed to her telling me what each one was like. She then proceeded with their rulers, two princesses that ruled the day and night separately. Finally she told me of strange objects that a couple of her friends found that had been laying around. Apparently the one named Twilight Sparkle had found a strange looking saddle bag that held many interesting things. Then the one named Applejack had found what sounded like a couple of pistols. All of this was weird, though the thing that really creeped me out was the fact that she was telling me this in the first place. Hell maybe she is just really lonely.

By the sounds of it they were going to take the pistols to the princesses when they went to a Grand Galloping Gala, which I determined to be some kind of ball, while the 'saddle bag' was to be left at her first friend's house. The library near the middle of the town, which was called Ponyville. Dear god where the hell was I. The group was going to leave the next day which was when I was going to grab the bag and get the hell out of Dodge, so to speak. Only one problem with that: she had taken care of a foreign creature and then made clothing for him. This was going to be harder than I thought to just leave.

The next night I slipped out of the bed and grabbed the clothing that my caretaker had made and was surprised that they fit me quite well, plus there was extra room for when I finally got some of the muscle and fat back that I had lost. I made my way down the stairs and walked along the path until I came across the town. It was quaint looking and sleepy at this time of night with only a light or two on in a few houses.

Staying low I made a small dash to an alleyway. I did my best to stay in those and side streets to get to the center of the town which I finally accomplished. Even better I didn't run into any of the inhabitants. Next I looked for a large tree only to find that it was a couple of buildings away from me. Walking over to the library I turned the knob and wasn't disappointed to find that it was unlocked.

Closing the door quietly I walked forward a couple of steps and stopped to listen if there was sounds of movement. There weren't any so I proceeded to a table and podium that had books stacked high on them but there was no bag that I could see. Next I walked into what looked like a kitchen but once again there wasn't a bag or anything really. It was fairly plain with a sink, oven, a few cupboards and a table. The rest of the library was void of the bag as well, though I did find a rather nice looking bathroom and comfortable looking bedroom. It appeared that the creature living here had a small pet. Finally I found a door that was locked. Backing up a foot I kicked at the door near the handle only to have a small throb of pain shoot up my leg. I tried again and again, and finally the fifth kick knocked the door in. With a slight limp I made my way down the stairs and was met with what looked like a scientist's laboratory.

There was the bag on a table in the middle of the area and strewn around it were many things that had come out of it. Waking closer I couldn't believe that it was my bag. The dirty old bloodstained bag had in bold letters Capt. Roderik on the front. Gathering the random assortment of books, electronics, and bullets I placed them back into the bag. I did one last look before I left and spotted a rifle with about ten boxes of ammo around it leaning against the counter lining the wall. I picked it up to see that it was the last version of the M16 that was made only this one had a medium range scope on it, like an old fashion ACOG only newer. I threw the ammo in my bag and swung it over my shoulders.

I left the basement not bothering to try and close the door but I did close the front door. Now what? I guess I'll go back to the cottage and wait for the owner so I could say thank you and then take my leave. I sneaked my way out of the small town and was on the road. The house, more of a cottage, was in view when suddenly there was a bright flash causing me to duck and launch myself into the forest next to the road. I peeked out from behind the tree to spot what looked like full grown horse only this one had wings and a large horn sticking out of its face.

This must have been the princess of the day and her sister was standing right by her side. She was a bit shorter and the color scheme was the opposite of her sis. She had dark fur with a dark hair. What the fuck was up with those, they flowed like water and while the smaller ones was shorter it rivaled the bigger ones in shininess. There was also what looked like 15 guards along with six other horses, or was it ponies, yeah ponies is what she said. It looked like the two sisters were arguing quietly over something when a familiar voice spoke up.

"Please, please don't hurt him. He hasn't done anything and is still hurt," said a pink haired, yellow Pegasus.

"Listen Fluttershy," stated the bigger princess, Celestia I think her name was, "he is a dangerous animal that can cause much harm to many ponies." The verbal lash caused the pink pony to back up behind the blue pony with the rainbow hair. That one looked familiar, as did the orange one with the brown hat and blonde hair.

"Sister," started the smaller one, "we believe that the one before had a sickness of the mind." Sickness of the mind- oh god no don't tell me those fucking beasts came through with me. Hell I don't even know how I got here so should I be- shit the Stalker might have came through too. I was kind of holding on to it. This wasn't good, fuck it I'm leaving. The bigger one appears to want my head on a stick and the younger one wasn't going to convince her otherwise. I just wished I could have gotten my hands on the pistols, I had a gut feeling that they were mine.

I start to back up only for a twig to snap loudly underneath my foot. I stop but they all heard it. Not bothering to be quiet I turn and booked it into the woods feeling déjà vu again when I was running from the fire.

Chapter 2

Damn these fuckers, why won't they just give up? Especially that orange one. You'd think that she would have given up after I nearly broke her back leg a couple times. Even a very nasty threat to permanently cripple her didn't get her to stop. Actually that just seemed to make her more angry, I don't think she likes me much. Note to self: don't antagonize the fucking ponies. There was a gully coming up giving me two options. One I could try to jump it which would result in my chest hurting even more; two I could go in the gully and run down its length until I found somewhere to hide or to get out. Deciding to go into the gully I just run off and land lightly on my feet and turning to my left to take off at a sprint again.

I had only gone a few feet before I heard scrabbling hooves behind me. This might be fun if the sides never lower for me to get out. God, I really hate having fucked up ribs. I picked my speed up again, which almost faltered when I heard a distant scream. It was a familiar scream, something that I wish I would never hear again.

I pushed harder only to be shoved violently to the side of the gully with snapping jaws next to my face. I get my forearm against whatever the thing was, and turned my head to see that it was a runner. Holy hell, they are here, shit. I get my knee up, and shove with my arms to get enough room for my leg. I kick out, connect with its stomach, and launch it into the far wall of the gully. It fell, and I took off again only to be stopped by a high pitched scream. I turned to find that the runner had grabbed the pegasus that had been following me, and was trying to bite into the pony's neck. I figured her friend would save her only to look past the two struggling creatures to see that the one running after me had been taken down by another runner.

Slipping my arm out from the strap I aim the rifle and put one through the first runner. The gunshot echoed throughout the area and I put another bullet through the seconds one shoulder, then neck. The second round very nearly blew the fuckers head off, but it was a second to late. The wingless pony had been bitten, and now shook and cried. It was a pitiful sight. I aimed the gun for third time, figuring that quick death would be a blessing, and I squeezed the trigger a third time, then turned tail and ran.

The pegasus didn't follow me, and after maybe an hour, the longest time without being chased, I stopped, and sat against a tree. Maybe ten minutes passed before I stood again, and made my way further into the forest. I wonder where the first one runner or walker had shown up at, and how much damage it caused for the head honcho to be so pissed. Not much considering that my species probably doesn't even exist here. Wherever here was. After some time I came across a swamp that was vile looking. Also there were many, many frogs roaming around.

I turn my back on the swamp, and tried to figure out what to do know. The forest had a malevolent feeling to it, and I really didn't want to stay in it more than I had too. Plus there was that red strip on the map I used when I first arrived. What was so bad that it had avoid written repeatedly along it repeatedly? The only other option was to go back to queen psycho bitch, and get my head put on a spike. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Was it raining again?

I look up, and was met with an ugly brown scaled, green eyed bastard that was soaking wet. Best bit was that there were three identical heads. Man my day was just getting better and better wasn't it? Once again I was running, hell if everything wanted me dead they were going to work for it. I thought the trees would bring some cover, but the bastard just pushed through those like they were tooth picks. This caused me to have to dodge the trees in front of me, and also the trees that could possibly fall on me from behind. I broke through into a clearing with it right behind me, only to suddenly be off me feet.

The monster chasing me shrunk as I was carried higher and higher. I noticed that the hooves holding me were a light blue. It was that Rainbow Dash which meant that I was being taken to the Princess. Well I could put up with dying that way or I could struggle resulting in her dropping me causing a gooey mess below. I'll just run for it again when I reach ground. A few minutes later we came to a cloud and she started to lower me on it. Letting me go I fell onto then through the cloud getting me wet. I couldn't help, but chuckle at the expression that must have been plastered on her face, it would have to be priceless. The wind grabbed at my clothing, and threatened to tear my recently returned bag from me, but once again the pony grabbed, me and we were off again only this time we landed in a clearing.

"That was not cool," said the breathless pegasus. "You had enough time to tell me that you couldn't stand on clouds." I looked at her for a second before it clicked that this was one of the horses on that tablet that I took from the tank crew member. Laughter bubbled up, and past my throat. Soon they were hysterical, and I was clutching my sides. Eventually I made it to my knees. I'm not sure when the laughter degenerated into crying, but it must have been awhile. It couldn't have been helped. This was karma biting me right in the ass for my sins.

Eventually I calmed down enough, but I didn't respond, instead I examined her. She was about four five with multicolored hair, and tail with a cyan blue body. Here wings were the same color as her body, and she had about a six and a half foot wingspan. "Well I'm Rainbow Dash," she says this as if that means something to me. Sighing I stood up and looked around only to find that we were in a good sized clearing. I needed to get out of here soon, and get back into the trees. Though, to be honest, I was curious as to why she had saved me.

"So why did you help me?" She just looked at me in surprise, maybe because I could speak, maybe she wasn't expecting an answer. I figured that she wasn't going to answer when I felt my legs get pulled out from underneath me, and then I was hoisted up into the air. My rifle and bag slipped off my shoulders as I dangled six feet above the green grass. My day just gets better and better. Holding my shirt to my waist to keep from falling down I looked at the princess. She wasn't happy, but then again she was covered in copious amounts of mud and dirt. I thought she was wouldn't do the dirty work with the guards. Strange, I was going to have respect for the thing that was going to kill me. She was about to speak when another voice beat her to it.

"What happens if you're bitten," said a pegasus to my right, and after looking at her for a few seconds I realized that it was the one I had saved.

"They change, into what attacked your people," I say keeping my voice low. "Put me down. I can help you, I don't want them to hurt your species like they did mine." I address the last part to the princess. Suddenly my head snaps to the left, and I hear gasps from the ponies, damn that's just weird thinking that, and I look forward again to see the princess breathing hard, and a look on her face that could kill.

"Why would I let down a vile creature such as yourself? Your kind," she says kind like it's a disease, "has killed many of my ponies." The anger and pain in her voice was apparent, and I felt a pang of pity for her, but I've lost plenty to the Dark. I was about to respond when a sight just over the trees caught my attention. It looked like a Pegasus, but fat as hell. Ah shit the disease must act faster in them than it does humans. The lumbering monstrosity was flying slow but was drawing nearer than what could be considered comfortable.

"Let me ask you something princess," I start, "Did you kill the ones that got bit, but didn't die from the wounds? If you didn't this will come back, and hurt you worse than what the original fuckers did. Let me help you find the rest, and put them down."

"No, I can't take that risk," the princess says, but I decided that it didn't matter much. She was going to drop me soon enough. I tense my body for the fall so that I could get up quick. I took a deep breath letting myself calm down. Then the flyer dropped down on top of her causing her to go to her knees, and dropping me, but I still heard multiple snapping and cracking sounds. I managed to drop on my uninjured side, and I quickly got to my feet. I pulled the blade from the sheath along my thigh, and dashed forward sinking it into its back. The ten inches went in all the way, it was a sickening display of ease. Grabbing the mane of the diseased beast, I threw him off, and was about to check the princess for bites when I was lifted off my feet by another one that had come up from behind.

I bucked hard trying to knock it off when suddenly its weight was gone. Looking behind me I found that it was surrounded in a dark aura, and being violently slammed into the ground repeatedly, blood flew and bones snapped as the beast became a ragdoll. It was good to know that the ponies were willing to kill. I got to my feet, and looked for the next creeper and charged it. There was a mixture of human runners, and walkers along with a few ponies. I slashed the blade across ones throat, and kicked the knee out to drop him. Then on to the next one, and the next one. It really is amazing what a few well-placed slashes, and stabs can do to the body.

One slash to the throat followed by the blade hitting the back of the neck and it was done. One stab to the spine and you have them dropped ready to be finished. So easy after you get accustomed to it. The fight didn't last long, maybe ten minutes with close calls all around. I did most of the heavy lifting, they couldn't get the hang of it, to just go for the kill or something to incapacitate them. In fact the only one doing much of anything was the dark princess. She would pick them up, and slam them into the ground or throw them into the others to get distance between us and them.

Eventually one got to her without me or her noticing. She screamed, and bucked as it jumped on her, and I turned to see that it was about to take a bite. I quickly grabbed the runner only for it to swing its elbow into my nose causing blood to erupt forth. His attention was on me when he was thrown up into to the air. I figured she had it under control so I continued with my slashing and shallow stabs to the rest still kicking.

The ones coming out of the trees slowed to a trickle, and then to barely nothing. Then slow moving walker in combat gear stumbled from the trees. I slowly move forward, and drive the blade into its throat, the tip poking through the back of its neck. It fell and I went with it, watching as what ever life it had left the body. It had been a male at one time, hell it even seemed a tad familiar. But they all do, after all. Faces just meld into one another.

I don't know how much time I spent like that, but a small tug on my shoulder was enough to bring me out of it. I look over my shoulder to see the Pegasus that I had saved. I stood, and made my way to my bag only to see that it had been stepped on by a lot of running feet. Sighing I picked it up, and looked for the rifle not that I had much hope that it was in workable condition when I heard a voice behind me.

"Here's your weapon," I looked behind me, and saw that the Pegasus was holding my rifle. She looked frightened, but I really couldn't blame her after everything that went down. I took it from her grasp, and began walking toward the forest hoping that none of them would stop me. While no one physically did the sounds of crying, and… pleading did. Looking back again I saw the six civilians, and the princess standing over the other princess. She must have taken much more damage than I had thought. I was about to continue on my way when Fluttershy looked up at me. Her fur was tear streaked, and I almost left again. I mean come on, why the bloody fuck were they allowed to stay. The stupid bitch deserved to die for placing them in danger like that. But I couldn't just leave, not while I had something that could help. None of the other guards present had any kind of packs on them, and obviously they couldn't use magic otherwise that would have been used already. Feeling like throwing up I looked took my bag off my shoulders and chucked it at the group.

"It has medical stuff that you can use," I called over to them. The darker princess looked at me, and then the yellow pony took the bag, and started going through it. I laid down on the ground, and looked to the night sky.

After a week of doing nothing but sitting on a cot, doing mild exercise, and staring at the grey walls of an 8x8 cell you start going stir-crazy. This was a reward for my generosity to those damn ponies. Getting knocked out then waking up in my little cell with two meals a day which consisted of bread and water. Sometimes I got some fruit but because these were ponies I didn't get meat, that was a disappointment, but I digress. The guard ponies were not very good considering that I could get more than half of them involved in a conversation while the others would pay some form of attention.

"Are you awake creature," asked a gruff voice from outside my cell. Looking over I saw a grumpy pony in the light colored armor, these fuckers were color coded. One set of armor for day another for night. Good thing 'cause this told me how many days I'd been there.

"Yeah, what is it now, am I getting out," I ask with a much more force behind it than was warranted. He shook his head but unlocked the cell and then stood back as another five or six guards came up.

"You are wanted by the princesses but before that you must wash up. Stand and follow us." His talking was very… rigid. Like a good little soldier pony. I stand and did what he said to and followed. We went up many hallways and stairways with many turns and twists. I should make a poem out of that. After some time of walking we came to a small wash room.

"Clean yourself then put on these clothes," the head guard said. Sighing I take my shirt off and had my thumbs in the pants waistband about to pull it down when I noticed that they hadn't left.

"If you're going to stay you might as well join me, I could use the company," they left in quite a rush.

Damn these clothes are itchy. I was tugging at my collar when we entered a large room with the two princesses at the other end. And of course there were those six ponies here as well. I snapped my head forward as I heard one of the guards speaking. The princesses seemed quite interesting by what he was saying from what I could tell. Maybe he's telling them I'm gay, I snickered at the thought. I quickly grew silent as just about every single one of the ponies looked at me.

"Step forward," ordered the bigger of the two. Her mane seemed a bit lackluster, it wasn't quite what I remember from that night, she also looked a bit unsteady, however this was barely noticeable. I stepped forward and then turned by body toward the other princess, and went to attention with a salute closely following. I held this for a couple of seconds seconds before dropping my arm, and then turned to the bigger of the two, I did a quicker salute. Maybe showing that I can be professional will help a bit. Shit, play my cards right and I might just get them to send me home quicker.

"I wish to speak with you about what happened in the Everfree Forest and to apologize for my actions," she said. Her voice was surprisingly gentle compared to the way she had sounded toward me a week ago. What really surprised me was that she actually sounded like she meant it. Now though a small rectangular shape was lifted up from next to her throne and presented to me. It was one of the tablets that every soldier got.

"But first what is this and why does it have… these pictures," the princess' eyes had a glint in them, a small blush on her cheeks.

"Well this is a devise that let's humans do a lot. It's electronic, uses solar energy and the like. You can put music on it, pictures, movies-," When I looked back down I was met with two ponies kissing and grinding, only these two were relatively good copies of the two in the room. "This is a bit disturbing... and I don't know why. This is not mine. Mine is in my bag. This is one of my soldier's... uh, I honestly have no clue where the images came from or why they're depicting... this.

"Can thou get rid of it," asked the dark princess.

"I'd say destroy it, I don't think any of you can use them very well considering that none of you have fingers." I look up to see that the white princess had an incredulous expression while the dark one seemed to believe but she still wasn't happy. I quickly exit the animation only to find that his home wallpaper was a drawn image of the lavender colored pony with… was that a scroll in her… oh my god. I'm in personal hell right now. I died and this is my punishment. I start to go through the pictures only to find more of the pornographic material. I turn it off feeling sick because this made everything much more awkward.

"Does any of your electronic devices have anything similar on them," asked the head princess.

"No, like I said I have no idea what it is or how he got ahold of it. Quite frankly I'm disgusted with it too," I said.

"Now I would like to apologize for my behavior early," started Celestia, "I also have a proposition for you if you're willing to listen." I nod my head, and she then dismissed the majority of the guards along with the six other ponies that seem to show up for everything. Anyway we went into a smaller room where there was another unicorn Pegasus hybrid. Alicorn I think my previous caretaker had told me this, no she did tell me this because I couldn't come up with this kind of shit on my own.

"This is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, my niece, and Shining Armor, captain of the guard," said Celestia. The princess in front of me was pink, with a heart shaped tat on her flank. I need to ask what those are? Next to her was a unicorn guard who was bright white with varying shades of blue as his hair.

"I suppose you want to know where I'm from, what I am, along with what attacked us a week ago and all of that complicated shit. You all might want to sit down for this it's going to take a while," I said. I explained what humans were, what I had been doing and how it all turned into a clusterfuck. Next came time to explain the Dark.

"We called it the dark because that's what it brought with it, darkness and depression. We have no idea what it is exactly. A portal opened up on four of the continents. It lead to another world or dimension maybe, and well everything went downhill from there. The one that opened up that screwed my country was to the south of us. These pitch-black creatures came out of the portal and started attacking us."

"What did these creatures look like?" Asked Shining.

"They're about twenty-five feet long with their tail, have claws and teeth that were extremely sharp and they are fast, very fast. They have very large, leathery wings." a small lull followed that before I continued. "We were never too sure how it got from them to humans, but within a couple of days there was mass evacuation and in a month we firebombed all of that continent with some of our own, but it slipped through somehow and it pushed us north though much more slowly, it actually took years, and there are some places pushing back. The biggest problem are the people, not the infected. Anyway they have different stages of development. The first one is the runners, they don't change much other than a heightened aggression then its walkers. Takes a couple days after being bit then about a week for them to slow down. After that it's what we call fatties, they're bloated real bad, that's about a month to a month and a half.

"Then they turn into brutes, these guys are very tough to kill. Their skin turns very hard and are extremely fast with immense strength. Only good thing about them is that they're blind. After that they either keep growing into giants, which as far as I know never stop, but that's rare. In a different continent they killed one that had grown to forty feet tall. The one that was after me and my men before I arrived here was about twenty-five feet, but took down a building six stories tall. If they don't keep growing then their bodies become an incubator for what we call dragons. They don't have wings but the claws and teeth are not something you want to meet and they can shoot a spike averaging two feet from their tails, I don't know how but the must have room in their tail because they can shot more than one." I finish with my description of the Dark and the room was silent, all four lost in their own thoughts.

"Well that is worrisome," said Celestia, "but if what you say is true than I would like you to stay here. In Equestria, in Ponyville and watch over that stretch of woods and the towns ponies. We shall return your weapons and bag, not the device with those vile images on it though. That needs to be disposed of. Lastly we will have a home built for you, to fit your size and needs along with 50,000 bits, which is our currency." She finished and I was impressed that this is what I would receive considering I had been in a cell for the last week not including all previous bullshit.

"What about for the remainder of the forest, will you have your military or guards patrolling the rest of its perimeter along with the occasional fly over with a platoon of Pegasus or is the plural Pegasi?" I asked this figuring I might as well get used to their language and way of talking.

"Pegasi ," she responded as we all stood "And yes my guards will watch over the rest of the forest. One last thing Captain, if you would please answer my student's questions about your people and culture it would be greatly appreciated," said the sun princess.

"Thank you, but to be clear, you will be trying to get me home, right?"

"About that Richard, we did not feel any magic being used to bring you here, therefore we don't think we can help you. We have never come across a spell to go to different dimensions or different planets galaxies away," Celestia's words made me feel like throwing up. If they couldn't help then that meant that the stalker was the only one who could get me home and I didn't even know if it came through with me. "We will search, and try out best, but no promises."

"Well… that is disappointing. I would like to change out of these clothes so uh… yeah can I have my bag back now." Everything felt unreal, like a dream. There was a small flash and all of my belongings including the two pistols which were mine appeared next to where I was sitting. They all filed out without saying a word.

With red rimmed eyes I leave the castle and make my way to the front gates of the wall around the city, and along my trip I was met with many stares. They didn't say anything but just stared. It brought back memories of one particular battle where my platoon had killed forty or so men who decided they didn't want to work anymore in the coal mines. Not one of my proudest moments but it happened, and nothing was going to change that. Enough of that Richard, get your shit together, they're staring at you because you are one ugly motherfucker to them. I pull my baseball cap lower.

After a nearly ten minutes of walking past staring ponies, oddly shaped building, and well just very odd… everything. I arrived at the gates to see a large carriage being pulled by… ponies, seriously. They do some weird shit. Ponies pulling carriages that have ponies inside of them. I get to the carriage where a pony opens it for me and low and behold those six special ponies are inside. Shaking my head I get inside and letting the rifle rest against the side of the carriage on the seat, then I put my bag between my feet and leaned back hoping they wouldn't talk to me. That hope was quickly smashed.

"Hi, I'm Twilight-,"

"I know who you all are, no need for introductions," I probably came off sounding angry, but then again I was angry along with depressed. "Listen I'm really tired and I don't feel like talking right now. I'll answer some of your questions when we get to your town." She nodded her head and I turn to my bag. Putting my hand in it and thinking of the tablet with all of my music on it made the tablet come to my hand. I had no idea how it worked and I didn't care to ever figure it out. Next I pull out a pair of headphones and plug them into the tablet. Going through the music until I found what I was looking and pushed play. Leaning back in the seat with my hat pulled down so that it covered the majority of my face I let sleep overtake me.

"I'm telling you we have to go after Anderson and his boys, they need to be executed for what they did to us, to this outpost," said a deep, gruff voice through the door.

"What will that accomplish exactly? Nothing at all, what's done is done and killing them won't do anything," said a second voice this one higher in pitch but male. "Tell me you agree with what I'm saying Sara."

"Jake they killed two kids and Maggie is probably going to have a miscarriage because of them. I don't know about haunting them down though, that seems wrong. I say we wait until they come back and then take them alive if we can."

"Oh come off it," said the deep voice again, "there are plenty of bandit camps they can go to. When they come back they will bring bandits with them, and if you would have done as I said five years ago we wouldn't have bandits to worry about. If you two won't take action I'm going to, they wouldn't have gone far with Chris's leg and the storm. They're probably at the old cabin. I'm going to kill them, I'd ask you to come with but obviously your too pussy-footed to do what needs done." With that footsteps approached the door and the child hiding behind it scurried down the various hall ways of the school building and made his way back home.

Mere minutes after arriving a tall man entered looking fairly agitated, and went straight to the very old rifle hanging on the wall. The boy's father took it down then went to a dresser and pulled out a revolver along with two boxes of ammo. He loaded five bullets into the rifle and loaded the revolver with six. He then put a bandolier with the rifles bullets over his shoulder while slipping three speed reloads into a small pouch on his belt. He looked at me and then the woman who just walked into the room.

"Look after your mom Rick," he said to the boy and then he took the woman into his arms and kissed her deeply. The boy thought that was a bit nasty but didn't say anything. A knock came from the door and the man went to open it. There were six men outside with various weapons slung over their shoulders.

"Were going with you. That bastard and his sons deserve to be put down after what they did to Maggie," said the man in front. The man with the deep voice simply nodded and looked back at his wife and son then left out the front door. The woman walks over to the young boy and pulls him into a crushing hug then takes him off so that he could get ready for a bath before bed.

I wake up feeling slightly sick from the dream. I lean forward and slip the headphones to my neck and take my hat off so I could run my hand through my hair. The man had been tall six five, dark brown hair, clean shaven dark blue eyes, and his nose leaned to the right slightly. The boy had the man's general looks but with black hair and more grey in his eyes. The woman had stood at five nine with long black hair, green eyes, full lips, and well just pretty. Not knock you off your feet gorgeous, or a bombshell, but pretty.

"Are you okay," asked the voice of Twilight to my left.

"Yeah, just fine. Just dreams," was my response but I could feel that she wanted a better explanation. "Don't worry about it. I have a lot of 'em so I'm used to it." I knew that I shouldn't have said that because she was even more concerned as were her friends. "Seriously I am fine, don't start worrying about it."

"Sugarcube, there is something wrong and you can tell us," said Applejack. Gotta admit that southern accent was a bit cute, too bad it wasn't on a human girl... and that I had threatened to cripple her. I wasn't going to start telling them my life story though.

"How much longer is it till we arrive in town." It was obvious that I was changing the subject but thankfully none of them pushed for an answer.

"We have about twenty minutes to go," Twilight said. It was only after she said this that it occurred to me that none of them had watches on. Did they even have watches? Figuring that I would ignore this particular question I turn the tablet off and put it, along with the headphones, back into the bag. Looking out the carriages window I could see long green fields that actually reminded me of my childhood. Hunting trips and outings with my father. At least we did those things until he was injured by a bullet that made him blind.

Chapter 3

We arrived at their town and I was disheartened to see that so many of the brightly colored creatures were present. I was wondering whose smart idea it was to tell them about me showing up, though, it would be better to get it all done with right off the bat. We got out of the carriage and there were so many dramatic gasps I couldn't help but smile at it. Then came the many whispers which consisted of: 'wow its tall'; 'what is that thing over its shoulder'; 'what strange clothing'; and so on.

"Wow, ponies must have come from all over to see you," gasped Twilight and with that things went downhill, or maybe uphill depending on your thinking. I played meet and greet with easily over 400 of these ponies and by the 300 mark I was getting pretty tired and wanting them all to leave me alone. That wouldn't have left a good impression though so I smiled and said hello and told them that I was human and then pushed them on and told the next one the same damn thing.

After what had to have been at least three hours the six heroes of pony-fucking-kind and I arrived at Twilights tree house library. Sighing I swing my rifle off my shoulders with the bag shortly following. Moving over to the table in the center I set the items down and kneel in front of the table. Taking out my cleaning kits for the rifle and pistols, I take apart the rifle first. I had started off with an older version of the M16 when I was first recruited into the military but the process looked no different for this one and I wasn't disappointed. I had the rifle apart in less than two minutes with a rod and cleaning patch going down the barrel.

I finished the rifle and reassembled it but this would be the easiest firearm to clean. The .45 had six or seven mags through it before I got here. No big problem but it also appeared that it had been thrown in mud and sat there for almost a week, same thing with my .357 which had been reloaded eight times with speed loaders. So sixty to seventy rounds through the .45 and forty-eight rounds through the revolver. So yeah they were filthy and they would be a bitch to clean. I grip the slide of the handgun and pull and was met with more resistance than there should have been.

"Well fuck," the words were out of my mouth without thinking about the brightly colored creatures that were probably still in the room. Well screw it I don't care enough, at least not when I'm tired and have dirt caked guns to clean. I pull my music tablet out and start going through the music on it. Picking out five songs and two albums for my listening pleasure I push play.

I still hadn't managed to get the bloody slide off when the first song ended and it was starting to piss me off. Sure I had another gun I could work on but the revolver was going to be probably more of a bitch than this one. One of the Albums started to play and I went back at it with a scowl on my face.

Two and a half hours later the pistols were finally done and cleaned, even better there was no rust what so ever on them. What really surprised me though when I actually came back to earth from my cleaning was that all six of the ponies were still sitting there watching me. Suddenly I was quite uncomfortable.

"What," I ask, I mean it was weird. No normal people… Richard these aren't human, they're ponies. You have to start getting this shit straight.

"So you're done with your… things," asked Fluttershy. It was a bit cute with how shy she was but the huge ass eyes were disconcerting. They showed too much emotion.

"Yeah-," that was as far as I got before the pink one jumped up and shouted that it was sleep over time. Someone shoot me. "Oh yay. Sleep over time," sadly it seemed that the pink was the only one that noticed that my reaction was less than excited but she shrugged it off. This all must have been decided and had been prepared for, while I was off in gaga land swearing at my guns and listening to my music. It used to be funny when the soldiers would keep doing things to see what they could get away with while I was cleaning. Shit I missed home.

"So first thing is makeovers," stated Rarity which for the most part was greeted with cheers except for me, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.

"I'm not going to do a makeover, men don't do that where I'm from," and if they did they would have been called gay and probably shot. Funny thing actually, before it all went to hell gays were an accepted part of the community. Marriage, rights, and well just whatever. When it all went to shit then the old bigots came back out and they were in some areas hunted. "Anyway I would like to take a shower. Those guns were caked in dirt." Twilight points me toward a door which I proceed toward after grabbing my bag. After taking out body wash and stripping my clothing I step into the shower though it was actually a tub. It made sense because of how short they were but still it was awkward for me. After ten minutes I step out, put on fresh clothing which was composed of a short sleeve shirt with my old platoon's emblem, and a pair of levis. With my hair still damp I walk out to see that all six ponies, even Rainbow Dash, had those face mud mask things going on. Whenever I saw a human doing that I felt like slamming their head into something. Were in a living hell on earth and you are worried about keeping your looks. Made me sick.

"Howdy partner," exclaimed Applejack and Rainbow looked relieved that I had shown up. They were probably hoping that I would get them out of their makeover.

"Take your time, it's a sleepover right. These things go far into the night right," I ask hoping that the answer was a yes just so that I could see the tomboy and the farmer be so feminine. Honestly it didn't surprise me now that the tank crewmembers tablet had them on it as a couple. Speaking of those two the looks they gave me could kill, which was actually quite cute.

"Well we were going to play truth or dare next," said Twilight as a bottle appeared seemingly out of thin air. Fuck it there are talking ponies.

"I'd rather not play," this was answered with many groans and disagreement, "However I will answer a single question from each of you. You'll probably get more info this way instead of me playing." Rainbow looked disappointed but Twilight seemed to agree.

"Well, do all of your kind wear clothing all the time darling," I honestly thought that Twilight would of gotten the first one but instead it was Rarity.

"Yes we do, for multiple reasons. One of which is decency, another is protection from the environment," I was met with looks from the decency one but they at least seem to understand the protection. "Next question."

"Do you have apple orchards where you from," asked Applejack. From the looks the others gave her I wasn't the only one who thought the question was wasted.

"Yeah, we have apple orchards in some areas. Not very many though, but it seems like we have generally the same fruits and vegetables," the farmer seemed happy with my answer which made me think: what the fuck.

"What type of animal friends do you have, if you don't mind answering," asked Fluttershy. Actually Applejack's question didn't seem so odd or stupid because that was some information on the human diet.

"Well if you mean pets that would have to be dogs. I like cats but they can't save you. From what I have seen the animals are the same, which is weird since you are the dominant life form like mine is yet we have the same types of animals," my answer was jumbled but they got what I meant. This did however raise the question of whether or not this place just went down a different yet not quite so extreme evolutionary track, that is of course if you think talking ponies who can fly and use magic isn't extreme.

"Ooo-ooo my turn, so do you have parties," Pinkie Pie nearly burst my eardrums and this question was useless… maybe not. I have no idea what Twilight would be interested in knowing or what the Princesses would want to know.

"No, not really. At least not for… years," Pinkie Pie looked pretty sad by that answer, "but when we did we were the loudest, rowdiest bunch of guys. I think one time we actually got another platoon to come over with their weapons because they thought we were being attacked or something. I can't remember, first time I had alcohol… never again am I drinking that much… ever." This last part was to myself but it seemed to perk her up so at least that was something.

"So can any of you fly," this question wasn't really that surprising but I had higher hopes that it wouldn't have something to do with herself. Then again Rainbow Dash seemed to be full of herself so maybe I shouldn't have been too surprised.

"We need a machine to do that. Airplanes we call them. There are a lot of different types. There's the kind that transport people, the kind that blows stuff up, and then there is the kind that do both. There is also helicopters that kind do the same thing they just function different. The airplanes though could go extremely fast. In fact there was one that could break the sound barrier three times and almost go into space. We never used them though, they came before it all went to hell." I really should stop swearing and saying hell. I didn't want to explain what those words meant and I sure as hell didn't want to explain religion. That possibly fucked the human race more than the actual Dark did with all the psycho cults popping up.

"That is so cool," Dash exclaimed.

"Why are you so accomplished in fighting," Twilight asked and I didn't get what she meant exactly. Accomplished at fighting. Yeah maybe with the knife and few could match me when it came to pistols but as for anything else forget it.

"How do you mean," I ask.

"Well you fought really well, so well that it seems that your kind were fighting before this Darkness came about, you did get training right," she elaborated. This made me pause, not sure how to answer this. She had a point but at the same time if humans hadn't been tearing each other apart for years we wouldn't of lasted a week.

"Honestly I don't have a good reason. My kind fought a lot, so much in fact that according to my father it was almost a normal thing. My father didn't like all the wars and he told me that most of them stemmed from difference in opinions, ethnicity, and the fact that some countries wouldn't leave others alone. They would try and get involved in affairs that didn't really concern them. Stupid reasons for a largely stupid species. For me though, it was a natural thing, I'm a natural fighter. I just caught the hang of using pistols after my father taught me and as for the knife… well like I said I'm a natural fighter. Anyway, Dash do some good dares for me."

While I didn't learn anything interesting about them Applejack did have to stand on her head for about ten minutes and twilight had to grow an actual beard. That shit is freaky, but mine was still better even if it was only slightly more than scruff.

"Scary story time," yelled the ever perpetually happy pink pony. Scary story time huh. Well this should be interesting to see what kind of "horror" they have here but considering that this was the land of happy and colorful ponies I didn't have high hopes. "I'll go first." She then proceeded to tell a story of a haunted oven that made bad cupcakes. Yeah that was scary alright, especially when the heroin threw a party for the oven which made it start baking good cupcakes.

"Well that was quite interesting Pinkie, but I got a better one," oh the competiveness in Rainbow Dash's voice made me cringe. Competition isn't bad but it can also go too far. I ended up zoning out leading to only hearing small snippets of her story. I think it had something to do with beating a bunch of ghosts. I don't know, something along those lines. It didn't sound scary but I could be wrong, after all Fluttershy was practically cowering. Next was Rarity with another ghost story I didn't bother listening to, then applejack with one about a pony who stalked mares which was absolutely ridiculous since you don't need to sneak to a pony's bathroom window to see one naked. Finally it reached Twilight who started a story about Windigos. Foul creatures that are attracted to, well I guess a lesser form of hate. These ponies don't know what hate is but, yeah Windigos were attracted to hate and caused everything to freeze.

"How about you sugarcube, got any good stories," asked Applejack which was greeted with a large amount of agreement and encouragement. Alright than I would tell them a story but which one. Obviously Fluttershy was hoping for something that wasn't scary while the others were clearly hoping for one. Should I go for The Thing or maybe something not quite as bad? Cirque Du Freak maybe, that isn't exactly scary but maybe they would like it.

"I bet you have some cool stories being a captain and all," said Rainbow Dash and damn that pony because the agreement was even greater for this suggestion than Applejacks.

"I don't know, I-," that was it before the disapproval came sweeping down on me like an eagle. "Alright, alright I'll tell all of ya a story, just calm down and let me think." The only problem was that the only happy stories were of my childhood, before I was ten. Those were not very interesting because, well they just were not interesting. It was mostly learning math, English and whatever else they thought important. Of course I learned how to shoot a gun when I was eight and my father had called me a natural. Then my thoughts drifted toward Joseph "Cide" "Alright I got one but if you do not like it tell me and mind you this was before I joined the military."

________________________________________

The blackened ground was covered in a thin sheet of frost that crinkled when we walked across it. The older man walking next to me stopped and looked behind us, toward the direction of Elko, Nevada. Well what had been Elko, it wasn't much more than smoking ruble now. The broken windows and blackened hollowed out buildings a reminder not to cross Joseph aka "Cide". Following the man and his small band of killers was easy, the hard part was actually catching up to him. The man was like smoke. We could surround him, kill over half of his men but somehow he will just slip by. Actually that was something that the man looking back at Elko and Cide had in common. They were both like smoke, both could slip out of just about anything, and both would cut your throat if crossed, hell maybe even if you looked at them wrong. Only difference was that the man, Jason, would give you a "fighting" chance. Not much of a chance when the man could kill a bear with nothing but his ten inch, stainless steel knife that was strapped to his leg.

"We aren't taking him alive Richard. Fuck the bounty. We're going to kill him slow," when Jason says he is going to do something, it will be done and God help anyone who gets in the way. He turns back toward me and we start forward once again about a day behind the mass murderer. We walked for hours hoping that we would catch some sight of the man we were hunting but were having no luck.

Eventually we come across a barn that had somehow survived the harshness of the land. The paint on it was nearly gone and in the few splotches that were still there, they were faded so much that the best I could come up with was that it might have been red, or it may have been brown. Hell purple even. We approached the front doors and Jason grabbed the handle on the left one and I grabbed the right and we pulled in unison instantly drawing out pistols in case there was something inside but there wasn't anything except for dust and the strong smell of rot. I look to Jason and he shrugs and walks in looking around to see if it was safe enough for us to even stay the night.

"It's safe enough. Close the doors," small stiff sentences was how he talked and at first I wasn't sure if I liked it, hell still don't but it didn't draw the same reaction it once had. The feeling of unease. We set up our sleeping mats and start a small fire that brought comfort and dispelled some of the cold and melancholy. We stay like this for a few minutes when he speaks again. "Stand and prepare yourself," that such a simple command but those words made me instantly remember all of the training fights we had gone through. How sore and battered my body would get after some of them, the welts and bruises that would form. I grab the small bag I had and picked out the seven inch "knife". It was nothing more than a piece of wood that was shaped like a knife but they would still hurt if pressed hard enough against your skin, pushed into your stomach or back hard enough, it could leave those welts and bruises for days. He pulls out a red spray paint can and coats the "knife" with it along with a twin of mine that he used.

"Four hits on me. One hit on you." His logic was that if I could land four hits on someone without them landing a single one on me than I was good. We both go into a shallow crouch waiting for the other to make a move. I had learned long ago that launching the first attack on a human was a mistake. You wait for them to make the first move, which most of the time he would; however this could take up to hours and sometimes he would simply put his wooden knife away and we wouldn't have a practice fight. The point of the wait was to build patience. Never rush into a fight if it can be helped but when you're in one give it your all and don't hold anything back. Well Jason jumped right into it. No waiting, just launched into a flurry of slashes and stabs causing me to stumble back and hopefully out of the way of his ferocity.

He kept coming so I launch myself into a role to my right with the knife raised in a reversed grip. I was breathing heavier than I had been which was embarrassing when Jason wasn't breathing hard, in fact he acted like he hadn't moved an inch. I changed my grip so the blade was facing forward and slid into a smaller crouch than I had been in previously. With five feet between us we waited for the other one to make a move. After five minutes he charged forward again only this time I didn't panic, instead I kept my cool and let him slowly push me back. His flurry of attacks were too fast for me to counter on any of them. It was beautiful in a destructive force kind of way.

You may think that it is a bad idea to twirl around to do a slash and normally your right but at the same time you can add so much more force with the extra movement. It's all about timing, knowing your opponent, speed, and ferocity. Jason had all four but when he faced forward from a twirl his arms were stretched too far out giving me a small window of opportunity. Now most people wouldn't have noticed this opening, and if they did they most likely wouldn't have taken it. I did and stepped forward quickly moving my left hand to block his knife arm while striking out with my right. I felt for a quarter of a second the knife making contact, and hard contact at that before he moved himself back out of my reach.

He had a small amount of red paint right above where his ribs would have started. The stab would have hit his large intestine or stomach so while it wouldn't have killed him outright it would cause large amounts of pain and bleeding. Without proper medical care he would die. We were both obviously surprised and I didn't think Jason could be surprised by anything. This was the first time I had left a mark on him and a good one at that. Despite all of the training I had never come close to touching him. I was a natural with small arms and knives but this man had put me to shame every time and I had finally left a mark without receiving one myself. Of course he charges me again even harder going all out. He practically tackles me shoving his knife painfully hard against ribs and twisting my knife hand trying to make me drop it but could not. I had technically lost but I fight back trying to buck him off me but to no avail.

"Well there's a first time for everything. Next time follow up. Don't sit and think."

"Yes sir," my response was a bit breathless. He stands then pulls me off the floor and we walk over to where the fire was and sat. He pulls out a pot and opens a can of some soup. I stare into the flames while he prepares the meal.

"Are you still having those nightmares?"

"Yeah, sometimes." It was more than sometimes. The nightmares plagued my sleep almost every night and Jason knew it but he also didn't push it for which I was thankful for.

"What are they about?" This caught me off guard. While I had been with Jason for almost three months now he never showed much interest in me. In fact the only reason I was with him was because of a debt. Two and a half months ago I was being hunted by a group of runners, they get into herds or groups, which in turn were being hunted by Jason. Of course I didn't know this. Well they cornered me in a room at a shitty single level motel and rushed me. I got four of the ten with a knife since my guns were empty of ammunition. After grabbing me they were about to dig into their meal but a man no more than 5'8 ran in slicing off limbs with a foot long machete. They were all killed in less than three seconds and I was about shitting myself. Instead of killing me he grabs me by my collar and threw me out of the room. I honestly thought he was going to do something besides killing me with the machete but instead throws a bag at me and points in a direction. I start walking with him following close behind. Long story short we arrived in a small outpost where he turned in a bounty on the runners and tells me that I would be working for him until I paid him off for saving my ass. The training had started a couple days after that and four bounties later we were in a barn waiting for daylight to continue our hunt for Joseph.

"My parents. They were killed a few years back at an outpost in Oklahoma. I got away with a few other people but they didn't," my voice was fairly void of emotion.

"People or Dark."

"People," it's always people. The Dark does a lot of damage but in a way they fit the Zombie stereotype. Cause the apocalypse then kinda become secondary to the threat of other people. "I don't want your sympathy Jason. I hate it." He nods his head and looks at me, almost seeming to be sizing me up.

"Your age?"

"Seventeen, listen why are you asking me this," I ask, slightly concerned at the attention. He didn't show concern and sure as hell didn't care about other people or their feelings. Hell I hadn't done much of anything for him to be interested in me.

"Just questions," always for the short responses. "Eat then let's sleep." We did just that.

"Now I thought ya said that ya were a natural, so what's this trainin business," asked Applejack with a semi confused look on her face.

"I am. You have no idea how hard it is to kill another creature that is bent on ripping your head off and using your guts for streamers. I killed four the day Jason found me, with a knife. Most people don't do that with a gun. They get scared and they freeze. Worst thing you can do is freeze. I do not freeze, I move. It might not always be in the best direction but there is always movement. That is what divides people like me from people like, well like Fluttershy. She will never kill someone. For me it is almost become second nature by now. Extra training never hurts though." This was not real to them, I could see it in their eyes. They do not understand the concept of killing, of death other than what is a natural one. I wish people were as resealent as they were considering that they were in the middle of a fight. Maybe Luna did something to them so they could not see or hear.

"It's everpony, somepony, nopony, I have no idea where people come from," said Pinkie Pie.

"No. I take it you want me to continue?" A resounding yes filled the air. Great.

"Add more detail though," shouted an excited Rainbow Dash. I had left out any mention of my parents. Okay I would add more detail, unless it concerned my parents or something I would much rather keep to myself.

"Cute," I said.

"Cute?" asked Jason.

"Yeah, you know runner with a pickaxe in its spine in the arms of one of Cide's men who is missing half his head. It's just so damn cute." He simply shakes his head and moves further into the house. It was a two floor home, most if not all of the windows broken and the paint faded. Dust was thick, or was thick where there were not footsteps which there was many.

"What happened?" asked Jason. This was one of the things that he did if we came to a scene of violence "what happened".

"Looks like a runner came out of there," I point to a doorway directly across from the bodies, "and the runner got his teeth into this poor fuck. One of his friends drove a pickaxe in its spine mostly likely killing it instantly. Finally someone, probably Cide himself, shot no face in the face." Damn I'm snarky in the morning. I lean a bit closer seeing that the blood and brains of this man had reached more than five feet down the hall. "Well do you want to check upstairs or shall I."

"You." I nod and walk to the end of the hall, turn around, and started up the stairs which creaked and groaned loudly. I went up slowly and making sure the step would take my weight before going up. There were only two doorways up here one of which was closed. I pull the five inch knife on my belt out along with the .45 on my left hip. I slowly make my way to the open door staying close to the opposite wall. I came to the doorway and looked in. I didn't see anything so I make my way inside checking my corners but the room was empty. Most of the carpet had been eaten away with time and various bugs. The walls had stains and holes in them. The room smelled of decay and had obviously hadn't been properly ventilated for some time.

I leave the room and to stand in front of the closed door. I crossed my wrists so that the blade was underneath the gun then I move my right leg back only to bring it up and forward toward the door. The middle of it giving way to my boot… and I was stuck. Instead of kicking the door off its hinges like in some of the old movies that I had watched my foot went through the door. I jerk my leg back only that did not work so instead I move my leg forward and straighten my foot. This worked but I almost regretted it as a strong horrible smell came through the door.

I grab the door handle and push which only caused the smell to intensify. I quickly grab my shirt and pull it over my mouth and nose hoping that it would block some of the smell. Proceeding into the room my eyes started to water at the intense smell of decomposing bodies. I check my right first seeing nothing then turn to my left and instantly pulled my shirt down and puked everything onto the floor. My body reeled back into the hallway with vomit still coming out of my mouth and nose albeit more of a trickle than a flood.

I felt strong hand grab me under the armpits and heave me down some stairs and outside, the fresh air exhilarating. The air could not shake what I had seen though. The bodies of three children… the oldest could not have been more than eight from the size, their old dried blood covering almost the entire back wall and most of the floor. All three bodies had been tied up and each had a massive hole where the face should have been. One had an extra hole in the stomach. A fourth body was leaning against the wall, the physique of a grown male. There was a shotgun laying on the floor next to the headless body, the decomposing toe still in the trigger guard. The bodies were not older than a couple of weeks.

"Richard take deep breaths and look at me," the longest sentence I had heard Jason say and in the gentlest one as well. I look up at him seeing what could possibly be considered concern in his dark brown eyes.

"Why. I know humans are beasts but that… that... for fucks sake they were children and he just shot all three of them."

"The Dark should have been quicker. Finished us off. Instead it gave us enough time to revert back to what were naturally are. Every man is an animal. Some of us have beasts and there are different kinds. Some of them don't hide. Just out in the open for all to see. Then you have the kind like us, Richard. The ones that can hide it. Sometimes we lose control. We're more dangerous than the normal rabble because our beasts... monsters think. They're not mindless and just want to kill. Our instinct takes over, our primal sides. We are the kind of men that use their monsters to turn off everything and just let go and kill.

"I am exhausted. I will finish this at another time, maybe tomorrow night if you all want me too," I say as I raise and stretch feeling my back pop in several places.

"What did Jason mean exactly," asked Twilight.

"I think he meant that everyone has the ability to do bad. We all have monsters in us. Some just don't hide it, while others can. That some will never face that beast in them," I answer. I hadn't told them exactly what he told me, but an abridged version.

"Have, have you faced it," asked Fluttershy in a scared voice. I never cared what others thought of me. Whether they feared and hated me or praised my name. Admittedly it was more of the former, but hearing it come from her hurt.

"I have come close a few times, but never has it come out. Good night." I walk over to my bag and pull out a sleeping mat and a pillow. I would need to purchase a new one soon. I roll the mat out on the other side of the room and laid down with my back facing them. I let sleep take me over while thoughts of my own monster invaded my head.

Chapter 4

“Ah think he was lien ta us,” I heard a southern accent say. That would be Applejack if I have their voices and stuff down so I kept my breathing even and waited to hear more.

“What makes you say that Applejack,” asked Twilight?

“Well ah can just tell when he’s lien, ah can feel it,” she responded and that right there was bullshit. I didn’t outright lie about anything other than one thing. Everything else was edited so as to not make them afraid of me or things that they didn’t deserve to know.

“Well he seems cool enough,” said the cracking voice of Rainbow. So far they are backing me up against their friend which is weird. Apparently loyalties are not something that is strong here, well either that or they are just too trusting because the only ones to make me worried are the two princesses. I take a massive stretch and yawn before sitting up. I pretend that I didn’t hear anything that they said and I then stand before grabbing my bag and going to Twilight’s bathroom to change into something more fitting to fight in. I slip on a long sleeve shirt that while thick actually kept me quite cool same with the pants. The boots came next, too bad I hadn’t gotten a new pair because these ones were getting old.

Next was a vest that against bullets or knives would protect my torso. Odd that when it comes to things trying to eat you vests are quite useless. I walk out of the bathroom feeling relatively relaxed mostly due to the fact that I was about to start my new job. Fuck. Fuck it all to hell. I am not happy, I am not relaxed but what I am is pissed, and depressed. I want to go home and I want to be with my people not with a bunch of fucking horses. I slip my arm through the sling on the rifle and get the duel holster belt around my waist and then turn toward the door. With a smile upon my face I walk out the door with-out glancing at the southern bitch and start making my way to their forest. On second thought I probably should not have walked through the center of town. I was getting a lot of stares.

When I was about a fourth of the way there a rather large chariot came down from the sky with Luna aboard. It landed and Luna stepped off the chariot and made her way over to me. I perform an exaggerated bow with much twirling of my arms and such. She gave me a small smile which I returned.

“So where is thou heading?” the way Luna talked was odd but also slightly sexy. God that’s odd to think that.

“To the forest,” I say, “I am going to go hunting for any more infected and whatnot.”

Maybe find me a stalker and see if I can have a sit down conversation with it and send me home. I wish.

“I’ve sent my guards to watch over the forest today, so how about we go and see your homes location.” I don’t think she was used to speaking normal like.

“Alright, another day off is always appreciated.” We start to walk down the road with her guards behind us about twenty feet, ten feet apart. It was a slow stroll and she asked me how I liked Ponyville as of right now and how much I liked the six that I had come with. “Well the reception was a bit overwhelming and I am pretty sure Applejack does not like me. She thinks I am a liar,”

“What would give her those thoughts,” Luna asked with a somewhat confused face. At least I think it was confused. I mean their eyes show so much emotion but they are miniature horses.

“They wanted to know a bit about my past so I told them some and because I did leave out a few things she thinks that I lied.”

“Well did the others notice?”

“No but she felt that it was in their best interests to think that I am a dishonest person.” We walk for maybe another twenty or so minutes before we arrive at a good sized area right next to the woods. “Do creatures come out of the woods often?”

“The ones needing to be feared stay deep in the Forest,” her answer brought some comfort to me but not much. So far the ponies had managed to get the foundation down and now it looked like the walls were going up next. The house was going to be fairly big. I looked over at the crew that was here and it was then that I noticed that they had a fucking crane. I shake my head not really wanting to bother with how that works and walk over.

“Hello, my name is Roderik,” they look at me and the one I take to be the foreman walks over at sticks out his hoof. I look at it for a couple of seconds before reaching down and giving it a quick shake. There was a sensation of my hand being squeezed, another thing that I am not going to bother figuring out. He gives me a quick smile. “So how big is this going to be?”

“Well it’ll be forty-four hundred feet and on top of that it’ll have a second story slightly smaller than that,” I think my brain froze for a few seconds. At most I only had a twenty by twenty room with the actual average being a ten by ten. Anything bigger than a twenty by twenty I had other people in the same room yet this forty-four hundred plus square feet of home was all mine. The thought of having so much room was slightly daunting. It also made me a quite happy as well, no more hearing noises of others. I turn back to Luna.

“Thank you so much. I do not think I have had so much room in my entire life to call my own,” my voice came out slightly higher than usual and Luna gave a small chuckle.

“Well we thought of your size you would need a lot of room,” the answer made sense but damn that was a lot of room to give me. “Did thou finish telling the tale,” the sudden change of subject caught me off guard.

“No, I got a bit more to go on it,” did she want to listen to it. I lift my chin hoping that she would get the message that I wanted space from the construction ponies. She did get it and we started to walk back to Ponyville. “If you want to listen than I am going to warn you that you are going to get a heavily edited version.”

“That would be okay. I would like to learn about thou’s past,” oh joy, “and I’ll respect thou’s choice in keeping the past in secret.” Well at least she would not been prying. We get to the road that I had taken through the town when the screams of ponies and the roars of something else reached us. Life is never easy. I start jogging while at the same time getting the butt of the rifle against my shoulder. The sounds were coming from the center of town and within in a couple of minutes I had reached the commotion.

Buildings were damaged though really it was only cosmetic and nothing structurally however I could not say the same for a few of the bodies lying around. One of the ponies was definitely dead with its head turned half way around but the others just looked badly hurt. The thing or rather two things causing the chaos were pretty much gargoyles. Looked like a lion, a scorpion tail, and it had wings. Great the fuckers can fly. The good news was that they were fighting and not just mindlessly killing the weak defenseless ponies.

“Thought you said creatures did not come in this far,” I say turning to Luna. She had kept up with me while I jogged and did not use her wings. I thought for sure she would have. She merely shakes her head. I turn back only to notice that the freak that had been on top and gotten off the other one and was now staring at me. I guess it was female and was a feminist from the way it was looking at me. It was also foaming at the mouth and was twitchy all the while breathing hard and letting out little growling noises. The other one had been hurt and badly by the looks of it. It was still breathing and actually moving around a bit but considering that its wings were torn to bloody shreds and the blood pooling around it would not survive for long. The first started moving forward and then with a sudden burst of speed launched itself at us. I quickly rolled to the side and quickly got to my feet running for the nearest doorway. I do not know what the princess did but I was going somewhere that it would not be able to get me with ease.

I dive through the doorway just barely avoiding the thing. I turn and watch as it was slamming its shoulders into the doorframe. The walls were actually cracking under the beast’s assault. Well time to put a couple of 5.56x45mm bullets into its face. The noise form the gun was loud but not too bad however the damage to the bitches face attacking me… well it was satisfying. The first bullet had gone through the left eye effectively popping it and destroying the brain the second round had hit about an inch and a half above that and to right of the eye causing the things forehead to cave in.

The body hit the ground with a thud and I put another couple of rounds into its head. After reading Cujo I was not going to take any chances with rabid animals. I walk over the body and head to the other one whom I saw was making some head way out of town I quickly get to within twenty feet of it before planting two rounds into the back of its head. It was suddenly very quiet which was a bit odd considering that not twenty seconds ago there was mass hysteria. Ponies are weird.

I walk over to the downed creature and nudge it with my foot and was satisfied that it was dead. Princess Luna walked up beside me and looked at the thing and she let out a small sigh and then I caught the sound of a whimper behind us so I turn and spot Fluttershy standing there. Great just fucking great. I take a couple of steps toward her only for her to turn and start running down the street presumably to home. Of course now the orange mare was walking in my direction with a scowl on her face. God do you hate me or somethin, seriously this is getting ridiculous.

“Do not even fucking start with me little miss pissy. Would you of liked me to just let these things tear apart the town,” the venom in my voice makes her stop advancing.

“Well Fluttershy coulda calmed down these manticores,” she said.

“You cannot reason with something that has rabies. They are mindless beasts and since that one got bit it would just turn into another mindless beast so do not go all high and mighty with me. I guess you did not see that one foaming at the mouth and shit,” it really did not help that she was already on my bad side. I wonder how much trouble I would get into if I pistol whipped her. “Luna can fix this,” with that I start heading toward Fluttershy’s home. Within a few minutes I was at her door and I give a light knock. Nothing happened for close to a minute but then the door opened. I look down expecting to see a pink mane covering a face and instead I am greeted with what looks like a very angry rabbit.

Stepping over the rabbit I make my way inside and I am almost immediately kicked in the shin by the little fur-ball of shit. I look down at the rabbit again only and he goes in for another kick I reach down and grab it by the ears. I then chuck the little creature out the door. It landed with a comical bounce on its behind and a chuckle escapes my throat. I quickly go up the stairs and greeted with soft crying. Oh goody. I push Fluttershy’s door open slowly and I see her on top of the bed that had held me no less than a week and a half ago. The bed sinks a bit when I sit on it and put my arm around her shoulders and pull her close to my side.

“I bet your angry with me but let me explain please,” my voice is quiet, “where I am from when an animal is acting like that and foaming at the mouth it means that it is very sick. We call it rabies. What I saw was an animal with rabies and the only way to even help them is to put them down otherwise they just live in pain. The other one, the other manticore got bit and that is how rabies are spread. I am very sorry if I over reacted. I do not know if you have some way to cure or prevent rabies but I acted in what I felt was the best way. I only try and protect the innocent and if that means I have to put down a violent animal than I will.”

She cries for a little bit longer but eventually the sobs stop and she just lets the tears flow quietly and eventually they stop too. She looks up at me and puts on a small smile. “I forgive you,” she says in what was now her trademark voice. I smile back really hoping that she meant it.

“Alright, let us go back to Twilight’s home and I can finish that story if you think you’re brave enough.”

“Oh, I’m not sure if I am,” a chuckle escapes my throat but she gets off her bed and we make our way to her friend’s home.

Fluttershy and I got back to Twilight’s home and we walked inside to see that the rest of her friends present and even Princess Luna herself. I tilted my head down at her and was greeted with a distasteful look from Applejack. I give her a smirk that I really hope made her blood boil.

“Twilight has informed me of what thou spoke of before,” still not quite sure if that voice is sexy or not but it did not matter. I will never fuck a pony unless I am really, really drunk. Unfortunately that is a possibility considering I have a few bottles of wine and other alcoholic beverages in my bag. I am not an alcoholic but I cannot help myself once I am mildly buzzed. If it keeps flowing I keep drinking. Enough about that. We sit ourselves down and I make sure that I am not close to that jackass orange pony.

“Alright where did I leave off at,” I ask looking at Twilight though she did not answer.

“You were leaving that atrocious sounding house,” Rarity said to my left.

“Right, okay. So it was about four days later that we came across a small village and that is where the beginning of the end started.” They sat quietly staring at me.

The town was maybe a mile or two away. “Race you,” I say before taking off at a jog. The town was a mile and half and I lost the race but only because I tripped. The town was small and actually quite shabby but it also had a homey feel to it. People walked around the street and haggled with the various venders.

“Go to the bar. Find out what you can,” ah those small sentences, how I love them. The bar was about half way down the street and looked just as shabby as the rest of the town. I walk up to the door and give it an experimental push and was happy to see that it swung open. The inside was actually well lite, which was a nice change from the other bars I had visited in the past and I immediately went to the counter to get a beer or two. I looked at the menu and saw a few good ones and a few bad ones.

“Wha can ah get ya,” asked the bar keep while I pulled out ten or so .22 bullets.

“Sweetwater,” he grabbed a bottle out from under the bar and took the bullets in his hand and dropped them into a bin that was underneath the counter. I looked around seeing if there might be anyone that could have information but I did not see anything. I stayed by the bar waiting for Jacob to come in or a fight to break out, it was only around six a ’clock or so but you never know when something interesting will happen. Soon enough a fight did break out, a big guy and another big guy. The first guy, he had a snake on his forearm threw a punch that landed with a crack causing quite a bit of blood to escape the other man’s nose. The second man fell to the floor and snake started to beat him mercilessly and soon enough blood was pooling around a dead man’s head. It was a sickening sight but not something that was uncommon in bars. I had seen my fair share of this bullshit before I met Jacob. Leaning back on the counter a man approached me. He looked well to do as in he was not covered head to foot in dirt and grim like most people, he also had a young girl on a leash right behind him.

“I am not interested in what you got to sell,” I said before he even opened his mouth.

“But sir this young women,” the girl could not have been older than seventeen if that, “is a virgin.”

“Well I do not like virgins, they make quite a mess the first time,” I lowered my voice just a bit trying to get my point across that I was not interested. I felt bad for the girl though, this obviously was not by choice. Some women did it, hell some even made a good living off it but not this girl. She was abused, could see it from the bruises on her arms and face, the make-up not even covering it up.

“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about sir, a young man like yourself. A hundred and fifty high caliber rounds and she is yours,” he had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face when he said that it was hard to keep from punching him but I did not want to attract a scene. Of course that was kind of going to shit any way thanks to him. He took another couple of steps closer to me, close enough that I could smell stale smoke on his clothing and that he had yellow decaying teeth. The man was in his forties but looked older. He may have been cleaner than everyone else but not healthier. I leaned harder against the bar when I felt a small pinprick against my stomach. I take a quick glance down and see that he had managed to pull a knife on me. Honestly I was stunned that he managed to do this and I was very angry with myself that I had not noticed the movements. I was too focused on his teeth. I look back up.

“What do you want, bullets fine you can have the .22s,” my voice was steady so it hid my anger not that it was directed at him, well a little bit was but mostly at myself.

“No I want the bullets for that revolver and that other big gun on your hip. NOW!” He shouted when I did not move right away. I start taking bullets out of the gun-belt and soon enough eighteen rounds of .375 were in his hands. I look past him at the other people in the bar not that I expected them to help me I just wanted to maybe see if they would help him. “The big gun too,” the man was on something, he had to be by the amount of sweat coming off him. I pull the .45 up and bring it up to eye level while holding it by the barrel. His seemed to brighten a little bit then it was gone and replaced by agony as I blew his knee out with my revolver. He crumpled to the ground screaming and holding his now crippled leg. I look at every one else in the bar daring them to do something but none did. I was about to replace both guns back to their places when the crack and bangs of guns filled the air. The man lying on the floor in front of me jerked and twisted as bullets ripped him to pieces, blood, bits of bone, and chunks of meat were blown out of him.

A lot of it splattered my boots but kept still until the noise stopped and the body went still. I look over at the men responsible for the over kill and saw the man that Jacob and I had been hunting for over a long time. Joseph “Cide” stood there with four of his men. When the rest of the people took notice of the men they got up in fled knowing who he is and the rest followed trusting in the others reactions. The five men, the bar keep, the girl with the leash around her throat, and myself were now alone. The five men holstered their weapons and moved over to the bar while Cide walked up to me the man was a giant, easily over six five, at least two hundred and thirty pounds if not more and mid-thirties. I would like to think that no one scares me but Cide did scare me and I could not but help shake a little in his presence. This man was a mass murder yet just being in the same room it was like the walls demanded me to show respect to him.

“Why you shakin boy, if I wanted ya dead you would be,” his voice was haughty and filled with happiness yet it was deep and powerful demanding that you listen to it. I calm myself before looking up and into his face, his eyes. His face spoke of being happy and carefree while his eyes held a maniac hate and coldness. We had this small staring contest which ended when he started laughing and this was also filled with happiness and it chilled me to the bone. He slapped his hand onto my shoulder and turned me around so that I was facing the bar. “Anythin you want boy.” The bar keep instantly brought out another bottle of Sweetwater and placed in my hand. I give him a small smile and he returns it before it is wiped off his face and replaced with worry. The bar keep knew who Cide was and was afraid though he did a good job of keeping it off his face.

“So where ya comin from boy,” he asked, his men were quiet and were keeping a watchful eye on me. Not that I could blame them after all they watched me knee-cap a man.

“I came in from the East, just been trying to find some where to rest up for a few days until I can make my way up to Northern California, maybe even go up into Oregon or Washington,” I had rehearsed this particular lie many times, even before I had met Jacob and it seemed that they bought it which was nice. I took a large swallow of the Sweetwater. It was not sweet but it was smooth so that was something and after setting the bottle back onto the scarred counter the door swung open with three men walking in. I look at them and was happy to see that one of them was Jacob. The other two must have been the authority of the shabby town. They did not look like much and as far as I could tell were scared to even be in the same room with Cide.

“Ah ya three are here. Yeah this man was going to urt this young boy here so me and my men stepped in. I’ll have my men clean up the mess,” he had a small friendly smile which after the things that this man had done seemed strange to me. I look back at Jacob and saw that he was reaching for the pistol on his side and then he thought differently about it because he just nodded his head and turned on his heel and left. The others followed without saying another word. I take another large swig out of the bottle and then take a closer look at the girl that the dead man had been trying to force me to buy. She was about five eight with mid-back long brown hair and gorgeous green eyes. I pull out my knife and she flinches but I ignore it and instead pull her forward and cut the leash off. I tip my knife to the door and she bolts for it. Thankfully no one shoots her and I turn back to Cide and he gives me a small smirk. “How bout ya join us boy, you got nothing here if you’re passin through.” I give him a hard look but I was seriously thinking about it, I mean this would be a perfect chance to get near him, drive a blade into his back I would just have to hope that Jacob kept following.

“So know ya joinin the stallion yer suppose ta kill,” said Applejack with a look that spoke about how she thought about me in at this moment.

“It is called deceit Applejack,” I say, “something that wins wars, wins battles, wins fights and that is what it takes a lot of the time to get stuff done. I get it you are some kind of honesty freak but lying does have its place in the world or at least in mine.” I glance at Luna and she nods her head just slightly to my unspoken question.

“Alright, is there something I will need to do,” I ask my voice not the steadiest.

“Nah, we aint some gang that beats the shit out a ya,” he says this as if I am stupid and maybe the question was stupid but this man is a psychopath. I give him a nod and he and his men stand then a motion from his hands send me in front and out the back of the bar. There was a large group of men there, about thirty or so which of course this would just make things so much harder, I have no intentions of dying at the hands of this fuck or any of his men.

“Where we heading to,” I ask.

“Outa town, we got a camp set up bout a mile or so,” Cide says and I cannot but help grimace a little at his voice. “They got us supplies.” They did get supplies, about two wagons worth. We start walking and I am introduced to all of the men and even though I try to remember all of their names I cannot. The four that had gone into the bar with him though, I remembered their names because they were in charge when Cide has gone somewhere to be without company. Eric, Jason, Shane, and Lorenzo. They were all big men and had the biggest guns with Eric holding a shotgun along with Shane and Lorenzo had an LMG and Jason had an SMG but he also had about four grenades on him too. We walk the mile and there was quite a bit of talking and asking questions about myself. I bullshited them on the majority of them with rehearsed lies, that is what my life became after I lost everything, lies.

We stopped and Shane guided me over to a tent and told me I would be bunking with him. I did not mind I just hope that maybe Jacob would come in the middle of the night and cut at least half of the throats here. The night passed away and the sun came up in the East again and we set off toward a forest about two miles out of our camp. It was an easy hike but then we had to distribute all of the food and gear they picked up. I would have to guess that we all had to carry about thirty pounds worth of goods. It was not too much of a hassle but still it was not something that I really wanted to do especially because I was not planning on staying with them long. I did not let that show though. It was mid-day when we stopped and had lunch and then it was back to hiking. It was around six when we noticed that the sounds in the forest had died down to nothing

We moved ahead cautiously but some of them men were not like me or Cide and his main group. We did not make a sound while walking over the ground but they did, every few feet a small crack or the crinkle of leaves would be heard. I could tell that Cide was getting agitated with the sounds but he kept his mouth shut figuring that it would be best to be quiet. Half an hour passed when they came running or walking out. The infected, and the damned with their shrieks and yells chilling us all to the bone. The men in front did not stand a chance and within seconds five were down and everyone else was opening fire. I pulled the .45 out of its holster but I did not join in the reckless shooting but started running back and away from the fighting as did Cide and his four. We ran for close to an hour and I had been forced to turn and shoot a couple of runners that were getting to close for comfort. We came to a small dell and then we turned and watched as twenty-three men came running out with hells dogs following. I emptied the .45 and then switched to the .357 and every bullet dropped one, sometimes two if the bullet went through.

The fire fight raged for almost ten minutes but I had ran out of ammo by the five minute mark. I pulled my knife and stood ready for one to come at me and eventually one did. It was simple really, just step to the side at the last second and plunge the knife into its heart. The force from the thrust and the momentum from the running it was lifted off its feet. Then another and another. I was lucky that I got them one at a time. Three more men went down in the dell, torn apart into shreds and hunks of bloody meat, but we came out on top. Cide was beside himself in anger and everyone stood well away from him.

“We goin back, stayin at the ah, ah the fuckin farm house we came across and then we’re, we’re goin to get more supplies and then we’re goin through again,” he could not even speak properly because of his anger. We did as he said and started walking back out of the woods. We lost a lot of the gear, most of the men had dropped the stuff so that it would not slow them down. All in all only Cide’s group had kept their packs. I had dropped mine after the first mile of running away, about five and half minutes from when they came out from behind the trees. It was well after dark when we got this farm house that he had mentioned and I, along with just about everyone else fell asleep almost immediately when we got inside.

“It must have been very scary,” said Fluttershy during a pause in my story.

“Yeah, it was but there have been worse times, there are always worse times,” the last part more to myself than to any of them.

“How can ya just talk about them stallions getting killed like that, like it’s nothing,” always Applejack.

“There comes a point where you let it break you, and you die, or you get used to it and live,” she had nothing to say to my answer and Luna seemed to know exactly what I meant. Why does it seem like she is more comfortable around this, the concept of killing then the smaller ponies?

Afternoon sun hit my eyelids and woke me up. I blinked a few times and was momentarily shocked to see that over half of the remaining men that had fought yesterday were gone. “They left, back to that asshole of a town,” answered one of the six guys still here when I asked him. I started to explore figuring that it was better than nothing. It had an upstairs, a large kitchen and living room. One odd thing that I found though was that there were boards on all of the windows. I went up the stairs and looked into the various bedrooms and decided that they had a teenage son, two daughters. Well actually I do not think parents were here. The final room housed something that an old person would have their room be like. I left the upstairs and found stairs going down into the cellar. I did not bother going down there and instead strike up conversations with the others and found things that made me think that killing Cide would be very easy emotionally. I know the man is a monster but the shit he has done that never got out, the man was a sadist of the highest degree and I just smiled and laughed with the guys about how the remembered how Cide rapped and then cut a girl apart in front of her parents. How Cide made a man eat his wife by forcing pieces of her down his throat and then fucked the headless, limbless, gutless corpse. The men were no better, some participated in the acts against nature or they did their own thing. Every single one of them deserved to burn in hell.

Soon night fell and the guys lit lanterns to give us light. The fire flickered. They used a slow burning, yet extremely hot, oil and they figured that they could last till morning if they burned just one at a time. Cide and the others still had not gotten back. It was three in the morning that I awoke and I decided that now was when I should do it. I took one of the unlit lanterns upstairs and let the oil leak out of it and then I splashed it against the walls and ceiling. I walked back down and got another unlit lantern and started to let the oil leak around the sleeping men getting some of it on their blankets. Finally when that one was done I grabbed the lit lantern and then smashed against on one of the sleeping men and instantly he was ablaze and screaming. The other men woke up at the same time only now they were starting to burn I backed out of that room and left out the front door but I did not leave its porch. I grabbed a bench and wedged it underneath the fancy door handles making sure none of them would get out that way and hopefully they would be too panic to leave out the back.

I took a step back from the doors when a flaming body slammed against the glass and he did so repeatedly. It was the third hit that shattered the pane of glass. He still did not get out but he did cut the living hell out of his arms, face and sides trying to. I walked off the porch and turned back around watching the fire spread to the second story and soon enough the windows up there turned black and then shattered from the heat. I was about to walk away when the barrel of something was thrust into my lower back and I froze. The man holding it came around to my side and the Cide walked in front of me facing the house, his shoulders heaving and then he started to yell and scream at what he was seeing. I heard footsteps to my left letting me know that another man was present.

“You fuckin cunt,” Cide yelled as he turned around and then I noticed that he was missing an eye, a couple of teeth, and there many cuts on his body. His shirt was crisscrossed with them and blood covered most of it. “You know what happened when we got back to that shithole of a town? They tuned on us. The whole lot just started killing us, like we were animals. No they are the animals. I’m a savior of men. I let them be what they are suppose to be. We taught them a lesson though, but as you can see,” he gestures to his face and body, “one of them didn’t want to go quietly.” It was weird. His speech was different then it had been at the bar and in the forest. Did Cide have different personalities or something? “I killed him though, made em suffer for what he did.” My stomach felt like it dropped and I felt tears spring to my eyes. Only one man could get that close and do that damage to him. “Three of us got out. Me, Shane, and Lorenzo but Lorenzo lost his arm. Oh you goin to cry now boy. Did you lie to me, did you have friends in that shitty little place? I caught that girl, I took some of my frustrations out on her. I let her live but she won’t have arms.” He erupted into laughter and then it fell into a coughing fit. Tears streamed down my face at feeling another close person die. One more person that I considered a family member. Jacob was all I had. “Kill him.”

I felt the barrel of the gun against the side of my head and then, faster than I thought I could I reached up and bent backwards as a shotgun went off. The sudden flash blinded me and the noise deafened me, and I could feel the sudden heat but I did not let go and instead dove at Shane. We fell to the ground with the barrel still in my grasp and began to slam my fist down bringing the barrel with me. It made a sickening crunch against something but then I was lifted off him and on to my back. I blink a few times clearing my sight and I turn and I see the dark figure of Cide standing over Shane. I look at him too and see that I must have hit him in the throat. I pull out my knife since I did not have any more ammo for my pistols and then I remembered Lorenzo. I look at his body which was still and I assumed that the shotgun blast had struck him. Then I was lifted off my feet and onto my back he grabbed my wrist making me drop the blade and then he landed to vicious blows to my face. I felt my nose break and blood flow from. The dark sky suddenly brightened as the sun came up allowing me a better sight at the man throttling me. His hands moved to my throat and slowly started to squeeze. He was going to make this slow and soon enough the world started to fade just a little bit and then some more and then more. I struggled but it was really pointless.

Come on, come on do something, anything. Really this is how you are going to die. On your back and not on your feet. Not on your terms. You killed seven, eight, in less than an hour and you are going to allow this piece of shit strangle you to death. Come on, come on, COME ON

The world suddenly snapped back into view and crystal clear at that except the colors were faded, dull as if they were old and the sounds were the same. They were simple background noise like in a bar when you are not paying attention to the conversations around you. My right hand curled into a fist and I slammed it into his elbow pushing it further than it should go. His arm now useless he let me go and screamed except it did not seem loud. I grabbed his torn shirt and pulled him close tearing it further and slammed my fist into his head shattering something, I could feel his face give under my hand. His jaw also looked wrong, it was way too far to the right. I bring my knees up to my chest causing his body to be pushed up onto them and then I kicked out launching him away from me. His body landing at least two yards away. I get to my feet I walk the over to my knife and I pick it up and walk toward the downed man.

“So what did you do to him,” asked Dash bringing me out of the silence that I had fallen into.

“What,” I ask still not all there.

“What did you do to him,” she asks again.

“Nothing, just so happened a group of men came along and killed him for me,” I answer.

“Now that right there is horse apples. You aint that strong and no group of men,” she says men like it is a curse, “came along and killed him.”

“Our brains do not let us use everything that we have. We would just end up damaging our own bodies. Many of my race have suddenly gotten a spurt of strength or speed because the brain decided to fight for life. If we had full access to our muscles we would be tearing them off our bones and doing only God knows what kind of other damage. Do not act like you know anything about humans or what we are capable of,” my voice had risen at the end but I could see that she was just not getting it.

“Well I don’t believe ya when ya say the fire was an accident. Ah think you did that,” she yelled at me.

“You know what you are right. I have not been honest with you. I lit that fire and then I laughed while those six men burned to death in that house and then when I picked my knife up I walked over to Cide and slowly and very painfully cut his heart out. He did not even die right away. Is that what you want to hear Applejack that I am some sadistic monster?”

“No, ah want the truth and that wasn’t it either, at least not all of it. Ah, ah couldn’t really tell on that one,” she said looking slightly worried now at her confession and I jumped on the chance presented to me.

“So you really do not know. You do not know because I am not some fucking pony. You for whatever stupid ass reason decided that you did not like me and anything that comes out of my mouth is a lie,” she looked confused and slightly ashamed now.

“Well maybe,” she finally said after a few minutes. I give a snort then get to my feet and walk outside. It was now nighttime and then the library door opened. I did not want to talk to any of them and was about to say as much.

“What did thou do to Cide,” asked Luna. I turn to look at her and then I started walking down the street and then stopped about a hundred yards. She followed and then her horn glowed a dark color. “They won’t be able to hear us.”

I walked over to the prone body of Cide and then straddled his waist. He tried to say something but his broken jaw did not allow speech, only pain. I brought the knife to his stomach and then slowly stuck it in feeling only a little bit of resistance. I jerked it up violently cutting him open and exposing his organs to the night sky and his stomach acid. I stood up and then kicked him hard making his intestines and blood spill out onto the dirt. The colors and sounds began to fade back in and I started to feel sick then I was vomiting mixing it with the dirt. It was some time before the dry heaves stopped and then I shakily got to my feet and started walking back to the town. The very act of breathing was hard because of the strangulation that I had endured. It was mostly a daze during the journey but that was gone when I got back to the town.

The place was littered with corpses, a mix of the people and Cide’s men. The ground was still wet in some places and my boots left bloody footprints. I got to a slightly larger building than the rest and pushed the double doors in and then fell to my knees as the hanging body of Jacob came into view. The scream that escaped my throat was louder than anything that Cide had let out. It had been a church at one time and now it was a place of sorrow and death. I found the rope that was holding Jacob up and cut it. I tried to catch him but was not fast enough and his body made a wet smacking sound against the flagstones. I crouched over him and then pulled the cross out from around his neck. No God had saved him, no God had saved the piled bodies that laid beneath the cross that held Christ. I do not know how long I sat there, in that church of the dead. I struggled to my feet and began to walk out when the sun broke out from behind the clouds that had appeared. Behind me there was a multicolored glow which made me turn. The light was coming through the stained-glass at the end of church, shining down upon the pile of bodies, the bodies of the young, the old, men, women, and children. I was about to turn back to the exit when a small sound caught my attention, it was the sound of a baby crying.

I practically ran to the pile and started to pull them off and eventually I found a small pocket where there sat a baby no more than a year old. I picked it up and pressed its small frame against my chest and I quickly left that place without looking back and entered the first building that did not have a door on it. The place reeked but I ignored that and went to the sink. I let the water run hoping that it would become warm and it did and then I began to clean the baby’s body being gentle. Then I looked for something that I could feed it so I went to the cupboards to and saw baby food. I could not believe my luck and I proceeded to feed the poor thing, the orphan. The baby eventually fell asleep and I set it in the sink so that it would not fall and hurt itself. I went to the other rooms of the home and in the last room I entered, stopped, and just stared. The girl that I had helped in the bar and the girl that Cide had said that he cut the arms off of was laying on the floor. She had been brutalized but her arms were still connected to her body, though the cuts along them had been cauterized.

Despite the trauma that she must have sustained it looked like it did not kill her. Instead it looked like some kind of animal had come in after the fact and, and it had torn into her stomach, there was nothing left inside. I was about to leave when a white piece of something caught my attention. It was lying near where her head was and I walked over trying to keep from steeping in her blood or anything really. I picked up the blood-stained thing only to realize that it was a photo of the girl and she…. I left the room and went over to the baby and took a long look at the birthmark on the baby’s chest. It looked a little bit like a sword. I look back at the photo and saw that it was the same baby. I do not think the girl was a virgin. She was too happy in the photo for the baby to be anything but hers.

“What happened to the foal,” asked Luna.

“I took him to a small survivor camp in Montana, it was north of where we were,” I answer my voice barley coming out. “I joined the military afterward and from then on I had someone telling me what to do and eventually I was the one telling men to burn down houses in the name of the masses, of survival.” A dark chuckle comes out of my mouth. I look up and shake my head then I wipe the tear streaks from my cheeks. “We did a lot of things because we felt that they endangered survival somehow. After all of that, with Cide, I told myself that I would only die on my terms, only when I was ready.”

“Well I believe that this is a new beginning for thou, one where thou need not worry about such things,” she gives me a warm smile but I just could not bring myself to return it. We make our way back to the library, so few times has my head been lower than it is now. I did not realize how hard those memories would be to remember.

Chapter 5

“Thank God,” the words left my mouth soon after my feet took me out of that damned forest. Sure just go in and guard it, make sure none of you home world pals are creepin around it will be fun. Yeah just do not tell me about the fucking manticores, the wood wolf things, the hydra which managed to find me again, and whatever else there is in the fucking place. Deep breaths man deep breaths. Okay, to Flutters now. The walk was relatively short, just about twenty minutes or so but it was enough time to let the bandage wrapped around my arm get soaked through with blood. I walked up to the front door hoping that she was in and I was not disappointed. She opened the door up, took a quick look at my battered clothing, the bloody bandage, and then turned green. The first couple of times it had made me quite worried about her but after noticing that it did not have any long term effects decided that it was nothing to worry about. Maybe it is because I am sentient that she cannot stand the blood. I took a couple of steps inside and instantly received a kick to the shin by her bastard of a rabbit Angel. I kept my lips shut but damn it was hard not to just shoot the little thing or to cuss it out.

“Can you fix me up again,” I ask my voice a bit strained from trying to keep it smooth. She gives me a small nod and we enter her kitchen where I sit down on one of the three chairs she has there.

“What happened,” she asked. Her voice was always welcome after spending hours on end in the forest, and honestly I don't know why she lives so close… well actually I do. Now how she cares for the animals like she does I will never know or understand unless she is secretly a crack-head.

“Well I got attacked by those wolves made out of timber, and then I fell down a ravine got attacked by them again, but managed to drive them off. I didn't even kill any of them, got lucky that I decided to have a flare on me today,” she seemed to perk up at that. Ever since she had the fit about the rabid manticores I had been trying to keep the killing down on the natural wildlife. She stitched up the cut on my arm, another thing I do not understand is how they are so nimble with their mouths (or how they can hold things with their hooves). I guess they would have to be since they do not have hands but come on. Soon enough the wound was properly closed and then I took my shirt off and let her get to the cuts and scrapes on my back while I took care of the ones on my chest and arms.

“Would you like to stay for dinner,” she asked.

“No, I need to get to Rarity’s boutique, I keep ruining my cloths. I swear she is going to get rich off me. I think I spent over three hundred bits this last month alone,” and that was true. Someone had broken into Twilights library one evening when I was out in the forest and stole all of my clothing. Why the hell a pony would steal my clothing I do not know and quite frankly I do not want to know. Since then I had to get Rarity to make me clothing which, while they were very nice and comfortable, they did not have much strength against, well anything in this world. I guess that is what you get when most of the inhabitants only wear clothing for special occasions. After a few more minutes of cleaning me up I left Flutters house and made my way to the boutique. The walk was nice and the air was clean and calm.

I reached her home and walked in and was about to turn right around when I saw Applejack inside. After my small outburst at Twilight’s home two and half months ago I had been trying to avoid her. What can I say, I am a vindictive bastard at heart and I do not easily forgive. They spotted me though so I decided to stay in the large room and waited for them to get done. They did but Applejack did not leave instead she walked over to me and I was about to tell her to fuck off but she beat me by talking first.

“Ah know ya don like me but can’t we at least call a truce,” she actually sounded slightly down.

“You still think me a liar,” I shoot back. Her look changes from being worried and hopeful to being hard. “I did not think so. I have things that have happened to me that you do not deserve to know and I know if we become “friends” then you will just hound me for information. So no, no truce.” She look at me and then left leaving me alone with Rarity, well her sister might be here. I think her name is Sweetiebell or something like that. Well any way she was not happy with me but then again that might be because I was covered in dirt and grim. “Would you rather I come back tomorrow or something?”

“Yes darling, I would,” after the third or fourth time of actually being in a conversation with her I decided that she was not as snotty as I pegged her to be. I give her a small nod and turn toward the door and leave. I looked at the watch on my wrist and saw that it was only a little bit after eight meaning that it would be another long night. I start my walk and soon enough I am home and even before I get to the bathroom I strip all of my belongings off. The water came out of the shower head hot and steamy, just the way I like it. It was relaxing just standing there letting the water work out some of the kinks in my neck and shoulders. Maybe I should go to that spa one day. I wash the sweat and grim off my body and then step out.

I pick up the discarded clothing and then throw them into the trash bin out in the back of my home. The Princesses did not disappoint when they had the construction crew building it for me. It was easily the biggest home in Ponyville and probably the fanciest, though I really I do not like the fancy lifestyle. I went into my bedroom and pulled out the last clothing that I had to my name and slipped them on, next I went into the kitchen and cooked up some pasta. They had really good pasta and tea here. I have no idea why but they do. Once dinner was done and the dishes cleaned and put away I went back into the bedroom and sat down on the end of the bed. Eventually I fell back and fell asleep.

The sun was streaming in through the window on the far wall of the bedroom and it landed across my face causing me to wake up. Getting up I stretch and feel my back and a few of my joints pop. I am not going to deal with the forest today, I will just go and get the backup squad to do it. With the thought of taking a break I go and leave my house and make my way to the small and somewhat hastily built barracks outside of Ponyville and then I knock on the door. A fairly tall pony opened the door and greeted me.

“Hey Short Sword, I hope you feel like dealing with the forest today,” I give him a big grin.

“You’re a bastard Richard,” I couldn't help it, I started laughing hard and he joined in. Besides the Princesses he was the only one who called me by my first name, and he was the only one who had picked up on my swearing. When the laughter subsided he went back inside, and I turned to go get new clothing. I arrived at Rarity’s place, and walked inside. She was the only one present.

“So, can I get new cloths now, please,” I ask making my voice slightly whiny.

“Of course darling, just give me second,” and with that she went back to working on whatever it was. After a few minutes she gave me her attention and within the hour I had three new pairs of pants and shirts.

“Thanks, when you get time can you make me about five bags with the strongest material you have,” I ask and she gave me a questioning look. “I want to walk around town, it is my day off so could I come back tomorrow and pick them up?”

“Sure,” Rarity still had a questioning look, but she decided not to push it. Alright now where do I want to go? Might as well see if Twilight got done with the books I let her borrow. No idea why I have so many, I guess it was because it was something to save from falling apart buildings, and something from the old world. I jogged through town, and got a few hellos from passing ponies, and before I knew it I was at the library. I push the door in, and give Spike a wave before continuing on into the kitchen where I saw Pinkie trying to shove a cupcake down Twilight’s throat.

“Hey Richie, how you doing,” cue dramatic gasp, “It’s your day off isn’t,” and that is where I stop listening. I like her I really do, it was refreshing from the sad faces I had been so long accustomed to. I think five minutes had passed before Twilight got Pinkie to be quite and to leave. I really should get to know Pinkie a bit better, maybe go to a party for once.

“I finished the books you let me borrow but why are they in such poor condition? I can fix them if you want me too,” Twilight looked a bit disgruntled, but I knew where she was coming from. She loves books, but to see so many in such rough condition must break her heart.

“You do realize that all of those are older than me by at least thirty years right. I found all of them in ruined houses that were falling apart. I am surprised that so many of them are still readable. You know what, how about you just keep them, I 'm not too much of a reader any way.” She gave me a grateful smile, and her horn glowed and the books on the table started to repair themselves. It was fascinating to watch.

“What happened to your arm,” she asked with a slightly interested look upon her face. I had started scratching around the cut on my arm which caused my shirt sleeve to rise up.

“Oh, some of your wood wolves started to chase me, and I ended up getting a little hurt. Flutters is a life saver, she really is. I just wish that she would not get so sick looking whenever I show up hurt.”

“Why don’t you go to the hospital and teach them about your anatomy?” This was a good question, and I had a shitty answer.

“I tried that, it doesn't work with them, they just want to assume that we have the same exact anatomy that everything is in the same spot. I guess that a lot of it is the same, but I don't want to go there in case I get hurt, and have them start rooting around in my guts. I would much rather have Flutters doing that.” I don't think she liked my reasons, why is she looking at me like that. “What?”

“Nothing,” I didn't like the way she said that, but I really didn't feel like pushing it. “Are you and Applejack getting along now?”

“No, I should probably give her a chance, but only if she stops acting like I lie about everything, and if she would forget about what happened in the forest. Rarity likes my business, but I think she is getting upset with me about how often I have come in to get new cloths. Pinkie is… well I guess we're good. I am good with you obviously, and then Flutters, well hell I am in her debt till I die so yeah. Then Rainbow Dash well, besides a few races where I have lost we don't really talk. I guess we are good too.” Once a week Twilight and I get together, and I tell her how I am doing, how my relationships are with all of them, and well general things.

“Well I guess that’s good but you really need to work on your differences with applejack.”

“Alright, when I get some time I will go and see if we cannot settle our problems with each other.” My answer seem to appease her so that was something. I give her a small wave and then I turned and left. What should I do today? I know, I am going to sleep all damn day, well either that or help Flutters out. Yeah, I will do that for a while then sleep for the rest of the day. I started heading out to her house and got there after about ten or so minutes of jogging. I could see her feeding a bunch of her outside animals and I walk over and she notices me. She gives a smile and I return it then proceed to get the food bags. I distribute the proper amount for the proper animals and soon enough we were done with the feeding.

“Thank you for helping me with my animals,” her voice was quiet like usual but I had gotten used to it.

“You know it is not a problem, just ask if you need anything,” I had said this a few times but she never did ask me for anything. This time was different.

“Actually one of my animal friends told me that it sounds like there is a wounded animal in the forest. They say that it fell into a hole. Could you go get it, if it isn’t too much of a problem that is?”

“Sure,” I give her a smile and then step outside of her cottage and I am greeted with a blue bird. It gave me a few chirps before heading into the forest and I follow. Soon enough I could hear an animalistic cry for help and then I trip and almost fell into the hole that the animal was in. My quick momentum made it so that when I fell I actually went over the hole instead of in it. I got to my feet and turn around and look. It was a baby deer, covered in mud and with a broken leg. This was going to be a pain in the ass. I reach down and grab its forelegs and pull and get an angry sound in return. I pulled hard and eventually I get it out. Now the really hard part. I quickly grab it around the middle and make sure that its legs were away from me and boy was I glad that I did because it started to kick like mad.

The return journey was not fun, but when I got back to the cottage and Flutters came out it calmed down right away. I stayed while she worked on the poor thing, and once that was done she gave me a hug. It caught me off guard but I returned it, got thanked, then I left and made my way back home. The watch that I had bought told me that it was half past four. I shook my head at how much time I had spent doing things. Opening the door to my home and going into the living room I was greeted with a surprise that was not needed.

“Well hello there Princess Luna and Celestia, how may I help you this fine, fine day,” I think they picked up on my attitude toward helping them. They hadn't done anything, but I was really wishing that I could just go to sleep.

“Hello Richard,” they said in turn. Then Celestia said, “We have a request for you.” They waited for my answer, but I didn't say anything so she continued. “We are having trouble with a neighboring kingdom, we would like you to help us settle the matter.” Luna gave her sister a look but she ignored it.

“We have fallen into a war, and we would like thee to fight for us. We think that thou could make them change their minds in pursuing this,” that was better. I am glad that Luna elaborated.

“No. Your wars are your problem, not mine,” Luna’s expression did not change however Celestia looked… angry that I refused to help. Too bad.

“Please, we think that thou could end this before it could get bad. We need you on this. They know about the Elements of Harmony, they will push for Ponyville first,” Luna’s expression did not change but her voice sure did, it was pleading.

“They will come here, and try to take them,” Celestia said.

“How about this Celestia, how about you use your magic instead of relying on your Elements of Harmony or me to do everything for you. They stopped her,” I point to Luna, “they stopped Discord, they stopped the uh, oh what was it called, the changeling attack, and last month Twilight got turned into an alicorn. Why the fuck are you coming to me for help. I am still planning on going home the second I get a chance.”

“We refuse because of the power we possess. It would not be right to engage in a battle with a species that can’t even use magic or fly. What kind of message would that send to the rest of the world,” Celestia was a definitely angry with me now.

“There was a thing before my planet became… sick. It was caller a proportional response. It meant that we would only attack another country as bad as they attacked us. That does not always work. It would not have worked with the enemy my country was fighting in our second world war. Hell we had to do so much to them before they decided to surrender and even then they did not want to. Personally I disagree with that response. I say hit them hard, so hard they cannot hit you back, I say send a message that it is a mistake to attack, and that way you ensure that you never will be,” my voice had risen louder and the guards in the room were getting a bit antsy.

“Will you please think about it,” Celestia asked only she sounded like she wanted to say something else.

“Please,” Luna said. I pointed at my door and they stood and left then I proceeded to my bedroom. After undressing I laid on top of the covers and stared at my ceiling. Did I really want to get into their politics and wars? No I do not. What is the difference really, between fighting here or at home, the home I belong in? None, war is war no matter what way you look at it and there are certain people built for that grisly task. Some can handle it better than others and sometimes it is the only thing they can do.

My fist slammed against Twilight’s, probably louder than needed but I was not in a good mood and I really wanted to get this done with. After a few minutes the door opened and a very sleepy Twilight stood in the door way.

“Why are you here so early, it’s still dark outside,” I pushed my way inside and went over to where she kept her writing stuff. After opening the ink well I began writing a letter to the benevolent leaders.

Dear Princesses

I will do one battle and that is it, if i do not make a big enough impression then oh well cause I will not help afterward. This one time I will help, just this once

“Send this,” I said after rolling it up and putting a ribbon around it.

“Spike sends them, I can’t. I’ll send it when he wakes up,” her voice was still thick with sleep.

“Wake him up then. This needs to be sent right now,” my tone woke her up, and she went to do what I asked. God why do this to me? Why give me a conscious now? After all the shit I have done why do I care now? I shake the thoughts away as Spike and Twilight come down the stairs, and I hand the letter to him. He breaths fire onto it and I watch it dissolve into a green smoke that went up and out an open window.

“Will you now tell me what that was about,” Twilight asked slightly angry now. My tone most of entered her head by now.

“No,” and then Spike let out a belch that could rival some of my dead friends. A letter came out which he caught and was about to unfold when I snatched it out of his claws. I unfurled the letter, and quickly read what was written.

Dear Richard

We are glad to hear this, and a carriage will be dispatched to Ponyville shortly. It will take you out near our border, and there you should be able to convince our neighbor that it will be best if we do not egage in war. Please try to be diplomatic.

Sincerely Celestia.

“What is going on Roderik, why do you have your vest on and weapons,” damn she was persistent.

“Nothing you need to worry about my darling, and it is part of my job to have these on me,” calm down Richard. You are getting really agitated, and you're going to say somethin that will come back and bite you on the ass. “Thank you and I am sorry I got you out of bed Spike. I will buy you a gem to snack on when I get back.” I quickly leave before more questions could be answered and after about an hour of walking around aimlessly a carriage came down to meet me. I glance at the guards pulling it before I hop into the back of it.

It was an eight hour ride, and we had been going fast too, they actually ended up switching out the Pegasus team three or four times. We arrived at what was currently a battle field that was littered with bodies. The green fields soaked with blood. There were so many on both sides, thousands upon thousands. So much for Equestria being kind to everyone if they have an army this big. We land about half a mile behind the front line when the sound of cannons fill the air, this got me a bit worried. Horns that I couldn't see started blaring. The sounds of conflict stopped, and soon there was silence. Deciding that getting to the front lines was the best thing to do I ran there. When I broke past the ponies I was met with a ten foot gap between both parties and also awarded a good view of the enemy. They stood about, actually they were about as tall as I was and they were strikingly human in appearance. Fingers, and body structure however they had the face of a horse, if much flatter, and had hooves instead of feet. I look down the line and see what looks like a couple of important guys down that way. One was a pony the other… one of them. Moving toward them I soon arrived at the small meeting.

“I agree to have a formal one-to-one fight,” said the pony general. “Give me ten minutes to prepare.” With that he retreated back into his own lines and I followed.

“What is going on, why did the fighting stop,” I ask him, and looking around I think I now realize why there seems so few male ponies. The majority were part of the army.

“I’m about to fight their general to decide whether or not we lose this battle or win it,” he responded. Many red flags were sent up by his tone and answer

“Can you, uh, elaborate please?”

“We’re going to perform a one-to-one fight. Winner takes all. When he loses we win by default, and we take the rest as prisoners,” I like confidence. Hell it's needed to be a leader, but this was not confidence speaking, this was his ego.

“I think you are under estimating them.”

“Honestly I don’t know why you're here, you’re not needed,” and he totally disregarded my comment. Alright in that case I hope they will accept my plea for a one-to-one fight when he gets killed, the fucking idiot. “Now I must go and win this fight.” I follow him back around and see that a circle had been made about ten yards wide meaning that both sides had moved backwards. The horse man, who was well muscled and taller than I, stood there. Yeah, the general was a dead pony. They both strode forward and gave each other a quick bow before drawing their weapons. The horse man held an ax, not big one, but a small one handed ax. He had nothing in his other hand. The pony general held a sword that was about two feet long, perfect for his height I guess. The fight was over in two vicious moves, neither one of which was the ponies. The horse man made one bound and then kicked the general straight in the face causing blood to fly form his lips then the ax came down splitting the skull, and sending brain all over the place. It was fast and well done. Then the massive amounts of horse men started to move forward.

“Wait, I challenge you on a one-to-six fight. Your best fighters, and I'll give you a real fight." Why in the name of God did I ask for a one-to-six. But they stopped, and the horse man looked over at me. He walked forward till we were no more than a couple of feet away from each other.

“One-to-six huh. Why that,” he asked. His voice was deep, and actually pleasant with just a hint of an unidentifiable accent.

“I want to give them all a show,” was he not finding me being here odd, I obviously was not a pony.

“What are you, and why are you fighting for such a weak race,” there we go.

“I am a human, and I regretfully owe them a favor or two for saving me."

“Okay, I will grant you your death. I am Albus, leader of Equus. There are no rules in the fight. Everything is open to use, and in any manner that you wish. I will grant you… an hour to prepare.”

“I am Richard, from America, and thank you,” I was greeted with a strange look, but that was okay. He turned away, and walked into his army while I stayed by the circle when suddenly a lieutenant was at my back. I turn then very quietly gave him a few commands. He seemed to pale slightly, but nodded and then he went back. The general’s body was moved out of the way, and the rest of the hour passed.

The six horse men moved forward with Albus in the front. We bow and then I draw my knife and place it in my left hand. I turn so that the edge was facing them, and then it turned into a waiting game. After a minute or so the six spread themselves out, and while I was watching the one on the far left when the one on the far right moved forward. I have to admit, they were fast, and this would probably work under most circumstances, but this was not most circumstances. I quickly drew my revolver, and place one shot through the stallion’s breast-plate, and before the others had even known what was happening another five bullets left that same barrel dropping all of them. It really is easy to kill someone. Just a simple muscle movement with the right tool and you can cause untold damage. The six of them dropped to the ground within half a second of each other with blood gushing from the chest wounds.

“FIRE,” and then the sun was blacked out as thousands of arrows rained down on the stunned horse men, many did not get their shields up in time. This was followed by half the Pegasus force flying out and dropping whatever they could. Trees, heavy rocks, carts that were not needed any more, and they were followed by another group of Pegasus with red banners flying behind them. “FORWARD,” then we all rushed them, bodies slamming and it was a slaughter. It did not last another hour before the horse men surrendered. About a thousand were still alive out of the huge force, the amount of death almost unbelievable. Thousands lay dead and after I had yelled that first command only a few of the ponies died with the numbered of injured in the low hundreds. It really is remarkable what surprise can do, what arrows can do, what the grunts will listen too. It was many hours before I was back on the carriage to head to Canterlot to give my report. They would not like it, but we won and they would not be retaliating any time soon. I had let the survivors go free, they had no fight in them after witnessing what had just happened, literally their six best dead in less than a second then thousands in a little less than an hour. Devastating, yet so easy.

“Your bedroom is this way sir,” said the butler. The return journey had been a bit shorter, about seven hours instead of eight, and when I had arrived I was told that I would discuss what happened tomorrow. Now I was going to a room to sleep, and rest after that short lived battle. I am going to get so much shit I bet. Then again maybe it will not be too bad. After all I gave the remaing forces of the Equus’ medical supplies, food, and water. Maybe after I request to send money aid to the families of those that died it will put her in a better mood. I hope it will. I slip underneath the silk covers, and feel sleeps comforting embrace.

Chapter 6

Yeah she is angry with me. I wonder how many rules of war I broke when I launched that attack after winning the one-to-six, probably a lot. At least Twilight is up there with Luna so maybe I will have some backing in this.

“I would think that after living here for three months that you would be more familiar and understand that being friendly and trying to be diplomatic would be a better solution than what you did,” said Celestia with a relatively calm voice.

“The first three weeks I was here I was in and out of consciousness and then the fourth week I was locked away in one of your dungeons.” She gave me an icy glare, I guess that was a bit of a low blow but still I have only been active here for two months not three.

“What you did… I don’t think it can be forgiven,” Celestia stated, her voice shaking just a little bit. “You do not continue a battle once a one-to-one is completed.”

“I do not fight gentlemen wars Celestia. I fight to win and make an impression that we are not to be messed with and that is exactly what I did. Their army is crippled and they know not to fight you now,” I say trying to keep my voice calm but it was hard. Why could she not see that I was right in this?

“This is not you home, you follow our rules and our customs while you are guest in our kingdom,” she gestures to Luna and Twilight. “Furthermore you used one of your weapons on them. They had no chance.”

“You act like war is fair, it is not fair. War is hell and dirty. How bad are your relationships with other kingdoms that you need an army that size? I will bet you if there are problems they are gone now.” She looked a bit shocked at that. Was I right and there were problems with other kingdoms? I was shooting in the dark with that one.

“They would have left us alone after your victory that is the rules. What you did was slaughter.”

“And that is why I ask that you send them money, food and a few other things now because of the damage done. Do not have them pay war settlements if that will make you sleep easier at night.”

“You are missing the point. There was no need, they would have left us alone for a very long time. That is the point of the one-to-one fights, keep the casualties down.”

“The last time I trusted an enemy to leave me alone or my men I got stabbed in the back literally and figuratively and watched as my men, good men died. I have no trust in the enemy to keep to the rules when they attack unprovoked… or was it provoked Celestia? They seemed quite reasonable to me.”

“Of course not, they live in hate and fighting so they wanted to kill the Elements of Harmony because they could bring peace. Already in the short two years after finding them Equestria is better place. I ask that you apologize for you actions to the Equus’ and that you hand over the weapons on your hips and the large one slung over your back.”

“No.”

“Then don’t speak to anypony in Ponyville. Any further injuries you sustain will need to be taken to the hospital. If I find out that you spoke to one of the Elements of Harmony then I will have to take steps. I don’t need you influencing in any of you practices. If you decide to stop protecting Ponyville form any dangers that my come out of the Everfree Forest then I will stop you payments and confiscate your home.”

“Sister is-,” Luna started.

“Oh fuck you Celestia. Fuck you. You think that because you have some fucked up version of war that it is better than mine then you are wrong. One day you will see that I am right,” I do not wait for a response before I am gone from the throne room and heading toward the train station. God that bitch is stupid thinking that just because you kill someone in a single fight that the problems are going to be gone. No that is not how the world works. The high class ponies were staying out of my way. Good because I do not think I could be held responsible for my actions if one of them got in the way. I glance to my left and see the other five Elements of Harmony there and then they saw me. They started to move forward with Pinkie hopping in front and they all started to try to get my attention but I ignored them. Soon enough I was at the train stations and in one of the cars ready to go home. They had still been following me until a guard had stopped them.

I did not have to wait long before the train shuttered and started to move forward. I look across the aisle and out of the window thinking about how Flutters was going to react to this when suddenly the train car was rolling and throwing my around and then it went black as my head smacked into something.

“Fuck, my head,” the words were a croak and then the sounds of screaming caught my ears. I look up and see that the train car was on its side. I pretty much crawl my way out of the thing only to see that the car had been pushed, or rolled at least sixty yards from the rails. Of course my eyes move past that and I see makes my eyes go wide. Canterlot was on fire, dark curling smoke rose into the air thick enough to block out a lot of the sun. I get to my feet and start walking and then pretty soon I am jogging as adrenaline kicks in knocking the pain from my head. Screams from various ponies reached me. There are bodies lying on the ground all of the place, throats torn out, some were disemboweled, some missing limbs. There was a guard standing off to the side when I noticed that one of the ponies was acting strange. Its head was twitching back and forth and it… shit that is a bite wound. I draw my pistol and plant a bullet into its head and it fell without a sound of its own. The guard looked at me in shock and I move over to him in four big steps.

“You do not let any of them leave this town, they try kill them. Keep it contained,” he just nodded his head and moved into the middle of the street and I noticed a few other guards do the same and it looked like he relayed what I told him. I started running further into the town but the further in I went the worse it got. Ponies were tearing each other apart many of which had violently twitching heads. The road was slick with blood and I almost lost my footing once or twice. A lot of the buildings I went pass were on fire or heavily damaged like something heavy had gone through it. I kept moving hoping to not attract the attention of the infected but by the time I was within about a block of the palace my rifle was out of ammo as was my .45 and I had left my fucking bag in the room I had stayed in, and I only had three more rounds in my revolver. Passing a large building that looked like half of it had come down I heard crying coming from inside. Fuck ‘em, the princesses can wait. I dash through a hole in the side of the building and I see Applejack, Rarity and the rest of them except for Flutters in a corner. I walk over to ask where the missing friend was.

“Where is Flut…,” what is that behind them. My strides increase and soon enough I was shoving Rainbow Dash out of the way. Fluttershy was laying on the ground, blood had pooled around a gaping hole in her side. There was a roaring sound in ears and my hands were shaking. “Did she get bite,” I could hear that my voice was unstable and the rest of them backed away a little bit. Guess they do not like the look on my face.

“No, the big thing smacked her and she went through the wall and when we found her she had the hole in her side,” Rainbow’s face was streaked with tears then a sound of feet searching for purchase came from behind us. I stand and move so that I was in front of them only for it to be a pony guard coming in. No it was Shining Armor. I walk over and grab him by his horn squeezing it hard. His eyes betray his discomfort at being grabbed like that.

“Let go,” he said his voice deadly.

“Not before you tell me what happened,” my voice must have been enough to convince him not to fight me.

“Something big, and extremely dark came through town destroying everything in its path,” I could feel my hand go slack and it started to shake. It has to be the Stalker, that is the only thing that could get this far in and not be stopped first. “It’s in the palace as we speak. I tried to get in but something is blocking the doors and I can’t seem to enter using magic.”

“Stay here and help Fluttershy. If I come back and find out that she died I am going to kill you,” he nods as best he can. Letting go of his horn I move past him and down the rubble till I am standing on the street and the rest of the way I take at a run. Soon enough I am standing in front of the palace doors and I shove the blood stained doors open. I pass various bodies and limbs before I am standing in front of the throne room doors. I push on them but they do not move and soon enough I am kicking at them trying my best to get them to open but no luck. I look at the hinges on the door and see that there is only two, very big ones. I pull my revolver out and shoot one bullet at each and then kick the heavy door causing the hinges to pop off. The door stood there for a second before it fell inward with a thundering crash.

The inside was a complete mess, it looked like most of the guards in the castle had found their way in here then died. In the center there was the… Stalker? It was not the Stalker even though it did very dark black skin. No that was not skin but an exoskeleton. The first generation of infected were more violent than the ones they spawned and some had developed exoskeletons. Only problem was that this one was humanoid. Two arms, two legs, about seven feet tall and had to weigh minimum of four hundred pounds. I looked past him to see the three Princesses and boy did they look scared. Could not blame them but this was not a Stalker so my earlier worry was replaced with anger. Everything started to fade just a little bit. The thing turned to look at me and I saw that its teeth were about four inches long and sharp as all hell. Its eyes were too big for its sockets so they bulged out quite a bit. I pull out my knife and start circling it causing it to turn to keep me in its sights when its back was to the Princesses Celestia launched a ball of magic that slammed into the back of the thing and I could feel the heat from across the room. The ground around it literally melted around its feet but all it did was turn and looked at her. Its back was fine, nothing wrong with it. They were as stunned as me.

Then it moved, faster than it should be able to and I could see that the fight would be tough. The three of them just barely managed to throw a shield up yet when it slammed its heavy clawed fist into it making it crack, small fine cracks. I looked around the room and saw swords, shields, and spears laying around. I quickly picked up a spear and threw it at the bastard the head just missed its arm but it caught its attention. Then it was moving at me, not bothering to watch, just wanting to kill. I tried to get out of the way but was not fast enough. Its claws wrapped around my leg and then threw me backwards causing me to slam into the far wall and I think something might have broken. A racking cough escaped my throat. It was moving toward me again only much slower, as if relishing the moment. It smiled, it was grotesque because of the meat and blood stuck and staining its teeth. The world became just a little bit duller, the pain becoming just a bit less, sounds not quite as loud. I tried to crawl away but it just grabbed me and pulled me toward the center of the chamber. It flipped me over so that it was holding me by the throat and it brought its mouth close my face, the smell was horrid and I started to thrash around but that only caused pain to shoot throughout my body.

It dropped me thinking that I was not a threat anymore and started to move back toward the three Princesses but this time their shield looked much stronger, a mixture of purple, dark blue, and a few other bright colors. It was giving off a nice glow. It slammed its fists against the shield but it held however by the forth blow it was cracking again. I tried to get to my feet again but it hurt terribly. I looked away from them, not wanting to see what it would do. God why do this to me, why do this to them? My thoughts drifted to when I saw the picture of the baby boy surrounded by the dead, how thankful I had been that it was still with the living. Then they drifted to all the dead in the streets of this place, how so many of them had to have families. That gaping hole in Fluttershy’s side, the blood coming out of it.

The world’s brightness decreased some more, it was all just so dull now.

My hand moves almost by itself and wraps around the shaft of a spear near me and I pull myself up, the pain was just as dull. Strange. The shield they had thrown up was cracked, pieces actually missing and it lost its glow. Everything was black and white now. There were no sounds, it was like I was a passenger in my own body. My arm came back and threw the spear and it planted itself right behind the knee of the fucker. My hand moved to the extra blade on my belt and I pull it out. The thing turns toward me with a scowl on its face and I could feel my face morphing into an expression I was not familiar with.

It pulled out the spear and quickly turned it around and threw it at me only it seemed to move so slow through the air. I easily lean out of the way. Then my feet were carrying me forward and soon enough we met. The blade bit deep into its body over and over again as I danced around it, blood flew and splattered the walls, the floor and even making contact with shield the Princesses had thrown up in a ditch effort to protect themselves. It cut through with some resistance but it did its job with the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and organs. Just before a killing blow to its spinal cord it gave me a back hand straight to my sternum and I feel things break. I am lifted off my feet and slam hard into the ground meters away however it crumpled to the ground as well, its head propped against the shield. Its mouth was filled with blood. It looks at me with undisguised hate and I return it, well I think I do. I am not sure what is going on with my body, why I seem to be acting with less thought than usual.

I look at it and see that it is staring at me with hate and pain and then we both glance at the revolver laying in the middle of us, actually closer to me than to it. It must have fallen out of the holster at some point. I start moving forward only the pain intensified and I look at the ground and watch as droplets of black hit the ground from my mouth. I look up and see it moving toward my revolver, my father’s revolver. The one thing in my life that I had kept by my side, even while I slept was soon to be in this monsters hands. This thing that very likely started another apocalypse here in Equestria… Fluttershy was probably dead by now. Rage flared in my like it never before and I move forward on my stomach, crawling toward what was mine and what would end get my revenge on this thing.

My gun was suddenly enveloped in a purple light and it just barely avoided the monsters claws and it came to my hand. I let my finger slid into the trigger guard, feeling the familiar curve. I push myself up onto my knees all the while it moved toward me and I waited with the barrel planted against the ground. When it was within a foot of me I lifted the revolver and aimed down the sights. I squeeze the trigger and feel the buck as the bullet left the gun and entered the beast’s head, right above the left eye. Its face bulged, the skull cracked and shifted, the eyes left the skull, and brain leaked onto the damaged floor. I look up at the princesses… or rather tried to but instead I fell over and blackness thicker than death fell on me.

Four days after Canterlot

Oh God what happened? My eyes open slowly and I look around the room I am in only to feel a tugging sensation on my face. I reach up and place my hand on what feels like an oxygen mask. I wonder how they did that one. Everything was fuzzy though and… distant. Not really there. Darkness started to creep back in around the edges of my eyesight and then I was gone again.

Six days after Canterlot

“When do you think he’ll wake up,” asked a voice. I think it was male.

“I don’t know, I’m sorry,” that voice was female. I try to open my eyelids but they feel so heavy. It takes a while but I got them moving upward. I turn my head a bit to the right and notice that the oxygen mask is still in place.

“Hey you’re awake. Gave a lot of us a scare ya bastard,” it was Short Sword. I look over and see his light tan fur and darker tan mane. I turn my head back so that I am staring at the ceiling. “Don’t feel like talking I take it. Well I’m sure you would like to hear about what has been going on right? Good news or bad news first?” I make two of my fingers twitch hoping he understands. Whatever pain medication they have me on is wonderful and slightly a pain in the ass. It was hard to move anything.

“Bad news first,” his voice was… a bit sad. “Well about a thousand ponies died. Three hundred of which were the royal guard.” They had that many, damn. “A few of the infected got away and we have Pegasus air patrol looking for them so maybe we’ll catch ‘em or maybe not. The good news is that you’ll make a full recovery and so will Fluttershy.” My eyes snap wide as I remember the condition she was in when I went into the palace. I try to sit up but my body does not respond. “You can’t get up… man, I think is what you say. Yeah any way it was a flesh wound, she just lost a lot of blood but she will probably get out before you. You got fractured ribs and a punctured lung. The doctors here didn’t know what to do so they had to fly in a few from Ponyville. They fixed you up but it got close a couple of times from what I hear.” So the doctors at Ponyville actually learned something. I could feel myself drifting off again. I let Short babble on about whatever it was while I got cozy.

One week after Canterlot

Fuck. Oh God this hurts, holy shit. My breathing increased which only caused my chest to feel even worse which I am not sure how that is possible but it is. My limbs were not so heavy this time and I start feeling around for a call button or something to get the attention of a nurse or just someone when a couple rushed in with a couple of syringes of stuff. They both injected one right after the other and my body quickly went numb, well not as numb as I would like. I could still feel an ache and pins and needles in my side and my breathing was not as smooth as it should have been. Was I breathing like this the last time I woke up? I cannot remember. I just remember someone had told me… something. I think they said Fluttershy was okay. Please God let that be true. I tried to turn my head and found that I could though it was fairly stiff like it had not been moved for some time.

The room was obviously a hospital one with white walls and a white ceiling. I got to admit that a lot of the medical equipment in this room was similar to what humans have. I wonder how that works exactly, I guess the same way that they have construction equipment and can operate it. I look at the doorway and see what appears to be an equally white hall. I never understood why they have to be white all the time, why not like… blue, or red. Hell even pink was better. I move my hand up to the oxygen mask and give it a tug and feel it leave my face, the straps were made from rubber or something else that stretched. I started to breathe a bit and was happy to note that it was not too hard but since they had left the mask on my face I figured that it would be best to leave it on.

The minutes passed slowly. I had called out once but oddly enough when I did it took my breath away for a while and I had not reached anything more than a normal speaking voice. I wonder how badly I got fucked up in that fight with that thing. I still was not sure what it was but it was comparable to a brute in anatomy, not nearly as big or strong, but body structure and then it had characteristics of a Stalker. Did the thing mutate… can it even do that? No it could not have otherwise it would have done so earlier and caused more damage that it had already like kill off the human race instead of crippling it. I pull myself out of my thinking and look around some more but seeing nothing really of interest I try to lift my arms with some success and hoping that I could stretched them and to get some feeling in them. Only problem was that my left side started to scream when I did that so I quickly stopped. I do the same to my legs, lifting them about two inches off the bed only this really tired me out.

“Good to see that thou are awake,” well that voice could only belong to the great and benevolent Luna. I pull the mask down a bit.

“Well I… wish I… was not.” I look at her and see that she is frowning. “Am I all… allowed to… speak with… you?”

“Yes why would thee not able too,” she asked.

“Your sis… did not want… me to tal… talk to… all of… ya,” talking was a pain. Literally. “It hurts… to talk. Tell me… what happe… happened.” Her frown deepened.

“Short Sword informed me about what he told thee. We found the ones that got away and We personally dealt with them. Fluttershy will make a full recovery. We fear that Short Sword may have misinformed thou about thee’s condition. They fear that thou may never recover full functionality of your lung.”

“What?”

“We don’t know how much it will affect thou but it means that thou will probably have trouble breathing for the rest of thy’s life. I am sorry.” I look away from Luna not really wanting to hear about how I might be a cripple now. Eventually she leaves and I slip into a nightmare.

Two weeks and four days after Canterlot

My eyes open once more and hopefully I can stay awake for more than thirty minutes. The drugs they keep giving me knock me out after a while of being awake. I take a small moment to check to see how my body is feeling and I can safely say that I am a lot better. I wonder how long I have been out for. I lift my left arm and feel a lot of aching, pins and needles, and a lot of stretching muscles. I let my arm fall and then I focus on my breathing and while it seemed that they would be fine for small durations of exercise or conversation. I look around the room seeing if maybe I had a visitor but I did not. After maybe ten or so minutes a visitor did appear however I was not exactly happy to see her.

“Hello Richard,” she said evenly and in way that said that she did not want to get into a pissing match again. I could actually agree to that.

“Can I help you Princess,” I ask.

“I wanted to see how you were doing. I don’t like seeing you in this condition,” there was a bit of compassion in Celestia’s voice which was nice I suppose. “The doctors informed me that your lung is on the mend and should be almost good as new. Also that you should be getting out of here in another week.”

“Almost good as new?”

“Well they say that it will only function at about seventy percent or so.”

"Guess it is a good thing that I do not take stock in what doctors think."

“You handled yourself well in my throne room,” she said changing the subject

“I am not going talk about that. Your sister has tried, your student, hell you even tried to get Fluttershy to get me to tell. I sure as hell ain’t telling you.” She was even more taken aback my hostility but fuck her. I am not going to discuss something that I do not even understand about myself. Actually that side of me, the side that apparently hides so well, scares me a bit. I really need to think of this without me being drugged so much and at my house so I was at least more comfortable.

“You changed in there and I would like to know why. Are you not telling me something? I know this will only anger you and you have done me and my sister a great deal but,” there is always a ‘but’, “I am afraid that side of you will resurface at a less convenient time. One where there are innocent ponies around that could be caught up in it.”

“I was very much in control of myself so what the fuck are you talking about.”

“Only at the end. I say you change back into… well more of you than whatever it was that possessed you for that short amount of time.” I remembered that I had no real control over what I was doing, it was just a straight killer instinct with everything, my body just doing what it felt it needed to bring down my enemy. I wonder how much hate plays a factor in it because I was feeling an unhealthy amount of that when it all went… dull. That is the best way to put it. Everything just lost… its life and color and just… I do not know.

“You are not going to leave me alone about it are you.” The pauses in between my answers and responses were longer than they should be. I shake my head at the thought but then Celestia started to speak again.

“No,” her answer was dry. We sat there for a good five or so minutes before I responded.

“Fine, you win. I will tell you but give me more time to think about it.” Bigger breaths after finishing a sentence. Yeah I am going to need to see if I can get my lung working better despite what the doctors said.

“Thank you, now what was that thing?” I do not think her anger was directed at me but I was not too sure. I was supposed to stop something like that from happening.

“I do not know. It… had characteristics of older first generation. The ones that got directly infected. Some, not all mind you, but some grow a type of exoskeleton. It had the structure of a brute, not as fast or big. Structure was very close though. Lastly it had the same color as a Stalker. Same color and teeth and claws. They were a bit shorter than that of a Stalker but… yeah that is all I really got for ya.”

“Why did you not tell us of this ‘first generation’?”

“Cause we killed all of ours, hell I was not even born when they bombed everything south of the border. It slipped my mind.”

“Alright I want you to rest up and in one months’ time we will have that talk about what happened with you.” The tone of her voice made it clear that no matter what I did we were going to have that conversation.

Chapter 7

“Yeah I suppose that because Fluttershy got hurt I was angry, hell furious even. So what,” I ask. The Princesses, all three of them, had been asking me questions about what I had done and what was going through my mind. It was getting a bit tiring now and this last question seemed odd as hell.

“How close are you two,” asked Twilight… oh hell no.

“It is nothing like that. I have a hard time caring for people as is so when I am saved by a very kind individual that sticks with me but nothing like that. I am not attracted to her or whatever else,” my answer was cold though Twilight did not seem convinced and… well I cannot really tell with Celestia but I do not think she believed me entirely. Luna on the other hand seemed to believe me which I was grateful for. “Listen, I plan on getting home still.

“Well I believe that we will be off since you have answered our questions,” said Celestia.

“Did I answer them well enough,” I ask, hoping that they would not have to come back and ask me more questions.

“Yes you did,” she responded. Celestia and Twilight both got up and left without a backwards glance however Luna stayed behind giving me a look that I was not too fond of.

“Thou still not like my sister,” it was not a question.

“No, not really.”

“How are the ribs?”

“Good enough I suppose. Still hurt quite a bit if I do something strenuous. If you can call some of the things strenuous. My breathing is better but if I do anything active wise for more than ten minutes I start breathing heavy and then shortly after that I have to stop.”

“Were thou feeling this… dullness when thou killed Cide? We never asked what that meant either.” It was so long ago I am not sure if it was the same. I can remember that I was in control but it did seem like things were less vivid than the rest of my memories.

“I do not know. It seems like I have been saying that a lot lately. Cide is a part of a word, well a lot of words actually. It comes at the end. Homicide, suicide, regicide. It means kill and well Joseph “Cide” did that a lot.” She thought about my answer for a while more while I thought about when I killed him. Maybe I had gone into this killer state of mind… only to a lesser degree. She stood up from the chair and I stand with her. She gives me a small smile and then leaves. I walk over to my cabinet and pull out one of the few bottles of wine that I had in there and popped off the cork. I poured myself a glass and then another and another. Eventually I was piss ass drunk but I stayed seated at on my couch and eventually I blacked out.

What the fuck was that. Why is there yelling inside of my home only just then my bedroom door literally blew in as if someone took an explosive charge to it. I cover my face as bits of wood fly through the air. I look back at the door to see a very pissed Celestia staring at me and I actually flinch back a bit under her gaze.

“What have you done with my sister and the Elements of Harmony,” her voice was not loud but it sent chills through my body all the same.

“Wha… what the fuck are you talking about. I have been… sleeping since your sister left,” my own voice was shaky and now I was really worried because of the six guards filling the room. All of them were in front of me or to my right blocking me from the door. I look back at Celestia only this time she shouted at me and I swear to God that the ground shook beneath me.

“Do not lie to me, is that my sister’s blood upon your chest or is that another ponies on the death march you took,” what the fuck is talking about. I quickly look down at myself and my eyes go wide as I see that I am in deed covered in blood. It looked dried though. What the fuck happened. I look back at the Princess and I start shaking my head.

“I did not do anything I swear on my God that I did not. I have no idea what is happening. I got drunk on my wine and then I… passed out on my bed. I did not do anything to your sister or the Elements.” My voice was frantic and higher than it normally was. I scoot away from her a bit toward the bedside table.

“So you will sit there and tell me that it was not you who was walking around Ponyville this night and stabbing and cutting my ponies. You sit there and lie about not walking around shooting my ponies with those weapons of death,” what the fuck.

“I have not-,”

“They saw you walking around.”

“That is not pos-,” my voice came to a halt as a force seemed to wrap itself around my throat and squeeze cutting off my air source. I start chocking and clawing at my neck as if I could somehow tear away the tendrils of magic.

“Ma’am if you kill it we may never find your sister or the Elements of Harmony,” said one of the guards. Please Celestia listen to him. She did let go after another second or so of strangling me. I scoot back further until I was at the edge of my bed away from them all.

“If you did not kill them explain to me why you are covered in blood, why ponies heard your weapons, why there is blood inside your home along with one pony’s… head.” The last part came out as if she was about to start crying. I was not expecting such a ruler as her to do that but then again when was the last time something like this happened. Never probably. I shake my head as I get ready to fall backwards onto the wood floor. God do not let me break my ribs again. I fall back and while I flail around a bit I make sure that my hand grabs the handle of the drawer in the bedside table and yank the whole thing out. I had maybe a second or two to get out. My hand wrapped around the familiar grip of the revolver and at least one of the speed reloads and then I am on my feet. I do not even look at the guards or Celestia before I smash my body through the window and onto the hard ground beneath it. I was up and running toward the forest when the side of my house literally explodes outward which caused me to stumble but I keep on my feet and rushed it to the forest. It seemed that was all I did since I got here, was run and run.

Soon enough I was there but they would not let me go easily least of Celestia. I was going to need a miracle if I was going to get away. I was only in the forest for a few minutes before I had to slow to a walk because of my damaged lung. I was breathing harder than I had in years but I kept moving forward hoping to reach one of my small stowaways. I had them throughout the forest. Each had some ammo, food, and a water bottle or two. I had been stowing these small caches since I had free roam around the area and had about twenty scattered throughout the forest all within a mile of the edge of the place. It was in case I had to run away from them if they had a change of heart. Now was a good example of it. I was heading to one that had twelve rounds for my revolver. It did not have the most revolver ammo but it was the closest one to me that had any. Suddenly I was on my face and my ribs let out a small scream of protest. The pony that tackled me flipped me over and stood above me with a look of… was he scared of me. He had a sword pressed against my chest and then he called out for his fellow guards only to stop half way through the yell and look forward. His facial features morphed into something that meant bad news. I was still breathing hard but I quickly shoved him off me and rolled to the right. Then the roar of a manticore came crashing down on my ears and I looked up to see one rush the pony behind me. Once it was pass me I stood and leaned against a tree.

I aimed my .357 and waited to see if the pony would get away but it looked like that was not going to happen. The pony was on his back with the manticore above him about to strike him dead. I let off a shot and was happy to see that the bullet smashed into the things lower jaw, shattering it and guaranteeing that it would never eat again. It wiped its head back and forth a few times but then another manticore moved past me and was meet with three ponies instead of one. It must have been a family of manticores because another three moved past me chasing the ponies away. This was my chance to get away and to get my cache. It was about a ten minute walk and unfortunately that was all I could manage. I take the bullets out from the wrapped package only I make a small bundle of the remaining things and slip it through my belt-loop. I continued to move through the forest and after an hour of not meeting another life-form which at this time I thought that I would have had a very angry Princess stabbing me with her horn by now.

I continue on for a long time but I eventually stop when I reach a relatively nice hollow in a group of trees. It was only after I had laid down that it hit me. This was the same hollow that I had slept in when I first got here. I laid down all the same and before long I was out.

I wonder why Celestia has not hunted me down yet, maybe she is hoping that I will be killed by one of beasts in here. Sighing I sit up and wince at the bit of pain that pulsed from my side. I am way too young to be feeling so old. After a minute or two I stand and start walking again only not toward my destroyed home but instead further into the forest. I remember that map I had found in a back-pack when I first got here. The large red border said danger or something else like that. Fuck what was the name on the bag, I remember there being a name but… nevermind. Forget it Richard.

I start walking again and soon enough my mind begins to wonder. Four months I have been here. Two months of that time I have been laid up from injuries or I was in a dungeon. One of the Princesses knew me best yet my loyalties were with that yellow mare. Fluttershy had taken me in, cared for my ribs, slight burns which have faded, and made sure that I had food and water. Yet here I was with no idea what the fuck happened other than I was being blamed for killing ponies and for the disappearance of her sister and the Elements of Harmony. Yeah like I could pull something like that off. Then again I have not given Celestia much faith in me. I look up when I come to a small clearing and see that it is just past mid-day. I stop and take the make-shift bag out of my belt-loop and start pulling out the small amount of food and drink. The food was just some meat-sticks that I had, a small can of dried fruit, and a bottle of water. I eat all of the food and drink all the water.

I really hope that the thing I should not be going to will come up soon ‘cause it might mean food. Before continuing I take off my shirt and look at the scar along my side to see how that is doing. They cut me open to fix my ribs and lung. Four of my left ribs had been broken, two of which punctured my lung. Through the use of magic they fixed some of it but not too much, I guess they figured it would be better for my body to fix itself. I think they just did not want me to start mutating if their magic did not mix well with humans. Anyway the scar was healing up nicely though it was still fairly eye-catching. It was about five inches long but it was straight and maybe after a few years it will nothing but another white line.

I put my shirt back on and start heading farther into the forest and time seemed to slip by without a care whether or not I wanted it to because soon enough night was coming on. The darkness seemed to intensify as it got later and later. I was about to stop when suddenly I was not inside the forest any more. I was in a cave. I also felt really weak and tired. I almost fell to my knees but I managed to stay on my feet. After calming myself and pulling the revolver out my waistband I moved in and see that the floor is glossy and almost has a shiny look to it. It was also black. I wonder if it is obsidian. A few of the guys in my company had found some and thinking that it would, for some stupid-ass reason, that it would make a good dagger. They were sharp as hell and good for cutting but the thing would break in half after the second or third stab into something and if it hit anything with a solid impact it would shatter. I move father in and it was greeted by the ground erupting in front of me. I immediately fall back and push myself up against a wall.

“Stand up,” my head jerks up at hearing the deep voice. I see a man that was dressed in plain clothing standing about fifteen feet away. I press my back harder against the wall. “Stand up,” he says again. I struggle to my feet and move a few feet closer to him. If I was going to die it will be on my feet. “I won’t attack you, for I have no reason too.” He lets a small smile slip onto his face.

“Who are you,” I ask but my voice was thick with emotion.

“No one you would know obviously. No one you would recognize,” he said. His voice was soothing yet I would not let myself be calmed by it. “Though… do not take this the wrong way Richard but,” he licks his lips as if he is nervous. “Plainly put I created your race, your species… everything that you are and know. I also created everything in Equestria along with Celestia and Luna to be its protectors. I also regretfully created, what you have dubbed, the Stalkers.”

“What,” it was barely a whisper but the strange man heard it nonetheless.

“I created you, the ponies, and unfortunately the Stalkers. They have caused me quite a bit of trouble, but I pledged to my father I would not interfere with what I created. It would ruin the purpose of creating you, making you all feel dependent on me for everything. Of course my father did not listen yet he did it in a way that kept you, since you are the only ones he has showed himself too, active and advancing. There was a hiccup a few times but generally it went well,” he tried explaining yet it was… what? “I feel that I need to elaborate yes?” I nod my head.

“Trillions of years ago I was created, he isn’t my actual father but I consider him to be, and was told to create. To experiment along with my siblings and that is what I did. I created your Earth, many times over actually, and just created. I added many things, just trying to get it right and I just built upon that. Then one creation, I call them seekers, made a creation of their own. The created weak-spots. They allow them to travel through time. Only forward through time. It was a power that belonged to us creators yet here was one of my own doing it. I listened to my father and didn’t get involved with my creations, never steeping in to save them or stop them. I just let it run its course and let the generation die out then I made another one. Some generations were never touched while others, like yours was brought to heel by the Seekers, what you call Stalkers.

“I don’t think that they have much control over where they land. I am sorry for what has happened to your generation. It was by far the most successful creation and experiment only surpassed by this current generation.”

“What happened to my… my people… my world,” my voice was thick and strained and then the guys face changed from the excited look of a child to one of a soldier telling the wife her husband was dead.

“They couldn’t fight the Dark back. They died… like heroes though.”

“We all die as cowards,” then it was all fading slowly but was gaining speed and I felt myself tipping over. It suddenly got very dark.

Hours, days, weeks, months may have passed or it could only be a minute. I watch the thing that created everything I had known and then let it get torn to shreds just stand there acting like it did nothing. I so badly wanted to attack but I figured that it would be pointless, it would see me reach for the revolver so I sat there against the obsidian. I never became hungry or thirsty, it must be doing something so I was not. What it could not do was stop the anger, the hate that grew in me for it, for the Stalkers, for everything. All this pain, all the fucking death and violence my life had been was caused because of this stupid fuck refusing to help my kind because of some stupid rule, condemning them to death. I was going to get out of here and kill the Stalker, get my friend home and then find this thing again and make it pay, make it suffer, and I am going to watch its blood pool.

“Having such hos-,” he began but I quickly cut him off.

“Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth. You are going to answer my questions. What is a weak-spot, how many… generations,” I spit the word out, “have you created, where am I exactly, how did I get here, how do I get out, where did Fluttershy go, and lastly why did Celestia try to kill me?” It looked shocked but then its face turned back into that small smile. I could see that this fuck was like Twilight, liked to preach about how smart it was, and accomplished it was, and all of that other shit.

“Well a weak-spot is just where one jumps through time. Imagine that the air around you is a veil. Some parts of the veil are… thinner than other parts. The Stalkers can see this veil and can tear through it. This veil will fix itself but it is weaker and can tear much more easily and doesn’t need someone to do it. It can be torn again by natural events, or if enough trauma is inflicted, such as a nuclear bomb.

“As for the generations there have been many, thousands upon thousands. The Stalkers were my 4063, you are my 9273, and-“

“You do not own me, so do not ever say that I am yours,” the words were scathing and I could see his smile falter a little.”

“The ponies are 72094 creation. I actually got the idea from your kind. They created a show, one that you only saw a glimmer of on the one man’s machine long ago. Of course the show was much more innocent than that. It was actually shortly after creating everything that it was falling apart. So I created Celestia and Luna, giving them the same roles as the show. Of course they know of my existence I begged them to stay out of combat unless they absolutely had to do something. Their power could lay waste to everything if it got out of hand. They don’t have the correct level of control for long durations of fighting, hence the elements of harmony. They don't have to worry about using their magic when those can be used."

“Where you are at I guess has to two parts. Where is Equestria and where is this cave of obsidian. Equestria is a fresh Earth, a new one built where the old one stood. I keep the sun sustained so that it never fades. This cave… it is nowhere. It doesn’t exist. It just… goes places. My own creator made it for me and it has been my home, my workshop for the billions of years that I have been at work on my own creations.

“How you got here is simple really. When you went out that window with the Stalker you went through a weak-spot. You separated and you landed in the Everfree and the Stalker landed in the dessert far from here. She, yes the Stalker is female, made her way to Equestria, following you actually.”

“Go into more detail with… moving from… one time to another,” I cannot even believe I asked that. I was in another time, in the future for fucks sake. The thought nearly knocked me over. The past, present, and future all converged.

“Of course,” it said. It raised its hand and a soft light came from it and I noticed that an ugly yellow band was made into the floor and then a band of red appeared about three feet above that one. Lastly another one appeared, blue this time, about ten feet above the red one. In the center of each was what looked like a world, a solar system actually with a thousand stars around each. No the stars and planets grew in number with the Equestrian world having the most of both. Fifteen planets revolved around the planet in the tallest ring. I looked at the bottom one and saw a white line start creeping up to what must have been the representation of my world. It connected after a few seconds. “The line touching the planets symbolizes the Stalkers traveling through time to reach yours. See that theirs is lower than yours with Equestria up above.” The white line moved up from my world to the Equestrian one above. “That line is your journey. Does this make sense?”

“Yes.”

“Now for how you can get out of my abode is by simply pressing against a wall however I will personally take you back to Equestria. The last answer is… much more difficult to answer. I mentioned that I have siblings. Well my siblings each hold another… dimension. Somehow the Stalker opened up a tear that lead to one of my siblings dimensions.” More loops appeared all around us, one every few feet. Then two white lines shot out from the highest planet, the one where Fluttershy should be on and they touched two of the other worlds. One touched on a white world, the whole thing was white. No discernable oceans like mine had. It looked like it was a snowball. The other line went to a farther loop and touched a planet that could have been earth only the land masses were wrong. “That is where your friends… friend is. They have been split into two different groups, On one of those other dimensional planets. I like this world and hate to see it fall under another Stalker onslaught. The female gathered all of the wandering Dark that you did not end and has given them to her son to be in charge of,” it was speaking fast now, it sounded scared actually. A sudden flash covered his hand and in it was a scroll and a sword. “Celestia tried to kill you because you made a fool of yourself while intoxicated. You actually verbally lashed out at the Elements of Harmony and Princess Luna herself. This lead Celestia to believe that you had done something. That coupled with you being set-up was enough for her to attack. I don’t have time to explain more, more will be revealed at a later date but for now trust me. Give this letter to Celestia, and this sword needs to be driven into a vital spot on the Stalker. It is imbued with magic and will stop her from healing. That is why your kind fell. Stalkers heal soon after being injured, even from the most grievous of wounds and are generally resistant toward magic. This sword should be able to work on her. I am sending you to the Crystal Empire.”

It stepped forward and clasped its hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. “I am sorry for what happened and the way it did. Please don’t let it happen again Richard.” The look in its… his eyes were so full of pain that I almost crumpled underneath the weight of it. I tucked the scroll in my waist-band and took the sword and suddenly unsure where to put it. It did not matter because I was going to in a fight here in a few minutes. I could feel it.

The scenery changed I was in hall near a door. The sudden change left me feeling weak and I had to sit for a second. I looked down both hallways and was happy to see that neither way showed ponies moving toward me. Of course this was instantly wrong as I heard the clop of hooves behind me, where the doorway was. I stand and then slowly turn and I am greeted with a guard. He looked young but at the same time he had a spear pointed at my head. His eyes betrayed him though. He was scared shitless about facing me. I should have knocked him out cold but I had hesitated and he let out a piercing yell. I slapped his spear away from my head and dashed forward and slammed my foot against his head. I instantly regretted because I was not wearing boots. I had been barefoot for quite some time. I muffle a yell and then pick up the fallen spear in my free had just as a couple of guards came round the corner.

I forgot my pain and rush up the stairs with them following close behind and see a balcony leading into a large room. I think back to the couple of days I had been in the Crystal Empire and decided that I must be in the throne room I turn back around and shake the spear at the ponies. I was outnumbered but then again when have the numbers ever been in my favor. It was then that another piercing scream came to my ears causing the ponies to freeze. I look behind me and see why the creator, the inventor, the pseudo-god had placed me in the Crystal Empire. The Stalker was here along with her… son I think is what the inventor had said. With them were twenty or so snapping, slobbering walkers turning into fatties. The lead pony that had started coming after me looked over the edge with me and watched in horror as the invading disease moved toward Cadance and Shining Armor. There were quite a few guards down there as well, between them and the monsters. The son was on the far side of the room while the female would be going underneath us. I look back at the guard.

“You got a short dagger on you by chance,” I ask. He nods and quickly slips one out of its sheath and hands it to me after I drop the spear. I take it in a tight grip and then climb up onto the railing and then I waited for the Stalker to get underneath me. The drop was about twenty feet onto hard target then onto a hard floor. With around another twenty-one targets ready to fight. I turn back to the guard. “I would get ready to fight for your life in a few seconds. Things are going to get messy.” With that I drop off the railing. The fall was short but my aim was true with the sword. I drove that fucker right between the female’s shoulder blades and it went straight through to slam into the crystal floor. I rolled forward as best I can but the wind was still pushed from my lungs. It takes me half a second before my breath comes back but by then the son, whom looked like the other beast that had attacked Canterlot, to reach me only this time I was not going to get thrown into a wall again.

I grab that the short dagger that had fallen from my hand and slash out at him. He hopped back and that was all I needed. It happened fast and it was not slow like last time, the dullness came and it came hard. I did not know what this dullness was but it helped where it counted. I was on my feet and pushing an attack on him with everything I had. Soon enough blood was flying from the wounds I was inflicting and I sensed rather than heard the fatties being attacked by the guard ponies. I ducked when the fucker finally lashed out at me only my face was greeted with a knee. I, once again sensed rather than actually heard, and in this case felt, my nose break. Blood gushed out and into my mouth. I was now moving on the defensive but all the same he did not land another blow. I lashed out with my own knee which instead of moving away or simply blocking he grabbed. It was a mistake he would not see coming. I lunged forward with the dagger and caught him underneath the chin and drove the blade through the neck. I pulled the blade to the side and watched as black blood flew and spluttered out from the nearly severed head. He fell releasing my leg.

I look over at the guards and see that they had dealt with the fatties and even better yet it did not look like a single one was bit. I look back over to the Stalker and see her trying to rise up. The blade of the sword had been slammed deep into the crystal yet now it was nearly out. I pull my revolver out and take a few steps over to her. I watched as the she got her clawed filthy paws underneath herself and start moving the blade up a few centimeters. I bring the gun in front of me and let off a shot, shattering one leg. It was met with a scream that was filled with pain. It was nice hearing such an evil thing cry out like that. I walk a bit closer and notice as the darkness of my black and white sight fade for a second before returning to normal. The guards can deal with it if it is dangerous. I grab one of the bitches wing and I could feel it struggle to get free. It could not and I placed the barrel right against the joint and pulled the trigger again, the round blew bone, skin, and blood across the floor. I pulled hard on the wing and it came off. It looked back at me and I could see the eyes asking for pity, for relief from the torture.

“You want me to stop,” I ask. It was not a conscious one but it came out nice and smooth and calm. It actually nodded. “Did you stop as mothers and fathers begged you to not kill their babies. Did you stop at the screams from fathers trying to protect their families?” My voice had steadily risen and now it was at a full yell, louder than I had ever yelled before. My anger and hate was flowing forth and I got a sick kick out of watching the bitch squirm under it. I walk forward toward its face and then crouch. I reach out and touch its muzzle with my left hand. There was a hint of hope in its eyes, I was actually surprised it did not bite my hand off. Guess it was hoping that I would take pity. It was sweet to think that that it thought that I was not going to kill it. I bring the .375 up its lower jaw and pull the trigger for the third time. It was smooth and relatively unexpected. The beasts jaw came away in a shower of blood and bone, some of which splattered onto my face. It tried to scream again but the only thing that came out was a sickening gurgle. “You never gave mercy to my kind, you killed them all. I am just repaying in kind” I press the barrel between its eyes and pull the trigger three times and felt the gun buck three times. There was not much left of its head and I was okay with that.

I look over toward the thrones and see Celestia standing next to Cadance and Shining Armor. I walk over to them and see Cadance cringe and gag from the blood and bone and whatever else covering me. I face Celestia and stare into her eyes. “Sorry I was not more… diplomatic about the situation.” I give her the scroll to her which she took and read quickly before putting it down.

“It appears that we have work to do,” she says. Yeah we do have a lot of work.

Five months I had sat there in that obsidian cave going over my grief. The best that I could come up with is that the cave itself or the “Inventor” caused most bodily functions and needs to cease. I would find it and get more answers. In that time Celestia had done everything she could to get them back but failed and now after two weeks after being back and experimentation she has it down. The weak spot has a small glow to it and not something you would never notice unless you were looking for it and even then some would not see it. The Inventor said that they were split into two different groups. I had made it clear that I was going after Fluttershy’s group first though that angered Celestia and Shining Armor. It really did not faze me one way or the other. I owed Fluttershy for saving my life and I intend to repay it. I was currently in the desert with what had to be about five thousand troops around. Celestia was here and so was Shining Armor. The group that worked with me on the Everfree Forest were here as well. They would be going with me on this along with a hundred of the soldiers. They were the ones that fought with the Equis. Right now though we were waiting for the soldier that was sent through to get back and report what it was like on the other side.

It was a few minutes after he had gone through that he came back, covered in snow. “It’s cold there, really cold,” he shivering but that was alright cause now I knew what the climate was where we were going. The letter the Inventor had given me had indicated that we should be within a five mile or so radius of the ponies when we arrive. I stand and let Celestia do some magic on my clothing which would keep me warm and she did the same to the others. When she was doing that with the others I slipped on a coat and heavier boots that had better enchantments. Magic could be one useful thing. I put my back-pack on, made sure that my pistols were where they should be, and then slung my rifle over my shoulder. I look over at Short Sword and give him a small nod and watch as the five ponies file through the weak spot, then followed by a hundred more.

“Make sure you bring them all back,” Celestia said before handing me two small red orbs and a single blue one. They were the size of a marble, smooth, and gave a very slight glow. The plan was to find the first group send them through using the red orb which could open a weak spot back to Equestria, use the blue one to get me to the other group and finally use the last one to send us all home. I look at her and give a grunt and then step through the weak spot following the ponies wondering what kind of fresh hell I may be getting into now.