The Loss of Innocence Chapter One
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When in War...

The Loss of Innocence Chapter One

BoyWonderBolt Presents,

The Loss of Innocence

Chapter One

Tapdancer isn’t a fighter; anypony can see that if they just look into his optimistic little eyes. No, Tap is a lover, a dreamer, a poet; he makes for the worst kind of warrior. He is young, and to his defense, he is undeserving of all this war driven chaos. See, I feel bad for the kid because I remember when my hopes and aspirations were mauled by reality, and that feeling stung. Nopony wants to ruin the life of a young stallion just finding his hoofing in this world, and yet here we are, myself, Tap, and four other ponies waiting atop a hill until we will ultimately ambush an enemy patrol squad as it makes its rounds below us. Poor old Tap just looks so eager to do it too, with his tear stained face and his uncontrollable shaking, his hushed mumbles and his confidence faking…Hell, maybe I'm a poet too.

A distraction mission they had called it. They told me what a hero I would be once my body was mutilated and soaked in blood. It was a distraction mission for sure, but it was also a suicide one. The true goal was just to distract a large number of patrol units so my hot headed peer Hurricane Hoof (of equal fucking rank) could lead his squad into Ponyville undetected. So I wonder whom he slept with to draw the longer straw...

Really I would give my life gladly; Equestria is so bleak these days with the war and all, it really doesn't matter what you hope to do, it just isn't going to happen. What pisses me off about this mission is that they assigned young Tapdancer to it. The generals, those bigwigs, get to live another day at the expense of a blooming pony; the thought of it all makes me sick. What makes it worse is that the leaders flat out told Tapdancer what he was assigned to. If Tap had had anything left it would have been hope, but I am sure that hope was killed the minute those generals opened their disgusting mouths.

I look over at him now and I guess for the first time I realize how handsome Tap is. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not gay but I can completely appreciate another stallion’s figure, and I just think Tap has some really nice features. For instance he has these really bright blue eyes; though a little bloodshot and tear filled they are still beautiful. Oh and he has this funny mane that looks either grey or light blue depending on the lighting. Funniest thing is he doesn’t even have a cutie mark yet, but I guess that’s why I keep saying that his life is going to be wasted with so much potential unused. Acknowledging his beauty just makes it all the harder to know that within twenty minutes he will be dead. Maybe, just possibly, I will be killed before him though, and that would be nice because I would never have to see him fall…it would really be nice.

So suddenly my dreams of demise come to a stop. Lightning Mane, the lookout among the six of us here ponies, motions for all of us to strap on our armor and to equip our hoof blades. It’s funny that I even have to say 'hoof blade' because it really is just the saddest invention ever. I mean Hell, it was created just so ponies could easily have a sword or spear or any weapon at the ready. It was purely made for killing, and knowing that makes me sick every time I put one on; of course I still put it on every time I have to, so I guess I'm not so high-and-mighty after all.

Now all six of us ponies are ready, physically that is; I don’t think anypony is ever mentally ready for battle, it just happens and then it’s over. The six of us wait patiently for my signal to run down the side of this hill, and to give it our all. The four patrol ponies will never see it coming.

Without one thought in my mind, I'm yelling and my hooves are charging and my body is aching and thoughts of everypony I ever loved are dashing through my skull. Within an instant I have already killed a gentle looking, orange-maned pony. I hope I was quick about it…

The other patrols are disposed of just as quickly. So far none of my men are even wounded, but how long can that last?

I wipe my bloodied blade on the leather armor of the nearest dead pony. For the Hell of it I snatch her hoof blade off of her leg and I strap it onto my own. Who knows how many patrols I can kill before I die with two of these bad boys on...

It takes about ten minutes before another guard patrol comes into sight. We knew it would be a decent amount of time between each squad of guards, but I never could have guessed ten minutes. It is so torturous to have to wait knowing that you will eventually be overwhelmed in foes, but somehow I can still function. Maybe that’s how legendary soldiers do it, they can block out feelings and emotions and just transform into apathetic killing machines. Maybe one day people will remember the tale of Stone Sour, the helpless martyr.

Ha! Martyr might not be the right word, let me try victim-or-circumstance.

My thoughts are distracting me. The enemy squad is right up to mine now, and they aren’t getting ambushed so I guess they have a far better chance of surviving than the last one did. Being that there are only four of them again I don’t even get to battle one because my comrades are swift in their strikes and the battle lasts only a minute. Shock consumes me when I see a young mare lying dead at the feet of Tapdancer. More shock rips me apart when I see the lack of emotion on Tap’s face; maybe he is one of those "legends".

Yet another guard squad rolls into sight after, yes again, ten minutes. It’s crazy to acknowledge how well a small town like Ponyville can manage such a good, timely militia. This squad of foes doesn’t approach mine once they see us; unlike the last squad they stop and two of them head back, quickly, to presumably acquire reinforcements. I quickly yell for my squad to follow my lead, and we run.

The two guards that stayed behind stand firm and still until Tap, the other four, and I are feet away. As if a switch was flicked the guards begin running, super sonically, right at us. They collide, with sword and spear raised high, right into Lightning Mane and me. My two blades easily slice the spear off of my opponent’s hoof blade, and then she doesn’t stand a chance as both of them impale her unarmored throat. However, out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Lightning Mane loses his fight via a slash to his face. Black Jack, a rather attractive mare among my squad, and Lightning’s lover, runs straight into her heart-shattering foe. The both of them die simultaneously with a sword through their necks.

Off a little way behind a building I can hear a large group of ponies in heavy armor, marching. Now there are only four of us, and I fear the worst. Tap begins shaking all of a sudden and he starts crying. His apathetic mode must have shut off.

Twelve heavily armored ponies and the two remaining lightly armored guards from earlier begin moving quickly towards us. I can feel my body surge with adrenaline, and it feels good considering I am going to be dead soon enough. I take a good hard look at my three remaining comrades and nearly say some grand speech that all heroic leaders give, but instead I manage: “Ready? Okay then let’s go.”

We “go”. My vision is blurring now from blood splatters here and there, and sparks from armor-blade collisions. I can’t concentrate on anything but fortunately my body keeps the fight going even if I am lost mentally. One of my hoof blade swords slits the throat of an armored pony; the other blade deflects one pony’s sword. I spin around and take another pony down with both of my hoof blade swords. Out of the corner of my eye I see Tapdancer slay one of the two lightly armored ponies. Then, from seemingly nowhere, blood splatter completely covers my eyes. I swing blindly and hear a pony yelp. I continue swinging my blades every which way; each spin flicking more blood off of my eyes. Now I can see again, and maybe it was better that I never cleaned the blood off of my eyes. Tapdancer is down on the ground with the business end of a spear stuck into him. Rage consumes me.

“Stop please-,” and I kill the mother fucking pony right in front of me. I turn to my left and pounce on a scared looking mare. One swing straight through her metal armor and the bitch is dead.

I spin and take in my surroundings: five of them, and me. Poor old Tap and my other two comrades are dead, and now I have five fucking ponies to deal with all by myself. Fuck me.

Two ponies charge me, but my anger is still Hell hot. As the two inch near me, I leap, with all my might, over top of them and downward jab into both of their backs. Right through the armor I pierce, but both of my blades break off into their spines as I jump away from them; but they are dead so it was worth losing my weapons I suppose. The three remaining foes all charge me; one to both of my sides and one to my front. I charge towards the one in front of me, and then quickly side thrust myself into the white stallion on my right. I completely knock his sorry, confused ass over, and then I curb stomp his face. He isn’t dead, but dazed and that is all I need for now. The other two ponies tackle me faster than I can react. Both of them raise their hoof blade swords and jab into my chest armor. One of their blades goes in and punctures me; the other blade just bounces off. My body aches and blood begins filling my throat, so I spit right into their disgusting faces. The spit dazes them, and I push both of them off of me. I never even realized I was this strong; maybe it is just an evolutionary defense mechanism to keep a dying pony alive though… I curb stomp both of the ponies before me, and then race back to the one I stomped earlier. I finish him with a few more face punches and kicks. I steal his hoof blade spear and spin to face my last two staggered foes, only that when I turn they don’t look so staggered anymore. Both of them stand tall, and angry. However tough they look, I can take them.

I hear something off not far away; more clinking of metal and it sounds like. Out from around a building in Ponyville appear six more heavily armored ponies. Well I wasn’t supposed to survive anyway; I just wish I knew if Fuckicane Hoof had made it into the town or not yet… Oh, right, I have two ponies to finish still.

“Hey cock weeds, bring it!” It feels odd taunting my two aggressors, but I guess I really don’t have much left. A pang runs from my chest wound, so yeah I totally am not going to last much longer.

My foes charge me and I lunge my newly acquired spear right at one, but he just deflects it with his sword. The both of them take swings at me, but I launch myself backwards to avoid them. I loosen the spear from my hoof blade and I throw it right at the one stallion I had attempted to skewer earlier. Kabob complete this time.

My last foe, with a dazed look on her face, halts any aggression towards me. I could only guess why. I quickly peek around my shoulder and spy the six armored ponies only feet away from me. I guess this is how it ends.

“Stone Sour Sir!” My head refocuses on the mare I was dealing with earlier, but of course the voice wasn’t hers; that voice belongs to the innocent Tapdancer that I saw dead only minutes ago. But Tap isn’t dead; he is standing tall and confidently with his weapon jammed into my mare foe’s neck. I don’t know how but old Tap just isn't dead, and also he makes it two versus six rather than the impossible solo battle I would have had to face. I quickly run to his side.

“Tap how did you…” I can’t even fathom how somepony could return from the grave.

Tapdancer pulls the spear from his flank, all while keeping his eye on the six foes across from us. “I was playing possum for the right moment to strike sir!” And that is all I need to hear.

So Tapdancer and I are just waiting for the six ponies to attack, but it doesn’t seem like they will. They just stand looking at us. In fact I’m at the point where I am just looking at them as ponies rather than foes. Hell, I am focusing on them under the armor rather than just skin-deep metallic killing machines. I almost wish they weren’t foes because I can clearly tell they are six fine looking mares. One is pink with a curly pink mane; she doesn’t even look scary for a nemesis. One is cloud white and has a gorgeous purple mane; her eyes are just as beautiful as well. One is an earthy yellow color with a pony tailed blonde mane; she doesn’t even wear a helmet, but instead a cowboy hat. One is light yellow and has a soft pink mane; she has a face that clearly says she doesn’t want to be here. One is cyan and has a colorful explosion for a mane; she is probably the most intimidating of all the ponies here. The last one is purple with a dark bluish-purple mane; she is the most puzzling of the six to figure out because her face is pinned up as if she is studying me, and studying foes is not very common these days. All in all, these six are quite interesting, but yeah I almost forgot, I have to kill them.

I whisper to Tap, “Go for the pink one, I am going to try taking down the others.” I can’t rely on Tapdancer’s confidence to last forever, so I best be relying on him to handle just one foe. Anyway, Tap nods in compliance, and we both ready ourselves.

We begin charging and then the purple pony yells, “Stop!” Now normally I wouldn’t listen to my enemies talking, but something is off about fighting these six anyway, I mean what normal foe wouldn’t attack you when it is a three to one ratio? “Listen to me,” the purple maned pony begins, “we didn’t come here to fight you. It is unforgivable for what you two have done to these innocent ponies you slaughtered, but Celestia notified me of two ponies that match your descriptions.”

The cyan pony chirps, “Twi you never said we weren't gonna fight? Why did I even come out here?” She clearly looks dejected by the fact that she isn't going to be ramming her massive spear into my heart today.

The purple pony, Twi, addresses her disgruntled companion, “Rainbow not now,” and she turns back to Tap and me. “You two can follow us peacefully, or follow us unconsciously; I leave the choice to you,” and she now clearly waits for us to say something.

I really don’t know what to do. Buying time is my goal after all, and I certainly value my life, and even more I value Ta-

“Eat shit!” And Tapdancer is literally running straight at the six mares. I guess I value his life more than he does…

I yell, quickly and loudly, “Tapdancer stop!” I guess I wasn't fast enough. Like lightning the cyan pony has him pinned to the ground, and she has her spear an inch from his jugular. I frantically make eye contact with the purple mare. “Call off your soldier please! He didn't mean it! He is young, and he is my troop! I make the decisions, and I choose to come peacefully!” I throw my entire hoof blade off as a sign of resignation. The cyan mare gets off of Tap and brushes what little dirt she might have acquired off of herself.

The purple mare nods and says, “Excellent, follow me.” Now I only wonder how long until Hurricane and his men arrive and save my pathetic ass.