//------------------------------// // Memories and cutie marks [Rewirte] // Story: Gears of War: Down, But Not Out // by Helljumper206 //------------------------------// Equestria, Castle of Friendship Ponyville Abigail POV 'Well, that was interesting' I thought as she sat on a bed with both of my weapons resting by her side. That was the first thing that went through my mind after finally getting some time to reflect on what had happened to me. This morning she went on another routine mission like any other she done. Then was fighting for my life with the grubs home turf only to get nearly killed by a Lightmass bomb nearly. But then at the last moment before being turned to dust, I'm in a new dimension, a place where there is little to no major conflicts in this places everyday life. Something that the I hadn't experienced in my life since before E-day when the Pendulum Wars had just come to an end. Plus I'm now transformed 'magically' I might add, into a local, and a mythical creature by her own people's standards. Also, that's the other thing, the 'pony' locals here also wield a new power they call 'magic'... 'If there were ever a time when I can say I've been 'over the rainbow,' this is it.' I then spent the last hour getting asked questions about basic and non-classified stuff to this 'Princess Twilight Sparkle.' I also sent a few back when she could. I didn't tell them any classified stuff, luckily she and the rest didn't ask me any of that. All they ask was a lot of basic fundamental questions that were about herself or common knowledge, so things went pretty smoothly for the most part. As for my own questions. Apparently, there's this strange 'magic' here Twilight found recently that allowed her and others to view other realities. Twilight explained that there was a parallel reality that mirrored the one their in now that she was trying to see into with having to go there. Only to look at she ended up looking at my reality instead. All of it confused me, but I had to keep an open mind of things. Where I was again and what happened to me today was a good reminder of such. Twilight explained that they saw me fight with some monsters in a cave as well as what I did with the dead Gears and falling into a lake of gold. They asked me why were they after me and why did I kill them. They asked a simple question, so I gave them a simple answer, 'War.' I told them about the locust and the war of extinction that they put on humanity. Also told them what Imulsion is. When I was done explaining the war, they all had different degrees of shock and horror looks on them. Pinkie and Rarity looked like they were about to cry. Fluttershy was crying and hiding behind her big pink tail. Twilight, Starlight, and Spike had various degrees of horror. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked like they were about to beat up someone. They asked why the Locust would do such a thing and why we didn't ask for peace and be friends? The ponies and dragon were all taken back when the Gear started laughing at the ridiculous notion before answering them. I told them that none of them wanted be with friends with beings that destroy homes and kill whole families without so much as a twitch of remorse, but with mad laughter and glee. That stopped any further questions on that topic. I saw how innocent they all were. Not one of them had seen death, or much or if any fatality. I decided to offer them with any other questions that weren't war-related or at the very least a better topic to talk about. Tensions and moods were then slightly softened for the change in conversion they all asked a few questions to her on varies things. Twilight wanted to know more about the COG and their form of government, pretty dull subject in which some of the others agreeing with me there. Fluttershy wanted to know what animals were like were. Saying that she was upset about what the swarm of Krell did to most of the animal populations in my world was the understatement of the decade. Even her friends looked taken back at the look of rage she exhibited. Applejack wasn't happy about the animals either and asked how do the COG get their food with the situation therein. An examination of dread slowly showed on her face when she heard of the lack of farms the COG had left, and everyone was on ration food to conserve what they had left and forced to endure. Rainbow Dash wanted to know about the Onyx guard and to hear if they were awesome or not. That got me giggling from that memory and told her about how they were the best of the best of the COG military and recounted a few operations she participated. Rainbow and Spike were as amazed as a couple of kids lessening to a bedtime story. Rarity wanted to know more about the armor she was currently wearing, particularly about the blue lights that came off it. Finally, all Pinkie Pie wanted to know was what is the Gears favorite food? Which were strawberries? When I'd said that the pink pony zoomed out of the door at hipper fast speeds that would make anyone's head spin, only to return the moment the door closed with of bowl of strawberry ice cream balanced on her back. Looking back at the others they all looked at their pink friend with a smile on their faces, in short, this must be normal for them, so I let it slide. Must be a form of magic she can do if that's the case. So instead to just focus on the ice cream that was placed in my ha-limbs, hooves whatever. I looked over at the lightish red dairy substance questionably for a moment before she decided to give it a benefit of a dough. A childish furthered my urge told me just to dunk her face into the bowl. I gave it gave an experimental lick. Everyone else it was just plain ice cream, to me it was as if sweetie goodness was bombarding her taste buds for I haven't had in 'sooo' many years. It had taken me a good two seconds of resistance before nose-dived into the stuff covering my nose in the process. I didn't care if my mouth froze over from creamy goodness. The way it swooshed around her tongue was like a dream to the soldier. I then became aware of the others around me were giggling at my eating habits. Except for the one called Rarity, she had a disapproving look on her face for the Gears table manners. After that little childish display I displayed, I asked if I could have a moment to myself. They all agreed to my request and gave a bedroom think about what to do now? That was an hour ago. Apparently, I ended up in a castle made of entirely out of crystal. I couldn't even think of how much it would cost to build something of this scope, along with the how the hell could they pull something like this off with hooves. Say what you want about these ponies, they must be master builders in a whole league by themselves compared to humanity. I had to relearn how to walk as well, took a few stumbles to the room the princess gave me, going from two legs to four is not a smooth transaction. In a way, it felt like I was crawling on my knees and elbows rather than walking on her feet and hands, the feeling was foreign at first but got the hang of it. The room the pony princess gave me was a pretty simple room with the appliances of a typical bedroom. A bed, desk, chair, a walk-in closet, a dresser and a nightstand with a small clock on top. There was also a window that positioned over the bed for someone to look out. I then went and sat on my new bunk, and looked outside for the first time in this new world. What I saw was something out of a picture book. In front of me was a country town, with several farms surrounding it. The town had dirt roads instead of pavement or asphalt. The building's themselves, made with wood with roofs of thatch. It wasn't uncommon to see those back in her world if you go out into the countryside. Not so much when you go into towns like the one I was seeing. The roads were in use by the locals going about their day. All with smiles on there faces without a care in the world. The sight to me was a rare commodity in the COG territories, with the threat of death right under your feet constantly. Never knowing when or where an emergence hole would open up and the Locust could come up and attack you. Seeing this sight is what they struggle to have once more. For every day we fought the enemies we have today, and what I see in front of me, the sight of this town is what they were struggling to achieve once more. My thoughts then went back to my squad that I left the mining town, they would most likely think I'm probably dead to them by now. There was also the thought of what to do next? No amount of training or combat could have prepared me for turning into a four-legged herbivore. That's another thing that's worth thinking over. 'Do they outlaw stake here? What about bacon?!?!' That thought horrified me. I then was thankfully saved when a knock on my bedroom door rescued me from that nightmarish image. "Come in," I called out. The door opened to reveal the light purple unicorn of Starlight. "Hey there." "Hey, coming to check up on me?" "Yea wanted to see how you are doing. Being forced into another world like this must be crazy for you." She said. Starlight walked over to the only chair in the room and dragged it towards my bed before leaping onto it. "How do you feel about all of this?" "What just happened?" I asked in a quick tone at Starlight. "What, what did what?" the mare asked, looking confused by the question posed. "That... How did you move that chair like that without even touching it?" "Oh, that's just simple levitation spell. You know magic." She said in a happy, informative tone. "That's what magic is? I imagined it to be more flashy than that." I was now feeling slightly disappointed. "That's foul's play compare to everything else I can do." Starlight said proudly. "I have a great talent for magic and couldn't imagine my life without it. My cutie mark even shows I'm good at magic." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and wondering if she lost a marble or two. "What the hell is a cutie mark?" "Oh, you humans must call them something else." She said before turning around and showing off her ass to me. There it showed two four-pointed stars overlapping each other in two different colors with a two-tone teal with a blue spiral pattern below it. "Everypony has them." "... Wow, how could I missed that?" 'How did I?' Scratching my head, I try looking remember the last two hours after seeing that all the other ponies. "Also no humans don't have cutie marks." But couldn't help but look at my rear end, do I have one of those? "... Well since your not a human anymore, wanna see if you have one? We just got get you out of that armor." Starlight said with interest like she was reading my thoughts on the matter. Wondering what beings from other realities marks could be in this new world. Another thought came to mind again before looking at Starlight with a raised eyebrow and a seductive smirk. "Wow, ant you the direct type. Presenting your rear to me one moment and then wanting to help undress me all in the same conversion after we just met today only hours ago? At last, ask me to dinner before asking to take me to bed, naughty girl." I said in a suggestive tone. My face probably went from light purple to dark red in no time flat. My ears folded back against my head and her eye went wide. The site of that made me laugh so loud it echo in the room. I just couldn't help it; it was too easy, I had to lay it on with my guest a little bit. I stopped laughing at the poor girl when it laughing started to hurt. "Sorry about that, hehe, you opened yourself up to that one and just couldn't resist opportunity you gave me. Haha. Anyway, you are going to have to help me with this a little." I said before getting off the bed to Starlight's side. "Since I lack hands and I can't use that fancy magic, you are going to have to undo the straps on the sides. Cuss I too would like to see what I'm packing underneath." Starlights POV I had never felt so humiliated like that before. I had never encountered a pony that would act in such a way. To lure me in such a position was just... I don't even know. I faint my cheeks heat up from the scenario that Abigail had just described to her, and it was just plain lewd to her. "So are you going just to stand there looking at the floor for the answer to life and the universe or are you going to help me with this?" Abigail's voice said aloud, breaking me out of my thoughts. Abigail told me of which straps and locks that too needed to unfastened first. First was a switch to turn off the glowing light on her chest plate. Followed by removing the arm guards and shoulder pads. Then finally I levitated off the chest piece and belt with a bunch of pockets filled with shining fragments of metal. All that remained was her onyx skin tight suit and the armored boots on her back legs. From the skin-tight outfit she wore, I could tell that her body was more built than mine. If Abigail didn't have her horn, she could be easily mistaken for earth pony like Applejack. With my magic, the boots and rubber under armor came off revealing the mare under it. With the last of the under suit off, I got a good look at the mare under the armor and wasn't disappointed in what I saw. I was right about her built. Abigail had the body that that was fit for an earth pony instead of a unicorn. Her sturdy barrel ran with those toned yet curvy flanks nicely, she could and would turn many stallions heads along with a few mares with just that body alone given a chance. I soon felt my cheeks heat up again as I take in more of the soldier in front of me. The peach cream coat was short and unkempt like she had washed it in a long time. Her red cherry blond tail and mane was a little bit longer than Rainbow's was but just as messy, and dirtier. It made me wonder hole long Abigail was fighting from since the last time she had a bath. My eyes then drifted down to Abigail's flanks were, to which threw me off a little at what it was. On the mare's cream coated fur was her cutie mark in life. An image of an old beat up, blue colored book with a heart and a steel shield protecting it on its the cover. "Wow.. didn't expect you have cutie mark like that," I commented as I gave it a look over. "I was expecting more like exotic and futuristic maybe. But who am I to judge on another's cutie mark. So are you into book's?" Abigail's face became one of loathing. Like she was taking a trip down memory lane. "I do... When I was a little kid, my mom would buy me a new book for me to read every month." A sad look crossed her eyes and a small smile formed. From what I was seeing and what I've read about reading ponies, it looked like she was thinking about memories from a long time ago. "I remember the hours my mom would spend time with me; together we read books and tell stories. I loved reading books, it was my love of books that got me ahead in school and got me to skip a few grades and be at the top of my class at the age young age of sixteen, but it wasn't good enough to get me a scholarship. My mother was saddened by this for we didn't have much money to pay for it, and student loans and would take a long time to accumulate and payback. Later our salvation came in the form of my uncle, my mothers youngest brother. At the time he was fighting another country but always kept in contact with the family. When he heard of my problems for school from her mother, he made a few calls to with some of his friends. A few weeks later we got the call from my grandfather that he and my uncle pulled some strings for me to get a scholarship through the COG military by accepting an 'open' invitation to the Onyx Guard Academy at Halvo Bay. There I would get the best education in the country. With it being open meant that they only needed my signature to accept. Mother didn't like the COG at the time much, but she supported me on my choice on whatever path I took. A few weeks later I was in the academy attending classes. I had just turned seventeen at the time, right at the early age requirements needed for military schools standards. Before I knew it, I was receiving top marks for classes in language studies, advanced mathematics along the morning training routine the average COG soldier got." I was paying close attention to Abigail's story. To hear her achievements at a young age and her family giver her so much support. Trying to find ways to help better herself not just educational wise, but to be a strong individual in general. "That was my life for seventeen months. Made friends with a few other students and the teachers. Was not at the top of the class but still made good scores on my tests and all of my family was proud of me And I wouldn't trade any of it. Not in till E-Day." She said. Making Me raise an eyebrow. "E Day? What's E day and why do you hate it?" I asked. To which I slowly began to regret it. Abigail's face took a sudden darker hue, one that kind of reminder of herself when she wanted revenge on Twilight and her friends. Only this look was one that wanted to kill. "Emergence Day. The day a new war started. With a new enemy to fight. It was from that day where everything would change humanity forever." Thinking back to what Abigail told her when all of us were asking a bunch of questions. The thought of the topic of the war she was in came up. "Are you talking about the Locust you told everyone?" I asked to which she nodded in confirmation as she just sits and stares at her cutie mark for a minute before I see tears in her eye corners. I put my hoof on her shoulder slowly pushed her out of any distressed memory's that might be haunting her. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked her. A look of worry crossing my face. "You just got quiet for a moment and sat there staring at your cutie mark for a minute before started crying." Abigail reached up to her face and found that she was indeed letting out a few tears. "Oh, sorry you had to see that," she said before wiping away the tears from her face. "I'm fine, just thinking about some people is all." "Would you like to talk about it? I'm a good listener, and you like you could use a friend." I offered with a warm smile. Abigail looked hesitant on the offer for a friend. 'For all I know from what she's told us she may not have that many.' But none the less Abigail smiled back, feeling a bit better at her offer before it disappeared as she looked up. Seeing her Looking up at the ceiling confused me a little but didn't comment on the matter. "Life sucks." My head reared back into the chair a little at the soldier's profanity. Wasn't expecting something vulgar that's for sure. I just stayed silent and let the mare continue. "Right before coming here I had a moment of clarity. 'The' moment, as they say, the kind where you would expect to have when your life flash before your eyes before you die. Now I'm in a place where everything I did before doesn't matter, and now I'll most likely be seen by others to look like a professional killer. From the looks of yours and everyone's faces from when I told you about the Locust I killed." Abigail explained sadly. "That might not be too far off." "I'm sorry that you come from such a dangerous place. I don't think I could begin to see how bad things must be over there." Being taken back a little from the sudden confession. "No...You couldn't" The soldier said to me. "What I told all of you was only the child's version of the war. The real reality of it is, a living nightmare of monsters." The Gear said with a hard eye to me. It had shocked her with that look. "All we know over there is war, Starlight Glimmer. Pray that you will never know such a thing. For in war, there is only you, the one fighting next to you, the one that wants you dead, and the dead that lay." The silence was all that came from the two unicorns. To hear Abigail talk about such things, it was the horrible reality of what war is to this mare in front of me. What she has gone through, it reminded me too much of the time spell that nearly caused the end all of all life in the world. "So what do you ponies do for fun around here?" Asked the soldier, breaking the silence. The quick change of topics was like a small breath of fresh air to me. "Well, there are a few things around here, but I don't think you'll find them very exciting." "Oh, stop tipping toeing it. What you got around here?" I looked at the soldier for a moment before thinking about all the things I knew about the town. "Well there's the bakery at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie works there, and she hosts a lot a lot of great parties there. They make the best baked goods in town too. I also know of a nightclub somewhere on the south side of town that's not too bad from what I'm told from Rainbow, but never been there myself. Also, there's the library here in the castle if you want to learn more about Equestria and how to use your magic." I explained. "I'm sorry that I won't be here to see it." "Why? Don't you live here?." Abby said confusedly. A small feeling of nervousness crept up my spine as the memory of her time in Our Town crept up. "The ponies from my old village sent me an invitation to help host the 'Sunset' festival, and I'm a little worried. I wasn't the best pony to be around back then." "Hey if they invited you to this then that means there at least trying to get your approval of this. Did you apologize for the things you did wrong?' She asked. "I did, and they accepted my apology, but I'm still unsure of myself," I said in a sad tone before brightening up a bit. "That's why I asked my friend Trixie to come with me for moral support." Abigail had smiled at that before the look of an idea popped up, what she said next threw me off a bit. "Would it be alright if I came too?" Abigail asked. " I haven't been to a festival in a long time, and that sounds like something that would make me feel a bit better being stuck here." Putting my hoof to my chin, I began to think about that for a moment before answering. "I don't have a problem coming with me but-" Before I could finish, she was interrupted by the bedroom door opening up to reveal her teacher, Twilight Sparkle. "Hey, girls how are you... two... doing?" She said before her eye's settled on the peach-colored Gear... "Whoa... Is that you, Abigail?" Twilight asked a small blush showing up on her cheeks. Abigail spoke first before I could get a word in. "Yep, it's me alright. How are you doing there princesses? Starlight here was telling me things about what things to do around and invited me with to go with her to that festival of hers'." Not caring about the looks Twilight was giving her. Twilight gave the pair a smile that seemed a little forced by Abigail's angle but decided to ignore it. "Really? Oh, but I was hoping that you could stay and answer more questions about your world. There is so much more than we ponies could learn from you and your technology. Just from your armor alone could tell us much!" Her mentor pleaded. Abigail didn't look moved to my teacher's plea. "I think I may be doing you ponies a favor by not telling you. Like I told Starlight here, all my people know is war. Everything I have with me is for war, Princess. Do you want your ponies to be in the position of that knowledge?" Twilight was taken back at the soldier's statement. Before she could reply, Abigail presses further. "And don't me crap about "ponies will never do such a thing." Bullshit, it only takes one." She then walked over to Twilight, where I actually saw a size between the two. Where Twilight beat me by just a few inches, Abigail beat the princess in the same way. "It only takes one individual to start something. To misuse the power that they have gained something at the expense of the others. Soon more will learn of this, and they too will do so. Can you tell me with absolute certainty that there won't be a pony would misuse the knowledge I have." She concluded as they were now nose to nose with her mentor. To which she looked very much intimidated by that the tall soldier. Abigail's hard face soften for the princess, "I'm sorry if you feel denied by this, but you must know that I have lived a very hard by your standards and the things I know could very well haunt you. From the view from that window there," She pointed to the one at her bed. "You don't need it, and I will not be the cause of such." She took a step back before settling down on her haunches. "Now was there something else I can help you with, or is there something that you need to tell us?" She finished. Twilight took a few seconds before replying, "Y-yes, I just came up here to tell you that we haven't heard back from princes Celesta yet which is odd because she usually replies to my messages fairly quickly. But I'm pretty sure she is just busy right now." Twilight explained. "In the meantime feel free to use this bedroom as long as you need it. I don't know how long it would take me to get you back to your reality, so your welcome to use this room here for your stay.." "Thanks, that solves one small problem for me," Abigail said, thankful for Twilight to do so before she continued. "Well since you two are going to be gone for the next week, I'll look into the spell I used to view other realities, by the time you two get back I should have something for you. Don't you worry about a thing, we'll work on how to send you back to your world one way or another sergeant." Abigail gave her nod of approval and well as my own approval. Twilight also got a look at Abigail's cutie mark and was surprised by it too seeing a book on it. "So your destiny is something relating to books, but you are a soldier as well?" "Wait, destiny? What are you talking about? "Abigail looked at Twilight like she was crazy. I then stepped in to explain. "Twilight, I don't think she knows what cutie marks do. So she doesn't know what they mean or what they are. Like the Diamond Dogs and griffins." I explained to my teacher before looking over to Abigail. "Cutie marks are symbols that adorn a pony's flank once they discover their special talents in life. Young fillies and colts don't have them till they pop up later in life. Usually, they get their cutie marks when they do something that represents who they are. Most figure out what they are good at before they are old enough to finish school." I explained to the soldier. Twilight then added her own to the conversion. "A cutie mark is a representation of pony's talent. I know three young fillies that tried for years to find theirs practically doing anything to get theirs only to get them in something they did something that they never would have expected." Twilight giggled at the memories of CMC attempts before receiving them, before her attention was back on the Gear. Abigail looked once again in thought before answering. "Before I became a soldier... I loved reading books. I still love reading books. Even with the war going on I always found a little time to read a few pages for comfort." Abigail explained to us. "My family exposed me to books at a very young age... They would get me a new book every month of the year to read. Some of the animals in the world, a few funny romance storybooks, even a couple books about brave knights fighting giant monsters." Her eyes looking up at the ceiling in above of them. a smile crossed her face "I used to have a whole bookshelf in my old home before the 'Hammer Strikes' happen-..." Abigail stopped herself from going further into the past. Her smile quickly disappearing "-and I don't know why I'm even telling you guys this. It doesn't matter now. The past is the past," Abigail said, her voice going firm before she looked over at the ponies. "Anyway, Starlight what time were you leaving to go to this festival of yours?" The change in the topic again was starting to make me worry. There were things that Abigail wasn't telling us, and coming from her background I'm not sure I want to know. It was starting to like an awful story to me from the way the Gear stopped herself from going further. A list of questions was going being written down in to try asking her later when she feels we can be more trustworthy. Like what are these 'Hammer Strikes'? What happened to her home? I thought they were about to cross into a dangerous zone. One that I felt that the Gear didn't want them to know or to the least not yet. "We um, leave in the morning, right after breakfast!" I said quickly. Not wanting to get on Abigail's wrong side "I'll even introduce you to Trixie when we leave. She is my best friend in Ponyville, and we'll be accompanying us on the trip." 'I just hope nothing bad happens on this trip as is.' A quick knock on the door grabs everyone's attention. The young male voice of Spike the dragon came through the door. 'Knock' 'Knock' "Hey guys! Are you all in there? Dinners ready!" A look at the clock on the nightstand showed it was six thirty in the afternoon. "Wow, time fly's," I said. "We hear you Spike we'll be down in a moment. You can leave your armor and stuff here in your room." I explained. Twilight looked at Abigail for a sec then smiled at the gear. "Come down when you are ready to eat Abigail. Spike makes the best vegetable soup around." Abigail's stomach growled at the thought of food. Which in turn made me and Twilight giggle as Abigail blush at the mention of food. "I'll be sure to have a hot bowl ready for you when you come down." She finished before Twilight exited the room me following behind. Abigail POV I looked at the pile of gear that she had just taken off and wondered if I should just put back on her armor and weapons, but couldn't cause I haven't learned how to use my magic yet. I cussed for the lack of hands in her current body. Looking down at herself. She was naked. All of her armor was off and laid on the floor. Her Lancer and snub pistol were laid out on the desk next to her onyx helmet. Her armor plates were scattered between the bed and the floor in pieces. A small draft blew in from outside came through the window made me shiver. I had rarely been out of my armor. Its been every little part of me as if it was an extra layer of skin. Only when I had to clean myself, clean it or replace a part was when I had it off. Hells I even slept in it most of the time. And I almost never went anywhere without some sort of weapon. Hell, Gears would take their guns with them when they went to when taking a dump. Most Gears I knew had there Lancers with them when they slept. Never know when a Locust attack would happen. Looking at the weapons than the armor before looking out the bedroom window. I had a good view of the sun that was slowly going towards the horizon. I'd given it another haft hour before it sets but it gave off enough light to shine across the town she viewed. "This ant a bad looking place," I said to no one. It was nice looking town to the Gars eyes. It really was larger than the mining town she was in earlier. Mt eye's followed the roads leading out of town to where the farms were before they led off into the distance. All along the road I saw, more ponies of all colors of the spectrum walked along doing their business where ever that may be. No signs of battle touched this place, and the town looked to be growing still from the sight of homes being built on the other side of the river that ran at the edge of town. I also noticed something else that didn't the first time I looked out. All the houses weren't made of crystals like the castle was, why is that? 'How odd" she thought. Before giving the town another once over. "There's no war here.." I silently said. My voice sounded sad yet relieved at that notion. What would I do if I am stuck here? War was the only line of work I knew. I spent haft of my life in war. Battling grubs was all I did. If there was a chance, if I couldn't return and was stuck here for life, then what's here for me? Before I could continue with my thoughts, my stomach reminded me once more of the offer of food I received minutes ago. Taking one last look at my things I pushed the armor to the side of the bed then lifted up the mattress. I then laid all three of my weapons next to each other before putting the top mattress over the top. With my guns hidden I made for the door and left to see what pony food is like. "One thing at a time, Abby. First food then...We'll see what is next." Abigail declared to herself before leaving the room.