Darkness Acsending

Somewhere between Earth and Equestria

To say that going through a portal to God knows where wasn't comfortable is a major understatement. In fact, it hurt. A lot. The nine Mercenaries of Red Team were warped, fused, separated, had their molecules torn apart, then put back together, all at the same time. They all screamed in pain as they transferred through and it seemed to go on for an eternity. The only thing to go through their minds besides pain was:

"Where am I going, and what will I see when I get there?"

The answer to that question was soon answered when the mercs were all thrown onto a wooden floor with a collective "Umph!".

~Mere minutes earlier~

Rarity gave a sigh of relief and hope.

"Fear not girls! Help is on it's way!" She said giving a weak, but hopeful smile to the others.

"Did they say who they were?" Applejack asked. Rarity's eyes widened a bit, realizing she should have asked the other voice before sending them through.

"Eh, no. Not at all..." She replied sheepishly. By this time, Twilight had stopped crying, for there were no more tears to cry. She looked up with red, puffy eyes and sniffed a bit.

"H-help is c-coming?" She asked, hiccuping slightly as she spoke.

"Yes dear, help is on the way. I'm just not sure who exactly..." Rarity replied.

"So we could be having a friend of Discord coming over?! Rarity, you need to ask who somepony is before bringing them over!" Rainbow Dash said shaking her head a bit.

"I know, I know. All I can say is there were many of them, and a couple of them had very peculiar accents." Rarity said as she walked over to Twilight and rested a caring hoof on her shoulder.

"I c-can't believe he-he's g-gone..." The librarian said looking downcast.

"I'm sorry Twilight...he was a good friend..." Rarity said. She gave Twilight a hug and pulled away. Twilight gave the smallest smile possible as her friend drew away. A moment later, there was a cracking sound, then the sounds of many things being dropped onto the floor was heard, followed by a collective "Umph!" The ponies all turned to see a pile of- something laying there. It was mostly red, with some secondary colors thrown into the mix. It moved in small places here and there, showing it was alive. What the ponies weren't ready for, was that the large pile, was actual a pile of separate things.

~~~

Scout peeled himself off of Pyro's oxygen tank with a strangled grunt. He sat up on his knees, only to feel them pressing into Heavy's massive wrist. The Bostonian shook his head to clear it of distortion and rubbed his temples.

"Man, I neva' wanta do that again!" He yelled as he picked up his headset and mic. He put on the headset, adjusted it, then looked down at Pyro and gave him a small jab. "Get up Flameboy." He said as he moved for the flame user to get up. Pyro rose and shook his head also. He looked at Scout and gave a mute shrug, which the kid returned.

"Mhhmp hmm hmm?" He asked. Scout gave another shrug and Pyro gave a muffled sigh. Eventually, the others all got up and cleared their heads.

"Doc, do me one favor. IN THE FUTURE, ASK WHERE WE'RE GOING BEFORE WE GO THROUGH A PORTAL!" Soldier roared as he picked up his helmet and put it on. He squared his jaw and gave a snarl of disapproval to the Medic. The Medic merely scoffed and folded his arms.

"Az if I had any clue as to vhere ve vere going, dummkopf!" Medic said giving a small roll of his eyes.

"Will you two pansies quit bickering? It seems we have company..." Sniper said quietly as he pointed. The eight other mercs all followed to where the Australian was pointing. In front of them were six ponies, all ranging in fur color and mane-styles.

"Great, we got zapped to some hicks farm!" Scout said aggravated. Engineer gave a hard slap to the back of Scout's head.

"Watch what ya'll sayin, City Slicker." Engineer growled. Scout quickly realized his mistake.

"No offense to you, Hardhat." Scout said sheepishly. Engineer grunted and returned to the matter at hand.

"There appears to be an exit. Come." Spy said as he started walking forward. The ponies in front of them gasped- wait, gasped?- as they approached, and Spy was taken aback.

"Did they just gasp like a person..." Soldier asked, wedging his pinkie into his ear to make sure he was hearing things right.

The Mercs and Ponies all stared at each other as a thick silence came over them all. The first one to make any movement was Heavy. Pulling out his sandwich from the small ammo box on his belt, he broke off a piece and offered it up to a yellow pony near him. The one thing to catch Heavy's attention was the pony's mane, which looked like a pink, personal shield. The pony looked from him to the piece of sandwich that was dwarfed between his index finger and thumb. The pony actually gulped in nervousness and back up a bit, shaking nervously as it did.

"Is alright, little pony. Heavy will not hurt you. Is just sandvich." Heavy said giving a warm smile. This did nothing to calm the pony down and it hid behind its pink mane.

"Humanistic traits and actions...interesting..." Medic thought as he observed the interaction. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his back, then he saw two pairs of large blue eyes looking into his cold, brown, calculating ones.

"Hiya! I'm Pinkie Pie! Who are you?" The pony said suddenly and Medic jumped back with a cry of surprise.

"That pony did speak!" Soldier said, his jaw dropped. Medic looked from the crazy mercenary next to him, back to the pink pony before him. The pony's mane was pink also, but fluffy and curly. Medic cleared his throat nervously and adjusted his glasses.

"Ehm...hello." He said, waving his hand a bit. The tension in the air lifted a bit when a purple unicorn stepped forward towards Red Team.

"Uhm, hello, there." She said nervously. Medic observed her eyes and saw that they were a little red and puffy.

"Looks like they can cry like humans..." He mentally noted. The purple unicorn pressed on.

"What are you...?" She asked looking from Medic to the others. Medic wasn't sure how to reply to this, realizing this was a First Contact scenario, like in the old Sci-Fi films he's seen in the past back at TeuFort. He regained his composure and cleared his throat once more.

"Ve are human beings." He spoke in a clear tone. "Ve come from a planet called Earth." He added. Amazement came over the ponies as the others stepped forward a bit. The ponies all took them in fully with wide, curious eyes.

"Why are you here?" The unicorn asked.

"We got a call for help." Sniper put simply. Realization came over the white unicorn's face.

"Oh my, it was I who called you here." She said putting a hoof to her chest.

"Wait, it was you? We got called 'ere by ponies?" Demo asked, his jaw a bit dropped.

"Yeah, you got a problem with ponies?" The blue one with a rainbow pixie cut mane said, bolting up to the Scotsman.

"Lassy, if I were ye', I'd back off right now." He warned.

"Or else what?" She asked, her eyes glaring into his good eye. The blue pegasus was about to answer when she got yanked back by the tale.

"Easy sugarcube. We don't want ta' anger them." The orange pony in a brown stetson said as she pulled the pegasus back.

"Come on Applejack! Let me at 'em!" Rainbow Dash said, swinging her hooves in an attempt to his the Scotsman.

"GIRLS!" the purple unicorn yelled. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both looked at her.

"Sorry Twi." Applejack apologized.

"Yeah, sorry Twilight." Dash said. Twilight returned her attention to Medic.

"So you're the ones who answered our distress call?" She asked, stating the obvious.

"So it seems. And vhat is is ve can help you vith?" Medic asked.

"Well, we're in quite the situation..." Twilight started.

About half an hour later

Red Team were either sitting on the floor, or leaning against the wall, listening to Twilight retell the events that occurred before their arrival. Scout was rubbing his fist with his palm as his knee bounced a bit.

"So you's tellin' us, that there are zombie ponies running around out there?" He asked. Twilight nodded in response.

"And this, er...Discord, was it? He's some sort of evil God of madness?" Soldier asked.

"God of Chaos, and yes. He's extremely evil this time around." Twilight said.

"He's more than evil! He's super-duper-zuper evil!" Pinkie Pie said, waving her forelegs for emphasis.

"So, what are we suppose ta' do about it, lassy?" Demo asked crossing his arms over his EOD armor.

"We were hoping...that you could help us get to the train station so we can get to Canterlot and warn Princess Celestia?" Twilight spoke in a single breath.

"Playing escort to some ponies so they can reach their leader?" Soldier asked. The six ponies nodded. "Hell, I'm in." He said. Heavy nodded and cracked his massive knuckles.

"Heavy will help." he said lifting his Huo-Long Heater mini-gun. Pinkie Pie 'Ooo'd' at the guns Dragon designed and Twilight choked up a bit when she saw it.

"You're gonna need a Runner, so I'm in." Scout added pulling out his Shortstop.

"Sentry support is crucial." Engineer said as he pulled out the Southern Hospitality wrench.

"Mhm hmmm phm phmm hmm!" Pyro said as he started up the gas on his Degreaser. The ponies looked to one of the others to translate.

"He said 'My Flames will Burn Them'. I too, am in." Spy said, spinning the chamber in his Diamondback Revolver.

"Obviously you'll need a Medic." Medic said snapping on his rubber gloves.

"There will be a One Thousand Year Rain of Blood!" Demoman proclaimed as he locked the barrels on his Loch 'n' Load. The yellow pony, which they learned was named Fluttershy, seemed to pale at the mention of blood.

"Aw hell, you guys would be nothin' without me watchin' your backs." Sniper said as he readied the Machina sniper.

"I expect medals at the end of this!" Soldier said putting on the Battalion's Backup and readying his Reserve Shooter shotgun. The ponies all smiled as they looked at the nine mercenaries getting readied up. After they were, they stood and looked like heroes. Alien heroes, mind you.

"How's the front door looking?" Twilight asked. Applejack ran over to the window and paled a bit.

"There's got ta be at least thirty of them things!" She said, looking back at everyone, her emerald green eyes shrunk down to pinpoints. Twilight and the others gulped.

"Thirty against...fifteen...fifty-fifty chance of making it out alive..." Twilight calculated in her head. She turned her eyes to their new acquaintances. She saw their determination and smiled a bit. "But they look tough. I hope we can make it..."

"Looks like we'll have ta' use the back door, provided there is one." Engineer said scratching his chin.

"Of course there's a back door! Come on, let's go check out how it is out there!" Dash said zooming into the kitchen where the back door was. The other ponies and the mercs all followed the rainbow speedster to the back door and waited for her to report the condition of the outside. She turned and gave a large smile.

"It's clear!"

"Alright, form a circle around the ponies an' make sure none of the zombies get to 'em." Sniper said loading a fresh round into the chamber. The ponies grouped up, their nerves starting to set in. Fluttershy gulped and 'eeped' as she waited for the signal to move.

"Wait guys, why don't we just carry 'em? Less chance of loosin' them." Scout suggested. The mercs looked at each other then to the ponies.

"Do ye' mind?" Demo asked. Twilight looked to her friends, fear of what happened to Spike would happen to them was in her eyes. They gave her reassuring nods and she turned back.

"As long as you can keep a hold on us...go ahead." She said giving a fearful sigh. So much could go wrong with this plan. Many scenarios ran through her mind in mere seconds, each more gruesome than the last. Engineer coughed.

"So, uh, how much do ya'll weigh?" He asked. "Not to be rude, mind you." He added. Applejack gave a snort and a small chuckle.

"We're probably light enough for you to carry, sugar." She said with a smile. She walked over to Engineer and signaled to be lifted. Engineer picked her up gently and cradled her like a newborn child.

"Hope ya' don't mind. Only way I could carry ya' and shoot." He said. Applejack wiggled herself into the crook of his arms and smiled.

"It's fine." She said. The other mercs picked up a pony, some didn't. Scout took Dash, Heavy took Pinkie Pie, who was asking for a bit of Heavy's sandwich. Heavy smiled as he broke a piece off for the pony.

"Heavy likes little pink pony." He said. Sniper rolled his eyes and looked at Twilight as Medic gently lifted Fluttershy. Spy had Rarity hoisted onto his back and she clung to his back with her four legs. She kinda looked like a living backpack on the stealthy man.

"Looks like you're stuck with me." Sniper told Twilight and she nodded weakly. Lifting her up, Sniper placed her between his Darwin's Danger Shield in a small cargo container that was inside. Twilight was a bit uncomfortable, but it would have to do until they boarded the train. She placed her forelegs on Snipers head and leaned forward. Soldier, Demo, and Pyro stood by the door, weapons at the ready.

"Alright lads. On three. One..." The air became tense.

"Two..." Soldier gripped the doorknob with a firm grip.

"Three!" Sniper yelled. Soldier ripped the door open, and off its hinges, and charged out. Demo and Pyro each took the left and right, weapons raised.

"Move boys!" Soldier called back. Sniper and the others charged out into the chilly night. Distant sounds of screams and undead roars filled the night sky and the ponies cringed in the holds of their escorts.

"Which way to the station, missy?" Demo asked Twilight. Twilight looked around from atop of Sniper and pointed a hoof to the west.

"That way!" She told them

"Alright boys! Stay close and don't let the ponies go!" Soldier ordered them. They all nodded in response and began to move out. The street was bloody and eaten pony corpses could be seen around the area. Twilight looked and saw the destroyed body of Spike on the ground. His youthful features were ravaged by teeth marks and torn flesh. One of his green eyes was torn out of the socket and laid on the ground near by, while the other was wide and looked towards the night sky. Twilight began to sob as she tried to hold back her tears,  trying not to alert the undead in the area.

"T-take me a-away from h-here..." She said quietly to Sniper. He gave a grunt and continued to move.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He said to her, trying to calm the crying pony down. Twilight sniffled.

"T-thanks...He was li-like a little br-brother to me..." She said sadly.

"I'm sure he was Twilight." Sniper replied.

"Have y-you ever lost an-anypony...?" She asked.

"No, I haven't actually. Back where I'm from, I was in a war, an' so were the others. We never actually died, per say. There was this great invention that made it so if you were killed in battle, the DNA in the machine would do some scientific mumbo-jumbo and bring ya' back to life, memories an' all. However, the guy the others an' I worked for threatened to harm out families should we have ever left and tell what we did." Sniper told her as they walked. Twilight seemed to stop crying and became partially interested in what Sniper was telling her.

"So, you never actually died?" She asked.

"Oh no, we did. Sometime we were blown to pieces. But we always came back in one piece." He said.

"Wow...that's something..." She said. Sniper took a handkerchief out of his vest pocket and handed it up to Twilight.

"Dry your tears. Go ahead an' keep it." He told her. Twilight used her magic to levitate the cloth and wipe the remaining tears. She noticed a symbol was embroidered into it and tilted her head.

"What does this symbol mean?" She asked.

"That, my friend, is the flag of Australia. my home country. Born and raised in the Outback near Sydney. Worked on a farm with me mum an' dad." Sniper told Twilight.

"Is Australia nice?" She asked.

"Is it nice? Let me tell ya' a lil' somethin' about my home. The Outback is the most beautiful piece of land on the continent. Endless horizon, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, rare and exotic animals here and there. The coast is where humanity mostly resided. Sydney is a beautiful city, with the Sydney Opera House on the bay, it was a perfect place to visit." Sniper said as his eyes faded a bit as he remembered his times in the city and at home.

"It does sound beautiful. I'd like to see it one day..." She said laying down on Sniper's head as she pictured what Sniper had described.

"Maybe one day you--" He began, but he stopped and watched as Soldier used odd hand signals. Twilight watched the movements with curiosity. Soldier was making a fist and was flattening it out in a downward movement. He did this a couple more times and pointed forward. He then signaled them all to move to a side-alley.

"We got some stiffs ahead it seems..." Sniper said hunching forward and moving up closer with the others. They hid behind a building corner and looked at the street ahead.

"Sniper, scope in and tell me what you see." Soldier ordered. Sniper lifted his Machina and peered though the scope. He moved from side to side a bit as he scanned.

"What do ya' see?" Applejack asked.

"Looks like...seven of 'em. Nope, make that nine." He said removing the scope and reached into a vest pocket. He pulled out a cylinder shaped object and began screwing it onto the end of the rifle's barrel.

"Take 'em out quietly." Engineer suggested.

"One step ahead of ya' mate." Sniper said raising the rifle again. "Hang on Twilight. She's got quite the kick, this one." He warned the pony. Twilight shrunk down a bit, her four knees digging into Sniper's back, causing him to grunt in discomfort. "Oops, sorry..." She said.

"You're fine. I've been in worse." He simply said, his voice toneless.

"Aye, he's gettin' in the 'Zone'." Demoman said as he looked forward.

"What do you mean the 'Zone'? What kind of zone? An end zone, fun-zone, happy-zone?" Pinkie asked from Heavy's arm.

"You'll see what I mean." Demoman simply put. Sniper's breathing became slow and barely audible. He was as solid as stone.

"Firing." He whispered. The shot let out a THUMP as the recoil kicked Sniper in the shoulder and jerked Twilight a bit out of the space she was in. One of the undead ponies ahead exploded into pieces as the .44 XXL round hit the center of mass. The ponies all let out a gasp at the power of the weapon. Sniper readied another shot and another THUMP was heard right after. A small undead colt turned in time as the round pierced its rotting skull and blew the head into nothingness. A few THUMPS later, the undead ponies all were gibbed into nothingness. Sniper stood up and his knees popped as he did. He removed the silencer and placed it back into his vest pocket.

"All clear." He told them. The ponies all looked at him with wide eyes and dropped jaws. "Never seen that kind of power, I'm assuming?" He asked. They all shook their heads. "Heh, that's just a part of my job. However, it's usually aiming at my own kind, rather than undead." He told them.

"Let's go." Soldier ordered. The group moved out of the side-alley and quickly moved, scanning all sides as they did. On the horizon sat the train station. The train to Canterlot sat a bit out of the station, an obvious sign the crew was attacked before they pulled into the stop.

"There it is!" Rainbow Dash said pointing at the train.

"Gah, too girly lookin'. You sure there ain't a different train we could take?" Scout asked as he scrunched his face as he looked at the colorful train.

"That train has been runnin' all over Equestria for close to fifty years now! Watch what ya'll say." Applejack said in a scolding tone. Engineer chuckled a bit. "Some people don't understand the value of a good machine." He said. Applejack gave a small smile as he said this. She may not be used to being around machines, being on the farm and using manual labor and all, but she agreed with the human. The group continued to run and the train drew close.

"Ain't it weird how there haven't been any stiffs since the street?" Scout asked. As if on que, a massive horde emerged from the station platform, all moaning and yelling with ravenous hunger. The group stopped running and all eyes landed on Scout, who stood there with a 'Well Shit' look on his face.

"Well Shit." He simply said. He looked to the others, all glaring, and he gave a sheepish smile and shrug. Soldier loaded buckshot into his Reserve Shooter and sighed.

"Looks like we're fighting to get on board." He said. Soldier, Pyro, and Demo made a three-man firing line, the other six forming into a tight circle, various weapons pointing at all sides.

"Ready boys?" Soldier asked. They all nodded and gave grunts.

"Good, because it's about to get loud..."