Garry's Mod Vs. Equestria

The walk to the throne room was talking longer than I had expected it too. Probably due to the rush of guards and civilians in the castle, desperately trying to get away from us. It was almost like they feared Viking and I more than they did the Changelings. Maybe it was because, unlike the bugs, we could kill without hesitation, and we wanted to. The literal coating of gore from head to toe was probably a factor in this as well.

The ponies, and even a few other things like zebras, and what appeared to be griffons, ran to and fro through the once-pristine halls. Sobs and cries of fear and wails of agony could be heard throughout the place, like some sick third world hospital. Some were covered in blood and large wounds, others sat or stood awkwardly as if something in their body wasn't quite right. The zebras were nothing but a flash of black and white to me as they sprinted around the crowds, bringing potions to some, salves to others, and even bits of strange food or drink.

The guards kept everything in line, as I would expect them to. Nothing happened without them seeing it. They had nurses and doctors attending some of the more critically injured ponies, while others were left forgotten. Somehow, I knew that those were the ones that wouldn't make it. Even in this peaceful land of happiness and friendship, it seems I've managed to fuck everything up. I couldn't stop a little smile from playing at the corners of my mouth at seeing the delicious chaos and insanity ensue. After all, I was an Anarchist and a Satanist.

Light made me set her down, as not to draw attention to her while we walked. She was the enemy, after all, and they would imprison her. Hell, Celestia might even dig down deep and find what she needs to kill her. Unlikely, but possible. Though, I wouldn't let that happen while I was still able to respawn and create nukes.

The throne room, the obvious place to go. It was just ahead of us. The huge, ridiculously proportioned doors loomed there like giants, guarding over the messy corridors of the castle. We needed to pass through them to get to where I had left Serpent, and to where the portal- if at all constructed- was most likely to be.

We stood in front of the doors for a long time, breathing in the sickly sweet scent of sickness from the populace of this world. The smell of our sweat mingling with the blood and gore from the Changelings. The smell of death, dying, and that of terrible emotions circling around us. We were afraid to go in, or, at least I was. I'm not ashamed to admit that. If I went in there and the portal wasn't open and ready, I was dead. I was dead, Viking was dead, and without us to help her, Mirage would be dead. Oh, and Serpent would be dead to. He didn't come on the trip, so he didn't matter.

I exhaled heavily and pushed the doors open. They were surprisingly light, considering how large they were. But I wasn't thinking of the doors, I was thinking of what lay beyond them. Celestia, Luna, and the six friends I've come to know and hate. But more than that, there was a large structure in the middle of the room, resembling that gateway thing from StarGate. That show actually kinda sucks, honestly.

We walked in the room, getting the attention of them all. Well, Dash's attention was fixed solely on me. The cyan coated rainbow pegasus shot into the air like a bullet, flying at me faster than I could react. She collided with me, almost knocking me over as she kissed me like doing that was the answer to the question of life.

Forgetting everything else, I kissed her back. Our saliva and the gore coating me mingled between our mouths, adding a sour and salty taste to the kiss. Somehow, it only made it better.

She broke away, breathing heavily in my face. "I missed you," she said quietly.

I nodded, bringing my forehead to rest on hers. "I know. I missed you too."

A throat cleared to our side, getting both of our attentions.

I looked over, as did Dash, to see one sergeant Light Hoof giving me something between a glare and a stab to the throat with her eyes. "Uh, Light, this is Dash," I said awkwardly. "She's... a very good friend of mine."

Dash looked between the two of us a few times before giving me a questioning look. "Who's this mare?" she asked, just a hint of anger in her voice.

I took in a deep breath. "Dash, this is Staff Sergeant Light Hoof. I met her in Trottingham, and since then we've been together," I said. "As a couple."

Dash looked at me for a while. Something in her eyes seemed to go out. "Oh, t- that's cool," she said lamely, pulling away from me to glide over to her friends, standing with them once more. She flashed me a pitiful excuse of a smile, giving me the idea that she was in a great deal of pain.

I put an arm on Light's head, rubbing behind her ears. "It never would have worked Dash, you know that just as well as I do," I said softly.

She nodded jerkily, turning her head away from me. Poor girl, she was probably crying.

I sighed and walked over to the princesses, Viking at one side and Light at the other. "So," I started when I was within punching range of Celestia.

She fixed me with what was probably the coldest looked I've ever gotten in my life. "You killed the dragon?" she asked stiffly.

I nodded. "Aye, the dragon's dead. But I was wondering what would happen to its hoard...?" I said, more of a suggestion.

Her gaze dropped in temperature even further. "Technically, half of it's yours since you and your friend slayed him," she said.

"Donate it," I said immediately. "I want this country to know how to defend itself. Properly, Celestia. Without the powers of the Sun and magic." I looked over my shoulder at the barrel of my AK-47. I looked back to her. "I want the majority of it to be spent on defensive weapon technology."

She nodded solemnly. "I think... that may be a wise idea," she said slowly. "But what of the rest?"

I smiled, my mind going off to a far away place. "I want a trust fund set up for Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Nobody can touch it, not even their parents or siblings, or any kind of authority of the bank or government," I said, giving a scowl to the ponies that made up the Elements of Harmony. "They're to get an allowance every two weeks. Just enough to let them live comfortably, not enough to blow it all on something stupid. And I want it accessible to them only when they become old enough to get their own homes and jobs."

She raised a brow at this, genuinely surprised. "It will be done," she said, turning to Viking. "And what of your share?"

He shrugged. "I don't fuckin' know," he said simply.

I scowled. "Dedicate all of it to the reconstruction of the city," I said, anger in my voice at Viking's stupidity. "If there's any left over, build a fucking wall. Not that little fence you've got going out there, but a fucking wall. With pillars and cannons and vats of boiling oil."

She grimaced at the last few suggestions, but nodded. Then her gaze turned to Light Hoof. "Sergeant?"

Light stiffened immediately, snapping into a salute. "Yes, your highness?" she responded.

Celestia raised a brow again. "Six days ago I received a report from you, detailing the battle in Trottingham. Two days ago I received another report, detailing the reconstruction and rebuilding of any damaged property."

Light's eyes went wide.

"Tell me, sergeant. How is it that you can be in two places at once?" Celestia asked. A simple question, with unbelievably complicated answers.

Light stammered for a few seconds, her words all trying to get out at once. Finally, she made a weak response. "Your highness, I don't know what you're talking about," she said lamely.

There was a few seconds of silence in the room. Well, other than the cacophony of death and dying outside in the halls. Then Celestia lit up her horn, a golden aura surrounding it and Light. There was a clash of magic, then Light's disguise vanished.

She stood there dumbly, eyes wide and her knees shaking as she stared at Celestia.

The Sun princess glared at the Changeling standing before her. "The answer is simple, Changeling. You can not." Her horn ignited once more, the glow from before returning, but much more intense.

I stepped in between the two, giving her a look rivaling that which she gave me before. "You will not harm her," I said, the threat clear in my voice.

Celestia glared at me. "Her kind destroyed this city, and because of them, deaths occurred!" Celestia spat.

My gaze turned from cold to freezing. "It's war. Death always happens. Get used to it, or step down."

Celestia extinguished her horn, glaring at me. "You would defend her?" she said, more of a statement, really.

I could clearly see my reflection in her eyes. I looked terrifying. "To my last breath, princess. I love her."

Celestia's eyes widened, but only a fraction. "She's a Changeling! She can manipulate your emotions to make you believe that you love her, but you don't!" She took a step closer to me, her eyes burning. "She's using you!"

I snorted. "Like you were with that dragon?" I said scathingly. "Yeah, funny thing. I died, as in real death. The only reason I came back was because of Mirage."

Her glare softened slightly. "How can you be sure she isn't using her magic to influence you?" she asked me.

I looked behind me. "Love, are you using your magic to influence me?" I asked Mirage.

She shook her head. "No, love, I would never do that to you. I love you just as much as you love me."

I looked back at Celestia, a smug little grin on my face. "That's how I know."

Her horn ignited, bathing me in a warm light.

"The fuck are you doing?!" I growled.

"I'm checking you, to make sure nothing is wrong," she told me.

I raised an eyebrow at her. This glow felt wrong, somehow. Like it was burrowing into me and sifting through my very being. It- I gasped in pain, feeling like something was just ripped out violently by the roots.

Celestia's face wasn't a glare of any kind. No cold glare, icy stare, or anything like that. It was a pitying look. One that displayed great sadness.

I felt cold. I wasn't sure what had just happened, but I had an idea. A horrible idea that made me sick. I turned, facing Mirage. Staring into her eyes with such an intensity that it almost hurt. Nothing. I felt nothing. No kindling fire. No warmth. No joy. No happiness. No love. I felt nothing. Nothing, but a quickly building rage. "Why?" I asked as calmly as I could.

Mirage shrank back from me, her ears flattening against her head. "I- I had to. To save myself. You were killing them all, and-"

"Why?" I asked, louder this time. I could feel my very bones shaking, the burning rage inside of me rocking me to my very core. I was shaking enough that it hurt.

She took a step closer, a teary smile on her face. "Love, I really do love you. I swear it on my life, I do. Please, believe me." She looked so small in that moment.

My hands clenched into fists, the knuckles cracking loudly. My very bones ached as the rage inside of me spread faster than a wildfire. "You lied to me."

She came closer, flying up to my level and putting her hooves on my shoulders. She looked so deep into my eyes I figured she'd get lost. "No, I never lied to you. I love you, I do. You're the only one in the world who showed me affection, even knowing what I am." She leaned closer to me. "Please, love, know that I love you. That was never a lie, and never will be."

The rage peaked. "Liar!" I screamed, pushing her away from me roughly. "You're a fucking liar! Everything you said was lies! Nothing you say is true! It never was!"

She looked at me pleadingly. "Love, I-"

"You don't get to call me that!" I screamed, my hand streaking towards her. It connected, the knuckles actually splitting open from the force I put into it. I sent her flying across the room, spinning out of control.

She hit the wall, sliding down it with a pained groan. She looked up, a large blue bruise already forming on her cheek. "Please, love, stop."

I stormed towards her, fire burning brightly in my eyes. "You've been using me like a puppet!" I accused her. "I'm nothing but a free meal to you! Nothing but a source of energy!"

She smiled sadly. "No, love. You're not. I-"

"Stop calling me that!" I shrieked, my throat popping painfully. I swung my fist at her, bringing it across her bruised cheek again.

Just like last time, she was sent through the air, spiraling towards the other wall and smacking into it painfully. From her new spot on the ground, she looked up at me sadly. "Please love, stop. You're hurting me."

I was standing over her in seconds, my rage growing to painful levels. She wouldn't stop it. She just wouldn't stop! She wouldn't stop being her! I screamed, bestial and rabid as I swung my fist towards her. I felt it connect, just like I felt her head snap to the side. I needed to feel it because I couldn't really see that well, my eyes were blurry with tears.

She smiled, despite everything. Despite me beating on her and hating her, she smiled. "Love, you're killing me. Please, stop, I don't want to die. I want to live. With you."

I looked down at her blurry form. My entire body was shaking and screaming in pain. Not pain that's caused by anything normal. No, the pain I was feeling was something deep inside of me. As if my chest was pried open by a crowbar and my insides were being torn out. "You lied to me!" I screamed, my fist swinging down.

There was a loud crunch.

I sank to my knees, finally letting go. I sobbed openly, pulling my shattered hand from the wall and cradling it in my lap. It was one of the most painful things I'd ever felt, but still a small tingling next to what I was feeling inside of me.

Hooves wrapped around me, pulling me into a warm embrace. "Shh..." Mirage shushed me, rocking me gently despite my much larger form. She hugged me tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. "It's okay," she said quietly. "You stopped. It's over now."

I wrapped my good arm around her, pulling her as close to me as I possibly could. "I'm sorry!" I wailed pitifully. "I'm so sorry!"

She shushed me again, rubbing her hoof up and down my side softly. "It's fine. I'll heal from it. Don't worry about me, love. I'll make everything better."

I sniffled back a sob. "Put the spell back," I croaked out.

She tensed up a little bit, I could feel it. "I can't, love. It doesn't work that way," she said gently, her hoof continuing its upwards path on my side.

I choked out a sob, burying my head in her chest. It wasn't soft and fuzzy like it was when she was a pony, but this somehow felt more right. "I hate you," I moaned out. "I fucking hate you so much. I wish you were dead." It was only half true, honestly.

She sighed into my hair, ruffling it slightly. "I know," she said, kissing my forehead lightly. "I know, love. I'm sorry." She pulled away from me, leaving me with more pain inside than before. She gave me a sad smile, green blood staining her teeth.

"Don't go," I begged. "I need you."

She shook her head. "But you don't want me anymore," she said sadly. "It would kill us both if I stayed." She leaned forward and gave me one last kiss on the lips, deep and loving. Then, she was gone.

I knelt there for a long time, my rage slowly leaking out of me with my tears. I hadn't cried in so long. I had forgotten what it felt like. When the tears ran dry, the rage was long gone. It left me empty inside. I felt like nothing but a shell, a husk that was broken.

A voice made itself known. "The portal is ready," Celestia said softly.

The emptiness was filled again, almost instantly. Not burning hatred and rage. Something much worse. I was filled with freezing ice. The kind that stops me from caring, from feeling.

I remembered a promise I made to an alicorn in another universe, weeks ago. And with that memory, came a simple realization. This was all Celestia's fault.