//------------------------------// // Leaving // Story: Existence // by Spectar37 //------------------------------// Chapter 25 I was having breakfast with my friends, some sort of oats. I guessed that twilight left to do something as I haven’t seen her at all. “You know what I find weird,” I spoke my mind. Tony looked up from his food. “What?” “They don’t have TV’s or computers,” I stated, “but they have advanced 7.1 stereo systems and wubs.” “I haven’t seen one.” I shook my head. “No but they’re in the show.” Tony paused for a moment before nodding. “True.” I went back to eating as everyone else started do discuss the ponies technology. I paid little attention to the conversation, focusing more on my own thoughts. I am beginning to get questionable feelings about the situation we’re in, especially mine. I have to avoid having feelings for anyone here. “Hey, Andrew,” Cloe grabbed my attention, diverting me from my thoughts. “Yeah.” “What’s happening between you and Luna?” I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not gonna tell anyone,” I growled out my answer. “Tell me!” she began to whine. “No.” She continued to whine, repeatedly asking me to answer her question. I began to get increasingly frustrated at her persistence before I cracked. “NOTHING!” I scream at her my answer, letting out all of my frustrations. I watched Cloe as she shrank in her seat before I continued. “Nothing is going to happen.” As my anger dissipated, I buried myself into the act of eating. The day hasn’t even started and it’s already ruined. As I cleaned the plate I used, the library door opened. I ran several possibilities through my head as I went to see who it is. When I reached the main room, the others had stopped eating and were smiling at the princess standing in the doorway. Celestia was giving a warm smile to everyone. I returned the smile like everyone else in the room. “Princess,” I greeted happily, giving a nod as she walked to the table. “I am sorry for interrupting your breakfast, but I wanted to bring some news,” she said. This news mustn’t be very good. “It’s alright, we don’t mind,” Sam replied. “What’s the news,” Ana asked. “There have been sightings of strange two-legged creatures near another town.” Oh, that ain’t good. “Alright, tell us where and I’ll organise for some of us to go,” I told Celestia. “What?” the others questioned. “…Ok, I’ll organise for me to go,” I ‘corrected’ myself. “Not saying that no one else will go as well,” Sam added in. The ruler of the land smiled. “Thank you.” “No problem,” I smirked as I said this. I like being nice. “The town that sighted the creatures is in a fairly secluded area, called…” )*RANDOM INCONVENIENCING TIMESKIP*( The ponies in my group were assembled in front of me, near the last place we trained in. They all sported some form of bruise on their body, having performed full contact sparring yesterday. I paced in front of them, studying each one of them closely. I stopped in front of the centre row to make my announcement. “You are gathered here for three things,” I began. “First, I am promoting all of you to Butt Stallion.” “What!?” the lot of them shouted in surprise. “Would you all rather be Butt Pirate?” I retorted with a grin before I straightened my face. “Just think of it as private.” All of them began to grumble about their promotion before one of them asked a question. “What were we before?” I smiled, knowing exactly what to say. “Silly Fillies.” This incited more grumbles from the guards. I interrupted their quiet complaining loudly. “Next point, I need some of you to come with me to another town and the rest to guard Ponyville.” “Which one, sir?” a generic looking dude shouted. “The one where you find out later,” I answered I let them talk among themselves before I made my decision. “Ok, I’m gonna just say that I plan on taking Aegis, Chirp and you two,” I stated, pointing at two random ponies, one a unicorn and the other an earth pony, in the front row. “Uh, sir,” I heard Chirp speak up. “I would like to make a request.” This is interesting. “Ok, shoot.” “May I stay here in Ponyville?” He asked, even though he just said he was making a request. Either the pony’s weird or something’s up. “Upon what reasoning,” I stated, practically demanding an answer. This caught him off guard. He hesitated to answer the simple question. I was beginning to think about denying his request when he finally answered. “The local librarian, sir.” I grinned as the guards snickered at his answer. He’s got a fancy for Twilight. This is gold. “Accepted, upon one condition.” I heard some questioning among the ranks of guards. Some of them didn’t agree with the way I work but this didn’t seem to be a problem for Chirp, who was smiling ear to ear. “What is it, sir.” “If the town is attacked, you protect that librarian till your dying breath,” I told him, “her brother would kill me if she dies.” The guards gave a hearty laugh at the condition. Maybe they like my decision now. “Who wants to take his place.” A grey coated unicorn stepped forward. His golden mane matched the shade of the armour the guards wore. “I will,” he said, confidence in his voice. “What’s your name?” “Spinning Cogs, sir.” “Cool name bro, you’re in.” He stepped back as I brought up the next point. “Now, point tree,” I began. “Do any of you know what I truly am?” “What do you mean, sir?” Chirp asked. “Let me show you,” I answered before I did something I haven’t needed to do for a while. I performed the transformation process. I stood on my two legs, disoriented by the lack of front legs. I felt the armour plates slide into position from the disc on my back, encasing me in durable Nano steel. The helmet folded out and over my head, providing protection and badass points. The ponies gasped at what they witnessed. I opened my eyes, taking in all of the info the HUD in the helmet fed me and looked down at them. “What are you all surprised about, I did the reverse in front of you all a few days ago.” I said, pacing around, getting used to my bipedal form once again. The ponies straightened themselves, taking this far better than predicted as I once again stopped pacing and faced them. “Alright, you’re all taking this too well,” I shout in frustration. “Would you rather us panic?” “Yes, actually.” “We’re not like that around here.” “Fine then,” I said, still confused as to why these ponies are so accepting. Might have to do with the existence of dragons and other things. “The train leaves in thirty minutes, you four better be there in twenty five.” “Yes Sir,” came the chorus from the guards. “Dismissed.” As the ponies dispersed to do whatever, I walked to the library to pick up my guns. )*EXTRA STRENGTH TIMESKIP*( I was at the train station 10 minutes early, my collection of weapons on my back. I was absently checking my rifle over for the tenth time when an orange pony and two humans with similar weapons approached me. “Cloe, Tony, Applejack” I acknowledged them. “Andrew,” they replied. I got up as suddenly as I could and gave them all a group hug, of which they returned. As I let them out of my hug I began to talk. “So, I moustache you a question,” I said. Not giving them the chance to answer I continued. “Are you READY… to GO TO TOWN?!” “Uh, yeah,” Tony and Cloe answered. “Good cause I got us some company.” “Oh great,” AJ said, unenthused at the idea. “It’s not all bad, I trained them.”