Rise

RISE

CHAPTER 12: DETOUR

The train continued to move towards its hopeful destination of Ponyville, as I stayed on my knees. I had no intention of getting up, no matter how much my legs hurt. My mind was a mess, I didn't know what to think.

Was that Amy?

How will I get home?

What will Celestia do to me?

Will I survive?

I took a deep breath, as I suddenly noticed something off into the distance. I was riding through the mountains now, and straight across from the train was a small light. A green one. It progressively got brighter, albeit slowly. I finally gave in and got back up on my feet, almost tripping in the process. I couldn't see what exactly it was, all I could make from it was just a green light coming from a part of the road on the mountains. That was pointed right in my direction. Huh.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Amy walked up and asked from behind me.

I shrugged, and tried to make hand-binoculars to get a better look. It didn't work. Why did that never work? Between the darkness of the storm clouds and the rain, I couldn't see much other than the light. I didn't know why, but it didn't feel right, as if this isn't something I should simply forget about.

Fsshhhhh...

A noise started coming from the area of the light. Like something powering up. Okay, fuck this, not taking any chances.

"Amy, run!" I turned around and said to Amy, as I started to move my feet. For like the third time this day. I couldn't really run, I was more just jogging, somewhat slowly. No, no, I need to go faster, God knows what this is now!

Frrrrrrrrrrsssshhhhh...

The noise got louder, and closer. Too close for comfort. Taking a look back, I seen a confused Amy running behind me, and the li--

MY EYES. The light was blinding! Upon seeing it I immediately closed my eyes, and, being the clumsy fuck I am, tripped on my ass. Amy went right past me, but stopped as she noticed I was on the ground. Wait, she isn't trying to pick me up is she?

"Amy, no--"

"AAAAAHH!"

Dammit. She looked at the light, didn't she. She turned right away, hands right up to her eyes. I tried getting up, but failed. I fell right back down, and rolled right on the indent. Shitshitshit. My arm dangled off the end, as I started slipping off. I tried to grab back on the train, but my hands kept slipping off. Damn you rain! My left leg joined my arm and fell off the train, as the noise became earsplitting. My eyes closed, as suddenly I felt myself getting exhausted. Tired to no extent. My strength ran dry, and I couldn't get myself back up. No, no no! I was finally about to give in... not now! I was now only barely hanging onto the train by my right arm, grabbing desperately at the indent. If I fall, I'm dead. No matter what I tried, I couldn't give myself any motivation to get back on. No strength. Useless. I felt... useless.

"No wonder you feel useless..."

Fuck, I know that voice.

"Where did your, 'friend' go, Jason? Haven't you noticed she hasn't picked you up?"

She hasn't... that's because she knows better.

"Hmph. You think she's a true friend, don't you? If she is, why didn't she help you? It's because you did nothing for her. You are useless. She doesn't want to help you, no one does."

"I don't need this right now..."

"Then when, Jason? When? Does it matter when you're hearing this? If I never told you, you just would have died without knowing what kind of person, you are."

"...Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters as much as me hearing who I really am before dying, and that seems to matter a lot."

"Fine, human. I will answer. I am known as Queen Chrysalis... and I, alongside Discord, am the undertaker of the fall of Equestria. Now, Jason, you have two choices..."

Chrysalis. I heard that name before. She's the leader of the Changelings, if I recall correctly.

"You will join me, Discord, the Changelings, the Royal Army, and the army of your own kind in the making of New Equestria, where we do things differently. Or you will die a coward, in vain. Decide now. You have around thirty seconds. The odds are one to hundreds of thousands, Jason. You aren't going to stop us. If you die, well, no one will care. But if you join us, you will be a part of something, Jason... escaping is not an option. Join us. Say yes, and I will take you to my chambers."

"What happened to the charge!? You brought a horde on me, you attacked the train station, possibly killing some of the ponies! Now you're standing down and telling me to surrender!?"

"I have my reasons, Jason. Twenty-five seconds."

I continued to lose my strength at alarming rates. Faster than I usually would if I tired myself out. Was it that light? Maybe it was some sort of laser that makes you tired or something, I don't know. I was barely holding on, and I was just about ready to fall off. But I held for dear life. I couldn't die, and I couldn't join them. I might be one of the only ones who can fight back. Was I? Could I even help? Fuck, man. I needed to make a decision, now!

"15 seconds. Hurry, Jason."

And then there's the voice, urging me to do something still. Not helping. Come on Jason, do something!

Dammit... there's only one thing I can do.

"If this doesn't work... I'm sorry."

I took my arm off the train, and jumped off.

***

"How come that didn't work for me!?"

"I dunno. How long ago did you try?"

"...A half hour ago?"

"And you didn't think of using the radio to call for them again."

Echo-One and Echo-Four stood in the living room, taking a moment to examine the house along with their squad before moving out. Well, except for Echo-Six.

"Guys. Guys. You're getting dangerously close to that switch. Guys. I need to get off the ceiling fan. Guys?" Echo-Six spoke, lying on the ceiling fan looking over Echo-One and Echo-Four as they stood quite close to a switch on a wall, of which was quite close to the fan.

"Hey, check this out. Whoever lived here had some odd pictu--"

SLAM!

"GET DOW-- Alpha?"

With no prior warning, the front door suddenly fell right in thanks to a devastating kick, from none other than Sarge of Alpha Squad.

"Oh. Hello!" Echo-Six waved a hand at the squad, who were completely dumbfounded.

"...Do I even wanna know?" Sarge, not even taking a moment to examine the room, raised an eyebrow and pointed at Echo-Six. Of course, he was now starting to accept the ceiling fan, and attempted to get comfortable.

"I dunno. I sorta woke up here. I vaguely remember something about a nuke and very loud bullets. Bullets are l--"

"Right then. Echo-One, what's your status?" Sarge shook his head and asked Echo-One, seemingly forgetting entirely about Echo-Six.

"I still need to get down--"

"Honestly sir, I don't know. The nuke detonated, despite our best attempts, it was suicide to run out and try to defuse it. I remember a blast, just barely, and blacking out right after. I thought I was dead. But then I remembered if I thought I was dead, then I'm obviously not dead--"

"The point, Echo-One?"

"Um, right. So I blacked out, and woke up on the railing."

"..."

"..."

"...Where's the rest of your squad?"

"I don't fuckin' know.. Four was just with me, and Six is on the fan--"

"Which I still need to get down from--"

"--And I'm not sure about Two and Three. I think they were upstairs or something. God knows where Echo-Five is."

"Right. Well, get your squad together, we're moving out in ten mikes." Sarge walked back out the door, and proceeded to get a better look at the exterior of the house, as Echo-One walked upstairs to investigate.

Echo-Four, however, just stayed in the living room looking at a picture.

Six.

Six of the things. They all sat together.

"Who the hell would have a picture of six cartoon-looking horses in their living room..."

***

"The fuck? Did... did he just jump?"

"Well, at least there's no way he would've survived that. I think we're done here."

"Goddammit man, maybe if you actually hit the fucker we would be! We still have to find him, you know what's up with him!"

"I-I don't know how to use these magic weapons! I'm surprised the light even worked at all!"

"There's two triggers! One for shooting, and one for the light! Now, he lost all his strength, fell down a mountain, is probably dead, and we need to find him to make sure."

"My god... well, come on, let's go."