It took a few hours, but I finally got myself under control. I sat up and looked over to the mirror taking in the sight of my new reflection. My light brown coat, my black mane with grey shades, my new eyes and the equine body was kinda important too. It finally dawned on me.
“So, I’m a pony now?”
~Looks that way~
“Any chance this is a drug-induced dream?”
~No drugs in our system~
“Are you sure?”
~Yep~
“Fuck.”
I got of the bed and noticed how natural it felt to move, almost like nothing had changed. A few moments later I eased my way over to the couch that now featured my gear. I checked the pile and found my leather duster, the body armor, an old torn shirt, a pair of dusty trousers, an old filthy pair of socks, my backpack and my helmet.
I checked the dusters holster and frowned as I didn’t find my old trusty 12.7 mm handgun. I opened and looked through my backpack, I smiled as the first thing I found was my weapon. I lifted it out of my pack and ejected the clip, an impressive feat using hooves, and checked the bullets.
“Thank god, I decided against loading it with hollow points. It would have torn her leg off.” I sighed as I slid it back into the gun and dropped it on to the couch. I also found my little bag of fun; I cringed as I remember the day after the battle at the airport, when the drugs exited my system all at once, and buried it under all the financial clipboards and tin cans I had in my backpack.
“Why do I carry so much crap?”
I opened another compartment in my pack and pulled out a brick of C-4 explosives and put it back, faster than I pulled it out. I then thought of something. I pulled the drug bag back out, opened it and pulled out a Super-Stimpak. I looked over to the window, it was dark outside. I walked over to the window and opened it, letting to cool breeze wash over me and fill the room.
I looked up and saw the moon; it was much larger and much more beautiful than the one back home.
‘Wait! What will happen if we inject a Super-Stimpak now? We might still be under the biological agent thing!’
“Maybe, but I don’t have time to wait until my rib heals on its own. Besides what’s the worst that could happen?” and I jabbed the needle into my chest. The pain in my chest lessened quickly, but was soon followed by an excruciating pain that shot through my entire body. I shut my eyes and clenched my teeth and forced myself to endure it. But it was no good and I started to scream through my clenched teeth.
After a few minutes I opened my eyes again, I was drenched it sweat, I looked myself over. Nothing had changed, except that the couch was a little further down and seemed smaller. I looked over to the mirror. My eyes had turned an even darker shade of red.
The door burst open and the nurse from earlier rushed into the room. She looked like she just got out of bed; her mane was spurting out in all directions.
“Are you alright? She sounded a little scared, she looked at me with big eyes, which creeped me out, and walked over to me putting her hoof on my forehead. I pushed her hoof away and tried my best to look like it was nothing, but I was still shaking.
“I’m fine, really” my voice sounded raspy and strained.
“Uh-huh, now why don’t you go back to bed and try that again tomorrow?”
“But…” I tried but she just glared at me, which was even creepier.
“Fine” I grunted and went back to the bed and lied down on the soft mattress. Something was wrong, I was bigger then before, I could not stretch my legs out fully anymore, but my rib was better at least. The nurse closed the window pulled the curtains shut and left the room.
When she shut the door behind her I realized that I was exhausted, and that this hospital bed was really comfortable, and this room smelled like vanilla, which was very relaxing. I had no idea where I was or how I got here or if I was ever going to be able get back home, but right now it didn’t matter, I just wanted some sleep.
But then something hit me, I threw myself out of the bed and stumbled over to the couch. I picked up my duster and rooted through its pockets for a while my sense of panic was growing. Then I found it, in the bottom of my inner left pocket. I lifted out an old silver locket; I took it in my teeth and went back to my bed. After a few minutes of careful prying I managed to open it with my teeth. A picture of a young girl was inside. She was smiling and had her arms wrapped around her older brothers neck, she was riding on his back. They both seemed so happy. But that was a long time ago.
“I miss you, sis.”
The picture was cut out a newspaper: The picture had been taken of our village when we had been accepted into the NCR. Everyone had been so happy, so eager to serve their new government, none of them knowing that all of them would be dead within the month. I wiped a tear from my eye, closed the locket and put it under my pillow. I sighed and tried to get
some sleep.
oooOOOooo
The heat singed and burned my skin as I walked through the burning remains of my town, smoke made it hard to breathe. Frank walked past me and kicked in the door to the one building that wasn’t on fire, city hall. As I walked in I could feel my insides turning. The first thing that hit me was the smell. Then the sight of gutted and mutilated bodies, spread around, nailed to walls or chained to the roof. A raider charged out of a room laughing and swinging an axe.
I pulled the bolt of my assault rifle back and flicked the safety off and unloaded an entire clip into him, screaming as I did it. More and more charged out of rooms or downs stairs in the old building. I reloaded and stood my ground. At that very moment a raider hit me from the side, knocking the rifle out of my hands and pushing me into another room where she tried to strangle me. After a moment of struggling I pulled out my knife and jabbed it into her stomach, stunning her for a moment. I pulled the blade out and proceeded to stab her several times both of us screaming, for different reasons. Before charging back into the atrium and throwing myself at the raiders, knife in hand.
After a brutal fight all the raiders had been taken care of, I walked up to one that was wounded. I picked up my rifle and pointed it at his legs and blasted them clean off, and then began pumping his body full of bullets until Jesse grabbed me from behind. He was crying while he dragged me out of city hall.
oooOOOooo
I woke up panting and sweating, then I heard something. I perked my ears and focused, the calm breathing and the soft muffled thumping of a heart and the sound of turning pages. I was not alone in my room anymore. I opened my eyes slowly and looked around, there was someone on the couch. It was the lavender pony that helped me yesterday. Then I noticed what book she was reading, my mission journal.
I cleared my throat. Nothing, not even a change in her breathing pattern. I got out of the bed, slowly making my way over to her. When I was right in front of her I gave her a more thorough observation. She had a lavender coat, dark blue mane with purple and pink stripes and her mark was a purplish star with five white stars surrounding it. I pushed the book down from her gaze with my hoof and glared into her eyes.
“Interesting read?” I asked, almost growling at her.
She yelped in surprise and held up her hooves like I was about to hit her. The glow around the book disappeared and it fell
to the floor with a soft thump, I picked it up and threw it into my backpack.
“S-sorry I was just-” She looked scared.
“Just… What?” I asked, still glaring into her eyes.
She regained some of her posture, but still seemed like she was scared to death of me.
“Well, I got a here a few hours ago, and after a while I got bored and the book was just lying there. I just got curius, and after a little while longer I decided that I would give it a look.”
“Didn’t your mother teach you that it’s rude to read other peop- other ponies journals?” I said as I moved over to my backpack and closed it. I turned around and saw the look in her eyes, fear.
‘I don’t think she knew it was a journal.’
“It was a journal? It was your journal…” She looked scared, but curios at the same time.
“Yes it is my journal, how much did you read?”
“Maybe a dozen pages, before you scared me half to death.” She smirked; looked like her curiousness was gaining the upper hand over her fear.
I sighed heavily. “You look like you have some questions for me. Unfortunately those questions will have to wait.” I sat down on the bed, facing her. “Why are you here?”
“To ask you a few questions...” She smiled shyly while rubbing the back of her head.
I sighed loudly and fell backwards onto the bed. “Of course you are, what do you want to know? No let me guess, you want to know everything.” I sat back up and stared at her, she nodded slowly. I groaned and got out of the bed again and made my way to the couch. I opened my backpack and retrieved the journal and threw it over to her. At first she looked confused then she blushed.
“There you go, answers.”
“You want me to read your diary?” She asked quietly.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not a diary, it’s a mission journal. Besides it’s better than sitting around answering questions all day, if you have more questions later I’ll be happy to answer them, but that will take the brunt of them.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your job? I mean it’s not many professions that require you to keep a mission journal.”
“I am, was a Ranger.” At her confused look I added “I was a soldier.”
“Oh, like one of the royal guards?”
“What? Yeah sure.” She nodded and picked up the book. She started for the door when she turned around.
“I never told you my name did I?” She trotted over to me and reached out her hoof. “Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle.”
I took her hoof and shook it. “Michael Denton.” She smiled and trotted out of the room, closing the door behind her.
‘Giving her our mission journal can’t possibly come back bite our new tail.’
I picked up my clothes and put them on the bed. A lost cause. The only thing I could wear was the duster and it was far too big to fit properly. I swung it onto my back and tied the sleeves around my neck. Very large and baggy but it did the job. I took a deep breath and trotted over to the door and opened it. The reception at the clinic was empty and the blood had been cleaned up. I peeked through a door and saw a familiar face.
“Hi Rose.” I said as I walked into the room, her face lit up as she saw me.
“Hey! Thanks again for helping yesterday.” She smiled at me as I trotted over to her.
“No problem.” I said, rubbing her mane. She giggled and pushed my hoof away.
“Where did you learn that anyway?” Her smile vanished almost as fast as mine.
“Things back home are complicated. I-I don’t want to talk about it.” I looked away and stared out the window. My jaw dropped again as I walked over to the window. Outside was dozens of colorful ponies all going about their daily business while chatting and laughing.
“Rose, got any advice for a newcomer?” I asked, entranced by the sight.
She snorted. “Only one. Stay away from Pinkie Pie.”
“Why?” I turned to find her smirking at me.
“Oh, you’ll find out sooner or later.”
“Okay then, get well Rose.” I gave her a pat on the head and headed for the door.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
I turned around and looked her in the eyes. “Michael Denton.” She giggled at me. "What?"
"What a silly name!" She smirked at me again “See you later Michael.”
“See you later Rose.” and with that I walked out the door into the reception. I went back to my room and stuffed my things into my backpack and swung it onto my back. I reloaded my pistol and put into the holster in my duster as walked over to the clinic entrance. I took a deep breath opened the door and went outside, and was immediately hit by a pink freight-train.
AN: This chapter was hell to write, I found out that I can’t write Twilight properly. That's all, and I want to thank everypony who actually read this. And I want to thank DancesOnTheAshes for being awesome and proof-reading this!