//------------------------------// // The Swamp is Swampy // Story: Honor Above All Else // by Honored Service //------------------------------// Honored Above All Else Chapter 11 By Honored Service I trudged through the jungle and realized it was becoming harder and harder to walk. I looked down and noticed my boots were covered in thick mud and grass. I stopped walking and looked around. “Sonofabitch.” I grumbled aloud closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead, wiping the sweat off my brow. And so I’ll ask once more. Are we lost? “Of course not Nightmare. Let me just take out my map and check and see…Oh dear me, I seem to have MISPLACED THE FUCKING MAP I NEVER HAD!” I screamed at the godforsaken swamp I had now wandered into. Tall dark cypress trees had replaced the tropical jungle trees and the thick brown water had covered the lush green foliage of the jungle floor. Moss hung down all around me from the low limbs of the trees, covering up a lot of the sunny sky. Chill out, no need to get all uptight. We can just keep doing what we’ve been doing. I shifted the pack on my shoulders and adjusted my rifle. “And what would that be?” Just keep wandering around like we’re lost, that’s been working out great. I took the rifle and pointed it at my head. Okay bad joke, I get it. Will you point that somewhere else? “Ha you thought I would do it. Please, I love myself too much to do that. As annoying as you can be, i would never blow my own brains out.” I dropped the rifle back down to my side and continued trying to move forward through the stagnant water. I heard a splash to my right and turned. You heard it too? “Yeah, but it was probably nothing.” I shrugged. Famous last words. ********************************************************************** “SWAMP PONIES!” Quick Flurry screamed leaping out of his seat and grabbing the human by the collar of his duster, pulled him up out of his chair. “It was a swamp pony, right? That’s what made the splash. Crazy weird ponies that live out there in the swamps. Did they try attacking you?” Quick was breathing heavily and staring at the human who tried to not look too uncomfortable by the close proximity of the crazed pegasus. “Um no. It was not swamp ponies.” Honored lifted the pony off his collar and sat him down. “But I wish it had been.” “That’s good, because let me tell you what, swamp ponies are crazy!” Quick Flurry hovered upside down before gliding lazily back to his seat, where Short Blade slapped him lightly across the back of his head. Everypony else just giggled at the wild antics of the pegasus. ********************************************************************** I looked at the spot in the murky water that now was up to my mid thighs. I continued forward at a slow but steady pace, trying to cross the swamp, in a direction I hopped would be leading me towards the end of this bug-filled hellhole. A few ripples moved across the water’s surface. “Nightmare, did you see anything?” Hmmm I see a crappy swamp, filled with crappy water, and crappy bugs. That’s about it. “No you asshole, over there.” I pointed to where I had seen the ripples, but they were gone now. Nope, not a thing. Listen, maybe I should take over for a bit since you haven’t really made any progress. “No!” I barked and sunk into a hole in the ground, bringing the water to my chest. “Alright you can go.” Once more I found myself witnessing the world from my eyes, but watching my body move without me in control. “So let’s see how to go about finding a way out of here.” The Nightmare looked up to a tall tree. Oh that’s cheating! “No, you just didn’t think of it first.” I…I was…FUCK THIS! FUCK THAT! Just hurry up you evil bastard. “Aw that hurts my wittle fewwlings when you’re mean.” The Nightmare laughed as he grabbed a hold of a low branch and hoisted us up. Hand over hand he pulled my body till we broke through the canopy of the swamp and into the late afternoon sunlight. “Ah, there we are, now let’s get a good look around.” Oh just look around you smug prick. “Don’t be so testy, I only am about to find our way out of this horrid…” Let me guess, swamp as far as the eye can see? “Um, yes.” Alright, let’s do this. Sure enough, from the top of this tall cypress tree, all I could see was dark muggy swamp covering the entire world. We certainly hadn't reached Froggy Bottom Bog. I didn't think it was this big, so I had no clue where we were, and the Nightmare wasn't faring much better. Well Nightmare, got any other ideas up my sleeves? “No.” Then pick a direction and start walking. “I hate you.” Hey, at least you get to move around some now. “But not to kill or destroy or explode or exterminate or-“ I get it! Suck it up and start hoofing it. The Nightmare let out a sigh and plodded through the swamp water at a snail’s pace crawl. I let out a sigh in my head and just watched as the trees ran together and the water seemed to become murkier. “Human did you see that?” My hand was pointed at a ripple in the water a good twenty feet from us. I see some ripples. “No, did you see what made them?” The Nightmare reached behind and gripped my swords. Nope, but if something is there, I'm sure it’s just a fish or something. “Yeah you’re probably right.” The Nightmare let the swords go and dropped my hands back to my sides and continued walking forward. A massive column of water exploded out from the swamp and a gigantic crocodile lunged forward, nearly clamping its powerful jaws around my midsection, if the Nightmare hadn’t dove to the side. “But you’re never right!” Nightmare screamed as he bolted upright out of the brown water and sprinted as fast as he could away from the ferocious beast. We were running so fast, that it felt as if we were running along the water’s surface. But the thing is, that running through water is slower than swimming, and crocodiles were made for swimming. Find a tree! Find a hill! Find something! “None of the branches are low enough!” The Nightmare screamed as he turned and looked behind to see the top of the crocodile’s head moving through the water at incredible speed, coming right at us. Then we better find one! I screamed from the inside of my head. I was freaking out about as much as I could inside my own skull, which wasn't much, it was like a nightmare where you couldn't run away fast enough, except this was real and I was watching it. A loud roar and hiss resounded behind us, moving closer. The croc was closing in for the kill. Even with the light body armor on, I could still picture the teeth punching their way through it and into my body, right before being dragged under the water and death rolled until I drowned. And then Nightmare would spend the last few moments of my life bitching me out saying it was my fault for getting us lost in the fucking swamp. No. I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. Look out, I'm coming “back in charge!” I screamed as I pushed Nightmare back into my head and regained control of my body. I came to a halt as fast as I could, sending water spraying up all around, and turned around facing the incoming reptile. I don’t think you can jump inside this one human. “Oh I'm quite aware of that.” I began running right at the crocodile. Talk about Déjà Vu. The dark green and gray animal opened its jaws as it came within feet of me. At the last second I jumped up and kicked down on its outstretched head, propelling myself upwards, as if I had just jumped on a diving board, driving its jaw closed with a thump. “Nightmare, FIRE!” I hollered just as I reached the peak of my jump. Green fire exploded from my hands, and sent me up just high enough to grab a hold of a branch. I spun around on it and using my momentum, swinging on it and jumped up to another higher branch. Hopefully, safely out of the crocodile’s reach. Which it should be since I was thirty feet above the murky brown water. “And that’s... why I'm in charge.” I inched my way along the branch until I reached the tree trunk and leaned against it. I closed my eyes and thought about falling asleep until the Nightmare gave a mental cough. Ahem. “What? Can’t you see I deserve some R and R?” Look down. Idiot. I peered over the edge of my branch safe haven, and watched as the fucking crocodile swam fucking circles around the base of the tree. Just waiting for me to come down. “And fuck you!” I screamed down at the croc. “I was just walking along and you had to come ruin everything!” “Oh.” You just realize that’s how you act. “Its totally different Nightmare.” I huffed and crossed my arms in front of chest. “I save ponies… and stuff.” You always just come around a ruin everything for us bad guys. “Serves you right, for being bad guys. And really you aren't all that bad, just misunderstood and maybe a little weird.” I stabbed you. With a horn. Through your chest. “You did. But I also shot you through the face and scattered your brains across the Canterlot Gardens.” I motioned someone making a tally mark on a scoreboard. “I’ll just chalk that one up to me.” And I still hate you. “See if that gets us down any faster. Ass.” Jerk. ***************************************************************** “You two seem to have a very love hate thing going on, or at least that’s what I’ve been able to observe.” Princess Celestia said to the human who was currently standing in the middle of the gathered ponies. ”Yeah, we found out we worked better that way.” Honored smiled at the princess. “He’s the night to my day, the yin to my yang, the chaos to my calm, the-“ You. Are. So. Gay. “We just balance each other out perfectly.” *********************************************************************** We waited in that goddamn tree for hours as the fucking dick of a crocodile just swam in circles below us. The sun eventually began to set and the temperature started to drop. Not freezing, but slightly uncomfortable for someone wearing only a duster and body armor. “Just go away! I taste awful!” I screamed down at the dumb animal. Yeah, because that’s going to work. I leaned my head back against the tree and sighed. It seemed for every step I took to getting home, something caused me to take two steps back. I had to have wandered into this swamp, what was next? A scorching desert? A freezing tundra? A graveyard full of zombies? Please whatever controls fate in Equestria, send another damn thing to keep me from getting to Canterlot. You know this is kind of funny. “Please elaborate.” I said closing my eyes and wondered how comfortable it would be to sleep in a tree. Our three day journey from Zebracia has turned into an unknown long one. We have been gone for how many days? “I think we may have hit the five month mark.” It has been a long time. Mainly just wandering through never ending jungles and strange places. Getting slowed down by villains and confused griffons. I was just never meant to get home I guess. Hey human, something’s coming, the east. “What?” I sat up and turned to where the Nightmare had directed me But I could see it. A shadow jumping from tree to tree with the nimbleness and swiftness of a cat. Shit. “Nightmare I think we are going to have a situation in a moment.” I slowly stood up, propping myself up against the tree trunk. When do we not have a situation on hand? I cracked a smile and reached down, gripping the handle of my rifle. I brought the M16 to my shoulder, ready to start off this situation with a bang. “You know you enjoy our little fiascos.” Oh I do! “Great because this one is-“ Was all I managed to say before the dark shadow side tackled me out of nowhere, sending me falling through the tree smacking into every branch on the way down before landing face first in the disgusting water. Thanks to my sling I was able to stand up out of the water, with my rifle still in my grasp. I quickly turned on my heel checking everywhere for the damned crocodile that had been lurking around, but it seemed it had disappeared. “What the flying fuck was that!” I yelled glancing around at my surroundings trying to get a bead on whatever had pounced on me. It was big, I know that much. Big and Blue. And furry. “Big, blue and furry?” Then it clicked in my head. “Ahuizotl!” I screamed before diving to my right as the shadowy figure dropped from above, landing on the spot I had just been. “Awwww, and here I was thinking you were too dumb to figure it out.” The cold voice cut through the dark swamp like a knife. I spun around leveling the rifle at where the cat should have been, but I found myself just staring at empty space. “You're going to have to be faster than that to stop this.” The voice sounded out above me again. I looked up and fired one of my remaining sixty rounds into the trees above. “It’s as if you aren’t even trying.” Ahuizotl cooed out from behind a tree. Another round was fired into the trunk of the tree, but finding no mark My heart was racing in my chest as I scanned for the elusive bad guy. I hadn’t ever missed before. What was happening? A swift kick from behind sent me flying forward and smashing head first into a tree. I stumbled backwards as I was picked up from behind and thrown across the water into a another tree. Human are you okay!? “Yeah.” I coughed and spit out some dirty swamp water and watched as Ahuizotl stepped forward in front of me. He was smiling an evil toothy smile. His now hand less tail swished back and forth, a bandage wrapped around the end. “I guess I should give you a hand Ahuizotl that you caught up me.” I smirked as he recoiled at my insult/joke. He pawed the water, kicking dirty sludge all around. “Oh little puny human, I’ll enjoy defeating you.” I brought the rifle up and aimed it at Ahuizotl’s furry chest. “If I had a quarter for every time I heard that.” BANG Ahuizotl sprung into the air as the bullets fired from my rifle shredded the trees behind him. The magically enhanced bullets punched holes through the cypress trees and sent jets of water into the air, as Ahuizotl dodged and ducked in a large circle around me. Isn’t the point to hit him? “Not now Nightmare. Just a little busy!” I hollered out above the noise of the rifle. CLICK I hit the magazine release switch and pulled the last mag out of my chest pouch. My last thirty rounds for my baby. I was about to hit the charging handle release button when my feet where kicked out from under me. I fell backwards into the water. I started to get up but a large blue paw stomped on my chest and forced me back under the water. I struggled against the leg, but being a bad ass super cool human doesn't grant you super strength to move a giant half ton ass hole cat. The water around me began to fade into black. I was slipping into unconsciousness. Damn it. This can’t be how it ends. ***************************************************************** “But that’s not how it ends! Because you're right here telling it to us!” Pinkie Pie screamed as she stood on top of her chair and pointed a hoof at the human, who was holding is face in his hands. “I know, Pinkie,” the human let out a sigh, “but I'm telling the story through my eyes as it happened.” “Ohhhhhhhh. That makes loads of sense.” The pink pony said as she sat back down into her chair. “Please continue Honored, I am most intrigued as to how you got out of that mess.” Princess Luna smiled and motioned for the human to continue with the story. The human nodded and looked back to the group of ponies. “I could feel the claws of death gripping around my soul as I gasped for air.” ******************************************************************** Ahuizotl had sprung backwards holding onto his smoking paw. Fire was slowly dying down around my body as I sucked in deep lungful’s of air. I stood up out of the water and stumbled, but kept my balance. “Thanks Nightmare, I owe you one.” For saving me from dying in Queen Chrysalis’s body, let’s call it even. “Deal.” I smiled and faced down Ahuizotl with a new sense of fire in my chest. I charged forward, aiming the rifle and loading in a new round into the chamber. “Get some.” Ahuizotl spun around and sliced at me with razor sharp claws. I jumped to the side and rammed the butt of the rifle into his side. He brought down a slash from his paw which I avoided, but the claws caught on the nylon strap to the rifle. SNAP The sling that kept the rifle attached to my body split in two pieces. I gripped the rifle tighter, knowing that I couldn't just drop it now and draw another weapon without losing the M16 in the swamp water. Ahuizotl came in low and fast. Faster than I could bring the rifle to bear. He spun around and lashed out with his hind leg, claws outstretched. I caught the full force of the kick in the center of my chest. I felt something crack and the searing pain of knives being driven into my chest. I flew backwards into the base of a tree, blood slowly trickling out of four perfectly made cuts in my body armor. I brought my rifle up to fire a burst into the approaching mythical creature, but my arm moved way to fast to be holding my rifle. I looked down and couldn’t see my rifle anywhere. I moved my hands through the water trying to find it as Ahuizotl came closer and closer to me. Then I noticed he was walking with only three paws. And in the fourth paw, his foreleg, he was holding something. Something that belonged to me. My M16. “Well, well, well human it seems that the tables have turned once more.” Ahuizotl said as he stepped up in front of me. The barrel of MY rifle poking me in the chest. “Yuck it up more you fuzz ball.” I spat back at the blue cat. “Oh don’t worry I will. Once I am able to boast to the entire world that not only do I have the most powerful weapon in Equestria, but I killed the only human too! So exciting.” The barrel was still pressed against my chest, Ahuizotl leaned in closer towards me. As he did so I slowly reached down and drew my Berretta. “Any last words human. Before I blow your brains out?” The rifle’s barrel eased up and found itself jammed under my chin. “I was going to ask you the same thing.” I reached up and jammed the pistol under Ahuizotl’s jaw line. He was caught by surprise and stared at me with a terrified look on his face. I smirked at him and pulled the hammer back on the pistol. So this is a standoff. “Not quite.” I jerked my leg to the side and knocked Ahuizotl off his feet while yanking my head back. BANG The rifle fired its round inches from my face sending heat across my head. I yelped and rolled to the side before jumping to my feet and aiming my pistol at the recovering Ahuizotl. I squeezed the trigger and sent the magical rounds flying towards the retreating animal. One of the magical shards of the 9mm round caught Ahuizotl in the ear ripping it off from his head. “And you better stay the fuck away from me, or next time, I will kill you!” I screamed as his shadow disappeared into the swamp foliage in the distance. I slumped down against the nearest tree and holstered my pistol. Down a rifle that was now in the hands of a dangerous bad guy. An evil bad guy. I had to track him down and get my rifle back. I couldn’t let it float around for anypony or anything to find. Let alone have Ahuizotl using it to carry out his sinister deeds. We are going after him aren't we? “You know it Nightmare,” I said, standing up. I looked at my chest and saw that the bleeding had slowed down. Must not be too deep of cuts. Other than just being sore all over from the beating Ahuizotl had delivered I was fired up and ready to go. A loud growl sounded from behind me. I reached up and yanked the Diamond Dog’s sword and the gold and ruby sword out of their scabbards and spun around to face the crocodile from before. I flipped the swords around in my hands so the blades pointed downwards and drove them down through the crocodile’s head. Sparks jumped from his body as I yanked both blades out of his head. “There, I warned you.” I said to the corpse. Let’s get out of the swamp. “Yeah, let's.” Well im still alive, and i know these chapters have been coming slowly, but alas i have not forgotten about you readers. The story will continue and ill write till the end...who knows how it will end...oh yes you do, he comes back safe and sound...or does he. is this really all a dream inside his head before the training exercise that takes place in chapter 1 of the first story? Who knows. Just kidding, i would never do that. Peace, Tolerate, Love, Johnson