The Black Hawk flew through the sky over Afghanistan. Inside was a team of USA Marines. Team Bravo, as they were designated for this mission. They were actually the Screaming Eagles, based on the fact they entered most combat fields via air drop. They were also fierce.

Lieutenant Silver, or Eli, gripped his seat to keep from swaying too much. The ride was smooth, but every now and then a small bump would happen along. Sitting next to the edge of the helo didn't help.

He observed his team. While he wasn't in charge, he was, technically, second in command. Captain Dreg was the leader of this team. He took a glance at each teammate.

Major Kelly Kremer, who favored being loud in battle, using mainly big guns and big explosives. To further fuel her passion for all WMD, she had her own personal UAV armed with trinity rockets overhead.

Major Chris Little, who was a sniper and crack shot with almost any gun. He preferred stealth, giving overwatch from the Black Hawk.

Major Ashly Silver, his own sister, who was close up, but more of in a contact combat style. She carried her assault rifle, sure, but when she was inside a structure, it rarely saw use.

Officer Uriya Freeman, who shared Kremer's love of explosives, but in a more psychotic way. While he didn't have a UAV, he did carry loads of frag grenades. And he tended to exaggerate.

Private Mark Marquez, who was also more of an up-close-and-personal kinda guy. He was loaded with knives and usually carried a shotgun and magnum.

And lastly, Private Jone Madec, who was just the all around kinda guy, not specializing in anything, but not preferring anything either.

Eli took a look at his own equipment. A sniper rifle and a crossbow. He just prayed he never had to get to close. He had a knife, and he knew Krav Maga, but he wasn't too good with it.

He took a glance outside. They were flying in formation with five other Black Hawks, each one carrying a different Marine team: Pouncing Wolves, Silent Snakes, Heavy Metal, Nuclear, and Gliders.

They all had a mission today. They would go in and investigate the strange flux that had recently popped up in an area about fifty miles from their nearest base. The reason they were sending five teams was they had already lost three after sending them in one, then two at a time. There was something dangerous there, and they needed to find it and kill it.

The fear of the unknown never entered Eli's mind. He had that pounded out of him when he jumped feet first into the small town of Gristokka, or hell, as he called it. It wasn't on the map because it wasn't supposed to exist, and it was the longest three days of his life. The very thought of going there made him shiver.

His comm spit out static before the voice of Dreg came through. “All Marine Teams, listen up, we are approaching the NR zone. Once inside, we will be on our own. We have no idea what we're going into, but remember, Semper Fi!”

As one, all the marines shouted out, “Semper Fi! Ooh rah!”

Eli peered intently into the darkness of night, trying to make out anything. He thought he saw something, and was craning to get a glimpse of it when the helo bucked and swerved, almost throwing him out.

Dreg shouted, also trying to keep his balance. “Pilot! Status!”

“The controls are fried, sir! We just lost all power!”

Eli knew what hat meant. If they jumped now, they would probably die. So they had to wait and hope to survive the crash. He held on even tighter as the powerless helicopter spun down to the ground. He could barely make out the forms of the other helos falling as well. What the hell was going on?

The pilot shouted amidst grunts and the sound of the other Marines through the comms. “Brace for impact!”

Eli saw the ground come closer until they were seconds away from collision. He closed his eyes. Was this how it would end?

Rainbow Dash flew through the city of Cloudsdale. She was looking for her commanding officer, who should be around here somewhere.

She had been at the barrier with her fiends Applejack and Fluttershy when they had spotted a massive force of Griffons above the Sweet Apple Acres. She felt bad for AJ, having to leave her home because the barrier couldn't reach that far. Living outside the barrier would be suicide right now.

Rainbow Dash sped off once she saw three scouting forces of Griffons leave their main force. While the Unicorns were definitely helpful, and the earth ponies contributed their fair share, the pegasi were the main fighting force of Celestia's army. They were faster and more maneuverable.

She found her, Spitfire, at the academy, where now, instead of training Wonderbolts, they trained new soldiers. It had been five years since they had converted it into a military academy.

“Commander!” Rainbow Dash landed next to Spitfire.

“What is it?” Spitfire turned from the group she had been instructing to address her second in command.

“Scouting parties have left the griffons main force. I believe they are preparing to attack. I request extra units for my battalion at the front lines.”

Spitfire thought this over a minute. “Are you sure?”

“My gut says so, and it has yet to be wrong.”

“Alright.” Spitfire blew a whistle and a team of thirty young and armed pegasi landed next to her. “We can't take any chances. I was saving these ponies for reinforcements, but take them with you.” She turned to the force behind her. “Captain Rainbow Dash is now in charge of you all. Do whatever she says.”

“Yes ma'am!”

Rainbow Dash flew back to the walls with her reinforcements in tow. While there wasn't as many as she had hoped for, she would have to make do. Once she got to the walls she ordered them to their stations and dropped by her friends. AJ was still by the walls, but Fluttershy had left for the infirmary and was replaced by Rarity.

Rainbow Dash was impressed by the changes the war had brought upon her friend. Instead of the prissy, obsessed with fashion and all that shit, she had now become a warrior who had seen quite a few battles. She also supplied the army with clothes and organized several peaceful meetings with their enemies... all of which failed.

“What's new, guys?”

Applejack didn't take her eyes off the Everfree forest. “What the hell is that?” She pointed at the sky above the now desolate place.

Rainbow Dash looked intently at the sky and saw that it seemed to be shimmering. “Not again.” She groaned.

AJ turned to her friend. “What?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. AJ, nor any of her friends, had seen it the first time it happened. One oddly shaped object appeared and crashed in the Everfree forest. She reported it to command and they told her to keep quiet. Then it happened a second time. Two objects appeared out of thin air and crashed in the Everfree forest. This was the third time.

She grabbed a pegasus named Glaze and one named True Shot and took off toward Twilight. “Twilight!”

The purple unicorn turned to her friend with a frown. “What is it?”

Normally, RD would be offended by that curt response, but the war had been hard on them all. “I'm leaving. I shouldn't be gone too long.”

“Where?”

“It happened again. I'm gonna check it out.”

Twilight nodded and opened a small hole in the barrier. Once the three pegasi flew through, she asked one last question. “You did ask command to leave, right?”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Nope!” She flew off with Glaze and True Shot.

They hugged the ground, trying to keep their profile low. If they were spotted and attacked out here, they were pretty much dead. They were almost to the Everfree forest when the sky above the forest lit up and this time five oddly shaped objects tumbled out of the sky, landing somewhere deep in the forest. Even though they were closer, Rainbow Dash didn't get a good look at them because of all the smoke they billowed. What were these things?

Then she saw one of the griffon scout teams heading toward the forest. Rainbow flew faster, disregarding caution. The other two pegasi struggled to keep up. No way were those filthy griffons getting their claws on whatever it was that was in there.

Author's Note

Part one. Hopefully this story will be better than my other ones.