//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 - The Awakening // Story: Honest Hearts // by YuCheng Huang //------------------------------// With a hunting shotgun and combat knife in both of his hands, Park Ranger Zach sprinted straight into the fray. Even with his current state, Zach quickly analyzed the combat situation. The meleed enemies were not the deadliest, but they could keep the ranged one that were using auto-fired machine guns from shooting wrecklessly at his direction. But there was also one using a brush gun. So he attempt to fight the meleed one and without getting hit by any shots from the sharpshooter. Zach holstered his shotgun and engaged full CQC mode, he charged at one with a shishkebab (A sword that could be covered in flames when turning on the valve on the handling part.). The tribal struck his flaming sword at Zach, but Zach somehow blocked it with his teeny knife. The heat was unbearable, no wonder the wielder always wore a heat resistant glove. Zach pushed the tribal back, but before he could react, a bullet hit through his armor through his chest, and a giant club made out of rebar and concrete struck him in the center, sent him flying toward a rock. Zach smacked into the rock, head first. The tribals walked toward Zach's unmoving body, looked at each other, laughed out loud. The swordsman patted on the clubber's back, "Nice teamwork!" he said. "What about me?" the sharpshooter asked. "Nice shot, I guess..." the swordsman said, but deep inside he despised those who faught with guns. "The outman must be guarding something..." machine gun tribal A said. "Then let's go check it out!" machine gun tribal B said, hopping towards the store's front door. The tribal team then left Zach's body and moved toward the General Store. The swordsman sighed,"To be honest, I would like to fight this guy, one on one." he said. "Why do you think of that?" The clubber asked. "That outman, for the first time of my life, I felt threatened." the swordsman said without any shame. "Really!?" the clubber was shocked. "A great warrior like you felt threatened?" "You didn't feel that? When he charged right towards us, it's like a wolf, hunting for its pray..." the swordsman said with awe. "More like a crazy molerat, if you asked me." the clubber chuckled. "Forget about him, and let's start looting." ========================================================================================== In the General Store, hearing all those gunshots and warcries made the ponies scared for their lifes, like the first time they came to Zion, but without seeing any blood and gore. This kind of moment felt like hours, but only two to three minutes later, it fell silenced. They stood up, legs still shaking. They walked toward the door, they heard footsteps. Just when the mares hope that Zach came out as the victor, they heard more footsteps, and then, tribals speaking. Fluttershy lost her legs again, and fell to the floor. This broke her heart, knowing that one human, a potential friend, died , protecting them. "It's... o...ver..." "It's not over yet, Flutters. We need to find a way out!" Applejack tried her best to get her up. "Mr.Zach... killed..." Fluttershy couldn't hold much longer and started crying. "Huh? Looks like we got somebody in here boys!" one of the tribal said, and tried opening the door. It did not work obiviously, so he started barging the door. Noticing the tribals were trying to get in, Applejack started to panic, "If we die here, then Mr.Zach's sacrifice meant nothing!" she yelled. "What about the rodent family? Our friends back in Equestria?" Applejack was right, but all she felt now was guilt and sorrow, and these were enough to keep her down. "I know! But I'm exhausted, I... just gave up..." Fluttershy shutted her eyes. "This damn door just won't open!" the tribal said. "Don't worry, I got this." the clubber said, lifting his club, smashed it into the door. The door was damaged, it's not gonna last long. Applejack knew she couldn't convince Fluttershy to leave, then she would stay with her, no matter what happened. She laid down next to her and gave her probably their last embrace. In the back, the rodents saw this and instead of panicking, they came next to the mares. Fluttershy noticed something was different and looked behind her, she gasped. "Ms.Pixie, Mr.Chomp, what are you doing? You need to leave now!" "We can't just leave you here." Pixie said. "Plus, if we are going to die, we die fighting, right Chump?" "That's right, I'm not going to meet my hon without a fight." Chomp answered. This somehow filled Fluttershy with determination, but she's in no condition to fight, not like this... "What in tarnation are they standing there for?" Applejack asked. "They're not leaving, they rather die with 'dignity'!" with this answered, Fluttershy expression changed, full of determination. "And I'm willing to fight!" "Ah'll be damned, that's what ah'm talking about." Applejack got up, and stretched her muscles. "Got any plans?" "No." "That's fair. It's nice to be your friend, Flutters." "Me too, AJ...... Wait, did you hear somepony speaking Ponyish outside?" ========================================================================================== On the other side of the door, when the tribal was about to give the door its fatality. They heard a sharp whistle, caught all their attention, someone was standing from afar. "Hey Jackasses, let me introduce you to my ol' trusted Betsy!"