The Dawn Protocol

(A/N: Short one, but yeah)

"Hey! Pips! Long time no see!"

"Ah it's nice seeing you two Dinky. How's Nam been?"

"It's been good to me Pips, it's been good- speak of which, how'd you know I was in Nam?"

" *chuckle* Because it's the only warzone in this day and age."

Scootaloo heard very vague snatches of conversation as the world spun in vertigo.

"Oh! Is that who I think it is? Snips?! How have you been?"

"Oh I've been fine Pipsqueak, neither here nor there to be exact."

"Oh really? Well I've been underground in 'the motherland'."

"Big deal, I've been torturing and extracting information for the government from ponies you thought were too big to get burned."

With a pounding headache and a resurgence of unpleasant memories from before her little rendezvous with unconsciousness, Scootaloo didn't exactly want to 'hear' this.

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"Ladies! Can we please save the dick-whipping contest for another time?" Everybody present turned to the one who had spoken. Currently, the group of about 6 ponies including Commander in Chief Twilight Sparkle, and Director of ECI, Rarity were holed up in a bunker, waiting for the 'Archives Incident' as the press so delicately put it, to blow over.

The Lunar Movement blasted the sudden intervention of the armed forces saying that "they intervened for their own purposes and not to help the good citizens caught up in the riot" even if the 'good citizens' were the rioters.

"Glad to see you with us agent Scootaloo." Twilight Sparkle calmly eyed the group of the finest, brightest, and belligerent/utterly mad minds available to Equetria.

"I won't bother with introductions since you all know and have worked with each other closely. Just know that this next mission, will call you back to arms, it will make you do things you will not WANT to do. You will face police and all those who stand and uphold the sacred law. I am granting you this ONLY ONCE for the mission. You will receive pardon for any and all crimes committed during the mission. This applies to damaged property and loss of life against ARMED personnel only. Are we clear?" Asked Twilight opening her eyes, or rather her one good eye. The other being covered by an eyepatch.

"Yes ma'am." Saluted Dinky, knocking back a bottle of AppleJack Daniels.

"Crystal Clear." Remarked Pipsqueak casually lighting up a cuban cigar.

"You have my consent." Slightly bowed Snips, his eyes dead and unfeeling.

"Fine." Said Scootaloo, everypony in the room turned to look at her, even amongst her 'friends' there was caution wrought firmly in their eyes.

"Scootaloo, listen, I know you might hate this since you were taken against your will, I need your consent. You will not harm any unarmed civilian personnel. Are we clear?" Twilight leaned forward against the table, on the opposite side, Scootaloo was strapped to a board generously loaned from a mental institution, straight jacket and face mask included.

"C'mon Scoots, it won't be that bad right? I mean how did you survive these last couple years?" Joked Pipsqueak laughing slightly at his own joke.

Everyone in the room knew it was fake because of the harshness of his voice. Even he, who had gone undercover in some of Equestria's toughest places, he who was famous in the spy underground for going and staying in дыре Gulag [the hellhole] for 4 years was scared of this mare.

"I agree to not kill anyone who doesn't hold a gun to my head if that's what your asking." Evenly stated Scootaloo staring at Twilight Sparkle, her gaze unwavering.

For a minute the two mares continued to stare at each other, locked in a game of superiority.

Finally Twilight blinked. "As long as you get it done." She said leaning back.

"No problem" said Scootaloo grunting. For a minute, everypony turned again to look at the deadliest occupant. Rarity slowly reached into her jacket and gripped her Barretta, squeezing the handle in an effort to stay calm.

"There we go." Remarked Scootaloo casually as she broke the 8 locks located at the back of the board holding her in place.

"Now about this jacket." She said grunting a bit, the group heard bones pop as she moved them out of place. The saw as she slipped out of the straight jacket, lowering and finally shimming out of the protective casing.

"Now that, that's done." She took off the mask and flicked her hair.

"What are we doing."

Twilight inhaled deeply, putting the near insurmountable, even by their standards in words the specialists would be able to swallow was going to be no easy feat.

"I assume you all have heard the message broadcast by our now passed Princess?" She began.

"Oh? She died? HAH! Snips! You owe me 50!" Remarked Dinky slapping her knee.

"Dinky this isn't the proper time nor place for such petty bets." He stated not even bothering to look at her.

Dinky however, was not having any of it. She siddled right up next to him.

"Now ah know ye ain't a man o' yer word but if ye don't pay up right here I maight have to EHEM. Break a few things." She said gently tapping his chest.

Scootaloo merely shook her head with a wry grin. Pipsqueak stifled. When Dinky meant buisness, she meant business. Often a time, Dinky put loan sharks to shame at how she punished those who didn't pay her back.

"Fine then." Calmly replied Snips reaching into his jacket and pulling out a 50.

"Thank ye kindly." She replied with a cheshire grin, storing it in her own jacket.

"Can we get back to the task at hoof if you don't mind?" Asked Rarity careful to keep a neutral voice.

"Ye...um..sorry bout that boss." Diny blushed. Scootaloo scoffed.

"Your task, is to investigate the mysterious message and solve the mystery of 'The Dawn Protocol' left behind by Celestia. Any and all means will be at your disposal.

Dinky smiled. "Well that don't sound too bad." She chirped happily. Scootaloo who had been puffing on a cigar looked up.

"What's the catch?" She asked, Twilight tilted her head.

"There are no strings attached if that's what your asking." She said calmly. Scootaloo started laughing gently.

"Twilight, the last time you sent me in, I was a Colonel in the front lines of a bloody war with Zebracons. Don't try this." She said.

Twilight began speaking but again was interrupted.

"Now, during my absence, I kept tabs on everything that's been going on, world wise that is. And I know for a fact that there are some big FUCKING strings attached."

She puffed again.

"A couple wekks back, I received word that ponies working under the LM had broken into both the Canterlot Archives, not open to the public mind you, and the Philydelphian Bureau of Classified Information, a Bureau that technically doesn't exist."

She stopped for a moment.

"Why would a movement bent on the removal of the current governmental regime be breaking into places that held information and no political or strategic markings of any kind? Simple. They were looking for information. And not just any information. Hidden information. And of all the documents stolen, there's a pattern. All documents, books, files, portfolios, all have the words Dawn in their respective titles."

She stopped and stared at Twilight who was having a very hard time hiding her surprise. Rarity as well.

"You can bet your ass their looking for this thing, which brings me to my next point. The Lunar Movement is hellbent on removing you and discrediting your efforts in any and all projects or interventions overseas and at home. If you do anything, and I repeat, ANYTHING. They will be on your ass faster than Stallions at the nearest Strip Club after 'Free BJ Tuesdays'."

Twilight heard chuckling.

"That means you need a small, undetectable, mobile, and deniable task force to get slip through the ever watchful gaze of those night loving bastards.

You need a ghost arm, something easily controllable, yet easily abortable." She finished her cigar and stomped it under hoof.

"And since we're dealing with something related to the Sun lady, we're most probably gonna be dealing with the Zealots since they're freaking everywhere in the underground these days. So"

She turned and looked at her fellow soldiers, and then at the stunned commanders.

"How did you?" Began Rarity, quickly being silenced by a  hoof to the shoulder by Twilight.

"It's why we got her Rare." She said in a resigned voice.

"The others already have incentives to participate. So now the choice is up to you." Twilight gazed evenly at Scootaloo who had started on another cigar.

"Look, I know we might be at odds over certain things, but this is for the good of the country. If the government falls apart with a looming crisis, there will be hell to pay." Said Twilight trying to persuade the unreadable mare.

"At odds is a civil way of putting it. Twilight I have reveled in the idea of killing you. Especially for what you did at the Grandam Resurgence. Since I entered this room, I could have killed you 4 ways while I was strapped up, 72 ways when I had my body free, and about 104 ways with all body parts free."

She paused before continuing.

"I couldn't give two flying fucks about what you or the nation care about. You can all burn in hell for all I care." She turned to face Dinky.

"But I made a promise a long time ago to an old friend." She turned to Snips and Pipsqueak as well.

"And I intend to honor that promise. Count me in." She said smiling.

Internally Twilight sighed in relief, with the world's most dangerous rouges on Equestria's side, there might stand a chance of the country coming out unscathed from the bloody hell it was in.

Outside however, she was still stone cold.

"Good. Your mission starts tomorrow, head out to Britail, there our allies will debrief you. We found a lead ladies and gentlemen, it is an old tome located out in the countryside, early writing on the tomb walls make a mention of 'The Dawn Protocol'. Flight leaves at 7 A.M sharp. That is all."

And with that, Rarity and Twilight left, leaving the team to it's own devices.

"Well! Might as well head off for the night! Might wanna catch some beauty sleep." Yawned Pipsqueak as he headed for his room in the underground.

"I agree. Goodnight ladies." Snips bowed and left.

Dinky and Scootaloo had other ideas however.

As Scootaloo lit up yet another cigar, Dinky turned away from her.

"So  Grandam ey?" She started.

Scootaloo smirked.