A Different Kind of Op

All of a sudden, that peace was torn asunder by a bloodcurdling scream of fear, which made me jump out of my skin. I had no idea what, or who had made such a sound of unbridled horror, but I did know one thing.

It sure as fuck was not me. Which could only mean that......

I was not alone out here.

Again, another scream rang forth, showering what looked like birds from the trees, as they spread their wings and took flight into the clear sky.

I decided I had to act quickly. I had spent the better part of a day thinking I was alone out here, and it was about time I found some company. I donned my sword, hanging it from my left side, as well as draping my arrows over my back. I slid the two tactical grenades into the pockets in my combat trousers, and, grabbing my bow in my left hand, I realised I had only one more thing I needed to do.

I slid the mask back on. But this was not the mask of a killer. No. No longer. As I was hopefully about to prove, this would be the mask of a saviour......

5 Minutes Later

I was sprinting through the tangled undergrowth as fast as my own legs would carry me. I was steely. Determined. Nothing was going to stop me getting to the source of that scream. She, for it was obviously so with such a feminine lilt to the voice, sounded like she desperately needed help, and I was certain I would be the one to provide her with just such a commodity.

Even as I hurdled another fallen tree, not breaking my stride for a moment, I could hear my own heart “bu-bumping” in my chest, it’s sound reverberating round inside my own head as it pumped oxygen around my body, replenishing my tiring muscles. I urged myself closer and closer to my goal, trying to round-up my thoughts as I did so.

“God, I’m so happy I’ve found someone else out here! I can ask for help! I can get out of here!.... But wait. What if she’s a hostile?

What then? Do I try and take her hostage?.... Nah, wouldn’t accomplish anything.... On the other hand, if she ISN’T a hostile, and I DID succeed in saving her, she might act favourably toward me. God only fucking knows I could do with a little bit of that sometime soon.....”

I quickly reined my thoughts in as I could feel myself approaching the object of my desires. The amplitude of her sound was getting bigger and bigger by the minute, and I knew I was closing in. I could only hope I had gotten there soon enough. I came to a steady halt, slowing from sprint to jog, and then to a standstill, as I crouched low and began to move forward, eventually coming to a halt behind a tree, which I leaned up against.

“Now, if my ears did not deceive me, she should be just in front of me. Come on boys, don’t fail me now.....”

Staying low, I went to slowly lean my head around the tree I was situated behind, trying to get a glimpse of my damsel in distress. However, I suddenly stopped myself short as an idea birthed it’s way into existence in my head.

“The ground is good I suppose. But higher ground is going to provide me more benefits”

I ducked my head back behind my tree, and instead, looked straight up, trying to find some low-hanging branches. My plan in essence was simple. I would scale the tree, move out onto one of the thicker branches, assess the danger and location of my target. Swoop in like an angel en high. Save the day. Smiles all round. Lots of hugs, and then an “Excuse me miss, but where in the name of Christ am I”. Fool proof.

I began to heave my own weight up the scaly wooden bark of the tree, hoping to whatever deity may have been listening that the thing would hold my weight, or that I wouldn’t lose my grip. While I was doing so, the thought occurred to me that I had been having a very neglectful relationship with the ground as of the last 48-hours, and made a silent promise to myself that this would be the last time I would willingly leave it’s solid embrace. And if I did?.....

Shit, I dunno. I’ll give it an apology card or something? Seriously, what do you want from me here!

Finally, after about fuck-knows how long climbing, I was satisfied that this high up, my vantage point would be perfect for a little bit of recon. Locating a very thick, extruding branch, I began to edge slowly along it staying hunched in my crouched position.

That’s when I heard it again. That scream, so full of mourning and hopelessness now came ringing in my ears laced with something else. Something I was all too familiar with. Pain.

I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I reached out in front of me with one hand to brush away the leaves obscuring my view, using the other to grab the branch below me to steady myself.

What I saw in actual fact, confirmed for absolute, 100-per-fucking-cent, that I was no longer on Earth.  As I looked down, I saw something which caused my own breath to hitch in my throat.

“What.... The fuck..... Are THEY!?”

My eyes, bless the poor things, had come to lie on a sight I can only describe as being able to terrify the staunchest of warriors, let alone little old me! In the middle of the clearing that I was looking down on, I saw what I can only describe as entities of natural terror. They looked like wolves. Exactly like wolves. Except for that one thing....

THEY WERE MADE ENTIRELY OF WOOD!

They looked absolutely vicious. 5 of them were there in that clearing, and while they all shared unique features, their general anatomy seemed very similar. Their bodies seemed to be loosely compiled of thick twigs and branches, all which looked very similar to such wood lying around the forest that I had seen. Those branches spanned outwards at the limbs into more thick logs, which seemed to become very “muscled” fore and hind legs.

On the end of each one of those burly legs, there nestled three curved, almost fang-like claws, which looked like they were for the exact purpose of shredding anything that got in their path, and my brain, delightfully sharp fellow that it was, was very quick to point out that that “anything” I referred to, could very easily be me if I got a little too close.

Their heads were like something out of a nightmare at a logging site. Imagine, if you will for a second, that you take a circular log, and then swing an axe right down the centre, splitting it about half way through. Then, pull the log apart slightly so that there is a gap in between the split surfaces. Not very threatening right? True. Ok then wise guy, why don’t we, just for shits and giggles, then fill that fracture surface with the most sharp, evil-looking fangs imaginable. Then why don’t we give that log some wacked-out sinister glowing green eyes too. Oh, and some leaves for eyebrows. Because you know, eyebrows are some serious shit. Not funny anymore? Good. I thought so. Now get off my back and clean up that mess you made between your legs. That stuff leaves stains dude.

Anyway, I could see that this was not exactly looking on the upside for me. I would have to go up against 5 of those.... things.... with almost no useful kit in this circumstance, very little tactical advantage and only a small possibility that whoever I was trying to save would actually be of any help.

What I saw next, on the other hand, all but put pay to that last shred of promise.

One of the wolves had blood dripping off of it’s claws.

That’s when I began to feel my blood boil somewhat. My eyes darted around quickly, trying to locate the blood’s source. I could see them swarming, in what was very indicative of a pack mentality, around some kind of yellow horse-like creature. Definitely looked like a mammal from what I saw, maybe 4 foot and change, and seemed to have some kind of feathery saddle on it’s back, with a length of bright pink across it’s mane and down it’s tail, however, that colour was marred by a tri-lined claret gash down it’s flank. It was doubled-over and led on the ground, with one of it’s fore hooves bent at a strange angle. It looked to be sprained at best, broken at worst.

“Ouch” I stated, before slapping myself over the head “No kidding ouch, you moron!”

“That’s gotta hurt, but I’m sorry hun. You’re not who I’m looking for right now. Where is your owner? She must have been the one

that screamed.....”

After everything I had been through in the past few days, what happened next really shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did.

Although, I think it certainly would’ve got you too if you had been there, because next thing my ears heard were:

“P-p-please Mr Timberwolf. P-please l-leave me alone! I-I don’t want to d-die out here!” a voice sobbed.

I almost fell out of my tree. Fuckin’ literally. There was nowhere else that voice could’ve come from. No ONE else to boot. Which could only mean.....

It had been the horse. That’s where the noise had come from. I was stuck in a world of talking fucking horses.

God, your sense of humour is f’ed up my man.

As my mind tried to bend it’s way around my somewhat xenophobic attitude to dealing with the surprise of a talking horse apparently being a thing now, I leant forward to get a better look at her. And things started to click. Like the mane.

I mean, who dyes a horse’s mane pink where I come from? No one. I don’t even think horses have yellow coats too. I mean Dun horses kinda? But this was a nice creamy yellow, nothing that I expected to naturally occur in an Earth-born horse.

Then I saw her eyes. Oh Jesus H man. I think that broke me then and there. They were the most stunningly clear shade of teal I think I had ever seen in my life, made more eerily dazzling by the fact that they were laced with moisture from where she had been sobbing into the dirt. I couldn’t say that I blamed her. Being trapped by those things.... It must’ve been terrifying. I should know. It wasn’t all that long ago I thought I was going to die too.

Not nice. At all.

My decision came quickly, and it seemed my mind needed very little convincing. Talking pony.... horse.... thing or not, she was not going to die. Not here. Not today. And most importantly, not on my watch.

As the wolf pack closed in, I could see her visibly give up. Her head hung, dejected and without life. She had accepted that this was her fate; to perish at the hands of these (Timberwolves? Heh, nice pun) Little did she know that, perched high up on my branch, I was fishing around in my pocket at that very moment for the one thing I could think of that might give me a chance at saving her.

My concussion grenade.

Now, normally, in the situation I was in, it would’ve been very little use. Your standard MK3A2 concussion grenade is in fact normally lethal at 2 metres, which would be great. However, it also has the ability to project bits of shrapnel over two hundred metres as well. I don’t know what stories you read when you were a child, but I’m pretty sure Prince Charming didn’t end up marrying a beautiful princess that had more holes in her than a fuckin’ pepper pot.......

......................Would’ve spiced the story up a little though.

Anyway, at SPECTRE, we had been working on a variant to the MK3A2. Very similar in ability, but without the shrapnel projection. Death by concussive wave was very difficult to pin on any one particular person or country, and removing the chance of shrapnel giving us away gave SPECTRE the perfect range-based assassination tool. I had used them many times...... To my new found disgust.

This on the other hand was different. I was gonna save her; give her back her life instead of taking it. Of that I was damn sure. However, it quickly came to the forefront of my mind that I was running out of time. The group was closing in for the kill, with the tension hanging in the air reaching fever pitch. It was palpable. Unbearable.

The supposed leader of the pack raised his gnarled wooden claws to the sky, about to bring down the curtain on the life of the distraught and devastated creature that lay before me. It was at that point that I finally snapped, as my own emotion pushed me into action, and my anger began to overflow. Throwing “operational procedure” AND my element of stealth to the wind, I stood up on my branch, pulled the pin from the grenade, and shouted that only thing that came to my mind at the time

(Be forewarned, it was not witty OR clever)

“HEY. DOWN THERE. I’M TALKING TO YOU, ASSHAT. WHY DON’T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE, HUH?”

(You can’t say I didn’t try to warn you)

At that point, all eyes in the clearing fell on me, both teal and green. Her features lit up somewhat as she saw me, her eyes glistening now with hope, where once there had been naught but cold acceptance. I saw the smallest ray of sunshine penetrate her sullen emotional depths, but at that same time I also saw the face of fear. She was looking right at me.

At my mask.

I could understand why she’d be scared. Many others in her place before her had been to, except this time, I was here to save her, and I wasn’t taking no for an answer.

In THEIR eyes though, I saw confusion, followed by anger. How dare this thing come and take away their hard-earned meal from them! Even if he WAS really very handso.....

What? Oops, my bad. Adrenaline and all that jazz.

Anyway, their leafy green eyebrows arched downwards as they began to snarl, rounding away from the injured pony for a second to glare at me, whilst they formed a protective wall around what they thought would be their next meal.

This was in fact, even better than I had hoped for. That wall of walking twig was going to come in very handy in a few seconds.

I had been cooking the grenade for a second or to now, and that was with good reason too. As I said, they had effectively formed a wall around their prey, in an attempt to prevent me from getting to her if I tried to mount a physical assault. It was a cleaver strategy, but there was no way I was gonna take five of those things on. That wall they had formed was gonna protect the pony from the concussive wave, or at least as much of it as I could hope for.

I swung my arm forward, releasing my grip on the grenade’s shell as I did so, allowing it to roll out of my hand in an underarm throw motion, where gravity preceded to take over and do the rest of my work for me, dropping the grenade about a foot from the middle of the wooden wall.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a quick blur of movement.

I quickly raised my voice again: “COVER YOUR EARS! THIS IS GONNA GET LOUD!”

I could have sworn all I heard in response was a small “eep!”

What followed in that next few seconds really was quite spectacular. The grenade went off with exactly the result I was hoping for,

dispersing a concussive wave that tore it’s way through the wall of animated timber with reckless abandon.

The results, even I must admit, were devastating.

The three wolves in the middle of the pack were now nowhere to be seen, and all that was resting in their place were the occasional twig or bit of leaf. The rest of hem I can only assume were scattered a fair distance apart. The wolf on the far left of the wall to me appeared to have at least caught a bit of the brunt, if not the full thing. He was missing his left leg and was at present on his side, unmoving. Whether he was dead or not was unknown to me at that point, but the important thing was that he was immobile, and as far as I knew, not a threat.

However, in all plans, there are unknown variables. In my beautifully laid one, it turned out to be the wolf on the far right who, it would appear, did actually have two brain cells to rub together. When my little gift had made itself visible, he quickly hid himself behind his friends, using their mass to save himself from the majority of the attack. He stood before me now, wearing what I can only describe as the most smug, shit-eating grin I had ever seen in my life. And this was coming from something made out of wood. There was though, something that made that little prick shrivel into insignificance.

Behind it, the pony lay there. She had clearly tried to curl into the foetal position to save herself from the shock-wave, but was currently just laying there.

No movement. At all.

I realised that, unless she was just unconscious, her life may have just become something that would be determined by how quickly I could get to her, even if it meant ploughing through the bastard in front of me first.

So, taking that sliver of thought and running with it, I rapidly made to assess my next move.

Luckily, I was holding all the cards, so to speak. I was in an elevated position, with a ranged weapon, against an enemy who

couldn't reach me and only had access to a physical, if devastating attack. Unsurprisingly, I decided against going down to his level. Something told me I’d get something a little more painful than a hug if I did......

Instead, I opted to press my bow into use, for the first time in I can’t remember how long. I just hoped I could still remember which end I was supposed to fire the pointy bit out of. I withdrew and arrow from the streamlined quiver on my back and notched it onto the bow string, feeling the satisfying  “click” as it locked itself into place.

Taking a deep breath, I raised the bow, bringing my right arm back at the same time to draw the string tightly. I trained my sights on my target below me, who was pacing about the forest floor trying to find a way to get to me while I was alighted on my wooden perch. It had seemingly forgotten about it’s “meal”, and I was certainly in no hurry to remind it either.

7 seconds, in case you were wondering.

That was the time between drawing my bow, sighting my target, steadying my shot, and then releasing it. It’s always important with a bow to simply release your draw fingers. You should never snatch or grab at the shot, or it could easily go awry. It should all be natural. Fluidic motion.

And it was too. Anger, precision, and intent were my three allies when I released that shaft, and all three of them helped to guide it onto it’s target. The point whistled through the air, before impaling itself right in the forehead of the Timberwolf, slicing it’s way through the wood at an angle before emerging out of it’s lower jaw, before finally coming to rest stuck in the dirt. I watched only for a moment more as I saw a whimper leave the stiff lips of the creature, the ghostly green hue in it’s eyes slowly fading away until only a swirling void of blackness remained.

Certain I was no longer in any immediate danger I hastily, but safely made my way down the tree, and over toward the pony lying in front of me.  In the back of my mind was the constant reminder that these probably weren’t the only scary motherfuckers lurking about in this hellhole, and that I should really hurry up and exfil. Unless myself and my acquaintance would like to stay for dinner?

“Thanks brain. Real fucking helpful.......”

Opting to approach quietly, I slowed down a bit as I approached. The last thing I wanted to do was frighten her. The poor thing looked like she had had enough of that for a bloody lifetime. I silently knelt on the floor beside her head, and brought my two fingers up to her neck, looking for a pulse.

..........

..........

“Come on..... Come on.......”

...........

...........

BU-BUMP.........

...........

BU-BUMP..........

It was there! It was faint, but it was there!

I could barely contain my excitement as I tried to keep quiet to avoid attracting any other inhabitants of the forest. Said excitement was based, fundamentally, on two levels.

One. I had succeeded in saving this...... Pony? I’m just gonna say pony from now on. Much easier.

Anyway, I had actually saved her! She would know where I could go to get help, and hopefully get home. At that moment, I was willing to let the fact she could FUCKING TALK slide, considering I had NO IDEA how I had even got here. As far as I was concerned, and even if my sane and analytical side didn't want to admit it, right now every possibility was fair game.

The second one though, was arguably more important to me on a personal level.

I had just taken the skills I had gained from a job that had trained me to be a cold, calculating killer, and used them to save a life. Sure, there had been hostage rescues before, but never something like this. This was spontaneous, out-of-the-blue, and not actually necessary, but I had done it. I had saved a life. Not a target. Not a name. Not a number in a file in a government database. A life. Alive.

I fully intended to make sure she stayed that way as well, but quickly came to the realisation that there was no way I could carry her over my shoulders. I just wasn't strong enough. Even so, I couldn't just leave her here. This clearing was a nightmare from a defensive standpoint. Sure, I might be able to hold a few more invaders off, but I’d lost my high-ground, and once I started getting tired, I’d get sloppy......

That wouldn't end well for either of us.

I finally came to the conclusion that I would have to rouse her. I was going to need her strength to help me carry her, and she would have to support her own weight. It also occurred to me I was going to have to calm her down too. Seeing some walking talking bi-ped in combat gear with a mask that looked like death was not going to do anything for her already shot nerves.

I exhaled slowly, before gently shaking her shoulders....

“Hey...... Hey! Come on girl, don’t leave me hanging here......”

I was jostling her for about ten seconds before I finally got a response. She stirred, her head shaking to and fro as her eyes were squeezed shut and she babbled incessantly, if quietly:

“N-n-no more p-please..... I don’t want to die...... I don’t want to die..... No no no no....”

She just kept repeating herself, like her mind was a record with a skipping needle. I felt my heartstrings twang just a little, as she had clearly never been in this situation before. I wanted to help, but we needed to leave, and soon.

“Hey hey hey, stop, just.... no stop..... Just look at me, look at me. That’s it. You’re safe now. No one is going to hurt you ok? I’m here to help you” I tried using my gentlest voice possible, in the hope it would subdue some of her fears.

She finally stopped shaking her head and opened her eyes, quivering like the last leaf in an empty autumn tree the whole time, and “eeped” slightly in shock before responding ,

“W-w-who a-are you? You d-don’t look like a-any pony I know. Or one of m-my animal f-friends!”

“Good. Responses still there. Higher brain functions still present. Memory intact. Most likely shock” I analysed in my own head. It was good to know she was ok, but this was not the time for a Q&A sesh.

“Look” I started, “I know this isn’t making all that much sense to you right now, but I promise I am only here to help you. I’m willing

to answer any questions you have, but firstly, we need to get back to my camp”

It seemed that during my introduction, she had calmed a little. I was trying to look as least threatening as possible, which is kinda hard to do I might add when your face looks like the Reaper incarnate........

Oi! Excuse-fucking-me! How was I supposed to know this thing wasn’t gonna get hostile? Or that if I was still on Earth, that I made end up compromised by this little stunt? That mask was being worn for my own protection..... Yeah, exactly. Now take you comments of “Well just take the mask off dipshit” and go take a long walk off a short cliff!..... Now, where was I?

Oh yeah.

“If I support you, can you walk on your.....back..... hind legs? We’ll get out of this much quicker if I don’t have to carry you the whole way” I could only hope at that point that weight wasn’t as much of a sensitive issue wherever I was as it was on Earth....

“A-actually.....” She began, “I-I’m a p-pegasus. I barely w-weigh anything a-at all......”

Funnily enough, I distinctly remember the next thought that crossed my head.

“Wait.... Pega.... Oh you have GOT to be FUCKING KIDDING ME”

Something clicked together inside my head.... Leather saddle? No. No those were wings. They had been right in front of me the whole time and I had somehow missed it.......

“Uh.....right....ok then. Can I try and pick you up? I’m gonna have to slide my hands under you. I promise I’ll try not to aggravate your bleeding, and I’ll be sure to patch it up as soon as we get back”

She paused for a second and, unless my eyes deceived me, which I am almost sure they did, it looked like she was blushing!

“Ummmm..... Ok, i-if you can, I’d r-really appreciate it.... But please be careful of my w-wings.....They’re awfully sensitive.......” she whispered.

Her response was so shy-sounding and quiet, I could barely hear it above the background noise of the forest. I gently leaned down, and brought my arms underneath her still body to heave her up and into my arms. True to her word, she felt like she barely weighed anything at all, which was pretty impressive for 4 foot of pon.... Pegasus. Damn. I’m still getting use to calling her that.

Once she was in my arms, I turned lightly on my feet, and began the long trek back into the forest, and toward my camp. It would soon be dark out, and I wanted to get her some medical help as soon as possible.

5 hours later....

I thrust another stick into the glowing pyramid of flame that I had built in the pit before me, sighing deeply as I watched a few more loosed embers dance their way into the night sky. It had been a busy, and quite eventful day.

We had made it back to my camp as the sun began to hang low in the sky, casting a bathing glow over the treetops of the forest. She had begun to drift in and out of consciousness curled up in my arms as I broke through the bushes and into the clearing that I had begun to familiarise myself with, and so I moved over to where my makeshift hammock was set up, and gently set her on the ground beside it. I grabbed my medic kit that I had packed in my duffel bag and proceeded to empty it onto the ground, searching for what I needed.

It took me a few seconds, but I found what I required and, with a triumphant smile, I snatched up my bandages and tore open the bag they were kept in. The thin cream strips tumbled into my hands like party streamers, and I stretched them out before beginning to gently, and with great care, wrap them around the pegasus’ cream coloured flank. While I was doing so however, I couldn’t help but notice that just to the side of where the 3 gashes were, there seemed to be a mark of some kind. It looked a lot like three butterflies, which reassured me a little that maybe the wildlife here was at least a LITTLE similar to what I knew existed on Earth.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder at the mark’s origins.

“A tattoo maybe? Is that even a thing here.....?” I couldn’t help but brush my fingers across it, feeling her silken fur give way to my questing touch.

This movement, gentle though it may have been, seemed to rouse her out of her unconscious state.

“Um.... Excuse me mister.....? What are you doing....... If you don’t mind me asking that is? And where are we exactly?”

Wow. Well that was interesting. This po.... Pegasus god fucking damn it. This PEGASUS had been slashed up by a wolf made of a hylophobiac’s worst nightmare , she was a hair’s breadth away from death, she had been rescued by some bi-pedal alien, and she was intermittently phasing in and out of consciousness.

That was a shitty day by anyone’s standards. And I’ve had some REAL shitty days.

But for some reason, instead of getting angry when she saw what I was doing, or coming out with some snide remark as I perhaps would’ve, she simply inquired as to what was going on, and in the most cutely inquisitive manner I had ever seen! She even asked me if I was ok to tell her!

Sufficed to say, I was a little taken aback.

“Uh... Well, uh....” I could only stammer, “I’ve taken you back to the camp I set up when I arrived here. I heard your screams out when I was exploring the forest, and so I came to find you. When I did, I found you hurt and bleeding on the ground”

I finished bandaging up her flank and went over to a nearby tree to find two thick and sturdy sticks to make a splint for her injured leg, all the while still talking to her. I wanted to keep her as distracted  as possible from her injuries;

“I climbed up into a tree to get a better look at your position, when I saw those....things.... lurking over you. I used a kind of...........” I paused for a second, wondering how I was gonna explain what a grenade was to her. I decided to play it down a bit. “.......explosive to get rid of them, and then came over to find you”

I returned to where she lay, perked up a little now, and laying in the style of a sphinx, injured leg out in front of her. I began to attach the sticks to her leg, and then bandage them up. The splint may not have been necessary, but until I knew how bad the wound was, I wasn’t going to do anything that may aggravate it. I decided to continue my story;

“When I found you, I wasn’t sure of your condition, so I checked for a pulse, and luckily, I found one!  Then I tried to rouse you and..... Well, the rest, as they say, is history” I finished, tying the final knot in the last bandage on the splint.

Finally, after everything I had been through, she was no longer in any immediate danger, which meant I could relax a little. I put down my bow and quiver in a pile, removing my sheathed sword as well and laying it down next to the kit mountain I was making. As I did, I could feel a little exhaustion wash over me in wave, and so I sat back in the dirt, knees up with my hands resting on them. I could feel the adrenaline slowing beginning to trickle out of my system. “So, how do you feel?”

“Um... Well, a little better I guess? I mean, not that you did a bad job or anything.....”

Even in my emotionally run-down state, I couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Here I was, on a seemingly alien world, and the first sentient being I run into is the embodiment of shyness itself! I tried to put pay to her fears a little, hoping I could at the very least, get her to open up to me.

“Hey, I know exactly what you mean. Don’t worry about it! You’ve obviously been through quite the ordeal today! Now, if you’ll just come with me....” I trailed off, moving over to where she was and scooping her up into my arms.

“Eeep! W-what are you doing!?”

I moved her slowly over to my hammock, into which I gently deposited her.

“Hey, you need to rest that leg, and you’ve had a rough day. And anyway, that’s better than the ground right?”

She couldn’t exactly argue with my logic. “Well....Um, yes..... But......”

I swiftly cut her off before she could finish; “Well then, let’s just leave it at that you need it more than I do right now, so you’re quite welcome to it”

I think she was murmuring something to herself after I finished, but I couldn’t hear what it was about, and so decided not to press the issue any further. I watched from my dirt laden seat as she shuffled about a little in the silk, trying to get herself and her leg into a position that was mutually comfortable for both parties. After about 30 seconds, judging from the tired-sounding sigh she gave out, I guessed her leg was proving to be a bit of a tricky customer, and so I decided to engage her in some conversation. It was about stretching my own knowledge, as well as distracting her from her pain.

Mutual gain for the win bro.

“Um, hey......” I tried to begin but I faltered a little, not knowing where to start. I mean, alien Pegasus thing on an alien planet is quite a broad bloody spectrum to begin with. How was I gonna narrow it down?

“Great start jackass. SHE’S supposed to be the shy one here. Sack up and use me for once! Try starting with the basics?” My brain could be powerfully eloquent sometimes.....

I tried again, a little more composed and sure this time; “Uh, hey..... I just realised I never got your name. I suppose I have to have something to call you right?” It was a clumsy, poorly attempted conversation starter by anyone’s standards, but it was all I had. Conversation, friends and socialite shit had never been a strong suit growing up as it was, let alone with a talking 4 foot cream coloured Pegasus!

Luckily though, I seemed to have hit the jackpot. She leaned her head over the side of the hammock, a single pink strand of her mane falling over and framing her face as she replied, “Um...... Well, if I answer your question, could you answer one of mine? I mean, if you want to that is.......”

I smiled under my mask. “Well, I certainly think that’s a fair deal Miss.....?”

“Oh..... The Miss isn’t necessary, honestly.......... and it’s Fluttershy”

...................

...................

...................

Right.

Ok.

Someone call for a curve ball to deep left field? Because that’s certainly what it felt like.

I mean, I was expecting SOMETHING a little abnormal...... Actually, truth be told I don’t know what I was expecting. It just seemed rather strange. There was no surname. Nothing like that. It seemed more like a nickname than anything, as “Shadowstrike” was mine.

Seeing that I was struggling with things, my cranium leapt in to save the day again; “Hey, idiot. Remember, you’re in a world that contains talking ponies, pegasi, wolves made of wood, and what I can only logically process as magic. So how about you treat everything as normal unless you’re told otherwise ok?

Annoyingly it was a good idea. Unfortunately for my new acquaintance, my response seemingly didn’t come quick enough;

“Oh....Oh you don’t like it do you......” The sadness in her voice was only made worse by the moisture beading up in her eyes again.

“Nice. Smooth moves. You're a Grade A idiot, you know that right?”

I realised I had to rectify this one and fast. Getting up quickly, I moved a nearby loose tree stump over to where the hammock was and sat down on it, my height allowing me to look down into the hammock......

......And into the face of a Pegasus who was seemingly on the edge of sobbing her heart out. She had been through a lot today, and the last thing she probably needed was some overly insensitive guy seemingly (and UNINTENTIONALLY!) shunning her. The incident itself was relatively minor; a small misunderstanding, but we had both had LONG days, and were emotionally on a knife-edge. I set about trying to avoid what I knew could be a very tear-filled ending to the day.

“Hey, no no no look, Miss Fluttershy, it’s not that at all, I promise. It’s just......I just.......I thought that.......”

I tried to continue, but my higher brain functions came to a sputtering halt. There was nothing left in the neurological tank. I realised I just had no idea what to say to fix this. It wasn’t even that big of a problem; a simple verbal delay, but sadly for me, that was all it took.

“Bollocks”

Letting out a long, defeated sigh, I let my head hang, as if all the life had been sucked from me. The toll of the past few days events had finally come crashing down on me and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Slowly, but surely, I reached around the back of my head, and fumbled with the clip on the back of my mask. It took awhile, but I finally let it fall to the ground in front of me with a dull *THUD*. I made no attempt to catch it. I didn’t even want to try.

From the hammock, I heard a *gasp* as my shaggy black hair was freed from it’s constraining prison, but I decided to leave it. I just hung there, looking down into the dirt at my face covering.

It must have been about 2 or 3 minutes before a voice snapped me out of my depressed stupor;

“Umm....Excuse me for asking but...... Why are you crying?” The worry and sadness seemed to have left her voice. I looked up to find that she was staring up at me from her nestled spot in the hammock, her teal eyes stretched wide in wonder, with a tinge of confusion.

I brought my gloved hand up to my own face, and was shocked to find tracks of moisture making tracks down my face. She was right. I HAD been crying. I had been so wrapped up in my own emotions, I hadn’t even noticed.

I knew I had to explain myself. To at least try and right my wrongs.

“Look, I’m so sorry Miss Flutt-“

In a brief flash of assertiveness, she jumped in; “Please..... JUST Fluttershy”

I couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “Look, Fluttershy, can I level with you here?” A nod. “I AM sorry, believe me I really am. It’s just I’m not from around here in case you haven’t noticed”

I looked right into her eyes “I don’t know if you know what I am, but I am human Fluttershy. By my judging as well, the only one in these parts. I don’t know where I am right now, or how I came to be here. I was basically on death’s doorstep when I arrived here...... Hell, I literally fell out of the sky! I’ve almost died twice in the last 48 hours!”

I could feel the anger welling up again inside me, bubbling just beneath my surface and threatening to erupt.....

“I’ve been to the edge and back. In the past day or two, I’ve gone from believing I had at least something, to realising I had nothing.

From having few friends, to no friends. From knowing where and who I was...... To I don’t even know what anymore........”

The tears continued to fall, rolling down my face and dropping onto the dry forest floor beneath me, wetting it with my sorrow and pain.

“And now, I come across not only a pony that can TALK, but a PEGASUS as well!? I have no idea what’s going on anymore! I don’t know what to believe! I feel like I’m losing control!” I was practically whispering at this point. I had no idea why I was telling her all this. She was no counsellor. I barely knew her for Christ sake! And yet I felt like if I didn’t get this off my chest right then and there, it would consume me in it’s entirety.

I suppose, if that was the case, then it would be fair to say that what happened next both surprised and warmed my heart in equal measure.

I heard a shifting around in the soft cocoon in front of me, before something soft and cream materialised on my shoulder.

It was a hoof. I visibly flinched, and yet she would not be deterred.

“I....I don’t know what a human is...... Or where you might have come from......I don’t even know your name.......” I could hear a comforting tone in her voice.

“Ty”

“Um.. Sorry?”

Even when you were at your lowest, she still found a way to make you smile a little, even if it was unintentional.

“It’s my name Fluttershy. My name is Ty”

“Oh!” she stated, as a comprehensive light washed over her. Still, she carried on.

“Even so.... I know you saved me when n-nopony else could.  You d-didn’t know who I was, and you didn’t have to do anything...... You could’ve let me die.”

I felt another hoof tap me under the chin, causing me to look up into those large, round eyes, and a face that was most certainly blushing a little, adorned with just a slight smile.

“So I guess that makes you a hero.......? If you don’t mind me saying that is......” She quickly shied away again from me, that brief motherly spark enveloped by her own self-awareness as she sank back into the makeshift bed.

It took me a while. More time than I care to admit passed between us without a single word to colour the air, and yet, the gears in my brain were cranking double-time as I finally stopped my crying.

“Maybe..... Just maybe she’s right.... I mean, for now at least, maybe you just gotta go with the flow Ty. Roll with the punches. Remember what you were taught after all. A soldier who can’t adapt is a dead soldier.....”

Half a hour later, I got up from my tree stump, and slowly wandered over to where the hammock was, taking a peek inside. The little yellow bundle didn’t seem to be moving at all, and the clearing was so quiet at that time of night that I could even hear her breathing be carried on the cool night air.

Nevertheless, I sat down in front of the hammock, my back coming to rest against it as I simply stared into the roaring fire keeping us both warm. The material was thin, and I could feel her body heat on the other side, as well as a little “eep!” Evidently, she was still awake.

This was good. I was going to need to her if I wanted to keep myself together right now.

“Fluttershy?”

A response was not long coming...... “Yes....Ty?”

There were a million questions at the forefront of my mind at that point, but I finally managed to settle on a pretty basic one; “Where am I right now?”

And that was how the rest of the evening went. I spent it conversing with this intriguing yellow Pegasus, and boy did we talk the night away. By the time I finally drifted off into the land of dreams, I had at least a little more insight into where I was.....

And yet, as I curled up in front of the hammock, allowing it’s warm glow to lull me to sleep, I was still having a hard time processing it all. A land of talking ponies? And it wasn’t just ponies in..... Equestria? I think that’s right. Anyway, it wasn’t just ponies. There were apparently pegasi, just like Fluttershy, and unicorns and earth ponies, each of whom had a special talent, as was shown by their...... Ugh.... Their “cutie mark”, the weird tattoo like thing on their flanks......

I can’t believe I just said “cutie mark”....... Like seriously man......

She pumped me with some other details too, like the fact that her special talent was communicating with animals, which she used to provide them with food and care and generally look after all of them, which I had to admit, was pretty nifty.

Oh, and you know the Sun and Moon? Big things in the sky? Trust me, look up and you can’t miss’em. Anyway, apparently their movements in Equestria are controlled by two deity-like princesses who rule over the land......

Bat..... Shit..... Insane.

I was still reeling from all this, and was eager to know more, but she, very politely I might add, suggested that we should both get some sleep if we were going to move out the next day, and so I let some things I had wanted to know go for the time being.

The plan for the next day was to get up and out of this “Everfree Forest”, and head back to her cottage which was just outside it’s entrance. From there, we’d get sorted out, and then head into town proper to talk to one of her friends called Twilight Sparkle?

(Seriously, I should’ve just called myself Shadowstrike. This shit would’ve been so much easier) Anyway, we’d go see her and try to find out a little more about how I got here.

A fine plan for sure in theory, theory being the operative word in that sentence. I just wasn’t sure how a town full of predominantly pony people was gonna take to a strange looking thing as myself. Even if I was pretty good-look.........

.....I REALLY need to stop doing that.

Still, I thought it was a valid concern. I was pretty sure I was the first one of my kind to ever end up here, and believe me when I tell you that I didn't get to where I was today being some kind of ambassador for the whole of my race! I could see this going to hell in a hand-basket very, very quickly, despite how much I kept telling myself to just roll with it.

After all, what’s the worst that could happen, right?

I let a few more loose thoughts drift through my head like smoke, before I finally let my tiredness claim me.

At the time of Ty’s saving Fluttershy, Golden Oak Library

“Twi!..... Hey, Twi!” A little lavender and green dragon came trotting down the stairs of the Golden Oak Library in the centre of Ponyville, looking for a certain pony in particular.....

“Twilight?” he asked inquisitively, “ Have you seen those gems that Rarity gave me a few days ago? I hid them somewhere and I can’t remember where....” He sounded a little dejected, not only at the thought of losing a good snack, but more over at losing something given to him by Rarity.

It took a few moments but a voice seemed to echo into the room, and it sounded like it was coming from the cupboard under the stairs he had just come down; “Um.... I’m not sure Spike.... Maybe try looking on top of the bookshelves? That’s where I normally find half of your things. Maybe you should try making a checklist of hiding places to check?..... Now where did I put that blasted book.....?”

The little dragon’s eyes seemed to light up at the suggestion.

“Ah!” he shouted, suddenly having a few memories flash back to him; “Of course that’s where I would’ve put......”

He would’ve carried on, but he felt something catch in his throat, even though he could feel nothing there. Internally, he couldn’t help but sigh. This ability was really cool, and quite useful, but at times it was a pain in the behind.....

He gagged slightly as a rush of green flame erupted from his mouth, and a scroll appeared before him, coming to gently rest on the ground after bouncing a little.

Picking it up, a golden hoofprint seal was clearly visible attached to the red ribbon holding the scroll together, and that could only mean one thing.......

“Twilight! Celestia sent you another scroll! I swear that’s like the sixth one this week...... Someone needs to go get a hobby.......”

*CRACK*

“Ah ponyfeathers!”

The sound emanated again from under the stairs, and it sounded exactly like a unicorn hitting their head on the underside of the stairs. Probably had something to do with the fact that Twilight had just hit her head on the underside of the stairs...... Nevertheless, and looking pretty unperturbed by the whole thing, her head shot out from the doorway, seemingly wearing a book as a rather fetching hat.

“WELL? WHAT DOES IT SAY!?” she almost shouted excitedly.

Spike could only sigh again. He wondered why this kind of thing was just so interesting to her. I mean, he loved being her number 1 assistant, he really did, but he’d take a bag of gems and a long nap over communicating with the princess back and forth all day, every day.... Well, any day!

But before he could even grab the rolled parchment of the ground, Twilight was already levitating it over to herself, her horn awash with a glowing purple aura as it unfurled itself before her eyes.

He could see her eyes quickly scanning over the contents of the letter at a blinding pace. Honestly, sometime soon he really needed to try getting her to just chill. He’d probably get a death stare for his trouble, but it’d be worth trying....

“Spike.....”

He wondered what that would be like..... A Twilight that was just a little less tightly wound.....

“Spike.....?”

He would have so much more time! No more stacking books, re-shelving them day in and day out, not to mention all that time he could spend with Rarity.....

“SPIKE!”

Twilight’s raised voice shook him from his daydream, the slightly worried look on her face troubling him a little.

“Twi? What’s up? Is something wrong? He ventured.

“Do me a favour Spike? Go round up the girls for me......" He didn't like this. Her voice sounded worried.

"......It would seem we've got a problem in the Everfree.”