Chapter 3

The Silver Bullet

*****

The alarm clock on Sterling's nightstand, which was fused into a lamp to make a modernized combination of the two, had rung out the morning hour of 6:30 AM. Within the time that the music was playing on the clock, Sterling had rubbed his eyes while they were adjusting to the morning light that had penetrated his room. A flatulence had then erupted as he shifted his position to place his back on the comfort pillows at the back end of the bed. Mumbling incoherently to himself, his attention had then focused on the door that made up the entrance to his bathroom.

A quick wash up later, he dressed up in his usual undershirt and boxers before putting on a white, short sleeve polo shirt and a pair of blue denim jeans with a pair of white socks to go with his pair of blue and white running shoes. He then went down to the kitchen to start making his breakfast. Two scrambled eggs and three slices of bacon were placed between two toasted slices of bread that had butter spread on them to make a breakfast sandwich. To top it all off, he drank down a big glass of orange juice to wash down the delicious taste of his food.

“I think I should go into the town to see if I can at least help out the town in some way,” he had contemplated to himself. But as he was thinking about his desire to start working, a sudden thought had passed into his head. He would need to actually go back into the town so that he could help the other citizens out. A run up the stairs was followed by his morning ritual of brushing his teeth and brushing his long black hair. Sterling took a few steps back to get a glance of himself. At five feet and ten inches tall, he was bemused with shame that his luck with the women in his unit, or even in his whole life, was just cosmically slim to none.

But his dismal luck with the opposite gender was primarily because of how he was just abysmally clueless as to how the women in his unit from before had been trying to flirt with him. His head hung in shame because of how he was just that much of a freshman when it came to dating. Or even flirting. But last night...

Last night was just by a chance of luck, in his point of view. Two of the Elements that he met yesterday, Rarity and Fluttershy, had kissed his face... This caused him to growl on the inside before he could even get himself to look in the mirror.

"That's IT!!! No more cowering, Colonel!!" he angrily shouted out to his reflection with a finger pointing at himself. "You may have just been oblivious at first, but now... you have two gorgeous women that may like to be with you! So don't let this new opportunity slide past you, you dipshit!" he further growled. "Yeah...", he then nodded to himself, conceding in his membrane that this was a golden opportunity. "But first... I have to get to know them, first," he nodded. "I may not even know how they actually feel. The alcohol that the ladies and I had consumed last night had only opened a small portion of themselves," he noted to himself out loud. "But if I do this right.... I just might be able to win their hearts for my opening up to them," he sighed with a small grin.

Just don't allow them to know everything until the time is actually right, a male voice instructed him softly. Sterling turned around to face where the door was. To his immediate right, the King named Platinum Will had stood at the wall with a little chuckle in his smile. Sterling gave a little nod.

"I understand, your Majesty," Sterling saluted to him. "But I want it to be made clear on three points, if I may be so bold," he pointed to him.

Go ahead, Master Caliber, Platinum replied.

"First: My true mission in Equestria is to not just have my own home after twelve years of fighting the legions of terrorists and undead warriors. It is to also find and punish the source of the conflicts. And with extreme prejudice against the perpetrator, so that the real war that I am still fighting in will finally be over," Sterling began. "Second: When I truly feel that the Elements of Harmony, and indeed the Princesses of this great land, are ready to learn the whole truth about me, as well as my unit, they will all know about it from me," he added on to the conversation. "And finally: I will not allow my lust or anger issues cloud my judgement in the coming skirmishes ahead of me. A clear mind with confidence and sincerity will win," he finished in his proclamations.

But remember to not raise your hand against these women who have touched your heart, young one, the Queen spoke up with a smile that spoke her approval to the soldier.

And remember that the women of this age are still just as fragile in the matters of the heart as the women in our lifetime were, the Prince added to the instructions.

With a deep bow to them in a goodbye fashion, Sterling had opened the door of his bathroom and closed it behind him. With a run down to the door, he grabbed his car and house keys from the key holder near the door and opened up the front entrance of his home. A lock-up later, he trotted his feet over to the garage and opened up the panels to reveal his ride in perfect working condition. And as the engine had roared once again, after turning the key into the ignition, he started his drive into the town.

Ten minutes later, he pulls up to the parking lot of another building: The Carousel Boutique. As he finds the right card to pull out from his card pack, his ceremonial uniform is then summoned with his magic. As he looked over from the dashboard, altering his gaze from the building to his uniform in ten second intervals, it had occurred to him to remember that even though Rarity was highly considered to be the authority in altering and remeasuring any and all forms of dresses and suits, she did not have the experience of remeasuring and altering any military uniforms. And with another incantation, he summoned a book that would help the lady out in her new endeavor.

But he was just not going to go inside the building to ask for her business. He looked at the clock under the dashboard, and it read 12:30 PM. He also wanted to have lunch with the proper lady. And as he pondered how to get her attention, he then had the thought that was soon brought about by another action. A few seconds later, he then summoned an old bottle of wine that had been gifted to him from the same family that gave him his car. In fact, it was just one of the many dozens that were gifted to him for his valorous deeds.

As he stepped out of the car, he made the uniform, the book and the bottle wine float behind him with a bit of magic. With a slam of the door, the car was then locked with his thumb pressing on the remote button that allowed him to do so. The steps toward the building were then accompanied by his hand opening the door to his intended destination. The bell above him rang out to let the woman inside know that she was about to have a potential customer.

"Coming~!" the same woman called out in a singsong tone. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique! Where every--! Aah! S-Sterling!" Rarity gasped out with a yelp. "What brings you here, darling? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but this is rather unexpected!" she greeted him with her eyebrows raised up as her eyes widened while hugging him with glee.

"I decided to come see you about a few things, so here I am," Sterling stated to her with a chuckle.

"And you have come to the right place, if you are looking for some formal attire or some new clothes, my dear Colonel," she giggled at the last part. This made the man smile a little more, and all because of how flirty she was with him today.

"Actually, it's more along the lines of a refitting, if I can take your time for a few moments," Sterling spoke to her while floating his uniform and book to her counter.

"Hmm... What is that book for?" she asked him curiously.

"Well, let me get to the point," he started with his throat cleared. "It's only fitting that I bring that book to you, given that it is my belief that you've never done a refitting for a military uniform before. Am I correct in assuming that, Miss Rarity?" he asked her with a small tone of authority.

"Why, uh... yes," Rarity answered him. "I've only given a few custom made dresses and suits to some very important clients. Like Sapphire Shores, Fancypants, and even the Princesses Celestia and Luna, for example. But I have never been given the chance to see a military uniform," she shook her head with a gleam in her eye. "Is that the book that will help me with that, my new friend?" she asked him again, pointing to the hardback.

"All that you need to know about the uniforms' specific details of stitching, padding and coloring," he answered with a nod of his head.

"And you are wishing for my help in finding out if you can still fit in that marvelous attire?" she inquired.

"That is correct, my new friend," he nodded.

"Aah! Then we must get to work immediately!" she yelped with a delight in her voice. "I'll get the measuring tape so that we can get to work right away!" she chimed as that same roll had then floated behind her.

"Take your time with the measurements, Rarity," he calmly spoke to her, sensing her joy. "I didn't come here to just take some of your time, strictly for your business," he then said to her, causing the lady to arch an eyebrow.

"Oh? What else did you come here for, hmm?" Rarity spoke to him.

"I also came here with a gift to you," he stated in that 'matter-of-fact' tone once again. The bottle that he had been floating behind him had then been placed next to the book. "And I feel that a lady of culture and taste, such as yourself, deserves to have a little something from me," he boldly said with a grin as she eyed the bottle.

"Hmm..." she curiously hummed while looking at the contents on the label. She then gave out a small gasp. "Oh, goodness! A bottle of dark red wine from a Stalliongrad winery? Why... this is..." she trailed off in the daze of being able to see the bottle in front of her.

"Very expensive," he finished for her with a nod. Sterling then went up to Rarity and placed a hand on her right shoulder. "And it is all yours to have, my friend," he then nodded to her. The look on Rarity's face as she faced him? Priceless!

"Wah-HA-HAH!! T-This... Aah! B-but--!" she started to protest before Sterling raised his hand to silence her for a moment.

"No buts, Rarity! If I want to give something expensive to a new friend, nothing is going to stop me until I've done it," he nodded to her with a stern face. It was then that Rarity, after putting the bottle down on the counter, had suddenly jumped from her heel-clad feet and gave the man a very big hug with her arms locking around his broad shoulders. If there was ever a time that he would be surprised by a woman's touch, his face would gladly indicate it for anyone else that might have seen the display.

"Oh! Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you! Thank you so much!" she rapidly said into his chest with a nuzzle. "This is just the best gift that a lady has EVER been given!" she chimed to him before giving him a kiss on his left cheek. "Thank you ever so much!"

"Heh-heh-heh! You're welcome, Rarity," he said to her with a blush on his face. The lady's embrace had then been broken off within a few seconds. As it did, he looked over to where a clock had been hanging on the wall. It read 12:45 PM. He then looked to the woman who had then taken the bottle from the counter into her hands.

"I might have to store this into my private collection, so don't wait too long, my dear," Rarity chimed to him with her eyes not leaving his.

"Like I said: Take your time," Sterling nodded to her. Rarity then took the bottle and walked over to where her kitchen was. As Sterling watched her almost dance to where her new destination was, he noticed that there was a slight sway in her movements. Given that he was a healthy young man, he gave himself a little look at her backside and smiled silently to himself.

As Rarity disappeared into the kitchen, he was able to take the mental picture of her image into his head. The same measurement numbers that he observed on her body were still running through his head: 37-24-36. And all with a perfect hourglass figure that showed that she was able to take great care of her body. But it was also her face that he pictured. If ever there was a time that he wanted to tell a woman that she looked like a supermodel, or even a Goddess sent angel, he never took that chance.

"Beautiful...." he whispered to himself as his face had turned a brighter red.

"What was that, dear?" Rarity spoke up from beside him. This caused him to jump back from her in a defensive position as a yelp had been shouted out from him.

"N-nothing! Nothing!" he tried to lie, though his reddened face had betrayed him. She giggled a bit at him before approaching him with her hand touching his shoulder.

"You must have been quite lost in that little world of yours," she smiled at him.

Sterling was then confounded. His vigilance had been taken over by how infatuated he was with the woman. But in his defeat, he had then decided to stop beating around the bush.

"Uh... Hey, Rarity?" he began to speak.

"Yes, darling?" she asked him.

"I-I... Uh... Um..." he began to trail off before he began to mumble incoherently. Rarity's hand had then softly touched his face, earning a small squeak from him.

"Sterling.... you know you can tell me anything, darling," she cooed to him, recognizing his hesitation.

"W-well, um..." he tried to speak to her. He then took in a deep breath to calm his nerves around her. "Rarity...?"

"Yes?"

"I... I also wanted to--"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

The scream from outside of the building had been a bloodcurdling tone that spoke of danger. This had made the both of them jump.

"W-what was that?" Rarity shivered.

"Trouble, if ever I heard it," Sterling answered her. His hand had then opened the door with his magic. But as he was about to bolt from the door, his arm had then been grabbed by Rarity's hand. "What is it?" he quickly asked.

"That scream came from Fluttershy's house! It's best that you let me lead the way," she answered him with a nod from her now stern face.

"Lead the way, Rarity!" he instructed her, going back to his soldier form.

"Follow me!" she instructed back as they went out the door with the man following her.

"Let's take my car, Rarity! It'll get us there in a jiffy!" he suggested as his keys had then turned on the engine after they closed the door.

"We better hurry! There's no knowing what it is that made Fluttershy scream like that!" she spoke up as they entered his car.

"Going to turbo now!" he stated as his foot had pressed hard on the wheel while reversing from his spot before driving off from the parking lot of the building. His speed had then excelled from the limits as he drove towards the arch bridge that had made up another part of the town.

"Just down there, near the other bridge! Hurry!" Rarity shouted out in her fear.

"Affirmative!" Sterling replied.

The car had then been pulled up to where the bridge was. With a hasty movement, both Rarity and Sterling had stepped out from the vehicle to assess the situation. Near the cottage that Rarity pointed out to him, there was Fluttershy. And she was running for her life, away from the house of hers. The little woodland creatures that she was known to take care of were also running in fear. But what they were all running from was what had perplexed Sterling... until...

"TIMBERWOLVES!!!" Fluttershy screamed out to the sky in her fear.

And sure enough... an entire pack of Timberwolves had surrounded the cottage, destroying almost everything in their path.

"FLUTTERSHY!!! GET OVER HERE!!!" Sterling commanded her with his hands gesturing for her to get to safety. And the frightened lady did this. "Tell us what happened here, Fluttershy!" he asked of her.

"They all surrounded my home, and they ate some of my critter friends! Please! Someone..." she cried into his chest with fearful tears streaming down his shirt. It was right there, after hearing her plea, that Sterling's desire to defend her and Rarity had ignited his anger against the new enemy.

"Rarity!" he shouted to her. "Take Fluttershy into the car and get some help! You and the other Elements will be needed, along with some reinforcements!" he commanded her to do.

"But what about--?" she was about to ask.

"No time to idle! JUST GET THE OTHERS, AND CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS!!!" Sterling shouted to her, pushing Fluttershy towards her. "And don't come back until you've gotten the proper men and women to take these beasts down! Is that understood?!"

"YES, SIR!! Fluttershy, we need to call our friends!" Rarity spoke up before going into the driver seat while Fluttershy took the back passenger seats. As the car had then driven off from the path, Sterling had then crossed the bridge to face the monsters.

"ALRIGHT, YOU OVERGROWN TUMBLEWEEDS!! IT'S TIME TO TURN YOU INTO MULCH, AS I SHOW YOU HOW I AM KNOWN AS 'THE SILVER BULLET!!!" he yelled at the packs after summoning a long sword that he used to dispose of the undead legions in Stalliongrad and Trottsnia.

The first wolf to lunge into its attack had then been sliced into a bunch of firewood by his sword. The green slime that made its blood then stained his body and face, along with the blade. And as the other wolves surrounded him, his abilities had been put to the test as the wolves, one by one, had taken a leap towards their intended prey, had all been killed with a swift motion of his blade. But while he was successful with his defenses, a few of the wolves' limbs had penetrated his skin from his clothing. This in turn made him bleed out as sharp bits of pain had entered his membrane. But the adrenaline had overtaken his pain, and thus was able to kill even more of the abominations that wanted him dead.

But as his attackers had lost another dozen, the wolves had then heard the unnatural sound of an unknown creature from the Everfree Forest. But this howl was deeper in its octave. And as it was heard, the other creatures had fled in fear. Naturally, Sterling would have relished in the victory of having taken care of more than ten dozen wolves. But his victory was short lived.

Within seconds, a pair of creatures had lunged from the forest and landed on top of the cottage, thus destroying the roof as the damage had then collapsed the rubble into the interior of the house. It was just as Sterling had feared, but not as much as the dark mages that summoned the undead legions. This was just a few degrees more....

A pair of Alpha male Timberwolves had snarled their jaws with the green slime making up their drool. This had raised Sterling's adrenaline by a higher length. 'Flight' was not in his mind. He would do what he could in order to protect both the town and its citizens. But as the creatures drew nearer, he laughed loudly with a hearty smile.

"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HHAAAAAH! NOW THE FUN HAS BEEN DOUBLED!!! he proclaimed as his stance had taken the offensive.

"BRING YOUR PRETTY FACES TO MY SWORD!!!" he shouted out his taunt to the monsters. And this had become another epic battle for him to fight in. The first of the creatures had then lunged swiftly towards him. As the creature had then drew nearer, Sterling had summoned a flaming spell that had engulfed his blade to make his defensive move. And with a slight chuckle, he said: "Bad move, fire wood!"

With a planned move, his blade had then penetrated the chest of the first creature and set the creature aflame. And with his blade within the heart, he ran with his blade, slicing through the whole body in a swift move as if a knife was cutting through butter. And as the very large denizen had howled in its pain, the body was then immolated into ashes and dust. This move had wiped out the monster within a few seconds.

"Whaddya say, number two? Wanna get some?" he growled at the other as his flaming blade had shined out towards it. The wolf had then  swiped its long paw against him. "Again: bad move, sparky!" he growled once again as his weapon had cut against the limb, setting the whole paw on fire. And with another move, his speed had taken a silvery etheral blaze around the wolf.

And as the flames, after slicing through the wood of the creature, had been put out from the man's weapon, the last creature had then been put to the same punishment. And as the body had then thumped to the ground in ashes and dust, he sensed another presence within the forest. But this new presence... was still in the Everfree Forest.

"No time for idling by! Best get to the source!" he grumbled as he stepped towards the crumbled house. As his steps had then circled around the house, Sterling decided to venture into the same setting that was known for its many dangers.

.....

Within a few minutes, his unguided steps had somehow taken him into where a tree hut had been set by a person that lived there. But the same person of interest, as he had sensed from before, was not the true cause. He broke into the hut and saw that a Zebrican shaman, female from his observation, was being possessed by an evil spirit that more than likely had caused the evil creatures to come around the cottage to attack the village. His blade had then disappeared as he knelt before the woman who was flinching and seizing out from the spirit possessing her.

"Madam! Don't worry! I'm here to exorcise the spirit that has now possessed you!" he shouted out to her with his fear starting to climb into his heart.

"No need to kill me, you ignorant and insignificant piece of scum!" the spirit called out with a sneer.

"Oh but there is, you malevolent denizen!" And with a card pulled out from his pack, he looked to the evil ghost and had sneered back. "This will be the end of you, foul demon!" he growled to it. "Now..." he whispered with a breath to clear his mind. "With the power vested in me, by the grace of the Lady Faust, I cast this evil spirit back to the circles of Tartarus! For we are strong in the power of the holy light!" he chanted to the demon, who had shrieked an ungodly scream. With no words or time wasted, he slapped the card to the shaman woman's chest. And as the bright light of the spell had become brighter, the demon within had then shrieked its last words:

"Beware, Silver Bullet!! The Secondary Elite shall arise from the confines of Tartarus to take back the world that is rightfully his!! SO IT SHALL BE DDOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNE!!!" And as the last of the malevolent denizen had been destroyed with a small explosion, Sterling then snickered and said:

"And when I see him, he's next!" he whispered as his body had then found a couch to rest himself on. The powers that he had activated, as he already knew, had suddenly taken their toll as his world had then become as black as night.

"Good sir.... are you injured?" a soft voice could be heard before the entire world was now unconscious.

.....

.....

(Beep. Beep. Beep...)