Old Habits Die Hard

The smell of smoke filled Preston's lungs, which nearly choked him. The thick smog made him feel like he was going to hack up his lungs. His vision was blurry and crimson red but he didn't care right now. He had to get away from a potential fire, rising to his feet he looked down seeing a Heavy Pulse Rifle. Something urging him to pick it up and he did, grabbing it he limped his way out the flames spreading throughout the forest his only thing driving him was his instinct to survive along with the military training he had been graced with. Eventually the limping stopped and he took off in a casual jog, and then in the growling and roaring of the flames he heard the sound of water...the flames now starting to come close to his back. The burning sensation massively uncomfortable. Picking up the pace he stopped seeing massive cliff with water at the base, looking behind him at the now rapidly spreading flames, Preston leapt off the cliff falling fast toward the water and losing his grip on his Pulse Rifle. As he hit the water, a massive splash soaked the land nearby. Then it was silent for a few seconds and then suddenly rising up gasping for air, Preston and his Pulse Rifle where softly moved to shore, the feeling of exerting himself after he had just woken up from unconsciousness finally took its toll. Preston ripping off his Tactical Visor replica off his face he dropped it on the ground and began to regurgitate his lunch. Laying on his belly he looked at the Tactical Visor, it had been stained with mud on the Visor as he wiped it off, "Ngh...what the...where am I...?" Preston looked around not able to see much but darkness.

It was beyond belief...one moment he was in Comic-Con enjoying a beer with his friends...the next he was running for his life from a forest fire. "What forest is this....it looks...odd...creepy...." Preston said standing up now actually recovering, grabbing his Pulse Rifle replica which felt a lot heavier...speaking of which, he rubbed his hands against his Tactical Visor, he couldn't feel it underneath his gloves but he could tell. It wasn't plastic. It was metal, checking his Pulse Rifle he pulled the trigger and the kickback caused Preston to drop the weapon, looking at the Pulse Rifle he gasped. The weapon...the mask...they were real. Hesitantly he picked up the weapon and began to wander now that he had slightly recovered. Still he was in complete disbelief he had the actual Soldier 76 weapons and equipment. Preston felt exhausted. His eyes tracing every inch of the forest as he kept exploring.

Hearing a low rumble he turned around seeing a piece of wood as he tilted his head, then something slammed into him from behind, it looked like a...wooden wolf!? The creature snarled at him as Preston raised his Pulse Rifle firing a shot and missing as he growled himself. The wolf charging at him as Preston quickly evaded slamming the butt of his gun against the wolf's head knocking it down eliciting a small whimper from it, the whimper surprisingly enough attracting more wood wolves. One managing to jump on Preston's back as he grunted grabbing its stick tail and slinging it at a tree, turning his head two more wolves charged at him. Preston grabbing one wolfs muzzle and slamming it against the ground the second he slammed the heel of his foot into its noise getting a rather loud whimper, the wolves from what he saw defeated as he panted. "Haven't had to fight like that in a while..." he mumbled as he began to keep walking a loud crackling and rumbling sound behind him.

Pausing he turned around seeing a massive wolf staring him down and howling. "OH shit.." Preston mumbled as he took off in a sprint the super wolf after him, evading a few snaps of its jaw he couldn't evade getting slammed by its claw into a tree as he grunted in pain. Standing up he raised his Pulse Rifle and took shots at the wolf, the weapon actually beginning to land hits as the wolf staggered. An opening! Running forward Preston quickly kicked the wolfs ankle before slamming the butt of his gun into its face. Preston seeing his attacks actually doing very little damage decided a tactical retreat was the best course of action. Taking off as the wolf howled pursuing him. Preston looked around at his surroundings, seeing a massive rock he climbed the wolf clawing at it managing to climb up. "WHERE ARE THE HELIX ROCKETS ON THIS THING?!" Preston shouted as he spotted a small switch, hitting it and pulling the trigger three tiny missiles shot out of it in a spiral, upon hitting the wolf it completely destroyed it as Preston panted, sitting on his butt as he ran his gloved hand through his hair. He was tired and hungry.

Twilight Sparkle had felt it...the magical surge erupting from  the forest as her horn began to glow softly. It was a odd feeling she got...than there was a series of knocking at her door, Spike groaning as he awoke from his nap and scratched his head. "I'll get it..." Spike said as he opened the door a literal stamped of ponies trampling over him, all of them yelling and screaming so loudly and randomly you couldn't understand it. Twilight opened her wings the ponies silencing themselves as she began to speak. "Now one by one tell me what's wrong?" One of them raised their hands. Twilight pointed to him, a light blue unicorn with one red eye and the other a bright purple he was sporting a good looking hoodie with a massive green slash down the middle, "THERE WAS THIS WEIRD HOLE IN THE SKY!" He shouted Twilight's ears perking up, "THAN SOMETHING FELL OUT OF IT!" a female with yellow fur shouted, she was sporting stockings, a over-sized tee shirt and a pair of wings. "AND THE EVERFREE FOREST STARTED FLAMING! IT STILL IS!" Twilight was knocked out of her thinking as her eyes widened.

"Wait....WHAT!?!?" she shouted quickly she darted outside and flew to Fluttershy's cottage, Rainbow Dash looking at the massive forest fire as she frowned. "As much as I despise this forest we have to save it." She said, Rainbow Dash was wearing a pair of torn skinny jeans a tank top and a ear ring on her left ear. Fluttershy eventually stepping out with a pink sweater on and some shorts.

"Oh dear...I hope the animals are ok..." She said shyly.

"Don't worry Fluttershy, they are. I promise." Twilight said, Applejack and Pinkie Pie finally arriving.

Applejack wearing her usual hat and a pair of clean jeans. While also sporting a shirt that had a pattern of black and red squares on it, Pinkie Pie was wearing a very odd firefighter outfit that looked like it came out of a Halloween store. Applejack spoke, “Where’s Rarity?” She asked looking at the blazing forest not daring to step inside without the whole group. Pinkie Pie bounced around, “I dunno! Maybe she’ll have a fire fighter outfit like me!” She said cheerfully.

Rainbow Dash raised a brow, “Since when has RARITY ever wore something like a firefighter outfit?” she asked as Pinkie rubbed her chin.

“Good point…” she said still carrying a bubbly attitude, finally after a minute passed Rarity showed up panting looking like she ran a marathon. “Sorry darlings...I’m here!” she said as Twilight pouted.

“Well what are we all waiting for!?” Rainbow Dash shouted to the group as they nodded, finally entering the forest Rainbow Dash creating rain clouds to put out the fires while Twilight used her own magic to control the blazing flames. Finally making their way through the forest fire they found, a massive crater in the ground, Twilight looked at it and began to move toward it Rainbow Dash grabbing her arm, Twilight was sporting a sort of librarian look as the two looked at each other. “Twi. We didn't go in alone, remember what happened with Discord.” The mare nodded.

“I remember vividly Rainbow Dash.” She said chuckling as she and the cyan mare slid down. Seeing nothing in the crater but footprints, footprints to something that didn’t walk on hooves.

Rainbow rubbed her chin as she looked at the prints.

“What do you think caused these?” She asked.

Twilight kneeled down putting two fingers on the prints, “I dunno...but I feel like this thing is bad...BAD news…”