Blacklight Retribution: Ondra's Fall

“Oh for fuck’s sake, why can’t anyone else use the minigun? My arms didn’t sign up for this!” Stranger groaned in irritation.

“You have the minigun because you agreed to take it from Tanny,” I deadpanned.

“Yes, and you have taken great care of it, Stranger,” Tanny said, opening his hardsuit, we were having a break. I know right? We’re professionals of war that take breaks?! How surprising.

Freddie [Stranger] gave another groan in response to him finally realising that he DID agree to take the minigun.

“Why can’t I use the hardsuit, while you use the minigun?” Stranger asked.

“Because she said she wanted to see new people,” Tanny said matter-o-factly.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Stranger gently placing the minigun on the floor. This earned a glare from Tanny, “you sleep with the damned thing don’t you?”

“So what if I do?” Tanny shrugged, “You’d never know when people would want to take something as precious as this from your grasp!” he stated pointing at the minigun.

“Okay then. What’s her name?” Stranger asked with friendly hostility... I think.

“Her name’s Shascha,” Tanny said, pulling his face up towards the sky with indignation.

Both Stranger and I face-palmed, though Stranger’s being more offensive of course.

“You fucking got that name from that one game! What is it... I know its name but-”

“But nothing, you’re just mad because you don’t have a love life!” Tanny smirked.

Before Stranger could say anything, as ironic as what Tanny said, I urged Freddie [Stranger] from saying anything that could ruin our friendships.

“Hah. Friendship is magic, I guess, stops ya from being shot at by your own,” Stranger laughs and apologizes to Tanny. They forget that conversation ever happened. Hm, Friendship is Magic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ponyville Clinic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Everything is checked out, you’re free to go, Midnight Flame. Just try not to hurt yourself out there,” Redheart said trotting along towards maybe a random patient in another room of the hospital.

“Very funny, Redheart,” I chuckled to no one in particular... Hm, maybe I should use ‘pony’?

“So, you ready to fly?” goddamn it, now’s not the time.

“Uh, look Rainbow Dash, as much as I would love to resume training, I just came from the hospital. And I’m trying to make a full recovery here.” I said, trying not to hurt the lady’s feelings.

“Oh, alright,” she threw glares at me, “But just remember, this is going to bite you in the flank later.”

“Yeah, you would like to bite that,” I chimed like an immature middle schooler learning his first bully phrases.

“Oh I would,” holy shit. She fucking said that in a sultry manner, guess I’ll play along.

“Ok, see ya!” I responded... Or I can just go to the library right now before that got out of hand. Jesus these ponies are crazy.

After confirming that the Rainbow Mare wasn’t around. I activate cloak, the sound of digital chittering was so satisfy-

“It’s YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE!” Oh for fuck’s sake. I silently flank the mare that was trying to get my attention, “I need to talk to you!” I got behind her, I was about to deactivate cloak.

The instant my hand just touched the button, not press it, she turned around and embraced me. I manage to turn off cloak while I was being choked, in the hopes that she would let me go.

She let me go, “*Cough*Why*Wheeze*How*Cough-cough-COUGH*!”

“Silly, pony. You know you can’t move around me without me noticing,” the pink, poofy maned mare giggled.

“How in high hell did you see me?” I asked with a most intrigued face and tone.

“I could sense you with my Pinkie sense! Ponies around here decided to call it that!” she answered with a gleeful smile.

“I’ll just get going,” I reactivate my cloak, and the moment the digital chittering stops. This Pinkie grabs me again.

“WAIT! I HAVEN’T GIVEN YOU A WELCOME TO PONYVILLE PARTY YET!” exclaimed the despairing mare.

“You can,” it was hard to talk while I was in her embrace, “host it somewhere! I’ll be there, I promise!” I desperately said.

She lets me go.

“Pinkie Promise?” I deadpanned.

“What?” I asked.

“Cross my heart; hope to fly, [then] stick a cupcake in my eye,” she gave a determined look after that little demonstration. I repeated the action, but when I got to the ‘stick a cupcake in my eye’ part, I didn’t really press on to my eye, instead the mare pushed my arm more into it.

“WHAT THE HELL?!” and it really hurt.

“Everypony’s supposed to press on their eye harder than that,” her voice changed to a sinister tone.

“Or else, I will place their eyes on my new recipe,” she was still smiling after what she had just said, I felt a shiver to my very spine.

“Oh, um... Of course,” this bitch is crazy, “I’ll just be on my way. Heh heh, DON’T KILL ME!” I run as far as my recently-injured legs can carry me.

“Hm, why would I want to kill him? What a silly pony,” Pinkie Pie giggled and bounced along.

I arrive to the library, still in good shape, after what it’s been through. I knock on the door.

“It’s open!” called Twilight’s voice.

I enter and give myself a sigh in relief.

“You have no idea how happy I am to finally be in the library,” I took another deep breath and made my way to my room.

“Oh, I can imagine, you met Pinkie Pie,” Twilight gave a smug look.

“How do you know about that?” I asked, having a poker face.

“Pinkie Pie just left before you got here,” she was looking at me like a math problem, “and before you ask anything about her. It’s really Pinkie Sense, I quit making sense of it after I placed her in my laboratory and figured out nothing.” she gave me a sympathetic smile. I was not about to ask of Pinkie Promise, because the only thing I needed to know was the gesture.

“I’ll just be in my room,” I tiredly said.

“But you haven’t eaten lunch yet,” you’re not my mom.

“Not hungry, besides. I’m trying to get to my room!”

“Well alright then, we’ll leave some leftovers for you however. At least take an apple,”

“I’ll take it!” an apple was definitely better than an MRE from base. I took it with my telekinesis.

“I will never get used to that. A pegasus with telekinesis? This could be a scientific breakthrough!” Twilight beamed.

“Don’t get your hope up. The last time I was experimented on, it didn’t go so well,” I hope she was not going to pry.

“Fair enough,” oh thank the lords.

“Thank you. You know where to find me if you need me,” I started my way to the room. There was knocking on the door. I tense up.

“Is it Pinkie? Again?” I asked with a bit of disdain in my voice.

“I’m not expecting her right now, I’ll check,” Twilight trotted towards the door. The person behind it was beyond any of my guesses.

“Hello? Oh Princess Luna!” Twilight bowed after bolting backwards from the door. I decided to just give her a stiff nod when she looked at me.

“Oh greetings, Midnight Flame! Will you do the honors,” what is she planning? “of joining me for lunch?” … What?

“Sure,” I shrugged.

“Oh so you don’t accept our food, but accept hers? That’s just,” she gave a frustrated huff, and looked up at her ceiling with indignation. Women...

“I also have matters to discuss with you, Midnight Flame. For something has happened, and Celestia knows what did.” Luna said with a bit of pride, not that puffing her chest after relaying such a message was a dead give-away.

“This should be interesting,” I plaster an interested smile on my face, Luna looked away with blush. I feel sad for her, the redness really shows up on a blue coat.

“When are we leaving?” I asked as I walk towards my HRV helmet.

“In five minutes,” Luna responded.

“We can leave now if you want,” placing the HRV helmet on my head with my telekinesis.

“Very well then. Right this way, we have transport ready,” Luna gestured to a chariot with two pegasi... There’s slavery in this world?

“Isn’t that slavery?” I pointed my hoof towards the two.

Luna gave me an offended look, “That is not slavery, I assure you. They get paid for this, quite generously, if I may add.”

“Whatever,” I shrugged, I was still afraid of heights. At least I had reliable [I think] protection like the chariot itself.

We hopped on to the chariot, and Luna sent us away. The view was beautiful, but I still feel parts of me breaking as I felt like I was going to have another fall to my death. I shake my head in hopes of relieving of that stress. I take my helmet off.

“I see you’re afraid of heights, Midnight Flame,” unfortunately I blushed and turn away so fast, it seemed possible to get whiplash.

“No, it’s fine. Just thinking about other things,”

“I know you’re lying, but ok. What other things?” I gave her a glare, at least she didn’t laugh at probably the only pegasus afraid of heights.

“The things I still care about when I was in my own world,” I look down with a solemn look on my face.

“I can sympathize with you, you know. Being banished to the moon for a thousand years could probably be the equivalent of your displacement.”

What did she know? Knowing about how you know your friends are dead, and knowing that there was a higher chance that you couldn’t do anything about it?! What the hell did she know?! Fortunately I prevented myself from having an outburst of such a topic, all holding those feelings down by looking down.

“It was... Difficult, during the time that made the very reason I was banished,” she put up a saddened look, I guess it was my time to intervene. God I hope this doesn’t end badly.

“Look,” she turned her head towards me, “I may not know about what happened between you and Celestia and every other person-”

“Pony,” are you fucking kidding me.

“PONY, but that is in the past. You have to let go, I know I haven’t let go, but I’m trying. And I suggest you try to do so as well,” I put up a sheepish smile, knowing that could have just discouraged her very progress of recovering from such an imprisonment.

“Thank you,” she said with gratitude, “And thank you again for saving me from Nightmare Moon.”

I gave a stiff nod, then she placed me under her embrace. It felt... Nice, having the empathy of another person from your words and/or actions.

“I’m sure Celestia has something good planned for you, given that you HAVE saved Equestria and me,” she giggled. I hope so too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Operation Black Gauntlet: 5 days before explosion

Before Poet died

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So tell me again, why are we approaching the mission objective like this?” I asked with worry cracking my voice.

“Because, Ryman, hardsuits are the only option we have. An orbital drop is currently the best way to get to the good end of this mission,” Poet responded.

“What’s wrong, Ryman? Ya chicken,” Stranger chirped.

“How about you piss off? This is my problem, not yours,” I snapped back at him.

“Heh, pussy. Hardsuits should be able to handle the impact, mate,” Stranger continued.

“Don’t you think about the stuff that would happen against that statistic? I’ve seen hardsuits fall on something between their legs, and the thing snapped in two!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah? That’s because the agency unfortunately trusted that kind of resource to some blubbering idiot thinking it was a good idea to designate under a roof top!” Stranger laughed.

“Ryman, seriously. Come on now, this is important. If we let the Order take this base, we’ll definitely lose whatever leverage we have against them on this sector,” Poet stated flatly.

“Alright, fine. If we don’t make it because of a landing fail it’s on your ass,”

“I’ll take your word on that,” Poet laughed heartily. She was always the cheery one...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Canterlot, Equestria: Castle Grounds

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, we’re finally here. Now if you’ll follow me, Midnight,” Luna looked back, “Midnight?”

“I’m right here,” Luna gasped at swung a bitch slap with her hoof right across my face. It fucking hurt. I disabled my cloak, “Agghh! Why would you do that?!”

Luna huffed and turned towards the sky with indignation, “That’s exactly what you get for sneaking up on ponies,” she fell into a laughing fit right after she finished that phrase.

“That was so funny!” Luna said in between breaths as she laughed.

“Laugh it up, laugh it up,” I rub my hoof to my face to stop the pain, “Where do we go now?”

“To my sister’s throne, she’s waiting for us there. I’ll lead the way,” Luna gestured with a hoof to follow.

The architecture was just amazing, halls looked exactly the same. Nothing looked broken or dying of old age. Whoever came up with placing royalty on a side of a mountain was stupid however.

“WE thought it would look nice,” Luna interrupted... Oh boy she read my mind.

“Oh and we’re here,” how did I not notice a door that was significantly bigger than the rest?

We enter the room... It not even a throne room, it was a fucking throne corridor. The length of the corridor was mass, it looked like they invented molecular storage to make it look smaller on the outside by bigger on the inside.

“Ah, Midnight Flame. Good to see you, I thank you again for saving my sister from Nightmare Moon,” the Royalty gave me a smile of gratitude.

“I try my best... What did you need to see me about?”

“Oh yes, of course that,” she was trying to remember, “The crystal kingdom has returned.”

This earned a gasp from Luna, and me being clueless, but I hide that fact with an interesting face and a slow nod.

“Twilight Sparkle will inform you about this Crystal Empire when she departs for it. Your assignment, protect the elements of Harmony,” she said.

“The jewelry?” I deadpanned, why would I need to protect something less important than the ones who wear-

“The six mares that wear them,” oh yes, of course I thought of that, silly me.

“When do they leave?” I ask.

“When I inform Twilight Sparkle that she will go, right now we need to find you a team,” Celestia said without falter.

“What? A team? Are you sure?”

“This team will not be with you on your mission to the Empire, they will be with you on the following missions,” this gave me a sigh of relief. I don’t do well with teams, the last time I had lead a team, well. My tactics were not good enough, I lost them.

“We understand your concern about the future of whoever you will lead, but rest assured. These are the best of the best we are going to send for you,” Celestia said with a soft smile.

My leadership obviously wasn’t enough to keep my team alive.

“What happened to letting go of your past, Midnight Flame. I thought you were the one who said that?” Luna asked.

“I did not say I already let go of that... I said I was trying,” I said, looking down once again.

“We have reserved a room on this castle for you, this guard will lead the way,” Luna gestured toward the said guard.

“Pleasure to meet you, uh...”

“Armor, Captain Shining Armor. If you’ll follow me, your room is this way,”

“Heh, nice to meet you Shining Armor, a bit ironic because you’re not wearing shining armor, eh?”

“Bit Ironic that the princesses are holding you with hospitality after being sent here my NIGHTMARE MOON herself! You could stab us in the back for all I care!” he snapped back at me with fury in his eyes, this was my time to step off.

“Woah, sir. Please, I do not want any trouble,”

“I know you won’t cause any, because I’ll be there to end you if you ever do,” he gave a sinister look.

“Your room is right there... Sir,” hissed and gestured towards a door, that lead to my room.

“Hey! Where are you going?” I asked as this Shining bastard was trotting away.

“Confidential mission, you’ll never understand!” He responded with blatant apprehension.

“I don’t even want to ask anymore,” I muttered to myself.

So I see the brave champion has proven himself worthy of a task from Celestia herself.

“Who are you and what do you-ah fuck it. All you mysterious entities of magic have been fucking with my head too much, I’ll go to sleep. Tell me the important news when I’m awake, I’m going to sleep. Go fuck yourself,” I groan in annoyance, I just want to go to sleep.

A foul-mouth as well, quite char-

“Only to your sorry ass. I just want to sleep, it’s been a long day. Not my fault I have hostilities towards those who try to keep me awake when I really... Really... Need... Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..........” I dosed off. Probably not the best time because there was a magical entity in my head that wants to mess with me... I’ll deal with it in my head, because that’s basically where he is, I was just way too lazy and tired to deal with shit.