Author’s notes: Sorry for those of you who don’t read clop. I’m gonna say that chapter 18 was probably a 20-80 split of teen to mature. I promise to make it up to you. All I can say is thanks for continuing to read. I can’t thank you all enough for without my faithful readers, this story would have never come to fruition.
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The morning had come quickly as the sun poured through the open sunroof. Fuck, it was open?! Did anyone her us last night? I hope not, because Dash wasn’t exactly quiet. I still had my holster on and my belt and shirt were undone. Dash was still asleep as I looked down as saw her curled up on top of me. The sun’s rays seemed to dance across her as I brought my hand up and stroked her mane. She rubbed herself into my hand as she slowly came to life. The morning was cool and having the sunroof open didn’t help. I grabbed my suit coat and covered me and Dash with it. Dash poked her head out towards me and rested her head on my shoulder. With my right hand, I closed the sunroof and looked at the clock. It said it was 8am.
“Good mornin’ Dash.” I said as I ran my hand down her mane.
I only got a mumbled response in return. It was obvious she didn’t wake up this early on a regular basis. I had nowhere pressing to be so I gave a mental ‘fuck it’ and wrapped my arms around Dash. My hands had finally stopped stinging and my back pain was mysteriously absent. Don’t question good things. I lifted Dash up with my right arm and sat the seat back up with my left. The cool metal of my G36 grazed my hand as I fumbled for the switch. With the seat up, I sat Dash down in my lap with my suit coat still wrapped around her.
Dash returned to sleep and curled up in my lap. I peered out the window and saw that the town was showing signs of life in the distance. I watched as I saw a few pegasi pushing a few clouds in place and the carts in the town square open up. I turned my head to the left and saw something odd, even for this place. In a tree, I could see something that had the same general shape of a pony, but it was a dark grey. The creature had various holes in its legs and wings like that of an insect. The creature stared at me with a look of contempt with bright blue eyes. As the creature stared at me, it licked its fangs and readied its wings and flew in the opposite direction. Whatever it was, it didn’t look friendly but seemed harmless enough. I buttoned up my shirt and adjusted my tie before starting the H2 up and turning on the heat.
The leaves showed signs of changing but still looked far off. The air was cool but the heat from the vents was a small comfort. Lifting my leg into position, shifted into gear and drove towards town. The H2 gave a soft rumble in the cabin as I slowly made my way towards town. The ponies only glanced at the H2 for a moment before returning to their work. It seemed that they must’ve just accepted my presence here. I drove up to my regular spot outside of Twilight’s and threw it into park. The day was beginning to get under way as most of the town had finally gotten their shit together.
I looked down at Dash and found that she had wrapped herself in my coat and was sound asleep in my lap. I ran my finger over the dashboard and the electrical systems started up. I shoved the Deadmau5 CD that sat on top of the CD case, into the player. I turned down the volume and the song ‘Strobe’ started to play faintly in the background. I placed my head against the headrest and looked up through the sunroof. I was puzzled when I saw that same strange bug like pony flying above the H2.
I picked up Dash, who mumbled something incoherent, and set her in the passenger seat. I grabbed my rifle and stepped out of the H2. As soon as I looked up into the sky, the strange pony was gone. I shook my head and tried to flatten my wrinkled shirt out. I guess that since Dash was wrapped in my coat, I would have to endure the cold for now. I closed the door behind me and leaned up against the hood of the H2. I rubbed my hands together and breathed into them to try and warm them up. It had to be less than 50 degrees outside. I one handed my rifle and began to walk towards Twilight’s.
Without warning, a scream came from behind me. I spun around and shouldered my G36. The scream seemed to emanate from a nearby shop. I ran up to the storefront and saw that it was a bakery (Pinkie’s maybe?). I didn’t waste a moment as I kicked the door open and scanned the room for hostiles.
“This is Ryan! Is anyone here?!” I yelled into the room.
“Somepony help!” A voice shouted from another room.
I ran up to the door to the room where the voice had come from and kicked it open. I ran inside and saw the strange bug pony along with Pinkie.
“A changeling!” Pinkie cried out.
I leveled the rifle with it as it turned to me. Then something happened. The changeling was replaced by Dash.
“What the fuck?” I said as I lowered my rifle.
“That’s not Dash! It’s a changeling!” Pinkie cried from the other end of the room.
I lowered my rifle and took a long look at this ‘changeling’. It definitely looked like Dash but didn’t seem to carry itself in the same way. As I studied the… whatever it is, a bang echoed in the room and Dash flew in. Without a doubt in my mind, I leveled the rifle with the ‘changeling’. I fired three rounds into it and the changeling immediately slumped to the ground and changed back into its normal self. I stepped forward and saw that the creature had three tightly grouped holes in its chest and blue blood began to pool around it.
“What did you do to it?” Pinkie asked as she took a step forward.
I held my hand up to signal her to stop. I walked up to the changeling and kicked it. The changeling coughed and weakly looked up at me. Without mercy, I leveled the barrel of the rifle with its right eye and fired. The changeling’s head snapped back before falling limp. I kicked the creature to make sure it was dead and took a step back.
“Killed it.” I answered Pinkie’s question “Something tells me there are going to be more.”
I turned my attention to Pinkie and Dash and took on an assertive stance.
“Pinkie,” I said as I pointed to her “go inform Twilight of what happened and lock yourself in her house.” I then turned my attention to Dash “I need you to gather Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity and get them to Twilight’s as well. We shall rendezvous there. Understood?”
Both Pinkie and Dash gave a stark nod before taking off. Dash climbed out a nearby window and Pinkie ran out the door. I knew what I needed to do. I ran back outside and checked the skies. I figured we had about 20 minutes before more of them arrived. I needed to find Ulik more than everything. I bolted back to the H2 and climbed in. As soon as I placed my hands on the wheel, the engine shot to life and I shifted into gear. I slammed on the accelerator and barreled down the road towards Applejack’s.
-
I didn’t waste a second as I pulled into the farm’s front yard and slammed on the brakes. My tires tore the front yard apart as the H2 skidded to a stop. I shifted into park and climbed out. The door to the farmhouse swung wide as I approached. Applebloom and Applejack walked out onto the porch and I stopped in my tracks.
“Is somethin’ wrong? I herd’ you attack something.” Applejack asked in a worried tone.
“Something called a ‘changeling’ tried to attack Pinkie. I killed it and I think more are coming.”
“A changeling?!” Applejack shot back “Ah thought we showed ‘em at the weddin’!”
“I don’t have time for stories! I need to find Ulik and you two need to get your asses to Twilight’s pronto!” I commanded.
“Don’t swear in front a’ Applebloom!”
“We don’t have time for this! Where is Ulik?!” I yelled.
Applebloom shot behind Applejack as soon as I raised my voice. She poked her head out and tried to speak.
“When mah other friends had ta leave, he went back to Twilight’s I think.”
I rubbed my eyes and tapped my head with the barrel of my rifle. Of course he would go back there. That was essentially home for him.
“We don’t have time. Get in the damn truck. We’re heading for Twilight’s now!”
Applejack gave me a stern look before I took another step towards her.
“Either you get in or I throw you in!”
Applejack rolled her eyes and motioned for Applebloom to follow her. I ran over to the truck and opened the back, left door. I helped both of them in before climbing into driver’s seat and pealing out of the yard. I drove back out and onto the road. Not a word was spoken in the back seat as I barrel back towards the town. The trees on the sides of the road began to whip by as I reached 95mph and maxed out the speedometer. I looked back at Applejack and Applebloom and saw that they were glued to their seats. It was obvious that they weren’t enjoying the ride but I didn’t care. We had somewhere to be.
I was nearing the town when a massive shadow blocked out most of the sun. I poked my head out the window and saw that the sky was full of changelings. I rolled up the window and tried to out run them. I flew into town and watched as all of the townsponies began to panic and run into any available shelter. I pulled up to Twilight’s and slammed on the brakes. The H2 skidded to a stop and I jumped out of the cabin. I ran over to Applejack’s door and let them out. Applejack and Applebloom jumped out of the H2 and I closed the door behind them. I placed my hand against the door and locked it. I turned my attention back to the Apple sisters.
“Get inside! I’m going to try and take down as many of these things as I can!”
Applejack nodded and her and her sister ran inside. I shouldered my rifle to the sky and let out ten round bursts into the sky. The rifle spit the empty shell casings across the street and a few changelings fell from the sky. I could only hope that Ulik and Dash had made it. I continued to fire into the sky with my G36 as I slowly backpedaled towards the door. I was now firing on full-auto as the changelings began to close in. I the rifle’s barrel started to glow red as I let out a ten second burst and opened the door. I slammed it behind me and pressed my back against it.
“Holy fuck that was close.” I said as I removed my right hand from the rifle’s forward grip.
I had slightly burned my hand from firing the rifle so much but at least I was left handed. I shook my hand to dull the pain before I located a nearby book case. I ran over to it and drug it in front of the door.
I turned my eyes to the rest of the room and I quickly identified all of the elements and a few ponies that I didn’t know. There was a large red pony with a green apple as his mark and orangish hair, an elderly green pony with grey hair, and a small unicorn with a purple is mane. There were roughly nine ponies (including the elements) and Spike. Dash flew over to me and hugged me in mid-air.
“Thank Celestia, you made it!” She exclaimed.
“Its ok, I’m fine.” I said as I wrapped my right hand around her.
I received a few weird looks from both the other Elements and the ponies I didn’t know.
“What?” I asked as they stared at me.
“Are you two…?” I heard Rarity pipe up.
“Now is not the time.” I shot back as something bashed itself against the door.
I pushed Dash off of me, and ran over to the window with my rifle in hand. The streets were in chaos. To think that there was only one this morning made me shiver a bit. It seemed the changelings had almost total control of the streets by this point and were trying to bust into any structure they could see and Twilight’s house was no exception.
“Barricade the windows!” I ordered everyone in the room.
I didn’t even get a reply. Everyone in the room stood up and took anything that was nailed down and put it against the windows. Books, tables, and other random objects were all placed against the window. The pounding at the door subsided for the moment as I leaned against the wall and looked around the room.
“Where is Ulik?” I asked flatly as I rubbed my forehead with my right hand.
The barrel of my rifle hissed and smoke poured out of it as I spoke. I looked back up at the group of ponies and saw them talking amongst themselves.
“Is there something I should know?” I asked.
“He isn’t here.” Twilight said flatly.
I felt my free hand ball up in anger. I spun around and punched the wall, sending my fist through the first layer of material.
“GODDAMMIT!” I yelled as my voice echoed in the room.
“I’m sure he is fine.” Pinkie said in her generally cheerful demeanor.
“Bullshit! Have you looked outside lately?!”
Dash took a step towards me and said “Why don’t you go outside and look for him?”
“Again, it would be like signing my own death warrant. The streets are flooded with those… things.”
No one spoke as I stood up and walked into another room. I held my rifle with my left hand as I made my way into the room. The room was covered in books, just like the other one, but this on had a telescope and a large window. I pushed the telescope aside and sat down in the large window sill. I brought my feet up and curled up in the window sill with my rifle in my lap. I wasn’t going to shed a single tear. I was just going to kill as many of this fucking things as I could.
I nestled the rifle in my lap with the barrel pointing out the window. I reached into my pocket and took the round from earlier and Dash’s feather and squeezed them in my hand. I would have no more mercy. I flicked the rifle to burst fire and lined the sights up with a changeling. I pulled the trigger and the rifle spit three shell casings into my chest, due to my awkward positioning. The changeling dropped to the ground and twitched for a moment.
“Choke on it.” I said in a violent tone.
It felt like at this point, I didn’t even want to find Ulik; I just wanted to kill as many changelings as I could. Hearing the gunshots, Dash and Twilight walked in. I noticed their presence but didn’t care. I lined up another shot and fired. The changeling that I had in my sights fell to the ground and stopped in its tracks. The gunshots echoed in the room as I pulled the window closed and turned my attention to Dash and Twilight. It seemed that they both had looks of sympathy on their faces that only seemed to drive me mad. I lost count of how many times I had told them I don’t need their sympathy.
“Alert Celestia to our situation. I’m gonna continue to pick off as many as I can from this window.” I said as I returned my attention to my rifle.
Twilight stepped out of the room and Dash climbed onto my knees. The barrel was piping hot and hissed slightly as I sat there. A pile of empty casings had gathered between me and the window. I pushed the window open again and sighted in a changeling that was dragging a unicorn into the middle of the street. I sighted in the changeling’s head and squeezed the trigger. The three rounds of 5.56x45mm flew 3,018 feet per second and connected with the changeling’s head. The changeling slumped forward onto the unicorn, eliciting a scream from the unicorn. The unicorn looked around to try and spot who had helped her and she saw me in the window. I waved at her and she timidly waved back.
“What are you gonna do?” Dash asked “Take them all out?”
“That was the idea.” I shot back flatly. “I did just save one pony.”
I brushed the shell casings off of my chest and looked down the sights towards the end of the road. I could hear a bunch of hoofsteps behind me along with whispers. I tuned it out as a familiar figure rounded a corner. It was Ulik! He was alive!
I felt as giddy as a school-girl as I waved at him to gain his attention. I couldn’t read his expression from here, but it must have been one of joy. He bolted down the road without the slightest bit of caution. Shit, a few changelings had noticed him as he bolted towards the door. I raised my rifle and laid down suppressive fire. Dash watched me as I laid down massive bursts of fire. Changelings began to fall left and right as Ulik switched into over-drive and sprinted towards the door. He made it to the halfway point before another wave of changelings reacted to the gunfire. A wave of about twenty flew over top of Twilight’s house and barreled down towards Ulik.
“Die you ugly motherfuckers!” I shouted out the window as I raked inaccurate fire over the skies.
Shells casing started to overflow on the window sill and began to fall to the floor. I was deaf by this point, my hearing replaced by a high pitched ringing. I readjusted myself in the window and continued to rake fully-automatic fire across the changeling’s ranks. I dropped about ten before my barrel glowed straight red. After another twenty seconds of continuous fire, the action seized up and jammed. I tossed the rifle behind me and listened as it slammed on the ground. There was a collected gasp behind me and I retrieved my 1911 from its holster. I fired seven shots into the ranks of the changelings and managed to drop a few more.
It wasn’t enough. Three changelings surrounded Ulik. I fired into the crowd in a blind rage from the window. It wasn’t about me, Ulik, or protection anymore. It was just an animalistic rage.
“AAAAAAAAAGHHH!” I yelled as I continued to pull the trigger as fast as I could.
At this range, the pistol wasn’t accurate enough, but I did get lucky with a hit here and there. Another changeling dropped before the last one grabbed Ulik and took flight. I had failed.
I climbed out of the window sill and stepped onto the ground, knocking Dash off of me. Casings surrounded me and rattled across the floor. Every single one carried a sorrow for me but they were all hollow. Just like me. I took a few steps back and fell to my knees just before the seized up rifle. I felt my handgun fall from my grip and bounce off the floor. The entire floor of the room was covered in empty shell casings. I placed my hands on the rifle and watched as the action fixed itself in an aura of blue light. I hung my head and stared at the rifle for a moment.
Every life that I had tried to fix just ended up being destroyed in the end. I wasn’t meant to be a normal human. I was designed to kill and my mark only exemplified this. I didn’t feel anything at this point. I was numb. I grabbed my pistol of the ground and held it in my lap. My hand shook violently, either out of anger or sorrow, I didn’t know. I shoved it into my holster and grabbed my rifle. I used the stock to climb to my feet. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I opened my eyes to see that all the ponies had their eyes locked on me and stood on the opposite side of the room, either out of fear or respect. Not a word was spoken as I hung my head and walked out of the room. I had a job to do. I wasn’t going to protect the Elements, I wasn’t going to save Ulik, and I certainly wasn’t going to report to Celestia.
I was going to make sure that every. last. changeling. burned.