Chapter 3: Shards of Reality
BLAM!
“Oh no you don't Gus! Are you forgetting how you keep trying to steal Julia away from me too?” Vicky cackled as she repositioned the rifle, “Now stand still so we can get this over with....”
Gus stood paralyzed in fear as even from 20 feet away, he could see the malice in his ex-wife's eyes. Time began to slow down for him, and his thought started to blaze across his mind.
'Is... Is this where I die, blasted to oblivion in front of my daughter by my crazy ex-wife? And... and... what about Celestia, if she doesn't survive we could be looking at a war where plenty of innocent lives will be lost...'
Gus saw that Vicky had found her aim by a wicked grin that slithered across her mouth, it was so evil that it could have put Beelzebub to shame. Gus closed his and waited for his life to come to violent stop, however, in the moments he had his eye's closed he did not hear a gunshot. Instead he heard Vicky's scream, which was closer to a pig's squeal, followed by a loud crunch on the ground.
As Gus opened his eyes, he saw Celestia with a very uncharacteristic frown on her muzzle and her horn glowing with the hunting rifle surrounded by the same glow as she took it apart with her magic. As Gus looked to where Vicky was he saw her squirming in pain on the ground in front of the balcony as Celestia trotted over to her placing the disassembled rifle on her and saying, “That tickled.”
Gus watched in disbelief as she trotted over to Julia and Tom, she put on an apologetic smile and spoke to Julia, “I'm terribly sorry you had to see that Julia,” she said in a voice that could be mistaken for silk, “I think your mother is quite sick...”
“Oh you don't have to sugar coat it Princess,” Julia responded, “She was completely and utterly insane.”
A slightly shocked Celestia nodded as she continued, “I really wish there was to make it up to you...”
“Not to interrupt, but Tom, isn't today good Friday?” Gus asked from where he was standing.
“Yes Augustus, and as long as she's back for dinner on Sunday, go right ahead,” Tom said as he pulled out his cellphone, “Now please leave as soon as you can so I can get Vicky an ambulance and a one way ticket to the asylum.”
“Ready!” Julia said excitedly as she pulled a suitcase behind her.
“Julia... how....” Gus asked his daughter as he pointed to the suitcase.
“Well someone was supposed to come here this weekend anyways.” she responded as she crossed her arms.
“Alright then, would everyone gather close.” Celestia said as she put her wings on their shoulders, seconds later the world around them melted away into a large guest room.
“Augustus and Julia Feroman, I would like to formally welcome you to the land of Equestria.” Celestia said as opened the doors behind her giving Gus and Julia a spectacular view of the city of Canterlot.
*********
“This is the absolute most pitiful armoured core I have ever seen!” James Nevaro a former General of the US army said as he looked over the Canterlot armoury and some of the top soldiers in the Equestrian army.
“That's why we are here James, to give them the proper equipment and training.” Vega Havlar inventor, engineer, and owner of Havlar Corp. a rising company that made both the most advanced civil and military tech.
“What do you think the lowest caliber that could punch right through this armour would be Vega?”
“I'm not sure, but I wouldn't doubt it just yet gentlecolts,” Said Shining Armour as he trotted into the armoury, “We have every piece of this armour enchanted with the newest and best protective spells weekly.” he said tapping a suit of armour on a display mount.
James rolled his eyes as he pulled out his pistol and shot the armour. Shining backpedalled and the rest of the soldiers covered their ears as the hole where the bullet punched through began to smoke. “Armour piercing round?” Vega asked his friend.
“Nope.”
“It couldn't have been a hollow point.”
“Of course not.”
“Then what is it?”
“Standard 10mm.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“What if it were to ricochet?”
“Well it didn't.”
“Ugh... Nevermind,” Vega said as he rubbed his temples and turned away from his friend for a moment, “I'm going to see how much it's going to cost me to get Shelly over here, she has always been better with design armour and such.”
“You going to bring Draco as well? After all, that boy has always be absorb in one fantasy or another. I think his mind would implode upon seeing this place.” James chuckled.
“At least he's making a better salary than you ever did off of it.” Vega shot back as he left the armoury.
James grumbled as he turned back to the ponies in front of him, “Alright ladies, time to man up and make a name for yourselves. We are starting with some Close Quarters Combat.”