//------------------------------// // Retribution // Story: Another life, another chance // by GrayOnBlue //------------------------------// I was standing on a destroyed tank with my hands crossed, looking indifferently at the last survived member of its crew, who desperately tried to crawl out from under the wrecked gun turret. “You okay, sweetheart?” Fluttershy asked, landing next to me. I shook my head and jumped off the metal hunk, then kicked the soldier so hard that the upper part of his body flew into the nearest storefront, shattering the glass. “Can’t say I’m okay… but at least I’m feeling myself better...” I replied after several seconds of silence. “Are you still sure that it’s what you want to do?” “We’ve already went way too far to stop now, Fluttershy.” “Doubtful. You mentioned there are around 7,600,000,000 humans out here, and we liquidated only a million of them.” I snapped my fingers, triggering a huge *KA-BOOM!* many miles ahead. Chicago ceased to exist. “...three and a half, now.” I corrected her without even showing a little smile. “Even in this case...” Fluttershy started but was interrupted with a barrage of lead, hitting her from several blocks away. She used her wings to anchor herself on the ground to prevent herself from being knocked off her hooves. “So anyway, even in this case we can go to Equestria and forget about them once and for all.” She continued as if nothing had happened. I took off my portable railgun, that used a pony’s inner magic as an energy source and plugged the charging wire in Fluttershy’s ear. “I won’t find peace until they all die.” I replied, aiming it at the shooting Bradley. I pulled the trigger, punching a big and cute hole all the way through the war machine. “A bit grim, don’t you think?” I shrugged. “Wasn’t asking your opinion. You’re not supposed to question my motivation or actions. Just do what I want you to do, that’s all. That’s what friends are supposed to do.” “We are ready, tell us how to help you and what to do. But being friends also means being concerned about a friend’s condition.” “I’m fine, Fluttershy.” I sat on the ground, waiting for Rainbow Dash and Twilight finishing the underground thermonuclear device, similar to one that was under Chicago. The could use an ICBM to drop that 80 megatons of TNT device (unlike humans with their paleolithic means of delivering nukes), but I wanted to irradiate the area as much as possible. Although I decided to save cobalt bombs for the dessert. I looked at my watches, counting seconds until the city of Minneapolis ceased to exist as well. “Good pace. We might to finish when I’ll be 80-years old.” I commented, not even meant it to be a joke. Fluttershy didn’t answer, but judging by her guiltily expression she understood that I reproach her and my other friends. Good thing she wasn’t trying to exonerate herself -- I hate when those who are guilty do such things. They are supposed to ask forgiveness and find a way to make it up for me. “I’m… really, really sorry for that… I promise, we will find a way to speed it up.” Fluttershy didn’t fail to do the right thing. I smiled for the first time since I was here. “I trust you, Fluttershy. But even if you won’t, we still have cobalt bombs. Sure, I wanted to use them as that special finishing touch of my magnum opus, but...” “They still can serve as that touch -- after all, they will kill all the life on Earth.” I wouldn’t have been so shocked even if a lightning struck me now. “I can’t believe how blind I was -- you’re right, Fluttershy!” I was about to say something else, but she immediately gave me a bear hug that easily crushed all my ribs. Well, it’d have, if I still had bony bones. My cell phone came to life. “So, how was the last one?” Rainbow asked on the other side of the magic line. Nuke detonation couldn’t harm it. “Spectacular, Rainbow, absolutely spectacular. I hope you and Twilight were able to get the heck out of there?” “You bet! No lame shockwave can catch up with my hypersonic speed!” “And Twilight?” “Eh, I carried her with me, of course. She still can’t break the sonic barrier.” I chuckled at her casual voice. What would I do without them… “Anyways, we are ready to mount another device under a major city. Just waiting for your command.” I looked at Fluttershy who was still hugging me and suddenly understood that I’ve had enough of this world. Time to burn it to the ground. “Rainbow, Twilight -- gather all the nukes we still have and place them and all cobalt bombs as symmetrically as you can all over the globe. I want it to end today.” “You got it, my friend!” ************************** I was holding a remote control with a huge red button, just like I wanted. They designed this doomsday device using my instructions as a guide. And now I was able to end this world. I wanted to be the one who will destroy humanity; I didn’t want anyone to share this honor with me -- not even my friends. I checked my magic protection from the small barrier, that contained a little peace of Equestria. It was a temporarily space dilation, made to shield me from all harm. “Well… I guess that’s it. It’s time for me to get a new life and to discard an old one. Right along with the world that caused me so many troubles and so much pain.” I pushed the button, they just lied down on the soft Equestrian grass and watched, how the sky burns, vaporising clouds in the process. I have finally finished my magnum opus -- human omnicide. And now, under the burning sky and above the melting ground, invulnerable to any hazard from the dead planet, I stood victorious. Well, metaphorically speaking. And back in Equestria my friends waited for me to grant me a new birth, a new life and a new name.