The Marine in Equestria

     "Give us everything! Now!" Ordered Jaspine. She held a knife up to the grey colt's throat.

     "Alright! Alright! Here's everything I have on me! Now please... Don't kill me!" The colt cried, emptying his saddle of everything he had. This was his first time he had ever encountered a group of the Black Pegasus.

     "Very nice, now get!" Jaspine commanded. The other two laughed as the colt ran off.

     "Jaspine! We found something!" One of the sisters said.

     "What is it sister?"

     "I don't know, I've never seen anything like it!"

     "Show me!" Jaspine yelled. Ever since her mother was killed, she has had the pressure of the entire gang on her shoulders. The sister brought her a black piece of metal, shaped like an 'L'. Small enough for a pony.

     "What does it do?"

     "I don't know, what's this thing here?" The sister pulled the trigger. The weird object cracked, spitting fire, and leaving a hole in her leg. She dropped to the ground in pain.

     "Sister!" Jaspine ran over to embrace her sister, she was bleeding, not enough to kill her, but she would be out of commission for a while. She looked at the weapon lying on the ground, then the wound in her sister's leg. Similar to the wound in her mother. This is what killed her. That had to be what she was after when she died. This was what would take down the empire!

     "Applejack, have you seen Johnson? It's been days since I've last seen him!" Twilight said, a bit of concern in her voice.

     "Afraid not, Rainbow Dash is the last one that saw him, they yelled at each other and she flew back here."

     "They yelled at each other? I didn't know that, what'd they yell about?"

     "Well, he thought he saw her with someone, and she accused him of destroying families, if you ask me, she said the strongest words."

     "What do you mean he destroyed families?"

     "Those three Black Pegasus members dead? His doing."

     "Really? That's great!"

     "Not to him, it was tearing him apart when I spoke with him."

     "Well where's Rainbow Dash?"

     "She's up at her place, won't talk to no one. I think she feels bad about what she did, but he did grab her."

     "How?"

     "Around the throat, he got pissed. He let go almost as soon as he realized what he was doing."

     "I'll see if I can talk to her, maybe we can find Johnson." Twilight said, she made her way to Rainbow Dash's house. The enormous cloud structure stood tall, but you could hear a weeping voice on the inside.

     "Rainbow Dash!"

     A desperate voice came from inside "Twilight.... What did I do?"

     "It wasn't your fault."

     "It was my fault! I called him out on something he did, something that was gnawing at his soul!"

     "We need your help finding him. You're the fastest one here! You can cover more ground than we can."

     "He hates me."

     "No he doesn't." Twilight tried to sound as sure about that as possible, she really wasn't sure. "He just needed some time, I bet he would be glad to see a friendly face right now!"

     Johnson wasn't sure what to say as he waked up to the bright house. "Jaspine" on the door. He already visited the other two families. While they wouldn't accept his apologies, he at least felt better that he told them. Every house that he went to, the family had no idea that the mother was a part of the organization. He knocked on the door, and waited. Finally, someone came to the door.

     "Hello, who are you?" Said the red pony, a knife as her cutie mark, he assumed she was a chef of some sorts.

     "I am Alex Johnson, I came here to tell you I am terribly sorry for what I did."

     Jaspine looked confused "What did you do?"

     "I am the one that killed your mother. It was in self defense, she came at me. I didn't expect her to die, I didn't even know she was a mother."

     "It was you?"

     "Yes. I am so terribly sorry."

     "Did what you kill her with look anything like this?" Jaspine pulled the M9 from under her wing, pointing it at Johnson "Get in the fucking house."

     "How did you get that?" Johnson asked, much concern in his voice.

     "No questions! Move!" That was the first time Johnson had ever been on the receiving end of his own weapon, he knew that unless he acted fast, he would surely die.

     As he walked in, he 'tripped' a little, causing his wing to hit the safety. Jaspine would have no idea what to do. Once Johnson was inside he turned and spoke "Alright, this is what's going to happen. You're going to give me my gun back. I'm going to leave. And we're going to pretend like this never happened."

     "Tough luck bud, this is for my mother!" Jaspine squeezed the trigger. Nothing. She looked at in in confusion, squeezing the trigger, with no action. Johnson took this to his advantage, he flew forward, and in one fluid movement, retrieved his weapon, took the safety off, and discharged a round into her wing. She screamed in pain as Johnson holstered the pistol and flew off. He shut the door behind him. While he did shoot a female, this was not fatal. It would take a lot of blood loss for it to be, and she looked smart enough to patch herself up.

     As he flew, he heard a voice from behind, he didn't dare look back, just increased his speed. He was afraid if he looked back, the gang would catch up to him, killing him. He flew as fast as he could, but the voice kept getting louder an louder "Johnson! Johnson!" He knew that if they caught him, he would be dead in a matter of seconds. It was a bad idea to release his name. He heard the wings furiously flapping behind him, getting closer and closer every passing second, he needed a way out, fast. He tucked his wings to his side, rolled, then pointed himself at the ground, he remembered from an old war movie he watched. He would pull up right before he hit the ground, causing the enemy plane to hit the ground as well. Or at least that's what he thought happened.

     The wind was making his eyes water, he could barely see anything, much less the tree limb that came out of nowhere. The limb clipped his wing, making it impossible to pull up, he hit the ground so hard, it left a small crater. His back right leg was broken, as well as his left wing, the one that hit the tree. He was bleeding, but he didn't know from where. He knew his pursuer would be on him any second, possibly with a weapon thy would end his life. He tried to crawl away, just causing himself more pain. He heard the wings come in behind him, then a pony land. This was the end. He tried to reach for his pistol, but his wing was pushed to the side. He closed his eyes, waiting for a death blow, his own pistol, a knife, magic, something.

     He finally said "Just kill me and get it over with! Fuck!"

     "Not that easy." The pony that had been pursuing him said "This will be slow and painful, just like theirs." She cut Johnson in multiple places, then on the last strike, she left the knife in him.

     The pegasus flew away, leaving Johnson to die. He had no medical equipment, and multiple large bleeding wounds. If he wasn't treated quickly, he would bleed out. Johnson assumed that this was it. His run was over. He did everything he could, but still failed. He was blacking out, wasn't the first time, but it was most likely the last. He prayed to his god, and closed his eyes.

     When Johnson opened his eyes, he saw a bright light, he was sure he was dead. He knew there would be no more pain, no more suffering. He was safe, until he laughed to himself. Pain shot through his body.

     "We'll this isn't what the book said..." He looked around to see he was in another hospital room, he just happened to be under a light. The room was empty, except for another patient on the far end of the room. He heard voices from outside, both male. He stretched to listen in

     "....he is." The first said, Johnson entering the conversation late.

     "We don't know, he had cuts all over, and a knife protruding out of him. He had some alien weapon on him too, it wasn't to rob him."

     "Until he wakes up, we really can't tell anyone what happened."

     "We'll then let's just peek in and see if he's up."

     The doctors walked in the room, surprised to see the pony near death awake.

     "My name is Alex Johnson. Please, tell me what happened." Johnson said, mixed emotions in his voice.

     The first doctor spoke "You were found with cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Unconscious, a patrol found you in an open field, thought you were dead."

     "I thought I was too."

     "They brought you to me, I patched you up pretty good I think, you'll be able to do normal tasks in a week at maximum, but tell us, is there anyone we should alert of your condition?"

     "Well... Yeah, some of the ponies in Ponyville. Applejack or Twilight."

     "Awesome! We'll bring them in as soon as possible!"

     The doctors left the room, Johnson realized the second doctor didn't speak at all. But that wasn't important, he lay in the bed, sleepy and hungry. There was no food, so he decided he would just sleep. When he woke, Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were all in chairs sleeping. He didn't know if he should wake them, or let them sleep. After a minute of thinking, he decided he would see if he could find a snack. He rolled out of the bed, legs trembling. He was walking down the hallway, when a nurse came out of the other room looking at him funny.

     Finally she spoke "Mr. Johnson, I am afraid you can't be walking around yet, let me help you back to your room."

     "I'm hungry. I need something to eat." He replied

     "Ok, I'll bring you something after we get you back to your room."

     She walked him back to the room, helping him get back in his bed. She woke Twilight, telling her to watch him, make sure he doesn't get up again. Once he ate and the doctor left, he laid back, thinking about what to do next.

     "You know, she didn't mean it." Twilight said.

     "Mean what?" Johnson said, confusion in his voice.

     "Destroying families, she was just a little upset."

     "I wish I could take back what I did. I didn't mean to grab her."

     "What exactly happened? How did you get all these cuts? They said you were found like this."

     "I went to apologize to the families, one was rather unhappy."

     "How unhappy?"

     "She had found my M9, I was on the receiving end." He told her the rest, how he was being tailed, cut, and left for dead.

     "That's horrible! But, there's something I have to tell you, outside of the problem."

     "What's that?"

     "I found a spell that can send you back, to your world."

     Johnson's heart sank. He love it here, sure the violence wasn't that great, but at least it wasn't a kid killing him, it was a trained professional. "How long?"

     "A week to prepare."

     "What'll happen?"

     "By my understanding, the times in our worlds are different. A day here is a week there, or something like that. It will send you back to your world, as well as back in time, a day before I brought you here."

     Johnson looked at Rainbow Dash "I won't be able to communicate with you at all will I?"

     "No."

     "Alright, and when do I need to turn back human?"

     "Whenever."

     "You wouldn't happen to have the spell with you would you?"

     "No, but may want to actually heal up first."

     Johnson laid down, he needed more rest. This week would be huge.

     He woke to Rainbow Dash poking him. She wanted to talk to him.

     "I am so sorry for what I said. I just wish I could take it back. I didn't mean it. You are the first... human to ever save my life. You brought down a terrorist organization, and stole my heart without even trying."

     "Stole your heart? Huh, never heard anyone say that before."

     "Alex, I love you, you don't even realize how much you mean to me." She had a tear rolling down her cheek "I want to make this week as special as possible, I don't care what it takes."

     "A lot of aspirin!" He started laughing, then had to stop, it hurt to laugh. "How do you want to make it special?"

     "Well... Umm..."  She looked around, she was the only pony in the room not injured "Like this." She leaned in, kissing Johnson. He tried as hard as he could to return the kiss,  his wounds restraining him from putting everything he could back into it.

     The door opened, Rainbow Dash backed up from Johnson. Johnson hasn't loved like this since high school.

     "Hello nurse, come here to give Alex some painkillers?" Rainbow Dash said.

     "Not quite." The voice said. Johnson head that voice before. Jaspine. He turned to see her walking towards him, trying to hide a blade beneath her wing. Johnson reached under the bed with his right wing, grabbing the M9.

     Jaspine saw this, and charged at the injured patient. Johnson prayed the gun had a bullet in the chamber, he saw the clip, but didn't have time to cock it. He pulled the trigger. The pistol rocked back in his wing, the bullet leaving the gun, hitting its target directly in the forehead. The assassin dropped to the floor, the blade crashed to the ground. He let out a sigh of relief. His M9 saved him again. Multiple ponies ran into the room, seeing Johnson with a pistol, a dead pony with a hole in her head, a blade at her side.

     "What happened!" A doctor yelled, checking for a pulse.

     "Black Pegasus, she came at me with a knife. Had no choice." Johnson said. He looked over to see Rainbow Dash on the ground, hooves covering her eyes. "Dash, what's wrong?"

     "I've never seen a pony die. And you killed her, like it was nothing." She replied between small sobs.

     "Dash..." Johnson rolled out of the bed, sitting by Rainbow Dash "I had to. If I didn't, there's a very good chance we would both be dead."

     "Why would she kill me?"

     "You would be a witness, can't have those." He wrapped his arms around her, he suddenly realized this is how it was when he was in the cloud, only the positions were switched.

     Johnson looked over to the pony being put in a body bag, then he realized, why didn't he feel bad about what he just did? He just watched a female lose her life by his doing, so why wasn't he as upset when he hit the initial three? Maybe because this dead was quick, she probably only felt the pain of where he shot her the other day. He felt like he should feel worse than he did. Then he realized, in ending one life, he saved two. His own, and the sobbing blue pony's.

     He felt like that made up for it. Killing wasn't something he just did, it was for survival. He didn't find pleasure in it, he didn't find it fun. He saw it as necessary. If he didn't kill one, then the one would kill two. It was his job to protect the people around him, even if that meant having his leg crushed into hundreds of pieces.

     A doctor walked over to Rainbow Dash and Johnson "Are you two alright? You seem a little shaken."

     Rainbow Dash collected herself long enough to say "Yeah, I'm fine."

     Johnson had to get the pony's mood up, he had to find a joke fast "Well that kinda ruined the moment didn't it?" He said as he nudged her

     She laughed, it worked. "Yeah, it kinda did didn't it?"

     A guard walked over beside the doctor, asking him to leave, then he turned to Johnson "I'm going to need you two to come with me."

     "What for?" Johnson asked, he assumed questions about the incident.

     "The Princess wants to speak with you."

     "I spoke with Celestia just a week ago, what could she want now?"

     "Not Celestia."

     "Luna?" Johnson looked at the door to see two ponies in black military armor, the moon all over it. "What could she possibly want us for?"

     "She wants to speak to you about the way time travels in your world compared to ours, she spent a thousand years on the moon, she could know a thing or two."

     "That's it?"

     "Just get up, we don't have much time." They waked into the hallway, Johnson's right wing wrapped around Rainbow Dash to both stabilize himself, and comfort the still sobbing pony. The guard left, leaving them to the guards in black.

     "We will be escorting you to Luna. You are needed for information about the Black Pegasus." The ponies said in unison.

     "Really? I've already killed four, isn't that all I have to deal with?"

     "Afraid not, but we're going to have to ask only you to come."

     Johnson looked over at Rainbow Dash, she looked like a baby, crying, not paying attention to what was going on around them "I'm afraid I can't do that." Johnson said, looking the guards in the eyes. They were cold, soulless.

     "Marine, we are going to ask you to come with us alone, or we are required to use force." Their horns started to hum.

     "I really don't know who you two are, but if you think for one second I'm just going to leave Rainbow Dash, you've got another thing coming." Johnson positioned his wing on his pistol.

     "Mr. Johnson, do not make us use force, you will not like it." A slight glow started to come from the horns.

     "Johnson, don't worry, we'll take care of her." Twilight said, taking Johnson's wing off the pistol, making sure not to bend it wrong.

     Johnson looked at Rainbow Dash for conformation, he got a reassuring nod that she would be alright. He took his wing off her, watching to make sure Twilight and Applejack had her safe. He then turned to the guards, horns no longer any noise or any light.

     "Are you ready now Mr. Johnson?"

     He looked back one more time at the ponies, he walked over, pecking Rainbow Dash on the cheek. He turned back to the guards "I am ready, let's go."

     "This way." They said, everything they said had a dark, monotone voice. No emotion. Almost like they weren't really living, breathing creatures. Robots almost. These were the kind of people Johnson knew would kill anyone, and not think twice about how or why they did it.

     Johnson followed them all the way to the castle, occasionally looking to see if their expressions would change at all. Nothing. The same blank face the whole way. He could see tension rising with the guards wearing armor that glistened in the sun. They looked at the dark figures like they were a completely different race. Why did they care? They were protecting virtually the same thing. Johnson assumed it was like the different branches back home, while they all protected the same thing, they all have each other hell over everything, but when it comes time, all differences are set aside. But this was on a much larger scale, the difference literally day and night.

     Johnson nodded to Celestia with a smile on his face as they passed the main room. She had an odd face on her, more concerned than anything. Two of Luna's guards with an alien that had scars and bandages all over. That had to mean something happened, he would explain later if Luna didn't get to her first. He then realized how fucked up he really looked. A sandy colored pegasus, scars all over along with bandages, an odd saddle with something hidden under his wings, and a cutie mark that only the few he told understand.

     "Nice of you to join me Johnson!" Luna said, Johnson looked up, suddenly realizing he was in Luna's chamber.

     "Oh, hello Luna, I was told you wanted to see me." Johnson looked around the room, charts everywhere.

     "You know why you're here don't you?"

     "Black Pegasus?"

     "Exactly. You seem to be the only one that has made any progress in stopping them."

     "What are you getting at?"

     "We need you Johnson,  our best couldn't even take one down, and you managed to eliminate the top four."

     "Not interested, I don't find killing women that great."

     "Please Johnson! We have been fearing for both Celestia's life and future of Equestria!"

     "Twilight is going to be sending me home in a week, is that enough time?"

     Luna thought for a second, then replied "I can get Twilight to postpone the spell, that would also give you more time with Rainbow Dash."

     Johnson looked at Luna like she was crazy, she winked and started going through different maps "So how am I going to do this anyway? Even if I want to?"

     "You were able to find three of the families just by reading the paper and asking around, who's to say you can't find the remaining ten members?"

     "Ten members are enough to take down a whole empire?"

     "You don't know out history do you? A while back, I almost tore the empire apart. Twilight and her friends saved me."

     "When will I start?"

     "When you're at full strength, whenever. However, the sooner the better."

     "How will I know where to look?"

     Luna pulled out a map, holding it up for Johnson to see "We have the general location and times of many attacks marked on this map, we may have to use some of your friends though."

     Johnson looked at the map, he had been attacked in the largest spot on the map "So you want someone like Twilight to be waking through one of these areas, and I take the shot when she gets attacked?"

     "That's exactly what we want you to do."

     Johnson weighed his options, then decided he could help this empire one last time before he left "I'll do it."

     "Alright sisters, you ready?" Scarlett said, pulling the mask over her face. A purple unicorn with an orange earth pony, easy pickings.

     "Yes, let's get them!" The three ponies in black wielding knives jumped from the trees, flying straight towards the helpless victims.

     Once they hit the ground, it was obvious this wasn't a normal pony. "Listen here, we want your money and any weapons you have, not your life, hand it over now!" Scarlett motioned forward, knife ready.

     The orange pony stepped up "Now you listen here, we won't be bullied by some ponies in black costumes!" This would be fun.

     Scarlett motioned at her sister, she stepped up, knife ready as well. A crack rang through the valley, blood splashed into Scarlett's eyes, she turned to see he sister falling to the ground, red already seeping into her mask. Another crack, her other sister screamed in pain as she fell to the ground, a hit in the throat. Another crack silenced her, blood exploding from her chest. A grip tightened around Scarlett's throat. She saw the purple pony's horn glowing brightly. A well planned ambush, as she could do was think of how stupid she was. This shouldn't have happened.

     "That was too close Johnson! That was one bullet too many!" The orange pony said. This was bullshit.

     Johnson aimed down the makeshift sight. He knew the M16 was accurate, but the scope that was attached would only be good for one shot really. He watched as Twilight and Applejack made their way through the clearing. The pegasi should come out any second. He relaxed for a second, popping his neck. When he looked back down the scope he saw three black pegasi coming in hot from the trees "Show time" He said to himself.

     He positioned the bead right on the closest pony's head. She motioned at Twilight with a knife. The rifle kicked his shoulder, breaking the makeshift sight. When he looked back, he the crosshairs were cracked, he pulled the trigger again, hitting the farthest in the chest, that wouldn't kill though, he moved the rifle up and to the left. Headshot. He saw Twilight grab the middle one, his work was done. He packed up his rifle and started to fly down to the ponies.

     " What's your name?" The sand colored pony asked Scarlett. She refused to answer. She would not be interrogated by something she already left for dead. She remembered on the way to Jaspine's house, the weapon cracking, the pony flying away, and her cutting him up.

     "Just tell us your name and this will be over soon." The purple pony said, in a much more sincere tone.

     "I am known as Scarlett. I am the second oldest in the family." Scarlett said, trying not to sound beaten.

     "You're a family? As in all related, or something you just call each other?" Johnson had to ask.

     "We are sisters of the same idea." She said.

     "What is the point if this organization?"

     She looked at him, death in her eyes "Why should someone be born with the crown? We want to control Equestria."

     "You know I can't let you do that right?"

     "Obviously, or six of us wouldn't be dead."

     "I can't kill you. I have had a conversation, I have learned your name, if I killed you, it would be personal."

     She had a sick smile appear on her face "So I'm free?"

     "Not quite." Two of Luna's personal guards fell behind Johnson "These gentlecolts have no problem with killing. You are at their biding." Johnson motioned for Applejack and Twilight to follow, let the dark magic do its work.

     Johnson made his way back to his house, but instead of his old normal routine, paranoia had again set in. He had to clear every room before he could sit in his chair. He threw all his weight into it, trying to push what he did away from his mind. Three more dead, two by his hands. Seven to go. How was he going to be able to drop at least two more squads of female?

     Nothing would matter if he didn't get a reliable scope to take them down at a distance. He didn't expect it to practically shatter when the first round left the barrel. He started to think of the last pony, Scarlett. What did the guards do with her? They were emotionless, he didn't know if they made it a quick death, or drug it out. He tried to push it out of his mind, failing again. He needed someone to talk to. He would make a new scope later, he had to find Rainbow Dash. He had to stay sane. For just a little longer.