Chapters Intro Chapter .5
Pain, All around you, inside of you, burning, everywhere. Why did it hurt? You open your eyes only to be greeted by death himself, a quick view of the greatest waste land you’d ever seen. There were bodies everywhere and with a sharp inhale you could smell the remains of humanity’s last stand. You slowly peek to the left and right, your neck sending a dull throb with every inch, your team had been blown clean inside a building, through a block wall.
You slowly start to crawl out of your bed of rubble, some way or another still alive, every muscle on fire, every bone feels ready to break, but 3 years of the worlds most intense training has left you ready for this, you slowly stand to your unready feet and begin to inch forward. The hole in the wall is mere feet away but feels like miles, you unsheathe your kesmi knife and glance out of the hole. Nothing is alive outside, no Red Squad, no T-98 thermonuclear device, no doctor Keshmir.
You put your knife away and walk back away to where your teammates lay, you check for pulse and find your two operators dead, Jsok with the knife still in his shoulder and burns all over his body, Nova was missing most of his head where a brick had fallen in the aftermath of launch.
Standing idly for a minute wondering what to do now that the world is ending you hear it, a low loud hum. It seems to be coming closer, you figure nothing could possibly make this day worse so you stealth back over to the hole and wait, it appears to be coming up north main street very rapidly. The sound really begins to wash over you as you glance toward the sky. You’ve missed the initial explosion but can faintly make out the orange mist that will melt the whole city like acid in just a few hours, you pray for the damned and glance back toward the street.
You begin to question if this isn’t all a big dream as a frigging white horse streaks towards you like its on a mission. As it gracefully swoops across the torn landscape you hear a strange voice, it sounds like a codec call in that its inside your head, but the voice sounds panicked, almost screaming. Do you want to live human, you have but a few seconds to choose. The horse is only 100 yards away and accelerating towards you rapidly, assuming it’s the horse screaming and theres nothing left now anyway you respond with a curt yes both verbally and in your head. You see something else now, a blue aura enveloping the horse, at 50 yards away you begin to feel weightless, like the start of the planes dive in 0G training.
You slowly begin to lift off the ground and can see a horn glowing on the horse, it streaks towards you almost too fast to track now, you realize its going to hit you, kill you, and you begin to struggle. But you suddenly feel like its time for a nap, as you slip unconscious the last thing you have time to look at is your brothers, the men you had trained, slept, ate and breathed with, the men you had failed.
Every feeling and muscle told you to be still, and your instincts told you something bad was flowing around you like silk, you were flying, weightless, reaching out you felt soft fur, being carried by the same horse. Opening your eyes slowly you can feel something start to claw at the edges of your mind, wanting in, wanting to know you and comfort you it said. You don’t trust it and focus on the horse, this close it was beautiful, a mane and tail made out of cosmic dust and fur softer than the finest blankets, Adorned with a golden breast plate with a huge gem in the middle. You assume its female. Giant gull wings beat forward relentlessly while the long horn up front glowed the same strong blue glow. Brow furrowed and with a look of determination she pulls you through the void.
You feel strong enough to look around and the clawing sensation comes back immediately, you venture a look anyway, everywhere you look there are colors, colors you’ve never dreamed of, blues and greens collide and explode making all manner of rainbows while reds and yellow fight for dominance to your left. You could see forever and only a few feet at the same time, you felt your mind starting to twist and gazed back to your rescuer. Curling up against her you closed your eyes and returned to sleep
______________________________
You jolt awake, unable to see and sitting stark upright, as everything comes into view you hear a steady beep. A heart monitor is beeping erratically at you warning you need to calm down, training kicking in you asses the room quickly, 4 beds all empty fill the rectangle room, you are in bed three still wearing your drilock suit but all other gear stripped, you search the cabinet to your left and find your combat boots and vest. Slipping the IV out of your arm and the heart monitor off of your finger, silently putting your boots and vest on you press what looks like an emergency call button and crawl on top of the shelving behind the doors entrance. 45 seconds according to your watch you hear running steps, too high pitched for footsteps, maybe high heels. You ready your tranquilizer gun and wait, shortly the door bursts open and a panicked pony doctor busts in with a female nurse, the doctor is brown with lighter spots while the nurse is a deep pink. Waiting you listen in on the conversation.
"What happened to the patient Grace? " The brown stallion cried, I don’t know Doctor Brownhooves, he’s been right here for the past 12 hours, he shouldn’t have been awake for at least another day and a half with the drugs we had him on" the nurse quickly replied, "Well find him Nurse." The doctor fell to the ground with only a glance to the flank to see what had pinched him, the nurse went to scream but was quickly silenced with a chloroform rag from behind, struggling in vain to break your death grip around her neck she slowly succumbs to the effects of the toxin. Setting her down gently you grab the doctors key card from around his neck and walk to the door, at 6'2" everything is a little small for you but you can still stand upright without issue, peeping into the hall you see no one else and step out.
Making your way down the hall you realize you cant read the language all around you, but thankfully it looks to be night and most people are asleep, the sterile white walls with colorful paintings roll on for a long ways and following a red line down the hallway you come to what looks like the bathroom, you pop in and quickly fill your canteen with water and grab a roll of paper towels to put in your duffel bag. Zipping up you hear the door open and quickly throw yourself into a stall. A young colt walks in and goes over to the urinal, you call out and ask him from inside the stall, say son, you know which line leads to the exit. "Well sure mister" he calls back, it’s the green one". Thank you son. "No problem", he finishes and washes up and you peek out of the stall, 10 minutes have passed since the room, you should have another 10 before the doctor even thinks of waking up.
. Making your way back down the hall you follow the green line to a strange elevator, much wider than the ones back home but almost not tall enough for you. Hitting the lowest button the you lurch downwards, the smooth shiny wooden interior panels polished to a glistening shine and soft ambient muzak rolls out from a hidden speaker, as the elevator halts and the doors open to a lobby, checking the coast is clear you step out, a receptionist asleep at her post and a brisk walk are all that keep you from the door, marching silently you push through the double doors and out into the cold night, your watch says it is 36 degrees outside and one thirty two in the morning. The stars are a shimmering array above you, ten times brighter than they ever were back home, and the moon looks much bigger and closer than you remember, the air is crisp and clean smelling of exotic flowers and fresh grass.
You quickly orient yourself, Town to the west and woods to the east and south, mountains holding what looked like a castle and a town up north but no way you were headed that way. Seeing no one was around so you take a swig from your canteen and start walking down the path to town, town was no more than a mile and a half away so it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to make it and start investigating. The well traveled dirt road crunched softly beneath your boots.
Suddenly blaring sirens and flashing red lights along with giant floodlights pierce the night air. Scrambling to the closest patch of forest you watch as several ponies burst through the front door along with what sounds like a hound. Quickly scaling the tree in front of you and donning binoculars it’s apparent they are trying to discern where you went, you break off a large rotten limb and toss it down the northern path. All parties turn towards the sound then start a mad dash up the path, you note the speed at which they run, you would be able to outpace them. You descend the 20 feet down the trunk and make your way towards town with renewed vigor. Sprinting down the path is refreshing, getting to stretch and work your muscles.
5 minutes later you come to the edge of a row of houses, no sign of alerts or patrols but you are watchful anyway. Walking in and staying close to building you notice the architecture is similar to human style. More lively and relaxed, mostly cottages. Looking around you spot several buildings clustered around a central area, heading towards what looks like a park you drink deeply again, the water is sweet and clean, much better than normal water. Heading towards the center you notice a fire and some ponies standing around it and a small pond a short ways down a hill, six in all, two with horns, Purple and white, two Pegasi, blue with a rainbow mane and a yellow one and two plain ponies bright pink and orange respectively.
Crouched down and sneaking close you prop against a large tree a few feet away and start to listen. The purple one spoke first, "Calm down girls, the princess told us to enjoy tonight and she would be here with news tomorrow, I’m sure if it was that important she would’ve told us tonight". A younger sounding voice full of brashness broke in, "I’m just tired of waiting around and we need to get started if we have to stop the comet".(A comet you muse to yourself, wonder what thats about) The first voice again, "We have plenty of time for that Dash, just try to enjoy our last night off okay?" Deciding you would follow these ponies to find out about this comet you turn around only to be met with the pink one
Your cover had been compromised and it was time to get out of dodge and quick.Pushing against the tree trunk you propelled yourself forward as hard as you could, super human leg muscles let you average at 30 miles an hour but you were easily breaking 50 now, tearing out of the park and heading straight down the main drive, cobblestone pounding and cracking with your powerful strides, a whistling noise started to fill your ears and you glance back. Slowing down you notice what looks like the blue pegasi hurling herself at you, the air around her shifting and tearing. In a moment you throw yourself flat on the ground and stick your arms straight out, grabbing her front forelegs as she hurtles by. The painful acceleration threatens to tear your arms out of socket but you are quickly hurtling down mane street on her underbelly inches from the ground.
"Whaddaya think you’re doing Punk?"
Ignoring her you reach around and crimp her left wing right at the joint. Eleciting a cry of paint you both come tumbling down violently feeling your ribs cracking as you roll along, rolling to your feet you resume running when you feel all weight leave you again, picking into the air you see a magic aura around the purple unicorns horn, spinning in mid air you give the wall to your left a powerful kick and break out of the force field cracking the wall in the process, hurrying down an alley with your abdomen starts screaming at you,hopping on some crates you push off again and land on the roof ten feet up, jumping silently from rooftop to rooftop you glance back and see no one, jumping down a back alley you spot the nearest door and go for the handle, the door is locked but pulling slowly you feel the lock give and break, stepping inside you are in a kitchen, strong odors assault your nose and your eyes shift for the near darkness, making around the greasy ovens and stoves you burst into the next room, a colorful place full of sweets, all of a sudden the lights come on and again you see the pink pony standing in the doorway, she slips in and closes the door behind her.
"Hehehe you're fast" she giggles as she steps around the counter, How in the world did you get here that fast? you ask truly curious. "Well its easy when you know how everything is going to end" she says with a smile leaving you utterly confused. "Now my Pinkie sense (Dafuq is that?) says that you're important to us, so come with me", she turns to trot up a staircase to the left and disappears, cursing yourself you slowly follow her up wondering what in the world she could be up to. The colorful walls are replaced by a slightly tamer palette on the second floor, the sweet scent is even stronger up here reminding you of cinnamon buns and cookies. You are hungry and in pain but trudge on dutifully behind her. She turns to the right and ushers you into a room with a cot in the corner and a plate on a dresser, the rooms vibrant blue walls clash harshly with the red bed but the smell is pretty calm here. Whatever is on the plate smells amazing. Sitting down you let your guard down a little and the pony that called herself pinkie pie sits down across from the bed and looks up at you.
So why did you bring me here? "Well I couldn't just let you sleep in the street" She says cheerfully, Her happiness was infectious and you caught yourself feeling almost...
"I'll let you sleep, we have to be up early in the morning to go see the princesses in Canterlot, Goodnight" She said and walked through the door, shutting it behind her. Still thoroughly confused you grab the plate of food and sit on the cot, your ribs were already almost finished healing thanks to your incredible body, but the strain on your fat and mineral stores was great and you were famished. Having to survive made you appreciative anything that wasn't still moving, Tasting just a bite brought new wonders to your mouth, a sweet smokiness exploded across your tongue while a spicy aftertaste left you thirsty. Waiting ten minutes (It was hard) you hadn't been drugged so you continued eating. Your body felt fresh and new and after latching the door you lay down and are appreciative when sleep comes quickly.
It's so warm here, so warm and comfortable. I really was tired last night you muse to yourself as you pull out of downy comfort and softness. Opening your eyes the events of last night are suddenly upon you, the sudden realization you are in red briefs and a non-removable watch in an area completely removed from where you went to sleep scares you deeply. Scouring the smooth stonework of the room your eyes fall on a dresser at the foot of the bed, suit neatly folded on top of it with a note on top of that. Reaching for it you scan it quickly
Marcus, Your presence has been requested by Princess Celestia at 9am sharp in the dining hall. The shower room is across the hall from yours and while you are free to roam until breakfast please refrain from causing anymore trouble such as the incident last night
Sincerely Mathidla M. Lockheart Notary
Your watch beeps 7 o clock as you scour the contents of the dresser, finding your duffel bag you grab your canteen and drink deeply from it. The light pouring in the large ornate windows burns your sensitive eyes. Fishing the compression shorts out of your duffel bag you slip into them before stuffing everything into the bag. A few quick stretches later and you’re feeling good and ready to take on a new day...
At this point all the oppressed emotion washes over you, your team was still dead, hell everyone on earth was still dead. You were the last human dragged off to another land for god knows what reason by a giant winged horse. But at least you were still alive unlike so many dead bastards back home, might as well make the best of a new chance at life right? Quickly squashing doubt and feelings you step out of the ornate wooden door, the hallway dashed down to the left and right ending in large windows, large red carpets ran the length of the hall with rows of unlit torches on either side.
Stepping across and opening the door to the shower room you blink as the steam hits your entire frame. She had neglected to mention it was actually a communal bathing room with a large rectangular pool of water and steps going down each end, the large chandelier hanging overhead gave nice contrast to the rather utilitarian look of the rest of the room, lockers and hangers lined the wall, armor hanging and laying all over the room. But what gave you the most pause was the 30 or so guards in states of bathing, every eye was focused on you this time, strolling casually to an open hangar and stripping ass naked got them to quit staring, pulling soap out of your little bag of wonders you slosh into the warm water enjoying it as it rolled over your muscles up to your midsection, making your way to the closest corner you set to work. Whistling lightly you notice a stallion making his way towards you. When hes about 5 feet away he starts in,
“So you're the big news going round this here castle eh, names Tracker and wouldn’t you believe it, I'm the best gall darned tracker in this place” A smug smile broke across his face with the last bit. Yeah I reckon me turning up here might cause a stir, I'm Marcus, Go by Marx.
“Is that so, well Marx let me know if you need anything, I gottsa feeling we'll be seeing more of each other, but I’ll let you be for now” Actually Tracker I need directions to breakfast, the princess summoned me down there but forgot to tell me where there was exactly.
After a short conversation with tracker and getting suited and booted you began walking down the stairs, after about 20 floors stepped into what looked like the main foyer, massive double doors easily 60 feet tall dominated the wall to the left while an identical staircase was directly across from you. To the right like tracker had said was a corridor and following it you found it led straight into a grand room, besides a delightful smell there was a long rectangular table dominating the center of the room that informed you this was the breakfast hall. At the head of the table sat Celestia with a smaller midnight blue pony to her side that sported the same wing horn combo. The first six seats to the left were taken by the same ponies from last night, as you walked up the right side you muffled your footsteps as best you could without breaking stride. When you get about ten feet away the princess takes notice of you and looks up with a kind smile.
“Marcus so glad you could join us, I was worried you might not wake up in time after last night but I see you're feeling good this morning” bowing her head to you, you bowed back out of respect if not appreciation for saving you. Following her elders voice and gaze the midnight blue pony looked up from what she was doing, noting you with a look of curiosity.
Across from you six heads swiveled and all at once the relative quiet was broken by Dash, bolting straight up from her seat with a powerful flap,
“Rainbow wait” The purple unicorn shouted. Dash was quicklyheaded for you and shouting “So you came looking for round two jerk?”
Dropping your bag and readying yourself you braced, as she impacted with your chest at an amazing speed with more mass than you thought possible you stood still, your breath escaped in a light huff as you wrestled to hold her pinned against you until a booming voice commanded the two of you “Rainbow Dash cease at once, Marcus, please release her, she means no harm” As she stopped struggling you let her go. but you instinctively jumped back a few feet anyway.
Now returned to a normal speaking volume the princess questioned us, “Rainbow Dash, Have I not informed you that Marcus is our honored guest, that you are to treat and respect him just as you would your closest friends? While I understand that your pride is hurt you must realize the gravity of the situation, your thoughts and actions must be brought to a hold and be made with a clear mind or Equestria may surely fall.” A deep blush broke across the blue pegasi's face, “But he came to the park last night and attacked us!”
I did no such thing, I was spying behind a tree when the Pinkie Pie compromised my cover and I made to disappear, if you had let me leave we wouldn’t have had to fight, you finished and felt heat rise within you, how dare she lie to the princess on you. "You both did wrong last night, the important thing is that you must both get along from here on out. Now if you too are done I would ask that you join us at breakfast Marcus.” You were hungry even if Dash was a cunt, sitting down 2 seats away from the princess you kept your head down avoiding eye contact.
As soon as you looked back up you were greeted by a sickly sweet scent and a face full of pink(NO I said no clop and I meant it), “Hey mister, I’m so glad you could make it today cause after you ran off last night I got super duper worried that you might be in trouble or something and we looked all over but couldn’t find you so then we all went to sleep then came here early this morning but I was still super worried about you" she said with a wink and a smile. You're Pinkie Pie right? you said with a returned wink and smile, well my name is Marcus and its a pleasure to meet you, holding out a hand towards her you realize she cant shake it, so you curl it into a fist and watch as a giant grin creeps across her face as she returns it. The same happy feeling spreads through you, its been a long time since you've made friends and for it to go this swimmingly is kind of surprising.
No one else seemed to catch on to where you were last night, except whoever brought you here last night...
With breakfast carted out shortly after you finished with introductions and an apology to Rainbow Dash (Not your nature but you may need a good ally like her, and she was your favorite virtue) you come to understand that you are HUNGRY AS FUCK. You're not sure what they've set in front of you, but that slows you down none as you dig in, tastes and smells like you've never encountered back home assault you. Devoid of meat (Eggs but I mean, wat?) you remember ponies are largely vegetarian. After you've all finished eating you reitire to the “Council chamber” which is the same thing just without food and silverware strewn across the table.
Full and ready to undertake more serious matters you take a seat at the new table. Waiting and watching all the other ponies you study them. Applejack, the orange pony with a flowing blonde mane walks with a rigid stride, back straight and strong with muscles rippling across her hind legs and chest.
After everyone was seated Celestia broke straight into conversation all traces of fun disappearing replaced by a serious face
Staring back up at her it was easy enough to come up with questions, but hard to ask them, she was the ruling party here and if you had been taught anything in your last life it was respect.
Princess if I may talk freely, I would ask that you explain why you brought me here?
“You are the best of your kind, I watched for years as you were put through hellish tortures and medical experimentation. Your spirit is nigh unbreakable and your loyalty both to friend and state is unfaltering, you are the best of the best, and we need your help”.
So that was it then, you had suspected as much, you had a new country to serve and a new world to save. This revelation gave you purpose and a new excitement, another chance to be useful and prove yourself, the events leading up to now were pushed from your memory and replaced with true elatedness.
_______________________________________________________
It was simple really, laying in your bed later that evening, mapping out a plan.
While the griffins shouldn't be a problem the swamp was a wild card, and while you were a damn good mountain climber it occurred to you that the girls wouldn't be. Plus the fact all this added up to roughly 50 miles in 4 days, something you could easily do in one but dragging a group of six whining girls behind you was going to be a pain in the ass.
A soft knock on the door brought your attention away from the maps and notes you had strewn across the bed, hold up I'll be right there, slipping on a shirt you walk across the room, Opening the door you found a midnight pony standing in your doorway, princess Luna looked up at you with those same cautious eyes but now they had a gentle kindness, she looked nervous "Hello Marcus, I apologize for visiting you this late at night, but my duties require an odd schedule, If I am interrupting I can go"
Not at all princess please come in, you usher her in as you step to the side, a soft smile graces her delicate face as she steps inside and walks over to dresser, you grab the stuff off of your cot and offer it to her but she insists on standing.
"Are you enjoying your stay in the castle so far?" She asks casually, her mane full of stars blowing with the soft breeze rolling through the window. Its been pleasant yes, but with due respect I wonder what brings royalty to the bed chambers of a simple human? "Oh you are anything but simple Marcus, please call me Luna. I have come merely to socialize, to be honest..." Her gaze shifts first out the window then down to the ground, her smile fading, "Truthfully I have come to be reminded, A long time ago another of your kind came here." (DA wait for it)
Rising at five am the next morning and hopping out of bed you quickly bathe and dress, strolling downstairs something glinting on the wall catches your eye, it’s a large sword, diamonds set into a leather wrapped hilt, the blade large and triangle shaped spilling over the handle by about six inches.
The end of the hilt was the head of a dragon and the blade had ‘The flames may work against me, but no beast shall best me with the blessings of the queen’
As you go to turn away from the unusual sword you find that you can’t, not that your own will was lacking but the room was gone, looking around you there was only blackness, turning back around the sword you found a burly human knight holding it palm up in front of you.
“Young wanderer, you know not what you involve yourself in, but please, take this sword and know my blessing and the oldfathers, may it strike true fear into the hearts of anyone that would stand against you.”
The knight took a knee and presented the blade to you, taking it by the hilt you felt the true weight of it. Before you could say anything further the room returned and you were standing there sword in hand, taking the sheath off the wall and slinging everything on your back you made your way to the entrance hall.
Downstairs the princess had already brought together the royal guard for the blessing ceremony, the paparazzi had been allowed to assemble off of the giant red carpet down the center of the room. As you cantered down the stairs you think about just how strange that whole encounter was. Just before you step into the hall you stop. Seeing you were the first one down you back up against the wall and wait beside a large flowerpot, making eye contact with the princess she winked at you and you heard the same voice cut through your head.
“I see you don’t care for crowds” Not in any particular instance ma’am. “Understandable, I see you also found the dragons bane?” Did you meet Parsees?” Someone came to me dressed as a knight, a human, I was going to ask about that. “Parsees represents all that is pure and noble, the blade you hold now was forged from the fang of a large dragon in the war forge, an ancient thing in itself. The more that blade is held by a single person the more in tune they become.” What do you me… Just then the rest of your entourage plodded down the steps looking quite tired.
“Good morning my little ponies, gather here in the center. Now ladies and gentlemen, today these six brave ponies venture off to save our land from certain destruction, together with the guardian of legend they shall save us and learn many things on this journey. So now as high ruler of this land, with all power I hold I bless these six and ask the guardian to use his knowledge to guard these as his own children. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and you Fluttershy, Be careful and watchful, the road ahead is dangerous and daunting, but together with Marcus I am sure you can pull through. Now goodbye my friends.”
With that the princess was done, you heard the personal address at the end via telepathy you knew it was time to leave. Sneaking towards the front door you stepped outside and ran to the chariot that would escort you to the edge of held territory. The ponies reached the cart shortly after and you were off.
Dash started in first “Dude you missed the send off ceremony!” No I didn’t, I watched the whole thing, I’ve never been one for spotlights. Rarity’s face turned into a slight frown as she added in “But darling, what is life if not a giant spotlight, you’ve got your own… allure.” I died 10 years ago, when I was taken from my home they faked my death in a plane crash and since then my whole purpose hinged on not being caught. I never existed as far as most people are concerned.
The rest of the short ride was spent by the ponies talking mostly amongst themselves while you told dash about planes and the lack of magic on earth.
Landing softly in a large field you grab your bag and sling your new sword, jumping down you note the sponginess of the ground and how damp the air was, not 3 miles to the north was a large tree patch, Goldeneye swamp.
“Everyone got everything they need” the lead Pegasus pony asked, Yeah I think we’re good, thanks for the ride. “Not a problem sir, good luck to all of you” With that they were off climbing quickly into the air, watching them depart you saw something streaking across the sky. Realizing too late you cry for the 3 ponies pulling the sky cart to watch out, but the missile crashed straight into the side of the cart and it came raining down.
Everyone get away you screamed grabbing the two closest ponies to you and throwing them away, you all started running the opposite direction you saw the missile streak.
“Oi ain’t this a funny looking one, tell yah what beastie, you hand those pretty girlees over and any valuables you got and I just might let you live okay?” I’m sorry is all you reply with. “Sorry for what?” Killing your crew. “My crew ain” Taking the second he wasn’t looking forward you leapt digging your knife into his neck and pulling straight down all the way to his breast, as his blood shot out spraying a line down your suit you looked straight into his widening eyes, clutching his throat to no avail you unsheathe your new sword and step towards the rest of them, they all turned tail and left in a hurry. Stepping back towards the girls you realize they are all staring at you.
“You… you killed him, just like that” Twilight managed to stammer out while Fluttershy cried beside her. Well yeah, it was him or us you retort.
This trip was going to be long you sighed and set back towards the swamp.
Listen guys, after that last reaction I got I figured you needed a talking too, this isn’t another day in the life, you might see some terrible things out there that you don’t like. You may have to kill just to stay alive, I promised to protect you and if that means bathing in the blood of my enemies than I’m sure not averse to doing just that.
“But they are living people, they have lives. What gives us the right to take that from them” Twilight spoke up after a short awkward silence. The fact that if we don’t kill them everyone may die, remember, the world is in our hands, and ill be damned if I fail a planet twice. Now everyone up, we need to get moving. Turning and trusting that they could stay strong you set off.
“Do you think they can do it sister? Kill an innocent man, even if it is to save us?” The younger pony spoke with a hushed voice in a dim lit room deep within the castle, away from prying ears.
__________________________________
As you neared the swamps surrounding forest around seven o clock you can feel the air and ground start to change, the air becoming thick and hot while the ground started to sag under your feet, sloshing with every step. No one had spoken to you yet, but they had resumed conversations amongst themselves shortly after you spoke to them, you weren’t sure if you liked the quiet or not.
The swamp was dull and green reminding you heavily of operations in Africa, Calling back memories of you and Nova tearing across the hellhole in a fan boat, swimming miles wearing re-breathers, that swamp had been hot, even the water was like jumping into the bath house at the castle, this one was not, it felt foreign and dangerous.
Twilight, what can we expect to find in that water? “Nothing really lives in the swamp except alligators and bugs, but even they should be mostly docile.” Yeah non hostile hostiles, I’ve heard that one before you chuckle under your breath, “You don’t expect us to actually get IN that water do you dear?” Rarity cuts in before you could turn away from them. No, Twilight, you can move objects with your magic right? “Sure I can.” Then wait here you say before you saunter away to some nearby trees. You take your knife and sink it to the hilt several times on a nearby large oak type tree, its about five feet around and twenty or so foot tall the top having been broken off, and after several strikes you kick three times leaving footprints each time, with a mighty crack the tree topples over. Cutting a small wedge from the still standing base you strike a hole and hammer it in with more kicks, breaking the tree into two ten foot long round logs. Lashing them together at each end with para-cord you make a really terrible raft of sorts.
“Oh yes this is so much better” Rarity retorts with enough sarcasm to almost make you give a fuck
Whats wrong?,
“Well ah knew yah was strong and all, but goodness alive ah didn’t think you was Magic strong.” Applejack states rather bluntly.
I'm not magic, my strength comes from years of development and training, with a touch of science. I worked to get this way, realizing that might have been rather insulting you try to amend the situation, Not that magic doesn’t take work or anything. Twilight and Rarity don’t look convinced. Shaking the looks off you jump onto the raft and stomp around a bit, you don't sink it and so give it the clear.
After everyone is aboard twilight begins to push you through the thick water and brush. Standing at the front of the ship you begin to relax a little, after a half hour it seems the swamp will be a merciful place, full of nothing but bugs(Not even the biting kind). Dash tell me, you say as you turn to the blue Pegasus, I never got to see the town while I was sneaking around, whats this world like when its not about to end. She stares at you for a few seconds but then starts in.
********************
**********
You land a savage blow to his nose but the water is his domain and he continues towards you, Grabbing your right arm he chomps mercilessly, fire shoots up your arm as all the nerves are flayed at the elbow and your forearm is snapped in half, dragging you under you fight to pull your arm out but can't.
With the threat of drowning coming ever closer you reach over and bite a chunk out of the fuckers nose, bobbing for air and diving back down you meet the great beast, opening its maw you skirt around it and latch onto its back right behind its head. Grabbing its jaw as far forward as you can reach with your one arm you latch on and begin to pull backwards, the thing does everything it can to get away but you just keep pulling, as you reach the edge of how far the gators head will move back you summon all your strength and rip back as hard as you can, feeling the beasts spine snap you let it go and it sinks to the bottom of the swamp
Surfacing a few feet from the raft you see the relieved expressions of your ponies, "Yeah we knew you wouldn't let those big ugly things give you what for" Rainbow dash shouts in triumph buzzing over and helping pull you on the raft
But as you sprawl onto your back they realize how hurt you are “Oh Celestia, Marcus your arm is a wreck!” Fluttershy says as she rushes over too you. Sitting down you survey the damage, Broken bones all in the lower parts along with most of the muscle torn away at the elbow joint, the bleeding is already nearly stopped but you're getting truly hungry as your body repairs itself. Don't worry Fluttershy, I'll be fine soon you tell the yellow pony trying to open her pack and pull out medical supplies, how about you save those for someone that might need them.
I have to eat you announce from the front of the raft, and those bouquets you guys packed aren’t going to cut it. Pulling the smallest gator back onto the raft you turn away from them and begin carving scales off the underbelly, You guys might not wanna watch this you throw back, oh and Twilight? Head that way.
Dash flies over to you a little while later, looking up from your bloody feast you can see the disgust in her eyes, but she tries her best to hide it as she lands beside you,
"Do you really have to..." Her voice trailing off as her eyes scan over the mutilated green creature before you.
Yeah, if I don't eat my body wont fix itself.
"We brought plenty of food though"
I can't eat all the same things you guys can, besides its not enough and you guys would need to forage the rest of the trip, and judging from the map you don't wanna do that. With a look of resignation she lays down beside you and is quit for a while. You know, you never finished telling me about the wonderbolts you say in between bites. Her eyes softening a little she starts into a long winded explanation about them.
The better part of the day later you have navigated the swamp with no more incident, your body feeling fresh and new and most of the ponies still upset at you, now not only for killing living things but eating them too.
Stepping off the raft you and rolling your para-cord back into a bracelet you check the time and get seven PM, Dark should be setting in soon so lets put a little distance on this swamp and set up close to that rock overhang, you say pointing straight ahead where the land loses all signs of greenery and transitions to barren plains.
Heading for the rocks you start to run, feeling the wind break across your face as you start to really pour it on and a huge grin grows across your face, quickly leaving the ponies behind you start to top out somewhere near fifty miles an hour, streaking across the plains you start jumping across boulders and slam into the rock and climb up it, settling down up top against a large boulder you take your binoculars and watch the others making sure they stay safe.
A small time later the moon and sun suddenly swapped places and night fell, it was strange not to have a rotation like home, but nice at the same time, with a couple of tents set up and dinner eaten all the ponies retire, save for Dash and Applejack who pull up across the fire from you and wait a while before speaking, "Marcus yah done saved our lives a few times and while ah reckon ah don't agree with your methods all the time, Dash here trusts you and that means ah do too.
Thanks Applejack, I was kinda wondering if you guys would come back around after the alligator incident. "It scares the rest of the girls, with good reason, but ahm sure they'll pull around after they see you're one o the good fellas. But enough of that, what was your life back on... uh, whadja call it anyway?"
Laughing and thinking back about it you begin to explain to them about earth and yourself.
A pleasant feeling crept across you, slowly radiating warmth from within, you were happy, and you had made friends.
