The Blessing: A Second Chance

The first bolt missed his head by about an inch and impacted on the barn door behind him. The next two were better placed, and would have nailed him in the chest had he not thrown himself to the ground.

This almost cost him.

He had to quickly roll to avoid the next four bolts, each bolt impacted the ground to his left with a puff of dirt.

'Out in the open, can't stay here.'

His Marine training had kicked in. All of his focus was on the fight at hand. Thoughts became clipped, short, and efficient. Spend too long on one decision, and you end up dead.

He had gotten to his feet right before another trio of bolts impacted where he had just been laying.

'No cover. Run, moving target, difficult to hit'

And that's precisely what he did. Celestia's scowl soon got worse as she had to concentrate on hitting him. John's plan was working pretty well, but she eventually figured out how much she had to lead her aim. John knew this because a bolt whizzed past his chest.

'Move erratically, harder to lead.'

Another bolt whizzed past his ear.

'Two firing positions, one left, one front.'

John couldn't locate the second position, but he could see two guards waiting for the fire to pin him down.

'Close the distance, they won't shoot at their own, twenty meters.'

Moving quickly and erratically, he shifted right and charged at the guards.

They hadn't been expecting that.

When a six foot three, two-hundred pound Marine rams into you, you tend to notice. The first pegasus hit the ground and rolled several feet, and his helmet fell off of his head a few feet from John. The other recovered quickly and lunged at John, tackling him to the ground. But John had managed to get his legs under the pony. And when his back hit the ground, he rolled and pushed up with his legs. The pegasus was launched into a tree behind John, and after hitting the tree with a loud thud, fell to the ground and stayed there.

John rolled onto his feet and turned in time to see who had been shooting at him from the second position. A well built unicorn was charging towards him. John brought his right leg back, as if bracing. But when the unicorn was about to close the distance, John brought his right knee up right under the unicorns chin.

The result was spectacular.

The unicorn was flipped onto his back by the force of the blow, and while he was recovering, John picked up the first pegasi's helmet. As the unicorn got to his feet and wheeled around to face the human, John swung the helmet in a ferocious right handed arc.

CLANG!

The noise was almost comical, save for the fact that the unicorn was knocked to the ground.

The flapping of wings caused John to turn around in time to see the first pegasus, now missing his helm, flying at full speed at John. This time, John braced in earnest and readied the helmet in his hand. As soon as the pegasus came within range, John swung again and knocked the pony to the ground.

Motion in his right eye caused him to turn just as the second pegasus, the one who had been against the tree, rammed into him. John dropped his improvised weapon, and the two tumbled on the ground together.

The two separated and rolled to their feet, glaring at each other. The pegasi's face was full of anger and hate. John's was a wall of icy calm and concentration. Enraged even further by this, the pegasus turned around and tried to buck John in the chest.

Time slowed, and John reacted accordingly.

As the pair of hooves started toward him, John brought his left arm up in a deflecting swipe. The pegasus was thrown off balance, and John used this to his advantage. Using his momentum from the deflection, John took a step forward with his right leg while simultaneously bringing his right fist into the pegasus' jaw.

Another one bit the dust.

The force of the blow made the pony's eyes roll back into his head, and he fell to the ground unconscious.

John paused and breathed heavily, his heart was racing. He looked around at the two pegasi that now lay unconscious around him.

'That's two, but where's the...'

SHING!

The sound of a sword being drawn caused John to spin around. Standing in front of him was the unicorn he had brained with the helmet. A rather impressive shiner was forming around his left eye, and he looked pissed. The unicorn had the sword-point leveled at his chest. John's mind moved fast, he couldn't attack or he'd be run through for sure. But maybe...

John quickly feigned right. And the unicorn swung the sword in a downward arc.

Only to embed it in the ground when John quickly sidestepped back to the left. In a flash, John brought his right boot up high and stomped down on the blade...

A satisfying crack noise echoed through the orchard as the blade snapped in half.

'Gotcha.' John thought

A quick step forward, followed by a hard right cross, sent the unicorn sprawling onto the ground again.

John was about to tell him to stay down just as the magical bolt hit him.

A moment of agony writhed it's way through his body, and he fell to the ground numb. He couldn't move his limbs.

Celestia stepped forward and stood over him. A moment passed and her horn began to glow. John was raised from the ground. He looked like a rag doll, his limbs hanging limply at his sides unable to move. But he could still breathe, he could still see.

And he could still hear.

“It has been aeons since I banished your kind from this land. And I can see from this display that my reasons for doing so were, and still are, valid.”

John coughed out a response.

“I was, cough, only , cough, defending myself.”

She snorted.

“Claymore?”

The unicorn got to his feet shakily, and stumbled over to the princess.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Attend to the other guards, see to it that they are ready to take flight soon. I have matters to discuss with our 'guest'.”

John couldn't help it, the comment was out of his mouth before he could help it.

“Least you have the guts to do your own dirty work.”

Celestia eyes locked onto John.

“I do not use such barbaric means. However, you will come to Canterlot with me. From there, I will make sure that you won't be a threat to my subjects.”

Celestia began to turn, but suddenly found herself face to face with Applejack. Surprised, she lost concentration on her levitation spell, and John dropped like a stone. His body hit the ground with a dull thud.

'Ow' he thought to himself.

He managed to roll his eyes just enough to see Applejack step between him and the princess. She looked mad as Hades.

“Celestia, what in the hay do you think yer doin'? Bustin' inta my house, trespassin' on mah property, and finally assaulting one of mah guest?”

Celestia stood back, her eyes wide in surprise. It looked like she wasn't used to her subjects talking back. However, she quickly regained her composure.

“Applejack, you don't know these creatures like I do. They're dangerous. They have nothing but anger and hate in their hearts. Every time I have seen them argue with another being, the result has almost always been war.”

She looked down at John.

“You simply can't trust such a violent creature.”

She looked back to Applejack.

“Which is why I'm taking this human back to Canterlot. There, I can find a way to banish him back to the pit from whence he came.”

“No,” Applejack stood her ground. “He stays here. He ain't the thing that you're tryin' to push onta him.”

Celestia looked exasperated.

“Applejack, that human is dangerous. I banished his kind from here aeons ago because of their warlike nature. They will never learn, and thus they must be purged from this land.”

“John may be a soldier, but he's far from warlike. Every time I've seen him resort to fighting, it's only been in defense of himself. And I've only seen him do that twice.”

Celestia's eyes widened in horror.

“Wait, He's a SOLDIER!?”

“Marine.” John corrected under his breath.

“Yep. He's a soldier. But despite this, he's peaceful. An' I don't believe that he means any of us harm.”

Applejack looked at the guards that were just coming around.

“In this fight, like I was tellin' ya, John only acted in defense. Yer the one who bucked first. I think that he just wants to be left in peace.”

Celestia's eyes hardened.

“Whatever he has told you of his intentions, they are all lies. His kind only wishes to destroy whatever they come across. He will tell you anythi...'

“EXCUSE ME!?” Applejack interrupted. Celestia's eyes again widened in surprise.

“This human has done nothin' but help me since I brought him here. And unlike yer depiction of him, he is kind, gentle, passionate, caring, and hardworking.”

Applejack took a few steps forward, her head lowered in anger. Celestia actually took a few steps back from the angry farm pony.

“An' let me tell ya somethin' else.” she said angrily, “I think I know a thing or two about honesty,”

She looked back at John.

“This man has been nothing but truthful.” she turned back to Celestia.

“He's an honorable human. And I'm willing to give him a fair shake.”

Celestia stared at the stubborn pony for a few seconds. Then she snorted and moved away.

“If you are so certain of the character of his heart, then I shall leave him under your care. However, let it be known that I warned you Applejack. I pray that you come to your senses, soon.”

She passed by John and looked down at him again.

“It would seem as if my subject trust you human.” he saw nothing but contempt behind her eyes.

“I only pray that she is not mistaken. Mark my words human, should you get out of line I will stomp you out of existence like the scour you are.”

With that, she walked back to the chariot. The guards had regained consciousness and were hooked up to the princesses chariot. Within a few seconds of her stepping foot onto the platform, the chariot was lost from sight over the trees.

John began to regain control of his limbs, and he forced himself into a sitting position. Applejack trotted over to him and sat down, eying him over to make sure he was alright.

John felt rotten. Not only had he managed to start a fight on her farm, he had made it to where she had to stick her neck out for him.

“I'm sorry, AJ. I didn't mean for.”

He was cut off by a hoof over his lips.

“Nothin' to it sugarcube.” She smiled at him reassuringly, “The way Ah see it, they started it, you were just defending yourself.”

Her words managed to quell the sense of unease inside him a little bit, but he still hung his head in shame.

“Just one question though.”

John looked up to her eyes, they were filled with...

Wonder?

“Where in the hay did you learn to fight like that?”

John smiled at her.

“I told you,” he started, “I'm a Marine.”