Ch. 21 Fighting a Living Nightmare
Here we are at chapter 21 and this story has reached the 15k view mark! I seriously want to thank you all for the support and I sincerely hope you all continue to read this story long after it ends. The Skyrim one-shot is still in planning, mainly because of the fact that this story is at its end and I have to write the next Chapter of Were It So Easy. Keep your eyes peeled for it and for the conclusion of this as well!
I got a guest review that I want to respond to but can't because of no account. It's not a rant so don't worry but they did bring up valid points that I want to explain, so godzillafan1 this is for you and anyone else still slightly confused. 1) Grammar errors- This is pretty much going to happen in any story. I run my chapters through spell check 3 times and still I find grammar and spelling errors eventually. Its human error that you never catch until someone points out and I apologize for any. 2) Sombra- I am aware he died but for this story's sake he didn't. I may not have watched season 3 yet but I have gathered that he was killed but there are stories on here that take place after season 4 and still include Sombra so for my story just assume he survived. 3) Have I ever seen the show- Yes I have just not fully yet. I have only seen season 1 and about 90% of season 2 so far so please excuse any inaccuracies that come from this. I appreciate the review and I am glad you do like the story despite the points you have mentioned and I do hope you continue to stick around for the end! ^^
Credit for the idea of this chapter goes to broniesb4hoenies. Thank you dude for giving me the great idea!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of their owners. I fought Molestia and Molestia won….
Story time everpony!
Mike and Chrysalis were running through the halls of the castle as quickly as they could. While they were running, Mike's mind was moving at a mile a minute. 'This entire ordeal is just way too easy! There has to be something we are missing but what is it? What does Sombra have planned?' He thought frantically. By all accounts the battle should be over and the Princesses successful and yet they haven't ran into anyone inside the castle yet. There was something in the air and yet he couldn't place a finger on it. It felt as if they had walked into the biggest trap and yet nothing happened so far. "Chrysalis, do you get the feeling we walked into a trap?"
"I do but we can't do anything if nothing has appeared yet." She said as they continued to run. They still had a few floors to go before they reached the throne room and the quicker they got there the faster this would all be over.
Mike was about to respond until he felt a strange pull acting on him. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked around until he felt it again. It was pulling him in the opposite direction and yet it felt like it was leading him to something. Chrysalis noticed him stop and looked back at him. "What are you doing? We need to hurry!" She said frantically.
"I'll catch up with you; I need to check something out." He said as he stared in the opposite direction with narrowed eyes.
Chrysalis only shook her head. "I can't leave my King by himself. Wherever you go, I'm going too."
Mike only let out a sigh. "Chrysalis, I won't be long. Nothing will keep me from helping you all out in this. I promise."
Chrysalis was about to refuse again until Mike walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. "You better not die, idiot." She said as she hugged him back and a few tears came out of her.
"Hey, it's me." He joked.
"That's why I'm worried. You aren't a combat pony." She shot back but shook her head. "You better not leave us or else I will haunt you." With that she took off again, leaving Mike alone in the hallway.
"I have no reason to leave anymore, Chrysalis. My family probably thinks I'm dead and are in mourning but they know I died doing what I love." Mike whispered to the air as he took off in the opposite direction.
-Scene Change-
Sombra laughed with glee as he saw them split up. It was time to activate his plan and his moment of triumph was close at hand. He was a little confused why the human went back but shook it off as cowardice. "See Princess, your chosen mate has fled but don't worry I'll make sure he gets a "proper" sendoff." He said with an insane look in his eyes.
Celestia was barely able to hide the smirk that wanted to grace her lips. She might not be able to use magic while chained but she did feel the magically tug on Mike. Some strange magic was pulling Mike to somewhere and she had a very good conclusion of where he was going. "I think you're the one who will need that sendoff." She said acidly.
"Ever the optimist, even when shackled." Sombra said as he walked to Nightmare. "It's time to use your powers my dear."
Nightmare just spat in his face again. "You don't control me."
Sombra wiped his face again. "Are you sure about that? If you do, I will allow dear Fluttershy to go free, but if you don't…." Sombra gave an insane look. "I wonder how much she will scream in pain when impaled on a spear. I can guarantee you that I know where to impale her to make her slowly bleed out while inflicting maximum pain and torture. Would you like that on your conscious?" He finished as he threw a smirk over at Fluttershy, who desperately tried to back away.
Nightmare's eyes were wide with shock as he finished his statement. She looked to the others for help but they were just as fearful as she was. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If she did what he asked then there was a good chance they lose Mike but if she doesn't she would be forever hated for her inability to help Fluttershy. Tears started leaking from her eyes as she made a decision. 'I'm sorry my love. Please forgive me.'
-Scene Break -
The pull Mike felt was leading him further from the throne room and deeper into the castle than he had been. It seemed like every time he turned he went further down until he came to a stone hallway that held wooden doors with small openings near the top. 'I guess Celestia does keep a dungeon.' He thought humorlessly. As he stepped through the hallway he noticed that the rooms were clean and some of them had seen recent use. 'Even in this land there's crime. What else have I missed so far here?'
Suddenly the walls started to shimmer and it felt like a spell was being cast around him. There was something going on and Mike readied his spear and waited until he heard a voice talking. What it said sent a chill through his body. "You should've died!" He heard echo around him. He took a step back in fear as the voice continued but then he heard more. "You allowed us to die!" A trio said sadly. "You're the one that pulled the trigger!" A foreign accent said in rage. "You will die for your crimes!" He heard them all say and the chill that went through his body turned to ice as grotesque figures emerged from the walls like ghosts. First was his own body that was just like the one he saw in his memory, the next was a family of three that died when he froze during his first action of combat, a father that had a hole in his left eye and a single arm attached to his torso that had a large hole from an explosion and was moving on legs that had bones sticking through it, a mother that looked like she was ran over by a tank which a smashed face with some of her brain sticking out the top and a crushed torso that was barely holding together, and finally a little girl who was no older than 6 that had half of her body completely missing and part of her entrails were dragging behind her, and two more Taliban fighters appeared from his right. He recognized them as the first time he killed another human. One had a chest that was riddled with bullet holes and had glazed eyes and the other was missing an arm and most of his legs and the top of his head from a grenade that exploded too close to him.
Mike was back peddling frantically at this point in fear. He had no idea what was going on and only wanted to get away as fast as he could. He turned around quickly and ran down the hallway as the voices continued to echo around him and in his head.
-Scene Break-
Fluttershy was tucked safely under Luna's wing as Nightmare launched her spell with regret all over her face. Luna wanted to be angry at her for placing their mate in a hard spot but she couldn't. If she was given the same option she would've done the same thing. The only thing they can do at this point is hope that Mike can figure out what was going on and rise above it.
Sombra was still smirking as he watched what was transpiring. "It's amazing when a plan comes together. The mind is a very fickle thing and is potent enough to kill without ever realizing it. Now Princess, it is I who holds the cards. I told you before, you should've killed me when you had the opportunity but you didn't. I will give you two choices; swear to serve me for eternity and I will let him go or watch as he slowly goes mad and dies by his own guilt."
Celestia gave him no answer and instead only narrowed her eyes at him. Internally, she was scared for Mike but all it takes one small glimmer of hope and anything can be overcome and this was no different. She felt a small ripple of magic when Nightmare cast her spell and knew that Nightmare had done some things different than what Sombra wanted. She gave him his show but also gave Mike the ability to overcome his guilt; all he had to do was find out what it was.
-Scene Break-
Mike lost track of how long he was running but it seemed that no matter how much he ran, he couldn't escape the torment of those chasing him. His entire body was stuck in autopilot as he ran and he soon came to a screeching halt in front of a door that looked like it was opened in a hurry. It was forced open by repeated kicks and was splintered at the hinges and yet it seemed sturdy enough to ward off those chasing him or so he hoped. As quick as he could he stepped into the room and shut the door before bolting it locked.
As he stopped to catch his breath he took a glance around the room and he saw numerous empty racks and stands. 'An armory perhaps?' He thought as he continued into the room. His theory was proven when he saw weapons and armor that had fallen from the walls and littered the floor. It was then he felt the familiar pull of magic as he regained complete control over his body. He had inadvertently followed the pull even during his frantic escape and yet he found himself in the place it was leading him. It pulled him towards the back of the room and to another door but this one was different; this door was still sealed by magic and looked impenetrable to any normal means. "Why lead me here if I can't open the door?" He asked out loud. As if in response the door suddenly glowed before the locks came off and the magic dissipated and the door swung open. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore. This land seems to have a mind of its own." He said as he shook his head and moved into the room.
This room was completely different than the previous and yet nothing lined the walls. 'Why was this room kept sealed if there's nothing here?' He thought angrily. He was led away from the battle for nothing!
As he turned to walk out of the room though, his ears caught a sound of something crashing to the ground. He spun around quickly and brought his weapon in front of him, ready to ward off an attack but nothing was there. He lowered his weapon in confusion and then a hint of metal in the far corner caught his eye. It barely stood out in the dimly lit room and it wasn't a surprise that he missed it on first inspection. Something drew him to the corner; he didn't know what it was but something was whispering to him to approach and approach he did. Glass littered the floor around but that wasn't what held his attention though; what did was the object that was lying in the now glassless case.
He heard the telltale signs of a door being pounded on and knew the figures were at the armory door and yet he didn't care as he slowly reached out to touch the thing he was missing the most; his weapon that he lost when he first got here. Lying in the center of the case was his M16 Assault Rifle. His baby was back in his possession and he felt as if a final piece had finally clicked into place in his soul.
The door was starting to buckle under the relentless pounding it was receiving and Mike slowly turned around to face it. He saw a small hand reach through the splintered wood and knew the door wouldn't hold much longer. He thought of his family mourning his passing and all his friends that he had growing up, every up and down moment in his life and every smile and frown, every laugh and every tear. He closed his eyes and waited for the door to break.
"What the hell is this Private?" He heard a voice ask.
"Separation paperwork Drill Sergeant." He heard himself say. He opened his eyes to a familiar office that he had been in multiple times.
Drill Sergeant Yates was sitting behind a desk and looking at Mike. "Would you mind telling me why this paperwork came across my desk?" Yates questioned in an even tone. Whenever Yates used an even tone it meant someone was going to have a bad day and Mike was in the crosshairs.
"I don't have an answer Drill Sergeant." He replied evenly. "I did have an answer." Mike said quietly. "I wanted to leave and go home." He saw Yates give him a blank stare for a few seconds before replying.
"Private, I want you to pay attention to this." Yates said before taking the papers off his desk and shredding them. "The only way you are leaving my Fort is with a beret on your head and a packet of papers telling you where to go next for training. I haven't had one soldier quit on me yet in my three years and I will be damned if you do in my last cycle. I will make you a soldier whether you like it or not." Yates told him in that even tone. "Go back to your barracks, get to sleep, and wake up with a better attitude tomorrow. If it's the last thing I do on this ball we call earth, you will be leaving here a damn soldier." Yates finished with narrowed eyes.
"Yes Drill Sergeant." Mike replied in a depressed tone. With that acknowledgement, the scene faded and another took its place. It was a run day and Yates ordered Mike into A group. "If you fall out then it's going to add another mile onto our run." Yates told him as everyone behind him groaned. Yates ordered him to the front of the formation and Mike was dreading that run ever since. He made it to the two mile mark somehow before dry heaving on the side of the road.
The scene changed again and Mike was looking at a trench wall that was before him. 'NIC at night.' He thought happily. 'Something I was extremely afraid of until it happened.' Drill Sergeant Caster was on top of the wall looking at us in the trench before receiving a go from the towers. "GET OUT OF THE TRENCH! GO GO GO!" He yelled before everyone started crawling up the wall. They already heard the M240 rounds as they started low crawling under barbed wire. Mike simply watched as he saw people accidently kicking others in the face. "We were afraid at the start but brave at the end." Mike said as he watched himself stand up at the end of the course. From this angle he could see a small smirk on Yates face as the First Sergeant was high fiving the soldiers coming out of the wire. "Every now and then, the cadre did something like that to make themselves more likeable and it worked every time." He whispered as the scene faded again.
The next scene was at the final FTX called Victory Forge. The Drill Sergeants simulated a mortar attack and a raid and around the FOB were soldiers pretending to be wounded. They had to repel the fake attack and treat the wounded at the same time and Mike had been part of the rescue squad to get those who weren't in the camp to safety. After the simulation ended, Lieutenant Sealand addressed them. "Warriors, you all just went through a potential attack that could happen at any time. You never know when it will happen and you can't fully prepare for it but it will happen. Most of you will probably fear that day but it's how you deal with that fear that will determine the outcome. Are you going to run and leave everyone behind or are you going to fight back with all you got. Only you can answer that question when the time comes."
The final scene was back in Drill Sergeant Yates office. "I told you that the only way you were leaving was with a beret on your head didn't I." Yates said with a small smirk.
"Yes Drill Sergeant." Mike replied. "I want you to take what your Commander said to heart. You were afraid when you got here but now look at you. You may not be the model soldier but no can say you are a quitter either. The person in front of me is a lot more different than 10 weeks ago and I want you to stay that way. Take whatever the world throws at you and throw it back twice as hard Private. That is my last piece of advice to you." Yates finished as he gave Mike a final handshake. "Get back to your barracks, tomorrow is graduation."
"Yes Drill Sergeant!" Mike said loudly before leaving with a smile on his face. Mike didn't notice until now that Yates also had a smile on his face as well.
Mike opened his eyes and was back in the armory with the door ready to split but he felt calm. He froze up once and he got a family killed. 'Not again.' He thought angrily. "I'm not going to freeze again.' He stood, tall and proud, and loaded a magazine into his rifle. The door busted open at that moment and Mike began firing.
-Scene Break-
Sombra's eyes narrowed as he saw the human put something into the object in his hands and pointed it at the door. As he saw the door open flashes started to appear at the end of the object and his pursuers flinched as they were hit by something. 'This isn't possible; they shouldn't be getting hit at all! They're nothing but apparitions of ghosts!"
Nightmare saw his face contort and smirked. He said he wanted Mike to be swallowed by his fear but he didn't say that they had to be fake. The apparitions were empty shells of armor that she gave life and flesh to. They would run out of magic in a few minutes and then Sombra would be the final obstacle. 'Checkmate, Sombra.' She thought in glee.
-Scene Break-
'Do these things ever die?!' Mike thought as he fired another shot at himself. It seemed that no matter where he hit them, they would fall down and get back up. The only thing he managed to do was keep them in front of him but he was running low on ammo and he only found three magazines with his rifle; and two of them were already empty. As he began to count his rounds remaining something happened with one of the figures. It began to shake and move erratically until it just fell apart. Pieces of metal collapsed around where the figure was and suddenly Mike understood. 'They must've been made by magic and it must be disappearing.' As if on cue the other figures started to shake violently before collapsing as well.
Mike let out a sigh of relief after the final one collapsed. "For what it's worth…I'm sorry for you all." He whispered before running off again. There was one last pony to take down before everything was said and done. "I'm coming every one; just hold on for a little longer."
And cut and print! Chapter 21 is in the books and we have one more to go before the epilogue. Through some incredibly advanced form of writing called condensing I was able to cut out some unnecessary parts and shorten it to one chapter. Mike faced his inner demons and finally won and now we have one more pony to get through.
This story was actually a bunch of different things all thrown together. Mike Bryant was a great friend of mine growing up when I lived in Ohio. I always told him I would put him in a story but sadly he died in 2005 from a drunk driver. This was kind of a tribute to him. Most of the Army scenes were from my own experience in the Army but not all of it and the rest of the story was pretty much just stuff I made up. Either way it has been a great ride so far and for those of you who have stuck with it till now I salute you and hope you enjoy these last few chapters.