The Pandoran

The Pandoran

Chapter 6: I’m Alive

Fluttershy watched Evets as he lay on his cot, flipping his newly repaired buzz-axe above him. He wasn’t laughing, and his gaze seemed distant, as if he was in an entirely different world. He had been like that since the battle that morning, and she was beginning to worry for him. She trotted across the floor, sitting a few feet from the bed.

“Are you okay?”

Evets remained silent.

“Do you want something to eat?”

A mime in Canterlot had a sudden feeling he was being outdone.

“I’m glad you didn’t kill that manticore.”

“I should’ve.”

Fluttershy’s ears perked up at Evets finally speaking. The man turned and set his feet on the wooden floor. “I should have killed it. Felt the bloodlust.” His eye twitched slightly, and the hints of an insane smile began to creep across his face. “The fucker should’ve died! I should’ve carved him up, eaten his guts, WORN HIS HEAD LIKE A HAT!” The psycho’s face suddenly returned to a calm scowl, and his voice lowered in volume and pitch. “But I couldn’t. He started crawling away and I couldn’t.”

The yellow mare trotted over to Evets, resting a hoof on his knee. “You showed him mercy. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Evets brushed her hoof off and walked to the window, starring out angrily. “You’ve changed Evets. Oh, in a good way, I mean.” She went to his side, giving a supportive smile.

“Do you remember when I, um, used the stare on you?” The man nodded slightly, and Fluttershy continued. “Well, um, I kind of saw, um, your memories.” She winced slightly as she spoke, expecting some reaction from the man that towered over her. He simply turned to her, and deep in his eyes was a kind of sorrow, a kind of empathy.

“Then you know why I should have killed him.” He sat on the floor cross-legged, looking straight at the yellow mare. “Pandora didn’t give second chances. Life didn’t give second chances. I wound up in jail, wound up in Pandora, wound up the mutant I am.” He looked out through the window again, the distance returning to his expression. “Hatred had a hand in it, but more than that was the simple fact that there are no second chances. Not really. Even if it seems like one, there’s always at least one string attached. One god-damn string.”

He stood up again, this time lifting Fluttershy off the ground. She let out a squeak of surprise, but calmed down as he stood still, eyes gazing out the window. The way he held her was almost caring, protective in nature. “This place is fucking weird. It’s been changing me, I think. Ever since I set foot out here I’ve been,” He paused, struggling for the right word before continuing. “Feeling. I’ve been feeling. It’s not normal. Not for me, at least. I was a creature of impulse, no thoughts but survival, living with an obsession for death. I sought it, to create and embrace it. I feared nothing. I still don’t fear anything. But I don’t feel right. I don’t feel. I shouldn’t feel anything but the rage, the primal spirit and desires.”

For a moment, Evets was silent again, and then he looked deep into Fluttershy’s eyes. “I feel concern. I feel like giving mercy. I feel like comforting things. I feel like a goddamn pushover.” His expression slowly began to soften, and he held her closer. “I’m not as crazy as I should be, and the strangest thing is,” he paused, as if the words were caught in his throat. “I think I’m okay with that. I know that my insanity is all I really have going for me, but I’m okay with losing it. Soon I’ll just be another civilian, another face in the crowds.”

He set her on the ground and let out a soft chuckle, a genuine laugh from his heart. “Just remember this. I said I’d work for you, and I intend to do so. You need some muscle, I’ll be there. You need to dump a body, well,” He let out another laugh, this one with a slight hint of his usual madness, “I know a few tricks.”

Despite the macabre nature of his statement, Fluttershy felt herself smile. He was definitely changing, and in such a short amount of time he had gone from wild animal to being…

Her thoughts hit a wall. What had Evets become? Fluttershy didn’t know anything about humans, with the man sitting on his bloody cot being the only example she personally knew. The visions she had received when she had used the stare on him were vague in their depictions of the other humans, but they all seemed like dangerous violent thugs. What if she was ruining his life? Could he have a life here?

He was still violent, even if he was getting better, and he certainly stood out from other ponies. On top of that, there weren’t any other humans in Equestria. He wouldn’t be able to have any friends of his own kind, so what would he do? Would he be able to have children? What would he do with his life.

She stared back to him, specifically at his face. He stared into the distance silently, a small smile on his face, an odd peace to his appearance. Seeing him so calm and happy, she couldn’t help but let her worries slip away. He’d find his way, she was sure of it.

With that done, she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for herself and her animals. The sun began to set in the distance, and she smiled. It was bound to be a beautiful evening.

~*~*~*~

She awoke deep within her cave and check to make sure her child slept. Assured that the young one would not awaken, she began to crawl out from her den. The moon sat high in the sky, and the stars sparkled brightly above her. Of course, they were nothing compared to the stars which adorned her own body, shining brilliantly across her clear purple pelt, a thing of true beauty. Her nose raised to the air, she sniffed to find the predator that dared to encroach upon her territory.

The smell came quickly, an unnatural smell of cooked meat and splattered guts. She turned into the direction of the smell, finding it in the direction of the pony land. She frowned slightly; the last time she had pushed towards their land she had been driven off by the spirits of the night and day, and her own child had been banished from their lands when he sought revenge. Nevertheless, she began to walk to the village, each step shaking the very land beneath her.

The hunt had begun, and before the night was done blood would be spilt.

~*~*~*~

Shining Armor stared at his stallions, trying his hardest to keep as calm and reassuring as was physically possible. “Guardsmen, in the years you’ve served me and the Princess Celestia, you’ve faced dangers that no sane pony would dare face, and you’ve survived each and every time. Undeniably there have been moments where we’ve taken a beating, and sometimes even been forced into a brief retreat, but no matter what we’ve always overcome.” He paused and looked over them, at the stoic expressions on their faces.

He sighed. “Which is why I bring you no joy with our newest orders; a threat has come to Equestria; my si… the princess’s student Twilight Sparkle,” he said, catching himself before making the situation personal, “was instructed to attempt to reason with the creature, but according to our intelligence on the subject, that may very well be impossible. As a result, we’re being assigned to Ponyville in case this creature is a true threat.” His soldiers were silent, staring straight ahead at him as he continued.

“If this creature is truly as deadly and violent as we believe, these could be our last days. If the situation turns violent, our job will be to contain the threat no matter the cost. I don’t want anypony harmed under our watch.” He brought his legs together and stood at attention. “Do I make myself clear!” he shouted. Every guardspony assembled snapped a salute at him.

At first he found himself drifting back to Celestia’s briefing in preparation of the mission.

“We don’t have a military strong enough to destroy such a monster, but if this creature is indeed such a horrible monster then I’m afraid I’ll have to ask a terrible thing of you.” She had said.

“I will serve faithfully until the end, your majesty.” He had replied, and she solemnly continued.

“If the situation turns violent, your sole duty is to protect the citizens of Ponyville, especially the Elements of Harmony. The Elements should be able to seal away this monster, and therefore I must ask that you keep them safe,” she said, pausing briefly to gather herself before muttering, “No matter the consequences.”

With that he had left, and pondered on the matter until he gave his speech. As he neared the golden chariots he began to feel tension in his chest. He prayed that he’d live, that they wouldn’t be needed, that this monster would simply leave or disappear, but deep down he knew there was a very real possibility that he would die. Two mares flashed through his mind as he boarded with the other guards, the first his young sister, Twilight Sparkle. Dying to keep her safe wouldn’t be something he minded very much, but was also something he’d prefer to avoid.

The other, however, was a certain Pink Alicorn. He shut his eyes tight as he left the ground, his mind stuck firmly on her. Cadence, he thought, when I come back I’m going to propose to you.

The chariots climbed high into the night, the mood solemn and intense. Dark clouds waited in the distance, storm clouds drifting in fast from the Everfree. Deep within each stallion’s heart, there was intense feeling. There would be blood tonight.

~*~*~*~

The pounding had been faint, but consistent and powerful enough to keep Evets awake long after Fluttershy and her animals had fallen asleep. He had lain on his cot for half an hour trying to drift off, but the pounding kept him on edge, with the bloodlust nipping at his mind, as well as the strange, protective urges. He finally pulled himself from the cot and climbed atop the cottage, trying his hardest to find the source of the stomping.

When he finally spotted it though, he regretted his decision to search. A huge beast, like some kind of monstrous bear was walking tall above the trees, its pelt shining like the night sky, enormous fangs adorning its gruesome muzzle, and claws that seemed large even from a distance. The longer the former psycho stared at it, the more it became obvious it was looking for something, something in the direction of the pony village.

The protective urges swelled within him and he found himself tightening his grip on the buzz-axe. This thing was easily ten, twenty, maybe thirty times his height. If those claws even nicked him it would inevitably cost him his life, and as far as crushing was concerned he doubted even his inhuman endurance could withstand it. He would likely die fighting this thing.

If he went. He glanced down to the thatched roof beneath him, as though trying to look through it to the yellow pegasus sleeping in her bed below. If he went, would she ever forgive him? Would she feel despair? Would she find him broken and beaten in the aftermath, and would she cry?

Why do I care, he wondered. Why do I want to stay, no matter the consequences? Why am I so worried?

It finally hit him, and he fell to his knees with a thump.

“Why am I afraid?” his voice was soft, practically a whisper, but it carried with it an astonishing weight; a vial in Twilight’s basement shattered from the energy of the universe righting itself. He felt something in his eyes, and wiped away a few small drops. Tears. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to stay, and be normal, and have friends.

The creature in the distance continued to advance towards him, and he slowly lifted himself from his knees. His hand went to his back pocket, drawing the mask, and he looked at the face of it. White, with splotches of dirt, mud, and blood on it, and glowing orange lenses. The lines of the symbol almost cried out to him, to the deranged monster within him that had begun to disappear and die with every day.

His feet had begun to move, already in a loping run as he whizzed through the trees, the entire time wishing himself not to do this, praying that the monster would pass him by or simply be gone by the time he arrived. But despite his wishing his body moved, his vow to protect them rising to the fore of his mind. He pulled the mask on, the leather straps sliding across the stubble that had begun to grow on his head, and he took the buzz-axe in hand as he began to laugh.

The tears had not stopped as he arrived at the creature. It stared down at him, its nostrils flaring and the breath wooshing past Evets like a wind storm. His vision was blurred, with fine details nearly impossible to distinguish through his tears, but the creature was still clear. The loud growl confirmed that he was the one it was looking for, and it raised its paw to bring down on him.

His laughter took all sound from the world around him, and his thinking mind finally broke, the beast coming out once more. “You want a piece of me? I’LL CHOP OFF YOUR HEAD, AND MAKE IT MY PUPPET!” Screaming, he launched himself at the creature. His trusty weapon proved once again to be an efficient tool, cutting through the creature’s pelt within a few swipes, but the skin and muscle beneath proved harder to slice. The creature roared, the cry deafening him and causing him to stumble before he continued his relentless assault.

The axe hacked at muscle, and blood began to splatter on Evets. He continued to laugh and scream, his mind completely given over to the bloodlust, but there was a conviction to his words that had never been before. He finally managed to hit a vein, and blood began to spray out, coating him in warm, sticky crimson and blinding the goggles of his mask. His arms were just barely able to move much less swing the axe, so instead he pressed it against the beast’s exposed flesh and turned it on.

There was unfortunately one thing the beast had failed to consider: size. With the creature’s annoyance and irritation hitting the highest levels, she finally brought her paw to Evets and tossed him away from her bleeding arm. He smacked hard into a tree, the impact shattering bones throughout his body and leaving him with a long fall to the ground. He hit and groaned, blood filling his mouth and pain that not even the rage could deal with coursing through him.

He tried to stand, pushing his arms up beneath him, but no matter what he tried his legs refused to respond. He looked up helpless at the monster, which growled menacingly at him. The psycho never once stopped laughing, even as the creature’s paw came down, smashing him between the dirt, silencing him at last.

Two words passed through Evets’ mind before darkness overtook him, just two simple words.

I’m sorry.

~*~*~*~

Disappointed. She lifted her mighty paw from the broken body of the creature below her and growled. She was so disappointed, so angry and unfulfilled. She had expected a creature at least as deadly and dangerous as herself, not some bothersome little gnat. She lifted the from the paw print she had left and threw it over her shoulder.

Still hungry, she turned her sights to the pony land. She had come for a fight, and by the stars on her pelt she would have one. She began to stomp slowly towards them, the desire of the hunt growing within her as she approached. Even before she arrived there were signs of ponies preparing; some had begun to flee, others were simply moving their tiny belongings around, trying to hide them from her gaze.

Only a few dared to prepare for combat; she could smell them, their anticipation and fear. She stumbled slightly as she passed a small river and glanced down at her paw. The cut seemed to have been deeper than she had given the prey credit for, making her woozy. She scooped up a pawful of dirt and slathered it over the bleeding wound, staunching the flow for the moment. She had more important things to deal with at the moment.

She gave a wicked smile as she finally came to the open field the pony land resided upon. She was hungry for flesh, and it was an all you can eat down there.

~*~*~*~

“Ma’am, we need to evacuate you! The shops owners have already left!” The guardsman extended a hoof towards the pink mare beneath the table, trying to coax her from her hiding place. “There is an Ursa Major on its way to this town, and we need to evacuate the entire town, especially you! Equestria cannot lose an Element of Harmony!”

Pinkie didn’t hear him. She couldn’t at the moment, as she was locked in a battle of her own. A monster’s coming. What are you gonna do about it?

Stop it, stop it! Pinkie cried in her mind. Why are you so mean? Who are you? What do you want from me!

Years smashing rocks in silence can drive a mare to madness, but you… you were special. Your parents loved you and cared for you, but everyone else simply mocked you. Don’t you remember? The colts? The fillies? Who helped you endure them?

Who are you? What do you expect me to do?

The voice stopped for a moment, then began to sing.

When all is lost and when all is dark, and when it seems like you’ve lost your spark,

When you’re down, at the lowest low…

And when it seems like there is no, nooooooo tomorrow, reach in your heart…

Reach! She seemed to exclaim, For the swooooord!

Both inner voices fell silent, before Pinkie finally thought again. That doesn’t sound like anything I’d sing…

Yeah, well, I’m not exactly you, now am I? The guard suddenly yelped in pain and Pinkie glanced around. Just above the hoof guard there was a small cut on the stallions foreleg, and Pinkie stared in horror at the knife in her hoof. Fighting monsters, bearing your torments for you… that’s my job, just like the beast inside Evets, though I consider myself waaay more refined.

No! No, I don’t want anyone hurt!

Too bad. Pinkie’s mane fell and she calmly trotted past, a grim determination on her face as she passed the shocked and confused guards. The new Pinkie only stopped when she reached the door, pulling an empty pie tin off the table and pushing it hard against her face. It molded around it, and after the shape was taken Pinkie cut out a pair of eye holes in it. This is my part. Take a nap, I’ll call you when I’m done.

Wait! Are you me? Are you some sort of evil Pinkie Pie?

The voice hesitated, and with it the body. After a moment of pondering, she finally responded. Guerra. Call me Guerra. With that Guerra set off through the town, practically warping through the streets as she headed for the monster, knife held tight in her hooves. And I’ll be a donkey’s uncle before I let ponies die. She stopped a few feet from Matilda and Crankey Doodle, and glanced over. “No offence,” she said before charging, leaving the two of them confused as to why Pinkie was charging towards the monster with a knife, and more importantly while she was wearing a pie tin as a crude mask.

She finally reached the Ursa Major as it swatted another guardsman into the distance, and she ground her teeth together with a brutal smile hidden just behind her teeth. “When I’m done with you,” she began, her voice suddenly picking up to a roaring shout. “RARITY’S GONNA MAKE A COAT FROM YOUR DAMN HIDE!

Pinkie was now thoroughly convinced her other side was completely and totally mad, and with that said, she did find herself wondering what an Ursa Major dress would look like. The mad mare charged, flinging herself towards the giant. It absentmindedly swatted at her, but a second before it struck her she flinched. Her entire body moved, twisting through the air and then bouncing off the approaching paw, propelling her towards the great beasts face. Pinkie began to grow worried. You’re not…

“I AM!” Guerra screamed, and she landed atop its nose. She broke into a quick gallop and plunged the knife deep into the Ursa’s eye.

Yeah, you did. That so icky! Eeeewww! Guerra ignored Pinkie and began to force the blade across and into the eye. The Ursa suddenly let out a roar as it found itself somewhat blinded, and a second before it struck Guerra bolted towards the other eye. “PINKIE SENSE! GOTTA LOVE IT!” She shouted as the blade set to work on the other eye, slicing through it before the mare found herself brushed off the now furious Ursa’s face.

“NOW IT’S A FAIR FIGHT! I’MA CARVE YOU INTO CHUNKS HAIRY!”

~*~*~*~

Lightning strikes.

Evets felt life return to his body, slowly warming from an unnatural coldness.

Thunder rumbles

Memories flashed through his mind, memories of run down homes and close knit families, and of him standing alone.

Rain falls

He saw himself draw a pistol and shoot a man for threatening the families, threatening the run down homes.

A fire starts burning

He received no letters after he reached Pandora. He didn’t care. The hatred within him grew by the day, until it reached its boiling point.

A fire not even the falling rains can extinguish

The artifact made him stronger than before, and stripped his soul bare.

Nor the wicked winds

He dared to open his eyes and looked up, finding a small stone monument before him, some kind of stone fountain. He could hear Fluttershy’s soothing voice in his head as he rose to his feet, each muscle screaming in agonizing pain. He had a new life, a new existence. He had hope for the future.

The fire burns transforming the matter into something new.

The monument shattered, revealing a helmet and a sword, black as a moonless night with dark sapphires adorning both pieces. He advanced and took the sword and helmet in hand.

Something Stronger

The straps on his shattered mask finally tore and released him. He covered his head with the dark metal covering, which fit well enough despite being made for a pony. Next he unsheathed and swung the sword a few times, getting a feel for the weight of it. “My name,” he said, “My name is Evets Marshall. I am thirty one years old.” He returned the blade to its sheath and turned in the direction he felt Ponyville was in. “I am a killer, a monster, and a murderer.” He fastened the sword onto his belt and began to run.

“I’ve taken hundreds of lives and never felt a second of regret.” He hit top speed and the trees turned to a blur around him, the noble spirit growing as bright and strong as the bloodlust and rage. “But this is not a world for killers and monsters.” He broke through the trees and came to Ponyville, spotting the rampaging Ursa as it thrashed blindly, and gold clad figures fired bursts of magic at it. Evets took the hilt of the sword in hand and drew forth the black blade.

“If I cannot be the villain,” he said, “Then I must be the hero.”

He charged forward for his final battle, sword in hand, and an errant giggle escaped his lips, evolving into a full blown laugh. “Oh, YEAH!” he screamed, and the sword swung at the beasts leg.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Heya folks. I hope I didn’t keep you all waiting to long.
*Shot in the leg*
AHH! OH GOD! THAT’S MY LEG! I’M SO SORRY! I’M SORRY!
*Shot in the other leg*
AAAAAAAAAGH… Huh. That didn’t hurt as bad. Alrighty, after a stupidly long hiatus of almost a year, the sixth chapter of the Pandoran is here. I’ll be honest, I have no good reason for this chapter being delayed. If I must make excuses, it goes writer’s block, laziness, schoolwork, more laziness, dealing with some very minor depression and dark thoughts, and then more schoolwork. Not good excuses, but I never said they were. Moving on, whatever eventual goal I had held with this story is most likely gone in my mind, but I will do my best to keep it coherent. Thank you for your patience, and I hope this most recent chapter is satisfactory.
I remain your obedient servant,
O.G. Crowquill Symphony
P.S: What do you want to see in the conclusion? Just post as a comment or a personal message if you have a thought, mainly as to what happens to Evets. I may or may not incorporate suggestions, but I make no promises.