//------------------------------// // The Soldier // Story: Devil's Regret // by All American //------------------------------// “We said she made a mistake.” Luna repeated, trying to reason with me. I wasn’t having it. I got ready to pull the trigger before some morality center went off in my head. Luna had done nothing but try to help me. It was Celestia that ruined my life. Even if Luna was thick when it came to seeing this, she still didn’t deserve a bullet. “She tossed me to the wind.” I fired back as I kept the laser sight trained on the center of her chest. “Why can you not forgi-“ “You know why!” I snarled back. Luna fell silent for a moment as her eyes traced behind me. She was obviously looking at someone behind me. I reached into my jacket and pulled out the Model 29 with my free hand. I spun round and trained the 1911 on the spectator and the Model 29 onto Luna, training the guns in opposing directions. I looked back and was… her. She stood there in all of her glory. Her mane caught the light and reflected it in a way. Her eyes were trained into me, not paying any mind to the gun trained onto her. “Luna,” she started in a voice that had not changed since I left “This is my fault, not yours.” “But sister…” Luna tried. “You… “ Was all I could get out in a low growl. “Ryan,” She pleaded “Just give me-“ “I’LL KILL YOU!” I shouted before turning both guns onto her and started firing. The revolver gave loud cracks and the 1911 only chirped as I jerked the triggers. Celestia winced as the round slammed into a barrier in front of her and bounced off, giving a light show of sparks. “Please stop!” She shouted over the rounds. I didn’t listen. I took rapturous joy in pulling the triggers over and over again, feeling the recoil in my arms. Celestia slowly lowered to the ground, struggling to keep the barrier up. I sent one last round into the barrier and it shattered like glass. Celestia was low to the ground, exhausted from keeping the barrier up against the barrage of bullets. He eyes were nailed shut as I took a step forward and lowered my guns. I smiled before raising my 1911 and leveled it at her head. “This one is for Alex.” I said before started to pull the trigger. “Sister!” Luna shouted from behind me before I felt something slam into my back. I fell face first onto the stone floor with my hands still clutched on my guns. My back burned from whatever hit me. I was to hopped up on rage and adrenaline to feel it. I stuffed the guns back into their holsters before yanking out my knife and climbed back to my feet. I was operating off of tunnel vision now. Luna was next to her sister, helping her up before the pair looked at me. I only held the old black combat knife in my hand before staring at them like a wild animal. I was snarling like a monster. Celestia was in Luna’s grasp as her horn charged with a white light. I tightened my grip on the knife before letting out a roar and charged with the knife like a Mongol warrior. Celestia shot a beam of light at my feet and disappeared behind what looked like a black hole. I was going to fast in a blind rage to stop before I stumbled through. I slowly caught my footing before looking around. Still growling like and animal, I was focused on killing and not trying to figure out what was going on. I looked behind me to see where I came from was no longer there. Not in the sense I was hoping for. The same kind of doorway that Celestia used to send me to Youngstown all those years ago stood there. I looked down to see I was standing on an old overpass. I looked back up and saw Luna standing in the doorway with her horn charged. I clutched the knife before another bolt was shot at me, slamming into my chest. The same burning sensation sent pain through my body as I stumbled back and felt my feet connect with a ledge. I stumbled off of it and down. The smoggy, familiar sky of my old Earth greeted me as I fell down with no one to save me. I was now going to die if fate was kind. I was going to die on Earth in my own city just like I had always known. All for nothing. I did not care what happened to me, I just hoped Atlanta would make it out. I don’t remember connecting with the ground. I just remember the sound of screeching tires, shattering glass, and crunching metal. - “Are you alright?” I heard someone ask as I slowly came back to the world. My back ached like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. I tried to move but every muscle protested. I groaned lowly before what felt like a hand touch my arm. I opened my eyes but was blinded by a bright light that hung over head. My eyes snapped back shut before I felt them covered by something cold and wet. “Give yourself a second.” The voice said, which I could now identify as male. I relaxed for a moment before opening my eyes again. The light slowly came into focus and turned out to be an electric streetlight. Was I back in Ohio? I looked around and saw I was on the ground next to a highway. Car passed off to the left and a smashed Chevy Silverado sat on the side of the road. I could feel blood trickling off of my scalp. “Nasty fall off of the overpass.” I heard the man call off to my left. I rolled my head over to him and saw he was a man in his mid-twenties in U.S. Army fatigues. He stood around 5’10 and maybe 180lbs with brown cropped hair. “You alright?” He asked as he walked over and knelt down looking me over a few times. “You should be fine.” “You don’t know the fucking half of it.” I said in a relieved tone, thankful just to be alive. Patted myself with one of my hands and still felt my gear under my jacket. My knife was most likely lost in the crash. “Don’t get smart with me, guy."He said as he stood up and pulled out a pack of cigarettes “You smashed my truck. My new truck.” Like I cared. It was only matter of time before I was tossed back into Canterlot and they would most likely be waiting for me. I slowly sat up, clutching at my back and gritting my teeth. “Where am I?” I asked before watching him light the cigarette. He took a long drag before looked at me like I was stupid “You’re in Florida.” Florida? How the fuck did I get to Florida? This was not the time to question it. I slowly climbed to my feet, wobbling at the knees till I found my balance. “Florida? How long was I out?” I questioned, not really in the shape to be moving around. I wiped the blood from my forehead before leaning against the busted truck. “Maybe two hours.” The soldier answered, not letting the fact his truck was busted get to him “Weren’t really in bad enough shape to call an ambulance.” “Are you really the one to make that call?” I asked with a chuckle before my ribs stabbed at me. “I know what I am doing.” He said in unamused way. “Works.” I said with a nod “I suppose this is the part where you want my insurance or something.” “Bingo.” He said as he pointed at me with one hand and tossed his cigarette but in the other direction “Cops are on the way.” I clenched my eyes shut before sitting back down on the ground with my back against the truck. I could only hope I went back before the cops arrived. “You have a name?” The man asked as he walked towards me and looked down. “Ryan.” I answered quickly “From… Ohio. Well, was anyway.” “You a drifter or something?” He asked, just prodding some curiosities. “You could say that.” I chuckled under my breath “Been to places you wouldn’t believe.” “I doubt that.” He said with a sigh as he looked over the truck "Damn." “My bad.” I admitted “Was thrown off of the bridge. Not like I planned this.” “Still.” He said as he rubbed the smashed hood of the truck. I looked down at my watch and sat it was smashed as well. I exhaled angrily before pulling it off and tossed it into the grass. I had that watch for years. “I didn’t catch your name.” I said as I looked up at the soldier. “Joshua Loyless.” He answered, giving me a full name. “Listen,” I started as my skin started to tingle and I stood up “I gotta go.” “You are staying here till the cops arrive.” He more along the lines commanded “You’re paying for my truck. “I’d love to but I have to go.” I said as I backed away from him. “You aren’t going anywhere.” He said as he grabbed me by my arm. “You have no idea what you are getting yourself into!” I warned as I tried to jerk away, the tingling sensation getting stronger. “You’re paying for my truck, guy.” He laid out before a white light blinded me. The world disappeared and was replaced by one of the cells of the castle again. I could hear voices outside of the cell and Josh was still clinging to my arm. He looked around, dumbfounded. I whipped my arm back. “I warned you.” I said with a whisper “I fucking warned you.” “Where the hell am I?” He asked in a normal tone before I rammed him against the wall and covered his mouth with my hand. “Keep it down!” I whispered in a pissed way “You’re a fugitive now.” He pushed me off of him and took a moment to gather what was going on “What the hell do you mean?” He asked. “Shut the hell up and keep it down.” I ordered as I pulled out my silenced handgun. “What the hell do you need that for?” Josh asked as he looked at it and watched me over to the door. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I said as I slowly pushed the cell door open and looked out. A few guards left the hall and shell casings littered the floor from my outburst. Seems they didn’t quick get how these interdementional spells work themselves. I felt Josh grab my shoulder from behind and throw me up against the wall. He pinned me with an elbow against my throat and held my gun wielding hand down against the wall with exceptional strength. “I want answers!” He fired at me as I struggled for air. “You’ll get your answers later.” I answered with a growl to my voice “But if you want to live, you’ll shut up and follow me. You have no idea what you have done by not letting me leave.” “What aren’t you telling me?” He asked curiously with a elbow still in my throat. “You’ll have to see it to believe me. You’re going to have to trust me.” I tried to reason. “F-fine…” He agreed adter a minor hesitation as he let me down and backed off a few feet. I rubbed my throat as I looked down at my gun. I could shoot him right here and be done but I wasn’t a murderer. If I did that I would be just as bad as the wanted posters made me out to be. Plus Josh could prove useful. He was a soldier after all. He would just have to play ball. I walked over to the door and looked back out into the hall. No one stood out in the hallway now but I was completely lost. It didn’t help my trips to Earth were now only a few hours long. My body still ached like I went a few rounds with Mike Tyson but I was still functional at the very least. I pushed the door open and leveled the gun down the hall. I looked back at Josh and motioned him forward. Josh casually stepped in the hall before asking “Is all this seriously necessary? What is with the gun?” “I said you would have to wait to see.” I said before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Just...lead the way.” He tried before motioning down the hall. I nodded before walking down the hall. My boots tapped on the stone floor as I walked and checked the doors. I tapped on a few before reaching the end of the hallway. If I was still back on Earth or trusted Josh more, I would arm him but I couldn’t risk losing a gun or one of them getting in the clutches of the griffons or ponies. I peeked around the corner before seeing a single door at the end of the hall. It looked like a cell but it was isolated for some odd reason. I stepped around the corner as I heard Josh follow behind. I holstered the gun before jogging lightly over to the door. “Can you at least tell me where we are?” Josh asked lifting a brow, tired of being lead on. “Canterlot.” I answered truthfully “Canterlot, Equestria.” “What?” He asked like I was feeding him bullshit “Where the hell is that?” “I said you were going to have to trust me.” I pointed out before reaching the door and tapped on it a few times. I heard something rustle behind the door for a second before Atlanta spoke up from behind “I already told you I’m not saying shit.” He answered angrily. “Still picking up my language, huh?” I asked with a smile before I heard he slam against the door. “Captain!” He shouted with joy in his voice “I thought you were killed by the bitch in the golden crown.” Josh stood behind me, totally confused by what was going on. “Listen,” I started before pulling out my 1911 again “Celestia sent me back to Earth. Picked up a tag-along.” “What?!” Atlanta asked in shock from behind the door “You got sent back?!” “It wasn’t pleasant.” I said with a pained tone as I rubbed my head, feeling a scab and dried blood from where I was cut before I turned back to Josh “Listen, you want answers, you are going to get a few when I open this door.” “What is behind the thing? A TM to this place?” He snarked, the reference eluding me. “You’ll see.” I said before turning around and sent a few rounds into the lock. I pushed the door open and Atlanta stood behind it. He still wasn’t wearing his armor but he had a few cuts on his chest. He walked forward and up to Josh. Altanta looked up at him as Josh looked down at Atlanta, even more confused. Josh turned to me and looked at me puzzled. “Where is the guy behind the door?” He asked. “I am ‘the guy’.” Atlanta answered before Josh jumped back. Josh started laughing before kneeling down he glanced at Atlanta before looking up at me “You weren’t kidding. I really would have to see this.” Atlanta looked over at me “Sounds like he is taking all this better than you did.” “I still don’t believe this.” Josh cut in before looking over Atlanta and saw his wings “Oh, and it flies.” “Don’t worry;” I said before setting a hand on his shoulder “It only gets stranger from here.” “Oh....what joy." He mocked before sighing. “Trust me kid,” I said before looking over my shoulder towards the way we came from “anything is possible here.” “What else do I not know?” He questioned. “Well, we’re fugitives for one.” I told him before taking a step back “I warned you.” “What do you mean ‘we’?” He asked like I was a criminal. “Just the fact you are human puts you in the same boat, kid.” I informed “But this can wait till we get out of the city.” “Fine… fine.” He started “I’ll follow you two… for now.” “And I was looking forward to leaving you for the griffons.” Atlanta shot off with sarcasm before cracking his neck. “Oh, nice.” Josh said “It's sarcastic too. I think you earned some respect points.” - After a long and hard look through the almost deserted dungon, we made it back out onto the street. It was roughly 5am from the position of the moon. We only had an hour to get out of the city and back to the Hummer. This would be almost impossible. I moved us into an alleyway before crouching behind a dumpster. I looked back over towards Josh as Atlanta flew up to a roof to get a better view. I motioned over to the next alley before he held his hand out to stop me. The kid didn’t even look a little scared. I assume since he had the army uniform on, he had seen much worse. Still, this didn’t really prove to be a benefit at the moment. “Where are we going?” Josh asked as he looked around. “We need to get to my truck.” I answered before getting up and sprinted through the street to minimalize my presence. Atlanta flew over the street before Josh groaned and jogged after me and skid to a stop. We now were at the wall where Field had saved my ass. It seemed she still wanted to come with us even after I forced her away. It killed me to think she was alone in this large city. I would have to ask Atlanta what happened later. I’m sure he didn’t get captured on purpose. I jumped up and grabbed ahold of the top of the wall before pulling myself up, my muscled protesting. When I reached the top, I offered my hand down at Josh. He took a running start before jumping and grabbing my hand. I yanked him up till he could get over the wall himself. I dropped down on the other side of the wall before turning around and saw Field standing there. “Holy shit!” I let out while startled. Little thing scared the shit out of me. I placed my hand over my heart, feeling it pounding against my ribs. Field took a step forward before punching my leg with a hoof. She sniffled like she was going to cry before latching onto my leg. Josh dropped down behind me before laughing. “Seems you are popular with them.” He said before looking down at Field “What’s up with her?” “I’ll explain everything later.”