//------------------------------// // 6 // Story: Forgotten past, brighter future. // by Steelhooves //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Homecomming... Carousel Boutique, Ponyville Hmm, how did I end up in this situation? I couldn't help but wonder to myself as I stood arms outstretched, posing so Rarity could measure me, everytime I tried to interrupt her to explain I couldn't pay for what she was doing, I was abruptly cut off by a statement about fashion or simply dismissed by a wave of her hoof, so I stood there waiting like a damn statue... After what seemed like an eternity, the fashionista finally seemed content with taking measurements and let me move about freely, I took the opportunity to collapse into the nearest chair and relieve my cramped legs. Rarity approached me, levitating a cushioned couch behind her and then placing it across from me before sitting down herself, "Now dear, do tell me why you decided to stop in to visit me?" I couldn't help but laugh, much to her confusion when I had stopped I proceeded by saying "Actually I stopped by to see if you could help me with this" I said gesturing to my soiled apparel, "but you took the initiative and beat me to it." I said chuckling slightly before frowning "The one thing that remains the same is this, I have no money so I don't know how I ca-" "Its free." She said cutting me off, I stared at her blankly, before giving off a rather surprised "Huh?" To which she responded with a enthusiastic nod, "When your ensemble is complete, you may have it for free, consider it my gift to you." I gave her a confused, yet grateful glance before asking, "If I may ask, why would you make an outfit for me for free? I haven't done anything have I?" she shook her head, her beautiful indigo mane swaying behind her, "No, no you haven't done anything, it just isn't everyday that one is given the chance to design for something as unusual as you." "Thanks...I think." I said almost whispering the last part, it was then that I noticed a large, ornate looking mirror hanging on the wall of the back room and I had to admit my curiosity was peaked, what did I look like? I got up and asked Rarity if it she would mind me going into the back room to check it out, she got up off the sofa and indicated for me to follow. I walked up to the mirror to examine myself, I was fairly tall, easily in the six foot catagory with a well built and maintained body, I then moved on to my face and almost immediatly staggered back, shocked by what I saw, Rarity too seemed alarmed and asked me what was wrong several times, but I didn't respond, I just stood back up and stared at my reflection in the mirror What the hell is wrong with me...? *************************** Market District, Ponyville "You let him what??" Twilight said in a flustered manner, she was tired and inceredibly irritated that her research had yielded no more results. "Ah already told ya, I sent 'im ta visit Rarity." Applejack repeated to her clearly tired friend, before saying "What's the problem anyhow?" Twilight switched her attention to her saddlebags momentarily before levitating out a book that seemed relatively new, and proceeded to hover it in front of Applejack muttering the words as she read the title: Modern Warfare She looked back to Twilight, with a look of total confusion plastered on her face, before responding in an equally confused tone "Ah don't get it." Twilight rolled her eyes before saying "Since I couldn't find anything else out ab-" Applejack cut her off. "Ya found somethin'? That's great news!" she said enthusiastically, "I can't wait to te-" Twilight cut her off by pushing her hoof into AJ's mouth, "SHH!" Applejacks face took on a total confusion while Twilight in hushed tones told her what she had discovered about their "guest" and was quiet shocked by the revelation. "So he's a dragon slayer?" Twilight shook her head, "I don't know...none of my other books had anything about his species what so ever, and he showed no aggression towards Spike, so I honestly don't know, its best just to let the princess' handle its." Applejack nodded her head, "So what 'bout the other book?" AJ said pointing a hoof toward Twilight's saddle bags. Twilight once again took the book out and flicked through its pages, before stopping on a section and turning it back to Applejack, she stared blankly at the page, "Can't ya just tell me what ya want me tah kno'? Twilight rolled her eyes "OK, since I couldn't find anything more about him I decided to look into his weapons and boy are those a doozy!", she gestured back to the book "According to this, they are a form of 'musket' only from what Dash said, they are far more advanced than anything we are working on, I mean it would take a cannon to hurt a manticore!" Applejack didn't know what to think, on the one hoof this creature had helped her over the past few days, yet on the other its species had a record of being, for all intents and purposes...monsters. "Alright, Ah reckon we should go n' check up on Rarity," AJ said, turning to Big Macintosh "can you take care of the stall Mac?" He nodded giving his usual response "Eeyup." Applejack and Twilight then turned and began making their way towards Rarity's home. ******************************** Ponyville, Main Road As Dusk and the other entered Ponyville off the main road he couldn't deny, it felt awesome to be back home, even under the current circumstances he felt completely relaxed as he entered the town. The rest of the guys were just as hyped, sure they were on a mission but Ponyville was a great spot to slip in some fun, hell they already looked like they were tourists, they're disguise was flawless, although their happiness was short lived when they realised they hadn't met another pony since leaving the main road to Canterlot. "Hey, eh, Dusk is it?" Said one of Luna's chosen, Dusk turned to face him before responding, "Yeah?" the earthpony shuffled uncomfortably. "Your from here right?" Dusk nodded "Soo is the town usually this...deserted?" Dusk shook his head, mane flailing wildy behind him without his armour to bind it, "No, espacially not today, the markets on so everypony should be out..." Dusk's curiousity was peeked, so were his fears I swear to Celestia if that bastards touched my family I'm gonna buck its head off. He did a three-sixty just to take in his surrounding properly before facing the group again. "Alright, lets split up, Azure with me we'll check the town center, meet back here in a few hours." Azure walked up beside him and Thunder just let out a sigh, exactly the same thing happened with Luna's guards and Dusk couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness for Thunder, which he quickly lost as he and his partner took to the air. Dusk smiled as he lightly shook his head, Rookie... ******************************** Ponyville, Carouselle Boutique I stood there, staring at my reflection, I could hear Rarity asking me what was wrong in a concerned tone but I couldn't respond...I just stood there staring at my eyes, they weren't human...the iris had turned a bright yellow and the pupils had become red, but he had seen these eyes before. Guess they weren't just nightmares... "I need to go." I said, my voice strangely calm considering what I was doing, Rarity looked at me seeming very confused, "Go, where? Why?" she said, a nervous tone in her voice. I turned to face her then I remembered something from my encounters with that thing, ...until Twilight and company petrified me again... "Your one of Twilights friends aren't you?" she nodded, "Of course darling but I don't see h..." I couldn't hear her beyond that point, another memory breaching the surface of my mind ...I don't need you, I need what you used to be... I sifted through my restored memories, especially the contracts...the assasinations. Its words reverberated through my skull I need what you used to be... "Oh no." I turned toward the exit only to be blocked by Rarity, who clearly had no intention of letting me leave without an explanation, I groaned How the hell do I get out of this? I followed this trail of thought for a moment before saying, "Personal reasons, I just really gotta go." She didn't budge. "OK the hard way it is..." I said quickly pushing my way by her, and taking a surprising amount of effort I got to the door, only to be followed outside. I turned backwards to face her still backing up into the street "Listen Rarity I just need to sort som-" *Slam* I went tumbling to the ground face down in the dirt, I heard Rarity sceam and I couldn't help but wonder, Is this world trying to kill me? ****************** Memories *Smack* I shot up straight, well attempted to but only succeeded in slamming my head, I looked around only to see a group of people laughing at me, each dressed in military apparel, I could hear music playing in the background one of them tapped me on my helmet before speaking to the group, "Well gentlemen, turns out getting piss drunk the night before your shift begins ain't such a bright idea." I just smiled and lay back, as another wave of laughter assaulted my ears. "So guys what ya all doin' once we get back to the base?" said the soldier opposite me, the guy beside me spoke up "Well I know me and Rich are hittin' our bunks, ain't that right Rich?" he said inclining his head towards me, "Hell yeah man, hell yeah." I said, thats when I realised I wasn't in control of this...Just another dream I heard a radio talking in the front of the jeep, before the guy in the passenger seat leaned back, "Turn the music off and saddle up gentlemen we're, entering down town." everyone picked up their guns and double checked them, the song came to an end, everyone stopped talking as the humvee turned into the narrow streets of the town we had enetered, Where is this place? I couldn't help but think feeling a sudden surge of recongnition, accompanied by a sinking feeling in my gut, I looked out the window we were pulling into a main street, high buildings on both sides and when we were half-way down it when I heard the tell tale sound of a rocket firing "AMBUSH OUT OF THE FUC-" Was all we heard on the radio before the jeep in ahead of us exploded. We came to a sudden stop, everyone clambering to get out of the jeep. I cleared the exit along with three of the others when I heard it. A deafening sound as the vehicle in front of me exploded, time seemed to slow down as I saw the panic stricken soldiers within before the shock wave hit me. *Crack* I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, just darkness... "Alpha!" Aghh I opened my eyes, only to immediatly clench them in pain, I could hear something in my ear and I could feel myself trying to focus on it, "Alpha?! Goddamn it come in Alpha!" I looked around and was disgusted by the sight, I was lying behind the smoldering wreck of a humvee, surrounded by dead soldiers and I could hear the distinct sound of an MG firing in the back ground, I groggily sat up, hearing another squak of chatter come through my comm, "Richard that you buddy? Fuck you guys got hit hard! Listen I need you to grab Cassidy's M32 and take out that gunner, he's tearing us apart!" I looked around my ears ringing, eyes blurred but I saw it, a six shot grenade launcher in one of the soldiers grips, I crawled over to him and pried it from his grip, and I couldn't help but notice a majority of his head was missing, odds were the MG was a 50. Caliber, "Were gonna provide cover fire in five seconds man get ready," and for a few moments all I could hear was the thuck thcuk thcuk sound of a heavy machine gun firing and then "SUPPRESSING FIRE!" followed by several small arms firing on fully automatic down the street, I got up and staggered to the edge of the cover and trained my sights on the MG, only to catch a glimpse of someone dropping to the ground, I took aim and pulled the trigger, the M32 completely descimated the cover the gunner was using. The street feel silent, disrupted only by the sound of small arms firing occasionally in the distance, I dropped the grenade launcher, its remaining ammunition depleted, I could see other soldiers moving cautiously towards the destroyed gunners fortification, I tried to stand up from my cover only to unwillingly collapse to my knees, arms clutching my stomach, I looked down and I could see several spots where shrapnel and other pieces of debree were lodged in my kevlar vest, but there was one piece that caught my eyes, a piece of jagged metal jutting from my stomach, clearly having penetrated the vest yet, even though I could see a pool of blood beginning to form at my feet but I felt nothing, I couldn't moved shocked by the sight, I fell on my side. My eyes remained open and I could see someone approaching me and then shouting over me, though I could hear nothing; I closed my eyes then...Nothing...