From Darkness

Operation: Skulking Eagle, Phase II

Location: BLACK HQ (Unknown)

Date and Time: September 24, 2037. 6:40 Hours

Subject: Shadows

Objective: Get insider intel on the operations within BLACK.

Damn I was tired!

My body needed rest, I had broken a rib. The guys on the helicopter did a good job putting it in place, and they even were able to perform surgery to lock it back while on the helicopter. I always knew BLACK wasn't as far advanced as my team was, at least when it came to the battlefield. But when it came to the simple stuff, like health and food, they were covered beyond anyone's expectations. I still couldn't believe I had been on under operation, on a helicopter. It was just too crazy to seem real. Then again, I wasn't exactly awake for the situation, so maybe something else went down. Hell, maybe they didn't even lock it in place with a steel rod. Maybe it was just temporary. Either way, I needed it looked at by Spitfire, and I wouldn't be seeing her for a while now.

We had already arrived at BLACK HQ, so any chance I had at seeing where they relocated since my "departure" had long since been out the window. Then again, the helicopter doors were solid, and there was no way of looking out anyway. I caught Twilight being escorted out of the helicopter, by a BLACK guard. Strange, last I remembered the guards were cyborgs, according to Gear Head. Then again, I wasn't here, and I was notorious for stealing BLACK technology. Damn it! They would keeping close watch over me!

Just then, I noticed Rainbow Dash scowling at Twilight. She was jealous? I couldn't believe it, I had to do something. Of course, at this point, I thought of Dash more as a daughter (a really hot one at that). I should comfort her, at the very least. Plus, it looked like she was about to fall over. I jumped out of the helicopter and grabbed Dash's hand, entangling it in my arm.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" She attacked

"Escorting a young lady to debriefing!" I defended

Her grim expression turned bright, and I walked her towards the debriefing room. We walked inside, and a party was being hosted to welcome Twilight. Dash was obviously jealous, and I was about to escort her out, when I noticed the table...

WHAT DID YOU DO!

NO! I needed to get out of here before I had a meltdown! Memories were something I didn't quite like, especially those ones!

In the calmest voice I could muster, I said, "C'mon kid. Let's go somewhere else, this place bums me out."

"Thanks Shadows." She replied

I wanted to find Gear Head. The party was obviously a trap for me, Celestia really needs to work on her planning skills. If I could find Gear Head, then he might keep me on the inner circle, and that would give me an edge up. We needed intel from this place, I've been in the dark too long and I need some light shone on this case. The citizens of the Equestrian Republic can't rely on these idiots, I needed to personally see to it that the intelligence is put to good use. Hell, even if I couldn't take the intelligence myself, I needed to make sure these morons could use it appropriately.

I remembered Gear Head saying something about the Loadout room? Maybe he was in there. I followed the signs and led Rainbow Dash to the room. Sure enough, Gear Head was inside tinkering on some M4, his tac-map was sitting beside him. As a matter of fact, I think that was the one he contacts me with. Of course, Gear Head didn't even notice us coming in, that goofball. He had the same look as any other member of BLACK, black fur and white mane and tail. Well, now that I noticed it, Dash didn't have a white mane and tail, I guess Gear Head finally got that pill to work after all.

Something caught my attention, there was some rustling coming from the closet in the back. Somebody was back there, so I shouldn't go snooping around, in case they come out. No, I'll get to that later. I let go of Dash and she sat down next to Gear Head, he barely noticed.

"Watch'a workin' on?" She asked him

He simply nodded and hummed, "mhm." He didn't even pay attention to her? Jesus, forget it. If I wanted somebody backing me in this place, I didn't want it to be this jerk. How naive could I be to like him?

Dash simply pressed harder, "Gears?"

Gears actually looked at Dash and said, "Oh, sorry Dash I'm just really focused. What do you need?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering what you're working on."

Perfect, this is prime intel.

"Oh, it's a prototype rifle with a built in silencer." Gear Head replied

Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? That would cut back on the balance issue I've been having! Then again, my sidearm had a built in silencer. All I had to do was look at that, and simply ask Cogs to replicate it on an M4. Gosh, maybe I'm the stupid one?

Dash looked at it, "It looks like an ordinary M4 to me."

"That's the point, the silencer is built in. Don't you have a mission you need to go on?"

What a douche-bag.

"Just got back from one, sorry if I was bugging you." Dash moved to get up, so I reached for her arm. Gear Head thrust for her other arm, and stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Sorry, sit down, we can chat!" He scrambled for words.

Seriously? This was his attempt to get her to stay here? After he said that? He didn't even ask her to stay, he told her to! I was about to grab her hand and keep walking when Dash started laughing. She sat back down! What the hell has gotten into her? She motioned for me to go back to the party and I just stormed out anyway. This place was full of crazy fucks!

I stood outside the door to the debriefing room, just waiting and hoping for somebody important enough to come stumbling out. Time passed, and I decided this was taking too long. Hopefully, that table would be covered up now, or maybe I could just ignore it. I cracked the door open and was met with loud music and dancing people. I quickly located Twilight, who was the center of attention (of course). Then, my eyes wondered to that table again...

HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DIE!?

I slammed the door, breathing heavily. They would come out, soon enough. Until then, I wasn't going in there.

It seemed like forever, but it probably wasn't that long. Finally, I got lucky and Celestia stepped out. I caught her attention, and the moment she spotted me, her face went sour.

"So, I hear we have you to thank for bringing back my old student..." she scowled.

"Yeah, and I was hoping we could have a little chat." I replied, just as mean.

"Okay, but in the debriefing room..."

Damn it!

I hated that bitch, hated her with all my guts. She stuffed me in a holding cell until the party ended and she attended to some business. Apparently, she was hoping Dash and I would walk in there, and she could throw me in the brig while she talked to Dash. She knew what happened in that room, and she intended to put me through hell all over again. I had been letting my mind wander for the past few days. Often, I would come dangerously close to re-living some...unspeakable events. One of those events occurred in that room, while I was handcuffed to that table. That was the day I escaped BLACK...the day I lost- NO! I'm not going back there! She can't make me! If I go in there, all the memories will flood back! I'll be forced to reminisce about the past! Everybody knows if you do that, then that leads directly to a path of insanity! Or...does not thinking about them do that to you? Either way, I was gonna end up in that room, but not without kicking and screaming all the way. I kind of hoped I killed Celestia while I was in a PTSD induced rage. Rage...just like...

This is ALL YOUR FAULT!