My Little Realities: C26 - Good News, Bad News

My Little Realities: C26 - Good News, Bad News

>the follow up mission is scheduled for tomorrow
>the Elements of Harmony would be flown in if there was a real issue with the follow up mission
>you spend the day in preperation
>you feel pretty calm about the whole thing, like it will give you closure
>you handload for a while, cooking up some 155gr .308 Win rounds for you Fort
>you aren't going to go low on ammo this time
>you wonder if you should load up some 180gr SP due to the tough Root chitin-like shell, but the 155s have worked well
>better not fuck with something that's not broken
>you wonder about setting up the p0ny made EFPs with parachutes, so they can be dropped in place if there are root tanks
>your brain is in high gear, contemplating how to make the weapons more effective and coming up with strategies
>leaning back in your chair, you stretch
>it's just a follow up mission
>there has been no sign of Root activity
>in all likelyhood, you'll find the place pretty much just like you left it
>overgrown and lacking dangerous Roots
>not bad for your first experience with interspecies war
>you've already pretty much caused two extinctions, how much worse could it get?
>with your luck, probably much worse or something
>better bring extra mags
>and some more extra mags
>you feel like you're finally ready
>your gear is set up
>ammo, guns, all good to go
>you wonder what to do now
>with an apartment of your own…
>it's fucking boring without the internet
>you aren't in the mood to watch a series backed up in your implant
>science knows if you get bored enough you'll put on something you downloaded but haven't gotten around to watching
>kinda late to hang out with most p0nes...
>Dash might still be awake
>Applejack probably had a sunrise/sunset sleep pattern
>you weren't that much into animals so you didn't want to disturb Fluttershy
>Twilight was probably sleeping off the rest of her hangover
>Rarity had mentioned something about some crumpet eating in the Rich Estate
>you could invite Pinkie too, after finding Dash
>where did she say her suite was?
>you set out to locate it
>you ask one of the guards
>maybe he's seen her around, he is pretty much the Castle doorman
>he just points his wing to a house-shaped cloud
>wat
>right
>pegasi
>weather control, cloud walker
>fucking magic here
>hunh
>you wonder how to get ahold of her up here
>it's not like they have phones
>trusty rock time?
>you might break something in there...
>you didn't want to yell, the guard might tell you “I need to ask you to stop. That…  shouting...  is making people nervous"
>the guard did have wings...
>you ask him
>he just nods and takes off
>you slip him a couple bits when he shows up with Dash
>he smiles and goes back to his post
"Hey Anon, what's up?"
"Sup, I know it's a little late but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out"
"Late?  Ha, my day has just started! Sure buddy, what do you have in mind?"
>yeah, you bet her day has just started, with all the naps she takes
"you ever played videogames?" you ask
"Not that much, I mean Scootaloo has a GameP0ne but I can't say I've tried that many, I'm usually more interested in flying around and stuff.  You know, make your own game…"
>you can't exactly fly but you wonder if you can change her mind about this
>operation "Get Dash Addicted to Vidya” has officially begun
>now for Pinkie
>maybe she can into videogames too
>you both track her suite down
>you wonder if this is a good use of the taxpayer's bits
>then again, they are the fucking Elements of Harmony
>treating them once in a while probably isn't that bad
>her suite isn't hard to find
>you wonder how the fuck she got the guards in her area to wear party hats all the time
>Pinkie magic, that's how
>it's like she fired a broadside of party cannon at her suite
>because the plural of cannon is cannon, of course
>her door is frosted pink
>you have to snake your knuckles in between the balloons
>you knock on the colored wood
>maybe you should just pop a few of those balloons until she answers
>you're about to take your knife out when the door opens
"HI!  What brings you here?  What's the knife for?  Cutting cake?  Is there cake? I love cak-
"Pinkie!  We were just gonna go hang out with Anon and stuff.  You in?"
>Rainbro Dash has saved you from the Pink fury yet again
>you tend to just wait until she stops talking to reply, but that can be a along time
>you can always turn your ears off, probably why you haven't gone completely insane
"Of course I want to join you! I don't see how I wouldn't be able to hang out with my very best of best pals Dashie and Anon"
>Dashie?
>that's a bucket made of puppies containing kittens
>oh you are going to enjoy poking fun at her tough attitude
>you're going to see if you can start with the squeak in her voice
>you have yourself a good, hearty internal evil laugh
>can't let them get suspicious now
"So what are we gonna do?  Hunh?  Pranks?  Games?  We gonna prank p0nies while they play games?" inquires Pinkie
>you wonder if she sleeps
>maybe that's how she bends physics
>her mind is so sleep deprived she's rewarded with boundless energy and her mind is on such a state that it creates a hypnosis ability so powerful she changes the perception of every creature around her
>Whophon style
>you're glad Aga Mbadi isn't here, he'd see through it and break her neck
>goddamn Trinidad
"Well Anon was asking if we were okay with playing videogames" says Dash before Pinkie resumes asking questions
"Oooooooh, videogames!  The Cakes say those things rot your brain.  Sounds fun!"
>you wonder if getting Pinkie to play vidya is a good idea
>what could go wrong?
>you're in your apartment sitting on the floor next to the two fillies
>you set up some of your nostalgic, vintage games up with a projector you made from some of your probe's active sensors
>for wide frequency band LIDAR emitters they had great resolution and refresh rate
>the walls were still bare white, all you had to do was move a few rifles and voila!
>you just streamed the audio from your implants to the old speakers
>it is four hours later
>and Pinkie is beating you
>HOW DOES SHE EVEN
>it was already a challenge to get them used to the controllers
>but Pinkie
>Pinkie is fucking beating you at Ace Combat
"Anon, start trying, Pinkie is going to get another kill on you" says Dash, sitting one out
>you found a game they both like
>Pinkie likes the cool swooshing and flying noises and Dash is fascinated by the fast things
"Hey Dash...  Maybe you should talk less, your voice wouldn't crack as much" you reply
"Hey, let me-" she starts, but her voice squeaks during the "hey" and she shuts up, blushing
>success
>now if only you could only get the lead right and fire your 20mm at the right tim-
>you died
>how did she even
>Dash now wants revenge for the voice thing
>it is on
>it's a little early for chaff, Dash
>you score a solid hit with missiles and watch her plane turn to a smoke cloud and debris
"You were saying, DASHIE?"
>the extra emphasis on "Dashie" worked
>she is fuming now
>you wonder if you're having too much fun poking at her little tomboy attitude
>the evening does down and you all pass out in front of the TV
>it is day [spoiler]hardwood floor bed[/spoiler]in Equestria
>you wake up with both Rainbow and Pinkie laying against you, one on each side
>science now supports your hypotheses that you sleeping alone is bad for your morale
>welp it just gets better and better doesn't it
>you just need to get Vinyl in on this and you could sleep next to a different mare every day of the week
>you're going to need new clothes, new sunglasses and a new hat FOR ALL THAT PIMPIN'
>both your arms are asleep though
>the two p0nies are using them as pillows
>shit
>you can't even feel your elbows
>how the fuck are you going to go pee with two dead arms
>first, you have to get up with two dead arms
>and not wake them up
>you begin slowly moving like a snake
>undulating yourself side to side to slowly slide your arms from under them
>they don't appear to have woken up
>this does disprove your earlier hypotheses about Pinkie magic
>Mbadi -spoilers-[spoiler]dies[/spoiler] in any case so who cares about his shit anyway
>you flip over, face down and caterpillar yourself into a position so you can stand up to go pee
>you flop your arms around, trying to wake them up
>they are like wet noodles
>knocking at the door?
>Oh shit what time is it
>the goddamn follow up mission
>you go for the doorknob but your arm just flops uselessly against the door
>you manage to unlock the deadbolt knob with your teeth
"Uuuhh...  It's not locked" you say
>Dr. Graphs greets you
>you lower your voice
“I just need a few minutes, my friends are asleep…”
“Oh of course, sir.” He says, now whispering
>your arms finally start to tingle
>you get ready as fast as you can
“Anon?  Whuuz goin’ on…”
>goddamn you woke up your Rainbro
>you scurry up to her silently and kneel as she’s sitting up
“Mornin’!  Hey the R&D guys wanted me to come along this little expedition thing, it won’t take too long.  That’s cool right?  I’ll be back for Pinkie’s party”
“Yeah…  That’s cool…”  Says Dash with only one eye half open
>she settles back down and curls up against Pinkie Pie
>you leave before you suffer a fucking cute aneurysm
>you depart from Canterlot with thirty strong
>they seem to have sent some p0ny scientists along the ride, Dr. Graphs seems to be going
>they’re probably curious about the Roots and not expecting much trouble
>you ride the train to get as close to the Root cave as possible
>you watch the ruins of P0nyville go by, happy that you don’t have to disembark right now
>seeing it up close right would not be the kind of motivation you need
>you try to make small talk with Graphs but he looks nervous
“Dr., it’ll be fine.  I’ll keep you safe and there’s probably nothing moving in there…”
>he steadies himself
“Th-thanks, sir…  It’s my first time out on the field…”
>maybe you can get on his non “oh god my boss is an alien box of rape” side after all
>the whole thing was a little overblown, you’d gotten lucky with Luna
>you wonder what kind of stories they tell about you
>whatever
>the train begins slowing down
>you are antsy
>the train stops and you flex your hands, trying to stop yourself from white knuckling your rifle
>you step off with the rest of the troops, getting organized
>they have adopted your strategies well
>you wonder a few times if you are all lost
>there are no signs of the fire you lit last time you were here
>the forest is even lusher than before
>usually a fire does rejuvenates an old forest, but this is different
>the Elements really have turned the forest into a thriving, blooming epicenter of flora
>this would be perfect camouflage for the Roots
>you sign to them, making sure they are on the highest alert
>you choose a silent approach, no verbal comm
>this brings back memories
>you feel like setting it all on fire again
>it would smell wonderful
>you all make your way closer to the cave
>nothing moves, save for a few startled birds as you sneak up
>this is just like last time
>you gesture to your pegasi scout, telling him to make a low pass over the treeline
>your nerves are on edge
>if there are still Roots around
>if they are still the mindless, addicted junkies they were
>you may very well be sending him to his death
>you calm your breath, but your heart is racing
>he flies off
>the group pushes on
>you start to notice dead Roots, they look like trees with the Root face embedded into the bark
>Dr. Graphs is doing well, all things considered
>he is careful and steps where you step, avoiding branches and dried leaves
>you see the entrance of the cave
>it still towers like the open mouth of the earth
>your scout glides back towards you, signaling an all clear
>you raise your balled fist, then bring it down, open hand
>all halt and duck, crouch
>there is nothing but the dead, overgrown Roots surrounding you and your team
>Dr. Graphs pokes you, not daring to say anything out loud, but wondering why you stop and signal for a "get low to the ground"
>you just put your finger against your mouth, calmly shushing him
>you all sit there, in complete silence, for an hour
>still nothing but the wind in the trees, the bugs and birds
>you are still incapable of relaxing
>is your caution just paranoia?
>you are taunt like a goddamn bow at full draw
>the faces of those dead p0nies you lead to battle cloud your mind
>you just can't lose another one of these guys again
>you still have a mission to complete and daylight won't be here forever
>you signal a march to the cave
>slow and steady
>you have to hold yourself from jumping at every noise
>every shadow hides a Root, primed to leap
>every tree branch is a hooked, claw blade
>you rage your nerves back into operation
>Roots seem to be absorbed into every tree, like how a tree can grow into a fence and become inseparable
>you might be seeing things but your shit is not worth a fuck compared to your p0nies
>you all slowly walk around the hill that used to be a Root tank, it is now indistinguishable from the landscape, even up close
>you have a hard time keeping your breath in check as you enter the cave
>a part of you wants the bastards to show themselves so you can fuck them with bullets
>you want to smell their burning corpses and smile as you obliterate Root after Root
>you pool all your concentration into steeling yourself
>you will your body calm
>slowly, the expedition progresses down the dark cave tunnel
>there is still no sign of dangerous life
>just the littered corpses of dead Roots and dead p0ny skeletons
>this feels like a trap
>as if they have planned something and are waiting to spring out of the very earth
>your stomach turns as you think about why you've never learned their names
>you see their skeletons fertilizing the landscape, and you do not know who they were
>you never tried to get to know the p0nies that would follow you to their deaths
>you wouldn't be able to lift a goddamn finger in this mess if you knew them personally
>you had to look at them like "just another face" to be able to just ask them to walk with you
>your attention is pulled to the massive cavern as you get to the edge of the tunnel
>there is a forest down there
>you take a deep breath
>you suppress your desire for the sight of the burning Root bodies in your eyes again
>think now, feel later
>you can cry your pathetic, virgin ass to sleep later when you get home
>you peer down, zooming in, trying to see movement
>you're going to have to go down there at some point
>you get some ropes and have four pegasi glide you down
>putting your trust in their almost comically small wings, you take your first step onto the lush mossy bottom of the gargantuan cavern
>the pegasi cover your back as you start exploring
>you spot what looks like their derelict ship
>there really is no movement, but your mind cries ambush incessantly
>you've been down here for an hour now, pegasi circling above, scouting the city-sized cavern
>you finally give in
>looks like everything is clear
"Bring the field team and Dr. Roots, call an all clear"
>everyp0ny that you can see seems to breathe a sigh of relief
>they have all been dead silent and on high alert for hours
>you sit back in the somber cavern, on a mattress of moss
>soon, the cave is lit up with the horns of unicorns and the scientific part of the expedition commences
>you get up, curious about the gutted derelict ship
>various grown over plant-like devices litter the area
>you examine many of them, not even knowing what they're supposed to do or what they even are
>your curiosity pushes you inside the ship
>the hallways are like air vents in a building
>no space is wasted
>Roots do not give a fuck about nice comfortable hallways
>it is like a midget submarine
>you don't even know what anything does
>you're just getting familiar with the layout of the ship at this point
>a noise catches your attention
>rifle at the ready, you peer into a slightly less cramped room
>there is a strange protrusion in the center of it, and you make out the outline of a Root, crouched around this "console" of sorts
>your rifle's safety has been off for a while but now you're on a prepped trigger
>if the shape even twitches, you'll send five rounds into it within a second at the most
>you're confident with your splits
>in any case, you approach with caution
>it's the first time you've seen one so "un-plant-melded"
>you had noticed dead Roots on your way here but they were all so integrated to the trees or had so much vegetation growing into and clearly out from them, that there was no way they could ever move again
>this one is more or less intact
trusty_rock.bat.app.exe.zip
>it does not move
>every last cell in your body is screaming "it's a trap"
>the smart thing to do would be slowly leave and then level the place with purging fire and explosions
>instead you poke it with the muzzle, because you're stupid
>still no reaction
>it probably expects you to relax right now, better not relax
>you poke it again
>you wait a solid five minutes and muzzle it hard
>your hit rocks it back, still no reaction
>you're beginning to wonder if it is, in fact, dead
>don't get careless now
>you rifle butt it with all your might
>the vines and plant shoots rip as it falls back from the pedestal
>you sent it tumbling down and it lands in a puppet-like heap at the base of the centerpiece of the room
>rifle still trained on it
>no fucking way you're going to grace it with trigger discipline
>with your booger hooker taking up all the slack in your bang switch, you inch towards it
>you wait some more
>you kick it
>you wait some more
>its head moves
>oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck
>you're a fraction of a cunt hair from turning it into a fucking salad
>its antennas blink black and white
>this is familiar
>when the peaceful, healed Roots came to P0nyville, their antennas blinked black and white
>this could be a ruse
>it still does not attack
>you are trying to pull the trigger
>hesitation
>you hear voices outside, the p0nies must be looking for you
>you are fucking torn between how much you would love to bathe in that fucker's blood and not firing right just now
>you've pretty much fought alongside the friendly Roots
>you know full well that they are trustworthy
>you stoned them dead yourself
>the only thing making you hesitate is your guilt
>they had murdered and mutilated, but after they were saved, they had given everything to the p0nies and you
>your muzzle is pressing against the thing's face when Dr. Graphs comes in
"Anon?  Oh Celestia it's one of those things..."
"Graphs...  Get me the fuck away from it" you say through your grinding teeth
>he hesitates
"it's friendly...  Just pull me away before I fucking burn it"
>you're so fucking angry right now
>you know it's friendly
>your guilt is keeping you from shooting it so much a sieve would protest in jealousy
>but you can't focus right now
>you hate their entire stinking species at this moment so much you feel like your eyes are going to start bleeding
>it was irrational
>and Graphs pushes your gun to the side, stepping between you and it
>you shrug off and walk towards the exit
>you ragepunch the walls a few times and begin to finally think straight enough to formulate complete sentences
>the expedition was a success
>the field science team had found a hundred interesting things and were busy finding a hundred more
>the pegasi were ragged, making trips up and down the cavern to deposit gear and samples from it to the cave tunnel
>the Root had been bound up like the first time you'd captured one
>from the looks of it, he is the last of the root species
>you feel a sick guilt at the current state you both share
>on this world, you are both the only ones of your respective species that still live
>however
>if it even looks at you wrong
>if it even thinks of something that doesn't fly on right on your radar
>you will light it on fire while shooting it and piss on the ashes
>the return home is slow but relaxed
>you have them drag the root at the front of the formation, you secure the back
>really though, you just don't feel like being near it right now
>racism at its worst
>you hate it for the crimes of its people
>if it behaves, you hope to get over this hate
>it'll have to earn respect
>you should get Luna to splatter some ketchup on herself while you drag the tied up Root and hold the "bloody" Luna with some unicorns into the hospital to pay a visit to that nurse
>or perhaps tie Luna up as if she were a root, holding a ketchup'd root with the unicorns into the hospital
>maybe just dress up as a bear, come in while dancing like a ballerina, and be chased by Luna holding a bloody root while dragging tied up unicorns
>you amuse yourself, planning some more "how can I surprise that nurse" on the way back
>your favorite is walking into the hospital wearing nothing but a suit of apples, reenacting the Death of a Salesman as your speakers blare nyancat.  Luna and Celestia would dance la Macarena behind you to the beat of the song, magically juggling the tied up Root covered in ketchup between the two of them
>You are satisfied with this plan and you board the train, thinking that you would probably have to apologize to the nurse with a bouquet of kittens, each holding a baby bunny
>you will also have to poke more fun at Dash with that, saying that her morning-mane is cuter than that
>she would get so pissed
>poor Rainbro
>you wonder if she is trying to come up with ways to get back at you
>when you suffer a cute-induced heart attack, that's bound to even the score
>the trip home is uneventful
>you return to your apartment, exhausted
>you open the door, left eye becoming grainy as it bumps up the ISO
>it's a little hopeless, the place is pitch black
>you used to like it that way, but the quiet darkness that was relaxing before only leaves you alone, undisturbed with your thoughts - and those could be a little less enjoyable these days
>you stretch, dropping your backpack before heading towards a light
thump-"Aoow-"
>what the fuck?
"Oh horseappl-"
>the light flicks on
"SURPRISE!" yells fucking everyp0ny
>you were so out of it that you began shitting bricks at the first sound
>you dropped your bag on Pinkie
>Applejack swore, thinking the surprise would be ruined, but you had already begun jumping out of your skin when they all finally sprung out at you, lighting the place up
>now if you could have a second to see how quickly you'll fucking die because your heart is nowhere to be found
>it just packed up its bags and left, then threw itself off a cliff
>Rainbow Dash starts laughing
"Hahahahah, we totally still got him!"
>so this is payback, hunh Dash?
>you will be extra sharp with your prodding of her cuteness for this
>she will rue this day as everyone will soon see her as "Raincute "adorable" Dashie"
>next time she's drunk, you and Rarity will turn her into a frilly princess and the rest will fall into place
>it will be glorious
>for now, you will be content with a noogie
"...  we're glad everything went well, Anon.  I was so worried when the Princess told me you had left for the follow up mission...  Why didn't you tell us?" says Twilight
>you finally let Dash go with a "Cute mane, Dashie" comment
"Well I did tell Rainbow in the morning"
>the multicolored p0ne's eyes go wide, her fury from your “cute mane” comment ebbing away
"you told me something in the morning?" she inquires
>not very useful before noon, she is
>she laughs nervously
>Twi looks at you
"This better be the last time you go off like that without at least telling us...  Or making sure that somep0ny who's awake heard it"
>Twilight was right...
>you really had to set up some sort of wireless communication system beyond Spike's funky pyro-letter shit
>could be easy money too
>you make note of it
>you'll get Vinyl in on it, she could be the first fucking radio DJ
>not bad
"So whut were y'all doin' out there?" asks Applejack
>you proceed to explain what happened
>you feel like this isn't a bad time to sit down with them all and have a talk
>you then begin to approach the subject of your experience with the Elements, since they're all here
>you hate to wreck the mood, but this won't get better if you don't sacrifice a few smiles now
"Anon, whatever ya wanna say, ya can go ahead.  Ah'm listening" says Applejack
>Twi just looks down
>Dash puts a hoof on your shoulder
>you try to explain as clearly as you can
>Fluttershy looks frustrated
>you try to tell her you're sorry, but she just looks away
>you aren't that surprised
>telling your friends that you killed a bunch of p0nies isn't really a great way of spending an evening
>Applejack is looking at you, a mix of sorrow and confused pain on her face
>she's holding back tears
“It just went so wrong, Anon…  Everything went wrong” says Rarity
>Pinkie Pie is looking blank
>this worries you
>Fluttershy won't look at you
>you did fuck up her Element and it resulted in the death of like over a thousand p0nies, not to mention the friendly Roots
"Ah... Ah'm gonna head home...  Ah need some time ta think...  Sorry Anon...  Take care of yourself…" says Applejack
>Pinkie just follows the cowpony, not saying much
>Fluttershy leaves, not saying goodbye
>Dash hangs her head
“Just give them some time…  It’s a lot to take in all at once…  I’ll see you later, okay?”
>she takes off
>Twilight accompanies Rarity back to her suite
>you have no idea what Pinkie's party will be like this weekend
>you know, since you fucking killed the mood and stuff
>you undress, turn the lights off and spend the night waking up
>you slept the sleep of restless hours
>you hope you did the right thing, even if it was messy