The Darkest Shadows are in the Mind
All I could hear was the sound of rain on the top of a semi-truck going fast down the highway and I could feel my uncertainty rise. Before you ask I am not the one driving or in the cab in general, no I am the one in the back. I am chained to the walls of the container that is almost indestructible, yeah in my opinion that is a little overkill. You are probably wondering why they have me like that. We'll get to that in a minute first let me tell you about me or rather who I was. My name is LT Wyatt Landreth former US green beret now, I don't know I use to be human now my life became a mess all because of the Russians.
I was captured and brought to a gulag where I was there for five years I am pretty sure that my family thinks I am dead. Then in the sixth year that I was taken to a research bunker about two thousand to three thousand feet underground how would I know that you wonder when you spend time digging in a gulag you figure it out. Anyway the reason why they brought me there is because they needed a test subject for their super solider program. What they did was that they put DNA that was all mixed together from different types of reptiles like the ability to regrow limbs, hold breath for long periods of time and being able to swim fast to strength. They did all of this to me for seven years it was torturous and then one day I wake up and I look at my hand and notice my skin is literary falling off. Can you imagine? Not only that but when I stood up my entire skeleton had changed I now had a snout with teeth jutting every which way like a crocodile I have a tail now my eyes are red and my iris are now cat-like, I stand on the balls of my feet an my ankle is higher than it should I also got taller from 6ft to 8ft now. By the time anyone came to check on me my skin and hair was gone and I looked like a cross between a crocodile and a human I was tranquilized right when they came in so the next thing I knew I was in the back of the truck chained, so that is I got in that situation.
Before I knew it we stopped I could just make out the conversation,"What's in the box that put you in such a hurry."(in Russian)
"An experiment from the research center up north I have to go to Moscow to drop it off."said the driver
"Alright then go on through."
We started moving again and now my mind started to shutdown from the fear of what is to come. Time just flew by and then all of a sudden I heard an explosion and people screaming the truck then flipped over and I was knocked unconscious, by the time I woke up it was quiet I could see light in the far end of container and after some carful manipulation I was able to get out of the chains and container,that's when I saw the mushroom cloud. At first I was afraid of it but the radioactive fallout had already hit. I notice a Geiger counter going crazy with radiation and I made my way to the nearest metro station, I was able to get in thanks to my camouflage ability. As soon as I stepped in they had a Geiger on me and there was nothing my body absorbed the radiation but there was no radiation emitting off of me Maybe all the DNA put in me made me to be able to resist radiation. What ever the reason I know I can't stay in this station so I left. That was twenty one years ago now the legend of the "Reptile man" has spread and war is coming, refugees find and hire me to protect them. That is where my journey truly begins.
The Darkest Shadows are in the Mind
Chapter 1: Bridge and Found
(Metro tunnel 32, from Red Line to Polis)
(Wyatt's POV)
This is the fiftieth refugee group I have helped to Polis. I am really surprised that they trust me considering that I am not human. I have been traveling the metro for twenty-one years at first I stuck to the tunnels and stayed out of sight not wanting to get in to trouble I have also killed my fair share of enemies with my teeth because I couldn't reach my knife. I survived by eating rats in the tunnels and what cans of food I could find on the surface, but when the mutants started moving in on the tunnels I started to hunt them for meat and skin for clothes patches but when I had to go near a station I stayed clear of the Nazis, the Reds and some of the Ranger controlled stations, Hanza was a different story as long as I had bullets they didn't care what I looked like. I stayed clear of the Nazis because they thought they were genetically pure and anyone that didn't meet their standards they either killed or put in a concentration camp. The Red I stayed away from because if you came from one of the tunnels alone they would arrest you as soon as look at you. The rangers as well as the free stations had tried to kill me on more that one occasion but they soon warmed up to me and probably saving some of their caravans from bandits and mutants didn't hurt either but when ever I needed supplies they would put me under guard. I would sometimes take trips up to the surface for guns or equipment, I have found a saige twelve gauge shotgun, an AK-74u one sturdy little gun that shoots a 7.62x45 caliber, found a RPD and LMG that shoots a 7.62x54 caliber, and lastly a .44 magnum revolver that was built down in the metro one powerful gun. All the experience and guns I carry now are now what I carry to help the ones who want nothing to do with this war that is coming to the metro all thanks the rangers finding that goddamn bunker complex of D6 and now people are killing each other for what are in those vaults inside. Well the caravan has reached the bridge going to Polis time to get to work, "alright all those afraid of heights and don't know how to handle or set explosives go to the other side of the bridge and take up defensive positions, everyone else unload the explosives and ropes" I yelled to everyone
As the fighters started to unload everything their leader Dmitri came up to me and asked "Why do you need the explosives again?"
"We're going to blow the bridge to make sure that none of the Red soldiers from coming across to Polis, now go help the others unload the explosives with the others."
He ran off to help the others, we set up the explosives that took about ten minutes everyone was over on the other side of the bridge I went to go check the fuses when all hell broke lose. Two platoons of Red soldiers started attacking me and the refugees, I was pinned down near the middle of the bridge. The refugees tried to provide cover fire for me but as soon as I moved I took a bullet to the back of both legs, I hit the dirt and I knew there was no getting out of this one. I looked over at Dmitri and he knew it to and told everyone to get back and I lit the fuse to the explosives and waited when the explosion came I felt weightless, I began to think about all the experiences that left me with a scar in the short amount of time with me falling through the air I counted thirty-three scars in total. I got them on a regular basis, and after that I blacked out.
(Ponyvillie, Nightmare Night)
(Nightmare Moon POV)
At first I was going to stay in my room up at Canterlot castle, thinking no one would want me to come to their town considering this is my night. But Luna showed me letters from children in Ponyvillie, they wanted me to come give them a fright. I guess Luna had scared them a few years ago before I arrived. Now here I am no longer Nightmare Moon bringer of the eternal night, but Princess Nightmare Moon guide to those lost in the night and tamer of the night creatures. I agreed to go with Luna, as I climb in the carriage and sat down I thought back to when I came back to Equestria. Every pony was skeptical when I came back and surrendered to Luna and Celestia and I thought for sure that they would lock me away forever but to my surprise they didn't, instead Luna of all ponies vouched that I could be reformed and also volunteered to help with that after about six months she achieved her goal and I became a princess of Equestria, many nobles where outraged and even threatened to topple the monarchy. That didn't happen of course thanks to mine and Luna's dream walker spell, let's just say we gave them nightmares for a few weeks. At my coronation I became friends with Twilight and her friends as well as Celestia, Cadence, Shining armor and Barb, all of them took some convincing but they warmed up to me well enough. Now here I am in a carriage heading towards Ponyvillie for the celebration named after me, by the time we got there it was in full swing and Luna thought it funny to have a little bit of a dramatic entrance. We scared a lot of people and when they saw who it was every pony gathered round and started greeting us, after that me and Luna went different ways. She went to go be with her mare-friend, I went to walk around the town a check out the different stalls and games. I saw many couples there and this reminded me I don't have a special some-pony, I think I still intimidate many ponies. I have not found a single stallion to ask me out on a date, let alone talk to me. Three-thousand forty years old and I am still a virgin so that makes heat season is a major bitch, I have to lock myself in my tower till it passes worst week of my life and now that I think about all my friend have a special some-pony, Rainbow Dash has Spitfire the captain of the Wonderbolts, Applejack has Spitfire's co-captain Sorain, Fluttershy has AJ's brother Big MacIntosh, Twilight fell in love with her personal guard Flashsentry, Rarity has Fancypants, Pinkie pie has Vinyl Scratch, Barb has Flure De Lis, I don't know how those two got together but I guess weirder things have happened. That leaves Celestia and Luna, Celestia has Discord I am still surprised that they are together, Luna found love in her Night-guard Captain one by the name of Midnight Strife. I shake my head to get these thoughts out of my head or it is going to ruin my night, after a few minutes of walking around Luna stone me a text message on my phone(I still don't know how to send a reply) anyway it said to make my way to the Nightmare moon for the candy offering and to have one last chance to scare the little fillies and colts. When I get their Luna and her mare-friend get me into position where the statue is and then they hide but not before they put an illusion on to look like me. Ten minutes later all the children and Pinkie pie enter the clearing, when they were about to start the candy offering me, Luna and Midnight Strife all jumped out scaring the little ones and Pinkie. We then all said at the same time and in the same voice "Offer your candy to us or we shall gobble you up".
I could tell this scared them so they all offered their candy and ran behind a rock before all of us started to laugh, they poked their heads out to see what was so funny and saw that there was one real Nightmare moon and the other two were just Luna and her mare-friend. Soon they all started to laugh and make their way home, Twilight and her friends all came a few minutes after to find us still there. "That was the best scare I have ever had in the history of Nightmare night!" Pinkie yelled enthusiastically
"Hay yeah I could hear the screams all the back in town." Said Rainbow.
"Yes, darlings that was quiet the display." Rarity said in her Canterlot accent.
"Yer darn too tin I even got a little scared hearin them screams" Applejack said in her country accent.
"That was great you three I wish Fluttershy was here but then again maybe not considering she would probably would of had a heart attack" said Twilight.
"Indeed I think the children had more fun than they did my first Nightmare night", Said Luna.
"Do you really think so", I asked apprehensively.
Before she could answer a massive spike of magic could be felt from deep in the woods and then an explosion, judging by distance from it came from the castle in the Everfree forest all took off to it along the way Luna called Celestia telling her to bring a group of guards to the castle, while I summoned my signature armor from my room in my tower and on me it can withstand all forms of weapons including newest guns that were made. When we arrived Celestia and the guard were already their and ready to enter, after an hour we stumbled upon a creature. It looked like a dragon but with no wing or spins, it's scales were an odd color to black is extremely rare in fact every one in three-billion eggs will have black scales. We noticed he was bleeding heavily from both his legs our medics unicorns ran over and preformed a quick spell to close the arteries but his wounds were still open, so we quickly put him on a stretcher and teleported back to the castle in Canterlot and quickly to the medical wing, we also stripped all his gear as well their were quiet a few guns on him they look like guns from Hooviet Union. Now questions rise who and what is that creature and more importantly is he friend or foe?
The Darkest Shadows are in the Mind
Chapter 2: The Awaking and The Meeting
Chapter 2: The Awaking and The Meeting
(Canterlot castle, Medical wing)
(Nightmare moon POV)
He has been unconscious for three days now, we left his gear by the entrance of the medical wing under armed guard. Our researchers found that he has different reptiles DNA they say it gave him different abilities, for example when we went to check his wounds the day after we found him they were completely healed all that was left was were scars and they aren't the only scars he has on his back are what look like multiple claw scars over his eye it looks like a knife scar, they are still doing research right now but nothing to invasive. Two days after we found him every pony went about their business Twilight and her friends went back to Ponyvillie, Celestia and Luna went back to holding their court, not me I want to know this creature. I was about to walk back to my room to sleep since I haven't in the last three days but I was stopped by Careful Eyes, " Princess Nightmare come quick there is something you need to see for yourself!" He said.
I walked over and saw what got him so excited, some of the unicorn doctors that are trying to multi-task by writing down note with their hands and manipulate the creatures limbs with their magic but it keeps dissipating. "As you can see Princess if are magic that not in the form of a healing spell it's completely useless, unless it is combat magic of course" Careful explained
"So should we be concerned if he isn't so friendly or is very confused, that we can't subdue him with magic" I said I a concerned voice
"Well yes and no, that is why Princesses Luna and Celestia both gave us members of their elite special forces"
"Yes, well I am going to go back to my room Faust knows I need to sleep I will be back by morning. Goodnight Careful Eyes"
"Goodnight, princess Nightmare and pleasant dreams."
I left, but not before I stopped by to tell the soldiers that were acting as guards to alert me of any major progress. I then teleported to my room were I flopped on my bed and shut my eye not caring that I was still in my royal regalia, that night I had a dreamless sleep and when morning came I felt better than ever. I took a shower and got dressed I went to the dining hall where Celestia and Luna were already having breakfast, I stat down and ordered some waffles and fruit (many people think because of the fangs that I eat meat but that is not the case) when my food arrived I decided to break the silence,"so any pony got some news or anything."
"Well, Twilight and her friends are coming by to see how our guest is doing." Celestia said, "Speaking of which have you made any progress."
"Indeed I am dying to know" said Luna
"Well before I left last night I found that any magic besides healing or combat are completely useless against him," I said, " but as far as him waking up I have know idea."
"Do you have anything else." Luna asked
"Well we did find that he has multiple claw like scars on his back and chest as well as what looks to be a knife scar over his right eye but it looks like it missed his retina so he should still have the ability to see, he has remarkably thick scales most of the scars look like they didn't get very deep. We examined muscle tissue and density and he is extremely from the research we have done we can say that he could very well lift a one tone boulder by himself, that is all I have so far hopefully they found something new last night or he wakes up soon." I looked and saw their mouths open in disbelief.
The rest of the breakfast was ate in silence, after breakfast I went to the medical wing. As I rounded the corner I noticed that the guards weren't there, I heard some noise coming from the area were the creature was being held. As I approached the door one of the guards was thrown out of the room and hit the wall pretty hard, I heard an audible crack and I ran to help him. He was unconscious but alive, I looked him over and saw one of his wings was a bloody stump and the other was broken with the bone sticking out. I then grabbed his radio and call for backup, next I summoned my armor and well as my sword "Ice Heart" to my grasp. I moved through the door my eye went wide with horror (and I almost lost my breakfast) all the guards were dead some with their throats ripped out others with arms torn off, but they all looked like they were attacked by a wild animal or something from the Everfree forest. I grew wary when I didn't see any of the researchers, but that was put aside as I heard a growl right behind me. I whipped around and saw the creature standing there with the gear we found him in, he was as tall as me I could see blood on his mouth from the guards as well as his hands and in them was a knife in one and a hatchet in the other. But his eyes was the most frightening they were completely red, we stood their staring at each other for a time then I made the first move. I swung "Ice Heart" but he was quicker, by the time my swing was starting he grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off the ground. He could've killed me with a simple twitch of his hand, but before he could his eyes changed from completely red. One eye was still red but now it had an iris, the other with the scar over it was white with an iris. He dropped me and I started to gasp for air and cough violently, he looked at me and back to his hands just as he was about to say something the guards as well as Celestia, Luna, Barb, Twilight and her friends bursted into the room from the hall. The creature saw them and bolted and jumped out of the window, keep in mind the medical wing is two stories to the ground. He hit with the ground with enough force to leave an indent, after that he took off and sprinted so fast that he would've gave Rainbow Dash a run for her bits. We watched as he ran toward the Everfree forest, some Pegasus guards went to follow to confirm that he would be in the Everfree. "Are you okay Nightmare, did he hurt you?" Luna asked as she ran up to me.
"I am fine nothing to (cough) bad." I said as she helped me to my feet.
"He did all of this, those were eight of our most highly trained guards, how could he simply kill them like that?" Celestia asked as she looked around the room at all the blood and limbs thrown about.
Every pony looked around the room with thoughts of horror plastered on their faces.We all just stayed silent for we had no idea of what just happened besides that now we have a hunt on our hand and this prey is very smart.
(Everfree forest, south of Canterlot)
(Wyatt's POV)
I have no clue what just happened I don't remember waking up all I remember is that I was choking that horse person like thing and I was covered in blood. I dropped her(at least I think it was a her, I am pretty sure it was because it had a very large rack and I am talking about a D cup size)then I saw more including ones with guns and they were pointing them at me. So I jumped out of the window and made a run for it, looked back only once to see some of them flying and chasing me. Can you believe that? Freaking flying, goddamn flying I can hardly believe my eyes. I think all that radiation went to my head, so I kicked it in to high gear and ran into a forest up ahead. Now it is just me and my thoughts I don't know what the fuck happened back their, but what ever it was I never want to see that again not in a million years. I can still feel a need that I don't know even know what that need is, but when I saw the blood I felt content like...I don't even know but whatever it is scares me it fucking scares the shit out of me. I am just need to find some where to wash this blood off and I need to get this fucking thought out of my head. I think I really am going insane now shit.
After sometime I was able to find a pool of water that was fed by a waterfall, I washed the blood off and now the need I felt went away just as fast as it came. Now I need to find a shelter or run the risk running into whatever the fuck lives out here. If horse-people are (and I am guessing here) that they are the dominate race I don't even want to know what the fuck lives in the woods. Just as I said that I heard a deep growl coming from behind the waterfall, I grabbed my RPD and aimed it at the waterfall what came out was nothing I was expecting. A giant lion slash scorpion beast came out of the waterfall, I fired at the same time yelling, " WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"
I kept firing but the fucking thing kept coming, it got close and reared it's paw ready to strike. But I saw this and readied myself for the strike, when it came it came hard I flew and hit a tree fifty yard away and I am pretty sure I heard something break. I got up groggily and pulled my knife and hatchet and what I did next was completely stupid, I ran at it. It tried to strike me again but this time I rolled and slashed with my knife and managed to hit it's foreleg near it paw, as it howled in pain I was able to lodge my hatchet in it's throat and rip it's throat open. I was fucking exhausted well at least I had dinner and I had a broken rib just fan-fucking-tastic. With that I pulled it back to it's lair and started to field dress and skin it, as I did so I thought back to what happened back at that castle? Anyway, as I think about it, it starts to comeback to me and the main reasons I did what I did was because of PTSD(post traumatic stress disorder), my fear of hospitals because of the experimenting done on me and animals self-preservation instincts.
After a few hours of skinning, field dressing and finding fire wood for a fire, I was sitting watching the fire as the meat cooked over the fire I thought about all the things I did in my life up to this point. And it turns out my life choices and they are shitty, like I had a choice to kill myself when I was in the gulag or be taken for experimentation. But I didn't I guess I couldn't let some one else to go in my place, I don't know why I am even here still I have nothing so why don't I go and blow my brains out? Man I am tired I guess I can go blow my brains out tomorrow now it is time to sleep.
