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// Chapter 2 Afraid of snakes? 
// Story: PMC's, War Economies, and Fillies? I didn't sign up for this! 
// by Bronycommander 
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Chapter 2: Afraid of Snakes?


I’m disconnected from the System. Disconnected! This is not good!

I threw my weapons away, as they were useless as long as I was disconnected from the System.

“Is he… Is he dead?” Noi asked in shock.

“I’m afraid yes. We need to move, there are others who want to hurt you.” I gave a light smile.

“Y-yeah, we should.” Noi was scared, realizing that she was in a warzone.

“Don’t worry, you will be safe with me.”

She gave me a weak smile as we moved out.

Apart from the sounds of battle in the distance, it was quiet.

Despite this, the buildings were intact. We walked and I broke the silence.

“So Noi, why don't you tell me more about yourself?” She smiled.

“I was born in a town called Ponyville. I have a big sister named Golden Harvest but I call her Carrot Top. She is a friend of the Mailpony Derpy Hooves and has a colt friend named Written Script. My real parents died in an accident when I was still a baby. Sometimes, I see them as parents.

Ponyville is in Equestria, ruled by Princess Celestia and Luna. They raise and lower the sun and moon. Equestria is a peaceful world, war belongs to the past, the last one was 1000 years ago.

I’m an earth pony. There are also unicorns and Pegasus ponies. The princesses are Alicorns. Unicorns can use magic, and Pegasus walk on clouds, fly and control the weather.

But all ponies have a passive magic that allows grab and hold things with their hooves and understand other languages like yours. You’re a human, right? I learned about humans in school.”

I nodded and she continued. “Before the princesses, ponies lived separated from each other but to survive, they had to work together and founded Equestria.

A PMC maintained order back then as far as I know. I got here because Script got a cold. As I made him some soup, he had to sneeze, a spell came from his horn, hit me and... I woke up in that box.” Her ears were lowered.

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Oh, almost forgot, ponies have special talents, represented by their Cutie Mark on their flank. I still don’t have it but I don’t care. Dreamed once I had a pillow as Cutie Mark, another time a Magnifying glass and once a Chocolate muffin. What about you?” 

“Well, I was born 1997 in London, a city in the United Kingdom. My father was also a member of a PMC called Diamond Dogs. This PMC got dissolved in 1995 and he became a member of its successor, Outer Heaven. After that was also dissolved, my father became a member of the Next-Generation Special Forces, also known as the Genome Army and Genome Soldiers. He died 2005 in an insurrection known as the Shadow Moses Incident.

I joined it to keep his honor alive.” Like I told you before, I told her what the system was. Also, I told her where she was, which year it was and such.

“So, you had that breakdown because this System couldn’t keep the emotions you had when you saw me under control?” She tried to understand it.

“Yes. As it prevents other from using my guns, I can’t use them either as I’m disconnected from it, that’s why I threw them away. I hope we don’t encounter any of the militia because we are defenseless.”

“I hope so too.” She replied with a scared voice. I heard that the militia took prisoners, only to kill them afterwards.

As we moved along the sandy, dusty road, I saw a dead militiaman lying against a house wall, an AK-102 next to him.

Noi looked away. I couldn’t blame her. I walked to the body. “What are you doing?” Noi asked confused.

She understood as I got my knife out to check if the AK was booby-trapped. Luckily it wasn’t.

Picking it up and checking it, the mag was fully loaded. I cocked it and also checked the body for ammo and rations. 5 mags and 4 rations. Enough for Noi and me.

While the AK-102 was outdated for the SOP, it’s still effective in the right hands and gold for me. Hope it doesn’t jam but luckily it’s only the ammo not the weapon itself.

“Move! Form up!” a voice ordered. The Militia!

“Noi, get in. We need to hide!” I kicked the door open and scanning the room, she got in after I gave her a sign that it was clear.

We both leaned against the wall as the militia ran by. Noi breathed scared.

After some minutes they passed. That were about 20-30 men.

As I patted her to calm her down, I heard footsteps. A militia men was about to enter the house.

Oh crap! I saw an empty cartridge sleeve on the ground, picked it up and threw it to lure him away.

“What was that?” He turned away after I saw a colorless Exclamation mark, then a colorless Question mark above his head.

Noi trembled but let out a relieved sigh as he walked away.

Unfortunately, Noi tripped and he came back as he heard it.

Before I could do anything, I was spotted by the militiaman, confirmed by a red Exclamation mark.

“It’s the enemy!”

I lunged at him to knock him out. I didn’t want to kill him or anybody in front of Noi to protect her innocence.

However, his comrades were already on alert and prepared their guns.

“PMC in that building! I want him alive!”

Jeez, me against the Middle East. But at least they won’t try to kill me. For now.

I got to cover behind the window as bullets destroyed it. Noi cowered by my side, hoofs over her ears, and eyes closed.

I was shaking, as the System no longer suppressed my fear but I had experience in controlling it and better training then them.

I fired blind to avoid exposing myself and getting hurt; fighting against god knows how many militiamen.

As I had to reload, I heard a sound. “W-was that a c-cow?” Noi couldn’t believe her ears.

I smiled. Gekko. Once they arrived, they unleashed chaos on the enemy. We retreated usually to ensure we didn't get caught in the crossfire.

Using a glass pane as mirror, I saw the confused militiamen looking around saying, “What?”

“Huh?” while the mow sound could be heard as echo in the distance.

Then the ground shook as something slammed into the ground.

“Gekko! Run for your lives!” I saw that it was only one Gekko but it was enough to cause them to run.

The Gekko looked into my direction and waved it’s whip or manipulator arm, or whatever you could call it, to show that the area was clear from the enemy.

I patted Noi, causing her to flinch. “Shh, it’s over.”

“I thought I would die! It’s too much!” she cried.

“A…friend saved us.” I got out with her.

“Mow?” the Gekko looked at Noi curiously.

“W-what is that?” she asked scared.

“A Gekko. A large unmanned autonomous fighting vehicle. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.” The Gekko wouldn’t harm her at all, as it is programmed to never harm a civilian. If the Al is able to see her as civilian.

The Gekko used his manipulator arm to examine her by picking the foal gently up. Noi laughed. “That tickles!”

Then he sat her gently down and prepared to move on.

Before that however, he was about to… oh no… It wouldn't...

The Gekko… released… his lactic acid right above Noi before jumping away.

“Eww! It peed on me!” Noi was covered in the yellow-green liquid.

“Don’t worry, let me wash it off.” Somehow.

Then I remembered something. The building where we hid was ,apart from the destroyed window, intact.

Must been built before this war started. I thought as everything was not damaged at all. But apart from a bed, there were no pictures or furniture.

The bathroom had a shower and bathtub. The water pipes were still working.

After the bathtub was filled with warm water, I took my gloves off and rolled up my sleeves.

Gently placing Noi in the bathtub, I cleaned her as well as I could.

“Thanks. Why did the Gekko did that?”

“Well, while the Gekko is mechanical, it’s legs are biological, save for the claws. Bio-mechanical to be exactly. As they are made of living muscle tissue, the legs produce lactic acid which builds up with muscle activity. This acid has to be expelled periodically, which the Gekko did, unfortunately on you.” I explained to her.

She yawned. Looking out, it was evening, a beautiful sunset ruled the sky.

“Let’s have dinner, then we sleep, okay?”

“Okay, Edward.” Noi was tired.

I took one Ration, Noi the other. She enjoyed it. Wasn’t surprising for me, as the rations had all the calories needed for the day, as well as a variety of menu choices for everyone’s taste. Very delicious.

I saw a teddy bear lying on the bed in the bedroom that save for the bed, never was built. As all teddy bears, she had a happy smile saying thank you as I gave him to Noi who smiled.

“Goodnight.” She fell asleep.

She looked like an angel.

I switched the safety on, not that a shot would go off and hurt or kill Noi.

It was way more comfortable without helmet and googles, so I took them off before falling asleep myself, the foal curled up next to me.



I woke up in darkness, but saw a light in the distance.

So I got up and walked towards it.

It blinded my eyes for a few seconds then my vision became clear and I was in the middle of a burning city.

What happened here? Suddenly I saw something in the sky.

I couldn’t see what it was but it landed at the suburban.

Taking a closer look, I spotted a small pony in a latex suit with Kevlar vest and flank protection. It was covered in blood if I saw correctly, the helmet was black. Or more grey-green, I couldn’t see it directly in this darkness.

The suit and two wings that detached from it and a rifle was lying next to her. A WA2000 If I’m correct.

It had her back turned.

“Sad…so sad…I miss them so much.” The voice was female but distorted from the helmet. “Snake! You will pay for bring me into this!” That was rage. “I will enjoy seeing you suffer!” the pony laughed then it became scared. “B-but what will my friends and family think of me?”

“Who are you?” I asked, the pony jumped into the air and turned around.

“You! Stay away, I don’t want to hurt you!” It yelled in a scared voice.

“Should I know you?”

The pony laughed insane. “No, but I know you.”

“Who are you!?”

“I’m Broken Pony!” It charged at me and punched me in my chest with great kinetic energy I never seen before. It was enough to throw me to the ground and I could swear, it was shocking too like she had a build-in Taser.

I spit out some blood and got up. Again, she charged at me but I sidestepped and used all my strength in a single punch, managing to destroy the visor.

Broken pony turned in my direction. Behind the visor… was Noi!

“Noi?” I walked a few steps back in shock.

“E-Edward? I’m so sorry!” She hugged me tight, crying.

“Shh, everything is doing to be alright.”

“Edward, I apologize for this!”and with that she impaled me with her tail.



I gasped and woke up panting and cold sweat. Noi was also awaked, trembling, hugging the teddy bear tightly. “I had a nightmare!” she buried her head into my chest.

“Shh…” I rocked her and she fell asleep again.



In the morning, I awoke with Noi sleeping peacefully, hugging the teddy bear in her sleep.

I gently got up, letting her sleep and breakfasted.

As I was done, Noi woke up with a cute yawn. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

“Morning, Edward.” She eat her ration too while I put my balaclava, helmet and googles back on.

We moved out, I put the teddy bear in my backpack. I could see it in Noi’s eyes that she was scared by the sounds and screams but she felt safe with me.

Now we were moving through Red Zone of I remember correctly.

We moved past 3 statues on a podium and I could swear the statue on the left looked a little bit out of place.

But we didn’t care. Suddenly, someone said “Freeze!” and I heard Noi gasp.

Before I could turn around, somebody grabbed me and threw me to the ground. “Don’t move!” my attacker shouted and I placed my hands on my head. I trembled, Noi had her hoofs up in surrender and trembling too. How can she keep her balance?

Our attacker was an old man with a bandana, grey hair and blue grey eyes. He wore a dark blue suit I believe. I judged his age was 40 but he could be older and was armed with an AK-102.

Doesn’t look like he belongs to the militia or our PMC forces.

He checked Noi who was scared to death, then turned back to me. “Where's Liquid??!!” He asked.

“At our base camp, Millennium Park. He monitors this operation as far as I know.” I only submitted to save Noi’s life, fearing that he would kill her if I would not cooperate.

“But you have to travel through Downtown to get there and that area is where the hardest battles are fought and snipers watch the streets.”

“No problem for me. Shouldn’t you use an Mk.17?”

“I had to throw it away, as I got disconnected from the System.”

“Disconnected? That’s impossible!”

“That’s what I thought too but it happened when I found her.”

“Found her? Tell me, what happened and where you’re heading?” He sounded surprised, curious and he lowered his weapon.

I got slowly up and explained everything to him which Noi confirmed.

“How old are you?” He asked.

“17. Please don’t hurt her.” I begged.

“Not my style. But it’s impressive how far you got for your age without the System. Pretty good.” He gave my weapon back and left.

That man looked similar to the commander of my father, Big Boss I think was his name.

“Who was that?” Noi asked, relieved that it was over.

“I don’t know but we should move.”

Helping her down a damaged building, I checked the street and gave her a sign by making a fist with my left hand, then giving a thumb up to show it was clear as we PMCs did.

While the area was clear, I saw and heard how the rebels kicked my comrade’s asses in the street. If they can beat us in one thing, it is numbers.

Suddenly there was a whistle. “Watch out!” I grabbed Noi and dived to the ground to avoid getting hit by an explosion but still got shell shocked by it. The last thing I saw, where some men in Militia uniforms. “Get them to the safe house!”



I woke up restrained. Looking around, I was sitting against a wall, Noi also restrained next to me.

“E-Edward, I’m s-scared! I don’t wanna die!” she exclaimed, tears running down her eyes. We were in the militia safe house, it rumbled from artillery I suppose.

It was very dark in here, only a Light bulb provided light. Two dead PMC were lying on the ground, recently deceased.

I need a miracle to get out of here alive. While the rebels were called terrorists, they really weren’t terrorists. They would spare Noi, I’m convinced of that. She’s still a child. And if I’m wrong, I pray to god that it will be quick and painless.