Regrets

It’s twelve in the afternoon, and what is seen is many tents and ponies running around their track to get daily exercise. It was a peaceful day, with the sun shining down at the camp, and a light breeze to go with it. Austra sees a stallion at a younger age, tying his boots firmly, then another stallion came up to him with a smile.

"You seem to be up early," chuckled the stallion with a Germaney accent. "Usually you sleep in ‘till nighttime, freund."
"Heh...I ain't that lazy, mate, just thought I could get some rest," said the young stallion.
"Pf, yeah, we need our military commander to have his beauty sleep, eh?" they both laughed like they were having a good time, until it transitioned to something very horrid. His smile faded away when he sees that his old friend changed into a beaten up, tied up to a chair. The Germane looked up with saddened eyes to the young stallion. "Commander...why?" he mumbled. "Why couldn't you save us?"

Austra sat up with a stream of cold sweat running down his face. He realized it was a dream that occurred to him, though that didn't really help him calm his nerves. He sat there for a full minute, trying his best to not let a nightmare be the end of him, though it felt like his mind was playing an old film every time he sleeps like when he watches a film he watched when he was just a lad. He then looked at the clock: ten o'clock in the morning. "I should get up..." he thinks to himself as he stood up from bed. He put on his vest and leather jacket on quickly, with cargo pants already on.

He exited the room, looking around to see if Fluttershy was still around. He then noticed a note on his door and picked it up.

I went to go grocery shopping at the market, I'll be back in a few, I made some breakfast for you, hope you like salad!
- Fluttershy

He wasn't really hungry at the time, but he didn't want to come off as rude. Besides, it's a bowl full of veggies, it can't be that bad. He went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, which showed the best looking salad he has ever seen! It looked like a masterpiece from an artist in the renaissance era. He took out the salad and picked up a fork and took a bite. He then took another, then another, and another until he ate the entire bowl. "Wow..." he said to himself, both amazed how he ate the whole thing in a matter of seconds and how good it was. After breakfast, he was wondering what to do, sitting around sounded very boring to him. He went back into the spare bedroom and looked through his bag, finding something he wish he didn't keep: A DVD with Germane handwriting. He stared at it for a moment, then looked at it in anger. He threw it back into the bag and continued to search. Finally, he found something he could use to protect himself, which was his trusty combat knife he has kept ever since he was just a private. He grabbed the holster for the knife and slid it in, ready to go out to see if he can get to know the village a bit more well. He walked out of Fluttershy's cottage and shut the door. He wanted some fresh air, and needed a reason to get rid of this morning’s disaster. While he was walking to Ponyville, he wondered why there was no enforcement in the village. How are you suppose to give order if you can't protect it, yet even enforce it? Austra doesn't want to doubt the Princesses abilities, but they could at least give us a guard or two, hell, or make a new building called a "police station." His train of thought broke when he heard a scream.

"Let go of me!" said a southern feminine voice. "Ah won't give you anythin'!"
Austra had no idea what was going on, so he went to take a closer look, doing so he found Applejack, with complete fear and worried.

"Oh, is that right?" Mocked a stallion with a bat. "In that case, since you won't give us the bits...." He turned his bat towards a filly with a pink bow in her hair, scared out of her mind. "Then I shall play a round a' ball with ya sista here.." He gave an evil grin.

"N-No please, give me anotha week! J-Just don't hurt her!" begged the orange pony.

"Sorry, toots, but it's ya deadline, say goodbye to her while ya have the chance!" He walked up to the filly, who was paralyzed with fear. Something caused Austra to snap. Have they no shame? Have they not have a soul? The fire in Austra, was causing a giant forest fire, engulfing his emotions. The stallion with the bat lifted it over his head ready to strike, not knowing Austra is running up behind him. Before he could swing the bat, It was stopped by Austra's front hoof, then he took it and swung it at his back. The gangster pony kneeled at the pain in his back, then got knocked cold by a swing to the head. He soon looked at the two holding AJ and two other gangster ponies looking at him with anger.

"Oi! The fuck you think ya doin'!? You wanna piece of us too, eh?!" spat one of them as he started to fast trot to him and tried to punch him. Austra blocked it and punched him multiple times.

"You monsters think you could hurt a child and get away with it!? Sorry, mate, ain't gonna happen!" shouted Austra.

"How 'bout you mind ya own business, motherfucka!" Austra then bucked him in the face, knocking him out. He didn't notice one was coming from behind and hit him in the back leg. This stung Austra and he kneeled down. The gangster pony quickly got in front of him and hit him straight in the chest with a pipe iron. Austra then fell on his back, losing his breath for a second.

"Shouldn't 'ave shove your nose into our business, now you will pay the price..." he growled as he lifts the pip iron up. Before he could swing, he suddenly stopped for a second, then fell unconscious to Fluttershy holding the bat.

The two ponies holding the southern orange pony dropped her and started to run, one of them saying "Screw this! I'm outta here!"

"A-Are you ok?" says the worried mare, dropping the bat and kneeling next to Austra.

"Yeah, las...just...*cough* Gimme a second..." Austra mumbled. After a moment of taking in breaths, he got up, his leg feeling pain while giving it pressure. The orange pony with her Stetson walked up with a look of relief and respect.

"Thank ya, partner, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anythin' happened to my sis, I owe ya," she said with a smile.

"No problem, miss-" he grunted as he tried to stand on the leg that got hit hard with a pipe iron.

"Oh my, you are hurt! we need to patch you up!" Fluttershy quickly said, holding onto Austra so he wouldn't fall.

"No, I'll be fine..." he tried to say, but the pain just hurt like hell to convince any of them

"No, you won't! What if they come back?" Fluttershy said loudly. Austra didn't say anything to that, true, he probably would've stood and fight, but not for long.

"Here, you helped me so ah’ll help you, you saved my sis, time to repay the debt," the orange pony said cheerfully. "Name’s Applejack, by the way."

Introductions aside, they both helped him back to the Fluttershy's cottage. Thankfully, they didn't see any of the gangsters near her cottage, which was a more relaxing thing to notice, since they would have seen a weakness and taken advantage of it. Fluttershy quickly open the door and went back into her house with Applejack and Austra. They set him down on the couch and fluttershy went to go get her medical supplies in the basement. It was an awkward silence for a while, her just staring at Austra occasionally and her just waiting patiently, until Applejack broke the silence.

"Ah really do appreciate it, partner," she stated.

"It’s fine, las. I couldn't live with myself if I watched a filly get mauled with a bat, that just ain't right..." Austra said, shaking his head at the thought. "What the bloody hell they want with you anyways?"
Applejack sighed and spoke again, "If ya haven't noticed, those hooligans started to force bits outta people for "debts" they call 'em. I just so happen to be their next target." she said stiffly. "Though ah doubt they will be tryin’ to force you aroun', you seem to know what you was doing." Her smile came back.

"...I've learned a lot back in the day, I will admit," he says with a smirk of confidence. Applejack chuckled, reminding her of some other confident, yet obnoxious pony. Fluttershy comes back with bandages and some other medical supplies.

"Alright...hold still while I try to fix you up..." she stated softly like she is a nurse in a hospital. He patiently waits for her to be done fixing his back hind leg. "OK..try to stay off it for awhile, I'll go make us some tea." She flew off to her kitchen.

"Well...Ah' guess I can stay for a bit..." she said sheepishly.

"Say...where did your sis go?" Austra questioned, realizing she wasn't here with us.

"Ah told her to go back home while you was fightin', Ah didn't want her to get hurt as already is," she stated humbly. "But thanks tah ya, she is safe." Fluttershy then returned with the tea and both of them started to drink and talk. It started to transition to where the talking was not very audible.

It transitioned to an unknown building, somewhere not near Ponyville, but rather close. It also seems to be protected by The Kings. What was in the building was a pony sitting at a desk with a cigarette in his mouth, looking out the window. He heard a door open and saw one of the gang members walking up slowly, with a face of terror.

"So....you got's the money?" he asked deeply, getting right to the point.

"N-No, boss, we didn't...." the moment he said that, the boss turned around and slammed his cigarette on the table.

"I asked you to do one. Simple. JOB, Mike!" he shouted at him. "All ya had's to do, was get the bits from that farmer bitch and be done with it!"

"I-I know boss! but this damn stallion stopped us, we couldn't collect the debt by then!" he quickly said, fearing his boss more than anything."

"...Who is this stallion?" the gangster pony got confused on why he suddenly went calm, but decided it was a good thing.

"We don't know his name, though all we know is that he is from Austallia. He beat up a lot of our boys..." he stammered

"....Does he go with anyone?"

"Well, he was with that shy cutie, and the princess...." he murmured. His boss stared at him intently and then started chuckle.

"Excellent...." he turns back to the window and takes out another cigarette, lightening it and puffing out smoke. "I have just the idea..."