My Little Airman pt 33 Head Crusher

Part 33 Head Crusher

 

>Day 2 on the mountain

>You've had no rest since you started walking

>You don't care about your life anymore. The only thing that keeps a banished solider like you going is your oath

>In the long run, it doesn't matter how your country views you, as long as you protect it

>Now, you have more freedom to move around and secure Equestria

>No ties to keep you away from your duty, nothing to distract you other than food and simple shelter

>You can't help but feel some irritation at Princess Celestia for not giving you a break and give you time to explain what happened

>No matter what you do, this resentment hangs in your head

>One thing keeps coming into your mind

>What did Shining Armor mean when he said that you stood HER up?

>How could that happen? You had waited for her...

>Perhaps it was a lie, but she really couldn't lie very well.

>That, and how you could massacre a bar, but have no recollection of that...Rather, you remembered...

>Focus brain. We're going to die here if we don't find food or shelter soon

>I know that asshole

>Fuck you

>Fuck you too buddy

>Walking along the freezing mountain, it's lonely as hell

>But you like it. It's only what you deserve.

>Continuing on, you smell something in the wind...

>Is it...yes, it's smoke

>You start to get excited. Smoke means fire, and fire means...

>...well, in this environment, that means intelligent life

>You pick up your pace as much as you can, finding it even more difficult with the snow

>In the distance, you can see light and shadows coming from what looks to be a snow cave

>As you approach the entrance, you hear voices but cannot discern what they're saying

>The voices themselves sound rather familiar though...

>Right at the entrance, you try to pick up on the conversation as best as you can

>"Stalliongrad.....Capt...Appaloos....Then Eques...

>You really can't tell what is being said, but you can hear places that you know of

>It's a bit disturbing...

>It's almost like you're listening to someone planning something

>Slowly, you peek around the corner

>Inside, you see a rather large snow cave, you can't even see the back

>It's almost like it's an exit of a tunnel...

>Uh...

>This does not bode well...

>Scanning around, you see a couple silhouettes, but you cannot distinguish them

>If those tunnels are indicative of anything though...

>Suddenly, there's a disturbance in the snow behind you

>Quickly turning, you see a rather large dog as he punches your face with enough force to throw you into the cave

>Your nose is already bleeding

>A little dazed, you hear them clearly now

>"What's this then?"

>"I think it's the one that killed Boss Higgins!"

>"He also killed all those other dogs... something like 500."

>"You're right Butch! What do you suppose we should do with him?"

>"I reckon we should send him to the boss."

>"Yeah, he'll know what to do with him!"

>Before you can come to your senses, you're grabbed and hogtied by the three dogs

>They pick you up, and you have no choice but to be carried

>As they carry you deeper into the tunnel, the terrain starts to change

>Instead of snow, the tunnel is now dug through the ground

>Like the other tunnel, it twists and turns with different sorts of paths

>You try to memorize the path you're being carried onto

>Left Right Right Straight Left?

>No, it was Right Left Left Down Up Straight?

>Shit

>You're lost

>Escape's going to be difficult, but you hypothesize that the more snow you see, the closer to the exit you are

>Then again, that may lead you to a dead end if you escape

>"This fucker's pretty quiet for a mass killer."

>"Yeah Merv. Hey shitface! You got anything to say?"

>You give a little grin

Nope. I don't talk to things I'm going to kill.

>"Awww that's adorable, don't you think so Clyde?"

>"Just dainty, Butch."

>Although you're lost, you can tell this tunnel isn't as extensive as the one outside Ponyville

>Escape won't be impossible like it would have been back then, but you're still going to waste some time getting out

>There aren't many diamond dogs here, or so it seems. You can see a couple passing by occasionally, but it seems like they're pretty busy

>After what feels like only about twenty minutes, they bring you to a makeshift door

>The one referred to as Merv knocks on the door

>A loud voice shouts behind it

>"What is it!?"

>Merv clears his throat

>"Boss Paw, we got another visitor for you."

>Another? Who else is here?"

>"This better not be a waste of my fucking time! Bring it in!"

>They open the door and throw you onto the ground. You can smell the scent tobacco being burnt

>The Boss looks uninterested, the back of his chair facing you

>"Boss Paw, here it is. The fucker who killed our brothers a couple months ago. And it even came crawling into our front door!"

>His reaction is almost comical

>Immediately he turns around and gives you a shit-eating grin

>The first thing you notice on him is a cigar

>But he's also a well-built dog, or you suppose. He looks pretty ripped and appears he might know a thing or two about fighting.

>This one might be worth fighting

>"YOU!"

>He even points at you

>Well, if he's not even going to try to be serious...

Yes?

>"I VOWED REVENGE AGAINST YOU, HORSEFUCKER!"

That's a rather rude thing to say.

>He laughs

>"You make the jokes now, but we'll see how you act when you're about to die."

>The one called Butch chimes in

>"He even made a comment about how he's going to kill us!"

>Boss Paw laughs even harder

>"How are you going to accomplish that when you're all tied up?"

I'll find a way

>He continues to laugh

>"You know, I never got to know your name. Who the fuck are you?"

I am Captain Anonymous of the Equestrian Royal Guard, formerly of the United States Air Force.

>He blows some smoke into your face

>"So, Princess Celestia sent you to eradicate us?"

>If only that were true

>Then again, they don't know it isn't.

>You're feeling pretty defiant too

Yeah. And I'm going to do just that

>"Well, we'll just have to proceed with the plans a little earlier than expected."

>That dampens your mood

What plans?

>"Oh, don't you worry about that. Our plans don't concern the deceased. Boys, take him to the Head Crusher."

>That sounds rather unpleasant

>They all respond at the same time

>"You got it Boss!"

>Before you can say anything, they pick you up and carry you out

>Not even a minute later, you're thrown into another room, this one much bigger than Boss Paw's

>Actually, it's more of a Roman stadium, and you can see plenty of diamond dogs sitting in the seats above you

>For being underground and in a mountain, this place actually has some decent lighting

>In the center, you see an especially large dog

>You can't tell his exact height from your distance, but you can already tell he'll tower you by over two feet at least

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiT7WoVGt5k

>A loud voice rings through the stadium

>"Gentlemutts, may I have your attention?!"

>You just heard that voice

>Yup, it's Boss Paw

>"Tonight, we originally had one execution planned. However, due to luck, we will have two! First is that curious soldier like planned. Second, is the bastard who destroyed our plans in Equestria, Captain Anonymous himself!"

>The crowd erupts in cheer

>Two? There's another in here?

>You look  around, trying desperately to find the poor soul who is also here

>On the ground, there are several bodies around, some looking to be dog-like, others goat-like

>All of them share one thing in common

>A crushed head

>Well shit

>You finally spot him not too far away, but a little ahead of you

>Oh shit, it's a Royal Guard!

>How the fuck did he end up here?

>And while you're asking questions, where the fuck are you?

>While you're pondering, a couple dogs untie both you and the guard, and quickly tie up your hands behind your back. and promptly disappear behind gated entrances

>You stand and quickly assess the situation

>There is this beast-dog that wants to crush your head and the head of this guard pony

>You are surrounded in a stadium and cannot get out as you are

>You'd probably need the guard's help to jump into the audience, but he can't help if he's going to die first

>You've found your objective

>"Now let the torture begin!"

>Swiftly, you run to the large ass dog

>While you do, you try to unbound your hands

>Damn, the rope is on pretty tight...

>You notice a  few devices behind the Head Crusher, all rather old looking

>Before you can see more details, a weight wraps around your legs, causing you to trip

>Shit, your feet are entangled in a bolas

>A voice from the crowd screams at you

>"You'll have your turn Anonymous!"

>The crowd laughs at you

>There's nothing you can do except try in vain to unbound yourself

>The other prisoner runs towards you

>"Captain! What's the plan?"

>He knows you?

>You don't know him

>Then again, you're a hero. He probably knows you because of your exemplary service

You gotta get me out of these binds before that thing gets here! We'll take him on and then-

>The guard flies through the air

>What the fuck?

>Above you is your executioner, unfazed

>"That's a cute plan you had there."

>Apparently, he threw your only friend across the stadium

>Ah, that makes sense

>...

Shit

>Before you can squirm away, he grabs you by the head and drags you towards those devices

>That's not at all a comfortable feeling

>The rocky terrain, the pressure on your head

>Good God, the pressure! His grip is so strong on your head that if he was gripping your neck, it would have broken already

>As you approach the devices, you see that they're actually head restraints

>"On your knees prisoner! Take your position!"

>Really, you have no choice, as he forces you into compliance

>Now you're tied up and your head's restrained in an old leather harness

>You can't see, but you can guess what he's doing; he's going to grab the other guard

>Not long after, your buddy is next to you, trapped in your predicament

>The Head Crusher pulls your head restraint, moving it so you can see the guard

>That fucker bows to the chanting crowd

>He makes his way to your friend...

>He raises his fist...

>And he punches his head with a force hard enough that you felt a small shockwave

>The guard, as far as you can tell, is in pain, but unable to express it

>He's not unconscious, but he's not all the way there

>There's a nice amount of blood trickling down his head

>As the Head Crusher raises his fist again, you can help but think...

>Is this the end?      

>Are you going to die undignified like this?

>Is Equestria going to fall?

>Will you really never see her...?

>Fuck her

>Fuck these dogs

>Fuck the Head Crusher

>Rage builds up in you

>In the outermost part of your eyesight, you can see the black aura surround you

>The Head Crusher strikes the guard in the same place, bringing some more blood spurting out, and a little bone is visible

>You pull your hands apart, and find that the rope snaps easily

>Likewise, you pull the bolas off your feet

>Huh

>The executioner takes some notice

>As he comes over, his fists reach above you

>Instantly, you jerk up, ripping the restraint off and hitting him in the chest

>That impact sends him a few feet in the air, and he lands on his ass

>He gets back up quickly though, the smile leaving his face

>Fear?

>Yes, he probably hasn't seen anything break free before

>You walk towards him calmly

>He throws a punch towards your face

>In a moment that casts a silence upon the audience, you catch his fist

>With him at your mercy, you take great pleasure slowly breaking his wrist

>His howls of pain only serve to encourage you

>Quickly grabbing further up his arm, you pull him up high enough to see eye-to-eye

>There's still a bit of resistance in his eyes

>You glare at him

>Decisively, you head-butt him

>You feel almost nothing, but a slight knock on your forehead

>The Head Crusher, on the other hand, is back on the ground

>Time to finish the job

>Grabbing his throat with your left, you pound his head in with your right

>It's probably the magic in you that's causing all the damage to his skull

>No matter how strong you are, you're pretty sure you couldn't do this just by muscle strength alone

>In moments, it's over

>The Head Crusher is finished. His corpse resembles the others lying around him

>The music ends, and right as you question where it came from, you notice the audience fleeing from their seats

>Fucking worms, the lot of them.

>Quickly, you search the crowd for Boss Paw, but he's nowhere to be seen

>Remembering your comrade, you quickly rush to his bloodied body

>Checking for pulse...

>It's weak, but it's there. And he's still breathing

>He's not dead yet, but if you don't do something, he will be

>Swiftly, you walk over and notice a knife on the ground

>When the fuck did that get there?

>You pick it up and inspect it

>The blade is black, straight, and clearly meant for killing, not unlike your KA-BAR

>However, the blade is sharp on both sides. Odd, seeing that the blade isn't straight like a stiletto, but is again more similar to your KA-BAR

>Picking it up, you realize it's also a bit bigger, somewhere between a Bowie knife and KA-BAR

>The other guard moans a little, taking you out of your trance

>Ripping off his binds, you set him gently on the ground, and find he's a little conscious

>As he looks at you, you can't imagine the pain he's in

>"Captain..." he says weakly

Shh. Save your strength.

>"Behind...you..."

>Oh shit

>You quickly turn and raise the knife, barely deflecting another blade

>Taking it all in, you realize that you just blocked a sword from decapitating you. That sword...It's wielder...it's Boss Paw

>Pushing the sword back, you try to slice at his face

>No good. Blocked

>Now he pushes, sending you stumbling back

>Swiftly, he swings to your left...

>As you go to block, he skillfully pulls back

>A feint...

>He goes to stab your defenseless chest

>At the last minute, you lean to your right, falling intentionally

>That keeps the blade from killing you

>However, it made its mark on your left side, leaving a gash between two ribs

>Where did all that energy go? You had enough strength, despite having nothing to eat, to rip off your binds not five minutes ago

>Bleeding, you jump back up

>He goes to swing at your head again...

>You decide in a split second to try something rather risky...

>You lower yourself and pounce at him, catching his arms with your left hand

>With your momentum, you knee his gut, twist his arm, and cause him to drop his sword

>How the fuck did you come up with that?

>Instinct? Training?

>However it happened, it happened, and you can't be more ecstatic

>Kicking the sword away from him, he's still in your grip

>You go to stab him...But the knife doesn't sink into his body

>Rather, it makes a CLINK sound, as if...

>Shit. He's got fake fur there, and under it is armor of some sort

>He then bites your arm while you're distracted

>Letting go, you feel blood being drawn

>At least he can't get his sword without passing by you

>"Not bad, Anonymous. Not bad at all. However, I must cut this short. I have a plan to put in motion, after all"

Where the fuck do you think you're going?

>His response: pulling a remote-like device out of his fake fur jacket

>Well...shit. Today's not your day

>He presses a button on it, and you hear several explosions

>Within seconds, the arena is going down

>"Goodbye, Anonymous!"

>He scurries out of there, leaving you and your dying comrade

>In a quick motion, you attach the knife to your belt and pick up the dying guard

>In milliseconds, you decide to carry the Head Crusher's body as well

>With unusual ease, you're able to carry both and run towards the now-open, yet crumbling exit

>Maybe there's still a little magic left...

>Boulders coming down...can you make it?

>Must...go...faster....

>You slide, Indiana Jones style, and barely make it

>In fact, the last boulder is less than an inch away from the top of your head

>You consciously decide to forget that, not wanting to imagine the top of your head...

>And repressed

>"That was...a fantastic maneuver sir..."

>Looking to your left, you see the dying guard

>It never gets any easier, but you might as well talk to him

What's your name?

>"I'm... Snow Storm...At your service..."

>He closes his eyes

Stay with me Snow Storm!

>You put him in a more dignified position, and he opens his eyes

>"I'm right here...captain..."

>Placing a hand on his back, you try to keep yourself steady. One more death, especially of a stallion you don't know, shouldn't affect you this much, but it still does

You have to stay awake, son. We'll get out of here, and I'll get you to a hospital. You're going to be fine.

>"Sir...cut the bullshit...I'm done."

>No tears, damnit. Not now.

>Gotta change the subject...

Please, tell me. Where did you grow up?

>"Captain, I grew...up...close here, in the...Foal Mountains..."

We're in the Foal Mountains? How far away is Canterlot? In what direction?

>"Sir,  we're north...by about 1,000 miles... we're on the outskirts of Equestria..."

>Well, now you know where you are

How did you end up here?

>"A blizzard...separated me from my unit... the dogs...they found me first...I'm glad you came...to keep me from dying in there..."

>Keep it straight brain...

Did you hear anything about their plans?

>"All...I've heard was something...along the lines of...an invasion...sir."

>Shit. Again?

>This time though... it looks like they're preparing for a full scale attack

>And this time you're not around to protect Equestria

>Focus brain...There's a dying guard here...

So, you grew up here... Alone?

>"No sir... my family was here....They've all moved...but we lived at the base of the mountains..."

How was the summer? Dry?

>"Yes...how'd you know?"

>Come on tears, quit it

I also grew up at the base of a mountain range. Summers were hot and dry, winters were cold and dry. What snow we got only lasted for one or two days, a week at the very most.

>"I loved...summer sunsets the most..."

Fantastic pink, orange, red sunsets against the mountains right? With the beautiful blue hue surrounding it, right?

>"You got it...sir..."

>He could've been a neighbor to you.

>"Sir, please... leave me. I'm done."

Not happening, Snow Storm. I'm not leaving you.

>His eyes start to close

>"It's alright...I feel...

Damnit Snow Storm! You're not dying here!

>His eyes are closed now, and he looks relaxed

>"...fine......"

>He exhales

>You wait

>His body goes limp

>You wait

>His pulse is gone

>You wait

>He never draws another breath

>You can't hold back tears

>True, you didn't personally know him, but he was a brother-in-arms

>Slowly, you look at the Head Crusher's lifeless body

>There's a lot of fur on it...

 

>An hour later, you finished skinning the Head Crusher's body

>You're left with a furry pelt that seems thick enough to provide ample warmth for you

>Putting it on, you definitely feel that you could survive the cold now

>However, you need to find some...

>Huh? What's that smell?

>Picking up Snow Storm's corpse, you follow your nose

>You're not letting his body stay here

>It takes you through several tunnels that twist and turn, but you finally see the source

>There's a fire pit with a pot

>Even better, there seems to be a good supply of food here...

>Searching around, you can see the signs of abandonment. Apparently, they were rushing to escape you, and actually left a good deal of food

>Mostly meat, but there's some canned fruits and vegetables

>Good, good

>You come across a sack, and things instantly get better

>You pack as much food as you can, and open the pot

>It's a nice little meat soup

>You help yourself to some

>Your luck seems to be changing, for now at least

>The pot now empty, you feel like you can take on the world again

>Picking up Snow Storm's body, you mentally prepare yourself

>Those Diamond Dogs have no idea the hell they've unleashed upon themselves