Salvation

by Sandstorm Inkwell

Chapter Seven

It had been almost a week since the incident with the raiding Diamond Dogs. The corpses were moved and buried, the blood stains covered up, the brass casings picked up and given to us, and the street returned to normal. The day after the incident, Jones woke up and stayed awake. Within the day he was on his feet and walking around. Dash and him hit it off almost as soon as he awoke. Both of them were interested in the adventurous, so much so that they spent most of their time telling stories of the more crazier stuff they did while planning even crazier stuff to do together. A quick chat from Kilborn and I made sure the Private wouldn't say anything too graphic.

Kilborn and Gonz, now without a patient, began to help around the orchard a lot. A heated argument had broken out when Applejack tried to pay the two for their services. Kilborn made an argument that they were simply repaying her for letting us stay in her orchard while Applejack argued that they had repaid her when we had gotten rid of the raiders. She ended up winning the argument and now we had a bag of bits with nothing to really spend them on. We were still relying on MREs for nutrition but those would run out soon.

Smiley was still fussing over Athena, mumbling about how she wasn't yet “prepared for the worst”. This, of course, caused Gonz to almost go ballistic saying that his girl could “take on the whole of Al Qeada” and that he needed to “stop feeling up his girl”. We had calmed the man down, informing him that it was probably a good thing that Smiley was fussing over the Humvee because we didn't know when we would be forced into some scenario that would put the vehicle to it's test. The medic just shook his head and never spoke of it again.

Twilight and me were continuing our Q&A of our worlds. While I had informed her and her friends of the show, they were pleasantly surprised when they learned that the show didn't show everything and that we still had questions about their world. I had even taken to reading books in the library, sometimes falling asleep there instead of in the clearing.

After the incident, I had also gained a shadow in the form of Scootaloo. Besides going to school and being with her friends, she was always with me, even when I did nothing but read books in the library. Walking back to the clearing one night, she confessed that she really didn't know how to fly and how much it saddened her. After the crying, I promised her that no matter what, I would make sure she flew. The little pony was ecstatic when she heard that but soon calmed and had asked how. I just smiled and told her that I would find a way.

“Hey, Tyler. You with us man?”

Snapping out of my daze, I looked around to see my four squadmates looking at me expectantly.

“I'm sorry. Was just thinking about the past week,” I replied. Kilborn nodded,

“Yeah, a lot had happened but you need to pay attention.”

“Roger Sarge. Won't happen again.”

He nodded, “Alright. So the plan for today is that while Gonz and me work the fields for AJ, Jones is gonna go to town to see if there are any houses for sale that will house us. Tyler, you have that presentation at the school today about different cultures correct?” I nodded, “Alright so you'll do that and then rally with Jones. Smiley, you need to make sure Athena is ready to roll. Chances are we'll be able to get AJ to remove a row of trees so that we can get her out. So when we move those trees we need her to be ready, got it?”

Smiley nodded and muttered a, “Will do.”

Kilborn nodded before smiling, “Well, let's get to work boys!”

“Hooah!” we all shouted before splitting up and going our different ways. Smiley went straight towards the Humvee while Gonz and Kilborn went through the orchard on a direct path to the barn. Jones and me met each other at the trail head and started towards the road.

“So,” I started, “how's hanging out with Dash?”

Hoofsteps caused me to look down and to my left. Trotting beside me was none other than Scootaloo, smiling up at me. I smiled back as Jones gave his answer.

“It's amazing man! We got all these crazy plans and pranks in preparation. You just wait and see. We're gonna hit Ponyville like a storm!”

I chuckled as I looked at my excited squadmate, “So you like her, eh?”

I saw him open his mouth before looking at me and the large smile on my face. I laughed as he punched me in the shoulder but the slight blush on his cheeks confirmed it.

“Nice man. Can't say I blame ya, honestly.”

“Wait,” spoke up Scootaloo, looking at Jones, “you have a crush on Dash?”

Jones just broke out into a bigger blush, causing me to laugh even more. Scootaloo then made a 'Yuck' noise before saying, “I hate mushy stuff.”

With a large smile, I crouched down and swiped the orange filly off the ground held her against my chest with one arm while ruffling her mane with my free hand. Once I was done, she glared at me as I smiled back.

“Don't worry,” I began with a large smile, “you'll get to an age where 'mushy stuff' doesn't make you sick to your stomach.”

She just stuck out her tongue at me before trying to fix her mane.

“Hey,” said Jones, pointing at us both, “don't you dare tell the squad or Dash. Got it?”

“Tell me what?”

Jones froze as the aforementioned pegasus came to a hover in front of Jones, looking him in the eyes. I subtly, at least I think it was subtle, kicked Jones in the shin, snapping him out of his shock.

“T-that,” he stuttered before coughing and smiling wide, “you were the coolest flier in all of Equestria!”

Rainbow looked at him inquisitively before smiling, “Well, duh. I already knew that! So, Jones, what are we doing today?”

We started moving again as Dash moved to fly on Jones' right side. He frowned, “I have to go looking for a house to buy.”

“Lame!” Dash replied, rolling her eyes.

“I know right? But Sarge wanted me contribute and thought that this would be best,” he said, looking down trodden. Suddenly, he perked up and turned to me, “Hey Tyler. After your presentation, think you can get Sarge into letting me show Dash a Forty Mike-Mike in action?”

Forty Mike-Mike was military speak for the 40mm grenades that were launched out the M203 grenade launcher. Jones' rifle had a grenade launcher attached under the barrel.

“I don't know Jones-”

“Aw come on man! Just one.”

“I'll talk to him but I doubt it. We have a finite supply as it is, we don't need to make it more finite by trying to impress friends.”

Jones just sighed, “Yeah, I guess you're right.”

I saw that Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were looking at each other with confused looks on their faces. They must have mentally resolved their questions as the looks of confusion disappeared with a shake of their heads. I had set Scootaloo down while talking to Jones so now she was again trotting alongside me. It always saddened me when I thought of how she had no parents and no big sibling to count on. I assumed, though, that, that was why she was able to cling onto me so easily. I didn't mind it though as it made me feel less like the monster I had felt like during that incident.

We had reached town and Scootaloo and I said our goodbyes to Jones and Dash as we went our separate ways. Jones and Dash started toward town hall while Scootaloo and me turned toward the school. Nearing the school, I saw all the little colts and fillies rushing toward the red building. I looked down to see Scootaloo looking toward her friends.

“Go on,” I said, startling her, “I'll be inside shortly.”

She gave me a brief smile before rushing off to be with Applebloom and Sweetie Bell. When she reached them, they started talking and laughing as they made their way inside.

“She really looks up to you, you know.”

I looked toward the voice to see Cheerilee standing next to me with a smile on her face, “Whenever I ask her who her biggest hero is or who she wants to be, she always says you.”

“Really?” I asked with a smirk, “Well, I hope she doesn't grow up to be anything like me.”

“Excuse me?” asked Cheerilee, dumbfounded.

“Do I hope that she's brave and caring to her friends? Of course. Who wouldn't? However, I've done a lot of horrible things in my life. Things that I'm not proud of. Things that most human gods, or goddesses for that matter, would forgive me of. That is why she shouldn't be anything like me. Hopefully, she can be better than me and I hope she, or anyone here, has to see the true horrors of war.”

Cheerilee looked at the ground, “I see,” after about a minute, she looked up at me and motioned toward the schoolhouse with a hoof, “Well, we better head on in.”

I nodded and followed the teacher into the schoolhouse. The little ponies were already sitting in there desks though they were still talking and playing.

“Listen up class!” Cheerilee called out, causing the ponies to immediately settle. I bet my teachers wished it was that easy, I thought with a smile.

“Today we are learning about different cultures and, to assist in that matter, Tyler here has volunteered his time to explain some of the culture of his home. So give him your undivided attention.”

I saw two fillies lean close to each other, whisper, and then snicker. One was wearing a diamond tiara so it wasn't hard for me to figure out who they were. I stepped forward and crossed my arms, resting them on the butt of my rifle as it hung from it's strap.

“Well, as Miss Cheerilee already pointed out, my name is Tyler. I am a human and, as you may have already figured or been told, I am not of this world.” This caused some excited whispering but it stopped when I continued, “My world is a lot different than yours. For one, humans are the only sentient beings in my world.”

Confused looks swept through the classroom. “Sentient?” asked Applebloom, her face moving as if she tasted a bad apple. I laughed,

“Sorry. Humans are the only things in my world capable of coherent thought. In other words, we are the only ones capable of building, speaking, using money, so on and so forth,” a look of understanding swept over the room, “Secondly, Gryphons, Hydras, and a lot of other creatures in your world don't exist in my world. Sure, we've heard of them but it's only been through myths and legends.”

I smiled when I noticed that I had their attention, “You,” I suddenly said, pointing at Diamond Tiara who looked surprised, “what does religion mean?”

“Religion?” she asked, face contorting much like Applebloom's had. After a couple seconds, I smiled and pointed to Cheerilee,

“Do you know Miss Cheerilee?”

The teacher thought for a moment before shaking her head, “Can't say I do.”

I nodded as I turned back to the class, “Exactly. See, religion is basically the belief of something that you have no proof that it actually exists.”

I watched as they looked at me, confused. Smiling, I pointed at Scootaloo, “You. If Celestia and Luna suddenly disappeared from the face of the world but the sun and the moon still moved normally, would you believe that they still existed?”

Scootaloo scrunched her face in concentration as she thought hard on the answer. After about a minute, she nodded, “Yes, I would.”

“Why?” I asked, “They've disappeared. Poof! Why would you believe they still existed?”

“Because of the sun and the moon?”

“Yes!” I answered excitedly, startling some of the students, “Religion is just like that. A long, long time ago in my world, a couple humans watched as the sun rose and set, followed by the moon. They thought to themselves, 'Well, since I have, nor any of my fellows, have any control over this, some powerful being must.' This idea spread and soon, BAM, religion was created. However, we didn't just use religion to explain the workings of the sun and moon. We used it to explain almost everything that happened. There was one religion that had almost twenty different gods, powerful beings, and goddesses, female powerful beings. Each one for a different occurrence in life.”

It continued like this for a couple hours as I moved from religion to economics to social norms and so on and so forth. Finally, after letting me finish my current telling of the use of “horseless-carriages”, Cheerilee dismissed the class for recess. The class filed out into the schoolyard, some actually grumbling about doing so.

When they were all gone, I allowed myself to sit down on a stool that had been placed near the desk and sigh, contented. During the presentation, I had stripped off my vest and placed it, and the rifle hanging off of it, against the front wall. Now in just my T-shirt, pants, and boots, I sat on the stool as I watched the little ponies play outside via the windows.

“I must say,” started Cheerilee, coming around the desk to stand in front of me, “That was quite the amount of information. It was also very... eye opening.”

I chuckled, “I'm surprised I remembered it all, honestly.”

She chuckled back, “I don't think I've seen them ever be so sluggish when going to recess.”

“I remember being in school, I always wanted to learn about the outside world. Every chance I had to imagine myself in some far off place, I took,” I looked at her, shrugging, “I guess it was my way of escaping the dullness of my life.”

She nodded her head, “I guess that makes sense, though your world doesn't sound dull to me. It actually sounds so alive.”

“I grew up in a small town. Not Ponyville small but small by human standards. There was nothing to do and I wasn't really a 'play outside' kid. I usually sat in my house playing games alone. So I when I went to bed, I would stay up for hours just staring at my ceiling and imagining myself as different people going on these daring adventures. I remember I would formulate entire leaves inside my imagination,” I chuckled, “Those were when I was the happiest. Hell, that's probably why I joined the Army in the first place. To seek out adventure,” another chuckle, “well, I got more than I had hoped for, that's for sure.”

I looked at Cheerilee to see her smiling at me, listening to every word I said. Behind her, I saw the students crowding around to door to hear what I was saying. I nodded to them, causing Cheerilee to turn around.

“Are you ponies done playing?”

“If we say yes do we get to listen to Tyler again?” asked Sweetie Bell from the front of the group.

“Of course!” I shouted before Cheerilee could answer, “Get in here! Take your seats!”

The class rushed inside and to their desks as I stood and got to the center of the classroom. I stood there, thinking before smiling.

“Why don't y'all ask me a couple questions?”

Hooves shot up all over the room, causing me to smile more. I pointed to a filly near the back, “You.”

“What's that mark on your foreleg?”

I thought for a second before looking at my wrists to, again, see the tattoo. I turned my hand so the class could see my tattoo and asked, “This?”

The little pony nodded her head.

“This is called a tattoo,” I started, “it is drawn into one's skin with the use of a needle and ink. Once it's drawn, it stays with you for life.”

“Did it hurt?”

“Oh yeah,” I replied, chuckling, “it hurt.”

“What does it mean?”

“It's my nickname from when I was a teenager. Omega Fifty-Seven. See this outer shape?” multiple nods, “It's a letter from a human language called Greek. It means Omega. The number inside is the Fifty-Seven part. When my friends and I played games, we used nicknames to identify each other because, to us, it made it more fun.”

The class was silent in understanding before the same filly spoke up again, “Do you have any more?”

I smiled as I lifted up my right sleeve to reveal another tattoo, “This is the emblem for my Army battalion. I got this one to remind of the people I served with. My other one is on my back so I have to take off my shirt to show it to you.” I looked at Cheerilee when I said this. She gave a nod,

“I don't see why not.”

Nodding back, I pulled my shirt over my head, revealing my torso and the hair that covered my chest. Turning around, I showed the tattoo to the close. It was just words in fancy script.

“What does it say?” Scootaloo asked. Turning back around, I smiled at her before putting my shirt back on and tucking it back into my pants.

“It says, 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.' Remember when I was talking about religion?” nodding of heads, “Well, this is the only prayer that I chose to remember from one of the more major religions. The 'for thou art with me' means that the religion's god will help protect me from harm. Though I don't believe in any god, or goddess, I remembered this prayer because it got me through so much when I was younger.”

I smiled as the class sat silently. “Anymore questions?” I asked. Again, almost every hoof was in the air. Oh boy, I thought as I looked out at the class, this may take awhile.

Comments

[Tearsintheshadows]

never ask if children have questions, that is like asking a baker if he has any bread

[ButtCatt]

2610113 Dude, i ask a baker if he got bread... He start looking around for like 10 secs and then he just stop there and stare at the wall of 5 secs and he just face palm and i just said '' Really ? You got cake, pie, bagel, everything about baking... but no bread ?''
He just start laughing himself for like 2 mins, i just left and said '' ok... No bread''
When i come back to the table me and my friends just sat there they said in unison '' Where da BREAD !!'' I told them everything that just happen.
Why we wanted bread ? After everyone has finished there lunch Mostly everybody just put everything they hate from there lunch box into a small cup(Like coffee cup) and we just said '' 5 $ to who make a letuce, tomato, mushroom, bacon(The girl from the table don't like bacon... What a bitch, THAT BACON) banana(No, not just the half of it. ALL OF IT.) Maple syrup(Why he got maple syrup in the first place ?) Apple juice and lemonade. And EAT IT'' Abdo the guy to my left just get up and said ''Challenge accepted, If you go get bread'' and just sit back... We never made the sandwish. The janitor still hate us for leaving everything on the table. Happy halloween !