Chapter 9: Youth
Lost and Fallen
Chapter 9: Youth
I still remained where I stood, my mind failing to come to a logical conclusion for putting foals in a prison. That was because there was no logical conclusion! No explanation could make up for putting innocent, young ponies in a place like this, and I would have been shouting in rage if I wasn’t still in shock. I had wondered once in awhile where the children were, sure, but I had figured they were just kept away from me at Las Pegasus, or maybe in hiding. I was not expecting this at all.
The foals were not happy about the circumstances that had been forced upon them. They were attempting to have fun in the courtyard, which was probably a form of recess in the Humans’ eyes. Some were playing with a blue ball, while others played other playground games, but I could tell their actions were halfhearted. In their minds, they knew they were prisoners to those Human bastards.
Just watching them try to have fun made my heart drop, it was a sad and pitiful sight. They were trying so hard to ignore the oppression, to go back to the times before the invasion, but no matter how much they played, the pain in their hearts would still remain. Pulled from their parents, their homes, everything they knew and loved. I could barely watch them.
“Hey, recruit,” someone called back to me, knocking me out of my stupor. I turned to the man who had called me, unable to contain the glare that I gave him. It was the same person that had let me into the prison, and he didn’t like the way I was looking at him. “Don’t look at me that way. That’s an order. Now follow the others.”
Growling slightly, I grudgingly walked to where the other recruits were gathering, which was around a door on the other side of the courtyard. My eyes took note of everything that was going on in the area, and though I was boiling with rage, I was also incredibly heartbroken over the small ponies. Though a few were playing together, most were walking around with depressed expressions, and some just sat down on the ground. These were children, foals, and they had no idea why they were in this prison to begin with.
As I glanced around, I saw a guard yell at a small filly, a unicorn that had a white coat with a light purple and pink mane and tail. The poor filly looked on the brink of tears, cowering away from the human, and it aggravated me to no end. Some other fillies were watching the display, too scared to stand up to the Human. And who could blame them? “...Now I have to wash it out, you little runt!” the man shouted, making the filly flinch, shaking slightly on the ground.
“B-But I was just-” the filly tried to get out, but was instantly silenced by the man.
“I don’t care what you were doing,” he yelled in frustration, making the filly jump. It took all my strength not to intervene, as I knew what Rainbow Dash wanted me to do: to free these foals. Even if it wasn’t - which I highly doubted - I would do it anyway. These foals deserved a better future than this. In the end, staying under the radar was the best option, even if I didn’t like it.
When I looked over to the man and filly again, however, I saw the man bring his right hand back for a slap, the filly closing her eyes in fright. They were fucking abusing them!? Do any of these Humans have any conscience!? In a blink of an eye, I ran to the man, and grabbed his forearm before he could make a move, gripping it tightly. The man yelped from the sudden pain in his arm as he backed off of the filly.
“Hurts doesn’t it, you bastard?” I hissed, teeth clenched shut. In a swift move, I turned him to me, and with my free hand, punched him in the nose. He cried out, and I released him from my hold, allowing the momentum of my punch to throw him to the ground. Grunting in grim satisfaction, I faced where the filly had been standing to find nothing; I must have scared her off. It was somewhat saddening, because it felt like she thought I was as much as a monster as any other Human.
Then I felt something slam into the back of my head, and I instantly lost my sight as I fell to the ground. My vision faded in and out for quite a while. One second, I was on the ground, the next, I was picked up and dragged through the courtyard and hallways of the building. Then I was thrown to the ground with no remorse. It had happened so fast that my brain was still trying to catch up with what had just happened.
As the seconds ticked by, my head began to clear slightly, allowing me to see where I was. From the ground, it looked to be an office, with boring gray walls and floors. As I slowly pushed myself off the ground, I felt a painful throb on the back of my head, and I rubbed it gingerly. It hurt a lot, and I wished I had my helmet.
Before I could stand, I heard a voice speak to me. “You’re finally up, are you?” she asked, as it had a feminine tone to it.
Glancing up from my position, I could see a rather large desk, with someone looking over it to myself. She had dark red hair, with a wry smile that screamed power. When I finally stood on my two feet, with my head still hurting, I took a good look at her. Her clothing was a bit different from the the other people I had been in this town; a business suit. It was as gray as the walls around us, and I had a feeling that this woman was all business. She must be the one in charge of the prison: Megan.
“Now, let’s discuss your actions in the courtyard,” she said, getting straight to the issue. No small talk, no threats, nothing. Structure must be second nature to her.
“What about it?” I grunted out, still rubbing the back of my head.
“Did you already forget what you did to the guard?” she asked sarcastically, “It only happened a few minutes ago.”
Thirty seconds in and I was already hating this woman. “I remember what happened,” I groaned, holding my tongue to avoid saying something I would regret. “What I meant was what you wanted to ‘discuss’?”
“Of course you did,” she smiled, intertwining her fingers. I closed my eyes, restraining myself yet again. “So, why did you attack the guard?”
“He was about to hit a kid,” I replied monotonically; it felt like I was filling in a report at the station.
“I fail to see what the issue is,” she said curtly, her annoying smile never wavering.
“Fail to see…” I repeated in disbelief, too blown away to finish the sentence. “Are your damn ears broken? He was going to hurt a child!”
“They have explicit orders to maintain the discipline in this prison,” she responded, barely batting an eye.
“She did nothing wrong,” I emphasised leaning over her desk, our faces a foot away, “how do you justify that?”
Her smile widened, “They have to get used to it. After all, we’re just suiting them up to be future slaves.”
I looked away from her, shaking my head as I tried to forget what I had heard. These people were only raising them for their own selfish reasons. Then again, what did I expect from a bunch of good-for-nothing assholes? Taking a deep breath, I took a step back, thinking of what to say next.
“You should already know this,” she commented, her smile finally faltering for a split second. “Are you a transfer from the North?”
I thought about it second; I doubt she would believe me that I was from a completely different world. “Yeah, I am,” I answered slowly, hoping she wouldn’t see through my lie.
“How is it there?” she asked casually, leaning back in her chair, “It’s been awhile since I was last up there.”
She was testing me. The way she sat and how she suddenly asked the question was enough evidence for me. I had to tread very carefully, or I would find myself in a hole I wouldn’t be able to get out of. “Couldn’t be better,” I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral.
She stared at me for some time, trying to see if I was telling the truth. I felt like I had kept my response pretty vague, but with how little I knew about her, she could be as good as Applejack. After half a minute, she relaxed a little, her smug grin returning.
“Alright then,” she said with a nod. She then opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a few sheets of paper, placing them on the desk as she retrieved a pencil as well. “Now, you shall receive double night duty for the next two weeks as punishment. What is your name?”
“Chris,” I muttered with a roll of my eyes. I would be long gone before I would get the full punishment. “When does my shift start?”
“In about an hour,” she stated, glancing out the window that revealed the setting sun. “Until then, feel free to head to the cafeteria. The cooks make a mean pony stew.”
I jerked back in surprise, looking at her like she was crazy. They couldn’t stoop that low, could they? It had to be a joke. “It’s a joke, recruit,” she chuckled, putting the papers back in the drawer.
I relaxed my shoulders, rubbing my head. That was not funny in the least, and I really hoped she burned in Hell. Deciding to leave, I grabbed my bag that was thankfully brought with me and I did just that, hastily exiting the room before she added something else that would make me hate her more. As I stood in the hallway, I saw that it was empty, which gave me time to think.
How was I supposed to free all these foals by tomorrow night? This place was built to keep people in, and I was sure the Humans wouldn’t let us waltz right out. I could see why Rainbow Dash was both hesitant and ready to send me on this mission. Little risk, big reward. I just hoped I lived long enough to see her face when I made it back with every single kid here. It was plain wrong to put kids through this place, and I was going to avenge them, even if it killed me.
First things first, I had to check on that one foal that I had helped out. I had to be sure she was alright. Who knows, maybe she could help me out a bit. With a goal in mind, I sauntered down the hallway, hoping I was going the right way.
{~+~}
After asking around, I learned that recess had ended and the kids were back in their cells. Just the thought of that made me swell up with anger. With a bit of backtracking, I found and opened the wooden door to the cell block. It was like any other prison, except full of children sitting around as they waited for whatever came next. I walked slowly through the hallway, just… watching them. It almost made me want to cry, admittedly. There were Pegasi, Unicorns, and the normal variety all together in this one place. At the very least, the scene hardened my resolve.
As I looked through the bars of another cell, I saw the foal I was looking for, lying in the bed while facing away from the bars. Two others were sitting next to her, trying to comfort her, by the looks of it. One had a large pink bow in her red mane, and the other had a purple mane and tail with an orange coat and wings. I shuffled my feet over to their cell, and gripped the bars. I was unsure if the kid even wanted to talk to me, let alone see me. If she didn’t, then at least I would know if she was alright.
“Hey, kid,” I whispered gently, unconsciously bending down to her level. Her ears flicked slightly and she tightened her body into a ball, but she didn’t respond. The other two, however, turned to me in surprise, but then glared at me, turning away with a huff. I guess the Unicorn foal didn’t want to talk with me. “You alright?”
Still nothing. Sighing, I tried to think of what to say next, but I couldn’t find the right words. What was I supposed to say? I was just another Human to her, and I felt like I deserved the cold shoulder. Even if I promised I would get her out of here, she wouldn’t believe me. No one had so far.
Swallowing, I faced the ground, and said, “Okay then... See ya.”
I raised my body and turned to leave. I had to get to work. “W-Wait,” a voice from the cell cried out quickly. I turned my head back to see the Unicorn sitting up on the bed, giving me the most adorable eyes I had ever seen. The other two that sat beside her faced her quizzically, probably wondering why she would stop me.
I crouched back down, giving her a small smile for comfort. “Y-You’re the one that stopped him from hurting me,” she realized, hopping off the bed.
“He’s the one you were talking about?” the orange one asked her in disbelief as she pointed a hoof at me, “I thought you were making that up.”
“Why would I lie about that?” the white one asked her, raising a brow. Their behavior made me want to chuckle, but it wasn’t the time or place.
“Are you alright?” I asked again, keeping my smile, “He didn’t hurt you before I got there?”
“No, he didn’t hurt me,” she responded with a smile of her own, before it slipped to a sad frown. “At least… not today.”
My hands clutched the bars tightly as I frowned as well. They were going to pay for this, dearly. For now, I could learn more about these poor fillies. “What’re your names?” I asked, looking between each one.
“I’m Applebloom,” said the one with the large pink bow on her head, waving a hoof in the air. Her voice had a Southern drawl, instantly reminding me of Applejack. I wondered if they were related; her name did have apple in it. But maybe that would be wrong of me to assume that right off the bat.
“The name’s Scootaloo,” the orange one responded, her wings buzzing slightly as she hovered in the air for a second before landing.
“I’m Sweetie Belle,” the Unicorn filly squeaked cutely.
Then, simultaneously, they exclaimed, “And we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
“Crusaders of… Cutie Marks?” I asked with a grunt of amusement. It was like they had their own little club, and it was really adorable.
“Yeah!” Applebloom said, and the three showed me their flanks, which were blank, completely devoid of any picture unlike every other pony I had met. “Ya see, we’re searching for our Cutie Marks.”
“And we won’t stop until we find them!” Scootaloo proclaimed, as the other two nodded. I gave each one a smile. They were stuck in this oppressive atmosphere, yet they were able to keep their cheery and determined attitudes, even if they had diminished.
“Nolan,” I said, gesturing to myself. I kept it to my first name to not complicate things. “And don’t worry, I’m going to bust you all out of here soon.”
“All of us!?” Applebloom said incredulously.
“Every single one,” I replied, tapping her nose, though I wasn't sure why. Probably because it felt like it fit the mood. The three erupted in smiles as they looked at each other. They really believed that I would get them out, and I knew I couldn’t fail them. I didn’t think I could deal with seeing these fillies so sad.
“Wow,” Scootaloo whispered, “You’re like Alex!”
Turning to her, I gave her a strange look, “Alex?”
“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed with a frantic nod, “He always looks after us. Well, not just us, but everypony! He gives us extra food, blankets, and sometimes, even reads to us!”
“And he’s… a Human?” I asked, trying not to raise my hopes.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t he be?” Sweetie answered, tilting her head. A human that helped the ponies, to a small extent, but it was better than nothing. It was a one-in-a-million chance for something like that to happen, and I was lucky enough to have him in the prison. I could use all the help I could get, depending if he was willing to lend me a hand.
“Where can I find him?” I asked the three, a confident grin growing on my face.
{~+~}
After the girls informed me what Alex looked like and that he would probably be in the cafeteria during that hour, I gave my thanks to them and left for the destination. I was still in disbelief that there was a good Human here, but that raised the question of why he was here to begin with. I could ask him all of my questions once I found him. When I pushed open the doors, I instantly scanned the area, searching for him intently. The cafeteria was rather small, with about ten tables in total. There was a pillar here and there to support the ceiling, but other than that, it was really bland, and empty, come to think of it.
My eyes eventually landed on the figure that the girls had described. Sandy blonde hair, slim frame; it had to be him. But as I made my way over to him, I knew I had to make sure that it was him. I took a seat across from him, dropping my bag beside myself, but he only gave me a glance before focusing on his vegetable stew in front of him.
“Are you Alex?” I asked, keeping my eyes trained on him.
“What if I am?” he snapped back quietly, still focused on his food.
“Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo said I’d find you here,” I explained calmly, and he looked up at me with wide eyes. I couldn’t help but smile, “So you’re Alex then?”
Glancing behind himself, Alex looked at me with a doubtful expression. “Who are you? What do you want?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. This was definitely the guy the three fillies were telling me about. With that information, I knew I could tell him who I was without repercussion, hopefully.
“The name’s Nolan Anderson,” I answer, sticking out my hand to shake. He looked at the hand hesitantly, but took it anyway, shaking slowly. His grip was really firm; he was way stronger than he looked.
“Alex Metz,” he replied, “But I guess you already knew that.”
“Half of it,” I admitted as we release our hold. I relaxed back in the chair as I spoke, “They only told me your first name.”
“Alright, you answered my first question,” he said waving a hand, “but what about my second one?”
My features hardened as I chose my words carefully. What I told him would make or break my mission. I hoped my hunch was correct. “I need your help, but I have to make sure of some things first.”
He raised a hand to gesture for me to hold up. “What are you hiding?” he asked, “You’re not telling me something.”
This was it. Now or never. Taking a deep breath, I whispered, “I’m... the Masked Man.”
Alex’s eyes widened as he stared at me, at a loss for words. He took a quick look around to make sure we weren’t being overheard before leaning forward. “You’re the one the Baron is after?!” he whispered frantically, his face in shock and worry.
I leaned back in the chair nonchalantly, nodding, “Yeah, I’m the thorn in his ugly backside.”
My risk had better pay off, otherwise I would be in a heap of trouble. Alex played with his stew using his spoon as he looked deep in thought. I could feel beads of sweat drip from my forehead as I anticipated what he would say next. After a minute, he faced me with a concentrated gaze and sighed.
“So you’re the one at Ponyville that got away with those escaped ponies?” he asked simply. With my throat dry from nervousness, I nodded. He gave an amused grunt as he smiled, “Well, good on you, I suppose.”
I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding; he wasn’t going to give me away, at least not at the moment. I returned his smile with a hint of relief, glad to find another human that didn’t hate me outright.
“So,” I started, turning serious, “Can you answer some of my questions?”
“Yeah, of course,” he answered. That was… really easy. I was liking this guy.
“Thanks,” I reply courteously before getting down to business, “First off, why did the humans take over Equestria?”
“You don’t know?” he asked curiously, tilting his head.
Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “I’m… not from around here,” I explained the best I could, “Can you just answer the question?”
“Alright, alright,” he muttered, trying to calm me down before thinking for a moment. When he had his thoughts sorted, he started the story. “A few months ago, some ponies infiltrated our country and blew up almost all of our food supplies using magic. At first, we thought that was impossible, seeing as we had no conflict with the ponies for as long as we’ve been around. But then, this guy started going on and on that the ponies were trying to take advantage of us. Trying to rile us up, from what I could remember. Most of us ignored him, but as time went on, and food and jobs began diminishing, we wanted something to blame, something to throw our anger at.”
Through his tale, I tried piecing the puzzle together in my head. “The same guy from before told us that Equestria was to blame for all our troubles," Alex continued, "People were dying and growing sick, so we had little choice. The guy I was talking about? He calls himself the Baron, and he got approval from our government to lead the army that would invade the ponies. They attacked… I think it was called the Crystal Empire. It was the closest place, so the Baron said to strike there first, I guess. Anyway, they were easily winning, what with superior firepower and all that shit. But then, this pink blast erupted from the palace, and drove them back.”
Pink blast? I had never heard anything about that. Although, I was barely told a thing about the war, so it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. I couldn’t hide my confused expression, and he caught it as he chuckled. “I know, I know,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Ridiculous, right? But that’s what I heard. So, after the blast, they all retreated back home. The Baron wasn’t pleased about that one bit, and ordered them back. They saw no point, if the ponies were that powerful. Then… Well, that’s when the ponies did something unforgivable.”
“What was that?” I asked slowly, unsure if I wanted to hear it.
“They burned down our homes,” he revealed, but he said it with a hint of doubt, like he didn’t really believe it himself. “While the army was out fighting, a lot of the houses were set aflame by the ponies all over the country, apparently.”
“You sound like he was lying,” I said, pointing a finger at him.
Alex grunted, “That obvious? I never saw a hair of a pony when they ‘attacked’, so yeah, I found it a bit fishy. But who would listen to to a handful of people when the majority wanted to get back at them?”
“So it’s just plain revenge,” I summed up, giving a disappointed sigh. It always leads to something as simple as vengence.
“Pretty much,” Alex agreed, crossing his arms as he looked down to his stew that had long been ignored. “I was in our country the whole time. Didn’t want to get caught up in some war when I had a sister to take care of.”
“So why join now?” I asked, my wonder shifting over to Alex. “And why stay here to help these humans keep foals trapped in a prison? Even you have to object to this.”
He sighed, probably from asking himself this question to many times before. “Jobs were hard to come by, and joining the army was the only way I could keep food on the table. As for working here specifically, I would rather quit in a heartbeat than keep these kids stuck in cells. But then who would take care of them? Who would reassure them that it’ll be alright? They remind me too much of my sister, and I can’t just leave them alone and scared.”
“Then you’re just the man I need,” I said with a grin, causing him to raise a brow. “I need your help to free them.”
“...Come again?” he asked, looking at me like I had gone crazy. “You want to do what?!”
“Free them,” I repeated, suddenly feeling ready for action. “I’m with the pony resistance, and I was sent to get these little guys out of here.”
“Wow,” he expressed with a smile of his own, “How did you get the ponies to trust you? The way the people here treat them, I figured they wouldn’t trust any humans.”
“Well… They don’t trust me,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck with a forced laugh. “But I plan on fixing that soon.”
“Freeing the kids…” he said blissfully to himself, looking at the ceiling as he relaxed in his seat. “I’m in.”
“Thanks.”
“So,” he said leaning on the table, scooting his stew to the side. “What did you have in mind? How are we going to do this?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it as I furrowed my brow. “I… have no idea,” I admitted, making him slump his shoulders, “But that’s why I need your help. Two heads are better than one.”
“We have all the time in the world, I suppose,” Alex agreed with a nod, but I gave a nervous chuckle.
“We actually have to free them by tomorrow night,” I explained, making Alex’s jaw drop. “The ponies of the resistance have carriages waiting over at Saddle Mesa, but they’re going to leave tomorrow at midnight.”
“So we have to free a prison full of children, with other people likely to try to stop us, and do it all by tomorrow.”
“Basically,” I answered with a shrug.
Alex frowned as he looked to the side in contemplation. “Look,” I started, “If you want out, I under-”
He held up a hand to interrupt me, facing me with a smirk, “If we’re going to do this, we better get started.”
I was a bit taken back by his response; I expected him to drop out when he heard the time limit. But, all in all, I was glad he was going to assist me, and I returned his smirk. “Okay,” I said, “Let’s get to it.”
{~+~}
It was time to spring our plan into action. It had taken many hours to plan out everything, considering I was still trying to figure out the layout of this place. And by the next day in the afternoon, we had a solid plan. It had a hole here and there, but it was the best we could come up with on short notice. My night shift would actually come in handy during the operation, giving me an excuse to roam around without looking suspicious.
It was a few hours before midnight, since we had to wait until nightfall to make the escape easier. I was standing outside the prison block on one side of the double doors with some other person I had never met before, simply waiting around for our shift to end, or at least, that’s what I pretended to be waiting for. I was growing restless as I awaited the signal from Alex, continually glancing down the hallway.
At last, I saw what I was waiting for: his arm waving around slowly from the corner. Probably not the greatest signal, but under these circumstances, it was also the best. Looking over to the other person I asked casually, “Is Miss Megan coming down here?”
“How should I know?” he snarled, facing forward intently, obviously not happy with the shift.
“Well,” I continued with a shrug, “because she’s coming down right now.”
“Right,” he drawled in disbelief.
“You know what else?”
“What!?” he shouted, turning to me angrily.
I didn’t respond, and simply stared as Alex came up behind him. Without any hesitation, Alex wrapped his arms around the other’s throat, cutting off his oxygen instantly. He held on tightly as the guard struggled futilely, and he soon passed out, slumping in Alex’s arms.
“Took you long enough,” I commented as I walked up to him.
“You try convincing your superior that you wanted to have a walk about,” he snapped back, dropping the body to the ground, “Now it’s your turn. You think you can go through without being caught?”
“Sure,” I said, and that was all I said, as I didn’t want to jinx it with some idiotic words. I ran past Alex and swiftly made my way to my room, intending to get my mask and such on before initiating the plan. I wasn’t going to leave my stuff behind, and there was no way Alex could talk me out of it. I knew time was vital, however, and was able to get there faster than I thought I would. Entering, I instantly grabbed my leather bag - and I pondered very briefly if a sentient animal was used to make it - and dug through it. I retrieved my armor, mask, and shotgun, placing it to the side. I stripped down hastily and put my clothing on, attached my shotgun to my back, and then finally my mask and helmet. I was ready.
I rolled my shoulders a bit to get my body used to my armor again, and left my room, heading for Megan’s office, where the keys to the foals’ cells would be. Though it was quite dark, I encountered no resistance, thankfully, and I found myself standing outside of her office. Checking the ends of the hallways again, I opened the door as quietly as I could and slipped in, closing it behind me.
The office was just as I had remembered it, just much darker. I made my way around the desk, and began opening drawers. I remembered the last time I did this, and I ended up jumping out a window because of it. I hoped I wouldn’t have to repeat that little stunt. As if fate felt like giving me a hard time, I heard someone approaching down the hall, and felt panic rise in my heart as it skipped a beat. The whole mission would be over if I jumped out the window, but I couldn’t get spotted either.
There was one advantage this time: darkness. As quickly and quietly as possible, I made my way to the darkest corner and held my breath, hoping whoever was coming through wouldn’t take a glance in my direction. The door swung open just as I got into a comfortable position, and I waited for the person to come out so I could jump him. And when the person did come through, I had to stop myself.
It was a stallion. One with a light gold coat, and a mane with a mix of light brown and bright amber. He also had a cowboy hat and brown denim vest, and I wondered if he was related to Applejack. I mentally slapped myself at that thought; just because a pony had a Western hat and an apple on their flank, didn’t automatically make them associated with Applejack. It was very judgmental, and I could only berate myself over it.
I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts when the pony in question was shifting through some papers placed on the desk, and I knew I would have to deal with him. Though the darkness was assisting me at that moment, I was still visible, if only just. But how would I approach this pony? I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask him, with a bit of reassurance of course.
I crept up behind him, as his attention was to his own search, and when I was a few feet away, I leapt on him, and we went crashing to the ground beside the desk. My hands clamped over his mouth before he could make a sound and I put my weight on him, trapping him.
“Listen closely,” I ordered in a low and dangerous voice, and he froze in his struggles, too afraid to make any move at all. “I’m staging a break out, and if you want to leave, then I can take you with me. If you want to stay, though I don’t know why you would, I’ll knock you out. Nod if you understand.”
He gave a quick nod, and I said, “Now, nod if you want to come with me.”
There was a few moments of nothing as the pony thought over the proposition, but came to an answer as he gave a nod. I sighed, glad that this pony would be coming along, I could use someone to help me find the keys. I released my hands from his mouth, and he let loose a few quiet coughs. I may have been holding on too tight, but at least I got my message across that I wasn’t messing around. Stepping off of him, I gave him a bit of space to seem like I wouldn’t hurt him again. Well, unless he started shouting for help, which I doubted he would.
When he turned his head to me, raising his body to a sitting position, his eyes widened as his mouth opened. “Y-You're the Masked Man!” he whispered with a southern drawl, pointing a hoof at me. These people couldn’t come up with a better name than that?
“Guilty as charged,” I admitted, throwing my arms to the side in a gesture of sarcasm, “Now help me find the keys.”
“Why, exactly, do ya want ‘em?” he asked nervously, his eyes shifting over to the door.
“To free the kids here,” I reply harshly, walking over to the desk, “What else would I do with them?”
“You’re… really going ta free ‘em?” he asked hesitantly, trotting over to the other side to face me.
“Yes,” I emphasised, going around to where the pony was, already rifling through the drawers again, “Now help me out, we don’t have all night.”
He remained silent, and immediately began going through the drawers. I gave a mental thanks to him as I continued my search. Although there weren’t many drawers, there was so much crap in them, I couldn’t discern anything, and the darkness didn’t help either.
“Here!” he exclaimed quietly and excitedly, sticking his head into the drawer, when he pulled it back out, a key ring was in his mouth, along with two keys. Smiling under my mask, I snatch the keys from his mouth, and headed straight for the door, the pony right behind me.
When we left the office, the both of us hastily departed for the cells to make the exchange with Alex, who had no doubt filled in the foals about our plan by now. I glanced to the pony that was beside me. I asked, “What’s your name, by the way?”
“Braeburn,” he answered, looking somewhat paranoid, as he kept glancing behind us.
“And why were you in Megan’s office?” I followed up, feeling like this was important in some way.
“I was supposed ta look for the reports for the new recruits,” he explained, looking at me with a smile, “But now, we can leave and never look back.”
At those words, Braeburn’s happy demeanor turned sad as he hung his head. “Appleloosa…” he muttered. He must have been attached to this town before the war, and I was interested to see what this place was like in its heyday.
That’s when my brain had analyzed what the meaning behind his words meant. If Braeburn was supposed to retrieve the reports from her office, then wouldn’t she come looking when he didn’t return?
“Shit, we better get going,” I said, my voice strained as I tried to keep it quiet.
“Why?” he asked innocently, “What’s wrong?”
Sighing, I explained what I had discerned from his previous statement, and his eyes bugged out. “Horseapples!” he cursed, picking up the pace. I was able to keep up with him fairly easily, but I worried that people in other rooms would hear his loud hoof steps.
In time, we made it back to the cell block, unhindered, and we barged right through. The foals were already wide awake and talking amongst themselves. Naturally, they instantly fell quiet when Braeburn and I were suddenly in the room, but Alex was in the center, calming them all down.
“Don’t worry, everypony,” he said gently. I could see why the foals here had liked him, he even talked like them. “He’s going to help you all escape.”
“Braeburn!” The crusaders cried happily upon his arrival, waving from their cell, and Braeburn gave a wide grin as he returned the wave.
“We have to move ahead of schedule,” I said hurriedly, throwing the keys to him and he caught them without a hassle. “Megan is going to be on the move.”
Alex held his tongue as he forced himself to avoid saying a curse word. “Alright,” he agreed, already unlocking cells. “But you better double time it to the munitions room.”
I nodded, and quickly turned to Braeburn, “Help Alex out, I have something I need to do.”
I turned on my heels and bolted for the door, determined to get to the other side of the compound before the humans became all the wiser. “W-Wait, Masked Man!” he called back, and I halted right at the door, which was half open, and looked over to him. “I haven’t known ya for very long, but… don’t die out there, ya hear?”
I gave a curt nod and resumed my sprint, making up for lost time. Seeing all those foals look so happy at the thought of escape made me work harder towards my goal. At that point, failure was not an option. Those children were going to escape, one way or another. They deserved that much.
As I rounded another corner, I had to skid to a halt as there was a bunch of people milling about, holding rifles and shotguns and the like. They barely noticed my entrance, and I had to use that to my advantage as I hid behind the wall, taking deep breaths. Since I had my original clothing on, I no longer had the ability of passing as one of their own. I would have to fight through them to the munitions room, which is probably where they were getting the weapons at that moment. Now was the moment to reveal my presence in this prison.
I grabbed my shotgun from my back, and looked to make sure it was still good; I never got around to looking it over when I got it back from the ponies. It was as good as I had left it, and the ammunition was still inside, full and ready to be fired. I gripped it tightly in my hold, mentally preparing myself. I didn’t count how many were in the next hallway, so I had to make each shot count.
There was only one thing I had to check first. I cocked the shotgun, loading the shell into the chamber. Everything was in place.
“Did you guys hear-” one of them started, but I stopped him when I turned around the corner and fired at him, killing him and the guy behind him. The other people were instantly on alert, trying to get their guns trained on me. But thanks to my surprise attack, I would take one out each time one would point their weapon on me, thereby denying them the chance to retaliate. Another advantage I had was how narrow the hallway was, allowing my shots to go through multiple people. By the time I had dried up my shotgun, the hallway was clear.
Grabbing a bit of ammunition from my vest pouches, I reloaded my shotgun and placed it on my back once again. There were still a few alive, lying in the hallway as they clutched their injuries. I left them be, as they were incapacitated and wouldn’t prove a threat. The room that they were getting their guns from was wide open, and when I glanced inside, I could see much more than just guns.
There were barrels of gunpowder, explosives, dynamite, and ammunition; a large room with shelves and shelves of the dangerous items. It was more than just an armory, it was a place full of potential death. And I would be blowing it up. The distraction would make the people here fixate on this place, allowing Alex and the others to slip out. I just hoped it would be enough.
I stepped through the door frame, contemplating how I would blow this place to kingdom come, until someone kicked me in the back of the knee, making me tumble down to my knees. I whipped my head around and saw another human, who was bald and wore a white sleeveless shirt with a wicked grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles.
“My turn,” he snarled, his smile never wavering. I sprung into action, quickly standing up as I swung a fist at him. However, he ducked underneath it and charged at me, grabbing me around the waist and slamming me against the wall. I grunted from the hit, and I slammed my knee into his stomach, causing him to stumble back, gripping where I had hit him.
I unholstered my revolver, and drew it on him, but he was too quick, as he was able to slap it out of my hold, and smash a fist into the side of my head, knocking to the floor. Hand-to-hand combat was never my thing, but I knew enough to get me by training back on Earth. I hoped what I knew was enough.
As I warily got to my feet, he took the initiative and was about to punch me again, but I was able sidestep him and slam my elbow into his spine, causing him to reach for it while taking a few steps forward. I followed up by kicking him in the ass, and he tumbled into a shelf of guns. As he groaned from the attack, a few guns shifting around and falling from the shelf, I searched around for my revolver, completely forgetting that I was in an armory.
By the time I found it laying on the ground, the guy had taken a revolver on the shelf, firing on me. I dove into one of the alleys of shelves, hoping to lose him somewhere in the room. I ran to the back of the room, and hid behind a stack of barrels, just as he got to where he last saw me. Seeing that I had hidden myself, the guy gave a low chuckle.
“You think you can escape me, Masked Man?” he asked, and when I glanced back, I saw him slowly walk through the alley, looking around with the same stupid grin. “I’ve been waiting to face you since the moment I heard about you.”
That made me wonder how many other people wanted a crack at fighting me, but I pushed it to the back of my mind for the time being.
“If you’re here to help those damn foals, then you’re wasting your time,” he laughed, “You’re going to die in this room, and once you do, I’m going to show those kids what happens when you try to escape. One whip at a time.”
Okay, that crossed the line. This fucker needed to die a horrible death, and I had just the idea. Taking out my knife, I got ready to jump him as soon as he came around to my position. Unfortunately, I had to wait for him, which meant listening to his bullshit.
“I think I’ll start with that Unicorn filly calling out to her ‘Mommy’ all the time,” he snorted, making me tighten my hold on my knife. Just a few more steps and he would be within range. “That should shut her up.”
Oh, I knew what would shut him up. And I would show him in the next few seconds. “What?” he chuckled darkly, “Got nothing to say? And here I thought you were here to free those foals.”
“I am,” I said, as he was standing in position, and he jumped from my response, probably not expecting me to actually reply. I slide out of my cover and rammed the knife into his left eye. He was screaming his head off, thrashing about as he dropped his gun. I retrieved my knife, and he covered up his eye instantly with his hands as blood poured out of it. Seeing as he wasn’t dead, my knife had only penetrated his eye, leaving his brain intact, but that was what I was intending to begin with. As he fell to the ground, whining from his new injury, I sauntered over to a my revolver, which was where I had dropped it, and holstered it. I realized that I was in a place where ammunition was abundant, and so grabbed a few bullets before heading over to a nearby shelf.
“H-How can you be with those ponies?” the man whimpered as I grabbed a stick of dynamite from a wooden box, heading over to a barrel of gunpowder. I opened the lid, and saw the large amount of explosive powder. It would be more than enough.
“That’s easy,” I answered, sticking the dynamite into the barrel as I dug into one of my pockets, still facing away from him. “It’s because I know better than to put children in a place like this.”
I retrieved my lighter and looked over to him, holding it close to the thread that was sticking out of the dynamite. “And I’m not from his world,” I said flatly, lighting the fuse.
“No!” he shouted at me, but I was already dashing for the exit, not wanting to stay around for the blast. “Don’t leave me here, you bastard!”
It was so easy to tune out his cries of anger, which allowed me to focus on getting out of there. By the time I was down the hall, it blew up, and it was one hell of an explosion. I couldn’t remember much when it went off, mostly just a loud noise and bright light, and being lifted off my feet. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground half buried in rubble. Smoke and dust was practically suffocating me as it swirled all around me.
I didn’t know how long I was out, but I knew I should hurry nonetheless. Groaning, I slowly pushed the piece of wooden board that had landed on me and slipped out. Looking over, I saw what was left of the room, which wasn’t much. Through the hazy fog, I could make out destroyed walls and small fires everywhere, nothing was left untouched. My part of the mission was a success, and I hoped that Alex’s was as well.
Standing to my feet, I felt pain shoot up my leg, and looking down I could see blood over my pants, I must have gotten a gash from the explosion. Hoping to walk it off, I went through the partially destroyed hallway, trying to recall where the exit was. I was already hearing voices call out to each other, saying stuff about the explosions and gunshots, but nothing on any foals breaking out. I was thankful for that, and I was also thankful for the fog as it masked my own escape. And though my leg throbbed painfully, I was able to limp my way outside, into the fresh, dust-free air.
It was the courtyard, but it was void of anyone; no pony or human in sight. Opposite from me was the gates, wide open, an indicator that they had already left. I began wobbling over to it, and when I made it past the gate, I saw the town on high alert, men running to and fro.
Because of the distraction I had caused and the darkness that shrouded the town, I was able to avoid detection through the back alleys of the town, and eventually I broke free from it, heading towards Saddle Mesa. In the distance, I could see silhouettes of small ponies and a single tall figure; it was the group. I still couldn’t believe that Alex and I had done it, we had gotten the children out of that hell.
From what I could tell, they were standing around, probably uncertain if they should wait for me. And while I was getting closer, I heard the click of a gun.
“Freeze!” Alex shouted; the darkness was hiding who I was, so it was understandable that he would point a gun at me.
“It’s me, Alex,” I called out, still continuing to him.
“Nolan!” I heard a voice from the group of foals, and one of them trotted to me. When it got closer, I could see it was Sweetie Belle as she jumped on my good leg. I must have made a good first impression with her. Kids were always easy to convince of one thing or another, and showing that I was a nice person was a good push. Then, there was a sharp gasp as she let go of me, facing me with a worried expression. “Wha- what happened to your leg?”
Crouching down, I patted her on the head, “Don’t worry about me, kid. I can make it until we’re out of danger.”
“Speaking of which,” Alex spoke up, his arm pointing towards our destination, “We need to get moving. The place is pretty hilly, so we should be able to get by without anyone spotting us.”
“Then let’s go,” I said, knowing he wouldn’t be able to see me through the darkness.
As the group began to walk - with Sweetie joining with her friends - I stayed in the back to jump into action if anyone had followed us. My continued glances behind me made me neglect my immediate surroundings, so it startled me when someone cleared their throat right next to me.
“Jesus,” I muttered, shaking my head as I saw who it was. It was a grown mare, probably another pony that wanted to join the escape like Braeburn. Her coat was dark magenta, nearly looking purple in the darkness. Her mane and tail had pink and light pink, and the Cutie Mark on her flank depicted three smiling flowers. How peculiar.
“Are you the human that helped these foals?” she asked, gesturing to the group ahead of us.
“It’s Nolan,” I corrected irritably, tired of everyone calling me by my species name. “And yes, I am.”
“Thank you,” she said gently and hesitantly, not used to thanking a human. “They need to be far away from a place like that.”
I grunted in agreement, and then we remained quiet for the longest time. That was, until the mare jerked her head as if she had remembered something suddenly. “I’m Cheerilee, by the way,” she introduced hastily, “I was their teacher.”
“Hey,” I said simply, not looking at her, hoping she would get the message that I didn’t feel like conversing. Luckily, she did, and trotted to remain with the group, leaving me with my thoughts. Besides the good feeling I got from helping these kids out, I knew now that the ponies at Las Pegasus would have to know I didn’t mean them harm. It was a comforting thought, especially when I thought of sleeping in a comfy room and bed and not in some backwater shack.
I saw Alex slow his pace to walk beside me, but didn’t speak to me right away.”I almost didn’t recognize you in your mask,” he said, but it felt like he was trying to make small talk to cover something up.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, still facing ahead as he looked at me with a hint of surprise. I wasn’t too off from my assumption.
“I… have to go,” he revealed, his tone very down, like he didn’t really like the thought himself. I looked at him for a moment and saw the sincerity and determination in his face; he truly meant what he said.
“What for?” I asked, wanting to know more.
He gave a short laugh, scratching the back of his head, “The ponies of this resistance you mentioned probably don’t want another human with them. They hardly trust you to begin with.”
I wanted to argue against that notion, but he was right. “I have to get back to my sister back home,” he continued, looking at the starry sky, “After seeing what we have to do in Equestria, I don’t think I could bear working in the military.”
“So you’re just going to go AWOL?” I questioned, finally facing him, my concern hidden in my mask, though my tone gave it away. “Won’t they know you left without consent?”
“The records of my military time were caught in that explosion,” he said with a shrug, causing me to sigh, “They were in the office next to the armory.”
I stopped in my tracks, and he did so as well after a few steps, looking over to me, “This is goodbye then,” I stated, standing still. The thought of losing him made me sadder than I realized. The first good human I met and he would be gone, and I wouldn’t see him again.
“I guess so,” he agreed sticking out his hand for one last shake. I grasped it instantly, appreciated his firm handshake for the last time. “It’s been great working with you. Keep them safe, alright?”
“Yeah,” I said as he walked past me. I couldn’t bear to see him walk off, it would damage my morale more than it already had. To me, it felt like he was more of a hero than I was. Someone to look after, a faithful resolve, everything. Compared to him, I was just a beat-up guy with a surly attitude.
Without really thinking, I took one last glance over to him, and saw he was already half way back to the town, which had lights all around it. The people there must have been getting organized. Though I wouldn’t ever meet him again, I was glad there’s another human in this world that thinks straight. Facing back towards the group, I saw how close we were to Saddle Mesa, and when I mean close, I mean practically right underneath it. Needless to say, it was freaking huge.
The ponies were climbing over one last hill until we would be at the base of the mesa, and it was a strangely large hill as well. But when Braeburn climbed to the top, he gave a small cheer and looked back to us.
“It’s the Resistance! They’re here!” he said, causing the other ponies to look at each other with happiness, picking up the pace to get over the hill quicker. Alex must have filled them in on all the things happening outside of the prison.
I briskly clamored to the crescent of the hill, with a few stray foals here and there, and sure enough, there they were. The three carriages that had brought me to this desert were all lined up, and the ponies towing them were surprised to see the foals, and I bet it was because they thought I couldn’t do it. I relaxed my arms as a smile stretching over my covered face.
I had done it.
And that was when the unpredictable happened.
A distant gun shot - what must have been a sniper rifle - was heard behind me and a filly standing just to my right was struck. I was in so much shock that I couldn’t see where she was hit, but she went tumbling down the hill anyway. I was about to go after her, but another gun shot was heard and I was the one that was shot, the bullet tearing through my left arm.
I gave a cry of pain as I, too, tumbled down the hill, my eyes blurring from the sand and pain. When I stopped at the bottom, my head was already trying to wrap my head around what had happened. A sniper had spotted us I suppose. I hoped Alex wasn’t caught. Despite my disorientation, I was able to push myself up, ponies panicking while some barked out orders. It was all the same, all I could do was look over to the filly that was also in pain. From what I could tell, she was still alive, indicated by her chest rising and falling, and she was barely conscious. It was still too dark to see where she was shot, but there was blood… a lot of it.
Though the injury was painful, I pushed through it as I gritted my teeth, rising from my position. I swayed slightly, but I righted myself and walked to the filly, crouching down to examine her.
She was pink, from her light magenta, with lighter streaks, mane and tail, to her pink coat. Her eyes were half closed, and she seemed to have to force herself to breathe, and after looking her over, I could see why. The bullet had gone through a lung, and the bullet hadn’t gone all the way through.. I wasn’t an expert on pony anatomy, but from my basic examination, she wouldn’t make it for very long.
Then it struck me. This was a filly, just an innocent small pony that just wanted to reunite with her lost family. Why did she have to be shot!? She had done nothing wrong! My mind was still trying to get over the fact that someone had just shot a child, one that was so full of hope not thirty seconds ago. I was shaking my head at the gesture; this couldn't happen, this pony couldn’t die.
“You!” Rainbow’s voice yelled at me, trotting from behind. “What the hay!? Did you lead those humans to us!? What’s-”
“Get back to the carriage,” I whispered, gently slipping my hands underneath the filly.
“Wha-? Huh?” she said, taken aback by my words.
I turned to her, the filly resting in my arms. “Get to the fucking carriage, damn it!” I screamed, causing her to jump back. She wasn’t used to me lashing out like that. “We don’t have time! Get us to Las Pegasus as fast as possible!”
She didn’t argue, nodding her head frantically as she zipped over to the front of the carriage. Meanwhile, I ran for the back, hopping inside. I placed the filly on one of the seats as everyone inside watched with bated breath. Shutting the doors, I felt ourselves lift off, and going very fast. I had underestimated how fast a Pegasus could fly.
Taking out my knife, which made some ponies gasp quietly, I cut my sleeves, and wrapped them around her chest, where the bullet had gone through. I was trying desperately to keep her alive, but she was losing consciousness fast.
“Stay with me,” I said to her, shaking her awake. “You have to stay awake.”
“So tired,” she mumbled, her eyes drooping. “I want my sister.”
“Just hang in there, kid,” I instructed, applying pressure to the wound.
It was all I could do: sit there, treat her wound with what I had, and comfort her. I wanted to believe that she would make it, but there was a niggling feeling of doubt in my gut, one that I couldn’t push out. It caused my breathing to increase from the uneasiness, and I could tell it was getting harder for the filly to stay awake.
After what felt like hours, I felt the carriage buckle slightly as we landed on the ground. Instantly, I picked up the filly, and kicked the carriage doors open just as the carriage had rolled to a stop. The ponies who greeted us with curiosity were shocked to see my sudden appearance, but I hardly noticed them as I jumped down and rushed past, heading straight for the clinic. The adrenaline pumping through me canceled everything out, as I wanted save this filly’s fleeting life. At long last, I charged through the clinic doors, seeing the nurse look at me with wide eyes.
“What are you-” she started before I ran over to the desk, the filly still in my arms.
“Get the doctor! She’s been shot!” I ordered, and thankfully the nurse saw it right away and ran to the other door. In mere seconds, Doctor Styles came running to me, his face struck with worry and concern.
“How long ago was she shot?” he asked, levitating the filly out of my hands.
“I dunno,” I said, feeling myself fall apart while rubbing my forehead as I tried to remember, ”Ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago?”
“Sis?” the filly asked aloud, catching our attention, “Can I go to sleep now?”
I clenched my hands as I felt a pang of sympathy for her. “You’ll be alright,” I told her softly and hastily, petting her mane, “You’ll see your sister soon.”
“I’m glad,” the filly smiled. I wondered how she hadn’t complained about the pain, but she must have been in so much shock that her body was ignoring it. Without another word, Doctor Styles ran out of the room with the filly, probably heading for the operating room. I intended to follow, but the nurse stopped me, putting a hoof on my chest.
“We’ll take it from here,” she said, glancing towards the door as someone entered. “Take care of your leg.”
And with that, she chased after the doctor, as I was left alone. Or so I thought. “N-Nolan?” I heard the voice of Applejack, and I looked over to her, seeing the sadness and happiness in her features. “You… brought my sister back.”
I was much too worried for the filly to respond right away, so I simply shrugged, as I didn’t know who her sister was. “Yeah!” Applebloom spoke, poking her head from between Applejack’s legs. “He totally helped us, Applejack! And so did Alex!”
Well, I’ll be damned, they were related. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… no pun intended.
At the mention of Alex, Applebloom looked around the room, just realizing he wasn’t with us. “W-Where is he?” she asked, but again, I couldn’t find the words, my mind drifting off on its own. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the conversation at hand, but still had trouble.
“He…” I started, working out the words before I spoke, “He’s heading home… to get back to his sister.”
“Oh,” Applebloom said a little sadly, her bow dripping low somehow, “Well, at least he’s with family.”
“Yeah,” I sighed, leaning against the only desk in the room as I slipped my mask off. With it off, I clearly displayed the conflicting emotions of guilt, sorrow, and empathy laced on my face, and Applejack picked it up.
“I heard about the filly,” she muttered, her eyes falling to the ground as Applebloom remained where she was with a cheerless expression. “I… hope she gets better soon.”
“Yeah,” I said, turning away from them with a distant expression.
That was when I heard the hoofsteps of someone down the hall, and my anxiety multiplied. Who could it be? What news would it bring? Was the filly alive? All of these questions were swirling around in my head as I watched the door with a shaky breath.
The nurse came back, but her head was hung low, and her eyes were watering. No, please don’t say what I think. “She…” the nurse started, giving a ragged breath. “She didn’t make it.”
And with that, my whole world fell apart.
A filly had been shot… and killed.
The world no longer registered for me, as if I was disconnected. There were voices, but they were so far away. There was movement, but my eyes didn’t pick it up. It was a strange feeling, but I didn’t dwell on it for long. I found my feet moving of their own accord, my mask falling from my grip as I walked to the doors. When I pushed them open, I was vaguely aware of a lot of ponies around, but they were like shadows; they were there, but I didn’t care.
I walked through them with a shocked expression on my face, just taking one step after another until I was outside of the crowd of ponies. I didn’t know what they knew, but it hardly mattered.
I fell to my knees, as I stared at the ground, the same thoughts running through my mind as I felt drops of water hit my head. It was raining, and a filly had died. I turned towards the darkened sky as the rain picked up, pattering on my blank face.
It was raining, and a filly was dead.
And I had lied to them.
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I feel like this chapter was trying to pull at my heartstrings, which it kind of failed at. The prison kind of seemed like one of those cliche orphanages and the death that filly kind of seemed too set up and spontaneous as well with someone who had no character made it token, so I'm not really feeling the anger or sadness that Nolan's feeling.
Man... that was horrible, I mean he sat in a carriage for fifteen minutes trying to keep her alive and she just dies. Well I guess the ponies won't question his loyalty now...hopefully. On a brighter note I absolutely love how all your chapters are so long, it was totally worth the wait. In other fics a prison break scene would come up and I would say... "goodie thats going to be three chapters worth of waiting", but you know how to do it. Long and elaborate. There ain't no such thing as filler with you, no sir.
CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS JAILBREAK CONSPIRATORS, YAY!
Sorry, it had to be said.
There are other good humans out there!
And the first time we see the Resistance's crack medics actually do something, they fail. Ouch. Granted, Doctor Styles probably had little to no experience handling bullet wounds, and a shot to a vital organ is probably a difficult operation even when you know what you're doing. Not to mention the fact that she pretty much bled out on the way there...
Still sad.
Write on,
Legion
3499545 I actually hate fillers, so I usually avoid them and get to the parts I want to write. Why write something that has little to do with the plot? Or to extend the story? Just freakin' type it is what I say!
3499456 If you didn't really feel anything, then I guess I failed at that part. I always do when it comes to emotional stuff. Any tips? Also, his name is Nolan, not sure if you were just trolling me or what.
3499814
Sorry, typo
And a tip if you're going to kill someone to advance the plot, give them character. I knew nothing about her, so when she died I couldn't really care less. I mean yeah, a child died, but this is just a story for me, not real life. So make us invested in a character, make us like her before you decided she needs to die for the plot.
3499861 Thank you for the advise. I'll try to make more of an impact next time, and thank you for helping!
next chapter should feature Nolan going ape-shit on the next mission
So the humans had an english hitler?
Well... Crap.
No plan survives initial contact with the enemy, this one honestly went rather well
Apart from the sniper, but honestly, he was shooting at a bunch of moving targets in the middle of the night.
I would have expected a few more missed shots.
Oooh, this chapter hit harder than I thought it would.
Dam dude. I can see where this is going, first he's going to be extremely depressed, but then he's going to bust out a righteous fury towards the other humans. I can't wait!
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Actually it looks like I can.
3502001 maybe he had a night scope?
You have the right to remain silent...
Forever.
Operation: Righteous Fury is ago...
fuck them up Nolan, bring the pain, and don't stop!
FUCK! Oh i'm so mad at these humans, and I want them to die. //instarage//
good job.
3502001 Or he got lucky. If you know about where someone is, know who it is, and know the disposition of their physicality, you can reasonably make an estimate. While the odds are far off, it is entirely likely that the sniper was guess-firing. Or its Alex. After all, why would he be so insistent that he split off?
How World war 2 began.
It’s a terrible day for rain…