Brown Smith climbs off the ship, taking down the elevator after Raven and Louis have left. Sparrow tosses a sword to him, smiling, “Here, mate. I’ll teach you how to use it later.”
Smith catches it, “Thanks, Sparrow. Don’t worry, though, I know how to use a sword a bit.”
Sparrow activates the elevator, sending Smith to the ground below.
Smith draws his rifle, moving into Ponyville proper.
The town sits in ruins, buildings collapsed, skeletons everywhere on the streets, factories no longer letting out their endless smoke. Carriages blown to the sides of the streets, Ponyville has become a nightmare.
Smith raises a hoof to his head as a sudden headache overtakes it. He growls as it subsides, and looks back up. The streets are oddly familiar, and Smith feels oddly compelled to walk down some of them.
Smith follows his instinct, going down a street that is oddly well preserved. He hears scampering down nearby alleyways, and raises his rifle up.
There is a single building at the end of the street, preserved perfectly compared to everything else. He walks quicker, odd flashes filling his vision as he gets closer.
He walks up to the front door, pulling on the handle. The thing doesn’t budge, proving itself locked. A keypad sits next to the door, calling Smith’s eye.
He moves up to it, tilting his head. Once again, visions assault his mind, and he looks at it again. This isn’t a numerical keypad, but a voice activated one.
He places his hoof on it, and words come to his mouth, “Black plus White.”
The door unlocks, and a robotic voice speaks, “Welcome home, Master Brown.”
Smith hears scampering from behind him, and spins around.
A creature scrambles out into the middle of the street. Something akin to a Griffon in it’s basic form. But it has claws far overgrown, a body bare of feathers, and with scales made of stone all over it. It’s eagle eyes snap onto Smith, and it lets out a piercing screech.
Other Griffon creatures appear from the alleys, letting out similar screeches.
Smith quickly raises his rifle, letting loose a shot at the nearest one. The bullet bounces off it’s stone scales, but the creature lets out a screech of pain anyway.
Smith rams his back against the door as more begin to approach towards him. He slides the bolt back, and raises his rifle again.
Time slows to a standstill, Smith aiming perfectly. He fires, and one Griffon creature falls as a bullet burrows through it’s eye.
Smith opens the door behind him, moving inside, and slamming it closed.
Griffon creatures slam into it, letting out screeches of pain. Smith holds the door closed, using all of his strength.
A robotic voice comes from behind him, “Shall I activate the defenses, Master Brown?”
Smith nods, “Yes, yes, please!”
The robotic voice laughs, “Oh, I never got to use this before!”
Smith can hear mechanical whirring outside. Then, he hears two separate noises. The sound of gas, like a blowtorch, and the sound of a gun spinning up.
Within two seconds, he can hear a minigun start going off, and can feel heat.
The screeches pick up in volume, but the door has all pressure taken away from it. He can then hear slamming from outside, and he backs up from the door.
The robotic voice speaks up, “Flame defenses, minigun defenses, and steel encasement. Those nasty savages won’t be breaking through anytime soon.”
Smith turns around, surprised to see a robot flying there. He slightly smiles, “Uh, hello, I am Brown Smith.”
The robot leans closer, “I already know, Master Brown. Do you not remember me?”
Smith shakes his head, “Uh, no, you must have me confused with somepony else. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I belong here. Truly, truly sorry, but may I be able to stay here for a bit?”
The robot leans further away, “Oh, I’m not mistaken, my software nor hardware has not been damaged that much. If you don’t recognize me, dare I say it, your software might be damaged. Then again, it has been two hundred years, you might just be a descendant of Master Brown.”
Smith smiles, “Courier, please, call me Courier. I don’t like that title.”
The robot floats up a bit, “Very well, Courier Brown. You may explore as much as you want.”
Smith nods as the robot flies away, his head motion causing his eye to catch something. A metal door in the staircase.
He walks up to it, finding a lock on it as well. Another voice keypad sits next to it. Memories assault Smith, and he shakes his head.
He presses down the button, and speaks clearly, “The juice is burnt.”
The door opens up, another robotic voice speaking, “Welcome home, Mistress Smith.”
Smith looks inside, seeing a staircase heading down. Lights flicker on, casting the room in a clean white light.
He walks down, surprised by how clean the area is. He takes a final step, and lights flicker on.
He looks ahead, and his eyes instantly lock onto something. Two skeletons, locked in embrace. He slowly walks closer, his head hurting with a new migraine.
He looks down near the skeletons, and instantly spots something. A picture, laying next to them.
He picks it up, and takes a look. He instantly drops it down, overwhelmed with memory.
His birth, his condition, the magical cure.
Uncle Raven, looking over him, casting his magic. Aunt Sweetie, singing a calming song, keeping him quiet even as pain overwhelms him.
Suddenly older, his childhood gone, but determined to live it out. Listening to his father when he entered the place Brown was never supposed to. The place he is now in.
That picture, Brown standing proud with Rarity and Black, holding up his first gun.
He recovers, and notices something shiny next to the picture. He leans down, and looks closer.
It is a ring, golden, with a shining opal inside of it. And below it, a tape. Brown touches the tape, causing it to play.
“Oh Luna, Black... what are we going to do?”
“I... I didn’t want to do it this way. But, Rarity, will you marry me?”
“Black, I... I have always wanted this. Oh, oh no, we won’t be able to love. You were my Prince Charming, but there is no happily ever after. Yes, yes, I will. For these last few minutes.”
“Rairty, or, White Smith, I don’t think you realize what this ring is. It is a Ring of Strength. Put it on, please, you’ll be able to survive.”
“Without you? What type of life would it be to marry the one I love right before he dies? No, no, I can’t. I love you too much to leave you behind in the afterlife.”
“Oh, Rarity...”
“Don’t worry, Brown will survive. Come on, if these are our last moments, we will spend them in embrace.”
Tears fall from Brown’s eyes, splashing against the tape. He looks up to the skeletons, and picks up the ring. He puts it on his hoof, and smiles, “Don’t worry, mom, dad, I’m still here.”
He jumps in surprise as the robotic voice speaks up from behind him, “And I am still here, Courier Brown.”
He turns around, and suddenly recognizes the robot, “Oh, Luna, I didn’t even know it was you, Gunny.”
Gunny floats a bit higher, “Indeed you didn’t, Courier Brown. Now, come on, we have a legacy to carry on.” The robot opens a compartment on it’s side. It reaches in, and draws a rifle, good as new, “Your father left something in his will, for you.”
Brown Smith takes the rifle, looking it over, “This looks unique.”
Gunny closes the compartment, drawing a pistol from another, “It is, Browny. It uses a powerful type of bullet that is completely silent, and will shock anything it hits. He called it Thundersmith.”
Brown cocks it, and smiles, “Semi to full auto, bolt just in case, scope, nice wooden stock, designed to last.” He looks at the skeletons on the floor, “How would I get the special bullets?”
Gunny tosses him a magazine, “I produce them automatically. Your father had everything planned out.”
Brown slams the magazine in, setting it to semi auto, “Come on, we have some monstrosities to kill.”