Chapter Four

Okay, now that Locust are gone what good are we? Gears are soldiers, not a police force. We're not trained for policing or crowd control, all we learned to do when I joined was how to kill grubs and how to not die. Anyone remember what happened in Port Farrell and Vectes Naval Base when we tried to be a police force? Because I sure as shit did. We really need to re-establish how we're gonna maintain order in Traxia now with this new Locust base with it's freaky wall of fake imulsion. Sucks that Delta gets to go in first, but on the bright side I get to follow if it's safe to enter the wall.

(Anonymous Gear, Traxia army barracks.)

***

KR-59,
Location unknown.
30 minutes into mission.

Delta Squad stood transfixed at the sight of a world untouched by war, a world where everything is green, a world that looks like it could sustain the remainder of Sera's population. Marcus and Anya stood in front of the rest of the squad and looked at the passing scenery.

"Marcus, it's beautiful," Anya said said in nothing more than a breath.

"I wasn't expecting to find this," Marcus said, "How the hell is this possible?"

"Who gives a shit?" Baird interjected, "We're not fucked anymore!"

"Trees," Cole said, absolutely breathless, "Actual trees."

"Hey look at that, some of them have apples," Sam pointed out.

"God damn, perfect place to brush up on my survival skills," Bernie said.

"Hey Marcus, settlement at two o'clock," Carmine said. Marcus went to the port side of the Raven and looked off towards what looked like a large farm. He could easily pick out the farmhouse and barn but there was no sign of any livestock. He then felt someone nudge him and looked back to see Cole pointing at something off in the distance, Marcus focused on the approaching sight and saw that it was a large town.

"Ah shit. Carmine, increase altitude and circle the place."

"Sure thing Sarge."

"Why are we going to circle the town?" Anya asked.

"Because we should be on the lookout for anti-air emplacements, I don't feel like having a repeat of Pelion."

"I told you that the Stranded couldn't be trusted!" Baird said.

"Mhmm, we got lucky last time," Cole said.

"I still haven't forgotten you barfing on me," Jace said.

"Heh, that was great," Sam said. Jace shot her an annoyed glace.

"I smelled like shit for a week."

"Yeah, but it was still damn funny how Cole get you from halfway across the Raven."

Jace groaned and stared back down at the town, there weren't any AA batteries in place nor were there any form of defences. There didn't appear to be any life in the town at all, it looked abandoned. Carmine circled around the town a few more times until Marcus spotted a large clearing in the town for them to land the Raven. As the Raven descended Marcus took note of the large tree that they were setting down next to. Something about it didn't look quite right, the way the tree glinted and had some strange branches and appendages sticking out of it. Marcus stared at it for a few seconds until it hit him, but Bernie pointed it out faster than he could say.

"Bloody hell, it's a house built into a tree."

"Is that possible?" Jace asked. Baird rubbed his chin and nodded.

"Might be, if you had the right tools and knowhow so that the tree doesn't die. Insects could be a problem though, along with birds and shit."

"Coming in for landing," Carmine said.

The Raven slowly descended and touched down in the center of the clearing, Delta Squad jumped out and set up a perimeter out of instinct. Once they confirmed that the coast was clear they regrouped at the Raven.

"So what now?" Jace asked.

"Best thing we can do is figure out where we are," Anya said.

"Looks like this building here might help us out, It's got a sign with a book on it." Cole said.

"And what does the sign with the book mean? Baird said mockingly.

"Quiet Blondie," Bernie snapped, "Cole know's that it's a goddamn library."

"And that's just what we need," Marcus said, "Carmine, say with the Raven. Delta, you're with me. Move in."

Carmine hopped out of the cockpit and leaned against the Raven, an Mk.1 Lancer in hand. Delta Squad walked over to the library and checked if there was anyone in it. Marcus stood behind Anya as she rapped on the door a few times.

"Nothing," she said.

"Can't see anything in the windows," Bernie added.

"Should we wait or just go inside?" Jace asked.

"Let's just get inside," Baird said, "If there's anything we need now it's something to tell us where we are it's going to be books."

"Dammit, no-ones answering the door," Cole said.

"Well then we'll just have to make an entrance," Sam said. Marcus nodded, at this point he was getting sick of standing around.

"Let me get the door."

Marcus walked up to the door and sized it up, it was much smaller than him but it looked like it was made of wood and easy to open. Marcus tapped the door a few times and then swung his leg at the door and smashed it clean in half with a powerful kick.

"Holy shit Marcus," Jace said as he watched him enter the library, "I didn't know you could do that."

"The door's one of those doors that are really two," Bernie said.

"Oh yeah. It's an upper and lower door."

"Come on, let's see if anyone's in," Sam said.

Delta Squad walked into the library and started to rummage around the place for any information to where they were. Baird, Jace, Sam and Cole started to pull random books off the shelves while Marcus, Anya and Bernie searched the library for any occupants. As Marcus, Anya and Bernie searched upstairs, Baird, Cole, Sam and Jace searched through the books.

"What the hell?" Baird said as he looked through a book, "It's nothing but symbols."

"I can't understand any of this," Jace said as he tossed a book over his shoulder and started leafing through another one.

"Can you translate this, Baird?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, you managed to figure out the Locust stuff," Cole said.

"That was different. The Locust used glyphs, this is all stupid symbols. I mean look at this, a horseshoe, suns, a moon, stars? What the hell is this?"

"I'm really confused with this," Cole said as he sat on the floor and flicked through a book.

"I wonder how the others are doing?" Jace said, tossing another book behind him.

"Form up," Marcus said. Bernie and Anya stood behind him as he entered a room much like the one downstairs but with another floor with a bed that was visible.

"Seems like something was living here," Bernie said.

"Yeah, but what? That bed looks too small for us," Anya said.

"Let's take a look around," Marcus said as he lowered his Lancer and wandered around the room. Anya and Bernie walked around and tried to investigate too, after pulling a few books of the shelves they realized that this definitely wasn't Sera. A human settlement using strange and childish symbols in books as text? This couldn't be any form of a UIR country's language, it wasn't that advanced. Anya flicked through the books while Bernie started to pull them off shelves and search in the empty spaces for anything that could help her find out where she and Delta Squad was.

"Find anything Marcus?" Anya called up the stairs. Marcus appeared over them on the floor above.

"Nothing but a real fucking weird bed sheet."

Marcus was holding said bedsheet as he spoke. It was purple but the logo on it was peculiar indeed, it looked like a purple and pink star but with white blips around it. Anya and Bernie exchanged glances as Marcus tossed it aside and went down to join them.

"So you get anything useful?" he asked.

"Nothing that I would consider useful," Bernie said. Anya was about to add how the books were all full of strange symbols when she saw a shadow creeping around behind Marcus.

"Marcus, don't move."

"What is it?" he asked, shifting into his battle-ready tone. He raised his Lancer and shifted so that he could turn around quickly if he needed to.

"What's that shadow?" Bernie said as she raised her Longshot rifle and aimed at the shadow which started to back away into a room. Marcus span around and saw it too.

"Hey! Can you come out here? We just want to talk."

The shadow darted back into the darkness of the room and vanished, Marcus ran after it in pursuit. Anya and Bernie also followed in case it was dangerous. Marcus kept up with it but the shadow vanished into a room and the sound of a door slamming and a lock latch was heard. He got to the door and stopped and waited for Bernie and Anya.

"It's in here," Marcus said.

"Want me to get the door?" Bernie asked.

"Be my guest."

Bernie propped her boot up against the door and planted it next to the door handle. She then thrust forward and the door handle snapped off, then she spun around and back kicked the door sending it flying several feet into what looked like a bathroom. The sound of a yelp then crying emanated from the bathtub, Bernie raised her Lancer and slowly approached the bath with Anya covering her with a sawn-off shotgun. Using the rifle's muzzle Bernie parted the curtains and stood aghast at what was behind it.

"Holy shit."

Inside the bathtub was a small purple unicorn, covering it's face with it's hooves. The mark that was on its flank was the same logo that was on the bed sheet that Marcus found. Marcus and Anya were now both staring at the creature with great curiosity, the unicorn would occasionally look at them with tear filled eyes then go back to shielding itself with its legs and hooves.

"What the hell?" Marcus muttered.

"But, unicorns only exist in fantasy stories," Anya said.

"Well then what are we bloody looking at?" Bernie asked irritably, "I know I'm not crazy and I know this because you two can see this thing too."

"Yeah, but what the fuck is going on? A unicorn? Where the hell are we?"

Marcus reached out a hand to touch the unicorn but it swatted his hand away with its hoof.

"Get away from me you monsters!" it yelled.

"Okay, what the fuck?!" Marcus bellowed, "That that thing just fucking talk?"

"It sure as shit did," Bernie said.

"How is that possible?" Anya asked, "How could this unicorn talk?"

"I don't know you want to fucking ask it?" Marcus said, his tone a little more calm but sounding just as confused.

"Well considering that it can talk we might as well try and see where we are."

Bernie crouched down so that she was eye level with the unicorn. If there was any hope in figuring out where they were it lied with this talking unicorn.

"Hey there. Sorry for scaring you, do you have a name?"

The unicorn kept itself shielded but it nodded.

"Do you want to talk?"

A head shake 'no' was the reply. Bernie sighed and held her hand out to the unicorn.

"My name is Bernadette Mataki. What's yours?"

The unicorn sniffed and looked up to see Bernie's hand extended out to her and a small smile on her face. It then looked up at Anya and Marcus and cowered again.

"It's okay, we're not going to hurt you," Marcus said as he and Anya lowered their rifles. The unicorn slowly sat up and reached out a hoof to Bernie's hand. It hesitated and recoiled as Bernie enclosed her fingers around the unicorn's hoof but it allowed her to take hold of her hoof.

"What's your name?" Bernie repeated, she then turned to Marcus and Anya. "Go on, tell her yours."

"I'm Marcus Fenix."

"I'm Anya Stroud."

The unicorn looked up again and then nervously told them it's name.

"T-Twilight Sparkle."

"Fucking weird name," Marcus muttered.

"At least we now know that it's female," Anya replied.

Bernie went let go of Twilight's hoof but Twilight placed her over hoof over Bernie's hand.

"Wow, you creatures have a strange anatomy for your front hooves."

"They're called hands."

"Hands?" Twilight asked, "And what are the bendy things on the end?"

"Fingers."

"Amazing," Twilight said as she let go of Bernie, "Do all of your kind look like you do? Covered in metal?"

"What? In this armor?" Anya asked.

"That stuff is armor?" Twilight asked as she pointed to Anya's armor.

"Yeah, we use it to keep from getting hurt," Marcus said.

"But what would want to hurt you? You're so big," Twilight asked.

"You have no idea," Marcus said grimly.

Twilight kept quiet after hearing Marcus's tone but perked up when she saw the Lancer in his hands.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing to the weapon.

"What? My Lancer?" Marcus asked. Twilight nodded but Anya interrupted before Marcus could answer.

"Look, we'll tell you everything that you want to know, but we really need to know where we are first."

"Oh, uh. You don't know where you are?"

"Please Twilight, we need to know."

"Well, you're in a town called Ponyville in a place called Equestria."

Marcus grunted and shifted the weight of his rifle to one hand so that he could contact Baird.

"Hey Baird, you got anything on places called 'Ponyville' and 'Equestria'?"

"Um, no. Still figuring this shit out. And what the hell kind of names are those anyway? Where the fuck did you hear them?"

"It'd be best to explain once we all link back up downstairs."

Marcus turned off the radio and saw Twilight staring at him in amazement.

"What was that?" she asked, "Were you were talking to somepony else in your head?"

"No, that was my radio," Marcus said, "We've all got one."

"You mean that all you bipedals have a thing in your head that lets you talk to other bipedals?"

"Sort of, the people who Marcus was talking too were only downstairs," Bernie said.

"Wait, there are more of you?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, you might like some of them. I'll show you who to avoid."

"Can I ask one more thing?"

"Go ahead," Anya said.

"What are you called? I mean species wise."

"We're called humans by most, groundwalkers and fascists by some," Marcus said.

"So what term do you want me to use?"

"Human. Use that and we'll get along just fine."

Twilight slowly got out of the bathtub and looked up at the humans. Marcus was by far the tallest, clearing at least four feet above her horn. Bernie and Anya were only three feet taller than her but Twilight wasn't as phased as before, she was clearly terrified about the size and sharp teeth of the Lancer but she had no clue what it was. Marcus left the bathroom and let Bernie usher Twilight out, even if Bernie had no idea about the unicorn she could tell that it was scared and confused by the way her head had sunken to the floor and her ears flat against her head in fear. Her eyes were also darting back and forth between Anya and Marcus. Eventually, they managed to get downstairs to find the rest of Delta looking through anything they could get their hands on. Books and papers littered the floor and the Gears took no heed of them as they were crushed underfoot as they paced around the room.

"Figure anything out yet Baird?" Sam asked.

"Well if you'd quit distracting me I'd get done quicker."

"Damn they've got some really nice pictures in some of these books," Jace said.

"What the hell?" Cole said in impressment, "There's no Thrashball books in here."

Baird and Sam looked up from the papers they were writing on and saw Marcus, Bernie, Anya and Twilight standing in the doorway.

"Hey, hey. The guys are back," Sam said.

"Oh look Cole, Granny got you a horse, just like you've always wanted," Baird said, sarcasm totally evident. Twilight frowned and glared at him. Cole jumped up and saw Twilight.

"Why's it all purple? Did you do something to it?"

"No, we found her like this," Anya said.

"You found her?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, found her in the bathroom upstairs," Marcus said.

"Sure you did, you may as well take it back up there and wash it off," Baird said, "Also, get that ice-cream cone off its head. It looks fucking stupid."

"Hey! I'm a unicorn you know," Twilight said. Jace, Sam, Cole and Baird all jumped back in surprise. Baird was the only one to grab a Lancer and aim it at Twilight.

"Cool it Baird," Marcus said, stepping in front of Twilight.

"No way, that thing just fucking talked. How the hell is it able to do that? Horses can't talk!"

"Easy Damon, baby," Cole said as he pushed the muzzle down, "I know that it's freaky but we can't shoot them like the grubs."

"I don't fucking care, what if they're like the Stranded? What if it want to eat us like that fucking giant worm?"

"Eat you?" Twilight asked, "I don't want to eat you."

"Rightttt, sure you don't."

"No really, I don't want to eat you. Why would I anyway?"

"The purple thing's got a point," Jace said.

"Yeah come on Baird," Sam said, "Even if it did want to eat you I'd bet it spit you right back out."

"Like it wouldn't do the same to you," Baird retorted.

"I have a name you know," Twilight said.

"Tell us then horsy," Cole requested. Twilight shot a quick glance at Cole then cleared her throat.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle."

For a few minutes there was silence then Baird burst out laughing.

"What kinda name is that?" he said through heavy laughter, "And to think I was scared of you. Oh my God."

"Come on Baird, that isn't nice," Cole said, but it was clear that he was suppressing laughter too.

"Come on, it's pretty funny. Her name sounds like a frigging laundry detergent."

"Hey guys!" Carmine yelled from outside, "We've got a problem!"

All of Delta Squad except Bernie raced outside to the Raven but stopped dead when they saw what was surrounding them. There was an entire ring of more horses had encircled them and the Raven, each one of them had a spear and was heavily armored, standing in the center of the line was a large white stallion in golden armor. Delta Squad backed up into the library and looked at each other.

"Okay then," Baird said, "Who wants to talk to Mr. Big Fucker out there?"

Author's Note

For those of you who have read this far I would just like to say that the next chapters are coming soon. I've just got other stories to take care of first before I can get back to this story but I can assure you that more chapters will be published in the future.