//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Homefront // by Pyramusandthisbe117 //------------------------------// I usually like to sit by myself. Well, that’s a lie, I don’t like being alone; but having facial scarring and multiple exposed tattoos probably doesn’t make me seem the ‘approachable’ type. “One Agave Nectar ale” I said flatly to the barkeep. “Deviating from the usual tonight, eh Smiles?” Fuck that asshole. “Didn’t come here to make small talk, Joe. Keep your fuckin’ smartass comments to yourself” I glowered. Barkeep Joe, heard he had a brother that opened a donut shop somewhere. Bet he was an asshole too. Grumbling he reluctantly slid over a growler of the ale. Well, at least Joe could provide decent product to his clients, despite his attitude. Taking a large swig, I downed half of it. Lightheaded, good start. Somepony tapped me on my shoulder, “The hell do you want?” I asked. “That’s my seat, pretty colt” said possibly the deepest voice I had ever heard. Spinning around a little too fast, I stumbled off the seat and looked up. The biggest stallion I had ever seen stood in front of me, along with his posse. This was going to be interesting. If I was sober, I probably would have kept my mouth shut and moved along. “Too bad, knucklefuck. Find another seat for you and your colt cuddling buddies.” He moved closer while his friends circled around me like scavengers to carrion. “What did you say, you little prick?” Quickly I struck his throat with my forehoof and enjoyed the sight of him gasping for air as he collapsed. So much for the tough guy persona. I suddenly saw a heavy layer of dust wrap around everything. Three shadowy figures stepped out from the haze, bloodied and mutilated. I tried to run, I really did, but it was as if my legs were staked into the dirt. Dirt? I looked down. Where was I? Rubble was everywhere, and those three things kept getting closer. “Die, you SoE pig!” screeched an alien sounding voice. “Shots fired!” screamed another. I felt something bump into me from behind. “It’s over, it’s finally over.” Turning, I saw her again. Her brains exploding out of the side of her head while the life drained from her face. Her eyes staring off into the far beyond; that smile. Somepony put their hoof on my shoulder. Reflexively I grasped it and whirled around. “FUCKING DIE!” I screamed. The figured seemed to pause for a minute. Taking the opportunity, I reached for my sidearm. Where was it? Oh shit, it’s gone. No matter, they had to die, those things. They did this, to her. I lunged at them, swinging and landing blows. “Get him off them!” “Somepony! Call the Guard!” What? The Royal Guard? Out on the frontier? “Coban! Snap out of it!” “Let them go, you nutjob!” Nutjob? Who was talking? The dust settled as quickly as it had appeared and staring me in the face was a terrified, blue faced posse member trying to breathe. I released my hooves from his throat and heard him cough as air entered his lungs. I looked up and around me. There were three unconscious ponies and one gasping for breath, while everypony else in the bar was staring. Oh shit. Shaking, I stood and slowly backed away from what had just occurred. I could feel their eyes upon me, judging silently, muttering to themselves. I started to speak “I...I…” before somepony grasped my collar and hurriedly dragged me out the bar door. As the door closed all I could hear was “Don’t you ever come back to my bar! You hear me Coban?!” ●●● “Let go of me!” I said briskly while struggling to get back to my hooves. “What the hell were you doing in there Doc?! You could’ve hurt ‘em!” Wait, that voice. “Nova? Sarge? Holy shit, you’re alive!” Smack! Her hoof came down across my face. “Ow! The hell?!” “You almost killed those idiots in there, Doc!” she said, anger brimming in her voice. Then she smiled, “Not like they weren’t asking for it though.” “I uh…”I sputtered. Wow, know any words, ya moron, I thought to myself. “Doc,” Nova began to speak again, “What’s going on with you? I mean damn, you took on four punks and nearly killed them!” I really wish she’d stop mentioning that. “Nothing,” I said as flatly as could be. “Just…drop it. Okay? And how the fuck did you find me?” She paced at the street for a few seconds. “It’s…a long story, Doc. Okay? Say we head home? I’ll catch up with you perhaps later this week?” Home. Wish I could say that. “Uh, yeah. Well I guess I’ll be seeing you later then.” She squinted her eyes at me. Celestia, they were really blue. “Hey, Coban. Tell me the truth, where DO you live?” Damnit. Why couldn’t she just leave well enough alone? Looking at her, I could tell she wasn’t going to leave me alone unless she got the truth out of me. Sighing, I finally caved. “Well Nova, when somepony such as myself has episodes like you just happened to see, it’s rather hard to hold down a job. Without a job, I have no bits, and with no bits I can’t rent anyplace. So I live at the fucking homeless shelter and purchase the bare necessities from the veteran’s fund the SoE sends me every month! You happy now?!” She stared at me in disbelief. “What?!” I screamed. “I didn’t know” she said softly and looked at the ground, embarrassed. “Well now you do. So if you don’t mind, I’m going to leave now.” I said as I started trotting away from her. “Doc! Coban! Wait!” she pleaded. Aww what now? I rolled my eyes before turned back to face Nova. “Why don’t you crash at my place? Could pull out the futon I don’t really use.” “Thanks, but I ain’t cheap. Besides, I’d rather not be a bother.” She blushed profusely at that quip. “I never said anything of that nature!” she stated, stamping her hoof on the ground for good measure. “I’m just offering to help you out! Get you back on your feet is all.” I didn’t really try to hide the disbelief on my face. “And besides.” She got quiet again, “I owe you.” “Noooo. Nova, I was just doing my fucking job!” I protested. I never really liked getting favors or charity for that matter. Plus, she outranked me…sort of. This was getting weird. She glared at me “And I’m just doing my job now by helping out a battle who is clearly in distress!” she shouted at me. I stood in surprise, it had been a while since somepony actually talked back to me. Still, I wasn’t going to let her get to me. “Nova, I appreciate the gesture. Really I do, but I won’t accept charity,” I said in a more calm tone. “Well then, what if you helped earn your keep? Help with cleaning my apartment and assisting me with grocery shopping, you know. Stuff like that?” “Thanks, but no.” Was tempting though. “Why not?” “I already told you, Nova.” “Pleeeeease?” she pleaded, this time while using some sort of puppy dog eye thing. It was kinda cute. Weird, and how did she get her lip to wobble like that while getting her eyes to be all watery? Fuckin’ hell. “Fine!” I said, exasperated. “I’ll take you up on your offer. On the condition I help out around the apartment or other things you need taken care of.” “Done and done. Put ‘er there, roomie” Nova said with a grin. She put out her hoof towards me. I paused, not too sure what to do. Nova looked at me slightly puzzled “Don’t leave me hanging.” “Oh! Right, my bad. Hah!” I hoof-bumped her back. Smooth. “Alright Nova, back to your place. You’re on point I guess.” I heard her chuckle. “Hey, Coban. Just call me Autumn. We’re not in the service anymore.” Celestia, civilian life was freaking complicated. “Blitz.” “What?” “Blitz, my nickname. What all the school colts and fillies used to call me back in the day.” Autumn looked at me for a bit before speaking. “Naw, I’ll still call you Doc. Blitz is an awful nickname.” I heard myself laugh. Whoa, weird. “Good, I always hated that stupid nickname anyway.” “Shall we, Doc?” Autumn pointed her hoof in the direction of travel. “Let’s.”