Metrot City Tale

Bonne turned and began walking back to the room she had come from, but stopped at the door. “Actually, Raphael, I have something I need to discuss with you,” she said, flicking her tail at the emerald pony to signal him to follow.

But...I-I never told anypony about my eye! Raphael followed the golden mare into her room, shuddering at what she could have in mind. Bonne slammed the door immediately after the emerald pony passed it. I shook my thoughts towards the two gangsters, crept up to the door and put my ear against it. “What is it, Bonne?”

“Well, since you finally got those mods like you-”

“Finally? I told you I got them the day after I got out of the hospital.”

“Don’t interrupt me. Since you finally got those mods, you actually have some use besides just delivering messages, and-”

“Gee, what a kind thing to say.”

“Don’t complain, because I will not hesitate to boot you right out that door if you do.”

“Like that’d do anything.”

“I could find something worse, if that’s what you want?

“Doesn’t matter what you did, you’d have your colts working you the entire time.”

“'Working me'? Grow a pair already!”

"You're a filthy whorse!!

"Just because I like a good party doesn't make me a whorse!"

“'Like a good party'? Firstly, that's not a normal party, and secondly, you will have sex with *anything that moves*, because you are a WHORSE.”  Bonne attempted to say something, but was interrupted again. "I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you through all the-"

“Just shut the buck up and get out already! By Celestia, just LEAVE! I'll deal with this when you stop acting like such a foal.”

“As if I give a buck.” I hurried away from the door as Raphael kicked it open. “Let’s go, Joey. You still need three more recommendations,” he said as he walked by. I could almost hear the pure hatred towards the golden mare in his voice. “We can get you one from Rea-Rea and one from Aubrey no problem, but the fourth one could be a challenge.”

That escalated rather quickly. I nervously chuckled. “Wait, three? I thought she said...” I paused as the emerald pony turned and glared at me.

"I'm not deaf, Joey. I’m supplying a recommendation.” He continued walking to the staircase we arrived from. “What in the hoof was Shawn thinking, leaving HER in charge...”

________

“So, your eye’s really mechanical?” Raphael finally spoke. He had been silent the entire trip back to the Diamondflanks warehouse. I quietly nodded. I had always been disturbed by modified ponies...they had always seemed unnatural, like abominations, and that hadn’t helped my condition. “Which eye, anyways?” the emerald pony asked, peering into my eyes as if he was searching for my soul.

I pushed my friend away. “It’s my right one." Raphael gave me a look that said he didn't believe me. "I could disconnect it and pull it out if you want?" He chuckled and shook his head.

We entered the warehouse and headed for the staircase to the basement. “What happened, anyways?” he queried. “I don’t remember you ever needing to go to a hospital when we were foals.” I ducked to avoid a stray ball.

“I was just born blind in that eye, nothing special. Gotta get it replaced every few years, though.” A pegasus attempted to dash by me, almost knocking me to the ground, but was caught by Raphael.

“You see Reagan or Aubrey? We need to talk to them,” he said.

Raphael’s catch struggled to break free from the robotic vice-grip. “Rea’ said she gon' back to the I-C’s hideout, and I ain’t seen hide no’ hair a’ Aubrey! Now lemme go, you freaka nature!”

Silence. This is gonna be good.

Raphael’s expression did not change. “...You’re gonna regret saying that.” The emerald pony swung his free foreleg, and with a loud crack, the pegasus flew back a few feet and landed on his back, his snout bleeding profusely. I could see at least four teeth scattered around where the injured pony landed. “You picked the wrong day to insult me, punk. Next time, I won’t hesitate to dust your skull.” Raphael’s glare alone would have been a bigger scare than the threat. “Now shove off.”

The pegasus only groaned. “We probably should’ve asked if he knew where the ‘I-C’ hideout was.”

“...Probably, yes.”

We left the bloodied pony and descended into the entertainment area. Seven big-screen plasma TVs hung from the wall; Four sat in a square-shape in the middle of the room. Two sat in front of ponies, with controllers floating between them and the television. Raphael went over to one of the game-systems, and I flopped down onto a couch in front of an unused television, turning it on. Time flew by like a Wonderbolt as I mindlessly watched the moving images.

________

The sun shone through the cloudless sky as my sixteen beautiful and shapely mareslaves carried me over to my poolside love-nest. I jumped onto the massive heart-shaped bed and took off my diamond-studded ruby sunglasses. My giggling mareslaves all leapt up with me. "Oh, maid!" I called out. "Ah, there you are, Rea-Rea. Be a dear and get me and my darlings some drinks,” I said to the blue mare wearing a frilly black-and-white skirt. “And don’t hesitate to let that tail of yours snap a little, baby.” Reagan bowed and left, every step making her tail flick her skirt up enough to see-

*SMACK!* “Ouch! What in the hoof was that for!?” I shouted, falling off the couch.

“So I’m not good ‘nough ta be one o’ your mareslaves, now?” the infuriated Reagan asked. “And wha’s with that comment about lettin’ me tail snap ‘a little’?” She smacked me again. “I don’t know ‘ow to do anythin’ ‘a little’!”

“That’s what you’re hitting me for? Because you were only a sexy maid in my dream?” The blue mare swung again.

“Yes!” Reagan raised her hoof to swing again, but lowered it again as machine guns began firing above. “...The ponybots weren’t out when I came down ‘ere...” The mare stood still, mental gears slowly turning, as if they were rusted and hadn’t moved in years.

"Could you move so I can get up, now?"

A bleeding unicorn tumbled down the stairs after a few moments. “Not a drill! Under attack! Not! A! Drill!” he announced, shooting right back up.

Reagan remained still for a moment, letting the pony’s words sink in. “Everypony grab a gun! No, two! N'ah bollocks, grab all the guns you can carry, and get up there!”

Chairs and couches were knocked over as pegasi, unicorns, and modified earth-ponies alike vaulted them, a variety of weaponry in their combined arsenal, including rifles, sub-machine guns, pistols and shotguns. I spotted Raphael slowly climbing the stairs, his robotic fingers wrapped around the handles of a minigun. “No kill like overkill, Joseph!” he yelled over the gunfire.

“Where the hay did you find a minigun!?”

“I have no idea!” He began cackling as the rotary cannon spun up. Bullets flew from the barrels as their casings pelted me from above. I nudged my way past the burly emerald pony and levitated a fallen Diamondflank’s rifle to my side. Diving for cover, I got a glimpse of the few attackers that had been gunned down.

Brown clothing, helmets and ski-masks, shining metal fore and rear legs. All of the corpses had been armed with machine guns or rifles, and none had horns or wings. Raphael had begun moving forward, minigun barrels still spinning as we provided cover fire. Leaning over to pick up the body of a fallen foe, the emerald pony kept his gun steady, as if the metal death-bringer weighed as much as a newborn kitten. The corpse served as an efficient shield from the hail of bullets coming from around the ponyhole in the middle of the warehouse. Raphael threw his lead-filled protector down the hole and aimed his gun down after it.

The screams of dozens of ponies filled the hideout as they were mowed down by the pure metal wrath that flew from the many spinning barrels of the gun. Hearing their cries of pain, I felt as though I was going to be sick.

“So...” Raphael dropped his gun and turned, forelegs crossed. “Who’s gonna warn the Runners?”

________

The sewers connecting the Diamondflank and Dirt Runner hideouts were surprisingly clean. ”How do we even know any of those ponies are left?” I asked, narrowly avoiding stepping on a herd of rats. More stinking rats...I. Hate. RATS.

Reagan levitated a torn patch into my face. “Tha’s a Celestial Force patch, and they’re the only competent level of law-enforcement in all of Equestria,” she explained. The patch was a small, winged sun with the number 418 stitched into it. “They ain't allowed anywhere near guns until they've gone through proper tactical and teamwork trainin'. We need to make sure they didn’t ‘it the Runners. If they did, we need to get ‘em ‘elp ASAP.”

We walked on, the sewers silent save for our hoofsteps and the occasional pipe leaking. I gave in and let out a low sigh. “Rea-Rea...how do you do it?” The blue mare turned to give me a confused look. “I mean, how do you ponies...you know, kill so...so easily? So...guiltlessly?”

“You’re daft, Joey,” she whispered. “I can’t kill somepony ‘guiltlessly’. No sane pony can. I gotta live with the knowledge and guilt of ‘avin’ lost track of ‘ow many ponies I’ve killed, 'ow many lives I've ended...families I've torn apart...” She paused in thought. “S’not a pleasant feelin’, I can tell you tha’ much, but I live with it. All for the safety o’ Metrot City and ‘er citizens and whatnot. It's earned me a spot in 'ell, and I embrace that fact.” I almost regretted asking. “C’mon, we’re almost there,” Reagan announced.

All of a sudden, a large shadowy creature barreled around the corner, smashing into us. “Eeh, help! Help! Weird ponies attack! Kill many Runners! Hurt more! Steal Pack Leader!” it yelled, sounding as if it was on the verge of crying. “We fight back, but Pack Leader captured! Not know where they take him!”

“They got you guys, too? And they took Rexx?” I asked.

“No, not Rexx! Zippy! Weird ponies take Zippy!”

Reagan pushed the panicked Diamond Dog off of her. “Well, this is a right good loada 'ay.” The blue mare shook herself clean of dog fur. “You’re the fastest one ‘ere, dog, so ‘aul it to the Diamondflanks and bring a couple medics to the rest o’ the Runners.” The dog saluted and rushed towards the warehouse. “What now? Dogs already knew about the Celestial Force, so our job’s done, unless you've got medical experience?” I shook my head. "Thought as much."

We kept moving towards the Dirt Runner hideout, hoping for a quick way out of the sewers. “...Dirty Dogs?” I suggested. The blue mare chuckled and shoved me.

“Works for me. Oh, a little birdy told me you’d be in need of a pony to get you into the Watchers?” I smacked my hoof into my forehead. How the hoof did I forget that? “Since tha’s settled then, ‘ow about I get you started on your watching duties?” Reagan asked, slowly levitating her shirt over her-

*SNAP!* Reagan’s tail struck my face, breaking me out of my daydream.

“I know I’m a sexy beast, Joey, but that don’t mean I approve of you fantasizing about me when I'm right 'ere,” she said, tail-whipping her flank as she walked on. "Mmm!"

END OF ACT I

____

AN

Act conclusions will hopefully be the only parts with author's notes from here on, and only if I have anything to say/ask. You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but if you do, just drop a comment. Why do you like/dislike this story?

And one more thing: (Completely optional, of course) please direct people you think might enjoy it to this story. TY for reading so far!