//------------------------------// // Nightmares // Story: Home // by The Boss //------------------------------// The music in the bar was the same as it had always been, slow and mellow. Shield had never really heard music before, at least not in the sense he heard it now. It was always a military marching tune, or the random songs that he and his comrades would make in the trenches of Neigh Korea. He’d never really cared for the oriental stuff they played there. For Cheerilee, it was a new experience. The bars she’d frequented were modern and packed with ponies, this one was quiet and nearly empty. The scent of cigars and old wood permeated the air with it’s oddly intoxicating aroma. The earthy feeling of the establishment gave Cheerilee a feeling of being in a cabin, something she quite enjoyed. She twisted a bit on the turning bar stool, seating herself a bit more comfortably. The old place was dingy and its walls were adorned with pictures. She realized why it was the kind of place that Shield loved. The marine knocked back another shot with a satisfied sigh, the day had been a resounding success. Not only did he not have to deal with Diamond Tiara’s antics, but it turned out that her act of espionage was a total failure. He would be able to spend his Saturday as he wanted without creating an entirely different final exam. Added to that, he wasn’t forced to punish two innocent colts. Cheerilee sat next to him, toasting her own successful day. The foals in her care had managed not to wreck the classroom and there had been no crayon art added to the walls. “So… How much do you want to bet we’ll be getting a visit from Mister Rich tomorrow?” Cheerilee asked while she signaled the bartender to bring her another glass of wine. Shield let out a bit of chuckle. “That’s a bet I know I can’t win.” He poured himself another glass. “Ponies like him think they can push the world around because they’ve got more gold than other ponies.” The stallion took another shot and sighed. “In the marines we had a term for guys like him.” “What was it?” Cheerilee asked, sipping her wine. “Assholes.” Shield said simply. “Or officers, whichever you prefer.” Cheerilee let out a small laugh and nodded. “I know the feeling, the superintendents in the rural towns are so stubborn and set in their ways.” She added, a frown crossed her muzzle. “I’ve been pushing for new textbooks since I started teaching here, the ones we have barely cover the basics as it is. I’ve tried talking to Mayor Mare about it, but she just looks to the superintendent.” Shield nodded his head and rubbed his chin. “I could talk to Twilight Sparkle about it, she seems like the kind of pony who cares.” It was an idle suggestion, but one that he didn’t see any harm in making. Cheerilee let out a sigh and took a large sip of her wine. “I’ve tried to gain an audience with her, but the guards just tell me to move along.” The mare but her head on the bar. “I guess we’ll just have to make due.” Shield poured himself another glass and downed it just as fast. “So, are the parents still in town?” The marine groaned. “Yes, and they refuse to leave until I tell them about… well, it’s a ‘Glaring’ subject.” He looked at the clock on the wall. “I have half an hour before they go to bed.” “Hey, if it’s not too much to ask, what actually happened to your.” Cheerilee gestured to his missing eye. Shield took another shot before answering. “I’m not drunk enough to get into that.” He stated, he could see the gears cranking in Cheerilee’s head. She was thinking of another question. “And no, I don’t want talk about my experience in the care Equestrian Foal Services.” Cheerilee paused and blinked. “What do you mean?” She asked, this surprised shield. “I thought that your parents were in town.” “Adoptive.” Shield stated flatly. “Took me in when I was seven.” Cheerilee was going to ask another question, so Shield took another shot before preempting her. “My parents were taking me out camping when it happened. Diamond Dogs popped out of the ground, took them kicking and screaming. Two years later I found myself in the care of two ‘lovely’ ponies who needed somepony to watch their daughter while they party hopped.” Shield felt an unexpected hoof on his shoulder, he looked away from his empty glass and at the magenta mare beside him. “You don’t know they’re dead. If the dogs took them then-” “I found them again.” Shield muttered, negating the glass and taking a gulp directly from the bottle. “Buckin’ dogs attacked a town down south, I was still a Private at the time…” He started staring at the bottle in front of him. “That was the first time I saw death, I mean REALLY saw it.” Cheerilee was unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry… I drifted off there for a moment.” The marine shook himself and cleared the images from his head. “Don’t worry about it.” Cheerilee said, finishing her glass of wine. “I think I’ll call it a night, Shot Glass.” Shield said to the bartender, he tossed a few bits on the bar and nodded to Cheerilee. “Miss Cheerilee.” The mare watched him with a careful eye as he walked out of the bar. [♠] Shield landed on the porch of Rainbow Dash’s home with unsteady hooves. He chocked it up to the drinks he’d had, but perhaps it was the torrent of images and sounds that echoed through his brain. Dark tunnels, the stench of earth, the clashing swords. Shield trotted up the steps to the door and opened it, his eye was directly squared on the stairs. Rainbow Dash was talking to her parents, she might have greeted him. He couldn’t tell though, everything was jumbling together. The stallion flew up the steps, he heard some shouting but it could have been in his head. His breathing was rapid, he could hear his heart in his chest. The marine through open his door and closed it behind him. “J-Just sleep it off…” He said to himself, staggering to his bed. He collapsed onto it and curled up into a ball, the images were breaking through and the sounds were blending together into a monstrous roar. Exhaustion claimed the stallions consciousness and he fell into darkness. ”Subject seven, step forwards!” The voices all seemed to mash together, he recognized none of them. Everything was black, he couldn’t even see his hoof in front of his face. “... Need to know basis…” “...CLASSIFIED INFORMATION!” “Dislocate the wings, the body falls….” “This project is a matter of national security…” The voices faded out. Shield opened his eyes and looked around, he could feel his uniform on his body and his crossbow in his hooves. The landscape was dry and empty, the desert was a place he was familiar with. Above him the sun beat down vengefully, it heated his helmet into an oven. He was riding in a large carriage pulled by earth ponies. At least a dozen other marines were riding along with him. “Hey, Shield. Wake up.” Said the voice of Light Wing. “We’re almost there.” Shield shook his head. He remembered the briefing, Diamond Dogs had attacked a settlement in the south. It was his first real combat experience, he had no doubt that after the mission he would be shipped off to serve with his brothers all over the world. “What’s our ETA?” Shield asked groggily, he began checking over his weapon. “Four minutes, you think that you can get your ass in gear by then?” Said a different voice, Shield sat up in his seat. “Aye, sir!” was his response, He looked at the leader of the raid. The stallion was a muscle bound Earth Pony by the name of Hardened Will. “Now, all of you colts must be a little nervous. Don’t worry about what happens, do what you’ve been trained to do and you’ll do fine.” Hardened stated, standing from his seat and walking through the carriage. He looked over the equipment that the marines had packed for the journey. “Now remember this is not a contest, don’t risk your lives to be heroes.” Shield nodded, a deep seeded anger was rising in him however. Diamond Dogs were scum, vial creatures that needed to be exterminated like the vermin they were. Time passed all too quickly and soon the carriage stopped at the edge of a field of holes. Not a single dog was spotted on the surface, but the marines knew better than to just look at the surface. “Dismount! Two marines per hole, report back in one hour.” Shield and Light Wing were the first out of the carriage. “You two, take the first hole.” “Aye, sir!” The two responded before crawling down the steep holes. Shield went into the tight space first, he folded his wings close to his body and shimmied down slowly. To his great annoyance the strap on his crossbow snapped from the stress and the weapon skittered down into the depths. “Buck.” He muttered, pulling his combat knife from its sheath. Light Wing tapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll cover our six.” He stated, for several minutes they went down the hole. The heat of the sun left them and was replaced by the cold of the earth. The stench of dirt and plant matter flooded his nose, in the dim light he could see bugs crawling along the walls. Shield stopped as the small passage led to a ledge overlooking a larger tunnel. It was barely lit by torches and several dogs were laying in their respective bunks. The marine could see his crossbow had landed by a sleeping guard dog, he would be the first to die. Shield flared his wings and dropped down from the ledge, he landed nearly soundlessly next to the guard and readied his knife. The dog’s eyes burst open as Shield clamped his hoof over its mouth and jammed his knife into its jugular. It went limp within moments. Shield grabbed his crossbow and slung it over his back, Light Wing was taking care of the other dogs. “We’re clear.” He said softly, Shield trotted back over to him and looked around. In the corner was a table with a crudely drawn map, the stallion picked it up and handed it to Light. “Okay… we’re here in the barracks, this says that… holy Celestia.” Light handed the map to Shield, his teeth gritted and his eyes narrowed. “They’ve got a slave pen.” He bit out, the marine began trotting in the direction of the pen. “Shield, we need more marines.” Light protested, Shield didn’t stop. “Shield, don’t make me pull rank on you.” “There are ponies trapped down here, Corporal.” The stallion spat in response. “If we come down here with a bunch of stallions the civies will get caught in the crossfire and it will be for nothing.” The stallion pointed down the tunnel with determination written on his face. “If you want to court martial me when this is done, fine, but if I do get canned then I’m doing it with a clear conscience.” Without another word Shield started trotting down the tunnel, Light Wing fell in behind him without arguing. After several minutes of trotting her could hear the pained groans of ponies in the distance, a sickening stench began to filter through the tunnel. He heard cracking whips and shouting dogs, screams of pain and misery. Each one cut through his mind like a razor. As the pair came up on the end of the tunnel they were met with a grisly sight. Light Wing gagged for a moment and vomited moments later. Cages, dozens of them, each filled with two ponies. The ground was soaked in blood, and Shield could see the ribs of the prisoners. “Come on.” Shield murmured, to both himself and Light. He and his comrade took to sneaking through the crates that lined the area, they crept through the cave slowly. With each step their hooves squelched in the filthy mud. One of the crates moved, a shivering mare could be heard inside. Shield paused and looked at the other crates. All of them were moving or producing sound in some way. “Light… Start opening the crates, get the ponies out the way we came.” Shield said, Light nodded numbly and went to start his task. Shield continued onwards, he peeked over one of the crates and spotted a pair of Diamond Dogs. The two mongrels held whips and were forcing ponies to dig, large mine carts were loaded down with gems. It made Shield almost lose his stomach, almost. He had to stay strong, the ponies needed to get out. The marine unslung his crossbow and took aim at one of the diamond dogs. He wished he had Light to help him, but he would have to make do. With a slow exhale he pulled the trigger. The dog let out a yelp as a bolt of steel embedded itself in his skull, he dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks. “Huh?” Said the other guard, Shield took his knife in his hoof and opened his wings. Like a bat out of hell he propelled himself at the surprised dog, knife outstretched like a lance of lightning. The marine slammed into the dog, embedding the knife in his enemies chest. He withdrew the knife and stabbed the dog several times more before leaving the corpse and looking at the ponies. They cowered against the wall, gashes on their backs were bleeding heavily. “Shh.” Shield ordered. “I’m gonna get you out of here.” The stallion took the keys from the dead dog and went about undoing the collars that kept the ponies chained together. He pointed towards the tunnel. “The tunnel that way, follow it and my friend will help you out.” He found himself wrapped in the forehooves of a sobbing mare, she was quickly pulled off of him by a pegasus who put his crippled wing over her. “Thank you.” He whispered, with that the group made for the exit. Shield looked at the cages and started opening them, ponies began exiting the room in droves. Finally Shield came to the last cage, it was closest to the tunnel. Inside he saw two ponies curled up in the back, the marine couldn’t make out their faces though. When he opened the cage they both curled closer together. “Sir. Ma’am. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m a marine, I’m gonna get you out.” Shield entered the cage and approached the two. “Our colt…” The mare murmured in a hauntingly familiar voice. “The left him… They left him to die…” She was shivering, and repeating the same thing over and over again. Her wings were malformed, gangrene was setting in on her and the stallion. Shield remembered basic training, they wouldn’t last much longer. “Ma’am…” Shield said again, he put his hoof on her shoulder and received a weak punch from the stallion. “Leave her alone, dog.” He muttered in a horrible rasp. His eyes were milky white and his mane was nearly gone. Shield still recognized the mark on his cheek though, he’d seen it before. “N-No…” Shield stammered. “It can’t be…” When he looked at the mare his mind broke. Complete astonishment crossed his features. “No no no no no!” His mother, he remembered her. She had been beautiful, now burn marks and cuts marred her face. “This isn’t happening… This isn’t happening.” “NO EXCUSES!” The voices started flooding his head again. “WE ARE AT WAR!” “...THE WORLD WILL TREMBLE!” “Greneighda, Neigh Korea, Saddle Arabia, Stalliongrad…” “Do you believe in Faust, the mother of life?” “I do.” “To see a true monster, you need only look in a mirror.” “Shield!” A voice shouted, somepony was shaking him. “WAKE UP! SNAP OUT OF IT!” “Count to six, it’ll be over soon….” “DAD, GET A DOCTOR!” “Run, kill, run, kill! It’s all we do… I CAN’T TAKE IT!” Shield looked around, he was running through the tunnel, the walls were shaking. “Come on, Private! It’s gonna blow!” Shouted Hardened Will, Shield was panting. Tears streaked down his cheeks, dirt clung to him like glue. He scrambled up the tunnel, abandoning his crossbow behind him. He saw light above him, he needed to climb. He fought hard, he used every fiber of his being to climb. A pony appeared above the hole, they reached out for him and pulled him up just as the tunnel exploded.