//------------------------------// // Bonus, old 2.0 version // Story: Among the Unturned // by Natkomet //------------------------------// 2.0 I found this in an old folder and thought I could find a better place for it. So this is a scene that I envisioned for Among the Unturned way back during Unturned 2.0 between the protagonists and a gang of bandits. By now, so much has changed and it has been awesome to watch as the game, and my writing develops over time. As of 7/8/17, Unturned is now out of early access. Huzzah! - “Landmines”, Andrew pointed to a small green object about the shape and size of a Frisbee with a red button in the center lying in the middle of the road. As he patted Twinkleshine’s haunches and whispered a quick prayer for the deceased, Andrew sighed, “With any luck, they didn’t know what hit them.” Twinkleshine felt her stomach churn at the grisly scene before her, The driver of the truck (what was left of him) was still strapped in his seat and nothing more than charred skeleton from the fire that must have consumed the vehicle. But the other, oh Celestia, the other one... a leg here, an arm over there … Suddenly Andrew froze. “What’s wrong?” Twinkleshine said, startled at her companion’s sudden unease. Andrew’s eyes swept the ridge down the road near Fenwood farm for what he hoped he hadn’t seen. The brief flash of sunlight reflecting off a glass lens. … With sickening sense of dread Andrew rounded on Twinkleshine and hissed, “Get behind the truck now!” “Wait wh...?” Twinkleshine started, but Andrew cut her off and shoved her forward. “Just g-!“ CRACK! Where she’d been standing a moment before, a geyser of dust erupted from the road as Twinkleshine began a mad gallop for the overturned truck. “Move girl, move!” Andrew yelled as he sprinted to join her. Together they dove into the cover of the truck’s cargo bed as a second shot ricocheted of the tail gate and buzzed angrily off into the trees. “Dammit!” Andrew swore as he fixed his unicorn companion with an angry glare. “Don’t EVER hesitate like that again!” Andrew snapped. Stuttering under Andrew’s thunderous gaze Twinkleshine felt any excuses she had die in her throat. “I…I…I didn’t mean”! “If I hadn’t pushed you, you’d be stone dead!” Tears began to well in Twinkleshine’s eyes as the sheer terror of being shot at wore off and she realized just how close she had been to joining the two landmine victims in the dirt. “I’m sorry!” She sobbed, “I…I…sob...I should have listened… me and my stupid questions almost got us both killed!” With that she broke down and cried bitterly into her hooves “So naïve”, Andrew muttered under his breath, “Still so much to learn.” Andrew felt like a total asshole for making her cry, but she needed to learn and fast. Out here on PEI the teacher didn't allow re-takes, and even a small mistake could get you killed. He turned away with a tired sigh and unslung his Usbekanov and checked the clip, it was half full. Knowing that returning to the homestead was out of the question with bandits so close by, he un-slung his alice-pack and took stock of the supplies they had left. An empty canteen 3 bandages 2 pieces of corn 1 jerry can full of gasoline 1 blowtorch 4 bottles of purification tablets 1 machete 8 buckshot shells 6 slug shells A Novuh shotgun And the Usbekanov It would have to do. Andrew began to plan their escape but his concentration was upset by the heartbreaking sound Twinkleshine’s uncontrolled tears. He then forced himself to look over at the despondent unicorn, her frame still wracked by sobs of guilt and her once white coat matted with itchy brown dirt stains and stinging red scratches. Andrew could no longer bear her cries as his heart softened at the sound of Twinkleshine’s genuine sorrow. As he moved closer to comfort her, he removed his helmet to scratch his head and his eyes settled on Twinkleshine’s horn. Suddenly an idea came to him as he looked between her horn and his helmet. It would be risky, but if there was any hope of escape, they’d have work together to pull it off. Twinkleshine was startled when a calloused but gentle hand began to caress her mane. Lifting her tear-stained face, she looked up to find that Andrew had scooted over and was now smiling down at her. “You’re not mad”? She said, her voice choked with emotion. “I was”, Andrew sighed. “But there’s nothing quite like nearly getting your head blown off to teach you a lesson, and I couldn’t bear seeing you so down and out when this is just as much my fault as yours”. Twinkleshine looked down in confusion and guilt, “I’m the one who hesitated, how’s any of what happened your fault”? She asked. “The moment we saw the wrecked truck and the bodies, I should have had us go straight back to Holman isle to wait until nightfall”, Andrew responded. “Instead I tricked myself into thinking that whoever did this would be long gone”. “I’m such an idiot”, Andrew deadpanned as he subconsciously scratched the scar on his arm, “I of all people should know that bandits always leave a rear guard to ambush anyone who tries to scavenge what they didn’t take”. Cleaning the last few tears from Twinkleshine’s face with the hood of her ghille suit, Andrew responded with a grin. “And besides, you’re too cute to stay mad at for long”! With an embarrassed snort and a slight blush, Twinkleshine got up and wrapped her hooves around Andrew’s neck in a warm embrace as the sun began to sink below the trees to west. “Cuteness aside”, Andrew thought “You taught me how to have fun again and showed me that there’s more to life than hiding”. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you”… So Andrew did all he could do, he began to stroke Twinkleshine’s mane once more and smiled as she nuzzled his neck… The moment was short lived however, Andrew knew they were not out of danger yet, in fact, far from it. The sniper could already have run for his friends and the whole gang of bloodthirsty bandits could be closing in. Wishing he didn’t have to, he broke the embrace and began to outline his plan to Twinkleshine. - “There are timberwolves here”!? Twinkleshine’s pupils shrank and her ears drooped as she asked. Andrew remembered the conversation they had back at the homestead when Twinkleshine had told him about Equestria and how she could sometimes hear magical wooden creatures called Timberwolves howling at night. He shook his head and responded wistfully, “I wish it was a wooden wolf; that would probably easier deal with”. “Out here, when someone says Timberwolf, they’re talking about a rare; military grade sniper rifle with deadly accuracy”. “It’s got a one of a kind report and our friend on the ridge has definitely got one”. “That’s why we need to find out if that sniper is still up there, otherwise we could be nailed the moment we leave cover”. “Any hope of getting away alive hinges on us taking him out”. Twinkleshine shuddered at some grisly thought and nodded in agreement before asking, “And what if he isn’t up there”? Andrew responded as he checked the sights of his x7 scope one more time. “If he isn’t there, then chances are he’s coming back with his buddies. That means we’ve gota run like heck for Alberton and hope they won’t search hard with all the zombies around”. Andrew made one final check of his equipment before looking Twinkleshine in the eye and giving a grim smile. “You ready”? He asked. Holding Andrew’s green army helmet in her sky-blue magical grip, Twinkleshine lifted it to a point just below the rim of the truck’s cargo bed. Swallowing her fear and calling on her hidden reserves of courage she managed a weak smile in return. “Ready”. She said. Crouched at the tailgate of the overturned truck, Andrew held his Usbekanov at the ready. “Go ahead”, he whispered. - Up on the ridge adjacent to Fenwood farm, two pairs of eyes watched the wreck of the yellow pickup truck with keen interest, one through the x20 scope of his rifle, and the other through a pair of binoculars that had once belonged to the driver of said pickup. “Are you sure”? The one with binoculars, his voice skeptical, asked the sniper. “This wasn’t just one of your berry induced hallucinations”? “Sure as heck boss”, the sniper responded. “Couldn’t miss it, pink mane, white coat, funny mark on its butt”… “And yet you did miss it”, the boss deadpanned. At this the sniper sneered darkly, Well that stupid survivor pushed it right before I fired an- “Well it’s a good thing your aim is as bad as your excuses!” “I said I wanted the pony ALIVE you imbecile”! The sniper opened his mouth to try and explain away his latest blunder but was quickly cut off. “Shut It”! The boss hissed, I see something! Eager to redeem himself, the sniper quickly sighted up the wrecked truck and spotted the top of Andrew’s green army helmet peeking over the edge of the cargo bed. “I’ve got you now you little piece of $@#%”…… CRACK! The helmet was blown from Twinkleshine’s magical grip with an earsplitting clang and was sent spinning through the dirt, but Andrew was moving before it had even hit the ground. In one smooth motion, He rolled out from behind the truck and brought his assault rifle to bear, sighting up the ridge where he had seen the reflection from the sniper’s scope earlier. Andrew fired two, quick, three round bursts that where two seconds apart to allow himself time to correct for recoil before scrambling back behind cover. A distant yelp of pain from the ridge brought a grim smile of satisfaction to his face as he, urging Twinkleshine ahead of him, broke from cover and darted for the tree line on the far side of the road towards Alberton. Back on the ridge, the sniper bound his boss’s shoulder in bandages and led him up over the peak and down towards Charlottetown where the rest of their gang could be seen lounging around their vehicles. The boss had a temper to begin with and pain only seemed to increase it as he vented his anger at the unlucky sniper. “You didn’t re-locate”!!?? “You &%$#%&@ idiot”! The boss roared. No wonder that stupid survivor knew where to shoot! “It’s a shame the bullet found me instead of you, it would have made my job easier”! With that said he pulled the sniper close and with his good arm yanked a desert falcon from his holster and shot the sniper in the shoulder blade. “Fairs fair don’t ya think”? The boss said, his voice cold and deadly. He then continued down the hill alone muttering to himself as the sniper’s screams of pain faded behind him. You can run little pony, yes you and your plucky little friend, run all you want, but you can’t hide from me. And when I find you I will make you watch as I spill your little protector’s guts in the dirt, and then you my little pony, will lead me to the way out of this zombie infested nightmare.