Prologue

Prologue

Princess Miamore Cadenza could not understand what was happening. The only thing she could currently understand was the intense pain she was feeling as she lay in the throne room of her Crystal Castle. Her wings convulsed, her legs twitched and she would be screaming, if she had any air left in her lungs to scream with. It was as if every molecule in her body was being torn apart, slowly. There was no way she could even concentrate to use her magic to try and fight it. All she could do was lay in the middle of the throne room in agony. Cadence forced herself to open her eyes to gaze at herself. She was horrified by what she saw.

Her body was slowly eroding away. Her hooves had already dissipated, and the magic was slowly making its way up her forelegs. If Cadence could scream again she would as she squeezed her eyes shut again in a futile attempt to ease away some of the pain. She felt a pair of hooves touch her face, then pull her head to something soft, comforting. She willed her eyes open once more to see what it was.

Shining Armor, Captain of The Royal Guard, Prince of the Crystal Empire, her Husband looked down at her. There was no hiding the horror he was feeling. Right in his hooves his beloved wife was fading from existence, and he was helpless to stop it.

“Cadence” He said “Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay” As he gently stroked her pink, purple, and cream colored mane. His horn lit up with a blue glow as he focused it on his wife to try and reverse what was happening to her.
Cadence was enveloped by a blue glow for about a half a second before it winked out of existence. Shining Armor’s sense of helplessness and dread only grew. He didn’t know enough about magic to reverse what was happening. He wished that his sister were here, she would know something to get this to stop. ‘No’ he thought. ‘I can’t lose you’ all of Cadence’s legs had faded into nothing now. ‘Not like this, please!’ Tears started to run down his face as turned to face the cause of what was happening to his wife. Instead of a look of horror and helplessness though, he wore a look of pure anger.

The figure stood at the entrance to the throne room doors, standing on two legs like a Minotaur, but not nearly as tall. It had its arms crossed waiting patiently as his victim faded away, a smirk on his face, as if he were enjoying every second of what was happening in front of him. His black mane, if it could be called that, was cut very short. He didn’t have fur like ponies that covered his whole body, but instead had a very light amount to where you could see his light olive colored skin.
What covered his body instead were several pieces of clothing. His pants were a pattern of deferent colored greens in a squared fashion. His shirt was the same, though his sleeves were rolled up so you could see his arms. He also wore some type of tan vest that completely covered his chest that had an assortment of pouches which all held some gadget that Shining Armor could only guess at. Slung across his back was some type of metal stick. To him it looked like some type of strange short spear, only it didn’t have a pointed tip, and there was a point at the back it had a longer flat portion that looked like it was supposed to go in the shoulder. The only thing that Shining Armor could recognize on this individual was the sword, looking completely out of place, sheathed at his hip.

“What did you do to her?” Shining Armor asked, barely keeping his rage contained.

“Isn’t it obvious?” The figure asked shrugging his arms.

“Answer me!” This time Shining Armor could not contain his rage as he screamed at this vile piece of manure.

The figure grinned, as he pulled another metal looking thing out of a plastic container on his right hip. It was in the shape of an “L” and fit in his hand. He held the device limply at his hip as he answered.
“She’s fading away Prince Armor” he said. “Fading to nothing, in the most pain she has probably ever felt” He chuckled for a moment. “That’s why she only screamed for the first couple of seconds. But I assure you,” now he full on laughed, like he found something extremely funny, as if this were a joke. “She is in totally agony right now.”
As the sadistic character continued to laugh, Shining Armor looked back at Cadence. Her tail and part of her rear had faded now, and it was not stopping. Cadence had stopped convulsing, and tears were streaming down her face as they were Shining’s.

Shining Armor could not contain his rage any longer, and without thinking he turned around and charged Cadence’s assailant.

“Make it stop you, MOTHER BUCKER!” He screams as he charged.
He didn’t get three steps before he heard a loud bang and a sharp pain in his left leg. As his left hoof hit the floor, the pain spread throughout his whole leg and it gave out on him. He fell flat on his side and let out a “Gah!” as he held his left leg. He felt warmth coming from where the pain originated. Shining took a look at it.
Blood was oozing from a wound that went right through his leg.

“You have until tomorrow morning to surrender.” Shining looked up at his attacker, who was now pointing the now smoking “L” shaped device at his face. “After that, the war starts.” He said as he pointed his weapon home hand walked over to Shining, thuds echoing around the hall as his boots hit the floor. “Until I hear from you,” He lifted his booted foot, “A parting gift.” The boot was brought down on Shining Armor’s Face.
Shining Armors head hit the floor and he instantly became disoriented by the pain in his head. It was a few seconds before he regained some of his senses and looked at the back of the figure as he walked away and opened the door of the Throne room. The outside hallway was littered with the corpses of the Guard Ponies that were stationed outside, most of whom had their throats cut. Some had been completely decapitated and their blood still oozed out onto the hall way floor.

“If I were you,” the bipedal monster said as he exited “I would enjoy what little time left I had with my wife” And with that the throne room doors shut, cutting off Shining’s sight from him.
With no way of being able to catch him, Shining slowly crawled over the Cadence who was now just a neck and a head.

“Cadence” he said as he reached her, his blood trailing from where he crawled “Cadence in here.” Half of her neck remained. “Please” He said as he grabbed her head and brought her to his chest. “Please don’t go” Tears kept coming from his face as she continued to disappear. “You are everything to me, you can’t be gone.” He futilely tried to blink his river of tears away. “Please”
When he opened his eyes again he looked into the now only face of his wife. Before she faded completely, Shining could make Cadence mouth one last thing ‘I, love, you’.
Then she was gone. Shining Armor sat alone in the throne room. He didn’t move, didn’t make a sound, and merely at his hooves where Cadence had been moments before.
When the guards finally did arrive, it was to a wounded Prince screaming out in anguish.

***

7 Months Earlier

He was breathing steadily, calm, and focused as he brought his brought up his .45 1911 pistol. The weapon was held steady in his hand as he concentrated. His target was 50 yards away, but he wasn’t focused on that. His focus was the front sight tip of his weapon being flush with the rear sights. When they were aligned correctly he slowly started to pull the trigger back, steadily so as to disturb his sight picture. Slowly…slowly…slow- BANG. His arm rises back from the recoil of his weapon, but he brings it back down swiftly and coolly, and regains his sight picture and repeats the process. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG. Six shot, six seconds. The slide to the pistol locks to the rear and he puts the weapon on safe, ejects to magazine, and checks the chamber for brass. Satisfied that the weapon is safe and empty, he places it on the table in from of him.

He looks to the left of his little shooting booth in the indoor range, and presses a button on the console next to him to call his target back to him. The sound of the machine whirring sounded the approach of his target and he leaned on the table and waited for it to reach him. It was a simple NRA circle target used in competitions worldwide, with the two X ring in the center and the 10, and 9 rings making up the black. The rest of the target was white with the circles going from 8 to 5. His target had the black center making of the ten ring completely riddled with holes, while the X ring never seemed to exist to begin with. He had the occasional hit in the 9 ring. He was mainly disturbed by the high right shot in the 8 ring. A shot he had made one mistake on.

‘Fucking trigger pull’ He thought, and gave out a tiny huff.

With him no longer concentrating, with his own firing session being over, the sounds of the range started coming through to him as he put his pistol into its box and locked it away. With the occasional “bangs” from the various guns of other shooters, to the dinks and clicks of shells hitting the concrete floor.

“God damn Bosco,” came a voice to his right “That’s some SHIT HOT marksmanship right there” This was Brad, then owner of the indoor range. Bosco looked up over his right shoulder to look at the somewhat overweight city boy. He wasn’t tall, but Bosco wasn’t either by any means, being only 5’2”. He had a shit eating grin on his face as he looked at Bosco’s target. He was pale, as he didn’t get out much, if not apparent from the few extra inches at his hips. He had a head of blonde hair which was made into a pony tail in the back, and his blue eyes sparked in anticipation. He waited leaned up against the side of the booth with his gun oil stained grey NRA shirt and blue jeans.

Bosco grab his pistol box and faced him. “Answers still no Brad.” And he started walking along the booths towards the exit past A Shock Faced Brad and the other shooters on the line, who continued their business. As he walked, He observed how the other shooters were fairing. Most of them were shooting on the same NRA targets he was. Most of them looked like they were shooting shotguns at their targets with how spreads out the groups were. There were a few that had decent groups but they seemed inconsistent.

“Come on dude” Brad said as he shuffled to keep up. “With you on the team we will be able to clean Nationals. Hell you may even be good enough to go further.”

At this Bosco turned back to face him. “First, we already know I AM good enough. Second, after what happened last time I’m not going again. The first time I get fucked out of winning a championship because some little bitch has a daddy in congress is also the last time.” He then smiled and said “Besides,” he put on a mock cry voice frowned and made his eyes glisten slightly. “It’s not like I really wanted it.” He then put his face in his hands and mock wept for a few seconds before coming back up and saying “but naw, seriously, fuck that douche nozzle.”
He then continued out into the main lobby area where all the shelves were stacked full of all sorts of ammo. From .22 to .50, whatever you’re recreational shooting needs, they had it. The walls were stacked with rifles of all types, AR-15’s, AK’s, shotguns, and other hunting rifles. The glass counters by the register held pistols ranging from revolvers to 5.7’s. There were several people spread across the shop perusing the wares of the shop. The man at the register, Patrick, waved at him as he came up to the counter. The tall lanky 23 year old looked like he would fall over it by you sneezing on him. Had curly brown hair, and a long pointed nose. You always thought he looked weird, but hey, he’d been laid and Bosco hadn’t, so who was he to be the judge on that.

“Done with lane 23.” Bosco said.

“Cool” Patrick said, and put it into his program that the lane was open. “Can I see your target?” He asked, somewhat excitedly.

“It’s not gunna look any different from the others you’ve seen” Bosco said. “But if you want to see it I left in the frame. Why do you even want to see my shit every time anyway?” He asked.

“Dude, I just wanna see the awesome.” he said as he was about to leave the counter.

“Man, whatever. I know I’m good but remember there’s ALWAYS somebody better.” Bosco said.

“Like that guy from 3 years ago?” Patrick asked.
Bosco gave him a deadpan face. “I may not be tall enough to hit your face, but I can defiantly kick you in the dick. And we both know I have the training to back it up.”

This was true. Bosco had served 5 years as a United States Marine, so he had that combat training under his belt. Once he got out he started taking martial arts, along with continuing to practice at his marksmanship. Patrick had been in a few scraps, and could hold his own, but he knew he could stand up to Bosco in a fight, despite standing a head and a half over him. Did we mention Bosco is short? He’s a short mother fucker, like dwarf status.
Patrick chuckled a bit “Hey relax, you know I was kidding.” He said as he started walking towards the range area. Bosco was about to respond when he felt Brad touch him on the shoulder. He turned around to see a now disappointed looking Brad with a pleading look in his eyes.

“Please man. This place could really use the advertising. Just go and let me sponsor you, when we win this place will get business out my flabby asshole.” He was one of those, ‘comfortably overweight’ people. That’s one thing that Bosco respected about him. Comfortable with his own form despite what others thought.

“Dude, I don’t need to know about you flabby whale starfish. Also, you got plenty of business still from the last time. The only reason I would compete would be to confirm for myself that I’m better than most 90 percent of people out there. I got that, I don’t need to compete anymore.” With that Bosco started walking towards the exit. Before he could open the door Brad spoke again.

“Really man? Well I’m sure mom and dad would be proud they raised a son who just ran away from everything?”
Bosco stopped. He could tell Brad was angry, but he crossed a line, a HUGE line. He knew how Bosco felt about what happened with his parents. Taking a stab at him like this was more than uncalled for.

While Bosco was at the National’s 3 years ago his parents were murdered by a mugger at a gas station. They were on their way back from a cousin’s birthday party when they stopped to get some gas. His brother Daniel had taken off earlier to spend time wife, at the time. Jayson and Evan, having not seen their cousin in a long time decided to stay over for the night so they could get up early in the morning and go to Laser Tron with him for old time’s sake.

So his parents were all alone at the gas pump when this guy, dressed in typical mugger attire ski mask and all, just walked up to his father and held a gun up to his father’s head and told his mother to get out of the car. Since neither of Bosco’s parents had no way of defending themselves, his mother complied and stepped out of the family minivan. The mugger then had them kneel on the pavement by the pump. After they complied he shot them both, in the head. He didn’t make any demands, didn’t ask for money, devices or anything. Just straight up shot them. After that gas station video cameras showed him looking the bodies, taking the keys and driving off.

Bosco got the news from his brother Daniel via voicemail after he got off the plane. The shock from the news had rendered him silent for about two weeks, made only worse when he saw the security videos first hand. It sent him into a rage. His parents had done nothing to deserve something like this. They were good people. And yet the police couldn’t find the guy who had done it, despite having identifying him somehow. Rick Fresters. Why did he get to get off scot free with his parent’s lives?

When the brothers had gathered together to put their parents to rest, Bosco showed up in his old Dress Blue uniform from the Marine Corps to pay his final respects. After the funeral he confided with his brothers that he thought it was his fault. If he had not gone to the competition he would have been there with his parent, and seeing as he always had his pistols on him, New York gun laws be damned, he could have stopped it from happening. Of course Daniel, Jayson, and Evan kept on telling him how irrational it was to believe that just because he was there he could have changed things, but in his mind they would have been. He knew he could have stopped him.
After this little flash back, Bosco turned back to Brad, fists clenched, and fury in his eyes. Brad was visibly nervous at his usually calm, collected, happy go lucky customer.

“H-hey! I didn’t mean it like that.” He nervously stammered.

“Really” Bosco said through gritted teeth. “How did you mean it then?” The other store goers were observing what was going on and most tried to make them-selves as invisible as possible. Bosco didn’t care that they were watching. He slammed his fist on the glass counter, causing it to crack where it impacted. “TELL ME!”
Brad was saved by the bell so to speak by the sound of Bosco’s cell phone going off. This particular ring tone, the Song “Dirty Deeds” by ACDC told him that it was his employers. Not wanting to have to look at Brad anymore Bosco answered.

“Yellow?”

“I got a job for you. Check your ‘email’ for details” The conversation, as enlightening as it was over after that. Them sending a job to his ‘email’ meant that it was a classified assignment with a high payoff.
With this Bosco walked for the door again and addressed Brad as he left. “Don’t expect me back here again. In fact, pray you don’t ever see me again.” With that Bosco left the store, some blood trickling down his hand.

***

Bosco’s Apartment: 2 Hour Later

Bosco stepped out of his shower sliding the curtains aside and walked along the tiled floor up to the sink. He leaned over sink and let out a sigh. He was still upset from what Brad said. Not that what he said was true. It just reminded him of how he figured he had failed. After his parents had been killed he promised his brothers that he would do whatever it took to take care of them. Instead he got into Private Military Contracting, and he hadn’t seen them in years. Hell it had been months since he had even had even email contact from them.

As the steam cleared off the mirror he looked over his reflection. Brown eyes stared back. He looked over the rest of his features. His short military style black hair, his bushy eyebrows, long nose and cheeks that were always red, despite many different assaults by ointments and moisturizers. He then looked down along his muscular toned arm down at his scar along his left wrist. A memento to the days he drank himself dumber than normal. He then looked at his stomach and gave it a pat. ‘Gaining some weight there tubby.’ This wasn’t true. Though he had never had a six-pack or a washboard stomach neither was he overweight. He worked out at least twice a day thus the definition in his other muscles. He just didn’t like cardio. He often said ‘I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than run.’ Because of that there WAS abs underneath the belly, but without running they would never get the fat off to be seen.

He turned on the sink and splashed some water on his face and grabbed his tooth brush. He started his assault on gingivitis as he thought about the assignment he had received. His employers were offering $100,000 for the protection of some journalist that was covering a big story on military drills being conducted on the Iranian border where tensions had been high. It had been on the rise with the CIA confirming reports of Iran having nuclear capabilities. Of course the Journalist was just there for the scoop on the drills. Only people with need to know knew about the success of the Iranian nuclear program. Not that Bosco exactly NEEDED to know, but in his time in the Marines, he learned how to access some files he didn’t actually have access to. He also knew better than to blab about it though, like that idiot Bradley Manning. He knew that the only thing the American public would do about this information is blame the Government for hiding things…which they were, and conspiracy theories.

Bosco gargled, spit, and put his toothbrush away. Hey then walked out of his bathroom into his kitchen/living room/ bedroom. The little 20ft apartment barley had room for his bed, and his workstation where his computer sat. The entire area was in disarray, with his dresser being open and clothes be just stuffing inside, the bed wasn’t made, the kitchen area had dishes in the sink and an empty pizza box on the counter. The only things in the semblance of order were his workstation and his closet.

Bosco sat down in his boxers at his computer and looked at his past emails on his yahoo account. He didn’t get very much mail, except for the endless stream of spam mail and bills. This however was his main way of contacting his brothers now. Especially since none of knew how to answer the damn phone when he called, part of their efforts to reduce their contact with him. They hated that he had become a ‘Gun for hire’. He technically was, but Bosco didn’t really have any other skills he could use. He didn’t like killing, but marksmanship was the only thing he knew. He had taken jobs as an instructor, but that didn’t bring in the money he needed. The PMC was the only to practice his one skill, despite the ugliness that came with it at times.

The first email he read was from his brother Daniel from 3 months back.
‘Christopher, I know we haven’t talked in a while, and you know why, but I figured I would let you know that I’m still alive and let you know what’s been going on with me. Firstly, me and Felicia are over. Turns out that she loved sleeping around the town behind my back more than she loved me. The divorce papers were finalized yesterday actually. That bitch isn’t seeing a penny from me either. One of those rare cases where the judge saw that the woman actually was a whore instead of a victim.

Secondly I was hired as a photographer in the same news company that Evan did. In fact I think I’m going to be partnered with him for a bit. He’s pretty excited for it. Makes things easier with us being able to carpool from home to work together.
You know despite what you currently do, he still idolizes you. You’re his hero big brother ‘The Marine’. I just wish that you actually lived up to his expectations by being a hero instead of a Mercenary. How many have you killed now for that blood money you earn? Can you even keep track? At least I can live with myself in my line of work, even though it’s hard to make ends meet a lot of the time.

Look, you’re still my brother, and I still love you. But if you really want to be able to see us then you got to find another way to get by. I won’t let us associate with you while you kill for money.
Evan and I are going to be traveling for the next half of the year, so expect less contact from us. So that is, expect none, for a while.
Daniel’

Bosco had read this several times before. I didn’t hurt less to see what his older brother thought about him. Daniel was the main reason that he hadn’t seen his brothers for over 3 years. He felt that Bosco was just a bad influence on them. This wasn’t true though. Jayson and Evan had gone on to be production members of society despite his ‘Poor Example’. However, Bosco never real tried to fight Daniels claims, so Jayson and Evan were now living with Daniel at his house in Rochester and could continue to do so long as they refrained from contacting him.

Bosco still talked to them of course. He clicked through is email and brought up the next one from Evan. This was dated from last week.

‘Hey bro. How are things? I’ve had one heck of a time with my new job. I love it. I get to meet some awesome people. Last week I got an interview with one of the producers of the next Star Wars movie, even got some free tickets to the showing in 3 months. Wish you could come see it with us. Daniel is being a real dick about is not seeing you. He acts like you’re a murderer ,I swear.

I still can’t seem to keep all of the crazy chicks off of my. I wouldn’t mind it so much, but I always seem to attract the most UNITELLIGENT CUNTS this side of New York State. I can’t stand it sometimes.’

Bosco chuckled at that part. Ever since Evan was in high school he always teased him about how all the girls fawned over him. It wasn’t true at that time, but eventually Evan just started to seemingly have flocks of girls following him around. Bosco never really tried to understand it, though it was a blessing he wished he had…despite what Evan thought of it.

‘Anyway, I’m letting you know that me and Daniel will be heading out of country for a while. There’s a big story brewing up over sees and I’m going to be covering it. Daniel is my camera man. Try not to worry too much. I can’t tell you where we’re going right now, but we’ll be perfectly fine. Daniel may not have all the training that you do, but I’m positive he can defend us both if things get hairy.

I am worried about Jayson though. We haven’t heard from him since he went to help with the reconstruction efforts in Syria. It’s been half a year. If you hear anything from him please let us know somehow. I may not be able to write, but I still will check my email occasionally to get an update from you. Really, me and Daniel are getting worried about him.
Hope to see you sometime
Evan’

It was good to see that Evan already had a career for himself in Journalism. With Daniel with him he could depend that he could be kept somewhat safe as well. The only thing Daniel really took from Bosco before he broke things off was how to keep safe, through the use of a firearm. Though he didn’t take a piece with him everywhere he went, like Bosco did, he knew he would bring one with him traveling, If not for his own sake then for Evans’s.

Bosco was really worried about his brother Jayson. No word from him at all since he got to Syria. He was working with the Red Cross to try and help rebuild the war torn country of its civil war. There was a lot of Pro American sentiment since the weapons the United States provided to the Rebels helped them overthrow the previous regime which had mercilessly put down anyone that spoke out against it. Over 300,000 people died in the fighting that took place for over 4 years. With that there was no reason why Jayson couldn’t send a message saying he was okay and how things were going.

Bosco looked over the last email he received from Jayson just before he left for his travels with the Red Cross 6 months ago.

‘Christopher, how are you? It’s still in shape I hope. Be a shame to see that you lost your touch for the only thing you’re good at.

Just kidding :). Got a little update for you.

I’m about to leave on my adventures with the Red Cross. Hope to help out people where I can now that I am a certified Doctor. First place I want to go is Syria. Place is pretty torn apart from the war, and now that it’s over there’s going to be people who need my help. I know you made a few trips over there for a few ‘Business Trips’ but I know I won’t be able to help any of the one who crossed your path if they were on the wrong side.’

While it was true that Bosco had made a few trips to Syria while the war was still going on for a few jobs, none of them were as eventful as Jayson was assuming. He merely overlooked the transactions of the weapons from the United States to the ‘Free Syrian Army’ at their request. He was there to make sure nothing happened during the transfer, and nothing did. Easy $90,000 job every time. One of his trips over there did get hairy though. A sniper tried to kill the main U.S. representative in charge of the transfer. He missed his first shot, and Bosco made sure he didn’t get a second.

‘I don’t know how long I’ll be over there, but I will update you when I can. I’m really excited for this, not only will I get to help out people, but get to see the world outside the states for the first time. As Rainbow Dash would say ‘So. AWESOME’. Anyway that’s my update. Hopefully one day I’ll get to see you again.
Love ya Bro
Jayson’

After finishing reading over that email for probably the 30th time since he got it, Bosco leaned back in his chair. He was really worried about Jayson. He should have contacted him by now. Though the country was still pretty fucked up in infrastructure still, there should have been some attempt at contacting them, even by post mail.

Bosco just let out a sigh, and sat back forward and click his computer to shut down stood and stretched out his arms. No use worrying in something he had no control over. He had other worries. He walked around his bed and cluttered apartment floor over to his closet and opened it up.

Inside his sets of Digital pattern camouflage Utilities. He had two Sets of Deserts, Woodlands, and Winters all hung on a rack, with his old Dress Blue uniform and Service Alpha uniform hung up right next to them. He had three sets of tan combat boots lined up on the bottom of the closet, and standing up next to it was his rucksack. Inside it he had his Tan flak jacket, Kevlar helmet, and all pouches that went with his flak. He also had a few weapons stored in here as well. A Berretta, the 1911 he had at the range with him earlier, and his two AR-15’s. The assault rifles both had Rifle Combat Optics, and Collapsible butt stocks. He had a whole bunch of other attachments as well but he never used them so he just stuck with that.

Bosco grabbed his rucksack and began packing all his gear inside it. While he set about his task he thought again about his brothers. He wanted badly to be able to protect them all, but Daniel had kept them away. Daniel though had taken much better care of them than he could. He wasn’t around enough anymore. He kept getting called out to the ass cracks of the world to be paid to do the one thing he was good at. As much as he wanted to there was no way he could protect them even if he wanted to.

That made him pause has he was packing away his boots. It made him feel as though he lacked a purpose. His family was the only thing he really cared about. More than himself really, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do for them.

Now in a somewhat darker mood, Bosco set about finishing his packing. After his gear was all packed up he walked over to his much more disorganized dresser by his bed. On the top of it he had his digital alarm clock, which he never used, and an old family photo which he kept face down. He felt as though every time he looked at the photo, they eyed in it just looked at him in disappointment. He didn’t want to see that every day when he woke up, but neither did he want to get rid of the picture. So he just kept it face down.

He pulled out a travel bag from under his bed and started packing his clothes. It didn’t take him long. He just took a few pairs of white shirts, some green shirts, some skivvies, jeans, and socks and tossed them inside the bag. After that he went back to his closet and put his rifles into their cases. With that he was done packing.

He looked over to his digital clock, where it said 5 AM. He then remembered that he never set the thing because he used his phone as an alarm clock and clock.

“Why the fuck do I even own that fucking thing.” He said to himself. He then promptly walked over to the dresser, unplugged the alarm clock, walked over to his window, opened it up, and threw the useless device out, and then shut the wind again. A few moments later the sound of shattering plastic on pavement could be heard.

Bosco then took out his phone and checked it. The background he had was one of Princess Luna, a Navy Blue pony with a wavy dark Midnight Blue Mane laced with Stars holding a regal pose. He like the picture, and the look of authority and dominance it gave Luna. The clock icon displayed said 1123 PM.

“Well, better get some sleep.” Bosco said as he leaped onto his bed, slipped under the covers and slammed his bed onto the pillow. His flight would be leaving at 12PM the next day.

‘I’ll make it back. I have to.’ He thought to himself.

He never had an issue shaking off his worry before setting out on a job, and this time was no different as he drifted off into the state of dreaming. He never did remember his dreams, but he could remember the feelings they gave him. Though he was able to shake off his worry, he couldn’t shake of the feelings he had of what he felt of his life. And as he dreamed, he kept getting the feeling of failure.

It was a good thing he didn’t remember his dreams. They were usually dark.

Chapter One: Family Reunion

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Chapter One: Family Reunion

Bosco was walking down a dark alley way, during the earlier hours of the morning. The rain was falling hard from the pitch black sky, making the patter of little droplets hitting the pavement, and pings against the metal dumpsters overflowing with filth. The only lighting came from the end of the alley Bosco was walking from, his boots making splashes in the puddles as he trudged through at a brisk pace. He had a timetable to keep, and there was not going to be another opportunity like the one before him tonight.
He slightly opened his leather jacket and felt for his Beretta holstered on the inside, his source of protection and comfort for the night. He felt his fingers grasp the studded grip of his pistol and he brought his hand back out and put it in his jacket pocket.

He felt anticipation for what was about to happen. The preparation he had put in for this was minimal, but there wasn't time to prepare, for after a few short hours this opportunity would be lost. He quickened hi pace as he neared the other side of the alley.

As he got close to exiting the dark crevice, he started to hear voices, and he slowed and crouched at the corner of the wall and listened.

“-ow what man? You know we can’t stay here, the Cops know where we at.”

“I know bro, and don’t worry my cousin is on his way right now. He’ll grab us and we outta this bitch. We cross tha borda and no one eva catches us.”
The voices sounded like they belonged to men around their twenties. The first voice less deep than the second one and sounded somewhat scratchy. The second voice sounded like it belonged to a NFL linebacker.

Bosco tensed up a bit. The first voice belonged to the person he was looking for. He heard the two men separate from one another and he turned out of the alley and stepped toward-

***

In The Skies Of Iraq: August 29 1100

Bosco woke up with a jerk from Helicopter as it caught some turbulence in its trip across the skies of Iraq. Startled at being awoken so suddenly, he looked around frantically for half a second as he got his bearings. He was in a U.S. military Blackhawk. This much he remembered as he heard the chopping sound of the helicopters rotor wings cut through the sky towards their destination.

Looking out of the open side door of the chopper he saw an expanse of nothing but desert, with tufts of sand blowing about occasionally from the winds and the chopper as it passed over. The sun beating down on the sands made it harsh to look at. Not there was much to look at, unless you wanted to see endless wastes.

Grasping his AR-15 that was slung to his torso, Bosco took a slow breath in and out, his bearings restored. He was suited up in his desert camouflage utilities, flak jacket strapped to his chest with pouches attached and filled. 3 ammo pouches on his left side, each filled with 2 magazines of 30 rounds. 2 ammo pouches on his right, each with 2 magazines as well, a first aid kit and two canteens on the back. His trusty 1911 was holstered on his right thigh, with 4 spare magazines for it strapped to his left. This was the basic load that he brought with him to every job. The rest of the gear he had was in the rucksack in next to his seat, and strapped down tightly for the duration of the flight. All of his clothes and non-essential item he had left back in his apartment in Erbil.

The pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft were both focused on their task of safely getting them from point A to point B, which was a small U.S. Military outpost on the outskirts of Soran. The co-pilot looked back at Bosco and gave a frown.

“You alright buddy?” He asked him over the sound of the helicopter.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Bosco Replied calmly.

“Alright, just looked like you had a bad dream or something.” The co-pilot said, returning his focus to the controls.

“Yeah…something like that” Bosco muttered.

He never remembered his dreams, but this wasn’t a dream. It was worse, much worse. It was real.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “What’s our ETA to the destination?” Bosco asked as he looked out the open door again. This time he could make out a city hidden in the sands out in the distance. He figured that that must be Soran.

“About 6 minutes out. You’re lucky we were headed out this way, it would have been at least a 6 hour drive.” The co-pilot responded.

“Well it was either beg for a ride from you guys, or suffer a long uncomfortable ride with a stuffy Army Colonel with his nose so far up his own ass he’ll never stop smelling shit.” That and Bosco used to work for the bastard. He didn’t need the guy thinking he could order him around again.

“Ha ha. Yeah I see where you coming from buddy.” The co-pilot then hit a button on the control board and Fortunate Son started playing over the helicopters speakers. Bosco grinned at his choice.

“Hey what are we, in Nam or something?” Bosco asked jokingly. The co-pilot didn’t answer. That was fine with him. He liked the song and would rather just listen as they flew in on final approach.

The outpost was under them before Bosco knew it. They flew over the outer wall of hesco barriers that made the perimeter of the small outpost. In all honesty, it looked more like a trailer park than anything military related, except for the few Humvees and Soldiers all over the area.

Once the Blackhawk was over the ‘Helipad’, they slowly made their decent. There was a group of soldiers with their blouses off, nearby ready to load the chopper with the cargo that was meant to be sent back to choppers place of origin. The only reason Bosco was able to hitch a ride was because he happened along them as they were taking off, and as said before, he did not want to endure his original escort.

As soon as the wheels touched down he thanked the Pilots for the lift, grabbed his bad and his rifle and took off past the soldiers as they loaded whatever it was in the heavy looking green crates. Some of the soldiers gave him funny looks, but just kept walking on. He knew where he had to be as military outposts usually kept the same layout. That and the outpost was small, maybe a football field and a half.

Bosco now started feeling the heat of the desert pressing down on him, all the 110 withering degrees of it. Nothing he hadn’t felt before, but it took some acclimation to get used to. That took about a month however, and as it stood now, with him in full combat load, he was already starting to soak through his utilities with sweat. His hair was already starting to mat against his head with sweat under his Kevlar. He grabbed one of his canteens and took a sip of water as he made his way towards the command trailer. It was indistinguishable from all the other trailers on the complex, except for the old stars and stripes waving in the wind on the flagpole in front of it. Not really subtle when you thing about it.

Bosco saluted the colors as he walked past, stepped up to the trailer door, pulled it open and stepped inside. As soon as he did he felt the air temperature drop by about 20 degrees. Aside from that the trailer did not look very comforting. I was rather dim inside, and it took about a minute for his eyes to adjust to the lower light, considering how bright it was outside. The tile floor could have been white at one point but he couldn’t tell through all the boot prints, stains, and sand covering it. There was a disgruntled looking captain sitting at a rectangular desk some ten feet from the door. Bosco walked up to him.
If he were still enlisted he would have come to attention and reported in…but he wasn’t any more. He walked up to the desk; rifle slung to his back, and leaned on the desk. “Sup?” he said nonchalantly.
The captain, Greewood according to his nametape, gave him a deadpan expression as he addressed this invader of his personal domain.

“Can I help you?” He asked. Bosco was impressed. Usually military types mistook him for a Marine, which he was, just not active anymore. It was the cammies. Greenwoods response however told him that he knew that he couldn’t order him around. That was going to make things sooo much easier for him.

“I’m the PMC who was hired to protect that Journalist while you guys are playing war” Bosco said with a grin. “Know where I can find him so I can get to work?”

“Opposite end of the camp, trailer 120.” Greenwood replied. He then got back to reviewing the documents spread across his desk. Bosco, satisfied that for once he was able to get something from a military officer gave the Captain a halfhearted salute and made his way towards the door. Before he stepped out the Captain spoke up again. “Between you and me, we aren’t going to be ‘playing’ for much longer.” Bosco stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at him. Greenwoods stare could have turned a cockatrice to stone, with amount of intensity and seriousness on his face. “Better keep that little story writer safe.” And once again turned back to his documents.

Bosco stood there and processed that for a few seconds, then stepped back out into the sweltering desert heat. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant by that. Apparently tensions were higher between Iran and the U.S. than anybody actually realized, and these drills weren’t actually going to be drills at all. He figured 100 grand for escorting a journalist around was a bit much. Now he was going to have his work cut out for him.
‘Mabye I’ll get lucky and the first combat action of this war was going to be a scouting mission to some tiny little research center in the buttfuck of nowhere.’ He thought as he made his way down the gravel path that made its way through the outpost. He passed a platoon of soldiers, all looking tired and worn out, and some complaining about the unforgiving heat. He guessed they had just got back from a patrol. Slightly farther ahead a convoy of Humvees and LAV’s pulled into the main gate and turned into the small motor pool. They left a long dust trail in their wake behind them.

Bosco took off his helmet and clipped it clipped it to his Flak. ‘Surprised that captain saw fit to share that info with me.’ He thought. ‘Not like I wouldn’t found out soon enough but still.’ He was now close to the journalist’s trailer, as he passed by 118 then 119. ‘I wonder what other surprises I’m in for. The middle east seems to send me a new one every time I come.’ He stopped in front of trailer 120 and just stared out into the sky for a few moments. He was legitimately worried he would get back to the states alive this time. This job would be the most dangerous one he ever took.

He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a little plastic figure of Rainbow Dash. The figure meant a lot to him, as it was the last gift he had received from his little brothers before Daniel made them stop seeing him. The little cyan equine always gave him a small degree of comfort. He felt that just having it with him gave him some form of protection. He ran a finger of the rainbow colored man. Dash’s face had the cocky and confident grin that she often worn in the show. It caused him to give a grin of his own. After another moment he placed the Rainbow Dash figurine in his the pound of his left shoulder, making it so her head peered out over the flap. He had the grenade pouch for just this purpose. He could get ahold of grenades, and even if he could if he was ever in a job that needed them his employers had lied to him about the jobs seriousness. Luckily that never happened, at least not to him. So instead he had Dash come along for the ride. It made him feel as if he wasn’t by himself.

A slight worry came over him as he could only guess to which unit this journalist would get attached to. He prayed that it wasn’t one of the ones that would undoubtedly be crossing the Iranian border. That was something he couldn’t control though, so he would have to roll with convoy if that were the case. He hadn’t actually seen combat when he was with the Marines, but he’d much rather see combat with them than these Army cats. Marines could actually be depended on to accomplish a mission. He may have been somewhat biased in his opinion, but to honest the army had a horrible track record when it came to fire efficiency, and fighting spirit. A Marine could always be depended on to accomplish the mission and always fought to their last if it meant getting the guy next to them home.

“Well, let’s go meet the customer.” He said. As he turned around to enter to enter the trailer, an Army Sergeant was walking down the dirt path. Bosco didn’t see him in time and the both crashed right into each other. They both fell flat on their asses, landing right on their tail bones. Needless to say, they both felt it.

“SON OF BITCH” they both yelled out.

Some of the other soldiers had taken notice of who Bosco had run into and began to walk over.

“Ohhhh you’re about to get it son!” Bosco couldn’t see who the voice belonged to, but he could reason by his outburst he had run into the ‘Wrong Person’.

Bosco quickly stood up and looked up to see just who he had offended, the pain in his ass already a fading memory. He was intimidated to say the least. This man was a beast. Bosco one stood up to his pecks. He could see his bulging arms through his blouse. If he had to guess, he’d so this mad was about 230 lbs. The man looked angry to say the least. His face looked as though it were saying ‘You done fucked up’. It was obvious that things were probably to get physical if he didn’t try to deescalate the situation. Bosco didn’t want to fight if he didn’t have to, and nobody needed this scene to carry on. It was become apparent that would be had as a small ring of soldiers had already gathered in a circle around the two of them making a small arena. ‘Yeah, don’t need this shit right now’

Bosco attempted to negotiate with this goliath. “Hey, sorry about that. Didn’t see you come out of there.” He waited for a response…and waited…and waited…

“Kick that small fries ass Sanchez!” One of the soldiers shouted. ‘Fuck my life’ Bosco thought, and crouched into a basic fighting stance with his hands protecting his face and feet squared to his opponent, and leaped back a few feet to get some distance between them.

Goliath just cracked his knuckles and started to walk after him. While he had time Bosco assessed him. It was obvious that one hit from this man would make him take a nap. His reach was much longer than his, and he (no shit) far taller than him. From his bearing though, this man seemed very confident. He wasn’t even in any semblance of a fighting stance as he approached. Cocky. Bosco guessed that Goliath figured he could take him in one punch. It was true, but he wasn’t thinking about him putting up much of a fight if that were the case, and that was all Bosco needed to be able to surprise him.

When Goliath was about 3 yards away he rushed the last of the distance, raising his right arm for a haymaker. ‘Time for your surprise a hole’ Bosco though and quickly did a split, with the battering ram of an arm flying harmlessly over his head. As it sailed over Bosco brought his left arm up and into the man’s crotch. The result was Goliath crouching forward, bringing both his hand to cover his “Precious Gems”. Bosco then jumped up and brought his right arm right up into the man’s jaw which was now on his level. His fist connected, and he felt as Goliath’s jaw bone made contact with his knuckles. He heard a crack come from his face. Goliath’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he started to fall backwards. The ground shook a bit as he landed eagle spread on the dirt. The whole exchange was over in a matter of 3 seconds.

Bosco was taking quicker breaths do to the heightened adrenaline levels in his body. He didn’t break his stance, as the soldiers surrounding him and their fallen comrade. You could feel the tension in the air. Apparently this Sanchez guy held a lot of respect with all these young men. Not fear, actual respect, and Bosco could see it. There was only one thing people wanted to do when a peer that they respected got knocked out by some guy that they don’t know. ‘Oh please no’ Bosco thought.

“Stomp this short fucker!” one yelled out, and the ring of 12 soldiers was suddenly closing on him. ‘God DAMN IT MURPHEY!’

Bosco now went into slow motion as his aggressors moved in on him, or it at least seemed like time slowed down. He now had to depend on the instincts instilled on him by his training, from both the Marines and his last 4 years in the Dojo.
As the first soldiers arm come at his face, Bosco grasped it, and twisted it so he was turned around and pulled him in front of his fellow that came at Bosco on his right. As his comrades punch connected with his fellows face, Bosco then Threw I kick behind himself the get the third soldier coming from him behind, hitting him square in the sternum. The two men both went down, the one behind Bosco clutching his stomach area wheezing for breath, and the once in from collapsing like a rag doll. While the second man was still surprised at knocking out his buddy, Bosco took advantage by stepping up right in front of him, grabbing his right arm and pulling him towards him. While he did this, he lifted his right leg up and kicked his opponent’s foot out from under him. With his balance lost, the soldier fell flat on his back. Bosco quickly followed up with a boot to his chest. The man gasped for breath as the wind was knocked out of him.

Taking advantage of his momentary upper hand, due to the shock of him putting up more of a fight than they thought him capable of, Bosco moved on to his next two victims. The first man didn’t put his arms up in time to block as Bosco elbow came up and hit him in the jaw. He fell backwards from the blow, hit the ground and didn’t move. ‘Lucky me, out cold’ Bosco thought. He then focused on his next victim who was a bit more prepared. He blocked the first two punched that were sent his way, and sent out his own. Bosco used his right arm to block the blow and using the momentum of his opponent to turn him around. With the soldiers back now to him, Bosco kicked the back of his knee to force him down. Once there Bosco through a knee to the back of the soldiers head, and loud ‘thunk’ could be heard. The man fell forward. Not knocked out, but dazed enough that he wouldn’t be getting up for a while. ‘Ok, five down’ Bosco thought. ‘…fuck, eight to go.’

As Bosco turned to face his remaining aggressors, a fist flew towards his face. He barely had time to parry it as another came at him. This one he could not block and it hit him in the cheek. He stumble a bit and leaped back to gain some distance from his foes. They all looked serious now, as they realized the threat he actually posed. Bosco took noted the pain from where he was hit, as it started to bruise. He got lucky that the punch was delivered poorly, but he made the mistake of losing tack of all his opponents. ‘If they wanna get serious about this, I will to.’ With that, he retook his fighting stance.

“Come at me bro!” he taunted. They complied.

The rest was a blur of motion with Bosco throwing out punches and kicks when an opening in presented itself, and parrying blocking and turning away all the attacks that were sent his way. As his hits connected, another of the soldiers would fall out of the fight. The attacks all sent Bosco’s way, were all either deflected, or blocked. This went on until only three of the Soldiers were left.
‘Alright, I got this. LERRRRRRRRRRRROY-' Bosco yelled in his head as he made a battle cry charge the last of his targets…before tripping over one of the unconscious soldiers boots.

“SHIT!” He yelled as he started to stumble. While he was stumbling, two of the soldiers rushed in from both sides and grabbed one of his arms. This ceased his falling motion. While he knew he was in a disadvantage now as his arms were held at length to his sides, he appreciated being saved from falling flat on his face. He looked to the man on his left and said “Hey, thanks chum.”

The soldier put on a look of confusion before responding. “Uhh…no problem?”

The last soldier then walked up and slugged Bosco right in the stomach. “Guuah” Bosco doubled over from the blow, but was held up by the two soldiers holding his arms. The pain in his stomach wasn’t that bad and he regained his senses quickly. As a second blow came towards his face Bosco kicked up both his feet towards the attacker, his boots connecting with his forehead. The soldier fell on his back and clutching his head, having just gotten one of the worst migraines in his life.

When Bosco’s feet touched the ground again, the soldiers were once again in shock from the miraculous attack. He took advantage by biting the soldier on his right on the hand. The surprise alone was enough for the soldier to let go of his hand. Once it was free Bosco threw a fist into the last soldier on his lefts face.

“Dude that mother fucker bit me!” the one said.

“Ah, Christ my FACE, SHIT” the other said.

“DUUDE I need some aspirin” The one on the ground clutching his head said.
Bosco stood there in his fighting stance once again, waiting to see what they would do. All around were soldiers on the ground, either unconscious or nursing some type of injury. The two left on their feet stared back at him.

“…”

“…so yeah, are we still going to have a problem?” Bosco asked.

“You know what, I think we’re good. Heh Heh” The one with the bite marks on his hand replied nervously.

“Yeah, sorry about the whole trying to beat the shit outa you thing bro” The other said holding his face and sporting a nervous smile”

“Great” Bosco said resuming a normal pose. “Want any help taking care of your buds?” he said gesturing to the circle of soldiers on the ground around them.

“N-no. We can take care of them.” The bitten one said.

“Alright then, I’m taking off then. Catch you later.” Bosco then started going towards the trailer.

“Shit that guys insane” He heard them whisper too each other.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL DOING LYING AROUND?!” A new voice threw in.
Bosco didn’t wait around to find out what would happen. He opened the trailer door and stepping inside.

***

When he got into the trailer there was nobody inside to great him. The only sounds after the door shut latched as it closed was the sound of the AC uniting in the window, and a small refrigerator in the back corner in a small kitchen area, with a counter and sink, as well as a microwave. There were dishes stacked in a drying rack in next to the sink.

The main body of the trailer was the living room plus bedroom, with a simple metal bunk bed against the wall and a pair of fold out chairs in the center of in front of a foldout table which held a pair of laptops plugged into a powers strips on the wall. Under the bed there were traveling bags that were set up as impromptu dressers. Bosco wondered why the owners would do this, until he looked at the closet and fount that it was filled with an assortment of cameras and filming equipment. It really wasn’t that much gear, but the closet was small so all the space was taken up by it. Next to the closet was the door to the bathroom. A look inside revealed an extremely cramped space with a few towels on racks in the side of the wall, a little porcelain ‘Throne’ for you so ‘Drop off the browns’, and a shower stall. There was no sink so he guessed that the one in the kitchen served for the purpose of brushing teeth and shaving as well. The only two windows in the rooms were on opposite ends of each other. One above the sink in the kitchen, and the other on the other side with the AC unit humming away as it did its daunting task of keeping the space cool in the desert heat. It was a cramped little place, but it was at least cleaner than how the captain kept his office.

Seeing as his charge was not here at the moment, doing whatever journalist stuff they did like talking to the locals or whatever, Bosco decided he would take the liberty of making himself at home. He walked over to the closet and dropped his rucksack next to it, unslung his rifle and leaned it against the wall, took Rainbow out if his grenade pouch, and took off his flak. Once it was off he set it over neatly on top of the pack, walked over to the table and put the equine figurine on the table. After that he pulled over one of the collapsible chairs and sat down, letting the AC cool him off. He had worked up a good sweat from his tussle outside. He really needed a shower.

About 15 minutes passed with Bosco pretty much sitting at the table daydreaming. He did that a lot when he was bored and he had nothing to do. It helped him pass the time. His current line of thought was along the lines of what he would do if monkeys tried stealing his guns. ‘If a monkey comes in here and tries stealing my guns I’d be pretty fucking pissed. Little bastard would probably try to sling his shit at me while he did it to. Jokes on him though, cause I’ll throw rocks at that sunavbitch. Shit washes out, but if I hit him in the head with a rock then I can crack his skull and do some permanent damage. God hate monkeys can’t trust the bastards. Only other species with thumbs, so if it has thumbs it can use tools, and if it can use tools it can start to build a society that will grow and eventually try to overthrow mankind. Rather kill them before that happens. Point a gun up their head and BANG, over… Bang, bang, high, hoe chitty chitty bang bang, chitty chitty bang bang we love you. Ae oh, chitty chitty bang bang, chiity chitty bang bang loves me to. Fuck this guy’s taking forever to get back. I’m taking I shower.’

With his little bout of insanity over he got up walked over to his rucksack and got out a fresh set of skivvies and under shirt and socks. He would not be using fresh set of utilities because he only had two sets of deserts. You can’t wash them every day in the field anyway, so you get used to putting on the grimy pair for maybe a month at a time before switching over the other pair. And if you hadn’t been back to a place with a washer or dryer in a while then that pair was probably dirty as well. As nasty as it felt to do it he would be reusing the utilities from today for probably a few days. The stay over here was only supposed to go for about a week anyway before they moved onto their next story in some other country.

Bosco walked over to the table and turned the figure of Rainbow Dash around so that she was facing away from him. He then got to stripping down to his birthday suit, right in the middle of the room. Once done he deposited his soiled skivvies next to his pack and placed the fresh pair on one of the towel racks with his utilities. He then walked back to his rucksack and got out his showering gel and shampoo. He had gotten used to walking around his apartment naked after living in apartment by himself for so long. ‘It’d be funny if they walked in right now. Howdy guy, I’m the one they hired to protect you while you go through a somewhat hostile country. Behold my JUNK and be terrified!’ He chuckled to himself as he walked into the bathroom, shut the door turned on the shower head.

He took a decent 5 minutes to shower. It only really took him a minute and a half, but he just wanted to sit there and soak. The water felt good against his skin as it got all the grime and sweat off of him. He then turned off the shower and quickly got dressed, though he decided to keep his blouse off the keep cool better. He then walked out of the bathroom and resumed his seat at the table turning Rainbow Dash back around to face him. He then went on another 15 minute mental tirade, this time on who decided it would be a good idea to drink the stuff that came out of a cow.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhh sooooo booooooored” Bosco Lamented. “Where the hell is this guy, girl, or whatever?”

As if in answer the door to the trailer finally creaked open. ‘Shit, finally.’ Bosco stood up and turned to the door to meet his charge. His mouth hung open and eyes went wide as he comprehended what he was seeing.

Two men stood in the doorway. The first was lanky armed with a bit of a pot belly. Not remotely close to being overweight, just that his stomach was round. His dark blonde hair was matted to his head that went down to about neck level. He skin was tanned some, do to his time already spent in the sun, and he had a pair of small round glasses sitting on his longer than average nose on front of his hazel eyes. He was holding a small brief case I one hand and a paper pad in the other. The paper pad was covering in notes and other text. He wore the same expression of shock the Bosco did.

The second man was shorter by about a half a head, but was still about two inches taller than Bosco was. He had a head of dark red, almost orange hair that came over his ears, but didn’t cover his eyes, or go below neck level either. He also sported a goatee. He was a bit more built than the other man as his arms were more toned and shoulders a bit wider. He sported a pair of glasses as well, in the same fashion as the first man, but on a more round average size nose. His eyes were a darker brown. He carried a camera with him in one arm, and a tripod in the other. Bosco also noted the pistol he had holster on his right hip, a Berretta by the looks of it. He to, wore an expression of shock.

The three of them just stood staring at each other mouths agape, until the taller on finally spoke.

“Christopher?”

“Yeah?” Bosco said.

“Is it really you?”

“Last time I checked I am me still, that has never changed. So if I am me you are still you. And you are you, then he is not so…” Bosco paused, and scrapped his thought pattern before it could continue and started again. “Yes, it’s me Evan”

They just stared for another couple of seconds, and then Evan walked over, dropped his things and gave Bosco a hug, which he returned. They just stayed that way for a few moments, and then the broke it up, a single tear coming from Evans face. Bosco then turned to the one still by the door.

“Are you going to give me a hug Daniel, or am I going to have to chase you?” He asked. Daniel seemed break from his shocked trance. He set the tripod standing up by the door and put the camera down in front of the table and walked up to his younger brother. They both stared into each other’s eyes wearing scowls. Evan would have been nervous, but he knew their game. After a couple of seconds of staring Daniel grinned.

“Have to catch me first!” He then started running around the trailer cackling like a madman. Bosco grinned and chased after him, with Evan just smiling and laughing at their antics, even though they made a mess of the place along the way. He was just glad to finally see his older brother again after such a long time, and that Daniel was willing to let his own feelings go, at least for now so that he could enjoy it and see how they used to be.

After the things wound down, and they got all the hugs, and running around out of their system they all sat down at the table, Bosco dragging over his pack to sick on it as they had no extra chairs. The little Dash figure was now joined by a Trixie figurine. This one Evan brought with him wherever he went. No so much because he thought she was ‘Best Pony’ but because she was a gift from Bosco before he left for his first PMC job. It was the last he actually saw of his brother until now, and reminded him that he did care about him.

They all sat and chatted, catching up with each other talking about games they played, cool things that happened to them, and the like. It was just the small talk until they started having the real conversation. Bosco was still hoping that there was some way that they wouldn’t be the people he was protecting, but the odds of that was now zero. He still hoped there was some OTHER journalist in the outpost that was about to cover the units about to cross the Iranian border. He didn’t want his brothers in the kind of danger that would no doubt come if the units got engaged in combat.

The hours passed, and the sun disappeared behind the distant mountains, sending the sky into a deep red at its retreat. Daniel stood up and went over to the kitchen saying he was going to make dinner.

“Is the great chef Daniel going to make some gourmet microwave meals?” He said as Daniel went under one of the counters. When he came back up, he was wearing a chef’s hat and holding a hot plate.

“Oh monsieur, in ordoo to celibrit dis ocasioIN, ve must ave a propuu cooked meal” He said with a kinda French accent. They both liked to practice accents, but French gave them both troubles. “Now be amazed as work my magic.” He went back under the counter got a pot and then went over to the sink and filled it with water. After that he plugged in the hot plate on the counter and then put the pot on top and started gathering ingredients. At this point Bosco stopped paying attention to him, as he figured now would be a good time to ask Evan more directly about why he was here. He turned to face Evan, who was looked at him as though he wanted to ask just as many things as he did.

“Me first” Bosco said. Evan wilted a bit in disappointment, but that quickly left his features.

“Ok. So, question one then?” He asked.

“I KGB, I ask the questions!” Bosco said. Evan laughed at his brother’s random saying. “But seriously, first question: Why are you here?” He asked, though he knew what his brother was going to say.

Evan took a breath and started “The Company I work for wanted me to cover a big story. They say if it’s big enough then I can get big raise in pay. I figures military drill coverage in a high tension area would get me just that. And there’s no other journalists right here, right now, so I will be the only one making a story for this.” He started to speak more excitedly, “And with Daniel here with me I get them most awesome photographer/camera man in the company to work with. We already got some great coverage of the moral of the troops, how they are preparing for the drills and whatnot.” He then looked puzzled. “There was a group of them that looked like they had been put through the ringer, all bruised and beet up looking. I asked for a quick word but they all declined to comment.”

“Yeah they probably just all did a bit of sparring” Bosco said, doing the shifty eyes. “You know, they got to keep training to keep their skills up.” He then leaned forward again and looked Evan in the eyes. “Do you know which unit you’re going to be embedded with?”

Evan scratches the back of his head. “Yeah, 3rd platoon of combat assault company. They take off for some patrol tomorrow morning and aren’t expected to be back for a few weeks” This pretty much confirmed all of Bosco’s fears, and his heart sank. “We roll out with them at around 0400.” He caught the dark look on his brother’s face. “What’s up?”

Bosco had a chance here to try and get his brother to not go through with his chase of this story and keep him out of the future danger. He decided to lay it all out on the table. “It won’t be a simple patrol. They will be going into Iran, and they well be scouting out something important so they can pave the way for invasion. The tension between Iran and the U.S. are beyond getting fixing now. They Iranians have nuclear capabilities, and are actually crazy enough to use them. We will be heading in with what is no doubt going to be the first action of the war.” Bosco let that sink in for a moment. As it did, it had the opposite effect that he wanted as his brother just got more excited.

“YES YES YES YES!” Evan said while jumping around a bit. Bosco was now confused.

“Since when is that a good thing”

“Because, this story will be enough for me to get the raise I need AND more. Now I HAVE to cover this.” He retook his seat.

“I don’t think you quite get it. There will probably be a few dangerous situations that pop up, like bombs dropping on you…” he was trying to hint and the real threat this was but Evan just kept his excited grin. “Evan we could die if you pursue this.” He said bluntly.

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take” He said. Bosco couldn’t believe what he was hearing and was about to speak up again when ‘Chef Daniel’ Returned with a steaming pot.

“Behold my MASTERPIECE” as he lay the pot on the table.

“…Ramen noodles. Really?” Bosco said.

“I know, masterpiece. I should open a restaurant.”

Bosco just burst out laughing along with Evan. Daniel put on the French accent again as he went back to the counter and got some bowls and spoons bringing them back to the table. “Evreevon ees a criteek”

As Evan and Bosco just laughed at their oldest brother, he filled their bowls. After they had calmed down they began eating their meal. This would most likely be the last one they had before it switched to a diet of shit clogging MRE’s. Oh the constipation that awaited them. For now though the enjoyed the meal, all pretending as though there wasn’t a 4 year gap where they hadn’t seen each other. They kept up the joking and small talk all through their meal. When Daniel and Bosco had finished they had started their chant that they did at random times when they were together.

“Boo”

“Boo?”

“Boo!”

“Boo.”

“Majin.”

“Boo!”

This kept up until Evan completed his meal, snickering the whole way through. They continued to chat away for another hour. It was now pitch black outside as the sun had begun bombarding the other side of the planet with its rays.

“Hey Evan, can you wash the dishes while I talk with Christopher outside?” He asked.

‘Ah crap here it comes’ Bosco thought.

“Sure thing. While you’re out there I can start editing my stories.” He replied, standing up and taking to bowls over to the sink. Daniel and Bosco stared at one another, and then stood up and stepped outside the trailer.

Though the sun had gone down, it was still really warm out. That would change quickly as the night progressed. The nights in the desert could get below freezing sometimes. There were a few soldiers around, making adjustments to equipment that was kept in green boxes, and some just out for a run. None would be paying attention to the two brothers.

Daniel turned to face Bosco and got right to it. “Can you keep him safe?” He asked.

Bosco took a moment to answer, “You know what’s about to happen don’t you?” Daniel slowly nodded. “Then you know that I can’t say yes. There’s no way I can guarantee either of you make it back alive. My honest opinion is that you should both just leave before this kicks off and none of us are put in danger.” He looked back at the trailer to for a moment. “But I guess if you’re still here, then your attempt to get him to leave has failed, and he’s even more excited now that he knows what’s bout to happen.”

“Pfft, gun for hire that can’t even do his job. What good are you?” Daniel said. Bosco was expecting it to come out at some point. Daniel still thought he was a murderer for money, that he took jobs just to kill his fellow man. “If you can’t even do your job why are you getting paid? Or is it the more people who die on your jobs the more you get.” Daniels opinions on what he did were always skewed, and sometimes ridiculous.

“You know I don’t do this to kill people. What other skills do I have? I am a marksman, the only thing I know how to do, and this is the only field I can apply it properly in.” He replied.

“And how many people have you killed so far since you started this?” Daniel asked rather heatedly.

“Three” Bosco replied.

This answer surprised Daniel. “Three? Really?”

“What kind of answer were you expecting?”

Daniel scratched the back of his head. “Well I honestly believed that every time you went out on a job you went around running and gunning with a group of gung ho psychopaths destroying whoever got in your way…”

‘Wow, really bro? Thought you would have a bit more respect for me than that.’ Bosco thought.

“How did those three die then?” He asked, trying to save whatever evil image he had of his brother.

“Two were in the same job. I was escorting some guy to a meeting in Turkey. Don’t remember what for. I do remember the ambush that happened on the way there. A van crashed into our car, and four men jumped out. I tried subduing them without having to resort to my guns, but it just wasn’t happening. I had to shoot them before they shot me.

“The other one was a sniper attack in Syria at a weapons transfer. He nearly killed the official in charge of the transfer, and I had to make sure he didn’t get another chance.” He waited for Daniels reply.

“So purely self-defense then?” He asked.

“Purely self-defense.”

“So the whole reason for me keeping our brothers away from you was…” he looked for the right words.

“Stupid, retarded, completely unfounded?” Bosco supplied.

“All of the above.” Daniel said. “4 years of me trying to protect our brothers from you for nothing.

“Well maybe if you actually read some of the emails I sent you you’d have figured that out.” Bosco doubted he did.

“I kinda delete all the ones from you.” DING DING! What does our contestant win?!

“Well this is just classic us right here. Doing something completely unnecessary for years before realizing how stupid we are…or at least you are” Bosco grinned at him.

“Well to be fair I never really knew what PMC’s did. I always thought that they were mercenaries.” There was some truth to it.

“We can be, but I don’t take those kinds of jobs. Not a very long life expectancy there” Bosco chuckled. Daniel stepped up to him and embraced him. This surprised him a lot. Daniel never initiated direct contact with people in the manner.

“I’m really sorry, I mean it. All these years, and I’ve been such an idiot the whole time.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. I forgive you. You were just trying to look after the only family we got left.” Bosco said returned the hug. “And to be fair, you were an idiot before then.”

This got a chuckle out of Daniel and they broke contact. Looks like Bosco was finally going to be part of the family again. He just had to make sure that they both got through the next couple of weeks.

Daniel spoke up again. “Well you know by now that we won’t be able to persuade Evan to drop this story. The only real reason I’m here right now was because I wanted to keep him safe myself. There’s no way I can do that now though.”

“Theres no way I can guarantee it either.” Bosco said darkly.

“I’m just hoping if any danger hits he’ll realize the gravity of what can happen and he’ll turn back, and we can go home.” Daniel said hopefully.

“By the time the danger hits, it will already be too late to turn back.” This deflated Daniels hope. “we just gotta role with it by this point.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Daniel said, and then his expression got serious. “I haven’t heard from Jayson in months.” This wasn’t what Bosco was hoping to hear. He had expected that Jayson kept in contact with at least his home provider. “I am really worried about him. Have you heard from him?”

“Not since he left for Syria.” Bosco replied. “I thought he was keeping in touch with you.”

“Something happened to him. We were going to stop in Syria anyway to see if we could find a trace of him, but Evan insists that he is OK.” Daniel shook his head. “I held on to the hope that he at least kept in touch with you.”

Bosco wanted to go look for Jayson now that he knew something was wrong, but none of them had any way of leave this outpost until their respective jobs were completed. They couldn’t just borrow a military Humvee and leave the outpost with it on a hunch that their brother was in Danger. No one would allow it. That and they didn’t have any proof he was in danger, despite the long period of no contact.

“At least he’s alive still.” Bosco said. Daniel nodded in agreement. He was sure that if anything had happened to their brother, they would feel it. They weren’t spiritual or anything like that. In fact, all of the brothers didn’t really have a religion or something similar that they believed in. They just felt that if there was something that happened to the other, they would feel it in some way.

“Yeah, he has to be” Daniel said.

With the atmosphere being somewhat depressing, Bosco decided it would be best to go back inside and leach of Evans good mood.

“Let’s go inside. No doubt Evan has a few questions for me, and we should get ready for the morning and get some sleep.” Bosco checked his phone for the time. “It’s already 2130.” Daniel looked at him blankly, and Bosco groaned a bit. “9:30, its 9:30. Learn military time, shit!”

“Well if its 9:30, say its 9:30.” They stared at each other a bit then laughed. “Ok, let’s go inside then” Daniel said and opened the trailer door with Bosco following behind. “I sure am glad I was wrong about think you a murdering psychopath.” He said as he stepped inside.

This caused Bosco to pause for a moment before entering. Internally he lamented for the things his brother didn’t know. His memories came back to bite him for just a fraction of a moment. ‘Probably best if none of them ever find out’ Bosco thought. Then followed inside, where they all prepared for the next day.

***

September 3rd 0300: 30 miles of Piranshahr outskirts Iran

Bosco was glad that they had not run into any trouble on their trip. 3rd Platoon of Weapons Company, the unit they were attached to, was consistent of about 30 soldiers. To avoid detection by opposing forces, they had decided to use one of the mountain passes to cross over into Iran. It was a slow journey, as the terrain was difficult to navigate with the Humvees and LAV’s. At some points they nearly lost one of the only sources of firepower when it nearly careened down a cliff face. It would have been fast to traverse this mountain by foot. Whoever had planned this mission clearly didn’t think this trough too well.

Four days of this was taking its toll on the men, but they finally came out of the mountain pass and they now were in position for their eventual objective. Bosco had asked what that was, but they did not tell him. He respected that, as they couldn’t fully trust him and risk him leaking that kind of critical information to the enemy. However Bosco needed to know what they were getting into, so he’d be better prepared to protect his brothers when the time came for it.

Evan was the only one having a blast with the trip. Every small conversation with a soldier he had, every little mishap that happened along the trip, he wrote it all down for his story. He didn’t even care about the discomfort that came with not having a bed to sleep in, or a shower. This was his first time being so far away from the United States he was just drinking it all in and savoring every moment of it.

Daniel was less enthused, not because he was worn already, but because his main camera had lost power. He forgot to charge it before the left. Now he was grumbling about having to use his backup. Bosco couldn’t tell the deference in resolution, but his brother assured him that him main camera was ‘Lightyears’ better as they looked over some of his shots along the trip.

Presently, the company was overlooking what looked to be some small outpost, by the lighting in the distance. It was the only thing Bosco could see in the total blackness this early in the morning. Some clouds had rolled in over the night and blotted out the stars and moon, making seeing anything too far away without aid impossible.

He currently had donned his full combat load, with flak jacket, Kevlar, and rucksack all attached to him. He had his rifle slung, and was holding it in a controlled manner as he walked with the platoon commander. His 1911 was once again strapped to his right thigh. Both of his weapons were loaded, and rounds chambered. He had one additional weapon sheathed on his left shoulder, a Kbar knife. Because he figured things could get that hairy.

The commander stopped, took out a pair of binoculars and observed the outpost. “I suggest that you keep that journalist brother of yours on a leash” The commander said. “In about two hours we are attacking that facility. When we do, we don’t need him in the way. We’ll have enough of a problem keeping our own guys alive without having to baby sit him.”

“Don’t worry sir, I’m keeping him as far away from all that as I can.” He then thought to ask “What’s the importance of this facility.” The commander was silent at first, and Bosco thought he wouldn’t answer.

“They are working on something big in there, really big. Whatever is in there is so guarded that the CIA sent in a lot of operatives to find out what. Since they haven’t been heard from since, we’re next to try and find out.” This was what Bosco needed to know before they came out here. There was no way he could leave now though. Evan refused to give up on this before it even started. ‘Well, now he’s got one hell of a story to write about. U.S. forces raid a top secret Iranian lab, found a device with the ability to turn cheese into gold!’

“Well then, you don’t have to tell me twice to stay out of you way. You guys do your thing and we’ll be waiting here when you get back” Bosco said. He then turned around and started walking back to where he had dug a hole, for him and his brothers to share as a place to sleep. Not the HE was sleeping tonight, but they were not used to the wear and tear this trip was bringing them. So it was more for them than himself.

“Good, cause if you aren’t, we’re leaving you behind.” The commander said, and started to walk back with him to the encampment, ready to oversee his troops before the attack.

***

Hour and a Half Later

The soldiers were all loading up into the LAV’s, getting ready to assault the complex. The engines were whirring, kept on for the last ten minutes to keep them warmed up. They all seemed nervous, but that was to be expected. You don’t just go into battle without fear. That made you act stupid, and got yourself or others killed. Yet getting paralyzed by that fear was worse. If people saw you afraid, it could be infectious and spread to others. Just a right amount of it though kept you on your toes, and made you think.

It was still early in the morning, and there was barley a hint of the sun starting to rise in the east. This was a good time for an attack, as it would be in the middle of a guard changeover, when the enemy would be least aware.

As the soldiers loaded up on their mechanical steeds, Bosco turned his attention to his Brothers. Evan was getting a last minute word with one of the soldiers before they loaded up over by the Humvees. Daniel was standing right next to Bosco just recording the activities surrounding them. It all seemed rather calm, controlled and planned. The only part of this operation so far that looked planned. ‘Well I would hope this was thought out correctly, or this will not end well for these guys.’ Bosco thought.

Bosco just watched Evan doing his interviews as Daniel spoke up. “You know, I’ve never seen a real battle before.” Trying to ease some of his own tension at the situation by making conversation.

“I hope not, I don’t think you could stomach it” Bosco said. “I know I’d rather not see one. Have enough trouble right now looking after the both of you.”

“But you’ve been in battle before I thought.” Daniel said confused. “Like with that sniper and the two other dudes?”

“Those weren’t battles; those could be called random encounters. What’s about to take place is going to be much more chaotic, with a whole bunch of guys trying to kill another bunch of guys. People will die, and it will be hell.”

“Well when you put it that way I guess you haven’t.” Daniel said. He then turned to look a Bosco, and Bosco did likewise. “You know Evans probably going to try to get close to the action. You know, for a more direct look into the story.”

“Like you would if you were trying to get a decent shot.” He replied. “The only reason you aren’t trying is because your right next to me and you know better. And there’s no I’m letting Evan get close to this shitstorm either” The LAV hatches started closing and the Humvee’s doors started closing as men in each vehicle manned the turret mounts and the convoy slowly started taking off.

“Yeah, I’d kill you if you let him get that close.” Daniel and Bosco both looked to where they had last seen their youngest brother, and found an empty space. “Uhh where did he go”

‘Oh sweet salty Christ no’ Bosco thought. A Humvee roared in front of him, and inside waving happily with a Helmet on was Evan in one of the back seats. Bosco stared in disbelief as he passed and said the only thing that came to mind. “FUCK!”

Daniel tried chasing after the Humvee waving his arms trying to get the attention of the driver, but the vehicle did not stop. He then stomped back to Bosco, “You kidding me!? Why weren't you watching him? We both knew he would do something like this”

Bosco shook himself from his shock. The worst case scenario had risen, but he was still prepared for it. The outpost was only about half a mile away. He could run that distance no problem and get his little brother out of the fire.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get him back” And started running towards the outpost.

“Where are you going?” Daniel yelled at him.

“Where the fuck does it look like?” Bosco yelled back and continued on. He was running for about a minute before another Humvee came up from behind him and stopped in from of him, with Daniel in the driver seat. He opened the passenger door and yell “Get in.” over the sound of the diesel engine. Bosco quickly complied.

“In retrospect, I probably should have asked to borrow this.” He said.

Daniel laughed a bit “Ha ha, yeah borrow…” and they took off speeding at the complex.

As they drew nearly the sounds of battle could be heard over the engine. The pops of rifle and automatic with the slow repetitive thuds of the heavier guns of the LAV’s mad it through to them. A muffled explosion was heard and they could see smoke start to rise from the complex.

Bosco couldn’t believe he let Evan get out of sight. He also couldn’t believe that the soldiers let him come with them. What were they thinking?

“As soon as we pass through that gate stay the fuck down. Try to stay in the Humvee. I’ll grab even, throw him in the back and we’ll be outa there. Easy peasy.”

“Really think it’ll be that simple?” Daniel asked.

“Sure, how hard could it be?”

As they passed through the smoking gate, a scene of chaos met their eyes. Tracers zipped past in all directions and soldiers fired from whatever cover they could find. One of the LAV’s was a burning wreck in the front of the assault line while the remaining two poured fire on enemy positions. Of the four Humvees in the original line, two had men still on the guns. The passengers of all the vehicles had dismounted to form a battle line and get momentum back in the assault.
One of the enemy machine gunners peppered the glass of their current Humvee. Daniel freaked out and lost control of the machine and it wheeled around and crashed into building. Both of them flew forward and hit the dash. With Bosco wearing a helmet the blow was softened, Daniel however had been dazed by the blow.

“Did I say easy, cause I think I meant we’re gunna fucking die” Bosco said as he grabbed his rifle, opened the door and rolled out. He landed on his back on top of his rucksack, then stood up and looked over to his expert driver “Stay down Daniel! I’ll be right back”

“Ok, I’ma sit here and pretend I didn’t piss myself” He said back.
‘Gross’ Bosco thought. He then peeked around the corner of the Humvee, and looked at what was happening. The U.S. troops had gained some momentum and taken some ground. Squads were rushing up to take more forward positions and keep the enemy pinned. Tracers continued to light up the early morning and every flash lit up a hint of a detail of a building. A machine gun nest in the second story of a far building kept hammering down lead at the soldiers, and it seemed to be their main focus. One soldier popped a flare to get betting lighting.

As the morning sky was lit up Bosco saw Evan underneath one of the Humvees curled into a ball. Even saw him as well. Bosco had never, in all his life seen him so terrified. The Humvee was surrounded by the bodies of the soldiers he had hitched a ride with. Blood still flowed from their wounds making the ground around them slick with it. Evan seemed to mouth ‘Help me’ to him as they made eye contact. It would be impossible for Evan to hear him of the sounds of combat going on all around them. So he just mouthed back ‘I’m coming.

He then ran from the Humvee, Daniel still inside to the wall of the building and ran along it. He noticed some movement in of the windows in the building across the street. Rather than wait till it was too late he fired a few rounds into it. He was rewarded, with the sight of rifle falling out the window and a limp arm dangling out. It was not his best idea however, for now he had some unhappy Iranian firing at him. Bullets hit the wall behind him, throwing up dust and debris. Bosco dropped down on his belly and saw the muzzle flashes coming from the next window over. He looked through the ACOG, lined up the red chevron just above the flash point and fired. A second afterward, the fire towards him ceased.
No longer getting hailed with gunfire, he rushed the rest of the distance to the engine compartment of the Humvee that Evan was under. As he made it the light from the pop flare faded, and they cast in darkness again. Before it dimmed, he got a good look at two of Evans ride partners. The one had holes peppered in his flak jacket where blood still seeped from. He had a look of panic permanently set into his lifeless eyes. The other, no longer had a face, just a hole where his brain could be seen through. It took a lot for Bosco not to vomit at the sight.

“Evan!” Bosco had to yell of the gunfire. “Evan grab my hand.” He then reached under the Humvee for Evan to cling on to him.

“I can’t, I’m too scared.” Even yelled back. It sounded like he was scared with how much his voice waivered.

“You have to or I can’t get you out of here!” Bosco yelled back. “Come on we gotta go, NOW”

Another pop flare flew into the air and Bosco looked at the rooftops just in time to see outline of a form with something on his should. ‘Well this is gunna be bad’ He Thought. He then yelled as loud as he could at the soldiers whom in their focus of the machine gun nest, failed to spot the threat.

“RPG!”

As he screamed, the assailant let loose his payload. It flew towards one of the Remaining LAV’s. It impacted, and the vehicle was engulfed in bright orange flame that light up the night brighter than a flare could.

Bosco returned his attention to the roof, aiming in and firing on the one who fired the lethal payload. He hit him twice in the chest and he fell backward. Bosco then spent the rest of his magazine keeping the rest of the attackers pinned. He hated wasting ammo, but now he was trying to keep the remaining soldiers alive. They were already starting to lose ground with their fire support reduce by over half. His bolt locked to the rear, signaling he was out of ammo. Before he could reload, another RPG wielding attack pointed his device in his direction. ‘No, I’m not dealing with this bullshit!’ He then reached under the Humvee, pulled Evan out forcefully with him giving a surprise “Gah”. He then brought him into a fireman’s carry and sprinted as fast he could towards Daniels Humvee. He heard the RPG go off, and a second later the Humvee behind him exploded. The force of it lifted him off his feet and he felt something hit him in the side. As he fell he made sure the Evan, who was screaming he head off, was over him so he could take the brunt of the fall. When he landed, the wind was knocked out of him, and he couldn’t move. Bits of destroyed Humvee flew in from behind him, as he failed to get his wits about him. ‘Shit son, I just got blown the fuck up’ His ears were ringing, and his vision was blurred while he just lay on his face. He saw the dirt getting kicked up a few times as rounds hit the ground.

He felt a weight lift off his back, and he started to shake and some really muffled shouting coming from his side. After a few more shakes, whatever it was stopped, and he felt his arms get grabbed as he started lurching forward on the ground. He looked up and saw Evan trying to drag him to their escape vehicle. The look a fear hadn’t left him, but now he looked determined to go along with it. The vision of his brother trying so hard to save him touched him and he smiled.
‘…Oh right I’m getting shot at right now’ He thought. ‘Well I don’t wanna get shot and neither does he. Time to leave.’ With that he pushed himself off his sorry face and onto his feet. He grabbed his rifle still slung to his chest with one arm and pointed towards where Daniel waited for them with the other.

“RUN, GO!” he shouted. They both ran as fast as they could. Luckily the attention was mainly back on the soldiers who were now falling back, out of the complex. Only a few pot shots came their way. When they reached the Humvee, Bosco threw open the door, grabbed Evan and threw him inside like a potato sack. “Let’s get out of here he yelled, as he jumped in and shut the door.

“Uhh, bad news.” Daniel said.
‘No, no, NOO’ Bosco thought. “Please don’t tell me the Humvee won’t start”

“Okay then I won’t tell you the Humvee won’t start,” Daniel said. “I will tell you that that is a lie though.”

‘FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU’ “Get it working!” He yelled hoping into the MG turret, wheeling it around. The convoy of soldiers was already leaving making their way towards the gate under constant fire. They tried using the vehicles to cover their retreat, but every now and then would get hit, sending out a cry of pain before trying to fight for their survival. Bosco watched one soldier get hit in the neck, blood spurting from the hit, and didn’t get up.

“I’ve been trying since you went out there, it’s just not responding. I think the engines fried.” Daniel said. He looked at the engine compartment and noted the smoke coming from it. “Yeah defiantly fried” Bosco Started firing on the enemy line, trying to support their soldiers as they retreated. There was no way he could get to them for help, and their escape vehicle was dead in the water so to say. He succeeded in suppressing the fire of some of them, and the crack, pops and tracers whizzing by him told him he had their attention.

He quickly looked behind himself, looking for a way out. The only thing he saw was a stairwell leading down into the ground. It was the only way he saw out of this without getting turned into a bullet pincushion, with nothing to protect them if they just tried running off the complex, and staying in the Humvee would be worse. To ring his assumptions true, he saw another RPG man aim in on him from the ground 50 yards away from him where a line of enemy combatants had taken up positions behind the destroyed U.S. equipment.

“Get out of the Humvee. Take those stairs down behind us.” Bosco yelled.

“What about getting out of here?” Daniel yelled back.

“If you don’t wanna die, you will get you and Evan down those stairs!” Bosco all but screamed at him. With that Evan jumped out of the door and Daniel exited through the passenger side door. While they raced down the stair Bosco sent MG fire into the RPG man he saw, and the man was torn to pieces, becoming a bloody mess of flesh and bone. ‘Fuck your shit asshole’ He saw another RPG man take position, but when he turned to aim in on him the turret got stuck making a clunk noise and refusing to swivel further. ‘God…Damn it. MURPHEY’ As he screamed internally he screamed outwardly as well jumping out of the top of the turret and jumping down the disabled vehicle. He then ran down over the stair well and dived down, rolling down the steps as an explosion rumbled overhead. When he reached the bottom, he was staring up at his brothers, who both looked concerned and frightened half to death. He figured it to be appropriate.

Bosco got up and went over to the door at the end of the underground hallway. When he was right in from of it, the door slide upward and revealed two dark-skinned Iranian guards, both in body armor and armed with AK-47’s. They were both as surprised as Bosco was, but raised their rifles at him. Bosco grabbed the barrel of the one closest and let his own rifle hang on its sling. He then grabbed the pistol from his thigh and pointed it over the man in front of him and shot the second guard in the face. He fell limply to the ground blood gushing from his wound. The other guard bashed Bosco length wise with his rifle, and succeeding in making Bosco loose his grip on his pistol. He did not succeed in making Bosco loose his grip on the rifle though.

Using his now free hand he threw a punch at the guard, but he moved his head to the side and dodged the blow. The gaurds rebuttal was a butt stroke, which hit Bosco in the chest. His flak absorbed the blow but now the guard could train his weapon on him as he lost his grip this time. Bosco rushed the guard again, but he managed crack a shot off before he reached him. The shot wasn’t aimed in on him and the shot flew right by him, didn’t stop Bosco from nearly pissing himself.
He heard a cry of pain from behind him as he slammed the guard in the doorway frame. One of his brothers had been hit, and this made Bosco very angry. Like take a Mama bear protecting her cub from a hunter and multiply it by 12, then take that and add how angry lion gets when you get into its territory…let’s just say he was pissed.

The Guard now had both of his harms trapped underneath the length of his own rifle. He looked terrified and squirmed to try and break free, but it was no use. He was pinned and there was nothing he could do about it now. He looked into Bosco’s rage filled eyes as he pulled the Kbar from its sheath. He stuck the guard in the side of the neck and quickly retracted it. It was like someone destroyed the blood dam as it flowed out of the wound on his neck. Bosco then followed up with a slash across the man’s throat, revealing the vein, muscle and esophagus hiding underneath, and then let him slump to the floor, clutching his neck as blood still gushed from his throat gurgled and he choked for a breath he could not take.

Bosco looked back to his brothers, breathing heavily with the effort he had used to dispatch his foes. He was shaking, but not from the effort of his fight, but the anger he still felt from them harming one of them. Daniel was standing over Evan, who was on the ground clutching an area around his left thigh that was grunting in pain. His hands had already started to stain red. Daniel was panicking as he continuously said “Shit shit shit, No, shit, no, shit”. Before Bosco could say anything though Daniel picked up Evan and rushed him through the door the guards had come from.

Bosco was about to tell him to do that anyway, but he was glad he didn’t have to say it. The only thing keeping his head level right now was his training, and the instinct he had to keep his brothers from further harm.

The sounds of gunfire were still going off in the distance. The Iranian guard forces were still running off the U.S. soldiers, who were no doubt not going to attempt to save them. He had to figure out some way to get himself and his brothers out of this place without being killed or captured. Right now his only chance of that was to go further into the underground facility and try to find some opportunity to escape. There was no chance of it the way they came. ‘So our only way to escape right now is to go further down into some underground facility, which as far as we know right now has only one exit. Fan tucking fasdic.’ He thought to himself, as he grabbed the now still man’s rifle along with his spare magazines from his belt, letting his own rifle hang slung at his side. He also grabbed one of the grenades off his vest. ‘Still a better plan then go back and get our heads chopped off. Still can happen but I’d rather delay that. I like my head. It’s no good at math but it does a decent job regardless.’

He started to hear voices coming from above the stairwell. ‘Well, time to be a mole man.’ And with that he rushed through the doorway, grabbing his pistol off the ground and ran after his brothers, door sliding down behind him. He shot the device used to open it, hoping it would slow their pursuers down.

***

Princess Luna was flying over the sleeping land of Equestria as she made her way back to Canterlot, the light from her moon guiding her as she cross over the darkened landscape. Her Ethereal blue mane waved slowly, unaffected by the winds as she soared through the sky, as if waving to its own breeze. It was a clear night as the weather ponies from the previous day had cleared the sky, and it there work had made this night beautiful, with the moons light casting a light blue glow over the landscape.

She had just come from a tense discussion from the king of the Griffon Kingdoms. They disputed the claim Equestria had to some of their border territories. There was the threat of open conflict until Luna’s sister, Princess Celestial, had told her to go to the Griffon Kingdom and calm them, at least from open aggression. While Luna had succeeded, they still were not ready to back away from their claim to the border lands and would pursue it again before long. This made Luna upset, as they wished no ill will toward their neighbor, but they could not back down from the issue either. If they let the Griffon King get his way he would see it as a weakness and try to extort more from the Princess Sisters.

Luna sighed as she wondered if her Sister could have handled the situation better. She was far more experienced in dealing with such disputes than she was. That and she had never dealt much with them before her banishment. But that was why Celestia had sent her. Luna had been Co-Ruling with Celestia ever since her return from her banishment eight years ago, and she still lacked the experience in dealing with other countries, and handling disputes, and diplomacy in general. It was part of Celestia’s attempt to get her sister more used to the dealings of the other countries. Most of their neighbors were friendly towards Equestria, with having trade agreements, and even alliances with them. It was mainly the Griffons that Equestria had poor relations with. The Griffons were at least willing to have Diplomatic ties however. The Changelings who lived in the wastes refused to respond to their envoys. It was that way before their failed invasion of Canterlot 6 years ago.

Despite the political climate, the world was really a peacefully place, and Luna smiled and basked in her night as she flapped her powerful wings, and dove towards a pond below her. She gently touched down on her hooves and folded her wings in to her sides and trotted over to the pond. It was in the waning hours of the night, and she would soon have to lower her moon to make way for Celestia’s sun. Before that happened though she wanted to delve into the dreams of her subjects, and banish any nightmares they may have had, or just look in to see what they dreamt of. She did very much enjoy this, for her subjects did not fear her as much in their dreaming state as they did when in her actually presence. She had tried to become less imposing to her ponies and be viewed in the same like as Celestia whom they loved and adored. However, some still viewed her as Nightmare Moon and feared her for it, even though Twilight had banished that evil from her heart so long ago.

Luna did not think of this though. She simply lay down next to the pond and her horn lit up in a deep blue glow. ‘Let us see what our pony’s dream of this night’ she thought to herself, and delved into the dreamscape.

***

They had run through several hallways and had gone down several levels of the facility before they ducked into a doorway and shut it tight. Daniel and Bosco were both getting rather worn out from all the running they were doing, but they had luckily eluded any more encounters with the enemy, despite a few close calls when they went down a few corridors to see guards who were faced away from them before turning away and picking another path. Evans wound was not as serious as the feared, with the bullet missing the arteries in his thigh and simply passing through without striking bone. They had even more luck as the room they had sucked into was some type of medical room. Daniel grabbed the supplies he needed to dress Evans wound while Bosco covered the entrance and listened for footsteps heading their way. The enemy knew they were here, they just didn’t know where.

It didn’t take long for Daniel to Patch Evan up, but he would still need attention from a hospital to get it properly taken care of. It would do for now however. Bosco gave Daniel the rifle he had taken from the guard earlier and Evan leaned against him for support as they made their way back out of the room and continued down the endless corridors. They had no idea which way to go so they just picked another door and went through it.

They almost immediately regretted their door choice as a guard was in a chair right in front of them. Luckily, despite the action that had happened on the surface, and the commotion they had no doubt caused tearing through facility, he was asleep. He was slumped forward on a desk, drooling slightly while he dreamed of who knew what. Bosco wasn’t taking any chances with him waking up and sounding an alarm. He took out his knife and readied it for a stab to the man’s neck.

“NO” Evan yelled, startling all of them, including the man in the chair. He stirred and looked groggily at the three intruders before him. Before he could do anything, Bosco brought the handle of the knife down on top of the man’s head instead stabbing him as he originally intended. He was stunned but awake fully now. Bosco then leapt over the desk and brought him to the ground. As he did this he brought his arms around the man’s neck and rolled behind him so he couldn’t get his own hands at him. The guard struggled for a few moments, before going slack. Evan was looking at his older brother as he got up, asking fearfully “Is he…?”

“He’s unconscious.” Bosco said, shaking his head and breathing heavily. He was running out of energy from all the effort to keep himself and his brothers from harm. “What was that about Evan? Daniel cover the door” Daniel complied, pointing the acquired rifle at the doorway while Evan looked at the ground. “You know what could have happened if he got the chance to sound the alarm. Why did you put us at risk?”

Evan shuffled a bit. He took his time to reply. “I just…didn’t think you had to kill him.” Evan then looked Bosco in the eyes. “He didn’t know we were here, he was completely unaware. We could have just turned around and found a different direction to go in. I don’t want to see you kill people needlessly.” Evan then went back to looking at the ground.

Bosco thought about what his younger brother said, and realized he was right. The man posed no threat, and yet he was going to kill him regardless. He wanted to keep his brothers safe no matter what, but he didn’t want to kill without need either. There defiantly wasn’t a need in this case.

“You’re right Evan. I’m sorry. You were right to stop me.” He walked over to Evan and gave him a hug. “There wasn’t a need to kill this man, but there may be no other way to keep you safe when we run into more of these guys. I can’t risk them getting ahold of either of you. Hate me if you want, but it’s to keep you out of harm’s way.”

Evan nodded in comprehension. “I understand. I just don’t want to see you turn into a monster. I don’t want to see you enjoy it.”

“We don’t have time for this right now!” Daniel put in. “We still got an entire facility of people trying to kill us, and frankly IM FREAKING THE FUCK OUT!”

Bosco now turned his attention to his older brother giving him a stern stare. “Quiet the fuck down! Do you want them to hear you?! Use that air force training to remember how to aim that rifle, take a breather, and relax. I need you covering my six, and you need to be calm to do it.”

Daniel was starting to hyperventilate “You have experience with this kind of stuff man. I can’t handle this shit! I can’t handle-” Bosco slapped him across the face, causing Daniel to stop his hysterical rant.

“I don’t need you to handle it! I need you to control it. If you don’t we can all die. Now take a breath-” Bosco inhaled and waited for his brother to follow. When he did and his lungs were filled he exhaled while saying “and relax.” Daniel still look like he was on the fringes, but his fears were under control for the moment. “Now let’s get back out there and find a way out of he-”

“Hello” A man’s voice echoed out.

Bosco looked in the direction it came and now took notice the details of the room they had ducked into. It was some type of prison, or brig. Behind the desk the guard was sitting behind was a set of steel bars with a matching door. Beyond it were cells lining the walls, all marked by a light by the steel doors. The doors all looked light they weighed at least a ton with little slits at the bottom for food to go through, and a slit by eye level by the door for guards to check on their ‘Guests’. Something bothered Bosco though. ‘That voice sounds very familiar’ he thought.

“Daniel, does that sound familiar to you?” He asked.

Daniel nodded “Yes, but, I don’t know how. Or care really, we gotta go remember?”

“It sounds familiar to me as well. I think we know this person.” Evan said.

That sealed it for Bosco, and he kneeled over the passed out guard and grabbed the keys on his belt. He then walked over the barred door, and fumbled with the keys until he found the right one and pushed it open with some effort. He waved for his brothers to follow through with him, and the made their way down the cells. “Hello?” Bosco called out. “Where are you?”

He was answered by a series of coughs to a cell directly to his left. He walked up to it and opened the slit. He could see a shadowed figured curled up on a bed in the corner. The cell was filthy, even by prisons standards, and it smelled of shit and piss. He guessed instead of a toilet, they had the inmates use a bucket. He felt glad that there was only one prisoner in this tiny prison.

“Daniel, keep us covered. Evan just sit tight. We’re taking this guy with us. He can come in handy.” Daniel just continued trying to keep his wits about him as he leaned Evan against a wall and watched for company. Evan just slumped down and nursed his wound.

Bosco once again fumble with the keys, looking for the key that unlatched the cell door. When he found it he inserted it into the lock and turned it. He then pulled the crank that unlatched the bars to the door. He heard a grind and clunk as the door was unlocked. He then pushed the door open, and he was glad to find the door was much easier to open than he first thought. He walked over to the figure lying on the bed, trying his best to ignore the smell of piss and feces, and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey guy, you alright?” The figure stirred a bit, jumping almost from his touch. The figures hair was down past his shoulders, and he was filthy. He smelled as though he hadn’t showered in months. Bosco continued to try and get a response from the man. “Hey I’m going to get you out of here” The man didn’t move still, but his breathing was increased, as though excited.

Bosco then looked at the state the man was in and was appalled. He was extremely skinny from malnutrition, and he had bruises all over the parts of his arms that were exposed. It looked as though some of his fingers were broken as well. This man wouldn’t survive down here for much longer. Now he was determined to get him out as well. “Come on, let me help you up.”

As Bosco leaned in to help him the man spoke. “Christopher?” voice was sounded raspy and croaky as though he didn’t have water in a while. Bosco was too distracted by the use of his name to notice. Very few people used his actual name. Very close friends and family mainly, which meant that this person was one or the other. Grabbed the man’s shoulders and picked him up off the bed. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

It was Jayson. He was sporting a very scraggly beard from being unable to groom it, and his face was bruised beyond relief, and His left eye was blackened from some beating the guards had given him. But his eyes looked into Bosco’s and they held pure joy in them. It was as though he had given up hope long ago, and now it was back with a fury.

It looked like the answer to where Jayson had been for the past 6 months had been answered. Immediately however Bosco’s head filled with questions new on how he got to be here of all places, but instead that though he simply asked “What the hell happened to you Jayson?”

“Christopher! Thank god!” He clutched his older brother and started weeping into his chest, avoiding the use his injured hands. “I gave up so long ago. I-I th-thought I was going to d-die here.” Bosco wrapped one of his own arms around him and staring off into space. He couldn’t believe this whole situation anymore.

“Christopher, hurry up. We gotta go.” Daniel called from the outside of the cell.

This brought Bosco out of his trance and he looked down at Jayson. “Can you walk?”

Jayson looked up at Bosco and nodded. “Yes.” Tears were just streaming from him.

“Alright, come on then.” Bosco lifted his brother up onto his shoulder. Jayson was the same height as Evan so he was able to lean comfortably. Once there they both walked out of the cell door. When they got outside Evan looked up at the both of them, disbelief on his face. “Jayson?!” This caused Daniel to look over and share Evan’s expression.

“How in the hell-” Daniel began before Bosco cut him off.

“Time for it later, we’re going now.” Bosco said, and made for the cell doors. Daniel picked up Evan off the floor and they followed.

They exited out back into the hallway and Bosco was about to try a direction before Jayson started said “We may have a way out –haaah- at the bottom of the facility –haaah” He was having trouble breathing and Bosco feared he may, collapse. He recovered after a few breathes. Bosco was willing to take any chance he could get, but Jayson was near delirious from lack of food, water, and what looked like being used as a punching bag. If they may it to the bottom of the facility and nothing was there, then they may as well shoot themselves and save the guards the trouble when the found them. He had to ask why Jayson they had a chance if they made it to the bottom of the facility.

“How? What’s down there?” Bosco asked.

“The other prisoners, they were forced to help work on some special project…before the guards killed them all. They would tell me about it after the guards let them rest –haaaaaah-”

“What could possible help us at the bottom of a facility buried underneath several hundreds of feet of earth, and if it was so special, why haven’t we encountered any security measures to keep us out of restricted places.” Daniel put in. He was skeptic about this, but Bosco and Evan were as well.

“From what the other prisoners told me –haah- it was some type of teleporter.” Jayson wheezed some more before he continued. “Last I heard, they actually had it working.”

‘Man the insane shit doesn’t thought today’ Bosco thought. ‘but the hell with it, it’s not like we have a chance getting back out the way we came. I’ll take insane chance over no chance’

“As for the poor security –haah-” Jayson paused, looking for the right thing to say. Giving up he said “Fuck if I know”

“Screw it, I’ll bite. Let’s go find this teleporter. Let’s go.” With that they all started wandering down the corridor again looking for any way to get lower into the facility, at the same time on the alert for any enemies they may be around. ‘How in the hell did they find the technology to build a teleporter anyway?’ Bosco thought as they turned down a corner. ‘I mean, there aren’t any projects I’ve heard of that are close to accomplishing something like that.’ His mental tirade continued as they passed several doors, looking through the ones that had windows to see if there was a stairwell. ‘Probably aliens or something crazy like that. It’s been a crazy enough day for more crazy, so why not ad in more crazy to crazy up crazy ville with.’ When he turned the corner this time he was confronted with six guards walking down the hallway towards him, and he ducked back into the other hallway.

“More guards” He whispered.

“Do you think the saw you?” Daniel whispered back.

“I dunno, let me check.” Bosco poked his head around the corner to look at the guards again. He caught a glimpse of six guards all point rifles his direction for half a second before the hallway erupted with the sounds of rifle fire and bullets started hitting the wall. He immediately retracted his head back and said “Nah we’re good, all that gunfire’s just a coincidence. MOVE!” They hustled as fast as they could back the way they came.

As they came in front of a set of doors that had no handles, Jayson tugged on Bosco to get him to stop. “What is it?” Instead of answering Jayson hit a button on the wall, wincing as he did so, that had a triangle pointing down, which lit up when pressed. The doors slid open shortly afterward. ‘A fucking elevator. You kidding me?!’ His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the guards round the corner. Bosco shoved Jayson inside elevator compartment and started firing at the pursuers. “Get in!” He yelled at Daniel and Evan.

Daniel complied and drug Evan along with him into the elevator. Bosco continued to sling hot let at the enemy. His hail of fire had stopped them from taking up firing position and he had dropped two of the guards when they tried to come back around the corner.

Bosco’s bolt locked to the rear, ending his suppressing fire, and he ducked inside the elevator as well. As the fire came back down the hallway Bosco pressed the button to close the door and the lowest level option. The doors closed muffling the gunfire from outside. The compartment lurched as they began their descent.

“Good thinking Jayson.” Daniel said.

“Yeah that saved our asses there.” Bosco put in.

Jayson smiled from where he was laying on the floor from being shoved inside the elevator, and said “Hey, don’t mention it…my finger hurts like hell right now though” Daniel and Bosco chuckled, but Evan frowned from Daniels shoulder.

“But we’re in an elevator now.” He said.

Bosco looked at his brother and said “Yeah, on our way to our only escape option.”

“Yeah and it only has one exit.”

“Uh huh”

“And we just passed some guards”

“Okay, and…”

“And they will probably let somebody know, some intruders are on their way down the elevator, someone at the bottom of the facility, who will only have on way out of said elevator…”

Bosco stood there for a second before it dawned on him. “Ah fuck sticks”

***

About twelve facility guards were running down the down the corridor towards the elevator shaft. The teams from the upper levels reported that they were all that was left from the U.S. assault on the facility. The rest had fled the facility, tails between their legs. The other teams also reported that they had to be some type of Elite Squad, as they were extremely dangerous and headed for the teleporter room. It could be their only objective as they had slowly been working their way towards it ever since they broke into the facility. They couldn’t let them get there and sabotage it. It could be the only reason they were here. The whole assault may have been a diversion for this.

They arrived at the elevator door and all lined up in front of it, leveling their rifles in preparation. They watched as the floor indicator above the door slowly counted down levels, their fingers poised on the triggers. When they were all in position they all stopped moving. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of machinery from within the elevator shaft as it sent down the compartment.

The elevator dinged with its arrival and the guards all opened fire on the elevator shaft. The bangs from the rifles were accompanied by the clinks and dings of brass of expended ammunition hitting the floor. The smoke from the rifles was starting to fog up the room. The fire didn’t let up until all the guards magazines were expended. They elevator doors now had bullet holes riddled across its entire surface.

They guards al reloaded their weapons and two moved forward as the elevator doors opened. When they got inside they found…nothing. The elevator was empty, leaving the guards confused. The squad leader radioed back up to the upper level teams to see if there was some mistake.

The maintenance opened upward with a creek, and a small metal sphere flew out of it into the hall with the guards. They all stared at it, knowing full well what it was, and that it was missing several key safety features. Before any of them could say anything, the grenade exploded. The concussive force from the blast shook the hallway, and the guards were all pelted with shrapnel.

The two guards in the elevator were blown off their feet and against the wall. They slumped against the walls as their ears rung and they last all their bearings. Their comrades in the hallway weren’t so lucky. The scene was a display of human body parts and blood, as most of them were literally blown to pieces. The lucky ones were bloody messes of flesh, clothe, and bone.

Bosco jumped down from the maintenance shaft with Daniel and the both but stroked the two still living guards with their rifles, knocking them out.

“See Evan, no proble- OH JESUS!” Bosco yelled out as he witnessed the scene he caused with his grenade. “Wow…well…their dead.”

Daniel was doing his best not to hurl, and turned to help the younger siblings down from the maintenance hatch. When they were down however, Evan couldn’t stomach the scene and hurled upon seeing it. Daniel upon seeing Evan vomit also let loose.

“That’s the nastiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Evan said clutching his stomach.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like that either.” Jayson said, dry heaving a bit.

“Hey, focus. Plan worked, we’re still alive. Now let’s find out where this teleporter is.” Bosco said. He let Jayson lean on his shoulder and Daniel took Evan.

“It should be down the –hmmmg- left hallway” Jayson said.

“How they hell do you know that?” Bosco asked. Jayson simply pointed at a sign on the corner of the corridor in front of them with arrows and words he didn’t understand on it.

“I can kinda read it. It says ‘Lab’ where the arrow points left, so I’m guessing that’s the way we want to go.” Jayson’s explanation worked for him and so they slowly made their way down the hallway. Continuing to follow the signs as they went they soon arrived at their destination. When they opened the door to the ‘Lab’ they were greeted by a massive room full of scientific equipment whose purpose Bosco could only guess at. The only thing he could recognize was the tiny nuclear reactor that was attached to one of the devices in the room. He only recognized it because he had to guard one once.

The most notable feature of the room was what the reactor was powering. It had a ramp leading up to a metal ring that went in a half circle over it and took up more than half of the lab area space. It was big enough to hold a tank on it, not that he knew how they would get a tank down here.

“Yeah, this may be what we’re looking for” Daniel said. “How do we use it?...or even turn it on for that matter?”

“Well, Evan and Jayson have always been the smarter ones” Bosco said. “Here take them and figure it out” Bosco then walked Jayson over to Daniel who let him lean on his free shoulder, Evan being in the other.

“How are we supposed to just ‘Figure it out’ exactly?” Evan asked.

“No idea, maybe look for a control panel or an operation board, or an instructions manual, I don’t fucking know.” Bosco said as he turned his attention to the hallway. He frowned and made a face as he noticed more guards had arrived. And by more, he meant a lot more. Like 30 of them, all rushing down the hallway towards them. “But you may want to figure it out quickly.” He said as he shut the door. As soon as the metal door slid down, he heard the impacts of bullets on the other side.

“Hey, that looks like a control board of some kind.” Daniel said, and started bringing the two younger siblings over to a pair a chairs that were bolted to the floors in front a set of levers and switches near the base of the ramp. He set Evan and Jayson down as Bosco made his way over.

“Sweet, can you make any of it out Jayson?” He asked.

Jayson stared at the control board and looked at Evan. “Press the red button at the top” He told him. Evan complied. The metal half circle sparked with electrical energy for a moment before returning to normal.

“What did that do?” Bosco asked.

“I have no idea.” Jayson said.

Bosco looked at him incredulously. “What? You just pressed a button not knowing what the hell it does?” He said.

“Yeah, kinda comes with working a machine I have no idea how to work” Jayson said. “But don’t worry, I’m figuring it out.”

Bosco face palmed. ‘We’re going to fucking die’ As if to punctuate his thought there was a bang at the door. He looked over at it and it was staring to curl inward. The guards were trying to breach in using shape charges. ‘FUCKING, DIE’

“Daniel, help me out, we need to slow them down when the breach that door.” Bosco said.

“What do you need me to do?” Daniel asked. Evan and Jayson continued to press buttons on the panel. Some gave responses like the one earlier while others did nothing.

“I need you to, be a soldier. I need you to help me protect Evan and Jayson.” Daniel’s expression darkened as he grasped what Bosco was getting at. “I need you to kill if you have to.”

“Christopher I ca-”

“You have to.” Bosco clapped him on the shoulder. “I can’t hold them back myself. Hell we can’t do it by ourselves. But we need to buy time for them to get that thing working, if it even does work. It’s our only chance to live, and its either us or them.”

Daniel sighed in defeat. “I hoped I’d never have to do this.” He said. With that Bosco and Daniel gathered whatever equipment they could move, and made a last minute wall of cover between the door and the control panel. While they were working, the portal ring started humming, and then what sounded like a laser shot erupted through the lab room. Daniel and Bosco looked back and the center of the metal ring now had a wavy blue, almost water looking plane across it.

“I think we figured it out” Jayson yelled out over to them.

***

As Luna was delving into the dreams of her subjects, she felt an energy. It felt like nothing of this world. She withdrew herself from the ethereal plane of dreams and back to her physical form by the lake.

“By my stars?” she said. The energy was getting more distinct. It felt like this energy was ripping through time, space, and reality. It was nothing like anything she had experienced before. As Luna tried to fathom what could possibly create this energy, it grew stronger and stronger.

She could feel that it defiantly did not originate from this world.

***

The nuclear reactor started making a low pitch ‘Errrr’ sound, and whatever good feelings Bosco was feeling from his brother’s success in turning on the portal were squashed.

“Uhhh what’s that sound?” Evan asked.

“Well that would be that little nuclear reactor powering that portal.” Bosco replied.

“Huh” Evan said.

“Yeah that’s the sound it makes when it’s going critical…”

“Ohhhhhhh” Both Evan and Jayson said. He didn’t tell them that they only had about two a minute before this whole base was turned into a superheated crater.

“Sooo yeah lets go through that portal.” Bosco said. Then an explosion sounded, and the door to the lab blew off its hinges and flew a few feet. When the smoke cleared, guards had already started running through the door way. Bosco and Daniel stared firing at them, trying to keep them somewhat hemmed in. They both backed towards the control panel as they did. “NOW”

Evan and Jayson had ducked off the chairs and behind the cover that they made while Daniel and Bosco continued their defensive actions. Bosco’s mind was slow motion as the fight went on. He felt every shot with great detail. The click of the trigger as he pulled it to the rear. The recoil of the shot as the bullet’s powered was expended and it traveled down the barrel sending his bolt back to chamber another round. The brass fly away from the ejection port in his peripherals. His eyes focused through his sights as he acquired targets.

With every shot he took an enemy went down, and his comrades would stumble and fall over them as they tried to rush through. It wasn’t enough though, as some did make it through his hail of fire, and they started firing back at them.
Bosco’s bolt locked to the rear, signaling he needed to reload. He ducked behind his cover and ejected his magazine, putting it into a pouch on his back. Bullets whizzed overhead, and slammed into the equipment they were using as cover. He checked his ammo supply. ‘5 full mags left. Well, that’s plenty for a final hurrah’ He took a fresh mag of rounds, inserted it into the magazine well and slapped the bolt release sending a round into the chamber. He then looked over at Daniel, who was fumbling to reload his own weapon.

“I’m going to get their attention,” he yelled over the gunfire. “When I do grab them and get them through to portal.”

“What about you?” Daniel yelled back at him.

“What about me?” Bosco gave him a smirk. “I’ll be right behind you.” Daniel wasn’t convinced but he crawled over to Evan and Jayson regardless. They both had looked as though they were going to die of fright instead of the bullets being sent at them. Once they both had grabbed onto their older brother, Bosco took a deep breathe to steal his nerves. ‘I really hope these guys suck at aiming.’

With that he popped back out from behind the cover and started laying down fire at his foes, and Daniel made a run for the portal ramp.

Looking through his sights, Bosco focused on his sight picture, and acquired a target. His first was the face of a younger looking guard, who was pointing his own rifle directly at him. *BANG* A pink mist erupted from his forehead and he fell forward. Bosco then shifted left and zeroed in on a more weathered looking man, attempting to reach one of the pieces of equipment between him and Bosco as cover. *BANG* The side of the man’s head did the same as the first man’s forehead, and he fell behind the cover he sought and out of sight. With the main threat being identified, more guards focus their fire on him instead of at his brothers. *BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG* Bosco continued his hail of fire. The enemy fire was getting more accurate though. Rounds were ricocheting closer to him than was comfortable. He ducked down behind his cover and looked back back at the portal to see his brother’s progress.

Daniel had just made it to the portal, and he all but threw the younger siblings through it. It made kind of a rippling motion as they passed. Daniel then turned back to see Bosco pinned down by the nonstop gunfire coming from their attackers. The look he gave him told Bosco he wasn’t leaving until he made it through as well. ‘Awwwe he does care’.
As Daniel stared firing down at the now overwhelming number of guards. He was completely exposed on the ramp, and there was no way he would survive more than twenty seconds. Because of the gunfire and that was how much longer there was until Mr. Nuke went boom.

‘This is how I die’ Bosco stood up and sprinted as fast as he could towards the ramp. Bullets trailed behind him, kicking up debris.

He was hit in the side and he fell over. Luckily, the protective plating in his flak jacket did its job and stopped the bullet. He did feel one of his ribs had been broken from the impact though, as it was now painful to breathe.
Ignoring the pain he got back on his feet and rushed straight his brother towards the ramp. Why straight at him? Because the fucker wouldn’t leave until he did, and this place was about to be extra toasty. How did this help? Well if he rammed into him, he could force him through the portal with him rather than risk him becoming ashes. That and the gunfire was getting much closer to him. Too close. In fact, it would have hit Daniel, if not for Bosco’s brilliant maneuver. For when he rammed into him he force him out of the way of the path of the deadly projectiles.

Instead they hit Bosco. The protective plate stopped the first bullet, shattering it to pieces. The next two however passed right through it and into his back. The next thing Bosco knew was pain as he and his brother passed through wavy blue wall and into whatever lay beyond. When the made it through it felt as though he were falling forever and the breaths he attempted to take became even shallower. His vision began to waver and blackness closed in from the sides of his peripherals. ‘My, body…is trying…to die’ The last thing he heard was a rumbling explosion from behind him.

Chapter Two: I Don't Think We're in Iran Anymore

View Online

Luna stood by the lake as she felt the unnatural energy continued to brew. It felt as if a torrent of time and space were being thrown around and rattled. 'What in the name of my moon could possibly generate this power?' She thought. She then lit up her horn to see if she could trace the where this energy was coming from. Due to its unfamiliar nature, the process was slow and it took her a minute to find the main direction it was coming from. But before she could continue tracing it further, the power made gigantic surge causing interference with her magic. The surge lasted for a few seconds before the power disappeared completely.

The Princess of the Moon continued standing by the lake, further perplexed by this strange occurrence. This was not something that just happened on its own, it had to have a cause. Luna decided she would consult with her sister about this event and investigate it to the best of her ability. She had to make sure that this occurrence was not dangerous, or if it would happen again. Who knew, maybe Celestia even knew something of this energy already.

With he mind set to her new task, she unfurled her wings and gave them a flap and flew back into the night sky, making a heading for Canterlot. Her sister would be awake soon to raise the sun and bring an end to this night. She had to see her anyway to make her report on her dealings with the Griffon Kingdom upon her return anyway, but now she traveled with more urgency and speed as she left the lake behind.

***

???

Daniel was unsure of what was happening. Last he remembered he and Christopher had just slammed into him to force him through the portal opening. Now it felt as if he had been floating for an eternity in what looked like a blue swirling vortex. It kinda reminded him of what hyperspace looked like in Star Wars. It was peaceful, yet disturbing. All he could see was the blue torrent of space surrounding him while he sailed helplessly through it.

Finally it all just ceased, and he landed on what felt like concrete. He fell on his back pretty hard, and he groaned at the pain now going through his shoulders. Then Christopher materialized over him, still in all the gear he had brought with him. He had once told Daniel that all the gear that he had in the Marines weighed roughly about 100 pounds. His brother weighed around 155 pounds. Add it all together and that a lot of weight to have just drop out of the sky on you. Daniel's eyes widened as his brother fell on top of his chest. All the air in his lungs was forced out of him with a "Ugghhhhhhhhhhhh". He could have sworn he had just had a small car thrown on top of him.

As Daniel regained his breath, Evan crawled over to them, a fresh bruise on his face from his landing. Jayson was laying a few feet away. He didn't move as what little energy he had left was drained from him after this whole escapade. The lack of nutrition and water had him in dire straits along with the rest of his wounds and mistreatment at the hands of his captors. When Evan made it over the his brothers Daniel had just started to regain some oxygen, and was attempting to get his heavily weighed down brother off of him.

"Are you guys O.K.?" Evan asked when he was next to them. Daniel finally managed to roll Christopher off of him with no small amount of exertion.

"I'm fine Evan." Daniel then propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at his surroundings.

They were in the middle of a cobble stone street that was surrounded by a variety of brick and stone buildings that ranged from 2 to 5 stories high. Some appeared to be shops with the vendors wares being displayed in the windows and signs displaying the latest deals. Some appeared to be office buildings of some sort. They were all closed and dark on the inside. Daniel guessed that made sense as it was still early in the morning. The sun wasn't even up yet. Street lamps were evenly spaced on either side of the road on the sidewalks, send a yellow light to give them some visibility. From this Daniel gathered that they were in the middle of some city. The only odd thing was the lack of cars on the road, and lack of people around. 'Maybe its just a slow district.'

"That thing actually worked. Jeez." Daniel took a breath of relief.

Christopher gave a cough next to him, and he heard something splatter on the ground. Daniel quickly turned to face him. There was blood running down his brothers mouth, and a splatter of blood if front of his face where he was laying unconscious. Daniel relief turned back into panic, and he propped himself into a better position to get his brother's gear off to take a look at his injuries. He looked to Evan who also was looked like he was in shock.

"Evan," Daniel said, gaining his attention "Help me get his gear off." Evan complied and set about helping Daniel undo to buckles to Christopher's rucksack. Once that was off they rolled him onto his back and undid the Velcro to his flack and pulled it off of him. Not seeing any evident wounds on his front, they rolled him back over to get a look at his back. Daniel's heart sank as he saw just how badly Christopher had been hurt. Blood was soaking through his utilities giving a dark stain to the tan and brown digital patterned blouse. Daniel noticed the two wounds where the blood seeped from. There was a bullet wound in his upper left shoulder, just below his collar bone. Another was on his right just below his shoulder blade. This one was seeping blood at a much faster pace, and Daniel guessed that Christopher lung had been hit.

"Crap! Evan, put pressure and on that one." Daniel said, pointing at the wound on Christopher's right. Evan looked like he was on the verge of tears but complied and put his hands on the wound, his hands staining red immediate with his brothers blood. Daniel then tried think of what he could use to slow the bleeding. 'I think he had a instant first aid kit on his flack if i remember'. Daniel went over to Christopher's discarded gear and started rummaging over his flak. He found the first aid kit on the back, torn it off the flak, and brought it over. He opened up the kit and found exactly what he needed, gauze, bandage tape, quick clot, pretty much what he would need to sustain his brother until the could get him to a hospital. There had to be one if this were a city after all, or at least a doctor that could patch him up.

The hints of the sun making its arrival stared to show, with the sky giving of the first rays of its morning light and Daniel fumbled with some gauze.

"Lift up your hand" Daniel instructed to Evan.

"Is he going to be OK?" Evan asked as he moved his hand away, and blood dripped from them. He now had a steady stream of tears flowing down his cheeks.

"He needs Medical attention" Daniel said as he slapped the gauze over the wound and kept the pressure on it as he secure it with medical tape. "I think he was shot in a lung. If we don't get him to a hospital fast, i don't think he'll make it." At this Daniel was starting to break. He and Christopher had their differences, and he didn't believe in what his brother did, but he was still his brother. A brother he had cut out of his life for four years out of fear that he would be a bad influence on their younger brothers. "Dammit! Evan can you go look for anything that looks remotely like a hospital? I need to keep him stable anyway I can."

Evan looked up at Daniel, then seemed to notice something behind him. He looked up and pointed at it.

"Something like that?" Evan said.

Daniel looked behind him as he kept pressure on the on Christopher's wounds to see what Evan was pointing at. What he got was a white four story structure that took up half the block behind him. There was a road the curved up to the a set of double doors made of class that served as an entrance. Most of the windows were dark, but there were a few that had light seeping out. The most distinct feature was the big red cross on the face of the building whose symbolism could not be mistaken. How did i miss that?...

Daniel's spirits lifted and he lifted Christopher up into his arms. "Yes just like that. Good job Evan. Watch Jayson, make sure he's O.K. I'll go in and get someone to come get you." With Christopher in his arms, he started running towards the hospital entrance and Evan crawled over to Jayson. When he made it to the double doors he all but kicked them open and ran inside.

When he looked around he found he was in a waiting area with seats lining the walls. In front of the seats was a reception desk that had a bell and one of those signs that tell you what number is currently being served. The room across from the reception area was a lounge area where relative could wait for news of the condition of whoever they were there for. In between them both there was a hallway that lead to the operating rooms and sick rooms. It was well lit from ceiling lights, and it all had that...hospital smell to it.

There was nobody to be seen when Daniel walked in the doors. 'The hell! Aren't hospitals always supposed to be manned or something?' He thought as he walked up to the counter. He looked behind the desk at the back office area to see if he could find anyone to help him get his brother treatment. All he saw was empty desks that were littered with paperwork. Daniel was getting frustrated and started slamming on the bell on the counter.

"HELLO? SOMEBODY HELP. MY BROTHER IS HURT AN-"

"Ugh?! Huh?! I'm here! Hang on. And no I totally wasn't sleeping!" Came a voice from behind the desk.

'Thank god, there is somebody here' Daniel looked down at Christopher to see how he was doing while the apparently tired tired receptionist moved to get to his feet. He was looking much worse. His skin was getting paler, and he had lost much more blood, as it had already started seeping through the gauze he had placed on him. He was still breathing, but they were shallow, and labored.

"Come on, hang in there." Daniel whispered to him, and then turned back to the receptionist, and froze.

There was not a person as he had expected behind the counter. Not anything remotely close to a person, not even a cardboard cut out. In stead he found what looked like an equine behind the counter that was staring back at Daniel with the same expression he wore of 'What the hell is that?!' This equine was roughly around 4 feet tall, and had a tan coat with a brown mane. Its blue eyes were shrunken to the size of pinpricks as he stared at Daniel. He was wearing white lab coat, so Daniel assumed that this Equine worked here. This only made him raise further questions. First one he had he blurted out at the same time as the coated equine.

"What the HELL ARE YOU!?" They both yelled.

"What you never seen a pony before?" The receptionist yelled.

"No! You never seen a human before?" Daniel yelled back.

"No!" Came the response.

Christopher coughed up another spurt of blood, drawing the attention of both of them. Daniel looked back at the receptionist again.

"Look, it doesn't matter. My brothers are all hurt and we need help. Christopher will die if he doesn't get help now!" Daniel frantically tried to explain. He didn't care that this thing wasn't human. It was at least sentient, and could still possibly help him.

"Oh, right. Let me call the doctors." The pony receptionist then hit red button a button on the counter. Blue lights started flashing on the wall and about twenty seconds later there was the sound of wheels rolling down a hallway along with the clopping of hooves on tiled floor. Not long after two other ponies came into view. The first one had a orange coat with a spiky brown mane. Then next one had a blue coat with a yellow curly mane. They second one was more slender that the other two, so Daniel assumed this one was female. She had a horn on the top of her forehead as well that had a light blue glow around it. This same light blue glow was enveloping the rolling cart/bed that came along with them. The cart had nobody around it to push it, so Daniel assumed the horn was somehow responsible.

When the, Daniel guessed, doctors caught sight of him their reaction wasn't as severe as the receptionist's. They looked very surprised but they were able to suppress their surprise. Instead they came over to Daniel and the female moved the push bed up to him.

"Put him on the bed sir," Definitely a female voice. Daniel complied and laid his brother down on the bed. Immediately following this the two doctors took off down the hallway they came from. Daniel would follow them, but he had to mach sure Jayson and Evan got attention as well. He turned to the receptionist.

"There are two more of my brothers outside on the street. They need attention as well."

The receptionist's eyes grew wider.

"There are more of you?!" He yelled.

"Please get someone to get them" Daniel yelled back and ran down the hallway after the doctors.

Luckily the emergency room was directly down the hall and he saw them disappear behind a set of doors. Not only that but the hospital was much more busy on the inside rather than the reception area, with multicolored ponies going about different tasks, and caring for patients. All of them stared at Daniel as he made his way down the hall the where his brother had been taken. He didn't care at them moment, as at that point in time he only cared about making sure Christopher was cared for.

He rushed through the doors and the pony doctors had already started arguing with each other. The one with a horn was yelling at the other.

"Look i don't understand why, but its not working! It should be easy to close these wounds and heal him, if it is a him, but its just not working." The horned female doctor said.

"That can't be! We should at least get some type of reaction. Try testing around more."

"We can't test around, this isn't one of your experiments, this is a creature in need of treatment, and may die if we can't-" At this point they noticed Daniel standing in the doorway, looking at his brother laying on the bed, struggling to stay alive. The blue pony approached Daniel.

"I'm sorry sir, you need to wait outside in the waiting area." She said.

Daniel just continued looking at Christopher.

"We're going to do everything we can. He will be O.K."

Daniel finally looked at them. He was doing his best to stay composed, but he was starting to crack a bit. Finally nodded at them and left the operating room. He slowly made his way back to the lounge. He found an arm chair and fell heavily into it. All he could do now was wait.

***

"It's no use!" Purple Heart yelled out. "My magic isn't working on him at all." She looked over the bed with the creature on it over the her partner, Wild Concoction. "I can't even scan his body to take a look at how his body even works, and we can't risk surgery without knowing that."

"Well we can't just let him die!" Concoction said "Its grounds for malpractice, and i can't risk another malpractice suit!"

Heart face hoofed and looked back at the creature they were attempting to save. They had attached all monitoring equipment to it where they could, and they were getting readings despite it being made for ponies. She would love to learn more about this creature, but first they had to save it. Magic didn't work on it though, and since they had no idea how its body worked they had not way of knowing how to fix whatever damages was done to it. They were able to remove the causes if its injuries. It had two cone shaped pieces of metal in its left shoulder and right lung. The only reason they were able to get them out was by following the entry wounds. The creature's blood pressure had dropped to critical levels, and the had to fix a respirator to it mouth to get him to breathe. If his condition kept deteriorating he would be dead very soon.

"Quit joking around, and help me think.We're losing him fast." Heart said to her air brained counterpart.

"Right let me think a minute." Concoction tapped a hoof to his chin and started pacing around in a small circle. After a moment he said "AH i got it! My test elixir."

Heart looked over at him and gave him a deadpan expression.

"Your solution is to use THAT on him?" she said.

"Look, my tests yielded great results." He started talking excitedly. "If we use it on him and it works, not only will he be good as new, but we'll have successfully tested a cure all elixir for all injuries on a...whatever it is! It'll be the biggest advance in medicine in history."

Continuing with he deadpan expression Heart continued with trying to reason with her wild partner, even though there really was no other option.

"I though you were still testing that elixir on rats." She said.

"I already did, and it was successful on 87 out of the 100 i tested it on." He was now hopping up and down excitedly.

"That's a 13% fail rate." She responded.

"Better than 50% that it was before."

"Were the failed subjects still-"

"Their insides were liquefied yes." He shuddered a bit as he remembered the rats he had tested on. "Terrible smell to them as well." He then walked over the one of the shelves and withdrew a beaker of clear liquid on a tray. He put the tray in his mouth and brought it over to the bed where the creature lay. "Still its either this or he isn't going to make it anyway. Nothing to lose here." He said as he lay the beaker down. "Care to do the honors?"

Heart just shook her head, "We're trying to save a life, not open a new store. Try being more mature about this." She then grasped the beaker with her telekinesis. "How much show he take?"

"It should only take a mouthful. Not entirely sure" He kept his peppy grin on while he responded.

"Alright here it goes." She levitated the breath mask off the creatures face and kept his mouth open with her hooves. She then poured about a mouthful of elixir in its mouth and forced it to swallow. When he did, she stepped back and waited next to he partner who was wearing a grin so wide she cold swear his face was going to break.

At first there was no reaction, and the creature just laid on the bed motionless as the monitors continued to beep away. Then without warning the creatures hips went up in there air as it arched its back and it let out a scream of pure agony. Both ponies covered their ears at the outburst as the creature then continued to writhe about on the bed continuing to scream as loud as his injured lung would let him. It was unlike anything either of them had heard before. Concoction and Heart grabbed onto each other in fear at the outburst of the creature. Concoction almost inaudibly whispered "What has science done!?"

***

Daniel was not in the lounge very long. As soon as he saw Jayson and Evan brought in on medical beds he got up out of the lounge chair and followed the ponies who were pushing them. He was growing tired of the stares coming from the other ponies in the lounge anyway. He had to run to catch up with quadrupeds.

When he did he found that Jayson was still unconscious and the ponies pushing him were readying an IV for him, though they looked confused as to where they would put it. The main thing Jayson needed was a few days of proper nutrition, but Daniel supposed he could tell the doctors that. Evan was still conscious, and he was looking around eyes wide, taking in everything with a look that said ‘This can’t possibly be real.’ Considering where they were Daniel guessed it was appropriate.

The pony doctors pushed them into a room several doors away from where they had taken Christopher earlier. Daniel chanced a look at the room, hoping that his brother was doing alright, and walked through the doors that his youngest siblings had been taken through.

The ponies dealing with Jayson had finally picked one of the bigger veins in Jayson’s forearms and precious hydration was now getting to his body. The ones with Evan had just undressed his leg wound and started surveying it. The horned ponies of both groups were looking disgruntled, frustrated, as if something wasn’t going quite right. Daniel walked over to one of them concerned that there may have been something wrong with both of them. The one he confronted wore the same white coat as the rest he had assumed were doctors. It appeared to be male and had a yellow mane and lime green fur. He stood by Evan’s bed, appeared to concentrate for a moment and his horn would light up, then a second afterward it fizzed out.

“Are they going to be all right?” Daniel asked, startling the pony and making him yelp.

“AH, gah uh. Yes he should be fine” His voice shook slightly from being spooked. “He wound is no longer life threatening, he just needs to stay off the leg for a day or two. It’s just I can’t seem to use my magic at all on him.” He paused and turned to look and Daniel inquisitively. Daniel was still getting over his last statement.

‘Magic? Really? Uh uh. Load of crap.’ Then the doc’s horn lit up again and Daniel jumped back a foot. But his horn fizzed out a second later.

“Same with you. You all aren't getting effected by our magic.” He looked at Evan again who was still wide eyed, and staring at the pony redressing his leg.

Daniel regained his composure and knelt next to Evan. As he did the doctor had just finished with the redressing and he and his partner trotted off to Jayson’s bed to see if they could help their companions with his treatment.

“You alright Evan?” Daniel asked.

Evan slowly nodded and responded. “More than alright.” He then got a grin that should not have belonged on somebody who had just been shot, found their brother tortured in a prison in some Iranian facility, before being suddenly teleported to…Daniel didn't know where exactly, but he thought that something about these ponies looked familiar.

Now that he thought about it, with all of the distraction of the whole teleporting thing combined, he didn't really stop to question the whole sentient pony thing. Some that apparently had magic. Really shitty magic as it apparently gave them the amazing ability to turn their horns into night lights and magnetize beds to move them around. They sure as hell didn't have that on earth, so he could definitely rule out still being in Iran. ‘Where the hell are we?’ As he pondered away Evan’s grin only got wider. Now Daniel had to ask him why he was so good spirited, especial with one of them still in urgent care.

“Alright Evan, what gives? You don’t seem too unhappy about having a bullet wound right now.” He asked him.

Evan looked back up at his big brother, still grinning away. “We’re in Equestria.” Daniel just deadpanned and continued looked at Evan, waiting for further elaboration. Evan huffed and dropped his grin, leaned in and whispered into Daniel ear “My Little Pony bro.”

Daniel stayed there kneeling next Evan as this processed in his head, the doctors still giving their full attention to Jayson. After about a half a minute he stood up. “Uhhh Daniel?” Evan asked, just before Daniel slapped himself him the face.

“O.K. Tell me again, but this time make it sound less insane.” He said as he knelt back down. Evan looked at him strangely as he responded.

“You know…the T.V. show that you never watched with us…cause you thought it was gay.”

Daniel kept his reaction internal this time. ‘No. Ain't no FREAKING way we got teleported to same alternate universe where these gay ass cartoon horses exist. Bullshit…Then again I guess teleporters are bullshit as well, but I can believe that before MULTIDIMENSIONAL TRAVEL!’

As his internal lament went on, one of the ponies that had taken Christopher had burst through the door.

“IT WORKED! I AM ONE CAN SHORT OF A SIX PACK. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.” He screamed as he ran over to the bed that Evan and Daniel were at, his spiky brown mane bouncing on his head. He had a tray with a beaker of clear liquid balance on his back. He skidded to a stop next to Evans bed getting right in his face. Both Daniel and Evan stared at him like he had a penis growing out of his forehead. The suspected crazy pony pointed an orange hoof at Evan. “YOU GET AMAZING HEALING ELIXIR” He screamed and somehow grabbed the beaker of liquid off his back with a hoof and poured some of it down Evan’s throat. As Evan choked, the orange menace appeared at Jayson’s unconscious form, all the pony doctors surrounding him giving him the same look Daniel and Evan had given him. “HE GETS AMAZING HEALING ELIXIR.” He then poured some in Jayson’s mouth. It all just spilled out of his mouth and onto his bed.

The deranged orange doctor now looked upset and leaned in next to Jayson’s ear. “Hey you." He cooed at him. “Wakey wakey.” He waited a second and when he gained no response, he raised his hoof “Rise and shine!” and smacked him on the face.

This caused Jayson to stir, and look around in confusion. “Whaa. Where am-“

“TAKE YOUR MEDICINE YOUNG COLT!” The doctor yelled, and shoved the beaker in his mouth as a surprised Jayson could only choke and swallow down the liquid. After he had swallowed whatever the appropriate amount was the doctor put the beaker back on the tray on his back, still half full. He then looked back down at Jayson who was choking and looking even more confused and smiled at him. “No need to thank me. You can go back to sleep now.”

Before Jayson could respond the now confirmed batshit crazy doctor head butted him knocking him out cold, and he flopped back on his pillow. “No need to thank me every pony, just doing my job.” The mad doctor said as he turned and trotted to the door, all eyes, Human and Pony, not believing that he was actually real at the moment. “Now to make more of this elixir and revolutionize the medical world. Soon this won’t be the only vial of miracle elixir in existence! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” He continued his laugh out the door and into the hall way, where they heard the sound of bodies colliding, grunts of pain, and the sound of glass shattering against a tiled floor.

“….NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-”

***

Canterlot Palace

Celestia's Sun was now fully crested over the horizon and signaling that the morning had begun in full. The warming rays shined down onto Equestria as the shift from night to day was now completed. The Palace of Canterlot was now beginning to become more active as the Ponies awoke to begin their day. Celestia herself stood in the balcony to her bedchambers, the yellow glow from her horn dissipating as she had just completed raising the Sun while listening to Luna retell her travels and the strange otherworldly energy she had sensed on her return from the Griffon Kingdom.

Celestia, satisfied on starting yet another beautiful day, took a quick breath of contentment and trotted back into her bedchamber. Her Etheral rainbow colored mane and tail flowed behind her. Like Luna's, they to seemed to be constantly blown by a nonexistent wind. The Sun shined on of her royal white coat giving her a glow that seemed both regal and graceful. As she entered the bedchamber she telepathically sought out and grabbed her royal wear, her golden crest and shoes, from her end table at the foot of her bed. She levitated the crest around her neck first, latching into place. Shen then lifted on hoof at a time as she donned each shoe respectively. She then gave Luna, who was waiting patiently for what Celestia though about the matter of other worldly power that neither of them had ever felt before in their long lifetimes.

Celestia had stirred during the night as she had felt the strange occurrence. She had pondered on what it could be for a time before she had decided to see if her sister had felt it as well to ensure she hadn't just imagined it. now that she was sure that that what she had sensed was real it needed further investigation. She had to know if there were any side effects, and if anything could have come from it that could harm her subjects.

"So it was real then." She said. "And this is worthy of being investigated." Celestia then walked to the doors and telepathically opened them and started walking out into the corridor, Luna following close behind.

"Do you think it could be dangerous Tia?" Luna asked.

"I don't know Luna. I'm going to find out though." She looked over to her sister. "Neither of us knows what this power was, and the last time we had a strange power neither of us knew the root of was Discord." Celestia shuddered inwardly as she recollected his reign of Chaos that had caused such turmoil for Equestria for such a long time until she and Luna finally were able to defeat him. "No, i don't think we're going to let that happen again to our subjects."

They turned down to the main corridor which led to the palace proper, Royal Guards in their pristine golden armor and uniform blue manes and white coats snapping to attention as they passed them by.

"I will set out after i have addressed the court that i will be be absent for the next few days. I will need you to hold the court while i am gone"

Luna groaned, holding court was always one of the most boring parts of her re-education in running the kingdom and rightly so. For the most part those that came to court were the high born complaining about petty problems that their already successful business were having with taxes, or how they couldn't expand due to residential areas being in the way. There were a few times when the rich simply weren't as numerous in court and they got to listen to the real problems the common pony were having. Luna enjoyed doing her best to help with these issues because it made her feel like she could reconnect with her subjects as a caring princess who did all in her power for her subjects like her sister, but these were too far and in between. So mostly Celestia held court as she had grown accustomed to it in the thousand year practice she had.

"Oh please Tia, let me come with you instead. I want to know what that power was as much as you do." Luna implored.

Celestia sighed. "Luna someone needs to stay here to run things while I'm gone. Who else can assume the responsibility but-"

"Twilight can do it!" Luna blurt out.

This made Celestia pause. True as it was that Twilight was the newest princess of Equestria, it was also true that she had very little practice in that role. She would eventually have to learn the responsibilities that came with that title. Celestia had been putting off that part of her studies so she could spend more time in Ponyville with her friends. She supposed that Twilight could handle a few days worth of ruling to get a taste of what it was like. She could even make her write a report on what she learned.

It wasn't necessarily a GOOD idea, as Twilight was known to go somewhat neurotic when things started to go outside of her control, but Ceslestia was thinking more on how if Luna didn't get to come with her, she was likely to abandon court altogether as she had done it in the past, leaving a number of disgruntled ponies with issues unheard, no matter how many were most definitively unimportant. As old as Luna was, she sometimes still acted like a filly when it came to doing things she didn't want to do.

Celestia gave her sister a smile. "Very well. I'll write a letter to Twilight to come to the castle as soon a possible."

Elated, Luna put on a giant grin and thrust her for hooves in the air. "HAZAH!"

Celestia then turned and trotted back towards her chambers. "You can tell the council about our absence however" Celestia said as she passed, grinning in a sly manner as she turned the corner.

Luna maintained her pose for a moment before her response came. "Son of a MULE!"

***

Bosco followed his quarry from the alleyway after he had separated from his associate. He had moved from the alley to a 8 ft chain link fence that was covered in vines leaves and other vegetation that did not belong on it due to ill care. This made it better for him as it meant it would hid him from those on the other side.

He listened as his targets accomplice walked off, his shoes splashing through puddles and mud patches along the way. As he reached the fence Bosco heard the latch on a gate be unhooked and saw said gate open outward on his side, and then a shadow step out into the sidewalk. For a moment Bosco panicked.

Luckily due to the the lamps being from ill repair, out and for the rain, and plain darkness the accomplice didn't see Bosco standing with his back to the fence and walked off in the direction that his vehicle was parked. Bosco released a breath he didn't know he was holding, and moved towards the gate as the accomplice moved down a street and out of sight.

As he made it to the gate, Bosco then did a quick recon on the sight. The home of his target looked like a two story run down shack that couldn't be more than 50 ft * 50 ft. Most of the windows were boarded up. Those that weren't had light shine through them. From what Bosco could see of the inside of the house, he could tell that it also could do with some care and repair.

Shadows danced on the walls from inside the home. There was more than one person inside. That would make things more complicated. Still, he came this far, and he wasn't backing down now.

Bosco knelt next to the gate, reaching into his coat and pulling out his Beretta with one hand, and with the other hand he reached into his cargo pocket and grabbed the silencer, and brought both items in front of his face and combined them, twisting the tubular extension onto his weapon.

Once complete, he reached into his pants pocket and retrieved the ski mask it held. Bosco paused, and just stared at the item. An item associated to criminals and scum who wanted to hide their identities because they knew that the acts they were committing were shameful. He supposed that's why he was bringing it as well. He wanted to hide in some manner, because what he was set to do was shameful. But what his target had done was by far worse, and he had avoided justice because he would always get away. Not this time.

Bosco brought the mask to his head and pulled the cloth over his eyes.

***

Manehatten Hospital - Two Days Later

Bosco's eye's shot open and he stared at the ceiling. He was willing to ignore for the moment that his subconsciousness wanted to remind him of things he wanted to forget. He had other things to worry about. like the fact that the last thing he remembered before losing conciseness was that he was dying. So now he had to figure out where he was and what had happened to him and his brothers, and whether or not they were still in danger.

'All right, i was shot last thing i remember. Lets check the damage.' At this point Bosco tried moving to a sitting position, and was met with resistance in the form a an extremely sore body. And when we say sore, we mean SORE. Like Bosco had just done bench pressed a truck, and then after a bunch of assholes came and punched him from the face down to his stomach for about ten hours. Bosco grunted at the pain and decided it would be best not to rush it just yet. After all pain was good. Pain meant he was alive. Pain still sucked though.

'Shit, fine. Smaller moments first' He then tried moving his head around to get a better look at where he was. He was in a small room with a window to his left and a potted plant on an end table right next to it. He couldn't see much outside the window as the glare was making it difficult. He could only tell that he was in some kind of city. He also just noticed how he was in a bed. A bed that was small. It was barley able to fit him. He found this odd, as he was hardly even remotely close to being the tallest person, but he put that aside for now. His view shifted to the end of the bed where his feet were almost poking off the edge. The main attraction of this view was a white wall that had a picture of a garden scene. Pretty stereotypical portrayal of something that is supposed to be relaxing. Further to the right he saw a curtain that was drawn around his bed area.

'Alright relaxing picture, curtain thingy, bed...i think I'm in a hospital. So if m in a hospital I've been cared for. If I've been cared for then i can guess that the people trying to kill me haven't got me...yet' He turned his head further right and saw his brother Daniel with his head face down on his bed, his body rising and falling rhythmically as he slept in the chair pulled up next to his bed. 'I'll take this as a theory confirmed.'

Bosco tried sitting up again, slower this time to keep from disturbing his tender body so much. He propped himself up on his arms and slowly moved into a sitting position. As the bed sheets fell from his body he looked down at his chest. He still had his green skivvies on, and they were covered in his blood from his upper left down. Now he had seen his own blood on his body before, but not in this amount.'Shit they did a number on me huh?'

He reached for his back to feel the wounded area. He found the two holes in his skivvie shirt where the bullets had entered his body and proceeded to do their damage to him. But he didn't feel any dressing, or bandages, or a wound for that matter. As if he hadn't been shot at all. Like the bullets that nearly killed him didn't exist.

"The fuck?" was all he could get out. It didn't make sense. He wasn't going to complain, but he did like an expatiation for things, even if they didn't make sense. Hell the whole situation that got him here didn't make sense.

The only one here who could give him explanations that he could see so far was his brother napping next to him. Instead though Bosco decided to leave him be. He had a rough night. Sure he hadn't been shot like Bosco had, but it wasn't like he hadn't been shot before. Actually, i haven't taken a direct hit before. Usually just flesh wounds or grazing shots...Whatever.' Bosco took another look around the room, this time looking for his personal belongings. Namely his rucksack. He highly doubted that any self respecting hospital would allow him to have his guns on the premises.

He found what he was looking for on the left side of the bed. His rucksack, his flak which was covered in blood, his blouse, also covered with blood (I'm sensing a pattern'), and his guns...

"...What the fuck?!?!" The shouldn't be here INSIDE the main hospital area, but there they were. His AR-15, his 1911, and all the ammo he had left. Either this hospital was totally backwards on gun policy or the teleporter had sent them somewhere where they had no idea what guns were and what they were used for. Bosco guessed this was possible, but then they opened so many more questions on the 'Where are we?' category.

Rather than over think that and make his brain hurt, he decided to focus on moving about and making sure the rest of him worked properly. He was still sore, but no where near as sore as where he first woke up. Tossing to covers off of himself he got to see the rest of him still in his boots and utilities. As he was glad no body was playing dress up with him while he was unconscious, this also meant all that sweat, dirt, and fighting had accumulated onto him. This all combined to make a smell that damn near made him pass out again. 'Yeah better change.' He thought to himself as he swung off of his bed and bent over his rucksack to get a change of skivvies and new utility set. Once he acquired said items he walked around to the curtain and threw it open.

He opened it up to a ward that had about six other rooms set up in a similar fashion. It was a strange set up for a hospital to have but Bosco again didn't feel like questioning this. He only had one thing in mind, and that was getting out of his blood stained and bullet riddled clothes. He searched around for a minute looking for anything that could be a bathroom. The signs didn't help as they were in a language he could not read, but luckily on of the doors next to the rooms was open and revealed a row of sinks, so he assumed that was what he was looking for. 'Hell'he thought as he entered the facilities, seeing stalls lining down the wall after the sinks. 'if I'm lucky this will even have a-'"SHOWER!" he exclaimed.

And there was a shower at the end of the bathroom stalls. Looks like people in these wards were expected to be here for a while, so they made it slightly more livable. At least that's what Bosco figured, but he didn't honestly know or care. All he cared about right this moment was that he could get some off the grime and blood of his form.

Before he set about doing so Bosco looked at himself in one of the mirrors by the sinks. He didn't like what he saw one bit. His face had dried blood from his face down past his chin and next where it joined the blotches of blood on his skivvy shirt. To him it looked like a man who had just gotten his ass beat was looking back at him. Which he guessed was technically true, beaten by overwhelming odds in an effort to keep his only family alive. He still didn't like seeing that he could end up in this kind of state.

Once he was finished looking himself over he started taking off his soiled clothes and made his way to the showers. Once there he was completely undressed and he tossed the unclean clothes into a lump on the floor and hung his fresh set of skivvies and utilities on one of the towel racks. He didn't have a towel with him but he didn't mind air drying.

He stepping into the shower and then noticed that the faucet was so low that he had to duck down so he wouldn't hit his head. "What is this a shower for midgets?" He huffed as he turned the knob and did his business. He didn't have any shampoo or soap with him either, so he made it a 3 minute rinse to just get all the blood and funk off. He really didn't need that long, but the water felt good on his skin, and it helped some of the soreness to go away.

Once done he just stood in the midget shower waiting as he dried off and reflected on the current situation.

'Alright, so we're not prisoners, there's no way we're in any place that knows what a gun is, so we may not even be on earth. They must have extremely advanced medicine to make a bullet wound just go away. Since Daniel was by my bedside that must mean Evan and Jayson are out....Daniel still has piss on his pants though. So, where are we?...and how the hell am i going to pay the medical bill?

Once sufficiently dried, he stepped out of the shower, grabbing his fresh set of clothing, and proceeded to dress himself. It felt refreshing having clean skivvies on. He had been wearing the previous set for the past few days, before he got blood on them. He stopped short of putting his blouse on. 'Don't want to get too sweaty right now. Though it actually is pretty cool in here...nah, blouse off.'

Rinsed off and redressed, he exited the bathroom area, and walked back over to where Daniel lay in his inattentive vigil over Bosco's bed. His boots stomps stopped as Bosco reached his brother and decided it was time for this sleeping not so beauty to wake up. He brought a hand up to his head and tapped his index knuckle on Daniel's head like it was a door.

"Knock knock. Wake good sir."

Daniel stirred slowly, grumbling something that Bosco couldn't make out. Bosco took this as a sign that he wasn't online and decided to reattempt connecting him to the world through knocking on his noggin, only this time not stopping. This caused a reaction that he was looking for as Daniel finally opened his eyes and looked in front of him at an empty bed. When he found what he was looking for wasn't there and whipped his head around frantically until he found Bosco standing behind him. His features then relaxed into relief.

"Thank god, you're OK." Daniel said.

"Yeah i can understand you being worried about that seeing as the last thing I can remember is being shot. Must have pretty bad, considering how stained my skivvies got." Bosco then narrowed his gaze at his older brother. "What happened afterwards? How they hell are my wounds healed so quickly?" He then indicated to the offending area. "More than just healed, its like i never got shot. I know i was shot. Ain't exactly a feeling you can just ignore."

Daniel let out a huff. "I hate explaining things."

Despite his complaint, Daniel then explained what happened when they appeared in the city. How he had Jayson, and Evan treatment, even though Evan had nothing wrong with him. Jayson had made a full recovery, including all his abuse taken from his captors for all those months. How Bosco had been the guinea pig for some type of super potion because the doctors here couldn't figure out how to save him without it, and how do to his violent reaction to it he had been unconscious for the past two days and how they were all worried that he may have been in worse shape than they thought.

"Alright, but who's been helping us?" Bosco had moved to sit on the edge of his bed while his brother retold the story.

Daniel pause for a long moment as he figured the best way to tell Bosco.

"Well-"

Before Daniel could answer a door opened at the end of the ward and Jayson and Evan walked in. Both of them was carrying a tray that was loaded with food. It consisted mainly of fruits and vegetables, and a bowl of something that Bosco couldn't make out. Bosco waved at them. "Hey guys! Bring anything for me?"

Excitement came over Evan's face as he saw that his brother was finally awake. Jayson also looked relieved, and gave a smile. Bosco did admit he looked far better then when he had found him in the base. In fact, like himself, he showed no signs of his injury's or prior malnutrition that had had him near the cusp of death. 'While I like that he's fine now, what the hell? How are these people treating us? This can't be earth. No one on earth can heal people like this'

"Christopher! You're awake!" Evan practically screamed, causing Bosco's ears to ring for a millisecond, pulling him from his inner musings. Evan ran over to the bed laying the tray of food on the end table by the bed, and then stepping in from of Bosco and gave him the best bear hug he could muster. "We thought you would be out for a while."

Bosco returned the hug, only less enthusiastically as his little brother. It was hard to match his excitement. "And two days isn't a long time?"

"What he means," Jayson had walked up and was eating a carrot from off his own tray, "is we weren't sure if you were going to become a vegetable and put you on a machine to live."

"Well that's a negative outlook" Bosco responded as Evan detached from him. Daniel seemed content to just watch the exchange for now.

"Learned it from you" Jayson said, still munching carrot. "Expect the worst and-"

"Be pleasantly surprised by the best." Bosco finished. "Yeah...that sums up the past week doesn't it."

"Yup"

"Uh Huh"

"Excuse me" A Feminine voice spoke up from behind Jayson. "But if you're awake now I'll need to take your vitals."

Bosco looked past him to see what it was. What he found he could quite believe so he called to his brothers the clarify.

"What the FUCK is that?!" He yelled out.

The rest of the quartet looked over at the around 4 ft Blue colored, yellow curly maned, horned equine wearing a white coat that the rest of them came to know as their doctor. They now realized they had completely left out an explanation of where they were.

"Well sir I am your doctor. My name is Purple Heart. I was one of the doctors who treated you when your, eh, brother brought you in." She then levitated a stethoscope from inside her coat and trotted over to where Bosco sit on the bed. "Now please hold still so i can ensure that you are indeed in good health. Also, I am not sure what a 'Fuck' is, but it sounds like a cuss, and i must ask you to refrain from swearing in the hospital."

Bosco took in what he was seeing and attempted to process it. The inside of his head turned into a debate room where a little tribunal of imaginary people that did all his thinking now argued on the plausibility of what was being brought to them by his brains retinal scanners (His eyes). In the imaginary council meeting in his head, Bosco's imaginary council in charge of mind commenced their meeting.

The counselor in charge of thought opened the floor. 'Alright gentlemen, the subject appears to be equine in nature. Judging by its small size, roughly around 4 ft in height, it appears to be a pony. Further the horn on its head further narrows this particular specimen to a unicorn with the ability to perform magic and spells. Its technicolor appearance is in resemblance to the ponies that appear in the show 'My Little Pony'. From this we can can conclude several things, but the main point to get from this is that we have been teleported to Equestria via the Iranian device which is now the center of a nuclear crater probably 3 miles wide, and we are DEFINITELY not in Iran anymore. Any more thoughts on this?'

'Can we fuck it?'

'...What?'

'The doctor,can we fuck it?'

'Alright I thought we all agreed that the councilor in charge of sex drive was not allowed back to council meetings after what happened at that bar 2 years ago. Get him out of here!' At councilor thoughts command, two security guards started dragging off the perverted councilor.

'YOU WILL STAY A VIRGIN FOREVER WITHOUT ME!' He yelled as they dragged him out of sight.

'Well, i don't know what to think. I'm all muddled and dark'

Councilor thought looked at the one seated next to him 'Hey ummm...we need to clear conscience at some point. Any one else?'

'I think...that its been...2 days since we had some grub. Whens dinner?' Councilor appetite put in.

'Not really relevant right now, we shall get to dietary matters in the next meeting.'

'I think that this 'pony', IF that's what its called, is merely treating us to gain our trust and use us later.'

'Councilor suspicion your thoughts are unfounded at this time. Please attempt to gather evidence of the ponies desires before accusing it of treachery'

'May i ask something?'

'The council does not have a shit to give to the councilor in charge of bowel movements at this time'

'Oh' At this councilor bowels got up and left the chambers.

'Anyone else have any input?'

'Think we can find a lion and grapple it?' Councilor adventure asked.

'I'm starting to think I'm the only one on this council who actually thinks.'

'Well you are the councilor in charge of thought.'

'SHUT UP COMMON SENSE!' Thought yelled. 'This council is dissolved!'

And with this the Bosco's mind meeting whirled out of existence bringing him back to reality.

'My head hurts'

He then brought his attention back to Purple Heart who had just finished examining his vitals.

"Sorry," Bosco replied. Purple Heart then started running the stethoscope over his chest. "Was surprised is all. Don't have things like you where we're from."

"Mhmm. Can't say I've seen anything like you folks around before, but from what tell you seem to be healthy again. I have no way to tell really, but you're at least not coughing blood like when you first got here."

'Yeah that's a plus'

"So, does that mean we are free to leave?" Bosco asked.

"Sure does, but before i bring you the outpatient paperwork, you should probably have something to eat. You have been out cold for the past two days."

Bosco's stomach grumbled. "My stomach agrees." He looked over at Jayson, who had since worked through his tray of veggies, the last of it being crunched on by his maw. "Care to show me to the cafeteria?"

"Sure. I mean i just ate, but considering I just recovered from being partly starved, more food couldn't hurt."

"You know what, I'm hungry to. I'll come with you" Daniel said, getting up from his seat.

"I guess I'll come along as well then. Family breakfast time!" Evan said energetically.

From there quartet made they're way to get some food, leaving Purple Heart in the ward as she magically filled in some medical papers on a clipboard.

"You can stop hiding now Wild." At this the orange earth pony spilled out of one of the curtained rooms. After his not so graceful spill he pick himself up, dusted a shoulder off with a hoof and trotted over to his compatriot. "I don't think you will keep your job for much longer if you stalk the patients."

"Its not stalking, I'm making observations." Wild Defended.

"No its stalking." Purple said, growing annoyed. "And it needs to stop. I don't care if you think its their fault that you bumped into sompony and smashed you 'Amazing Healing Elixir'."

"But it is their fauuuuult" Wild whined while dancing on his tippy hooves like a filly. He then got a more serious look. "And they WILL pay for it, one way or another. Heh Heh Heh,Heh Heh Heh,HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Well we could just add it to their bill." Purple suggested still writing on the clip board, not looking at Wild as he laughed maniacally.

"Oh, well i guess that will work" He said, and gave a toothy grin. "I'll go tell the outpatient office to do that. Thanks Heart." And at that Wild started skipping out of the ward while humming merrily to himself.

"Why do i have to work with this moron" Purple said to no one in particular.

She then suddenly stopped writing on the clip board. and just as stared at it for several moment.

"I should probably learn how to write."

***

Several hours later

The brotherly quartet had returned from their food adventure in the cafeteria. They had brought their food up to the wards with them, as the stares from the ponies were making them uncomfortable. They figured it would be best if they removed themselves from the situation for everybody's sake. Bosco had found the lack of meat on the menu disheartening, but he rationalized that it made sense, due to the local populace being mostly vegetarians. So to supplement his need for some protein, he found a dish with a healthy dose of beans. This dish looked, smelled, and tasted like a mixture of vomit and diarrhea. Still better than military rations though.

As they ate they discussed their situation, eventually coming to the agreement that their primary objective for now was to get by anyway they can and try to find a way back home. Well that was what Daniel thought. Jayson and Evan were gushing at the possibilities to being able to explore the magical land while at the same time, keeping their knowledge of it a secret from the ponies. Bosco was taking inventory of his gear while only half agreeing with both parties.

This went on until Purple Heart returned with their outpatient paperwork and medical bill just as Bosco finished his inventory and finding nothing missing. Jayson and Evan hushed themselves, and Daniel walked up to the doctor pony.

"Good afternoon gentleco-...well good afternoon." She levitated a clipboard over to Daniel. "This is the outpatient paperwork and bill. You can pay it on the way out with the receptionist." She then turned to leave.

"Thank you. You saved my brothers and me." Bosco said.

"It's part of the job sir." She said.

"Do you think it will be possible for us to stay for an extra night? We don't really have anywhere to go at the moment." This from Jayson where he stood next to Evan.

"Of course. But if you aren't out of the premises by tomorrow evening, we will have to eject you from the hospital."

"We understand"

With their exchange done, Purple Heart nodded at them and left the ward.

"Alright, Daniel lets see that bill." Bosco said. Daniel was already looking at the bill and was standing their motionless since he had taken it from the doctor. "Daniel?" No response. Bosco then walked over to go see why Daniel would go unresponsive from a piece of paper. When he reached him, he looked at the parchment and found the bill area. When he found the number, his eyes widened to the size of tangerines and an alarm went off in his head.

'Warning. No Possibility Off Paying Debt. Pony Prison Imminent. Recommended Action: Hasty Retreat.

"That's a lot of zero's." Daniel dejectedly input.

"O.K. Change of plans guys"

"Wait, we had a plan?" Evan said.

***

Later that evening

"Good evening sirs!" Into the ward came Wild Concoction. "I just came in to see how you fellas were doing before you took off in the morning, andbeforeyoupaymebackforalifetimeofwork, and to make sure you didn't need anymore attention of the medical variety." Wild Concoction stood there beaming in the dark ward waiting for a response from his alien ~~test~~ ~~subjects~~ patients. None came. He hated being ignored, but he kept up his cheery outward appearance. "Oh come on guys, don't be like that. Tell me what I can do to help you."

Silence again. This time Wild dropped his cheery act and trotted over to one of the curtains that his patients was undoubtedly behind. "O.K. big stallion, i won't let you ignore me, especially after i saved your plot!" He then threw open the curtain and found an empty bed. Not just empty, but devoid of sheets. The sheets weren't gone however, just dangling outside an open window tide to one of the bedposts. 'Oh please Celestia no'

Wild poked his head out the window and saw as he suspected, the sheets made a makeshift rope out onto the Manehatten street. This thus confirmed that his ~~targets~~ patients had escaped the hospital without paying ~~repayments~~ their hospital bill. Wilds face started puffing up and his face turned more red than orange and his face scrunched up in pure rage until he finally burst with some steam bursting from his ears.

"Ffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-"

As his scream stretched on, ponies on the street and in the air gave them quizzical looks before going back to their business.

***

Manehatten Train Station

It took them about 3 hours to navigate their way through the city, ignoring the gazes and curious stares from the the inhabitants of the city, but they finally made it to their destination. The city was a lot busier than when the first arrived 2 nights ago, with griffons, ponies, donkeys, bipedal dogs, and every now and again a passing carriage passing through the streets. But that still didn't slow them down. Being lost in a city when they had no idea where they were, THAT slowed them down. Bosco eventually had to ask for directions from one of the vendors of a bagel stands in the streets. The vendor pointed them where they wanted to go, and they then finally made progress.

They now stood at the base of the train station platform their navigation's through the city completed. It was less active at this time of night, and very few ponies were around. They were thankful for this as it meant less stares.

"Alright, what now. Buy tickets for a train with the no money that we have?" Daniel asked.

"Buy tickets? Hell no." Bosco put on an evil grin. "We're hijacking a train."

"WHAT?!"

"Relax, I'm kidding." Bosco said patting his elder brother on the brother on the back. "We are stowing away though. Jayson, go find out which train is leaving next."

"What? Why me?"

"Because you don't have about 100 pounds worth of gear on your back," Bosco retorted, gesturing to his rucksack and weapons. "So the less walking i do the better, and also just do it."

"Shit, fine. You don't have to be an ass about it." Jayson then walked up to the customer service kiosk. Or at least they thought it was the customer service kiosk. I had a pony behind a counter and what looked like tourist pamphlets all over it.

As Jayson walked up to the counter, Evan focused his attentions on a train that was just arriving at the station. Daniel and Bosco discussed the next part of their plan.

"So we plan on skipping to the next town, fitting in as best we can, getting jobs so we can survive day by day and at the same time find someone or something that can help us get home." Daniel summarized.

"Yep that's the plan." Bosco watched as Jayson reached the pony at the kiosk. "That or completely fail and we just die here"

"You have a real knack for reassuring people." Daniel snidely remarked.

"Yeah, I'm a real motivational speaker." Jayson completed his interaction with the pony giving him a folded piece of paper and walking back over to them.

"So the train that just pulled in is actually leaving as soon as they change conductors. Its and all nighter all the way to Hoofington...wherever that is..." Jayson looked at the paper he was handed. "The pony at the counter gave me a map, but i cant read it. They have a different alphabet than we do."

"Does it have landmarks like roads, rivers and lakes?" Bosco asked.

"Yeah, it does."

"Alright it'll still be useful. Lets get ready to speak on the train." Bosco then looked around for the youngest brother, but did not find him where he was standing before. "Where the hell did Evan go?"

The whistle blew on the train that was to be their ride out of there, and it slowly started chugging along the track. The trio all looked as it started leaving.

'Well i guess we're not catching this ride'

As one of the train carriages passed by, they all froze in shock from the sight of their youngest brother waving and grinning at them from inside as it passed.

"Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Bosco screamed. "AGAIN!?" the train started to pick up speed. "Fuck it. Go, catch the train. Literally, catch the fucking train."

At his command, the trio sprinted towards their leaving transport. The train wasn't going to fast yet and Jayson and Daniel were able to leap onto the caboose as it passed. Bosco being weighed down by his gear, was not as fast as the other two. The train was starting to outpace him. 'Alright come on fatty. Sprint. Sprint! SPRING!' Bosco put on a final burst of speed, and leaped for the caboose. It all sounds dramatic, but he caught it with time to spare landing at his brothers feat.

They helped Bosco up, who was panting under his exertion. Now the couldn't stow away as planned, since Evan decided to take a seat in one of the main carriages.

"Well, now what?" Daniel asked.

"We may need to steal some tickets"

They then walked into the train proper in search of the foolish younger brother. If they had looked back they would have seen a streak of royal white and royal blue jet into the city behind them.

Chapter Three: This Camping Trip Sucks

View Online

The Skies Above Manehatten

Celestia and Luna hovered high in the night sky above the city of Manehatten, observing life in the city go on as normal. Even at night the city was brimming with activity with ponies going through the streets attending nightly festivities. Some were just night working ponies, while others were just looking for innocent fun, and others not so innocent.

This is where they had traced the strange energy to. What lingering traces there were had dissipated along their travel to the city causing them to lose the trail and set them back a day. Now that they had reached their destination they faintly sensed what was left of the energy. This had to be the place where it had come from. Yet, none of the city residents showed any prominent signs of panic, or discontent as they went about their night.

"What do you think sister?" Luna asked.

Celestia didn't answer immediately. There were many possibilities running through her head, but she couldn't come up with a definitive answer until she had more information. She brought a hoof to her chin in thought.

"I think that we need to investigate more Luna. If this place was indeed where this energy originated from, then perhaps some of the city folk would have witnessed something out of the ordinary." She looked over to her. "We need to speak with some pony near the epicenter of this occurrence."

Luna grinned and rubbed her for hooves together.

"Very well then Tia. Lets go meet the locals." Luna then flapped her wings to dive towards the city.

"Wait Luna!" Luna froze where she was. "We cannot go as we are now. By the time they are done bowing and throwing parades in honor of our presence we will have lost another day and a half." It always did annoy Celestia how wherever she went before she could get anything done or enjoy herself ponies had to 'Honor' her in some way. It was very time draining.

"It is no problem sister." At this Luna's horn glowed and she appeared to shrink until she was the size of a normal mare. Her mane and tail lost their ethereal quality, obeying the laws of gravity, and turned a light shade of blue. Her horn also dissipated from view. Other than her cutimark, she looked like a normal pony. Luna put on a cocky grin. "See? Now if you'll excuse me."

Celestia gave her sister disapproving look. "Luna. You better not be planning on going down there and forgetting the reason we came here."

"Of course not Tia. I plan on going down there and asking all about what has happened in the town in the past few nights. But that doesn't mean i can't have fun on the town while doing it!" With that she zipped off, a blur of blue as she began her ~~excuse to blow off steam~~ search.

Celestia shook her head. "Well I guess she can double task when she puts her mind to it."

Luna had headed towards the downtown area of the city, but that was not where the epicenter of the power was. As Celestia donned her own disguise she glided towards the most potent source of the remaining energy. When she landed her mane and tail had also lost their ethereal quality, and had turned a shade of bright pink. She also shrunk in size, but she was still slightly taller than the average mare. Instead of hiding her horn however, she had opted to hide her wings, so she had to land in an alley way to avoid explaining a unicorn with the power of flight.

The clops of her hooves echoed off the building walls as she exited the alley way and entered the busy street, nearly bumping into a brown earth pony stallion with a black mane. She stopped just in front of him as he fell backwards on his plot rubbing his cheek. He glared in the direction from with he had fallen.

"Oi! Watch where you're going ya idiot!"

Celestia, having now completely left the alley way, took stock of the situation. The brown earth pony had apparently bumped into another sizable earth pony, this one ash grey with a silver mane. He was also on his plot rubbing his muzzle. By his frown, the tension building in his face, and the glare coming from his eyes, Celestia could tell that he was in about the same mood as the stallion across from him, maybe worse.

"I think you need your eyes checked bub," The grey stallion growled as he pulled himself off his rump, the brown stallion doing likewise. "It's kinda hard ta miss me walking down tha streets." This was true, as he stood at least 3 inches taller than the pony before him, and was much wider. Not in the fat way, but in the muscular way. This stallion had to do some type of heavy lifting work for a living because every muscle on him was well defined and bulging. "I think I outa clock dat head of yours, help fix your eyesight!"

Celestia didn't like where this was going and decided it would be best to step in.

"Excuse me sirs?"

"Oh ya wanna go big boy?!" The brown stallion yelled, and then started hopping about the sidewalk completly ignoring Celestia. "I don't give a shit how big you are. Just a bit more of your ass i get to whoop! No offense sir" He said to a passing donkey.

"Stuff it up yer arse plot face" He responded.

The two stallions then rushed at each other. Celestia rolled her eyes. 'Stallions' Shen then enveloped them both in her magic by their tails and levitated them upside down above the sidewalk. Both stallions yelp out in shock as they lost grip with gravity. She then turned them both to face her.

"Let me try again." She then gave them both a stern scowl "Excuse me SIRS!"

Both stallions looked back at her with a mixture of shock and fright.

"Yes ma'am?" They both responded, in higher pitches than they would have liked.

"That's better," She said, giving a soft smile. "Now, I think violence is a bit excessive to resolve this little quarrel don't you think?" Both stallions nodded. "So why don't you both apologize and figure out a more productive way to resolve this?" She then lowered the two back to the sidewalk.

They both just looked away from Celestia and each other, both too ashamed to look at either. The brown stallion was the first to speak up.

"Well, shite, I guess I should have been paying more attention to where i was going. My bad"

"Well I was in a rush. I wanted to get to the new karaoke bar before happy hour ends." The grey stallion responded.

"Tell you what, I was looking to go a, uhh" He looked at Celestia "Gentlestallions club..." Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Uh, but i figure instead i could buy your first round, you know, as a real apology."

"I ain't got no problem wit dat." The grey stallion said.

"See, isn't this a better solution?"

"Sure is lady" The brown stallion said. "Thank ya"

"Actually, maybe now you could help me." She said before either stallion could take off

"What do ya need ma'am?" The grey stallion asked.

"Well I came to this city because i heard that something strange had happened here. Have either of you heard anything about that?" She asked. The grey stallion just scratched his head with a hoof, and the brown stallion looked up in thought.

"Well nothing strange really 'Happened'." Said the brown one. Celestia focused on him.

"Oh? Do tell then please."

"There were these strange creatures that had some kind of accident. Last thing i heard about them they were being treated at the hospital."

Celestia was elated inside. 'So my suspicions were correct. But what are these creatures then?'

"Did you happen to see what they looked like?" She asked them.

"I didn't see crap, but the hospital staff should be able to tell ya more."

"And where is this hospital?"

"Right behind you." He then pointed a hoof behind Celestia.

Celestia look behind her to see the white four story building that took up half the block behind her. How did i miss that?

"Well thank you for your help. Please carry on with your night." She said as she smiled politely at them and turned towards the hospital.

"Yeah, lets go drink our troubles away." The grey stallion said, as he and his new companion trekked towards the bar.

"Bet I'll drink ya under the table." The brown one said.

"You'll be puking your guts out before I'm buzzed half pint" He said as he smirked at him.

"Bring it on muscle mass!" The other responded grinning.

'Stallions' Celestia thought, shaking her head and once again rolling her eyes. With that she entered the hospital.

***

In The Hospital About A Half Hour Later

"-andthentheyleftwithoutpayingtheirbillandIwasveryupsetsoIwentotmyofficecurledupintoaballandcriedand-" a blue hoof was then shoved into Wild Concoction's mouth, ceasing his rapid fire word spray.

"Short answer, yes, we treated these beings you are looking for." Purple Heart answered.

"Oh, very good." Celestia said. She wasn't able to make out a word that eccentric doctor had spewed at her. She had to wipe some of the 'words' from her face though. "Is it possible that I could see these beings? They are of interest to the Princesses."

"Mhhmmm hmm hm gghhmm-" Purple Heart knocked Wild on the head. He looked at her annoyed more than hurt.

"I'll talk, you shush." She then took the hoof out of his mouth.

"Fine, I got things to do anyway." He then grumbled and stomped off to his office.

"Sorry about him."

"Is he alright?" Celestia asked.

"Well its about the creatures that you were looking for. They escaped the hospital."

This wasn't what Celestia wanted to hear.

"How did they escape? I thought they were injured?"

"They were. In fact two of them were servery injured, and the one almost didn't make it."

"Then how were they able to move? If they were in that state they should have required some time to recover."

"Normally you would be correct ma'am, but my associate you just had the pleasure of meeting..." They both looked over at the open office door where Wild Concoction had dissipated into. There was the sound of scuffling and objects falling to the floor. Another pony came up to the door.

"Doctor Wild? I have some forms i need for you to sign fo-"

"Get out! Can't you see I'm busy?!"

At this the pony at the door gasped and ducked as a beaker filled with green liquid flew out the door and shattered against the hallway wall. As the liquid made contact, the wall started to sizzle and it turned from white to brown.

The pony at the door looked at the wall in shock, then back through the door in annoyance.

"I want a new boss!" He raise his voice to show just how enthused he was about the flying science experiment.

"And I want a new intern. O.W.T, OUT!" At this the intern screamed a bit more high pitched than a stallion should and bolted from the doorway and down the hall as a sledge hammer flew through the door way, embedding himself on wall next to the brown stain.

Celestia just stared at the doorway for a moment. Such strange behavior coming from this 'Professional'

"Yes, he's a very...odd pony."

"Well he also happens to be a genius when it comes to medical elixirs and herbs. Its the only reason the hospital gave him his job." She sighed and added, "and the only reason I put up with being his assistant." Under her breath. She then refocused her attention on Celestia. "He had recently created what he called a 'Miracle' elixir that could heal all wounds and cure any ailment. Seeing as our magic wasn't working on these creatures, he decided to test it out on the one in the ICU." She looked at the floor as she remembered the screams the creature gave when it had ingested the elixir. She shuddered at the memory. "His reaction to it was terrible. For a moment I thought that he would die from the treatment rather than his wounds...until he stopped bleeding and his wounds closed."

Celestia was shocked. This kind of elixir would save so many lives all across Equestria, if not all of Equis.

"That is incredible! We will have to discuss getting a sample of it so it may be mass produced."

"Well about that..." Purple Heart was scratching the back of her head with a hoof with a nervous grin.

"...he used all of it didn't he?" Celestia asked.

Purple Heart's mind went to when Wild dropped the bottle onto the floor.

"Yes."

"Well can he make more?"

"He doesn't believe in writing things down, so he doesn't remember how he made it."

'Professional indeed.' Celestia though.

"That is disheartening to hear." With the solution to many medical problems lost Celestia refocused on the reason she was here. "So how did these creatures escape?"

"Wild went to to go check on them after i had handed them their medical bill as he had added the cost of his elixir to it. When he got to their ward, he found that they had tied together bed sheets and used them as a makeshift rope to rappel out the window to the street."

"How long ago was this?"

"This was about 4 or 5 hours ago."

Another bout of objects being tossed and indecipherable noises came from Wild Concoction's office.

"He hasn't calmed down since."

"How much was their hospital bill?" Celestia asked with growing concern for the sanity of the offices occupant.

"I actually have the bill with me here." Heart said and levitated a clipboard with said medical bill on it. Celestia grasped it in her own magic and looked for the amount that these creatures fleeing the hospital. When she found it her eyes grew to the sized of cannon balls.

"That is a lot of zeros, wait..." Celestia stared at the details of the costs. Everything looked fine, from the personal costs, rooms costs, medicinal costs, until she got to the bottom where an additional cost was added called 'Doctor Wilds Tax'. This item by itself made up about 90% of the total cost. 'Not subtle is he?' "I'm not sure if this last cost is legal. It will have to be omitted. Also, I shall pay for this on behalf of the Princess." At this Celestia conjured the necessary amount to pay for the bill in front of her. "The Princess has an interest in these creatures and would like for and legal matters not to get in the way of their meeting with them."

"Well its good we haven't told the guard of them skipping out on the bill yet." Purple heart said as she took the bits.

"What did these creatures look like? I forgot to ask earlier."

"Well, they were all bipedal, they didn't have so much fur except for short manes on their heads and one with more on his face than others. They all had weird things on their forhooves, like monkey fingers, but not as long or spaced out. And they all wore clothes, weird clothes. Designs I've never seen in this town at least."

As Purple Heart explained the creatures appearance, Celestia got more and more concerned. She had heard similar descriptions of a creature before, when the pony tribes had finally united. 'It can't be. We haven't seen a hint of them since I destroyed the portal myself. There is no way they could have returned.' Noticing how Purple Heart was just staring at her, with her description finished, Celestia shook herself from her thoughts.

"Thank you, you have been very helpful. I'll see myse-"

Heavy hoof stomps could be heard coming from Wild Concoction's office. They both turned to see the orange pony with a huge set of saddle bags on his back coming out of the doorway towards them. Once he reached them he looked at Purple Heart and thrust a piece of paper at her muzzle.

"...uhhhh, and what is this Wild?"

"It's my vacation request." He said shaking it in front of her face.

"Why does it only say 'Wilds going on vacation?'" Celestia asked. She then scrutinized the paper further, squinting at it. "And is that a picture of a plot?"

Wild just scowled at Celestia before returning his attention to Purple Heart.

"Just give it to the boss. I know he wants me gone anyway, and now I'll be gone for a while." He then threw the paper up in the air and started stomping away.

"You're not going to hunt down those creatures are you?" Purple Heart asked as she caught the paper.

Wild stopped where he was and looked back to address his assistant.

"Of course not? What would give you that idea? I'm just going on vacation. I need a break from all you crazy ponys."
As he finished a bear trap fell from his saddlebag and clanged onto the hospital floor. The trio just stared at it for a long moment. They then slowly started to raise their gazes until they were staring at each other again. After another moment of this Wild yelled out "YOU CAN'T STOP ME. AAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" and started sprinting down the hallway faster than a pony burdened with all that weight should have any right to.

"Oh no you don't you idiot!" Purple Heart yelled and darted after him.

'I think its time for me to find Luna now' Celestia then charged up energy in her horn for a teleport as she sought out Luna's presence in the city.

***

Outside The Gilded Voice Karaoke Bar Manehatten

The door to the bar swung open as two ponys with black tee shirts on with the word 'Security' on them dragged a squirming royal blue Pegasus mare out onto the sidewalk.

"I swear I'm FAR older than 18! I simply forgot my identification at home." Luna desperately tried to explain as she struggled against the grip of her escorts.

"The laws the law kid. No I.D. no entry." With that they dropped the disguised princess on her hooves outside the establishment and returned inside, leaving Luna fuming on the sidewalk.

"Fine, we didn't want to partake in the merriment of of amateur singing anyway!" Luna then started making her way to then next establishment she sought. One that didn't serve hard cider. She had grown rather tired of being thrown out of the past seven establishments.

Before she could reach her next destination she heard a popping noise and a flash of yellow light from behind her.

"Having fun Lu?"

Luna turned back around to see that Celestia had teleported to her. She groaned internally as this meant she had found the information she had been looking for. 'So much for my nightly merriment'

"Not quite Tia. No one seems to trust my word on how old I am. I have been escorted out of nearly all the establishments I've visited." She then scrunched her face in frustration. "I'm trying hard not to use the royal voice on them."

Celestia just smirked at her disgruntled little sister.

"Aw, you're adorable when you get frustrated."

Luna now turned a glare at Celestia.

"...what have you found Tia?" Luna deadpanned.

"Well what we are searching for was indeed here. There are apparently four beings that have been transported here by that energy that we had sensed. Two of them were injured badly, but the hospital was able to treat them. However when they were given the bill for there treatment they escaped the hospital. I took the liberty of paying their bill for them, but we still need to find them. We don't know if they pose a danger to any pony yet. Have you found out anything Luna?"

"Well other than that every pony is a real plot head when it comes to identification, about forty minutes ago I discovered that the beings that we are looking for fled the city by train headed for Hoofington not three hours ago."

Celestia just stared at her sister before responding.

"Luna, why didn't ya try to come tell me this as soon as you found out?"

"Because I was having fun meeting the locals Tia" Luna grinned.

Celestia just shook her head.

"We're going after that train. If we're lucky we can catch it before it reaches its destination." With that she dropped her disguise, and she took off into the night sky once more.

Luna sighed before doing the same and following suit.

"I guess it wasn't so fun in this city anyway."

They sped through the sky as a white and blue blur, leaving the city scape behind them.

***

Hoofington Bound Train 365

"Bro."

"Yes Evan?"

"I think these guys are pissed."

"You don't say," Bosco said as he stared at the spears being brandished at them. "I have NO idea what gave you that idea."

"Well I think that the ticket guy saying we were going to hijack the train may have something to do with it." Jayson replied.

"Yeah and he may not have screamed that if you hadn't told him 'I'm going to shove that ticket stamp where the sun don't shine if you don't get out of my way'." Daniel put in.

"I was just frustrated that there was no people...ponys to steal tickets from on this damn train!" Bosco yelled back. All this went on as the train continued to roll and clack down the tracks towards wherever its goal resided. The trees and hills seemed to fly by the windows though barley visible in the night sky.

Bosco returned his full focus to the white haired blue maned pony guards clad in golden plate armor and pointing spears at him and his brothers. They made it apparent that if they stayed on the train, things would be difficult for them. Difficultly that came in the form a chain and prison time when this ride ended. 'Uh, lets dodge this bullshit.

"To the caboose! Run!" At his command, the quartet darted for the opposite end of the train. the pony guards giving chase.

They made it through two carriages before they were cut off by three more guards, two with spears and one with a crossbow wielded by a unicorn.

"Stop right there criminal scum!"

"Fucking tits!" Bosco finally decided to draw his own weapon pointing his rifle at the unicorn guard.. He really didn't want to hurt these pony's. They were in enough trouble as it is with their escape from the hospital. But he wasn't going to just let them take them in. As he went through his options in his head the guards back them into the side of the train.

It was when Bosco's back hit a door instead of a wall that he had found the best option in his mind.

"Evan, whats outside?"

"Uhh, a river...Oh no!" He said.

"Yes."

"Hell no!" From Jayson.

"Yes!"

"FUCK NO!" Daniel.

Bosco now turned around and threw open the door and grabbed Daniel by the shirt.

"YES!" And Daniel flew screaming out the door. As Bosco turned around again one of the guards already was coming at him. He thrust his spear at Bosco aiming for his lower abdomen. Bosco parried the thrust with his rifle bringing around the butt stock and striking the guard across the muzzle, staggering him back. Bosco looked back at his two remaining brothers. "If you two aren't out that door when i turn around again I'm tossing YOU out too!" At this Jayson grabbed Evan and drug him out the escape exit.

When Bosco turned around again, he was almost taken by surprise and had to hop to one side to avoid being speared through the leg. He instead caught a cut along the outside of his thigh. He stumbled slightly before back handing the guard across the back of his head. As he fell to the floor Bosco ran for the door and leaped outside.

Everything slowed down as he took in his brief experience of flight. As Tom Petty started playing in his head, it felt liberating, as if the world no longer had control over him. He was free of the limitations it brought. Everything came back full speed as he looked down a noticed how fast the water below him was approaching.

"ShitshitSHITSH-" He hit the water and went below the surface, his body chilled as the cold water soaked through his utilities and started sapping the heat from his body. Kicking his feet and arms, he attempted to regain buoyancy, and get above the surface so he could regain his breath. He didn't panic. Panicking in the water got you killed. It made you waste energy and use up what oxygen you're body had left more quickly. Instead he used easy strokes and brought himself steadily to the surface.

When his face finally did break over the surface of the water he took a big gasped of air and started panting. It would be easier now, since his gear was naturally buoyant. All he had to do was swim to the back and meat up with his brothers. He wasn't too worried about them, they were all strong enough swimmers that they wouldn't drown in short distances, and the river was calm enough that it wouldn't take too much energy to reach the other side. With his rifle slung to his arm, Bosco took the rucksack off his back and started pushing it towards the bank.

'This is just fucking great. So much for playing nice with the locals. Now instead we get to play survivor in whatever forest this is. This field trip SUCKS mom.'

When he finally reached the the back Bosco pulled himself out of the water and onto the muddy land practically dragging his pack behind him. When he was far enough away from the water he fell onto his back onto the ground, mud splashing onto him and sticking to his cammies and the back of his head. He just lay there panting, catching his breath. Swimming always got him winded quickly.

It was while he was laying there that Daniel found him and stared down at him. He did not looked amused.

"Did...you...find...the others?" Bosco asked.

Evan and Jayson both appeared on his other side. They also did not look amused.

"...What?"

Daniel kicked Bosco in the ribs, eliciting a grunt of pain from him. Bosco then got to his feet.

"Ow, hey, the fuck man?"

"You threw me out of a fucking moving TRAIN!" Daniel extrapolated. "We could have died you goddamn maniac!"

"Ya, well we're not. I couldn't think of another way of avoiding capture." Bosco looked at the other offended brothers. "Come on! What other choice did we have?"

"I dunno, we could have just gone to prison and taken the punishment?" Jayson supplied.

"If prisons here are like prisons on earth then I think we would meet some people who would want things from us Jayson, and I don't think our butt holes could take that abuse." Bosco retorted.

"Wha..just...what?" Jayson stammered.

"You know exactly what I am talking about." Bosco turned towards the trees of the forest. "Come on. Lets find somewhere to lay low in case they send somebody looking for us." Putting his rucksack back on his shoulders, Bosco, Jayson, Evan, and Daniel made there way into the darkness of the tree cover.

***

Unknown Forest:Temporary Encampment

They had made their way into the forest a decent way before they had decided nobody was following them. Feeling secure in this they made camp for the rest of the night. They didn't have any rocks, so to keep it contained they used Bosco's E-tool to build a small pit for a fire. They collected some wood tinder from some fallen tree and they used on of the water heaters from Bosco's MRE(Meal Ready to Eat)'s to ignite a campfire to dry themselves. Since Bosco was the only one who still had his supplies with him there wasn't enough blankets for them all...that is to say one. Bosco decided to have Evan and Jayson share it. They argued but Bosco said he would just find something else to use. Once Jayson and Evan were dry, they quickly fell asleep in the sleeping back they were forced to share, drained from the days events.

Bosco was busy setting all his clothes, gear and equipment by the fire to get them dry by morning. He had already dressed and bandaged the cut on his thigh. Daniel however was doing the dance of someone who was feeling the call of nature.

"I need to go." He whispered.

"Go find a tree." Bosco retorted as he continued tending to his gear.

"Its a number two."

Without looking, Bosco picked up the E-tool and tossed it over to Daniel, who caught it and just stared at his brother.

"Go dig a hole then." He said blandly.

Daniel started walking off to find a spot before he thought of another detail.

"What will i wipe wi-" A pack of baby wipes hit him in the face and fell to his feet.

Bosco was continuing to tend to his gear, pretending he hadn't just hit his brother in the face with the package.

"Baby wipes?" Daniel said. He felt heat rising to his cheeks as he started to get angry at having the plastic package thrown at his nose.

"The pinnacle of field cleanliness. Used for washing yourself from your face to your balls. Great shitpaper when no shitpapers around. Be sure to bury what you use with the rest of the shit." Bosco just continued to set about drying his equipment.

Daniel shook his head, cooled down, and set about finding a good place to do his business. It was pitch black outside of the firelight so he didn't got more than 20 yards before doing as his brother instructed. When finished he returned to the campfire where is brother was now taking stock of his MRE's.

"I have five MRE's. That's enough to last us us seven days IF we ration them well. I'd rather not depend on them though. We have no idea where we are so it may be a while before we run into anyone who can help us." Daniel came up sat next to his brother.

"We can find food in this forest. We won't have to depend on those."

"Don't really want to. Do you know what an all MRE diet does to a colon? Yeesh. Gunna be shitting bricks for weeks." This brought a laugh from Daniel.

"Know this from experience I take it?"

"All to well." Bosco packed the MRE's back in his rucksack.

They were both quiet for a time, just listening to the fire as it crackled and popped on. Daniel broke the silence again.

"I never figured this would be how my life ends."

Bosco frowned and looked back at him.

"Over? How is your life over? You're still breathing and...well living."

"No not like that." Daniel sighed and gathered the words he was looking for to explain. "You never really had the lives me and them had," He said gesturing to the sleeping pair. "you just went from job to job, expecting each to be your last." Bosco nodded in agreement. "We have been trying to build something with our lives, you know, like a family and career."

"Yeah, turned out real good with you and your wife huh?" Bosco snorted.

"Me and her may not have worked out, but I had a life put together. I was happy for the most part...I want to go home."

Bosco figured he would get this from Daniel eventually. Of all of them, he had the most to lose from their situation. Evan and Jayson would be ecstatic about their current dimensional residence, though maybe not the situation. Bosco...well Bosco didn't know how he felt about it yet. He was alive though, and as long as he was alive he only cared about his brothers safety.

"I'm going to try to get us all home. If we can get here, we can go back. We don't belong here anyway." Bosco started checking on his gear again, seeing what had dried off and what hadn't.

"Heh, what you just going to call back to Earth or something, call for a pickup?" Daniel joked.

"Ha ha, yeah that would be rich." Bosco laughed as he pulled out his cell phone and pantomimed making a call, "Hey inter dimensional AAA? Yeah, we crashed in Equestria, and our transporter is the center of a 3 mile wide nuclear crater. Can you send a truck to pick us up?" Both of them laughed at the absurdity of it. "Ha, yeah as if our phones would even work around here." He tucked the phone back into his pocket.

Bosco found that some of his clothes had finally dried and he tossed them over to Daniel. Daniel caught them and gave him a confused expression.

"Use those as blankets and get some sleep. We need to head out as soon as the sun rises so we have the most light to find civilization or better shelter." Bosco then tended to the rest of his gear.

"What about you? You need sleep to."

"If I go to sleep as well who will keep watch? You don't know whats out there Daniel," Bosco looked out into the darkness. "but there are things just waiting for us to be vulnerable. Besides, I need all this gear dry so it doesn't weigh me down more than it already does when we take off." He looked back over to his older brother. "Just go to sleep, don't worry about it."

"It doesn't feel right having my little brother watch over me." Daniel said as he laid down, covering himself in the freshly dried clothes as a makeshift blanket.

"Then maybe you should have stayed in the military."

"You know why I didn't stay." Daniel grumbled, sleep overtaking him.

"Yeah...I do. G'night Dan."

Daniel was already asleep, so no response came. Bosco looked back out in to the inky abyss scanning for anything.

He heard a distant rustling of leaves and tried to focus in on where the noise came from. What he found was two yellow glowing catlike eyes staring back at him. They looked predatory, and hungry. Bosco reached for his rifle, and stood up, never taking his eyes off of them. They continued to stare at one another for a minute and a half. Finally, more rustling was heard and the eyes dissipated.

Bosco knew of some of the creatures that existed in the forests of this world, but not all of them. He hoped whatever it was that at he at least knew what it was. Another part of him, hoped he didn't.

'Either way, I think we'll get more acquainted tomorrow.'

***

Unknown Forest Early Morning: In Transit

Bosco had awoken his brothers at first light as he said he would. It didn't take very long to break down their simple encampment and get ready to move out. They shared one of the MRE main meals as a small breakfast. It would sustain them for a short while as they continued through the forest. Seeing as they were still completely lost, they come to an agreement that they should pick a direction and keep walking until they found someone-or something that could help them. Barring that, they would continue until sundown and find shelter for another night in the outdoors.

They kept up their march at a steady pace, feet crunching on leaves and twigs that littered the forest floor, Bosco's heavier boots making dull thuds against the ground. He was in front of the group taking point, rifle held at a 45 degree angle in front of him ready to engage any threats that may present themselves. Evan and Jayson were in the middle, talking quitely to themselves as they tried explaining things they saw to Daniel who brought up the rear. Daniel had taken Bosco's pistol so he could help if there was anything that tried to attack them.

They had come across a few patches of Poison Joke and had to make wide births to avoid them. Jayson took the liberty of explaining to Daniel that poison joke had something in its leaves that made anyone who touched it have something, though not necessarily harmful, happen to them that could be debilitating but, as the name implied, funny. They also came across a small round bug that was a bright red. Daniel, not knowing better, almost let the bug take refuge in his hair. Evan came up and smacked the creature away, and then proceeded to explain that it was a Parasprite. An insect that self replicated when in direct contact with another animal. It would also try to eat any food that you had with you.

They continued for another long stretch, listening to the forest as the creatures within, save for the bugs and a few birds, stay well away from the bipedal intruders. The only hints of their assistance they had was the chirps coming from above them, and the occasional shuffle of bushes. They also came across a pile of manure that Bosco almost stepped in. Evan and Jayson both having more experience in the Boy Scouts than the older brothers, pointed out that it was in fact Bear shit.

"Lovely," Bosco said. "good to know, even a dimension away from home, I still have a decent chance of getting mauled by a bear."

"Well on the flip side," Evan said "If you kill one, it could feed us for a while, and make us some new blankets."

"Lets not get ahead of ourselves," Jayson decided to put in. "I don't think 5.56 rounds could pierce its hide and damage it. Better off stabbing it with a knife."

"Lets just opt for avoiding bears for now." Bosco said, and they continued walking. "You know, we do need to hunt some animals if we are going to eat. These MRE's would sustain me for about a ten days by myself, but there's four of us." Bosco looked ahead again, seeing only the trees, bushes, and grass of the forest dimly lit by the little sunlight that could pierce through the canopy of leaves.

"Well i don't know much about hunting or tracking, but i could set some traps for small game." Jayson said.

"What would you need and how long would that take?"

"Just some sticks and rope could make a very simple trap. I could do it in about ten minutes."

"Alright, I have Five-Fifty cord if you think you can use that."

"That'll do fine."

"I'm getting sick of walking." Evan complained. This was something Bosco didn't want to start hearing already was complaints.

"Well get over it Evan. We need to keep moving for now. We haven't been moving that long."

"What are you talking about? We must have walked ten miles by now!"

"And we still haven't found any civilization yet. We may not for another 50 miles. Please don't start complaining already."

"Can we at least stop for a water break."

"...fine" Bosco begrudgingly stopped in front of the truck of a tree, slinging his rifle and reaching into one of the pouches of his pack and extracting a canteen. He tossed it over to Evan. "Ten minute break, then we move again. We at least need to find better shelter before sundown."

Evan unscrewed the cap of the canteen and walked over to the trunk of the tree and slumped down against it. Once seated he took a swig and sighed in satisfaction.

"Ahhh that's good." He took another swig and passed it over to Jayson. "Man I would love if there was a cab service we could call."

"How would we call them Evan?" Jayson asked snidely, finishing his own swig of the canteen.

"Don't worry Evan, I got you. I'll call a cab and have them pick you up." Bosco took the phone out of his pocket pressing the power button and pretending to make a call. "Hello, dimensional cab? I'd like you to pick up my lazy compatriot. I'd give you an address but we're lost as shit and we have not satellites on this planet for GPS."

"Yeah that jokes old already." Daniel said, taking the canteen from Jayson and taking a swig himself.

"Well lets here you tell a funny one man." Bosco said. Daniel was just looking down at Bosco's hands.

"Your phones working."

"....Ahha haha HAHAHAAHA" Bosco just took of in a fit of laughter, clutching his side. He kept it up for a good while. "I don't know why I thought that was so funny." He said wiping a tear from his eye.

"I wasn't joking." Daniel replied. Bosco was finally able to look at Daniels face. He found no trace of jest in his eyes. Finally he looked at the device in his hand.

True to Daniels word, the device was powered on. The device was displaying a full charge, curious as his phone was dead when he checked it last night. Even more curious was the lighting bolt symbol covering the battery showing that the device was charging.

"No fucking way!" Bosco yelled out. "This thing was dead before we entered the Iran facility." Bosco then looked at the other three. "Check your phones."

They did as instructed, pulling their phones from their pockets and powering them on. They all powered on, and all displayed that they were charging.

"So our phones turn on, how does this help us?" Daniel asked.

It shouldn't work, but Bosco wanted to try anyway to be sure. He dialed Daniels number into his phone and hit the call button. To his surprise his call went through and Daniels phone started vibrating in his hand. They all stared at the device as if it were a rattlesnake shaking maracas. Daniel finally hit the accept call button.

"...you know this is bullshit right?" He said. Bosco heard his voice coming in loud and clear through his own phone.

"It's bullshit we can use." Bosco said ending the call. Now we have a form of distance communication in case we lose each other."

"But how does that even work?" Evan asked. "How can our phones just be infinitely charged?"

"Evan...I have no idea. You know what else? I don't care. They work, so we can use them." Bosco went back to his phone again looking into his files. "And that's not even the best part."

"Whats the best part?" Evan asked. Jayson was looking out at something in the treeline that had caught his attention.

"I can play my music!" Bosco said. The grin on his face would make someone nervous if he met him on the streets.

"Uh, Christopher." Jayson tried getting his brothers attention, but his focus was on finding a song.

"I think i got something that's appropriate." He said, browsing through his music library.

"Christopher!" Jayson said a bit louder.

"Whats up Jay?" Bosco said, his attention still on the song he was looking for.

"We have company?"

This brought Bosco's attention up from his device, and he traced his brothers eyes to where their attention lay. In the bushes about fifty yards away, there was a pair of yellow cat like eyes looking back at them. 'No...' The bushes rustled as the eyes owner came forward. The ground shook as a clawed paw came forward. 'Noooo...' Another paw came out and them the head of their stalker came out. 'Awe come on man' A head of a lion came out. It stared at the quartet before it with hunger in its eyes and continued to stalk towards its pray. Its paws making the ground rumble slightly as it moved forward.

"Is that a fucking LION!" Daniel yelled.

"Uh, not quite." Jayson replied as he was shaking from fear.

The rest of the creature become visible as it slowly come forward. On its back was a pair of gargoyle wings, and instead of a lions tail there was the tail of a scorpion that swayed back and forth. As the creature continued coming forth, Bosco un-slung his rifle and pointed it at the threat.

"Its a Manticore" Jayson finished.

"A Manticore?" Daniel.

"A Manticore."

"A Manticore!" Bosco. "We should run."

"Indeed." Jayson.

"Yes running is good" Evan.

"Yes, time to lea-" Bosco was interrupted as the Manitcore roared and put on a burst of speed, closing the distance to them, bringing up a clawed paw and swiping for him. Bosco was barley able to dodge the swipe by falling to his left and rolling to his feet. He had dropped his phone in the process and it landed face down, starting to play the song he had selected. The others had also avoided the blow, with Jayson and Evan behind the tree and Daniel directly behind the beast.

"Climb the tree!" Bosco yelled out as the snarling Manticore made to pounce on him. The younger brothers made to do as he commanded and he leveled his rifle to get a shot off. Before he could the Manticore swiped the rifle out of his grasp, and it landed far out of his reach in some bushes to his right. Bosco was then brought to the ground as the Manticore pounced on top of him, pressing weight on top of him with its front paws on his chest. Bosco grunted as the wind was forced out of his lungs and the Manticore made to bite his head off.

A bang went off and the Manticore threw its head back and yowled in pain. It turned its attention behind it where Daniel stood with the 1911 aimed in at the Manticore. Before he could get another shot off the Manticore whipped its stinger-ed tail around catching Daniel in the side and sending him flying into low hanging branch. He fell to the ground in a heap, clutching his stomach where the tail hit him.

Bosco used this distraction to take out his K Bar. Using it, he stabbed one of the Manticores paws and it yowled again retracting the paw. Bosco repeated the process with the other paw, and he was able to get to his feet and get some distance from the enraged creature as it recovered. Bosco was able to see that Jayson, and Evan were able to get into some higher branches of the tree and out of harms way. 'Good, less to worry about the better. OH SHIT'

The Manticore made to charge and pounce him again. Bosco tucked and rolled to his right and the Manticore skidded past. Bosco saw an opening to hit the beast in the side. Readying his knife he ran at it. Too late he saw a gargoyle wing coming from his left. He was unable to dodge in time and he took a blow in the head. He lost focus as he fell on his side. He was dazed for a half a second.

"Christopher look out!" Evan yelled from his safe haven.

This brought Bosco back into focus in time to see a black stinger coming down at his face. He rolled to the side, as dirt and grass kicked up were his head was a millisecond before. But the stinger assault didn't let up, striking where Bosco was and Bosco barely avoiding the blows. Eventually Bosco rolled right into the Manticores paws. 'Oh shit' Bosco was taken in the grasp of the paws by his arms. Having finally caught his prey, it held Bosco up in the air like a trophy. It then put on a evil grin and licked Bosco on the cheek, appetizing itself for its meal.

"You gunna eat me or are you gunna FUCK ME!" Bosco brought a knee into the Manticores jaw knocking its head back. It was clear that all that did was piss it off however as when it looked at him again, he could practically taste the rage coming from the beast. Slowly Bosco was lowered towards its mouth so it could take a bite it had worked so hard for.

Daniel had recovered by this point, and he saw the position that his brother was in. He sighted in with the pistol and took another shot from where he stood aiming for the Manticores head. Missed his mark, but not by much as he managed to hit and knock out one of the Manticores big teeth. As the creature cried out in pain, Bosco was released from its grip and landed on his back, once again knocking the wind from him.

The Maniticore looked over at Daniel, still brandishing a pistol at it.

"Shoot it Daniel, shoot it!" Jayson screamed from the tree.

Daniel complied firing another shot at the increasingly angry creature. The Manticore brought its tail forward to block its face and the round ricocheted off of the hard exoskeleton. It then slowly moved forward at Daniel as he continued to futilely tried to shoot through the Manticores armor. It made its way directly in front of Daniel just has he ran out of ammunition, a click from the hammer of the pistol telling him just how fucked he was. The Manticore removed its tail from its face and showed the wicked grin it wore to him. Daniel audibly gulped. It grasped the pistol from his hands with its claws and tossed the firearm aside. It then brought a claw up to finish him.

Bosco then jumped onto its back and stabbed it repeatedly wherever he could manage. Once more its pained yowls could be heard as it tried to shake the overly persistent prey off of it's back.

"Run!" Bosco yelled as he held on desperately to the Manticores mane to keep from falling off. Before Daniel could comply, the tail whipped around hitting him in the head. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Bosco didn't stay on the Manticore long as it stood on its hind legs and slammed its back into the safety tree, shaking it and causing Jayson and Evan to temporarily lose balance. Bosco was once again dazed, with the wind knocked out of him and his vision blurring. He dropped his knife onto the ground, leaving him without his last offensive option.. He was slumped against the tree in a sitting position struggling to regain his breach as the Manticore turned its attention back to Bosco. It readied its stinger to deal the finishing blow, done toying with its meal.

"Yaaaaaaaa!" Jayson cried as he lept from safely and grabbed onto the stingered tail as it was lowered. With the added weight on its tail the Manticore couldn't readjust in time to change its path. Instead of the stinger embedding itself in Bosco as intended, it embedded itself in the back of the Manticores skull. There was a crunching sound as the skull bone was shattered and its own poison worked its way into the creatures brain. Jayson fell off the beasts tail and onto the ground as it went cross eyed.

Jayson and Bosco both watched as the Manticore pitifully attempted to bring a paw up to dislodge the appendage. Before it did its eyes rolled into the back of its head and blood started to dribble down from the wound. It then started convulsing as the end of the song played.

'We're gunna bring you, DOWN. HUGH!' At the last part the Manticore vomited and chunks of animal carcass, bile and even a full kitten that the beast had swallowed whole came out. It then fell on its side shaking the whole forest floor and lay still.

Bosco, finally regaining his senses, picked up his knife, got up and walked over to their foe, avoiding the vomit pool.

"Is it dead?" Jayson asked as he to got up from his landing spot and followed Bosco.

The creature showed a lot of the symptoms of being dead. Its chest didn't rise or fall, its eyes were glassy and glossed over, and it having a hole in its head with a giant stinger pumping poison into its brain lead to it being a good assumption. But Bosco liked being especially sure of knowing something he wanted dead was dead. He walked over to the Manticores head, and with his knife he started repeated stabbing the dead foe. He started by with the face and eyes, turning it into a red gory mush that you couldn't tell had eyes. After that, just to be especially sure, he removed the stinger from head wound and stuck his knife hand inside. He felt the still warm insides of the brain cavity as he wiggled his hand around inside cutting whatever brain matter was left. Blood and chunks of brain oozed out of the hole in the creatures head and Bosco retracted his arm. Brain and blood clung to his utilities.

"Yeah...I think its dead." Bosco breathed. He now felt really drained as the adrenaline started leaving his system. He also started to feel the bruising from all the hits he had taken from the battle, and he brought his free hand to his head. "Ahhhh. Fuck."

"You guys got your asses handed to you." Jayson said.

"Yeah, what the heck! You can handle assaulting an Iranian installation, but not this overgrown cat?" Evan said as he swung down from a tree branch.

"Easy to talk shit when you were up there sitting all safe and shit." Bosco said, irked by his brothers smugness. "Its not like you had to battle a mythological being that even Greek heroes would be hard pressed to defeat."

"Uhg," Daniel was stirring after his whack to the head. "Well I'm not dead...am I? Oh god don't let me be dead, I got stuff I need to get done first." He then sat up and saw his brothers gathered around the hulking Manticore corpse. He then gave a relieved gasp. "Oh thank god."

"You sucked too Daniel." Evan teased, as Daniel stood up, groaning from his own beating he had taken.

"Well next time we take on some mythical creature I'll hang back and let you handle it better, and then you can take the bruised ribs and wounded pride. Uhg shit!" As he hobbled over. "Well if we can kill it then we can pretty much take on anything else in this forest right?"

"This thing was toying with us Daniel." Bosco said walking over to where his rifle lay, putting it back to its place slung at his shoulder. "We got lucky that it didn't decide to just stab us with its stinger when it had a chance." Bosco walked back over to the tree picking up his phone from where he dropped it. "Lets keep moving. I don't wanna stick around that vomit any longer than i need to."

"What about getting some meat off this big guy? You said we don't have enough rations to waste." Evan put in a Bosco walked away and Daniel went and retrieved the pistol.

"Its probably all contaminated with the stinger venom Evan." Jayson informed Evan. "We don't wanna risk it. But i will take this." Jayson then picked of the piece of tooth that Daniel had shot out. "Can make something out of this."

The younger pair followed the older pair as they continued their linear trek through the forest. When the were out of hearing range, the kitten in the vomit coughed and stirred. It got up on its haunches and looked around in confusion.

"Mew?"

It then heard the footsteps of the brothers leaving the area, and it saw them as they left the area. The kitten's ears perked up. It didn't know what those things were, but it decided to follow the creatures.

"Mew."

It then left the puke puddle, making chase after its unknowing saviors.

***

Hoofington Train Station: Afternoon

"You lost them?" The once again disguised Celestia asked the guard in front of her. They had traveled the entire night to catch they train the creatures had used to escape the city but failed to catch it before it reached the next station in Hoofington. Now Celestia and Luna were questioning the few pony staff and guards as to what they were that was on the train and what happened to them. They got no answer to what they were other than they looked like big, clothed monkeys.

"Yes ma'am. After they attempted to hijack the train, me and the other guards cornered them in one of the rear carriages. One of them leveled a weird misshaped metal stick at us, and they jumped out of the carriage door into the river. If you ask me, they may have been attempting to steal the package that my detail was ordered to protect."

Celestia rubbed a temple with her hoof. This was not what she was hoping to hear at all. She didn't know what was worse, that these newcomers had attempted a train hijacking, or that they now had lost them and the trail was cold. She still wanted these creatures found and brought in. It was clear they didn't want to hurt her ponies as this misshapen stick had to be some type of weapon, but it did not try to harm the guards in their escape. But they also did not play by the rules, and were doing their best to avoid authority.

"Thank you Sergeant, you may leave."

"Ma'am." The Sergeant brought a hoof to his brow in salute, and then carried on with his duties protecting whatever package the train carried.

Celestia's brow furrowed. She was troubled that should could not catch these creatures, but they apparently didn't pose a threat to her kingdom or her ponies. As she continued her thoughts Luna popped up from underneath the train carriages.

"I have completed my sweep of the train sister. Whatever we seek is most definitely not on this train." She then brought up a small blue sphere in her hoof. "I did find this peculiar gem in the good Sergeants office though. Do you think he will miss it Tia?" She looked up at he sister smiling.

"I can no longer continue the chase of these beings Luna." Celestia said gloomily, bringing the smile from Luna's face as well.

"Oh...very well, I shall prepare a letter to to put out a warrant for the creatures who fit the description of these creatures to be brought in for questioning on sight."

"I want you to continue searching for them." Celestia continues.

"I know Tia, you'll want me with you at Canterlot to...what?" Luna's confusion was evident as she just stared at Celestia jaw slightly agape.

"I believe I know what these creatures are Luna, and that makes me want to find them more than ever. However we both cannot be away from court for much longer. Poor Twilight is probably beside herself right now under all the pressure she is no doubt under." She looked her sister in the eye. "I am trusting you to find these creatures and bring them in."

Luna squeed in excitement and hoped up onto the train platform, bouncing up and down on her hooves like a filly who just got her cutie mark.

"HAZZAH! I GET TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE." She pumped both hooves in the air. "WHOOOOO-" and noticed the serious glare Celestia was giving her. "-OOooo..."

"You should not take this lightly Luna." She began walking along the platform, and Luna followed. "I have a suspicion that I know what these creatures are. If I am right, then they are far more dangerous than anything you and I have ever faced together." She paused at the edge of the platform. and Luna stood next to her. "That's why I am sending you. The guard cannot be trusted to bring them in."

Luna had not seen her sister this serious since Discords escape from his entrapment, only even more so.

"They really could pose such a threat sister?" Celestia just looked over to her little sister, her expression only deepening.

"I shall tell the ponies of the court that you are on another diplomatic mission until you return. You cannot fail in this Luna." Celestia dropped her disguise, once again taking her royal form. "Find them, and should they pose a danger to you...flee." She then flapped her wings bringing a gust and flying dust to the train platform. Once airborne took off in the direction of Canaterlot.

Luna just stood at the platform watching her sister as made the capitol, wondering what these beings she suspected could possible be to have her so...scared.

***

Unknown Forest: Second Encampment

They had spent another three ours on their hike, and the forest seemed to be only getting thicker and more ominous. They saw more wildlife around them such as squirrels, rabbits and other small mammals. They looked at the brothers as they continued their trek, observing them for a few scant moments and then carrying on. It was as if they didn't register the humans as big a threat as other things that they could come across. This troubled Bosco a great deal, as the had already brought down a Manticore.

As they continued getting deeper into the forest foliage, more dangerous forest inhabitants made their presence know. In the distance the howls of wolves signaled that a pack of the canines had begun their hunts. As the daylight that did pierce through the leaves above started to fade away, the brothers decided it was almost time to make camp again. This time they were able to find a small cave, about six feet high and four feet across, and a small hill running over it. They set about making camp, this time able to collect the stone necessary to make a fire pit inside the cave. As the younger two prepared that and set up their shared bedding, Bosco took the E-tool and hacked away low hanging tree limbs for fuel, and Daniel collected leaves, dried grass and other easily flammable material for tinder.

Evan was standing outside the cave mouth observing his eldest two brothers gathering fire fuel. As he did, he failed to notice a three foot long snake slither up from behind him. It was agitated, as it had just had its home invaded by this tall creatures. It was going to ask them to leave the only way it knew how. As it reared back to strike Evan moved out of the cave mouth and over to Bosco, leaving the snake to strike the rocky ground. It wobbled around disorientated for a moment before shaking its head and glaring at the evasive intruder and made chase after him.

Evan reached Bosco who now had a sizable collection of tree limbs in his arms.

"Christopher, I want to apologize." Evan said, catching his brothers attention. The snake had caught up to Evan and once again prepared to strike.

"Apologize for what?" Bosco replied walking past him towards the fire pit.

"It's all my fault." Evan said, as he followed Bosco. As he did the snake struck again, once again missing it's mark and embedding its teeth into a tree trunk. As it attempted to wriggle free Evan extrapolated on what was bothering him. "I feel as though this entire situation is my fault."

"Why do you think that?" Bosco asked, dropping his cargo next to the rock circle and walking over to his pack.

"Well if I hadn't been so impulsive, we wouldn't have ended up in this situation in the first place." Evan explained. "I jumped into the Humvee to try and get a more in depth story, maybe secure a raise at work. I didn't know what real combat was like, but I figured I could just hitch a ride with some soldiers and be be OK."

"You're an idiot then." Bosco said, still digging through his pack. "I don't even want to know how you figured that."

"And now with this situation we're in now...If I had just followed your plan, and snuck onto the train we could have just gotten off in that next town, found some help and be on our way back home."

Bosco snorted and stood up and looked at Evan. "Well you're right."

Evan grunted, "You're not making this very easy."

"Well I'm sorry Evan but you are right. This is your fault. If you could have just not been an idiot and listened to me then maybe we wouldn't be in the situation we are in. This IS your fault." Evan began to cringe back as an increasingly annoyed snake dislodged itself from the tree trunk and began slithering over to its unwanted house guests. "But you know what? If I didn't chase you into that facility, you would be dead, and we would have never stumbled into Jayson, and HE would be dead." Evan looked back at his brother again. "So I don't hate you for what you did there, cause YOU inadvertently saved him. As for your stunt with the train...I figure we were gunna get caught anyway. Not like its hard to spot four tall bipeds in a world of short quadrupeds."

Evan couldn't believe his brother was so accepting of his mistakes, mistakes that had nearly killed them several times.

"You know, anybody else would hate me. It's not exactly normal for people to put other people in near death situations." Behind Evan the snake had almost reached him once again. It slithered slowly up to its unaware target.

"I'm your brother Evan," Bosco said placing a hand on his shoulder. The snake was once again behind Evan. "It's not my job to hate you." His gripped tightened around Evans shoulder, making him grunt in discomfort. Bosco then tossed Evan to the side and brought a boot up above the reptile.

As Bosco lowered his boot, the snake's eyes eyes grew a size too large for its sockets, and a liquid darkened the stone floor around it's middle length. The boot came down on it's head, splashing blood against the stone ground and against Bosco's opposite boot. The tail twitch rapidly and erratically until it became completely still several seconds later.

"Its my job to protect you though," Bosco said looking at Evan who was now propped up on his elbows, his heart pounding in his chest as he only now saw the late threat to his safety.

"It that a snake?" Evan asked rather shakily.

"No," Bosco said, grinning. "It's food."

***

4 Hours Later

After the incident with the snake, Bosco gave the snake carcass to Daniel saying only to 'Skin it like one of your french snakes' and handing him his K Bar. He then gave Evan one of his lighters that worked and told him to set up the fire. Jayson was then given the five-fifty cord he was promised and him and Bosco went out to set traps. Bosco was unwilling to expend ammunition and the small game that had thus far presented itself, saying that they weren't worth the amount of meat that would be left afterwards.

As Jayson had promised before, setting a trap didn't take long. After finding a sturdy enough stick he was able to set up a simple trap meant to ensnare a small animal. To make things easier they were able to locate a rabbit hole to set it up by. With any luck when the checked the trap in the morning they would have something to cook for breakfast. They didn't stop with just the one trap though, setting up several more not far off from the camp sight.

After their work was done they returned to the camp sight seeing Daniel cooking the now skinned snake on a stick as Daniel rotated it slowly over the fire, and him at the same time keeping Evan entertained with his 'Cooking' accent. Jayson and Evan joined them sitting down by the campfire, enjoying some pleasant time as Daniel cooked their meal for the night. They joked and laughed, just trying to keep each others spirits up, despite their situation.Eventually the snake was cooked and Daniel served it out with as much flare as snake on a stick could be. The rest of them just rolled their eyes at him, laughing at his antics and chowed down.

The sunlight had all but disappeared giving way to night and the brothers remained huddled around the fire, their only source of light in the pitch black forest. They shared conversation for a long while. Eventually Bosco got up and walked to the cave mouth.

"Alright guys, same as last night. We leave first thing in the morning. Get some sleep." As Bosco took up his guard position, Evan made for his bedding and Daniel made for his makeshift bedding, more than ready to get some sleep. Jayson however spoke up.

"Let me take watch tonight Christopher." He walked over to the cave mouth and continued. "You already have been awake for a whole day, and took a beating from a Manticore. You need some rest."

It was true, Bosco was having a hard time keeping his eyes open as his lids felt like they were ten pounds. Still he had been awake for longer and still operated, this situation was no different.

"Don't worry about it, I can handle it again for one more night."

"And I can handle watch for one night. Come on, if you stay awake for another night you won't be able to walk straight." Bosco could have argued, but Jayson was right. And it was only one night.

"Fine." he said, un-slinging his rifle and handing it to Jayson, who tentatively took it. "But if anything happens you wake me." Bosco took off his helmet and walked over to the fire. Daniel and Evan were already asleep in their respective spots.

Bosco laid down his helmet and set his head on top of it and shut his eyes. Jayson noticed this and was perplexed.

"Isn't that uncomfortable?" He asked.

No response came as Bosco was already fast asleep. Jayson shook his head and looked out into the darkness, guessing if you were tired enough you could sleep on anything.

'Kay, I got this. Nothing bad is going to happen on my watch.' The distant howls of wolves on the prowl echoed through the night. Jayson gulped and shook slightly. 'Please not on my watch.'

***

It had started raining during the night, making even more difficult to see outside of the cave mouth. Despite the heavy foliage over head, the rain still came down in heavy droplets that didn't splash against the ground so much as they smacked into it. It was fortunate that they had found this cave, or they would all have been soaked to the bone. Instead they remained dry as the terrain in front of they was at the mercy of the wetness from the sky.

Jayson checked the phone again for about the tenth time since his watch had started. The time displayed said 2:32 AM. He had no idea how accurate it was but he decided to just go with it for now. His brothers were still sound asleep in their respective positions in the cave. Watching them sleep made Jayson drowse, so he maintained his sight on the few trees and bushes he could see. The only light he had came from the slowly dwindling fire behind him. He shivered from the cold of the night, as the fire wasn't large enough to heat him from his position at the cave mouth. He didn't move closer to it though, as that would mean losing a large amount of his viewing field, leaving a larger area for anything to sneak up from the sides.

He sighed and held his phone limply in his left hand, and his brother's rifle in the right. It had been very uneventful, and he was getting bored with waiting around. 'How the heck does Christopher stand this kind of crap. This is LITERALLY the most boring thing I've ever done. I've pulled all nighters all the time, but this is just boring.' He was drawn from his thoughts when he heard a splash from a puddle outside of his vision range. '...but then again, boring isn't all that bad.' Some bushes rushed in front of him, followed by a rhythmic sound of something stepping over fallen leaves. 'In fact, boring is great! Let this be a really boring night for the rest of the night' He thought as he started shaking from more than the nights air's chill.

He heard a growl coming from the direction of the rustling, and into the faint light Jayson saw a wolf stalking towards him. Jayson froze as he watched it come towards him. It was the biggest wolf he had ever seen, easily coming up to his chest on all fours. It was massive to say the least.

"Christopher!" Jayson urgently whispered. Bosco stirred, opening an eyelid partway until he to laid his sight on the danger coming their way. At that he became instantly awake and kicked Daniel and Evan out of their slumber, The former giving a startled snort as he was abruptly taken from dream state. When Daniel saw the threat as well, he drew the 1911 and Bosco drew his knife and they joined Jayson in a Defensive line at the cave mouth.

As the wolf came closer into the light however they noticed that it moved in a pained manner, with it favoring one of its front paws and one of its rear legs raised, refusing to let it touch the ground. Blood was trickling from a wound near the top of its head, as well as on its flank. Its breathing was shallow and it panted rapidly. Its eyes showed no sign of hunger or malice, but of desperation. As it came into the light more they saw it had something black and fuzzy in its mouth.

It limped up the the brothers until it was only a few yards away. It growled at them, but they didn't feel as if it was meant to sound threatening. Placed the black fuzzy bundle onto the ground before them, which they still couldn't quit make out from the low light. The massive wolf then fell to its side, whining softly as it hit the ground.

Perplexed by the unnatural behavior of this carnivore, the brothers just stared at this beast as it lay in the rain.

"Jayson, keep aimed in on that thing and keep behind me." Bosco said, keeping his grip on the K Bar tight. Jayson nodded and when Bosco moved up he followed his brother. As they came out of the cave, they felt the full brunt of the rain outside, their clothes soaking up the water and chilling them instantly. As they came closer to the wolf it didn't react to them. Bosco knelt next to it and touched it with his unoccupied hand. Its body was stone cold. He brought the hand up to its neck to feel for a pulse. He found none.

"The fuck...This big fuckers dead." Jayson sighed in relief at Bosco's declaration. Bosco was even more confused. What would this giant beast come to them for its last act for. He then looked at the black bundle that it had dropped before them. Before he moved over to it, Jayson spoke up.

"Well...phew. I didn't want to have to fight this thing. Christ! I nearly pissed myself."

Daniel walked up to them, now getting himself covered in rain. "Clearly something else did. And whatever that was won." He knelt down next to the defeated wolf, observing the wound more closely. In addition to the wounds they had already spotted, it had massive gashes on its sides and puncture wounds on it's neck. "What the hell did this thing fight?"

"Guys." Evan was standing by the fire pointing at the tree line. The rest of them followed his finger and saw a set of glowing yellow eyes. Unlike the Manitcore's this set was small and beady, and much lower to the ground. Whatever this thin was, it was smaller. As the newcomer approached, all four brothers made a defensive line again, Evan wielding a piece of flaming wood.

Into the light came a creature in shape of a wolf, but instead of fur covering it there was brown tree bark. In fact, the whole thing was made of wood. From its pointed ears and teeth, to its undoubtedly sharp claws that followed its paws through the mud on its trek towards them. Despite it being made of wood, it's mouth curled back, revealing its fangs as it snarled at its opposing force. the brothers gagged as the air suddenly took on a horrible smell.

It wasn't nearly as large as the wolf that now lay dead next to them, and was not as intimidating, even though its breath did make them want to throw up snake.

Daniel coughed and said "It's just one...whatever. We can kill this thing."

"That's a Timber wolf." Jayson informed somberly.

"OK...and?"

"They hunt in packs." Bosco informed him.

As realization dawned on Daniel, the Timber wolf tossed its head back, letting out a howl that echoed into the night. A few moments passed where they all just stared at one another. Then, pairs of yellow eyes started appearing in the dark. Snarls and growls accompanied them as they owners slowly paced their way into the light. They could count at least ten of the wolves before them, forming a semi circle around their prey cutting off escape from the cave.

As they drew closer, continuing to snarl and growl, Bosco brought up his tactical plan.

"Jayson, you have a rifle. I don't know why you aren't shooting yet!"

Jayson agreed with Bosco's tactical guidance and sighted in the rifle, firing at the one in the center of the pack. When the bullet impacted the Timber wolf fell to pieces, becoming a pile of sticks on the ground. This prompted a full charge from the rest of the wolves as they charges their prey. Jayson continued firing at the wooden canines, however they now were moving faster than before, and he couldn't line up shots to score hits. Mud flew up from where his bullets impacted the ground next to his targets as they dashed forward.

Daniel started firing his weapon as well, the bangs of his pistol fire joining those of the rifle. He managed to score a hit, and another wolf fell into a pile of twigs.

Just before the rest of the wolves reached them, Bosco charged forward thrusting his knife forward at the wolf in front of his as he did so. It impacted and embedded itself into the Timber wolf's skull. Rather than fall apart, it stayed together and fell over as its yellow eyes dimmed and the knife remained in its head, sap oozing from the wound. Bosco tried to retrieve the blade, but it was stuck in the wolf's wooden skull.

Bosco failed to recover in time and two of the timber wolves made him pay for it as one slashed at his chest. With his flak on it did not damage to him, however the other wolf jumped onto his back and bit him in the shoulder. Bosco growled in pain as the wooded teeth sunk into his flesh and fresh blood started to trickle down his back. He reached behind himself and grabbed his second opponent and attempted to dislodge it from his shoulder. He succeeded, but caused the wooden teeth to shred his shoulder more, worsening his wound. Bosco then threw the wolf at its companion that had tried to slash his ribs open. They collided and fell into piles of sticks like the first two.

Daniel and Jayson were able to down two more wolves each before they reached them. When the others did make it, they were unable to dodge the attack in time and Jayson took a bite at the calf.

"Gahh!" He fell on his back has the wolf pulled and shredded his leg further, blood soaking his now ruined jeans. When he was on his back Jayson let off another desperate shot at his attacker. He manage to score a head shot and its head splintered around the bullet wound. It let go of its grip and fell to the side, eyes dimming.

Daniel fared a bit better as when his attacker reached him he threw a leg at it, kicking it in the head. The wolf flipped onto its back. While it lay stunned Daniel got down and tried punching it in the rib cage. Too late he realized his mistake.

"Owwwww! Fucking wooden wood fucker!" He yelled as his now bleeding knuckles paid the price for attacking wood. Daniel then opted to body slam the wooden canine, surprising even him when it worked and the Timber wolf fell apart.

Evan was just waving his flaming log at his aggressors. They didn't get close to him, as they stayed away from the flame as best the could. The two Timber wolves would try to bite at him and he would swing making them back off before completing their attack. Eventually the one wolf that stayed back barked at it's companions, and they fell back to its side.

The brothers now looked at the piles of sticks and two bodies that surrounded them, then the last three of they're enemies that remained.

Daniel let out a chuckle, "How in the hell did these things manage to take that giant wolf down? These things are push overs."

"Well, uh, about that" Jayson prepared to explain. Before he did, the fallen twigs of the wolves that had fallen apart came back to life, flying back to the other two wolves and the pack leader. The twigs sticks and other bits of wood all attached themselves together with the other three wolves. And then, those three wolves joining together as well. The end product was a Timber wolf that was tall enough to reach the leaf canopy above them, claws longer their forearms, and teeth to match.

Daniel's eyes almost popped from his head at this sight that he couldn't quite believe. Then he snapped pointing his finger at their newly transformed opponent. "That's bullshit!" He yelled at it stepping forward a few steps. "You can't just do that combination crap. That's cheating!"

The giant wolf tilted its head at the frustrated combatant, then casually flicked its paw at him, sending Daniel flying back into the cave. "Hohhot SHIT!" He then hit the back of the cave wall and landed on the bedding he was using, unconscious.

Jayson started firing at the giant opponent, but the rounds merely impacted the wood of the beasts form, showing no effect. The wolf then barked at him, the gale from the bark knocking him on his back. The wolf followed up by bringing its head down to take a taste of the lanky man. Bosco leaped onto the creatures muzzle and punched it in the eye.

As it yelped in pain, it shook its head about, throwing Bosco to the ground. He landed in the mud face first. He coughed the mud out of his mouth and wiped it from his eyes and attempted to roll onto his back. As he did so a giant Timber wolf paw trapped him on the ground underneath it. Its twin did the same for Jayson. The giant Timber wolf growled at both of its prey, ready to take the meal it had came for.

Then they smelled something burning, and saw smoke coming from beneath the wooden canine. They also saw light...and Evan standing beneath the Timber wolf with his burning log, setting the stomach of the creature alight. The wolf didn't realize until it was too late and its entire front was on fire. It removed it's paws from it's entrapped food and attempted to swat itself out and Evan ran out from underneath it. In its frantic swipes Evan was slashed by a claw. His arm got a nasty gash and started bleeding as he fell into the mud.

Unable to quell the flames the wolf whined and ran into the forest. Jayson and Bosco watched the ball of orange light disappear into the depths of the forest. When it was completely gone they both ran over to Evan who was now sitting up in clutching his gashed arm.

"Ahhh! Ah hahahaaaaaaa! Dammit!" Jayson got next to Evan and assessed the damage to his brothers arm and Bosco knelt next to him.

"Hey hey! Relax, we got you." Bosco said trying to calm him down. "You're going to be fine." Jayson had taken out his phone and was using its flashlight app to look at the gash.

"It's not as bad as it looks." He said. "The claw didn't slice all the way through. We just need to get the splinters out, dress it and clean it and he should be fine."

Bosco sighed in relief. "See that, you're going to be fine. Come on stand up, lets get over to the cave."

"That thing almost had your heads for dinner." Evan said as he walked back to the cave with his brothers.

"Yeah. Good job by the way. I didn't even see you get under that thing."

"Well you punched it in the eye, so it didn't see me either."

"Ya, I did...my hand hurts...and my shoulder." He looked at the punctures in his shoulder that continued to stain yet another set of cammies with his blood.

"Ohhh my head." Daniel said as he stirred in the cave. "Did we win?"

"Yes." The younger trio responded.

"Is everything we fight going to knock me unconscious?" He asked sarcastically.

Jayson sat Evan down by the camp fire and Bosco handed him his first aid kit from his pack. As Jayson took a set of tweasers out and started removing slivers, Bosco heard a tinny whine coming from just outside the cave.

"Jayson, give me the rifle back." Jayson paused and looked at his brother, then back outside. "Now!" Jayson complied and Bosco assumed his ready stance, pressing the butt stock into his bleeding shoulder. It hurt to do so, but he stuck it out. He slowly walked to the cave mouth and stopped, listening for the noise again.

He heard the whine again coming from next to the dead wolf. When he focused on it he saw the source. The black lump of fur was a wolf pup. It licked at its mothers face attempting to wake her from what it thought was its slumber. It kept whining and licking, desperate to know that its mother was still there for it. Finally it let out a tiny howl into the night.

Chapter Four : Bears, Cockatrices, and Chickens

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Bosco grunted from his exertion as he dumped the last load of dirt onto the mound in front of him. The brown patch in front of him that stood out from the rest of the surrounding forest marked the grave of the wolf that had come to them in the night. It felt wrong to just leave her to rot, so Bosco felt like burying it would be the decent thing to do. He had to do it alone however, as Daniel had received a minor concussion from the battle the night before. Evan had the gash on his arm and would need time for that to heal as well. Jayson's wounds we the least severe with his bite wound on his calf. He couldn't put all his weight on the leg, but it would take less time to heal. Bosco's own shoulder, now covered in a white dressing, would take at least three weeks to heal on it's own. Luckily he still able to use his arms, just at the price of feeling a small fire in his shoulder every time.

He looked down folding the E-tool and hooking it to his belt and observed his handiwork as sweat trickled down his neck mixing with the blood from the previous nights battle. He had been at this by himself well into the afternoon, starting when the sunlight finally started coming through the tree canopy. He needed the time alone, as he was having trouble at getting bested by this forest yet again. First the Manticore nearly made a meal of him, and now this Timber wolf attacks them and nearly kills them all. If not for his brother's acts, they would have probably all died the night previous.'If I don't step up my game, this forest is going to kill me.'

Bosco heard a whine from next to him and he remembered he didn't come out here totally by himself. The black wolf pup had followed him, refusing to leave its dead mother. As pawed at the dirt of the mound that had its mother beneath it, Bosco thought about how it had come to them. It had stayed alive on willpower alone to bring its beloved offspring to safety. Bosco didn't know if he could keep his own brothers alive, let alone this tiny new charge. The pup continued its attempts to bring back it's mother.

Bosco sighed and sat down. "She's gone little guy." He said in a somber tone. "You can't bring her back." He then reached out to try and put a comforting hand on it's head. The pup let out a growl as the hand drew close and bit it. Its teeth dug into Bosco's hand but not hard enough to break the skin. "Hey, quit that shit!" He said raising his voice in annoyance. The pup growled again but backed off of his hand.

"Look your mum brought you to us so you could live." He pointed at the grave mound, and the pup followed his finger. "She can't take care of you anymore."

The pup stood staring at the mound before seeming to realize what Bosco was trying to communicate to it. It barked twice at Bosco and looked up at him quizzically. Bosco tilted his head at him. 'Does he...understand what I'm saying? Well even if he does I don't speak dog so how am I going to know.

"There are worse things than me out here that will eat you right up." This elicited another whine from the pup as it stuck it's tail between its legs. "I'll do my best to make sure you stay alive," Bosco said more softly as he leaned in closer to it. "Just trust me."

As the pup seemed to ponder its options, Bosco stood up again and began walking away towards the cave camp.

"Arf!" Bosco looked back to see the pup running to catch up with him. As it caught up it growled at him again, as if to say 'I still don't like you.' Bosco decided to pretend that he could understand the unfortunate wolf puppy.

"Yeah, well its not like I asked to have to drag you along anyway, pipsqueak." This caused the pup to nip at Bosco's heels. "You keep this up I'm really going to think you understand me."

The continued for another couple of minutes before Bosco broke the Silence again. "So, what am I going to call you?" He asked it.

"Arf aroo rif." The pup responded.

Bosco chuckled. "I don't think I can pronounce that." Bosco brought a hand to his chin in thought. "How about I call you 'Conan'?"

"Arrr rahrr grrrr!" The pup responded sounding not so excited about the new name.

"You know what, I don't care, that's what I'm calling you. Get used to it." Bosco stuck his tongue out at the pup.

"...hrruf."

Bosco then took out his phone and dialed Jayson's number. He marveled at how the devices still worked as the call went through. Jayson picked up after a few rings.

"Hey where are you?" He asked.

"I'm on my way back. I took the body about a mile out, so I should be about 10 minutes or so."

"OK, good. We need to figure out what we're doing next. See you when you get back here."

"Yup, see you. Out." Bosco then ended the call and the phoned booped in response. He placed the device back in his pocket and looked back down at Conan. "Hey, for what its worth...I'm sorry about your mum."

At first Conan did not respond, but he eventually let out short whine. After that they continued back to the cave in silence.

***

At the Cave Encampment

Daniel was laying in the back of the cave on top of the only blanket, chatting with Evan who was sitting next to him, his arm in an impromptu sling. Jayson stood at the cave mouth with Bosco who had just returned with the wolf pup, who found a corner of the cave to curl up in away from the rest of them. Jayson looked back to Bosco worried.

"Is this OK?" he asked, concern evident in his features.

"Don't worry about Conan. He'll be OK. Just give him time." Bosco responded.

"I meant taking him with us! We haven't even figured out if we can take care of ourselves yet." Jayson clarified.

"You don't have to worry about taking care of him, I will. And as for taking care of ourselves, that's the next thing on the schedule today. Lets go check those traps we set yesterday. You can walk that far right?" Bosco said indicating the offending calf.

Jayson nodded. "Yeah I can walk. I just can't move quick right now. It'll be better in a couple of days."

"Alright well lets go." Bosco started walking out of the cave and yelled back at the two that remained. "If anything happens call me!" He yelled at them.

"OKAAAAY!" Evan yelled back.

As they made their trek to the first trap site, Jayson brought his brother up to speed on how the other two's wounds were.

"OK here's the deal. With Daniel having a minor concussion I don't feel it would be safe for him to be moving about for a few days."

"I kind of figured as much. So we'll be staying in the cave for a bit." Bosco replied.

Jayson nodded "Evan's wounds need some time teal heal as well so that his arm doesn't reopen. Gah!" He stumbled and nearly fell onto the forest floor before Bosco caught him, his arm burning under the strain. "Grr, then there's my calf, but i should be good in the same amount of time. Thanks."

Bosco brought Jayson back to his feet, trying to ignore the complaints from his shoulder. "Don't mention it." The continued on there way. "So we'll need to better defend our position. I know how to make a few spike traps so I'll get to work on that when we get back."

"We should be good on water for now. There is a little hole in the cave that the rain from last night drained into. It may be dirty though."

"If we think its dirty we can use my canteen cups and boiled it over a fire, that should make it safe to drink." Bosco didn't mention his water purification pills. They would work as well, but they made the water taste funny, and they were for really dire situations. "So that just leaves the food situation."

They had checked the area for edible plants and berries when they planted the traps. They found none. If these traps didn't have anything on them, they would be forced to use the MRE's again. They had already finished off the one they started before for breakfast, leaving them with four left. They had enough calories for one person for a day, but they were sharing between four people. They going to quickly start becoming malnourished if the kept on like this.

They came up on the first trap site. They found it empty. The were disheartened at the lack of success and started moving to the next trap site. Bosco realized he still didn't know how Jayson ended up in Iran.

"So Jayson, how did you end up in that facility anyway?" Bosco asked, still moving at a steady pace through the trees and foliage so Jayson could keep up.

Jayson didn't start immediately. When he did, he sounded empty. "It was about two months after I had arrived in Syria. I was with the Red Cross to try and help refugees and people who had been hurt by the civil war." He paused as he remembered his time there. "The things I saw there. People who had their entire lives brought down when their house or business was destroyed. The fear and desperation of people who lost everything, people who wanted nothing to do with that war..." Bosco let him gather his thoughts as they came up on the second trap. "At first it wasn't so bad, just giving out medical aid and food to people who had been simply displaced by the war."

The second trap was empty as well, so started they moved on to the next one.

"You were in a green zone at first right?" Bosco asked.

"Yes, but I got transferred into a higher contested area. We were trying to help victims of gas attacks." They ducked under a low hanging branch and he continued. "It was unlike anything I had ever seen up until that point. People puking out their own lungs, bleeding through their eyes mouth and ears. It was something out of a horror film, only worse, because I couldn't turn this off. That's when we were targeted by some extremist Shiite group. They attacked us, taking everyone I was with as well as others who were able bodied. They executed everyone else. The last thing I saw before they put a bag over my head and threw me in the back of a trunk was them leaving their bodies out in the open to rot."

They continued in silence until they got to the next trap, which was empty as well. Bosco was starting to lose hope that they would have anything to bring back. "What happened after that?" He asked.

"I don't really know," Jayson said. "They kept that bag on my head for a while. But I guess at some point they sold us to that facility as cheap labor. I don't know when that would have happened, the bag didn't come off my head until I was in the facility."

"I'm sorry Jayson."

"What are you sorry for? You couldn't have done anything." Jayson chuckled.

"I'm sorry for what you saw." Bosco clarified. "Its not easy seeing things like that."

"...yeah." he said it so quietly Bosco almost didn't hear him.

They came up on the next trap in silence. This time as they came up, they heard scuffling. Excited, they ran up to the trap and found that it had ensnared a rabbit. They both cheered at their change of fortune and Bosco took out his K Bar kneeling next to their capture.

They rabbit looked up at them, and they could swear that it was pleading with the. Its lower jaw quivered in an unmistakable show of fear. This gave Bosco pause. He almost considered letting the critter go for a moment. Then he remembered what letting it go meant. 'No, we need this. OK, just do it quick. Don't look it in the eyes.' He brought the knife up, and the rabbit made a tiny screech as it was brought down. The blade pierced through its head. Bosco looked up with a grin. That grin immediately disappeared when he saw the look of terror frozen on the rabbits face, knife through the side of its head, blood oozing onto the ground.

Bosco looked up at Jayson who was staring at him like he had just murdered a puppy. "Well, we got some food now."

"Then why don't I feel better." Jayson said in a monotone.

Bosco had to admit, he didn't feel to good about it either.

***

After checking their other traps they had gained another rabbit, a squirrel, and raccoon. They killed them all in a similar fashion to the first rabbit. It didn't get any easier as they all made the, almost human like, attempts to plea for release before Bosco fell his blade on them. Afterwards, he strung them together by the tails with some cord and brought them back to the camp.

Daniel was still where they had left him, staring at the cave ceiling. Evan was trying his best to get some fire wood with his good arm for the night which was fast approaching. Conan had not moved from where he lay in his corner of the cave, eyeing the brothers as the came in his sight.

"Evan quit it, you need to rest." Jayson said as he saw his brother moving a log with one arm.

"I'm trying to help! It was boring here without you." He looked over at the pup in the corner who stared back. "Also I tried to say hello to him, but he just growls at me when I get to close." As if to prove his point, Conan let a little growl at him.

"Just leave him be, he's just being a bitch." Bosco said dropping the animal carcasses on the cave floor next to the fire pit. Upon hearing this Conan picked his head up glared at Bosco.

"Arf arf rawr raf!"

"Really? Could have fooled me." He then directed his attention back to Evan as Conan put his head back down ruffing in annoyance, "But yeah he did just lose his mother last night. Give him space. Jayson, can you skin these while I get some more fire wood?"

Jayson nodded, "Yeah, I can do that."

"What about me?" Evan asked as Bosco took off to get fire fuel.

"What about you? Rest yourself so you can heal and we can move on in a few days."

"I'm doing OK, if anybody cares." Daniel said from the back of the cave.

Bosco went about his task while the two youngest brothers bickered at each other as the eldest went ignored. He used his E-tool to hack down low hanging branches like before, also taking care to set aside the sturdier sticks and branches to make his spike traps later. If they were staying here for the next couple of nights, they needed to be better defended. He didn't expect the the Timber wolf to come back, so he hoped if anything else decided to attack them it would be made of flesh rather than wood.He made several trips so that they would have enough for their fire for the night, as well as his traps. He soon had a three foot high stack of logs and sticks.

Jayson didn't take long in skinning the animals and was done at the same time that Bosco completed his log pile. Bosco decided to help him with the gutting of the animals. Jayson welcomed the help as they went through the animal intestine taking out the inedible bit and keeping the rest. Once that was completed Jayson set about building a fire and Bosco took his K Bar back and started carving spikes out of the decent sticks he had collected.

The fire started crackling to life as Daniel groaned in frustration and got up from the back of the cave and walked over to they rest of them. "OK I'm bored. I'm cooking and you can't stop me!"

"Ugh, OK. I never said you had to stay laying down they whole time anyway. Just you had to take it easy." Jayson informed Daniel.

"Oh...well." Daniel then put on his french accent. "Who wood like some gormeh rodeent?"

Bosco gave Daniel some decent stick to spear the animals with. He then went outside the cave and started digging several small holes around the cave entrance. After the holes were deep enough he put several sharpened sticks inside ensuring that they were secure enough to do the job of goring anything that would fall within. After that he put a small layer of leaves over the hole to cover it up and moved on to make another trap. His arm burned as he worked, but he pushed through. Eventually he had about five traps made. He stopped when he heard Daniel call out.

"Oi! Dinners done. Come eat."

Bosco complied and came to sit next to his brothers around the fire. Conan had not moved from his spot in the corner. Daniel took Bosco's K Bar from him and took one of the fire grilled rodents off the fire and craved it into smaller bit sized peices. After he was done he gave half of the meat to Jayson and the other half to Evan.

"Bon apateet. I ope it teez tu your liking."

Evan and Jayson chowed down on their meal. On their first bite they made a funny face. Not a face that said 'Ugh this is nasty' but rather 'This is weird'. Other than that they ate without complaint while Daniel carved up the next animal for himself and Bosco.

"I'm still hungry." Evan said as he completed his portion.

"Well that's too bad. The rest of it is going to be dried so that we can eat it later. We don't know if the traps will have anything next time and we gotta make this last as long as possible." Bosco said taking his portion and chowed away.

"Awwwwe."

"Can it Evan. He's right." Jayson said. "It'll be enough to hold you over till morning."

Daniel was about to carve up the rest of what was left into strips to be dried so that they would keep until morning. Before he could grab the squirrel Bosco snatched it and walked over to Conan. "Don't forget our other mouth to feed." Bosco said as he walked away. Daniel shook his head.

"Should have just left him out in the woods." Daniel started working on the raccoon.

As Bosco approached Conan pretended he didn't see him and kept his focus on the ground in front of him. Bosco knelt down in front of him and placed the squirrel in front of him.

"Here, eat up."

"Grawr raw arrf." Conan responded.

"Bullshit, I know you're hungry." Conan just continued looking at the ground in front of him. "I know you don't like having to accept my help, but I'm going to anyway, weather you like it or not." He pushed the meat in his snout. "Besides, I know you want some."

"Ruff ar wuff?"

"Because I can see you drooling." Bosco said as a small pool of drool started forming on the floor by Conan's mouth. Conan growled again but took the meat in his maw and started stripping away the meat from the stick. Satisfied that his charge was eating properly Bosco stood up. "As soon as I know you're able to take care of yourself you can, but until then you're stuck with me." He then started walking back to the fire.

"Graw arr rawr." Conan growled at Bosco as he walked away.

Bosco turned back and smiled at him. "You're welcome."

"How can you understand him?" Evan asked as Bosco came back to the fire.

"Yeah that kinda weird." Jayson input.

"I actually don't really think I understand him. I kinda just get the meaning of what he's trying to get across. For all I know he probably meant to tell me to go fuck myself."

"Arf arf ruff ruf!"

'Little cock sucker!'

"Never mind, I understand him perfectly." Bosco growled.

Jayson looked from the wolf in the corner then back to Bosco. "Well what did he just say then?"

"He told me," Bosco growled, "that he DID tell me to go fuck myself." The rest of the brothers just started laughing.

***

The night came quickly after they finished their meal, the light breaking through the tree canopy disappearing giving way to they familiar blackness of the forest night. Daniel finished drying the meat that was left and Bosco stored it in one of his water proofing bags. Not its intended purpose, but it would do. Afterwards they had a small argument of who would take watch. Bosco said he would as neither Daniel nor Evan were in any condition for it, and Jayson was about to pass out in his seat from taking it the previous night.

After agreeing that this made the most sense, Daniel shared the blanket with Evan, and Jayson took his turn using the impromptu clothing bed. It didn't take them very long to fall into the cusp of sleep, and Bosco took his position by the slowly dwindling fire near the mouth of the cave. Rather than having his rifle on his shoulder, he kept it leaned on his side so not to agitate his wound.

The night went on with the fire slowly dying behind him. He fed it some more logs to keep it going longer as it was his only source of light. He kept alert to all the sounds coming from the forest. The wind gusting through the trees rustling the leaves shaking some loose and causing them to fall the forest floor. An occasional twig would snap but the perpetrator did not show itself. He listened to the howls piercing through the night air, echoing through the night and within the cave...no coming from the cave, and whimpering as well.

Bosco looked behind him and saw Conan, still in his corner. He was whimpering and whining in his sleep. His lugs pumped as he lay on his side, as he tried running from whatever night terror chased him. He was also shivering, as his small body was not enough to generate the heat he needed in order to keep himself warm. Bosco sighed and walked over to the wolf pup.

When he reached him he bent over next to him and lightly put his arms under him while he let out more arfs of fright. 'Cold and scared huh.' He lifted Conan up softly so as not to wake him and brought him back to the fireside. He then sat down and placed Conan in his lap. The little pup stopped shivering moments later, and his night terrors slowly calmed down as well as the comfort and warm from the fire reached him.

Bosco sighed, and returned his gaze to the forest. 'Not letting you get sick on my watch.' This wolf pup may not want his help, but he needed it. Bosco didn't notice that Conan had opened one eye and saw that he was now cradled in Bosco's lap. Rather than make a fuss as he wanted to, he let himself take this creatures help. Besides he was kind of a nice pillow. Bosco brought down a hand and scratched Conan behind the ears, and he started kicking his leg out of reflex. He didn't know what he was doing, but boy did it feel good!

***

Five Days After Timber Wolf Attack

Luna trotted out of the forest foliage and found a small cave. Immediately she could tell she was on the right trail as there was the telltale signs of activity all over the area. The grass was depressed from being well traveled around the cave mouth as well as several patches of dirt that surrounded it. As she moved up to the cave she saw several holes that had the leaves blown off of them, revealing several deadly point sticks inside. Luna opened her wings and gave a quick flap, deciding to glide the rest of the way to the cave.

Inside she found a ring of rocks, filled with blackened branches, sticks and ash. Aside from that the cave was empty. That didn't matter though as she now knew she was on the right track. Luna grinned, eyes brimming with confidence as she re-exited the cave. 'Curious place to make camp. I wonder if they knew of the timber wolf population in this area. Then again, if they aren't from here there's no way they could have. I wonder if they gave them any trouble.'

She had already seen what happened to the first creature that had attempted to make them a meal. She had come across the Manticore two days ago after attempting to find her quarries trail. She could not find the exact location the creatures entered the forest, so she had to begin searching by just diving into the forest and seeing what she could find. She was rewarded when she came across the Manticores decomposing corpse. Its fur had fallen out in patches revealing sickly gray skin beneath. Maggots infested it within and without, crawling all over its body and wounds on its face and the top of its head where Luna could see the exposed brain of the beast which looked more like a reddish grey gruel now. She had to use a spell to shield her nose from the stench. It was the most gruesome site she had seen in a long time, but she didn't lose her stomach as she had seen far worse in her lifetime.

When she studied the creature with her magic she discovered that it had been poisoned with venom from its own tail. This peeked her interest, as Manticores never pierced themselves with their own stingers. This one had somehow hit itself full on in the head. Further observation of the area around it revealed a small metal cylinder. She levitated it closer, to look at it closer. It was made of smooth brass, blackened and empty on the inside. The back of it had a small circle in the center that had a small depressed dot in the middle. It had lettering she could not read, but she was able to make out the number .45, though she didn't know what that meant.

Though she could not conclude the purpose of the tiny object, Luna concluded that it had once been in the creatures possession and that they had somehow been able to kill the Manticore in that unorthodox manner of having it stab itself in the head. She marveled in their accomplishment for a time, somewhat impressed that they could manage such a thing.

Afterward she attempted to find a trail that would have been made by the bipeds. It took her some time, but she finally managed to find a trail that led away from the site. She followed the trail until she had found the cave. She could have gone faster, but she feared losing the only lead she currently had on finding the creatures.

Now that she had found there camp however, she simply had to wait for them to return. When they did, she would then escort them back to Canterlot, and tell her sister how simple it had been and...she did not see any fresh tracks. Luna observed the area around the camp again and found that the freshest trail was about a day and a half old. Luna groaned in frustration and slapped her hooves to her muzzle. 'These creatures broke camp last morning. Confound it!' Luna followed to freshest trail to see which direction it lead, finding it going off to the north which lead to...well she wasn't quite sure. 'Now that I think about it, Luna thought looking about the abandoned campsite I have no idea where I am. Luna unfurled her wings and with started to propel herself up towards the canopy of leaves above. 'Well nothing like a little orientation.'

She burst through the top of the trees, getting around 300 meters in the air before she leveled off and took stock of the terrain around her. The sun was hidden behind dark grey clouds that glided unchecked and untameable as they always did above the Everfree. The tops of the trees could be seen for miles in almost every direction. The only distinct features she could see was small mountain off in the distance that was considerable darker than the rest of the forest, and covered in a misty haze. Upon looking closer Luna realized that the mountain was actually a castle. The Old Castle of The Royal Pony Sisters.

As she looked at it, old memories resurfaced, and she felt shame and guilt as she remembered her fall. How her jealousy of her Sister that had ponies appreciate her and her day, yet ignored her night, had consumed her making her into Nightmare Moon. She shook away the memories, she did not have time to reflect on her mistakes. She had other more important matters.

Luna remembered which direction the tracks were headed, and looked to the north. She was elated to see that the town of Ponyville could be seen on the horizon. 'Excellent! If they are headed in that direction I can possibly get Twilight's help in finding these creatures. She pumped her wings and she started zooming towards the town causing the tress to sway and waver from the gale she created in her passing, disturbing the birds that lived there causing them to take to the skies. 'It would be a pleasure to see Applejack's brother again as well.' She completed he thought with a mischievous grin.

***

Six Days After Timber Wolf Attack

"When I come home... Yea I know I'm going to be I'm going to be that man who comes back home to you." Bosco sang along to the lyrics as his phone as he and his brothers continued their march through the forest. "And if I go... Yea I know I'm going to be I'm going to be that man who going over you." Jayson walked next to him and took the next part.

"But I would walk 500 miles, And I would walk 500 more, Just to be that man to walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door." And they all, aside from Daniel started singing the next part.

"Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Undela Undela Undela la la la, Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Undela Undela Undela la la la"

"Grawr aroo ra." Conan put in as he strode next to Bosco. He swore that the pup had already grown and inch.

"Oh don't be such a downer. I'm just trying to keep the old spirits up." Bosco said as the song went on without them.

"Well now that I think of about it, our situation is kinda of shitty right now." Jayson said.

"Yeah I mean with running out of food, dangerously low on water, and still no end in sight to our journey, I gotta agree." Daniel pointed out in a rather resentful tone. It was true, they had terrible fortune with the traps the past two days. They had only caught two squirrels. They only had one MRE left and they were probably going to have to use that tonight if they were unable to catch anything later.

"I'm telling ya, you should have killed that bear you found in that cave yesterday. Would have had enough to feed us for AT LEAST a week." Daniel said as they trekked along.

"You weren't there Daniel, you didn't see that bear." Jayson said.

"Well how big could it possibly have been?"

Flashback to Previous Night

Jayson and Bosco decided to do some hunting the old fashioned way, seeing as they had such terrible luck with the traps they had set up. Bosco followed behind Jayson who was searching for tracks of any kind. Conan had tagged along as well, although Bosco assumed it was just because he couldn't stand Evan. Whenever Evan came into too close a proximity to Conan, the pup would put Bosco in between the both of them, growling all the way. They were hoping for some bigger game, but they had yet to see any sign of a deer of bear.

When they were around a mile and a half from their camp sight, the stumbled upon another cave. Unlike their previous camp sight though this one went into the ground. The entrance was also enormous. You could easily fit a battleship into it. The ground slanted in a degree that descending into it would not be an issue. Bosco looked at his brother as Conan sniffed the air.

"What do you think?" Bosco asked.

"I think it's too big to NOT have anything living down there, and I'm hungry enough to check and see." As he made to step into the dark and pulled out his phone for the flashlight app, Conan growled at them.

"Grrrr raw ruff grrrr!"

Bosco just waved him off and prepped to go down. "Fine you can stay up here then."

"Arf arf rawr."

"OK, so if there IS something down there then?"

"Arf."

"Good! Lets go kill it and eat it." Bosco said and started descending. Conan growled and barked at them, staying where he was.

"What was he saying?" Jayson asked as he turned on the flashlight app for his phone. The light illuminated the area in front of them just enough for them to see in front of them for a few yards. There was a warm breeze that blew in as they entered, and it was oddly humid.

"He said that he smelt something down here, I stopped listening after that." Bosco said, trying to focus on what was in the darkness. He got in front of his brother, figuring that it would be better for him to take the lead at this point.

Jayson was focusing on another edge of the cave. He shook his head as they continued forward. "Only you would find an animal that only you could communicate with and then opt to ignor- uff!" He had failed to notice that his brother had stopped moving, staring ahead of him. Jayson glared at his brother in annoyance, "Why did you stop?"

Jayson then noticed the area around them was littered with bones. He shined his light on them and found most of them were snapped, crushed and unrecognizable. The sizes of these creature must have been gigantic though, as some of them were the size of the two of them put together. Jayson started to lose his cool. Whatever could have devoured what these bones used to belonged to no doubt could swallow them whole.

"Jayson, don't freak out, but do you see what I see?" Bosco said, his voice trembling slightly. This only furthered Jayson's sense of dread. His brother didn't spook easily. With frightful eyes he shown the light to where his brother was looking.

What he found was a fluffy white rabbit that waved at them with a bit of what they could swear was a smile on its face, its back to a light blue cave wall that had several white stalagmites aligned on it. Jayson's face scrunched up in confusion. He looked at his brothers face, and still held the tell tale signs of fear. He looked back at the rabbit, still smiling at them cheerily. Jayson needed some clarification at that point.

"Uhhhh, where am i looking?" He asked.

"There!" Bosco whispered in a hushed tone, pointing in the rabbits direction.

Jayson looked at the rabbit, them back to Bosco even more confused. "Where behind the rabbit?"

Bosco looked at his brother frustrated. "Yes behind the rabbit! Did you think I would get spooked by some little rodent?!" The rabbit now frowned and crossed its arms at them. "Here let me show you." Bosco then grabbed his brothers head in both hands and twisted his head to where he was looking and up. Jayson flashed his light at the wall again, but still didn't see anything differently.

That was until another breeze came through the cave. The breeze slowly turned into a gale and the blue wall started to open as. More air started rushing towards the opening. The cave rumbled and with it came the sound of what Bosco could only compare to as a giant snoring. The gale picked up enough the the rabbit before them was sucked into the opening and it went inside, squeaking in shock. After it flew inside, they heard coughing and a gigantic blue eye opened up. Jayson finally understood what he was looking at.

The stalagmites were actually this creatures teeth, and the breezes that they felt were it breathing. And they had just been staring at they things mouth this whole time. It was a Ursa.

The Ursa started choking on the rabbit that it had unwittingly breathed in, the whole cave shaking in its bout of temporary suffocation. It brought a paw to its throat and tapped it after its cough fit had finished. After wards it saw the two intruders in its home, and raised an eyebrow.

Bosco and Jayson both smiled nervously at it started back stepping the way that they came. Once they were couple of yards from the exit the Ursa let out a roar that sent out a powerful gale nearly knocking the two and there backs. They needed no further prompting to leave its home.

The Brothers turned around and sprinted out of the cave. The Ursa put on a smug smile as it put its head back down to rest, hearing one of the intruders screaming. "Run fat boy! Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuu-"

Back To The Present

Bosco brought himself back from the memory, and sighed in frustration. They had already tried explaining the size of the gigantic night bear to their brother but its seemed like it was to much for him to wrap his head around. "You know what, I've already tried explaining it to you, but that seems to be something you can't understand exists in this world."

"I don't care about this world." Daniel said. "I just care about living through this god damn forest and finding somebody who can help us return to OUR world."

"Yeah, that's what we're doing. Surviving the forest." Bosco said, continuing through a particular thick set of bushes that blocked his vision of what lay ahead.

"I don't see how we're going to survive if we starve to death. And bringing that mutt along isn't helping that issue." Daniel said pointing at Conan who just glared and growled back.

"We'll get through this Daniel." Evan said, placing a hand on his eldest brothers shoulder. "Our luck will turn around soon enough." Daniel just shrugged Evans hand off.

"Our luck has been nothing but rotten since we've run back into him." Daniel said nodding his head at Bosco.

Bosco stopped where he dead in his tracks. His grip tightened around the pistol grip of his rifle as he felt a flare of anger well up inside of him.

"What are you talking about Daniel?" Evan asked confusion riddling his expression.

"We got along fine without him in our lives for years. Then he somehow shows up again and we nearly get killed, get teleported to another dimension, and, oh yeah, nearly get killed again in some forest filled with mythological creatures. And when they don't kill us, we get to slowly starve to death." Daniel finished and Bosco turned around to face him, walking up to his face.

"Daniel, I know you're frustrated about the situation we're in. But I suggest you stop now before you say something you don't mean."

Daniel met Bosco's gaze as the two glared at each other with equal intensity. "Right now I mean every word."

Bosco grasped Daniel by the shirt with his free arm and lifted him up so that he was standing on his toes. Daniel didn't let up however and they kept up their staring contest. Jayson and Evan could only stare from the sidelines. They didn't know there was still this much pent up tension between the two, and they were too scared to intervene.

"Then how about you shut it before you say something you regret?" Bosco said, dropping his brother and shoving him back, and starting to continue along their path. Daniel stumbled and regained his footing. When he was finally upright he glared angrily at Bosco, his own tempers inflamed.

"You would know about having regrets wouldn't you."

Bosco froze. Outwardly he showed no change of his features, still wearing the scowl he faced Daniel with and his body tense. In his mind though, memories tried breaking down the doors of his consciousness. Memories that had been trying to keep buried for the past four years. His internal battle to keep these unwanted memories locked in there cells went on for half a minute, Bosco not moving from where he froze the whole time.

When Bosco finally did break out of it he just quietly said, "Yeah...I would." and continued to move forward.

Jayson and Evan relaxed as it seemed the situation was resolved for the moment, and followed along. Daniel continued glaring at the back of his brothers head as he followed along as well.

They didn't go very far before Conan started to sniff at the air. "Hrrr?"

"What's up pup?" Bosco asked, as he let himself cool off from his and Daniel's exchange.

"Grrrrr."

"OK, but what?"

"Aroo hrrr."

"Well that's helpful." Bosco said rolling his eyes.

"Ar ruff rawr."

"Well then point us at it. See if we can kill it." Bosco said. Conan then took the lead and lead them away from their current path.

"What is it now?" Jayson asked as they followed Conan's trail, the wolf pup sniffing the ground leading them along.

"He says he smells something, but he's not sure what it is." Bosco said leaping over the log that Conan had led them over. Jayson looked at him skeptically.

"You remember what we ran into last time he smelled something right?"

They came up to a small clearing where to sun actually shined a bit brighter than the rest of the forest. Several stones and rocks littered the area, vines crawling across some, appearing like weird green veins on the rocks.

"Yeah but I say if we wanna eat something other than the last bit of emergency rations we have, we can check it out." Bosco said as he came to the center of the clearing. Conan had stopped and was looking at a tree on the outskirts of the clearing that had a sizable hole at the bottom. Jayson and Evan were staring at some of the rocks in the clearing suspiciously. Something wasn't quite right about them.

Something stirred from the bottom of the tree, and Conan stared to growl and bare his teeth. Jayson had moved around the rock he was looking at to view it from a different angle. Bosco smirked and sighted at the tree hole.

"Well you were right pup, but what is it."

"Hrrrrr-" the pup had started to answer, but had stopped mid snarl.

"It's a what?" Bosco asked him.

"It's a Cockatrace." Jayson said from over from where he was. Bosco looked over at him, hoping he was joking. He saw the proof that Jayson was staring at himself. The rock he was looking at was actually in the form of a Pegasus pony, sitting back on its haunches in mid stream, a look of terror frozen onto its face. Bosco looked down to his side to see that Conan had been turned as well. His previously black coat now a grey to match the stone of the rest of the clearing. Now that Bosco took a closer look, all the stones in the clearing were some type of creature. Insects, chipmunks, and various other small animals were frozen in stone all around them. The creature under the tree jumped out of its lair to claim more victims.

"Close you're eyes!" Bosco yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and throwing and arm over them as well to make sure he didn't look into the creatures eyes.

"What is a Cockatrace?" Daniel asked shrugging his shoulders, ignoring his instructions.

"Its a creature that turns you to stone if it looks you in the eyes!" Jayson yelled from where he was. Evan was flat with his face against the ground on the other end of the clearing.

"What like Medusa? What a load of crap." Then heard footsteps as Daniel turned to face to creature.

"What are you doing?!" Jayson yelled out.

"Getting a better look at this thing." He replied.

"WHAT?!" All three of the other brothers yelled out. Before they could object he started speaking again. "So what its like some type of chicken lizard thing?"

They were perplexed that he gave an accurate description of the Cockatrace. "Daniel what are you doing?" Bosco asked.

"I'm looking at this Cockatrace thing," Daniel responded. "and its staring back at me...like hard. Kinda weird."

"You're not feeling any different at all?" Jayson asked skeptically.

"Should I be?" Daniel asked. "You know what, I don't care what this thing is anymore. Ima kill it, and we're gunna eat it." They then heard Daniel move forward, and a confused cluck came from they're foe. Bosco decided to finally look at what was happening.

He saw Daniel chasing the Cockatrace that was trying to flee back to it's tree hole. It wasn't quick enough however and Daniel leaped for it, catching it by its lizard legs. The Cockatace squawked in alarm and desperately flapped its wings in a desperate bid to escape. It proved useless as Daniel secured his grip on the chicken creature.

"Huh...so its stare doesn't work on us." Bosco said as Daniel dragged it over to the center of the clearing. Jayson and Evan uncovered their eyes and observed the evidence to support this statement as the Cockatrace frightfully looked at its captors, confused at how this being holding it wasn't becoming part of its statue collection.

"Well" Jayson said, "I nearly pissed myself for nothing."

"Yeah..." Bosco said.

Once they had all gathered around the captive Cockatrace as it stared at each of them in turn, attempting to get its ability to work on at least one of it captors.

"Why can't it turn us into stone?" Evan asked as he poked it in the eye, eliciting a pained squawk from it.

"I guess it's magic doesn't affect us." Bosco said as he drew his K Bar. "I'm not going to question it further than that. Not like we're really going to understand anyway."

"Yeah I guess so." Jayson responded.

"Quit you're blabbing, get to stabbing! I'm hungry" Daniel said as he continued to hold onto the struggling creature. As if to punctuate his statement, all of their stomachs gave a rumble.

Bosco knelt down and grabbed the Cockatrace's neck, gripping it tight enough that hit couldn't let out a squawk, cluck, or a bawk. He then brought his blade and pressed it against its neck and sliced its throat open, cutting so deep that when the cut was complete the only thing keeping the head on was a small layer of skin. With so little holding its head on Bosco ripped the head off. The headless body of the Cocktrace then thrashed about in Daniels grasp, so much so the both he and Bosco let go letting the headless body flop to the ground. There it continued to spasm uncontrollably as what life remaining in it drained away. As blood poured from its neck the spasms grew weaker and less frequent, finally ceasing altogether.

The quartet knelt down to look at the corpse. "Huh. Kinda like slaughtering a chicken back home." Jayson said.

"When did you slaughter a chicken?" Bosco asked skeptically.

"I didn't, but I've seen videos on YouTube." He replied.

"-rrrrr ar?" They looked over to where Conan had been petrified earlier and found that he had since overcome his sudden case of being stoned. He looked around confused until his eyes found the rest of the group.

"Yeah we kinda took care of it." Bosco said tossing the head over to Conan. "You can munch on that until we get the rest of this thing ready to eat."

Conan sniffed at the head before taking it in his maw, and then spitting it out. "Grrr, arr arr arrf!"

"Fuck chill out! I didn't know they tasted that bad on the outside." Bosco replied to the agitated pup.

"Holy hay seeds!" This came from a young raspy female voice behind them. 'Oh, right. Forgot about that.' Bosco thought, groaning internally.

They all now faced the mare that had been previously encased in stone. She had a spiky Maroon mane and tail, and her coat was a light shade of orange. Her light purple eyes were fixated on the group, her mouth agape with disbelief, like she couldn't believe her eyes. She was smaller than the rest of the Ponies they had encountered in the city, so Bosco assumed that she was younger. She didn't move, and just remained planted where she was as both parties just stared at one another. She was the first to break it.

She raised a hoof and waved at them, putting on a smile that was unmistakably forced. "H-hello...big, monkey...things..." They could tell she was trying to act brave, but the wavering of her voice betrayed her fear. Bosco understood though, they must have been a strange, if not, imposing sight to say the least. Each of them was filthy from their week in the forest, their clothes ripped and torn. The dried blood that still clung to them from their encounters from the forest inhabitants. That didn't stop Bosco from getting a little offended from being called a monkey.

Bosco stood up and started walking towards the the filly. "Hey, I ain't no fucking monkey!" Bosco said this with a bit more bite than he intended, causing the filly to shrink back some, and let out a small 'eep'.

"Christopher you're scaring her!" Evan said as he ran up to his elder brother, pulling him top a stop.

Looking back at the shaking filly, and then back at himself, he realized that he was still holding the K Bar which still dripped with the Cockatrace's blood. 'Yeah maybe I'm not the best candidate for the face of the people business' Bosco nodded at his brother and stepped back letting Evan talk to the young pony.

"Still hate monkeys" He grumbled under his breath as he stood behind Evan, sheathing his knife after wiping the blood on it off on his already ruined trousers.

"Sorry about that," Evan said, kneeling down to get on her level. "My brother gets kinda of intense." The filly continued to shake with fright, staring at the new strange creature before her. "What's your name?" He asked, trying to sound calm and friendly.

"Um, Sc-Scootaloo."

"Nice to meet you Scootaloo, My names Evan." He indicated himself. "an these are my brothers, Christopher, Daniel, and Jayson." he indicated each respectively before continuing. "So what are you doing out here by yourself Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo didn't answer immediately, instead fidgeting around ruffling her wings nervously. "I was, uh, out with my friends." She bit her lip, as if she wasn't sure if she should go further. "We kinda overheard the Princesses talking about hunting down some monsters in the forest in the library yesterday. So we decided, since I still haven't gotten my cutie mark yet, we could go crusading to see if I could get it in monster hunting.

"But then you ran into a Cockatrace?" Evan asked. Scootaloo nodded. "What happened after that?"

"I was the first to notice the statues, and after that I told the others to run back to Ponyville. Then...Th-then everything felt cold. It was dark. I was scared." Tears started to form in her eyes. "You're not gunna eat me are you mister?"

Before Evan could answer they heard a noise from deeper in the forest. It sounded like a constant wail of some kind. Bosco looked in the direction it was coming from. "What the hell is that?" He said. It sounded as though it were approaching rapidly.

"Huh" Jayson mused as the sound closed in on them. "It almost sounds like someone...yelling a battle cry?"

Bosco thought about that for moment. "...OH SHI-"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-" and then Bosco disappeared as a streak of rainbow light streaked through the froest, immpacting with him and disappearing yet again.

"...ohhhh that's not good." Jayson said with a groan.

"What the hell just happened?" Daniel asked, looking at where Bosco had just been and where the rainbow streak disappeared to.

"The Calvary has arrived...heh" As Jayson smirked from his own joke.

"You git away from Scootaloo ya varmint!" At that five new ponies came barreling through the brush. As Evan backed away from the now elated filly.

"Guys! You came back for me!"

"Of course we did." This came from the smaller white unicorn with a Light purple and pink mane that curled at then ends.

"Crusaders don't leave a pony behind!" This from the a smaller yellow earth pony with a light red mane that had a pink bow fixed to it. She and the white unicorn filly ran over to their friend, helping her up.

"OK, girls. Like we planned." This from the orange mare with a blonde tail and mane that was tied up in a ponytail. A stetson was also fixed atop of her head. She had a drawl that would make any Southerner proud.

"Right! I'm right behind you Applejack." This from the white unicorn with a curly purple mane and tail. It seemed to sparkle some as the light hit it. She frowned as a thought came to her. "Oh, but do try to keep from harming them too badly darling. The princesses do want to speak with them after all."

The one called Applejack nodded. "Don't mean we can't ruff um up nun for trying to take Scootaloo. Ready Pinkie?"

Next to Applejack, Pinkie was looking at her self, looking perplexed. "Oh, I know I know this one!" She had a frilly unkempt pink mane and tail that gave it a look resembling cotton candy, and her coat was a lighter shade of pink. "Dry eye's, itchy hooves..."

"Ahh Pinkie, what in tarnation are you on about?" Applejack asked.

"It's my Pinkie sense AJ." Pinkie said, starting to bounce in place. "It's trying to tell me something, but I can't place my itchy hoof on it."

"Is it trying to tell us we're in danger?" The White unicorn asked.

"Oh pffft don't be silly Rarity! It doesn't sense danger. I'm not Spider Mare." Pinkie replied smirking at Rarity. She then sat down and put a hoof to her chin in thought. "Still though, I know this."

"Well shoot, guess we can't depend on Pinkie." Applejack then put on a devious smile. "That's all right though. Ah reckon I can take two of um myself anyway." Both she and Rarity began advancing on the brothers, Rarity charging her horn and Applejack retrieving a lasso and began twirling it with her tail.

The now trio of brothers looked at the mares bearing down on them, they didn't look intimidating to Daniel, but Jayson and Evan knew better.

"Bring it on you sad excuses for hor-" Jayson put a hand on Daniels mouth to keep him from finishing his sentence.

"OK look," Jayson said as the mares drew closer. "I think we have some kind of misunderstanding here."

Suddenly there was a pink blur and Pinkie appeared between both groups. "THAT'S IT!" She shouted. "Misunderstanding!"

Everyone present looked amazed at the pink mare who to them practically materialized between them. "Ah, whats this now pinkie?" Applejack asked.

"That's what my Pinkie Sense was trying to tell me!" Pinkie said as she start bouncing around excitedly. "That somepony was going to have a misunderstanding. Hmm. I wonder if it's with these guys?" This she pondered as she titled her head at the trio continued to bounce in place. They could all swear that they heard a 'springing' sound every time she lifted from the ground.

Applejack and Rarity looked at each other before sighing at their eccentric friends antics. "Well ah suppose it wouldn't hurt nun tah hear what they got ta say." Applejack looked sternly at the trio that was now stood side by side in defensive postures ready to defend themselves. None of them actually knew martial arts, but better to not let them know that. "All right yall, what exactly were ya doing to Scootaloo?"

Jayson decided to step forward as lead negotiator. "You want the long or the short version?"

Applejack tapped a hoof and snorted. "Well ah am feeling a mighty bit impatient right now."

"Fine then, we were rescuing her." Jayson said flatly. "She was attacked by a Cockatrace and turned to stone. We...dealt with the Cockatrace and she turned back." The ponies waited for further elaboration. "You wanted the short version and thats it."

Rarity turned to look at Scootaloo, grouped with the other Crusaders. "Is this true darling? Were you attacked by a Cockatace?"

Scootaloo looked to her friends. "The heck? You guys didn't even tell them what happened?"

The unicorn filly answered rubbing the back of her head and grimacing. "Yeah, about that. We just told them that a monster attacked us and that it got you."

"Yeah, and ta be fair, all you said was to run. We didn't know what from. We thought you would be right behind us the whole time." The yellow earth pony filly put in.

Applejack continued to stare at the trio. "So if yall had no intentions of harming Scootaloo, what were you doing to her before?"

This time Evan answered. "She was scared, I was trying to calm her down."

"I wasn't scared!" Scootaloo cried out defensively. "I was just surprised is all." She mumbled.

Applejack locked eyes with Jayson, and Jayson stared right back at her. The tension that emanated between them could almost be measured with a Geiger counter. Eventually Applejack let out a sight. "All right, ah believe ya." The trio sighed in relief. "But what happened to the Cockatace?"

"It's right overrrrrr...here..." Jayson indicated to the spot on the forest floor where they had cut the chicken lizards throat only to find a small pool of blood as the only trace of it. "What the hell?! Where did it go?"

"Where's Conan?" Evan asked.

Daniel growled angrily. "Greeeat. Just great! That treacherous little bastard stole our meal."

"Meal?" Applejack asked, before shaking her head and deciding what happened the Cockatrace wasn't important. "Well regardless, the Princesses wanted yall brought in anyway. Ahm gunna have ta ask yall to come with us." She twirled her lasso again, "or we can drag yall back. Your choice.

"Take it easy, we're looking to get out of this forest anyway." Jayson said raising his hand hoping to show he would cooperate. "We were hoping to talk to your princesses anyway."

"Guys I think we're forgetting something." Evan pointed out.

"Oh you mean Rainbow Dash and your other friend?" Pinkie Pie supplied, cheery smile still on her face.

"Yeah, that."

"Hoo boy, I hope your friend doesn't give Dash too much trouble or she'll whoop him good." Applejack said with a chuckle.

"He's my brother, and I wouldn't count on your friend rolling over him. In fact, we may wanna go stop them." Jayson said nervously. "It could get very, very ugly."

Applejack and Rarity both chuckled. "Clearly you don't know RD pardner?"

Daniels expression darkened. "You don't know our brother."

***

'Shit, what fuck, fuck is going on?!' Bosco was currently flying through the forest at a speed that made the g-forces feel as though his lungs were going to spill out of his throat. All he could see was the rainbow trail that had decided to pick him up and take him for a ride. He could feel compression on his stomach as he was propelled along the path that this attack had for him. 'I don't like this ride! Operator! Make it stop!'

The ride did indeed end, with Bosco being slammed into a tree trunk. Pain erupted from his back and he curled his back as he fell about 3 meters. He was still in shock from the initial blow so he fell hard on his stomach, knocking the wind from him. He wheezed as he tried to regain his breath.

Command center to brain. Status report!

'This is brain. Reporting temporary loss of airflow to lungs, and overflow of pain to neural receptors near the spinal column.

'ETA until body is functional?'

'Airflow is being restored now!'

Bosco took a gasp of air, filling his lungs with precious oxygen.

'Good work brain. Now prepare us for battle'

Combat actions are ill advised. Malnourished and sleep deprivation will reduce combat effectiveness by %30. Injury to right shoulder further decreases combat effectiveness by a further %10. Suggest falling back and regrouping with family unit.

Bosco began to stand, shaking his head to clear his blurred vision.

'That thing has to be faster than us, how is that the better option brain?'

'That is the best course of action that could be calculated based from the data from initial confrontation.'

'Well then I'm getting more data. Lets go do some research. FOR SCIENCE!'

Bosco finally looked up to see a cyan colored Pegasus mare with a spiky rainbow mane and tail hovering in front of him a few meters in front of him. Her magenta eyes held a ferocity in them, like she had something she was willing to lay everything down for. She also had a cocky grin on her face.

"I'm surprised you could get back up after that." She sad in a raspy voice. She then frowned and touched her two back hooves on the ground taking a stance that looked very similar to a martial arts stance. She had to use her wings to stay balanced on her hind legs. "Guess I'll just have to try harder."

Still panting from the introduction to Mr. Tree Trunk, Bosco started taking his own combat stance. 'She looks like she might actually know what she's doing. Well, guess I'm not going to feel good for another week.' He grunted as his shoulder reminded him of his timber wolf wound. This would not be a fight he would be able to win easily. Something also told him that he should be able to recognize this mare, but for the life of him he couldn't figure it out at the moment.

Something started vibrating in his pocket. 'Fucking serious?' Bosco dropped his stance and held up a hand. "Hang on I gotta take this."

The rainbow mare momentarily dropped her stance as Bosco retrieved his phone from his pocket. "What?" He looked at the screen. "What are you doing over there creep?" Bosco ignored her, paying attention to the message his phone played. It said 'Now playing'. 'Huh, must have accidentally hit the play button. He put the phone back in his pocket and turned to face his foe again.

"Sorry bout that. Now where we-" The music started as blue hooves drove their way into Bosco's gut. He doubles over and another hoof finds its way to his side. The rainbow mare then follows up with a straight thrust to Bosco's face.

Bosco leaned his head to the side to dodge the blow. As the hoof was flying past his left side he brought up his right arm to defend his face and charged forward bringing his left up as he came. His fist connected to the mare's muzzle, causing her to grunt in pain. With a flap of her wings she gained some distance between the two of them.

Bosco took a proper stance again and prepared himself for another assault. The rainbow mare had an intense look in her eyes, like this were a challenge she wasn't going to back down from. 'That makes two of us.' Bosco decided to make the first move by taking her head on. He barely started moving before she took off in a rainbow trail that he could barely track. She zipped around behind him insanely fast, and he wasn't prepared for it.

She took advantage of getting around his guard and threw a hoof to the back of his head. If not for his Kevlar he would have been out like a light then and there. As he stumbled forwards she threw a leg underneath him, taking him off his feet. As he fell forward she once again with another hoof in his back driving him to the ground. Bosco was able to perform a correct break fall, regaining control of himself and immediate rolling away from the hoof that hit dirt where his head was less than a second before.

Bosco was able to throw a leg around and knock the rainbow mare off balance. She was unprepared for a follow up from her opponent, and Bosco was able to grab her other hoof as she fell. He used it as leverage to pull himself up and bring an elbow to her rib cage, which he retracted and followed up with a fist to the same area. After that she was able to break free from his grasp with a flap of her wings.

Bosco was back on his feet by the time the mare shrugged off his blows. He was feeling far more tired than he should have as he gasped for breath, his muscles burning from the strain. His right shoulder was feeling stiff as well. He knew that at this point he was running solely off of adrenaline and he would most likely pass out when the fight was over. 'I'm not going to let this gay pride parade pony beat me!'

Rainbow mare made to move against him again, but in the same manner as before. Bosco was better prepared this time and was able to blow the first strike that came at him from behind, turning to face the direction his foe was coming from and at the same time connecting his forearm with her forehoof, pushing the blow harmlessly aside. The second hoof came and he parried it in the same manner. She continued her assault in a flurry of hooves that he could barely track. Instinct took over as his arms guided themselves and his eyes focused on finding an opening.

She found one first, feinting left and hitting him in his right side. His defense was breached long enough for her to grab him and throw him into the air. As he rose into the air he saw her from below him. 'Oh dear.' She screamed as she brought both her hooves into his gut. He grunted and hacked up some extra saliva laced with blood as she once again sped around him and drove a leg into his back sending him back at the ground again.

Bosco tumbled across the ground until he hit his back against a tree. Pain permeated the area once again, but Bosco was able to recover and get to his feet. He was up in time to see a rainbow streak coming at him once again. He dodged to the left as she connected with the tree. At the same time he brought up a leg to block to follow up attack from her leg. The once again locked into a flurry of hooves and fists, occasionally throwing out a leg to try and off balance each other. Bosco was slowly starting to feel a pattern for her attacks, and he had a plan for when she made her next move.

They finally broke apart when rainbow mare flapped back to try to use her speed to get behind him again. Anticipating this, Bosco threw up his left arm and grasped her hoof as it came exactly where he predicted it would. He held his grip firm and brought his other arm up in time to grasp her other hoof. Now he had both her hooves in his grasp. 'Okay, now it comes down to who has the raw strength to outlast the other.

They stood there, rainbow mare glaring into her opponents eyes and Bosco glared into hers as the both tried to force each other into submission. They both sweat profusely, sweat dripping from their faces and moistening the dirt beneath them. Bosco arms cried to be done with the exertion. He could feel that even adrenaline wasn't going to keep him going much longer. His body was starting to quit on him as the energy he had left was quickly being burned up.

Finally, the rainbow mare started to give ground, being forced back. Bosco pressed his advantage forcing her hooves further apart so as to create and opening for his attack. The rainbow mare grunted and panic started to appear on her face as she realized she couldn't over power her opponent, and she couldn't break away.

After he had forced her almost all the way to her haunches, she was off balance enough for Bosco to attack. He let go of her left hoof and brought his right fist into her muzzle. While she was dazed he took his left arm and brought it to where he guessed her diaphragm was. She coughed as the wind was knock from her and Bosco took advantage, bringing a knee up to her jaw. She become airborne without her wings and Bosco finished, rounding a kick to her side. She saw it just in time and was able to soften the blow with by dropping a wing in the path of his leg.

The force of the blow still sent her tumbling off to the side, and when she landed she growled in pain. Bosco watched as she got up on all four hooves and looked to her wing. She held it aloft wincing if it touched her side. 'Well no more flight advantage for you.' "Graw shit!" The wound from his shoulder started to burn intensely. His own body was quitting on him. His vision was starting to blur, and he could barely stand or keep his arms up. He could also tell she was in about the same state he was in after his last attack. Whoever came on top after this next spar would be the only one left standing.

They both gazed at each other. Her eyes still held the intensity that they had at the start. Eyes that told him that she was not going to quit, no matter what. Though he felt hostility towards this rainbow mare for outright attacking him, he could respect that. He wasn't going to let that hold him back however.

They both charged each other in a last desperate attempt to best each other. They collided in a flurry of fists and hooves once again. Both were nearly spent however, and they made mistakes. Each was able to get in a hit, but unable to follow it up. They went back and forth, hitting each other tic for tac. Bosco made out every detail as they attacked each other. As his fist made contact with her muzzle, he saw the sweat dripping from his arms. When her hoof planted itself into his cheek, her could see every piece of her fur waving in the the breeze.

Both made a last ditch effort to finish the other, twirling around each others backs bringing there legs up for a kick each hoped to finish the other with. If anyone had been watching at the time, they would have thought it was a well choreographed dance routine. Both of them landed their kicks on the others faces, blood gushing from their respective noses. The rainbow mare had been fortunate enough to be knocked back into a tree. She was still knocked unconscious, but she was not sent over the cliff that was now behind them. Both had been so focused on their fight that they did not notice that they had traveled to perilously close to the cliff edge.

Bosco unfortunately had nothing to block him from being knocked over the edge. He began to lose consciousness as well as he fell towards the sound of rushing water.

'Vision...fading...muscles...non responsive...brain...status report?'

Click beeeeeeeep 'I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service. Have a nice day.'

'Well...Fuck'

Bosco heard the splash of him falling into the river, and felt the cold of the water seep into his torn, ragged, bloodstained clothes, and his vision faded to black.

The Evil We Bring

by bosco438

Prologue

Chapter One: Family Reunion

Chapter Two: I Don't Think We're in Iran Anymore

Chapter Three: This Camping Trip Sucks

Chapter Four : Bears, Cockatrices, and Chickens