//------------------------------// // Chapter 37: Before the Speakers Go Boom // Story: Devil's Due // by All American //------------------------------// Author’s note: Been playing Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and I must say that it is fucking awesome. Might do a CB story crossover with it. Don’t really know. Also Tech-pri3st helped come with his OC’s dialog. - Celestia left the tent along with Shining for whatever reason, leaving me with Dash and Alex. The wind howled outside of the tent as snow fell with feverish intensity. Dash sat next to me as Alex was going through his belongings on the opposite side of the tent. I got to my feet and hoisted my rifle to my side before walking over to Alex. I looked over his small pile of belongings. There were a few packs of cigarettes, a few loose rifle rounds, a black military knife, and a photo of him and his mother. I looked over Alex as he shifted his cig over to the corner of his mouth and carefully picked up the photo. Alex didn’t say a word as he looked over the photo but it was obvious that he was hurting. I placed my free hand on his shoulder and looked down at him. He kept his eyes locked on the picture for a good long while before he folded it and stuffed it into his pocket. “I’ll deal with that later.” He said in a grumbly voice. “There something I could do?” I asked as Dash started to fly over and stopped halfway. “No. All you can do is give me some time to think my shit over.” Alex replied. I removed my hand from his shoulder and turned to Dash. I motioned with my head to the side for us to leave. She nodded at me as we walked out of the tent. I stepped outside and was met with a gust of wind and snow. I trudged to the side of the tent and leaned against a support pole in it. Dash flew out of the tent and pulled a corkscrew before flying in front of me. She dropped down to the ground and trudged through snow towards me. I pressed my head against the pole and closed my eyes for a moment. I placed my free hand over my face and let out an annoyed sigh. “You ok?” Dash asked in a worried tone. Without moving, I said “I am in a strange world with no other humans, was forced into a bodyguard job as well as being thrusted into a General position, my best friend of whom I thought was dead showed up out of the blue, and I now have the griffons breathing down my neck.” I removed my hand from my face and looked down at Dash “What do you think?” “I think you’re being dramatic.” She said before hitting me in the shin. “Thanks for your support.” I said as I lifted my rifle in front of me and turned towards the tent’s entrance. Alex stepped out and looked into the distance for a moment. I just watched him for a moment as did Dash. Alex seemed to sense this and looked over at me. “Do I amuse you or something?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “In a way.” I replied as I adjusted the rifle in front of me. Alex moved his eyes from mine to the rifle as he looked over it. “Nice piece. Where’d you get it?” “I stole it.” I replied. He just nodded at me as he moved his eyes from the muzzle down towards the scope. His eyes came to a sudden stop over the feather that blew in the wind from the rifle. It looked as if his mind came to a screeching halt all at once. His eyes narrowed for a moment as he stared at the feather before looking over to Dash. “Wait…” He said as he looked over to her. Alex looked at the bullet necklace that Dash still wore. Alex snapped his head back and forth between the necklace and the feather a few times in quick succession before placing his hands over his eyes. “Ewww…. aww man, that’s just…” He mumbled before his voice grew in intensity. “Is something wrong with him?” Dash asked before Alex took a step forward. “Are you… no… EWWW! That’s just wrong man!” Alex exclaimed. Dash took a step back as I let out a hearty laugh. “OH MY GOD MAN!” He snapped “It’s like a shaved bear fucking a squeaky toy!” His eyes widened for a second “Bad thoughts!” He yelled as he placed his hands over the sides of his head “Something not related! Nuns! Yeah, nuns.” He said as he hummed to tune out his own thoughts. Alex was quiet for a second before his eyes shot open again. “OH GOD! Now they’re joining in!” I ran over to Alex and used my free hand to smack him as hard as I could. His head jerked back and he stayed like that for a moment before he looked back to me. “You ok now?” I asked as I patted the side of his face. “You are doin’… that?” Alex said as he pointed to Dash. “HEY!” Dash exclaimed as she flew over to us at shoulder height “I’m not a ‘that’!” Alex looked at her for a moment before looking at me. “You can’t be serious.” He said without a hint of sarcasm. “One hundred percent.” I replied. Alex just gave me a blank stare before holding his hands up and spinning around. He took a few steps forward before coming to a stop. “Somehow I expected this from you.” Alex said as he stood there with his back to me and Dash “Now I expect the pitter-patter of children uglier than sin.” “I resent that!” I said as I looked over to Dash. She just let out a giggle and shrugged her shoulders at me. It was nice to know that I had no back up in this fight. I placed my rifle’s barrel against my shoulder and took a few steps back from Alex and Dash. “Did I strike a nerve there?” Alex asked with a laugh. I shuddered for a second at the thought of little centaurs running around. “I believe I did.” He said before pointing at me “Ha, bitch.” “Suck a dick.” I said as I turned around from the two and walked towards my H2. I walked for a minute before Alex and Dash came on both sides of me. Alex stepped in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders to stop me. Dash pushed him aside and gave me a quick kiss in an obvious attempt to warm me up. “Quit being a drama queen.” Dash said as she nuzzled my neck. I think a melted a bit or I was just getting soft at this point. I placed my hand on the side of Dash’s head gingerly. “Ok, this is still fucked up man.” Alex commented. “Shut up or I will break you.” I said as I shot him a look while I ran my hand through Dash’s mane. Dash seemed to be in her own little world, reveling in my touch. I retracted my hand and stuffed it into my pocket. She shot back into the real world and seemed almost saddened by it. The wind blew the brim of my hat back and the tails of my coat as I looked towards home. I turned my gaze back to Alex and tried to think of where he could stay for the time being. I figured that he could stay in the recruits’ tent for the time being. “Alex,” I said as I looked towards the recruits’ tent “You can stay there for the time being. I’ll give you your gear back in the A.M.” “Wilco, General.” He replied. “Stop calling me that.” I said. “Ok, Twelve-Gauge.” “Now you’re just testing me.” I said as I motioned for Dash to follow me. Alex walked off to the tent as Dash and I walked back towards the house. “That went better than I thought it would.” Dash said as she flew next to me. “I agree.” I said with a sigh “I just wasn’t expecting that.” “You can say that again.” “I just wasn’t expecting that.” Dash shot a look at me and hit me in my shoulder. I laughed as I stepped up towards the house and walked up to the door. Dash flew over to it and pulled it open as I followed her inside. I slammed the door behind me and shook the snow off of me. I slung my rifle over my shoulder and warmed myself up. Dash flew around the open room for a moment before flying over to the couch. Dash patted the cushion next to her, signaling me to sit down next to her. I complied and plopped down next to her. I still felt functional but I was mentally spent. I still had no idea how Alex got here but I was assuming that it was a one man/one way trip. I slumped down into the couch and tried to think of what else I had to take care of. I definitely needed to tell Applejack at least, maybe Rarity. Shit, I also had that thing with Vinyl tonight. Dash curled up next to me and buried herself as deep into my side as she could manage. Maybe I could turn this Vinyl thing into a date or something? Lord knows how much shit I’ve put Dash through. It felt like I needed to do something for her. I just hoped that Alex wouldn’t fuck it up. Knowing him, he’d follow me and set a house on fire while singing the Soviet national anthem (it’s happened before). I placed my arm around Dash and laid back into the couch. She gave a deep and relieved exhale as I did so. “Hey Dash?” I asked her. “Hmmm?” She mumbled. “How would you like to go with me to Vinyl’s concert?” “I thought you didn’t like crowds.” She pointed out. “Yeah, pony ones, but that is beside the point. Vinyl personally asked me to show up.” I pointed out. Dash yawned at me climbed onto my chest and laid her head down with her eyes maybe six inches from mine at the most. I could almost feel her breath on my face. “First, what do you mean by that? Second, that’s awesome.” She said in a quiet voice, making it evident that she was much more exhausted than I was. “Well, being in a crowd of humans, I could blend in. Being in a crowd of ponies, I stick out like a senior citizen at a rave.” “You worry too much. Keep this up and you’ll turn into a hermit.” She said before she yawned again. “Anyway,” I said, bringing the conversation back on track “you want to come with me?” “You don’t even have to ask.” She pointed out. Dash’s eyes slowly fluttered closed as I raised my left hand and ran it through her mane till she fell asleep. It didn’t take long. - I stayed awake while Dash slept, playing with my handgun with my free hand. I set the gun down on the armrest and watched the sun begin to set. Dash stretched on top of me before opening her eyes. Her big purple eyes met mine as she came to and she looked over towards the window. “That was one of the best naps ever. How long was I out?” She asked as she stood up on top of me and stretched out. “Does it look like I own a watch?” I asked in a sarcastic overtone. She ignored my statement flew off of me with a flap of her wings. She hovered above me before she flew back a bit and dropped down to the ground. “When are we supposed leave?” “I never asked. I figured we’d leave after it got dark. Maybe then we could sneak out without Alex.” “Why do you want to leave him?” “Do I really have to tell you?” “Hey! Don’t be like that with me!” I just laughed as I climbed to my feet and walked towards the door. I adjusted the rifle on my back and opened the door. A winter wind hit me full force like a semi-truck. I stepped outside and waited for Dash for a minute. She stepped outside with a scarf on. It was a light shade of red that seemed to match her hair, but I didn’t pay too much attention since fashion was like rocket science to me. “Let’s get our party on!” She exclaimed as she flew towards the H2. As if he was a drug dog sniffing a dirty package, Alex popped out of the tent and jogged over to me. I hopped down from the cloud and walked towards the H2 as if I didn’t see him. He jogged towards me and skidded to a halt before me. “I heard something about a party and I want in.” I placed my hand over my eyes “Goddammit.” “What?” “I don’t want you to fuck up my town.” I explain “Plus the locals still think I’m the only human.” “One, I promise I won’t, and two, I think of it as a cold opening.” “Really fuckin’ bad idea.” I said “How would you react of an alien landed on the lawn of the White House and started to party?” “I’d join him.” “You are like a fuckin’ seventeen year old.” “I prefer the term ‘young at heart’.” Dash seemed to pick up on our bickering and tapped on the hood of the H2 impatiently. “LET’S GO!” She exclaimed in an annoyed tone. I looked back at Alex “You heard the lady.” With a snap of my fingers, the doors unlocked and I walked over towards the passenger’s side door. Alex attempted to open the front door till I pushed him out of the way. “What the hell man?” I raised my eyebrows at him and opened the door for Dash and let her in. As soon as she cleared the doorway, I closed the door behind her. “Am I seriously hopping backseat because you’re fuckin’ a pony?” “That’s the gist of it.” Alex rolled his eyes at me and climbed into the back. I ran around the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. I closed my door behind me and placed my hands on the wheel. The engine roared to life and I sat back in my seat. I looked up in the rearview mirror and saw a set of brooding eyes staring back at me. “Don’t be such a pouty bitch.” I said with a laugh. “Are you two always like this?” Dash asked from the passenger seat. “Something like that.” I replied. Alex sat forward in his seat and stuck his head out from in-between the front seats and looked over at me. “What’s this ‘party’ thing we’re going to?” He asked. “There’s no good alcohol, if that is what you’re wondering.” Alex’s eyes opened wide and he threw himself back in the seat before throwing his hands up in a pleading manner. “NNOOOOOO!” He howled in the backseat. Dash raised an eyebrow at me and shook her head. “It’s like hanging out with foals.” I shrugged off the comment and shifted into drive. - I drove for a few minutes while the sun fell below the horizon and the town came into view. The radio played some song softly in the background as Alex studied the town from the backseat. A few ponies waved to me as I drove through the town. I pulled through the town until Dash pointed me to the left and I jerked the wheel. The suspension grunted as the truck made a hard left and leveled out. The (what I suspected to be) town hall came into view. There was a stage in front of it and speakers lined it. As I pulled up, a white unicorn popped up from behind a group of speakers. I pressed the brakes and the H2 grinded to a halt. Vinyl smirked at me as she released a group of wires that she was holding with magic. I turned to Alex and said “You fuck this up and I’ll kill you before the griffons do, then I’ll let them kill you again just to make sure you learn your damn lesson.” “Big man over here.” He said as he slumped back in his seat. “You treat your friends so nicely.” Dash shot at me with a tone of sarcasm. I opened my door and hopped out along with Dash. Alex stayed behind for a moment as the H2’s engine died, only to be replaced by an ambient hiss of electronics. Vinyl ran over towards me and Dash with a burst of speed only matched by jet fighters. She skidded to a halt in front of me and I looked down at her as I let the rifle hang under my left arm via the strap. “Glad you could make it out!” The white unicorn said with a bounty of enthusiasm “I was just setting up for the concert. I really didn’t expect anyone to be out here this early.” “I was never given a time.” I pointed out. Vinyl facehoofed “I totally forgot.” “No worries.” Dash cut in. I looked over at Dash and just raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s my line.” I said as I turned to the H2 and motioned for Alex to step out “I got someone I want you to meet, Vinyl.” “Oh really?” “He’s right up your alley.” I said as Alex hopped out from the H2. Vinyl’s Jaw seemed to drop as I looked around to make sure we were alone. Alex jogged over to us and stopped right next to me. Vinyl looked up at him and waved. “Hello?” I looked over at Vinyl and said “This is Alex.” Vinyl seemed to warm up a bit to him and said “I’m Vinyl.” “You the DJ here?” “What gave you that idea?” “The speakers kinda gave it away. Need any help?” Me and Dash took a step back and watched the two go at it. I guess my assumption was spot on. “What makes you think I need help?” “Do you not want it? “Fine, follow me.”