Chapters Holy-“ The tank rocked as an RPG struck the side of the tank. The tank commander, Kolvalsky, yelled a order to move back. I opened the loading hatch and an empty shell slid out. I pushed it through a hatch and it fell onto the ground outside. I turned to storage and pulled another round. I flipped it with the ease of a man who seemed to have been doing it for his entire life. I slid the high explosive shell into the tanks gun and pulled the lever down, closing the hatch behind it. “Loaded!” I yelled at the gunner, Levon, whom nodded and fired.
The tank rocked as the main gun fired. The building which received the shell crumbled and cheers crowded the radio. I smiled and opened the hatch allowing the shell to slide out and into my waiting hands. I tossed it through the waste hatch and pulled a reload out and slid it into the gun and closed the hatch. Levon was shaking slightly from the adrenaline rush, and the commander sat back and sighed. Suddenly yells and orders to scramble flooded the radio. “RPG! RPG! RPG!” The tank shuddered as the rocket propelled grenade landed home and struck the treads. “ Where the hell did that come from?!” the driver, Cobel, was screaming and Kolvalsky slapped him in the helmet, “Shut up!” He turned to me. “Montel” I looked at him and he tossed me his rifle. “Get out there and do an assessment!” I nodded and threw open the top hatch.
I jumped and pulled myself out of the gunners hatch, gunfire and the sounds of explosions and yelling rushed into my ears as I jumped off the side of the tank. I looked at the treads and cursed. I hopped up and pulled myself on the side of the and and dropped back inside. The tank gunner fired when I closed the hatch. “Treads blown apart.” I handed the commander his rifle as I prepared the next round.
“Shit!” Levon scrambled out of his seat. “Grenade down barrel!” Kolvalsky flipped open the escape hatch “Everybody out!” My eyes widened as I took one last look towards the loaded barrel. “Get ou-“ The explosion of the grenade thumped in the barrel then the round detonated, the explosion ripped through the tank and my body.
“TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash burst through the door of the library. Twilight looked up from her book of spells. “What is it?” Dash was scared and excited. “There was a explosion in the Everfree forest!”
I opened my eyes slowly. “What the fuck?” I tried to sit up, My body ached in protest. “How the hell did I end up here?” I rolled my head around to get a look. I was in a forest. I examined my surroundings and spotted my rifle laying on the ground ten feet away. Against my bodys protest I dragged myself to it and used it to pick myself up. “This way!” A voice broke the silence of the forest and rustling followed. My heart sped up as I searched for a hiding place. I grimaced as I walked over and went prone in a bush. “Here!” I checked my rifle and poked the barrel through the bush. I watched a couple bushed part and several color… “What the fuck?” Suddenly a memory seized my mind. “No way.” I shook my head “It can’t be.” I watched as the cyan pony, What was her name? Ah! Rainbow dash! landed and walked over to the purple one, that one is Twilight Sparkle. “This is strange Rainbow Dash.” Twilight carefully walked around and examined the blackened ground. “You smell that?” She sniffed the air. Rainbow dash flew over and sniffed. “Yeah. Blood.” I froze. Blood?! “Look there is a trail of blood.” Rainbow Dash pointed with a hoof and began following it.
I flipped on my side and did a self pat down. When I touched my left arm and yelped as pain shot up my arm. I sat up and cradled my arm instinctively. “Did you hear that?” The bush behind me rustled. “T-Twilight!” I turned around. I was face to face with two ponies from my daughters favorite T.V. show.…Fluttersky? No…Flutter…something with a saddle bag was looking right at me.”You poor animal.” I gave her an questioning look. “I am a Human thank you.” Her ears flattened against her head and she backed up trying to look smaller.”S-sorry.” She whispered. My heart sank. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” I smiled through the pain in which my teeth were gritted against.
Slowly she approached me again. “Its ok.” Still a little shaky, she poked my arm with a hoof. I grimaced and bit my lip. “Ow.” That earned me a frown and she pulled a first aid kit out of the bag.
The one named Twilight was studying my form. I looked at her. “Is there something you want from me?” She blushed a little and nodded. “Are you actually a human?” I laughed. “Its what I said isn’t it?” She nodded. “It’s just that humans are a mythical being.” My brain gears started turning as I laughed. “ I beg to differ.” I leaned forward. “There are over seven Billion of us on earth.”
This is nuts. I was in a hospital for ponies to be treated for ‘multiple puncture wounds.’ Right now a medical unicorn was removing bits of metal embedded into my arm. “Ow!” I yelped as the unicorn slid a piece of metal out of my arm. “sorry.” He apologized and picked up a roll of gauze and wrapped my arm.
“Can you please remove…” He motioned at my jacket with a hoof. “…this.” I laughed and with some help, got my jacket off. “W-what?” The unicorn slightly backed up in confusion. I looked down and realized I still had my vest on. There was a few pieces of steel the vest stopped. I pulled on the Velcro on the vest then the zipper with my good arm then carefully slid my bad arm out of its hole. “what is that?” The unicorn poked the vest. “It’s a human piece of armor.” I picked it up and wrapped it in my jacked. The unicorn smiled. “Your shirt too.” I sighed and with some help from magic, I cant get over that… magic, I managed to get my shirt off.
The door opened and a young nurse walked in. “We need a-“ She stopped when her eyes saw my body.”X-Ray…of your arm…” her face was turning into a deep blush. I knew I had a fit body (my wife tends to agree enthusiastically ), but I didn’t know that I was THAT fit.
“Give it to me straight Doc.” I mimicked the generic but popular movie line the best I could. I looked at the door way and spotted some medical personal. Their eyes widened and popped their heads out of the cracked doorway.
The earth…. Earth pony? Sounds right… Doctor Smoothide, (Smooth-Ide, like smooth Hide in oneword.) chuckled. “Well, You have a good amount of shrapnel in your arm. We should be able to get them out.. but we do not know the anatomy of…” He motioned with a hoof toward my towering figure. I laughed and nodded. “I understand.” We sat there in silence before the doctor spoke up. “So do you have a family?” I smiled and nodded. The smile on my face gained territory as I pulled out a picture from the breast pocket of my shirt laying on the table. “I have a wonderful wife, and a beautiful 5 year old daughter.”
“Princess Celestia!” Twilight, her friends, and the other ponies that were in the SugarCube bowed. “Why are you here?” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. “OH! OH! OH! You’re here because of the hum-mmmmMMmM!!” Rainbow Dash muffled the energetic pony by shoving one of the cupcakes next to them in her mouth. Princess Celestia smiled and nodded. “Yes I am here because I was informed by my student and the hospital about the appearance of a mythical being suddenly arriving in Equestria.” The girls looked at Twilight who smiled.
The doctor wiped his eyes with a tissue-covered-hoof as he snickered then burst into a laugh again. “Oh. Oh that is funny.” I laughed with him. “Yeah.” I shook my head with a smile plastered on my face. “You should have seen Kalvolsky’s face during training when Cobel flipped the tank.” I laughed and fished my wallet out of my pants. “I have a picture of it.” I pulled out several small photos and sorted through them before locating the one being searched for. I held the picture out before leaning in to explain the image.
The door opened, the noise causing us both to instinctually turn our heads. A large white horn appeared, followed by a large unicorn with wings, That is… Princess Celestia. The doctor bowed and I snapped my heels and using my good arm, snapped a salute. “Corporal Montel, 105th armored division.”“Hello.” She glanced toward me and smiled
“Ow!” A nurse was picking shrapnel out of my arm. “Sorry.” Her brow furrowed and she pulled another chunk of the tank out of my shoulder. I bit my lip and tears poured out of my eyes. “We do not know anything about um…” She looked at me for a hint.
I smiled through the ringing pain. “Humans.” She nodded then pulled out another piece and I let out a cry. “Sorry.” She placed it on the metal pan. “We don’t know anything about Human anatomy.” She picked up the pair of tweezers and began to pull out the superficial wounds. “AAAHHHHH!”
I sat there in my room, cradling my now sore arm even though it was in a sling. I slowly rose off of my bed and walked to the corner where my gear was. I knelt down and picked up my backpack, which had been found at the clearing by the Royal guards when they examined the site. Placing the backpack on the bed, I opened the pockets and began the meticulous task of taking inventory.
“Captain Foler.” Celestia called her personal guard captain over. “Yes milady?” he bowed. Celestia sighed “I want you to post guards around the hospital. Our analysis’s that black…thing is a weapon of war.” She said referencing to the human’s rifle.
I sat there in my room, cradling my now sore arm even though it was in a sling. I slowly rose off of my bed and walked to the corner where my gear was. Using my left arm, I picked up my rifle and laid it down on the desk that was in the room. That is lighter than I remember… I began to walk back to my stuff before it hit me. The magazine is missing. I whirled around and stared at the desk. I ran to my piled stuff and pulled out my pistol. I pressed the release cache and the magazine slipped out onto the pile. I put the pistol in my right hand, picked up the magazine and jammed it into the handle.
I placed the pistol in the pile of stuff then looked out the window and spotted Princess Celestia. I huffed and ran out of my room. They cannot get their hands on this technology. I turned the corner and nearly ran into three royal guards. I turned sideways and slipped between them just as one began to yell “Hey!” I ignored the demand and continued running. I burst through the stairwell door and slid down the rail to make things faster. I swung open the bottom floor door and rushed down the hall way, evading and dodging medical personnel and royal guard. I rushed out of the main doors just to see Princess Celestia boarding her chariot. “Celestia!” Her head moved toward me and our eyes met.
“Hello Corporal.” She motioned with a wing to stop the chariot. She walked off of her chariot and cautiously approached me. “Part of my…” I paused trying to word it gently. “Weapon is missing.” Her pupils shrank for a moment then expanded to their normal size Bingo. Her voice lowered. “You are a dangerous being in our tales.” Her tone resembled Hurt-anypony-and-I-will-skewer-you. “That is why we are studying your weapons.” My eyes narrowed and I walked up to her, our eyes meeting. “That is why I must get it back.” I pushed back. “If you study my technology, it will accelerate your technology dangerously. Instruments of war can be abused. I warn you for these...ponies safety, at least destroy it.” I warned.
Her eyes looked me over. “OK. I will destroy them.” I raised any eyebrow. Maybe I can push this further… “Personally?” she sighed and nodded. “Personally.” I sighed and smiled. “Let me get you the ammunition.” I turned and began my way back into the Hospital. “Oh, Princess?” I turned and she raised a brow. “May I keep one for any life or death situation?” She seemed to mull it over before a guard tapped her leg whispered something in her ear. She looked up at me then back at the guard whom nodded. “I will allow ONE.” She said, emphasizing the word ‘one’ to make it clear. I nodded and walked into the hospital.
When I reached my room, I had picked up guards that seemed to follow me. “Do you guys ALL have to follow me?” I said resisting the urge to itch my healing arm. That salve they put on it does wonders. They all nodded and one spoke. “Orders.” I rolled my eyes and opened the door. “Right, orders.”
“Oh!” The white unicorn with a three diamond cutie mark …Rarity was it? was levitating my jacket and was currently repairing the holes in it. ”Are you feeling better, dear?” She walked over to me, her hooves making a clip clop pattern on the tile floor. I smiled and nodded as she walked around me as if to examine my structure. “Well I hope so.” Her... Is it Aura? Whatever. Aura it is… ‘Aura’ surrounded the sling and the sling gently removed itself. My arm was bandaged so much it didn’t hurt. “Here I hope I fixed it correctly.” Rarity gently said as she levitated my jacket over.
Gingerly, I slipped my right arm through the sleeve and my left arm followed suite. I spread my arms the best I could with my wounds. Rarity had put on a pair of sewing glasses and was taking a closer look at the jacket for any other holes or seam splits she might have missed. “Wow. Rarity.” I was amazed. She smiled and stepped back. “Not the most fashionable of clothes but I don’t know what you humans wear.” I laughed and removed the jacket. “I am a soldier.” I pointed out. “Civilians wear different clothes.” I walked to my pile of crap and laid everything out. One by one I removed the ammunition magazines. The guards watched carefully. Then I stopped, I was feeling sad. I mean, we repeat the Rifle creed so much… Wonder if that would hurt as much as being shot… I shrugged it off and bounced it on its stock. Rarity and the guards jumped at the thud it created. I snapped it to my right shoulder and began to march in place. I felt my heart begin to bunch up but lighten from the memories of basic training. I sucked in a breath and began to march around the room. I let a thunderous drill voice rip from my throat as I grabbed my rifle with my left hand as it slapped the grip. “This is my Rifle, This is my gun!” I snapped my left hand onto the barrel grip, ignoring the pain it caused then grabbed my crotch and a few guards snickered. “This one’s for fighting and this one’s for fun!” A guard erupted into full off laughter and the others fell like dominos. “Sound off! One, two! Sound Off! Three, four!” Rarity shook her head, her mane bouncing. “Colts.” She walked out of the room, stepping over the doubled over Royal Guards. I could hardly keep myself from laughing. I was giggling like a fool as I gathered up the ammunition. I’ll be coming home. I promise.
I jogged down the corridors with a bag filled with ammunition on my back, two full squadrons of Royal Guards following me. My boots striking the floor with a thud, their hoofs striking the floor with a clack. I jogged into the lobby and through the doors. "Princess Celestia." She turned and saw the amount of guards behind me. "Either you did something bad, or you made a lot of friends." She laughed and I joined her. "New friends." I dumped the bag in front of her.
The bag was surrounded with her aura as she picked it up and lifted the flap on the top open. She took a look inside and turned the bag over, dumping the contents out. I watched as a small toy fell out of the bag last. Amanda's toy... Celestia picked it up with her aura. "What is this?" She studied it hard. "This is Twilight Sparkle!" I received a death stare from her. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY STUDENT?!" She approached me very fast.
"What are you talking about, Princess?" We both turned and saw a confused Twilight Sparkle standing beside a guard, from his decorations, a high officer. He nudged her forward. "Go on Sis. We'll talk again later. I promise" I snatched the toy out of the Princesses magic. "This is a child's toy where I'm from." That got me some looks. I have a LOT of explaining to do.
"So you watch us through a device?" Twilight was trying to wrap her head around the concept of a Television. "In layman's term, yes." I laid back on the couch in the Carousel Boutique, my feet hanging over the end. "So tell us about this Earth. " Princess Celestia was sitting across from the couch. I took a breath and relaxed. "Well first, Earth is populated by 7 Billion humans." A squeak like a door in need of oil sounded. I looked over and the Princess had gone slack-jawed. I looked back of the ceiling and continued. "We share 99.99% of our genetics. However because of that little 0.01% difference, we never look the same unless we are identical twins." I looked and this time Twilight Sparkle was staring at me.
"We landed on the moon and 6 moon missions were accomplished." I sighed. "Unfortunately, we may not reach the moon anytime soon again." I crossed my arms.
"Why not be friends?" Twilight Sparkle asked after I had explained about earth and its many wars. "Friendship is powerful." I sighed, becoming annoyed at the suggested thought. "Humans are not magical ." I retorted with annoyance in my voice. "We start wars because we disagree!" Twilight shrank back, her ears drooping. "Sorry." I was overwhelmed with guilt. "No, I should be sorry. I cracked there." I put a friendly hand on her head, avoiding the horn. "The country I am from has been in a war for ten years." I gently massaged my arm as close as I could bare. "Tell me about Equestria. I already know how it was founded, I saw the Heartswarming Eve play." Twilight sat back and blinked, before remembering about this contraption called a Television . "Hmm... lets start with our current rulers, Princess Celestia and her sister Luna. They began their rule after their battle with Discord..."
Next morning,
Location: Carousel Boutique, June 10th, 0513(5:13 A.M.)
I yawned and stretched, My sore right arm twitching with pleasure. I let out another yawn as my body shuddered as I stretched on the couch I had been sleeping on. Carefully I sat up and rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up. I heard the noise of hoofs approaching and a young but coarse voice. "Ah, your up." Nodding in acknowledgement, I stood up. "I think I'm going to go for a run."
I walked carefully around the room trying to find my pants. The voice grunted and the room was illuminated in a soft glow. I looked around and spotted a white coated unicorn, his horn glowing. "Thanks." I looked on the floor and spotted my fatigues draped over a chair. I pulled the pants off of the chair and slipped one leg through.
I lifted my other leg and commenced the ritualistic action of hopping on one leg as I tried to find my balance. I finally managed to push my leg into the remaining leg hole and catch my balance. "I hate mornings." I pulled up the waist and buttoned it closed. I pulled on the zipper. I turned and smiled. "Want to join me?"
Celestia paced around the room, her wings slightly flared and the best analysts from universities across Equestria sitting at the table. "So what have you concluded from the information we were given?" Celestia finally sat down on a chair. One of the Professors cleared his throat and spread his papers out. "The knowledge we already had suggested the Humans were more advanced than all countries here." He paused, and pressed a poof against his glasses, pushing them up his snout. "This is now a backed up fact."
The others nodded, then one tapped a hoof on the table. "I heard he was wounded. Do you know how?" Celestia sighed and shook her head. "No, He wouldn't tell us much beside 'grenade'."
I turned back and smiled, jogging backward. "Come on Shining!" The unicorn was now out of breath. "Almost back." Shining Armor nodded and began a casual walk. We walked along side each other for what seemed five minutes. "I hear you have a family, Corporal." Shining armor asked trying to start up a conversation. I grunted and nodded. "Yep, I'm married and I have a 5 year old daughter." He nodded and it was quiet for a few seconds. I looked down at the captain. "You?"
Shining Armor smiled. "Yeah. Just got married." I smiled and nodded. I watched the special with my daughter over Skype©. "Corporal Montel, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get wounded?" I shrugged and sighed. "We humans, devise machines to help us move places faster. We also create machines of war. One of those machines is called a tank." I looked at Shining Armor, who was nodding. "I load the weapon of the tank, and while I was doing so a insurgent dropped a grenade down the barrel." I place my left hand on my arm. "It exploded. All I know is I woke up here." The captain nodded and sighed. "Lets get back and wash up."
AN: If I were you guys I would be wondering : What WOULD happen if Montel got out of the tank on time? Well its been picking at my mind so I wrote it. please enjoy.
“Holy shit!” The tank rocked as an RPG struck the side of the tank. Kolvalsky, the tank commander, yelled the order to pull the tank back before we get take another hit. I threw the empty shell out the back and pulled another round from the storage. I flipped it with the ease of a man who seemed to have been doing it for his entire life. I slid the high explosive shell into the tanks gun and pulled the lever down, closing the hatch behind it. “Loaded!” I yelled at Levon whom nodded and fired.
The tank rocked as the main gun fired. The building it was aimed at crumpled and cheers crowded the radio. I smiled and opened the hatch allowing the shell to slide out and into my waiting hands. I tossed it through the waste hatch and pulled a reload out and slid it into the gun and closed the hatch. Levon was shaking slightly from the adrenaline rush, and Kolvalsky sat back and sighed. Suddenly, yells and orders to scramble flooded the radio. “RPG! RPG! RPG!” The tank shuddered as the rocket propelled grenade landed home and struck the treads. “Fuck! Where the hell did that come from?!” Cobel was screaming and Kolvalsky slapped him in the helmet, “Shut up!” He turned to me. “Montel!” I turned my head at the call. “Sir?” He tossed me his rifle. “Get out there and do an assessment!” I nodded and threw open the top hatch.
I jumped and pulled myself out of the gunners hatch, gunfire and the sounds of explosions and yelling reached my ears as I jumped off the side of the tank. I looked at the treads and grunted. I pulled myself up on the side and dropped back inside. The tank gunner fired when I closed the hatch. “Treads blown apart.” I handed Kolvalsky his rifle as he began to swear like a sailor. I prepared the next round, I pushed the round into the gun and picked the empty one off the floor. I turned and threw it out the trash hatch and pulled another from storage The tank shuddered as Levon struck home with the round." What the hell?" He bent over and peered through the viewfinder again. "Someone dropped a smoke." I grunted and quickly opened the gun , and the empty shell slid out along with a live grenade.
The grenade hit the floor with a thud. “Shit!” Levon scrambled out of his seat. “Grenade!” Kolvalsky flipped open the floor hatch “Everybody out!” One by one we scrambled out of the emergency hatch and crawled out from under the tank. When your going on an adrenaline rush, five seconds seems life 5 hours. We managed to reach a building when the tank exploded. We turned back and faced the burning wreckage “Well, fuck.”
My radio crackled, “What the hell was that explosion?” I looked at Kolvalsky who was cursing. He shook his head. “Just tell them.” I shrugged and pressed on the call button. “This is Lancer 2-1. That uhh… that was our tank.” I released the call button and static ensued. “Roger Lancer 2-1. Did you say that was your tank?” I sighed and clicked the call button again. “Yeah. Over” I let go of the call button. “Ah. Lancer 2-1 what is your grid?” I looked at the commander. “2205.” I nodded and repeated the coordinates. “We are in grid 2205, copy how?” The radio crackled, and stopped. “Good copy. Begin your way to grid 2196. How copy?” I nodded and scribbled the grid down on a pad. “Good copy. On our way.” The radio crackled and I turned the volume down. “Grid 2196.” Kolvalsky nodded and looked on the map. “11 blocks.” He looked up and place his helmet on his head. “Let’s get moving.”
I wrapped my hand around the little plastic pony my daughter slipped into my pack as I was packing. Levon glanced at me. “You’ll see her soon, Montel.” I looked at him and he smiled. I smiled back, placing the toy in a pocket and put my hand back on my rifle. I scanned the roof tops across the street as we made our way to the other convoy.
Ahh, my neck hurts. A tug at my vest, my boots dragging as someone pulled me quickly down the sidewalk. The loud bang of a door being kicked in. I felt a pair of hands fumble with my pack clips. Another pair holding my head and neck. Some yells, something enclosing my neck. A guy shined a light in my eye. “Hey man.” He smiled and squeezed a finger. “Feel that?” I managed to grunt out a “Yes”. The kid nodded and looked into his pack. “Possible neck injury and concussion.” I became aware of several hands on my sides and shoulders.
“One, two, three!” I closed my eyes and felt my body leave the ground, only to be laid on a stretcher. I focused on how it was to be in a stretcher. I heard the idleing of a stopped vehicle, the pop of the back of a Humvee opening. My stretcher turned and I felt the pop as it was placed on stretcher notches. Hands fumble in my pockets. That hand grabbed mine and placed a familiar object in it. “You’ll be home soon man.” Kolvalsky patted my chest and the back door closed with a thud. Some orders muffled by the hummer’s armor, the faint ness of doors slamming shut. The doors on this hummer opened and closed. An radio crackled. “This is Hunter 2-4.” Static. “Roger Hunter 2-4. Go ahead.” The soldier in the passenger seat turned back and looked at me then turned back. “We have a tank crew who lost their tank to enemy fire. One, possible neck injury. How copy?” The radio flooded with static. “Good copy Hunter 2-4. Return your convoy to base.” The vehicle shuddered as the gear was switched to drive. The vehicle lurched off, and several times on the trip back to base, the medic would check on me.
“Well, Corporal.” The doctor in neat fatigues with a stethoscope around his neck was standing with a report at the foot of my bed. “Two bits of good news.” He looked up and smiled. He looks about my age. “ Your tour of duty has expired. The crew and you are still going home.”
I smiled and looked down into my hands; I gripped the toy a little tighter. “The other bit of good news, is your tests came back clear. No concussion, broken or damaged neck. All your scopes are clear.” He pulled a pen out of his breast pocket and clicked it, scribbled something and flipped the pages back to the top page. “I’ll go and write your hospital discharge order.” He clicked his pen and walked out the door.
NOTE:
