86-34: Arc 1: Fight the Power, Fight the Fad

“Alright,so let’s go over this once”, the coachmaster said, “The carriage will leave Fillydelphia and head to Manehattan Outskirts via Ponyville. You get 1.5k up front, and 2.5k when it reaches safely. Any questions?”

“A suggestion if I may?” Badger said as he raised his hoof. “My team will escort the carriage on the ground while I provide aerial recon from above.”

“However you protect the cargo is up to you. Just make sure it reaches it’s destination safely,” the guard replied.

Badger nodded as his team and the coachmaster and a guard(both unicorns) prepared to head out. “Mercs  think they’re so smart,” he heard one of them mutter.

They proceeded north towards Ponyville, and then westwards towards Manehattan. The sunlight was a little too hot for the spring weather.

“I think Celestia should cut back on the light intensity. It’s spring, not summer”, Circuit Cut complained, as he and Hot Shot walked along with the carriage. “Oh, what’s the matter? The heat getting to you already?” she replied.

“Easy for you to say. You’re already hot.”

“I take that as compliment.”

Badger, flying high, came down to the coachmaster who was sitting at the carriage’s front.“We’re almost there, just over another hill and the Outskirts should be in sight”, Badge reported. “Keep an eye out. We’re nearing some woods.”

The coachmaster nodded and knocked on the carriage floor with his forehoof. The other guard came out of the carriage. They exchanged some words before the first guard turned to Badger “yeah thanks for the heads up. We’ll watch the front while your team watches the rear.”

Hot Shot and Circuit Cut pulled back, while the guard walked alongside the horses pulling the carriage. Badger continued to circle the air, his eyes trying to pick up anything out of the ordinary. He was about to turn around when up ahead, a glint came from the woods. The glint of a sniper scope.

“Look out! Left side!” he exclaimed. Circuit Cut and Hot shot took cover behind the carriage, with the two guards on alert. Badger raced toward the glint in a zig-zag pattern when a shot rang out. It hit a concealed glass container near the road. It shattered, releasing a purple cloud of gas just in front of the carriage. The purple cloud engulfed the pulling horses and guards, and all fell unconscious. The sniper spread a pair of wings to escape, but Badger was too fast. The pegasus got a few feet off the ground before Badger tackled it into a tree. The sniper fell to the ground, knocked out cold. Back at the carriage, Hot Shot already got out her trusty MO revolver. it had a scope on it which she unfolded, ready to pick off anypony who came within range. Without warning, two pegasi flew out of the treeline and headed straight for the carriage, wielding MO guns.

“Incoming!” Circuit Cut said from behind the carriage as he projected a transparent dome shield with a blue tinge around himself. Two shots rang out and made ricochet sounds as they hit the shield. Hot Shot popped out from behind the shield, took aim and fired a shot. It hit a wing and one pegasus crashed into the ground behind them. The other flew up for another pass but was exposed as it turned it’s back. Another shot rang out, tearing through a wing, and the second pegasus fell to the ground as well.

Circuit Cut and Hot Shot were rounding up and tying the three unconscious assailants when Badger flew down. “I don’t see any sign of reinforcements, but let’s just be on our toes.” It was then he got a good look at the sniper. He had white skin, and a red mane, and his cutie mark were two red arrows forming a circle clockwise, with a pair of wings spreading from the middle. Badger then went to check on the guards and pulling horses. They were still out cold.

“Well, guess we aren’t going anywhere for a while. ”, Badger said as he came back to Hot Shot and Circuit Cut. “Damn, they thought of everything, didn’t they?”

“Well one thing they forgot to factor into their ‘ingenious plan’ is us”, Circuit Cut said, triumphantly.

“Yeah, those guards don’t seem so smart when they were caught off guard.”

A stir among the prisoners caught their attention. The sniper was regaining consciousness, and tried to wrestle free of his restrains.

“Damn you”, he said under his breath, “When I get out of these I’ll teach you a lesson, you shippers.”

Badger’s face suddenly lit up like a red flag was raised. “Shippers?”

“You heard me. Ponies like you have nothing better to do than desecrate something as pure as the magic of friendship.”

Badger’ became puzzled, but then an idea struck him. “Hmmm, I’m gonna go on a limb here and assume you had something to do with that little fiasco at the Ponyville TV station.”

The sniper stopped struggling, looked straight at him.

Bingo, Badger thought. “Because if you did, that was pretty badass. I mean you made them shit their pants...if they were wearing some, that is. Heck, if I had the chance, I would have gave them a piece of my mind too. A lot less radical and harsh, but yeah, you get what I mean.”

“So what if I had something to do wit-wait, what did you just say?”

“What did I just say?”

“You said if you had the chance, you’d want to give them a piece of your mind.”

“Well, yeah. I think what they’re doing is pretty screwed up too.”

The sniper looked to the ground, his hooves and wings still bound. He seemed to be in thought.

“So, why did you want to hit this particular carriage?”

“I’m not telling you that.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it’s because of some super secret stuff they carrying, eh?”

“Hey wait a minute, you’re not wearing their uniforms. You mercs?”

“We’re ‘mercs’ who just kicked your posse’s flanks. Better show some respect”, Circuit Cut interjected.

“You’re pretty skilled for mercs. Were you soldiers? Cops? What happened? Discharged?”

“That is none of your beeswax, buddy!” Circuit Cut cut retorted, before realizing and looked away uncomfortably. Badger shook his head at his show of emotion.

“Oh, right. The budget cuts. Equestria-wide retrenchment.”

“We get by just fine, thank you”, Badger replied.

“Don’t you feel it was a bit unfair?”

“We were proud to serve for as long as we did”, Hot Shot interjected this time.

The sniper looked down again, then he looked to the guards, who were still out cold. He looked to his two comrades, who have yet to wake up. Finally, he said,“I know why you lost your jobs. I know the reason behind the budget cuts, and let me tell you, things go way back before that.”

“You getting a little desperate there, buddy?” Badger said in disbelief. “Knot’s a little too tight?”

“Actually it is. Impressive. But look here. The cuts, the fad, it’s connected. In fact, it dates back to the war.”

“The war?”

“THE war.”

The sniper lay on his side, his hooves and wings still tied behind his back. “.Shrapnel. From a grenade. A grenade only they would use. Now do you believe me?”

The three peered at his body. Just above his left cutie mark was the wound.

“Okay, so you’re a war veteran, what does that prove?” Badger asked, still not convinced.

“You and me, we serve the same ruler, the same kingdom, and for the same cause. Look what the system did for you. The only system that works right now is the system of honor. You cut me and my friends loose, and we give you our word we will no longer pursue you.”

“Huh, now you just lost it. Ain’t no way we’re gonna let you go. We may even get a reward for turning you and your posse in,” Circuit Cut said with a smile.

“And then what? You go back to running convoy escorts again? I’m giving you-” The sniper stopped as he realized his voice was rising, and he lowered his voice to a whisper, “I’m giving you a chance to change things here. Come with us. We have the means to bring back the old world.”

“Old world?” CIrcuit Cut was confused.

“After the magic of friendship became known, all of Equestria rejoiced and ushered in a new era of change. A change towards peace.. For 6 months it was like a golden age we thought we’d never have. It was so unreal it was like a new world of possibilities and hope. This is when everyone wanted to experience and capture the magic of friendship so it would be enjoyable to themselves and to others, which gave rise to the Masters. After that the financial crisis hit, and shortly after that, the Masters, gained immense power over their fans. Trends started to surface and things like Wild Equestria emerged. The fans quickly picked up on those trends and the true spirit of friendship was forsaken. At that point, that dream and direction we were heading went astray. That is the Old World we seek to bring back, and with your help, we can.”

“Ha”,Circuit Cut snorted,“you’re not actually considering it, right, Badger?....Badger?”

He turned to look at Badger, who had his hoof pressed to his chin. “From the knock out gas you used, how much time till the guards wake up?”

“We used enough to knock ‘em out for an hour, more than ample time to get in, snatch the package and get out.”

Badger continued to think for a few seconds, and finally came up with his decision.

“Cut ‘em loose.”

Hot Shot and Circuit Cut were shocked, and Badger explained, “We out-gun and out-match them. They wouldn't think to attack us again. We continue on to Manehattan and get our pay. We've got nothing to lose. ”

“But don’t you think he’ll come back with friends?” Circuit Cut pointed out.

“If he did, they would be here by now, and we’d already be done for. Call it a hunch,guys, but trust me on this.”

Circuit Cut and Hot Shot reluctantly agreed and set the three pegasi free. Circuit Cut took some water from his pouch and splashed it on the two unconscious pegasi.

“They’re out for quite a bit for just a bullet wound through the wing”, Hot Shot remarked.

“New recruits. They've only fired weapons down range and never seen a bullet fly in the other direction.”

After a few “applications” of water to their faces, they slowly awakened.

“But”, Badger said “If you decide to make another sweep at us, I can’t guarantee we won’t put a bullet right between your eyes.”

“I have no doubt you would. By the way, the name’s Cipher.”

“Cipher,huh? Badger. Nice to meet you. This Circuit Cut and Hot Shot.”

“Yo what’s up? Call me CC.”

“Pleasure to meet you, tho I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Great”,Cipher replied, “After you've reached the Outskirts, head to this address.”

Cipher handed out a scribbled piece of paper with his mouth. Circuit Cut levitated it to read, before putting it into his pouch. Cipher and the two pegasi then took to the skies without uttering another word.

The sun started to set when the guards and horses finally came to their senses..

“Ugh, what happened?” One of them asked.

“We were ambushed”,Badger explained,“You were knocked out by some gas in that concealed container over there. We barely managed to fend ‘em off and they retreated.”

“Oh...yeah, I think I remember. How long were we out?”

“An hour,give or take.”

“Damn! We’re behind schedule. Better get moving.”

The carriage reached it’s destination just as the Sun was about to set. Manehattan Outskirts served as a railroad switching point between Ponyville to the east and Baltimare to the south. The significance of this place drew ponies towards it and a small town was born.

“Alright, we’re here,” the coachmaster announced as he got down from the carriage and gestured the guard to check on their package. After a minute, the guard came out of the carriage and gave the “all clear” nod. “Well, Cargo’s ok. So here you go, 2500 bits as promised. You've earned your bits”, the coachmaster said as he took out a bag of bits from his pouch. Circuit Cut levitated the bag into his own storage compartment.

“Pleasure doing business with you. Look us up again if you need an escort”, said Badger as he winked, and they parted ways.

~~~