//------------------------------// // Hard Contact // Story: Honesty Through The End // by Hadjii //------------------------------// I reckon I've lived longer than I was supposed to. Longer than I would've liked, anyhow. Longer than the rest. I guess I'm a fool for wishing like this, but sometimes I wonder if things could've been different. Maybe if we'd seen the signs for what they were, then maybe I wouldn't be so lonely. Some ponies say "War is hell". If that's what war is, then I haven't a clue what this was. War has a winner and a loser. Here, nobody won. We... well, I, lost. I lost so much. I lost so many. I lost everything. They? They lost, cuz I'm still here, and they're all gone now too. I guess that's why I keep on going, just to spite them. We shoulda known. We really shoulda known. It started with the changelings. I think. Maybe there were others first. After Twilight's brother got married, there was a whole bunch of hunting for them, to see who was and who wasn't one. A bunch got caught, but everypony figured that we didn't catch 'em all. We were right. Celestia, we were right. Still remember that day. Wednesday, late afternoon. I was at the Ponyville market, like any other day, selling apples. I saw some stallion walking along, then he stumbled and collapsed on the ground. The ponies next to him went to go help, but they shrieked when he flashed those green flames and he was a changeling again. Guards were called over, but it didn't make no difference. He was dead. Deader than a doornail. And he weren't the only one, neither. Best as near anypony could tell, every single changeling in Equestria dropped dead at the same time. Every. Single. One. Nopony knew how to react. Ponies panicked of course, but too many of us were relieved that we didn't have to worry about them anymore. What I wouldn't give to see a changeling right now... I didn't know this at the time, we were told later, but a recon squad was sent out to go see what happened to the changelings. A'course, they didn't come back. Nopony ever did. One week later, a whole lotta ponies, including us Elements of Harmony, were at a big meeting in Canterlot where we were talkin about what to do. Next thing ya know, this griffon smashes through a window and crashes into the long table. The guards probably would have attacked him, but he didn't seem to be much of a threat, what with the way he was hacking up and covered in what was probably mostly his own blood. He had only one thing to say, and I wish we woulda listened. "Run." The fear that was in his voice sends shivers down my spine even today. This was a griffon, in what remained of his armor, who flew hundreds of miles at breakneck speed to deliver his one word message. A full-blown griffon soldier, who looked big enough to pick up near anypony without trouble, said one word and broke down sobbing before he collapsed completely. I think it was probably then. Right then, right there, that I knew we were doomed. That I knew what was gonna happen. Don't know why I didn't just give up then, but I guess that means that they would've won anyways, and I can't accept that. Not after they took everything away from me. Never thought I'd be the richest pony in the world. Never thought I'd be the loneliest, neither. Guess I ain't totally alone. I have my pet. Well, new pet. Winona... Winona's gone too. She's a bit rough to hold, but she's cute as a button, and she's something at least. Just wish I had come up with a better name for her. ... Fine, I'll tell ya. Her name's Barky. You think that's real funny, don't ya? Well, it gets worse. She ain't a dog. She's a timberwolf pup. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Whoever you are. Whatever you are. If you're there... After the griffon showed up, he lived for about a week after that, if I remember correctly. Not that it really mattered. We prepared for war, and they came. Faust above, they came. I remember when I first saw one of them. I'd heard the name "Greyface" before, but actually being face to face with one is terrifying. When you wanna fight somepony, you look them in the eye. Greyfaces have no eyes. They don't even have a face. They barely even have ears. It's just grey. A blank blurry grey. How do you fight blank blurry grey? They aren't invincible, that much I know. They bleed black. I don't think I'll ever write with ink again, not that there's anypony to write to. Don't know how I sleep at all. Even knowing they're all dead. They have to be. Any left would have found me already. That's one of the things we figured out about them. They hear us. They hear our hearts beating, our minds. You can run, but you can't hide. Honestly, I don't know how I'm still alive. I guess, while I'm not talking to anypony, I may as well talk about the first day of my war. The first day I fought, the day I stopped applebucking. We'd heard of a few battles on the outskirts of Equestria, but nothing anywhere near us. I was walking Applebloom home from school. She was talking about... I dunno, some Algebra somethin-or-other she had learned that day, and she was so happy because she had gotten 100% on her quiz. Then we heard the sirens, and rushed home. Big Mac and Granny were okay, so we holed up in the basement. We could hear them upstairs, over our heads, walking around. Then things got quiet, and we thought they left. Our hopes were kicked down like the basement door, broken into shards of wood. Two of them rushed down the stairs, and one jumped at me. The lanterns illuminated the thing's face, or lack of it. A voice said "This thing is not a pony. It's shaped like a pony, but it's not a pony, and it's going to kill you." Time seemed to slow down as it got closer and closer. Then I thought of Applebloom and Granny Smith behind me, and Big Mac at my side, and Winona on the other. And a different voice spoke in my head. My own voice. It spoke a loud, defiant "No."