Mitchell

Unknown date. October-December, 2048.

I undid my seatbelt and had a good stretch. I let out a sigh of relief, relief that we had escaped the ponies, relief that the TASV worked, relief that we didn't crash-land. Relief in general, really. Trey was getting his seatbelt off and he stretched as well.

“Ahh. Ok, I’m ready.” He put on his backpack and took his rifle as he yawned. “I heard jet lag dissipates after a while.” He commented as he scratched his eyes. “Let's get out of here.”

“You know that was one of the most commonly used lines in movies?” I blurted out.

“Nope.” Trey said, as he approached the thick metal door and pulled a lever. Something was heard inside the door, probably the lock releasing. Trey tried to push the door, putting his weight against it, but it wouldn’t open. “Well this is embarrassing. A little help?”

“Here, let the master do it,” I grinned and flexed my muscles, pushing Trey out of the way. I pushed on the door, not with my full strength but a fair amount of it. The door was jammed tighter than a screw.

I shoved my full weight against it, but the door would simply not budge. “I think we’re gonna have to do this one together,” I said, as I swallowed my pride.

Trey and I both pushed against the door, as we could hear something breaking from the outside. “What got this thing so stuck? Damn.” Trey said as he grunted. Suddenly, the door slowly opened, revealing the small grassland we had landed in. We both heard something breaking outside, like if it were ice.

Background Music

We exited the ship, as we noticed it was frozen from the base and had frozen part of the door as white fog fell to the ground from the low temperature. We were now stepping on grass in a small open field surrounded with trees and a small gap between them, possibly an exit with a path.

“So, which way to California?” I asked, I didn't know much about America, being a true Englishman at heart.

“One moment...” Trey said, as we crouched and took off his backpack and set it on the floor as he opened it. He took out our GPS and extended it’s small metallic antenna. The device looked an awful lot like the Wii U’s tablet. Trey kept staring at the device, as he made a confused expression.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

“It’s not turning on. I swear I checked it was fully charged before we got into the ship.” He said. “Nothing to worry about though, it’s charged with sunlight.”

“How long will it take to charge?” I questioned.

“It takes about an hour or so to charge fully, but even then, it should turn on this small light at the corner. It signals it’s still functional, and I don’t see it” He explained. “Could the vortex have done something?”

“Maybe,” I said, turning around to look back at the TASV, to take a final glance at the human machinery that quite possibly saved the human race.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to use the map for now.” Trey said, putting the malfunctioning GPS back to his backpack, then taking the US map. He expanded the map with both his arms. “Here, look. See this red circle in Florida?” He said, now taking half the map and pointing with his finger.
"We are somewhere inside the red circle. I say we find some nearby town or any sign of civilization to find out what place we are in. Then we’ll use the map to see where said town is located and we’ll go from there.”

“Wait, what year is it again?” I asked, hoping, but not wanting to get my hopes up too much.

“We are somewhere, no.” Trey corrected himself. “Sometime between October and December of the year 2048.”

“Oh my God he’ll still be alive!” I exclaimed happily, “my brother! He’ll be somewhere in New Zealand helping the HLF there! I need to get a radio call to him!”

“Wow, wow, stay focused man. We were sent in a specific mission and we were specifically told to not deviate from the mission at all costs.” Trey told me, raising his voice a little. “If we succeed, it will undo, remember?”

“Are you saying,” I started to get angry, “that I cannot prevent my own brother’s conversion into one of those horse fuckers! What if we fail, huh? Then what? I will not let you tell me I can't save him!”

“Listen, if we fail, everyone would get converted at some point. Even us. The only way to save your brother is by sticking to the plan alright?” Trey said, trying to calm me. “I know it must hurt, but we need to make the best choice possible, even if it seems wrong at first.”

“The best choice would be to warn every piece of resistance we can about upcoming pony attacks so if we do fail then at least we will have saved them!” I argued, “if I can radio a message to Stan then I can tell him when and how he’ll be ponified and prevent it!”

“And how do you plan on contacting him now? He is at the other side of the world, and by the time we get there...” Trey fell silent.

“He gets ponified in January, a fair few weeks after the HLF there fall. That’s more than enough time to get to the HLF base, who have sophisticated communication devices. I can tell him from there. We agreed before we got separated to use a specific radio station to contact each other on.” I said, figuring out the plan in my head.

“Ok, ok. I guess we can do that since we would be heading to the same base. It should be fine I guess.” Trey said. “As long as you don’t tell him anything about us time traveling.”

“Well what else will I say? Hey bro, I know the exact time, date and location of your ponification and how you can avoid it, love you lots!” I said sarcastically.

Trey opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, we both heard branches crack at a distance. We quickly changed glances. Trey’s eyes were wide open.
“Let’s go that way, quick!” Trey whispered me, as he put his map quickly into his backpack and beginning to move away towards a small dirt road that we had seen between the trees.

“Are you crazy! There's no cover there!” I tried to call after him and drew my Glock 19.

Trey turned around and crouched while approaching back to the ship. He had only made about 3 meters of distance. Trey got into the ship.
“Shit, it’s a patrol. Can’t tell if Potion or Purity.” Said Trey as his voice echoed in the ship. “They’re 5. They are trotting here quickly.”

“Will you pipe down!” I hissed at him, “you're creating more noise than an electric drill!” I followed him into the ship and closed the door. “Barricade the entrance,” I said.

“What are you thinking?! They could throw a potion grenade if they opened it!” Trey whispered.

“-s that thing?! Commander Pearl, do you have any idea?” Said a male voice outside the ship.

“I… I don’t know.” A female voice responded with an amazed tone. “I mean… it looks like some kind of ship.”

I glanced a Trey, his back against metal with the circle window above his head. He had his rifle aiming at the entrance. I too, had my Glock aimed right at the entrance, ready for the ponies to come bursting in.

“Should we take a look inside? I mean, now that I think about it, there could be someone inside.” Said another stallion in a nervous tone.
“You’re right Thunder, let’s take a look.” Hoofsteps were heard moving around the ship, getting closer to the entrance.

Trey was trying to get calm, taking a few breaths. Personally, I was as prepared as I could be, my gun arm was not too relaxed but not too tense, my breathing was slow and steady and my mind was clear. I waited for the door to open, for the first opportunity to spill pony blood. The door began to open with a pink aura of magic, revealing a light-pink unicorn outside. She gasped in horror as soon as she saw us both aiming at her.

“Surprise motherfucker,” I said, and pulled the trigger, my gun kicking upwards as the bullets entered her skull.

“Pearl!” A male voice cried out, coming near the fallen pink unicorn. “Pearl, please talk to me!” Said a white stallion pegasus.
“Human everypony! Get your launchers ready!” Someone said from outside.

Without warning, Trey got up and got to the entrance with his rifle. He took the stallion with one arm and held him hostage, with his rifle pointing at his head. “Drop your launchers now or he gets it! I’m serious!”

“They won't negotiate!” I yelled at him, “they’re Ponies, they’ll just shoot their Potion at you! Get back in here!”

Trey did not listen to me. He still held the stallion hostage. “If you saw their faces Mitchell. They care too much for him to risk his life, isn’t that right?” Trey said, directing his attention to the stallion being held from his chest.

“Y-you monsters! Bastards!”

“That’s what happens when you join Potion squads. Now everyone stay back or I will kill him.”

“Trey! Just kill the arsehole, they're not going to listen to you! I do not want to see you ponified before we can even get anywhere near the location we need to be,” I yelled, careful not to reveal where we were headed.

“Ok.” Trey whispered loud enough for just me and the stallion to hear. “At the count of three, I release him and you shoot everyone.”
“Wha-?!” The stallion said, before getting his mouth covered by one of Trey’s hands.
“Mhhh?! Muh! Mhhh!” The stallion seemed to try to warn them, but it was useless.

“Arseholes! This is for my parents and brother!" I cried out as I burst out from the ship, firing my Glock expertly into the Ponies. Countless hours of training back in the old NASA base had allowed me to be able to handle the weapon perfectly. I managed to take down two of them by sheer surprise and good aim, then the others had managed to load their Potion weapons. I made a way to get away from Trey, if I could draw their fire it would be a lot more helpful for him. Potion splattered a bit to my left and I reloaded my gun, throwing the empty mag down. I shot the one who fired the Potion and the other one started to run, I let him get a bit away then shot him in the back, quicker deaths then they deserve, I reckon.

Trey had put the stallion down and kicked it in the stomach, grunting in pain and leaving him vulnerable.
“Owww...” The stallion said. I had taken down the whole squad in a matter of seconds and reloaded my gun.

I glanced at Trey, who had his foot on top of the stallion’s stomach, aiming at his head with his rifle. “You make any sudden movement and you die, you hear?” Trey said, trying to intimidate the stallion.

“Oh for God’s sake just kill it,” I grunted, “you’re such a wimp,”.

Trey snorted at my insult. “He can have valuable information of nearby patrols. I think he’s worth more alive at this moment.”

The stallion, still in pain, looked up at Trey. “W-why do you do this? Can’t you see we want you to be happy?”

“And can’t you understand it’s not necessary to be converted? You are wrong, not us.”

“What? No, you are wrong! You are misguided! We are saving your kind, how can you not see it?!”

“Look here arsehole, you’ve been going around destroying any humans you find and turning them into goddamn horses. That’s genocide mate,” I said.

“Genocide?! This is nothing like genocide!”” The pegasus exclaimed. “Ever seen somepony regretting being converted? Huh?”

"No, because you mind-rape them with your goddamn Potion!" I exclaimed angrily.

"We do not, the Potion is as pure as Princess Celestia herself!" The stallion objected.

“It surely messes with their minds in someway. So what do you know? Speak.” Trey said, aiming his rifle at his forehead.

I could notice the stallion hesitated on his answer. “I...I’m not saying anything.”

“Trey, just kill him. A grunt like this won't know anything. The only one who was worth anything was their commander,” I stated.

Bang!

Without a warning, Trey had pulled the trigger. The stallion now laid on the ground, lifeless. Trey looked away from the body. The place was once again silent, not even birds were heard.

“I’ll be honest here Mitchell.” Trey said. “Call me a wimp, but I really hate killing anything at all. Even though you probably already knew that.”

“If you saw what they did in England…” I trailed off, “you wouldn't spare them any mercy. There’s nothing clean, nothing pure on their side of the war, Celestia is an animal who needs to be put down.”

Trey sighed. “And you’re right I guess. Never really got to fight any ponies in the HLF. Someone else could of heard our gunfire, we should get moving.” Trey said, with his backpack and rifle lowered. Now we both were walking to the path we had noticed a few minutes ago. Everything was peaceful once again. Trey and I are going to be together for a long time now, might as well get a conversation flowing.

“You know, I haven't seen my brother since we parted ways in England." I said, "I came to help in America, and Stan went to New Zealand. We only communicated every once in awhile via radio. I received news of his conversion as he was travelling with a small group of the former HLF there. 12th January 2049, Tuesday, 15:09. I’ve memorised that date ever since I was selected. I've had the plan to prevent it since a day later.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Trey said, as we now walked down a dirt path with trees at the sides. “You told me your parents willingly converted huh?”

“Yeah, my brother and I… We ran away that day. I was only 15. We found the HLF there in London and joined up. It's where I learned to shoot. One year later, the Barrier destroys England and we go our separate ways. I wasn't even meant to end up here, Pegasi made the plane crash over Cape Canaveral, dumb luck made me find the base.”

“I see.” Trey responded as he walked down a now concrete road. “Yeah, pegasi can be very dangerous. Silent, fast, agile. I didn’t know they could take an entire plane down though.” Now birds could be heard in the background. “There were stories of HLF bases in England literally getting vaporised going around back on our base,"

“The Pilot panicked, I’m pretty sure he deliberately crashed the plane. I barely survived myself.”

“Well, you were very lucky to find the base. Who would've known it was going to be the last one standing huh?”

“Yeah, I was literally just stumbling around dazed, bruised and cut up all over,” I said, reminiscing.

And like that we kept on walking down the road. Not sure where or when we were, but we would find out soon.

Author's Note

12th May: Fixed some grammar and spelling, redone some sentances to make more sense.
MichaelTheBoss: Hello once again! As a reminder, Mitchell is written by me, Trey by hourglass. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as we enjoyed writing it. If you haven't seen any of our other stories written by us both, feel free to check them out. Anything to say, hourglass?

hourglass24: Ponies.

MichaelTheBoss: Anything relevant to this story? No? Well then.

Have a good day/night

MichaelTheBoss