adventure Lost and Fallen

[Rokkurin 214]

This is not my Fan Fiction. This is from a good friend of mine who I got his permission to post it on this site. Hope you all enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 1: Different

A large black van careened down an unknown street, not slowing down for anything. The armored siding was shining in the sun that was only just rising over the buildings of Los Angeles. Four bold letters printed in white were on either side, telling whomever saw it that it was a S.W.A.T. van.

Another sharp turn to the left made everyone sway inside the van, but it hardly bothered us. We were all set for a firefight; wearing combat vests with the white S.W.A.T. logo on the back. Our attire was entirely black with only the white S.W.A.T. logo to say otherwise. Combat helmets were worn over the ski masks that hid our identity. To add to the secrecy, we also wore dark tinted military goggles strapped over our eyes.

What we were wearing was only a part of what was on my mind at the moment. Our destination and the eventual battle was all I could think of. It was normal; the other five men with me would tell you the same thing. Our variety of weapons were held loosely in our hands, patiently waiting to be fired in the upcoming fight.

These moments were best left for silence, so everyone can focus on the objective. Sadly, it wasn't the case for a certain individual. A new guy had joined our ranks; no one was thrilled, as usual. He wasn't given a party or even a congratulations. He was simply given the position and was expected to be ready.

Though this was his first time, none of us told him to shut up. Whether it was out of respect, or knowing that these were the times to prepare, I didn't know, but I was certainly getting irritated.

"Oh man!" he mumbled excitedly to himself, examining his MP5 for the third time, "this is so exciting! Can you believe that I was accepted for S.W.A.T.?!"

I shook my head, wishing he would keep quiet like the rest of us. No one responded to his question, hoping he would get the message. Some of the other members used to behave like this - enthusiastic at the prospect of stopping gung ho criminals. One single mission was all it took to teach them that this wasn't a game. This guy didn't catch on to our subtle hint, however, and instead went on with his ramblings.

"How about you, Anderson?" he inquired to me specifically. I was hoping he wouldn't ask me, but I suppose sitting next to the chatter box meant you had to interact with him.

"Just call me Nolan," I snapped quietly. Just my luck to be the one to talk with him; I didn't even know his name!

"Oh, uh... alright N-Nolan," he corrected nervously. My tone must have given him the sign that I didn't want to converse. The silence only lasted a second, however, when he decided to speak to me again. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

I gave a calm sigh. I knew that the new guy would have questions, but why did I have to answer them? Maybe it was because I was the sole person to actually acknowledge his existence on this van. If that was the case, I learned my lesson.

"What is it?" I asked rudely.

"Why do you have a revolver instead of a 9mm like the rest of us?" he asked, pointing to the gun that was holstered to my side. The others in the van looked to each other, like the new guy had asked a stupid question. I somehow knew at some point he was going to ask that... I suppose it was a good time, but that didn’t mean I had to like answering him.

I unhooked the strap that held the revolver in place, and pulled it out so he could see it fully. "A Smith and Wesson 629 .44 Magnum Revolver," I recited perfectly. If I could see his face, I bet the new guy was in absolute awe at my memory skills.

"It may not be standard issue, but it gets the job done. I call her 'Vesa'," I explained while placing the revolver back in the holster. The new guy watched me do this, as if he was watching someone handle a legendary weapon.

"Why was there a mark on the side of it?" he asked quickly, "Above the handle."

This time, the others in the van looked the other way, performing nervous gestures. They knew it was a sore subject for me, but this guy had no clue. "The same reason I smoke," I brushed off, gripping my dark gray riot shotgun firmly.

"Touchy subject, huh?" he asked, adjusting his grip on his MP5. "I see. I won't ask again."

Although he was a new guy, he knew when something didn't want to be discussed. I had to give him props for that. The others in the van had questioned further, and I had to lash out verbally to get them to back off.

"This may be a little personal," he inquired, rubbing his neck, "But how old were you when you went into S.W.A.T.?"

The question may have seem irrelevant to the mission at hand, but I'm sure he had his reasons. "Twenty four," I answered, looking off to the side. "I'm twenty five now," I added, thinking he would appreciate the additional info.

"I'm only twenty," he responded, his tone suggesting he was ashamed of his age. "I bet you have loads of experience."

"More than most," I admitted, nodding slightly. The new guy must have presumed that I didn't want to speak, as the sounds of the van filled the compartment.

"Have you heard of My Little Pony?" the new guy questioned suddenly, leaning forward towards me. That had to be the strangest question anyone had ever asked me, and I was asked if I had killed anyone before.

"I remember some girls playing with those toys when I was a kid, why?" I replied, honestly curious as to why he would ask a question like that.

"There's this awesome show based off the toys," he revealed, the excitement evident in his voice. I couldn't believe it; a grown man watching a show that was based on a toy made for little girls. The others in the van were unfazed by this knowledge, which was even stranger.

"Why would you watch something like that?" I asked in disbelief.

"You should check it out on your computer sometime, it's great," he expressed, rebounding my question. I may have a computer, but I hardly use it, and the times I do, it's never for entertainment. Even if I did use it for amusement purposes, I think I would avoid a show for little girls.

I didn't tell him this though, putting up my silent demeanor. Not just because I didn't want to talk to the new guy anymore, but also because we were nearing our destination. The driver always banged on the metal sheet that separated us from him. It helped us to deploy as soon as he stopped.

The new kid was already told of this situation, so everyone was checking our gear one last time. Four others held their MP5 sub-machine guns at the ready, while another person and I readied our shotguns. The seconds ticked by as we neared the drop point, and I had that gut wrenching feeling inside me as I always did when I was about to get into a gun battle.

I faintly began to hear the sounds of discharging handguns and the loud pangs the bullets made when they impacted metal. It only got louder as we got closer and closer, to the point where it was difficult to tell where the shooters were. I didn't know how many people were out there, but there must have been a lot.

At that point, some stray bullets were beginning to ricochet off of the armored van we occupied, leaving behind loud ringing noises. The new guy flinched each time a bullet impacted the side, making me give a hidden smile at his jumpy mood. At last, the van came to a halt; it was time to go.

The two men closest to the doors pushed them open, filing out as they did. I was near the back so I was the last to get out. As I was exiting the vehicle, I realized that the gunfire had ceased. That was routine; the other police officers were to retreat to allow us, the big guns, to enter from a side alley. I questioned whether that was wise, since the criminals would know that we were here, but I dropped it later on.

Our team briskly walked down the street towards the line of patrol cars. Many police officers were aiming their guns at a certain three-story building. That must have been where the convicts were. We headed for the man in charge, Captain Moore, to get an overview of the situation. Our S.W.A.T. captain, Sawyer, was the one who spoke with him. Since I was second-in-command, I had to listen to the conversation as well.

"What's the situation?" Sawyer asked in his deep voice, as Moore kept his eyes on the three-story building. Moore was average looking, if not slightly overweight. Of course, being a captain, he could do what he wanted, but not my captain.

"As far as I can tell," Moore began, turning his gaze over to our squad, "the bastards are holed in pretty well. They stopped firing when they saw your S.W.A.T. van roll by. Probably getting ready for your breach."

Sawyer nodded, and gestured at the building for us to get into a breaching position. The rest of us nodded to his order and, as quietly as we could, neared the door in the alley way. The new guy was in front of me, and I could easily hear his heavy breaths. He was definitely nervous, and I knew he would act like that once we were about to get in on the action.

Once we were in the graffiti-filled alleyway, we made a beeline for the deteriorating white door. Sawyer positioned himself to the left of the door, while I stood further to the left behind him. Another person stood on the right of the entrance, readying his MP5. The others stood off to the side, ready to provide support if the need arises.

"Remember, team," Sawyer reminded, looking at each of us in turn, "shoot to kill but if they try to surrender, take prisoners."

So it was the usual plan then; kill everyone. I still don't know why he tells us to try to take prisoners, they never surrender. That's why they send us in; to take care of them before they cause anymore damage. I think even Sawyer knew that, but standard procedure probably forced him to tell us each time.

"Anderson," Sawyer commanded sternly, snapping me out of my thoughts, "Breach, bang, and clear."

I gave a curt nod, and Sawyer nodded back. His hand approached the door handle, grasped it in his hand and turned it. The door swung open to a small degree, and there was thankfully no immediate threat. That was my cue.

I grabbed a flash bang from my belt while holding my shotgun in my left hand. I promptly moved over to the door while at the same time pulling the pin. I threw it in quickly and placed myself back behind Sawyer. The familiar flash of light mixed with the extremely loud sound it emits told us that it went off. The following groans of pain were just icing on the cake.

As soon as the flash bang went off, Sawyer and the person standing to the side entered, weapons at the ready. I heard gunshots as I followed closely behind, but they were disorganized, chaotic; definitely not our own. Apparently the people inside thought they could get a shot on us while disoriented.

Sawyer and the other breacher took out the three men that were nursing their eyes and ears, avoiding the enemy bullets while giving short sprays from their submachine guns effectively. I didn't have to discharge my weapon, and neither did the other members of the squad.

With the short break that was granted us, I took a quick peek at what we were dealing with. The three dead men, sprawled around the room, all wore a red handkerchief over their noses and mouths, crudely hiding who they were. They also wore red baseball caps and dirty shirts. The reason for their combative demeanor wasn’t present in the room. But it was probably in the rooms above. The weapons they once wielded were resting next to them; just plain Uzis. This would be easy.

"Alright, team," Sawyer called as we all gathered around, "same plan as usual. Teams of two, and clear each floor. Meet back here when you're finished."

The rest of us nodded, and I finally examined the room we were in. It was all white, there was no furniture, no painted walls, just an empty room. The faint smell of paint was in the air, and the various paint buckets adjacent to the walls added to my conclusion. The complex was probably under renovation. If the rest of the rooms were like this, then the job just got a lot simpler.

I somehow got paired up with the new guy, much to my dismay. I didn't bother asking what his name was; it wasn't the time, and the easy objective would not require it. We were given the third floor, and in my opinion, the easiest floor. Things were going my way that day, to an extent.

The new guy and I rapidly climbed the stairs, which were thankfully closed off, eliminating any thought of an ambush. I had to admit, the new guy was holding up. Sure, he hadn't done any real work yet, but he seemed ready to do his job. As we hopped the last step unto the third floor, I raised by hand into a fist, indicating to halt. The new guy complied, waiting for my next order.

I observed the area we had to clear. There was a small hallway with three doors, one on the left, one on the right, and one at the far end. I gestured to the door to the left, and he got in position to the right of it. I stood to the left, and when he gave me the thumbs up that he was set, I kicked the door down.

It was empty.

There was no one to greet us as we ran in, fingers itching to fire. The new guy gave a small sigh, and I did as well. "One down," I muttered, "Two to go."

He and I left the empty room and took our places on the opposite door. We did the same procedure; he gave the thumbs up and I kicked the door down. It was the same thing as before; empty.

At this point, the new guy was shaking slightly. He was either growing anxious about having to fight someone, or was impatient at not finding anything so far. Either way, I hoped it didn't get us killed.

We had one last room to check, and at that point I hoped it was empty as well. Generally, if the previous two rooms were empty, it meant that the next one would have twice as many men to take down. It's a curse I like to call 'Double n' Nothing'.

The hallway was too narrow to redo the same tactic, so I had to improvise a quick breach plan. Only one of us would be able to enter at a time, that meant that whoever went in first would likely get injured, or worse. That was if the men behind the door knew we were coming, but it wasn't like were we were silent on this floor.

I took a breath, I knew what I had to do. I turned to the new guy, who clutched his MP5 closely to his body, waiting for my orders. I told him the situation given to us by fate, and he was shaking harder.

"S-So am I going to be the one to... e-enter first, sir?" he stammered, staring at the last door like if was about to bite him. I couldn't help but pity him; he thought he would be bringing justice and stuff like that. Now, he thinks he has to risk his life for a simple room.

"No," I answered seriously, and the new guy tilted his head to the side. I guess he thought I was going to command him to do it. "I'll go in first, you take out anybody when you get the chance. Understand?"

I couldn't tell if the new guy was relaxed or agitated more, for he was still shaking. "I understand," he complied, nodding, as his shakes toned down a little.

I nodded back, and headed for the accursed door, raising my shotgun to eye level as I began hearing my heartbeat. I still had one more flash bang; I suppose that moment was a good time as ever. I lowered my shotgun only slightly while my right hand went to retrieve it, and I tossed it lightly to myself. Strange how I didn't use it in the other two rooms.

I shrugged the thought off, and held my shotgun vertically to balance it out. I pulled the handle of the door, and opened it only a crack. Afterwards, I pulled the pin of the flash bang and shoved it through the small crack of the door. The flash bang went off and I charged through the door, gun at the ready.

The next thing I knew, someone had tackled me from my left side, sending both of us to the floor. My shotgun was thrown out of my hold from the impact, and I was wrestling with the man who was on top of me.

I didn't know where the new guy was, but he must have his hands full with the other people in the room, if hearing his MP5 was anything to go from. As I struggled against the man on top of me, I began thinking of my options. My shotgun was out of reach, so that was out. I couldn't get my .44 revolver without this guy getting a shot at me. That only left my combat knife, attached to my vest on my left shoulder.

With a strategy in mind, I elbowed the man in the head, and while he was dazed, I quickly grasped the handle of my combat knife and sliced his throat open. It wasn't my first choice to kill him like that, but it was my only option. As his life was fleeting him, I shoved the man off of me and looked around frantically.

Two other men were dead on the floor, blood dripping from bullet wounds by a sub-machine gun, but what caught my eye was that one of the criminals was standing over the new guy, with a handgun pointed at his head. Thinking fast, I flipped the knife in my hand until I was holding the blade, and flung it at the soon-to-be murderer. The knife struck home as it lodged itself into the man's back, killing him instantly, and he fell on his stomach beside the new guy.

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. Who knew I would be this attached to a guy I only met yesterday. I pushed myself to my feet, and stood up, feeling somewhat sore where the man had hit me. The smell of paint was replaced with gunpowder, and it forced me to give a small cough.

I picked my shotgun off the ground, attached it to my back, and walked over to the man I just killed, extracting my knife with a grunt. It was obviously covered in blood, so I wiped what I could on his sleeve and sheathed it. The new guy was still not making any indication to get up, so I held out my hand, expecting him to grab it.

He didn't move for it.

He didn't move at all.

My eyes widened behind my goggles and I knelt down quickly, putting two fingers against his neck. There was a pulse, thank god, but I then noticed a tinge of red where his nose was. He was probably hit in the head by a blunt object, he would be fine. Still, he should get medical attention.

Before I could shout for help, I could see an odd object sitting not too far away. It was a flat piece of stone, stylized and painted like the sun. It was perfect, with smooth corners and no smudged paint. Why was such an object here? Did these bastards steal it?

I stood up again, my eyes not leaving the sight of the object for a second. I carefully stepped over to it, and picked it up. I studied it effortlessly, feeling the smooth object through my gloves as I turned it over. A yellow circle made up the center, and it was surrounded by a light shade of orange. The flames that flowed outward, representing light, were a dark shade of orange. It was very peculiar.

Then, suddenly, the object began to glow white, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Now it had hidden lights in it? I would have left it alone at that point, but something inside me wanted to continue to examine it. A burst of bright light shot out of it, and I dropped it on instinct, backing away from it. The light filled my vision, to the point where I thought I would go blind. Then I felt myself falling, and the light faded to black, as I slipped to unconsciousness.

 

{~+~}

 

I could feel the hard floor pressing against my side, a sign that I was still alive. It was dead quiet, not even the small sound of movement could be heard. I opened my eyes fully, the tinted goggles suppressing the light that filtered through the windows. As I sat up from my prone position, I glanced around getting my bearings.

The room was completely empty now - the dead convicts and the new guy were gone. The walls were still white, but looked dirtier than before. The floor also changed from plain concrete to a wooden finish. What the hell happened? Was I moved? Even if I was, I think my squad would be here with me.

I tiredly stood up, groaning as I did. The unintentional sleep had made me sore, and I wondered how long I was out. I checked my equipment, to see if anything was missing. I still had my shotgun, along with all the ammunition I was allowed to carry for it. The same went with Vera, as it was still holstered to my side. Even my knife was in its place.

I lost nothing in my unwilling move, and I was still wearing all my gear. So the real question was, where was I? I walked over to the window, noting it was a four-pane window instead of just one large glass pane. I put a hand over my eyes to see better, but it proved fruitless as the glass was fogged up from the other side. I guess the only way to figure out where I ended up was by going outside.

I turned to the door and tentatively opened it. The hallway was still there, but I didn't know if it was comforting or disturbing. Nevertheless, I made my way back to the stairs, and I found out that I was in a two story building, unlike before. As I stepped onto the ground floor, I sighted a simple wooden door with a round handle. I figured a long time ago that I was in a different building, but confirming that I was moved still made me uncomfortable.

The windows were the same as the one above; foggy and opaque. I hardly took notice, as my objective was just to get the hell out of the building. However, as I neared the door, I felt dread well up inside me. It was the fear of finding something I wasn't ready for. I had no choice, so I, cautiously, opened the door.

The sight made me almost want to slam the door shut in shock.

I wasn't on the same street anymore. I wasn't even in the same city anymore. By only looking out the door, I could tell I was in a different land. There were cottages that were timber-framed with distinct thatched roofs. Almost all the buildings were identical, save a handful. The roads were run down with dirt paths, with a few patches of stepping-stones here and there.

I took a small step in this strange place, looking around in a baffled state. The place was unrecognizable; I didn't know if I was in the U.S. anymore. The buildings were outdated to our construction guidelines, and the streets would at least have cobblestone. I exited the house I was in entirely, circling around to see it. It was similar to the other housings, but had a wooden sign hanging by the door, saying ‘For Sale’ in black text.

"Alright, calm down," I whispered to myself, trusting that it would help, "It's just a dream. A very vivid dream, but still a dream. I'll wake up, and forget this whole thing."

My gaze drifted to the sky, seeing that it was cloudy with the sun at an angle with the horizon. That was another thing that confused me; the sun seemed... larger, and the clouds were absolutely stagnant. Normally, one could see the clouds just barely moving across the sky, but I guess in dreamland things were different.

That was when the inhabitants of this town began exiting their homes. It was odd to see people leaving their homes nearly simultaneously, but I had to remind myself that this was a dream. They all wore forest green jackets with haggard jeans. Various accessories complimented their heads. If I didn't know better, they all seemed like military, with the revolvers holstered to their brown leather belts.

What was really unusual was what followed behind each person. If I remembered correctly from my Biology classes in college, they were ponies. Four foot tall, pastel ponies, with big eyes, and tattoos on their flanks. My head must have been really messing with me. I decided to explore a little, humor my mind before I woke up.

As I strolled down the street, I couldn't help but regard the place with wonder. The whole town had very unique yet run down buildings. One looked to be made of sweets, while another looked like it was carved into a tree. It was fascinating.

The locales weren't the only thing that interested me, the populace was unreal. Each person was followed by one or two ponies. Mysteriously, the ponies seemed to be sad; they were actually expressing sadness. The humans didn't care in the slightest, or just didn't notice. There was a variety of colors that the ponies displayed, yet I knew something wasn't right.

The more I observed my surrounds, the more it seemed to not be a dream. Everything was so surreal, and I'm pretty sure I could never think up a place like this in a hundred years. What was ironic was that everyone was gawking at me as I went by, like I was the weird one. Even the ponies.

Speaking of the ponies, as I studied them while I walked, I could almost feel a presence I wouldn't associate with a pony, as if it was aware what was going on around it. It's impossible to discern whether this was real, but I was slowly leaning away from it all being fake. My heartbeat increased at the realization that this reality might actually be genuine. My breath quickened as well, and I began to feel woozy. It felt like my whole perspective of logic was thrown out the window.

The sound of an angry cry broke me from my contemplations. It came from around the upcoming corner, and a yelp of pain also resonated in the same direction. I picked up the pace, hoping to assist in some way.

As I rounded the corner, my eyes laid upon a man, whose features were contorted with fury, that stood over a pony. The pony was cowering away from him, clutching its stomach with its hooves. Apples were lying around the filthy ground, and a knocked over basket lay close by.

It was already strange enough that the pony was twisting her leg in a peculiar way, but that it was brightly colored was another. I knew some of the other ponies had abnormal coats and manes, but I didn’t think they were so vibrant. This pony seemed to be female, as did a majority of the other ponies, with a pale goldenrod coat and carrot orange mane and tail. Her tattoo on her flank was three carrots.

"Stupid pony!" the man bellowed, kicking the poor pony in the stomach, causing the pony to wince in pain. I didn't think ponies could wince. "Can't even hold a basket of apples without spilling it!"

The man continued to kick the pony relentlessly, and I knew this was animal abuse. As a police officer, it was my duty to uphold the law, no matter where I was. "Hey, knock it off," I said sternly, walking over to him determinately. The man did stop, causing the pony to catch a break.

"What do you want?" he asked threateningly, crossing his arms as he faced me. He had a long face that told everybody that he was always serious. His short black hair had gray growing in random places.

"You do realize that's animal abuse, right?" I explained intently, halting in front of him.

"Animal abuse?" he asked me, and before I could answer, he broke down in laughter. Even passing people thought my comment was comical; was it an inside joke? The man finally stopping his laughing, but was wheezing from overexerting himself.

"Oh, that's rich," he chuckled, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. He gazed at me again, and his snickering was cut off. "You're serious?"

I hesitated a moment, wondering if it was worth going through with this. Was it normal here to just hurt animals like that? I didn't want to question how the system worked. The man narrowed his eyes, "What are you anyway? A special operative of the Baron?"

Baron? Was that the guy in charge? More questions were filling my head, but I had to tread carefully. I was getting a bad vibe from this person. "Uh, yeah," I answered, scratching the back of my head. I may have lied, but telling the truth was probably unwise at that point.

"Oh," he spoke, visibly relaxing from his earlier pose, "Then you must be here to speak with Mayor Jordan about the apple shortage."

"Right," I agreed, pointing a finger at him, "I'm here to find out about the apple shortage."

I had no idea what I was saying. From this man's words, there was apparently an apple shortage in this town. And the leader in this town was Jordan. If I can find him and explain my predicament, he can point me in the right direction. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

"He's over at Sweet Apple Acres, as usual," he stated, jabbing a thumb at a path that led out of town. "And if it isn't too much trouble, can you put a good word my way?"

"Whatever," I grumbled with annoyance, stepping past him. The man acted like he had been slapped in the face, but didn't say a word. As I was heading to the path he indicated, I looked over my shoulder one last time, and saw the man forcibly pull the pony to its feet, as he scolded it. Why would he talk to a pony who couldn't talk back? I know some people talk to animals, but how loud he was to the pony was ridiculous.

I faced forward again, shaking my head. I'll get all my answers from Mayor Jordan, and then I can get back home. Still, that pony didn't deserve to be treated like that. The other people ignored the abuse as well, like it was a common occurrence.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I mumbled as I strode down the dirt path, leaving the town boundary. My head wandered around, admiring the beautiful nature around me. The rolling hills were filled with golden grass, and it was quite remarkable.

That's when I saw the large castle-like city on the side of a lone mountain. Now, I may not know every city in the world, but I was pretty sure there wasn't a place like that, especially one that looked so haphazardly placed. Just another question to add to my list, which had grown quite a bit.

My trip brought me to a bridge that spanned a small stream. I thought it was quite quaint, seeing as the bridge was exaggerated given the small river of water. The view on my right side changed from wide-open plains to a large tree orchard. Each tree was healthy, bearing bountiful apples by the dozens. I wondered if I could try some when I got the chance, and decided to ask when I could.

A fork in the road was presented to me. One lead onward, leading to who knew where. The other path went into the orchard, and probably to Sweet Apple Acres. I took the latter for obvious reasons.

My trek eventually brought me to a red barn. Like the town not too far off, the barn was worn down and shabby, with peeling paint and beaten wood. When I thought about it, the whole town reminded me of those old ghost towns, except this place wasn't abandoned.

I took a small break to check out the surrounding area, leaning against a post of the white rail fence that surrounded the orchard. Sweet Apples Acres looked like a normal farm. Crops were growing vibrant vegetables, animals were in their pens, and farm equipment was strung around.

I gave a relieved sigh, glad to finally be on the right track. This whole place has been so confusing, I was afraid that something would happen to make it weirder. Mayor Jordan would give it to me straight. And if he didn't... I'd think of something else.

The best place to find him would be in that barn, but as I pushed myself off to head there, I heard arguing. It wasn't one of those arguments that lasted a few minutes, but the one that turned violent fairly fast. I decided to investigate, and the sound was coming through the trees.

Vaulting the fence, I carefully snuck through the tall apple trees, wary that I may be trespassing. I got to the point where I was able to discern words in the heated discussion, and I began to approach much more quietly so as to not be found out. One may call this eavesdropping, but a police officer knows that any evidence is good evidence.

"I don't care how tired you are!" shouted a masculine voice, "You need to buck as many trees as you can, or the shortage will continue!"

"I don't care!" a female voice seethed angrily with a southern drawl, "What I need is rest! How am I suppose ta harvest apples if ya never give me a break?!"

I had crept behind one of the trees, my back pressed against it, and I knew that right behind it were the perpetrators of the argument.

"Don't question me!" the man bellowed, using a threatening tone, "Just get the rest of the apples, then you can rest, you fucking bitch!"

The raging disagreement came to a close as footsteps could be heard crunching towards me. I pressed myself harder into the tree, hoping he wouldn't catch me where I shouldn't be. Luckily, he walked past without a glance back. He was tall, maybe a few inches taller than me, and he wore the regular clothes that everyone in town wore. What set him apart from the rest was the light brown Stetson hat on his head.

If my deduction skills were as good as I think they were, that was probably Jordan. And if it wasn't him, than it was someone who could point me to him. I was about to follow him and speak with him, but the woman that he was arguing with crossed my mind. Why were they working someone to exhaustion? Was it slavery? I knew I had to at least talk with the girl to see if she was alright.

A loud crack, followed by many small thuds, came from behind my tree. I peeked around my tree to see what she was doing, but I only saw a pony. This pony had an orange coat, with a blonde mane and tail. The tattoo on her flank were three red apples. I searched the area, but found no sign of the other woman, did she take off? And why does this pony seem so mad?

I took a step forward to get a better view, but my foot, unfortunately, landed on a branch that snapped under my weight. The pony's head whipped over in my direction, her eyes, which I just noticed where emerald green, were narrowed in fury. Soft freckles sat underneath them, on her cheeks. However, upon seeing me, she jumped back in fright. My appearance really was uncommon here.

"Whoa Nelly," the pony said nervously. Wait, the pony spoke? Actual words!? Was she the one who was arguing with the man!? My brain was tripping over word after word, trying to comprehend this unfathomable revelation. I shook my head several times, even banged my head with the palm of my hand to shake me out of it. Though it was difficult with my helmet on.

"What are you doin'?" the pony asked aggressively, referring to my odd motions. She must have gotten over my attire at some point. I simply stood there, dumbstruck. "You're... you're talking," I said dumbly, pointing a shaky finger at her.

"Of course I'm talkin'!" she snapped, glaring with all her might, "Did ya forget that I could or somethin'?"

"I... what... how...?" I stammered, my movement was at a standstill as I observed the pony. She wasn't having any of it though, and rolled her eyes with annoyance.

"Look mister," she explained sternly, "I have work ta do. So iffen you don't mind..."

She walked over to a tree, spun on the spot, and kicked it with her hind legs. A cascade of apples fell, landing perfectly in the baskets that sat underneath the tree. My brain, at this point, was barely registering what was going on around me. I had to process everything that has happened so far, so I sat down, placing my back against a tree, with my hands cradling my head.

At first I thought I was carried to a different location, but that was thrown out, seeing as I was in a different world entirely. Then I assumed I was dreaming, but again, it didn't fit, as this place was too real and, at the same time, too unreal. So, my last option was that I was taking drugs, and this was one large hallucination. It would explain that bright light before I was knocked out cold.

Having an explanation running through my head, I looked up to find the orange pony right in front of my face, causing me to flinch and bang my head against the tree. Good thing I had a helmet on.

"Are ya just going to sit there and watch me all day?" she questioned, her face barely containing her anger. I released a large breath, calming myself so as to speak clearly.

"I think I'm taking drugs," I announced, and the pony tilted her head to the side with a raised eyebrow, "because a pony is talking to me."

I apparently said the wrong words, as her anger grew more intense, taking a few steps away from me, "If ya didn't want me to talk to ya, then ya could've just asked!"

I waved a hand in front of me, trying to control the situation, "Whoa, wait, that's not what I meant. I'm just saying that... wait, why am I trying to explain this to a pony who doesn't exist?"

The orange pony growled, pawing the ground with one of her hoofs, as if she was about to charge. "If you're just gonna insult me, than you might as well skedaddle," she informed me without sympathy, "I ain't got time for that."

She turned away, grumbling to herself, and I wondered how drugs were even interacting with me. What I was told about it, the hallucinations would hardly speak to you, let alone get angry with you. Maybe this was real, and this was all actually happening.

"No," I whispered, causing the pony to swivel her head towards me.

"Pardon?"

"This can't be real," I continued, ignoring her while gripping my head, "I'm not in a magical world where there are colorful, talking ponies with human owners. What the hell is happening!?"

"Stop with your yappin'!" she ordered, facing me fully, "I know your kind, and I know this is just a trick. Well it ain't workin'!"

"Shut up!" I roared, but she didn't back down, or even flinch.

"You listen here, fella," she said, "Just go tell Jordan that I'm working as hard as I can! I don't need no mangy human to watch my every move!"

My mind was in overdrive, I couldn't handle this anymore. So I jumped to my feet and took off, to where I hope was the barn. It was official, I was insane. I just got chewed out by a talking pony. Atalking pony dammit! I was probably sitting in an asylum, mumbling to myself with drool coming out of my mouth.

I reached the orchard boundary, and climbed the fence, but slipped and landed on my stomach on the other side. I didn't know where I was, but I didn't care. I was just glad to be alone, to think about what was happening.

My brain was accepting that my surroundings were real; the hint of pain in my stomach, the dirt that I was laying on, everything. I was truly in a land that had talking ponies with humans as the overlords.

Giving a defeated sigh, and I knew there was only one option for me now: getting home. If I could somehow teleport to a completely different place, than the opposite should be true. Now, I just need to find out how to do that. I flipped myself onto my back, sat up, and rested my forearms on my knees.

Jordan was still my main goal. The pony before wouldn’t help me, seeing as she didn’t like humans. I gave the area a general sweep and found myself in the main farm of Sweet Apple Acres. Giving another sigh, I stood up, and brushed off the dirt that was stuck to my once pristine pants.

After that was finished, I went straight for the barn, figuring that was where Jordan lived. I wished I could have a smoke, to calm myself enough to be in momentary bliss. I couldn't, however, as I was growing desperate for information, and couldn't waste any more time.

I heard more cracks, and I glanced around, seeing other ponies working in the orchard. Even from this distance, I could tell they weren't happy with where they were. And if they all were sentient like that orange pony, than it crossed the line to slavery, unless they were being paid, which was unlikely.

I rubbed my forehead as I neared the barn; I was getting ahead of myself. I arrived here merely half an hour ago, and I can't start accusing people of slavery, especially with ponies being the work force. I finished my pondering with a sigh as I lifted a hand to the door and knocked three times.

Waiting impatiently, I idly played with my hands, wondering how Jordan would respond to my story. The door swung open immediately, with little warning, and there stood Jordan. He eyed me up and down, determining me based solely on my appearance.

"Can I help you?" he asked, giving me a bored expression.

"Yes, hi," I introduced, placing my hand in between us to shake, "I'm Nolan Anderson."

He didn't go for my gesture, still staring at me with his judging gaze while crossing his arms. I retracted my hand - that was rude. "I was hoping I could talk with you for a second," I requested as kindly as I could muster.

"Get on with it," Jordan demanded as he ground his teeth.

"I don't know where to begin," I stated, scratching my neck. "Well... where am I?"

"Sweet Apple Acres," he answered, his tone suggesting he was not amused.

"I mean... what town? What country?" I elaborated.

He cocked an eyebrow, and I just realized that my questions did sound kind of crazy. I also realized that I would finally be getting the answers I craved, causing me to perk my head.

"You are in Ponyville," he replied, sweeping his hand out to indicate the surrounding area. "In the filthy land of Equestria."

"...I never heard of a place like that before," I said, "But anyway, how can the ponies talk?"

I only assumed the other ponies could talk. For all I knew, that orange one was the only exception. My question made Jordan look at me critically, his expression completely amazed, and not in the good way.

"What's your game?" he asked harshly, jabbing a finger at my chest.

"Nothing," I stated truthfully, "I'm just new here, and I have no idea how to get home."

"Knock it off," he ordered, jabbing me again, "I don't want any funny business, and I certainly don't want some asshole asking me stupid questions. Now get lost."

"Look, I just want to-"

"I said get lost!" he roared, pushing me full force with both his hands. I lost my footing and fell into the dirt, releasing a grunt when I did. Using my hands, I pushed myself to a sitting position just in time to see Jordan slam the door, leaving me with a defeated attitude.

I stood up, suddenly feeling tired. I had been tossed around this place and I still had few answers. I only found out that I was in Equestira, and more specifically Ponyville. Only then did I realize the silliness of the names, but I wasn't in the mood to dwell on it.

With fleeting hope, I dragged my feet over to the rail fence and sat on it, my feet dangling slightly. Leaning my arms on my legs, I gave a heavy sigh. I was in one of my moods again, and there was only one way to remedy it. I opened one of the many pouches on my combat vest, extracting a cigarette pack. When I got it out, I opened it to see I had ten left inside.

I pulled one out and put the pack back in the pouch. I quickly tugged off my entire head gear - helmet, ski mask and goggles - and tossed it to the ground without much care. My short brown hair wavered in the small breeze that came by as I rubbed my light stubble beard. I reached into my pocket and retrieved my silver lighter.

Routinely, I placed the cigarette between my lips, while igniting my lighter close to it. In a matter of seconds, the cigarette lit, and I put my lighter back where it belonged. I breathed in the smoke, enjoying the intoxicating feel it had, and pulled out my cigarette from my lips as I exhaled. I watched as the smoke danced around in the air as it disappeared completely.

To sum up, my situation turned from bad to worse. I had no plan, no way home, and no place to go. I suppose I was a little too optimistic about getting home, but there was no way to predict that everybody would be this hostile towards me. So I just sat there, trying to forget my past, the present, and the uncertain future.

A loud crack right behind me broke my train of thought, and I glanced over my shoulder. It was the orange pony from earlier, but she tried to ignore that I was sitting here, keeping her eyes on the trees and its apples. I faced forward again, inhaling another lungful of smoke.

"So you're still here, are ya?" she questioned, kicking another tree with a little more power than I thought necessary.

"I guess I am," I replied curtly. I gave a small grunt, and mused, "I doubt you'd answer my questions."

"What would a human like yourself ask what you already know?" she asked, kicking another tree. "You already took what I hold dearly: my home, family, friends."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped, swinging my legs over the fence to face her fully.

"Don't act like you don't know," she said, still not looking at me. "You know full well what you and your kind did to us ponies."

"No, I don't!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air. "I'm not even from here, and everyone thinks I'm the bad guy. You think I did something terrible, while everyone else thinks I'm up to no good!"

At last, she stopped her tree kicking to give me a cold stare. It was slightly unsettling, considering I just blew my top. Her stare went on for a quarter of a minute before she gazed at the ground.

"I still can't tell if you're lyin'..." she mumbled, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly, sliding off the fence while inhaling from my cigarette.

"I mean," the orange pony emphasized, "that I can't tell if you're lyin' or not. I'm usually pretty good when it comes to that stuff, but with you humans..."

So she was a living truth detector or something? Was that even possible for a pony? Why do I ask questions like that; anything's possible with these ponies. I didn't voice my confusion, staring off into space instead. I sighed, "So basically you don't trust me."

She gave me a straight face and gave a quick nod to my statement. "Fine," I whispered dejectedly, "then how do I earn your trust?"

She jerked her head back at my request, her mouth slightly open. "You... want to earn my trust?"

I shrugged and gave another drag from my cigarette before I answered, "It seems like the only way to get my questions answered. And I'm sure the people here aren't going to help me without throwing a tantrum."

The orange pony's surprised expression slid into contained anger, her eyes furrowed as she frowned. "I don't know if this is just another trick or not, but you can start by gettin' my stuff back."

"Alright," I complied, flicking my burnt out cigarette bud away. "What is it?"

"My hat and hairbands," she stated.

"Your hat and... hairbands?" I asked, looking her over. She didn't seem like the type of pony to wear clothing of any kind. Hell, I didn’t even know that ponies had clothing overall.

"Yes, that there Jordan fella took 'em away from me when he..." she trailed off, turning her head away from me. She looked to be fighting back tears. It was probably a sore subject, one that doesn't want to be talked about, like my own past.

"Okay," I agreed, vaulting the fence and picking up my head gear.

"Wait, you're actually going to get 'em?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in doubt.

"I said I would, didn't I?" I replied putting on my head gear individually.

"Well, I suppose, but..." she said, playing with the dirt. She obviously wasn't used to thanking people, so I faced the barn, wondering where to begin my search for the items.

"What's your name?" the orange pony inquired. Her voice wasn't harsh like it usually was, but compassionate, and maybe even friendly.

"Nolan Anderson," I responded, "And yours?"

"Applejack," she replied instantly in turn.

She matched her name well, but I didn't think about that for long. Still, I smiled underneath my mask; though she didn't want anything to do with me, she knew the proper etiquette of exchanging names. I had a rocky mission ahead of me, one that I found questionable, but I always keep my promises. As best as I can, anyway.

 

 

Again, this is not mine. All credit goes to my friend from another site Superdale33

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 2: Threshold

I couldn’t help but stare at the barn with frustration, my mind blank on how to approach. Applejack was still standing behind me expectantly, as I could tell after glancing behind me multiple times. Where was I supposed to start? I didn't even know the lay of the land. Giving a low growl, I turned completely around, with my shoulders slumped.

“I, uh,” I hesitantly muttered, scratching the back of my neck, “I’m going to need a little more information.”

Applejack eyed me doubtfully, an eyebrow raised, probably suspecting that I could never retrieve her belongings. Rolling her eyes, she jumped over the fence without a hitch, and stood beside me.

“Ya see that barn?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the building. I looked over at the barn again, feeling childish as I did, and nodded. “That’s where Jordan lives, and that’s where my stuff is at.”

It took all of my strength not to facepalm at her statement, but I still rubbed my head irritably; she had better be joking. “I mean,” I emphasized, clenching my left hand tightly while gritting my teeth, “I need information I don’t already know.”

Applejack gave a coy smile, her eyes half closed in smugness. I wished I didn’t have to work with her on this. “Listen here, human,” she taunted while facing the barn seriously, “Jordan wears my hat all the time, and I reckon he only takes it off when he sleeps. My hairbands are in the town hall, where he works. That’s as much as I know.”

Though I was glad she decided to give me real facts, she was still kind of vague, and I don’t think it was on purpose. Deciding that I would have to make do with what I was given, I walked forward, intending to spy on Jordan for a start. Applejack did not wish me luck, or even say goodbye, but I didn’t expect one - she still didn’t trust humans.

As I slunk towards the barn, being as discreet as possible, my mind was racing. Why was I stealing from a man who stole Applejack’s things first? Two wrongs don't make a right, but I didn't have much of a choice.

I shook my head as I neared a window that was part of the barn, the possibilities relentless. This had to be a bad idea; a cop stealing always was. It was the only thing going through my head as I peered inside the building. The interior was rather ordinary, with wooden walls and a few pieces of furniture, including a sofa and a rocking chair. Jordan was nowhere in sight.

That’s when I felt a hand tightly grip my shoulder, causing me to wince. I tentatively turned my head to see two muscular men wearing green T-shirts and snarling at me; I was caught.

“Shit,” I mumbled as they each grabbed an arm and dragged me to the front, my feet unable to keep up with their brisk pace. When we reached the corner, where the front door was, I could plainly see Jordan crossing his arms. I barely had time to register that he was here before I was shoved to the ground harshly. I braced my arms as I fell onto the ground, but didn’t bother to look Jordan in the face.

“So,” he started in a superior manner, as I kept my eyes trained to the ground, “you thought you could just snoop around my abode without my consent? Is that it?”

Choosing not to answer, I kept my position on the ground, ignoring anything he said afterward - my own thoughts were at the front of my find at that point. I could easily escape whatever he decided to do with me by simply telling him about Applejack. However, it wasn’t my place to tattle on others. Besides, he would probably just think I was making stuff up to get out of trouble.

Suddenly, the two men beside me took each arm again, lifting me up to my feet without remorse or consideration. I faced Jordan, and he was obviously pissed that I was flat out ignoring him. “Listen, you fucking piece of shit!” he seethed, grabbing a handful of my jacket collar. “If you want to live, you better leave in the next five minutes and never come back! Are we clear?”

This guy was absolutely serious, as the look in his eyes said it all. I wasn’t afraid though; I'd dealt with worse. “Crystal,” I replied quietly, and I shook off the men holding me. I sauntered toward the exit of Sweet Apple Acres, but not before I whipped around and flipped the bird.

He wasn’t fazed, however, but I got my point across that I was as bitter as him. Turning my attention back to the matter at hand, I was running out of options. Getting Applejack’s belongings would be a lot tougher now that I was officially kicked out of Jordan’s property. And I was still uncertain if stealing from him would be the best choice.

Then I remembered a piece of information that Applejack had told me. Her hair bands were in the Town Hall. It was a start, especially since Jordan was busy at his home. I walked faster back to town, my mind still going back and forth between morals and personal business. When I crossed the bridge over the stream, I made my way through the streets to the largest opening of town.

At least, that was what I hoped it was. My experience with any city or town is that any place that is wide or has a statue in front is where Town Hall was. Luckily, I was right. The wide area was bustling with people and ponies, the former pushing and shoving to get to where they were going. I stepped off the side to avoid any offensive confrontation, and quickly studied the town square.

Nothing truly major stuck out, besides the statue at the center of the town square. It was faded pink, with a reared pony balancing on a ball, and a pool of water surrounded the statue. I had no idea how it depicted a town like this, but I put it in the back of my mind as I stared across to the Town Hall.

It was brilliant, even if the paint was not luxurious. It was cylindrical in design, with a cone, brown roof. I zig-zagged through the crowd of people and ponies, keeping most of my focus on my objective. I eventually stepped onto the porch of the town hall and reached out for the door knob, hoping it wasn’t locked.

It wasn’t, and after thanking my luck, I rushed inside. The room was open, like a theater without a stage, but it hardly mattered as I searched for a door to an office. A set of stairs curving with the building was all there was, so I climbed up them two at a time. When I reached the top, a receptionist’s room was what greeted me. No one was there, and I had no problem walking by the desk to the door behind it.

I opened the door slowly, peeking through to make sure it was empty. Jordan may be at the orchard, but that didn’t stop my paranoia from forcing me to check to make sure. When I assured myself that it was all clear, I fully entered the room. A lone desk sat in the middle of the room, a fancy window behind it allowed strands of light to radiate onto the wood floor. An assortment of potted plants hugged the walls, their leaves looking unhealthy.

My eyes scanned over the desk as I approached, looking for the hair bands that belonged to Applejack. All there was was a single document; perhaps reading it would help me in my situation, and my curiosity did nothing to stop me from reading it . I shuffled around the desk to face the piece of paper the right way, and began to quickly read through it.

My most faithful student,

No doubt you have read the news lately, and let me assure you that Cadence and your brother are safe. However, we now have a crisis on our hooves. I request you and your friends come to Canterlot as soon as possible. I await your arrival.

-Princess Celestia

A note at the bottom, in different handwriting, was scribbled across:

Find this 'faithful student'.

Now wait a goddamn minute. I thought this land was being ruled by a Baron, when did a Princess come into the picture!? And who the hell is this ‘faithful student’? The document did not help in any way, shape, or form. Just the opposite, and now I was growing really frustrated at not getting anything accomplished.

The sound of footsteps shook me from my thoughts, and a knot in my chest formed. Someone was coming. My first thought was to escape, but I caught myself before I attempted to do so, reminding myself why I was here in the first place. With great haste, I practically threw open the drawers that were part of the desk, and found two red hair bands on the bottom drawer. I extracted them and put them in my pants pocket, and I glanced at the parchment that still rested on top of the desk.

The footsteps had halted from the other side of the door - I had three seconds at best. Acting on impulse, I grabbed the document, scrunching it up as I did, and shoved it into my pocket with the hair bands just as the door swung open.

It was Jordan, and he was aiming his revolver at me.

I didn’t think breaking and entering would warrant such an act.

“I should have known that you wouldn’t leave well enough alone,” he growled, his trigger finger twitching. I kept my gaze towards him, spreading my feet to take action at a moment’s notice. My mind was searching rapidly for an escape route, and I had to keep him talking until I could come up with something.

“Who’s Princess Celestia?” I asked, deflecting the subject.

“You know damn well who it is,” he said, furrowing his brow deeper. “What is with you and these stupid questions!? Did you just sleep through the last three months or something?!”

I got him to ramble about how forgetful I was; not what I was shooting for, but it’ll do. I could only think of one way to escape without getting killed, and it was pretty risky itself. And I would need a distraction to boot.

“Of all the people to come into my office, it had to be you!” Jordan exclaimed, adjusting his grip on his gun. “It was a good thing I decided to check up here. The moment I met you I knew you would be trouble, and now I caught you red handed, you masked man. It doesn’t matter why you’re here, not as long as I’m Mayor. Everything I say goes, and I can shoot without worry, even if it’s another human. Well, what have you got to say for yourself, stranger?”

He was monologuing like any villain would, and I found it irritatingly cheesy. I had to say something before we ended up staying there for hours. “I said my name was Nolan Anderson,” I put in, then I shouted, “Applejack, run!”

And Jordan took the bait like a fish in a river.

With eyes wide, he gave a glance over his shoulder, and I dashed for the window. Covering my face with my arms, I crashed through it, feeling pieces of glass sink into my arms. They were burning with pain, but that wasn’t the worst part. Gravity took hold of me, and I plummeted to the street below, hitting the ground with my right shoulder.

I cried out in pain, but stopped myself short, trying to act tough for all that it was worth. I gripped my shoulder with my left hand, the pain numbing the rest of my arm, as I rolled over to my feet to stand. The town square was at a stand still, everyone had suddenly froze at my sudden stunt. It was very unnerving to sweep over the crowd with eyes all on myself.

“Stop that man!” I heard a shout above me, and when I faced back to the Town Hall, I could see Jordan just outside the window pointing a finger at me. “A hundred bits to the one who takes him down, two hundred if he’s alive!”

I was already charging down the street before he had finished, barreling past people before they realized that I was a wanted man. It was difficult with my heavy combat vest, but I didn’t have much choice. I broke away from the crowd, and into the nearly empty roads.

I had no idea where I was going, weaving between back alleys while clutching my shoulder. At some point, the people from the square had begun to chase me, their thundering footsteps all the indication I needed to maintain my bolt.

I flew around a corner and slammed myself against the wall, hoping nobody saw me slip away. The pain of my arm was still present, but it wasn’t as bad as before. My heart was beating fast, both from being chased and the thought of what these people would do to me if I were captured. Little noise was being produced, so I knew I had a minute or two to think things over.

Being an outlaw - I had to admit - was my fault. If I hadn’t broken into Jordan’s office, I wouldn’t have gotten into this mess. I found it somewhat ironic that I was a cop an hour ago, and now I’m on the opposite end of the law, but that was beside the point. Maybe turning myself in would be for the best... or maybe it would get me a bullet in my head.

I decided just to wait it out; let them cool off before I showed myself.

I turned to the rest of the alley, and spotted a building that was across the stream. It was kind of like the Town Hall, but smaller and brighter, or at least as bright as it could be in this dreary town. It also reminded me of a carousel at a carnival. I concluded to myself that it was a good place to hole up.

As I edged toward the alley’s exit, I gave a brief look of the area, making sure no one would see me. When the coast was clear, I sprinted with everything I had for the building, crossing the bridge with ferocity. My nerves were tensed as I quickly made my way to the door of the building. When I made it, I gave a sigh of relief, reading the sign that hung by the door.

‘Carousel Boutique’.

“There he is!” I heard a shout behind me. I quickly glanced behind me to see that Jordan and a few other people had found me, speeding from behind a corner of a building. With great urgency, I tried to jerk open the door, but it wouldn’t budge; It was locked. Of all the times a door had to be locked, it had to be while I was under pressure.

Thinking fast, I jumped back, and unholstered my revolver, Vera. With both of my shaky hands wielding the gun I took aim, hearing the shouts and jeers of the approaching group. I pulled the trigger and the familiar blast of my weapon rung in my ears. My injured shoulder spiked in pain again, and I gripped it with my left hand, clenching my jaw shut. Nonetheless, my plan had worked, and the lock was in shambles. I charged through the door with my good shoulder, and slammed it shut again.

Someone from the opposite side rammed into the door, almost knocking me back. A wooden chair sat next to the door, and I swiftly grabbed it and placed it under the doorknob, creating a makeshift lock. Another pound reverberated on the door, but it was suppressed by the chair. I backed away from the door, and holstered Vera, knowing I had to think of something before they breached.

A low whimper echoed in the room, and I instinctively froze. Despite being short on time, I couldn’t help but stand there, hoping what I heard was just a trick of the wind. Another whimper, this one being louder, came out and I whipped around, worried that my life would end at that moment. A  pony was cowering on the floor, shivering with eyes shut tight. The pony was positively familiar.

It was the one that was being abused in the street; the carrot mare.

By the looks of the pony, she had been heavily beaten since I last saw her, apparent from the many bruises that littered her side. I felt incredibly bad for the mare, especially after finding out that these ponies are intelligent. There wasn’t anything I could do for her right now, however, but it didn’t help my compassionate heart.

“Look,” I sighed, tensing up as another slam came from the barred up door, “I can’t do anything to help you. You have a... master, and I can’t change that.”

The mare finally looked up towards me, clearly fearful that I would smack her if she said something bad. “W-Why do you a-act like you don’t k-know about... about....” she stuttered, but went back to cowering, shaking harder than before.

“About what?” I coaxed, tilting my head slightly.

Her eyes widened, her jaw opening in utter shock. “You... y-you don’t know?” she asked desperately. “We p-ponies were e-enslaved after you humans i-invaded Equestria.”

My breathing ceased, time seemed to slow, and yet it didn’t matter to me. If I thought my mind was blown before with everything that had happened, they didn’t compare to that sudden revelation. It didn’t make sense to me that I would react so abruptly to this piece of knowledge, especially when compared to the talking ponies. Maybe it was that I was so oblivious to it, or perhaps the idea was always possible in my head and I neglected to keep my suspicions. Either way, I was completely stunned.

Another bang from the door brought me back to reality, and I shook my head to clear my thoughts; I would have time later to sort my contemplations. “Sorry about this,” I apologized to the mare, before taking my revolver out and knocking her head with the handle. She dropped unconscious like a sack of bricks.

I didn’t want to do that to her, but I didn’t want her to disclose my whereabouts to Jordan and the others trying to bust in. With the mare out cold, I darted over to another room opposite of the entrance. It didn’t have a door, or even an alternative exit if things got hairy, but I was running out of time. I entered hurriedly and pressed myself beside the door frame, hidden from view.

My shoulder was still throbbing, but it was tolerable. I controlled my breathing, taking deep breaths, to keep myself quiet. Another minute passed with the door being rammed into, and I could hear groaning from the mare I had hit over the head; she must be coming around.

The entrance door suddenly burst open, the chair smashing from what I could hear. Footsteps echoed in the room as many people rushed inside until everyone suddenly stopped.

“Where the hell did he go!?” screamed the undeniable voice of Jordan, as grunts of vexation followed by the other men. An assortment of movement was made, indicating that they were quickly surveying the room.

“Maybe this damn pony can tell us,” one of the men sneered, earning a few dark chuckles from the others. I risked a look out of the door frame; good thing my clothing was all black. I counted five men, revolvers drawn, all surrounding the innocent mare, who still looked groggy.

“Where did he go, Carrot Top?” asked another man; he was the one who was abusing the mare in the street.

“I... I don’t k-know, sir,” the mare known as Carrot Top responded apprehensively.

“Bullshit!” shouted Jordan, and he kicked Carrot Top in the stomach, who whined in pain. “Are you blind or something!? He ran right in here!”

“I-I know, sir,” Carrot Top confirmed anxiously, “B-But he knocked me out before-”

“I don’t want your excuses!” Jordan yelled out, kicking the pony with each word causing more whines. “Grayson, what do you want to do with your pony? She’s not going to tell us anything.”

Grayson, Carrot Top’s owner, gave a low hum, scratching his chin thoughtfully. I knew that whatever he would do to her would not be merciful. He shrugged after a period of time, “Just kill her, she’s been rather useless lately. I’ll just purchase another one from Somersett Mines.”

I couldn’t believe my ears; he was just going to get rid of her like a fly on a wall. What made it worse was how casual he was, like he’d done it before! Jordan gave a small smirk, and pointed the revolver at Carrot Top. The mare gasped, and tried to back away from him.

“I-I’m sorry!” she attempted to plead as a man from behind her grabbed her mane to keep her still, tears were slowly falling from her eyes. “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”

Jordan gave a small amused chuckle, “Like I give a fuck!”

At that point, I had snapped. Carrot Top had been beaten and harassed for who knows how long and these men just took all she had gone through for granted. I couldn’t control myself as I reached behind me and grabbed my riot shotgun, bringing it to my front. At the same time, I was standing and presenting myself in the doorway.

“Hey, is that-?” the man holding Carrot Top asked, but I interrupted him by shooting his head off. The adrenaline pumping through my veins canceled the pain in my shoulder. I pumped my shotgun again, and shot at another man, catching him in the chest. Jordan, Grayson, and another man had the insight to run for cover, and did so feverishly.

I slid back into cover as well, hearing revolvers discharge and bullets impact around my position. I took a quick glance to see where they hid and jumped back just when a bullet whizzed by my head. One of them was behind a stage, another took cover at a wooden crate by the door, and the last one was hiding behind a mannequin in the shape of a pony; the last one confused me greatly, but I shook it off.

I had to take into account that Carrot Top was still in the crossfire, so my aim had to be critical. I pumped my shotgun again, waiting for a gap in the gunfire, and when it came, I jumped out of cover and blasted right through the mannequin. The man behind it fell to the floor, but I couldn’t tell if he was dead or not as I hid behind cover again.

A hail of gunfire came at me, although there was less of it. I counted the number of shots I’d taken while I waited for an opportunity. Though it was hazy, I can remember shooting three rounds, which meant I have five left before I had to reload. With only two hostiles left to take care of, I knew I could release a few pot shots. I stuck my shotgun out of cover, and shot two shells. The gun nearly flew out of my hands, but I kept a firm grip on it.

Three left in the chamber.

I couldn’t stay in hiding forever, and it would be far easier to take them out if I had the element of surprise. But that wasn't an option right now. Suddenly, the gunfire ceased - just stopped altogether. I would’ve popped out and took fire, but something felt off about this break.

“Just give up now, you bastard,” Jordan called from his cover, which I believe was behind the stage. “We have you outnumbered.”

“Maybe,” I agreed with humor in my tone, “but I have you outgunned.”

“Surrender,” Jordan continued, ignoring my statement, “That gun of yours can only last so long.”

I gave a small chuckle, “You underestimate me, Jordan.”

I jumped out of cover, my gun pointed at the stage where he was poking his head out. “I never surrender,” I whispered with no remorse, and discharged my shotgun, which smashed through his skull, knocking him back. I hope I didn’t ruin Applejack’s hat.

The other person looked over the crate, and shot at me. The bullet only grazed my right elbow, but it still stung like hell. Hissing in pain, I went back to cover, checking my wound. The clothing and skin were torn open, and blood freely oozed out of it. I hastily placed my shotgun down, putting pressure on the injury with my left hand, cursing under my breath.

I felt alone as my breathing became amplified, droning out any other noise. There was one man left, and two rounds left in my shotgun. The adrenaline must have been getting to me, because a life-threatening idea was the only plan I had.

I sighed, loosening slightly as I picked up my shotgun. "Fuck it," I grumbled, pumping another shell into the chamber. When the the man ran out of bullets, I surged out of cover, heading straight for him.

The man panicked, backing up as he fumbled his reloading. I didn't give him the chance as I unloaded both shells into his chest; he was dead before he hit the floor. With the threat detained, I fell into a seating position on the floor, breathing hard. I clipped my shotgun on my back once again, and leaned forward on my knees.

A wave of heat washed over me, sweat soaking my mask. I slowly took off my head gear, holding it in my hand loosely when I was finished. I gazed at it as if it was the one to blame for my situation, and I could see my reflection in the goggles. I tossed it to the ground, and rubbed my face. A sharp intake of air could be heard in the room, followed by forced coughing.

I pushed myself to my feet to see what it was, but instantly regretted it as I felt light headed. I stumbled around slightly, but then pressure was applied to my side, stabilizing my wild movements. I looked down, and was somewhat bewildered to see Carrot Top placing a hoof on my hip, staring back at me.

“Are you... are you alright, mister?” she asked with a depressed expression. Realizing that my jaw was open a bit, I quickly closed it, and nodded.

“I’d be more worried about yourself,” I said with a small smile, trying to lighten up the mood.

She returned the smile, but did not hold it as she eyed my various injures, backing away to give me room. I checked myself over for anything major, and wasn’t disappointed. My forearms was covered in scratches and glass from crashing into the window, my shoulder still ached from my rough landing, and my elbow was bleeding pretty badly. Not only that, but I also felt like a wreck.

More coughing traveled through the room, and it came from the mannequin that I shredded with my shotgun. I walked over and saw Grayson, laying on the floor with his chest covered with blood. He gave one glance at me, and gave a short chuckle.

“Well, looks like you win this one, huh?” he wheezed out, a stupid grin on his face. I remained silent, furrowing my brow, as I drew my revolver. He saw this, and chuckled again, but went into a fit of coughing as a result. When he regained his breath he spoke with a hoarse voice, “What are going to do? Execute me? Shoot me like a dog?”

“Who said I was going to shoot you?” I retorted, before pistol whipping his head, knocking him unconscious. I don’t kill if I could show mercy, and Grayson would most likely bleed out anyway.

“God, what an arrogant prick,” I said, turning around while holstering my weapon. I stepped past Carrot Top, who hadn’t taken her eyes off of me, and over to Jordan behind the stage. His upper chest and neck were a mess, but I was more focused on the Stetson hat that lay a few feet away. I picked it up, twisting it around in my hold to see if there was any damage. By some miracle, the hat was unscathed, and I knew I had gotten what I came for.

“Uh, excuse me?” Carrot Top inquired quietly, and I faced her with an eyebrow raised. She took that as a hint to continue and did so carefully. “Why did you... well, save me? Don’t all humans hate ponies?”

“I couldn’t just let them kill you,” I said incredulously; could she really not believe that I wouldn’t help someone like her?

“Well, thank you,” she said, smiling with a faint blush, while facing away. Why was she blushing? I didn’t really say anything that would cause it. I shook my head and was about to head for the exit, but stopped myself.

Looking down at Carrot Top, I could see her fidgeting with her hooves, making sure she didn't look at me. I knelt down to her level, giving a worried expression. “I have some business I have to finish,” I explained to her, but she still didn’t face me. “If you want, I can take you along and-”

She finally looked at me, and placed a hoof on my chest, shaking her head. “It’s alright, I’ll find a way. You're a criminal now, anyway."

I nodded in understanding, “I guess I am.”

I stood up, grabbing my head gear as I did, and put it on. When that was finished, I glanced at Carrot Top one last time. “You take care, okay?” I requested.

She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped, closed it again and nodded. I nodded back, and strolled outside, closing the door behind me. I began my long trek back to Sweet Apple Acres, the sun hovering over the horizon. I reviewed the events of the day in my head, with my job with my S.W.A.T. team, appearing here, finding out about the talking ponies, and being attacked by my fellow humans. And it all ended up with the news that humans had invaded this country, Equestria.

To say that this day was overwhelming would not be accurate enough.

I kept to the outskirts of town, avoiding the people that were still hunting for me. I took out my shotgun, along with exactly eight shells to reload. I didn’t know if the people here had ammunition for my shotgun, and decided to refrain from using it until I knew for sure.

After which I checked my wounds; my bullet wound on my elbow was not as bad as I had thought, as it had stopped bleeding. My forearms were the most worrying seeing that glass might be imbedded in them. My shoulder, of course, was still sore and throbbing. It would probably be like that for awhile. All in all, my long walk back to Applejack was fairly boring.

 

{~+~}

 

By the time I made it back to Sweet Apple Acres, the sun had passed below the visual spectrum, and though there was the orange tinge in the sky, darkness was fast approaching. The cold was slowly gnawing on my body, causing me to shiver. My limbs felt like lead from everything I had done, and I was looking forward to some sleep. My growling stomach was only a reminder that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The enticing apples still hung in the trees, practically begging me to eat one.

Shaking my head, I faced anywhere but the apples; I had to stay focused. I heard the crack of hooves against wood somewhere in the orchard, and changed course towards it, vaulting the fence yet again. Weaving through the trees was simple, and I found Applejack kicking the trees in little time. She also looked tired, and for the first time, I actually pitied her. Not just for her being fatigued, but also for what the people here did to her kind. I may not have had all the details, but it seems to me that these ponies had had it rough.

Applejack turned her gaze over to me, her eyes narrowed in hatred. Her eyes moved down to my hands, and she gasped, turning her whole body towards me. “You... you got my hat,” she noticed sheepishly.

“That’s not all,” I said, reaching into my pocket. My hands touched the paper document that I slipped in before the whole fiasco earlier, and I was a bit surprised; I had forgotten that I had taken it. I took it out as well as Applejack’s hairbands, and handed her items to her, who took them in her hooves with a sad smile. I brought the terribly wrinkled document to my face, reading the letter again.

I still had no idea who Princess Celestia was or who the the recipient was supposed to be. But I had completed my objective, which means I can finally receive my reward. I lowered the letter, and could see Applejack with her clothing on. She had one hairband in her mane, her hat was placed on her head, and the other hairband was on her tail. It was odd to see a ponytail as a pony’s mane, but it was only a minor observation.

“Can you answer my questions now?” I asked in annoyance.

She scoffed, “I still don’t see a reason, but yes.”

Sighing in relief, I relaxed my frame, sliding to a sitting position. “Finally,” I mumbled to myself, then I said, “First things first, where am I?”

“Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, Equestria,” she answered rolling her eyes as if I was an idiot. She was being broad, probably so I didn’t have to ask follow-up questions. I would’ve found it nice, if she didn’t speak so scornfully. I only repeated my question that I asked Jordan for verification; I had to be absolutely sure he wasn’t pulling my leg.

“Next question,” I continued, rubbing my chin, “How come you ponies can talk? Some mutation or technological breakthrough?”

“We could always talk,” she snapped, waving her hoof at me, “For as long as we could form words.”

That confirmed that these ponies were natural, and probably unaffected by humans, that is, until the invasion. I held up the letter in my hand so Applejack can see it, and asked, “Who’s Princess Celestia?”

“She was the ruler of Equestria,” she said rather quickly, then glared at me, “before you humans came here.”

I rolled my eyes, and was glad she couldn’t see it behind my mask. “Anyway, who’s this ‘Faithful Student’?” I followed up, placing the document on the ground so she could see my meaning. She took one glance at the letter, and took it in her hooves, gawking at it. I was surprised she could pick it up with hooves; how did she do that?

She eventually brought the letter down, showing that she held sorrow in her eyes. “She was a friend of mine,” she said slowly, taking a shaky breath, “Twilight.”

“Where is she now?” I inquired, more out of curiosity than actually caring about her well being.

Applejack shook out of her sad demeanour, and fixed a piercing stare at me. “Now why in the hay should I tell you?” she retorted, taking a few steps towards me, “That’s why you’re helpin’ me out, ain’t it!? Ta find Twilight!”

I groaned; how long would she think I was tricking her? I didn’t want to start a huge arguement, so I opted to change the subject. “Moving on. So, uh...” I fumbled with my words not sure how to word my next question, which irritated Applejack considerably.

“Just spit it out already!” she snapped, stomping one of her hooves.

“What happened here!?” I blurted, my patience growing thin with her.

My question must have hit home because Applejack became unusually quiet, looking away with a distant expression. She gazed at me without remorse, but I didn’t back down; I needed the full story. She gave a heavy sigh, and sat on her haunches, telling her tale.

“It all started a few months ago. Back then, we didn’t even know humans existed. You supposedly lived in the northeast from Equestria, next to the Griffin nation. At one point in time, y’all invaded the Griffins, killin’ most of ‘em. That’s what Princess Celestia told me and my friends.”

Carrot Top’s story was legit then; humans did throw the first punch. And not just at Equestria, but with mythical creatures as well. However, at that point, I’d believe there were magical unicorns.

“You humans first attacked the Crystal Empire, the northernmost place in Equestria, and Princess Celestia sent some royal guards to hold off the attack. A little afterwards, she sent my friends and I to see what the damage was. And... and...”

Applejack trailed off, shaking her head with eyes closed as if to hold off tears. I sighed; she wouldn’t like it if I pressed her on it anymore than I already did. Not only that, but I was still worn down from the day. Placing my hands on my knees, I stood up, looking over the many trees that surrounded us. My brain went to autopilot as I walked over to a tree, hand outstretched for the red fruit.

“Just what do you think you’re doin’?” Applejack asked sternly, trotting to my side.

“Getting an apple,” I replied simply, my hand still reaching for it.

“You can’t just take one!” she scolded, “Jordan will bake ya alive!”

“I don’t think we have to worry about him,” I said nonchalantly, picking the apple out of the tree, and examining it. Applejack was puzzled, raising a brow while shifting between her hooves nervously.

“What do you mean by that?” she inquired, shifting her head back like she was afraid of the answer.

“He’s dead; I killed him,” I answered bluntly, taking off my headgear in one quick swoop, holding it in my other hand, while bringing the apple to my face. It looked delicious, and the moonlight reflected it perfectly. Wait, moonlight? I looked up, noticed that the sun had completely set, the moon fulfilling the task of lighting the night. Strangely, the moon was huge, much bigger compared to the one back home.

I looked back at Applejack, planning on asking her about it, but she was too stunned to answer, her eyes wide while her mouth was agape. “Y-You killed him?” she breathed.

Looking away from her, I bit into the juicy apple, not sure what to say. I was too tired to really think about the consequences, and my body was thankful for the nutritious food.

“You just killed him!?” Applejack screamed, backing away from me. I took a deep breath through my nose, noticing the fresh air, and looked over to her.

“Yeah,” I answered, and before Applejack could make another retort, “after he tried to kill a pony.”

That shut Applejack up, and she seemed to be debating whether what I was saying was true or not. Seeing that this could go on for a while, I brought up a relevant question, “Do you have someplace that I can sleep?”

“You don’t have your own home?” she asked sarcastically. I just stared at her, waiting for her to take this seriously. “Why should I find you a place ta sleep?”

“Will you just shut up with your doubt and just trust me for once!?” I snapped back, slamming my mask-filled hand into a nearby tree. This made her jump back, a hint of fright was on her face for the second time that I had met her. I sighed a little at seeing her like that; it didn't feel good to be feared. “Please?” I added weakly.

Sighing, she dropped her scared expression and trotted past me, keeping her gaze forward. “Follow me,” she mumbled, and I did so silently, snatching the letter from the ground and shoving it into my pocket.

We weaved through the orchard in complete silence besides me munching on my apple. We left the apple trees, moving over the white fence into the main part of the farm. I finished my apple about that time - I was really hungry - and tossed the core back into the trees. It was biodegradable after all.

Applejack carried on toward the barn, and I followed along like an obedient dog. She gave a sideways glance towards the barn, and faced forward again, probably wondering why it was dark inside. We walked around the barn, and a single story house came into view. It was made of dark wood, a simple gable roof was on top of it. The house also sat on a foundation, keeping it from touching the dirty ground. A single lantern next to the door gave a small amount of light in the evening.

Applejack walked up the small set of stairs that lead to a patched up door while I remained at the bottom. Now that I was closer, the whole structure was patched; wooden boards nailed in certain places, and pieces of cloth covered whatever was behind it. Applejack knocked a few times on the door, and stepped back. I turned my attention back to the door in time to see it open a crack.

“Oh, Applejack,” a feminine voice said with relief evident in her tone, “I was afraid it was Jordan again.”

The pony behind the door opened it completely and saw me standing there. Her body recoiled in shock, but I didn’t care as I studied her for a moment. She had a very pale yellow coat and chartreuse green eyes. Her mane and tail were raspberry color, with light raspberry streaks, while her tattoo on her flank was a single rose.

“Simmer down, Rose,” Applejack addressed the panicking mare, “I brought him here.”

Rose did calm down a bit, but her quivering eyes wouldn’t leave my intimidating figure. I gave an awkward wave at her, hoping it would make it seem like I wasn’t trying to do anything aggressive.

“W-Why did you bring him here?!” Rose nearly shouted at Applejack, “Does he work for Jordan o-or does he want to take us away!?”

“Rose!” Applejack exclaimed sincerely, stopping the mare from going full rave, “You always panic when these type of things happen.”

Rose nodded rapidly, taking deep breaths afterwards. Deciding to speak up, I asked, "What did we humans do to make everybody fear us?"

Rose looked at me like I had gone crazy, as Applejack shook her head in annoyance. "Did you get amnesia, sir?" Rose inquired shakily, evidently still cautious around me.

"You can call me Nolan," I corrected, waving my hands in front of me gently, "and no, I'm pretty sure I don't have amnesia."

Rose looked back at Applejack, then back to me. She gestured with a hoof for me to enter and I followed Applejack into the small abode as Rose shut the door behind us.

The ceiling was low - my head almost touching it - and very drafty, which was strange considering there was no windows, though it was fresh. Six shabby beds in total occupied the single room house, three on each side. Three dim lanterns hung on the ceiling in a line, poorly illuminating the room, and I mentally noted to watch my head. Two other ponies were laying on the beds closest to the door, looking bewildered at my appearance.

Both of them were male, or stallions, if the different snouts was any indication. That’s where the similarities ended, however. The one on the left had a bluish gray coat and a dark gray mane. He had light cobalt blue eyes and three four-leaf clovers on his flank, contrasting with the other colors. The one on the right had a matching color of light cobalt blue for his mane and eyes. His coat was a pale, light grayish gold, and the tattoo on his flank depicted two bunches of green grapes.

“Uh, hello,” the gray coated stallion welcomed awkwardly, waving a hoof slightly.

“Hey,” I replied back just as sheepishly, averting my eyes; I didn’t want to seem like I wanted to hurt them. Applejack made her way to a bed behind the gold-colored stallion. Rose swept by me carefully, her head ducked low, as she went to the bed behind the gray colored stallion.

I remained where I stood, scratching my cheek, thinking of something to break the ice. “So...” I started, and all eyes fell on me, “What’s your names?”

The two stallions glanced at each other with mild confusion, and faced me again. “Well,” the gray-colored stallion answered, “I’m Lucky Clover.”

“And I’m Goldengrape,” the gold-colored stallion finished. Now I was puzzled, but not on appearances, as I’d grown used to it, but their names.

“I'm Nolan, and are all pony names based off their appearance?” I asked the group, but more specifically Applejack, as I was gazing at her.

“Yep,” she responded, laying her head on the bed without taking her eyes off of me, “Been like that long before you humans came in.”

She was never going to believe that I wasn’t with them, even after all the things I’d done for her. Accepting this fact, I grudgingly walked to the furthest end of the building, avoiding banging my head against the lamps, to a bed to the right. I sat on it, facing away from the ponies, and placed my head gear beside me. Sleep was fast approaching for me, and I rubbed my eyes tiredly; I had to stay up just a bit longer.

“What happened to you?” Lucky Clover inquired with a raised eyebrow at my various injuries.

“Got into a... disagreement,” I said vaguely. I would have been more specific, but I wanted to have some leverage over these ponies. And if that meant keeping my own secrets, then so be it.

"Say Applejack," Rose inquired, changing the subject and gaining her attention, "when did you get your stuff back? I thought Jordan took them."

I glanced over my shoulder to see Applejack roll her eyes; I knew it was intended for me. "That Nolan feller got 'em for me," she answered reluctantly.

I looked over my shoulder fully to see that the four ponies were staring at me. It wasn’t very unnerving for me, seeing as I was the guest here. My questions were unrelentingly present, and I had to get them answered. Deciding to rest, I took off all of my equipment - Shotgun, combat vest, and revolver - and placed them against the wall beside the bed.

I swung my legs onto the bed, not minding that I still had my dirty boots on, and lied my head against the pillow. It felt extremely good to just lay down and do nothing, and I sighed in content. Putting my hands behind my head, I enjoyed resting my weary body on it, even though it was lumpy.

“You got her stuff back?” Goldengrape asked in a doubting tone. I found it irritating; does anyone believe anything I say?

“Yes,” I replied with annoyance laced in my words, “I took them after I killed him.”

“You what!?” Rose shouted in panic, her features showing utter shock and fear as her pupils became pinpricks. “No, this isn’t good. Not good at all. What will the other humans think? Are you wanted now?”

“Rose,” Lucky Clover said quietly, but somehow it was enough to stop her rant, though she was panting uncontrollably. “Why would a human kill another human? They’re the same species. It’s never happened before.”

“First time for everything,” I added grinding my teeth. I would never believe that the humans here had never killed each other. Perhaps they had fought with each other, but someone, probably the Baron, organized them and pointed at Equestria. It was only a theory, though, and I filed the idea to the back of my mind for the time being.

“What’s with the tattoos on the flanks, eh?” I asked rather rudely, my sleepiness leaking into my mood. The ponies all gave each other odd looks, and Applejack, lifted her head, glaring at me again.

“Will ya cut the act?” she retorted angrily, “You’re not fooling anypony!”

“It’s not an act, I’m telling-” I said, but then registered the last word she said, “Wait, ‘anypony’?”

Applejack groaned, putting a hoof over her snout in agitation. “You do seem to...” Lucky Clover noted while rubbing his chin, “behave differently from the others.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not like the others,” I snapped while rolling onto shoulder to face away from them. Unfortunately, it was my right shoulder.

“If you’re not like the others,” Goldengrape put in, lifting a hoof for emphasise, “then what are you like?”

“There’s a good question,” Applejack agreed, “Where are you from if you have no idea what’s goin’ on, huh?”

Staying quiet, I turned my eyes to the floor, wondering how to answer that question. Would they believe me if I said I was from a different world? I surely wouldn’t, and it wasn’t like they took everything else I said for granted. But maybe I would get lucky. “I’m from...” I slowly said, and then sighed deeply, “a different world.”

Silence filled the room, and it worried me more than the jeers that the ponies could’ve been spouting. I risked a glance over, and all the ponies were looking away from me, probably contemplating if it could be true, let alone possible. Deciding to elaborate, I said, “The last thing I remember was this strange stone that resembled a sun, and a bright light. Then I was here."

“So what you're saying is,” Rose spoke up nervously, “that you’ve never seen this place before?”

I gave a curt nod, and took a deep breath, hoping they would believe me, unlike Applejack. “I don’t know if I believe you,” Rose started quietly, canceling my luck in an instant, but a smile was forming, “but you must be different if you’re sleeping with us ponies.”

Shaking my head, I turned towards them in disbelief. The stallions were nodding at Rose’s words, but Applejack huffed and laid back down, facing away from me. A small smile creeped onto my face, as I replied, “Not exactly normal for humans to sleep with ponies, hmm?”

At these words, all the ponies fidgeted with their hooves, and Applejack became stock still, and I don’t think it was because she was asleep. I sat up in my bed, eyeing each pony in turn, “What’s wrong?”

“Well, it is normal, but...” Rose responded hesitantly, a blush building up on her cheeks, “most of the time it's a lot more... intimate.”

“What do you mean?” I asked carefully, leaning up while lifting up my right knee to rest my elbow. It can’t be what I think it means.

“What do you think it means!?” Applejack suddenly yelled, jumping up from her bed, looking absolutely livid. “Ya humans have sex with us! Ya rape us! Are ya really this stupid!?"

I was in utter shock, not really from her outburst, but the words behind it. “I... I had no idea,” I stammered with little volume. I couldn’t say another word, my throat suddenly caught on seemingly nothing.

Applejack grunted disapprovingly, laying back down while facing away for me, “Right.”

The other ponies laid down as well, although not as angrily, facing away from me as well. Seeing that the conversation was over, I rested my head against the pillow, my eyes staring at the ceiling as my mind thought a thousand miles a second.

Did the humans really do that in this world? Is it from the lack of women, or is it just because they could? In my world, it would be interpreted as disgusting and downright wrong. But this isn’t my world, and it could be perfectly normal here. But why did Applejack snap at mentioning it? Did she strongly disapprove of it, or was it something deeper? I couldn’t be sure of anything, but my mind never seemed to run out of questions.

That wasn’t the only thing on my mind. Eventually, I began to wonder what some of my acquaintances back on my own planet were doing without me. I had no one special waiting for me back home, but then why did I want to return so badly? As I thought about it, I could only come to one conclusion: familiarity. This place had things that I could only dream of, and its not like I’m wanted; by the humans or the ponies.

My mind was filled with this and more as I drifted off to an uneasy sleep.

Disclaimer: Again this is not mine, this is a friends who i got permission to post it on this site.

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 3: Impressions

The first thing I felt as I slowly woke up was prodding from my side. It was steady, and a bit rhythmic, but it was also annoying, seeing as I was still tired. I ignored it for a time, hoping that whoever was poking me would just leave me alone. My prediction didn’t come true, however, as the prodding continued for a few more minutes.

 

“What?” I eventually asked roughly and sleepily, refusing to open my eyes.

 

“Are ya goin’ to get up or what?” Applejack’s voice rang in my head, forcing me to give a sigh. I half wished that everything that had happened was just a dream, but reality proved me wrong.

 

I sat up in bed, shivering slightly as a wave of cold washed over me from the lack of blankets. My mouth was dry, not having drank anything for nearly two days. Looking over the room, I could see Rose, Lucky Clover, and Goldengrape getting out of their beds and giving me nervous glances.

“I don’t really see a reason to get out of bed,” I responded to Applejack’s question bitterly, rubbing my forehead. Applejack rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath.

 

“Listen here, Nolan,” she said, anger dripping in her tone, “I gave ya a place ta sleep, now I want ya ta clear out before Jordan finds ya.”

 

“He’s dead, Applejack,” I reminded, shaking my head.

 

“And I’m supposed ta take your word for it?” she exclaimed, glaring at me with those piercing emerald eyes. “I appreciate you getting my stuff back, but I still don’t trust ya.”

 

I couldn’t believe she was bringing this up right after I had woken up. I was still groggy from the day before, and though the rest was pleasant, I still felt sore. What really ticked me off is that she still didn’t trust me, after what I did for her. I retrieved her belongings just so I could gain her trust and get my answers. Though the latter was met, the former was still to come, if it ever did.

 

I didn’t bother arguing with Applejack, and reluctantly slid out of bed, my body already wishing it was back on it. I gathered my weapons and apparel, slipping on my headgear and combat vest, and made sure I had everything.

 

“Hurry it up, Nolan,” Applejack called from the other side of the room, next to the door. “I want ya out of here.”

No plan, no way home, and no place to stay; I was still stuck on these three problems. What was I supposed to do? Where was I supposed to go? I growled to myself as these questions, along with others I had yet to find the answers to, rattled around in my brain. I was about to head for the door, when three knocks resonated from it.

 

“Open up, ponies,” someone bellowed from the other side, “This is Military Police.”

All the ponies faced me with wide eyes, as if the revelation that I had actually killed other humans had sunk in. I would have boasted that I was right, if I wasn’t a bit frightened myself. Did they find out I was here? If so, then how?

 

Thinking fast, I went prone, and crawled under the bed. Once I was hidden, one of the ponies opened the door. “H-Hello, sirs,” Rose stuttered, and I assumed she was the one who opened it.

 

“Look, pony,” a man said venomously, “We’re looking for a man who has killed Mayor Jordan and three others yesterday. He looks like this.”

I was pretty sure I had killed five men, but that they had a picture of me was what surprised me. If they had one, they could post it up all over town, and I would have no chance of settling down.

 

Some hole I had dug for myself.

 

“We haven’t seen a man like that, sir,” I heard Lucky Clover say. I didn’t expect the ponies to cover me. Perhaps they had seen I wasn’t like the others.

“Really?” one of the men drawled, “Applejack, have you seen this man?”

 

How did they know who Applejack was? She must be popular or something. Awkwardly, I shuffled under the bed, getting a good look at the scene - I again thanked the stars that my clothing was black. Two men - one wearing a baseball cap while the other was bald - were in the doorframe, showing a picture of me. Well, a picture with my headgear on, anyway. Applejack was sweating profusely, avoiding eye contact.

 

“I-I haven’t seen anyone,” she answered, facing away entirely. Why was it so hard for Applejack to give an excuse? All she had to do was tell a small lie.

“And where did you get Jordan’s hat?” the bald man inquired harshly, swiping the hat from her head.

 

“That ain't Jordan’s!” she exclaimed, trying to grab it back with one of her hooves, but the man held it up out of her reach. “It’s mine!”

 

“Nice try, ya stupid pony,” he teased, giving a smile that I wished I could shove my fist into. “Now tell us, where did you get this?”

 

Applejack stopped her struggles to retrieve her hat, and backed down. “I-I... well, y-you see...” Applejack stammered, sweeping her eyes over the room rapidly.

 

“I know you’re lying, pony,” the bald man hissed, getting into her face, “Now tell me! Where. Is. This. Man!?”

 

Applejack was stuttering like she had one her whole life, shifting her eyes around and taking a few steps back. The other man, seeing to have had enough, slapped her across the face, sending her to the floor with a short whine.

 

“Applejack!” Rose cried, and was about to help her friend up, before the hat-wearing man brought out his revolver and pointed it at her. Rose yelped and jumped back in fright, shaking.

 

Applejack, looking disoriented, glanced back up at the man, who stood up straight superiorly. “Alright, bitch, if you won’t tell us, I guess we’ll just have our way with you,” the bald man chuckled darkly, grinning like a madman. Applejack was pushing herself away, shaking her head. The bald man gave a few laughs, then grabbed her legs and brought her back to him.

 

“Hold still,” the man said, “I don’t like it when they struggle.”

 

For the second time in twenty-four hours, I snapped, rage boiling inside of me. I drew my revolver, Vera, and rolled out from the cover of the bed. Stopping on my back, I aimed my revolver at the man who was looming over Applejack and pulled the trigger. His head had a huge hole in it, and he slumped to the floor. The hat-wearing man moved his gun to aim at me, but I was already ahead of him, and I shot a bullet at him. I only got him in the shoulder, but it was enough for him to fall to the floor, screaming in pain.

 

Applejack scrambled to her hooves, grabbing her hat in her mouth as she backed away quickly. The other ponies were speechless, pressing themselves against the wall to get as far away as they could from the bloody bodies. I pushed myself to my feet, a bit amazed that my shoulder wasn’t sore or in pain.

I walked forward to the hat-wearing man I maimed, bearing down on him and giving the cold stare of my goggles. “You’re the bastard who killed Jordan, ain’tcha?” the man hissed, clutching his shoulder and groaning from the pain.

 

“You said that I killed four people, but I know I killed five,” I said, not moving a muscle, “Who survived?”

 

“I ain’t telling you shit!” the man shouted, sneering at me. I lightly picked up my foot, and pressed it against the man’s wound, and he howled.

“How about now?” I asked in a mocking way.

 

“Fuck! Fine!” he gave in, but I kept the pressure on, in case he was bluffing. “Grayson was in critical condition, but he’s alive! Goddamn it!”

 

I stepped off, and the man breathed hard, closing his eyes tight in pain. The man who ‘owned’ Carrot Top was still alive. The mercy I showed him allowed him to survive, and I doubt he would take my actions lightly. “Thanks for the info,” I said before stomping him in the head; He went out like a light.

 

I holstered my revolver and looked over at the picture of myself. I bent down, picked it up, and examined it. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a Wanted poster.

 

Wanted

Dead or Alive

500 bits

Last seen in Ponyville

 

I couldn’t help but notice that my bounty had jumped up a couple hundred bits, which I guessed was the currency here. I supposed killing the mayor and a few other people would do that. The picture was hand drawn, probably by an artist who got witness accounts. It was fairly accurate, though it only had my mask and such; no face.

 

“Ya saved me,” a breathless voice said, and I turned to see that it was Applejack. She was sitting on her haunches with her hat back on her head, staring at me like I had done a double back flip. I gave a simple nod to her revelation, and rolled up the poster and slipped it into my pocket. Might as well keep a copy.

 

“I can’t stay in Ponyville anymore,” I informed the group, but they didn’t react to my words. “You all should get out of town, they’ll think you’re my associates.”

 

Still nothing; their mouths open in utter shock at the growing pool of blood. I ground my teeth irritably, and I said louder, “That means now.”

That shook them out of their stunned silence, and they cleared out, stepping over the bodies with grimacing looks. I remained where I stood, contemplating my next move. Escaping the authorities would only get me so far, and I didn't have any idea where another settlement could be. I had no supplies either, so I had to get food and water before I could leave.

 

With a hollow plan set, I briskly made for the exit, but then a thought struck me. If I was going to be a wanted man, I would need more ammunition than I had. I only had about fifty-two rounds for my shotgun, not counting what I had used already. My revolver, however, had only a few shots before It would be worthless.

 

I looked over the bodies of the two men I had killed, or more specifically, their revolvers. They seriously couldn’t be using the same type of bullets my revolver used, could they? Crouching down, I retrieved one of the fallen’s revolvers, and swung the cylinder open to check. I turned the weapon around and allowed the bullets to slide out onto my open palm. After tossing it aside, I then opened up my own revolver to see if it could fit.

 

They fit like a glove.

 

My prayers answered, I gathered as much .44 Magnum revolver ammunition as I could carry, and I also reloaded my revolver. How was it that this world had very expensive ammo for a revolver like this? It was probably one of those mysteries that would never be solved. With the bullets bulging in the pouches on my vest, I stepped out of the house, feeling a lot more powerful.

 

Applejack was standing right there, eyes to the ground pitifully. I raised a brow; I thought she would’ve been long gone by now like the rest, or at least get as far away from me as possible. Yet here she was, playing with the dirt as she gave quick glances at me with a sorry expression.

 

I made to ask why she was here, but she spoke before I could utter a word. “I’m still not sure I can trust ya,” she admitted, “but I reckon I owe ya big time.”

“Great,” I said with sarcasm, “now I can die happy.”

 

She stopped pouting to give me a glare I was becoming all too familiar with. “I’m tryin’ to help ya here,” she pointed out, shaking a hoof at me.

 

“I thought I was stupid to ask questions that I should already know the answers to,” I snapped, crossing my arms. I shouldn't be this aggressive to her, seeing as she was going to do something instead of answering my questions, but I wanted a bit of payback.

 

“Do you want my help or not?” she finished, her eyes narrowed. I gave a sigh, not the type that means one has given in, but the relieving kind; I would finally get somewhere.

 

“That’s all I ever asked,” I said, walking by her. “So what did you have in mind?”

 

Stopping a few feet away from her, I examined the area for any more threats as she spoke, “I can take ya ta... Twilight.”

 

That got my attention instantly as I swiveled to face her. Twilight was one of her friends, as I recall, and got really defensive what I inquired where she was. Applejack wanting to talk about her must mean she trusts me a bit more. Still, I was a bit miffed that it took me saving her from being sexually assaulted for her to come around.

 

“I know where she’s at,” Applejack continued, trotting up to my side while looking up at me, “And I think she can take ya back to that world you’re from.”

Rubbing my chin, I contemplated if it was worth going after this pony. Who am I kidding; I had nothing to do to begin with, so this was the only option. “If we’re going to leave, we’re going to need supplies,” I explained, a hint that I would accept her offer.

 

“I’ll get some apples, you get some water,” she instructed. Figuring I could find some canteens, I nodded at her orders and made my way to Jordan’s house while Applejack headed for the orchard.

 

                                                                                                     {~+~}

 

Finding some canteens was one thing, but filling them was another. Though I knew of a place to get water, I was worried that I would get spotted by a passerby. I already had enough publicity.

 

Before leaving for the stream to test my luck, I learned that the household had running water. The technology I've seen so far made me think that it hasn't grown much. Having plumbing, however, changed that theory. Did they advance in some areas and falter in others?

 

Putting it behind me, I stepped out of the house with three canteens full of water, quenching my thirst as well. I would need a backpack or something to hold any of the supplies Applejack and I would gather, but I hadn't seen one at all. As if the universe was reading my thoughts, Applejack walked over to me from the single-story house, some sort of saddle bag strapped to her side. It was apple green, with her cutie mark as the buckle.

 

“Ready to go, partner?” she asked in a neutral tone. Her expression was determination, that much I could tell, but there was something else. Something different. It could’ve just been her refusal to really trust me, or my imagination.

 

“Not quite,” I answered, lowering myself to a knee, presenting the canteens in my hands, “I need a bag to put our water in.”

 

“Just put ‘em in here,” she said, turning to the side to show her saddle bag. I was about to argue that it wasn’t fair, but I didn’t want to start a full blown argument again. Opening up the siding, I dropped the canteens inside, noticing the apples that she had gathered. Now, I knew we were ready.

 

“So where to, AJ?” I inquired, standing to full height as I threw a nickname out of the blue. She didn’t take it so well, whipping her head at me.

 

“Only my friends and family call me AJ,” she informed me, trotting towards a direction. Sighing, I followed along. This would be a long walk.

 

                                                                                                               {~+~}

 

Hours went by like the wind, the clouds still in pause as the world went on. The yellow grass almost shining in the sun. Plains as far as the eye could see, with hills that added to the sight. I thought it was marvelous - living in the city most of my life, I never got the luxury of seeing nature at its finest.

 

Applejack, on the other hand, behaved as if the scenery was evil.

 

I didn’t bother asking about it, she’d probably blame me or something along those lines. Strangely enough, she brought up the topic herself. “The land wasn’t always like this,” she announced somberly, keeping her gaze ahead. “It used to be green, but the Pegasi don’t give rain no more.”

 

I was half listening when she spoke, but a few seconds later, I jerked my head back. “Wait, Pegasi?”

 

Giving an irritated sigh, she shook her head, and kept talking. Maybe I can find out what she meant later; there were Griffins here, so Pegasi weren’t completely impossible. “There hasn’t been a drop of water in these here lands for a while. Just up in the mountains where the humans ain't at.”

 

That was a puzzling statement; why would the weather choose where to rain? It doesn’t have a mind of its own. Even in this world of fantasy, that would be absolutely ridiculous. And why does the weather avoid humans? God, I wished I wasn’t so in the dark.

 

Perpetual silence reigned over us as we continued our trek, the sight of Ponyville long gone. With my thirst and hunger satisfied, I was becoming increasingly bored; the beautiful landscape can only quench my boredom for so long. “So...” I started, seeing if she would cut me off. “Can you answer my question about those tattoos on your flank?”

 

Halting in her tracks, she turned to face me, making sure I was serious. I still had my mask on, so it was a bit awkward for her to stare at me. Complying to my request, she turned so her flank was easily in view, and she explained. “Our Cutie Mark shows us ponies what our special talent is,” she explained, her tone somewhat happy, but her face said otherwise. “I’m good with apples, as you can see.”

 

I rubbed my chin, thinking about what she said, “Rose’s ‘Cutie Mark’ is a rose. So is she good with... roses?” I was grasping at straws here, and my mind was still reeling over the title being ‘Cutie Mark’.

 

Applejack nodded, and I said, “And these marks just... appear?”

 

“When the time is right,” Applejack said with an indifferent expression. She turned back around, moving on with our journey. I played with my helmet a bit, absorbing this information. Almost everything that had to do with the ponies themselves was not influenced by humanity. It was strange to think it was natural and normal.

 

“Shake a leg, Nolan, we’re almost there,” Applejack called from the top of a small hill before climbing down the other side. At this my heart gave a skip; I could finally get out of this bizarre place and back to the world where everything makes sense. I gave a slight grunt as Applejack had stopped calling me by my species name. Perhaps she had moved on from it.

 

As I climbed the hill that Applejack disappeared over, I wondered what I would find. Would it be a lone house on the prairie, or a small run-down shack? I even thought up a bunker, but I tossed that idea to the side with an inward chuckle. That wouldn’t be practical.

 

At the top of the hill, my jaw nearly dropped; it was a bunker. It looked like one of those old military bunkers, partly in the ground and camouflaged to avoid detection and such. Cold concrete surrounded a wooden door that felt way out of place - that wouldn’t survive a nuclear bomb.

 

Still, this must have been the place, as Applejack was walking towards it. Picking up the pace, I ran down the hill, astounded that we had reached our destination. The thought of going anywhere in this world made me jittery in nervousness; a completely different world, in terms of geography, was a bit worrying.

 

I arrived at the bottom of the hill to a small flat area in front of the bunker, and it was at that moment that something burst from the ground. It knocked me back, spewing dirt everywhere, and I landed on my head. Though my helmet had taken most of impact, it still hurt quite a bit. Groaning, I stumbled to my feet, my sight foggy from the landing.

 

“Nolan! Duck!” Applejack screamed, her voice desperate. I did so without hesitation, as it wouldn’t be right to ignore her at this point in time. Lucky I did, too, as something flew through the air above me, casting a long shadow. It retracted itself, and when my vision cleared, I looked up to see what we were facing.

 

It was a thin purple tendril, of all things. The material that made it up was unfamiliar to me, though it shouldn’t have been too surprising, considering the circumstances. It had a strange twinkling effect, and was transparent! I could see Applejack waving her hooves in the air at me through it.

 

“Watch it, Nolan!” she shouted, and I focused my eyes at the large tendril that towered over me. It was about to slam down on top of me, but I jumped out of the way, meeting the ground with a curse. I scrambled to my feet as the tendril did the same maneuver, but I jumped to the side again, this time drawing my revolver.

 

Taking a few shots at it, I learned that it was ineffective, as the bullets flew right through it. I gripped my revolver tightly in my right hand as my inner rage was growing again; I hate it when the enemy fights unfairly. It may seem dumb to think that all enemies will fight honorably - being a cop, I should know this - but my inner being can’t help but turn furious at the prospect at being at a disadvantage.

 

“Son of a-” I hissed, but didn’t have the chance to mutter my profanity as the tendril slammed by my side. I had to come up with a way to take this thing down, or find a way to get in the bunker, whichever worked. Putting away my revolver, I leapt out of the way yet again, barely getting out of the way as the tendril attempted a fourth strike.

 

I was backing away from the tendril as it thrashed around, seeming to grow angry. If I could put some distance between me and it, then Applejack could slip in and get help. That’s when Applejack slid to my side, facing the tendril with a hard face. “What the hell are you doing!?” I hissed, warily watching the tendril for its next move.

 

“Well I can’t just let someone who helped me die now can I?” she retorted smugly, a smirk flashing across her face for a brief moment.

 

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” I muttered, shaking my head. I appreciated her assistance, for whatever it was worth, but I suppose I didn’t want to see her hurt.

 

Then she did something inconceivably stupid. She charged straight for the tendril, swiveled her body to face away from it, and bucked it. Obviously, her hooves passed right through it, and because of that, she lost her balance and fell on her stomach. She went to get up, but I could see that the tendril wasn't going to give her a break.

 

“Applejack! Get out of the way!” I shouted, waving an arm for emphasis. She wouldn’t respond, or maybe she couldn’t hear me, but the tendril had already smacked her away, sending her away with an audible grunt of pain. She landed a few yards away, rolling to a stop. I rushed to her side, noticing with relief that she was still alive.

 

“Goddamn fool,” I muttered as I looked her over, but it was only half hearted as she was barely awake. “You’re going to get us both killed.”

I looked back at the tendril and saw it was preparing for another attack, as it seemed it was going to charge forward to stab us like a shish kebab. “Shit,” I cursed, not daring to face away from the tendril, “We gotta move.”

 

Applejack didn’t reply, and attempted to get up. She was succeeding in that respect, but her current speed wouldn’t be enough. The tendril surged forward, its intent to gore was evident. I blinked at how fast it was going; we wouldn’t get out of the way in time. Desperately, I picked up the struggling Applejack, and tossed her away, just as the tendril slashed through my back.

 

I’ve been shot more times than I could count, but never had I been stabbed through the back of my left shoulder and out the front. I would’ve screamed in pain, maybe even whimper a bit, but the sheer shock of it all was enough to silence me, and when the tendril retracted, I could feel the air stinging the gaping hole it left. It probably didn’t look pretty either.

 

After that, everything was a blur, as far as I could tell. Applejack was yelling at the bunker, and another pony was standing there. It looked like it was purple, but I couldn’t tell as everything became fused together in my vision. My wobbling got the better of me as I knelt down and fell on my stomach, unconscious from the loss of blood.

 

                                                                                                                  {~+~}

 

“Nolan...” an angelic female voice called out in the darkness. I opened my eyes, but it made no difference through the dark void. I had heard that voice before, but I thought the owner was long gone. I moved my body, but it was like moving through a thick substance - almost pointless and difficult.

 

“Come Nolan...” the voice said, and a bright light illuminated my surroundings, causing me to flinch as I covered my eyes with my arms. When I looked back, I saw endless white, and my lone body floating. I was still wearing my outfit, but my weapons were all but gone.

 

“Over here,” the voice deadpanned, and I span around so quickly I could’ve broken my neck. It was... something; it was a shade darker than the environment, so it was impossible to see any details. From the looks of it, it was a woman - slender with long hair.

 

The more I looked at her, and the more I analyzed her voice, I began to put the pieces together, until my heart nearly stopped. “Emma...” I whispered, relaxing my frame. It couldn’t be her, she died years ago. This was either a dream, or I was really killed by that tendril, and I’m in the afterlife.

 

I reached out my hand, my disbelief slowly disappearing as I stared at her. I wanted to hold her again, to comfort her, to tell her I was sorry...

 

That’s when gravity took hold, and I plummeted from view as Emma remained where she was, giving me a blank gaze as I fell. The area was becoming black again, and I was enveloped in the growing darkness.

 

I couldn’t stop as I gave one last cry, one so loud that I might’ve been able to shatter glass.

 

“Emma!”

 

                                                                                                                 {~+~}

 

I sprung up in the bed I was laying on, shouting the name as if I was still in the dream. That’s when my senses kicked back in, and I gasped in pain from my left shoulder, clutching it. I was wearing nothing but my boxers, and covered in cold sweat. I was out of breath as well, taking large gasps of air. I’ve never experienced a dream so vividly, not even when I first lost her. Shaking the memory out before I got all emotional, I gave a gander at where I was.

First off, I was in a comfy bed, with a warm quilt blanket that was light purple with a strange pink, six-pointed star, surrounded by five smaller white stars on the cover. My left shoulder, forearms, and right elbow were bandaged up -  the first more heavily than the rest. The room I was in was homey, with a fireplace and an azure carpet. There were more details in the room, but a knock brought my attention over to the door on my left.

 

I was a bit reluctant to open the door, considering my luck with knocking doors so far, but since I wasn’t chained up or dead, I must not have been captured by humans. “Come in,” I said hoarsely, the dream still flashing through my mind.

 

The wooden door opened just enough for a head to poke through, and one did. It was a pony I had not seen yet, with a gentle light purple coat. Her mane was plum purple with a pink streak in it, and a horn sticking out of it.

 

Horn sticking out of...

 

Horn!?

 

I raised an eyebrow as she gave me a warm smile, stepping fully into the room, revealing her elegant wings at her sides.

Wings at her...

 

Wings!?

 

Okay, I’ve seen some strange things here, but... wings and horns?! I expressed my discomfort, and she seemed ashamed of it, dipping her head as she gave me a sorry look. I also noticed that her ‘Cutie Mark’ - still think that’s a girly name - was the same as the one on the covers. Shaking off my confusion, I gave an awkward smile, “I, uh... hi.”

 

“Hello,” she said simply, her earlier mood returning, albeit a bit less cheery. “You feel alright?”

 

I glanced at my injuries, seeing how well bandaged they were, before facing her again. Did she do this by herself? That’s pretty good, compared to how I would have done it. “Could be worse,” I stated, rubbing my shoulder. She took that as a good sign as she walked over to the bed.

 

“You were lucky my tendril spell didn’t kill you,” she expressed.

 

“Yeah, I- wait that was yours!?” I said, raising my voice. She cowered back at my tone, her ears folded back.

 

“Y-Yes,” she whimpered, looking to the side, “It was a protection spell.”

 

It was an excuse, one I wasn’t pleased with, but I didn’t know how to express my rage, as I didn’t know how she could cast a spell. So I settled on gripping my hair with my hands, quivering with suppressed fury. She noticed my reaction, and was even more afraid to speak.

 

“I knew he wouldn’t take it well,” another voice said with disdain from outside the door. I groaned, as I already knew who it was.

 

“You have something to add, Applejack?” I hissed, pushing off the blanket while rubbing my forehead. She stepped into the room, her own anger showing in her features.

 

“In fact I do,” she said narrowing her eyes at me, “You have no right to go off on Twi’ like that.”

 

“No right!?” I shouted, standing up and breathing hard. Twilight, as she was called, shrunk down even more, covering herself with her hooves. “She nearly killed us! Nearly killed me!”

 

“She didn’t do it on purpose,” Applejack exclaimed, stomping her way over to me. “It was just an accident.”

 

“How was that an accident!?” I roared, getting in her face. She didn’t back down, which was strange; she was scared of other humans, but not me? Applejack and I had a stare down, one that lasted many minutes, until Twilight spoke up again.

 

“I-It was to protect me from humans!” she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. “I... I didn’t know it would hurt someone so badly. I’m sorry!”

 

She was sobbing now, sniffling occasionally, and Applejack went over to comfort her. That’s when I reflected on how I was behaving; it was like how Carrot Top was being treated. It doesn’t matter how different it was, it still had the same effect.

 

I wasn’t so different from the monsters that I had killed.

 

Seeing the harm I was doing, I sat back down on the bed, facing the carpet with resentment towards myself. Applejack was motherly shushing Twilight as she continued to cry. The more I heard it, the more I hated myself; she was the one that could get me home, says Applejack, and here I am yelling at her for something she indirectly did. That was the reason why I didn't speak up, for I was afraid she would refuse to help me. I wouldn't blame her if she did.

After about five minutes, Twilight gave one last sniffle as she wiped the stray tears in her eyes. Applejack backed away cautiously, probably to comfort Twilight again at a moment's notice. She looked at me like I would beat her if she crossed me again, and I knew I had to make things right. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, gazing off to the side. “I guess I’m a little... on edge, as of late.”

 

It was a terrible excuse - I’m able to hold my true anger from other ponies, but not her? I gave a glance at her, wondering what she could be thinking. She was still shaking slightly, but she seemed to stand up straighter. “N-No,” she stammered eventually, swallowing carefully, “I should have known sooner that you were friendly.”

 

“You never could have known, sugarcube,” Applejack assured, walking to her side. Twilight didn’t object, but she also didn’t agree. Sighing, I shook my head; she really does feel guilty about what happened.

 

“Let’s start over,” I suggested, hoping it would drop the situation I had made for myself. “I’m Nolan Anderson.”

 

Twilight gave a small smile, “I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

 

I returned the smile, “A pleasure, miss Sparkle.”

 

Twilight looked at me funny, moving around to get better views. “I can’t figure out how you could go from being so aggressive to being so friendly so quickly.”

 

“Well,” I said, looking around the room. “Before we get to specifics, can I have my clothes back?”

 

Twilight gasped, “Oh, sorry. I’ll be right back.”

 

She turned around and left the room, leaving just Applejack and I. She watched as Twilight left, then focused on me. “We have a real problem if you just blow up in my friends’ faces,” she announced, pointing a hoof at me.

 

“Yeah, well, I have the problem of being in a world where there are winged and horned ponies,” I replied back, adding emphasis on the obvious.

Applejack didn’t retort right away, quickly gazing over to the door to see if Twilight was nearby before facing me. “There are more,” she said ominously and I jerked back in surprise; she seemed to get a kick out of that.

 

“How many more?” I asked warily, not liking how something out of mythology was walking around.

 

She smirked, behaving as if she had a foothold on me. “In Twilight’s case, only three others, but most either have a horn or wings,” she answered with a grin.

 

“So why haven’t I seen them up until now?” I asked in curiosity; surely I would have seen them if all ponies were slaves.

 

Applejack’s smug look diminished to depression, as she slumped her shoulders and released a small sigh. “Unicorns are... more valuable,” she said, but it wasn’t quite clear.

 

“What does that have to do with the horns and what about the Pegasi?” I inquired, not seeing the connection. Applejack merely shook her head - I guess I would have to ask Twilight when I got the chance. “Alright, then what exactly is Twilight? I know Unicorns and Pegasi, but what is she?”

 

She snorted, “Her kind are rare, only the princesses are Alicorns.”

 

The princesses again, and they’re a type of species that is considered rare. So are they a princess because they’re an Alicorn? Or are they an Alicorn because they’re a princess? That’s when it dawned on me.

 

Twilight must be a princess.

 

“Ah, fuck,” I swore, slapping my hand to my head. I had gone off on a princess and I was too blind to take that into consideration. That’s when Twilight entered while levitating my stuff in a magenta aura in front of her. Seriously!? Now they can use... magic was probably the correct term.

 

I scoffed at her, but she took it the wrong way as she stopped a few feet away, looking a bit frightened. “Now you have magic?!” I exclaimed, throwing myself back on the bed, trying to absorb everything. There was a lot to take in.

 

Applejack then burst out laughing, falling to the ground holding her head. Glancing back, I could tell Twilight was on the verge of a giggling fit herself. Thinking about it, it was somewhat humorous to do what I just did. Twilight restrained herself the best she could and placed my stuff by my side as I sat up. I sifted through my clothing to make sure everything was there as Applejack stood back up. My jacket, undershirt, boots, combat vest, and such was present, but my weapons...

 

“Where are my guns?” I asked, my frustration growing yet again.

 

Twilight made to answer, but Applejack beat her to it. “Locked up so you can’t do anything with ‘em.”

 

I had every reason to explain that I had saved her and had done nothing that would have provoked such a decision. But if I did that, it would only add to their reasoning. “Whatever,” I said, waving a hand, “but can I have some privacy?”

 

Twilight instantly blushed, backing away quickly - strange, since I wasn’t going to get even more naked; I just wanted to be alone as I dressed. Applejack merely rolled her eyes as she followed behind. As the door shut, I could’ve sworn I heard Applejack mutter, “Humans.”

 

                                                                                                         {~+~}

 

A few minutes later, I was back in my outfit, feeling a lot bolder with some threads on me. It felt clean, like someone went through the trouble of washing it before bringing it to me - another reason to give my thanks to Twilight. It was even stitched from the cuts on my forearms and elbow. I left my mask off and on the bed, thinking it would seem less imposing without it, and went for the door.

 

Before I pushed it open, I could hear Applejack and Twilight speaking with each other, and couldn’t help but eavesdrop, maybe because they were talking about me. "And you're sure that you can't tell?" Twilight questioned rather nervously.

 

Applejack sighed, "Like I said, I can't tell if them humans are lying or not, and Nolan is no exception. Even if I could, I wouldn't trust any of 'em with a bag a' hammers."

 

"What about Nolan? You've traveled with him so far. Surely you can trust him."

 

"Twi'," Applejack responded with irritation, "you weren't out there with those things for three months. And you saw what they did when they invaded."

"But didn't Nolan save you from my... Tendril spell before I stopped it?"

 

Applejack became unusually quiet, and it made me curious as to how she would respond. After a minute, she finally broke the silence. "Maybe, but I don't like it. I feel like he's using me."

 

It was time to intervene, defend myself, something to show that I was not those humans I killed. "Something you two want to tell me?" I asked as I sauntered into the room.

 

It was a lovely room, but a bit too lively for my tastes. It was what you would find in a normal living room: sofa, coffee table, and such. However, the walls were covered with bookshelves, from the floor to the ceiling.

 

Twilight chuckled sheepishly from the dark green sofa she and Applejack were sharing. "How long were you listening?" She asked with an awkward smile.

Crossing my arms, I replied, "Long enough."

 

Seeing an open armchair that was across from them, I walked over to it and plopped down, resting my head back. "Alright," I started, closing my eyes. "I want to know all about the invasion, no holding back."

 

"You don't know?" Twilight questioned skeptically. How many times did I hear that question? Too much to count that's for sure.

 

"I'm not from around here," I said without moving, then sat up resting my chin on my hands, giving Twilight a cold stare, "so no, I don't know."

 

"Applejack?" Twilight asked like one would an adviser. She looked over and gave a nod, as if confirming what I said. “Alright so let’s say you don’t know, what do you want to know?”

 

“Everything,” I replied simply, sitting back up, “What happened here, why there are creatures that should not exist, stuff like that.”

Twilight seemed hesitant, rubbing the side of her head, “Where do I even begin?”

 

“How about where Applejack left off,” I offered, “When you and your friends went to check out... the Crystal Empire, if I remember correctly.”

 

Twilight nodded, sadness building up on her face, “Well, my friends and I went to check out the damage done to the city after the battle. What we found was... terrible; most of the guards were dead, and  the city was practically destroyed. But Pinkie took it the worst...”

 

I raised a brow, “One of your friends?”

 

She nodded reluctantly and continued, “She couldn’t make ponies smile with so much sadness. She turned into... someone else. Someone who was not Pinkie, but some crazy mare that I’ve never met before in my life. I think Rainbow knew something about it.”

 

“Wait, she turned from herself to some psycho just because she couldn’t make people... smile?”

 

“Yeah,” Applejack jumped in, “She’s the type that wants everypony to smile and be happy. Kind of hard to do that when...”

 

She trailed off and dipped her head, and Twilight did the same, in some silent mourning. “Death is present,” I finished, closing my eyes. These ponies were so innocent that even the thought of death was foreign to them. I wish our world came close to that. I could still remember the first time I saw death; it still lingers in my mind like an omnipresent shadow.

 

Shaking the haunting thought out of my head, I decided to know more about this princess. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” I inquired, gesturing towards Twilight. She must have known about how I changed the subject, but she seemed content with the notion.

 

“Well, I’ve been a princess for a few months now, before the invasion,” she explained. “I lived in Ponyville before my coronation, but I turned into an Alicorn after a certain... incident.”

 

I figured that this ‘incident’ she spoke of was rather embarrassing, or somewhere along those lines. Still, if it wasn’t pertaining to this whole invasion business, then it wasn’t important. “So you became an Alicorn which means you become a princess?” I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

“Exactly,” she said with a smile.

 

“So what were you before you became... that?”

 

“A Unicorn of course! Wouldn’t be the Element of Magic if I wasn’t!” She answered with glee.

 

“Typical,” I grumbled, “Anyway, why are you in this bunker?”

 

“Princess Celestia ordered me here,” she answered, sitting up straighter than before. “She said to come here to study humans.”

 

“Study humans?” I asked in disbelief, “But wouldn’t it be better to study humans outside?”

 

Twilight’s bright attitude faltered slightly, and her smile diminished as well, “It was something that crossed my mind, but I’m sure Princess Celestia had her reasons.”

 

These ponies put a lot of faith in their Princess; not once had they spoken about her in hatred. She must have been a good ruler. “Alright, what did you learn?” I questioned, wondering the viewpoint of someone who had done external research.

 

“Well, I learned that humans are just as intelligent as ponies, and that they have more dexterity with their hands and fingers. They also go through constant strife with one another.”

 

Textbook knowledge from an alien race; figured as much, considering she seemed like the book-worm type. She opened her mouth to continue, but Applejack stopped her by placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Twi’, how do you know so much about humans anyway?” she said, “It’s been botherin’ me ever since Princess Celestia gave ya the assignment.”

 

“From all these books she lent me!” she exclaimed flying over to a high shelf behind me. I twisted my waste to get a better look as she extracted one book in particular. “They talk about human anatomy, culture, and everything!”

 

“Now, how in the hay does Princess Celestia have books on humans?” she questioned rather harshly, causing Twilight to flinch. “We thought they were a myth three months ago, then suddenly they come out of nowhere.”

 

Twilight clutched the book in her hooves harder as she looked down. “I... I don’t know,” she admitted, “She never told me.”

 

“Let me get this straight,” I jumped in, standing back up, and walking to a random shelf, reading a few of the titles. “This Celestia sent Twilight here to this bunker for the sole purpose of learning about humans as an invasion was taking place?”

 

“I guess when you put it that way...” Twilight said with regret.

 

“Say Nolan,” Applejack spoke up, “What’re those letters on your back? S - W - A - T, swat?”

 

I looked back at them with a surprised expression. I should have known that they wouldn’t know what S.W.A.T. was, but I had forgotten those four letters were still on my combat vest. “S.W.A.T. It stands for Special Weapons And Tactics. It’s a branch of the law enforcement back home. We deal with high-risk operations that require precision and military-grade maneuvers.”

 

“Whoa,” Twilight said, hovering over to me while staring, her face filled with excitement. “You’ve got to tell me all about it!”

 

“I don’t see why not,” I said with a grin, turning to face them fully, slipping my hands into my pockets. That’s when my fingers touched the documents still in my pockets, and I was reminded of the situation I was in. It also made me wonder if Twilight washed them with my clothing. I averted my eyes as my demeanor went serious, “On second thought, I think it’s high time I head home.”

 

Twilight’s face fell quicker than I’ve ever seen one before, “Right now?”

 

I nodded, “I don’t belong here, and I would rather deal with the problems in my own world right now.”

 

Applejack scoffed facing away from me. “Selfish as always,” I heard her mutter, causing me to rub my forehead.

 

“Look, Applejack,” I said, gazing at her sternly, “I don’t want to solve your problems, okay? I don’t belong here, and therefore don’t have any obligation to help anyone.”

 

“I guess that’s true,” Twilight admitted, floating back to the floor. Then she looked up at me with glee. “But maybe you can make an exception-”

 

“No,” I repeated, narrowing my eyes. There was absolutely no reason for me to help these ponies. And what the hell would I do? Fight back an entire nation of humans?

 

“Alright,” Twilight gave up, sighing in exasperation as she walked past me. “I’ll look up trans-dimensional travel, if I have something on it.”

 

I couldn’t tell if that was sarcasm or not, but I nodded nonetheless and made my way back to the armchair. As I sat back down, I gave off a small smile as I leaned my head back. I felt my chest fill with relief - I would finally leave this place once and for all.

 

“I can’t believe you,” Applejack whispered, and I looked over to her to see her standing in front of me. “Why won’t ya help us? We need it!”

 

“You expect me to fight an army!” I exclaimed, my temper building. “What could I change?! I can’t tip the balance or whatever!”

 

“Uh, oh,” I heard Twilight mumble, but I was too into the argument to react to it.

 

I don’t expect ya ta do anything like that!” she said, placing her forelegs on the armrests as she got in my face. “I just think ya should help others around ya!”

 

“I do that every fucking day!” I shouted, gripping my legs tightly to restrain myself. “Why should I help you guys anyway!? You hate me, don’t you!?”

 

“Maybe because you have to,” I heard Twilight whisper, but it was enough for me to recoil, my face in shock. Applejack was just as surprised as we both turned our heads in her direction. Her nose was in another book, which was bright green and on the floor.

 

“What’re ya sayin’, sugarcube?” Applejack said cautiously, as she jumped off of my chair, walking over to Twilight.

 

“It says here in ‘Through the Wormhole and Back’ - by Starswirl the Bearded - that to go from one universe to another is extremely difficult; not even Princess Celestia could pull something like that off,” she explained, not even looking up at us.

 

“So, how did I get here?” I inquired, standing back up as I crossed my arms. “There isn’t even any magic where I’m from.”

“Really?” Twilight said in amazement, looking up from her book.

 

“Stay on topic, Twi’,” Applejack reminded, with a bored gaze. Twilight gave an embarrassed chuckle, and looked back at the book grimly, clearing her throat.

 

“Well, answering your question, Nolan,” she addressed pointing at something in the book. “I don’t really know, but I do know how to get you back home.”

 

“Great,” I said, clapping my hands together, “so let’s get it done.”

 

 

“That’s the thing,” Twilight sighed, shaking her head gloomily, “I need the Elements of Harmony to get you home.”

 

 

Applejack’s jaw dropped, and Twilight nodded solemnly as if it was an obvious fact. I was just plain confused now. “What the hell are the... Elements of Harmony?” I asked, throwing my arms out in front of me to show my puzzlement.

 

“I guess you wouldn’t know,” Twilight admitted, walking over to me.

 

“I don’t even think most humans know,” Applejack agreed, stepping to the side to make room for her friend as they both stood in front of me.

 

“The Elements of Harmony are six artifacts representing the elements of friendship. And me and my friends, in turn, are those elements,” she explained rather simply. It all sounded corny to me, but if it’s part of this world, I couldn’t really deny it.

 

“Okay,” I drew out, my mind working fast so I don’t look like an idiot. “So, what are the ‘elements’?”

 

“I represent Magic,” Twilight said, pointing to herself, “and Applejack represents Honesty.”

 

That would explain why Applejack was talking about lying, and why she can’t lie herself. “I think I get it so far,” I said, rubbing my chin, “what are the other four elements?”

 

“Kindness, Laughter, Loyalty, and Generosity,” Twilight recited, “And each of my friends represents one of them.”

 

“Right, right,” I waved off. I could figure things out just fine; I didn’t need to be reminded of something that was literally said a minute ago. “Now, what does it have to do with me getting home?”

 

“If my friends and I, with the help of the Elements of Harmony, come together,” she stated, as she walked away back to the book, “we can conjure enough magic to send you back home. In theory.”

 

I was about to cheer, but a nagging feeling inside of me told me that there was a catch - there’s always a catch. “And where are your friends and the elements?” I asked, regretting asking the question already.

 

Twilight gulped as she closed the book, “I don’t know where my friends are, and the elements are locked up in Canterlot.”

 

I blinked, “You mean Camelot, right?”

 

It was Applejack’s turn to blink, giving me an odd look, “No, it’s Canterlot.”

 

So now there was a place that was a parody of something back on Earth? I was afraid to see if there were other cities like that in this bizarre place. Sighing, I sat back down in the armchair, leaning my head back to gaze at the ceiling, slowly allowing the new information to sink in. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

 

A long silence was what continued, the two ponies moving away to give me space. I just sat there with the thoughts of everything that had happened. It was almost too much. I would have to help these ponies find their friends and get the Elements of Harmony if I wanted to return home. I was sure the other people here would love to get in my way as well. In short, I would have to do some shit to get what I want. When I finally looked back up, the ponies were waiting patiently on the sofa with expressions of expectancy.

 

I quickly stood up, cracking my neck as the soreness was setting in. “Okay,” I said quietly, “Where do we start?"

 

 

 

 

 

You should know by now this is not mine. This will be the last time I remind everyone. All credit goes to superdale33. <------- Although this will always stay around

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 4: Asylum

The sky was littered with brilliant stars. Each one similar, yet different. It was all I could stare at as I sat on top of the bunker entrance, my feet dangling over the edge. My right hand was occupied with the newly lit cigarette, while the other was resting on my lap. Twilight and Applejack were inside, probably fuming over the arguement that I had, admittedly, started.

“Not my fault they can’t understand humans,” I growled as I inhaled from my cigarette.

Still, the situation kept repeating over and over in my head, like a horrible nightmare. I wondered how they thought of me now, but my mind would not stop replaying the events. “And to think,” I mumbled, “it all started with a good plan...”

 

{~+~}

 

“A friend nearby?” I asked, wondering if I had heard right.

“Yeah,” Twilight said as she was overlooking the small map of the area around Ponyville; which was laid out on the coffee table. “It’s Pinkie Pie.”

“You mean the friend that went crazy?” I deadpanned; she was going after that friend first?

Nodding, Twilight pointed with a hoof at a spot on the map. I leaned down to get a closer look, and saw she was indicating an area north of Ponyville. Even if we were headed for this ‘Pinkie Pie’, it was a relief to know we wouldn’t have to travel far.

“From my calculations, it should be about fourteen miles away,” she explained, while staring ahead, presumably doing the math in her head. “That’s about a day’s travel.”

“Fourteen miles?” I responded with disbelief. I’d walked long distances before, but if that place was that far away, finding Twilight’s other friends would be a lot more challenging.

“Yeah, not a problem,” she replied gleefully, causing me to furrow my brow at her. She saw it and looked at me with a blank expression. “What?”

“Nothing,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “So, what exactly are we heading for?”

Twilight faced the map again, all cheerfulness gone. “It’s an asylum Princess Celestia built for all the traumatized ponies during the war. We’ve... never had death so prominent, and many ponies didn’t take it so well.”

“Figured as much,” I whispered, standing straight to stretch out my legs. “Here’s another question: why is it in the middle of nowhere?”

Twilight’s ears folded back as she looked away. “Princess Celestia didn’t want to risk the poor, mentally unstable ponies to hurt others,” she replied quietly, “and she also didn’t want morale to diminish everytime ponies saw the building.”

“War strategies,” I mumbled idly, rubbing my chin, “are you sure there was no other war before this one?”

Twilight shook her head solemnly as Applejack entered the room with a bowl of apples on her back. “Not from any book I’ve read,” she answered, “Princess Celestia wouldn’t talk about her past much.”

“Not even to you?” I inquired as Applejack placed the bowl on the coffee table, “Her most faithful student?”

Applejack sat down beside Twilight, an apple in her hoof, and answered the question with a slight chuckle, “Kinda surprised us too.”

Using her magic, Twilight levitated an apple from the bowl. Before Twilight could take a bite, however, she froze, as if having a sudden revelation.

“Uh, you alright?” I asked carefully, looking her over.

She narrowed her eyes at me as she said, “How do you know that Princess Celestia called me that?”

Well, that was one question that I was able to find the answer to myself. Of course, it was just a guess, and I really didn’t know - yet she verified it for me easily. “I found a letter that was addressed to you, back in Ponyville,” I answered, jabbing a thumb behind me to the figurative town.

Twilight’s suspicious demeanor changed quickly, as she was utterly surprised. “You found a letter?” She asked, her face lighting up. I gave a small nod, reaching into my pocket while we all ate our apples; just as juicy as the one back at Sweet Apple Acres. I retrieved the letter, but before I could place it on the coffee table, Twilight grasped it in her magic and hovered it over to her face, reading intently.

After a few seconds, she looked over the letter to me, an eyebrow raised, “That’s strange how you found my letter after all this time.

“If you think that’s strange,” I replied darkly, my eyes to the floor, “then you should see things from my perspective.”

That shut her up, as she averted her eyes and Applejack, of course, narrowed her eyes at me. I gave a quick smirk while the only noise in the room was the three of us eating our food, lost in our own thoughts.

I wished I had my weapons back, I always felt comfortable with them, and with a dangerous place like this, I wanted them more than ever. “Can I have my guns back?” I asked suddenly; no point in beating around the bush.

Twilight looked over to Applejack, and she shook her head. I had a feeling that Applejack was saying some nasty stuff behind my back. Facing me again, Twilight smiled apologetically, “Sorry, Nolan, but I think it’s for the best if we kept them for now.”

I squeezed my apple tightly, keeping my anger in check. As I’ve said, I feel weak if I’m at a disadvantage, and this was definitely one of those moments. “I want my stuff, now,” I seethed.

Twilight swallowed, but Applejack didn’t back down. “She said no, Nolan,” she reminded me bitterly, tossing her apple core into a nearby bin.

“And I said I want them back,” I shot back, “Why can’t I have them?”

“I... W-Well, we decided that-” Twilight started hesitantly.

“We wanted to make sure ya wouldn’t kill Twilight with ‘em,” Applejack finished, nodding for emphasise.

“God dammit, Applejack,” I growled loudly, slapping a hand over my face, “You’re stubborn as a mule!”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Twilight muttered.

“Ya still have no proof that you’re really from another world,” she said rather calmly, pointing an accusatory hoof at me. “You’re friendliness could just be a big trick.”

“It isn’t a damn trick!” I shouted, my anger let loose, “I don’t have proof for crap! What the hell do you want from me!? What did those humans ever do to you!?”

“A lot of things,” she said slowly and surely, like it was a matter of fact. I ran a hand through my hair, my eyes closed tightly in agitation.

“Fuck this,” I grumbled, storming out of the door for the exit. The ponies didn’t try to stop me, nor even utter a word. I was somewhat glad of that, I might have hurt them if they had.

 

{~+~}

 

Taking a drag from my cigarette, I knew I could’ve handled it better, yet my old habits got in the way. Still, I figured I deserved to have my weapons, especially Vera. Emma would have wanted me to hold on to it.

Just thinking about Emma and that dream I had gave me shivers. God I missed her, even a year after her death. I still beat myself up over it. Everyone always tells me that I couldn’t do anything about it, and that’s exactly why I beat myself about it. I couldn’t do a damn thing.

My train of thought was broken when the door below me opened, and light streamed into the darkness, showing the shadow of a pony. The pony walked out and revealed itself to be Applejack, and she had my weapons in her saddle bag. That was a surprise to me, and I would’ve called out right away, but I didn’t want to startle her. She stepped forward slightly, looking around anxiously.

“Uh, Nolan?” she called, taking a few more steps into the open. “Where are ya?”

“Up here,” I replied quietly. My strategy worked, and she didn’t freak out. Instead, she slowly turned to me with curiosity, and I gave a lazy wave at her. She didn’t say anything from there, and instead walked up around the incline to the side and sat on her haunches to my right. She took out my weapons and placed them on the ground gently, which caused me to raise a brow.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” I inquired, taking another puff from my cigarette.

Playing with her hooves, she replied, “It felt right. I sort of trust ya, but I guess I am stubborn. My pride always got in the way in the past, and it got in the way now.”

“Pride,” I mulled over, my gaze skyward. “That would make sense.”

“So,” Applejack started, looking over to my weapons, “Why are these so important for ya?”

A smirk showed on my face as I reached over for one particular gun, my revolver. I held it above my lap, checking it over as I spoke, “Just this one, mostly. It’s very important to me.”

“Did a friend give it to ya or somethin’?” She asked obviously, forcing me to give a quick sigh.

“More than a friend,” I clarified, throwing open the cylinder to check the ammunition inside; full as when I loaded it. “My… girlfriend.”

“Ya have a girlfriend?” Applejack asked incredulously. I was willing to bet that she had doubts that anyone would be interested in me.

“Not anymore; She’s gone,” I replied darkly.

“Oh,” she said, facing away as her ears drooped, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I don’t know about you, so I’d say we’re even,” I replied half-heartedly; I already got enough sympathy from the police station.

“I suppose you’re right,” she nodded, “Maybe I can tell you when I’m ready?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, “Then I can do the same?”

She gave a smile back, and I blinked with shock dominating my face. That was a rare sight for me, she saw my stunned expression and chuckled. “Yeah,” she said after a few laughs, “then we can understand each other.”

“Sounds good to me,” I laughed, taking another drag from my cigarette. Applejack eyed my cigarette as I did so, I suppose they wouldn’t be familiar with something like it.

“It’s a cigarette,” I explained, holding it up as it was nearly finished. “When it burns, it releases smoke that the user inhales.”

“Isn’t smoke bad for ya?” she asked, tilting her head to the side while lifting a hoof.

“It sure is,” I said with a shrug, flicking away the stub.

“Then why do ya use it?”

“It helps me get through tough times,” I said with a distant expression. Applejack quieted down after that, laying down on her stomach. We just sat there, staring off into the twinkling sky. We could plan when to leave and which direction to go later. At that moment, nothing else really mattered. Just the endless sky, and the large moon.

 

{~+~}

 

At some point, Applejack and I went back inside to rest. Sleeping on the couch was no big deal, but Twilight was fretting about my wounds. She was really oblivious to what the humans did to her kind. I think she saw that I wasn’t part of them, but it worried me more than it should. All in all, the bed wasn’t too bad, I wished my couch was half as comfy.

The worst part was the nightmare I had. It was an exact repeat from last time, with Emma calling out my name and me waking up in cold sweat. I couldn’t understand why these dreams were so prevalent suddenly. And why were the dreams an almost exact copies of each other? Whatever the reason, I didn’t sleep well at all.

The next morning was deathly quiet as we all got up and gathered what we would need for the trip. Though waking up early might be the reason for the silence, I think it was last night’s argument that shut all of us up; we just weren’t ready to speak with each other yet.

The food in Twilight’s bunker was strange: just apples. I understood that she was from Ponyville, so she would love apples, but how did they stay preserved for months? I guess saying ‘magic’ would answer half the questions I had, but that just seemed lazy. Twilight packed more than I thought was possible, sporting a very light blue saddle bag with her own Cutie Mark as a buckle. Everybody must have their own personal saddlebags.

Hours pass by, and the landscape that had once enchanted me was ruined by the sweltering sun. How I didn’t feel it last time was a mystery to me, but now it was burning hot, especially with my mask on. I spoke my discontent aloud, and Applejack gave me a strange look as she trotted to my side.

“Why do you wear that mask all the time anyway?” she asked, “It must be a mite hot with it on.”

I scratched the back of my neck as I thought of an answer. Why did I have it on a lot of the time? It wasn’t really necessary. However, when I thought about it, the answer clicked. “It hides my identity,” I replied, but it wasn’t really enough, as even Twilight was giving me funny looks. “The other people here only recognize me with my mask on.”

“So, you’re like a masked vigilante like in one of my books!” Twilight summed up with a smile.

“That’s one way to put it,” I agreed reluctantly; next she’s going to say I’m a superhero. “But I won’t be recognized by the others without it, so I can navigate cities without getting out my revolver.”

“How did you manage that?” Twilight asked with a tilted head.

“Dumb luck,” I shrugged while pulling out a piece of paper. I handed it to Twilight who took it in her magic and unfurled it to reveal my Wanted poster.

“Five hundred bits!?” she shouted, forcing me to jump back with a curse as we all halted in our tracks. “How did you get five hundred bits on you?!”

“Jeez,” I commented harshly, rubbing the ear that was closest to her, “keep it down, will ya?”

“Do you know how much that is?” she inquired hysterically, to which I shook my head. “That’s enough for a month’s worth of apples!”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that - Sure, there were probably a dozen choices which I could’ve said on the spot, but something about that sentence caught me off guard.

“Sugarcube,” Applejack walked over to her, “I told you, he… killed other humans.”

“What!?” She remarked quickly with complete surprise. That was what was stopping me - how shocked she was about my bounty. Didn’t Applejack fill her in?

“I told you last night,” Applejack reminded.

“Oh,” she said simply and quietly, feeling ashamed. “Now I remember.”

She chuckled nervously; well that explained that.

“Come on, let’s keep moving,” I said, gesturing forward. The two ponies looked over and gave a firm nod as they took the lead. I had no idea where we were heading - even with the map - so it was for the best that they showed me the way.

 

{~+~}

 

The sun had reached the crest of its movement, when Twilight called out to us, “There it is!”

Looking over, I couldn’t believe it was a functional building. It was large, that was obvious, about three stories tall and twice as wide. Many of the glass windows - which had metal bars outside of them - had burst open, and the few that were still intact had many cracks. The walls were scuffed up by the elements, and faded paint covered them. A  stone wall surrounded the building with a wooden gate, and a noticeable piece of cloth was hanging out of a second-story window.

I didn’t say anything, though, and instead briskly walked to the building, passing through the gate, with the two ponies hot on my trail. “In a rush, are we?” Applejack snarled, but i didn’t care as I neared the wooden double doors.

“The sooner we find your friends, the better,” I responded as my hand landed on the door handle. As she groaned I pulled on the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. I gave it another tug but nothing. Gripping it with both hands, I used all my strength to open the doors. The doors opened slightly, but not enough for even a mouse to squeeze through.

“What the…” I whispered as I backed away to see the problem. It was quite obvious; a piece of rope was wrapped around both handles. That I had missed it was embarrassing to say the least.

“What in tarnation,” Applejack mumbled when she saw the same thing. “Who did that?”

“Humans trying to keep something in?” Twilight suggested, a hoof rubbing her chin.

“Well, they’re in for a rude awakening,” I announced, unsheathing the knife attached to my shoulder. Flipping my hold on it, I cut the rope with ease and returned the blade. I pulled again and the door came open, with a terrifying surprise.

A dead human body, which apparently had been leaning against the doors, fell forward, causing the three of us to backpedal quickly in horror. We were speechless as we examined the body from a distance. It looked smashed in, with cuts and gashes all over it. It was also rotted, if the smell was any indicator.

“What…” Twilight squeaked out, backing away still. This would be her first sight of a rotting corpse. Kneeling down, I checked it out while scrunching up my nose. Boy, did it stink!

“I can’t tell what the cause of death was, but it seems obvious that-” I cut myself off as I looked into the hallway that the door opened up into. Three other bodies, all with the same gruesome abuse, were there.

“Oh my… goodness…” Twilight whispered before falling to her stomach shivering uncontrollably. Even Applejack was having the shakes. I’ve never seen either pony behave this way. Facing the interior again, I noted that it was very dark in there, with only the few rays of sunlight to show me that there was more to the room.

“Your friend, Pinkie Pie… is in there?” I asked as I stood up and pointed inside; I could feel the trace of fear in my voice.

“Yes,” Applejack whispered quickly, as if saying the word would release all hell.

Something went down here, that was an undeniable fact. But what killed these people? Something that humans had to lock in. I decided to keep my guesses under control until I figured out what happened. I turned to the two ponies who were scared out of their minds. They wouldn’t go inside even if they were forced. Which only meant one thing.

“I’ll go in alone,” I said, unholstering my revolver and grasping it tightly. There was no refute from either pony, though I swear I heard Twilight say something about insanity. Swallowing a lump that was forming in my throat, I warily stepped over the bodies of the deceased and made my way through the hallway.

The first thing I found out about the place was how cold it was. The building barely had any sunlight and the heating system of the building must have been offline for awhile. I wasn't complaining though, it felt good. Luckily, the hallway was straight most of the time. At some point, I saw a message written on the wall in blood. It was quite large in font, and the implications that ponies wrote it was just scary:

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

I’m sure that had nothing to do with this asylum.

My trip led me to an intersection, and it would put me completely out of view of my only known exit. Sucking it up, I continued to the right, revolver at the ready.

There was the occasional bloody body, but it barely deterred me. What gave me second thoughts was the sound. There wasn’t any. Not a peep could be heard throughout the entire building. If there was anyone inside, I would be able to hear them, especially with it being so damn quiet.

There was so many rooms that I had to be wary of potential ambushes. My training told me to check each room carefully, but in the darkness, I may have skipped a few. Most of the rooms were padded cells, but what worried me was that they were empty. Not a body or anything.

Eventually, I entered some sort of office. The body of another human was hunched over a small wooden desk. There was nothing major to note in the room, but when I was about to leave, my eyes glanced over a piece of paper on the floor.

Picking it up while the dirt slid off, I read what it said:

Dear Hale,

I hoped there was a way for my little ponies to return to their original selves the normal way. However, based on the information you gathered and your recommendation, I see no other way. Please note that I do not want the Psychonas Potion dispersed to the patients until it is certified that it will cause no side effects. Especially for the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie. Leave her for last, as I still have faith that she will return to her old self on her own. Just give her time. I thank you for your efforts and I await the results of the patients.

-Princess Celestia

P.S. Give my regards to Dusty Hall, and a raise, since he’s working a fair amount of overtime.

Another letter by the Princess, and this time she contacted the pony who I assume was the doctor in charge of this asylum. But what happened when this ‘potion’ was given to the patients? And when did the humans get involved? Folding the letter up, I put it in my pocket with the rest, and made my way out. I still had work to do.

As I left the room, I heard silent skittering to the right of me. While cursing under my breath, I aimed my revolver in the direction of the noise, but I only saw a piece of metal leaning crooked against the wall. It swayed slightly, giving off a low metallic thud every time it hit the wall. Was I hearing things? That seemed unlikely, as I’ve never had a problem with my ears before. Though there was a first time for everything.

Taking a shaky breath, I turned back to the hallway and followed the signs to the stairs, and while I climbed them, I had this nagging feeling that I was being followed. I had had enough of this building already and I wanted to find Pinkie as fast as possible, if she was still alive.

As I reached the second floor, I began to hear a faint noise. As I continued, I realized it was a voice. I walked down another hallway with patient rooms on the sides until the voice became distinguishable. That’s when I realized it wasn’t someone speaking, but singing…

Hush now, quiet now

It’s time to lay your sleepy head...

Hush now, quiet now

It’s time to go to bed…

Drifting off to sleep

Exciting day behind you…

Drifting off to sleep

Let the joy of dreamland find you…

The way it softly echoed throughout the dark and desolate halls was like a scene out of a horror movie. Needless to say, I was scared shitless, which was a first. The singer kept repeating the lyrics and the tone did not change in pitch for even a second. Like it was practiced. Not only that, but I heard more rustling behind me, though I didn’t bother to turn around.

“I gotta get out of here,” I mumbled, knowing that there was no chance I would find Pinkie in a place like this. Just as I turned around to head back, something screamed and slammed into my face. The screaming continued as whatever attacked me continued its assault, two hard surfaces slamming into my face over and over. I shoved whatever it was off, and it yelped as it landed on the ground hard. I faced whatever it was, revolver pointed at it.

It was a pony. A pony in a broken straight jacket.

I paused just for a moment at that piece of info, and it gave the pony another chance to jump me. Thankfully, I shook off my hesitation and shot a bullet through the skull, killing him instantly. The bang from my revolver echoed through the building, but it did not disrupt whoever was singing. Second after second, I waited for something to happen; I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be good.

Then I heard a scream, then another, and another. There were so many ponies screaming that it was deafening. And the worse part was that it was coming from all around me. Almost as one, the crazy ponies crawled out from wherever they were hiding, twitching slightly and muttering to themselves. All of them had broken straight jackets on, and a few had a knives clenched in their drooling mouths. They were literally coming out of everywhere: the doors, the ends of the hallway, and the ventilation. All the while, the mare was still singing.

Knowing quickly that I would need some breathing space, I ran down the hallway, kicking a pony that was in my way. The others gave chase, but my long strides were able to outpace them for the moment. When I was at a reasonable distance, I whipped around and began shooting at anything that moved. I saw a few bodies fall, but there were still too many.

I continued running back, taking a few bullets out of my vest pouches as I reloaded. It wasn’t easy to run at full speed while delicately putting bullets in my revolver, but I made it work. Their endurance was quickly overcoming my speed, and I was growing tired. This meant that I couldn’t afford to stop and shoot again. I aimed my revolver over my left shoulder at the nearest pony while maintaining my speed the best I could. I fired, and he tumbled back. Another one jumped at me, but I was able to shoot it as well before it landed on me.

Facing forward again, I saw that there were two sets of stairs coming up; one going up and the other down. I intended to get out of this place, so I headed for the stairs going down, however, just before I reached them, I could see other crazy ponies make their way up. Thinking on my feet, I veered away from that set of stairs and climbed upward to the third floor. Now, I was trapped; if I couldn’t find another set of stairs or something soon, I would be smashed to a pulp by these ponies.

I repeated the movement of reloading and running, albeit a lot slower, and almost paid the price as one of the crazies was able to lodge a knife on my lower leg. I gave a small grunt of pain as I gritted my teeth. I kicked off the pony, but the knife remained, so now I was limping as fast as I could.

The hoard was still after me, and I was running out of options very fast. With little else to do, I holstered my revolver, got out my shotgun and blasted two ponies who were a little too close. After pumping my shotgun, I shot at another pony a bit further away as I backed away. Pumping and shooting another pony, I knew I was nearing a dead end, with only a door as my salvation. When I had the opportunity, I swung open the door, jumped in, and slammed it shut.

I saw a lock, thankfully, and hastily slid it in place. My lungs were on fire, as well as my leg, and I reached down and pulled out the knife with a grimace. I hate it when someone does that. Tossing the knife to the side, I fell to my knees as I listened for the crazy ponies. There was still muttering, but strangely, they weren’t trying to enter. And the singing had ceased as well. Thinking nothing of it, I rested my head against the cushioned door and allowed myself a break.

That’s when the occupant of the room jumped on my back, hooves pressed against my throat as I dropped my shotgun. I swung around blindly, trying to knock the pony off. Feeling myself losing consciousness, I ran backwards and slammed the pony into the wall. There was a whine and the pony released me, sliding along the wall to the floor as I stumbled forward. I coughed a few times and rubbed my throat tenderly; it was worse than having human hands strangling me.

“That’s it,” I growled as I unholstered my revolver again, turning around slowly, “Now I’m really-”

I stared at the pony with my revolver aiming at her head. She was shivering and facing away with eyes closed. I couldn’t believe who I was seeing; I was told that she would be pink, as her name implies, but I had thought it was an exaggeration. Sure enough, she was pink all over.

Pinkie Pie.

Her mane and tail were a dark shade of pink while her coat was a slightly lighter pink. Both her mane and tail were straight as an arrow, which made her pretty damn creepy. She had a few stray spots of blood around her hooves, but that was probably from simply walking around.

“Are you… Pinkie PIe?” I asked, lowering my revolver. She opened one eye to see that I wasn’t threatening her any more, then glared at me.

“N-No,” she responded, “I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

“Then why do your friends call you Pinkie Pie?”

She gave a nervous spasm for a moment, before narrowing her eyes at me. “I don’t have any friends, they all abandoned me in this place,” she explained, facing away with a scowl.

I scratched my neck awkwardly, this was confusing. “Right, whatever,” I replied, throwing my hand in the air. “Let’s just leave.”

“Leave!?” Pinkie shouted, like I had given a preposterous plan. “You can’t just leave! Nopony can leave!”

She looked down at her hooves with sadness, “Nopony…”

We stood in silence as I looked around the room. There was a metal-framed bed that sat underneath a barred window with a bit of food stashed underneath it, and a toilet in the corner of the room. Facing Pinkie again, I saw how exhausted and skinny she looked. It must have been rough staying in place like this.

“How long have you been here?” I inquired walking over to the window; my leg flared up but I ignored it.

“How long since humans started the invasion?” she shot back.

“I guess it would be three months ago.”

“Then that’s how long I was here.”

Sighing, I looked out the window at into the golden fields. There was no question that she was crazy, but the question is why she hasn’t lost her lid completely yet. The other ponies were deadly and out for blood, yet here she was, just barely holding on. What factor had her stay like this for so long?

That’s when I remembered the letter I picked up. I swiveled on the spot and crossed my arms, as I pondered whether to ask. I decided fairly quickly, “Have you heard anything about a potion?”

She flinched at the mere mention of it, and looked around quickly, as if searching for someone who was listening. “That… thing that they gave the others?” she questioned trotting over to the bed as she scrounged through it.

“Yeah,” I answered, watching her every move, “I read something about it helping the patients here.”

“Lies!” she shouted suddenly, putting her forehooves on her bed. “All lies!”

“I’m guessing it didn’t work.”

“The potion didn’t save ponies,” Pinkie explained with a shake of her head. “It did for a while, but it made the ponies go even more crazy.”

“I bet you never took any of it.”

“No,” she replied in a hushed manner, “‘too dangerous’, they said, ‘humans coming’, they said.”

I walked over to my shotgun and picked it up, looking it over to see if it was damaged in anyway. “So the humans came when they were giving the potions,” I assumed, “and this potion helped ponies for a little while, but eventually caused them to worsen. Then the doctors and guards fled when the humans arrived, leaving the patients here. Fucking cowards.”

Pinkie didn’t object, but she didn’t agree either, causing me to give a long sigh. After attaching the shotgun to my back, I walked over to her and stood behind her, a hand reaching out to her. It nearly touched her shoulder, but I stopped myself short. She probably didn’t want to be comforted by a human. If the ponies have one thing in common, it’s that they hate my species’ guts.

“Pinkie, we need to go,” I said quietly. She didn’t say a word, her gaze glued to the window that allowed sunlight to shine in. “We need your help to get me home and-”

“Kill this human, now!” she suddenly shouted, causing me to jerk my head back.

“We can’t kill him,” Pinkie denied afterwards. Wait, what? “He just went through all of them, why should he die?”

“But he’s only in it for himself!” she shouted again. Was she arguing with herself?

“I know he has a selfish reason for doing this,” Pinkie said to no one again, “he just told us.”

“Us?” I repeated; she must have split personalities.

“Then why won’t you kill him?!” she shrieked.

“Because…” she mumbled in reply to herself - this was too weird. Silence followed, and Pinkie dipped her head low. Then she began sobbing softly. Sure, she tried to cover it up the best she could by laying her head on the bed and rubbing her eyes, but she was sobbing nonetheless. “...I’m tired of all this sadness and depression! I don’t want any more death!”

I lowered my head, thinking hard about the words that weren’t even addressed to me. I was used to death by now, taking it from those who hardly deserved to live. But what of someone who had seen the aftermath of a battle, when that pony has never even seen someone die, especially with someone who likes to make others smile? I understood Pinkie a bit more.

“Pinkie,” I said sternly, causing her to drop off the bed and turn to me with a few tears falling down her cheeks. She attempted to wipe them away, but before she could look up, I knelt down and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. She didn’t move, but that made me want to hug her more. I hadn’t hugged anyone like this since Emma, but Pinkie deserved it.

She needed someone, right then and there.

Eventually, Pinkie leaned her head against my shoulder, reaching her hooves around as far as possible. “I’m sorry about all this, Pinkie,” I apologized, even though I did nothing wrong.

“I hate your kind so much!” she hissed, and a more tears fell from her eyes.

“Yeah, I know,” I responded gently, finally pulling away. She gave a shaky sigh, as she made for the door. I was about to ask what she was about to do, but she simply unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Whoa, Pinkie wait!”

I sprinted forward grabbed her by each side of her flank. She squealed and resisted immediately as I pulled her back. When I released her, she turned towards me with narrowed eyes, “Don’t touch me!”

I ignored her and closed the door hastily, making sure that no ponies were nearby at the same time. Weirdly enough, there wasn’t any at all. “You could’ve gotten us killed,” I explained, re-locking the door, “It’s not exactly peaceful out there.”

Pinkie grew worried, “Yeah, I know. That’s why I have the lock.”

That was confusing for me; why would there be a lock inside a cell? “I installed it a while back, so they wouldn’t slip inside while I slept,” she explained.

“Still,” I said, eyeing the door, “It must be hard to sleep in a place like this.”

“I know,” she agreed, a single tear shedding from an eye. “That’s why I sing myself to sleep.”

“Sing yourself…?” I repeated, “You were the one singing?”

She gave a small nod, and I rubbed my temples tiredly; that solved one concern. Looking at the door again, I knew we had zero chance of getting out alive. Hell, I hardly made it there in one piece. “Maybe we can go out the window?” She suggested like she read my mind, pointing a hoof at it. Then she shook her head, “No, no, that won’t work. Those bars would get in the way.”

Eyeing the window, I saw the bars she was indicating and a solution struck me. “Well, Pinkie, we might actually be able to go through the window,” I assured, hopping on the bed as I looked out. It had no glass, unlike the other windows, so I clenched the bars tightly to not fall off, and hollered, “Twilight!”

I waited a few seconds for a response, but when none came, I repeated her name again. Then I heard someone exclaim, “Nolan?”

“Twilight! Up here!” I replied, “At the window!”

Hearing the distant sound of fluttering wings, I braced myself to see a pony fly for the first time, if their wings were capable of flight. Sure enough, Twilight came around the corner of the asylum, her wings spread out. It was elegant, I had to say, seeing something that would normally be impossible laid out before me. I shook off my stupor and put my concentration back on the situation.

“Over here, Twilight,” I said, waving a hand through the bars. She saw me and flew over to the window, hovering just behind it.

“Hello, Nolan,” she said as pleasantly as she could, but I see that she still felt disgusted by the dead bodies from earlier. “Did you find Pinkie Pie yet?”

“It’s Pinkamena Diane Pie!” Pinkie snapped, making Twilight’s mouth gape open.

“Is that…?” she asked, but seemed too out of breath to finish.

“It’s Pinkie,” I reassured, giving a glance over to Pinkie who was staring intently at the ground. “She’s just… not herself, I guess.”

Twilight looked very saddened by this, “And it was because of the humans?”

I faced her, almost feeling myself giving her a blank stare, “I don’t think I need to answer that.”

Twilight swallowed, and opened her mouth, but I knew exactly what she was going to say. “As I’ve said, I don’t know why humans did this,” I interrupted, causing her to close her mouth quickly. “Now just use your magic to get these bars off and fly us out of here.”

“Can’t you just… walk out?” she inquired with a tilt of her head. She seemed reluctant, like she knew the answer already.

“Not an option,” I respond, “I’ll explain once we’re out of here.”

Twilight gave a nod, and her horn held the aura of her magic as the bars shared the same. In an instant the bars disappeared, and I backed away as I went over to Pinkie, who still hadn’t moved since I began my conversation with Twilight. “You first, Pinkie,” I instruct, gesturing towards the window.

She slowly looked up to me with wonder, her eyes wide. “I can… leave?” she asked in a disbelieving tone.

“Yes, you can… Pinkie,” Twilight whispered, probably not believing that she had found a friend after so long. This caused Pinkie to stay frozen at her spot. Her head swiveled to Twilight, who had a sad smile. Then, she returned the smile, albeit a very small one,  and trotted over to the bed, hopped up, and slinked her way through the window. It wasn’t too big, but it was enough for even myself to fit through.

Twilight carefully scooped Pinkie up by her armpits, and began to slowly descend to the ground. I watched from the window, until I heard an unwelcoming sound. Someone slamming into the locked door. I turned to it dramatically - not on purpose - and hoped that whatever did that would walk away. Another slam. Crap.

Even after two slams, the lock looked liked it was about to give; it wasn’t a very strong one. I got out my revolver and pointed it at the door, wishing Twilight would hurry up. Another slam from behind the door. The lock was on its last legs. Another slam and a pony burst through the door, and I gave him a bullet through the skull as a reward. Other crazy ponies swarmed into the room, but I was able to kill all of them quickly; having only one place for them to enter. I was so focused on killing each pony that came through, that I forgot to reload my revolver. So it came as a shock when it clicked empty.

By that time, there was already some bodies on the floor, and my back was against the wall as I stood on the bed.

“Damn, Twilight!” I screamed, kicking a pony that was getting too close. “Where the hell are you!?”

“I’m coming, relax,” I heard Twilight mutter spitefully as she neared the window, “Can’t you-”

She looked through into the room, and she nearly lost her flight as she dipped a few feet. “Wh-What is happening!?” she shrieked in panic.

“Get us out of here, Twilight!” I ordered, as more were coming in, “Now!”

A bright purple light filled my vision, and then I was standing at the entrance of the building. Blinking stupidly, I looked in every direction to be sure it wasn’t a trick, accidently putting weight on my injured leg. Applejack was here, Twilight was here, Pinkie was here, the open door…

“Shit!” I cursed as I sprung for the double doors grasping both and shutting it. I picked up the rope I had previously cut and tied it the best I could. I was no boy scout, but it would do. Seeing that we were safe, I released a breath that was being held subconsciously, and slunk to the ground. I took off my head gear and just fell to the floor on my back.

I hoped I never had to go through something like that again.

“Nolan,” Applejack called out, “What are ya doing?”

I had never been so happy to hear Applejack’s voice in my time in Equestria. I gave a weak grin, “Just catching a breather.”

“What was in there?” she followed up, and I could hear Twilight shudder. Pushing myself to a sitting position and taking a deep breath, I explained everything that had transpired in the cursed building. Pinkie opted to stay out of the discussion, sulking a few meters away from us. When I finished, I wasn’t surprised in the least how the ponies reacted: practically sick and horrified.

“The ponies… k-killed the humans?” Applejack asked. I nodded, and reached for the letter in my pocket.

“I also found this in an office,” I explained, passing the letter to Twilight. As she took it and glanced through, I continued, “It says something about a ‘potion’ that probably worsened the psychotic ponies in here.”

“I remember this,” Twilight whispered with slight awe, looking over to me. “Princess Celestia was talking about it a few times, but I never knew she used the potion.”

“No offense, Twi’,” Applejack said, “but you didn’t know a lot of things when you were in that there bunker.”

As the two spoke with each other, I saw Pinkie stare at the dry fields like a newborn looking into a new world. I stood up, wincing a bit from my leg, strolled over, and stood behind her, but didn’t bother her. She was deep in thought. “It…” she finally spoke, “looks so different, yet familiar.”

I remained silent, waiting for her to go on. “Let’s leave ‘em! They deserted you, left you to rot in that place! Then again, you’re nothing to everypony. Not even your closest friends helped you. You should just kill yourself!”

Twilight and Applejack faced over to Pinkie, eyes wide. They were so stunned that they could only stare at her as she continued.

“But… they came back for me,” she replied to herself. She was going into another self argument.

“For their own selfish needs! Once they’re done, they’ll throw you right back in!”

“N-No! That’s not true…”

“Pinkie,” I sighed, feeling depressed, “we can help you.”

“How can you help me!?” she shouted, tears dropping from her face, “The doctors couldn’t do anything, how can anyone else!?”

I stood still for awhile as she wept, then reached into a vest pouch and extracted another cigarette from the case. I also took out my lighter and easily lighted my cigarette, taking a few puffs. I held it in my hand, as I finally answered Pinkie’s question. “Take it from someone who has had experience,” I explained simply.

“I don’t think you were locked up in some asylum,” she hissed, turning her head towards me.

“Never said I did,” I said, inhaling from my cigarette, “I just know what it feels like to think that no one can help you.”

She gave a sorrowful expression as her mouth hung open slightly. She was surprised, obviously, but I didn’t go further than that as I left my cigarette in my mouth and turned around to head for the other ponies. “W-Wait,” she said, “Did your friends help you when you were in trouble?”

I clenched my hands into a fist as I suppressed my fury. “No,” I said quietly, hate laced within my words as I strode away from her, while Twilight and Applejack trotted past me to comfort her.

 

{~+~}

 

After bandaging up my leg, we rested for a few hours to replenish our hunger and thirst - far away from the asylum, thankfully. The menu was apples, but I was growing used to that, but Pinkie seemed somewhat happy to have some real food in her. As we sat on the ground in a circle, the rolling hills of dry grass surrounding us, my mind kept thinking up a way to find the other three Elements of Harmony. The three ponies had no idea where any of them could be, so finding out where they were would make a good start.

“Hey Nolan,” Twilight called to me, capturing my attention, “How do you get used to it? Y-You know, killing others?”

That question has been asked of me by many people, and I always gave the same answer, “I don’t.”

“Oh,” she said, looking at anything but me as she took a bite from her apple. “W-Well, do you have a plan of where to go?”

“Nope-”

“Good, because I do,” she interrupted with a smug smile, the previous topic forgotten. She asked that question on purpose, I just knew it. “If the humans have taken over Equestria, then they should have tabs on the… ponies, right?”

She still couldn’t accept the fact that her kind were mostly slaves. I couldn’t really blame her. Still, she had a point, “Where are you getting at?”

“Why don’t we go to Ponyville and see if they have our friends filed around somewhere?” she proposed, with a gesture towards the direction of Ponyville. Well, I assume it was the direction.

“That’s a good idea, sugarcube,” Applejack praised, before speaking to me. “How ‘bout it, Nolan?”

I shrugged, “I don’t have anything better.”

“Don’t I get a say!?” Pinkie jumped in the middle, looking livid.

“O-Of course you do, Pinkie!” Twilight remedied, backing away from the sudden appearance. “What do you think?”

“I… like the idea,” Pinkie mumbled with a sheepish smile; I’m going to have to get used to her craziness.

Standing up, I cupped my hand over my eyes to see better as I gazed out into the wilds, “I guess we’re heading back to Ponyville then.”

 

 

Credit goes to superdale33

Edited December 22, 2013 by Rokkurin

[Rokkurin 214]

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 5: Answers

Ponyville had hardly changed as we entered the town. The same buildings were still there, and the humans continued their daily routine of disciplining the ponies and living their lives. One thing that did change was the security. Everyone had bolt-action rifles strung over their shoulders, and there was numerous patrols coming and going.

Somehow, my

[child of the night 271]

You shouldn't have put this on the forum, you should put it in a fanfic website.

[Rokkurin 214]

@@child of the night, 

 

It is in a Fanfic website. But my friend Superdale33 does not have an account here so i asked him if i could post it here and he said that it was okay. And why not? People are allowed to post FanFictions here too

[Rokkurin 214]

Lost and Fallen

Chapter 6: Everfree

As we all ran into the Everfree Forest in random directions, my mind failed to come up with a way to regroup. The forest was unexpectedly thick, and with the monsters that inhabited it, finding each other would be a miracle. Still, my wager was that the humans wouldn’t follow, or even if they did, we would lose them in the confusion.