//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Survivor // by Nightcall //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Bill had finished telling the girls that had walked in, who have revealed themselves to be friends of Fluttershy, on how he had saved the girl from a pack of Timber Wolves and a manticore from, presumably, fighting over territory. Bill was still quite shocked to learn that the lavender coloured girl, Twilight, had said that she was a princess of the country Bill had found himself stuck in. "So, Mr. Overbeck... How about we head over to my home, the Golden Oaks library and we can discuss a few things?" Twilight inquired. "You, a princess," Bill began. "Live in a library? I was half expectin' for you to be up in that big castle up on the mountain north of here." "That is were the other two princesses are. Also, this town, Ponyville," Ponyville? This is a crock of fantasy horseshit... "...and that means that me and my friends are the protectors of this town and country." Twilight was unaware that Bill had tuned her out for a moment or two, so he could think over the information he had been given. "Well, if yer willin' to help an old man limp to your house, I'll go." "...Twilight? Can you please ask the doctor if I can be released now? That is if you don't mind..." "Fluttershy, you only arrived here an hour and a half ago." Rarity said to Fluttershy. "Besides, you need a blood transfusion. You lost quite a bit of blood, and the doctors need to check for infection..." "Aw shit I forgot," Bill cursed. "I need a cigarette. I'll be with ya in a minute." "I didn't know you smoked. Why would you even? You're only... How old are you, Bill?" Twilight asked. "I dunno, sixty-six? Sixty-seven? between sixty-five and sixty-nine." "And you smoke? You realize that cigarettes harm you in a bad way, right?" Rainbow asked concernedly. "Well, I need to process this information fer a spell." Bill then got up from the chair in the hospital room. "I'll be back in a few." Bill walked out of the room and down the hallway. Once Bill was out of hearing range, Twilight spoke. "Rainbow, Applejack, why don't you two go ask Bill where he is from?" "...You aren't seriously askin' us to ask th' very question he felt uncomfortable t' answer, are ya Twi?" "Yes Applejack. He is hiding something. When he arrived in the hospital, from what the receptionist told me, he freaked out when a nurse ran up to help him, and he pulled a gun." Rainbow and Applejack gulped at this fact, "Whatever happened prior to his arrival, it seems to have followed him." Twilight then softened up. "Just... ask him, please? Maybe if he opens up, it will help him." Rainbow and Applejack nodded, and proceeded to follow Bill outside. Bill stood outside the hospital, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He took a drag, and exhaled. He had his mind on home. He had his mind on them. He was hoping that Zoey, Louis and Francis had made it to the Keyes, away from the mainland, away from the Infected. "Ahh, I hope you kids made it out." "Who made it out?" Bill looked to his right to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack walking out of the hospital. "No one. I'm just talking to myself. Bill said quickly, avoiding the question. "Bill, we know about the incident in the hospital," Bill shot a glare at Rainbow Dash. "But come on, something's botherin' you." Applejack approached the elderly old man to talk to him. "Listen, I know ya don't want ta talk 'bout it, but we wanna know where yer from," Applejack began, "Jus' oblige us fer a moment." Bill sighed, took a long drag from his cigarette, and crushed it under his boot. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn ya." Bill took a moment to find which part of 'home' to talk about. "Well, I grew up in Fairfield, Philadelphia my whole life. I fought in the Vietnam war for two tours when I was twenty, was enlisted in the special forces, the Green Berets," Bill pointed to the beret on his head, "After the war, I ran out of enemies to fight. I was in the military half my damn life, just give me a target and I shoot. After the war though, I didn't do a damn thing for a while." "I was a tour guide for a bit, did odd jobs now and again, and went to a shrink once a week to 'talk out my problems'. It was only a month ago decided to get my knee checked." "Why?" Rainbow asked. "I didn't make it outta 'Nam unscathed, kid. After a patrol went sour an explosive was set off an' I got a knee full a' shrapnel fer my troubles." Bill paused. "So anyway, when I was getting my knee checked out, and at the time a virus was spreading like wildfire and a nurse was infected." "I don't like where this is going..." Rainbow read her and Applejack's thoughts aloud. "Ya shouldn't. She turned inta something. The nurse became what may be called a zombie, and took a bite outta the surgeon's neck. I was in and out of consciousness at the time from the anesthesia and I took up a bone saw and a scalpel to defend myself." Rainbow and Applejack paled a bit. "T-that can't be true..." "It is Dash. He ain't lyin'" Applejack's words chilled Rainbow Dash to the bone. "It's true kid. Those days, especially the first few were like Hell on Earth. People running and screaming, killing each other just on the suspicion that someone was infected. After getting the hell outta Mercy Hospital, I ran home, put on my old uniform, and went to battle those abominations." Bill took a moment, as the words from the doctor at Echo Base flooded his mind. "The scary thing was, the virus changed daily." Rainbow Dash and Applejack gulped. "Look, let's head back in and get yer friends. I guess they were the ones who sent you to inquire about my past." Bill walked toward the hospital entrance. "Let's go."