Tell it to a Deadman

Ponyville Hospital

I woke again in a cold sweat again, I was so use to treating my own wounds and dealing with pain that when they stuck that needle into me, I thought they were trying to poison me. Finally, after some convincing from Celestia, I decided to allow them to stick it in. Only to feel myself get very sleepy right after.

I couldn't help but groan as I felt my ribs, they didn't seem broken; so they must have been bruised. I also took note of bandages, a tube sticking out of my arm to a small bag filled with clear liquid, and the smell of some kind of anti-bacterial scent around the white room I was in. I noticed a window, a curtain, and an empty bed to the side of me.

"I see you're awake." A voice sounded to my left.

As I turned my hand went to my side, I immediately stopped however as I noticed Celestia and Luna standing there.

"Heh, or maybe I'm not and you two are just figments of my already fucked up mind." I said coyly, though it sounded more dark then it did in my mind.

"I would not call it 'fucked up' as you say it, but after that one comment about Discord I would at least congratulate you on being rugged and brash." Celestia said with a smirk; weird, thought I was the only one who could do that.

Shaking it off, I try my best to get up; but as soon as I try, some sort of golden magical aura holds me down.

"Please don't do that, you were already hit with the elements; that alone is surprising you were not imprisoned in stone." Celestia stated with worry, looking into my eyes.

I couldn't help but feel... calm, her voice reminded me of the mother I never knew. But I had to shrug it off, for I knew that my mother was a whore that slept with a drunken monster. I looked away from her eyes as I tried to voice my thanks, but before I could, I felt a feeling in my chest that almost made double in pain as I began coughing violently.

"Sister, it could be he has been affected by the elements." Luna stated solemnly at my coughing fit.

"*COUGH* What *COUGH* *COUGH* the hell are these 'Elements of Harmony'? If you don't mind me asking." I wondered as I finally felt air entering my lungs normally again without the urge to release it out as violently as all possible.

"Why, you've already met them Jacob." Celestia said warmly, this time though; I felt worried.

"Wait. How do you-" I was inturrupted by Luna before I could finish.

"Do not fret Jacob, twas' I that told our dearest sister thy name." Luna said, looking a bit embarrassed.

'Why the hell is she blushing?' I thought as I noticed the red hew that was on her cheeks.

I didn't even realize these ponies could blush. I sighed again as I rubbed my head. The past few days finally taking a toll on me as I couldn't realize; no, comprehend! What the hell was happening? I almost chuckled when I remembered the good times to where I got to shoot first, eat later. Now though, it felt as if everyone I met was an animal that wanted to talk to me.

I didn't like it.

"Sorry Celestia, but the sooner I get out of here; the sooner I can track down this Discord asshole and put a bullet in every body part he has." I stated with a hidden fury I only ever felt once I truly was mad.

Celestia seemed saddened at my response, most likely because I was not heading her warning.

"I am afraid it will not be that easy Jacob." She said, sadness definitely caught in her words. "Discord is no mere creature you can just slay. He is the embodiment of chaos, a god Jacob. You can't expect even a weapon like yours to-" She was cut as I raised my hand.

"Princess, I'm just gonna tell ya here and now." I stated, my patience wearing thin. "This Discord; I get it. He's a god and all that fucked up bullshit, but I was taught by a man who could take down the worst beast of the Dead-lands; and he taught me 'If it can bleed, it can be killed' and that's exactly what I'm gonna do." I said with finality.

I noticed that Luna seemed to glare in suspicion at me while Celestia seemed a bit shocked. I glared back, I knew that people always doubted something that was very hard to kill couldn't be killed. But that's one of the reason Dead-men exist. Were not simply hunters, killers, or even scavengers. Everything we do, every scar, skill, or weapon we've attained has been through blood, sweat, and tears. Like hell I was going to let this Celestia tell me what I can, and what I can't kill. God or no, this Discord was going to die.

Even if I have to go down with him.

The atmosphere after my sudden statement was so thick, I swear if someone were to slash at the air it would leave marks. Finally, the Princess sighed as she looked back into my eyes.

"I can't tell you to stay in Ponyville Jacob, mainly since you've already saved the Element of Honesty; the one called Applejack. But I will warn you, if you harm my little ponies; even if you do it to try to catch Discord," If looks could kill, I would duck at her gaze. "I will personally hunt you down, and I will banish you to the sun." Celestia said with a hint of finality.

More minutes went by, until finally I couldn't hold it any longer. The two Princesses looked shocked as I let out a chuckle, I stopped after a few seconds to look back at Celestia; my gaze a bit more calm but still holding that determination.

"Celestia, I know that you at least have an inkling of what my line of work is. I know that this human before most likely have told you about Dead-men. But the thing is, all Dead-men are brought up differently. You have your thieves, your liars, killers, hunters, smart-asses, cold and brutal types. But the thing that usually some up about all of us. Is we're survivors. Now, I would never hurt your little ponies unless they attacked me first. Like in the bar, those goons were already hated; that just gave me a little more reason to put them in their tiny, smelling places."

I finally smirked at her.

"But if an innocent is involved, you have my word that I will do all I can to save him or her unless there is truly nothing I can do." I said as my smirk grew even larger into a smile.

Celestia smiled back, though I could tell Luna was confused by this.

"Wait a minute. Tia, do you know what his job is?" Luna asked, suspicion and surprise in her voice.

Celestia blushed a little, as she looked away from her sister's gaze.

"I might have been told by Bob before he vanished..." Celestia trailed off as she looked back at her sister.

Of all the times I've seen people mad, I would not want to be in the way of this pony anytime of the week.

"I KNEW IT! YOU LIED TO ME! Why!?" Luna yelled at her sister, hurt plastered on her face.

Celestia sighed at her sister before offering a comforting nuzzle.

"I'm sorry dear sister, I will explain why I lied all in due time. Now then, we must go then Jacob." Celestia said as she turned around her sister following her.

Before she left though, Celestia turned her head back at me.

"Though if you ever need any help. Any at all, just ask my dear student Twilight Sparkle to send a letter to me." Were the last things she said as her horn glowed and both she and Luna vanished in a blinding yellow light.

"Blinding stupid ponies." I muttered under my breath as I tried to relax in the bed.

Minutes passed by as I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I groaned more as I decided to sleep to pass the time. Calmly listening to the clock to lull me to sleep.

Tick-toc

Tick-toc

Tick-toc

Tick-toc

"GET UP!" The voice screamed as my eyes opened.

Volm was standing on top of me, already grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

"Come on! Get off your ass and move it you sod!" He yelled as explosions sounded off in the background and bits and pieces of ground were launching up into the air.

"W-what! What's going-"

"Were being hunted you dumb-shit! Now get out your gun and help me shoot these Goddamn monkeys!" He yelled as he started open firing into the air.

The air?

I looked up only to notice a giant looming shadow block out the sun. The thing was huge! It was too dark to make anything out but as I went to put my hand on my gun, Volm immediately grabbed my arm and started running.

"INCOMING!" He yelled again as the sound of firing came from the object, a few seconds later the ground we were once standing on exploded into giant geyser of dirt as similar explosions happened around the area.

Volm and I sprinted as fast as our legs could take us, turning around once every yard or so to fire at the attackers in the air. Eventually, we saw something in the distance that made both of us instantly pale.

"Okay, city or fight; city? Or fight? Damn, what do you think?" Volm wheezed as we continued running.

"Well at least we'll have cover in the city!" I yelled, myself also out of breath.

Turning around again, I took out my revolver and fired two shots.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *CLICK!*

"Dammit!" I yelled at my now empty revolver.

Finding no time to reload, I holstered it again as I focused on sprinting to the city in front of us. The buildings from here looked broken and decrepit. Almost a skeleton, thankfully this was a desert city. Nothing but the dead could litter the buildings here; only raiders or desperate survivors would still come here though, if there's one thing that's correct about all cities in the Dead-lands.

Is that no matter what, you will always feel the ghost.

The first time I entered one with Volm, I wasn't able to sleep for four days after. I asked once if they were there when the bombs fell. He merely replied, "Ain't no use worrying about the dead. Some just don't realize that there dead and continue on in their own world."

But that's only for the desert cities. The cities overrun with forest; are worst.

Mainly due to the fact the dead don't stay dead; instead, they get up and try to claw at ya. Guess that their "own world" already crumbled when that fungus gunk started growing on their bodies. My train of thought stops as we finally start nearing the old crumpled highways. After sprinting under one, we stop finally as we try to catch our breaths. Volm is already coughing trying to force air into his lungs, I put on a sad smile at the old man's age was finally catching up with him.

"Bloody fucking'ell!" He wheezed as he clutched his chest. "If I knew we were to be running that far, I would have brought more whiskey!" At that he pulled out a small bottle of the orange liquid.

I laugh at his addiction, before deciding to rest on the base of the cracked and shattered stone.

"You know Volm, if I didn't know any better; I would say that your old age is finally catching up! Hehe!" I chuckled as his eyebrows narrow.

"Fine then boy, I at least can drink without people looking at me strangely." He remarked as he smirked.

"Touche" was all I said as I started walking away.

I looked all around me at the crumpled and destroy debris that laid everywhere; I ducked down as an enormous shadow passed over our location.

"What is that thing?" I asked to no one in particular as it looked to be some kind of air-ship.

"That, would a military-grade Hunter." Volm mentioned as he crouched beside me.

"A Hunter? Why the hell is it after us then?" I asked as the shadow bounded away towards the city.

Volm sighed as he looked me in the face. His old haggard features shown clearly as he had an almost depressed aura around him.

"Because lad; you remember that letter that arrived in that town a few days ago, the one we re-supplied at?" He asked, his tone sad.

"Yeah, you seemed pretty sarcastic about it at the time." I stated as I remembered.

"Well, it was a warning. It's been almost seven years since the bomb's dropped, though hundreds were worried about the radiation, it were people like us; Dead-men, that use to brave the waste; these Dead-lands, for supplies that we could salvage. The thing is, over four years ago; people started to hate the Dead-men. Now that they made towns and such in the waste, they must've figured they don't need us no more." He said, taking a long swig from his drink.

"But a few days ago, I got that letter. That warning. They're hunting us in some towns now, treating us like fugitives." Volm was about to say more, but my anger at his words interrupted him.

"That's bullshit!" I shouted. "We! Are the one's who find these assholes, these criminals! And we deal with them. Not them!" I yelled, the information that was just told to me making me pissed. "If these uptight, snobby fuckers think they can just kill us off like god-damn animals! Then I say let's show them what the Dead-lands have to off-"

Before I could comprehend what was happening; the stinging in my right cheek brought me out of my stupor. I saw Volm glaring daggers at me like I just said to I would kill him right now.

"That's enough!" He yelled, grabbing me by the scruff of my coat. "If you just waltz on in and start killing the people who want to get rid of us; then what makes you think we are better than the scum we kill! Rapist, cannibals, arsonist, even the occasional drunkard here and there! We kill them because they're out of control! If you just start doing what they would do, then how do you know your not just like them!" He fumed at me, shaking my coat to emphasize each point.

I stared at him in shock. Normally when he got mad, it was over a trivial matter such as a branch ripping the tiniest fraction of his coat. But no, this time, he was truly angry. The look in his eyes told me a different story then what he was saying. He wanted to kill the bastards that did this just as much as I did; and yet, he seemed to restrain that urge.

I didn't even realize he let go of me, even as he turned and started walking towards the city. I snapped out of my shock to look at him. He didn't even turn his head, as he grabbed his shotgun and cocked it.

"One things for certain though," he started. "Were going to take that thing out, and were going to make sure it isn't used on other Dead-men, ya understand boy?" He asked, finally turning towards me.

I nodded with a grin.

"Aye, that'a boy." He said.

I ran to catch up with him as we began moving from cover to cover to hide ourselves from the air anyway possible. I smiled as I imagined the plan that old bastard was coming up with right now to take that damned airship out.

Permanently.

I gasped as I awoke from my slumber. I realized that more and more I've been re-living old memories. But I could only ask myself one question.

Why?

I know that out in the Dead-lands, that thinking about what you've done could get you killed; maybe one of the reasons why I didn't really ask Volm about why he did things like getting drunk before the job. But this was getting ridiculous.

I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. How long do I have to stay in this hospital? A week? A day? I didn't know, but what I did know I said aloud just to calm myself of the noiseless atmosphere.

"It's gonna be a long day."