Chapter 2: Welcoming Party.

*One week back*

*Location:  Mars landing pad A1*

*Monday, September 21st, 2123 AD.  6:02PM*

        I took my luggage in my right hand and calmly stepped out of the medium sized spacecraft.  So this is the shit hole they decided to send me too.  I figured it wouldn’t be such an easy job.  When I got demoted thanks to the... incident, I thought they would send me a far away shit hole, guarding some nuclear plant.  It seems it is worse than that.  Although I am stationed on Mars, where some high tech, and high priced sciencey shit is stored, and even weapons testing.  I am stuck with guarding Mars City, and the surrounding work areas.  At least it’s not a war zone, but I’m sure after a few weeks of this mundane security job, I’ll be wishing it was a battlefield.

        As I walked to Mars City Administration, I noticed some people standing idly around the bay, and overheard a conversation the workmen standing around were having.

        “Can you fucking believe it?  Bill just JUMPED, not fall!  I know he didn’t fucking fall.  I saw him, his smiling face, laughing while he jumped into heating system.  That’s going to stick with me.”

        “That’s nothing.  I heard that some crazy motherfucker in alpha, your typical egg headed scientist, just took a wrenched and caved in the head of his lab partner.  That’s some fucked up shit.”

        “I’m just glad I only have a few days left in my rotation.  Three days, and I’m getting the fuck out of here.”

        “You lucky bastard.  I still have two months left.  I can hear the voices people have been talking about too.  I can’t understand a fucking thing they are saying, but I can still hear them.  They keep me up at night.”

        “We should just keep our eyes open, look out for anyone going crazy, and just keep to ourselves.”

        I guess this place really does get to you.  I hope I don’t end up as paranoid as some of theses people seem to have been.

        I walk to the exit of the landing pad.  As the door opens in front of me, a security guard at the current checkpoint instructs me to stop, and stand on the red foot shaped floor markers.  They scan me to make sure I’m not carrying the next pandemic and wave me through.  I exited the cramped checkpoint and make my way to Mars City Administration.  I observed workers checking on whatever levels they were in charge of checking.  Some were programming what looked like security bots.  Jesus, my job might not last as long as I imagined it to.

        I walked through the halls and break room.  I paused for a few minutes in the break room, to see what they had playing on the TV.  More news about death, and war.  Yeah, what else is new?  As I left the break room I noticed a young woman dressed in a spec ops uniform.  Machine gun present and all.  Damn, maybe they really did have some incidents happening here.  I saw two high ranking military officials have what looked to be a heated conversation with a scientist.  He looked more like your stereotypical mad scientist to me.  Complete with a robotic arm, and fucked up eye.  I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they were talking at such a volume that I could the hear faint sounds coming from the room.

        “Don’t you have somewhere to be, soldier?”  The women guarding the room asked.

        I just nodded and carried on to my destination.  Thankfully this PDA that I was assigned before shipping out came with a map, or I would be completely lost.  When I finally reached Administration I took note of even more Spec ops standing around the area.  I walked to the front desk, and handed the man my PDA, so he could update my security clearance and give me my orders.

        “All new security arrivals are to report to Sergeant Matthews.  He will give you a detailed instruction of what your job is, and tell you where to find your gear.”

        He is going to tell me how to guard a bunch of scientist and their living quarters?  Jesus, he must be one of the best they could find.  I can’t wait to hear what kind of insightful knowledge he could give me on standing around and looking tough.

“I would hurry if I was you.  He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”  The man said.

I again nodded, and looked on my PDA’s map for the location.  Looks like it was just a few hallways away.  As I walked past another break room, I saw Super Turbo Turkey Puncher 10.  I know where I’ll be spending most of my breaks now.  After I walked past the room I heard a scream coming from the room.  I took a few steps back and saw a man with a knife trying to stab another man that he had pinned to the floor.  Two of the workers were struggling to get the crazy motherfucker off of him.  I ran into the room, and kicked the man square in the head.  Effectively causing him to fall back.  He got back up, and his target changed from the man that he had pinned to the floor, who was now crying, to me.  He smiled a devilish smile and lunged at me.  I caught his hand that held the knife, and quickly broke his wrist.  I balled my other hand into a fist and struck him right in the nose.  I then kneed him in the stomach, causing him to fall forward, but not fall down to the ground.  I elbow him in the back of the head and then give him a swift kick to the side once he is down.  He was now holding his head, groans of pain coming through his blood soaked lips.

The others in the room just looked at me, confused, frightened, and probably a little bit happy that the delusional piece of shit was out for the count.  I just smiled and walked back down the hallway.  I guess this place really was going to shit, well, not to be pessimistic, but probably going to shit more than it already was.  I wonder where the spec ops people I saw were out.  Hope they aren’t paying them too much for just standing around.  I found the Headquarters that Sergeant Matthews was located at.  Two regular guards stood at attention on both sides of the door.

“Holy shit, are you that guy the fucked up that crazy motherfucker back in the break room?”  One guard asked.

“Damn, nice one.  But don’t expect to get a pat on the back from the sarge.”  The second guard said.

I entered the room, and saw a large man standing in front of a monitor.  He had the patches that a sergeant would have.  He altered his gaze from the monitor and looked me straight in the eyes.

“John Carson?”  He asked.

I nodded.

“Good.  You took your sweet ass time getting here.  I heard you had an altercation with an armed civilian?  Damn, took you that long enough to disarm, and take care of the threat.  I guess they don’t think we need good security forces on Mars, so they send us the bottom of the barrel.”  Sergeant Matthews finished.

I can tell he was going to offer some insightful advice on my job at hand.  Probably tell me how to kill a man by just looking at him.  Hell, maybe even tell me how to work on of those complicated flash lights.  He just beamed intelligence.

“Well as you may have heard your job is guarding Mars City.  It’s a place where all of the civilian and some low level military guards live.  Like yourself.”  He said.

Wow, you don't say?  I thought Mars City is where all the aliens lived.  I could have sworn that humans lived out in the airless, scorching hot outdoors that Mars had to offer.

“Your main job is to protect all people in your guarding district from each other, themselves, and any other threats that might make themselves known.”  He continued.

Protect?  I thought I was supposed to shoot any, and everyone that I saw.  Jesus, this job really is complicated.

“Anytime another ranking officer instructs you to do something. DO IT!  No matter if the job is out of your district, no matter if you are finger banging Miss Mary Jane, no matter what.”  He said.

Damn, but what if I have Miss Mary Jane close to orgasm?  Shouldn’t we take her feelings into consideration too?

“Briefing over.  You are dismissed.  Go collect your gear outside.  Don’t fuck up either, you and I both know this job isn’t the most difficult of things to do.”  Yeah, no shit.  “ And if you do fuck up, I’ll have your ass shipped to the moon.”  The Sergeant said, turning to face the monitors.

I gave him a salute and exited the room.  What a fucking idiot.  I better not be in a fighting situation.  If I am, I’m fragging him the second I can, and blaming it on the enemy.

I collected my gear.  Armor, helmet, flashlight, pistol and ammunition.  The soldier in charge also gave me my room number, and address.  Room 13, section A2.  I made my way to my room and unpacked my things, and sat on my bed.  After a few minutes of reading through my PDA trying to memorize the layout of the area.  I saw a room labeled Cafeteria, and decided it was time to get some food.  After eating the so called Fried Steak, and mash potatoes, it was almost 8PM.  My shift starts tomorrow at 8AM sharp.  I went back to my room, and again read my PDA some.  Memorizing more of the area I was going to guard, as well as the surrounding area.  After an hour of fucking around on my PDA which actually got internet, I decided it was time to get some shut eye.  Before drifting to sleep, I could have sworn I heard the cries of tortured souls, and their torturers laughing in a demonic voice.  My dreams consisted of madness, past loves, and wishes.  But mostly just the nightmares of battles I had been through.  And maybe the battles yet to come.

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*Two hours before John Carson arrives in Ponyville*

        Twilight was pacing around her library/house.  She couldn’t believe what she found just laying on the ground in the Everfree Forest while helping Fluttershy collect fruit and other resources.  The book looked almost.. evil.  An upside down five pointed star inside of a circle.  The books cover was made out of a leathery material that was blood red.  It just seemed so disturbing.  She knew she probably shouldn’t open up the book.  Whatever words lie inside the book probably weren’t meant for her eyes to see.  Although, it could hold some awesome new spells!  After a few minutes of fighting with herself she decided one little peek couldn’t hurt.  From what she could tell, this was a spell book!  It detailed the workings of opening a portal to the “other side” and even teleportation!  She already knew teleportation, but maybe this could help her improve!  She just had to get this to Princess Celestia!  I bet she wouldn’t believe the mysteries inside of this book.  She might even let me help her out!  Twilight thought.

        “Hey Twilight.  What are you so worked up about?”  Her little Dragon assistant asked.

        “It’s this new book I found in the Everfree Forest!  It details all sorts of spells on opening portals and teleportation!”  Twilight explained.

        “I should have known it had something to do with a book.”  Spike said.

        “I need to let the Princess see this as fast as possible.  I’m sure she will have some insight on what to make of the book.  She might even like me help her!  Do you know what this means Spike?”  Twilight asked.

“More work for me?”  Spike answered.

“No!  Well yeah, probably.  But it means that we might learn how to open portals to other worlds!  Even a chance at meeting extraterrestrial life forms!”  Twilight said.  “Spike, take a note.”

After Spike sent the note to Princess Celestia, Twilight read more of the books knowledge.  She soon discovered that you could open up a portal to a place called Hell.  Hell.. huh, that doesn’t sound like such a great place.  She thought to herself.  I’ll have to make to make sure I ask Celestia about it when I arrive.  After reading the book for another few minutes Spike burped up a letter sent by Princess Celestia.  It ordered Twilight to see her as soon as possible.  Twilight told Spike to stay in the tree house and await for her return.  Twilight was very excited about what knowledge lied awaiting her in this book.  If only she knew of the evils of the book, that were just begging, praying to whatever evil they considered their God, for someone or something to activate the portals.  It had already been done once before, not too long ago.

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*Everfree Forest entrance, near Fluttershy’s cottage*

        “Answer me you Demon!  What are you doing here?”  The cyan colored pony with rainbow colored hair repeated.

        Well fuck.  I guess I’m going to have to break my mute streak.  It was fun while it lasted.

        “My name is John, John Carson.”  I answered.  “And trust me, I’m no Demon.”

        “That’s just what a Demon would say!”  The cyan colored pony retorted.

        “All Demons you’ve met are called John Carson?”  I replied.

        “Huh?  What?  No, that’s not what I meant!  Whatever, give me one good reason not to pound your face in!”  The cyan colored pony continued.

        “Hey now.  Wait a darn minute.  Maybe we should let the “Demon” explain itself to us.”  An orange pony standing behind the cyan pony said.  She was wearing  cowboy hat, and even had orange colored hair.

        “And let it tell us more lies!  I say we just kick it’s butt, and send it back to the forest!”  The cyan pony replied.  She really wasn’t one for reason was she.

        “Okay, let me explain myself.”  I said, as I carefully lifted the cyan pony off of me.  She was too stunned to even react.  Her orange friend seemed to take a fighting stance though, prepared for whatever might happen next.

        “As I’ve said, my name is John Carson.  I’m from a planet called Earth.  I was stationed on a planet called Mars to guard some scientist, and one thing lead to another, and I ended up here.”  It’s probably best I leave out all of the details about killing most of the people at the base.  Even though they were zombies, something tells me theses ponies wouldn’t understand it.  “So, what are your names?”  I asked.  Fuck this feels weird.  Talking to animals.  Still beats facing death every second of the day.

        “Well mah’ name is Applejack, me and mah’ family own a farm in Ponyville.  We harvest some of tha’ best darn apples in Equestria.”  She said.  I guess her accent does make sense.

        “And I’m Rainbow Dash!  The best flyer in Equestria!  I can beat anyone in a race, even you Demon!”  She replied.

        “Human.  We’re called Humans.”  I said.

        “Whatever you are, I could beat you in a race.”  Rainbow Dash said.

        “So partner, do you mind tell us what all that blood colored stuff is on your cloths is?”  Applejack asked.

        “Um, well it’s uh..”  Fuck, how do I explain this.  “Huh.  I don’t know.”  I said.  “It wasn’t on my armor when I first went through the teleporter.  If I had to guess, it could be residue that somehow got on me when I traveled here.  I’ve heard of similar reports happening elsewhere.  But in their case, it was black.”  I said, making up a bullshit story on the spot.  Please let them believe me, I really don’t want to start off on this world beating the shit out of some animals.

        “Teleporter?  Residue?  What are you talking about?”  Rainbow Dash asked.

        “A teleporter takes you from one place to another and-” I was saying.

        “Yeah, I know what teleporting means, but what is a teleporter?  We, well the unicorns just use magic to teleport.”  Rainbow Dash said.

        “Humans can’t use magic, ever, at all.  It doesn’t even exist where we come from.  We use technology to help us in our daily lives.  To tell you the truth I never even went through a teleporter until I was on Mars.”  I said.

        “Fair enough.”  Rainbow Dash said.  “We’re going to have to have Twilight send a message to Princess Celestia about you though.  I’m sure she would want to know about... whatever you are.”

        “But Twilight went to see tha’ Princess just an hour ago.  She might not be back for awhile.”  Applejack said.

        “That’s okay.  We can just keep an eye on him until she returns.  I’m sure she would love to introduce a new creature to the Princess.”  Rainbow dash said.

        “Hey, who is that hiding behind the tree?”  I asked.

        “Oh that’s just Fluttershy!  She gets kinda frightened by people.  She is just a lil’ shy.”  Applejack said.

        “Oh, I think she is the pony I first saw out in the forest.  She did seem pretty fuckin’ wigged out when she saw me.”  I said.

        “If by wigged you mean scared, then yeah, just a little.”  Rainbow Dash said.

“I’m not as scared so much of him now, as the thing who is standing behind him.”  Fluttershy whispered out, I barely made out what she just said.  She went back to taking cover behind large tree.

“What the hay is that?!”  Rainbow Dash yelled.  If my luck is to pan out here, as it did back on Mars.  I’ll assume it’s not a fluffy cat.  I quickly took out my shotgun, and turned around, prepared for whatever was behind me.