Second Windby Nano_NickChaptersChapter Two: Lost and FoundChapter Four: Man About TownChapter Five: RequiemChapter Six: BenedictionChapter Seven: Clear Eyes and Full HeartsChapter Eight: Honor and GloryChapter Nine: KnightfeverChapter Ten: A Rainy DayChapter Eleven: Lullaby of an AmnesiacChapter Twelve: Love and LoyaltyChapter Thirteen: Ambitions of a MartyrChapter Fourteen: PurgatoryChapter Fifteen: Like None OtherChapter Sixteen: Haunting of a MindChapter Eighteen: An Angel and His SaintsChapter Nineteen: Lament of a WarriorChapter Twenty: Confession of an ArchitectChapter Twenty-One: Atonement of a MortalChapter Twenty-Two: OvertureChapter Twenty-Three: Ideas of a ParamourChapter Twenty-Four: Love of a ProphetChapter Twenty-Five: A Pound of White RiceChapter Twenty-Eight: Scars of a DemonChapter Twenty-Nine: BrothersChapter Thirty: ReunionChapter Thirty-One: Heart Strings and Angel WingsChapter Thirty-Two: SolaceChapter Thirty-Three: On The Nature of DaylightChapter Thirty-Four: The Death of a TyrantChapter Thirty-Five: A Spring Afternoon in EquestriaChapter Thirty-Six: Prelude to Complete AlterationChapter Thirty-Seven: Four Lost SoulsChapter Thirty-Eight: Louder Than WordsChapter Thirty-Nine: Unsung HeroesChapter Forty: AmalgamationChapter Forty-One: The Binding of IsaacChapter Forty-Two: My Heart, Where In My Chest?Chapter One: End of the LineChapter Three: Transcending HistoryChapter Seventeen: Ethics of a MercenaryChapter Twenty-Six: DesertedChapter Twenty-Seven: Honor and DreadChapter Forty-Two and One Fourth: InterimChapter Two: Lost and FoundThe falling sensation takes hold of you once more. This time, it's extremely intense. It's elevator snapping it's cables and plummeting from the 100th story of a skyscraper intense. But, just as the last time, it comes just as mysteriously as it goes. Now, you are left with nothing. You remain that way for what seems like several hours. You almost kind of miss the feeling of falling. At least it was SOME form of stimulation. You decide to try to open your eyes. As your eyes slowly open, you immediately begin to panic. It's staying black. You can't see anything. You leap up in your bed, and throw your hands to your face. Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... There was just a little bandaging around your eyes. You let your head fall back into the many pillows on your bed. You almost smile from your overreaction, but you are still in an incredible amount of pain. You decide it's best not to remove the bandages from your eyes, because they're probably there for a reason. You choose to use your hands as your new pair of eyes, instead. You gently rub them up and down your body, and touch everything you can around you. You touch your body, and see immediately that they have taken the liberty of removing your shirt. There feels like some seriously heavy bandaging over your shoulder and lower abdomen. At least you aren't bleeding anymore. And your pants are still on, so you still have a LITTLE dignity left. It also feels as if, sure enough, you're in a bed with metal railing around it, cold to the touch. Hmm... You feel around your bed. A nightstand, a plate with something on it, a glass of something, a tray of syringes. Yep. Definitely a hospital. You place your hand on the arm of a chair. You suppose it was for guests. You run your hand up the wooden arm rests, slowly travelling up. Maybe, you can use this thing for support, and go find the doctor, let him know your awake. You run your hands extremely slowly, so as to make sure you know what your grabbing. You aren't about to fall and hurt yourself more. You are just about to feel the top of the chair, when you run your hand over something furry. In fact, it feels really smooth. One of those really soft towels that really don't dry anything, perhaps? Whatever it is, it's nice. Really nice. It warms your hand from the cold hospital room. You decide to push your hand a little further, find it's source. Your hand travels slowly up the silky material, and then meets a still soft, but more firm fur. Did someone leave me a teddy bear? You poke it, but you poke it with extreme caution. It moves. Whaaaaaaat. You poke it again. It moves slightly again, and even lets out a content sigh. Is that your dog? Maybe Mom brought him! Wait. Do you have a dog? You can't remember. You slowly start to explore this thing with your hand. You still can't make out anything. It feels like it could be anything from your dog to a woman with long hair. You pray it's not a man with really soft facial hair. You take a deep breath, and decide to try to talk. When you open your mouth, a series of violent coughs comes out, and whatever was in the chair has jumped up. You can't feel it anymore. You decide you may as well talk now. "H-hello? Who's there?" You ask. You hear an extremely loud gasp, and very frantic clopping from beside your bed and out of the room. They must really polish these floors to make a clop as loud as that. Good going, jackass. You scared whoever it was off! "NO, please wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" You call to them. "Shiiit..." You smile lazily, and let your head fall back into the warm embrace of your pillows. It really feels comforting to know that someone was in the room with you, albeit asleep. The comfort washes over you, and you begin to feel sleepy once more. While it would be nice to TALK to someone for a change, you decide to sleep. You re-position yourself in your bed, and pull your blankets up to your neck. It feels good to be alive. _________________________________________________________________________________ Doctor Gauze told you that he probably wouldn't make it. He said he lost entirely too much blood, and, although they mended his wounds, they were still extremely dangerous ones to experience. So, when the thing sits up in the bed, touches you, and blindly fumbles around in the darkness, you're sure Doctor Gauze will understand your surprise. Then, when the creature speaks your language, you're sure he'll understand your fear. You rocketed out of the room, and dash down the corridors of the hospital. You know you're waking many patients, but you're far too gone in your own mind. In a mixture of fear and excitement, you get yourself down the staircase, and to the doctors lounge. You pray Gauze was still here, and had not yet went to bed. Sure enough, there he is, sipping on his coffee and eating some kind of pastry, while he flips through x-rays of the creature. "Doctor Gauze, it's awake!" You shout. Gauze looks up lazily at you. "Hmm? Oh, yes, the primate. He has awoken?" He doesn't look up from his x-rays. "YES!" You understand that doctors emotionally separate themselves from their patients to avoid any hurt feelings in the event that a patient dies, but his passive behavior is aggravating you. "Did he attempt to speak to you? Did he climb out of his bed, perhaps?" Gauze asks with a yawn. "Well, yes, I, he, alright, listen to me! I fell asleep in the chair next to him, and next thing I know, he's touching me! I jump up, and he speaks, and not only does he speak, but he speaks OUR language! I immediately came down here to get you!" A lady isn't supposed to lose her clam demeanor, but you feel justified with your outburst. "Well, Rarity, I suppose we had better have a look, hmm?" You just stare at him. "Alright, alright." He scrapes his chair back, puts his mug in his sink, and takes his pastry with him. "Lets pay our new friend a visit." You follow Doctor Gauze out of the lounge, and feel anxiety building up inside you as you ascend the staircase, nearing the creature once again. "Doctor, do you know what this thing is? Have you seen anything like it before?" you ask. "No. But if it's still alive, and apparently doing well, then it's physiology must be somewhat similar to our own." He takes a bite out of his pastry, and a little glob of strawberry filling falls on his lab coat. "Damn. That's going to leave a stain." He says, looking at the new red spot on his coat. You cannot even begin to fathom why the doctor is taking this all so nonchalantly. A creature, of an unknown variety, randomly shows up in Ponyville, gets mauled by a manticore, and is recovering from what should have been fatal wounds, and here Doctor Gauze seems more interested in his stains. The doctor frowns. "Rarity, you work with clothes, how does one go about removing a strawberry stain?" Your right eyes twitches. You take a deep breath, to avoid yelling. Anger isn't very ladylike. "Good doctor..." you start. "Make this creature well again, and I will see to it that you receive several new lab coats." The doctor smiles. You both slowly approach the room, the white linoleum floors making your hooves echo in the halls. You walk over to the doorway. Still open. You let Doctor Gauze walk in before you. What are you so nervous about? Pull it together, Rarity! You trail directly behind Doctor Gauze, and attempt to stay that way. He notices this, and laughs quietly. "Rarity, if he didn't attempt to rip your flesh off at first, he probably won't now. relax." he whispers. It wasn't that you were scared of him hurting you. In fact, it's hard to explain why you were so nervous. You didn't understand it much, yourself. The doctor trotted over to patient, and gently tapped him with a hoof. "Son. Son, wake up. Rarity here tells me you're quite the chatterbox." The creature stirs, and slowly sits up. He stretches his forelegs into the air, and with a large yawn, falls back into a normal sitting position. "I'm assuming your my doctor?" He asks. "Yes, my name is Doctor Gauze. Your friend here brought you here to me after your run in with the manticore." "Man-tee-core?" "Man-TI-core, son. You're lucky to be alive." The creature rubs his foreleg over his chest, using his individual digits to prod at the heavy linen bandaging over his chest. "What happened to me? What's the damage?" It asks while it rubs the bandages. "Well." Gauze takes a deep breath. "5 broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken foreleg, severe internal bleeding, and your carotid artery was completely severed. To be completely honest, I pegged you as a goner." "Gee, thanks Doc. So, I'm still alive. I'm assuming that I'm getting better?" Gauze looks down at his clipboard. "Hmm...actually, I dare say that you should make a full recovery. Nurse Redheart will have to give you one more treatment of medicinal magic, and you may be able to leave here. I mean, you'll have to EXTREMELY careful for a few days, but as long as you don't go manticore wrestling again, I foresee no problems with releasing you." The creature perks up. He removes his blanket, and looks over at that doctor and yourself. He smiles a white smile, but is made eerie by the fact that he has bandaging over his eyes. "Here, son, lets get those bandages off of your eyes." The doctor says. "Just promise you'll stay calm with what you see. It may shock you." The creature nods his head. Gauze clops over to him, and starts to slowly unwind the long bandage wrapped around his eyes. You pray the creature will remain calm. He seems so kindhearted, so polite. Hopefully, he truly is so. Gauze continues unwrapping, and then backs away when there looks to be just one layer left. "Remove the last bandage when you are ready. And go slow. Don't want you hurting yourself." The doctor says carefully. Oh, so NOW he's cautious! _________________________________________________________________________________ You put your hands up to your face, and put your fingers under the bandages. You gently pry away the medical tape lovingly put right on your hair. "Ow..." you quietly say. "Gauze, why did you tape it onto his mane?" You hear a feminine voice ask. The doctor doesn't respond. Mane? You remove the last strand with your eyes closed. You put the final strand over on the table next to you, and open your eyes slowly. Very slowly. At first, it's extremely blurry. But with each blink, things are coming into focus. Finally, you can make out the entirety of your room. You feel a smile creep over your face. You are overjoyed that you can still see. "Oh man, Doctor, thank you so much, I feel so go-" You look down at the doctor. That's a fucking horse. In a fucking labcoat. You swallow hard, your smile quickly disappearing. "Good." you finish. The bright white horse smiles, and points his hoof at himself, and the horse behind him. "Relax son. Yes, we are ponies. I assumed by you not knowing what a manticore was that you wouldn't have guessed that we're ponies. I'm glad to see you're taking it so well." To be completely honest, the only reason you haven't flipped your shit, is because of the pony behind the doctor. It's the one with those amazing azure eyes you saw before you went unconscious. It relaxes you beyond comprehension. "Well." you start. "When you get impaled and mutilated by a half-lion, half-dragon, half-scorpion monster, you're ready for just about anything." Gauze's bright red eyes light up. "Excellent! I figured you'd attempt to kill us. Well, I suppose now it's time for some explanations. On both ends. You're currently in Ponyville. This lovely pony behind me, that's Rarity. She brought you here personally, and has stayed with you as much as she could. In fact, I believe she even read to you on several occasions." You look back at the pony behind the doctor. Rarity. A light crimson blush comes to her cheeks, and she holds a hoof to her face, looking away. "We have all of your belongings over there, in the corner." You look over and see your backpack, briefcase, and smartphone, all next to each other. You also notice your suit, looking really clean and not ripped. Someone must have fixed it for you. "But, now, I need to hear more about you. What are you? What's your name? Where are you from? Where did you come from?" You rub your chin. "Doctor, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I don't know. All I remember is just kind of, appearing, in a field. I walked through a forest, a very spooky one. About halfway through, that thing, the Mantee-" "Manitcore." The Doctor interjected. "That thing, yeah. It just jumped out at me, and attempted to grab me. So, I ran. And it followed. The chase took me here, and, well, that's all I know. I don't know my name. Or where I'm from. Or how I got here." The doctor looked intently at you. He seemed legitimately interested. "Quite the tale. Well, we have to call you something! And surely you know WHAT you are!" "Well, I know I'm a human. I know that I come from Earth, and there are billions of other humans. But that's all I can really recall. I'm sorry doctor." You feel kind of sad, now that you really think about it. "No worries, son. Don't strain yourself. Here, look through this." He slings your wallet over to your hospital bed. "Find something we can call you." You flip through the wallet. There is money in the pocket. Probably useless here. Several credit cards, and a driver license. Wait. Drivers License? You look at it intently. It has a picture of you smiling, and underneath, it says, "Aaden Locke". It also says that you are from the state of New York. You feel your eyes widen. Memories come flooding back to you. Not all of them, no where near all of them, but you begin to remember a small chunk of your life before appearing here. You have 4 sisters and a single brother. You have a Mom and Dad. You had a single dog, but he was pretty big, so it was okay. You no longer live with your parents, and have moved out on your own. Where, or with you, you aren't sure. You aren't able to recall their faces, or their names, or anything else other than the fact that you have a family and are a grown adult. You decide to withhold this information from the doctor. It didn't seem very important to you. "Aaden. My name is Aaden, Doctor Gauze." You say. "Great! I'm assuming you found something with your name on it! Now, we need to find you some food. I'll be right back with Nurse Redheart, as well. See if we can't get you out of here soon." Gauze turns around, and clops out of the room, leaving you and the other pony, Rarity, alone. You take your license, and slide it back into your wallet. You can feel Rarity staring at you. You take your wallet, and go to put it on the night stand, but jerk your arm back in pain. You drop it on the floor. Rarity immediately notices your pain. "Oh, darling, are you alright?" she asks. She looks really concerned. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I can't stretch that far yet." You smile, to show that you really are okay. "Here, let me get that for you." Her horn glows faintly. You watch as your wallet faintly glows the same color, and lifts up off of the ground, your cards and money being slowly put back in place. The wallet folds itself back up, and places itself on the nightstand. Magic. Why the hell not? "Thanks, Rarity." You look down at your wounds. "I just want to say, thank you. You brought me here, saw that I got help. You saved me. I owe you. I owe you my life." Rarity blushes pretty hard. "Think nothing of it, darling." She says bashfully. "Think nothing of it? Rarity, you really have do-" you look up from your wounds and back into her eyes. My God, they're even more amazing now that you can see completely. You notice her eyes going over to your suit. She's the only pony that seems to have checked up on you while you were injured. You put the pieces together. "Rarity. Did you fix my suit?" You ask. She immediately perks up. "I did, I did! It was a mess, shredded and ripped in many places, so I took it back to my shop, and did everything I could! I do hope it looks well!" "Are you kidding me? It looks great! Rarity, it looks as good as when I first appeared in the field!" She blushes. "You're just saying that..." She blushes again. You slowly hop off of the hospital bed, and back onto your feet. No pain. Alright! You walk over to your suit, and slide on your white undershirt shirt with care, and then slide your arms through the sleeves of your dress shirt. You button your shirt up, and snag your tie. As you go to tie the tie, you raise you arm too far, and wince in pain. Guess i can't move my arm that high yet. Rarity walks over to you. "Darling, you really should be more careful." She hops back on her hind legs, and leans on you with her forelegs. "Let me get that for you." She works her hooves in a fashion that you don't quite understand, but, she ties your tie for you. She finishes, and leaning on you, she looks up into your eyes. You share the moment in silence, looking in each others eyes. "AHEM!" You hear from behind you. Doctor Gauze has returned with Nurse Redheart. Rarity hops down, and blushes again. "I'm glad to see you two are becoming... acquainted. But Nurse Redheart here says you may not need to stay another moment, she feels like you may be ready to go, even without a final treatment." The Nurse steps forward. "Do you feel any sharp pain when you move? In your joints?" She asks. "Nah. Actually, it only hurts when I raise my arm so high." The nurse smiles. "Good, good! If that's it, then you're ready roll. The pain in your arm will subside very soon. I'd say you're free to go, let me and the doctor get your paperwork together, and you'll be out of here in time for breakfast! Just please be careful. We wouldn't want to see you in here later today." The doctor and the nurse both walk back down the hall, discussing what to classify you as on your paperwork. Rarity looks back to you. "Perhaps I'm being a little too forward, and if you are if at all uncomfortable with this, let me know, but, would you like to get some breakfast with me? I know you're hungry, and I know I'm hungry, and I really sho-" You smile. "Absolutely." You cut her off, but she doesn't seem to mind it. Those eyes of hers light up. "Wonderful! We'll go back to the Carousel Boutique!" You sit down, and tie your shoes, and pull on your blazer. Carousel Boutique, huh? Must be the building you were almost slaughtered in front of. Chapter Four: Man About TownWith a little convincing, Sweetie Belle took her seat in class without fuss. As you walked down the steps of the schoolhouse, you noticed that Rarity had the biggest grin you'd ever seen her have. "Darling, I had no idea you were so good with kids!" She exclaimed. You put your hands on your hips, and assume a mock heroic pose, your tie flapping in the wind. Eh. You thought. I'm feeling good enough to be goofy. "One of my finer qualities, Ms. Rarity." She contains a laugh behind her hoof. "Well, Mr. Locke, if you're done with saving the children for the day, I believe we're needed at the Sugarcube Corner." Suagrcube Corner? Rarity notices your look of confusion on your face. "A good friend of mine owns and operates the place. It's a bakery, but with more of a focus on pastries and the like." "Like a pâtisserie?" Rarity blushes again. "My my, polite, good with kids, AND cultured?" She giggles. "And I thought you were lucky to find me." Those eyes really get to you. In fact, they give you goosebumps sometimes. Like right now. Rarity continues to talk as you both stroll through town. "Anyways, darling. Pinkie Pie, a friend of mine, she actually came with me a few times to check up on you. I thought we could start our day there." She cranes here neck to the side, giving you a quick smile. "Sounds amazing" you reply. You never really got to stop and admire the town. It's amazing how little attention you pay to detail when you are being decapitated. The town itself is breath taking. Very bright colored, very calm. Even though you are well aware the other ponies are staring at you, confused to what you are, they still smile and wish you a good morning. You pass several more pastel colored buildings, and decide to really examine your surroundings. The roads and paths inside the town are made of a light gray cobblestone, the kind that makes the satisfying clopping noise when you walk on it. Street lamps wrought of a dark blue metal spot the streets, adding to the aesthetic of the town. The houses themselves were obviously constructed of wood, and the architecture was magnificent. For creatures with no opposable digits, they could really build. The sky was completely clear, with only the sun present, its warmth complementing the occasional cool breeze which would rattle the leaves of nearby trees. Speaking of the trees, the town seemed to have no limit of wildlife, which you enjoyed. Birds sung their songs in harmony, the occasional adventurous squirrel would dash up a tree and jump onto the roof of a building. You like this town. A lot. If this town has any true problems, it does a damn good job of hiding them. "Darling?" Rarity calls. "Darling, we're here." You were so busy admiring your environment, you completely missed the building that looked like it was covered in fudge and icing. The building right in front of you. Rarity takes one of her forelegs, and grabs your hand, walking you inside. The bell on the door tinkles as you walk in. The pink pony behind the counter looks up from counting some kind of coins and sees you. Her eyes seemingly burst from her skull. Oh God. She leaps up onto the counter, and immediately leaps off. Onto you. You hit the ground, and she presses her face against yours. She takes a deep breath in. "OHMYGOSHYOU'REOKAYRARITYTOLDMESHETHOUGHTYOU'DBEOKAYBUTIDIDN'TKNOWANDITOLDHERTOPINKIEPROMISETHATWHENYOUGOTBETTERSHE'DBRINGYOUHEREANDNOWYOU'REHERESOTHATMUSTMEAN-" She takes another deep gasp of air. "YOU'RE BETTER!" She then uses what air was left in her lungs to emit 20,000 hertz squeal. She hops off of you, and Rarity helps you back up. "Pinkie, this is Aaden Locke. He's still recovering, but the hospital saw him fit to leave. While I'm sure he is just as happy to see you as you are to see him, please be just a little more careful, darling." Pinkie frowns. "Oh goodness, I didn't hurt you, did I? I didn't mean to!" You shake your head. "No Pinkie, I'm okay. It is nice to meet you, though." You smile to reassure her. "Anyways, hi Aaden! I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie! This is the Sugarcube Corner, and we sell sweets!" She beams with happiness. Not only is the smiling contagious, but you also believe this to be the happiest pony you have ever met. "Can I get you anything? I'd be happy to let you have some stuff on the house, but under one condition!" Rarity looks at you. She knows very well whats coming. "And what would that be, Pinkie?" Her eyes blow back up, and she waves her forelegs in the air. "I GET TO THROW YOU A PAAAAARTAAAAAAY!" She exclaims. The smile on your face just keeps getting bigger. It would be impossible to be sad around this pony. "Absolutely, Pinkie. That sounds great." She lets out another ear rupturing squeal. She finally takes a breath in, and seemingly calms down a bit. "Alrighty Aaden, so what can I get you?" She asks. You just got a good idea. "Get Rarity whatever she would like. That's what I would like, please." Pinkie's pupils grow large. "AAAAAWWWW!" She cries out. Rarity is obviously swayed by this form of affection. Her blush is coming on very hard, and she looks away from the counter, a hoof on her cheek. "W-well...I suppose a tea and cherry tart would be nice..." She almost whispered those words. Pinkie giggled. "Aaden, that's cheating. You gotta get you something too!" "You sure you can afford letting two eat for free?" "Absolutely!" You lower your head to the counter, and look behind the glass, seeing if anything really catches your eye. Then, that's when you spot it. A doughnut. But not just any doughnut, no. It's a doughnut with a fresh white chocolate frosting, covered with sprinkles. You point at it, and Pinkie hands you two cups of tea, one cherry tart, and the Doughnut of Gods. You pick out a table, and sit down across from Rarity, but not before pulling her chair out for her. She is STILL blushing. "You're quite the gentleman, darling. You don't have to do all of this." "And you didn't have to save my life, Rarity. Think of me as your new escort." Her blush is as red as the the cherry filling dripping out of her tart. The door bell rings again, and you turn around out of curiosity to see who was entering. A pony with a cerulean coat and very unique rainbow mane walked in. She saw you, and immediately changed her walk to brisk pace, coming over to your table. "Dude, it's you! I heard you totally showed that manticore what was what!" She runs back over to the door, and calls out for her friends. "Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, get in here!" Boy oh boy. Sounds like you've made a name for yourself. _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel so bad for Aaden. You don't think he really wants to go through all of these introductions. the girls all come in, and stand around the table. "Alright, girls, this is Aaden Locke. He's the one that fought off the manticore, the one I checked up on so often at the hospital. He is called a Human, and is an amnesiac. He can remember a little of his peoples history, but not much else." You can see all of the girls looking at him, waiting for him to speak. "Hi, everyone." he says. "Yeah, I'm the one that chased off the manticore. I feel really bad about it, actually. I don't like fighting." The girls, Aaden and yourself spend a good amount of time introducing yourselves to one another, causing time to rocket by. To your relief, not many questions are asked, and everyone seems to approve of him. By the time you look at the clock, you notice that it's time to pick up Sweetie Belle. "It was nice seeing all of you. Check with Pinkie for the day the party is, I'm sure Aaden would love to talk more then." Aaden gets out of his chair, and pulls yours out for you. You love the manners he has. You issue final goodbyes for the day, and begin the walk back to the school. It was a quiet one, but a pleasant one. Sweetie runs out of the schoolhouse, and motions for Aaden to come closer. He lowers his head, and it becomes obvious that she's whispering something in his ear. He smiles, and nods his head. He bends down, and hoists her up. She's riding on his shoulders. And it's quite possibly the most attractive thing you've seen him do. The sun illuminates his hair, makes his white smile sparkle and his eye glisten, while Sweetie Belle giggles wildly, with one hoof accidently covering his eye while she holds on, and the other pointing out local landmarks and buildings. You had all finally gotten home. Sweetie Belle refused to leap off his shoulders. "What if I give you a very special present?" She immediately hopped off of his shoulders with a loud clop, and was over taken with excitement. "What is it? Can I have it now? Can I?" Aaden got down on one knee, and laughed. "It's candy. Candy from where I come from. I can't remember why, but i have a backpack full of the stuff! If Ms. Rarity would allow you to have some, I would more than happy to share it!" They both look at you, seemingly pleading. "Oh, fine." you nod and smile. Aaden runs upstairs, while Sweetie Belle paces around anxiously. He comes downstairs and over to the counter, and places the thing he called his "smartphone" on top of the mail. He walks over to Sweetie Belle, and opens up the backpack. "Take whatever you'd like!" Sweetie Belle grabbed several brightly wrapped packages of different shapes and sizes, and quickly dashed off to the guest room. The "smartphone" started to vibrate, making an odd noise as it shook the mail. "Darling? Your "smartphone" is shaking." you say. His eyes slowly grow wide, the blood draining from his face. He looks as if he's seen a ghost. He runs over to the counter, and snatches the phone off the top of the mail. "Darling?" you ask. His gaze doesn't break the phone. "Darling, is everything okay?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Your phone just received a text. You can read it, as it popped up on the locked screen. It's from your Mom. "Honey, we miss you. We hope to see you again some day." What does that mean? You feel a hoof shake you. It's Rarity. "Darling, please. You're scaring me." You walk over to the couch, and sit down, staring intently at your phone. The message was now hidden by the locked screen. Rarity came over, and sat next to you. "Aaden. What was that?" You can feel your voice shaking. "Rarity, that was a...a message. From my Mom." Rarity scoots closer. "A message?! Goodness, Aaden, that's great news! What'd it say?" You stare off into blank space. "It said, 'We miss you. We hope to see you again some day.'" Rarity frowns. "Darling, I know it's hard being here. I know you've been suppressing sadness since you've gotten here. I can't imagine what I would do if i were in your situation. What I do know, is that you are being very brave. I'm here for you. We all are. I know it doesn't ease the pain to hear that, but you aren't alone here." You feel a solemn smile coming over you. "Thank you Rarity. It means the world to hear you say that. It just kinda hurts to see my family trying to contact me, and because my phone is locked, I can't respond." You breathe deeply. "Darling, we're going to see Celestia soon. You'll get all the answers you want then. For now, try and relax" The rest day passes without further incident, and as does the night. You end up on the exact same couch again with Rarity after Sweetie Belle is put to bed. "So, Rarity, where do I sleep? She seems kind of hesitant to respond. "Well, this couch is barely quite fit for sitting. If you would like, you can share my bed. If that's okay, of course!" There's the blush again. "That's fine, Rarity. As long as you're sure i won't be a bother." you reply. "Nonsense!" She says through her blush. You both ascend the staircase. She opens the door to her bedroom, climbs onto the bed, lays down her head, and pulls the comforter up over herself. You remove your blazer and put it on the coat hanger in the room. You remove your tie, and drape it over the blazer. You sit down on the bed, remove both of your shoes and socks, and put them underneath the bed. You unbutton your dress shirt, and fold it neatly, placing it next to your shoes. You slide the white undershirt off, fold it as well, and place it on top of the dress shirt. You climb in on your side, and slide under the same comforter. The lamps in the room flick off. Rarity rustles around, and, with sleep in her voice, wishes you off. "Goodnight, darling." "Goodnight, Rarity." you both quickly fall asleep. But you do not stay that way for long. You get up in the middle of the night, and carefully get out of Rarity's bed. The long velvet drapes by the balcony flutter about in the gentle night breeze. You can see the light from the sky crawling across the room. You carefully remove your comforter, hoping not to wake Rarity, and gently slide out of bed as quietly and carefully as you can. You decide to stand out on the balcony. You walk past the drapes, and are immediately greeted by the breeze. This is home now. The stars twinkle, accompanying the beauty of the moon. You feel the cool night air gently touch your bare chest. The bandages are still over your shoulder and abdomen. They aren't bloody or anything, but they serve as a reminder of what happened. You lean on the metal railing, and watch the night go by. You really should be happier. I mean, here's a girl whom you've deemed perfect for yourself, and is sharing her bed with you. This town accepts you for who you are. The ponies like you. You couldn't feel anymore welcome. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden got up in the middle of the night. You felt him lurch out of bed, and heard him walk out onto the balcony. Your head was already facing the balcony, so you just barely opened your eyes, to see what he was doing. He was leaning on the edge of the balcony, looking up to the sky. The light from the sky made him appear a ghostly white. You could just barely make out the bandages on his back. You really did feel bad for him. He had a lot on his mind, and seeing him happy, albeit temporarily, made you feel amazing. In fact, if you didn't know any better, you would say you were falling for him. This falling felt so much different than all of your other crushes. You had only spent one full day with him, and you already are sleeping in the same bed as him. You can't decide if that was the best decision you've ever made in your life or if you just made the stupidest. You do hope that he is okay. You hope you haven't went too far by inviting him into your bed. You would never be bale to forgive yourself if you lost this wonderful human because you couldn't wait a few days to offer sharing a bed. But the couch really was uncomfortable. And you DO want him to be comfortable. So maybe you really were justified in offering you share the bed. He didn't have to accept it if he didn't want to, and the fact that he did must mean he wanted to, right? Pull yourself together Rarity. You let out a sigh. You watch as Aaden turns around, and walks back into the bedroom, the light of the sky losing its grip on him. He goes over to his side of the bed, and climbs back in his spot, on his back. He links his hands together, and lays his head back on them, his elbows sticking up. You heard him wince in pain from moving his arm up that high, but he didn't move back. He must be comfortable that way. Alright Rarity. Now or never, i suppose. You turn around, facing back towards him, and scoot over to him. You lay your head on his chest, and nuzzle up as close as you can get to him. He moves his arm down around you, and pulls you closer to him. Your heart melts and you can feel your blushing coming back, full force. You hope he still thinks your asleep, otherwise, you may not be allowed to do this. He begins to run his other hand gently through your mane. His touch is so gentle. The sound of his breathing so constant. His scent is intoxicating. Goddess, look at yourself Rarity. You're an adolescent again. _________________________________________________________________________________ For whatever reason, Rarity is now using you as a pillow. You don't mind it in the least, but you would hate for her to wake up and not be okay with it. You stare up at the ceiling, examining the gold and purple trim on the roof. You looked back down at Rarity. This pony really liked purple. This is home now Rarity lets out a quiet whimper, and her fore leg moves across your torso. Her head shifts just slightly below your neck. She lifts up a leg, sliding it across your knee. You look down at the pony you were sleeping with. Her long purple mane drooped over her eyes. You kept stroking it, anyways. You wonder what Sweetie Belle would think if she came upstairs and saw her sister like this. It's not very "ladylike". Better yet, you wonder what everyone back home would think. Sentient horses. You smile. You're starting to slowly, but surely, comfort yourself. Now that you really think about it, you are extremely lucky. You're still alive. The only pony that seemed to really care was lying in bed with you right now, and not only is she lying in bed with you, but she's using you as a pillow. You hate to say it, because the whole sentient horse thing still bothered you, but you were falling for her. Maybe it was the fact that she saved your life. Maybe it was her prim and proper attitude. Maybe it was her looks. You start thinking about those eyes again, and goosebumps burst from your skin. This is home now. You decide you want to try something. You know you'll only be able to do it when she's asleep, otherwise, she may not let you. You lean down, and ever so gently, you kiss her forehead. You put your head back in it's place, and watch her stir. Her eyes slowly start to open. Shit. You woke her up. Her eyes, only half open, look absolutely amazing, as they always do. "mmm...you okay...darling?" She asks. "Yeah. Never better, Rarity." you respond. She pushes herself up towards you, and kisses you on the cheek, then on the forehead. "You owe me one, now.." she said. She totally knew you did it. You give her one more, on her cheek this time. Her cheeks glow red, and she continues to burrow herself in your chest. Luckily, her horn lies across it, rather than through it.In a matter of moments, she is asleep again. Were you now in a relationship with this mare? What would you call her? Your marefriend? Is that what they call each other? You didn't know. For now, you didn't care. You tried to embrace this moment. You begin to feel your eye lids getting heavy. Your blinks grow longer, and more drawn out. Before you know it, you are fast asleep, holding the girl of your dreams. This is home now. Chapter Five: RequiemYou never stopped to question why everyone was automatically so friendly to you. Why you are treated as a pony among them, rather than a strange creature that just kind of hobbled out of the forest. Because that's what you were. You know, for a fact, had one of these ponies appeared on Earth, they wouldn't be treated as humans. In fact, you half expected being put in a zoo when you finally came to the realization that these sentient ponies were, in fact, real. But you aren't going to argue. You also begin to think about Rarity. It's only been one week since that incident in the middle of the night, and yet, it seems to repeat itself, every night. And you've only known her for one week, two if you count the week she cared for you while you were unconscious. She's seemingly in love with you. And you seemingly are in love with her. Neither of you have said it out loud, and neither of you have really acknowledged a relationship between one another. Probably because you both realize that it's a little insane. Although, the current situation surrounding yourself is a little insane, as well. Ever since you awoke from the hospital, you've come to the realization that you aren't at home. You may not ever be going home. So it's best to get used to your environment, and just enjoy your situation here as best you can. Maybe that's why you are so capable of handling all of these things, the talking ponies, sleeping with a talking pony, being romantically interested in a talking pony. Your train was coming very early this morning. You had gotten up about and hour and a half before the train was to come, showered, and were now getting dressed. Rarity made you some new clothes, but you thought it would be best to wear what you had come here in. You got yourself completely dressed, and looked at the clock. The train to Canterlot comes at 6 AM on the dot. It's only 5 AM. You then divert your gaze over to Rarity. Fast asleep. She knew you were leaving today to meet Celestia, and had even asked you to wake her, but you wouldn't dare. To disturb someone sleeping so soundly should be a crime. You walk downstairs, and grab your smartphone and your briefcase. You decide to leave the backpack just in case Sweetie Belle wants any candy while you're gone. You stretch. You know that magic was an integral part of this world, but it still amazes you that you're healing so well. The pain is very faint. Present, but faint. You decide to begin your walk to the train station early. It was still dark outside when you began your walk, which was rather uneventful. You didn't see any ponies this time, and all of the local wildlife seemed to also be absent. It WAS the weekend, however. You walk up to the train station, and unfold the summons from Celestia you were keeping in your back pocket. You walked up to a ticket vendor, and slid the summons through the slit in the window for "Bits" as Rarity said they were called. The vendor was asleep. You knock gently on the wood. "Excuse me." You said. The vendor jumped up in surprise, nearly falling from her stool. "One round trip to Canterlot, please." The vendor looked over the summons, then ripped off a ticket from the roll sitting beside her. She slides it through the slit, along with your letter from Celestia, and wishes you a good trip. You decide to sit on a bench while you await the train. You were the only one in the station, so there really was no way to pass time other than to sit and wait. Eventually, the train came. You couldn't help but notice that no passengers disembarked, and you looked to be the only one actually getting on. You walk over to the conductor, and hand him your ticket. He punches it once. "Have a seat where ever you'd like." You hop on board, and walk up a few cars, before stopping in one that was completely empty. You picked out a random seat, and felt the train grumble as it started to move once more. You decided to pass time by looking out of the window. The sun was starting to rise over the horizon, its gentle light flooding your cabin with orange light. The doors to the back of car open slowly, then close. You pay no attention to who it may be, as the environment around you is beautiful. "Are you the creature I've heard so much about?" You look up, and see a Gryphon in gold armor. It takes the seat across from you, awaiting your response. "Yeah. That'd be me." You respond. "Interesting. I had best explain myself. My name is Oliver. I am an honor guard from our kingdoms in the east. I spread the good will of our kingdom, but meeting you is definitely going in my report." Oliver kicks his leg up, and crosses it over his knee. "Yeah, I guess it's not every day you meet the only member of a species in existence, huh?" You try to open up a bit. Your situation was not a happy one by default, but you could fix that. "If you don't mind me asking," Oliver starts. "What's bringing you to Canterlot?" You reach into your back pocket, and hand him the folded up letter. As he reads it, you try to explain your situation. "The princess has requested me there to discuss my citizenship. I can't exactly remember the entire letter, because I can't read it, but Rarity read it to me, and that was the only major thing I can remember." The gryphon folded up the summons, and hands it back to you. "It said you were amnesiac. I can't imagine that makes your time here any easier." "Well, everyone is so nice in Ponyville, and my host is extremely patient with me. One would think I was just another pony. The conflict with my memory is more of an internal one rather than an external one." "The internal ones are the hardest ones, brother." You smile. "My name is Aaden Locke, It's nice to meet you, Oliver." You hold out your hand, which he shakes with a claw. "The pleasure is all mine, Aaden." _________________________________________________________________________________ You awoke around 9 AM. You feel around the bed, and notice Aaden is gone. How did i know he was going to do that? You walk downstairs, half asleep. You see that Aaden left his backpack. Probably for when Sweetie Belle comes home later tonight from her sleepover. You walk over to your kitchen counter, and your heart warms immediately. Aaden couldn't write in Equestrian, and you couldn't write in his language, but he took advantage of what he knew you could understand. There was a sticky note on the counter with an arrow and a smiley face pointing towards your stove top. You look over, and see that he took the initiative to lay out all of your tea making supplies. The back of the note has a crudely drawn, lopsided heart on it, but it still means a lot to you. You turn the dial on the stove, and start boiling water in the kettle. While you wait, you decide to throw on a pair of silk pajamas. As you come back downstairs, you notice the backpack again. Sweetie Belle seemed to REALLY like what was in there... "Hmm..." You walk over to the backpack, and undo the straps, revealing an astounding amount of prepackaged sweets and junk food, all in different shapes, colors, and sizes. You laugh. One of the first things you plan on asking him when he gets his memory back is why he has a backpack filled with candy. You dig through the backpack, looking for something that looks like it might be good. It IS the weekend. And you have been working rather hard, lately... You pull out a slim bar, with a blue wrapper with red letters on it. You bring it over to the counter, and set it down. You tend to your tea, and continue to wait. Your gaze goes back over to the backpack. You left it open. You walk back over, and strap it back up. You decide to also open up all of the curtains in the store, and open the windows, as well. A day as beautiful as this should not be wasted. You finish your tea, pour yourself a cup, and sit back in your recliner. You decide to open the wrapper to the bar you picked out. Holding it between your hooves, and carefully using your teeth to peel the wrapper back, you reveal a chocolate bar. To your delight, it is actually very good. You hear the mail slot on the door creak open, and several letters drop through. You collect the letters, and go back to sitting, sipping your tea, and eating your chocolate. You have quite a few letters for Aaden. He gave you permission to open any mail he may get, being as he couldn't read your language. You open the letter from the shipping warehouse, regarding Aaden applying for employment. You gasp out of excitement, and smile. Aaden will be so excited to hear this! _________________________________________________________________________________ The train rumbles again, and it's brakes squeak. Talking with Oliver really made time pass by very quickly. You both rise, and step off the train. Oliver turns to you. "Well, I have business to take care of. I'm sure I'll see you again soon, brother." You give him a pat on his back. "Safe travels, Oliver." He nods his head, and darts off through the massive crowds of Canterlot. You had no idea where to start, or where to find Celestia. It seemed as though you were attracting the attention of the Royal Guard, which was better than you thought. One guard, a mint green pegasus, approached you. "Are you the 'human' here to see Celestia?" It asks. "Yes." You hand him the summons. He looks it over, and jerks his head to the side, signaling you to follow him. "Right this way, Mr. Locke." You do as your told, not wanting to cause any problems. Your walk through Canterlot is a little different than your walk through Ponyville. Not as many ponies seem to smile at you. A lot of them, in fact, just seem to stare at you. After a long walk of stares and whispers, you make it inside the castle. You walk into the foyer with the Royal Guardsman that brought you in. He turns around, and asks you to remain here in the foyer, while he decides the "best course of action to take from here". You have a seat by the door, and decide to pass time by examining your new surroundings. Various portraits litter the foyer. You assumed they were all of of Celestia. Large cloth banners, with a pinkish trim, white background, and with a sun as the icon in the center, hung around the foyer. You hear footsteps coming from the staircase. You turn to see who's coming, hoping it isn't the princess. You laugh. "Oliver, I knew there was more to you!" Oliver walks down the staircase, smiling. "Why didn't you just escort me?" He makes it to the bottom of the staircase, and pats you on the back. "I had to let the princess know you were coming." "So, all of that stuff about being an honor guard?" He smiles. He leads you up the staircase he came down. "No, that's all true. I also just happen to be an emissary for the princess." "So you were spying on me?" You laugh. "From your first day in the hospital, brother." You were both on the second floor now. Oliver led the way down an elegant corridor. "You see, we heard of the manticore attack, and I was sent by the Princess to see if the rumors were true. If an unknown creature was in Ponyville. Sure enough, there you were. Dying. I don't know if you are very well aware of this, but your injuries were incredibly fatal. You WERE going to die. Luckily for you, however, Celestia took great interest in you. She came immediately after I reported to her, and she healed you herself. Why do you think you healed so quickly?" You run your hand across the areas where the bandages were wrapped on your stomach. "I then watched you. I became Celestia's eyes. You didn't appear violent, especially with your recent...attraction...to Rarity. So, you passed that test. I was to then find out for myself just what kind of person you were. I did so on the train. You passed that test." You notice you are nearing two very large doors. Oliver opens the doors, and sitting on a throne, is the largest pony you have seen yet. It radiates light, and has a multicolored mane that seems ethereal in nature. "Now you must pass her test." Oliver closes the doors behind him, leaving you alone in the room with Celestia. You walk very slowly, making sure you don't do anything that could be considered hostile. You stop at the end of red carpet leading to her throne. You bow. "Princess Celestia." She laughs. "You do not need to impress me, Aaden. You've already passed my tests. Oliver is extremely trustworthy, and your affection to Rarity confirms that you are willing to adjust to this new world." A piece of paper bursts into existence next to her. A quill floats over, and signs it. The paper then floats over to you. "Welcome, citizen of Equestria." You take the paper gently out of the air. "Thank you, Celestia." "You are very welcome. However, I'm sure you're curios to why you're still here." She stands up, and walks off of her throne, coming towards you. "I understand you are suffering from amnesia. I think I can help with that." You can feel excitement building up inside of you. "Now, I will not be able to fully restore your memory, nor a good portion of it. But I can give you back what I can. It's better than nothing." You nod your head in agreement. Celestia presses her head against yours. "Look into my eyes." You do as your told. Immediately, you begin to remember things. Your address, your job title, your boss' name. Then, the most valuable memory of this cluster comes forward. You see yourself turning the combination lock on your briefcase. You turn the first up to 6, the next one up to 6, the next one down to 7, and the last one up to 2. The briefcase pops open. You snap out of the flash back state. Celestia steps back a few paces. You immediately pick up your briefcase, and begin turning the dials. 6. 6. 7. 2. Click. The briefcase opens. You look up to Celestia. You haven't been this happy in a very long while. You root through the contents of the briefcase. An ID from work. You were an architect. A bunch of blueprints, a set of headphones for listening to music, a set of bullet speakers for your phone, some money, and a couple of pencils and pens. You immediately rip your phone out of your pocket. 6.6.7.2. Ding. Your phone unlocks. After exploring the phone a bit, you make a few discoveries. The only text on your phone is the confusing one from your Mom, and you can't text back because the phone says you have no service. However, you had quite a few photos, and all of your music was still stored on your phone. HOLY. SHIT. You jump forward, and give Celestia the biggest hug possible. She laughs. "I take it that my little trick worked?" "Celestia, you have no idea how much this means to me!" "I am happy I could help. Now, your train is leaving here very soon. I would like you to come back in precisely 2 weeks. Oliver and I would like to extend an offer to you. I sincerely hope you enjoy your new life here." You leave the castle. You feel absolutely on top of the world. Sure, you don't exactly remember much still, but now you have some music, and some photos, and SOME evidence of what was before here. You can't wait to get home and tell Rarity. _________________________________________________________________________________ You are cooking dinner, waiting for Sweetie Belle and Aaden to come back home. She went to wait for him at the train station. It was about 7 PM. You were munching on another chocolate bar of the same variety you had this morning, while you chopped peppers and carrots, preparing them for the stew you were making. You hoped Aaden likes stew. About 20 minutes later, the door swung open. There was Sweetie Belle, riding on Aaden's shoulders. He let her down, ran over to you, and gives you a hug that picks you up off of the ground. "Rarity, you're never gonna believe this! I went to Celestia, and-" He looks at the chocolate bar on the table. "Is that one of my Crunch bars?" He then smiles wider. "I remember what a Crunch bar is!" He lets you down, and excitedly begins talking. "There was this gryphon named Oliver, who was really a spy or something, and then Celestia made me a citizen, and then, she said she could give me a few of memories back, right?" you nod your head. "This may be better to show you then tell you." He takes out the thing he calls his phone. presses a few times on the screen. He then shows you. You gasp. He must have figured out how to unlock it! You give him a squeeze. "Darling, that's wonderful news!" "Now, I don't remember much outside of the fact that I was an architect, and what my combination is on my phone and briefcase, but I'm actually really excited to show you the pictures, and let you listen to some of the music. You can have as many Crunch bars as you would like while we do that!" You feel yourself blushing. "I only had two, darling." You look at the screen of the phone, unable to read what it says. "What does that picture on the screen say?" He looks at it, and reads it to you. "It says Requiem. It essentially means a gathering to respect the dead. It was the name of a local band I liked back home." "Well, I would be happy to accompany you on your journey of reminiscing a little later. For now, would you kindly help me set the table for dinner?" He gives you a kiss on the forehead. "Absolutely." Chapter Six: BenedictionYou were in bed with Rarity, with the comforter pulled up over your heads. You were wearing the new house pants Rarity had made for you, but that was it. She was in her silk pajamas, cuddled up on your chest. "Alright Rarity, you ready?" She smiled. "Darling, I've been DYING to know more about you. I'm more than ready." You grabbed your Smartphone, and pressed the button at the top, illuminating the phone. You entered the code. 6672. The phone then displayed its bright background, and slew of apps. You pressed the "pictures" button. You looked down at Rarity. She was carefully nibbling on another Crunch bar. You still can't remember why you had a backpack filled with snacks, but you were able to remember what a few things were and what they tasted like now. "Now, bare with me on this, because I don't know if I'll be able to remember EVERYTHING, but I can try to answer as many questions as you have!" Rarity nods her head. You slide your finger across the bottom, unlocking the photo album. the first picture is one of you and your boss, shaking hands, surrounded by a horde of men in suits, clapping. "Whoosh that?" Rarity asks with a mouthful of Crunch bar. She puts her hoof across her mouth, blushing. She swallows. "Sorry, I don't feel the need to keep up appearances around you, darling. Who is that?" "That's my boss. Remember how I said I was an architect? Well, that was the day my boss promoted me. I can't remember who took the photo, but I do remember they threw a party for me and everything." "That's impressive, darling. And speaking of parties, Pinkie Pie has a day set for your party." "When?" "Tomorrow." You laugh. Rarity sprawls herself out across the bed, with a hoof on her forehead. "Yes, it's true. Woe is me! There is a party tomorrow, and I have no date! Whatever does a mare do?" "Find a date?" You smile. She re-assumes her position of using your chest as a pillow. "And here I thought you were a gentleman." You swipe your finger over to the next photo. This is, you like. It's your roommate and his girlfriend sitting in a bar, on stools, with you between the two, with one arm around each. "Call it a sixth sense, but I know alcohol when I see it. I'm assuming this was taken at a bar?" You nod your head. "Yeah, that's my roommate, and his girlfriend. I can't remember their names, or the bar we were at, or why we took this photo, but I know that's them." You swipe your finger once more. This time, it's a picture of you lying in bed, a mess. The blanket is halfway hanging off you, and you are hanging halfway off of the bed, pillows strewn about the room. You hear Rarity laugh. "My goodness, I bet this one was taken after the night at the bar!" With another swipe of the finger, comes another picture. This is one is of whom you assume is one of your friends, standing in a horizontal line facing a flag, saluting it. "I actually don't remember a thing about this. I'm assuming one of these guys must be a friend on mine, and I believe that, when you enter military service where I come from, you have to take an oath over a flag." "Darling, please don't strain yourself. If you cannot remember, that's okay." She nuzzles her head against your chest to express herself. "Okay, we'll do one more." You swipe one last time. This picture kind of hurts to look at. Physically hurt. It makes you feel like you have a slight headache, looking at it. It looked like a picture of you and some friends posing outside of a bank. You quickly press the return button to make the picture fade away. Rarity uses an arm to prop herself up. "Darling? Are you okay?" She asks. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. That picture kinda hurt my head. But I'm alright. Hey, you wanna hear some music?" "That sounds delightful, darling." You scroll over to the music tab on your phone, and look through the massive lists of music. You get an idea. "Rarity, I want you to pick a song. I know you can't read English, but just use your hoof to tap one of the listings." Rarity looks back up to you, and back at the phone. "Are you sure Darling? I don't want to press anything weird or break it." You use your hand to gently grab her hoof. "We'll do it together." She gently presses her hoof forward, and presses a song at random. Youtube Video The song is called "I Remember" by Deadmau5 and Kaskade. Ironically, you do not remember this song, but you pay close attention to it's lyrics. Feeling the past moving in Letting a new day begin Hold to the time that you know You don't have to move on to let go Add to the memory you keep Remember when you fall asleep Hold to the love that you know You don't have to give up to let go The song plays all the way through. Rarity looks up at you. "Darling, that was amazing. I'm not one for such electronic music, but those lyrics seemed really...touching...and, well...darling, I'm just going to say it. they sound very appropriate to your situation. I know it's very hard having to do all of this journeying to locate your memories. I'm here for you. We all are. And we don't expect you to let go of your past, but we are here for you. I'm here for you. I care for you quite a bit. One might even say that I love you." She twiddles her hooves. "I KNOW that was a little too forward, but in times as rapidly changing as this, I feel like I have to express myself. I mean, I watched you get mercilessly attacked, and then the Princess wants to see you, and then you start recovering your memories, and now the Princess wants you to come back, it just worries me immensely. I don't know how much longer you'll be around." You start to see her eyes filling with tears. "I mean, I have friends, yes, and I have Sweetie Belle, but I've never had what you've given me this past week. I've never had another pony ever express such romantic interest to me." She sniffles. "I just want you to be happy, is all, d-darling." You see more tears coming. You use your hand to bring her face up to yours. You look into her eyes, watching as a tear or two fall. "Rarity, listen to me. I know I just came out of the blue. But I won't leave that way. I'm happy here. While recovering my memory would be nice, I could spend the rest of my days like this, with you, and be perfectly fine. I mean, there has to be some reason for why I'm so attracted to you, right? I'm still me, I'm still Aaden. I just don't remember much anymore." You stroke her mane. She's still crying. Alright, Aaden, you can do this. You put your hand behind her head, and slowly pull her towards yours. She stops whimpering and looks up at you, as your heads come closer. No resistance. This is what she wants. As your heads get closer, you begin to feel adrenaline pump through you once more. You start to feel your extremities get numb, cold almost. As your heads get closer, you notice her close her eyes. You do the same. You slowly slide your hand away from the back of her neck to her cheek. she's moving towards you on her own now. She smells of lavender and other flowers. Finally, after what felt like 5 minutes, lips make contact. She lets out a low, but quiet moan, as the embrace occurs. You hold it for just a moment, savoring the moment between you two. you release her lips, and open your eyes to meet hers. She nuzzles her head against your chest again. In a matter of moments, she falls back into the arms of sleep. You kiss her forehead one last time, and lay your head back, as well. Sleep also takes you in a matter of moments. Not a single word was said after the embrace. None were needed. Clear eyes and full hearts took the place of words. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake in your bed to see Aaden has left. Your heart begins to race. Oh no. You quickly throw on your silk pajamas, and dash downstairs. His backpack is still here, as is his briefcase. You let out a sigh of relief. You still wish you knew where he went. You walk back over to the counter, and once again, there is another sticky note. Well, several sticky notes. In a series of crudely drawn pictures and symbols, you take it to mean that he is out helping Pinkie Pie with the party today. This, of course, was represented by a pink pony, a smiley face, and a series of balloons. There's also another Crunch bar out on the table, with another sticky note with yet another crudely drawn heart on it. You can't help but to smile. You've never opened up like that before, told anyone your purest emotion, and not only did you do it last night, but he seemed to not only listen to your feelings, but share them. You notice the warehouse letter still sitting on the counter. In the excitement of last night, you forgot to mention it to him. You decide to do so tomorrow, when he's winding down from the party. After a light breakfast, you go onto the sales floor of your business. You'd like to look good for Aaden tonight, especially since it's a party in his favor. You ultimately decide to surprise him with a new outfit to wear tonight, as well as make something for you to wear that matches his new outfit. You stretch and yawn. Lets get to work. _________________________________________________________________________________ Through some kind of method you don't quite understand, Vinyl Scratch now has all of the songs stored on your phone. At least you'll have music you are somewhat familiar with at this party. So far today, you have met with Pinkie Pie, and have picked out what kind of sweets you would like served. You met with Applejack to get cider for the party. Now, you've just finished up getting Vinyl to pick out music. You decide to walk home, take a break. Maybe have some lunch with Rarity. As you were walking home through the marketplace, you hear a familiar voice call out your name. "Aaden!" You turn around. Oliver is walking towards you, a smile on his face. He's still in his golden armor. "Hey Oliver. Here to spy on me again?" "Actually, yes. I am. But I know you're a good man. The Princess may be a tad suspicious if i return early. Would you like to go grab a drink or something?" "Sure, sounds great. I'd hate for you to get in trouble, though." "Well, I cannot say why I am watching you, but, it involves our meeting here in two weeks. We need to make sure you are fit for our offer. I have to watch you for a certain amount of time. That could either be over some drinks and lunch, or over me following you for an hour." You laugh. "Alright, lead the way." You follow Oliver to a small bar called "Wizzies". You both sit up on the bar stools by the bar, and place orders for food and drink. Oliver slides his helmet off, and puts it at his feet. "So. Oliver. What's it like being an honor guard? Travel much?" "Too much, brother. From the Frozen North to the Haysead Swamps, you name it, I've been there." "Sounds like fun." "Not as much as one would think. I ever tell you about my family?" You nod your head. "Got a wife back home. 2 kids. I spend about 6 weeks on duty, then 6 weeks with them." He takes a deep drink of his beer. "Not exactly ideal." You didn't want to drink before the party, so you just ordered a soda with your food. You drink out of it while he recounts his journeys. Well over an hour passes. "...lost 6 in the Badlands. Damn shame, too. Heard they had family back home, too." Oliver looks up at the clock. "Well, thanks for the company, brother. We will cross paths again soon." You decide to say the exact same thing you said to him yesterday. "Safe travels, Oliver." Once again, he nodded, and darted off into the sky. You begin your walk once again, passing by the groups of ponies setting up a large tent-like thing that says "WELCOME AADEN!" on the front of it. Pinkie must be behind that. You didn't mind it. You were excited to get out and socialize, talk to everyone. It made you feel good to know that so many ponies were putting an effort into making this party great. Pinkie was baking, Vinyl was getting the music together, Applejack and Big Mac were getting barrels of cider into the area, not to mention how many ponies were simply spreading the word. Tonight was going to be a night to remember, that's for sure. Chapter Seven: Clear Eyes and Full HeartsThe moment you walk into the Carousel Boutique, you can tell Rarity is up to something. She isn't downstairs, but what is downstairs, is a brand new suit lying across one of her various ponnequins. You collect all of the pieces, and put it on. It looks amazing. Jet black slacks with a dark purple dress shirt, with a jet black tie and blazer. You also noticed at the end of the right sleeve of the blazer was the odd 3 diamond thing she had on her flank. You meant to ask her about it. You walk over to a floor-to-ceiling mirror, and assume several poses. Damn, Rarity. You really know how to make some nice clothes. You walk over the staircase, and call out for her. "Anyone home?" "Be down in just a second, darling!" You shrug your shoulders, and have a seat on the couch. She's definitely up to something. You cross your legs, and wait as patiently as anyone could. Eventually, an hour passes. You get up, and turn around, when you catch her coming down the staircase. Close your mouth, moron. Rarity is wearing a slim fitting purple dress, which stops a little above her knees. Her hair flows down to her neck, then bumps off in bouncy curls. She obviously spent a solid hour on her makeup alone. You can't recall any times that a HUMAN woman looked this good, and you're sure this would remain sure even if you weren't an amnesiac. "Mmm...you like?" Rarity calls as she works her way towards you. She knows you do. "Rarity. My God. You look amazing. I mean, here I thought I looked good in this new suit, but...jeez..." Rarity takes her dramatic pose again, with her hoof over her forehead. "I know, all of this work, and no one asks me out on a date for tonight!" She smiles slyly at you. "But you DID say that you were my new personal escort..." THANK GOD I SAID THAT! She holds out her hoof for you. "Would it trouble you to keep a young mare busy tonight?" You take her hoof, and kiss it. "Not at all, Ms. Rarity." She blushes, and turns her head away. "Always the gentleman." You turn out all of the lights in the store. Sweetie Belle is apparently still with her friends, so when you return home, you two will have all of the privacy you could ask for. It's another amazing night in Ponyville. The stars illuminate the town, the temperature is perfect, the scent of the night sets in. if ever you've had a case of nightfever, it's here in Ponyville. Nightfever is an interesting thing. You and your roommate invented to describe a unique emotion: The one you get when you're out and about in the city, and your every sense is in complete harmony. It makes you smile and laugh as if you were drunk, while keeping your mind completely sober. With your case of nightfever burning you up, you smart to smile uncontrollably. You have that tickle in your stomach, the kind you get when you find something absolutely hilarious. Rarity notices your smile. "My, my, darling. Are we in high spirits?" She asks. "You could say that." You finally let out the laugh you had building up. As you near the party tent they set up, you can hear the low sound of a bass dropping on a consistent beat. After a couple more minutes of walking, you finally make it to the tent, but Rarity holds up a hoof to stop you. "Wait right here, darling." She opens up a flap, and walks inside. All music and sound immediately stops as she does. You cock your head in confusion. After a few moments pass, you hear Rarity call from inside the tent. "Come on in, darling!" You grab hold of the tent flap, and swing it open. It's completely dark inside the tent, but it's MASSIVE. You step in, and close the tent flap. You hear a short riff start playing from somewhere in front of you. then, CLAP CLAP, and the lights burst on. Youtube Video Lasers and colored spotlights flail wildly around the tent, while ponies mimic Vinyl, who is up on stage, jumping up and down with the beat. You notice a large banner hanging down, reading "WELCOME HOME AADEN!" You feel arms wrap around your waist. You turn around, and sure enough, there's Rarity. She has to shout to make herself audible over the music. "VINYL SAID SHE LIKED THIS SONG A LOT! I HOPE IT'S OKAY, DARLING!" You smile. "I SUPPOSE IT WAS ON MY PHONE FOR A REASON!" Rarity nudges her neck, signalling you to follow her. You walk over to the table with large barrels of cider on it, and pour both Rarity and yourself a cup. She leads you to an empty table, and sits next to you. She places her hoof on your thigh, and watches Vinyl perform. It's actually quite amazing, the way she moves with the beat, influencing the crowd. Rarity seems to really be enjoying the music, tapping her hoof. You just got an idea. A great one. You sit anxiously waiting for the next song to play. Sure enough, the lights all go off. It looks like another song is about to start. The moment you hear the beat start and singing begin, you snatch Rarity by her hoof. Youtube Video You take her to the edge of the crowd. You're sure that you aren't a dancer, even with the amnesia, but nightfever has taken over now. You start jumping and throwing your fist forward to the beat, just like Vinyl and other ponies are. Rarity laughs manically at you. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT DARLING? SHOULD I CALL A DOCTOR?" Your grab both of her hooves, and start jumping, hoping to get her to follow suit. Sure enough, she does. She's still laughing at you, but you don't mind at all. You decide to start lip syncing the words while jumping, while shutting your eyes super tight. Every whisper, Every sigh, Eats away at This heart of mine She starts to laugh even harder, she stops jumping, and has to hold a hoof over her mouth. You still jump for the remainder of the song. As the music finally stops, you hear her gasping for air from laughing so hard. You are breathing fast and heavy from the jumping, but still attempt to be coy. "Was...was my performance...not good enough...Ms. Rarity?" She sighs with a deep breath, collecting herself from her laughter. "You haven't even touched your cider, and you're this active. I hope you have some energy for later tonight, darling." You wink at her, and she blushes. You both go back to your seats. Vinyl hops over the microphone. "How's everyone liking the music?!" She yells. The crowd roars with approval. She points back to you. "This is ALL courtesy of the man of the hour, this music is actually from where ever he comes from!" The crowd universally turns around, and claps. You stand up. You're about to give Rarity the surprise of her life. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just stood up, and is walking towards Vinyl. What's he up to? He hops on stage next to Vinyl, and looks as though he's about to speak into the microphone. "Hello, Ponyville!" He says. Once again, the massive crowd cheers. "Vinyl and I put together the light show for this next song. Rarity, this one is for you!" He smiles at you from behind the massive crowd. You blush as the lights go down. Drums start the song, and strobe lights flash with each beat of the drum. Youtube Video Through the light show and the crowd, you see Aaden on stage with Vinyl, bouncing around. Someday, when my life has passed me by I'll lay around and wonder why you were always there for me One way, in the eyes of a passer-by I'll look around for another try, and fade away The song itself was amazing, and you were truly surprised that he had planned this out. You could feel yourself tearing up. Nopony had ever done anything like this for you before. Aaden must really, really like you. You look up at him on stage. He sways back and forth with Vinyl, smiling. His white teeth glow blue under the blacklights on the stage. His eyes are illuminated, and shimmer, his hair is obviously contorted from his amount of moving. Although he's a mess right now, it's not unattractive. The way he moves, it's so smooth, so simple, yet so elaborate. He looks at you again, and winks. Something about that wink gave you goosebumps all over. Was it seductive? Or was it because you were already attracted to him especially this night? You weren't sure. But what you did know, is that you couldn't wait for him to come back down. He had a kiss waiting for him. He hops off the stage, right into the crowd. He gently works his way through to you, but about halfway through, a Gryphon stops him. At first, you become concerned. But then you see Aaden and the Gryphon laughing with each other. It's good to see he's already making friends. Now you fight yourself internally. do you just throw yourself at him and give him the kiss, or do you wait? _________________________________________________________________________________ It was weird to see Oliver without his armor on. He actually looked really professional in the suit he was wearing. "Brother, I've got to tell you, the music of your people, it is so varied, so unique. I really enjoy it." You pat him on the back. "Oliver, I'm not sure how music is distributed around here, but you're welcome to all that I have." You've never seen Oliver look humbled before, but he certainly was right now. "It means a lot, brother. You've been nothing but a good friend since I've met you. I pray that, in the coming weeks, you consider the offer Celestia makes you. But enough of that. Rarity make that suit for you?" "Oh yeah, it's nice, isn't it? I tell you, that mare really knows her way around a sewing machine, I mean, mmph-" As you turn around mid-sentence, Rarity hops on you, and kisses you. You feel her tongue slide into your mouth, and you can't help but kiss her back just as deep. After a few seconds, your heads part. "Wow." You wipe your mouth. "One would think I did something to deserve that." Rarity gives you a look. "Oh, yeah, I'm sorry! Rarity, this is Oliver! He's the honor guard I've told you so much about." Oliver smiles. "Behind every great stallion, is a great mare. I can see this saying holds true." Rarity looks over to you. "Yes, well, someone has to keep Aaden in line." You decide to seize the moment. "So, Rarity, whaddya say? Am I your, uh, what do they call it?" You rub your head. "Oh, yeah! Am I your coltfriend now?" She blushes again, but doesn't look away. "I thought you would never ask, darling." She jumps up, and kisses you again. "That look like a yes to you, Oliver?" The gryphon laughs. "I'd say you're a committed man now, brother." Rarity wraps her forelegs around you. You look up to Vinyl, and give her a thumbs up. Vinyl stops the current song in it's spot, and calls out over the microphone. "This next song is for couples ONLY! Grab a partner, and get down here!" Rarity giggles. "I suppose you had nothing to do with this?" You put on your mock Rarity voice. "I'm appalled that you'd entertain such a notion, darling." You lead her out to the crowd, and she stands up on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around your neck. You put your arms around her waist, as the music starts up. Youtube Video Far away This ship is taking me far away Far away from the memories Of the people who care if I live or die Starlight I will be chasing the starlight Until the end of my life I don't know if it's worth it anymore Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms My life You electrify my life Let's conspire to ignite All the souls that would die just to feel alive But I'll never let you go If you promised not to fade away Never fade away Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms Far away This ship is taking me far away Far away from the memories Of the people who care if I live or die And I'll never let you go If you promise not to fade away Never fade away Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms I just wanted to hold For the entire song, neither of you said a word. You just gently stepped around with the other couples. There was no need to speak. Clear eyes and full hearts took the place of words, once more. You smiled at Rarity, and let go of her waist with your left arm, giving Vinyl another thumbs up. She nods her head with a smile as you slide your left arm back around Rarity. A single spotlight flicks on, and is centered on you two. Rarity gasps, and looks into your eyes, as if you make sure that this was really happening. She then put her head against your chest. You put your chin on the top of your head, and continue to sway slowly, with her close to you. You hear a series of coos coming from the couples and ponies watching. Maybe it was the nightfever, but you felt amazing. You looked around. Oliver was by the cider table, watching and smiling. Vinyl was onstage still, controlling the spotlight. There wasn't a single pony there that hadn't accepted you for who you were, silencing your fears. your attention then diverts to the bigger situation at hand: Rarity. Your new marefriend. Or fillyfriend. You weren't sure what you would call her. You'd ask her later. But here you were, with her, in what couldn't have been a more perfect situation. You weren't dancing so much as you were having a walking embrace to music. When the song finally ended, you gave her another kiss. You walked back to your table, near the cider. Oliver walks back over to you. "You two are made for each other, brother. But I must go now. I will see you in two weeks for sure, but hopefully I will see you two a little sooner than that. Enjoy your night!" Oliver had a knack for appearing out of nowhere, and leaving the same way, but you didn't question it. You bid him a farewell. He opens up the tent, and you hear him fly away. The night continues to pass without much incident. The music was great, even though you didn't remember it ever being on your phone. You eventually found Pinkie Pie, and thanked her for organizing the entire thing. She was with her friends, who also helped. You made sure no one went un-thanked. Vinyl showed no sign of slowing down, but you could see Rarity was getting tired. Neither of you were drunk, so the fact that she was moving slower, and a little more aimlessly, worried you. You hoped she didn't party herself out. You give everyone another thank you, and wish everyone a good night. It felt amazing outside, as usual. But it felt even better due to how hot it got inside the tent. Feeling the cool air blow against you calmed you to an amazing degree. You noticed Rarity shivering, however. Poor mare must be a little cold. The dress she was wearing certainly wasn't providing much warmth. You took off your blazer, and put it over her back. You give her a kiss on the cheek, and you both continue walking. You remove your tie, and let it drape around your neck, and you also unbutton several buttons on your dress shirt. You both finally arrive home to the Carousel Boutique. "Rarity, you go on upstairs. I'll grab you a soda from the cooler, if that's okay." she nods her head with a yawn. "That'd be delightful, darling." She clops up the staircase as you dig through the cooler, finding the bottle you hid. It was a bottle you had in your backpack. You wanted to share it with her. You walk up the staircase to her bedroom. You walk in with two glasses filled with ice and the bottle of soda in hand. You set down the two glasses, fill them up, and screw the cap back on the bottle. You take one glass in each hand, and bring one to Rarity, who was standing out on the balcony. She was watching the night sky, just as you were. "Something on your mind, Rarity?" She sips at her soda. "I'm just in amazement, darling. I never have to sleep alone again. It was only so long ago that loneliness really bothered me, and now, every night, you're right there." You slide your arm around her. "Rarity, I may have only known you for a week and a few days, but I have spent every single second of those week and a few days right beside you. I KNOW that i like you. In fact, Rarity, I have something I want to tell you." She looks up to you, taking a sip of her soda. "This is kind of hard for me to say. I don't know how you'll react." You sit down your glass on the balcony. She does the same. You take her forelegs in your hands. "Rarity..." You start. There's the adrenaline again. "I love you." you manage to say. She throws her forelegs around you, and gives you a squeeze. She again starts to tear up. "Darling. I love you too. I've been waiting to hear you say that. It feels so good to know that you feel the same way. No pony has ever treated me like you do. It's as if Celestia herself crafted you as the physical embodiment of everything I've ever desired." She sniffles in your shirt. You pick her up by her flanks, letting her hind legs wrap around your waist, and her forelegs go around your neck. You wipe her tears away. "Rarity, I don't know how I got here. I'm still deeply interested to find how I did, find out who I was. But now that I'm here, I am NOT leaving. I love you too much to do so." She looks into your eyes. "And you really, truly, mean that?" "With all that i am, Rarity." You two share another passionate kiss, another moan escaping through her mouth, vibrating your tongue. It rivals the one you had at the party. You set her down. "Well, I should probably take a shower. I don't think you want a sweaty human sleeping next to you." She laughs. "While I agree, please don't take too long." You smile as you remove your dress shirt. "I wouldn't dream of it." Chapter Eight: Honor and GloryYou adjust the scope on your rifle carefully. You don't know why there were so many of them, but this was obviously premeditated. Apparently, there were only 5, but two vans filled with 10 more total showed up soon after the hostages fled. They luckily fled in panic, right out of the front door, after one of them had been executed. Now it was just the police and 15 organized criminals. Why would they just let hostages run out? Perhaps they didn't WANT hostages. You didn't question it. Your job was shoot where you were told to. Your radio buzzes on your waist. "Antonio, look by the clerk desk, the third one to the left." You move your scope over. There is the outline of a head with a ski mask over it. It's one of them, trying to hide. Very poorly, at that. "SWAT teams are going to storm the building in a moment. When I say go, pull the trigger." You slide the radio off of your waist, and put it by your head. You steady yourself, taking time to line up your crosshairs over the bit of the head that wasn't hidden. This monster has just made the mistake that will end his life. You see the SWAT teams stacking up on the far left doors and right doors, shields and all. Your radio buzzes again. "When you're ready, smoke the son of a bitch. The SWAT teams will wait for the sound of your rifle to move in." You take a series of deep breaths. You realign the crosshairs on the ski mask. It just moved a little. He must be shifting legs or something. Don't worry. You won't be uncomfortable much longer. You place your finger on the trigger, hold your breath, and gently apply pressure to the trigger. The head behind the clerk desk jerked back, and fell to the ground. You could see a large blood splatter on the wall behind him. Tear gas went flying through the windows of the bank, and the SWAT teams began storming the bank. You hear gunfire and screaming for a couple of moments. Eventually, all of the SWAT team exits. the job had been done, and done perfectly. Two officers were carrying a body. It wore a suit, and was covered in blood. You were unable to make out the face under all of the blood. Must be the executed hostage. Poor bastard. _________________________________________________________________________________ You leap from the bed, breathing heavily and sweating. That dream was far too vivid for your liking. You woke up Rarity in your fit of jumping. She sat up in the bed, the comforter still covering her lower half. She rubbed one eye with a hoof, and looked at you with her one open eye. "Darling? Is everything okay?" She asks mid yawn. You rub your hand across your forehead. It's unusually warm. you wanted to explain the dream to Rarity, but you knew she wouldn't understand what a rifle was, so, to avoid explaining the intricacies of guns, banking on Earth, and police forces, you decide to withhold the dream from her. "Yeah, I'm all good. My stomach growled, it spooked me." You are REALLY bad at lying. Rarity cocks her head, but smiles. She pats on the bed next to her. "Come back to bed. It's still very early. We can sleep for at least 4 more hours." You decide that would be best. In fact, you laugh the dream off. You're probably just remembering some action movie from back home, and now that you think about it, your reaction was kind of silly. You lie back down beside Rarity, and she assumes her position of being half on top of you. You fall back asleep rather quickly, and this time, no dreams haunt you. You awake about 5 hours later. Rarity is still on top of you, fast asleep. You wouldn't dare wake her. She looks way too comfy. Besides, 2 weeks passed by very quickly, and another summons had shown up in the mail from Celestia. You were going to see her tonight, but this time, Rarity and Oliver would be travelling with you. Rarity needed as much sleep as she could get. Oliver has been mentioning this "offer" for quite some time, and he seemed quite eager last night about you finally being able to receive it today. So eager, in fact, that he came and found you at work, to ensure that you knew you were supposed to be going to see Celestia today. Speaking of work, you really enjoyed your new job. It really was quite simple. It was a warehouse for shipping and sorting packages too big to fit into a mailbag. Small boxes and the like. A Pegasus would fly in, deposit many small boxes, several medium boxes, a couple big boxes, or one enormous box, and it was your job to pick up these packages, and walk them over to their designated area. It really was as easy as lifting the box, checking the stamp on the package to see where it goes, and sitting it down, where another crew would load up a carriage-like box attached to another pegasus, who would then deliver the packages. Everyone there seems to enjoy your company, and you would be lying if you said the feeling wasn't mutual. Rarity stirs a little on top of you. That was something else on your mind. You two had yet to become intimate, which didn't bother you as much as it did relieve you. All of this was going fast enough as it was, and while there was a passionate kiss here, or a heated make-out session there, you knew that neither of you were ready for that. Out of all of the things that have been rushed, that's the one you refuse to rush. Rarity lifts her head up slightly, yawning. "Good morning, darling. Been awake very long?" "Not too long. I woke up earlier to make sure no monsters get you. I've got to protect you, mi'lady." Rarity laughs under a yawn. "You do a fine job. What time is it?" You look over at the clock. "Almost 12 in the afternoon. Our train comes at 5, and we'll get to Canterlot around 8." "Does the train serve a decent meal?" "I wouldn't know. Hey, you wanna go get a late breakfast? Maybe just skip breakfast all together, get some lunch?" Rarity lifts herself directly on top of you, nuzzling her head on your neck. "Just a second, darling. I can't do this in public, and I doubt Oliver would understand." She continues to embrace you. You kiss her forehead, and she looks up at you. "What were you thinking of for this breakfast or lunch, darling?" Your mind goes back to the white chocolate doughnut you had at the Sugarcube Corner. "The Sugarcube Corner sound good?" She puts her head back down, and begins nuzzling again. "As long as I'm with you darling, I could eat anything." You look over at your new wallet on the nightstand. It's fat with bits from your first paycheck. "And I'm paying for it. I want you to get whatever you want. I know I will." Rarity lifts herself up off of you, and hops off of the bed. She stretches, and cranes her head towards you. "I'm going to shower and get ready, darling." So it's going to several hours before we eat. She walks into the bathroom, and closes the door. You decide to stay in bed for awhile longer. You accidently doze off, but when you awake an hour and a half later, she's sitting in front of her mirror, fidgeting with her mane and putting on makeup. You sit up in the bed. "Glad to see your awake, darling. I'm sorry to have taken so long, but I simply MUST look good, especially if we're going to the Princess." You hop up, and put your arms around her. You kiss her once on the back of the head, and leave her to complete her daily ritual of looking in the mirror for an hour. You go into her bathroom, and undress yourself. You liked her shower a lot. You can't remember too many showers back home, but this one never seemed to run out of hot water, and it's pressure was perfect. You finally had your own shampoo and body wash, which you really liked. After you washed up, you climb out of the tub, and tie your towel around your waist, and walk over to the mirror in the bathroom. You shave as close as you can, and then move on to brushing your teeth. As you are, Rarity walks in. She looks amazing, as always. "Darling, Oliver is here. he's downstairs." You turn around, toothbrush still in your mouth. "Thanksh Rarity." She walks over, give you a kiss on the bandage on your stomach and the one on your shoulder, and she walks back out. Changing bandages was very unpleasant for you. It hurt to expose the wounds to the open air. they WERE getting better, but it still hurt to remove them and clean the wounds they hid. You spit and rinse, and put on some deodorant which Equestria oddly had stocked in it's various stores. You put on some of the underwear, and walk out into the bedroom.. Rarity was still prettying herself up. You could see she laid out some clothes for you. Khaki slacks with a white dress shirt that had extremely thin blue stripes running vertically down it. Doesn't look half bad, actually. "Thanks Rarity, these look great." She seems to be too focused on applying makeup to pay any attention to your compliment. You put on your new clothes, and head downstairs. Oliver is back in his golden armor, sitting on the couch. He's rooting through your backpack. "The blue ones are really good. The ones with red lettering." He looks up at you, surprised. "Rarity likes them." You laugh. He sets the backpack down. "I apologize, brother. It was left sitting open, and it was so colorful." You wave your hand with a dismissive gesture. "Don't sweat it. And I was serious about the blue bars. Take one, you'll love it." Oliver digs around in the bag until he finds one, takes it out, and puts it in his pouch attached to his waist. "Rarity and I were actually about to head out to the Sugarcube Corner. I'm sure she wont mind if you join us. We'll go eat, then go to the train station." Oliver smiles. "Sounds good. Anything you'd recommend?" "Well, there's this doughnut she makes, it has white chocolate fro-" You turn around as you hear the clop of a hoof on the staircase. Rarity is coming down. Now that she looks like a living saint, she seems as if she's ready to head out. She's wearing a white dress, with a single blue stripe running down her right shoulder, all the way to the end of the dress. "How do I look, boys?" She asks. She knows very well how she looks, and she knows you have trouble finding words to describe it. Damn it. She's good at this. "I...uh...wow..." She smiles. "So, good?" You nod your head. "We need a poet to accurately describe you." You manage to choke out. She giggles, and plants a kiss on your cheek. "Thank you darling. But I'm quite hungry now. Oliver, will you be joining us?" Oliver shakes his head. "Yes Ms. Rarity." The three of you leave the Carousel Boutique, and begin your walk through town to the Sugarcube Corner. You loved walking to the Sugarcube Corner, because you played a game inside your head on the way there: How far away from the Sugarcube Corner can you smell the baking that was going on inside of it? Last time, you were at least 4 blocks away, and you could smell fudge. On this particular walk, you caught it's scent about 2 blocks away, and rather than fudge wafting through the air, you could smell cinnamon and sugar. And lots of it. Rarity caught scent of it, and laughed. "My goodness. One would think there was a bakery of some sort around here." All three of you walk inside the Sugarcube Corner, and have a seat a booth. Rarity sits next to you, and Oliver sits across from you. Rarity does the thing where she places her hoof on your thigh. Pinkie Pie bounces over to the table. "Hi everyone! What can I get you?" You place your orders, and Pinkie Pie bounces back behind the counter, grabbing everything needed. She comes back, and you slide her the Bits to pay for all of it, plus a 10 Bit tip. She thanks you, and bounces once again behind the counter. Your late breakfast passes relatively quickly. Before you know it, it's a little after 4 PM. You all bid Pinkie Pie a good day, and go to the train station. You all board with ease, and in a matter of seconds. You take a seat next to Rarity, and she rests her head on your shoulder. Oliver sits across from you two. The train ride is rather quiet, all of you watching the land pass by. You could tell Oliver was deep in thought about something. You couldn't exactly tell what, but you knew it has something to do with this upcoming "offer" they were going to be making you. In fact, every time you've talked to him, he finds some way to bring up this offer, and mention how important it is to him, and how he hopes that you'll consider it. It bothers you slightly. You can't exactly think of anything that you could say or accept that would mean so much to him, but you suppose you'll find out here soon. You start to doze off, but Rarity taps you with her hoof. "Darling, we're about 3 minutes away. I'd hate to wake you up when you've only had 30 seconds of sleep." You shake your head quickly to wake yourself up. The train screeches and squeals as the brakes switch on. You're here. The moment you step off the train, 4 Royal Guards approach you. "Aaden Locke?" They ask. Shit. Did you do something wrong? "Yeah, that's me." One of the Royal Guards looks over at Oliver. "Oliver Ironwing?" Oliver steps forward. "That'd be me, brothers. I suppose you will be leading us to the Princess?" "Yes sir. You know the procedure for these things." Your party of three follows the Royal Guard escort that was sent for you. Canterlot looked different at night. It seemed to bustle a little more. You watched ponies, all dressed up, laugh and walk about the town. You didn't seem to get so many eyes this time. At least Rarity was here with you. _________________________________________________________________________________ You have the highest respect for the Royal Guard. After all, they ARE in charge of your protection. But you wish that you knew what was going on. As you approached the castle, you noticed 4 more Royal Guards waiting. One of them approached you. "Ms. Rarity?" She asked. "Yes?" "Come with us." As you enter the Castle, your 4 Royal Guards split from the 4 with Aaden and Oliver. You are led up a winding staircase, and up to a balcony inside of the Throne Room, overlooking the Throne itself. Celestia was standing in front of the throne. Aaden and Oliver were now without their escort. You watched as they walked down the red carpet, leading towards Celestia. Oliver walked directly in front of Aaden. They stopped at the end of the red carpet. Oliver kneels before Celestia, before standing up, and getting by her side. Celestia begins to talk. "Aaden Locke. I will skip the pleasantries. Only briefly have you appeared from an unknown world, but in that time, you have proven yourself to be very unique. From fending off a manticore, to using your charm to sway an entire town to respect and enjoy your presence, to even pursuing a romantic interest with another pony." You feel yourself blush as Celestia looks up to you. "Oliver is the honor guard of both Cloudsdale, Canterlot AND Ponyville, and is a representative of his people. We normally only assign one honor guard per major inhabited area, but the representatives for Ponyville and Canterlot passed away. Oliver volunteered to take his position, but now, it is keeping him away from his home. His family. He and I have discussed it in detail, and we have an offer to make you." Celestia looks at Aaden, right in his eyes. "Oliver would like to submit the position of Honor Guard of Ponyville to you. You would be a representative of your species. You would be required to travel on rare occasions, and would have to go through Guardsman training, but the title and position will offer you great pay, and you will have the chance to spread the ideas and will of your species." Celestia smiles. "Aaden, you are more than qualified for this position. Should you accept, you will have to report for two weeks of training, travel to another city once every 6 months, and meet with all of the other Honor Guards of Equestria once a year. Of course, you will also be called upon in the event of disaster or war, and will be expected to serve as a Royal Guard in Ponyville." Aaden looks up at you. You smile. You couldn't be more proud of him. "Will I be able to be with Rarity? Will she be able to travel with me?" Celestia smiles. "Absolutely. So, Aaden Locke of Earth." Celestia starts. Oliver kneels down in front of Aaden, and holds a sword in his claws. "Do you accept the responsibility of becoming an Honor Guard of Ponyville, swearing, that by diplomacy or force, the honor and glory of your species and Equestria will be upheld in the city assigned to you?" Aaden looks back up to you. You can tell he's deep in thought. While he's still looking at you, you mouth some words to him. I love you! Chapter Nine: KnightfeverIf ever there was a time that you had been put on the spot, it was right now. You've never seen Oliver look at you like that before. Ever. He looked as though he was pleading with you. So THAT'S why he explained his family situation to you... You look at Celestia. The only reason she has to be concerned, at least in your mind, is because this obviously effects Oliver. He's either going to be let down, or, he's going to get to go back and see his family. Lastly, you look up at Rarity. This decision is going to affect her life, as well. It's funny. Right now, you aren't thinking about whether or not you want to do this. You're essentially deciding what would make Rarity the happiest in the long run. "And Rarity will be able to travel with me? For sure? No restrictions?" Celestia nods her head. Well. I guess you can't stall forever. "Alright, here's the thing. I really don't like fighting. But I really like Rarity. And this sounds like a title that will let us see Equestria together. Plus, the pay couldn't hurt. So..." You look Oliver in the eyes. "I accept your offer." With both hands, you remove the sword from Oliver's claws. Gripping it in your hand, you turn it over, examining its every detail. Oliver stands up. "Brother. You have no idea how much this means to me." He gives you a quick hug, then turns to Celestia. "Excellent. Then by the power invested in me, i hereby declare you, Aaden Locke, The Honor Guard of Ponyville." You decide to do what Oliver did. You took the sword, and put the blade in facing the ground. You rested both of your hands on the hilt, and knelt before Celestia. You then feel her horn tap you both shoulders. "Rise, Guardsman." You do so. You place the sword down by her side. "In another 2 weeks, you are to report back here, for the final ceremony. Immediately after the ceremony, you will then begin your training. Rarity is welcome to stay here in Canterlot while you train. In fact, she is welcome to watch, if she pleases." You looked back to Oliver. You could see he was tearing up. "Oliver? Are you okay?" He nods his head slowly, looking at the ground, tears coming from his eyes, down to his beak, shimmering under the light. "Brother. I have a family. The fact that you are freeing me from my responsibilities means the world to me. I can FINALLY spend my life with them, as I had intended to all along." He smiles, wiping away his tears. "I didn't really notice how much I missed them until I saw Rarity by your side in the hospital. Then you two at the party, it really hit me hard. I miss my family. A lot." You pat him on his back, and face Celestia. That's when you hear a very rapid clopping, coming from behind you. It's getting closer, very fast. "DARLING!" You hear echo off of the throne room walls. Before you can turn around, you are tackled to the floor. You turn around, and there's Rarity. Before you can open your mouth, you are met with another kiss. You close your eyes, and give in to it all. She hops off, and gives you a sly smile. "I guess you are my Knight now, darling." "Wouldn't have it any other way." Celestia is obviously very happy with all of the emotion in the room. "Oliver, you are relinquished from your duties in Ponyville. As such, you may return to Cloudsdale and stay with your family until a new assignment comes." Oliver laughs. "I will not forget your kindness, brother. I will see you again soon." You see it fit to repeat what you always say to him when he leaves your presence. "Safe travels. Brother." Oliver nods, and runs from the throne room. Celestia climbs back up into her throne, and sits. "Honor Guardsman Locke, you are also dismissed. I will see you in two weeks. Rarity?" Rarity perks up, not expecting Celestia to acknowledge her. "Yes, Princess?" "Take care of my new Guardsman." Rarity giggles. "It'll be my pleasure, Celestia." You bow before the Princess one more time, before you leave the throne room. The train was empty again, except for Rarity. You leaned against the window, letting the night wind blow through your hair. You could feel another case of nightfever coming on. Rarity leaned against you, watching the countryside pass as the train chugged its way back home. You sit down in the chair, and decide to take advantage of the feeling of perfection, quickly falling asleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ You cannot believe they just killed your target. If any of you make it out of this alive now, you sure as Hell aren't getting paid. Seeing as everything was going down south very quickly, you load 2 more shells into your shotgun, and give it a pump. You hear Thomas and Anthony yelling in desperation. "YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST FUCKING WAITED UNTIL HE GAVE YOU THE COMBINATION TO KILL HIM, JACKASS!" Anthony throws his arms up in the air. "AND WHAT THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO, HUH? IF I SPARED HIM, PEOPLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON TO US!" He lowers his voice. "Look, relax. They were going to give 500,000 dollars for him, right? I GUARANTEE this bank holds 4 times more than that." You took a look around. 12 of you were down in the bowels of this bank, in the vault, waiting for Decker to cut it open, while the other 3 hid in the lobby, waiting for the police to inevitably show up. Anthony and Thomas continued to fumble around with the briefcase, but carefully. If they damaged the paperwork, your client wouldn't pay a dime. You start to question Anthony's intelligence. Why didn't you just nab him of the street? It's almost as if he premeditated this entire thing operation. Just as you start to question his motives, the radio Decker has goes off. "THEY'RE COMING! THEY JUST KILLED ALEX!" You run over to the nearby wall, and take a deep breath. Two walls of SWAT officers with shields were approaching. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden started to stir in his sleep, and you weren't about to have him leap up, especially not with so many open windows. You try to think of a way to wake him up without shaking him or disturbing him in any way. You just got a clever idea. Slowly, carefully, you slide Aaden's phone from his pocket, and open the music window. You find the picture of the song that Aaden showed you a few nights ago, the one he said he really liked, and tap it with your hoof. You then make sure the volume is as turned up as it can go. Youtube Video In the sharp gust of love My memory stirred When time wreathed a rose A garland of shame Its thorn my only delight War torn, afraid to speak We dare to breathe Majestic Imperial A bridge of sighs Solitude sails In a wave of forgiveness On angels' wings Reach out your hands Don't turn your back Don't walk away How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart Close to you 'Til the last beat Of my heart At the close of day The sunset cloaks These words in shadowplay Here and now, long and loud My heart cries out And the naked bone of an echo says Don't walk away Reach out your hands I'm just a step away How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart Close to you 'Til the last beat Of my heart How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart 'Til the last beat 'Til the last fleeting beat Of my heart You would be a liar if you said you didn't like the song. In fact, you quite like it. It's upbeat and adventurous tune matches the train ride very well, to the point of getting goosebumps. Aaden stirs slightly, and lifts his head up off of the chair he was resting it in. You didn't say anything, you let the song play all the way through. You wish you could express to him how proud you were of him. You hate being so blunt, but he shouldn't even be alive. He overcame that odd. Then he accepted his new world, his new life, very, very quickly. You were sure he was still adjusting, but he didn't panic. He overcame that odd. Then he managed to charm Ponyville, and apparently even the Princess. He overcame those odds. And then he swept you off of your feet, regardless of species. He overcame those odds. You were sure that if any other human other than Aaden appeared here, they wouldn't be able to do it. You loved Aaden. And not what fillies and colts claim to have, but real, true love. You began thinking about his training in the coming weeks. You've always seen Aaden as a very polite, very calm gentleman (except for his run in with the manticore). Truth be told, you were excited to watch his training. Although it wasn't very lady like to admit, you looked forward to seeing him get down and dirty, be physical. You could feel yourself blushing. "Hey there. Was I out long?" You shake your head. "No darling. You just started to stir again. I woke you up before it got too awful." You sat directly across from him. You liked the way he was looking at you. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rarity was leaving you breathless right now. The music playing was perfect. The train car was completely dark, except for her outline, and her eyes. Those eyes. My God, those eyes. You felt like the answers to the universe were hidden in them, and you could easily spend the rest of your life searching in them. Rarity's purple mane blew softly in the night wind, making her look all the more majestic. Damn Aaden. You're in love. You hoped Rarity was okay with you becoming an Honor Guard. She was a very proper lady in her manners, and although she showed an incredible amount of support for you, you still couldn't decipher her thoughts on it. While you were on the topic, you began to think about Ponyville itself. Although everyone liked you there, would they be comfortable with you representing them? At the same time, would humanity be okay with you representing them? You smile. I bet Pinkie Pie will be excited to hear this. You look back over at Rarity. Her ivory coat shimmers in the night light, her purple mane seemingly flows as smooth as silk, her eyes still glow the azure you had long fallen in love with. You feel the nightfever coming back on. You get up out of your chair, walk towards her, and pick her up with a hug. You spin her around (which was difficult on a moving train), making her giggle. "Darling, I don't believe Knights are supposed to do such things to their ladies." You smile. "No?" Now's your chance. "What about this?" You press your face against hers, and gently place your tongue inside of her mouth. She gasps from surprise, but submits quickly. Your tongues meet, and embrace for a moment, before you part. You look into her eyes again. You set her back down, but she takes a seat next to you this time, resting her head on your shoulder again, both of you looking out of the window. Something clicks in your brain. "I used to watch stars back home, you know? I would go to the roof my apartment building with my telescope, and I would sit there for hours, sometimes. I've always found peace in looking at the sky. I mean, my Fridays were more often than not spent on the roof of my apartment building. I would order a pizza, have a soda, some candy or something, and just kind of...watch." Rarity lifts her head up, and smiles at you, listening to you speak. "I would take my dog up there sometimes, for a little company." Well shit, I guess I DO have a dog! "He would lay down by my feet while I would gaze. It really was nice. I remember one time, during a meteor shower, just watching in awe. The stars make me feel very small, make me realize just how insignificant I am. but at the same time, it also makes me feel infinitely important, because while I may be small to the universe..." you put your arm around Rarity. "I may mean the world to someone else." She kisses your cheek. "Hey, honey?" You ask. You just called her honey. Screw it, she'll probably like it. "Yes darling?" she responds. "I saw what you mouthed at me in the throne room. I love you too." She goes back to leaning her head on your shoulder. You still couldn't believe what was happening here, but it was happening. In this chaotic, cruel, unforgiving universe we all live in, where it's inhabitants are designed to only care for themselves, you have a met a girl who cares for your well being over her own. You are defying the universe. Together. Rarity starts to smile, almost uncontrollably. Your nightfever seems to be contagious. Chapter Ten: A Rainy Day"Good God! It is DUMPING out there!" You exclaim. You walk over to the counter, and set down your keys. Rarity is inside of her sewing room, wearing her work glasses, carefully stitching together a special order. "Really darling? Dumping?" She calls. "I'll think of something better next time, promise." You pick your phone up from the couch. You liked how the battery wasn't draining at all. It spooked you, but it was nice not having to charge it. You click in the central button, making the screen illuminate itself. It's only 1 PM. "Hey, honey? Not to sound rude, but I'm kinda bored." Rarity doesn't look up from her sewing machine. "Well darling, Pinkie Pie has been dying for you to teach her some of the baking you spoke of, the kind from your home? It IS raining outside, so I don't foresee it being very busy at the Sugarcube Corner. Just make sure you come back by 6, my parents are bringing Sweetie Belle over, and I'm baking a pizza for dinner. You smile. Although the pizza didn't have any meat on it, it certainly wasn't any less greasy than what you were accustomed to. "You aren't gonna come with me?" "Sorry darling, but I must finish this order. I also have to get the pizza prepared here soon." You walk inside, and gently kiss her forehead, not interrupting her work or concentration. "Alright. But I'm bringing back dessert." You take advantage of the fact that she's busy, find a sticky note, quickly scribble a crude heart on it, and stick it to the wall by the oven. You pick up your backpack filled with candy by the door, thinking that Pinkie Pie would like to try some. You decide to take an umbrella this time, to avoid getting completely soaked. It's kind of funny, how beautiful the town was, even when it was raining. Something about Equestria made you feel amazing. You had thought a lot about it, and this was your theory: Your childhood died on Earth when your imagination dwindled. Once you had became more knowledgeable, and started to see for yourself what exactly was possible, and what was impossible in the world, your childhood, your imagination, they took a fatal blow. You used to be able to just wander the streets of Manhattan, with no purpose, no aim, but because of your imagination, you would have the time of your life. Who knew what kind of mysteries the streets held? Maybe that building was haunted, or maybe super heroes met in that building. Now, you hated being on the streets. You just wanted to get to where you were going. But here, in Equestria, things are so completely different. You have yet to see anything that is impossible in this world. A sense of mystery and whimsy wash over you just thinking about it. Here, your imagination flourishes. You enjoy life in a way that you haven't enjoyed in a very long time. While you are in philosopher mode, you almost walk past the Sugarcube Corner. You walk in, and place your umbrella in the tall bucket they had sitting out for wet umbrellas. Pinkie Pie sees you, and leaps back up onto the counter. I got you this time. She leaps off, but rather than tackle you to the ground, you catch her. "AADEN!" She squeals. You sit her down, and she bounces up and down with excitement. "Rarity is busy today, so I thought I'd show you what I know about baking!" Pinkie Pie squeals again, and leads you into the back. She starts to gather various bowls and tools while you set down your backpack. You fish out one of each candy bar you had in your backpack, and set them along the table. "Hey, Pinkie, come here a moment." She happily hops over to you. "Yeah Aaden? Ooooh, what are those?" "These are various candies from where I come from. I like them quite a bit, and so does Rarity and Sweetie Belle. I was thinking, maybe I could share them with you, and we could try to replicate them!" Her pupils dilate, her voice becomes eerily quiet. "That...is...candy. From your world. And you wanna share it. With me?" "Well, yeah! It would be great if we cou-" You are cut off by the most ear piercing screech you have ever heard anything emit. It sounded like a jet taking off right next to you. Pinkie takes a deep breath, preparing for what you think is going to be another screech, but to your surprise, she just mutters quickly and quietly. "letsdothis" She pulls up a chair, sits in it, and pulls out a stack of paper and a pencil. She starts with the bar labeled "Three Musketeers". She unwraps it between her hooves, and takes a bite out of it. "hmm..." She hums while chewing. She quickly scribbles down something while chewing. "Kit-Kat", "Hershey's", "Reese's", "Crunch", she plows through all of the candy bars, scribbling down something after a bite of each candy bar. She taps her pencil on her lips. "Aaden, do you have another of the yellow ones?" "The Butterfingers? Yeah, I do. Why, do you need more notes?" She smiles. "No, I just really like that one." You laugh, and hand her another bar. She unwraps it, and begins eating it, and talking with her mouth full. "Sho, what I'm sheeing here, ish that mosht of these contain a whole bunch of sugar, and lotsha chocolate. I can EASHILY make thesh!" She crunches off another piece of the bar. "Now, show me what you know about baking!" _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden only had a few days left before he was to report back to Canterlot for his knighting ceremony. It warmed your heart to think that the stallion, or man, rather, that you had fallen in love with, was turning out to be so successful here in Equestria. Something about watching him succeed, watching him be happy here in this new world with you, it made you happy. Very happy. You imagined Aaden in the same golden armor Oliver wore. You imagined him marching with the other Honor Guards, leading the Royal Guards in parades. Every girl has her fantasies about a knight in shining armor, but yours was actually coming true! You really hated to admit it, but the way Aaden handled that manticore was very professional. He may not have had the training to avoid getting injured, but his quick thinking and ingenuity while under pressure saved his life. He may not like fighting, but he was good at it. You go back to thinking about him in the golden armor. You imagine him removing his helmet, his hair all rustled, his muscles shimmering with sweat and his eyes radiating, his armor with a patch of dirt here or there, his smile still completely white, even with a little dirt on his face. Stop it Rarity! You collect your thoughts, and finish your dress. You prepare the pizza for dinner, and get it inside the oven. You see the note with the heart on it on the wall. You peel it off. He wasn't exactly the classic romantic. Your mind goes back to him. While you wait for the pizza to cook, you go over to the couch, where he left his phone. You enter in the code you've seen him put in so many times, and click on the little square that had a camera on it. You flip through the pictures. One was of him with an enormous shiny black dog. Another was of him and the other human he identified as his roommate, throwing some kind of a ball back and forth. The one that you saw that particularly touched you, was one of him with a bunch of male humans, including his roommate, inside of some kind of stadium, with thousands of other humans, watching what looked to be some kind of game. They were all shouting, but smiling at the same time. You always knew that Aaden had a life before here, but you never really thought about what it may have been. I mean, you knew he was an architect, and that he liked stars, but that was it. You tried to imagine what it would be like in his position, being put in a world that isn't your own, without remembering any of your friends, or even your hobbies. The loneliness, the confusion, it would be too much for you, personally. You don't quite understand how Aaden does it. Everything about him seems so calm. Even in mid-conversation, or when he was at Pinkie's party, jumping and shouting, he has a calming effect about him. You decide not to question it. All you know is that you love him, and he loves you. That's all you care to know. _________________________________________________________________________________ It broke your heart to think about what happened to Aaden. It had been about one month since he was murdered at the bank, and his dog still waits for him by the door. Every time he hears footsteps in the hall, his eyes light up, and he immediately begins wagging his tail. But as soon as he hears them pass, his tail lowers itself, his eyes half close, and he lays by the door with a whimper. It really hurt to watch him do that. You walked into Aaden's room. Completely untouched, even after the month had passed. His Mom had come by recently, left a bouquet on his bed, and a photo on the nightstand. The photo also hurt to look at. It was you, him, and his family, when you all went on vacation together when you were younger. Aaden was your essentially your brother. You didn't want to lose him. But then again, you didn't want to lose anyone. You sat down on the couch, and watched the rain hit the window. It won't be the same without him. Chapter Eleven: Lullaby of an AmnesiacYou were pretty sure Pinkie Pie has had brownies before. In fact, you're damn sure she has. But, she hasn't had them like THIS. And neither have you. In fact, you have no idea if this is going to work, but you decide to do it anyway. You mix brownie batter furiously with a whisk the size of your arm, while Pinkie Pie chops up several Butterfinger and Three Musketeer bars. The whisk smacks the sides of the bowl, making an annoying dinging sound, and your right arm is starting to get tired. "Pinkie, my arm is getting tired." You slow down a little, as does the dinging of the whisk on the bowl. "Nono! Don't be silly, keep stirring!" "But-" "KEEP STIRRING!" With the fear of God now pumping through your veins, you now go back to stirring full speed. Finally, she walks over with the cut up candy bars, and slides them off of the cutting board and into the bowl of brownie mix. You keep stirring, the chunks of candy bar getting evenly distributed. Pinkie Pie walks over with a tray in her mouth, and sets it on the table next to you. "Alright, now pour it out, niiiiiiiiice and sloooooow." You tilt over the bowl, and whisk the contents out onto the baking tray. It all finally settles, so you walk the bowl over to the sink and place the whisk in it, as well. Pinkie Pie slides the tray into the oven. You look up at the clock. It's 4 PM. "Hey, Pinkie Pie, I've gotta get home and shower, get ready for Rarity's parents to come over with Sweetie Belle. It's my first time meeting them, so, I'd like to be properly prepared. I'm gonna run." Pinkie Pie nods her head. "That's fine Aaden! I'll run the brownies by when they're done!" You give her a hug, and back out into the rain you go. Truth be told, you were kind of nervous about meeting Rarity's parents. they were simple folk, not as attentive to detail as Rarity was, but you still wanted to assure them that their daughter was in good hands. You never liked to brag, but you were almost, in a way, hoping that Rarity would bring up your recent accomplishments to them. Their daughter dating an Honor Guard would hopefully make up for the fact that their daughter was also dating a member of another species, one that nobody has ever heard of before. You walk inside, and slide your backpack off at the door. The rain had stopped, but it was still cloudy outside. "Hi Rarity. We've got some tasty dessert on the way." She turns around from the kitchen, and smiles at you. It almost seems seductive. She walks towards you, hops up on her hind legs, and kisses your neck. You feel her tongue stroke up and down. Your blood runs cold from surprise and pleasure, but she hops down after a second. "I can tell, darling. You have chocolate all over you." You examine yourself. You are COVERED in chocolate. Sure enough, the only place there isn't any chocolate, is the spot that Rarity just "cleaned". You immediately get goosebumps, thinking about what just happened. "Well, I, um..." You clear your throat to make up for the fact that your voice just cracked. "I'm gonna go shower." Rarity smiles at you seductively again. "Alright, darling." _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just went upstairs to shower. You hope your little move on him wasn't too much. The pizza is turning out great, so far. Just have to let it bake a little more, and then you're sure it will please everyone. You begin to think about how Aaden will do around your parents. Granted, they will literally only be walking in, saying hello, and then leaving, but you're pretty sure Aaden is scared out of his mind. He's always been one for first impressions. Sure enough, after about an hour, he comes down the stairs. You laugh. He's wearing the pair of dark blue jeans and long sleeve white T-shirt he asked you to make. "What? Do I look dumb?" "No darling, you look fine." "I dunno. I spent a good 30 minutes deciding if i should dress casual, or formal. I guess this is in between." It was funny to see him worry about how he should dress for a change. It was almost a role reversal. Soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Aaden ran over to the door, and opened it. "Sweetie Belle, hi!" Sweetie Belle smiles, and immediately runs into the guest room with her things. Aaden greets your parents next. "Magnum, Louisa, it's nice to finally meet you!" Dad walked forward, a very lazy smile on his face. "Son, you must be the one that handled the manticore!" Aaden rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh...you heard about that, huh? I'm really not a violent person, i really didn't want to hurt it, it, it just wouldn't st-" Dad waved his hoof in the air. "I will hear nothing of it! Son, if you wouldn't have stopped him there, he could've hurt my pumpkin!" He took his hat off, and put it over his chest. "And to see you with her, it warms my heart!" Dad smiles. Mom decides to pick up where he left off. "Rarity told us everything. We'd be proud to call you our own." You blush at the implication. Dad puts his hat back on. "Pumpkin here doesn't get many serious "suitors". In fact, we believe you're her first. And we couldn't be happier. What do you do for a living, son?" Aaden rubs his neck again. "Actually, I was just made an Honor Guard. Honor Guard of Ponyville." He chuckles, and gives Aaden a hearty pat on the back. "Well would you look at that! My pumpkin, courting an Honor Guard." He tilts his head towards Aaden, with a mischievous smile. "Son, if you ever need to ask for pumpkin's hoof in marriage, you've already got my permission." He laughed. Aaden joined in, still rubbing his neck and blushing. Mom and Dad bid their farewells, and left. Sweetie Belle went to go take a shower, apparently she hadn't done so all day. You removed the pizza from the oven, and started cutting it. "So, do you think your Dad liked me?" Aaden asked. You know he did. "Darling, I don't think he would give you permission to marry me if he didn't." He blushes. "Yeah, I guess not, huh?" There was a knock at the door, and Aaden went to go answer it. You continued getting plates and glasses out. You also heard the water turning off upstairs. Sweetie Belle must have been getting out of the shower. You put two pieces of pizza on each plate, pour two glasses of soda, and one glass of water for yourself. Aaden comes back in with a bright pink box with a purple ribbon. "What's that?" you ask. Aaden smiles. "Dessert." As you all take your seats, Sweetie Belle starts up with a torrent of questions. I suppose she felt slightly more comfortable around Aaden now, so she could ask him just about anything, in her mind. Eventually, they got to the subject of Aaden becoming an honor guard. She gasped when she heard it. "An HONOR GUARD?!" she looked back at Aaden and yourself multiple times, in disbelief. "Do you think you could walk me to school a couple of times when you're wearing the armor?" Aaden laughs. "Uh, sure. I don't see why not." Sweetie Belle then did the thing where she kicks her legs as fast as she can in excitement. Dinner passed, but before we left the table, Aaden opened up the pink box. "Pinkie Pie and I made these." He started. "We blended a bunch of candy bars into the brownie mix, and even better news, Pinkie believes she can replicate the candy bars! So we don't have to worry about running out!" The brownies themselves were absolutely amazing. You'll have to chalk baking up to the never ending list of Aaden's skills. Sweetie Belle, full of pizza, soda, and brownies, went to bed. Aaden helped clean the dishes, and put everything up, and you both went off to bed, together. He took his shirt off, and went into the bathroom to clean his wounds and change his bandages. As he did, you put on your silk pajamas, and sat on the bed, waiting for him. He came out of the bathroom soon after, fresh linen over his shoulder and stomach. He had also changed into his pajama pants while in the bathroom, the ones with the white and purple checkers. He sat on the edge of the bed, next to you, taking your hoof into his hands. "I know we've got a big day ahead of us. I know, while you're proud and supportive, you've got to be terrified in the back of your mind. I want you to know that everything will be okay. This job will not come between you and I. I took this job so that I could rake in some extra Bits, but mainly, to protect you. I don't know if that thing will come back. I don't know what could happen to us. But with this job, not only will I be ready, but I will have an army with me. Nothing can take us apart." You give him a big kiss, knocking him back on the mattress. You both climb under the comforter, and hold each other. You awake several hours later. Aaden is still wide awake, staring into space. "Darling. Are you okay?" He looks down at you, and kisses your forehead. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Yeah honey. I'm fine." You kiss her forehead again. Your mind was going a million miles a minute. You couldn't tell if memories were trying to come back or not, but you certainly couldn't rest. As you went deep into your thoughts, you heard the gentle start of a song. Rarity must have started it from your phone. Youtube Video You're falling in a lower gear A little rest is what you need You're rolled up on the seat Your arms around your knees We met by chance, talked on the phone We kept in touch I took you home Sure, it proves we get along And it will only get better from now on We found a place to which we drive And I offer you the time To sleep - to dream To wake up when we arrive Right moments come out of the blue But when there's one it's up to you Even when the time was up I couldn't stop I was floating all day long You remember this song. This is the first song you've remembered so far. Your eyes start to feel heavy. You can feel tears building. You don't have the strength of either of these from happening. You close your eyes, a few tears escaping. You gently bury your face into Rarity's upper chest, and start to lose your grip on being awake. Soon, you were fast asleep. At the mercy of what memories you have left, and the pony you loved. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden must be remembering something from home. That song you started was one you found on your own while exploring his phone, but you remembered how to find it, and thought it would evoke a reaction from him. You were right. You could feel the tears against your coat, but you only pulled him closer. You had no idea how hard it could be for him, but you would make sure you were there for him in every way possible. He may be an honor guard, in charge of protecting and comforting the citizens of Ponyville, but who would protect and comfort him? You decided to fill that role. You wandered what he would be dreaming about tonight. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your puppy eagerly followed you up the staircase. He wasn't really a puppy anymore, in fact, he was just about the size of a full grown human, but that's just how big Labradors get. He would always be a puppy to you, though. With pizza and soda in one hand, and your telescope in the next, you ascended the staircase to the roof of your apartment. Pepper ran in front of you, sitting in front of the fold-up chair you kept up there. Even though Manhattan was riddled with light pollution, you could still see many stars through the telescope. You removed the telescope from the case, and assembled it, while Pepper chewed on his toy he kept on the roof. You finally assembled the telescope, and decided to begin eating. You took a piece out, flicking a few pieces of pepperoni and cheese to Pepper. You then begin peering through the telescope. The night sky never stopped fascinating you. Pepper, although not gazing through the telescope, would also seemingly look at the sky. Each star twinkled in a different way. You would gazed at the night sky particularly late, your puppy becoming tired. Pepper, although big, insisted on climbing in your lap when he got tired, and would fall asleep. You carefully continued to peer through the telescope, and continued your routine, to avoid waking him. An hour or so later, you accidently bumped Pepper, waking him. He whimpered a little, but woke up, saw you, and went back to sleep, burying his head in your lap. You began to stroke his fur, lovingly looking down at him. "Don't worry boy." You said. "I'm not going anywhere." Chapter Twelve: Love and LoyaltyThis was it. This was your big day. Here you were, standing in the royal armory. Outside, you would begin your walk inside the throne room, up to Celestia, where you would be officially knighted, then off to the barracks for your first day of training. You make it sound easy. To make things more difficult, a good amount of Ponyville had come to witness the ceremony, including Rarity's parents and friends were all here. A good amount of Canterlot also decided to show up. The Honor Guardsman Captain paced around you, strapping on several pieces of shining golden armor to your body. He was an older pony. He had a white coat, gray mane, and cyan eyes. Apparently, the Royal Armorer hand crafted this set just for you. Plate by plate, strap by strap, eventually, you were all suited up. Your armor looked completely identical to the ones the other guardsman wore, except you wore plate legs. That was the only real aesthetic difference between Royal Guards and Honor Guards, were the plate legs. The Captain paced around you, making sure you looked okay. With a quick chuckle and smile, he started to talk to you. "Alrighty, what you're gonna wanna do, is just walk down the aisle. Nice and slow. Don't stop and wave hi to family members, don't break eye contact with the Princess, just keep walking. When you approach the Princess, you will stop, and then Oliver will walk in just as you did, and he'll stop beside you." The Captain taps his hoof on your breastplate. "Then, he will kneel, draw his blade, and hand it to the Princess. Immediately after she takes it, he will leave the throne room. Once he leaves, you are then to kneel, and accept the blade. Celestia will also place your helmet on your head. Once the blade is in your hands, and the helmet is on your head, stand up, smile, look real pretty, because then ponies will begin to cheer. Then, come to the barracks after talking with your folks. My name is Virgil, by the way. Think of me as your boss." A Royal Guard walked into the room and looked at Virgil. "This him?" Virgil nodded. "Lets go, the ceremony is starting." You follow the guard, but he stops just at the open doors to the Throne Room. "There you go. The Princess is waiting." You took a deep breath, and decide to start walking. The Throne Room was filled with ponies of various colors and races. They stood behind those velvet ropes that often stood outside of the movie theaters back home, to help organize the lines. Royal guards stood on the other side of the velvet ropes, standing at a salute. Two higher ranking Royal guards stood on each side of the Princess. You did as Virgil told you, and walked slowly, without breaking eye contact with the Princess. The entire Throne Room was eerily quiet, especially for the amount of ponies present. Light shone through the stained glass windows, illuminating the murals in brilliant colors. With each step, your golden greaves clinked, your breastplate heaved, your pauldrons shifted and rattled, all with every step. You stopped just before Celestia, as you were instructed to, and continued to look at her, not breaking eye contact. Oliver soon walked in, just as you had, and stopped beside you. He took a knee. You noticed out of peripheral vision that he had three blades in three different sheaths. He a sheath that was of a yellow color with a white trip, and handed it to Celestia. He stood back up, and walked back out of the Throne Room. Now, it was your turn. You took a knee, and waited for Celestia to offer the blade to you. The blade shifted from a vertical position in Celestia's magical grip, to a horizontal one. You held your arms out with your palms open, and watched as the blade was lowered into your hand. Still holding the blade, you watched as your new helmet, also of a shining gold, floated over, and was slid on your head. You took another deep breath, and stood up, strapping your new blade to your leg. You unsheathed the blade, and held it up, letting the sunlight reflect off of it, making it shine inside the Throne Room. Then came the cheering, just as Virgil had promised. Sounds of hooves clopping, and a sharp whistle here or there, roared inside of the Throne Room. The guards that stood by the velvet ropes released the ropes, letting the crowd come over to you. You sheathed the blade. You saw Rarity through the crowd, running through them all. She leaped into the air, and you caught her. You gave her a good spin, and put her back down. The crowd is still cheering and whistling. "DARLING! You did great!" Rarity throws her hooves around your waist, hugging you tightly. You of course, decide to pick her up and hug her back. "Alright honey." You said. "I've got to go to the barracks now. You're welcome to come with me and watch me begin training, but that may be boring. Maybe your Mom and Dad will go eat with you or something. She smiles at you, giving you one last big squeeze. "Darling, I wouldn't miss watching you for the world!" You put her down gently, and begin your walk out. the crowd still cheers, as both Rarity and yourself leave the Throne Room, and head towards the barracks. Cantlerlot was still bustling, and as such, you received many more stares than you normally did. The golden armor and honor guard title was probably the cause, but you didn't mind it. You were busy talking with Rarity. "So darling. How do you feel?" You put an arm around her neck as you walk. "Good, good. I was a little spooked by how quiet the ceremony was, but it's good to finally have this all said and done." "And I'm assuming you've met your boss?" "Yeah, he's the one that helped me into this armor. Said his name was Virgil." You shift your right shoulder up and down, examining the pauldron strapped to it. "Did he mention what all he would have you do today?" "Nah, just to come by the barracks after the ceremony." As you two continued your small talk regarding your knew position as an Honor Guard, you were both soon at the barracks. You both walked up the staircase leading into the large stone building. Virgil sat in a chair by the door, reading some newspaper. He notices you walk in, folds up the newspaper, and stands up. "Aaden, good to see that the ceremony went well. And you must be Rarity. First and foremost, Aaden, Honor Guards have their own rooms here in the barracks, complete with a bathroom, living room, and one bedroom. Rarity, you are more than welcome to stay with Aaden in it. Next, your training." He signals you to follow him. You go through the barracks, and out the back of it, revealing several dummies made of hay, and various other things used to sharpen guardsman. "Every morning, at 10 AM, you must be out here, in your armor, ready to train. Training will last til' 2 PM, and it will be like that for 2 weeks. After 2 PM, you're free to do whatever you want until 10 AM the next morning, just make sure you don't get yourself into trouble. Your training will consist of many different things. Today, we'll have you run 5 miles in your armor, and we'll be testing your strength. We may even have you spar with another guardsman, I haven't decided yet." Virgil looks over to Rarity. "Ms. Rarity, we will beginning Aaden's training here very soon. Aaden's room is on the second floor off the barracks, room 202. There is a balcony there. You may be able to see the training better, if you intend to watch it. If not, Canterlot is a big city, with lotsa stuff to do. Either way, we must kindly ask you to leave the training area. Guards will be sparring, and we cannot have any accidents occur. The training today will be short, so he'll be back to you soon." Rarity nods her head, and walks back inside. Virgil points you to a spot on the ground, and requests you stand on it. As other Honor Guards show up, it soon becomes apparent that this is a formation. When they all show up, Virgil takes his place at the front, facing the formation. "Alrighty, listen up Guardsmen. This is Aaden, the new Honor Guard of Ponyville and Humanity. As is tradition, we will all be coming together to train him. Now, prepare yourselves for the 5-mile sprint." You noticed a trail from the back of the building that led way out through a forest, and seemingly worked its way back. All of the Guardsman, including yourself, advanced in formation to the start of the trail. Virgil stood at the very front. "Alright. Move it guardsmen!" The sound of the golden greaves clinking in unison soon filled the air. _________________________________________________________________________________ You assumed your position on the balcony, watching Aaden and the other Guardsman run in formation down the trail they had set up. Coming to the conclusion that they may not be back for awhile, you decide to check out the room they had for Aaden. The balcony you were on was made of marble, and you noticed on the marble railing that some kind of vine was growing on it. You turned around, and walked back into the living room. It had two couches, a table, a cooler off in the corner, and several bookcases stocked with books. You walked into the bedroom. A single large canopy bed, complete with curtains that can completely enclose it, sat against the wall. There was a single nightstand on each side of the bed, and another cooler in the corner of the room. At the foot of the bed sat a single large chest. How romantic... You really enjoyed the bedroom, and looked forward to two nights of sleeping with Aaden here. You then decided to explore the bathroom. It was absolutely divine. The entire bathroom had a theme of shiny granite walls and gray tiling, the shower and bathtub were seemingly built into the wall. It appeared as if you would slide the door, climb in, slide the door closed, and shower. You noticed that there was not one single shower head, but panels on the wall, 5 on the roof, and 3 on either wall, each which ejected water out on you. You also looked forward to your first shower here, too. You went back out to the balcony, to watch and wait for Aaden. So. Here you were. In Canterlot. And Aaden was an Honor Guard. If someone would have told you several months ago, that this is where you would be, you would have laughed at them. But here you were. You look up at the clock. It had been about 45 minutes. You lean on the balcony railing slightly, and squint your eyes. Sure enough, you see the shining horde of gold coming back down the path. The clinking of their armor gets louder and louder, until they are back beside the dummies. All of the guards were obviously tired, including Aaden. Virgil walked over to Aaden, tapped him on his shoulder, and pointed at a series of boulders they had near the dummies. Aaden nodded his head, and removed his helmet. He then unstrapped his shoulders, and removed them. Then, he removed his breastplate. Then his shirt. Wooooow... Aaden was sweaty. Not overly sweaty, but enough to make him glisten in the sun. His bandages were still white, but he had a little blood on both of them, probably from exerting himself. While he walked over to the boulders, he stretched his arms out, locked his fingers, and cracked them. His muscles were showed their tone as he did this, making you blush. You noticed he had some dirt on his face, and in his hair. He may have fallen at some point during his run. You feel yourself blushing. This is kind of sexy... He walks over to the first boulder, it's no bigger than a ball. He easily lifts it with one hand. Virgil then points him over to the next one, which was about twice the size of the ball. He lifts it. Then he is pointed to one that is the size of a pony. Aaden bends at his knees, wraps his arms around the bottom, and lifts it. He holds it above his head to show that he can handle it, before setting it back down. Virgil then points him at the next boulder, one that is about a size and a half bigger than the pony boulder. Aaden takes a deep breath, bends at his knees again, wraps his arms around the bottom, and with a grunt, lifts the boulder up, and lifts it above his head once more. You see Virgil smile, and signal him to put it down. Aaden does so, still shining in the sun, his face now slightly red. Virgil then points at one of the other guards, and then points at Aaden. They both walk behind the dummies, in the grassy field behind them. The guard takes off his helmet and his breastplate, setting them aside. They were going to spar. They began both circling each other, staring each other down. Aaden drew his fists up to his sides, while the other guard paced slowly. The other guard attempted to strike first, leaping towards him with his head. Aaden grabbed his foreleg, and swung it down, bringing the guard to the ground. The guard got back up, and they went back to circling. Aaden then attempted to lunge out, but that just got him bucked, knocking him to the ground, but he quickly recovered. The other guard then attempted to strike again, attempting to buck Aaden, but Aaden caught his hind legs, swung them over, putting the guard on his back. Aaden then took his foot, and placed it on the guards neck, still holding his hind legs. Virgil whistled, signalling the fight to be over. The guard got up and patted Aaden on the back, and walked back towards the other guards. You saw Virgil walk over to Aaden, smiling still. They have a short conversation before Virgil turns around, and yells. "DISMISSED!" The guards then began to dissipate from the training grounds. You watched Virgil and Aaden talk. He REALLY looked good. He was now a little more dirty, dirt on sticking to his chest and neck, in his hair, and on his face. He began to stretch, inadvertently flexing his muscles in the process. Oh my... You sat, with your face in one hoof, eyeing him as a schoolfilly would. You may as well have been drooling. You see Aaden and Virgil walking back inside the barracks, and hear them laughing about something. You try to quickly compose yourself, and decide to go downstairs to meet them. _________________________________________________________________________________ "In all my years, I've never seen a recruit look this promising. Aaden, welcome to the Honor Guard! You're gonna fit in fine here!" Virgil pats you on the back as Rarity walks over. "Rarity, you got a great guy here. See to it that he keeps healthy and happy." Virgil then walks away, presumably up to his room. You give Rarity a kiss on her forehead. You notice how flushed her face is. Must be hot in your room or something. "Hey, honey, I'm gonna grab a shower real quick, change my bandages, and then, I was thinking we could explore Canterlot together? I know you've been here on business before, so you could show me around!" Rarity nods her head. "Of course darling. I'm sure I could show you a REALLY good time." Chapter Thirteen: Ambitions of a MartyrYou removed your greaves in the bedroom, placing them with the rest of your armor, and went into the bathroom. You walked inside, and went over to the mirror. You removed your bandages. Your wounds looked more like what you'd imagine bullet wounds would look like, small holes in your body. It's a a lot better than looking like two baseballs flew through your body. Damn Aaden. You're a mess. You take off your pants and underwear, and fold them, placing them on the counter. You slide the shower door open, and get inside of it. You press the silver button with red lining. Hot water begins to shoot out of walls and the roof. You grab the neon blue shampoo bottle, and lather your hair up. the shampoo itself smells intoxicating. You can't name the scent, but you enjoy it quite a bit. You move your head under the streams of water to rinse your hair. The moment you close your eyes, to avoid getting water and soap in them, you hear the shower door slide open. Your eyes shoot open with a yelp, a mixture of said soap and water getting in them. "Ah, dammit...Who's there?" You said while you rubbed at your eyes. You hear a sultry voice, one filled with dramatics and love. "I DO hope this spot isn't taken, darling." You breathe a sigh of relief. "No, of course not. Damn..." Rarity giggles while you rub soap from your eyes. "I'm sorry darling. Here, I know JUST how to fix that." She jumps up on her hind legs, placing her forelegs above your shoulders, kissing your neck. Her tongue is just slightly cooler than the shower water. Your toes start to curl up against the wet shower tile in pleasure. She starts to work her way down, and she makes it to your chest, when you a hear a loud knocking at the door to the room. "Aaden? Aaden, are you there brother?" Rarity stops her kissing, and hops down, frowning. "I swear, the one time I have you right where I want you..." Rarity hops out of the shower, and calls back to the voice. "He's in the shower, but I'm coming, just a second!" She floats a towel over, and wraps it around herself. You let out a sigh of disappointment, and finish your shower. You get out, dry off, comb your hair, but decide to leave your beard stubble. Rarity might like it. You walk over to one of the suitcases you had brought here by the concierge services, and pull out a clean pair of underwear and a pair of black pants. After getting half-dressed, you walk out into the living room, and see Oliver out on the balcony. You walk out next to him, patting him on his shoulder. "Oliver, it's good to see you!" You looked over your shoulder, and saw Rarity was starting to put on her makeup in front of a mirror she had set up in the living room. "And it's good to see you, brother. As were the requirements, I could not participate in your training today, but I will be joining you for the next two weeks. I heard you showed some serious combat prowess today." "Well, I just did what I thought would end the fight the quickest." "That's the mentality that could save your life one day, brother. You're the talk of the Honor Guards. Very rarely does a new recruit run the 5-miles without stopping, lift all of the boulders, and then beat another Honor Guard Veteran in a spar. It hasn't happened since I did it. So many years ago..." Oliver's gaze drifts off into the rolling hills and forest in the distance behind the training grounds. "I didn't pick you to take over at Ponyville because you were becoming my friend. I didn't pick you because I'm extremely desperate to return to my family." He then looks over to you. "Aaden, I picked you, because although you are of a completely different species, although our lives are very different, I see a lot of myself in you. I picked you, because out of all of the creatures I have ever met, you were the only one I saw fit to take over. I made that decision on the train, on your trip to Canterlot with me. That's how much I believe in you." Oliver then smiled a shy smile. "Now, don't get me wrong. Being with my family in Cloudsdale after training will be what I have long yearned for, I still have a duty to uphold. I just wanted to drop by, and extend my pride and faith in you as an Honor Guard. I know I picked the right man for the job." Oliver extended his wings, and prepared to take off from your balcony. "Safe travels. Brother." He then rocketed away into the sky. He stole my line. You walked back into the living room. "Was everything okay, darling?" Rarity asked, not diverting her attention away from the mirror. "Yeah, that was just Oliver, telling me how proud he was. Apparently I did good today." You saw Rarity's hoof start to shake slightly while she was trying to put makeup on. "Well, yes, darling, I uh, I saw you, um-" Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. "I saw you perform. I must say, it was quite...seductive." She was now blushing as she was trying to put her makeup on. "Well, alright." You laugh. You walk into the bathroom, and take out your nice white dress shirt, and your blazer. You get yourself all dressed up in front of the bathroom mirror. You decide to wear a bow tie tonight. You slide it on, and knot it. You examine yourself in front of your mirror. I look like the next James Bond. Awesome. You walk out of the bathroom slowly, and quickly throw up your coat tails, pretending to hold a gun in your right hand, just as you remember from the old James Bond movies. Surprisingly, Rarity was already done with her makeup, and was wearing a slim fitting white dress. She saw your little James Bond imitation, but had no idea what you were doing. "Darling? Are you okay?" You smile. "Locke. Aaden Locke. Shaken, not stirred." She really seems confused now. "Darling, are you sure you're feeling well?" You laugh. "I'm sorry honey, I look like an action star from back home." Rarity hops up, and leans against you again, standing on her hind legs. "Well, you certainly look...rugged." She rubs her hoof across your stubble. "You like?" "Mm-hmm. And is that a bow tie? My my darling. What's the occasion?" "I'm taking a beautiful lady to dinner." Rarity begins to blush. She gives you a quick kiss, and hops down. "Well darling. Let's not waste another second. Maybe we can continue what we started when we get home." There's that seductive smile again. I sure hope so. Truth be told, you were ready for the intimacy with her. It no longer felt rushed or forced when things got hot and heavy. It felt like you two were completing each other, and truly bonding. You wanted it. You needed it. You now looked forward to spending the evening with Rarity at home, rather than a fancy dinner. Which blew your mind, because you really liked food. Rarity apparently knew of a very nice restaurant near the castle itself. It was called "Nourriture". Classy. As both of you leave the room, you have a memory come back to you, like pieces of a puzzle. All of the chunks and pieces were there. You just had to put them together. You slowly connect the pieces as you carry on small talk with Rarity on your stroll through Canterlot. Nourriture. French word for food. French. You took french in high school. High School. Friends. Your best friend was named Evan. You had known Evan since you could pee standing up. You were inseparable. You shared an apartment with Evan. Evan was your roommate. While you can't recall Evan's Girlfriend's name, you remember Evan. You wonder where Evan was right now. What he was doing. Hopefully, he was doing alright. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were constantly thinking about suicide. Not out of the need for attention, but because you legitimately felt trapped. You knew you weren't actually going to go through with it, but the thought always lingered in your mind. Well. At least I have a backup plan. Ever since Aaden died, things got very hard. You and your girlfriend both had to pick up another job so that you could stay afloat. The only reason you both lived with Aaden to begin with, was because you were down in hard times, and he refused to let you both suffer. You hate to admit it, but Aaden really provided for the both of you. He could have very well lived on his own successfully. In fact, his job as an architect was going to take him places. High places. Places you could have never reached. You sit down on the couch next to Pepper, and he curls up on top of you. You flick on the TV, and flip over to the news. Apparently, New York City was using Aaden's murder as a way to try to make gun control laws more strict. They kept calling him a "martyr". It pissed you off. You turned the TV off, and ran your fingers through Pepper's black coat. How the fuck can you be a martyr for a cause you don't care about? You always knew the media and politics were awful things, seeking only ratings and votes, but this still was very offensive to you. Taking advantage of the cold blooded murder of your best friend. Pepper began to fall asleep, his breathing becoming slightly more heavy. You didn't know if you believed much in an afterlife, a Heaven or Hell, but, if Aaden was still out there, in some way, shape, or form, you were curios what he was doing. If he could see you. Sadly, in your current state, you hoped he couldn't. You never liked him seeing you sad. Seeing you cry. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden slid your chair out for you, and you promptly sat in it. He scooted you back up to the table, and, adjusting his bow tie, sat down across from you. A waiter, an Earth pony with a white coat, black mane, approached your table. He had a thick french accent. Aaden must have noticed his difficulty with speaking to us, so he immediately spoke back to him in fluent french. "Garçon, une bouteille de vin, s'il vous plaît." The waiter smiled. "Oui monsieur." Aaden never stopped surprising you. "Darling, I didn't know you could speak french!" Aaden smiled, his eyes half lidded. He reached under the table, and put a hand on your thigh. You immediately got goosebumps. "Rarity. There's A LOT you don't know about me, that I'd just absolutely LOVE to show you." You blush. You assume all of the testosterone from his training was giving him this new found bravery. "Well darling, lets enjoy dinner here. And then will have dessert in our room. Minus one Oliver." The Waiter returned, and once again, Aaden spoke french, placing both his and your order in the native language of the waiter. The waiter sat 2 glasses and a bucket of salted ice with a bottle of wine in it on the table. Aaden removed the bottle of wine, and poured two glasses halfway full, one for the both of you. "Darling, don't drink too much. Remember, you must get up in the morning." He smiled. His white teeth sparkled, even in the dim lighting of the restaurant. "Yeah, I'll probably need to able to stand up tomorrow, huh?" He sipped at his glass of wine. "So. Rarity. I have a question." "Yes darling?" He took another sip of wine. "I've noticed that every pony I've encountered, has some kind of marking on their flank. Is that a tattoo, or?" You laugh. Out of all of the things you had explained to Aaden, Cutie Marks never came up. "Well, my love, those are called Cutie Marks. You see, all ponies are born without them. When a pony discovers an attribute, the one that makes it unique from all others, the mark appears. You remember mine, the three diamonds?" Your dress concealed the back of your flanks, and you decided it best not to hike up your dress in front of everypony. "Yeah?" "I received it when I was but a foal. You see, I am capable of 'sniffing' out caches of gems just beneath the surface of Equestria. I then use those gems to snaz up outfits and jewelry!" Aaden nodded his head in acknowledgement, sipping at his wine again. "Mmm." He hummed while tilting the glass. "I'm assuming you don't have anything like that back home?" He put the glass down. "Not really. I mean, we have tattoos, but they aren't usually so deep in meaning." You decided it was your turn to sip at your wine, while he talked. "I don't have any. I mean, my stepfather had a tattoo, it said "Forgotten" in Japanese. He had a rough relationship with his father, and it ended with his father abandoning him at a young age. He got that tattoo later in life. When he passed away, I thought about getting a tattoo right where he had his," Aaden slid his right sleeve down, and showed you his wrist. "Except it would say "Remembered" in Japanese. I never went through with it, partially because I'm coward, but that's the closest I've ever been to anything like that." You feel a wave of sympathy for him. "Aaden, you said that was your stepfather. Do you mind if I ask what happened to your biological father?" Aaden looked at the tablecloth. "He passed away, as well. Before my stepfather." Good going, Rarity. "Aaden, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up anything too-" Aaden waved his hand, smiling. "It's alright honey. I've explained it so much to so many people, I'm kind of numb to it now. And it was bound to come up anyways, sooner or later." You feel a little relieved that he didn't take any offense. You decide quickly to try and change the subject. "So, my love, you never told me much about your career. Architecture, correct?" Aaden was sipping at his glass again. "Mmm, yeah. We mainly dealt with skyscrapers and other large buildings. We even did a stadium once. I was one of the lead designers. I would think up and draw the pictures, and the contractors would build them. I can't remember too many names or actual buildings, but we did build a bank." Aaden put his hand on his head. "Now that I think about it, it was a big bank. They wanted a vault underground and everything." You smile. "You sound quite ambitious, darling. Any new ambitions for Equestria?" "Well, I would like to reach the top ranks of the Honor Guard. I want to help expand your business. I also want to pursue a life with you." You smile, but it quickly settles. You thought of a new question. "Darling. If you were offered a way to get back home, would you go?" Aaden obviously went into deep thought, his eyes widening slightly, "I don't think so. What I can remember of Earth is very bleak. You see, here in Equestria, being different, being unique, is accepted. Hell, it's encouraged. Back on Earth, it's kind of the opposite. If you're different, you're usually ridiculed and ignored. In fact, the only reason I made it so high in architecture, was because of how I easily I assimilated among the others. I like the idea of being Aaden, Honor Guard of Ponyville, rather than Aaden, one other replaceable gear in the machine of the company." You put a hoof on his knee under the table. "It means a lot to hear you say that, darling." The waiter finally came with the food, a slice of flat bread with melted mozzarella and a medley of vegetables on top, along with some fancy looking french fries for Aaden, a bowl of potato and leek stew for you. The waiter said something in french, and Aaden replied the same way. "That guy is going to get a good tip. I like his attitude." Aaden ripped a chunk of the bread, and placed it gently in his mouth. He swallowed, and laughed in surprise. "Oh wow. I still have trouble getting used to the fact that you ponies can really cook." You blew on a hot spoonful of stew, refusing to let it enter your mouth in its current state. "I'm glad you enjoy it darling." _________________________________________________________________________________ The flat bread really was good. As you were eating, you kept conversation with Rarity. It all felt really calm, very laid back and relaxed. As you ate, you heard your name get called. "Aaden?" You turned around, wine glass in hand. It was Rainbow Dash, one of Rarity's friends. She came over to the table. "Didn't picture this being your scene, Dash." You said. She laughed. "You're one to talk, Locke. I heard about how brutal you were training today." How does word spread this quickly around here? "Someone told me you'd be here. I was curios if I could come up to your room tomorrow, watch you train. You sound pretty awesome." You looked over at Rarity, who shrugged. Rainbow Dash seemed to kick her hooves at the floor. You didn't know she could be shy. "Well, the other girls would also like to watch. They probably don't think you're as awesome as I do, but they'd like to see." You look back at Rarity again, who shrugs once more. "Sure Dash. Training starts at 10, ends at 2. You're more than welcome to come and watch." Rainbow Dash blushed, seemingly extremely excited. "Awesome! I'll see you tomorrow!" She darted off back through the restaurant. You turn back around in your chair, and notice Rarity chewing something. You look down at your flat bread, a fresh chunk missing. She giggles, and swallows. "What? It looked delicious. And it was." You laugh. "Well, Rarity, you have as much as you like. I can order another one." The rest of dinner passed without incident. You hadn't even become buzzed on the wine, but you were feeling light in spirits. Rarity suggested going to a local nightclub called "Purgatory". Vinyl was the DJ tonight, coincidentally. The night hadn't even begun, the sun was in the final stages of setting, so you decided to go to the nightclub, kill a few hours. As you began your walk towards Purgatory with Rarity, you felt funny. It wasn't the wine. That's when the memories came flooding back. "Damn Evan!" You laughed. "We've been here less than 5 minutes, and you've already broke something!" You were laughing so hard, tears were coming to your eyes. Evan pouted across the booth. "Do they make sippy cups for beer?" He mused. The shattered glass lay on the floor. The waiter that was serving you was in charge of cleaning it up. You felt really bad. You reached into your wallet, and pulled out a 50 dollar bill. "Here pal. Excuse my friend." The waiter smiles in disbelief. "Sir, are you sure?" You wave your hand at him. "I used to do what you're doing now. I know it sucks. Take it. Buy someone special something shiny. Or some candy or something." You smiled. The waiter took the bill, and insisted on shaking your hand. Evan decided to make fun you. "Well God damn J.P. Morgan, remind me to break a glass every time we go out to eat." The food came out, and was amazing in appearance. Evan ordered a burger in a whiskey barbecue sauce, and you had chicken fingers. Evan wouldn't relent. "Unbelievable. 26 Years old, and still ordering chicken fingers." You shrug your shoulders, shoving chicken fingers coated with barbecue sauce into your mouth. Evan twiddled his fingers, and seemingly got serious in disposition. "So. Aaden." You looked up at him. "You're serious about letting Sarah and I move in with you? I mean, we're definitely going to work. We'll make nowhere near as much money as you, but we'll be happy to help." You laughed. "Evan, you're a brother to me. I will NOT have you out on the street. While I would prefer you to work, I could care less. I've known you since I was 4 years old. I couldn't turn my back on you if I wanted to." Evan was visibly swayed by your kindness. "Aaden, my entire life, I've always been able to depend on you. You're always there for anyone who needs you. This means an incredible amount to me, to Sarah and I." You smile. "It's what friends are for." You hear a distant voice calling your name. "den...aaden...AADEN..." You shake your head, and blink. Rarity is shaking you with her hooves. You snap back into reality, and give her a hug. She yelps with surprise, but hugs back. "Sorry about that honey. I had a flashback, I think." You look up at the sign above a purple building. It read: "PURGATORY". Rarity grabbed your hand by her hoof, and led you to the door. "It's okay darling. Now, we're here. In the mood to dance?" You nod your head. "Oh yeah. Get a little energy out before dessert." Rarity gives you the same seductive look she did earlier. "Don't use too much, darling. I won't have you tired too soon." Chapter Fourteen: PurgatoryPurgatory itself was purple on the inside, but a dark purple. It was one of those nightclubs where it was very dark. A few deep purple orbs illuminated the area off of the dance floor, and the dance floor itself looked like a big purple and white checkerboard. There were also mist machines everywhere, the mist itself illuminated hues of purple and cyan by the lasers that shot around the club. Vinyl was up on stage, and by that, you meant the tiny DJ podium set up to the right of the center of the dance floor. She was wearing her red goggles, but wasn't really into the music playing. She just kind of hit a switch, and leaned against the wall. The crowd also didn't seem to be too interested in dancing either, they just kind of swayed and talked with one another. You were never a nightclub kind of guy, but you knew that this wasn't how they were supposed to look. No one really seemed to be having fun. They weren't having a bad time, but they weren't having a night they would remember. Vinyl lazily looked around the audience, when she spotted you. She seemingly jumped up, and slid her goggles back over her eyes, looking directly at you. You really didn't want to admit it, but her eyes gave Rarity's a run for her money. Their blood-red color were made seemingly neon under the black lights by her podium. She smiled, and motioned for you to come up to her. "Rarity, I'll be right back. Vinyl's calling me." Rarity laughed. "Of course darling. Liven this place up a little, huh? One would think a funeral was being held here." The crowd really was dead. You didn't have to push your way through, you literally could just walk through them. You walked to the center of the dance floor, and climbed up the ladder to the DJ podium, You got up to her, and were greeted with a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Heard you kicked someones ass today, honor-boy." You laugh. "Does everyone know about that? Damn." She turned the music up a little louder. "So, Aaden, you got that phone of yours on you? I wanna resurrect this crowd." You patted yourself down, and found it in your side pocket. You have no idea while you still carried it on you, it was useless here save for music. But you suppose Vinyl was lucky you had it. You pull it out, unlock it, and hand it to her. She turns around for a brief second, moving her arms rapidly. You aren't sure how she hooked your phone to the speakers, but she did. You were pretty sure the Apple Corporation didn't exist in Equestria, but you weren't going to question it any longer. Vinyl gave you that half-smile of hers, and slid her goggles back on. "Alright honor-boy. Give me something that I can use to raise the dead." You scroll through the music on your phone. You didn't have much of what could be considered club music, but you had a few songs that would serve the purpose Vinyl wanted. You came across a name you recognized. "Calvin Harris". Wasn't he that Scottish DJ you liked back home? OOOOOH! Yeah, I went to a concert he held not too long ago! You click on the song titled, "Flashback by Calvin Harris.". The beat starts smoothly, the keys of a piano giving way to the voice of Calvin, which was light and smooth, as well. The crowd seemingly snapped to attention, obviously having heard nothing like this song before. You were enjoying it, as well. The bass dropped after Calvin had finished his first chorus. Youtube Video I'm coming 'round And now my vision is so clear If I could change my state of mind Then I would disappear The love I get from you Is something I can't change And I couldn't let you slip away Without a second glance Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback, flashback This is like a flashback, flashback Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory The music gets turned up louder. You look back at the audience. They were stopping their bored swaying movements, and started to actually dance with one another. You looked for Rarity in the audience. You found her over at the bar, standing with her friends. She and Rainbow Dash both waved at you. You waved back, smiling. You looked back over at Vinyl. "Louder." You said. Vinyl smiled her half-smile again. "You got it." She slid the dial with her hoof, the music becoming starting to vibrate you. Vinyl had to yell over the music to talk to you. "SO, AADEN, WHO MADE THIS SONG?" She was now jumping with the beat, and crowd quickly started to follow suit. You could feel the urge to jump building up inside of you. "A DJ WHERE I COME FROM. CALVIN HARRIS." "IF YOU EVER MAKE IT HOME AND HAPPEN TO HAVE A WAY BACK, CARE TO INTRODUCE ME TO HIM?" You laugh over the music. "IF I CAN EVER GET CLOSE TO HIM, ABSOLUTELY!" You could see the current song coming to an end, so you decided to pick the next one out. The crowd seemingly responded well to the Scottish DJ, so you picked another song by him, "We'll Be Coming Back". The moment the song ended, the crowd clapped. Vinyl let out a loud whoop, and gave you another of the friendly punches on your shoulder. The new song started, the crowd letting out a cheer of approval. The song started with Calvin singing again, with the strum of a guitar and the undertone of a beat. The bass kicked in a little sooner than last time. Vinyl started the jumping again, fistpumping her hoof with each jump, a wild smile on her face. "Hoofpumping is what you decided to call it from here on out. She was a mess. Her goggles were still on her head, but only one lens covered her eye, the other one had slid back up to her forehead, her blood-red eyes complementing her wide, mischievous looking smile. Youtube Video We took it all apart but I'm wishing I'd stayed In the back room something I heard you say We didn't wanna call it too early Now it seems a world away but I miss that day Are we ever gonna feel the same? Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back We'll be coming back for you one day You can see it from afar, we were riding that wave Blinded by the lights, and it's something I crave We didn't want to call it too early Now it seems a world away, but I miss that day Are we ever gonna feel the same? Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day Gonna rise, gonna fall, getting pulled apart And we all do it all 'cause it stole our hearts Gonna light up the skies, so ignore the stars And we all do it all 'cause it stole our hearts Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day Vinyl seemingly only got more excited as the music continued. Her smile kept growing. The crowd was also getting more and more active, their jumping and "hoofpumping" following suit of Vinyl's. You looked back out to the bar, and noticed Rarity and her friends had disappeared. You scan the audience, until you see them. They were in the center of the dance floor, jumping and hoofpumping with the rest of the crowd. Pinkie Pie was seemingly in utter ecstasy, jumping twice as fast as everyone else. You blew a kiss to Rarity. Vinyl noticed the song sounded like it was ending. She yelled over the music. "ALRIGHT HONOR-BOY, GIMME SOMETHING TO IGNITE THIS SPARK!" Once again, you flipped through the music on your phone. You saw a song called "Doomsday by Nero". Wait a second. You recognized that song. You found it from a trailer of a video game you liked. Which one was that again? BORDERLANDS 2! I miss my Xbox. Remembering how loud the song was, you decided to play it. The song started off with the repeating of what sounded like some kind of trumpet. Vinyl seemed like she was possessed at this point, her movements becoming robotic, matching the beat of the song perfectly. Youtube Video You could tell she was waiting for the bass to drop. A loud voice called over the speakers, the one from the song. "DECEMBER THE TWENTY FIRST, 2808...DOOMSDAY." The bass then dropped, loud and fast. With each rip of the electric guitar on the beat, the lights in the room would change colors. The checkerboard of a dance floor began to strobe. The song went it's course, when, all of the sudden, around 2 minutes into the song, the beat stopped, and got quiet. The crowd seemed really disappointed, when they head the horns subtly blowing again. The mist machines then kicked on, enveloping the crowd in mist while the lights went dark. As the beat came back, so did the lights. One by one.Vinyl stood completely still. Then the bass dropped, and her robotic movements kicked back in. The music was incredibly loud. So loud, in fact, that a few curios ponies from outside poked their heads inside of the club, to see what all the fuss was. You smiled as you watched them join the crowd. You looked out into the audience, lloking Rarity and her friends. They were still having the time of their life. You blew another kiss to Rarity, who blushed. You noticed Rainbow Dash blow one back. Uh oh. Something tells me that's not good. You shook it off. You were about to climb down the ladder, and go back to join them, when Vinyl grabbed the back of your shirt. "NUH UH, HONOR-BOY! YOU'RE GONNA STAY HERE, HELP ME DJ!" You laugh. "MISS ME ALREADY?" "OH YEAH, NOW GET YOUR ASS BACK UP HERE!" The show must go on, I suppose. _________________________________________________________________________________ You say this too often. Aaden never ceases to amaze you. First, the strength and sexy training session today, then the fluent french, and now he is DJ'ing? Rainbow Dash called to you from over her shoulder, dancing to the new song that just started. "WHAT CAN'T HE DO?" You laughed. "I DON'T KNOW, DARLING! I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT!" He loosened up his bow tie, letting it dangle off his shoulders. He took the headphones off of Vinyl, put them on his head, and started to nod his head with the beat, making adjustments to the volume. Vinyl didn't seem to mind, being completely absorbed in the music. You looked over at your friends. Fluttershy and Applejack went to get more drinks, while Twilight, Rainbow Dash and yourself all danced together. You shouted over the music to talk to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. "SO, HOW DID YOU GIRLS FIND US?" Rainbow sneered. "WE HEARD EXTRA LOUD MUSIC COMING FROM THIS PLACE, DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. SURE ENOUGH, THERE'S AADEN UP ON THE DJ PODIUM!" Rainbow let out a whoop. You watched as Aaden unbuttoned a few on his dress shirt buttons, unbuttoning them down to just above his stomach, while still wearing the blazer. By the Goddess. I can't wait to get him home. The music on the current song stopped. You watched as Vinyl said something into Aadens ear, to which Aaden smiled, and nodded his head. Vinyl climbed down the ladder of the DJ podium, and joined the audience. Aaden picked up the microphone. "Good evening, Canterlot!" The crowd cheered. "Vinyl has given me complete charge of the set. I call the shots for now." The crowd cheered again. "So, this next song. It's for a very special somepony out there. Smile!" The lights then completely went out again. You heard a familiar beat kick in. You hear it get louder, and louder, until you remember exactly what song he was talking about. Youtube Video As the lights slowly dimmed back on, they were a cyan blue. The mist turned cyan. The dance floor was completely cyan. The podium started to light cyan blue, revealing Aaden. He was now wearing Vinyl's goggles. He looked completely cyan, save for the purple goggles and his white smile. All around you, everything was this light shade of blue. Then the mist machines kicked in, the mist itself a very light purple. The scene was intoxicating. Feeling the past moving in Letting a new day begin Hold to the time that you know You don't have to move on to let go You really weren't one for electronic music, but you recall this song very well. It's the one Aaden played for you when he got his phone first unlocked. Add to the memory you keep Remember when you fall asleep Hold to the love that you know You don't have to give up to let go You still find it very appropriate regarding Aaden's situation. You let yourself sway back and forth with the crowd, it's movement seemingly liquid. The bass vibrated your hooves, tickling them. You couldn't help but smile. Remember turning on the night And moving through the morning light Remember how it was with you Remember how you pulled me through You watched Vinyl climb back up the ladder with two drinks in her mouth. You watched Aaden take one cup, take a big gulp of it, set it down, and continue his adjustments to the lighting and volume. He really was a natural at this. I remember, I remember I remember, I remember I remember, I remember I remember, I remember _________________________________________________________________________________ Damn, Aaden is sexy. You handed him his drink. Something about him really attracted you to him. Here he is, wearing your goggles, using your DJ'ing equipment, and he is actually doing extremely good. You watch him. His hair was becoming damp with sweat. Your goggles shined through the cyan blue lighting, and made him look even sexier. His smile was very white, very wide, and also stood out from the cyan blue lighting. As he took a swig of his drink, you noticed he had unbuttoned his shirt. Oh sweet Goddess. The only thing keeping you from making a move is the fact that Rarity is in the audience. She'd freak out, for sure. You look back over at Aaden, who was now swaying, still smiling. Your goggles began to slide off of his face a bit, revealing his sparkling eyes underneath. Screw it. Maybe it'd be worth it. You stared off into the distance, contemplating the ethics of making a move. Aaden then called out to you. "VINYL, YOU ALRIGHT? YOU DON'T SEEM AS EXCITED AS THE CROWD!" He laughed over the music. "THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD THING!" You blush. You, of all ponies, blush. You, of all ponies, standing still in a nightclub that was on fire with music. Aaden takes initiative, grabs your hoof, and starts hoofpumping it for you. He breaks his smile just for a second while he takes a sip of his drink, only to immediately start smiling again. You shout while Aaden pseudo-dances with you. "WHATCHA GOT GOIN' ON TOMORROW, HONOR-BOY?" Aaden looks down at you. "TRAINING FROM 10 TO 2. AFTER THAT, I'VE GOT NO IDEA!" You get an idea. "MIND IF I COME WATCH TOMORROW? THE TRAINING?" Aaden laughed. "I'M GOING TO HAVE MY OWN CHEERLEADING SQUAD! OF COURSE YOU CAN COME!" You smiled. You couldn't wait to see Aaden in action. In fact, that was probably going to be your highlight of being in Canterlot. You watched as Aaden started to slow his movements down a little. Then he came to a complete stop. The music still blasted, and the lights still flashed cyan, but he had stopped. His smile was gone. Where the goggles once looked sexy, they now looked solemn. "YOU ALRIGHT, HONOR-BOY?" _________________________________________________________________________________ How ironic is it, that a song that repeats, "I remember" is making me have a flashback? You can start to see the scene unfold before you. Your vision seemingly switches from the nightclub, and to one completely different. "GO! GOGOGOGO! GOOOOOOOO!" You shouted. Evan was laughing maniacally, and shouting as well. "SACK HIS ASS! BRING HIM DOWN! LIGHT HIM UP!" You watched as a player of the opposing team was sprinting to the endzone of your team, while a member of your team trailed directly behind him. The player jumped, grabbing the opposing player by his legs, tackling him just short of the endzone. You jumped up, throwing your hands into the air. "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The rest of the crowd in the stadium roared with you. This was a home game for your team, so the support was unmatched. You looked over at your friends. Evan and Sarah were there, and then there were a bunch of guys from work that you were friends with. Dennis, Robert, Charles and Justin. They were good guys, really funny, too. "Hey, you guys, I'm going to go get a beer and some chili-cheese fries. You want anything?" They all shook their head. "Nah man, thanks though," Evan responded, speaking for the whole group. You got up from your seat, and walked down the aisle-way, through the hallway leading out to the food and restrooms. You stopped in one of the restrooms, and washed your hands quickly. You looked into the mirror. You were wearing blue jeans with a tan military-style dress shirt, and you had on a pair of sunglasses. You dried your hands, and went back out into the rotunda. You walked over to a food vendor. "Hey, one beer, and one chili-cheese fry, please." The man smiled, took your money, and started preparing your food. You looked over at the pot of chili they had. You cringed. It was starting to form a type of skin over the top of it. "Actually," you started. "Could I get that without the chili?" The man smiled again, and handed you your beer and CHEESE fries, with a fork sticking out of them. You walked back to your seat next to Evan, and sat down. "I miss anything?" "Other than New York not knowing how to catch a damn ball, no." You smiled at Evan's annoyance. You crossed your legs, sipped your beer, and ate a few cheese fries. It was moments like this that made you cherish your life. You felt something on your arm. It was Vinyl, lightly nibbling on it. You come to almost immediately, and look down at her. The music was still blasting, but it was a different song now. "I KNEW THAT WOULD GET YOUR ATTENTION, HONOR-BOY!" Vinyl laughed, and slid her goggles back down on your head. "YOU GOT A CROWD TO PLEASE!" You took a deep breath, and completely unbuttoned your shirt. It was getting pretty hot in the nightclub. As you continued to DJ, you thought about the name of the nightclub. "Purgatory". Purgatory. The space between Heaven and Hell. Where good people, but not absolute saints end up, where they attempt to find comfort from their sins, and attempt to resolve themselves, make themselves better, so that they may end up in Heaven. Purgatory, who's inhabitants would receive their redemption, or end up in Hell trying. Purgatory. You decided it was an appropriate name. You looked down at the sleeve of your blazer. It had little teeth marks and small bit of saliva on it from where Vinyl decided to chew on your arm. You took your blazer off, and sat it across a box behind you. You untucked your dress shirt, and let it fly freely. You were starting to get back into the groove of DJ'ing. You noticed Vinyl eyeing you. You ignored it, and kept making sure the music and lights were entertaining. You were almost done with this little stint of yours as a DJ, and then you and Rarity could get yourselves home. You took another sip of your drink, and set it back down, licking your lips. You lifted up Vinyl's goggles, sliding them onto your forehead. You feel cool air hit your eyes, refreshing you. You look over at Vinyl, who is still staring at you, smiling that infamous mischievous half-smile at you. You didn't know what to think of it, so you kept playing, focusing on keeping the lights synchronized with the music. You took another sip of your drink, and, finding it empty, you reached for Vinyl's. You grabbed it, took a swig of it, and sat it back down, next to your empty cup. You were starting to cool down now, the mist from the fog machines hitting your chest. You could tell the crowd was getting tired, and it must have been getting late. You decided to play one last song, with the help of Vinyl. You turned the music up, and looked back at the crowd. Rarity still stood, dancing and watching you intently. She waved. You blew one last kiss to her, and played the next song. You looked back over to Vinyl one last time as well, so see what she was doing. Still staring at you. Blushing. You shout over the music to her. "CAN I HELP YOU?" You ask with a laugh. She yells back. "I SURE HOPE SO!" Chapter Fifteen: Like None OtherThe crowd soon died down, and Vinyl was willing to allow you descend the ladder once you gave her a hug, and promised to see her tomorrow. You grabbed your blazer, buttoned your shirt, and slid the blazer on. Rarity was easy to locate in the crowd, being as they were dying back down, and her friends were no longer with her. You gave her a quick kiss once you got over to her. "So. What'd ya think?" Rarity laughed at that question. "You truly are like none other, darling." You put your arm around her neck, and you walked out of the nightclub together. The walk home was relatively easy. You weren't sure what time it was, but the sun was definitely gone now, as evidenced by the fact that the moon was now in the sky. The cool night air felt pretty good, too. You finally made it back to the barracks. The clock read "12:30". Damn. It's past Midnight. Both of you ascend the staircase, and unlock the door to your room. Rarity goes into the bathroom, while you change into your pajamas. You sat on the bed, staring at the alarm clock. It was really late. Rarity came out in her silk pajamas, and laid down next to you. You could tell you were both thinking about the intimacy, and it was starting to become awkward, so she broke the ice. "Darling, don't get me wrong, you looked amazing out there, and I would love nothing more than to be intimate with you, but I'm really tired. I mean, you can still have dessert if you want it, but it might be a little...cold." You think about cold dessert for a minute. Cold apple pie. You cringe. "I understand completely, Rarity. Hey, I'm off all day tomorrow after training. I'm sure we could find time then, right?" Rarity ran her hooves in circles around your chest. "Well, darling, I'd still really like to cuddle tonight. If that's okay." You pull Rarity close to you, and let her assume her position on top of your chest, as she always does. She was out very quickly, her breathing becoming slow and heavy. After you reached over and set the alarm for 8:30, you relaxed your head, and let sleep take you. _________________________________________________________________________________ "DECKER, GET THAT DAMN VAULT OPEN! I'M NOT DYING HERE! NOT HERE, NOT NOW!" You quickly fumbled with the wires to the explosives. You put the final wire in, enter the combination, and run out into the hallway, standing out of the way of the doorway. "CHARGES SET, GET THE FUCK BACK!" Everyone did as they were told. Sure enough, an enormous boom vibrated the entire bank. As you turned around, you saw the two waves of SWAT officers with their shields drawn. They also held MP5s, firing randomly at you. You all quickly ran inside the vault. You slid your shotgun off of your back, loaded it completely. Thomas sunk against a wall. "We're dead. You killed us. Rather than take our target, you kill him, and then insist on robbing a bank." He stares blankly at Anthony. Anthony didn't seem phased. He continued to bark orders. "Everyone, take off your insignia, and burn it over here. If we leave any trace of who we are, you know they'll hunt down and kill our families." You ripped off the orange star stitched to your shoulder, and throw it in a pile with the others. Anthony lit it ablaze, and assumed position behind an overturned table in the vault. So this is how you were going to die. 8 years in school, 4.0 GPA, renowned hacker, and you were going to die as a faceless bank robber. You couldn't help but think about what your Mom would think if she knew about all of this. No one says they want to grow up and be a mercenary. You attempt to accept your impending death. If you surrender, you'll more than likely be sentenced to death, or your client will have you executed in prison. If you fight, and win, which is impossible, you would be killed by your client. If you fight here and now, you'll die. There was no escaping this. You were dead the moment your target was executed. You heard men yelling just outside the doorway. Victor leaned out, fired his shotgun, pumped it, and fired it again. You could hear the SWAT yelling in surprise, and then heard the loud crack of several MP5s firing. You then saw Victor jerk back, and hit the ground, pumping blood onto the ground from his neck. This is funny. Here you are, about to die, and you have a silly regret. You didn't know the name of the kid that was your target. _________________________________________________________________________________ The alarm is what stopped the dream this time. You got up, attempting to avoid waking up Rarity. You decided to not take a shower, you'd just get dirty again here soon anyways. You do go ahead and throw on some deodorant and a fresh shirt and pair of pants. You tried to remember how to assemble the armor, the way Virgil had done for you. You start with the greaves. You slide each of the legs on separately, fastening the front plates, before sliding on the back plates, and fastening them. You then slid the metal covers over your shoes, completely encasing each of them. You put your breastplate on over your shirt, and slid the armor sleeves onto your arms, lining up the bending part with your elbows. You flexed your arms in and out, just to make sure you had done it right. Next came the gloves. They were interesting. You put on a pair of white gloves, followed by chain mail coverings, then golden plated gauntlets. You picked up the pauldrons, and clipped them into place by sliding them over the breastplate. You walk over to the chair by the door, where you had sat down your other equipment. Your slide leather belt on, and place your sheathed blade through the large loop on your right hand side, and you tied your leather satchel to your left hand side. You decided against wearing the helmet. Not until you were actually training. By the time you had got the armor all set up and put on, it was about 9:40. You decided to go ahead and head downstairs. You clunk down the staircase, and walk out to the back of the barracks. A good amount of Honor Guardsman were already there, slashing at the dummies set up with swords and spears. You noticed Oliver talking to a group of other guardsman. You walk over towards him. "Oliver, good to see you!" Oliver perks up at the sound of your voice. "Aaden! It's good to see you in armor! You look ready for war!" Oliver examines you. "Well, you know. Guard of honor and everything." Oliver smiled and guided you over to a table that had a bunch of food set up on it. "I know they probably didn't tell you this brother, but when we train new recruits, we set up breakfast out here. Bagels, doughnuts, coffee, orange juice, those sorts of things. Most important meal, you know." Oliver hands you a doughnut. "White chocolate. I remember your affinity for them." You quickly eat the doughnut, and thank Oliver. You look up to the balcony. Sure enough, there's Rarity and her friends, plus Vinyl. That was quick. Virgil walked out from the barracks, and stood in the spot he did yesterday. He called out. "Guardsman! Positions!" All of the Honor Guards stopped what they were doing immediately, and ran to their positions. As did you. You all snapped to attention, saluting Virgil. "Alright Guardsman!" Virgil kept calling. "Today, we are doing something a little more interesting. It's going to be a short day today! Being as Recruit Locke has shown an excellent prowess about him, we will not have to shape him up as much as usual! No sprints today! Instead, we will focus on sparring! Locke has shown that he already has the strength and endurance, so all we must do is hone and sharpen his skills! I have selected 3 spars for him." Virgil pointed at you. "First, he will spar with Guardsman Gladius! Then with Guardsman Zweihänder! Lastly, with Veteran Guardsman Oliver!" You looked over at Oliver, who did not break gaze off of Virgil. "Prepare yourself Guardsman! You have 20 minutes!" You decided to spend those 20 minutes stretching and removing the armor you spent so long getting together. When you were done taking everything off, you were only in your golden leggings and boots. You placed them by the breakfast table, and continued stretching. The preparation time was soon up. You heard Virgil whistle. "Alright, Gladius, Locke, here is how this will work. Aaden, you will attempt to last as long as you can. When I believe either of you has been "killed", I will yell your name. Aaden, if I don't call your name, don't get too excited; the next challenger will already be in the ring. We do not expect you to win. We want to see your true skill." Virgil walked you over to behind the dummies, and the Guardsman named Gladius followed. He had also removed his armor. Virgil stopped, while both Gladius and yourself walked forward. You took a deep breath as you both started to circle each other. You got this. Gladius made the first move, ducking his head low, and sprinting towards you. You take the hit right in your abdomen, but you wrap your arms around his neck, and throw him aside. He stumbles back up to his feet quickly, and you begin to circle one another. Gladius charged you again, ramming your stomach again, but this time, your fingers slip from grabbing him. He essentially just got a free shot in on you. And it hurts. You hear a voice calling to you. "Woo hoo, Aaden, go get get em', you can do this, you got it!" Without even turning around, you know it's Pinkie Pie. Gladius then attempted to charge you again. He made the mistake that would lose him the spar. You leaned your foot out, tripping him mid charge, and as he tumbled forward, you grabbed his hind legs, causing him to fall on his back. He groaned in pain and frustration. He hit the ground hard. Sure enough, Virgil called. "Gladius! You're dead!" Gladius hit the ground with his hoof, and walked away while Zweihänder approached. He was a very large Earth pony. He walked forward, holding his head low. You started the circling movement this time. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden now faced a very large Earth pony. They began the exact same circle movement. You looked over your shoulder. All of your friends had interesting facial expressions. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both seemed to be excited, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle seemed to be concerned, and Applejack and Vinyl were seemingly deeply intrigued. As were you. You watched the spar unfold. Aaden was already dirty, but you didn't mind that. He circled around the big Earth pony, until Aaden made the first move. He reached in with his fist, and attempted to get a quick grab on the neck of the Earth pony, but the Earth pony threw his head at Aaden, hitting him in his shoulder. They then went back to circling. The Earth pony then charged Aaden, and he didn't get out of the way fast enough. With a grunt, Aaden was sent on his back. The Earth pony then jumped on top of Aaden. "Oh no..." You heard Fluttershy murmur. The Earth pony took one of his hooves, raised it up, and brought it down. Aaden jerked his head to the right, the hoof smacking a hole where his head used to be. Aaden then brought his legs up to the chest of the big Earth pony, and with a big kick using both legs, bucked the pony off of him. Aaden hopped back to his feet. The Earth pony seemed infuriated, and attempted to charge Aaden again. Aaden grabbed him, stopped him in his tracks, and delivered his knee to his chest twice, then grabbed him by his neck, and threw him to the ground. The Earth pony laid on the ground, groaning in pain. You could hear Virgil yelling from here. "Zweihänder, you're dead! Get moving!" You watched as Oliver swooped down from the skies above, and landed right in front of Aaden. _________________________________________________________________________________ It was Oliver. You made it to Oliver. Oliver smiled a quick smile. "It is an honor, brother. Let us spar." Oliver then ripped his wings out, and burst towards you, his claws coming towards you. One slashed your chest, while the other grabbed ahold of you. He brought the other claw back up into a slashing position, but you grabbed it, and jut your head out, smacking him in the center of his beak. He turned around, grasping his beak. You took advantage of the moment, and grabbed him from behind. You hear Oliver laugh, "Think brother. You need to think." That's when his wings extended, throwing you off of him violently. He lured me into doing that! You got back up. You landed right on your arms, and they were hurting pretty badly. He turned back around, and rocketed at you once more. You dove out of the way, and he flew right past you. As he turned back around, he flew low to the ground, dragging his front right claw along the ground. It ripped up the earth, as he got closer, and closer. You took a deep breath, and closed your eyes, letting yourself relax completely. Think brother. You need to think. Think. You turned around, letting him come up on your back. You kept your eyes closed, and continued to breathe deep. You felt your heart rate slow. You could describe your environment perfectly now, even with your eyes closed. You could hear him getting closer. You could hear your friends gasping in horror up on the balcony. Your sense went into overtime. He was flying just low enough to allow this to work. All you had to do was time it right. Think. You held both of your arms out to your sides, extending them away from you. You then let yourself fall back. And you fell. Fell for what felt like an eternity. The moment you felt his wings, you would grab as hard as you could. Soon enough, you felt the feathers of his wings, and you grabbed as hard as you possibly could. You pushed yourself off of his back holding onto his wings, doing a pseudo-backflip, landing on your feet, and with him in your grasp. The pain from being stopped so suddenly and from you grabbing his wings so hard seemingly stunned him. You threw him on the ground, and put your foot on his neck. Virgil was amazed. His whistle blew, but softly, because he was breathless. "Uh...Oliver. You're dead." Oliver got up off the ground, and looked at you. His face was neutral and straight at first, but then it immediately burst into an incredibly wide smile. "By the Goddess, brother! And here I thought I was out thinking you! You will make the Honor Guard proud!" Oliver patted you on the back excitedly, and led you over to Virgil. Virgil was still seemingly amazed. You didn't like fighting. But it looks like you really could fight, and fight well. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash was absolutely ecstatic. "OHMIGOSH! DID YOU JUST SEE THAT?" She laughed wildly. Applejack was in awe as well, speaking in nearly a whisper. "Ah ain't ever seen anything like that..." You couldn't believe your eyes, either. Aaden not only defeated a veteran Honor Guard, but he just did so in an incredible manner. All of you stared in amazement at Aaden. He was now completely covered in dirt, had blood on his chest from that slash, but he still looked incredibly attractive. You watch Oliver and Aaden talk to Virgil, when Aaden and Oliver start laughing. Hard. So hard, in fact, the Aaden has tears in his eyes. You could see them shimmering from up here. For whatever reason, you started to feel very anxious. You wanted to talk to him. Not about anything in particular, you just wanted to hear his voice. "Girls, you're welcome to stay here, I'm going to go meet with Aaden, bring him back here." Rainbow Dash immediately responded. "Ooo, you know, I think I'm going to go with you. I've GOT to ask him where he learned that!" Vinyl also chimed in. "Yeah, I wanna hear what honor-boy has got to say about that." You shrug your shoulders. You don't see any problems with letting them come with you. Chapter Sixteen: Haunting of a Mind"Aaden, you're making a big mistake." "I made a mistake the moment I joined the IMO." "Think of the money! Think of the power!" "That's not me. It may have been in the past, but I'm done with that." "Why? Is it a girl? What damn reason could you possibly have to abandon this?" "I see life for what it really is now. I have friends. Friends that actually care about my well being." "Aaden, you went as far as to get that job of yours, so we could get the blueprints..." "And I regret that. Those people are actually very nice, very hard working." "Who gives a shit!?" "I do." "Just turn over the blueprints, Aaden." "No." "Aaden. You're going to get yourself killed. You know they'll come for you." "Come what may, I will not surrender these blueprints. Not to you. Not to them." "THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOI-" "I have. I'm living a normal life now. It'll continue to be that way. "Aaden..." "Goodbye, Anthony. May you one day see what I see in this life, as well." _________________________________________________________________________________ That was weird. You remember that conversation well, but not who it was with, or anything else about it, actually. With multiple blinks of your eyes, you cleared your mind once more. Virgil was ranting about how you may qualify for veteran guardsman status, and Oliver was reinforcing his point when you opened the door to the barracks. Virgil broke his ranting for a minute, and spoke to the receptionist. "Bruise, you think you could send a concierge to collect Aaden's armor for him?" Bruise nodded his head. "Yes sir." Virgil and Oliver then walked off into what they called "Central Command". You decided to go back up to your room. You were shaking with adrenaline from the fight. Your heart felt funny, and your stomach tickled. While this feeling left you with a sensation of elation, you still didn't like fighting. Something in your head didn't feel right when you thought about fighting. Like you know you're doing something wrong, but you do it anyway. Guilt. As you ponder these thoughts, you see Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Vinyl descending the staircase from your room. "Oh. Hey girls." They then hurried down the stairs quicker. "I hope you enjoyed the show." They all three ran over to you. Rarity was the first to start with the questions. "Oh, darling, are you alright?" She ran her hoof softly over your new slash, courtesy of Oliver. "That seems a little far for a spar, if you ask me." "No, I'm fine. Oliver knew his limits. I think." Rainbow Dash then decided to investigate the wounds, too. "Wow dude. A deep gash and you STILL brought him down? You gotta tell me where you learned that!" You shrugged your shoulders. "If I could remember, I'd tell you." She ran a hoof through her mane quickly. "Well, Aaden, I just want to say that I thought you were so AWESOME out there! We're so lucky to have someone like you defending Ponyville!" "Thanks Dash." Then Vinyl stepped forward. "How're ya feeling, honor-boy?" She slid her goggles up, revealing those eyes of hers. You could see legitimate concern in her eyes. You had never seen her like that before. "I'm alright." You looked down at the slash across your chest. It was bleeding pretty badly. "Well. I could probably use a shower, and I could definitely eat something. I should also probably get a couple of bandages, take it easy for the day." You watched relief form itself in her eyes. "Thatta boy. I knew you were tougher than that." Rarity used a hoof to grab your hand, and lead you upstairs, while the other girls followed. You got back into your room. Your breastplate, gauntlets, and helmet were all in the corner. Damn. That concierge was fast. The girls all trotted off, leaving you on your own. You didn't want to admit it, but you felt great relief that you could be on your own for just a moment. You untied the plates to your greaves, and untied your sheathe and satchel, leaving them together in the bedroom. You walked into the bathroom, undressed, and put your clothes in what you designated to be the dirty clothes hamper. You got inside of the shower, and pressed the silver button with the red lining. Hot water came out of all of the jets. It stung getting inside of your fresh slash wound, but you had to clean it out. While you cleaned it, you really took a good look at it, examined it. It wasn't too deep, you wouldn't need stitches or anything. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt, though. You spent your shower in silence, listening to the water hit the tile. You never liked drying off. It was cold, and you always would leave a wet spot somewhere on your body, so you would spend an extra amount of time ensuring you were completely dry. Realizing that the only pair of underwear that you had was dirty, you threw on a towel over your waist, and walked into the bedroom. You opened up the suitcase, and found what you were looking for. A simple pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white T-shirt, along with clean underwear and socks. You felt hooves slide around your waist. "I never doubted you for a minute, darling." It was Rarity. You were relieved. "But please make sure you stay this careful." You shared this reverse hug for a minute, before you heard her leave the room. You walked back into the bathroom, put on your underwear and jeans, then decided to stand by the mirror and put on your bandages. You took a rag, dampened it with disinfectant, and wiped down your wounds one last time. That's when you heard hooves walking into the bathroom. By looking in the mirror, you see it was Rainbow Dash. "Oh, hey." She started to blush. "You're still in here. I'm sorry." She then looked curiously at you. "Whatcha doing?" "Putting on new bandages over my existing wounds, and putting a bandage over my new wound." Rainbow walked over, and unpeeled a bandage. "No offense dude, but you're doing it wrong. I get hurt all of the time in my line of work, so trust me, I know how to put on bandages." Oh boy. I know where this is going. "Here, lemme help!" You turn around, while she hops up on her hindlegs, and presses two bandages over your lower abdomen, and your shoulder. She then puts a long bandage over the slash, and pats it. You notice her hoof is still swirling around your torso. You clear your throat. "Uh, Dash. I think you got them all on." She immediately hopped down. She must have spaced out. Eh. I do that all the time. No harm no foul. "Sorry Aaden." You smile, and rub your new bandages. Even though you're sure she was flirting with you, she wasn't lying about knowing how to put these things on right. they were tight, but snug. You either did it too tight or too loose. "I space out all of the time, Dash. It's cool." She giggled. "Okay, good. Well, I've got to use the bathroom now." You walk out of the bathroom, and close the door for her. You had the weirdest feeling she wasn't going to close it herself. You sat on the bed, and put on your shirt. You lay back on the bed, and let your eyes close. You can feel yourself slipping into sleep. You didn't fight it. You were too tired to resist. _________________________________________________________________________________ You walk away. You hear Anthony yelling at you. "Don't you fucking walk away from me!" You stop, and turn around. "Anthony, we both know I could kick your ass." Anthony mimicked your voice. "But that's not me anymore! Waaaah! I wanna be normal!" You smiled. "I like your impersonation of me. I'd say it's spot on. Now, if you'd excuse me, I've got a job to go to." you could hear Anthony walking towards you. He grabbed your arm. Big mistake. "I guess you didn't hear me when I said: DON'T, FUCKING, WALK, AWAY, FROM, ME!" Anthony yelled. You swung your suitcase up, bashing him in his face. As he backed up, holding his face, you put your suitcase down, pulled him over to you by his collar, and punched him in his face. Once. Twice. Three times. You then threw him back to the ground. He squirmed to get back up. "Aaden..." He coughed. "Please...you don't know what you're denying me..." You picked up your suitcase, readjusted your tie, and turned around, about to continue your walk to work. "Nobody needs that much money. Or power. Your lust for both will kill you one day, you know that?" You walked away successfully this time, the only sound in the streets being your dress shoes clopping against the sidewalk. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Hero? Wake up!" Your eyes open. You realize Vinyl is right on top of you. Her face couldn't be closer to you. You could stick out your tongue and poke her eye, if you wanted to. She had her goggles slipped back up, and she was laying on top of you, shaking you awake. You gently pick her up, and set her aside. You loved those eyes, they really were quite mesmerizing, but that was uncomfortable for you. You sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched. You stood up, and looked at the clock. It was 3 PM. You must have slept a really long time. You looked over at Vinyl, who was laying on one side, her chin in one hoof, while the other hoof went down over her side. "You were really out, hero-boy." Honor-boy? Hero-boy? These sound like awful comic book sidekicks. You walk into the living room. It's empty. Everyone is gone. You call back to Vinyl. "Where is everyone?" She calls back. "They left to go get some food. Said they wanted someone to stay and watch you. Of course I volunteered." Your stomach rumbled. You hear Vinyl laugh from the other room. "I heard that. They're bringing you back food too. They were going to surprise you with it, like a late lunch in bed type thing." You pat your stomach. You walk back to the bedroom, grab the frame at the top of the door, and lean in the bedroom. "So. I'm not mad, but why'd you wake me?" Vinyl was now laying in the bed, under the comforter, where you were. "Because I'm bored. Watching you sleep was boring." Watching me sleep? "You're much more fun when you're awake," She turned around, still under the comforter, her goggles still up on her forehead. "You smell really good, you know that? This spot smells exactly like you, honor-boy." You weren't sure why Rainbow Dash and Vinyl were becoming so "friendly" lately, but you decided to just leave it alone. No need to cause a problem if there isn't one. Plus, they knew you were with Rarity. They wouldn't seriously try anything, especially since they're both friends with her. You walk over to the window, adjacent to the bed, and separate the curtains. You let the sun pour in. You slide the window open, and let the fresh spring air blow itself in. Other than the recent "friendliness" of Vinyl and Rainbow Dash, it was still a mighty fine day. It was a good day to be alive. You kind of wanted to go hiking, be in nature. But at the same time, you wanted to spend time with Rarity. You knew she probably wouldn't come hiking though. Too much dirt. and bugs. and nature. You'd ask Fluttershy about it when they got back with the food. You knew she'd be happy to hike with you and guide you through a couple of trails she knew. It had been a long time since you had been hiking. The last trail you went on was with Evan and Sarah through northern New York state. Absolutely beautiful. As you thought about it, you heard the voices come back. It was like a memory, but just voices. You felt like you were losing your mind. You felt like your mind was haunted with the ghosts of your past. The ghosts that you can't remember. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, let me get this straight, Captain Locke. You wish to leave the IMO?" "Yes sir, Chairman." "And what if we deny you the right to leave?" "I will leave regardless of what you say, sir." "Why though, Locke? You one moment can't wait to get the money and the power. All of the sudden you don't want it anymore? Explain yourself." "I don't have to explain myself to you, sir. I am a changed man. Life is far too valuable to take. Especially over things as petty as money and power. At the end of the day, no matter how much money you have, or how much power you have, you die. We all die. We all have to face death. With that in mind, I intend to live my life to the fullest. Terrorizing third world countries and warring with other PMCs isn't exactly my idea of living life to a full potential. I have friends and family. Their love and attention is all I could ever ask for. And I have it. With that, I hereby resign." The Chairman laughed. "Touching words, Aaden. Touching words. But I don't think you've thought this through." "You aren't worth my full attention, if that's the case." Chapter Eighteen: An Angel and His SaintsRarity came in very late that night. You were already asleep, and the girls had already left to go back to their respective hotels. You heard Rarity almost tip-toe inside, rustle around in the closet, then lay in bed next to you. You felt her kiss your forehead, and drift off to sleep. You were unable to stay awake, although you knew what dreams would come. _________________________________________________________________________________ You looked around the interior of the helicopter. 6 men, including yourself, were seated, listening to The Chairman speak over the large radio that sat in the lap of one soldier. "We apologize for the...sudden...deployment. However, a client of ours, a Senator in the United States of America, has enlisted our help. His daughter was recently kidnapped, sold into slavery, and then murdered." You looked out of the side of the helicopter. There was a swarm of them, maybe 14 or 15, each carrying 6 men, flying in formation with your helicopter. "The Senator has already paid us. You are to storm this human trafficking complex, and kill everyone inside. Leave the slaves alive. And trust us...you will know a slave when you see them..." You look down at your shotgun. After the incident in Eastern Europe, you're glad to be doing something you view as good. Yeah, it was brutal, but at least you weren't killing any innocents. Hell, you would kill these sick sons of bitches for free. You were doing the world a favor. The Chairman continues his speech. "After we...interrogated...a human trafficker we kidnapped from Los Angeles, he spilled out the location of his boss, here in southern France..." The pilot of helicopter punched the thin metal wall separating him from you. "ETA 5 MINUTES! GET READY!" You heard him yell. The Chairman laughed quietly over the radio. "Death twitches in my ear...live, he says...for I am coming...time to clock in, boys." You looked back outside. You were flying over a dense forest that was turning an orange and scarlet color. Autumn was coming. You saw a large mansion in the distance. That was the complex. You noticed an astounding amount of cars parked outside of it and around it. They must be trading. Not for long. You load 8 shells into your shotgun, and stand up, holding onto the bar, letting yourself slightly lean outside of the helicopter. Your helicopter stops directly over top of the mansion, while several others stop around it, and a few others stop in the forests surrounding the mansion. All the men in your helicopter stand up, and throw long ropes connected to the inside of the helicopter out. You all grab ahold of your own ropes. You hear Major Howard counting down. "5..." You looked down. "4..." Glass ceiling where you were dropping. "3..." You could see people running around inside the mansion. "2..." You pump your shotgun. "1..." You take a deep breath. "GO, GO, GO!" You grab ahold of the rope, and jump, letting yourself slide down. You and the 5 other men in your squad slam through the glass roof. You accidently lose your grip slightly, and fall about 6 feet from the ground. Another man from your squad runs over to you, and helps you up while the other men start cutting the traffickers in the room down. "DO YOU WANNA GET PAID?! MOVE IT!" You hop to your feet. Men and women of different nationalities, all in fancy attire, lie dead in the room. They were traffickers. You look to the center of the room. There was a young female in her bra and panties, chained to a stake. She was kneeling, and crying in fear. Your squad lines up against the door, getting ready for the inevitable counter attack. Using the butt of your shotgun, you smash her chains, freeing her. "Stay in here, others will come. It's going to be okay." She nodded, and darted to the corner of the room. "AADEN! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE, TAKE POINT!" You run over to the door, look down the iron sights of your shotgun, and kick the door open. You see a man in a business suit, who was about to open the door, staring at you in fear. You pull the trigger, ripping his torso apart. You pump the shotgun. Another man across the lobby was reaching into his blazer. You blast him before he does so, sending him to the ground. Your squad storms out of the room, firing on the traffickers pouring down the staircases. The front doors then fly open. More soldiers from the forests pour in. You separate from your squad in the chaos, running around the mansion, freeing all the slaves you could. That's when you entered the cellar in your search. You could hear sobbing, a female voice. "help.....help.....help....." You picked up the pace, and found a girl tied to another stake. As you kneeled down next to her, you heard her whisper in between sobs. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Your eyes shoot open, you quickly move your head, and dive out of the way. A large knife just flew in the empty space where your head used to be. A trafficker was using her as bait. He smirks at you. "Think your a hero?" He mocks. You throw your shotgun down, and rip your combat knife from its sheath. "You're mine, you sick FUCK!" He runs at you, slashing the blade. He grazes your cheek with it, drawing blood. You feel overwhelmed with anger. How could anyone do these things? Hurt innocent people? He made the final mistake of his life when he tried to stab you. You caught his arm, and locked it behind you. Using your free right arm, you took your blade, and slammed it vertically into his jaw. He stepped backward, staggering, pawing at his throat, the blade surly had pierced his brain. It was only a matter of time before he died. In his backwards walk, he hit the cellar wall, and slid back against it. He stopped thrashing. You walked over to him, put your boot on his chest, and ripped the blade from his jaw, putting it back into it's sheath. You pick up your shotgun off of the floor, and slam it down, freeing the girl in the cellar. She looks at you, tears in her eyes. "You're an angel. A saint among men." You motioned with your shotgun for her to get upstairs. All of the gunfire and screaming had stopped. Your job was done. You come back upstairs, and see your helicopters coming back in. A bunch of soldiers were escorting the slaves onto them. Anthony walked over to you. "God damn Locke! You're covered in blood!" You looked down at yourself, and back at him. "Are you okay? You're staring into blank space. Talk to me Aaden." You swallow. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." _________________________________________________________________________________ The morning was rather uneventful. Rarity was still in bed when you left, and training was simple. No sparring, just strength training. When you came back, there was a note on the door. You still couldn't read Equestrian, so she drew pictures. It was a drawing of a pony walking past a stall, with several hearts around it. She must be out shopping. You went in, showered, and got yourself dressed. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were going to be around soon for this hike of yours. You made sure your backpack was stocked with snacks, and decided to bring along your phone. It wasn't soon after your preparation that you heard a knock at your door. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were both there. "Hiya Aaden! You ready?" You smile. "You know it. Let's roll!" Your mind kept drifting off to that dream. Did you really do that? Did you really kill someone? Multiple someones? Was that real? Surely that was a video game or a movie or something. But they called you by name. You felt torn between two worlds. If that was the real you, you didn't want to be that way again. You want to stay an amnesiac, start anew. As you pondered these thoughts, your walk to the Silversong Forest was a quick one. It was just as beautiful as Fluttershy had said. Gray trees with light purple leaves, and gray grass. It was hauntingly beautiful. Eerie, but beautiful none-the-less. As you fully examine and take in this melancholy yet breath taking environment, a strong gust blows through the forest, making the leaves of the thousands of trees rustle in unison. You can hear The Chairman laughing inside of your head. Live. For I am coming. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were stoked to be on a hike with Aaden. You still can't believe he let you come. That must mean he likes you, right? Get it together! You, are, RAINBOW, DASH. Remember? You hated how nervous and unsure Aaden made you. Normally, you could be as loud and as arrogant as you wanted to be with no problem, but when Aaden was there, it was different. You would start talking, and he would look at you. Right in your eyes. Those eyes of his... You look up at him while you walk through the forest. He looks back down, and smiles at you. Ooooooh, those eyes... You feel yourself melting at the thought of him. And those eyes... Rainbow, you are NOT Fluttershy! Cut it out! Just tell him how you feel! You couldn't fight it. He made you timid. You clear your throat. "So, Aaden." Your voice cracks anyways. You clear your throat again. "You totally said you would talk about yourself." You let yourself laugh nervously. Fluttershy chimes in. "Yeah Aaden, tell us about yourself!" You all continued your walk, while Aaden answered the plethora of questions you both had. "What exactly are you?" "What was your home like?" "What did you do for a living?" Aaden kept his patience with you both, and continued his story. It amazed you. A world where cities were extremely common, where machines were an integral part of life, where magic didn't exist, and the only way to fly was in large machines. Aaden's life was also one of the most touching things you had heard about. From what he told, he was raised with a large family, which was cut in half after an accident. He lost a father twice in his life. You couldn't imagine doing that once. He also seemed kind of reluctant to talk about it, but he was an Architect, and apparently a very successful one, designing those big buildings he described. He didn't talk about it long, and moved on. This small talk continued for some time, and once again, you found yourself in state of complete fascination. You had all walked for at least an hour. Aaden's stories were so completely amazing and interesting, that you had lost track of time. Your stomach rumbled. Aaden smiled, and stopped the hike, signalling you all to sit down around him. You did so. "Here girls, I don't know if Pinkie Pie had told you about this, but I have a lot of candy from back home. I think I might even have some potato chips. " You scooted closer to him, and peeked inside the backpack. "Which do you like, Aaden?" Aaden dug through the bag, and pulled out a slim blue bar with red letters on it. You couldn't read it. "Rarity really likes these. They're called Crunch bars. They're essentially chocolate bars with crisped rice inside of them." Crisped rice? Aaden notices your confused face, and laughs. "Trust me, they're pretty good. Here, have one of them, aaaaand..." He digs through his backpack a little more. "And here, take this one, too." It's a little red bag. "That's a bag of spicy potato chips from back home. You're a dare-devil, I think you'll like them." Aaden also pulls out 3 bottles of water, and hands one to you and Fluttershy, while taking one for himself. "Hey, Fluttershy, you want any candy? I've got chocolate, I've got some sour stuff, some extra sweet stuff, and I still have a few bags of chips and stuff." Fluttershy trotted over. "May I look in the bag?" Aaden nodded his head. She put her head in the bag, and pulled out a neon green bag. "Whatsh thish?" She asked with the bag in her mouth. "Those are called Chewy Sprees. They're kind of sour, but I really like them." Aaden takes the bag from her mouth, and opens it, handing her a single chewy disk. Fluttershy curiously chewed it, and smiled in approval. "Mmm...M-may, may I have the rest of the bag?" Aaden smiled really big. "Of course, Fluttershy! And here," Aaden pulled out another, longer green package. "That's called fun-dip. It's also pretty tasty." You all sat in silence, eating the snacks that Aaden had provided. You looked around, taking in the environment. This forest was weird. It wasn't like any other. You all sat in a clearing, surrounded by thousands of gray trees on all sides. An occasional breeze would waft past, reminding you of just how perfect the temperature was. You looked over at Aaden. He wasn't eating anything. He just started to stare, with wide eyes, into the distance. Ohhh...dude...his eyes are twinkling... Fluttershy stood up. "I, uh...I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be r-right back..." She was obviously embarrassed, and trotted off into the forest. Alright Rainbow Dash, now is your chance! Aaden was still staring. He hadn't blinked once. You leaned close to him, and closed your eyes. You kissed him. You actually did it. When you opened your eyes, he was still staring. His eyes were still wide open. "Huh?" You pushed him with a hoof. "Aaden?" He still wasn't moving. You noticed his eyes welling with tears. You began to feel very panicked. "Aaden, oh my goddess, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you didn't want that, and-" You stopped mid-sentence, and looked at him. Tears now ran down his cheeks, but his chest wasn't heaving, showing that he was crying. He just sat and stared. His eyes still enthralled you, even with tears. You could tell something was wrong. You shook him as rapidly as you could, but no response. "Aaden! Aaden, wake up!" _________________________________________________________________________________ You were being overwhelmed. What was once 25 men was now 12. Your trench sat on the outside of a forest, and what felt like hundreds of hostile soldiers were bearing down on you. "AADEN! AADEN, WAKE UP, AND GET THE FUCK ON THAT RADIO!" Major Howard yelled. You looked down at the body you were holding. The soldier was trembling, covered in blood. He reached his hand out to you, and still violently shaking, he grabbed your hand, and squeezed it with what little strength he had left. He was moaning in pain. "HE'S GOING TO DIE!" You yelled back. "HE NEEDS HELP!" Major Howard poked his head back over the trench, and fired rapidly with his rifle. "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!" You slammed your fist into the mud, and were forced to leave the wounded soldier in the mud. You leaned out of the trench, and fired several shots with your handgun. All around you, you heard your fellow men crying out. "I'M OUT, I'M OUT!" "NO MORE AMMO!" "I'M DRY!" You crawled over to the dead radio operator, and screamed over the receiver. "HELLO?! HELLO?! GOD DAMN IT!" You punch the mud again. You try to switch channels on the radio.. "CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?! CAN ANYONE FUCKING HEAR ME?! WE NEED HELP! WE NEED HELP NOW!" Still no response. You scream in frustration. You crawl back over to the wounded man you were holding, and pick him back up. He was smiling, but still shaking. You could hear his quiet, raspy talking, even over the gunfire and screaming. "A-Aaden..." You grip his hand, fighting back tears. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." He squeezed your hand a little harder. "I heard...a lot about you before...before this..." You looked him in his eyes. You could feel the tears coming, regardless of how hard you fought it. "and I...I just want to say..." He coughed violently. "These few moments.....fighting beside you.....have been the pr-proudest.....proudest...of my...li...." The squeezing of his hand got really strong on yours all of the sudden, but then immediately ceased. He exhaled a deep breath, and completely stopped moving. The tears now flowed with no stop. You put your face in his chest. This was too much. This was all too much. You heard the radio buzzing, a static filled voice coming over. "Viper 8-0, this is Archangel, going to be strafing the area, stand clear." A helicopter descended from the thick rain clouds, and immediately began firing it's minigun into the forest. Within moments, the fighting had ceased. The tears, however, had not. What was once 12 men, was now 11. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Aaden, dude, please, wake up!" You didn't like seeing his tears. It made you feel like you wanted to cry. Aaden finally blinked his eyes, releasing a large payload of tears. He sniffed, and then put his arms around you. You yelped in surprise, but didn't fight it. You also couldn't help but cry. You hugged back as hard as you could. You heard Aaden whimper. "Oh God...what have I done..." You hugged him closer, assuming the role of his comforter. You assumed it had something to do with a memory. You knew he was an amnesiac, so he probably just remembered something painful. He probably just relived one of the worst moments of his life. You couldn't imagine having to do anything painful over again. After a few moments, you pulled away, and looked at him. He was looking down at the gray ground. The crying had stopped, but his eyes were still a little red. You wiped his cheeks with your hooves, and gave him another big hug. He didn't hug back, but you understood. He was in pain, this much was obvious. And you were going to comfort him. You were going to hold him. _________________________________________________________________________________ You wanted to become an amnesiac once more. You had no idea your life was like that. You didn't want to know what else was around the corner, waiting to surprise you. With every memory that comes to you, you relived it. Every word of it. Every emotion of it. And it hurt. It hurt badly. You lift your arms up, and hug Rainbow Dash back. You knew she would take the hugging back in a wrong way, but you didn't care. You needed a hug. You took a deep breath in, and held it in. When you exhaled, your mind settled slightly. Of course, you could never tell the girls about this. You couldn't tell Virgil, or Oliver. This was your burden to carry, and yours alone. These were your mistakes. Your sins. You weren't searching for forgiveness of any God. You were searching for forgiveness from yourself. Chapter Nineteen: Lament of a WarriorGrief. Noun. Intense mental anguish. Deep sorrow surrounding death. A fitting defintion, you thought. Your right eye was free from Rainbow Dash's coat, and you used it to look around. You hope to come back here again soon, and hopefully retain your sanity, because it really was beautiful. The gray grass surrounded both Rainbow Dash and yourself, as did the gray trees. With each gust of wind, a few purple leaves would blow off, and float their way to the forest floor. You also noticed that the only flowers the grew around here were a bright white. It added to the feeling the forest gave you. You began to ponder your many escapes from this situation. Suicide was always there, but it wouldn't solve your problems. You would die not knowing any answers, knowing any peace. You could always try to render yourself amnesiac again. But you would inevitably have to relive it all again. Would talking about it help? If you were to confess your past to these ponies, would it help you? You have much on your mind. Luckily, Rainbow Dash does something that comforts you more than you thought it would. She takes her hoof, and gently strokes your hair, going towards your forehead. "Hey there big guy. You wanna talk about it?" You're pretty sure she just kissed the top of your head. Maybe it was her hoof. You shake your head. You hate the fact that you feel like such a little kid. After all of the things that you've apparently done, you should be emotionless. You should be nothing more than an empty vessel. But you can feel the pain. The hurt. Rainbow Dash lets out a silent giggle. "That's okay Aaden. I just want you to know, I'm here for you. I know that you probably don't feel the same way about me, but I like you a lot. Even if we were just friends, I would be happy. You're a great guy. I can't think of anything you could have done that would make me think otherwise." How about killing a man? She continues stroking your hair. You're pretty sure that another kiss was just pressed against your head. "Aaden, I know you don't wanna talk about it, but whatever it is, think about it for a moment. You are obviously very sorry for whatever happened. It's kinda rare for someone to be sorry because they legit regretted what they did, rather than be sorry because of the consequences, ya know?" Holy shit. She has a good point. You take a long, trembling breath. Her grip gets a little tighter. "Ya know, crying helps. I know that sounds really cliché and lame and stuff, but it does. And I won't judge you." You clear your throat. "No...no, I think I've got it all out of me." You're sorry because you regret your actions. You are legitimately sorry. You cough, being sure to hold your head away from her coat. You stagger to your feet, and stretch. The breeze from the forest is calming you. You take a few steps away from Rainbow Dash, and observe the trees. They move and sway in the exact same direction, with every gust of wind that travels through the forest. I'm here Alan. I'm here. From what you could gather, you have lived three lives. The life of a mercenary. The life of a man seeking retribution. And now this life. You then have an epiphany. One that bothers you, because of it's simplicity. I've already overcome this once. I can do it again. I just have to remember how. I've got to talk to someone about this. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had just finished up your little restroom adventure, and you began making your way through the forest. You were no psychologist, but Aaden really seemed hesitant to talk about himself personally. Humans, Humanity, and Earth were all fine topics, but when it came to his life, and who he was, he seemed reluctant. Like he didn't want to. You were sure he was telling the truth about what he did decide to tell you, but you weren't entirely sure if it was the whole truth. I mean, you were absolutely sure that Aaden was a good guy, but maybe he figuratively tripped and fell at some point in his life, and he is ashamed of himself. We all fall sometimes. But no one remembers the fall. It's how we pick ourselves up, that people remember. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your heart beats with anxiety. You have to tell someone. You have to tell someone what you've done. You can't hold it in any longer. It's ripping you up on the inside, it's going to literally kill you unless you kill yourself first. "Hey, Dash?" You turn around, and look at her. She smiles at you. "Could you come here for a second?" She giggles. "Totally." You lie down on your back in the grass, and stare at the sky. She lies down next to you. "Dash. I'm going to tell you something very important. You can't tell anypony. Not even Tank." She looks at you with curiosity. "Of course Aaden. What is it?" Adrenaline starts to course through your veins. You take a deep breath. You tell her everything. The voices. The memories. Anthony's constant following you. Your saving of the child and her father. The raid on the human trafficking compound. The way you killed several men. The last stand and death of Alan. The more and more you recount the stories, the more and more you hurt. You can feel the tears coming again. "I-I just, that wasn't me. I don't know why I did those things. " You started to let the tears run down your face. "I look back on it, and it was like I was just, looking at myself in third person. Like I had no control." You bring your hands up to your head, and put them over your eyes. "And God, Alan. The way he looked at me. The way he smiled while he died in my arms..." You tell her about the conversation you two had shared in his final moments. "I was notorious for being the "good guy" in the IMO. Alan wanted to serve alongside me, because he felt the same way I did about their operations. Disgusted. We enlisted both originally enlisted for the money, the power. But it all means NOTHING when you see what you're doing. What you're really doing. And then you have to live with it. The pain. The hurt." You took a deep breath, and wiped away some of the tears. "I'm a monster. I don't know what happened to me, to lose all of my memories, but I deserved it. I'm a monster." You sobbed in your hands. It felt good to let it out. Bittersweet, but relieving, none-the-less. Rainbow Dash then surprised you beyond your wildest belief. She put her forelegs around you, and held you again. Closer, this time. You could hear her crying, too. "Aaden. She sniffed. "I meant what I said. You're a great guy. Listening to those stories..." She sniffed slightly harder. "I can feel your pain. That's how strong it is. Aaden, I know you. I know you're sorry for what you did." She now rolled on top of you, and squeezed you super hard. She stopped for a moment, and looked into your eyes. "The fact that you always tried to do the right thing is all that matters. Even when you were in it for the awful things, you still tried to do the right thing. You tried so hard..." She squeezed you again, burying her face into your chest. You never found yourself attracted to Rainbow Dash, and even now you weren't, but it was nice that she understood. You found yourself to be very comfortable with her now. You fully expected her to dart off into the forest, and tell the others. You wouldn't be surprised if they would have you executed. You would have welcomed it, if that was the case. As silly as it seems, you both cried together, sharing the same pain that emanated from deep within your mind and soul. You both finally calm down, and just lay there together. You manage to get the courage to speak. "Dash. I killed someone. I can't take that back." Rainbow Dash had stopped crying now, and was now looking right in your eyes again. "You did what you had to do. It was either them or you. Besides, the humans that you killed, they seemed as if they kind of deserved it. I mean, if ponies were kidnapping each other from the streets and selling them, I'm sure the Royal Guard wouldn't spare their swords, if you know what I mean." Rainbow Dash really was making you feel better. She had good points. "Aaden, I'm sure the other ponies would understand, as well. While we may look all cute and junk, we're no strangers to war or anything. I'll gladly keep this information to myself, but I'm 100% sure they'll understand." You look away from her, but she uses her hoof to push your face back, lining your eyes back up. "I'll meet with Celestia. I'll see if there is any way she can show everyone my memories. We'll have a little meeting with everyone, you girls, the Honor Guardsman, just so there will be no mistrust. I feel like if I could show them, it would be better than just coming out and confessing it, ya know?" Rainbow Dash nodded her head. "Well, Aaden, I just want you to know..." She twiddled her hooves while she laid on top of you. "I'm always here for you. If any more of those awful dreams come back to you, you can talk to me!" She then kissed your forehead. She climbed off, and stretched, just as you did earlier. You still laid on the floor of the forest, hands behind your head, watching the clouds. You were actually starting to feel slightly better. Granted, you would only feel completely better once this is all said and done with Celestia and everyone, but to talk about it with Rainbow Dash, and to know that she understand, completely washes away the anxiety. At least you knew what to expect. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your day was pretty boring. No music, no crowds, no drinks. You just sat at your hotel, waiting for time to pass. If it wasn't for Aaden, you'd be back home in Ponyville, bothering Octavia. You ultimately decide that Aaden was worth it. You just finished your shower, and had a towel wrapped around your body. There was a knock at your door. You walked to it, and opened it up. There stood Aaden. By himself. Hmm... You decide to let your towel droop a little. That'll get his attention! "Hey Vinyl. I just dropped by to let you know, I'm inviting you to a night out at the castle. Celestia and I are holding a party. One to better acquaint everyone with me. It's tomorrow, at 8 pm. Think you can make it?" You're supposed to be at some nightclub tomorrow at 6. It can wait. "Absolutely, I'll be there, honor-boy. Wanna come inside?" Aaden shakes his head. "Sorry Vinyl, but I've got to make sure I invite everyone. Maybe another time." He says a goodbye, and leaves. You'll get him soon Vinyl. You'll get him real soon. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden was out inviting all the ponies he could to the impromptu party to discuss the things he had revealed to you in the forest. You weren't lying when you said you understood. Because you totally did. It surprised you a little, absolutely. But it didn't change your view or opinion of him. Nor your attraction to him. When in situations like that, nobody knows how they will react. Aaden just happened to make sure he did the right thing, which was incredibly respectable. It was getting late. You decided to climb into bed, and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow would go smoothly. Worst case scenario, Aaden gets rejected, and he runs away with you. Sounds good to me. _________________________________________________________________________________ You pull back the comforter, and slide into bed next to Rarity. Poor pony has been up to something, she's been out all day for the past two days, doing something. When you climbed into bed, your bodies were like magnets. Almost immediately did she turn over, and assume her usual position on top of you. You kissed her forehead. You could only hope that everything would remain the same tomorrow. That she would still love you. Sleep soon sat in, carrying you away once more. _________________________________________________________________________________ A family of four cowered and shook in fear inside of one of the many houses that had just become apart of a war zone. You heard someone yell at you. "LOCKE! LEAVE THEM! THE PAYLOAD IS DROPPING IN 5 MINUTES!" You could then hear the rapid fire of a handgun. You walked slowly towards them, your hands off of your weapon, and you were sure to speak calmly. "My name is Aaden, I'm going to get you out of this. Stay with me, okay?" They all seemingly nodded in fear. You opened up their back door, and darted out, the family in tow. Running from building to building, you eventually reached the extraction zone. As the helicopters began to land, a soldier hopped out, and held his hand up, stopping the family from boarding. "Sorry. IMO use only." You walked over to him. "Captain Aaden Locke. Pathfinder. I am above your jurisdiction. These 4 are coming with me. They're the only survivors." "Well, sorry 'superman', but this helicopter will be too packed. We only have enough space for 3 more after everyone has boarded. ." You seemingly entered a staring match with him. "Fine. I won't board. You take these 4, and leave me behind." He threw his hands up in the air. "Are you insane? You're going to die for these people?" You grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him to your face. "NO. ONE. ELSE. DIES. TODAY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" The soldier nodded briskly. You let go, albeit with a push. "Get them to the nearest town they request, ASAP." He ushers them into the hull. "And what about you? The damn bombers will be here any second." The final remnants of your soldiers board the helicopter. "Looks like I'm going for a jog." Chapter Twenty: Confession of an ArchitectYou awoke as you always have inside the barracks. You get up, get your armor on, go outside, and train. Training today went without any major incident. Strength training and some cardiovascular exercise took place. Before you knew it, your 4 hours were up, and you immediately went back to your room. You probably didn't speak a word the entire time you were training. Rarity was actually in the room when you got inside. "Hello, my love!" She jumped up, and gave you a hug. "I DO apologize for how busy I've been recently, but I think you'll like what I've arranged, darling." You kiss her on the forehead. "You could give me a candy wrapper and I'd treasure it." She laughs. "This is a little more elaborate than a candy wrapper, darling. I'll show you what I've got cooked up at this party you've set up tonight." "Yeah...party." You look past Rarity, to avoid making eye contact. "I'm gonna go shower, and then we'll head out, start getting stuff set up in the castle." You shower, but don't shave. You feel like you need something to motivate you, something to keep you pushing forward. You get dressed, and walk into the bedroom, and pull out your phone. You then walk out onto the balcony, and let a random song play. You had now idea how deeply it would resonate within you. Youtube Video Hold your grandmother's bible to your breast Gonna put it to the test You wanted it to be blessed And in your heart You know it to be true You know what you gotta do They all depend on you And you already know Yet you already know How this will end There is no escape From the slave catcher's songs For all of the loved ones gone Forever's not so long And in your soul They poked a million holes But you never let them show Come on its time to go And you already know Yet you already know How this will end Now you've seen his face And you know that there's a place in the sun For all that you've done For you and your children No longer shall you need You always wanted to believe Just ask and you'll receive Beyond your wildest dreams And you already know Yet you already know How this will end You already know (You already know) You already know (You already know) You already know How this will end The song itself captivated you. You could hear the hurt, the passion in the voice that sung. You could feel what he felt. The video resonated even further within you. It appeared to revolve around a very dark time in Earth's past. Then you saw something that really got to you. That man was going to be executed. That man going to die. There was no escaping it. But he didn't break down. He didn't let go. He stood calmly. Rather than face his executioners, he looked past them. It was incredibly symbolic. It didn't help that he looked very similar to you. The song wrapped up its final chorus. You were leaning slightly on the railing of the balcony, waiting for the song and video to wrap up. You felt very melancholy. You felt no dread. No fear. No anxiety. Just loneliness and sadness. The voice in the song sung true. You already know how this will end. _________________________________________________________________________________ You hated dressing up. It made you feel really lame. You still had a dress Rarity had made for you not too long ago, and you decide to wear it. Afterall, you wanted to look good for Aaden. You knew what exactly he was going to do, how he was going to have Celestia project his memories for all to see. You knew that the other ponies would accept him no matter what, especially if he really was considered a good guy if his little stint as a mercenary. Mercenaries in Equestria were rare to come across, but they usually were held in high respect, because they did the jobs no one else wanted to, or could do, for that matter. Sure, you had to pay them, but you were also taxed by the monarchy, which paid the Royal Guard. Equestria was more of an accepting and understanding place than Earth was, from the sounds of it. "Rainbow, ya got to hold still!" Applejack grumbled. The girls were taking turns prettying each other up, and it was your turn. Everypony had their own reasons for wanting to look good. You were the only one doing it for Aaden. Now that you thought about, you couldn't believe you were stressing this much about your appearance. You were actually making sure you had makeup on, making sure your teeth were as shining as could be, making sure your hair was tame, and that you looked stunning. You could only hope that you would be his center of attention. Pinkie Pie was super excited about this whole party. "Guys, what do you think he's gonna tell us? I'm usually the one that plans the parties, I hope he does it right! Actually, I'm sure he will! I wonder if they need help at the Castle?" She would jump or turn her head rapidly with each new thought. Twilight decided to chime in. "While I agree that it's a little off for a party to be so sudden, I'm sure it'll be fine. Aaden seems like a nice guy, and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy tell me that he's pretty decent." "Decent? How about AWESOME?" You interject. The girls all stare at you. You let out a nervous laugh. How about totally awesome? _________________________________________________________________________________ "Tavi? Think you could give me a hand with this?" Octavia walked into the room. You were lucky she had just came into Canterlot for some orchestra thing. As she walked into the room, her eyes opened slightly. "Vinyl, do tell me. What is that you're listening to? It sounds like that electronic gunk you listen to, but so much more...elegant." You see Octavia's hoof clopping to the beat gently. Youtube Video "Oh, it's some song that Aaden showed me. I may have been trash talking orchestral music, when he said he knew of some middle ground between our musical tastes, and ta-da. Good music." Octavia smiled. "So, what is it that you need, Vinyl?" You point at your back. "Zip this damn dress up, please." She cocks her head. "Vinyl, you don't ever wear dresses. And besides, this is really tight on you. Aren't you afraid of getting a little unwanted attention?" You point again at the zipper. "I'm actually hoping for it. Now please, zip." She walks over to you, and with a grunt and a shove, you are now zipped up. The dress you wore was slim fitting and black, with a cyan stripe going diagonal across the length. Octavia sat in a chair next to you. "So, I've heard an incredible amount about this Aaden. Shows up one day in Ponyville being chased by a manticore, almost dies, then becomes an Honor Guard. I hear he's really nice. I hear he has a real calming effect about him. What's he like?" You smile your infamous half-smile. "Well, he's really talented. You name it, I wouldn't doubt it if he could do it. He's also really deep, which normally bothers me in a stallion, but something about him...he's experienced real pain, ya know?" Octavia nods her head. "I like the fact that whatever that pain was, it taught him more about his life. The guy really knows how to live, if that makes sense. Does that make sense?" Octavia nods again. "I dunno. He's just extremely unique. And pretty damn sexy, too." Octavia laughs. "Is that what the dress is for?" You look back at the mirror, making sure you look good. "Let's just say I want him to plow me." Octavia then giggles. "Well, you have conviction. I suppose that's an admirable trait." Octavia stretches. "So, am I allowed to go to this party?" "Well, Aaden said he wanted anyone and everyone that wanted to come, to come. Something about he was something he wants to show us all." You smile in a lustful manner. "I know what I want him to show me." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was 7 PM. The party was 8. Right now, it was just Celestia and yourself alone in the ballroom. "Guardsman Locke. Are you sure this is what you want?" You nod your head. "This has to be done, ma'am. I cannot hide this." "Aaden." Did she just call you by your first name? "I understand your actions, and while my subjects will not shun you, they may not understand as I do. Are you absolutely sure?" You nod your head again, this time with a swallow. "No more secrets, ma'am." "Very well, my loyal Guardsman." You watched as the ponies walked in, and slowly began to congregate. They talked among themselves, while you and Celestia both stood on the stage, waiting to unveil the horrors in your mind. Oliver, Virgil, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Vinyl and Rarity all stood together. Rarity. This is for you, Honey. This is for you. You walk forward on the stage. "Everyone." You speak loudly. "I will not beat around the bush. I have called you here to show you something. I feel it best to show you, rather than tell you." You motion at Celestia. "Princess, if you would." the lights in the ballroom dimmed, and Celestia walked over to you, putting her horn to the back of your head. You watched as a random memory began to project from your eyes, into the space just in front of the audience that had gathered. I love you Rarity. I love you. _________________________________________________________________________________ The mans face was completely enveloped in shadow. He was wearing a black suit and red tie, but that's all you could see. "Aaden Locke. You are a candidate for the IMO." You see the orange bulb of a cigarette in the shadows. "Tell me. Why do you wish to join us? Of what value are you to us?" You look straight into the shadows were you thought it eyes were. "I am a man who has lost everything. I am a man with no dignity left. No honor. No options. I want the money. I want the power. I want it all." The man in the shadows laughs. "That's what I like to hear. Welcome to the IMO, Locke." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were in a nightclub. Everyone was dancing, having what appeared to be the time of their life. The entire room was lit up with laughter and smiles. You were nearing your target. You pushed your way through the crowd, until he became visible to you. You reached into his pocket, snatched his wallet, and then shoved him as hard as you could. He was sure to take the bait and follow you. And he did. "HEY, ASSHOLE! GET BACK HERE!" You ran through the crowd, and back outside. He followed you. You then ran into the alleyway. He followed. You ran back to the edge of the building, and turned around. The target was sneering. "You're about to get your ass kicked, moron." You reach into your coat, and remove your silenced handgun. You quickly draw it, and fire one shot, hitting him in his skull. You then quickly run up to him, and catch his body. His final stare is one of disbelief. You walk his body to the nearby dumpster, and put him inside of it. You take out your phone. "Chairman. Target has been eliminated." You hear the iconic laugh of his. "Very good. Your contract was for $200,000, correct?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You leaned against a car. Adam walked down the staircase towards you. "Adam, we've got to talk." "We do?" "What we're doing, it isn't right. I feel filthy." "Aaden, what were you expecting? You're a mercenary now." "I know, but it's not right. I know what I'm doing is wrong. I just don't have the courage to speak out, or stop what I'm doing. It's hard." "Look, kid, I know it hurts. If it makes you feel any better, try to be the good guy. Be a paragon. You're trapped here now. As am I. Better make the best of it. What's making you feel this way?" Your mind drifts back to the little girl and her father that you had saved. "I've just had an epiphany, okay? This is wrong. I don't feel right about it, Adam." "Stop calling me Adam. We'll both get our asses kicked if they hear that." "Right. I don't feel right about this, Major Howard." _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been hired to protect this village from another PMC that had been hired to destroy it. You felt extremely awful. Apparently, the entirety of the village had to pool their money to enlist your help. You knew exactly what you were going to do when this was over. Eventually, the two forces met, head on. Eventually, you had repelled the invaders. Everyone else was boarding the helicopters to return home. You held three briefcases filled with their money. You walked straight to the town hall, and sat the money down. The mayor looked at you. "Don't-don't you want the money? It's all we have..." You wave your hand. "No. Keep it. War is a disgusting thing. It makes me feel awful enough already to know I'm being paid to fight, much more so that it's all of your money." He looks up at you, with hope on his face. "Thank you." "It's the least I can do." You walk to the helicopters, and take a seat next to a young man who was assigned to you as a new recruit. You can feel him staring at you. "Can I help you?" You ask. "My name is Alan! I've heard a ton about you, Captain Locke, sir! Everyone here is so concerned with money and stuff, that they forget how to be nice! I hear you're different!" You smile. "Call me Aaden." "Yeah right! Disrespect a hero like you? I don't think so! I'd probably only do that if I were dying or something." _________________________________________________________________________________ "ADAM! ADAM, PLEASE, GOD NO! MEDIC!" You continue to cry out. "FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD, SOMEONE, ANYONE, GET THE HELL OVER HERE, HELP!" You push as hard as you can on Major Howard's neck. He was now thrashing around on the ground, blood pouring from his neck. Gunfire rocketed from both sides. You then felt a powerful amount of force in your chest. You hit the ground. It was getting hard to breathe. You watched helplessly as soldiers ran to and from cover in the streets. You see the leader of the enemy PMC attempting to get close. He was going to try to make an example of Adam. Over my dead fucking body. He walked among the battlefield, bullets still spraying everywhere. You weakly reached for your rifle, and held it up to your eye. The leader of the enemy PMC picked Adam up by his collar, and held him up high. With his free hand, he pulled out a handgun, and held it to his head. You took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger to your rifle. The three round burst roared as it went from your rifle, to his chest. He immediately dropped Adam, and staggered backwards, falling on his back. If he wasn't already dead, he was soon going to be. You threw one arm out in front of you, landing it in the dirt. You then threw the other arm out. You began clawing your way towards Adam, who was still breathing, but no longer thrashing. You eventually make your way over to him, and lift him up in his arms, just as you did Alan. "Adam..." you cough out. "Adam...no..." He looked at you, and smiled, just as Alan had. "God damn it kid...don't call me that...they'll kick our asses...you k-know?" He laughed, but the shaking from the laughter soon got slow, then completely ended. He had just died. What was once 11 men, was now 10. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Captain Aaden Locke of the Pathfinders. What makes you think you qualify to withdraw from the IMO?" You slam your fist down on the table, cracking it. "Because I'm sick of this! Money, power, none of it matters! Do you know what I've done? How many I've killed? I'll never be normal again, because of you!" "I don't believe you've thought this through, Aaden." "SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'm sick of you telling me what you think is best!" You regain your composure. "I'm leaving, regardless of what you think." "Very well, Aaden. We will stay in touch. Believe me." _________________________________________________________________________________ You could finally see the ballroom once more. Celestia had replayed all of your memories, from the death of Alan to Anthony's stalking of you. The ones you just saw were ones that were completely new to you. You could feel something squeezing you extremely tight. Probably rope. You were going to be arrested. Executed, too. Your eyes adjusted. What you saw surprised you to no end. All of the girls had formed a circle around you, and were hugging you. They were all sobbing. Even Vinyl. Rarity spoke up. "Darling...I had no idea..." You could feel your tears coming. "I didn't know what to tell you...I was so disgusted with myself, I could only imagine what you would think of me." "Dude!" Rainbow Dash managed to choke out. "Would you stop saying that! We love you regardless! You did what you had to, and we understand, and-" Her words then became inaudible with babbling and sobbing. She forced her face into your stomach, her crying muffled by it. "Aaden. I knew you hurt, but damn..." Vinyl wiped a tear away. She went to say something, but just shook her head. "Damn..." You watched as more tears came down her face. You looked down. You felt a hoof lift your head up. "Darling. I will love you regardless of what may have happened. The memories themselves have shown that you have changed. That isn't you. We all know that. We do not think any of less of you." "Wow...this hurts so much more to actually see..." You heard Rainbow mutter. You saw Oliver walking towards you. His eyes were also welling up. The girls let go, and you walked towards him. You thought he was just going to say something, but his walk continued well past talking distance. He immediately hugged you. "Brother. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. You are one of us now. You are no longer alone." You looked behind him, and saw the other Honor Guards and Virgil. They were all visibly moved. Everybody in the room was seemingly moved. "Your attention, everypony." Celestia was speaking. "It is completely obvious that we are all touched by our newest addition to Equestria's past. It hurts us all as much as it hurts him." She looks at you. "Aaden, thank you for sharing that with us. It is good that you decided to come out with it, rather than conceal it. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that, Aaden, you are welcome among us. You always will be." All of the ponies in the room shook their heads. "Now. The night is still young, and we have an entire ballroom, and party supplies, including some food Aaden made from home. Shall we celebrate our new addition?" Pinkie Pie immediately perked up from her sorrow. "Aaden? You made food?" She asks. Oliver releases you from his hug, also looking at you. "Oh, yeah. I made some just in case I wasn't executed. Chips and Queso, a favorite of mine back home. Feel free to help yourself." Oliver cocked his head in confusion. "Queso?" "Liquid cheese with peppers in it, essentially." "Hmm..." Oliver went off to locate this exotic food, while Pinkie Pie began to smile. "Celestia is right, everypony! We've got the crying out of the way! Let's celebrate now!" The crowd seemingly all smiled and nodded in improvement. As music came on, and laughter and talking began to fill the ballroom, you felt a wave of relief. Music started to play. You couldn't believe they accepted you as they did. You feel as if you were completely free now. You were sure that your mind had to have been hiding more nasty secrets, but you would deal with those when they came. You actually think you're going to enjoy yourself tonight. Eat a little bit, drink a little bit, talk with everyone. Now that this was out of the way, and being as everyone seemingly understands, you were actually quite excited for the evening to play out. You looked out of the corner of your eye. Vinyl, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all came over to you, and put you in another hug. "I'm so proud of you!" "You did great, honor-boy." "I love you, darling!" All three ponies exchanged glances uncomfortably. Oh, that's right. This is also a problem. You look out from your organic hug fortress and smile as you see Oliver locate the several bowls of queso and chips. He was seemingly very confused with how the whole set up worked, attempting to eat the chips and the queso entirely separate from one another. You were forced to stifle a laugh as other ponies followed his lead. Let's start with the easier problems. Chapter Twenty-One: Atonement of a MortalYou break free of your group hug, and after teaching Equestria the intricacies of using a chip to scoop queso, you notice Celestia staring at you from across the room, her ethereal mane flowing. Shiiiit. Am I in trouble? I thought she said I wasn't? You smile at her, and she smiles back. You decide to walk over to her. "Heya, Princess. Something wrong?" You ask. She shifts her hooves. "My loyal guardsman. When I projected your memories, I happened to see ALL of the memories you've recovered, but also one more. I find it quite touching, and would like for you to see it." You nod your head. "Okay. How do we do this?" Celestia motions with her head for you to follow her. You do as your told. She leads you through the crowd, up onto the stage, and through the curtains. "Kneel, guardsman." You get down on your knees. She walks around behind her, and puts her horn on the back of your head. You feel your eyes start to tingle. The memory must be projecting onto the wall again. At least this one is in private. You watch your memory unfold. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Dad? What're you cooking?" A young boy, no older than 6, walks into the kitchen, dragging a blanket with one hand, and wiping his eyes with the other. "Good morning, Aaden. Just some pancakes." The man that you now recognize to be your biological father picks the boy up, and sets him down on the counter. He walks over to the cabinets, and pulls out three glasses. "You want milk or orange juice?" "Juice please." Dad walks over to the fridge, pours two glasses of juice and one glass of milk. You look up at him. "Is Mom still asleep?" Dad chuckles. "Yep. It is kinda early, son. Even for you." You cross your arms. "But Dad. I wanna get up early, like you." He rustles your hair, and goes back to cooking. "Give yourself a couple of years, that'll change." He laughs again. It wasn't too much later that Mom walked into the room, in her pink house pants and one of Dad's dress shirts. She looked really silly, it was too big on her. "Hey Elanor." Dad walked over to her, and kissed her on the forehead. "Good morning to you too, Mason. Whatcha cooking?" He looks back over at the stove top. "Pancakes. Figured I'd make breakfast this morning." She smiles, and kisses him. Her face then grows a concerned look. "Mason, I...uh...I trust you. But you aren't seriously considering their offer, are you?" He smiles at her from underneath of his reading glasses. "Of course not, dear. I've no intention of serving a company. Serving my country was enough." "Mason. We both know of your accomplishments. You know they'll keep trying." He walked over to her, and hugged her. "Elanor, listen to me. You already had to watch me get on a plane once. I'm not going to make you do it again." Mom gave him a big hug, and released him. Dad laughed. "The IMO...bunch of damn fools, if you ask me." Mom punched his shoulder, and pointed at you. "Darn fools. Darn is what I meant." _________________________________________________________________________________ You can see the memory fading away from the wall where it was being projected. Celestia removed her horn from the back of your head, and walked back in front of you. "Remember. I saw all of your memories. That appeared to be the only one of your biological father. You bear quite a likeness to him. May I ask a few questions of you?" You get up off of your knees. "Absolutely." "Your father said he had served his country. What does that mean?" "He was a combat medic assigned to an Army unit. He fought in a war that I can't remember." You rub your head. "Your mother said he had 'accomplishments'?" "He was a hero, I remember that much. My Dad was tending to a wounded solider when they were forced to retreat. My Dad wouldn't leave the man behind. See, where I come from, there were rules for war, as silly as that may sound. Anyone that willingly shot a medic would be tried for war crimes. So, my Dad was safe. However, the wounded soldier was not. He knew that, if he left the man behind, he would be killed." You motion your hand at your side. "However, Medics carry a handgun, usually for personal defense. If a medic fires this handgun, their protection is completely voided. My Dad knew that, but he drew it anyways, and started firing at the advancing enemy. Apparently, this made them stop in their tracks, and allowed friendly forces to pour back in. My Dad essentially risked his life and well-being to save the life of a man he didn't know." Celestia smiled. "I find it very coincidental that this heroic trait runs in you, as well. Aaden?" You look at her. Right into her eyes. "Yes, Princess?" "I may not be from your universe, but I understand what happened. Your father was invited to join the IMO when his service was up. He stayed because of you and your mother. The IMO then paid close attention to you. They knew that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. They took advantage of your father and stepfathers deaths by inviting you to join them. You did so." She smiles. "You then found out, as I said earlier, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You disagreed with your actions, and modified your operations to your liking, to one of just purpose. You then ultimately left. Am I correct?" You stare at her, wide eyed. "Y-yes, Princess. Very correct." Celestia keeps her smile on her face. "Aaden Locke, you are forever welcomed in Equestria. You will be a valued addition to our humble ponies." "Thank you, Princess. Thank you." You look down at your hands. "Princess, I'm going to go get some air. While this was refreshing, it's still a little overwhelming, if that makes sense." "Of course, my guardsman. Enjoy your evening." You walk out from behind the curtain, and head for the nearest balcony. You were smiling. I do kinda look like my Dad, huh? I love you, Dad. Rest in peace. _________________________________________________________________________________ You stood with Applejack. "Mah goodness. Chips and kay-so, huh?" Applejack would scoop up the liquid cheese with one of the chips that sat in bowls next to the cheese, and indulge. She continues eating. You, on the other hand, grow more anxious. You haven't seen Aaden since your hug with him. You start to hobble around nervously on your legs. "Rainbow, relax. Ya look silly." You couldn't relax. You try to clear your throat, to avoid sounding nervous. "Hey, AJ. Have you seen Aaden?" She swallows a mouthful of chips. "Celestia took him up on stage, behind the curtains. I'm sure he'll be out in a moment." You looked up on the stage just in time to see him go over the side of it, and out of the glass doors leading to a balcony that overlooked Canterlot from the castle. You turn away from Applejack. "I'll be right back." You hear the chips crunching in her mouth. "Ya know where to find me." You push your way through the crowd, listening to them laugh and talk amongst themselves. It was really nice to see the mood switch from one that was so sad to this happy. You make it to the glass door leading out to the balcony, but decide to stop and look around first. Rarity was talking with Twilight Sparkle off in the corner of the room, Vinyl was with her friend Octavia, who was seemingly in a debate with Pinkie Pie, and Oliver was talking with Virgil near Applejack. Your heart beat cold. It felt ticklish. You imagine this is how a thief feels when he has a chance of being caught in the act. The adrenaline that pumped through your being made you feel elated and aware, but at the same time, it sharpened your fear. If ever you were going to make a move, it was going to be now. You look out of the glass door. A stone walkway leads out at least 20 meters, which then ends in a circular balcony. Aade was by himself, leaning on the railing directly in front of you. You swallow. Alright Rainbow Dash. Let's do this! You open the glass door, and shut it behind you, as quietly as you could. You then began your walk down the walkway. It was almost like something out of a dream. The cobblestone walkway gave a soft clop to your hooves which you attempted to silence as much as you could. With each step, your perception of your surroundings became enhanced. The sky was clear this night, with bright light from the moon and stars above illuminating everything. An occasional breeze would blow past you, causing your mane to move with it. You weren't used to it moving so much, but since you've brushed it and straightened it for this evening, you'd have to get used to it. For Aaden. Aaden was turning you into Fluttershy. You were never scared of anything. Out of all of the adventures you had been on with your friends, very rarely did you feel anything slightly similar to fear. But Aaden made you extremely nervous. Not because you were scared of him, but just because of how much you liked him. He could make you laugh, he could make you cry, he could give you a history lesson, and you'd love it. You didn't want to say or do anything that would make him angry with you, or make him not like you. Never in your life were you this cautious. You were getting closer. You could smell his cologne. It gives you goosebumps, and sends another burst of adrenaline rocketing throughout your body. You shudder. You look at Aaden's figure. He's still leaning, his polished shoes reflecting the moonlight off of them. His tie is also blowing slightly to the left of him, it becoming a radiant red under the supervision of the moon. His hair was still short, but it was getting longer. You think about how his eyes will look in the moonlight, and give yourself goosebumps again. His eyes were already deep. When you looked into his eyes, you could see everything he had been through. His eyes had infinite depth. You could see his pain, his happiness, his passion. It was different from that of a pony. Sure, people here had knowledge and had been around Equestria, but Aaden had experienced intense pain. The mystery, the valuable life lessons learned the hard way, the experience, it all resonated from deep within Aaden, and leaked from his eyes. Oh sweet, sweet Celestia, those eyes. You were now only a few steps away from Aaden. Your lips were dry, and you shook almost violently. You took a deep breath in, and exhaled it, warming your nostrils on it's way out. You were a perfect example of entropy. Discord himself would be proud. You muster up all of the courage you had left, and used it to root yourself. Your legs may be frozen, but your mouth was not. You lick your lips. "A-Aaden...?" You squeak. He turns around slowly, his enthralling eyes meeting yours. You could feel your legs becoming jelly. "Oh, hi Dash. I hope you*" He started as he was turning around. He turns all the way around, and examines you thoroughly. "Oh woooow. Rainbow Dash, you look amazing! Is that makeup?" You nod your head. "Y-yeah. The girls helped me. Aaden laughed. "Well they did great. Hey? C'mere." Your eyes widen. What could he want? You walk closer, and he throws his arms around you, lifting you from the ground in a hug. Ooooooooooooooh Celestia. He then puts you down. "It means a lot to me, everything you've done for me. I couldn't ask for a better friend. Even though you've just listened to me, it means the world. Why're you all dressed up, Dash? I thought that wasn't your thing?" You clear your throat. "A-actually, I'm dressed up f-for..." You swallow. "...for a very special somepony." Aaden smiles. "That's one amazingly lucky somepony, Dash!" You muster up all of your courage again. "W-well...A-Aaden...I've been mea-" You get cut off by the sound of another voice. "DARLING! There you are! You simply must come back inside, they're about to do a couples dance, and I shall NOT miss this!" Aaden looks back down at you. "Well, I've gotta run Dash. Good luck with that special somepony, I hope the feelings are mutual!" He then walks towards Rarity, closing the door behind him. You sigh, and take his place where he was leaning. You could still smell his cologne in the area. "I hope so too..." You mutter. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were dancing with Rarity. It had been so long since you had such close and long-lasting physical contact with her. You savored every minute of it. She smelled amazing to you. Like flowers and vanilla. And boy did you like vanilla. You held her close to you. "Darling, I do apologize for being so busy lately, but I have something for you." She magics open her purse, a small box floats over to you. You gently put her down, and take the box. "I worked very hard on it, constantly having to go to the shop, and watch them make every detail, ensuring it was right to the very molecular structure!" You open the box. Inside is brilliant silver watch. Everything about it screamed expensive. "Honey. This looks master-crafted." You slide it on your left wrist, and fasten it. It felt great, it looked great, and the best part of it all, was the fact that Rarity's cutie mark was etched into the face of the watch. It was perfect. She hopped up on her hind legs again, and kisses you. "Only the best for the best, darling. Quite frankly, you warrant a far more expensive watch." You shake your hand dismissively. "Honey, no. You're gonna run yourself into the ground, buying me such expensive things. I'm just a guy." She laughs. "Just a guy? Then I'm just a pony, who you don't have to do nice things for." You laugh this time. "You got me, Rarity" "A lady is always right in the relationship, darling." "You remind me of something my Dad told me. Did I tell you I can remember my Dad now? Anyways. He said, 'Son, when you get older, and meet that special someone, you'll soon find that you can be right, or you can be happy. You'll soon come to find that you don't so much mind being right.'" You smile. "Well darling, he sounds like a very intelligent human. Let's hope you take after him." She giggles, and kisses you. You continue your dance in the ballroom, holding each other close, and letting the music carry you. Everyone in the ballroom was seemingly having a good time. It made you feel good, to feel so accepted. "Rarity?" You ask. "Yes Darling?" She responds. "I love you." "I love you more." _________________________________________________________________________________ Octavia and Pinkie Pie were still arguing over what kind of music should be played at a party when you left the bathroom and came back. "No, no, no, I'm telling you Pinkie Pie, classical music, enriched with an orchestra, it creates much more of an elegant and enjoyable environment!" Pinkie Pie nodded her head. "Noooo, silly! Vinyl has the right idea when it comes to parties! It's gotta be loud and catchy!" You ignore it, and immediately try to single out Aaden. You find him dancing with Rarity. Damn. Gonna have to wait for my turn. You had no idea Aaden had been through so much. Although, in your mind, he was 100% more badass, something else clicked inside of you. While you were loud and informal and tomboyish, you were still a mare. And something about Aaden really appealed to the Mare inside of you. You've never felt this strongly about anypony before. Was it his looks? His skills? You didn't know. What you did know, however, is that you wanted Aaden to sweep you off of your feet, and carry you to your bedroom, where you would make love for hours on end. And you've never met a stallion, or mare for that matter, that you wanted to do that with. Sure, you had one night stands before, you've had a little fun here and there, but you didn't want Aaden for just one night. Nor just temporarily, either. You wanted him to be exclusively yours, and you wanted to be all his. you laughed. You were seemingly the one thing that you swore to yourself that you never would be. Well, good going Vinyl. You've went and fallen in love. Chapter Twenty-Two: OvertureThe night itself was easy enough. At some point during the party, Rainbow Dash had returned inside, and was standing with Applejack now. Vinyl kept her distance, but she would constantly look you over. Rarity obviously took notice of this. "My, Darling, aren't we popular?" You examine Rarity. She isn't upset. Not in the least. "Yeah, I think they have a crush on me." Rarity laughs. "Is that all, Darling? Is that why they insist on following you?" You rub the back of your neck. "Yeah. They're both good friends, ya know? I'd hate to hurt their feelings by telling them to back off, ya know?" "I've got an idea darling. Call them both over here." You cock your head in confusion. "Never question a lady." You turn off towards Vinyl, who was closest to you. You reach her in little time. She was leaning against the wall next to the restrooms, smirking at you. "Well well, if it isn't my favorite human. Whatcha doing?" You signal her to follow you. "Follow me, Vinyl." She smiles her half smile. "To Tartarus and back." You work your way to Rainbow Dash, who was actually surprisingly difficult to reach. She was on the complete other side of a wall of ponies, who were too busy laughing and enjoying the music to pay attention to you. You start to gently push your way through the crowd, uttering an apology for every nudge you give. "Excuse me.....sorry.....pardon me....." Vinyl, on the other hand, wasn't as forgiving. "MOVE.....GET OUTTA MY WAY.....Shove me again, watch what happens....." After a few more pushes, you unveil a path to Rainbow Dash. This ballroom really was extravagant. The ceiling was very high, and ordained with many chandeliers, which were currently dimmed. The ballroom itself was a very large circle, with a stage at the northern most arc of the circle, while tables with food sat on the west end, and the restrooms on the east end. Rainbow just happened to be at the food as you approached. "Hey, Dash?" She spins around, eyes lit up. "Aaden! Hi!" "Do you think you could follow me, please?" Rainbow Dash looks behind you, at Vinyl. "Of course Aaden." With two ponies in tow, you decide to walk around the crowd to Rarity. On your walk there, you begin to feel dizzy. You can hear voices, and almost see the ballroom change over. You can't make out any solid shapes or figures, and it fades away just as quickly as it comes, but it's still enough to keep you on your toes. You shake your head, and get near Rarity. She addresses Rainbow Dash and Vinyl first. "Now, darlings. It has come to my attention that you may have a crush on Aaden?" "Rarity, no, I mean, I do, but I would nev-" Rarity shushes her. "I'm not mad at either of you. In fact, I have an idea. Aaden is quite the..." She looks over at you. "...infatuating type, is he not? How about this: leave him with me for the rest of his training, and then one week when we get back, and then I'll send him to stay two weeks with each of you. I feel that is the best thing to do. Rather than argue like fillies would, we shall do this like mares, and let Aaden decide. After all, we all ultimately want Aaden happy, right?" Rainbow Dash and Vinyl nodded. "Very well. As I said, I will not let this situation fall into chaos. Which of you would like to have Aaden first?" "Rainbow Dash can have him first." Vinyl speaks up. You both look at her surprise. Rainbow Dash seemingly bursts with joy. "Then it is settled! Aaden, darling, does this sound okay with you?" You give her a concerned look. She leans in and whispers to you. "Darling, you have nothing to fear. If you just do this, they'll leave you alone for good when you choose me." She has a good point. "Alright. We'll do this, and it'll be fun. Hope you mares can accommodate me." "Are you kidding?! OHMIGOSH!" Rainbow Dash hops up and down excitedly. "I've gotta find things for us to do, to go-" Her smile fades. "I've gotta clean!" She then groans. You watch as Vinyl and Rainbow Dash immediately disperse back into the crowd in excitement. The feeling of dizziness and the blurry environment return to you. You throw your arm out, and catch Rarity's back. "Darling? Are you okay? I thought they weren't serving anything harder than wine tonight?" You shake your head. "Not drunk. Something doesn't feel right." You blink several times, restoring the ballroom in your vision, but the dizziness decides to stay. You felt like you were going to cry. Not because of pain or anything, but because you could feel your eyes becoming really wet. You had to blink several times to clear them. You then decide to use your hands to try and wipe them, which causes a problem. You watch as a memory starts to project itself out of your eyes once more, this time without Celestia's help. You hear the music stop in the room, as does the laughter and conversations of the other ponies. You can't see them as the memory begins to take shape, but you know that everyone in the room is staring at you, waiting to see what else you have done in your life. You can't remember anything in your life that you would be ashamed for them to see after they figured out the mercenary role in your life. But that's just it. You can't remember. The scene begins to materialize. _________________________________________________________________________________ The complex was very dark. You followed the head slaver down the hall, and into a dark, dungeon like room with a girl chained to the wall in a provocative position. The slaver laughs. "You have 1 hour. Have fun, big boy." He turns around and leaves. This girl couldn't have been older than 8. As soon as he leaves, you run over to the girl. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She shook her head. "No, not yet...I wanna go home..." You nod your head. "I'm going to get you out of here. I promise. Now, this next part is going to be scary, but I need you to trust me. Okay?" She nods her head again. You fumble around with the lock, picking it with ease, freeing her. "Close your eyes tight. No matter what you hear me say, no matter what you hear, don't open your eyes. Okay?" She nods again, her eyes closed. You open the dungeon room door, and yell out into the hallway. "GUARDS! HELP! SHE'S ESCAPED!" You look over to her, and whisper-shout to her. "Eyes closed." You watched as two guards and the head slaver walked in the room, and saw her off of her chains. You picked up the steel chair behind you, and walked behind them. As soon as one of the guards reached for her, you swung the chair at him, the legs hitting the back of his head, sending him to the ground with a grotesque cracking noise. You then grab the other guard from behind, wrap one arm around his neck, and immediately knock him unconscious. You throw him on the ground, and grab the head slaver. "More guards will come." You smile. "Let them." You pick up a chain from the wall, and wrap it around his neck, choking him. You decide to pass judgement on this man. A head slaver. He has sentenced many to a life of slavery and rape. He has raped and killed many, his self. Then again, there was no such thing as a plea of innocence in your court. Guilty. You lift him up. You had him on his knees, and the chain around his neck was almost like a puppet string. You picked your foot up, and you kick him in the back of the head as hard as you could. The chain acted as a stop. You hear a loud cracking sound. You let go of the chains, and watch as the head slaver falls, twitches, and dies. You feel it was fitting that he would die in chains. You walk over to the little girl, and gently take her hand. "Follow me. And no peeking." She was entirely too young to see the now bloodstained room. She did as she was told, covering her eyes with one hand, and holding your in the other. As you left this dungeon-like room and entered the dark hallways, you quickly checked the other rooms in the vicinity. No other slaves. Just her. You pass by a puddle, and examine yourself. You were dressed in complete combat IMO combat gear, a theme of orange and black. You notice you were wearing a duster over the armor, and a gas mask with what appeared to be orange LED illuminated lenses, completely hiding your eyes and making the lenses glow a bright orange. They were more for show than anything else, but it also scared any enemy you had to come across in your line of work. You make it out of the basement. "Alright little one. Stay here for just a second, let me make sure that it is safe." You pull out your handgun, and leave the girl in the room by the basement. As you walk out into the foyer of the mansion, you hear someone yelling. "OH SHIT! IT'S HIM!" "STAY CALM, REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING!" You see that the human traffickers had called for help. Help that was familiar with what you did to these people. You throw yourself against a wall, and hold your handgun close. You lean out, aim down the sights, and fire three shots. Two connect with the same trafficker that shouted, ending his life. You watch as the two others take cover, one behind a soda machine, the other behind a marble pillar. You slide a grenade off of your belt, and roll it like a bowling ball towards the one behind the pillar. You throw yourself back behind the wall. "FUCK!" You hear him shout. Boom. You peek back around the corner. There is the lifeless body of the man who shouted, the freshly dead man from behind the pillar, and the one trafficker behind the soda machine, who was oddly still alive. He was injured, but alive. He was shaking violently as he was reaching for his radio. "Hello? Is the situation under control? Answer me, God damn it." You smile under your gas mask, and walk your way over to him. You pick up the radio. "Oh yeah. The situation is all good here." "Good. Then we have no need to come help you. Jackass." You put the radio down, and aim your handgun at him, firing one shot into his skull, killing him as well. You go back to the girl, and lead her out of the mansion, and through the marshes surrounding them. The walk was a quiet one. "You said you live nearby, little one?" The girls nodded her head. "Yeah. They took me from my home only just last night." You noticed you were still holding her hand. You looked down at her, and she looked back at you. "Mister? Are you angel?" You smile again under your gas mask. They always think you're an angel. "Yes little one. I am." She smiles in excitement. "And you're taking me home?" You nod your head, and she smiles even wider. "And they won't try to hurt me again?" "No little one. I'm sure they'll get the message here soon." You think about how they'll react when they find all of the bodies. "Thank you Mr. Angel." You both are now in a forest, and it was starting to get late. You noticed she was starting to lag behind, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "Mr. Angel? I'm sleepy." You remove the duster from yourself, and pick her up, wrapping her in it. "Sleep. When you awake, you'll be home." "Will you still be there?" "No." "Why not?" "I must save others, too, little one." She smiles, and cuddles up in your duster, quickly falling asleep. You continue walking with the girl in your arms. You soon exit the forest, and come upon a village. The rural United Kingdom was completely different from the rural United States, but beautiful all the same. As you walk through it's sleepy streets, you hear a door open, and watch as a young woman walks towards you. "Is that..." She becomes wide eyed, tears forming. "Yes. I got to her before they hurt her. They will not be a problem anymore." She looks up at you with pleading eyes. You gently hand over the duster-wrapped child. She cradles her, and looks up at you. "What do you want? Money?" You shake your head. "No. I don't want anything." She smiles at you. "Oh, come now. Food? At least let us give you food." "I'm sorry ma'am. I don't want it." Out of the corner of your eyes, you watched as a bunch of Labrador puppies followed their mother around. You saw a pitch black one, the runt, straggling behind, but still trying. You almost cannot handle the cuteness. "Are those your puppies?" The young woman nods her head. "Yes. Would you like one? We've been trying to sell them." "Actually, yes. I'd like the runt." The woman smiles. "Ah, yes. That's Pepper. Quite the loving one." You trade the girl for the puppy named Pepper. You pick him up, and he seemingly takes to you immediately, not minding leaving the village. You turn your radio back on, and hold it up to your mouth. "I'm leaving the village now. Payment is in tow." "God damn it Locke. You're going to get yourself killed, either by these traffickers, or by the IMO themselves." You look down at your new puppy. You got a good feeling that this is the best payment you've ever received. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your eyes start to readjust to the sight of the ballroom. You can see ponies smiling all around you. Celestia is now standing beside you. "I apologize, my Guardsman. I suppose the magic was still active." She is also smiling. You look out into the crowd. You can almost see the hearts in Rainbow Dash's eyes. Vinyl was doing her half smile, but her eyes were half lidded and tinted with lust itself. Rarity came over, and kissed your forehead. "You really are good with kids, darling." You climb back to your feet. "Yeah, I guess I am." You return the kiss. You look around the room, watching as ponies went back to their conversations. The music started back up. _________________________________________________________________________________ "See Tavi? See how hot he is?" You ask. Octavia laughs. "While he is attractive, he also appears to be quite the hero. And you say he'll be spending two whole weeks with us? "Oh yeah. And hopefully he screws my brains out. Maybe I can get him to screw you too." Octavia blushes. "You're incredibly too fast with these things, Vinyl." "He better not be too fast." "Vinyl." "Alright, alright. I'm done." You take a drink of the wine you had helped yourself to. In a brief moment of seriousness, you were actually nervous about having Aaden at your house. Where would he sleep? What does he eat? Will he like you? Do you do anything that would give him reason not to? You continue to ponder these thoughts as your glass of wine soon completely empties. _________________________________________________________________________________ You can't believe it. Aaden is coming to live with you for two whole weeks. For two whole weeks, you will get to see those eyes. You have two whole weeks to try and impress him. Fast flying? Maybe some aerobatic techniques? What about cooking? You know he likes spicy food, and you spicy food, so maybe you could do something with that! Your mind refused to settle when it came to thinking about him. You were in love, and you didn't care to admit it anymore. Aaden was like exactly zero stallions you had ever met. He was so different. Maybe that's what attracted you to him. It didn't help, watching all of these memories of him. All of these heroics, they put you in awe. They made you feel humbled by his presence, but that was the thing. Aaden was the humble one. You know if you did stuff like that, your friends would never hear the end of it. But not only did Aaden not brag about it, he chose to act as if he was normal. He felt remorse. Maybe that's what got you. You weren't sure at this point. What you were sure of, is that he is going to be sharing your bed with you. You never liked being too forward and fast, but you've been in this Fluttershy-like daze for long enough now. You had two weeks to show Aaden that you loved him. And you intended to out do Vinyl and Rarity both. Combined. Chapter Twenty-Three: Ideas of a ParamourAaden was changing. He was changing a lot. What was once the cocky, arrogant, and eager recruit, had become a silent, prophetic soldier. His eyes used to shine with youth. He wasn't even close to 30, and his eyes now had the deepness and wisdom of an elder. That is, if you ever had the rare privilege of seeing them. Which brings you to another concern: He didn't like showing his face much anymore. Possibly out of disgust. You look over at him. He was sitting on the iron bench, his hands on his knees. He looked like a modern day soldier, but without the camouflage patterns. The camouflage was traded for a straight black and orange color scheme. He also wore a black duster over the uniform, one that had a long, white angel wing painted down the right sleeve, which traveled all the way up to his shoulder blade, and he always wore this gas mask. The gas mask was also black, but the lenses on it were completely illuminated a bright orange. It was eerie to find him in a dark room, because all you would see were the two beady orange lenses staring back at you. He didn't wear a helmet, but his hair was about 1-2 inches long, and it always looked rustled and unkempt. He looked down at his hands. He was holding dog tags, let them dangle at his knees. You knew they belonged to Major Adam Howard and Alan Moore. They had both died right before Aaden, both were good friends of his. Howard was his mentor, taught him all about fighting, taught Aaden that was was much more than just mindless killing. He was almost like a father figure to him. If that was the case, then Alan was Aaden's little brother. Alan always looked up to the guy, always thought he was a hero, that he would be the reason that PMCs would start doing the right thing. Poor bastard died following his ideas that he was doing good. Evidently, these two deaths really hurt Aaden. You looked back up at him. Evidently now became obviously. A soldier walked in the room holding a smartphone, and froze in his tracks. "H-holy...holy shit. You're real. Y-you've got a phone...call..." Aaden stood up, seemingly towering over the soldier. Aaden walked over, and gently took the smartphone from his hands. The soldier laughed in disbelief, and walked over to you. "Dude! Max, look! He's fucking real!" You look at him. Aaden had also become a kind of legend. A silent, brutal soldier that attempts to serve justice and good, one that wears a gas mask and duster, one that had a callsign of "Angel". Sounds enough like a legend, so it became one. "I mean, Max, look! It's Angel! He's right there!" "Relax Carter. Damn. I've been assigned to his squad for awhile now." His eyes light up. "You? In his squad? HOLY SHIT. Is everything I hear true?" You shake your head. "Yeah. I may as well have enlisted in the regular military, all of the charitable deeds we do, all of the moral things he does." The fact of the matter was, you didn't mind all of the good things you did for people. Granted, you were only in it for the money, but it was easier on your conscience to serve the innocent and get paid rather than kill the innocent and get paid. "Dude, I would kill to be with that guy! I hear he's really smart!" That was also true. You've heard some of the only prophecies and ideas you agree with from Aaden. He also had this interesting presence about him, one that was extremely calming. He always seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing, and that was very relaxing. From the heat of battle, to dismissing you to lunch, he always seemed very collected. "Are the rumors about his promotion true?" "Yeah. He declined it." "WHAT? HE DECLINED BEING PROMOTED TO MAJOR?" You heard another voice chime in. One a little grizzlier than Carter's. "Yes. I did. Only one man I know deserved that position. He has left us." Carter looked up in awe at the two bright orange lenses staring at him, handing the smartphone back to him. Carter takes the phone, salutes Aaden, then prompty leaves the room. "Max, do you have the imports I requested?" You nod your head, and open up the mailbag. 6 cans of wet dog food and a bag of dry dog food. Aaden loosened up the straps of his gas mask, and slid his fingers underneath, and let out an ear-piercing whistle. A small, black labrador puppy came scrambling and yelping into the room, wagging his tail at the speed of light. He got down on one knee, and plopped some of the wet dog food out on the floor for the puppy. He ran his gloved fingers through the puppies fur while it lapped up the food. Aaden had loosened up his gas mask just enough to where you could see his mouth. You could see him smiling. You couldn't see his eyes, but you could see his white teeth smiling as he fed the puppy. "Does he have a name, Captain?" Aaden looks up at you, and readjusts his gas mask. The puppy also looks up at you, his head turned slightly in adorable confusion. "Pepper." Normally, you would question this situation. You watch as the puppy leaps up on his leg, and curls up in a ball on it, whimpering in exhaustion and excitement. Aaden picks him up, and drapes him over his shoulder, like one would a sleeping child. Aaden deserved this. You had no question regarding that. _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel a hoof nudging you. "Sir? Sir, please wake up. We have arrived in Ponyville." You blinked both of your eyes. It amazed you how fast time passed when life was mundane. It felt like just yesterday you had finished your training and returned home. You were just now getting back from a second trip to Centerlot to retrieve your official armor and sword. Today was the first day you were going to spend with Rainbow Dash. The first day out of two weeks. You really hoped that Rarity was okay with this, that she knew what she was doing. You get off the train, and sure enough, there is Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both smiling like madponies, waiting for you in the terminal. "Hey girls." "Hiya Aaden! How was your trip?" Rainbow asked. "I actually just woke up from a nap, if that says anything." Rainbow Dash laughs. "I hear ya. Trains are too slow for me." You look over at Fluttershy. "Hi, Fluttershy." "Hello Aaden." She says bashfully. "C'mon Aaden, lets head back to my house." You all three begin your walk out of the terminal, and to the edge of Ponyville. Your armor clunked the entire way. Several ponies wished you a good day on your way to Rainbow Dash's house. It made you feel good, feeling so accepted and loved by everyone. While some ponies took it too far, like Rainbow Dash and Vinyl, it still was good to know you were cared for. On the edge of the forest stood the oddest looking cloud you had ever seen. It looked an awful lot like a big house with rainbow waterfalls and streams all over it. Wait. "Hey, Dash. Is that your house?" She doesn't look back at you when you respond. "Yep!" "Uhh...Dash. I can't walk on clouds. Remember? Plus, I don't have wings." Some angel you were. "Don't worry about that dude. That's why Fluttershy is here." You had no idea what was about to happen, but you trusted her. As you approached it, Rainbow Dash put herself under your right arm, and Fluttershy under your left. "Alright Aaden, hold on tight." You felt your feet lift off of the ground. You felt bad, you had no idea how heavy you must have been to the two mares lifting you. Slowly but surely, you reach the cloud staircase of the cloud house. They let you down, and the moment your feet hit the clouds, you begin to panic. Your feet sink slowly. "Uh, Dash, I-" Your feet stop sinking. She looks at you with a mischievous smile. "I know it looks like it's only made of clouds, but there's actually a foundation under it all. C'mon in." You wade your way through the clouds, and go through the door. You were relieved to see tiling and pillars without cloud cover on the inside. You could walk normally. "Welcome to my place." It really was beautiful. The front door gave way to a foyer area, large and open, with two staircases winding their way up to the upper floors. "Where will I be staying?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just asked where he would be staying. You know where you wanted him to stay. You were turning into Fluttershy once again. You hated to think about it, but a lubby-dubby side did exist within you, a side of you were you felt shy and unsure, it really was there. And it was certainly about to show. "Well, I, uh..." You start. "The guest bedroom, the clouds are, uhh..." You break eye contact with him for a moment when you get an idea. "The clouds are dirty!" He looks at you in confusion. "The clouds are dirty?" "Yeah, filthy! The clouds that make up the mattress? Blegh! Gross!" You feel yourself starting to blush, and you try your hardest to suppress it. "You can sleep with me. I-If that's okay..." Aaden gives you another confused look. "Dash, I dunno..." He examines you. "I don't know if Rarity told you, but sometimes I wake in the middle of the night abruptly, sometimes with a shout or yelp from some of the memories I have. Not to mention that I don't want to be a bother. I'm already a guest in your house, you know? I'd hate to just kinda intrude like that, ya know?" You blush slightly harder. "Well, the b-beds are made of clouds, so, ya know, I won't feel anything if you wake up like that...I'd really be okay with it." He looks at you intently. "Are you sure, Dash?" You feel your heart skip a beat. "Yeah." "Alright. Then I suppose we'll be sharing a bed. Sleeping on clouds sounds pretty inter-Is that a turtle with a propeller on it's back?" You immediately stop blushing, and look up to see Tank flying over to Aaden. "Tank! Yeah, that's Tank! He's my pet turtle! Tank, say hi to Aaden, he's gonna be living with us for awhile!" Tank looks at Aaden curiously. Aaden carefully reaches a hand up, and strokes Tank's head with one of his fingers. "Tank, huh? I used to have a pet back home. A big dog." Tank smiles approvingly at Aaden, seemingly enjoying his presence. It was nice that he didn't slam into Aaden. You only want to get hit by a flying turtle once, afterall. You were actually really enjoying this sight. You had seen some of Aaden's memories, you knew he was really good with kids and animals, but to see it in person really made you giddy. His eyes were starting to get to you again. Tank scuttled away, going somewhere undisclosed within the house. Fluttershy led both of you up to your room. Aaden took his armor off and placed it in a corner. Aaden was such an amazing human. He was smart, he was cute, he was funny, he embodied every physical and mental trait that you have ever desired. You've met a lot of ponies, but nothing quite like Aaden. You watched him sit down on the bed, and sink a little into the cloud mattress. "Whooooa." He giggled. "This is trippy. I think I might like this." You laugh. "Me too dude. Me too." You aren't sure how Aaden got here exactly. But you kinda hoped that there was no way for him to get back. You couldn't imagine not having him around. Still, you wondered what the humans back in his world were doing without him. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Angel was dead. It was still hard to swallow. Such a hero, cut down cheaply, and in cold blood at that. You shudder to think that you were almost involved in that murder. You accepted the promotion to Captain to honor him. You were going to continue his work. You were going to become the next angel. You called for a meeting of your squad that the IMO lovingly referred to as "The Pathfinders". You were going to hold a vigil for him. A memorial. The entire squad knew what was happening, and entered the room silently, around the makeshift memorial you had created. The memorial itself was his gas mask with a rose in front of it, with his duster folded up put beside it, with painted angel wing on the sleeve showing. As everyone gathered around the monument, you pulled out your phone, and played the song you had found. It accurately represented his work. His life. Youtube Video The title of the song really matched him, as did the sound of it. Aaden turned you completely around. He showed you that, while you may be mercenaries, you can also be good people. You examined the picture, how truly fitting it was. An angel radiating the battlefield, shining his light. An ally to be respected and enemy to be feared. That was Aaden. When the song was over, a voice spoke up. "Max?" "Yes, Carter?" "We will never come close to doing as well as he did." "Of course not." "But we will try. We will continue his work." "Absolutely. In his memory, we fight on. For the greater good, brothers. Just as Aaden did." _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy left, and Aaden was in the shower, so you took off to the kitchen to prepare dinner. You remembered that he said he liked spicy food, so you decided that some spicy cheese pizza would do the trick. You found several of your hottest peppers, and the rest of what you would need to make dinner. You never really cared much for cooking, but since you were cooking for Aaden tonight, it became the most precious talent in the world to you. Maybe you could impress him with some really good cooking. You look over on the windowpane, at the bright red pepper you kept there for some special occasion. Mr. Tasty, the biggest, meanest pepper in all of Ponyville. You mainly held on to it to try and impress some guests by eating it whole, but you never had many guests up here. Maybe tonight was the night you would eat it, in front of Aaden. Can you eat a pepper seductively? You giggle at the thought. You can still hear the shower going upstairs. You hope the brief lesson you gave him on how to operate the shower was enough. _________________________________________________________________________________ You think you scolded yourself in the shower. Rainbow warned you that dial was sensitive, but you had no idea how sensitive. You had it in the center. Turning it a little to the left activated arctic ocean mode, and too far to the right activated Satan's piss mode. You had turned it just a few millimeters to the right. After some frantic adjusting, you managed to get the temperature back to normal. You liked this shower a lot. The clouds were soft between your toes, and the water just kind of fell from the clouds above you, like rain. Warm rain. You were washing your hair. You hear the door open. "That you, Dash?" "Yeah. Just making sure you were alright up here. I heard you yelp." You remember how you had scolded yourself. "Yeah, I'm fine." You see the curtain open slightly, and watch Rainbow's hoof enter the shower. "See, if you hit this button here..." She presses a button hidden below the dials. More water comes out. "You get higher pressure. Neat, huh?" "Yeah. So, uh..." Rainbow removes her hoof. "I'll go back to making dinner. Spicy cheese pizza! I hope you're hungry. Your stomach rumbles at the sound of it. "I'll take that as a yes." She laughs. You had a feeling that something was going to happen tonight. Rainbow Dash was either starting to get brave, or you just didn't accurately understand the do's and don't's of pony culture. But you'll soon find out, you suppose. You finish up your shower, and wrap a towel around your waist. You walk out of the bathroom, and begin your walk down to Rainbow Dash's room where you kept your clothes. While you missed Rarity, you tried to look at the bright side of things. Rainbow Dash was pretty cool. Plus, spicy cheese pizza. And a turtle with a propeller on his back. And gnarly rainbow pools and waterfalls. It was really pretty here with Rainbow Dash. You caught the scent of a pizza baking as you walked down the hall. Maybe this won't be so bad. Chapter Twenty-Four: Love of a ProphetOne of the things you think you'll really like here, is the fact that you could wear pretty much anything you wanted, and Rainbow Dash wouldn't much care. You put on a pair of light blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Spicy cheese pizza, huh? You were open to this idea. You've never heard of a spicy pizza. Then again, you had never heard of spicy onion rings until you ate at that restaurant by the Delaware River, either. Those were pretty damn good. You look around Rainbow Dash's room. It looks awfully what you'd imagine a Roman Nobleman would own. Two marble pillars near the bed, marble tiling, and the bed up on a peninsula-like tile up off of the floor. The bed itself was made of clouds. As was the blanket and pillows. Although you were going to be sharing a bed with Rainbow Dash tonight, maybe it wouldn't suck completely. You smell the distinct scent of Jalapenos, sharp and sweet, wafting through the air, followed by the scents of cheese and what you assumed was some other kind of pepper. You would kill for a meat lovers pizza from back home right about now, but this spicy cheese pizza would do for right now. You leave Rainbow Dash's room, and enter the bathroom again, giving yourself one more look before you head downstairs. Although you were sure Rainbow Dash didn't care what you looked like, there was no need to be COMPLETELY sloppy. What have you done to me, Rarity? You decide you look presentable, and you go down the winding staircase, heading to the kitchen. Rainbow Dash was inside of it, watching the pizza bake intently. You don't think that even you could break her attention. That's when you see...IT. An ENORMOUS pepper sat on the windowpane. It was at least the size of your forearm. It was an extremely bright red, and looked at if it had been polished, glistening brightly under all of the light offered to it. It's lime green stem curled outwards, like a long pigs tail. Equestria has yet to cease amazing you. "Holy Hell. Is that a pepper?" Rainbow Dash swings around, obviously spooked by your sudden question. You don't break eye contact with the pepper. "Oh, yeah. That's ol' Mr. Tasty. I grew him myself!" You struggle to find words for this thing. "How?" "Eh, I'd be a liar if I said I didn't have a little help from Twilight." Fucking Magic. "That's pretty amazing, Dash." Rainbow takes the pizza out of the over, and cuts it. She has no real table, but a bar-like counter with two bar stools, one on each side of the counter. She puts her plate down, with 3 slices for her, and she puts your plate down. 4 slices for you. No arguments there. You get an idea. "I only have water to drink right now, I hope that's okay" You smile at her. "Absolutely not." She looks at you, surprised. "W-well, I guess I could r-run to the-" You shake your hand. "Dash, I was kidding." You laugh to express your point. "I brought my backpack with me, I have some bottles of soda from back home up there. I've been saving them to share them for special moments. This seems special enough! Would that be okay?" Rainbow Dash breathes a sigh of relief, then smiles. "Sounds awesome! I'll get some ice!" You run back upstairs, and snag a large bottle of Coca Cola you kept there. Of all the memories you had recollected, none really explained the massive amount of junkfood you had. You come back downstairs, unscrewing the cap on the bottle of soda. Rainbow was sitting at the table, eagerly awaiting this treat from another world. You near the counter, and pour both of your tall glasses full. Rainbow takes a sip, and her eyes widen. "Whoa." "I know, right? I love this stuff." She laughs. "Aaden, this is really good. This might just be better than the pizza." You remember that there was pizza. You feel saliva collecting in your mouth as you think about. You go to reach for it. "Dude, you might wanna let that cool a little first." She had a good point. You have a few memories of going to take a bite of hot pizza, only for the cheese to come rocketing off and slap you on the face, immolating the roof of your mouth and your tongue, along with burning your cheek or chin, whichever the cheese had chosen to plaster. Nope. Deciding you won't be getting burned tonight, you take Rainbow Dash's advice. Rainbow speaks up. "So, Aaden. I've heard some music from your people before. Is it all that electronic stuff?" You shake your head. You pull out your smartphone. "What genre do you like, Rainbow? I've got rock, indie hip-hop, orchestral pieces, dubstep and techno, metal, folk, I have pretty much anything on here." She turns her head at you. "What's metal? "It's like heavier rock. With screaming, sometimes." Rainbow Dash smiles. "Let's try that!" You scroll through your phone, looking for something not too violent or loud. Perfect. You find a song labeled "radio version". That means they took the screaming out. This should be good to start her off. Youtube Video I watch you walk away Helpless with nothing to say I strain my eyes Hoping to see you again This is my curse The longing This is my curse Time This is my curse The yearning This is my curse There is love Burning to find you Will you wait for me? Will you desire? Your silence haunts me But still I hunger for you This is my curse The wanting This is my curse Time This is my curse The needing This is my curse There is love Burning to find you Will you wait for me? Still I want Still I ache But still I wait To see you again Dying inside These walls Dying inside These walls And I see your face In these tears In these tears And I see your face There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love Rainbow seemingly enjoyed the song. "Hey, Aaden. What was that song about?" "It's about someone losing a loved one to death. The curse he's referring to is the curse of living a life without said loved one, not knowing if you'll ever see them again." Rainbow Dash looks you over. "That's really deep, Aaden." "Yep. Metal tends to do that." You smile. This night was looking pretty good. _________________________________________________________________________________ You all dressed as the Angel did now. Gas mask, dusters and all. Aaden had changed the Pathfinders into what it was today. You were happy to be leading them. You had no idea what happened at the bank. It was all covered in secrecy. Aaden had got a job as an architect, then just kind of vanished until he was murdered. Why did the IMO have him take that position? What were they planning to do? Your squad stalked the forests near a human trafficking compound. If there was anything Aaden hated, it was the Traffickers. you weren't sure what exactly he had against them, but you never questioned him. Your squad of 8 men prowled forward, each of your dusters flapping in the wind. "Max, we've got movement up ahead." You look at your men. "Got it. Everyone, load up. It's time for a massacre. Leave all slaves alive. We'll be taking them home." "Yes sir." They said in unison. It was funny, how the traffickers had beefed up their security after how much Aaden had harassed them. Several guards stood outside, near the car. One looked right at you, and went completely pale. He fired wildly into the forest, screaming in fear. "AH! OH GOD, IT'S HIM! IT'S HIM!" He ran off inside, tripping and falling, but quickly scrambling into the house. The other two guards aimed their rifles in the forests. You can only imagine what it would be like to see 9 pairs of bright orange lenses peering out at you. They also quickly retreated into the house, closing the door behind them. You had your squad stack up on the door. "Carter, did you bring the explosives?" Carter laughs underneath his gas mask. "Did I bring the explosives?" Mocking your voice. "Good. Blow this shit." Carter steps in front of you, planting the door charge. It pops, blowing the door knob off. You throw a flash grenade inside the door, pump your shotgun once, and kick down the door as hard as you could. _________________________________________________________________________________ You could finally eat the pizza, and it really was as good as it looked. It was spicy, but not too much so. The cheese kind of leveled it out. "Dash, you did great! This is really good!" She blushes. "T-thanks Aaden. I like it too!" She then perks up, but is still obviously shy. "H-hey? W-wanna watch me eat M-Mr. Tasty?" She was now as red as a stop sign. If you didn't know that she was this shy around you, you would think she wasn't getting enough oxygen or something. "Sure!" You sit up on the stool as she jumps off of hers, and fetches the monster from the windowpane. She then comes back, and sits directly across from you. She holds this thing in both hooves, that's how big it is. She opens her mouth with that gentle "aaaah..." noise dentists tell you to make. This is gonna be hilarious. She sticks her tongue out a little, and slowly, but surely, slides it into her mouth. Her mouth makes this sucking noise when it finally fills her mouth. You hear her make another noise, almost like a whimper, through her nostrils. This is gonna be arousing? Shit. She slides it back out, and then goes back in, this time looking directly at you, right in your eyes. Shiiit. She giggles, her mouth full of Mr. Tasty. She takes it out again, this time with a pop, one single strand of saliva sticking to it from her tongue. Boner! Cut it out! Her eyes half close, and she gives it another push, almost taking the whole thing in her mouth. GOD DAMN. HAS SHE NO GAG REFLEX? BONER! I SAID CUT IT OUT! Finally, she takes a bite of it, chewing it slowly. You could feel your heart beating very fast, you could feel the burst of adrenaline fading from you. You let out a shaky exhale. Then a laugh as she starts coughing, waving her hoof at her mouth. "BLEGH! That's hot!" "You're telling me..." You mutter. She looks down at the pepper with a bite taken out of it. "Aaden, I don't think I can finish this." "That's okay. You certainly entertained, huh?" She smiles under her blush. She hops up, wraps the thing in some kind of plastic wrap, and puts it back on the windowpane. She looks at the clock. "Hey, Aaden, I'm going to go take a shower, get ready for bed and stuff. You can explore the house a little if you'd like." "Eeeh. I'll just go on to bed, read a book or something. I'll be there when you get out." She takes your plates and puts them in her sink, and disappears upstairs. You go, as well. You walk into the room, put on your pajama pants and take your shirt off. You have no idea how the cloud bed is supposed to work. You gently put your hands on it, and let them sink a tiny bit. They stop about half way through. Alright. You clumsily climb on, and lay on your back. It was actually extremely comfortable. You slide the blankets up to just under your chest, and take out your phone. You looked through the Books app on your phone, and saw that you had The Divine Comedy on there. You decide to read it. You just noticed an odd coincidence. Virgil was the name of the Honor Guard Captain. As was it the name of the famous author of the Aeneid. In The Divine Comedy, Virgil serves as Dante's personal guide through Hell and Purgatory. Seems fitting. You flip open the book on the app. O lady, you in whom my hope gains strength, you who, for my salvation, have allowed your footsteps to be left in Hell, in all the things that I have seen, I recognize the grace and benefit that I, depending upon your power and goodness, have received. you drew me out from slavery to freedom by all those paths, by all those means that were within your power. Do, in me, preserve your generosity, so that my soul, which you have healed, when it is set loose from my body, be a soul that you will welcome. You rapidly flip through more pages. O grace abounding, through which I presumed to set my eyes on the Eternal Light so long that I spent all my sight on it! In it's profundity I saw- ingathered and bound by love into one single volume what, in the universe, seems separate, scattered: substances, accidents, and dispositions as if conjoined-in such a way that what I tell is only rudimentary. You begin to think. Think deeply. You flip through the pages one last time. But then my mind was struck by light that flashed and, with this light, received what it had asked. Here, force failed my high fantasy; but my desire and will were moved already- like a wheel revolving uniformly- by the Love that moves the sun and other stars. Wow. The more and more you thought about it, your mind seemed to piece in Rainbow Dash as a pony that you may have feelings for. Sure, Rarity was there for you, but Rainbow Dash just happened to be there when you broke down. The right place at the right time, you suppose. You still loved Rarity though. But perhaps you were beginning to love Rainbow Dash. You weren't sure. This was so new to you, so foreign. Sure, you had girlfriends back home, but those were just girlfriends. Nothing deathly serious. But these relationships, and their passions, they were so great, so strong. This was different. As you ponder these thoughts, you hear her voice calling to you from the doorway. "Hi Aaden. All done. Hey, could I ask you something?" You look up at her. Her blush was still present, but no as bad. "Anything." She walks over to your clothes. "May I wear one of your shirts? I-I, my pajamas are d-dirty..." You smile. "Of course, Dash." She smiles, and digs out a white T-shirt. She slides it on, and climbs up onto the bed next to you, turning the lamp out. You lay in bed next to her. She turned away from you, and was seemingly already asleep. You continued to mess around on your phone, looking at old pictures. You hear her voice, this time slightly more quiet. "Aaden? Aaden, are you awake?" You feel the cloud blanket rustle. "Yep Dash. I'm awake." "Wanna talk?" "Sure. Anything on your mind?" "Not really." She turns towards you, her eyes focusing on yours. She smelled wonderful. Like lavender and vanilla. "Anything on your mind?" "Nah. Just looking at some old pictures." "Really? Can I see?" You smile, and put an arm around her, bringing her close. "Sure." _________________________________________________________________________________ H-he just put his arm around you. You take advantage of this, and snuggle as close to him as you can get. The picture he was looking at was one of him with the dog he had talked about. Aaden was sitting in a boat in what looked like the middle of the ocean, holding up a large fish proudly, while his dog was leaning against the side of the boat on his hind legs, watching the ocean go by. "That was a fishing trip I had taken with a few friends. I had never been fishing a day in my life before this photo. Pepper also seemingly LOVED the ocean, so it was pretty fun. Ever been fishing?" You shake your head. "You and I will have to go this week." He slides his finger across the screen, bringing a new photo. This one was of Aaden and another man, who both had one arm around each other, smiling at the camera. "That was my stepfather. This was about one month before he passed away. We were celebrating labor day, a holiday where people are generally off of work in my country. Beer, barbecue, that kind of stuff." You looked at the photo, and back at Aaden. You could see the hurt in Aaden's eyes. He composed himself with a deep breath, and, with what seemed like a reluctant swipe, brought up a new photo. This one was interesting. Aaden was surrounded by a bunch of other humans. He was holding an orange ball, and was in mid-air, like a jump. "This was a sport I liked to play back home. They called it Basketball. I really enjoyed sports back home. You name it, I've played it at least once." You smiled. It was fun to watch Aaden look at these pictures. In fact, it was more fun to watch his facial expressions when recalling the history of these stories. With every photo he pulled up, you could see his eyes light up with joy or well up with sadness. Through his eyes, you can almost see the pictures as if they were videos. He pulls up one photo, and you immediately see his eyes well up, glistening with tears. It was of him with two other humans, one with gray and black hair and green eyes, the other with brown hair and brown eyes. "These..." he clears his throat. "These two were very close friends. Adam and Alan. We went to a restaurant after work that evening. I...uh..." He clears his throat again. Now, Rainbow Dash, now! Stop being shy, and do it! Do it now! You feel your blood run cold with anxiety. You take both of your hooves, and put them on his face, and pull his to yours. As your tongue enters his mouth, you feel zero resistance. In fact, you feel his hands on the back of your neck. He was doing it to. You couldn't describe how you felt. You doubt a poet could express your emotion right then and there. You were melting in his arms. You couldn't stifle a moan if you tried. As far as you were concerned, you were now in Paradise. You hoped he felt the same way. _________________________________________________________________________________ Youtube Video The song you had listened to earlier was blasting. At least, inside of your head it was. You now understood why Aaden hated these bastards so much. After finding a dead 4-year old girl, you were pissed beyond comprehension. How anyone could treat such an innocent human that way, was beyond you. You and the Pathfinders stormed the complex with a renewed hatred, a fury that proved most fatal. You broke off, and were now by yourself. As you walked down a darkened hallway, the lights suddenly flashed on, and a single Trafficker came running at you with a knife drawn. When he got close, you kicked his knee, making him kneel. You pulled your shotgun back, gritted your teeth, and with the hardest swing of your arms, you swung your bayonet at him. It sliced into his neck, halfway severing his head. Before his body falls back, you impale it to the ground for him, then pull the trigger of the shotgun, completely obliterating his torso. He was certainly dead now. You were covered in his blood. You were disgusted, as well. Not because of what you just did, but because of the fact that you were covered in the blood of this filthy excuse for a human being. Aaden would be proud. _________________________________________________________________________________ "A-Aa...Aaden!" You were now kissing her neck. This was really happening. You were really about to do this. With Rainbow Dash. You didn't care anymore. Maybe you did love her, maybe you didn't. But she was all yours tonight. "Oooooh duuuuude..." Rainbow trailed off. You made sure to keep at the spot on her neck where she as most sensitive. Maybe tonight wasn't going to be so bad. Chapter Twenty-Five: A Pound of White RiceIt didn't help that the inside of Rainbow Dash's mouth tasted like one of the grape Jolly Ranchers you liked back home. It also didn't help much that her tongue couldn't have been more slick and velvety. Being as it resided in her mouth, it also tasted of it. These things just made you all the more eager. You gently lifted yourself off of the cloud with your knee, and climb over on top of Rainbow Dash. She opens her hind legs, and you climb inside of this new spot made for you. You take your hand, and run it down from her neck, down from her chest, down to her lower abdomen. She breaks the kiss. "A-Aaden?" You back your face away, and examine her carefully. She almost looks scared. "Dash? Are you okay?" She smiles, but looks away from you. "Yeah. Well. N-no. I really like you, I do, but t-this is our first night together. I d-didn't expect you to be s-so in to this. It makes me f-feel scared." She had a point. You were getting some mixed messages here, especially with that scene downstairs with Mr. Tasty, but you understood. You went to lift yourself off of her, but you felt her hooves hold you down. "B-but." You heard her start. "I-I'm not done with you yet." She forces your mouth onto hers, and you can taste her tongue going back in. Eh. This will work. For now. You two spend your night together, filled with passionate kissing and gentle moans. You both had clear eyes and full hearts, so it must have been right. You didn't know. You didn't care. What you did know, is that you were now in love with Rainbow Dash, as well as Rarity. You were really digging yourself quite the hole. But you could dig yourself out of it later, you suppose. Rainbow Dash practically climbs on top of you, and falls asleep there. You had no qualms, she was pretty light. You lift the cloud blanket up over you both, and fall asleep with your arms around her. _________________________________________________________________________________ "KEEP, SHOOTING, KEEP, SHOOTING, NO, ONE, BREAKS, THROUGH!" Aaden shouted. He ran out of ammo with his rifle, and threw it on the ground, ripping his handgun from it's holster. "CAPTAIN! WE NEED TO FALL BACK!" You call out. You were frightened. You didn't want to die. "NO! THEY WILL NOT TAKE THAT VILLAGE!" You looked up at Aaden. His black armor was covered in dirt. He had one foot up on the little dirt hill, and was firing his handgun at the waves of PMCs coming through. Apparently, the Traffickers had grown tired of being raided, and decided to hire a PMC to attempt to raid a village they knew we were staying at. Aaden refused to let the other PMC within one mile of the village. "SIR! THIS IS SUICIDE! WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF AMMO!" Aaden didn't look over at you. "YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU RUN OUT, SO MAKE EVERY SHOT COUNT!" Your blood ran cold with fear. You held your rifle up, and squeezed a few shots off. You heard another voice call out. "SHIT! OH SHIT! THEY HAVE A TANK!" You looked up in terror as the giant metal insect scuttled towards you. It turned it's cannon slowly towards your position. "GET DOWN, THIS IS GOING TO BE BAD!" Aaden jumped up from his little trench, and ran far off from ours, waving his arms at the tank. You could hear him shouting. "YOU WANT ME? I'M RIGHT HERE! FUCKING TAKE ME! TAKE, ME!" The tank turned it's cannon towards Aaden, who then continued his run. The tank fired with a boom so loud, it left a ringing in your ears. You then realized what Aaden was doing. He had an extremely high bounty on his head by other PMCs. They were going to follow him, in their attempts to kill him. He was clever enough to lead them away from the village. Watching as Aaden led a horde of men and a single tank away from innocent civilians, you hear your radio buzz. "Angel-1, this is Archangel, strafing run will commence in 2 minutes. Get clear." _________________________________________________________________________________ You lazily lifted your head up off of the cloud mattress. You go to give Aaden a big hug, when you realize he isn't there. You jump up. Oh no. You didn't do anything to upset him, did you? Was this about not going all of the way? You hop up, still in Aaden's shirt, and get downstairs as fast as you can. You run into the foyer. Empty. You hear dinging, and a loud crack come from the kitchen. "OW!" You hear. you run into the kitchen. Aaden is standing over the over, cooking something. You notice him rubbing his head, while Tank buzzes about near him. He notices you, and laughs. "Oh, uh. Hi. I was going to surprise you with some breakfast when Tank decided to give me a concussion. Ow." You laugh. "You alright big guy?" You ask. Aaden nods his head. "Hurts like Hell, but I'll live." You fly over to him, and kiss his head. "Better?" "Better." Aaden points back at the stove. "Now, obviously, I have no wings, so I can't exactly go get us something, but I can cook pretty well. What would you like?" Timidness washes over you once more. "I-I can, g-go to th-" Aaden holds a single finger up to your mouth. "No no. I'm cooking you breakfast, and I'm doing your dishes. That's gonna happen, so try and get used to it." Aaden can tell you're still in your Fluttershy mode. "Bet I can cook better than you." Your timidness leaves you almost immediately. "Bet? How much do you wanna bet?" You give a boastful smile. "I want a kiss if I win. You can have whatever you want from me if you win. That's how confident I am." He smiles at you. "We'll cook each others breakfast. Tank?" The Turtle flies over. "You wanna judge?" He nods his head. "There we go. So. Wanna compete? Or are you too afraid I'll get that kiss?" "You're on!" You both race over to the cabinets. You decided you were going to fix him an omelette with cheese, veggies and peppers. You snag a skillet, and dash over to your cooler, where you grab several eggs, some left over peppers, cheese, and bunch of different vegetables. You look over your shoulder, and see Aaden with a bag of flour and other things that didn't make sense to you. "Aaden, competitors trade of information. I'll tell you what I'm making if you tell me what you're making." Aaden laughs while he mixes something in a bowl. "Pancakes. My Dad's old recipe." Your stomach grumbled at the thought of pancakes. "What do you have going on over there?" "An omelette with vegetables, cheese, and peppers. My old recipe." You both then go back into silence as you compete. As you cracked eggs and added your touches here and there, you watched Aaden. He was already at the stove top, pouring out the pancake batter. He was moving with grace and precision. You couldn't help but be curios about his skills, so you spoke up. "Jeez Aaden. Where'd you learn to cook?" He looks over his shoulder, smiling. "I went to school for it. Graduated and everything. I wanted to be a chef. That or a bartender." I'm competing against a chef. I'm definitely going to have to kiss him. Nothing wrong with that. Aaden goes back to his pancakes. You get your eggs together, and take the burner next to him. You pour the eggs out, and watch them cook. You noticed Aaden was staring off into the distance again, his eyes wide. While it made you uncomfortable, it didn't frighten you as badly as last time. You really wanted him to win that kiss, so you decide to make sure his pancakes come out okay. You wonder what might be going through his head. He must be remembering something. _________________________________________________________________________________ The helicopter descends from the clouds, and immediately begins ripping through the crowd following Aaden. It's gun even penetrated the tank. It stops moving in it's pursuit. It's pilot must had been killed. The radio then buzzes again. "All hostiles KIA. Returning to roost." The Helicopter then ascends back into the clouds, and quickly flies away. The battlefield was now eerily silent. Aaden stood in the distance, staring at us. The orange lenses of his gas mask looked even creepier now. You all regrouped in the village. Men, women and children all stood outside of their houses, clapping and cheering your return. The Mayor of this town came forward. "Dearest Angel, what can we give you in return for your work." Aaden looks at him. "'Nothing." The Mayor gets a concerned look on his face. "Surely there is something, Angel." Aaden looks back at you. "Get me a pound of white rice." The Mayor looks perplexed. "Angel, surely we can give you more than just some rice!" "No. Just the rice, please." The Mayor, albeit confused, nods his head. "Edrin, all he wants is a pound of white rice. Do you think your farm could spare it?" The man identified as Edrin nodded his head. He ran home, and came back with a small burlap sack, filled with the rice, and handed it to Aaden. Aaden opened his duster, and took the bag, sliding it inside of a large pocket he had. Aaden shook the Mayor's hand, you all returned to the makeshift firebase you had set up on the outskirts of the village. You went to your bed, and decided to take a nap before dinner. You wake up after what seems like just a blink, but you feel refreshed. You stumble out of your bed, the smell of something cooking coming to your nose. You walk into the kitchen, and see Aaden, not wearing his gas mask for a change, cooking something. You shrug it off, and decide to go to the infirmary and check up on Ryan, who had been grievously injured the day before. You sit down in the seat next to him, your eyes examining his IV bag, travelling down to his arm, back up to his face. "How do you feel?" "Shitty." You had to try to hide a laugh. Ryan was a funny man, the kind that when he curses, it's hilarious. You clear your throat. "How is your leg?" He pulls back the blankets, revealing a leg completely bandaged. "Third degree burns and broken bones. Yaaay." He pulls the blankets back up, and looks past you. "Hey, Aaden, what's going on?" He handed Ryan a plate. "Oh, bad ass! Is this the stir-fried rice I keep begging for?" Aaden took the seat on the opposite side of him. "Yeah, Max," Ryan kept talking. "Aaden can really cook. He's been taking care of me since I got hurt." You look over at Aaden. "Max. I was told something by Major Howard a very long time ago. Each of us have two families. Now, there are those your raised with..." He looked over at the picture of Ryan's family that sat next to him. He looks back over to you. "And then there are those you raise Hell with. Each and every single one of us are brothers." Aaden's little speech gave you goosebumps. He had that effect on people. Hell, you were probably a year or two older than him, but his immense knowledge had the very calming sensation of someone much older and experienced than you. You wouldn't doubt it if he could put out a fire by talking it down, or hold off getting sick through sheer willpower. His eyes bled wisdom and experience as he stared at you, waiting for a response. "Well. You make a good big brother. Ryan looks like he agrees." The soldier had a mouthful of rice, and without looking up from his food, gave you a thumbs up with his free hand. "Max. I'm not going to be alive much longer." Ryan immediately looked up at him. You focused on him. "I've pissed the IMO off something fierce. After about 6 meetings with the Chairman, I've decided I'm leaving. Live a normal life." You could respect that. It was the only reason any of you fought for the IMO anyways. You just wanted to make a living. "I know they're coming for me. I don't know when, or how, but I know they are. When I am killed, you are to assume leadership of the Pathfinders. I see you most fit," You feel taken aback. "Captain. I am honored." Aaden didn't smile, nor frown. "My inevitable murder will serve as my penance. Attempt to lead the Pathfinders along the path I have started." _________________________________________________________________________________ You came back into reality. You notice your pancakes are finished, and sitting on a plate on the counter. You look around. Rainbow Dash wasn't there, but her omelette was done, as well. Everything was fresh. Your mouth was dry. You decide that, while water or juice is great and all, you REALLY want a soda. You go upstairs, and grab another bottle of Coca Cola, and bring it downstairs. You get two glasses, fill them with ice and soda, and place them on the counter top, one next to each plate of food. You hear the front door open, so you walk out into the foyer. "Well good morning sunshine. Did you just now snap out of it?" "Yeah. How long was I out?" "Eh, it was only 10 minutes or so. I went to go get you something!" You see that she's hiding something under her wings. "You can't have it until after breakfast!" You both walk into the kitchen, and sit down on the bar stools, eating your breakfast, and sharing small talk. You both hand Tank a few small nibbles of your food, remembering your little competition. You get up when she finished, and took both of your plates, cleaning them and the dishes from last night. You also dry them, before putting them away, continuing your gossip with Rainbow Dash. You run your hand across your chest, feeling the bandages underneath of your shirt. "Rainbow, I'm going to go change my bandages real quick." Rainbow hopped off her bar stool. "I'll help. Just to make sure you do it right." You both go upstairs, and into the bathroom. You take your shirt off, and fold it over your left shoulder, where it would be out of the way. You peel off the bandage on your shoulder and abdomen, revealing two marble sized scabs. You had almost made a complete recovery. You wouldn't need to do this much more often. "Hey, Aaden? Could I ask you something about the manticore?" You nod your head while you carefully use disinfectant to wipe your wounds. "What did it feel like, being impaled like that?" You look up at her. "It didn't hurt at first. It just felt like someone pushed me really hard. Then it just kind of started to feel warm and wet. The pain never really came, I went unconscious before I could feel anything else. She cringed. "Ow dude. That really sucks." You simply hum in agreement. You peel a bandage from it's wrapping, and stick it to your chest. "Now I have a question for you. I have to patrol tomorrow. You know, Honor Guard stuff. How am I supposed to get down from this cloud?" Rainbow Dash held her hoof to her chin. "That's a good point. You could always jump and hit a cloud closer to the ground." You imagine falling 500 feet onto a cloud, only to fall 15 more feet to the ground. You shudder. "I'll find another way. Let's just enjoy the day for now. What all do we have planned?" You put your shirt back on. "Absolutely nothing." You laugh. "Well. I'm sure we'll find something." Chapter Twenty-Eight: Scars of a DemonWere you unconscious? Or were you dead? You weren't sure. What you were sure of, however, is that more than blood was bleeding from your head. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awoke in a forest of dead trees. There was no grass. Only cold, hard dirt. You get up, and stagger over to a nearby tree, which you then use to support yourself. You look around. Dead trees in every direction. "Hello?" You call out into the forest. You hear your voice echo. You can't remember how you got here. Come to think of it, you couldn't really remember much of anything about yourself. You decide that it's more important to attempt to find out where you were, first. You finally stop feeling dizzy, and become able to walk without throwing yourself against trees for support. The forest itself was completely silent. No birds, no insects, no rustle of leaves or branches. Just complete, dead air. The moon made the shadows very dark and distinct, and the lack of wind made them a tattoo on the ground. You stumble upon what looks like a pond, and decide to rest near it. You sit down, and splash some water onto your face. That's when you see your reflection. You were a young man. You wouldn't be surprised if you were only 22 years old. You were in bulky black attire with orange lines and hexagonal shading on it. Your eyes were an interestingly bright brown color, and your hair was only an inch or two long, also brown in color. Well. At least I'm handsome. You see a metal chain around your neck. You look down, and slide it off around you, examining the metal tag. ALAN MOORE IMO PATHFINDERS X0148220-1313 "Alan..." You say out loud. It sounds right. Must be your name. You look back at your reflection. Other than a little dirt on your face, you looked fine. Maybe you were just on a stroll or something, and a branch fell and hit you, and that's why you can't remember anything. That's when, in your reflection, you see something coming. A black, insect-unicorn hybrid creature emerges from the forest behind you. It's tattered wings and mane bothered you more than anything else. It stepped forward. "Alan, my dear. I've been looking all over for you." It asked. It's voice sounded surprisingly feminine. You stand up, and begin to back away slowly. Had she heard you say your name? Or did she actually know you? "Who are you? How do you know me?" She smiled. It seemed friendly enough. "Dearest Alan, I am your Queen. Do you not remember? You are one of my loyal subjects. You and I went for a walk through this most dreaded forest, when you fell. I left to go find help, and when I came back, you were gone. Are you okay?" Queen? MY Queen? You look around. You don't see anything else around. Maybe she's right. "Alan, you're scaring me. Are you okay?" She asks. You decide that she must be right. "Y-yes. I'm just a little...confused." She laughs, and approaches you. "Poor thing. You cannot remember?" You shake your head. "Come with me. I will walk you back home. We will talk on the way there." You hesitate. "Is there something wrong, Alan?" "What's your name?" She smiles. "I am Queen Chrysalis. Come now. We have much to discuss." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Hey, Dash?" Aaden looks down at you. "Yeah, big guy?" "I'm starving." You laugh. "Well, I brought the food with us. But it's probably all gross and soggy by now." "With the amount of ketchup you put on your stuff? Probably so." "Hey, don't knock it until you try it." "Then I probably won't ever be knocking it." You laugh again. "Wanna go back to Poachies? Try again?" "Sounds awesome. I'm getting another ketchup burger." "I bet you are." _________________________________________________________________________________ Your mind was flooding with questions. You were hoping that another attempt at this little date between you and Rainbow Dash would help straighten things out. You both enter Poachies once more, and have a seat at the exact same booth as last time. The exact same waiter comes over. "Good evening, sir." He looks up from his little order pad, and looks at you in surprise. "Oh my, it's you! You were here earlier, until that Changeling bastard came through!" You nod your head. "Yeah. That's me." "Hey, I'm Poachie. I own this place. What you did out there? Ponyville will be safe in your hands." "Thanks. Not to be rude, but I'm very hungry. I didn't get a single bite from a burger earlier. Nor did my lovely date over here." Poachie nods his head very rapidly. "Hey, you potentially saved some lives out there earlier. Here, you eat for free tonight. Free appetizer, free whatever entrees you want, and free dessert. Anything you want, you got it." You smile. "Thanks Poachie. It means a lot. I guess we'll have what we got earlier." You look over to Rainbow Dash. "What appetizer do we want, Dashie?" "Fried mozzarella, totally." Poachie scribbles that down, along with your drink choices and your entrees, as well, and he soon darts back off into the kitchen. Rainbow Dash looks back over to you. "How's your hand?" You hold it up for her. "It still hurts, naturally. But Doc Gauze does good work. Saved my life once, I'd like to think he can fix a few broken bones." Rainbow Dash has a question. You can tell she's reluctant to ask. "Dash. What's on your mind?" She puts a hoof gently on top of your injured hand. "I know it hurts to have done that to Alan. I can't imagine what's going through your head right now. But you're doing a great job, big guy. To be forced into a completely new world, and not lose your mind? I bet that's hard." "Honestly, I gave up trying to understand the moment I saw Doctor Gauze talk. Right now, I'm just kind of coasting, you know? Going where life takes me. Just seeing Alan makes my skin crawl. Not because he disgusts me or anything, but because he's dead. Ya know? Does that mean I'm dead? I mean, this can't be the afterlife. There would be billions of other humans here if that was the case. I dunno Dash. It's very confusing." She gently strokes your hand with her hoof. "I know it is, babe." Babe? Alright, I can put up with that. "And I'm proud to see you hanging in there. You're brave. I happen to think that's pretty sexy." Welp. I know what I'm doing later tonight. _________________________________________________________________________________ It all made so much sense now that The Queen had explained it. "So my family has been one of the most loyal and noble families of your kingdom?" The Queen nods her head. "Yes. The uh, the...I can't believe I don't remember the name. It escapes my tongue." "Moore. It's a pretty forgettable name, I understand." "No no my dear, my mind simply drew a blank for a moment! Your family, the Moore family has been VERY influential in this kingdom! I ought to lock myself in my own dungeons for letting the name escape me!" You smile. This creature may not have looked to pleasant, but she had to be telling the truth. She was far too kind, and far too elaborate in her explanations for it all to be a lie. "Ghoul, isn't it a travesty that I forgot? How influential is the Moore family in this kingdom?" The smaller insect-pony creatures eyes went wide. "Uh. Very influential, my Queen." She smiled at him, and nodded her head. "Now, Alan Moore, one of my most loyal subjects. Our Kingdom has some troubling issues. Our people are starving." "Starving?" "Yes. The oppressors, the life-long enemies of the Moore family, the Ponies and their allies, led by the tyrants Celestia and Luna, they have barred us from their kingdoms, and are starving us. Your parents died from that starvation. "What?" You feel a wave of sadness and anger come over you. "My parents are...dead?" "I am sorry, dear. It happened so long ago. But we will grieve their loss later. Now, we must help our people." "Yes, my Queen. How may I serve?" You respond. She smiles. "Already recovering your families infamous loyalty, I see. Our military is in decline. We have a specialized unit dedicated to dealing with the oppressors covertly. The Dreadguard. Your family was notorious for containing the strongest, most legendary Dreadguards we have ever known. I would like to offer you the chance to train to become one. To take the fight to them. To avenge your parents, serve your kingdom, and your Queen. Do you accept?" "Yes, my Queen. I am yours to command." She smiled again, this time more wickedly. _________________________________________________________________________________ The burgers came back out, and actually weren't half bad. While you would still like a patty made from meat, these black bean substitutes would work. For now. Poachie came back out. "How were the burgers?" You pat your stomach. "Very good Poachie, very good. I haven't had cooking like that in long while." Poachie laughs. "Am I glad to hear that! I made sure that everything was made to the best of our ability! You guys ready for dessert?" You look over at Rainbow Dash. "Oh yeah. We'll take the double fudge brownie with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream." She responds. Poachie scribbles the order down on his pad, and darts back into the kitchen again. He soon comes back out with a square plate with a large brownie on it, drizzled in chocolate syrup, and braced on both sides with a large scoops of vanilla ice cream. He also hands you both a spoon. "Enjoy!" He then happily trots off, satisfied with his work. Rainbow Dash was already tearing away at the brownie. You go to reach for a spoon, doing so with your left hand. You immediately jerk it back in pain. Rainbow Dash notices this, and scoops up a bite of brownie with the spoon. "Say, 'ahhhh'." You open your mouth, letting her place the brownie on your tongue. "Oh wow." You notice something happening to her wings. Like a twitch. "That was probably a little hotter than it should have been." You laugh with brownie in your mouth. "Let me try." You pick up your spoon with your right hand this time, scoop up a little bit of brownie. She opens her mouth, and lets her tongue come out. Her eyes are doing that half-lidded thing again. You gently place the brownie on her tongue, but she closes her mouth. You remove the spoon, and it comes out with a loud pop, her tongue following it and licking the end of it as it leaves her mouth. This is Mr. Tasty all over again! "Oh man." She covers her mouth with a hoof. "This is actually really, really good." "How much do you think all of this would cost, if I had to pay?" Rainbow Dash tilted her head in thought. "Eeeh. Maybe 60 bits?" "I'll leave 80 bits as the tip." "Feeling generous?" She smiles. "The first job I ever had was waiting tables in Manhattan. It SUCKED. One day though, this man came by, and I took his order. I didn't think much of him, just another customer. He left me 100 bucks as a tip, and a note that said "Astounding service. You're going to go places in life with that attitude. Follow your dreams.". Ever since then, I try to offer the same kindness to any waiter I have that seems to be really trying hard. I know how bad it can suck. You ever in the food industry?" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah. I started off moving clouds, which can pretty awful, too." "Really?" "You'd be amazed how specific Ponies are about their clouds." _________________________________________________________________________________ "YOU WILL SERVE THE QUEEN!" "AYE!" "YOU WILL FIGHT FOR THE QUEEN!" "AYE!" "YOU WILL GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE QUEEN, SHOULD THE SITUATION PRESENT ITSELF!" "AYE!" "EVEN A CHANGELING WITH NOTHING TO OFFER, CAN STILL OFFER HIS LIFE!" "AYE!" "THE OPPRESSORS MUST DIE!" "AYE!" "WE ARE THE DREADGUARD!" "AYE!" "AND WE WILL NOT GO FORGOTTEN!" "AYE!" This call and response happened every morning at the start of the training. The Hivelord would call out these words of loyalty, while all of the recruits, including yourself, would respond in unison. During this particular training, something odd happened. While you all stood in formation, you saw something in the distance. It was another human. It was wearing the same black and orange armor you wore, but with a duster over it, flapping in the wind. It also was wearing a gas mask, one with orange lenses that pierced your soul. You felt like you knew this human. You watched as it knelt, two white, angelic wings, bursting from it's back. You heard voices echo in the back of your head. "...I'm here Alan...I'm here..." "...HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!..." "...And disrespect a Hero like you? No way!..." "...WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!..." And that's when it happened. That's when your eyes opened wide, and the world around you started to melt, and a new one took it's place. You were in a trench with other humans, ones dressed like you, holding guns, firing into the forest in front of you. It was the early morning, but extremely cloudy, and drizzling with rain. It had rained all night, so mud was everywhere. An older man, maybe between 30-40, was yelling at you over the sound of rifles barking and bullets whistling. "ALAN, MOVE! GET THE FUCK DOWN!" And that's when you feel like God pushed you down. You hit the mud. You know you were shot, but not how many times or how bad it was. You were starting to feel funny. That's when you hear another voice call out. "HOWARD! HOWARD, ALAN'S HIT!" "FUCKING LEAVE HIM!" The voice called back. You close your eyes, and try not to move. You feel someone lift you up, so you open your eyes right back up. There was the human in the gas mask and duster. He ripped the gas mask off of his face, and threw it in the mud. His eyes had tears running down them, going down past his chin, falling into the mud. "It's gonna be okay. Stay strong...please don't die..." He held you for a minute. The man identified as Howard screamed in frustration. "AADEN, WHERE'S THE GOD DAMN AIR SUPPORT?!" Aaden looks back over to him, obviously in complete agony. He just stares at him. "AADEN! AADEN, WAKE UP, AND GET THE FUCK ON THAT RADIO!". You reach your hand out to him, and attempt to squeeze it, to show that you're strong, and you'll be okay while he does what he has to. "HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!" You then feel a chill go down your spine. You seemingly know what's going to happen. "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!" The man identified as Aaden slammed his fist in the mud, and gently put you down. You didn't have the energy to turn your head and watch what was happening, and you couldn't hear him over the gunfire and sound of other men howling in pain and torment. This was it. You were going to die. You could feel your grip on reality slipping from your grasp. You feel Aaden lift you up again. He could see death in your eyes. He knew it was coming. You could tell he was trying to hold back tears, but he was doing a poor job. You try to clear your throat. "A-Aaden..." You start. You grab his hand again, and try to squeeze. It's much harder this time, and you cannot stop shaking. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." You had so much you wanted to tell him. How much he was like an older brother to you. How much you envied him for his skill and knowledge. How proud it made you to have spent your final moments with him. He started to squeeze your hand back a little harder. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." You attempt to clear your throat again. "I heard...a lot about you before...before this..." You attempt to inhale deeply, but fail. His eyes now completely released tears. "and I...I just want to say..." You attempted to breathe again, but merely started coughing violently. "These few moments.....fighting beside you.....have been the pr-proudest.....proudest...of my...li...." It was happening. You couldn't finish your sentence. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't keep squeezing his hand. You felt your head tilt back, and watched as the world slipped away into the sensation of falling. The regular world returned to you quickly. The Queen and Ghoul didn't seem to notice you snapping out of it. "Ghoul, what's happening to him? Surely he isn't remembering!" The Queen sounded agitated. "I am unsssure, my Queen." They both turned around, and noticed you returning to normal. "W...what happened to me?" You stare blankly. "My most loyal Dreadguard, you simply froze during your training. You wouldn't move. They brought you to me. I trust everything is alright?" You shake your head. "No. No, it's not. I saw something...other humans. I was fighting with them. Aaden...Howard...those names sound so familiar. "Why, they should!" The Queen smiled. "Those are your brothers!" "My...brothers?" "Yes, your brothers! They died fighting alongside you, attempting to hold off the oppressors. Brave Dreadguards, they were." Although you couldn't help but notice that these creatures had no guns, and wore armor completely different from what the other humans wore, she had to be telling the truth. She was the only thing you've had contact with since you lost your memory, and if she was going to do anything bad, she would have already done it. "I apologize, my Queen..." She walks over to you. "It is quite alright, dear. Go on home. Rest for now." You look up at her, your eyes meeting hers. "Y-yes, my Queen. Thank you." Chapter Twenty-Nine: BrothersYou still had four days left with Rainbow Dash before you were to go stay with Vinyl Scratch and Octavia for their two weeks. But what little time you had left with her wasn't on your mind. You felt insanely guilty, and that guilt had taken over your mind. Alan had yet to wake up. Sure, you had punched plenty of people before, but never had you punched someone so hard that you put them in a coma. Not to mention a friend. One day, you're holding Alan in your arms, begging him not to die, and the next day, you're practically killing him. It also bothered you that everypony in Ponyville believed him to some evil creature, wanting nothing more than to kill. You knew that wasn't true. You knew who Alan was. But for some reason, Alan doesn't seem to know who you are. Or who he was, for that matter. You walk through the marketplace, on patrol once more. You snack on an egg and cheese bagel you had bought from some diner on the far side of town. The bagel itself was good, but you regret not getting a cup of orange juice or something from the diner. The bread really dried your mouth and throat. You look around you. The Sugarcube Corner stands nearby. Perfect. You walk inside, the bell dinging as you do. You pay no attention to the 4 ponies sitting at the table near the door, and stand at the counter. No one is there. Taking advantage of this quiet moment, your minds flood walls break again, and the questions come roaring through it once more. Alan was a good man. He was like a brother to you. How could he do what he did to you? Did he not see your face? You run your hand along your helmet. While it did obscure your face slightly, he should have still been able to recognize you. You take another bite out of the bagel. The voices of the 4 ponies sitting at the table finally break through to you. "Aaden? You okay?" You turn around. Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie all sit at the table, eating breakfast together. That explains why the counter was unattended. "No. No, I'm not. I'm assuming you may have heard what happened?" You sat down next to Fluttershy. "You mean that meanie monster thing that tried to hurt you?" Pinkie Pie chimed in. You sigh. "I was afraid of this. Pinkie, may I have a glass of water or something? This is going to take awhile." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Max, are you sure about this? This is a big operation. We're only so many strong." Carter asked. "I am. It ends now." Carter nodded his head. The Pathfinders all stood in the room. Ever since Aaden, Alan, and Adam had died, the Pathfinders had become the things of legend. The IMO began funding them as such. What was once 12 men, had now become 120, each dressed in the exact same gas mask, duster, and combat armor attire that Aaden had made popular. They all even had the angel wing on their right shoulder of their dusters. You weren't afraid to admit that the boots you currently stood in were too big for you. You were never going to be like either Adam or Aaden. Adam was a natural born leader, your stereotypical stoic captain, and Aaden, Aaden was just a hero. You were neither. The Pathfinders, all in attendance, immediately quieted down their talking when you raised your hand. "Brothers..." You started. "You have all been selected to join the Pathfinders for good reason. Each and every single one of you have displayed a willingness to do good, to uphold the right ethics and morals..." You look around your audience, and to Carter, who was standing beside you. He nodded his head once. "As you are all aware...The IMO has threw their hat into the human trafficking ring..." You balled your right fist. "That, is a FUCKING, OUTRAGE!" You shout, slamming your fist against the wall. Your audience doesn't react. "We have lost many of our brothers to these sub-human pieces of SHIT, and for what? To join them?" You could see several of your brothers in the audience begin to ball their fists, as well. "There is only one solution, my brothers..." You hold your rifle in the air with one hand. "THE CHAIRMAN MUST DIE!" The crowd immediately erupts in a loud cheer, holding their rifles up with you. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been in Saddle Arabia for awhile now. It was pretty comfy, aside from the fact that it was damn near impossible to keep sand from getting inside of your living room. You kick back on your recliner, watching the palm tree bob up and down in the desert wind. It sure was nice of the locals to give you this house. Sure, you had to help out the irrigation workers, but that wasn't a problem. You hear a knock on your wooden front door. "Come in!" You shout. You put the book you were reading down in your lap. Mala opens the door, and attempts to knock the sand off of her hooves. "Eh, don't worry about it. I'm gonna sweep here soon, anyway." She smiles, and walks over to you. "What're you reading?" You look down at the book in your lap. "It's a book I found in my satchel. 'The Art of War'. I have no idea why I have it, but it all sounds so familiar to me. It makes a lot of sense. Maybe I was a soldier or something previously." "It seems plausible. You must have been the desert for a very long time, and to survive for that long, you must have had some kind of survival skill" She stops her thinking, and looks back to you. "Anyways. I have good news, and I have bad news. The Princess has accepted our request for her audience." You jump up out of your chair. "Hey, that's amazing news!" She looks down at her hooves. "Wait. What's the bad news?" "She cannot teleport us. We must walk through the desert once more." You sigh. You really would prefer to not walk through the desert. But it's your only chance to figure out what's going on. "Well God damn it all. When do we leave?" You ask. _________________________________________________________________________________ Another memory was starting flooding back into your mind. You walked into Aaden's apartment, and sat down next to an enormous labrador retriever, who immediately attempted to climb in your lap. Adam walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips. Aaden walked in about 5 minutes later, watching Adam eat his chips. "Well damn Adam, help yourself." He said. Adam gestured with the bag of chips, and shrugged his shoulders. "I see you've met Pepper, Alan." You look up over the couch, Pepper attempting to nuzzle you. "Oh yeah. This was your payment, wasn't it?" You ran your fingers through his black coat. "Yep. And be careful, his damn tail will give you a black eye." You watched his tail thump against the couch. Evan and Sarah then walked in the apartment, too. "Hey, what's going on fellas?" Sarah asked as she walked in, sitting her keys on the kitchen counter. Adam swallowed his mouthful of chips. "Aaden, Alan and I are going down to some bar off of 4th Street. You guys wanna come?" Sarah seemed finicky. "Oh, I dunno...I'd hate to just invite myself, Adam." "Oh, quit being silly." Aaden said. "Evan, Sarah, you're coming with us." You all put on your coats, and start off through the bustling streets of Manhattan. You all made it to the bar, and had your dinner. Afterwards, you sat around the table and had drinks, sharing small talk and gossip. Soon, Adam decided to go "socialize" with a girl he found attractive, and you decide to do the same with a girl you had been looking at for a good part of the night. "Aaden, you wanna go mingle? You can be my wingman." Aaden shook his head. "Nah. Bar chicks aren't exactly my type." You look at him in confusion. Evan chimes in. "He won't budge, bro. Aaden's a bit of a romantic. He's not one to...indulge. If you know what I'm sayin'." You smile. "Suit yourself, brother." Wait. Brother. You didn't have any brothers. You were an only child. The Queen lied to you. There is going to be Hell to pay. _________________________________________________________________________________ You take another deep drink of the glass of ginger ale you had, and set the glass back down on the table, wiping your mouth with your sleeve. "Wowzers. So you know him?" Pinkie Pie asks. For once, she was sitting still. "Oh yeah. But there's something that bothers me about this. You guys remember watching that memory of me holding that soldier, begging him not to die?" They all nod in unison. "Alan was that man." Twilight cocks her head in confusion. "Wait. Didn't he die?" You nod your head. "Exactly. He's dead." "But then wouldn't we have a bunch of humans here in Equestria if this is where you guys go when you die?" "I don't know. I'd like to think that I'm not dead. But then again, I really don't know why I'm here. Why he's here. Surely there is a reason behind it all." You look outside, and watch rain begin to fall from the clouds. "Twilight, I need to ask a favor of you." "Sure Aaden. Whatcha need?" "I need to find out, for sure, if I'm dead or not." Twilights eyes widen slightly. "Surely you aren't. I mean, you're here right now, right? You can't be dead." "Twi, I watched Alan die in my arms. He's dead. And if he's here, that must mean I'm dead." "Okay. Come by next week, and I'll see what I can do for you. Though, you might wanna consider just going directly to Celestia." You finish off the ginger ale Pinkie Pie gave you, and wish the girls a good day. You wanted to get home before it got too stormy. You prayed Rainbow Dash would be home to give you a lift. I am NOT about to climb that friggin' ladder in the middle of a storm. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been watching this human for some time now. You had to sneak past the doctors, and sometimes you had to resort to watching him from the window, using magic, but it was well worth it. At least, to you it was. Humans absolutely fascinated you. You had always heard myths and stories about Humans when you were a filly, about how they walked on two legs, and how they had forelegs and hind legs with digits on the ends, called fingers and toes. Just the idea of humans and an entire civilization of them makes your mind swell with curiosity. When Aaden, Ponyville's Honor Guard first arrived, you nearly went into a catatonic state. A real, live human. In your town. You started to feel light headed again, but then composed yourself. Rarity may have beaten you to befriending Aaden, but no one was going to beat you to befriending this new human. You crept down the hallway on the tips of your hooves, making sure to be as quiet as possible. You then darted into the room, using your magic to close the door. You then look over at the human. His entire head is covered in bandages, except for his eyes, which were closed. The heart monitor hooked up to him beeped consistently, signalling his health. Aaden hit the poor guy really hard. You weren't there when this little battle took place between the two, but you didn't believe such violence was necessary. And that's when you see them. Hands. Hands with fingers on them. Hands connected to arms, which led up to shoulders. You could see his fingers, each one long and slim, with a clear nail on the end of each of them. You walked forward, very, very slowly, your eyes widening with every step. His arms were strapped to the bed, as were his forearms, so even if he did wake, he couldn't stop what you were about to do. Your eyes now open as wide as possible, pupils dilated with excitement and glistening with anxiety. You reach out a hoof, and touch his hands. His hand gently moves, giving way to your hoof. You nearly burst as one of the fingers found its way up on to your hoof. You gently slide your hoof back out from his hand, putting his fingers back down with care. Bon Bon loved to tease your beliefs in humans, and here you were, literally fondling one of their hands. Oooooh. Sweet, sweet hands. As you stand, your mind drifting off to thoughts of hands and feet, you fail to notice the eyes of the human open. You turned back around, wanting to touch his hand again. You still failed to notice his eyes were now completely open. You slid your hoof back into this hand. Your blood then went ice cold as you watched his fingers curl up over your hoof, holding it carefully. You look up to his face. Two bright brown eyes gaze down at you. They said that this human was violent. That he tried to kill Aaden. By looking in this human's eyes, you didn't see any of that. All you saw was a hurt human. One that was obviously scared, confused, and alone. You knew he wasn't a killer, like the others had said. Bon Bon was known to over exaggerate, anyways. "B-...br-bring...Aaden..." He said. His eyelids then twitched erratically, and then fell back to their position of covering his eyes. His hand also released its gentle grip on your hoof. You feel slightly disappointed about that. You suppose you should go alert Aaden that this human requested his presence. And you'd do that. Just as soon as you had finished with his hands. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were no longer unconscious. It still took a superb amount of energy to move even an inch. You hoped that aquamarine unicorn pony with the amber eyes listened to you, and was bringing Aaden to you. While you hadn't collected the majority of your memories, you remembered quite enough. And you were pissed beyond comprehension. Your "Queen" had lied to you. All of it was some elaborate lie, against what appeared to be completely harmless ponies. Hell, even in your brainwashed state, you doubt you could bring yourself to actually hurt one of them. You decide to start harnessing your energy for this meeting with Aaden. Let's see...what do I know for sure? The Queen lied. I have no brothers or sisters. I was a solider of some kind. I was close friends with Aaden and a man named Adam. Aaden, while he isn't my actual brother, is certainly like one. And... The scene of Aaden holding you, of life slipping from your grasp comes back to you. I'm dead, I guess. Awesome. You go to scratch your head, using some of the energy you were building up, and realize you are completely strapped down to the bed. Eh. Can't blame em'. I did just try to kill someone. Then the guilt came. Aaden was a good friend. You can't remember why he was, or what he did for you, but you knew enough to confirm that he was very close to you. And you tried to kill him. You put him through the pain of hurting you. God damn it, I'm dumb. You feel as if you should have questioned the Queen more. You knew her story seemed a little off here and there, but you never questioned here. You let her manipulate you. Brainwash you into her filthy little knight, for some stupid vendetta she held against a race that, as far as you knew, simply wanted to live in peace. You can feel yourself getting more and more pissed as you thought about how badly you were used. Then your mind starts to think about the pony that visited you. She certainly was pretty. And you knew she had to have heard what you did. Yet, she didn't run, or scream for that matter, when you awoke. When you touched her. Her coat really was soft... It was nice to feel the warm coat of a pony for a change. Any time you touched a changeling, they always felt like giant, cold fingernails. You use thoughts of this pony to bring yourself down from the growing hate inside of you. You already owed Aaden an apology. A big one. If it's laced with anger, you might get the other side of your skull broken. You rustle around in your bindings, attempting to make yourself slightly more comfortable. You smile. While you certainly had some explaining to do, Aaden had just as much. He was an Honor Guard now? How long had he been here? Who was the rainbow pony that kicked my ass? Eh. I'm sure he's just as confused as I am. Chapter Thirty: ReunionYou were really too nice sometimes. Bon Bon always said that you should be a little more discriminatory with who you help, because strangers were just that. Strangers. I bet she's at home right now, all cozy and warm, while I run around in the rain! Besides, this wasn't any stranger! This was a HUMAN! One that asked for your help! Kinda. You trot through Ponyville, the consistent clopping of your hooves paddling off of the rain-slick cobblestone roads. Did you mention you were terrified of thunder? Anytime it would clap, you would either freeze in fear, or trot five times as fast out of panic. I HATE storms. This human had better be my friend after all of this... You finally find Aaden, standing outside of Rainbow Dash's house. And by outside, you mean on the ground, staring up at the cloud house. "RAINBOW DASH! YOU IN THERE?" He calls. You noticed he has both of his hands up over his mouth, amplifying his call to her. Hands were so useful. You trot over to him. "Aaden? Mr. Aaden?" He turns around, rain sliding off of his golden armor. "Oh, hello. I didn't see you there, I'm sorry if I shouted in your ear. Something I can do for you?" You smile, and stand up on your hind legs like he does, and balance yourself. You come up to his neck. If only you could be as tall as humans were... Stay focused! You fall back down onto four legs, and decide to tell him about the other human. "Mr. Aaden, I'm Lyra! Lyra Heartstrings!" He smiles, and reaches a hand out to shake your hoof. You grab it, nearly ripping it off of his arm in excitement. STAY. FOCUSED. "Uhhm. Mr. Aaden. You know that human in the hospital?" His smile immediately melts. "Yes, Lyra? What of him?" You tap your hoof in the mud, like a bashful filly. "I was in there, doing some, uh...experiments. Yeah, that's right, experiments! And he woke up! He didn't say much, really. Just 'bring Aaden'. After that, he looked like he fell asleep again." Aaden, although obviously disturbed by this, maintained the calm demeanor he was noted for having. "When did this happen?" You turn around, and point in the direction of the hospital with your hoof. "It was literally about 15 minutes ago." "Forgive me Lyra, but I've gotta go." He starts a fast paced walk, which then became a run. You followed after him. "Do you mind if I come with you?" You called to him. "Sure, just stay behind me when we get there!" He called back. This was a dream come true. In fact, you were expecting to wake up any second now. Here you were, running alongside a Human. How did he run this fast on just two legs? You have four, and you're having trouble keeping up. Did you mention how much you liked Humans? _________________________________________________________________________________ Bakir and Mala accompanied you on your journey through the desert known as the "San Palomino Desert". The horse puns never seemed to end. Apparently, you were going to trek through the desert to a place called Dodge City, where you would then catch a train directly to Canterlot, to meet the Princess, Celestia. But first, you had to make it through this damned desert. Deserts bothered you. They were a lot like the beach, minus the water, wind, relaxing environment, reasonable temperatures, and animals that aren't so poisonous that you start to rot just looking at them. At least there were a good amount of Oases all throughout, and although they were scared of you at first, Mala and Bakir were good company. Mala was an explorer, apparently having traveled this desert an incredible amount of times. Bakir was a merchant, specializing in what he called "rare artifacts". If it wasn't for the two of them out searching for treasure, you'd probably still be wandering the desert aimlessly. "So, Adam, do you remember anything about home, yet?" Bakir asked. You shake your head. "Sorry man. I don't remember a lick about myself. I can still describe a few places to you. Like, uhh..." You wave your hand around in the air while you walk with Bakir and Mala, to gesture that you were thinking. "I come from a place called Earth. Lots of Humans there. We had 7 continents. Well. 6, really. One was just a giant frozen desert." God damned good for nothing deserts... "Interesting...Adam, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you have anything on you that you'd be willing to part with?" Bakir asked again. "Part with? Whatcha mean?" "Oh come now! An artifact from another plain of reality? That'll sell quicker than those gem scarabs I found last year!" You pat yourself down, finding a quarter. "Here. This is some currency from a country I visited. I won't be needing it." Bakir's eyes light up. "Oh, the bits this will fetch! How much was it worth?" You laugh. "About 1 quarter of a bit." He frowns. "Well, it's still one of a kind! I can surely get something for this!" Your party was approaching another Oasis, this one slightly bigger than all of the others you had seen. "Alright boys, settle in. Night is coming. I'll prepare something for dinner. You two relax, continue your discussion of priceless artifacts." She chuckled. You walk over to one of the palm trees, and sit down. Bakir starts lighting a fire slightly away from the tree, to avoid burning down the Oasis. "So, Bakir. Have you ever found anything interesting?" He looks up to you, still sliding the fire-making tools together. "Well, one time, I found a golden spider in the sand near some ruins. It was beautiful. Shiny, ruby eyes, and about the size of my head!" "That sounds fucking horrifying." You laugh. He smiles. "My story isn't finished. I brought it home, put it next to my bed while I slept. I thought it was too valuable to simply leave alone or just lock up and forget about." "Oh boy..." You interject. Bakir finally lights the fire, and sits down across from you. "Well, I fell asleep. When I awoke in the middle of the night, it was sitting on top of my chest, crawling around. Turns out, it was alive. I had not found an artifact, merely an enormous desert spider." You shudder at the thought. "Well thanks Bakir. I wasn't planning on sleeping tonight anyways. You know, open desert and everything. Filled with golden spiders and junk. Damn." Bakir laughed this time. You looked over him, watching Mala gather fruit and other ingredients for dinner. "Mala, do you need help?" You call. "Yes sister, we can help!" Bakir adds. Mala looks over at you two by the fire. "Are you sure? I would hate to pull you away from the comfort of the fire. Plus, there may be gem spiders around here!" "That things sounded terrifying!" You laugh. "Alright, we're coming." Mala smiles at you both. "Gather some limes. You may have to climb a few of the trees to get them." You look up at the palm trees. Limes growing on palm trees. You were certain they didn't do this back home. You sigh, and smile. "Alright Bakir. Give me a boost." _________________________________________________________________________________ Alan was awake. And he didn't try to tear Lyra's throat out. He is either too injured to do so, or has completely regained his mind. Hopefully it was the latter. You make it to the hospital, bursting through it's doors, and you rush right by the receptionist desk, through the "DOCTORS ONLY" door. "Official business of Canterlot." You say. You remember Lyra was following you. "She's with me." You go through the door, to find yourself in a maze. You could go forward, left, or right, each hallway containing staircases that go both up and down, each also deviating into different hallways. "Mr. Aaden, I can show you the way! I've had to sneak to the human before!" You cock your head back. "Sneak?" Lyra blushes under her coat. "Well, e-experiments...and stuff..." You nod your head. "Lead the way, Lyra." She leads you through the maze that was the belly of the hospital, taking you down the center hallway, going upstairs, down another hallway, and then down a hallway that led to what you imagined was the heart of the hospital. Finally, you reach a room with the door closed. "He's right in there." You put your hand on the doorknob. "Stay behind me, Lyra." You turn the knob, and open the door. He was awake, alright. He heard the door open, and turned to see you. "Hiya Aaden. My head hurts." You feel a wave of relief wash over you. Alan was normal once more. You can feel tears coming again. You slowly approach him. "Alan, you fucking idiot..." You start. "If you ever do something like that again, I'll kill you myself." You sniffle, but regain your composure. "Oh no, I'm very well aware. Speaking of injuries and what not, can you loosen these straps? I've reeeeally got to go to the bathroom." "Do you go to the bathroom standing up?" Lyra asks. Alan laughs. "Uh. Yeah. Well. It depends on what I'm gonna do." She giggles. "And you, what's your name? I didn't think you were going to actually get Aaden for me." "I'm Lyra Heartstrings! I like your hands!" She says, a big, goofy smile on her face. Alan raised an eyebrow under his bandages. "Uh. Thanks Lyra. I knew the doctors wouldn't bring Aaden here. I like your...coat? Yeah, your coat. It's very nice." Lyra smiles, and stand up on her hind legs again. "Aaden. What's she doing?" You shrug. "No idea. She did it earlier. Lyra, you keep standing up on two legs. May we ask why?" "Because I can stand like you humans! Isn't it cool?" She beams with pride. "I've never seen anything more cool in my life." Alan says. Thankfully, Lyra didn't catch his sarcasm. "Straps now?" You nod your head, and walk over to the bed. "If you try anything stupid, I'll put you in a coma for twice as long." You say while you untie his straps. He laughs. "No, trust me. I've had some memories come back to me. My oh-so graceful Queen is nothing more than a liar. She used me." Alan, now completely free of his straps, stands up, and stretches. "Damn Aaden." He says while he stretches. "You guys really kicked my ass. There isn't a spot on my body that I'm not sore." He limps over to the bathroom inside of the room, and closes the door. You look over at Lyra, who was still standing like a human, wobbling around the room. Although it was silly, it was incredibly cute. "Lyra, you seem enthralled by the presence of us humans. Can I ask why?" She smiled, and got back down on all fours. "When I was a filly, I would always hear stories about humans. I can't explain it, but they fascinated me. I started trying to be like one, because, you know. Hands. My best friend, Bon Bon, she didn't think you guys existed, and to be completely honest, I didn't think so either! But you're here now, which means that I've either completely lost my mind, or you are real!" She looks away, narrowing her eyes. "I really hope you're real..." She mutters. You hear the toilet flush, and watch the door open, Alan limping back out of the bathroom, and onto his bed. "THANK. GOD." He said. He pulled the blankets back up over himself, and looked at you both. "So. What do we do now?" "I'll get go get Gauze, and alert the rest of Ponyville about you. Let them know you aren't hostile. Yeah, by the way, you're vilified here in Ponyville now." Alan shrugs. "Eh. I did try to kill you." At least he was taking this news well. "So, it's gonna suck finding a place to stay, huh?" You nod your head. "Although the ponies here like me, I don't think I can convince them to take you in. I don't even think Rainbow Dash would take you, and she loves me." "So, everyone hates me? Don't blame em'." Alan said. Lyra then immediately perks up. "I don't hate you, Mr. Alan!" Lyra smiles. Alan looks at her. "Would you be willing to take in a fool?" He asks. "I don't think you're a fool, Mr. Alan! I think you're pretty interesting! And absolutely, I would love to take you in! Bon Bon may be kinda of iffy about it, but I'm sure she'll be okay! You can take the guest room!" Alan looks over to you, almost like he's asking permission. You simply nod your head. Alan then looks back to her. "Call me Alan. Mr. Alan was my Dad. And thanks Lyra. I promise I'll make it up to you." Lyra jumps in place excitedly. "OHGOODNESS! I gotta go tell Bon Bon!" She nearly shouts with excitement. She was then immediately out of the door, and into the hallway. You walk over to Alan, and pat his shoulder. "The ponies here are very nice. How you holding up?" He looks up at you, his eyes shimmering. "Honestly? I'll never be able to forgive myself. My only true friend here in Equestria, and I tried to kill him. I'm surprised you didn't kill me first, the way I attacked you." You lean down, and give him a hug. "You're my little brother. At least, I consider you that. I could never bring myself to kill you. Unless you really pissed me off." You laugh. You break off the hug. "I'm gonna go find Gauze, see what's going on with your head, see when we can get you out of here." Alan nods. "And Alan?" You add. He looks up at you. "Yeah?" He asks. "I forgave you the moment I realized it was you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "What's Lyra so excited about?" Octavia asks. You look up from the newspaper, and see Lyra tearing ass through Ponyville. "No idea. Did you hear about Aaden?" Octavia frowns. "I did. Is he okay?" You nod your head. "Yeah, he's alright. Says here he has an injury through his hand and foot. He was impaled through both. Poor bastard." Octavia cringes. "I can only imagine his pain. Is he still coming to stay with us?" You nod your head again. "Oh yeah. He'll be here in four days." You use your magic to float a cup over, and you take a drink of it. "Well, that's good! I've been practicing a little piece I'm sure he'll enjoy." You look at her, one eyebrow raised. She notices this, and blushes. "W-well...he said he likes music. And I would like for him to feel welcome..." You smile, not looking up from the newspaper. "Oh, I know EXACTLY how I'm gonna make him feel welcome." Octavia frowns, and seems mildly annoyed. "Come now Vinyl, do you really think he's going to want sex the moment he arrives?" "I know I will." "Do you ever think of anyone other than yourself?" You smile even bigger. "Well 'Tavi, if you don't want in on it, that's fine..." "NONO, it's not that, it's just...he's so nice..." She said, blushing. For a moment, your smile faded. You did know how nice he was. How he treated you like a mare, and not a sex toy. How he liked to talk to you about yourself. How he seemed legitimately interested about the things that happen in your life. He was really nice. You look up at her. "Look, Octavia, I'm gonna be serious with you here, so listen up. I think I'm in love with Aaden. And to be completely honest, I don't think I have the self control to NOT throw myself at him, you know?" Octavia's eyes widened. "You? Love somepony? Whaaaat." She said in disbelief. "I know, I almost kicked my own ass over it. But I want to try to show him, you know? Show him how much he means to me." You then feel another smile coming over your face. "Now, like I said, if you don't wanna join us, that's fine. More for me." _________________________________________________________________________________ You nearly kicked your door off of it's hinges. "BON BON! BON BOOOOON!" You shouted. She came down the staircase, looking frightened. "Is everything okay Lyra? Are you hurt?" You shake your head as fast as you can. "Bon Bon, we're gonna have company!" She smiles. "Oh, really? Who?" You then enter shy filly mode, kicking your foreleg about bashfully. "He's a human. The one from the town square incident..." Bon Bon looks at you in disbelief. "Lyra, he tried to kill our Honor Guard. You can't be serious." You shake your head again. "No, see, I went to go see him, and Aaden came with me, and it turns out that they know each other, and they forgave each other, and apologized and stuff! It's really okay." Bon Bon squints at you. "I'm sure you understand if I'm a little apprehensive about this, Lyra. But..." She sighs. "I trust you." You jump in place again, and then dart off to the guest room, to make sure everything is in order. A real, live human! And he's going to be staying with you! Chapter Thirty-One: Heart Strings and Angel WingsDoctor Gauze walks into the room with Aaden, using his teeth to hold a clipboard. He walks it over to a table, and carefully used a hoof to flip through the papers attached to it. He looks up, and sees you sitting up, your feet dangling off of the bed. "Oh good. I'm assuming you untied him?" He looks at Aaden, looking annoyed. Aaden smiles, and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah. He's harmless though. Look at him." He points to you. You decide it would be a good idea to wave to the doctor. Gauze sighs, and goes back to looking at the paper work. He stops on a page, and taps it with his hoof. He puts the clipboard back in his mouth, and walks over to you. "Shine thish, pleash." He says, the clipboard in his mouth. Aaden clicks a pen, and hands it to you. You take the clipboard out of his mouth, and attempt to read what it says. What the hell... You look up from the clipboard out of confusion. "Aaden, I think you may have hit me so hard, that I'm illiterate. If that's the case, someone get this guy a medal. Holy shit." Doctor Gauze hops up on the bed with him, and points to several blank lines. "Sign on the lines. Aaden couldn't read this stuff either when he first arrived, either." "Still have trouble with it, actually." Aaden interjects. Gauze hopped off of the bed, and watched you scribble your signature. When you finish, you place it gently back inside of his mouth. He stops in the doorway on his way out, turning his head towards you. "Oh, and you can take thosh bandagesh off now." He then continues his walk out. You crack your knuckles, and brings your hands up to your head, trying to find the knot on all of the cotton bandages to untie them. After about 5 minutes, you give up. "Aaden, can you give me a hand? I'm not Harry god-damned Houdini." Aaden laughs, and walks over to you. He finds the knot, and you feel the bandages slip off of your head, falling to your shoulders. You feel air on your face again. You take your right hand, and run it down the side of your face, where Aaden had punched you. It doesn't hurt to touch it, or even press on it a little, but you decide to not push your luck, "How do I look?" "Like Alan. Although your cheek is bruised to Hell and back." "Does it look cool?" "Not really. Anyways. Go use the bathroom, and get yourself together. Lyra will be ripping through time and space itself to get here in a couple of moments." You drop from the bed, and go to your possessions they had placed on a chair in the corner of the room. You remove the hospital garb, and put on the clothes you came here in. Well, the black pants and a white undershirt you wore under your living armor. While you were getting dressed, you decide to ask Aaden a question. "How long have you been here, Aaden?" "Eh, a couple of months. What about you?" "A little over a year. I first appeared in the Dead Marsh outside of the Badlands. Where did you pop up?" "Some plains outside of Everfree Forest. Almost got gored by a manticore. Not a fun way to be introduced to a new world." "Yeah, I heard about that. At least you're still in one piece." You can hear the sound of hooves clopping down the hallway. And fast. You knew it was Lyra. "Sounds like my escort is coming." Aaden laughs. "Relax bro. She's a nice pony. She may be goofy at times, but she's the only one willing to take you in. So be nice, and get comfy." Lyra gallops into the room. "Hiya Alan! Are you ready? I'm sure ready!" You look at Aaden, who smiles and jerks his head towards the door. "Where will you go?" You ask. "I'm the only other Human here. I won't be hard to miss. You go get settled in and relax for the evening. I'll see you tomorrow." You sigh, and look down at Lyra. "Alright Lyra. Take me home." You follow her out of the room, and through the labyrinth that was the hospital, back out into Ponyville. You can't believe the Queen had used you so harshly. And you really can't believe you fell for it. I mean, look at this place! They wouldn't let anyone go hungry! Ponyville itself was very homely, filled with bright colors and unique buildings which seemed to work together to make the town just that much more appealing. The Nexus, where you spent well over a year, had an extremely boring palette of grays, blacks, and extremely dark blues. Ponyville had colors you didn't know existed. Even though you were riddled with guilt and shame, just being in such a happy atmosphere made you feel a little better. Hell, if Ponyville looked this good in the rain, you were excited to see it in the morning. The rain was starting to diminish into a simple drizzle, a few drops falling here and there. Other Ponies were out walking around, going about their business. A very light breeze floated across the town, sending the scent of flowers and rain throughout the town. You felt pretty good, up until you noticed all of the eyes staring at you. You weren't exactly exalted in Ponyville. Lyra looks up at you, and notices how uncomfortable you look. "Hey Alan, you okay?" You don't look down at her. You try to look away from all of the Ponies, to avoid making eye contact with any of them and scaring them. "I uh...I see I'm pretty popular here." Lyra giggles. "Alan, I have an idea! You want them to stop staring, right?" "That would be nice." You look down at her. "Watch this!" Lyra cocks herself up on her hind legs, like a human would, and she begins to walk beside you, wobbling. "I kn-" She stumbles slightly, but picks herself back up. "I know the staring isn't fun, so what if they stare at the BOTH of us? Huh? Genius, right? Cause now you aren't alone!" Lyra begins to flail her forelegs around while walking. "LOOK AT ME EVERYONE! I'M WALKING LIKE A HUMAN! AHAHAHAHA!" You watch as everyone looks at Lyra. You lean close to her. "Uhhh...Lyra...whatcha doing?" You whisper. She quickly jolts over to you, her hoof over her mouth. "I got this!" She whispers. She then pulls her head away from you, and shouts again. "WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" You can't help but smile. This Pony really was nice to you. You start to think that your time with her might not be so bad. "WOOOOOOOO-" She starts to scream again, but breaks off in coughing. Poor pony was going to hurt her throat if she kept doing that. You walk closer to her. "That'll do it, Lyra. I think everyone's more concerned with you now." She smiles, and coughs again, looking up at you. "Did I do good? Do you feel better?" Her voice was raspy. You smile at her. "Yeah Lyra. Thanks. Lets get you home, get you a drink of water or something." She nods her head, and hops back down on all four of her legs. "Alan?" Lyra asks. You look up at the sky. You can see stars starting to come out. "Yeah Lyra?" You reply. "We're friends now, right?" You look down at her, her amber eyes seemingly pleading with you. "Absolutely, Lyra." _________________________________________________________________________________ "DAMN IT BAKIR, I CALLED TIMEOUT!" You shouted, rubbing your eyes. Bakir laughs, stands up on his hind legs, and pounds his chest. "What's wrong Adam? Can't keep up?" "NO. I HAVE ABOUT 2 POUNDS OF SAND IN MY EYES." Bakir laughs again. "We're in a desert, Adam. That argument won't work here." You sigh, and continue rubbing your eyes. You stand up, and with your eyes closed shut, you stumble over to the pond in the oasis you had stopped at, and dunk your head under the water. You open your eyes, and look around very quickly. You yank your head back out, and open your eyes. Alright. I can see again. "Bakir, you cheating son of a bitch." You said. Bakir laughs even harder. "Adam, we will have to have another game when we get closer to Dodge City." "You bet your ass we will." Mala pops up over the nearby dune. "GUYS! BREAK'S OVER! LETS GO!" She calls to you. You pick up your backpack and all of the gear you put down to better play Bakir's game, and he does the same. "BE SURE TO FILL YOUR CANTEENS! THIS WALK IS GOING TO BE LONG!" She calls again. You both do as she suggested, and head off over the dune, meeting with Mala. She opens up a map, and points straight ahead, without looking up from the map. "We have about 3 more stops, then we have a straight shot to Dodge City. This walk is going to be one of the longest, so make sure you're ready." You look over at Bakir, who nods his head. "I think we're all ready. How about you? You need anything?" Mala looks at you, annoyed. "While you two grown stallions were playing like colts, I got all of the things I needed." You smile. "Alright, then lets get a move on!" The Desert was still annoying to you. Still hot, still unforgiving, and still unpleasant to every single one of your senses. You start thinking of ways to pass the time. "Bakir. Tell me another story." You said while popping off the cap to your canteen and taking a swig of it. "Alright. Uhh...I found a mummy once." "Like on of the ones that walk and groan and stuff?" "No, like one of the ones that are dead and dried and ancient." "That doesn't sound nearly as fun. Got anything else?" "Well, there were rumors of a magical oasis, completely isolated, not on any map in existence. It apparently was at the center of a long-gone kingdom. Naturally, I became immediately interested. I mean, magical water? Relics and what-not? So, I went looking about town for an explorer. I found Mala." Mala laughed. "You're a little less insane now." Mala chuckled. Bakir flashes her a dirty look, and keeps talking. "Mala and I seek out this Oasis, and after about 4 months of searching, we found it." "Oh shit, it was real?" You ask. "Oh, it was real. But completely barren. The water had since dried up completely, and all of the treasure in the area had been looted. All we found were several golden scarabs, which were NOT alive like the spider was, thank Celestia." "So you were too late, huh?" "Yeah. It wasn't very fun. Do you have any interesting stories?" Bakir asks. "If I could remember any, I would tell you. I mean, I probably went to go get some fast food or something I found a dollar on the road or something. That would have been pretty sweet." "Exciting." Bakir mused. You looked ahead. There was still no sign of this next Oasis. This is gonna take awhile. Damned desert. _________________________________________________________________________________ Doctor Gauze had asked you to walk with him through the hospital to view Alan's medical reports. This is probably the first time you had ever seen Gauze act so serious. "Now, Aaden. I have no problem with you. You are an excellent Human." He said. "And I know Alan is your friend. But he tried to kill you. If he would have succeeded, you know what he would have done. He would have moved on to us." He opens the door to his office, and you both walk in. "I know your concern, Gauze. I'm sure Celestia will have something to say to him, as well. But what I can promise you, is that the Alan from my past has returned. He kept mentioning some "Queen" tricking him, using him, getting him to do these awful things." Gauze raises one eyebrow. "Queen?" He asks. "Yeah. You know her?" "It sounds like the damn Changelings. But that's a story for another day. Aaden, I trust your judgement on this new human. I'm just a little nervous, is all." He finds Alan's report, and slides it out from a folder. "I understand completely, Gauze. I'll keep a very close eye on him." Gauze smiles. "Thanks. And now, to the more important stuff..." He reads the report over once. "So, it looks like when you hit him, you cracked his skull. Then, when he hit the pavement, his skull was cracked even further. We treated him with magic, setting the bones back in place and sealing them together. As long as he doesn't do anything to get hit like that again, he'll be okay." Gauze jumps back down, and leads you out to the receptionist, before disappearing back inside of the hospital again. You sign yourself out, wishing the receptionist a good evening. The rain had let up outside, and it was now warming outside. It was an odd sensation, things becoming slightly warmer when the sun was setting. That's not to say it was a bad sensation, however. You begin your walk back to Rainbow Dash's house, hoping that she wasn't home. You loved the pony, but you were absolutely exhausted, and just wanted to go straight to bed. It's amazing how tired running around town can make you. _________________________________________________________________________________ Lyra opens the door to a large house, and holds it for you. She takes a hoof, and waves it inside. "Welcome home, Alan!" She smiles. "Yaaaaay." She closes the door behind you, and dashes beside you. "Lemme show you to your room!" She stands up on her hind legs again, and uses one of her hooves to grab your hand. She pulls you down a hallway, and to a room at the very end of it. She opens the door, and pulls you inside. The room itself was pretty big for a guest room. A large bed sat against the wall, and the room was filled with bookshelves with books stocked. Too bad you couldn't read Equestrian. You put your stuff down, sit on the edge of the bed, and take your shoes off. "Now, the bathroom is literally right across from the hall, and Bon Bon and myself will be upstairs. My room is the one with the blue door, hers is purple. I'm gonna go cook dinner, you take a shower, get comfy!" She then wobbled out of the room on two legs. It was adorable watching her walk on two legs. Adorable in a childish way. Like watching an infant eat spaghetti for the first time. They weren't exactly doing it right, but by God, they were trying. Amazingly, the hospital had washed your clothes for you while you were unconscious, so you decide it would be best to go ahead and get a shower in. Being stuck in a bed for a week doesn't exactly make you any cleaner. _________________________________________________________________________________ Bon Bon was in the kitchen when you walked in. "Hiya Bon Bon! Alan is here! I told him to get comfy while we make some dinner! Wanna help?" "He's here?" You shake your head. "Like I said, I trust you. Just a little nervous, is all." "Relax, silly! He's really nice, you'll see! Now, do you wanna help with dinner?" Bon Bon smiles weakly. "Sure, Lyra. And get down, walking on two legs can't be comfortable." You smile, and plop down onto four legs. Bon Bon walked over to the cabinets, and opened several of them, peeking past cans and other stored foods. She digs around for a few minutes, before stopping in her tracks. "Hey, Lyra?" She starts. "Yep?" "I just realized something. What do humans eat?" Your eyes go wide, and facehoof. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I didn't ask! I'll be right back, I'm gonna go ask!" You dart out of the kitchen, and down the hallway, into his room. It's empty. He's probably in the shower. You walk across the hall, and see the door closed. You don't hear water running, so you assume that he must be done. You open the door, and find him. Alan was looking in a mirror with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair all askew from being dried with a towel. Drops of water slowly worked their way down the path his muscles had created. It was actually extremely attractive. You always had liked humans before, and you would be lying if you said the thought of them wasn't attractive, but seeing Alan like this reaffirmed your fascination. Alan looks down at you, and smiles. "Need something?" He asks. "What do Humans eat?" He smiles even bigger. "Lyra, I thought you had a certificate in human studies." You kick your hoof at the ground bashfully. "I'm only teasing. We're omnivores. We can eat anything except for stuff like leaves, grass, hay, that sort of stuff. Please don't try to feed me hay." "I wont, promise! Thanks Alan!" You then dart right back out of the bathroom, and back into the kitchens. Bon Bon looks at you expectantly. "Well?" She asks. "No hay, no grass, no leaves!" You said, smiling. _________________________________________________________________________________ This was it. You were organizing a coup. It actually came this far. The Chairman was at his resort home in Colorado. If ever there was a good time to strike, it was now. The strategy was simple. The 120 Pathfinders would be split in the following ways: 60 Pathfinders would take the cable cars directly to the house, while another 30 would rappel down from Helicopters directly on top of the house, while the final 30 would emerge from Helicopters that would land in the forest surrounding the house. You look at the frost-covered cable cars that dangled over an enormous chasm. There were 10 of them, each had 6 men inside. You climbed inside of your car. None of the Pathfinders looked up at you, Each sat on the floor of the cable car, preparing their ammunition, the lifeless eyes of the gas masks creating an even more eerie environment. You slide your radio off of your waist. "Carter, so what're we dealing with here?" After a few moments, your radio buzzes again. "From what we've gathered, the entire IMO Administration is here. There are about 75 guards total. Should be easy, especially if we time this right." You press down the button on the side of the radio, and speak again. "Whats the ETA on our choppers?" After another few moments, you hear another buzz. "About 20 minutes. Carter out." You slide your radio back on your waist, and you also sit down on the floor of the cable car. "Anyone got anymore brass?" One of the Pathfinders speaks up. The one across from him pulls a box out of his backpack, and hands it to him. These men may not know it yet, but they were going to literally change the IMO. They were going to crumble it. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Sister, I am assuming you have received word of the the events that have occurred in Ponyville. Will you take any action?" You ask. Celestia unfurls, and climbs down from her throne. "Violence, especially attempted murder, and attempted murder of an Honor Guard at that, is a very serious crime in Equestria. However, I have also received word that this new human was come to his senses. I've also heard that he is one of the humans Aaden was good friends with back in his reality." You frown. "This is most troubling..." You look over your shoulder, and make sure no one is there before you continue. "What do we do, sister?" Celestia smiles. "Call Spyra back from his infiltration of the Diamond Dog mines. We're going to make this new human an offer he cannot refuse. I'll word to Twilight Sparkle, that we request to see both Aaden and Alan in approximately one week." You nod your head. While Celestia scribbles a letter to Twilight Sparkle, you begin scribbling one to Spyra. When you finish, you send it off in a poof of magic. Several moments later, a new letter poofs back to you in a burst of white smoke. You use your magic to unfold it, and read it. I AM COMING. It even had the claw mark at the bottom that Spyra used to sign his reports and papers to you. You look over to Celestia, who had just finished her own letter. "Sister, what if he can't be trusted?" You ask. Celestia smiled. "If he is someone that Aaden associates with, then he can be trusted." Chapter Thirty-Two: SolaceYou had just dried yourself off, and were getting dressed for dinner. The same pair of black pants and the white shirt you had left the hospital with had to do for now. You really needed some more clothes. You make a mental note to ask Aaden about that when you see him next. After you quickly look yourself over, you decide you're presentable, and you walk down the hallway and into the kitchen. Lyra, and the other pony you suspected was Bon Bon, were making the table up, preparing it for dinner. "Hey. You need any help?" Lyra looks up from sitting a plate and fork down, and motions with her hoof to Bon Bon. "You might be able to help Bon Bon, if you wanna. I've got the table taken care of." You look over to Bon Bon. "How about it, Bon Bon?" She doesn't turn around from finishing up cooking, but points up to some cabinets above her. "I can't reach our nice glasses in the cabinet without standing on something. Could you get three out, please?" "Gotcha." You walk over to the cabinets, and pull several of the nice, tall glasses down. They were a little dusty. Must not have company too often... You walk the glasses over to the sink, and give them a quick washing. As you begin to take a towel to each of the glasses, you turn around, and attempt to strike up conversation with Bon Bon. She seemed really nervous, and you wanted to make sure you changed that. "So, Bon Bon. What's on the menu?" She sprinkles some small, chopped herbs over her dish. "Lasagna with beans. Mom taught it to me when I was a filly." You finished drying one of the glasses, and you grab another wet one. "It's really good!" Lyra called over from the table. "I think you'll really like it!" "What about dessert?" You ask. You manage to make Bon Bon smile. "Well, I was thinking maybe just some ice-cream or something?" You return her smile. "Sounds good." You finish the new glass you were holding, and grab the last wet one. "It almost done? I'd hate to sound impatient, but I haven't eaten since I got out of the hospital." Bon Bon looks down at the dish, examining it closely. She squints her eyes, and touches the side of the dish with her hoof, poking it extremely briefly. "Oh yeah. It's all done." You finish the last glass, and set it with the other two. They now sparkle and shine as if they were brand new. "What're you ladies drinking tonight?" Bon Bon opens up a small cooler next to her cabinets, and hands you a bottle of red wine. "Imported straight from Prance. Lovely little nation. I love their language." Prance? Like France? "Like, 'Je m'appelle Alan'?" Bon Bon smiles slightly wider. "Exactly like that, actually. How did you learn to speak like that?" The parallels between your universe and this one were almost making you uncomfortable. "Work back home. We traveled a bunch." You weren't lying. The IMO made you all take classes to learn French, German, Spanish and Japanese. Very rarely did you ever need to speak German or Japanese in your line of work, but French and Spanish were necessities. Bon Bon carried the dish of lasagna over to the table while you poured several glasses of wine, and carried them over to the table. Bon Bon sat the dish down in the center of the table, and took a seat. Lyra was already sitting. You put a glass of wine in front of each of them, while Lyra used her magic to cut the lasagna and distribute it among you all. "So. Lyra, I never got to ask you. What do you do for a living?" You ask. Lyra sips at her wine. "I help out Bon Bon! She owns a candy store, 'Sweet Dreams'! It's really fun work!" You switch your gaze over to Bon Bon, who was eating. "Sweet Dreams, eh? Clever name. What's it like?" You ask again. She swallows her mouthful, and wipes her mouth. "I've always wanted to work with fillies, ya know? But I'm an awful teacher. So, opening a candy store, and being able to make fillies smile that way? It's very rewarding to me." "And me too!" Lyra shouts. She realized that she should probably be using her inside voice, and blushes. "What about you, Alan? What did you do back home? You said you traveled a whole bunch!" You poke at your lasagna with your fork, hesitant to tell them what you did. Now that you knew that your 'Queen' had lied to you, the memories she called false and tricks of the 'Oppressors' turned out to be true. "My work wasn't exactly...respected...back at home." Bon Bon looks at you curiously while chewing, and Lyra sips at her wine again. She sets the glass down. "Tell us, silly!" You sigh. There was no point in hiding any of this. It was all going to come out sooner or later. And you weren't one for lying. Especially not to good people. "I uhh..." You hold your wine glass up. "I was a mercenary." You immediately take a sip of it, attempting to seem as nonchalant about it as possible. "Ooooooh, how brave! Why did you think it wasn't that respectable?" Lyra asks. "Yeah, mercenaries do some really heroic work around here." Bon Bon added. You relax a little. "Well, we worked for companies, rather than countries. We didn't exactly do it out of allegiance or loyalty. We did it for the money. And the things we did weren't exactly noble, either. In fact, if it wasn't for Aaden, I would've killed myself from guilt a long time ago." Both of the ponies look at you in confusion. "Alright. Buckle up. I'm going to take you for a little ride." _________________________________________________________________________________ I was born in California, a piece of land inside of my kingdom, if you will consider it that. My Dad was a successful doctor, and my Mom a lawyer for some big corporation. I had a very easy upbringing in life, but out of ignorance, I loved to pretend that it was hard and brutal. Maybe it was for attention, or maybe it was to make myself seem more grand. I started to hang out with a bunch of idiots. I got into a large fight with another group of idiots, and was in jail for the evening. However, I wasn't about to spend the night in jail. The first thing I did was sit down, and bring my arms around to my front by lifting up my legs. My hands may have been cuffed, but at least they were no longer behind my back. I watched, and I waited for my door to slide open. I would wait for a distraction, and I would make my escape. Sure enough, an officer walked in, and went to hand me some clothes when I pounced on him, choking him out with the chain that connected my handcuffs. and dragging him into the cell. I knew that someone had just watched that happen over some camera somewhere, so the only thing I could do from there was run. I peered out of the cell, and took a mad sprint towards the exits. Of course, officers tried to stop me, but I would either charge into them and knock them down, or slide out of their grasp. I made it to the exit, but there was a really tall officer blocking my way, waiting for me. He aimed his taser gun, a little device that shoots barbs at you, and then shocks you, at me. I sprinted faster, and the moment I saw him place his fingers on the trigger, I threw myself into a slide against the tiled floor. He fired, and missed. I slid between his legs, and immediately bounced back to my feet, now free in the city. They chased me for a very long time. I ended up hiding inside the 4th level of some parking garage basement. And this is when my life was turned around. That parking garage happened to be one that belonged to the IMO. It wasn't soon after that two armed mercenaries and an elderly man in a suit came down to me. "Quite the little escape artist." The man said. "Who are you?" I asked. "I'm either going to be your new boss, or the man that turns you in." I looked at him, legitimately confused. "You obviously have a unique set of skills that we could use here at IMO. You will work as one of us, or I will turn you in." I obviously didn't have any choice. "How will I get away with this?" The elderly man laughed. "My dear boy, I am above the law. Your record will be clear the moment I wish it to be so." "So you can clear my record?" "If you agree to my...terms." So, I became an infiltration specialist. Just like that. I trained, and I worked very hard. I really had no choice in the matter. It was either that or jail for a very long time. I was originally assigned to a group called "Acid", and performed a few non-combat operations here and there. Mainly, it was break into other PMC's headquarters, and steal information. I started to feel guilty about what I was doing. I started to really recognize how valuable my life really was, and how well I've always had it. Then I heard about Aaden. Apparently, Aaden had saved the life of a man and his daughter. They were both supposed to be brutally killed in cold blood, and he refused that. He knew that The Chairman had lied to them about the true nature of the operation, and rather than conform and do as he was told, he chose life over mindless killing. That really inspired me. I requested a transfer to The Pathfinders, a squad Aaden was in, the day I heard that story. It wasn't but a week later when I made it in. It was very different, The Pathfinders. Lots of combat, lots of killing, and a lot of really disturbing situations. Human trafficking, drug wars, shadow wars between PMCs. I remember one operation where we had to cover up a nuclear reactor that belonged to us blowing up in Europe, by being assigned to destroy the other power plant in the area so the IMO would have time to cover the situation up before reports got out. The last thing I remember was fighting alongside Aaden. I either died or went unconscious from my injuries there. _________________________________________________________________________________ "That's really deep, Alan." Bon Bon said. "I had no idea you and Aaden knew each other like that." You smile, and finish off your glass of wine. "Oh yeah. We were best friends, too. I think we still are." You respond. "Excuse me for being rude," Bon Bon started. "But then why did you attack him?" "The Queen brainwashed me. I had all of these memories beforehand, but she told me that the 'oppressors' had these memories magically implanted in my head to fool me. Turns out, she's a lying bitch." Lyra giggles at your cursing. Bon Bon is still looking at you. "Well, Lyra wasn't lying. You really are a nice guy. You've just been dealt an awful hand of cards in life right now. And I can see why mercenaries aren't very respected back where you're from. But you seem to be a respectable human. So I'll treat you like one." You smile. "Thanks Bon Bon. I know I seem to be holding up well, but mentally, I'm a complete wreck. I'm completely swamped with guilt and self-hatred. It's good to see that I can turn ponies around by explaining myself." "I always thought you were a good human, Alan!" Lyra almost shouted again. Bon Bon chuckled. "She's just excited, is all." "Excited?" "Well, she's fascinated with Humans. She had heard plenty of stories and urban legends when she was a filly, and became pretty enthralled with the idea that your kind existed. And now that you're actually here...let's just say, I'm very surprised she hasn't had a coronary from all of the excitement." You all finish your dinner, and share a couple more glasses of wine, before all the dishes were put in the sink for the evening. Bon Bon complained of being lightheaded, and had Lyra guide her up to her bedroom. They both wished you a good night, and soon disappeared upstairs. You walked into your room, and began to prepare yourself for bed. You took off your shirt and your pants, folding them in a neat stack, and placing them on top of a book shelf. You never understood how anyone can sleep in clothes. Even females. You would always wake up, and be strangling yourself with your own shirt, or your pants would be riding up to your torso. It was just very uncomfortable. You climbed into the bed, and pulled the blankets up to your neck. You wished you had a book or a Nintendo 3DS or something to pass time, because you really weren't sleepy. You fight the urge to stay awake, and force yourself to sleep. Bon Bon and Lyra were already the definition of a great hostess. You hoped you would one day find a way to pay them back. _________________________________________________________________________________ "The helicopters are 5 minutes away. Everyone get ready. Call out." You almost whispered into your radio. "One okay." "Two okay." "Three okay." You could hear the sound of helicopters approaching. "Four okay." "Five okay." "Six okay." The men in your cable car made their final adjustments to their weapons, their rifles clicking and gear rattling. "Seven okay." "Eight okay." "Nine okay." "Ten okay." You felt your cable car jerk, and it began to grind along the steel wires which suspended it. "Eleven okay." "Twelve okay." You slid your radio off of your waist, and gave another command. "All okay. Hold your fire until I clear you. Brothers. On this day, we kill a tyrant." You watched as several helicopters flew past the manor, preparing to land in the forest, and you also watched the rappelling crews leap from their helicopters down onto the roof of the building. Several guards ran outside from the manor, going to investigate the noises they must have been hearing. You click the button back down on your radio, giving your final order. "Weapons free." Literally the moment you said that, the cable cars were ablaze with gunfire. The investigation party was literally torn apart. They died before they even knew what was happening. You watched the steel emergency doors slam shut all around the manor as The Pathfinders began to move into position Nothing C4 won't fix. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake to an ear piercing scream. You leap out of bed, and throw your pants on while attempting to run down the hallway. As you reach the kitchen, you hear it again. It's coming from upstairs. It sounds like it could be either Bon Bon or Lyra. You run upstairs, and the moment you reach the upstairs hallway, you hear it again. It's coming from Lyra's room. You back yourself up to the wall, drop your shoulder, and power through it, sending it flying open. Lyra is in bed, her eyes closed, but she is completely covered in sweat. Is she asleep? You dart your eyes around the room, making sure there was nothing you weren't seeing. You hear Lyra mumbling in her sleep. "ah....n...noo....no....aah...AAH....NOO!" She then shrieks again in her sleep. You walk over to her briskly, and gently shake her. "Lyra. Lyra, wake up. It's okay." She continues to stir slightly, no longer yelling or talking in her sleep. She stretches, and opens her eyes very slowly. "A-Alan...Is that you?" She slowly climbs up on her hooves. She then throws her hooves around you, and cries. Jeez. "Alan...I had a bad dream..." You fight the urge to be sarcastic. She sniffles, and sobs a little more on your chest. While this certainly felt a little uncomfortable to you, it also felt right. Right in a wrong way. You hug her back, waiting for her to calm down. "I don't want them to get me..." You sigh. "Lyra, would you be able to sleep if I kept watch?" Her eyes close a little more. Just the thought of you staying in her room seemed to relax her. "Y-you mean you'll stay here?" You nod your head. "Absolutely. Nothing will get past me. I'll keep you safe." Lyra smiles weakly from exhaustion. "Thank you Alan. You're the best...best human...ever..." She barely managed to get those words out of her mouth before falling back asleep. You sat on the edge of her bed, your chin in your hands. Who am I kidding? I'm going to fall asleep. Lyra, while very nice to you, was acting a little like a child. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was just all of the excitement in one day, but it was almost annoying. You were planning on sleeping in, and here you are, sitting at the edge of Lyra's bed, "defending" her from anything that may come. You soon begin to feel your head slipping down, and you attempt to continue to jerk it back up, to keep yourself awake. It was all in vain. Very quickly, you fell asleep, sitting on the edge of a bed. You were probably going to kick your own ass in the morning, but you were too tired too care. You awoke in the bed. You were lying down, under the comforter and on the pillow. You stretch out, when you remember that you had fallen asleep sitting up. Why were you lying down? Shiiit. You sit up, and look around you. No Lyra. Well. That's embarrassing. You slide out of bed, and get back on your feet. You begin to walk downstairs, hoping that maybe you would go unnoticed. You would have no such luck. "Hey there, guardian angel." Bon Bon called. You stop in your tracks, and turn around. "Lyra left about an hour ago. She wanted to get you a present for keeping her safe. She even laid you down and tucked you in before she left." "Did you not hear her screaming?" You ask. "No, I heard it alright. I just thought that maybe you had found your way into her bedroom and were slightly...preoccupied. With her." You blush, and immediately attempt to defend yourself. "NONONONO. She was screaming bloody murder, I went up to check on her, and she wouldn't let go of me. I told her I would stand watch. And I did. Guess I fell asleep too." Bon Bon giggles at you. "Hey, relax. You're nice enough. And Celestia knows your attractive enough." Oh boy. "Anyways, I think it'd really hurt her feelings if she came back and you were awake. She really wanted to surprise you. If I were you, I'd go back to sleep. Or at least pretend to. She'll be back at any moment." You sigh, and nod your head. "Alright. Well, I'm going back to bed then. See you a little later." Bon Bon giggles again, and goes down the staircase. You go back over to Lyra's bed, and slide between the blankets and mattress, falling back asleep rapidly. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash was on top of you, and began to stir. "Baaabe..." She said, yawning. "Can you close the window please? I'm getting kind of cold." "You aren't close enough." She giggles at your response. "Seriously babe. Window please." You sigh, and gently lift her off of you. You walk over to the window, shielding your eyes from the sunlight. You slide it shut, and close the curtains, only a few small beams of light reaching past them. You climb back in bed, and Rainbow Dash takes her throne back. "What time is it?" She asks. You look over at the clock. "About 11 in the morning. Why?" "Should we get up?" "Fuck that. I'm off today. I'm sleeping and spending time with you." You yawn, and put your arms back around her. Her wings rustle slightly, and she shifts around, getting herself comfortable. She soon falls back asleep. You do, as well. _________________________________________________________________________________ You really hoped that Alan liked breakfast. Bon Bon hated it. She always said that it hurt her stomach when she ate too early. She would always start her morning with a hot chocolate or glass of milk, but never any food. In fact, you REALLY hoped that Alan liked breakfast. It had been a very long time since anyone had sat down and had breakfast with you. You went down to "Win, Place and Show", a small diner you liked, and picked up two containers of oatmeal, 6 pancakes, 2 fresh apples, and 2 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice. You were also sure to snag a bunch of butter and syrup, just in case Alan wanted it. It was really nice of him to stand watch like that, and keep you safe while you slept. Although you were being a filly about it, it was nice that he cared enough to offer some form of comfort to you. Maybe, after breakfast, he'd wanna hang out with you for the day! Maybe you could go fishing, or he could tell you about his hands! In fact, you were really interested in hearing more about his home. It's not everyday you can talk to a mythical creature. It was only about 11:30 in the morning, but the streets were bustling. You had to be extra careful with your bag of food and cups, which you hovered above the crowds with magic. You weaseled your way through the marketplace, and made it safely back home. Bon Bon was curled up in her favorite chair, reading some magazine. You walk in on the tips of your hooves, and close the door very carefully. "Is he still asleep?" You whisper. Bon Bon giggles, and nods her head. "Go get em'." She said. You blush, and slowly creep your way up the staircase. You go to your room, and open the door. Alan was curled up in a ball under your blankets. His hands were touching your pillows. His HANDS, touching YOUR PILLOWS. You would be sure to treasure those pillows for the rest of your life. You pull out the two folding personal tables you kept in your closet, and set them up side by side, so that you could both use the bed as your chair, and the tables as tables. Only Twilight Sparkle rivals my intelligence! Alan opens his eyes, and sits up in bed. He watches you sit the containers of food down. He yawns, and laughs. "Hey, kick ass. Breakfast. I haven't had a good breakfast in a very long time." You tried as hard as you could to avoid yelping with joy. "I hope you like pancakes and oatmeal." You say, sitting next to him. "I also brought you an apple." Alan smiles. "You didn't have to do this. I already stole your bed." "You didn't have to comfort me last night." You reply. "Fair point. Got any butter?" You smile devilishly, and hold up the bag filled with butter and syrup. "You could say that." Alan laughs, and spreads butter and pours syrup carefully over his pancakes. "Lyra, I owe you and Bon Bon both a lot. I really will pay you back for all of this, in any way." You blush, but you decide to be brave. Just like a human female would. "I have an idea..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Mi'lady, Spyra has arrived. He says you have requested his presence?" Celestia nods her head. "Send him in, Guardsman." The Royal Guard nods his head, and bows. "Yes, mi'lady." The Royal Guard leaves the throne room, leaving you and your sister alone once more. "I trust your judgement, sister. Hopefully Spyra will cooperate." "That's not very fair. I cooperate most of the time." You hear a voice say. Both you and Celestia look around the Throne Room, seeing nothing. "Spyra. Show yourself." Just then, an adolescent dragon burst into existence, bowing before Celestia. "My Princess. You have summoned me for a good reason, I assume." Spyra didn't look like the other dragons his age. He has none of the flaws that adolescence brought. He was slim, but well built. His silver scales shone in what little light was offered, complementing his cobalt eyes. His tongue was a pitch black color, which made his white teeth only seem that much whiter. He was only about a foot shorter than Aaden, but he still stood taller than most other ponies in Equestira. He also had a wicked set of claws on hind legs and forelegs. Spyra was interesting dragon. He was a member of a species of dragon that Equestria had yet to document. He could turn invisible, he could quickly learn any language he wanted to, and he was unafflicted by the greed and gluttony of many other dragons. He had the humor of a comedian, but the demeanor and professionalism of an assassin. Personally, it chilled you to the bone having him in your presence. Celestia nodded her head. "As you know, we are in dire need of somepony to take the position of Grand Royal Infiltrator." Spyra nods his head. "We have found somepony well fit for the position. You will serve as his assistant once he accepts. You will be tasked with reporting the movements and intelligence of Equestria's enemies. You will serve as the line of communication between he and I." Spyra cocks his head. "When he accepts? You're sure he'll accept?" "He is in no position to argue." You add. "Can he turn invisible?" Spyra asked. Celestia turned around, using her magic to float over a set of black robes. "Not naturally, no. But these magical robes will do the trick." Spyra smiles. "He's gonna look like Mare-Do-Well." He then laughs, and sighs with the same smile. "So, I'm going to be the Spike to his Twilight, huh?" Celestia shares the smile. "Yes. But your work is just as important, dragon. Report back here in 6 days. You have the next 5 off. Enjoy." Spyra nods his head again, and bows, before vanishing. "This should prove most interesting..." You start. "You must trust me, Luna. I have seen all of Aaden's memories. I know exactly who this 'Alan' is. He was an excellent infiltration expert, and better yet, he was an incredibly good person. Mix that skill and attitude with Spyra, and I dare-say we have a new Grand Royal Infiltrator." ' _________________________________________________________________________________ Your party falls exhausted at this new Oasis. It was incredibly far away from the previous one. You practically throw yourself into in the pond, and drink as much as you can. "GOD, DAMN." You gasp. "HAVE I EVER TOLD YOU, HOW MUCH I HATE THE DESERT?" "Once or twice, yeah." Mala said as she sat down under the shade of a palm tree. You wipe the sweat off of your forehead, and sling your hand to the side, flinging sweat off of it. Bakir had already fallen asleep under a pal, tree near the the pond. You essentially throw your ass into the sand, and lay in it. "Mala," You kept gasping. "Does wind exist in Dodge City?" Mala laughs under her own gasps. "There is a train we'll be riding. You'll feel plenty of wind once we get going on it." _________________________________________________________________________________ "CHARGES LIVE, GET BACK, GET BACK!" You and the rest of the men that had came on the cable cars were already at a safe distance. It wasn't five minutes later when the charges detonated. "FLASH OUT!" Another Pathfinder called. A grenade rolled into the massive opening you had created. The guards may have had time to prepare themselves with their little emergency sealing doors, but they were only running from the inevitable. All 60 of the men from the cable cars flooded the manor through this hole, rapidly clearing the foyer area. As you stood in the foyer, assessing the situation, two Pathfinders dragged over what looked like one of the IMO Board Members. Each of them had one arm, and his knees dragged along the ground in defeat. They brought him to you. You didn't open your mouth. You didn't think twice. You pulled out your revolver, and executed him right there, shooting him at pointblank range through the head. The Pathfinders that held him slung his body aside, and readied their weapons. The bunker underneath the manor still needed to be cleared. The Chairman was surely hiding. You smile, and decide to quote a line that The Chairman loved to recite. "Death twitches in my ear. Live, he says. For I am coming." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were going over your house very thoroughly. You had plenty of food stocked, alcohol was cold and ready, and the entire place was pretty damn clean, if you didn't say so yourself. Octavia gave you a hand, which you really appreciated. Of course, you didn't say thank you. You probably should have. Octavia always had a self-confidence issue, which you're sure you didn't help. Octavia was raised only by her father, Bass Clef. He loved her with all of his heart, and still does. But never having anyone as a motherly figure made her feel insufficient to life, and more importantly, to herself. Guilt getting the best of you, you decide to go upstairs and thank her. Maybe even apologize for not thanking her earlier, as well. You cut past your living room, and go into her room. She sat on her bed, her eyes closed, while she played some orchestral bit. You waited for her to finish. After about 5 minutes, she did. She opened one eye, and looked at you. "Yes?" She asked. "I just wanted to say, thanks. And sorry for not saying so earlier. It means a lot to me that you're being so supportive of this entire situation." She opens both eyes, and smiles. "It's not everyday your childhood friend falls in love. Not to mention falling in love with a creature not even from her universe. But love is love, none-the-less." You can't help but blush in front of her. "Octavia, I'm not going to lie, I have no idea why I find him so attractive. I wish I could explain it. Ever since I first met him, I would miss him not being there. He just has so much to talk about, he's so good at just about every damn thing that exists, and he's even a hero. It's every little fillies dream." "I will not lie to you, Vinyl Scratch. He is very attractive. I too find myself thinking about him sometimes. His taste in music, it's so broad. From that garbled electronic stuff you create, to the elegant master pieces from wondrous orchestras from where he comes from, he has it all. Surely that says something about his intelligence. While I understand that you love him, I do hope you'll share him. Even if it's just once." You laugh. "Of course I will, Tavi. But I've got first dibs. You can come with us to dinner, if you'd like. I figured we'd go to a bar somewhere, get some dinner and some drinks. And there's something else I wanna talk to you about." Octavia looks up at you intently. "Yes, Vinyl?" "You know how I normally hate things like history?" "Yeah?" "Then why in Tartarus am I so interested in learning about him? His history?" Octavia giggles at you. "That's love, dearie. Comes with the territory." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Big guy? Aaden?" You feel your shoulder move. "Wake up!" It moves again. "C'mon babe, wake up. I'm starving. It's 2 in the afternoon, I gotta eat." You still refuse to open your eyes. "I could always call Tank up here..." You immediately sit up in bed. You only want to get hit by a flying turtle once. You stretch your arms to the ceiling, and let them fall to your sides. Rainbow Dash kisses you on the cheek, and hopes off of the bed. "Let's go back to Poachies again. I want some fries." She said. "With ketchup?" You ask. "Double ketchup." She responds, smiling. "Bleeeegh." You gag. "Ketchup is pretty damn nasty." You climb out of bed, and get yourself dressed while Rainbow Dash goes downstairs to feed Tank. You stand in the mirror, wearing a pair of khaki pants and a white polo shirt. Spiffy. You really were starting to miss Rarity. You were in love, or so you thought, with Rainbow Dash, but something about Rarity really enthralled you. Something felt missing from your heart, not being with her. You still had two weeks and three days before you could see her again, and you really looked forward to it. You had not forgotten everything she had done for you. How she saved your life, how she nursed you, how she provided you aid when no one else would. Oh well. May as well enjoy the time I have left with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash walks into the room, and places her hooves around your waist, kissing your back. "I love you babe." She coos. "I love you too." You respond. Chapter Thirty-Three: On The Nature of DaylightLyra had asked you to follow her to pay her back. She had a basket in her mouth, and a blanket folded up and draped over her back. It felt kind of weird to admit, but she was actually very attractive. The way she would swing her head to the side, her mane flowing with the swing, the single white streak in her mane, her amber eyes, it was all very intoxicating. It gave you a lump in your throat, one that you couldn't swallow. Then again, the only female you had been in contact with since your arrival in Equestria WAS Chrysalis. On your walk through town, you see Aaden and Rainbow Dash sitting outside of some restaurant, eating lunch in the fresh spring weather. Is that a phone he has? He managed to keep it? How? "Hang on one second, Lyra. I have an idea." She stops in her tracks, and nods her head at you. You walk over to their table. "Aaden, what's going on man? Getting some lunch" You look over at Rainbow Dash's plate. "That's entirely too much ketchup." She smiles with pride, and keeps eating. "Yep. Food here is pretty damn good. How was Lyra's house?" You remember getting up in the middle of the night and comforting her. "It was pretty good, actually. But hey, right now, she's taking me somewhere so I can make up staying the night to her. Your phone work?" Aaden looks down at his phone, and presses the single button on the button, illuminating it. "Oh yeah. Pretty amazing that it still works. It's still got all of my music and photos and everything." "Mind if I borrow it? I think Lyra would really like to see some pictures, maybe hear a song or two." Aaden hands the phone to you with one hand, while using the other to grab a french fry. "Sure bro. Just get it back to me when you can." You take the phone, thank him, and resume your position next to Lyra. You both continue your walk, which leads you to the far end of town. Eventually, you reach a farm. Lyra motions for you to continue following her. You do so. You begin a walk through an apple orchard, and soon find yourself at it's end. The sight is beautiful. The orchard gives way to a meadow, which was completely green and flat, filled with flowers and wildlife. It had been so long since you had seen anything so breath-taking. The Badlands and Dead Marshes were just that. Bad and dead. This view was completely different. This view filled you with happiness. With hope. With love. All of the scars the Queen had left on you were melting away, one by one. You sat down on the blanket Lyra laid out, completely awestruck. She giggles. "I thought you'd like it here." You look at her, your eyes a little wider than they should be. "I mean, wow. Just wow." You managed to say. "Thanks for following me, Alan. I usually come down here by myself on the weekends. Bon Bon never wants to come. It means a lot to me that you're willing to do this. Willing to be my friend." You feel sympathy for the amber-eyed pony. You take a hand, and put it on her hoof. She looks away, and blushes. "Lyra, you were a friend to me when no one else was. Hell, people still look at me funny. Not you, though." Lyra looks back up at you, albeit bashfully. "S-so, we're really friends? Y-you aren't m-mad at me 'cause of last night?" You give her hoof a very light squeeze. "Of course we're really friends, Lyra. And I'm not mad at all." She loses her bashfulness, but is still dull red in her cheeks. "A-Alan?" "Yeah?" "Do you t-think that maybe, you could p-put your arm around me?" You knew what she was asking. She scooted over next to you, and you fulfilled her wish. She sat like a human would, and had her head leaning on your shoulder. She sighed. "Would you tell me about your world? Please?" You smile, and take out Aaden's phone. "Let's start with music. Is that okay?" You ask. "Sure! I like music!" She exclaims. You smile. You slide to unlock Aaden's phone, and enter his passcode. 6672. You click the music icon, and scroll through. "Humans have a wide variety of music available to them. Some songs are meant as expressions of their artists, some as pure entertainment, some as both. There also happens to be all kinds of different genres of music, as well. Here, I'll play a song I like for you." Youtube Video We are lost, consumed by selfish desire. Abandon the gift bestowed us. The gift alone. But there is beauty, There is life. Hold fast for this could be, The end of eternity. We are blind (we are blind), our future's crushed and forgotten. Destroyed by guilt (destroyed by guilt). But there is beauty, (there is beauty) There is life. (there is life) Hold fast for this could be, The end of eternity. You quickly shut the song off when you remember how it changes from the soft riffs and vocals to a more demented sound and shouting, the vocalist singing: "I will slaughter your soul". Probably don't want her hearing that. She lifts her head up off of your shoulder. "That was beautiful, Alan." She said. "I haven't heard many songs with emotion like that. Are there any others you can show me?" "Sure, lemme have a look." She puts her head back on your shoulder. You take your right hand, the one that's around her, and use it to stroke her mane, while you root through Aaden's phone with your left hand. You find one song you remember well. "Lyra, this next song is kinda sad. I've always kind of viewed it as a prayer to a God that may not be there, like someone is praying, seeking help, but is losing faith quickly. I find it appropriate for my unique situation." Lyra adjusts her head, getting comfortable on your shoulder. Youtube Video This bitter earth Well, what fruit it bears Ooooh, This bitter earth And if my life is like the dust oooh that hides the glow of a rose What good am I Heaven only knows Lord, this bitter earth Yes, can be so cold Today you're young Too soon, you're old But while a voice within me cries I'm sure someone may answer my call And this bitter earth Ooooh may not Oh be so bitter after all This bitter earth Lord, This bitter earth What good is love Mmmm that no one shares And if my life is like the dust Oooh that hides the glow of a rose What good am I Heaven only knows She wraps both of her forelegs around you, like a human female would with arms, and hugs you. "That was absolutely amazing. It was so sad, but so good..." You look over to her, and see that she has taken her head off of your shoulder, her eyes welling up, the amber iris in both eyes glistening with tears. You quickly take out the phone, and decide to look for a song that would change her mood. Rapidly swiping through the list of music, you become desperate to find something fit to make her smile. Thrift Store by Macklemore? Way too goofy, and it'll confuse me more than it will confuse her. Bloodlines by Dethklok? I may as well scream at her myself. Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground? Nope, not doing that one. God damn it all Aaden, why don't you have some Mumford and Sons or something... Oh wait. You do. Awesome. Youtube Video Well I came home like a stone And I fell heavy into your arms These days of dust, which we've known Will blow away with this new sun And I'll kneel down, wait for now And I'll kneel down know my ground And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you So break my step, and relent Well you forgave, and I won't forget Know what we've seen and him with less Now in some way shake the excess But I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you Now I'll be bold as well as strong And use my head alongside my heart So tame my flesh and fix my eyes A tethered mind freed from the lies But I'll kneel down, wait for now I'll kneel down know my ground Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold Bow my head, keep my heart slow 'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you The song plays all the way through. You notice Lyra has her head back down on your shoulder. You can't see her face. You put the phone down, and put your left hand on her chin, and begin turning her head towards yours. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if she was crying. Please be smiling... Sure enough, she had a smile on her face. "Whew..." You sigh. She leans in, and kisses your cheek. You smile, and rub your cheek where she had kissed it. "Thank you for sharing that with me. You're the best human ever. Is there anything else you can show me?" You feel the old Alan coming back. The one from before all of the war with the IMO, before Chrysalis. It felt odd. It felt good. "Sure! Here, let me dig through his photos..." You exit the music application, and click on the camera. you then slide down, and press the album button in the bottom right hand corner. You scroll around, until you find a picture that makes your head hurt, but it's important. It's of a group of soldiers, walking through a rural desert, the sun behind them. "Lyra, a friend of mine named Max took this picture. This was my first day with The Pathfinders. With Aaden. I know you can't see the faces of anyone, but I'm the one on the far left. Aaden's the one furthest away from the camera, near the center." You explain. "We were in a rural desert nation at the time. My old commander, Major Adam Howard, he hated the desert." You chuckle, and pull Lyra slightly closer. "He always told us that he would never go back to the desert as long as he had control over it. Poor guy. I wonder what he's up to right now." _________________________________________________________________________________ "We're almost out of this dreaded desert." Mala looked behind her as she said that sentence. You paid no attention. Mala smiled, and repeated herself. "I SAID, we're almost out of this dreaded desert." You look up at her, a confused expression on your face. "What?" You then realized what she said, and relaxed. "Oh, yeah. Good. Fuck this desert." "Are you okay, Adam? All we have to do is make it to this final Oasis, and then we can head to Dodge City. Easy enough." "I feel kinda funny. I mean, I'm not dehydrated and I'm well fed. Something just kinda seems...off. Ya know? Like something in the back of my head is calling out to me." Bakir walked slightly closer to you. "Do you need to stop?" You shake your head. "Nah. The sooner we get out of here, the better." You reply. "Wait. Aren't you an amnesiac?" You nod your head this time. "Do you think that maybe your memories are coming back to you?" You take the canteen off of your hip, unscrew the cap, and take a drink. "I sure hope so." You said, lowering the canteen. "It's almost as annoying as having a sneeze that refuses to come out." Bakir looks ahead to Mala. "Mala, what helps amnesiacs recover?" He asked. "I believe visual stimulation helps the process, but for the most part, if an amnesiac is going to get better, it happens over time, and on it's own." He looks back at you. "Got anything on you that might light the spark that's hopping about your brain?" Bakir asked. You turn your pockets inside out to express how little you have. "Sorry. What little I do have was left at home." "It is quite alright, Adam. Do not stress yourself in seeking answers. Let the answers come to you. Not the other way around." Mala had a good point. You were really happy to be travelling with Mala and Bakir. They were becoming very close friends of yours. You would never forget their kindness, no matter what happens on your way to Canterlot. You all made it to the next Oasis just in time for sunset, quickly building a fire and preparing yourselves for the night. Mala was making dinner while Bakir told stories. It was very interesting, the end of this desert. But the closer you got to this Dodge City, the more weird you were starting to feel. You really couldn't explain it. Bakir and Mala both curled up next to the fire, and soon fell asleep. But sleep didn't come so easy to you. What really bothered you, is that you could swear you heard sobbing. Anytime the wind would blow, it was as if it carried someones cries to your ears. In fact, anytime you would near sleep, the wind would pick up, and the sobbing would be there. I'm losing my fucking mind... You climb back up to your feet, making sure not to disturb Bakir and Mala. At least SOME PEOPLE were getting sleep. The sobbing sounds as if it's coming with the wind, so you decide to walk towards the wind. The wind itself had only recently begun to blow in the desert. It was cool, or refreshing for that matter. It was actually rather harsh, picking up sand, and pelting you with it. The wind continues to blow, the sobs getting louder and louder. You climb over a sand dune, and sure enough, in the distance, was what looked like an overturned wagon. You could see a figure lying out way in front of it. You couldn't make out what it was doing, but you could tell it was moving. You could now hear the sobbing without the assistance of the wind. You slowly begin to approach the wreckage, and as you move closer, you can better identify what it was, exactly. A wagon, one that appeared incredibly similar to the ones that pioneers used, was overturned and ripped open, chests filled with belongings spilled out. A rather ornate mirror was shattered in front of the wagon, as well. The figure was now completely visible, as well. It was a dark blue pony. Bakir and Mala had told you about ponies. This one was covered in sand, and it kept attempting to reach out in front of itself, in a failed attempt to crawl. It's sobbing really wasn't that loud, now. It was getting weaker. It was losing hope. That's when your head begins to feel incredibly funny. You hear a voice, one that sounds familiar scream in your ear. "HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!" Your eyes widen, but you blink them quickly, rushing over to the pony. It was wearing what looked like a cape with stars on it, and also had on a wizard hat, the same color with the same stars. It's attempts to crawl were growing weaker, and weaker. As you approached it, it's words between sobs and cries of desperation became audible. "I-I...I-I'm still...gr-grea...Tr-Trix..." It sounded like a female. As you approached her, she noticed you, managing to turn her head and look at you. "H-he...help..." She reached a hoof out to you, and before it could fall to the sand, you threw yourself on to your knees, grabbing her, and turning her over on her back. Her eyelids twitched and shook, her coat under and around her eyes wet with tears. "Relax. I'm here. Nothing is going to happen. You're gonna be okay, just breathe, and relax. Here," You took your canteen off of your waist, unscrewed it, and held it up to her mouth. "Drink slowly. Okay?" She nodded very weakly. You gently turned the canteen up, allowing water to trickle into her mouth. You could tell it was dry just by seeing her open it to receive water. You allow her to drink about half of the canteen, before pulling it back. "Do you need a little more?" You ask. "You can have the entire canteen, if you want it. There is an Oasis nearby, I'll take you there." She nods her head again, still shaking. You hold the canteen up again, holding her like an infant, and feeding her like one, too. Your head didn't hurt anymore. Right now, your mind was completely clear of thought. Of worry. You didn't care about Dodge City right now. Nor Canterlot. This pony was the only thing on your mind, and you would make damn sure she got better. Something about doing this made you feel better. That voice you heard, the one in your head, the one that cried out. It made you feel so guilty. Doing this really made that guilt go away. You don't want anyone to be hurting if you can do anything about it. The last of the water trickles out into the ponies mouth, who swallows it very weakly. "I'm going to pick you up now, carry you back to the camp. We will salvage everything we can from the wreckage when the morning comes." The pony tries to move while you hold her. "Trixie...c-can...w-w...walk..." You smile gently. "Well, Trixie isn't going to." You pick her up, holding her like a sleeping child. "Now, do you need anything from here to last you for the night?" The pony pointed towards the wreckage. "M-Mr...Fuzzykins..." You walk towards the wreckage, still holding her. You see a purple stuffed bunny rabbit with a beige tummy and dark purple button eyes. You also see a blanket beside it. "Would you like the blanket, as well?" The pony nods. You kneel down, grab the bunny identified as Mr. Fuzzykins, and the blanket beside him. You give the pony the bunny rabbit, and watch her weakly snuggle him close to her. You wrap her up in the blanket, to keep her safe from the harsh desert wind. She stopped moving, which scared you at first. You stopped walking for a moment, and examined her. She was still breathing, just asleep. And she was smiling, too. You held the pony you decided was named Trixie close to you. The walk back to the camp was more difficult than the walk to the wreckage. You were trying as hard as you could to not wake the sleeping Trixie, all while walking and attempting to keep her safe. Eventually, you made it back to the camp, Trixie in your arms. You walk her over to your makeshift bed you made earlier in the night our of palm tree leaves, and place her in it, still wrapped in the blanket. You refill your canteen, and sit it next to her. You also set some fruit down next to the water, as well. Just in case. She had a lot of explaining to do once she wakes, but that wasn't what was on your mind right now. You hoped she was comfortable. That she was warm. You sat underneath of another palm tree, away from Mala, Bakir and Trixie, attempting to go back to sleep. This time, when the wind came, there was no sobbing. God damn, do I hate deserts. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Oh, come on! Those two are kinda cute together, dontcha think?" Rainbow Dash asks you. You laugh, and sip at your soda. "All I'm saying, is that Alan isn't exactly a romantic." Rainbow Dash swallows a mouthful of food comprised of 80% ketchup, 20% french fry. "Neither am I!" She exclaims, shoving another hoof of fries into her mouth. "What? Then how do you explain the ladder to your bedroom window? Remember that?" You ask. She blushes, and smiles. "Th-that doesn't count." You take one of the fries not slathered in ketchup off of her plate, and eat it. "Well, if he really does decide he likes Lyra, good for him. God knows it'll be good for him to connect with somepony, right?" Rainbow Dash nods her head. "Aaden! Hey, Aaden!" You hear somepony call. You look over your shoulder, and see Spike and Twilight Sparkle approaching you. "Aaden, we've got an urgent letter for you from Celestia herself!" Twilight exclaims. Uh oh. You hand Spike a french fry, who eats it eagerly. "Thanks." He said. "But yeah, we've got an important letter for you!" "Would you mind reading it to me? I'm still learning your language." Spike smiles, and opens the letter. He unfolds it, and gives it a quick read for reference before he reads it to you. "Huh..." He looked it over again. "My Dearest Student, please alert Honor Guard Aaden and the guest of Ponyville, Alan, that I request their presence in Canterlot in approximately one week. Be sure to express to them that this is not for punishment. While violence is an incredibly rare and severe offence against Equestria, I believe Alan and I can come to a far better alternative to time in the dungeon." Spike finishes, and smiles again, obviously proud that he just read the letter by himself. You hand him another french fry. "We got it last night, but it was late, so we decided to run it by you today." Twilight added. "While Alan is still kind of suspicious to me, it's good to see that Celestia won't have him punished. Where is Alan, by the way?" "He and Lyra took off somewhere. She looked like she had a picnic basket and a blanket with her. I'd say they're eating lunch right now." "Well, hopefully they're having a good time, too." Twilight looks back over her shoulder. "I guess Spike and I should be heading back to the Library now. Relay the message to Alan, would you?" "Of course. I guess I'll see you guys when Pinkie Pie inevitably throws Alan a party, huh?" You wave goodbye to the both of them, and notice that your half-empty soda glass had already been replaced with a fresh one. It's amazing how you tip really well one time, and all of the sudden, you are the prodigal son of customers to a restaurant. The thought of being dead comes back into your head. Alan is dead. But he's here. You're here. Why aren't there more humans here? Are there more humans here? Are you really dead? _________________________________________________________________________________ You grab hold of the nearby IMO Soldier, and rip a grenade off of your waist. In the blink of an eye, you tore the pin out of it, dropped it into the back of his armor, and kicked him towards the group of IMO Soldiers attempting to regroup themselves. You threw yourself back behind the wall, and waited for the boom. A loud boom then erupted further down the hallway. Blood splattered all the way up to your end of the hallway. Just as planned. You take out your revolver, and walk briskly towards the survivors. There were only two. One laid on his back, reaching for the ceiling. The other was on his stomach, attempting to crawl away. You knock back the hammer on your revolver, and execute both of them. You slide the radio off of your waist. "Vault's clear. Get a hacker down here." A group of Pathfinders came down the staircase. One had a bright PDA attached to his left wrist. He must have been the hacker. He knelt before the massive door in the vault, and immediately began typing and tapping away on his PDA. The Vault doors led to the bunker beneath of the manor. The Chairman was in there, no doubt about that. You were going to get this door open, and you were going to kill him yourself. This was payback for Aaden. For Alan. For Adam. The young hacker looked up to you, the orange, lifeless eyes of his gas mask looking into yours. "Sir. The door will be open in about 10 minutes. Get everyone down here." He then took out two wires from his backpack, hooked them into his PDA, and then into the keypad next to the door, and went back to typing. You went back over your radio, and ordered everyone downstairs, into the vault. All of the Pathfinders, no casualties, no injuries, assembled downstairs. The only thing that distinguished them from one another were their haircuts and their weapons. Everyone took a moment to reload and to take a relaxed breath. It wasn't long after that the Hacker looked up at you. "Sir. The moment I press this button, the door will open. Get ready. I'll open it on your command." You take your position at the front of the door. You take a deep breath, and look down at the Hacker. You nod your head quickly, and aim your rifle at the door. The Hacker pressed said button, and door burst open. _________________________________________________________________________________ Morning in the desert had come. You didn't need an alarm clock in the desert. At least no here. Because you would fall asleep in the frigid night, and awake sweating. You had fallen asleep sitting against a palm tree. You lift your head up, and look back at the camp. You remember you had chosen the tree that was kind of isolated from the others. You notice Bakir and Mala are gone, but the pony you had rescued in the middle of the night was kneeling before the pond, poking it with a hoof, and staring at her reflection. She still had Mr. Fuzzykins in tow. You rub your forehead, and pick yourself up, coming to your feet once more. You stretch, and approach the pony, who was now just silently watching her reflection. Even though your feet crunch the sand beneath them, she doesn't seem to notice. You sit down next to her, and decide to speak to her. "Good morning." You said. "Good morning." She replied. She didn't look up from her reflection. You both sit in silence for awhile. The desert was serene at this moment in time. "The grateful and beholden Trixie would like to thank you." She said, still looking at her reflection. "Not a problem, ma'am. However, I've got to ask you. How did that happen? Why are you in the desert?" You ask. "Trixie could ask the same of you, strange creature." She responds. "Fair point. Tell me your story first, and I'll tell you mine." Trixie sighs, gaze fixed on her reflection. "The adventurous and optimistic Trixie traveled across Equestria, attempting to make a name for herself. But everywhere she went, she always would get in over her head. She would always make mistakes that would leave her full of doubt and regret. The sad and lonely Trixie then decided to try to make it to Saddle Arabia, but she quickly became lost in the endless desert. She accidently overturned her wagon, and ran out of water and food. She started to die..." She finally looked up from her reflection, and examined you. "Which leaves you, creature. I have been all over Equestria. You look like nopony Trixie has ever seen" "Funny story. I'm actually an amnesiac. I literally only remember this desert. It's been my home for the past year. If it wasn't for Bakir and Mala, I would either be rotting somewhere, or still wandering aimlessly. I'm a human. My name is Adam." " Human...Adam...thank you. Trixie cannot express the depth of her gratitude. She never meant to hurt anypony. She's sure that nopony would care if she died in the desert, anyway..." She hugs Mr. Fuzzykins. "Not to sound rude, but what's the story behind that rabbit? You really seem to like him." You ask, hoping to change the subject. "Mr. Fuzzykins is Trixie's best friend. And her only friend, for that matter." She replied, looking down at the rabbit. Shit, good going, Adam. You decide to try to change the subject once more. "Where did Bakir and Mala go?" You ask. "They went to Trixie's wreckage. They said they would attempt to salvage anything and everything that could be recovered." You didn't understand why this pony was speaking in third person. But you felt great sympathy for her. You were sure, at least for the moment being, that this pony was innocent. She may have done wrong, and it may have taken complete vilification, but she seems to legitimately regret her actions. She sighs again. "Oh...what is Trixie to do now?..." She hugs the rabbit again. "Well, Trixie certainly isn't travelling to Saddle Arabia anymore. I won't be in the dunes to save her again, when she inevitably gets lost." She looks away from you and your reflection. "I said thank you..." She actually spoke in first person. "Trixie, I was kidding. Look, I know you don't know any of us, but we're actually on the way to Canterlot right now. Apparently, humans don't exist here, so were going to see the Princess, see if she can't get me back home. Come with us. Then Bakir and Mala can lead you back to Saddle Arabia. You can have my home when you get back. I won't have any need for it if I can go back to my universe." You explain. Trixie looked back up at you. "But Trixie cannot ever go back...everypony hates Trixie..." Trixie sniffles, and once again, hugs her rabbit. "Trixie, if you travel with us, I'm sure 'everypony' will be paying more attention to me than you. Think about it, scary creature from another dimension versus an apologetic Trixie. They may not even notice you." "You aren't that scary..." She said, her rabbit muffling her mouth. "You would be surprised how many citizens of Saddle Arabia thought I was going to kill them and drink their blood." She puts her rabbit down, and looks at you, examining your every feature. "Huh? But you helped Trixie. You gave her water, and picked her up, and gave her Mr. Fuzzykins. You aren't mean at all." You smile. "Guess it's just xenophobia. Can't blame em', really. A large, alien creature appears out of nowhere. I'd be scared out of my mind if it happened to me back home." "Well...for the record...Trixie finds you to be very kind." She said, reaching for her rabbit once more. "So. Will you be joining us, Trixie?" You ask. "Hmm...Well. Trixie really has nothing left to lose... " She looks back at her reflection, then back at you. Yes. Trixie will be joining you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "No way! That didn't happen!" Lyra yelled, laughing. You pulled her slightly closer, and laughed with her. "No, I swear it did! Oh my God, did we make a mess!" You laughed even harder. You sigh. Nothing like a really good, legitimate laugh. You actually felt a tear going down your cheek from all of the laughter. You wipe it away. Night had fallen. You had been sitting with Lyra literally all day, reminiscing and talking. "Lyra, your back has got to be killing you, sitting like that? Man. C'mon, lets get you home. Don't want Bon Bon to think I tore your head off or anything." Lyra stands up, and falls back on her four legs, stretching out. You knelt down, and folded the blanket you were sitting on, and you also took the empty picnic basket. "Alright, let's g-" You felt something tapping on your shoulder. You turn around, still on your knees. Before you turn, you feel something pressing against your mouth. Your eyes shoot open, and you see Lyra. She was kissing you. You relax a little. The suddenness scared the Hell out of you, but you give in to it. She was cute enough to kiss. After a moment of holding the kiss, she lets go of your lips, and looks at her hooves, blushing, doing that adorable thing where she kicks her hooves at the ground. "Now we can go..." She said, almost whispering. The walk back to Lyra's house was a silent one, but it wasn't an awkward silence. If anything, it was refreshing. It was as if you and Lyra were just enjoying each others very presence. You made it out of the apple orchard, and back through town, eventually arriving at home. Bon Bon wasn't home, so Lyra had to use the key that was kept under the mat. Lyra went upstairs, and you went to your room. You were putting away the few things you took with you. "Alan!" You hear Lyra call. "Yeah?" You call back. "Can you come upstairs? I need some...uh...help up here!" You put the blanket back in the chest it belongs in, and the basket on top of the blanket. "Coming, gimme a sec!" You call back again. You stop in the bathroom on the way up, and look in the mirror. You use your fingers as a makeshift comb, and walk upstairs. You open the door to Lyra's room. She was on her stomach on her bed, stretched out. "You said you needed some help, Lyra?" You asked. "Yeah, 'member how you said my back had to be hurting?" She responded. "Yeah?" "Well, it kinda of does. Do you think you could fix it for me?" Oooooooh. I see what you're getting at. "Sure." You crack your knuckles, and climb up on the bed, positioning yourself over top of her. You had never given anyone a massage a day in your life. But by God, were you going to give Lyra one. Chapter Thirty-Four: The Death of a TyrantThe Hacker was the first one hit when the doors opened. Bullets ripped through his flesh like a knife through warm butter. He was hit through his neck and his upper torso. He thrashed about wildly on the ground, both of his hands around his throat. In a panic, he removed his hands, and tried to pick himself off of the floor, but failed to muster the strength. He fell back to the ground. His gas mask had shattered, and his eyes were completely visible. They were pale blue, and filled with fear and panic. "IT HURTS! OH MY GOD, IT HURTS!" He screamed, pounding his fists against the ground in pain. Blood flowed from his neck and torso, and you could see blood streaming from underneath the gas mask, down his neck, joining the blood all over his wounds. He must be vomiting blood. Poor bastard. You didn't know if you could save him, but you weren't going to let him die alone. You peek out from the wall beside the door. "GRENADE, FUCKING MOVE!" You yell. You pull the pin, and throw it down the hallway. "SHIT! OH SHIT!" You hear voices down the corridor scream. After the boom, you threw yourself from the cover, and started a fast paced walk down the corridor the doors opened to reveal. The shock from the grenade in such an enclosed space must have been brutal, as those who weren't killed from it were struggling to get back to their feet. You put your rifle up to your shoulder, aimed down the sights, and squeezed the trigger, killing anyone that moved. Within moments, the corridor was filled with the dead. You waved your hand in a circle, barking orders at the 60 soldiers with you. "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! GET DOWN INTO THAT BUNKER! YOU!" You pointed at a medic. He looked at you, and snapped to attention. "STAY WITH THE HACKER! IF HE DIES, MAKE SURE HE ISN'T ALONE!" You started to run backwards, watching the medic tend to the hacker, before turning around to run properly. The rest of your men were already far down the corridor. Your gear clunked and echoed off of the hallway, as did your sprinting footsteps. You radio buzzed. "THIS IS CARTER! THERE'S A GOD DAMN ATTACK HELICOPTER OUT HERE! WE THINK IT'S TRYING TO EVACUATE THE CHAIRMAN!" No. Not now. Not after you've come this far. You pick up your sprint, running so fast that you feared tripping over your own feet. You soon began to hear gunfire and shouting from down the corridor. That's when you arrive at the end of the corridor. It opened up to reveal an enormous room, one that looked like a helipad, but built into the side of a mountain. The roof was nothing more than a frozen cave, but on the sides of this room were small, house like structures, and cement was on the floor. The room itself was about the side of a football field, and on the far end was a helicopter that just flew in from the outside, attempting to land at the helipad also at the far end. Rage almost overflows inside of you. "FOCUS FIRE ON THE MOTHERFUCKING HELICOPTER! I WANT EVERY WEAPON TRAINED ON IT! SCARE IT THE FUCK OFF!" You see figures assembling under the helipad, obviously waiting on the helicopter to land. You knew it was The Chairman and the IMO board. You had half a mind to shoot them from back here. No. They don't deserve to die that easy. You smile wildly under your gas mask, and shout as loud as you can. "I'M COMING FOR YOU, FUCKERS! YOU HEAR ME?! I'M COMING!" _________________________________________________________________________________ I'M COMING FOR YOU, FUCKERS! YOU HEAR ME?! I'M COMING! You stop dead in your tracks, feeling goosebumps pop all over you. You heard that voice clear in your head. It sounded so angry. So familiar. You feel Trixie bump into you, your stop too sudden for her to dodge. "UMPH! Hey!" She objects. You pay no attention to her. You felt funny. Almost like you had achieved a higher state of existence. Somewhere out there, something big was happening. You could literally feel it. You snap back to reality, noticing Trixie standing in front of you, slowly waving her hoof. "Hello? Alan? Are you okay?" You blink, and she sighs in relief. "Trixie has plenty of water. Would you like some?" You rub your eyes with your palms, working them over to both of your temples. "No thanks. Just had a little moment there, is all." Trixie smiles big. You liked seeing her smile. "Well, if you need anything, anything at all, the generous and caring Trixie can help! She may not be as great and powerful as she once thought, but she'd be happy to help!" You return her smile, running your fingers through her mane. "I'll be sure to alert Trixie the moment I need her." She smiles, and motions for you to continue your walk. Bakir and Mala didn't seem to notice this little stop you had taken, and were ahead quite a bit. You follow Trixie, both of you picking up your pace ever-so-slightly. Bakir and Mala stop at the edge of another dune, looking down at something. You and Trixie both catch up, and take in the sight. Below the dune, still quite far away, was Dodge City. You could see it from here. It didn't look like any city you knew of. It looked more like a very small, stereotypical western town. "The Junction is just up ahead. If we pick up our pace slightly, we may be able to catch a train TONIGHT." You immediately smile at that thought. "BAD. ASS. C'mon, let's go!" You slide down the dune, the others following suit. You had never been more excited to get anywhere in your life. You were actually about to see something OTHER than the desert! Mala and Bakir soon catch up, as does Trixie. The sound of feet and hooves cracking and crunching on the sand was broken by Trixie's voice. "Trixie would like to make a...request." "Sure. Whatcha need?" You ask. "This was the last town the lamenting and regretful Trixie visited before losing herself in the desert. The ponies in town may not be too happy to see her." "No worries. Like I said, just stay near me. I'm an alien from another dimension, remember? I'll constantly mutter gibberish or something if it'll keep the attention on me. Maybe eat some sand." You snicker at the thought. Trixie didn't seem to catch on to the joke. "You...You'd do that for me?" You've learned over the past day that you've known Trixie, that any time she breaks that 3rd person way of addressing herself, she usually really serious about whatever the subject may be. "Well, I won't be eating sand. But, in all seriousness, if eyes become too focused on you, I promise I'll find a way to get the attention to me." Trixie looks at you, smiling. The smile quickly fades though, and she begins to look frustrated. "Wait. Why are you doing this? Do you want money? What do you want?" She asks. "What? No!" You immediately respond. "Look, I'm an amnesiac, right?" She eyes you cautiously, and nods her head. "So this is kinda like my second chance. I can go back, and do right where I may have done wrong. I can act with high morals, and it feel pretty damn good, because I don't remember ever doing anything bad. Does that make sense?" Trixie sighs. "Sorry. The lonely and depressed Trixie doesn't have any friends right now. It only makes sense that you would arouse her suspicion. But..." She looks up at you. "She trusts you." Your party was nearing Dodge City. You could make out figures moving about outside and inside the city. You look at the members of your party, making sure they were ready for this new adventure. Everybody seemed eager, so, with reassurance in your steps, you enter the city. In the back of your head, you KNOW you can hear screaming and maniacal laughter. _________________________________________________________________________________ The torrent of bullets launched at the helicopter cracked the glass windows shielding the pilot, and it was forced to retreat. It wasn't going to be coming back until the helipad was clear. You laugh maniacally as the group that was gathered on the helipad retreated back into one of the house structures on the far end hangar. Your men come down the huge concrete ramps on both sides of the corridor, running directly into this new battlefield, this hangar built in the side of a mountain. Guns blazing, they took cover in various positions around your end of the hangar. You throw yourself against the wall of a stone road block, kneeling down, reloading your rifle. You can't believe what you had become. You used to be so innocent. So quiet. And now, here you were, killing other human beings. The IMO had broken you. They had broken you, and they had turned you into what they saw fit, this gross, unforgiving killing machine. You snap out of your thoughts, bringing yourself back to the battle. You steady your rifle on the roadblock, and squeeze off several shots. This was your final stand. You were either going to fix this entire situation, or you were going to die trying. If you were a broken man, then this was your hymn. You notice a very quick glare in one of the towers at the far end of the hangar. You knew what it was immediately. Light reflecting off of a high powered scope. "EVERYONE, HEADS DOWN!" You shouted, pulling yourself behind the roadblock. _________________________________________________________________________________ "EVERYONE, HEADS DOWN!" You dove off of Lyra's bed, and took cover behind it, one hand on your head, the other hand scrambling for your weapon. That's when you realize you had no weapon. This was Lyra's house, not a battlefield. A voice in your head screamed that. The voice in your head was just that. A voice in your head. But it sounded so close. So real. Lyra was looking at you, terrified. "Is everything okay? Do I need to get down too?" She asked quickly, jumping up. You shake your head. "No. No, I just had a memory, I guess. Sorry about that..." You look at her, trying to make sure she was okay. She was still slightly on edge, but had relaxed back down onto the bed. "Still want that massage?" He frown immediately lifted itself to form a smile. She nodded, and laid back down on her stomach, sprawling herself out on the bed. You get back on top of her. You take your hands, and start at what you would call her shoulders. You press down slightly, and work your fingers into her flesh gently. Your mind began to wonder as you did this repetitive task. Was that Max's voice you heard? Max didn't give orders. Was that a flashback? Was your mind playing tricks on you? You know for a fact you heard the voice. Perhaps you were going insane. You stop the kneading of your fingers on Lyra's shoulders, and begin to work your way down to her hips. You rub gently, pressing your hands slightly into her coat. You begin to repeat this motion, over and over again. You force your mind to stop wandering, and focus on the task at hand. Lyra was an amazing girl. Amazing pony, rather. She deserves the best you can give her. Which was kind of funny, now that you thought about it. You can infiltrate enemy lines without a single person noticing. You can collect information, stick to the shadows, and get in and out of any complex, no matter how "secure". You can defuse bombs and rescue hostages. You can take 3 men in hand to hand combat at once, and come out on top. You REALLY hoped you could give a quality massage. Lyra seemed to be enjoying herself, however. She was smiling, her forelegs crossed under her head. You work your hands down to her lower hips and lower back, continuing your process of kneading and rubbing. If you were massaging anyone other than Lyra, your inexperience would be shining through. But thankfully, in Lyra's eyes, you can do nothing wrong. You work your way back up to her shoulders. "Feel better?" You ask. "Mmm...yeah. Thanks Alan." You gently pat her back, climbing down off of her. "Not a problem." You stand up off of the bed, and hop onto your feet. "I guess I'll see you in the morning." You begin to walk towards the door. "Goodnight, Ly-" "WAIT!" She almost shouted. You turn around, and lean against the doorway. "Yeah?" You ask. "Do you think you could sleep in here tonight? I don't wanna have any bad dreams..." She mumbled the entire sentence. She was actually very cute when she was being shy. "How will I prevent you from having bad dreams?" She looks around the room, trying to avoid eye contact with you out of being shy. "Well, I just kinda feel safe around you..." You smile. Lyra really unknowingly boosted your self-confidence over the past few days. "Sure Lyra. Lemme go get my stuff, and I'll be right up." She squeals with excitement as you exit the room. You walk downstairs, down the hallway, and into your room. You grab all of the blankets you have, your pillows, and another blanket from a chest inside of the room. With your hands and arms completely filled, you go back upstairs. Lyra was sitting up in bed like a human would, watching you as you made a makeshift mattress out of blankets. You put your pillows down next, and laid in this new bed you had created. It was actually really comfortable. You pull up the blanket you were actually going to use as a blanket, and get yourself in a comfortable position. "Well, I was gonna say...you could have slept...well. Okay. Goodnight Alan." "Goodnight Lyra." You close your eyes, and float off to sleep very quickly. In the middle of the night, you wake up. You feel something against you. You pull back the blanket, and sure enough, there's Lyra, wrapped around you, fast asleep. The chill of the air outside of the blanket makes her shiver in her sleep. Aww... You pull the blanket back up, and wrap your arms around her, pulling her as close to you as you can get her. "Mmm..." She smiles and hums in her sleep. You really hoped she was comfortable. You didn't want to rush things with this pony. You really liked her. She nuzzled against your chest, her horn facing up, and not impaling you. You still can't believe she abandoned her bed for this. For you. You were going to be exploding with self-confidence by the time you wake up. Well. We could start sleeping together. That's not too fast, I guess. In the back of your head, you can hear someone shouting. You shake it off, and hug Lyra while she sleeps. This was more important. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were out of ideas. You look around at your men, ducking and hiding between various forms of cover, not wanting to get their heads taken off of their shoulders by a sniper. You notice one man has an AT4 strapped to his back. "YOU! AT4 GUY!" He looks up at you, hearing you over the gunfire. "SIR?" He shouts back. "I'M GOING TO CREATE A DISTRACTION. USE THE AT4 ON THE TOWER!" He nods, and unstraps the shoulder-fired missile launcher. You peek over the cover quickly, looking for the next spot you can take cover behind. Part of the roadblock you were currently behind exploded in your face, followed by the loud crack of the sniper rifle. "FUCK!" You scream, ducking back behind what was left of the roadblock. You take a deep breath, and leap over the crumbling roadblock. You hear something whiz just past your head, followed by another clap. You throw yourself into a slide, ending up behind another roadblock. You look back to your men. The AT4 Pathfinder was taking aim. You needed to keep the Sniper distracted. You went to poke your head back up, and felt something in your head jerk, followed by another loud crack of the rifle. You immediately fall back down. Oh shit... You pat around your head briefly. You weren't hit. But the right lens of your gas mask was completely shattered. The Sniper had shot at you, and grazed your head so close, that it hit and broken out the lens. The AT4 Pathfinder pulled the trigger, sending a missile flying towards the tower. The missile hit, and exploded on impact, completely obliterating the top of the tower. All of the chunks of stone and concrete fell onto the nearby house-like structure, causing it to crumble, as well. It was safe to say that the Sniper was dead. "MOVE UP!" You shouted. "THIS IS IT! IT ENDS HERE!" _________________________________________________________________________________ "MOVE UP! THIS IS IT! IT ENDS HERE!" You didn't break the kiss you and Rainbow Dash had been sharing. You had been hearing voices for awhile now, so this wasn't really a good reason to withdraw your tongue. To be honest, you were certain you were losing your mind. Now that you were recovering your memories, you began to notice something very odd, something that bothered you quite a bit. These two worlds, Equestria, and Earth, while their inhabitants and range of colors were different, were both VERY alike. You unbutton your shirt and throw it aside, and slide your pants and underwear off, flipping Rainbow Dash over on her back. You climb back on top of her, pulling her towards you by her waist. The cities were a good example. Los Pegasus? MANEhattan? DODGE CITY? The inside of females was also something that felt really similar. You almost laugh, entering inside of Rainbow Dash, who lets out a very loud sigh as you work your way in. You go back to this thinking. The parallels were very odd. The cities were named similar, they had the FRENCH language here, similar food, and while they wrote in a completely separate alphabet, they SPOKE ENGLISH. You slowly pull yourself in and out of Rainbow Dash, slowly building your speed. She responds by moving her hips accordingly. What got you the most about this entire place, however, was just how accepting they were of you. You appeared, and then right there and then, you were considered normal. You were then appointed an Honor Guard, and are currently having sex with one of the inhabitants of this universe. If it wasn't for Adam's sudden appearance, you would start to believe that this universe was one of your own design, that perhaps you were in an awful accident, and now you're in a coma, attempting to comfort yourself. Rainbow Dash has her head leaning back against her pillows, her eyes half-way rolled back into her head, her cheeks flushed, and her tongue hanging out of her mouth. You can tell she's on the edge of a climax, so you pick up speed even more, intending to finish with her. Unless... What if you really are dead? What if you died, and now, this is the afterlife? Obviously, Ponies can die here. But with the presence of magic and what-not, maybe this is the TRUE afterlife. Just, rather than angels, you have pegasi. You grip Rainbow Dash's headboard, slamming yourself into her, while she moans and screams in pleasure. You release, pumping inside of her, her hips bucking with each pump. You slide out, and fall back in the bed beside her, putting one arm around her, and pulling her close. Rainbow Dash was breathing hard and fast, but was smiling. "That, was....I love you..." She panted. You weren't sure exactly if you were dead or not. But what you were sure of, is the fact that you made plenty of mistakes while on Earth. You weren't going to take life so seriously here. You were going to relax, and enjoy what time you had left on Equestria. You smile even wider, nuzzling Rainbow Dash. In the back of your head, you can hear a voice shouting, and to be honest, it felt good. Submitting to it felt good. Somewhere, something really good was about to happen. You could feel it. You kiss Rainbow Dash again, and stare into her eyes while she stares back. Tonight was a good night. _________________________________________________________________________________ This was it. The IMO Board and the Chairman were both trapped. They were going to die. You were going to see to it that each and every single one died. The IMO soldier you were shooting at stopped to reload, backpedaling and panicking with his weapon. You smile wildly under your mask, feeling the pure embodiment of War taking you over. This gonna be MESSY. "CHAAAAARGE!" You screamed. All of your men abandoned their cover, and began rushing what little IMO resistance remained. Tactically, this was suicide. But on the battlefield of the mind, this was genius. You ran forward, dropping your shoulder. You slammed into the IMO soldier that was trying to reload as hard as you could. He fell on his back, attempting to scramble backwards. You put a foot on his chest and fired rapidly all over his body, killing him instantly. You watched your fellow men trample and run over the bodies of the men they had just executed. It was now just you and the IMO board members. "Fan out." You said. "Kill them all." You head to the house structure on the far end, determined to find and kill The Chairman. You walked over to Carter, who was now in the hangar, and whispered very specific orders to him. He nodded his head, and took cover outside of the structure, aiming his rifle at the door. You reach the structure, and open the door. It was pitch black inside. You begin your search, walking up the staircase and checking each of the dark rooms. Nothing. You back down the staircase, and just as you were about to leave, you heard a click, and the lights flicked on. Someone grabbed you from behind, and placed a gun on your temple. The cold steel of the gun pressed firmly against your hair, chilling your skull. "You stupid sack of shit." The voice said. "You think I haven't had my fair share of rodeos in my day?" You don't respond. You only smile under your gas mask. "You're an idiot. You're going to die." You said. You hear the voice laugh. "I don't believe you're quite in the position to declare anything of that matter. Now, beg for mercy." You smile even harder under your gas mask. "Carter. Now." You hear his rifle fire several times, feeling each of the bullets tear through you. The Chairman, standing behind you, was also being shot. You feel him slip off of you, and hit the ground. You were beginning to feel very weak. You turn around, and stumble towards him. You pick him up by his collar using your left arm, and slam him against the wall. You draw your knife, pull it back, and as hard as you have ever slung your arm, slit his throat. You then hold him up, and let him bleed. He struggled briefly, but quickly stopped. When he was done, you limped out of the structure, and began to walk towards the open hangar doors. When you reached them, you cocked his body back, and threw it out, letting it fall into the chasm. You submit to your injuries, fall to your knees, and then onto your stomach. It was over. He was dead. Aaden. Alan. Adam. It's over. Rest in peace, brothers. Rest in peace. You can hear several Pathfinders running over to you, yelling and shouting, but you couldn't understand what they were saying. You start to feel very sleepy. You decide to rest your eyes. Just for a moment. _________________________________________________________________________________ You wake up feeling amazing. You hadn't felt this good in as long as you could remember. You sit up, and grab Lyra's sleeping figure, squeezing her. Her eyes open slowly and over the duration of several blinks. She yawns, and returns the hug. "Good morning to you too. What was the hug for?" She asks. You smile, and give her another hug. "Lyra, I can't explain it, but I feel AMAZING. I just kinda woke up that way." She laughs. "Lemme show you." You grab her, and kiss her. No tongue yet, but it was certainly deep. She hums under the kiss, and when you release her, she hugs you. "I like you a whole lot, too." She said, stuffing her face into your shirt. You still can't believe that you slept with clothes on, but you were in WAY too good of a mood to care. You still had a bunch of bits from your work with Chrysalis. "Lyra, c'mon. Wanna go get some breakfast, maybe go back to the orchard?"Lyra smiles widely, and begins to blush. "Lyra. I like you." She giggles. "I like you too. Let me take a shower, and we'll head out! Sound good?" You nod your head. "Sounds great." _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel peace sweep over you. Your party had missed the train for the evening, and had to wait for the afternoon to come before you could board. You breathe deep, savoring this feeling, and to your pleasure, it doesn't leave. It remains, and you decide to continue drinking it all in. You were put up in a hotel on the edge of town. Surprisingly, you and Trixie both received no harassment or evil stares. You hear a knock at the door. "Who is it?" You call. "The annoying and friendless Trixie." You sit up off of your bed. "Come in." The door opens, and Trixie trots in. "Trixie?" "Yeah?" She said while closing the door. "I wish you would stop saying you have no friends. I'm your friend." She looks at you in disbelief. "R-really? You mean it?" You smile. "I do. How're you holding up?" She sits on the bed next to you. "Nobody has been mean to me yet. But I'm still scared." You put an arm around her, giving her a side hug. It's amazing how much you bond with someone while walking through the desert. Maybe all of the talking you were pretty much forced to do had something to do with it. "Look, Trixie, we're friends, right?" She nods her head bashfully. "Sleep in here tonight. Go get Mr. Fuzzykins and your blanket." Trixie lights up with excitement and joy. "I...I'll be right back!" She darted out of the room, and you could hear her hooves clop all the way down the hallway. You scoot over in your bed, making room for her return. A few moments later, she returned with her rabbit and blanket. She climbed up in bed next you, curled up under her blanket, and began to snuggle Mr. Fuzzykins. You really liked this pony. While she was the first one you had seen so far, and the first one you've befriended, something about her really tugged at your heart. Maybe it was her hopeless nature, or her disposition in seeking redemption that attracted. Maybe you were just one superficial son of a bitch, and you found her physically attractive. You made no attempt to fall asleep right off the bat. Rather, you decided to lay back, and enjoy this feeling of peace and comfort. Trixie began to stir in her sleep. That's when she did something that made your heart burst at it's seams. Trixie knocked Mr. Fuzzykins off of the bed, and began to whimper. You gently reach your arms around her, securing her against your chest. She turned around, and returned the hug. Her whimpering quickly died down. She seemed to awake, but was very sleepy. "I hope you don't...mind...you're better than Mr. Fuzzy...kins..." She mumbled. You didn't exactly know if she was talking in her sleep, or if she really was awake, but you hold her close anyways. This poor pony seemed to be very lonely and scared of going back into this Canterlot place. She could use a hug. And truth be told, you could too. You hold her close, and decide to let yourself sleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake feeling like God himself had breathed life into your lungs. You awake feeling extremely well rested. Rainbow Dash was sitting up in bed, already awake. You wrap your arms around her from behind. "Good morning, Dashie." You cooed. She put her hooves over your hands, and leaned back and forth in the hug. "I'm feeling amazing right now. Wanna go get some food?" You hear her stomach rumble. "That's a yes." You laugh, and keep hugging her. You hear someone yell from the ground below. "AADEN! AADEN, YOU UP?" You get up out of bed, and look out of the window. Alan was standing on the ground below the house, with Lyra ridding piggyback. "ALRIGHT, GOOD! WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO BREAKFAST, YOU HAVE A JACKET I CAN BORROW? IT'S KINDA BRISK OUT!" You grab the sweater you had off of the coat hanger, and throw it out of the window, watching it twist and turn in the wind. Alan had to run back and forth like a madman attempting to balance a chair on his nose, but he caught the coat out of the air, not letting it fall to the ground. "THANKS! ALSO, YOU'RE AN ASS!" You see Lyra snicker, covering her mouth with a hoof. You lean back out of the window, and cup your hands around your mouth. "HEY, RAINBOW DASH AND I ARE GOING TO EAT, TOO! WE'LL COME WITH YOU!" Alan simply gives you a thumbs up. You look back at Rainbow Dash, who was smiling and stretching. "How about it, babe?" You ask. She nods her head. "Let's do it!" She exclaimed, flexing her wings out. _________________________________________________________________________________ It was hard for you to believe that Max was gone. First Alan, then Adam, then Aaden, now Max. It hurt. It hurt you deeply. You watched as several Pathfinders picked his body up, and placed it on a stretcher, covering him with a blanket. They removed his gas mask with the shattered lens from his body, and handed it to you. You walked over to where his body was, and retrieved his rifle. It was his favorite. An L85A2, a weapon which hailed from the United Kingdom. He had several things scratched into his, along with a skull he had carved into the right side of the rifle. You walk over to the side of the hangar, and fire several shots with his rifle into the air. If you had ever felt lonely before, it was now. You were the only original Pathfinder left. All of your friends were gone. Pull it together, Carter. Be strong. Chapter Thirty-Five: A Spring Afternoon in EquestriaYou can't stop feeling amazing. In fact, you feel so great, you decide to do something that you know you'll regret. "Hey. Dash..." You smile deviously. You were completely dressed now, waiting for her. She walks into the room, noticing your smile. "Wanna race?" She returns your devious look. "You're on, babe." You both climb on the bed. "Alright, on the count of three, we race to land. First one down wins a kiss. You ready?" She smiles, obviously excited by the idea of competition. You take a deep breath, and laugh on the exhale. Ooooh boy. I'm gonna get my ass kicked. "One..." You say. You notice her hooves digging down into the mattress. She was really getting ready for this race. "Two..." Her wings burst from her sides, readying themselves for flight. You look over to her, your heart beating in your throat from excitement. "Three, GO!" She immediately flies out of the window. You leap off of the bed, step on the windowpane, and throw yourself out of it. You see Rainbow Dash way ahead of you, almost halfway down. You fall closer to the ladder, and grab ahold of it with one hand, grinding down. If the ladder wasn't made of spongy cloud, you would probably rip all of the skin off of your hands. How does the cloud ladder work, anyways? Eh. Magic probably. Rainbow Dash had obviously beat you to the ground. You were now about halfway down, still grinding at incredible speed. As you neared the ground, you grabbed with ladder with both hands, slowing yourself exponentially. No need to kill yourself before breakfast. Your feet finally hit the ground, and you stumble away from the ladder. The sudden stop from all of the movement made you feel dizzy for a moment. Rainbow Dash wandered over to you, smiling. She floated up, grabbed your head, and kissed you deeply. You could taste the inside of her mouth again, the grape flavor coming back. She broke the kiss, and smiled even more deviously. "Hey, Lyra? Why are you riding on Alan's back?" She asked. "Alan lost a bet to me! We were seeing who could drink a glass of water the fastest, and he choked on his, so I won!" She looked back at you with an evil laugh. "Heh heh...hey, Aaden..." She started. You sigh, and bend over. "Fine babe. Let's go." She climbs up on your back, her hind legs wrapped around your waist, and her forelegs around your neck. Her chin could rest on the top of your head. You and Alan, with ponies in tow, begin your walk into town. Lyra and Rainbow Dash were talking about something that didn't quite peak your interest, so you and Alan begin to talk. "Man. I would kill for some kind of sport here, you know? Remember that Giants game we went to?" You ask. Alan laughed. "Hell yeah I do. Evan was losing his mind." Alan chuckles. "Good times, good times. So, where are we going for breakfast?" "No idea." You respond. "Ladies?" Alan asked. "Poachies." They both responded. "Yeah, Lyra's been talking about going to Poachies ever since she heard you say they have good food. I'm kinda looking forward to it, myself. Do they have eggs? I need some eggs." "Eggs?" You ask. "Yeah, eggs. You know, protein and shit. It's good for ya." The more you think about it, the more you decide you want scrambled eggs. "So, Aaden, who's your marefriend there? I never got to meet her formally after she kicked my ass." You stretch your head over to Alan, and whisper to him. "My situation is...unique. I'll explain later." He notices the look in your eyes, and nods his head. You pull your head back, and resume talking at normal volume, just in case Rainbow Dash was listening in. "But, this is Rainbow Dash. Toughest, most cool pony in Ponyville. Right Dash?" "Huh?" She responds, too trapped in her own conversation with Lyra to eavesdrop on you and Alan. Thank God. "So, Aaden here says you're pretty cool." Alan chimed in. "PRETTY cool? Try amazingly cool." She gives you a squeeze while holding on to you, and kisses the top of your head. She then goes back to her conversation with Lyra. "So, Alan. You ever think about going back home?" He looks at you, and smiles. He puts on a child-like voice. "Gee, I dunno Aaden. What if everyone is mean to me when I get back? What if-what if they smell all of the ponies on me, and they're like, 'Where have you been, pretty boy?' and then whip my ass?" He then adopts an incredibly stupid look on his face, followed by an imitation of a young boy giggling. You immediately begin laughing, as does Lyra, who must have overheard his high-pitched voice. "God damn it, Alan." You laugh. As the laughter dies down, and Lyra goes back to her conversation, Alan looks back over at you. "Look, man, of course I think about it. I think about it all the time. I dunno if I can go back. And to be completely honest, I don't want to. I remember what I did before I was here. I know you do, too. So it's either killing and acting like mindless drones, or living here with ponies. PONIES, AADEN. How fucking awesome is that?" He then takes a more serious look on his face. "Aaden. I know this doesn't make much sense, but...I think we're dead. One of the memories I recovered, it's of me dying. In your arms. And I don't remember anything after that." He explained. "Alan, you spoke my mind. We'll talk to Celestia about it. About being dead, not going home. I'm kinda happy here, too. Hey, Alan?" You ask. "Yeah man?" He responds. "Why do you take shit that's super serious, and make it seem hilarious?" You ask, smiling. "Man, Adam, you remember Adam? He's the one that taught me that. If something ever scares you, ever bothers you, joke about it. Laugh at it. It makes it far less scary." "Clever. It works pretty well." You feel Rainbow Dash poking your sides with her fore legs. "We're here babe!" She said. "Let me down!" You kneel, as does Alan, and let your payload of ponies off of your back. You and Alan both get up, and walk over to the double-doors, both of you holding one door open apiece. Rainbow Dash and Lyra both blush as they walk into the restaurant. "I love it when she does that..." Alan said, trailing off in thought. You both walked over to a booth that had an open window, and sat down next to your respective dates. You put your arm around Rainbow Dash while Lyra leans her head on Alan's shoulder, wrapping her hooves around his arm. The waiter comes over to the table. This day just cannot get any better! You smile uncontrollably as Poachie himself walks over to you to wait your table. You really liked Poachie. The few times you've been here, he really did very well as your waiter. You still felt absolutely amazing, and this feeling of pure elation made everything, no matter how big or small, seem infinitely pleasing to you. Having the waiter of your choice was one of those things. "Poachie! What's up?" You nearly shout. Poachie laughs, and takes out his notepad for the orders. "Nothing much. Been real slow today, it's good to have you guys here. What can I get you to drink?" Lyra and Rainbow Dash both get sweet tea, while you and Alan get cola. You hand everyone a menu from the stack that Poachie had left on the table. Laugh at the things that scare you... I'm gonna have to try that soon. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were standing in a circle of light with 3 other human figures, surrounded by complete darkness. One was a knight, in shining golden armor, with a single large angel wing protruding from his right shoulder blade. He held a big golden shield, and a sword that seemingly radiated light. He turned around and looked at you. Shadows encompassed his eyes and nose, only leaving his mouth and chin visible. It had very short stubble around it, which complemented his white teeth. Another was what looked like an assassin. He wore a long black robe over black pants, and had the hood pulled up over his head. The hood also had an odd like cover to it, completely covering his face, except for the two eyes holes. You couldn't see his eyes, but you could see a small pinprick of white light emanating from the center of each eye hole. He turned around to face you, revealing that he was holding a curved sword in one hand, and smaller dagger in the other. He had a single cyan sash tied around his right shoulder, and it had what looked like a harp drawn on it, which fluttered carelessly in the wind. You could also see his breath, which really bothered you. It was nowhere NEAR cold enough for that. The last human figure was wearing a lighter armor than the knight, but was still intimidating in appearance. He also wore a duster over his armor, fluttering in the same wind that the Assassin's sash did. This man turned around, showing his front to you. He wore a white bandanna around his face, covering everything but his eyes, which were also obscured by the shadows. He held a mace in his right hand, and was seemingly charging some kind of spell in his left hand. The fingers on his left hand twitched and convulsed as a small white ball of flames sparked and formed in it. "Get ready! Here they come!" The Knight shouted. You looked in your hands. You were holding an intricately decorated bow, one that looked almost as if it was crafted from crystal. You instinctively pulled the string on the bow back, and watched in amazement as a single crystal arrow burst into existence, nocking itself on the string. The three humans jump into action. The shadows which surrounded you began to form human-like figures with bright orange eyes. They began to stumble and sprint towards you. The Knight dropped his shoulder, and propelled himself off of the ground using his single angel wing, sending him rocketing towards the group of shadows. He slammed his shield into the group, dispersing them. Then he started the massacre. He lunged forward, stabbing one, making it explode in a cloud of shadows and tendrils. He turned around, slashing another. He turned around again, impaling another. He ducked while one of the shadows tried to claw him, instead reaching over him clawing another shadow. He then jumped back up, slamming his shoulder into the shadow, making it explode, as well. The Assassin seemingly blinked out of existence. You looked all around, until you saw him again. He would blink and reappear all over this new battlefield. He burst into existence, using the curved sword to slash through groups of them, then blink back out of existence, only to appear immediately behind the group, and continue his slaughter. The last man was still standing next to you. He was chanting something. When the shadows finally approached close enough to him, the spot where his eyes should have been immediately began radiating a white light. His left hand was really beginning to twitch violently. He threw it out, releasing an enormous ball of light which ripped through the shadows, causing them to disintegrate immediately. One shadow dodged the ball of light, and tried to approach him, but he simply swung his mace, tearing it in half. He was breathing very heavily, whatever spell he just used, it wore him out. With his hands on his knees, he looked to you, his eyes now covered with shadows once again. "Leave me! He needs help!" He shouted, motioning his head towards the Knight. You looked back over to the Knight, who was completely surrounded now. Thousands of these shadows surrounded him, and he still fought viciously, now using his wing to knock back the shadows when too many got close. The Assassin blinked over to him, helping him fight them off. The man beside you dropped to his knees, and began chanting again. You look at your bow, the crystalline arrow still there. You pull back on the bow, aim, and release the arrow. It whistles through the air, impaling one of the shadows, which fell backwards. The arrow then detonated in a ball of light, taking a bunch of other shadows with it. You look back at the man beside you. His eyes were starting to glow white again, and his chanting was getting louder. His right hand also started to twitch and shake with the left one. He dropped his mace from all of the shaking. Two more white balls of sparks and flames formed, one in each hand. They were growing bigger. You took one last look at the Knight and Assassin. The Knight threw himself vertically in the air using his wing, and then used it to sling himself back down into the ground, slamming his shield against the earth, knocking back the shadows even more. "Max..." You heard the man beside you grunt. His voice sounded completely distorted, like 10 of him were talking at once, and his eyes were now glowing violently, to the point that it hurt to look at them. "Move..." _________________________________________________________________________________ You wake up, and see that Trixie had left the bed. I have the some really weird dreams, that's for sure... She must have gotten up already. Hopefully you didn't shout or talk in your sleep and scare her off. You slide out of the bed, and get yourself completely dressed, ready to catch the train. You notice everything in the room that belonged to you or Trixie had been taken. You walk over to the door, and open it. As you do, you find Trixie standing on the other side, now knocking on thin air. "Good, you're awake! C'mon, we're gonna miss the train!" You nod, and run after her, down the hallway, down the stairs, and out of the doors of the hotel. You both make it to the junction, buy two tickets, and board the train, which immediately released a metallic groan, then rumbled off down the tracks. Trixie leads you down the corridor of one of the cars, and into the room Bakir and Mala were sitting in. Bakir laughs as you enter. "Trixie insisted we let you sleep as late as you needed. When you were beginning to sleep TOO late, she went to go find you. Good to see you made it." You sit across from him. "Trixie's a good friend." You said. You know she heard you. "I SAID, Trixie is a GOOD FRIEND." Trixie giggles and blushes, taking the seat next to you. "I heard you..." She said. You look out of the window, amazed to see something other than the desert for a change. "Trixie, you said that you had been through these parts before. Care to give me a little rundown on these places?" _________________________________________________________________________________ The food arrives rather quickly. You think it's because of how dead Poachie said they were. Everyone universally got pancakes, but fruit, oatmeal and other breakfast foods were distributed among the others. You personally ordered some hashbrowns. It had been awhile since you had some of the crispy, fried potatoes you frequented back home. You remember being summoned to Canterlot by the Princess. "Yo, Alan. I forgot to mention," You swallow your mouthful of pancake. "You and I have to go see the Princess in 5 days. She wants to meet you, and she wants me to be there for it." "Really? What's she like? I heard a lot about her from the Queen, but most of it was extremely negative. Anything I should know?" He takes his fork, harpoons a big egg cluster off of his plate, and puts it in his mouth. "She's very nice, I think you'll find. Very nice. And I know this sounds like political suicide, but DO NOT lie to her. I know our pasts aren't exactly wrought with gold, but she already knows. She read and projected my memories. Rainbow Dash here knew who you were before you knew who she was. Lyra wasn't there, which may be good for her. Rainbow Dash claims that what she saw didn't change her opinion of me, but it's not every day you see the person you love doing deeds as dark as killing." Alan looks over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking at you. "Aaden, it really didn't change the way I feel about you, and it didn't make me like you any less. It just kinda helped me to better understand who you are. You're still pretty cool for a human." You look over at Lyra. "Alan is a great guy. He may be goofy at times, and regardless of his violent past, he still is a great guy. Has he told you about his mercenary life?" Lyra nods her head. "Yep! He told me the first night he stayed with us, actually!" She beams with happiness. "Good. Lyra, like I said, Alan is a great guy, and you are in zero danger. Remember that when you inevitably witness his memories. I was lucky enough to have Rainbow Dash understand." Lyra nods her head rapidly, sipping on the sweet tea she had through a straw. "Now, lets move back on to a happier note. Dashie over here hasn't coated everything in ketchup yet, so that's a plus." She punches your shoulder. "And Alan here has went 5 minutes without cussing." "Fuck you." He said, smiling. Lyra giggles, covering her mouth with a hoof again. You laugh as well, and go back to eating. It was nice to be surrounded by friends, sharing a quiet lunch complemented by laughter. You still hadn't fully decided if you were dead, or you simply had just lost your mind. Either way, even though you didn't show it, you were in mental anguish. You still hadn't gathered all of your memories. Alan remembered his death. But you didn't remember yours. And what if you were dead? Does this mean there was a God? Why, of all people that had ever existed on Earth, were you and Alan the only humans to ever show up in Equestria? You didn't like thinking about all of these things. You go back to not thinking about any of it, which is what you had been doing since the very moment you arrived. It put your mind at ease to just go with what was happening. Plus, you ultimately believe that, if this is the Afterlife, or if you are insane, it would be best not to fight it. You'll just make things worse. Alan noticed you staring off in space. He seemingly knew what you were thinking about, and attempted to change the subject. "So, uh. Why exactly are you ponies so accepting of us? We're big, scary aliens from another dimension." Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. That usually means she's about to explain something. "Well, you're creatures we don't exactly see everyday, so of course we're cautious on the inside, even if we don't act like it on the outside. It's hard to explain, but you both seem so appealing. Just hearing the way you speak, watching you walk, it's all very interesting. We were taught as fillies that we should accept anypony and everypony. We gave both of you a chance, and you both kind of proved that you're just as amazing as we thought. I dunno, it's hard to explain. How would you explain it, Lyra?" Lyra put her sweet tea down. "Weeeell..." She said, spinning her straw around with her hoof. "I just really like hands..." Alan looked at his hands, making sure that they were still hands. "And, well, when I met Alan, he was incredibly nice to me. I mean, everypony is generally nice to me, but something about Alan was different. Like, he wasn't being nice because it was the polite thing to do, he was being nice because he wanted to. If that makes sense." You nod your head. "Makes sense to me." You said. It didn't make very much sense to you, but you remembered to just go with the flow. You could press Celestia for answers at this little meeting she's arranged. _________________________________________________________________________________ The ride on the train had been pretty smooth, so far. You were unable to read whatever language these ponies wrote, and there was no TV or anything that could be used for entertainment, so you were pretty much forced to talk to Bakir, Mala, and Trixie. Which wasn't a bad thing. The train was currently chugging through rolling hills, and was about to work its way through a very large forest. "Where are we now?" You asked. "We're about to enter Everfree forest. One of the biggest and oldest forests in Equestria. It's also home to many creatures, the majority of them very dangerous." Trixie explained. "Trixie used to use the mighty Ursa, an inhabitant of this forest, in her claims of being great and powerful." You can tell that this is a touchy subject for her. Nobody likes to have their self esteem hurt. You decide it would be best not to push the issue any further. "So. Adam. Remember anything about home yet?" The moment Bakir asked the question, there was a knock on the door to the little room you were in. It slid open, revealing a white pony with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed like a soda jerk from the 1950's. "Can I interest you folks in anything to drink? Maybe a sandwich or something to snack on?" Bakir and Mala politely decline, but you were really thirsty. And kind of hungry, too. "What all do you guys have?" The Soda Jerk smiled, and leaned against his cart. "Well, I have never in my life seen something like you, so I'm just gonna assume you've never been on a train before. At least not one like this. We have a deal going right now, 3 bits, and you get a whole sandwich, a soda, and a lollipop. That ouaghta fill your needs." You nod your head, pulling out some bits you had from your irrigation work back in Saddle Arabia. "Trixie would like one, too." Trixie went to reach into the bag she carried with her when you stopped her. "I got this. Here's 10 bits for the both of us. Keep whats left." The Soda Jerk slid open the door to the little cart he had with him, and pulled out two sandwiches, two bottles of soda, and two lollipops. "Mighty kind of you." He said under his smile. He tips his hat to you, and continues his walk down the hallway, knocking on the doors to the rooms of other passengers. "Thanks Adam." Trixie said, unwrapping her sandwich with ease. You however, were having some serious difficulty. You were half tempted to just rip it open, but you didn't want to seem THAT impatient to eat. You grab the slip at the top and bottom, and pull. The sandwich is released from it's prison, but it falls out of the bottom. You watch as the sandwich almost hits the floor, but stops just inches from it. It was floating, and surrounded by what looked like a pale magenta cloud. It floated back up to your hands, which you had opened to accept said sandwich. It landed in your hands, and the magenta cloud disappeared. "So...did anyone else just see that?" You asked. "See what?" Mala responded. You look at the sandwich suspiciously. "You're fucking kidding me. No one saw that?" "Saw what?" Mala repeated. You point at the sandwich. "This thing literally almost dropped to the floor, then floated back up to my hands. Nobody saw that?" Trixie giggled. "Trixie saved your sandwich from it's doom." She said. "You did that? How?" She looks at you, no longer giggling, but still smiling. She then looks over to Bakir and Mala. "Is he unfamiliar with magic?" She asks. Magic? "None of our kind can harness magic. So he's never seen it before. And we never really thought about telling him about it, either." "So, wait, wait." You sit up in your chair. "You mean to tell me that you did that using magic?" Trixie nods her head. "Do humans not have magic in your world?" She asks. "Magic in my world doesn't exist. At least, I don't think it does. Usually, when someone says they can do magic, it usually means that they have some sleight of hand and some serious mind-fuckery skills. Nothing really supernatural." Trixie's horn glows, coating her sandwich in another magenta cloud, lifting it up to her mouth. She takes a bite of it. "See, I'm just going to go ahead and assume that there are no wires involved, and that this magic is the real deal." She giggles again, and swallows her mouthful of food. "Trixie's happy she could help explain." _________________________________________________________________________________ "We should build a makeshift basketball goal." Alan suggests, reaching for a slice of toast. "Honestly, that isn't a bad idea. Something for you and I to do." Lyra immediately looks confused. "Basket-ball? Huh?" She asks. Alan holds a finger up to signal that he'll speak in a moment. He swallows his toast, takes a swig from his cola, and coughs. "A sport from back home. Aaden and I, along with some of our buddies, would get together and play on Friday afternoons, then go to a bar or somewhere to eat. Fun stuff." You can't help but laugh. "Oh man. Good times, good times." Lyra shares the smile you and Alan had. "I wanna play!" She objects. "I could probably do it on two hooves and everything, just like you!" Alan lifts his arm up, forcing her to release it. She looks momentarily shocked, but Alan then put it around her, pulling her to him. She smiles, and nuzzles his shoulder. "Aaden, you think ponies could play? Like, walk and run on three legs and everything? As much as I would love to kick your ass one-on-one constantly, I wouldn't mind getting a bunch of ponies together to play. It'll be just like old times, except, you know. Ponies." He used an oddly shaped butter knife to spread jam over an other slice of toast. You look over to Rainbow Dash, hoping she would respond, because you had no idea. "Well, yeah, we can run on 3 legs! It's a little weird for us, but we can do it!" She then smirks at you. "Plus. I'd also like to beat Aaden." You pull her close, and kiss her forehead. "You can try, babe. There any hardware stores in town?" She nods her head. "Fixer's Home Improvement, in the Marketplace." You look over at Alan, who was now eating yet another piece of toast. "We should swing by sometime. Whatcha think?" Alan covers his mouth with a hand, like he's going to say something, but then just gives you a thumbs up. He swallows, wipes his mouth, then bends his head down to kiss Lyra. He does so, and Lyra giggles. "You taste like grape jam." "YOU taste like grape jam." Alan teased. He kissed her again, and leaned back in the booth. "Well, you guys were right. This place was pretty damn good. Lyra and I will have to come back sometime soon." He looks down at Lyra. "Maybe take Bon Bon with us?" Lyra nods her head, finishing her tea. "She'd like it a whole bunch!" _________________________________________________________________________________ Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314 You felt like you were falling. Like you were going to vomit. Everything was completely white, and you could feel your mind slipping away from you. You could feel yourself losing memories. You already couldn't remember your family. If you had one. Did you have a family? You repeat your name over and over again inside of your head, hoping to hold on to what you know. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314. Memories flashed before your eyes. The memories you were losing. Your first kiss. The death of your brother. Enlisting in the military. Enlisting in the IMO. All of it was leaving you. You fell to your knees in the white limbo you were trapped in, putting your hands around your head, and squeezing tightly. "No...please..." You whisper. Your first bike ride without training wheels. The Christmas where you got a car. The first time you broke a bone. Hunting trips with your Dad. It was all leaving you. "Please...I don't want to forget...please don't make me forget..." You begged. You weren't sure if anything was listening, but you were terrified to your core. Memories made you who you were. To lose ones memories, is to lose ones life. Memories, all of your experinces in your life, they crafted you into the person you were. Without them, sure, you'd be a blank slate, but you would never be the same person ever again. Maxwell L. Owens would die. You didn't want to die. Not here. Now now. You hold back tears, and try to remember. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-13... Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220... You were starting to forget your name. You had already forgotten what the "L" stood for in your middle name. Your head started to hurt, burning as the memories escaped your grasp. "No..." You said, raising your voice slightly. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X01... X01... X014822... You try as hard as you can to fight it. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X... X... You cant remember what comes next. "NO!" You shout. You were losing ground. "NO GOD DAMN IT!" Maxwell Owens. Pathfinders. Maxwell Owens. Pathfinders. Maxwell Owens. Maxwell. It was slipping too fast. No matter how hard you tried to hold on, no matter how hard you fought it, it all slipped through your fingers. You couldn't do it, This was happening. This was inevitable. You can't hold in the sobs anymore. Max... You can't remember why you were crying. You sniffle, and wipe your nose. Come to think of it, you can't remember anything. You feel incredibly sad, however. You stop the crying. It felt silly to cry about something that you couldn't even identify. You wipe your eyes again, and try to stand up. Where were you? Why was everything white? Were you blind or something? You begin to feel like you were falling, forcing you to drop back to your knees. You begin to hear an extremely loud ringing in your ears, your hands leaping up from your sides to cover them. The ringing was still there. Then it all just stopped. The feelings of falling, the ringing, it all stopped. The sadness remained, but everything else had stopped. You slowly opened your eyes, and had to blink several times to get them to focus from being blurry. When you finally could see once more, you gazed around your environment. "What the Hell?" You whispered. _________________________________________________________________________________ "The only thing I need to compliment this big-ass lollipop is a bitchin' propeller hat..." You said to yourself. Trixie overheard you and giggled slightly. You liked it when she laughed. You couldn't tell if she actually understood what you meant when you cussed like that, or if she just simply laughed because you were cussing, but either way, you liked it. You had been on the train for several hours now, and were beginning to get incredibly bored. You and Boredom didn't exactly get along. You begin to wonder if these ponies had any comedians. Or music. Or anything you could do to pass the time. You begin to unwrap the lollipop you had saved from your earlier lunch, being careful not to send this one to the ground. Trixie already rescued your food once today. You successfully unwrap your treat, and take a few licks off of it. It was pretty good. It carried the sweetness of sugar, but the tartness of a lemon. You enjoyed it quite a bit. You feel a hoof poke you on your shoulder. It was Trixie. "Mm-hmm?" You hummed, licking the lollipop. "May I have a lick?" She asked. Whaaaaat. Did she know what she was doing, or was this just like pony culture or something? Maybe it was something friends did. You decide it would be best not to upset her or break any customs, so you reach your hand out, holding the lollipop in front of her mouth. She sticks out her tongue, and gently swipes it over the lollipop. She looks back at you, and takes a few more licks. You then pull it back, and stare at it for a moment. She just licked that. You put the lollipop back in your mouth, albeit slightly reluctantly. You didn't know what to think about sharing a lollipop with a pony. But maybe it really was custom. That's when you look across from you. Bakir was laughing, and Mala had a hoof over her mouth. "Aww..." She cooed. She wasn't teasing either, she legitimately thought it was cute. You look over at Trixie, who was now blushing, and looking out of the window. She knew damn well what she had done. At least she was cute, otherwise this wouldn't fly with you. The forest outside of the train was beginning to get less dense. You were finally about to come to its end, which relieved you. You were excited to see what this high and mighty Canterlot looked like. After being trapped in a desert for so long, you were excited to be in the streets of civilization once more, even if this civilization was a race of sentient ponies. You felt another hoof poke your shoulder. It was Trixie again. "Adam." She said. "You still promise to protect me,and keep others from being mean, and keep them from staring, right?" You shook your head. "Of course. You saved my sandwich, I owe it to you now." Trixie blushed harder, her cheeks almost turning completely red. She looked back out of the window. You look back across from you. Bakir was laughing again, and Mala was cooing even more. "AWW..." She gasped. "That is so cute..." You put the lollipop back in your mouth, and raise one eyebrow at her. Eh. This is still a Hell of a lot better than the desert. Chapter Thirty-Six: Prelude to Complete Alteration"Stop! Come no closer, creature!" They lowered their spears at you, and were obviously well entrenched. You didn't have many options. You could try and overpower the group of white horses that stood in front of you, or you could give in. Maybe you could run. You had no idea where you were. You had no idea who you were. You had no recollection of anything. You literally just popped up in the center of what looked like a city, right in front of a group of guards that must have been patrolling. The city itself made no sense. Absolutely none. Sentient horses walked about and talked, as humans would. You fought the urge to panic, and stood your ground. This wasn't Home. This wasn't Earth. You just stared at the guards, keeping your face disturbingly neutral. You can't remember any fights you may have been in, but you were confident you could take on these horses. You weren't sure if you could outrun them. Horses tend to run pretty fast. Hmm... You looked as if you were in a marketplace. Perfect. These guards were small horses. Ponies. They probably didn't have much of what you would call a vertical leap. You briefly looked over the ponies, seeing a hat vendor. His stall was perfect for you to jump on, and then jump to the roofs of this marketplace. "Sir, what is that thing?" One of the Guard Ponies spoke up. "I don't know. I don't know if it can even understand us." Another responded. "If you can understand us, no funny stuff!" Another called out. "Someone go get Shining Armor. He needs to hear of this." The last one called out. You feel a burst of adrenaline rip through your body, making your fingers tingle on their ends. You take a deep breath, and you start your sprint at the guards. You had to get over them. "GUARDS! STAND READY!" You heard one of them yell. They lowered their spears even further, holding them at your legs, essentially. They made the mistake that would allow you to escape. Right before your legs were going to be impaled, you jumped. You jumped with as much force as you could. You vaulted right over their spears and over the ponies, tumbling on the other side of them. You stand up quickly, looking over your shoulder. You flash them a cocky smile. "What!? Get him! Go!" Another Guard shouted. You start running again, towards the hat stall. You notice the Ponies on the inside of it cower in fear as you approach. You sprint up the side of the wall to the stall, pull yourself up, then climb up onto the roof. You look down at the Guard Ponies, who stood in shock. You watched as one of them pointed with their hoof, and the others begin to disperse. You couldn't hear what they were saying. You flashed another cocky smile, and continued your run. You had to be extremely careful in your steps. Everything that wasn't already made of crystal seemed to have at least ONE kind of sharp crystal decoration on it. You look down, noticing more guards showing up, attempting to follow you on foot. Just as you were about to flash another cocky smile to them, you fall to your back. Something tackled you. Your eyes open wide, and you see a pony with wings on top of you, wearing the same armor the guards wore. It smiled, and raised a hoof. "You're mine now!" It growled. It went to slam it's hoof down where your head was, but you quickly jerked your head to the side. When it missed, you raised your legs up, and bucked it off of you. You watched it fall off of the roof, landing on the tarp of some other stall, bounce off, and finally come to rest on a group of guard ponies that were pursuing you. You don't stop to gloat. If there was one of them, there had to be more of them. You continue your run, still leaping from building to building. You see a large castle nearby. You could probably hide in there. You notice the next leap is a large one, but you're confident you can make it. You start sprinting as fast as you can, preparing for this jump. You leap into the air, just about to touch the roof of the other building, and... You stop. You stop in mid-air, floating above the roof of the next building. You were dangling, now that you noticed it. A purple haze was around your left forearm, acting like an invisible hand, holding you in the air. "Gotcha. Now, come on down, monster." You heard a voice say. You begin to drift down, albeit extremely slowly. You look down, and notice a pony with a horn, a unicorn looking pony, with a purple haze around it's horn. You immediately look around you in desperation for something, anything that you could use to escape. You see a chunk of crystal, a rock the size of your palm, and you grab it with your free right hand. You sling it at the unicorn, hitting it in its horn. The crystal chunk hits it so hard, that the chunk shatters all over it's horn. The unicorn immediately toppled over with a yelp of pain, and seemingly fell unconscious. The haze on your forearm releases itself, and luckily, you were still over top of the roof to the next building. You fall back to it, and begin your escape again. You were really high up. The castle was higher. The castle you were approaching had three legs which gave way to the castle itself, almost like having a castle on a big, crystal stool. You were approaching one of the said crystal legs. You notice a large window on the leg you were approaching. You knew what you had to do. Tuck and Roll. You sprint as fast as you can once more, and threw yourself off of the roof of the building you were on. This time, however, you threw yourself face first, covering your head and closing your eyes. The moment you felt yourself impact through the glass, you uncovered your head, and put yourself in position to tumble. You hit the ground, and roll, stopping yourself on one hand. That's when you open your eyes. An entire of horde of Guard Ponies stand in front of you, spears lowered. At their center stands a white Unicorn, slightly larger than all of the others. He wore a red officers coat, and had a mane of different shades of blue. "Stop." He said calmly. "It's over." You look back over your shoulder. Even if you were going to try to jump out, you see Guard Ponies all around the base of the leg, waiting for you to do so, You turn back around. Several other unicorns emerged from the crowd, their horns glowing. You feel your arms being suspended once more, lifting you off of the ground, and several feet into the air. "Now..." He continued. "You have a lot of explaining to do." _________________________________________________________________________________ The train groaned and creaked to a stop. You heard one of the conductors slide open the doors. "NOW ARRIVING AT CANTERLOT!" He shouted. Your party got up from their seats, collected anything that belonged to them, and parted ways with the train that had carried you so far. The train station here was far more elaborate than the Junction at Dodge City. The ceiling was high, and there was even a large clock built on the outside of it. It was pretty neat to you. You step off the station, using your hand to block the sun from your eyes, and observe the city of Canterlot. It was certainly fancy. It looked like a medieval town, except brightly colored, mainly in bright purples, pinks, whites and shining golds. Bakir and Mala told you almost all of the way to Canterlot how magnificent the city was, but words did it no justice. Even you couldn't find the words to describe the place, and you may have been a poet or something before you went amnesiac. Maybe. As you take in the sights and watch ponies stroll through the streets, you completely forget about your party. You walk underneath of a purple stall, browsing the wares that some pony had for sell. You weren't really interested, but it was nice to get the sun out of your eyes. The pony was selling little trinkets and sundries, like a gift shop would. You see a teddy bear with a wizard hat and button eyes, and immediately think of Trixie. She'd LOVE this. "How much for the bear?" You ask. You life up the bear, to show the pony what you were talking about. "Eeeeh..." The pony nods his head side to side, obviously thinking of a reasonable price. "8 bits?" He asks. "I'll go 3." You respond. You then smile. Of all of the skills I remember, haggling is the first one. God damn it. "What? No. I'm not selling it for 3. How about 6?" He rebuts. "5." You respond again. The pony sighs. "I don't have time for this. Give me the 5 bits." You hand him the 5 bits you had already counted out in your pocket the moment you saw the bear, and take the bear. The pony motions for you wait, and hands you a wand. Apparently, the bear also had a wand. With Mr. Fuzzykins new best friend in tow, and a smile accompanying you, you go to find Trixie, when you hear yelling. You look down the junction, and see a crowd of ponies, seemingly surrounding something, shouting and jumping. You hear a voice, a male one, as you approach. "GET OUT OF HERE! NO ONE HERE WANTS YOU!" Damn. Feel bad for whoever that is. "I said I was sorry!" You heard a feminine voice call out. It sounded a lot like Trixie. Wait. Shit. You pick up your pace, and start splitting the crowd. Sure enough, you can see Trixie being approached by a orange stallion. You were coming up from behind him. You watched as he reared his hoof back, what looked like a tomato in it. He looked like he was going to try to smear it on Trixie, or throw it at point-blank range, at Trixie, who was now cowering, covering her face in fear. Something about seeing her this way pissed you off. The crowd went silent and stopped jumping as they watched you emerge behind the orange stallion. He didn't notice the crowd stop, seemingly too enveloped in the task at hand. "Alright, you BITCH. Smile!" He shouted. You could see tears coming out from beneath Trixie's hooves which covered her face. As soon as he was about to thrust his hoof out, you grabbed it from behind. He dropped the tomato immediately. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, pal." You twist his hoof over, forcing him to fall to his side. You instinctively put your foot on his neck, and hold his hoof in your hand. Any time he would struggle, you would twist his hoof harder. "I would really stop struggling so much. It'd be a shame if I broke your leg." You twist slightly harder, to emphasize the point that you weren't scared of going that far. "Who are you? Her marefriend?" He asked. "Oh yeah. And nobody messes with my mare." You respond. Trixie wasn't really your marefriend, and you weren't entirely sure why you responded in such a way, but what was said, was said. No going back now. You looked over at Trixie, who was still visibly upset. "You okay?" Trixie nods her head, wiping her tears away. You resist the urge to break the stallions leg or stomp his head in. The crowd around you dispersed as the Royal Guard showed up. "What happened here?" One of them asked. You nod your head at the orange stallion underfoot. "This nice stallion thought it would be a good idea to pick a fight with my marefriend, threatening her, attempting to smear a tomato all over her. I also believe he called her a bitch and told her to leave Canterlot. What's interesting, is even though that Trixie may not have the best track record, she came here to apologize and express her regret. Funny way your ponies have of keeping open minds." The Guard looked shocked. "Yeah, but, I mean, it's her!" The orange stallion said. The guard motioned for you to release him. The orange stallion stood, and was immediately put in custody. "I do not care if it's Discord himself walking these streets, if somepony has apologized, and are attempting to prove this new-found regret, you have NO right to treat them this way." He turned his head to what was left of the crowd. "As for the rest of you, you should be ASHAMED of yourselves!" The ponies hung their heads in embarrassment. He looked back to you. "You did the right thing, creature. If anypony gives you, or your beautiful marefriend anymore trouble, alert the Guard. We'll see that it's taken care of. And while I'm talking to you, what are you, again?" Trixie speaks up from her cowering, still looking incredibly sad. "He's a Human. His name is Adam." She nearly whispered. "Adam the Human, eh? I will alert the others to your presence, so there will be no shock. Welcome to Canterlot!" He shook your hand with your hoof, and set off, with the newest recruit of the stockade beside him. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Look, all I'm saying is, I really miss my Xbox." Alan said. Lyra wrapped her forelegs around his head while riding on his back, resting her chin on the top of his head. "What's an Xbox?" She asked. "Heresy!" Alan nearly shouted. "It was a gift straight from Poseidon himself." He waited for a moment, allowing her confusion to set in, before he cleared the air. "Actually, it was a machine that you play video games on. Kind of hard to explain, but I miss it." You wipe your eyes with your left hand, shifting Rainbow Dash's weight around on your back as you go to stretch. "Babe, you okay?" She asks. "Yep." You said while you yawn. "Just kinda sleepy is all." "Should I get down?" She asks again. You put your hands around her hind legs, which were wrapped around your waist. "Nah. I usually get sleepy after really big breakfasts like that." She gives you a squeeze, and let you continue your walk.to check out the hardware store. You really had no intention of buying anything today, but it would still would be nice to go out and see what they had in the way of hardware. Rainbow Dash and Alan began to have a friendly argument over something you didn't really care to pay attention to, so you allowed yourself leave to your thoughts. Does Celestia know more than she lets on? _________________________________________________________________________________ Your shackles rumble at rattle as you are led, at spear point, down into what is obviously a dungeon. The pace often would become too quick, and your chains would pull on your waist or leg, causing you to stumble or fall. The Guards would simply pick you back up, or drag you to your feet. You had accepted what was coming to you. You hadn't been in this new world for more than 5 minutes, and you were being executed. Granted, you probably shouldn't have ran like you did, but walking, talking ponies? You may not remember much about yourself, but you remember bits and chunks of what your universe was populated with. Humans. Not ponies. You're led into a dark cell. The guards remove your chains, only to apply new ones that keep you forced to the wall. The guards that brought you in look over you one last time, making sure everything is in place, before leaving the cell, closing the door, and with it, your own light source. It's amazing how you lose track of time when you're left like that. You didn't know if it was day or night. You would drift off to sleep one moment, or begin whistling quietly to yourself the next. You weren't sure if 1 hour had passed, or if 6 days had, but eventually, the door opened. The same large white unicorn that wore the red officers coat walked in. "Have you been fed? Or have you had anything to drink?" He asked, looking you over. You smirk. "No." You reply. He turns around, and leaves the cell, but the door remained open. He came back shortly with a loaf of bread and a bowl of water. He places it on the floor, close enough to where you could reach it off of the wall. "Alright. Now. I have some questions for you. I suggest you answer them." You nod your head, tearing off a chunk of bread, and putting it in your mouth. "Who are you?" He asked. This should be fun. "I don't know." You respond. His eyes study yours. "Are you going to cooperate, or not? Do not waste my time." You could tell he was frustrated. "I'm cooperating. I do not know who I am. All I remember is opening my eyes, and boom. I'm here, your guards shoving their spears down my throat. If you do not believe me, ask the guards. Their testimony will prove my claims." He walks back out into the dungeon hallway, out of your view, but left the door open again. You shrug your shoulders, and go back to eating. The bread wasn't that bad. It wasn't stale or completely bland tasting. The water also wasn't toilet water or filthy, for that matter. At least they were treating you with SOME respect. The large white unicorn comes into the room with 2 other guards. "He says he does not remember his offences. He says he doesn't know who he is. Tell me everything that happened." One of the two guards sighed, and walked forward. "We were on patrol through the streets of the Empire. Easy enough. There were 4 of us, and we were having a pretty good time. It was a really pretty day, and it was a quiet one, too. As we started to walk down main street, there was a flash of white light, and that thing," He pointed at you with a hoof. "That thing was standing in front of us. He looked really spooked." The other guard stepped forward. "We had never seen anything like him before, and took him to be a monster." He spoke. "His running certainly did not help our fears-" "And your spears at my throat didn't do much for me, either." You interject, putting more bread in your mouth. "Like I was SAYING," The pony continued. "He ran through the streets. One thing led to another, and that's when we got you." The large white unicorn sighed, and looked at you. "So what you say is true then. Release him." The other two guards looked up at him in shock. "Shining Armor, are you sure?" One asked. The Unicorn identified as Shining Armor nodded his head. "Think about it. If he was an enemy to the Crystal Empire, he would know the city layout. With his skills and knowledge of the city, he would've escaped, instead of running right to us at the castle." His eyes met yours. "And you're sure that you don't know anything about yourself?" He asked. "You seem like a reasonable man, or uh...unicorn...Mr. Armor. So I'll make you a promise. The moment I remember anything about myself, I'll tell you. All I know, is that I am a Human. Other than that, you know as much as I do." You feel the guards fumble around with your shackles. "I don't believe we've ever been formally introduced." "I am Prince Shining Armor. I am the General of the Crystal Empire's Military, and I also rule his kingdom beside my wife, Cadence. I would ask you to return your introduction, but your amnesia probably prevents that." Your shackles release. You rub your wrists and your shins, feeling the air touch your skin in those areas for the first time in awhile. For the first time since your "Arrival" in this strange kingdom, you pat yourself down, seeing all that you have. And that's when you find the first clue to your world back home. When you found your name. While patting yourself down, you felt something against your chest. You put your hand under your shirt, finding a metal tag on a chain necklace that you were wearing. It read: MAXWELL. L. OWENS. IMO. PATHFINDERS. X0148220-1314 "Huh. Well, a promise is a promise. Shining Armor, I believe I just found my name." Shining Armor looks at you curiously. "And? What is it?" He asked. "Maxwell." You respond. "Hmm...Maxwell the Human." You cringe at the way he says it. "Actually, just call me Max. Sounds better to the ear, don't you think?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You approach Trixie slowly, who was still cowering on the ground. You offer her your hand. She looks up at you, tears still in her eyes, and takes it. You go to lift her up, but she assumes that you were going to hug her. Because she hugs you. Hard. "I knew you'd come." She said between sobs. "I knew you'd come. Why do ponies have to be so mean?" You sighed, and ran your fingers through her mane. "No idea. But you saved my sandwich, and then we shared a lollipop together. That makes us best friends now. And no one messes with any best friend of mine." You remember that wizard bear you had bought for her. "Here." You said, having her end the hug. You hand her the bear. "I saw this little guy at the gift shop place. Thought you might like it." Trixie smiles, tears still in her eyes, but they were no longer coming. She hugs the bear, and then looks back up to you for direction. "Here, lets go find Mala and Bakir. They've got to be around here somewhere." Trixie goes to stand up, but wobbles about. You knew she was scared, but scared to this point? You kneel down beside her. "On second thought, brace yourself." You pick her up, carrying her like you did when you first found her dying in the desert. She responds the exact same way as well, burying her face in your shoulder, falling asleep while hugging her stuffed animal. You walk back towards the station. You hear cooing. "Awww..." It was Mala. You see her and Bakir both watching you from the alleyway next to the train station. "Shh...she fell asleep. I'll follow you." You walk behind Bakir and Mala, who led you down the alleyway, and out into another street. How the Hell does Trixie fall asleep so quickly? God damn. You all stopped at the end of this street, before a large purple building. "Now, Adam." Mala said, pausing to wipe her muzzle with a hoof. "Our appointment with Celestia isn't until tomorrow. We're all going to go stay at this hotel. Feel free to explore Canterlot tonight. Just make sure you're up early." She looks at you, and winks. "And make sure Trixie can walk straight in the morning. I would hate for her to be embarrassed in front of Celestia. If you're gonna do it, be gentle." Your jaw drops. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Mala, what the Hell was that?" You chuckle in shock. She simply winks again, and goes into the hotel. You follow her, and rent a room for Trixie and yourself. You knew she wasn't going to be staying in her own room, so you just got one for you share. You carry her sleeping body up several flights of stairs, before arriving on the 4th floor, where you room was. Your room number was 422. You walked down the hallway, which had an interesting purple and gold carpeting in it, reading the plaques posted outside of the doors. "416...418...420...422. Alright. Here we are." You mutter to yourself. You unlock the door, and walk inside the room. The room was actually pretty decent. It had a single large bed, a table and some chairs, a large bathroom, and a balcony that overlooked Canterlot. It was quite the view. You lay Trixie down in the bed and watch as she curls up into a pony-ball, hugging her new wizard bear. You pull the blanket up over Trixie, and go into the bathroom. Your little tussle with that orange asshole may have got you dirty. You look in the mirror, running your hand along your face. Other than a little dirt here and there, you were clean. You wet a rag near the sink, and wipe your face down. As you examine your face, your stomach grumbles loudly. "Whew. That was a big one." You laugh to yourself. You decided not to go out and find anything to eat. Chances are, you'd leave Trixie, she'd wake up alone, and panic. Or you'd go out and get your stomach full, only for Trixie to awake when you return, wanting to eat. You walk back out into the main room, and pull up a chair to the table that was near the balcony. You pick up the pen on the table, and doodle on some of the paper that was near the pen. Why do Hotels always have this complimentary pen and paper? While you would rather be watching TV or messing around on the Internet, doodling would have to suffice. You chuckle quietly to yourself, as a minor memory returned to you. People poked fun at you because you were 32 years old and still watched shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Frisky Dingo, or because you played video games and read comics. You smile, remembering your response to these naysayers. "I'm a 32 year old Mercenary, I can do whatever the Hell I please." You mouth. Your eyes then ripped open as more memories poured in. It was like a drop of water hit the top of your head, then 5 seconds later, an entire bathtub was emptied on you. Mercenary. Major Adam Howard. Pathfinder. It all comes back to you at once. _________________________________________________________________________________ You walk down your row of new recruits. Most of them are fresh from military service around the world. Most of them. One recruit, Private Locke, was an exception to this. His father, Mason Locke, was a seasoned veteran and recognized War Hero whom IMO sought. When Mason denied their offers, naturally they targeted his son. After all, A child is merely an extension of ones self. Each of the recruits had their own weapon, provided by the IMO. All they had to do was make a request for what they would like, and they would receive their request, as long as it was reasonable. As a Private, you were allowed one primary weapon and one secondary. You were also allowed to keep any weapons you loot from bodies, whether they be friendly or hostile. Locke wielded a G36E, the exported variant of the Heckler & Koch G36 line of assault rifles. As you held your hand high to signal the recruits to begin their training on the firing range, you paid close attention to Locke. He seemed to know what he was doing, while the others fumbled and messed around. They may have served in a military somewhere, but they didn't act like it. Locke never served in any military, and he acted with extreme professionalism. He stepped forward, pressing the butt of the rifle against his shoulder. He looked through the attached scope, took a deep breath, and fired his rifle several times. Each recruit was given 5 bullets, and was to fire said bullets down the range, and attempt to hit the targets. You were anxious to see how Locke did. As the final recruit fired his final round, you pressed the button at the back of the range, making the targets zip up to their recruits. You heard many excuses and complaining from a good amount of recruits, but Locke remained silent. You walked over to him. "Show me your target, Locke." He turned around, and handed you his target. Your eyes widen, and a smile grew on your face. "GOD. DAMN." 5 holes, all right next to each other, sat in the very center of the target. This recruit was already more accurate than most others you knew, and you had been in the IMO since you were 18 years old. He could probably out shoot you, which made you proud and terrified at the same time. You decide that this recruit is Pathfinder material. It was so incredibly rare to find someone who was capable of such accuracy. You had to have him on your squad. You pat him on the shoulder, and hand him back his target. You walk to the back of the range, and get on your phone. "Yes, Howard?" The Chairman answers. "Private Adam Locke. I want him on the Pathfinders. No question about it." You respond. The Chairman laughs. "It is done." _________________________________________________________________________________ You blink, and slouch in your chair, It was just your luck that you would regain a good portion of your memories right before you go to meet the leader of this kingdom. It was just your luck that you weren't a poet, or an author, but a killer. you decide to withhold this information from Mala and Bakir. You really didn't want to keep anything from Trixie. Even the thought of lying to her tore you up on the inside. The sucky thing about lies, was the fact that somewhere along the line, they are always found out. So, you could either tell her the truth and scare the living Hell out of her, or have her find out later, and be pissed about you lying. You look at her sleeping, curled up and smiling, her hat falling off of her head. You can't help but smile from how cute she looks. You scoot back in your chair, and sit on the bed beside her. You remove her hat completely, and run your fingers through her mane. She stirs slightly, and yawns in her sleep. You decide at the moment that you were going to lie to her. _________________________________________________________________________________ You leave the Hardware store with a giant pole, a sheet of plywood, some white paint, and a big metal ring. The day was beginning to end, so you definitely were not setting up any basketball goal soon. Lyra offered to store the materials inside of her shed back home. You bid Aaden and Rainbow Dash goodbye, and walk with Lyra back to her house, toting the supplies. "That was a bunch of fun, Alan! I'm glad that they came with us! Aaden is really nice!" Lyra exclaimed. "You don't know the half of it." You laugh. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, what am I supposed to do now?" You ask. "Not my problem." Shining Armor responded. "Are you kidding me? I just appear out of nowhere in your damn city, I get spears shoved up my ass, I'm thrown in a dungeon, and now I'm on my own?" You object. You were getting pissed. "Look." He said, turning around to face you. "I don't know who you are. I don't care to know. You want help? Find it elsewhere." With those words, he went back inside of the leg of the crystal castle. While you understood his reason for being so reluctant to help you, it still made you angry. You take a deep breath to calm yourself, and you start your walk through the rainy streets of the Crystal Empire, as it was called. You had no destination. You had no aim. You were lost. You hold an open hand out, and let rain fall into your palm. Lightning zips across the sky, followed by the crack of thunder. You grip your hand into a fist, and let it fall to your side. End of the line, Max. Chapter Thirty-Seven: Four Lost SoulsAnd so, here you were. Alone. Alone. All on your own in this new world. No money. No knowledge. No memories. No friends. You just existed. You let the rain hit your shoulders. You had yet to stop and examine yourself, so you took advantage of a nearby puddle. You leaned over it, and looked at your reflection. Although it danced and wavered when the rain hit it, you could see yourself. You had on dirty black boots which were laced tightly. You were wearing black pants which were dirtied and wet with what looked like knee pads over your knees, and padding on other spots of your legs. You were wearing a thick long sleeved black jacket with orange streaks going down the length of the sleeves. Over the jacket, you wore a long black duster, it's tails stopping just past the back of your knees. On your hands were black gloves, with an orange symbol on the right glove. Lastly, you saw your face. You were young, that much was for sure. Your eyes were an extremely light blue. So light, in fact, that they could pass for being white. Your light eyes complimented your pale skin, and made your jet black hair look even better. You had no facial hair, but your face did have splotches of dirt on it. You step in the puddle, breaking your reflection. You look up, seeing Ponies watching you. You stopped caring at this point. You continue your walk out of the city, looking at your feet. The entire way. You could feel eyes on you, but something still felt odd. You weren't sure what it was, but you felt the urge to turn around. You stop in your tracks, and turn around. Among all of the ponies, one stood out. It was yellow, with a pink mane. It stood out among the others, who seemingly glistened and seemed to be made of Crystal, themselves. It noticed you turn around, and seemingly attempted to hide behind it's mane. You turn back around, and keep walking. "You. Max." You hear a voice say. You turn around, expecting it to be the yellow pony with the pink mane. It wasn't. A gray and black Guard approached you, an intricate bow on his back. It shone, revealing the bow to be a magnificent light blue that turned a deep purple on the ends of the bow. "Shining Armor said to give this to you. He knows your leaving the city. It's dangerous in the cold crystal mountains, so, here." He takes the bow off his back, and hands it to you. "Take this." You take the bow from him, examining it. The string was clear, almost like fishing wire. You couldn't help but notice that there were no arrows. "So, what, do I make my own arrows?" You ask. The Guard shakes his head. "No. Pull back on the string." You look down at the bow, holding it as if an arrow was already knocked. You pull the string back, and to your amazement, an arrow literally burst into existence. It looked as if it was made of light, and the end of the arrowhead sparked and glistened. You fire the arrow into the sky, and watch as it dissolves. "Now, you have thousands of different options with the arrows. Exploding arrows? Arrows that electrocute? Regular old arrows? All you have to do is think it when you pull back on the string, and there it is." You look back at the bow. This Shining Armor pony may have been an asshole to you at first, but at least he was showing some compassion. You understood why he did what he did, but it didn't make it suck any less. You can understand why your dog was dying, or why you had a headache, but that didn't make them any more pleasant. At least now you had a fighting chance. You could hunt and defend yourself. It's all you needed. "Tell Shining Armor I said 'thank you'. And thank you, too." The Guard nodded his head. "You're welcome. Please. PLEASE. Don't make me regret giving you this, human." The Guard stares into your eyes, before turning around and walking away. He stopped halfway down the road, looking back at you one last time. You continue the rest of your walk to the city gates unhindered. You still doubted that you would be able to survive out in the wilderness. The way it was described to you, it sounded like mountains and snow. No warmth, no animals of reasonable size, just a giant, frozen mountain range. It sounded like an icy version of Hell. Standing just outside the city, looking at the green plains around you. It was almost like you were in a valley. You look down at your bow, and decide to give it a try. You hold it up, assuming the stance to fire it, and clear your mind. You'd rather not have arrows made of being pissed off. You couldn't imagine what a pissed off arrow was. You weren't going to find out. You take a deep breath, and begin searching your thoughts. You want to fire a broad arrow. You pull the string back, and watch as the broad arrow manifested itself immediately in shining light and crystal. You take aim, and release it. The arrow whistles through the air, rocketing at high speed, before slamming into a tree. A loud crack roared through the valley, the tree vibrating in place from impact. You smile, watching the arrow dissolve into flakes of light. It was oddly satisfying to witness such a spectacle. Shining Armor had just completely went from being an ass to a saint in your eyes. You look down at the bow again, closely examining the fine etchings and carvings that were glowing along the bow. The glowing seemed to pulse, fading in and out, and the odd characters you would call runes seemed to permanently glow, not pulsing with the etchings. While you stared in awe at this new tool you were given, you didn't notice the yellow pony behind you. "N-nice sh-shot..." The feminine voice nearly whispered. You turn, placing the bow around you like a backpack. "Th-that was r-really gr-great..." She continued. "Thanks." You reply. You weren't as pissed as you were before. You were still wary, but not pissed. You hold your hand out, to shake her hooves. "EEP!" She yelped, and jumped backwards. You hold your hands up, to signal that you mean no harm. "No no! I'm not going to hurt you, I just wanted to introduce myself!" You explain. You hold your hands in the air still. The pony comes back out from behind her mane, and approaches you. "My name is Max. Who are you? I noticed you following me earlier." She goes back behind her mane, "I...er...thought..." She stammers. You keep your hands raised. "It's okay, I'm not mad." You were lying, but you couldn't afford to make anyone scared of you. You would get your new toy taken away in a heartbeat. She comes back out, albeit slowly. "My name is F-Fl-Fluttershy...you l-looked like a fr-friend I have b-back home...I th-thought you w-were him...You b-both look s-similar from behind..." She stammered. Thought I was him? There are other humans? "Nice to meet you Fluttershy. But did you say there were others? Humans?" You asked. She nodded her head slowly. You lit up with hope and joy instantly. Maybe you weren't alone, afterall. "I believe th-that's what Aaden s-said he is..." She continued to stammer. Your bow begins to hum slightly as you hold it. You feel like you have to sneeze, but it wont come out. The temples on the sides of your forehead also begin to feel warm as your forehead itself begins to feel cold. Aaden. Sounds familiar. You take a deep, shaky breath. "Fluttershy. Can you take me to this Aaden?" Fluttershy seemingly retreats again. "P-please don;t b-be mad at m-me..." She looks up at you from behind her mane. "I-I originally c-came here to g-get some m-medicine...I h-have to g-get it before I go b-back. My A-angel bunny is v-very sick..." She nearly whispers. You nod your head. "I'll help you. Do we just go to a doctors office, or?" She seemingly perks up a bit. "No. We have to find the h-herbs ourselves, out in the mountains." She explained. "You stay here, in the city. The wilderness is no place for a pony like you. You could get hurt." You reply. She shook her head quickly. She sounded more concerned now than scared. "Nuh uh! I have to come!" She said. She then seemed embarrassed by the way she raised her voice, and immediately quieted down. "It's j-just...Angel is my bunny. A-and, besides, you d-don't know w-what kind of plants we need..." You run a quick scenario check in your head. You could either deny her requests all together, and find this Aaden on your own. You could just get her to tell you what herbs she needs, and go and find them yourself, and possibly die on the way back from getting lost or killed. Or lastly, you could let her come with you, and still both possibly die from exposure or by some feral creatures hands/paws. The desire within you to see another human is enormous, and you need to do something to gain these ponies trust, anyways. "Do you know where to find these plants?" You ask. The pony shakes her head. "Y-yes." She replied. You decide to let her come with you. If she knows the way, and knows what exactly she needs, then you see no reason other than the danger in the mountains to deny her company. "Can you defend yourself?" You ask again. She nods her head. "I don't l-like to, but y-yes." She responds. You smile. This was the first genuine smile you've had since landing in this city. You couldn't imagine this pony fighting. "W-would it make you m-more comfortable i-if I showed y-you?" She asked. This should be good. She looks up at you from under her mane, still looking timid. Her pupils were right in line with yours. Her facial expression then jumps from one of nervousness to anger. Her eyes seemingly stare down into your soul. It was as if she was seeing every single sin and intricate detail of your life. It almost burns. You feel guilty. You feel ashamed. You feel alone. "Put down your weapon." She demanded. You couldn't break your gaze off of her eyes. Your hands were now moving against your will. You slid the bow off of yourself, and gently placed it at her feet, looking into her eyes the entire time. You knew what was happening, but there was nothing you could do to stop it. You couldn't fight it. You just couldn't. Finally, she relents with a weak smile. Your eyes can finally leave hers. You take a breath, and pick up your bow again. Fluttershy was blushing. "Told you so..." She said, smiling. "Alright. You're in." You said. "So. When do we go?" "Well." Fluttershy started. "It's going to take h-half a day to get out there. Another h-half to g-get back. W-we're going to have to camp o-overnight...if that's o-okay..." You pat her on the back, very slowly and gently. She still yelps lightly, but didn't freak out. "We'll be okay. Do I follow you?" She nods. You followed the yellow pony down the cobblestone path which quickly turns to dirt, which then just turns to just grass, and then tall grass. It was also beginning to get colder. "S-so. W-why are you all the way out h-here in the C-Crystal Empire?" Fluttershy asked. You were happy that she finally broke the ice. You certainly didn't want to do it. "I don't know. According to the guards, I just popped up here." You responded. "That's s-strange." She started. "Aaden said the same thing, th-that he just popped up, t-too." Aaden. That name sounded so incredibly familiar. The sensation you were experiencing was one that was very hard to explain. It was like when you're waiting for your turn to speak in a conversation, and then you forget what you want to say. It was very aggravating. In fact, if you weren't in the company of this yellow pony, you may have shouted in frustration. You decide to try and take your own mind off of the subject. "You really seem to know your way to these plants. Do you come out here often?" You ask. Fluttershy seems to lose her timidity, and speak to you normally. "Well, Angel gets sick sometimes from eating bad things. It's usually garbage he finds. I come out here maybe 3 times a year. I like the walk and the camping, so it's never a bad thing. Though, it'll be nice to have a friend with me this time." Fluttershy's timidity regrows itself. "If we are friends...I m-mean, if you want to be. It's okay, if you don't..." "Of course we're friends." You respond. "You're the only friend I have in this new world. What's this place called again?" You ask. "Equestira." Flutterhsy responded. Equestria. Land of talking ponies, flying pegasi, and unicorns. Of magic and wonder. If you weren't so confused about your own situation, you might be able to enjoy yourself more. Yet, here you were. Alone. Twisting in the wind. For every question that was answered, two more took it's place. Your confusion multiplied by the minute. This wasn't the worst part, however. The worst part was the feeling in the back of your head. At the back of your head, you could feel something. Sadness. A deep sadness. You could also feel a yearning for answers, and a feeling of being unsatisfactory. At the back of your head, even through the cloud of war that amnesia casts over your mind, you know something for certain: No matter when or if you get your memories back, even if this Aaden turns out to have all of your answers, something happened to you. Something bad. Something had broken you. You were a broken man. _________________________________________________________________________________ You get up in the middle of the night, sneaking out from underneath Lyra. You still felt extremely good, but at the same time, you felt restless. It was the feeling of trying to sleep when you had neglected too many chores. Lyra's, although asleep, obviously disagreed with your new position of not being under her. She sighed heavily, and hugged the pillow you slipped beneath her. You were to go to Canterlot in three more days. And something about it really made you nervous. You couldn't explain it, the feeling of dread and excitement that began growing inside of you, but it made you feel jumpy. It made you feel restless. You creep down the staircase of the house, walk into the living room, and have a seat on one of the many sofas Lyra and Bon Bon had. You kick your feet up on the table of the one closest to you, and you lean your head back against the sofa, letting your thoughts run their course. You look up at the clock, and see that it was only 3 AM. "Gah..." You groaned. You were wide awake in the middle of the night, and you were incredibly bored. You wished Aaden was here, or that you guys had set up the basketball goal earlier. You sit up from slouching, and peer around the living room, searching for something, anything to bring you entertainment. You see a pen and some paper on the table, near where you resting your feet. Eh. But nobody can read English here. Wait. Maybe that's a good thing. You get up and walk into the kitchen, grab and open a soda, and you then sit down at the same sofa. You were going to write everything on your mind, let it all out on the parchment before you. We all feel so small in the grand scheme of things. We all feel as if, we don't matter. And truth be told, to this Universe, we mean nothing. We live and die and leave no mark on it. We don't mean anything to this universe, this world, or even our countries. I may not know where I am right now, but what I do know, is that there is something here that loves me. Lyra. And to this one mare, I seemingly mean more than all of those things combined. Why does this matter? Why does Lyra's love make me feel so good when I'm so neglected in my existence? What's the difference between Lyra and the other things I have described? Lyra is alive. All of these other things don't care, because they are infinite. They have no reason to care because of this. But Lyra, Lyra is finite. One would think a finite thing would be as selfish and greedy as possible, intending to milk it's short existence for as much fun and privilege as possible, and that the infinite would love and care. It's quite the opposite. Although Lyra is finite, she stands beside me. She loves me and cares about me when nothing else does. She offers her finite heart and her finite time to me. I know of no love more true than that. As you finish writing, you begin trying to draw Batman at the bottom of the page. After all, you can't be serious ALL of the time. As you were drawing the iconic pointy ears on his mask, you reach for your soda, only to lift it and find that it was empty. You get up off of the couch, throw the bottle away, and grab another from the cooler. Just as you were going to sit back down and continue your drawing of Batman, you hear someone clear their throat on the stairwell. "It's kinda late, hun." You look up, and see Bon Bon coming down. "What're you up to, anyways?" She asks. "Nothing much, just a little late night writing. And Batman." You respond. "Well. Okay. At least you're being quiet down here. I gotta tell you, you scared me half to Tartarus a moment ago. I'm still getting used to having a guest as unique as you here." She walks over to you, wearing a pink and purple set of pajamas. "How's Lyra? You had better be taking good care of her." You nod your head. "We went to breakfast with Aaden and Rainbow Dash today, and then hung out for the rest of the day. You really should come with us one of these days, she talks about you quite a bit. You two seem to go way back." Bon Bon sits down next to you, taking a sip of your soda. You didn't care. "Oh yeah, we've known each other for a very long time. Went to school together, graduated, went to the same university, graduated, and now we live together. We're pretty much inseparable." She explains. "Well, I'd love to hear more of that story. Lyra makes me smile, I'm sure you could too." Bon Bon chuckles, and takes another sip of your soda. "It's quite a long story. Maybe some other time. And what's in this soda? I've never tasted anything like it. It's really good." "Aaden, for whatever reason, had a backpack filled with junk food from our universe when he arrived here. In an attempt to make his supplies infinite, he gave Pinkie Pie a sample of everything he had. She's able to replicate it with ease. That soda you're drinking is the recipe for cola back home." You said. She stops sipping, and takes a swig. "Alan, speaking of home...Do you miss your home?" She asks. You stop your drawing of Batman, and look up at her. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it at all, but for the most part, I'm very happy here. See, back home, all I wanted was to do good. After my little revelation while working as a mercenary, I came to the conclusion that all I needed to be happy was a nice, quiet and peaceful life. I can't quite have that back home. At least not anymore. But here, I can. Plus, here I can watch Lyra try to walk like a human." Bon Bon laughs. "Goodness, she certainly is something else, isn't she?" She asks, and laughs again. She places a hoof on your hand. "In all seriousness, Alan. Lyra and I are both here for you. I must admit, after you first showed up in Ponyville trying to kill Aaden, I was suspicious. But you're quite the charming little stallion. Or human, rather. If you need anything, just let either of us know. You're apart of our clique now." She said. "Clique? There's only two of you." You joke. She pushes her hoof down on your hand gently. "Now there's three." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Careful." Fluttershy warned. You held your right hand out to balance yourself as you walked along the rocky crevice. As you worked your way across said crevice, Fluttershy froze in her tracks. "What's wrong?" You asked, catching up beside her at the end of the crevice. She points her hoof out in the distance. You squint your eyes, and sure enough, you see what she's pointing at. In the distance, near a small group of trees, was a bear sniffing about. Probably searching for food. You take the bow off your back. Fluttershy immediately speaks. "What are you doing?" She asks. "Taking care of another problem." You respond. "What? You can't hurt him!" She objects. You had yet to hear her object like this. You look down at her, her eyes pleading with you. "I'm not." You replied. While you were originally planning on killing the bear, you decide to lie to her, make yourself seem more creative than you really are. You draw your bow, and begin to think of another broad arrow. It bursts into existence in brilliant light, and you take aim. You can feel Fluttershy watching your every movement. You take a deep breath, and release the arrow, sending it whistling through the mountains. It strikes the tree nearest to the bear, and with another insanely loud crack, the arrow strikes its target. The bear leaps into the air, and immediately darts back off into the forest as fast as it's stubby arms and legs can take it. As you go to put your bow back on, Fluttershy hugs your waist briefly. "Thank you." She said. You hug back out of contempt. "Lets keep moving." You said, breaking the hug. She nodded, and took the lead once more, guiding you through the mountains. "Max, how did you become such a good shot? If you don't mind me asking." Fluttershy inquired. "I can't remember. It just kind of comes to me like an instinct right now. I'm sure there is a story behind it, but the amnesia clouds it." You respond "Oh. Well, I'm sorry. I hope you get better soon." "Me too." _________________________________________________________________________________ You still couldn't believe that you were up this early. But you couldn't sleep. It was 6 AM, and today was the day that you were going to have Aaden over for two weeks. You ran about the house, double checking everything. Food? Check. Alcohol? Check. Contraception? Check. After you finish, you go back through, and triple check everything. Then quadruple check everything. You were so excited, you wanted to leap out of your skin. Funny thing was, is that you wanted to tell Aaden how much you missed him. You wanted him to hold you, and tell you that you that he missed you too. You wanted to tell him that you loved him. You were terrified of it, though. You were known for being so brash and laid back. You didn't want to ruin your own image in Aaden's eyes. As you scampered about your house, you must have woke up Octavia at some point, because she came downstairs wearing her deep purple robe, and went into the kitchen. "Vinyl, are you quite alright?" She asked while getting her morning coffee prepared. "Honestly? No. I am FREAKING out." You replied, opening the series of cabinets in your kitchen. Again. For the fifth time. "Scratchie, relax. I've never seen you pay so much attention to detail before, unless it has to do with your music." You run back to the bathroom of your house, fling open the shower curtain, and make sure you have plenty of shampoo and toothpaste. Octavia follows you. "Vinyl, it's alright. Look, you really like Aaden, right?" She asks. "Yeah." You answer, absent minded. "Why?" She asked again. "You know why. He's smart, he's funny, he's cool, he's attractive, and he's one of the nicest creatures I've ever met, pony or not." You respond, almost offended. Octavia smiled, and sipped her coffee. "Vinyl, I've always trusted your judgement. If he's as nice as you say he is, do you think he'll really mind all of these intricate things?" You stop digging through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and let yourself think. "Well, no, but-" "But nothing. If Aaden acts like you describe him, then I believe he'll be more than happy here." Octavia interrupted. You share her smile, and cool down a little. "Thanks Tavi. I don't mean to get to excited." You said. She walks over, and hugs you, her coffee mug still in her hand. "It's alright. I'm excited, too. I believe these next two weeks will be quite enlightening for us." _________________________________________________________________________________ You never stopped to question how the IMO had come across so much money, or how they obtained the equipment they had, but the AC-130U you rode in fascinated you. Of course, you were only a private at the time, and most things still fascinated you, like the odd universal ranking system used in the IMO. It was almost weird to remember your days as a gunner. The AC-130U you rode in was affectionately nicknamed "Ghostie", after the USAF's "Spooky", but with a few adjustments. Rather than the single GAU-12 Equalizer Rotary Cannon, this one had two. It also carried one 40 mm cannon, and an enormous 105 mm cannon. Lastly, Ghostie had wing-mounted AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles, ready to unleash their namesake. As Ghostie buzzed through the air, you leaned on the rotary cannon you were in charge of controlling. "Hey, Adam!" Michael shouted over the sound of Ghostie's engines. "Yeah?" You shouted back. "When do you think we'll get there?" "Dunno! Hopefully soon though, right?" "Yeah, I hear that!" Micheal rubbed a hand on his exposed cheek. "Just wanna get this over with, ya know?" "I know all too well!" "The killing bothers me! It just doesn't feel right!" He kept shouting. "We aren't paid to think! But I know, it bugs me too!" The radio inside of your helmets buzzed. "Alrighty gentleman." It was Colonel Gabriel. "ETA 10 minutes. Battle stations." You looked over at Michael, who looked at you. He nodded his head quickly, and you both began fumbling with the rotary cannon, preparing it to fire. While you fumbled with a large bolt on the side of the cannon, you listened to the Colonel keep talking. "This will be a joint operation between the IMO, Aerox, and NATO forces. I repeat, Aerox mercs and 'good guys' will be ON THE BATTLEFIELD. DO, NOT, KILL THEM." You popped the bolt off, freeing the weapon to swivel about. Micheal was still preparing the cannon to fire. "Those of you on the ground, your job is to aid the push into the city. Those of you with Ghostie, your job is blow the shit out of any reinforcements or heavy armor that may show up." You hear the 105 mm Cannon make a loud clicking sound. Gunner Titus must have been readying it, as well. "The Administrator, The Ambassador and The Chairman will be watching. Do not disappoint them. They sign your checks. Speaking of money, time to clock in." _________________________________________________________________________________ You gently lift yourself up from the warmth and comfort of your bed, and let your mind process what you had dreamed. You were beginning to think that maybe you really were some kind of soldier before arriving here in Equestria. Trixie was fast asleep next to you. Snoring, even. Earlier in the evening, Trixie woke from her nap, and you both went to a restaurant called "Genesis". Despite the deep and thought provoking name, the food was good, and the drinks were better. The hotel you were in wasn't half bad, either. The concierge service was friendly, the room was clean, and the beds were comfy. That was all that mattered to you. Trixie was happy, as well. Earlier, you had meant to ask Trixie why she had the mannerisms of a narcoleptic goat, always falling asleep when stressed or scared, but you decided against it. You scoot back down into the comfort of your bed, feeling a wave of warmth coming from Trixie. You smile in your comfort, and slide a little closer to her, attempting to fall back asleep. Still, something about this soldier business bothered you. It was like looking down a dark hallway, and seeing a pair of bloodshot eyes looking back. You don't know if you're seeing things, and you don't know what you're looking at, but something is definitely looking back at you. Something about that thought made your skin crawl, so you cease thinking of it, and attempt to distract yourself. At least the morning should be enlightening. Your visit with this ruler of Equestria should be quite interesting. You could get all the answers you please when you wake up. You close your eyes, and once again, you're looking down the dark hallway of your mind. Before you can object, you already know something is looking back. Something angry and sad. Something tired. And whatever it was, it was coming closer. The weirdest part about it all, were your hands. They hurt quite a bit. The joints felt as if they had moving quite a bit, like your hands may have been twitching rapidly in your sleep. Your palms also felt incredibly warm, more so than any other part of your body. You doubt that Trixie has been screwing around with your hands while you slept, and chalk this sensation up to the unknown. Maybe you'll get answers tomorrow. Maybe. _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy stopped dead in her tracks again, this time while you were both in the frozen forests just outside of the valley that held the Crystal Empire. "You okay?" You ask. She nods slowly. "Y-yeah. I just don't like the dark." She responds. You nod back, and remove the bow from your back. You imagine light, and with a gentle tug on the string, an arrow resembling a torch burning with light itself appears. You remove the torch-arrow from the bow, and oddly enough, it doesn't disintegrate in your hands. And for just one torch, it really lit up the area. You look back down at Fluttershy, briefly pointing the torch forward. "Shall we continue?" You ask. She nods, and resumes walking. You look up at the tree tops. Night had fallen, and the tree tops, coated with a mixture of snow and ice, made it appear as if this forest was inside of a giant, white cave. Just ahead of you was a cabin. One that was actually quite small, but a cabin, none-the-less. It now made sense to you why you didn't bring any camping equipment. As you approached the cabin, Fluttershy dug a key out of the satchel she carried, and unlocked the door, letting you both in. Inside of the cabin was impressive for it's small size. A bed, a sofa, a few paintings, and a fireplace. You walk over to said fireplace, and dip your torch into it, lighting the frigid logs inside of it ablaze. "Y-you can have the bed. If you want." Fluttershy said as she set her satchel down. "No. You led me here, did most of the work. You take the bed. I'll sleep on the sofa." You replied. "Oh. O-okay. Would you at least take a blanket?" You shook your head again. "I appreciate the offer, but I want you to have it all. The job of a guide is a tough one, in my mind." "M-Max, you'll freeze." "I'll take the sofa near the fireplace. I'll move it even closer if I have to." You finished. Fluttershy sighed, and climbed up onto the bed, putting herself underneath the many blankets on it, placing her head on the stack of pillows. You stop poking the logs with the torch-arrow, and let it fall from your hands, watching it disintegrate into fiery-flakes as it falls from your grasp. You walk over to the sofa, and drag it closer to the fireplace. You take off your duster, and place it on the coat rack. You also untie your boots, and place them near said coat rack. You climb up onto the mattress, and get yourself comfortable, your head resting on the arm rest away from the fireplace, and your sock-covered feet facing toward it. You allow your eyes to shut, and your mind to begin it's race. Here you were, in the "magical" land of sentient ponies. One second, your in a dungeon, and the next, in a snow covered cabin with a magic bow that conjures arrows. It was an incredible amount to take in, and thinking about it broke every rule of reality you could think of. Isaac Newton was probably rolling in his grave back home. Home was interesting to think about, because you didn't remember a damn thing about it. You knew it was filled with humans, and you knew it was called Earth. You could also recall a little of Earth's history, but that was it. The only thing you really knew, was that your name was Max, and even then, what if the proof you had of that was false? Your existence in Equestria was a shaky one, ripe with confusion. You roll over on the sofa, facing in towards it, and fall asleep. Not just any sleep, either. No, the sleep you were falling in to was an incredibly deep sleep. You felt almost as if you were close to death. Perhaps this deep sleep was your body's way of responding to so much mental anguish. You had no dreams that night. You didn't even wake up once in the middle of the night. When you do eventually wake, you feel as if you've slept for 16 hours. You open your eyes with a few blinks, and immediately notice that your make-shift bed on the sofa had been "upgraded" sometime in the middle of the night. You had several pillows under your head, and a warm, fuzzy blanket draped and tucked over you. The warmth was so incredibly comforting, that you didn't continue to get up. You just laid back, your head poking out from this fortress of comfort. Pillow forts be damned. Fluttershy had left the cabin, which would have bothered you, but you noticed a small cauldron-like pot dangling over the fire in the fireplace. She was making breakfast from something, and she must have went out in the forest to further collect ingredients. Whatever was in that cauldron was making your stomach grumble. It smelled really good. The scent of cinnamon wafted through the air, and, for reasons unknown, this scent really woke you up. Maybe you enjoyed cinnamon before you arrived here. In your state of lethargy, you roll back on your side, facing inwards on the sofa once more. For your first night in a completely different world, you slept pretty well, and although you were nervous about eating any pony-food for the first time, whatever was in that cauldron smelled pretty good. Your grab the edge of the blanket, and pull it up slightly higher, making it reach well over your neck, stopping just below your eyes. You close your eyes, and allow yourself to relax. One moment, your chained to a wall in a dungeon. The next, you're in what you're sure was one of the most comfy beds you've ever had. And this thing was just a sofa. Mental trauma, ahoy. You hear the doorknob to the cabin being fumbled with, so you pretend to be asleep, staying as still as you could. You hear the door open, close, and then clopping of hooves inside of the cabin. Fluttershy sat something down, which must have been heavy because it was pretty loud. So loud, that Fluttershy let out a quiet yelp, obviously not wanting to wake you. You then heard her walk over to the cauldron, and begin messing with whatever was in the cauldron. More scents begin to fill the room, which you really enjoy, but hate at the same time. Smelling your food cooking, but having to wait for it, sucked. You begin to take in consideration how short and rude you had been with Fluttershy. Perhaps you had been a little too temperamental with her. She may be annoyingly shy, awkwardly quiet, and incredibly silly at times, but she obviously has good intentions. There was no way you got up in the middle of the nights, and took the blankets and pillows out from underneath of her. She had to have done this to you. And now she was cooking you breakfast. A good scented one, at that. While the first ponies you met you didn't exactly agree with, maybe this one wouldn't be so bad. "Ouchie!" You heard Fluttershy yelp. You sit up quickly, looking over to the yellow pony. She had her foreleg in her mouth, and you could see tears welling up in her eyes. She sees you sit up, and she seemingly gets more sad. "O-oh...I'm sorry...I-I'll go outside..." She whispers, inhaling quickly to avoid crying in front of you. "No no no!" You start. "What happened? Are you okay?" You ask quickly. You take the blankets off, and get up off of the sofa, walking over to her. You get on one knee, and gesture for her to place her foreleg in your hand. She looks at you curiously, but gently removes her foreleg from her mouth and puts it in your hand. A good patch of her foreleg was pink, even underneath of her yellow coat, and some of the hair had been burned away. She burned herself. Not too badly, but a burn is a burn, and all burns suck ass. "How did this happen?" You ask. Fluttershy just sniffles, and points at the cauldron with her other foreleg. She must have been doing something for the breakfast, and touched that boiling cauldron on accident. "Do we have medicine? What about in your satchel?" You ask. She nods her head, and goes to reach for it, but you stop her. You reach over, and unstrap the satchel. "I think there might be some aloe vera inside of the patch with a red cross on it." She said quietly. You feel the distinct blades of the plant, and break off a blade. You put the blade gently between your teeth, and lift Fluttershy up. She yelps, but quickly relaxes. You sit her on the sofa, underneath of the blankets you had just curled up under. "Lay here. I'll get this ready." You said. She nodded her head. Using your fingernails, you slowly but surely break the blade open. You then scoop out its contents into your hand, and using your other hand, you begin to mash it into a paste. "Do you have any bandages? Maybe some linen?" You ask. "Yes, in the satchel." She replies. You walk back over to her, and dig in the satchel once more. You find some linen, and close the satchel back up. "Alright, now this is going to feel really cold at first, so be warned. Are you ready?" You ask. She nods her head. You gently take her foreleg from her, and begin to rub the paste over the burn. She winces, so you lighten up even more, being as careful as possible. "Is this okay?" You ask while rubbing the paste on her leg. "Y-Yeah. It's cold, but it already feels a little better." She replied. After you smeared the entirety of the burn with the aloe vera paste, you take the linen bandaging, and gently wrap it around her burn several times. You're careful not to wrap it too tightly, but it was still snug. You get up off of your knees, and examine Fluttershy, to make sure she was okay. She no longer appeared as if she was going to cry, and in fact, was smiling. "I didn't know you knew how to use aloe vera like that, Max. You're very good at first aid." She said. You looked past her, and a brief feeling of oddity took your mind. You shook it off. "I didn't either." You replied. You looked over to the cauldron. "What's for breakfast?" Fluttershy went to get up, but you stopped her. "Burns remove the moisture from your skin, you gotta sit still for awhile, so as to not pull or move the skin. It'll hurt." She smiled, and laid back down. "Oatmeal with cinnamon and apple slices." She said. You laugh briefly. "Oh God. You didn't put the apples in already, did you?" You ask. She shares your laugh. "Of course not. Warm, mushy apples in Oatmeal? Yucky." You look over at the table, and see 4 apples, all a vibrant blue. "I was going to chop up the frost apples and put them in the oatmeal when I had bowls ready." "I'll take care of it." You said. You walked over to the cauldron, and gave the oats a stir. "Max?" You heard Fluttershy say. "Yeah, Fluttershy?" You return. "Thank you. I think you're going to be a good friend. If you want to be friends." _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash wasn't home to see you off. She had to go to Cloudsdale early in the morning, so you didn't really get to say goodbye. But it wasn't like you wouldn't ever see her again. You didn't have many possessions to pack, which, while incredibly depressing, was also very convenient. You put your backpack on your back, and take out the pair of ear buds you had in it. While you loved music, you weren't sure if everypony else liked the same things you liked. You click on the music application, and find a song. Youtube Video With your music playing, you climb up over the window near the bed, and look at Rainbow Dash's bedroom one last time. You hoped that you would find a way to see this room once again. You take hold of the cloud ladder, and slid down it, slower than the time you raced Rainbow Dash, but still pretty fast. Your feet hit the ground with a clop, and you were now on your way to Vinyl Scratch and Octavia's house. Apparently, their house was pretty big, almost like a penthouse, except for the fact that it wasn't on top of a sky scraper. Two successful musicians living together would probably have a really nice house, with really nice things. You weren't a materialistic person, not in the least. You were more worried about breaking something than anything thing else. The house itself shouldn't be too hard too miss. Three stories tall, and in the marketplace. It was supposed to look really modern, unlike the dutch styled buildings that tended to fill Ponyville. Your song ended, and you didn't quite feel like listening to music anymore. You decide it would be rude to show up with ear buds in your ears, anyways. You enter the marketplace, and you already see the house. It was painted an interesting tone of white and black, which conflicted but ultimately worked as one, making the house appear very modern and very beautiful. You walked up the steps to the porch, and knocked on the door. It opened, Octavia standing in the doorway. "Oh, hello Aaden! It's good to see you! Come in, come in!" She said, ushering you into the house. You walk inside, Octavia closing the door behind you. "Vinyl was up incredibly early preparing the house for your arrival, and fell back asleep recently. She should be up around 1 or 2, as she always is." You chuckle. "So, where may I set my stuff down?" You ask. "Oh! Uh...hmm..." Octavia said, her hoof on her chin and her eyes narrowed. They then snap back open. "I've got an idea!" She signals you to follow her, and you do so. She leads you through this modern-mansion styled house, to a door in the middle of the wall. She opens it, revealing a staircase to a basement, and she goes down it. As do you. It doesn't take long to realize that you were in Vinyl Scratch's room. "Set your stuff down here." She whispered, pointing at the area in front of a small bedside table. On the table were Vinyl's signature goggles. You smile, realizing what Octavia is doing. You set your stuff down carefully, and follow Octavia upstairs, into the kitchen. "We'll now know when she wakes up, for sure." She said, laughing. "Oh yeah. I'm excited to see her this excited. Excitement, all around." You replied. Octavia walked over to her counter tops, which had two mugs on it. "Coffee?" She asked. "Sure." You reply. "Cream or sugar?" She asked again. "Neither. I like mine black." You reply again. She gives you a funny look, and laughs. "To each their own." She hands you your mug, and begins adding her sugar and cream to her mug. "So, Aaden. Any special plans tonight?" "Hmm...I'm not sure. I've got plenty of bits, though. Maybe take you two out to dinner or something. Come to think of it, I'd like to get to know you a little better, especially if I'm going to be living with you for two weeks." You said. Octavia seemingly blushes, and used a hoof to part her mane back. "You really are quite the gentleman. Well, I would love to go out tonight. I'm sure Vinyl would, too. However, she has some...special plans, I suppose you could call them, for you tonight." "I'm all too aware. I have a weird feeling you'll be involved, too." You sit the mug down on the counter. You can feel Octavia examining you. "And you're okay with it?" She asked. "Well. When in Rome, right?" Chapter Thirty-Eight: Louder Than Words"Holy shit, my head..." You muttered, rising from your slumber. You sit up in bed, resting your head in your hands. You rub your palms against your temples, and groan. You had the headache of all headaches. Was it all of the soda that you had drunk the previous night with Bon Bon? Was it the fact that you tried to go back to sleep when you felt wide awake? Whatever you had done, your body wasn't very happy about it. At all. You open your eyes. You were still in the living room of the house, and you had fallen asleep on the couch. You sit up, still wiping your eyes, and look down at the table. You had started a graveyard of empty soda bottles on the far end of the table, and right next to where you note should have been, was another bottle of soda and an apple. A big apple, at that. Breakfast? You look around the room, making sure no one was there. Breakfast. You pop open the bottle of soda, and tip it back. You pick up the apple, and take a bite. Wait a second. Where's my note? You look down at the table, and notice that the note was indeed, gone. You peeked under the table, and then around the room, not seeing it anywhere. Lyra or Bon Bon must have taken it. You breath a sigh of relief, remembering that ponies can't read English. Even if they did try to take it to Aaden to get it translated, he was moving to Vinyl and Octavia's house today, so they might have trouble finding him. Unless they used magic. Shit. Can they use magic to translate that? You get up from the couch, apple and soda in hand, and search the house for either Lyra or Bon Bon. Both were gone. You slide on the jacket Aaden gave you, and leave the house, locking the door behind you. With another swig of soda, and another bite of apple, you set off through town. Your gut told you that they more than likely went to Twilight Sparkle's Library to translate the note. You weren't sure why the idea of Lyra and Bon Bon translating the note bothered you so much, but it did. It was like someone was reading your diary. Diary? Shiiit, what's the manly version of a diary? A Journal? A Log? Either way, you didn't want Lyra and Bon Bon reading your ultra-manly diary. At the same time, you were curios to why the apple you were eating made the soda taste funny. Or was it vice versa? It was almost like the taste of taking a big gulp of orange juice after brushing your teeth, but less powerful. You were hungry, so you powered through it. You approached Twilight's Library, which was inside of a giant, hollowed out tree. It was the most bad ass tree house you had ever seen. In fact, this was an actual house, inside of a tree. You approach the door, which was as red as the apple you were eating, and knocked. You heard the lock disengage, and the door opened. A small purple dragon stood in the doorway, his large eyes looking up at you. He was chewing on what looked like an emerald, making a horrible sound that made you cringe. It was like he was chewing glass. "Hey, I know you!" He said, shards of the emerald flying out of his mouth. "You're Aaden's friend! Hey, any friend of Aaden's, is a friend of mine! C'mon in!" He signalled you in. You walked into the tree-library-house hybrid, and watched as the small dragon closed the door. "Something you need, pal?" He asked. "Actually, I'm looking for Lyra and Bon Bo-" "Alan." You heard Lyra's voice interrupt. You turned around, and saw Lyra approaching you, walking like a human would. The note was in her hoof. "Alan." She said again, tearing up. She hugged you, "Twilight translated the note. Do you really mean this?" She asked. You took the note from her hoof, albeit gently. "Yep. I didn't quite intend for you to ever read it, but hey, it is what I feel. Except for the crude Batman sketch, that was just me being me." Lyra sniffles, and giggles. "That's what that was? Twilight couldn't translate it with her magic, said something about it being the strangest letter she had ever seen." "Yeah, I'm not exactly an artist." Lyra hugged you tighter. "You make me sooooo happy." She said, talking under her breath. She was hugging you so tight, that even she was having trouble breathing. After a few silent moments, she released you. She signaled you to follow her, and you did so. "Twilight wants to talk to you." You walked into what looked like a laboratory. Your note was on a nearby table, and Twilight was in the corner of the room, reading something. She looked up, and saw you. "Alan! Hey, I know we haven't really met before, but I want to ask you a few questions. Aaden was, well." She looks down at the floor, but back up to you. "Incapacitated. I never really got a chance to learn anything. Since I kinda translated for Lyra, do you think you could answer a few questions for me?" She asks. You nod your head, and she smiles widely. "Awesome! This will only take a few minutes!" A few minutes turned into a few hours. It didn't bother you. Lyra was seemingly just as interested to learn about Humans and Earth as Twilight was. Plus, it wasn't like you had anything in particular to take care of today. The questions started out on anatomy. The evolution, followed by early human history to modern human history. Then the questions just became random, ranging from astrology to everyday life. That's when she popped the question you knew was coming. Twilight looked up from her notepad, completely enthralled by your brief cover on everything you knew. "This is all so fascinating...What did you do for a living?" She asked. You looked down, your hands subconsciously squeezing your kneecaps. Lyra put a hoof over your hand. You looked up at her, her amber eyes reassuring you that it was okay to talk about it. "Is something wrong?" Twilight asked again. You shook your head. "No, No. I was a mercenary back home. It still takes a little getting used to, being able to talk about in the open and all." Twilight, still scribbling, smiles. "Why? That's a very brave thing to be!" She asked, legitimately confused, but content at the same time. "It's not as respected back home as it is here. We didn't fight for honor or for the greater good. At least, not the majority of us. Aaden and I tried to, but we both did things we regret." You explain. "Aaden? He was with you?" Twilight asked, her smile now faded. "Yep. Hearing stories about him turned me around. Getting to know him and fighting alongside him pulled me up. Aaden's a hero back home. At least, to those who know him, he is." "Interesting..." Twilight began to scribble faster. The magic aura around the pen she was using was glowing slightly brighter. "You both know each other, and you both show up here..." Her scribbling continued. "Hmm...do you know what brought you here?" "Bare with me on this, but Aaden thinks he and I are dead. I remember Aaden holding me after I had been shot multiple times, and he remembers watching me die. Only problem with that theory, is the fact that Aaden doesn't remember if he died or not, and if this is the afterlife, there should BILLIONS of humans walking around here. So far, I count 2." You explained. Your explanation caused the glow around the pen to grow even brighter. It scribbled so fast, the the pen was now a mere blur. "That is quite the theory. I'll have to write Celestia regarding this!" Twilight exclaimed. She seemed very proud of herself, having learned all of this information. "No need." You start. "Aaden and I are catching the first train out to Canterlot tomorrow morning. Celestia wants to meet me, and has something important to show Aaden." Twilight looks up from the notepad, and smiles warmly. "I know you must be nervous. Celestia is really kind, but blunt. If you were in trouble, you'd know already." _________________________________________________________________________________ The rotary cannon you operated was absolutely devastating. Every other round fired was a tracer round, but the rotary cannon fired so quickly, that it appeared as if you were firing a stream of light. You swiveled the cannon around, and pulled briefly on the triggers, releasing streams of bullets to coat the targets below. The radio chatter was oddly calm and nonchalant. "Tracking..." The Fire Control Officer spoke. "Uh, we have runners. You gonna get em'?" You looked over at Michael for a moment, who was firing his rotary cannon. You went back to firing yours, as well. Michael's stream hit a group of soldiers heading for a nearby building, tearing them apart. "Good kill. I see lots of a little pieces down there." The FCO said. The radio chatter really bothered you. Here you were, operating a multi-million dollar gunship, raising utter Hell on those below you, and the IMO just acted like this was no big deal, like this was a casual flight, just for fun. Your discomfort was cut off when the Sensor Operator's voice came over the radio. "Armored transport vehicles are coming down the road. Uhh...about 4 of them." He said. "Navigation, do you see any more coming down the same road?" The FCO asked. A deeper voice then both the FCO and Sensor Operator answered. "No. Just these 4." He answered. "Alright, we have 'good guys' at the end of this road, we can't let them get hit too hard, The Ambassador would have our asses. Fire control, you are cleared for using the 40 mm cannon. Get the vehicles out of the way." The Pilot spoke. The FCO laughed almost maniacally, giving you goosebumps. "Light em' up." He growled while laughing. _________________________________________________________________________________ "While Trixie finds your sleeping figure cute, she does not want to risk being late again. Wake up." You felt a hoof touch your shoulder, and shake you. You crack your eyes, and see Trixie, wearing her hat and cape. Today was the day you were to meet Celestia. You closed your eyes again from the stupor of sleepiness. "Aw, Adam. C'mon." She nudged you again. "Alright, alright, I'm up." You sit up, and wipe your eyes. "Good! Now, Trixie will fetch breakfast! You clean up!" You dangle your legs off the side of the bed, and sit there for a moment, taking in the fact that you were awake. "C'mooooon!" Trixie whined, nudging you with her hooves. It really was quite adorable. She was trying her hardest to push you, and it obviously was working. "One hug, and then I'll get up." You turn around, and Trixie nodded. You wrap your arms around her, feeling her warm coat. You pull away from the hug, and stand up. Trixie hops off of the bed, and walks over to the door. She stops just before opening it. "Do you like eggs? What about toast?" She asks. You wave your hand at her, your other hand stifling a yawn. "You name it, I'll eat. Just, you know, no hay or grass or anything. I don't think I can digest it. Literally." Trixie smiles and leaves the room, off to bring you some breakfast. Trixie really was quite the mare, and if you didn't know any better, you'd say you were starting to become quite fond of her. Seems like it was just yesterday you found her dying in the desert. Perhaps SHE FOUND YOU, dying in the desert. Eh. Enough philosophy. You flick on the lights as you walk into the bathroom, and pull open the shower curtain. You undress yourself, and fold your clothes, placing them on the counter, near the sink. You close the door to the bathroom, and finally step into the shower, turning the warm water dials. The water comes blasting out of the shower head, instantly drowning you in warmth and water. It felt good to take a shower, especially since you had wandered the desert forever without one. Sure, there were baths which consisted of rubbing yourself with a wet cloth, but it all crumbled before the comforting might of the shower. You let your mind drift while you lather yourself, thinking of the dreams you had the previous night. Gabriel. Michael. Ambassador. Chairman. Administrator. All of these names sounded extremely familiar, giving you a very odd sensation. It's almost like when you go to say something, but you forgot what you were going to say, so you stop and immediately ponder all of the possible things you could have wanted to say. It was like reaching to grab the remote for the television, but it being literally just out of reach. You could touch it with the tips of your fingers, but you couldn't grasp it. The sensation in all was incredibly aggravating, to say the least. You liked being in Canterlot. It was a really interesting city. The whole presence of magic thing also fascinated you. While you were sure there were extremely advanced studies of it, it was so much easier to say that the reason the sun rises is because of a magic sun goddess named Celestia makes it rise, rather than explain the complexities of astronomy and physics. It still made you smile when you would ask questions, and the answer would be "because it's magic!". You go back to thinking about your dreams. You had no memories of doing anything with gunships back in your universe. You didn't recall being apart of any organization, either. You remember that the soldiers were calling NATO "good guys". Why? If you weren't in NATO, what organization were you apart of? It must have been one that was extremely powerful. It's not every day you operate an AC-130 gunship. Maybe you were apart of the Illuminati or something. Bad ass. Adam the Illuminati member. You laugh to yourself, and turn the dials to the shower off, having completed your shower. You reach for the towel rack, expecting to feel the fuzziness of a towel in your hand. Instead, you merely feel the cold metal bar. "God damn it, Adam." You mutter. In your excitement to actually take a shower, you forgot to snag a towel on your way in. At least Trixie was gone. You get out of the shower, and open the door to the bathroom, and, as your luck would have it, there is Trixie, staring at you, wide-eyed. She was sitting more still than a Life-Alert subscriber waiting for an ambulance. You immediately cover yourself, and scoot back into the bathroom. "Trixie?" You call. "Could you please bring me a towel?" "Yeah, I gotcha!" Trixie called back. She walks near the bathroom, handing her hoof containing a towel into it. You take the towel, and wrap yourself up in it, then attempt to leave the bathroom again, this time with no wardrobe malfunction. She was still blushing. "Sorry about that. I forgot a towel, and I didn't think you were back yet." You explain. She looks away, and clears her throat. "Well, Tr-Trixie thinks you have nothing to be ashamed of. You are certainly..." Her voice drops a little bit, almost squeaking. "Well endowed..." "Christ Trixie." You blurt out. She blushes, and goes over to the table in your hotel room to begin setting up breakfast. You go back into the bathroom to get dressed. "So," You call out to her while drying your hair. "What all did you get?" "Uhhhh, eggs, scrambled of course, some toast, beans, and Trixie asked for waffles, but she isn't seeing them...Ah! Never mind, she found them! Do you want butter or syrup? Maybe both?" She called back to you. "Hell yeah, give me both!" You call back. You slide on a pair of pants you had picked up the previous night, and walk back into the room. Trixie was already dressed in her silly hat and cape, and was pouring a glass of what looked like apple juice. "Thanks Trixie. You really are a good friend to me. Once I figure out what exactly is going on here, I'd like to get to know you slightly better." "I'd like that too, Adam." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were not about to let Fluttershy carry that big ass satchel on her own. You watched her try to slide it on, the strap pressing against the bandages that covered her burn, making her wince and whimper in pain. "Nonono," You said quickly. "I'll take care of this." You walk over to her, and slide the satchel off of her. You swing it over your duster, the satchel itself resting just under your bow. "So, where is the herb we need for your bunny?" You ask. Fluttershy rubbed at her bandages, smiling now that her pain was gone. "I already got them when I went to go get the apples for breakfast. I hope that's okay." She murmured. You laugh, and allow yourself to smile broadly, to show that you are surprised in a pleasant way. Fluttershy had the kind of personality where you had to be blunt with your emotion, mainly because of her own modesty. "Hope that's okay? That's amazing! Does this mean we can head back now? I can meet this other human?" You asked. you weren't faking your excitement here, not in the least. Maybe you could finally get some answers. Some memories. Fluttershy smiled weakly. "Y-yeah. I guess that'd be okay." You clench your fist, and pump it. Finally, some answers. You both leave the cabin, locking it behind you. You still had no idea who that cabin belonged to. Maybe Fluttershy. Your walk was pretty relaxing. Once you left the artificial cave the snow-caked forest had created, you found the sun to be shining. Snow still caked the ground and just about everywhere else in this tundra, but the sun still provided warmth. You glanced over at Fluttershy, who was walking slightly ahead of her. She wore a pale green scarf, which blew occasionally with the wind. She was also wearing adorable little ear muffs to match. Pale green looked good on her, it went well with her coat. You'd hate to admit it, but Fluttershy was very nice to you. She was the first pony you had met who hadn't tried to shove a spear through your carotid arteries. She was the first pony you had met who had shown you any form of kindness. Hell, you've only known her for one day, and she's already cooked for you, kept you warm by giving up HER OWN blankets and HER OWN pillows, and now she's leading you to your own salvation. You still didn't quite understand the whole sentient-pony thing, but Fluttershy was okay by you. Then the guilt sets in. This entire time you've been with her, you never really talked about yourself, or herself, for that matter. She had been nothing but kind to you, and you had kind of been a jerk to her. You were short with her, and talked very little. You were sure she was normally this quite because of her timidity, but she only spoke when you spoke to her. While that does show respect, it also shows fear. You didn't want her to be scared of you. You wanted her to consider you her friend. Because God knows you consider her your friend. She's your only friend here. "Hey, Fluttershy?" You ask. You were going to attempt to talk to her, maybe apologize. "Uh huh?" She responded. "Hey, look. I know I've seemed kinda angry and distant this entire trip, but I didn't mean it. I'm just confused and scared, is all. I mean, I have no idea where I am right now." You start. "W-well, right now, we're in the Crystal Tundra, if that helps you any." She responded again, cutting you off. You smile, and ignore it. She meant no harm. "Well, listen. You're the first pony here that I consider my friend. By default, I believe that makes you my best friend. What I'm trying to say, is I like you. I think you're a great pony, and even though I still have no idea what's going on, I think having friends will help me. Especially in a hard time like this." You finished. Fluttershy let out a large sigh. "Oh, thank goodness you think so, I was getting worried there for a se-" Fluttershy immediately froze in her tracks, the snow no longer crunching beneath her hooves. She held a hoof out, stopping your advance. "Be careful. Do not move." She whispered. It was kind of funny, how she changed whenever there was some beast or animal around. All signs of being shy left her. You looked out into the snowy plains, to attempt to see what she spotted. In the distance was an odd creature, While it was far away, you could still make it out. It looked like a white lion with a blue scorpion tail, and gray wings. It's eyes were also yellow, and they were pretty low to the ground. It looked like it was sniffing around for food. "That's a Frost Manticore. They're cousins to the Everfree Manticore, the breed that almost killed Aaden. And Aaden is now an Honor Guard, if that says anything." Fluttershy explained while whispering. "Honor Guard?" You asked. "No time to explain. It means he's good at fighting." Fluttershy quickly rebutted. You notice the manticore look in your direction. It was now prowling towards you. "Oh no...it can smell the herbs..." You slide your bow off of your back, and now stand up from your crouch. "I've got this." You said. "Don't hurt him!" Fluttershy objected, her scarf flapping in her face. "I won't." You replied. You draw the string back on the bow, and take aim. A bright orange arrow of your imagination bursts into existence, ready to be fired. The tip of the arrow sparked and hissed, just as you imagined it to. You hoped this arrow was going to do what you intended it to do. You hope you didn't just lie to your only friend. _________________________________________________________________________________ It wasn't too much later in the day that Octavia suggested going to lunch. Vinyl Scratch was still asleep. She was worse than you were your sophomore year of high school. Your record was sleeping 16 hours straight, without the aid of any drug or form of alcohol. You both finished a quiet meal at some diner you had never heard of in Ponyville, before you both go for a walk around town. It would certainly be nice to get out and get some fresh air. "So, do tell me, what's it like in your home world?" Octavia asked. "A popular, but good question. Imagine Equestria, but with nothing but humans, and no magic. Also, as awful as this sounds, evil triumphs over good more often than not. Friendship also isn't as treasured as much as it is here, at least not by everyone back home. I blame all of that on moral decay, which, in turn, I blame on the falling intelligence levels of the world. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but I like it better here." You explain. "That's convenient for you, being as you're trapped here." Octavia laughed. "Do you want to go back?" She asked. "Yet another question that everypony asks me, but another important question, nonetheless. I don't know, is the best answer I can muster. I remember my friends, my dog, my unique occupational choice, and while I do miss it, I feel as if I'm completely adjusted to life here. I've got friends here, another unique job, and it seems far more peaceful here. I know I was almost gored on my way in here, but Hell, people get gored twice as bad back at home, and they're just walking around Detroit." You laugh. It was good that you could still make yourself laugh. "Detroit? We have a Detrot here, if that means anything to you." "Nah, Detroit is just a city people like to make fun back home. It tends to be violent." "Wow. Detrot isn't exactly friendly, either." Octavia laughs again. "Enough about me, though, If I'm going to be living with you for several weeks, I should probably get to know you better, huh?" "Oh, come now. I'm not that interesting. But, if you insist..." "I do." "Well. I suppose I can give you a quick little Octavia 101. But under one condition." "And what's that?" "You have to kiss me. Right here, right now." "Huh?" You were legitimately surprised. You didn't think she liked you like that. "What would Vinyl think? I'm not trying to start any fights." "Oh, use that pretty little head of yours, soldier boy. Vinyl and I are close friends. Obviously we're similar in certain ways. We both just so happen to like to move fast in relationships. And trust me..." Octavia leans in close, and whispers in your ear. "I think Vinyl would really like to hear about this, later." You sigh. Looks like you were going to be a sex toy for a couple of weeks. Why not? You put your hand behind Octavia's head, and pull her forward, kissing her briefly. It was weird to just hop into this. "That was satisfactory. Now, don't get the wrong ideas here, I'm a little more soft-spoken than Vinyl, and I haven't had many coltfriends, either. The only similarity is that when I'm interested in somepony, I make sure they know. Do not view me as one would a slut." You laugh. Her vocabulary was very high and mighty, similar to Rarity's, and to hear her say "slut" was pretty funny. "That's fine, I totally understand." You said. "You're lying." "Yeah, but I'm trying to understand. Now, please, talk about yourself." _________________________________________________________________________________ "SHIT!" The Pilot yelled over the radio. You looked over at Michael, who looked back to you. Something was happening. "What's wrong?" The FCO asked. "The Russians know what's happening, we've got several Tu-95 Bears strategic bombers coming this way. Intel says they're equipped with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. They're not going to actually fight when they arrive, unless we keep up our fight. They're just trying to send a passive-aggressive message to NATO about being in the area, trying to show them that they could strike, if they wish." He explained. "So, what, we just abandon the operation? Just like that?" The FCO asked again. "We don't have a choice. NATO forces are already retreating, and Aerox has already picked up their boys." "What about us?" "We have to retreat as well. I'm sorry gentlemen, but this is going up as a loss on our records, and none of us will get paid because of that." You look over at Michael, who punched the side of the rotary cannon in anger. "Guns down, men. Guns down. We're pulling out." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Adam. ADAM!" You heard Trixie shout. You blink rapidly, and look over to her. "Cut that out! Don't space out on me now, please." You were sitting in the castle that Celestia ruled from, and were waiting for her to take audience with you. It wrecked your nerves, knowing that the being you were about to speak with could banish you to the moon if she pleased. "Adam, you're spooking me. You just started to gaze off into the distance, and your pupils got super tiny. Are you okay?" Trixie asked, making sure that you were back in your own mind. "Yeah, I'm good. Just collecting memories. I think." "Well, good!" Trixie smiled. A white pony in gold armor stepped forward from his stance, looking over his shoulder. "Her majesty will see you now. You, human." The Pony said, pointing his hoof at you frowning. He then smiled, which surpirsed you. "Welcome to Canterlot." You stepped forward, into the throne room, and you were immediately overwhelmed. At the far end of this amazingly large room was a throne, and atop that throne, was a pony like none you had seen before. It was a shiny white, and her mane was a series of pale, cold colors, which complimented her coat. She was smiling, which comforted you slightly. Your hands were feeling funny again, the burning sensation returning to your palms. "Adam the human, welcome, welcome!" Celestia greeted. "and Trixie, it is good to see you, as well!" Celestia took an inquisitive look at her. "What brings you to Canterlot? And how did you end up with Adam?" Celestia asked. Trixie kicked her hooves around nervously, and explained herself. "...and I promise I won't do anything like that again! Trixie has learned how valuable friendship is by losing all of her friends! A cruel irony, indeed. And Adam helps her to feel better by being her friend, so, that is why she comes to you this day." Trixie concluded. "I am very sorry to hear of your troubles, Trixie. It is very alarming that you almost lost your life." Celestia looked over to you. "Adam, you have done good work. I can already see that you are a good human." You get goosebumps, and you feel your palms get warmer. How did she know your name? You know that neither Mala or Bakir had told her your name. How did she know? "So, Adam, I want to ask you a question." "Yes, your majesty?" You respond, snapping out of your fear. "How do your palms feel?" She asked, smiling. your goosebumps are now practically ripping your skin from intensity, and you feel your blood go cold in your feet. How did she know all of this? It was as if she had read your mind, seen your memories. She laughed. "Relax, human. When I projected Aaden's memories, I saw every last one of them. Including you. Through magic, I am able to know everything about you, biologically and mentally. Oh, yes, Aaden is here. As is Alan, another friend of yours. You may not remember them at this time, however. Now, please. answer my question." "They burn." You respond. Celestia smiled even wider. "Excellent. Come here, human. Touch my horn." She said. You looked over at Trixie, who shrugged. You swallowed, and walked forward, slowly approaching her throne. You outstretched a hand, and quickly tapped it on her horn. Your hands then immediately felt as if they were melting. They felt as if someone had splashed a little molten lava on them. You noticed a very light gold aura surround your hands, holding them still. Celestia was using her magic to hold them still. You look up at her in fear, but she is still smiling. "Relax, Adam. This is only for your safety. You're the first human that can wield these abilities. I don't know how your fingers will react, and I don't want you to break them." She explains. You swallow, and grit your teeth. And that's when you feel it. It was now like someone had taken your burning hands, and placed them into a cool ocean. Not cold, but comfortably warm. You closed your eyes in relief, and let your jaw drop. When you open your eyes, you see a little ball of light, slightly above each of your palms. "I'm going to release your hands, Adam. I want you to gently bring the two orbs together." She said. You nod your head. The aura fades from her horn and your hands. Your hands began to spasm and twitch. Your right hand kept balling up, almost like it was making a fist, but stopping just before it closed itself completely, while the fingers on your left hand curled up and down in a wave-like motion. You brought your two hands together, and with them, the two orbs. They merged with a humming noise, forming a slightly larger ball of light. "Now, I want you to slowly remove your left hand." Celestia ordered. You nodded again, and removed your left hand. It stopped twitching, and you were in control of it once more. You looked up at Celestia, smiling in disbelief and relief. The single large ball of light floated above your right hand. "Throw your hand out, like you would a ball, out of the window." She said. You looked up at her, unsure of yourself. "You can to it, Adam. You're already doing very well." You take a deep breath, and pull your right arm back. You then release it, letting it fly forward, like you were throwing a fast ball. The ball seemingly grows in size the moment it leaves your hand, and it goes rocketing out of the window, exploding in a flash above the castle. You look back to Celestia. "Adam, the moment I saw you in Aaden's memories, I knew there was something different about you. Something very different. Your father was a magician, correct?" She asked. You nod your head. "Well, while he may not have really been magic in your universe, in this one, it translates over into something entirely different. You carry his genes, therefore, Adam, you can practice magic. I know it's odd, and doesn't make much sense to you now, but congratulations. This is a big feat for Humanity in Equestria." You look down at your hands, which were now normal. Neither was twitching or turning, and neither felt hot. You did feel kind of tired, like you had just sprinted a short distance. It wasn't enough to make you sit down, but it was enough to make you breathe slightly rapidly. "Now, I could give you all of the spells accessible by you right now. But you wouldn't learn anything about it. I do not mean this malicious intent, but I'm afraid I'm not going to tell you how to do that again, either. You must learn these things on your own, so you will learn, and better yet, avoid hurting yourself or others." "So, me touching your horn, that wasn't me?" You asked. "It was, but it wasn't. Think of it as me giving you a little push." Celestia responded. "I also find it very fitting that both Trixie and yourself are acquainted. You may both study, and learn, together. It will be very rewarding to both of you, but more importantly, it will be very rewarding for your relationship." You look over your shoulder at Trixie, who was just as surprised as you were. "That is all I wanted of you, Adam. I know you have no malicious ideas, so you're free to go." You turn around, and were about to leave with a wide-eyed Trixie when she continued speaking. "However. Aaden and Alan will be coming to Canterlot tomorrow. They currently live in Ponyville. You may want to go back to Ponyville with them, and I encourage that. You will learn more efficiently around friends." You both leave the throne room. The moment the doors closed, you look at Trixie, who was looking at you. "How did she know all of that?" You ask. "The same way she raises the sun. I don't know." Trixie said, obviously confused. "So. Magic pals?" You ask, laughing nervously. "Sure." Trixie said, taking your hand from your side and holding it in her hoof. "Magic pals." _________________________________________________________________________________ "...and now I play for Her Majesty's Royal Orchestra. Cello, 1st Chair, and proud of it. I travel to Canterlot quite often, but right now is the hiatus season. We practice at our homes and take a much needed break from several months of travelling. It's quite nice, really." Octavia explained. You were beginning to walk home to Octavia and Vinyl's house, your afternoon stroll coming to an end. "That's actually extremely interesting! And you thought I wouldn't care?" You ask, laughing. Octavia was blushing, and trying to hide it by looking away from you. "Well, my other Coltfriends told me that I was boring." She murmured, "My God, that's something I'll never understand." You muttered. "What's that?" Octavia asked, still looking away. "I haven't had many girlfriends either, but every single one I have had claims that their previous boyfriends told them they were fat, or uninteresting, or ugly, and this was when their relationship was at their peaks! Am I the only guy in existence that just isn't a jerk? Is it that hard for people or ponies to have some respect, especially for someone they care about?" "Well, you're the only one I've ever met, so far. Maybe that's why you're so irresistible." Octavia said, her head turned back towards you. Your eyes locked, and you could see a kiss in the near future. And your future predicting skills were correct. She leaned forward and kissed you. "Aaden, may I ask you a question?" "Sure." "Why do you care so much?" "About what?" "About everything." "Well, it took a little searching, but I found my answers when I was a mercenary." "You mean those awful memories we saw at the party?" "Yeah. Those did it. Life is a precious thing. A very precious thing. It's funny, because people, and maybe some ponies, would argue against me on this point. What's even funnier, is that there is nothing feeble about my morality here. Life is a very valuable thing. That's why I switched my abilities to fight for it, rather than against it. And in my fighting for life, I came to many realizations about just how precious it is. I began to not only mourn the lives of those I lost, but the lives of others lost. Sometimes even my enemies lives. One life or a billion, a friendly life or a hostile life, they're all lives, all the same. While I've always tried to have decent manners, this really brought it all together for me. The things I've seen, the things I've done, the things I know, it all really teaches you lessons about life." "Quite the philosopher, huh?" Octavia teased. You laugh. "Hey, you asked, didn't you?" You tease back. What you both didn't notice, was that you were back at the house. "HEY." You hear a familiar voice shout. "I'M SOOOOO GLAD YOU GUYS HAD FUN." You both look up. Vinyl Scratch is standing inside the door, faking being angry. Perhaps she was really wanting you to belive that she was upset, but you ignored it, and simply walked up the staircase. "AND WHO'S IDEA WAS IT TO TEASE ME BY LEAVING YOUR STUFF BY MY TABLE, IT'S REALLY AG-mmphmm..." Vinyl's voice was muffled by the fact that you had walked up the staircase, grabbed her, and forced your tongue into her mouth. Hell. I'm going to be a sex toy, anyways. Why not? You release her head after a moment, and set her back down. "Better?" You ask. "I, uh..." Vinyl cleared her throat. "Just don't do it again." Her smile was now showing through. "Aaden and I simply went for a walk, dearie. He's quite the intellectual." Octavia explained. "Nah, it's cool. I really don't mind. Is it my turn now?" Vinyl asked. Octavia nodded. "So long as he is shared later. Plus, I want to go to dinner, so be done before that." "Aweeesome. You, c'mere." Vinyl said, grabbing your hand and pulling you with her. "We're going to my bed for a little bit." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were breathing as steadily as you could force yourself to. Any faster, and your arrow would miss it's mark. The manticore was now dashing towards you, kicking up snow as it ran. You could hear Fluttershy whimpering in anxiety and fear beside you. She didn't want to be killed, but at the same time, she didn't want to hurt the creature. You looked at the head of the arrow, to ensure that the desired effect was still present. The head of the arrow was still sparking and hissing. You turn your steady breathing into a single, deep inhale. When it gets to where you can't inhale anymore, you hold in your exhale, and steady yourself as much as possible. Adrenaline tickled your body all over, making the steady an odd one. You had come too far to die here. You had already made this journey, you already had collected what you needed, and you were on your way back. You were not going to die. Not before you had any answers, or any memories. You really hopes this arrow had the desired effect. If it didn't it could kill the beast, or worse, it could kill you. The least thing you wanted to see was Fluttershy being torn to shreds by a lion-scorpion, and you would be damned if you died this early. Not here. Not now. You close your left eye, and look down the odd sights affixed to the bow. As the sights went over the manticore, the bow hummed gently, and the sights began to glow. You weren't sure what it meant, and you didn't exactly have time to experiment, so you just assumed that it meant the shot would be on target. A quick burst of wind blew your duster tails up, making it flap loudly in the brisk gust. There was a serene silence for a moment, and right as you were going to let your mind open up, you hear the blood curdling roar of the manticore, followed by a loud whimper by Fluttershy. You release your hand, and let it come back to your shoulder while you deeply exhale. The arrow hissed and whistled away from you, flying towards the monster. It saw the arrow, and stood up on it's hind legs. You weren't sure what it was trying to do, perhaps turn a headshot into a body shot, but if the arrow had the desired effect, it wouldn't matter. You really hope the arrow had the desired effect. You really hope that you didn't lie to your friend. Your only friend. You narrowed your eyes, waiting for the impact of the arrow on the creature. Chapter Thirty-Nine: Unsung HeroesIt had been a few days since you had killed Max. You knew he would hate you saying that, but it's the truth. You were the one that shot him. You sat behind your desk, your feet kicked up on the table. You had his rifle laying on the table in front of you, and his gas mask as well. You saw to it that he was buried back home. Even with the intense record-keeping procedures the IMO has, it was still difficult to locate his hometown. You never knew he was from a farm out in Iowa, or that he had 7 siblings. He didn't have the twangy country accent, nor did he have the habit of telling others how much of a "country boy" he was. Hell, you thought he was from New York City like Aaden was until you read his file. Aaden was buried just outside of Manhattan, in a pretty little cemetery away from the city. His funeral was the biggest out of all of your deceased friends. This wasn't because he was any more important, however. His death wasn't in battle, but in public, in front of everyone. So, more than just his family and friends were present. Proponents of gun control, several officers that had responded to the murder, and random civilians who were supportive of his martyrdom also decided to show up. Alan was laid to rest in California, but due to the hush-hush nature of his death, his grave went unmarked. To his family and friends, he was merely classified as "Missing". As far as they know, he went overseas for "business", and just vanished. It makes your skin crawl to think about how accurate that is. Then there was Adam. You had no idea where Adam was from. You didn't know if he had family. The way his paperwork was done, you weren't even sure if "Adam" was his real name. You had him laid to rest just outside of one of the IMO bases in rural Kansas, and you even threw a little funeral and wake for him, as well. It bothered you that he got as high in ranking as he did without the proper paperwork. He was up to something. You'll never find out now. The saddest part of all of this, the part that really gets you, is the fact that they were all heroes. They were unsung heroes, but heroes, nonetheless. Each and every single one of your friends had done so much in their lives, so much good, and each of their deaths, even Aaden's, served to benefit humanity. It's almost like the whole "revenge from the grave" cliche, but instead of revenge, it's compassion and loyalty. Funny how the world works. While you can claim to serve the greater good, the ultimate way of proving it is to die for it, or die because of your serving it. Your friends certainly proved their morality, that's for sure. As you were looking through the files of your friends, feet still propped up on the desk, an IMO Infantryman walked through the doors. "Major Justin Cunningham of the Mavericks, sir. We have news." He barked out. You casually let your feet down off of the table, and placed the folders back on top of the desk. "What is it, soldier?" You asked. "A large 'shipment' of slaves will be passing through Baltimore today. The Mavericks are standing by to deal with it. May we proceed, Chairman sir?" "Naturally." You responded. The soldier nodded his head, and went to pace out of the room, when you stopped him. "One more thing." You called. He turned around to face you. "Yes sir?" He asked. "Call me Carter. 'Chairman' has a foul history behind it." "Yes sir." _________________________________________________________________________________ The arrow hit the manticore right below it's neck. It immediately fell when the arrow had struck it. It wasn't moving. You glanced over at Fluttershy, who was already in tears. You slowly approached the manticore's body, hoping the arrow had did what it was supposed to. You knelt beside it, and put a hand on it's stomach. It's stomach was heaving. It was still alive. The lion-scorpion was alive. "Thank God..." You breathe out. "Fluttershy, it's still alive!" You yell back to her. "Huh?" She yelled back. She ran over beside you, and closely examined the beast. "It's...asleep?" She asked, wiping away her tears with her hooves. "More like unconscious. It's gonna have a hell of a headache when it wakes up, but the arrow did it's job." You said, watching the manticore's chest slowly heave up and down. "Wh-what did you do to him?" She asked. "Hit him with a tranquilizer arrow. I personally didn't think it would work, but I'm not about to watch you get hurt." You explain. "That's an awful risk to take..." She murmured. "I know it is, and I apologize. But you've got a bunny at home waiting for you, and I need answers. Neither of us can die right now. We simply don't have the time." "Well...I guess you're right." "Come. Let's get you home." "Okay." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So. uh. Magic." You stammered awkwardly. You sat on the edge of the hotel bed, and stared at your hands. Trixie came over, and sat next to you. "I know it must be very strange to you." She said. She rubbed her hoof across your hand in an attempt to comfort you. "No kidding. Well. At least this explains why my hands would hurt every now and then, I suppose." Trixie stopped rubbing her hoof over your hand, and used her other hoof to make her eyes meet yours. "Adam. Do you trust me?" She asked. "I do. Why?" You responded. "Because I think I know how to get your memories back, being as you are capable of magic. It would appear that your magic is centered at your hands, rather than a horn. So, place your hands on your head." She ordered gently. You took your hands, and placed them over your temples. "Now, close your eyes." You close your eyes, and breathe calmly. "I'm going to touch my horn to your forehead. Don't jerk or anything." She continued. You felt the point of her horn poke the center of your forehead. Your eye lids began to light up, like a movie screen. Soon, visible and audible scenes zipped through your head, like the movie screen was in fast forward. The scenes started to slow, before pausing on a single one. "Alright." Trixie said. "Here we go." _________________________________________________________________________________ All you remember was a loud boom, and heat. The vehicle had 5 others in it. The vehicle went rocketing off of the side of the bridge from the IED, and splashed into the river below. Water immediately filled the entirety of the space around you. Water began to fill your nostrils and your mouth. You were too dazed to stop it. Your eyes were still open, even though they were submerged. The man across from you was bleeding from his neck, eyes, and nostrils, the blood looking like a deep red smoke as it traveled through the water. He had a surprised look on his face, but wasn't moving. His body was trying to float up, but was held in place with a seat belt. There was no trace of life left in him. That's when the fear set in. When you really began to comprehend what was happening. You fumbled around with your seat belt, but it refused to release you. Your vision was beginning to grow dark. You heard a click under the water, and felt as if you were moving. You lost consciousness. You gasped for air, and your eyes shot open. You turned over, and vomited up what looked like nothing but water. Your eyes watered from the pain and sensation of the vomiting, but you vomited again, anyways. You coughed and inhaled. "Adam, I've got to go back, the others are trapped!" Isaac shouted. Isaac apparently had just saved your life. You rolled over onto your stomach, and tried to get up on all fours, still coughing and spitting. Your vision was very bright now, as compared to how dark it once was. You looked up at Isaac, who was shuffling in place, obviously distraught and unsure of what to do. "I'm going back." He said quietly, sprinting towards the river. The river was enormous, one of the biggest ones you had ever seen. It was also incredibly deep. You learned that first hand. You looked around you. 2 other men who were in the vehicle with you were also coming to their feet, still dazed. Isaac must have saved them, too. Then another realization went off in your head. Someone was watching you. Someone had to pull the trigger on the IED. One of the dazed men who was coming to his feet jerked back, and fell down. A loud crack came soon after that. You picked yourself up, and threw yourself against the other dazed man who was trying to stand up. "STAY DOWN!" You yelled in his ear. You both hit the ground hard, enough to knock the air from your lungs, but it was just in time to avoid being shot. Another loud crack came a few seconds after you hit the ground. You literally may have just saved your own life, and his. Your shout seemed to snap him out of his reverie. This was now a war zone. You waited for another crack of the weapon. It came soon after the second. When it did, you grabbed the surviving soldier by his collar, and quickly jumped back up. You both ran underneath of the bridge, which was now in shambles. You looked back towards the river where Isaac had jumped in. No sign of him or anyone else. You patted the side of your leg, and found your handgun still holstered. "You still got your Glock?" You asked calmly. "Huh? Uh..." He looked up at you, then down to his leg, and removed the handgun from it's holster. "Y-yeah, right here." "Good." You responded. You slid your handgun around the wall, and fired a few rounds randomly. You weren't hoping to hit your assailant, but to merely show that you were armed. Maybe it would scare him off. You ended up hiding behind that bridge for 8 hours. Isaac didn't come back up from the river. Nor did anyone else. You already knew what happened to them. It wasn't until 8 hours later that the IMO came looking for you. 8 hours of sitting, waiting. Hoping that whoever was watching didn't have the balls to come down and finish the job. 8 hours of not knowing what to tell Isaac's family. Your family. He had a wife. He had children. _________________________________________________________________________________ "What kind of fucked up logic is that?!" You shout. "You were NEVER around! What am I supposed to do, wait for you?" Lara shouts back. "Are you fucking kidding me? You KNOW EXACTLY what I do, WHY I'm not here, and you do this to me?" "Will you relax? It's not that big of a deal!" "Oh, I'm sorry, I just found out that my wife is pregnant with someone else's child, excuse me for overreacting. How could you do this to me?" "Hey, if you don't like it, then there's the door." You walk over to the door, open it, and leave. You weren't coming back. You heard the door open as you were walking to your car. "So, what, that's it then?" She shouted. "You aren't even going to help raise this kid?" You get in the car, and start the engine. As you're looking over your shoulder to begin backing up, you mutter yourself. "You really know how to pick em', Adam..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Ah, Adam!" The Chairman said as you approached his desk. "The man of the hour. I have news for you." "What is it?" You asked. "I am very well aware that you were moved from the ground combat operations after what happened to your brother, Isaac. But we're moving you back down from the skies." "Why?" "Our men need a leader like you. Someone who can be strong under stress. I'm giving you your own unit. The Pathfinders. You will come back to me tomorrow for a full briefing. We already have several recruits lined up and waiting for you. Until tomorrow, enjoy yourself. Dismissed." _________________________________________________________________________________ Trixie looked up at you, making sure you were okay. You looked down at her, and smiled, to signal that you were still alive. She probably didn't see any of those memories. "Are you okay?" She asked as she looked intently at you. "Yeah. It sucks to re-experience the painful stuff, but, I guess it's the painful stuff that makes us who we are." Trixie smiled, and kissed your forehead, where her horn had been. "The caring and affectionate Trixie believes you to be a very brave human." She then kissed your nose. "In fact..." Trixie said while leveling her face with yours. "You're Trixie's FAVORITE human." Her lips then met yours. It was the first real kiss you had shared with her. She pulled her head away, and gauged your reaction to it. You decide to try to break this new ice that had been formed. "I'm the ONLY human you know." You reply, smiling. "Must you ruin a romantic moment?" She retorted. "Romance?" You asked again, still teasing. "You're interested in me, Ms. Lulamoon? I had no idea..." You attempted to look away, as if you were embarrassed or bashful. Of course you knew she was interested in you, but you kind of wanted to hear her say it, hear her explain herself. Her eyes were slightly closed, and she had removed her hoof from your hand, now using it to hold to her mouth. A crimson blush was coming forth in her cheeks. It was absolutely adorable. "The enthralled and captivated Trixie DOES happen to have feelings for you..." She nearly whispered. "Me? Why me, though. I'm not even a pony." You replied. You were enjoying her nervousness. She looked in your eyes through her half-lidded eyes, and her voice raised a little in tone. Perhaps she was a bit more confident in herself. "Pony or not, you gave the lonely and depressed Trixie friendship when nopony else would. Though our journey has been relatively short, it has been incredibly large in meaning for Trixie. She is no longer alone. She has the courage to face things, make them right once more. All because of a kind creature that simply picked her up, and walked her back to his camp. You have charmed Trixie." Trixie's eyes were now open all the way, but her blush was still present. She had a hopeful look in your eyes. Ah, damn it, not the puppy dog eyes. Too adorable. "Adam, do tell Trixie. How do you feel about her?" She asked. The puppy dog look was ensuring that there was no negative answer, although you were sure that she wasn't doing this on purpose. You looked in her eyes for a moment. Her hat and her cape were both off of her, laying across the bed. Right now, it was just her. Her mane hung down from the right side of her head. She really did look nice, for a pony. To be honest, you were almost ashamed of saying that this pony had captured your heart. She's a pony, after all. At the same time, she's completely different. You would say she was an animal, but animals don't talk. Or have complex thought. To consider her an animal, would be to consider yourself an animal. Which, to be fair, you are an animal. So that should it make it okay. Right? "Well, Trixie, I find myself to be enamored with you, as well. If I could explain it, I would. What I have concluded though, is that I don't care. This is my home now. And I suppose you're going to become a very close friend." You said. You felt very confident in yourself all of the sudden. Right now, in this very moment, you didn't care. You forgot about the dreams, you forgot about the memories, you forgot about the fact that you can fire death out of your hands, you forgot the fact that there were other humans that knew you. All you knew, and all you cared to know, was Trixie. The moment was tense. Not in a bad way, though. The passion and tension was like being submerged, but rather than being submerged in water, it was more like being submerged in passion. It felt weird to let your passion out like this. It was as if the very blood that pumped through your veins was replaced with liquid love, and the electrical impulses which twitched through your nervous system gave were replaced with an amazing mixture of anxiety and curiosity. Fuck the world I'm from.. This is home now. Might as well secure a decent future. Trixie immediately adopted what you would call bedroom eyes. They half shut, her irises still glimmering. A smile crawled across her face, but not a big one. She slowly and very deliberately lifted herself off of the bed, and even more slowly crawled over to you. She let out the most provocative giggle you had ever heard. "How close will we be?" She asked. "I, uh..." You couldn't take your eyes off of her. She was still crawling towards you from across the bed. You couldn't think straight enough to form a sentence. All of the sudden, the quiet and reserved Trixie, the one you had seen almost die, the one you had seen cry, the one you had seen be bashful, was now VERY forward. If there was anything that turned you on, it's unexpected actions like this. "Uh, I mean, we co-, uh..." You continued to stammer. She really had caught you off guard. She was turning you in to Mush Mouth from the old Fat Albert cartoons. You were slightly embarrassed of yourself. You assumed that Trixie looked to you as a kind of silent, didactic sentinel, and here you were, bumbling like a fool. Your intention here was only to see her act shy and nervous. But Hell, you weren't about to complain about this turn of events. Trixie's forelegs were now on your left leg, as you were sitting on the side of the bed. She lifted her head up to yours, and smiled a little more, letting her teeth show. "How about this close?" She asked. "Y-ye-" Your voice cracked. You clear your throat. "Yeah, that's good." Holy shit, are you awkward all of the sudden. Trixie then caught you off guard, AGAIN. She pushed you down, making your back hit the bed. She then climbed on top of you, her face now only several centimeters from yours. "How about this close?" She asked again, nearly whispering this time. Her mouth was getting increasingly close to yours. You wanted to respond, the the lip motions to say 'yes' would result in a kiss, so, you thought you'd just go ahead and go for the kiss. You slowly brought your head forward, but, as you did, she jerked her head back, now smiling mischievously. "tsk-tsk, Adam, you silly human. Trixie will cut you a deal. Take her to dinner, and she will grace you with the ability to be as close to her as you want for as long as you want." "All mine?" You ask. "All yours." She responds. She leans in, and kisses you, and you eagerly kiss back. She cuts it off short, and hops off of you. "Adam, you cannot spoil your dinner." You cock your head back, and groan. "Alright, alright. I get it, romance and stuff." That night, the both of you went to one of the more fine restaurants Canterlot had to offer. You got what looked and tasted like fettuccine alfredo, but was named something completely different. Trixie got some kind of open sandwich thing with various steamed vegetables on it. You both had a few glasses of white wine, but it was just to compliment the dinner. Neither of you were even buzzed yet. You still had some bits left from all of the irrigation work in Saddle Arabia, so, you decide to take Trixie for a walk through the local Royal Gardens. The Royal Gardens were like Central Park in New York City. They were both in the center of a major urban area, and, although you could see buildings in the distance of every direction you looked, it was still oddly pleasant and peaceful. While you walked, you both shared heart-warming conversation, the kind that was filled with laughs and smiles. "So, Adam, Trixie thought that you were rendered completely amnesiac, save for the few memories she was able to give you today." Trixie inquired. "Huh?" You responded. You knew what she meant, but you weren't exactly sure what she was referring to. "Well, when Trixie accompanied you to Princess Celestia's throne room, she asked you if your father was a magician. You said yes. Trixie is curios if you remember your father." She explained. You scratched your head. You didn't really think to ponder that fact. You DID remember your father, and bits of your childhood, too. Trixie catches you contemplating. "Trixie does not mean to bother you, she just wants to get to know you better, is all." "No, it's okay. I understand completely. Yes, I do remember by Dad, and I remember some chunks of my childhood now that I think about it, too." "Would you like to share that information with Trixie?" "Anything for you, Trix. Here it goes." _________________________________________________________________________________ I was born in the capitol of my nation, Washington DC. In that city sat one of the most important men of the world. In that city stood monuments and memorials to men that forever changed the world. In that city, lived hundreds of thousands of people, most of which would be forgotten less than a year after they died. My mother and father were both one of these people. My father was an interesting man. He was an Atticus Finch incarnate, a stereotypical caring and wise father. He also had a very odd job. My father was a magician. A rather popular one, at that. He often flew around the country for shows. He met my Mom in Florida, when he was going back to his hotel from a show. They hit it off, and about 3 years later, my older brother Isaac was born. 2 years after that, I came bouncing out, too. My mother was a stay at home Mom, which I really enjoyed. I liked being able to come home to her after a long day of school when I was younger, rather than go to some daycare place, or to some babysitter. Even when I hit my late teens, it was still nice to be able to come home and talk to her. I was very close to my brother. Very close. My very first memory is of he and I playing with some blocks, building towers and knocking them down. He was my best friend. If ever I wanted to someone to hang out with, someone to talk to, someone to be angry at or cry with, he was always there to help me, and then some. Even when we both moved out and went our separate ways in life, we were both still in constant contact. We even shared the same job, which I really don't want to talk about right now. Isaac died in front of me, and was a hero. That's all I want to say about that. Anyways. I was fascinated with magic at an early age. Dad always had a way to continually fascinate me left and right. Whether it was guessing what card I had randomly drawn from a deck, to "pulling" quarters out of my ears, it was always just completely captivating to me. So, I began to practice it. Making things disappear under cups, using magnets to make small things appear as if they're floating, making things appear out of thin air, pretty much every cliche trick that existed, I knew. Then I turned 11. In my world, magic doesn't exist. I learned that all it was, was just a few mind tricks. Make this person look over here, distract a person in this way, notch a card in a deck, none of it was true magic. Just clever tricks. This really let me down, really broke my heart. I confronted my Dad, and he had some of the wisest words I had ever heard regarding the subject. "True magic is hidden in what surrounds us." Human kindness. Mercy. Humor and laughter. Love. All of these things, I considered examples of this "true magic" back home, simply because they were things that didn't make sense to me, things that I couldn't explain. Why do we laugh? Because we find something funny. Why do we find certain things funny? Why do we love? My excuse was magic. And it provided all of the answers I was looking for. At least at the time, it did. Celestia mentioned my father was one of the reasons I am capable of magic. I suppose it would make sense that SOMETHING about me would change. You don't just enter a brand new universe without adapting to it's laws, and I suppose my fascination with magic from my childhood has translated over to the ability to perform ACTUAL magic. It's an obscure theory, but it's the only one we have. _________________________________________________________________________________ "You're brother is...dead?" Trixie asked. You nodded your head. "Trixie knows that you said you didn't want to talk about it, but, what line of work did you have? Can you tell her that?" You sigh. "We were mercenaries. Guns for hire. I really don't want to say or talk anymore about that." You said bluntly. Trixie stopped prodding, and changed the subject almost immediately. Smart pony. "Trixie doesn't have much of a story, herself. She's led quite the boring and lonely life. Then she met you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "It's getting late." Vinyl said, sitting on top of you. She kissed you deeply one more time, and stepped off of you. "HA! Oh man, it's like, 8 PM! Oh boy, Octavia's probably gonna be pissed. She doesn't like to be kept waiting, especially for food. "No? She seems pretty polite." You said, sliding your underwear and pants back on. Vinyl walked over to the mirror, and snagged her goggles, putting them on and resting them on her forehead, rather than actually wearing them. "Oh, she is. She's just kinda classy, is all. Like Rarity, just kinda rude." Rarity... "Huh. Well, it's late enough to get some drinks, that's for sure." You continued. You were now buttoning up your dress shirt over your white shirt. You run a hand over your head. Your hair was too short to be messed up from constant sex, but it was still reassuring. "Oh yeah, we're doing that. Uhh..." Vinyl trailed off. She dashed over across the room, and started searching for something. While she was searching, you tied your shoes, and walked over to the mirror. You looked fine. Your face was red, but other than you, you looked fine. You felt fine, too. You felt something hit your back, so you turned around. "Those are yours." Vinyl said. You looked down, and saw a pair of goggles, similar to hers, but, rather than purple lenses, yours were a bright orange. It reminded you of your old gas mask, but, you weren't complaining. The goggles actually looked kind of cool. You slide them on, and rest the lenses on your forehead, just as she was doing with hers. "What're these for?" You ask. "Oh, we're going clubbing after dinner. Gotta let everyone know we're together, right?" "With some awesome goggles? Sure, I catch your drift." "Awesome? Try bitchin'. These things look even more 'awesome' under black light, so wait until we get to the club." Somehow, you couldn't imagine Octavia at a nightclub. It didn't seem like it was her scene. You both go upstairs, and find a yawning Octavia sitting on the couch, reading some magazine with a large cello on the front of it. "Ah, it's about time." She said, looking up from her magazine. She placed it down on the table, and stood up, stretching. "Are you quite ready? Or would you like another go at it?" She asked. Vinyl nudged you, and smiled her half smile. "Actually..." "I WAS JOKING. I will not wait any longer for food." Octavia cut Vinyl off. "Come now. Food." _________________________________________________________________________________ You made it back to the Crystal Empire just as the sun was setting. You shifted the satchel over to your other shoulder, and closely examined the town. Every pony you walked past would have the fear of God in their eyes, which annoyed you. You had a bow on your back, one capable of a lot of tricks. If you wanted any of them dead, they'd be dead by now. "Max, the train station is just ahead. I was thinking, we could head out now, if that's okay. We should reach Canterlot by the morning." Fluttershy said. You looked ahead at the junction before you. Trains. Ponies and trains. Okay. "Alrighty. Will customs need to look through our satchel? What about shoes, do I take those off?" You ask. Fluttershy looks up at you. "Huh?" She responds. You chuckle. "It's nothing. Back home, I know travelling was a hassle. Safety and what not." "Oh? You remember stuff about your home?" She seemed interested. "Well, yeah. I just don't remember anything about myself. Names or faces, I can't recall. For some reason, however, I can remember what life was like." "I'd love to hear about it, if that's okay." "Sure, sure! Lets just get on the train first, we'll pass time that way." "Sounds lovely. Maybe, I could talk about myself, too. If that'd be alright." _________________________________________________________________________________ "No, no, no." You laugh. "Here, like this." You pick up Lyra's hooves, and help to motion them. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, bakers man..." You clap her hooves to your hands. She watches with complete fascination. "H-hands can play games?" Lyra asked. She was enjoying this too much. "Yep. Now, you try it." You replied. You smile widely, watching her carefully move her hooves to touch your hands. You sat with your legs crossed on her bed, and she mimicked your posture. If there was any pony you had met so far that you would consider human, it's Lyra. Human trapped in a Pony body. Lyra looks up from her concentration on your "game", to make sure she's doing it right. You smile at her, and she returns your smile with a blush. She goes back to concentrating. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, bakers man..." Lyra sings the song with you. "Bake me a cake as fast as you can..." Lyra looked back to you, listening to you sing. "Roll it..." You twirl your hands over her hooves. "Pat it..." You pat your hands on her hooves. She had stopped moving her hooves with your hands, and merely watched intently. You still had her hooves, though. "Mark it with a B..." You draw the letter B on her hooves with your finger. "Put it in the oven for Lyra and me!" You clapped your hands together, then threw them apart, opening your arms wide, and tackling Lyra to the bed playfully. She immediately giggled wildly, and you couldn't help but laugh, too. That's when you both realized what was happening. You were on top of her, with her forelegs pinned. Her face went crimson in the blink of an eye. You gently released your grip on her forelegs, and put your hands on her face. Her forelegs slid up and around your back. You could feel her hind legs opening. You leaned in, and you kissed Lyra. You kissed her as deeply as you could. She responded with the exact same intensity. Then her intensity turned to ferocity. She really wanted this. So did you. It seemed early in the relationship for anything like this to happen, but Hell, you understood zilch about pony culture. Maybe this is normal. Even if it wasn't normal, you didn't care. Take what you can get. And when you can get what you really want, really take it. _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam really WAS up to something in his life. Out of curiosity, you had found his full record, and were examining it. Literally, all it said was "ADAM HOWARD - KIA". No date of birth, no place of birth, no family members or past addresses. "Huh..." You said out loud. "Something wrong, sir?" Your personal guard asked. "Yes. Adam's record is odd. The Chairman has more on his record than Adam. It's almost as if they're hiding something about him." "Hiding something?" "Exactly. This is the IMO. There's nothing that needs to be hidden here. We already know everything." You close up the folder, and tuck it under your arm. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your train car was dark on the inside, and Fluttershy was the only other occupant besides yourself. Fluttershy was curled up on the seats across from you, fast asleep. You couldn't sleep, however. This all still felt really funny to you. You took the bow off of your back, and rested it on the seats next to you. You were bored. You look down at the bow, and decide to give it a little test. You pick it back up, and imagine a bright red firework-like explosive effect. You look back at the sleeping Fluttershy. You now imagined the firework to be completely silent. You pull back on the bow, and watch as an interesting arrow bursts into existence. This one looked to be made out of a smoking-silver like material, with a bright red tip, also smoking. You release the arrow, and watch as it silently whips across the sky. It actually traveled a lot father than you thought it would. Eventually, it popped, releasing a beautiful cascade of red lights and sparkles. The inside of the train car was briefly illuminated with a dulled red light, then faded away. You smile. You'd have to show Fluttershy this trick the next opportunity you have. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Is someone lighting off fireworks?" You ask. Trixie looks up in the sky, noticing the red burst in the distance. "Is it like a holiday or something?" "Not that Trixie is aware of. Perhaps someone is celebrating something." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Sir, we found someone that says they have something to say regarding Adam." An IMO Guard said. "Please, bring them in." You replied, pouring a glass of water for your guest. An IMO Infantryman walked in, and sat across the desk from you. "I understand that you may be aware of the activity Adam was partaking in." "I'm the reason for it, Chairman sir." He responded. "Please, call me Carter." You said, handing him the glass of water. "Yes sir." "Adam was a good friend of mine. A brave man. I trust what he was doing was a just duty, and I'm sure it's reasons for being hidden are valid, but circumstances are...different..." You look at the Infantryman. He looked a little like Adam. "Are you aware of what his goal was?" "Yes sir. He wanted to dismantle the IMO from the inside-out. Let me tell you a story." _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam was loading several shells into his shotgun. When he was finished, he gave it a single, loud pump. "You know what we're here to do. If any of them survive, we all die. Let none survive." Adam walked over to the door, and kicked it down, literally ripping it off of it's hinges. He lowered his shotgun, took aim, and fired it. He then pumped it, and fired again. Then another pump, and another boom. You were doing the exact same thing. Luckily, the guards you just took on weren't expecting you, fellow IMO mercenaries, to attack them. In a matter of moments, 6 were dead. You walked towards the series of monitors and servers, stepping over dead bodies. You wiped the blood off of the screen of the monitor you were going to use with you sleeve, and you begin hacking. You had to delete the camera footage of who did this massacre, and you needed to delete Adam's records. "Breaching the mainframe..." You said, typing on the keyboard near the server. Adam walked around, poking dead bodies with the barrel of his shotgun, making sure they were dead. "These bastards will pay for what they've done. To me, and to everyone they've ever hurt. The best part is, they'll never know it's me..." He said quietly. "This one's for Isaac..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "This is where things get complicated, Carter sir." The soldier said. "Why is that?" You ask. The soldier didn't break eye contact with you. He took a drink of his glass, and set it down. His nonchalant manner was making you nervous. "I am Isaac." Chapter Forty: AmalgamationYou had sex with Lyra last night. You had sex with Lyra last night, and it felt amazing. You had the most stupid grin on your face as you were getting out of her bed. You put on your clothes, and looked back at her. She was curled up in a Lyra-ball, fast asleep. She was smiling as she hugged the pillow that took your place in her arms. "Aww...Man..." You said, still smiling. You didn't want to go to Canterlot. Not right now. If only you could lay with her just awhile longer. If only you two would have done this last night, you could have spent the entire day in bed. You had on the pair of black pants you had came here with, the short-sleeved white T-shirt, and you still had Aaden's jacket. You walk over to her large mirror at the corner of the room, and look yourself over. Still handsome. "I'll take good care of her while you're gone." Bon Bon's voice said. You look at her from the mirror. She was standing in the doorway. She had something resting at her hooves. "Also, get yourself some new clothes. I wanna see the look on Lyra's face when you're wearing something other than THAT." She said, pointing a hoof at your outfit. You rub your right eye sleepily, still smiling. You walk over to Bon Bon, and take the bit-purse at her hooves. You walk back over to the bed, and kiss Lyra on her forehead while she sleeps. She stirred gently, her smile not fading. Bon Bon moved out of the doorway as you walked towards it. "Have a good trip, and stay safe, Alan. I know Lyra will be eagerly awaiting your return." Bon Bon said, following behind you. "I will. I'm meeting Aaden by the fountain in the marketplace, so the trip won't be so bad." "Aaden's coming as well?" "Yep." "Well, you two behave yourselves." Bon Bon called from the door. You laugh. "I am NOT about to get my ass kicked by Aaden and Ponies again. We'll be on out BEST behavior. Bon Bon waved goodbye to you, and you waved back. You continued your walk through the marketplace, and to the fountain. Aaden was kneeling by the fountain, tossing what looked like breadcrumbs into it. You saw small ducks paddling about inside of it, which explained his actions. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white-T shirt, so he didn't look too much more fancy than you. "What's happening, brother?" You asked. Aaden looked up at you, and stood up, tossing the rest of his breadcrumbs into the fountain. "Passing the time. You eat already?" He asked. You pat your stomach. "Nah man, didn't have the time. I was up late last night, so I woke up late." You got a good look at Aaden's eyes. They were bloodshot. "Holy shit, and from the looks of it, you were too. You alright?" "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Vinyl kept me up late last night. If you know what I'm saying." Aaden explained. "Spare me the details. Lyra and I were spending 'quality' time too, so I know what's up." You replied. "But yeah, I'm starving." Aaden started to walk away from the fountain, and signaled you to follow him. "We'll eat on the train. Their food isn't so bad. C'mon." The early morning sun was very warming on this day. There was the occasional gust of brisk wind, but it only complemented the warmth of the sun. Birds flew about and chirped their happy songs, Ponies went about their business as usual, everything seemed to be in harmony. It was nice. The junction was mildly busy when you arrived. There was no line to get tickets, but there were lines forming to board. Aaden walked up to one of the open windows, and picked up two tickets. You both got in line behind one of the groups of ponies waiting to board. The train arrived not much later, and you both boarded with ease, despite the hustle of the junction. Aaden takes a seat next to you, and hands you a sandwich he purchased from the cart that travels between cars. "So, lets address the elephant in the room." He said, opening his sandwich. "What do we do if we're dead? If this is, through some weird way, the afterlife. Our personal afterlife." You unwrap your sandwich and take a bite. It tasted like egg and cheese. It wasn't half bad. You chew it up thoroughly before swallowing. Your eyes meet Aaden's, and you attempt to formulate a response. "I honestly don't know. I guess this would be home, then. Until we grow old, and die here, too." "But what if we CAN go home?" "Like I said, I really don't know. It's a lot to take in, a lot to think about." You both sit in silence for a moment, eating your sandwiches in silence, listening to the steady and consistent clink of the tracks under the train. You both had a lot of things to take in to consideration. Your answer would soon be at hand, and that's what gave you goosebumps. The future, and all of the answers it would bring, was coming. You just didn't know if you were ready for it. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were now standing, pointing your handgun at this soldier that claimed to be Isaac. "You motherfucker. You think it's funny to pretend to be the dead? Huh? What the Hell is wrong with you?" You shout. "Isaac" took a sip of his water, still looking very nonchalant about the entire situation. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Get talking. Now." "Well, I'd suggest you sit down. It's quite a long story." _________________________________________________________________________________ The Chairman knew that Adam was going to be a thorn in his side. He had to personally reprimand Adam multiple times, mainly because Adam was showing more of a desire to do what was right, rather than what he was being paid to do. This was a trait that later rubbed off on Aaden and Alan both, two men that we both know were close to him. The Chairman wanted Adam dead. Simple as that. But he wanted to make it sting, he wanted him to truly suffer. So, I was called in to his office one day, were he threatened me. I either follow through with his plans to assassinate Major Adam Howard, or he finds and kills my children and wife, also framing me for the murders. I had no choice. "You son of a bitch." You said. "You filthy, fucking bastard!" You shouted. The Chairman kicked back in his chair, and laughed. "I'm glad I have your cooperation. Now, you're going to be going on a 'mission' in Afghanistan. When you cross the large bridge, and you'll know what bridge I'm talking about, you hit this plunger I'll give you. It'll set off an IED. Make sure your seat belt is unbuckled, if you want to live. If all works out, it should kill him via drowning. In the event that he escapes, we'll have a sniper in the hills, waiting to pick him off. Get to it, killer." The operation was the next day. You sat in the back of the APC, your head hanging down. You had the plunger in your pocket. "You okay, Isaac?" Adam asked you. "Yeah, I'm good." You replied with a faint smile. You leaned your head out a bit, looking through the front windshield of the vehicle. You were just now at the entrance of the bridge. You put your hand in your pocket, flip the button guard up, and press down on the plunger. A loud boom, followed by the sound of metal scraping across metal was all that was audible for a moment. You closed your eyes. When you reopened them, the APC was completely submerged. You looked around the back of the vehicle. 3 Soldiers, including Adam, were still alive, panicking and attempting to get their seat belts off. You swim over and help the other two, while you stop and stare at Adam. It was tearing you to shreds, watching him thrash under the water, bubbles leaving his mouth. If you could cry underwater, you were doing it now. When he stopped moving, you decide to go against your orders. You swam over to him, released his belt, and swam out of the APC with him in tow. The other two men had already found their way topside, and were crawling about, coughing and vomiting water. You dragged Adam ashore, and watched as life returned to him. He shook violently as he came to his knees, vomiting water, just like the others. He looked up to you, his eyes blood red and pained. You couldn't watch what was going to happen next. "Adam, I-uh, there are others trapped. I've got to go." You said. Adam shook his head weakly, and you ran back towards the river. Rather than go back into the APC, you swam across the river, and hid behind the other part of the bridge, to await pickup. Then you heard the crack of a high powered rifle. You heard it several times. You sink against the concrete pillar you were hiding behind, and let tears fill your eyes. That's when you hear something that makes you stop your sobbing. Several shots from a DIFFERENT gun filled the air. You peeked around the corner. Adam and another soldier, the recruit, survived. They were hiding behind one of the concrete pillars on the other side of the river. They survived. The other, who was on the ground, in a pool of his own blood, wasn't so lucky. The Chairman wasn't happy. "What. Happened?" He asked impatiently. You sat across from his desk. It had been 12 hours since the IMO picked you up, and you were still drenched from the river. "I don't know. He just survived, I guess." You said. "Isaac, need I remind you what is at stake here? Your families lives." "Why don't you do it? Why don't you send someone in the other room, and just kill him now? Why all the plotting?" You ask, slamming your fist on the table. "Because Adam is well respected. If we were to just butcher him, that would create a schism. Besides. It's far more fun, having you do it. Now. He thinks you're dead, so..." The Chairman reaches under his desk, and hands you a new uniform and helmet. "These are yours. Your name is Michael Porter. Born and raised in Michigan. You are joining him with the crew aboard Ghostie. Enjoy." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Y-you're Michael?" You said. You remember working alongside the Pathfinders in their glory days. Aaden, Alan, Adam, Max, yourself, and Michael. "I was." He replied. "Up until Adam's death, I was responsible for many injuries and near-death experiences he went through, although I would never go all the way through with the plan. I even tagged along with him to claim his 'revenge' against the IMO. Those blank records? I'm the one that did that." He explained. You could see his eyes welling up. "Do you know what it's like?" He asked. "Do you know what it's like to sabotage your own brother's handgun, or rig his vehicle with explosives, then immediately help him find a new weapon, or drag him out of the wreckage? I was being punished as much as Adam was. And then when Adam died in combat, I was heartbroken. Aaden and I were there, and it was the worst experience of my life, to watch my brother die. To have him look in my eyes, and not realize that he's looking at his brother." Isaac stammered. He collected himself with a very small sniffle and a deep breath. "How did you conceal yourself?" You ask. He put his helmet on, slid a bandanna over his face, tied it, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a contact lens case, and put in two lenses. They made his blue eyes look brown. Admittedly, he looked very different. "I see." You said quietly. It made more sense now. "I have one request to make of you, Carter. One thing to put my entire mind at rest." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Whew. I'm feeling pretty good!" You said, chuckling as you wake up. Trixie cuddled up next to you, nuzzling her cheek against yours. "Shh. Trixie is sleepy." She said. You looked out of the window, seeing the sun shine through. It was mid-afternoon already. You never did get Trixie all to yourself last night like she promised, but, you were out pretty late, talking. Then you remember what Celestia told you. There were two humans coming. Two that knew you. You couldn't pass up this opportunity. "Trixie, those humans are coming today. They might be here any moment. Would you like to come with me?" You asked, gently whispering into her ear. "Mpmmhhh...." She mumbled into the pillow. You nudge her. "Yesss...." She responds. You get up, shower, and get dressed. When you exit the bathroom, Trixie was now fully awake, looking out of the window. She was wearing her hat and cape. "You ready?" You ask. "Yeah." She answered. You both left your hotel room, and set off into the streets. "Trixie thinks that, when and if they arrive, it will be at the train station." "Good thinking." You said. You lean down, and kiss her on the cheek. You both head towards the train station through the busy streets of Canterlot. You arrived at the train station just in time to see a train departing. A swarm of ponies had disembarked the train, but you didn't see any humans. "Hmm...Maybe they weren't on that Train, huh Trix-" "ADAM!" You heard a familiar voice shout. You felt something lift you from behind, and squeeze you tight. It sets you down, and you turn around. Two smiling humans, one slightly shorter than the other, were standing before you. Then the memories burst through your mind. "Aaden! Alan! Holy shit, you guys!" You shout. You three huddled up, and jumped around like kids. "Oh man, I've got so many questions! How the Hell are you guys here?" "Damned if we know." Alan laughed. "God damn, is it a surprise to see you!" He continued. "Seriously, this was the last thing I expected. I wonder if this was Celestia's planning." Aaden said. "Celestia? Wouldn't doubt it. She's really smart. Smarter than she likes to put on." You replied. Alan looks at you and laughs. "Why am I the only one who has yet to meet this 'Celestia'?" He asks jokingly. He then notices Trixie, who was smiling warmly, happy to see you with your friends. "Who's your friend?" You almost feel kind of embarrassed. You weren't sure what your friends would think about you having a pony for a girlfriend. "This is Trixie. She's my marefriend, I believe they call it here." You said. Alan and Aaden both smiled. "Hell dude, nothing to be shy about. I've got one, too. Aaden has like 4." Alan said. Aaden smiles, and rubs the back of his neck. "Lets go. I don't want to keep Celestia waiting." Aaden said, changing the subject. "Me neither. Who's Celestia?" You heard a voice say from behind you all. You all turn around, and then there was ANOTHER human. It was Max. "MAX!" Alan shouts. You all three greet him just as you had been greeted. Another train had pulled up while you were distracted. Max must have been on it. "You guys would not believe the shit I've been through these past few days." He said, smiling. "And this is Fluttershy, my new best friend." "H-Hello everypony..." Fluttershy said. She walked over to Trixie, and they both talked for some time while you all caught up excitedly. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your party was reunited. Granted, Carter wasn't here, but you jumped from only having Alan, to having Alan, Max and Adam, all in a matter of minutes. You couldn't be happier. All 6 of you, including Trixie and Fluttershy, walked towards the castle, intending to still meet up with Celestia. Ponies normally didn't stare you down too often, but this new sight of 4 humans together was probably slightly shocking for them. You could care less about the wandering eyes. You had your friends, and that's all that mattered to you. "And then, they put me in a dungeon!" Max said, laughing. "Shiiit, you think that's bad? I wandered a desert for like 8 months." Adam replied. "You're both pansies, I got manipulated, and then got my ass kicked my Aaden and his rainbow friend." Alan added. You all recounted your stories of how you got here, and you noticed a very odd trend in your origins. All of you suffered from amnesia. Max seemed to have it the worst. Granted, Max's amnesia was lessened upon seeing you all together, he still didn't remember certain things. It was odd, but it was nothing you wanted to worry about right now. Not when you're surrounded by friends like these. It felt as if it took absolutely no time what-so-ever to get to the castle, and into the throne room. You all talked the entire way there. Celestia's guards opened the doors to the massive throne room, letting you in. When you walked into the throne room, Celestia was standing in front of her throne, smiling. She had to have been surprised, herself. Max looked stupefied, seeing Celestia for his first time. "I am glad you have all been reunited." She said. She then looked over at Max. "And Max, I see you found your way here, as well. I recognize you from Aaden's memories." Max feigned a smile, and waved awkwardly. Celestia went back to addressing the group. "Well, my good human subjects, I suppose you are seeking answers. The sad thing about that, is I am unable to produce any at this moment. It may take awhile." "Years? Shit..." Max uttered. "I have called you here for a different reason. While there are only 4 of you, that's 4 more than Equestria has ever had. Not to tone down your good moods, but I have to ensure that my ponies are safe around you before we proceed any further. I know that you are each individually good humans, but things like that change when groups form. Especially if you are going to be romantically involved with my ponies, I need to test you. Should you pass, then Alan, Max, and Adam, I have special positions waiting for you. Aaden already has his. If you fail, then you will be split up, each of you going to a different town. This is a test of your morality, integrity, and most importantly, your friendship to one another." Celestia explained. "I apologize, m'lady, but this is all happening so fast." You said. Celestia still smiled. "Aaden, you are free to not participate. You have proven yourself already. But It is best that it happens this way. It doesn't give your mind time to think, forcing your hearts to act." "I can't abandon my friends here." You said. Celestia's smile got a little larger. "I knew you wouldn't. Please, take each others hands." Celestia said. You all formed a circle, holding hands together. Max and Alan were visibly wary of what was happening. They had yet to experience anything as intense as this was probably going to be. "Good luck, Max..." Fluttershy said. "Trixie knows you can do it, Adam!" Trixie called. Celestia was then joined by Luna, who walked in from an adjacent room. "Alrighty humans. Are you prepared? The trials set before you are based upon the memories I have collected from each of you, and have been adjusted accordingly. This is all I will say. Ready?" Celestia said. You looked around this circle that you had formed. You literally had just met up with your friends, and here you were, going to do something crazy with them. Just an hour ago, you were on a train, and now, you're in the royal court of a goddess-alicorn, with two friends you didn't even know were here, and now you're about to undergo a "trial"? Everyone shook their heads. "We're ready." You said. You lied, but this had to be done. Everything got extremely blurry. So blurry, that everything was turning gray. It settled when everything was completely gray. You then heard Celestia's voice, as if it was in your own ear. "Complete this mission as you were assigned to..." _________________________________________________________________________________ The blurriness started to fade. When it did, you sigh. "Shit. Guys, I remember this place." You said. You looked around. You were in the backroom of the strip club/rave bar in Hong Kong. You reach onto your side, and feel the familiar grip of your Glock in it's holster. You look at everyone else. Alan had a pump-action shotgun with a pistol grip and foregrip, Aaden had an MP9, and Max had a TDI Vector. "Yeah, we fucked this one up good..." Max added. "Alright, anyone remember the mission specs?" Aaden asked, loading his MP9. "Secure the shipment of gold bars they have in the parking garage below. Go undetected." Alan answered. "And what did we do wrong last time?" Aaden asked. "We killed a FUCK-TON of people." Max said. You heard the music start up in the main part of the bar/club, the deep bass making your weapons vibrate in your hands. "Weapons low, gentleman." Aaden said. You all put your weapons into your blazer pockets or holsters, hidden from view, and prepared yourself. You were all wearing suits with bright orange ties. He stepped forward, and opened the door leading out into the enormous room before you. The room was dark, but enormous. There were several "islands" with stripper poles that topless women used, and there were several cages suspended from the roof that more topless women danced in. You personally found it disgusting. You all walked through the crowd, sliding through open spaces in the dancing swarm. "THIS IS PRETTY EASY. WHY DID WE MESS THIS UP SO BAD LAST TIME?" Alan asked. "THAT'S WHY!" Max yelled back over the music, pointing. A woman was being dragged into a bathroom against her will by several men, each wearing black suits and red ties. Now you remember. These were thugs. A gang that specialized in human trafficking, as well as money laundering. This was the kind of shit that The Pathfinders HATED. Last time, you all went into the bathroom, and killed them using guns. The noise alerted ALL of the other thugs. "WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Alan called. "BUT CELESTIA SAID TO COMPLETE THE MISSION AS ASSIGNED!" Aaden responded. "WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT KILLING THEM!" You yelled. "FINE, BUT WE DO THIS QUICKLY!" Max finished. You all hurried over to the bathroom. The woman was lying on the floor, surrounded by four thugs, who all had their backs to you. Aaden walked quickly behind one, and threw his arms around him, choking him violently. Max walked over to another, and kicked him in the back of the knee, which sent him to his knees. Max then also began choking him. You pulled out your Glock, and with a fierce swing, slammed it against another thugs head. The clink of the metal against his skull was very satisfying. Alan simply kicked the last one in his back, sending him head first into the wall in front of him, knocking him out. This all happened within a few seconds. You all dragged the unconscious thugs into the stall, stacking them against the toilet and stall walls. As Aaden and Alan attempted to make sure they would have trouble getting out of the stall, and Max kept watch for more thugs, you walked over to the woman. "Are you okay, ma'am?" You asked, reaching a hand to the woman. She looked up at you fearfully, but responded to you, in a very thick British accent. "Yo-You speak English?" She asked. "Yes ma'am. You're going to be okay." You replied. She sighed, and took your hand, standing up. "Are you with the government?" She asked again. "You could say that." "We're running out of time!" Max called back, peeking his head outside of the bathroom. "Those damn trucks will be leaving in any second!" "Sir, please, they have my friends! There are others! You must help us!" The woman began to shout. "But what about the trucks? The money?" Max asked. "Humans need our help. It is deviating from what Celestia told us to do, but this is the right thing to do." Aaden responded. "Right." Max said, examining his weapon, thinking. "Well. Let's get moving." Just as you were about to head out, you all stopped instinctively. "This is the end of your first half of the test..." Celestia's voice boomed. "Now for the second part..." You all looked around at each other. That was it? Perhaps you had proved your morality as group. That was still quick. Your vision got blurry again. "Your memories are being temporarily wiped...you will forget that this is a simulation...I will also add memories and figments as I see fit...prepare yourselves..." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were in the parking garage outside of the club now. You could still hear the bass from the music. All four of you were crouched behind a road block, your weapons in hand. You also remembered this part. "Shit, Aaden?" Alan asked. "Yeah?" You responded calmly. "They're coming." "I know." "Escort the hostages to safety..." You heard a feminine voice boom. You decide to follow it's instruction. You look around the parking garage. You had rescued the hostages, and now everyone was reunited. For now. "Adam, take the hostages up to the roof of the parking garage." You said, pointing at Adam. Adam shook his head. "Good idea. We gotta go, ladies. Say your goodbyes." He said. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch all stood before you. "Darling. Will we see you again?" Rarity asked. "Of course." You replied. You knew what was going to happen, but you lied anyways. Alan, Bon Bon and Lyra were saying their goodbyes. Max was holding Fluttershy. Adam and Trixie were embracing each other. Carter and Pinkie Pie were hugging each other tightly. Isaac, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were sharing a group hug. This was it. "Alright, move it!" You called. The ponies broke off from their friends and coltfriends, and were looking at Adam for direction. "Follow me." He said, pulling out his Glock. "Stay close." As Adam vanished into the upper levels of the parking garage, you continued to give orders. "Alan, rig the car ports with explosives, I want you to detonate them as soon as the trucks arrive." You said. "Yes sir!" Alan called back, dashing off into the lower levels of the parking garage. "Max, I need you and Carter to prepare an ambush downstairs with Alan. Once they eventually break through, try to hold them back for us. If not, fall back, but do it slowly." "Understood." They said in unison. They both trailed after Alan. "Isaac, you take a rifle, go upstairs with your brother. I need you to operate as a counter sniper. Just in case these bastards have anyone on the rooftops. Move it." You ordered. Isaac nodded his head. You sprinted down to the lower levels where Alan, Carter and Max waited. Alan was hiding up in the rafters, essentially lying in wait inside of the roof, plunger in hand, knife in the other. Carter was behind a large SUV, and Max was behind a sports car. "Here they come!" Alan shouted. Two large black vans were roaring down the street. "C'mon...c'mon you sons of bitches..." Alan was muttering. The vans blasted into the parking garage, and the moment they did, a loud beep, followed by an explosion sent the car port the vans used on top of the car. The doorway had collapsed on top of them, crushing the occupants. "Shit!" Alan called. "They've got a bunch on foot!" Sure enough, men in black suits with red ties began hopping through the windows. Alan leapt down from the rafters, landing directly on top of one of the men. He drove his knife deep into his skull, before tearing it out, and slashing at a different man. Max and Carter were now firing their weapons. Too many were coming in. "THE OTHER CAR PORT!" Alan shouted. "SHIT, MORE CARS! MOVE!" As you were running up the garage ramp to retreat to the second level, you saw Alan jerk forward, and blood splatter all over the wall in front of him. He cried out in pain, and fell. You ran over to him, and helped him stand. His left knee was completely useless now. You drape his right arm over your shoulder, and limp ahead. "Get Alan upstairs! I'll hold them back!" Carter yelled. "How?" You yelled back. Carter smiled, and held up several grenades. Carter was dressed differently from everyone else. So was Isaac. Carter wore black and dark blue camouflaged pants, a very tight nylon-mesh navy blue shirt, which was short sleeved, and he was wearing a navy blue beret with a gold pin on it. You remember Isaac was wearing orange and black IMO armor, and an orange neckerchief. Isaac was unnaturally photogenic wearing this outfit, but you would question his choice of apparel later. "I'll be okay! Just go!" He finished. You looked at Alan, who looked at you. You both nodded your heads, and hurried your limp. You both quickly realized that you were moving way too slow to get Alan to safety. "Leave me." He said. "Just make sure Lyra and Bon Bon are safe." "You can do that yourself." You replied. "Now hold on tight." You bent down, and picked him, throwing him over your shoulder. "Also, you're now my arms. Kill anything that tries to kill us." You broke into a sprint. If the ramps weren't at the angles they were, you would have fell flat on your face. You heard several loud booms come from the lower levels of the parking garage. Carter was really raising hell. As you were running up the ramps, you realized how hauntingly beautiful this setting was. The parking garage was filled with the yellow-orange illumination of the lights placed throughout it, and the night was pretty, too. It was raining outside. Not a downpour, but not a sprinkle. There was no lightening or thunder, and the full moon was visible. You snapped back into reality, and finally made it to the roof. The ponies were all huddled at the corner of the roof, a purple barrier over them. Adam was busy talking to them, keeping them calm. Then he turned around. "Shit, is that Alan?" He asked. "Yeah, it's me." Alan said, still dangling over your shoulder. You placed him down against the barrier. "He's hit through the knee, he's unable to walk on his own. Isaac!" You called. "Sir?" He responded calmly, not peering away from the scope of the rifle. "I need you to help me prepare for them. Adam's keeping our friends calm, Alan is hurt, and Carter's downstairs." You said. Isaac flipped the cap over his scope, and walked over to you. "I can help." Alan said, struggling to stand up. You walk over to him, and pick him up again. You walk him through the purple barrier with the ponies, and set him down against the wall. "Lyra, keep him from moving around too much. Bon Bon, keep Lyra calm." You said. Lyra immediately pounced on top of Alan, tears in her eyes. You leave the barrier, albeit reluctantly. As you were going to leave the barrier, everything got very blurry, soon turning gray. _________________________________________________________________________________ Everything comes back into focus now, clear as day. Your still standing in a circle, holding hands with all of your friends. You all let go of each other. Alan rubs his head. "Was that Isaac and Carter?" He asked. "Because I've never met Isaac before. I thought he was dead before I even enlisted." "I used Adam's memories of his brother and Max's memories of Carter to offer you some help in your simulation, in case you needed it." "That was...intense." Max said. "What a way to be reunited with your buddies, huh?" "How did we do, your majesty?" You asked. "I am glad you asked, Aaden." Celestia said. "While I wish that things weren't so violent, you all performed very well. You've proven that you can still follow orders and do the right thing at the same time, or, need be, abandon orders for morality. That's admirable. You've also proven that you as a group are capable of quick and clever thinking, which makes me a bit unsettled, but I suppose it proves your bonds to one another. Lastly, you've shown that you all care about each other, especially my ponies. So..." She trailed off, smiling. "You are all official citizens of Equestria, and you are permitted to stay together." She finished. You all four shared a group hug. A brief one, but still a hug. "Pretty awesome stuff. Man, there's this restaurant Aaden showed me back at home called Poachies, you gotta try it!" Alan said to Max. "They got meat?" he asked. "Nah, but they do have thi-" "Ahem." Celestia interjected. "Sorry." Alan apologized. "It's quite alright. I find your excitement to live in my kingdom very flattering, but there is still business to attend to. Alan, I have something for you. Luna! Please bring in the robes!" She called. Luna flew through the doorway, black robes in her mouth. She put them in Alan's arms. "Go ahead Alan. Try them on." Alan slid the first black robe over his shirt, letting the coat-tails flutter freely. He pulled up his hood, which had a metal face guard with cloth attached to it. He now looked like some kind of dark assassin, and it soon became apparent that the robes were magic. His eyes were replaced with two very small pinpricks of white light, and his entire face was hidden either by the silver face guard or darkness. You could also see his breath, despite the fact that it was warm in the room. "Long have we needed an expert infiltrator for Equestria. While we may be a peaceful kingdom, there are those that would see us undone. You will serve as a Royal Infiltrator when you are called upon." "Sssounds good to me." Alan said under the mask. his voice now sounded distorted and deeper. He slid the hood off, and slid the face guard off. "I'm just happy to be here." He said, his voice now normal. "Adam? You have proven that you are good at communication, that you are capable of keeping ponies, and humans, calm. I'm assuming you'll be going to Ponyville with your friends, so, you may serve as the Ambassador of Canterlot to Ponyville. You'll work with Mayor Mare." "I can do that." He said. "Last but certainly not least, we have Max. Max, if I'm not mistaken, you are very talented with that bow Shining Armor gave you. You may serve as a Royal Guardsman in Ponyville, and instruct the other guards on proper marksmanship." "Easy." He replied. Celestia seemed pleased that everyone was seemingly happy with their positions. "Excellent. Lastly, we need to work out places for you all to live." Celestia said. "I'm all taken care of." You said. "Yeah, me too." Alan added. You looked at Max and Adam, who both didn't really have anywhere. "E-Excuse me, Celestia, but Max can stay with me, if that'd be okay, and if he wants to..." Fluttershy chimed in nervously. Max smiled. "I'd love to." He chuckled. "Then that just leaves you, Adam." Trixie stepped forward. "Trixie is going with Adam, also. She would have allowed him to stay with her in her cart, but her cart is no more." She said. Celestia smiled. A pen and paper poofed up in front of her, which she then used magic on to scribble something down. The note then floated over to Adam, which he grabbed out of the air. "Take that note to Willie's Wagon Wheels. Pick whatever cart you want. I'll pay for it." Celestia said. Trixie's eyes lit up. "Thank you princess, thank you!" She cried out. "It is my pleasure. Now, there is one more I have yet to address. Spyra. Show yourself." Celestia said. In the center of the room, a silver dragon with deep blue eyes seemingly melted into existence. He stood slightly shorter than Alan. "This dragon will be coming with you. His name is Spyra, and he is also a Royal Infiltrator. Originally, he was only going to assist Alan, but, seeing as I will need a line of communication to you all, he will serve that purpose. He will stay with Twilight Sparkle." "Nice to finally talk to you guys. Heard a lot about ya." He said. You all look at one another, surprised. After a moment of awkward silence, you spoke up. "Hey there, Spyra. We'll be happy to have you. The more friends, the merrier." You said. WHAT. A. DAY. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Is this one it?" You asked. Isaac shook his head. "Nah, that's not the one. Keep digging through it all, you'll find it." He responded, scratching his eyebrow. You slid the folder back into the cabinet, and flipped rapidly through the other files, eventually locating another file labeled AH. Adam Howard. You handed the manila folder to Isaac, hoping that he would find what he was looking for. "What about this one?" You asked. Isaac opened up the file, and turned over a few loose pieces of paper. A small grin crawled across his face, revealing his white teeth. Why he became a mercenary and not a model was beyond you. "Yeah. Yeah, this is it. Aaaand..." He trailed off. "Lets see here..." He slid one sheet of paper out, and examined the print on it. "Yep, looks like I'm going for a trip. You in?" "Depends. Where to?" "Washington DC." "Shit, why not? That's like an hour flight." _________________________________________________________________________________ You returned home to Lyra and Bon Bon as night had settled in. The train ride was certainly interesting, with all of the catching up and the new dragon-thing. You wonder if he'll get along well with Spike. You hope so. Spyra didn't seem too rude or brash. A little arrogant here and there, but Hell, aren't we all? Besides, his age is the equivalent of a 20-year old Colt, so, he won't be too awful to be around. The fact that he could turn invisible at will still made you feel a little iffy, but you shake it off. It was nice seeing Adam and Max again, and it was made even better by the fact that they would all be living nearby. Adam seemed to be really involved with that pony in the goofy hat and cape that liked to talk in third-person. What was her name? Trixie? He helped her pick a cart, and load it on to a storage car on the train, and also helped her unload it when they got to Ponyville. He even pulled the cart to the outskirts of Ponyville, while she went on inside of it and went to bed. Adam must have really found a mare he likes. Good for him. Max on the other hand had literally just arrived in Equestria, and while he was able to fake smiling and understanding with Celestia, all of us, including Celestia, knew better than that. He was still on complete edge, constantly looking behind him, or jerking randomly, as if trying to wake himself up. It's sad to watch your friend resort to such methods seeking comfort. Fluttershy seemed to like him, and he seemed to calm down substantially when Fluttershy talked to him, so you were confident that he would be okay with her. Aaden, Adam and yourself all made a pact to keep a close eye on him, anyways. Just in case. Sentient creatures can be unpredictable. Your mind was swimming with all of this new information, all of the new faces and names. In all your time in the Bad Lands and Dead Marshes serving Queen Chrysalis, not once did she ever really talk about how big Equestria was. She made it seem as if all that existed was The Hive and "The Oppressors". There was so much more than that. So much more than just Changelings and Ponies, not to mention all of the different types of ponies, or the other creatures that walked freely through the streets. If ever you were experiencing culture shock, it was now. You let the cool night air serve as your Inhaler. You slowed your breath slightly, and, with each inhale, you calmed your mind. Burning questions soon became simple inquiries, which then died down to nothing more than playful curiosity. All of your worries and concerns left your body through your exhalations. Canterlot was a beautiful city, but something about Ponyville was more desirable to you. When you're walking through Canterlot, you see plenty of rich-folk walking about, touting their money and acting with might. Not to mention the fact that a GODDESS lives there. It just makes one without status feel really out of place. But not Ponyville. Ponyville was a place that, no matter the financial status, and no matter the caste in life you've chosen, you fit in. You aren't vital to the everyday life, but wanted, which, in your mind, was better. When you're NEEDED, you have to be responsible every moment on duty, you have to strict, you have the stress of knowing that people/ponies depend on you, and worst of all, they can piss all over you, because being needed usually is a mutual thing, so you're trapped. When you're WANTED, however, you are treated with respect, you have room to be lax, and, while you must still be responsible, you are given room to kick back every once in awhile. Whether your bucking apples, baking cakes, teaching the fillies, or selling candy, you are respected. You aren't just "The candy salespony". You're Bon Bon, the kind mare that enjoys making fillies happy. Perhaps it was the presence of identity that you really enjoyed. You were now approaching home, having been lost in thought on your walk. You had left Lyra while she was asleep, and chances are, you would return to her sleeping, as well. You jiggle the door handle. Locked. You lift up the welcome mat, and use the spare key to unlock the door. You put the key back under it, and walk inside, re-locking the door behind you. You remove your shoes and socks, placing them neatly by the door, and you go upstairs. Lyra was in bed, fast asleep, just as you had predicted she would be. You removed your shirt and pants, and climbed into bed next to her. You were sure to hide your new Infiltrator robes, the ones that changed your voice, under the bed, behind a box. A really odd thumping noise starts up in your head, but you don't let it deter you. As you close your eyes, you hope you hid the robes well. The last thing you wanted to wake up to was Darth Lyra. _________________________________________________________________________________ You settled the cart adjacent to a building that was odd, to say the least. It was coated in what looked like chocolate, and was decorated with various candies and deserts. On the top of it, was a giant cupcake, with several lit candles protruding out of it. You were going to take a shot in the dark here, and guess that they made desserts there. You lock the wheels to the cart, ensuring that it won't roll off in the middle of the night, and then you extinguish the lanterns that hung on the cart. Two on the front, and two on the back. You pull apart the cloth curtains, and climb inside, closing the curtains behind you, and tying them. You didn't want any curios ponies to decide to poke their head in and watch you sleep. At the back of the cart, Trixie was curled up half-under and half-on a pile of blankets and pillows. You lay down next to her, finding plenty of blanket to cover yourself, and several free pillows to use. Of course, Trixie's sleeping body found it's way over to yours. It always did. But you aren't complaining. Trixie rested her head on your chest. "mmm..." She hummed while sleeping. Poor mare had to deal with all of this, too. She must be exhausted as you. You bury your head in her mane, and breathe in the scents of the shampoo she had used this morning. As you go to let sleep remove you from this world, you hear what sounds like a heart beating, but quicker. You fall asleep, however. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Your house is kinda far out, isn't it?" You asked. Fluttershy smiled. "It's close to the forest. I like to be close to the animals. Not everything inside of Everfree wants to tear your arms off." She said. You laugh a little. "Did Fluttershy just make a joke?" You ask sarcastically, chuckling a little. You remember Fluttershy telling you about the Manticore that nearly killed Aaden. "She did. If that's okay." Fluttershy said. "It's fine, Shy." You respond. You hope she doesn't mind if you call her 'Shy'. "Will we be giving Angel his medicine tonight?" "Oh no, it's far too late for that. Angel is already asleep. I'll give it to him in the morning." She explained. "Makes sense." You said. You saw a house, one situated slightly up on a hill. It was quite scenic. A small earth bridge over a large stream to you up to this cottage. "Oh wow. Is this it?" You ask. "This is it. Home sweet home." She said while unlocking the door. You walk in, and are greeted with sights just as beautiful as the outside of the cottage. "Fluttershy, I'm really impressed. Your house is absolutely beautiful!" You exclaim. "Oh, it's nothing." She said quietly. "I just clean up really well. Anyways. You can sleep on the sofa, if you'd like. I'll bring you some pillows and blankets." "Fluttershy. Don't bring me all of them. You need some, too." "B-but what if you get cold, or if you aren't comfy enough?" "Fluttershy. Two pillows, and one blanket will do the job very well." "W-well. Okay." Fluttershy disappeared upstairs. You sat on the sofa you were going to be sleeping on, and got yourself comfy. You had a lot to meditate on. In fact, if it wasn't for Fluttershy, you were sure that you'd be a little more upset than you are right now. A LOT more upset. Fluttershy soon came down the staircase, and gave you your pillows and blankets. "If you need anything, please tell me. G-Good night, Max. Sleep tight." She wished you a goodnight, and went back upstairs. You stacked your pillows up, and completely covered yourself from head to toe in blankets. Maybe, if you were lucky, you would dream about these things, and not have to think about them. You've done enough thinking for one day. You pressed your face against the pillow, and closed your eyes. To your relief, your mind didn't go crazy, but a really weird thumping noise started to beat in your mind. You couldn't stay awake any longer, so you shook it off, and slipped under the veil of slumber. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, Aaden." Spyra started. "Tell me. How are you liking it here in Equestria?" He finished. Spyra was a kind dragon. He was only the second you had ever met, and to be honest, he didn't exactly look like a 20-year old to you. He talked and behaved with the mannerisms of an intelligent and polite older man. Perhaps he's had something happen to him that scarred him. "I already know the answer." He said, smiling deviously. "Huh?" You asked. "How?" "Oh, c'mon Aaden. Royal Infiltrator here? Think about it. Weird, alien creatures appear in our kingdom, who's gonna get sent out? Me." Spyra laughed. "And I don't mean this in an offensive or targeting way, I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't tell you. I've been watching you since you first left the hospital. Now, I've never followed you inside anywhere, but from the hospital, to your fight with Alan, I've been watching. Then I switched to Alan, deeming you friendly enough." "Clever. And it also makes a great deal of sense." "I'm happy to hear that you understand. Not everypony would take so lightly to the idea of being eavesdropped on and watched." "Spyra, I've gotten used to it by now." You chuckled. You were both leaving the junction just now, having stayed back and chatted up the attendant. You wanted to get to know this dragon better, especially if he was going to be following you around. But, as fate would have it, he already knows you. Perhaps that's all that matters. You both left the junction together. You were walking with him to Twilight's house. It was on the way to Vinyl and Octavia's house, so it wasn't really a problem. "Do you know Twilight very well?" You asked. "I do. I was an assistant to Princess Cadence, much as Spike is to her, although I was older than Spike when I went to assist Cadence. Even had a different name back then. I would tag along on most foal-sitting trips, I became pretty good friends with Twilight. Amazing how times change." Spyra said, staring off into the distance. You were both approaching the library. Spyra stepped forward, and knocked on the door. "Just a minute!" You heard Twilight call from inside. After a few moments of rustling and exchanging glances, the door opened. "Spyra!" Twilight cried out. She hopped up and hugged him. "It's been a long time! Celestia told me you would be coming! Come in, come in! Aaden, would you like to come in, too?" "No thank you, Twilight. I've had a pretty long day, I think I'm going to go home, go to bed." You replied, holding your hand up to your mouth and yawning. "Oh. Well, alrighty Aaden! Sleep tight!" She said. The door closed, Spyra having gone inside. You walked down the walkway from the library back out to the marketplace, and began to head home. It was late, and you really were tired. You knew exactly what was going to happen the moment you got home, however. You couldn't help but feel that Rarity would let you come home and get straight to sleep. You missed Rarity. To make matters worse, you remembered more things. Bad things. More operations with the IMO, and certain OTHER things you didn't want to think about right now. The period of time between the death of your father and joining the IMO was the darkest time of your life. That much you will allow yourself to acknowledge. You were approaching the house, so you cleared your mind, and prepared yourself to inevitably be tackled by Vinyl. With a sigh, you pull out your key, and unlock the door, and grit your teeth. Nothing. You open your eyes and relax your jaw to find that living room was void of ponies. You take a seat on the sofa near a large window that overlooked the marketplace, and let yourself relax happily. It was always nice to be pleasantly surprised by something. You were in the mood for some music. Something soothing and quiet to cool your nerves, and ease your thinking. You slid your smartphone out of your pocket, and pulled up the music application. With a few elegant strokes and taps of the finger, you find a song. "The Winner Is...". It was an instrumental redux of "How It Ends" by Devotchka. As the accordion starts up, setting the tone of the song, you rest your head against the back of the sofa, letting yourself take a deep breath. A lot had happened today. A lot. You closed your eyes, and let the song run it's course. You imagined a peaceful setting to the song. You imagined walking through a meadow, covered with nothing but sunflowers. Not the super tall ones that obscured your vision of the meadow, but ones that stopped at your waist. As you walked through this meadow, you saw a large tree in the distance. An elegant weeping willow that overlooked a beautiful, cyan lake with a very small dock. A single old wooden boat bobbed as the wind blew the lake gently. You walked through the sunflowers, and over to the tree, which you then sat beneath. You closed your eyes, and let your head rest against it's mighty trunk. The relaxing sound of the water gently lapping at the earth, combined with the sound of the sunflowers and long tendrils of leaves belonging to the weeping willow blowing in the wind, relaxed you exponentially. "Aaden?" You heard Octavia say. You opened your eyes, cutting your imagination off, and lifted your head from the couch. You picked up your phone, unlocked it, and paused the song. You turned around on the couch. Octavia was coming the down staircase, but had stopped on the 4th and 5th stair down. She had been watching you. "Are you alright?" "We found two more of my friends today, in Canterlot. One popped up in the Crystal Empire, the other in a desert somewhere near Saddle Arabia." You responded. Octavia hurried down the steps. "Two more? How? Why?" She asked. "I'm not sure. Celestia herself said she didn't have any answers for us right now. I'm going to have Spyra send her a letter tomorrow, see if she can't begin researching these things soon." You answered. Octavia sat down next to you. "Spear-uh?" She questioned. "Yep. We were also assigned a dragon assistant." You answered again. "My goodness, dear. You've had a very busy day. No doubt this touching on some ghosts of the past. Are you sure you're okay?" "I can't not be okay, if that makes sense. You said it yourself. I'm trapped here. To not be okay, is to give up hope. And when I have no answers or any knowledge, it's very tempting to do so, but I can't. I have to keep moving." "I see..." Octavia trailed off, looking away from you. Then she looked back to you, smiling, but still concerned. "What was that song you were listening to?" "Oh, that was 'The Winner Is'. It's essentially an instrumental version of one of my favorite songs. They featured it in a movie back home, 'Little Miss Sunshine', I believe. Very touching song. I didn't much care for the movie." Octavia laughed, which made you smile a bit. "There's a smile. Well, Vinyl is away for the evening. She's meeting with somepony interested in hiring her for some kind of event. She's staying in a hotel." "That's fine. Good luck to her." You said. You didn't mean to sound angry, but perhaps you did. Tonight just really wasn't your night. "Aaden, dear, you seem tense. I simply refuse to let you sleep alone tonight. Come to my bed. You need rest, and someone to talk to." Octavia pleaded. You looked at her, examined her closely. She didn't have lust in her eyes. you relax a bit, and nod your head. You wouldn't mind being intimate with Octavia. It wasn't having sex, but making love. She acted like she cared, and God knows you needed somebody out there that cared. Someone like Rarity. You both walked up to Octavia's room, and laid down together, where you spilled your heart out to her. Told her everything that bothered you. She listened all the way through, tearing up at some parts, giggling at others, blushing at some. It felt nice to talk to someone who would listen. Octavia leaned in, and kissed you gently. You kissed back. You both pulled away slowly, sleep filling your eyes and minds. "Goodnight, Aaden." "Goodnight, Octavia." As you closed your eyes, you tried to imagine the sunflowers again. But you couldn't. An odd, consistent thumping noise filled your mind. You were too exhausted to fight it. You fell into the loving but cold arms of sleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ "ISAAC, GO HELP CHRYSALIS!" Aaden shouted at you. The entire building was coming down in flames, and in the back of it, steam shot and whistled through the pipes as the pump-machine thumped. Even when it was being destroyed, it still beat on rhythm. You looked at Aaden. He was in his Honor Guard armor, directing ponies, to safety. He also had his newfound angel wing protruding from his back, making him look all the more holy and guardian-like. Alan was in his Infiltrator Robes, grabbing ponies where he could and running them to safety. Adam was wearing a very light-weight silver armor, which led up to a single bandana-like cloth that covered his nose and mouth. He was holding his hand out, which was twitching and sparking with purple and violet energy. He was moving burning rubble out of the way of fleeing ponies. "MAX, GET A FLARE UP!" Aaden shouted. "SIR!" He responded. He knelt, and fired an arrow from that damn bow of his, which exploded in a show of red and white flares. He was dressed in a green cloak and golden-decorated green leggings. Carter was helping Alan, and he was the only one dressed like you, and by that you meant he wasn't dressed like a medieval warrior of some kind. He wore his navy blue outfit with his navy blue beret. Then there was you. You were wearing the standard IMO uniform, but with a bright orange neckerchief. The guys LOVED to make fun of you for it. Applejack ran by you, and stopped. "SUGARCUBE, YA GOT TO HELP CHRYSALIS! WE GOT IT ALL TAKEN CARE OF OUT HERE!" She shouted over all of the commotion. You snapped into reality, and ran back into the building. It was now completely ablaze, your vision almost completely shaded by smoke and flames. "CHRYSSIE?!" You called. "CHRYSSIE, I'M HERE! WHERE ARE YOU!" You called even louder. You heard a loud, wheezing cough, and you went towards it, holding your hand in front of your face to block the heat. You see her laying inside of a pile of rubble, and rush over to her. You kneel down, and shake her. She looks up at you. "W...wuh?..." She stammers. "Isaac?..." She asks. "It's me, we have to go, we're out of time!" You said. Her forehoof shot out, and grabbed your arm. She then grew a bone-chilling smile. It didn't look malicious, but it made your skin crawl. She started to pull you closer. "What the Hell are you doing?! We're going to die in here!" You shouted. "I told them you were different, that you had changed!" You shouted even louder. Chrysalis smiled even wider, and her eyes began to glow green. "What?!" Her gnarled horn also grew the same color. She pointed it at you. "NO!" But it was too late. Everything went neon green. _________________________________________________________________________________ "AH!" You shouted, jumping in your seat. "What the Hell is wrong with you, dude?" Carter asked. You look around. You were on the airplane to Washington DC. You must have fallen asleep. "Unbelievable. We're only supposed to be on a plane for an hour, and you fall asleep 10 minutes into it. And then have nightmares. Awesome." "How long was I out?" You ask. "Literally about 10 minutes. Why?" He responds. "No reason. Just had a very weird dream, is all. Chapter Forty-One: The Binding of IsaacA soft, very gentle feminine voice came over the PA system inside of the plane. "Now arriving at Dulles International Airport. Please remain seated." You looked over at Carter, who was fumbling around with his seatbelt. You knew a flight attendant would say something to him. "Dulles is about 26 miles west of Downtown DC, so, accounting for traffic, I'd say we're about 45 minutes away from Aerox and Terminus headquarters." He said, fumbling with his seatbelt. "And if I'm not mistaken, there are some new players in the game out here." "Oh yeah, I've heard about them. Isn't their little organization called 'Holiday'?" You ask. "A very disturbing name for their true line of work, don't you think?" Carter's seatbelt finally clinked off. "Hell yes. I couldn't breathe. That thing is way too tight." "Hey, safety first." "Fuck safety." "Never thought I'd ever hear an incumbent Chairman say that." "I'm quite the usurper." You both disembark your flight, and leave Dulles International Airport. You stopped a Taxi, and the both of you climbed inside. "Drop us off at the Mall." Carter said. The Taxi Driver flicked his meter on. "Any particular monument you guys want to be dropped off near?" The driver asked. "We've no preference." "Gotcha." The Cab Driver replied while removing his parking brake. The taxi itself reeked of the infamous new car smell, but in this case, it was very overwhelming. It almost made your head spin. Carter was reminiscing with you about being younger and coming to Washington DC, how the city seemed infinite to you. "Man. I remember going to the Washington Monument for the first time, and looking in every direction. Buildings everywhere. Of course, I was a bit of a nationalist in my younger years, so, I also believed I was at the heart of the world. It's amazing, how much your eyes open with a little experience, huh?" Carter said, crossing his leg over his knee. You roll down your window a little, letting the fresh air inside of the Taxi. The new car smell wasn't as bad now that you were used to it. "I know exactly what you mean." You responded. You both looked off in different directions, both of you obviously in thought regarding the true powers and natures the world hides. You snap out of it before he does. "But, hey. We're here on a pretty happy note, so lets not let this get us down." The taxi smoothly grinds to a halt in a parking lot near the Potomac. The Jefferson Memorial was literally just across the river. You fish 40 dollars out of your pocket. Your charge was 22.25 dollars. You decide to be generous, and just let him keep the massive tip. As the taxi pulls off, Carter begins adjusting his tie, and looks at you. "You ready?" He asks. "I am." "Good. Let's get rollin'." First stop was Aerox. The walk was long, but the weather was nice, so you couldn't complain. There were kids playing soccer around the lawn by the Washington Monument. There was a group of Asian Tourists laughing and speaking their native tongues on the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. An old man of feeble stature left roses at the base of the Vietnam War Memorial, and placed his hand on the marble, closing his eyes. Police Officers stopped a man who was carrying two heavy bags of trash from the front door of some restaurant to a dumpster, and helped him lift them. They even struck up small talk afterwards. It warmed your heart a bit to see all of this. You arrive at the Aerox building, and climb the staircase. You both go through one of the many revolving doors to the enormous building, and as you enter the lobby, and older man immediately greeted you. He couldn't have been older than 40, but his hair had a touch of gray in it, and his eyes shimmered with experience of an older person. "Chairman! It's good to see you!" He said in a thick Scottish accent, immediately outstretching his hand and shaking Carters. "Let me just go ahead and say, after you took the position and ended the little feud between our two 'companies', I was very relieved! It's good that we can unite!" "No sense in killing each other if we're going to keep getting hired on the same jobs." Carter responded without emotion. The man narrowed his eyes at him, but smiled. "Well, you're brutally honest. I like that. I see a bright future between us. I'm the CEO of Aerox, David Abernathy." He said, holding his hand out. "Welcome, to Aerox Incorporated! I would explain our history to you, but I'm sure you know enough about it. Hell, just a month ago, I'm sure your boys were sitting in rooms studying every detail about us. Gotta know your enemy, right?" He laughed. "What of Terminus?" Carter asked again, still not showing emotion. "Patrick Fisher, their respective CEO, is on his way. Never thought I'd see the day that we'd all be at peace. It's quite nice, actually. Seems just like yesterday I was lying in some trench in rural Montana, trading shots with some young lad from the mighty IMO." "That's because it was." Carter said, finally smiling a little. David laughed, and put a hand on Carter's shoulder. "I enjoy this one already. Tell me, are you boys hungry? I believe there is a McDonalds over in the Aerospace Museum, I can send my assistant out. Lord knows I could use a cola and a burger. Oh!" The CEO sighed loudly, gently bopping himself on the head. "How rude of me!" He outstretched his hand to you. "My name is David Abernathy, I'm the CEO of Aerox. Welcome, welcome! May I ask your name?" He shook your hand excitedly, waiting for an answer. "His name is Isaac. He's a member of my personal retinue." Carter answered for you. David released your hand, and stepped back, smiling. "Tell me, Isaac. Are you a religious man?" He asked. "Not quite." You responded. David opened his hands, and gestured. His thick Irish accent made his presence somewhat entertaining. "The Son spoke up to his father. 'Father?' 'Yes, my Son?' 'The fire and wood are here,' The Son said. 'But where is the lamb for the offering?' After a moment of uneasy silence, the Father answered. 'God will provide our sacrifice.' That's Genesis 22:7. Are you familiar with it?" He asked. "I'm afraid not." You responded. "The Binding of Isaac, is what it's called." Carter answered. _________________________________________________________________________________ You always had an odd way of sleeping. You would first lie down, and cover yourself in blanket from head to toe. Then, you would lift your feet up, and trap the blanket that fell beneath them by setting your feet back down. Then, you would pull the blanket up over your head, and trap it with your head. You essentially made a little cocoon out of blankets. Also, should you hear a bump in the night, or get hot and need to let cool air in, you would never remove the blankets. You'd merely lift up an edge, and form a small cave-like opening. Sleeping like this comforted you. When you were all bundled up inside of your pod of warmth and protection, you felt as if you were at home once again. That you would peel back your blankets, and be in your room. You always slept with your TV on in your room, and you would often fall asleep watching Adult Swim, so you normally would be forcefully brought from your slumber by a loud theme song to some annoying kids show. You kind of missed those theme songs. You were currently in a state of being half asleep and half awake. You had to get up and piss, but the blankets were holding you hostage. You collect will power, and push yourself up off of your blankets, and out of your cocoon, emerging not as a butterfly, but a very sleepy human being. Trixie was sitting near you, hovering a mirror and brushing her hair using magic. "Good morning, Adam." She said sleepily. She must have saw the blankets give birth to you in her mirror. "Morning." You responded. You sat up, and kicked the remaining blankets off of you, and sat against the wall of the wagon, letting your head rest on the wall. You watched Trixie brush her unkempt hair, her eyes half open from having woken up recently. "Any plans for the day?" You ask. Trixie stops brushing her hair for a brief moment, and looks at you through the mirror, then resumes brushing. "Well, Trixie would like to reconcile with the ponies of this town today." She began to explain, still brushing her hair. "Trixie doesn't exactly have what you would call a great track record here. She's made some mistakes, and it's time for her to face them, fix them." You lift yourself up slightly. "Trixie, I think it's great what you're doing and all, but wouldn't you like to just take it slow today? I mean, after all of the excitement yesterday, I kinda wanna just..." You looked around the wagon. "Lay here. Maybe explore the town." "If Trixie were to accompany you, others ponies would see her. Ridicule her. She may as well fix things as soon as possible." "Well, what about that Pony we can study with. Twilight Sparkle? Was that her name? What if we start with her, maybe get her to spread the word?" "That still requires Trixie going out in public." "Well, look, what if I go out for you? I'd hate to keep you cramped up in this wagon, I mean, you're free to leave anytime you want. But, if you'd like me to, I'll go to talk to Twilight Sparkle myself." Trixie stopped brushing her hair again, and turned around to face you. "Really? You'd do that for me?" "Of course." Trixie smiled, and kissed your cheek. "Trixie offers you her gratitude. She'll stay here, and catch up on reading." You untie the curtains to the wagon, sunlight pouring through. With one eye closed tight, you hold a hand up to shield the other from the light. You stumble out of the wagon, and on to your feet. It looked as if you had stumbled into a 7-year old girls dream. Everything was so bright, so colorful. You breathe in deep, smelling whatever was baking in the building next to you, and decide to look for the Library. You had been told that it was inside of a giant oak tree, so, there was that. _________________________________________________________________________________ As your party stood in the lobby, another man stepped inside. One of the Aerox security guards stopped him, and was going to begin searching him, when David noticed, and raised his hand, calling to the guard. "Dinnae worry about that one, lad!" He called. The guard shook his head, and stepped away from the man. The man smirked, and approached us. He was young, and was dressed like you were, minus the neckerchief. He wore a pair of light blue jeans, with a leather belt, a white dress shirt, and a jet black blazer. His dirty blonde hair was short, but neatly groomed and styled, and his eyes were also a very interesting hue of gray. "Gentleman, I give you, Mr. Patrick Fisher, CEO of Terminus Security Solutions." Carter reached a hand out, and the two men shook hands, smiling and exchanging greetings. Patrick Fisher had a deep voice. One that sounded like it belonged to a grizzled American World War 2 Sergeant, who was taking a break, smoking a cigarette and rubbing his 5 o'clock shadow in the rubble of some building in Europe. "You must be Carter. It's nice to finally meet the face behind all of the peace negotiations and movements." He said. Carter laughed. "The feeling is mutual. I'm not by any means a revolutionist. That was Max." Fisher looked at you. "Who's this?" He asked. "Och, that's Isaac. A member of what Carter here calls his 'personal retinue'. A mighty fine young lad, from what I can tell." David spoke for you this time. It would be nice if you could talk. "No shame in that! Good to meet you, Isaac. You in active service?" "I am." "Got a family?" "A wife and children." "A fucked up world we live in, eh?" David laughed at Patrick's cursing, and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's only when you fall in love that you begin to realize how awful this place is, huh?" David asked, his accent nearly hidden this time. "But enough of this depressing banter. We're all gathered here for a reason." He said, his accent returned to him. "Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to follow me." You all followed David to one of the elevators, and you all stepped inside. The elevator had buttons labeled 1 through 59, and B-1 through B-5. David took out a key, and hit a combination of buttons on the panel. The elevator dinged, and then a small slit of metal slipped away beneath the panel, revealing a keyhole. David inserted his key, and turned it, which revealed a new set of buttons above the panel. They were labeled "60", "B-6", "B-7", and "B-8". David pressed the "60" button. "Clever contraption you have here, David." Patrick said. "I quite enjoy it. Floor 60 is my personal office. I think you'll like it. B-6 is an Aerox Command Center, B-7 is our barracks for the greater metropolis, and B-8 is our armories and laboratories. Floors 1-59 are for the people innocent in all of this. I feel bad, knowing they all work for ideas and movements that they have no idea exist. I've never been one to use people. So, I pay them a base salary of $60,000 with plenty of raises, I give them decent hours, I give them all I can, from break rooms where they can nap and enjoy buffets, to 3 days off a week." David explained. "You're a kind man, Abernathy." Carter replied. "As I said, I've never been one to use others. While the IMO has just recently started 'fighting the good fight', so to speak, we've been doing so for awhile. Perhaps that's why the previous IMO Chairman despised us so." David continued. The elevator dinged. "Here we are." David smirked. The doors slid open, and with it, your jaw dropped. The room itself was enormous, and dome shaped. It was about half a football field long, from one end of the dome to the other. The dome itself was made out of what looked like thick glass with thick silver supports running through it. There was a large circle of white marble in the center of the room, surrounded by water as blue as the kind the pacific ocean contains. On that marble island, sat a desk with two marble pillars in front of it, covered in dark green ivy. The pillars seemingly bled a waterfall into the moat. Across the little moat, was a single palm tree in each cardinal direction, save for south, because that's where the elevator was. David exited the elevator, and crossed the small marble bridge over to his desk, promptly taking a seat in his chair and leaning back. Everyone else exited the elevator mystified. "God damn..." Patrick said, looking around the room, his voice slightly echoing. He looked up. The sky was completely visible. Clouds lazily floated by, and the sun's light poured in the room evenly. "It's a pleasant retreat, don't you think? The glass is some kind of odd technology, prevents the sun from baking me up here, while giving me all of it's light. I'll have the eggheads down in the laboratories explain to you later, if you're interested." David said, digging through his file cabinet connected to his desk. "Now, lets get down to business. Carter?" "Yep?" He responded. "I am 100% on board." David said, smiling. He kicked back in his office chair, and propped his feet up on the desk. "We can do a lot of good, laddie. A lot of good. I know Patrick will want in as well, isn't that right, Patty?" David asked, smiling broadly and wagging his eyebrows at Patrick. "You gonna tell him the story?" He responded. "Aye. May as well. Pull up a chair, friend." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was a very cold day in the state of Kentucky. Snow fell in white globs of natures grace, entirely blanketing the grass and forests. Footsteps crunched and words echoed. The eerie silence of winter always made me feel spooked. Not a birds song was to be heard, nor any wildlife wishing to be seen. We had set up camp on the outside of the very large Jefferson Memorial Forest, on the outskirts of the metropolis that was Louisville. The silence was soon broken. "SIR! TERMINUS UNIT, COMING UP! HE LOOKS HURT!" One of my Aerox sentries called. He was wearing the standard combat attire, except it was as white as the snow. It had the signature hexagon cells all over it, outlined in a bright cyan. The soldier was holding his left shoulder, and was limping quickly towards the camp. His weapon dangled from his good arm, and he was blotched with blood. His left eye was closed tightly, while his right eye was half open. You could tell he was straining to maintain consciousness. I immediately ran forward, and put my arm around his shoulder, to help him limp. He was sputtering, blood coming from his teeth. "Mo...More are coming...Pathfinders...Oh God..." He looked terrified. Determined to get away from where he was. He wasn't making sense at the time, but he was scaring me. My orders were the usual: Arrive at the area of interest, secure the area of interest, and hold the area of interest until it can be locked down. This time, you were ordered to hold an area suspected of holding an undiscovered entrance to Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system known to man. It's so large, scientists are STILL traversing the damn thing. The previously undiscovered entrance and it's respective system could be valuable, brimming with minerals. Aerox and Terminus worked a joint operation, as was also usual. What was not usual, however, was the suspected presence of the IMO. No offense to you, but the IMO was well known by other organizations to be dirtier in securing their assets. Drug trafficking, puppet politicians, and good ol' bank robberies. When this man came through, injured, that secured our fears. You were here. "I want the area CLEAR! Our client needs this funding for cancer research, we CANNOT let them down!" I shouted. Men scuttled through the snow, and took up positions, watching. Waiting. We sat in the snow, in that forest, for 2 days. Finally, out of aggravation, I went to the tent that the injured Terminus soldier was in, and when I unzipped the tent... He was gone. In his place, was a note. "We were ordered to locate this mine, and kill you all. The Chairman didn't even want the mines, he just wanted to be a dick. Unfortunately for him, something spooked you guys, keeping you from coming out and stumbling upon us. IMO forces left the area after a day of searching. The IMO just had some bad luck, I guess. PS. The research these mines will be used for are worth more than the hate of an old man" At the bottom of the note, were two letters. AL. It wasn't until much later, that I discovered those stood for Aaden Locke. The legendary watchdog of the IMO. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Good morning, my muse." Octavia called to you as you walked down the staircase to the kitchen. You hadn't gotten dressed yet. You were too tired to do so. "Huh?" You asked. Vocabulary wasn't exactly your thing after you had just woken up. "Nothing, Aaden. Coffee, black." She said, handing you a mug the moment you got downstairs. "Thanks." You responded, taking the mug. "May I ask again, why do you take your coffee black? It's quite unpleasant that way, don't you think?" "I don't drink it for pleasure. The strong taste wakes me up, kinda like a cold shower." You sip at the mug, and cringe. "God damn. That's certainly black, huh?" You sip again, and immediately follow it up with yet another cringe. "Bleck." You muttered, licking your lips, and rubbing the right side of your jaw with your palm. Octavia giggled, her hoof over her mouth. Was she blushing? "You're cute, you know that?" She said. "Mmm." You hum in response, sipping at the cup. You had adjusted to the intense strength of the brew, and were waking up quickly. You noticed Octavia was somewhat spruced up for it being so early. Her hair had been combed and styled, and a large purple bow was in it. "You look pretty good. What's going on?" You ask. "Vinyl wants me to pick her up from the hotel soon. When I dress up and pick her up, she loves it. So does the press. Makes her look like she has high and mighty friends, I suppose." "Well. You look fantastic." You said. Octavia came closer to you, her eyes half closing themselves. You could see something odd in her. It wasn't JUST lust this time. By the time she climbed in your lap, you had realized what it was. She sat on your lap, except facing towards you. Her legs went over either side of your body. Before you could even exhale, her lips were against yours. You knew she could taste the black coffee, but she just didn't care. She pulled back for a moment, and looked in your eyes. She was definitely blushing. "I love you." She said, before pouncing on you. She nearly sent the chair over on it's back. Her tongue entered your mouth like a bat out of Hell, and, whether you liked it or not, you were getting hard. Octavia could feel this, obviously. She giggled, her tongue vibrating in your mouth. She started slowly rocking her hips back and forth, obviously teasing you. It was only making you grow harder. She stopped the rubbing, and starting lifting herself up and down. You weren't in the mood for sex, but, you were going to let it happen. Octavia pulled her mouth back from yours, and looked you in your eyes. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here. I want you. I have little time for any games." She said, almost demanding. "So we're going to get straight to the point." She said. She didn't break eye contact with you, even though you could tell she was pulling you out of your underwear. "Your point, to be exact." She lifted herself up a bit, and positioned herself to where, all she had to do was come back down, and you would have entered her. You could feel something warm and sticky dripping on your crotch, which only made the anticipation greater. While she stared into your eyes, you grit your teeth from anxiety and excitement. You could tell you were blushing, which elicited yet another giggle from her. "Il est temps." Octavia said, in the most seductive French you had ever heard. She immediately threw her forelegs around your neck, and sat down. You were no longer teased with the sticky warmth of whatever was dripping from her. You could feel every inch of her. She was pulling and squeezing. It was like nothing that you had ever felt before. Truth be told, you really liked it. You put your arms on her waist, and encouraged her to move up and down. She responded accordingly. Octavia seemingly knew what she was doing, for her first time with a Human. Her tongue moved on par with her body. You slid in and out of her rapidly, the consistent motion driving you to your edge. You could tell Octavia was getting there, so, you decided to help her. You picked her up, stopping the motion, and dropped her on the nearby coffee table, knocking your mug off and spilling the coffee. You'd clean that up later. You spread her legs, and, on a beat, entered again, this time, you forced your tongue in her mouth. You could feel her legs twitching against yours. After a few minutes of thrusts, you could tell it was time to send her over the edge. You removed your tongue from her mouth, and began kissing her neck. Octavia's face was frozen in a blushed, open-mouthed smile of pure ecstasy. You begin thrusting harder. Her hooves start to dig into your back. It actually hurt quite a bit, it was nothing like a human female's nails, but, you were too close to stop now. You were there. So was she. With a few more pounds, you start to feel yourself releasing inside of her, and with each pump, her hips bucked against yours. With each pump/buck, Octavia let out a small moan. When you were both finished, you slid out of her, and pulled your underwear back up. It felt like a bottle of Aunt Jemima's syrup had exploded all over you. You fall onto the big coffee table, next to her. You knock off her mug of coffee, too. You put your hands around her, and pull her close to you, looking into her eyes. She smiled, still blushing, and looked back at you. "You've made quite the mess." She said. You ran your hand through her mane, fixing the spots you had ruffled. "Indeed. I'll clean it all up before you get back." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, Patrick, tell us, are you in?" David asked, smiling and taking large bites out of his burger. David had actually sent an assistant to retrieve food, but you weren't going to complain. You did get a free burger, after all. Patrick sipped at a foam cup filled with soda. He lowered it, and shared David's smile. "David, this is Terminus and Aerox we're talking about here. Of course I'm in." Patrick said, going back to sipping at his soda. David stood up from his chair, and held his arms wide. He held a burger in is right hand, making the gesture seem even sillier than it already was. "This is excellent! This is absolutely excellent! All we need is a name! A name, and we're all set!" After a moment of silence, you stood up from your chair. "I have an idea for a name, guys." You started. "Locke Security Solutions. After the man that helped the IMO realize what was right from what was wrong." Patrick shook his head in agreement, not wanting to stop sucking at his soda. David laughed. "Laddie, I think that's a brilliant name! After all, if it wasn't for ol' Aaden, we wouldn't be discussing this right now, would we?" Carter smiled as well, leaning against the wall near the mote inside of David's office. "Locke Security Solutions it is. Consider the merger of the three of complete." He said. "We're gonna have to go to a bar tonight. Make it really official." David said, interrupting his soda. You smiled with content. You couldn't help but wonder what, if anything, all of your friends were up to. Maybe they could see what was happening. Maybe. Chapter Forty-Two: My Heart, Where In My Chest?"Sir? Are you hearing this?" The soldier asked his Captain. "Quiet." He responded, listening closely to his radio. You sat forward in your chair. Normally, you would be kicked back, your feet resting atop the table, but the voice of David Abernathy, CEO of Aerox, came over the radio. Abernathy was a kind man, and never wasted time with anything. His voice usually meant something was up. You readjusted yourself in your seat, and leaned even further forward, basking in the silence of the environment. "Attention, ladies and gentleman. First off, you are doing a damn fine job. Each and every single one of you. This is not ridicule coming your way. No, this is something different..." David started, speaking slowly but eloquently. His accent complemented his speech. "I will make this short and to the point. A merger has been made official. Aerox and Terminus have merged..." He continued. This wasn't a surprise to you or any other of your squadmates. You all worked so closely with Terminus, that you may as well been the same PMC. "But..." David said. You feel goosebumps hatch themselves all over your skin. David's voice carried a little concern. He sounded as if he was worried about what everyone else would think. "The IMO is also joining this merger." Your blood went cold immediately. "What?" Your Captain muttered under his breath. The IMO were the BAD guys. They killed more than either Terminus or Aerox did. They even regularly assassinated and killed their own men. They were harsh. They were brutal. They were only concerned with money. Worst of all, they weren't noted for playing well with others. The few missions they had with either Aerox, Terminus, or contract work for NATO, they would always kill a ridiculous amount of friendly troops. Aerox Infantry, Terminus Infantry, or NATO Infantry, it didn't matter. If they weren't wearing IMO colors, they were enemies, even when they were supposed to work together. The IMO had killed two of your friends. You didn't know them too well, but it still shook you up and frightened you. Why would David do this? "I know what you're thinking. I know exactly what you're thinking. Quell those thoughts. The current Chairman of the IMO is an usurper. He killed the former beast which sat at the controls. He wishes for peace. And I trust him." Everyone in the room relaxed a bit. David may have been extremely generous, but he wasn't an idiot. He was far from it, actually. David's trust was all you needed to hear. "We are reforming. Rank, salary, and duties all carry over. Welcome. Welcome, to Locke Security Solutions." _________________________________________________________________________________ David smiled as he finished up his transmission, licking his lips briefly. Talking must have dried them out. "And, what's done, is done. Shall we continue our work here, gentleman? Isaac, do you need to be home to your family soon?" You sigh gently. David didn't know about what had happened to your family. While too much was certainly going on right now, it would be better to get this out of the way now. "I've got a feeling I miss them more than they miss me, sir." You said. David caught the oddity in your words, and stood up from his chair. He walked over to you, placed his hand on your shoulder, and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry, laddie." Patrick tilted his head. "Excuse my asinine attitude, but you said you had a family, Isaac." He said. You smile weakly. "I do. Death doesn't change that. I'll always have a wife. I'll always have my children." You weren't expecting this subject to leap up, but it was bound to.come. "I know you're curious. Sit back. Let me explain. _________________________________________________________________________________ I met Christine when I was a child, only 12 years old. We were simple friends until we were about 16, when we joined together in a romantic relationship. We loved each other. We both excelled in school, we both had extremely bright futures. Fate has a funny way of changing things. Regardless of how protected you try to be, sometimes, pregnancy is inevitable. We had our first child when she was only 19 years old. Naturally, our parents were freaking out at first, but soon they came together and accepted what had happened, helping us raise them. My son's name was Seth. I decided to drop out of my university and take care of him while she went to school. I couldn't deprive her of a bright future. I loved her too much to do so. Then she got pregnant again about a week after graduation. Nine months later, my daughter Monica was born. We loved our children too much to put them in daycare and shove them away from us, so, I did what I had to do. I found the IMO and enlisted while Christine took care of the children. It was great at first. I was raking in well over 350,000 dollars a year, just for standing guard outside a couple of buildings Banks and Armories, mainly. Then, she got pregnant again. This time, was the last time. I had literally just got off of my plane in Washington DC, right after my "assassination" of Adam, when I got the call she was going into labor. I broke more traffic laws than you can count on your fingers and toes on my way to the hospital. I burst into the room, and immediately stood by her side. She grabbed my hand, and nearly broke it from squeezing. That's when it happened. Her squeezing became very weak. The heart monitor began to beep slower and slower. I looked over into her eyes, and up to the heart monitor machines. I was too in shock to react. Her eyes met mine, and with the strength fading from her hand, the light was leaving her eyes. A few moments later, I held my newborn daughter in my arms, crying my eyes out. Christine, the woman I grew up with. My best friend and first love. She died giving birth. I named our daughter Christine. Life then continued as normal for 3 or 4 years. Christine was growing up to look much like her mother, which tore at my heart. Seth was become quite the athlete, playing soccer in the toddler leagues. Monica was more quiet and reserved, always playing in her room, alone. Another day, I got a call, telling me to leave the kids at the house, and drive away. It was the former Chairman. He said if I didn't respond, he would kill Adam, so I did. The fuckers burned down my house. They killed all I had. Then, they threatened to kill Adam again, should I choose to commit suicide, or become disobedient. They had me trapped. The Chairman laughed, as he always did. "Looks like your schedule is free now, huh?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Everyone in the room had gone silent. Even Carter, who had heard the story before, looked at the floor, not saying anything. "Isaac." David started. "You are a broken man, Aren't you?" You smile weakly again. "I am. That's why I'm perfect for this job. And not to sound rude, but I don't need any pity. I have plenty of it already." David sits back in his chair, and appeared to be deep in thought. "Sorry to bog the mood down, but I knew it would come up eventually. It's best that you know." Patrick looked up at Isaac. "Not to make you sound weak, but suicide is an option now. You're a great man, but we all have our limits. We have no right to tell you, that you must suffer any longer. I can only imagine your pain." "I still have work to do here. Adam ended up dying, anyways. This new position we have here, it's a valuable one. It's what Adam wanted. Peace. And I will fight to uphold it." David and Patrick both smiled. Carter continued looking at his feet, still deep in thought. _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam grabbed Isaac by his neck, and threw him onto the ground. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" He shouted. Adam wore his armor, complete with bandana that stopped just below his eyes. Isaac was dressed as he normally was, black and orange combat armor, complete with the orange neckerchief. Adam had used magic to completely cover both Isaac and himself, leaving you and your party trapped outside of the barrier. "I could ask you the same thing." Isaac said, swinging his leg around, knocking Adam off of his feet. As Adam's jaw as falling, Isaac threw his fist up, connecting his Adam's chin. A disgusting crack echoed off the walls of the barrier. "ADAM!" Trixie screamed, trying her hardest to get into the barrier. No amount of her magic, even after the weeks of training with Adam and Luna, would break open that barrier. On the other side of the barrier, Chrysalis slammed her hooves desperately at the barrier, hoping to break through. "ISAAC!" She cried out, tears in her eyes. "ISAAC, NO, PLEASE STOP!" Both men were also in tears. Neither wanted this fight. But they were both too set in the idea of the other being an imposter. Adam thought Isaac was a cruel magic trick caused by the recent horrors sprouting in town, and Isaac, having freshly arrived in Ponyville, had no idea what was happening. Neither would listen to the others pleas. Adam quickly jumped to his feet, his left hand glowing. He threw it out, releasing a rope made of light. It wrapped around Isaac's waist. Adam then threw his arm up, swinging Isaac into the air, and then slamming him headfirst into the ground. As he was going to get up, Adam ran forward, and kicked him in his face as hard as he could. Isaac popped up into the air, and fell back down on his stomach. Isaac began to crunch up on the ground, drawing his balled fists up to his head, shaking violently while he began to attempt to get on his knees. Adam drew his mace while Isaac started to shakily stand up. Isaac drew his handgun, and leveled it at Adam, shaking slightly. His left eye was already closed because of the massive amount of blood leaking from his forehead. Adam let out a cry of desperation, and charged Isaac, who was about to tap the trigger on the gun. _________________________________________________________________________________ You sat up slowly in bed. Your dream was weird, but you were used to these kinds of dreams. Adam and Isaac would never fight. Equestria was changing your mind. You yawn loudly, and crack your knuckles. Lyra had already left the bed, and you couldn't hear any noise coming from the house anywhere, so, you assumed that Lyra and Bon Bon had went out. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity, you rest your head against the pillows once more, and allow yourself to drift back into sleep. It had been a very long time since you had been able to sleep like this. It was very nice. _________________________________________________________________________________ You didn't want to admit it, but you were extremely lonely. When that human came into your life, you used him, yes. But he was so kind. So nice to you. Sure, your loyal minions were nice to you, but that's because they had to be. Alan could have simply run away from you, but he didn't. He followed you, he listened to you, he helped you. He paid attention to you. He cared about you. He did it all, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. That was what made you miss having him. What made you regret using him. You sigh heavily, and cuddle up as tight as you can, to emulate the feeling of something holding you. He no doubt knows the truth by now, the truth of him being used, and he was probably never going to come back. And it was your fault. Childish as it may sound, and as weak as it makes you feel to think about it, all you were doing was putting him through unnecessary trouble, simply because it made you feel good. Your minions are linked to you, and cannot live without you for too long. To have someone care about you, and not be required to in order to survive, made you feel amazing. It also hurt to know that, somewhere out there, Alan was there. Living. Breathing. Smiling. All without you. You wish you could approach him, but Equestria didn't trust you. Not after Canterlot. It's not your fault. You didn't choose to feed off of love. You didn't choose to be painted as a monster. These things were well in place far before the events in Canterlot. You sigh again, and close your eyes. These lonely nights were not uncommon, but still hurt. _________________________________________________________________________________ "I was wondering when you would call." You said into your phone. You never received calls on this phone unless it was for business. And ever since the Chairman had died, you had no such business anymore. The voice on the other end was a familiar one. "Isaac, huh?" You responded. "That one might be kind of hard." The voice laughed, and kept talking. While he was, you gingerly kicked yourself off the wall you were leaning on. The voice began explaining the details. "Excuse me." You pardoned yourself as you accidently nudged a man and woman who were passing through the city streets. You shouldn't have been leaning in such a busy place, anyways. "He left me for dead. Of course I have no issue with the contract." You said, walking down the street. The people passing by paid no attention to the grim conversation taking place. "How do you want it done?" Conveniently, Isaac was in DC as you spoke to the voice. You could have the contract complete in literally hours. "I understand." You said, ending the call. You were now heading to Holiday's headquarters, to prepare for your next contract. _________________________________________________________________________________ You sat in Octavia's bed, half-naked, curious to what your father would think about this mess. What he would think about you, if he were still alive. You laugh to yourself. Of course he would be proud. Your father was one of the best men you had ever known, and you weren't just saying that because you loved him. He regularly gave money to the homeless, he helped veterans find employment, and he seriously supported everyone, no matter their wishes. He firmly believed that anyone and everyone could achieve their desires, should they just try. And boy, did he make sure they tried. You stop and remember that the IMO fiercely bothered him, trying with as much energy as they had to recruit him. As much as you loved your father, he wouldn't make a good mercenary. He was TOO good for that. He wouldn't kill as much. He would aim for the knees or arms. He wouldn't intimidate, extort, or blackmail. He would bargain and compromise. He wouldn't tend to the wounded officers first, but those who needed it more. The IMO would have hated him, regardless of how well he would accomplish his missions. You look around Octavia's room. The walls were painted a light gray, and there was very little furniture. A single chest sat at the foot of the large bed, and there was a series of drawers organized by the door. On top, there was a small little figurine of a mare, and a trophy next to that. You could feel your morality slipping from you. It made you feel dirty. It made you feel guilty. Especially when you thought about Rarity. You begin to have a flashback as you slowly lay your head back down. _________________________________________________________________________________ He was dead. He knew he was dead. Yet there he was, dragging his body, crying. "GET DOWN! LEAVE HIM!" You shouted into your radio. Gunfire cancelled out the songs of birds and insects, and it ripped up the earth all around you. All of your men had been forced to retreat, and a young man, no older than 20, was shot, and had obviously died during the retreat. While the rest of your men continued to run, the dead man's friend didn't. He grabbed the arm of his fallen comrade, and started to drag the body. "GET UP! GET UP ALEX! PLEASE!" He shouted, crying. He began to tug at the arm frantically while dragging. "WAKE UP! PLEASE WAKE UP!" "LEAVE HIM!" You shouted again. "HE WON'T WAKE UP! HE WON'T, HE WON'T WAKE UP!" He shouted back. He didn't make it more than 25 feet away from where his friend had been killed, when blood ripped through his chest and his right arm. He collapsed beside him, and died with him. All of these losses were starting to anger you. It was always the young ones that got themselves killed. You switch channels on your radio, and talk into it as clearly as you can. "Zombie-1, status." After a few moments, yet another young voice comes over, clearly shaken and nervous. "My partner's dead! I'm all alone out here!" "Do you still have the rifle?" You asked, as calmly as you can muster. "Yea-yes sir, wh-what should I do?" He responded. He was terrified. "I need you to start picking off as many as you can in the building up ahead. At least try to scare them off of us." You said again, trying to remain calm. Spotters weren't trained with the rifles, but being as his partner, the actual sniper, had been killed, he had no choice but to learn. The Spotter sighed deeply into the radio. "O-Okay. I can do this. I can d-WHAT WAS THAT?! Am I in the open?!" He cried out into the radio. Something, either a stray bullet or local critter spooked him into thinking someone had him in their sights. "Relax. There is no way nobody has spotted you. And I know how these guys work. After they killed your partner, they expected you to run away. They don't expect you to remain on that rifle." "I'll do the best I can, sir. Don't leave me out here." You put your radio away, and continue the fight. You were a new guy once, but never do you remember being so scared. So weak. _________________________________________________________________________________ Equestria was doing something to you. You were unsure what. Weak. So weak. All of them, so weak. So easily taken advantage of. So helpless. "No..." You mutter. "No. This is...wrong..." You sit back up in Octavia's bed, suppressing your thoughts. Why they had become so angry all of the sudden was unknown to you. You begin to feel light headed. You begin to watch as reality slips from you yet again, but this time, it is different. The color red is bleeding over your vision. What was happening? _________________________________________________________________________________ "AADEN! DO IT!" Rarity called. She was standing off of the battlefield, but was still audible. "Bu-" "NO BUTS! YOU HAVE TO DO IT!" She interrupted. You sigh, and fall to your knees. You begin to breathe slowly. Inhale. Exhale. You begin to breathe faster. You begin to breathe even faster. Even more fast. The anger deep inside of you bleeds from the abyss of your soul, coating your body. Your heartbeat transforms into the thump of a war drum. An insatiable anger rips through your soul, lighting your very heart with the fire of hate. You look up at your enemy, a changed person. You rip the helmet off of your head, and draw your short sword, abandoning your spear and shield. You also abandoned the formation you had taught the other honor guards, who had constructed a phalanx that you headed. All you could feel was hatred. Pure, unadulterated, hatred. Why had Equestria done this to you? You leap into the air just as you approach your shadowy foes, and your angel wing rips from your back, as it always does. However, rather than the single, angelic wing, a sickening, black, fleshy wing rips it's way out, with shiny and slick appendages connecting the bones and arches. You plunge the short sword through the torso of the knight you land on, leaping up the moment you land. You impale one in front of you with your wing, and brush the others off with it as well, crying out with rage while you do so. You turn instinctively, stabbing your knife through the neck of another knight. You rip it out, and swing it around, slicing several other shadows in half. Once the shadows in the area had been slain, you looked up at the others, who were still advancing in formation. You couldn't imagine how horrifying you looked to everyone, covered in the gooey black residue the shadows had for "blood". Your golden armor was now completely slicked with it. You stand up slowly, your wing quivering with hate. "BROTHERS!" You called. "KILL! MAIM! BURN!" You took an extremely deep breath, and shouted as loud as you ever have. "GLORY TO THE FIRST GUARD WHO DIES!" _________________________________________________________________________________ "Jesus tap-dancing Christ, that's really good!" You said, using your fork to slice off bits of cake and put them in your mouth. "Gee, thanks Adam!" Pinkie said, joy present in her voice. She looked at Trixie, who sipped at her coffee. "Trixie, I like Adam!" "Trixie also likes Adam." Trixie said, smiling and looking at Adam out of the corner of her eyes. Twilight wasn't home, apparently. The little purple dragon said she and Spyra went out somewhere to catch up, so, with your belly rumbling with hunger, you looked for somewhere that served food. Although you couldn't exactly read Equestrian, you thought the building shaped like a giant dessert would have food. Dessert. Desert. After some silly philosophical thinking, you decided that, maybe, just maybe, deserts weren't so bad. You met Trixie in one, afterall. You didn't care much for icing, but Pinkie somehow made it in a way that helped you stomach it. As you ate and shared banter with both Pinkie and Trixie, the bell on the door jingled, indicating that someone was coming in. It was Aaden. He looked like Hell. He walked over next to you, and sat. His eyes appeared to be sunken in just a bit, and he looked a little more pale than normal. His eyes, which normally glow with the spark of life, seemed to be completely empty, and cold, at that. His facial hair had advanced just passed the stubble level. If you didn't know any better, you'd say he's possessed. "Man, Aaden, you alright? You look awful." You said, offering him a bite of cake. He holds his hand up and shakes it to deny it. "I'm not sure if I'm okay. I feel...different." He said. He then looked into your eyes, and the most peculiar thing happened. You looked away. Something about his gaze was legitimately frightening. He then stood back up, mechanical in motion. "I came by to remind you, we need to train soon. We've had enough rest time. We have a jobs here. We must complete them." Aaden seemed kind of angry. "Is something the matter? Aaden, you're kind of sketching us out." You looked around. Pinkie seemed spooked, and Trixie was trying her best to look everywhere but at Aaden. "I'm fine. Guilt is a powerful thing, I suppose. It leads to a mindset that slips, and falls." He said, staring off into blank space. "Uhh...?" Your mouth hung open. You weren't sure how to respond. But before you could ask for an elaboration, he was already leaving. "Wowzers. I've never seen him like that before." Pinkie said, sighing with relief that he had left. "Is he normally like this, Adam?" Trixie asked. "No. Aaden was never this blatant and rude. I mean, he seemed almost like he was dead. Like he was a dead man walking." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So they really are dead..." Twilight said under her breath, staring away from you. She looked up again at you, with hope in her eyes. "Do you think they'll be okay?" "We believe so. I mean, Aaden is the only one who has shown preliminary signs of any problems. He could either be spiralling into depression or hatred. Or both. Not everypony would accept this fate, regardless of how blissful it may seem to them." Twilight sipped at her cup, and spoke once more. "Spyra...will he be okay?" She asked. "If it wasn't for the amount of relationships he was in right now, he would be much worse off. Celestia not only peered into his mind during the ball a while back. She peered into his soul. She saw something dark growing. Something shadow-like. That's why I'm REALLY here. Sure, I'll help Alan here and there, but my true mission? Observe Aaden. Kill him if need be." "K-K-Kill?" Twilight stuttered. "CELESTIA told you THAT?" You sigh. "She's only looking out for her subjects, Twilight. If Aaden turns out to be a ticking time bomb, and nobody is able to stop him, he could snap. I don't even want to discuss what would happen to the citizens of Ponyville. But as I said, we, we being Celestia and I, believe that the amount of love Aaden receives from all of his relationships, and the support of his friends, just may save him. He may grow dark for a period of time. He may forget that his heart lies in his chest. But he has the tools to rediscover it." _________________________________________________________________________________ They were in a bar, drinking. An easy target. The rain that this night brought made the crowds outside huddle in the street, making an escape extremely easy. Isaac wasn't drinking, but leaning next to his friends. You stepped inside, and as you did, Isaac pushed off of the wall, and walked off into the crowd of people. The restrooms. You slowly pushed your way through the crowd of people, lifting your hoodie over your head as you approached the bathrooms. You walked down a dimly lit hallway, to the mens restroom. You slowly pushed open the door. "What?" You said out loud. It was empty. Just then, you heard something whiz through the air, and then an enormous pain filled your face. You hit the ground hard, hitting the back of your head on the floor. Isaac stepped out from behind the door, and stood over your body. He lifted you by the neck of your hoodie, and gently removed the hood and glasses off of your head. He smiled solemnly. "I would recognize you anywhere. I know what you're here for. I knew you would be here." He said, still smiling. "So I came to you, to make it easier." You immediately reached for your gun, but it wasn't there. "Looking for this?" He said, holding up your gun. "Yeah, I snagged it when you walked passed me. Can't believe I hid from you so easily. I could've taught you better than the Chairman." "YOU LEFT ME FOR DEAD!" You screamed, tears filling your eyes. You stood up, and clenched your fists at your sides. His solemn smile didn't fade. "That what they told you? That I left you? You should know me better. I would never leave you." Tears now flowed down your cheeks. You wanted revenge. You had to avenge what you had lost. "Come with me. You'll get what you want." You followed Isaac out of the bar, and into the rain. You had pulled your hoodie up to block the rain, and hurried after Isaac. He walked fast, the sad smile still present. The rain didn't seem to phase him. You walked inside of a large building, what was actually a hospital, and he led you up the staircase. Flight after flight, you both finally arrived at the roof. Isaac put a small recorder by the door, and walked to the edge of the roof, turning around towards you. Rain was falling, but falling gently now. "Listen to the recorder. Then you will get what you want." He said, his arms hanging at his sides. You angrily snatch the radio, and click the button as forcibly as you can. The Chairman's laughter comes over it. "Looks like you won't be busy anymore." He said. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you! I swear to God, I, You, GOD, DAMN, IT! I CAN'T LEAVE THEM! I'D RATHER DIE!" You drop the recorder, and as you do tears flow freely. Those few sentences completely shattered everything that you knew The Chairman lied to you. Such a simple lie, yet it went this far. When he "saved" you from the burning house, it was a house he set fire to. You were merely an elaborate pawn to be used against your father. For years, you had trained, all to kill your own father. "Dad..." You muttered, looking at him. He looked slowly up at the sky, and spread his arms wide. He then began to tilt his neck back slowly. "DAD!" You screamed. The sad smile didn't fade from his face. You sprinted forward, your boots clapping in the water puddles forming on the roof. You threw your hand out, in an attempt to grab his hand. Your fingers only brushed against the tips of his fingers. That was the only physical contact you have had with your father in a decade. And it would be the last contact you'd ever had with him. His eyes remained closed as he fell. The smile didn't fade. _________________________________________________________________________________ I'm sorry, Seth. It's better this way. Heh. How ironic is it? You were born at this hospital. Your mother was also born here. And now, I die here. I love you, Seth. I should have come sooner. Maybe. Just maybe. Things could have been different. Chapter One: End of the LineYou awake after a night of amazing sleep. Lazily, and with a stupid grin on your face, you push up off of your mattress, only to let yourself fall back down into the warm embrace of your bed. You look up at your alarm clock, out of curiosity. It's 1 PM. On a Monday. You were supposed to be at work at 11 AM. "Shiiiiiit..." You mutter. You leap out of bed, and completely break yourself from what little influence laziness had left on you. You stumble in the dark confines of your room, throwing on a pair of black slacks you wore last night, and yank a white dress shirt from your closet so hard, the hanger falls off. You throw open your bedroom door and walk briskly into your living room, hunting for your shoes. "Hey bro!" Your roommate called to you. It looks as if he and his girlfriend awoke before you. They sit on the couch, holding each other and watching some afternoon talk show on the television. You pay them absolutely no mind as you find one shoe under the recliner, and the other in the mouth of your dog. As you quickly tie and knot your shoes, you can feel your roommate still staring at you. "Bro, don't tell me they're making you work today. It's your birthday. Happy birthday, by the way." You continue to pay them absolutely no mind as you snag the tie you wore last night off of the couch where you had left it, and hastily tie it around your neck. You grab your car keys, and do that three pat check. Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Phone? Check. You grab the door handle, adjusting your tie as your roommate calls to you one more time. "You work way too much, man. Way too much." You laugh and attempt to feign an angry look. "Someones got to pay the bills." you laugh again after that, to get the point across that you were joking. You remember the last time he took things too seriously. You swing the door shut, and dash down the staircase from your apartment. The light blinds you at first, but you quickly recover. Your sight recovering only revealed more troubles. Your car was boxed in on the street. No amount of parallel parking skill could save you now. You get inside the backseat of your car, yank out your backpack filled with snacks, your briefcase for work, and quickly slam the door shut. With your backpack secured to your back, and your suitcase in hand, you begin a mad sprint. Normally, you'd be more embarrassed about sprinting through a city like a mad man, but work was only 4 blocks away, and you knew you were in trouble. Your boss was going to eat your ass when you got to work. You add a smirk to the sprint, completing your insane look. You probably could have worded that thought better. As you run, your stomach begins to rumble. You have some candy and other assorted junk foods in your backpack, but that wont be enough to hold you over. The bank is nearby, and you're already late, so you decide to swing on in, withdraw some money. maybe get some fast food for lunch today. You quickly ascend the steps to the finest bank in New York City, and breathe a sigh of relief. You can see an open clerk through the window. You briskly walk inside, and up to the clerk. "What can I do for you today?" She asks. You take a deep breath to collect yourself. "Hiya, uh, I would like to withdraw, say...$40 bucks?" 40 dollars should be more than enough to get yourself some lunch and have some spare change, too. "Absolutely! Do you know your account number?" You were never able to memorize that 22-digit long number. Then again, you ask yourself. Does anyone? You pull out your social security card from your wallet, and hand it to her. "I have my social security card, I hope that's enough." she takes the card from your hands, and types in your information. After a few seconds, she looks away from the computer and back to you. "Alright, i found you! All I need to do now is ask for your pin!" This clerk seemed really sincere. You liked that quality in a person. "Sure, it's 667-" An incredibly loud bang roared inside the bank. Then another. You knew what was going on before you even turned around. "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, GET ON THE FUCKING GROUND!" 5 masked men frantically run around the lobby of the bank. They had killed the two security guards. You drop to your knees, and put your hands behind your head. You feel panic begin to run through your body. Your life hasn't been that great, and you were probably going to get your ass eaten at work, but you weren't anywhere near ready to die. Not yet. The masked man you assumed to be their leader screamed at everyone again. "MY ASSOCIATE HERE IS GOING TO COME AROUND. WHEN HE DOES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TAKE OUT YOUR WALLETS, OPEN YOUR PURSES, OR HAND OVER ANY FUCKING MONEY YOU HAVE ON YOU!" Your blood runs cold at that sound. You remember why you came to the bank in the first place. Your wallet is empty. When the 'associate' comes over to to you, you pull your wallet out, and turn it upside down. No money comes out. The 'associate' lets out an obviously fake laugh. "HEY, BOSS, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A FUCKING JOKESTER OVER HERE!" Your heart begins to beat incredibly fast. "MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF HIM! PAY ATTENTION EVERYONE, BECAUSE WHATS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, WILL HAPPEN TO YOU, IF YOU HOLD OUT ON US!" He grabs you by your throat, and holds his handgun to your forehead. He smiles. "End of the line, kid." You close your eyes extremely tight. Bang. .... .... Is that it? Is it over? You open your eyes. You are now standing in a white room. You aren't sure how, or what on, but you were standing. Is this Heaven? Oh shit, is this Hell?! You can hear your thoughts out loud, as they echo off of the 'walls'. Suddenly, you begin to feel sick. You begin to feel like you're falling. You drop your briefcase, and fall to your knees, placing your head in your hands. Just as quickly as this feeling came, it leaves. You slowly open your eyes once more. "Ah, shit." you grumble. Your head hurts, and you hear a faint ringing. You look down at your feet. A briefcase is there. You decide to check your surroundings. You're in a field, and it seems to be the middle of the night. In front of you lies a forest, a rather ominous one, at that. As you slowly approach this forest, you are overjoyed to see a sign hammered to the tree nearest you. You can't read it. "It looks like Muhammad Ali wrote this." you chuckle to yourself. It made you feel better to laugh, and SOMETHING intelligent had to have put that sign there. A light of hope begins to flicker inside of you. Not seeing any other true path to follow other than the one through the forest, you decide to take it. You check what you have on you before you head out, just to be prepared. A briefcase with a combination lock you can't remember, a wallet, a smartphone, also locked with a number combination you cannot recall, and a backpack filled with snacks. Why did you have a backpack filled with snacks? Armed with your backpack, briefcase, and smart phone, along with your only memories of before appearing in the field being that of a 70-year old man with parkinson's, you take the first step of your journey. "Gonna be a looooong night..." you mutter. _________________________________________________________________________________ Another lonely night, i suppose. You climb into your bed, and tuck yourself in. You had just put Sweetie Belle to bed, and were now preparing yourself for sleep. You wish you could spend just one night with someone. You may be a lady, but you imagine it would be nice to have some company in your bed every once in awhile. This loneliness was beginning to get insufferable. You let your head hit your pillow with a sigh. You look over out of the balcony, and watch as the velvet violet drapes flutter calmly in the refreshing night air. Star light flooded the room. It truly was beautiful, but it was made all the more melancholy without anyone to share it with. You let out a slow whimper. Of course, you could never tell your friends about your loneliness. You have appearances to keep up. So, you'll continue to live this hermit lifestyle of yours, hoping someone comes to you, eventually. You lie your head down, and hope for sleep to come. But it doesn't. Too many thoughts come to your head to allow you such peace. Do i have enough fabric for tomorrow? Have i allowed myself enough time for my special orders? What do i tell Twilight about missing the girls night out? As you ponder these thoughts, you run your hoof slowly through your mane. You hear screaming in the distance. Probably a mare that's a little luckier than you tonight. You continue to fret inside your mind, before whimpering once more. It would be so incredibly nice to have someone to vent all these thoughts to, someone to hold you at night and to wake up next to in the morning. There's that screaming again. And that's no mare. That's a stallion. And it sounds like it's getting closer. You decide to get up and investigate, your curiosity getting the better of you. They had better not wake Sweetie Belle... You slowly descend the staircase onto the main floor, and walk through your shop. Light from the stars and moon almost completely illuminated your sales floor. Your ponnequins radiated in this light, glowing an eerie white. You walk over to peek into the guest room, and check on Sweetie Belle. Luckily, she's still fast asleep, not even stirring from any of the commotion outside. You begin to walk towards your front door, deciding to walk outside, see what exactly someone was screaming about. It was probably another stallion having trouble finding his way home after a night of drinking. You approach your door, and place a hoof on knob. Just as soon as you are about to open it, you look out the window near the door. You immediately let go, and back away from the door, your eyes widening. Something you've never seen before was running this way. Fast. And a Manticore followed not far behind. _________________________________________________________________________________ "HELP!" You scream. You had no idea what the fuck this thing was, it just jumped out at you in the forest, and next thing you know, you're running through a town that was at the end of said forest. "FUCKING HELP!" Surely someone can hear your cries. Your legs move as fast as humanly possible, every pore on your body has released sweat, and you are shaking violently from the amount of adrenaline racing through your veins. You notice an old fence up ahead. You sprint for it as fast as you can, the creature following behind you, roaring in excitement. If no one is going to help me, i'll help myself! You rip a post out of the ground, and continue running. You turn swiftly to your left, hoping to throw the creature off with erratic movements. You notice an odd building. It looks like a carousel. In fact, you're pretty damn sure it's a carousel. Completely oblivious to your environment besides the carousel, and horrified to the core, you run towards it. You make it to the door, and wildly jiggle the handle. It's locked. "SHIT!" You cry out. You turn around, and face the beast. It's now slowly prowling towards you, smiling the darkest smile you've ever seen. It's teeth glow white under the light from the night sky. It continues it's prowl, getting closer to you. You grip the fence post in your hand as hard as you possibly can, your knuckles turning white from the pressure. This is where you decide to make your last stand. You take a deep breath. I'm actually about to do this. You run towards the beast, holding the fence post behind your head. It swings it's paw, and knocks you violently to the ground. You scramble back to your feet, and dodge the next swipe. You swing the fence post, and gash the beast across its face, causing it to growl in pain. It swipes blindly, knocking you back to the ground. You were no fighter. You had zero training. Hell, you were surprised you were even still alive at this point. But you'd be damned if you died. While the beast is dazed, you take advantage of the moment to look around this new arena you've created. Several trees, a carousel-building-thing with a pair of two bright eyes staring out, and- Wait. You look back into the carousel. Something was looking back out at you. You look back into the eyes of whatever was staring out at you, hoping to express your need for help. You at least knew something was here in this town. Something was watching. Something with beautiful eyes was watching this. Hopefully, that something would help. The beautiful eyes widen in terror, and seemingly look past you. Before you can even turn around, you feel something in your stomach. You feel an odd sensation, like a sudden pressure on your abdomen. It begins to get hard to breathe, and you feel a wetness around your stomach. You look down, and see what had happened. The beast had a very long, scorpion like tail. A tail which had just penetrated you, ripping through your back and emerging out of your stomach. You gaze down at the tail in complete disbelief. The beast rips it's tail out, and wraps it around your feet, slamming you to the ground. You attempt to weakly crawl away, your insides on fire, but it's grip around your feet is too strong. It flips you over violently, and releases it's grip on yo,. only to send it tearing back through you, this time through your shoulder. It lifts you off of the ground, and brings you over to it's face. It opens its mouth wide, revealing just how many teeth the creature has. "No..." you force out. You have no idea where you are, who you are, or how you got here, and yet, here you are, about to become a midnight snack. As the beast begins to slowly push you towards it's mouth, you notice you still have the fence post in your hand. Now or never. Do or die. You muster all of the strength you have left in your body, and ignore the pain moving you arm causes you. You wait for the creature to smile at you again. It's your only shot. Sure enough, in a taunting fashion, he smiles, his teeth completely exposed. You pull back the fence post, and let loose. The post connects with the teeth inside of the gaping mouth, causing a good amount to leave their place in its jaw, and a better amount to be shattered. You feel the tail slide out of you, and you fall like a wet cloth to the ground, letting out a grotesque splattering noise as you do, the fence post clanking beside you. The beast stumbles around aimlessly, whimpering and holding its mouth. It looks at you one last time, then retreats back through the town. You let your head fall back into the dirt, no energy left in your body. You still have no idea what that thing was. Or where you were. You watch as blood drains from the two gaping holes in your body. Your vision begins to grow blurry. Finally, you begin to hear voices call out. "By the Goddess, someone get help!" "What is that? How did it make a Manticore THAT angry?" "Is it still alive?!" You couldn't see the people that were shouting, your vision was far too blurry to make them out anymore. But it comforted you to know that help had finally arrived. You feel your body move. They must be picking you up, hopefully, to take you to a hospital. You begin to feel yourself slipping from reality. Your vision was starting to completely fail, and the voices around you started to become quiet. Before you lost consciousness, you were able to make out one last thing. Those same azure eyes that looked out of the carousel building. God, they were amazing. You begin to feel as if you're falling. A feeling that seems vaguely familiar. Your muscles seemingly completely relax, and you feel your lungs stop. The voices around you grow more frantic, but become more and more quiet until they were completely silent. You blink, and when you opened your eyes, you were standing in a white room. You weren't sure how, or what on, but you were standing. You hear a voice echo through the white room, a voice that feels as vaguely familiar as the feeling of falling. "End of the line, kid." Chapter Three: Transcending HistoryThis really did feel too forward. But you didn't want to hurt Rarity's feelings. The whole talking horse thing was kind of hard to swallow. You took a peek at the clock behind the receptionists desk as you signed yourself out. 5 AM. This pony had sat beside you for, what did the doctor tell you as you left? 1 week? She brought you here, fixed your suit, read to you (for whatever reason), the least you can do is humor her with some breakfast. It's still dark outside, which is a relief to you. Although you're 97% Rarity wouldn't mind being seen with you, you didn't want to embarrass her, or yourself, for that matter. You walked behind her, and made sure to make no sudden movements or do anything to scare her. It may have been a little after 5 AM as you began your trek back to the "Carousel Boutique" as Rarity had called it, but that didn't mean there were no ponies out and about. You assumed the ponies you had saw this early were merchants or farmers or something that required being away at such an early hour. You watch as ponies of various colors haul carts down the dusty roads, while they watch the creature they heard had been killed outside of the Carousel Boutique walk behind Rarity. You never put much thought into the fact that, while these may be ponies, they're sentient ponies. Maybe, comparing them to horses, is like comparing yourself to a gorilla. That makes you feel better about following a sentient pony home to have breakfast with it. "Alright darling, we're here. Come right on inside, have a seat wherever you see fit. I believe I have a stool in the kitchen, if you would like to sit with me while i cook, if not, there are some sofas in the living room." She unlocks the door, and begins to walk ahead of you "I'd prefer to sit next to you, if that's okay." "Why, of course darling! I have a plethora of questions, and I dare say you do too!" She pats the stool sitting near the stove top. She begins to dig around her cabinets, grabbing skillets. She talks with you while she prepares everything. "So..." She starts. She accidently hit two skillets together, sending a loud DING throughout the house. "While I would normally strictly follow the idea that ladies go first, this isn't exactly a normal situation, is it? So, please darling, ask any questions you may have!" You smile. At least someone here looks at you like you're another person. Or pony, rather. "Alright, um...What exactly do I call male and female ponies? I have a feeling boys and girls doesn't work here." Rarity laughs to herself. "Mares would be adult females, Stallions would be adult Males, Fillies would be young females, Colts would be young males." Makes sense, I suppose. "Who's in charge here? I've got to find somewhere to live, and I would like to clear up my image a bit. I also have a good feeling that i'm going to need a job." Rarity laughs a little louder this time. "Relax darling. While normally I would point you towards Mayor Mare regarding setting up some form of event to meet the ponies around here, I would strongly suggest you meet Princess Celestia. She's our ruler of sorts. As for a place to stay, there is no need to worry about that. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. Lastly, I am not quite sure about the job. The new shipping port opened in town, I'm sure they could use another pair of hands for sorting packages. I saw the way you handled that manticore, i'm sure you're quite strong enough for the job..." Rarity then flashes a brief stern look at you. "AFTER you have made a FULL recovery, you are welcome to start working. But before then, I cannot allow you to hurt yourself, darling." She then smiles again. "Thanks Rarity. That's all the questions I have for now. I'm sure I'll have thousands as this day progresses." You shift around in your stool. "Ask them as they come, darling. Now, if you don't mind, I have a few questions for you, as well. My thought process is a little different, however." Rarity begins mixing something in a bowl with a whisk, dropping a few berries in the mix. It actually smells really good. I bet those turn out to be bad ass muffins... "What's your plan?" you ask, "Well, being as you seem to suffer from amnesia regarding your personal self and how you got here, I was curios if you could possibly recount the history of your people. You see, by listening to you speak, and gauging your reactions to certain things, i can get to know you without ever asking a personal question, darling." Maybe you should tell her you regained a chunk of your memory... "Alright, sounds pretty reasonable. Shall we transcend history?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You secretly were extremely excited to hear Aaden talk. You tried to conceal your excitement by mixing your muffins faster. Maybe this is why Twilight reads so much, because this is absolutely fascinating. "Well. I don't really know where to start, and i'm not much of a history buff, so I hope i don't accidently lie to you. I know that my kind, Humans, Humanity, we were hunter gatherers in the beginning. We never really forged any civilizations, just kind of wandered around for awhile. Once we figured out the secret to farming, we started to settle down, form communities, which eventually became civilizations. From there, mining was really the reason we continued to jump in technology. Bronze, iron, that stuff. After several civilizations formed, that's when war started. I know that this period continued for awhile, when a particular civilization, The Roman Empire, was founded. It lasted for well over 1,000 years if you count the Byzantine continuation after the western part of the empire had fallen." 1,000 years? Goddess, that's a long time! "Then, we started to evolve in culture more than technology. Art, architecture, food, medicinal practices, that kind of stuff. We called it the renaissance Don't get me wrong, it was all very important, but it's also very long, so I'm gonna jump over it all. The land I come from, The United States of America, was founded several hundred years later, after warring with the the country that had created them. That same nation then fell into a civil war another several hundred years later over politics and slavery. But that violent war was nothing compared to the coming storms. World War One was right around the corner. WORLD WAR ONE? Were there multiple wars involving their whole world? I won't get in specifics, but World War One was very violent. 16 million humans died. You couldn't help but let your jaw drop. "16 Million? For what reason is there to fight such a violent conflict?" Aaden shrugs his shoulders. "I don't understand much, myself. 21 years later, World War 2 broke out. This was a little more violent, with the death toll estimated to be at least 40 million." You feel your jaw drop again in surprise. "But, it gets better. After the world suffers a brutal depression from all of the spending on War, the world began to slowly pull itself back together. Nations began to unite, economies prospered, and the world lived in relative peace. There is your boring, and probably inaccurate lesson on Human history." Aaden stretched up, yawned, and looked at you. During his speech, you had filled a muffin tin, and were now boiling pasta and stir-frying some vegetables you had. "Darling, I didn't find it boring at all. I surprised me a tad, but I believe that's only because I don't find you particularly violent." Aaden shifts around in his stool again. "Eh. No one human is particularly violent. It's when you get us in groups, then we become awful." You smile. "Well darling, I have only a few more questions. Those things with you at the hospital, that's all you own, isn't it?" He nods. "Well that simply won't do! Poor thing. We'll spend today getting you familiar with this new environment, and tomorrow, we'll take care of getting you some more clothes!" Aaden stood up, and gestured with his hands (he said they're called hands, at least). "No, Rarity, you really don't have to. I appreciate all you're doing, I really do, but I'll feel bad if you keep helping me. "Darling, I'll hear nothing of it. I suggest you accept these things as an inevitability." You smile. "You have a friend here, Aaden." You watch as he looks down at his feet. You don't want him thinking too hard about his situation, it may upset him. "I notice you have a briefcase. Do you know whats inside it?" You ask. Aaden shakes his head. "Sadly, no. It has a combination lock on it, and I have no idea what the combination is. My smartphone has the same problem. It's a shame, too. I guarantee the phone has pictures and music and maybe even texts on it that will make a few memories slide back into place, like at the hospital." What? He regained some memory? "Oh, yeah, I probably should have told you earlier." He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. "When I looked at my cards inside of my wallet, and I saw my name. a few memories came back to me. I guess my mind is kind of like a blank spot, and when I saw my name, it was like several puzzle pieces had just slid together. I remember that I have 5 siblings, two parents, and that I grew up in Manhattan, but that's it. I can't really picture what these siblings, parents, or cities look like, but i know their names, and i know they're there." "Darling, that's marvelous news!" You walk over to him, hop on your hind legs, and give him a hug. Your head comes just short of his neck. Then you realize what you're doing, and feel your blood run cold. you are hugging him without asking. You acted without thinking. Good going Rarity, now he thinks you're a creep! That's when you feel his arms slide around your back. He was hugging back. You breathe heavy in relief, and embrace the moment between Aaden and yourself. It must be so hard to do what he's doing, and you think he's quite brave for pulling through as well as he is. After all that he's been through, and being forced to put his mind back together, the poor human must be exhausted, terrified, and lonely at that. He releases his arms around you, but you don't notice, still hugging. "Uh, Rarity?" He says. "Hmm...?" You reply. "The vegetables are burning." Your eyes shoot open, and you immediately hope down and dash over to the stove. You can feel yourself blushing. That may be the best hug I've had my entire life. _________________________________________________________________________________ Damn. Maybe i should have just let those vegetables burn. You adjust your tie while Rarity frantically stirs the vegetables, and strains the pasta. You walk over to her coat rack, and place your blazer on one of the rungs. You walk back over to the stool, and sit back down, watching her work her magic. Even in a frenzy, she still managed to look graceful. She removes the vegetables from the stove top, and lets them cool slightly while the pasta finishes straining. Your eyes lock for a brief moment, broken by voice from behind you. "Hiya Aaden!" It shouts. Your blood runs cold. You and Rarity both turn around. It's a smaller pony, a filly, if you were correct in your assumptions. She looked a lot like Rarity. "Sweetie Belle! Were you eavesdropping?" Rarity sounds a little upset. "Only a little..." The filly says in an almost whisper-like voice. "Sweetie Belle, is it? I like your name! I'm assuming you're Rarity's sister?" You exclaim. Rarity looks over at you, a concerned look on her face. She walks over to you, and whispers in your ear. "Are you sure you're ready to talk with other ponies? Sweetie Belle can be a little...excitable." you smile and whisper back. "I have to start somewhere, I suppose." You pat your hand on the stool next to you. Sweetie dashes over to it, and you help her up on it. "I heard you guys in here cooking, and it woke me up! I went over to the door and listened to you guys talk, and saw you guys hug!" Rarity blushes while you rub the back of your neck again. "You saw that, huh?" "Yep! You sound like a really nice human! You did say you were called a human, right?" "That I am." "I like you! You sound like you're gonna be fun to have around! Rarity, is Aaden staying here, with us?" Rarity is now getting out plates and silverware. "Yes. Mr. Locke will be staying with us for some time." Mr. Locke. I like that. Sweetie Belle kicks her legs rapidly against the stool in delight. Rarity is now scooping food onto everyone's plates, and distributing glasses of water. All via magic, of course. The dish itself is rather simple, but filling. Simple long noodles with various vegetables sliced up with some kind of oil completing the dish. You talk about simple things, the day ahead of you, the dish itself. Sweetie Belle crosses her hooves. She's about to ask something. "Can Aaden walk with us to school?" Rarity looks over to you. "Oh, I don't know. Mr. Locke may not want to go out." Rarity is indirectly asking you if you want to. "Absolutely I will! I've got to get out and see the town, anyways. You see Rarity smile as she collects all of the plates and glasses. Sweetie Belle kicks her feet again, this time they move so rapid, they're a blur. It's unbelievably cute. As Sweetie dashes into her room, and begins preparing herself for school, you help Rarity with the dishes. "Darling, you don't have to help with this mess." She says. You roll up your sleeves, and smile at her. "I suggest you accept these things as an inevitability." She returns the smile. "Touché" You clean all of the dishes together, and get them all put in their respective holding places. Sweetie Belle is now sitting in the chair next to the front door, seemingly vibrating from excitement. Rarity excuses herself, and runs upstairs for a moment, while you roll down your sleeves, and snag your blazer from the coat hanger. You put it on, yank on your sleeves, and adjust your tie. "I've got to ask Sweetie Belle, why are you so excited for me to accompany you to school?" She jumps up. "Because my friends would never ever believe me if i just TOLD them! Not only am I friends with the only human in Equestria, but I also get to prove it?" She smiles a devilish smile. "They're gonna be soooooooo jealous." You Rarity coming down the staircase. "Alright darlings, are we all ready?" Sweetie Belle yelps, which you assume means yes, and you nod your head. Rarity leans over to you and whispers again. "Aaden, if you aren't ready for this, it's fine. Darling, this can be a tad stressful for you." You use a dismissive hand gesture. "I'll be okay. Thank you though, Rarity. It means a lot that you consider my opinion." you whisper back. You notice Sweetie Belle about to burst with anxiety, and decide not to keep her waiting. The sun was shining bright, the temperature was perfect, and Rarity could explore the town with you today. You had to get out and see the town and it's people eventually. Might as well go now before the rumors start. Maybe this wasn't too forward, after all. Your mind goes back to the hug you had with Rarity. You smile like a fool. Hopefully I see a few more hugs before this day ends. Chapter Seventeen: Ethics of a MercenaryYour mind went quiet for awhile. After you heard the voices, you laid back down in the bed, next to Vinyl. You couldn't think about what you were doing, your head was spinning with a mixture of fatigue and pain. You immediately closed your eyes, and decided to sleep a little more. Maybe it would bring you peace. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your squad was relatively small. Three other men, Anthony, Victor, and Thomas, joined you in this operation. Your briefing was simple: Rival PMCs were meeting in the thick forests of Eastern Europe, purportedly for an exchange of weapons and information regarding other PMCs. Including yours. The Chairman's words still echoed through your head. "Find them, hunt them, kill them." You fumble with the straps on your gas mask, ensuring they're tight. You'll be damned if you breathe in your own gas, should you decide to use it. You look around your squad, all of who looked to you, waiting on their orders. You were told to operate in complete radio silence, so if you fucked this up, you were on your own. You raise your hand, and signal your squad to follow you. You slowly walk through the forest, careful not to step on anything that would make a noise. It was going to be a long night. As you trekked, you eventually began to hear voices. Your snail pace then became a glacial pace. The night sky was completely obscured by the forest top, which provided you all of the camouflage you could ever need. You slowly crept up over the side of a hill, and sure enough, there were two vehicles facing each other on the thin road, headlights still on, engines still running. You watched as, on one side, two men got out of the vehicle, with a little girl. "What the hell? Is that a child?" Victor whispered. You held your hand up to quiet him down. You watched as two other men got out of the other car, with a briefcase. These groups of men met, and exchanged. The girl for the briefcase. You watched as they removed the blindfold from the girl, who immediately yelped in joy, and ran over to the man that held the suitcase. She jumped up on him, and he hugged her close. "Shit...this wasn't a trade of information OR weapons..." Victor continued whispering. You held your hand up again, signalling him to shut up. You couldn't speak Ukrainian, but you could hear the little girl crying, and the man slowly stroking her hair, comforting her. You heard a magazine slide into a weapon and lock in place. You turn to your right, and see Anthony loading his rifle. He looks at you. You know he's smiling under the gas mask. "Orders are orders. Do you wanna get paid?" He screwed on his silencer, and aimed his rifle down at the group of men and the little girl. This wasn't right. Anthony closed one eye, and you heard him take a deep breath. This wasn't right. He put his finger on the trigger. This wasn't right. He pulled the trigger, the bullet connecting with one of the men who now had the briefcase. His head jerked back violently, blood splattering all over the hood of the car and the headlights of the car. Before they could react, your squad followed suit. The other man was gunned down before he knew what was happening. The two that now had the girl had just enough time to react. The man that was hugging the girl put her down, and yelled something in Ukrainian. The girl darted off behind the car. The other man that was with him was shot as he tried to take cover with the girl, and he it appeared as if he was dead, lying on the side of the road. All that was left was the man that had hugged the girl and the girl. You hadn't fired a single shot. You couldn't. Something about this seemed extremely wrong. You had never questioned it before, but now, it was all just too much. This wasn't a trade of anything harmful. This was a father reuniting with his daughter. And you were slaughtering them. You KNEW it wasn't right. The final man poked his head up, and Victor fired this time. It hit him in his shoulder, and he dropped back behind the car with a shout. You were sure it was an obscenity in his language. I can't let this happen. This isn't right. That's when you get an idea. "Stand back, I'm going to finish the job." You say. Anthony laughed. "Thatta boy, Locke." You cringed at his compliment. You slide down the hill, and walked in between the cars. When you got around the car, you saw the man sitting against the car, bleeding profusely out of his left shoulder. He was also holding the girl. She was crying in fear, burying her face into him. He looked up at you, and put his arms around the girl as tight as he could. You could tell he was sobbing, too. You got down on one knee, and removed your first aid kit. You opened it up as both the man and the girl went wide eyed, watching you. You withdrew a syringe filled with pain killer, and forced it into him. You then took several heavy linen bandages, and wrapped his wound. You looked over your shoulder, to make sure your squad couldn't see you. "This will keep you alive for a few days. You need to get help immediately." You whispered to him. To your surprise, he spoke back, in fluent English. "I...thank you..." His daughter spoke back to him, obviously asking what you had said. He told her, and she threw herself back on top of him, crying again, but a different type crying. A cry of relief. You leaned back down and whispered to him again. "I need to fire two shots, make them think I killed you. Cover her ears. The moment I walk away, you get her in the car, and you get the hell out of here." He nodded, and slipped his gloved hands over his daughters ears, who stopped crying, and now watched you intently. You pulled out your rifle, and fired two shots. Even with a silencer, it sounded like someone was slamming a car door as hard as they could. Twice. As you turned to leave, you felt someone grab your pant leg. You turned around. It was the girl, who was now sobbing again. She said something in between her sobs. You looked down at the man for a translation. "She says, 'thank you, Mr. Angel'." _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel something moving on top of your mouth. On your lips. That's what stopped the dream. But you still were in the state of being half-awake and half-asleep, so you didn't bother to move to stop it. You had a lot on your mind. That wasn't seriously you, was it? You didn't do that. Did you? And Anthony, was that the one from the imageless memories you had? Your blood runs cold at the thought. That had to have been you. He called you "Locke". That WAS you. You had a lot to think about. A lot to come to terms with. You attempted to look on the bright side. If you came to terms with it once before, you can do it again. You now felt something on your teeth. It moved to your neck. Your shirt was now being lifted up, and you could feel wetness on your chest. Stomach. Lower abdomen. It really tickled. You shifted, and sat up in the bed, slowly opening your eyes. With a few blinks, your eyes were now completely adjusted. It was Vinyl. Licking you. "Vinyl...What're you doing?" She jumped a little, not expecting you to wake so easily. She froze at your pants, not moving. "Vinyl. What are you doing?" She looked up at you, and smiled. "What do you want me to do?" You sat up further, her mouth now at your knees. She sat up as well. "Vinyl. I'm just going to pretend that this didn't happen. God knows I've got bigger problems." Thank you, Mr. Angel. What the hell kind of Angel lets his squad do that? Why didn't I stop them? Vinyl smiled at you, and sat next to you. "Maybe another time, huh honor-boy?" You weren't paying attention, and just responded with a quick, generic answer. It was probably your fault for laying down next to her. Vinyl got up, and walked into the living room. Mr. Angel. You laid in the room. The sun was still out, so you couldn't have been asleep very long. You pulled your shirt back down. What was awful about this, is you didn't know if you could tell Rarity. She looks at you like you're a saint. If she knew about this, if ANY of the ponies knew about this, you may be viewed in a completely different light. A less friendly one. You wouldn't feel right hiding anything from her, though. As you ponder these thoughts, you heard the door to your room open. The girls must have just got home. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walked into the bedroom. Rainbow Dash had a paper bag in her mouth. "H-hello Aaden. I hope we d-didn't wake you." You patted the side of your bed. "No no, I was already awake, Fluttershy. I have a question for you, actually." Fluttershy smiled, albeit bashfully, and partially behind her mane. Rainbow Dash sat the paper bag down on the nightstand, and hopped up onto the bed with Fluttershy. "You wouldn't happen to know of any good hiking trails, would you? I've got a lot on my mind, and I feel like a good walk through nature would really help me out." Fluttershy emerged from behind her mane. "Well, actually, I do know of a few! There's one through the outskirts of the Everfree forest, and then there's one through the Silversong forest, just outside of Canterlot!" You smile, and reach for the paper bag. "Then Silversong forest it is! How about tomorrow, after I wrap up my training, you and I head out? I don't think Rarity, or any of the other girls would want to go." Rainbow Dash immediately interjects. "Hey! I wanna go!" Called it. "Well, alright, Dash, Fluttershy, we'll head out tomorrow after training. Sound good?" Fluttershy just nodded her head with a smile, while Rainbow Dash seemingly clinched her hoof. "Sounds AWESOME!" You opened the paper bag. Some breadsticks, a piece of garlic toast, and what looked like a bunch of spaghetti noodles at the bottom of the bag. You take out a breadstick, and chomp off a piece. "So, Fluttershy. Tell me about this Silversong Forest." _________________________________________________________________________________ You CANNOT believe you just did that, and got away with it! That has to be a for-sure sign that he wants it, right? That he wants you? I mean, he did lay down next to you. He HAD to have wanted it! You notice Rarity isn't with the other girls. "Hey, AJ, where's Rarity?" Applejack turned from the balcony. "She said somethin' about buyin' Aaden somethin'. Ah can't remember." Twilight chimed in. "She went to go buy him a present. I forget why. She seems to really like Aaden." You laugh nervously. I ALSO REALLY LIKE AADEN. _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy finishes explaining the Silversong forest to you, and you both begin talking about the hike itself. You swallow a mouthful of breadstick. "So, how long do you think we'll be on this trail?" Fluttershy tilted her head in thought. "Uuhhhhm...maybe 3 hours? Is that okay?" You smile. "It's perfect. I've got plenty of candy and other junk foods to take with us, so snacks are covered." For the first time since you had known her, Flutteshy asked you a question. Two, actually. "Aaden. May I ask you question?" You nod your head. "Of course." "Tomorrow, if it would be okay, do you think that maybe, you could tell me a little more about yourself? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, it's just, the other girls seem to really think you're nice, and you seem really nice and interesting, and I-" You motion at her with your hand. Thank you, Mr. Angel. Your mind shudders. You force a smile. "Absolutely Fluttershy. I'd like to hear a little more about you, as well." You knew for a fact that Fluttershy had zero romantic expectations of you. She legitimately just wanted to be your friend. That sounded amazing to you. A good friend, and a nice hike through what she described as a beautiful forest. Rainbow Dash would be there, but you didn't foresee her causing any problems. You looked over at Rainbow Dash, who was smiling. It's not that you don't like her, she could be a good friend, she really could, she just seems to have more in mind. But you're willing to give her another shot. Hell, you'd be willing to give her 3 more shots, if you had to. "So, Dash, are you sure you're up for the hike?" Rainbow laughed. "Am I up for the hike? Ha! I could fly three times as far, twice as fast!" You couldn't help but smile. You liked her competitive nature. "Well, Dash, keep in mind we don't wanna go fast. We wanna walk, talk, and take in the environment." Rainbow Dash looked down at your comforter. "Well...I dunno...you did say you were going to talk about yourself, right?" You nodded your head, and watched as she started to blush, while she circled her hoof on your bed. "Then I'm definitely coming." Chapter Twenty-Six: DesertedThe day was actually quite boring. Nothing interesting occurred between you and Rainbow Dash, not even at night. She did lay on top of you again. You had no qualms regarding that. You knew you were going to have another flashback. You always do. You wonder how many more are coming, how many more memories lie in wait for you to relive. You put your arms around Rainbow Dash as you did the previous night, and hold her close to you. She smelled just as great as she did the previous day, as well. You close your eyes, and soon see the memory taking shape. _________________________________________________________________________________ What was once 10 men, was now 4. This memory was unlike the others. It was almost like a montage, Youtube Video Deep in the ocean, dead and cast away Where innocence is burned in flames A million mile from home, I'm walking ahead I'm frozen to the bones, I am... A soldier on my own, I don't know the way I'm riding up the heights of shame I'm waiting for the call, the hand on the chest I'm ready for the fight, and fate The sound of iron shocks is stuck in my head, The thunder of the drums dictates The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead's The rising of the horns, ahead From the dawn of time to the end of days I will have to run, away I want to feel the pain and the bitter taste Of the blood on my lips, again This deadly burst of snow is burning my hands, I'm frozen to the bones, I am A million mile from home, I'm walking away I can't remind your eyes, your face You had split the Pathfinders into two squads. All of the men in your squad had been killed, and you had been shot just above your left elbow and once in your shoulder. You pick yourself up off the snow covered ground, and looked around you. Through the blizzard, you could make out more shapes moving in the forest. There were more coming. Your radio buzzed. "Captain! Are you alright?" You cringe as you move your left arm to reach for it, and reach with your right arm instead. You hold it up to your mouth. "They're all dead. It's just me." After a period of silence, you hear Max respond. "We've lost two." "We will grieve later. Collect their tags, and keep moving. They died attempting to escape with us. They would want us to carry on." "Yes sir. I assume we're still set to meet at the cottage?" "Yes." "Gotcha. Over and out." You walk to the bodies of your fallen comrades, collect their tags, and quickly limp into the forest. You watch as soldiers clad in white armor with orange goggles examine the bodies with their flashlights. Your rifle was completely out of ammunition. You needed a gun. You prowled ahead towards the rendezvous point. Finally, you found one of the soldiers by himself, leaning against a tree, attempting to smoke a cigarette in the blizzard. You snuck up on him. Before he could react, you slid your rifle around the tree, and yanked backwards, choking him between the tree and cold steel of your rifle. You pulled with what little might you had left, watching as he thrashed and gagged, his hands up at his neck, attempting to free himself. You only pulled harder. He gurgled and scratched at the rifle at your harder choke. Eventually, he stopped struggling, and fell lifeless. You let him fall to the snow. You search his body, taking his rifle and his handgun. He also had a small box of ammunition in a pouch on his waist. You continue your limp through the forest. Your black duster was completely white with snow. Your scalp felt frozen. You stopped feeling your fingers several hours ago. You could see the cottage in the clearing of the forest. You also noticed a familiar IMO solider, peering out of the second floor window. Max. With renewed hope, you limped inside of the cottage. Maybe you would escape, after all. _________________________________________________________________________________ You open your eyes, and turn towards the clock. It was 9 AM. Seems to be a reasonable time to start your patrol. With some almost impossible maneuvering of your body, you manage to slither out from underneath of Rainbow Dash. She clung to the nearest pillow, obviously missing you. It made you smile. As you put on your armor, you ponder the job of being a Guardsman. Make your own hours, but always be available in the event of an emergency. This is the first job you've ever had that's anything like that. You liked it quite a bit, actually. Maybe it was the extreme freedom of the position, or maybe it was the idea that you were a local paragon, but you think you'll really enjoy your little stint as a Guardsman. You walk downstairs, and open the front door, when you remember you're standing on a house in the clouds. You walk over to the edge, and peer over. You sigh. "God damn it..." You were really about to do this. You could see one cloud floating very close to the ground. Very close. You wouldn't dare wake up Rainbow Dash. To disturb such cuteness should be a crime. You made sure your sword was properly sheathed; no need to kill yourself before you even hit the ground. You lean over the edge, and take another look. It was, AT LEAST, a 6 story fall you were risking. You couldn't imagine what it would be like missing that cloud. It was certainly big enough to land on safely, all you had to do was steer correctly. And by steer, you meant fall hopelessly. You look back over your shoulder one last time, just in case Rainbow Dash had woke up. Nope. You take a deep breath, and let your feet carry you. As you hit the edge of the clouds, you spread your arms, and fall. Falling. Falling. Still falling. You feel your organs shift to your back, tickling you in a macabre way. The sound of falling was completely deafening. At least you were on course with hitting the cloud. You thought. The air rushing against your eyes made it extremely painful to keep them open. Finally, you hit the cloud with a loud POOMF. You come to your knees, and make yourself stand up on the cloud. You peek over the side. It was only about a 10 foot fall. You were breathing rapidly. "Shit. Alright..." You gently dangle your legs off of the side of the cloud, and let yourself fall. When you hit the ground, you feel your ankles rattle and shake in pain, and you let out a grunt of discomfort. Rainbow Dash needs an elevator. Or ladder. Or something. You test your feet by pressing them gently against the ground. No pain, you could still walk without any problems. You look back up to Rainbow Dash's house. You jumped from that. You laughed. You weren't exactly sure how to patrol Ponyville. Was it really as simple as walking around the town? Surely there had to be more to it than just that. Guess I'll found out. You trek into town, and sure enough, all is calm. Ponies walk about the town, going about their business. You catch a few eyes here and there, nothing too bad. A few fillies decide they want to ask you a bunch of questions, but you don't mind it in the least. After explaining how you walk on two legs, and signing a few autographs for the fillies, they skitter off in pure joy. You were now in the marketplace. Easiest job I've ever had. _________________________________________________________________________________ You have wandered the damn desert for well over a year now, going from oasis to oasis. You have no idea how you got here. You have no recollection of anything prior to appearing. You have no idea how you were surviving on a diet of fruit and vegetables, nor how you were keeping your sanity. The only thing you knew was your name, which was printed on a lamented card you found in your pocket. You sat under the shade of a palm tree, scooping water from the oasis with your hands. The sun was extremely hot, and this desert was like none you had ever heard of. It was completely flat. You could see other oases in the distance, at least 4-5 miles away, but they were still there. You fill your canteen with water, soak your clothes in water, and begin your trek across the desert. Your boots sink slightly into the sand with each step, making a loud crunching sound. The heat was not altered with any wind or moisture in the air. Just dry, burning heat. As you begin to near the oasis, you see something. It looks like two horses standing at the oasis you were heading to. My ticket outta here. After about 2 hours, you finally reached the Oasis. Sure enough, two horses were drinking from the water. As you neared them, one turned around, and jumped. "AH!" It shouted. "Mala, what is that?" These horses were talking. Talking horses. Maybe you were finally loosing your mind. The other horse turned around. "By the Goddess. Speak, creature. What are you?" You hold your hands up, trying to show you were unarmed and meant no harm. "A human? What are you?" You ask. The two horses look at each other. "We are Horses, of course. Merchants from Saddle Arabia. Creature, where do you come from?" You shrug. "If I knew, I'd tell ya." You decided that you truly had lost your mind, and you choose to just give in to it, rather than resist. At least you'll be entertained. The two horses look at each other. After a long period of silence, one spoke up. "Are you lost, Mr...?" You pull out your card with your name on it. "Adam Howard. And you have no idea." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was getting late. The sun was beginning it's descent. You were almost positive that crime never happened in Ponyville. And that was fine by you. You walk to Rainbow Dash's house, clunking the entire way there. As you walk, you try to come up with an idea for getting back up to her house, when, sure enough, you see a cloud pillar now touching the ground, with a ladder braced to it. You laugh to yourself, and begin your climb up. The higher you get, the better you can Rainbow Dash's house. You notice the ladder is taking you right up to the window of her room. After about 10 minutes of climbing, you are about 15 rungs away from reaching the window. You hear music, and can smell lavender, and a lot of it. Youtube Video You recognize the song as the cover of "Over My Head" by The Fray. Rainbow Dash would probably like this version, being as it was heavier. You climbed over the edge of the window, and looked inside. Scented candles were spread throughout the room, the lights completely off. There was a sheet of paper with what looked like a stick figure taking it's clothes off taped to the wall, with a large red "X" taped on the ground. You never pained Rainbow Dash as a romantic, but were willing to give her a chance. She could have picked a better song... You begin unstrapping your armor, and you let it fall to the floor, each piece dinging as it did. In mere moments, you now stood shirtless, about to untie your greaves and boots, when you hear a voice. "Nuh uh." It says. "I'm doing those." You turn, and see Rainbow Dash strolling in the room. "You sure? I mean, it's kinda heavy." You laugh. "Dude, I've thought about this all day. Nothings's ruining this for me." You hold your hands up, showing your surrender. She walks behind you, and begins fumbling with the straps. With a clink, the front greave plate of your left and right legs fall. Then the back plate. Then you step out of your boots. Rainbow knocks them all aside, and jumps onto you, kissing you as deeply as she possibly could. The grape taste began to arouse you. She pulled back, and whispered in your ear. "I'm sorry about the other night, I got scared. And while I still kinda am, I can do you a favor." She then licked your ear, and went back to kissing you. At least she isn't being AS shy. She then breaks the kiss again, hovers in the air in front of you, and with a gentle push, knocks you on your back, making you land on the cloud bed. You look up at the ceiling, a stupid grin on your face as you feel her removing your underwear. She wasted absolutely no time. She immediately took you into her mouth, and began sliding her head up and down. You gripped the clouds with your hands as hard as you could. "Jesus Christ..." You mumbled. You could feel every inch of her tongue. You could feel how warm and velvety her mouth was. You could feel how eager she was to do this. The music was starting to loop, but you had far bigger things on your mind. You put your hands on the back of her head, and stroked her mane. "Ah..." You almost squeak. You then feel a vibration in her mouth. Was she giggling? Sure enough, you hear her laugh through her nose. Oh God. Yeah. She is. You decide to be brave, and look down, see what exactly she was doing. She notices this, and slows down, looking back up at you, your eyes meeting. Her eyes never looked magical before this moment, but making eye contact during a moment like this, it made her eyes indescribable in beauty and wonder. She took her hooves, and gently started working you up and down, using her tongue to lick here and there. "You like, BIG guy?" You laugh, and bite your lip. You were close. Very close. You grip the clouds even harder. "Dash..." You start. She puts a hoof over your mouth, and whispers to you. "Do it." You look up at the ceiling. Just as you were about to say something, she put you right back inside of her mouth again, and started moving faster than ever before. Well. She really doesn't have a gag reflex. You begin to feel a tickling building up inside of you, which grows stronger and stronger with every thrust of her head, with every flick of her tongue. Pleasure swept over you, elevating you to a plane of existence of nothing but pure ecstasy. You feel yourself pump into her throat several times. She doesn't seem to mind. She even seems to enjoy it, moaning as she feels it hit her tongue. She flops you out of her mouth, and crawls up beside you. Thankfully, the music had stopped. She cuddled up next to you, pulling the cloud blanket up over both of you. "Aaden. I love you." You pull her close to you. "I think...I love you too, Rainbow Dash." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Yes, my Queen." You said. Your new chitinous armor looked ghastly. It was pitch black and covered in spikes. The Queen looked you in the eyes. "I am unsure how you arrived here so long ago. But I have taken you in, my child. The least you could do to repay your debt, is to become a Dreadguard. You nod your head. "Yes, my Queen." She smiles, revealing many pointed teeth. "Excellent. Then it is all set. I already have a mission for you, as well. Would you like to hear it now?" "Yes, my Queen." "The enemy, the oppressors, they have a new Honor Guard. Apparently, he is very tough. This could cause problems for us. You can handle it, I'm sure. He is merely a pony or gryphon. You are...different. I trust you will eliminate this guard, my child." "Yes, my Queen." As you turn to walk away, she calls to you. "And Alan?" "Yes, my Queen?" "Welcome to the Dreadguard." "Thank you, my Queen." You smile. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Honor and DreadYou've never felt closer to Rainbow Dash, You hadn't forgotten Rarity, nor the fact that you would be spending two weeks with Vinyl Scratch. This was certainly going to complicate things slightly, but you'll face that music when it plays. Rainbow Dash must have felt the same way about you, judging by the fact that not only was she completely on top of you, but her fore legs and her wings were wrapped around you. You open your eyes. Sunlight poured into the room from the window, bathing the entire room in light. Rainbow Dash had pulled the cloud blanket up over her head at some point, so the light wouldn't wake her. It was a little too late for you. You're still completely naked. It didn't bother you as much as it should. You trusted Rainbow Dash. In fact, you think you loved Rainbow Dash. You reach your hand up, and go to scratch your head. You wanted to spend time with Rainbow Dash today. You never really got to out to a restaurant or anything with her. Maybe she could come on your patrol today. Ponyville was certainly safe enough. Maybe you could go to The Sugarcube Corner together. Or maybe to a bar for some lunch. You look down from the ceiling, and see Rainbow Dash, fully awake, staring at you. "WHOA." You flinch. You liked how big these ponies eyes were, but they would still startle you here and there. "Uh. Good morning, Rainbow Dash." She smiles, and rubs one eye with a hoof. "Good morning to you too. Are you about to leave?" "Well, actually, I have an idea. I wanna spend some time with you, Dashie. And I would like to avoid free-falling from the clouds again. Would you like to come with me on my patrol today? We could get some lunch." Rainbow Dash lifts herself up almost immediately, her face getting closer to yours. "You mean it?" You run a hand through her mane. "Absolutely." She kisses you, and hops off of your chest. "This is gonna be awesome! Let me shower real quick, and we'll go." You climb out of bed. "I'll join you." She winks at you. You could find no way that this day could end badly. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Queen always told you that the Ponies and their allies were fascist oppressors. That they denied your people food. That they would rather let them starve then help them. You didn't remember much of anything before appearing in The Queen's kingdom, but what you did know, is you were a good guy. You weren't going to stand by and watch as these creatures suffered. You and one of The Queen's servants, Ghoul, walked through the Everfree Forest, towards the town named Ponyville. Ghoul briefs you as you walk. "Thisss Honor Guard isss...different." He started. His tongue hissed and clicked. "You will sssee when you arrive. We attempted to kill him not long ago, by angering a local manticore in his ssshape and form, then leading it to him. He defeated it." You scoff. "It was only a manticore. I am far more deadly. The oppressor will die." Ghoul laughed, the clicking noise slightly louder. You both continue to walk through the forest, your chitin-armor creaking with every step. After awhile, you reached a path. Ghoul stopped. "Alright, Alan. Thisss isss asss far asss I go. Continue along the path. You will reach Ponyville in three to four hoursss." You nod, and salute him. "For The Queen." He hisses. "For The Queen." You smirk. _________________________________________________________________________________ You both sit down at a table inside of a bar/grill named Poachies. You removed your helmet at the door, and took a booth near the door. You sit down across from Rainbow Dash, and flip through the menus they have on the table. Rainbow Dash looks curiously up at you. "Aaden, did you eat meat back home?" You freeze. Slowly looking up from the menu, your eyes meet hers. "Ah...well. Yeah. Humans are omnivores." She smiles at you. "No sweat, dude! Gryphons eat meat ALL THE TIME!" You let out a sigh of relief. "A friend of mine, Gilda, she had me try a bite once. I didn't like it very much, and it made me pretty sick, but hey, to each his own, right?" You nod your head. "That being said, this place has a mean veggie burger. That's what I'm getting." She sets the menu down, and picks up the glass of cola she had ordered to drink. You quickly flip through the menu, hoping to see something with meat. It appeared as if Rainbow Dash had got your hopes up for nothing, however. You still couldn't read Equestrian, but you were getting a little better. You find a picture of the veggie burger, all blown up, and attempt to read the few words you understand. "Black Bean, Tomato, Lettuce..." You cannot read the rest. "Dash, what all comes on this burger of yours?" She sips at her glass, and puts it down. "Well, the patty is made of grilled black beans, and then you can pretty much get whatever you'd like. I'm getting a little bit of everything on mine. What did you like back home?" "There was one burger I really liked from this little diner back home, it had onion rings, cheese, and barbecue sauce." "You're in luck! You can those things here!" You smile, and put your hand on her hind leg from the table. Rarity may have made you feel accepted, but Rainbow Dash made you feel at home. You decide to immediately cease thoughts of having to pick between the two. The waiter comes by, and takes your order. He also brings Rainbow Dash another glass of soda. As he leaves, you laugh. "Whats so funny?" She asks. "You ordered extra ketchup. I dunno, I've just never been a fan of ketchup." "Are you kidding? I put ketchup on my ketchup! You really don't like it?" You shake your head. "Nah. I like barbecue sauce a whole bunch, like, I use that for dipping fries and as a burger topping, but that's about it." "Isn't barbecue sauce made from ketchup?" She picks up her glass, and takes another swig. "Sometimes." You think about how much ketchup is going to be on this thing. "Blegh." She laughs at you. "Whatever. You'll still kiss me." "Yeah. Yeah, I will." _________________________________________________________________________________ The forest was beginning to unwind itself. The path was getting larger, and you could see far more hoof prints. you were nearing the exit of the forest. You were nearing the town of Ponyville. This Honor Guard was supposed to be in golden armor, and I was supposed to "know him when I see him". You pick up your pace out of anticipation. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Well I'll be damned. This desert DOES end, huh?" You muse. A settlement in the desert was coming into view. "Yes. Welcome to Saddle Arabia, human. We will request audience with The Princess. Perhaps we can have you teleported to Canterlot." "Teleported? Alright." You had given up hope on understanding this new world. "Mala, are you sure it's safe to bring this...thing...into town?" The other horse asked. "It is absolutely safe. He barely remembers his name, much less anything else. Even if he WAS a violent man, he isn't now." The other horse looks off to the town, in deep thought. "You are right, Mala. I apologize for my doubts." "It is only natural, Bakir. Now go ahead while we wait here. Alert the town that a NON-HOSTILE visitor is coming." The horse identified as Bakir nodded his head, and dashed off across the dunes, kicking up sand as he went. "So. Adam, was it?" You nod your head. "We'll get you taken care of. If anyone knows what to do, it's The Princess." "It's no skin off of my bones. While it would be nice to remember exactly who I am, I think of this as a fresh start!" Mala smiles at you. "Very brave, for a foreign creature in a foreign land." _________________________________________________________________________________ Your food comes out rather quickly, two burgers, each on top of a hoof-full of fries, were sat down in front of you. Rainbow Dash's oozed ketchup. You shudder, and pick up your burger. As you do, you hear somepony start shouting. "GUARDS! GUARDS, HELP! SOMETHING IS COMING!" Rainbow Dash looks to you. You were already on your feet, running for the door, strapping your helmet back on, and unsheathing your sword. You look out to where the other ponies where looking, and see a black, bipedal creature in black, scaled armor, with a sword that looked like a long, black tooth. His helmet made him look like a giant insect, two mandibles and disgustingly bright blue eyes. You look over at the civilians. "Get back, go! Get to safety!" They nod, and run inside all of the local buildings. The creature picks up his pace from a fast walk, to a run. He was coming for you. Just like that, all of Ponyville was watching you. The creature begins to shout at you. "DIE, OPPRESSOR!" He leaps on top of you, knocking you to the ground. The mandibles on his helmet click and squirm in your face. You bring your legs up, and kick it in it's head. It stumbles backwards, it's mandibles now shattered. It had it's hands on it's head, stumbling around in pain. You get back on your feet, and ready your sword. It stops stumbling, and looks over at you. As it draws it's sword, two new mandibles ripped from the helmet, replacing the ones you just broke. That thing's sword looks heavy...hmm... You sheathe your sword, and decide to wait for it to attempt to stab you. Sure enough, he follows suit, lunging in at you. You catch the blade between your arm and chest, and clamp down on it. Before he could react, you kick him back again. You now have it's blade. It stomped in frustration, but began another sprint at you. "FOR THE QUEEN!" It screamed. When it got close, you lunged forward, stabbing him directly in the chest. He doesn't react, and throws you aside. You hit the ground hard, but still get back up. You notice the sword sticking out of his chest. You watch in horror as it seemingly melts into his armor with a grotesque ripping sound, and then bursts into existence from his hand again. He comes in close, swinging his blade vertically. He misses, so you grab him by the neck, and smack him in the helmet with the hilt of the sword, knocking him to the ground on his stomach. You run over to him, kick him over on his back, and bring your foot down on his head. Not only does it not squish liked you hoped it would, but a spike thrust out of it, ripping through your boots, through your foot. "FUCK!" You yell, and step backwards, ripping your foot from the helmet. It now hurt like Hell to even think about your right foot. You watched the creature start to get back up, when you heard a familiar voice call out. "COMIN' IN HOT!" You knew what that meant. You threw yourself on the ground, and watched as a rainbow blur was rocketing towards the creature. It made impact with the creature's chest as it was getting up, and sent the creature into the fountain in the marketplace. You see Rainbow Dash coming back in for another hit, and sure enough, she hits it again, putting him back down into the fountain. She then flies back over to you. "I got his helmet off, go finish it!" You nod, and begin your walk over to the fountain. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were defeated. Even with your living armor, you couldn't best these ponies. The Queen deserved better. It was a shame that the only other human in Equestria was working for the oppressors. It would have been nice if you had actually known him. You lay back in the fountain, tilting your head back, and closing your eyes. You're going to die. Might as well make it easy for them. You feel yourself get lifted from the fountain by the neck. You hear the Honor Guard start speaking to you. "You are charged with attempted murder and treason against Equestria, you-" You open your eyes, and meet his. He was a human taller than you, and was built slightly better, as well. Maybe that's why he won. That and the damn Rainbow pony. His eyes opened wide, and he immediately dropped you. "Alan. Is that you?" You feel your blood run cold, and your head begin to hurt. That voice sounded so familiar. "Alan. Talk to me." You look up at the Honor Guard. He was wearing a gas mask with bright orange lenses, and a long duster over orange and black armor. He held his hand out to you, as a gesture of helping you up. "Alan." You blink again, and everything returns to normal. He was back in his golden armor, but was still offering you a hand. This was your chance to avenge your loss. You grabbed his hand, and as you did, your living armor ripped a spike through the hand, impaling the Honor Guard through his left hand. He looks down at you in shock, cocks his right hand back, and punched you as hard as you had ever been punched in your head. The metal of his gauntlets amplified the pain, not to mention your head hit the cement of the fountain. Your vision started to get very bright. It wasn't too soon after that when you lost consciousness. _________________________________________________________________________________ How was Alan here? Wasn't he dead? Oh God, am I dead? I'm not dead! What was he wearing? Oppressors? Who was he working for? Why didn't he recognize you? Your mind was racing. The pain in your foot began to amplify itself. You slid your hand off of this new spike that had penetrated it. Ponies started to come out of their hiding places. Rainbow Dash flew over to you and landed beside you. "Oh buck! Aaden, we've got to get you to the hospital!" You look down at the unconscious Alan. "He needs to go, as well. I may have broken his skull." "What? Aaden, he tried to kill you! You can't be serious!" You look down at her. "Rainbow Dash. That's Alan. From my memories." She looks at you in a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "What? I thought he was a good guy, though! Wasn't he your friend? Why was he attacking you?" You lean down, and pick up Alan's unconscious body. "You know as much as I do, Dash. We'll take him to the hospital, get that damned armor off of him, and interrogate him when he wakes up. He was a good man. I want answers for this as much as everypony else does." Rainbow Dash nods her head. "Now, Hospital, yes?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You wait anxiously for Aaden in the waiting room. You had two styrofoam boxes containing both of your untouched meals from earlier that day, sitting in your lap. you thumped your hooves on them out of anxiety. Every tick of the clock, every move of it's hands made the wait all the more tense. You knew he wasn't going to die or anything, but you still wanted to make sure he was okay. You also hope he wan't mad at you. You know he could have handled Alan on his own, but you didn't want that fight to last any longer than it had to. Aaden comes out, a series of thick bandages over his left hand, and he was walking normally. You leap up, and dash over to him, hugging him. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" "Yep. Doc says that my foot will hurt for a week or two, but it'll be okay. My left hand though? Broken. That may take awhile to fix. The spike that hit my foot was smaller than the one I got through the hand." "What about Alan?" Aaden looks down at his right hand. "I cracked his skull. Doc says he'll make a full recovery as long as they keep his brain from swelling too much. That disgusting armor of his was removed and destroyed, and he has been strapped to his bed. He's not going anywhere." You hug Aaden again. "You did what you had to, big guy." Aaden hugs back. "Not exactly the ideal reunion. And Rainbow Dash?" You break the hug, and look up at him. "Yeah?" "Don't ever risk yourself for me again." He then pulled you into a deep kiss, holding you tight. Called it. Chapter Forty-Two and One Fourth: Interim1 year had passed since Aaden had died at the bank. The details provided by the police didn't make much sense, but then again, the entire event didn't make sense. Aaden held a strange job with a company you had never heard of before, and it had him travelling the globe and leaving all hours of the night. But, he was more than happy to pay the rent in the apartment you had both shared, so you didn't question it. It must have been well paying, as he would literally leave thousands of dollars on the coffee table every week in the living room for "groceries or something", as he would say. You couldn't have asked for a better friend. You weren't certain where Aaden was right now. You weren't sure if you believed in a God, or an afterlife. You just hoped, wherever he was, if there was even the slightest chance he was sentient, that he was happy.
Chapter Two: Lost and FoundThe falling sensation takes hold of you once more. This time, it's extremely intense. It's elevator snapping it's cables and plummeting from the 100th story of a skyscraper intense. But, just as the last time, it comes just as mysteriously as it goes. Now, you are left with nothing. You remain that way for what seems like several hours. You almost kind of miss the feeling of falling. At least it was SOME form of stimulation. You decide to try to open your eyes. As your eyes slowly open, you immediately begin to panic. It's staying black. You can't see anything. You leap up in your bed, and throw your hands to your face. Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... There was just a little bandaging around your eyes. You let your head fall back into the many pillows on your bed. You almost smile from your overreaction, but you are still in an incredible amount of pain. You decide it's best not to remove the bandages from your eyes, because they're probably there for a reason. You choose to use your hands as your new pair of eyes, instead. You gently rub them up and down your body, and touch everything you can around you. You touch your body, and see immediately that they have taken the liberty of removing your shirt. There feels like some seriously heavy bandaging over your shoulder and lower abdomen. At least you aren't bleeding anymore. And your pants are still on, so you still have a LITTLE dignity left. It also feels as if, sure enough, you're in a bed with metal railing around it, cold to the touch. Hmm... You feel around your bed. A nightstand, a plate with something on it, a glass of something, a tray of syringes. Yep. Definitely a hospital. You place your hand on the arm of a chair. You suppose it was for guests. You run your hand up the wooden arm rests, slowly travelling up. Maybe, you can use this thing for support, and go find the doctor, let him know your awake. You run your hands extremely slowly, so as to make sure you know what your grabbing. You aren't about to fall and hurt yourself more. You are just about to feel the top of the chair, when you run your hand over something furry. In fact, it feels really smooth. One of those really soft towels that really don't dry anything, perhaps? Whatever it is, it's nice. Really nice. It warms your hand from the cold hospital room. You decide to push your hand a little further, find it's source. Your hand travels slowly up the silky material, and then meets a still soft, but more firm fur. Did someone leave me a teddy bear? You poke it, but you poke it with extreme caution. It moves. Whaaaaaaat. You poke it again. It moves slightly again, and even lets out a content sigh. Is that your dog? Maybe Mom brought him! Wait. Do you have a dog? You can't remember. You slowly start to explore this thing with your hand. You still can't make out anything. It feels like it could be anything from your dog to a woman with long hair. You pray it's not a man with really soft facial hair. You take a deep breath, and decide to try to talk. When you open your mouth, a series of violent coughs comes out, and whatever was in the chair has jumped up. You can't feel it anymore. You decide you may as well talk now. "H-hello? Who's there?" You ask. You hear an extremely loud gasp, and very frantic clopping from beside your bed and out of the room. They must really polish these floors to make a clop as loud as that. Good going, jackass. You scared whoever it was off! "NO, please wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" You call to them. "Shiiit..." You smile lazily, and let your head fall back into the warm embrace of your pillows. It really feels comforting to know that someone was in the room with you, albeit asleep. The comfort washes over you, and you begin to feel sleepy once more. While it would be nice to TALK to someone for a change, you decide to sleep. You re-position yourself in your bed, and pull your blankets up to your neck. It feels good to be alive. _________________________________________________________________________________ Doctor Gauze told you that he probably wouldn't make it. He said he lost entirely too much blood, and, although they mended his wounds, they were still extremely dangerous ones to experience. So, when the thing sits up in the bed, touches you, and blindly fumbles around in the darkness, you're sure Doctor Gauze will understand your surprise. Then, when the creature speaks your language, you're sure he'll understand your fear. You rocketed out of the room, and dash down the corridors of the hospital. You know you're waking many patients, but you're far too gone in your own mind. In a mixture of fear and excitement, you get yourself down the staircase, and to the doctors lounge. You pray Gauze was still here, and had not yet went to bed. Sure enough, there he is, sipping on his coffee and eating some kind of pastry, while he flips through x-rays of the creature. "Doctor Gauze, it's awake!" You shout. Gauze looks up lazily at you. "Hmm? Oh, yes, the primate. He has awoken?" He doesn't look up from his x-rays. "YES!" You understand that doctors emotionally separate themselves from their patients to avoid any hurt feelings in the event that a patient dies, but his passive behavior is aggravating you. "Did he attempt to speak to you? Did he climb out of his bed, perhaps?" Gauze asks with a yawn. "Well, yes, I, he, alright, listen to me! I fell asleep in the chair next to him, and next thing I know, he's touching me! I jump up, and he speaks, and not only does he speak, but he speaks OUR language! I immediately came down here to get you!" A lady isn't supposed to lose her clam demeanor, but you feel justified with your outburst. "Well, Rarity, I suppose we had better have a look, hmm?" You just stare at him. "Alright, alright." He scrapes his chair back, puts his mug in his sink, and takes his pastry with him. "Lets pay our new friend a visit." You follow Doctor Gauze out of the lounge, and feel anxiety building up inside you as you ascend the staircase, nearing the creature once again. "Doctor, do you know what this thing is? Have you seen anything like it before?" you ask. "No. But if it's still alive, and apparently doing well, then it's physiology must be somewhat similar to our own." He takes a bite out of his pastry, and a little glob of strawberry filling falls on his lab coat. "Damn. That's going to leave a stain." He says, looking at the new red spot on his coat. You cannot even begin to fathom why the doctor is taking this all so nonchalantly. A creature, of an unknown variety, randomly shows up in Ponyville, gets mauled by a manticore, and is recovering from what should have been fatal wounds, and here Doctor Gauze seems more interested in his stains. The doctor frowns. "Rarity, you work with clothes, how does one go about removing a strawberry stain?" Your right eyes twitches. You take a deep breath, to avoid yelling. Anger isn't very ladylike. "Good doctor..." you start. "Make this creature well again, and I will see to it that you receive several new lab coats." The doctor smiles. You both slowly approach the room, the white linoleum floors making your hooves echo in the halls. You walk over to the doorway. Still open. You let Doctor Gauze walk in before you. What are you so nervous about? Pull it together, Rarity! You trail directly behind Doctor Gauze, and attempt to stay that way. He notices this, and laughs quietly. "Rarity, if he didn't attempt to rip your flesh off at first, he probably won't now. relax." he whispers. It wasn't that you were scared of him hurting you. In fact, it's hard to explain why you were so nervous. You didn't understand it much, yourself. The doctor trotted over to patient, and gently tapped him with a hoof. "Son. Son, wake up. Rarity here tells me you're quite the chatterbox." The creature stirs, and slowly sits up. He stretches his forelegs into the air, and with a large yawn, falls back into a normal sitting position. "I'm assuming your my doctor?" He asks. "Yes, my name is Doctor Gauze. Your friend here brought you here to me after your run in with the manticore." "Man-tee-core?" "Man-TI-core, son. You're lucky to be alive." The creature rubs his foreleg over his chest, using his individual digits to prod at the heavy linen bandaging over his chest. "What happened to me? What's the damage?" It asks while it rubs the bandages. "Well." Gauze takes a deep breath. "5 broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken foreleg, severe internal bleeding, and your carotid artery was completely severed. To be completely honest, I pegged you as a goner." "Gee, thanks Doc. So, I'm still alive. I'm assuming that I'm getting better?" Gauze looks down at his clipboard. "Hmm...actually, I dare say that you should make a full recovery. Nurse Redheart will have to give you one more treatment of medicinal magic, and you may be able to leave here. I mean, you'll have to EXTREMELY careful for a few days, but as long as you don't go manticore wrestling again, I foresee no problems with releasing you." The creature perks up. He removes his blanket, and looks over at that doctor and yourself. He smiles a white smile, but is made eerie by the fact that he has bandaging over his eyes. "Here, son, lets get those bandages off of your eyes." The doctor says. "Just promise you'll stay calm with what you see. It may shock you." The creature nods his head. Gauze clops over to him, and starts to slowly unwind the long bandage wrapped around his eyes. You pray the creature will remain calm. He seems so kindhearted, so polite. Hopefully, he truly is so. Gauze continues unwrapping, and then backs away when there looks to be just one layer left. "Remove the last bandage when you are ready. And go slow. Don't want you hurting yourself." The doctor says carefully. Oh, so NOW he's cautious! _________________________________________________________________________________ You put your hands up to your face, and put your fingers under the bandages. You gently pry away the medical tape lovingly put right on your hair. "Ow..." you quietly say. "Gauze, why did you tape it onto his mane?" You hear a feminine voice ask. The doctor doesn't respond. Mane? You remove the last strand with your eyes closed. You put the final strand over on the table next to you, and open your eyes slowly. Very slowly. At first, it's extremely blurry. But with each blink, things are coming into focus. Finally, you can make out the entirety of your room. You feel a smile creep over your face. You are overjoyed that you can still see. "Oh man, Doctor, thank you so much, I feel so go-" You look down at the doctor. That's a fucking horse. In a fucking labcoat. You swallow hard, your smile quickly disappearing. "Good." you finish. The bright white horse smiles, and points his hoof at himself, and the horse behind him. "Relax son. Yes, we are ponies. I assumed by you not knowing what a manticore was that you wouldn't have guessed that we're ponies. I'm glad to see you're taking it so well." To be completely honest, the only reason you haven't flipped your shit, is because of the pony behind the doctor. It's the one with those amazing azure eyes you saw before you went unconscious. It relaxes you beyond comprehension. "Well." you start. "When you get impaled and mutilated by a half-lion, half-dragon, half-scorpion monster, you're ready for just about anything." Gauze's bright red eyes light up. "Excellent! I figured you'd attempt to kill us. Well, I suppose now it's time for some explanations. On both ends. You're currently in Ponyville. This lovely pony behind me, that's Rarity. She brought you here personally, and has stayed with you as much as she could. In fact, I believe she even read to you on several occasions." You look back at the pony behind the doctor. Rarity. A light crimson blush comes to her cheeks, and she holds a hoof to her face, looking away. "We have all of your belongings over there, in the corner." You look over and see your backpack, briefcase, and smartphone, all next to each other. You also notice your suit, looking really clean and not ripped. Someone must have fixed it for you. "But, now, I need to hear more about you. What are you? What's your name? Where are you from? Where did you come from?" You rub your chin. "Doctor, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I don't know. All I remember is just kind of, appearing, in a field. I walked through a forest, a very spooky one. About halfway through, that thing, the Mantee-" "Manitcore." The Doctor interjected. "That thing, yeah. It just jumped out at me, and attempted to grab me. So, I ran. And it followed. The chase took me here, and, well, that's all I know. I don't know my name. Or where I'm from. Or how I got here." The doctor looked intently at you. He seemed legitimately interested. "Quite the tale. Well, we have to call you something! And surely you know WHAT you are!" "Well, I know I'm a human. I know that I come from Earth, and there are billions of other humans. But that's all I can really recall. I'm sorry doctor." You feel kind of sad, now that you really think about it. "No worries, son. Don't strain yourself. Here, look through this." He slings your wallet over to your hospital bed. "Find something we can call you." You flip through the wallet. There is money in the pocket. Probably useless here. Several credit cards, and a driver license. Wait. Drivers License? You look at it intently. It has a picture of you smiling, and underneath, it says, "Aaden Locke". It also says that you are from the state of New York. You feel your eyes widen. Memories come flooding back to you. Not all of them, no where near all of them, but you begin to remember a small chunk of your life before appearing here. You have 4 sisters and a single brother. You have a Mom and Dad. You had a single dog, but he was pretty big, so it was okay. You no longer live with your parents, and have moved out on your own. Where, or with you, you aren't sure. You aren't able to recall their faces, or their names, or anything else other than the fact that you have a family and are a grown adult. You decide to withhold this information from the doctor. It didn't seem very important to you. "Aaden. My name is Aaden, Doctor Gauze." You say. "Great! I'm assuming you found something with your name on it! Now, we need to find you some food. I'll be right back with Nurse Redheart, as well. See if we can't get you out of here soon." Gauze turns around, and clops out of the room, leaving you and the other pony, Rarity, alone. You take your license, and slide it back into your wallet. You can feel Rarity staring at you. You take your wallet, and go to put it on the night stand, but jerk your arm back in pain. You drop it on the floor. Rarity immediately notices your pain. "Oh, darling, are you alright?" she asks. She looks really concerned. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I can't stretch that far yet." You smile, to show that you really are okay. "Here, let me get that for you." Her horn glows faintly. You watch as your wallet faintly glows the same color, and lifts up off of the ground, your cards and money being slowly put back in place. The wallet folds itself back up, and places itself on the nightstand. Magic. Why the hell not? "Thanks, Rarity." You look down at your wounds. "I just want to say, thank you. You brought me here, saw that I got help. You saved me. I owe you. I owe you my life." Rarity blushes pretty hard. "Think nothing of it, darling." She says bashfully. "Think nothing of it? Rarity, you really have do-" you look up from your wounds and back into her eyes. My God, they're even more amazing now that you can see completely. You notice her eyes going over to your suit. She's the only pony that seems to have checked up on you while you were injured. You put the pieces together. "Rarity. Did you fix my suit?" You ask. She immediately perks up. "I did, I did! It was a mess, shredded and ripped in many places, so I took it back to my shop, and did everything I could! I do hope it looks well!" "Are you kidding me? It looks great! Rarity, it looks as good as when I first appeared in the field!" She blushes. "You're just saying that..." She blushes again. You slowly hop off of the hospital bed, and back onto your feet. No pain. Alright! You walk over to your suit, and slide on your white undershirt shirt with care, and then slide your arms through the sleeves of your dress shirt. You button your shirt up, and snag your tie. As you go to tie the tie, you raise you arm too far, and wince in pain. Guess i can't move my arm that high yet. Rarity walks over to you. "Darling, you really should be more careful." She hops back on her hind legs, and leans on you with her forelegs. "Let me get that for you." She works her hooves in a fashion that you don't quite understand, but, she ties your tie for you. She finishes, and leaning on you, she looks up into your eyes. You share the moment in silence, looking in each others eyes. "AHEM!" You hear from behind you. Doctor Gauze has returned with Nurse Redheart. Rarity hops down, and blushes again. "I'm glad to see you two are becoming... acquainted. But Nurse Redheart here says you may not need to stay another moment, she feels like you may be ready to go, even without a final treatment." The Nurse steps forward. "Do you feel any sharp pain when you move? In your joints?" She asks. "Nah. Actually, it only hurts when I raise my arm so high." The nurse smiles. "Good, good! If that's it, then you're ready roll. The pain in your arm will subside very soon. I'd say you're free to go, let me and the doctor get your paperwork together, and you'll be out of here in time for breakfast! Just please be careful. We wouldn't want to see you in here later today." The doctor and the nurse both walk back down the hall, discussing what to classify you as on your paperwork. Rarity looks back to you. "Perhaps I'm being a little too forward, and if you are if at all uncomfortable with this, let me know, but, would you like to get some breakfast with me? I know you're hungry, and I know I'm hungry, and I really sho-" You smile. "Absolutely." You cut her off, but she doesn't seem to mind it. Those eyes of hers light up. "Wonderful! We'll go back to the Carousel Boutique!" You sit down, and tie your shoes, and pull on your blazer. Carousel Boutique, huh? Must be the building you were almost slaughtered in front of.
Chapter Four: Man About TownWith a little convincing, Sweetie Belle took her seat in class without fuss. As you walked down the steps of the schoolhouse, you noticed that Rarity had the biggest grin you'd ever seen her have. "Darling, I had no idea you were so good with kids!" She exclaimed. You put your hands on your hips, and assume a mock heroic pose, your tie flapping in the wind. Eh. You thought. I'm feeling good enough to be goofy. "One of my finer qualities, Ms. Rarity." She contains a laugh behind her hoof. "Well, Mr. Locke, if you're done with saving the children for the day, I believe we're needed at the Sugarcube Corner." Suagrcube Corner? Rarity notices your look of confusion on your face. "A good friend of mine owns and operates the place. It's a bakery, but with more of a focus on pastries and the like." "Like a pâtisserie?" Rarity blushes again. "My my, polite, good with kids, AND cultured?" She giggles. "And I thought you were lucky to find me." Those eyes really get to you. In fact, they give you goosebumps sometimes. Like right now. Rarity continues to talk as you both stroll through town. "Anyways, darling. Pinkie Pie, a friend of mine, she actually came with me a few times to check up on you. I thought we could start our day there." She cranes here neck to the side, giving you a quick smile. "Sounds amazing" you reply. You never really got to stop and admire the town. It's amazing how little attention you pay to detail when you are being decapitated. The town itself is breath taking. Very bright colored, very calm. Even though you are well aware the other ponies are staring at you, confused to what you are, they still smile and wish you a good morning. You pass several more pastel colored buildings, and decide to really examine your surroundings. The roads and paths inside the town are made of a light gray cobblestone, the kind that makes the satisfying clopping noise when you walk on it. Street lamps wrought of a dark blue metal spot the streets, adding to the aesthetic of the town. The houses themselves were obviously constructed of wood, and the architecture was magnificent. For creatures with no opposable digits, they could really build. The sky was completely clear, with only the sun present, its warmth complementing the occasional cool breeze which would rattle the leaves of nearby trees. Speaking of the trees, the town seemed to have no limit of wildlife, which you enjoyed. Birds sung their songs in harmony, the occasional adventurous squirrel would dash up a tree and jump onto the roof of a building. You like this town. A lot. If this town has any true problems, it does a damn good job of hiding them. "Darling?" Rarity calls. "Darling, we're here." You were so busy admiring your environment, you completely missed the building that looked like it was covered in fudge and icing. The building right in front of you. Rarity takes one of her forelegs, and grabs your hand, walking you inside. The bell on the door tinkles as you walk in. The pink pony behind the counter looks up from counting some kind of coins and sees you. Her eyes seemingly burst from her skull. Oh God. She leaps up onto the counter, and immediately leaps off. Onto you. You hit the ground, and she presses her face against yours. She takes a deep breath in. "OHMYGOSHYOU'REOKAYRARITYTOLDMESHETHOUGHTYOU'DBEOKAYBUTIDIDN'TKNOWANDITOLDHERTOPINKIEPROMISETHATWHENYOUGOTBETTERSHE'DBRINGYOUHEREANDNOWYOU'REHERESOTHATMUSTMEAN-" She takes another deep gasp of air. "YOU'RE BETTER!" She then uses what air was left in her lungs to emit 20,000 hertz squeal. She hops off of you, and Rarity helps you back up. "Pinkie, this is Aaden Locke. He's still recovering, but the hospital saw him fit to leave. While I'm sure he is just as happy to see you as you are to see him, please be just a little more careful, darling." Pinkie frowns. "Oh goodness, I didn't hurt you, did I? I didn't mean to!" You shake your head. "No Pinkie, I'm okay. It is nice to meet you, though." You smile to reassure her. "Anyways, hi Aaden! I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie! This is the Sugarcube Corner, and we sell sweets!" She beams with happiness. Not only is the smiling contagious, but you also believe this to be the happiest pony you have ever met. "Can I get you anything? I'd be happy to let you have some stuff on the house, but under one condition!" Rarity looks at you. She knows very well whats coming. "And what would that be, Pinkie?" Her eyes blow back up, and she waves her forelegs in the air. "I GET TO THROW YOU A PAAAAARTAAAAAAY!" She exclaims. The smile on your face just keeps getting bigger. It would be impossible to be sad around this pony. "Absolutely, Pinkie. That sounds great." She lets out another ear rupturing squeal. She finally takes a breath in, and seemingly calms down a bit. "Alrighty Aaden, so what can I get you?" She asks. You just got a good idea. "Get Rarity whatever she would like. That's what I would like, please." Pinkie's pupils grow large. "AAAAAWWWW!" She cries out. Rarity is obviously swayed by this form of affection. Her blush is coming on very hard, and she looks away from the counter, a hoof on her cheek. "W-well...I suppose a tea and cherry tart would be nice..." She almost whispered those words. Pinkie giggled. "Aaden, that's cheating. You gotta get you something too!" "You sure you can afford letting two eat for free?" "Absolutely!" You lower your head to the counter, and look behind the glass, seeing if anything really catches your eye. Then, that's when you spot it. A doughnut. But not just any doughnut, no. It's a doughnut with a fresh white chocolate frosting, covered with sprinkles. You point at it, and Pinkie hands you two cups of tea, one cherry tart, and the Doughnut of Gods. You pick out a table, and sit down across from Rarity, but not before pulling her chair out for her. She is STILL blushing. "You're quite the gentleman, darling. You don't have to do all of this." "And you didn't have to save my life, Rarity. Think of me as your new escort." Her blush is as red as the the cherry filling dripping out of her tart. The door bell rings again, and you turn around out of curiosity to see who was entering. A pony with a cerulean coat and very unique rainbow mane walked in. She saw you, and immediately changed her walk to brisk pace, coming over to your table. "Dude, it's you! I heard you totally showed that manticore what was what!" She runs back over to the door, and calls out for her friends. "Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, get in here!" Boy oh boy. Sounds like you've made a name for yourself. _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel so bad for Aaden. You don't think he really wants to go through all of these introductions. the girls all come in, and stand around the table. "Alright, girls, this is Aaden Locke. He's the one that fought off the manticore, the one I checked up on so often at the hospital. He is called a Human, and is an amnesiac. He can remember a little of his peoples history, but not much else." You can see all of the girls looking at him, waiting for him to speak. "Hi, everyone." he says. "Yeah, I'm the one that chased off the manticore. I feel really bad about it, actually. I don't like fighting." The girls, Aaden and yourself spend a good amount of time introducing yourselves to one another, causing time to rocket by. To your relief, not many questions are asked, and everyone seems to approve of him. By the time you look at the clock, you notice that it's time to pick up Sweetie Belle. "It was nice seeing all of you. Check with Pinkie for the day the party is, I'm sure Aaden would love to talk more then." Aaden gets out of his chair, and pulls yours out for you. You love the manners he has. You issue final goodbyes for the day, and begin the walk back to the school. It was a quiet one, but a pleasant one. Sweetie runs out of the schoolhouse, and motions for Aaden to come closer. He lowers his head, and it becomes obvious that she's whispering something in his ear. He smiles, and nods his head. He bends down, and hoists her up. She's riding on his shoulders. And it's quite possibly the most attractive thing you've seen him do. The sun illuminates his hair, makes his white smile sparkle and his eye glisten, while Sweetie Belle giggles wildly, with one hoof accidently covering his eye while she holds on, and the other pointing out local landmarks and buildings. You had all finally gotten home. Sweetie Belle refused to leap off his shoulders. "What if I give you a very special present?" She immediately hopped off of his shoulders with a loud clop, and was over taken with excitement. "What is it? Can I have it now? Can I?" Aaden got down on one knee, and laughed. "It's candy. Candy from where I come from. I can't remember why, but i have a backpack full of the stuff! If Ms. Rarity would allow you to have some, I would more than happy to share it!" They both look at you, seemingly pleading. "Oh, fine." you nod and smile. Aaden runs upstairs, while Sweetie Belle paces around anxiously. He comes downstairs and over to the counter, and places the thing he called his "smartphone" on top of the mail. He walks over to Sweetie Belle, and opens up the backpack. "Take whatever you'd like!" Sweetie Belle grabbed several brightly wrapped packages of different shapes and sizes, and quickly dashed off to the guest room. The "smartphone" started to vibrate, making an odd noise as it shook the mail. "Darling? Your "smartphone" is shaking." you say. His eyes slowly grow wide, the blood draining from his face. He looks as if he's seen a ghost. He runs over to the counter, and snatches the phone off the top of the mail. "Darling?" you ask. His gaze doesn't break the phone. "Darling, is everything okay?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Your phone just received a text. You can read it, as it popped up on the locked screen. It's from your Mom. "Honey, we miss you. We hope to see you again some day." What does that mean? You feel a hoof shake you. It's Rarity. "Darling, please. You're scaring me." You walk over to the couch, and sit down, staring intently at your phone. The message was now hidden by the locked screen. Rarity came over, and sat next to you. "Aaden. What was that?" You can feel your voice shaking. "Rarity, that was a...a message. From my Mom." Rarity scoots closer. "A message?! Goodness, Aaden, that's great news! What'd it say?" You stare off into blank space. "It said, 'We miss you. We hope to see you again some day.'" Rarity frowns. "Darling, I know it's hard being here. I know you've been suppressing sadness since you've gotten here. I can't imagine what I would do if i were in your situation. What I do know, is that you are being very brave. I'm here for you. We all are. I know it doesn't ease the pain to hear that, but you aren't alone here." You feel a solemn smile coming over you. "Thank you Rarity. It means the world to hear you say that. It just kinda hurts to see my family trying to contact me, and because my phone is locked, I can't respond." You breathe deeply. "Darling, we're going to see Celestia soon. You'll get all the answers you want then. For now, try and relax" The rest day passes without further incident, and as does the night. You end up on the exact same couch again with Rarity after Sweetie Belle is put to bed. "So, Rarity, where do I sleep? She seems kind of hesitant to respond. "Well, this couch is barely quite fit for sitting. If you would like, you can share my bed. If that's okay, of course!" There's the blush again. "That's fine, Rarity. As long as you're sure i won't be a bother." you reply. "Nonsense!" She says through her blush. You both ascend the staircase. She opens the door to her bedroom, climbs onto the bed, lays down her head, and pulls the comforter up over herself. You remove your blazer and put it on the coat hanger in the room. You remove your tie, and drape it over the blazer. You sit down on the bed, remove both of your shoes and socks, and put them underneath the bed. You unbutton your dress shirt, and fold it neatly, placing it next to your shoes. You slide the white undershirt off, fold it as well, and place it on top of the dress shirt. You climb in on your side, and slide under the same comforter. The lamps in the room flick off. Rarity rustles around, and, with sleep in her voice, wishes you off. "Goodnight, darling." "Goodnight, Rarity." you both quickly fall asleep. But you do not stay that way for long. You get up in the middle of the night, and carefully get out of Rarity's bed. The long velvet drapes by the balcony flutter about in the gentle night breeze. You can see the light from the sky crawling across the room. You carefully remove your comforter, hoping not to wake Rarity, and gently slide out of bed as quietly and carefully as you can. You decide to stand out on the balcony. You walk past the drapes, and are immediately greeted by the breeze. This is home now. The stars twinkle, accompanying the beauty of the moon. You feel the cool night air gently touch your bare chest. The bandages are still over your shoulder and abdomen. They aren't bloody or anything, but they serve as a reminder of what happened. You lean on the metal railing, and watch the night go by. You really should be happier. I mean, here's a girl whom you've deemed perfect for yourself, and is sharing her bed with you. This town accepts you for who you are. The ponies like you. You couldn't feel anymore welcome. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden got up in the middle of the night. You felt him lurch out of bed, and heard him walk out onto the balcony. Your head was already facing the balcony, so you just barely opened your eyes, to see what he was doing. He was leaning on the edge of the balcony, looking up to the sky. The light from the sky made him appear a ghostly white. You could just barely make out the bandages on his back. You really did feel bad for him. He had a lot on his mind, and seeing him happy, albeit temporarily, made you feel amazing. In fact, if you didn't know any better, you would say you were falling for him. This falling felt so much different than all of your other crushes. You had only spent one full day with him, and you already are sleeping in the same bed as him. You can't decide if that was the best decision you've ever made in your life or if you just made the stupidest. You do hope that he is okay. You hope you haven't went too far by inviting him into your bed. You would never be bale to forgive yourself if you lost this wonderful human because you couldn't wait a few days to offer sharing a bed. But the couch really was uncomfortable. And you DO want him to be comfortable. So maybe you really were justified in offering you share the bed. He didn't have to accept it if he didn't want to, and the fact that he did must mean he wanted to, right? Pull yourself together Rarity. You let out a sigh. You watch as Aaden turns around, and walks back into the bedroom, the light of the sky losing its grip on him. He goes over to his side of the bed, and climbs back in his spot, on his back. He links his hands together, and lays his head back on them, his elbows sticking up. You heard him wince in pain from moving his arm up that high, but he didn't move back. He must be comfortable that way. Alright Rarity. Now or never, i suppose. You turn around, facing back towards him, and scoot over to him. You lay your head on his chest, and nuzzle up as close as you can get to him. He moves his arm down around you, and pulls you closer to him. Your heart melts and you can feel your blushing coming back, full force. You hope he still thinks your asleep, otherwise, you may not be allowed to do this. He begins to run his other hand gently through your mane. His touch is so gentle. The sound of his breathing so constant. His scent is intoxicating. Goddess, look at yourself Rarity. You're an adolescent again. _________________________________________________________________________________ For whatever reason, Rarity is now using you as a pillow. You don't mind it in the least, but you would hate for her to wake up and not be okay with it. You stare up at the ceiling, examining the gold and purple trim on the roof. You looked back down at Rarity. This pony really liked purple. This is home now Rarity lets out a quiet whimper, and her fore leg moves across your torso. Her head shifts just slightly below your neck. She lifts up a leg, sliding it across your knee. You look down at the pony you were sleeping with. Her long purple mane drooped over her eyes. You kept stroking it, anyways. You wonder what Sweetie Belle would think if she came upstairs and saw her sister like this. It's not very "ladylike". Better yet, you wonder what everyone back home would think. Sentient horses. You smile. You're starting to slowly, but surely, comfort yourself. Now that you really think about it, you are extremely lucky. You're still alive. The only pony that seemed to really care was lying in bed with you right now, and not only is she lying in bed with you, but she's using you as a pillow. You hate to say it, because the whole sentient horse thing still bothered you, but you were falling for her. Maybe it was the fact that she saved your life. Maybe it was her prim and proper attitude. Maybe it was her looks. You start thinking about those eyes again, and goosebumps burst from your skin. This is home now. You decide you want to try something. You know you'll only be able to do it when she's asleep, otherwise, she may not let you. You lean down, and ever so gently, you kiss her forehead. You put your head back in it's place, and watch her stir. Her eyes slowly start to open. Shit. You woke her up. Her eyes, only half open, look absolutely amazing, as they always do. "mmm...you okay...darling?" She asks. "Yeah. Never better, Rarity." you respond. She pushes herself up towards you, and kisses you on the cheek, then on the forehead. "You owe me one, now.." she said. She totally knew you did it. You give her one more, on her cheek this time. Her cheeks glow red, and she continues to burrow herself in your chest. Luckily, her horn lies across it, rather than through it.In a matter of moments, she is asleep again. Were you now in a relationship with this mare? What would you call her? Your marefriend? Is that what they call each other? You didn't know. For now, you didn't care. You tried to embrace this moment. You begin to feel your eye lids getting heavy. Your blinks grow longer, and more drawn out. Before you know it, you are fast asleep, holding the girl of your dreams. This is home now.
Chapter Five: RequiemYou never stopped to question why everyone was automatically so friendly to you. Why you are treated as a pony among them, rather than a strange creature that just kind of hobbled out of the forest. Because that's what you were. You know, for a fact, had one of these ponies appeared on Earth, they wouldn't be treated as humans. In fact, you half expected being put in a zoo when you finally came to the realization that these sentient ponies were, in fact, real. But you aren't going to argue. You also begin to think about Rarity. It's only been one week since that incident in the middle of the night, and yet, it seems to repeat itself, every night. And you've only known her for one week, two if you count the week she cared for you while you were unconscious. She's seemingly in love with you. And you seemingly are in love with her. Neither of you have said it out loud, and neither of you have really acknowledged a relationship between one another. Probably because you both realize that it's a little insane. Although, the current situation surrounding yourself is a little insane, as well. Ever since you awoke from the hospital, you've come to the realization that you aren't at home. You may not ever be going home. So it's best to get used to your environment, and just enjoy your situation here as best you can. Maybe that's why you are so capable of handling all of these things, the talking ponies, sleeping with a talking pony, being romantically interested in a talking pony. Your train was coming very early this morning. You had gotten up about and hour and a half before the train was to come, showered, and were now getting dressed. Rarity made you some new clothes, but you thought it would be best to wear what you had come here in. You got yourself completely dressed, and looked at the clock. The train to Canterlot comes at 6 AM on the dot. It's only 5 AM. You then divert your gaze over to Rarity. Fast asleep. She knew you were leaving today to meet Celestia, and had even asked you to wake her, but you wouldn't dare. To disturb someone sleeping so soundly should be a crime. You walk downstairs, and grab your smartphone and your briefcase. You decide to leave the backpack just in case Sweetie Belle wants any candy while you're gone. You stretch. You know that magic was an integral part of this world, but it still amazes you that you're healing so well. The pain is very faint. Present, but faint. You decide to begin your walk to the train station early. It was still dark outside when you began your walk, which was rather uneventful. You didn't see any ponies this time, and all of the local wildlife seemed to also be absent. It WAS the weekend, however. You walk up to the train station, and unfold the summons from Celestia you were keeping in your back pocket. You walked up to a ticket vendor, and slid the summons through the slit in the window for "Bits" as Rarity said they were called. The vendor was asleep. You knock gently on the wood. "Excuse me." You said. The vendor jumped up in surprise, nearly falling from her stool. "One round trip to Canterlot, please." The vendor looked over the summons, then ripped off a ticket from the roll sitting beside her. She slides it through the slit, along with your letter from Celestia, and wishes you a good trip. You decide to sit on a bench while you await the train. You were the only one in the station, so there really was no way to pass time other than to sit and wait. Eventually, the train came. You couldn't help but notice that no passengers disembarked, and you looked to be the only one actually getting on. You walk over to the conductor, and hand him your ticket. He punches it once. "Have a seat where ever you'd like." You hop on board, and walk up a few cars, before stopping in one that was completely empty. You picked out a random seat, and felt the train grumble as it started to move once more. You decided to pass time by looking out of the window. The sun was starting to rise over the horizon, its gentle light flooding your cabin with orange light. The doors to the back of car open slowly, then close. You pay no attention to who it may be, as the environment around you is beautiful. "Are you the creature I've heard so much about?" You look up, and see a Gryphon in gold armor. It takes the seat across from you, awaiting your response. "Yeah. That'd be me." You respond. "Interesting. I had best explain myself. My name is Oliver. I am an honor guard from our kingdoms in the east. I spread the good will of our kingdom, but meeting you is definitely going in my report." Oliver kicks his leg up, and crosses it over his knee. "Yeah, I guess it's not every day you meet the only member of a species in existence, huh?" You try to open up a bit. Your situation was not a happy one by default, but you could fix that. "If you don't mind me asking," Oliver starts. "What's bringing you to Canterlot?" You reach into your back pocket, and hand him the folded up letter. As he reads it, you try to explain your situation. "The princess has requested me there to discuss my citizenship. I can't exactly remember the entire letter, because I can't read it, but Rarity read it to me, and that was the only major thing I can remember." The gryphon folded up the summons, and hands it back to you. "It said you were amnesiac. I can't imagine that makes your time here any easier." "Well, everyone is so nice in Ponyville, and my host is extremely patient with me. One would think I was just another pony. The conflict with my memory is more of an internal one rather than an external one." "The internal ones are the hardest ones, brother." You smile. "My name is Aaden Locke, It's nice to meet you, Oliver." You hold out your hand, which he shakes with a claw. "The pleasure is all mine, Aaden." _________________________________________________________________________________ You awoke around 9 AM. You feel around the bed, and notice Aaden is gone. How did i know he was going to do that? You walk downstairs, half asleep. You see that Aaden left his backpack. Probably for when Sweetie Belle comes home later tonight from her sleepover. You walk over to your kitchen counter, and your heart warms immediately. Aaden couldn't write in Equestrian, and you couldn't write in his language, but he took advantage of what he knew you could understand. There was a sticky note on the counter with an arrow and a smiley face pointing towards your stove top. You look over, and see that he took the initiative to lay out all of your tea making supplies. The back of the note has a crudely drawn, lopsided heart on it, but it still means a lot to you. You turn the dial on the stove, and start boiling water in the kettle. While you wait, you decide to throw on a pair of silk pajamas. As you come back downstairs, you notice the backpack again. Sweetie Belle seemed to REALLY like what was in there... "Hmm..." You walk over to the backpack, and undo the straps, revealing an astounding amount of prepackaged sweets and junk food, all in different shapes, colors, and sizes. You laugh. One of the first things you plan on asking him when he gets his memory back is why he has a backpack filled with candy. You dig through the backpack, looking for something that looks like it might be good. It IS the weekend. And you have been working rather hard, lately... You pull out a slim bar, with a blue wrapper with red letters on it. You bring it over to the counter, and set it down. You tend to your tea, and continue to wait. Your gaze goes back over to the backpack. You left it open. You walk back over, and strap it back up. You decide to also open up all of the curtains in the store, and open the windows, as well. A day as beautiful as this should not be wasted. You finish your tea, pour yourself a cup, and sit back in your recliner. You decide to open the wrapper to the bar you picked out. Holding it between your hooves, and carefully using your teeth to peel the wrapper back, you reveal a chocolate bar. To your delight, it is actually very good. You hear the mail slot on the door creak open, and several letters drop through. You collect the letters, and go back to sitting, sipping your tea, and eating your chocolate. You have quite a few letters for Aaden. He gave you permission to open any mail he may get, being as he couldn't read your language. You open the letter from the shipping warehouse, regarding Aaden applying for employment. You gasp out of excitement, and smile. Aaden will be so excited to hear this! _________________________________________________________________________________ The train rumbles again, and it's brakes squeak. Talking with Oliver really made time pass by very quickly. You both rise, and step off the train. Oliver turns to you. "Well, I have business to take care of. I'm sure I'll see you again soon, brother." You give him a pat on his back. "Safe travels, Oliver." He nods his head, and darts off through the massive crowds of Canterlot. You had no idea where to start, or where to find Celestia. It seemed as though you were attracting the attention of the Royal Guard, which was better than you thought. One guard, a mint green pegasus, approached you. "Are you the 'human' here to see Celestia?" It asks. "Yes." You hand him the summons. He looks it over, and jerks his head to the side, signaling you to follow him. "Right this way, Mr. Locke." You do as your told, not wanting to cause any problems. Your walk through Canterlot is a little different than your walk through Ponyville. Not as many ponies seem to smile at you. A lot of them, in fact, just seem to stare at you. After a long walk of stares and whispers, you make it inside the castle. You walk into the foyer with the Royal Guardsman that brought you in. He turns around, and asks you to remain here in the foyer, while he decides the "best course of action to take from here". You have a seat by the door, and decide to pass time by examining your new surroundings. Various portraits litter the foyer. You assumed they were all of of Celestia. Large cloth banners, with a pinkish trim, white background, and with a sun as the icon in the center, hung around the foyer. You hear footsteps coming from the staircase. You turn to see who's coming, hoping it isn't the princess. You laugh. "Oliver, I knew there was more to you!" Oliver walks down the staircase, smiling. "Why didn't you just escort me?" He makes it to the bottom of the staircase, and pats you on the back. "I had to let the princess know you were coming." "So, all of that stuff about being an honor guard?" He smiles. He leads you up the staircase he came down. "No, that's all true. I also just happen to be an emissary for the princess." "So you were spying on me?" You laugh. "From your first day in the hospital, brother." You were both on the second floor now. Oliver led the way down an elegant corridor. "You see, we heard of the manticore attack, and I was sent by the Princess to see if the rumors were true. If an unknown creature was in Ponyville. Sure enough, there you were. Dying. I don't know if you are very well aware of this, but your injuries were incredibly fatal. You WERE going to die. Luckily for you, however, Celestia took great interest in you. She came immediately after I reported to her, and she healed you herself. Why do you think you healed so quickly?" You run your hand across the areas where the bandages were wrapped on your stomach. "I then watched you. I became Celestia's eyes. You didn't appear violent, especially with your recent...attraction...to Rarity. So, you passed that test. I was to then find out for myself just what kind of person you were. I did so on the train. You passed that test." You notice you are nearing two very large doors. Oliver opens the doors, and sitting on a throne, is the largest pony you have seen yet. It radiates light, and has a multicolored mane that seems ethereal in nature. "Now you must pass her test." Oliver closes the doors behind him, leaving you alone in the room with Celestia. You walk very slowly, making sure you don't do anything that could be considered hostile. You stop at the end of red carpet leading to her throne. You bow. "Princess Celestia." She laughs. "You do not need to impress me, Aaden. You've already passed my tests. Oliver is extremely trustworthy, and your affection to Rarity confirms that you are willing to adjust to this new world." A piece of paper bursts into existence next to her. A quill floats over, and signs it. The paper then floats over to you. "Welcome, citizen of Equestria." You take the paper gently out of the air. "Thank you, Celestia." "You are very welcome. However, I'm sure you're curios to why you're still here." She stands up, and walks off of her throne, coming towards you. "I understand you are suffering from amnesia. I think I can help with that." You can feel excitement building up inside of you. "Now, I will not be able to fully restore your memory, nor a good portion of it. But I can give you back what I can. It's better than nothing." You nod your head in agreement. Celestia presses her head against yours. "Look into my eyes." You do as your told. Immediately, you begin to remember things. Your address, your job title, your boss' name. Then, the most valuable memory of this cluster comes forward. You see yourself turning the combination lock on your briefcase. You turn the first up to 6, the next one up to 6, the next one down to 7, and the last one up to 2. The briefcase pops open. You snap out of the flash back state. Celestia steps back a few paces. You immediately pick up your briefcase, and begin turning the dials. 6. 6. 7. 2. Click. The briefcase opens. You look up to Celestia. You haven't been this happy in a very long while. You root through the contents of the briefcase. An ID from work. You were an architect. A bunch of blueprints, a set of headphones for listening to music, a set of bullet speakers for your phone, some money, and a couple of pencils and pens. You immediately rip your phone out of your pocket. 6.6.7.2. Ding. Your phone unlocks. After exploring the phone a bit, you make a few discoveries. The only text on your phone is the confusing one from your Mom, and you can't text back because the phone says you have no service. However, you had quite a few photos, and all of your music was still stored on your phone. HOLY. SHIT. You jump forward, and give Celestia the biggest hug possible. She laughs. "I take it that my little trick worked?" "Celestia, you have no idea how much this means to me!" "I am happy I could help. Now, your train is leaving here very soon. I would like you to come back in precisely 2 weeks. Oliver and I would like to extend an offer to you. I sincerely hope you enjoy your new life here." You leave the castle. You feel absolutely on top of the world. Sure, you don't exactly remember much still, but now you have some music, and some photos, and SOME evidence of what was before here. You can't wait to get home and tell Rarity. _________________________________________________________________________________ You are cooking dinner, waiting for Sweetie Belle and Aaden to come back home. She went to wait for him at the train station. It was about 7 PM. You were munching on another chocolate bar of the same variety you had this morning, while you chopped peppers and carrots, preparing them for the stew you were making. You hoped Aaden likes stew. About 20 minutes later, the door swung open. There was Sweetie Belle, riding on Aaden's shoulders. He let her down, ran over to you, and gives you a hug that picks you up off of the ground. "Rarity, you're never gonna believe this! I went to Celestia, and-" He looks at the chocolate bar on the table. "Is that one of my Crunch bars?" He then smiles wider. "I remember what a Crunch bar is!" He lets you down, and excitedly begins talking. "There was this gryphon named Oliver, who was really a spy or something, and then Celestia made me a citizen, and then, she said she could give me a few of memories back, right?" you nod your head. "This may be better to show you then tell you." He takes out the thing he calls his phone. presses a few times on the screen. He then shows you. You gasp. He must have figured out how to unlock it! You give him a squeeze. "Darling, that's wonderful news!" "Now, I don't remember much outside of the fact that I was an architect, and what my combination is on my phone and briefcase, but I'm actually really excited to show you the pictures, and let you listen to some of the music. You can have as many Crunch bars as you would like while we do that!" You feel yourself blushing. "I only had two, darling." You look at the screen of the phone, unable to read what it says. "What does that picture on the screen say?" He looks at it, and reads it to you. "It says Requiem. It essentially means a gathering to respect the dead. It was the name of a local band I liked back home." "Well, I would be happy to accompany you on your journey of reminiscing a little later. For now, would you kindly help me set the table for dinner?" He gives you a kiss on the forehead. "Absolutely."
Chapter Six: BenedictionYou were in bed with Rarity, with the comforter pulled up over your heads. You were wearing the new house pants Rarity had made for you, but that was it. She was in her silk pajamas, cuddled up on your chest. "Alright Rarity, you ready?" She smiled. "Darling, I've been DYING to know more about you. I'm more than ready." You grabbed your Smartphone, and pressed the button at the top, illuminating the phone. You entered the code. 6672. The phone then displayed its bright background, and slew of apps. You pressed the "pictures" button. You looked down at Rarity. She was carefully nibbling on another Crunch bar. You still can't remember why you had a backpack filled with snacks, but you were able to remember what a few things were and what they tasted like now. "Now, bare with me on this, because I don't know if I'll be able to remember EVERYTHING, but I can try to answer as many questions as you have!" Rarity nods her head. You slide your finger across the bottom, unlocking the photo album. the first picture is one of you and your boss, shaking hands, surrounded by a horde of men in suits, clapping. "Whoosh that?" Rarity asks with a mouthful of Crunch bar. She puts her hoof across her mouth, blushing. She swallows. "Sorry, I don't feel the need to keep up appearances around you, darling. Who is that?" "That's my boss. Remember how I said I was an architect? Well, that was the day my boss promoted me. I can't remember who took the photo, but I do remember they threw a party for me and everything." "That's impressive, darling. And speaking of parties, Pinkie Pie has a day set for your party." "When?" "Tomorrow." You laugh. Rarity sprawls herself out across the bed, with a hoof on her forehead. "Yes, it's true. Woe is me! There is a party tomorrow, and I have no date! Whatever does a mare do?" "Find a date?" You smile. She re-assumes her position of using your chest as a pillow. "And here I thought you were a gentleman." You swipe your finger over to the next photo. This is, you like. It's your roommate and his girlfriend sitting in a bar, on stools, with you between the two, with one arm around each. "Call it a sixth sense, but I know alcohol when I see it. I'm assuming this was taken at a bar?" You nod your head. "Yeah, that's my roommate, and his girlfriend. I can't remember their names, or the bar we were at, or why we took this photo, but I know that's them." You swipe your finger once more. This time, it's a picture of you lying in bed, a mess. The blanket is halfway hanging off you, and you are hanging halfway off of the bed, pillows strewn about the room. You hear Rarity laugh. "My goodness, I bet this one was taken after the night at the bar!" With another swipe of the finger, comes another picture. This is one is of whom you assume is one of your friends, standing in a horizontal line facing a flag, saluting it. "I actually don't remember a thing about this. I'm assuming one of these guys must be a friend on mine, and I believe that, when you enter military service where I come from, you have to take an oath over a flag." "Darling, please don't strain yourself. If you cannot remember, that's okay." She nuzzles her head against your chest to express herself. "Okay, we'll do one more." You swipe one last time. This picture kind of hurts to look at. Physically hurt. It makes you feel like you have a slight headache, looking at it. It looked like a picture of you and some friends posing outside of a bank. You quickly press the return button to make the picture fade away. Rarity uses an arm to prop herself up. "Darling? Are you okay?" She asks. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. That picture kinda hurt my head. But I'm alright. Hey, you wanna hear some music?" "That sounds delightful, darling." You scroll over to the music tab on your phone, and look through the massive lists of music. You get an idea. "Rarity, I want you to pick a song. I know you can't read English, but just use your hoof to tap one of the listings." Rarity looks back up to you, and back at the phone. "Are you sure Darling? I don't want to press anything weird or break it." You use your hand to gently grab her hoof. "We'll do it together." She gently presses her hoof forward, and presses a song at random. Youtube Video The song is called "I Remember" by Deadmau5 and Kaskade. Ironically, you do not remember this song, but you pay close attention to it's lyrics. Feeling the past moving in Letting a new day begin Hold to the time that you know You don't have to move on to let go Add to the memory you keep Remember when you fall asleep Hold to the love that you know You don't have to give up to let go The song plays all the way through. Rarity looks up at you. "Darling, that was amazing. I'm not one for such electronic music, but those lyrics seemed really...touching...and, well...darling, I'm just going to say it. they sound very appropriate to your situation. I know it's very hard having to do all of this journeying to locate your memories. I'm here for you. We all are. And we don't expect you to let go of your past, but we are here for you. I'm here for you. I care for you quite a bit. One might even say that I love you." She twiddles her hooves. "I KNOW that was a little too forward, but in times as rapidly changing as this, I feel like I have to express myself. I mean, I watched you get mercilessly attacked, and then the Princess wants to see you, and then you start recovering your memories, and now the Princess wants you to come back, it just worries me immensely. I don't know how much longer you'll be around." You start to see her eyes filling with tears. "I mean, I have friends, yes, and I have Sweetie Belle, but I've never had what you've given me this past week. I've never had another pony ever express such romantic interest to me." She sniffles. "I just want you to be happy, is all, d-darling." You see more tears coming. You use your hand to bring her face up to yours. You look into her eyes, watching as a tear or two fall. "Rarity, listen to me. I know I just came out of the blue. But I won't leave that way. I'm happy here. While recovering my memory would be nice, I could spend the rest of my days like this, with you, and be perfectly fine. I mean, there has to be some reason for why I'm so attracted to you, right? I'm still me, I'm still Aaden. I just don't remember much anymore." You stroke her mane. She's still crying. Alright, Aaden, you can do this. You put your hand behind her head, and slowly pull her towards yours. She stops whimpering and looks up at you, as your heads come closer. No resistance. This is what she wants. As your heads get closer, you begin to feel adrenaline pump through you once more. You start to feel your extremities get numb, cold almost. As your heads get closer, you notice her close her eyes. You do the same. You slowly slide your hand away from the back of her neck to her cheek. she's moving towards you on her own now. She smells of lavender and other flowers. Finally, after what felt like 5 minutes, lips make contact. She lets out a low, but quiet moan, as the embrace occurs. You hold it for just a moment, savoring the moment between you two. you release her lips, and open your eyes to meet hers. She nuzzles her head against your chest again. In a matter of moments, she falls back into the arms of sleep. You kiss her forehead one last time, and lay your head back, as well. Sleep also takes you in a matter of moments. Not a single word was said after the embrace. None were needed. Clear eyes and full hearts took the place of words. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake in your bed to see Aaden has left. Your heart begins to race. Oh no. You quickly throw on your silk pajamas, and dash downstairs. His backpack is still here, as is his briefcase. You let out a sigh of relief. You still wish you knew where he went. You walk back over to the counter, and once again, there is another sticky note. Well, several sticky notes. In a series of crudely drawn pictures and symbols, you take it to mean that he is out helping Pinkie Pie with the party today. This, of course, was represented by a pink pony, a smiley face, and a series of balloons. There's also another Crunch bar out on the table, with another sticky note with yet another crudely drawn heart on it. You can't help but to smile. You've never opened up like that before, told anyone your purest emotion, and not only did you do it last night, but he seemed to not only listen to your feelings, but share them. You notice the warehouse letter still sitting on the counter. In the excitement of last night, you forgot to mention it to him. You decide to do so tomorrow, when he's winding down from the party. After a light breakfast, you go onto the sales floor of your business. You'd like to look good for Aaden tonight, especially since it's a party in his favor. You ultimately decide to surprise him with a new outfit to wear tonight, as well as make something for you to wear that matches his new outfit. You stretch and yawn. Lets get to work. _________________________________________________________________________________ Through some kind of method you don't quite understand, Vinyl Scratch now has all of the songs stored on your phone. At least you'll have music you are somewhat familiar with at this party. So far today, you have met with Pinkie Pie, and have picked out what kind of sweets you would like served. You met with Applejack to get cider for the party. Now, you've just finished up getting Vinyl to pick out music. You decide to walk home, take a break. Maybe have some lunch with Rarity. As you were walking home through the marketplace, you hear a familiar voice call out your name. "Aaden!" You turn around. Oliver is walking towards you, a smile on his face. He's still in his golden armor. "Hey Oliver. Here to spy on me again?" "Actually, yes. I am. But I know you're a good man. The Princess may be a tad suspicious if i return early. Would you like to go grab a drink or something?" "Sure, sounds great. I'd hate for you to get in trouble, though." "Well, I cannot say why I am watching you, but, it involves our meeting here in two weeks. We need to make sure you are fit for our offer. I have to watch you for a certain amount of time. That could either be over some drinks and lunch, or over me following you for an hour." You laugh. "Alright, lead the way." You follow Oliver to a small bar called "Wizzies". You both sit up on the bar stools by the bar, and place orders for food and drink. Oliver slides his helmet off, and puts it at his feet. "So. Oliver. What's it like being an honor guard? Travel much?" "Too much, brother. From the Frozen North to the Haysead Swamps, you name it, I've been there." "Sounds like fun." "Not as much as one would think. I ever tell you about my family?" You nod your head. "Got a wife back home. 2 kids. I spend about 6 weeks on duty, then 6 weeks with them." He takes a deep drink of his beer. "Not exactly ideal." You didn't want to drink before the party, so you just ordered a soda with your food. You drink out of it while he recounts his journeys. Well over an hour passes. "...lost 6 in the Badlands. Damn shame, too. Heard they had family back home, too." Oliver looks up at the clock. "Well, thanks for the company, brother. We will cross paths again soon." You decide to say the exact same thing you said to him yesterday. "Safe travels, Oliver." Once again, he nodded, and darted off into the sky. You begin your walk once again, passing by the groups of ponies setting up a large tent-like thing that says "WELCOME AADEN!" on the front of it. Pinkie must be behind that. You didn't mind it. You were excited to get out and socialize, talk to everyone. It made you feel good to know that so many ponies were putting an effort into making this party great. Pinkie was baking, Vinyl was getting the music together, Applejack and Big Mac were getting barrels of cider into the area, not to mention how many ponies were simply spreading the word. Tonight was going to be a night to remember, that's for sure.
Chapter Seven: Clear Eyes and Full HeartsThe moment you walk into the Carousel Boutique, you can tell Rarity is up to something. She isn't downstairs, but what is downstairs, is a brand new suit lying across one of her various ponnequins. You collect all of the pieces, and put it on. It looks amazing. Jet black slacks with a dark purple dress shirt, with a jet black tie and blazer. You also noticed at the end of the right sleeve of the blazer was the odd 3 diamond thing she had on her flank. You meant to ask her about it. You walk over to a floor-to-ceiling mirror, and assume several poses. Damn, Rarity. You really know how to make some nice clothes. You walk over the staircase, and call out for her. "Anyone home?" "Be down in just a second, darling!" You shrug your shoulders, and have a seat on the couch. She's definitely up to something. You cross your legs, and wait as patiently as anyone could. Eventually, an hour passes. You get up, and turn around, when you catch her coming down the staircase. Close your mouth, moron. Rarity is wearing a slim fitting purple dress, which stops a little above her knees. Her hair flows down to her neck, then bumps off in bouncy curls. She obviously spent a solid hour on her makeup alone. You can't recall any times that a HUMAN woman looked this good, and you're sure this would remain sure even if you weren't an amnesiac. "Mmm...you like?" Rarity calls as she works her way towards you. She knows you do. "Rarity. My God. You look amazing. I mean, here I thought I looked good in this new suit, but...jeez..." Rarity takes her dramatic pose again, with her hoof over her forehead. "I know, all of this work, and no one asks me out on a date for tonight!" She smiles slyly at you. "But you DID say that you were my new personal escort..." THANK GOD I SAID THAT! She holds out her hoof for you. "Would it trouble you to keep a young mare busy tonight?" You take her hoof, and kiss it. "Not at all, Ms. Rarity." She blushes, and turns her head away. "Always the gentleman." You turn out all of the lights in the store. Sweetie Belle is apparently still with her friends, so when you return home, you two will have all of the privacy you could ask for. It's another amazing night in Ponyville. The stars illuminate the town, the temperature is perfect, the scent of the night sets in. if ever you've had a case of nightfever, it's here in Ponyville. Nightfever is an interesting thing. You and your roommate invented to describe a unique emotion: The one you get when you're out and about in the city, and your every sense is in complete harmony. It makes you smile and laugh as if you were drunk, while keeping your mind completely sober. With your case of nightfever burning you up, you smart to smile uncontrollably. You have that tickle in your stomach, the kind you get when you find something absolutely hilarious. Rarity notices your smile. "My, my, darling. Are we in high spirits?" She asks. "You could say that." You finally let out the laugh you had building up. As you near the party tent they set up, you can hear the low sound of a bass dropping on a consistent beat. After a couple more minutes of walking, you finally make it to the tent, but Rarity holds up a hoof to stop you. "Wait right here, darling." She opens up a flap, and walks inside. All music and sound immediately stops as she does. You cock your head in confusion. After a few moments pass, you hear Rarity call from inside the tent. "Come on in, darling!" You grab hold of the tent flap, and swing it open. It's completely dark inside the tent, but it's MASSIVE. You step in, and close the tent flap. You hear a short riff start playing from somewhere in front of you. then, CLAP CLAP, and the lights burst on. Youtube Video Lasers and colored spotlights flail wildly around the tent, while ponies mimic Vinyl, who is up on stage, jumping up and down with the beat. You notice a large banner hanging down, reading "WELCOME HOME AADEN!" You feel arms wrap around your waist. You turn around, and sure enough, there's Rarity. She has to shout to make herself audible over the music. "VINYL SAID SHE LIKED THIS SONG A LOT! I HOPE IT'S OKAY, DARLING!" You smile. "I SUPPOSE IT WAS ON MY PHONE FOR A REASON!" Rarity nudges her neck, signalling you to follow her. You walk over to the table with large barrels of cider on it, and pour both Rarity and yourself a cup. She leads you to an empty table, and sits next to you. She places her hoof on your thigh, and watches Vinyl perform. It's actually quite amazing, the way she moves with the beat, influencing the crowd. Rarity seems to really be enjoying the music, tapping her hoof. You just got an idea. A great one. You sit anxiously waiting for the next song to play. Sure enough, the lights all go off. It looks like another song is about to start. The moment you hear the beat start and singing begin, you snatch Rarity by her hoof. Youtube Video You take her to the edge of the crowd. You're sure that you aren't a dancer, even with the amnesia, but nightfever has taken over now. You start jumping and throwing your fist forward to the beat, just like Vinyl and other ponies are. Rarity laughs manically at you. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT DARLING? SHOULD I CALL A DOCTOR?" Your grab both of her hooves, and start jumping, hoping to get her to follow suit. Sure enough, she does. She's still laughing at you, but you don't mind at all. You decide to start lip syncing the words while jumping, while shutting your eyes super tight. Every whisper, Every sigh, Eats away at This heart of mine She starts to laugh even harder, she stops jumping, and has to hold a hoof over her mouth. You still jump for the remainder of the song. As the music finally stops, you hear her gasping for air from laughing so hard. You are breathing fast and heavy from the jumping, but still attempt to be coy. "Was...was my performance...not good enough...Ms. Rarity?" She sighs with a deep breath, collecting herself from her laughter. "You haven't even touched your cider, and you're this active. I hope you have some energy for later tonight, darling." You wink at her, and she blushes. You both go back to your seats. Vinyl hops over the microphone. "How's everyone liking the music?!" She yells. The crowd roars with approval. She points back to you. "This is ALL courtesy of the man of the hour, this music is actually from where ever he comes from!" The crowd universally turns around, and claps. You stand up. You're about to give Rarity the surprise of her life. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just stood up, and is walking towards Vinyl. What's he up to? He hops on stage next to Vinyl, and looks as though he's about to speak into the microphone. "Hello, Ponyville!" He says. Once again, the massive crowd cheers. "Vinyl and I put together the light show for this next song. Rarity, this one is for you!" He smiles at you from behind the massive crowd. You blush as the lights go down. Drums start the song, and strobe lights flash with each beat of the drum. Youtube Video Through the light show and the crowd, you see Aaden on stage with Vinyl, bouncing around. Someday, when my life has passed me by I'll lay around and wonder why you were always there for me One way, in the eyes of a passer-by I'll look around for another try, and fade away The song itself was amazing, and you were truly surprised that he had planned this out. You could feel yourself tearing up. Nopony had ever done anything like this for you before. Aaden must really, really like you. You look up at him on stage. He sways back and forth with Vinyl, smiling. His white teeth glow blue under the blacklights on the stage. His eyes are illuminated, and shimmer, his hair is obviously contorted from his amount of moving. Although he's a mess right now, it's not unattractive. The way he moves, it's so smooth, so simple, yet so elaborate. He looks at you again, and winks. Something about that wink gave you goosebumps all over. Was it seductive? Or was it because you were already attracted to him especially this night? You weren't sure. But what you did know, is that you couldn't wait for him to come back down. He had a kiss waiting for him. He hops off the stage, right into the crowd. He gently works his way through to you, but about halfway through, a Gryphon stops him. At first, you become concerned. But then you see Aaden and the Gryphon laughing with each other. It's good to see he's already making friends. Now you fight yourself internally. do you just throw yourself at him and give him the kiss, or do you wait? _________________________________________________________________________________ It was weird to see Oliver without his armor on. He actually looked really professional in the suit he was wearing. "Brother, I've got to tell you, the music of your people, it is so varied, so unique. I really enjoy it." You pat him on the back. "Oliver, I'm not sure how music is distributed around here, but you're welcome to all that I have." You've never seen Oliver look humbled before, but he certainly was right now. "It means a lot, brother. You've been nothing but a good friend since I've met you. I pray that, in the coming weeks, you consider the offer Celestia makes you. But enough of that. Rarity make that suit for you?" "Oh yeah, it's nice, isn't it? I tell you, that mare really knows her way around a sewing machine, I mean, mmph-" As you turn around mid-sentence, Rarity hops on you, and kisses you. You feel her tongue slide into your mouth, and you can't help but kiss her back just as deep. After a few seconds, your heads part. "Wow." You wipe your mouth. "One would think I did something to deserve that." Rarity gives you a look. "Oh, yeah, I'm sorry! Rarity, this is Oliver! He's the honor guard I've told you so much about." Oliver smiles. "Behind every great stallion, is a great mare. I can see this saying holds true." Rarity looks over to you. "Yes, well, someone has to keep Aaden in line." You decide to seize the moment. "So, Rarity, whaddya say? Am I your, uh, what do they call it?" You rub your head. "Oh, yeah! Am I your coltfriend now?" She blushes again, but doesn't look away. "I thought you would never ask, darling." She jumps up, and kisses you again. "That look like a yes to you, Oliver?" The gryphon laughs. "I'd say you're a committed man now, brother." Rarity wraps her forelegs around you. You look up to Vinyl, and give her a thumbs up. Vinyl stops the current song in it's spot, and calls out over the microphone. "This next song is for couples ONLY! Grab a partner, and get down here!" Rarity giggles. "I suppose you had nothing to do with this?" You put on your mock Rarity voice. "I'm appalled that you'd entertain such a notion, darling." You lead her out to the crowd, and she stands up on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around your neck. You put your arms around her waist, as the music starts up. Youtube Video Far away This ship is taking me far away Far away from the memories Of the people who care if I live or die Starlight I will be chasing the starlight Until the end of my life I don't know if it's worth it anymore Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms My life You electrify my life Let's conspire to ignite All the souls that would die just to feel alive But I'll never let you go If you promised not to fade away Never fade away Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms Far away This ship is taking me far away Far away from the memories Of the people who care if I live or die And I'll never let you go If you promise not to fade away Never fade away Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations Hold you in my arms I just wanted to hold You in my arms I just wanted to hold For the entire song, neither of you said a word. You just gently stepped around with the other couples. There was no need to speak. Clear eyes and full hearts took the place of words, once more. You smiled at Rarity, and let go of her waist with your left arm, giving Vinyl another thumbs up. She nods her head with a smile as you slide your left arm back around Rarity. A single spotlight flicks on, and is centered on you two. Rarity gasps, and looks into your eyes, as if you make sure that this was really happening. She then put her head against your chest. You put your chin on the top of your head, and continue to sway slowly, with her close to you. You hear a series of coos coming from the couples and ponies watching. Maybe it was the nightfever, but you felt amazing. You looked around. Oliver was by the cider table, watching and smiling. Vinyl was onstage still, controlling the spotlight. There wasn't a single pony there that hadn't accepted you for who you were, silencing your fears. your attention then diverts to the bigger situation at hand: Rarity. Your new marefriend. Or fillyfriend. You weren't sure what you would call her. You'd ask her later. But here you were, with her, in what couldn't have been a more perfect situation. You weren't dancing so much as you were having a walking embrace to music. When the song finally ended, you gave her another kiss. You walked back to your table, near the cider. Oliver walks back over to you. "You two are made for each other, brother. But I must go now. I will see you in two weeks for sure, but hopefully I will see you two a little sooner than that. Enjoy your night!" Oliver had a knack for appearing out of nowhere, and leaving the same way, but you didn't question it. You bid him a farewell. He opens up the tent, and you hear him fly away. The night continues to pass without much incident. The music was great, even though you didn't remember it ever being on your phone. You eventually found Pinkie Pie, and thanked her for organizing the entire thing. She was with her friends, who also helped. You made sure no one went un-thanked. Vinyl showed no sign of slowing down, but you could see Rarity was getting tired. Neither of you were drunk, so the fact that she was moving slower, and a little more aimlessly, worried you. You hoped she didn't party herself out. You give everyone another thank you, and wish everyone a good night. It felt amazing outside, as usual. But it felt even better due to how hot it got inside the tent. Feeling the cool air blow against you calmed you to an amazing degree. You noticed Rarity shivering, however. Poor mare must be a little cold. The dress she was wearing certainly wasn't providing much warmth. You took off your blazer, and put it over her back. You give her a kiss on the cheek, and you both continue walking. You remove your tie, and let it drape around your neck, and you also unbutton several buttons on your dress shirt. You both finally arrive home to the Carousel Boutique. "Rarity, you go on upstairs. I'll grab you a soda from the cooler, if that's okay." she nods her head with a yawn. "That'd be delightful, darling." She clops up the staircase as you dig through the cooler, finding the bottle you hid. It was a bottle you had in your backpack. You wanted to share it with her. You walk up the staircase to her bedroom. You walk in with two glasses filled with ice and the bottle of soda in hand. You set down the two glasses, fill them up, and screw the cap back on the bottle. You take one glass in each hand, and bring one to Rarity, who was standing out on the balcony. She was watching the night sky, just as you were. "Something on your mind, Rarity?" She sips at her soda. "I'm just in amazement, darling. I never have to sleep alone again. It was only so long ago that loneliness really bothered me, and now, every night, you're right there." You slide your arm around her. "Rarity, I may have only known you for a week and a few days, but I have spent every single second of those week and a few days right beside you. I KNOW that i like you. In fact, Rarity, I have something I want to tell you." She looks up to you, taking a sip of her soda. "This is kind of hard for me to say. I don't know how you'll react." You sit down your glass on the balcony. She does the same. You take her forelegs in your hands. "Rarity..." You start. There's the adrenaline again. "I love you." you manage to say. She throws her forelegs around you, and gives you a squeeze. She again starts to tear up. "Darling. I love you too. I've been waiting to hear you say that. It feels so good to know that you feel the same way. No pony has ever treated me like you do. It's as if Celestia herself crafted you as the physical embodiment of everything I've ever desired." She sniffles in your shirt. You pick her up by her flanks, letting her hind legs wrap around your waist, and her forelegs go around your neck. You wipe her tears away. "Rarity, I don't know how I got here. I'm still deeply interested to find how I did, find out who I was. But now that I'm here, I am NOT leaving. I love you too much to do so." She looks into your eyes. "And you really, truly, mean that?" "With all that i am, Rarity." You two share another passionate kiss, another moan escaping through her mouth, vibrating your tongue. It rivals the one you had at the party. You set her down. "Well, I should probably take a shower. I don't think you want a sweaty human sleeping next to you." She laughs. "While I agree, please don't take too long." You smile as you remove your dress shirt. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Chapter Eight: Honor and GloryYou adjust the scope on your rifle carefully. You don't know why there were so many of them, but this was obviously premeditated. Apparently, there were only 5, but two vans filled with 10 more total showed up soon after the hostages fled. They luckily fled in panic, right out of the front door, after one of them had been executed. Now it was just the police and 15 organized criminals. Why would they just let hostages run out? Perhaps they didn't WANT hostages. You didn't question it. Your job was shoot where you were told to. Your radio buzzes on your waist. "Antonio, look by the clerk desk, the third one to the left." You move your scope over. There is the outline of a head with a ski mask over it. It's one of them, trying to hide. Very poorly, at that. "SWAT teams are going to storm the building in a moment. When I say go, pull the trigger." You slide the radio off of your waist, and put it by your head. You steady yourself, taking time to line up your crosshairs over the bit of the head that wasn't hidden. This monster has just made the mistake that will end his life. You see the SWAT teams stacking up on the far left doors and right doors, shields and all. Your radio buzzes again. "When you're ready, smoke the son of a bitch. The SWAT teams will wait for the sound of your rifle to move in." You take a series of deep breaths. You realign the crosshairs on the ski mask. It just moved a little. He must be shifting legs or something. Don't worry. You won't be uncomfortable much longer. You place your finger on the trigger, hold your breath, and gently apply pressure to the trigger. The head behind the clerk desk jerked back, and fell to the ground. You could see a large blood splatter on the wall behind him. Tear gas went flying through the windows of the bank, and the SWAT teams began storming the bank. You hear gunfire and screaming for a couple of moments. Eventually, all of the SWAT team exits. the job had been done, and done perfectly. Two officers were carrying a body. It wore a suit, and was covered in blood. You were unable to make out the face under all of the blood. Must be the executed hostage. Poor bastard. _________________________________________________________________________________ You leap from the bed, breathing heavily and sweating. That dream was far too vivid for your liking. You woke up Rarity in your fit of jumping. She sat up in the bed, the comforter still covering her lower half. She rubbed one eye with a hoof, and looked at you with her one open eye. "Darling? Is everything okay?" She asks mid yawn. You rub your hand across your forehead. It's unusually warm. you wanted to explain the dream to Rarity, but you knew she wouldn't understand what a rifle was, so, to avoid explaining the intricacies of guns, banking on Earth, and police forces, you decide to withhold the dream from her. "Yeah, I'm all good. My stomach growled, it spooked me." You are REALLY bad at lying. Rarity cocks her head, but smiles. She pats on the bed next to her. "Come back to bed. It's still very early. We can sleep for at least 4 more hours." You decide that would be best. In fact, you laugh the dream off. You're probably just remembering some action movie from back home, and now that you think about it, your reaction was kind of silly. You lie back down beside Rarity, and she assumes her position of being half on top of you. You fall back asleep rather quickly, and this time, no dreams haunt you. You awake about 5 hours later. Rarity is still on top of you, fast asleep. You wouldn't dare wake her. She looks way too comfy. Besides, 2 weeks passed by very quickly, and another summons had shown up in the mail from Celestia. You were going to see her tonight, but this time, Rarity and Oliver would be travelling with you. Rarity needed as much sleep as she could get. Oliver has been mentioning this "offer" for quite some time, and he seemed quite eager last night about you finally being able to receive it today. So eager, in fact, that he came and found you at work, to ensure that you knew you were supposed to be going to see Celestia today. Speaking of work, you really enjoyed your new job. It really was quite simple. It was a warehouse for shipping and sorting packages too big to fit into a mailbag. Small boxes and the like. A Pegasus would fly in, deposit many small boxes, several medium boxes, a couple big boxes, or one enormous box, and it was your job to pick up these packages, and walk them over to their designated area. It really was as easy as lifting the box, checking the stamp on the package to see where it goes, and sitting it down, where another crew would load up a carriage-like box attached to another pegasus, who would then deliver the packages. Everyone there seems to enjoy your company, and you would be lying if you said the feeling wasn't mutual. Rarity stirs a little on top of you. That was something else on your mind. You two had yet to become intimate, which didn't bother you as much as it did relieve you. All of this was going fast enough as it was, and while there was a passionate kiss here, or a heated make-out session there, you knew that neither of you were ready for that. Out of all of the things that have been rushed, that's the one you refuse to rush. Rarity lifts her head up slightly, yawning. "Good morning, darling. Been awake very long?" "Not too long. I woke up earlier to make sure no monsters get you. I've got to protect you, mi'lady." Rarity laughs under a yawn. "You do a fine job. What time is it?" You look over at the clock. "Almost 12 in the afternoon. Our train comes at 5, and we'll get to Canterlot around 8." "Does the train serve a decent meal?" "I wouldn't know. Hey, you wanna go get a late breakfast? Maybe just skip breakfast all together, get some lunch?" Rarity lifts herself directly on top of you, nuzzling her head on your neck. "Just a second, darling. I can't do this in public, and I doubt Oliver would understand." She continues to embrace you. You kiss her forehead, and she looks up at you. "What were you thinking of for this breakfast or lunch, darling?" Your mind goes back to the white chocolate doughnut you had at the Sugarcube Corner. "The Sugarcube Corner sound good?" She puts her head back down, and begins nuzzling again. "As long as I'm with you darling, I could eat anything." You look over at your new wallet on the nightstand. It's fat with bits from your first paycheck. "And I'm paying for it. I want you to get whatever you want. I know I will." Rarity lifts herself up off of you, and hops off of the bed. She stretches, and cranes her head towards you. "I'm going to shower and get ready, darling." So it's going to several hours before we eat. She walks into the bathroom, and closes the door. You decide to stay in bed for awhile longer. You accidently doze off, but when you awake an hour and a half later, she's sitting in front of her mirror, fidgeting with her mane and putting on makeup. You sit up in the bed. "Glad to see your awake, darling. I'm sorry to have taken so long, but I simply MUST look good, especially if we're going to the Princess." You hop up, and put your arms around her. You kiss her once on the back of the head, and leave her to complete her daily ritual of looking in the mirror for an hour. You go into her bathroom, and undress yourself. You liked her shower a lot. You can't remember too many showers back home, but this one never seemed to run out of hot water, and it's pressure was perfect. You finally had your own shampoo and body wash, which you really liked. After you washed up, you climb out of the tub, and tie your towel around your waist, and walk over to the mirror in the bathroom. You shave as close as you can, and then move on to brushing your teeth. As you are, Rarity walks in. She looks amazing, as always. "Darling, Oliver is here. he's downstairs." You turn around, toothbrush still in your mouth. "Thanksh Rarity." She walks over, give you a kiss on the bandage on your stomach and the one on your shoulder, and she walks back out. Changing bandages was very unpleasant for you. It hurt to expose the wounds to the open air. they WERE getting better, but it still hurt to remove them and clean the wounds they hid. You spit and rinse, and put on some deodorant which Equestria oddly had stocked in it's various stores. You put on some of the underwear, and walk out into the bedroom.. Rarity was still prettying herself up. You could see she laid out some clothes for you. Khaki slacks with a white dress shirt that had extremely thin blue stripes running vertically down it. Doesn't look half bad, actually. "Thanks Rarity, these look great." She seems to be too focused on applying makeup to pay any attention to your compliment. You put on your new clothes, and head downstairs. Oliver is back in his golden armor, sitting on the couch. He's rooting through your backpack. "The blue ones are really good. The ones with red lettering." He looks up at you, surprised. "Rarity likes them." You laugh. He sets the backpack down. "I apologize, brother. It was left sitting open, and it was so colorful." You wave your hand with a dismissive gesture. "Don't sweat it. And I was serious about the blue bars. Take one, you'll love it." Oliver digs around in the bag until he finds one, takes it out, and puts it in his pouch attached to his waist. "Rarity and I were actually about to head out to the Sugarcube Corner. I'm sure she wont mind if you join us. We'll go eat, then go to the train station." Oliver smiles. "Sounds good. Anything you'd recommend?" "Well, there's this doughnut she makes, it has white chocolate fro-" You turn around as you hear the clop of a hoof on the staircase. Rarity is coming down. Now that she looks like a living saint, she seems as if she's ready to head out. She's wearing a white dress, with a single blue stripe running down her right shoulder, all the way to the end of the dress. "How do I look, boys?" She asks. She knows very well how she looks, and she knows you have trouble finding words to describe it. Damn it. She's good at this. "I...uh...wow..." She smiles. "So, good?" You nod your head. "We need a poet to accurately describe you." You manage to choke out. She giggles, and plants a kiss on your cheek. "Thank you darling. But I'm quite hungry now. Oliver, will you be joining us?" Oliver shakes his head. "Yes Ms. Rarity." The three of you leave the Carousel Boutique, and begin your walk through town to the Sugarcube Corner. You loved walking to the Sugarcube Corner, because you played a game inside your head on the way there: How far away from the Sugarcube Corner can you smell the baking that was going on inside of it? Last time, you were at least 4 blocks away, and you could smell fudge. On this particular walk, you caught it's scent about 2 blocks away, and rather than fudge wafting through the air, you could smell cinnamon and sugar. And lots of it. Rarity caught scent of it, and laughed. "My goodness. One would think there was a bakery of some sort around here." All three of you walk inside the Sugarcube Corner, and have a seat a booth. Rarity sits next to you, and Oliver sits across from you. Rarity does the thing where she places her hoof on your thigh. Pinkie Pie bounces over to the table. "Hi everyone! What can I get you?" You place your orders, and Pinkie Pie bounces back behind the counter, grabbing everything needed. She comes back, and you slide her the Bits to pay for all of it, plus a 10 Bit tip. She thanks you, and bounces once again behind the counter. Your late breakfast passes relatively quickly. Before you know it, it's a little after 4 PM. You all bid Pinkie Pie a good day, and go to the train station. You all board with ease, and in a matter of seconds. You take a seat next to Rarity, and she rests her head on your shoulder. Oliver sits across from you two. The train ride is rather quiet, all of you watching the land pass by. You could tell Oliver was deep in thought about something. You couldn't exactly tell what, but you knew it has something to do with this upcoming "offer" they were going to be making you. In fact, every time you've talked to him, he finds some way to bring up this offer, and mention how important it is to him, and how he hopes that you'll consider it. It bothers you slightly. You can't exactly think of anything that you could say or accept that would mean so much to him, but you suppose you'll find out here soon. You start to doze off, but Rarity taps you with her hoof. "Darling, we're about 3 minutes away. I'd hate to wake you up when you've only had 30 seconds of sleep." You shake your head quickly to wake yourself up. The train screeches and squeals as the brakes switch on. You're here. The moment you step off the train, 4 Royal Guards approach you. "Aaden Locke?" They ask. Shit. Did you do something wrong? "Yeah, that's me." One of the Royal Guards looks over at Oliver. "Oliver Ironwing?" Oliver steps forward. "That'd be me, brothers. I suppose you will be leading us to the Princess?" "Yes sir. You know the procedure for these things." Your party of three follows the Royal Guard escort that was sent for you. Canterlot looked different at night. It seemed to bustle a little more. You watched ponies, all dressed up, laugh and walk about the town. You didn't seem to get so many eyes this time. At least Rarity was here with you. _________________________________________________________________________________ You have the highest respect for the Royal Guard. After all, they ARE in charge of your protection. But you wish that you knew what was going on. As you approached the castle, you noticed 4 more Royal Guards waiting. One of them approached you. "Ms. Rarity?" She asked. "Yes?" "Come with us." As you enter the Castle, your 4 Royal Guards split from the 4 with Aaden and Oliver. You are led up a winding staircase, and up to a balcony inside of the Throne Room, overlooking the Throne itself. Celestia was standing in front of the throne. Aaden and Oliver were now without their escort. You watched as they walked down the red carpet, leading towards Celestia. Oliver walked directly in front of Aaden. They stopped at the end of the red carpet. Oliver kneels before Celestia, before standing up, and getting by her side. Celestia begins to talk. "Aaden Locke. I will skip the pleasantries. Only briefly have you appeared from an unknown world, but in that time, you have proven yourself to be very unique. From fending off a manticore, to using your charm to sway an entire town to respect and enjoy your presence, to even pursuing a romantic interest with another pony." You feel yourself blush as Celestia looks up to you. "Oliver is the honor guard of both Cloudsdale, Canterlot AND Ponyville, and is a representative of his people. We normally only assign one honor guard per major inhabited area, but the representatives for Ponyville and Canterlot passed away. Oliver volunteered to take his position, but now, it is keeping him away from his home. His family. He and I have discussed it in detail, and we have an offer to make you." Celestia looks at Aaden, right in his eyes. "Oliver would like to submit the position of Honor Guard of Ponyville to you. You would be a representative of your species. You would be required to travel on rare occasions, and would have to go through Guardsman training, but the title and position will offer you great pay, and you will have the chance to spread the ideas and will of your species." Celestia smiles. "Aaden, you are more than qualified for this position. Should you accept, you will have to report for two weeks of training, travel to another city once every 6 months, and meet with all of the other Honor Guards of Equestria once a year. Of course, you will also be called upon in the event of disaster or war, and will be expected to serve as a Royal Guard in Ponyville." Aaden looks up at you. You smile. You couldn't be more proud of him. "Will I be able to be with Rarity? Will she be able to travel with me?" Celestia smiles. "Absolutely. So, Aaden Locke of Earth." Celestia starts. Oliver kneels down in front of Aaden, and holds a sword in his claws. "Do you accept the responsibility of becoming an Honor Guard of Ponyville, swearing, that by diplomacy or force, the honor and glory of your species and Equestria will be upheld in the city assigned to you?" Aaden looks back up to you. You can tell he's deep in thought. While he's still looking at you, you mouth some words to him. I love you!
Chapter Nine: KnightfeverIf ever there was a time that you had been put on the spot, it was right now. You've never seen Oliver look at you like that before. Ever. He looked as though he was pleading with you. So THAT'S why he explained his family situation to you... You look at Celestia. The only reason she has to be concerned, at least in your mind, is because this obviously effects Oliver. He's either going to be let down, or, he's going to get to go back and see his family. Lastly, you look up at Rarity. This decision is going to affect her life, as well. It's funny. Right now, you aren't thinking about whether or not you want to do this. You're essentially deciding what would make Rarity the happiest in the long run. "And Rarity will be able to travel with me? For sure? No restrictions?" Celestia nods her head. Well. I guess you can't stall forever. "Alright, here's the thing. I really don't like fighting. But I really like Rarity. And this sounds like a title that will let us see Equestria together. Plus, the pay couldn't hurt. So..." You look Oliver in the eyes. "I accept your offer." With both hands, you remove the sword from Oliver's claws. Gripping it in your hand, you turn it over, examining its every detail. Oliver stands up. "Brother. You have no idea how much this means to me." He gives you a quick hug, then turns to Celestia. "Excellent. Then by the power invested in me, i hereby declare you, Aaden Locke, The Honor Guard of Ponyville." You decide to do what Oliver did. You took the sword, and put the blade in facing the ground. You rested both of your hands on the hilt, and knelt before Celestia. You then feel her horn tap you both shoulders. "Rise, Guardsman." You do so. You place the sword down by her side. "In another 2 weeks, you are to report back here, for the final ceremony. Immediately after the ceremony, you will then begin your training. Rarity is welcome to stay here in Canterlot while you train. In fact, she is welcome to watch, if she pleases." You looked back to Oliver. You could see he was tearing up. "Oliver? Are you okay?" He nods his head slowly, looking at the ground, tears coming from his eyes, down to his beak, shimmering under the light. "Brother. I have a family. The fact that you are freeing me from my responsibilities means the world to me. I can FINALLY spend my life with them, as I had intended to all along." He smiles, wiping away his tears. "I didn't really notice how much I missed them until I saw Rarity by your side in the hospital. Then you two at the party, it really hit me hard. I miss my family. A lot." You pat him on his back, and face Celestia. That's when you hear a very rapid clopping, coming from behind you. It's getting closer, very fast. "DARLING!" You hear echo off of the throne room walls. Before you can turn around, you are tackled to the floor. You turn around, and there's Rarity. Before you can open your mouth, you are met with another kiss. You close your eyes, and give in to it all. She hops off, and gives you a sly smile. "I guess you are my Knight now, darling." "Wouldn't have it any other way." Celestia is obviously very happy with all of the emotion in the room. "Oliver, you are relinquished from your duties in Ponyville. As such, you may return to Cloudsdale and stay with your family until a new assignment comes." Oliver laughs. "I will not forget your kindness, brother. I will see you again soon." You see it fit to repeat what you always say to him when he leaves your presence. "Safe travels. Brother." Oliver nods, and runs from the throne room. Celestia climbs back up into her throne, and sits. "Honor Guardsman Locke, you are also dismissed. I will see you in two weeks. Rarity?" Rarity perks up, not expecting Celestia to acknowledge her. "Yes, Princess?" "Take care of my new Guardsman." Rarity giggles. "It'll be my pleasure, Celestia." You bow before the Princess one more time, before you leave the throne room. The train was empty again, except for Rarity. You leaned against the window, letting the night wind blow through your hair. You could feel another case of nightfever coming on. Rarity leaned against you, watching the countryside pass as the train chugged its way back home. You sit down in the chair, and decide to take advantage of the feeling of perfection, quickly falling asleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ You cannot believe they just killed your target. If any of you make it out of this alive now, you sure as Hell aren't getting paid. Seeing as everything was going down south very quickly, you load 2 more shells into your shotgun, and give it a pump. You hear Thomas and Anthony yelling in desperation. "YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST FUCKING WAITED UNTIL HE GAVE YOU THE COMBINATION TO KILL HIM, JACKASS!" Anthony throws his arms up in the air. "AND WHAT THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO, HUH? IF I SPARED HIM, PEOPLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON TO US!" He lowers his voice. "Look, relax. They were going to give 500,000 dollars for him, right? I GUARANTEE this bank holds 4 times more than that." You took a look around. 12 of you were down in the bowels of this bank, in the vault, waiting for Decker to cut it open, while the other 3 hid in the lobby, waiting for the police to inevitably show up. Anthony and Thomas continued to fumble around with the briefcase, but carefully. If they damaged the paperwork, your client wouldn't pay a dime. You start to question Anthony's intelligence. Why didn't you just nab him of the street? It's almost as if he premeditated this entire thing operation. Just as you start to question his motives, the radio Decker has goes off. "THEY'RE COMING! THEY JUST KILLED ALEX!" You run over to the nearby wall, and take a deep breath. Two walls of SWAT officers with shields were approaching. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden started to stir in his sleep, and you weren't about to have him leap up, especially not with so many open windows. You try to think of a way to wake him up without shaking him or disturbing him in any way. You just got a clever idea. Slowly, carefully, you slide Aaden's phone from his pocket, and open the music window. You find the picture of the song that Aaden showed you a few nights ago, the one he said he really liked, and tap it with your hoof. You then make sure the volume is as turned up as it can go. Youtube Video In the sharp gust of love My memory stirred When time wreathed a rose A garland of shame Its thorn my only delight War torn, afraid to speak We dare to breathe Majestic Imperial A bridge of sighs Solitude sails In a wave of forgiveness On angels' wings Reach out your hands Don't turn your back Don't walk away How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart Close to you 'Til the last beat Of my heart At the close of day The sunset cloaks These words in shadowplay Here and now, long and loud My heart cries out And the naked bone of an echo says Don't walk away Reach out your hands I'm just a step away How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart Close to you 'Til the last beat Of my heart How in the world Can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart 'Til the last beat 'Til the last fleeting beat Of my heart You would be a liar if you said you didn't like the song. In fact, you quite like it. It's upbeat and adventurous tune matches the train ride very well, to the point of getting goosebumps. Aaden stirs slightly, and lifts his head up off of the chair he was resting it in. You didn't say anything, you let the song play all the way through. You wish you could express to him how proud you were of him. You hate being so blunt, but he shouldn't even be alive. He overcame that odd. Then he accepted his new world, his new life, very, very quickly. You were sure he was still adjusting, but he didn't panic. He overcame that odd. Then he managed to charm Ponyville, and apparently even the Princess. He overcame those odds. And then he swept you off of your feet, regardless of species. He overcame those odds. You were sure that if any other human other than Aaden appeared here, they wouldn't be able to do it. You loved Aaden. And not what fillies and colts claim to have, but real, true love. You began thinking about his training in the coming weeks. You've always seen Aaden as a very polite, very calm gentleman (except for his run in with the manticore). Truth be told, you were excited to watch his training. Although it wasn't very lady like to admit, you looked forward to seeing him get down and dirty, be physical. You could feel yourself blushing. "Hey there. Was I out long?" You shake your head. "No darling. You just started to stir again. I woke you up before it got too awful." You sat directly across from him. You liked the way he was looking at you. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rarity was leaving you breathless right now. The music playing was perfect. The train car was completely dark, except for her outline, and her eyes. Those eyes. My God, those eyes. You felt like the answers to the universe were hidden in them, and you could easily spend the rest of your life searching in them. Rarity's purple mane blew softly in the night wind, making her look all the more majestic. Damn Aaden. You're in love. You hoped Rarity was okay with you becoming an Honor Guard. She was a very proper lady in her manners, and although she showed an incredible amount of support for you, you still couldn't decipher her thoughts on it. While you were on the topic, you began to think about Ponyville itself. Although everyone liked you there, would they be comfortable with you representing them? At the same time, would humanity be okay with you representing them? You smile. I bet Pinkie Pie will be excited to hear this. You look back over at Rarity. Her ivory coat shimmers in the night light, her purple mane seemingly flows as smooth as silk, her eyes still glow the azure you had long fallen in love with. You feel the nightfever coming back on. You get up out of your chair, walk towards her, and pick her up with a hug. You spin her around (which was difficult on a moving train), making her giggle. "Darling, I don't believe Knights are supposed to do such things to their ladies." You smile. "No?" Now's your chance. "What about this?" You press your face against hers, and gently place your tongue inside of her mouth. She gasps from surprise, but submits quickly. Your tongues meet, and embrace for a moment, before you part. You look into her eyes again. You set her back down, but she takes a seat next to you this time, resting her head on your shoulder again, both of you looking out of the window. Something clicks in your brain. "I used to watch stars back home, you know? I would go to the roof my apartment building with my telescope, and I would sit there for hours, sometimes. I've always found peace in looking at the sky. I mean, my Fridays were more often than not spent on the roof of my apartment building. I would order a pizza, have a soda, some candy or something, and just kind of...watch." Rarity lifts her head up, and smiles at you, listening to you speak. "I would take my dog up there sometimes, for a little company." Well shit, I guess I DO have a dog! "He would lay down by my feet while I would gaze. It really was nice. I remember one time, during a meteor shower, just watching in awe. The stars make me feel very small, make me realize just how insignificant I am. but at the same time, it also makes me feel infinitely important, because while I may be small to the universe..." you put your arm around Rarity. "I may mean the world to someone else." She kisses your cheek. "Hey, honey?" You ask. You just called her honey. Screw it, she'll probably like it. "Yes darling?" she responds. "I saw what you mouthed at me in the throne room. I love you too." She goes back to leaning her head on your shoulder. You still couldn't believe what was happening here, but it was happening. In this chaotic, cruel, unforgiving universe we all live in, where it's inhabitants are designed to only care for themselves, you have a met a girl who cares for your well being over her own. You are defying the universe. Together. Rarity starts to smile, almost uncontrollably. Your nightfever seems to be contagious.
Chapter Ten: A Rainy Day"Good God! It is DUMPING out there!" You exclaim. You walk over to the counter, and set down your keys. Rarity is inside of her sewing room, wearing her work glasses, carefully stitching together a special order. "Really darling? Dumping?" She calls. "I'll think of something better next time, promise." You pick your phone up from the couch. You liked how the battery wasn't draining at all. It spooked you, but it was nice not having to charge it. You click in the central button, making the screen illuminate itself. It's only 1 PM. "Hey, honey? Not to sound rude, but I'm kinda bored." Rarity doesn't look up from her sewing machine. "Well darling, Pinkie Pie has been dying for you to teach her some of the baking you spoke of, the kind from your home? It IS raining outside, so I don't foresee it being very busy at the Sugarcube Corner. Just make sure you come back by 6, my parents are bringing Sweetie Belle over, and I'm baking a pizza for dinner. You smile. Although the pizza didn't have any meat on it, it certainly wasn't any less greasy than what you were accustomed to. "You aren't gonna come with me?" "Sorry darling, but I must finish this order. I also have to get the pizza prepared here soon." You walk inside, and gently kiss her forehead, not interrupting her work or concentration. "Alright. But I'm bringing back dessert." You take advantage of the fact that she's busy, find a sticky note, quickly scribble a crude heart on it, and stick it to the wall by the oven. You pick up your backpack filled with candy by the door, thinking that Pinkie Pie would like to try some. You decide to take an umbrella this time, to avoid getting completely soaked. It's kind of funny, how beautiful the town was, even when it was raining. Something about Equestria made you feel amazing. You had thought a lot about it, and this was your theory: Your childhood died on Earth when your imagination dwindled. Once you had became more knowledgeable, and started to see for yourself what exactly was possible, and what was impossible in the world, your childhood, your imagination, they took a fatal blow. You used to be able to just wander the streets of Manhattan, with no purpose, no aim, but because of your imagination, you would have the time of your life. Who knew what kind of mysteries the streets held? Maybe that building was haunted, or maybe super heroes met in that building. Now, you hated being on the streets. You just wanted to get to where you were going. But here, in Equestria, things are so completely different. You have yet to see anything that is impossible in this world. A sense of mystery and whimsy wash over you just thinking about it. Here, your imagination flourishes. You enjoy life in a way that you haven't enjoyed in a very long time. While you are in philosopher mode, you almost walk past the Sugarcube Corner. You walk in, and place your umbrella in the tall bucket they had sitting out for wet umbrellas. Pinkie Pie sees you, and leaps back up onto the counter. I got you this time. She leaps off, but rather than tackle you to the ground, you catch her. "AADEN!" She squeals. You sit her down, and she bounces up and down with excitement. "Rarity is busy today, so I thought I'd show you what I know about baking!" Pinkie Pie squeals again, and leads you into the back. She starts to gather various bowls and tools while you set down your backpack. You fish out one of each candy bar you had in your backpack, and set them along the table. "Hey, Pinkie, come here a moment." She happily hops over to you. "Yeah Aaden? Ooooh, what are those?" "These are various candies from where I come from. I like them quite a bit, and so does Rarity and Sweetie Belle. I was thinking, maybe I could share them with you, and we could try to replicate them!" Her pupils dilate, her voice becomes eerily quiet. "That...is...candy. From your world. And you wanna share it. With me?" "Well, yeah! It would be great if we cou-" You are cut off by the most ear piercing screech you have ever heard anything emit. It sounded like a jet taking off right next to you. Pinkie takes a deep breath, preparing for what you think is going to be another screech, but to your surprise, she just mutters quickly and quietly. "letsdothis" She pulls up a chair, sits in it, and pulls out a stack of paper and a pencil. She starts with the bar labeled "Three Musketeers". She unwraps it between her hooves, and takes a bite out of it. "hmm..." She hums while chewing. She quickly scribbles down something while chewing. "Kit-Kat", "Hershey's", "Reese's", "Crunch", she plows through all of the candy bars, scribbling down something after a bite of each candy bar. She taps her pencil on her lips. "Aaden, do you have another of the yellow ones?" "The Butterfingers? Yeah, I do. Why, do you need more notes?" She smiles. "No, I just really like that one." You laugh, and hand her another bar. She unwraps it, and begins eating it, and talking with her mouth full. "Sho, what I'm sheeing here, ish that mosht of these contain a whole bunch of sugar, and lotsha chocolate. I can EASHILY make thesh!" She crunches off another piece of the bar. "Now, show me what you know about baking!" _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden only had a few days left before he was to report back to Canterlot for his knighting ceremony. It warmed your heart to think that the stallion, or man, rather, that you had fallen in love with, was turning out to be so successful here in Equestria. Something about watching him succeed, watching him be happy here in this new world with you, it made you happy. Very happy. You imagined Aaden in the same golden armor Oliver wore. You imagined him marching with the other Honor Guards, leading the Royal Guards in parades. Every girl has her fantasies about a knight in shining armor, but yours was actually coming true! You really hated to admit it, but the way Aaden handled that manticore was very professional. He may not have had the training to avoid getting injured, but his quick thinking and ingenuity while under pressure saved his life. He may not like fighting, but he was good at it. You go back to thinking about him in the golden armor. You imagine him removing his helmet, his hair all rustled, his muscles shimmering with sweat and his eyes radiating, his armor with a patch of dirt here or there, his smile still completely white, even with a little dirt on his face. Stop it Rarity! You collect your thoughts, and finish your dress. You prepare the pizza for dinner, and get it inside the oven. You see the note with the heart on it on the wall. You peel it off. He wasn't exactly the classic romantic. Your mind goes back to him. While you wait for the pizza to cook, you go over to the couch, where he left his phone. You enter in the code you've seen him put in so many times, and click on the little square that had a camera on it. You flip through the pictures. One was of him with an enormous shiny black dog. Another was of him and the other human he identified as his roommate, throwing some kind of a ball back and forth. The one that you saw that particularly touched you, was one of him with a bunch of male humans, including his roommate, inside of some kind of stadium, with thousands of other humans, watching what looked to be some kind of game. They were all shouting, but smiling at the same time. You always knew that Aaden had a life before here, but you never really thought about what it may have been. I mean, you knew he was an architect, and that he liked stars, but that was it. You tried to imagine what it would be like in his position, being put in a world that isn't your own, without remembering any of your friends, or even your hobbies. The loneliness, the confusion, it would be too much for you, personally. You don't quite understand how Aaden does it. Everything about him seems so calm. Even in mid-conversation, or when he was at Pinkie's party, jumping and shouting, he has a calming effect about him. You decide not to question it. All you know is that you love him, and he loves you. That's all you care to know. _________________________________________________________________________________ It broke your heart to think about what happened to Aaden. It had been about one month since he was murdered at the bank, and his dog still waits for him by the door. Every time he hears footsteps in the hall, his eyes light up, and he immediately begins wagging his tail. But as soon as he hears them pass, his tail lowers itself, his eyes half close, and he lays by the door with a whimper. It really hurt to watch him do that. You walked into Aaden's room. Completely untouched, even after the month had passed. His Mom had come by recently, left a bouquet on his bed, and a photo on the nightstand. The photo also hurt to look at. It was you, him, and his family, when you all went on vacation together when you were younger. Aaden was your essentially your brother. You didn't want to lose him. But then again, you didn't want to lose anyone. You sat down on the couch, and watched the rain hit the window. It won't be the same without him.
Chapter Eleven: Lullaby of an AmnesiacYou were pretty sure Pinkie Pie has had brownies before. In fact, you're damn sure she has. But, she hasn't had them like THIS. And neither have you. In fact, you have no idea if this is going to work, but you decide to do it anyway. You mix brownie batter furiously with a whisk the size of your arm, while Pinkie Pie chops up several Butterfinger and Three Musketeer bars. The whisk smacks the sides of the bowl, making an annoying dinging sound, and your right arm is starting to get tired. "Pinkie, my arm is getting tired." You slow down a little, as does the dinging of the whisk on the bowl. "Nono! Don't be silly, keep stirring!" "But-" "KEEP STIRRING!" With the fear of God now pumping through your veins, you now go back to stirring full speed. Finally, she walks over with the cut up candy bars, and slides them off of the cutting board and into the bowl of brownie mix. You keep stirring, the chunks of candy bar getting evenly distributed. Pinkie Pie walks over with a tray in her mouth, and sets it on the table next to you. "Alright, now pour it out, niiiiiiiiice and sloooooow." You tilt over the bowl, and whisk the contents out onto the baking tray. It all finally settles, so you walk the bowl over to the sink and place the whisk in it, as well. Pinkie Pie slides the tray into the oven. You look up at the clock. It's 4 PM. "Hey, Pinkie Pie, I've gotta get home and shower, get ready for Rarity's parents to come over with Sweetie Belle. It's my first time meeting them, so, I'd like to be properly prepared. I'm gonna run." Pinkie Pie nods her head. "That's fine Aaden! I'll run the brownies by when they're done!" You give her a hug, and back out into the rain you go. Truth be told, you were kind of nervous about meeting Rarity's parents. they were simple folk, not as attentive to detail as Rarity was, but you still wanted to assure them that their daughter was in good hands. You never liked to brag, but you were almost, in a way, hoping that Rarity would bring up your recent accomplishments to them. Their daughter dating an Honor Guard would hopefully make up for the fact that their daughter was also dating a member of another species, one that nobody has ever heard of before. You walk inside, and slide your backpack off at the door. The rain had stopped, but it was still cloudy outside. "Hi Rarity. We've got some tasty dessert on the way." She turns around from the kitchen, and smiles at you. It almost seems seductive. She walks towards you, hops up on her hind legs, and kisses your neck. You feel her tongue stroke up and down. Your blood runs cold from surprise and pleasure, but she hops down after a second. "I can tell, darling. You have chocolate all over you." You examine yourself. You are COVERED in chocolate. Sure enough, the only place there isn't any chocolate, is the spot that Rarity just "cleaned". You immediately get goosebumps, thinking about what just happened. "Well, I, um..." You clear your throat to make up for the fact that your voice just cracked. "I'm gonna go shower." Rarity smiles at you seductively again. "Alright, darling." _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just went upstairs to shower. You hope your little move on him wasn't too much. The pizza is turning out great, so far. Just have to let it bake a little more, and then you're sure it will please everyone. You begin to think about how Aaden will do around your parents. Granted, they will literally only be walking in, saying hello, and then leaving, but you're pretty sure Aaden is scared out of his mind. He's always been one for first impressions. Sure enough, after about an hour, he comes down the stairs. You laugh. He's wearing the pair of dark blue jeans and long sleeve white T-shirt he asked you to make. "What? Do I look dumb?" "No darling, you look fine." "I dunno. I spent a good 30 minutes deciding if i should dress casual, or formal. I guess this is in between." It was funny to see him worry about how he should dress for a change. It was almost a role reversal. Soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Aaden ran over to the door, and opened it. "Sweetie Belle, hi!" Sweetie Belle smiles, and immediately runs into the guest room with her things. Aaden greets your parents next. "Magnum, Louisa, it's nice to finally meet you!" Dad walked forward, a very lazy smile on his face. "Son, you must be the one that handled the manticore!" Aaden rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh...you heard about that, huh? I'm really not a violent person, i really didn't want to hurt it, it, it just wouldn't st-" Dad waved his hoof in the air. "I will hear nothing of it! Son, if you wouldn't have stopped him there, he could've hurt my pumpkin!" He took his hat off, and put it over his chest. "And to see you with her, it warms my heart!" Dad smiles. Mom decides to pick up where he left off. "Rarity told us everything. We'd be proud to call you our own." You blush at the implication. Dad puts his hat back on. "Pumpkin here doesn't get many serious "suitors". In fact, we believe you're her first. And we couldn't be happier. What do you do for a living, son?" Aaden rubs his neck again. "Actually, I was just made an Honor Guard. Honor Guard of Ponyville." He chuckles, and gives Aaden a hearty pat on the back. "Well would you look at that! My pumpkin, courting an Honor Guard." He tilts his head towards Aaden, with a mischievous smile. "Son, if you ever need to ask for pumpkin's hoof in marriage, you've already got my permission." He laughed. Aaden joined in, still rubbing his neck and blushing. Mom and Dad bid their farewells, and left. Sweetie Belle went to go take a shower, apparently she hadn't done so all day. You removed the pizza from the oven, and started cutting it. "So, do you think your Dad liked me?" Aaden asked. You know he did. "Darling, I don't think he would give you permission to marry me if he didn't." He blushes. "Yeah, I guess not, huh?" There was a knock at the door, and Aaden went to go answer it. You continued getting plates and glasses out. You also heard the water turning off upstairs. Sweetie Belle must have been getting out of the shower. You put two pieces of pizza on each plate, pour two glasses of soda, and one glass of water for yourself. Aaden comes back in with a bright pink box with a purple ribbon. "What's that?" you ask. Aaden smiles. "Dessert." As you all take your seats, Sweetie Belle starts up with a torrent of questions. I suppose she felt slightly more comfortable around Aaden now, so she could ask him just about anything, in her mind. Eventually, they got to the subject of Aaden becoming an honor guard. She gasped when she heard it. "An HONOR GUARD?!" she looked back at Aaden and yourself multiple times, in disbelief. "Do you think you could walk me to school a couple of times when you're wearing the armor?" Aaden laughs. "Uh, sure. I don't see why not." Sweetie Belle then did the thing where she kicks her legs as fast as she can in excitement. Dinner passed, but before we left the table, Aaden opened up the pink box. "Pinkie Pie and I made these." He started. "We blended a bunch of candy bars into the brownie mix, and even better news, Pinkie believes she can replicate the candy bars! So we don't have to worry about running out!" The brownies themselves were absolutely amazing. You'll have to chalk baking up to the never ending list of Aaden's skills. Sweetie Belle, full of pizza, soda, and brownies, went to bed. Aaden helped clean the dishes, and put everything up, and you both went off to bed, together. He took his shirt off, and went into the bathroom to clean his wounds and change his bandages. As he did, you put on your silk pajamas, and sat on the bed, waiting for him. He came out of the bathroom soon after, fresh linen over his shoulder and stomach. He had also changed into his pajama pants while in the bathroom, the ones with the white and purple checkers. He sat on the edge of the bed, next to you, taking your hoof into his hands. "I know we've got a big day ahead of us. I know, while you're proud and supportive, you've got to be terrified in the back of your mind. I want you to know that everything will be okay. This job will not come between you and I. I took this job so that I could rake in some extra Bits, but mainly, to protect you. I don't know if that thing will come back. I don't know what could happen to us. But with this job, not only will I be ready, but I will have an army with me. Nothing can take us apart." You give him a big kiss, knocking him back on the mattress. You both climb under the comforter, and hold each other. You awake several hours later. Aaden is still wide awake, staring into space. "Darling. Are you okay?" He looks down at you, and kisses your forehead. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Yeah honey. I'm fine." You kiss her forehead again. Your mind was going a million miles a minute. You couldn't tell if memories were trying to come back or not, but you certainly couldn't rest. As you went deep into your thoughts, you heard the gentle start of a song. Rarity must have started it from your phone. Youtube Video You're falling in a lower gear A little rest is what you need You're rolled up on the seat Your arms around your knees We met by chance, talked on the phone We kept in touch I took you home Sure, it proves we get along And it will only get better from now on We found a place to which we drive And I offer you the time To sleep - to dream To wake up when we arrive Right moments come out of the blue But when there's one it's up to you Even when the time was up I couldn't stop I was floating all day long You remember this song. This is the first song you've remembered so far. Your eyes start to feel heavy. You can feel tears building. You don't have the strength of either of these from happening. You close your eyes, a few tears escaping. You gently bury your face into Rarity's upper chest, and start to lose your grip on being awake. Soon, you were fast asleep. At the mercy of what memories you have left, and the pony you loved. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden must be remembering something from home. That song you started was one you found on your own while exploring his phone, but you remembered how to find it, and thought it would evoke a reaction from him. You were right. You could feel the tears against your coat, but you only pulled him closer. You had no idea how hard it could be for him, but you would make sure you were there for him in every way possible. He may be an honor guard, in charge of protecting and comforting the citizens of Ponyville, but who would protect and comfort him? You decided to fill that role. You wandered what he would be dreaming about tonight. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your puppy eagerly followed you up the staircase. He wasn't really a puppy anymore, in fact, he was just about the size of a full grown human, but that's just how big Labradors get. He would always be a puppy to you, though. With pizza and soda in one hand, and your telescope in the next, you ascended the staircase to the roof of your apartment. Pepper ran in front of you, sitting in front of the fold-up chair you kept up there. Even though Manhattan was riddled with light pollution, you could still see many stars through the telescope. You removed the telescope from the case, and assembled it, while Pepper chewed on his toy he kept on the roof. You finally assembled the telescope, and decided to begin eating. You took a piece out, flicking a few pieces of pepperoni and cheese to Pepper. You then begin peering through the telescope. The night sky never stopped fascinating you. Pepper, although not gazing through the telescope, would also seemingly look at the sky. Each star twinkled in a different way. You would gazed at the night sky particularly late, your puppy becoming tired. Pepper, although big, insisted on climbing in your lap when he got tired, and would fall asleep. You carefully continued to peer through the telescope, and continued your routine, to avoid waking him. An hour or so later, you accidently bumped Pepper, waking him. He whimpered a little, but woke up, saw you, and went back to sleep, burying his head in your lap. You began to stroke his fur, lovingly looking down at him. "Don't worry boy." You said. "I'm not going anywhere."
Chapter Twelve: Love and LoyaltyThis was it. This was your big day. Here you were, standing in the royal armory. Outside, you would begin your walk inside the throne room, up to Celestia, where you would be officially knighted, then off to the barracks for your first day of training. You make it sound easy. To make things more difficult, a good amount of Ponyville had come to witness the ceremony, including Rarity's parents and friends were all here. A good amount of Canterlot also decided to show up. The Honor Guardsman Captain paced around you, strapping on several pieces of shining golden armor to your body. He was an older pony. He had a white coat, gray mane, and cyan eyes. Apparently, the Royal Armorer hand crafted this set just for you. Plate by plate, strap by strap, eventually, you were all suited up. Your armor looked completely identical to the ones the other guardsman wore, except you wore plate legs. That was the only real aesthetic difference between Royal Guards and Honor Guards, were the plate legs. The Captain paced around you, making sure you looked okay. With a quick chuckle and smile, he started to talk to you. "Alrighty, what you're gonna wanna do, is just walk down the aisle. Nice and slow. Don't stop and wave hi to family members, don't break eye contact with the Princess, just keep walking. When you approach the Princess, you will stop, and then Oliver will walk in just as you did, and he'll stop beside you." The Captain taps his hoof on your breastplate. "Then, he will kneel, draw his blade, and hand it to the Princess. Immediately after she takes it, he will leave the throne room. Once he leaves, you are then to kneel, and accept the blade. Celestia will also place your helmet on your head. Once the blade is in your hands, and the helmet is on your head, stand up, smile, look real pretty, because then ponies will begin to cheer. Then, come to the barracks after talking with your folks. My name is Virgil, by the way. Think of me as your boss." A Royal Guard walked into the room and looked at Virgil. "This him?" Virgil nodded. "Lets go, the ceremony is starting." You follow the guard, but he stops just at the open doors to the Throne Room. "There you go. The Princess is waiting." You took a deep breath, and decide to start walking. The Throne Room was filled with ponies of various colors and races. They stood behind those velvet ropes that often stood outside of the movie theaters back home, to help organize the lines. Royal guards stood on the other side of the velvet ropes, standing at a salute. Two higher ranking Royal guards stood on each side of the Princess. You did as Virgil told you, and walked slowly, without breaking eye contact with the Princess. The entire Throne Room was eerily quiet, especially for the amount of ponies present. Light shone through the stained glass windows, illuminating the murals in brilliant colors. With each step, your golden greaves clinked, your breastplate heaved, your pauldrons shifted and rattled, all with every step. You stopped just before Celestia, as you were instructed to, and continued to look at her, not breaking eye contact. Oliver soon walked in, just as you had, and stopped beside you. He took a knee. You noticed out of peripheral vision that he had three blades in three different sheaths. He a sheath that was of a yellow color with a white trip, and handed it to Celestia. He stood back up, and walked back out of the Throne Room. Now, it was your turn. You took a knee, and waited for Celestia to offer the blade to you. The blade shifted from a vertical position in Celestia's magical grip, to a horizontal one. You held your arms out with your palms open, and watched as the blade was lowered into your hand. Still holding the blade, you watched as your new helmet, also of a shining gold, floated over, and was slid on your head. You took another deep breath, and stood up, strapping your new blade to your leg. You unsheathed the blade, and held it up, letting the sunlight reflect off of it, making it shine inside the Throne Room. Then came the cheering, just as Virgil had promised. Sounds of hooves clopping, and a sharp whistle here or there, roared inside of the Throne Room. The guards that stood by the velvet ropes released the ropes, letting the crowd come over to you. You sheathed the blade. You saw Rarity through the crowd, running through them all. She leaped into the air, and you caught her. You gave her a good spin, and put her back down. The crowd is still cheering and whistling. "DARLING! You did great!" Rarity throws her hooves around your waist, hugging you tightly. You of course, decide to pick her up and hug her back. "Alright honey." You said. "I've got to go to the barracks now. You're welcome to come with me and watch me begin training, but that may be boring. Maybe your Mom and Dad will go eat with you or something. She smiles at you, giving you one last big squeeze. "Darling, I wouldn't miss watching you for the world!" You put her down gently, and begin your walk out. the crowd still cheers, as both Rarity and yourself leave the Throne Room, and head towards the barracks. Cantlerlot was still bustling, and as such, you received many more stares than you normally did. The golden armor and honor guard title was probably the cause, but you didn't mind it. You were busy talking with Rarity. "So darling. How do you feel?" You put an arm around her neck as you walk. "Good, good. I was a little spooked by how quiet the ceremony was, but it's good to finally have this all said and done." "And I'm assuming you've met your boss?" "Yeah, he's the one that helped me into this armor. Said his name was Virgil." You shift your right shoulder up and down, examining the pauldron strapped to it. "Did he mention what all he would have you do today?" "Nah, just to come by the barracks after the ceremony." As you two continued your small talk regarding your knew position as an Honor Guard, you were both soon at the barracks. You both walked up the staircase leading into the large stone building. Virgil sat in a chair by the door, reading some newspaper. He notices you walk in, folds up the newspaper, and stands up. "Aaden, good to see that the ceremony went well. And you must be Rarity. First and foremost, Aaden, Honor Guards have their own rooms here in the barracks, complete with a bathroom, living room, and one bedroom. Rarity, you are more than welcome to stay with Aaden in it. Next, your training." He signals you to follow him. You go through the barracks, and out the back of it, revealing several dummies made of hay, and various other things used to sharpen guardsman. "Every morning, at 10 AM, you must be out here, in your armor, ready to train. Training will last til' 2 PM, and it will be like that for 2 weeks. After 2 PM, you're free to do whatever you want until 10 AM the next morning, just make sure you don't get yourself into trouble. Your training will consist of many different things. Today, we'll have you run 5 miles in your armor, and we'll be testing your strength. We may even have you spar with another guardsman, I haven't decided yet." Virgil looks over to Rarity. "Ms. Rarity, we will beginning Aaden's training here very soon. Aaden's room is on the second floor off the barracks, room 202. There is a balcony there. You may be able to see the training better, if you intend to watch it. If not, Canterlot is a big city, with lotsa stuff to do. Either way, we must kindly ask you to leave the training area. Guards will be sparring, and we cannot have any accidents occur. The training today will be short, so he'll be back to you soon." Rarity nods her head, and walks back inside. Virgil points you to a spot on the ground, and requests you stand on it. As other Honor Guards show up, it soon becomes apparent that this is a formation. When they all show up, Virgil takes his place at the front, facing the formation. "Alrighty, listen up Guardsmen. This is Aaden, the new Honor Guard of Ponyville and Humanity. As is tradition, we will all be coming together to train him. Now, prepare yourselves for the 5-mile sprint." You noticed a trail from the back of the building that led way out through a forest, and seemingly worked its way back. All of the Guardsman, including yourself, advanced in formation to the start of the trail. Virgil stood at the very front. "Alright. Move it guardsmen!" The sound of the golden greaves clinking in unison soon filled the air. _________________________________________________________________________________ You assumed your position on the balcony, watching Aaden and the other Guardsman run in formation down the trail they had set up. Coming to the conclusion that they may not be back for awhile, you decide to check out the room they had for Aaden. The balcony you were on was made of marble, and you noticed on the marble railing that some kind of vine was growing on it. You turned around, and walked back into the living room. It had two couches, a table, a cooler off in the corner, and several bookcases stocked with books. You walked into the bedroom. A single large canopy bed, complete with curtains that can completely enclose it, sat against the wall. There was a single nightstand on each side of the bed, and another cooler in the corner of the room. At the foot of the bed sat a single large chest. How romantic... You really enjoyed the bedroom, and looked forward to two nights of sleeping with Aaden here. You then decided to explore the bathroom. It was absolutely divine. The entire bathroom had a theme of shiny granite walls and gray tiling, the shower and bathtub were seemingly built into the wall. It appeared as if you would slide the door, climb in, slide the door closed, and shower. You noticed that there was not one single shower head, but panels on the wall, 5 on the roof, and 3 on either wall, each which ejected water out on you. You also looked forward to your first shower here, too. You went back out to the balcony, to watch and wait for Aaden. So. Here you were. In Canterlot. And Aaden was an Honor Guard. If someone would have told you several months ago, that this is where you would be, you would have laughed at them. But here you were. You look up at the clock. It had been about 45 minutes. You lean on the balcony railing slightly, and squint your eyes. Sure enough, you see the shining horde of gold coming back down the path. The clinking of their armor gets louder and louder, until they are back beside the dummies. All of the guards were obviously tired, including Aaden. Virgil walked over to Aaden, tapped him on his shoulder, and pointed at a series of boulders they had near the dummies. Aaden nodded his head, and removed his helmet. He then unstrapped his shoulders, and removed them. Then, he removed his breastplate. Then his shirt. Wooooow... Aaden was sweaty. Not overly sweaty, but enough to make him glisten in the sun. His bandages were still white, but he had a little blood on both of them, probably from exerting himself. While he walked over to the boulders, he stretched his arms out, locked his fingers, and cracked them. His muscles were showed their tone as he did this, making you blush. You noticed he had some dirt on his face, and in his hair. He may have fallen at some point during his run. You feel yourself blushing. This is kind of sexy... He walks over to the first boulder, it's no bigger than a ball. He easily lifts it with one hand. Virgil then points him over to the next one, which was about twice the size of the ball. He lifts it. Then he is pointed to one that is the size of a pony. Aaden bends at his knees, wraps his arms around the bottom, and lifts it. He holds it above his head to show that he can handle it, before setting it back down. Virgil then points him at the next boulder, one that is about a size and a half bigger than the pony boulder. Aaden takes a deep breath, bends at his knees again, wraps his arms around the bottom, and with a grunt, lifts the boulder up, and lifts it above his head once more. You see Virgil smile, and signal him to put it down. Aaden does so, still shining in the sun, his face now slightly red. Virgil then points at one of the other guards, and then points at Aaden. They both walk behind the dummies, in the grassy field behind them. The guard takes off his helmet and his breastplate, setting them aside. They were going to spar. They began both circling each other, staring each other down. Aaden drew his fists up to his sides, while the other guard paced slowly. The other guard attempted to strike first, leaping towards him with his head. Aaden grabbed his foreleg, and swung it down, bringing the guard to the ground. The guard got back up, and they went back to circling. Aaden then attempted to lunge out, but that just got him bucked, knocking him to the ground, but he quickly recovered. The other guard then attempted to strike again, attempting to buck Aaden, but Aaden caught his hind legs, swung them over, putting the guard on his back. Aaden then took his foot, and placed it on the guards neck, still holding his hind legs. Virgil whistled, signalling the fight to be over. The guard got up and patted Aaden on the back, and walked back towards the other guards. You saw Virgil walk over to Aaden, smiling still. They have a short conversation before Virgil turns around, and yells. "DISMISSED!" The guards then began to dissipate from the training grounds. You watched Virgil and Aaden talk. He REALLY looked good. He was now a little more dirty, dirt on sticking to his chest and neck, in his hair, and on his face. He began to stretch, inadvertently flexing his muscles in the process. Oh my... You sat, with your face in one hoof, eyeing him as a schoolfilly would. You may as well have been drooling. You see Aaden and Virgil walking back inside the barracks, and hear them laughing about something. You try to quickly compose yourself, and decide to go downstairs to meet them. _________________________________________________________________________________ "In all my years, I've never seen a recruit look this promising. Aaden, welcome to the Honor Guard! You're gonna fit in fine here!" Virgil pats you on the back as Rarity walks over. "Rarity, you got a great guy here. See to it that he keeps healthy and happy." Virgil then walks away, presumably up to his room. You give Rarity a kiss on her forehead. You notice how flushed her face is. Must be hot in your room or something. "Hey, honey, I'm gonna grab a shower real quick, change my bandages, and then, I was thinking we could explore Canterlot together? I know you've been here on business before, so you could show me around!" Rarity nods her head. "Of course darling. I'm sure I could show you a REALLY good time."
Chapter Thirteen: Ambitions of a MartyrYou removed your greaves in the bedroom, placing them with the rest of your armor, and went into the bathroom. You walked inside, and went over to the mirror. You removed your bandages. Your wounds looked more like what you'd imagine bullet wounds would look like, small holes in your body. It's a a lot better than looking like two baseballs flew through your body. Damn Aaden. You're a mess. You take off your pants and underwear, and fold them, placing them on the counter. You slide the shower door open, and get inside of it. You press the silver button with red lining. Hot water begins to shoot out of walls and the roof. You grab the neon blue shampoo bottle, and lather your hair up. the shampoo itself smells intoxicating. You can't name the scent, but you enjoy it quite a bit. You move your head under the streams of water to rinse your hair. The moment you close your eyes, to avoid getting water and soap in them, you hear the shower door slide open. Your eyes shoot open with a yelp, a mixture of said soap and water getting in them. "Ah, dammit...Who's there?" You said while you rubbed at your eyes. You hear a sultry voice, one filled with dramatics and love. "I DO hope this spot isn't taken, darling." You breathe a sigh of relief. "No, of course not. Damn..." Rarity giggles while you rub soap from your eyes. "I'm sorry darling. Here, I know JUST how to fix that." She jumps up on her hind legs, placing her forelegs above your shoulders, kissing your neck. Her tongue is just slightly cooler than the shower water. Your toes start to curl up against the wet shower tile in pleasure. She starts to work her way down, and she makes it to your chest, when you a hear a loud knocking at the door to the room. "Aaden? Aaden, are you there brother?" Rarity stops her kissing, and hops down, frowning. "I swear, the one time I have you right where I want you..." Rarity hops out of the shower, and calls back to the voice. "He's in the shower, but I'm coming, just a second!" She floats a towel over, and wraps it around herself. You let out a sigh of disappointment, and finish your shower. You get out, dry off, comb your hair, but decide to leave your beard stubble. Rarity might like it. You walk over to one of the suitcases you had brought here by the concierge services, and pull out a clean pair of underwear and a pair of black pants. After getting half-dressed, you walk out into the living room, and see Oliver out on the balcony. You walk out next to him, patting him on his shoulder. "Oliver, it's good to see you!" You looked over your shoulder, and saw Rarity was starting to put on her makeup in front of a mirror she had set up in the living room. "And it's good to see you, brother. As were the requirements, I could not participate in your training today, but I will be joining you for the next two weeks. I heard you showed some serious combat prowess today." "Well, I just did what I thought would end the fight the quickest." "That's the mentality that could save your life one day, brother. You're the talk of the Honor Guards. Very rarely does a new recruit run the 5-miles without stopping, lift all of the boulders, and then beat another Honor Guard Veteran in a spar. It hasn't happened since I did it. So many years ago..." Oliver's gaze drifts off into the rolling hills and forest in the distance behind the training grounds. "I didn't pick you to take over at Ponyville because you were becoming my friend. I didn't pick you because I'm extremely desperate to return to my family." He then looks over to you. "Aaden, I picked you, because although you are of a completely different species, although our lives are very different, I see a lot of myself in you. I picked you, because out of all of the creatures I have ever met, you were the only one I saw fit to take over. I made that decision on the train, on your trip to Canterlot with me. That's how much I believe in you." Oliver then smiled a shy smile. "Now, don't get me wrong. Being with my family in Cloudsdale after training will be what I have long yearned for, I still have a duty to uphold. I just wanted to drop by, and extend my pride and faith in you as an Honor Guard. I know I picked the right man for the job." Oliver extended his wings, and prepared to take off from your balcony. "Safe travels. Brother." He then rocketed away into the sky. He stole my line. You walked back into the living room. "Was everything okay, darling?" Rarity asked, not diverting her attention away from the mirror. "Yeah, that was just Oliver, telling me how proud he was. Apparently I did good today." You saw Rarity's hoof start to shake slightly while she was trying to put makeup on. "Well, yes, darling, I uh, I saw you, um-" Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. "I saw you perform. I must say, it was quite...seductive." She was now blushing as she was trying to put her makeup on. "Well, alright." You laugh. You walk into the bathroom, and take out your nice white dress shirt, and your blazer. You get yourself all dressed up in front of the bathroom mirror. You decide to wear a bow tie tonight. You slide it on, and knot it. You examine yourself in front of your mirror. I look like the next James Bond. Awesome. You walk out of the bathroom slowly, and quickly throw up your coat tails, pretending to hold a gun in your right hand, just as you remember from the old James Bond movies. Surprisingly, Rarity was already done with her makeup, and was wearing a slim fitting white dress. She saw your little James Bond imitation, but had no idea what you were doing. "Darling? Are you okay?" You smile. "Locke. Aaden Locke. Shaken, not stirred." She really seems confused now. "Darling, are you sure you're feeling well?" You laugh. "I'm sorry honey, I look like an action star from back home." Rarity hops up, and leans against you again, standing on her hind legs. "Well, you certainly look...rugged." She rubs her hoof across your stubble. "You like?" "Mm-hmm. And is that a bow tie? My my darling. What's the occasion?" "I'm taking a beautiful lady to dinner." Rarity begins to blush. She gives you a quick kiss, and hops down. "Well darling. Let's not waste another second. Maybe we can continue what we started when we get home." There's that seductive smile again. I sure hope so. Truth be told, you were ready for the intimacy with her. It no longer felt rushed or forced when things got hot and heavy. It felt like you two were completing each other, and truly bonding. You wanted it. You needed it. You now looked forward to spending the evening with Rarity at home, rather than a fancy dinner. Which blew your mind, because you really liked food. Rarity apparently knew of a very nice restaurant near the castle itself. It was called "Nourriture". Classy. As both of you leave the room, you have a memory come back to you, like pieces of a puzzle. All of the chunks and pieces were there. You just had to put them together. You slowly connect the pieces as you carry on small talk with Rarity on your stroll through Canterlot. Nourriture. French word for food. French. You took french in high school. High School. Friends. Your best friend was named Evan. You had known Evan since you could pee standing up. You were inseparable. You shared an apartment with Evan. Evan was your roommate. While you can't recall Evan's Girlfriend's name, you remember Evan. You wonder where Evan was right now. What he was doing. Hopefully, he was doing alright. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were constantly thinking about suicide. Not out of the need for attention, but because you legitimately felt trapped. You knew you weren't actually going to go through with it, but the thought always lingered in your mind. Well. At least I have a backup plan. Ever since Aaden died, things got very hard. You and your girlfriend both had to pick up another job so that you could stay afloat. The only reason you both lived with Aaden to begin with, was because you were down in hard times, and he refused to let you both suffer. You hate to admit it, but Aaden really provided for the both of you. He could have very well lived on his own successfully. In fact, his job as an architect was going to take him places. High places. Places you could have never reached. You sit down on the couch next to Pepper, and he curls up on top of you. You flick on the TV, and flip over to the news. Apparently, New York City was using Aaden's murder as a way to try to make gun control laws more strict. They kept calling him a "martyr". It pissed you off. You turned the TV off, and ran your fingers through Pepper's black coat. How the fuck can you be a martyr for a cause you don't care about? You always knew the media and politics were awful things, seeking only ratings and votes, but this still was very offensive to you. Taking advantage of the cold blooded murder of your best friend. Pepper began to fall asleep, his breathing becoming slightly more heavy. You didn't know if you believed much in an afterlife, a Heaven or Hell, but, if Aaden was still out there, in some way, shape, or form, you were curios what he was doing. If he could see you. Sadly, in your current state, you hoped he couldn't. You never liked him seeing you sad. Seeing you cry. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden slid your chair out for you, and you promptly sat in it. He scooted you back up to the table, and, adjusting his bow tie, sat down across from you. A waiter, an Earth pony with a white coat, black mane, approached your table. He had a thick french accent. Aaden must have noticed his difficulty with speaking to us, so he immediately spoke back to him in fluent french. "Garçon, une bouteille de vin, s'il vous plaît." The waiter smiled. "Oui monsieur." Aaden never stopped surprising you. "Darling, I didn't know you could speak french!" Aaden smiled, his eyes half lidded. He reached under the table, and put a hand on your thigh. You immediately got goosebumps. "Rarity. There's A LOT you don't know about me, that I'd just absolutely LOVE to show you." You blush. You assume all of the testosterone from his training was giving him this new found bravery. "Well darling, lets enjoy dinner here. And then will have dessert in our room. Minus one Oliver." The Waiter returned, and once again, Aaden spoke french, placing both his and your order in the native language of the waiter. The waiter sat 2 glasses and a bucket of salted ice with a bottle of wine in it on the table. Aaden removed the bottle of wine, and poured two glasses halfway full, one for the both of you. "Darling, don't drink too much. Remember, you must get up in the morning." He smiled. His white teeth sparkled, even in the dim lighting of the restaurant. "Yeah, I'll probably need to able to stand up tomorrow, huh?" He sipped at his glass of wine. "So. Rarity. I have a question." "Yes darling?" He took another sip of wine. "I've noticed that every pony I've encountered, has some kind of marking on their flank. Is that a tattoo, or?" You laugh. Out of all of the things you had explained to Aaden, Cutie Marks never came up. "Well, my love, those are called Cutie Marks. You see, all ponies are born without them. When a pony discovers an attribute, the one that makes it unique from all others, the mark appears. You remember mine, the three diamonds?" Your dress concealed the back of your flanks, and you decided it best not to hike up your dress in front of everypony. "Yeah?" "I received it when I was but a foal. You see, I am capable of 'sniffing' out caches of gems just beneath the surface of Equestria. I then use those gems to snaz up outfits and jewelry!" Aaden nodded his head in acknowledgement, sipping at his wine again. "Mmm." He hummed while tilting the glass. "I'm assuming you don't have anything like that back home?" He put the glass down. "Not really. I mean, we have tattoos, but they aren't usually so deep in meaning." You decided it was your turn to sip at your wine, while he talked. "I don't have any. I mean, my stepfather had a tattoo, it said "Forgotten" in Japanese. He had a rough relationship with his father, and it ended with his father abandoning him at a young age. He got that tattoo later in life. When he passed away, I thought about getting a tattoo right where he had his," Aaden slid his right sleeve down, and showed you his wrist. "Except it would say "Remembered" in Japanese. I never went through with it, partially because I'm coward, but that's the closest I've ever been to anything like that." You feel a wave of sympathy for him. "Aaden, you said that was your stepfather. Do you mind if I ask what happened to your biological father?" Aaden looked at the tablecloth. "He passed away, as well. Before my stepfather." Good going, Rarity. "Aaden, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up anything too-" Aaden waved his hand, smiling. "It's alright honey. I've explained it so much to so many people, I'm kind of numb to it now. And it was bound to come up anyways, sooner or later." You feel a little relieved that he didn't take any offense. You decide quickly to try and change the subject. "So, my love, you never told me much about your career. Architecture, correct?" Aaden was sipping at his glass again. "Mmm, yeah. We mainly dealt with skyscrapers and other large buildings. We even did a stadium once. I was one of the lead designers. I would think up and draw the pictures, and the contractors would build them. I can't remember too many names or actual buildings, but we did build a bank." Aaden put his hand on his head. "Now that I think about it, it was a big bank. They wanted a vault underground and everything." You smile. "You sound quite ambitious, darling. Any new ambitions for Equestria?" "Well, I would like to reach the top ranks of the Honor Guard. I want to help expand your business. I also want to pursue a life with you." You smile, but it quickly settles. You thought of a new question. "Darling. If you were offered a way to get back home, would you go?" Aaden obviously went into deep thought, his eyes widening slightly, "I don't think so. What I can remember of Earth is very bleak. You see, here in Equestria, being different, being unique, is accepted. Hell, it's encouraged. Back on Earth, it's kind of the opposite. If you're different, you're usually ridiculed and ignored. In fact, the only reason I made it so high in architecture, was because of how I easily I assimilated among the others. I like the idea of being Aaden, Honor Guard of Ponyville, rather than Aaden, one other replaceable gear in the machine of the company." You put a hoof on his knee under the table. "It means a lot to hear you say that, darling." The waiter finally came with the food, a slice of flat bread with melted mozzarella and a medley of vegetables on top, along with some fancy looking french fries for Aaden, a bowl of potato and leek stew for you. The waiter said something in french, and Aaden replied the same way. "That guy is going to get a good tip. I like his attitude." Aaden ripped a chunk of the bread, and placed it gently in his mouth. He swallowed, and laughed in surprise. "Oh wow. I still have trouble getting used to the fact that you ponies can really cook." You blew on a hot spoonful of stew, refusing to let it enter your mouth in its current state. "I'm glad you enjoy it darling." _________________________________________________________________________________ The flat bread really was good. As you were eating, you kept conversation with Rarity. It all felt really calm, very laid back and relaxed. As you ate, you heard your name get called. "Aaden?" You turned around, wine glass in hand. It was Rainbow Dash, one of Rarity's friends. She came over to the table. "Didn't picture this being your scene, Dash." You said. She laughed. "You're one to talk, Locke. I heard about how brutal you were training today." How does word spread this quickly around here? "Someone told me you'd be here. I was curios if I could come up to your room tomorrow, watch you train. You sound pretty awesome." You looked over at Rarity, who shrugged. Rainbow Dash seemed to kick her hooves at the floor. You didn't know she could be shy. "Well, the other girls would also like to watch. They probably don't think you're as awesome as I do, but they'd like to see." You look back at Rarity again, who shrugs once more. "Sure Dash. Training starts at 10, ends at 2. You're more than welcome to come and watch." Rainbow Dash blushed, seemingly extremely excited. "Awesome! I'll see you tomorrow!" She darted off back through the restaurant. You turn back around in your chair, and notice Rarity chewing something. You look down at your flat bread, a fresh chunk missing. She giggles, and swallows. "What? It looked delicious. And it was." You laugh. "Well, Rarity, you have as much as you like. I can order another one." The rest of dinner passed without incident. You hadn't even become buzzed on the wine, but you were feeling light in spirits. Rarity suggested going to a local nightclub called "Purgatory". Vinyl was the DJ tonight, coincidentally. The night hadn't even begun, the sun was in the final stages of setting, so you decided to go to the nightclub, kill a few hours. As you began your walk towards Purgatory with Rarity, you felt funny. It wasn't the wine. That's when the memories came flooding back. "Damn Evan!" You laughed. "We've been here less than 5 minutes, and you've already broke something!" You were laughing so hard, tears were coming to your eyes. Evan pouted across the booth. "Do they make sippy cups for beer?" He mused. The shattered glass lay on the floor. The waiter that was serving you was in charge of cleaning it up. You felt really bad. You reached into your wallet, and pulled out a 50 dollar bill. "Here pal. Excuse my friend." The waiter smiles in disbelief. "Sir, are you sure?" You wave your hand at him. "I used to do what you're doing now. I know it sucks. Take it. Buy someone special something shiny. Or some candy or something." You smiled. The waiter took the bill, and insisted on shaking your hand. Evan decided to make fun you. "Well God damn J.P. Morgan, remind me to break a glass every time we go out to eat." The food came out, and was amazing in appearance. Evan ordered a burger in a whiskey barbecue sauce, and you had chicken fingers. Evan wouldn't relent. "Unbelievable. 26 Years old, and still ordering chicken fingers." You shrug your shoulders, shoving chicken fingers coated with barbecue sauce into your mouth. Evan twiddled his fingers, and seemingly got serious in disposition. "So. Aaden." You looked up at him. "You're serious about letting Sarah and I move in with you? I mean, we're definitely going to work. We'll make nowhere near as much money as you, but we'll be happy to help." You laughed. "Evan, you're a brother to me. I will NOT have you out on the street. While I would prefer you to work, I could care less. I've known you since I was 4 years old. I couldn't turn my back on you if I wanted to." Evan was visibly swayed by your kindness. "Aaden, my entire life, I've always been able to depend on you. You're always there for anyone who needs you. This means an incredible amount to me, to Sarah and I." You smile. "It's what friends are for." You hear a distant voice calling your name. "den...aaden...AADEN..." You shake your head, and blink. Rarity is shaking you with her hooves. You snap back into reality, and give her a hug. She yelps with surprise, but hugs back. "Sorry about that honey. I had a flashback, I think." You look up at the sign above a purple building. It read: "PURGATORY". Rarity grabbed your hand by her hoof, and led you to the door. "It's okay darling. Now, we're here. In the mood to dance?" You nod your head. "Oh yeah. Get a little energy out before dessert." Rarity gives you the same seductive look she did earlier. "Don't use too much, darling. I won't have you tired too soon."
Chapter Fourteen: PurgatoryPurgatory itself was purple on the inside, but a dark purple. It was one of those nightclubs where it was very dark. A few deep purple orbs illuminated the area off of the dance floor, and the dance floor itself looked like a big purple and white checkerboard. There were also mist machines everywhere, the mist itself illuminated hues of purple and cyan by the lasers that shot around the club. Vinyl was up on stage, and by that, you meant the tiny DJ podium set up to the right of the center of the dance floor. She was wearing her red goggles, but wasn't really into the music playing. She just kind of hit a switch, and leaned against the wall. The crowd also didn't seem to be too interested in dancing either, they just kind of swayed and talked with one another. You were never a nightclub kind of guy, but you knew that this wasn't how they were supposed to look. No one really seemed to be having fun. They weren't having a bad time, but they weren't having a night they would remember. Vinyl lazily looked around the audience, when she spotted you. She seemingly jumped up, and slid her goggles back over her eyes, looking directly at you. You really didn't want to admit it, but her eyes gave Rarity's a run for her money. Their blood-red color were made seemingly neon under the black lights by her podium. She smiled, and motioned for you to come up to her. "Rarity, I'll be right back. Vinyl's calling me." Rarity laughed. "Of course darling. Liven this place up a little, huh? One would think a funeral was being held here." The crowd really was dead. You didn't have to push your way through, you literally could just walk through them. You walked to the center of the dance floor, and climbed up the ladder to the DJ podium, You got up to her, and were greeted with a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Heard you kicked someones ass today, honor-boy." You laugh. "Does everyone know about that? Damn." She turned the music up a little louder. "So, Aaden, you got that phone of yours on you? I wanna resurrect this crowd." You patted yourself down, and found it in your side pocket. You have no idea while you still carried it on you, it was useless here save for music. But you suppose Vinyl was lucky you had it. You pull it out, unlock it, and hand it to her. She turns around for a brief second, moving her arms rapidly. You aren't sure how she hooked your phone to the speakers, but she did. You were pretty sure the Apple Corporation didn't exist in Equestria, but you weren't going to question it any longer. Vinyl gave you that half-smile of hers, and slid her goggles back on. "Alright honor-boy. Give me something that I can use to raise the dead." You scroll through the music on your phone. You didn't have much of what could be considered club music, but you had a few songs that would serve the purpose Vinyl wanted. You came across a name you recognized. "Calvin Harris". Wasn't he that Scottish DJ you liked back home? OOOOOH! Yeah, I went to a concert he held not too long ago! You click on the song titled, "Flashback by Calvin Harris.". The beat starts smoothly, the keys of a piano giving way to the voice of Calvin, which was light and smooth, as well. The crowd seemingly snapped to attention, obviously having heard nothing like this song before. You were enjoying it, as well. The bass dropped after Calvin had finished his first chorus. Youtube Video I'm coming 'round And now my vision is so clear If I could change my state of mind Then I would disappear The love I get from you Is something I can't change And I couldn't let you slip away Without a second glance Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback, flashback This is like a flashback, flashback Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? Why can't I realize I'm fighting for my life? This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory This is like a flashback This is like a dream This is like all the things you can fit Inside a memory The music gets turned up louder. You look back at the audience. They were stopping their bored swaying movements, and started to actually dance with one another. You looked for Rarity in the audience. You found her over at the bar, standing with her friends. She and Rainbow Dash both waved at you. You waved back, smiling. You looked back over at Vinyl. "Louder." You said. Vinyl smiled her half-smile again. "You got it." She slid the dial with her hoof, the music becoming starting to vibrate you. Vinyl had to yell over the music to talk to you. "SO, AADEN, WHO MADE THIS SONG?" She was now jumping with the beat, and crowd quickly started to follow suit. You could feel the urge to jump building up inside of you. "A DJ WHERE I COME FROM. CALVIN HARRIS." "IF YOU EVER MAKE IT HOME AND HAPPEN TO HAVE A WAY BACK, CARE TO INTRODUCE ME TO HIM?" You laugh over the music. "IF I CAN EVER GET CLOSE TO HIM, ABSOLUTELY!" You could see the current song coming to an end, so you decided to pick the next one out. The crowd seemingly responded well to the Scottish DJ, so you picked another song by him, "We'll Be Coming Back". The moment the song ended, the crowd clapped. Vinyl let out a loud whoop, and gave you another of the friendly punches on your shoulder. The new song started, the crowd letting out a cheer of approval. The song started with Calvin singing again, with the strum of a guitar and the undertone of a beat. The bass kicked in a little sooner than last time. Vinyl started the jumping again, fistpumping her hoof with each jump, a wild smile on her face. "Hoofpumping is what you decided to call it from here on out. She was a mess. Her goggles were still on her head, but only one lens covered her eye, the other one had slid back up to her forehead, her blood-red eyes complementing her wide, mischievous looking smile. Youtube Video We took it all apart but I'm wishing I'd stayed In the back room something I heard you say We didn't wanna call it too early Now it seems a world away but I miss that day Are we ever gonna feel the same? Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back We'll be coming back for you one day You can see it from afar, we were riding that wave Blinded by the lights, and it's something I crave We didn't want to call it too early Now it seems a world away, but I miss that day Are we ever gonna feel the same? Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day Gonna rise, gonna fall, getting pulled apart And we all do it all 'cause it stole our hearts Gonna light up the skies, so ignore the stars And we all do it all 'cause it stole our hearts Standing in the light till it's over, out of our minds Someone had to draw a line We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day I don't even care if I know you, out of our minds Sad to leave it all behind We'll be coming back for you one day We'll be coming back for you one day Vinyl seemingly only got more excited as the music continued. Her smile kept growing. The crowd was also getting more and more active, their jumping and "hoofpumping" following suit of Vinyl's. You looked back out to the bar, and noticed Rarity and her friends had disappeared. You scan the audience, until you see them. They were in the center of the dance floor, jumping and hoofpumping with the rest of the crowd. Pinkie Pie was seemingly in utter ecstasy, jumping twice as fast as everyone else. You blew a kiss to Rarity. Vinyl noticed the song sounded like it was ending. She yelled over the music. "ALRIGHT HONOR-BOY, GIMME SOMETHING TO IGNITE THIS SPARK!" Once again, you flipped through the music on your phone. You saw a song called "Doomsday by Nero". Wait a second. You recognized that song. You found it from a trailer of a video game you liked. Which one was that again? BORDERLANDS 2! I miss my Xbox. Remembering how loud the song was, you decided to play it. The song started off with the repeating of what sounded like some kind of trumpet. Vinyl seemed like she was possessed at this point, her movements becoming robotic, matching the beat of the song perfectly. Youtube Video You could tell she was waiting for the bass to drop. A loud voice called over the speakers, the one from the song. "DECEMBER THE TWENTY FIRST, 2808...DOOMSDAY." The bass then dropped, loud and fast. With each rip of the electric guitar on the beat, the lights in the room would change colors. The checkerboard of a dance floor began to strobe. The song went it's course, when, all of the sudden, around 2 minutes into the song, the beat stopped, and got quiet. The crowd seemed really disappointed, when they head the horns subtly blowing again. The mist machines then kicked on, enveloping the crowd in mist while the lights went dark. As the beat came back, so did the lights. One by one.Vinyl stood completely still. Then the bass dropped, and her robotic movements kicked back in. The music was incredibly loud. So loud, in fact, that a few curios ponies from outside poked their heads inside of the club, to see what all the fuss was. You smiled as you watched them join the crowd. You looked out into the audience, lloking Rarity and her friends. They were still having the time of their life. You blew another kiss to Rarity, who blushed. You noticed Rainbow Dash blow one back. Uh oh. Something tells me that's not good. You shook it off. You were about to climb down the ladder, and go back to join them, when Vinyl grabbed the back of your shirt. "NUH UH, HONOR-BOY! YOU'RE GONNA STAY HERE, HELP ME DJ!" You laugh. "MISS ME ALREADY?" "OH YEAH, NOW GET YOUR ASS BACK UP HERE!" The show must go on, I suppose. _________________________________________________________________________________ You say this too often. Aaden never ceases to amaze you. First, the strength and sexy training session today, then the fluent french, and now he is DJ'ing? Rainbow Dash called to you from over her shoulder, dancing to the new song that just started. "WHAT CAN'T HE DO?" You laughed. "I DON'T KNOW, DARLING! I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT!" He loosened up his bow tie, letting it dangle off his shoulders. He took the headphones off of Vinyl, put them on his head, and started to nod his head with the beat, making adjustments to the volume. Vinyl didn't seem to mind, being completely absorbed in the music. You looked over at your friends. Fluttershy and Applejack went to get more drinks, while Twilight, Rainbow Dash and yourself all danced together. You shouted over the music to talk to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. "SO, HOW DID YOU GIRLS FIND US?" Rainbow sneered. "WE HEARD EXTRA LOUD MUSIC COMING FROM THIS PLACE, DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. SURE ENOUGH, THERE'S AADEN UP ON THE DJ PODIUM!" Rainbow let out a whoop. You watched as Aaden unbuttoned a few on his dress shirt buttons, unbuttoning them down to just above his stomach, while still wearing the blazer. By the Goddess. I can't wait to get him home. The music on the current song stopped. You watched as Vinyl said something into Aadens ear, to which Aaden smiled, and nodded his head. Vinyl climbed down the ladder of the DJ podium, and joined the audience. Aaden picked up the microphone. "Good evening, Canterlot!" The crowd cheered. "Vinyl has given me complete charge of the set. I call the shots for now." The crowd cheered again. "So, this next song. It's for a very special somepony out there. Smile!" The lights then completely went out again. You heard a familiar beat kick in. You hear it get louder, and louder, until you remember exactly what song he was talking about. Youtube Video As the lights slowly dimmed back on, they were a cyan blue. The mist turned cyan. The dance floor was completely cyan. The podium started to light cyan blue, revealing Aaden. He was now wearing Vinyl's goggles. He looked completely cyan, save for the purple goggles and his white smile. All around you, everything was this light shade of blue. Then the mist machines kicked in, the mist itself a very light purple. The scene was intoxicating. Feeling the past moving in Letting a new day begin Hold to the time that you know You don't have to move on to let go You really weren't one for electronic music, but you recall this song very well. It's the one Aaden played for you when he got his phone first unlocked. Add to the memory you keep Remember when you fall asleep Hold to the love that you know You don't have to give up to let go You still find it very appropriate regarding Aaden's situation. You let yourself sway back and forth with the crowd, it's movement seemingly liquid. The bass vibrated your hooves, tickling them. You couldn't help but smile. Remember turning on the night And moving through the morning light Remember how it was with you Remember how you pulled me through You watched Vinyl climb back up the ladder with two drinks in her mouth. You watched Aaden take one cup, take a big gulp of it, set it down, and continue his adjustments to the lighting and volume. He really was a natural at this. I remember, I remember I remember, I remember I remember, I remember I remember, I remember _________________________________________________________________________________ Damn, Aaden is sexy. You handed him his drink. Something about him really attracted you to him. Here he is, wearing your goggles, using your DJ'ing equipment, and he is actually doing extremely good. You watch him. His hair was becoming damp with sweat. Your goggles shined through the cyan blue lighting, and made him look even sexier. His smile was very white, very wide, and also stood out from the cyan blue lighting. As he took a swig of his drink, you noticed he had unbuttoned his shirt. Oh sweet Goddess. The only thing keeping you from making a move is the fact that Rarity is in the audience. She'd freak out, for sure. You look back over at Aaden, who was now swaying, still smiling. Your goggles began to slide off of his face a bit, revealing his sparkling eyes underneath. Screw it. Maybe it'd be worth it. You stared off into the distance, contemplating the ethics of making a move. Aaden then called out to you. "VINYL, YOU ALRIGHT? YOU DON'T SEEM AS EXCITED AS THE CROWD!" He laughed over the music. "THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD THING!" You blush. You, of all ponies, blush. You, of all ponies, standing still in a nightclub that was on fire with music. Aaden takes initiative, grabs your hoof, and starts hoofpumping it for you. He breaks his smile just for a second while he takes a sip of his drink, only to immediately start smiling again. You shout while Aaden pseudo-dances with you. "WHATCHA GOT GOIN' ON TOMORROW, HONOR-BOY?" Aaden looks down at you. "TRAINING FROM 10 TO 2. AFTER THAT, I'VE GOT NO IDEA!" You get an idea. "MIND IF I COME WATCH TOMORROW? THE TRAINING?" Aaden laughed. "I'M GOING TO HAVE MY OWN CHEERLEADING SQUAD! OF COURSE YOU CAN COME!" You smiled. You couldn't wait to see Aaden in action. In fact, that was probably going to be your highlight of being in Canterlot. You watched as Aaden started to slow his movements down a little. Then he came to a complete stop. The music still blasted, and the lights still flashed cyan, but he had stopped. His smile was gone. Where the goggles once looked sexy, they now looked solemn. "YOU ALRIGHT, HONOR-BOY?" _________________________________________________________________________________ How ironic is it, that a song that repeats, "I remember" is making me have a flashback? You can start to see the scene unfold before you. Your vision seemingly switches from the nightclub, and to one completely different. "GO! GOGOGOGO! GOOOOOOOO!" You shouted. Evan was laughing maniacally, and shouting as well. "SACK HIS ASS! BRING HIM DOWN! LIGHT HIM UP!" You watched as a player of the opposing team was sprinting to the endzone of your team, while a member of your team trailed directly behind him. The player jumped, grabbing the opposing player by his legs, tackling him just short of the endzone. You jumped up, throwing your hands into the air. "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The rest of the crowd in the stadium roared with you. This was a home game for your team, so the support was unmatched. You looked over at your friends. Evan and Sarah were there, and then there were a bunch of guys from work that you were friends with. Dennis, Robert, Charles and Justin. They were good guys, really funny, too. "Hey, you guys, I'm going to go get a beer and some chili-cheese fries. You want anything?" They all shook their head. "Nah man, thanks though," Evan responded, speaking for the whole group. You got up from your seat, and walked down the aisle-way, through the hallway leading out to the food and restrooms. You stopped in one of the restrooms, and washed your hands quickly. You looked into the mirror. You were wearing blue jeans with a tan military-style dress shirt, and you had on a pair of sunglasses. You dried your hands, and went back out into the rotunda. You walked over to a food vendor. "Hey, one beer, and one chili-cheese fry, please." The man smiled, took your money, and started preparing your food. You looked over at the pot of chili they had. You cringed. It was starting to form a type of skin over the top of it. "Actually," you started. "Could I get that without the chili?" The man smiled again, and handed you your beer and CHEESE fries, with a fork sticking out of them. You walked back to your seat next to Evan, and sat down. "I miss anything?" "Other than New York not knowing how to catch a damn ball, no." You smiled at Evan's annoyance. You crossed your legs, sipped your beer, and ate a few cheese fries. It was moments like this that made you cherish your life. You felt something on your arm. It was Vinyl, lightly nibbling on it. You come to almost immediately, and look down at her. The music was still blasting, but it was a different song now. "I KNEW THAT WOULD GET YOUR ATTENTION, HONOR-BOY!" Vinyl laughed, and slid her goggles back down on your head. "YOU GOT A CROWD TO PLEASE!" You took a deep breath, and completely unbuttoned your shirt. It was getting pretty hot in the nightclub. As you continued to DJ, you thought about the name of the nightclub. "Purgatory". Purgatory. The space between Heaven and Hell. Where good people, but not absolute saints end up, where they attempt to find comfort from their sins, and attempt to resolve themselves, make themselves better, so that they may end up in Heaven. Purgatory, who's inhabitants would receive their redemption, or end up in Hell trying. Purgatory. You decided it was an appropriate name. You looked down at the sleeve of your blazer. It had little teeth marks and small bit of saliva on it from where Vinyl decided to chew on your arm. You took your blazer off, and sat it across a box behind you. You untucked your dress shirt, and let it fly freely. You were starting to get back into the groove of DJ'ing. You noticed Vinyl eyeing you. You ignored it, and kept making sure the music and lights were entertaining. You were almost done with this little stint of yours as a DJ, and then you and Rarity could get yourselves home. You took another sip of your drink, and set it back down, licking your lips. You lifted up Vinyl's goggles, sliding them onto your forehead. You feel cool air hit your eyes, refreshing you. You look over at Vinyl, who is still staring at you, smiling that infamous mischievous half-smile at you. You didn't know what to think of it, so you kept playing, focusing on keeping the lights synchronized with the music. You took another sip of your drink, and, finding it empty, you reached for Vinyl's. You grabbed it, took a swig of it, and sat it back down, next to your empty cup. You were starting to cool down now, the mist from the fog machines hitting your chest. You could tell the crowd was getting tired, and it must have been getting late. You decided to play one last song, with the help of Vinyl. You turned the music up, and looked back at the crowd. Rarity still stood, dancing and watching you intently. She waved. You blew one last kiss to her, and played the next song. You looked back over to Vinyl one last time as well, so see what she was doing. Still staring at you. Blushing. You shout over the music to her. "CAN I HELP YOU?" You ask with a laugh. She yells back. "I SURE HOPE SO!"
Chapter Fifteen: Like None OtherThe crowd soon died down, and Vinyl was willing to allow you descend the ladder once you gave her a hug, and promised to see her tomorrow. You grabbed your blazer, buttoned your shirt, and slid the blazer on. Rarity was easy to locate in the crowd, being as they were dying back down, and her friends were no longer with her. You gave her a quick kiss once you got over to her. "So. What'd ya think?" Rarity laughed at that question. "You truly are like none other, darling." You put your arm around her neck, and you walked out of the nightclub together. The walk home was relatively easy. You weren't sure what time it was, but the sun was definitely gone now, as evidenced by the fact that the moon was now in the sky. The cool night air felt pretty good, too. You finally made it back to the barracks. The clock read "12:30". Damn. It's past Midnight. Both of you ascend the staircase, and unlock the door to your room. Rarity goes into the bathroom, while you change into your pajamas. You sat on the bed, staring at the alarm clock. It was really late. Rarity came out in her silk pajamas, and laid down next to you. You could tell you were both thinking about the intimacy, and it was starting to become awkward, so she broke the ice. "Darling, don't get me wrong, you looked amazing out there, and I would love nothing more than to be intimate with you, but I'm really tired. I mean, you can still have dessert if you want it, but it might be a little...cold." You think about cold dessert for a minute. Cold apple pie. You cringe. "I understand completely, Rarity. Hey, I'm off all day tomorrow after training. I'm sure we could find time then, right?" Rarity ran her hooves in circles around your chest. "Well, darling, I'd still really like to cuddle tonight. If that's okay." You pull Rarity close to you, and let her assume her position on top of your chest, as she always does. She was out very quickly, her breathing becoming slow and heavy. After you reached over and set the alarm for 8:30, you relaxed your head, and let sleep take you. _________________________________________________________________________________ "DECKER, GET THAT DAMN VAULT OPEN! I'M NOT DYING HERE! NOT HERE, NOT NOW!" You quickly fumbled with the wires to the explosives. You put the final wire in, enter the combination, and run out into the hallway, standing out of the way of the doorway. "CHARGES SET, GET THE FUCK BACK!" Everyone did as they were told. Sure enough, an enormous boom vibrated the entire bank. As you turned around, you saw the two waves of SWAT officers with their shields drawn. They also held MP5s, firing randomly at you. You all quickly ran inside the vault. You slid your shotgun off of your back, loaded it completely. Thomas sunk against a wall. "We're dead. You killed us. Rather than take our target, you kill him, and then insist on robbing a bank." He stares blankly at Anthony. Anthony didn't seem phased. He continued to bark orders. "Everyone, take off your insignia, and burn it over here. If we leave any trace of who we are, you know they'll hunt down and kill our families." You ripped off the orange star stitched to your shoulder, and throw it in a pile with the others. Anthony lit it ablaze, and assumed position behind an overturned table in the vault. So this is how you were going to die. 8 years in school, 4.0 GPA, renowned hacker, and you were going to die as a faceless bank robber. You couldn't help but think about what your Mom would think if she knew about all of this. No one says they want to grow up and be a mercenary. You attempt to accept your impending death. If you surrender, you'll more than likely be sentenced to death, or your client will have you executed in prison. If you fight, and win, which is impossible, you would be killed by your client. If you fight here and now, you'll die. There was no escaping this. You were dead the moment your target was executed. You heard men yelling just outside the doorway. Victor leaned out, fired his shotgun, pumped it, and fired it again. You could hear the SWAT yelling in surprise, and then heard the loud crack of several MP5s firing. You then saw Victor jerk back, and hit the ground, pumping blood onto the ground from his neck. This is funny. Here you are, about to die, and you have a silly regret. You didn't know the name of the kid that was your target. _________________________________________________________________________________ The alarm is what stopped the dream this time. You got up, attempting to avoid waking up Rarity. You decided to not take a shower, you'd just get dirty again here soon anyways. You do go ahead and throw on some deodorant and a fresh shirt and pair of pants. You tried to remember how to assemble the armor, the way Virgil had done for you. You start with the greaves. You slide each of the legs on separately, fastening the front plates, before sliding on the back plates, and fastening them. You then slid the metal covers over your shoes, completely encasing each of them. You put your breastplate on over your shirt, and slid the armor sleeves onto your arms, lining up the bending part with your elbows. You flexed your arms in and out, just to make sure you had done it right. Next came the gloves. They were interesting. You put on a pair of white gloves, followed by chain mail coverings, then golden plated gauntlets. You picked up the pauldrons, and clipped them into place by sliding them over the breastplate. You walk over to the chair by the door, where you had sat down your other equipment. Your slide leather belt on, and place your sheathed blade through the large loop on your right hand side, and you tied your leather satchel to your left hand side. You decided against wearing the helmet. Not until you were actually training. By the time you had got the armor all set up and put on, it was about 9:40. You decided to go ahead and head downstairs. You clunk down the staircase, and walk out to the back of the barracks. A good amount of Honor Guardsman were already there, slashing at the dummies set up with swords and spears. You noticed Oliver talking to a group of other guardsman. You walk over towards him. "Oliver, good to see you!" Oliver perks up at the sound of your voice. "Aaden! It's good to see you in armor! You look ready for war!" Oliver examines you. "Well, you know. Guard of honor and everything." Oliver smiled and guided you over to a table that had a bunch of food set up on it. "I know they probably didn't tell you this brother, but when we train new recruits, we set up breakfast out here. Bagels, doughnuts, coffee, orange juice, those sorts of things. Most important meal, you know." Oliver hands you a doughnut. "White chocolate. I remember your affinity for them." You quickly eat the doughnut, and thank Oliver. You look up to the balcony. Sure enough, there's Rarity and her friends, plus Vinyl. That was quick. Virgil walked out from the barracks, and stood in the spot he did yesterday. He called out. "Guardsman! Positions!" All of the Honor Guards stopped what they were doing immediately, and ran to their positions. As did you. You all snapped to attention, saluting Virgil. "Alright Guardsman!" Virgil kept calling. "Today, we are doing something a little more interesting. It's going to be a short day today! Being as Recruit Locke has shown an excellent prowess about him, we will not have to shape him up as much as usual! No sprints today! Instead, we will focus on sparring! Locke has shown that he already has the strength and endurance, so all we must do is hone and sharpen his skills! I have selected 3 spars for him." Virgil pointed at you. "First, he will spar with Guardsman Gladius! Then with Guardsman Zweihänder! Lastly, with Veteran Guardsman Oliver!" You looked over at Oliver, who did not break gaze off of Virgil. "Prepare yourself Guardsman! You have 20 minutes!" You decided to spend those 20 minutes stretching and removing the armor you spent so long getting together. When you were done taking everything off, you were only in your golden leggings and boots. You placed them by the breakfast table, and continued stretching. The preparation time was soon up. You heard Virgil whistle. "Alright, Gladius, Locke, here is how this will work. Aaden, you will attempt to last as long as you can. When I believe either of you has been "killed", I will yell your name. Aaden, if I don't call your name, don't get too excited; the next challenger will already be in the ring. We do not expect you to win. We want to see your true skill." Virgil walked you over to behind the dummies, and the Guardsman named Gladius followed. He had also removed his armor. Virgil stopped, while both Gladius and yourself walked forward. You took a deep breath as you both started to circle each other. You got this. Gladius made the first move, ducking his head low, and sprinting towards you. You take the hit right in your abdomen, but you wrap your arms around his neck, and throw him aside. He stumbles back up to his feet quickly, and you begin to circle one another. Gladius charged you again, ramming your stomach again, but this time, your fingers slip from grabbing him. He essentially just got a free shot in on you. And it hurts. You hear a voice calling to you. "Woo hoo, Aaden, go get get em', you can do this, you got it!" Without even turning around, you know it's Pinkie Pie. Gladius then attempted to charge you again. He made the mistake that would lose him the spar. You leaned your foot out, tripping him mid charge, and as he tumbled forward, you grabbed his hind legs, causing him to fall on his back. He groaned in pain and frustration. He hit the ground hard. Sure enough, Virgil called. "Gladius! You're dead!" Gladius hit the ground with his hoof, and walked away while Zweihänder approached. He was a very large Earth pony. He walked forward, holding his head low. You started the circling movement this time. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden now faced a very large Earth pony. They began the exact same circle movement. You looked over your shoulder. All of your friends had interesting facial expressions. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both seemed to be excited, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle seemed to be concerned, and Applejack and Vinyl were seemingly deeply intrigued. As were you. You watched the spar unfold. Aaden was already dirty, but you didn't mind that. He circled around the big Earth pony, until Aaden made the first move. He reached in with his fist, and attempted to get a quick grab on the neck of the Earth pony, but the Earth pony threw his head at Aaden, hitting him in his shoulder. They then went back to circling. The Earth pony then charged Aaden, and he didn't get out of the way fast enough. With a grunt, Aaden was sent on his back. The Earth pony then jumped on top of Aaden. "Oh no..." You heard Fluttershy murmur. The Earth pony took one of his hooves, raised it up, and brought it down. Aaden jerked his head to the right, the hoof smacking a hole where his head used to be. Aaden then brought his legs up to the chest of the big Earth pony, and with a big kick using both legs, bucked the pony off of him. Aaden hopped back to his feet. The Earth pony seemed infuriated, and attempted to charge Aaden again. Aaden grabbed him, stopped him in his tracks, and delivered his knee to his chest twice, then grabbed him by his neck, and threw him to the ground. The Earth pony laid on the ground, groaning in pain. You could hear Virgil yelling from here. "Zweihänder, you're dead! Get moving!" You watched as Oliver swooped down from the skies above, and landed right in front of Aaden. _________________________________________________________________________________ It was Oliver. You made it to Oliver. Oliver smiled a quick smile. "It is an honor, brother. Let us spar." Oliver then ripped his wings out, and burst towards you, his claws coming towards you. One slashed your chest, while the other grabbed ahold of you. He brought the other claw back up into a slashing position, but you grabbed it, and jut your head out, smacking him in the center of his beak. He turned around, grasping his beak. You took advantage of the moment, and grabbed him from behind. You hear Oliver laugh, "Think brother. You need to think." That's when his wings extended, throwing you off of him violently. He lured me into doing that! You got back up. You landed right on your arms, and they were hurting pretty badly. He turned back around, and rocketed at you once more. You dove out of the way, and he flew right past you. As he turned back around, he flew low to the ground, dragging his front right claw along the ground. It ripped up the earth, as he got closer, and closer. You took a deep breath, and closed your eyes, letting yourself relax completely. Think brother. You need to think. Think. You turned around, letting him come up on your back. You kept your eyes closed, and continued to breathe deep. You felt your heart rate slow. You could describe your environment perfectly now, even with your eyes closed. You could hear him getting closer. You could hear your friends gasping in horror up on the balcony. Your sense went into overtime. He was flying just low enough to allow this to work. All you had to do was time it right. Think. You held both of your arms out to your sides, extending them away from you. You then let yourself fall back. And you fell. Fell for what felt like an eternity. The moment you felt his wings, you would grab as hard as you could. Soon enough, you felt the feathers of his wings, and you grabbed as hard as you possibly could. You pushed yourself off of his back holding onto his wings, doing a pseudo-backflip, landing on your feet, and with him in your grasp. The pain from being stopped so suddenly and from you grabbing his wings so hard seemingly stunned him. You threw him on the ground, and put your foot on his neck. Virgil was amazed. His whistle blew, but softly, because he was breathless. "Uh...Oliver. You're dead." Oliver got up off the ground, and looked at you. His face was neutral and straight at first, but then it immediately burst into an incredibly wide smile. "By the Goddess, brother! And here I thought I was out thinking you! You will make the Honor Guard proud!" Oliver patted you on the back excitedly, and led you over to Virgil. Virgil was still seemingly amazed. You didn't like fighting. But it looks like you really could fight, and fight well. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash was absolutely ecstatic. "OHMIGOSH! DID YOU JUST SEE THAT?" She laughed wildly. Applejack was in awe as well, speaking in nearly a whisper. "Ah ain't ever seen anything like that..." You couldn't believe your eyes, either. Aaden not only defeated a veteran Honor Guard, but he just did so in an incredible manner. All of you stared in amazement at Aaden. He was now completely covered in dirt, had blood on his chest from that slash, but he still looked incredibly attractive. You watch Oliver and Aaden talk to Virgil, when Aaden and Oliver start laughing. Hard. So hard, in fact, the Aaden has tears in his eyes. You could see them shimmering from up here. For whatever reason, you started to feel very anxious. You wanted to talk to him. Not about anything in particular, you just wanted to hear his voice. "Girls, you're welcome to stay here, I'm going to go meet with Aaden, bring him back here." Rainbow Dash immediately responded. "Ooo, you know, I think I'm going to go with you. I've GOT to ask him where he learned that!" Vinyl also chimed in. "Yeah, I wanna hear what honor-boy has got to say about that." You shrug your shoulders. You don't see any problems with letting them come with you.
Chapter Sixteen: Haunting of a Mind"Aaden, you're making a big mistake." "I made a mistake the moment I joined the IMO." "Think of the money! Think of the power!" "That's not me. It may have been in the past, but I'm done with that." "Why? Is it a girl? What damn reason could you possibly have to abandon this?" "I see life for what it really is now. I have friends. Friends that actually care about my well being." "Aaden, you went as far as to get that job of yours, so we could get the blueprints..." "And I regret that. Those people are actually very nice, very hard working." "Who gives a shit!?" "I do." "Just turn over the blueprints, Aaden." "No." "Aaden. You're going to get yourself killed. You know they'll come for you." "Come what may, I will not surrender these blueprints. Not to you. Not to them." "THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOI-" "I have. I'm living a normal life now. It'll continue to be that way. "Aaden..." "Goodbye, Anthony. May you one day see what I see in this life, as well." _________________________________________________________________________________ That was weird. You remember that conversation well, but not who it was with, or anything else about it, actually. With multiple blinks of your eyes, you cleared your mind once more. Virgil was ranting about how you may qualify for veteran guardsman status, and Oliver was reinforcing his point when you opened the door to the barracks. Virgil broke his ranting for a minute, and spoke to the receptionist. "Bruise, you think you could send a concierge to collect Aaden's armor for him?" Bruise nodded his head. "Yes sir." Virgil and Oliver then walked off into what they called "Central Command". You decided to go back up to your room. You were shaking with adrenaline from the fight. Your heart felt funny, and your stomach tickled. While this feeling left you with a sensation of elation, you still didn't like fighting. Something in your head didn't feel right when you thought about fighting. Like you know you're doing something wrong, but you do it anyway. Guilt. As you ponder these thoughts, you see Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Vinyl descending the staircase from your room. "Oh. Hey girls." They then hurried down the stairs quicker. "I hope you enjoyed the show." They all three ran over to you. Rarity was the first to start with the questions. "Oh, darling, are you alright?" She ran her hoof softly over your new slash, courtesy of Oliver. "That seems a little far for a spar, if you ask me." "No, I'm fine. Oliver knew his limits. I think." Rainbow Dash then decided to investigate the wounds, too. "Wow dude. A deep gash and you STILL brought him down? You gotta tell me where you learned that!" You shrugged your shoulders. "If I could remember, I'd tell you." She ran a hoof through her mane quickly. "Well, Aaden, I just want to say that I thought you were so AWESOME out there! We're so lucky to have someone like you defending Ponyville!" "Thanks Dash." Then Vinyl stepped forward. "How're ya feeling, honor-boy?" She slid her goggles up, revealing those eyes of hers. You could see legitimate concern in her eyes. You had never seen her like that before. "I'm alright." You looked down at the slash across your chest. It was bleeding pretty badly. "Well. I could probably use a shower, and I could definitely eat something. I should also probably get a couple of bandages, take it easy for the day." You watched relief form itself in her eyes. "Thatta boy. I knew you were tougher than that." Rarity used a hoof to grab your hand, and lead you upstairs, while the other girls followed. You got back into your room. Your breastplate, gauntlets, and helmet were all in the corner. Damn. That concierge was fast. The girls all trotted off, leaving you on your own. You didn't want to admit it, but you felt great relief that you could be on your own for just a moment. You untied the plates to your greaves, and untied your sheathe and satchel, leaving them together in the bedroom. You walked into the bathroom, undressed, and put your clothes in what you designated to be the dirty clothes hamper. You got inside of the shower, and pressed the silver button with the red lining. Hot water came out of all of the jets. It stung getting inside of your fresh slash wound, but you had to clean it out. While you cleaned it, you really took a good look at it, examined it. It wasn't too deep, you wouldn't need stitches or anything. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt, though. You spent your shower in silence, listening to the water hit the tile. You never liked drying off. It was cold, and you always would leave a wet spot somewhere on your body, so you would spend an extra amount of time ensuring you were completely dry. Realizing that the only pair of underwear that you had was dirty, you threw on a towel over your waist, and walked into the bedroom. You opened up the suitcase, and found what you were looking for. A simple pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white T-shirt, along with clean underwear and socks. You felt hooves slide around your waist. "I never doubted you for a minute, darling." It was Rarity. You were relieved. "But please make sure you stay this careful." You shared this reverse hug for a minute, before you heard her leave the room. You walked back into the bathroom, put on your underwear and jeans, then decided to stand by the mirror and put on your bandages. You took a rag, dampened it with disinfectant, and wiped down your wounds one last time. That's when you heard hooves walking into the bathroom. By looking in the mirror, you see it was Rainbow Dash. "Oh, hey." She started to blush. "You're still in here. I'm sorry." She then looked curiously at you. "Whatcha doing?" "Putting on new bandages over my existing wounds, and putting a bandage over my new wound." Rainbow walked over, and unpeeled a bandage. "No offense dude, but you're doing it wrong. I get hurt all of the time in my line of work, so trust me, I know how to put on bandages." Oh boy. I know where this is going. "Here, lemme help!" You turn around, while she hops up on her hindlegs, and presses two bandages over your lower abdomen, and your shoulder. She then puts a long bandage over the slash, and pats it. You notice her hoof is still swirling around your torso. You clear your throat. "Uh, Dash. I think you got them all on." She immediately hopped down. She must have spaced out. Eh. I do that all the time. No harm no foul. "Sorry Aaden." You smile, and rub your new bandages. Even though you're sure she was flirting with you, she wasn't lying about knowing how to put these things on right. they were tight, but snug. You either did it too tight or too loose. "I space out all of the time, Dash. It's cool." She giggled. "Okay, good. Well, I've got to use the bathroom now." You walk out of the bathroom, and close the door for her. You had the weirdest feeling she wasn't going to close it herself. You sat on the bed, and put on your shirt. You lay back on the bed, and let your eyes close. You can feel yourself slipping into sleep. You didn't fight it. You were too tired to resist. _________________________________________________________________________________ You walk away. You hear Anthony yelling at you. "Don't you fucking walk away from me!" You stop, and turn around. "Anthony, we both know I could kick your ass." Anthony mimicked your voice. "But that's not me anymore! Waaaah! I wanna be normal!" You smiled. "I like your impersonation of me. I'd say it's spot on. Now, if you'd excuse me, I've got a job to go to." you could hear Anthony walking towards you. He grabbed your arm. Big mistake. "I guess you didn't hear me when I said: DON'T, FUCKING, WALK, AWAY, FROM, ME!" Anthony yelled. You swung your suitcase up, bashing him in his face. As he backed up, holding his face, you put your suitcase down, pulled him over to you by his collar, and punched him in his face. Once. Twice. Three times. You then threw him back to the ground. He squirmed to get back up. "Aaden..." He coughed. "Please...you don't know what you're denying me..." You picked up your suitcase, readjusted your tie, and turned around, about to continue your walk to work. "Nobody needs that much money. Or power. Your lust for both will kill you one day, you know that?" You walked away successfully this time, the only sound in the streets being your dress shoes clopping against the sidewalk. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Hero? Wake up!" Your eyes open. You realize Vinyl is right on top of you. Her face couldn't be closer to you. You could stick out your tongue and poke her eye, if you wanted to. She had her goggles slipped back up, and she was laying on top of you, shaking you awake. You gently pick her up, and set her aside. You loved those eyes, they really were quite mesmerizing, but that was uncomfortable for you. You sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched. You stood up, and looked at the clock. It was 3 PM. You must have slept a really long time. You looked over at Vinyl, who was laying on one side, her chin in one hoof, while the other hoof went down over her side. "You were really out, hero-boy." Honor-boy? Hero-boy? These sound like awful comic book sidekicks. You walk into the living room. It's empty. Everyone is gone. You call back to Vinyl. "Where is everyone?" She calls back. "They left to go get some food. Said they wanted someone to stay and watch you. Of course I volunteered." Your stomach rumbled. You hear Vinyl laugh from the other room. "I heard that. They're bringing you back food too. They were going to surprise you with it, like a late lunch in bed type thing." You pat your stomach. You walk back to the bedroom, grab the frame at the top of the door, and lean in the bedroom. "So. I'm not mad, but why'd you wake me?" Vinyl was now laying in the bed, under the comforter, where you were. "Because I'm bored. Watching you sleep was boring." Watching me sleep? "You're much more fun when you're awake," She turned around, still under the comforter, her goggles still up on her forehead. "You smell really good, you know that? This spot smells exactly like you, honor-boy." You weren't sure why Rainbow Dash and Vinyl were becoming so "friendly" lately, but you decided to just leave it alone. No need to cause a problem if there isn't one. Plus, they knew you were with Rarity. They wouldn't seriously try anything, especially since they're both friends with her. You walk over to the window, adjacent to the bed, and separate the curtains. You let the sun pour in. You slide the window open, and let the fresh spring air blow itself in. Other than the recent "friendliness" of Vinyl and Rainbow Dash, it was still a mighty fine day. It was a good day to be alive. You kind of wanted to go hiking, be in nature. But at the same time, you wanted to spend time with Rarity. You knew she probably wouldn't come hiking though. Too much dirt. and bugs. and nature. You'd ask Fluttershy about it when they got back with the food. You knew she'd be happy to hike with you and guide you through a couple of trails she knew. It had been a long time since you had been hiking. The last trail you went on was with Evan and Sarah through northern New York state. Absolutely beautiful. As you thought about it, you heard the voices come back. It was like a memory, but just voices. You felt like you were losing your mind. You felt like your mind was haunted with the ghosts of your past. The ghosts that you can't remember. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, let me get this straight, Captain Locke. You wish to leave the IMO?" "Yes sir, Chairman." "And what if we deny you the right to leave?" "I will leave regardless of what you say, sir." "Why though, Locke? You one moment can't wait to get the money and the power. All of the sudden you don't want it anymore? Explain yourself." "I don't have to explain myself to you, sir. I am a changed man. Life is far too valuable to take. Especially over things as petty as money and power. At the end of the day, no matter how much money you have, or how much power you have, you die. We all die. We all have to face death. With that in mind, I intend to live my life to the fullest. Terrorizing third world countries and warring with other PMCs isn't exactly my idea of living life to a full potential. I have friends and family. Their love and attention is all I could ever ask for. And I have it. With that, I hereby resign." The Chairman laughed. "Touching words, Aaden. Touching words. But I don't think you've thought this through." "You aren't worth my full attention, if that's the case."
Chapter Eighteen: An Angel and His SaintsRarity came in very late that night. You were already asleep, and the girls had already left to go back to their respective hotels. You heard Rarity almost tip-toe inside, rustle around in the closet, then lay in bed next to you. You felt her kiss your forehead, and drift off to sleep. You were unable to stay awake, although you knew what dreams would come. _________________________________________________________________________________ You looked around the interior of the helicopter. 6 men, including yourself, were seated, listening to The Chairman speak over the large radio that sat in the lap of one soldier. "We apologize for the...sudden...deployment. However, a client of ours, a Senator in the United States of America, has enlisted our help. His daughter was recently kidnapped, sold into slavery, and then murdered." You looked out of the side of the helicopter. There was a swarm of them, maybe 14 or 15, each carrying 6 men, flying in formation with your helicopter. "The Senator has already paid us. You are to storm this human trafficking complex, and kill everyone inside. Leave the slaves alive. And trust us...you will know a slave when you see them..." You look down at your shotgun. After the incident in Eastern Europe, you're glad to be doing something you view as good. Yeah, it was brutal, but at least you weren't killing any innocents. Hell, you would kill these sick sons of bitches for free. You were doing the world a favor. The Chairman continues his speech. "After we...interrogated...a human trafficker we kidnapped from Los Angeles, he spilled out the location of his boss, here in southern France..." The pilot of helicopter punched the thin metal wall separating him from you. "ETA 5 MINUTES! GET READY!" You heard him yell. The Chairman laughed quietly over the radio. "Death twitches in my ear...live, he says...for I am coming...time to clock in, boys." You looked back outside. You were flying over a dense forest that was turning an orange and scarlet color. Autumn was coming. You saw a large mansion in the distance. That was the complex. You noticed an astounding amount of cars parked outside of it and around it. They must be trading. Not for long. You load 8 shells into your shotgun, and stand up, holding onto the bar, letting yourself slightly lean outside of the helicopter. Your helicopter stops directly over top of the mansion, while several others stop around it, and a few others stop in the forests surrounding the mansion. All the men in your helicopter stand up, and throw long ropes connected to the inside of the helicopter out. You all grab ahold of your own ropes. You hear Major Howard counting down. "5..." You looked down. "4..." Glass ceiling where you were dropping. "3..." You could see people running around inside the mansion. "2..." You pump your shotgun. "1..." You take a deep breath. "GO, GO, GO!" You grab ahold of the rope, and jump, letting yourself slide down. You and the 5 other men in your squad slam through the glass roof. You accidently lose your grip slightly, and fall about 6 feet from the ground. Another man from your squad runs over to you, and helps you up while the other men start cutting the traffickers in the room down. "DO YOU WANNA GET PAID?! MOVE IT!" You hop to your feet. Men and women of different nationalities, all in fancy attire, lie dead in the room. They were traffickers. You look to the center of the room. There was a young female in her bra and panties, chained to a stake. She was kneeling, and crying in fear. Your squad lines up against the door, getting ready for the inevitable counter attack. Using the butt of your shotgun, you smash her chains, freeing her. "Stay in here, others will come. It's going to be okay." She nodded, and darted to the corner of the room. "AADEN! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE, TAKE POINT!" You run over to the door, look down the iron sights of your shotgun, and kick the door open. You see a man in a business suit, who was about to open the door, staring at you in fear. You pull the trigger, ripping his torso apart. You pump the shotgun. Another man across the lobby was reaching into his blazer. You blast him before he does so, sending him to the ground. Your squad storms out of the room, firing on the traffickers pouring down the staircases. The front doors then fly open. More soldiers from the forests pour in. You separate from your squad in the chaos, running around the mansion, freeing all the slaves you could. That's when you entered the cellar in your search. You could hear sobbing, a female voice. "help.....help.....help....." You picked up the pace, and found a girl tied to another stake. As you kneeled down next to her, you heard her whisper in between sobs. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Your eyes shoot open, you quickly move your head, and dive out of the way. A large knife just flew in the empty space where your head used to be. A trafficker was using her as bait. He smirks at you. "Think your a hero?" He mocks. You throw your shotgun down, and rip your combat knife from its sheath. "You're mine, you sick FUCK!" He runs at you, slashing the blade. He grazes your cheek with it, drawing blood. You feel overwhelmed with anger. How could anyone do these things? Hurt innocent people? He made the final mistake of his life when he tried to stab you. You caught his arm, and locked it behind you. Using your free right arm, you took your blade, and slammed it vertically into his jaw. He stepped backward, staggering, pawing at his throat, the blade surly had pierced his brain. It was only a matter of time before he died. In his backwards walk, he hit the cellar wall, and slid back against it. He stopped thrashing. You walked over to him, put your boot on his chest, and ripped the blade from his jaw, putting it back into it's sheath. You pick up your shotgun off of the floor, and slam it down, freeing the girl in the cellar. She looks at you, tears in her eyes. "You're an angel. A saint among men." You motioned with your shotgun for her to get upstairs. All of the gunfire and screaming had stopped. Your job was done. You come back upstairs, and see your helicopters coming back in. A bunch of soldiers were escorting the slaves onto them. Anthony walked over to you. "God damn Locke! You're covered in blood!" You looked down at yourself, and back at him. "Are you okay? You're staring into blank space. Talk to me Aaden." You swallow. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." _________________________________________________________________________________ The morning was rather uneventful. Rarity was still in bed when you left, and training was simple. No sparring, just strength training. When you came back, there was a note on the door. You still couldn't read Equestrian, so she drew pictures. It was a drawing of a pony walking past a stall, with several hearts around it. She must be out shopping. You went in, showered, and got yourself dressed. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were going to be around soon for this hike of yours. You made sure your backpack was stocked with snacks, and decided to bring along your phone. It wasn't soon after your preparation that you heard a knock at your door. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were both there. "Hiya Aaden! You ready?" You smile. "You know it. Let's roll!" Your mind kept drifting off to that dream. Did you really do that? Did you really kill someone? Multiple someones? Was that real? Surely that was a video game or a movie or something. But they called you by name. You felt torn between two worlds. If that was the real you, you didn't want to be that way again. You want to stay an amnesiac, start anew. As you pondered these thoughts, your walk to the Silversong Forest was a quick one. It was just as beautiful as Fluttershy had said. Gray trees with light purple leaves, and gray grass. It was hauntingly beautiful. Eerie, but beautiful none-the-less. As you fully examine and take in this melancholy yet breath taking environment, a strong gust blows through the forest, making the leaves of the thousands of trees rustle in unison. You can hear The Chairman laughing inside of your head. Live. For I am coming. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were stoked to be on a hike with Aaden. You still can't believe he let you come. That must mean he likes you, right? Get it together! You, are, RAINBOW, DASH. Remember? You hated how nervous and unsure Aaden made you. Normally, you could be as loud and as arrogant as you wanted to be with no problem, but when Aaden was there, it was different. You would start talking, and he would look at you. Right in your eyes. Those eyes of his... You look up at him while you walk through the forest. He looks back down, and smiles at you. Ooooooh, those eyes... You feel yourself melting at the thought of him. And those eyes... Rainbow, you are NOT Fluttershy! Cut it out! Just tell him how you feel! You couldn't fight it. He made you timid. You clear your throat. "So, Aaden." Your voice cracks anyways. You clear your throat again. "You totally said you would talk about yourself." You let yourself laugh nervously. Fluttershy chimes in. "Yeah Aaden, tell us about yourself!" You all continued your walk, while Aaden answered the plethora of questions you both had. "What exactly are you?" "What was your home like?" "What did you do for a living?" Aaden kept his patience with you both, and continued his story. It amazed you. A world where cities were extremely common, where machines were an integral part of life, where magic didn't exist, and the only way to fly was in large machines. Aaden's life was also one of the most touching things you had heard about. From what he told, he was raised with a large family, which was cut in half after an accident. He lost a father twice in his life. You couldn't imagine doing that once. He also seemed kind of reluctant to talk about it, but he was an Architect, and apparently a very successful one, designing those big buildings he described. He didn't talk about it long, and moved on. This small talk continued for some time, and once again, you found yourself in state of complete fascination. You had all walked for at least an hour. Aaden's stories were so completely amazing and interesting, that you had lost track of time. Your stomach rumbled. Aaden smiled, and stopped the hike, signalling you all to sit down around him. You did so. "Here girls, I don't know if Pinkie Pie had told you about this, but I have a lot of candy from back home. I think I might even have some potato chips. " You scooted closer to him, and peeked inside the backpack. "Which do you like, Aaden?" Aaden dug through the bag, and pulled out a slim blue bar with red letters on it. You couldn't read it. "Rarity really likes these. They're called Crunch bars. They're essentially chocolate bars with crisped rice inside of them." Crisped rice? Aaden notices your confused face, and laughs. "Trust me, they're pretty good. Here, have one of them, aaaaand..." He digs through his backpack a little more. "And here, take this one, too." It's a little red bag. "That's a bag of spicy potato chips from back home. You're a dare-devil, I think you'll like them." Aaden also pulls out 3 bottles of water, and hands one to you and Fluttershy, while taking one for himself. "Hey, Fluttershy, you want any candy? I've got chocolate, I've got some sour stuff, some extra sweet stuff, and I still have a few bags of chips and stuff." Fluttershy trotted over. "May I look in the bag?" Aaden nodded his head. She put her head in the bag, and pulled out a neon green bag. "Whatsh thish?" She asked with the bag in her mouth. "Those are called Chewy Sprees. They're kind of sour, but I really like them." Aaden takes the bag from her mouth, and opens it, handing her a single chewy disk. Fluttershy curiously chewed it, and smiled in approval. "Mmm...M-may, may I have the rest of the bag?" Aaden smiled really big. "Of course, Fluttershy! And here," Aaden pulled out another, longer green package. "That's called fun-dip. It's also pretty tasty." You all sat in silence, eating the snacks that Aaden had provided. You looked around, taking in the environment. This forest was weird. It wasn't like any other. You all sat in a clearing, surrounded by thousands of gray trees on all sides. An occasional breeze would waft past, reminding you of just how perfect the temperature was. You looked over at Aaden. He wasn't eating anything. He just started to stare, with wide eyes, into the distance. Ohhh...dude...his eyes are twinkling... Fluttershy stood up. "I, uh...I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be r-right back..." She was obviously embarrassed, and trotted off into the forest. Alright Rainbow Dash, now is your chance! Aaden was still staring. He hadn't blinked once. You leaned close to him, and closed your eyes. You kissed him. You actually did it. When you opened your eyes, he was still staring. His eyes were still wide open. "Huh?" You pushed him with a hoof. "Aaden?" He still wasn't moving. You noticed his eyes welling with tears. You began to feel very panicked. "Aaden, oh my goddess, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you didn't want that, and-" You stopped mid-sentence, and looked at him. Tears now ran down his cheeks, but his chest wasn't heaving, showing that he was crying. He just sat and stared. His eyes still enthralled you, even with tears. You could tell something was wrong. You shook him as rapidly as you could, but no response. "Aaden! Aaden, wake up!" _________________________________________________________________________________ You were being overwhelmed. What was once 25 men was now 12. Your trench sat on the outside of a forest, and what felt like hundreds of hostile soldiers were bearing down on you. "AADEN! AADEN, WAKE UP, AND GET THE FUCK ON THAT RADIO!" Major Howard yelled. You looked down at the body you were holding. The soldier was trembling, covered in blood. He reached his hand out to you, and still violently shaking, he grabbed your hand, and squeezed it with what little strength he had left. He was moaning in pain. "HE'S GOING TO DIE!" You yelled back. "HE NEEDS HELP!" Major Howard poked his head back over the trench, and fired rapidly with his rifle. "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!" You slammed your fist into the mud, and were forced to leave the wounded soldier in the mud. You leaned out of the trench, and fired several shots with your handgun. All around you, you heard your fellow men crying out. "I'M OUT, I'M OUT!" "NO MORE AMMO!" "I'M DRY!" You crawled over to the dead radio operator, and screamed over the receiver. "HELLO?! HELLO?! GOD DAMN IT!" You punch the mud again. You try to switch channels on the radio.. "CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?! CAN ANYONE FUCKING HEAR ME?! WE NEED HELP! WE NEED HELP NOW!" Still no response. You scream in frustration. You crawl back over to the wounded man you were holding, and pick him back up. He was smiling, but still shaking. You could hear his quiet, raspy talking, even over the gunfire and screaming. "A-Aaden..." You grip his hand, fighting back tears. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." He squeezed your hand a little harder. "I heard...a lot about you before...before this..." You looked him in his eyes. You could feel the tears coming, regardless of how hard you fought it. "and I...I just want to say..." He coughed violently. "These few moments.....fighting beside you.....have been the pr-proudest.....proudest...of my...li...." The squeezing of his hand got really strong on yours all of the sudden, but then immediately ceased. He exhaled a deep breath, and completely stopped moving. The tears now flowed with no stop. You put your face in his chest. This was too much. This was all too much. You heard the radio buzzing, a static filled voice coming over. "Viper 8-0, this is Archangel, going to be strafing the area, stand clear." A helicopter descended from the thick rain clouds, and immediately began firing it's minigun into the forest. Within moments, the fighting had ceased. The tears, however, had not. What was once 12 men, was now 11. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Aaden, dude, please, wake up!" You didn't like seeing his tears. It made you feel like you wanted to cry. Aaden finally blinked his eyes, releasing a large payload of tears. He sniffed, and then put his arms around you. You yelped in surprise, but didn't fight it. You also couldn't help but cry. You hugged back as hard as you could. You heard Aaden whimper. "Oh God...what have I done..." You hugged him closer, assuming the role of his comforter. You assumed it had something to do with a memory. You knew he was an amnesiac, so he probably just remembered something painful. He probably just relived one of the worst moments of his life. You couldn't imagine having to do anything painful over again. After a few moments, you pulled away, and looked at him. He was looking down at the gray ground. The crying had stopped, but his eyes were still a little red. You wiped his cheeks with your hooves, and gave him another big hug. He didn't hug back, but you understood. He was in pain, this much was obvious. And you were going to comfort him. You were going to hold him. _________________________________________________________________________________ You wanted to become an amnesiac once more. You had no idea your life was like that. You didn't want to know what else was around the corner, waiting to surprise you. With every memory that comes to you, you relived it. Every word of it. Every emotion of it. And it hurt. It hurt badly. You lift your arms up, and hug Rainbow Dash back. You knew she would take the hugging back in a wrong way, but you didn't care. You needed a hug. You took a deep breath in, and held it in. When you exhaled, your mind settled slightly. Of course, you could never tell the girls about this. You couldn't tell Virgil, or Oliver. This was your burden to carry, and yours alone. These were your mistakes. Your sins. You weren't searching for forgiveness of any God. You were searching for forgiveness from yourself.
Chapter Nineteen: Lament of a WarriorGrief. Noun. Intense mental anguish. Deep sorrow surrounding death. A fitting defintion, you thought. Your right eye was free from Rainbow Dash's coat, and you used it to look around. You hope to come back here again soon, and hopefully retain your sanity, because it really was beautiful. The gray grass surrounded both Rainbow Dash and yourself, as did the gray trees. With each gust of wind, a few purple leaves would blow off, and float their way to the forest floor. You also noticed that the only flowers the grew around here were a bright white. It added to the feeling the forest gave you. You began to ponder your many escapes from this situation. Suicide was always there, but it wouldn't solve your problems. You would die not knowing any answers, knowing any peace. You could always try to render yourself amnesiac again. But you would inevitably have to relive it all again. Would talking about it help? If you were to confess your past to these ponies, would it help you? You have much on your mind. Luckily, Rainbow Dash does something that comforts you more than you thought it would. She takes her hoof, and gently strokes your hair, going towards your forehead. "Hey there big guy. You wanna talk about it?" You're pretty sure she just kissed the top of your head. Maybe it was her hoof. You shake your head. You hate the fact that you feel like such a little kid. After all of the things that you've apparently done, you should be emotionless. You should be nothing more than an empty vessel. But you can feel the pain. The hurt. Rainbow Dash lets out a silent giggle. "That's okay Aaden. I just want you to know, I'm here for you. I know that you probably don't feel the same way about me, but I like you a lot. Even if we were just friends, I would be happy. You're a great guy. I can't think of anything you could have done that would make me think otherwise." How about killing a man? She continues stroking your hair. You're pretty sure that another kiss was just pressed against your head. "Aaden, I know you don't wanna talk about it, but whatever it is, think about it for a moment. You are obviously very sorry for whatever happened. It's kinda rare for someone to be sorry because they legit regretted what they did, rather than be sorry because of the consequences, ya know?" Holy shit. She has a good point. You take a long, trembling breath. Her grip gets a little tighter. "Ya know, crying helps. I know that sounds really cliché and lame and stuff, but it does. And I won't judge you." You clear your throat. "No...no, I think I've got it all out of me." You're sorry because you regret your actions. You are legitimately sorry. You cough, being sure to hold your head away from her coat. You stagger to your feet, and stretch. The breeze from the forest is calming you. You take a few steps away from Rainbow Dash, and observe the trees. They move and sway in the exact same direction, with every gust of wind that travels through the forest. I'm here Alan. I'm here. From what you could gather, you have lived three lives. The life of a mercenary. The life of a man seeking retribution. And now this life. You then have an epiphany. One that bothers you, because of it's simplicity. I've already overcome this once. I can do it again. I just have to remember how. I've got to talk to someone about this. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had just finished up your little restroom adventure, and you began making your way through the forest. You were no psychologist, but Aaden really seemed hesitant to talk about himself personally. Humans, Humanity, and Earth were all fine topics, but when it came to his life, and who he was, he seemed reluctant. Like he didn't want to. You were sure he was telling the truth about what he did decide to tell you, but you weren't entirely sure if it was the whole truth. I mean, you were absolutely sure that Aaden was a good guy, but maybe he figuratively tripped and fell at some point in his life, and he is ashamed of himself. We all fall sometimes. But no one remembers the fall. It's how we pick ourselves up, that people remember. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your heart beats with anxiety. You have to tell someone. You have to tell someone what you've done. You can't hold it in any longer. It's ripping you up on the inside, it's going to literally kill you unless you kill yourself first. "Hey, Dash?" You turn around, and look at her. She smiles at you. "Could you come here for a second?" She giggles. "Totally." You lie down on your back in the grass, and stare at the sky. She lies down next to you. "Dash. I'm going to tell you something very important. You can't tell anypony. Not even Tank." She looks at you with curiosity. "Of course Aaden. What is it?" Adrenaline starts to course through your veins. You take a deep breath. You tell her everything. The voices. The memories. Anthony's constant following you. Your saving of the child and her father. The raid on the human trafficking compound. The way you killed several men. The last stand and death of Alan. The more and more you recount the stories, the more and more you hurt. You can feel the tears coming again. "I-I just, that wasn't me. I don't know why I did those things. " You started to let the tears run down your face. "I look back on it, and it was like I was just, looking at myself in third person. Like I had no control." You bring your hands up to your head, and put them over your eyes. "And God, Alan. The way he looked at me. The way he smiled while he died in my arms..." You tell her about the conversation you two had shared in his final moments. "I was notorious for being the "good guy" in the IMO. Alan wanted to serve alongside me, because he felt the same way I did about their operations. Disgusted. We enlisted both originally enlisted for the money, the power. But it all means NOTHING when you see what you're doing. What you're really doing. And then you have to live with it. The pain. The hurt." You took a deep breath, and wiped away some of the tears. "I'm a monster. I don't know what happened to me, to lose all of my memories, but I deserved it. I'm a monster." You sobbed in your hands. It felt good to let it out. Bittersweet, but relieving, none-the-less. Rainbow Dash then surprised you beyond your wildest belief. She put her forelegs around you, and held you again. Closer, this time. You could hear her crying, too. "Aaden. She sniffed. "I meant what I said. You're a great guy. Listening to those stories..." She sniffed slightly harder. "I can feel your pain. That's how strong it is. Aaden, I know you. I know you're sorry for what you did." She now rolled on top of you, and squeezed you super hard. She stopped for a moment, and looked into your eyes. "The fact that you always tried to do the right thing is all that matters. Even when you were in it for the awful things, you still tried to do the right thing. You tried so hard..." She squeezed you again, burying her face into your chest. You never found yourself attracted to Rainbow Dash, and even now you weren't, but it was nice that she understood. You found yourself to be very comfortable with her now. You fully expected her to dart off into the forest, and tell the others. You wouldn't be surprised if they would have you executed. You would have welcomed it, if that was the case. As silly as it seems, you both cried together, sharing the same pain that emanated from deep within your mind and soul. You both finally calm down, and just lay there together. You manage to get the courage to speak. "Dash. I killed someone. I can't take that back." Rainbow Dash had stopped crying now, and was now looking right in your eyes again. "You did what you had to do. It was either them or you. Besides, the humans that you killed, they seemed as if they kind of deserved it. I mean, if ponies were kidnapping each other from the streets and selling them, I'm sure the Royal Guard wouldn't spare their swords, if you know what I mean." Rainbow Dash really was making you feel better. She had good points. "Aaden, I'm sure the other ponies would understand, as well. While we may look all cute and junk, we're no strangers to war or anything. I'll gladly keep this information to myself, but I'm 100% sure they'll understand." You look away from her, but she uses her hoof to push your face back, lining your eyes back up. "I'll meet with Celestia. I'll see if there is any way she can show everyone my memories. We'll have a little meeting with everyone, you girls, the Honor Guardsman, just so there will be no mistrust. I feel like if I could show them, it would be better than just coming out and confessing it, ya know?" Rainbow Dash nodded her head. "Well, Aaden, I just want you to know..." She twiddled her hooves while she laid on top of you. "I'm always here for you. If any more of those awful dreams come back to you, you can talk to me!" She then kissed your forehead. She climbed off, and stretched, just as you did earlier. You still laid on the floor of the forest, hands behind your head, watching the clouds. You were actually starting to feel slightly better. Granted, you would only feel completely better once this is all said and done with Celestia and everyone, but to talk about it with Rainbow Dash, and to know that she understand, completely washes away the anxiety. At least you knew what to expect. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your day was pretty boring. No music, no crowds, no drinks. You just sat at your hotel, waiting for time to pass. If it wasn't for Aaden, you'd be back home in Ponyville, bothering Octavia. You ultimately decide that Aaden was worth it. You just finished your shower, and had a towel wrapped around your body. There was a knock at your door. You walked to it, and opened it up. There stood Aaden. By himself. Hmm... You decide to let your towel droop a little. That'll get his attention! "Hey Vinyl. I just dropped by to let you know, I'm inviting you to a night out at the castle. Celestia and I are holding a party. One to better acquaint everyone with me. It's tomorrow, at 8 pm. Think you can make it?" You're supposed to be at some nightclub tomorrow at 6. It can wait. "Absolutely, I'll be there, honor-boy. Wanna come inside?" Aaden shakes his head. "Sorry Vinyl, but I've got to make sure I invite everyone. Maybe another time." He says a goodbye, and leaves. You'll get him soon Vinyl. You'll get him real soon. _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden was out inviting all the ponies he could to the impromptu party to discuss the things he had revealed to you in the forest. You weren't lying when you said you understood. Because you totally did. It surprised you a little, absolutely. But it didn't change your view or opinion of him. Nor your attraction to him. When in situations like that, nobody knows how they will react. Aaden just happened to make sure he did the right thing, which was incredibly respectable. It was getting late. You decided to climb into bed, and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow would go smoothly. Worst case scenario, Aaden gets rejected, and he runs away with you. Sounds good to me. _________________________________________________________________________________ You pull back the comforter, and slide into bed next to Rarity. Poor pony has been up to something, she's been out all day for the past two days, doing something. When you climbed into bed, your bodies were like magnets. Almost immediately did she turn over, and assume her usual position on top of you. You kissed her forehead. You could only hope that everything would remain the same tomorrow. That she would still love you. Sleep soon sat in, carrying you away once more. _________________________________________________________________________________ A family of four cowered and shook in fear inside of one of the many houses that had just become apart of a war zone. You heard someone yell at you. "LOCKE! LEAVE THEM! THE PAYLOAD IS DROPPING IN 5 MINUTES!" You could then hear the rapid fire of a handgun. You walked slowly towards them, your hands off of your weapon, and you were sure to speak calmly. "My name is Aaden, I'm going to get you out of this. Stay with me, okay?" They all seemingly nodded in fear. You opened up their back door, and darted out, the family in tow. Running from building to building, you eventually reached the extraction zone. As the helicopters began to land, a soldier hopped out, and held his hand up, stopping the family from boarding. "Sorry. IMO use only." You walked over to him. "Captain Aaden Locke. Pathfinder. I am above your jurisdiction. These 4 are coming with me. They're the only survivors." "Well, sorry 'superman', but this helicopter will be too packed. We only have enough space for 3 more after everyone has boarded. ." You seemingly entered a staring match with him. "Fine. I won't board. You take these 4, and leave me behind." He threw his hands up in the air. "Are you insane? You're going to die for these people?" You grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him to your face. "NO. ONE. ELSE. DIES. TODAY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" The soldier nodded briskly. You let go, albeit with a push. "Get them to the nearest town they request, ASAP." He ushers them into the hull. "And what about you? The damn bombers will be here any second." The final remnants of your soldiers board the helicopter. "Looks like I'm going for a jog."
Chapter Twenty: Confession of an ArchitectYou awoke as you always have inside the barracks. You get up, get your armor on, go outside, and train. Training today went without any major incident. Strength training and some cardiovascular exercise took place. Before you knew it, your 4 hours were up, and you immediately went back to your room. You probably didn't speak a word the entire time you were training. Rarity was actually in the room when you got inside. "Hello, my love!" She jumped up, and gave you a hug. "I DO apologize for how busy I've been recently, but I think you'll like what I've arranged, darling." You kiss her on the forehead. "You could give me a candy wrapper and I'd treasure it." She laughs. "This is a little more elaborate than a candy wrapper, darling. I'll show you what I've got cooked up at this party you've set up tonight." "Yeah...party." You look past Rarity, to avoid making eye contact. "I'm gonna go shower, and then we'll head out, start getting stuff set up in the castle." You shower, but don't shave. You feel like you need something to motivate you, something to keep you pushing forward. You get dressed, and walk into the bedroom, and pull out your phone. You then walk out onto the balcony, and let a random song play. You had now idea how deeply it would resonate within you. Youtube Video Hold your grandmother's bible to your breast Gonna put it to the test You wanted it to be blessed And in your heart You know it to be true You know what you gotta do They all depend on you And you already know Yet you already know How this will end There is no escape From the slave catcher's songs For all of the loved ones gone Forever's not so long And in your soul They poked a million holes But you never let them show Come on its time to go And you already know Yet you already know How this will end Now you've seen his face And you know that there's a place in the sun For all that you've done For you and your children No longer shall you need You always wanted to believe Just ask and you'll receive Beyond your wildest dreams And you already know Yet you already know How this will end You already know (You already know) You already know (You already know) You already know How this will end The song itself captivated you. You could hear the hurt, the passion in the voice that sung. You could feel what he felt. The video resonated even further within you. It appeared to revolve around a very dark time in Earth's past. Then you saw something that really got to you. That man was going to be executed. That man going to die. There was no escaping it. But he didn't break down. He didn't let go. He stood calmly. Rather than face his executioners, he looked past them. It was incredibly symbolic. It didn't help that he looked very similar to you. The song wrapped up its final chorus. You were leaning slightly on the railing of the balcony, waiting for the song and video to wrap up. You felt very melancholy. You felt no dread. No fear. No anxiety. Just loneliness and sadness. The voice in the song sung true. You already know how this will end. _________________________________________________________________________________ You hated dressing up. It made you feel really lame. You still had a dress Rarity had made for you not too long ago, and you decide to wear it. Afterall, you wanted to look good for Aaden. You knew what exactly he was going to do, how he was going to have Celestia project his memories for all to see. You knew that the other ponies would accept him no matter what, especially if he really was considered a good guy if his little stint as a mercenary. Mercenaries in Equestria were rare to come across, but they usually were held in high respect, because they did the jobs no one else wanted to, or could do, for that matter. Sure, you had to pay them, but you were also taxed by the monarchy, which paid the Royal Guard. Equestria was more of an accepting and understanding place than Earth was, from the sounds of it. "Rainbow, ya got to hold still!" Applejack grumbled. The girls were taking turns prettying each other up, and it was your turn. Everypony had their own reasons for wanting to look good. You were the only one doing it for Aaden. Now that you thought about, you couldn't believe you were stressing this much about your appearance. You were actually making sure you had makeup on, making sure your teeth were as shining as could be, making sure your hair was tame, and that you looked stunning. You could only hope that you would be his center of attention. Pinkie Pie was super excited about this whole party. "Guys, what do you think he's gonna tell us? I'm usually the one that plans the parties, I hope he does it right! Actually, I'm sure he will! I wonder if they need help at the Castle?" She would jump or turn her head rapidly with each new thought. Twilight decided to chime in. "While I agree that it's a little off for a party to be so sudden, I'm sure it'll be fine. Aaden seems like a nice guy, and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy tell me that he's pretty decent." "Decent? How about AWESOME?" You interject. The girls all stare at you. You let out a nervous laugh. How about totally awesome? _________________________________________________________________________________ "Tavi? Think you could give me a hand with this?" Octavia walked into the room. You were lucky she had just came into Canterlot for some orchestra thing. As she walked into the room, her eyes opened slightly. "Vinyl, do tell me. What is that you're listening to? It sounds like that electronic gunk you listen to, but so much more...elegant." You see Octavia's hoof clopping to the beat gently. Youtube Video "Oh, it's some song that Aaden showed me. I may have been trash talking orchestral music, when he said he knew of some middle ground between our musical tastes, and ta-da. Good music." Octavia smiled. "So, what is it that you need, Vinyl?" You point at your back. "Zip this damn dress up, please." She cocks her head. "Vinyl, you don't ever wear dresses. And besides, this is really tight on you. Aren't you afraid of getting a little unwanted attention?" You point again at the zipper. "I'm actually hoping for it. Now please, zip." She walks over to you, and with a grunt and a shove, you are now zipped up. The dress you wore was slim fitting and black, with a cyan stripe going diagonal across the length. Octavia sat in a chair next to you. "So, I've heard an incredible amount about this Aaden. Shows up one day in Ponyville being chased by a manticore, almost dies, then becomes an Honor Guard. I hear he's really nice. I hear he has a real calming effect about him. What's he like?" You smile your infamous half-smile. "Well, he's really talented. You name it, I wouldn't doubt it if he could do it. He's also really deep, which normally bothers me in a stallion, but something about him...he's experienced real pain, ya know?" Octavia nods her head. "I like the fact that whatever that pain was, it taught him more about his life. The guy really knows how to live, if that makes sense. Does that make sense?" Octavia nods again. "I dunno. He's just extremely unique. And pretty damn sexy, too." Octavia laughs. "Is that what the dress is for?" You look back at the mirror, making sure you look good. "Let's just say I want him to plow me." Octavia then giggles. "Well, you have conviction. I suppose that's an admirable trait." Octavia stretches. "So, am I allowed to go to this party?" "Well, Aaden said he wanted anyone and everyone that wanted to come, to come. Something about he was something he wants to show us all." You smile in a lustful manner. "I know what I want him to show me." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was 7 PM. The party was 8. Right now, it was just Celestia and yourself alone in the ballroom. "Guardsman Locke. Are you sure this is what you want?" You nod your head. "This has to be done, ma'am. I cannot hide this." "Aaden." Did she just call you by your first name? "I understand your actions, and while my subjects will not shun you, they may not understand as I do. Are you absolutely sure?" You nod your head again, this time with a swallow. "No more secrets, ma'am." "Very well, my loyal Guardsman." You watched as the ponies walked in, and slowly began to congregate. They talked among themselves, while you and Celestia both stood on the stage, waiting to unveil the horrors in your mind. Oliver, Virgil, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Vinyl and Rarity all stood together. Rarity. This is for you, Honey. This is for you. You walk forward on the stage. "Everyone." You speak loudly. "I will not beat around the bush. I have called you here to show you something. I feel it best to show you, rather than tell you." You motion at Celestia. "Princess, if you would." the lights in the ballroom dimmed, and Celestia walked over to you, putting her horn to the back of your head. You watched as a random memory began to project from your eyes, into the space just in front of the audience that had gathered. I love you Rarity. I love you. _________________________________________________________________________________ The mans face was completely enveloped in shadow. He was wearing a black suit and red tie, but that's all you could see. "Aaden Locke. You are a candidate for the IMO." You see the orange bulb of a cigarette in the shadows. "Tell me. Why do you wish to join us? Of what value are you to us?" You look straight into the shadows were you thought it eyes were. "I am a man who has lost everything. I am a man with no dignity left. No honor. No options. I want the money. I want the power. I want it all." The man in the shadows laughs. "That's what I like to hear. Welcome to the IMO, Locke." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were in a nightclub. Everyone was dancing, having what appeared to be the time of their life. The entire room was lit up with laughter and smiles. You were nearing your target. You pushed your way through the crowd, until he became visible to you. You reached into his pocket, snatched his wallet, and then shoved him as hard as you could. He was sure to take the bait and follow you. And he did. "HEY, ASSHOLE! GET BACK HERE!" You ran through the crowd, and back outside. He followed you. You then ran into the alleyway. He followed. You ran back to the edge of the building, and turned around. The target was sneering. "You're about to get your ass kicked, moron." You reach into your coat, and remove your silenced handgun. You quickly draw it, and fire one shot, hitting him in his skull. You then quickly run up to him, and catch his body. His final stare is one of disbelief. You walk his body to the nearby dumpster, and put him inside of it. You take out your phone. "Chairman. Target has been eliminated." You hear the iconic laugh of his. "Very good. Your contract was for $200,000, correct?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You leaned against a car. Adam walked down the staircase towards you. "Adam, we've got to talk." "We do?" "What we're doing, it isn't right. I feel filthy." "Aaden, what were you expecting? You're a mercenary now." "I know, but it's not right. I know what I'm doing is wrong. I just don't have the courage to speak out, or stop what I'm doing. It's hard." "Look, kid, I know it hurts. If it makes you feel any better, try to be the good guy. Be a paragon. You're trapped here now. As am I. Better make the best of it. What's making you feel this way?" Your mind drifts back to the little girl and her father that you had saved. "I've just had an epiphany, okay? This is wrong. I don't feel right about it, Adam." "Stop calling me Adam. We'll both get our asses kicked if they hear that." "Right. I don't feel right about this, Major Howard." _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been hired to protect this village from another PMC that had been hired to destroy it. You felt extremely awful. Apparently, the entirety of the village had to pool their money to enlist your help. You knew exactly what you were going to do when this was over. Eventually, the two forces met, head on. Eventually, you had repelled the invaders. Everyone else was boarding the helicopters to return home. You held three briefcases filled with their money. You walked straight to the town hall, and sat the money down. The mayor looked at you. "Don't-don't you want the money? It's all we have..." You wave your hand. "No. Keep it. War is a disgusting thing. It makes me feel awful enough already to know I'm being paid to fight, much more so that it's all of your money." He looks up at you, with hope on his face. "Thank you." "It's the least I can do." You walk to the helicopters, and take a seat next to a young man who was assigned to you as a new recruit. You can feel him staring at you. "Can I help you?" You ask. "My name is Alan! I've heard a ton about you, Captain Locke, sir! Everyone here is so concerned with money and stuff, that they forget how to be nice! I hear you're different!" You smile. "Call me Aaden." "Yeah right! Disrespect a hero like you? I don't think so! I'd probably only do that if I were dying or something." _________________________________________________________________________________ "ADAM! ADAM, PLEASE, GOD NO! MEDIC!" You continue to cry out. "FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD, SOMEONE, ANYONE, GET THE HELL OVER HERE, HELP!" You push as hard as you can on Major Howard's neck. He was now thrashing around on the ground, blood pouring from his neck. Gunfire rocketed from both sides. You then felt a powerful amount of force in your chest. You hit the ground. It was getting hard to breathe. You watched helplessly as soldiers ran to and from cover in the streets. You see the leader of the enemy PMC attempting to get close. He was going to try to make an example of Adam. Over my dead fucking body. He walked among the battlefield, bullets still spraying everywhere. You weakly reached for your rifle, and held it up to your eye. The leader of the enemy PMC picked Adam up by his collar, and held him up high. With his free hand, he pulled out a handgun, and held it to his head. You took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger to your rifle. The three round burst roared as it went from your rifle, to his chest. He immediately dropped Adam, and staggered backwards, falling on his back. If he wasn't already dead, he was soon going to be. You threw one arm out in front of you, landing it in the dirt. You then threw the other arm out. You began clawing your way towards Adam, who was still breathing, but no longer thrashing. You eventually make your way over to him, and lift him up in his arms, just as you did Alan. "Adam..." you cough out. "Adam...no..." He looked at you, and smiled, just as Alan had. "God damn it kid...don't call me that...they'll kick our asses...you k-know?" He laughed, but the shaking from the laughter soon got slow, then completely ended. He had just died. What was once 11 men, was now 10. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Captain Aaden Locke of the Pathfinders. What makes you think you qualify to withdraw from the IMO?" You slam your fist down on the table, cracking it. "Because I'm sick of this! Money, power, none of it matters! Do you know what I've done? How many I've killed? I'll never be normal again, because of you!" "I don't believe you've thought this through, Aaden." "SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'm sick of you telling me what you think is best!" You regain your composure. "I'm leaving, regardless of what you think." "Very well, Aaden. We will stay in touch. Believe me." _________________________________________________________________________________ You could finally see the ballroom once more. Celestia had replayed all of your memories, from the death of Alan to Anthony's stalking of you. The ones you just saw were ones that were completely new to you. You could feel something squeezing you extremely tight. Probably rope. You were going to be arrested. Executed, too. Your eyes adjusted. What you saw surprised you to no end. All of the girls had formed a circle around you, and were hugging you. They were all sobbing. Even Vinyl. Rarity spoke up. "Darling...I had no idea..." You could feel your tears coming. "I didn't know what to tell you...I was so disgusted with myself, I could only imagine what you would think of me." "Dude!" Rainbow Dash managed to choke out. "Would you stop saying that! We love you regardless! You did what you had to, and we understand, and-" Her words then became inaudible with babbling and sobbing. She forced her face into your stomach, her crying muffled by it. "Aaden. I knew you hurt, but damn..." Vinyl wiped a tear away. She went to say something, but just shook her head. "Damn..." You watched as more tears came down her face. You looked down. You felt a hoof lift your head up. "Darling. I will love you regardless of what may have happened. The memories themselves have shown that you have changed. That isn't you. We all know that. We do not think any of less of you." "Wow...this hurts so much more to actually see..." You heard Rainbow mutter. You saw Oliver walking towards you. His eyes were also welling up. The girls let go, and you walked towards him. You thought he was just going to say something, but his walk continued well past talking distance. He immediately hugged you. "Brother. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. You are one of us now. You are no longer alone." You looked behind him, and saw the other Honor Guards and Virgil. They were all visibly moved. Everybody in the room was seemingly moved. "Your attention, everypony." Celestia was speaking. "It is completely obvious that we are all touched by our newest addition to Equestria's past. It hurts us all as much as it hurts him." She looks at you. "Aaden, thank you for sharing that with us. It is good that you decided to come out with it, rather than conceal it. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that, Aaden, you are welcome among us. You always will be." All of the ponies in the room shook their heads. "Now. The night is still young, and we have an entire ballroom, and party supplies, including some food Aaden made from home. Shall we celebrate our new addition?" Pinkie Pie immediately perked up from her sorrow. "Aaden? You made food?" She asks. Oliver releases you from his hug, also looking at you. "Oh, yeah. I made some just in case I wasn't executed. Chips and Queso, a favorite of mine back home. Feel free to help yourself." Oliver cocked his head in confusion. "Queso?" "Liquid cheese with peppers in it, essentially." "Hmm..." Oliver went off to locate this exotic food, while Pinkie Pie began to smile. "Celestia is right, everypony! We've got the crying out of the way! Let's celebrate now!" The crowd seemingly all smiled and nodded in improvement. As music came on, and laughter and talking began to fill the ballroom, you felt a wave of relief. Music started to play. You couldn't believe they accepted you as they did. You feel as if you were completely free now. You were sure that your mind had to have been hiding more nasty secrets, but you would deal with those when they came. You actually think you're going to enjoy yourself tonight. Eat a little bit, drink a little bit, talk with everyone. Now that this was out of the way, and being as everyone seemingly understands, you were actually quite excited for the evening to play out. You looked out of the corner of your eye. Vinyl, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all came over to you, and put you in another hug. "I'm so proud of you!" "You did great, honor-boy." "I love you, darling!" All three ponies exchanged glances uncomfortably. Oh, that's right. This is also a problem. You look out from your organic hug fortress and smile as you see Oliver locate the several bowls of queso and chips. He was seemingly very confused with how the whole set up worked, attempting to eat the chips and the queso entirely separate from one another. You were forced to stifle a laugh as other ponies followed his lead. Let's start with the easier problems.
Chapter Twenty-One: Atonement of a MortalYou break free of your group hug, and after teaching Equestria the intricacies of using a chip to scoop queso, you notice Celestia staring at you from across the room, her ethereal mane flowing. Shiiiit. Am I in trouble? I thought she said I wasn't? You smile at her, and she smiles back. You decide to walk over to her. "Heya, Princess. Something wrong?" You ask. She shifts her hooves. "My loyal guardsman. When I projected your memories, I happened to see ALL of the memories you've recovered, but also one more. I find it quite touching, and would like for you to see it." You nod your head. "Okay. How do we do this?" Celestia motions with her head for you to follow her. You do as your told. She leads you through the crowd, up onto the stage, and through the curtains. "Kneel, guardsman." You get down on your knees. She walks around behind her, and puts her horn on the back of your head. You feel your eyes start to tingle. The memory must be projecting onto the wall again. At least this one is in private. You watch your memory unfold. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Dad? What're you cooking?" A young boy, no older than 6, walks into the kitchen, dragging a blanket with one hand, and wiping his eyes with the other. "Good morning, Aaden. Just some pancakes." The man that you now recognize to be your biological father picks the boy up, and sets him down on the counter. He walks over to the cabinets, and pulls out three glasses. "You want milk or orange juice?" "Juice please." Dad walks over to the fridge, pours two glasses of juice and one glass of milk. You look up at him. "Is Mom still asleep?" Dad chuckles. "Yep. It is kinda early, son. Even for you." You cross your arms. "But Dad. I wanna get up early, like you." He rustles your hair, and goes back to cooking. "Give yourself a couple of years, that'll change." He laughs again. It wasn't too much later that Mom walked into the room, in her pink house pants and one of Dad's dress shirts. She looked really silly, it was too big on her. "Hey Elanor." Dad walked over to her, and kissed her on the forehead. "Good morning to you too, Mason. Whatcha cooking?" He looks back over at the stove top. "Pancakes. Figured I'd make breakfast this morning." She smiles, and kisses him. Her face then grows a concerned look. "Mason, I...uh...I trust you. But you aren't seriously considering their offer, are you?" He smiles at her from underneath of his reading glasses. "Of course not, dear. I've no intention of serving a company. Serving my country was enough." "Mason. We both know of your accomplishments. You know they'll keep trying." He walked over to her, and hugged her. "Elanor, listen to me. You already had to watch me get on a plane once. I'm not going to make you do it again." Mom gave him a big hug, and released him. Dad laughed. "The IMO...bunch of damn fools, if you ask me." Mom punched his shoulder, and pointed at you. "Darn fools. Darn is what I meant." _________________________________________________________________________________ You can see the memory fading away from the wall where it was being projected. Celestia removed her horn from the back of your head, and walked back in front of you. "Remember. I saw all of your memories. That appeared to be the only one of your biological father. You bear quite a likeness to him. May I ask a few questions of you?" You get up off of your knees. "Absolutely." "Your father said he had served his country. What does that mean?" "He was a combat medic assigned to an Army unit. He fought in a war that I can't remember." You rub your head. "Your mother said he had 'accomplishments'?" "He was a hero, I remember that much. My Dad was tending to a wounded solider when they were forced to retreat. My Dad wouldn't leave the man behind. See, where I come from, there were rules for war, as silly as that may sound. Anyone that willingly shot a medic would be tried for war crimes. So, my Dad was safe. However, the wounded soldier was not. He knew that, if he left the man behind, he would be killed." You motion your hand at your side. "However, Medics carry a handgun, usually for personal defense. If a medic fires this handgun, their protection is completely voided. My Dad knew that, but he drew it anyways, and started firing at the advancing enemy. Apparently, this made them stop in their tracks, and allowed friendly forces to pour back in. My Dad essentially risked his life and well-being to save the life of a man he didn't know." Celestia smiled. "I find it very coincidental that this heroic trait runs in you, as well. Aaden?" You look at her. Right into her eyes. "Yes, Princess?" "I may not be from your universe, but I understand what happened. Your father was invited to join the IMO when his service was up. He stayed because of you and your mother. The IMO then paid close attention to you. They knew that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. They took advantage of your father and stepfathers deaths by inviting you to join them. You did so." She smiles. "You then found out, as I said earlier, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You disagreed with your actions, and modified your operations to your liking, to one of just purpose. You then ultimately left. Am I correct?" You stare at her, wide eyed. "Y-yes, Princess. Very correct." Celestia keeps her smile on her face. "Aaden Locke, you are forever welcomed in Equestria. You will be a valued addition to our humble ponies." "Thank you, Princess. Thank you." You look down at your hands. "Princess, I'm going to go get some air. While this was refreshing, it's still a little overwhelming, if that makes sense." "Of course, my guardsman. Enjoy your evening." You walk out from behind the curtain, and head for the nearest balcony. You were smiling. I do kinda look like my Dad, huh? I love you, Dad. Rest in peace. _________________________________________________________________________________ You stood with Applejack. "Mah goodness. Chips and kay-so, huh?" Applejack would scoop up the liquid cheese with one of the chips that sat in bowls next to the cheese, and indulge. She continues eating. You, on the other hand, grow more anxious. You haven't seen Aaden since your hug with him. You start to hobble around nervously on your legs. "Rainbow, relax. Ya look silly." You couldn't relax. You try to clear your throat, to avoid sounding nervous. "Hey, AJ. Have you seen Aaden?" She swallows a mouthful of chips. "Celestia took him up on stage, behind the curtains. I'm sure he'll be out in a moment." You looked up on the stage just in time to see him go over the side of it, and out of the glass doors leading to a balcony that overlooked Canterlot from the castle. You turn away from Applejack. "I'll be right back." You hear the chips crunching in her mouth. "Ya know where to find me." You push your way through the crowd, listening to them laugh and talk amongst themselves. It was really nice to see the mood switch from one that was so sad to this happy. You make it to the glass door leading out to the balcony, but decide to stop and look around first. Rarity was talking with Twilight Sparkle off in the corner of the room, Vinyl was with her friend Octavia, who was seemingly in a debate with Pinkie Pie, and Oliver was talking with Virgil near Applejack. Your heart beat cold. It felt ticklish. You imagine this is how a thief feels when he has a chance of being caught in the act. The adrenaline that pumped through your being made you feel elated and aware, but at the same time, it sharpened your fear. If ever you were going to make a move, it was going to be now. You look out of the glass door. A stone walkway leads out at least 20 meters, which then ends in a circular balcony. Aade was by himself, leaning on the railing directly in front of you. You swallow. Alright Rainbow Dash. Let's do this! You open the glass door, and shut it behind you, as quietly as you could. You then began your walk down the walkway. It was almost like something out of a dream. The cobblestone walkway gave a soft clop to your hooves which you attempted to silence as much as you could. With each step, your perception of your surroundings became enhanced. The sky was clear this night, with bright light from the moon and stars above illuminating everything. An occasional breeze would blow past you, causing your mane to move with it. You weren't used to it moving so much, but since you've brushed it and straightened it for this evening, you'd have to get used to it. For Aaden. Aaden was turning you into Fluttershy. You were never scared of anything. Out of all of the adventures you had been on with your friends, very rarely did you feel anything slightly similar to fear. But Aaden made you extremely nervous. Not because you were scared of him, but just because of how much you liked him. He could make you laugh, he could make you cry, he could give you a history lesson, and you'd love it. You didn't want to say or do anything that would make him angry with you, or make him not like you. Never in your life were you this cautious. You were getting closer. You could smell his cologne. It gives you goosebumps, and sends another burst of adrenaline rocketing throughout your body. You shudder. You look at Aaden's figure. He's still leaning, his polished shoes reflecting the moonlight off of them. His tie is also blowing slightly to the left of him, it becoming a radiant red under the supervision of the moon. His hair was still short, but it was getting longer. You think about how his eyes will look in the moonlight, and give yourself goosebumps again. His eyes were already deep. When you looked into his eyes, you could see everything he had been through. His eyes had infinite depth. You could see his pain, his happiness, his passion. It was different from that of a pony. Sure, people here had knowledge and had been around Equestria, but Aaden had experienced intense pain. The mystery, the valuable life lessons learned the hard way, the experience, it all resonated from deep within Aaden, and leaked from his eyes. Oh sweet, sweet Celestia, those eyes. You were now only a few steps away from Aaden. Your lips were dry, and you shook almost violently. You took a deep breath in, and exhaled it, warming your nostrils on it's way out. You were a perfect example of entropy. Discord himself would be proud. You muster up all of the courage you had left, and used it to root yourself. Your legs may be frozen, but your mouth was not. You lick your lips. "A-Aaden...?" You squeak. He turns around slowly, his enthralling eyes meeting yours. You could feel your legs becoming jelly. "Oh, hi Dash. I hope you*" He started as he was turning around. He turns all the way around, and examines you thoroughly. "Oh woooow. Rainbow Dash, you look amazing! Is that makeup?" You nod your head. "Y-yeah. The girls helped me. Aaden laughed. "Well they did great. Hey? C'mere." Your eyes widen. What could he want? You walk closer, and he throws his arms around you, lifting you from the ground in a hug. Ooooooooooooooh Celestia. He then puts you down. "It means a lot to me, everything you've done for me. I couldn't ask for a better friend. Even though you've just listened to me, it means the world. Why're you all dressed up, Dash? I thought that wasn't your thing?" You clear your throat. "A-actually, I'm dressed up f-for..." You swallow. "...for a very special somepony." Aaden smiles. "That's one amazingly lucky somepony, Dash!" You muster up all of your courage again. "W-well...A-Aaden...I've been mea-" You get cut off by the sound of another voice. "DARLING! There you are! You simply must come back inside, they're about to do a couples dance, and I shall NOT miss this!" Aaden looks back down at you. "Well, I've gotta run Dash. Good luck with that special somepony, I hope the feelings are mutual!" He then walks towards Rarity, closing the door behind him. You sigh, and take his place where he was leaning. You could still smell his cologne in the area. "I hope so too..." You mutter. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were dancing with Rarity. It had been so long since you had such close and long-lasting physical contact with her. You savored every minute of it. She smelled amazing to you. Like flowers and vanilla. And boy did you like vanilla. You held her close to you. "Darling, I do apologize for being so busy lately, but I have something for you." She magics open her purse, a small box floats over to you. You gently put her down, and take the box. "I worked very hard on it, constantly having to go to the shop, and watch them make every detail, ensuring it was right to the very molecular structure!" You open the box. Inside is brilliant silver watch. Everything about it screamed expensive. "Honey. This looks master-crafted." You slide it on your left wrist, and fasten it. It felt great, it looked great, and the best part of it all, was the fact that Rarity's cutie mark was etched into the face of the watch. It was perfect. She hopped up on her hind legs again, and kisses you. "Only the best for the best, darling. Quite frankly, you warrant a far more expensive watch." You shake your hand dismissively. "Honey, no. You're gonna run yourself into the ground, buying me such expensive things. I'm just a guy." She laughs. "Just a guy? Then I'm just a pony, who you don't have to do nice things for." You laugh this time. "You got me, Rarity" "A lady is always right in the relationship, darling." "You remind me of something my Dad told me. Did I tell you I can remember my Dad now? Anyways. He said, 'Son, when you get older, and meet that special someone, you'll soon find that you can be right, or you can be happy. You'll soon come to find that you don't so much mind being right.'" You smile. "Well darling, he sounds like a very intelligent human. Let's hope you take after him." She giggles, and kisses you. You continue your dance in the ballroom, holding each other close, and letting the music carry you. Everyone in the ballroom was seemingly having a good time. It made you feel good, to feel so accepted. "Rarity?" You ask. "Yes Darling?" She responds. "I love you." "I love you more." _________________________________________________________________________________ Octavia and Pinkie Pie were still arguing over what kind of music should be played at a party when you left the bathroom and came back. "No, no, no, I'm telling you Pinkie Pie, classical music, enriched with an orchestra, it creates much more of an elegant and enjoyable environment!" Pinkie Pie nodded her head. "Noooo, silly! Vinyl has the right idea when it comes to parties! It's gotta be loud and catchy!" You ignore it, and immediately try to single out Aaden. You find him dancing with Rarity. Damn. Gonna have to wait for my turn. You had no idea Aaden had been through so much. Although, in your mind, he was 100% more badass, something else clicked inside of you. While you were loud and informal and tomboyish, you were still a mare. And something about Aaden really appealed to the Mare inside of you. You've never felt this strongly about anypony before. Was it his looks? His skills? You didn't know. What you did know, however, is that you wanted Aaden to sweep you off of your feet, and carry you to your bedroom, where you would make love for hours on end. And you've never met a stallion, or mare for that matter, that you wanted to do that with. Sure, you had one night stands before, you've had a little fun here and there, but you didn't want Aaden for just one night. Nor just temporarily, either. You wanted him to be exclusively yours, and you wanted to be all his. you laughed. You were seemingly the one thing that you swore to yourself that you never would be. Well, good going Vinyl. You've went and fallen in love.
Chapter Twenty-Two: OvertureThe night itself was easy enough. At some point during the party, Rainbow Dash had returned inside, and was standing with Applejack now. Vinyl kept her distance, but she would constantly look you over. Rarity obviously took notice of this. "My, Darling, aren't we popular?" You examine Rarity. She isn't upset. Not in the least. "Yeah, I think they have a crush on me." Rarity laughs. "Is that all, Darling? Is that why they insist on following you?" You rub the back of your neck. "Yeah. They're both good friends, ya know? I'd hate to hurt their feelings by telling them to back off, ya know?" "I've got an idea darling. Call them both over here." You cock your head in confusion. "Never question a lady." You turn off towards Vinyl, who was closest to you. You reach her in little time. She was leaning against the wall next to the restrooms, smirking at you. "Well well, if it isn't my favorite human. Whatcha doing?" You signal her to follow you. "Follow me, Vinyl." She smiles her half smile. "To Tartarus and back." You work your way to Rainbow Dash, who was actually surprisingly difficult to reach. She was on the complete other side of a wall of ponies, who were too busy laughing and enjoying the music to pay attention to you. You start to gently push your way through the crowd, uttering an apology for every nudge you give. "Excuse me.....sorry.....pardon me....." Vinyl, on the other hand, wasn't as forgiving. "MOVE.....GET OUTTA MY WAY.....Shove me again, watch what happens....." After a few more pushes, you unveil a path to Rainbow Dash. This ballroom really was extravagant. The ceiling was very high, and ordained with many chandeliers, which were currently dimmed. The ballroom itself was a very large circle, with a stage at the northern most arc of the circle, while tables with food sat on the west end, and the restrooms on the east end. Rainbow just happened to be at the food as you approached. "Hey, Dash?" She spins around, eyes lit up. "Aaden! Hi!" "Do you think you could follow me, please?" Rainbow Dash looks behind you, at Vinyl. "Of course Aaden." With two ponies in tow, you decide to walk around the crowd to Rarity. On your walk there, you begin to feel dizzy. You can hear voices, and almost see the ballroom change over. You can't make out any solid shapes or figures, and it fades away just as quickly as it comes, but it's still enough to keep you on your toes. You shake your head, and get near Rarity. She addresses Rainbow Dash and Vinyl first. "Now, darlings. It has come to my attention that you may have a crush on Aaden?" "Rarity, no, I mean, I do, but I would nev-" Rarity shushes her. "I'm not mad at either of you. In fact, I have an idea. Aaden is quite the..." She looks over at you. "...infatuating type, is he not? How about this: leave him with me for the rest of his training, and then one week when we get back, and then I'll send him to stay two weeks with each of you. I feel that is the best thing to do. Rather than argue like fillies would, we shall do this like mares, and let Aaden decide. After all, we all ultimately want Aaden happy, right?" Rainbow Dash and Vinyl nodded. "Very well. As I said, I will not let this situation fall into chaos. Which of you would like to have Aaden first?" "Rainbow Dash can have him first." Vinyl speaks up. You both look at her surprise. Rainbow Dash seemingly bursts with joy. "Then it is settled! Aaden, darling, does this sound okay with you?" You give her a concerned look. She leans in and whispers to you. "Darling, you have nothing to fear. If you just do this, they'll leave you alone for good when you choose me." She has a good point. "Alright. We'll do this, and it'll be fun. Hope you mares can accommodate me." "Are you kidding?! OHMIGOSH!" Rainbow Dash hops up and down excitedly. "I've gotta find things for us to do, to go-" Her smile fades. "I've gotta clean!" She then groans. You watch as Vinyl and Rainbow Dash immediately disperse back into the crowd in excitement. The feeling of dizziness and the blurry environment return to you. You throw your arm out, and catch Rarity's back. "Darling? Are you okay? I thought they weren't serving anything harder than wine tonight?" You shake your head. "Not drunk. Something doesn't feel right." You blink several times, restoring the ballroom in your vision, but the dizziness decides to stay. You felt like you were going to cry. Not because of pain or anything, but because you could feel your eyes becoming really wet. You had to blink several times to clear them. You then decide to use your hands to try and wipe them, which causes a problem. You watch as a memory starts to project itself out of your eyes once more, this time without Celestia's help. You hear the music stop in the room, as does the laughter and conversations of the other ponies. You can't see them as the memory begins to take shape, but you know that everyone in the room is staring at you, waiting to see what else you have done in your life. You can't remember anything in your life that you would be ashamed for them to see after they figured out the mercenary role in your life. But that's just it. You can't remember. The scene begins to materialize. _________________________________________________________________________________ The complex was very dark. You followed the head slaver down the hall, and into a dark, dungeon like room with a girl chained to the wall in a provocative position. The slaver laughs. "You have 1 hour. Have fun, big boy." He turns around and leaves. This girl couldn't have been older than 8. As soon as he leaves, you run over to the girl. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She shook her head. "No, not yet...I wanna go home..." You nod your head. "I'm going to get you out of here. I promise. Now, this next part is going to be scary, but I need you to trust me. Okay?" She nods her head again. You fumble around with the lock, picking it with ease, freeing her. "Close your eyes tight. No matter what you hear me say, no matter what you hear, don't open your eyes. Okay?" She nods again, her eyes closed. You open the dungeon room door, and yell out into the hallway. "GUARDS! HELP! SHE'S ESCAPED!" You look over to her, and whisper-shout to her. "Eyes closed." You watched as two guards and the head slaver walked in the room, and saw her off of her chains. You picked up the steel chair behind you, and walked behind them. As soon as one of the guards reached for her, you swung the chair at him, the legs hitting the back of his head, sending him to the ground with a grotesque cracking noise. You then grab the other guard from behind, wrap one arm around his neck, and immediately knock him unconscious. You throw him on the ground, and grab the head slaver. "More guards will come." You smile. "Let them." You pick up a chain from the wall, and wrap it around his neck, choking him. You decide to pass judgement on this man. A head slaver. He has sentenced many to a life of slavery and rape. He has raped and killed many, his self. Then again, there was no such thing as a plea of innocence in your court. Guilty. You lift him up. You had him on his knees, and the chain around his neck was almost like a puppet string. You picked your foot up, and you kick him in the back of the head as hard as you could. The chain acted as a stop. You hear a loud cracking sound. You let go of the chains, and watch as the head slaver falls, twitches, and dies. You feel it was fitting that he would die in chains. You walk over to the little girl, and gently take her hand. "Follow me. And no peeking." She was entirely too young to see the now bloodstained room. She did as she was told, covering her eyes with one hand, and holding your in the other. As you left this dungeon-like room and entered the dark hallways, you quickly checked the other rooms in the vicinity. No other slaves. Just her. You pass by a puddle, and examine yourself. You were dressed in complete combat IMO combat gear, a theme of orange and black. You notice you were wearing a duster over the armor, and a gas mask with what appeared to be orange LED illuminated lenses, completely hiding your eyes and making the lenses glow a bright orange. They were more for show than anything else, but it also scared any enemy you had to come across in your line of work. You make it out of the basement. "Alright little one. Stay here for just a second, let me make sure that it is safe." You pull out your handgun, and leave the girl in the room by the basement. As you walk out into the foyer of the mansion, you hear someone yelling. "OH SHIT! IT'S HIM!" "STAY CALM, REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING!" You see that the human traffickers had called for help. Help that was familiar with what you did to these people. You throw yourself against a wall, and hold your handgun close. You lean out, aim down the sights, and fire three shots. Two connect with the same trafficker that shouted, ending his life. You watch as the two others take cover, one behind a soda machine, the other behind a marble pillar. You slide a grenade off of your belt, and roll it like a bowling ball towards the one behind the pillar. You throw yourself back behind the wall. "FUCK!" You hear him shout. Boom. You peek back around the corner. There is the lifeless body of the man who shouted, the freshly dead man from behind the pillar, and the one trafficker behind the soda machine, who was oddly still alive. He was injured, but alive. He was shaking violently as he was reaching for his radio. "Hello? Is the situation under control? Answer me, God damn it." You smile under your gas mask, and walk your way over to him. You pick up the radio. "Oh yeah. The situation is all good here." "Good. Then we have no need to come help you. Jackass." You put the radio down, and aim your handgun at him, firing one shot into his skull, killing him as well. You go back to the girl, and lead her out of the mansion, and through the marshes surrounding them. The walk was a quiet one. "You said you live nearby, little one?" The girls nodded her head. "Yeah. They took me from my home only just last night." You noticed you were still holding her hand. You looked down at her, and she looked back at you. "Mister? Are you angel?" You smile again under your gas mask. They always think you're an angel. "Yes little one. I am." She smiles in excitement. "And you're taking me home?" You nod your head, and she smiles even wider. "And they won't try to hurt me again?" "No little one. I'm sure they'll get the message here soon." You think about how they'll react when they find all of the bodies. "Thank you Mr. Angel." You both are now in a forest, and it was starting to get late. You noticed she was starting to lag behind, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "Mr. Angel? I'm sleepy." You remove the duster from yourself, and pick her up, wrapping her in it. "Sleep. When you awake, you'll be home." "Will you still be there?" "No." "Why not?" "I must save others, too, little one." She smiles, and cuddles up in your duster, quickly falling asleep. You continue walking with the girl in your arms. You soon exit the forest, and come upon a village. The rural United Kingdom was completely different from the rural United States, but beautiful all the same. As you walk through it's sleepy streets, you hear a door open, and watch as a young woman walks towards you. "Is that..." She becomes wide eyed, tears forming. "Yes. I got to her before they hurt her. They will not be a problem anymore." She looks up at you with pleading eyes. You gently hand over the duster-wrapped child. She cradles her, and looks up at you. "What do you want? Money?" You shake your head. "No. I don't want anything." She smiles at you. "Oh, come now. Food? At least let us give you food." "I'm sorry ma'am. I don't want it." Out of the corner of your eyes, you watched as a bunch of Labrador puppies followed their mother around. You saw a pitch black one, the runt, straggling behind, but still trying. You almost cannot handle the cuteness. "Are those your puppies?" The young woman nods her head. "Yes. Would you like one? We've been trying to sell them." "Actually, yes. I'd like the runt." The woman smiles. "Ah, yes. That's Pepper. Quite the loving one." You trade the girl for the puppy named Pepper. You pick him up, and he seemingly takes to you immediately, not minding leaving the village. You turn your radio back on, and hold it up to your mouth. "I'm leaving the village now. Payment is in tow." "God damn it Locke. You're going to get yourself killed, either by these traffickers, or by the IMO themselves." You look down at your new puppy. You got a good feeling that this is the best payment you've ever received. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your eyes start to readjust to the sight of the ballroom. You can see ponies smiling all around you. Celestia is now standing beside you. "I apologize, my Guardsman. I suppose the magic was still active." She is also smiling. You look out into the crowd. You can almost see the hearts in Rainbow Dash's eyes. Vinyl was doing her half smile, but her eyes were half lidded and tinted with lust itself. Rarity came over, and kissed your forehead. "You really are good with kids, darling." You climb back to your feet. "Yeah, I guess I am." You return the kiss. You look around the room, watching as ponies went back to their conversations. The music started back up. _________________________________________________________________________________ "See Tavi? See how hot he is?" You ask. Octavia laughs. "While he is attractive, he also appears to be quite the hero. And you say he'll be spending two whole weeks with us? "Oh yeah. And hopefully he screws my brains out. Maybe I can get him to screw you too." Octavia blushes. "You're incredibly too fast with these things, Vinyl." "He better not be too fast." "Vinyl." "Alright, alright. I'm done." You take a drink of the wine you had helped yourself to. In a brief moment of seriousness, you were actually nervous about having Aaden at your house. Where would he sleep? What does he eat? Will he like you? Do you do anything that would give him reason not to? You continue to ponder these thoughts as your glass of wine soon completely empties. _________________________________________________________________________________ You can't believe it. Aaden is coming to live with you for two whole weeks. For two whole weeks, you will get to see those eyes. You have two whole weeks to try and impress him. Fast flying? Maybe some aerobatic techniques? What about cooking? You know he likes spicy food, and you spicy food, so maybe you could do something with that! Your mind refused to settle when it came to thinking about him. You were in love, and you didn't care to admit it anymore. Aaden was like exactly zero stallions you had ever met. He was so different. Maybe that's what attracted you to him. It didn't help, watching all of these memories of him. All of these heroics, they put you in awe. They made you feel humbled by his presence, but that was the thing. Aaden was the humble one. You know if you did stuff like that, your friends would never hear the end of it. But not only did Aaden not brag about it, he chose to act as if he was normal. He felt remorse. Maybe that's what got you. You weren't sure at this point. What you were sure of, is that he is going to be sharing your bed with you. You never liked being too forward and fast, but you've been in this Fluttershy-like daze for long enough now. You had two weeks to show Aaden that you loved him. And you intended to out do Vinyl and Rarity both. Combined.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Ideas of a ParamourAaden was changing. He was changing a lot. What was once the cocky, arrogant, and eager recruit, had become a silent, prophetic soldier. His eyes used to shine with youth. He wasn't even close to 30, and his eyes now had the deepness and wisdom of an elder. That is, if you ever had the rare privilege of seeing them. Which brings you to another concern: He didn't like showing his face much anymore. Possibly out of disgust. You look over at him. He was sitting on the iron bench, his hands on his knees. He looked like a modern day soldier, but without the camouflage patterns. The camouflage was traded for a straight black and orange color scheme. He also wore a black duster over the uniform, one that had a long, white angel wing painted down the right sleeve, which traveled all the way up to his shoulder blade, and he always wore this gas mask. The gas mask was also black, but the lenses on it were completely illuminated a bright orange. It was eerie to find him in a dark room, because all you would see were the two beady orange lenses staring back at you. He didn't wear a helmet, but his hair was about 1-2 inches long, and it always looked rustled and unkempt. He looked down at his hands. He was holding dog tags, let them dangle at his knees. You knew they belonged to Major Adam Howard and Alan Moore. They had both died right before Aaden, both were good friends of his. Howard was his mentor, taught him all about fighting, taught Aaden that was was much more than just mindless killing. He was almost like a father figure to him. If that was the case, then Alan was Aaden's little brother. Alan always looked up to the guy, always thought he was a hero, that he would be the reason that PMCs would start doing the right thing. Poor bastard died following his ideas that he was doing good. Evidently, these two deaths really hurt Aaden. You looked back up at him. Evidently now became obviously. A soldier walked in the room holding a smartphone, and froze in his tracks. "H-holy...holy shit. You're real. Y-you've got a phone...call..." Aaden stood up, seemingly towering over the soldier. Aaden walked over, and gently took the smartphone from his hands. The soldier laughed in disbelief, and walked over to you. "Dude! Max, look! He's fucking real!" You look at him. Aaden had also become a kind of legend. A silent, brutal soldier that attempts to serve justice and good, one that wears a gas mask and duster, one that had a callsign of "Angel". Sounds enough like a legend, so it became one. "I mean, Max, look! It's Angel! He's right there!" "Relax Carter. Damn. I've been assigned to his squad for awhile now." His eyes light up. "You? In his squad? HOLY SHIT. Is everything I hear true?" You shake your head. "Yeah. I may as well have enlisted in the regular military, all of the charitable deeds we do, all of the moral things he does." The fact of the matter was, you didn't mind all of the good things you did for people. Granted, you were only in it for the money, but it was easier on your conscience to serve the innocent and get paid rather than kill the innocent and get paid. "Dude, I would kill to be with that guy! I hear he's really smart!" That was also true. You've heard some of the only prophecies and ideas you agree with from Aaden. He also had this interesting presence about him, one that was extremely calming. He always seemed like he knew exactly what he was doing, and that was very relaxing. From the heat of battle, to dismissing you to lunch, he always seemed very collected. "Are the rumors about his promotion true?" "Yeah. He declined it." "WHAT? HE DECLINED BEING PROMOTED TO MAJOR?" You heard another voice chime in. One a little grizzlier than Carter's. "Yes. I did. Only one man I know deserved that position. He has left us." Carter looked up in awe at the two bright orange lenses staring at him, handing the smartphone back to him. Carter takes the phone, salutes Aaden, then prompty leaves the room. "Max, do you have the imports I requested?" You nod your head, and open up the mailbag. 6 cans of wet dog food and a bag of dry dog food. Aaden loosened up the straps of his gas mask, and slid his fingers underneath, and let out an ear-piercing whistle. A small, black labrador puppy came scrambling and yelping into the room, wagging his tail at the speed of light. He got down on one knee, and plopped some of the wet dog food out on the floor for the puppy. He ran his gloved fingers through the puppies fur while it lapped up the food. Aaden had loosened up his gas mask just enough to where you could see his mouth. You could see him smiling. You couldn't see his eyes, but you could see his white teeth smiling as he fed the puppy. "Does he have a name, Captain?" Aaden looks up at you, and readjusts his gas mask. The puppy also looks up at you, his head turned slightly in adorable confusion. "Pepper." Normally, you would question this situation. You watch as the puppy leaps up on his leg, and curls up in a ball on it, whimpering in exhaustion and excitement. Aaden picks him up, and drapes him over his shoulder, like one would a sleeping child. Aaden deserved this. You had no question regarding that. _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel a hoof nudging you. "Sir? Sir, please wake up. We have arrived in Ponyville." You blinked both of your eyes. It amazed you how fast time passed when life was mundane. It felt like just yesterday you had finished your training and returned home. You were just now getting back from a second trip to Centerlot to retrieve your official armor and sword. Today was the first day you were going to spend with Rainbow Dash. The first day out of two weeks. You really hoped that Rarity was okay with this, that she knew what she was doing. You get off the train, and sure enough, there is Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both smiling like madponies, waiting for you in the terminal. "Hey girls." "Hiya Aaden! How was your trip?" Rainbow asked. "I actually just woke up from a nap, if that says anything." Rainbow Dash laughs. "I hear ya. Trains are too slow for me." You look over at Fluttershy. "Hi, Fluttershy." "Hello Aaden." She says bashfully. "C'mon Aaden, lets head back to my house." You all three begin your walk out of the terminal, and to the edge of Ponyville. Your armor clunked the entire way. Several ponies wished you a good day on your way to Rainbow Dash's house. It made you feel good, feeling so accepted and loved by everyone. While some ponies took it too far, like Rainbow Dash and Vinyl, it still was good to know you were cared for. On the edge of the forest stood the oddest looking cloud you had ever seen. It looked an awful lot like a big house with rainbow waterfalls and streams all over it. Wait. "Hey, Dash. Is that your house?" She doesn't look back at you when you respond. "Yep!" "Uhh...Dash. I can't walk on clouds. Remember? Plus, I don't have wings." Some angel you were. "Don't worry about that dude. That's why Fluttershy is here." You had no idea what was about to happen, but you trusted her. As you approached it, Rainbow Dash put herself under your right arm, and Fluttershy under your left. "Alright Aaden, hold on tight." You felt your feet lift off of the ground. You felt bad, you had no idea how heavy you must have been to the two mares lifting you. Slowly but surely, you reach the cloud staircase of the cloud house. They let you down, and the moment your feet hit the clouds, you begin to panic. Your feet sink slowly. "Uh, Dash, I-" Your feet stop sinking. She looks at you with a mischievous smile. "I know it looks like it's only made of clouds, but there's actually a foundation under it all. C'mon in." You wade your way through the clouds, and go through the door. You were relieved to see tiling and pillars without cloud cover on the inside. You could walk normally. "Welcome to my place." It really was beautiful. The front door gave way to a foyer area, large and open, with two staircases winding their way up to the upper floors. "Where will I be staying?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Aaden just asked where he would be staying. You know where you wanted him to stay. You were turning into Fluttershy once again. You hated to think about it, but a lubby-dubby side did exist within you, a side of you were you felt shy and unsure, it really was there. And it was certainly about to show. "Well, I, uh..." You start. "The guest bedroom, the clouds are, uhh..." You break eye contact with him for a moment when you get an idea. "The clouds are dirty!" He looks at you in confusion. "The clouds are dirty?" "Yeah, filthy! The clouds that make up the mattress? Blegh! Gross!" You feel yourself starting to blush, and you try your hardest to suppress it. "You can sleep with me. I-If that's okay..." Aaden gives you another confused look. "Dash, I dunno..." He examines you. "I don't know if Rarity told you, but sometimes I wake in the middle of the night abruptly, sometimes with a shout or yelp from some of the memories I have. Not to mention that I don't want to be a bother. I'm already a guest in your house, you know? I'd hate to just kinda intrude like that, ya know?" You blush slightly harder. "Well, the b-beds are made of clouds, so, ya know, I won't feel anything if you wake up like that...I'd really be okay with it." He looks at you intently. "Are you sure, Dash?" You feel your heart skip a beat. "Yeah." "Alright. Then I suppose we'll be sharing a bed. Sleeping on clouds sounds pretty inter-Is that a turtle with a propeller on it's back?" You immediately stop blushing, and look up to see Tank flying over to Aaden. "Tank! Yeah, that's Tank! He's my pet turtle! Tank, say hi to Aaden, he's gonna be living with us for awhile!" Tank looks at Aaden curiously. Aaden carefully reaches a hand up, and strokes Tank's head with one of his fingers. "Tank, huh? I used to have a pet back home. A big dog." Tank smiles approvingly at Aaden, seemingly enjoying his presence. It was nice that he didn't slam into Aaden. You only want to get hit by a flying turtle once, afterall. You were actually really enjoying this sight. You had seen some of Aaden's memories, you knew he was really good with kids and animals, but to see it in person really made you giddy. His eyes were starting to get to you again. Tank scuttled away, going somewhere undisclosed within the house. Fluttershy led both of you up to your room. Aaden took his armor off and placed it in a corner. Aaden was such an amazing human. He was smart, he was cute, he was funny, he embodied every physical and mental trait that you have ever desired. You've met a lot of ponies, but nothing quite like Aaden. You watched him sit down on the bed, and sink a little into the cloud mattress. "Whooooa." He giggled. "This is trippy. I think I might like this." You laugh. "Me too dude. Me too." You aren't sure how Aaden got here exactly. But you kinda hoped that there was no way for him to get back. You couldn't imagine not having him around. Still, you wondered what the humans back in his world were doing without him. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Angel was dead. It was still hard to swallow. Such a hero, cut down cheaply, and in cold blood at that. You shudder to think that you were almost involved in that murder. You accepted the promotion to Captain to honor him. You were going to continue his work. You were going to become the next angel. You called for a meeting of your squad that the IMO lovingly referred to as "The Pathfinders". You were going to hold a vigil for him. A memorial. The entire squad knew what was happening, and entered the room silently, around the makeshift memorial you had created. The memorial itself was his gas mask with a rose in front of it, with his duster folded up put beside it, with painted angel wing on the sleeve showing. As everyone gathered around the monument, you pulled out your phone, and played the song you had found. It accurately represented his work. His life. Youtube Video The title of the song really matched him, as did the sound of it. Aaden turned you completely around. He showed you that, while you may be mercenaries, you can also be good people. You examined the picture, how truly fitting it was. An angel radiating the battlefield, shining his light. An ally to be respected and enemy to be feared. That was Aaden. When the song was over, a voice spoke up. "Max?" "Yes, Carter?" "We will never come close to doing as well as he did." "Of course not." "But we will try. We will continue his work." "Absolutely. In his memory, we fight on. For the greater good, brothers. Just as Aaden did." _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy left, and Aaden was in the shower, so you took off to the kitchen to prepare dinner. You remembered that he said he liked spicy food, so you decided that some spicy cheese pizza would do the trick. You found several of your hottest peppers, and the rest of what you would need to make dinner. You never really cared much for cooking, but since you were cooking for Aaden tonight, it became the most precious talent in the world to you. Maybe you could impress him with some really good cooking. You look over on the windowpane, at the bright red pepper you kept there for some special occasion. Mr. Tasty, the biggest, meanest pepper in all of Ponyville. You mainly held on to it to try and impress some guests by eating it whole, but you never had many guests up here. Maybe tonight was the night you would eat it, in front of Aaden. Can you eat a pepper seductively? You giggle at the thought. You can still hear the shower going upstairs. You hope the brief lesson you gave him on how to operate the shower was enough. _________________________________________________________________________________ You think you scolded yourself in the shower. Rainbow warned you that dial was sensitive, but you had no idea how sensitive. You had it in the center. Turning it a little to the left activated arctic ocean mode, and too far to the right activated Satan's piss mode. You had turned it just a few millimeters to the right. After some frantic adjusting, you managed to get the temperature back to normal. You liked this shower a lot. The clouds were soft between your toes, and the water just kind of fell from the clouds above you, like rain. Warm rain. You were washing your hair. You hear the door open. "That you, Dash?" "Yeah. Just making sure you were alright up here. I heard you yelp." You remember how you had scolded yourself. "Yeah, I'm fine." You see the curtain open slightly, and watch Rainbow's hoof enter the shower. "See, if you hit this button here..." She presses a button hidden below the dials. More water comes out. "You get higher pressure. Neat, huh?" "Yeah. So, uh..." Rainbow removes her hoof. "I'll go back to making dinner. Spicy cheese pizza! I hope you're hungry. Your stomach rumbles at the sound of it. "I'll take that as a yes." She laughs. You had a feeling that something was going to happen tonight. Rainbow Dash was either starting to get brave, or you just didn't accurately understand the do's and don't's of pony culture. But you'll soon find out, you suppose. You finish up your shower, and wrap a towel around your waist. You walk out of the bathroom, and begin your walk down to Rainbow Dash's room where you kept your clothes. While you missed Rarity, you tried to look at the bright side of things. Rainbow Dash was pretty cool. Plus, spicy cheese pizza. And a turtle with a propeller on his back. And gnarly rainbow pools and waterfalls. It was really pretty here with Rainbow Dash. You caught the scent of a pizza baking as you walked down the hall. Maybe this won't be so bad.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Love of a ProphetOne of the things you think you'll really like here, is the fact that you could wear pretty much anything you wanted, and Rainbow Dash wouldn't much care. You put on a pair of light blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Spicy cheese pizza, huh? You were open to this idea. You've never heard of a spicy pizza. Then again, you had never heard of spicy onion rings until you ate at that restaurant by the Delaware River, either. Those were pretty damn good. You look around Rainbow Dash's room. It looks awfully what you'd imagine a Roman Nobleman would own. Two marble pillars near the bed, marble tiling, and the bed up on a peninsula-like tile up off of the floor. The bed itself was made of clouds. As was the blanket and pillows. Although you were going to be sharing a bed with Rainbow Dash tonight, maybe it wouldn't suck completely. You smell the distinct scent of Jalapenos, sharp and sweet, wafting through the air, followed by the scents of cheese and what you assumed was some other kind of pepper. You would kill for a meat lovers pizza from back home right about now, but this spicy cheese pizza would do for right now. You leave Rainbow Dash's room, and enter the bathroom again, giving yourself one more look before you head downstairs. Although you were sure Rainbow Dash didn't care what you looked like, there was no need to be COMPLETELY sloppy. What have you done to me, Rarity? You decide you look presentable, and you go down the winding staircase, heading to the kitchen. Rainbow Dash was inside of it, watching the pizza bake intently. You don't think that even you could break her attention. That's when you see...IT. An ENORMOUS pepper sat on the windowpane. It was at least the size of your forearm. It was an extremely bright red, and looked at if it had been polished, glistening brightly under all of the light offered to it. It's lime green stem curled outwards, like a long pigs tail. Equestria has yet to cease amazing you. "Holy Hell. Is that a pepper?" Rainbow Dash swings around, obviously spooked by your sudden question. You don't break eye contact with the pepper. "Oh, yeah. That's ol' Mr. Tasty. I grew him myself!" You struggle to find words for this thing. "How?" "Eh, I'd be a liar if I said I didn't have a little help from Twilight." Fucking Magic. "That's pretty amazing, Dash." Rainbow takes the pizza out of the over, and cuts it. She has no real table, but a bar-like counter with two bar stools, one on each side of the counter. She puts her plate down, with 3 slices for her, and she puts your plate down. 4 slices for you. No arguments there. You get an idea. "I only have water to drink right now, I hope that's okay" You smile at her. "Absolutely not." She looks at you, surprised. "W-well, I guess I could r-run to the-" You shake your hand. "Dash, I was kidding." You laugh to express your point. "I brought my backpack with me, I have some bottles of soda from back home up there. I've been saving them to share them for special moments. This seems special enough! Would that be okay?" Rainbow Dash breathes a sigh of relief, then smiles. "Sounds awesome! I'll get some ice!" You run back upstairs, and snag a large bottle of Coca Cola you kept there. Of all the memories you had recollected, none really explained the massive amount of junkfood you had. You come back downstairs, unscrewing the cap on the bottle of soda. Rainbow was sitting at the table, eagerly awaiting this treat from another world. You near the counter, and pour both of your tall glasses full. Rainbow takes a sip, and her eyes widen. "Whoa." "I know, right? I love this stuff." She laughs. "Aaden, this is really good. This might just be better than the pizza." You remember that there was pizza. You feel saliva collecting in your mouth as you think about. You go to reach for it. "Dude, you might wanna let that cool a little first." She had a good point. You have a few memories of going to take a bite of hot pizza, only for the cheese to come rocketing off and slap you on the face, immolating the roof of your mouth and your tongue, along with burning your cheek or chin, whichever the cheese had chosen to plaster. Nope. Deciding you won't be getting burned tonight, you take Rainbow Dash's advice. Rainbow speaks up. "So, Aaden. I've heard some music from your people before. Is it all that electronic stuff?" You shake your head. You pull out your smartphone. "What genre do you like, Rainbow? I've got rock, indie hip-hop, orchestral pieces, dubstep and techno, metal, folk, I have pretty much anything on here." She turns her head at you. "What's metal? "It's like heavier rock. With screaming, sometimes." Rainbow Dash smiles. "Let's try that!" You scroll through your phone, looking for something not too violent or loud. Perfect. You find a song labeled "radio version". That means they took the screaming out. This should be good to start her off. Youtube Video I watch you walk away Helpless with nothing to say I strain my eyes Hoping to see you again This is my curse The longing This is my curse Time This is my curse The yearning This is my curse There is love Burning to find you Will you wait for me? Will you desire? Your silence haunts me But still I hunger for you This is my curse The wanting This is my curse Time This is my curse The needing This is my curse There is love Burning to find you Will you wait for me? Still I want Still I ache But still I wait To see you again Dying inside These walls Dying inside These walls And I see your face In these tears In these tears And I see your face There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love There is love Rainbow seemingly enjoyed the song. "Hey, Aaden. What was that song about?" "It's about someone losing a loved one to death. The curse he's referring to is the curse of living a life without said loved one, not knowing if you'll ever see them again." Rainbow Dash looks you over. "That's really deep, Aaden." "Yep. Metal tends to do that." You smile. This night was looking pretty good. _________________________________________________________________________________ You all dressed as the Angel did now. Gas mask, dusters and all. Aaden had changed the Pathfinders into what it was today. You were happy to be leading them. You had no idea what happened at the bank. It was all covered in secrecy. Aaden had got a job as an architect, then just kind of vanished until he was murdered. Why did the IMO have him take that position? What were they planning to do? Your squad stalked the forests near a human trafficking compound. If there was anything Aaden hated, it was the Traffickers. you weren't sure what exactly he had against them, but you never questioned him. Your squad of 8 men prowled forward, each of your dusters flapping in the wind. "Max, we've got movement up ahead." You look at your men. "Got it. Everyone, load up. It's time for a massacre. Leave all slaves alive. We'll be taking them home." "Yes sir." They said in unison. It was funny, how the traffickers had beefed up their security after how much Aaden had harassed them. Several guards stood outside, near the car. One looked right at you, and went completely pale. He fired wildly into the forest, screaming in fear. "AH! OH GOD, IT'S HIM! IT'S HIM!" He ran off inside, tripping and falling, but quickly scrambling into the house. The other two guards aimed their rifles in the forests. You can only imagine what it would be like to see 9 pairs of bright orange lenses peering out at you. They also quickly retreated into the house, closing the door behind them. You had your squad stack up on the door. "Carter, did you bring the explosives?" Carter laughs underneath his gas mask. "Did I bring the explosives?" Mocking your voice. "Good. Blow this shit." Carter steps in front of you, planting the door charge. It pops, blowing the door knob off. You throw a flash grenade inside the door, pump your shotgun once, and kick down the door as hard as you could. _________________________________________________________________________________ You could finally eat the pizza, and it really was as good as it looked. It was spicy, but not too much so. The cheese kind of leveled it out. "Dash, you did great! This is really good!" She blushes. "T-thanks Aaden. I like it too!" She then perks up, but is still obviously shy. "H-hey? W-wanna watch me eat M-Mr. Tasty?" She was now as red as a stop sign. If you didn't know that she was this shy around you, you would think she wasn't getting enough oxygen or something. "Sure!" You sit up on the stool as she jumps off of hers, and fetches the monster from the windowpane. She then comes back, and sits directly across from you. She holds this thing in both hooves, that's how big it is. She opens her mouth with that gentle "aaaah..." noise dentists tell you to make. This is gonna be hilarious. She sticks her tongue out a little, and slowly, but surely, slides it into her mouth. Her mouth makes this sucking noise when it finally fills her mouth. You hear her make another noise, almost like a whimper, through her nostrils. This is gonna be arousing? Shit. She slides it back out, and then goes back in, this time looking directly at you, right in your eyes. Shiiit. She giggles, her mouth full of Mr. Tasty. She takes it out again, this time with a pop, one single strand of saliva sticking to it from her tongue. Boner! Cut it out! Her eyes half close, and she gives it another push, almost taking the whole thing in her mouth. GOD DAMN. HAS SHE NO GAG REFLEX? BONER! I SAID CUT IT OUT! Finally, she takes a bite of it, chewing it slowly. You could feel your heart beating very fast, you could feel the burst of adrenaline fading from you. You let out a shaky exhale. Then a laugh as she starts coughing, waving her hoof at her mouth. "BLEGH! That's hot!" "You're telling me..." You mutter. She looks down at the pepper with a bite taken out of it. "Aaden, I don't think I can finish this." "That's okay. You certainly entertained, huh?" She smiles under her blush. She hops up, wraps the thing in some kind of plastic wrap, and puts it back on the windowpane. She looks at the clock. "Hey, Aaden, I'm going to go take a shower, get ready for bed and stuff. You can explore the house a little if you'd like." "Eeeh. I'll just go on to bed, read a book or something. I'll be there when you get out." She takes your plates and puts them in her sink, and disappears upstairs. You go, as well. You walk into the room, put on your pajama pants and take your shirt off. You have no idea how the cloud bed is supposed to work. You gently put your hands on it, and let them sink a tiny bit. They stop about half way through. Alright. You clumsily climb on, and lay on your back. It was actually extremely comfortable. You slide the blankets up to just under your chest, and take out your phone. You looked through the Books app on your phone, and saw that you had The Divine Comedy on there. You decide to read it. You just noticed an odd coincidence. Virgil was the name of the Honor Guard Captain. As was it the name of the famous author of the Aeneid. In The Divine Comedy, Virgil serves as Dante's personal guide through Hell and Purgatory. Seems fitting. You flip open the book on the app. O lady, you in whom my hope gains strength, you who, for my salvation, have allowed your footsteps to be left in Hell, in all the things that I have seen, I recognize the grace and benefit that I, depending upon your power and goodness, have received. you drew me out from slavery to freedom by all those paths, by all those means that were within your power. Do, in me, preserve your generosity, so that my soul, which you have healed, when it is set loose from my body, be a soul that you will welcome. You rapidly flip through more pages. O grace abounding, through which I presumed to set my eyes on the Eternal Light so long that I spent all my sight on it! In it's profundity I saw- ingathered and bound by love into one single volume what, in the universe, seems separate, scattered: substances, accidents, and dispositions as if conjoined-in such a way that what I tell is only rudimentary. You begin to think. Think deeply. You flip through the pages one last time. But then my mind was struck by light that flashed and, with this light, received what it had asked. Here, force failed my high fantasy; but my desire and will were moved already- like a wheel revolving uniformly- by the Love that moves the sun and other stars. Wow. The more and more you thought about it, your mind seemed to piece in Rainbow Dash as a pony that you may have feelings for. Sure, Rarity was there for you, but Rainbow Dash just happened to be there when you broke down. The right place at the right time, you suppose. You still loved Rarity though. But perhaps you were beginning to love Rainbow Dash. You weren't sure. This was so new to you, so foreign. Sure, you had girlfriends back home, but those were just girlfriends. Nothing deathly serious. But these relationships, and their passions, they were so great, so strong. This was different. As you ponder these thoughts, you hear her voice calling to you from the doorway. "Hi Aaden. All done. Hey, could I ask you something?" You look up at her. Her blush was still present, but no as bad. "Anything." She walks over to your clothes. "May I wear one of your shirts? I-I, my pajamas are d-dirty..." You smile. "Of course, Dash." She smiles, and digs out a white T-shirt. She slides it on, and climbs up onto the bed next to you, turning the lamp out. You lay in bed next to her. She turned away from you, and was seemingly already asleep. You continued to mess around on your phone, looking at old pictures. You hear her voice, this time slightly more quiet. "Aaden? Aaden, are you awake?" You feel the cloud blanket rustle. "Yep Dash. I'm awake." "Wanna talk?" "Sure. Anything on your mind?" "Not really." She turns towards you, her eyes focusing on yours. She smelled wonderful. Like lavender and vanilla. "Anything on your mind?" "Nah. Just looking at some old pictures." "Really? Can I see?" You smile, and put an arm around her, bringing her close. "Sure." _________________________________________________________________________________ H-he just put his arm around you. You take advantage of this, and snuggle as close to him as you can get. The picture he was looking at was one of him with the dog he had talked about. Aaden was sitting in a boat in what looked like the middle of the ocean, holding up a large fish proudly, while his dog was leaning against the side of the boat on his hind legs, watching the ocean go by. "That was a fishing trip I had taken with a few friends. I had never been fishing a day in my life before this photo. Pepper also seemingly LOVED the ocean, so it was pretty fun. Ever been fishing?" You shake your head. "You and I will have to go this week." He slides his finger across the screen, bringing a new photo. This one was of Aaden and another man, who both had one arm around each other, smiling at the camera. "That was my stepfather. This was about one month before he passed away. We were celebrating labor day, a holiday where people are generally off of work in my country. Beer, barbecue, that kind of stuff." You looked at the photo, and back at Aaden. You could see the hurt in Aaden's eyes. He composed himself with a deep breath, and, with what seemed like a reluctant swipe, brought up a new photo. This one was interesting. Aaden was surrounded by a bunch of other humans. He was holding an orange ball, and was in mid-air, like a jump. "This was a sport I liked to play back home. They called it Basketball. I really enjoyed sports back home. You name it, I've played it at least once." You smiled. It was fun to watch Aaden look at these pictures. In fact, it was more fun to watch his facial expressions when recalling the history of these stories. With every photo he pulled up, you could see his eyes light up with joy or well up with sadness. Through his eyes, you can almost see the pictures as if they were videos. He pulls up one photo, and you immediately see his eyes well up, glistening with tears. It was of him with two other humans, one with gray and black hair and green eyes, the other with brown hair and brown eyes. "These..." he clears his throat. "These two were very close friends. Adam and Alan. We went to a restaurant after work that evening. I...uh..." He clears his throat again. Now, Rainbow Dash, now! Stop being shy, and do it! Do it now! You feel your blood run cold with anxiety. You take both of your hooves, and put them on his face, and pull his to yours. As your tongue enters his mouth, you feel zero resistance. In fact, you feel his hands on the back of your neck. He was doing it to. You couldn't describe how you felt. You doubt a poet could express your emotion right then and there. You were melting in his arms. You couldn't stifle a moan if you tried. As far as you were concerned, you were now in Paradise. You hoped he felt the same way. _________________________________________________________________________________ Youtube Video The song you had listened to earlier was blasting. At least, inside of your head it was. You now understood why Aaden hated these bastards so much. After finding a dead 4-year old girl, you were pissed beyond comprehension. How anyone could treat such an innocent human that way, was beyond you. You and the Pathfinders stormed the complex with a renewed hatred, a fury that proved most fatal. You broke off, and were now by yourself. As you walked down a darkened hallway, the lights suddenly flashed on, and a single Trafficker came running at you with a knife drawn. When he got close, you kicked his knee, making him kneel. You pulled your shotgun back, gritted your teeth, and with the hardest swing of your arms, you swung your bayonet at him. It sliced into his neck, halfway severing his head. Before his body falls back, you impale it to the ground for him, then pull the trigger of the shotgun, completely obliterating his torso. He was certainly dead now. You were covered in his blood. You were disgusted, as well. Not because of what you just did, but because of the fact that you were covered in the blood of this filthy excuse for a human being. Aaden would be proud. _________________________________________________________________________________ "A-Aa...Aaden!" You were now kissing her neck. This was really happening. You were really about to do this. With Rainbow Dash. You didn't care anymore. Maybe you did love her, maybe you didn't. But she was all yours tonight. "Oooooh duuuuude..." Rainbow trailed off. You made sure to keep at the spot on her neck where she as most sensitive. Maybe tonight wasn't going to be so bad.
Chapter Twenty-Five: A Pound of White RiceIt didn't help that the inside of Rainbow Dash's mouth tasted like one of the grape Jolly Ranchers you liked back home. It also didn't help much that her tongue couldn't have been more slick and velvety. Being as it resided in her mouth, it also tasted of it. These things just made you all the more eager. You gently lifted yourself off of the cloud with your knee, and climb over on top of Rainbow Dash. She opens her hind legs, and you climb inside of this new spot made for you. You take your hand, and run it down from her neck, down from her chest, down to her lower abdomen. She breaks the kiss. "A-Aaden?" You back your face away, and examine her carefully. She almost looks scared. "Dash? Are you okay?" She smiles, but looks away from you. "Yeah. Well. N-no. I really like you, I do, but t-this is our first night together. I d-didn't expect you to be s-so in to this. It makes me f-feel scared." She had a point. You were getting some mixed messages here, especially with that scene downstairs with Mr. Tasty, but you understood. You went to lift yourself off of her, but you felt her hooves hold you down. "B-but." You heard her start. "I-I'm not done with you yet." She forces your mouth onto hers, and you can taste her tongue going back in. Eh. This will work. For now. You two spend your night together, filled with passionate kissing and gentle moans. You both had clear eyes and full hearts, so it must have been right. You didn't know. You didn't care. What you did know, is that you were now in love with Rainbow Dash, as well as Rarity. You were really digging yourself quite the hole. But you could dig yourself out of it later, you suppose. Rainbow Dash practically climbs on top of you, and falls asleep there. You had no qualms, she was pretty light. You lift the cloud blanket up over you both, and fall asleep with your arms around her. _________________________________________________________________________________ "KEEP, SHOOTING, KEEP, SHOOTING, NO, ONE, BREAKS, THROUGH!" Aaden shouted. He ran out of ammo with his rifle, and threw it on the ground, ripping his handgun from it's holster. "CAPTAIN! WE NEED TO FALL BACK!" You call out. You were frightened. You didn't want to die. "NO! THEY WILL NOT TAKE THAT VILLAGE!" You looked up at Aaden. His black armor was covered in dirt. He had one foot up on the little dirt hill, and was firing his handgun at the waves of PMCs coming through. Apparently, the Traffickers had grown tired of being raided, and decided to hire a PMC to attempt to raid a village they knew we were staying at. Aaden refused to let the other PMC within one mile of the village. "SIR! THIS IS SUICIDE! WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF AMMO!" Aaden didn't look over at you. "YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU RUN OUT, SO MAKE EVERY SHOT COUNT!" Your blood ran cold with fear. You held your rifle up, and squeezed a few shots off. You heard another voice call out. "SHIT! OH SHIT! THEY HAVE A TANK!" You looked up in terror as the giant metal insect scuttled towards you. It turned it's cannon slowly towards your position. "GET DOWN, THIS IS GOING TO BE BAD!" Aaden jumped up from his little trench, and ran far off from ours, waving his arms at the tank. You could hear him shouting. "YOU WANT ME? I'M RIGHT HERE! FUCKING TAKE ME! TAKE, ME!" The tank turned it's cannon towards Aaden, who then continued his run. The tank fired with a boom so loud, it left a ringing in your ears. You then realized what Aaden was doing. He had an extremely high bounty on his head by other PMCs. They were going to follow him, in their attempts to kill him. He was clever enough to lead them away from the village. Watching as Aaden led a horde of men and a single tank away from innocent civilians, you hear your radio buzz. "Angel-1, this is Archangel, strafing run will commence in 2 minutes. Get clear." _________________________________________________________________________________ You lazily lifted your head up off of the cloud mattress. You go to give Aaden a big hug, when you realize he isn't there. You jump up. Oh no. You didn't do anything to upset him, did you? Was this about not going all of the way? You hop up, still in Aaden's shirt, and get downstairs as fast as you can. You run into the foyer. Empty. You hear dinging, and a loud crack come from the kitchen. "OW!" You hear. you run into the kitchen. Aaden is standing over the over, cooking something. You notice him rubbing his head, while Tank buzzes about near him. He notices you, and laughs. "Oh, uh. Hi. I was going to surprise you with some breakfast when Tank decided to give me a concussion. Ow." You laugh. "You alright big guy?" You ask. Aaden nods his head. "Hurts like Hell, but I'll live." You fly over to him, and kiss his head. "Better?" "Better." Aaden points back at the stove. "Now, obviously, I have no wings, so I can't exactly go get us something, but I can cook pretty well. What would you like?" Timidness washes over you once more. "I-I can, g-go to th-" Aaden holds a single finger up to your mouth. "No no. I'm cooking you breakfast, and I'm doing your dishes. That's gonna happen, so try and get used to it." Aaden can tell you're still in your Fluttershy mode. "Bet I can cook better than you." Your timidness leaves you almost immediately. "Bet? How much do you wanna bet?" You give a boastful smile. "I want a kiss if I win. You can have whatever you want from me if you win. That's how confident I am." He smiles at you. "We'll cook each others breakfast. Tank?" The Turtle flies over. "You wanna judge?" He nods his head. "There we go. So. Wanna compete? Or are you too afraid I'll get that kiss?" "You're on!" You both race over to the cabinets. You decided you were going to fix him an omelette with cheese, veggies and peppers. You snag a skillet, and dash over to your cooler, where you grab several eggs, some left over peppers, cheese, and bunch of different vegetables. You look over your shoulder, and see Aaden with a bag of flour and other things that didn't make sense to you. "Aaden, competitors trade of information. I'll tell you what I'm making if you tell me what you're making." Aaden laughs while he mixes something in a bowl. "Pancakes. My Dad's old recipe." Your stomach grumbled at the thought of pancakes. "What do you have going on over there?" "An omelette with vegetables, cheese, and peppers. My old recipe." You both then go back into silence as you compete. As you cracked eggs and added your touches here and there, you watched Aaden. He was already at the stove top, pouring out the pancake batter. He was moving with grace and precision. You couldn't help but be curios about his skills, so you spoke up. "Jeez Aaden. Where'd you learn to cook?" He looks over his shoulder, smiling. "I went to school for it. Graduated and everything. I wanted to be a chef. That or a bartender." I'm competing against a chef. I'm definitely going to have to kiss him. Nothing wrong with that. Aaden goes back to his pancakes. You get your eggs together, and take the burner next to him. You pour the eggs out, and watch them cook. You noticed Aaden was staring off into the distance again, his eyes wide. While it made you uncomfortable, it didn't frighten you as badly as last time. You really wanted him to win that kiss, so you decide to make sure his pancakes come out okay. You wonder what might be going through his head. He must be remembering something. _________________________________________________________________________________ The helicopter descends from the clouds, and immediately begins ripping through the crowd following Aaden. It's gun even penetrated the tank. It stops moving in it's pursuit. It's pilot must had been killed. The radio then buzzes again. "All hostiles KIA. Returning to roost." The Helicopter then ascends back into the clouds, and quickly flies away. The battlefield was now eerily silent. Aaden stood in the distance, staring at us. The orange lenses of his gas mask looked even creepier now. You all regrouped in the village. Men, women and children all stood outside of their houses, clapping and cheering your return. The Mayor of this town came forward. "Dearest Angel, what can we give you in return for your work." Aaden looks at him. "'Nothing." The Mayor gets a concerned look on his face. "Surely there is something, Angel." Aaden looks back at you. "Get me a pound of white rice." The Mayor looks perplexed. "Angel, surely we can give you more than just some rice!" "No. Just the rice, please." The Mayor, albeit confused, nods his head. "Edrin, all he wants is a pound of white rice. Do you think your farm could spare it?" The man identified as Edrin nodded his head. He ran home, and came back with a small burlap sack, filled with the rice, and handed it to Aaden. Aaden opened his duster, and took the bag, sliding it inside of a large pocket he had. Aaden shook the Mayor's hand, you all returned to the makeshift firebase you had set up on the outskirts of the village. You went to your bed, and decided to take a nap before dinner. You wake up after what seems like just a blink, but you feel refreshed. You stumble out of your bed, the smell of something cooking coming to your nose. You walk into the kitchen, and see Aaden, not wearing his gas mask for a change, cooking something. You shrug it off, and decide to go to the infirmary and check up on Ryan, who had been grievously injured the day before. You sit down in the seat next to him, your eyes examining his IV bag, travelling down to his arm, back up to his face. "How do you feel?" "Shitty." You had to try to hide a laugh. Ryan was a funny man, the kind that when he curses, it's hilarious. You clear your throat. "How is your leg?" He pulls back the blankets, revealing a leg completely bandaged. "Third degree burns and broken bones. Yaaay." He pulls the blankets back up, and looks past you. "Hey, Aaden, what's going on?" He handed Ryan a plate. "Oh, bad ass! Is this the stir-fried rice I keep begging for?" Aaden took the seat on the opposite side of him. "Yeah, Max," Ryan kept talking. "Aaden can really cook. He's been taking care of me since I got hurt." You look over at Aaden. "Max. I was told something by Major Howard a very long time ago. Each of us have two families. Now, there are those your raised with..." He looked over at the picture of Ryan's family that sat next to him. He looks back over to you. "And then there are those you raise Hell with. Each and every single one of us are brothers." Aaden's little speech gave you goosebumps. He had that effect on people. Hell, you were probably a year or two older than him, but his immense knowledge had the very calming sensation of someone much older and experienced than you. You wouldn't doubt it if he could put out a fire by talking it down, or hold off getting sick through sheer willpower. His eyes bled wisdom and experience as he stared at you, waiting for a response. "Well. You make a good big brother. Ryan looks like he agrees." The soldier had a mouthful of rice, and without looking up from his food, gave you a thumbs up with his free hand. "Max. I'm not going to be alive much longer." Ryan immediately looked up at him. You focused on him. "I've pissed the IMO off something fierce. After about 6 meetings with the Chairman, I've decided I'm leaving. Live a normal life." You could respect that. It was the only reason any of you fought for the IMO anyways. You just wanted to make a living. "I know they're coming for me. I don't know when, or how, but I know they are. When I am killed, you are to assume leadership of the Pathfinders. I see you most fit," You feel taken aback. "Captain. I am honored." Aaden didn't smile, nor frown. "My inevitable murder will serve as my penance. Attempt to lead the Pathfinders along the path I have started." _________________________________________________________________________________ You came back into reality. You notice your pancakes are finished, and sitting on a plate on the counter. You look around. Rainbow Dash wasn't there, but her omelette was done, as well. Everything was fresh. Your mouth was dry. You decide that, while water or juice is great and all, you REALLY want a soda. You go upstairs, and grab another bottle of Coca Cola, and bring it downstairs. You get two glasses, fill them with ice and soda, and place them on the counter top, one next to each plate of food. You hear the front door open, so you walk out into the foyer. "Well good morning sunshine. Did you just now snap out of it?" "Yeah. How long was I out?" "Eh, it was only 10 minutes or so. I went to go get you something!" You see that she's hiding something under her wings. "You can't have it until after breakfast!" You both walk into the kitchen, and sit down on the bar stools, eating your breakfast, and sharing small talk. You both hand Tank a few small nibbles of your food, remembering your little competition. You get up when she finished, and took both of your plates, cleaning them and the dishes from last night. You also dry them, before putting them away, continuing your gossip with Rainbow Dash. You run your hand across your chest, feeling the bandages underneath of your shirt. "Rainbow, I'm going to go change my bandages real quick." Rainbow hopped off her bar stool. "I'll help. Just to make sure you do it right." You both go upstairs, and into the bathroom. You take your shirt off, and fold it over your left shoulder, where it would be out of the way. You peel off the bandage on your shoulder and abdomen, revealing two marble sized scabs. You had almost made a complete recovery. You wouldn't need to do this much more often. "Hey, Aaden? Could I ask you something about the manticore?" You nod your head while you carefully use disinfectant to wipe your wounds. "What did it feel like, being impaled like that?" You look up at her. "It didn't hurt at first. It just felt like someone pushed me really hard. Then it just kind of started to feel warm and wet. The pain never really came, I went unconscious before I could feel anything else. She cringed. "Ow dude. That really sucks." You simply hum in agreement. You peel a bandage from it's wrapping, and stick it to your chest. "Now I have a question for you. I have to patrol tomorrow. You know, Honor Guard stuff. How am I supposed to get down from this cloud?" Rainbow Dash held her hoof to her chin. "That's a good point. You could always jump and hit a cloud closer to the ground." You imagine falling 500 feet onto a cloud, only to fall 15 more feet to the ground. You shudder. "I'll find another way. Let's just enjoy the day for now. What all do we have planned?" You put your shirt back on. "Absolutely nothing." You laugh. "Well. I'm sure we'll find something."
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Scars of a DemonWere you unconscious? Or were you dead? You weren't sure. What you were sure of, however, is that more than blood was bleeding from your head. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awoke in a forest of dead trees. There was no grass. Only cold, hard dirt. You get up, and stagger over to a nearby tree, which you then use to support yourself. You look around. Dead trees in every direction. "Hello?" You call out into the forest. You hear your voice echo. You can't remember how you got here. Come to think of it, you couldn't really remember much of anything about yourself. You decide that it's more important to attempt to find out where you were, first. You finally stop feeling dizzy, and become able to walk without throwing yourself against trees for support. The forest itself was completely silent. No birds, no insects, no rustle of leaves or branches. Just complete, dead air. The moon made the shadows very dark and distinct, and the lack of wind made them a tattoo on the ground. You stumble upon what looks like a pond, and decide to rest near it. You sit down, and splash some water onto your face. That's when you see your reflection. You were a young man. You wouldn't be surprised if you were only 22 years old. You were in bulky black attire with orange lines and hexagonal shading on it. Your eyes were an interestingly bright brown color, and your hair was only an inch or two long, also brown in color. Well. At least I'm handsome. You see a metal chain around your neck. You look down, and slide it off around you, examining the metal tag. ALAN MOORE IMO PATHFINDERS X0148220-1313 "Alan..." You say out loud. It sounds right. Must be your name. You look back at your reflection. Other than a little dirt on your face, you looked fine. Maybe you were just on a stroll or something, and a branch fell and hit you, and that's why you can't remember anything. That's when, in your reflection, you see something coming. A black, insect-unicorn hybrid creature emerges from the forest behind you. It's tattered wings and mane bothered you more than anything else. It stepped forward. "Alan, my dear. I've been looking all over for you." It asked. It's voice sounded surprisingly feminine. You stand up, and begin to back away slowly. Had she heard you say your name? Or did she actually know you? "Who are you? How do you know me?" She smiled. It seemed friendly enough. "Dearest Alan, I am your Queen. Do you not remember? You are one of my loyal subjects. You and I went for a walk through this most dreaded forest, when you fell. I left to go find help, and when I came back, you were gone. Are you okay?" Queen? MY Queen? You look around. You don't see anything else around. Maybe she's right. "Alan, you're scaring me. Are you okay?" She asks. You decide that she must be right. "Y-yes. I'm just a little...confused." She laughs, and approaches you. "Poor thing. You cannot remember?" You shake your head. "Come with me. I will walk you back home. We will talk on the way there." You hesitate. "Is there something wrong, Alan?" "What's your name?" She smiles. "I am Queen Chrysalis. Come now. We have much to discuss." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Hey, Dash?" Aaden looks down at you. "Yeah, big guy?" "I'm starving." You laugh. "Well, I brought the food with us. But it's probably all gross and soggy by now." "With the amount of ketchup you put on your stuff? Probably so." "Hey, don't knock it until you try it." "Then I probably won't ever be knocking it." You laugh again. "Wanna go back to Poachies? Try again?" "Sounds awesome. I'm getting another ketchup burger." "I bet you are." _________________________________________________________________________________ Your mind was flooding with questions. You were hoping that another attempt at this little date between you and Rainbow Dash would help straighten things out. You both enter Poachies once more, and have a seat at the exact same booth as last time. The exact same waiter comes over. "Good evening, sir." He looks up from his little order pad, and looks at you in surprise. "Oh my, it's you! You were here earlier, until that Changeling bastard came through!" You nod your head. "Yeah. That's me." "Hey, I'm Poachie. I own this place. What you did out there? Ponyville will be safe in your hands." "Thanks. Not to be rude, but I'm very hungry. I didn't get a single bite from a burger earlier. Nor did my lovely date over here." Poachie nods his head very rapidly. "Hey, you potentially saved some lives out there earlier. Here, you eat for free tonight. Free appetizer, free whatever entrees you want, and free dessert. Anything you want, you got it." You smile. "Thanks Poachie. It means a lot. I guess we'll have what we got earlier." You look over to Rainbow Dash. "What appetizer do we want, Dashie?" "Fried mozzarella, totally." Poachie scribbles that down, along with your drink choices and your entrees, as well, and he soon darts back off into the kitchen. Rainbow Dash looks back over to you. "How's your hand?" You hold it up for her. "It still hurts, naturally. But Doc Gauze does good work. Saved my life once, I'd like to think he can fix a few broken bones." Rainbow Dash has a question. You can tell she's reluctant to ask. "Dash. What's on your mind?" She puts a hoof gently on top of your injured hand. "I know it hurts to have done that to Alan. I can't imagine what's going through your head right now. But you're doing a great job, big guy. To be forced into a completely new world, and not lose your mind? I bet that's hard." "Honestly, I gave up trying to understand the moment I saw Doctor Gauze talk. Right now, I'm just kind of coasting, you know? Going where life takes me. Just seeing Alan makes my skin crawl. Not because he disgusts me or anything, but because he's dead. Ya know? Does that mean I'm dead? I mean, this can't be the afterlife. There would be billions of other humans here if that was the case. I dunno Dash. It's very confusing." She gently strokes your hand with her hoof. "I know it is, babe." Babe? Alright, I can put up with that. "And I'm proud to see you hanging in there. You're brave. I happen to think that's pretty sexy." Welp. I know what I'm doing later tonight. _________________________________________________________________________________ It all made so much sense now that The Queen had explained it. "So my family has been one of the most loyal and noble families of your kingdom?" The Queen nods her head. "Yes. The uh, the...I can't believe I don't remember the name. It escapes my tongue." "Moore. It's a pretty forgettable name, I understand." "No no my dear, my mind simply drew a blank for a moment! Your family, the Moore family has been VERY influential in this kingdom! I ought to lock myself in my own dungeons for letting the name escape me!" You smile. This creature may not have looked to pleasant, but she had to be telling the truth. She was far too kind, and far too elaborate in her explanations for it all to be a lie. "Ghoul, isn't it a travesty that I forgot? How influential is the Moore family in this kingdom?" The smaller insect-pony creatures eyes went wide. "Uh. Very influential, my Queen." She smiled at him, and nodded her head. "Now, Alan Moore, one of my most loyal subjects. Our Kingdom has some troubling issues. Our people are starving." "Starving?" "Yes. The oppressors, the life-long enemies of the Moore family, the Ponies and their allies, led by the tyrants Celestia and Luna, they have barred us from their kingdoms, and are starving us. Your parents died from that starvation. "What?" You feel a wave of sadness and anger come over you. "My parents are...dead?" "I am sorry, dear. It happened so long ago. But we will grieve their loss later. Now, we must help our people." "Yes, my Queen. How may I serve?" You respond. She smiles. "Already recovering your families infamous loyalty, I see. Our military is in decline. We have a specialized unit dedicated to dealing with the oppressors covertly. The Dreadguard. Your family was notorious for containing the strongest, most legendary Dreadguards we have ever known. I would like to offer you the chance to train to become one. To take the fight to them. To avenge your parents, serve your kingdom, and your Queen. Do you accept?" "Yes, my Queen. I am yours to command." She smiled again, this time more wickedly. _________________________________________________________________________________ The burgers came back out, and actually weren't half bad. While you would still like a patty made from meat, these black bean substitutes would work. For now. Poachie came back out. "How were the burgers?" You pat your stomach. "Very good Poachie, very good. I haven't had cooking like that in long while." Poachie laughs. "Am I glad to hear that! I made sure that everything was made to the best of our ability! You guys ready for dessert?" You look over at Rainbow Dash. "Oh yeah. We'll take the double fudge brownie with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream." She responds. Poachie scribbles the order down on his pad, and darts back into the kitchen again. He soon comes back out with a square plate with a large brownie on it, drizzled in chocolate syrup, and braced on both sides with a large scoops of vanilla ice cream. He also hands you both a spoon. "Enjoy!" He then happily trots off, satisfied with his work. Rainbow Dash was already tearing away at the brownie. You go to reach for a spoon, doing so with your left hand. You immediately jerk it back in pain. Rainbow Dash notices this, and scoops up a bite of brownie with the spoon. "Say, 'ahhhh'." You open your mouth, letting her place the brownie on your tongue. "Oh wow." You notice something happening to her wings. Like a twitch. "That was probably a little hotter than it should have been." You laugh with brownie in your mouth. "Let me try." You pick up your spoon with your right hand this time, scoop up a little bit of brownie. She opens her mouth, and lets her tongue come out. Her eyes are doing that half-lidded thing again. You gently place the brownie on her tongue, but she closes her mouth. You remove the spoon, and it comes out with a loud pop, her tongue following it and licking the end of it as it leaves her mouth. This is Mr. Tasty all over again! "Oh man." She covers her mouth with a hoof. "This is actually really, really good." "How much do you think all of this would cost, if I had to pay?" Rainbow Dash tilted her head in thought. "Eeeh. Maybe 60 bits?" "I'll leave 80 bits as the tip." "Feeling generous?" She smiles. "The first job I ever had was waiting tables in Manhattan. It SUCKED. One day though, this man came by, and I took his order. I didn't think much of him, just another customer. He left me 100 bucks as a tip, and a note that said "Astounding service. You're going to go places in life with that attitude. Follow your dreams.". Ever since then, I try to offer the same kindness to any waiter I have that seems to be really trying hard. I know how bad it can suck. You ever in the food industry?" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah. I started off moving clouds, which can pretty awful, too." "Really?" "You'd be amazed how specific Ponies are about their clouds." _________________________________________________________________________________ "YOU WILL SERVE THE QUEEN!" "AYE!" "YOU WILL FIGHT FOR THE QUEEN!" "AYE!" "YOU WILL GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE QUEEN, SHOULD THE SITUATION PRESENT ITSELF!" "AYE!" "EVEN A CHANGELING WITH NOTHING TO OFFER, CAN STILL OFFER HIS LIFE!" "AYE!" "THE OPPRESSORS MUST DIE!" "AYE!" "WE ARE THE DREADGUARD!" "AYE!" "AND WE WILL NOT GO FORGOTTEN!" "AYE!" This call and response happened every morning at the start of the training. The Hivelord would call out these words of loyalty, while all of the recruits, including yourself, would respond in unison. During this particular training, something odd happened. While you all stood in formation, you saw something in the distance. It was another human. It was wearing the same black and orange armor you wore, but with a duster over it, flapping in the wind. It also was wearing a gas mask, one with orange lenses that pierced your soul. You felt like you knew this human. You watched as it knelt, two white, angelic wings, bursting from it's back. You heard voices echo in the back of your head. "...I'm here Alan...I'm here..." "...HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!..." "...And disrespect a Hero like you? No way!..." "...WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!..." And that's when it happened. That's when your eyes opened wide, and the world around you started to melt, and a new one took it's place. You were in a trench with other humans, ones dressed like you, holding guns, firing into the forest in front of you. It was the early morning, but extremely cloudy, and drizzling with rain. It had rained all night, so mud was everywhere. An older man, maybe between 30-40, was yelling at you over the sound of rifles barking and bullets whistling. "ALAN, MOVE! GET THE FUCK DOWN!" And that's when you feel like God pushed you down. You hit the mud. You know you were shot, but not how many times or how bad it was. You were starting to feel funny. That's when you hear another voice call out. "HOWARD! HOWARD, ALAN'S HIT!" "FUCKING LEAVE HIM!" The voice called back. You close your eyes, and try not to move. You feel someone lift you up, so you open your eyes right back up. There was the human in the gas mask and duster. He ripped the gas mask off of his face, and threw it in the mud. His eyes had tears running down them, going down past his chin, falling into the mud. "It's gonna be okay. Stay strong...please don't die..." He held you for a minute. The man identified as Howard screamed in frustration. "AADEN, WHERE'S THE GOD DAMN AIR SUPPORT?!" Aaden looks back over to him, obviously in complete agony. He just stares at him. "AADEN! AADEN, WAKE UP, AND GET THE FUCK ON THAT RADIO!". You reach your hand out to him, and attempt to squeeze it, to show that you're strong, and you'll be okay while he does what he has to. "HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!" You then feel a chill go down your spine. You seemingly know what's going to happen. "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET ON THAT FUCKING RADIO!" The man identified as Aaden slammed his fist in the mud, and gently put you down. You didn't have the energy to turn your head and watch what was happening, and you couldn't hear him over the gunfire and sound of other men howling in pain and torment. This was it. You were going to die. You could feel your grip on reality slipping from your grasp. You feel Aaden lift you up again. He could see death in your eyes. He knew it was coming. You could tell he was trying to hold back tears, but he was doing a poor job. You try to clear your throat. "A-Aaden..." You start. You grab his hand again, and try to squeeze. It's much harder this time, and you cannot stop shaking. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." You had so much you wanted to tell him. How much he was like an older brother to you. How much you envied him for his skill and knowledge. How proud it made you to have spent your final moments with him. He started to squeeze your hand back a little harder. "I'm here Alan. I'm here." You attempt to clear your throat again. "I heard...a lot about you before...before this..." You attempt to inhale deeply, but fail. His eyes now completely released tears. "and I...I just want to say..." You attempted to breathe again, but merely started coughing violently. "These few moments.....fighting beside you.....have been the pr-proudest.....proudest...of my...li...." It was happening. You couldn't finish your sentence. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't keep squeezing his hand. You felt your head tilt back, and watched as the world slipped away into the sensation of falling. The regular world returned to you quickly. The Queen and Ghoul didn't seem to notice you snapping out of it. "Ghoul, what's happening to him? Surely he isn't remembering!" The Queen sounded agitated. "I am unsssure, my Queen." They both turned around, and noticed you returning to normal. "W...what happened to me?" You stare blankly. "My most loyal Dreadguard, you simply froze during your training. You wouldn't move. They brought you to me. I trust everything is alright?" You shake your head. "No. No, it's not. I saw something...other humans. I was fighting with them. Aaden...Howard...those names sound so familiar. "Why, they should!" The Queen smiled. "Those are your brothers!" "My...brothers?" "Yes, your brothers! They died fighting alongside you, attempting to hold off the oppressors. Brave Dreadguards, they were." Although you couldn't help but notice that these creatures had no guns, and wore armor completely different from what the other humans wore, she had to be telling the truth. She was the only thing you've had contact with since you lost your memory, and if she was going to do anything bad, she would have already done it. "I apologize, my Queen..." She walks over to you. "It is quite alright, dear. Go on home. Rest for now." You look up at her, your eyes meeting hers. "Y-yes, my Queen. Thank you."
Chapter Twenty-Nine: BrothersYou still had four days left with Rainbow Dash before you were to go stay with Vinyl Scratch and Octavia for their two weeks. But what little time you had left with her wasn't on your mind. You felt insanely guilty, and that guilt had taken over your mind. Alan had yet to wake up. Sure, you had punched plenty of people before, but never had you punched someone so hard that you put them in a coma. Not to mention a friend. One day, you're holding Alan in your arms, begging him not to die, and the next day, you're practically killing him. It also bothered you that everypony in Ponyville believed him to some evil creature, wanting nothing more than to kill. You knew that wasn't true. You knew who Alan was. But for some reason, Alan doesn't seem to know who you are. Or who he was, for that matter. You walk through the marketplace, on patrol once more. You snack on an egg and cheese bagel you had bought from some diner on the far side of town. The bagel itself was good, but you regret not getting a cup of orange juice or something from the diner. The bread really dried your mouth and throat. You look around you. The Sugarcube Corner stands nearby. Perfect. You walk inside, the bell dinging as you do. You pay no attention to the 4 ponies sitting at the table near the door, and stand at the counter. No one is there. Taking advantage of this quiet moment, your minds flood walls break again, and the questions come roaring through it once more. Alan was a good man. He was like a brother to you. How could he do what he did to you? Did he not see your face? You run your hand along your helmet. While it did obscure your face slightly, he should have still been able to recognize you. You take another bite out of the bagel. The voices of the 4 ponies sitting at the table finally break through to you. "Aaden? You okay?" You turn around. Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie all sit at the table, eating breakfast together. That explains why the counter was unattended. "No. No, I'm not. I'm assuming you may have heard what happened?" You sat down next to Fluttershy. "You mean that meanie monster thing that tried to hurt you?" Pinkie Pie chimed in. You sigh. "I was afraid of this. Pinkie, may I have a glass of water or something? This is going to take awhile." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Max, are you sure about this? This is a big operation. We're only so many strong." Carter asked. "I am. It ends now." Carter nodded his head. The Pathfinders all stood in the room. Ever since Aaden, Alan, and Adam had died, the Pathfinders had become the things of legend. The IMO began funding them as such. What was once 12 men, had now become 120, each dressed in the exact same gas mask, duster, and combat armor attire that Aaden had made popular. They all even had the angel wing on their right shoulder of their dusters. You weren't afraid to admit that the boots you currently stood in were too big for you. You were never going to be like either Adam or Aaden. Adam was a natural born leader, your stereotypical stoic captain, and Aaden, Aaden was just a hero. You were neither. The Pathfinders, all in attendance, immediately quieted down their talking when you raised your hand. "Brothers..." You started. "You have all been selected to join the Pathfinders for good reason. Each and every single one of you have displayed a willingness to do good, to uphold the right ethics and morals..." You look around your audience, and to Carter, who was standing beside you. He nodded his head once. "As you are all aware...The IMO has threw their hat into the human trafficking ring..." You balled your right fist. "That, is a FUCKING, OUTRAGE!" You shout, slamming your fist against the wall. Your audience doesn't react. "We have lost many of our brothers to these sub-human pieces of SHIT, and for what? To join them?" You could see several of your brothers in the audience begin to ball their fists, as well. "There is only one solution, my brothers..." You hold your rifle in the air with one hand. "THE CHAIRMAN MUST DIE!" The crowd immediately erupts in a loud cheer, holding their rifles up with you. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been in Saddle Arabia for awhile now. It was pretty comfy, aside from the fact that it was damn near impossible to keep sand from getting inside of your living room. You kick back on your recliner, watching the palm tree bob up and down in the desert wind. It sure was nice of the locals to give you this house. Sure, you had to help out the irrigation workers, but that wasn't a problem. You hear a knock on your wooden front door. "Come in!" You shout. You put the book you were reading down in your lap. Mala opens the door, and attempts to knock the sand off of her hooves. "Eh, don't worry about it. I'm gonna sweep here soon, anyway." She smiles, and walks over to you. "What're you reading?" You look down at the book in your lap. "It's a book I found in my satchel. 'The Art of War'. I have no idea why I have it, but it all sounds so familiar to me. It makes a lot of sense. Maybe I was a soldier or something previously." "It seems plausible. You must have been the desert for a very long time, and to survive for that long, you must have had some kind of survival skill" She stops her thinking, and looks back to you. "Anyways. I have good news, and I have bad news. The Princess has accepted our request for her audience." You jump up out of your chair. "Hey, that's amazing news!" She looks down at her hooves. "Wait. What's the bad news?" "She cannot teleport us. We must walk through the desert once more." You sigh. You really would prefer to not walk through the desert. But it's your only chance to figure out what's going on. "Well God damn it all. When do we leave?" You ask. _________________________________________________________________________________ Another memory was starting flooding back into your mind. You walked into Aaden's apartment, and sat down next to an enormous labrador retriever, who immediately attempted to climb in your lap. Adam walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips. Aaden walked in about 5 minutes later, watching Adam eat his chips. "Well damn Adam, help yourself." He said. Adam gestured with the bag of chips, and shrugged his shoulders. "I see you've met Pepper, Alan." You look up over the couch, Pepper attempting to nuzzle you. "Oh yeah. This was your payment, wasn't it?" You ran your fingers through his black coat. "Yep. And be careful, his damn tail will give you a black eye." You watched his tail thump against the couch. Evan and Sarah then walked in the apartment, too. "Hey, what's going on fellas?" Sarah asked as she walked in, sitting her keys on the kitchen counter. Adam swallowed his mouthful of chips. "Aaden, Alan and I are going down to some bar off of 4th Street. You guys wanna come?" Sarah seemed finicky. "Oh, I dunno...I'd hate to just invite myself, Adam." "Oh, quit being silly." Aaden said. "Evan, Sarah, you're coming with us." You all put on your coats, and start off through the bustling streets of Manhattan. You all made it to the bar, and had your dinner. Afterwards, you sat around the table and had drinks, sharing small talk and gossip. Soon, Adam decided to go "socialize" with a girl he found attractive, and you decide to do the same with a girl you had been looking at for a good part of the night. "Aaden, you wanna go mingle? You can be my wingman." Aaden shook his head. "Nah. Bar chicks aren't exactly my type." You look at him in confusion. Evan chimes in. "He won't budge, bro. Aaden's a bit of a romantic. He's not one to...indulge. If you know what I'm sayin'." You smile. "Suit yourself, brother." Wait. Brother. You didn't have any brothers. You were an only child. The Queen lied to you. There is going to be Hell to pay. _________________________________________________________________________________ You take another deep drink of the glass of ginger ale you had, and set the glass back down on the table, wiping your mouth with your sleeve. "Wowzers. So you know him?" Pinkie Pie asks. For once, she was sitting still. "Oh yeah. But there's something that bothers me about this. You guys remember watching that memory of me holding that soldier, begging him not to die?" They all nod in unison. "Alan was that man." Twilight cocks her head in confusion. "Wait. Didn't he die?" You nod your head. "Exactly. He's dead." "But then wouldn't we have a bunch of humans here in Equestria if this is where you guys go when you die?" "I don't know. I'd like to think that I'm not dead. But then again, I really don't know why I'm here. Why he's here. Surely there is a reason behind it all." You look outside, and watch rain begin to fall from the clouds. "Twilight, I need to ask a favor of you." "Sure Aaden. Whatcha need?" "I need to find out, for sure, if I'm dead or not." Twilights eyes widen slightly. "Surely you aren't. I mean, you're here right now, right? You can't be dead." "Twi, I watched Alan die in my arms. He's dead. And if he's here, that must mean I'm dead." "Okay. Come by next week, and I'll see what I can do for you. Though, you might wanna consider just going directly to Celestia." You finish off the ginger ale Pinkie Pie gave you, and wish the girls a good day. You wanted to get home before it got too stormy. You prayed Rainbow Dash would be home to give you a lift. I am NOT about to climb that friggin' ladder in the middle of a storm. _________________________________________________________________________________ You had been watching this human for some time now. You had to sneak past the doctors, and sometimes you had to resort to watching him from the window, using magic, but it was well worth it. At least, to you it was. Humans absolutely fascinated you. You had always heard myths and stories about Humans when you were a filly, about how they walked on two legs, and how they had forelegs and hind legs with digits on the ends, called fingers and toes. Just the idea of humans and an entire civilization of them makes your mind swell with curiosity. When Aaden, Ponyville's Honor Guard first arrived, you nearly went into a catatonic state. A real, live human. In your town. You started to feel light headed again, but then composed yourself. Rarity may have beaten you to befriending Aaden, but no one was going to beat you to befriending this new human. You crept down the hallway on the tips of your hooves, making sure to be as quiet as possible. You then darted into the room, using your magic to close the door. You then look over at the human. His entire head is covered in bandages, except for his eyes, which were closed. The heart monitor hooked up to him beeped consistently, signalling his health. Aaden hit the poor guy really hard. You weren't there when this little battle took place between the two, but you didn't believe such violence was necessary. And that's when you see them. Hands. Hands with fingers on them. Hands connected to arms, which led up to shoulders. You could see his fingers, each one long and slim, with a clear nail on the end of each of them. You walked forward, very, very slowly, your eyes widening with every step. His arms were strapped to the bed, as were his forearms, so even if he did wake, he couldn't stop what you were about to do. Your eyes now open as wide as possible, pupils dilated with excitement and glistening with anxiety. You reach out a hoof, and touch his hands. His hand gently moves, giving way to your hoof. You nearly burst as one of the fingers found its way up on to your hoof. You gently slide your hoof back out from his hand, putting his fingers back down with care. Bon Bon loved to tease your beliefs in humans, and here you were, literally fondling one of their hands. Oooooh. Sweet, sweet hands. As you stand, your mind drifting off to thoughts of hands and feet, you fail to notice the eyes of the human open. You turned back around, wanting to touch his hand again. You still failed to notice his eyes were now completely open. You slid your hoof back into this hand. Your blood then went ice cold as you watched his fingers curl up over your hoof, holding it carefully. You look up to his face. Two bright brown eyes gaze down at you. They said that this human was violent. That he tried to kill Aaden. By looking in this human's eyes, you didn't see any of that. All you saw was a hurt human. One that was obviously scared, confused, and alone. You knew he wasn't a killer, like the others had said. Bon Bon was known to over exaggerate, anyways. "B-...br-bring...Aaden..." He said. His eyelids then twitched erratically, and then fell back to their position of covering his eyes. His hand also released its gentle grip on your hoof. You feel slightly disappointed about that. You suppose you should go alert Aaden that this human requested his presence. And you'd do that. Just as soon as you had finished with his hands. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were no longer unconscious. It still took a superb amount of energy to move even an inch. You hoped that aquamarine unicorn pony with the amber eyes listened to you, and was bringing Aaden to you. While you hadn't collected the majority of your memories, you remembered quite enough. And you were pissed beyond comprehension. Your "Queen" had lied to you. All of it was some elaborate lie, against what appeared to be completely harmless ponies. Hell, even in your brainwashed state, you doubt you could bring yourself to actually hurt one of them. You decide to start harnessing your energy for this meeting with Aaden. Let's see...what do I know for sure? The Queen lied. I have no brothers or sisters. I was a solider of some kind. I was close friends with Aaden and a man named Adam. Aaden, while he isn't my actual brother, is certainly like one. And... The scene of Aaden holding you, of life slipping from your grasp comes back to you. I'm dead, I guess. Awesome. You go to scratch your head, using some of the energy you were building up, and realize you are completely strapped down to the bed. Eh. Can't blame em'. I did just try to kill someone. Then the guilt came. Aaden was a good friend. You can't remember why he was, or what he did for you, but you knew enough to confirm that he was very close to you. And you tried to kill him. You put him through the pain of hurting you. God damn it, I'm dumb. You feel as if you should have questioned the Queen more. You knew her story seemed a little off here and there, but you never questioned here. You let her manipulate you. Brainwash you into her filthy little knight, for some stupid vendetta she held against a race that, as far as you knew, simply wanted to live in peace. You can feel yourself getting more and more pissed as you thought about how badly you were used. Then your mind starts to think about the pony that visited you. She certainly was pretty. And you knew she had to have heard what you did. Yet, she didn't run, or scream for that matter, when you awoke. When you touched her. Her coat really was soft... It was nice to feel the warm coat of a pony for a change. Any time you touched a changeling, they always felt like giant, cold fingernails. You use thoughts of this pony to bring yourself down from the growing hate inside of you. You already owed Aaden an apology. A big one. If it's laced with anger, you might get the other side of your skull broken. You rustle around in your bindings, attempting to make yourself slightly more comfortable. You smile. While you certainly had some explaining to do, Aaden had just as much. He was an Honor Guard now? How long had he been here? Who was the rainbow pony that kicked my ass? Eh. I'm sure he's just as confused as I am.
Chapter Thirty: ReunionYou were really too nice sometimes. Bon Bon always said that you should be a little more discriminatory with who you help, because strangers were just that. Strangers. I bet she's at home right now, all cozy and warm, while I run around in the rain! Besides, this wasn't any stranger! This was a HUMAN! One that asked for your help! Kinda. You trot through Ponyville, the consistent clopping of your hooves paddling off of the rain-slick cobblestone roads. Did you mention you were terrified of thunder? Anytime it would clap, you would either freeze in fear, or trot five times as fast out of panic. I HATE storms. This human had better be my friend after all of this... You finally find Aaden, standing outside of Rainbow Dash's house. And by outside, you mean on the ground, staring up at the cloud house. "RAINBOW DASH! YOU IN THERE?" He calls. You noticed he has both of his hands up over his mouth, amplifying his call to her. Hands were so useful. You trot over to him. "Aaden? Mr. Aaden?" He turns around, rain sliding off of his golden armor. "Oh, hello. I didn't see you there, I'm sorry if I shouted in your ear. Something I can do for you?" You smile, and stand up on your hind legs like he does, and balance yourself. You come up to his neck. If only you could be as tall as humans were... Stay focused! You fall back down onto four legs, and decide to tell him about the other human. "Mr. Aaden, I'm Lyra! Lyra Heartstrings!" He smiles, and reaches a hand out to shake your hoof. You grab it, nearly ripping it off of his arm in excitement. STAY. FOCUSED. "Uhhm. Mr. Aaden. You know that human in the hospital?" His smile immediately melts. "Yes, Lyra? What of him?" You tap your hoof in the mud, like a bashful filly. "I was in there, doing some, uh...experiments. Yeah, that's right, experiments! And he woke up! He didn't say much, really. Just 'bring Aaden'. After that, he looked like he fell asleep again." Aaden, although obviously disturbed by this, maintained the calm demeanor he was noted for having. "When did this happen?" You turn around, and point in the direction of the hospital with your hoof. "It was literally about 15 minutes ago." "Forgive me Lyra, but I've gotta go." He starts a fast paced walk, which then became a run. You followed after him. "Do you mind if I come with you?" You called to him. "Sure, just stay behind me when we get there!" He called back. This was a dream come true. In fact, you were expecting to wake up any second now. Here you were, running alongside a Human. How did he run this fast on just two legs? You have four, and you're having trouble keeping up. Did you mention how much you liked Humans? _________________________________________________________________________________ Bakir and Mala accompanied you on your journey through the desert known as the "San Palomino Desert". The horse puns never seemed to end. Apparently, you were going to trek through the desert to a place called Dodge City, where you would then catch a train directly to Canterlot, to meet the Princess, Celestia. But first, you had to make it through this damned desert. Deserts bothered you. They were a lot like the beach, minus the water, wind, relaxing environment, reasonable temperatures, and animals that aren't so poisonous that you start to rot just looking at them. At least there were a good amount of Oases all throughout, and although they were scared of you at first, Mala and Bakir were good company. Mala was an explorer, apparently having traveled this desert an incredible amount of times. Bakir was a merchant, specializing in what he called "rare artifacts". If it wasn't for the two of them out searching for treasure, you'd probably still be wandering the desert aimlessly. "So, Adam, do you remember anything about home, yet?" Bakir asked. You shake your head. "Sorry man. I don't remember a lick about myself. I can still describe a few places to you. Like, uhh..." You wave your hand around in the air while you walk with Bakir and Mala, to gesture that you were thinking. "I come from a place called Earth. Lots of Humans there. We had 7 continents. Well. 6, really. One was just a giant frozen desert." God damned good for nothing deserts... "Interesting...Adam, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you have anything on you that you'd be willing to part with?" Bakir asked again. "Part with? Whatcha mean?" "Oh come now! An artifact from another plain of reality? That'll sell quicker than those gem scarabs I found last year!" You pat yourself down, finding a quarter. "Here. This is some currency from a country I visited. I won't be needing it." Bakir's eyes light up. "Oh, the bits this will fetch! How much was it worth?" You laugh. "About 1 quarter of a bit." He frowns. "Well, it's still one of a kind! I can surely get something for this!" Your party was approaching another Oasis, this one slightly bigger than all of the others you had seen. "Alright boys, settle in. Night is coming. I'll prepare something for dinner. You two relax, continue your discussion of priceless artifacts." She chuckled. You walk over to one of the palm trees, and sit down. Bakir starts lighting a fire slightly away from the tree, to avoid burning down the Oasis. "So, Bakir. Have you ever found anything interesting?" He looks up to you, still sliding the fire-making tools together. "Well, one time, I found a golden spider in the sand near some ruins. It was beautiful. Shiny, ruby eyes, and about the size of my head!" "That sounds fucking horrifying." You laugh. He smiles. "My story isn't finished. I brought it home, put it next to my bed while I slept. I thought it was too valuable to simply leave alone or just lock up and forget about." "Oh boy..." You interject. Bakir finally lights the fire, and sits down across from you. "Well, I fell asleep. When I awoke in the middle of the night, it was sitting on top of my chest, crawling around. Turns out, it was alive. I had not found an artifact, merely an enormous desert spider." You shudder at the thought. "Well thanks Bakir. I wasn't planning on sleeping tonight anyways. You know, open desert and everything. Filled with golden spiders and junk. Damn." Bakir laughed this time. You looked over him, watching Mala gather fruit and other ingredients for dinner. "Mala, do you need help?" You call. "Yes sister, we can help!" Bakir adds. Mala looks over at you two by the fire. "Are you sure? I would hate to pull you away from the comfort of the fire. Plus, there may be gem spiders around here!" "That things sounded terrifying!" You laugh. "Alright, we're coming." Mala smiles at you both. "Gather some limes. You may have to climb a few of the trees to get them." You look up at the palm trees. Limes growing on palm trees. You were certain they didn't do this back home. You sigh, and smile. "Alright Bakir. Give me a boost." _________________________________________________________________________________ Alan was awake. And he didn't try to tear Lyra's throat out. He is either too injured to do so, or has completely regained his mind. Hopefully it was the latter. You make it to the hospital, bursting through it's doors, and you rush right by the receptionist desk, through the "DOCTORS ONLY" door. "Official business of Canterlot." You say. You remember Lyra was following you. "She's with me." You go through the door, to find yourself in a maze. You could go forward, left, or right, each hallway containing staircases that go both up and down, each also deviating into different hallways. "Mr. Aaden, I can show you the way! I've had to sneak to the human before!" You cock your head back. "Sneak?" Lyra blushes under her coat. "Well, e-experiments...and stuff..." You nod your head. "Lead the way, Lyra." She leads you through the maze that was the belly of the hospital, taking you down the center hallway, going upstairs, down another hallway, and then down a hallway that led to what you imagined was the heart of the hospital. Finally, you reach a room with the door closed. "He's right in there." You put your hand on the doorknob. "Stay behind me, Lyra." You turn the knob, and open the door. He was awake, alright. He heard the door open, and turned to see you. "Hiya Aaden. My head hurts." You feel a wave of relief wash over you. Alan was normal once more. You can feel tears coming again. You slowly approach him. "Alan, you fucking idiot..." You start. "If you ever do something like that again, I'll kill you myself." You sniffle, but regain your composure. "Oh no, I'm very well aware. Speaking of injuries and what not, can you loosen these straps? I've reeeeally got to go to the bathroom." "Do you go to the bathroom standing up?" Lyra asks. Alan laughs. "Uh. Yeah. Well. It depends on what I'm gonna do." She giggles. "And you, what's your name? I didn't think you were going to actually get Aaden for me." "I'm Lyra Heartstrings! I like your hands!" She says, a big, goofy smile on her face. Alan raised an eyebrow under his bandages. "Uh. Thanks Lyra. I knew the doctors wouldn't bring Aaden here. I like your...coat? Yeah, your coat. It's very nice." Lyra smiles, and stand up on her hind legs again. "Aaden. What's she doing?" You shrug. "No idea. She did it earlier. Lyra, you keep standing up on two legs. May we ask why?" "Because I can stand like you humans! Isn't it cool?" She beams with pride. "I've never seen anything more cool in my life." Alan says. Thankfully, Lyra didn't catch his sarcasm. "Straps now?" You nod your head, and walk over to the bed. "If you try anything stupid, I'll put you in a coma for twice as long." You say while you untie his straps. He laughs. "No, trust me. I've had some memories come back to me. My oh-so graceful Queen is nothing more than a liar. She used me." Alan, now completely free of his straps, stands up, and stretches. "Damn Aaden." He says while he stretches. "You guys really kicked my ass. There isn't a spot on my body that I'm not sore." He limps over to the bathroom inside of the room, and closes the door. You look over at Lyra, who was still standing like a human, wobbling around the room. Although it was silly, it was incredibly cute. "Lyra, you seem enthralled by the presence of us humans. Can I ask why?" She smiled, and got back down on all fours. "When I was a filly, I would always hear stories about humans. I can't explain it, but they fascinated me. I started trying to be like one, because, you know. Hands. My best friend, Bon Bon, she didn't think you guys existed, and to be completely honest, I didn't think so either! But you're here now, which means that I've either completely lost my mind, or you are real!" She looks away, narrowing her eyes. "I really hope you're real..." She mutters. You hear the toilet flush, and watch the door open, Alan limping back out of the bathroom, and onto his bed. "THANK. GOD." He said. He pulled the blankets back up over himself, and looked at you both. "So. What do we do now?" "I'll get go get Gauze, and alert the rest of Ponyville about you. Let them know you aren't hostile. Yeah, by the way, you're vilified here in Ponyville now." Alan shrugs. "Eh. I did try to kill you." At least he was taking this news well. "So, it's gonna suck finding a place to stay, huh?" You nod your head. "Although the ponies here like me, I don't think I can convince them to take you in. I don't even think Rainbow Dash would take you, and she loves me." "So, everyone hates me? Don't blame em'." Alan said. Lyra then immediately perks up. "I don't hate you, Mr. Alan!" Lyra smiles. Alan looks at her. "Would you be willing to take in a fool?" He asks. "I don't think you're a fool, Mr. Alan! I think you're pretty interesting! And absolutely, I would love to take you in! Bon Bon may be kinda of iffy about it, but I'm sure she'll be okay! You can take the guest room!" Alan looks over to you, almost like he's asking permission. You simply nod your head. Alan then looks back to her. "Call me Alan. Mr. Alan was my Dad. And thanks Lyra. I promise I'll make it up to you." Lyra jumps in place excitedly. "OHGOODNESS! I gotta go tell Bon Bon!" She nearly shouts with excitement. She was then immediately out of the door, and into the hallway. You walk over to Alan, and pat his shoulder. "The ponies here are very nice. How you holding up?" He looks up at you, his eyes shimmering. "Honestly? I'll never be able to forgive myself. My only true friend here in Equestria, and I tried to kill him. I'm surprised you didn't kill me first, the way I attacked you." You lean down, and give him a hug. "You're my little brother. At least, I consider you that. I could never bring myself to kill you. Unless you really pissed me off." You laugh. You break off the hug. "I'm gonna go find Gauze, see what's going on with your head, see when we can get you out of here." Alan nods. "And Alan?" You add. He looks up at you. "Yeah?" He asks. "I forgave you the moment I realized it was you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "What's Lyra so excited about?" Octavia asks. You look up from the newspaper, and see Lyra tearing ass through Ponyville. "No idea. Did you hear about Aaden?" Octavia frowns. "I did. Is he okay?" You nod your head. "Yeah, he's alright. Says here he has an injury through his hand and foot. He was impaled through both. Poor bastard." Octavia cringes. "I can only imagine his pain. Is he still coming to stay with us?" You nod your head again. "Oh yeah. He'll be here in four days." You use your magic to float a cup over, and you take a drink of it. "Well, that's good! I've been practicing a little piece I'm sure he'll enjoy." You look at her, one eyebrow raised. She notices this, and blushes. "W-well...he said he likes music. And I would like for him to feel welcome..." You smile, not looking up from the newspaper. "Oh, I know EXACTLY how I'm gonna make him feel welcome." Octavia frowns, and seems mildly annoyed. "Come now Vinyl, do you really think he's going to want sex the moment he arrives?" "I know I will." "Do you ever think of anyone other than yourself?" You smile even bigger. "Well 'Tavi, if you don't want in on it, that's fine..." "NONO, it's not that, it's just...he's so nice..." She said, blushing. For a moment, your smile faded. You did know how nice he was. How he treated you like a mare, and not a sex toy. How he liked to talk to you about yourself. How he seemed legitimately interested about the things that happen in your life. He was really nice. You look up at her. "Look, Octavia, I'm gonna be serious with you here, so listen up. I think I'm in love with Aaden. And to be completely honest, I don't think I have the self control to NOT throw myself at him, you know?" Octavia's eyes widened. "You? Love somepony? Whaaaat." She said in disbelief. "I know, I almost kicked my own ass over it. But I want to try to show him, you know? Show him how much he means to me." You then feel another smile coming over your face. "Now, like I said, if you don't wanna join us, that's fine. More for me." _________________________________________________________________________________ You nearly kicked your door off of it's hinges. "BON BON! BON BOOOOON!" You shouted. She came down the staircase, looking frightened. "Is everything okay Lyra? Are you hurt?" You shake your head as fast as you can. "Bon Bon, we're gonna have company!" She smiles. "Oh, really? Who?" You then enter shy filly mode, kicking your foreleg about bashfully. "He's a human. The one from the town square incident..." Bon Bon looks at you in disbelief. "Lyra, he tried to kill our Honor Guard. You can't be serious." You shake your head again. "No, see, I went to go see him, and Aaden came with me, and it turns out that they know each other, and they forgave each other, and apologized and stuff! It's really okay." Bon Bon squints at you. "I'm sure you understand if I'm a little apprehensive about this, Lyra. But..." She sighs. "I trust you." You jump in place again, and then dart off to the guest room, to make sure everything is in order. A real, live human! And he's going to be staying with you!
Chapter Thirty-One: Heart Strings and Angel WingsDoctor Gauze walks into the room with Aaden, using his teeth to hold a clipboard. He walks it over to a table, and carefully used a hoof to flip through the papers attached to it. He looks up, and sees you sitting up, your feet dangling off of the bed. "Oh good. I'm assuming you untied him?" He looks at Aaden, looking annoyed. Aaden smiles, and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah. He's harmless though. Look at him." He points to you. You decide it would be a good idea to wave to the doctor. Gauze sighs, and goes back to looking at the paper work. He stops on a page, and taps it with his hoof. He puts the clipboard back in his mouth, and walks over to you. "Shine thish, pleash." He says, the clipboard in his mouth. Aaden clicks a pen, and hands it to you. You take the clipboard out of his mouth, and attempt to read what it says. What the hell... You look up from the clipboard out of confusion. "Aaden, I think you may have hit me so hard, that I'm illiterate. If that's the case, someone get this guy a medal. Holy shit." Doctor Gauze hops up on the bed with him, and points to several blank lines. "Sign on the lines. Aaden couldn't read this stuff either when he first arrived, either." "Still have trouble with it, actually." Aaden interjects. Gauze hopped off of the bed, and watched you scribble your signature. When you finish, you place it gently back inside of his mouth. He stops in the doorway on his way out, turning his head towards you. "Oh, and you can take thosh bandagesh off now." He then continues his walk out. You crack your knuckles, and brings your hands up to your head, trying to find the knot on all of the cotton bandages to untie them. After about 5 minutes, you give up. "Aaden, can you give me a hand? I'm not Harry god-damned Houdini." Aaden laughs, and walks over to you. He finds the knot, and you feel the bandages slip off of your head, falling to your shoulders. You feel air on your face again. You take your right hand, and run it down the side of your face, where Aaden had punched you. It doesn't hurt to touch it, or even press on it a little, but you decide to not push your luck, "How do I look?" "Like Alan. Although your cheek is bruised to Hell and back." "Does it look cool?" "Not really. Anyways. Go use the bathroom, and get yourself together. Lyra will be ripping through time and space itself to get here in a couple of moments." You drop from the bed, and go to your possessions they had placed on a chair in the corner of the room. You remove the hospital garb, and put on the clothes you came here in. Well, the black pants and a white undershirt you wore under your living armor. While you were getting dressed, you decide to ask Aaden a question. "How long have you been here, Aaden?" "Eh, a couple of months. What about you?" "A little over a year. I first appeared in the Dead Marsh outside of the Badlands. Where did you pop up?" "Some plains outside of Everfree Forest. Almost got gored by a manticore. Not a fun way to be introduced to a new world." "Yeah, I heard about that. At least you're still in one piece." You can hear the sound of hooves clopping down the hallway. And fast. You knew it was Lyra. "Sounds like my escort is coming." Aaden laughs. "Relax bro. She's a nice pony. She may be goofy at times, but she's the only one willing to take you in. So be nice, and get comfy." Lyra gallops into the room. "Hiya Alan! Are you ready? I'm sure ready!" You look at Aaden, who smiles and jerks his head towards the door. "Where will you go?" You ask. "I'm the only other Human here. I won't be hard to miss. You go get settled in and relax for the evening. I'll see you tomorrow." You sigh, and look down at Lyra. "Alright Lyra. Take me home." You follow her out of the room, and through the labyrinth that was the hospital, back out into Ponyville. You can't believe the Queen had used you so harshly. And you really can't believe you fell for it. I mean, look at this place! They wouldn't let anyone go hungry! Ponyville itself was very homely, filled with bright colors and unique buildings which seemed to work together to make the town just that much more appealing. The Nexus, where you spent well over a year, had an extremely boring palette of grays, blacks, and extremely dark blues. Ponyville had colors you didn't know existed. Even though you were riddled with guilt and shame, just being in such a happy atmosphere made you feel a little better. Hell, if Ponyville looked this good in the rain, you were excited to see it in the morning. The rain was starting to diminish into a simple drizzle, a few drops falling here and there. Other Ponies were out walking around, going about their business. A very light breeze floated across the town, sending the scent of flowers and rain throughout the town. You felt pretty good, up until you noticed all of the eyes staring at you. You weren't exactly exalted in Ponyville. Lyra looks up at you, and notices how uncomfortable you look. "Hey Alan, you okay?" You don't look down at her. You try to look away from all of the Ponies, to avoid making eye contact with any of them and scaring them. "I uh...I see I'm pretty popular here." Lyra giggles. "Alan, I have an idea! You want them to stop staring, right?" "That would be nice." You look down at her. "Watch this!" Lyra cocks herself up on her hind legs, like a human would, and she begins to walk beside you, wobbling. "I kn-" She stumbles slightly, but picks herself back up. "I know the staring isn't fun, so what if they stare at the BOTH of us? Huh? Genius, right? Cause now you aren't alone!" Lyra begins to flail her forelegs around while walking. "LOOK AT ME EVERYONE! I'M WALKING LIKE A HUMAN! AHAHAHAHA!" You watch as everyone looks at Lyra. You lean close to her. "Uhhh...Lyra...whatcha doing?" You whisper. She quickly jolts over to you, her hoof over her mouth. "I got this!" She whispers. She then pulls her head away from you, and shouts again. "WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" You can't help but smile. This Pony really was nice to you. You start to think that your time with her might not be so bad. "WOOOOOOOO-" She starts to scream again, but breaks off in coughing. Poor pony was going to hurt her throat if she kept doing that. You walk closer to her. "That'll do it, Lyra. I think everyone's more concerned with you now." She smiles, and coughs again, looking up at you. "Did I do good? Do you feel better?" Her voice was raspy. You smile at her. "Yeah Lyra. Thanks. Lets get you home, get you a drink of water or something." She nods her head, and hops back down on all four of her legs. "Alan?" Lyra asks. You look up at the sky. You can see stars starting to come out. "Yeah Lyra?" You reply. "We're friends now, right?" You look down at her, her amber eyes seemingly pleading with you. "Absolutely, Lyra." _________________________________________________________________________________ "DAMN IT BAKIR, I CALLED TIMEOUT!" You shouted, rubbing your eyes. Bakir laughs, stands up on his hind legs, and pounds his chest. "What's wrong Adam? Can't keep up?" "NO. I HAVE ABOUT 2 POUNDS OF SAND IN MY EYES." Bakir laughs again. "We're in a desert, Adam. That argument won't work here." You sigh, and continue rubbing your eyes. You stand up, and with your eyes closed shut, you stumble over to the pond in the oasis you had stopped at, and dunk your head under the water. You open your eyes, and look around very quickly. You yank your head back out, and open your eyes. Alright. I can see again. "Bakir, you cheating son of a bitch." You said. Bakir laughs even harder. "Adam, we will have to have another game when we get closer to Dodge City." "You bet your ass we will." Mala pops up over the nearby dune. "GUYS! BREAK'S OVER! LETS GO!" She calls to you. You pick up your backpack and all of the gear you put down to better play Bakir's game, and he does the same. "BE SURE TO FILL YOUR CANTEENS! THIS WALK IS GOING TO BE LONG!" She calls again. You both do as she suggested, and head off over the dune, meeting with Mala. She opens up a map, and points straight ahead, without looking up from the map. "We have about 3 more stops, then we have a straight shot to Dodge City. This walk is going to be one of the longest, so make sure you're ready." You look over at Bakir, who nods his head. "I think we're all ready. How about you? You need anything?" Mala looks at you, annoyed. "While you two grown stallions were playing like colts, I got all of the things I needed." You smile. "Alright, then lets get a move on!" The Desert was still annoying to you. Still hot, still unforgiving, and still unpleasant to every single one of your senses. You start thinking of ways to pass the time. "Bakir. Tell me another story." You said while popping off the cap to your canteen and taking a swig of it. "Alright. Uhh...I found a mummy once." "Like on of the ones that walk and groan and stuff?" "No, like one of the ones that are dead and dried and ancient." "That doesn't sound nearly as fun. Got anything else?" "Well, there were rumors of a magical oasis, completely isolated, not on any map in existence. It apparently was at the center of a long-gone kingdom. Naturally, I became immediately interested. I mean, magical water? Relics and what-not? So, I went looking about town for an explorer. I found Mala." Mala laughed. "You're a little less insane now." Mala chuckled. Bakir flashes her a dirty look, and keeps talking. "Mala and I seek out this Oasis, and after about 4 months of searching, we found it." "Oh shit, it was real?" You ask. "Oh, it was real. But completely barren. The water had since dried up completely, and all of the treasure in the area had been looted. All we found were several golden scarabs, which were NOT alive like the spider was, thank Celestia." "So you were too late, huh?" "Yeah. It wasn't very fun. Do you have any interesting stories?" Bakir asks. "If I could remember any, I would tell you. I mean, I probably went to go get some fast food or something I found a dollar on the road or something. That would have been pretty sweet." "Exciting." Bakir mused. You looked ahead. There was still no sign of this next Oasis. This is gonna take awhile. Damned desert. _________________________________________________________________________________ Doctor Gauze had asked you to walk with him through the hospital to view Alan's medical reports. This is probably the first time you had ever seen Gauze act so serious. "Now, Aaden. I have no problem with you. You are an excellent Human." He said. "And I know Alan is your friend. But he tried to kill you. If he would have succeeded, you know what he would have done. He would have moved on to us." He opens the door to his office, and you both walk in. "I know your concern, Gauze. I'm sure Celestia will have something to say to him, as well. But what I can promise you, is that the Alan from my past has returned. He kept mentioning some "Queen" tricking him, using him, getting him to do these awful things." Gauze raises one eyebrow. "Queen?" He asks. "Yeah. You know her?" "It sounds like the damn Changelings. But that's a story for another day. Aaden, I trust your judgement on this new human. I'm just a little nervous, is all." He finds Alan's report, and slides it out from a folder. "I understand completely, Gauze. I'll keep a very close eye on him." Gauze smiles. "Thanks. And now, to the more important stuff..." He reads the report over once. "So, it looks like when you hit him, you cracked his skull. Then, when he hit the pavement, his skull was cracked even further. We treated him with magic, setting the bones back in place and sealing them together. As long as he doesn't do anything to get hit like that again, he'll be okay." Gauze jumps back down, and leads you out to the receptionist, before disappearing back inside of the hospital again. You sign yourself out, wishing the receptionist a good evening. The rain had let up outside, and it was now warming outside. It was an odd sensation, things becoming slightly warmer when the sun was setting. That's not to say it was a bad sensation, however. You begin your walk back to Rainbow Dash's house, hoping that she wasn't home. You loved the pony, but you were absolutely exhausted, and just wanted to go straight to bed. It's amazing how tired running around town can make you. _________________________________________________________________________________ Lyra opens the door to a large house, and holds it for you. She takes a hoof, and waves it inside. "Welcome home, Alan!" She smiles. "Yaaaaay." She closes the door behind you, and dashes beside you. "Lemme show you to your room!" She stands up on her hind legs again, and uses one of her hooves to grab your hand. She pulls you down a hallway, and to a room at the very end of it. She opens the door, and pulls you inside. The room itself was pretty big for a guest room. A large bed sat against the wall, and the room was filled with bookshelves with books stocked. Too bad you couldn't read Equestrian. You put your stuff down, sit on the edge of the bed, and take your shoes off. "Now, the bathroom is literally right across from the hall, and Bon Bon and myself will be upstairs. My room is the one with the blue door, hers is purple. I'm gonna go cook dinner, you take a shower, get comfy!" She then wobbled out of the room on two legs. It was adorable watching her walk on two legs. Adorable in a childish way. Like watching an infant eat spaghetti for the first time. They weren't exactly doing it right, but by God, they were trying. Amazingly, the hospital had washed your clothes for you while you were unconscious, so you decide it would be best to go ahead and get a shower in. Being stuck in a bed for a week doesn't exactly make you any cleaner. _________________________________________________________________________________ Bon Bon was in the kitchen when you walked in. "Hiya Bon Bon! Alan is here! I told him to get comfy while we make some dinner! Wanna help?" "He's here?" You shake your head. "Like I said, I trust you. Just a little nervous, is all." "Relax, silly! He's really nice, you'll see! Now, do you wanna help with dinner?" Bon Bon smiles weakly. "Sure, Lyra. And get down, walking on two legs can't be comfortable." You smile, and plop down onto four legs. Bon Bon walked over to the cabinets, and opened several of them, peeking past cans and other stored foods. She digs around for a few minutes, before stopping in her tracks. "Hey, Lyra?" She starts. "Yep?" "I just realized something. What do humans eat?" Your eyes go wide, and facehoof. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I didn't ask! I'll be right back, I'm gonna go ask!" You dart out of the kitchen, and down the hallway, into his room. It's empty. He's probably in the shower. You walk across the hall, and see the door closed. You don't hear water running, so you assume that he must be done. You open the door, and find him. Alan was looking in a mirror with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair all askew from being dried with a towel. Drops of water slowly worked their way down the path his muscles had created. It was actually extremely attractive. You always had liked humans before, and you would be lying if you said the thought of them wasn't attractive, but seeing Alan like this reaffirmed your fascination. Alan looks down at you, and smiles. "Need something?" He asks. "What do Humans eat?" He smiles even bigger. "Lyra, I thought you had a certificate in human studies." You kick your hoof at the ground bashfully. "I'm only teasing. We're omnivores. We can eat anything except for stuff like leaves, grass, hay, that sort of stuff. Please don't try to feed me hay." "I wont, promise! Thanks Alan!" You then dart right back out of the bathroom, and back into the kitchens. Bon Bon looks at you expectantly. "Well?" She asks. "No hay, no grass, no leaves!" You said, smiling. _________________________________________________________________________________ This was it. You were organizing a coup. It actually came this far. The Chairman was at his resort home in Colorado. If ever there was a good time to strike, it was now. The strategy was simple. The 120 Pathfinders would be split in the following ways: 60 Pathfinders would take the cable cars directly to the house, while another 30 would rappel down from Helicopters directly on top of the house, while the final 30 would emerge from Helicopters that would land in the forest surrounding the house. You look at the frost-covered cable cars that dangled over an enormous chasm. There were 10 of them, each had 6 men inside. You climbed inside of your car. None of the Pathfinders looked up at you, Each sat on the floor of the cable car, preparing their ammunition, the lifeless eyes of the gas masks creating an even more eerie environment. You slide your radio off of your waist. "Carter, so what're we dealing with here?" After a few moments, your radio buzzes again. "From what we've gathered, the entire IMO Administration is here. There are about 75 guards total. Should be easy, especially if we time this right." You press down the button on the side of the radio, and speak again. "Whats the ETA on our choppers?" After another few moments, you hear another buzz. "About 20 minutes. Carter out." You slide your radio back on your waist, and you also sit down on the floor of the cable car. "Anyone got anymore brass?" One of the Pathfinders speaks up. The one across from him pulls a box out of his backpack, and hands it to him. These men may not know it yet, but they were going to literally change the IMO. They were going to crumble it. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Sister, I am assuming you have received word of the the events that have occurred in Ponyville. Will you take any action?" You ask. Celestia unfurls, and climbs down from her throne. "Violence, especially attempted murder, and attempted murder of an Honor Guard at that, is a very serious crime in Equestria. However, I have also received word that this new human was come to his senses. I've also heard that he is one of the humans Aaden was good friends with back in his reality." You frown. "This is most troubling..." You look over your shoulder, and make sure no one is there before you continue. "What do we do, sister?" Celestia smiles. "Call Spyra back from his infiltration of the Diamond Dog mines. We're going to make this new human an offer he cannot refuse. I'll word to Twilight Sparkle, that we request to see both Aaden and Alan in approximately one week." You nod your head. While Celestia scribbles a letter to Twilight Sparkle, you begin scribbling one to Spyra. When you finish, you send it off in a poof of magic. Several moments later, a new letter poofs back to you in a burst of white smoke. You use your magic to unfold it, and read it. I AM COMING. It even had the claw mark at the bottom that Spyra used to sign his reports and papers to you. You look over to Celestia, who had just finished her own letter. "Sister, what if he can't be trusted?" You ask. Celestia smiled. "If he is someone that Aaden associates with, then he can be trusted."
Chapter Thirty-Two: SolaceYou had just dried yourself off, and were getting dressed for dinner. The same pair of black pants and the white shirt you had left the hospital with had to do for now. You really needed some more clothes. You make a mental note to ask Aaden about that when you see him next. After you quickly look yourself over, you decide you're presentable, and you walk down the hallway and into the kitchen. Lyra, and the other pony you suspected was Bon Bon, were making the table up, preparing it for dinner. "Hey. You need any help?" Lyra looks up from sitting a plate and fork down, and motions with her hoof to Bon Bon. "You might be able to help Bon Bon, if you wanna. I've got the table taken care of." You look over to Bon Bon. "How about it, Bon Bon?" She doesn't turn around from finishing up cooking, but points up to some cabinets above her. "I can't reach our nice glasses in the cabinet without standing on something. Could you get three out, please?" "Gotcha." You walk over to the cabinets, and pull several of the nice, tall glasses down. They were a little dusty. Must not have company too often... You walk the glasses over to the sink, and give them a quick washing. As you begin to take a towel to each of the glasses, you turn around, and attempt to strike up conversation with Bon Bon. She seemed really nervous, and you wanted to make sure you changed that. "So, Bon Bon. What's on the menu?" She sprinkles some small, chopped herbs over her dish. "Lasagna with beans. Mom taught it to me when I was a filly." You finished drying one of the glasses, and you grab another wet one. "It's really good!" Lyra called over from the table. "I think you'll really like it!" "What about dessert?" You ask. You manage to make Bon Bon smile. "Well, I was thinking maybe just some ice-cream or something?" You return her smile. "Sounds good." You finish the new glass you were holding, and grab the last wet one. "It almost done? I'd hate to sound impatient, but I haven't eaten since I got out of the hospital." Bon Bon looks down at the dish, examining it closely. She squints her eyes, and touches the side of the dish with her hoof, poking it extremely briefly. "Oh yeah. It's all done." You finish the last glass, and set it with the other two. They now sparkle and shine as if they were brand new. "What're you ladies drinking tonight?" Bon Bon opens up a small cooler next to her cabinets, and hands you a bottle of red wine. "Imported straight from Prance. Lovely little nation. I love their language." Prance? Like France? "Like, 'Je m'appelle Alan'?" Bon Bon smiles slightly wider. "Exactly like that, actually. How did you learn to speak like that?" The parallels between your universe and this one were almost making you uncomfortable. "Work back home. We traveled a bunch." You weren't lying. The IMO made you all take classes to learn French, German, Spanish and Japanese. Very rarely did you ever need to speak German or Japanese in your line of work, but French and Spanish were necessities. Bon Bon carried the dish of lasagna over to the table while you poured several glasses of wine, and carried them over to the table. Bon Bon sat the dish down in the center of the table, and took a seat. Lyra was already sitting. You put a glass of wine in front of each of them, while Lyra used her magic to cut the lasagna and distribute it among you all. "So. Lyra, I never got to ask you. What do you do for a living?" You ask. Lyra sips at her wine. "I help out Bon Bon! She owns a candy store, 'Sweet Dreams'! It's really fun work!" You switch your gaze over to Bon Bon, who was eating. "Sweet Dreams, eh? Clever name. What's it like?" You ask again. She swallows her mouthful, and wipes her mouth. "I've always wanted to work with fillies, ya know? But I'm an awful teacher. So, opening a candy store, and being able to make fillies smile that way? It's very rewarding to me." "And me too!" Lyra shouts. She realized that she should probably be using her inside voice, and blushes. "What about you, Alan? What did you do back home? You said you traveled a whole bunch!" You poke at your lasagna with your fork, hesitant to tell them what you did. Now that you knew that your 'Queen' had lied to you, the memories she called false and tricks of the 'Oppressors' turned out to be true. "My work wasn't exactly...respected...back at home." Bon Bon looks at you curiously while chewing, and Lyra sips at her wine again. She sets the glass down. "Tell us, silly!" You sigh. There was no point in hiding any of this. It was all going to come out sooner or later. And you weren't one for lying. Especially not to good people. "I uhh..." You hold your wine glass up. "I was a mercenary." You immediately take a sip of it, attempting to seem as nonchalant about it as possible. "Ooooooh, how brave! Why did you think it wasn't that respectable?" Lyra asks. "Yeah, mercenaries do some really heroic work around here." Bon Bon added. You relax a little. "Well, we worked for companies, rather than countries. We didn't exactly do it out of allegiance or loyalty. We did it for the money. And the things we did weren't exactly noble, either. In fact, if it wasn't for Aaden, I would've killed myself from guilt a long time ago." Both of the ponies look at you in confusion. "Alright. Buckle up. I'm going to take you for a little ride." _________________________________________________________________________________ I was born in California, a piece of land inside of my kingdom, if you will consider it that. My Dad was a successful doctor, and my Mom a lawyer for some big corporation. I had a very easy upbringing in life, but out of ignorance, I loved to pretend that it was hard and brutal. Maybe it was for attention, or maybe it was to make myself seem more grand. I started to hang out with a bunch of idiots. I got into a large fight with another group of idiots, and was in jail for the evening. However, I wasn't about to spend the night in jail. The first thing I did was sit down, and bring my arms around to my front by lifting up my legs. My hands may have been cuffed, but at least they were no longer behind my back. I watched, and I waited for my door to slide open. I would wait for a distraction, and I would make my escape. Sure enough, an officer walked in, and went to hand me some clothes when I pounced on him, choking him out with the chain that connected my handcuffs. and dragging him into the cell. I knew that someone had just watched that happen over some camera somewhere, so the only thing I could do from there was run. I peered out of the cell, and took a mad sprint towards the exits. Of course, officers tried to stop me, but I would either charge into them and knock them down, or slide out of their grasp. I made it to the exit, but there was a really tall officer blocking my way, waiting for me. He aimed his taser gun, a little device that shoots barbs at you, and then shocks you, at me. I sprinted faster, and the moment I saw him place his fingers on the trigger, I threw myself into a slide against the tiled floor. He fired, and missed. I slid between his legs, and immediately bounced back to my feet, now free in the city. They chased me for a very long time. I ended up hiding inside the 4th level of some parking garage basement. And this is when my life was turned around. That parking garage happened to be one that belonged to the IMO. It wasn't soon after that two armed mercenaries and an elderly man in a suit came down to me. "Quite the little escape artist." The man said. "Who are you?" I asked. "I'm either going to be your new boss, or the man that turns you in." I looked at him, legitimately confused. "You obviously have a unique set of skills that we could use here at IMO. You will work as one of us, or I will turn you in." I obviously didn't have any choice. "How will I get away with this?" The elderly man laughed. "My dear boy, I am above the law. Your record will be clear the moment I wish it to be so." "So you can clear my record?" "If you agree to my...terms." So, I became an infiltration specialist. Just like that. I trained, and I worked very hard. I really had no choice in the matter. It was either that or jail for a very long time. I was originally assigned to a group called "Acid", and performed a few non-combat operations here and there. Mainly, it was break into other PMC's headquarters, and steal information. I started to feel guilty about what I was doing. I started to really recognize how valuable my life really was, and how well I've always had it. Then I heard about Aaden. Apparently, Aaden had saved the life of a man and his daughter. They were both supposed to be brutally killed in cold blood, and he refused that. He knew that The Chairman had lied to them about the true nature of the operation, and rather than conform and do as he was told, he chose life over mindless killing. That really inspired me. I requested a transfer to The Pathfinders, a squad Aaden was in, the day I heard that story. It wasn't but a week later when I made it in. It was very different, The Pathfinders. Lots of combat, lots of killing, and a lot of really disturbing situations. Human trafficking, drug wars, shadow wars between PMCs. I remember one operation where we had to cover up a nuclear reactor that belonged to us blowing up in Europe, by being assigned to destroy the other power plant in the area so the IMO would have time to cover the situation up before reports got out. The last thing I remember was fighting alongside Aaden. I either died or went unconscious from my injuries there. _________________________________________________________________________________ "That's really deep, Alan." Bon Bon said. "I had no idea you and Aaden knew each other like that." You smile, and finish off your glass of wine. "Oh yeah. We were best friends, too. I think we still are." You respond. "Excuse me for being rude," Bon Bon started. "But then why did you attack him?" "The Queen brainwashed me. I had all of these memories beforehand, but she told me that the 'oppressors' had these memories magically implanted in my head to fool me. Turns out, she's a lying bitch." Lyra giggles at your cursing. Bon Bon is still looking at you. "Well, Lyra wasn't lying. You really are a nice guy. You've just been dealt an awful hand of cards in life right now. And I can see why mercenaries aren't very respected back where you're from. But you seem to be a respectable human. So I'll treat you like one." You smile. "Thanks Bon Bon. I know I seem to be holding up well, but mentally, I'm a complete wreck. I'm completely swamped with guilt and self-hatred. It's good to see that I can turn ponies around by explaining myself." "I always thought you were a good human, Alan!" Lyra almost shouted again. Bon Bon chuckled. "She's just excited, is all." "Excited?" "Well, she's fascinated with Humans. She had heard plenty of stories and urban legends when she was a filly, and became pretty enthralled with the idea that your kind existed. And now that you're actually here...let's just say, I'm very surprised she hasn't had a coronary from all of the excitement." You all finish your dinner, and share a couple more glasses of wine, before all the dishes were put in the sink for the evening. Bon Bon complained of being lightheaded, and had Lyra guide her up to her bedroom. They both wished you a good night, and soon disappeared upstairs. You walked into your room, and began to prepare yourself for bed. You took off your shirt and your pants, folding them in a neat stack, and placing them on top of a book shelf. You never understood how anyone can sleep in clothes. Even females. You would always wake up, and be strangling yourself with your own shirt, or your pants would be riding up to your torso. It was just very uncomfortable. You climbed into the bed, and pulled the blankets up to your neck. You wished you had a book or a Nintendo 3DS or something to pass time, because you really weren't sleepy. You fight the urge to stay awake, and force yourself to sleep. Bon Bon and Lyra were already the definition of a great hostess. You hoped you would one day find a way to pay them back. _________________________________________________________________________________ "The helicopters are 5 minutes away. Everyone get ready. Call out." You almost whispered into your radio. "One okay." "Two okay." "Three okay." You could hear the sound of helicopters approaching. "Four okay." "Five okay." "Six okay." The men in your cable car made their final adjustments to their weapons, their rifles clicking and gear rattling. "Seven okay." "Eight okay." "Nine okay." "Ten okay." You felt your cable car jerk, and it began to grind along the steel wires which suspended it. "Eleven okay." "Twelve okay." You slid your radio off of your waist, and gave another command. "All okay. Hold your fire until I clear you. Brothers. On this day, we kill a tyrant." You watched as several helicopters flew past the manor, preparing to land in the forest, and you also watched the rappelling crews leap from their helicopters down onto the roof of the building. Several guards ran outside from the manor, going to investigate the noises they must have been hearing. You click the button back down on your radio, giving your final order. "Weapons free." Literally the moment you said that, the cable cars were ablaze with gunfire. The investigation party was literally torn apart. They died before they even knew what was happening. You watched the steel emergency doors slam shut all around the manor as The Pathfinders began to move into position Nothing C4 won't fix. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake to an ear piercing scream. You leap out of bed, and throw your pants on while attempting to run down the hallway. As you reach the kitchen, you hear it again. It's coming from upstairs. It sounds like it could be either Bon Bon or Lyra. You run upstairs, and the moment you reach the upstairs hallway, you hear it again. It's coming from Lyra's room. You back yourself up to the wall, drop your shoulder, and power through it, sending it flying open. Lyra is in bed, her eyes closed, but she is completely covered in sweat. Is she asleep? You dart your eyes around the room, making sure there was nothing you weren't seeing. You hear Lyra mumbling in her sleep. "ah....n...noo....no....aah...AAH....NOO!" She then shrieks again in her sleep. You walk over to her briskly, and gently shake her. "Lyra. Lyra, wake up. It's okay." She continues to stir slightly, no longer yelling or talking in her sleep. She stretches, and opens her eyes very slowly. "A-Alan...Is that you?" She slowly climbs up on her hooves. She then throws her hooves around you, and cries. Jeez. "Alan...I had a bad dream..." You fight the urge to be sarcastic. She sniffles, and sobs a little more on your chest. While this certainly felt a little uncomfortable to you, it also felt right. Right in a wrong way. You hug her back, waiting for her to calm down. "I don't want them to get me..." You sigh. "Lyra, would you be able to sleep if I kept watch?" Her eyes close a little more. Just the thought of you staying in her room seemed to relax her. "Y-you mean you'll stay here?" You nod your head. "Absolutely. Nothing will get past me. I'll keep you safe." Lyra smiles weakly from exhaustion. "Thank you Alan. You're the best...best human...ever..." She barely managed to get those words out of her mouth before falling back asleep. You sat on the edge of her bed, your chin in your hands. Who am I kidding? I'm going to fall asleep. Lyra, while very nice to you, was acting a little like a child. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was just all of the excitement in one day, but it was almost annoying. You were planning on sleeping in, and here you are, sitting at the edge of Lyra's bed, "defending" her from anything that may come. You soon begin to feel your head slipping down, and you attempt to continue to jerk it back up, to keep yourself awake. It was all in vain. Very quickly, you fell asleep, sitting on the edge of a bed. You were probably going to kick your own ass in the morning, but you were too tired too care. You awoke in the bed. You were lying down, under the comforter and on the pillow. You stretch out, when you remember that you had fallen asleep sitting up. Why were you lying down? Shiiit. You sit up, and look around you. No Lyra. Well. That's embarrassing. You slide out of bed, and get back on your feet. You begin to walk downstairs, hoping that maybe you would go unnoticed. You would have no such luck. "Hey there, guardian angel." Bon Bon called. You stop in your tracks, and turn around. "Lyra left about an hour ago. She wanted to get you a present for keeping her safe. She even laid you down and tucked you in before she left." "Did you not hear her screaming?" You ask. "No, I heard it alright. I just thought that maybe you had found your way into her bedroom and were slightly...preoccupied. With her." You blush, and immediately attempt to defend yourself. "NONONONO. She was screaming bloody murder, I went up to check on her, and she wouldn't let go of me. I told her I would stand watch. And I did. Guess I fell asleep too." Bon Bon giggles at you. "Hey, relax. You're nice enough. And Celestia knows your attractive enough." Oh boy. "Anyways, I think it'd really hurt her feelings if she came back and you were awake. She really wanted to surprise you. If I were you, I'd go back to sleep. Or at least pretend to. She'll be back at any moment." You sigh, and nod your head. "Alright. Well, I'm going back to bed then. See you a little later." Bon Bon giggles again, and goes down the staircase. You go back over to Lyra's bed, and slide between the blankets and mattress, falling back asleep rapidly. _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash was on top of you, and began to stir. "Baaabe..." She said, yawning. "Can you close the window please? I'm getting kind of cold." "You aren't close enough." She giggles at your response. "Seriously babe. Window please." You sigh, and gently lift her off of you. You walk over to the window, shielding your eyes from the sunlight. You slide it shut, and close the curtains, only a few small beams of light reaching past them. You climb back in bed, and Rainbow Dash takes her throne back. "What time is it?" She asks. You look over at the clock. "About 11 in the morning. Why?" "Should we get up?" "Fuck that. I'm off today. I'm sleeping and spending time with you." You yawn, and put your arms back around her. Her wings rustle slightly, and she shifts around, getting herself comfortable. She soon falls back asleep. You do, as well. _________________________________________________________________________________ You really hoped that Alan liked breakfast. Bon Bon hated it. She always said that it hurt her stomach when she ate too early. She would always start her morning with a hot chocolate or glass of milk, but never any food. In fact, you REALLY hoped that Alan liked breakfast. It had been a very long time since anyone had sat down and had breakfast with you. You went down to "Win, Place and Show", a small diner you liked, and picked up two containers of oatmeal, 6 pancakes, 2 fresh apples, and 2 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice. You were also sure to snag a bunch of butter and syrup, just in case Alan wanted it. It was really nice of him to stand watch like that, and keep you safe while you slept. Although you were being a filly about it, it was nice that he cared enough to offer some form of comfort to you. Maybe, after breakfast, he'd wanna hang out with you for the day! Maybe you could go fishing, or he could tell you about his hands! In fact, you were really interested in hearing more about his home. It's not everyday you can talk to a mythical creature. It was only about 11:30 in the morning, but the streets were bustling. You had to be extra careful with your bag of food and cups, which you hovered above the crowds with magic. You weaseled your way through the marketplace, and made it safely back home. Bon Bon was curled up in her favorite chair, reading some magazine. You walk in on the tips of your hooves, and close the door very carefully. "Is he still asleep?" You whisper. Bon Bon giggles, and nods her head. "Go get em'." She said. You blush, and slowly creep your way up the staircase. You go to your room, and open the door. Alan was curled up in a ball under your blankets. His hands were touching your pillows. His HANDS, touching YOUR PILLOWS. You would be sure to treasure those pillows for the rest of your life. You pull out the two folding personal tables you kept in your closet, and set them up side by side, so that you could both use the bed as your chair, and the tables as tables. Only Twilight Sparkle rivals my intelligence! Alan opens his eyes, and sits up in bed. He watches you sit the containers of food down. He yawns, and laughs. "Hey, kick ass. Breakfast. I haven't had a good breakfast in a very long time." You tried as hard as you could to avoid yelping with joy. "I hope you like pancakes and oatmeal." You say, sitting next to him. "I also brought you an apple." Alan smiles. "You didn't have to do this. I already stole your bed." "You didn't have to comfort me last night." You reply. "Fair point. Got any butter?" You smile devilishly, and hold up the bag filled with butter and syrup. "You could say that." Alan laughs, and spreads butter and pours syrup carefully over his pancakes. "Lyra, I owe you and Bon Bon both a lot. I really will pay you back for all of this, in any way." You blush, but you decide to be brave. Just like a human female would. "I have an idea..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Mi'lady, Spyra has arrived. He says you have requested his presence?" Celestia nods her head. "Send him in, Guardsman." The Royal Guard nods his head, and bows. "Yes, mi'lady." The Royal Guard leaves the throne room, leaving you and your sister alone once more. "I trust your judgement, sister. Hopefully Spyra will cooperate." "That's not very fair. I cooperate most of the time." You hear a voice say. Both you and Celestia look around the Throne Room, seeing nothing. "Spyra. Show yourself." Just then, an adolescent dragon burst into existence, bowing before Celestia. "My Princess. You have summoned me for a good reason, I assume." Spyra didn't look like the other dragons his age. He has none of the flaws that adolescence brought. He was slim, but well built. His silver scales shone in what little light was offered, complementing his cobalt eyes. His tongue was a pitch black color, which made his white teeth only seem that much whiter. He was only about a foot shorter than Aaden, but he still stood taller than most other ponies in Equestira. He also had a wicked set of claws on hind legs and forelegs. Spyra was interesting dragon. He was a member of a species of dragon that Equestria had yet to document. He could turn invisible, he could quickly learn any language he wanted to, and he was unafflicted by the greed and gluttony of many other dragons. He had the humor of a comedian, but the demeanor and professionalism of an assassin. Personally, it chilled you to the bone having him in your presence. Celestia nodded her head. "As you know, we are in dire need of somepony to take the position of Grand Royal Infiltrator." Spyra nods his head. "We have found somepony well fit for the position. You will serve as his assistant once he accepts. You will be tasked with reporting the movements and intelligence of Equestria's enemies. You will serve as the line of communication between he and I." Spyra cocks his head. "When he accepts? You're sure he'll accept?" "He is in no position to argue." You add. "Can he turn invisible?" Spyra asked. Celestia turned around, using her magic to float over a set of black robes. "Not naturally, no. But these magical robes will do the trick." Spyra smiles. "He's gonna look like Mare-Do-Well." He then laughs, and sighs with the same smile. "So, I'm going to be the Spike to his Twilight, huh?" Celestia shares the smile. "Yes. But your work is just as important, dragon. Report back here in 6 days. You have the next 5 off. Enjoy." Spyra nods his head again, and bows, before vanishing. "This should prove most interesting..." You start. "You must trust me, Luna. I have seen all of Aaden's memories. I know exactly who this 'Alan' is. He was an excellent infiltration expert, and better yet, he was an incredibly good person. Mix that skill and attitude with Spyra, and I dare-say we have a new Grand Royal Infiltrator." ' _________________________________________________________________________________ Your party falls exhausted at this new Oasis. It was incredibly far away from the previous one. You practically throw yourself into in the pond, and drink as much as you can. "GOD, DAMN." You gasp. "HAVE I EVER TOLD YOU, HOW MUCH I HATE THE DESERT?" "Once or twice, yeah." Mala said as she sat down under the shade of a palm tree. You wipe the sweat off of your forehead, and sling your hand to the side, flinging sweat off of it. Bakir had already fallen asleep under a pal, tree near the the pond. You essentially throw your ass into the sand, and lay in it. "Mala," You kept gasping. "Does wind exist in Dodge City?" Mala laughs under her own gasps. "There is a train we'll be riding. You'll feel plenty of wind once we get going on it." _________________________________________________________________________________ "CHARGES LIVE, GET BACK, GET BACK!" You and the rest of the men that had came on the cable cars were already at a safe distance. It wasn't five minutes later when the charges detonated. "FLASH OUT!" Another Pathfinder called. A grenade rolled into the massive opening you had created. The guards may have had time to prepare themselves with their little emergency sealing doors, but they were only running from the inevitable. All 60 of the men from the cable cars flooded the manor through this hole, rapidly clearing the foyer area. As you stood in the foyer, assessing the situation, two Pathfinders dragged over what looked like one of the IMO Board Members. Each of them had one arm, and his knees dragged along the ground in defeat. They brought him to you. You didn't open your mouth. You didn't think twice. You pulled out your revolver, and executed him right there, shooting him at pointblank range through the head. The Pathfinders that held him slung his body aside, and readied their weapons. The bunker underneath the manor still needed to be cleared. The Chairman was surely hiding. You smile, and decide to quote a line that The Chairman loved to recite. "Death twitches in my ear. Live, he says. For I am coming." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were going over your house very thoroughly. You had plenty of food stocked, alcohol was cold and ready, and the entire place was pretty damn clean, if you didn't say so yourself. Octavia gave you a hand, which you really appreciated. Of course, you didn't say thank you. You probably should have. Octavia always had a self-confidence issue, which you're sure you didn't help. Octavia was raised only by her father, Bass Clef. He loved her with all of his heart, and still does. But never having anyone as a motherly figure made her feel insufficient to life, and more importantly, to herself. Guilt getting the best of you, you decide to go upstairs and thank her. Maybe even apologize for not thanking her earlier, as well. You cut past your living room, and go into her room. She sat on her bed, her eyes closed, while she played some orchestral bit. You waited for her to finish. After about 5 minutes, she did. She opened one eye, and looked at you. "Yes?" She asked. "I just wanted to say, thanks. And sorry for not saying so earlier. It means a lot to me that you're being so supportive of this entire situation." She opens both eyes, and smiles. "It's not everyday your childhood friend falls in love. Not to mention falling in love with a creature not even from her universe. But love is love, none-the-less." You can't help but blush in front of her. "Octavia, I'm not going to lie, I have no idea why I find him so attractive. I wish I could explain it. Ever since I first met him, I would miss him not being there. He just has so much to talk about, he's so good at just about every damn thing that exists, and he's even a hero. It's every little fillies dream." "I will not lie to you, Vinyl Scratch. He is very attractive. I too find myself thinking about him sometimes. His taste in music, it's so broad. From that garbled electronic stuff you create, to the elegant master pieces from wondrous orchestras from where he comes from, he has it all. Surely that says something about his intelligence. While I understand that you love him, I do hope you'll share him. Even if it's just once." You laugh. "Of course I will, Tavi. But I've got first dibs. You can come with us to dinner, if you'd like. I figured we'd go to a bar somewhere, get some dinner and some drinks. And there's something else I wanna talk to you about." Octavia looks up at you intently. "Yes, Vinyl?" "You know how I normally hate things like history?" "Yeah?" "Then why in Tartarus am I so interested in learning about him? His history?" Octavia giggles at you. "That's love, dearie. Comes with the territory." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Big guy? Aaden?" You feel your shoulder move. "Wake up!" It moves again. "C'mon babe, wake up. I'm starving. It's 2 in the afternoon, I gotta eat." You still refuse to open your eyes. "I could always call Tank up here..." You immediately sit up in bed. You only want to get hit by a flying turtle once. You stretch your arms to the ceiling, and let them fall to your sides. Rainbow Dash kisses you on the cheek, and hopes off of the bed. "Let's go back to Poachies again. I want some fries." She said. "With ketchup?" You ask. "Double ketchup." She responds, smiling. "Bleeeegh." You gag. "Ketchup is pretty damn nasty." You climb out of bed, and get yourself dressed while Rainbow Dash goes downstairs to feed Tank. You stand in the mirror, wearing a pair of khaki pants and a white polo shirt. Spiffy. You really were starting to miss Rarity. You were in love, or so you thought, with Rainbow Dash, but something about Rarity really enthralled you. Something felt missing from your heart, not being with her. You still had two weeks and three days before you could see her again, and you really looked forward to it. You had not forgotten everything she had done for you. How she saved your life, how she nursed you, how she provided you aid when no one else would. Oh well. May as well enjoy the time I have left with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash walks into the room, and places her hooves around your waist, kissing your back. "I love you babe." She coos. "I love you too." You respond.
Chapter Thirty-Three: On The Nature of DaylightLyra had asked you to follow her to pay her back. She had a basket in her mouth, and a blanket folded up and draped over her back. It felt kind of weird to admit, but she was actually very attractive. The way she would swing her head to the side, her mane flowing with the swing, the single white streak in her mane, her amber eyes, it was all very intoxicating. It gave you a lump in your throat, one that you couldn't swallow. Then again, the only female you had been in contact with since your arrival in Equestria WAS Chrysalis. On your walk through town, you see Aaden and Rainbow Dash sitting outside of some restaurant, eating lunch in the fresh spring weather. Is that a phone he has? He managed to keep it? How? "Hang on one second, Lyra. I have an idea." She stops in her tracks, and nods her head at you. You walk over to their table. "Aaden, what's going on man? Getting some lunch" You look over at Rainbow Dash's plate. "That's entirely too much ketchup." She smiles with pride, and keeps eating. "Yep. Food here is pretty damn good. How was Lyra's house?" You remember getting up in the middle of the night and comforting her. "It was pretty good, actually. But hey, right now, she's taking me somewhere so I can make up staying the night to her. Your phone work?" Aaden looks down at his phone, and presses the single button on the button, illuminating it. "Oh yeah. Pretty amazing that it still works. It's still got all of my music and photos and everything." "Mind if I borrow it? I think Lyra would really like to see some pictures, maybe hear a song or two." Aaden hands the phone to you with one hand, while using the other to grab a french fry. "Sure bro. Just get it back to me when you can." You take the phone, thank him, and resume your position next to Lyra. You both continue your walk, which leads you to the far end of town. Eventually, you reach a farm. Lyra motions for you to continue following her. You do so. You begin a walk through an apple orchard, and soon find yourself at it's end. The sight is beautiful. The orchard gives way to a meadow, which was completely green and flat, filled with flowers and wildlife. It had been so long since you had seen anything so breath-taking. The Badlands and Dead Marshes were just that. Bad and dead. This view was completely different. This view filled you with happiness. With hope. With love. All of the scars the Queen had left on you were melting away, one by one. You sat down on the blanket Lyra laid out, completely awestruck. She giggles. "I thought you'd like it here." You look at her, your eyes a little wider than they should be. "I mean, wow. Just wow." You managed to say. "Thanks for following me, Alan. I usually come down here by myself on the weekends. Bon Bon never wants to come. It means a lot to me that you're willing to do this. Willing to be my friend." You feel sympathy for the amber-eyed pony. You take a hand, and put it on her hoof. She looks away, and blushes. "Lyra, you were a friend to me when no one else was. Hell, people still look at me funny. Not you, though." Lyra looks back up at you, albeit bashfully. "S-so, we're really friends? Y-you aren't m-mad at me 'cause of last night?" You give her hoof a very light squeeze. "Of course we're really friends, Lyra. And I'm not mad at all." She loses her bashfulness, but is still dull red in her cheeks. "A-Alan?" "Yeah?" "Do you t-think that maybe, you could p-put your arm around me?" You knew what she was asking. She scooted over next to you, and you fulfilled her wish. She sat like a human would, and had her head leaning on your shoulder. She sighed. "Would you tell me about your world? Please?" You smile, and take out Aaden's phone. "Let's start with music. Is that okay?" You ask. "Sure! I like music!" She exclaims. You smile. You slide to unlock Aaden's phone, and enter his passcode. 6672. You click the music icon, and scroll through. "Humans have a wide variety of music available to them. Some songs are meant as expressions of their artists, some as pure entertainment, some as both. There also happens to be all kinds of different genres of music, as well. Here, I'll play a song I like for you." Youtube Video We are lost, consumed by selfish desire. Abandon the gift bestowed us. The gift alone. But there is beauty, There is life. Hold fast for this could be, The end of eternity. We are blind (we are blind), our future's crushed and forgotten. Destroyed by guilt (destroyed by guilt). But there is beauty, (there is beauty) There is life. (there is life) Hold fast for this could be, The end of eternity. You quickly shut the song off when you remember how it changes from the soft riffs and vocals to a more demented sound and shouting, the vocalist singing: "I will slaughter your soul". Probably don't want her hearing that. She lifts her head up off of your shoulder. "That was beautiful, Alan." She said. "I haven't heard many songs with emotion like that. Are there any others you can show me?" "Sure, lemme have a look." She puts her head back on your shoulder. You take your right hand, the one that's around her, and use it to stroke her mane, while you root through Aaden's phone with your left hand. You find one song you remember well. "Lyra, this next song is kinda sad. I've always kind of viewed it as a prayer to a God that may not be there, like someone is praying, seeking help, but is losing faith quickly. I find it appropriate for my unique situation." Lyra adjusts her head, getting comfortable on your shoulder. Youtube Video This bitter earth Well, what fruit it bears Ooooh, This bitter earth And if my life is like the dust oooh that hides the glow of a rose What good am I Heaven only knows Lord, this bitter earth Yes, can be so cold Today you're young Too soon, you're old But while a voice within me cries I'm sure someone may answer my call And this bitter earth Ooooh may not Oh be so bitter after all This bitter earth Lord, This bitter earth What good is love Mmmm that no one shares And if my life is like the dust Oooh that hides the glow of a rose What good am I Heaven only knows She wraps both of her forelegs around you, like a human female would with arms, and hugs you. "That was absolutely amazing. It was so sad, but so good..." You look over to her, and see that she has taken her head off of your shoulder, her eyes welling up, the amber iris in both eyes glistening with tears. You quickly take out the phone, and decide to look for a song that would change her mood. Rapidly swiping through the list of music, you become desperate to find something fit to make her smile. Thrift Store by Macklemore? Way too goofy, and it'll confuse me more than it will confuse her. Bloodlines by Dethklok? I may as well scream at her myself. Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground? Nope, not doing that one. God damn it all Aaden, why don't you have some Mumford and Sons or something... Oh wait. You do. Awesome. Youtube Video Well I came home like a stone And I fell heavy into your arms These days of dust, which we've known Will blow away with this new sun And I'll kneel down, wait for now And I'll kneel down know my ground And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you So break my step, and relent Well you forgave, and I won't forget Know what we've seen and him with less Now in some way shake the excess But I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you Now I'll be bold as well as strong And use my head alongside my heart So tame my flesh and fix my eyes A tethered mind freed from the lies But I'll kneel down, wait for now I'll kneel down know my ground Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold Bow my head, keep my heart slow 'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you And I will wait, I will wait for you The song plays all the way through. You notice Lyra has her head back down on your shoulder. You can't see her face. You put the phone down, and put your left hand on her chin, and begin turning her head towards yours. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if she was crying. Please be smiling... Sure enough, she had a smile on her face. "Whew..." You sigh. She leans in, and kisses your cheek. You smile, and rub your cheek where she had kissed it. "Thank you for sharing that with me. You're the best human ever. Is there anything else you can show me?" You feel the old Alan coming back. The one from before all of the war with the IMO, before Chrysalis. It felt odd. It felt good. "Sure! Here, let me dig through his photos..." You exit the music application, and click on the camera. you then slide down, and press the album button in the bottom right hand corner. You scroll around, until you find a picture that makes your head hurt, but it's important. It's of a group of soldiers, walking through a rural desert, the sun behind them. "Lyra, a friend of mine named Max took this picture. This was my first day with The Pathfinders. With Aaden. I know you can't see the faces of anyone, but I'm the one on the far left. Aaden's the one furthest away from the camera, near the center." You explain. "We were in a rural desert nation at the time. My old commander, Major Adam Howard, he hated the desert." You chuckle, and pull Lyra slightly closer. "He always told us that he would never go back to the desert as long as he had control over it. Poor guy. I wonder what he's up to right now." _________________________________________________________________________________ "We're almost out of this dreaded desert." Mala looked behind her as she said that sentence. You paid no attention. Mala smiled, and repeated herself. "I SAID, we're almost out of this dreaded desert." You look up at her, a confused expression on your face. "What?" You then realized what she said, and relaxed. "Oh, yeah. Good. Fuck this desert." "Are you okay, Adam? All we have to do is make it to this final Oasis, and then we can head to Dodge City. Easy enough." "I feel kinda funny. I mean, I'm not dehydrated and I'm well fed. Something just kinda seems...off. Ya know? Like something in the back of my head is calling out to me." Bakir walked slightly closer to you. "Do you need to stop?" You shake your head. "Nah. The sooner we get out of here, the better." You reply. "Wait. Aren't you an amnesiac?" You nod your head this time. "Do you think that maybe your memories are coming back to you?" You take the canteen off of your hip, unscrew the cap, and take a drink. "I sure hope so." You said, lowering the canteen. "It's almost as annoying as having a sneeze that refuses to come out." Bakir looks ahead to Mala. "Mala, what helps amnesiacs recover?" He asked. "I believe visual stimulation helps the process, but for the most part, if an amnesiac is going to get better, it happens over time, and on it's own." He looks back at you. "Got anything on you that might light the spark that's hopping about your brain?" Bakir asked. You turn your pockets inside out to express how little you have. "Sorry. What little I do have was left at home." "It is quite alright, Adam. Do not stress yourself in seeking answers. Let the answers come to you. Not the other way around." Mala had a good point. You were really happy to be travelling with Mala and Bakir. They were becoming very close friends of yours. You would never forget their kindness, no matter what happens on your way to Canterlot. You all made it to the next Oasis just in time for sunset, quickly building a fire and preparing yourselves for the night. Mala was making dinner while Bakir told stories. It was very interesting, the end of this desert. But the closer you got to this Dodge City, the more weird you were starting to feel. You really couldn't explain it. Bakir and Mala both curled up next to the fire, and soon fell asleep. But sleep didn't come so easy to you. What really bothered you, is that you could swear you heard sobbing. Anytime the wind would blow, it was as if it carried someones cries to your ears. In fact, anytime you would near sleep, the wind would pick up, and the sobbing would be there. I'm losing my fucking mind... You climb back up to your feet, making sure not to disturb Bakir and Mala. At least SOME PEOPLE were getting sleep. The sobbing sounds as if it's coming with the wind, so you decide to walk towards the wind. The wind itself had only recently begun to blow in the desert. It was cool, or refreshing for that matter. It was actually rather harsh, picking up sand, and pelting you with it. The wind continues to blow, the sobs getting louder and louder. You climb over a sand dune, and sure enough, in the distance, was what looked like an overturned wagon. You could see a figure lying out way in front of it. You couldn't make out what it was doing, but you could tell it was moving. You could now hear the sobbing without the assistance of the wind. You slowly begin to approach the wreckage, and as you move closer, you can better identify what it was, exactly. A wagon, one that appeared incredibly similar to the ones that pioneers used, was overturned and ripped open, chests filled with belongings spilled out. A rather ornate mirror was shattered in front of the wagon, as well. The figure was now completely visible, as well. It was a dark blue pony. Bakir and Mala had told you about ponies. This one was covered in sand, and it kept attempting to reach out in front of itself, in a failed attempt to crawl. It's sobbing really wasn't that loud, now. It was getting weaker. It was losing hope. That's when your head begins to feel incredibly funny. You hear a voice, one that sounds familiar scream in your ear. "HE'S GOING TO DIE! HE NEEDS HELP!" Your eyes widen, but you blink them quickly, rushing over to the pony. It was wearing what looked like a cape with stars on it, and also had on a wizard hat, the same color with the same stars. It's attempts to crawl were growing weaker, and weaker. As you approached it, it's words between sobs and cries of desperation became audible. "I-I...I-I'm still...gr-grea...Tr-Trix..." It sounded like a female. As you approached her, she noticed you, managing to turn her head and look at you. "H-he...help..." She reached a hoof out to you, and before it could fall to the sand, you threw yourself on to your knees, grabbing her, and turning her over on her back. Her eyelids twitched and shook, her coat under and around her eyes wet with tears. "Relax. I'm here. Nothing is going to happen. You're gonna be okay, just breathe, and relax. Here," You took your canteen off of your waist, unscrewed it, and held it up to her mouth. "Drink slowly. Okay?" She nodded very weakly. You gently turned the canteen up, allowing water to trickle into her mouth. You could tell it was dry just by seeing her open it to receive water. You allow her to drink about half of the canteen, before pulling it back. "Do you need a little more?" You ask. "You can have the entire canteen, if you want it. There is an Oasis nearby, I'll take you there." She nods her head again, still shaking. You hold the canteen up again, holding her like an infant, and feeding her like one, too. Your head didn't hurt anymore. Right now, your mind was completely clear of thought. Of worry. You didn't care about Dodge City right now. Nor Canterlot. This pony was the only thing on your mind, and you would make damn sure she got better. Something about doing this made you feel better. That voice you heard, the one in your head, the one that cried out. It made you feel so guilty. Doing this really made that guilt go away. You don't want anyone to be hurting if you can do anything about it. The last of the water trickles out into the ponies mouth, who swallows it very weakly. "I'm going to pick you up now, carry you back to the camp. We will salvage everything we can from the wreckage when the morning comes." The pony tries to move while you hold her. "Trixie...c-can...w-w...walk..." You smile gently. "Well, Trixie isn't going to." You pick her up, holding her like a sleeping child. "Now, do you need anything from here to last you for the night?" The pony pointed towards the wreckage. "M-Mr...Fuzzykins..." You walk towards the wreckage, still holding her. You see a purple stuffed bunny rabbit with a beige tummy and dark purple button eyes. You also see a blanket beside it. "Would you like the blanket, as well?" The pony nods. You kneel down, grab the bunny identified as Mr. Fuzzykins, and the blanket beside him. You give the pony the bunny rabbit, and watch her weakly snuggle him close to her. You wrap her up in the blanket, to keep her safe from the harsh desert wind. She stopped moving, which scared you at first. You stopped walking for a moment, and examined her. She was still breathing, just asleep. And she was smiling, too. You held the pony you decided was named Trixie close to you. The walk back to the camp was more difficult than the walk to the wreckage. You were trying as hard as you could to not wake the sleeping Trixie, all while walking and attempting to keep her safe. Eventually, you made it back to the camp, Trixie in your arms. You walk her over to your makeshift bed you made earlier in the night our of palm tree leaves, and place her in it, still wrapped in the blanket. You refill your canteen, and sit it next to her. You also set some fruit down next to the water, as well. Just in case. She had a lot of explaining to do once she wakes, but that wasn't what was on your mind right now. You hoped she was comfortable. That she was warm. You sat underneath of another palm tree, away from Mala, Bakir and Trixie, attempting to go back to sleep. This time, when the wind came, there was no sobbing. God damn, do I hate deserts. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Oh, come on! Those two are kinda cute together, dontcha think?" Rainbow Dash asks you. You laugh, and sip at your soda. "All I'm saying, is that Alan isn't exactly a romantic." Rainbow Dash swallows a mouthful of food comprised of 80% ketchup, 20% french fry. "Neither am I!" She exclaims, shoving another hoof of fries into her mouth. "What? Then how do you explain the ladder to your bedroom window? Remember that?" You ask. She blushes, and smiles. "Th-that doesn't count." You take one of the fries not slathered in ketchup off of her plate, and eat it. "Well, if he really does decide he likes Lyra, good for him. God knows it'll be good for him to connect with somepony, right?" Rainbow Dash nods her head. "Aaden! Hey, Aaden!" You hear somepony call. You look over your shoulder, and see Spike and Twilight Sparkle approaching you. "Aaden, we've got an urgent letter for you from Celestia herself!" Twilight exclaims. Uh oh. You hand Spike a french fry, who eats it eagerly. "Thanks." He said. "But yeah, we've got an important letter for you!" "Would you mind reading it to me? I'm still learning your language." Spike smiles, and opens the letter. He unfolds it, and gives it a quick read for reference before he reads it to you. "Huh..." He looked it over again. "My Dearest Student, please alert Honor Guard Aaden and the guest of Ponyville, Alan, that I request their presence in Canterlot in approximately one week. Be sure to express to them that this is not for punishment. While violence is an incredibly rare and severe offence against Equestria, I believe Alan and I can come to a far better alternative to time in the dungeon." Spike finishes, and smiles again, obviously proud that he just read the letter by himself. You hand him another french fry. "We got it last night, but it was late, so we decided to run it by you today." Twilight added. "While Alan is still kind of suspicious to me, it's good to see that Celestia won't have him punished. Where is Alan, by the way?" "He and Lyra took off somewhere. She looked like she had a picnic basket and a blanket with her. I'd say they're eating lunch right now." "Well, hopefully they're having a good time, too." Twilight looks back over her shoulder. "I guess Spike and I should be heading back to the Library now. Relay the message to Alan, would you?" "Of course. I guess I'll see you guys when Pinkie Pie inevitably throws Alan a party, huh?" You wave goodbye to the both of them, and notice that your half-empty soda glass had already been replaced with a fresh one. It's amazing how you tip really well one time, and all of the sudden, you are the prodigal son of customers to a restaurant. The thought of being dead comes back into your head. Alan is dead. But he's here. You're here. Why aren't there more humans here? Are there more humans here? Are you really dead? _________________________________________________________________________________ You grab hold of the nearby IMO Soldier, and rip a grenade off of your waist. In the blink of an eye, you tore the pin out of it, dropped it into the back of his armor, and kicked him towards the group of IMO Soldiers attempting to regroup themselves. You threw yourself back behind the wall, and waited for the boom. A loud boom then erupted further down the hallway. Blood splattered all the way up to your end of the hallway. Just as planned. You take out your revolver, and walk briskly towards the survivors. There were only two. One laid on his back, reaching for the ceiling. The other was on his stomach, attempting to crawl away. You knock back the hammer on your revolver, and execute both of them. You slide the radio off of your waist. "Vault's clear. Get a hacker down here." A group of Pathfinders came down the staircase. One had a bright PDA attached to his left wrist. He must have been the hacker. He knelt before the massive door in the vault, and immediately began typing and tapping away on his PDA. The Vault doors led to the bunker beneath of the manor. The Chairman was in there, no doubt about that. You were going to get this door open, and you were going to kill him yourself. This was payback for Aaden. For Alan. For Adam. The young hacker looked up to you, the orange, lifeless eyes of his gas mask looking into yours. "Sir. The door will be open in about 10 minutes. Get everyone down here." He then took out two wires from his backpack, hooked them into his PDA, and then into the keypad next to the door, and went back to typing. You went back over your radio, and ordered everyone downstairs, into the vault. All of the Pathfinders, no casualties, no injuries, assembled downstairs. The only thing that distinguished them from one another were their haircuts and their weapons. Everyone took a moment to reload and to take a relaxed breath. It wasn't long after that the Hacker looked up at you. "Sir. The moment I press this button, the door will open. Get ready. I'll open it on your command." You take your position at the front of the door. You take a deep breath, and look down at the Hacker. You nod your head quickly, and aim your rifle at the door. The Hacker pressed said button, and door burst open. _________________________________________________________________________________ Morning in the desert had come. You didn't need an alarm clock in the desert. At least no here. Because you would fall asleep in the frigid night, and awake sweating. You had fallen asleep sitting against a palm tree. You lift your head up, and look back at the camp. You remember you had chosen the tree that was kind of isolated from the others. You notice Bakir and Mala are gone, but the pony you had rescued in the middle of the night was kneeling before the pond, poking it with a hoof, and staring at her reflection. She still had Mr. Fuzzykins in tow. You rub your forehead, and pick yourself up, coming to your feet once more. You stretch, and approach the pony, who was now just silently watching her reflection. Even though your feet crunch the sand beneath them, she doesn't seem to notice. You sit down next to her, and decide to speak to her. "Good morning." You said. "Good morning." She replied. She didn't look up from her reflection. You both sit in silence for awhile. The desert was serene at this moment in time. "The grateful and beholden Trixie would like to thank you." She said, still looking at her reflection. "Not a problem, ma'am. However, I've got to ask you. How did that happen? Why are you in the desert?" You ask. "Trixie could ask the same of you, strange creature." She responds. "Fair point. Tell me your story first, and I'll tell you mine." Trixie sighs, gaze fixed on her reflection. "The adventurous and optimistic Trixie traveled across Equestria, attempting to make a name for herself. But everywhere she went, she always would get in over her head. She would always make mistakes that would leave her full of doubt and regret. The sad and lonely Trixie then decided to try to make it to Saddle Arabia, but she quickly became lost in the endless desert. She accidently overturned her wagon, and ran out of water and food. She started to die..." She finally looked up from her reflection, and examined you. "Which leaves you, creature. I have been all over Equestria. You look like nopony Trixie has ever seen" "Funny story. I'm actually an amnesiac. I literally only remember this desert. It's been my home for the past year. If it wasn't for Bakir and Mala, I would either be rotting somewhere, or still wandering aimlessly. I'm a human. My name is Adam." " Human...Adam...thank you. Trixie cannot express the depth of her gratitude. She never meant to hurt anypony. She's sure that nopony would care if she died in the desert, anyway..." She hugs Mr. Fuzzykins. "Not to sound rude, but what's the story behind that rabbit? You really seem to like him." You ask, hoping to change the subject. "Mr. Fuzzykins is Trixie's best friend. And her only friend, for that matter." She replied, looking down at the rabbit. Shit, good going, Adam. You decide to try to change the subject once more. "Where did Bakir and Mala go?" You ask. "They went to Trixie's wreckage. They said they would attempt to salvage anything and everything that could be recovered." You didn't understand why this pony was speaking in third person. But you felt great sympathy for her. You were sure, at least for the moment being, that this pony was innocent. She may have done wrong, and it may have taken complete vilification, but she seems to legitimately regret her actions. She sighs again. "Oh...what is Trixie to do now?..." She hugs the rabbit again. "Well, Trixie certainly isn't travelling to Saddle Arabia anymore. I won't be in the dunes to save her again, when she inevitably gets lost." She looks away from you and your reflection. "I said thank you..." She actually spoke in first person. "Trixie, I was kidding. Look, I know you don't know any of us, but we're actually on the way to Canterlot right now. Apparently, humans don't exist here, so were going to see the Princess, see if she can't get me back home. Come with us. Then Bakir and Mala can lead you back to Saddle Arabia. You can have my home when you get back. I won't have any need for it if I can go back to my universe." You explain. Trixie looked back up at you. "But Trixie cannot ever go back...everypony hates Trixie..." Trixie sniffles, and once again, hugs her rabbit. "Trixie, if you travel with us, I'm sure 'everypony' will be paying more attention to me than you. Think about it, scary creature from another dimension versus an apologetic Trixie. They may not even notice you." "You aren't that scary..." She said, her rabbit muffling her mouth. "You would be surprised how many citizens of Saddle Arabia thought I was going to kill them and drink their blood." She puts her rabbit down, and looks at you, examining your every feature. "Huh? But you helped Trixie. You gave her water, and picked her up, and gave her Mr. Fuzzykins. You aren't mean at all." You smile. "Guess it's just xenophobia. Can't blame em', really. A large, alien creature appears out of nowhere. I'd be scared out of my mind if it happened to me back home." "Well...for the record...Trixie finds you to be very kind." She said, reaching for her rabbit once more. "So. Will you be joining us, Trixie?" You ask. "Hmm...Well. Trixie really has nothing left to lose... " She looks back at her reflection, then back at you. Yes. Trixie will be joining you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "No way! That didn't happen!" Lyra yelled, laughing. You pulled her slightly closer, and laughed with her. "No, I swear it did! Oh my God, did we make a mess!" You laughed even harder. You sigh. Nothing like a really good, legitimate laugh. You actually felt a tear going down your cheek from all of the laughter. You wipe it away. Night had fallen. You had been sitting with Lyra literally all day, reminiscing and talking. "Lyra, your back has got to be killing you, sitting like that? Man. C'mon, lets get you home. Don't want Bon Bon to think I tore your head off or anything." Lyra stands up, and falls back on her four legs, stretching out. You knelt down, and folded the blanket you were sitting on, and you also took the empty picnic basket. "Alright, let's g-" You felt something tapping on your shoulder. You turn around, still on your knees. Before you turn, you feel something pressing against your mouth. Your eyes shoot open, and you see Lyra. She was kissing you. You relax a little. The suddenness scared the Hell out of you, but you give in to it. She was cute enough to kiss. After a moment of holding the kiss, she lets go of your lips, and looks at her hooves, blushing, doing that adorable thing where she kicks her hooves at the ground. "Now we can go..." She said, almost whispering. The walk back to Lyra's house was a silent one, but it wasn't an awkward silence. If anything, it was refreshing. It was as if you and Lyra were just enjoying each others very presence. You made it out of the apple orchard, and back through town, eventually arriving at home. Bon Bon wasn't home, so Lyra had to use the key that was kept under the mat. Lyra went upstairs, and you went to your room. You were putting away the few things you took with you. "Alan!" You hear Lyra call. "Yeah?" You call back. "Can you come upstairs? I need some...uh...help up here!" You put the blanket back in the chest it belongs in, and the basket on top of the blanket. "Coming, gimme a sec!" You call back again. You stop in the bathroom on the way up, and look in the mirror. You use your fingers as a makeshift comb, and walk upstairs. You open the door to Lyra's room. She was on her stomach on her bed, stretched out. "You said you needed some help, Lyra?" You asked. "Yeah, 'member how you said my back had to be hurting?" She responded. "Yeah?" "Well, it kinda of does. Do you think you could fix it for me?" Oooooooh. I see what you're getting at. "Sure." You crack your knuckles, and climb up on the bed, positioning yourself over top of her. You had never given anyone a massage a day in your life. But by God, were you going to give Lyra one.
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Death of a TyrantThe Hacker was the first one hit when the doors opened. Bullets ripped through his flesh like a knife through warm butter. He was hit through his neck and his upper torso. He thrashed about wildly on the ground, both of his hands around his throat. In a panic, he removed his hands, and tried to pick himself off of the floor, but failed to muster the strength. He fell back to the ground. His gas mask had shattered, and his eyes were completely visible. They were pale blue, and filled with fear and panic. "IT HURTS! OH MY GOD, IT HURTS!" He screamed, pounding his fists against the ground in pain. Blood flowed from his neck and torso, and you could see blood streaming from underneath the gas mask, down his neck, joining the blood all over his wounds. He must be vomiting blood. Poor bastard. You didn't know if you could save him, but you weren't going to let him die alone. You peek out from the wall beside the door. "GRENADE, FUCKING MOVE!" You yell. You pull the pin, and throw it down the hallway. "SHIT! OH SHIT!" You hear voices down the corridor scream. After the boom, you threw yourself from the cover, and started a fast paced walk down the corridor the doors opened to reveal. The shock from the grenade in such an enclosed space must have been brutal, as those who weren't killed from it were struggling to get back to their feet. You put your rifle up to your shoulder, aimed down the sights, and squeezed the trigger, killing anyone that moved. Within moments, the corridor was filled with the dead. You waved your hand in a circle, barking orders at the 60 soldiers with you. "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! GET DOWN INTO THAT BUNKER! YOU!" You pointed at a medic. He looked at you, and snapped to attention. "STAY WITH THE HACKER! IF HE DIES, MAKE SURE HE ISN'T ALONE!" You started to run backwards, watching the medic tend to the hacker, before turning around to run properly. The rest of your men were already far down the corridor. Your gear clunked and echoed off of the hallway, as did your sprinting footsteps. You radio buzzed. "THIS IS CARTER! THERE'S A GOD DAMN ATTACK HELICOPTER OUT HERE! WE THINK IT'S TRYING TO EVACUATE THE CHAIRMAN!" No. Not now. Not after you've come this far. You pick up your sprint, running so fast that you feared tripping over your own feet. You soon began to hear gunfire and shouting from down the corridor. That's when you arrive at the end of the corridor. It opened up to reveal an enormous room, one that looked like a helipad, but built into the side of a mountain. The roof was nothing more than a frozen cave, but on the sides of this room were small, house like structures, and cement was on the floor. The room itself was about the side of a football field, and on the far end was a helicopter that just flew in from the outside, attempting to land at the helipad also at the far end. Rage almost overflows inside of you. "FOCUS FIRE ON THE MOTHERFUCKING HELICOPTER! I WANT EVERY WEAPON TRAINED ON IT! SCARE IT THE FUCK OFF!" You see figures assembling under the helipad, obviously waiting on the helicopter to land. You knew it was The Chairman and the IMO board. You had half a mind to shoot them from back here. No. They don't deserve to die that easy. You smile wildly under your gas mask, and shout as loud as you can. "I'M COMING FOR YOU, FUCKERS! YOU HEAR ME?! I'M COMING!" _________________________________________________________________________________ I'M COMING FOR YOU, FUCKERS! YOU HEAR ME?! I'M COMING! You stop dead in your tracks, feeling goosebumps pop all over you. You heard that voice clear in your head. It sounded so angry. So familiar. You feel Trixie bump into you, your stop too sudden for her to dodge. "UMPH! Hey!" She objects. You pay no attention to her. You felt funny. Almost like you had achieved a higher state of existence. Somewhere out there, something big was happening. You could literally feel it. You snap back to reality, noticing Trixie standing in front of you, slowly waving her hoof. "Hello? Alan? Are you okay?" You blink, and she sighs in relief. "Trixie has plenty of water. Would you like some?" You rub your eyes with your palms, working them over to both of your temples. "No thanks. Just had a little moment there, is all." Trixie smiles big. You liked seeing her smile. "Well, if you need anything, anything at all, the generous and caring Trixie can help! She may not be as great and powerful as she once thought, but she'd be happy to help!" You return her smile, running your fingers through her mane. "I'll be sure to alert Trixie the moment I need her." She smiles, and motions for you to continue your walk. Bakir and Mala didn't seem to notice this little stop you had taken, and were ahead quite a bit. You follow Trixie, both of you picking up your pace ever-so-slightly. Bakir and Mala stop at the edge of another dune, looking down at something. You and Trixie both catch up, and take in the sight. Below the dune, still quite far away, was Dodge City. You could see it from here. It didn't look like any city you knew of. It looked more like a very small, stereotypical western town. "The Junction is just up ahead. If we pick up our pace slightly, we may be able to catch a train TONIGHT." You immediately smile at that thought. "BAD. ASS. C'mon, let's go!" You slide down the dune, the others following suit. You had never been more excited to get anywhere in your life. You were actually about to see something OTHER than the desert! Mala and Bakir soon catch up, as does Trixie. The sound of feet and hooves cracking and crunching on the sand was broken by Trixie's voice. "Trixie would like to make a...request." "Sure. Whatcha need?" You ask. "This was the last town the lamenting and regretful Trixie visited before losing herself in the desert. The ponies in town may not be too happy to see her." "No worries. Like I said, just stay near me. I'm an alien from another dimension, remember? I'll constantly mutter gibberish or something if it'll keep the attention on me. Maybe eat some sand." You snicker at the thought. Trixie didn't seem to catch on to the joke. "You...You'd do that for me?" You've learned over the past day that you've known Trixie, that any time she breaks that 3rd person way of addressing herself, she usually really serious about whatever the subject may be. "Well, I won't be eating sand. But, in all seriousness, if eyes become too focused on you, I promise I'll find a way to get the attention to me." Trixie looks at you, smiling. The smile quickly fades though, and she begins to look frustrated. "Wait. Why are you doing this? Do you want money? What do you want?" She asks. "What? No!" You immediately respond. "Look, I'm an amnesiac, right?" She eyes you cautiously, and nods her head. "So this is kinda like my second chance. I can go back, and do right where I may have done wrong. I can act with high morals, and it feel pretty damn good, because I don't remember ever doing anything bad. Does that make sense?" Trixie sighs. "Sorry. The lonely and depressed Trixie doesn't have any friends right now. It only makes sense that you would arouse her suspicion. But..." She looks up at you. "She trusts you." Your party was nearing Dodge City. You could make out figures moving about outside and inside the city. You look at the members of your party, making sure they were ready for this new adventure. Everybody seemed eager, so, with reassurance in your steps, you enter the city. In the back of your head, you KNOW you can hear screaming and maniacal laughter. _________________________________________________________________________________ The torrent of bullets launched at the helicopter cracked the glass windows shielding the pilot, and it was forced to retreat. It wasn't going to be coming back until the helipad was clear. You laugh maniacally as the group that was gathered on the helipad retreated back into one of the house structures on the far end hangar. Your men come down the huge concrete ramps on both sides of the corridor, running directly into this new battlefield, this hangar built in the side of a mountain. Guns blazing, they took cover in various positions around your end of the hangar. You throw yourself against the wall of a stone road block, kneeling down, reloading your rifle. You can't believe what you had become. You used to be so innocent. So quiet. And now, here you were, killing other human beings. The IMO had broken you. They had broken you, and they had turned you into what they saw fit, this gross, unforgiving killing machine. You snap out of your thoughts, bringing yourself back to the battle. You steady your rifle on the roadblock, and squeeze off several shots. This was your final stand. You were either going to fix this entire situation, or you were going to die trying. If you were a broken man, then this was your hymn. You notice a very quick glare in one of the towers at the far end of the hangar. You knew what it was immediately. Light reflecting off of a high powered scope. "EVERYONE, HEADS DOWN!" You shouted, pulling yourself behind the roadblock. _________________________________________________________________________________ "EVERYONE, HEADS DOWN!" You dove off of Lyra's bed, and took cover behind it, one hand on your head, the other hand scrambling for your weapon. That's when you realize you had no weapon. This was Lyra's house, not a battlefield. A voice in your head screamed that. The voice in your head was just that. A voice in your head. But it sounded so close. So real. Lyra was looking at you, terrified. "Is everything okay? Do I need to get down too?" She asked quickly, jumping up. You shake your head. "No. No, I just had a memory, I guess. Sorry about that..." You look at her, trying to make sure she was okay. She was still slightly on edge, but had relaxed back down onto the bed. "Still want that massage?" He frown immediately lifted itself to form a smile. She nodded, and laid back down on her stomach, sprawling herself out on the bed. You get back on top of her. You take your hands, and start at what you would call her shoulders. You press down slightly, and work your fingers into her flesh gently. Your mind began to wonder as you did this repetitive task. Was that Max's voice you heard? Max didn't give orders. Was that a flashback? Was your mind playing tricks on you? You know for a fact you heard the voice. Perhaps you were going insane. You stop the kneading of your fingers on Lyra's shoulders, and begin to work your way down to her hips. You rub gently, pressing your hands slightly into her coat. You begin to repeat this motion, over and over again. You force your mind to stop wandering, and focus on the task at hand. Lyra was an amazing girl. Amazing pony, rather. She deserves the best you can give her. Which was kind of funny, now that you thought about it. You can infiltrate enemy lines without a single person noticing. You can collect information, stick to the shadows, and get in and out of any complex, no matter how "secure". You can defuse bombs and rescue hostages. You can take 3 men in hand to hand combat at once, and come out on top. You REALLY hoped you could give a quality massage. Lyra seemed to be enjoying herself, however. She was smiling, her forelegs crossed under her head. You work your hands down to her lower hips and lower back, continuing your process of kneading and rubbing. If you were massaging anyone other than Lyra, your inexperience would be shining through. But thankfully, in Lyra's eyes, you can do nothing wrong. You work your way back up to her shoulders. "Feel better?" You ask. "Mmm...yeah. Thanks Alan." You gently pat her back, climbing down off of her. "Not a problem." You stand up off of the bed, and hop onto your feet. "I guess I'll see you in the morning." You begin to walk towards the door. "Goodnight, Ly-" "WAIT!" She almost shouted. You turn around, and lean against the doorway. "Yeah?" You ask. "Do you think you could sleep in here tonight? I don't wanna have any bad dreams..." She mumbled the entire sentence. She was actually very cute when she was being shy. "How will I prevent you from having bad dreams?" She looks around the room, trying to avoid eye contact with you out of being shy. "Well, I just kinda feel safe around you..." You smile. Lyra really unknowingly boosted your self-confidence over the past few days. "Sure Lyra. Lemme go get my stuff, and I'll be right up." She squeals with excitement as you exit the room. You walk downstairs, down the hallway, and into your room. You grab all of the blankets you have, your pillows, and another blanket from a chest inside of the room. With your hands and arms completely filled, you go back upstairs. Lyra was sitting up in bed like a human would, watching you as you made a makeshift mattress out of blankets. You put your pillows down next, and laid in this new bed you had created. It was actually really comfortable. You pull up the blanket you were actually going to use as a blanket, and get yourself in a comfortable position. "Well, I was gonna say...you could have slept...well. Okay. Goodnight Alan." "Goodnight Lyra." You close your eyes, and float off to sleep very quickly. In the middle of the night, you wake up. You feel something against you. You pull back the blanket, and sure enough, there's Lyra, wrapped around you, fast asleep. The chill of the air outside of the blanket makes her shiver in her sleep. Aww... You pull the blanket back up, and wrap your arms around her, pulling her as close to you as you can get her. "Mmm..." She smiles and hums in her sleep. You really hoped she was comfortable. You didn't want to rush things with this pony. You really liked her. She nuzzled against your chest, her horn facing up, and not impaling you. You still can't believe she abandoned her bed for this. For you. You were going to be exploding with self-confidence by the time you wake up. Well. We could start sleeping together. That's not too fast, I guess. In the back of your head, you can hear someone shouting. You shake it off, and hug Lyra while she sleeps. This was more important. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were out of ideas. You look around at your men, ducking and hiding between various forms of cover, not wanting to get their heads taken off of their shoulders by a sniper. You notice one man has an AT4 strapped to his back. "YOU! AT4 GUY!" He looks up at you, hearing you over the gunfire. "SIR?" He shouts back. "I'M GOING TO CREATE A DISTRACTION. USE THE AT4 ON THE TOWER!" He nods, and unstraps the shoulder-fired missile launcher. You peek over the cover quickly, looking for the next spot you can take cover behind. Part of the roadblock you were currently behind exploded in your face, followed by the loud crack of the sniper rifle. "FUCK!" You scream, ducking back behind what was left of the roadblock. You take a deep breath, and leap over the crumbling roadblock. You hear something whiz just past your head, followed by another clap. You throw yourself into a slide, ending up behind another roadblock. You look back to your men. The AT4 Pathfinder was taking aim. You needed to keep the Sniper distracted. You went to poke your head back up, and felt something in your head jerk, followed by another loud crack of the rifle. You immediately fall back down. Oh shit... You pat around your head briefly. You weren't hit. But the right lens of your gas mask was completely shattered. The Sniper had shot at you, and grazed your head so close, that it hit and broken out the lens. The AT4 Pathfinder pulled the trigger, sending a missile flying towards the tower. The missile hit, and exploded on impact, completely obliterating the top of the tower. All of the chunks of stone and concrete fell onto the nearby house-like structure, causing it to crumble, as well. It was safe to say that the Sniper was dead. "MOVE UP!" You shouted. "THIS IS IT! IT ENDS HERE!" _________________________________________________________________________________ "MOVE UP! THIS IS IT! IT ENDS HERE!" You didn't break the kiss you and Rainbow Dash had been sharing. You had been hearing voices for awhile now, so this wasn't really a good reason to withdraw your tongue. To be honest, you were certain you were losing your mind. Now that you were recovering your memories, you began to notice something very odd, something that bothered you quite a bit. These two worlds, Equestria, and Earth, while their inhabitants and range of colors were different, were both VERY alike. You unbutton your shirt and throw it aside, and slide your pants and underwear off, flipping Rainbow Dash over on her back. You climb back on top of her, pulling her towards you by her waist. The cities were a good example. Los Pegasus? MANEhattan? DODGE CITY? The inside of females was also something that felt really similar. You almost laugh, entering inside of Rainbow Dash, who lets out a very loud sigh as you work your way in. You go back to this thinking. The parallels were very odd. The cities were named similar, they had the FRENCH language here, similar food, and while they wrote in a completely separate alphabet, they SPOKE ENGLISH. You slowly pull yourself in and out of Rainbow Dash, slowly building your speed. She responds by moving her hips accordingly. What got you the most about this entire place, however, was just how accepting they were of you. You appeared, and then right there and then, you were considered normal. You were then appointed an Honor Guard, and are currently having sex with one of the inhabitants of this universe. If it wasn't for Adam's sudden appearance, you would start to believe that this universe was one of your own design, that perhaps you were in an awful accident, and now you're in a coma, attempting to comfort yourself. Rainbow Dash has her head leaning back against her pillows, her eyes half-way rolled back into her head, her cheeks flushed, and her tongue hanging out of her mouth. You can tell she's on the edge of a climax, so you pick up speed even more, intending to finish with her. Unless... What if you really are dead? What if you died, and now, this is the afterlife? Obviously, Ponies can die here. But with the presence of magic and what-not, maybe this is the TRUE afterlife. Just, rather than angels, you have pegasi. You grip Rainbow Dash's headboard, slamming yourself into her, while she moans and screams in pleasure. You release, pumping inside of her, her hips bucking with each pump. You slide out, and fall back in the bed beside her, putting one arm around her, and pulling her close. Rainbow Dash was breathing hard and fast, but was smiling. "That, was....I love you..." She panted. You weren't sure exactly if you were dead or not. But what you were sure of, is the fact that you made plenty of mistakes while on Earth. You weren't going to take life so seriously here. You were going to relax, and enjoy what time you had left on Equestria. You smile even wider, nuzzling Rainbow Dash. In the back of your head, you can hear a voice shouting, and to be honest, it felt good. Submitting to it felt good. Somewhere, something really good was about to happen. You could feel it. You kiss Rainbow Dash again, and stare into her eyes while she stares back. Tonight was a good night. _________________________________________________________________________________ This was it. The IMO Board and the Chairman were both trapped. They were going to die. You were going to see to it that each and every single one died. The IMO soldier you were shooting at stopped to reload, backpedaling and panicking with his weapon. You smile wildly under your mask, feeling the pure embodiment of War taking you over. This gonna be MESSY. "CHAAAAARGE!" You screamed. All of your men abandoned their cover, and began rushing what little IMO resistance remained. Tactically, this was suicide. But on the battlefield of the mind, this was genius. You ran forward, dropping your shoulder. You slammed into the IMO soldier that was trying to reload as hard as you could. He fell on his back, attempting to scramble backwards. You put a foot on his chest and fired rapidly all over his body, killing him instantly. You watched your fellow men trample and run over the bodies of the men they had just executed. It was now just you and the IMO board members. "Fan out." You said. "Kill them all." You head to the house structure on the far end, determined to find and kill The Chairman. You walked over to Carter, who was now in the hangar, and whispered very specific orders to him. He nodded his head, and took cover outside of the structure, aiming his rifle at the door. You reach the structure, and open the door. It was pitch black inside. You begin your search, walking up the staircase and checking each of the dark rooms. Nothing. You back down the staircase, and just as you were about to leave, you heard a click, and the lights flicked on. Someone grabbed you from behind, and placed a gun on your temple. The cold steel of the gun pressed firmly against your hair, chilling your skull. "You stupid sack of shit." The voice said. "You think I haven't had my fair share of rodeos in my day?" You don't respond. You only smile under your gas mask. "You're an idiot. You're going to die." You said. You hear the voice laugh. "I don't believe you're quite in the position to declare anything of that matter. Now, beg for mercy." You smile even harder under your gas mask. "Carter. Now." You hear his rifle fire several times, feeling each of the bullets tear through you. The Chairman, standing behind you, was also being shot. You feel him slip off of you, and hit the ground. You were beginning to feel very weak. You turn around, and stumble towards him. You pick him up by his collar using your left arm, and slam him against the wall. You draw your knife, pull it back, and as hard as you have ever slung your arm, slit his throat. You then hold him up, and let him bleed. He struggled briefly, but quickly stopped. When he was done, you limped out of the structure, and began to walk towards the open hangar doors. When you reached them, you cocked his body back, and threw it out, letting it fall into the chasm. You submit to your injuries, fall to your knees, and then onto your stomach. It was over. He was dead. Aaden. Alan. Adam. It's over. Rest in peace, brothers. Rest in peace. You can hear several Pathfinders running over to you, yelling and shouting, but you couldn't understand what they were saying. You start to feel very sleepy. You decide to rest your eyes. Just for a moment. _________________________________________________________________________________ You wake up feeling amazing. You hadn't felt this good in as long as you could remember. You sit up, and grab Lyra's sleeping figure, squeezing her. Her eyes open slowly and over the duration of several blinks. She yawns, and returns the hug. "Good morning to you too. What was the hug for?" She asks. You smile, and give her another hug. "Lyra, I can't explain it, but I feel AMAZING. I just kinda woke up that way." She laughs. "Lemme show you." You grab her, and kiss her. No tongue yet, but it was certainly deep. She hums under the kiss, and when you release her, she hugs you. "I like you a whole lot, too." She said, stuffing her face into your shirt. You still can't believe that you slept with clothes on, but you were in WAY too good of a mood to care. You still had a bunch of bits from your work with Chrysalis. "Lyra, c'mon. Wanna go get some breakfast, maybe go back to the orchard?"Lyra smiles widely, and begins to blush. "Lyra. I like you." She giggles. "I like you too. Let me take a shower, and we'll head out! Sound good?" You nod your head. "Sounds great." _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel peace sweep over you. Your party had missed the train for the evening, and had to wait for the afternoon to come before you could board. You breathe deep, savoring this feeling, and to your pleasure, it doesn't leave. It remains, and you decide to continue drinking it all in. You were put up in a hotel on the edge of town. Surprisingly, you and Trixie both received no harassment or evil stares. You hear a knock at the door. "Who is it?" You call. "The annoying and friendless Trixie." You sit up off of your bed. "Come in." The door opens, and Trixie trots in. "Trixie?" "Yeah?" She said while closing the door. "I wish you would stop saying you have no friends. I'm your friend." She looks at you in disbelief. "R-really? You mean it?" You smile. "I do. How're you holding up?" She sits on the bed next to you. "Nobody has been mean to me yet. But I'm still scared." You put an arm around her, giving her a side hug. It's amazing how much you bond with someone while walking through the desert. Maybe all of the talking you were pretty much forced to do had something to do with it. "Look, Trixie, we're friends, right?" She nods her head bashfully. "Sleep in here tonight. Go get Mr. Fuzzykins and your blanket." Trixie lights up with excitement and joy. "I...I'll be right back!" She darted out of the room, and you could hear her hooves clop all the way down the hallway. You scoot over in your bed, making room for her return. A few moments later, she returned with her rabbit and blanket. She climbed up in bed next you, curled up under her blanket, and began to snuggle Mr. Fuzzykins. You really liked this pony. While she was the first one you had seen so far, and the first one you've befriended, something about her really tugged at your heart. Maybe it was her hopeless nature, or her disposition in seeking redemption that attracted. Maybe you were just one superficial son of a bitch, and you found her physically attractive. You made no attempt to fall asleep right off the bat. Rather, you decided to lay back, and enjoy this feeling of peace and comfort. Trixie began to stir in her sleep. That's when she did something that made your heart burst at it's seams. Trixie knocked Mr. Fuzzykins off of the bed, and began to whimper. You gently reach your arms around her, securing her against your chest. She turned around, and returned the hug. Her whimpering quickly died down. She seemed to awake, but was very sleepy. "I hope you don't...mind...you're better than Mr. Fuzzy...kins..." She mumbled. You didn't exactly know if she was talking in her sleep, or if she really was awake, but you hold her close anyways. This poor pony seemed to be very lonely and scared of going back into this Canterlot place. She could use a hug. And truth be told, you could too. You hold her close, and decide to let yourself sleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ You awake feeling like God himself had breathed life into your lungs. You awake feeling extremely well rested. Rainbow Dash was sitting up in bed, already awake. You wrap your arms around her from behind. "Good morning, Dashie." You cooed. She put her hooves over your hands, and leaned back and forth in the hug. "I'm feeling amazing right now. Wanna go get some food?" You hear her stomach rumble. "That's a yes." You laugh, and keep hugging her. You hear someone yell from the ground below. "AADEN! AADEN, YOU UP?" You get up out of bed, and look out of the window. Alan was standing on the ground below the house, with Lyra ridding piggyback. "ALRIGHT, GOOD! WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO BREAKFAST, YOU HAVE A JACKET I CAN BORROW? IT'S KINDA BRISK OUT!" You grab the sweater you had off of the coat hanger, and throw it out of the window, watching it twist and turn in the wind. Alan had to run back and forth like a madman attempting to balance a chair on his nose, but he caught the coat out of the air, not letting it fall to the ground. "THANKS! ALSO, YOU'RE AN ASS!" You see Lyra snicker, covering her mouth with a hoof. You lean back out of the window, and cup your hands around your mouth. "HEY, RAINBOW DASH AND I ARE GOING TO EAT, TOO! WE'LL COME WITH YOU!" Alan simply gives you a thumbs up. You look back at Rainbow Dash, who was smiling and stretching. "How about it, babe?" You ask. She nods her head. "Let's do it!" She exclaimed, flexing her wings out. _________________________________________________________________________________ It was hard for you to believe that Max was gone. First Alan, then Adam, then Aaden, now Max. It hurt. It hurt you deeply. You watched as several Pathfinders picked his body up, and placed it on a stretcher, covering him with a blanket. They removed his gas mask with the shattered lens from his body, and handed it to you. You walked over to where his body was, and retrieved his rifle. It was his favorite. An L85A2, a weapon which hailed from the United Kingdom. He had several things scratched into his, along with a skull he had carved into the right side of the rifle. You walk over to the side of the hangar, and fire several shots with his rifle into the air. If you had ever felt lonely before, it was now. You were the only original Pathfinder left. All of your friends were gone. Pull it together, Carter. Be strong.
Chapter Thirty-Five: A Spring Afternoon in EquestriaYou can't stop feeling amazing. In fact, you feel so great, you decide to do something that you know you'll regret. "Hey. Dash..." You smile deviously. You were completely dressed now, waiting for her. She walks into the room, noticing your smile. "Wanna race?" She returns your devious look. "You're on, babe." You both climb on the bed. "Alright, on the count of three, we race to land. First one down wins a kiss. You ready?" She smiles, obviously excited by the idea of competition. You take a deep breath, and laugh on the exhale. Ooooh boy. I'm gonna get my ass kicked. "One..." You say. You notice her hooves digging down into the mattress. She was really getting ready for this race. "Two..." Her wings burst from her sides, readying themselves for flight. You look over to her, your heart beating in your throat from excitement. "Three, GO!" She immediately flies out of the window. You leap off of the bed, step on the windowpane, and throw yourself out of it. You see Rainbow Dash way ahead of you, almost halfway down. You fall closer to the ladder, and grab ahold of it with one hand, grinding down. If the ladder wasn't made of spongy cloud, you would probably rip all of the skin off of your hands. How does the cloud ladder work, anyways? Eh. Magic probably. Rainbow Dash had obviously beat you to the ground. You were now about halfway down, still grinding at incredible speed. As you neared the ground, you grabbed with ladder with both hands, slowing yourself exponentially. No need to kill yourself before breakfast. Your feet finally hit the ground, and you stumble away from the ladder. The sudden stop from all of the movement made you feel dizzy for a moment. Rainbow Dash wandered over to you, smiling. She floated up, grabbed your head, and kissed you deeply. You could taste the inside of her mouth again, the grape flavor coming back. She broke the kiss, and smiled even more deviously. "Hey, Lyra? Why are you riding on Alan's back?" She asked. "Alan lost a bet to me! We were seeing who could drink a glass of water the fastest, and he choked on his, so I won!" She looked back at you with an evil laugh. "Heh heh...hey, Aaden..." She started. You sigh, and bend over. "Fine babe. Let's go." She climbs up on your back, her hind legs wrapped around your waist, and her forelegs around your neck. Her chin could rest on the top of your head. You and Alan, with ponies in tow, begin your walk into town. Lyra and Rainbow Dash were talking about something that didn't quite peak your interest, so you and Alan begin to talk. "Man. I would kill for some kind of sport here, you know? Remember that Giants game we went to?" You ask. Alan laughed. "Hell yeah I do. Evan was losing his mind." Alan chuckles. "Good times, good times. So, where are we going for breakfast?" "No idea." You respond. "Ladies?" Alan asked. "Poachies." They both responded. "Yeah, Lyra's been talking about going to Poachies ever since she heard you say they have good food. I'm kinda looking forward to it, myself. Do they have eggs? I need some eggs." "Eggs?" You ask. "Yeah, eggs. You know, protein and shit. It's good for ya." The more you think about it, the more you decide you want scrambled eggs. "So, Aaden, who's your marefriend there? I never got to meet her formally after she kicked my ass." You stretch your head over to Alan, and whisper to him. "My situation is...unique. I'll explain later." He notices the look in your eyes, and nods his head. You pull your head back, and resume talking at normal volume, just in case Rainbow Dash was listening in. "But, this is Rainbow Dash. Toughest, most cool pony in Ponyville. Right Dash?" "Huh?" She responds, too trapped in her own conversation with Lyra to eavesdrop on you and Alan. Thank God. "So, Aaden here says you're pretty cool." Alan chimed in. "PRETTY cool? Try amazingly cool." She gives you a squeeze while holding on to you, and kisses the top of your head. She then goes back to her conversation with Lyra. "So, Alan. You ever think about going back home?" He looks at you, and smiles. He puts on a child-like voice. "Gee, I dunno Aaden. What if everyone is mean to me when I get back? What if-what if they smell all of the ponies on me, and they're like, 'Where have you been, pretty boy?' and then whip my ass?" He then adopts an incredibly stupid look on his face, followed by an imitation of a young boy giggling. You immediately begin laughing, as does Lyra, who must have overheard his high-pitched voice. "God damn it, Alan." You laugh. As the laughter dies down, and Lyra goes back to her conversation, Alan looks back over at you. "Look, man, of course I think about it. I think about it all the time. I dunno if I can go back. And to be completely honest, I don't want to. I remember what I did before I was here. I know you do, too. So it's either killing and acting like mindless drones, or living here with ponies. PONIES, AADEN. How fucking awesome is that?" He then takes a more serious look on his face. "Aaden. I know this doesn't make much sense, but...I think we're dead. One of the memories I recovered, it's of me dying. In your arms. And I don't remember anything after that." He explained. "Alan, you spoke my mind. We'll talk to Celestia about it. About being dead, not going home. I'm kinda happy here, too. Hey, Alan?" You ask. "Yeah man?" He responds. "Why do you take shit that's super serious, and make it seem hilarious?" You ask, smiling. "Man, Adam, you remember Adam? He's the one that taught me that. If something ever scares you, ever bothers you, joke about it. Laugh at it. It makes it far less scary." "Clever. It works pretty well." You feel Rainbow Dash poking your sides with her fore legs. "We're here babe!" She said. "Let me down!" You kneel, as does Alan, and let your payload of ponies off of your back. You and Alan both get up, and walk over to the double-doors, both of you holding one door open apiece. Rainbow Dash and Lyra both blush as they walk into the restaurant. "I love it when she does that..." Alan said, trailing off in thought. You both walked over to a booth that had an open window, and sat down next to your respective dates. You put your arm around Rainbow Dash while Lyra leans her head on Alan's shoulder, wrapping her hooves around his arm. The waiter comes over to the table. This day just cannot get any better! You smile uncontrollably as Poachie himself walks over to you to wait your table. You really liked Poachie. The few times you've been here, he really did very well as your waiter. You still felt absolutely amazing, and this feeling of pure elation made everything, no matter how big or small, seem infinitely pleasing to you. Having the waiter of your choice was one of those things. "Poachie! What's up?" You nearly shout. Poachie laughs, and takes out his notepad for the orders. "Nothing much. Been real slow today, it's good to have you guys here. What can I get you to drink?" Lyra and Rainbow Dash both get sweet tea, while you and Alan get cola. You hand everyone a menu from the stack that Poachie had left on the table. Laugh at the things that scare you... I'm gonna have to try that soon. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were standing in a circle of light with 3 other human figures, surrounded by complete darkness. One was a knight, in shining golden armor, with a single large angel wing protruding from his right shoulder blade. He held a big golden shield, and a sword that seemingly radiated light. He turned around and looked at you. Shadows encompassed his eyes and nose, only leaving his mouth and chin visible. It had very short stubble around it, which complemented his white teeth. Another was what looked like an assassin. He wore a long black robe over black pants, and had the hood pulled up over his head. The hood also had an odd like cover to it, completely covering his face, except for the two eyes holes. You couldn't see his eyes, but you could see a small pinprick of white light emanating from the center of each eye hole. He turned around to face you, revealing that he was holding a curved sword in one hand, and smaller dagger in the other. He had a single cyan sash tied around his right shoulder, and it had what looked like a harp drawn on it, which fluttered carelessly in the wind. You could also see his breath, which really bothered you. It was nowhere NEAR cold enough for that. The last human figure was wearing a lighter armor than the knight, but was still intimidating in appearance. He also wore a duster over his armor, fluttering in the same wind that the Assassin's sash did. This man turned around, showing his front to you. He wore a white bandanna around his face, covering everything but his eyes, which were also obscured by the shadows. He held a mace in his right hand, and was seemingly charging some kind of spell in his left hand. The fingers on his left hand twitched and convulsed as a small white ball of flames sparked and formed in it. "Get ready! Here they come!" The Knight shouted. You looked in your hands. You were holding an intricately decorated bow, one that looked almost as if it was crafted from crystal. You instinctively pulled the string on the bow back, and watched in amazement as a single crystal arrow burst into existence, nocking itself on the string. The three humans jump into action. The shadows which surrounded you began to form human-like figures with bright orange eyes. They began to stumble and sprint towards you. The Knight dropped his shoulder, and propelled himself off of the ground using his single angel wing, sending him rocketing towards the group of shadows. He slammed his shield into the group, dispersing them. Then he started the massacre. He lunged forward, stabbing one, making it explode in a cloud of shadows and tendrils. He turned around, slashing another. He turned around again, impaling another. He ducked while one of the shadows tried to claw him, instead reaching over him clawing another shadow. He then jumped back up, slamming his shoulder into the shadow, making it explode, as well. The Assassin seemingly blinked out of existence. You looked all around, until you saw him again. He would blink and reappear all over this new battlefield. He burst into existence, using the curved sword to slash through groups of them, then blink back out of existence, only to appear immediately behind the group, and continue his slaughter. The last man was still standing next to you. He was chanting something. When the shadows finally approached close enough to him, the spot where his eyes should have been immediately began radiating a white light. His left hand was really beginning to twitch violently. He threw it out, releasing an enormous ball of light which ripped through the shadows, causing them to disintegrate immediately. One shadow dodged the ball of light, and tried to approach him, but he simply swung his mace, tearing it in half. He was breathing very heavily, whatever spell he just used, it wore him out. With his hands on his knees, he looked to you, his eyes now covered with shadows once again. "Leave me! He needs help!" He shouted, motioning his head towards the Knight. You looked back over to the Knight, who was completely surrounded now. Thousands of these shadows surrounded him, and he still fought viciously, now using his wing to knock back the shadows when too many got close. The Assassin blinked over to him, helping him fight them off. The man beside you dropped to his knees, and began chanting again. You look at your bow, the crystalline arrow still there. You pull back on the bow, aim, and release the arrow. It whistles through the air, impaling one of the shadows, which fell backwards. The arrow then detonated in a ball of light, taking a bunch of other shadows with it. You look back at the man beside you. His eyes were starting to glow white again, and his chanting was getting louder. His right hand also started to twitch and shake with the left one. He dropped his mace from all of the shaking. Two more white balls of sparks and flames formed, one in each hand. They were growing bigger. You took one last look at the Knight and Assassin. The Knight threw himself vertically in the air using his wing, and then used it to sling himself back down into the ground, slamming his shield against the earth, knocking back the shadows even more. "Max..." You heard the man beside you grunt. His voice sounded completely distorted, like 10 of him were talking at once, and his eyes were now glowing violently, to the point that it hurt to look at them. "Move..." _________________________________________________________________________________ You wake up, and see that Trixie had left the bed. I have the some really weird dreams, that's for sure... She must have gotten up already. Hopefully you didn't shout or talk in your sleep and scare her off. You slide out of the bed, and get yourself completely dressed, ready to catch the train. You notice everything in the room that belonged to you or Trixie had been taken. You walk over to the door, and open it. As you do, you find Trixie standing on the other side, now knocking on thin air. "Good, you're awake! C'mon, we're gonna miss the train!" You nod, and run after her, down the hallway, down the stairs, and out of the doors of the hotel. You both make it to the junction, buy two tickets, and board the train, which immediately released a metallic groan, then rumbled off down the tracks. Trixie leads you down the corridor of one of the cars, and into the room Bakir and Mala were sitting in. Bakir laughs as you enter. "Trixie insisted we let you sleep as late as you needed. When you were beginning to sleep TOO late, she went to go find you. Good to see you made it." You sit across from him. "Trixie's a good friend." You said. You know she heard you. "I SAID, Trixie is a GOOD FRIEND." Trixie giggles and blushes, taking the seat next to you. "I heard you..." She said. You look out of the window, amazed to see something other than the desert for a change. "Trixie, you said that you had been through these parts before. Care to give me a little rundown on these places?" _________________________________________________________________________________ The food arrives rather quickly. You think it's because of how dead Poachie said they were. Everyone universally got pancakes, but fruit, oatmeal and other breakfast foods were distributed among the others. You personally ordered some hashbrowns. It had been awhile since you had some of the crispy, fried potatoes you frequented back home. You remember being summoned to Canterlot by the Princess. "Yo, Alan. I forgot to mention," You swallow your mouthful of pancake. "You and I have to go see the Princess in 5 days. She wants to meet you, and she wants me to be there for it." "Really? What's she like? I heard a lot about her from the Queen, but most of it was extremely negative. Anything I should know?" He takes his fork, harpoons a big egg cluster off of his plate, and puts it in his mouth. "She's very nice, I think you'll find. Very nice. And I know this sounds like political suicide, but DO NOT lie to her. I know our pasts aren't exactly wrought with gold, but she already knows. She read and projected my memories. Rainbow Dash here knew who you were before you knew who she was. Lyra wasn't there, which may be good for her. Rainbow Dash claims that what she saw didn't change her opinion of me, but it's not every day you see the person you love doing deeds as dark as killing." Alan looks over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking at you. "Aaden, it really didn't change the way I feel about you, and it didn't make me like you any less. It just kinda helped me to better understand who you are. You're still pretty cool for a human." You look over at Lyra. "Alan is a great guy. He may be goofy at times, and regardless of his violent past, he still is a great guy. Has he told you about his mercenary life?" Lyra nods her head. "Yep! He told me the first night he stayed with us, actually!" She beams with happiness. "Good. Lyra, like I said, Alan is a great guy, and you are in zero danger. Remember that when you inevitably witness his memories. I was lucky enough to have Rainbow Dash understand." Lyra nods her head rapidly, sipping on the sweet tea she had through a straw. "Now, lets move back on to a happier note. Dashie over here hasn't coated everything in ketchup yet, so that's a plus." She punches your shoulder. "And Alan here has went 5 minutes without cussing." "Fuck you." He said, smiling. Lyra giggles, covering her mouth with a hoof again. You laugh as well, and go back to eating. It was nice to be surrounded by friends, sharing a quiet lunch complemented by laughter. You still hadn't fully decided if you were dead, or you simply had just lost your mind. Either way, even though you didn't show it, you were in mental anguish. You still hadn't gathered all of your memories. Alan remembered his death. But you didn't remember yours. And what if you were dead? Does this mean there was a God? Why, of all people that had ever existed on Earth, were you and Alan the only humans to ever show up in Equestria? You didn't like thinking about all of these things. You go back to not thinking about any of it, which is what you had been doing since the very moment you arrived. It put your mind at ease to just go with what was happening. Plus, you ultimately believe that, if this is the Afterlife, or if you are insane, it would be best not to fight it. You'll just make things worse. Alan noticed you staring off in space. He seemingly knew what you were thinking about, and attempted to change the subject. "So, uh. Why exactly are you ponies so accepting of us? We're big, scary aliens from another dimension." Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. That usually means she's about to explain something. "Well, you're creatures we don't exactly see everyday, so of course we're cautious on the inside, even if we don't act like it on the outside. It's hard to explain, but you both seem so appealing. Just hearing the way you speak, watching you walk, it's all very interesting. We were taught as fillies that we should accept anypony and everypony. We gave both of you a chance, and you both kind of proved that you're just as amazing as we thought. I dunno, it's hard to explain. How would you explain it, Lyra?" Lyra put her sweet tea down. "Weeeell..." She said, spinning her straw around with her hoof. "I just really like hands..." Alan looked at his hands, making sure that they were still hands. "And, well, when I met Alan, he was incredibly nice to me. I mean, everypony is generally nice to me, but something about Alan was different. Like, he wasn't being nice because it was the polite thing to do, he was being nice because he wanted to. If that makes sense." You nod your head. "Makes sense to me." You said. It didn't make very much sense to you, but you remembered to just go with the flow. You could press Celestia for answers at this little meeting she's arranged. _________________________________________________________________________________ The ride on the train had been pretty smooth, so far. You were unable to read whatever language these ponies wrote, and there was no TV or anything that could be used for entertainment, so you were pretty much forced to talk to Bakir, Mala, and Trixie. Which wasn't a bad thing. The train was currently chugging through rolling hills, and was about to work its way through a very large forest. "Where are we now?" You asked. "We're about to enter Everfree forest. One of the biggest and oldest forests in Equestria. It's also home to many creatures, the majority of them very dangerous." Trixie explained. "Trixie used to use the mighty Ursa, an inhabitant of this forest, in her claims of being great and powerful." You can tell that this is a touchy subject for her. Nobody likes to have their self esteem hurt. You decide it would be best not to push the issue any further. "So. Adam. Remember anything about home yet?" The moment Bakir asked the question, there was a knock on the door to the little room you were in. It slid open, revealing a white pony with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed like a soda jerk from the 1950's. "Can I interest you folks in anything to drink? Maybe a sandwich or something to snack on?" Bakir and Mala politely decline, but you were really thirsty. And kind of hungry, too. "What all do you guys have?" The Soda Jerk smiled, and leaned against his cart. "Well, I have never in my life seen something like you, so I'm just gonna assume you've never been on a train before. At least not one like this. We have a deal going right now, 3 bits, and you get a whole sandwich, a soda, and a lollipop. That ouaghta fill your needs." You nod your head, pulling out some bits you had from your irrigation work back in Saddle Arabia. "Trixie would like one, too." Trixie went to reach into the bag she carried with her when you stopped her. "I got this. Here's 10 bits for the both of us. Keep whats left." The Soda Jerk slid open the door to the little cart he had with him, and pulled out two sandwiches, two bottles of soda, and two lollipops. "Mighty kind of you." He said under his smile. He tips his hat to you, and continues his walk down the hallway, knocking on the doors to the rooms of other passengers. "Thanks Adam." Trixie said, unwrapping her sandwich with ease. You however, were having some serious difficulty. You were half tempted to just rip it open, but you didn't want to seem THAT impatient to eat. You grab the slip at the top and bottom, and pull. The sandwich is released from it's prison, but it falls out of the bottom. You watch as the sandwich almost hits the floor, but stops just inches from it. It was floating, and surrounded by what looked like a pale magenta cloud. It floated back up to your hands, which you had opened to accept said sandwich. It landed in your hands, and the magenta cloud disappeared. "So...did anyone else just see that?" You asked. "See what?" Mala responded. You look at the sandwich suspiciously. "You're fucking kidding me. No one saw that?" "Saw what?" Mala repeated. You point at the sandwich. "This thing literally almost dropped to the floor, then floated back up to my hands. Nobody saw that?" Trixie giggled. "Trixie saved your sandwich from it's doom." She said. "You did that? How?" She looks at you, no longer giggling, but still smiling. She then looks over to Bakir and Mala. "Is he unfamiliar with magic?" She asks. Magic? "None of our kind can harness magic. So he's never seen it before. And we never really thought about telling him about it, either." "So, wait, wait." You sit up in your chair. "You mean to tell me that you did that using magic?" Trixie nods her head. "Do humans not have magic in your world?" She asks. "Magic in my world doesn't exist. At least, I don't think it does. Usually, when someone says they can do magic, it usually means that they have some sleight of hand and some serious mind-fuckery skills. Nothing really supernatural." Trixie's horn glows, coating her sandwich in another magenta cloud, lifting it up to her mouth. She takes a bite of it. "See, I'm just going to go ahead and assume that there are no wires involved, and that this magic is the real deal." She giggles again, and swallows her mouthful of food. "Trixie's happy she could help explain." _________________________________________________________________________________ "We should build a makeshift basketball goal." Alan suggests, reaching for a slice of toast. "Honestly, that isn't a bad idea. Something for you and I to do." Lyra immediately looks confused. "Basket-ball? Huh?" She asks. Alan holds a finger up to signal that he'll speak in a moment. He swallows his toast, takes a swig from his cola, and coughs. "A sport from back home. Aaden and I, along with some of our buddies, would get together and play on Friday afternoons, then go to a bar or somewhere to eat. Fun stuff." You can't help but laugh. "Oh man. Good times, good times." Lyra shares the smile you and Alan had. "I wanna play!" She objects. "I could probably do it on two hooves and everything, just like you!" Alan lifts his arm up, forcing her to release it. She looks momentarily shocked, but Alan then put it around her, pulling her to him. She smiles, and nuzzles his shoulder. "Aaden, you think ponies could play? Like, walk and run on three legs and everything? As much as I would love to kick your ass one-on-one constantly, I wouldn't mind getting a bunch of ponies together to play. It'll be just like old times, except, you know. Ponies." He used an oddly shaped butter knife to spread jam over an other slice of toast. You look over to Rainbow Dash, hoping she would respond, because you had no idea. "Well, yeah, we can run on 3 legs! It's a little weird for us, but we can do it!" She then smirks at you. "Plus. I'd also like to beat Aaden." You pull her close, and kiss her forehead. "You can try, babe. There any hardware stores in town?" She nods her head. "Fixer's Home Improvement, in the Marketplace." You look over at Alan, who was now eating yet another piece of toast. "We should swing by sometime. Whatcha think?" Alan covers his mouth with a hand, like he's going to say something, but then just gives you a thumbs up. He swallows, wipes his mouth, then bends his head down to kiss Lyra. He does so, and Lyra giggles. "You taste like grape jam." "YOU taste like grape jam." Alan teased. He kissed her again, and leaned back in the booth. "Well, you guys were right. This place was pretty damn good. Lyra and I will have to come back sometime soon." He looks down at Lyra. "Maybe take Bon Bon with us?" Lyra nods her head, finishing her tea. "She'd like it a whole bunch!" _________________________________________________________________________________ Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314 You felt like you were falling. Like you were going to vomit. Everything was completely white, and you could feel your mind slipping away from you. You could feel yourself losing memories. You already couldn't remember your family. If you had one. Did you have a family? You repeat your name over and over again inside of your head, hoping to hold on to what you know. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-1314. Memories flashed before your eyes. The memories you were losing. Your first kiss. The death of your brother. Enlisting in the military. Enlisting in the IMO. All of it was leaving you. You fell to your knees in the white limbo you were trapped in, putting your hands around your head, and squeezing tightly. "No...please..." You whisper. Your first bike ride without training wheels. The Christmas where you got a car. The first time you broke a bone. Hunting trips with your Dad. It was all leaving you. "Please...I don't want to forget...please don't make me forget..." You begged. You weren't sure if anything was listening, but you were terrified to your core. Memories made you who you were. To lose ones memories, is to lose ones life. Memories, all of your experinces in your life, they crafted you into the person you were. Without them, sure, you'd be a blank slate, but you would never be the same person ever again. Maxwell L. Owens would die. You didn't want to die. Not here. Now now. You hold back tears, and try to remember. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220-13... Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X0148220... You were starting to forget your name. You had already forgotten what the "L" stood for in your middle name. Your head started to hurt, burning as the memories escaped your grasp. "No..." You said, raising your voice slightly. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X01... X01... X014822... You try as hard as you can to fight it. Maxwell L. Owens. IMO. Pathfinders. X... X... You cant remember what comes next. "NO!" You shout. You were losing ground. "NO GOD DAMN IT!" Maxwell Owens. Pathfinders. Maxwell Owens. Pathfinders. Maxwell Owens. Maxwell. It was slipping too fast. No matter how hard you tried to hold on, no matter how hard you fought it, it all slipped through your fingers. You couldn't do it, This was happening. This was inevitable. You can't hold in the sobs anymore. Max... You can't remember why you were crying. You sniffle, and wipe your nose. Come to think of it, you can't remember anything. You feel incredibly sad, however. You stop the crying. It felt silly to cry about something that you couldn't even identify. You wipe your eyes again, and try to stand up. Where were you? Why was everything white? Were you blind or something? You begin to feel like you were falling, forcing you to drop back to your knees. You begin to hear an extremely loud ringing in your ears, your hands leaping up from your sides to cover them. The ringing was still there. Then it all just stopped. The feelings of falling, the ringing, it all stopped. The sadness remained, but everything else had stopped. You slowly opened your eyes, and had to blink several times to get them to focus from being blurry. When you finally could see once more, you gazed around your environment. "What the Hell?" You whispered. _________________________________________________________________________________ "The only thing I need to compliment this big-ass lollipop is a bitchin' propeller hat..." You said to yourself. Trixie overheard you and giggled slightly. You liked it when she laughed. You couldn't tell if she actually understood what you meant when you cussed like that, or if she just simply laughed because you were cussing, but either way, you liked it. You had been on the train for several hours now, and were beginning to get incredibly bored. You and Boredom didn't exactly get along. You begin to wonder if these ponies had any comedians. Or music. Or anything you could do to pass the time. You begin to unwrap the lollipop you had saved from your earlier lunch, being careful not to send this one to the ground. Trixie already rescued your food once today. You successfully unwrap your treat, and take a few licks off of it. It was pretty good. It carried the sweetness of sugar, but the tartness of a lemon. You enjoyed it quite a bit. You feel a hoof poke you on your shoulder. It was Trixie. "Mm-hmm?" You hummed, licking the lollipop. "May I have a lick?" She asked. Whaaaaat. Did she know what she was doing, or was this just like pony culture or something? Maybe it was something friends did. You decide it would be best not to upset her or break any customs, so you reach your hand out, holding the lollipop in front of her mouth. She sticks out her tongue, and gently swipes it over the lollipop. She looks back at you, and takes a few more licks. You then pull it back, and stare at it for a moment. She just licked that. You put the lollipop back in your mouth, albeit slightly reluctantly. You didn't know what to think about sharing a lollipop with a pony. But maybe it really was custom. That's when you look across from you. Bakir was laughing, and Mala had a hoof over her mouth. "Aww..." She cooed. She wasn't teasing either, she legitimately thought it was cute. You look over at Trixie, who was now blushing, and looking out of the window. She knew damn well what she had done. At least she was cute, otherwise this wouldn't fly with you. The forest outside of the train was beginning to get less dense. You were finally about to come to its end, which relieved you. You were excited to see what this high and mighty Canterlot looked like. After being trapped in a desert for so long, you were excited to be in the streets of civilization once more, even if this civilization was a race of sentient ponies. You felt another hoof poke your shoulder. It was Trixie again. "Adam." She said. "You still promise to protect me,and keep others from being mean, and keep them from staring, right?" You shook your head. "Of course. You saved my sandwich, I owe it to you now." Trixie blushed harder, her cheeks almost turning completely red. She looked back out of the window. You look back across from you. Bakir was laughing again, and Mala was cooing even more. "AWW..." She gasped. "That is so cute..." You put the lollipop back in your mouth, and raise one eyebrow at her. Eh. This is still a Hell of a lot better than the desert.
Chapter Thirty-Six: Prelude to Complete Alteration"Stop! Come no closer, creature!" They lowered their spears at you, and were obviously well entrenched. You didn't have many options. You could try and overpower the group of white horses that stood in front of you, or you could give in. Maybe you could run. You had no idea where you were. You had no idea who you were. You had no recollection of anything. You literally just popped up in the center of what looked like a city, right in front of a group of guards that must have been patrolling. The city itself made no sense. Absolutely none. Sentient horses walked about and talked, as humans would. You fought the urge to panic, and stood your ground. This wasn't Home. This wasn't Earth. You just stared at the guards, keeping your face disturbingly neutral. You can't remember any fights you may have been in, but you were confident you could take on these horses. You weren't sure if you could outrun them. Horses tend to run pretty fast. Hmm... You looked as if you were in a marketplace. Perfect. These guards were small horses. Ponies. They probably didn't have much of what you would call a vertical leap. You briefly looked over the ponies, seeing a hat vendor. His stall was perfect for you to jump on, and then jump to the roofs of this marketplace. "Sir, what is that thing?" One of the Guard Ponies spoke up. "I don't know. I don't know if it can even understand us." Another responded. "If you can understand us, no funny stuff!" Another called out. "Someone go get Shining Armor. He needs to hear of this." The last one called out. You feel a burst of adrenaline rip through your body, making your fingers tingle on their ends. You take a deep breath, and you start your sprint at the guards. You had to get over them. "GUARDS! STAND READY!" You heard one of them yell. They lowered their spears even further, holding them at your legs, essentially. They made the mistake that would allow you to escape. Right before your legs were going to be impaled, you jumped. You jumped with as much force as you could. You vaulted right over their spears and over the ponies, tumbling on the other side of them. You stand up quickly, looking over your shoulder. You flash them a cocky smile. "What!? Get him! Go!" Another Guard shouted. You start running again, towards the hat stall. You notice the Ponies on the inside of it cower in fear as you approach. You sprint up the side of the wall to the stall, pull yourself up, then climb up onto the roof. You look down at the Guard Ponies, who stood in shock. You watched as one of them pointed with their hoof, and the others begin to disperse. You couldn't hear what they were saying. You flashed another cocky smile, and continued your run. You had to be extremely careful in your steps. Everything that wasn't already made of crystal seemed to have at least ONE kind of sharp crystal decoration on it. You look down, noticing more guards showing up, attempting to follow you on foot. Just as you were about to flash another cocky smile to them, you fall to your back. Something tackled you. Your eyes open wide, and you see a pony with wings on top of you, wearing the same armor the guards wore. It smiled, and raised a hoof. "You're mine now!" It growled. It went to slam it's hoof down where your head was, but you quickly jerked your head to the side. When it missed, you raised your legs up, and bucked it off of you. You watched it fall off of the roof, landing on the tarp of some other stall, bounce off, and finally come to rest on a group of guard ponies that were pursuing you. You don't stop to gloat. If there was one of them, there had to be more of them. You continue your run, still leaping from building to building. You see a large castle nearby. You could probably hide in there. You notice the next leap is a large one, but you're confident you can make it. You start sprinting as fast as you can, preparing for this jump. You leap into the air, just about to touch the roof of the other building, and... You stop. You stop in mid-air, floating above the roof of the next building. You were dangling, now that you noticed it. A purple haze was around your left forearm, acting like an invisible hand, holding you in the air. "Gotcha. Now, come on down, monster." You heard a voice say. You begin to drift down, albeit extremely slowly. You look down, and notice a pony with a horn, a unicorn looking pony, with a purple haze around it's horn. You immediately look around you in desperation for something, anything that you could use to escape. You see a chunk of crystal, a rock the size of your palm, and you grab it with your free right hand. You sling it at the unicorn, hitting it in its horn. The crystal chunk hits it so hard, that the chunk shatters all over it's horn. The unicorn immediately toppled over with a yelp of pain, and seemingly fell unconscious. The haze on your forearm releases itself, and luckily, you were still over top of the roof to the next building. You fall back to it, and begin your escape again. You were really high up. The castle was higher. The castle you were approaching had three legs which gave way to the castle itself, almost like having a castle on a big, crystal stool. You were approaching one of the said crystal legs. You notice a large window on the leg you were approaching. You knew what you had to do. Tuck and Roll. You sprint as fast as you can once more, and threw yourself off of the roof of the building you were on. This time, however, you threw yourself face first, covering your head and closing your eyes. The moment you felt yourself impact through the glass, you uncovered your head, and put yourself in position to tumble. You hit the ground, and roll, stopping yourself on one hand. That's when you open your eyes. An entire of horde of Guard Ponies stand in front of you, spears lowered. At their center stands a white Unicorn, slightly larger than all of the others. He wore a red officers coat, and had a mane of different shades of blue. "Stop." He said calmly. "It's over." You look back over your shoulder. Even if you were going to try to jump out, you see Guard Ponies all around the base of the leg, waiting for you to do so, You turn back around. Several other unicorns emerged from the crowd, their horns glowing. You feel your arms being suspended once more, lifting you off of the ground, and several feet into the air. "Now..." He continued. "You have a lot of explaining to do." _________________________________________________________________________________ The train groaned and creaked to a stop. You heard one of the conductors slide open the doors. "NOW ARRIVING AT CANTERLOT!" He shouted. Your party got up from their seats, collected anything that belonged to them, and parted ways with the train that had carried you so far. The train station here was far more elaborate than the Junction at Dodge City. The ceiling was high, and there was even a large clock built on the outside of it. It was pretty neat to you. You step off the station, using your hand to block the sun from your eyes, and observe the city of Canterlot. It was certainly fancy. It looked like a medieval town, except brightly colored, mainly in bright purples, pinks, whites and shining golds. Bakir and Mala told you almost all of the way to Canterlot how magnificent the city was, but words did it no justice. Even you couldn't find the words to describe the place, and you may have been a poet or something before you went amnesiac. Maybe. As you take in the sights and watch ponies stroll through the streets, you completely forget about your party. You walk underneath of a purple stall, browsing the wares that some pony had for sell. You weren't really interested, but it was nice to get the sun out of your eyes. The pony was selling little trinkets and sundries, like a gift shop would. You see a teddy bear with a wizard hat and button eyes, and immediately think of Trixie. She'd LOVE this. "How much for the bear?" You ask. You life up the bear, to show the pony what you were talking about. "Eeeeh..." The pony nods his head side to side, obviously thinking of a reasonable price. "8 bits?" He asks. "I'll go 3." You respond. You then smile. Of all of the skills I remember, haggling is the first one. God damn it. "What? No. I'm not selling it for 3. How about 6?" He rebuts. "5." You respond again. The pony sighs. "I don't have time for this. Give me the 5 bits." You hand him the 5 bits you had already counted out in your pocket the moment you saw the bear, and take the bear. The pony motions for you wait, and hands you a wand. Apparently, the bear also had a wand. With Mr. Fuzzykins new best friend in tow, and a smile accompanying you, you go to find Trixie, when you hear yelling. You look down the junction, and see a crowd of ponies, seemingly surrounding something, shouting and jumping. You hear a voice, a male one, as you approach. "GET OUT OF HERE! NO ONE HERE WANTS YOU!" Damn. Feel bad for whoever that is. "I said I was sorry!" You heard a feminine voice call out. It sounded a lot like Trixie. Wait. Shit. You pick up your pace, and start splitting the crowd. Sure enough, you can see Trixie being approached by a orange stallion. You were coming up from behind him. You watched as he reared his hoof back, what looked like a tomato in it. He looked like he was going to try to smear it on Trixie, or throw it at point-blank range, at Trixie, who was now cowering, covering her face in fear. Something about seeing her this way pissed you off. The crowd went silent and stopped jumping as they watched you emerge behind the orange stallion. He didn't notice the crowd stop, seemingly too enveloped in the task at hand. "Alright, you BITCH. Smile!" He shouted. You could see tears coming out from beneath Trixie's hooves which covered her face. As soon as he was about to thrust his hoof out, you grabbed it from behind. He dropped the tomato immediately. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, pal." You twist his hoof over, forcing him to fall to his side. You instinctively put your foot on his neck, and hold his hoof in your hand. Any time he would struggle, you would twist his hoof harder. "I would really stop struggling so much. It'd be a shame if I broke your leg." You twist slightly harder, to emphasize the point that you weren't scared of going that far. "Who are you? Her marefriend?" He asked. "Oh yeah. And nobody messes with my mare." You respond. Trixie wasn't really your marefriend, and you weren't entirely sure why you responded in such a way, but what was said, was said. No going back now. You looked over at Trixie, who was still visibly upset. "You okay?" Trixie nods her head, wiping her tears away. You resist the urge to break the stallions leg or stomp his head in. The crowd around you dispersed as the Royal Guard showed up. "What happened here?" One of them asked. You nod your head at the orange stallion underfoot. "This nice stallion thought it would be a good idea to pick a fight with my marefriend, threatening her, attempting to smear a tomato all over her. I also believe he called her a bitch and told her to leave Canterlot. What's interesting, is even though that Trixie may not have the best track record, she came here to apologize and express her regret. Funny way your ponies have of keeping open minds." The Guard looked shocked. "Yeah, but, I mean, it's her!" The orange stallion said. The guard motioned for you to release him. The orange stallion stood, and was immediately put in custody. "I do not care if it's Discord himself walking these streets, if somepony has apologized, and are attempting to prove this new-found regret, you have NO right to treat them this way." He turned his head to what was left of the crowd. "As for the rest of you, you should be ASHAMED of yourselves!" The ponies hung their heads in embarrassment. He looked back to you. "You did the right thing, creature. If anypony gives you, or your beautiful marefriend anymore trouble, alert the Guard. We'll see that it's taken care of. And while I'm talking to you, what are you, again?" Trixie speaks up from her cowering, still looking incredibly sad. "He's a Human. His name is Adam." She nearly whispered. "Adam the Human, eh? I will alert the others to your presence, so there will be no shock. Welcome to Canterlot!" He shook your hand with your hoof, and set off, with the newest recruit of the stockade beside him. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Look, all I'm saying is, I really miss my Xbox." Alan said. Lyra wrapped her forelegs around his head while riding on his back, resting her chin on the top of his head. "What's an Xbox?" She asked. "Heresy!" Alan nearly shouted. "It was a gift straight from Poseidon himself." He waited for a moment, allowing her confusion to set in, before he cleared the air. "Actually, it was a machine that you play video games on. Kind of hard to explain, but I miss it." You wipe your eyes with your left hand, shifting Rainbow Dash's weight around on your back as you go to stretch. "Babe, you okay?" She asks. "Yep." You said while you yawn. "Just kinda sleepy is all." "Should I get down?" She asks again. You put your hands around her hind legs, which were wrapped around your waist. "Nah. I usually get sleepy after really big breakfasts like that." She gives you a squeeze, and let you continue your walk.to check out the hardware store. You really had no intention of buying anything today, but it would still would be nice to go out and see what they had in the way of hardware. Rainbow Dash and Alan began to have a friendly argument over something you didn't really care to pay attention to, so you allowed yourself leave to your thoughts. Does Celestia know more than she lets on? _________________________________________________________________________________ Your shackles rumble at rattle as you are led, at spear point, down into what is obviously a dungeon. The pace often would become too quick, and your chains would pull on your waist or leg, causing you to stumble or fall. The Guards would simply pick you back up, or drag you to your feet. You had accepted what was coming to you. You hadn't been in this new world for more than 5 minutes, and you were being executed. Granted, you probably shouldn't have ran like you did, but walking, talking ponies? You may not remember much about yourself, but you remember bits and chunks of what your universe was populated with. Humans. Not ponies. You're led into a dark cell. The guards remove your chains, only to apply new ones that keep you forced to the wall. The guards that brought you in look over you one last time, making sure everything is in place, before leaving the cell, closing the door, and with it, your own light source. It's amazing how you lose track of time when you're left like that. You didn't know if it was day or night. You would drift off to sleep one moment, or begin whistling quietly to yourself the next. You weren't sure if 1 hour had passed, or if 6 days had, but eventually, the door opened. The same large white unicorn that wore the red officers coat walked in. "Have you been fed? Or have you had anything to drink?" He asked, looking you over. You smirk. "No." You reply. He turns around, and leaves the cell, but the door remained open. He came back shortly with a loaf of bread and a bowl of water. He places it on the floor, close enough to where you could reach it off of the wall. "Alright. Now. I have some questions for you. I suggest you answer them." You nod your head, tearing off a chunk of bread, and putting it in your mouth. "Who are you?" He asked. This should be fun. "I don't know." You respond. His eyes study yours. "Are you going to cooperate, or not? Do not waste my time." You could tell he was frustrated. "I'm cooperating. I do not know who I am. All I remember is opening my eyes, and boom. I'm here, your guards shoving their spears down my throat. If you do not believe me, ask the guards. Their testimony will prove my claims." He walks back out into the dungeon hallway, out of your view, but left the door open again. You shrug your shoulders, and go back to eating. The bread wasn't that bad. It wasn't stale or completely bland tasting. The water also wasn't toilet water or filthy, for that matter. At least they were treating you with SOME respect. The large white unicorn comes into the room with 2 other guards. "He says he does not remember his offences. He says he doesn't know who he is. Tell me everything that happened." One of the two guards sighed, and walked forward. "We were on patrol through the streets of the Empire. Easy enough. There were 4 of us, and we were having a pretty good time. It was a really pretty day, and it was a quiet one, too. As we started to walk down main street, there was a flash of white light, and that thing," He pointed at you with a hoof. "That thing was standing in front of us. He looked really spooked." The other guard stepped forward. "We had never seen anything like him before, and took him to be a monster." He spoke. "His running certainly did not help our fears-" "And your spears at my throat didn't do much for me, either." You interject, putting more bread in your mouth. "Like I was SAYING," The pony continued. "He ran through the streets. One thing led to another, and that's when we got you." The large white unicorn sighed, and looked at you. "So what you say is true then. Release him." The other two guards looked up at him in shock. "Shining Armor, are you sure?" One asked. The Unicorn identified as Shining Armor nodded his head. "Think about it. If he was an enemy to the Crystal Empire, he would know the city layout. With his skills and knowledge of the city, he would've escaped, instead of running right to us at the castle." His eyes met yours. "And you're sure that you don't know anything about yourself?" He asked. "You seem like a reasonable man, or uh...unicorn...Mr. Armor. So I'll make you a promise. The moment I remember anything about myself, I'll tell you. All I know, is that I am a Human. Other than that, you know as much as I do." You feel the guards fumble around with your shackles. "I don't believe we've ever been formally introduced." "I am Prince Shining Armor. I am the General of the Crystal Empire's Military, and I also rule his kingdom beside my wife, Cadence. I would ask you to return your introduction, but your amnesia probably prevents that." Your shackles release. You rub your wrists and your shins, feeling the air touch your skin in those areas for the first time in awhile. For the first time since your "Arrival" in this strange kingdom, you pat yourself down, seeing all that you have. And that's when you find the first clue to your world back home. When you found your name. While patting yourself down, you felt something against your chest. You put your hand under your shirt, finding a metal tag on a chain necklace that you were wearing. It read: MAXWELL. L. OWENS. IMO. PATHFINDERS. X0148220-1314 "Huh. Well, a promise is a promise. Shining Armor, I believe I just found my name." Shining Armor looks at you curiously. "And? What is it?" He asked. "Maxwell." You respond. "Hmm...Maxwell the Human." You cringe at the way he says it. "Actually, just call me Max. Sounds better to the ear, don't you think?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You approach Trixie slowly, who was still cowering on the ground. You offer her your hand. She looks up at you, tears still in her eyes, and takes it. You go to lift her up, but she assumes that you were going to hug her. Because she hugs you. Hard. "I knew you'd come." She said between sobs. "I knew you'd come. Why do ponies have to be so mean?" You sighed, and ran your fingers through her mane. "No idea. But you saved my sandwich, and then we shared a lollipop together. That makes us best friends now. And no one messes with any best friend of mine." You remember that wizard bear you had bought for her. "Here." You said, having her end the hug. You hand her the bear. "I saw this little guy at the gift shop place. Thought you might like it." Trixie smiles, tears still in her eyes, but they were no longer coming. She hugs the bear, and then looks back up to you for direction. "Here, lets go find Mala and Bakir. They've got to be around here somewhere." Trixie goes to stand up, but wobbles about. You knew she was scared, but scared to this point? You kneel down beside her. "On second thought, brace yourself." You pick her up, carrying her like you did when you first found her dying in the desert. She responds the exact same way as well, burying her face in your shoulder, falling asleep while hugging her stuffed animal. You walk back towards the station. You hear cooing. "Awww..." It was Mala. You see her and Bakir both watching you from the alleyway next to the train station. "Shh...she fell asleep. I'll follow you." You walk behind Bakir and Mala, who led you down the alleyway, and out into another street. How the Hell does Trixie fall asleep so quickly? God damn. You all stopped at the end of this street, before a large purple building. "Now, Adam." Mala said, pausing to wipe her muzzle with a hoof. "Our appointment with Celestia isn't until tomorrow. We're all going to go stay at this hotel. Feel free to explore Canterlot tonight. Just make sure you're up early." She looks at you, and winks. "And make sure Trixie can walk straight in the morning. I would hate for her to be embarrassed in front of Celestia. If you're gonna do it, be gentle." Your jaw drops. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Mala, what the Hell was that?" You chuckle in shock. She simply winks again, and goes into the hotel. You follow her, and rent a room for Trixie and yourself. You knew she wasn't going to be staying in her own room, so you just got one for you share. You carry her sleeping body up several flights of stairs, before arriving on the 4th floor, where you room was. Your room number was 422. You walked down the hallway, which had an interesting purple and gold carpeting in it, reading the plaques posted outside of the doors. "416...418...420...422. Alright. Here we are." You mutter to yourself. You unlock the door, and walk inside the room. The room was actually pretty decent. It had a single large bed, a table and some chairs, a large bathroom, and a balcony that overlooked Canterlot. It was quite the view. You lay Trixie down in the bed and watch as she curls up into a pony-ball, hugging her new wizard bear. You pull the blanket up over Trixie, and go into the bathroom. Your little tussle with that orange asshole may have got you dirty. You look in the mirror, running your hand along your face. Other than a little dirt here and there, you were clean. You wet a rag near the sink, and wipe your face down. As you examine your face, your stomach grumbles loudly. "Whew. That was a big one." You laugh to yourself. You decided not to go out and find anything to eat. Chances are, you'd leave Trixie, she'd wake up alone, and panic. Or you'd go out and get your stomach full, only for Trixie to awake when you return, wanting to eat. You walk back out into the main room, and pull up a chair to the table that was near the balcony. You pick up the pen on the table, and doodle on some of the paper that was near the pen. Why do Hotels always have this complimentary pen and paper? While you would rather be watching TV or messing around on the Internet, doodling would have to suffice. You chuckle quietly to yourself, as a minor memory returned to you. People poked fun at you because you were 32 years old and still watched shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Frisky Dingo, or because you played video games and read comics. You smile, remembering your response to these naysayers. "I'm a 32 year old Mercenary, I can do whatever the Hell I please." You mouth. Your eyes then ripped open as more memories poured in. It was like a drop of water hit the top of your head, then 5 seconds later, an entire bathtub was emptied on you. Mercenary. Major Adam Howard. Pathfinder. It all comes back to you at once. _________________________________________________________________________________ You walk down your row of new recruits. Most of them are fresh from military service around the world. Most of them. One recruit, Private Locke, was an exception to this. His father, Mason Locke, was a seasoned veteran and recognized War Hero whom IMO sought. When Mason denied their offers, naturally they targeted his son. After all, A child is merely an extension of ones self. Each of the recruits had their own weapon, provided by the IMO. All they had to do was make a request for what they would like, and they would receive their request, as long as it was reasonable. As a Private, you were allowed one primary weapon and one secondary. You were also allowed to keep any weapons you loot from bodies, whether they be friendly or hostile. Locke wielded a G36E, the exported variant of the Heckler & Koch G36 line of assault rifles. As you held your hand high to signal the recruits to begin their training on the firing range, you paid close attention to Locke. He seemed to know what he was doing, while the others fumbled and messed around. They may have served in a military somewhere, but they didn't act like it. Locke never served in any military, and he acted with extreme professionalism. He stepped forward, pressing the butt of the rifle against his shoulder. He looked through the attached scope, took a deep breath, and fired his rifle several times. Each recruit was given 5 bullets, and was to fire said bullets down the range, and attempt to hit the targets. You were anxious to see how Locke did. As the final recruit fired his final round, you pressed the button at the back of the range, making the targets zip up to their recruits. You heard many excuses and complaining from a good amount of recruits, but Locke remained silent. You walked over to him. "Show me your target, Locke." He turned around, and handed you his target. Your eyes widen, and a smile grew on your face. "GOD. DAMN." 5 holes, all right next to each other, sat in the very center of the target. This recruit was already more accurate than most others you knew, and you had been in the IMO since you were 18 years old. He could probably out shoot you, which made you proud and terrified at the same time. You decide that this recruit is Pathfinder material. It was so incredibly rare to find someone who was capable of such accuracy. You had to have him on your squad. You pat him on the shoulder, and hand him back his target. You walk to the back of the range, and get on your phone. "Yes, Howard?" The Chairman answers. "Private Adam Locke. I want him on the Pathfinders. No question about it." You respond. The Chairman laughs. "It is done." _________________________________________________________________________________ You blink, and slouch in your chair, It was just your luck that you would regain a good portion of your memories right before you go to meet the leader of this kingdom. It was just your luck that you weren't a poet, or an author, but a killer. you decide to withhold this information from Mala and Bakir. You really didn't want to keep anything from Trixie. Even the thought of lying to her tore you up on the inside. The sucky thing about lies, was the fact that somewhere along the line, they are always found out. So, you could either tell her the truth and scare the living Hell out of her, or have her find out later, and be pissed about you lying. You look at her sleeping, curled up and smiling, her hat falling off of her head. You can't help but smile from how cute she looks. You scoot back in your chair, and sit on the bed beside her. You remove her hat completely, and run your fingers through her mane. She stirs slightly, and yawns in her sleep. You decide at the moment that you were going to lie to her. _________________________________________________________________________________ You leave the Hardware store with a giant pole, a sheet of plywood, some white paint, and a big metal ring. The day was beginning to end, so you definitely were not setting up any basketball goal soon. Lyra offered to store the materials inside of her shed back home. You bid Aaden and Rainbow Dash goodbye, and walk with Lyra back to her house, toting the supplies. "That was a bunch of fun, Alan! I'm glad that they came with us! Aaden is really nice!" Lyra exclaimed. "You don't know the half of it." You laugh. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, what am I supposed to do now?" You ask. "Not my problem." Shining Armor responded. "Are you kidding me? I just appear out of nowhere in your damn city, I get spears shoved up my ass, I'm thrown in a dungeon, and now I'm on my own?" You object. You were getting pissed. "Look." He said, turning around to face you. "I don't know who you are. I don't care to know. You want help? Find it elsewhere." With those words, he went back inside of the leg of the crystal castle. While you understood his reason for being so reluctant to help you, it still made you angry. You take a deep breath to calm yourself, and you start your walk through the rainy streets of the Crystal Empire, as it was called. You had no destination. You had no aim. You were lost. You hold an open hand out, and let rain fall into your palm. Lightning zips across the sky, followed by the crack of thunder. You grip your hand into a fist, and let it fall to your side. End of the line, Max.
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Four Lost SoulsAnd so, here you were. Alone. Alone. All on your own in this new world. No money. No knowledge. No memories. No friends. You just existed. You let the rain hit your shoulders. You had yet to stop and examine yourself, so you took advantage of a nearby puddle. You leaned over it, and looked at your reflection. Although it danced and wavered when the rain hit it, you could see yourself. You had on dirty black boots which were laced tightly. You were wearing black pants which were dirtied and wet with what looked like knee pads over your knees, and padding on other spots of your legs. You were wearing a thick long sleeved black jacket with orange streaks going down the length of the sleeves. Over the jacket, you wore a long black duster, it's tails stopping just past the back of your knees. On your hands were black gloves, with an orange symbol on the right glove. Lastly, you saw your face. You were young, that much was for sure. Your eyes were an extremely light blue. So light, in fact, that they could pass for being white. Your light eyes complimented your pale skin, and made your jet black hair look even better. You had no facial hair, but your face did have splotches of dirt on it. You step in the puddle, breaking your reflection. You look up, seeing Ponies watching you. You stopped caring at this point. You continue your walk out of the city, looking at your feet. The entire way. You could feel eyes on you, but something still felt odd. You weren't sure what it was, but you felt the urge to turn around. You stop in your tracks, and turn around. Among all of the ponies, one stood out. It was yellow, with a pink mane. It stood out among the others, who seemingly glistened and seemed to be made of Crystal, themselves. It noticed you turn around, and seemingly attempted to hide behind it's mane. You turn back around, and keep walking. "You. Max." You hear a voice say. You turn around, expecting it to be the yellow pony with the pink mane. It wasn't. A gray and black Guard approached you, an intricate bow on his back. It shone, revealing the bow to be a magnificent light blue that turned a deep purple on the ends of the bow. "Shining Armor said to give this to you. He knows your leaving the city. It's dangerous in the cold crystal mountains, so, here." He takes the bow off his back, and hands it to you. "Take this." You take the bow from him, examining it. The string was clear, almost like fishing wire. You couldn't help but notice that there were no arrows. "So, what, do I make my own arrows?" You ask. The Guard shakes his head. "No. Pull back on the string." You look down at the bow, holding it as if an arrow was already knocked. You pull the string back, and to your amazement, an arrow literally burst into existence. It looked as if it was made of light, and the end of the arrowhead sparked and glistened. You fire the arrow into the sky, and watch as it dissolves. "Now, you have thousands of different options with the arrows. Exploding arrows? Arrows that electrocute? Regular old arrows? All you have to do is think it when you pull back on the string, and there it is." You look back at the bow. This Shining Armor pony may have been an asshole to you at first, but at least he was showing some compassion. You understood why he did what he did, but it didn't make it suck any less. You can understand why your dog was dying, or why you had a headache, but that didn't make them any more pleasant. At least now you had a fighting chance. You could hunt and defend yourself. It's all you needed. "Tell Shining Armor I said 'thank you'. And thank you, too." The Guard nodded his head. "You're welcome. Please. PLEASE. Don't make me regret giving you this, human." The Guard stares into your eyes, before turning around and walking away. He stopped halfway down the road, looking back at you one last time. You continue the rest of your walk to the city gates unhindered. You still doubted that you would be able to survive out in the wilderness. The way it was described to you, it sounded like mountains and snow. No warmth, no animals of reasonable size, just a giant, frozen mountain range. It sounded like an icy version of Hell. Standing just outside the city, looking at the green plains around you. It was almost like you were in a valley. You look down at your bow, and decide to give it a try. You hold it up, assuming the stance to fire it, and clear your mind. You'd rather not have arrows made of being pissed off. You couldn't imagine what a pissed off arrow was. You weren't going to find out. You take a deep breath, and begin searching your thoughts. You want to fire a broad arrow. You pull the string back, and watch as the broad arrow manifested itself immediately in shining light and crystal. You take aim, and release it. The arrow whistles through the air, rocketing at high speed, before slamming into a tree. A loud crack roared through the valley, the tree vibrating in place from impact. You smile, watching the arrow dissolve into flakes of light. It was oddly satisfying to witness such a spectacle. Shining Armor had just completely went from being an ass to a saint in your eyes. You look down at the bow again, closely examining the fine etchings and carvings that were glowing along the bow. The glowing seemed to pulse, fading in and out, and the odd characters you would call runes seemed to permanently glow, not pulsing with the etchings. While you stared in awe at this new tool you were given, you didn't notice the yellow pony behind you. "N-nice sh-shot..." The feminine voice nearly whispered. You turn, placing the bow around you like a backpack. "Th-that was r-really gr-great..." She continued. "Thanks." You reply. You weren't as pissed as you were before. You were still wary, but not pissed. You hold your hand out, to shake her hooves. "EEP!" She yelped, and jumped backwards. You hold your hands up, to signal that you mean no harm. "No no! I'm not going to hurt you, I just wanted to introduce myself!" You explain. You hold your hands in the air still. The pony comes back out from behind her mane, and approaches you. "My name is Max. Who are you? I noticed you following me earlier." She goes back behind her mane, "I...er...thought..." She stammers. You keep your hands raised. "It's okay, I'm not mad." You were lying, but you couldn't afford to make anyone scared of you. You would get your new toy taken away in a heartbeat. She comes back out, albeit slowly. "My name is F-Fl-Fluttershy...you l-looked like a fr-friend I have b-back home...I th-thought you w-were him...You b-both look s-similar from behind..." She stammered. Thought I was him? There are other humans? "Nice to meet you Fluttershy. But did you say there were others? Humans?" You asked. She nodded her head slowly. You lit up with hope and joy instantly. Maybe you weren't alone, afterall. "I believe th-that's what Aaden s-said he is..." She continued to stammer. Your bow begins to hum slightly as you hold it. You feel like you have to sneeze, but it wont come out. The temples on the sides of your forehead also begin to feel warm as your forehead itself begins to feel cold. Aaden. Sounds familiar. You take a deep, shaky breath. "Fluttershy. Can you take me to this Aaden?" Fluttershy seemingly retreats again. "P-please don;t b-be mad at m-me..." She looks up at you from behind her mane. "I-I originally c-came here to g-get some m-medicine...I h-have to g-get it before I go b-back. My A-angel bunny is v-very sick..." She nearly whispers. You nod your head. "I'll help you. Do we just go to a doctors office, or?" She seemingly perks up a bit. "No. We have to find the h-herbs ourselves, out in the mountains." She explained. "You stay here, in the city. The wilderness is no place for a pony like you. You could get hurt." You reply. She shook her head quickly. She sounded more concerned now than scared. "Nuh uh! I have to come!" She said. She then seemed embarrassed by the way she raised her voice, and immediately quieted down. "It's j-just...Angel is my bunny. A-and, besides, you d-don't know w-what kind of plants we need..." You run a quick scenario check in your head. You could either deny her requests all together, and find this Aaden on your own. You could just get her to tell you what herbs she needs, and go and find them yourself, and possibly die on the way back from getting lost or killed. Or lastly, you could let her come with you, and still both possibly die from exposure or by some feral creatures hands/paws. The desire within you to see another human is enormous, and you need to do something to gain these ponies trust, anyways. "Do you know where to find these plants?" You ask. The pony shakes her head. "Y-yes." She replied. You decide to let her come with you. If she knows the way, and knows what exactly she needs, then you see no reason other than the danger in the mountains to deny her company. "Can you defend yourself?" You ask again. She nods her head. "I don't l-like to, but y-yes." She responds. You smile. This was the first genuine smile you've had since landing in this city. You couldn't imagine this pony fighting. "W-would it make you m-more comfortable i-if I showed y-you?" She asked. This should be good. She looks up at you from under her mane, still looking timid. Her pupils were right in line with yours. Her facial expression then jumps from one of nervousness to anger. Her eyes seemingly stare down into your soul. It was as if she was seeing every single sin and intricate detail of your life. It almost burns. You feel guilty. You feel ashamed. You feel alone. "Put down your weapon." She demanded. You couldn't break your gaze off of her eyes. Your hands were now moving against your will. You slid the bow off of yourself, and gently placed it at her feet, looking into her eyes the entire time. You knew what was happening, but there was nothing you could do to stop it. You couldn't fight it. You just couldn't. Finally, she relents with a weak smile. Your eyes can finally leave hers. You take a breath, and pick up your bow again. Fluttershy was blushing. "Told you so..." She said, smiling. "Alright. You're in." You said. "So. When do we go?" "Well." Fluttershy started. "It's going to take h-half a day to get out there. Another h-half to g-get back. W-we're going to have to camp o-overnight...if that's o-okay..." You pat her on the back, very slowly and gently. She still yelps lightly, but didn't freak out. "We'll be okay. Do I follow you?" She nods. You followed the yellow pony down the cobblestone path which quickly turns to dirt, which then just turns to just grass, and then tall grass. It was also beginning to get colder. "S-so. W-why are you all the way out h-here in the C-Crystal Empire?" Fluttershy asked. You were happy that she finally broke the ice. You certainly didn't want to do it. "I don't know. According to the guards, I just popped up here." You responded. "That's s-strange." She started. "Aaden said the same thing, th-that he just popped up, t-too." Aaden. That name sounded so incredibly familiar. The sensation you were experiencing was one that was very hard to explain. It was like when you're waiting for your turn to speak in a conversation, and then you forget what you want to say. It was very aggravating. In fact, if you weren't in the company of this yellow pony, you may have shouted in frustration. You decide to try and take your own mind off of the subject. "You really seem to know your way to these plants. Do you come out here often?" You ask. Fluttershy seems to lose her timidity, and speak to you normally. "Well, Angel gets sick sometimes from eating bad things. It's usually garbage he finds. I come out here maybe 3 times a year. I like the walk and the camping, so it's never a bad thing. Though, it'll be nice to have a friend with me this time." Fluttershy's timidity regrows itself. "If we are friends...I m-mean, if you want to be. It's okay, if you don't..." "Of course we're friends." You respond. "You're the only friend I have in this new world. What's this place called again?" You ask. "Equestira." Flutterhsy responded. Equestria. Land of talking ponies, flying pegasi, and unicorns. Of magic and wonder. If you weren't so confused about your own situation, you might be able to enjoy yourself more. Yet, here you were. Alone. Twisting in the wind. For every question that was answered, two more took it's place. Your confusion multiplied by the minute. This wasn't the worst part, however. The worst part was the feeling in the back of your head. At the back of your head, you could feel something. Sadness. A deep sadness. You could also feel a yearning for answers, and a feeling of being unsatisfactory. At the back of your head, even through the cloud of war that amnesia casts over your mind, you know something for certain: No matter when or if you get your memories back, even if this Aaden turns out to have all of your answers, something happened to you. Something bad. Something had broken you. You were a broken man. _________________________________________________________________________________ You get up in the middle of the night, sneaking out from underneath Lyra. You still felt extremely good, but at the same time, you felt restless. It was the feeling of trying to sleep when you had neglected too many chores. Lyra's, although asleep, obviously disagreed with your new position of not being under her. She sighed heavily, and hugged the pillow you slipped beneath her. You were to go to Canterlot in three more days. And something about it really made you nervous. You couldn't explain it, the feeling of dread and excitement that began growing inside of you, but it made you feel jumpy. It made you feel restless. You creep down the staircase of the house, walk into the living room, and have a seat on one of the many sofas Lyra and Bon Bon had. You kick your feet up on the table of the one closest to you, and you lean your head back against the sofa, letting your thoughts run their course. You look up at the clock, and see that it was only 3 AM. "Gah..." You groaned. You were wide awake in the middle of the night, and you were incredibly bored. You wished Aaden was here, or that you guys had set up the basketball goal earlier. You sit up from slouching, and peer around the living room, searching for something, anything to bring you entertainment. You see a pen and some paper on the table, near where you resting your feet. Eh. But nobody can read English here. Wait. Maybe that's a good thing. You get up and walk into the kitchen, grab and open a soda, and you then sit down at the same sofa. You were going to write everything on your mind, let it all out on the parchment before you. We all feel so small in the grand scheme of things. We all feel as if, we don't matter. And truth be told, to this Universe, we mean nothing. We live and die and leave no mark on it. We don't mean anything to this universe, this world, or even our countries. I may not know where I am right now, but what I do know, is that there is something here that loves me. Lyra. And to this one mare, I seemingly mean more than all of those things combined. Why does this matter? Why does Lyra's love make me feel so good when I'm so neglected in my existence? What's the difference between Lyra and the other things I have described? Lyra is alive. All of these other things don't care, because they are infinite. They have no reason to care because of this. But Lyra, Lyra is finite. One would think a finite thing would be as selfish and greedy as possible, intending to milk it's short existence for as much fun and privilege as possible, and that the infinite would love and care. It's quite the opposite. Although Lyra is finite, she stands beside me. She loves me and cares about me when nothing else does. She offers her finite heart and her finite time to me. I know of no love more true than that. As you finish writing, you begin trying to draw Batman at the bottom of the page. After all, you can't be serious ALL of the time. As you were drawing the iconic pointy ears on his mask, you reach for your soda, only to lift it and find that it was empty. You get up off of the couch, throw the bottle away, and grab another from the cooler. Just as you were going to sit back down and continue your drawing of Batman, you hear someone clear their throat on the stairwell. "It's kinda late, hun." You look up, and see Bon Bon coming down. "What're you up to, anyways?" She asks. "Nothing much, just a little late night writing. And Batman." You respond. "Well. Okay. At least you're being quiet down here. I gotta tell you, you scared me half to Tartarus a moment ago. I'm still getting used to having a guest as unique as you here." She walks over to you, wearing a pink and purple set of pajamas. "How's Lyra? You had better be taking good care of her." You nod your head. "We went to breakfast with Aaden and Rainbow Dash today, and then hung out for the rest of the day. You really should come with us one of these days, she talks about you quite a bit. You two seem to go way back." Bon Bon sits down next to you, taking a sip of your soda. You didn't care. "Oh yeah, we've known each other for a very long time. Went to school together, graduated, went to the same university, graduated, and now we live together. We're pretty much inseparable." She explains. "Well, I'd love to hear more of that story. Lyra makes me smile, I'm sure you could too." Bon Bon chuckles, and takes another sip of your soda. "It's quite a long story. Maybe some other time. And what's in this soda? I've never tasted anything like it. It's really good." "Aaden, for whatever reason, had a backpack filled with junk food from our universe when he arrived here. In an attempt to make his supplies infinite, he gave Pinkie Pie a sample of everything he had. She's able to replicate it with ease. That soda you're drinking is the recipe for cola back home." You said. She stops sipping, and takes a swig. "Alan, speaking of home...Do you miss your home?" She asks. You stop your drawing of Batman, and look up at her. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it at all, but for the most part, I'm very happy here. See, back home, all I wanted was to do good. After my little revelation while working as a mercenary, I came to the conclusion that all I needed to be happy was a nice, quiet and peaceful life. I can't quite have that back home. At least not anymore. But here, I can. Plus, here I can watch Lyra try to walk like a human." Bon Bon laughs. "Goodness, she certainly is something else, isn't she?" She asks, and laughs again. She places a hoof on your hand. "In all seriousness, Alan. Lyra and I are both here for you. I must admit, after you first showed up in Ponyville trying to kill Aaden, I was suspicious. But you're quite the charming little stallion. Or human, rather. If you need anything, just let either of us know. You're apart of our clique now." She said. "Clique? There's only two of you." You joke. She pushes her hoof down on your hand gently. "Now there's three." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Careful." Fluttershy warned. You held your right hand out to balance yourself as you walked along the rocky crevice. As you worked your way across said crevice, Fluttershy froze in her tracks. "What's wrong?" You asked, catching up beside her at the end of the crevice. She points her hoof out in the distance. You squint your eyes, and sure enough, you see what she's pointing at. In the distance, near a small group of trees, was a bear sniffing about. Probably searching for food. You take the bow off your back. Fluttershy immediately speaks. "What are you doing?" She asks. "Taking care of another problem." You respond. "What? You can't hurt him!" She objects. You had yet to hear her object like this. You look down at her, her eyes pleading with you. "I'm not." You replied. While you were originally planning on killing the bear, you decide to lie to her, make yourself seem more creative than you really are. You draw your bow, and begin to think of another broad arrow. It bursts into existence in brilliant light, and you take aim. You can feel Fluttershy watching your every movement. You take a deep breath, and release the arrow, sending it whistling through the mountains. It strikes the tree nearest to the bear, and with another insanely loud crack, the arrow strikes its target. The bear leaps into the air, and immediately darts back off into the forest as fast as it's stubby arms and legs can take it. As you go to put your bow back on, Fluttershy hugs your waist briefly. "Thank you." She said. You hug back out of contempt. "Lets keep moving." You said, breaking the hug. She nodded, and took the lead once more, guiding you through the mountains. "Max, how did you become such a good shot? If you don't mind me asking." Fluttershy inquired. "I can't remember. It just kind of comes to me like an instinct right now. I'm sure there is a story behind it, but the amnesia clouds it." You respond "Oh. Well, I'm sorry. I hope you get better soon." "Me too." _________________________________________________________________________________ You still couldn't believe that you were up this early. But you couldn't sleep. It was 6 AM, and today was the day that you were going to have Aaden over for two weeks. You ran about the house, double checking everything. Food? Check. Alcohol? Check. Contraception? Check. After you finish, you go back through, and triple check everything. Then quadruple check everything. You were so excited, you wanted to leap out of your skin. Funny thing was, is that you wanted to tell Aaden how much you missed him. You wanted him to hold you, and tell you that you that he missed you too. You wanted to tell him that you loved him. You were terrified of it, though. You were known for being so brash and laid back. You didn't want to ruin your own image in Aaden's eyes. As you scampered about your house, you must have woke up Octavia at some point, because she came downstairs wearing her deep purple robe, and went into the kitchen. "Vinyl, are you quite alright?" She asked while getting her morning coffee prepared. "Honestly? No. I am FREAKING out." You replied, opening the series of cabinets in your kitchen. Again. For the fifth time. "Scratchie, relax. I've never seen you pay so much attention to detail before, unless it has to do with your music." You run back to the bathroom of your house, fling open the shower curtain, and make sure you have plenty of shampoo and toothpaste. Octavia follows you. "Vinyl, it's alright. Look, you really like Aaden, right?" She asks. "Yeah." You answer, absent minded. "Why?" She asked again. "You know why. He's smart, he's funny, he's cool, he's attractive, and he's one of the nicest creatures I've ever met, pony or not." You respond, almost offended. Octavia smiled, and sipped her coffee. "Vinyl, I've always trusted your judgement. If he's as nice as you say he is, do you think he'll really mind all of these intricate things?" You stop digging through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and let yourself think. "Well, no, but-" "But nothing. If Aaden acts like you describe him, then I believe he'll be more than happy here." Octavia interrupted. You share her smile, and cool down a little. "Thanks Tavi. I don't mean to get to excited." You said. She walks over, and hugs you, her coffee mug still in her hand. "It's alright. I'm excited, too. I believe these next two weeks will be quite enlightening for us." _________________________________________________________________________________ You never stopped to question how the IMO had come across so much money, or how they obtained the equipment they had, but the AC-130U you rode in fascinated you. Of course, you were only a private at the time, and most things still fascinated you, like the odd universal ranking system used in the IMO. It was almost weird to remember your days as a gunner. The AC-130U you rode in was affectionately nicknamed "Ghostie", after the USAF's "Spooky", but with a few adjustments. Rather than the single GAU-12 Equalizer Rotary Cannon, this one had two. It also carried one 40 mm cannon, and an enormous 105 mm cannon. Lastly, Ghostie had wing-mounted AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles, ready to unleash their namesake. As Ghostie buzzed through the air, you leaned on the rotary cannon you were in charge of controlling. "Hey, Adam!" Michael shouted over the sound of Ghostie's engines. "Yeah?" You shouted back. "When do you think we'll get there?" "Dunno! Hopefully soon though, right?" "Yeah, I hear that!" Micheal rubbed a hand on his exposed cheek. "Just wanna get this over with, ya know?" "I know all too well!" "The killing bothers me! It just doesn't feel right!" He kept shouting. "We aren't paid to think! But I know, it bugs me too!" The radio inside of your helmets buzzed. "Alrighty gentleman." It was Colonel Gabriel. "ETA 10 minutes. Battle stations." You looked over at Michael, who looked at you. He nodded his head quickly, and you both began fumbling with the rotary cannon, preparing it to fire. While you fumbled with a large bolt on the side of the cannon, you listened to the Colonel keep talking. "This will be a joint operation between the IMO, Aerox, and NATO forces. I repeat, Aerox mercs and 'good guys' will be ON THE BATTLEFIELD. DO, NOT, KILL THEM." You popped the bolt off, freeing the weapon to swivel about. Micheal was still preparing the cannon to fire. "Those of you on the ground, your job is to aid the push into the city. Those of you with Ghostie, your job is blow the shit out of any reinforcements or heavy armor that may show up." You hear the 105 mm Cannon make a loud clicking sound. Gunner Titus must have been readying it, as well. "The Administrator, The Ambassador and The Chairman will be watching. Do not disappoint them. They sign your checks. Speaking of money, time to clock in." _________________________________________________________________________________ You gently lift yourself up from the warmth and comfort of your bed, and let your mind process what you had dreamed. You were beginning to think that maybe you really were some kind of soldier before arriving here in Equestria. Trixie was fast asleep next to you. Snoring, even. Earlier in the evening, Trixie woke from her nap, and you both went to a restaurant called "Genesis". Despite the deep and thought provoking name, the food was good, and the drinks were better. The hotel you were in wasn't half bad, either. The concierge service was friendly, the room was clean, and the beds were comfy. That was all that mattered to you. Trixie was happy, as well. Earlier, you had meant to ask Trixie why she had the mannerisms of a narcoleptic goat, always falling asleep when stressed or scared, but you decided against it. You scoot back down into the comfort of your bed, feeling a wave of warmth coming from Trixie. You smile in your comfort, and slide a little closer to her, attempting to fall back asleep. Still, something about this soldier business bothered you. It was like looking down a dark hallway, and seeing a pair of bloodshot eyes looking back. You don't know if you're seeing things, and you don't know what you're looking at, but something is definitely looking back at you. Something about that thought made your skin crawl, so you cease thinking of it, and attempt to distract yourself. At least the morning should be enlightening. Your visit with this ruler of Equestria should be quite interesting. You could get all the answers you please when you wake up. You close your eyes, and once again, you're looking down the dark hallway of your mind. Before you can object, you already know something is looking back. Something angry and sad. Something tired. And whatever it was, it was coming closer. The weirdest part about it all, were your hands. They hurt quite a bit. The joints felt as if they had moving quite a bit, like your hands may have been twitching rapidly in your sleep. Your palms also felt incredibly warm, more so than any other part of your body. You doubt that Trixie has been screwing around with your hands while you slept, and chalk this sensation up to the unknown. Maybe you'll get answers tomorrow. Maybe. _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy stopped dead in her tracks again, this time while you were both in the frozen forests just outside of the valley that held the Crystal Empire. "You okay?" You ask. She nods slowly. "Y-yeah. I just don't like the dark." She responds. You nod back, and remove the bow from your back. You imagine light, and with a gentle tug on the string, an arrow resembling a torch burning with light itself appears. You remove the torch-arrow from the bow, and oddly enough, it doesn't disintegrate in your hands. And for just one torch, it really lit up the area. You look back down at Fluttershy, briefly pointing the torch forward. "Shall we continue?" You ask. She nods, and resumes walking. You look up at the tree tops. Night had fallen, and the tree tops, coated with a mixture of snow and ice, made it appear as if this forest was inside of a giant, white cave. Just ahead of you was a cabin. One that was actually quite small, but a cabin, none-the-less. It now made sense to you why you didn't bring any camping equipment. As you approached the cabin, Fluttershy dug a key out of the satchel she carried, and unlocked the door, letting you both in. Inside of the cabin was impressive for it's small size. A bed, a sofa, a few paintings, and a fireplace. You walk over to said fireplace, and dip your torch into it, lighting the frigid logs inside of it ablaze. "Y-you can have the bed. If you want." Fluttershy said as she set her satchel down. "No. You led me here, did most of the work. You take the bed. I'll sleep on the sofa." You replied. "Oh. O-okay. Would you at least take a blanket?" You shook your head again. "I appreciate the offer, but I want you to have it all. The job of a guide is a tough one, in my mind." "M-Max, you'll freeze." "I'll take the sofa near the fireplace. I'll move it even closer if I have to." You finished. Fluttershy sighed, and climbed up onto the bed, putting herself underneath the many blankets on it, placing her head on the stack of pillows. You stop poking the logs with the torch-arrow, and let it fall from your hands, watching it disintegrate into fiery-flakes as it falls from your grasp. You walk over to the sofa, and drag it closer to the fireplace. You take off your duster, and place it on the coat rack. You also untie your boots, and place them near said coat rack. You climb up onto the mattress, and get yourself comfortable, your head resting on the arm rest away from the fireplace, and your sock-covered feet facing toward it. You allow your eyes to shut, and your mind to begin it's race. Here you were, in the "magical" land of sentient ponies. One second, your in a dungeon, and the next, in a snow covered cabin with a magic bow that conjures arrows. It was an incredible amount to take in, and thinking about it broke every rule of reality you could think of. Isaac Newton was probably rolling in his grave back home. Home was interesting to think about, because you didn't remember a damn thing about it. You knew it was filled with humans, and you knew it was called Earth. You could also recall a little of Earth's history, but that was it. The only thing you really knew, was that your name was Max, and even then, what if the proof you had of that was false? Your existence in Equestria was a shaky one, ripe with confusion. You roll over on the sofa, facing in towards it, and fall asleep. Not just any sleep, either. No, the sleep you were falling in to was an incredibly deep sleep. You felt almost as if you were close to death. Perhaps this deep sleep was your body's way of responding to so much mental anguish. You had no dreams that night. You didn't even wake up once in the middle of the night. When you do eventually wake, you feel as if you've slept for 16 hours. You open your eyes with a few blinks, and immediately notice that your make-shift bed on the sofa had been "upgraded" sometime in the middle of the night. You had several pillows under your head, and a warm, fuzzy blanket draped and tucked over you. The warmth was so incredibly comforting, that you didn't continue to get up. You just laid back, your head poking out from this fortress of comfort. Pillow forts be damned. Fluttershy had left the cabin, which would have bothered you, but you noticed a small cauldron-like pot dangling over the fire in the fireplace. She was making breakfast from something, and she must have went out in the forest to further collect ingredients. Whatever was in that cauldron was making your stomach grumble. It smelled really good. The scent of cinnamon wafted through the air, and, for reasons unknown, this scent really woke you up. Maybe you enjoyed cinnamon before you arrived here. In your state of lethargy, you roll back on your side, facing inwards on the sofa once more. For your first night in a completely different world, you slept pretty well, and although you were nervous about eating any pony-food for the first time, whatever was in that cauldron smelled pretty good. Your grab the edge of the blanket, and pull it up slightly higher, making it reach well over your neck, stopping just below your eyes. You close your eyes, and allow yourself to relax. One moment, your chained to a wall in a dungeon. The next, you're in what you're sure was one of the most comfy beds you've ever had. And this thing was just a sofa. Mental trauma, ahoy. You hear the doorknob to the cabin being fumbled with, so you pretend to be asleep, staying as still as you could. You hear the door open, close, and then clopping of hooves inside of the cabin. Fluttershy sat something down, which must have been heavy because it was pretty loud. So loud, that Fluttershy let out a quiet yelp, obviously not wanting to wake you. You then heard her walk over to the cauldron, and begin messing with whatever was in the cauldron. More scents begin to fill the room, which you really enjoy, but hate at the same time. Smelling your food cooking, but having to wait for it, sucked. You begin to take in consideration how short and rude you had been with Fluttershy. Perhaps you had been a little too temperamental with her. She may be annoyingly shy, awkwardly quiet, and incredibly silly at times, but she obviously has good intentions. There was no way you got up in the middle of the nights, and took the blankets and pillows out from underneath of her. She had to have done this to you. And now she was cooking you breakfast. A good scented one, at that. While the first ponies you met you didn't exactly agree with, maybe this one wouldn't be so bad. "Ouchie!" You heard Fluttershy yelp. You sit up quickly, looking over to the yellow pony. She had her foreleg in her mouth, and you could see tears welling up in her eyes. She sees you sit up, and she seemingly gets more sad. "O-oh...I'm sorry...I-I'll go outside..." She whispers, inhaling quickly to avoid crying in front of you. "No no no!" You start. "What happened? Are you okay?" You ask quickly. You take the blankets off, and get up off of the sofa, walking over to her. You get on one knee, and gesture for her to place her foreleg in your hand. She looks at you curiously, but gently removes her foreleg from her mouth and puts it in your hand. A good patch of her foreleg was pink, even underneath of her yellow coat, and some of the hair had been burned away. She burned herself. Not too badly, but a burn is a burn, and all burns suck ass. "How did this happen?" You ask. Fluttershy just sniffles, and points at the cauldron with her other foreleg. She must have been doing something for the breakfast, and touched that boiling cauldron on accident. "Do we have medicine? What about in your satchel?" You ask. She nods her head, and goes to reach for it, but you stop her. You reach over, and unstrap the satchel. "I think there might be some aloe vera inside of the patch with a red cross on it." She said quietly. You feel the distinct blades of the plant, and break off a blade. You put the blade gently between your teeth, and lift Fluttershy up. She yelps, but quickly relaxes. You sit her on the sofa, underneath of the blankets you had just curled up under. "Lay here. I'll get this ready." You said. She nodded her head. Using your fingernails, you slowly but surely break the blade open. You then scoop out its contents into your hand, and using your other hand, you begin to mash it into a paste. "Do you have any bandages? Maybe some linen?" You ask. "Yes, in the satchel." She replies. You walk back over to her, and dig in the satchel once more. You find some linen, and close the satchel back up. "Alright, now this is going to feel really cold at first, so be warned. Are you ready?" You ask. She nods her head. You gently take her foreleg from her, and begin to rub the paste over the burn. She winces, so you lighten up even more, being as careful as possible. "Is this okay?" You ask while rubbing the paste on her leg. "Y-Yeah. It's cold, but it already feels a little better." She replied. After you smeared the entirety of the burn with the aloe vera paste, you take the linen bandaging, and gently wrap it around her burn several times. You're careful not to wrap it too tightly, but it was still snug. You get up off of your knees, and examine Fluttershy, to make sure she was okay. She no longer appeared as if she was going to cry, and in fact, was smiling. "I didn't know you knew how to use aloe vera like that, Max. You're very good at first aid." She said. You looked past her, and a brief feeling of oddity took your mind. You shook it off. "I didn't either." You replied. You looked over to the cauldron. "What's for breakfast?" Fluttershy went to get up, but you stopped her. "Burns remove the moisture from your skin, you gotta sit still for awhile, so as to not pull or move the skin. It'll hurt." She smiled, and laid back down. "Oatmeal with cinnamon and apple slices." She said. You laugh briefly. "Oh God. You didn't put the apples in already, did you?" You ask. She shares your laugh. "Of course not. Warm, mushy apples in Oatmeal? Yucky." You look over at the table, and see 4 apples, all a vibrant blue. "I was going to chop up the frost apples and put them in the oatmeal when I had bowls ready." "I'll take care of it." You said. You walked over to the cauldron, and gave the oats a stir. "Max?" You heard Fluttershy say. "Yeah, Fluttershy?" You return. "Thank you. I think you're going to be a good friend. If you want to be friends." _________________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash wasn't home to see you off. She had to go to Cloudsdale early in the morning, so you didn't really get to say goodbye. But it wasn't like you wouldn't ever see her again. You didn't have many possessions to pack, which, while incredibly depressing, was also very convenient. You put your backpack on your back, and take out the pair of ear buds you had in it. While you loved music, you weren't sure if everypony else liked the same things you liked. You click on the music application, and find a song. Youtube Video With your music playing, you climb up over the window near the bed, and look at Rainbow Dash's bedroom one last time. You hoped that you would find a way to see this room once again. You take hold of the cloud ladder, and slid down it, slower than the time you raced Rainbow Dash, but still pretty fast. Your feet hit the ground with a clop, and you were now on your way to Vinyl Scratch and Octavia's house. Apparently, their house was pretty big, almost like a penthouse, except for the fact that it wasn't on top of a sky scraper. Two successful musicians living together would probably have a really nice house, with really nice things. You weren't a materialistic person, not in the least. You were more worried about breaking something than anything thing else. The house itself shouldn't be too hard too miss. Three stories tall, and in the marketplace. It was supposed to look really modern, unlike the dutch styled buildings that tended to fill Ponyville. Your song ended, and you didn't quite feel like listening to music anymore. You decide it would be rude to show up with ear buds in your ears, anyways. You enter the marketplace, and you already see the house. It was painted an interesting tone of white and black, which conflicted but ultimately worked as one, making the house appear very modern and very beautiful. You walked up the steps to the porch, and knocked on the door. It opened, Octavia standing in the doorway. "Oh, hello Aaden! It's good to see you! Come in, come in!" She said, ushering you into the house. You walk inside, Octavia closing the door behind you. "Vinyl was up incredibly early preparing the house for your arrival, and fell back asleep recently. She should be up around 1 or 2, as she always is." You chuckle. "So, where may I set my stuff down?" You ask. "Oh! Uh...hmm..." Octavia said, her hoof on her chin and her eyes narrowed. They then snap back open. "I've got an idea!" She signals you to follow her, and you do so. She leads you through this modern-mansion styled house, to a door in the middle of the wall. She opens it, revealing a staircase to a basement, and she goes down it. As do you. It doesn't take long to realize that you were in Vinyl Scratch's room. "Set your stuff down here." She whispered, pointing at the area in front of a small bedside table. On the table were Vinyl's signature goggles. You smile, realizing what Octavia is doing. You set your stuff down carefully, and follow Octavia upstairs, into the kitchen. "We'll now know when she wakes up, for sure." She said, laughing. "Oh yeah. I'm excited to see her this excited. Excitement, all around." You replied. Octavia walked over to her counter tops, which had two mugs on it. "Coffee?" She asked. "Sure." You reply. "Cream or sugar?" She asked again. "Neither. I like mine black." You reply again. She gives you a funny look, and laughs. "To each their own." She hands you your mug, and begins adding her sugar and cream to her mug. "So, Aaden. Any special plans tonight?" "Hmm...I'm not sure. I've got plenty of bits, though. Maybe take you two out to dinner or something. Come to think of it, I'd like to get to know you a little better, especially if I'm going to be living with you for two weeks." You said. Octavia seemingly blushes, and used a hoof to part her mane back. "You really are quite the gentleman. Well, I would love to go out tonight. I'm sure Vinyl would, too. However, she has some...special plans, I suppose you could call them, for you tonight." "I'm all too aware. I have a weird feeling you'll be involved, too." You sit the mug down on the counter. You can feel Octavia examining you. "And you're okay with it?" She asked. "Well. When in Rome, right?"
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Louder Than Words"Holy shit, my head..." You muttered, rising from your slumber. You sit up in bed, resting your head in your hands. You rub your palms against your temples, and groan. You had the headache of all headaches. Was it all of the soda that you had drunk the previous night with Bon Bon? Was it the fact that you tried to go back to sleep when you felt wide awake? Whatever you had done, your body wasn't very happy about it. At all. You open your eyes. You were still in the living room of the house, and you had fallen asleep on the couch. You sit up, still wiping your eyes, and look down at the table. You had started a graveyard of empty soda bottles on the far end of the table, and right next to where you note should have been, was another bottle of soda and an apple. A big apple, at that. Breakfast? You look around the room, making sure no one was there. Breakfast. You pop open the bottle of soda, and tip it back. You pick up the apple, and take a bite. Wait a second. Where's my note? You look down at the table, and notice that the note was indeed, gone. You peeked under the table, and then around the room, not seeing it anywhere. Lyra or Bon Bon must have taken it. You breath a sigh of relief, remembering that ponies can't read English. Even if they did try to take it to Aaden to get it translated, he was moving to Vinyl and Octavia's house today, so they might have trouble finding him. Unless they used magic. Shit. Can they use magic to translate that? You get up from the couch, apple and soda in hand, and search the house for either Lyra or Bon Bon. Both were gone. You slide on the jacket Aaden gave you, and leave the house, locking the door behind you. With another swig of soda, and another bite of apple, you set off through town. Your gut told you that they more than likely went to Twilight Sparkle's Library to translate the note. You weren't sure why the idea of Lyra and Bon Bon translating the note bothered you so much, but it did. It was like someone was reading your diary. Diary? Shiiit, what's the manly version of a diary? A Journal? A Log? Either way, you didn't want Lyra and Bon Bon reading your ultra-manly diary. At the same time, you were curios to why the apple you were eating made the soda taste funny. Or was it vice versa? It was almost like the taste of taking a big gulp of orange juice after brushing your teeth, but less powerful. You were hungry, so you powered through it. You approached Twilight's Library, which was inside of a giant, hollowed out tree. It was the most bad ass tree house you had ever seen. In fact, this was an actual house, inside of a tree. You approach the door, which was as red as the apple you were eating, and knocked. You heard the lock disengage, and the door opened. A small purple dragon stood in the doorway, his large eyes looking up at you. He was chewing on what looked like an emerald, making a horrible sound that made you cringe. It was like he was chewing glass. "Hey, I know you!" He said, shards of the emerald flying out of his mouth. "You're Aaden's friend! Hey, any friend of Aaden's, is a friend of mine! C'mon in!" He signalled you in. You walked into the tree-library-house hybrid, and watched as the small dragon closed the door. "Something you need, pal?" He asked. "Actually, I'm looking for Lyra and Bon Bo-" "Alan." You heard Lyra's voice interrupt. You turned around, and saw Lyra approaching you, walking like a human would. The note was in her hoof. "Alan." She said again, tearing up. She hugged you, "Twilight translated the note. Do you really mean this?" She asked. You took the note from her hoof, albeit gently. "Yep. I didn't quite intend for you to ever read it, but hey, it is what I feel. Except for the crude Batman sketch, that was just me being me." Lyra sniffles, and giggles. "That's what that was? Twilight couldn't translate it with her magic, said something about it being the strangest letter she had ever seen." "Yeah, I'm not exactly an artist." Lyra hugged you tighter. "You make me sooooo happy." She said, talking under her breath. She was hugging you so tight, that even she was having trouble breathing. After a few silent moments, she released you. She signaled you to follow her, and you did so. "Twilight wants to talk to you." You walked into what looked like a laboratory. Your note was on a nearby table, and Twilight was in the corner of the room, reading something. She looked up, and saw you. "Alan! Hey, I know we haven't really met before, but I want to ask you a few questions. Aaden was, well." She looks down at the floor, but back up to you. "Incapacitated. I never really got a chance to learn anything. Since I kinda translated for Lyra, do you think you could answer a few questions for me?" She asks. You nod your head, and she smiles widely. "Awesome! This will only take a few minutes!" A few minutes turned into a few hours. It didn't bother you. Lyra was seemingly just as interested to learn about Humans and Earth as Twilight was. Plus, it wasn't like you had anything in particular to take care of today. The questions started out on anatomy. The evolution, followed by early human history to modern human history. Then the questions just became random, ranging from astrology to everyday life. That's when she popped the question you knew was coming. Twilight looked up from her notepad, completely enthralled by your brief cover on everything you knew. "This is all so fascinating...What did you do for a living?" She asked. You looked down, your hands subconsciously squeezing your kneecaps. Lyra put a hoof over your hand. You looked up at her, her amber eyes reassuring you that it was okay to talk about it. "Is something wrong?" Twilight asked again. You shook your head. "No, No. I was a mercenary back home. It still takes a little getting used to, being able to talk about in the open and all." Twilight, still scribbling, smiles. "Why? That's a very brave thing to be!" She asked, legitimately confused, but content at the same time. "It's not as respected back home as it is here. We didn't fight for honor or for the greater good. At least, not the majority of us. Aaden and I tried to, but we both did things we regret." You explain. "Aaden? He was with you?" Twilight asked, her smile now faded. "Yep. Hearing stories about him turned me around. Getting to know him and fighting alongside him pulled me up. Aaden's a hero back home. At least, to those who know him, he is." "Interesting..." Twilight began to scribble faster. The magic aura around the pen she was using was glowing slightly brighter. "You both know each other, and you both show up here..." Her scribbling continued. "Hmm...do you know what brought you here?" "Bare with me on this, but Aaden thinks he and I are dead. I remember Aaden holding me after I had been shot multiple times, and he remembers watching me die. Only problem with that theory, is the fact that Aaden doesn't remember if he died or not, and if this is the afterlife, there should BILLIONS of humans walking around here. So far, I count 2." You explained. Your explanation caused the glow around the pen to grow even brighter. It scribbled so fast, the the pen was now a mere blur. "That is quite the theory. I'll have to write Celestia regarding this!" Twilight exclaimed. She seemed very proud of herself, having learned all of this information. "No need." You start. "Aaden and I are catching the first train out to Canterlot tomorrow morning. Celestia wants to meet me, and has something important to show Aaden." Twilight looks up from the notepad, and smiles warmly. "I know you must be nervous. Celestia is really kind, but blunt. If you were in trouble, you'd know already." _________________________________________________________________________________ The rotary cannon you operated was absolutely devastating. Every other round fired was a tracer round, but the rotary cannon fired so quickly, that it appeared as if you were firing a stream of light. You swiveled the cannon around, and pulled briefly on the triggers, releasing streams of bullets to coat the targets below. The radio chatter was oddly calm and nonchalant. "Tracking..." The Fire Control Officer spoke. "Uh, we have runners. You gonna get em'?" You looked over at Michael for a moment, who was firing his rotary cannon. You went back to firing yours, as well. Michael's stream hit a group of soldiers heading for a nearby building, tearing them apart. "Good kill. I see lots of a little pieces down there." The FCO said. The radio chatter really bothered you. Here you were, operating a multi-million dollar gunship, raising utter Hell on those below you, and the IMO just acted like this was no big deal, like this was a casual flight, just for fun. Your discomfort was cut off when the Sensor Operator's voice came over the radio. "Armored transport vehicles are coming down the road. Uhh...about 4 of them." He said. "Navigation, do you see any more coming down the same road?" The FCO asked. A deeper voice then both the FCO and Sensor Operator answered. "No. Just these 4." He answered. "Alright, we have 'good guys' at the end of this road, we can't let them get hit too hard, The Ambassador would have our asses. Fire control, you are cleared for using the 40 mm cannon. Get the vehicles out of the way." The Pilot spoke. The FCO laughed almost maniacally, giving you goosebumps. "Light em' up." He growled while laughing. _________________________________________________________________________________ "While Trixie finds your sleeping figure cute, she does not want to risk being late again. Wake up." You felt a hoof touch your shoulder, and shake you. You crack your eyes, and see Trixie, wearing her hat and cape. Today was the day you were to meet Celestia. You closed your eyes again from the stupor of sleepiness. "Aw, Adam. C'mon." She nudged you again. "Alright, alright, I'm up." You sit up, and wipe your eyes. "Good! Now, Trixie will fetch breakfast! You clean up!" You dangle your legs off the side of the bed, and sit there for a moment, taking in the fact that you were awake. "C'mooooon!" Trixie whined, nudging you with her hooves. It really was quite adorable. She was trying her hardest to push you, and it obviously was working. "One hug, and then I'll get up." You turn around, and Trixie nodded. You wrap your arms around her, feeling her warm coat. You pull away from the hug, and stand up. Trixie hops off of the bed, and walks over to the door. She stops just before opening it. "Do you like eggs? What about toast?" She asks. You wave your hand at her, your other hand stifling a yawn. "You name it, I'll eat. Just, you know, no hay or grass or anything. I don't think I can digest it. Literally." Trixie smiles and leaves the room, off to bring you some breakfast. Trixie really was quite the mare, and if you didn't know any better, you'd say you were starting to become quite fond of her. Seems like it was just yesterday you found her dying in the desert. Perhaps SHE FOUND YOU, dying in the desert. Eh. Enough philosophy. You flick on the lights as you walk into the bathroom, and pull open the shower curtain. You undress yourself, and fold your clothes, placing them on the counter, near the sink. You close the door to the bathroom, and finally step into the shower, turning the warm water dials. The water comes blasting out of the shower head, instantly drowning you in warmth and water. It felt good to take a shower, especially since you had wandered the desert forever without one. Sure, there were baths which consisted of rubbing yourself with a wet cloth, but it all crumbled before the comforting might of the shower. You let your mind drift while you lather yourself, thinking of the dreams you had the previous night. Gabriel. Michael. Ambassador. Chairman. Administrator. All of these names sounded extremely familiar, giving you a very odd sensation. It's almost like when you go to say something, but you forgot what you were going to say, so you stop and immediately ponder all of the possible things you could have wanted to say. It was like reaching to grab the remote for the television, but it being literally just out of reach. You could touch it with the tips of your fingers, but you couldn't grasp it. The sensation in all was incredibly aggravating, to say the least. You liked being in Canterlot. It was a really interesting city. The whole presence of magic thing also fascinated you. While you were sure there were extremely advanced studies of it, it was so much easier to say that the reason the sun rises is because of a magic sun goddess named Celestia makes it rise, rather than explain the complexities of astronomy and physics. It still made you smile when you would ask questions, and the answer would be "because it's magic!". You go back to thinking about your dreams. You had no memories of doing anything with gunships back in your universe. You didn't recall being apart of any organization, either. You remember that the soldiers were calling NATO "good guys". Why? If you weren't in NATO, what organization were you apart of? It must have been one that was extremely powerful. It's not every day you operate an AC-130 gunship. Maybe you were apart of the Illuminati or something. Bad ass. Adam the Illuminati member. You laugh to yourself, and turn the dials to the shower off, having completed your shower. You reach for the towel rack, expecting to feel the fuzziness of a towel in your hand. Instead, you merely feel the cold metal bar. "God damn it, Adam." You mutter. In your excitement to actually take a shower, you forgot to snag a towel on your way in. At least Trixie was gone. You get out of the shower, and open the door to the bathroom, and, as your luck would have it, there is Trixie, staring at you, wide-eyed. She was sitting more still than a Life-Alert subscriber waiting for an ambulance. You immediately cover yourself, and scoot back into the bathroom. "Trixie?" You call. "Could you please bring me a towel?" "Yeah, I gotcha!" Trixie called back. She walks near the bathroom, handing her hoof containing a towel into it. You take the towel, and wrap yourself up in it, then attempt to leave the bathroom again, this time with no wardrobe malfunction. She was still blushing. "Sorry about that. I forgot a towel, and I didn't think you were back yet." You explain. She looks away, and clears her throat. "Well, Tr-Trixie thinks you have nothing to be ashamed of. You are certainly..." Her voice drops a little bit, almost squeaking. "Well endowed..." "Christ Trixie." You blurt out. She blushes, and goes over to the table in your hotel room to begin setting up breakfast. You go back into the bathroom to get dressed. "So," You call out to her while drying your hair. "What all did you get?" "Uhhhh, eggs, scrambled of course, some toast, beans, and Trixie asked for waffles, but she isn't seeing them...Ah! Never mind, she found them! Do you want butter or syrup? Maybe both?" She called back to you. "Hell yeah, give me both!" You call back. You slide on a pair of pants you had picked up the previous night, and walk back into the room. Trixie was already dressed in her silly hat and cape, and was pouring a glass of what looked like apple juice. "Thanks Trixie. You really are a good friend to me. Once I figure out what exactly is going on here, I'd like to get to know you slightly better." "I'd like that too, Adam." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were not about to let Fluttershy carry that big ass satchel on her own. You watched her try to slide it on, the strap pressing against the bandages that covered her burn, making her wince and whimper in pain. "Nonono," You said quickly. "I'll take care of this." You walk over to her, and slide the satchel off of her. You swing it over your duster, the satchel itself resting just under your bow. "So, where is the herb we need for your bunny?" You ask. Fluttershy rubbed at her bandages, smiling now that her pain was gone. "I already got them when I went to go get the apples for breakfast. I hope that's okay." She murmured. You laugh, and allow yourself to smile broadly, to show that you are surprised in a pleasant way. Fluttershy had the kind of personality where you had to be blunt with your emotion, mainly because of her own modesty. "Hope that's okay? That's amazing! Does this mean we can head back now? I can meet this other human?" You asked. you weren't faking your excitement here, not in the least. Maybe you could finally get some answers. Some memories. Fluttershy smiled weakly. "Y-yeah. I guess that'd be okay." You clench your fist, and pump it. Finally, some answers. You both leave the cabin, locking it behind you. You still had no idea who that cabin belonged to. Maybe Fluttershy. Your walk was pretty relaxing. Once you left the artificial cave the snow-caked forest had created, you found the sun to be shining. Snow still caked the ground and just about everywhere else in this tundra, but the sun still provided warmth. You glanced over at Fluttershy, who was walking slightly ahead of her. She wore a pale green scarf, which blew occasionally with the wind. She was also wearing adorable little ear muffs to match. Pale green looked good on her, it went well with her coat. You'd hate to admit it, but Fluttershy was very nice to you. She was the first pony you had met who hadn't tried to shove a spear through your carotid arteries. She was the first pony you had met who had shown you any form of kindness. Hell, you've only known her for one day, and she's already cooked for you, kept you warm by giving up HER OWN blankets and HER OWN pillows, and now she's leading you to your own salvation. You still didn't quite understand the whole sentient-pony thing, but Fluttershy was okay by you. Then the guilt sets in. This entire time you've been with her, you never really talked about yourself, or herself, for that matter. She had been nothing but kind to you, and you had kind of been a jerk to her. You were short with her, and talked very little. You were sure she was normally this quite because of her timidity, but she only spoke when you spoke to her. While that does show respect, it also shows fear. You didn't want her to be scared of you. You wanted her to consider you her friend. Because God knows you consider her your friend. She's your only friend here. "Hey, Fluttershy?" You ask. You were going to attempt to talk to her, maybe apologize. "Uh huh?" She responded. "Hey, look. I know I've seemed kinda angry and distant this entire trip, but I didn't mean it. I'm just confused and scared, is all. I mean, I have no idea where I am right now." You start. "W-well, right now, we're in the Crystal Tundra, if that helps you any." She responded again, cutting you off. You smile, and ignore it. She meant no harm. "Well, listen. You're the first pony here that I consider my friend. By default, I believe that makes you my best friend. What I'm trying to say, is I like you. I think you're a great pony, and even though I still have no idea what's going on, I think having friends will help me. Especially in a hard time like this." You finished. Fluttershy let out a large sigh. "Oh, thank goodness you think so, I was getting worried there for a se-" Fluttershy immediately froze in her tracks, the snow no longer crunching beneath her hooves. She held a hoof out, stopping your advance. "Be careful. Do not move." She whispered. It was kind of funny, how she changed whenever there was some beast or animal around. All signs of being shy left her. You looked out into the snowy plains, to attempt to see what she spotted. In the distance was an odd creature, While it was far away, you could still make it out. It looked like a white lion with a blue scorpion tail, and gray wings. It's eyes were also yellow, and they were pretty low to the ground. It looked like it was sniffing around for food. "That's a Frost Manticore. They're cousins to the Everfree Manticore, the breed that almost killed Aaden. And Aaden is now an Honor Guard, if that says anything." Fluttershy explained while whispering. "Honor Guard?" You asked. "No time to explain. It means he's good at fighting." Fluttershy quickly rebutted. You notice the manticore look in your direction. It was now prowling towards you. "Oh no...it can smell the herbs..." You slide your bow off of your back, and now stand up from your crouch. "I've got this." You said. "Don't hurt him!" Fluttershy objected, her scarf flapping in her face. "I won't." You replied. You draw the string back on the bow, and take aim. A bright orange arrow of your imagination bursts into existence, ready to be fired. The tip of the arrow sparked and hissed, just as you imagined it to. You hoped this arrow was going to do what you intended it to do. You hope you didn't just lie to your only friend. _________________________________________________________________________________ It wasn't too much later in the day that Octavia suggested going to lunch. Vinyl Scratch was still asleep. She was worse than you were your sophomore year of high school. Your record was sleeping 16 hours straight, without the aid of any drug or form of alcohol. You both finished a quiet meal at some diner you had never heard of in Ponyville, before you both go for a walk around town. It would certainly be nice to get out and get some fresh air. "So, do tell me, what's it like in your home world?" Octavia asked. "A popular, but good question. Imagine Equestria, but with nothing but humans, and no magic. Also, as awful as this sounds, evil triumphs over good more often than not. Friendship also isn't as treasured as much as it is here, at least not by everyone back home. I blame all of that on moral decay, which, in turn, I blame on the falling intelligence levels of the world. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but I like it better here." You explain. "That's convenient for you, being as you're trapped here." Octavia laughed. "Do you want to go back?" She asked. "Yet another question that everypony asks me, but another important question, nonetheless. I don't know, is the best answer I can muster. I remember my friends, my dog, my unique occupational choice, and while I do miss it, I feel as if I'm completely adjusted to life here. I've got friends here, another unique job, and it seems far more peaceful here. I know I was almost gored on my way in here, but Hell, people get gored twice as bad back at home, and they're just walking around Detroit." You laugh. It was good that you could still make yourself laugh. "Detroit? We have a Detrot here, if that means anything to you." "Nah, Detroit is just a city people like to make fun back home. It tends to be violent." "Wow. Detrot isn't exactly friendly, either." Octavia laughs again. "Enough about me, though, If I'm going to be living with you for several weeks, I should probably get to know you better, huh?" "Oh, come now. I'm not that interesting. But, if you insist..." "I do." "Well. I suppose I can give you a quick little Octavia 101. But under one condition." "And what's that?" "You have to kiss me. Right here, right now." "Huh?" You were legitimately surprised. You didn't think she liked you like that. "What would Vinyl think? I'm not trying to start any fights." "Oh, use that pretty little head of yours, soldier boy. Vinyl and I are close friends. Obviously we're similar in certain ways. We both just so happen to like to move fast in relationships. And trust me..." Octavia leans in close, and whispers in your ear. "I think Vinyl would really like to hear about this, later." You sigh. Looks like you were going to be a sex toy for a couple of weeks. Why not? You put your hand behind Octavia's head, and pull her forward, kissing her briefly. It was weird to just hop into this. "That was satisfactory. Now, don't get the wrong ideas here, I'm a little more soft-spoken than Vinyl, and I haven't had many coltfriends, either. The only similarity is that when I'm interested in somepony, I make sure they know. Do not view me as one would a slut." You laugh. Her vocabulary was very high and mighty, similar to Rarity's, and to hear her say "slut" was pretty funny. "That's fine, I totally understand." You said. "You're lying." "Yeah, but I'm trying to understand. Now, please, talk about yourself." _________________________________________________________________________________ "SHIT!" The Pilot yelled over the radio. You looked over at Michael, who looked back to you. Something was happening. "What's wrong?" The FCO asked. "The Russians know what's happening, we've got several Tu-95 Bears strategic bombers coming this way. Intel says they're equipped with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. They're not going to actually fight when they arrive, unless we keep up our fight. They're just trying to send a passive-aggressive message to NATO about being in the area, trying to show them that they could strike, if they wish." He explained. "So, what, we just abandon the operation? Just like that?" The FCO asked again. "We don't have a choice. NATO forces are already retreating, and Aerox has already picked up their boys." "What about us?" "We have to retreat as well. I'm sorry gentlemen, but this is going up as a loss on our records, and none of us will get paid because of that." You look over at Michael, who punched the side of the rotary cannon in anger. "Guns down, men. Guns down. We're pulling out." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Adam. ADAM!" You heard Trixie shout. You blink rapidly, and look over to her. "Cut that out! Don't space out on me now, please." You were sitting in the castle that Celestia ruled from, and were waiting for her to take audience with you. It wrecked your nerves, knowing that the being you were about to speak with could banish you to the moon if she pleased. "Adam, you're spooking me. You just started to gaze off into the distance, and your pupils got super tiny. Are you okay?" Trixie asked, making sure that you were back in your own mind. "Yeah, I'm good. Just collecting memories. I think." "Well, good!" Trixie smiled. A white pony in gold armor stepped forward from his stance, looking over his shoulder. "Her majesty will see you now. You, human." The Pony said, pointing his hoof at you frowning. He then smiled, which surpirsed you. "Welcome to Canterlot." You stepped forward, into the throne room, and you were immediately overwhelmed. At the far end of this amazingly large room was a throne, and atop that throne, was a pony like none you had seen before. It was a shiny white, and her mane was a series of pale, cold colors, which complimented her coat. She was smiling, which comforted you slightly. Your hands were feeling funny again, the burning sensation returning to your palms. "Adam the human, welcome, welcome!" Celestia greeted. "and Trixie, it is good to see you, as well!" Celestia took an inquisitive look at her. "What brings you to Canterlot? And how did you end up with Adam?" Celestia asked. Trixie kicked her hooves around nervously, and explained herself. "...and I promise I won't do anything like that again! Trixie has learned how valuable friendship is by losing all of her friends! A cruel irony, indeed. And Adam helps her to feel better by being her friend, so, that is why she comes to you this day." Trixie concluded. "I am very sorry to hear of your troubles, Trixie. It is very alarming that you almost lost your life." Celestia looked over to you. "Adam, you have done good work. I can already see that you are a good human." You get goosebumps, and you feel your palms get warmer. How did she know your name? You know that neither Mala or Bakir had told her your name. How did she know? "So, Adam, I want to ask you a question." "Yes, your majesty?" You respond, snapping out of your fear. "How do your palms feel?" She asked, smiling. your goosebumps are now practically ripping your skin from intensity, and you feel your blood go cold in your feet. How did she know all of this? It was as if she had read your mind, seen your memories. She laughed. "Relax, human. When I projected Aaden's memories, I saw every last one of them. Including you. Through magic, I am able to know everything about you, biologically and mentally. Oh, yes, Aaden is here. As is Alan, another friend of yours. You may not remember them at this time, however. Now, please. answer my question." "They burn." You respond. Celestia smiled even wider. "Excellent. Come here, human. Touch my horn." She said. You looked over at Trixie, who shrugged. You swallowed, and walked forward, slowly approaching her throne. You outstretched a hand, and quickly tapped it on her horn. Your hands then immediately felt as if they were melting. They felt as if someone had splashed a little molten lava on them. You noticed a very light gold aura surround your hands, holding them still. Celestia was using her magic to hold them still. You look up at her in fear, but she is still smiling. "Relax, Adam. This is only for your safety. You're the first human that can wield these abilities. I don't know how your fingers will react, and I don't want you to break them." She explains. You swallow, and grit your teeth. And that's when you feel it. It was now like someone had taken your burning hands, and placed them into a cool ocean. Not cold, but comfortably warm. You closed your eyes in relief, and let your jaw drop. When you open your eyes, you see a little ball of light, slightly above each of your palms. "I'm going to release your hands, Adam. I want you to gently bring the two orbs together." She said. You nod your head. The aura fades from her horn and your hands. Your hands began to spasm and twitch. Your right hand kept balling up, almost like it was making a fist, but stopping just before it closed itself completely, while the fingers on your left hand curled up and down in a wave-like motion. You brought your two hands together, and with them, the two orbs. They merged with a humming noise, forming a slightly larger ball of light. "Now, I want you to slowly remove your left hand." Celestia ordered. You nodded again, and removed your left hand. It stopped twitching, and you were in control of it once more. You looked up at Celestia, smiling in disbelief and relief. The single large ball of light floated above your right hand. "Throw your hand out, like you would a ball, out of the window." She said. You looked up at her, unsure of yourself. "You can to it, Adam. You're already doing very well." You take a deep breath, and pull your right arm back. You then release it, letting it fly forward, like you were throwing a fast ball. The ball seemingly grows in size the moment it leaves your hand, and it goes rocketing out of the window, exploding in a flash above the castle. You look back to Celestia. "Adam, the moment I saw you in Aaden's memories, I knew there was something different about you. Something very different. Your father was a magician, correct?" She asked. You nod your head. "Well, while he may not have really been magic in your universe, in this one, it translates over into something entirely different. You carry his genes, therefore, Adam, you can practice magic. I know it's odd, and doesn't make much sense to you now, but congratulations. This is a big feat for Humanity in Equestria." You look down at your hands, which were now normal. Neither was twitching or turning, and neither felt hot. You did feel kind of tired, like you had just sprinted a short distance. It wasn't enough to make you sit down, but it was enough to make you breathe slightly rapidly. "Now, I could give you all of the spells accessible by you right now. But you wouldn't learn anything about it. I do not mean this malicious intent, but I'm afraid I'm not going to tell you how to do that again, either. You must learn these things on your own, so you will learn, and better yet, avoid hurting yourself or others." "So, me touching your horn, that wasn't me?" You asked. "It was, but it wasn't. Think of it as me giving you a little push." Celestia responded. "I also find it very fitting that both Trixie and yourself are acquainted. You may both study, and learn, together. It will be very rewarding to both of you, but more importantly, it will be very rewarding for your relationship." You look over your shoulder at Trixie, who was just as surprised as you were. "That is all I wanted of you, Adam. I know you have no malicious ideas, so you're free to go." You turn around, and were about to leave with a wide-eyed Trixie when she continued speaking. "However. Aaden and Alan will be coming to Canterlot tomorrow. They currently live in Ponyville. You may want to go back to Ponyville with them, and I encourage that. You will learn more efficiently around friends." You both leave the throne room. The moment the doors closed, you look at Trixie, who was looking at you. "How did she know all of that?" You ask. "The same way she raises the sun. I don't know." Trixie said, obviously confused. "So. Magic pals?" You ask, laughing nervously. "Sure." Trixie said, taking your hand from your side and holding it in her hoof. "Magic pals." _________________________________________________________________________________ "...and now I play for Her Majesty's Royal Orchestra. Cello, 1st Chair, and proud of it. I travel to Canterlot quite often, but right now is the hiatus season. We practice at our homes and take a much needed break from several months of travelling. It's quite nice, really." Octavia explained. You were beginning to walk home to Octavia and Vinyl's house, your afternoon stroll coming to an end. "That's actually extremely interesting! And you thought I wouldn't care?" You ask, laughing. Octavia was blushing, and trying to hide it by looking away from you. "Well, my other Coltfriends told me that I was boring." She murmured, "My God, that's something I'll never understand." You muttered. "What's that?" Octavia asked, still looking away. "I haven't had many girlfriends either, but every single one I have had claims that their previous boyfriends told them they were fat, or uninteresting, or ugly, and this was when their relationship was at their peaks! Am I the only guy in existence that just isn't a jerk? Is it that hard for people or ponies to have some respect, especially for someone they care about?" "Well, you're the only one I've ever met, so far. Maybe that's why you're so irresistible." Octavia said, her head turned back towards you. Your eyes locked, and you could see a kiss in the near future. And your future predicting skills were correct. She leaned forward and kissed you. "Aaden, may I ask you a question?" "Sure." "Why do you care so much?" "About what?" "About everything." "Well, it took a little searching, but I found my answers when I was a mercenary." "You mean those awful memories we saw at the party?" "Yeah. Those did it. Life is a precious thing. A very precious thing. It's funny, because people, and maybe some ponies, would argue against me on this point. What's even funnier, is that there is nothing feeble about my morality here. Life is a very valuable thing. That's why I switched my abilities to fight for it, rather than against it. And in my fighting for life, I came to many realizations about just how precious it is. I began to not only mourn the lives of those I lost, but the lives of others lost. Sometimes even my enemies lives. One life or a billion, a friendly life or a hostile life, they're all lives, all the same. While I've always tried to have decent manners, this really brought it all together for me. The things I've seen, the things I've done, the things I know, it all really teaches you lessons about life." "Quite the philosopher, huh?" Octavia teased. You laugh. "Hey, you asked, didn't you?" You tease back. What you both didn't notice, was that you were back at the house. "HEY." You hear a familiar voice shout. "I'M SOOOOO GLAD YOU GUYS HAD FUN." You both look up. Vinyl Scratch is standing inside the door, faking being angry. Perhaps she was really wanting you to belive that she was upset, but you ignored it, and simply walked up the staircase. "AND WHO'S IDEA WAS IT TO TEASE ME BY LEAVING YOUR STUFF BY MY TABLE, IT'S REALLY AG-mmphmm..." Vinyl's voice was muffled by the fact that you had walked up the staircase, grabbed her, and forced your tongue into her mouth. Hell. I'm going to be a sex toy, anyways. Why not? You release her head after a moment, and set her back down. "Better?" You ask. "I, uh..." Vinyl cleared her throat. "Just don't do it again." Her smile was now showing through. "Aaden and I simply went for a walk, dearie. He's quite the intellectual." Octavia explained. "Nah, it's cool. I really don't mind. Is it my turn now?" Vinyl asked. Octavia nodded. "So long as he is shared later. Plus, I want to go to dinner, so be done before that." "Aweeesome. You, c'mere." Vinyl said, grabbing your hand and pulling you with her. "We're going to my bed for a little bit." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were breathing as steadily as you could force yourself to. Any faster, and your arrow would miss it's mark. The manticore was now dashing towards you, kicking up snow as it ran. You could hear Fluttershy whimpering in anxiety and fear beside you. She didn't want to be killed, but at the same time, she didn't want to hurt the creature. You looked at the head of the arrow, to ensure that the desired effect was still present. The head of the arrow was still sparking and hissing. You turn your steady breathing into a single, deep inhale. When it gets to where you can't inhale anymore, you hold in your exhale, and steady yourself as much as possible. Adrenaline tickled your body all over, making the steady an odd one. You had come too far to die here. You had already made this journey, you already had collected what you needed, and you were on your way back. You were not going to die. Not before you had any answers, or any memories. You really hopes this arrow had the desired effect. If it didn't it could kill the beast, or worse, it could kill you. The least thing you wanted to see was Fluttershy being torn to shreds by a lion-scorpion, and you would be damned if you died this early. Not here. Not now. You close your left eye, and look down the odd sights affixed to the bow. As the sights went over the manticore, the bow hummed gently, and the sights began to glow. You weren't sure what it meant, and you didn't exactly have time to experiment, so you just assumed that it meant the shot would be on target. A quick burst of wind blew your duster tails up, making it flap loudly in the brisk gust. There was a serene silence for a moment, and right as you were going to let your mind open up, you hear the blood curdling roar of the manticore, followed by a loud whimper by Fluttershy. You release your hand, and let it come back to your shoulder while you deeply exhale. The arrow hissed and whistled away from you, flying towards the monster. It saw the arrow, and stood up on it's hind legs. You weren't sure what it was trying to do, perhaps turn a headshot into a body shot, but if the arrow had the desired effect, it wouldn't matter. You really hope the arrow had the desired effect. You really hope that you didn't lie to your friend. Your only friend. You narrowed your eyes, waiting for the impact of the arrow on the creature.
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Unsung HeroesIt had been a few days since you had killed Max. You knew he would hate you saying that, but it's the truth. You were the one that shot him. You sat behind your desk, your feet kicked up on the table. You had his rifle laying on the table in front of you, and his gas mask as well. You saw to it that he was buried back home. Even with the intense record-keeping procedures the IMO has, it was still difficult to locate his hometown. You never knew he was from a farm out in Iowa, or that he had 7 siblings. He didn't have the twangy country accent, nor did he have the habit of telling others how much of a "country boy" he was. Hell, you thought he was from New York City like Aaden was until you read his file. Aaden was buried just outside of Manhattan, in a pretty little cemetery away from the city. His funeral was the biggest out of all of your deceased friends. This wasn't because he was any more important, however. His death wasn't in battle, but in public, in front of everyone. So, more than just his family and friends were present. Proponents of gun control, several officers that had responded to the murder, and random civilians who were supportive of his martyrdom also decided to show up. Alan was laid to rest in California, but due to the hush-hush nature of his death, his grave went unmarked. To his family and friends, he was merely classified as "Missing". As far as they know, he went overseas for "business", and just vanished. It makes your skin crawl to think about how accurate that is. Then there was Adam. You had no idea where Adam was from. You didn't know if he had family. The way his paperwork was done, you weren't even sure if "Adam" was his real name. You had him laid to rest just outside of one of the IMO bases in rural Kansas, and you even threw a little funeral and wake for him, as well. It bothered you that he got as high in ranking as he did without the proper paperwork. He was up to something. You'll never find out now. The saddest part of all of this, the part that really gets you, is the fact that they were all heroes. They were unsung heroes, but heroes, nonetheless. Each and every single one of your friends had done so much in their lives, so much good, and each of their deaths, even Aaden's, served to benefit humanity. It's almost like the whole "revenge from the grave" cliche, but instead of revenge, it's compassion and loyalty. Funny how the world works. While you can claim to serve the greater good, the ultimate way of proving it is to die for it, or die because of your serving it. Your friends certainly proved their morality, that's for sure. As you were looking through the files of your friends, feet still propped up on the desk, an IMO Infantryman walked through the doors. "Major Justin Cunningham of the Mavericks, sir. We have news." He barked out. You casually let your feet down off of the table, and placed the folders back on top of the desk. "What is it, soldier?" You asked. "A large 'shipment' of slaves will be passing through Baltimore today. The Mavericks are standing by to deal with it. May we proceed, Chairman sir?" "Naturally." You responded. The soldier nodded his head, and went to pace out of the room, when you stopped him. "One more thing." You called. He turned around to face you. "Yes sir?" He asked. "Call me Carter. 'Chairman' has a foul history behind it." "Yes sir." _________________________________________________________________________________ The arrow hit the manticore right below it's neck. It immediately fell when the arrow had struck it. It wasn't moving. You glanced over at Fluttershy, who was already in tears. You slowly approached the manticore's body, hoping the arrow had did what it was supposed to. You knelt beside it, and put a hand on it's stomach. It's stomach was heaving. It was still alive. The lion-scorpion was alive. "Thank God..." You breathe out. "Fluttershy, it's still alive!" You yell back to her. "Huh?" She yelled back. She ran over beside you, and closely examined the beast. "It's...asleep?" She asked, wiping away her tears with her hooves. "More like unconscious. It's gonna have a hell of a headache when it wakes up, but the arrow did it's job." You said, watching the manticore's chest slowly heave up and down. "Wh-what did you do to him?" She asked. "Hit him with a tranquilizer arrow. I personally didn't think it would work, but I'm not about to watch you get hurt." You explain. "That's an awful risk to take..." She murmured. "I know it is, and I apologize. But you've got a bunny at home waiting for you, and I need answers. Neither of us can die right now. We simply don't have the time." "Well...I guess you're right." "Come. Let's get you home." "Okay." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So. uh. Magic." You stammered awkwardly. You sat on the edge of the hotel bed, and stared at your hands. Trixie came over, and sat next to you. "I know it must be very strange to you." She said. She rubbed her hoof across your hand in an attempt to comfort you. "No kidding. Well. At least this explains why my hands would hurt every now and then, I suppose." Trixie stopped rubbing her hoof over your hand, and used her other hoof to make her eyes meet yours. "Adam. Do you trust me?" She asked. "I do. Why?" You responded. "Because I think I know how to get your memories back, being as you are capable of magic. It would appear that your magic is centered at your hands, rather than a horn. So, place your hands on your head." She ordered gently. You took your hands, and placed them over your temples. "Now, close your eyes." You close your eyes, and breathe calmly. "I'm going to touch my horn to your forehead. Don't jerk or anything." She continued. You felt the point of her horn poke the center of your forehead. Your eye lids began to light up, like a movie screen. Soon, visible and audible scenes zipped through your head, like the movie screen was in fast forward. The scenes started to slow, before pausing on a single one. "Alright." Trixie said. "Here we go." _________________________________________________________________________________ All you remember was a loud boom, and heat. The vehicle had 5 others in it. The vehicle went rocketing off of the side of the bridge from the IED, and splashed into the river below. Water immediately filled the entirety of the space around you. Water began to fill your nostrils and your mouth. You were too dazed to stop it. Your eyes were still open, even though they were submerged. The man across from you was bleeding from his neck, eyes, and nostrils, the blood looking like a deep red smoke as it traveled through the water. He had a surprised look on his face, but wasn't moving. His body was trying to float up, but was held in place with a seat belt. There was no trace of life left in him. That's when the fear set in. When you really began to comprehend what was happening. You fumbled around with your seat belt, but it refused to release you. Your vision was beginning to grow dark. You heard a click under the water, and felt as if you were moving. You lost consciousness. You gasped for air, and your eyes shot open. You turned over, and vomited up what looked like nothing but water. Your eyes watered from the pain and sensation of the vomiting, but you vomited again, anyways. You coughed and inhaled. "Adam, I've got to go back, the others are trapped!" Isaac shouted. Isaac apparently had just saved your life. You rolled over onto your stomach, and tried to get up on all fours, still coughing and spitting. Your vision was very bright now, as compared to how dark it once was. You looked up at Isaac, who was shuffling in place, obviously distraught and unsure of what to do. "I'm going back." He said quietly, sprinting towards the river. The river was enormous, one of the biggest ones you had ever seen. It was also incredibly deep. You learned that first hand. You looked around you. 2 other men who were in the vehicle with you were also coming to their feet, still dazed. Isaac must have saved them, too. Then another realization went off in your head. Someone was watching you. Someone had to pull the trigger on the IED. One of the dazed men who was coming to his feet jerked back, and fell down. A loud crack came soon after that. You picked yourself up, and threw yourself against the other dazed man who was trying to stand up. "STAY DOWN!" You yelled in his ear. You both hit the ground hard, enough to knock the air from your lungs, but it was just in time to avoid being shot. Another loud crack came a few seconds after you hit the ground. You literally may have just saved your own life, and his. Your shout seemed to snap him out of his reverie. This was now a war zone. You waited for another crack of the weapon. It came soon after the second. When it did, you grabbed the surviving soldier by his collar, and quickly jumped back up. You both ran underneath of the bridge, which was now in shambles. You looked back towards the river where Isaac had jumped in. No sign of him or anyone else. You patted the side of your leg, and found your handgun still holstered. "You still got your Glock?" You asked calmly. "Huh? Uh..." He looked up at you, then down to his leg, and removed the handgun from it's holster. "Y-yeah, right here." "Good." You responded. You slid your handgun around the wall, and fired a few rounds randomly. You weren't hoping to hit your assailant, but to merely show that you were armed. Maybe it would scare him off. You ended up hiding behind that bridge for 8 hours. Isaac didn't come back up from the river. Nor did anyone else. You already knew what happened to them. It wasn't until 8 hours later that the IMO came looking for you. 8 hours of sitting, waiting. Hoping that whoever was watching didn't have the balls to come down and finish the job. 8 hours of not knowing what to tell Isaac's family. Your family. He had a wife. He had children. _________________________________________________________________________________ "What kind of fucked up logic is that?!" You shout. "You were NEVER around! What am I supposed to do, wait for you?" Lara shouts back. "Are you fucking kidding me? You KNOW EXACTLY what I do, WHY I'm not here, and you do this to me?" "Will you relax? It's not that big of a deal!" "Oh, I'm sorry, I just found out that my wife is pregnant with someone else's child, excuse me for overreacting. How could you do this to me?" "Hey, if you don't like it, then there's the door." You walk over to the door, open it, and leave. You weren't coming back. You heard the door open as you were walking to your car. "So, what, that's it then?" She shouted. "You aren't even going to help raise this kid?" You get in the car, and start the engine. As you're looking over your shoulder to begin backing up, you mutter yourself. "You really know how to pick em', Adam..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Ah, Adam!" The Chairman said as you approached his desk. "The man of the hour. I have news for you." "What is it?" You asked. "I am very well aware that you were moved from the ground combat operations after what happened to your brother, Isaac. But we're moving you back down from the skies." "Why?" "Our men need a leader like you. Someone who can be strong under stress. I'm giving you your own unit. The Pathfinders. You will come back to me tomorrow for a full briefing. We already have several recruits lined up and waiting for you. Until tomorrow, enjoy yourself. Dismissed." _________________________________________________________________________________ Trixie looked up at you, making sure you were okay. You looked down at her, and smiled, to signal that you were still alive. She probably didn't see any of those memories. "Are you okay?" She asked as she looked intently at you. "Yeah. It sucks to re-experience the painful stuff, but, I guess it's the painful stuff that makes us who we are." Trixie smiled, and kissed your forehead, where her horn had been. "The caring and affectionate Trixie believes you to be a very brave human." She then kissed your nose. "In fact..." Trixie said while leveling her face with yours. "You're Trixie's FAVORITE human." Her lips then met yours. It was the first real kiss you had shared with her. She pulled her head away, and gauged your reaction to it. You decide to try to break this new ice that had been formed. "I'm the ONLY human you know." You reply, smiling. "Must you ruin a romantic moment?" She retorted. "Romance?" You asked again, still teasing. "You're interested in me, Ms. Lulamoon? I had no idea..." You attempted to look away, as if you were embarrassed or bashful. Of course you knew she was interested in you, but you kind of wanted to hear her say it, hear her explain herself. Her eyes were slightly closed, and she had removed her hoof from your hand, now using it to hold to her mouth. A crimson blush was coming forth in her cheeks. It was absolutely adorable. "The enthralled and captivated Trixie DOES happen to have feelings for you..." She nearly whispered. "Me? Why me, though. I'm not even a pony." You replied. You were enjoying her nervousness. She looked in your eyes through her half-lidded eyes, and her voice raised a little in tone. Perhaps she was a bit more confident in herself. "Pony or not, you gave the lonely and depressed Trixie friendship when nopony else would. Though our journey has been relatively short, it has been incredibly large in meaning for Trixie. She is no longer alone. She has the courage to face things, make them right once more. All because of a kind creature that simply picked her up, and walked her back to his camp. You have charmed Trixie." Trixie's eyes were now open all the way, but her blush was still present. She had a hopeful look in your eyes. Ah, damn it, not the puppy dog eyes. Too adorable. "Adam, do tell Trixie. How do you feel about her?" She asked. The puppy dog look was ensuring that there was no negative answer, although you were sure that she wasn't doing this on purpose. You looked in her eyes for a moment. Her hat and her cape were both off of her, laying across the bed. Right now, it was just her. Her mane hung down from the right side of her head. She really did look nice, for a pony. To be honest, you were almost ashamed of saying that this pony had captured your heart. She's a pony, after all. At the same time, she's completely different. You would say she was an animal, but animals don't talk. Or have complex thought. To consider her an animal, would be to consider yourself an animal. Which, to be fair, you are an animal. So that should it make it okay. Right? "Well, Trixie, I find myself to be enamored with you, as well. If I could explain it, I would. What I have concluded though, is that I don't care. This is my home now. And I suppose you're going to become a very close friend." You said. You felt very confident in yourself all of the sudden. Right now, in this very moment, you didn't care. You forgot about the dreams, you forgot about the memories, you forgot about the fact that you can fire death out of your hands, you forgot the fact that there were other humans that knew you. All you knew, and all you cared to know, was Trixie. The moment was tense. Not in a bad way, though. The passion and tension was like being submerged, but rather than being submerged in water, it was more like being submerged in passion. It felt weird to let your passion out like this. It was as if the very blood that pumped through your veins was replaced with liquid love, and the electrical impulses which twitched through your nervous system gave were replaced with an amazing mixture of anxiety and curiosity. Fuck the world I'm from.. This is home now. Might as well secure a decent future. Trixie immediately adopted what you would call bedroom eyes. They half shut, her irises still glimmering. A smile crawled across her face, but not a big one. She slowly and very deliberately lifted herself off of the bed, and even more slowly crawled over to you. She let out the most provocative giggle you had ever heard. "How close will we be?" She asked. "I, uh..." You couldn't take your eyes off of her. She was still crawling towards you from across the bed. You couldn't think straight enough to form a sentence. All of the sudden, the quiet and reserved Trixie, the one you had seen almost die, the one you had seen cry, the one you had seen be bashful, was now VERY forward. If there was anything that turned you on, it's unexpected actions like this. "Uh, I mean, we co-, uh..." You continued to stammer. She really had caught you off guard. She was turning you in to Mush Mouth from the old Fat Albert cartoons. You were slightly embarrassed of yourself. You assumed that Trixie looked to you as a kind of silent, didactic sentinel, and here you were, bumbling like a fool. Your intention here was only to see her act shy and nervous. But Hell, you weren't about to complain about this turn of events. Trixie's forelegs were now on your left leg, as you were sitting on the side of the bed. She lifted her head up to yours, and smiled a little more, letting her teeth show. "How about this close?" She asked. "Y-ye-" Your voice cracked. You clear your throat. "Yeah, that's good." Holy shit, are you awkward all of the sudden. Trixie then caught you off guard, AGAIN. She pushed you down, making your back hit the bed. She then climbed on top of you, her face now only several centimeters from yours. "How about this close?" She asked again, nearly whispering this time. Her mouth was getting increasingly close to yours. You wanted to respond, the the lip motions to say 'yes' would result in a kiss, so, you thought you'd just go ahead and go for the kiss. You slowly brought your head forward, but, as you did, she jerked her head back, now smiling mischievously. "tsk-tsk, Adam, you silly human. Trixie will cut you a deal. Take her to dinner, and she will grace you with the ability to be as close to her as you want for as long as you want." "All mine?" You ask. "All yours." She responds. She leans in, and kisses you, and you eagerly kiss back. She cuts it off short, and hops off of you. "Adam, you cannot spoil your dinner." You cock your head back, and groan. "Alright, alright. I get it, romance and stuff." That night, the both of you went to one of the more fine restaurants Canterlot had to offer. You got what looked and tasted like fettuccine alfredo, but was named something completely different. Trixie got some kind of open sandwich thing with various steamed vegetables on it. You both had a few glasses of white wine, but it was just to compliment the dinner. Neither of you were even buzzed yet. You still had some bits left from all of the irrigation work in Saddle Arabia, so, you decide to take Trixie for a walk through the local Royal Gardens. The Royal Gardens were like Central Park in New York City. They were both in the center of a major urban area, and, although you could see buildings in the distance of every direction you looked, it was still oddly pleasant and peaceful. While you walked, you both shared heart-warming conversation, the kind that was filled with laughs and smiles. "So, Adam, Trixie thought that you were rendered completely amnesiac, save for the few memories she was able to give you today." Trixie inquired. "Huh?" You responded. You knew what she meant, but you weren't exactly sure what she was referring to. "Well, when Trixie accompanied you to Princess Celestia's throne room, she asked you if your father was a magician. You said yes. Trixie is curios if you remember your father." She explained. You scratched your head. You didn't really think to ponder that fact. You DID remember your father, and bits of your childhood, too. Trixie catches you contemplating. "Trixie does not mean to bother you, she just wants to get to know you better, is all." "No, it's okay. I understand completely. Yes, I do remember by Dad, and I remember some chunks of my childhood now that I think about it, too." "Would you like to share that information with Trixie?" "Anything for you, Trix. Here it goes." _________________________________________________________________________________ I was born in the capitol of my nation, Washington DC. In that city sat one of the most important men of the world. In that city stood monuments and memorials to men that forever changed the world. In that city, lived hundreds of thousands of people, most of which would be forgotten less than a year after they died. My mother and father were both one of these people. My father was an interesting man. He was an Atticus Finch incarnate, a stereotypical caring and wise father. He also had a very odd job. My father was a magician. A rather popular one, at that. He often flew around the country for shows. He met my Mom in Florida, when he was going back to his hotel from a show. They hit it off, and about 3 years later, my older brother Isaac was born. 2 years after that, I came bouncing out, too. My mother was a stay at home Mom, which I really enjoyed. I liked being able to come home to her after a long day of school when I was younger, rather than go to some daycare place, or to some babysitter. Even when I hit my late teens, it was still nice to be able to come home and talk to her. I was very close to my brother. Very close. My very first memory is of he and I playing with some blocks, building towers and knocking them down. He was my best friend. If ever I wanted to someone to hang out with, someone to talk to, someone to be angry at or cry with, he was always there to help me, and then some. Even when we both moved out and went our separate ways in life, we were both still in constant contact. We even shared the same job, which I really don't want to talk about right now. Isaac died in front of me, and was a hero. That's all I want to say about that. Anyways. I was fascinated with magic at an early age. Dad always had a way to continually fascinate me left and right. Whether it was guessing what card I had randomly drawn from a deck, to "pulling" quarters out of my ears, it was always just completely captivating to me. So, I began to practice it. Making things disappear under cups, using magnets to make small things appear as if they're floating, making things appear out of thin air, pretty much every cliche trick that existed, I knew. Then I turned 11. In my world, magic doesn't exist. I learned that all it was, was just a few mind tricks. Make this person look over here, distract a person in this way, notch a card in a deck, none of it was true magic. Just clever tricks. This really let me down, really broke my heart. I confronted my Dad, and he had some of the wisest words I had ever heard regarding the subject. "True magic is hidden in what surrounds us." Human kindness. Mercy. Humor and laughter. Love. All of these things, I considered examples of this "true magic" back home, simply because they were things that didn't make sense to me, things that I couldn't explain. Why do we laugh? Because we find something funny. Why do we find certain things funny? Why do we love? My excuse was magic. And it provided all of the answers I was looking for. At least at the time, it did. Celestia mentioned my father was one of the reasons I am capable of magic. I suppose it would make sense that SOMETHING about me would change. You don't just enter a brand new universe without adapting to it's laws, and I suppose my fascination with magic from my childhood has translated over to the ability to perform ACTUAL magic. It's an obscure theory, but it's the only one we have. _________________________________________________________________________________ "You're brother is...dead?" Trixie asked. You nodded your head. "Trixie knows that you said you didn't want to talk about it, but, what line of work did you have? Can you tell her that?" You sigh. "We were mercenaries. Guns for hire. I really don't want to say or talk anymore about that." You said bluntly. Trixie stopped prodding, and changed the subject almost immediately. Smart pony. "Trixie doesn't have much of a story, herself. She's led quite the boring and lonely life. Then she met you." _________________________________________________________________________________ "It's getting late." Vinyl said, sitting on top of you. She kissed you deeply one more time, and stepped off of you. "HA! Oh man, it's like, 8 PM! Oh boy, Octavia's probably gonna be pissed. She doesn't like to be kept waiting, especially for food. "No? She seems pretty polite." You said, sliding your underwear and pants back on. Vinyl walked over to the mirror, and snagged her goggles, putting them on and resting them on her forehead, rather than actually wearing them. "Oh, she is. She's just kinda classy, is all. Like Rarity, just kinda rude." Rarity... "Huh. Well, it's late enough to get some drinks, that's for sure." You continued. You were now buttoning up your dress shirt over your white shirt. You run a hand over your head. Your hair was too short to be messed up from constant sex, but it was still reassuring. "Oh yeah, we're doing that. Uhh..." Vinyl trailed off. She dashed over across the room, and started searching for something. While she was searching, you tied your shoes, and walked over to the mirror. You looked fine. Your face was red, but other than you, you looked fine. You felt fine, too. You felt something hit your back, so you turned around. "Those are yours." Vinyl said. You looked down, and saw a pair of goggles, similar to hers, but, rather than purple lenses, yours were a bright orange. It reminded you of your old gas mask, but, you weren't complaining. The goggles actually looked kind of cool. You slide them on, and rest the lenses on your forehead, just as she was doing with hers. "What're these for?" You ask. "Oh, we're going clubbing after dinner. Gotta let everyone know we're together, right?" "With some awesome goggles? Sure, I catch your drift." "Awesome? Try bitchin'. These things look even more 'awesome' under black light, so wait until we get to the club." Somehow, you couldn't imagine Octavia at a nightclub. It didn't seem like it was her scene. You both go upstairs, and find a yawning Octavia sitting on the couch, reading some magazine with a large cello on the front of it. "Ah, it's about time." She said, looking up from her magazine. She placed it down on the table, and stood up, stretching. "Are you quite ready? Or would you like another go at it?" She asked. Vinyl nudged you, and smiled her half smile. "Actually..." "I WAS JOKING. I will not wait any longer for food." Octavia cut Vinyl off. "Come now. Food." _________________________________________________________________________________ You made it back to the Crystal Empire just as the sun was setting. You shifted the satchel over to your other shoulder, and closely examined the town. Every pony you walked past would have the fear of God in their eyes, which annoyed you. You had a bow on your back, one capable of a lot of tricks. If you wanted any of them dead, they'd be dead by now. "Max, the train station is just ahead. I was thinking, we could head out now, if that's okay. We should reach Canterlot by the morning." Fluttershy said. You looked ahead at the junction before you. Trains. Ponies and trains. Okay. "Alrighty. Will customs need to look through our satchel? What about shoes, do I take those off?" You ask. Fluttershy looks up at you. "Huh?" She responds. You chuckle. "It's nothing. Back home, I know travelling was a hassle. Safety and what not." "Oh? You remember stuff about your home?" She seemed interested. "Well, yeah. I just don't remember anything about myself. Names or faces, I can't recall. For some reason, however, I can remember what life was like." "I'd love to hear about it, if that's okay." "Sure, sure! Lets just get on the train first, we'll pass time that way." "Sounds lovely. Maybe, I could talk about myself, too. If that'd be alright." _________________________________________________________________________________ "No, no, no." You laugh. "Here, like this." You pick up Lyra's hooves, and help to motion them. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, bakers man..." You clap her hooves to your hands. She watches with complete fascination. "H-hands can play games?" Lyra asked. She was enjoying this too much. "Yep. Now, you try it." You replied. You smile widely, watching her carefully move her hooves to touch your hands. You sat with your legs crossed on her bed, and she mimicked your posture. If there was any pony you had met so far that you would consider human, it's Lyra. Human trapped in a Pony body. Lyra looks up from her concentration on your "game", to make sure she's doing it right. You smile at her, and she returns your smile with a blush. She goes back to concentrating. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, bakers man..." Lyra sings the song with you. "Bake me a cake as fast as you can..." Lyra looked back to you, listening to you sing. "Roll it..." You twirl your hands over her hooves. "Pat it..." You pat your hands on her hooves. She had stopped moving her hooves with your hands, and merely watched intently. You still had her hooves, though. "Mark it with a B..." You draw the letter B on her hooves with your finger. "Put it in the oven for Lyra and me!" You clapped your hands together, then threw them apart, opening your arms wide, and tackling Lyra to the bed playfully. She immediately giggled wildly, and you couldn't help but laugh, too. That's when you both realized what was happening. You were on top of her, with her forelegs pinned. Her face went crimson in the blink of an eye. You gently released your grip on her forelegs, and put your hands on her face. Her forelegs slid up and around your back. You could feel her hind legs opening. You leaned in, and you kissed Lyra. You kissed her as deeply as you could. She responded with the exact same intensity. Then her intensity turned to ferocity. She really wanted this. So did you. It seemed early in the relationship for anything like this to happen, but Hell, you understood zilch about pony culture. Maybe this is normal. Even if it wasn't normal, you didn't care. Take what you can get. And when you can get what you really want, really take it. _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam really WAS up to something in his life. Out of curiosity, you had found his full record, and were examining it. Literally, all it said was "ADAM HOWARD - KIA". No date of birth, no place of birth, no family members or past addresses. "Huh..." You said out loud. "Something wrong, sir?" Your personal guard asked. "Yes. Adam's record is odd. The Chairman has more on his record than Adam. It's almost as if they're hiding something about him." "Hiding something?" "Exactly. This is the IMO. There's nothing that needs to be hidden here. We already know everything." You close up the folder, and tuck it under your arm. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your train car was dark on the inside, and Fluttershy was the only other occupant besides yourself. Fluttershy was curled up on the seats across from you, fast asleep. You couldn't sleep, however. This all still felt really funny to you. You took the bow off of your back, and rested it on the seats next to you. You were bored. You look down at the bow, and decide to give it a little test. You pick it back up, and imagine a bright red firework-like explosive effect. You look back at the sleeping Fluttershy. You now imagined the firework to be completely silent. You pull back on the bow, and watch as an interesting arrow bursts into existence. This one looked to be made out of a smoking-silver like material, with a bright red tip, also smoking. You release the arrow, and watch as it silently whips across the sky. It actually traveled a lot father than you thought it would. Eventually, it popped, releasing a beautiful cascade of red lights and sparkles. The inside of the train car was briefly illuminated with a dulled red light, then faded away. You smile. You'd have to show Fluttershy this trick the next opportunity you have. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Is someone lighting off fireworks?" You ask. Trixie looks up in the sky, noticing the red burst in the distance. "Is it like a holiday or something?" "Not that Trixie is aware of. Perhaps someone is celebrating something." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Sir, we found someone that says they have something to say regarding Adam." An IMO Guard said. "Please, bring them in." You replied, pouring a glass of water for your guest. An IMO Infantryman walked in, and sat across the desk from you. "I understand that you may be aware of the activity Adam was partaking in." "I'm the reason for it, Chairman sir." He responded. "Please, call me Carter." You said, handing him the glass of water. "Yes sir." "Adam was a good friend of mine. A brave man. I trust what he was doing was a just duty, and I'm sure it's reasons for being hidden are valid, but circumstances are...different..." You look at the Infantryman. He looked a little like Adam. "Are you aware of what his goal was?" "Yes sir. He wanted to dismantle the IMO from the inside-out. Let me tell you a story." _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam was loading several shells into his shotgun. When he was finished, he gave it a single, loud pump. "You know what we're here to do. If any of them survive, we all die. Let none survive." Adam walked over to the door, and kicked it down, literally ripping it off of it's hinges. He lowered his shotgun, took aim, and fired it. He then pumped it, and fired again. Then another pump, and another boom. You were doing the exact same thing. Luckily, the guards you just took on weren't expecting you, fellow IMO mercenaries, to attack them. In a matter of moments, 6 were dead. You walked towards the series of monitors and servers, stepping over dead bodies. You wiped the blood off of the screen of the monitor you were going to use with you sleeve, and you begin hacking. You had to delete the camera footage of who did this massacre, and you needed to delete Adam's records. "Breaching the mainframe..." You said, typing on the keyboard near the server. Adam walked around, poking dead bodies with the barrel of his shotgun, making sure they were dead. "These bastards will pay for what they've done. To me, and to everyone they've ever hurt. The best part is, they'll never know it's me..." He said quietly. "This one's for Isaac..." _________________________________________________________________________________ "This is where things get complicated, Carter sir." The soldier said. "Why is that?" You ask. The soldier didn't break eye contact with you. He took a drink of his glass, and set it down. His nonchalant manner was making you nervous. "I am Isaac."
Chapter Forty: AmalgamationYou had sex with Lyra last night. You had sex with Lyra last night, and it felt amazing. You had the most stupid grin on your face as you were getting out of her bed. You put on your clothes, and looked back at her. She was curled up in a Lyra-ball, fast asleep. She was smiling as she hugged the pillow that took your place in her arms. "Aww...Man..." You said, still smiling. You didn't want to go to Canterlot. Not right now. If only you could lay with her just awhile longer. If only you two would have done this last night, you could have spent the entire day in bed. You had on the pair of black pants you had came here with, the short-sleeved white T-shirt, and you still had Aaden's jacket. You walk over to her large mirror at the corner of the room, and look yourself over. Still handsome. "I'll take good care of her while you're gone." Bon Bon's voice said. You look at her from the mirror. She was standing in the doorway. She had something resting at her hooves. "Also, get yourself some new clothes. I wanna see the look on Lyra's face when you're wearing something other than THAT." She said, pointing a hoof at your outfit. You rub your right eye sleepily, still smiling. You walk over to Bon Bon, and take the bit-purse at her hooves. You walk back over to the bed, and kiss Lyra on her forehead while she sleeps. She stirred gently, her smile not fading. Bon Bon moved out of the doorway as you walked towards it. "Have a good trip, and stay safe, Alan. I know Lyra will be eagerly awaiting your return." Bon Bon said, following behind you. "I will. I'm meeting Aaden by the fountain in the marketplace, so the trip won't be so bad." "Aaden's coming as well?" "Yep." "Well, you two behave yourselves." Bon Bon called from the door. You laugh. "I am NOT about to get my ass kicked by Aaden and Ponies again. We'll be on out BEST behavior. Bon Bon waved goodbye to you, and you waved back. You continued your walk through the marketplace, and to the fountain. Aaden was kneeling by the fountain, tossing what looked like breadcrumbs into it. You saw small ducks paddling about inside of it, which explained his actions. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white-T shirt, so he didn't look too much more fancy than you. "What's happening, brother?" You asked. Aaden looked up at you, and stood up, tossing the rest of his breadcrumbs into the fountain. "Passing the time. You eat already?" He asked. You pat your stomach. "Nah man, didn't have the time. I was up late last night, so I woke up late." You got a good look at Aaden's eyes. They were bloodshot. "Holy shit, and from the looks of it, you were too. You alright?" "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Vinyl kept me up late last night. If you know what I'm saying." Aaden explained. "Spare me the details. Lyra and I were spending 'quality' time too, so I know what's up." You replied. "But yeah, I'm starving." Aaden started to walk away from the fountain, and signaled you to follow him. "We'll eat on the train. Their food isn't so bad. C'mon." The early morning sun was very warming on this day. There was the occasional gust of brisk wind, but it only complemented the warmth of the sun. Birds flew about and chirped their happy songs, Ponies went about their business as usual, everything seemed to be in harmony. It was nice. The junction was mildly busy when you arrived. There was no line to get tickets, but there were lines forming to board. Aaden walked up to one of the open windows, and picked up two tickets. You both got in line behind one of the groups of ponies waiting to board. The train arrived not much later, and you both boarded with ease, despite the hustle of the junction. Aaden takes a seat next to you, and hands you a sandwich he purchased from the cart that travels between cars. "So, lets address the elephant in the room." He said, opening his sandwich. "What do we do if we're dead? If this is, through some weird way, the afterlife. Our personal afterlife." You unwrap your sandwich and take a bite. It tasted like egg and cheese. It wasn't half bad. You chew it up thoroughly before swallowing. Your eyes meet Aaden's, and you attempt to formulate a response. "I honestly don't know. I guess this would be home, then. Until we grow old, and die here, too." "But what if we CAN go home?" "Like I said, I really don't know. It's a lot to take in, a lot to think about." You both sit in silence for a moment, eating your sandwiches in silence, listening to the steady and consistent clink of the tracks under the train. You both had a lot of things to take in to consideration. Your answer would soon be at hand, and that's what gave you goosebumps. The future, and all of the answers it would bring, was coming. You just didn't know if you were ready for it. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were now standing, pointing your handgun at this soldier that claimed to be Isaac. "You motherfucker. You think it's funny to pretend to be the dead? Huh? What the Hell is wrong with you?" You shout. "Isaac" took a sip of his water, still looking very nonchalant about the entire situation. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Get talking. Now." "Well, I'd suggest you sit down. It's quite a long story." _________________________________________________________________________________ The Chairman knew that Adam was going to be a thorn in his side. He had to personally reprimand Adam multiple times, mainly because Adam was showing more of a desire to do what was right, rather than what he was being paid to do. This was a trait that later rubbed off on Aaden and Alan both, two men that we both know were close to him. The Chairman wanted Adam dead. Simple as that. But he wanted to make it sting, he wanted him to truly suffer. So, I was called in to his office one day, were he threatened me. I either follow through with his plans to assassinate Major Adam Howard, or he finds and kills my children and wife, also framing me for the murders. I had no choice. "You son of a bitch." You said. "You filthy, fucking bastard!" You shouted. The Chairman kicked back in his chair, and laughed. "I'm glad I have your cooperation. Now, you're going to be going on a 'mission' in Afghanistan. When you cross the large bridge, and you'll know what bridge I'm talking about, you hit this plunger I'll give you. It'll set off an IED. Make sure your seat belt is unbuckled, if you want to live. If all works out, it should kill him via drowning. In the event that he escapes, we'll have a sniper in the hills, waiting to pick him off. Get to it, killer." The operation was the next day. You sat in the back of the APC, your head hanging down. You had the plunger in your pocket. "You okay, Isaac?" Adam asked you. "Yeah, I'm good." You replied with a faint smile. You leaned your head out a bit, looking through the front windshield of the vehicle. You were just now at the entrance of the bridge. You put your hand in your pocket, flip the button guard up, and press down on the plunger. A loud boom, followed by the sound of metal scraping across metal was all that was audible for a moment. You closed your eyes. When you reopened them, the APC was completely submerged. You looked around the back of the vehicle. 3 Soldiers, including Adam, were still alive, panicking and attempting to get their seat belts off. You swim over and help the other two, while you stop and stare at Adam. It was tearing you to shreds, watching him thrash under the water, bubbles leaving his mouth. If you could cry underwater, you were doing it now. When he stopped moving, you decide to go against your orders. You swam over to him, released his belt, and swam out of the APC with him in tow. The other two men had already found their way topside, and were crawling about, coughing and vomiting water. You dragged Adam ashore, and watched as life returned to him. He shook violently as he came to his knees, vomiting water, just like the others. He looked up to you, his eyes blood red and pained. You couldn't watch what was going to happen next. "Adam, I-uh, there are others trapped. I've got to go." You said. Adam shook his head weakly, and you ran back towards the river. Rather than go back into the APC, you swam across the river, and hid behind the other part of the bridge, to await pickup. Then you heard the crack of a high powered rifle. You heard it several times. You sink against the concrete pillar you were hiding behind, and let tears fill your eyes. That's when you hear something that makes you stop your sobbing. Several shots from a DIFFERENT gun filled the air. You peeked around the corner. Adam and another soldier, the recruit, survived. They were hiding behind one of the concrete pillars on the other side of the river. They survived. The other, who was on the ground, in a pool of his own blood, wasn't so lucky. The Chairman wasn't happy. "What. Happened?" He asked impatiently. You sat across from his desk. It had been 12 hours since the IMO picked you up, and you were still drenched from the river. "I don't know. He just survived, I guess." You said. "Isaac, need I remind you what is at stake here? Your families lives." "Why don't you do it? Why don't you send someone in the other room, and just kill him now? Why all the plotting?" You ask, slamming your fist on the table. "Because Adam is well respected. If we were to just butcher him, that would create a schism. Besides. It's far more fun, having you do it. Now. He thinks you're dead, so..." The Chairman reaches under his desk, and hands you a new uniform and helmet. "These are yours. Your name is Michael Porter. Born and raised in Michigan. You are joining him with the crew aboard Ghostie. Enjoy." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Y-you're Michael?" You said. You remember working alongside the Pathfinders in their glory days. Aaden, Alan, Adam, Max, yourself, and Michael. "I was." He replied. "Up until Adam's death, I was responsible for many injuries and near-death experiences he went through, although I would never go all the way through with the plan. I even tagged along with him to claim his 'revenge' against the IMO. Those blank records? I'm the one that did that." He explained. You could see his eyes welling up. "Do you know what it's like?" He asked. "Do you know what it's like to sabotage your own brother's handgun, or rig his vehicle with explosives, then immediately help him find a new weapon, or drag him out of the wreckage? I was being punished as much as Adam was. And then when Adam died in combat, I was heartbroken. Aaden and I were there, and it was the worst experience of my life, to watch my brother die. To have him look in my eyes, and not realize that he's looking at his brother." Isaac stammered. He collected himself with a very small sniffle and a deep breath. "How did you conceal yourself?" You ask. He put his helmet on, slid a bandanna over his face, tied it, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a contact lens case, and put in two lenses. They made his blue eyes look brown. Admittedly, he looked very different. "I see." You said quietly. It made more sense now. "I have one request to make of you, Carter. One thing to put my entire mind at rest." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Whew. I'm feeling pretty good!" You said, chuckling as you wake up. Trixie cuddled up next to you, nuzzling her cheek against yours. "Shh. Trixie is sleepy." She said. You looked out of the window, seeing the sun shine through. It was mid-afternoon already. You never did get Trixie all to yourself last night like she promised, but, you were out pretty late, talking. Then you remember what Celestia told you. There were two humans coming. Two that knew you. You couldn't pass up this opportunity. "Trixie, those humans are coming today. They might be here any moment. Would you like to come with me?" You asked, gently whispering into her ear. "Mpmmhhh...." She mumbled into the pillow. You nudge her. "Yesss...." She responds. You get up, shower, and get dressed. When you exit the bathroom, Trixie was now fully awake, looking out of the window. She was wearing her hat and cape. "You ready?" You ask. "Yeah." She answered. You both left your hotel room, and set off into the streets. "Trixie thinks that, when and if they arrive, it will be at the train station." "Good thinking." You said. You lean down, and kiss her on the cheek. You both head towards the train station through the busy streets of Canterlot. You arrived at the train station just in time to see a train departing. A swarm of ponies had disembarked the train, but you didn't see any humans. "Hmm...Maybe they weren't on that Train, huh Trix-" "ADAM!" You heard a familiar voice shout. You felt something lift you from behind, and squeeze you tight. It sets you down, and you turn around. Two smiling humans, one slightly shorter than the other, were standing before you. Then the memories burst through your mind. "Aaden! Alan! Holy shit, you guys!" You shout. You three huddled up, and jumped around like kids. "Oh man, I've got so many questions! How the Hell are you guys here?" "Damned if we know." Alan laughed. "God damn, is it a surprise to see you!" He continued. "Seriously, this was the last thing I expected. I wonder if this was Celestia's planning." Aaden said. "Celestia? Wouldn't doubt it. She's really smart. Smarter than she likes to put on." You replied. Alan looks at you and laughs. "Why am I the only one who has yet to meet this 'Celestia'?" He asks jokingly. He then notices Trixie, who was smiling warmly, happy to see you with your friends. "Who's your friend?" You almost feel kind of embarrassed. You weren't sure what your friends would think about you having a pony for a girlfriend. "This is Trixie. She's my marefriend, I believe they call it here." You said. Alan and Aaden both smiled. "Hell dude, nothing to be shy about. I've got one, too. Aaden has like 4." Alan said. Aaden smiles, and rubs the back of his neck. "Lets go. I don't want to keep Celestia waiting." Aaden said, changing the subject. "Me neither. Who's Celestia?" You heard a voice say from behind you all. You all turn around, and then there was ANOTHER human. It was Max. "MAX!" Alan shouts. You all three greet him just as you had been greeted. Another train had pulled up while you were distracted. Max must have been on it. "You guys would not believe the shit I've been through these past few days." He said, smiling. "And this is Fluttershy, my new best friend." "H-Hello everypony..." Fluttershy said. She walked over to Trixie, and they both talked for some time while you all caught up excitedly. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your party was reunited. Granted, Carter wasn't here, but you jumped from only having Alan, to having Alan, Max and Adam, all in a matter of minutes. You couldn't be happier. All 6 of you, including Trixie and Fluttershy, walked towards the castle, intending to still meet up with Celestia. Ponies normally didn't stare you down too often, but this new sight of 4 humans together was probably slightly shocking for them. You could care less about the wandering eyes. You had your friends, and that's all that mattered to you. "And then, they put me in a dungeon!" Max said, laughing. "Shiiit, you think that's bad? I wandered a desert for like 8 months." Adam replied. "You're both pansies, I got manipulated, and then got my ass kicked my Aaden and his rainbow friend." Alan added. You all recounted your stories of how you got here, and you noticed a very odd trend in your origins. All of you suffered from amnesia. Max seemed to have it the worst. Granted, Max's amnesia was lessened upon seeing you all together, he still didn't remember certain things. It was odd, but it was nothing you wanted to worry about right now. Not when you're surrounded by friends like these. It felt as if it took absolutely no time what-so-ever to get to the castle, and into the throne room. You all talked the entire way there. Celestia's guards opened the doors to the massive throne room, letting you in. When you walked into the throne room, Celestia was standing in front of her throne, smiling. She had to have been surprised, herself. Max looked stupefied, seeing Celestia for his first time. "I am glad you have all been reunited." She said. She then looked over at Max. "And Max, I see you found your way here, as well. I recognize you from Aaden's memories." Max feigned a smile, and waved awkwardly. Celestia went back to addressing the group. "Well, my good human subjects, I suppose you are seeking answers. The sad thing about that, is I am unable to produce any at this moment. It may take awhile." "Years? Shit..." Max uttered. "I have called you here for a different reason. While there are only 4 of you, that's 4 more than Equestria has ever had. Not to tone down your good moods, but I have to ensure that my ponies are safe around you before we proceed any further. I know that you are each individually good humans, but things like that change when groups form. Especially if you are going to be romantically involved with my ponies, I need to test you. Should you pass, then Alan, Max, and Adam, I have special positions waiting for you. Aaden already has his. If you fail, then you will be split up, each of you going to a different town. This is a test of your morality, integrity, and most importantly, your friendship to one another." Celestia explained. "I apologize, m'lady, but this is all happening so fast." You said. Celestia still smiled. "Aaden, you are free to not participate. You have proven yourself already. But It is best that it happens this way. It doesn't give your mind time to think, forcing your hearts to act." "I can't abandon my friends here." You said. Celestia's smile got a little larger. "I knew you wouldn't. Please, take each others hands." Celestia said. You all formed a circle, holding hands together. Max and Alan were visibly wary of what was happening. They had yet to experience anything as intense as this was probably going to be. "Good luck, Max..." Fluttershy said. "Trixie knows you can do it, Adam!" Trixie called. Celestia was then joined by Luna, who walked in from an adjacent room. "Alrighty humans. Are you prepared? The trials set before you are based upon the memories I have collected from each of you, and have been adjusted accordingly. This is all I will say. Ready?" Celestia said. You looked around this circle that you had formed. You literally had just met up with your friends, and here you were, going to do something crazy with them. Just an hour ago, you were on a train, and now, you're in the royal court of a goddess-alicorn, with two friends you didn't even know were here, and now you're about to undergo a "trial"? Everyone shook their heads. "We're ready." You said. You lied, but this had to be done. Everything got extremely blurry. So blurry, that everything was turning gray. It settled when everything was completely gray. You then heard Celestia's voice, as if it was in your own ear. "Complete this mission as you were assigned to..." _________________________________________________________________________________ The blurriness started to fade. When it did, you sigh. "Shit. Guys, I remember this place." You said. You looked around. You were in the backroom of the strip club/rave bar in Hong Kong. You reach onto your side, and feel the familiar grip of your Glock in it's holster. You look at everyone else. Alan had a pump-action shotgun with a pistol grip and foregrip, Aaden had an MP9, and Max had a TDI Vector. "Yeah, we fucked this one up good..." Max added. "Alright, anyone remember the mission specs?" Aaden asked, loading his MP9. "Secure the shipment of gold bars they have in the parking garage below. Go undetected." Alan answered. "And what did we do wrong last time?" Aaden asked. "We killed a FUCK-TON of people." Max said. You heard the music start up in the main part of the bar/club, the deep bass making your weapons vibrate in your hands. "Weapons low, gentleman." Aaden said. You all put your weapons into your blazer pockets or holsters, hidden from view, and prepared yourself. You were all wearing suits with bright orange ties. He stepped forward, and opened the door leading out into the enormous room before you. The room was dark, but enormous. There were several "islands" with stripper poles that topless women used, and there were several cages suspended from the roof that more topless women danced in. You personally found it disgusting. You all walked through the crowd, sliding through open spaces in the dancing swarm. "THIS IS PRETTY EASY. WHY DID WE MESS THIS UP SO BAD LAST TIME?" Alan asked. "THAT'S WHY!" Max yelled back over the music, pointing. A woman was being dragged into a bathroom against her will by several men, each wearing black suits and red ties. Now you remember. These were thugs. A gang that specialized in human trafficking, as well as money laundering. This was the kind of shit that The Pathfinders HATED. Last time, you all went into the bathroom, and killed them using guns. The noise alerted ALL of the other thugs. "WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Alan called. "BUT CELESTIA SAID TO COMPLETE THE MISSION AS ASSIGNED!" Aaden responded. "WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT KILLING THEM!" You yelled. "FINE, BUT WE DO THIS QUICKLY!" Max finished. You all hurried over to the bathroom. The woman was lying on the floor, surrounded by four thugs, who all had their backs to you. Aaden walked quickly behind one, and threw his arms around him, choking him violently. Max walked over to another, and kicked him in the back of the knee, which sent him to his knees. Max then also began choking him. You pulled out your Glock, and with a fierce swing, slammed it against another thugs head. The clink of the metal against his skull was very satisfying. Alan simply kicked the last one in his back, sending him head first into the wall in front of him, knocking him out. This all happened within a few seconds. You all dragged the unconscious thugs into the stall, stacking them against the toilet and stall walls. As Aaden and Alan attempted to make sure they would have trouble getting out of the stall, and Max kept watch for more thugs, you walked over to the woman. "Are you okay, ma'am?" You asked, reaching a hand to the woman. She looked up at you fearfully, but responded to you, in a very thick British accent. "Yo-You speak English?" She asked. "Yes ma'am. You're going to be okay." You replied. She sighed, and took your hand, standing up. "Are you with the government?" She asked again. "You could say that." "We're running out of time!" Max called back, peeking his head outside of the bathroom. "Those damn trucks will be leaving in any second!" "Sir, please, they have my friends! There are others! You must help us!" The woman began to shout. "But what about the trucks? The money?" Max asked. "Humans need our help. It is deviating from what Celestia told us to do, but this is the right thing to do." Aaden responded. "Right." Max said, examining his weapon, thinking. "Well. Let's get moving." Just as you were about to head out, you all stopped instinctively. "This is the end of your first half of the test..." Celestia's voice boomed. "Now for the second part..." You all looked around at each other. That was it? Perhaps you had proved your morality as group. That was still quick. Your vision got blurry again. "Your memories are being temporarily wiped...you will forget that this is a simulation...I will also add memories and figments as I see fit...prepare yourselves..." _________________________________________________________________________________ You were in the parking garage outside of the club now. You could still hear the bass from the music. All four of you were crouched behind a road block, your weapons in hand. You also remembered this part. "Shit, Aaden?" Alan asked. "Yeah?" You responded calmly. "They're coming." "I know." "Escort the hostages to safety..." You heard a feminine voice boom. You decide to follow it's instruction. You look around the parking garage. You had rescued the hostages, and now everyone was reunited. For now. "Adam, take the hostages up to the roof of the parking garage." You said, pointing at Adam. Adam shook his head. "Good idea. We gotta go, ladies. Say your goodbyes." He said. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch all stood before you. "Darling. Will we see you again?" Rarity asked. "Of course." You replied. You knew what was going to happen, but you lied anyways. Alan, Bon Bon and Lyra were saying their goodbyes. Max was holding Fluttershy. Adam and Trixie were embracing each other. Carter and Pinkie Pie were hugging each other tightly. Isaac, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were sharing a group hug. This was it. "Alright, move it!" You called. The ponies broke off from their friends and coltfriends, and were looking at Adam for direction. "Follow me." He said, pulling out his Glock. "Stay close." As Adam vanished into the upper levels of the parking garage, you continued to give orders. "Alan, rig the car ports with explosives, I want you to detonate them as soon as the trucks arrive." You said. "Yes sir!" Alan called back, dashing off into the lower levels of the parking garage. "Max, I need you and Carter to prepare an ambush downstairs with Alan. Once they eventually break through, try to hold them back for us. If not, fall back, but do it slowly." "Understood." They said in unison. They both trailed after Alan. "Isaac, you take a rifle, go upstairs with your brother. I need you to operate as a counter sniper. Just in case these bastards have anyone on the rooftops. Move it." You ordered. Isaac nodded his head. You sprinted down to the lower levels where Alan, Carter and Max waited. Alan was hiding up in the rafters, essentially lying in wait inside of the roof, plunger in hand, knife in the other. Carter was behind a large SUV, and Max was behind a sports car. "Here they come!" Alan shouted. Two large black vans were roaring down the street. "C'mon...c'mon you sons of bitches..." Alan was muttering. The vans blasted into the parking garage, and the moment they did, a loud beep, followed by an explosion sent the car port the vans used on top of the car. The doorway had collapsed on top of them, crushing the occupants. "Shit!" Alan called. "They've got a bunch on foot!" Sure enough, men in black suits with red ties began hopping through the windows. Alan leapt down from the rafters, landing directly on top of one of the men. He drove his knife deep into his skull, before tearing it out, and slashing at a different man. Max and Carter were now firing their weapons. Too many were coming in. "THE OTHER CAR PORT!" Alan shouted. "SHIT, MORE CARS! MOVE!" As you were running up the garage ramp to retreat to the second level, you saw Alan jerk forward, and blood splatter all over the wall in front of him. He cried out in pain, and fell. You ran over to him, and helped him stand. His left knee was completely useless now. You drape his right arm over your shoulder, and limp ahead. "Get Alan upstairs! I'll hold them back!" Carter yelled. "How?" You yelled back. Carter smiled, and held up several grenades. Carter was dressed differently from everyone else. So was Isaac. Carter wore black and dark blue camouflaged pants, a very tight nylon-mesh navy blue shirt, which was short sleeved, and he was wearing a navy blue beret with a gold pin on it. You remember Isaac was wearing orange and black IMO armor, and an orange neckerchief. Isaac was unnaturally photogenic wearing this outfit, but you would question his choice of apparel later. "I'll be okay! Just go!" He finished. You looked at Alan, who looked at you. You both nodded your heads, and hurried your limp. You both quickly realized that you were moving way too slow to get Alan to safety. "Leave me." He said. "Just make sure Lyra and Bon Bon are safe." "You can do that yourself." You replied. "Now hold on tight." You bent down, and picked him, throwing him over your shoulder. "Also, you're now my arms. Kill anything that tries to kill us." You broke into a sprint. If the ramps weren't at the angles they were, you would have fell flat on your face. You heard several loud booms come from the lower levels of the parking garage. Carter was really raising hell. As you were running up the ramps, you realized how hauntingly beautiful this setting was. The parking garage was filled with the yellow-orange illumination of the lights placed throughout it, and the night was pretty, too. It was raining outside. Not a downpour, but not a sprinkle. There was no lightening or thunder, and the full moon was visible. You snapped back into reality, and finally made it to the roof. The ponies were all huddled at the corner of the roof, a purple barrier over them. Adam was busy talking to them, keeping them calm. Then he turned around. "Shit, is that Alan?" He asked. "Yeah, it's me." Alan said, still dangling over your shoulder. You placed him down against the barrier. "He's hit through the knee, he's unable to walk on his own. Isaac!" You called. "Sir?" He responded calmly, not peering away from the scope of the rifle. "I need you to help me prepare for them. Adam's keeping our friends calm, Alan is hurt, and Carter's downstairs." You said. Isaac flipped the cap over his scope, and walked over to you. "I can help." Alan said, struggling to stand up. You walk over to him, and pick him up again. You walk him through the purple barrier with the ponies, and set him down against the wall. "Lyra, keep him from moving around too much. Bon Bon, keep Lyra calm." You said. Lyra immediately pounced on top of Alan, tears in her eyes. You leave the barrier, albeit reluctantly. As you were going to leave the barrier, everything got very blurry, soon turning gray. _________________________________________________________________________________ Everything comes back into focus now, clear as day. Your still standing in a circle, holding hands with all of your friends. You all let go of each other. Alan rubs his head. "Was that Isaac and Carter?" He asked. "Because I've never met Isaac before. I thought he was dead before I even enlisted." "I used Adam's memories of his brother and Max's memories of Carter to offer you some help in your simulation, in case you needed it." "That was...intense." Max said. "What a way to be reunited with your buddies, huh?" "How did we do, your majesty?" You asked. "I am glad you asked, Aaden." Celestia said. "While I wish that things weren't so violent, you all performed very well. You've proven that you can still follow orders and do the right thing at the same time, or, need be, abandon orders for morality. That's admirable. You've also proven that you as a group are capable of quick and clever thinking, which makes me a bit unsettled, but I suppose it proves your bonds to one another. Lastly, you've shown that you all care about each other, especially my ponies. So..." She trailed off, smiling. "You are all official citizens of Equestria, and you are permitted to stay together." She finished. You all four shared a group hug. A brief one, but still a hug. "Pretty awesome stuff. Man, there's this restaurant Aaden showed me back at home called Poachies, you gotta try it!" Alan said to Max. "They got meat?" he asked. "Nah, but they do have thi-" "Ahem." Celestia interjected. "Sorry." Alan apologized. "It's quite alright. I find your excitement to live in my kingdom very flattering, but there is still business to attend to. Alan, I have something for you. Luna! Please bring in the robes!" She called. Luna flew through the doorway, black robes in her mouth. She put them in Alan's arms. "Go ahead Alan. Try them on." Alan slid the first black robe over his shirt, letting the coat-tails flutter freely. He pulled up his hood, which had a metal face guard with cloth attached to it. He now looked like some kind of dark assassin, and it soon became apparent that the robes were magic. His eyes were replaced with two very small pinpricks of white light, and his entire face was hidden either by the silver face guard or darkness. You could also see his breath, despite the fact that it was warm in the room. "Long have we needed an expert infiltrator for Equestria. While we may be a peaceful kingdom, there are those that would see us undone. You will serve as a Royal Infiltrator when you are called upon." "Sssounds good to me." Alan said under the mask. his voice now sounded distorted and deeper. He slid the hood off, and slid the face guard off. "I'm just happy to be here." He said, his voice now normal. "Adam? You have proven that you are good at communication, that you are capable of keeping ponies, and humans, calm. I'm assuming you'll be going to Ponyville with your friends, so, you may serve as the Ambassador of Canterlot to Ponyville. You'll work with Mayor Mare." "I can do that." He said. "Last but certainly not least, we have Max. Max, if I'm not mistaken, you are very talented with that bow Shining Armor gave you. You may serve as a Royal Guardsman in Ponyville, and instruct the other guards on proper marksmanship." "Easy." He replied. Celestia seemed pleased that everyone was seemingly happy with their positions. "Excellent. Lastly, we need to work out places for you all to live." Celestia said. "I'm all taken care of." You said. "Yeah, me too." Alan added. You looked at Max and Adam, who both didn't really have anywhere. "E-Excuse me, Celestia, but Max can stay with me, if that'd be okay, and if he wants to..." Fluttershy chimed in nervously. Max smiled. "I'd love to." He chuckled. "Then that just leaves you, Adam." Trixie stepped forward. "Trixie is going with Adam, also. She would have allowed him to stay with her in her cart, but her cart is no more." She said. Celestia smiled. A pen and paper poofed up in front of her, which she then used magic on to scribble something down. The note then floated over to Adam, which he grabbed out of the air. "Take that note to Willie's Wagon Wheels. Pick whatever cart you want. I'll pay for it." Celestia said. Trixie's eyes lit up. "Thank you princess, thank you!" She cried out. "It is my pleasure. Now, there is one more I have yet to address. Spyra. Show yourself." Celestia said. In the center of the room, a silver dragon with deep blue eyes seemingly melted into existence. He stood slightly shorter than Alan. "This dragon will be coming with you. His name is Spyra, and he is also a Royal Infiltrator. Originally, he was only going to assist Alan, but, seeing as I will need a line of communication to you all, he will serve that purpose. He will stay with Twilight Sparkle." "Nice to finally talk to you guys. Heard a lot about ya." He said. You all look at one another, surprised. After a moment of awkward silence, you spoke up. "Hey there, Spyra. We'll be happy to have you. The more friends, the merrier." You said. WHAT. A. DAY. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Is this one it?" You asked. Isaac shook his head. "Nah, that's not the one. Keep digging through it all, you'll find it." He responded, scratching his eyebrow. You slid the folder back into the cabinet, and flipped rapidly through the other files, eventually locating another file labeled AH. Adam Howard. You handed the manila folder to Isaac, hoping that he would find what he was looking for. "What about this one?" You asked. Isaac opened up the file, and turned over a few loose pieces of paper. A small grin crawled across his face, revealing his white teeth. Why he became a mercenary and not a model was beyond you. "Yeah. Yeah, this is it. Aaaand..." He trailed off. "Lets see here..." He slid one sheet of paper out, and examined the print on it. "Yep, looks like I'm going for a trip. You in?" "Depends. Where to?" "Washington DC." "Shit, why not? That's like an hour flight." _________________________________________________________________________________ You returned home to Lyra and Bon Bon as night had settled in. The train ride was certainly interesting, with all of the catching up and the new dragon-thing. You wonder if he'll get along well with Spike. You hope so. Spyra didn't seem too rude or brash. A little arrogant here and there, but Hell, aren't we all? Besides, his age is the equivalent of a 20-year old Colt, so, he won't be too awful to be around. The fact that he could turn invisible at will still made you feel a little iffy, but you shake it off. It was nice seeing Adam and Max again, and it was made even better by the fact that they would all be living nearby. Adam seemed to be really involved with that pony in the goofy hat and cape that liked to talk in third-person. What was her name? Trixie? He helped her pick a cart, and load it on to a storage car on the train, and also helped her unload it when they got to Ponyville. He even pulled the cart to the outskirts of Ponyville, while she went on inside of it and went to bed. Adam must have really found a mare he likes. Good for him. Max on the other hand had literally just arrived in Equestria, and while he was able to fake smiling and understanding with Celestia, all of us, including Celestia, knew better than that. He was still on complete edge, constantly looking behind him, or jerking randomly, as if trying to wake himself up. It's sad to watch your friend resort to such methods seeking comfort. Fluttershy seemed to like him, and he seemed to calm down substantially when Fluttershy talked to him, so you were confident that he would be okay with her. Aaden, Adam and yourself all made a pact to keep a close eye on him, anyways. Just in case. Sentient creatures can be unpredictable. Your mind was swimming with all of this new information, all of the new faces and names. In all your time in the Bad Lands and Dead Marshes serving Queen Chrysalis, not once did she ever really talk about how big Equestria was. She made it seem as if all that existed was The Hive and "The Oppressors". There was so much more than that. So much more than just Changelings and Ponies, not to mention all of the different types of ponies, or the other creatures that walked freely through the streets. If ever you were experiencing culture shock, it was now. You let the cool night air serve as your Inhaler. You slowed your breath slightly, and, with each inhale, you calmed your mind. Burning questions soon became simple inquiries, which then died down to nothing more than playful curiosity. All of your worries and concerns left your body through your exhalations. Canterlot was a beautiful city, but something about Ponyville was more desirable to you. When you're walking through Canterlot, you see plenty of rich-folk walking about, touting their money and acting with might. Not to mention the fact that a GODDESS lives there. It just makes one without status feel really out of place. But not Ponyville. Ponyville was a place that, no matter the financial status, and no matter the caste in life you've chosen, you fit in. You aren't vital to the everyday life, but wanted, which, in your mind, was better. When you're NEEDED, you have to be responsible every moment on duty, you have to strict, you have the stress of knowing that people/ponies depend on you, and worst of all, they can piss all over you, because being needed usually is a mutual thing, so you're trapped. When you're WANTED, however, you are treated with respect, you have room to be lax, and, while you must still be responsible, you are given room to kick back every once in awhile. Whether your bucking apples, baking cakes, teaching the fillies, or selling candy, you are respected. You aren't just "The candy salespony". You're Bon Bon, the kind mare that enjoys making fillies happy. Perhaps it was the presence of identity that you really enjoyed. You were now approaching home, having been lost in thought on your walk. You had left Lyra while she was asleep, and chances are, you would return to her sleeping, as well. You jiggle the door handle. Locked. You lift up the welcome mat, and use the spare key to unlock the door. You put the key back under it, and walk inside, re-locking the door behind you. You remove your shoes and socks, placing them neatly by the door, and you go upstairs. Lyra was in bed, fast asleep, just as you had predicted she would be. You removed your shirt and pants, and climbed into bed next to her. You were sure to hide your new Infiltrator robes, the ones that changed your voice, under the bed, behind a box. A really odd thumping noise starts up in your head, but you don't let it deter you. As you close your eyes, you hope you hid the robes well. The last thing you wanted to wake up to was Darth Lyra. _________________________________________________________________________________ You settled the cart adjacent to a building that was odd, to say the least. It was coated in what looked like chocolate, and was decorated with various candies and deserts. On the top of it, was a giant cupcake, with several lit candles protruding out of it. You were going to take a shot in the dark here, and guess that they made desserts there. You lock the wheels to the cart, ensuring that it won't roll off in the middle of the night, and then you extinguish the lanterns that hung on the cart. Two on the front, and two on the back. You pull apart the cloth curtains, and climb inside, closing the curtains behind you, and tying them. You didn't want any curios ponies to decide to poke their head in and watch you sleep. At the back of the cart, Trixie was curled up half-under and half-on a pile of blankets and pillows. You lay down next to her, finding plenty of blanket to cover yourself, and several free pillows to use. Of course, Trixie's sleeping body found it's way over to yours. It always did. But you aren't complaining. Trixie rested her head on your chest. "mmm..." She hummed while sleeping. Poor mare had to deal with all of this, too. She must be exhausted as you. You bury your head in her mane, and breathe in the scents of the shampoo she had used this morning. As you go to let sleep remove you from this world, you hear what sounds like a heart beating, but quicker. You fall asleep, however. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Your house is kinda far out, isn't it?" You asked. Fluttershy smiled. "It's close to the forest. I like to be close to the animals. Not everything inside of Everfree wants to tear your arms off." She said. You laugh a little. "Did Fluttershy just make a joke?" You ask sarcastically, chuckling a little. You remember Fluttershy telling you about the Manticore that nearly killed Aaden. "She did. If that's okay." Fluttershy said. "It's fine, Shy." You respond. You hope she doesn't mind if you call her 'Shy'. "Will we be giving Angel his medicine tonight?" "Oh no, it's far too late for that. Angel is already asleep. I'll give it to him in the morning." She explained. "Makes sense." You said. You saw a house, one situated slightly up on a hill. It was quite scenic. A small earth bridge over a large stream to you up to this cottage. "Oh wow. Is this it?" You ask. "This is it. Home sweet home." She said while unlocking the door. You walk in, and are greeted with sights just as beautiful as the outside of the cottage. "Fluttershy, I'm really impressed. Your house is absolutely beautiful!" You exclaim. "Oh, it's nothing." She said quietly. "I just clean up really well. Anyways. You can sleep on the sofa, if you'd like. I'll bring you some pillows and blankets." "Fluttershy. Don't bring me all of them. You need some, too." "B-but what if you get cold, or if you aren't comfy enough?" "Fluttershy. Two pillows, and one blanket will do the job very well." "W-well. Okay." Fluttershy disappeared upstairs. You sat on the sofa you were going to be sleeping on, and got yourself comfy. You had a lot to meditate on. In fact, if it wasn't for Fluttershy, you were sure that you'd be a little more upset than you are right now. A LOT more upset. Fluttershy soon came down the staircase, and gave you your pillows and blankets. "If you need anything, please tell me. G-Good night, Max. Sleep tight." She wished you a goodnight, and went back upstairs. You stacked your pillows up, and completely covered yourself from head to toe in blankets. Maybe, if you were lucky, you would dream about these things, and not have to think about them. You've done enough thinking for one day. You pressed your face against the pillow, and closed your eyes. To your relief, your mind didn't go crazy, but a really weird thumping noise started to beat in your mind. You couldn't stay awake any longer, so you shook it off, and slipped under the veil of slumber. _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, Aaden." Spyra started. "Tell me. How are you liking it here in Equestria?" He finished. Spyra was a kind dragon. He was only the second you had ever met, and to be honest, he didn't exactly look like a 20-year old to you. He talked and behaved with the mannerisms of an intelligent and polite older man. Perhaps he's had something happen to him that scarred him. "I already know the answer." He said, smiling deviously. "Huh?" You asked. "How?" "Oh, c'mon Aaden. Royal Infiltrator here? Think about it. Weird, alien creatures appear in our kingdom, who's gonna get sent out? Me." Spyra laughed. "And I don't mean this in an offensive or targeting way, I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't tell you. I've been watching you since you first left the hospital. Now, I've never followed you inside anywhere, but from the hospital, to your fight with Alan, I've been watching. Then I switched to Alan, deeming you friendly enough." "Clever. And it also makes a great deal of sense." "I'm happy to hear that you understand. Not everypony would take so lightly to the idea of being eavesdropped on and watched." "Spyra, I've gotten used to it by now." You chuckled. You were both leaving the junction just now, having stayed back and chatted up the attendant. You wanted to get to know this dragon better, especially if he was going to be following you around. But, as fate would have it, he already knows you. Perhaps that's all that matters. You both left the junction together. You were walking with him to Twilight's house. It was on the way to Vinyl and Octavia's house, so it wasn't really a problem. "Do you know Twilight very well?" You asked. "I do. I was an assistant to Princess Cadence, much as Spike is to her, although I was older than Spike when I went to assist Cadence. Even had a different name back then. I would tag along on most foal-sitting trips, I became pretty good friends with Twilight. Amazing how times change." Spyra said, staring off into the distance. You were both approaching the library. Spyra stepped forward, and knocked on the door. "Just a minute!" You heard Twilight call from inside. After a few moments of rustling and exchanging glances, the door opened. "Spyra!" Twilight cried out. She hopped up and hugged him. "It's been a long time! Celestia told me you would be coming! Come in, come in! Aaden, would you like to come in, too?" "No thank you, Twilight. I've had a pretty long day, I think I'm going to go home, go to bed." You replied, holding your hand up to your mouth and yawning. "Oh. Well, alrighty Aaden! Sleep tight!" She said. The door closed, Spyra having gone inside. You walked down the walkway from the library back out to the marketplace, and began to head home. It was late, and you really were tired. You knew exactly what was going to happen the moment you got home, however. You couldn't help but feel that Rarity would let you come home and get straight to sleep. You missed Rarity. To make matters worse, you remembered more things. Bad things. More operations with the IMO, and certain OTHER things you didn't want to think about right now. The period of time between the death of your father and joining the IMO was the darkest time of your life. That much you will allow yourself to acknowledge. You were approaching the house, so you cleared your mind, and prepared yourself to inevitably be tackled by Vinyl. With a sigh, you pull out your key, and unlock the door, and grit your teeth. Nothing. You open your eyes and relax your jaw to find that living room was void of ponies. You take a seat on the sofa near a large window that overlooked the marketplace, and let yourself relax happily. It was always nice to be pleasantly surprised by something. You were in the mood for some music. Something soothing and quiet to cool your nerves, and ease your thinking. You slid your smartphone out of your pocket, and pulled up the music application. With a few elegant strokes and taps of the finger, you find a song. "The Winner Is...". It was an instrumental redux of "How It Ends" by Devotchka. As the accordion starts up, setting the tone of the song, you rest your head against the back of the sofa, letting yourself take a deep breath. A lot had happened today. A lot. You closed your eyes, and let the song run it's course. You imagined a peaceful setting to the song. You imagined walking through a meadow, covered with nothing but sunflowers. Not the super tall ones that obscured your vision of the meadow, but ones that stopped at your waist. As you walked through this meadow, you saw a large tree in the distance. An elegant weeping willow that overlooked a beautiful, cyan lake with a very small dock. A single old wooden boat bobbed as the wind blew the lake gently. You walked through the sunflowers, and over to the tree, which you then sat beneath. You closed your eyes, and let your head rest against it's mighty trunk. The relaxing sound of the water gently lapping at the earth, combined with the sound of the sunflowers and long tendrils of leaves belonging to the weeping willow blowing in the wind, relaxed you exponentially. "Aaden?" You heard Octavia say. You opened your eyes, cutting your imagination off, and lifted your head from the couch. You picked up your phone, unlocked it, and paused the song. You turned around on the couch. Octavia was coming the down staircase, but had stopped on the 4th and 5th stair down. She had been watching you. "Are you alright?" "We found two more of my friends today, in Canterlot. One popped up in the Crystal Empire, the other in a desert somewhere near Saddle Arabia." You responded. Octavia hurried down the steps. "Two more? How? Why?" She asked. "I'm not sure. Celestia herself said she didn't have any answers for us right now. I'm going to have Spyra send her a letter tomorrow, see if she can't begin researching these things soon." You answered. Octavia sat down next to you. "Spear-uh?" She questioned. "Yep. We were also assigned a dragon assistant." You answered again. "My goodness, dear. You've had a very busy day. No doubt this touching on some ghosts of the past. Are you sure you're okay?" "I can't not be okay, if that makes sense. You said it yourself. I'm trapped here. To not be okay, is to give up hope. And when I have no answers or any knowledge, it's very tempting to do so, but I can't. I have to keep moving." "I see..." Octavia trailed off, looking away from you. Then she looked back to you, smiling, but still concerned. "What was that song you were listening to?" "Oh, that was 'The Winner Is'. It's essentially an instrumental version of one of my favorite songs. They featured it in a movie back home, 'Little Miss Sunshine', I believe. Very touching song. I didn't much care for the movie." Octavia laughed, which made you smile a bit. "There's a smile. Well, Vinyl is away for the evening. She's meeting with somepony interested in hiring her for some kind of event. She's staying in a hotel." "That's fine. Good luck to her." You said. You didn't mean to sound angry, but perhaps you did. Tonight just really wasn't your night. "Aaden, dear, you seem tense. I simply refuse to let you sleep alone tonight. Come to my bed. You need rest, and someone to talk to." Octavia pleaded. You looked at her, examined her closely. She didn't have lust in her eyes. you relax a bit, and nod your head. You wouldn't mind being intimate with Octavia. It wasn't having sex, but making love. She acted like she cared, and God knows you needed somebody out there that cared. Someone like Rarity. You both walked up to Octavia's room, and laid down together, where you spilled your heart out to her. Told her everything that bothered you. She listened all the way through, tearing up at some parts, giggling at others, blushing at some. It felt nice to talk to someone who would listen. Octavia leaned in, and kissed you gently. You kissed back. You both pulled away slowly, sleep filling your eyes and minds. "Goodnight, Aaden." "Goodnight, Octavia." As you closed your eyes, you tried to imagine the sunflowers again. But you couldn't. An odd, consistent thumping noise filled your mind. You were too exhausted to fight it. You fell into the loving but cold arms of sleep. _________________________________________________________________________________ "ISAAC, GO HELP CHRYSALIS!" Aaden shouted at you. The entire building was coming down in flames, and in the back of it, steam shot and whistled through the pipes as the pump-machine thumped. Even when it was being destroyed, it still beat on rhythm. You looked at Aaden. He was in his Honor Guard armor, directing ponies, to safety. He also had his newfound angel wing protruding from his back, making him look all the more holy and guardian-like. Alan was in his Infiltrator Robes, grabbing ponies where he could and running them to safety. Adam was wearing a very light-weight silver armor, which led up to a single bandana-like cloth that covered his nose and mouth. He was holding his hand out, which was twitching and sparking with purple and violet energy. He was moving burning rubble out of the way of fleeing ponies. "MAX, GET A FLARE UP!" Aaden shouted. "SIR!" He responded. He knelt, and fired an arrow from that damn bow of his, which exploded in a show of red and white flares. He was dressed in a green cloak and golden-decorated green leggings. Carter was helping Alan, and he was the only one dressed like you, and by that you meant he wasn't dressed like a medieval warrior of some kind. He wore his navy blue outfit with his navy blue beret. Then there was you. You were wearing the standard IMO uniform, but with a bright orange neckerchief. The guys LOVED to make fun of you for it. Applejack ran by you, and stopped. "SUGARCUBE, YA GOT TO HELP CHRYSALIS! WE GOT IT ALL TAKEN CARE OF OUT HERE!" She shouted over all of the commotion. You snapped into reality, and ran back into the building. It was now completely ablaze, your vision almost completely shaded by smoke and flames. "CHRYSSIE?!" You called. "CHRYSSIE, I'M HERE! WHERE ARE YOU!" You called even louder. You heard a loud, wheezing cough, and you went towards it, holding your hand in front of your face to block the heat. You see her laying inside of a pile of rubble, and rush over to her. You kneel down, and shake her. She looks up at you. "W...wuh?..." She stammers. "Isaac?..." She asks. "It's me, we have to go, we're out of time!" You said. Her forehoof shot out, and grabbed your arm. She then grew a bone-chilling smile. It didn't look malicious, but it made your skin crawl. She started to pull you closer. "What the Hell are you doing?! We're going to die in here!" You shouted. "I told them you were different, that you had changed!" You shouted even louder. Chrysalis smiled even wider, and her eyes began to glow green. "What?!" Her gnarled horn also grew the same color. She pointed it at you. "NO!" But it was too late. Everything went neon green. _________________________________________________________________________________ "AH!" You shouted, jumping in your seat. "What the Hell is wrong with you, dude?" Carter asked. You look around. You were on the airplane to Washington DC. You must have fallen asleep. "Unbelievable. We're only supposed to be on a plane for an hour, and you fall asleep 10 minutes into it. And then have nightmares. Awesome." "How long was I out?" You ask. "Literally about 10 minutes. Why?" He responds. "No reason. Just had a very weird dream, is all.
Chapter Forty-One: The Binding of IsaacA soft, very gentle feminine voice came over the PA system inside of the plane. "Now arriving at Dulles International Airport. Please remain seated." You looked over at Carter, who was fumbling around with his seatbelt. You knew a flight attendant would say something to him. "Dulles is about 26 miles west of Downtown DC, so, accounting for traffic, I'd say we're about 45 minutes away from Aerox and Terminus headquarters." He said, fumbling with his seatbelt. "And if I'm not mistaken, there are some new players in the game out here." "Oh yeah, I've heard about them. Isn't their little organization called 'Holiday'?" You ask. "A very disturbing name for their true line of work, don't you think?" Carter's seatbelt finally clinked off. "Hell yes. I couldn't breathe. That thing is way too tight." "Hey, safety first." "Fuck safety." "Never thought I'd ever hear an incumbent Chairman say that." "I'm quite the usurper." You both disembark your flight, and leave Dulles International Airport. You stopped a Taxi, and the both of you climbed inside. "Drop us off at the Mall." Carter said. The Taxi Driver flicked his meter on. "Any particular monument you guys want to be dropped off near?" The driver asked. "We've no preference." "Gotcha." The Cab Driver replied while removing his parking brake. The taxi itself reeked of the infamous new car smell, but in this case, it was very overwhelming. It almost made your head spin. Carter was reminiscing with you about being younger and coming to Washington DC, how the city seemed infinite to you. "Man. I remember going to the Washington Monument for the first time, and looking in every direction. Buildings everywhere. Of course, I was a bit of a nationalist in my younger years, so, I also believed I was at the heart of the world. It's amazing, how much your eyes open with a little experience, huh?" Carter said, crossing his leg over his knee. You roll down your window a little, letting the fresh air inside of the Taxi. The new car smell wasn't as bad now that you were used to it. "I know exactly what you mean." You responded. You both looked off in different directions, both of you obviously in thought regarding the true powers and natures the world hides. You snap out of it before he does. "But, hey. We're here on a pretty happy note, so lets not let this get us down." The taxi smoothly grinds to a halt in a parking lot near the Potomac. The Jefferson Memorial was literally just across the river. You fish 40 dollars out of your pocket. Your charge was 22.25 dollars. You decide to be generous, and just let him keep the massive tip. As the taxi pulls off, Carter begins adjusting his tie, and looks at you. "You ready?" He asks. "I am." "Good. Let's get rollin'." First stop was Aerox. The walk was long, but the weather was nice, so you couldn't complain. There were kids playing soccer around the lawn by the Washington Monument. There was a group of Asian Tourists laughing and speaking their native tongues on the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. An old man of feeble stature left roses at the base of the Vietnam War Memorial, and placed his hand on the marble, closing his eyes. Police Officers stopped a man who was carrying two heavy bags of trash from the front door of some restaurant to a dumpster, and helped him lift them. They even struck up small talk afterwards. It warmed your heart a bit to see all of this. You arrive at the Aerox building, and climb the staircase. You both go through one of the many revolving doors to the enormous building, and as you enter the lobby, and older man immediately greeted you. He couldn't have been older than 40, but his hair had a touch of gray in it, and his eyes shimmered with experience of an older person. "Chairman! It's good to see you!" He said in a thick Scottish accent, immediately outstretching his hand and shaking Carters. "Let me just go ahead and say, after you took the position and ended the little feud between our two 'companies', I was very relieved! It's good that we can unite!" "No sense in killing each other if we're going to keep getting hired on the same jobs." Carter responded without emotion. The man narrowed his eyes at him, but smiled. "Well, you're brutally honest. I like that. I see a bright future between us. I'm the CEO of Aerox, David Abernathy." He said, holding his hand out. "Welcome, to Aerox Incorporated! I would explain our history to you, but I'm sure you know enough about it. Hell, just a month ago, I'm sure your boys were sitting in rooms studying every detail about us. Gotta know your enemy, right?" He laughed. "What of Terminus?" Carter asked again, still not showing emotion. "Patrick Fisher, their respective CEO, is on his way. Never thought I'd see the day that we'd all be at peace. It's quite nice, actually. Seems just like yesterday I was lying in some trench in rural Montana, trading shots with some young lad from the mighty IMO." "That's because it was." Carter said, finally smiling a little. David laughed, and put a hand on Carter's shoulder. "I enjoy this one already. Tell me, are you boys hungry? I believe there is a McDonalds over in the Aerospace Museum, I can send my assistant out. Lord knows I could use a cola and a burger. Oh!" The CEO sighed loudly, gently bopping himself on the head. "How rude of me!" He outstretched his hand to you. "My name is David Abernathy, I'm the CEO of Aerox. Welcome, welcome! May I ask your name?" He shook your hand excitedly, waiting for an answer. "His name is Isaac. He's a member of my personal retinue." Carter answered for you. David released your hand, and stepped back, smiling. "Tell me, Isaac. Are you a religious man?" He asked. "Not quite." You responded. David opened his hands, and gestured. His thick Irish accent made his presence somewhat entertaining. "The Son spoke up to his father. 'Father?' 'Yes, my Son?' 'The fire and wood are here,' The Son said. 'But where is the lamb for the offering?' After a moment of uneasy silence, the Father answered. 'God will provide our sacrifice.' That's Genesis 22:7. Are you familiar with it?" He asked. "I'm afraid not." You responded. "The Binding of Isaac, is what it's called." Carter answered. _________________________________________________________________________________ You always had an odd way of sleeping. You would first lie down, and cover yourself in blanket from head to toe. Then, you would lift your feet up, and trap the blanket that fell beneath them by setting your feet back down. Then, you would pull the blanket up over your head, and trap it with your head. You essentially made a little cocoon out of blankets. Also, should you hear a bump in the night, or get hot and need to let cool air in, you would never remove the blankets. You'd merely lift up an edge, and form a small cave-like opening. Sleeping like this comforted you. When you were all bundled up inside of your pod of warmth and protection, you felt as if you were at home once again. That you would peel back your blankets, and be in your room. You always slept with your TV on in your room, and you would often fall asleep watching Adult Swim, so you normally would be forcefully brought from your slumber by a loud theme song to some annoying kids show. You kind of missed those theme songs. You were currently in a state of being half asleep and half awake. You had to get up and piss, but the blankets were holding you hostage. You collect will power, and push yourself up off of your blankets, and out of your cocoon, emerging not as a butterfly, but a very sleepy human being. Trixie was sitting near you, hovering a mirror and brushing her hair using magic. "Good morning, Adam." She said sleepily. She must have saw the blankets give birth to you in her mirror. "Morning." You responded. You sat up, and kicked the remaining blankets off of you, and sat against the wall of the wagon, letting your head rest on the wall. You watched Trixie brush her unkempt hair, her eyes half open from having woken up recently. "Any plans for the day?" You ask. Trixie stops brushing her hair for a brief moment, and looks at you through the mirror, then resumes brushing. "Well, Trixie would like to reconcile with the ponies of this town today." She began to explain, still brushing her hair. "Trixie doesn't exactly have what you would call a great track record here. She's made some mistakes, and it's time for her to face them, fix them." You lift yourself up slightly. "Trixie, I think it's great what you're doing and all, but wouldn't you like to just take it slow today? I mean, after all of the excitement yesterday, I kinda wanna just..." You looked around the wagon. "Lay here. Maybe explore the town." "If Trixie were to accompany you, others ponies would see her. Ridicule her. She may as well fix things as soon as possible." "Well, what about that Pony we can study with. Twilight Sparkle? Was that her name? What if we start with her, maybe get her to spread the word?" "That still requires Trixie going out in public." "Well, look, what if I go out for you? I'd hate to keep you cramped up in this wagon, I mean, you're free to leave anytime you want. But, if you'd like me to, I'll go to talk to Twilight Sparkle myself." Trixie stopped brushing her hair again, and turned around to face you. "Really? You'd do that for me?" "Of course." Trixie smiled, and kissed your cheek. "Trixie offers you her gratitude. She'll stay here, and catch up on reading." You untie the curtains to the wagon, sunlight pouring through. With one eye closed tight, you hold a hand up to shield the other from the light. You stumble out of the wagon, and on to your feet. It looked as if you had stumbled into a 7-year old girls dream. Everything was so bright, so colorful. You breathe in deep, smelling whatever was baking in the building next to you, and decide to look for the Library. You had been told that it was inside of a giant oak tree, so, there was that. _________________________________________________________________________________ As your party stood in the lobby, another man stepped inside. One of the Aerox security guards stopped him, and was going to begin searching him, when David noticed, and raised his hand, calling to the guard. "Dinnae worry about that one, lad!" He called. The guard shook his head, and stepped away from the man. The man smirked, and approached us. He was young, and was dressed like you were, minus the neckerchief. He wore a pair of light blue jeans, with a leather belt, a white dress shirt, and a jet black blazer. His dirty blonde hair was short, but neatly groomed and styled, and his eyes were also a very interesting hue of gray. "Gentleman, I give you, Mr. Patrick Fisher, CEO of Terminus Security Solutions." Carter reached a hand out, and the two men shook hands, smiling and exchanging greetings. Patrick Fisher had a deep voice. One that sounded like it belonged to a grizzled American World War 2 Sergeant, who was taking a break, smoking a cigarette and rubbing his 5 o'clock shadow in the rubble of some building in Europe. "You must be Carter. It's nice to finally meet the face behind all of the peace negotiations and movements." He said. Carter laughed. "The feeling is mutual. I'm not by any means a revolutionist. That was Max." Fisher looked at you. "Who's this?" He asked. "Och, that's Isaac. A member of what Carter here calls his 'personal retinue'. A mighty fine young lad, from what I can tell." David spoke for you this time. It would be nice if you could talk. "No shame in that! Good to meet you, Isaac. You in active service?" "I am." "Got a family?" "A wife and children." "A fucked up world we live in, eh?" David laughed at Patrick's cursing, and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's only when you fall in love that you begin to realize how awful this place is, huh?" David asked, his accent nearly hidden this time. "But enough of this depressing banter. We're all gathered here for a reason." He said, his accent returned to him. "Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to follow me." You all followed David to one of the elevators, and you all stepped inside. The elevator had buttons labeled 1 through 59, and B-1 through B-5. David took out a key, and hit a combination of buttons on the panel. The elevator dinged, and then a small slit of metal slipped away beneath the panel, revealing a keyhole. David inserted his key, and turned it, which revealed a new set of buttons above the panel. They were labeled "60", "B-6", "B-7", and "B-8". David pressed the "60" button. "Clever contraption you have here, David." Patrick said. "I quite enjoy it. Floor 60 is my personal office. I think you'll like it. B-6 is an Aerox Command Center, B-7 is our barracks for the greater metropolis, and B-8 is our armories and laboratories. Floors 1-59 are for the people innocent in all of this. I feel bad, knowing they all work for ideas and movements that they have no idea exist. I've never been one to use people. So, I pay them a base salary of $60,000 with plenty of raises, I give them decent hours, I give them all I can, from break rooms where they can nap and enjoy buffets, to 3 days off a week." David explained. "You're a kind man, Abernathy." Carter replied. "As I said, I've never been one to use others. While the IMO has just recently started 'fighting the good fight', so to speak, we've been doing so for awhile. Perhaps that's why the previous IMO Chairman despised us so." David continued. The elevator dinged. "Here we are." David smirked. The doors slid open, and with it, your jaw dropped. The room itself was enormous, and dome shaped. It was about half a football field long, from one end of the dome to the other. The dome itself was made out of what looked like thick glass with thick silver supports running through it. There was a large circle of white marble in the center of the room, surrounded by water as blue as the kind the pacific ocean contains. On that marble island, sat a desk with two marble pillars in front of it, covered in dark green ivy. The pillars seemingly bled a waterfall into the moat. Across the little moat, was a single palm tree in each cardinal direction, save for south, because that's where the elevator was. David exited the elevator, and crossed the small marble bridge over to his desk, promptly taking a seat in his chair and leaning back. Everyone else exited the elevator mystified. "God damn..." Patrick said, looking around the room, his voice slightly echoing. He looked up. The sky was completely visible. Clouds lazily floated by, and the sun's light poured in the room evenly. "It's a pleasant retreat, don't you think? The glass is some kind of odd technology, prevents the sun from baking me up here, while giving me all of it's light. I'll have the eggheads down in the laboratories explain to you later, if you're interested." David said, digging through his file cabinet connected to his desk. "Now, lets get down to business. Carter?" "Yep?" He responded. "I am 100% on board." David said, smiling. He kicked back in his office chair, and propped his feet up on the desk. "We can do a lot of good, laddie. A lot of good. I know Patrick will want in as well, isn't that right, Patty?" David asked, smiling broadly and wagging his eyebrows at Patrick. "You gonna tell him the story?" He responded. "Aye. May as well. Pull up a chair, friend." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was a very cold day in the state of Kentucky. Snow fell in white globs of natures grace, entirely blanketing the grass and forests. Footsteps crunched and words echoed. The eerie silence of winter always made me feel spooked. Not a birds song was to be heard, nor any wildlife wishing to be seen. We had set up camp on the outside of the very large Jefferson Memorial Forest, on the outskirts of the metropolis that was Louisville. The silence was soon broken. "SIR! TERMINUS UNIT, COMING UP! HE LOOKS HURT!" One of my Aerox sentries called. He was wearing the standard combat attire, except it was as white as the snow. It had the signature hexagon cells all over it, outlined in a bright cyan. The soldier was holding his left shoulder, and was limping quickly towards the camp. His weapon dangled from his good arm, and he was blotched with blood. His left eye was closed tightly, while his right eye was half open. You could tell he was straining to maintain consciousness. I immediately ran forward, and put my arm around his shoulder, to help him limp. He was sputtering, blood coming from his teeth. "Mo...More are coming...Pathfinders...Oh God..." He looked terrified. Determined to get away from where he was. He wasn't making sense at the time, but he was scaring me. My orders were the usual: Arrive at the area of interest, secure the area of interest, and hold the area of interest until it can be locked down. This time, you were ordered to hold an area suspected of holding an undiscovered entrance to Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system known to man. It's so large, scientists are STILL traversing the damn thing. The previously undiscovered entrance and it's respective system could be valuable, brimming with minerals. Aerox and Terminus worked a joint operation, as was also usual. What was not usual, however, was the suspected presence of the IMO. No offense to you, but the IMO was well known by other organizations to be dirtier in securing their assets. Drug trafficking, puppet politicians, and good ol' bank robberies. When this man came through, injured, that secured our fears. You were here. "I want the area CLEAR! Our client needs this funding for cancer research, we CANNOT let them down!" I shouted. Men scuttled through the snow, and took up positions, watching. Waiting. We sat in the snow, in that forest, for 2 days. Finally, out of aggravation, I went to the tent that the injured Terminus soldier was in, and when I unzipped the tent... He was gone. In his place, was a note. "We were ordered to locate this mine, and kill you all. The Chairman didn't even want the mines, he just wanted to be a dick. Unfortunately for him, something spooked you guys, keeping you from coming out and stumbling upon us. IMO forces left the area after a day of searching. The IMO just had some bad luck, I guess. PS. The research these mines will be used for are worth more than the hate of an old man" At the bottom of the note, were two letters. AL. It wasn't until much later, that I discovered those stood for Aaden Locke. The legendary watchdog of the IMO. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Good morning, my muse." Octavia called to you as you walked down the staircase to the kitchen. You hadn't gotten dressed yet. You were too tired to do so. "Huh?" You asked. Vocabulary wasn't exactly your thing after you had just woken up. "Nothing, Aaden. Coffee, black." She said, handing you a mug the moment you got downstairs. "Thanks." You responded, taking the mug. "May I ask again, why do you take your coffee black? It's quite unpleasant that way, don't you think?" "I don't drink it for pleasure. The strong taste wakes me up, kinda like a cold shower." You sip at the mug, and cringe. "God damn. That's certainly black, huh?" You sip again, and immediately follow it up with yet another cringe. "Bleck." You muttered, licking your lips, and rubbing the right side of your jaw with your palm. Octavia giggled, her hoof over her mouth. Was she blushing? "You're cute, you know that?" She said. "Mmm." You hum in response, sipping at the cup. You had adjusted to the intense strength of the brew, and were waking up quickly. You noticed Octavia was somewhat spruced up for it being so early. Her hair had been combed and styled, and a large purple bow was in it. "You look pretty good. What's going on?" You ask. "Vinyl wants me to pick her up from the hotel soon. When I dress up and pick her up, she loves it. So does the press. Makes her look like she has high and mighty friends, I suppose." "Well. You look fantastic." You said. Octavia came closer to you, her eyes half closing themselves. You could see something odd in her. It wasn't JUST lust this time. By the time she climbed in your lap, you had realized what it was. She sat on your lap, except facing towards you. Her legs went over either side of your body. Before you could even exhale, her lips were against yours. You knew she could taste the black coffee, but she just didn't care. She pulled back for a moment, and looked in your eyes. She was definitely blushing. "I love you." She said, before pouncing on you. She nearly sent the chair over on it's back. Her tongue entered your mouth like a bat out of Hell, and, whether you liked it or not, you were getting hard. Octavia could feel this, obviously. She giggled, her tongue vibrating in your mouth. She started slowly rocking her hips back and forth, obviously teasing you. It was only making you grow harder. She stopped the rubbing, and starting lifting herself up and down. You weren't in the mood for sex, but, you were going to let it happen. Octavia pulled her mouth back from yours, and looked you in your eyes. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here. I want you. I have little time for any games." She said, almost demanding. "So we're going to get straight to the point." She said. She didn't break eye contact with you, even though you could tell she was pulling you out of your underwear. "Your point, to be exact." She lifted herself up a bit, and positioned herself to where, all she had to do was come back down, and you would have entered her. You could feel something warm and sticky dripping on your crotch, which only made the anticipation greater. While she stared into your eyes, you grit your teeth from anxiety and excitement. You could tell you were blushing, which elicited yet another giggle from her. "Il est temps." Octavia said, in the most seductive French you had ever heard. She immediately threw her forelegs around your neck, and sat down. You were no longer teased with the sticky warmth of whatever was dripping from her. You could feel every inch of her. She was pulling and squeezing. It was like nothing that you had ever felt before. Truth be told, you really liked it. You put your arms on her waist, and encouraged her to move up and down. She responded accordingly. Octavia seemingly knew what she was doing, for her first time with a Human. Her tongue moved on par with her body. You slid in and out of her rapidly, the consistent motion driving you to your edge. You could tell Octavia was getting there, so, you decided to help her. You picked her up, stopping the motion, and dropped her on the nearby coffee table, knocking your mug off and spilling the coffee. You'd clean that up later. You spread her legs, and, on a beat, entered again, this time, you forced your tongue in her mouth. You could feel her legs twitching against yours. After a few minutes of thrusts, you could tell it was time to send her over the edge. You removed your tongue from her mouth, and began kissing her neck. Octavia's face was frozen in a blushed, open-mouthed smile of pure ecstasy. You begin thrusting harder. Her hooves start to dig into your back. It actually hurt quite a bit, it was nothing like a human female's nails, but, you were too close to stop now. You were there. So was she. With a few more pounds, you start to feel yourself releasing inside of her, and with each pump, her hips bucked against yours. With each pump/buck, Octavia let out a small moan. When you were both finished, you slid out of her, and pulled your underwear back up. It felt like a bottle of Aunt Jemima's syrup had exploded all over you. You fall onto the big coffee table, next to her. You knock off her mug of coffee, too. You put your hands around her, and pull her close to you, looking into her eyes. She smiled, still blushing, and looked back at you. "You've made quite the mess." She said. You ran your hand through her mane, fixing the spots you had ruffled. "Indeed. I'll clean it all up before you get back." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So, Patrick, tell us, are you in?" David asked, smiling and taking large bites out of his burger. David had actually sent an assistant to retrieve food, but you weren't going to complain. You did get a free burger, after all. Patrick sipped at a foam cup filled with soda. He lowered it, and shared David's smile. "David, this is Terminus and Aerox we're talking about here. Of course I'm in." Patrick said, going back to sipping at his soda. David stood up from his chair, and held his arms wide. He held a burger in is right hand, making the gesture seem even sillier than it already was. "This is excellent! This is absolutely excellent! All we need is a name! A name, and we're all set!" After a moment of silence, you stood up from your chair. "I have an idea for a name, guys." You started. "Locke Security Solutions. After the man that helped the IMO realize what was right from what was wrong." Patrick shook his head in agreement, not wanting to stop sucking at his soda. David laughed. "Laddie, I think that's a brilliant name! After all, if it wasn't for ol' Aaden, we wouldn't be discussing this right now, would we?" Carter smiled as well, leaning against the wall near the mote inside of David's office. "Locke Security Solutions it is. Consider the merger of the three of complete." He said. "We're gonna have to go to a bar tonight. Make it really official." David said, interrupting his soda. You smiled with content. You couldn't help but wonder what, if anything, all of your friends were up to. Maybe they could see what was happening. Maybe.
Chapter Forty-Two: My Heart, Where In My Chest?"Sir? Are you hearing this?" The soldier asked his Captain. "Quiet." He responded, listening closely to his radio. You sat forward in your chair. Normally, you would be kicked back, your feet resting atop the table, but the voice of David Abernathy, CEO of Aerox, came over the radio. Abernathy was a kind man, and never wasted time with anything. His voice usually meant something was up. You readjusted yourself in your seat, and leaned even further forward, basking in the silence of the environment. "Attention, ladies and gentleman. First off, you are doing a damn fine job. Each and every single one of you. This is not ridicule coming your way. No, this is something different..." David started, speaking slowly but eloquently. His accent complemented his speech. "I will make this short and to the point. A merger has been made official. Aerox and Terminus have merged..." He continued. This wasn't a surprise to you or any other of your squadmates. You all worked so closely with Terminus, that you may as well been the same PMC. "But..." David said. You feel goosebumps hatch themselves all over your skin. David's voice carried a little concern. He sounded as if he was worried about what everyone else would think. "The IMO is also joining this merger." Your blood went cold immediately. "What?" Your Captain muttered under his breath. The IMO were the BAD guys. They killed more than either Terminus or Aerox did. They even regularly assassinated and killed their own men. They were harsh. They were brutal. They were only concerned with money. Worst of all, they weren't noted for playing well with others. The few missions they had with either Aerox, Terminus, or contract work for NATO, they would always kill a ridiculous amount of friendly troops. Aerox Infantry, Terminus Infantry, or NATO Infantry, it didn't matter. If they weren't wearing IMO colors, they were enemies, even when they were supposed to work together. The IMO had killed two of your friends. You didn't know them too well, but it still shook you up and frightened you. Why would David do this? "I know what you're thinking. I know exactly what you're thinking. Quell those thoughts. The current Chairman of the IMO is an usurper. He killed the former beast which sat at the controls. He wishes for peace. And I trust him." Everyone in the room relaxed a bit. David may have been extremely generous, but he wasn't an idiot. He was far from it, actually. David's trust was all you needed to hear. "We are reforming. Rank, salary, and duties all carry over. Welcome. Welcome, to Locke Security Solutions." _________________________________________________________________________________ David smiled as he finished up his transmission, licking his lips briefly. Talking must have dried them out. "And, what's done, is done. Shall we continue our work here, gentleman? Isaac, do you need to be home to your family soon?" You sigh gently. David didn't know about what had happened to your family. While too much was certainly going on right now, it would be better to get this out of the way now. "I've got a feeling I miss them more than they miss me, sir." You said. David caught the oddity in your words, and stood up from his chair. He walked over to you, placed his hand on your shoulder, and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry, laddie." Patrick tilted his head. "Excuse my asinine attitude, but you said you had a family, Isaac." He said. You smile weakly. "I do. Death doesn't change that. I'll always have a wife. I'll always have my children." You weren't expecting this subject to leap up, but it was bound to.come. "I know you're curious. Sit back. Let me explain. _________________________________________________________________________________ I met Christine when I was a child, only 12 years old. We were simple friends until we were about 16, when we joined together in a romantic relationship. We loved each other. We both excelled in school, we both had extremely bright futures. Fate has a funny way of changing things. Regardless of how protected you try to be, sometimes, pregnancy is inevitable. We had our first child when she was only 19 years old. Naturally, our parents were freaking out at first, but soon they came together and accepted what had happened, helping us raise them. My son's name was Seth. I decided to drop out of my university and take care of him while she went to school. I couldn't deprive her of a bright future. I loved her too much to do so. Then she got pregnant again about a week after graduation. Nine months later, my daughter Monica was born. We loved our children too much to put them in daycare and shove them away from us, so, I did what I had to do. I found the IMO and enlisted while Christine took care of the children. It was great at first. I was raking in well over 350,000 dollars a year, just for standing guard outside a couple of buildings Banks and Armories, mainly. Then, she got pregnant again. This time, was the last time. I had literally just got off of my plane in Washington DC, right after my "assassination" of Adam, when I got the call she was going into labor. I broke more traffic laws than you can count on your fingers and toes on my way to the hospital. I burst into the room, and immediately stood by her side. She grabbed my hand, and nearly broke it from squeezing. That's when it happened. Her squeezing became very weak. The heart monitor began to beep slower and slower. I looked over into her eyes, and up to the heart monitor machines. I was too in shock to react. Her eyes met mine, and with the strength fading from her hand, the light was leaving her eyes. A few moments later, I held my newborn daughter in my arms, crying my eyes out. Christine, the woman I grew up with. My best friend and first love. She died giving birth. I named our daughter Christine. Life then continued as normal for 3 or 4 years. Christine was growing up to look much like her mother, which tore at my heart. Seth was become quite the athlete, playing soccer in the toddler leagues. Monica was more quiet and reserved, always playing in her room, alone. Another day, I got a call, telling me to leave the kids at the house, and drive away. It was the former Chairman. He said if I didn't respond, he would kill Adam, so I did. The fuckers burned down my house. They killed all I had. Then, they threatened to kill Adam again, should I choose to commit suicide, or become disobedient. They had me trapped. The Chairman laughed, as he always did. "Looks like your schedule is free now, huh?" _________________________________________________________________________________ Everyone in the room had gone silent. Even Carter, who had heard the story before, looked at the floor, not saying anything. "Isaac." David started. "You are a broken man, Aren't you?" You smile weakly again. "I am. That's why I'm perfect for this job. And not to sound rude, but I don't need any pity. I have plenty of it already." David sits back in his chair, and appeared to be deep in thought. "Sorry to bog the mood down, but I knew it would come up eventually. It's best that you know." Patrick looked up at Isaac. "Not to make you sound weak, but suicide is an option now. You're a great man, but we all have our limits. We have no right to tell you, that you must suffer any longer. I can only imagine your pain." "I still have work to do here. Adam ended up dying, anyways. This new position we have here, it's a valuable one. It's what Adam wanted. Peace. And I will fight to uphold it." David and Patrick both smiled. Carter continued looking at his feet, still deep in thought. _________________________________________________________________________________ Adam grabbed Isaac by his neck, and threw him onto the ground. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" He shouted. Adam wore his armor, complete with bandana that stopped just below his eyes. Isaac was dressed as he normally was, black and orange combat armor, complete with the orange neckerchief. Adam had used magic to completely cover both Isaac and himself, leaving you and your party trapped outside of the barrier. "I could ask you the same thing." Isaac said, swinging his leg around, knocking Adam off of his feet. As Adam's jaw as falling, Isaac threw his fist up, connecting his Adam's chin. A disgusting crack echoed off the walls of the barrier. "ADAM!" Trixie screamed, trying her hardest to get into the barrier. No amount of her magic, even after the weeks of training with Adam and Luna, would break open that barrier. On the other side of the barrier, Chrysalis slammed her hooves desperately at the barrier, hoping to break through. "ISAAC!" She cried out, tears in her eyes. "ISAAC, NO, PLEASE STOP!" Both men were also in tears. Neither wanted this fight. But they were both too set in the idea of the other being an imposter. Adam thought Isaac was a cruel magic trick caused by the recent horrors sprouting in town, and Isaac, having freshly arrived in Ponyville, had no idea what was happening. Neither would listen to the others pleas. Adam quickly jumped to his feet, his left hand glowing. He threw it out, releasing a rope made of light. It wrapped around Isaac's waist. Adam then threw his arm up, swinging Isaac into the air, and then slamming him headfirst into the ground. As he was going to get up, Adam ran forward, and kicked him in his face as hard as he could. Isaac popped up into the air, and fell back down on his stomach. Isaac began to crunch up on the ground, drawing his balled fists up to his head, shaking violently while he began to attempt to get on his knees. Adam drew his mace while Isaac started to shakily stand up. Isaac drew his handgun, and leveled it at Adam, shaking slightly. His left eye was already closed because of the massive amount of blood leaking from his forehead. Adam let out a cry of desperation, and charged Isaac, who was about to tap the trigger on the gun. _________________________________________________________________________________ You sat up slowly in bed. Your dream was weird, but you were used to these kinds of dreams. Adam and Isaac would never fight. Equestria was changing your mind. You yawn loudly, and crack your knuckles. Lyra had already left the bed, and you couldn't hear any noise coming from the house anywhere, so, you assumed that Lyra and Bon Bon had went out. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity, you rest your head against the pillows once more, and allow yourself to drift back into sleep. It had been a very long time since you had been able to sleep like this. It was very nice. _________________________________________________________________________________ You didn't want to admit it, but you were extremely lonely. When that human came into your life, you used him, yes. But he was so kind. So nice to you. Sure, your loyal minions were nice to you, but that's because they had to be. Alan could have simply run away from you, but he didn't. He followed you, he listened to you, he helped you. He paid attention to you. He cared about you. He did it all, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. That was what made you miss having him. What made you regret using him. You sigh heavily, and cuddle up as tight as you can, to emulate the feeling of something holding you. He no doubt knows the truth by now, the truth of him being used, and he was probably never going to come back. And it was your fault. Childish as it may sound, and as weak as it makes you feel to think about it, all you were doing was putting him through unnecessary trouble, simply because it made you feel good. Your minions are linked to you, and cannot live without you for too long. To have someone care about you, and not be required to in order to survive, made you feel amazing. It also hurt to know that, somewhere out there, Alan was there. Living. Breathing. Smiling. All without you. You wish you could approach him, but Equestria didn't trust you. Not after Canterlot. It's not your fault. You didn't choose to feed off of love. You didn't choose to be painted as a monster. These things were well in place far before the events in Canterlot. You sigh again, and close your eyes. These lonely nights were not uncommon, but still hurt. _________________________________________________________________________________ "I was wondering when you would call." You said into your phone. You never received calls on this phone unless it was for business. And ever since the Chairman had died, you had no such business anymore. The voice on the other end was a familiar one. "Isaac, huh?" You responded. "That one might be kind of hard." The voice laughed, and kept talking. While he was, you gingerly kicked yourself off the wall you were leaning on. The voice began explaining the details. "Excuse me." You pardoned yourself as you accidently nudged a man and woman who were passing through the city streets. You shouldn't have been leaning in such a busy place, anyways. "He left me for dead. Of course I have no issue with the contract." You said, walking down the street. The people passing by paid no attention to the grim conversation taking place. "How do you want it done?" Conveniently, Isaac was in DC as you spoke to the voice. You could have the contract complete in literally hours. "I understand." You said, ending the call. You were now heading to Holiday's headquarters, to prepare for your next contract. _________________________________________________________________________________ You sat in Octavia's bed, half-naked, curious to what your father would think about this mess. What he would think about you, if he were still alive. You laugh to yourself. Of course he would be proud. Your father was one of the best men you had ever known, and you weren't just saying that because you loved him. He regularly gave money to the homeless, he helped veterans find employment, and he seriously supported everyone, no matter their wishes. He firmly believed that anyone and everyone could achieve their desires, should they just try. And boy, did he make sure they tried. You stop and remember that the IMO fiercely bothered him, trying with as much energy as they had to recruit him. As much as you loved your father, he wouldn't make a good mercenary. He was TOO good for that. He wouldn't kill as much. He would aim for the knees or arms. He wouldn't intimidate, extort, or blackmail. He would bargain and compromise. He wouldn't tend to the wounded officers first, but those who needed it more. The IMO would have hated him, regardless of how well he would accomplish his missions. You look around Octavia's room. The walls were painted a light gray, and there was very little furniture. A single chest sat at the foot of the large bed, and there was a series of drawers organized by the door. On top, there was a small little figurine of a mare, and a trophy next to that. You could feel your morality slipping from you. It made you feel dirty. It made you feel guilty. Especially when you thought about Rarity. You begin to have a flashback as you slowly lay your head back down. _________________________________________________________________________________ He was dead. He knew he was dead. Yet there he was, dragging his body, crying. "GET DOWN! LEAVE HIM!" You shouted into your radio. Gunfire cancelled out the songs of birds and insects, and it ripped up the earth all around you. All of your men had been forced to retreat, and a young man, no older than 20, was shot, and had obviously died during the retreat. While the rest of your men continued to run, the dead man's friend didn't. He grabbed the arm of his fallen comrade, and started to drag the body. "GET UP! GET UP ALEX! PLEASE!" He shouted, crying. He began to tug at the arm frantically while dragging. "WAKE UP! PLEASE WAKE UP!" "LEAVE HIM!" You shouted again. "HE WON'T WAKE UP! HE WON'T, HE WON'T WAKE UP!" He shouted back. He didn't make it more than 25 feet away from where his friend had been killed, when blood ripped through his chest and his right arm. He collapsed beside him, and died with him. All of these losses were starting to anger you. It was always the young ones that got themselves killed. You switch channels on your radio, and talk into it as clearly as you can. "Zombie-1, status." After a few moments, yet another young voice comes over, clearly shaken and nervous. "My partner's dead! I'm all alone out here!" "Do you still have the rifle?" You asked, as calmly as you can muster. "Yea-yes sir, wh-what should I do?" He responded. He was terrified. "I need you to start picking off as many as you can in the building up ahead. At least try to scare them off of us." You said again, trying to remain calm. Spotters weren't trained with the rifles, but being as his partner, the actual sniper, had been killed, he had no choice but to learn. The Spotter sighed deeply into the radio. "O-Okay. I can do this. I can d-WHAT WAS THAT?! Am I in the open?!" He cried out into the radio. Something, either a stray bullet or local critter spooked him into thinking someone had him in their sights. "Relax. There is no way nobody has spotted you. And I know how these guys work. After they killed your partner, they expected you to run away. They don't expect you to remain on that rifle." "I'll do the best I can, sir. Don't leave me out here." You put your radio away, and continue the fight. You were a new guy once, but never do you remember being so scared. So weak. _________________________________________________________________________________ Equestria was doing something to you. You were unsure what. Weak. So weak. All of them, so weak. So easily taken advantage of. So helpless. "No..." You mutter. "No. This is...wrong..." You sit back up in Octavia's bed, suppressing your thoughts. Why they had become so angry all of the sudden was unknown to you. You begin to feel light headed. You begin to watch as reality slips from you yet again, but this time, it is different. The color red is bleeding over your vision. What was happening? _________________________________________________________________________________ "AADEN! DO IT!" Rarity called. She was standing off of the battlefield, but was still audible. "Bu-" "NO BUTS! YOU HAVE TO DO IT!" She interrupted. You sigh, and fall to your knees. You begin to breathe slowly. Inhale. Exhale. You begin to breathe faster. You begin to breathe even faster. Even more fast. The anger deep inside of you bleeds from the abyss of your soul, coating your body. Your heartbeat transforms into the thump of a war drum. An insatiable anger rips through your soul, lighting your very heart with the fire of hate. You look up at your enemy, a changed person. You rip the helmet off of your head, and draw your short sword, abandoning your spear and shield. You also abandoned the formation you had taught the other honor guards, who had constructed a phalanx that you headed. All you could feel was hatred. Pure, unadulterated, hatred. Why had Equestria done this to you? You leap into the air just as you approach your shadowy foes, and your angel wing rips from your back, as it always does. However, rather than the single, angelic wing, a sickening, black, fleshy wing rips it's way out, with shiny and slick appendages connecting the bones and arches. You plunge the short sword through the torso of the knight you land on, leaping up the moment you land. You impale one in front of you with your wing, and brush the others off with it as well, crying out with rage while you do so. You turn instinctively, stabbing your knife through the neck of another knight. You rip it out, and swing it around, slicing several other shadows in half. Once the shadows in the area had been slain, you looked up at the others, who were still advancing in formation. You couldn't imagine how horrifying you looked to everyone, covered in the gooey black residue the shadows had for "blood". Your golden armor was now completely slicked with it. You stand up slowly, your wing quivering with hate. "BROTHERS!" You called. "KILL! MAIM! BURN!" You took an extremely deep breath, and shouted as loud as you ever have. "GLORY TO THE FIRST GUARD WHO DIES!" _________________________________________________________________________________ "Jesus tap-dancing Christ, that's really good!" You said, using your fork to slice off bits of cake and put them in your mouth. "Gee, thanks Adam!" Pinkie said, joy present in her voice. She looked at Trixie, who sipped at her coffee. "Trixie, I like Adam!" "Trixie also likes Adam." Trixie said, smiling and looking at Adam out of the corner of her eyes. Twilight wasn't home, apparently. The little purple dragon said she and Spyra went out somewhere to catch up, so, with your belly rumbling with hunger, you looked for somewhere that served food. Although you couldn't exactly read Equestrian, you thought the building shaped like a giant dessert would have food. Dessert. Desert. After some silly philosophical thinking, you decided that, maybe, just maybe, deserts weren't so bad. You met Trixie in one, afterall. You didn't care much for icing, but Pinkie somehow made it in a way that helped you stomach it. As you ate and shared banter with both Pinkie and Trixie, the bell on the door jingled, indicating that someone was coming in. It was Aaden. He looked like Hell. He walked over next to you, and sat. His eyes appeared to be sunken in just a bit, and he looked a little more pale than normal. His eyes, which normally glow with the spark of life, seemed to be completely empty, and cold, at that. His facial hair had advanced just passed the stubble level. If you didn't know any better, you'd say he's possessed. "Man, Aaden, you alright? You look awful." You said, offering him a bite of cake. He holds his hand up and shakes it to deny it. "I'm not sure if I'm okay. I feel...different." He said. He then looked into your eyes, and the most peculiar thing happened. You looked away. Something about his gaze was legitimately frightening. He then stood back up, mechanical in motion. "I came by to remind you, we need to train soon. We've had enough rest time. We have a jobs here. We must complete them." Aaden seemed kind of angry. "Is something the matter? Aaden, you're kind of sketching us out." You looked around. Pinkie seemed spooked, and Trixie was trying her best to look everywhere but at Aaden. "I'm fine. Guilt is a powerful thing, I suppose. It leads to a mindset that slips, and falls." He said, staring off into blank space. "Uhh...?" Your mouth hung open. You weren't sure how to respond. But before you could ask for an elaboration, he was already leaving. "Wowzers. I've never seen him like that before." Pinkie said, sighing with relief that he had left. "Is he normally like this, Adam?" Trixie asked. "No. Aaden was never this blatant and rude. I mean, he seemed almost like he was dead. Like he was a dead man walking." _________________________________________________________________________________ "So they really are dead..." Twilight said under her breath, staring away from you. She looked up again at you, with hope in her eyes. "Do you think they'll be okay?" "We believe so. I mean, Aaden is the only one who has shown preliminary signs of any problems. He could either be spiralling into depression or hatred. Or both. Not everypony would accept this fate, regardless of how blissful it may seem to them." Twilight sipped at her cup, and spoke once more. "Spyra...will he be okay?" She asked. "If it wasn't for the amount of relationships he was in right now, he would be much worse off. Celestia not only peered into his mind during the ball a while back. She peered into his soul. She saw something dark growing. Something shadow-like. That's why I'm REALLY here. Sure, I'll help Alan here and there, but my true mission? Observe Aaden. Kill him if need be." "K-K-Kill?" Twilight stuttered. "CELESTIA told you THAT?" You sigh. "She's only looking out for her subjects, Twilight. If Aaden turns out to be a ticking time bomb, and nobody is able to stop him, he could snap. I don't even want to discuss what would happen to the citizens of Ponyville. But as I said, we, we being Celestia and I, believe that the amount of love Aaden receives from all of his relationships, and the support of his friends, just may save him. He may grow dark for a period of time. He may forget that his heart lies in his chest. But he has the tools to rediscover it." _________________________________________________________________________________ They were in a bar, drinking. An easy target. The rain that this night brought made the crowds outside huddle in the street, making an escape extremely easy. Isaac wasn't drinking, but leaning next to his friends. You stepped inside, and as you did, Isaac pushed off of the wall, and walked off into the crowd of people. The restrooms. You slowly pushed your way through the crowd of people, lifting your hoodie over your head as you approached the bathrooms. You walked down a dimly lit hallway, to the mens restroom. You slowly pushed open the door. "What?" You said out loud. It was empty. Just then, you heard something whiz through the air, and then an enormous pain filled your face. You hit the ground hard, hitting the back of your head on the floor. Isaac stepped out from behind the door, and stood over your body. He lifted you by the neck of your hoodie, and gently removed the hood and glasses off of your head. He smiled solemnly. "I would recognize you anywhere. I know what you're here for. I knew you would be here." He said, still smiling. "So I came to you, to make it easier." You immediately reached for your gun, but it wasn't there. "Looking for this?" He said, holding up your gun. "Yeah, I snagged it when you walked passed me. Can't believe I hid from you so easily. I could've taught you better than the Chairman." "YOU LEFT ME FOR DEAD!" You screamed, tears filling your eyes. You stood up, and clenched your fists at your sides. His solemn smile didn't fade. "That what they told you? That I left you? You should know me better. I would never leave you." Tears now flowed down your cheeks. You wanted revenge. You had to avenge what you had lost. "Come with me. You'll get what you want." You followed Isaac out of the bar, and into the rain. You had pulled your hoodie up to block the rain, and hurried after Isaac. He walked fast, the sad smile still present. The rain didn't seem to phase him. You walked inside of a large building, what was actually a hospital, and he led you up the staircase. Flight after flight, you both finally arrived at the roof. Isaac put a small recorder by the door, and walked to the edge of the roof, turning around towards you. Rain was falling, but falling gently now. "Listen to the recorder. Then you will get what you want." He said, his arms hanging at his sides. You angrily snatch the radio, and click the button as forcibly as you can. The Chairman's laughter comes over it. "Looks like you won't be busy anymore." He said. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you! I swear to God, I, You, GOD, DAMN, IT! I CAN'T LEAVE THEM! I'D RATHER DIE!" You drop the recorder, and as you do tears flow freely. Those few sentences completely shattered everything that you knew The Chairman lied to you. Such a simple lie, yet it went this far. When he "saved" you from the burning house, it was a house he set fire to. You were merely an elaborate pawn to be used against your father. For years, you had trained, all to kill your own father. "Dad..." You muttered, looking at him. He looked slowly up at the sky, and spread his arms wide. He then began to tilt his neck back slowly. "DAD!" You screamed. The sad smile didn't fade from his face. You sprinted forward, your boots clapping in the water puddles forming on the roof. You threw your hand out, in an attempt to grab his hand. Your fingers only brushed against the tips of his fingers. That was the only physical contact you have had with your father in a decade. And it would be the last contact you'd ever had with him. His eyes remained closed as he fell. The smile didn't fade. _________________________________________________________________________________ I'm sorry, Seth. It's better this way. Heh. How ironic is it? You were born at this hospital. Your mother was also born here. And now, I die here. I love you, Seth. I should have come sooner. Maybe. Just maybe. Things could have been different.
Chapter One: End of the LineYou awake after a night of amazing sleep. Lazily, and with a stupid grin on your face, you push up off of your mattress, only to let yourself fall back down into the warm embrace of your bed. You look up at your alarm clock, out of curiosity. It's 1 PM. On a Monday. You were supposed to be at work at 11 AM. "Shiiiiiit..." You mutter. You leap out of bed, and completely break yourself from what little influence laziness had left on you. You stumble in the dark confines of your room, throwing on a pair of black slacks you wore last night, and yank a white dress shirt from your closet so hard, the hanger falls off. You throw open your bedroom door and walk briskly into your living room, hunting for your shoes. "Hey bro!" Your roommate called to you. It looks as if he and his girlfriend awoke before you. They sit on the couch, holding each other and watching some afternoon talk show on the television. You pay them absolutely no mind as you find one shoe under the recliner, and the other in the mouth of your dog. As you quickly tie and knot your shoes, you can feel your roommate still staring at you. "Bro, don't tell me they're making you work today. It's your birthday. Happy birthday, by the way." You continue to pay them absolutely no mind as you snag the tie you wore last night off of the couch where you had left it, and hastily tie it around your neck. You grab your car keys, and do that three pat check. Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Phone? Check. You grab the door handle, adjusting your tie as your roommate calls to you one more time. "You work way too much, man. Way too much." You laugh and attempt to feign an angry look. "Someones got to pay the bills." you laugh again after that, to get the point across that you were joking. You remember the last time he took things too seriously. You swing the door shut, and dash down the staircase from your apartment. The light blinds you at first, but you quickly recover. Your sight recovering only revealed more troubles. Your car was boxed in on the street. No amount of parallel parking skill could save you now. You get inside the backseat of your car, yank out your backpack filled with snacks, your briefcase for work, and quickly slam the door shut. With your backpack secured to your back, and your suitcase in hand, you begin a mad sprint. Normally, you'd be more embarrassed about sprinting through a city like a mad man, but work was only 4 blocks away, and you knew you were in trouble. Your boss was going to eat your ass when you got to work. You add a smirk to the sprint, completing your insane look. You probably could have worded that thought better. As you run, your stomach begins to rumble. You have some candy and other assorted junk foods in your backpack, but that wont be enough to hold you over. The bank is nearby, and you're already late, so you decide to swing on in, withdraw some money. maybe get some fast food for lunch today. You quickly ascend the steps to the finest bank in New York City, and breathe a sigh of relief. You can see an open clerk through the window. You briskly walk inside, and up to the clerk. "What can I do for you today?" She asks. You take a deep breath to collect yourself. "Hiya, uh, I would like to withdraw, say...$40 bucks?" 40 dollars should be more than enough to get yourself some lunch and have some spare change, too. "Absolutely! Do you know your account number?" You were never able to memorize that 22-digit long number. Then again, you ask yourself. Does anyone? You pull out your social security card from your wallet, and hand it to her. "I have my social security card, I hope that's enough." she takes the card from your hands, and types in your information. After a few seconds, she looks away from the computer and back to you. "Alright, i found you! All I need to do now is ask for your pin!" This clerk seemed really sincere. You liked that quality in a person. "Sure, it's 667-" An incredibly loud bang roared inside the bank. Then another. You knew what was going on before you even turned around. "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, GET ON THE FUCKING GROUND!" 5 masked men frantically run around the lobby of the bank. They had killed the two security guards. You drop to your knees, and put your hands behind your head. You feel panic begin to run through your body. Your life hasn't been that great, and you were probably going to get your ass eaten at work, but you weren't anywhere near ready to die. Not yet. The masked man you assumed to be their leader screamed at everyone again. "MY ASSOCIATE HERE IS GOING TO COME AROUND. WHEN HE DOES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TAKE OUT YOUR WALLETS, OPEN YOUR PURSES, OR HAND OVER ANY FUCKING MONEY YOU HAVE ON YOU!" Your blood runs cold at that sound. You remember why you came to the bank in the first place. Your wallet is empty. When the 'associate' comes over to to you, you pull your wallet out, and turn it upside down. No money comes out. The 'associate' lets out an obviously fake laugh. "HEY, BOSS, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A FUCKING JOKESTER OVER HERE!" Your heart begins to beat incredibly fast. "MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF HIM! PAY ATTENTION EVERYONE, BECAUSE WHATS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, WILL HAPPEN TO YOU, IF YOU HOLD OUT ON US!" He grabs you by your throat, and holds his handgun to your forehead. He smiles. "End of the line, kid." You close your eyes extremely tight. Bang. .... .... Is that it? Is it over? You open your eyes. You are now standing in a white room. You aren't sure how, or what on, but you were standing. Is this Heaven? Oh shit, is this Hell?! You can hear your thoughts out loud, as they echo off of the 'walls'. Suddenly, you begin to feel sick. You begin to feel like you're falling. You drop your briefcase, and fall to your knees, placing your head in your hands. Just as quickly as this feeling came, it leaves. You slowly open your eyes once more. "Ah, shit." you grumble. Your head hurts, and you hear a faint ringing. You look down at your feet. A briefcase is there. You decide to check your surroundings. You're in a field, and it seems to be the middle of the night. In front of you lies a forest, a rather ominous one, at that. As you slowly approach this forest, you are overjoyed to see a sign hammered to the tree nearest you. You can't read it. "It looks like Muhammad Ali wrote this." you chuckle to yourself. It made you feel better to laugh, and SOMETHING intelligent had to have put that sign there. A light of hope begins to flicker inside of you. Not seeing any other true path to follow other than the one through the forest, you decide to take it. You check what you have on you before you head out, just to be prepared. A briefcase with a combination lock you can't remember, a wallet, a smartphone, also locked with a number combination you cannot recall, and a backpack filled with snacks. Why did you have a backpack filled with snacks? Armed with your backpack, briefcase, and smart phone, along with your only memories of before appearing in the field being that of a 70-year old man with parkinson's, you take the first step of your journey. "Gonna be a looooong night..." you mutter. _________________________________________________________________________________ Another lonely night, i suppose. You climb into your bed, and tuck yourself in. You had just put Sweetie Belle to bed, and were now preparing yourself for sleep. You wish you could spend just one night with someone. You may be a lady, but you imagine it would be nice to have some company in your bed every once in awhile. This loneliness was beginning to get insufferable. You let your head hit your pillow with a sigh. You look over out of the balcony, and watch as the velvet violet drapes flutter calmly in the refreshing night air. Star light flooded the room. It truly was beautiful, but it was made all the more melancholy without anyone to share it with. You let out a slow whimper. Of course, you could never tell your friends about your loneliness. You have appearances to keep up. So, you'll continue to live this hermit lifestyle of yours, hoping someone comes to you, eventually. You lie your head down, and hope for sleep to come. But it doesn't. Too many thoughts come to your head to allow you such peace. Do i have enough fabric for tomorrow? Have i allowed myself enough time for my special orders? What do i tell Twilight about missing the girls night out? As you ponder these thoughts, you run your hoof slowly through your mane. You hear screaming in the distance. Probably a mare that's a little luckier than you tonight. You continue to fret inside your mind, before whimpering once more. It would be so incredibly nice to have someone to vent all these thoughts to, someone to hold you at night and to wake up next to in the morning. There's that screaming again. And that's no mare. That's a stallion. And it sounds like it's getting closer. You decide to get up and investigate, your curiosity getting the better of you. They had better not wake Sweetie Belle... You slowly descend the staircase onto the main floor, and walk through your shop. Light from the stars and moon almost completely illuminated your sales floor. Your ponnequins radiated in this light, glowing an eerie white. You walk over to peek into the guest room, and check on Sweetie Belle. Luckily, she's still fast asleep, not even stirring from any of the commotion outside. You begin to walk towards your front door, deciding to walk outside, see what exactly someone was screaming about. It was probably another stallion having trouble finding his way home after a night of drinking. You approach your door, and place a hoof on knob. Just as soon as you are about to open it, you look out the window near the door. You immediately let go, and back away from the door, your eyes widening. Something you've never seen before was running this way. Fast. And a Manticore followed not far behind. _________________________________________________________________________________ "HELP!" You scream. You had no idea what the fuck this thing was, it just jumped out at you in the forest, and next thing you know, you're running through a town that was at the end of said forest. "FUCKING HELP!" Surely someone can hear your cries. Your legs move as fast as humanly possible, every pore on your body has released sweat, and you are shaking violently from the amount of adrenaline racing through your veins. You notice an old fence up ahead. You sprint for it as fast as you can, the creature following behind you, roaring in excitement. If no one is going to help me, i'll help myself! You rip a post out of the ground, and continue running. You turn swiftly to your left, hoping to throw the creature off with erratic movements. You notice an odd building. It looks like a carousel. In fact, you're pretty damn sure it's a carousel. Completely oblivious to your environment besides the carousel, and horrified to the core, you run towards it. You make it to the door, and wildly jiggle the handle. It's locked. "SHIT!" You cry out. You turn around, and face the beast. It's now slowly prowling towards you, smiling the darkest smile you've ever seen. It's teeth glow white under the light from the night sky. It continues it's prowl, getting closer to you. You grip the fence post in your hand as hard as you possibly can, your knuckles turning white from the pressure. This is where you decide to make your last stand. You take a deep breath. I'm actually about to do this. You run towards the beast, holding the fence post behind your head. It swings it's paw, and knocks you violently to the ground. You scramble back to your feet, and dodge the next swipe. You swing the fence post, and gash the beast across its face, causing it to growl in pain. It swipes blindly, knocking you back to the ground. You were no fighter. You had zero training. Hell, you were surprised you were even still alive at this point. But you'd be damned if you died. While the beast is dazed, you take advantage of the moment to look around this new arena you've created. Several trees, a carousel-building-thing with a pair of two bright eyes staring out, and- Wait. You look back into the carousel. Something was looking back out at you. You look back into the eyes of whatever was staring out at you, hoping to express your need for help. You at least knew something was here in this town. Something was watching. Something with beautiful eyes was watching this. Hopefully, that something would help. The beautiful eyes widen in terror, and seemingly look past you. Before you can even turn around, you feel something in your stomach. You feel an odd sensation, like a sudden pressure on your abdomen. It begins to get hard to breathe, and you feel a wetness around your stomach. You look down, and see what had happened. The beast had a very long, scorpion like tail. A tail which had just penetrated you, ripping through your back and emerging out of your stomach. You gaze down at the tail in complete disbelief. The beast rips it's tail out, and wraps it around your feet, slamming you to the ground. You attempt to weakly crawl away, your insides on fire, but it's grip around your feet is too strong. It flips you over violently, and releases it's grip on yo,. only to send it tearing back through you, this time through your shoulder. It lifts you off of the ground, and brings you over to it's face. It opens its mouth wide, revealing just how many teeth the creature has. "No..." you force out. You have no idea where you are, who you are, or how you got here, and yet, here you are, about to become a midnight snack. As the beast begins to slowly push you towards it's mouth, you notice you still have the fence post in your hand. Now or never. Do or die. You muster all of the strength you have left in your body, and ignore the pain moving you arm causes you. You wait for the creature to smile at you again. It's your only shot. Sure enough, in a taunting fashion, he smiles, his teeth completely exposed. You pull back the fence post, and let loose. The post connects with the teeth inside of the gaping mouth, causing a good amount to leave their place in its jaw, and a better amount to be shattered. You feel the tail slide out of you, and you fall like a wet cloth to the ground, letting out a grotesque splattering noise as you do, the fence post clanking beside you. The beast stumbles around aimlessly, whimpering and holding its mouth. It looks at you one last time, then retreats back through the town. You let your head fall back into the dirt, no energy left in your body. You still have no idea what that thing was. Or where you were. You watch as blood drains from the two gaping holes in your body. Your vision begins to grow blurry. Finally, you begin to hear voices call out. "By the Goddess, someone get help!" "What is that? How did it make a Manticore THAT angry?" "Is it still alive?!" You couldn't see the people that were shouting, your vision was far too blurry to make them out anymore. But it comforted you to know that help had finally arrived. You feel your body move. They must be picking you up, hopefully, to take you to a hospital. You begin to feel yourself slipping from reality. Your vision was starting to completely fail, and the voices around you started to become quiet. Before you lost consciousness, you were able to make out one last thing. Those same azure eyes that looked out of the carousel building. God, they were amazing. You begin to feel as if you're falling. A feeling that seems vaguely familiar. Your muscles seemingly completely relax, and you feel your lungs stop. The voices around you grow more frantic, but become more and more quiet until they were completely silent. You blink, and when you opened your eyes, you were standing in a white room. You weren't sure how, or what on, but you were standing. You hear a voice echo through the white room, a voice that feels as vaguely familiar as the feeling of falling. "End of the line, kid."
Chapter Three: Transcending HistoryThis really did feel too forward. But you didn't want to hurt Rarity's feelings. The whole talking horse thing was kind of hard to swallow. You took a peek at the clock behind the receptionists desk as you signed yourself out. 5 AM. This pony had sat beside you for, what did the doctor tell you as you left? 1 week? She brought you here, fixed your suit, read to you (for whatever reason), the least you can do is humor her with some breakfast. It's still dark outside, which is a relief to you. Although you're 97% Rarity wouldn't mind being seen with you, you didn't want to embarrass her, or yourself, for that matter. You walked behind her, and made sure to make no sudden movements or do anything to scare her. It may have been a little after 5 AM as you began your trek back to the "Carousel Boutique" as Rarity had called it, but that didn't mean there were no ponies out and about. You assumed the ponies you had saw this early were merchants or farmers or something that required being away at such an early hour. You watch as ponies of various colors haul carts down the dusty roads, while they watch the creature they heard had been killed outside of the Carousel Boutique walk behind Rarity. You never put much thought into the fact that, while these may be ponies, they're sentient ponies. Maybe, comparing them to horses, is like comparing yourself to a gorilla. That makes you feel better about following a sentient pony home to have breakfast with it. "Alright darling, we're here. Come right on inside, have a seat wherever you see fit. I believe I have a stool in the kitchen, if you would like to sit with me while i cook, if not, there are some sofas in the living room." She unlocks the door, and begins to walk ahead of you "I'd prefer to sit next to you, if that's okay." "Why, of course darling! I have a plethora of questions, and I dare say you do too!" She pats the stool sitting near the stove top. She begins to dig around her cabinets, grabbing skillets. She talks with you while she prepares everything. "So..." She starts. She accidently hit two skillets together, sending a loud DING throughout the house. "While I would normally strictly follow the idea that ladies go first, this isn't exactly a normal situation, is it? So, please darling, ask any questions you may have!" You smile. At least someone here looks at you like you're another person. Or pony, rather. "Alright, um...What exactly do I call male and female ponies? I have a feeling boys and girls doesn't work here." Rarity laughs to herself. "Mares would be adult females, Stallions would be adult Males, Fillies would be young females, Colts would be young males." Makes sense, I suppose. "Who's in charge here? I've got to find somewhere to live, and I would like to clear up my image a bit. I also have a good feeling that i'm going to need a job." Rarity laughs a little louder this time. "Relax darling. While normally I would point you towards Mayor Mare regarding setting up some form of event to meet the ponies around here, I would strongly suggest you meet Princess Celestia. She's our ruler of sorts. As for a place to stay, there is no need to worry about that. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. Lastly, I am not quite sure about the job. The new shipping port opened in town, I'm sure they could use another pair of hands for sorting packages. I saw the way you handled that manticore, i'm sure you're quite strong enough for the job..." Rarity then flashes a brief stern look at you. "AFTER you have made a FULL recovery, you are welcome to start working. But before then, I cannot allow you to hurt yourself, darling." She then smiles again. "Thanks Rarity. That's all the questions I have for now. I'm sure I'll have thousands as this day progresses." You shift around in your stool. "Ask them as they come, darling. Now, if you don't mind, I have a few questions for you, as well. My thought process is a little different, however." Rarity begins mixing something in a bowl with a whisk, dropping a few berries in the mix. It actually smells really good. I bet those turn out to be bad ass muffins... "What's your plan?" you ask, "Well, being as you seem to suffer from amnesia regarding your personal self and how you got here, I was curios if you could possibly recount the history of your people. You see, by listening to you speak, and gauging your reactions to certain things, i can get to know you without ever asking a personal question, darling." Maybe you should tell her you regained a chunk of your memory... "Alright, sounds pretty reasonable. Shall we transcend history?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You secretly were extremely excited to hear Aaden talk. You tried to conceal your excitement by mixing your muffins faster. Maybe this is why Twilight reads so much, because this is absolutely fascinating. "Well. I don't really know where to start, and i'm not much of a history buff, so I hope i don't accidently lie to you. I know that my kind, Humans, Humanity, we were hunter gatherers in the beginning. We never really forged any civilizations, just kind of wandered around for awhile. Once we figured out the secret to farming, we started to settle down, form communities, which eventually became civilizations. From there, mining was really the reason we continued to jump in technology. Bronze, iron, that stuff. After several civilizations formed, that's when war started. I know that this period continued for awhile, when a particular civilization, The Roman Empire, was founded. It lasted for well over 1,000 years if you count the Byzantine continuation after the western part of the empire had fallen." 1,000 years? Goddess, that's a long time! "Then, we started to evolve in culture more than technology. Art, architecture, food, medicinal practices, that kind of stuff. We called it the renaissance Don't get me wrong, it was all very important, but it's also very long, so I'm gonna jump over it all. The land I come from, The United States of America, was founded several hundred years later, after warring with the the country that had created them. That same nation then fell into a civil war another several hundred years later over politics and slavery. But that violent war was nothing compared to the coming storms. World War One was right around the corner. WORLD WAR ONE? Were there multiple wars involving their whole world? I won't get in specifics, but World War One was very violent. 16 million humans died. You couldn't help but let your jaw drop. "16 Million? For what reason is there to fight such a violent conflict?" Aaden shrugs his shoulders. "I don't understand much, myself. 21 years later, World War 2 broke out. This was a little more violent, with the death toll estimated to be at least 40 million." You feel your jaw drop again in surprise. "But, it gets better. After the world suffers a brutal depression from all of the spending on War, the world began to slowly pull itself back together. Nations began to unite, economies prospered, and the world lived in relative peace. There is your boring, and probably inaccurate lesson on Human history." Aaden stretched up, yawned, and looked at you. During his speech, you had filled a muffin tin, and were now boiling pasta and stir-frying some vegetables you had. "Darling, I didn't find it boring at all. I surprised me a tad, but I believe that's only because I don't find you particularly violent." Aaden shifts around in his stool again. "Eh. No one human is particularly violent. It's when you get us in groups, then we become awful." You smile. "Well darling, I have only a few more questions. Those things with you at the hospital, that's all you own, isn't it?" He nods. "Well that simply won't do! Poor thing. We'll spend today getting you familiar with this new environment, and tomorrow, we'll take care of getting you some more clothes!" Aaden stood up, and gestured with his hands (he said they're called hands, at least). "No, Rarity, you really don't have to. I appreciate all you're doing, I really do, but I'll feel bad if you keep helping me. "Darling, I'll hear nothing of it. I suggest you accept these things as an inevitability." You smile. "You have a friend here, Aaden." You watch as he looks down at his feet. You don't want him thinking too hard about his situation, it may upset him. "I notice you have a briefcase. Do you know whats inside it?" You ask. Aaden shakes his head. "Sadly, no. It has a combination lock on it, and I have no idea what the combination is. My smartphone has the same problem. It's a shame, too. I guarantee the phone has pictures and music and maybe even texts on it that will make a few memories slide back into place, like at the hospital." What? He regained some memory? "Oh, yeah, I probably should have told you earlier." He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. "When I looked at my cards inside of my wallet, and I saw my name. a few memories came back to me. I guess my mind is kind of like a blank spot, and when I saw my name, it was like several puzzle pieces had just slid together. I remember that I have 5 siblings, two parents, and that I grew up in Manhattan, but that's it. I can't really picture what these siblings, parents, or cities look like, but i know their names, and i know they're there." "Darling, that's marvelous news!" You walk over to him, hop on your hind legs, and give him a hug. Your head comes just short of his neck. Then you realize what you're doing, and feel your blood run cold. you are hugging him without asking. You acted without thinking. Good going Rarity, now he thinks you're a creep! That's when you feel his arms slide around your back. He was hugging back. You breathe heavy in relief, and embrace the moment between Aaden and yourself. It must be so hard to do what he's doing, and you think he's quite brave for pulling through as well as he is. After all that he's been through, and being forced to put his mind back together, the poor human must be exhausted, terrified, and lonely at that. He releases his arms around you, but you don't notice, still hugging. "Uh, Rarity?" He says. "Hmm...?" You reply. "The vegetables are burning." Your eyes shoot open, and you immediately hope down and dash over to the stove. You can feel yourself blushing. That may be the best hug I've had my entire life. _________________________________________________________________________________ Damn. Maybe i should have just let those vegetables burn. You adjust your tie while Rarity frantically stirs the vegetables, and strains the pasta. You walk over to her coat rack, and place your blazer on one of the rungs. You walk back over to the stool, and sit back down, watching her work her magic. Even in a frenzy, she still managed to look graceful. She removes the vegetables from the stove top, and lets them cool slightly while the pasta finishes straining. Your eyes lock for a brief moment, broken by voice from behind you. "Hiya Aaden!" It shouts. Your blood runs cold. You and Rarity both turn around. It's a smaller pony, a filly, if you were correct in your assumptions. She looked a lot like Rarity. "Sweetie Belle! Were you eavesdropping?" Rarity sounds a little upset. "Only a little..." The filly says in an almost whisper-like voice. "Sweetie Belle, is it? I like your name! I'm assuming you're Rarity's sister?" You exclaim. Rarity looks over at you, a concerned look on her face. She walks over to you, and whispers in your ear. "Are you sure you're ready to talk with other ponies? Sweetie Belle can be a little...excitable." you smile and whisper back. "I have to start somewhere, I suppose." You pat your hand on the stool next to you. Sweetie dashes over to it, and you help her up on it. "I heard you guys in here cooking, and it woke me up! I went over to the door and listened to you guys talk, and saw you guys hug!" Rarity blushes while you rub the back of your neck again. "You saw that, huh?" "Yep! You sound like a really nice human! You did say you were called a human, right?" "That I am." "I like you! You sound like you're gonna be fun to have around! Rarity, is Aaden staying here, with us?" Rarity is now getting out plates and silverware. "Yes. Mr. Locke will be staying with us for some time." Mr. Locke. I like that. Sweetie Belle kicks her legs rapidly against the stool in delight. Rarity is now scooping food onto everyone's plates, and distributing glasses of water. All via magic, of course. The dish itself is rather simple, but filling. Simple long noodles with various vegetables sliced up with some kind of oil completing the dish. You talk about simple things, the day ahead of you, the dish itself. Sweetie Belle crosses her hooves. She's about to ask something. "Can Aaden walk with us to school?" Rarity looks over to you. "Oh, I don't know. Mr. Locke may not want to go out." Rarity is indirectly asking you if you want to. "Absolutely I will! I've got to get out and see the town, anyways. You see Rarity smile as she collects all of the plates and glasses. Sweetie Belle kicks her feet again, this time they move so rapid, they're a blur. It's unbelievably cute. As Sweetie dashes into her room, and begins preparing herself for school, you help Rarity with the dishes. "Darling, you don't have to help with this mess." She says. You roll up your sleeves, and smile at her. "I suggest you accept these things as an inevitability." She returns the smile. "Touché" You clean all of the dishes together, and get them all put in their respective holding places. Sweetie Belle is now sitting in the chair next to the front door, seemingly vibrating from excitement. Rarity excuses herself, and runs upstairs for a moment, while you roll down your sleeves, and snag your blazer from the coat hanger. You put it on, yank on your sleeves, and adjust your tie. "I've got to ask Sweetie Belle, why are you so excited for me to accompany you to school?" She jumps up. "Because my friends would never ever believe me if i just TOLD them! Not only am I friends with the only human in Equestria, but I also get to prove it?" She smiles a devilish smile. "They're gonna be soooooooo jealous." You Rarity coming down the staircase. "Alright darlings, are we all ready?" Sweetie Belle yelps, which you assume means yes, and you nod your head. Rarity leans over to you and whispers again. "Aaden, if you aren't ready for this, it's fine. Darling, this can be a tad stressful for you." You use a dismissive hand gesture. "I'll be okay. Thank you though, Rarity. It means a lot that you consider my opinion." you whisper back. You notice Sweetie Belle about to burst with anxiety, and decide not to keep her waiting. The sun was shining bright, the temperature was perfect, and Rarity could explore the town with you today. You had to get out and see the town and it's people eventually. Might as well go now before the rumors start. Maybe this wasn't too forward, after all. Your mind goes back to the hug you had with Rarity. You smile like a fool. Hopefully I see a few more hugs before this day ends.
Chapter Seventeen: Ethics of a MercenaryYour mind went quiet for awhile. After you heard the voices, you laid back down in the bed, next to Vinyl. You couldn't think about what you were doing, your head was spinning with a mixture of fatigue and pain. You immediately closed your eyes, and decided to sleep a little more. Maybe it would bring you peace. _________________________________________________________________________________ Your squad was relatively small. Three other men, Anthony, Victor, and Thomas, joined you in this operation. Your briefing was simple: Rival PMCs were meeting in the thick forests of Eastern Europe, purportedly for an exchange of weapons and information regarding other PMCs. Including yours. The Chairman's words still echoed through your head. "Find them, hunt them, kill them." You fumble with the straps on your gas mask, ensuring they're tight. You'll be damned if you breathe in your own gas, should you decide to use it. You look around your squad, all of who looked to you, waiting on their orders. You were told to operate in complete radio silence, so if you fucked this up, you were on your own. You raise your hand, and signal your squad to follow you. You slowly walk through the forest, careful not to step on anything that would make a noise. It was going to be a long night. As you trekked, you eventually began to hear voices. Your snail pace then became a glacial pace. The night sky was completely obscured by the forest top, which provided you all of the camouflage you could ever need. You slowly crept up over the side of a hill, and sure enough, there were two vehicles facing each other on the thin road, headlights still on, engines still running. You watched as, on one side, two men got out of the vehicle, with a little girl. "What the hell? Is that a child?" Victor whispered. You held your hand up to quiet him down. You watched as two other men got out of the other car, with a briefcase. These groups of men met, and exchanged. The girl for the briefcase. You watched as they removed the blindfold from the girl, who immediately yelped in joy, and ran over to the man that held the suitcase. She jumped up on him, and he hugged her close. "Shit...this wasn't a trade of information OR weapons..." Victor continued whispering. You held your hand up again, signalling him to shut up. You couldn't speak Ukrainian, but you could hear the little girl crying, and the man slowly stroking her hair, comforting her. You heard a magazine slide into a weapon and lock in place. You turn to your right, and see Anthony loading his rifle. He looks at you. You know he's smiling under the gas mask. "Orders are orders. Do you wanna get paid?" He screwed on his silencer, and aimed his rifle down at the group of men and the little girl. This wasn't right. Anthony closed one eye, and you heard him take a deep breath. This wasn't right. He put his finger on the trigger. This wasn't right. He pulled the trigger, the bullet connecting with one of the men who now had the briefcase. His head jerked back violently, blood splattering all over the hood of the car and the headlights of the car. Before they could react, your squad followed suit. The other man was gunned down before he knew what was happening. The two that now had the girl had just enough time to react. The man that was hugging the girl put her down, and yelled something in Ukrainian. The girl darted off behind the car. The other man that was with him was shot as he tried to take cover with the girl, and he it appeared as if he was dead, lying on the side of the road. All that was left was the man that had hugged the girl and the girl. You hadn't fired a single shot. You couldn't. Something about this seemed extremely wrong. You had never questioned it before, but now, it was all just too much. This wasn't a trade of anything harmful. This was a father reuniting with his daughter. And you were slaughtering them. You KNEW it wasn't right. The final man poked his head up, and Victor fired this time. It hit him in his shoulder, and he dropped back behind the car with a shout. You were sure it was an obscenity in his language. I can't let this happen. This isn't right. That's when you get an idea. "Stand back, I'm going to finish the job." You say. Anthony laughed. "Thatta boy, Locke." You cringed at his compliment. You slide down the hill, and walked in between the cars. When you got around the car, you saw the man sitting against the car, bleeding profusely out of his left shoulder. He was also holding the girl. She was crying in fear, burying her face into him. He looked up at you, and put his arms around the girl as tight as he could. You could tell he was sobbing, too. You got down on one knee, and removed your first aid kit. You opened it up as both the man and the girl went wide eyed, watching you. You withdrew a syringe filled with pain killer, and forced it into him. You then took several heavy linen bandages, and wrapped his wound. You looked over your shoulder, to make sure your squad couldn't see you. "This will keep you alive for a few days. You need to get help immediately." You whispered to him. To your surprise, he spoke back, in fluent English. "I...thank you..." His daughter spoke back to him, obviously asking what you had said. He told her, and she threw herself back on top of him, crying again, but a different type crying. A cry of relief. You leaned back down and whispered to him again. "I need to fire two shots, make them think I killed you. Cover her ears. The moment I walk away, you get her in the car, and you get the hell out of here." He nodded, and slipped his gloved hands over his daughters ears, who stopped crying, and now watched you intently. You pulled out your rifle, and fired two shots. Even with a silencer, it sounded like someone was slamming a car door as hard as they could. Twice. As you turned to leave, you felt someone grab your pant leg. You turned around. It was the girl, who was now sobbing again. She said something in between her sobs. You looked down at the man for a translation. "She says, 'thank you, Mr. Angel'." _________________________________________________________________________________ You feel something moving on top of your mouth. On your lips. That's what stopped the dream. But you still were in the state of being half-awake and half-asleep, so you didn't bother to move to stop it. You had a lot on your mind. That wasn't seriously you, was it? You didn't do that. Did you? And Anthony, was that the one from the imageless memories you had? Your blood runs cold at the thought. That had to have been you. He called you "Locke". That WAS you. You had a lot to think about. A lot to come to terms with. You attempted to look on the bright side. If you came to terms with it once before, you can do it again. You now felt something on your teeth. It moved to your neck. Your shirt was now being lifted up, and you could feel wetness on your chest. Stomach. Lower abdomen. It really tickled. You shifted, and sat up in the bed, slowly opening your eyes. With a few blinks, your eyes were now completely adjusted. It was Vinyl. Licking you. "Vinyl...What're you doing?" She jumped a little, not expecting you to wake so easily. She froze at your pants, not moving. "Vinyl. What are you doing?" She looked up at you, and smiled. "What do you want me to do?" You sat up further, her mouth now at your knees. She sat up as well. "Vinyl. I'm just going to pretend that this didn't happen. God knows I've got bigger problems." Thank you, Mr. Angel. What the hell kind of Angel lets his squad do that? Why didn't I stop them? Vinyl smiled at you, and sat next to you. "Maybe another time, huh honor-boy?" You weren't paying attention, and just responded with a quick, generic answer. It was probably your fault for laying down next to her. Vinyl got up, and walked into the living room. Mr. Angel. You laid in the room. The sun was still out, so you couldn't have been asleep very long. You pulled your shirt back down. What was awful about this, is you didn't know if you could tell Rarity. She looks at you like you're a saint. If she knew about this, if ANY of the ponies knew about this, you may be viewed in a completely different light. A less friendly one. You wouldn't feel right hiding anything from her, though. As you ponder these thoughts, you heard the door to your room open. The girls must have just got home. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walked into the bedroom. Rainbow Dash had a paper bag in her mouth. "H-hello Aaden. I hope we d-didn't wake you." You patted the side of your bed. "No no, I was already awake, Fluttershy. I have a question for you, actually." Fluttershy smiled, albeit bashfully, and partially behind her mane. Rainbow Dash sat the paper bag down on the nightstand, and hopped up onto the bed with Fluttershy. "You wouldn't happen to know of any good hiking trails, would you? I've got a lot on my mind, and I feel like a good walk through nature would really help me out." Fluttershy emerged from behind her mane. "Well, actually, I do know of a few! There's one through the outskirts of the Everfree forest, and then there's one through the Silversong forest, just outside of Canterlot!" You smile, and reach for the paper bag. "Then Silversong forest it is! How about tomorrow, after I wrap up my training, you and I head out? I don't think Rarity, or any of the other girls would want to go." Rainbow Dash immediately interjects. "Hey! I wanna go!" Called it. "Well, alright, Dash, Fluttershy, we'll head out tomorrow after training. Sound good?" Fluttershy just nodded her head with a smile, while Rainbow Dash seemingly clinched her hoof. "Sounds AWESOME!" You opened the paper bag. Some breadsticks, a piece of garlic toast, and what looked like a bunch of spaghetti noodles at the bottom of the bag. You take out a breadstick, and chomp off a piece. "So, Fluttershy. Tell me about this Silversong Forest." _________________________________________________________________________________ You CANNOT believe you just did that, and got away with it! That has to be a for-sure sign that he wants it, right? That he wants you? I mean, he did lay down next to you. He HAD to have wanted it! You notice Rarity isn't with the other girls. "Hey, AJ, where's Rarity?" Applejack turned from the balcony. "She said somethin' about buyin' Aaden somethin'. Ah can't remember." Twilight chimed in. "She went to go buy him a present. I forget why. She seems to really like Aaden." You laugh nervously. I ALSO REALLY LIKE AADEN. _________________________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy finishes explaining the Silversong forest to you, and you both begin talking about the hike itself. You swallow a mouthful of breadstick. "So, how long do you think we'll be on this trail?" Fluttershy tilted her head in thought. "Uuhhhhm...maybe 3 hours? Is that okay?" You smile. "It's perfect. I've got plenty of candy and other junk foods to take with us, so snacks are covered." For the first time since you had known her, Flutteshy asked you a question. Two, actually. "Aaden. May I ask you question?" You nod your head. "Of course." "Tomorrow, if it would be okay, do you think that maybe, you could tell me a little more about yourself? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, it's just, the other girls seem to really think you're nice, and you seem really nice and interesting, and I-" You motion at her with your hand. Thank you, Mr. Angel. Your mind shudders. You force a smile. "Absolutely Fluttershy. I'd like to hear a little more about you, as well." You knew for a fact that Fluttershy had zero romantic expectations of you. She legitimately just wanted to be your friend. That sounded amazing to you. A good friend, and a nice hike through what she described as a beautiful forest. Rainbow Dash would be there, but you didn't foresee her causing any problems. You looked over at Rainbow Dash, who was smiling. It's not that you don't like her, she could be a good friend, she really could, she just seems to have more in mind. But you're willing to give her another shot. Hell, you'd be willing to give her 3 more shots, if you had to. "So, Dash, are you sure you're up for the hike?" Rainbow laughed. "Am I up for the hike? Ha! I could fly three times as far, twice as fast!" You couldn't help but smile. You liked her competitive nature. "Well, Dash, keep in mind we don't wanna go fast. We wanna walk, talk, and take in the environment." Rainbow Dash looked down at your comforter. "Well...I dunno...you did say you were going to talk about yourself, right?" You nodded your head, and watched as she started to blush, while she circled her hoof on your bed. "Then I'm definitely coming."
Chapter Twenty-Six: DesertedThe day was actually quite boring. Nothing interesting occurred between you and Rainbow Dash, not even at night. She did lay on top of you again. You had no qualms regarding that. You knew you were going to have another flashback. You always do. You wonder how many more are coming, how many more memories lie in wait for you to relive. You put your arms around Rainbow Dash as you did the previous night, and hold her close to you. She smelled just as great as she did the previous day, as well. You close your eyes, and soon see the memory taking shape. _________________________________________________________________________________ What was once 10 men, was now 4. This memory was unlike the others. It was almost like a montage, Youtube Video Deep in the ocean, dead and cast away Where innocence is burned in flames A million mile from home, I'm walking ahead I'm frozen to the bones, I am... A soldier on my own, I don't know the way I'm riding up the heights of shame I'm waiting for the call, the hand on the chest I'm ready for the fight, and fate The sound of iron shocks is stuck in my head, The thunder of the drums dictates The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead's The rising of the horns, ahead From the dawn of time to the end of days I will have to run, away I want to feel the pain and the bitter taste Of the blood on my lips, again This deadly burst of snow is burning my hands, I'm frozen to the bones, I am A million mile from home, I'm walking away I can't remind your eyes, your face You had split the Pathfinders into two squads. All of the men in your squad had been killed, and you had been shot just above your left elbow and once in your shoulder. You pick yourself up off the snow covered ground, and looked around you. Through the blizzard, you could make out more shapes moving in the forest. There were more coming. Your radio buzzed. "Captain! Are you alright?" You cringe as you move your left arm to reach for it, and reach with your right arm instead. You hold it up to your mouth. "They're all dead. It's just me." After a period of silence, you hear Max respond. "We've lost two." "We will grieve later. Collect their tags, and keep moving. They died attempting to escape with us. They would want us to carry on." "Yes sir. I assume we're still set to meet at the cottage?" "Yes." "Gotcha. Over and out." You walk to the bodies of your fallen comrades, collect their tags, and quickly limp into the forest. You watch as soldiers clad in white armor with orange goggles examine the bodies with their flashlights. Your rifle was completely out of ammunition. You needed a gun. You prowled ahead towards the rendezvous point. Finally, you found one of the soldiers by himself, leaning against a tree, attempting to smoke a cigarette in the blizzard. You snuck up on him. Before he could react, you slid your rifle around the tree, and yanked backwards, choking him between the tree and cold steel of your rifle. You pulled with what little might you had left, watching as he thrashed and gagged, his hands up at his neck, attempting to free himself. You only pulled harder. He gurgled and scratched at the rifle at your harder choke. Eventually, he stopped struggling, and fell lifeless. You let him fall to the snow. You search his body, taking his rifle and his handgun. He also had a small box of ammunition in a pouch on his waist. You continue your limp through the forest. Your black duster was completely white with snow. Your scalp felt frozen. You stopped feeling your fingers several hours ago. You could see the cottage in the clearing of the forest. You also noticed a familiar IMO solider, peering out of the second floor window. Max. With renewed hope, you limped inside of the cottage. Maybe you would escape, after all. _________________________________________________________________________________ You open your eyes, and turn towards the clock. It was 9 AM. Seems to be a reasonable time to start your patrol. With some almost impossible maneuvering of your body, you manage to slither out from underneath of Rainbow Dash. She clung to the nearest pillow, obviously missing you. It made you smile. As you put on your armor, you ponder the job of being a Guardsman. Make your own hours, but always be available in the event of an emergency. This is the first job you've ever had that's anything like that. You liked it quite a bit, actually. Maybe it was the extreme freedom of the position, or maybe it was the idea that you were a local paragon, but you think you'll really enjoy your little stint as a Guardsman. You walk downstairs, and open the front door, when you remember you're standing on a house in the clouds. You walk over to the edge, and peer over. You sigh. "God damn it..." You were really about to do this. You could see one cloud floating very close to the ground. Very close. You wouldn't dare wake up Rainbow Dash. To disturb such cuteness should be a crime. You made sure your sword was properly sheathed; no need to kill yourself before you even hit the ground. You lean over the edge, and take another look. It was, AT LEAST, a 6 story fall you were risking. You couldn't imagine what it would be like missing that cloud. It was certainly big enough to land on safely, all you had to do was steer correctly. And by steer, you meant fall hopelessly. You look back over your shoulder one last time, just in case Rainbow Dash had woke up. Nope. You take a deep breath, and let your feet carry you. As you hit the edge of the clouds, you spread your arms, and fall. Falling. Falling. Still falling. You feel your organs shift to your back, tickling you in a macabre way. The sound of falling was completely deafening. At least you were on course with hitting the cloud. You thought. The air rushing against your eyes made it extremely painful to keep them open. Finally, you hit the cloud with a loud POOMF. You come to your knees, and make yourself stand up on the cloud. You peek over the side. It was only about a 10 foot fall. You were breathing rapidly. "Shit. Alright..." You gently dangle your legs off of the side of the cloud, and let yourself fall. When you hit the ground, you feel your ankles rattle and shake in pain, and you let out a grunt of discomfort. Rainbow Dash needs an elevator. Or ladder. Or something. You test your feet by pressing them gently against the ground. No pain, you could still walk without any problems. You look back up to Rainbow Dash's house. You jumped from that. You laughed. You weren't exactly sure how to patrol Ponyville. Was it really as simple as walking around the town? Surely there had to be more to it than just that. Guess I'll found out. You trek into town, and sure enough, all is calm. Ponies walk about the town, going about their business. You catch a few eyes here and there, nothing too bad. A few fillies decide they want to ask you a bunch of questions, but you don't mind it in the least. After explaining how you walk on two legs, and signing a few autographs for the fillies, they skitter off in pure joy. You were now in the marketplace. Easiest job I've ever had. _________________________________________________________________________________ You have wandered the damn desert for well over a year now, going from oasis to oasis. You have no idea how you got here. You have no recollection of anything prior to appearing. You have no idea how you were surviving on a diet of fruit and vegetables, nor how you were keeping your sanity. The only thing you knew was your name, which was printed on a lamented card you found in your pocket. You sat under the shade of a palm tree, scooping water from the oasis with your hands. The sun was extremely hot, and this desert was like none you had ever heard of. It was completely flat. You could see other oases in the distance, at least 4-5 miles away, but they were still there. You fill your canteen with water, soak your clothes in water, and begin your trek across the desert. Your boots sink slightly into the sand with each step, making a loud crunching sound. The heat was not altered with any wind or moisture in the air. Just dry, burning heat. As you begin to near the oasis, you see something. It looks like two horses standing at the oasis you were heading to. My ticket outta here. After about 2 hours, you finally reached the Oasis. Sure enough, two horses were drinking from the water. As you neared them, one turned around, and jumped. "AH!" It shouted. "Mala, what is that?" These horses were talking. Talking horses. Maybe you were finally loosing your mind. The other horse turned around. "By the Goddess. Speak, creature. What are you?" You hold your hands up, trying to show you were unarmed and meant no harm. "A human? What are you?" You ask. The two horses look at each other. "We are Horses, of course. Merchants from Saddle Arabia. Creature, where do you come from?" You shrug. "If I knew, I'd tell ya." You decided that you truly had lost your mind, and you choose to just give in to it, rather than resist. At least you'll be entertained. The two horses look at each other. After a long period of silence, one spoke up. "Are you lost, Mr...?" You pull out your card with your name on it. "Adam Howard. And you have no idea." _________________________________________________________________________________ It was getting late. The sun was beginning it's descent. You were almost positive that crime never happened in Ponyville. And that was fine by you. You walk to Rainbow Dash's house, clunking the entire way there. As you walk, you try to come up with an idea for getting back up to her house, when, sure enough, you see a cloud pillar now touching the ground, with a ladder braced to it. You laugh to yourself, and begin your climb up. The higher you get, the better you can Rainbow Dash's house. You notice the ladder is taking you right up to the window of her room. After about 10 minutes of climbing, you are about 15 rungs away from reaching the window. You hear music, and can smell lavender, and a lot of it. Youtube Video You recognize the song as the cover of "Over My Head" by The Fray. Rainbow Dash would probably like this version, being as it was heavier. You climbed over the edge of the window, and looked inside. Scented candles were spread throughout the room, the lights completely off. There was a sheet of paper with what looked like a stick figure taking it's clothes off taped to the wall, with a large red "X" taped on the ground. You never pained Rainbow Dash as a romantic, but were willing to give her a chance. She could have picked a better song... You begin unstrapping your armor, and you let it fall to the floor, each piece dinging as it did. In mere moments, you now stood shirtless, about to untie your greaves and boots, when you hear a voice. "Nuh uh." It says. "I'm doing those." You turn, and see Rainbow Dash strolling in the room. "You sure? I mean, it's kinda heavy." You laugh. "Dude, I've thought about this all day. Nothings's ruining this for me." You hold your hands up, showing your surrender. She walks behind you, and begins fumbling with the straps. With a clink, the front greave plate of your left and right legs fall. Then the back plate. Then you step out of your boots. Rainbow knocks them all aside, and jumps onto you, kissing you as deeply as she possibly could. The grape taste began to arouse you. She pulled back, and whispered in your ear. "I'm sorry about the other night, I got scared. And while I still kinda am, I can do you a favor." She then licked your ear, and went back to kissing you. At least she isn't being AS shy. She then breaks the kiss again, hovers in the air in front of you, and with a gentle push, knocks you on your back, making you land on the cloud bed. You look up at the ceiling, a stupid grin on your face as you feel her removing your underwear. She wasted absolutely no time. She immediately took you into her mouth, and began sliding her head up and down. You gripped the clouds with your hands as hard as you could. "Jesus Christ..." You mumbled. You could feel every inch of her tongue. You could feel how warm and velvety her mouth was. You could feel how eager she was to do this. The music was starting to loop, but you had far bigger things on your mind. You put your hands on the back of her head, and stroked her mane. "Ah..." You almost squeak. You then feel a vibration in her mouth. Was she giggling? Sure enough, you hear her laugh through her nose. Oh God. Yeah. She is. You decide to be brave, and look down, see what exactly she was doing. She notices this, and slows down, looking back up at you, your eyes meeting. Her eyes never looked magical before this moment, but making eye contact during a moment like this, it made her eyes indescribable in beauty and wonder. She took her hooves, and gently started working you up and down, using her tongue to lick here and there. "You like, BIG guy?" You laugh, and bite your lip. You were close. Very close. You grip the clouds even harder. "Dash..." You start. She puts a hoof over your mouth, and whispers to you. "Do it." You look up at the ceiling. Just as you were about to say something, she put you right back inside of her mouth again, and started moving faster than ever before. Well. She really doesn't have a gag reflex. You begin to feel a tickling building up inside of you, which grows stronger and stronger with every thrust of her head, with every flick of her tongue. Pleasure swept over you, elevating you to a plane of existence of nothing but pure ecstasy. You feel yourself pump into her throat several times. She doesn't seem to mind. She even seems to enjoy it, moaning as she feels it hit her tongue. She flops you out of her mouth, and crawls up beside you. Thankfully, the music had stopped. She cuddled up next to you, pulling the cloud blanket up over both of you. "Aaden. I love you." You pull her close to you. "I think...I love you too, Rainbow Dash." _________________________________________________________________________________ "Yes, my Queen." You said. Your new chitinous armor looked ghastly. It was pitch black and covered in spikes. The Queen looked you in the eyes. "I am unsure how you arrived here so long ago. But I have taken you in, my child. The least you could do to repay your debt, is to become a Dreadguard. You nod your head. "Yes, my Queen." She smiles, revealing many pointed teeth. "Excellent. Then it is all set. I already have a mission for you, as well. Would you like to hear it now?" "Yes, my Queen." "The enemy, the oppressors, they have a new Honor Guard. Apparently, he is very tough. This could cause problems for us. You can handle it, I'm sure. He is merely a pony or gryphon. You are...different. I trust you will eliminate this guard, my child." "Yes, my Queen." As you turn to walk away, she calls to you. "And Alan?" "Yes, my Queen?" "Welcome to the Dreadguard." "Thank you, my Queen." You smile.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Honor and DreadYou've never felt closer to Rainbow Dash, You hadn't forgotten Rarity, nor the fact that you would be spending two weeks with Vinyl Scratch. This was certainly going to complicate things slightly, but you'll face that music when it plays. Rainbow Dash must have felt the same way about you, judging by the fact that not only was she completely on top of you, but her fore legs and her wings were wrapped around you. You open your eyes. Sunlight poured into the room from the window, bathing the entire room in light. Rainbow Dash had pulled the cloud blanket up over her head at some point, so the light wouldn't wake her. It was a little too late for you. You're still completely naked. It didn't bother you as much as it should. You trusted Rainbow Dash. In fact, you think you loved Rainbow Dash. You reach your hand up, and go to scratch your head. You wanted to spend time with Rainbow Dash today. You never really got to out to a restaurant or anything with her. Maybe she could come on your patrol today. Ponyville was certainly safe enough. Maybe you could go to The Sugarcube Corner together. Or maybe to a bar for some lunch. You look down from the ceiling, and see Rainbow Dash, fully awake, staring at you. "WHOA." You flinch. You liked how big these ponies eyes were, but they would still startle you here and there. "Uh. Good morning, Rainbow Dash." She smiles, and rubs one eye with a hoof. "Good morning to you too. Are you about to leave?" "Well, actually, I have an idea. I wanna spend some time with you, Dashie. And I would like to avoid free-falling from the clouds again. Would you like to come with me on my patrol today? We could get some lunch." Rainbow Dash lifts herself up almost immediately, her face getting closer to yours. "You mean it?" You run a hand through her mane. "Absolutely." She kisses you, and hops off of your chest. "This is gonna be awesome! Let me shower real quick, and we'll go." You climb out of bed. "I'll join you." She winks at you. You could find no way that this day could end badly. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Queen always told you that the Ponies and their allies were fascist oppressors. That they denied your people food. That they would rather let them starve then help them. You didn't remember much of anything before appearing in The Queen's kingdom, but what you did know, is you were a good guy. You weren't going to stand by and watch as these creatures suffered. You and one of The Queen's servants, Ghoul, walked through the Everfree Forest, towards the town named Ponyville. Ghoul briefs you as you walk. "Thisss Honor Guard isss...different." He started. His tongue hissed and clicked. "You will sssee when you arrive. We attempted to kill him not long ago, by angering a local manticore in his ssshape and form, then leading it to him. He defeated it." You scoff. "It was only a manticore. I am far more deadly. The oppressor will die." Ghoul laughed, the clicking noise slightly louder. You both continue to walk through the forest, your chitin-armor creaking with every step. After awhile, you reached a path. Ghoul stopped. "Alright, Alan. Thisss isss asss far asss I go. Continue along the path. You will reach Ponyville in three to four hoursss." You nod, and salute him. "For The Queen." He hisses. "For The Queen." You smirk. _________________________________________________________________________________ You both sit down at a table inside of a bar/grill named Poachies. You removed your helmet at the door, and took a booth near the door. You sit down across from Rainbow Dash, and flip through the menus they have on the table. Rainbow Dash looks curiously up at you. "Aaden, did you eat meat back home?" You freeze. Slowly looking up from the menu, your eyes meet hers. "Ah...well. Yeah. Humans are omnivores." She smiles at you. "No sweat, dude! Gryphons eat meat ALL THE TIME!" You let out a sigh of relief. "A friend of mine, Gilda, she had me try a bite once. I didn't like it very much, and it made me pretty sick, but hey, to each his own, right?" You nod your head. "That being said, this place has a mean veggie burger. That's what I'm getting." She sets the menu down, and picks up the glass of cola she had ordered to drink. You quickly flip through the menu, hoping to see something with meat. It appeared as if Rainbow Dash had got your hopes up for nothing, however. You still couldn't read Equestrian, but you were getting a little better. You find a picture of the veggie burger, all blown up, and attempt to read the few words you understand. "Black Bean, Tomato, Lettuce..." You cannot read the rest. "Dash, what all comes on this burger of yours?" She sips at her glass, and puts it down. "Well, the patty is made of grilled black beans, and then you can pretty much get whatever you'd like. I'm getting a little bit of everything on mine. What did you like back home?" "There was one burger I really liked from this little diner back home, it had onion rings, cheese, and barbecue sauce." "You're in luck! You can those things here!" You smile, and put your hand on her hind leg from the table. Rarity may have made you feel accepted, but Rainbow Dash made you feel at home. You decide to immediately cease thoughts of having to pick between the two. The waiter comes by, and takes your order. He also brings Rainbow Dash another glass of soda. As he leaves, you laugh. "Whats so funny?" She asks. "You ordered extra ketchup. I dunno, I've just never been a fan of ketchup." "Are you kidding? I put ketchup on my ketchup! You really don't like it?" You shake your head. "Nah. I like barbecue sauce a whole bunch, like, I use that for dipping fries and as a burger topping, but that's about it." "Isn't barbecue sauce made from ketchup?" She picks up her glass, and takes another swig. "Sometimes." You think about how much ketchup is going to be on this thing. "Blegh." She laughs at you. "Whatever. You'll still kiss me." "Yeah. Yeah, I will." _________________________________________________________________________________ The forest was beginning to unwind itself. The path was getting larger, and you could see far more hoof prints. you were nearing the exit of the forest. You were nearing the town of Ponyville. This Honor Guard was supposed to be in golden armor, and I was supposed to "know him when I see him". You pick up your pace out of anticipation. _________________________________________________________________________________ "Well I'll be damned. This desert DOES end, huh?" You muse. A settlement in the desert was coming into view. "Yes. Welcome to Saddle Arabia, human. We will request audience with The Princess. Perhaps we can have you teleported to Canterlot." "Teleported? Alright." You had given up hope on understanding this new world. "Mala, are you sure it's safe to bring this...thing...into town?" The other horse asked. "It is absolutely safe. He barely remembers his name, much less anything else. Even if he WAS a violent man, he isn't now." The other horse looks off to the town, in deep thought. "You are right, Mala. I apologize for my doubts." "It is only natural, Bakir. Now go ahead while we wait here. Alert the town that a NON-HOSTILE visitor is coming." The horse identified as Bakir nodded his head, and dashed off across the dunes, kicking up sand as he went. "So. Adam, was it?" You nod your head. "We'll get you taken care of. If anyone knows what to do, it's The Princess." "It's no skin off of my bones. While it would be nice to remember exactly who I am, I think of this as a fresh start!" Mala smiles at you. "Very brave, for a foreign creature in a foreign land." _________________________________________________________________________________ Your food comes out rather quickly, two burgers, each on top of a hoof-full of fries, were sat down in front of you. Rainbow Dash's oozed ketchup. You shudder, and pick up your burger. As you do, you hear somepony start shouting. "GUARDS! GUARDS, HELP! SOMETHING IS COMING!" Rainbow Dash looks to you. You were already on your feet, running for the door, strapping your helmet back on, and unsheathing your sword. You look out to where the other ponies where looking, and see a black, bipedal creature in black, scaled armor, with a sword that looked like a long, black tooth. His helmet made him look like a giant insect, two mandibles and disgustingly bright blue eyes. You look over at the civilians. "Get back, go! Get to safety!" They nod, and run inside all of the local buildings. The creature picks up his pace from a fast walk, to a run. He was coming for you. Just like that, all of Ponyville was watching you. The creature begins to shout at you. "DIE, OPPRESSOR!" He leaps on top of you, knocking you to the ground. The mandibles on his helmet click and squirm in your face. You bring your legs up, and kick it in it's head. It stumbles backwards, it's mandibles now shattered. It had it's hands on it's head, stumbling around in pain. You get back on your feet, and ready your sword. It stops stumbling, and looks over at you. As it draws it's sword, two new mandibles ripped from the helmet, replacing the ones you just broke. That thing's sword looks heavy...hmm... You sheathe your sword, and decide to wait for it to attempt to stab you. Sure enough, he follows suit, lunging in at you. You catch the blade between your arm and chest, and clamp down on it. Before he could react, you kick him back again. You now have it's blade. It stomped in frustration, but began another sprint at you. "FOR THE QUEEN!" It screamed. When it got close, you lunged forward, stabbing him directly in the chest. He doesn't react, and throws you aside. You hit the ground hard, but still get back up. You notice the sword sticking out of his chest. You watch in horror as it seemingly melts into his armor with a grotesque ripping sound, and then bursts into existence from his hand again. He comes in close, swinging his blade vertically. He misses, so you grab him by the neck, and smack him in the helmet with the hilt of the sword, knocking him to the ground on his stomach. You run over to him, kick him over on his back, and bring your foot down on his head. Not only does it not squish liked you hoped it would, but a spike thrust out of it, ripping through your boots, through your foot. "FUCK!" You yell, and step backwards, ripping your foot from the helmet. It now hurt like Hell to even think about your right foot. You watched the creature start to get back up, when you heard a familiar voice call out. "COMIN' IN HOT!" You knew what that meant. You threw yourself on the ground, and watched as a rainbow blur was rocketing towards the creature. It made impact with the creature's chest as it was getting up, and sent the creature into the fountain in the marketplace. You see Rainbow Dash coming back in for another hit, and sure enough, she hits it again, putting him back down into the fountain. She then flies back over to you. "I got his helmet off, go finish it!" You nod, and begin your walk over to the fountain. _________________________________________________________________________________ You were defeated. Even with your living armor, you couldn't best these ponies. The Queen deserved better. It was a shame that the only other human in Equestria was working for the oppressors. It would have been nice if you had actually known him. You lay back in the fountain, tilting your head back, and closing your eyes. You're going to die. Might as well make it easy for them. You feel yourself get lifted from the fountain by the neck. You hear the Honor Guard start speaking to you. "You are charged with attempted murder and treason against Equestria, you-" You open your eyes, and meet his. He was a human taller than you, and was built slightly better, as well. Maybe that's why he won. That and the damn Rainbow pony. His eyes opened wide, and he immediately dropped you. "Alan. Is that you?" You feel your blood run cold, and your head begin to hurt. That voice sounded so familiar. "Alan. Talk to me." You look up at the Honor Guard. He was wearing a gas mask with bright orange lenses, and a long duster over orange and black armor. He held his hand out to you, as a gesture of helping you up. "Alan." You blink again, and everything returns to normal. He was back in his golden armor, but was still offering you a hand. This was your chance to avenge your loss. You grabbed his hand, and as you did, your living armor ripped a spike through the hand, impaling the Honor Guard through his left hand. He looks down at you in shock, cocks his right hand back, and punched you as hard as you had ever been punched in your head. The metal of his gauntlets amplified the pain, not to mention your head hit the cement of the fountain. Your vision started to get very bright. It wasn't too soon after that when you lost consciousness. _________________________________________________________________________________ How was Alan here? Wasn't he dead? Oh God, am I dead? I'm not dead! What was he wearing? Oppressors? Who was he working for? Why didn't he recognize you? Your mind was racing. The pain in your foot began to amplify itself. You slid your hand off of this new spike that had penetrated it. Ponies started to come out of their hiding places. Rainbow Dash flew over to you and landed beside you. "Oh buck! Aaden, we've got to get you to the hospital!" You look down at the unconscious Alan. "He needs to go, as well. I may have broken his skull." "What? Aaden, he tried to kill you! You can't be serious!" You look down at her. "Rainbow Dash. That's Alan. From my memories." She looks at you in a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "What? I thought he was a good guy, though! Wasn't he your friend? Why was he attacking you?" You lean down, and pick up Alan's unconscious body. "You know as much as I do, Dash. We'll take him to the hospital, get that damned armor off of him, and interrogate him when he wakes up. He was a good man. I want answers for this as much as everypony else does." Rainbow Dash nods her head. "Now, Hospital, yes?" _________________________________________________________________________________ You wait anxiously for Aaden in the waiting room. You had two styrofoam boxes containing both of your untouched meals from earlier that day, sitting in your lap. you thumped your hooves on them out of anxiety. Every tick of the clock, every move of it's hands made the wait all the more tense. You knew he wasn't going to die or anything, but you still wanted to make sure he was okay. You also hope he wan't mad at you. You know he could have handled Alan on his own, but you didn't want that fight to last any longer than it had to. Aaden comes out, a series of thick bandages over his left hand, and he was walking normally. You leap up, and dash over to him, hugging him. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" "Yep. Doc says that my foot will hurt for a week or two, but it'll be okay. My left hand though? Broken. That may take awhile to fix. The spike that hit my foot was smaller than the one I got through the hand." "What about Alan?" Aaden looks down at his right hand. "I cracked his skull. Doc says he'll make a full recovery as long as they keep his brain from swelling too much. That disgusting armor of his was removed and destroyed, and he has been strapped to his bed. He's not going anywhere." You hug Aaden again. "You did what you had to, big guy." Aaden hugs back. "Not exactly the ideal reunion. And Rainbow Dash?" You break the hug, and look up at him. "Yeah?" "Don't ever risk yourself for me again." He then pulled you into a deep kiss, holding you tight. Called it.
Chapter Forty-Two and One Fourth: Interim1 year had passed since Aaden had died at the bank. The details provided by the police didn't make much sense, but then again, the entire event didn't make sense. Aaden held a strange job with a company you had never heard of before, and it had him travelling the globe and leaving all hours of the night. But, he was more than happy to pay the rent in the apartment you had both shared, so you didn't question it. It must have been well paying, as he would literally leave thousands of dollars on the coffee table every week in the living room for "groceries or something", as he would say. You couldn't have asked for a better friend. You weren't certain where Aaden was right now. You weren't sure if you believed in a God, or an afterlife. You just hoped, wherever he was, if there was even the slightest chance he was sentient, that he was happy.
