Author's Note

Song These Dreams Of You

Yes, this chapter is a benign mindfuck, stick to the end.

These Dreams of You

Jared lay with his eyes shut.

“Jared?”

“Yeah?” He opened his eyes, the girl wrapped tightly in his arms.

“Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you.” He smiled his big, goofy smile. She smiled back.

“Why?” She asked after a moment.

“Miranda... You’re sweet, you’re kind, you’re gorgeous... And you make me smile..” He fought for words. Jared may have had confidence, but he was far from good with words. She exhaled in a laugh and hugged him tighter.

“Thank you...”

Jared smiled and awoke roughly as the back snapped off his swivel chair, and he hit the floor. His heart was racing, he breathed heavily, pushing himself off the floor with his forearm.

“Jesus.. Talk about ruined dreams.” He slowly got to his feet, looking at the broken chair. “Well that sucks.” He kicked it over gently. He looked through the office window at his damaged beaver and sighed gently. “Maybe there’s a logging business or need for mechanics in town...”

He slowly walked to his things, grabbed the strap for his shotgun from his supplies, and put it together. He then slung the weapon over his shoulder, stepping out of his hangar, whistling.

“There he is!” Someone shouted. A crowd of picket sign carrying ponies were surrounding his hangar. Jared looked around.

“The fuck are you up to?” He asked.

“You need to leave ponyville!” One pony with a high pitched voice yelled.

“Believe me, I’d love to be snug at home instead of here with a bunch of xenophobic, talking, cartoon ponies.” He said, spinning the shotgun under his arm to his hands, a hip firing position.

A large brown stallion slowly walked up. “Go back in the house.”

“Yeah I blow a hole in your face, then go back in the house and sleep like a fuckin baby.” He raised the weapon to his eye.

“Is that a threat?”

“An entire town against one person they’ve never talked to is a threat, this is a guarantee.” Jared growled, switching off his safety. The stallion charged, grabbing his legs and pummled Jared through the door, the shotgun went flying before the strap caught his wrist. Jared backhanded the stallion with a closed fist, the pony recoiled long enough for him to get his shotgun back in his hands. The stallion stomped on his face, Jared’s head hitting the hard concrete with a smack. He charged back before catching the pony across the face with the steel butt plate of his firearm, the stallion tumbled off, blood splattering the wall. Someone in the crowd screamed. The stallion stood and wiped his mouth, leapt at Jared, and he fired.

A loud resounding ‘Boom’ echoed out as the slug tore down the rifling of the Winchester, before exiting. Less than a foot away it entered the skull of the stallion, between his oversized eyes. The slug tumbled, shredding the majority of the pony’s brain before uncapping the entire back of the skull. The slug skimmed off the concrete and through the wall just behind, painting the majority of the wall red. Having just ducked beyond the doorway, the ponies only heard the shot and saw the splatter. Grey matter stuck to the floor and wall as a puddle began forming across the pad. Jared pumped the next round, trying to convince himself it was like killing a deer. That it was self defense. They all screamed.

Someone in the crowd yelled “Get the princess, he killed Davenport!”

Jared stood, this time a buckshot round in the chamber. he walked over, flipping the desk and scooting it to the corner. He knelt behind it, resting the barrel of his shotgun on the desk for cover. No one entered. No one left. A minute later two royal guards walked up to the door.

“Drop your weapon and come quietly!”

“You think I fuckin wanted this? You think I wanted to be attacked in my own home, by some bigots who can’t accept this world is bigger than their society?!”

“Just drop your weapon and we can talk this out, Wright.” The other guard stated.

“I’m done talking! Talking is what I did when the motherfucking element of Loyalty tried to kill me based on my looks. Talking is what I did when I was told my life was over, my aircraft destroyed, and that I have to live with a bunch of fuckin horses.” You want to talk, get the princess. You want to fucking die? Walk through that door..” Jared’s voice wavered with the threat.

He heard a flash of magic in the hangar and he backed into the corner to watch both doors, it opened to reveal Luna. She gasped, her pupils pinpricks at the sight.

“IS THAT HOW YOUR COUNTRY RUNS, YOU SEND A PROTECTED PERSON TO A TOWN THATS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM, AND THEY GET ATTACKED, ATTEMPTED TO BE RUN OUT OF TOWN?!” He screamed at her, she recoiled at first. Celestia walked past her, into the room. The shotgun was now aimed at the princess. “You couldn’t even fucking remember my name, like I should’ve expected you to be able to actually keep me safe, from having to do this!”

“Jared.” She slowly stepped towards him.

He gestured with the shotgun, waving it between her chest and face. “DON’T YOU FUCKING TAKE ANOTHER STEP!” He screamed.

She did.

His finger tightened. “Celestia one more step and I swear to god your brains are gonna look worse than his on that wall.” She took another step. “Better yet I’ll shoot your horn off.”

Now she stopped.

“Yeah, ever wonder the effects of a bullet on magic?”

No response.

“Do you wanna find out?”

“Jared.” She said. “You have killed one of my subjects.”

“I gave him the chance to leave and he beat me.” Jared stated with a growl. Celestia looked unamused.

“I don’t care if it was self defense or not. He is a citizen, you are not.” She said. Now he really couldn’t give a shit. “You will pay for your crimes.” He pulled the trigger. Eight pellets of 00 buckshot flew downrange, one grazed the top of her head, the others tore the top third of her horn clear off. Before she had time to react, Jared bunted her with his shotgun, leapt over a stunned Luna, and raced out the side door. He pumped in another round as he ran, towards the forest. He heard a faint whistling and spun to see a rainbow pegasus charging him.

He pumped out the buckshot, in a birdshot, and fired. The small pellets clipped her wing and barrel, she went down with a scream. He grabbed the buckshot shell, loaded it, and continued running. Once he cleared the forest, he slid into a small den in the ground, where the roots of trees had been hollowed out. Presumably from a timber wolf, he didn’t care, He poked the barrel of his shotgun out from under the trees like a VietCong, and he waited. Maybe they’d be too preoccupied with the Princess and focus on her, maybe they’d divide and conquer.

After a moment, he fully realized what he’d just done, his breathing got quicker and with one hand he grabbed his hair and screamed. “FUCK.”. the back of his head was wet, he brought it forward, it was crimson. From where his head had hit the concrete. “God dammit... Why couldn’t they just leave me alone..” He said, closing his eyes tightly as tears welled up. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he sobbed. Thick, choking sobs. He had a balled fist to his mouth, somewhat muffling him. Luna wrapped his arm around him, he pushed her away.

“It’s alright, Jared...” She said softly. “Wake up..”

“What do you mean wake up..? I am awake..” He replied, and sniffled. Which was when it hit him. “How did you find me-“

“Wake up.” She smiled

He awoke in a cold sweat.

Jared looked around the dim office, he was face down on his desk, sitting in his chair. He slowly moved to the side, falling to the floor by his sleeping bag. He rolled to his side, curling up in the corner of the room.

Jared cried.