New suicide thread: Mossberg Anon ch. 3

>Your only a couple days out from your two month mark.
>The pool is amazing, it turns out the pool doesn’t just clone people, it clones anything.
>The mane 6 were amazed when you found that out, see what happens when
>you clone someone competent rather than just hundreds of Pinkies?
>The one problem is that the clones are not as magic resistant. Which made you worry about >possible changeling counter measures
>Not to worry. Just make more. Over the past month the plan has gone from, assassination,
>to balls to the wall genocide. At one point you questioned why they still needed you, then
>you realized that it was probably better for PR if the humans were the disposable ones.
>Not that you cared, you had an army of clones, and soon a
 >free ticket to griffon lands.
>Currently what you call the production floor is quiet and empty save for a couple clones
>sharing a cigarette. You may have an army of clones, but clones still had to eat.
>In retrospect it was probably a good thing that you were such a paranoid person.
>Those MREs are replicating nicely. Looking at your watch you notice that break is over.
“Alright guys! Back to work!”
>With that the floor comes to life. With a squad of twenty standing near the pool ready to
>say the incantation. A couple more Anons are working the pulleys that are holding up the
>supplies above the pool so they too can be replicated as well. The finishing touch however
>Are the four Annons waiting at the ready with tattoo guns, marking each new clone with
>it’s respective number.

>All the equipment was being shipped to Las Pegasus as it was being made, you had another
> 30,000 clones there ready to rock. You currently had another couple thousand in transit.
>You thought that your clones would be upset, or even pushy, but once they found out that
>they were being fed, armed, and otherwise maintained. You seemed pretty docile.
>It scared you somewhat, but hey made your job easier.
>Was your allegiance really just to food and steel?
>Well it wasn’t like you had many friends. Well what about Shy?
>Even thought the Mane 6 came by every night to ensure you weren’t planning revolution
>of some such nonsense. You still had met up with shy for tea, or just a chat every few days.
>huh.
>you didn’t even notice.
>”Anon?”
>Your internal monologue is interrupted by… you actually.
“Yes?”
>The clone points behind him showing you the back of his hand, #34,756
>”The small horse things are here again to oppress us.”
>You stare blankly back at your clone.
“Alright, thanks, I’ll be out in a moment.
>Your clone goes back into the crowd, joining the crew loading up drums of diesel fuel into
>an F-250. None of the vehicles ran when they first arrived, but once there were more than
>a hundred of you things snowballed, task groups were formed. Hell once things made it to
>Las Pegasus they were often modded to hell and back or given completely new paint jobs.
>Either way you sling your Mossberg on your back and go to meet your ‘overseers’.

>You walk up the earthen ramp careful to not get flattened by the constant stream of >supplies, troops, and trucks.
>”I can’t just let you in. I don’t care who you are.”
>”For the sake of celestia just let me in, I’m here all the time.”
>You spot the altercation, there’s another clone of you holding an AR-180, twilight keeps
>trying to get around him without using magic. It’s a losing battle. You can’t say why, but
>she brought AJ along as well. She was mesmerized by the sheer amount of activity.
>”Looky here purple and loud, I don’t know who you are, but no entry without Origis
>permission!”
>Origis was the nick name the clones gave you, you rather enjoyed it.
“Sparkle.”
>Your clone turns around, spots you, shrugs and walks back inside to join the rest.
>”Can’t you tell them to let me in?”
“sure, yeah… I’ll get right on that.”
>Twilight rolled her eyes in obvious displeasure.
“Here’s your latest production report.”
>You hand over the clipboard, she always seemed excited to be handed paper.
>Why, you’ll never know.
>The next hour was spent leading Twilight and AJ around the camp and the pool,
>Answering questions… A lot of goddamn questions.
>They ranged from how radios work to goddamn uniform color.
>It’s brown, the uniforms are brown.
>Finally you satisfy their questions and they leave. However the work day is already over
>and you ship out to Las Pegasus tomorrow. Only leaving a small group behind to maintain
>the production. Might as well see what Flutters is up to.

>You continue walking down the path out of the forest.
>The constant drone of trucks passing you brings back memories of walking home from
>school. Huh, you’re weirdly sad today. Whatever, there’s Flutters house.
“Knock Knock”
>You say this rather than actually knock. After all there’s about a foot of snow, and your
>pockets are warm. The door opens a crack one large blue eye looks back at you before
>opening all the way.
>”Oh, come in Anon, it’s dreadfully cold out.”
“thank you”
>You shake off your boots and step it, putting your beanie and Mossberg on the hat rack.
>”Is there anything I can get you?”
“Uh, I’ll just take whatever you’re having.”
>She nods and hovers back to the kitchen.
>You just sit down in front of the fire place and watch the fire.
>She comes back a few moments later with two mugs, she hands, or hooves?
>Either way she gives you a hooved wrapped mug.
“Thanks.”
>It’s the nettle tea, almost exactly the same as the one you made when this journey started.

>You both sit in silence for a while just watching the fire.
>Another couple of knocks on the door.
>Flutters begins to get up.
“I got this one.”
>You stand and open the door. It’s Rainbow.
>”Hey! I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Is that so?”
>She shakes the snow off herself and trots inside.
>”Oh, hold on.”
>She turns around and heads back out the door.
>You hear her call out right before she takes flight.
>”Make me a one of those tea things alright?”
“uh, alright.”
>Flutters comes up next to you.
>”Where is she going?”
“I don’t know, she said she wanted a tea though.”
>”Oh, ok I’ll get it.”
“How’s the fire doing?”
>”it’s getting a little low”
“I’ll get some more wood then.”
>You put your beanie back on and head out the door.
>All the animals are curled up in their nests or burrows.
>It’s actually rather quaint, bringing a nice warm feeling to your gut.
>You begin to pile the wood up in your arms, the task made easier by
>your recovered ability to bend at the knee.

>You come back to the door and let yourself in.
>Looking around you see the whole gangs there, sans twilight.
>Only Flutters looks up, the rest seem to be preoccupied with something.
>Once you put the wood down Rainbow looks up and says:
>”So your leaving tomorrow.”
“Yep.”
>”In that case.”
>Rainbow shoves he muzzle into her saddle bag and pulls out a rather
>large handle of whiskey.
>”I challenge you.”
>It’s tempting, but you have to up early tomorrow to marshal your clones for war.
“As much as I would like to, I have to be up and competent tomorrow.”
>She seems a little disappointed, you sip your tea.
“You wouldn’t mind if I put just a splash in my tea though?”
>She gives you a knowing grin before unscrewing the top and putting maybe half a
>shots worth into your mug, then another half shot for hers.
“Thanks.”
>Everyone sits in silence again; you get the feeling like they came for a specific reason.
>Or even that you should say something.
>You pull out a pack of cigarettes from your breast pocket and begin walking for the door.
>You’re stopped by Fluttershy’s voice.
>”Y-you can smoke in-inside if you want.”
>Her voice came out stuttered and quieter than usual.
>She obviously didn’t want you to leave
>You put your pack back in your pocket; you know she hates cleaning up the ash.

>This is becoming unbearable; most of them won’t even look at you directly.
“Okay, what’s going on. I know you guys don’t just come over to Fluttershys to look at her
Floorboards. As nice as they may be.”
>You look down, it’s actually a pretty well made floor.
>”I’m sorry.”
>Rarity, who seemed to have trouble saying those last few words presses forwards.
>”I’m so sorry… for all the things I’ve done… for all the things I haven’t… for all the times and
>ways I made your life that much harder.”
>Her voice isn’t broken by sobs, her eyes are dry, but his is an honest apology.
>You can hear and feel the hollow void of regret behind each syllable.
>”I’m sorry I didn’t say anything when they took your home… Or do anything whenever
>everypony… got… well… I’m sorry darling, for everything. I know I can’t do anything to
>make it right or change the past. I know your leaving after this for the griffon kingdom, but
>I just want you to know that I’m sorry.”
>This was unexpected.

>Rarity shakily gets to her feet and walks out the back door.
>You see a quick flame followed by a puff of smoke, you remember her saying something
>about Stress smoking.
>”I-I did make it rain harder on you.”
>Your head whips around, locking in on Dash. Choose you next words carefully.
>”I didn’t even know you could talk until Flutters said you tried to kill yourself.
>If you hadn’t noticed, suicide is not common here, but I couldn’t sleep for a week after I
>heard that. I couldn’t forget the fact that I had some… some part in making a somepony…
>somehuman want to end their own life.”
>Rainbow slowly brings herself to a hover.
>”You can keep the booze, I’m sorry.”
>She lets herself out.

>AJ stands up, she’s the only one to look you in the eye so far. Good on her.
>She takes off her hat, sighs, and begins talking.
>”Jus like the others, I’m here to say I’m a might bit apologetic. Ain’t nothing I can do to
>make this right, jus… jus… If you ever need anythin’. Give me and my kin a holler.”
>Straight and to the point, that’s AJ for you. Unlike the others she doesn’t leave, she sits
>back down and keeps nursing her tea. You see Pinkie begin to straighten out before she
>can speak you cut her off. Her hair is flat again.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for Pinks.”
>You take another sip of your whiskey tea.
>”Bu-but we all do”
>You turn to look at Flutters, she’s very still, and very small looking.
>”Even if we didn’t… Even if we didn’t do anything, we didn’t stop anything.”
>Pinkie takes over as Fluttershys voice seems to fade out.
>”Anon, even if we didn’t do anything. We never spoke up. We’re supposed to be the
>elements… or we were. I don’t feel much like laughter.”

>Slowly but surely everyone leaves. Eventually it’s just you and Shy.
>Even though neither of you needs to say anything to each other.
>She’s on the verge of falling asleep, her head on your lap. You didn’t even notice,
>But at some point you started stroking her mane and scratching her neck.
>You look down at your watch, something you got back from your house.
>It’s just a dinky old timex, but it was your dad’s timex.
>10:30 pm.
>Mobilization starts soon, you and the other clones were going to alternate
>driving through the night to Las Pegasus.
>You don’t want to leave but…
>Holy shit, you don’t want to leave.
>This is a new development.
>You slowly extract yourself from Fluttershy’s couch, and place a pillow where
>your legs were. You take a blanket out of her closet and lay it on her.
>You grab your beanie and Mossberg and head out.

> You reach into your pocket again and light cigarette.
>The snow had risen by a couple inches since you were inside.
>Nothing you couldn’t handle. You can already smell the
>Patchouli from your clones. It’s not a bad smell now that your used to-
>”Anon, good thing I found you. Can… Can we talk.”
>You look over your shoulder, Twilight.
“Yeah I guess, lets get inside. Come along now!”
>You keep trudging forward, Twilight in tow.
>You eventually come to the cavern with the mirror pool
>The clones are going about their business, last minutes preparations, organizing
>into driving groups. As you come up to the column of trucks one clone in particular
>comes up to you.
>”Hey Origis where have you been, we leave in like an hour.”
“Just taking care of business 1. I’ll be ready.”
>”I’ll come get you when were going, aye?”
>You give a thumbs up as you continue walking in. Leading you and Twilight to
>the edge of the pool.
“You wanted to say something?”

>Twilight takes a deep breath.
>”Look I wanted to show up tonight, to apologize with everyone else...”
>You wave your hand, indicating for her to continue, as you light a second cigarette.
>”I – I got to the door a couple minutes after everyone else… It didn’t feel right. I owe you
>more than a simple apology”
>Without thinking you throw your arms out to the sides.
“No? Really?”
>You expected her to get defensive at this action.
>She instead shrinks down, her head dipping low, her voice barely a whisper.
>”I-I know… I… to… to use your words… I-I fucked up… bad.”
>You don’t say anything, just take another drag, part of you wants to watch her suffer.
>Another part of you wants to tell her it’s alright, but you can’t just forget two years as
>a goddamn pariah.
>She takes another deep breath, it’s apparent that she’s having trouble keeping it together.
>”I keep trying to make things better, I really thought you were going to get your stuff back,
>I just wanted to help Equestria… Then I try to make things better with you… Every time I try
>to make things better… I just fail… I thought that being a princess would give me a chance
>to make a change for the better… Instead I’m the princess of ‘friendship’… I know it’s a
>throwaway position with no… no real clout or purpose… I just. I.”
>With the last syllable all of her energy evaporates and she slumps against the ground

>You have no clue on how to react. You’re still angry about the whole situation,
>but at least Twilight is making the effort to fix her mistakes. To you that’s what
>changes her position in your mind from asshole, to well meaning.
>You squat down next to her and place a hand on her wither. She doesn’t look up.
“I’m going to be honest, blunt, but honest. You ready?”
>You get a grunt as a response, you’ll take it.
“I don’t think I can ever forgive you, I don’t think this will ever dissipate for me. I don’t believe you can fix this.”
>You can feel her soul die at this remark. Damn, that felt worse than you thought.
“I also know that you’ve been trying your hardest in an attempt to make this right. To me, it’s your effort that makes the difference. I’ve yelled at you… several times… That anger is genuine… but so is my gratitude. I know your trying, I thank you for that.”
>#1 comes walking down the earthen ramp, he cups his hands and calls out.
>”Origis! We’re all ready to roll!”
>You look back up and call back.
“Alright give me five!”
>He gives you a thumbs up and walks back up the ramp.
>You stand up and turn to the small group of clones who were staying behind.
“Hey, make sure she gets home alright!”
>”Will do!”
>With that you head on out to the convoy.

>If you didn’t know any better you’d say you’re in the middle of the Mojave.
>Well you’re not, this is the San Palomino desert.
>You had split your forces in two going for the classical pincer movement.
>Two columns one entering on the western border, the other on the eastern border.
>You put #1 in charge of the western army; you were handling the eastern one.
>You’ve been sitting on this border for goddamn hours, waiting for the forward scouts
>to report in. You really wish you had studied radios back on earth.
>Then you wouldn’t be stuck with a stupid courier system.
>Looking around you notice a plume of dust rising in the distance, you take out your pair of
>Binoculars, yep the scouts are here.
>As they get closer you can hear the engine of their vehicle.
>It sounds exactly like an overgrown wheedwhacker.
>Once you can see the driver you wave them down with a signal flag.
>The tan painted, camo netted, offroad lifted, pkm toting, RX-7 comes to a skidding halt >right next to your technical. The RX-7 Gunner pulls his shemagh and goggles off before
>giving his report.

>”They seem to have pulled their patrols back, and strengthened them.”
>The gunner lights a cigarette and keeps talking.
>”They were flying in groups of five, but now we got like groups of twenty”
>You nod.
>”They’ve increased in frequency as well. We now gotta deal with a patrol every other hour.
>… Oh, and they fly high too, outside the range of the DHSKs.”
>Well now. They were already on the back pedal? Odd. Nonetheless it doesn’t change
>anything. The goal of the pincer movement is not just to surround the enemy, but also
>capture the two desert oases that surround the suspected hive.
>Hell even changelings need water, and barring some sort underground well, you could
>possibly just starve em out. So plan is a go then.
>You stand up on the cab of your technical and wave your right arm over your head.
“Davi! Davi! Let’s get it moving!”
>Engines start, clones hop up into the beds of their technicals.
>And with a Lurch the column moves out.

>Your column has been moving for a couple of hours.
>According to your map, you should be halfway to the oasis now.
>You’re looking at the map and checking it with your speed and compass trying to get a
>bearing on how far in you are when you hear shouts and the sound of crunching metal.
>The lead technical was swallowed up by the ground, a couple of the clones in the bed
>jumped out in time and are standing on the edge of the pit, with their weapons ready.
>You wave another signal flag telling everyone to stop, they comply.
>You motion to the technical next to you to disembark, as you get out of your technical.
>You swing your Mossberg to your hands and join the clones looking into the pit.
>as you get closer you can hear the clones talking to each other.
>”Anyone alive!”
>”Yeah, I think we got a couple casualties but I can’t see.”
>”Alright hold on we’ll winch you out or something.”
>You reach the edge and peer down, Mossberg at low ready.

>As you look down you see a glow stick snap and illuminate the tunnel.
>There’s a couple of clones down there, a couple dead ones as well, the truck
>is junked in the middle of them. Oh, and wall to wall to ceiling changelings.
>Every clones reaction is automatic, including yours. The hail of fire takes out most of
>the exposed changelings. The tunnel quickly turning green and red with mixed blood, as >the trapped clones are literally torn limb from limb. Your tube empties quickly, you turn
>around and wave your arms away from you while yelling.
“Spread out, don’t bunch up.”
>The technicals immediately spread out, the clones in the beds, dismount and take
>places between the trucks. You spin around to check on the situation behind you.
>You turn just in time to watch a clone get grabbed by the leg and be dragged into the open
>hole. The clone fell on his ass and drew his sidearm, firing at the changelings as
>they dragged him in. You begin stuffing shells into your Mossberg as you yell at
>the group in front of you.
“Get back to the column.”
>The clones start backing away, letting the technical’s DSHKs keep the changelings down.
>You turn back to the column to get a bead on what’s happening. The technicals are
>reaching their positions. Movement out of the corner of your eye, you reflexively
>hone in on it. Another two technicals are dragged down.

>The supporting clone infantry learned from your groups mistakes.
>They immediately start tossing pipe bombs down the open holes
>At some point the changelings took to the air, giving the technical nice clear targets.
>Your group has managed to make it back to the technical ring and has joined in the stand.
>You may have been wearing hearing protection, but that didn’t stop you from
>feeling the gas expansion of the 12.7mm guns. You ignore it and lace a couple shot shells
>trough your left hand. You focus on the changelings coming from the ground.
>Letting the technicals take on the ones in the air.
>You let them emerge and charge at you, only firing when you know you have a shot.
Bam!
>First one is hit slight right, taking a chunk out of its shoulder. It tumbles forward, dead.
Ka-chak. Bam! Ka-chak.
>Second, center mass.
Bam! Ka-chak.
>Third, miss.
Bam! Ka-chak.
>Fourth, high, but some shot caught it’s head.
Bam! Ka-chak.
>Fith, miss.
Bam!
>Six, center mass. Last round, half pump.
Chak.
>You drop a shell right into the chamber from your left hand.
Chak.

>You level your Mossberg. No more changelings are coming up
>Everyone remains tense as they wait for a second wave.
>It doesn’t come. You take a hesitant look around before calling out.
“Infantry spread out!”
>They do, keeping a good amount of space between them. The clones are visible shaken,
>but are still keeping it together.
>Reports start to come back.
>”North side clear!”
>”East Clear!”
>”West to!”
>”South side clear!”
>The clones sling their weapons and visibly relax.
>”Hey Origis! Get over here!”
>What now? You jog over to the technical in question. The gunner points off into
>the distance and asks.
>”What about them?”
>He’s pointing to a group of about twenty changelings all limping away from
>the technical ring, it’s quite apparent they can’t fly in their state.
>Before you can make a decision you hear a high pitched whine, like that of a large
>weed whacker. You watch as a scout RX-7 zooms by, cutting down the wounded
>changelings with pkm fire. So, it’s going to be that kind of war.

>”… Well I guess my question got answered.”
“yeah, looks like it.”
>You turn around and cup your hands to speak louder.
“Report wounded!”
>”Two walking over here.”
“Ignore walking wounded for now.”
>”Nothing here.”
>”Three dead here”
“Thank you! Number 3 get over here.”
>”Number 3 is one of the dead Origis!”
“Alright, number 4 get over here.”
>Out of the mass of troops and trucks comes another clone with the number 4
>tattooed on the back of his hands.
>”You called?”
>He had a huge grin on his face for some reason, god it’s creepy looking at yourself all day.
“You got a map and compass right?
>”Yeah.”
“Alright you continue with the plan and capture the oasis, Then wait for the second wave of our forces to link up with to begin your push to the hive. Got it?”
>”Yeah, yeah I got this.”
>#4 pulls out his pack and offers you one, you take it, he lights both of yours.
“Leave me three technical teams. I should rendezvous with your forces at the oasis by tomorrow evening. Copasetic?”
>#4 takes a drag before nodding and responding.
>”Copasetic.”

>You set up the technicals around the only hole still left from the changeling ambush.
>The pipebombs collapsed the other two. The glow stick is still going bright down there.
>You and the clones drop down a couple rope ladders.
>The plan was that one technical team would guard the topside and get dinner ready
>when it was time. The other two teams were to go opposite ways down the tunnel.
>You would lead one team; the other was led by #12.
>Currently you’re making final preparations; you grab some more shot shells and stuff
>them into your webbing. A couple more mags for the 1911 you took out of the B17.
>Some food, another canteen, IFAK, lots of glow sticks. Alright, good.
>You climb down the ladder and wait for the rest of your group.
>Once you’re down you realize that the cavern is in fact coated with some sort of
>bioluminescent plant. The last pair of boots hits the ground, and both teams begin walking.