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        The Guardian From Afar 4: Life In Equestria        
                   -by LukeTheMercenary-                   
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                     An Unusual Start                      
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An Unusual Start
A week after William's return, Luke and James were allowed to stay in Will's home until they find proper houses. Luke and James were currently unemployed, and trying to meet new ponies. Luke was even trying to lighten up his mood, and being more tolerant towards others, which was a huge improvement.
Screaming. I heard screaming that night. James and I were talking outside of Sugarcube corner when a feminine scream flooded the streets. James and I were armed with submachine guns, and decided to see where it was coming from. Before we could start investigating, we saw a human shape coming for us. FAST. He ran to us, panting. He looked horrified! However, that wasn't the weirdest part. The weird part was the fact that his pants were gone, except for his underpants.
"Help...me..." Luke said in-between pants.
I started laughing, "Luke...I'm just gonna ask you one question. Where are your pants?"
"That...crazy...Lyra...chick..."
"What?"
"I'm getting my gun," Luke said, stomping for my place.
"NO!" James tackled Luke, "That's not necessary! What just happened?"
Luke grabbed James by his shirt collar, "Listen to me, James. I've been through some crazy shit before. I've wrestled an Alligator, fought burglars, and even traveled to a world of ponies...but you've never experienced true horror until you get kidnapped by a crazy unicorn!"
As bad as I'm going to feel for saying this, I had to stop my laughter. He must've met Lyra Heartstrings. She's all crazy about humans, and has a creepy interest in them. To be honest, I think the only thing that stopped her from trying to date me was the fact that I worked a lot with AJ.
"Tell us what exactly happened." I said.
With that, Luke began telling the story from the beginning.
Earlier, in Luke's point of view...
Let me say this: This Equestria place is a whole lot better than Earth. I thought that I could get along with these ponies better than people.
That was a dumb decision.
I was sitting on a bench, reading the paper when this mint colored unicorn sat next to me. I didn't pay attention. It's bench, people sit on it. However, the chick then started talking to me.
"Hi," she said.
"Yo." I responded, not taking my eyes off the newspaper.
"My name's Lyra. You're a human, no?"
"Yeah. I'm human, or...at least I think I am. Maybe I'm just a really smart, hairless monkey."
Lyra giggled, "You're so funny."
Erm, okay..?
I sighed, "The name's Luke. I'm just a guy trying to get by. Maybe make some friends."
Lyra scooted closer, "Well...I could be your friend..."
Normally, I would say no. I'm usually not a social person. However, ever since I came to this whole new world...I made it my own personal goal to change my outlook on people, and be more tolerant to others.
"Okay. Sure," I said.
Lyra smiled, "So...what do you like to do?"
"What do I like to do? Hm...never really thought about it. I like to crack jokes, fight, shoot, and...I do have a secret love for literature."
"Wow! I like to read too."
"Huh. Cool."
Awkward silence followed.
"So...whatcha reading?" Lyra asked.
"Eh," I said, "Just catching up on the news. Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence had their baby recently, you know. Decided to read about it, it's pretty interesting."
"Cool. Hey, could you do me a favor?"
"What?"
Lyra held out a flower, "Could you sniff this for me?"
Now, I was trained at the bunker about possible traps. Her whole display said it all. Her unmoving face, the kindness in her voice, and the fact that she asked me to sniff something for her. Nice try, but I'm not falling for the chloroform trick.
I smirked, "Why don't YOU sniff it first, hm?"
Lyra's face said it all. She knew that I saw through her little scheme. She looked around, and noticed that there ironically wasn't any other ponies nearby. Her expression suddenly changed from sweet, to frustrated. She suddenly levitated a rag over my mouth. I tried to hold my breath, but as incredible as my skills are...I'm still human. I NEEDED AIR. I took one big inhale, and instantly fell unconscious.
I must've been asleep for a long time. When I woke up, I found myself hanging upside down from the fucking CEILING by my ankles.
"Oh great," I said, "Isn't this magical? I just knew that the one time I try to be sociable with others, would be kidnapped. Stay calm, Luke. It could be worse. At least you're not inside a bathtub of ice with your kidneys gone."
I felt the texture of rope on my ankles. Perfect. If I just grab my pistol, I could shoot the rope and free myself. I thought. I reached my holster, and found myself grabbing at my boxers. I looked at myself, and saw that almost all my clothes were gone!
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" I sighed, "This is just fucking great. I can't escape this place without any tools! Even MacGyver would be shitting his pants right now."
I calmed myself, and decided to take in my surroundings. While i was upside-down, I saw that I was in a basement. I saw some cabinets, tools, boxes, a table with my clothes piled on it, and some old furniture. Suddenly, I heard hoofsteps. Shit. I thought.
The door opened, and I saw an earth pony. I've seen this one walking around town, but never really cared. She walked in carrying a basket in her teeth. She took one look at me, and gasped.
"What the- what happened?" she asked.
"Oh, just hanging around. Quite literally." I joked.
"Who did this to you?"
"I'd imagine it was that Lyra chick."
"I'm so sorry. She's my marefriend, I didn't think that she'd...do this to anyone."
"Right, right. Now...as much as I enjoy the feeling of all my blood rushing into my head, I would love to get down now. Could you help?"
"Of course, but be quiet."
The pony handed me a small knife, and I curled my spine up so I could cut the rope. Once I did, I fell onto the carpet below me. I got up and went to the table to retrieve my things. While I put my shirt on and simply stuck my holstered pistol in my pocket, I was interrupted by the sound of Lyra's voice.
"How the hay did you get loose?!" She asked.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. I ran past her, not even taking the rest of my clothes with me, and escaped the house. It was dark, so I just ran aimlessly around. I luckily found you guys, and that brings us here.
Will's POV
James and I looked at Luke in shock.
"Wait, why were you screaming?" James asked.
"Oh, because I heard her following me." Luke responded.
"Where did she go?"
"Right here," Lyra said from behind us.
Luke screamed and hid behind me. I was the only thing that separated Luke from his kidnapper. Lyra looked up at me with crazy eyes. I really didn't know what to say here. James suddenly stepped in and spoke for me.
"Lyra," James said, "What you did was very wrong. Like, REALLY wrong. If you managed to make Luke here scared, then you know for a FACT you did something wrong. Listen, Lyra. I like you and all, but you'd better go home right now. You're lucky that I'm not going to tell anyone about this. However, if you kidnap any of my friends ever again...I will not be as nice. Now...go home to your marefriend. I'm sure you've got a lot of explaining to do."
I was impressed with that little speech James said. It worked, too...because Lyra looked like she saw a ghost. She suddenly turned around and ran in the other direction. I heard Luke breathe a sigh of relief and collapse.
"James?" Luke asked.
"Yeah?" James asked.
"I'm grateful for what you did, but I think you'd better stop saving me. Keep this up, and people are gonna start shipping us."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"You'll never understand."
Author's Note
Okay...this chapter may not be all that great, but it's just the beginning. Things will get better soon, I promise. Until then, I hope you all have a nice day. :twilightsheepish: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsheepish.png

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                     Get a Job, Luke!                      
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Get a Job, Luke!
You know, I know that Luke is a troubled guy and all...but I got tired of keeping him in my home for so damn long. At this point, it was a month after my return...and I promised him that I would let him stay at my place until he got back up on his feet, but he was such an AWFUL roommate!
William was the only one awake at that moment. Sipping his coffee, he flipped through the pages of his newspaper. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of boxes falling.
"OW!" he heard a voice yelp.
"Huh? You okay?" Will asked.
Scootaloo walked into the room, "I tripped on one of those wood crates again," she said, mildly irritated.
"Dangit, when is Luke going to get his weapons out of here?"
"When he wants to," Luke said, waking up from his spot on the couch.
William looked at Luke, who returned his gaze.
"Luke, you could at least put your weapons in a safe spot. By safe, I mean out of the way of people who are trying to walk." William said.
"Hey," Luke said, shrugging, "I don't tell you how to live your life."
"But I DO tell you how to live in my home."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Listen, Luke. I like you, and I will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done for me...but you have been extremely irritable, unorganized, and cheap. You don't even help pay the bills."
"Listen, if I wanna be nagged....I'll buy a clockwork wife."
William balled up his fists. It was only a little over a week, and Luke was driving him crazy!
"Luke...I want you out of my house." Will said, dryly.
"Say what?" Luke asked.
"Listen, Luke. Take what you can carry, and get your ass out of here. You can come and go for your guns, but besides that...I want you to find some other place to sleep and live. There's only so much a man can take..."
"Crap..."
Luke's POV...
Well, just like that...he kicked me out. I was only there for a little over a week! Maybe what people say is true: I'm an arsehole.
I packed the essentials, or what I call my essentials: My gun bag, and my bit pouch. Besides that, nothing but the clothes on my back. I went to the first place I thought of: The tavern. It was the place I visited the most, because A: I love me a good drink every once in a while. And B: The bartender there is my best friend, but I don't tell James that.
I opened the door, and happened to bump into one of my few enemies here in Ponyville: Flash Sentry. Here in Ponyville, Princess Twilight's castle was originally unguarded. However, due to possibilities that rogue members of Bunker 34 could still be in Equestria...they had to have at least four royal guards live in Ponyville at all times. One of them happened to be him. Why do I hate this guy? To start, his overall demeanor is what my mother would call "ass-kissery." He's ALWAYS got something nice to say to Princess Twilight. I can't STAND people like that. He also tries his best to stand out from the crowd, like he's the best. Again, can't stand that. I was once a protector, myself...but I never kissed the feet of those who hired me. If anything...I gave my commander, and my fellow guards a hard time. Remember why Finn and I were enemies? Finn hated it when I commented on things. I kind of have a problem with pointing out things I find stupid or annoying. If I think someone is annoying, or dumb...I'll tell it to their face. And that's exactly why Flash and I are enemies. He hated me, and I hated him.
I literally bumped right into Flash and his three fellow guards. We didn't say a word to each other, and I walked past him while he and his friend left the tavern. I went up to the main table, and sat right in front of the bartender, Berry Punch. She noticed me and greeted me with a smile.
"Hey, Luke! The usual?" Berry asked.
"The usual, but make it a little taller. I just bumped into Flash again." I said.
"What's with you and him, anyways?" Berry asked as she poured my drink and sat it on the table.
"Something that you might never understand."
I started downing my cider. Yeah, I know. Before you comment, let me just say that I deal with a lot of crap. Dealing with idiots at least once a day, combined with getting kicked out of Will's house made me a little thirstier than usual. I finished it in just fifteen seconds, and slammed the wooden mug down onto the table.
"Something bothering you, sweetie?" Berry asked. Yes, she calls me "sweetie" sometimes. Not really gonna complain.
"Eh, William kicked me out of his house today. Now I'm just stuck with the clothes on my back, my bits, and an assload of guns!" I responded.
"What do you plan to do now?" she asks as she starts cleaning a glass.
"To be honest, I really don't know. I might spend the night at the Inn, but other than that...I'm not sure where to live, or how to make a living."
"Don't you sell labor services like Will and James?"
"First, I don't do manual labor. I protect. Second: There are not many requests for a mercenary to protect them."
"Well, have you ever considered a steady job?"
"Who would hire me?"
"What about AJ's farm?"
"Will works there. He gets all lovey-dovey with her, and to be honest...I do NOT want to put up with having to see that crap."
"What about Carousel Boutique?"
"Nein. I spent YEARS perfecting my military skills, I don't think someone like me would fit in an environment like that. Listen, I know she gets a lot of well-known customers. And YOU know that I say what's on my mind," I lean towards her, "Do you even know what I called Photo Finish yesterday?"
"No?" Berry asked.
"Just wait until the paper comes out tomorrow, because the paparazzi was there."
"Okay, well...what about Pinkie Pie?"
"What about her?"
"You could try getting a job at Sugarcube Corner."
"Well...I do like baking."
"You baked at the bunker you were in?"
"I wasn't supposed to, but nobody ever stopped me...because I could bake a cake that would bring Gordon Ramsay to his knees."
"Well, there you go. Just to ask Mr. and Mrs. Cake for a job."
"That's a good idea. I should probably go ask now."
"Alright. See you soon, sweetie."
He paid for his drink and exited the tavern. His gun bag with him, he walked all the way to Sugarcube Corner. He opened the door, and was INSTANTLY face-to-face with Pinkie Pie. This was weird, because she wasn't as tall as Luke. She somehow stretched her neck to meet him at eye level.
"Hi, Lukie!" she said before bringing her neck back to normal.
"Uh...hey, Pinkie..." Luke responded.
"What's up?"
"I was wondering if I could get a job here. Will kicked me out of his house, so I need to make money to get a place to live."
"Oh, uh..."
Luke had a bad reputation in town for coming off as rude and obnoxious. As much as he hated to admit it, it was true. He said what was on his mind, no matter how hurtful it was. While he was trying to get better with his attitude, ponies were still a little paranoid around him. Pinkie knew this all too well, but she didn't want to hurt Luke's feelings. She wanted to help him out, because she was some of the few ponies in town he considered a friend.
"Why don't you order something while I talk to Mr. and Mrs. Cake about it?" Pinkie asked.
"Sure. Can I get a muffin?" Luke asked.
"Sure! Oh look, it's the last one! Lucky you!"
Luke paid for the muffin and sat at a table. He wasn't too hungry at the moment, so he just sat there thinking. At the same time, Pinkie was talking to the Cakes about hiring Luke in the kitchen.
"Come on, why not? He's my friend." Pinkie said.
"I know, Pinkie...but you know about the reputation that Luke has," Mrs. Cake said.
"He might scare away the customers, Pinkie." Mr. Cake added.
"Oh come on! He can be really nice if you get to know him..." Pinkie said.
"Pinkie..."
"Hello?" A voice said at the front desk.
Pinkie exited the kitchen, and saw Derpy Hooves standing in front of the desk.
"Oh. Hi, Derpy! The usual?" Pinkie asked.
"Yes, please! One muffin, please!" Derpy responded, cheerily.
"Okie dokie! Let me just get the oven ready."
Pinkie re-entered the kitchen, and attempted to activate the oven. When she did, though, it made a weird grunting noise. Suddenly, the dial on it popped off. Luckily, this had nothing to do with the gas. Just the controls.
"Uhh...Mr. Cake? I think the oven's broken..." Pinkie said.
"Huh?" Mr. Cake came over to her, "Oh no...this will take an entire day to fix."
"Should we just close up for today?"
"I don't think we have much of a choice. We'll just have to sell what's left for today before closing up."
Pinkie exited the kitchen and got back behind the front desk.
"Sorry, Derpy...we're out of muffins, and the oven's broken..." Pinkie said.
"Aww...ok..." Derpy said, her crossed eyes looking sad.
Luke was watching that little display from where he was sitting. He also saw Derpy. He had seen her around Ponyville every once in a while, and would feel sorry for her due to her clumsiness. She would trip, fall, deliver mail to the wrong places and get yelled at, and not understand why.
"Excuse me, Miss Derpy?" Luke asked, motioning her to come over to him.
"Huh?" She asked, coming over to him.
"I'm not really hungry, and I haven't taken a bite from my muffin. You have it instead."
"Really?"
"Yeah, sure."
Luke places the muffin in Derpy's waiting hooves. She smiles wide, sets the muffin on the table, and wraps Luke in a big hug.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're not as bad as everyone says you are, Mr. Luke." Derpy said before releasing her hug and flying out of the bakery with the muffin in her hooves.
Luke chuckled a little. Weird. He thought. Why do I feel so...warm? is that what being nice feels like?
Pinkie was still behind the front desk, and she saw the whole thing. The Cakes were also watching it as well, and were shocked to see such a gentle and kind deed done by someone who had a reputation for being uncouth.
"See?" Pinkie said, "Luke's not as bas as you think he is. Come on, give him a job. Please?"
"Well...okay. But the oven's not working. We can't hire him yet, he's got nothing to do." Mr. Cake said.
"Well, what about that date you wanted to take Mrs. Cake on? Luke can babysit the twins tonight!"
"I don't know...what do you think, hon?"
"Pinkie always tells us Luke is a soldier, I think that's good enough." Mrs. Cake responded.
"Well...okay then."
Pinkie's face lit up, and she smiled.
"Luke!" She said, jumping over the front desk and getting in Luke's face.
"...yeah..?" Luke asked, awkwardly.
"You've got a job!"
"Oh, sweet! When do I start?"
"Tonight!"
"Cool, what do I do?"
"Well, the oven is broken...so you're going to be babysitting the twins while the Cakes are on a date!"
"Wait, what?"
"Don't worry! You'll only have to do it one time, and when the oven is fixed...you can start baking tomorrow!"
"Why do I get the feeling that it's not going to be as easy as you're saying it is?"
"That's because it's not."
"At least you're being honest with me."
Author's Note
Stay tuned for the next chapter: "Luke The Babysitter"
PS: I know, Luke has been taking the spotlight lately. Don't worry, Will and James will get their turns as well. Until then, thanks for reading. And as always, have a nice day.

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                    Luke The Babysitter                    
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Luke The Babysitter
Luke's POV...
When the sun started to set, I tossed out my newspaper and started heading for Sugarcube Corner. When I got there, I gave a polite smile to the Cakes and took a seat.
"Listen, Luke," Mr. Cake said, "Before you do anything, I need you to put your guns in that chest," he says, pointing to a wooden chest in the corner of the room.
"Wait, what?!" I said, dumbfounded.
"Your weapons are dangerous, and the twins...they can make a disaster out of anything if you let them. The last thing the world needs is to have my twins play with weapons as powerful as yours."
I hesitated. Ever since the Lyra incident...I make sure to NEVER leave my weapons. However, I ended up placing my gun bag into the chest, and Mrs. Cake secured it with a lock.
"Thanks for understanding." Mr. Cake said, "Now, they're already asleep. We just need you to stay here, and make sure nothing bad happens. Make sure to check on Pumpkin every once in a while. She sometimes...makes things levitate in her sleep. It rarely happens, but if she does do that...just pick her up and rock her to sleep slowly."
"Ok," I said, "Anything else?"
"Yes. Pound Cake wakes up at Eight PM every night. When he does, just give him a bottle. He'll get back to sleep in no time."
"Got it. And what if they both wake up?"
"Ooh! I'll answer that!" Pinkie said, "Funny sounds and faces work! And if that doesn't work, just dump a bag of flour over your head!"
"Classic."
"Well, let's not stay here and waste the night. Good luck, Luke. You might need it." Mrs. Cake said.
"Please. How bad could it be?" I asked.
"It won't. You'll do fine!" Pinkie said, reassuringly.
With that said, Pinkie and the cakes left the building and locked the door behind them.
"Wait," I asked myself, "Why did Pinkie have to leave?"
I shrugged, and sat down in a chair. I looked at the time, and took note that it was 7:23. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, I pulled out my cellphone and started to play a knockoff version of the game Tetris. My phone's battery was a little less than full, and I knew that I was going to have to find some way to power it someday. I played for a while, and heard some crying from upstairs. I looked at the clock, and sure enough...it was 8:00. Right on schedule. Grabbing a bottle from the kitchen, I went upstairs into the twins' bedroom. Pound Cake stared at me, looking more than scared.
"Uh....hi there!" I said, waving.
Maybe they should've introduced the twins to me first. I thought.
I should have been more quiet, because me talking woke Pumpkin cake up. Now they were both staring at me, giving me the same frightened expression. I held out the bottle, making it clear that I was just there to give Pound Cake his nightly drink. They didn't change their expressions. I slowly approached Pound's crib...and every step I took, I got more and more nervous. They could scream at any second. I thought to myself. The floor creaked as I carefully placed my boot upon it. Sweat ran down my face. It was like defusing a bomb! I gave Pound his bottle, which he took. I steadily started making my way out the door...until I heard the sound of something hit the floor. I turned around, to see an empty bottle on the floor. He already finished it! I looked at him, and he looked at me. He suddenly pressed his hoof on his belly, and I heard a rumbling. The face he made looked like he was about to vomit!
"Oh no..." I said.
I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable mess....
*burp*
Giggling followed the sound of someone burping. I opened my eyes and found Pumpkin and Pound Cake laughing. I breathed a sigh of relief, and they stopped to stare at me. I looked at their little eyes. I never saw anything more...I can't believe I'm saying this word...adorable my life!
"Well. I like to burp too!" I said.
I then burped. Loud. It was a loud burp, and it could probably be heard outside. They looked at me for one second, and then burst out laughing. I started laughing too. Pumpkin cake released a belch that was even louder than mine! Now it was my turn to start laughing. It was too funny! I fell on the floor as tears ran down my eyes, I was laughing too hard. We all laughed for about five minutes until I got up, trying to catch my breath. The twins stopped laughing, and looked wide awake.
"Welp, so much for trying to get you to sleep. Would you like to stay up a little?" I asked.
They responded by getting up on their hind legs, with their forelegs raised up toward me. Okay, this was too cute. I picked them both up, and set them on the floor. They opened their toy chest and began playing with their toys. I watched in fascination as Pumpkin Cake used her magic to lift up a plush butterfly, and make it act like the real thing. Pound Cake flew alongside it, keeping up with it's speed.
"Wow...that's cool!" I said to myself.
I spent the next bit of time playing with the twins. I'll be honest...at first, I thought this was gonna be awful. However...I found myself having one of the best times of my life! Reminds me of when I was a teen, playing with my younger siblings. I kinda missed those days.
By 10:00 PM, I was sitting in a chair...the twins sleeping in my arms. I didn't want to wake them up again, so I decided to just sit there and wait for the Cakes to return. I was wondering when they would. Shouldn't be too long now. I thought.
Right when I thought that, I heard some knocking at the door. I knew that the shop had the sign outside flipped to "Closed," so I imagined they would notice and leave. However, the knocking continued.
"Sorry, we're closed." I said.
The knocking on the door turned to pounding. This raised a red flag for me. First of all, they didn't make a verbal response to what I said. Second, furious pounding is just concerning by itself. I slowly and carefully carried the twins upstairs into their room, and set them in their cribs. Luckily, they didn't wake up. I tiptoed downstairs and went back to the front door. The pounding now sounded like someone was RAMMING the door. Shit! I thought.
"Michael Meyers, is that you?" I asked at the door, "Nightmare Night isn't for a while right now!"
Yeah, I know. That probably wasn't a good time for jokes. All I knew, was that someone was trying to get in when they weren't supposed to. I ran to the chest containing my guns. Damn, that lock was NOT cheap. Without my guns, my chances against the invaders dropped. I patted myself, looking for a knife or...anything! By some miracle, I had a Mauser C96 pistol tucked away in my holster. I guess I forgot I had it on me. I pulled back the bolt, and frowned when I saw it was empty. Damnit! I checked every pocket for even ONE 9mm bullet.
Pinkie was sitting on a bench, coming up with new part ideas. Suddenly, her tail started twitching. Wasting no time, Pinkie jumped under the bench...only to have nothing fall.
"Huh?" Pinkie asked, "My Pinkie Sense was....wrong..?"
Luke's POV...
Suddenly, something fell on my head.
"Ow!" I said, and picked up the object from the ground.
To my surprise, it was a C96 clip...full of 9mm bullets. I quickly loaded up the bullets into the gun and ran back into the twin's room. Closing the door and locking it, I got in a fighting stance...my gun pointed at the door. The ramming stopped, and I could hear 2 pairs of boots clomp downstairs. I quieted my breathing. I had been in a few combat situations in my life...but something about this one actually made me nervous. I could hear 2 male voices talking. I heard every door downstairs open, and then the feet came upstairs. They opened the door to the Cake's bedroom, and then I heard the knob jiggling on the door to the Twin's room. They then started pounding on it, waking up the twins. They started crying, adding to my building anxiety.
"Listen, pal. If you come into this room uninvited...I have full legal right to pop a cap in your ASS. This is your one and ONLY warning." I said.
The voices on the other side laughed, "Shut the fuck up, trader. Your pony-hugging days are over."
I waited in my stance as the ramming turned into pounding. Finally....the door gave in...and it flew open. I immediately pulled the trigger over and over again at the doorway. I hit the man who was ramming, and he fell to the ground. The second guy screamed and ran out of the house like he had a propeller coming out of his arse. The twins were screaming and crying...but unharmed. I sighed in relief.
"It's okay," I said to them as comfortingly as possible.
Everypony in town was gathered around 2 things: Sugarcube Corner, and the corpse of a human outside of Sugarcube Corner. The Cakes saw the body, and ran into Sugarcube Corner...concerned for their foals.
"Luke?! Where are the kids?!" Cup Cake asked, panicked.
The Cakes ran upstairs to the twin's bedroom, and shrieked when they saw a second human corpse. Then, Luke walked out of the twin's bedroom, his pistol in his hand. He re-holsters it and looks them in the eye.
"I did what I said I would: Made sure the twins are safe." Luke said.
The Cakes simply stared at Luke, speechless.
"Hope I earned your trust! I'll come back for work tomorrow. Baking cakes, right?" Luke asked.
They both nodded, still freaked out over the situation.
The Cakes went into the twin's room...and sure enough, they were sleeping safe and sound in their cribs. Cup Cake went back downstairs to find Luke trying to open the chest containing his guns. She gave him the key, and he was able to reunite with his guns. After re-strapping the bag on his back, he got ready to leave the bakery. Before he left, Cup Cake stopped him.
"Wait!" she said.
Luke turned, "Yes?"
"How can we repay you?"
"By making sure I get paid enough to have a home to stay in."
Before Cup could respond to this, Luke was already walking out the door...and into the night. Obviously not caring about the deed he had done.
Author's Note
I am so sorry this chapter took forever to come out. Like I had mentioned before, I am struggling to find writing time. However, my production and quality of my writing will increase over time. With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.   
As always, have a nice day. :pinkiehappy: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/pinkiehappy.png

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                        New Threat                         
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New Threat
Will's POV
"Ugh...what a day," I said as I flopped onto my bed, not even bothering to take my boots off.
"I know...but hard work'll do ya good!" Applejack said, lying next to me.
"My feet hurt, my arms hurt, and I feel like my boots have lead soles."
"Heh, I'm beginning to wonder who here is the mare."
"Haha, very funny."
It was a long day of farm work. Nothing puts more hair on your chest than a whole day of the boiling sun on your entire body, and nothing but carrying stuff. That was my whole day, but I loved working with AJ. Still, never let it be said that I didn't suffer for my own happiness. I invited AJ to sleep over at my house. Since James occupied the couch, AJ decided to crash in my bed. No complaints. We were just about to fall asleep when a loud sound was heard outside.
POW POW POW
Immediately, we shot up from bed.
"What was that?!" I said, my protective instincts kicking in.
"It...sounded like one of your do-hickeys...a gun..?" Applejack asked.
"Applejack, stay here and watch Scootaloo."
"Where are you going?!"
"Out to see what's going on. The only person out in town with weapons is Luke. I just hope he isn't doing anything stupid..."
I stormed downstairs and popped open a wooden crate. I pulled out an ol'-fashioned Tommy Gun. As I was, Scootaloo came downstairs and looked at me with a worried expression.
"D-dad?" she asked, "What's going on?"
I looked at her reassuringly, and gave her a kiss on the forehead, "Don't worry, Scoots. Stay here with Applejack. Daddy and uncle James is gonna see what's happening."
"Ok..."
James pulled a scoped rifle out of a crate, "Nothing solves a problem like a Mosin Nagant."
"Let's go, James." I said, opening the door. "And make haste!"
Without saying anything more, we ran into the night.
A few minutes later...
We saw 2 crowds in the town. One around Sugarcube Corner, and another around...something. We were about 10 yards away when James stopped me.
"Ok. You go over there and see what's up. If it's clear, wave for me. I'll stay back and cover from here, just in case of something dangerous." James said.
"Why do I have to walk into the danger?" I complained.
"Because you've got the SMG, now head out there!"
I rolled my eyes and walked toward the crowd. I saw the local guards trying to disperse the crowd. I approached Flash Sentry, and began speaking to him.
"Flash, what is the meaning of this?" I asked.
"Your dumb friend fired his dangerous weapon, and killed two of your kind!" He responded.
"Wait, what?!"
"Don't listen to Public Flasher," Luke said, "He's just jealous that I just saved the day!"
I face palmed and raised my hand in the sky, giving James the signal that it was okay. Sure enough, he arrived.
"What's the meaning of this?" James asked.
"For fuck's sake," Luke said as he stomped away and into the smaller crowd.
He grabbed something, and dragged it into view. It was the limp, bloodied body of another human. A guy.
"Holy crap!" I exclaimed.
"Oh, that's not all," Luke said as he pulled a blood stained piece of paper from his pocket.
I read it out load. It said the following:
Kill Luke!
I don't care what you have to do, I just want him dead. I knew that he would do something crazy one day...and next thing I know, he blew up the portal machine! He's gonna pay for his betrayal, and he will do it with his own blood! You will be paid dearly for eliminating him, and paid extra if you capture any specimens to bring back.
Failiure is NOT an option.
-Captain Finn of Bunker 34
"It appears that this was a misunderstanding," Flash Sentry said, "But I got my eyes on you."
"I'd do the same, but then I would turn into stone," Luke quipped.
Flash grunted and turned to his fellow guards, "Ok. Let's get these bodies out of here and fill in a report to Princess Celestia."
Flash went to do his business and left James and I in shock. However, out of everyone here...Luke seemed to be the LEAST bothered about this.
"Luke, aren't you...you know...worried?" James asked.
"No..?" He said.
"Well, I am! If the bunker has a new way to get here...everyone we know could be in danger! My friends, my daughter, my marefriend..." I said.
Luke suddenly got a bit tense, "Well...whatever! I'm glad I don't have a girl to worry about. Just me, myself, and I!"
"Uhh...Luke? You okay?"
"Peachy!" Luke said, "Just peachy!" he said as he started stomping into the night.
"Where are you going?!" James asked.
"A place where I can again forget about being lonely!"
Before we could say anything else, Luke already disappeared into the darkness. I was about to say something, but I was then tapped on the shoulder. I turned to see a royal guard.
"Sir." I said.
"Mister Ross, I have overheard your conversation. I will get a message to Princess Celestia to send guards to protect Ponyville...so you can sleep well tonight knowing your loved ones are safe." The guard said.
"Thank you."
He nodded, and returned to his business. Feeling a little bit more calm, I turned to James...who had a puzzled expression.
"What was that all about?" James asked.
"About what? The guards?" I asked.
"No. The way Luke was acting."
"He's just being Luke, right?"
"No, this is strange even for LUKE."
"What set him off?"
"You mentioned your marefriend, and Luke said something about being lonely."
"Should we do something about this?"
"I'd normally stick to my own business, but maybe we could help him."
"But first..."
"First what?"
"I wanna get some sleep. I'm tired."
"But-"
"Goodnight!"
I immediately went back home, and slept like a rock.
Author's Note
Luke being weirder than normal, huh? What's he hiding? I guess we will have to find out...
In the next chapter...(hopefully) being released tomorrow!
PS: The bunker bozos returning to Equestria was inspired by an idea from Lumox6 (https://www.fimfiction.net/user/299708/Lumox6), check him out.

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                James Searches for Answers                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
James Searches for Answers
James' POV...
"A place where I can forget about being lonely!"
"...forget about being lonely!"
"...being lonely!"
"...lonely, lonely, lonely..."
Those words echoed through my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about what Luke said. I always kind of saw him as a...well, as a SOCIOPATH, but I never thought he would actually feel lonely. I thought he liked being alone!
Anyways, the next morning came...and the thought was still fresh in my mind. I knew that I had to figure out how I could help out my best friend. I got up from the couch, and made myself a pot of coffee. I sat at the kitchen table, and began thinking about what I could do. Before I could come up with anything, I heard a knock at the door. I answered, and was met face-to-face with a royal guard.
"Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," I responded, "What can I do for our guys in steel?"
"Just doing a check on the house. This is the new rule, until we get everything sorted out. The attack yesterday made Princess Celestia decide to send guards here to protect the town 24/7."
"I can see that."
"Well, have a nice day."
I closed the door, and got back to thinking.
"If Luke's lonely," I said to myself, "Maybe I can find him a pony to love! I mean, Will is a human...and he got together with a pony. I'm sure it's not too weird. But...how am I gonna find him somepony? Hm...I know! I'll ask the ponies he knows and see if they take a liking to him."
"James, who are you talking to?" I heard Will ask from behind.
"Uh, nobody."
After breakfast, I went outside to go do some investigating. I knew the one place I should start: The Tavern. A lot of juicy rumors could be told by a bartender, so maybe I could find some valuable information there.
After a bit of walking, I found myself arriving at the tavern. I pushed open the doors, and the cool air hit my face. In fact...it was actually COLD in there. I approached the front desk, and Berry Punch greeted me.
"James!" she said, "I'm surprised to see you here. Normally, the only human that comes in here is Luke."
"Uhh...why is it so chilly? Can't you like, turn up the heat or something?" I asked, rubbing my arms to try to keep warm.
"Sorry, hun. If the bar's cold, the drinks will be too. Everypony loves to have a nice and chilly beverage. Cold drinks mean more drinks sold. Would YOU want to drink warm beer?"
"Um....no, not really."
"Exactly. Now, what can I get you?"
Berry begins cleaning a glass like a stereotypical bartender would be seen doing.
"Actually," I said, "I came here to ask about your #1 customer."
"Listen, hun," Berry said, "Luke trusts me with the secrets he tells me, and I know better than to just begin sharing them like it's chicken pox."
"Please? I'm just wondering if there is anypony who might...like him..?"
"Oooooh. Well, I might know something."
She leans in, and whispers to me.
"You see," she whispers, "Due to rumors lately, I have a right to believe that a certain Pinkamena Diane Pie might be taking a liking to him."
I was shocked, "I'm surprised that ANYONE would like him! How could you tell?
"She talks about him, a lot. She also shows off weird body language when talking about him. Weird in a good way."
"I think I'll have to ask her myself."
"Okay, but you DIDN'T get this from me. I don't need anyone coming back to me about leaked information."
"You have my word."
With that said, I left the tavern and went to Sugarcube Corner.
Pinkie in love with Luke? Ha! The day that happens is the day I eat a pair of pants! I thought to myself as I opened the doors to Sugarcube corner.
"Eww, gross! Why would you eat a pair of pants? They don't taste good at all! Well, unless you're a moth...which means you think clothes are delicious! OohdomothsopentinyrestuarantsthatsellclothesasfoodIbetitwouldbegrossforusbutgreatforthemtheymightsellsocksoupshirtsteakandfordessertcottoncake!" Pinkie began rambling nonsense so much, I had to cup my hand over her mouth.
"Pinkie, I wanted to ask you something. Wait, did you just read my freaking mind?! Ugh, never mind. Listen, I have something to ask you, and I need an honest answer...ok?"
"Mhm," she said, my hand still over her mouth.
I removed my hand from her mouth, "Ok. Listen, I'm gonna be blunt. Are you in love with Luke?"
Pinkie suddenly turned red, "U-um...no..?" she said.
"Wow, Pinkie. You are an AWFUL liar. You are, aren't you?"
Pinkie sighed, "Okay...you got me. I suppose I have a crush on Luke..."
"Ok. That's all I wanted to know. Ok, bye!"
I walked out of Sugarcube Corner, and I had a mini freakout. There is ACTUALLY someone out there who likes that sociopath!
Wait, you should probably ask Luke if he likes her too. Then, if they do like each other...Luke could actually be NICE.  I smiled at the thought of a kind and gentle Luke replacing the mean and grumpy one. Now all I had to do was find him. I found him talking to some purple unicorn. When I approached them, the unicorn ran off and out of sight.
"Who was that?" I asked.
"Some pony I found hiding in the bushes. She was looking at Princess Twilight with high-powered binoculars." he said, haplessly.
"Shouldn't you be scared about something weird like that?" I asked.
"Ponies don't scare me. I scare ponies."
"Riiiight...well, Luke. I got a question to ask."
"Shoot."
"Are you looking for love?"
"Goodbye!"
Luke tried turning around and walking away, but I grabbed his shoulder.
"No, Luke. I wanna know. Are you lonely because you want someone to love?"
"Stop touching me. I could practically HEAR the shippers clacking away on their keyboards."
I released my grip on his shoulder. "What do you me- ugh, nevermind. Luke, I know someone perfect for you. Pinkie Pie!"
"James-"
"Come on! She's funny, random, and always good for a laugh! Just like you!"
"James, I-"
"She told me herself that she likes you!"
"James..."
"You both even to that weird thing, like you say random things like her. And-"
"JAMES! LET ME TALK!!!" Luke said so loud, I heard the nearby windows rattle.
I stopped, and let him talk.
"As much as I would love to get together with Pinkie, I can't." He said.
"Come on, why not?" I asked.
"Because I'm in love with Princess Twilight."
Author's Note
DUN DUN DUUUUUN! Do I smell a possible love triangle? Hm...
(Also, sorry for the late update. Been busy with school lately.)
With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More will come out ASAP. And as always, have a nice day. :twilightsheepish: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsheepish.png

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             James Searches for Answers Part 2             
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James Searches for Answers Part 2
James' POV...
"You're in love with Princess Twili-" that was all I could say before Luke cupped his hand over my mouth.
"You will NOT tell anyone," Luke said.
I nodded, and he released.
"But...I thought you weren't into ponies." I said.
"Maybe I was wrong!" Luke snapped, as if he was being pressured.
"Someone's getting defensive. Twilight might not like that." I said, tauntingly.
Big mistake.
SWACK!!!
I woke up to see Rarity nudging me with her hoof.
"You alright, darling?" she asked, concerned.
"Ugh...what happened?" I asked, dizzily.
"I don't know...but your face might tell."
"My face? What's wrong with my face?"
Rarity levitated a small mirror to my face, and the giant red handprint on my cheek said it all.
"Heh," I said, "He knocked me out with a slap."
"Who did?" Rarity asked.
"Luke must've slapped me when I teased him."
"What did you tease him about?"
"Well...apparently...he likes Twilight Sparkle..."
Rarity gasps, "Really?! Wow! That...surprises me. He's usually all rude and uncouth."
"Well, I didn't say he's changed. He's still the rude and uncouth guy, but now he's also in love with the Princess of FRIENDSHIP. You see how that can be a little...awkward?"
"I suppose...but it could also be much worse."
"I haven't finished yet. Pinkie has told me herself that she has a crush on Luke!"
Rarity's eyes widened, "Oh no...that could be a problem for all three of them."
"I don't know how I can make this work. I REALLY want to see a good version of Luke."
"Have you attempted to talk to Twilight, and see what she thinks?"
Woah, I actually didn't think of that. "No...but now I will."
I got up from the grass and dusted myself off. I then turned around and went down the road to Twilight's castle.
"Wait!" Rarity said, "What about your head?"
"No time!" I said, "I got a princess to visit!"
Twilight was in her castle, enjoying her breakfast in the dining room...the morning sun leaking into the room through the windows, warming her fur. Before she could take another bite, the door opened...and Flash Sentry walked in.
"Princess Twilight, one of the humans have arrived to see you." he said.
"Which one?" she asked.
"He told me his name is James. He didn't tell me specifically what he wanted."
"Go ahead and let him in."
Flash nodded and left the room. Minutes later, he came back with James. James stood at the end of the table and waved awkwardly.
"Hello, Princess Twilight." James said.
"Hello, Luke. Please, take a seat. Would you like something to eat, or drink?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, no thank you. I actually came to talk to you about something."
"Well, what do you want to talk about?"
"First, could you tell Flash to...you know..."
James makes a sweeping gesture with his hand. Twilight nods and looks at Flash.
"Flash, you are dismissed." She said.
"As you wish, Princess Pretty," Flash says, waving his eyebrows and walking out.
"Heh heh..." Twilight laughs awkwardly.
James balls his hand, and makes a grunting noise, "Uuuuuugh.....the cringe is real..."
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"It's about Luke. You see...well....apparently...Pinkie Pie...likes him."
"Really? Good, I hope everything goes well for them."
"-and Luke is in love with you."
Twilight's eyes shot open, and she dropped her fork.
"He does..?"
"He told me himself. He's also probably gonna kick my butt when he hears that I told you this."
"Wow..."
Twilight sits there, thinking about this whole thing. Luke likes me? Flash does too...but...I really like...Pinkie...but she loves him...oh no...
"Princess, are you alright?" James asked.
"N-no, actually." she responded.
"Shit...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."
"Nonono, it's fine...it's just...this makes everything much more difficult..."
James got interested, "Oh yeah? How so?"
"Well...okay......I...really, really like Pinkie...but she loves Luke, but Luke loves me...and, UGH...it's so confusing!"
"Say whaaaaaa?" James said, dumbfounded.
James' head was spinning. A fucking LOVE TRIANGLE. I just knew this was gonna get difficult. How am I gonna solve this now? James thought.
"So," James started, "You're a lesbian?"
"Bisexual, actually...but I don't really like to talk about that." Twilight said.
"Hey, nothing wrong with that. I don't hate."
"Thanks for understanding."
"Well, don't worry. I'm going to come up with a solution that will make everyone happy!...I don't know what that solution will be...but mark my words, I will think of something! Excuse me, Princess...but I have to head off now. Business to take care of."
"See you later, James."
With that, James walked out of the castle.
James' POV...
I walked out of the castle, processing this new information I obtained.
Well, isn't this a pickle. Pinkie loves Luke, Luke loves Twilight, and Twilight loves Pinkie. Interesting. Well, I may be able to make something work. I thought. Oh yeah, and I hope Rarity doesn't talk to Luke about what I to-
"JAAAAAMES!", a loud voice from somewhere in town said, "I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!"
Shit...
Then, I did the only thing I could do. I ran.
Author's Note
Well, he screwed up. That's all I have to say right now.
Anyways, thank you all so much for reading. It's difficult to find time to write, but I do it for you guys.
Thanks again...and as always: Have a nice day. :pinkiesmile: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/pinkiesmile.png

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         With Great Risks, Could Come Great Reward         
//-------------------------------------------------------//
With Great Risks, Could Come Great Reward
James' POV...
My shoes made the same repetitive thudding sound as I ran through Ponyville. I needed to find a place to wait while Luke calmed down. If he slapped me for taunting him earlier, I can only imagine what he was gonna do to me when he found me. I decided to turn around and see if he was chasing me. Sure enough, he was right on my tail. When I saw the entrenching shovel in his hand, I almost shit a brick!
"Oh shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!" Was all I could say.
He was gaining on me, and I didn't know how much longer I could run for. Sweat poured down my face like Niagara Falls. I could collapse at any moment. Suddenly, I was pulled up into the air from under my armpits. I was...in the sky!
"Well, that was close! He almost got you again, heh." I heard a familiar voice say.
I turned my head to see Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow! You...saved me..." I said.
"Figured it was the least I could do. Heard about what you're doing; trying to help your friend find love. I'm not too into that mushy-lovey-dovey stuff, but it's nice to hear that you're trying to help your friends." she said.
I nodded, and then looked down. The town looked so small. Everypony looked like ants. And then I realized something...
I'm afraid of heights!
I suddenly felt very nauseous. Like I wanted to throw up.
"You okay, James?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah...just..." that was all I could say until I dry-heaved.
"Woah woah, take it easy. If you're scared, just don't look down."
I nodded, and just looked straight foreword. It was at this moment...that I had hatched a plan. Something in my mind had hatched an idea. It was a crazy idea...so crazy, though it just might work. However, I could not do it alone. I would need help.
"Hey Rainbow...I was thinking..." I said.
"What's up?" she asked.
"I just thought of a solution to the little love triangle...and it's a solution that I think will make everyone happy."
"What do you got in mind?"
I whispered my idea to her. She raised an eyebrow, squinted, and then smirked.
"I like that. That...sounds possible! It's risky, though. You sure it's a good idea?" Rainbow asked.
"Luke may not seem like a good role model, but he's taught me a lot of important life lessons. And one thing he's taught me is this: With great risk, comes great reward." I replied.
"Well then, let's go get Will...and make this possible!"
"OK...but first, can we get back on the ground? Because if we don't, it's gonna start raining vomit." I said as I felt like my breakfast was going to make a cruel return to the outside world...
Will's POV...
"Ahh, what a wonderful morning." I said as I stood outside my house.
It really was a pretty morning, but yet again...it's an Equestrian morning, so why would you expect anything less than beauty? Speaking of beauty, I heard front door open from behind me...and Applejack stepped out.
"Hey, Will," Applejack said, sleepily.
"Morning," I said, sitting on my porch chair and putting an arm around her.
Then, Scootaloo came out of the house.
"Morning, Daddy!" she said, cheerily.
"Morning, Scoots! Sleep well?" I asked.
"I was a little scared for you...but when you came home, I slept great!"
I smiled, and she jumped into my lap. I felt at peace right there: My marefriend nuzzling my cheek to my left, and my daughter hugging me on my lap. It felt right. They're something that I cherished dearly: My family.
"Will!" I heard a voice yell.
Welp, so much for a peaceful morning.
Sure enough, I saw James running toward my house...Rainbow Dash running next to him. I sighed. James came up to the house, gasping for air.
"Will...*gasp*...I *gasp* have an *gasp* idea." he said.
"Slow down, James. Idea about what? What do you want?" I asked.
"I came up with a solution...to Luke's grumpiness!"
Now it was my turn to gasp, "Really?! How?"
"It's risky, but it might work!" Rainbow said, she really seemed to be on board with this idea.
"Well, don't leave me in suspense...what is it?"
"It's simple," James said, "We're going to have Twilight, Pinkie, and Luke be near the Everfree at the same time. When they arrive, we'll get some Timber Wolves to attack them. That's right: LIVE Timber Wolves. Hopefully, Luke will fight them off...leading to Twilight liking Luke, then...he could make his own decision!"
Woah. "That's actually a pretty good plan, but how are you going to get them in the Everfree at the same time?" I asked.
"Already taken care of!" James said.
"Okay...and...where are we gonna get the wolves?"
"Simple: You're gonna find some...and lead them to the clearing."
"Woah woah woah, now! Haven't you put my boyfriend through enough danger?" Applejack said, furrowing her eyebrows.
"Relax, AJ. I'll be fine. I'm fast, and strong. I'll live!" I said, flexing my arm.
"Well...okay. But promise me that you'll come home without a scratch on you!"
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"So...we gonna do this thing?" James asked.
"May as well. Let's do this." I said.
I don't know why...but I just had a bad feeling that something bad was gonna happen soon.
Will's POV...
"This is idiotic." I said as I walked into the deeper regions of the Everfree.
I used to hike through the forest with my brother to do night fishing...but it was never as dark as this. The window once broke in my cabin on earth, and our furnace stopped working...but it was never as cold as this. I used to have nightmares as a child about creepy monsters in the bushes...
...but it was never as real as this...
So yeah, it felt idiotic...but I knew it was a risk with possible reward. We all would like to see a nicer Luke...hell, I might even consider letting him back in my own home! I drowned out the bad thoughts with good ones, and continued walking. I started whistling to see if I could attract attention. For a few minutes, it was only the sound of insects that made noise. Suddenly, I heard a disturbing sound.
Grrr....
The sound, and the horrible odor told it all: A Timber Wolf was close by. Not just close by, but right there...staring at me. I could see it's glowing, green eyes looking at me in the darkness. I then realized: Timber Wolves don't have ten eyes. Five wolves were looking at me. Even Better! Why do I sound so happy about it? I then heard a different sound. Like...a branch snapping. I turned around...
Luke, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie arrived at the Everfree forest clearing at the same time. The bumped into each other, and got confused.
"Twilight, you wrote that you wanted to meet me here?" Luke asked.
"Pinkie, you wrote that you wanted to meet me here?" Twilight asked.
"Luke, you wrote that you wanted to meet me here?" Pinkie asked.
They looked at each other, and then Luke came to realization.
"We've been tricked!" Luke said.
"But...who...and why..?" Twilight asked.
Suddenly, they heard screaming coming from inside the Everfree. Suddenly, Will bolted out of the forest...screaming in terror, and jumped behind a rock. Then, five Timber Wolves jumped out of the forest...and prepared to attack the three trespassers.
"AAH!" Pinkie screamed.
"I got this!" Luke said.
He pulled out a Browning Automatic Rifle, and started shooting. Bullets didn't kill the wolf instantly. It took effort, but he managed to tear the wooden monstrosity to shreds.
"I love violent conflict!" Luke yelled, laughing.
Twilight was able to hold her own against three of the wolves, but Pinkie found herself pinned down by the final wolf. Before it could take a bite, Luke interrupted.
"Hey Toothpick!" Luke yelled, waving a German Stick Grenade in the air, "Fetch!"
He chucked it into the sky. The wolf caught it like a dog would, and then exploded in a fiery mess. Wood and ash sprinkled down into the dirt. Luke walked to Pinkie, and helped her up.
"Thanks, Lukie..." she said, blushing.
"No probs. They're gonna need more than glue to be put back together." Luke quipped.
"That was awesome!" Rainbow said as she flew down to ground level.
"Yeah!" James said as he came up from a pre-dug mini trench in the ground.
"Huh? Wait...did you do something cliché and set this up?" Luke asked, irritated.
"Yep! The whole thing!"
James went to the rock that Will was hiding behind, he was still hiding.
"Hey Will, the screaming was a nice effect...but it's over now." James said.
"The wolves weren't what I was screaming about..." Will said.
"What do you mean?"
Suddenly, a loud series of rapid popping noises could be heard from the Everfree clearing. All that was visible was the barrel of a large gun. A machine gun. James ducked for cover with Will as hundreds of rounds spewed from the end of that terrifying weapon. Twilight tried to fly away, but she was hit in the wings, leg, and chest. She collapsed in pain, groaning. Pinkie got shot several times in her legs only, but it still caused her heavy amounts of pain.
Suddenly, Luke jumped a few feet in front of the gun.
"STOP!" he yelled.
The machine gun didn't shoot...but fresh smoke was rising from the barrel.
"It's me that you want, right? Well, come get me. You can have me...just please...don't hurt them." he continued, his hands placed on the back of his head.
Two men came out from the dark clearing, holding old rifles. They were members of Bunker 34.
"You're surrendering?" A member asked.
"Yes," Luke said, his hands still behind his head.
Then, he whipped his hands foreword. Two high-explosive grenades flew toward his would-be captors. Before they could react, they suffered a fiery death.
James and Will peeked up, and saw what had taken place. However...there was no time to think about the battle that had just taken place...
"Quick!" Luke said, carrying both Twilight AND Pinkie on his shoulders, "We've got to get them to the hospital! Don't amble, scramble!"
They didn't need to hear any more. They rushed the two injured and bleeding mares to the hospital, and hoped that they would be okay.
Author's Note
Hooooooooly crap! It's getting real now!
Anyways, thank you guys so much for reading. If you liked it, leave a commment down below. And as always: Have a nice day. :twilightsheepish: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsheepish.png

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                Never Leaving Your Side...                 
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Never Leaving Your Side...
Later that day...
The three humans rushed the two mares to the hospital. They were placed in a room, and were in pretty bad condition.
"What's gonna happen now?" Luke asked a nurse.
"Well," she said, "They have been hit many times...just blood loss and some holes. They need rest...and maybe a transfusion. All we need to do is keep an eye on them."
Twilight and Pinkie lay unconscious in their beds. The heart monitors are still going, but blood levels were a little lower than normal. Will sighed.
"This whole thing is my fault. I shouldn't have fled when I saw those guys following me." he said.
"No...It's not your fault." Luke said with a monotone voice, "It's those damn bunker moles...they'll never leave me alone until they get me. Either that, or I'll have to kill every last one of them."
"Come on, guys," James said, "We've still got work to do. Explaining everything to the royals, things like that."
"No. I'm not going."
"Come o-"
"I said," Luke started, and plopped himself in a chair between the two mares, "I'm. Not. Leaving."
He sat his gun bag on the floor, and started reading a book. He really seemed ready to stay. Will and James looked at each other, and then Rainbow stepped into the room.
"Everything alright?" she asked.
Luke slammed his book shut. He looked at Rainbow with fire in his eyes. He stood above her, his shadow surrounding her with darkness...only lit by his burning gaze.
"You..." he said, "Where were you when we had to rush them to the hospital?! We had to carry them on FOOT to this place, which took forever!"
"I was on the ground! I had to hide when those guys were using those weird weapons!" she said.
"Didn't you hear me yelling that we had to carry them?!"
"I was hiding...far away..."
"You LEFT US?!"
"Well...yes.....but..."
"I don't want to hear any more. We were in trouble, Twi and Pink were hurt, and you fled! You're supposed to be the element of loyalty, for Celestia's sake!"
Rainbow scowled, some tears falling from her face...and she ran out of the room.
"I'll go after her," James said, leaving the room to go find Rainbow.
Will looked at Luke, who was already sitting back in the chair.
"You sure you wanna do this?" Will asked.
"Sure as shit." Luke replied.
"Okay..."
With that, Will exited the room. Luke waited for his footsteps to face away...before he did something he didn't do in a long time: He cried. Hard. Bawled his eyes out.
"I'm such an asshole!" Luke said through his tears, "I make all my friends feel uncomfortable, I'm ungrateful, and pushy! I hurt Rainbow's feelings..."
Luke cried for so long, his tears formed a small puddle in the floor. He looked down, and gazed upon a face. A red-eyed face scarred and scratched by the hardships of the world. He hardly ever looked at himself in the mirror at all...so it took him a while to realize that this person was him. He hated this person. This was the face that belonged to someone who was ungrateful, mean, and unaware of how lucky he is to exist. Luke stomped his boot onto the puddle to cover up that face. He didn't ever want to see that man again.
Days passed by, but Pinkie and Princess Twilight was still in a coma. Ponies came by every day to leave flowers and get well cards, but they wouldn't even open their eyes. They weren't alone, though. Luke spent every day sitting in that chair, refusing to leave them. He slept, and ate in that chair. He would read stories to them such as Daring Do, and other Equestrian classics. Whatever happened, he didn't leave the chair.
Three days after the two mares first entered the hospital, Will tried to convince Luke to come out.
"Come on, Luke. Go outside, get some light. Get some fresh air!" Will said, pacing the floor.
"I'm not leaving them." Luke said.
"Luke, you can't stay here forever."
"No. I'll just be here until they wake up."
"Luke...I don't mean to be a downer....but..."
"But what?"
"What if...they...."
Luke furrowed his brow, "That won't happen. I know it won't."
Will sighed. Luke was determined to not leave that spot if it meant it would kill him.
Fast-forward to ten days after the shooting. Luke was sitting by the beds, reading his favorite book from Earth to the unconscious mares.
"He struck his hatchet against the wall, and turned the ball of tree bark into a nice comforting fire." Luke read, and turned the page.
A doctor stepped in, carrying a clipboard in his teeth...and a sad expression on his face. Luke glanced up from the book, and made eye contact with him. The doctor approached Luke...who refused to even blink. Luke gave the doctor a stare...the kind of stare that means "If you don't have anything good to tell me, I'm NOT going to be a happy person." When the doctor reached Luke, he finally spoke...hesitation in his voice.
"Sir...we've been...running some tests..." he started.
"Yeees..?" Luke said, his toes curling up in his boots.
"Well..." he sighs again, "There's no easy way for me to say this..."
"For the love of Celestia, what is it?!"
"The life support is doing nothing...their lives are...coming to an end..."
It hit Luke like a brick.
"What did you say..?" He said, hoping that if he asked again...he would get a different response.
"Princess Twilight and Miss Pinkie Pie...they're...near death..." he repeated.
Luke looked at the two mares. Their eyes were still closed, hearts still beating...blissfully unaware of the danger they're in.
"No...it can't be...you're lying, you're lying!" Luke said, standing up.
"I'm sorry, sir...but it's true. We will alert their loved ones right now and...let you have a few moments with them." the doctor said, before leaving the room.
Time seemed to stop at that moment for Luke. He felt a pain. A deep, aching pain in the pit of his stomach and heart. It was agonizing, like hot magma below the surface of the planet. It hurt so much...even more so than when his ex-girlfriend had committed suicide. He looked down at Twilight, and then at Pinkie. He placed his hands on both their heads, and then the tears began falling down.
"Pinkie...you're the one who got me started in this world. I was lost, and without a guide...even when nobody else accepted me, you gave me a chance. You helped me when I needed you most. Your happy attitude and cheery outlook never failed to brighten my day a little, and I thank you for that." he said.
He turned his head back to Twilight, "And Princess...you mean so much to me. Your beauty, your intelligence, and the fact that you were willing to stick up for my pals and I when we needed some help. You never held anything against me, no matter how much of a pain in the ass I was. Thank you." he said.
Luke's eyes were pouring tears all over his shirt and floor.
"I love you...both of you. You both mean so much to me...and when you are gone...." he chokes on his words, "Who would I have out there to live for anymore? Who will be the Princess of Friendship? Who would be the Element of Happiness?"
Luke slumped down in the plastic chair.
"You may be dying, but if you think if I'm going anywhere...you couldn't be more wrong. I'd sooner shoot myself." Luke said.
Suddenly, Pinkie started to shift a little. Luke looked up, and saw her lifting her head. Her eyes opened, and she looked around. Then, Twilight did the same. She blinked a bit, adjusting her eyes to the light. Luke was at a loss for words. The two mares turned to Luke, and blushed.
"Was...all of that true..?" Twilight asked, her face a deep crimson.
"Did you mean that?" Pinkie asked, her face pinker than usual.
"E-every word. I'm so grateful to know such amazing mares. I love you two...both of you with all my heart." Luke said, his sadness turning to a combination of relief...and gratefulness.
Will, James, the Mane 6, Twilight's closest family members, and Pinkie's family members came to the hospital. They crowded the whole waiting room. Everyone was going through agonizing sadness. Especially the Mane Six. After barging past several hospital staff, they found the room where Twilight and Pinkie were in. Will opened the door, and let everyone inside.
In the room, they found Twilight and Pinkie sitting on Luke's lap...snuggling in his warm embrace. Luke held on to them tight, never wanting to let them go. They all gasped. Twilight and Pinkie looked at them, and smiled.
"Mom! Dad!" both mares said.
"Luke!" Luke said, "Oh wait...that's me."
Twilight Velvet ran to her daughter, "Twilight...We were told...you were gone..."
Pinkie got mobbed by her sisters in a big hug.
A huge wave of relief surrounded everypony. Either a medical error, or a miracle...it didn't matter. They were alive.
After some documents were signed, and bills were paid, Pinkie and Twilight were sent out into the real world. Just a few bandages in a few places.
"I was so scared," James said, "I thought they were gone for good."
"Me too...but I promised them I would never leave them." Luke responded.
Rainbow Dash was seen walking close by, not looking at Luke. Luke sighed, and approached her.
"Hey, Rainbow." Luke said.
"What, Luke? You gonna yell at me again?" she asked, bitterly.
Luke then kneeled and hugged her, "I'm sorry for what I said, Rainbow. I was mad that day, and I didn't control my temper. I'm sorry...do you forgive me?"
Rainbow was silent for a second, "I forgive you, Luke. I'm sorry too. I should never have left you guys."
"Uhh...hello?" Pinkie said, "Are you forgetting us?"
Luke turned to Pinkie and Twilight, who were both looking at him. Luke released his hug with Rainbow and kneeled to hug Princess Twilight and Pinkie. He kissed Twilight, then Pinkie. Twilight and then Pinkie shared a kiss as well. James raised an eyebrow.
"A Triad?" Will asked.
"Appears that way." James said.
"Whatever makes them happy, if you ask me."
"I agree. Come on, let's let them be for a bit."
"I'm glad this turned out well."
"Me too."
Author's Note
Ahh, sad but happy in the end. Just the way I like it!
Thank you guys for reading this chapter. If you liked it, leave me a comment down below. As always: Have a nice day! :twilightsheepish: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/twilightsheepish.png