I stepped out of my Sedan, greeted by the warm smile of General Irvin Day, "Ah, Sergeant Major, good to see that you made a decision." Yeah, a decision I may regret if it goes sour.
I saluted and forced a smirk, "Glad to see that I'm not being tied down to a gurney and slid into a poorly lit room."
General Day chuckled, saluting back. "We're not doing that, lad. But before we head in, let me remind you that there may be unprecedented side effects. Those scientists want to make it clear with you before they begin. Understand?"
"I know, and I do. If I didn't, I'd be leaving." I turned to the army base built into the side of one of Utah's Rocky Mountains, the two double doors that lead in seeming out of place, "Let's head in, shall we?"
"Right this way." General Day stated, turning and opening the double doors. When I entered, I saw that the place was full of medical staff, some in hazmat suits while others were walking with trays of what appeared to be antibiotics. It seemed wild and unorganized, and when I followed the general down a hall that had flickering lights, I felt shivers crawl up my spine as I soon doubted that I wasn't going to be tied down.
The general took a sharp right and opened a door, and I was brought into a room that was pure white. The smell of medicinal alcohol hitting my nose almost caused me to gag, but I held it in as to not make the room drastically less sterile. I saw a soldier wearing what appeared to be an exo-suit, carrying a broken helicopter's roter blade. I was stunned, to say the least; how come we didn't have that in our military yet? I then realized that it was a prototype and that the risks of it breaking down was high. The room itself was huge, spanning about seventy feet wide, long, and high, like a giant cube of sorts. Perfect for tests and containment if things go wrong.
"Sergeant Major?" A feminine voice asked, and I turned to see a masked doctor holding a syringe filled with green liquid. Next to her was a seat with straps for the legs and hands. "Take a seat so that we can begin the process."
I eyed the seat for a moment, then turned to the doctor with a quizzical look, "If I may be so inclined to ask, what in the hell is that?" I pointed directly at the liquid in the syringe.
She held it out so that I could get a closer look at it, "This is a serum that, if injected into the subject's bloodstream, should give him or her immense strength and enhanced regenerative abilities. Meaning that he or she will be able to lift up to three hundred pounds easily, five hundred being the maximum in theory. It also means that he or she will be able to laugh off a shotgun blast from point blank, basically making their muscles and arteries as strong as stainless steel." She motioned to the chair, "Now please take a seat, Sergeant Major."
I sighed, sitting in the chair as two other doctors came over and got me strapped in. I sure as hell wasn't on a roller coaster, but the thrill of getting injected with an unknown liquid made my face pale. The doctor dabbed a spot on my right arm with medicinal alcohol, then brought the syringe to it, slowly puncturing the skin and injecting the serum into my bloodstream.
She backed away, same with General Day who was giving me a comforting smile. Everyone stopped and stared at me for a moment, even the soldier in the exo-suit. At first, I felt nothing; no agonizing pain, no dizziness, no sudden want to kill everyone. Nothing. I sat there for a few minutes, waiting for something, and was about to say something before I suddenly felt a growing pain in my arms that soon had me screaming at the top of my lungs as I gripped onto the arm of the chair. Without warning, the arm of the chair began bending and the strap eventually broke. The pain was soon around my entire body, and I screamed in agony as I began shaking my head furiously, using my now-free hand to break the other arm of the chair. I then kicked my legs, breaking the straps on them and I arose, falling to the ground. The pain around my body was unbelievably painful, worse than getting shot by a bullet then having someone jab their thumb in it. Soon, my world went black, and the last thing I saw was General Day and the doctor rushing over to me.
General Day had never seen Fredrick break out of a steel chair before, so that means that the test had worked, but the fact that he blacked out worried him. The doctor began doing CPR on him, but that was useless as he stopped breathing several minutes ago. He was dead, no doubt, but the doctor didn't want to believe it.
General Day put a hand on her shoulder, "Doc, he's gone." The doctor stopped the CPR, standing and putting a hand over her face. General Day heard her weeping behind her hand, and sighed, "I know how you feel; the Sergeant Major was a great man, and it's sad to lose him. But he understood the risks of the procedure, doc." He glanced at the dead body of Sergeant Major Fredrick Brooks, watching as two doctors lifted him and carried him away, most likely to the morgue. "He has no relatives, since most served in the army and lost their lives fighting for freedom, but he will be remembered."
The doctor turned around and hugged him, crying profusely, "I know, it's just... I-I hate to be the one doing these kind of things. I-It makes me feel like I'm... I'm responsible for their deaths!"
General Day sighed, holding her tightly; he knows the pain she's going through, and it's understandable given her current situation. He'd been the cause of death for several foreign soldiers who had families and loved ones hoping that they'd come home, only to find that they've been slaughtered in the shameful game of war.
Suddenly, there was a loud blast coming from behind him, and he saw the two doctors who dragged Fredrick Brooks get pushed back as said soldier was dragged into a portal of sorts. General Day was speechless, and as soon as Fredrick was on the other side of the portal, it vanished as suddenly as it opened.
The exo-suit soldier ran up to the doctors, "What the hell was that?!"
General Day continued to stare, his mind trying to catch his thoughts. He couldn't find them however, and shook his head. And I thought I'd seen it all..., he thought to himself.
I awoke in a forest, my mind going blank as I realized that I wasn't in the army base anymore. There were trees, no desert, no sand, just trees, dirt, and grass. I arose from where I was laying, looking around cautiously; where was General Day? Where was the base? Surely they wouldn't just dump me in a forest, even if I was dead. Maybe the base got raided by terrorists and they dumped me in a forest because they believed I was dead? No, too simplistic; there is a reason the word 'terror' is in 'terrorist'. If it was terrorists, they'd be torturing me on live television. Luckily, I was still in my uniform, as being naked in the forest would make me have other thoughts of how I got there.
My stomach grumbled, signifying that I was hungry. I had to find food, just to satiate my hunger momentarily. I began walking through the woods, hoping that I'd run into berry bushes or perhaps a water stream. Water burns like food, but it doesn't give the nutrients like food has. But where the hell was I? Seriously, this forest was huge, bigger than any forest I've ever been to. It didn't have tropical trees, so I wasn't anywhere in South America. The trees were plentiful, meaning that I wasn't in Africa. They were all pine trees, meaning that I wasn't in Europe or Asia. So I must be somewhere in North America, maybe I was still in the U.S., but I couldn't tell for sure.
I stopped as I heard running water, and I turned to my left and walked towards it. I eventually came across a river, and when I scooped up some water and drank it with my hand, I was glad that it wasn't salt water. I continued to drink until I felt rejuvenated, and once I did, I sat down and sighed; life's a bitch, but I'm sure I'll be back home and in bed within a week or so. God knows I'll be screaming at General Day if I'm brought back to serve when I get back.
My ears perked when I heard rustling ahead of me, and when I looked up, I saw a human. I smiled, and stood up to get his attention, until I studied him closer; he was wearing clothes, just like every other human, but he was wearing a collar that had a leash... huh, strange... maybe just some teens and their fantasies...?
"Come on, boy." A feminine voice stated, and when I saw who said it, I was shocked to see a pony with a horn holding the leash. Excuse me, I meant levitating the leash. My eyes widened as the human obeyed, and I simply couldn't believe the thought of being the pet of something, especially a pony!
As the human followed the pony back, I waited for them to leave then turned around and sprinted, my heart beating in my chest. Where the fuck was I?! Why the fuck was there a talking pony?! And why the fuck did that man listen to it?! I stopped when I came to the edge of the forest, my eyes staring at the endless rows of apple trees in front of me. An apple farm? Nothing else? For fuck's sake...
Hesitantly, I decided to jog instead of sprint, as I was nearing my limit. I can jog for a few hours, but sprinting is another story. I just hope that those ponies won't find me and turn me into a pet or something. I was also beginning to think that I wasn't going home in a week or so, probably a year by now, if I was lucky.
As I continued down the rows of apple trees, I spotted a farm in the distance, and sighed with relief; finally, some civilization. I couldn't wait to get back home, but first I'd need to ask for directions, hopefully the people there could provide some answers about that talking pony in the forest.
I jogged towards the farm, reaching the fence and hopping over it as I then decided to walk instead. I took in my surroundings; there was a barn on the far side of the farm full of what appeared to be cows, hay and dirt littered the ground, like a farm would have, and there was a large sign facing away from me that appeared to be the entrance to the farm. The house in front of me was small, with steps leading up to the door along with a wooden deck on each side. There was a rocking chair on one side, and the roof was covering both sides.
I walked up the steps, raised my hand and knocked on the door. I looked behind me, putting my hands in my pockets as I waited patiently for someone to answer the door. I quickly adjusted my uniform, making sure that I was in presentable order; even if I am in need, I must be decent to show that I mean business.
I heard sounds on the other side of the door, and soon enough the door opened. My jaw dropped when I saw a young little pony; she had a red mane that was tied with a red bow, along with a yellow coat. It gave me an odd look, "What're you doin' here big fella? Did ya lose your owner or somethin'?" She asked, I assumed it was a she, based off her voice.
I stared at her for a few more seconds, before coughing into my hand. I don't got an 'owner', and I never will. However, when I tried to speak, I suddenly took into account what she said... owner... means that someone has responsibility or ownership over something... and in this case it's me, so humans must be slaves or something here... what the fuck?!
She looked behind her, "Applejack! I found a stray human!" My eyes widened and I stepped back, losing my footing and falling down the steps. I groaned in pain, raising my head and seeing a taller pony looking at me. She was tan and had a blonde mane, and wore a brown Stetson. I assumed it was 'Applejack', and then I heard the young pony's voice, "Ah think it's a bit scared."
'Applejack' nodded, "Ah think he belongs to the Royal Guard, Applebloom. Just look at his get 'up." She looked me over twice, "He might be a breedin' human too, based from his looks." My eyes widened, and I slowly got up, backing away from them. Applejack eyed me closely, "Easy feller, we're not gonna hurt ya." She turned to the little pony, her sister I presumed, "Applebloom, fetch the rope."
My eyes widened, before narrowing; I'm not getting tied down, especially not by a bunch of ponies. When the little one turned around to go fetch some rope, I turned on my heel and sprinted away, leaping over the fence and running for dear life. I heard Applejack yell something my way, but I didn't listen as I got farther and farther away from her, my body being filled with new-found energy.
I eventually reached the forest, and soon began ducking under branches, jumping over tree roots and keeping an eye out for any place to hide.
I don't know how long I've been running, but my legs were beginning to throb, and so I stopped. However, my sudden stop caused all the adrenaline to leave my body, and soon I felt a heavy wave of fatigue fall over me. I gasped for air, bending over and taking deep breaths of air. When that didn't work, I straightened myself and put my hands on top of my head, hoping for better results.
I didn't get that much time to rest, however, as I heard a growl a few feet away. My head snapped towards it, and what I saw almost sent shivers down my spine; it was a wolf... made of wood. I would be terrified, but since I had already given up hope of returning home, I didn't give a fuck about my life. Hell, I doubt I was even on the same planet.
More jumped out of bushes behind the first wolf, and when they all finished jumping out, I counted that there were five in front of me, each snarling and growling at me. The one at the front seemed larger and bulkier than the others, and I believed it was the alpha, as he was about as big as me.
I narrowed my eyes, rage pouring into my mind as I clenched my fists before yelling at the top of my lungs, "You want a fight, you wooden fucks?! Huh?! WELL COME AND GET IT!" I charged at them, yelling a battle-cry as my adrenaline quickly returned. The dogs howled, charging at me all the same.
One on the left leaped at me, its jaw opening and showing its wooden teeth that were dripping with what appeared to be saliva or sap. I did the same, leaping at it with my arms outstretched. We met each other mid-air, and I put my left hand under its jaw then pushed its head upwards, wrapping my right arm around its back as I tackled it. When we landed in the dirt, I wrapped my hands around its head and smashed it into the ground furiously, hoping that it'll just die.
I felt pain rip across my back and I instantly screamed in agony, falling onto my hands. I quickly arose and turned around, meeting the eyes of two wolves who glared back, their snarls not intimidating me at all, really. I glared at them, "You fuckers are dead." I quickly broke out into a sprint towards the two, a ferocious roar erupting from my throat. The dogs hesitated, their eyes widening as I neared them. When they broke out of their stupor, I was already upon them, punching the one on the left across the face while grabbing the other with my hand. Somehow, its head cracked in my hand as my grip tightened on it. I dropped it, turning to the other who was still recovering from the punch and pouncing on it. I grabbed onto the top of its mouth with my left hand, my fingers getting cut and covered in sap. I then grabbed onto its jaw with my right hand, lifting it up into the air as I pulled with all my might. It clawed at my arms, cutting up my uniform and skin, but it was no use as I already had a firm grip. Eventually, the jaw popped out of its wooden socket, soon enough removing itself from the wolf with a *crack*. Green liquid poured out of its mouth as it howled loudly in pain before dying.
I dropped it on the ground, hooking the jaw onto my belt loop as a souvenir. I heard a low growl behind, and I turned to see the alpha glaring at me, the other wolf near it doing the same. I glared at it, looking down at my uniform; it was torn and tattered, obviously useless in this situation and probably useless for any interaction with these ponies, as they see humans as mindless beasts or slaves. I blew air out my nose, removing my all the clothing above my waist. When I finished, I noticed that the alpha appeared to be confused at what I was doing, probably why it didn't attack me while I was doing it. So it was mildly intelligent.
It suddenly glared at me, snarling. I snarled back, "I've trained to fight worse than you back in the army, so you're not going to do much against me, fucker." I stepped forward, the sweat on my body gleaming against the sunlight that had penetrated through the trees. I slammed my fist into my hand, "Come on, I ain't got all day."
The alpha snarled, charging then leaping at me quickly. I attempted to catch it, but its weight was too much and it pinned me to the ground, opening it mouth to take a bite. I screamed in pain as it bit into my neck, and in the corners of my eyes I started to see darkness envelope my view. Here I was, about to die in a magical world where humans are slaves and magical wolves roam forests. What an end to a story.
Sure as hell isn't mine, though.
I gripped onto the wolf's head, prying it off my neck and bringing its eyes to mine. I glared into them, "NOTHING KILLS ME AND LIVES!" I punched it across the face, causing it to roll onto its side. I then quickly crawled over to it and sat on it, gripping onto its head and forcing it to look at me. Its eyes widened as my thumbs dug themselves into the sockets, green liquid spraying out of the new wounds. It howled, and when I removed my thumbs from its sockets, I got off of it and tore the limb off a dead wolf. The alpha had already gotten up, and started shaking its head wildly all the while howling. I quickly ran up to it and smashed it across the face with the leg of its dead brethren, causing it to fall to the ground. I then stood over it, and began smashing its head in with the limb. "YOU!" smash "MOTHER!" smash "FUCKING!" smash "PIECE OF!" smash "SHIT!"
My shoulders heaved as I took in air, glaring at the dead alpha below me. I heard a whimper from the wolf behind me and sneered at it, but I couldn't blame it; I just probably killed its family, the ones it looked up to, the ones it followed. Hell, I probably just killed its father for all I knew. I sighed, turning to it with a sad expression on my face. When it met my gaze, its wooden ears flattened on its head as it backed away fearfully.
My eyes narrowed, turning to it. We stared at each other for a moment, before I finally roared at it and scared it away. It hopped over the bushes and ran into the darkness.
I sighed with relief, turning to the dead wolves; bastards had it coming to them, and so I have no remorse for them. I then noticed something in the blood of the alpha; a mixture of crimson and green... oh shit my neck!
I quickly reached up to my neck and rubbed it, bringing my hand back into view; there was blood on it, but from what I felt I couldn't find any deep wounds. I half-expected it to tear my throat out with those nasty set of teeth it had. I then remembered what the doctor had said before injecting me with the serum and smirked. Muscles and arteries as strong as stainless steel along with regenerative abilities, I thought to myself, nodding approvingly while looking at my hands. I tried to feel the scratches on my back, but found that my back was as smooth as before I came here.
I turned to the dead wolves, remembering that I carried a knife in my boot for emergencies. It was a polished carbon steel knife with saw teeth on the back of it. I pulled the knife out, twirling it around so that the saw teeth were pointing outwards. I then approached the wolves, and began cutting the wood off of them, to which I would soon turn it into armor of sorts.
Two Hours Later
After cutting the wood off their bodies, I discovered that underneath the wood was the fleshy parts of these disgusting creatures. Their skin was almost like moss, but also kind of like strands of grass tightened together. Anyways, after I cut the wood of their bodies, I mounted one of the wolves' heads onto mine, wearing it as a helmet. Had to rip the eyes out, which isn't as bad as it sounds, just think of it like cracking the yolk out of an egg. Anyways, I used the sap to attach a few pieces of the wood to my torso. To get the pieces on my back, I simply laid them out accordingly and covered them in tons of sap, then laid on them. When I got up, the pieces of wood were stuck in place comfortingly. I also got wooden gauntlets that covered my forearms only that were tied by pieces of my tattered shirt; it served a great purpose, at least. I didn't put anything on my legs because I really like the pants since they weren't tattered like the shirt I had, and they also could carry things!
When I was finished with my armor, I grabbed a sharp rock that was conveniently nearby and a long stick that was on the ground next to it. Jesus, super convenient. Anyways, I used what was left of my tattered shirt to tie the sharp rock to the tip of the stick, making a stone-pointed spear. It would prove useful in situations like getting attacked by ponies or hunting animals, especially fishing.
I tightened the fabric that tied the rock to the stick, making sure that it wouldn't pop off. I grabbed onto the rock and moved it around a bit to see if it was loose, but it didn't budge, so I smiled as it was a job well-done.
Standing, I began walking through the forest nonchalantly; I had nothing to fear, I had nothing to live for, but why not make myself a life here? It'll be great, I'm sure. Just think of all the wonderful adventures I'll go on!
Oh who am I kidding... I'm just hungry.
