Chapters Stranger in a strange land
Author's Note
Alright so this is what i got what I got. First story to be posted here so please be gentle. Edited the best I could where I could but I am sure that I missed some things so I apologize for that. I hoped you enjoy what you read, not sure exactly where I plan to go with this if anyone takes interest then by all means alons’-y. If not, then well I tried no dust on my shoulders. Well uh leave a review if you could it all helps and I hope enjoyed have a good one my friends!
Chapter 1: The Start
Winter is a time of duality.
It is a time of life, as well as death.
Winter is natures balance, the true neutrally, something that is not so easily attained.
The hunter breathed out, a puff a steam rose from his balaclava covered face. The temperature was well below freezing; any right-minded individual would be huddled next to a warm fire and sipping a nice brew of coco. But there was elk to hunt, and this hunter was determined.
Three days he had been tracking his prey, a monstrous bull elk with a 6x6 rack atop his brow. A truly majestic creature, from the way of his walk and the scars on his shoulders the bull was fighter: the old man on the block who had his share wars under his belt. Seeing such a creature had caused a tear to form in the hunters eyes a put a goal in his heart.
He would hunt this majestic beast, kill him, and let nothing go to waste. He would eat the hooves if he had to, it deserved that much.
Three long days.
Mountain winter is not like regular winter.
In normal winter (basically everywhere that was west of Wyoming) it was only cold during the night time , when the sun came out the temperature warmed considerably. In the mountains the temperature never changes, if it’s five below zero then it stays that way 24/7.
The hunter shifted slightly his rifle scope trained on the bull as he leaned his noble head down using his snout to root through the snow. The hunter was at least a hundred and fifty yards away with the scope it was like he was three feet away. He breathed slowly finding his mark, the bull elk stopped moving big brown eyes solely focused on the patch of grass he had so luckily found.
The hunters gloved finger traced the rifles trigger.
He stopped breathing.
And fired.
Be it fate, or horrible divine intervention, a quail shot out of her nest as a fox uncovered her nest.
Just that, startled the bull enough for him to shift away from the hunter’s mark. The original target had been its heart, an instant kill shot, the bullet still hit but hit the lungs instead. The last place any hunter wanted to hit. The bull took off like an arrow from a recurve bow adrenaline the only thing keeping it alive.
The hunter cursed coming from his prone snow-covered position in a run. The snow was only a foot deep but it might as well have been quick sand as the hunter desperate followed the bull as it ran blindly through the pine trees. The snow gradually became shallow enough for the hunter to run, by then however the bull was almost lost into the trees. By the blood trail alone did the hunter have to follow his prey but that would soon vanish as the wound would freeze shut and already it was beginning to snow.
He was in a dead run not bothering to even attempt to dodge any of the low hanging pine branches. The hunter followed the trail for what seemed like hours, it’s trail winding up and down and around the mountain side. The sun once at its zenith was now almost behind the mountain threating to plunge the area in total darkness.
It was a miracle that he even spotted the bull again.
The once grand creature was limping slowly through the trees head swaying drunkenly and hung low. Its breathing was weak, likely one of its lungs had collapsed, a slow terrible way to die. The hunter kept running until he was twenty feet away from the creature.
As he came to a stop chest heaving and raising the rifle once more , the elk lifted its head slowly staring right into the hunters eyes.
The man stared back a saddens bleeding out from the creatures eyes made him nearly tear up.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered.
He was to close to miss.
The bull dropped to its side without another breathe.
The hunter lowered his rifle, letting his head fall back struggling to catch his breathe. He would mourn later over his failure to give the elk a quick death now he had to move fast before it froze to the –
Crunch!
He took a single step forward looking down somewhat confused his foot stepping into what felt like open air.
Then the ground gave way.
He didn’t even get a chance to scream as he fell into darkness.
--
Chapter 1.
Stranger in a very strange land.
He was hot, very hot, being roasted in an oven like a turkey dinner hot. The man let out a groan desperately trying to rid himself of clothing. His fingers finally found the catch on his back pack then on the zipper, the thick winter jacket and pack were thrown away along with the constricting face mask as the zipper was forced down. The hunter opened his eyes slowly corneas burning at the harsh sun. Gradually they adjusted, as that did what he saw confused him greatly. He was surrounded by dense jungle life, he guessed he was in a jungle just how by humid it was and if Discovery channel had taught him anything if a flower is as big as you are and not on a bush you’re in a jungle. Which he surmised from the giant ass flower sitting several feet away from him that was at least seven feet tall, and oddly he wanted to go an touch its bright red vibrant features but knew doing so was a very bad idea.
Panic . Reminded his brain as the hunter stood up, promptly entering stage 5 panic mode. Frantically he looked around for some idea of where exactly he was and how the he’d gotten here. After several minutes of deep breathing and nervous pacing he found solace in two things. The first being he likely was not dead, the second that he had found his rifle laying on a root of an giant tree not four feet from where he woken up. He’d practically shouted with joy upon finding the old Springfield laying there as if he’d placed it there purposefully. It was a little dinged up on the butt and scope that aside after checking the bolt action and finding it in working order.
He kept that momentum going when he checked his back pack. All of the contents were just as he’d left them: a map of the mountain and surrounding area (now useless), flint and steel, a compass, an old bayonet, a semi warm half full canteen, a few days work of jerky, spare pants and a long sleeve shirt, toiletries, a collapsible shovel, two more magazines for his rifle and of course his Glock .45 which he found to only have one of it’s three remaining. The second being in the gun the other must have been lost sometime during whatever happened to him getting to this jungle.
The hunter repacked everything but the pistol, compass, and the knife. He put the spare magazines in his pants pockets. Not sure what to do with his winter jacket he opted to roll it up like a sleeping bag and strap it to the top of his pack. That done he picked the pack up, holstered his pistol and knife, then grabbed his rifle.
He barely got to take a step when a distinct sound pierced the jungle life chatter.
Bang! Bang!
Gunfire.
He was running towards it after the first shot.
--
Hardly the best idea to run towards gunfire, at this point he could hardly give a shit. He kept at a steady pace, the last shots had been some time ago, but he had guessed there general direction. The dense underbrush was causing him issues, most he could run through however some of the plant fauna either had thorns or sported what honestly looked like teeth. Either way having to avoid that was putting a hinderance on his progress.
Until he nearly fell off the cliff.
It was so sudden it was almost comical, one second he could barely see two feet in front of him the next he’s staring down at a mile drop. He came to a nerve ending stop, leaning all the way back until he fell onto his rear. The hunter clutched his rifle to his chest eyes bugged out and breathing deeply through his nose. Several moments passed before he finally picked up his balls and had the nerve to stand up.
To say the least the view was amazing.
He could see for miles, he could also see he was totally screwed. Nothing but dense jungle until the horizon, along with several other small mountains and cliffs like he was currently on.
Bang!
The retort was sudden, but his eyes were on it in instant. Adjacent to his cliff was another, a couple hundred feet at the most. He raised his rifle finding the top of the cliff trying to find the gunfire’s source.
It came in the form of a woman.
She burst through a large bush landing hard on her knees, then she was off again as if it’s never happened. The woman was tall and muscular, she had long black hair with piecing brown eyes, with olive green knee short, hiking boots and a khaki shirt. The woman looked every inch a jungle explorer even sporting a machete strapped to her back. He followed as she ran along the cliff edge the gun was in her right hand a revolver by the look of it. Movement caught his eye that wasn’t on the scope he panned away from the woman when it burst through the brush.
It whatever it was ,was perhaps the ugliest thing he’d ever seen in his life.
The creature was sickly blue and green, not bigger then a small child, it had five limbs and razor sharp filled underbite. The thing let out a piecing screech as several more like it tumbled out of the bush spotting the running woman instantly. He gave the things credit they sure as shit could move. The woman was in a hail Mary sprint along the cliff edge, she’d gotten a head start but was surely going to loss it with those creatures in hot pursuit.
Like hell that was going to happen.
The hunter calmed himself lining up a few inches ahead of the first creature that was currently leading the pack.
His finger traced down to the trigger.
Then fired.
--
There were shitty days and then there were colossal shitty days.
For Darin Domia otherwise known as “Daring Do.” By her fan base, it was shaping up to be one of the more colossal ones. Her day had started off relatively simple, she’d arrived in the jungle of Zobia by airboat landing early in the morning on her way back home at a small fishing village. There she’d met a fellow archeologist in a bit of a bind. Turned out he was searching for a lost totem thought to be in Zobia’s famous Ghost cliffs. He was vet vague as to what the purpose of the totem was but she was always eager for adventure and to help a fellow college in the field. So, naturally, she accepted his request to see if in fact the totem lay hidden in the cliffs.
Several hours later and jungle crawling later she found the totem he was looking for.
And a tribe of cannibal pygmies, who happened to worship said totem she now had in her posseion.
She was going to kill Bob if she survived this.
“If love?” she thought turning and dropping to one knee revolver firing a single shot as a pygmy dropped to the ground behind her.
“How about when.” She said confidently just as seven more came charging the trough the bush. Darin was already gone but not before they saw her, the little buggers were dam quick she gave them that. The archeologist burst through the dense greenery coming out to the cliff face she’d climbed to get into this mess. Darin almost sign in relief, remembering however that she was currently being chased by cannibals got her right back up and running again. The bastards tumbled into were she fell instantly they spotted her running and gave chase. She knew instantly she’d made as mistake leading them to an open stretch as the distance she’d made was closed in seconds.
“Oh shit!” She shouted as the lead pygmy bounded towards her and jumped maw open and ready to sink into her flesh.
Crack!
The pygmy was thrown into the jungle as if it’d been hit by a bus.
Not a second later the one following it met a similar fate, then the next one and the next one. The last pygmy was lucky only being grazed across it’s head. It had a single moment of conciseness as its exposed brain realized it was dead. Darin slowed down her eyes trying to find the shooter that had just saved her life. She saw him stand though couldn’t make out what he looked like, only knowing by the shape he was a male. In the jungle she heard the pygmies, across the gap the shooter was coming her way, not wasting anymore time Darin undid the small grappling hook on her waist undoing the long cord then twirling the metal grapple.
She let it loose.
It soared for what seemed an eternity before catching the other cliff side, the shooter seemed to get what she was doing and was running faster towards her. Darin took one last look behind her then jumped off the cliff.
By far not the most graceful thing she’d done, from where she’d been it was at least a forty foot gap. Which meant hitting the other side wouldn’t kill her, but it’d hurt like a bitch. Which it did as she slammed into the cliff face shoulder first, the pain alone nearly made her black out. Darin fought it off gritting her teeth and climbing up the taught cord. An open hand was waiting for her as she reached the top which she took gratefully allowing the shooter to pull her the rest the way.
To say she was surprised at what she saw was an understatement. The man was clearly out of his element, he wore reflective boots, thick Car-hart pants, a thermal jacket and a black watch cap. He was breathing hard and drenched in sweat as he pulled her up, they both collapsed next to one another from both pain and exhaustion. The pygmies on the other cliff screamed at them throwing rocks and making all sorts of disrupting noises. eventually they would go away, eventually. Darin was the first to speak as they both caught their breathe.
“Darin Domia archeologist, thanks for the save.” She said holding her hand out , the man panted for several moments then let out a short chuckle taking her hand and shaking it.
“Jack Huntsed. Your welcome.”
Stranger in a strange land
It was a mistake to have laid down.
Darin sat up, when shooting pain lanced through her shoulder. She fell over to her uninjured side almost landing into Jacks lap., who had already shot up to his feet when she had gasped out in pain.
“Christ you alright!?” He asked as she blinked rapidly breathing sharply through her clenched teeth. Darin forced herself upright again, her right arm hung limply useless.
“My arm. Its dislocated. We need to set it, now.” She managed stars dancing in and out of her vison. Jack knelt hands open his expression one that of someone who had no idea exactly what he the hell he was supposed to do. Darin rolled her eye’s lifting her limp limb with her good hand.
“Hold this at an angle and shove it back in on three ok?” Jack held her arm as she said this, Darrin exhaled then nodded to him.
“Ok 1-
Jack shoved her back into the socket the first try, Darin’s mouth was in an open silent scream. She rocked back and forth flexing her numb hand until the feeling finally returned to it. Darin shot Jack an glare, he shrugged chuckling dryly.
“I said three, you hard of hearing or something?” She hissed still flexing her numbed hand.
“Yeah I know, but I heard that it’s best to do something like that when it’s least expected.” Jack explained holding a hand for her to take again. Darin stared at it for a moment then took his open hand, he pulled her up without much effort. Finally standing she realized just how short she was compared to him, not obscenely so half a head at most.
“Mind telling me what your doing out here?” She asked changing the subject.
“Don’t think you’d believe me if I told you honestly.” Jack answered taking off his watch cap and running a hand through his unkept blonde hair. He nodded to her then to the other side of the cliff where the pigmies had once been.
“ You mind telling me bout’ that?”
Darin scoffed shaking her head amused.
“You first. I’ve heard-“
“Wyoming, I was hunting in the Big Horns. One second there then I’m here in this god forsaken jungle.” Jack said without skipping a beat, Darin blinked nodding her head slowly.
“Ok that is weird. I was expecting you were some kinda crazy fan looking for an autograph, but now I just think your crazy. Fairs fair I suppose, I was looking for an ancient totem found it but turns out it was worshiped by cannibal pigmies so yeah.” Darin crossed her arms going to the edge of the cliff, she looked down seeing that there were many areas to get down from where they were. Jack appeared next to her looking down as well, Darin cracked a wiry grin as he paled and gulped.
“Not too keen on heights are ya?” She asked as he adjusted his rifle strap so it would fit over his chest. Jack let out a fake laugh jumping up and down apparently trying to psych himself for something or some other.
“Not the height that gets me, it’s the sheer drop and sudden stop that really you know makes me concerned.” Darin nodded slowly his explanation making a fair amount of sense.
“What do you plan on doing exactly?” Darin finally asked the question that had been lingering since he’d shoved her arm back into place. Jack at this point was stretching his arms and legs, he twisted side to side joints popping in various places.
“Well I figured that since I just saved your life you owe me one. So, I guess you can help me get home.” Darin stared at him for a couple of seconds then palmed her forehead shaking her head slowly.
“Fine. Not going to deny that. Been to a lot of places but never Wyoming, I’ll help you the best I can. But first we need to get off this cliff, there’s a small fishing village close by with a sea plane waiting for me so we get out of country I’ll help you get home.”
“Speaking of countries where am I exactly?”
Oh, Zobia it’s right next to the Merin republic and right between the Equestrian and Grifonin empire.”
“Oh. So nowhere I fucking know OK then OK…”
--
Getting down the cliff was easy for her, she’d been climbing since she was three so it wasn’t a choir to get down the face of cliff. Jack on the other hand had nearly fallen off six times and was currently clinging to the cliff as she yelled at him from the ground.
“It’s only ten more feet, easy!” She shouted trying her best not to laugh at his plight. Jack pressed his forehead into the stone letting out a strained groan then lowered himself to the next foot hold. The stone gave way, Darin winced as he fell down landing in a dense patch of bushes at the bottom of the cliff. She unslung her machete quickly chopping through the bushes until finding him on his back groaning.
“You dead?” She asked, turned his head slowly to her then flipped her off.
“Next time. Were taking the elevator.” He muttered as Darin grabbed his now open hand and pulled him upright. Darin eyed the man as he unslung his rifle checking to see if anything was broken. Really looking at him he was fairly built not jacked, no pun intended, fit despite his pale skin she guessed he must be what he said he was; a hunter.
He’s built like a predator. She realized, thin muscular in all the right places the way his eyes ticked across the tree line. Not a nervous look, he was watching something even without meaning to do it…
“Hey.” Darin nearly jumped out of her skin as Jack was now standing next to her.
“Been eye balling me pretty intensely their lass, you good?” He asked throwing in an odd accent, Darin coughed walking past him into the tree line. She felt a chill as he followed her, knowing he was watching was…unnerving. Every once and awhile she’d glance back see him there rifle tucked into his right shoulder barrel to the ground. He kept looking around glancing her way on occasion.
“You hear that?” He asked suddenly bringing her to a stop.
“Hear what?”
“You said there was a fishing village near here yet…” Jack nodded to the trees a confused look on his face. Darin listened, and heard nothing.
“Darin, a forest least where I’m from only gets this quiet for one reason.” Jack held up his rifle looking down at it then her.
Darin took off before he said another word.
She tore through the bushes jumping and ducking were she could, behind her Jack tried to keep pace and was failing miserably.
It seemed like an entirety before Jack was able to catch up, when he did he saw her standing in a semi clear area perhaps a path. They were on a hill by the looks of it overlooking a…
“Oh my god.”
The village was burning, flames crawled up the sides of thatch-built buildings. It was like a scene out of Apocalypse now, there were bodies scattered everywhere Jack could see. Darin swallowed looking to him trying her best to sound calm.
“What do you see.” She choked out, Jack leveled his rifle looking through the scope to the village. Bile formed in his throat at the sight he beheld.
“Woman and children looks like they were lined up…executed…the men I guess…”
An almost inhuman scream filled the air as a body came crashing out of one of the aflame buildings. The person was essentially a human torch which ran for several meters before falling to the ground, dead.
“Are inside the buildings.” Jack breathed out sharply though his nose then grabbed Darin by the shoulder spinning her around to face him.
“What. The actual fuck is this!?” He demanded pointing towards the village. Darin put her hands on his chest and shoved hard, the second she did his rifle dropped and another gun was pulled pointed right at her face.
“Did you do this.” He asked slowly.
“I-“ She started, Jack pulled hard on the receiver the barrel was now a inch from her forehead.
“Did.You.Do.This.” He repeated.
Darin took a step forward letting the barrel press against her head.
“No.”
Jack lowered the gun sliding it back into its holster, he then bent over proceeding to gag. Darin gave him a moment, he didn’t puke though when he finally stood upright again he was fairly green.
Rhatata! Rhatata!
Machine gun rounds cut through the buildings but it was clear that they were not aimed at them. Darin and Jack dropped to a crouch as a set of men walked into the village square, in total there was seven. Six of them all wearing black from their heads to boots. They carried assault rifles and various implements of death on their bodies. The man in the middle was the exact opposite of those who surrounded him. He wore the same appeal as Darin however his cloths were grey rather than olive green. Most notable about the man was the fact that his head was…
“What the actual fuck.” Jack lowered his rifle giving Darin a tired stare.
Rather then a normal human head the man had a jackal for a face, Jack knew it wasn’t a mask as the man spoke his features moved unlike that of a mask.
“So he has a dog face.” Jack said letting Darin have a look through the rifles scope. She did, then rubbed her face several times with both hands.
“Franco Mishan, his name is Franco Mishan.” Was all Darin could say as the men around the man named Franco Mishan opened fire on one of aflame buildings.
Stranger in a strange land
Chapter 3:Out of the frying pan...
“What can we do.” Asked Jack watching the horror still unfolding in the village below. Darin was silent for several moment, until she could no longer stand looking at the flames.
“Nothing, we can’t do anything.” She whispered whipping away tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes.
“Bullshit!” growled Jack “we have to do somethi-“
“What! Huh? What can we do? Their ALL dead Jack! All of them! The best thing and only thing we can do is think about ourselves.” Darin pointed past the village to the river running slowly beside it.
“There should be a Sea plane, red on black single engine. Do you see it.”
He heard the tears in her voice, she wanted yet all the same refused to. Jack wordless lifted the scope back to his eye following the edge of the bank until he came to the docks. Darins eyes snapped to Jack as he started to laugh.
“Well there’s good news and bad news.” He said bowing his head slowly.
“What?”
“One, your Sea plane is on fire. And Two those guys brought another .” Jack handed her the rifle she took it quickly finding what he was looking at. Darin bite her lip lowering the rifle letting Jack take it back.
“Twin engine Osprey…” She muttered slowly shaking her head.
“Can you fly it?” Jack asked watching the amred men and the Jackal faced man known as Franco continue to sweep the burning village.
“Yes, but time is the issue. The engines will need a minute to spin up it’ll be loud.” Darin nodded to men; Jack understood breathing out sharply through his nose.
“If you can get that plane started.” He said looking up to her “I’ll cover you, but you better be quick. After the first shot they’ll scatter then they will know exactly where I am.” Darin swallowed breathing in and out deeply giving him a nod of conformation.
Jack watched as moved in a crouch down the hill until she disappeared in the thick bushes. He put his eye back to the scope training the cross-hairs over the chest of Franco. The man was crouched beside the body of a woman, his hand was on her back moving back and forth slowly. Jack found himself shaking, either from rage or fear he could not tell.
Its one thing to kill a animal, something that isn’t…
“Human.” Jack muttered.
Inhale count to four, exhale repeat. He told himself as Franco stood pointing to the men around him.
Animal think he’s an animal.
Inhale count to four exhale repeat.
Jack closed his eyes counting to four then exhaled, he found his mark.
In the distance there was the roar of an engine, and the retort of a high powered rifle.
Motivation is the key to success, without motivation there can be no success. Franco took those words to serious heart when he was a young aspiring archeologist. When he used to go out each day rooting in the dirt of the Sanquies desert looking for remnants of lost ancient cities. When finding such artifacts and presenting them to the college was a time to break out the brandy and have an all-night party with the crew for doing such a good job.
Before finding out greed was an even greater motivator, and that there where those who would pay an barely payed young archeologist handsomely for making sure some artifacts. Never saw natural day light ever again. So many years ago it had been, when he had become what many would consider a “black market distributor” he considered himself an archeologist despite that.
A very well payed, well connected, archeologist which is more than what most people could say.
“Sir, there’s still no sign of her.” Said one of his, lackeys? That word was unfitting of the men surrounding him, all highly trained professional. Bodyguards? There entire purpose was to protect him amongst other things. Franco sighed hands on his hips watching as his bodyguards opened fire on one of the thatch buildings.
Several hours earlier he had arrived with his men in hopes of finding the esteemed Daring Do, only to find a weedy little man who thought himself an Archeologist. Telling him that Daring was already gone, and he would rather die before telling him where she went. A noble front one that Franco was all but willing to give him. Systematic slaughter later and still no sign of the esteemed woman, perhaps killing the man had been a bit much but what happened, happened. Franco paused beside the body of a prone woman, bullet holes littered his back, he crouched beside her laying a hand on her cold flesh. The business of killing had once seemed so…disgusting. Now like everything else it was just so dull and boring.
“Listen up men, I think I time here is over go and ready the plane. I have a bottle of whiskey with all our names on it!” Said Franco as he stood pointing to them all earning a hearty cheer. Hands now on his hips Franco smiled taking in a deep breath.
He let it out only to find he couldn’t.
Franco blinked hands limp at his side, he tried desperately tried to breathe. His eyes drifted upward, he saw black stars. He couldn’t breathe.
He couldn’t breathe.
Everything after that was complete darkness.
--
Darin wasn’t sure what scared her most, the fact she made it inside the plane and was able start it? Or the roar of gun fire afterword? She thought the later of the two made more sense, instinctively she ducked as the first shot were fired. Logic told her that they weren’t shooting at her.
Yet.
Darin sat down in the pilot’s seat quickly adjusting the flaps for take-off, the constant gunfire outside the plane assured her for the most part that perhaps Jack was still alive. For how long she could only guess. Steadily she increased the throttle the engines whining loudly at being pushed so hard while so cold. Gradually the plane began to move, twin engines roaring almost drowning out the gunfire.
Almost being the key word.
Bullets ripped through the side of the plane behind her, some ricocheted bouncing around the cabin going who knows where. Through the windshield she saw Jack running full tilt towards her, his rifle was gone as was his cap, but he was coming towards her hard. Behind him Franco’s men fired blindly as they chased after him she couldn’t see the man himself but guessed he was close behind. The plane had picked up speed now just as Jack’s pounding feet hit the dock, she lost him for a moment as he ran past the plane. More bullets struck the plane, one going through something over Darin’s head showering her in burning sparks.
“YOU BETTER BE ON! WE ARE LEAVING!” She screamed grabbing the throttle handle and putting it to the floor. The plane lurched forward sending Darin to the back of the seat and emitting a startled shout from somewhere in the back of the plane. Darin, smartly having held unto the steering wheel, pulled back on it hard as they reached the center of the river. More bullets hit the plane though hitting nothing but the wings and tail. After a long minute the plane was over the canopy of the trees they rose faster and faster finally the jungle disappeared, and eventually so did the smoldering village.
--
Jack rubbed his head wincing as he touched spot where his head had contacted with a low hanging beam. He crawled to the open door of the plane grabbed the handle and slammed it shut. He slumped against the door taking in deep breaths his lungs burned, his legs burned, everything burned. Jack touched the side of his head, blood coated his hand, he traced a shaking hand down the right side of his head. A stray bullet had grazed him; a centimeter closer and he’d been a dead man. Jack heaved himself up barely keeping his balance as the plane hit turbulence.
“Darin!” He yelled making his way towards the cockpit. There was no reply as he unsteadily wade his way through cargo and seats. Jack reached the open door finding it open, he saw the bullet holes lacing the cockpit.
“Darin?” He called out again entering the cockpit. Her hand was on what he guessed the throttle which was to the floor the other hand had the wheel pulled almost to her chest. She stared blankly through the windshield. Jake approached holding onto the sides of the plane for dear life as it shook, rattled ,at threated to break in two.
“Hey uh Houston problem here!” He managed nearly falling as the plane hit a nasty piece of turbulence, Darin didn’t even blink. Jack gritting his teeth grabbed her shoulder shaking it violently until she came out her stupor.
“Jack! Oh tarturous! Your-“ She started seeing his bleeding head, the plane lurched again this time Jack lost his balance tumbling backwards. Darin finally snapped out of her daze eased up on the throttle and slowly leveled the plane out. Gradually the shaking stopped, Darin adjusted what she could, some of the dials and adjusters had been blown away. Only when she felt that the plane wouldn’t rip itself apart did she flip on the “auto pilot” which was nothing more than a labeled switch that kept the flaps from moving up and down.
“Jack? Are you dead?” she asked with a shaking voice as she stood up from the pilot’s chair. Jack was in the doorway holding a hand to his head, Darin winced seeing the long bloody cut that would likely scar.
“Barely, You?” He asked digging a big handkerchief out of his back pocket. then, proceeded to wrap is around his head. Darin pated herself down relived to find no new holes anywhere on her person.
“Yeah I’m good. Your bleeding pretty bad there, give me a sec maybe there’s a first aid kit somewhere.” Darin brushed passed Jack who began to sit down in the radio operators’ bench. The plane seemed to be in order for the most part, Darin quickly found that many of the bullet holes that littered the aircraft were superficial but judging from the amount of water pooled in various areas. They wouldn’t be making a water landing anytime soon. She eventually made it to the back of the plane finding a very old, unkept first aid kit, it’s contents were even more despairing then the shape of the metal container.
“Jack this is all..” She started, holding nothing but medical tape and semi clean bandages. Coming back to the front of the plane finding him with one had on his head the other resting on his knee. For a moment he looked like he was asleep, head to the floor as it was. His upward glance with pained blue eyes said otherwise. Wordlessly she knelt beside him, grabbed his hand and pulled it way from his head. The wound track was nasty, any closer to his temple and he’d been dead that was for certain. She unwound the bandages applying it to his head , he didn’t flinch not a twitch or sound out of him.
“I killed him.” He said as she finished with the tape. Darin stayed still for a moment, then stood and went back to the pilot’s seat.
“Franco is dead.” He repeated as she sat down. Darin didn’t say a word just flicked off the auto pilot adjusting dials and engine speed as she saw fit. She heard him stand and walk to her side, Darin knew if she looked up she’d see those blue eyes boring into her soul.
“You’re not at all bothered by this.” It wasn’t a question, rather said in a tone of observation.
“Should I be?” Was her nearly shaking reply. In the long silence that followed Darin realized two things, one being that she just realized how sincical her words were and two that had been a mistake.
“You’ve just met me, and I you. We know nothing of one other except our names and occupation. A village was burned, its inhabits slaughter because of you I’m guessing. And I killed a fucking man and feel pretty fucking bothered by it ! And to top it all off I nearly got my head blown off helping you! I call bull shit about you taking this in stride.” She stared at him as his tirade came to an end.
“You finished?” Darin asked looking back to the window. Jack breathed in and out blinking rapidly and headed back to the radio operators seat.
“Yeah just needed to let that out, not sorry.”
“Its okay…I get it.”
“…Where are we going?” He finally asked after calming down a degree.
“Most of the navigation is fried so I’m mostly eye balling it. But if we keep following the sun as it sets we’ll reach Equestria by moon rise maybe.” Dari explained angling the wheel to bank the plane just enough to go in the direction the sun would be setting in. Jack looked behind to see the radio that was filled with as much holes as a cheese grater. If something happened between where they were and Equestria they would be on their own.
“This Equestria place, you been their before?”
“Born and raised actually, have a town house on the outskirts of Canterlot has a fairly decent view of the horseshoe basin though it’s been a while since I’ve seen it.” She said happily thinking of the fond memories of her home.
“Please for the love of god tell me this place doesn’t have ridiculous names for places and people.” Groaned Jack from his seat, Darin smirked then began to laugh to herself.
“Think that’s bad? Try Mainhattine or even better Ponyville!”
“Okay now. Your fucking with me.”
The cabin after that was filled with his scowls and more often then not laughter at the odd and fairly ridiculous names of people and places in the land known as Equestria.
Stranger in a strange land
Chapter 4: Making an entrance.
“Darin.”
Darin grabbed her satchel throwing in several pairs of socks and various other things strew across her desk.
“Darin.”
She slung the bag over her shoulder, then started rifling through papers litered around the room until finding the one she was looking for. A refolded map yellowed map which by some miracle had ripped quite yet.
“Darin! For petes sake!” Darin jumped at the shout, turning to see a short bespectacled man staring daggers at her from the offices open door. His black hair was unkept and his beard had seen better days the same with his white ink covered shirt and jeans.
“What?” She asked in a huff stuffing the map into her canvas jacket.
“What? You! What are you doing?” The man said angerly holding an open hand out to her. Darin shrugged grabbing another bag laying haphazardly atop a bunch of un opened crates, she slung it over her other shoulder then turned to the man.
“I’m going out.” She replied matter-a-factly.
“You just got back!” He shouted, earning an eye roll from the woman.
“Its been like two days, there’s something I have to do in Sinok so I’m going to do it.” She explained heading to the door only for the man to step in her way. She glared at him and him back at her.
“The last time you went out you told me. No. You swore that you’d take a break and catalog.” He said not taking his eyes off her, Darin groaned trying to get around him.
“Well things change, move geez!” She finally shoved past him, he stumbled falling unto a set of boxes which promptly fell over. Darin winced as thousands of years old marbled bounced then shattered on the floor. The man stared at the bust of had once been a intricate and very detailed miniature of a noble born woman. Darin stood there watching as he knelt down and started to pick up the pieces.
“I-“ she started only to silenced by a hand.
“Go. I’ll do it. Should have figured.” He mumbled not looking up to her.
Darin watched him for a long minute as he slowly picked up the pieces, her watch alarm went off, she was going to miss her flight.
Darin hesitated only for a second then turned and walked away.
--
“Darin!”
Darin almost jumped out her skin at Jacks shout, she looked back at him, his head had stopped bleeding for the most part the bandaged on his head a sickly looking yellow and black.
“Sorry, what where you saying?” She asked sheepishly while smiling awkwardly. Jack pointed to the setting sun, which was almost behind a set of mountains which peaks where hidden by another cloud layer.
“That this Equestrian place you where talking about? Said we’d reach it by sunset.” Darin squinted looking at the mountains, she leaned forwards slightly to get a better view of the ground. Satisfied she turned to him and nodded, Jack nodded back sitting down in the radio chair.
“Think we’ve been flying over it for a awhile now , Those mountains up ahead. Canterlots built into the side of them should be seeing it shortly.” Darin explained as she adjusted the remaining flight instruments slowly lowering the nose of the plane.
“God I can’t wait to get out of this plane.” Jack said with a weak chuckle.
“well long as nothing goes wrong we should be landing-“
WHIrrunch!
Jack ducked his head as the right wing propeller exploded through the wall in front of him and into the radio.
“YOU JUST HAD TO SAY THAT DIDN’T YOU!?” He managed to scream as the plane turned vertical. Darin turned around in time to see Jack making a strangled yelp as he fall out of his chair and smashed head into the other side of the plane. She winced as he lay there limp, whether or not he was dead would have to be found later. Darin grabbed the wheel using all the strength to turn it, gradually and rather painfully the plane slowly came to a semi manageable angle. She could see Canterlot now, she could see the majestic Sun and Moon palace with its pearl walls and ebony battlements. With the sun setting behind it, the entire palace radiated darkness and light in any other situation such a sight would have taken her breathe away.
Right now, as the plane ripped itself apart, as Jack lay likely dead or knocked out, and as the left engine coughed its last breath. All Darin could think about was if they would die hitting the ground or when they hit the force field surrounding the city.
It wasn’t easy, being Queen.
Always having to be good.
Always having to listen to the plights of the people.
Always giving the benefit of the doubt to wrong doers.
Always having to save the fuckin world when a prissy little magic bitch deicides “I’m going to rule ! MEMEMEME!”
Whatever happened to being able to behead your enemies and mount there heads on a stake and letting the crows have there fun with he remains?
“Oh, right democracy.” Muttered Celestia slumping down further in her throne. To here right the Sun guard stood in neat perfect little lines with neat golden plate armour and neat little swords. To the left the Moon Knights in there rugged black, form fitting, spine tingling armor, with their wicked looking glaves held in one hand and half moon shields in the other.
Why did here sister get all the cool shit?
Why did she get a celestial body that could be actually be looked at day and night?
Why did she get terrorize the common folk and only get banished to the moon for a millennia?
Why did she get to spy on peoples dreams, and do…werid things and no ones the wiser?
Because unlike herself, was a fucking Princess.
While Celestia was a Queen. Of the sun. Worst she could do was roast the planet, then were the fun in that? Everyone would be dead. Did it once with the Dinosaurs by accident and those guys had been the shit.
“Sister if fall anymore in your chair, you may cause your royal guards to pass out. Again.” Mused Luna who had apparently been behind her. Celestia lifted her head slightly seeing just how far her dress had ridden up and how much her pale white legs were exposed. She also noticed one of her guards hastily looking away from her, which made a slow smirk spread across her lips.
“Its fun to watch them squirm.” She said quietly slowly sitting back up.
“ Not like your men there always so…” Celestia gestured to Luna’s men whom she was pretty sure hadn’t moved in hours.
“Stoic?” Supplied Luna, Celestia nodded leaning forward slightly resting her elbows on her knee’s.
She felt it then, a throb in her temple enough to make her eye twitch. Luna felt it as well, she breathed in sharply, she looked alarmed to Celestia who was all smiles.
“Sun Guard! Dismissed!” She said loudly, without hesitation they about faced and began marching away.
“Except you Guardsman Talos.” Celestia commanded, the single man stopped as the other went on. He turned around finding Celestia had already crossed the distance to him.
“How long have you been a royal guardsman Talos?” She asked with a smile
“Three years, your highness.” He answered, Celestia clasped her hands behind her back pacing around him.
“You enjoy your position?” She asked.
“More than anything, your highness.”
“And you’ll follow any order given correct?”
“Anything, your highness.”
Celestia finally stopped, Talos turned to her, in the falling light beneath the mosaic of the elements of harmony the various colors reflecting over her white skin only added to her beauty.
“Good to hear. Don’t move.”
Had he been paying close attention he would have heard the screams; had been more aware he would have realized that it was actually getting much darker in the throne room. And if he would have been smart he would have had the common sense to ask why she had asked him to not move.
Crash!
The nose of large aircraft decimated the eons old mosaic, rubble, glass and various rained in the throne room. Guardsman Talos saw his life flash before his eyes as it barreled towards him:saw every moment from his birth, to his first steps, his first word, he saw it all in the blink of an eye.
He was dead.
Until the plane stopped a literal hair from his face.
Beside him Celestias right hand glowed bright white, as rather gleeful expression was on her feature’s. Talos looked to her slowly, she tilted her head flashing her blinding teeth in a smile.
“If you ever look at me in such a compromised state like that again Guardsman. I will burn you so bad you’ll wish you died in the womb. Are we clear?” She asked sweetly, Talos in that moment forgot how to breathe. He bobbed his head as her hand stopped glowing, the plane didn’t move thankfully.
“Very good, now fetch the rest the guards, it appears we have some uninvited guests.” She turned on a heel walking back to the throne where her sister stood face in her palm.
It wasn’t always fun, but hell sometimes.
It was great to be the Queen.
Stranger in a strange land
He was falling.
In darkness.
Darkness. Nothing but darkness.
He was in silence, suffocating silence.
He was in an endless void of silence and darkness.
There was light, near and far.
Some burned.
Others vanished in an eye blink.
He saw creation.
He saw death.
He could think there for he was.
He had no mouth.
He needed to scream.
silence.
He was falling in the darkness for eternity.
He was driven insane
“Wake.”
He needed to scream.
“Awaken.”
Cast into the void forever dammed to its silence.
“WAKE UP!”
---
Jacks eyes opened.
A white ceiling fan spun lazily above him, his eyes drifted down the room was complete white. White flowers, white curtains, white power…Cords.
Ah crap. He thought slowly sitting up, his cloths were white as was the blanket that covered his legs. Jack closed his eyes breathing in slowly then exhaling, as the door opened.
If he had any doubts as to where he was the woman that walked in confirmed it.
She was older then him; late forties, light blonde hair, small red lips that were in a permanent grin. She walked softly a clip board in her hands, passing through the threshold of the door, large dove like wings flared slightly then settled as she turned to face him.
“Good morning, or well afternoon.” She said warmly with a soft chuckle setting the clip board down at his feet. Jack swallowed finding himself unable to speak in the presence of the angel. The angel approached him taking out a flashlight from her left breast pocket, she clicked it on then looked reached to him slowly touching the side of his head.
“You were out for so long, many of us thought you wouldn’t wake up.” She noted as she shined the light in his left and right eye. Jack was half listening to her, as he was currently trying to process the fact, he was dead, and an angel was giving him a checkup. Because that was thing in heaven.
“Sir? Sir?”
Jack blinked as she snapped her fingers above her head.
“Can you tell me your name sir? “She asked again still smiling brightly.
“uhbh uh ah…” He managed before clearing his throat loudly.
“Jack Huntsed ma’m, sir Angel ma’m? I’m sorry this is a bit much hard to process being you know…” He said cringing at his own words. The angel cocked her head seeming not understand him.
“You, me dead.” Jack finished.
The angel stared him for a solid second before letting a merry laugh, she laughed for a good minute, long enough for Jack to stop finding it funny.
“Oh, that is a good one! Cant say I’ve heard that one before!” She said as she collected herself. Jack frowned trying to find what he had said to be amusing, seeing his confusion the angel cleared her throat.
“Mr.Huntsed I can say without a doubt that you are in fact alive, though that head wound of yours could have very well have killed you if not for the outstanding workmanship of our esteemed trauma surgeons. “She said proudly wings puffing to match her tone.
“So, I’m not dead.”
“uh huh.”
“And your not an angel.”
“No idea what that is.”
At that Jack paused looking her up and down.
“What the hell are you then?”
--
Darin’s leg bounced up and down so face she was sure it would eventually fly off. She sat in the hallway, people passed her by some nodding s they passed others paying no mind to the woman who clearly had no desire to be where she was. If she had the option she’d been long gone, three days she’d been in Canterlots Mercy hospital.
Three.Long.Days.
Being chained to her bed didn’t help in the slightest.
On the first day she woke up to find out that fact and two very tired very angry looking sun guards. After a brief silence she was informed that she was not under arrest, but she would be reprimanded for the destruction of the royal palace. She hadn’t expected that much; the part of being not under arrest. There was to be a hearing however though when that was, she wasn’t sure. Day two she was barraged by a tightly wound royal magician, he had so many truth spells cast around him Darin nearly told him her entire life story. Thankfully he was tact enough to realize this and instead focus as to why she crashed a plane into the palace. This went on for hours until apparently satisfied he walked out as fast as he came in. They finally let her leave the room on day three but she wasn’t aloud to leave the hospital, which was why she sitting in a chair losing the patience she’d lost day one.
“Ma’m?”
Darin’s head snapped up.
And up.
Meeting the cool grey eyes of one of the moon guard who was now standing in front of her.
“Your friend has awakened, if you would please follow me?” He ask kindly, extending his hand out for her to take. Darin blinked in confusion, who’s friend? Far as she was aware her only friends where at the university…
Jack.
“Oh shit him.” Darin said aloud, she’d honestly forgotten him entirely. This earned a thin smile from the guardsman who turned as she stood up.
“We’ll be meeting him downstairs. A car has been prepared, and awaiting both of you.” He said as they walked down the busy hall towards the elevator. Darin clenched her hands as a cold chill ran down her spin.
“Let me guess…a trial.”
The guardsman nodded only once pressing the elevators down key.
“You to made quiet an entrance, Celestia is very interested in…” He paused as the doors opened, Darin looked up to expectantly as they both stepped inside.
“Interested in?” She made a ‘continue’ motion as the doors slid shut. The guardsman shook his head with a sigh then tapped the side of his blackened smoking helmet.
“Lets just say, today is a very bright day in Equestria.”
--
Valkyra
That’s what she was a Valkyra, not a Valkyrie which at first ,he thought she’d said.
“Winged ones, or those who are born with the gift of flight.” Dr Anne, the one whom he’d thought an Angel, had explained as they progressed down the hall and elevators to the ground floors. Jack walked slowly hands behind his back, they’d given him his clothes and boots but that was all. His backpack was apparently sequestered away at the palace under going who knew what. He looked up seeing his reflection in the elevator.
A jagged scar ran from the corner of his right eye to the back part of his head, it wasn't a nasty scar but it would never go away. Nor would enough hair grow on his head to cover it, Dr. Anne gave her apologies for it saying they’d done there best.
Like looking good is a concern right now. He thought as the elevator came to a stop. The doors opened to a reception area Anne stepped out first her wings nearly smacking him on the way out. Jack followed warily watching the feathered appendages as they both stepped in time to the center of the lobby. As they did another elevator opened and possibly the tallest man Jack had ever seen walked out followed by a very familiar face.
“Hey Darin. Miss me?” He asked with a open smile, she smiled back looking somewhat frazzled from what he wasn’t sure. The tall armor plated man motioned to the set of double doors that lead of the lobby.
“You look like shit.” Darin mused as Dr. Anne distracted the Guardsman before he could walk toward’s the door.
“Feel like it, was I really out for three days.” Jack asked in disbelief, Darin shrugged heading towards the doors.
“You want to hear something more crazy than that?”
“Other than the people with wings and fuckin magic?”
“Uh no. Were about to go on trial. More then likely were going to be executed for endangering the royal family.”
“…Oh. Well now i wish i hadn't gotten out of bed.”
Stranger in a strange land
Chapter 6:...And into the fire.
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