A Second Chance

by Shadowstep


Chapter 3: Tears and Broken Bones

The pink blur hit me with such force that it flung me, headfirst, back into the clinic, scattering my equipment around the room and sending me crashing into the nurse who just exited Rose’s room; she looked more annoyed then surprised. As soon as I had shaken off the initial shock I got off the muttering pony and reached out a hoof to help her. “Sorry ‘bout that.” I said as I helped the grumbling nurse to her hooves.

”Hi I’m Pinkie Pie!” I turned around and found two massive bright blue eyes staring at me. In front of me there was a pink pony with a pink fluffy mane and tail, she had a smile that was unnaturally wide, but as soon as our eyes locked it faded a little bit, and it also seemed a tad forced.

~I’m scared…~ Oh come on you big sissy, she’s just a pony.

“Uh, hi I’m-“ I started, but was interrupted by the pink pony. “You’re Michael Denton, former NCR Veteran Ranger, ranked Captain. Thirty-nine years old, used to have green eyes and is afraid of spiders!” She machine-gunned out while skipping around me.

~Ok now I’m impressed.~

I was flabbergasted. “How the fuck did you know that?” I asked, turning my head trying to keep her in sight. She stopped and put a hoof to her muzzle, obviously in deep thought. “I don’t know it just sort of popped into my head!” She said resuming her skipping. “But that’s silly though, you don’t look a day older then twenty-two!”

“Twenty-two years old?”

“Yep!” She exclaimed.

‘The Super-Stimpak stimulates cell regeneration. In our state of mutation the regenerating cells must have increased our body size and shaved off a few years at the same time.’ Since when did you get smarter than me? ‘Since day one.’

“Hey, why are you out bed?” I turned around and found the nurse pointing a hoof at me.

“I feel better now. My rib is fine.” I said and tapped my side. “Thanks for the concern though.”

“Hey what’s this?” I looked over my shoulder and saw Pinkie Pie sitting in the corner, eyeing my locket. I trotted over to her and snatched it out of her hooves. “Hey! I was only-” She started but was interrupted. “Never, ever touch my locket!” I shouted at her. She looked shocked, and a little scared. Then she put on a nervous grin. “Okie dokie lokie!” She forced a giggle and zoomed out the exit. As soon as she was outside I let out a sigh and hung the locket around my neck. I then started picking up all the things that her tackle had spread around the waiting room. I stopped as I saw the Pipboy lying on a chair. I picked it up and slid it on, which easy since I didn’t have a hand blocking the hole. I turned it on and checked the screen.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanning Blood, Bone structure and Brains waves for anomalies: WARNING: Anomalies detected: 5

Physical Health Levels: Medium: (Warning: Subject is suffering from Jet withdrawal) (Warning: Subject has 1 very recent bone fracture)

Psychological Health Levels: Low: (Warning: Subject is suffering from split personality) (Warning: Subject is suffering from severe levels of Post-Traumatic Stress)

Additional Warning: Subjects body has been exposed to a high amount of radiation of unknown origin: (Amount of Radiation exposure: 21,738 Rads)
------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wow.” I slipped it off and put it into my pack. “Jet withdrawal, fantastic.” I muttered. And I’ve been exposed to over twenty-thousand Rads? I should have been dead hours ago. And what does radiation of unknown origin mean? I gathered all my things and trotted over to the nurse. “I never caught your name.” I said reaching out my hoof. “I’m Michael.” She took my hoof and gave it a light shake. “Redheart.”

“Thank you for all the help Redheart.” I gave her a strained smile and started for the exit. “Oh by the way, where am I exactly?

“Ponyville.” She said simply, picking out new bandages from a shelf.

I sighed and rubbed my neck. “Less specific.”

“Equestria.” Now she turned around and looked at me quizzically.

Now I was getting worried. “Uhh, Less specific.”

“What, don’t you know what planet you’re on? She snorted.

“Earth?” I asked hopefully.

“Earth?” She looked at me like I was an idiot. “It’s called Equis, Didn’t you go to school?”

~Does boot-camp count?~

“No ma’am, I did not.” I said as I walked out the door into a new world.





Walking through Ponyville earned me many odd looks, more than what I was comfortable with but less than what I was used. I assumed that it was because of the duster and the large bag hanging from my back. But I also noticed that I was about half a head taller than the rest of Ponyville. But I was also getting a few winks from the mares around the market, something that both disturbed and flattered me a little bit, which made it even more disturbing.
All of the sudden a very loud grumbling broke me out of the trance that the village had put me in. “Ugh, I’m starving.” I looked around for, well anything really, and saw a stand with a familiar orange pony wearing a Stetson. Moving towards the stand I saw an unfamiliar sight, boxes filled with fresh apples, and my stomach growled even louder.

“Howdy! Now that rumblin’ can’t be mistaken, yer starving.” She looked at me and smiled, then she recognized me. “Oh hey it’s you!” She exclaimed as I got up to the stand. “Hey there, thanks for dragging my sorry hide to the clinic yesterday. And yes, I’m starving.” I smiled at her and reached my hoof out. “I’m Michael.” She took it and shook it so hard she almost dislocated my shoulder. “Howdy Michael! Ahm Applejack. An’ don’ you worry ‘bout goin’ hungry, we got everythin’ a pony could ever want!” I took a glance at her wares, she had almost everything that could be made with apples for sale, and finally laid eyes on a plate of apple fritters.

‘Freshly baked goods? We haven’t had fresh anything in months!’

“A couple of those please.” I said, pointing at the fritters. “Sure thin’.” She said and put a couple of fritters in a bag and slid it over to me. “That’ll be six bits.” She said smiling.
I reached for one of the pockets in my duster when something occurred to me, I only had bottlecaps. My heart began to sink.

“Uhm… I don’t have any bits on me I’m afraid.” I said sheepishly, rubbing my mane.
She looked at me for a while before she said. “Well you look strong. Hay, you look bigger then you were yesterday, so take those fritters an’ come help me and mah brother back at the farm later. You might even give him a run for his money! ” And my heart climbed back up.

“Hard labor for food? Reminds me of home.” I picked up the bag with my mouth, sporting a genuine smile for once. “And thanks for the fritters!” I started walking away, the smell coming from the bag almost made me drool. “Y’all be back here in two hours and we’ll head to the farm!” She said as she waved me off.
I stopped. What if I didn’t go through alone? I turned to Applejack. “By the way, where did you find me?” She pointed her hoof down a dirt road to her left. “Thanks again, I’ll be back soon.” I said trotting down the road she had pointed out. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to regret taking this route, but I had to know.





I had been walking down the dirt road for about twenty minutes, kicking the occasional rock off the road or looking at the birds flying around in the air along with some winged ponies. That froze me in my tracks. “They got Pegasi too? How did I miss that?!” I yelled at no one in particular. But when I thought about it, a few of the ponies in the market had indeed had wings. “What’s next? Shadowmares or maybe Alicorns?” ~You had an odd obsession when you were a kid didn’t you?~ “It was better than shuffling Brahmin dung all day.”

I shook my head and continued down the road. I was now keeping a steady pace while pondering on the events that had occurred during my day in Ponyville’s clinic. Rose, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Nurse Redheart. I’ve been here for one day and I’ve already treated one bulletwound, nearly got interrogated, spent the night in a clinic and been physically assaulted by a Jethead. “I get the same welcome everywhere.” I muttered, I looked up and saw a few trees that had gotten their tops burnt off. “Must be around here somewhe-“ I froze as I saw two brown and grey piles on the field next to the road ahead of me.

“No…” I dropped the fritter bag and slowly started walking towards the piles. “This isn’t happening…” I walked up to the two piles lying in the grass.

“No! No no no, god no! The ranger dusters, the helmets both lying in the grass next to two big backpacks and scattered gear. I knelt next to the dusters, I reached out and put my hoof on the smaller one and opened it. “Jesse, I’m so sorry!” I fought back the tears as I stared at the ashes that were once by best friend. I looked over to the bigger one. “Frank…” I shook as tears started rolling down my cheeks. “Fuck!” I cried out, I desperately looked around and saw a small hill overlooking a lake. “Don’t worry guys, I won’t leave you here.”

I grabbed the first duster in my teeth and started dragging it towards the hill, once I got to it I let go of the duster and sat down next to it. It finally sunk in, Frank and Jesse were dead. I broke down into violent sobs, I stood up and headed back to Franks duster, still sobbing as I walked.

Once I had dragged Frank over to Jesse and brought their equipment with me I opened my bag and pulled out a small hand shovel. It took me a while, the earth was very soft and every time I dug up dirt it refilled again, but I was done. I had dug a hole, about one and a half meter into the ground. I grabbed Jesse’s duster and gently lowered it down into the hole. I did the same thing with Frank’s, carefully, to spill any of the ashes. Then I reached down and retrieved their dog tags. Then I filled up the hole. Once I was done I sat down next to the grave. I put Frank’s and Jesse’s helmets on top of the dirt pile, facing towards the lake.

The hill was much nicer from where I was sitting; the view of the lake was beautiful. There was a small tree growing next to the grave. I stood up and looked down at the helmets, tears rolling down my cheeks. I pulled of my own dog tags and laid them one the grave with the chain around the helmets. I saluted them “At ease soldiers.” ~Goodbye guys, we’ll miss you.~

I then had an idea, I took Jesse’s backpack and rummaged through it, I found some scrap metal and a sensor module. I opened Frank’s and found a leather belt and wonder glue. I saw an ivory handle; pulling it out revealed a beautiful, royal-
blue revolver with the inscription "For honorable service" I turned the weapon in my hooves and looked at the other side
"Against all tyrants". I could feel new tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

“Frank you old bastard. You were a ranger long before you met us weren’t you?”

I felt the weight of the weapon in my hooves, even with my younger, equine, body it still felt heavy; I carefully stuck it into my other holster. I then took some surgical tubing and a medical brace and got to work. After half an hour I had a little contraption with my handgun attached to the front of the medical brace. I stuck my hoof into the medical brace and pointed the gun towards the lake. I grabbed the string of surgical tubing with my teeth and pulled, the sensor module went to work, a small metal bar moved the trigger of the handgun back and the weapon fired, the kickback was considerably smaller than it had been earlier. I watched the ripples in the water as I slid the clip out of the gun, fumbled for a bit and slid a clip of hollow-point rounds into the gun and put it back in the holster.

“It’ll have to do.”

I got off my plot and slowly walked away from the hill, Frank’s and Jesse’s dog tags clinging softly against the locket around my neck. I was staring into the road as I walked. I didn’t get far until I heard the giggling of excited children, it stunned me a bit since I hadn’t heard that sound in decades. I looked up and saw three fillies galloping towards me, one orange with a purple mane and small wings the second had a white coat and purple and pink mane she also had a horn and the third was a bright yellow filly with a red mane with a huge pink bow in it. They zoomed right past me, yelling something about marks and creature catchers. They headed for the dark forest down the road. There was something about that forest, it felt… wrong. But right now I didn’t care, so I kept walking towards Ponyville.
It took me nearly an hour but I had finally managed to drag myself back to Ponyville. I slowly trotted over to Applejack.

“Howdy Michael, Twilight was lookin’ fer you earlier!” She said as I trotted up to her. “She did, did she?” I asked. Not bothering with masking my pain.

“Somethin’ wrong, sugercube?” She asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Yeah, but I’ll deal with it on my own. And please never call me "Sugercube" ever again.” I said turned to go to Twilight’s house when I realized I didn’t know where she lived. I looked over to Applejack, she just smiled and pointed at the big tree in the middle of Ponyville. “Thanks.” I muttered and trotted off towards the big tree.

My entire body felt cold as I stopped in front of the tree and knocked on the door. It opened and Twilight stood on the other side, she had a mix between worry and fear in her eyes.

“You were looking for me?” I asked simply.

“I was, I have a few questions for you.” She said, avoiding eye contact.

“I said I was going to answer your questions, and I aim to keep my word.” I pushed her to the side and stepped into what appeared to be a library. “You live in a library?” I turned and looked at her. “I get the same reaction from everypony!” She groaned and trotted past me and sat down on a pillow, I chose to stand. “You had some questions, get to it.” I growled, making her jump. “You’re in a bad mood today.” She chuckled nervously. I lowered my head. “I buried my best friends barely an hour ago so yes, I’m in a bad mood.” I muttered.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” She sunk back into the pillow. “What happened to them?” I raised my head and glared into her eyes, making her slide backwards a little bit. I walked over to one of the windows and put my hoof on it.
“This place happened!” I shouted. “They died when I was transported here!” I stomped my hoof so hard it left a dent in the floor.

“My condolence for your friends, but that brings up one of my questions.” She said with a rather nervous tone. “You said you were transported here, and from what I’ve gathered from your journal you’re not a pony either.”
I turned away from the window and stared at her. “Get to the point.”

“What are you?” She asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“I’m human.” I said simply not taking my eyes from her.

She looked confused for a moment before asking the simple but dreaded question. “What’s a human?” Instead of answering I lifted up my locket walked over to her and opened it, showing it to Twilight. “Those are humans, the one in the front is me, the girl on my back is… was my sister.” She stared at the picture for a little bit, then looked at me. “What happened to her?” I closed the locket and let it fall back against Frank’s and Jesse’s tags, a letting out a soft cling as they connected. “Raiders.” I sighed.

“I think I read about those in your journal. Something about a place called Evergreen Mills?”

“Evergreen Mills… the one place not even the Lone Wanderer would touch.” I found out that my home had been attacked by raiders, no one survived. I tracked them to Evergreen Mills, but I couldn’t get in, I needed help. I signed up for the NCR Military and got to training. Jesse joined me; he was one of the only other survivor from our village. After Anvil we were selected for ranger training and placed under the command of Staff Sergeant Frank Mason.”

“Did you manage to save her?” She asked with tears in her eyes.

“No, it took several years before we were ready to even try to attack Evergreen; we stopped preparing for a rescue mission and started preparing for a suicide run. Frank refused to let me and Jesse do it alone so he came along. We killed most of the raiders and drove the rest out of Evergreen. But we were too late to save my sister.”

“What happened to make your world so… evil?” Twilight looked like she was going to be sick. I lowered my head.

“We did. Humanity happened.” I said with a deep sigh.

“I’m not sure I understand.” I straightened up and put my left hoof on my chest, mimicking an old man in a recording I saw when I visited camp McCarren at one point before being sent on that god forsaken mission to DC.

“Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything: from God to justice to simple, psychotic rage.” I deflated and sat down on the floor. “Humanity never changed. The NCR tries it’s best to do good, but the wastes aren’t making it easy for us.”

“What made the world change?” She looked at me like a child, eager to learn new things. If it wasn’t in this subject I might
have chuckled at the sight.

“There was a great war about two hundred years ago, no one remembers why. But our nation had been at war with a rival nation and one day the bombs dropped, turning the world into a hellish wasteland.

“What are bombs?” She asked, her continued curiousness into such a subject was so… adorkable, and a bit annoying.

“Do you know of fireworks?” She nodded. “They are like fireworks made to destroy and kill.” I sighed deeply. “And the bombs that were dropped back then were powerful enough to destroy an entire city, and they dropped many.”

“What?!” Twilight looked horrified. “Why would they do such a thing?” She almost yelled. I just shrugged.
“No one remembers why anymore. We only remember that they did.”

She was quiet for a bit then said “If your world was so horrible.” She gulped. “What was your place in it?” She asked hesitantly.

“As I said this morning, I was an NCR Veteran Ranger, a soldier in hell. Our job is to clean up the wastes and try to make it safe for the people of the NCR.” At her confused look I added. “We kill the bad people that no one else can kill.” She didn’t seem to find that very soothing.

“Anything else you want to know?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Oh yes, I have tons of questions!” And she pulls out a notebook. I groan and sit down at the table. The following hours were spent explaining basically everything I could about technology, culture and history. I even showed her the Pip-boy, bad idea. It ended with me being forced to physically take it away from her before her experiments could do some real damage. I was about to call it a day when the front door slams open.

“What the?!”

I saw a hoof flying towards my face and reacted instinctively; I grabbed it with a forehoof and spun around slamming its owner into a bookshelf. She yelped in pain, she had one of her wings pinned between herself and the shelf behind her. I stood up on my rear hooves and lifted her of the floor, pulled her away from the shelf allowing her wing to get clear before slamming her into the shelf again. I leaned in and growled in her ear. “Try that again, I fucking dare you!” She looked confused. “Hey, what gives?” She struggled a little bit, she wasn’t going anywhere. She then looked over to Twilight.

“Tell your coltfriend to back off!” She shouted to her. I pinned her harder against the shelf, she winced.

“Let her go Michael!” Twilight said firmly. The Pegasus stopped squirming and just stared at me for a few seconds, before breaking out in hysterical laughter. “BWAhaha! Y-your name is… Michael? That name is so stupid!” She pushed out between fits of laughter. “What, my name’s not stupid!” I pinned her harder against the shelf, but she was too busy laughing to care. “Michael! Let. Her. Go.” I lifted the Pegasus a little higher before dropping her. She yelped and hit the floor with a thud. I reached down a hoof to help her up; she just swatted it aside and got up herself. “Sorry, reflexes.” She puffed out her chest. “You got yourself quite a looker didntcha Twi, kudos” She scoffed. I turned to Twilight; she looked shocked, confused and was blushing so hard she had practically turned red. I looked from the laughing pegaus to the blushing unicorn and sighed.

~What’s with the mares in this town?~

I stood in front of Twilight and tapped her on the head. “Hey, you have any more questions for me?”
She was yanked out of her stupor. “What? No not yet, I need to talk with the Princess first.”

“Who? You know what don't answer, I don't care.” I picked up a few books that had been knocked off the shelf and put them back, probably in the wrong places though. “Bye, Twilight.” I said and went outside, it was dark outside. As I walked through the empty market and noticed that Applejack’s cart was gone, and remembered that the fritters were still lying where I had found my friends. I took a deep breath. I could almost smell trouble in the air. I looked up into the sky, a beautiful blue vista; it was something I was not used to. As I admired the sky there was something gnawing at me from the back of my mind.

“I got a feeling this day isn’t over yet.”

“Excuse me?” ~Speak of the devil~

I looked down and saw an elegant unicorn with a white coat and an overstylized mane. She looked rather worried about something.

“What?”

“You wouldn’t have happened to have seen three little girls running around would you?”

“Small giggling things, one of them with a huge pink bow?” She perked up a little bit at that.

“Yes that’s right! Where did you see them?”

“Last I saw them they were headed for that forest.” I pointed my hoof at the large forest at the edge of town. She spun around with a panicked expression on her face.

“Oh no! They are in the Everfree forest? And you just let them go in?!” She now turned on me with rage in her eyes.

“Hey! I had no idea they weren’t supposed to go to the forest.” I defended.

She deflated. “What if something happened to them?” she said sadly.

I stiffened. “There is something dangerous in the forest?” She just nodded. I looked over at the forest and patted my sides, the combat rig for my 12.7 mm and the Sequoia secure inside my duster.

“Well then, seems like I finally have something to do!” I said eager to get moving. I turned to her. “You take it easy, I’ll find the girls.” Without waiting for a response I turned and galloped towards the forest. The wind blowing in my mane, a direction to follow. It was wonderful.


/=/=/


Everything changed as soon as I set a hoof in the forest. Most notably it got very dark, very fast, dark and cold. I slowed down to a trot. I eyed the ground for tracks. I heard a howling that sent shivers down my spine. I looked around me, nothing but trees, bushes, rocks and mud. And in the mud there were tracks, the tracks of small hooves. But as I got closer I noticed another set of tracks, a massive wolf paw. It seemed very recent, and it was following the smaller tracks. A sense of dread starting building up.

I shook the feeling off and galloped of following the tracks. I don’t know for how long I had been running when I heard the howling again. This time it only built up rage inside of me. I picked up the pace and thundered down the dirt road. I flew over small water streams, ran straight through thorn bushes but never slowed down. It wasn’t long until I could hear children screaming, I lowered my head and bit the straps holding the backpacks. The backpacks dropped taking with them all the gear except for my weapons. Then charged on ahead, without all the extra weight I moved with a lot more ease. My muscles pumping, my heart felt like it was going to explode. I did something I hadn’t done in years. I stopped and reached into a pocket, taking out a canister of jet. I sprayed it into the air and closed my eyes as I took a deep breath.

I opened my eyes, everything around me slowed down, the leaves falling from the trees crawled to a stop and my heart beat once a minute. I scraped the ground with my hoof and charged on ahead. I started losing control but I fought the haze back, I needed my focus. My veins were pumping out unnatural amounts of adrenaline. I skidded to a stop as I reached the slope down into a tiny valley. I looked down and saw a massive wolf standing in front of three crying fillies. The wolf was growling, baring its teeth at the girls. My temper exploded. I pulled out the contraption; I aimed it at the creature. Only to see the leather belt snap and the gun plummet to the ground. I take a deep breath and reach into my duster; I clench my teeth around an ivory handle.

I pull out a massive revolver, feeling the weight in my neck. I point it at the wolf and slide the hammer back with my tongue and put it on the trigger. I take a good long look at the wolf and notice something odd. Its fur isn’t grey or brown, but blue. Blue like the night sky and covered in stars. ~A constellation wolf?~ The wolf takes a swipe at the white filly with its massive paw and I pull the trigger. The next few seconds were agonizing. The flash from the barrel blinded me; my ears were ringing so loudly I couldn’t think. I missed a few teeth, my head was vibrating and the revolver was gone. When my hearing finally returned all I could hear was a loud growling. The wolf was staring at me, murder in its eyes. The bullet seemed to have missed.

“Ah come on! That ain't fair!” I bellowed and charged the wolf. I threw myself at the wolf bucking at everything I could reach. One hoof connected with its snout jerking its head to the side. I landed behind the wolf, and then felt a massive force yank me backwards. A quick glance revealed it had latched on to my duster with its powerful jaw. It sent me flying into a tree; I bounced off and landed on the ground with a thud. The wolf seemed satisfied and went back to the fillies. I got to my hooves and charged the wolf again, this time aiming for its ribs. “FUUUCK”!” I screamed as I slammed into the wolf’s side. It let out a loud yelp and fell, rolling with me on the ground.

“RUN!” I screamed at the fillies as I rolled over now with the wolf on top of me. It starts snapping for my head with its massive jaws. I desperately tried to keep it away but it was far too strong. The fangs clashing closer and closer to my neck. I slam my right forehoof into its mouth trying to keep the teeth away from any important parts. I felt a mind-numbing pain as its jaws snaps shut. I scream and begin pummeling it with my still free forehoof, repeatedly slamming my hoof into the wolf’s ribcage. I heard a distinct -crack- and the wolf let out a loud whimper and let go of my leg. I rolled over and got to my hooves; my right foreleg was bleeding heavily and was horribly disfigured. The adrenaline dulled the pain enough for me to pull out another Super-Stimpak and jab it into my leg. I scream as my leg begins healing, I start popping the bones into place as it heals my leg. Once it was done I look up and see the wolf lying on its side under a tree, whimpering.
I walk towards the wolf, grinning. But once I got close it spins around on to its paws and pounces at me. It grabbed onto my back with its teeth as we rolled in under a massive fallen tree. The wolf was on top of me and was biting and clawing my back, rending flesh from bone with every swipe. I felt that it was a tight fit under the tree.

~You’re going to let this fucking thing kill you? After all the shit we’ve seen, all the shit we’ve done! You’re going to let an oversized wolf in a fantasy world finish us off?! The log is massive and lying low, show this fucker who we are!~

The tree trunk was low, low enough for one thing. I did the only thing possible. I pushed myself to my hooves, forcing myself up. My muscles were protesting, I was pushing them too hard. I dug my hooves into the dirt. I kept pressing upwards, pinning the wolf between my back and the tree. I could feel one of the muscles in my left hind leg burst. The pain washed over me, I ignored it. I felt my newly mended leg begin to crack, I ignored it. The pain was excruciating but I kept pressing. Pushed harder and harder, the wolf was thrashing around trying to get loose and whined loudly until *SNAP*.

The wolf let out one loud yelp and then fell silent. It slipped off my back and I could finally relax. I fell on my side. I couldn’t breathe, I didn’t care, I had won. And now I felt so very cold.


“…”


~Come on~

“…”


~You can’t give up now~


“…”


~Get up!~

“…”


~You are an NCR Veteran Ranger! And those fillies still need us!~


“… -cough- …“


~That’s it, get up soldier!~

“Gaah! -cough-“


~That’s better~


“W-w-where?”


~Where you left them~

I slowly turned my head; the fillies were right where we had left them.


“H-how m-many s-stimpaks do we h-have left?”


~One~


“It’s enough”

I drew my left forehoof back under my body and pushed. I put down my right hindhoof and pushed. I got up, my back and neck covered in deep lacerations. I set down my right forehoof and pulled it back with a scream; it was broken in several places. After a few seconds I set down my left hindleg, the pain flared but was manageable. I began dragging myself across the valley. Every step was hell, blood was dripping from everything. I probably looked like a fresh ghoul. With every step the fillies got a little bit closer.

After three agonizing minutes I had reached them. I collapsed next to the white filly; she had a deep gash in her side, almost reached all the way from her neck to her flank. “Give her this.” I said and the Stimpak fell out of my torn duster. And everything starts getting dark. The orange Pegasus trotted over to the Stimpak and picked it up; she then went to the white unicorn and pushed the needle into her thigh. I let out a rustling breath of relief as I saw the liquid being injected.


“Can I go now?”


~I don’t mind, boss. It’s up to you now.~


“… I think I’ll go then…”


~We’ve had a good run, it’s been an honor.~


“…”


Then the cold started lifting, I felt a warm presence above me, light burned through my eyelids, coloring the darkness bright red.

“Not quite yet, Ranger.” A warm, motherly voice spoke.






[Authors Notes] Well there it is. This chapter will be the last to go up in a fairly long time, when I began writing i had no story or plot, so I'm going to spend some time on that. And between school, friends and everything even remotely pony related i will have a lot of distractions. I hope you liked it and by the time chapter 4 goes up I'll have a plot for you guys. ! I'll say that you'll probably not see anything new within a month. And for all of you reading big thanks! If you have any questions about ANYTHING pm me, I'll answer every question you may ask.