The last soldier

The day starts peacefully. I can see the sun slowly rolling out from the ground, as its rays are warming my body. The last few days were really intense -- first of all, because of Rarity. As she says about my gear, "This is an abomination, not a uniform!" However, somehow we've patched it up. Not good as new, but still a reliable piece of clothing.

Dealing with others was way much easier. Fluttershy has volunteered to pack the IFAKs, and she's even got some help from a zebra named Zekora and a nurse called Redheart. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were ordered to prepare the food and water, also some money just in case. Rainbow Dash, since she's been bored, has decided to bring a map and make marks on it, that would tell where our enemy has been already. And Twilight with Starlight were messing with the offroader that we've found a few days back. As it turned out, it really is an old modded GAZ-69. And what is very convinient, it can run on a rainbow liquid, that they produce in a city called Cloudsdale. As Equestria uses only a little amount of diesel made of dead plants, and no petrol at all, it is a very big luck for us. Yesterday we were testing it, and everything worked fine, pretty much like if we were using the A-76 petrol. Changing the grease was difficult, though...

I stand at the train station. As the sun overheats my head, I put on my helmet. I am waiting for our group fully-packed, locked and loaded -- the car is in a cargo compartment of the train, I have my rifle and machine gun strapped to me, along with a heavy backpack and ammo belt.

"Hello, Cider! Sorry, we're a bit late."

So, our "save-the-world" squad is finally here, led by Twilight. Still, can't blame them -- everybody carries a huge rucksack. Even Spike!

"Alright line-up! At attention!"

As the rest of the team lines up, I count everybody. As I made sure, that noone's missing, I begin to talk.

"Alright, I will be straight with you. Our mission is very important, and way, way more dangerous than anything you've encountered before. So, there is a principle that I've named "One Man Army", since I don't know how to translate it correctly. It means that you don't ask questions, but answer mine. You do everything as I say. Right now, I am your commander, and there must be at least some discipline. You'll be split into two squads: Twilight will lead Rarity and Pinkie, Starlight will lead Applejack and Fluttershy. Spike will be assisting me with planning and documents. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have one! Why does it sound like you're pretending to be meanie-weanie? Who told you that you can command like that?"

Pinkie Pie seems disappointed. I only chuckle about that -- she doesn't understand, why it's important to keep discipline.

"Princess Celestia did, Pinkie. And yeah, I can't really tell you what I must do, when we find... The thing. I mean, it's classified. But I assure you, if you will not do everything correctly, your body will be a six feet under the ground."

After a few seconds of thinking, a pink pony puts her usual smile on her face and says something like "Okay then". Looks like she understood...

"No more questions? Good. Now... To the train!"

"Uhm, so, Cider... Where are we going?"

"To the city called Manehattan. According to Rainbow's signs on the map, our enemy moves towards it from the side of the sea. I've seen some reports about habitat islands being left in abandonment after... You-know-who's visit."

Spike and me are sitting in an isolated coupe of the train, that moves towards Manehattan. We're studying documents, that have any relation to our enemy -- Queen Chrysalis. Reports, bio, even pictures.

"Have you been to Manehattan before?"

"Honestly, no. Rarity did, however."

"Good. Now go, bring her and Twilight. Dismissed."

As Spike leaves, I open another report file about Chrysalis. In it, there is a list of her abilities. Of course, Celestia and Luna have warned me about her, but double-checking can't harm.

"Can cloak visually into another pony... Able to turn her joints at 180 degrees... Cold-blooded... Powerful magician... Hell, this is going to be tough."

I open a window of my coupe and light up a cigarette. Last package of Lucky Strike... Too bad that I haven't brought any extra. However, how could anyone tell, that I'd be thrown to another dimension right after the IED explosion?.. But, my thoughts are interrupted with a sound of an opening door.

"Ah, Twilight, Rarity. Please, come in."

"So, Cider, what's up?"

An alicorn and a unicorn make themselves comfortable behind a coupe table. Meanwhile, I put out my cigarette.

"First of all, Twilight, I need you and Rarity to make marks on the city map of Manehattan. As you've encountered HER before, you know the best of her weaknesses and possibilities. And, as Rarity's been to Manehattan before, you'll need her help."

"My help? But, what do you mean? I've been just running business there, nothing more!"

"Still, you know the city. What I do need from you both -- predict a probable route of Chrysalis, if she makes it to the city. Like, where she will go first."

As I give Rarity the city map, she makes a thoughtful humming sound. After a few seconds of looking, she lifts her head.

"Well, if you say so. Twilight, dear, let's get to work."

"Sure thing, Rarity."

The pair gets up and prepares to leave, but I stop them for a moment.

"Just a sec. I know that the city is big, so please, also mark any place where we can refuel our car. You know, so we wouldn' stop in a middle of a run."

"Sure thing. Can we go now?"

"Yeah, dismissed. And tell Spike to come back."

After a couple of hours of reading Chrysalis-related documents, me and Spike have decided to take a little rest. The sun is setting outside the window, as the train moves towards Manehattan in rather slow pace, compared to Russian diesel-powered expresses. I am sitting in my headphones, listening to some music while I have a chance, and taking care of my firearms. Spike, meanwhile, is busy reading some sort of a comic book.

"Click-click-click..."

As I load cartridges into machine gun belts, I can feel them click after fixing inside.

"Click-click-click..."

And I can assure anyone -- this is the one of most calming things I ever did...

"Click-click-click-ZING!"

With one belt done, I take another one and an ammo box. And the process repeats again, until I feel a tap on my shoulder. I stop and see Spike, making uncertain gestures. So, I turn off the music.

"Heya, Spike. Any trouble?"

"Nah, not really. Just being curious, what are you doing here."

"Maintaining my weaponry. It calms me down, you know."

"We still have a couple of days before our arrival, you know that?"

"First of all, if I do it now, I won't feel unprepared when we arrive. And secondly, it's almost like meditation. You just repeat things mechanically, not thinking about anything..."

Spike smiles in understanding. He moves closer to my disassembled guns and investigates them.

"What are these, anyway? I remember, you've said that this is a machine gun, but I don't really get it."

"Basically, it's a firearm, that shoots projectiles in a fast rate."

"Seems like you're familiar with it."

"Yeah, I shoot from things like this back on Earth all the time. I've been a machine gunner for some time, you know."

The noise of the railroad, combined with the setting sun, creates a nice ambient. I enjoy it, while I can -- in a couple of days, we will be in Manehattan, searching for the most dangerous thing in Equestria. But right now, I am just relaxing, trying not to think about it. I take a pack of cigarettes, and pick one of them.

"Fuck, where did I put the lighter..."

"I can light it up for you."

"Thanks for the offer."

As Spike takes my cigarette, he blows on it with greenish fire, and it lights up. Our coupe immideately fills with a smell of burning cheap tobacco. I take the cigarette back and start smoking.

"Thanks. Now, where were we?.."

"I just wanted to ask, what were you doing back at your dimension. Twilight didn't tell me much, but looks like you were at war or something."

"Yeah. We were fighting terrorists at Middle East. Sure thing you don't know, where it is..."

"Fighting? You mean, killing?"

I see a worried look on Spike's face. I can understand that -- hell, when Twilight's found me and I've told her the same, she's been in a deep shock.

"Yeah... Killing. I know, it doesn't really suit your world, but ours is different. Not better, not worse. Just different."

"Huh... And what it's like? To kill a person?"

"You know, there are multiple vision points. Technically, all you need is to move a safety lever, load the cartridge and pull the trigger. You just aim the torso, and RATATATA! He's dead."

"No, I mean the emotions. Don't you feel any guilt for taking someone's life?"

"Two sides of a medal. It's easy to kill those, who shoot at you, and you can definetely tell that some people are your enemy. However, sometimes you can encounter situations, when you don't know, what to do."

"Like what?"

I release a big cloud of smoke from my mouth, remembering the Earth. Yeah, there was a plenty of difficult situations...

"For example -- your group enters the city, and your task is to clear the remaining enemy forces, that survived bombing runs and artillery. And you know, that your enemy will try to hide amongst peaceful citizens. Or, when they brainwash little kids to kill everyone on their way. This reminds me of Colonel Budanov -- he's found an enemy sniper, who was a little girl's mother. He's killed the girl, but right after that, came to a prison. Cool story, eh?"

"Woah... Your world is truly a horrible place."

"Nah, cut it out! Like I've said -- it's just different. Or you're gonna' say, that you've never had to make difficult choices during your life? And now let's remember that Budanov was a colonel. He had people's lives in his hands, everything's depended on him."

A dragon's head downs a bit in thinking. Yeah, it's a big hunk of brain food, especially for a guy, who's not used for casualties, no matter, war or technogenic. And I just chuckle a bit.

"Hey, don't think too much about it. If any difficult situation appears on a horison, I will take full responsibility, not you or your friends. So you can relax a bit."

"Huh. You're talking kinda reasonable for a person, who kills on a daily basis."

"They may call me a murderer, but not a psycho."

"Who are "they?""

"Propagandists. Every war starts and runs with massive propaganda. That's an axioma."

"Man, looks like war is a big business."

"Sure it is. A lot of people and organisations make money on it. Including my country, yeah... Geopolitical situation is a complicated thing, so even I sometimes don't understand, what's going on."

As I finish the cigarette, I return to my ammo belts. Click-click-click...

"Hm. Cider."

"Huh? Did you call me, Spike?"

"Just thinking aloud. I just don't understand, why do you have such an odd nickname. You're an alcoholic or what?"

"Huh, maybe a little! But the real reason is because it's a shortened version of my family name."

"A-a-h... Wonder, what's your real name is, then."

"I won't tell anyone. And besides, it won't tell you anything about me, either. I mean, every name in Equestria that I've heard, basically represents its owner. Of course, human names represent something too, but we've forgotten the meanings a long time ago."

"That's kinda sad, isn't it?"

"Nah, not really. For example, I like my name, but what if it means something stupid?"

I release a slight chuckle and pack my weaponry and ammunition. Since the night's already fallen upon Equestria, I've decided to have a sleep.

"I'm going to bed, anyways. Not tired yet, Spike?"

"Nah, I'm going to read for a bit more."

"Well then. Don't be too late, though. And also, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the conversation. If there will be no choice and I'd have to stay in Equestria, you're my number one partner. Keep that in mind."

"Geez, thanks! Have a nice sleep there, Sid."

"Sid... That's how my friends call me. Anyways, goodnight."

And, after a few minutes of thinking, the warm bed makes its job done, and I fall asleep.