Chapters Author's Note
So this will be my first ever story, Also quite new to this site, If you have any questions or criticism, allow me to welcome such things. Advice is quite needed for future authors.
Chapter 1: A New Town
Life, a river that keeps flowing till it merges into the sea, nothing to stop its continuous flow. Though the feelings of a despairful stallion walking in the Everfree Forest concede him otherwise. He didn't mind the warnings given to him about this dark and mysterious forest, though he felt a bit of caution built into him. He took out a canteen from his duffle bag hanging around the stallion’s neck, taking a nice swig of water and putting it back into the bag. His red eyes scan around the forest, it was very quiet and dark, even though he entered in the afternoon, which confused him, but still continued forward. His gray coat blissfully moved to the breeze of the Everfree, while his buzzed up brown mane and medium-sized tail did the same. He continued to trot, in a rather peaceful manner, until something struck his mind in a flash. He visioned seeing something...a rather distant figure that showed his blonde mane with blue stripes, his green prideful eyes, and a warm-felt smile. The stallion closed his eyes to continue this thought no more, but he felt nothing but glumness from the vision. "I'm so sorry, mate...." He said in a rough Austallian accent, looking down in complete guilt and sorrow. "I wish I could have gone back....Ah really do...."
Suddenly, he heard something from the bushes, resulting in him to get in prepared fighting stance. He has been in the Equestrian military for most of his life at the age of fifthteen, though he felt like he should've stayed longer. He moved cautiously away from the bush, not wanting to interact with it, since it will only cause trouble and he has already seen enough of that. A bit of sweat had streamed down his head as to not knowing what might be behind this damp, bushy area, suddenly he heard a crack underneath his hoof, realizing he stepped on a stick. The bush started to move more rapidly, like it was an alarm clock, ready to buzz the living hell out of your ears. Then......he heard growls and two green glowing eyes coming from the darkness of the forest."Aw, hell....." He stated as he started to run away from the sight of timber wolves. Unfortunately, these wolves gave chase to the stallion, wanting something tasty for those splintered, wooden sharp teeth. The stallion looked back to see two giant tree monsters moving at a rapid speed as they started to gain on him.. He sure as hell did not want to go down, not like this! He continued to run, trying to lose them by going through obstacles to slow down the timber beasts. What he did not know was that another one came from his side and swiped at him. The pain was unbearable, the sharpness of the claws of a wooden claw felt like a sword going through his body. Despite his agony, he continued to run while the one chasing him got caught up in a big bundle of trees blocking its way. He stopped to look back to see if anything was following him, and saw nothing but the blackest night. He examined his scratch, though not having a good view of his wound, he figured he will still live, but needed to bandage it quickly. He quickly looked into his duffle bag trying to find his medical kit, when he spotted his Equestrian military commanding outfit. It was a black stealth vest with a black leather jacket underneath it,though it’s been awhile since he once wore it, it smelled like a newly fresh piece of clothing taken out from the dryer. The outfit gave him the memories of the military, and how he was a private, and now a commander.
He sighed as he whispered to himself, "Things would've been easier with you, eh, Izzy?" while looking up at the sky, with a depressing look on his face. "If only Adalric was still here...." Finally, he found his medical supply pack and grabbed a lengthy bandage to wrap around himself. He started to wrap around his bleeding side as it made him wince a bit in pain, but continued to stop the bleeding. He closed his supply kit and put it in his duffle bag....running into the uniform again. He stared at it for quite some time, wanting to forget, but couldn't. He took a breath and took out his uniform, sliding his front hind-legs into the sockets of his outfit that he once wore proudly. After that, he continued to walk, it seems like an eternity, but he couldn't rest in this dangerous area, he felt no need sleeping knowing that there are hordes of timber wolves and many other creatures he does not know about. He spotted something in the distance, which seemed to be a large object, he went to get a closer look at it to realize it is a cart of a random selection of colors, not sure what to think of it. He got closer to it, inspecting if it indicated anything to his whereabouts. "Aye you!" A voice was heard. "What ya think ya doin' near our cart?!" The stallion looked behind him to see three other stallions, with the same color as the wagon. The stallion positioned himself in caution "Listen, mate.....I am not looking for trouble, but I do hope to get directions to a nearby town..." The gang captain looked at him for a few seconds and then finally said "Well why didn' ya say so? Ponyville is just behind that cart...though I do hope you know that the only way to access there is to pay up 100 bits to the Kings....," The stallion rolled his eyes. "You've gotta be bloody kidding me..." A buff-looking gang member looked at him with a serious look. "Oh, he ain' kidding, bud, now fork it over," He demanded, lifting his bat and pointing it towards him. "Or we will force ya too!" The stallion looked at all three of them getting closer with devious looks on their faces, but the stallion wasn't flinching from this. "All you gang ponies are alike..." He drops his duffel bag. "All talk and no bite..." A smaller-looking henchman growled at him "You hear that, Tim!? He makin' fun of us!" Said the short one with a stubby mustache. "Let’s pound 'im!" All of a sudden one of them charged at the military stallion, who seems to have been smirking when he got closer. The short one tried to buck him in the face, but was soon dodged and retaliated by a powerful jab to the jaw, knocking him out. The other two hesitated, but soon both of them ran at him to collaborate their attack.
He found this easy to get out of, so while one was trying to throw a wide swing with his left hoof, and the other swinging his bat to his right, he jumped up in the air, barely missing the bat, and kicked them both in the chest knocking them down. He quickly got onto one of the gangster ponies and broke his back hind leg. A loud yelp was heard and soon became a quiet whimper. The stallion looked at the other member, quivering in fear from the sight of a big masculine pony who took out three of his members at once. As he tried to run for it, he slipped and fell back to the floor. Not knowing what was gonna happen next, he felt pressure on his head, realizing that the stallion had his hoof on his head, giving pressure.
"L-listen, pal, I was only doing what I w-was told!" The gang pony stammered. "I-it’s just business!" The stallion looked at him with fierce eyes. "Well, ain't that apples, eh, mate? Perhaps you won't be getting any paycheck soon, lad," He said sternly, the gang pony staring into the feared eyes of his attacker. "P-p-please.....L-let me go! I won't charge ya, I promise!" The gang pony said in a shuddering and fearful tone."I appreciate it, mate, although I do believe you 'ave to take a nap" He says so as bucking the stallion in the face, knocking him out cold as a rock.
He wish he didn't have to do that, but what choice did he have? Someone threatened his life, he will not stand down and kiss the floor for mercy. After all that ruckus, he passed through the cart that was blocking his path, continuing his walk in the wilderness. It took him awhile to walk, due to the gruesome pain in his side, he took little to no break to catch his breather. Finally, he started to see some light from the other side of the forest, which caused him to walk a little bit faster than normal. At last, he found the sun, and there was no longer trees, but flowers at the end of it. He noticed a cottage to his left, wondering why anyone would live near such dangers, but it didn't matter once he started walking past it. He ran into a sign that introduced him a few blocks later:
Welcome to Ponyville!
It stated in large black words as he stopped to look at the village from afar. He didn't know if this is a worthy spot to stay, but he needed something to keep his mind off of things, especially these nightmarish visions he sees every turn he goes towards. He then took one step past the sign. Soon, it shifts away from the stallion walking into Ponyville, showing a dark figure in the entrance of the Everfree Forest, with a dark blue mask that resembles a skull, who soon began to walk in the opposite direction, fading into darkness.....
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The trees whistled while walking to the cottage with somepony kind enough to allow him to stay with her. Though she was a rather timid creature, Austra did sense some courage from her presence. Not to mention, she had the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen, it's like she popped out of a fairy tale story. They continued to trot while he noticed those gang ponies near the entrance of the forest, talking to each other. "Oh, boy," he thought to himself, realizing he scared the living shit out of one of them and broke another one’s arm. They didn't notice him at first, but as soon as they looked up, they gave terrified, yet angry looks at him walking.
"Strange....they would've said something nasty to me by now...," Said Fluttershy in a confused, yet relieving way.
"Must be troublesome to walk home everyday and see these bozzo's hitting on ya, eh?" asked Austra.
"It...isn't so bad, at least they aren't hurting my animals or harming anything..." She said as she walked near her door and tried to open it, then she heard a whistle from one of the gangsters near the forest. Fluttershy sighed as she readied herself for a flirt joke.
"Hey, toots, you should probably stay away from that creep and hang out with us...," He says with a grin. "’Sides, I think the big guy wouldn't last a second in bed." The gangsters laugh as Fluttershy enters her cottage, Austra right behind her with a glare looking back at the smirking group.
"I'm so sorry you had to hear that....they have been doing this for a month," said the timid pegasus shyly. "I can't do anything because if i defy them, they will do something horrid to my animals, I don't want that..." She started to form water in her eyes at the thought of that.
"So they threaten others to get what they want? Doesn't this village have authority?" Austra asked. Fluttershy just looked at him and shook her head. "I see....but why didn't the princess do anything? she is a ruler after all..."
"Twilight is freshly new to her spot as a princess, but she did try to stop them, they just....pulled out a gun on one of our friends..." she said sadly. Austra didn't like this, even a princess got threatened by these wannabe gangbangers? He figured this was once a peaceful town, full of happy smiles and great people, like his friends in the military. He suddenly felt a vision come on again, this time showing him and his comrades entering a base, then flashed to them shooting and running, then flashed over to a mare laying on her stomach with fearful eyes, looking straight at Austra. "Help me..." said the mare. Austra then went back into reality, realizing Fluttershy was trying to say something.
"Austra? Are you OK?" She asked in a worried tone.
Austra just sat there, thinking of that vision he saw. He felt guilt run through his veins, the sorrow he feels is a heavy burden he doesn't want to feel, but....how could he? He left his team in there to die, remembering their faces as he ran out. How could he have been such a coward? How could he do such a thing? Why was he even alive at this point? These questions floated around his head until Fluttershy came back with bandages and some medical supplies.
"Here...let me help you here..." she said calmly. She started to get to work on his wound, putting on those ointments that usually sting, but he showed no reaction to it, then she started to skillfully wrap the bandage around his side.
"Well, I appreciate it, ma'am," he said respectfully.
"Please, call me Fluttershy, I don’t mind," she says kindly. "Also, I am very sorry you had to deal with those big bad wolves, Mr. Austra..."
"If you don't mind me asking, what do you do...?" Asked the shy pony. Austra didn't want to answer that, those painful memories would always rush to his mind, but looking at those innocent eyes, he couldn't help but feel comfortable saying it to her.
"....I am from the Equestrian military, we mostly stop groups of terrorism and other parties that cause harm to Equestria," he replied.
"Oh my...must be a tough job...I can never pull myself to do such tasks..." she said shamefully.
"Don’t beat yourself up about it....me and my friends dealt with things a normal civilian couldn't handle..."
"Where are your friends now?" She asked. Austra grew silent, staring at the pegasus and her teal eyes. He was not in the mood for discussing his deceased friends. Not at a time like this.
"I....feel kind of tired, where is the spare bedroom?" He quickly said, avoiding the question.
"I-It's next to my room-" she was interrupted by the sudden movement Austra made when she told him the location. She thought it was best to not provoke him.
Austra laid in the bed staring at the ceiling, feeling the sour taste in his mouth thinking about the military camps he endured with his friends, he just couldn't stop thinking about it, which annoyed him. He tossed to his side with an angry, but saddened glare at the wall he was now glaring at. He kept his eyes for awhile until he finally felt his eyelids overlap his eyes, and started to dream.
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."
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!
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'!"
"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?"
"...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..."
Austra gave a yawn as he sat up from the bed. Surprisingly, no nightmare made him sweat like a spring fountain in the winter. He gave a sigh of relief and told himself to not think about it. He went into his bag and digged through it to see if he can find a clean pair of socks. While digging, he found something very familiar, actually two things. Both of them were Desert Eagles, with a deep black color scheme on it. He looked at it as if he hasn't held these in a very long time. He took one of them and cocked it and looked down its sights. Things start to transition into memories.
He sees a stallion in uniform, taking some shots at some targets, hitting the mid with most of his shots right on the bullseye, very pleased at the outcome.
"I see you are pleasing yourself, Kommandant," jokingly said the Germane stallion. He had a blonde spiky mane, with a matching tail. His dark blue eyes gave him a look of appreciation, as they have been with each other for a few years.
"Well, Adalric, it’s been awhile since we’ve gone on a mission, been like four years, hasn't it mate?" Austra chuckled.
"Well, since ya been drawing on them papers for all those years, I would think you lost your touch." Adalric smirks.
"Ah, piss off, you probably have worse aim than me, lad," he laughed. Adalric gave him a look like it was a challenge.
"Bah! Gimme your gun then, let’s see who has the besser ziel"
"Mixing your English and Germane words makes you less serious when ya claim something." Austra looks at him with a smile. Adalric looks at him with a "shut up" glare while smiling. A shot rings and Austra comes back into reality with Fluttershy peeks her head in, a bit scared that he has a weapon.
"U-um.....B-breakfast is ready, come out whenever you are D-Done aiming your....G-Gun."
"S-sorry, las, didn't mean to make you scared," he says while putting both his guns in his holsters on the belt, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I-it’s fine, just.....not in here, OK?" she murmured. Austra nods and walks with fluttershy to the table, which already had pancakes laying on it, with a mixture of berries on top. He looked at it with confusion, giving Fluttershy her attention.
"Is something wrong?" she said worryingly.
"N-no, it’s just... I’ve never really had pancakes before." He said scratching his head in embarrassment. Fluttershy questioned it in her mind at first, but gave him a warm smile.
"Oh, well, it isn't really that bad, you should try it." She blushed a bit. He sat down, took a fork and took a bite. The taste was like magic, it gave a wonderful flavor to his mouth. He then scorched down the food, kind of like a pig at a farm house. Fluttershy watched in amusement and confusion. Austra noticed this and coughed in embarrassment.
"Heh...been eating mre's before i got here, pretty much anything tastes better, sorry about that," he said.
"Oh, I don't mind, I just didn't expect you to like my type of cooking."
"Nonsense! This is the best food I have ever eaten, las. I mean it," he said with a chuckle. Fluttershy smiled and blushed for being flattered. Then somepony came barging in, it was Twilight trying to catch her breath.
"T-Twilight, what's wrong?" Fluttershy says worryingly.
"The....*huff* Boutique...its....*puff* on fire!" she screamed. Austra stood up quickly while Fluttershy gasped in horror.
There was a smell of burnt wood, and curtains soon turning into ashes as there was a bunch of ponies, just staring at this with disbelief. The fire ponies are trying to cease the fire with all they have, but it looks like it will take awhile. Austra, Twilight, and Fluttershy made it when they heard a commotion to their left, a fire pony pushing back a white unicorn, with Blue eyes, who seem to have water streaming down her face as well, Her cutie mark resembling three Diamonds.
"Unhand me! I need to get my sister! she is still in there!" she cried.
"We will get her as soon as we can, ma'am, just stay put and-" he was cut off by a scream which everyone looked to see that she was still alive. Soon, Austra ran through the crowd. First it was this filly gonna get smacked by a wooden object, now it's a fire? This is starting to piss him off now. "Sir!" A stallion said, but soon had to stop the others from going in as well. Austra busted through the door and started to frantically look around, nothing but flames and ashes, it was boiling hot in there, but he needed to find this pony. He then went upstairs, where more flames started to get more intense. It transitions back to everypony, even the fire ponies were silent, hoping both would get out alive. A minute has passed, until they hear a crash through the window, showing Austra landing on his side, protecting whatever he was carrying in his arms. He got up slowly, and walked towards the white unicorn mare, carrying a filly, who resembled her sister a bit, but with a mixture of pink and purple in her mane. He puts down her down, her eyes watering down her face at the sight of her sister.
"What you did was brave, for that, I can respect," he said boldly to him.
"What...caused the...fire..." Austra said, getting to the point.
"There was gasoline trailing from the back of the boutique, this was all planned," he said sadly. Soon, Fluttershy and Twilight ran through the crowd, they saw how Austra ran in there with all his courage.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" screamed Twilight, a bit angry but also a bit worried. "It isn't wise to run at the danger!"
"Las, I am not letting somepony get killed in a fire because some asshole decided to play arsonist today!" he growled back. "Think what you want, I did what was right!" The crowd started listening to the argument, it was like having a married couple argue for hours.
"You are a living pony too! What if you never came back out of that fire!?"
"Guys, please! Stop this!" said Fluttershy, loud enough for both of them to stop bickering. "What Austra did almost gave me a heart attack too, but does it really matter when he saved a life of a filly!?"
"She is right, darling, and I appreciate it, mister," said the white unicorn with a smile. "I know formalities aren't good at the moment, but my name is Rarity." Austra nods and looks at both Fluttershy and Twilight.
"Look, I understand how you both feel, but I will not sit here, and let innocent civilians get wounded or killed, I can't live with myself if I just don’t try..." he said a bit calmer. Twilight looked at him, still a bit worried, but she understood what he meant.
"I'm sorry, I was just worried, it was just so sudden, and..." she looked at him with saddened eyes. "it was good to see courage every once awhile, especially someone from the military, I give you my gratitude for doing the right thing." He sat there looking at both of them with a blank stare, they remind him of some ponies he had in the military. The similarities were surprising to him, which caused him to look down in pain. Not the pain from the fire, but emotional pain that tears through the heart.
"Are you OK?" Twilight asked, raising her hoof to touch Austra. He got up quickly and walked past them, they stared at him trot away with his head down.
"Something is troubling him, Fluttershy, I just know it..." Twilight said quietly, but enough for her friend to hear.
"From the way he is acting...I can agree..." she said, looking at Twilight.
Austra was then looking at the sun with saddened eyes. What was this feeling? Why did he keep feeling it? These questions were already answered, but he kept repeating them. It was something that has been haunting him for all these years. The one thing he felt ever since that fateful day when him and his comrades got a mission. He saw his friends face, that showed depression. That one feeling that has kept him from walking in a straight line in life. That one feeling...is regret.
The boss of the Kings was sitting at his table, counting the bits, when he heard a door open in front of him. He quickly put the bits in his table chest and looked at the pony. What was odd about him was that he had a detailed blue skull mask with a horrid look. His mane was completely covered, but saw a stubby tail and a National Socialist Swastika badge on his arm. He also wore an officer’s outfit with black leather gloves on the front of his hooves. The gang leader was stunned by this, but kept a neutral face."Hey, he is helping me, even better he hates this bloke that is ruining my business."
Author's Note
This was a rather short chapter, I know, but really, I think our antagonists needed their own spotlight for this one.
Austra is walking with Twilight and Fluttershy around Ponyville at five in the afternoon, where the sun is about to set, introducing him to some parts he was not able to see before. Nothing was really that eventful today, suprisingly no interruptions have happened today from a certain group. Fluttershy and Twilight were just chatting to each other while Austra listened to most of what they were saying. At one point they talked about a dragon, and then started talking about the town in general, regardless of the ponies owning it at the time.
"Hey Austra, have you met most of our friends?" Twilight turned to Austra, with a smile towards him. He just shrugged and said that he only met Applejack and Rarity. "Well, we would be happy to show you to them." She stated calmly.
"Um....sure las." He said calmly, trying not to show that he was was in emotional pain and unsure if he should make friends when one of his close friend isn't here anymore. Twilight gave a concerned look to Austra, thinking if she should ask what is wrong, but decided not to bring it up to make things worse for him. There were many questions that Twilight had; What caused him to be like this? Why is he like this? What can I do to help him?
They made it to an odd looking building that was shaped like a cupcake pastry. Austra looked at it with confusion due to how they managed to make a well detailed building from the other wooden hay houses. Fluttershy and Twilight giggled at his confusion. "Just to clarify, its not actually made out of chocolate, fooled many foals and even adults." chuckled Twilight.
"Hi! My name is Pinkie Pie! And I made this party JUST for you!" She said cheerfully while jumping. "I am glad you made it here, I heard you beat up a bunch of meanies on the way here, and you took them all out, wellTwilghtwenttohelpbutyoustillmanagetobeatthemandsuch..." She rambled on while Austra just started walking around the party of ponies who were suddenly here to celebrate a party for a random stranger. Pinkie Pie then stopped in front of Austra, "Whats your name?" she said waiting for an answer with a big smile. Austra just looked at her with a little bit of annoyance, but thank Celestia she stopped talking. "My name is Austra-" Until she suddenly started speaking again. "Ooh! Is that a pun for Austalia? I must say its kinda cheesy! Ill blame the narrator for that." she said casually. Austra is beyond confused now. "Narrator and pun?" he asked. "Well OF COURSE, silly! Austra kinda sounds like Austallia, and the narrator is the one who continues this story!" again confusing the living Tarturus out of Austra. "Yeesh, the narrator is having a hard time with these pony puns huh?" she says looking at a different direction.
What? "You heard me, silly!" she started talking to the narrator. How are you even talking to- you know what, never-mind, continuing the story! "Uh, las, who are you talking to?" he asked the weird mare, now talking to a plant. "Well DUH! I am talking to the one that currently typing this story!" she says as she expected Austra to know this. "Ok, I'm done." Thought Austra as he just rolled his eyes and walked over to Twilight talking to a cyan pegasu's with a Rainbow mane and tail, until she gave her attention to Austra walking up to her with an annoyed face.
"Let me guess, you met Pinkie?" She said with a smile. Austra then gave an even mored annoyed expression, making that a "yes." Twilight just giggled at his reaction, "Don't mind her Austra, she can be crazy, but she is a respects everyone, even if its obvious danger." she said.
"Hey, its time to pin the tail on the pony! I think our guest should do the honors!" She said happily, looking at Austra. "What is this, preschool? I haven't done this since I was just a foal" Thought Austra as he reluctantly went up to the party mare. she quickly put a piece of cloth over his eyes and spun him around violently. Although Austra was trained in the army to keep his balance no matter what, he felt like he was gonna puke all over the place from where he was standing. Pinkie then stopped him, "OK! now listen to the crowd as you try to pin the tail on the pony!" as she started to sound like a commentator for a sport event. "Oh bloody hell, get me out of here." thought Austra as he started to stumble around a bit while trying to pin the tail. The ponies were cheering and telling him which direction to go, until suddenly he felt something like a hoof under his feet. "Not today!" Austra screamed as he tried to hand stand on his front legs, to avoid the leg trip. Then he felt something on his hooves. Something slippery and moist? Then he realizes he just stepped on soap, and started to slip forward, he couldn't save himself in time and crashed into the wall with a bug "THUD" to the wall, causing most of the ponies to wince at the impact.
"Pinkie! that was uncalled for!" Austra heard a loud female southern voice, who he assumed was Applejack.