A Guardsman in Equestria

by Guardsman_Sparky

Pleasant Dreams

Alexander put the photo away with a sigh. A voice sounded from over his shoulder. "Who's that?" Alexander looked over his shoulder, but no one was there. "Up here." Alexander looked up.

"The hell?" Floating above him on a black storm cloud was a rainbow maned pegasus wearing a dark purple bodysuit with yellow highlights.

"You-what-how? That's not pos--You're on a cloud!" Alexander's brain was threatening to short out.

"Well, yeah. I am a pegasus, duh!"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"It does if yer a pegasus."

Alexander made a strangling sound, left eye twitching. Moving to a nearby wall, Alexander began bashing his head against the building. "What." thunk! "Did." thunk! "I." thunk! "Do." thunk! "To get sent here?" thunk! He removed his head from the dented wall. "What do you want?"

Rainbow tilted her head. "Who was that in the picture with you?"

"A friend."

After Alexander didn't elaborate, Dash shrugged. "Whatever. Nice zombie costume, by the way." She waved a hoof in front of her face. "You even smell the part. Ooh, ooh! There's an easy group over there!" Rainbow dashed off, pushing the storm cloud ahead of her. Alexander heard startled screams following a crack of thunder. Frowning, Alexander cautiously gave his pit a sniff. Recoiling in disgust, Alexander realized he hadn't bathed in over a week. Gagging, Alexander returned to the library for a shower.

Alexander stepped out onto the balcony at the top of the Golden Oaks LIbrary. Having washed off all the mud and wolf's blood, he felt much better, if not still lost and purposeless. He leaned on the railing, staring out over Ponyville. A booming voice carried to Alexander from Ponyville. Frowning, Alexander pulled the nearby telescope off its mount and peered through it, trying to find the source of the yelling.

Alexander found what he was looking for in the main square. It appeared that Princess Luna was angrily screaming at the villagers for whatever reason. And there's the dramatic thunder and lightning. How does she do that? ...Oh, right. Magic. Rolling his eyes, Alexander examined the princess. Well, no signs of corruption. Yet. Her eyes were glowing white as she yelled at Twilight Sparkle. Alexander tensed up, wishing he had brought his longlas sniper to the balcony with him. While glowing white eyes weren't a sign of demonic corruption, it was something Alexander had learned to equate with a psyker using his powers, and therefor something to be wary of. Dark, ominous clouds began swirling above Ponyville as Luna rose into the air. Alexander was really missing his longlas at that moment.

It was therefor some relief when Luna stalked off towards the park, Alexander letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Alexander watched as the princess of the night's anger gave way to sadness, leading him to wonder if he hadn't misjudged the princess. Still, Alexander wasn't completely convinced of the absense of demonic influence. He had made that mistake once before, and he wasn't going to make it again. He replaced the telescope and climbed down the stairs leading inside.

Alexander retrieved his longlas and began to look it over. Taking a targeting laser out, he placed it in the end of the barrel. Using the red dot hovering on the wall, he calibrated the rifle's scope to zero in on five hundred yards. It took him about fifteen minutes until he was satisfied with the sights. Slinging the rifle over one shoulder, Alexander picked up a high-power hotshot clip and returned to the balcony. Loading the sniper rifle, Alexander leaned it against the railing, picking up the telescope. To his disconcertion, he couldn't find Luna anywhere. Cursing, he searched Ponyville until his gaze settled on a group of foals approaching a rather menacing statue of a fanged alicorn. Why are they giving candy to a statue?

Alexander gave a startled shriek as the statue came to life. Scrambling up off the balcony floor, Alexander grabbed his longlas and sighted in on the demonic statue. He blinked as the demonic alicorn shrunk down into a familiar form. The guardsman groaned as Twilight walked up to the alicorn, Luna giggling as she spit out a set of plastic fangs. It was a joke? To say Alexander was relieved that he hadn't pulled the trigger was an understatement. That would have been hard to explain to her sister. A chill went down Alexander's back as he tried to imagine Celestia's wrath. He was also extremely glad no one saw his little...panic attack. He somehow doubted that Rainbow Dash would let him live that down.

Alexander continued to watch Luna for the remainder of the night's festivities until she returned to Canterlot. Returning to the library downstairs, Alexander chuckled as he recalled how Luna had pranked Rainbow Dash with her own thundering stormcloud gag. Entering his room, Alexander sat on the bed and began to clean and service his weapons. It took longer than normal, but then again, he hadn't cleaned his gear for over a week. Finishing, Alexander put away his weapons and undressed, getting into his bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Fire. Death. Despair. Demons cavorted in the streets as ponies ran screaming or died. Animals' heads impaled on pikes by a burning forest-side cottage. An apple orchard decayed into ruin, any pony that tried to eat its apples turning painfully to trees. A home in a tree burned. Buildings collapsed. A city in the clouds died, its rainbows weeping blood. A mountain-side city collapsed, crashing into the ground below. A vast forest was consumed by a wave of darkness, the animals within dissolving as they writhed. A town in the desert was swallowed by sand, apple trees turning to dust. A monstrous army of crystal and shadow marched from the frozen northern wastes, a demon of darkness at the head. Strange insectoid ponies died in the scores as they were possessed by eldritch abominations, their black carapaces twisting and deforming. Ethereal beings an icy blue latched onto ponies, draining them into husks. The dead streamed from the ground to devour the living. Equestria burned.

Alexander tossed and turned as images of disaster and doom assailed his mind, sweating as he murmured. +You seem troubled, my friend.+ An insubstantial apparition manifested itself above Alexander. +You are afraid that you won't be able to protect them, aren't you?+ The apparition lightly caressed the assembled weapons in the room. +You fear failing your new comrades, as you believe you failed your old.+ The presence floated to the window. +Their deaths were of no fault of yours, friend. The guilt you feel is that of a survivor.+ The ghostly figure returned to Alexander. +One that should not be your burden to carry.+ The phantasm touched Alexander's fevered brow. His tortured face relaxed, his nightmares dissolving into dreams of a happier time. +Sleep peacefully old friend. You will save this world as you once saved me. Pleasant dreams, Alexander.+ The apparition faded away. Twilight poked her head into Alexander's room. She thought she had felt..something that was there, but at the same time, wasn't. All she saw was Alexander sleeping peacefully for the first time in years, a small smile on his face.

Comments

[MyDigitalHazard]

MOAR

[FreedomFiend]

I don't think Timberwolves actually bleed, given that they're basically magically powered lupine plantae.
Then again, the only examples of plants that produce any serious movement all use cellular hydraulics, so it stands to reason the Timberwolves would rely on pressurized fluid for movement as well; it would also be reasonable that said fluid could be viscous enough and have the right coloration to be passed off as or mistaken for blood.
With that being said, it seems that it would be more accurate to say that he's covered in blood-like tree sap. Where have I heard this before...

[Guardsman_Sparky]

2683340 still, if it bleeds, it's essentially blood. besides, aren't there regular wolves in that forest too? Or was I mistaken in that? Also, he's a soldier, not a biologist. If it bleeds...

[FreedomFiend]

2684276
You did specifically say "A large, wooden wolf." That would exclude normal wolves.
That being said, if Timberwolves are powered by biological hydraulics, it would make sense that he would think "liquid comes out of a living thing when I cut it, must be blood."
Also, I just really wanted to make a "Covered in sap" joke.

[Guardsman_Sparky]

2684829 eeewww

[Grand Machina]

Oh my goodness, you made my day even more special.