File-01 When Death Isn't Enough
'I'm falling aren't I?' I ask myself, as I feel a sinking sensation in my stomach. I try to open my eyes, but I barely manage. As my eyes flutter open, I'm met by what seems like thousands of error screens and warning notices. The visual bombardment forces me to redirect my vision away from my visor screen. I look behind me and I see all of the debris following me down. Various pieces of metal, concrete, and my V.E.C.T.O.R.. I turn back to my useless screen and I sigh. I decide to depolarize it due to my sim-feed being damaged. As the blueish screen faded away, I finally get to see my crash landing destination.
The planet before me looks a lot like the pictures of Earth I used to view in dossiers. Having to settle for old photos from outdated satellites wasn't as interesting as the real thing, however Earth no longer existed after having been turned to ash after years of warfare.
I drive my thoughts away from the past and focus on the problem at hand. I was beginning to enter the planet’s atmosphere and I was afraid I would break apart upon entry, however I seem to be able to divert the suits power systems enough for me to activate the cooling systems. I sigh deeply, ready to finally let go. I knew I would be able to survive the heat, but the fall? Hell no. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
‘Co-ing in f-for-or entry e-e-entry Ios...’ My broken A.I. informs me. I sigh again and close my eyes. I retract my helmet and let my stark white locks flap wildly around my face as I fall to my final resting place. I open my eyes, my augmented crimson irises taking in the landscape below. ‘Such a beautiful shade of green...’ I muse. A droplet of water beside my face break my thoughts. ‘A...tear?’ I wonder. ‘Why am I crying? I’m finally free from this life!’
And then it hit me. I may have lived a life, but it sure as hell wasn't worth living. I’m crying because I’m going to lose the only life I’ve had, and probably ever would have had. I was made for killing, nothing more. The only thing I had to show for parents were the scientists that gave their genes to make me with. I never heard a ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m proud of you’. No, only ‘Just sit down and be still’ or ‘Stop your damn whining, it’s only a little blood’.
No one wanted to be around me. I was freakishly strong, I had wings, my eyes were red and my hair was white. Hell, my pale skin didn't really help much either. People just gave me fearful looks if even did so much as smile due to my enlarged canines. And just to put the icing on the cake, they gave me the callsign ‘Archangel’’. I’m fucking serious. I sighed again. ‘It’s go time...’ My helmet automatically reformed due to the extreme heat. I still leave my visor depolarized as I fall to my demise.
My mag-shields are whining under the extreme stress as I realize they are failing. “Oh shi-” I barely say as they burn away leaving my armor completely exposed against the heat. My armor begins to glow a deadly orange. “No...not like this!” I exclaim as the armor begins to melt. “AUUUUGH!!!” I scream as my nerves writhe in agony. I scream so loud that I failed to hear the impact warning. I can barely ready myself for another wail of pain as the world goes black.
...In Ponyville...
Twilight paced nervously in her library, she had seen the falling debris go over into the Everfree Forest, however she didn’t know how to go about looking for it. She sighed. “Spike! Have you gotten a letter from the Princesses yet?”
“No Twilight, I think you should just calm down and wait for them to show up with the Elements of Harmony. You’re really stressing yourself over nothing. Besides, it came from space, what’s the worst that could happen ya know?” Spike replied, trying to calm Twilight down.
“I’m actually surprised you’re not being hysterical about this considering how many of those ridiculous sci-fi comics you read all day.” Twilight said, surprised at Spike’s maturity.
“I may be young, but living around you has taught me although anything can happen, you can easily take care of it. So even if it was Gamma Alien Tentacles from Starship 443 I know you could handle them if they were hostile.” Spike answered. Twilight blushed.
“Thanks...” Twilight said. Spike shrugged. “Hey do you think tha-” Twilight tried to ask but was interrupted by a bright flash. Twilight’s eyes widened in surprise. Before her stood the the Princesses both Night and Day. “Omigoshomigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!! P-Princess Celestia a-and P-P-Princess Luna? What are you two d-doing here?” Twilight stutters.
“We got your report on the strange debris falling in the Everfree and decided to come explore it along with you. We’ve brought Captain Shining Armor as well as a squadron of Royal Guards to help us subdue any creatures along the way. They should arrive soon.” Princess Celestia answers. She nods as Princess Luna brings forth a heavily adorned chest and sets it before Twilight. Suddenly, the library door flies open as the remaining Element Bearers and a squadron of Royal Guards trot into the room.
“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash and Shining Armor exclaim in unison, “We came as soon as we heard!” They flashed each other incredulous looks, surprised at their little incident.
“Ahem! Well...” Rainbow Dash started nervously. Everyone stared at her awkwardly. Applejack saw that her friend was in trouble and decided to throw her a lifeline.
“Well now ah reckon we aughta get goin’, seein’ we’re burnin’ daylight over here!”
“Yes I must say I agree with Applejack. Although I hate dealing with that horrid forest and all of it’s unwanted...grime”, Rarity shuddered but put on a determined face, “We have a duty to complete and I intend to complete it!” She said stomping her hoof down with finality.
“OOOOOH!! Will there be any aliens?! And if there are do you think they’ll want a ‘Welcome To Equuis Party?!?!?” Pinkie Pie questioned excitedly, bouncing around the room.
“And the hoof goes right back in ya mouth...” Applejack responded shoving an orange hoof in Pinkie’s mouth.
“Oh! I wonder what type of animals I will encounter on our way there...” Fluttershy thought aloud. She looked up in surprise after realizing everyone was staring at her after hearing her musings. Her gaze darted back and forth between everyone fearfully and she curled up and squeaked in surprise.
“Oooookaaaay...” Shining Armor trailed off. The princesses giggled at the spectacle. He looked at the group with determination. “Are you all ready to head out?” He asked. He received all types of confirmations before nodding his head. “Okay then...Let’s go...” He added darkly.
...Somewhere in the Everfree...
‘Activating cardiac defibrillator...’
....BUMBUMP.......BUMBUMP.....BUMBUMP....BUMBUMP...
‘Wake up Ios...'
’
Author's Note
Yay I finaly found something better than Notepad or the Site!!!
File-01.33 Nothing Ever Is
‘Wake up Ios...Ios...It’s time to get up...Ios...’ My eyes snap open as crusted blood flies from my eyelids. I try to yawn but I am only met by a blood filled gurgle. My eyes widen in surprise. I look around me and stifle a groan of pain. I appeared to be in the ruins of a castle of some sort. I notice how high I am and decide to look down. I instantly regret it. I am impaled by a ten foot long shard of stone suspended about one hundred feet in the air. I see several of my internal organs stuck and pierced along the spire of rock. I try to lift my right arm but it’s severed at the shoulder, the ragged cut spraying blood at my attempts to move my nonexistent limb. A distant roar below me catches my attention but I quickly ignore it. I try to lift my left arm and I see my forearm dangling only by strands of bloody muscle tissue, rivulets of blood falling down to my ruined legs.
I weakly bring my left arm to the spire and grip it. I pull as hard as I can and flap my wings as I begin to shift forward. I push my hand along the spire and repeat. Pull. Cough. Bleed. Repeat. Pull. Cough. Bleed. Repeat. Pull. Cough. Bleed. Repeat. After what seemed like decades of pain and blood, I finally reached the edge. I attempt to take a deep breath but I only gurgle. I give one final pull and my limp body slumps off the spire. I weakly flap my wings to slow the descent but it didn’t help. I fall, fast and hard onto the rocky ground. My wings crack and snap under the weight and force of the impact. I stifle a pained scream.
I manage to crawl over to a ruined castle wall and I prop myself up. I begin to make the necessary repairs to my body. I watch as nanotrites flow from the pores in my skin to transform oxygen atoms and molecules to the needed materials to fix my body. I sigh in relief as my metallic bones reform, my genetically and robotically augmented muscles regenerate, and my pale engineered skin re-knits itself.
I sigh as I set about troubleshooting the suit’s operating systems and making armor repairs and upgrades. The process took several minutes due to me losing liters of blood, and seeing as the nanotrites in my blood were needed to make repairs to my suit and my body, it took awhile.
With all systems and bodily functions back at one hundred percent I lay my head down. I was about to pass out due to exhaustion but my drowsiness was quickly dispersed when I heard a twig snap and several throaty predatory growls. I look to my would be assailants. They appeared to be some ridiculous chimeras of some sort. They all had the body and head of a lion, small draconic wings, and a large scorpion tail. After giving each other a look, they prepare themselves to pounce on their quarry. I smirk. “...It’s showtime...”
...In the Everfree Castle...
The manticore awoke with a yelp after having his home completely obliterated by a bunch of strange rocks. Suddenly, the sound of coughing and sputtering reached his ears. He flicked his ears towards the sound. More coughing. Several red droplets fell in front of him. He look up and grinned maniacally. Something was there, and it was wounded.
He roared, calling several Everfree creatures to come join on the feast. He watched, to his amusement, as the bipedal creature fell down from the spire, feebly flapping it’s wings but to no avail. It fell harshly as a sickening crack was heard. It watched in confusion as the creature completely healed itself of all it’s previous wounds. He saw it lay it’s head down and decided that’s when it needed to strike.
Several of it’s brethren jumped down beside him. They each shared a wordless look at one another and confirmed their plans. They shook their manes and began to push forward. As they slowly stalked towards him one of the manticores stepped on a twig, causing it to snap loudly. The other five manticores looked and growled at their brothers stupidity angrily. It smiled sheepishly. They turned back to their prey and saw it was wide awake and alert. They wasted no time and prepared to pounce. What they didn’t see however, was the strange bipedal forming a strange sword in his right hand.
...In The Everfree...
The small group of ponies had seen it all, from the awakening, to the fall, to the regeneration, and finally to this strange creature’s soon-to-be demise at the hands of six manticores. Twilight had begged and pleaded Shining Armor and the Princesses to do something, but not only were there six manticores but this creature was not a citizen and could be more dangerous than those six manticores that were hunting it.
Twilight tearfully stomped away from the group, disgusted at their choice of anonymity towards a living thing in need. All her friends except Fluttershy went to console her. Fluttershy tried to go and help the creature after seeing in upon the spire but was detained by the Royal Guard.
“I just can’t believe the Princesses and my brother of all ponies could just watch as something was killed like that! He’s captain of the guard! Isn’t he supposed to guard ponies in need?!?” Twilight lamented.
“Ah know sugarcube! What in tarnation has gotten into them? Ah know Ah’m not supposed to speak against the Princess an’ such, but this. Is. Wrong! This just wasn’t the way Ah was brought up! Ah thought we were supposed ta help ponies in need! Not let ‘em die like that!” Applejack ranted.
“I agree! Shining Armor’s being a Meanie Pants Mcgee! How does he expect us to help ponies if they don’t let us help them when they neeed help!?! Don’t you agree Dashie?” Pinkie asked, frantically shaking Twilight.
“No.” She started but was soon cut off by the angry glares she was getting,”I mean look, I dunno okay! I mean it obviously wasn't a pony and we don’t interfere when woodland animals are hunted so why should we interfere now?” Dash asked.
“Yes, Rainbow Dash is right.” Shining Armor replied joining the now escalating argument. “I mean it isn't a pony! Why should we interfere?!” Twilight looked at him, contempt glowing under her bloodshot eyes.
“I heard it speak!” She exclaimed.
“So?” Shining scoffed, “Parrots talk too!”
“No! It was sentient! It smiled! It spoke! It wore clothes!” She screamed, tears flowing from her eyes.
“You’re missing the point! It isn’t a pony!” He snarled angrily.Twilight recoiled as if stung as she finally understood his message. She hung her head in spite, not wanting him to see her tears.
“So,” She started smugly, “What if it was a donkey? Or what about a griffin hmm?” She asks building up in volume as her eyes meet his own, “Or what if it was a zebra, or a changeling, or a dog huh!?! Would you leave them to die because they weren’t ponies?” She screamed at him, her friends holding her back from mauling her brother. Shining Armor looked away. “You make me sick you coward! What would Cadence say about you right now?! You’re all just afraid dying for it aren’t you?” She asks accusingly. Shining Armor scowled.
“Sis! It’s different because-” He pleaded.
“I’m tired of your excuses. You aren’t any brother of mine. Out of my bucking way...” She stormed off as her friends gave Shining Armor angry and accusing looks.
Twilight trudged angrily through the forest kicking a small pebble throughout the flora in anger. As she reached the spot the were camped at earlier, she steeled her nerves, ready to berate the Princesses for their lack of trademarked compassion. She emerged from the bushes, her mouth open and ready to give the Princesses a piece of her mind but the words stopped in her throat as she was met with fear filled gazes.
But they weren’t directed at her, no they were directed at the castle ruins were the corpses of ten manticores, four hydras, and three dragons lay, battered and bloodied. And in the creatures place stood a giant black metallic thing that stood on two legs, gripping strange mechanisms in its hands.
The sight startled Twilight and she let out a loud shriek of terror. The thing turned towards her she saw the word ‘Vindictam’ printed in white down it’s arms and three red orbs staring at her emotionlessly. And as it stepped towards her she truly felt fear for the first time and when it reached towards her she felt her bowels almost loosen in terror.
When it touched her, she felt the cold emotionless metal on her fur and she felt all of her fear crescendo into full out terror. She felt herself stumble on her hooves and fall to the ground. And the last thing she heard was,”Vales paulo equus res?” Before the world went dark.
Author's Note
Fight scene you guys missed is next.
File-01.33.3 Combat Initiated (preview)
Two Hours Earlier...
I noticed the three anomalies approaching me. ‘I wonder...will I ever need to put up an effort?’ I frown with disdain as I notice their predatory smirks. “If you believe me to be an easy meal, you are sorely mistaken...” I quickly jump to my feet, my armored boots kicking up dust.
The manticores take a step back, startled by my sudden movements. It was only for a second, but it was all I needed. I zip forward and thrust my saber forward, it’s razor-sharp blade flying straight through the first creature’s eyeball. It gives a pained yowl. Chunky blood and vitreous fluid spew from it’s ruined eye as I drive it through it’s eye socket and into it’s brain. The beast goes limp. Noticing the other two beats charging, I quickly flick my wrist and unevenly bisect the animal’s head as blood and brain matter fall onto the cobblestones with a satisfying squelch.
The next one approaches cautiously, as if sizing me up. I take an easy stance and relax my muscles. The manticore sees this as an easy kill and charges full speed. At the last second I sidestep and bring my sword to bear. It falls into my trap, my honed blade easily cutting from mouth, slicing down the throat, smoothly cutting through the ribs, eviscerating his heart, lungs and internal organs, and finally following through. The beast topples over lifeless, as the two halves separate along the horizontal slice and smack onto the stone splattering blood across the cobblestones and my face.
The last opponent looks at me in fear as I casually approach it, my saber dripping blood and plastered with flesh and my manic smile dripping with malice. I had it backed into a corner, my prey quivering in fear. As a last ditch effort it attempted to sting me, only to have it caught by my hand. “Hmm...You won’t be needing this where you’re going...” I reply before tearing the stinger from the remaining tail. It howls in extreme pain. “Aww...It’s not hurting...yet.” I slam the stinger into the manticore’s chest over and over as small fountains of blood spew into the air. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. The stab wounds are getting closer and closer together, and finally the small strings of flesh keeping it’s abdomen intact split and tear with a wet rip, as steaming mangled intestines and other internal organs plop out onto the cobblestones, smoking and melting from the corrosive venom in it’s stinger. The manticore looked at me pitifully as I noticed the light leaving his eyes. “Oh don’t you go dying on me yet!” I scream as I ram the stinger right under his chin and into it’s brain. I squeeze the stinger, forcing corrosive venom into it’s skull. His eyeballs began to swell obscenely before popping sending eye pieces splattering onto the floor. rivulets of blood and venom course down it’s face, burning away the skin as more venom goes from the skull to the nasal passage and down the throat. It’s entire head was burned inside-out as the cheeks begin to disintegrate causing tongue to loll out before melting off completely and hitting the cobblestone with a bloody slap.
A distant roar brings me from my daze as I giant three headed lizard comes crashing through the treeline...
Author's Note
Just a preview for those of you who wanted to see it.
