XCOM Operation: ...Friendship?

I took a bath in a bucket of water which has long gone cold.

I got back into some ‘Real clothes.’ A red t-shirt, regular blue jeans, grey socks, laced black boots, a leather jacket and gloves.

I heard tempest walk in as I tied my boots.

“o-oh sweet Celestia…”

She stared the bucket.

I knew exactly what she was referring to.

“The blood?” I asked nonchalantly.

She stared at me with horror.

“HOW CAN YOU NOT BE DISGUSTED?!”

I grinned.

“I’m used to being covered in blood, especially not my own.”

I finished tying my boots and stood up.

When I looked to tempest she was silent…deathly silent.

I walk up to her and patted her shoulder…which snapped her out of her stupor.

“Relax I won’t try anything.”

‘Yet.’

‘Shut the fuck up~’

Tempest smacked my arm away and huffed.

“Well it’s not staying in here- GO DUMP IT.”

I chuckled but did what she asked.

But when I got out side with it the ‘King’ saw the crimson tainted water and nearly choked on his tea.

Everyone else was just as surprised.

Once I dumped it, the red water soaked the snow underneath it showing the extent of iron spilled on me alone.

I heard fearful whispers of the ogres and ogress, some along the line of… ‘How is he alive, is that his? Or someone else’s, and just the plain EW.’

I grinned slightly at the King’s shock.

‘You enjoy his fear?’ The damn elder ‘woman’ asked.

‘A bit.’

‘Why?’

‘Because a dog can bark…and it can bite…but when faced with a wolf it will either run in fear or die trying to fight its older self.’

‘…’

‘…’

‘…what?’

I mentally groaned.

‘I’m saying that he does have an “army” and “powerful” magic…but he has no experience in war…he doesn’t know what the cost of it is or the consequences… he never heard cries of pain, anguish, and death, or smelled a rotting corpse, lingering stench of blood, even ashes of once had been…or fought for his very life.’

I could tell the Elder was intrigued.

‘I see…you’re referring to yourself as the wolf and him the dog because you have experience in war.’

I froze when ‘it’ said that. (by the time I had the bucket back in the tent and about to place it down.)

‘War…I hate it…yet it’s never has stopped…we try but…some humans just don’t care for change.’

‘I see that you want war to stop too…’

‘Of course…but sometimes we have no choice.’

I placed the bucket down and sighed…all the while Tempest was staring at me.

“What’s up with you?” she asked slightly cautious.

I gave another sigh.

“Just reflecting on my past.”

She gave the ‘I don’t believe you look.’

“Wh-”

“Trust me…you don’t want to know.” I cut her off knowing what she would ask.

She stared at me for a brief moment her eyes looked into mine.

475982764836

When she stared at his eyes she knew what she saw…

This…Creature…has seen things…things that would probably scar mostly anypony to suicide…his eyes alone showed a weariness, anger, sadness, and pain.

Yet despite all that he still had a glimmer in his eyes…a brightness that baffled her.

‘I can’t believe anypony can endure so much death yet still have a smile.’

Her thoughts were interrupted by a ruffle at the tent entrance.

Her leader was standing at the entry way.

She instantly saluted and waited for instruction.

“Tempest.” He said calmly.

His gaze went to…‘Omega 1’.

“Elder Bane.” His voice went to a cheeky tone.

All did Omega did was just groan, crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes.

Her boss went back to her.

“You’re entering the town of… Marescow?”

The king turned to the ogre to his right nodded.

‘Marescow…’

Tempest has heard of Marescow as some place filled with drunk stallions who will fornicate with everything with a hole.

Omega chuckled for unknown reasons.

“What’s funny Elder bane?” Her boss asked.

“You wouldn’t get it.” He said in a chuckle.

The king shook his head to ignore his comment.

“You’ll both enter the town and grab some supplies.”

The king grinned widely.

“And get your self’s something nice.”

Omega just shrugged his shoulders as Tempest was speechless.

But before she could ask the king left with those orders.

747572847582747572

Once we were in town we saw a lot of life…and equines of all shapes, colors, and personality.

So much…LIFE….it made me…sick…and depressed.

Tempest to my left was looking around but also noticed my face.

“Hey.” She put her arm on my shoulder and shook my side…snapping me out of my self-conflict.

“What’s up with you?” her tone gave some annoyance.

“I’m fine…” my face said otherwise.

Tempest didn’t believe me.

“Clearly you’re not and…”

She leaned in. “You’ll blow our cover.”

A slight pause before she asked a good question.

“How are not drawing attention to us anyway, to me you’re easy to define but everypony else is passing us with no mind.”

I grinned, Glad for the distraction.

‘It’s one of my abilities to make myself seem normal to others as long they have never seen me before.’

Tempest slightly flinched at my intrusion of her mind.

‘Huh…That’s…interesting.’

Before any more could be questioned a couple of a Minotaur, (Assumingly) an Equine or pony as I’m told…and a dragoness on either side of the Minotaur giggling.

As they approached us the ‘Pony’ pointed out to us.

‘Uh-crap.’ I only rolled my eyes and grabbed Tempest by the shoulder and pulled her to my side.

“Wha-”

‘Act natural.’

She was confused at first but relaxed slightly and ‘acted’ like my…Mate…I Guess?

The triple’s came by and one asked me a question.

“Hey~” the dragoness asked sultry.

“Barking up the wrong tree.” My response caught them off guard.

‘Let me do the talking ok?’

‘…Fine’

“So…she fun?” The Minotaur asked.

I got a bit annoyed at that remark.

“That is none of your business.” My voice got a bit darker.

“Why the hostility?”

The pony then walked up to Tempest and gave a whiff.

“OH~ she is in heat.”

‘H-How!?’

‘You’re excreting pheromones, your sexual scent if you will.’

“Yes and it’s taken a big toll on her so please…just leave us be…”

“Not ready for a cub huh.” The Minotaur asked.

“Nope too early for us.” I gave a fake smile.

“Well I guess there’s always later~.” The dragoness gave a sultry wink to Tempest and the three left.

‘Wait till we turn the corner and I’ll let go.’

Once we did Tempest returned to her position.

“Ok first don’t do that again.”

I chuckled.

“And second how did you know to do that?”

“Isn’t my first time playing the ‘Couple’ with someone.”

“And lastly…” She took a second but composed herself.

~Sigh~ “just…warn me when you do something.”

“Can’t make any promises.”

She snorted in annoyance but kept quiet.

“Anyway let’s get the supplies and maybe something for yourself.”

Tempest only shook her head.

45849358340672432456

I walked into a tool shop and looked for a kit.

After an hour of searching I found a suitable one a bought it with the ‘Bits’ given to me by Tempest.

‘She like’s you.’

I smiled.

‘For once you’re right.’

I gave a hearty chuckle.

‘I know…but she is in heat and I feel like I’m the only…pony to stand up for her since she was shocked at me defending her, so it’s probably only a friendship thing.’

‘Maybe…’

I only shook my head at the last comment.

I met up with Tempest as she was buying a bushel of apples.

“What next?” I asked calmly.

She turned to me and crossed her arms.

“We need a storage bag.”

“Satchel?”

She nodded.

I hummed and closed my eyes.

‘What are you thinking?’

‘Shush.’

‘…’

(‘I heard that- is ricks open?- I need a new coltfriend-’)

I growled in annoyance.

(‘Isn’t he in the flora shop?’)

I mentally sighed but then relaxed.

(‘Can’t wait to get a new purse at Stalin’s.’)

I chuckled also mentally.

‘How do you know what they are saying?’

‘Earth language known as Russian…it’s pretty much the same save for some of the names…Marescow being one of them.’

I turned to Tempest who was waiting patiently.

“I think I know where to go.” I bobbed my head in the direction of the store called Stalin’s

She nodded and followed me.

757838509088

Once we reached Stalin’s I opened the door for Tempest and let her in first.

“Здравствуйте, добро пожаловать в мой магазин.” (Hello welcome to my shop.)

I smiled.

“Добрый день. Мы ищем сумку.” (Good afternoon. We’re looking for a bag.)

“Посмотрите вокруг с вашей подругой. (Take a look around with your marefriend.)

“Благодарю.” (Thanks.)

I walked to around looking for a satchel.

Again Tempest asked a question…if you could call it that.

“Let me guess you read his mind and learned the language.”

I shook my head.

“Nope I was trained to learn different languages to communicate with my team and what he was speaking is one of them.”

Tempest seemed skeptical of the answer.

“So…you know Prussian?”

I snorted.

“What?” She asked slightly annoyed at me.

“I swear the puns are so bad…where I’m from its called Russian not Prussian…though there is a place called Prussia but it itself is in Germany.”

She gave a slight snort herself.

“Your society has references to yourselves?”

I grinned.

“Yes and no, most of the names are just random; Marescow is associated with female equines…while back home its Moscow.”

“Care to name one with a reference?”

“Stalingrad, named after a man named Victor Stalin”

“Plus Russians don’t really use certain vowels like v.”

Tempest shook her head.

“Doesn’t seem so different from equestria.” She said with a chuckle.

“No hehe no it does not.”

We continued to look around for a decent bag.

I found one that said expanded space, featherweight, and heating/cooling feature.

It was small about the size of a dog purse on earth.

So it was lost to me how it could have expanded space…and the other two features.

I grabbed it and looked inside and I was surprised…it did have a large space almost like a closet.

‘How; in the name of my brothers and sisters, is this possible?’

I shrugged my shoulders in response and left it as it is.

I found Tempest and handed her the small bag.

She was about to say something…but when she looked inside she noticed the large space.

“Told you, I’m a lucky charm.”

I gave a smirk at her annoyed face.

We went to the counter and payed for the bag and left the town.

Well it was good to see a peacefulness and oppression that had long since been forgotten.

‘You seem very upset at us protecting you.’

I snorted mentally.

‘Oh fuck off you make people more afraid than safe.’

‘How so?’

‘Do I really need to explain the ‘Safety protocols’ to you?’

The Elder invading my brain stayed quite for a good minute.

‘Your race are a one in a few Elder bane.’

My anger started to flare.

‘Fine-fine I’ll stop.’

I relaxed…until Tempest asked me a VERY uncomfortable question.

“So why were you so upset?”

I normally don’t get squeamish now adays but this was a question I do not like to answer.

“Well…I really don’t-”

“Don’t make excuses just tell me.”

I gave a very nasty look towards her which made her slightly real back in a shock.

My eyes glowed a bit and some psi energy leaked an aura from me.

Tempest’s thoughts betrayed her.

‘Holy Buck…he went to calm to blood thirsty in a split second…w-why am I suddenly getting heated?’

Now that made me little bit more uncomfortable.

I gave a massive sigh.

“Picture this, you’ve been at war for half of your life and experience many things that would make you throw up until it didn’t, then come to a place that pretty much has nothing but pacifists and all is goody gum drops.”

As I progressed my explanation I slowly get more and more angry.

“If I wasn’t clear enough I ain’t from here, from this world, and all I see is second rate ‘super villains’ and a bunch of horny idiots!”

My voice rose to a shout.

“The storm king-”

“IS AN EGOTISTICAL IDIOT!!”

“I HAVE SEEN THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM SICK, I FOUGHT THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM PISS HIMSELF IN FEAR!”

My psi reeked off me as my anger started to overtake me.

“I LOST EVERYTHING MY HOME, MY FAMILY, ALL TO A BUNCH OF RELIGIOUS ALINES THAT BELIEVE THAT WHAT THEIR DOING IS RIGHT!!!!!”

“AND IM SICK OF IT!!!!!”

Suddenly a wave of psi energy exploded from me and every tree was snapped like twigs and bushes were blown away like plastic bags.

I fell to my knees panting.

‘D-damn I lost control again.’

‘WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN?!’

I rose back to my feet and saw Tempest on the ground in pure panic.

I slump over a bit my body relaxing.

We didn’t say anything for a good few seconds.

“Not. A .WORD.” I said calmly.

I didn’t need to see Tempests face to know that she agreed.

I put out my hand for her to grab.

She looked it and hesitantly grabbed it.

I gently rose her to her feet.

“Relax I got it out of my system.”

Tempest just shook her head and we walked back to camp in silence.

Well for her at least.

‘You said you lost control… Again? So that means you’ve had this happen?’

‘…Yes and it’s very tough to deal with.’

‘So you had a problem with controlling your psi abilities… how is it your so powerful?’

‘Like I would tell human secrets. Plus I don’t think you would understand’

‘You realize I’m in your subconscious right?’

‘Meaning?’

‘I can’t do much other than speak to you.’

‘Still it’s not something that is easy to explain.’

‘Enlighten me.’

‘Well it could be the fact that I have a strong connection to the psionic wave lengths.’

‘That doesn’t explain it.’

‘I don’t trust you, end of story.’

8758489848375849345

We got back to the camp and dropped off the supplies and I ‘helped’ cook some food.

Which was fine and a slightly fun plus funny experience since every ogre and ogress along with the king and Tempest were surprised I could actually cook well.

Tempest was especially surprised since she never tasted broth boiled fish and smoked beef before.

After we ate I and Tempest then walked to the tent.

“So…”

“Don’t ask trust me its better if you didn’t know.” My response was all that Tempest needed to hear.

34534534534543534

Tempest thought of asking more about it but what happened in the forest made her think again.

‘To think he has that kind of power and can cause so much damage with just a thought.’

When the both of them went in the tent they instantly went to the beds and went to sleep.

Nothing was said today was a day of firsts…and lasts.

(3 Hours later.)

Tempest rolled in her sleep and moaning slightly.

‘…’

‘…’

*GASP*

Tempest looked around and saw nothing an empty void of purple and black.

She looked at the tendrils they looked like a manifestation of some magic.

She walked closer to the foreign ‘magic’.

It felt like no other, it was so…extreme…so potent.

She reached out and touched it.

And instantly regretted doing it.

Her mind started to swim into a scenario.

47523985731489457

“Shadow 1-2 report.” A gruff voice demanded.

Tempest lowered behind a car and readied her mag rifle.

“Central this is Shadow Actual.” She whispered but not in her own voice.

“Proceed Shadow 1.” A womanly voice came through this time.

“The Templars info was correct…there is an secret facility here.” Her tone was serious as if she knows what is going on.

“Proceeding to destroy the building.” After that she ran to the door to the large building.

“Elder bane to Hawkeye got any visuals.”

“Negative I – Scratch that two Vipers and a Muton to the left of you.”

“Anything else.”

“Yes… a gatekeeper.”

“Fucking perfect.” The sarcasm in her voice made her note that this may be hard to counter.

She opened the door and ran to the target for remote detonation.

“Charges planted.”

“Goody.”

An all too familiar voice came from behind.

Reacting on instinct she raised her rifle and shot at the figure.

The tall creature growled in pain and tried to smack her on the head but she dodged.

As she ran out of the building she called in.

“Central this is Shadow 1, We’ve been compromised, I repeat we’ve been compromised.” She ran and fired behind her and kept going.

Suddenly a searing pain shot at her side as she ran.

The Muton shot at her…but she kept going.

The sound of a sniper shot came from a distant location.

The voice that snuck up on her earlier spoke somehow through the coms.

“Nice attempt but not quite.”

Another shot that was louder hit something.

That something was the sniper guarding her.

“E-Elder bane…R-Run…”

“NOT WITH OUT YOU!” She shouted, as she ran to the snipers location.

When she reached the spot the sniper was laying their breathing shallow.

She ran up to the woman in a blue armor and a hat sat there with a gaping wound in her chest.

The woman looked at Tempest with tears in her eyes.

“I-I-.”

“Don’t move you got to stay quiet and still.”

“Y-Your hit.”

“I’LL be fine.”

“J-Just-g-go.”

“Not without you.”

She felt a hand brush her face.

Looking at the woman she saw a smile on her face.

‘Thank you for everything.’

The hand fell her eyes dulled and her breath seized.

“no.” her voice shaken.

“No”

“No…No…NOOOO!!”

Her rage exploded outward in psionic blast.

“WHAT THE!!” The Chosen Hunter was shocked.

She shook her head but followed the last request of her friend and ran into the town.

57475238573428957

Tempest woke up in a deep sweat and looked to her charge who was sound asleep.

Her mind snapped back into reality as she thought over her ‘dream’.

Then she realized it wasn’t a dream it was a memory, and not one of hers.

She was right when she thought of him seeing so much in his life…but that was…Horrific and so sad.

She laid back down and stared at the top of the tent the rain making the only noise.

She laid there for minutes

Then something happened.

‘I’m sorry.’

“wha-!”

Her mind was assaulted her thoughts twisted and then she passed out.

435234654764345241414

I Mind Controlled Tempest.

I also searched her mind when it was open and found out where my armor was kept and the best route for escape.

Step 6: -

‘Get your shit and get out.’

‘That’s a first hearing you curse.’

I only heard a giggle.

I shook my head and started to give commands to my…teammate.

‘Escort me to my gear.’

I only got a movement in return and I followed outside.

Hardly any ogres were out so we didn’t have to worry.

85939502

Once we reach the tent that had my stuff I instantly knew who this tent belonged too.

I had to hurry.

I grabbed everything and worked on putting my armor back on.

I grabbed the Templar gauntlet and put it on even if it’s damaged.

Once I got my things I walked out the tent.

“Elder bane…what are you up too.”

I look up from the gauntlet to see the joyous prick.

I looked around and saw almost every ogre and ogress behind him.

“Isn’t it obvious…I’m Leaving.”

Just then I gave a command to Tempest to charge in as a distraction.

“Tem-” he froze up then pushed her back.

All the time I needed for a clear shot.

The king howled in pain as the plasma burned through his armor like paper and penetrated his arm just the same.

I ran fast as Tempest regained control and ran after me.

I charged a Null Lance in my hand but not so much to make it lethal.

I turned on my heel and shot it right at her chest knocking her to the ground with a loud thud.

I heard her last thought…and it was something I never expected out of her.

‘I’m Sorry.’

‘…’

‘Don’t be.’

I gave that as my farewell.

This was only the beginning I know that much.