To the Isles of Trials
On My Honor
Chapter 19
By Honored Service
Preread/edited by Spirit of Harmony
“Full steam ahead.” I stood atop the helm, gripping the rigging, cutlass in one hand, pointed towards the island far off in the distance. “We shall plunder all sorts of loot on this glorious day.”
“Umm, excuse me Honored Service?” I looked down to the gray pony wearing a white sailor’s hat and black tie. “You’ve been pretending to be a pirate captain ever since you got that hat.”
I narrowed my eyes and jumped down from the side of the Luxury Lines II helm and stood next to the crewpony. “Fine. If y’all want to be boring then so be it. I’ll take my ship-saving self elsewhere.” I turned my nose up and walked off from the helm and towards the cabin entrance. I guess I could use some more sleep, anything to make this trip go quicker. I swear, where’s a teleporting alicorn when you needed one.
Twilight Sparkle stood before the other three alicorns in the Crystal Empire after watching the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia exit the castle. Cadence was trying to raise the youngest alicorn’s spirits, but her condolences were falling on deaf ears.
“But I... well, it's just that Princess Luna raises the moon, Princess Celestia raises the sun, you protect the Crystal Empire, and all I seem to do is... smile and wave.” Twilight dropped her head and sighed.
Honored entered his cozy cabin and flopped down onto his bed. He reached up and removed the tricorn from his head and hung it from the bed post beside him. “You know Tune, if this whole become a kickass mercenercy falls through, becoming a kickass pirate could work.”
“Sir, are you suggesting becoming a bad guy?” The voice sounded shocked as Honored reached into his pocket and removed the small iPod and stared at the screen with a slight grin.
“What? Me? A bad guy?” Honored laughed before wiping a tear from his eye. “Of course not, that would be completely unfair. I mean, shit, imagine how hard I would be to kill. That would be insanely impossible.” The human rolled over and kicked his boots off before slipping off his shoulder holster, laying it beside him on the bed. He was dressed only in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, considering that the only enemy the cruise airship had encountered had been wiped out.
“Honored. Sir. You would make a terrible bad guy.”
“Oh yea. I bet I could be such a good bad guy…. Wait. No I mean a bad bad guy.” Honored stammered as the little device laughed at the human. “Aw whatever Tune. Suck a fat one. The griffons already consider me a bad guy, so if I want to, I’ll just be a pirate along their coast.”
“No you won’t.” The iPod stated.
Honored was silent before closing his eyes, “yeah you’re right.” A loud yawn escaped Honored as he slowly began to drift off to sleep.
“I can assure you... I am no friend,” the six-limbed creature, clad in a ragged black robe, inhaled a deep breath, a deep blue nimbus swirling into his gaping maw from the horn of the brown unicorn who stood before him. “I am Lord Tirek, and I will take what should have been mine long ago. HAHAHAHA!”
“There it is Tune, Griflin.” I pointed out at the large griffon city. Tall buildings jutted out into the skyline as the cruise airship got closer and closer to the port along the outskirts of the city. I watched as other large airships docked and departed. It was so fascinating to see such a large city. Compared to pony lands, this griffon city was massive, but it still wasn’t even close to a human city. If only I could get more humans here, I could start a new United States. Except I'd call it ‘United States II’, with more ‘murica. And I guess a few different policies. Tune had a helpful input on what he would do if we started a new nation. But I thought most of his ideas were lame, even if they did make sense. Stupid sentient iPod thing.
“It truly is a wondrous sight sir.” Tune said as I held him in my breast pocket. I had seated perfectly to where his camera could look out without me having to hold him all the time. “Do you even know where to begin looking for this ‘Black Claw’ group?”
I rolled my eyes, pointing at a tall building towards the center of the city that had a large black claw sign covering the top of the building. “Something is just telling me we should go there first.”
“I guess you can be right sometimes sir.” Tune said with what I thought was hint of anger. Suck it magical technology.
“Well Tune, we got some work to get done.”
“And what sir would that be?” Tune asked as I reached over and began to strap on my holsters and load up pistols and magazines for my weapons. Once I was loaded up with all my gear, I draped my worn and ragged duster over myself, concealing all my weapons.
“We gotta walk there, through nothing but what I assume is griffon populace.”
“Sir, you’re absolutely irresponsible sometimes.”
I double-checked everything on my body once more before exiting the cabin and stepping onto the deck of the ship where I watched as we began descending into the port. The airship hovered above a dock, before it slowly lowered itself down as the crew rushed forward and began attaching lines to hold the ship in place.
As the crew performed their tasks, I strode forwards and hopped off the side of the ship and landed with a solid thud, walking along the dock towards the city. Already a few griffons stopped what they were doing and stared at me as I walked along.
“Getting lots of stares.” Tune said quietly from my pocket on my chest.
“Yeah. I noticed,” I grunted back as one griffon dropped a crate he was moving. “Let’s just get to the building.”
As I left the dock I immediately wished I was back on the ship. Griffons were everywhere. Well that was granted, this being a griffon city and all, but I wasn’t expecting this many civies walking around.
And every single set of eyes were glued to me.
Every corner I turned.
Every move I made
Every step I took.
They were watching me.
“Oh boy, this is really starting to feel like a bad idea.” I grumbled as another griffon ‘bumped’ into me. It was more like a shoulder blow than a bump.
“And it is taking you this long to realize that?” Tune sounded very agitated.
“Well look at the bright side,” I said while eyeing a slightly large crowd that was coming towards me from down the street, “at least I have lots of guns and bullets.”
“That is an appalling bright side.”
“I wonder what my friends are doing. Probably something a lot better than staring down an angry mob of griffons.”
“But there is one solution,” Celestia intoned, fear struggling with determination in her eyes. “It is only by making this sacrifice that Equestria and the lands beyond might be saved. We must rid ourselves of our magic before Tirek has the chance to steal it from us.”
I stood in the center of the street, surrounded from every direction by griffons of all shapes and ages. They covered every alleyway, street, building entrance, window, and some even covered me from small clouds looming over the street.
“Lovely day for a stroll huh?” I coughed awkwardly as all the griffons seemed to grow visibly tense.
“You’re terrible.” Tune groaned at me.
“Tune, will killing civies that attack me make me bad?” I asked, my hand slowly drifting inside my duster and resting on the grip of one of my many handguns.
“Maybe sir should consider holding back from lethal actions at first.”
“Fuck. I’m terrible at restraints. You know that.” I groaned and let the Glock grip slip from my grasp.
Suddenly I felt something wrap around my waist and I was ripped from the ground and was flying through the air.
“WHAHAHAHAHA!” I screamed as I grabbed at the metal claw device that was wrapped around my midsection. “WHATTHEFUCKINGCATSCREAMINGHELLISGOINGON!?”
Just as suddenly as the flying sensation began it stopped and I felt myself come to a standstill. I reached underneath and behind my duster and drew both silenced Glocks from their holsters and leveled them to my sides. I was panting heavily as two griffons and a diamond dog slowly backed up with their talons and paws raised.
“What the absolute fuck was that?” I asked, both weapons still raised. I slowly looked around and realized that I was standing on the deck of an airship flying above the city and heading towards the Black Claw building.
“That was our hot extracting assault tech. HEAT claw by the mercs.” I turned to face the voice and found myself staring at the waist of a minotaur. I looked up and smiled. I quickly holstered the pistols and extended a hand.
“Sorry about that Chief Will.” I soon found my hand crushed in the grip of the massive creature as he shook it vigorously.
“Not a problem. That was actually one of the calmer reactions to it. And you recovered a lot faster than most too.” Chief Will released my hand, and as I winced in pain and shook my hand in the air, he looked over at the diamond dog and brought a hand to his chin, “I remember your first time Dodge, and yours was certainly wetter.”
The dog looked down and blushed while the two griffons began laughing. “That system is used to pull the earth bound mercenaries from any hostile environment in a rapid and safe-ish manner.” There was a gentle jolt as the ship was docked to a platform extending from the side of the Black Claw building. “I was elated to receive your letter Honored. And I hope that I am able to enlist your service into my company by day’s end.”
“Well I’m pretty set on hearing all about your company Chief.” I said as we exited the ship and walked down the platform towards the door into the building. Two ponies stood outside, both gripping onto spears. They nodded and pulled the door open to allow us entrance.
My jaw dropped as I entered the building. Everything was clean and pristine as we walked into the foyer. Ponies, griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, zebras, deer, donkeys, dragon younglings, and even a changeling walked by and filled the space. Escalators and offices filled the multilevel interior. There was just a massive opening in the center of the building that allowed one to look and down and see every floor. As I stared at the sheer size of the company headquarters, the changeling walked up to Chief Will.
“Ah welcome back sir, the dogs and Eggy are ready in sub level 1 for you and the human.” The changeling then looked at me and did a double take. “The Breytchar… I mean Honored Service. Excuse me.” And with that the changeling jumped into the air and buzzed away down the open center of the building.
“An excellent assistant that one, a bit jumpy, but still an extremely hard worker.” Chief Will said while stepping beside me and smiled. “Yeah I remember my first time looking in on this place. So massive, and yet it functions like clockwork. Come human, there is much to see and discus.”
“If only my friends could see this place.” I stared in awe as Chief Will lead me towards one of the many elevators around the edge of the building.
“Tirek may still be a threat. I need you all to stay here and encourage everypony to remain inside.”
“And this is the sub levels. These are where weapons practice, combat classes, and all of our equipment experiments are tested.” Chief Will said as the elevator stopped with a ding on level B1. “Sub level 1 is where we develop weapons. Now I know you use your alien weapons, and as much as we would love to get our techs to analyze them, I just don’t think that we can produce them just yet, but let’s save that for another day. I know that you would love to see what we are currently developing to help our mercenaries stay ahead of their protecting and seizure jobs.”
The large door before me slid open with a hiss of steam. My jaw dropped again for the second time today. I could only describe this place as a steampunk laboratory and factory. Half the massive room was filled with lab equipment and creatures wearing lab coats and safety equipment and the other half was old fashion factory machines punching metal and creating weapons, armor, and other miscellaneous parts.
“Ah there you are Eggy.” Chief Will smiled and gestured to a blue pony with a dark red mane with a cog and gear cutie mark wearing safety goggles. “This is our lead engineer and developer here on B1.”
“Pleased to meet you. The name’s Egg Head, but everyone here calls me Eggy.” He smiled and I bumped his hoof with my knuckle.
“Pleasures all mine. I’m Honored Service of the Equestrian Honor Guard.”
“Oh we all know about you. You’ve got quite the record book here.” Eggy said with a smile as he began leading us deeper into the mad scientist’s wet dream come to life.
“Record book?” I asked looking up to Chief Will.
“Ah yes, you see the selection process to become a Vulture is voted on by a committee.” He paused and counted off on his hands, “The chief executive, operations director, intelligence manager, merc administrator, science leader, and the vulture boss. Each one is the head of their field and so has a say in making someone a member of that group. And each candidate has a record that is used to be judged on.”
“And yours is a book!” Eggy said as we stopped before a large table that was surrounded by diamond dogs and a few ponies. Each one of the scientist and engineers was working on some type of weapon or piece of equipment. “This is the development area. We take the prototypes and fine tune them before taking them to the testing range. Weapons have to perform correctly and equipment has to do what it was made to do without failing.”
“Makes sense.” I said while picking up a small crossbow that was about the size of a small pistol. It could easily fit into a pocket when folded.
“That there is the peashooter. It has passed all its test and is about to go into production. It can be folded down for easy storage and hiding. It also has a storage compartment in the bottom of it that allows the user to simple rack the mechanism on the side back to load another bolt and ready the string.”
“How many bolts can be stored in the magazine?” I asked holding the weapon out in one hand and looking down the simple sights.
“Magazine?” Eggy whispered before smiling and writing something down on a clipboard beside another crossbow. “It holds seven other bolts before loading them here.” He gestured to a shotgun like chamber where the bolts were pushed up into the magazine much like one would with shotgun shells.
“Hmm pretty cool, but ya’ know I think I’ll stick with mine.” I said while flipping one of the silenced Glocks from its holster around my waist, twirling it around my finger before placing it back into its holster. “Okay, so let’s get straight to business. Chief Will, you want me to become a member of the Vultures. What do I need to do? What fetch quest is it?”
“Fetch quest?” Chief Will mumbled to himself before shaking his head and stepping around me, heading towards a door on the far side of the lab. “Come with me and we shall discuss your trial.”
I shrugged and followed after the behemoth of a minotaur.
“Excuse me, Honored Service?” I skidded to a halt and turned around to see Eggy looking at me and tapping a hoof against the ground.
“Oh.” I reached under my coat, pulling out a potion bottle labeled Critical Damage +50 and gently placing it on a table. “How did that end up in my pocket?” I asked no one in particular, slowly backing away from the annoyed-looking unicorn. Ha, that was the same look Twilight used on me a lot.
“If Twilight has magic to give, it will be yours.” Discord cackled. “Soon there won't be a Pegasus, Earth pony or unicorn who will be able to stand up against us.”
“Please, have a seat.” Chief Will gestured to one of the many seat around a massive conference table in the room. I took a seat and looked around the sparkly decorated room. A few pictures of generic company pride adorned the walls, and a lonely potted plant sat in one corner. Chief Will sat in an extra-large chair at the head of the table before reaching down and dropping a book as thick as a dictionary on the table.
“Honored, this is your record. It is… well it’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s what she said.” I chuckled. Chief Will gave me a deadpan stare. “Please continue sir.”
“The Committee decided that your trial would need to be, how should I put this, ‘extra special.’” Chief Will said, absent-mindedly flipping through the book before him. From where I was sitting, I could just barely make out diagrams, sketches and short paragraphs taking up each page. Chief Will tugged the book back when he noticed me staring.
“So let me take a guess here Chief. I need to cross an inhospitable, hostile, unforgiving wasteland fighting off thousands of insanely scary creatures to get you some artifact that is worth a hell of a lot of bits.” I said. Will stared at me before flipping my book open to the last page, using a black marker to scribble something onto the crisp white paper.
“The Committee has found it useful for you to embark upon the Islands of Covenant. It is an archipelago filled with challenges that will test your very being. You will be pushed to your mental and physical breaking points. You will be brought to the brink of death where you will then be built back up into a mighty unstoppable operator!" Chief Will stood up behind the table and struck a heroic pose as he finished in a booming voice.
I stared at Chief Will before smiling and beginning the slow clap. "Alright, I'm in. Send me to these islands and I’ll get it done."
“Very well, we shall arrange for your transportation at once. Consider this the first step towards a promising career here at Black Claw.” Chief Will turned from me, moved to the wall behind him and pulled on the picture frame to the side, the wall sliding open with a ‘SSSSSssssss’ of pressure. He stepped behind it and looked at me once more as the hidden door began to close, “Your trial begins now, you have only what is on your person to conquer the Isles.”
“What?” I asked as the door closed and locked with a loud ‘clang’. “Well Tune, that is some cryptic shit right there.”
“Sir, according to my readings, which are 99.99 percent right all the time, the air is now filling with a nerve-immobilizing gas that will cause temporary paralysis.” The voice from my pocket spoke out loudly as a different kind of hissing filled the room.
“Mother fucker.” I grumbled before sucking in one more lungful of air and looked around. I ran to the door I had come from only to, big surprise, find it locked. I rolled my eyes and groaned before reaching into my duster, drawing the Vector to my side and aiming at the oak door.
I squeezed the trigger and walked the .45 caliber rounds up the door before sprinting full force into the weakened center of the door and exploding through it, chips and splinters flying everywhere. I crouched and breathed in great mouthfuls of air as I panted outside of the room. “Well fuck… *cough* this... *cough* God damn it.” I groaned and raised myself up as I stood facing ten mercenaries who all had automatic crossbows aimed at my chest. The group a mixture of ponies, dogs, and griffons who stared me down.
I continued to stare at the group as my mind tried to figure out a solution. Chief Will said a ride was going to be provided to me to get to the islands, but obviously I was going to have to find my own way to that ride. Oh, I get it, I had to get to my extraction point through a hostile area, just like a real mission.
“SMOKE BOMB!” I screamed with a laugh before shooting myself to the side in a burst of red magic and a puff of red smoke. I closed my eyes and covered my head as my shoulder connected with the window to my left, the glass shattering under the sudden force. I opened my eyes and watched as I dropped down towards the ground from at least thirty stories above the pavement. The landing pad was on the other side of the building and at least fifteen stories down.
After a while, I figured I had fallen far enough, so I reached out and snagged onto the ledge jutting out from under a window. I reached up with my gauntlet and slowly peeked up to see that the window looked into an empty hallway. I grinned, hauled myself up onto the ledge and aimed my gauntlet at the window, summoning up a spell and concentrating on the hallway. With a quick flash and a feeling of vertigo I found myself wobbling slightly inside the hallway. I shook my head and then sprinted towards the other end of the hallway, hopefully towards the landing pad where a chariot should, hypothetically, be waiting on me.
“Tune, want to tell me if I’m going the right way?” I asked while rounding another corner only to duck back behind it as a group of three mercs strolled by.
“Yes. Twenty meters front. Next right. Ten meters.”
“That was oddly direct and to the point for you Tune. Where’s the witty banter I’ve come to expect from you?” I asked while following his directions and heading down the hallway.
“Would you like for me to make this harder for you as you try to navigate through a maze-like fortress of an office building?” Tune asked as I rounded the right turn and headed straight down the same hallway I had come through hours before.
“Um, no thank you.” I said quietly.
“Then turn here and take the glass doors dead ahead.” I did as he instructed and found myself looking at Chief Will himself, and three other minotaurs. Each of them had swords and hammers in their hand and gave me cocky grins as I grew closer. I felt a smile creep onto my own face as I reached down and drew one of my Berrettas. I aimed it forward and squeezed the trigger.
The fire extinguisher mounted on the wall beside the four mercenaries exploded in a shower of foam covering them head to hoof in the substance. I slid across the foamy floor in between their legs and pushed the doors open as they spun around, trying to shake the foam from their faces to stop me.
Sure enough a chariot hooked up to two ponies stood waiting at the landing pad. I pushed myself a little faster as I heard a roar from behind me and leapt over the black painted side of the chariot. “Well what are you, hourly?” I screamed and the two ponies lurched forward as Chief Will came flying out of the building wielding a massive crossbow that was easily the size of the .50cal mounted on my Humvee.
TUMP
The massive bolt flew through the air towards the chariot. I quickly aimed my gauntlet over the edge and fired a bolt of magic at it, causing it to explode in a shower of splinters that rained upon the ground far below. I waved at Chief Will as he stood, staring slack-jawed at me as my chariot rocketed off towards the far-distant islands.
“Well that wasn’t too bad.” I said while sliding down against the side of the chariot.
As my eyelids plummeted, the last thing I heard was Tune simply starting to laugh in his awkward robotic voice.
“Surely you saw this comin'.” Applejack quipped disbelievingly.
“I didn't.” Discord looked up sorrowfully. “I truly didn't.”
“Hey. Hey Honored?” I groggily cracked my eyes open to see the sun setting far off in the distance over the ocean. Hey, the ocean, we must be pretty close. Time sure flies when you’re unconscious.
“Yeah? ‘Sup?” I yawned and stretched out as I sat up and spotted a cluster of islands out in front of us. The chariot slowly began to descend towards the islands.
“This is nearly your stop, and we have explicit instructions to not land.” The gray pegasus to the left said while tossing me a forced smile.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah of course not.” I slapped a hand to my face and looked over the edge of the chariot. “Well then, thanks for the lift gents, see ‘ya in a bit.” I gave them a two finger salute and then ran to leap off the back of the chariot.
I plummeted down, down, down towards the sparkling ocean below me. I charged magic into my gauntlet and began to feel the spell ready in my palm. With a quick burst of magic I sent myself flying forward in controlled bursts. The islands grew larger and larger as I continued to fall using small bursts of magic to direct myself towards the smallest of the islands.
As the beach raced up to meet me, I fired my short range teleportation spell and skidded to a halt along the sand. I stood and looked around while listening for anything. I stood motionless for nearly five minutes, just waiting to see if anything would happen.
“Well Tune, let’s settle in for the night and get ready to face this island’s challenge in the morning. I ain’t doing shit tonight.”
“Of course sir. Why would you try to utilize the shield of darkness to conduct any type of operation?” Tune groaned from within his pocket.
“Well excuse me for not wanting to stumble around the dark jungle of an unknown island that I have no map or prior knowledge of.” I stated matter of factly while kicking a few well-smoothed rocks into a pile and arranging them into a circle. I carefully scanned the edge of the jungle before grabbing a few sticks and twigs. After dropping of the kindling, I made my way back to the jungle and secured a few larger logs.
I made a base of kindling before stacking the larger logs on top of it and continued to make a large organized pile.
“Sir that seems to be a rather large for a fire while you try to remain undetected.”
“I know.” I said with a grin before firing a spark of magic into the logs, watching as the flames sprung to life and began to dance among the wood. After ensuring the fire would stay lit for a few hours, I bolted to the edge of the jungle and laid down in the center of a thorny bush, being careful not to prick myself with an unknown plant. Anything would hopefully stay clear of the painful bush and give me a superb hiding spot that still had a clear line of sight to the fire I had just built.
“And now we wait.” I whispered to Tune before sliding one of the Glocks from its holster and resting it beside my head.
“There. I told you I smelt a fire.” Remmy said. The tall gray diamond dog with darker gray spots exited the jungle and moved towards the fire with his fellow Black Claw mercenaries following close behind. Two unicorns both of whom were covered in tactical pouches and armor edged out of the jungle and looked around quickly, trying to find the creator of the fire.
“Now we wait for the human to come back.” Remmy sighed and sat beside the fire, grateful for its warmth as it washed over his fur. He shifted his shoulders and the large sword resting on his back slid to the side. “Will you two calm down, you're making me nervous.”
“But… but… it’s the human!” The first pony stammered out. “Our first assignment is stopping the human!”
“Well you relax,” Remmy said rolling his eyes, “I've been a Vulture for five years and have yet to have one failed contract. And this is just like all the others. Do you know how many unstoppable creatures I've stopped? A lot, and I can-”
CRACK
A branch snapped somewhere out in the jungle and caused the two new mercs to spin around and scan the jungle rapidly as their breathing increased.
SNAP
Another loud noise broke the silence in the jungle, this time from a different spot.
“Remmy?” The second pony turned to the veteran Vulture and found the dog smiling while drawing his large sword from his back.
“He’s simply trying to scare us with noises. Clever, but a failed attempt.” The diamond dog said while walking calmly towards the jungle. “We just gotta stay calm and wait-”
PSSH
Remmy’s sword flew from his grasp and stuck into the sand ten feet away from the stunned diamond dog as he stared at his empty paws. The dog looked up and stared out at the dark jungle, struggling to see what had disarmed him. “Stay alert you two.” Remmy barked at the two fresh mercs, who both gulped nervously.
“I got a bad feeling about this Remmy.”
Remmy spun around, shooting a death glare at the merc that spoke. “YOU NEVER SAY THAT!”
The voice came from above Remmy as a shadow dropped from a tree and extended its leg, catching the startled diamond dog in the head and knocking him to the ground, stunned and out cold. The two unicorns looked at each other, and then at the figure that raised itself from its position behind their unconscious leader. Loud upbeat music surrounded them and caused even more confusion as the human leapt into action and sprinted forward, weaving side to side as the two unicorns struggled to track their target.
“Hit him!” Snap Pea yelled at his friend and fired a shot of magical energy at the moving assailant. The shot missed wide and suddenly the pony merc found himself lifted into the air over the human and smashed to the ground, pain exploding from the back of his. Snap Pea struggled to right himself as he watched Sea Foam get knocked to the side by a well placed shoulder thrust from the human. The Vulture prospect jumped to the side and rolled across the sand as Snap Pea aimed and fired a trio burst of magical energy bolts across the fire towards the nimble target. The human stopped and stared at the pony from across the fire as the two ponies panted.
He hardly looks out of breath. Sea Foam thought to himself as he tried to push the throbbing pain from his ribs to the back of his mind. How are we supposed to beat him?
What is he doing? Snap Pea tried to think of a way to beat the human. There was no way that the two entry level mercs could hope to beat this monster, so why was he toying with them?
Just as suddenly as the human stopped, he jumped forward through the fire, the flames licking at his duster as a predatory smile adorned his face. Sea Foam tried to fire a spell at the leaping human, but unconsciousness swallowed him up before the spell even formed in his horn.
Snap Pea watched in terror as his navy-blue and teal colored friend collapsed from a massive punch that the human delivered to the base of the unicorn's horn. Pea dodged a kick by inches and felt the air part his dark green mane as he stumbled backwards from his attacker.
Snap Pea moved left and right trying to get out of the human’s range of lightning-fast punches and kicks. He had heard the stories, the legends, of this warrior that fought for all of Equestria, but not once in his life did he expect to be on the receiving end of the monstrosity.
“GET BACK!” Snap Pea hollered, hoping that by some miracle, his voice would stop the beating he was about to endure. As soon as the words left his mouth, Snap Pea felt all four of his legs swept out from underneath him and he landed on his back, the human dropping onto his stomach and landing a forearm across his neck, putting pressure against his windpipe. Before the unicorn could fire another spell he felt his horn take a massive hit from the human and a numbing sensation entered his forehead and he knew that his magic had just been cancelled.
“And now that I have your full attention, I’d like some questions answered.” The human grinned down at the trapped pony who still tried to struggle against the creature applying force.
*Cough* “What do you want?” Snap Pea choked out between strangled breaths.
“What is on these islands? What challenges do I have to do to get accepted into the Vultures?” Honored grunted out as he slowly released the pony, who gasped for breath.
Snap Pea sucked in great lungfuls of air before staring the human down. He was angry at himself for being beaten, for failing his mission and now having to stare at the creature that brought him this shame.
If I hit him now, I could catch him by surprise. Snap Pea thought while judging the time it would take to drop a right hook into the human’s face.
SHINK
Snap Pea swallowed deeply as he felt a blade pressed lightly against his throat. “Ah ah ah. No I dont think so.” Honored cooed as he held the blade of Bad Bertha against the pony’s neck. “Now answer and I don't knock you out after we’re done.”
How could he have known I was thinking of hitting him? Did he guess? Can he read minds? Is there any way to stop a human? “Fine I’ll answer what I can.” Snap Pea hung his head as best he could with a massive knife pressed against his neck.
With a flourish and flip of the wrist, the human spun the blade through the air and sheathed the weapon inside of his duster. “Excellent, I love doing things civilized! So what’s the first thing I need to do?”
“Well you need to venture to the centermost island and complete the task there. From there you'll receive a new order after each task is completed.” Snap Pea said, repeating the same thing that Remmy had told them a day ago when they got to the islands. Wait. They had all known what the human was supposed to do. They were meant to get captured in some way or another so that the human could learn what he had to do. Goddess damn the Chief Will.
“Thank you kindly.” Honored Service stood up, walking towards the fire and pulling a large, burning branch from the depths of the dancing flames. He held it in front of him as a makeshift torch and wandered back to the pony. “Now I’m heading off to do this questline, so just look after your pals and I’ll see y’all back at the headquarters when this is all over.” Honored nodded and then turned and walked off into the thick jungle, determined to get to the center island.
Snap Pea just stared, mouth agape, at the vanishing torch light as it weaved its way through the jungle away from him.
“Ughhhhh.” Snap Pea turned to see Remmy slowly sitting up, rubbing a paw tenderly to the top of his skull.
“And that is why we never say that in an active zone.” The dog said through gritted teeth as he felt the lump forming in between his ears.
“I must say sir, that was one of the best fights yet.” Tune said happily from inside my pocket.
“Really? You’re not just saying that.” I asked, pushing a large vine out of my face.
“Well at least it was the best line you've said while entering a fight.”
“Okay yeah, that’s true.” I shrugged my shoulders. “It just came to me.”
We continued marching along through the jungle in silence. It was funny to think that these islands out in the middle of the ocean had hardly any creatures in it. I heard the occasional nocturnal bird or other night loving creature, but other than that not a thing. No wild animals trying to kill me. No maiming creature ready to swallow me whole.
In all honesty it was a nice change of pace.
A very, very, very, very boring change of pace.
“Okay so what do you think the task will be? Like a riddle or something?” I asked aloud trying to ease my sense of boredom.
“Sir, it’s safe to say that it will have something to do with being a mercenary. The first task was getting to an extraction point under heavy enemy guard.” Tune said while I lifted my torch up as I waded through a shallow swampy area connecting two of the islands. “The second task, that somehow worked out in our favor, was the acquiring of mission altering information and intelligence in the middle of said mission.”
“Hmmmm.” I rubbed my gauntleted hand across my face. Tune was right. So far every task was geared towards my becoming a Vulture, focusing on possible tasks I would have to do as a mercenary. That left a very broad array of possibilities that I would have to do in the coming hours.
I continued to trudge my way through the jungle, becoming more and more aware of the fact that all ambient noise was dying out.
Something’s out there Tune.” I spoke softly, reaching down and drawing my .44 revolver from my thigh and holding it tightly in my gauntlet. I took a risk and swapped the revolver over to my right hand, dropping the torch into the murky water of the swamp. I summoned a small mage light into my gauntlet and released it, letting the brilliant white orb float into the air and trail behind me several feet away.
“Sir if you could create light, why the torch?”
“For dramatic effect as I walked away. Duh.”
I stopped moving and strained my hearing for anything. I heard a faint flapping in the distance. The soft sound of wings beating through the air.
Then a loud pitched faint echo resounded through the air, growing louder and louder.
Soon I heard more wings joining the first and more squeaking.
“I dont like the sound of this.” I said as the noise grew louder.
Before I could react, I was swarmed with hundreds of bats. Hundreds of the little fuckers flew around me, swatting and slapping me with their leathery wings. I grunted as I felt a sharp prick in my neck and pulled my gauntlet away, a small trickle of blood sliding down the metal fingers. “Oh hell the fuck no.” I grunted and narrowed my eyes. Vampire bats. Actual fucking vampire bats. “Sorry Fluttershy.” I sighed and then aimed my shiny revolver into the air.
“Heres to easy mob kills.”
BANG
“Wow it sure looks like he gave you quite a beating.” Chief Will said while admiring the human’s work on the three mercs he put on the first three islands. They did their job perfectly and Honored pasted the second test with flying colors.
“Yes boss, he kicks mighty damn hard.” Remmy groaned as he held an ice pack against his head.
“Well hopefully he pays attention to detail and reads all the signs for the next test.” Chief Will smiled as he handed another ice pack to the recovering unicorn Sea Foam. Yes he felt bad for dooming two brand new mercenaries to a sure defeat, but it never hurt to have a cocky new merc beaten to show them that they have room for improvement. It laid the foundation to create an even stronger employe.
“So boss what’d you use this time?” Remmy asked while giving Snap Pea a pat on the back who was taking the loss pretty hard.
Chief Will grew an extra large smile as he turned to face the gray diamond dog, “well with some help from one certain Alicorn princess, I was able to secure a cloud of genuine Night Dark Vampire Bats.”
Both unicorn mercs and the two thestral ponies attached to Chief Will’s chariot all gasped.
“What? Is that bad?” Remmy asked in confusion.
“Night Dark Vampire Bats are the original creators of thestral ponies.” One of the charioteers said. “After centuries of coexisting together within Shady Hollows together, ponies began to take on traits similar to the native bats living there, the Night Dark Vampire Bats.”
“Their poison can possibly cause hallucinations, fever, mild paralysis, increased blood pressure, exterior mutations, upset stomach, or sterility.” The other driver said naming off each side effect quickly.
“Most ponies are immune to the poison after Princess Luna took control of them before her banishment but after a thousands years…” The first driver trailed off as Chief Will slapped a hand to his face.
“Please tell me you placed the warnings signs around the edge of the islands.”
“I knew there was something we forgot to do.” Sea Foam said as he reached into one of the pouches on his jungle vest kit and pulled out a small stack of bright yellow laminated signs.
Chief Will groaned aloud and sighed. “Well, task number three just became surviving an unknown poison. Great.”
I watched as the twelve lords a’ leaping jumped over the swamp before I crossed the gumdrop forest and entered candy mountain. My .50 caliber minigun swung rapidly back and forth searching for the damned sugar free Hairbro™ gummy bears.
“I don’t feel so good Cortana.” I grunted as another COG soldier drove his energy sword into a Death Eater.
“Ferrel you need to sit down!” The voice coming from my chest cavity screamed.
Suddenly the spongy and muddy ground seemed really welcoming.
“It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Princess Twilight? Their release for all the Alicorn magic in Equestria.”
“Oh my God.” I sat up to a spinning sky and branches over my head. “Fuck me with a nine pound hammer, what happened Tune?”
Tune was silent as I tried to get the world to stop spinning. All of my weapons were still attached to my body and after flicking the revolver’s cylinder open, I took out the one fired .44 round and put a fresh one in.
“Sir you were bitten by a bat and then suffered extreme hallucinations.” Damn. I couldn't remember a thing at all. I wonder what happened, probably just incoherent babbling.
“Well enough laying around, let’s get moving.” I said, standing up and bracing myself against the nearest tree as another wave of vertigo hit me. I stood still before finally shaking my head and setting off towards the center island.
After two more hours of plodding through swamps and small creeks in between the islands and then jungles on said islands, I reached a giant perfectly cleared field on one of the islands. “Well if this doesn't just scream ‘center island’ to me then I don't know what does.” Within the center of clearing rested a small wooden box.
I stopped at the edge of the clearing and looked around. I peered around the clearing looking carefully for anything that might send me into another dream world that I wouldn't remember.
“This screams ambush, but you know what, fuck it.” I sighed and strode out of the woodline and reached the box. I stopped and looked around one last time before opening the box and peering inside. Inside the box was a simple scroll. I picked up the parchment and unwrapped it and held it out.
Congratulations Honored Service for making to the halfway mark of your trail. You have conquered three tasks, but you have three tasks remaining before you are worthy of becoming a Vulture. You now need to move this box to the extraction spot marked on the map below. Good luck, watch the six.
7
“Okay so move box from A to B. Sounds super easy.” I reached down and gripped one handle of the box and gave it a tug. I flipped forward from the weight that pulled me back. “Da fuck?” I tried pulling it again, but found that it wouldn't budge. “Are you kidding me?!” I half screamed half groaned at the wooden box.
“You know what, fuck this.” I aimed my gauntlet at the box and tried to levitate it into the air, but somehow the box failed to lift more that a few centimeters off the ground. “What is this toddler town bullshit.” I grumbled staring at the box that refused to move. It was only about two feet by two feet and yet it acted like it was over a ton of weight.
I opened the box again and peered inside of it. The scroll had been resting on the cloth interior. I leaned in and ripped the tan linen out, throwing it over my shoulder. I smiled as I discovered a few gems, papers, and one glowing silver orb. I pocketed all the contents and then looked at the map at the bottom of the instructions. Fuck the box, I’ll just take what is needed. Its contents.
“There, see Tune, easy as baking a pie.”
“Sir Ive seen your attempts at a pie.” Tune quipped back at me.
I rolled my eyes at noone in particular and then moved off towards where the extraction should be. I kept looking over my shoulder waiting for some attack to hit me from behind.
“Sir in all honestly do you really believe that the task will be so simple as to avoid an ambush from behind?”
“Shit I don't know Tune. It could be. I have not the slightest clue. What else could the six be?” I looked behind me again and tripped slightly over a root. Damn things always got me.
“Honored!”
I picked myself off the ground and squinted. Standing across a small swamp and a creek was Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony. They all waved at me and gave me huge grins as I trudged through the murky water, pushing a few long strands of swamp grass out of my way.
“Boy Honored,” Applejack said as I got closer, “you sure look kinda’ rough.”
I didn't respond, only gave them all a glare.
“Honored?” Fluttershy asked with a soft whimper as she looked at me with large sad eyes.
I quickly ripped the .357 revolver from my thigh and blasted a round from the hip right into Fluttershy.
The Elements of Harmony vanished into thin air in colorful puffs of smoke. I smirked to myself and flipped the revolver around my finger and slid it back into its holster on my thigh like an old time cowboy.
“Wow that was dark!” I watched a unicorn wearing a similar outfit as the first mecs I met step out from behind a bush. “What if they hadn't been an illusion?”
“Well they weren’t, so that question is irrelevant.” I said while stepping up to the pony. I stared at him, pulled my arm back and rammed my fist forward, catching the pony right in the jaw with a nasty punch.
“OW!” The pony hollered and stumbled backwards while holding his hooves up to his chin. “What the buck was that for?!” He demanded as I held a hand out to him to help him off his flank.
“To make sure that you weren't an illusion too.” I said nonchalantly while folding my arms across my chest. “So why are you here?”
“To test you! Watch the six? Thats the Six Elements!” The pony said with a smile. I just gave him a blank stare back at him while he continued to grin. Slowly his grin began to fade. “What? I thought it was clever.”
I shrugged the pony off and looked around. “So what? Now I just keep going?”
“Yeah, you completed my assigned task.” The pony said with a frown. “I thought it was going to get you.”
I eyed the pale yellow pony with a dark blue mane. He wore a jungle tactical vest and a olive drab panama hat. “Well better luck with the next guy.” I said while walking away.
I spun around and slammed my fist right into his face a second time, this time much harder, and also catching him in the act of raising a blow gun to his lips. He staggered backwards for a second before falling onto his back and his weapon rolling into the water.
“Ha. Watch the six always Tune.” I laughed while continuing towards the extraction point.
“And that’s how I lost my CWP.” I smiled as I exited the dense jungle and stepped out onto a beach that was befitting a microsoft default wallpaper.
“That… isn't surprising in the least bit.” Tune said with a sigh as I looked around for any type extraction vehicle. Big surprise, there wasn't one. Or at least not one that I could see.
“Ideas?” I asked Tune.
“Happy thoughts.”
“Haha good one.” I rolled my eyes and walked to the water’s edge. I followed the map correctly and it put me on the beach. Well if I followed the directions right, and I know I did because I had Tune check them.
I flopped backwards onto the soft sand and slowly removed my duster and tricorn hat from my head. I laid them down next to me, and began unclipping and pulling off my vest and assorted belts and holsters holding all my weapons on my person. I put them in a neat pile and stripped off my sweaty and stained undershirt and the very ragged and torn jeans I had on. I picked up one belt with one holster on and clipped it around my waist above my briefs’ waistband. I slid one Berretta into it, waded out into the crystal clear water and dove in.
I let the cool water wash over me and rid me of the gunk and sweat that had accumulated over my body as I had romped through the islands over the last two days. I swam to the bottom of the area I was at and looked around at the small clusters of reefs that stretched out before me on the floor of the ocean. As my lungs began to burn for oxygen I swam to the surface and smiled at the feeling that swiming gave me as I continued to splash around in the water.
After swimming for a while I swam to shore, flopped down onto the sand next to my gear and pulled my duster over my body to shield some of it from the warm, yet harsh, sun to avoid some sunburn.
I awoke from the nap I had apparently drifted off into to the sound of deep laughter. I looked up to see Chief Will standing above me holding the giant crossbow in his arms and aiming it at me.
“Darn it Honored. You made it so close to passing.” He said shaking his massive head. “Being patient and waiting for the extraction team and always being prepared, no matter what.” He sighed and lowered the crossbow. “You passed the first part by waiting at the extraction point even though nothing was here, but look at you, asleep and unable to stop someone from wandering right up to you and-”
BANG
The crossbow shattered to pieces as a hollow point 9mm round slammed into the it, causing the tension on the cord to release and sending wood and metal bits everywhere. From my position on the ground, Chief Will stared open mouthed at the small smoking hole through my duster right at my crotch level. With a smile a swept the duster aside revealing the Beretta tucked between my legs and still aimed at the minotaur.
“Chief, I’m always packing heat.” I said while adding a ‘knock em dead’ smile.
The giant minotaur threw his head back and exploded into laughter as a large airship slowly descended from the sky to hover over the beach we were waiting on.
I had done it. I had passed the Trials of the Isles.
I was a Vulture.
I was a full fledged mercenary.
“You are now Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends?”
“HELLLLLLLO PONYVILLLLLE!” I screamed out as I departed from the train station within the town.
I stopped and lifted the sunglasses from my eyes, blinking in surprise. Many of the buildings were smashed and caved in, along with a new trench and impact crater in the field outside of Ponyville that was my romping ground for destruction.
“The fuck?” I asked no one.
Where the Ponyville Public Library had been now stood a massive tree made of shining crystals and gems. It was honestly kind of an eyesore to stare at. I shuddered and turned around as I heard a cough.
I found myself looking at a group of slightly annoyed Elements of Harmony, Twilight standing in the front of the group, flanked on either side by her friends.
“What’s up guys? Did I miss something?”
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damnit honored...
Okay, if I was Honored getting off the train to the sight of Ponyville post-Tirek, I would simply ask one simple pair of tied in questions. "Who invaded, and who do I have to kill now?"
This is why taking a vacation can come back to bite you.
Why is it that I'm half-expecting Honoured to pull some Lo-Wang shit, and find himself with some Zilla Tech weaponry at this point?
I can imagine Honor being piss when he hear the story of what happen.
Honor: You mean to tell me, you all fought a big bad baddy that could destroy the world....WITHOUT ME?
"Did I miss something?"
Just the near destruction of an entire country as well as your girlfriend being in danger of having her magic drained. So no, not really.
That was fun. Looking forward to Honored's reaction when he finds out what he missed.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
5814549
5814669 I could see him beating his way into tartorous to rip Tirek a new one.
It's Haribo™ that makes gummy bears. Unless you're just doing that on purpose.
Oh My God...that ending...
I couldn't stop laughing for five minutes. 
Great job with this chapter
5814549
Get out Bart, I'm piss!
pff they are pissed that he didnt help them
He sound like Luna right now....
Sup guys, just got back from vacation and gonna look round at the fun you had while I was gone.""