What It's Like on the Other Side

by Dimitri_Domovoi

The War; Part 2

Time; 2400 Military time
Location; Two miles from contact point in a somewhat fortified bunker (Half underground with roof)

"What is it?" I said after a hoof tapped my shoulder as I searched the landscape outside through the scope of my modified Barrett 50 caliber Sniper rifle (both of my comrades know not to disturb me when i was in a paranoid mood).

"Well... um... it's just that... um... Twilight wanted to know what that... weird metal thing was... if... um... that's o.k. wi-" She stopped, and squeaked when i suddenly fired into the night (head-shot) then turned around facing her, propping my gun against the nearest wall.

"Yes it's o.k. but why not ask me herself? Also there is no need to be nervous around me, o.k.?" I then grabbed my gun and went back into my process of searching the landscape for another Jappie unfortunate enough to get into range of the bunker.

Um... ok." whimpered the timid mare, who as only trying to help her friend. In realizing this I mentally face palmed, then turned around putting the gun across my lap, I then did the one thing my two comrades didn't expect; I asked her for forgiveness, after my rude body language and smart-assed comment. Remembering that I told Twilight not to ask any more questions myself; I took a bullet for her after she asked me what was it like to have fingers (had the sudden question not been asked the one who fired said bullet would have not been able to do so) I answered her question by using a pair of needle-nose pliers, I had used to repair more than one radio, to wrench the bullet out with a horrible grinding and tearing sound, angrily saying through clenched teeth "There's one good use for fingers, so no mor questions, period!" I of course didn't mean to be angry with her it was however the only way to keep my mind off the new hole that I had just received in my uniform. "It's ok... I forgive you."

"Thank you, now you probably don't want to know what this is." I said patting the side of my rifle.

"Actually... um... twilight wanted to know... and Pinkie couldn't come and ask because-" She started as she was cut off mid sentence by the figure of Echo literally phasing out of thin air.

"She's talking with Twilight and PK in the next room." there was a pause as a fourth voice came from the doorway to the next room.

"Dear Celestia, if you can teleport then why don't you get us to your mission and us to saft-" She asked, rather loudly, and was interrupted by me appearing crouching in front of her, an annoyed look on my face.

"He can't teleport, I am the teleporter, he just has a cloaking ability, and if you give me a couple minutes I can explain everything. Ok?" I snapped making her nod quickly with a confused/scared look on her face. "Good, now you do know what an inventor is right?" another nod. "Ok. So, I am one of the greatest minds this world has to offer, but why am I fighting for my life in the middle of a war, I'll tell you why; because Echo, PK, and I, are the only surviving people who know about my Inventions." Half-way through this long winded statement Pinkie and PK had come into the room, Pinkie sitting with her fellow ponies, PK walking up to and standing next to me. "Perfect, PK you are just in time, now everybody look at PK, and see if you can tell any abnormalities aside from the scars."

"There are none." Said twilight as I then pointed out that his Entire right arm, right shoulder, and about fifteen-percent of the top right corner of his torso were (barley) dis-colored from the rest of him.

"You see, his arm was lost long ago, and I replaced it with a perfect mechanical replica; exact dimensions, weight, and strength." I started as I ripped the false skin off his arm. "Now how is it that he can take so much damage, considering on our way to this bunker he has been shot, stabbed, burned, blown up, and gassed, yet he still moves with a purpose, Well I also Developed nanobots that have to bond with the host; otherwise their DNA would reject them and kill both the nano bots and the host." I paused. "I have not created a nano bot that can augment any host, without killing them. However I have created a set for PK; Healing factor, and Endurance. A set for Echo; Cloaking, Agility (supper jumping, and endless sprinting). And a set for me, endless strength, still nowhere near PK, and the acceleration of brain waves, enough for me to temporarily bend space, so as to teleport." As I was about to continue, Twilight interrupted me with a question, that normally would cause me to throw the one who asked said question across the room and into the wall a couple times, but for some reason it only annoyed me so I waited for her to finish her question.

"But why cant you transport us to the target location?" she asked shakily probably still nervous from my static teleportation.

"Well, like I said, I'm going to explain everything." I said with a smile that would have terrified Attila the Hun, and continued. "My warping of space only moves that witch is infused with my nanobots, my uniform is infused, my equipment is infused, and I am infused. And the last time I tried to use it on myself and another person, they were half disintegrated, and alive." I stop to visibly cringe. "It was horrible, screams of agony still haunt my dreams, when i actually sleep." I just stood there and stared into space for a bit, then teleported back to my spot and continued my job of sniping the unfortunates outside. Six shots rung out, all head-shots.

"He has had a long and hard life, war seems to take someone dear to him every time." Said the titan with a now jet black metal arm.

"W-what do you mean 'every time'?" Flutershy asked nervously.

"Every war takes someone close to him." Echo said in a depressed sounding tone.

"How many wars have had a hand in his being like that?" Twilight asked with a hint of anger in her voice. I then suddenly started violently shaking and disappeared in a flash of static.

"Wow, he lasted longer than I thought, he usually goes into a psychotic rage when some one asks that." Echo turned to leave the bunker than was stopped by Twilight asking yet another question.

"If you see him can you apologize for me I... I didn't know it was that personal of a question." Twilight looked as though she was going to go find me to apologize in person.

Echo smiled and simply stated "I'll see what I can do." then he walked out shutting the bunker-door behind him.