This is not right, only pegasi should be this far off the ground. Stone Spire was from Canterlot, but at least in the mountain city there was the feeling of security. Not so much in hot air balloons, which is why she never really used them until now. Stone sighed and rubbed her temples. What had she done to get into this? She would have been better on the streets than floating around in a death trap with a group of self-absorbed mercenaries. Seven days ago she was discharged from the guard because of an investigation that went totally wrong. Not only did the culprit get away, but she was framed for assault and impersonating a commanding officer all in one. Sure she had ideas of revenge against the real criminal, but that's all they were- ideas! Delusions! Well, those delusions are probably why she accepted Cloud Striders invitation to Appleloosa, and got her mixed up in this "Night Fang" project.
.
And now, after a week of running around the badlands with a psychopathic pegasus, shut in earthpony, flirty unicorn and engineer from tartarus, not to mention that silent... thing they picked up at a minotaur camp, they hadn't even started their first job. Stone Spire didn't care any more, she wasn't interested in some haunted woodlands, she wasn't interested in how much Cloud Strider was paying her, she didn't even care about being unemployed and homeless back in Canterlot- she just wanted off of this deathtrap!
"And then, out of nowhere an army of griffons swoop down for an attack! Me, being the great warrior I was, stood at the edge of the camp and readied my bow-"
"I'm pretty sure that's not how it went." Stone Spire snapped, adjusting one of the straps on her shoulder-piece.
"Draak", the black pegasus stallion named for his near draconian habits, was just finishing retelling just how they met their newest partner; Fifteen. Or as Draak called him - Al.
"Sure it is! Then you thank him for being your hero and he makes you his personal slave once he returns to his hive!" The narrator added, gesturing to the hooded figure next to him.
Yep, I'm pretty sure he's a psychopath.
"Tex, how long do I have to put up with this?"
"Just humor him, it ain't long now." The pilot didn't even look over his shoulder as he answered.
Stone sighed again.
"Hey, Fifteen, what do you think I should add?"
"Can Fifteen even speak?" A black maned colt interrupted, Spire tried not to look at him.
He sounded like a colt, and was built like a colt, but his fur looked like it would better suit the old mountain goats from the Foal Mountains.
"Of course he can!" The other pointed at the hooded pony as he walked by. "He's got a mouth, right? Is that a mouth, Al?" The second question was more directed at the fourth pony, who just kept walking across the balloons basket.
Draak slipped a dagger Stone Spire hadn't noticed him fiddling with into his saddlebags and walked over to Stone Spire. "He's not upset, is he?"
"How should I know? But I am."
"Ah. Hey, Tex was it? Where' we goin'?"
The soot covered pilot hopped down from his raised cockpit and took his goggles off.
"Some noble fella hired ya'll to check out his mansion 'round Macontosh Hills, 'parently it's haunted."
"Ah, so are we talking mad vengeful scientist and grave-digger haunted, or an army of magical creatures?"
"Maybe it's just a forest that they want to build something in." Stone Spire offered.
"Pfft, like those kindsa places ever existed."
"Hey maybe they do! Either way it looks like we're there."
Seven of the eight ponies looked over the edge of the basket, Tex just hopped back to the controls and lowered them.
"Right, y'all know what to do. I'll be back in th'morning tuh check on yeh."
The ponies jumped off one by one, starting with Draak who immediately began galloping away, Stone Spire looked at the other three, and was met with two gazes that were as confused as she was. The hooded figure of Fifteen only stared at the building while .
"So why do we have a changeling with us again?"
