Off the Grid Season 2

The Great Nightmare War (Many year's ago)

Stryker was walking down the guarded, torn down basement of Sugarcube corner with his partner's. He was ordered from Luna's royal guard to take care of the ponies who had there fair share of casualties, while battling the evil that consisted of Nightmare being's brought by Celestia, and Luna who had become corrupted from the Nightmare's new demon power's. Twilight Sparkle had rallied powerful armies, and had fought them on all front's. Right now it was the battle of Ponyville, and the two being's armies had only conquered the northern area's, near Canterlot castle.

Canterlot had already fallen, but they were fighting with huge ferocity. He was in what used to be Pinkamena's private basement that she would have used for killing, but she had turned it into a medical facility. A wound from the Nightmare realm would have eventually turned her into a being of the Nightmare Realm if she bled out, but her split personality protected her. Stryker seemed to somehow now how the Nightmare being's attacked on some front's, and when given order's....he would help on ocassion's. He had his normal friend's....and friend's in high places.

He roamed the hall's with the two healer's that he had planned on helping throughout the war....Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie....who currently had Pinkamena at the driver's seat of her body. The two were able to communicate with each other inside their brain, and if they needed to, one would take over for the other; for this case, Pinkamena was best required. "I'm so glad your working with me on this Flutter's....I'm more better at gutting bodies than patching it up, and it would be a lot more difficult if you weren't assigned to treat medical, as well" Pinkamena smiled.

"Being the batpony I used to be has me familiarized with some of the vexes, and curses that these wound's carry....if it wasn't for our practice in specialized exorcism, tending to the wounded would be impossible" Fluttershy smiled.

"I'm more of tipped bladed, and bullet specialist myself....but then again I'd rather get to business, and heal these wounded so we can get back out there" Stryker snarled.

"Ugh.....Captain Stryker, why are you alway's so focused on the war at the front line's than enjoying to take a break from them?" Pinkamena asked with a groan.

"I'm a captain of the best soldier's that I have been chosen to lead.....I made a promise to Shining Armor.....and I intend to keep it. A Captain belong's on the battlefield, but if there are wounded who need my help....then I'll make sure that they can get back out there" Stryker answered, as the two finally came across the medical wing. There were about 10 patient's for them to treat. Some of the wound's they had recieved were horrific, but it meant they had to get them back. "Let's get to work" Stryker sighed, as the three split up, intiating treatment to the patient's.

Hour's Later

The gunfire, rocket's, and magical spell's raining in the sky from the battle above was heard, as the basement's light constantly flickered on, and off. Stryker was tending to a dark blue male Pegasi who had lost his wing's, and was bandaged completely. One of his hand's had been sliced off, but a cold Nightmare magic was surrounding his body. It originally was trying to mutate him....but instead it was killing him. Stryker knew there was nothing he could do....only comfort. "S-Stryker.....I...c-c-c.....c-can't.....feel....my hand's" The dying Pegasi said weakly.

"Your going to be okay.....stay with me....you'll be home soon" Stryker told him, but still knew it was hopeless.

"I-I-I'm.....s-so......c-c-cold.....Gggggaaaaaahhh" The Pegasi groaned, drawing his last breath....and died. Stryker let out a sad sigh, shaking his head with a somber note. This entire war was a mess, and he knew it. He hoped peace woud descend to the fallen from this awful war.

"Lucky him" A blue Earth pony stallion mumbled who had been operated with only being treated from a few bruises he recieved in a battle.

"WHAT.....DID YOU SAY!?!?!?!?!?" Stryker growled, offended by the stallion's word's.

"He's better off dead than suffering with the rest of us" The stallion scoffed coldly.

"He fought bravely.....to defend our home from corruption....AND YOU DARE MOCK HIS DEATH!?!?!?!?!?" Stryker accused with a snarl.

"What was he fighting for Stryker.....why are we here.....why are ponies dying left, and right?" The stallion asked.

"YOU KNOW DAMM WHY.....WE'RE FIGHTING TO PROTECT OUR HOME.....TO PROTECT THOSE WHO CALL IT A HOME!!!!!!!!!" Stryker shouted angrily, as the blue stallion got up.

"You know what Stryker.....I'm done with your idealism.....I'm out" The stallion scoffed, getting up, and started to head out through another door of the medical wing.

"Where do you think your going.....DESERTER!?!?!?!?!?" Stryker asked.

"Anywhere, but here....I don't fancy dying a pointless death" The stallion said mockingly.

"You are FUCKING FULL OF IT.....You have a duty to uphold" Stryker told him, until he heard, an old battle phone ring, getting his attention.

"No Stryker YOU have a duty to uphold" The stallion told him, while Stryker answered the phone. Pinkamena, and Fluttershy had watched the whole conversation take place, and were also wanting to know wha the call Stryker recieved meant.

"This is Captain Stryker" Stryker said through the phone.

"This is the Outpost Commander, Regalias....we are being overrun, at the border between Ponyville, and Canterlot....we need backup....I repeat....we need backup" Regalias shouted.

"Hang in there....I'm on my way" He told them, after noting that the stallion was gone, and hung up the phone.

"Pinkamena.....Fluttershy....I hope you can take care of the wounded, they need me back at the front line's" Stryker told them.

"We'll be fine" Fluttershy smiled.

"Give 'em hell Captain" Pinkamena winked, as Stryker shot her a confident smile.

"I plan on it" He grinned, exiting the medical wing, and rushing off to make a difference in the war.

*****
Present day

The same Earth Pony who had left the medical wing that day, was standing in front of Stryker....an old acquaintance whom he had a much hated rivalry during the war, and here the two were, pointing both their gun's at each other. "You left your fellow ponies to die" Stryker snarled.

"They were already dead" The Earth pony snarled coldly.

"Was it worth it.....Clint did you find someplace to have a meaningful death? Your just a scumbag who live's by preying off the weak" Stryker snarled.

Clint was silent for a few second's, and then had a mischevious grin spread across his face, as his finger tightened on the trigger. "Your right" He smiled, as he fired his pistol at the Sheriff. Stryker easily dodged the shot, before firing a blast from his own weapon. Clint easily dodged the plasma shot, and began firing multiple shot's at Stryker. The Grid Sheriff used his robtoic glove to take all the bullet's, while firing another blast from his plasma gun. Clint dodged the gunfire again, and fired back, until he scored a direct hit, knocking the gun away from Stryker's hand. Clint began firing his weapon, as Stryker quickly ducked behind the jeep....Clint's bullet's bouncing off the vehicle's armor.

"Come out Stryker....there's no use hiding" Clint told him, as Stryker used his robotic glove arm to lift the entire jeep up with one hand, and slammed it down on Clint. The Earth Pony was still alive, due to his immense strength, as he got up with a pained growl. Scratches were all over Clint's face, and his gun was a few meter's away from him. Stryker picked up Clint's wepaon, and aimed it directly at him. The blue Earth pony immedietly noticed something off about Stryker. One of his eye's turned a lifeless black, and began bleeding, while the Sheriff pointed his gun at his enemy.

Stryker had a small psychotic smile on his face, as Scarlett Twinkle's voice sang in a dark whisper inside his head. In Stryker's vision....he was looking around, hearing her voice....unaware of his half transformation. Kill him.....Kill him....Kill him.....Kill him.....Just do it.....Kill him for us....Kill him already......Kiiiiiilll him Stryker While Scarlett Twinkle's voice rang inside his head, Stryker cocked the gun in his hand, as a piece of Nightmare magic started generating from the barrel of the gun.

That's Nightmare being magic.....what the hell happened to you Stryker? Clint thought, as Stryker had enough, and emptied the entire gun of it's bullet's, and handed it back to Clint. The voices faded, and Stryker's left eye turned back to normal. He did find it strange after seeing the red liquid on his finger's, after wiping the blood off that had poured out of his eye.

"I'm out here to save our home" Stryker panted, sounding completely normal, and unaware of what took place. Clint felt relief washing over his body, but did his best to not show any concern.

"I don't care" Clint said with a fake grumble.

"Then do it for Pixel" Stryker told him, as Clint stopped dead in his track's hearing those word's. He alway's had a crush on Pixel back during the war, but she only had eye's for Stryker....not for him. Clint looked back with a suprised, and a bit of a concerned look on his face.

"They took Pixel......Clint" Stryker told him.