Factory Beetdown, brawl under Canterlot Castle

The griffons followed the directions and find themselves in a massive underground chamber where they found not just the suits from the parade but three regiments of them, one of each guard unit stood in paddocks like sleeping sentinels waiting for a call to action.

"Ok that's scary, like the empty armor in old castle. Only bigger and more intimidating." said one griffon.

"I know. This is scary I mean how do you fight something like this." Said the second griffon as he pulled out a camera and started to snap pictures of the place.

The older one flew up to a high catwalk and looked around. "Hey check this out!" He called down. The other two joined him and there beaks hit the floor.

From there vantage point they saw train rail system. Massive rails the size of ponies stretched off in to a huge tunnel. Sitting across two of massive rails was large train on it with a several massive freight cars and one large passenger car. The passenger car was only noticeable by its windows. But what was scary was the train engine had a set of naval cannons on it. With smaller guns on freight and passenger cars.

"Is that some kind of train or a warship?" said the first griffon.

"Both I think, but how many boilers or how big of one is inside that train engine. I see no smoke stacks on it. But look at the open car." He said to the older griffon as he pointed.

"Wait those are some of the giant armors from the parade on the train? And what the hell are those armors?" Said the first griffon as the second snaps pictures.

The train bound for Ponyville was the being loaded with not only the suits of Twilight and her friends, but the suits of the humans that where going back with them tomorrow. The suits that stood out on the train were the Kämpher and the Efreet witch where the most visible on the car. As well as May and a gray earth pony mare in dark blue dress trench coat thing, inspecting some crates that had yet to be loaded.

The second Griffon aimed the camera at them and snapped the picture, unfortunately the lessen caught the light from overhead causing it to reflect of it. This caught Mays attention causing her to look at the catwalk.
The Griffon with the camera lowered it and gulped. "Guys I think human noticed us."

"Impossible how could she notice us from way over there." Said the older one, but as if ordained by fate that's when a shot rang out echoing in the cavern and a bullet pinged off the metal railing right in front of, him making him jump. Then the whole place was bathed in red lights and a siren sounding. The railway was being closed off by a pair of giant doors. "Wing it!" Shouted the older griffon.

The three flew for the mine shaft they came from only to find it sealed with six guards in the new uniforms with the new rifles. "Surrender in the name of the princesses!" The leader of the group shouted.

Two of the griffons took off in different directions as the youngest pulled his flint lock and fired the ball hit the chest of the lead pony but to shock of all and absolute terror of the griffon it only staggered the unicorn, his seemingly cloth armor stopped the ball cold. "Fire!" shouted unicorn and the ponies pulled the triggers. A storm of bullets poured forth at the griffon who was now running but none of the shots hit and the ponies soon emptied there mags.

The griffon slowed down and hid behind a crate. "Feathers what was that! They pull the trigger once and fill the air with bullets. I am just lucky they suck at aiming or I'd have more holes in me then a changeling." He pants to him self. He looks at the camera and sees just how lucky he really was as the one or more had ripped the camera lenses to pieces. He was lucky the film was not damaged, but he could not take a chance on losing it.

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The older griffon had taken down a tunnel and found him self in a weapon factory. Only it was one for the giant armor and not for the infantry. "Figures I get lucky enough to find more weapons then I could want but I can't use any of them." He complained.

"It's worse then that. You ran buy me ducking in here and didn't notice." Said May as she stepped out from behind a conveyor belt. The griffon spun round to face her drawing the top the line griffon rotary shot blade.

"Your the human that fired on me earlier. With a pistol? I admit your weapons are impressive. I heard the rate of fire those repeaters the guards had put out. Bit wasteful, but it is a vary strong morale braking weapon. And your had cannon was a lot more accurate then it had any right to be." Said the griffon pointing his gun at her as she pointed her two at him.

"Not really, the new ammo is not mixed right throws of the accuracy by a lot and makes to much smoke. I was aiming at your head. I am knight Lieutenant May Tachibana of the harmony guard First mobile suit division. Who do I have the honor of fighting?" Said May as she put one pistol away and drew her sword.

"A knight? Well I am Sargent Marcus Bonewing. Fifty year veteran of the Griffon Empireal army." He said with a smile.

"Pleasure I was worried my skills would get rusty, living here. Do make it a challenge for me." said May.

"Those fangs, that predatory glint in your eyes. This chill in my spine, my wings itching to flee. We both have the most advanced guns in the world for close quarters. I haven't felt this alive in a long time." said Marcus.

The two stared down each other. The griffon fired first putting two shots out May dropped to the ground before the hammer finished its cycle. She pulled the trigger once hitting the griffon in the claw making him cry out in pain and dart for cover. May took this chance to do the same. "That's a nice gun. Would you mind if I kept it after you die?" Asked May as she moved around the belts and machines.

Then Marcus chuckled as he switched to his other claw. "What you don't want to take me alive?"

"I was not trained to capture enemies. My father taught me swordsman ship when I was young, my mother taught me to shoot. And the war taught me how to do both more effectively." said May.

She rounded the coroner with a swing of her katana which the griffon blocked with his pistol's blade. He then jumped back as she pulled the trigger of her pistol. His quick reflexes saving him from getting nothing worse then a cut on his cheek from a close bullet. He returned fire with another two shots witch she deflected with her sword in one motion. He gulped as he backed up. "Ok now that was impressive, I am starting to wish I was thirty years younger." said Marcus.

She smiled at him "Sorry your not my type. Wrong gender." She said.

He sighed. "I finally meet a female that is a real warrior and she is a lesbian." He snapped another shot of which May returned with one of her own the 45 cal pistol round and the musket ball met in the air fell to the ground at the griffon's paws... "Well that happened..." Said Marcus looking at the mashed bullets.

Regaining his wits he looked back up, just in time to see her fist strike him on the bridge of his beak sending him to the floor. When the stars stopped spinning he found himself on his back with her sitting on him looking at his gun. "Nice piece very ornate you must have earned it. Not surprised if you are a spy." She put it down her top. With handle sticking out. She pulled her pistol out and emptied the spent shells leaving one left she closed the cylinder. "We both fired five shots. I have one left." Cocked the hammer and pointed it at his male bits. "We are going to play a game." She drew and held her sword to his throat. "The rules are simple. I ask you answer, if you don't answer I pull the trigger and see if it's my last shot. You try to escape I cut your throat. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am" said the griffon.

"Ok good. Now why are you here?" she asked.

"To investigate the new weapons Equestria has." he said.

"How you get in?" She asked.

"We asked a guard after we got lost in the castle." He said. He smiled as her eye twitched he knew that guard was going to get it.

"Who ordered you to do so." she asked.

"Not telling." He said and then his eyes went wide as her heard her pistol dry fire.

"First was blank let's see if your luck holds out. Who sent you." She cocked the hammer back. In the distance they heard the sound of pony gun fire signaling that one of the patrols found a griffon spy.

"I won't tell you." There was loud bang and he screeched in pain before she silt his his throat.

"You had very poor luck." Said May.

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While that happened the other griffon had slipped in to old mine.

"Pinfeathers, they said this was risky. But when did ponies pass us in weapons?" He said thinking out loud.

"About half month after the humans where Knighted." Said Maud behind him making him jump and pull his gun which she grab and squished the barrel, splintering the wood on it with one hand. He backed up eyes wide.

"Feathers a earth pony in a underground tunnel." He said as he backed away.

"Actually this is natural cave formation made of granite and water runoff from past rains. I'd prefer it if you surrendered peacefully. I am a rockolgist not a soldier." Said Maud in her in her neutral tone.

"Wait your just a nerd." Said the griffon.

"Actually I'm a rock farmer I just went to school to help my family run the farm better. But I got picked for this cause I am the foremost expert in rocks, gems and minerals. I was a good student and the teacher said I might like those classes as well. She was right. New kinds of rocks." She said as he walks towards him.

"Well I'm a soldier!" He shouted and jumped at her. She side stepped him and landed a left hook on his head and there was a wet crack and his head bounced of the wall. Leaving a smear of blood on it.

"Opsie. I think I killed him." She said in a more morose tone as she grabbed his tail and started dragging him back to the main area. "I hope I don't get in trouble for killing him. I also hope Pinkie dose not find out."

As she reached the main section she could hear a lot of shots begin fired. She looked at the body and sat down to wait for things to calm down.

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He was having a bad night now more and more guards had shown up with new guns. They still can't hit what they aim at. But with so many it's only a matter of time till they get lucky. He was running through the base. Every turn seemed to have guards around the bend. He was holding the camera close to protect the film then he saw it. Glancing out windows of the building he was in, in to the cavern and saw air vent in the roof. He looked back ahead to see guards in front. Looking over his shoulder he saw guards and that human female coming behind him.

"Feathers this will hurt." He said before he shot the window and smashed through it taking to the air. The ponies open fire missing badly. He smiled as he reached the vent and started pry it open.

"I told them we needed more smaller vents rather then fewer big ones! Give me that rifle!" Shouted May before she grabbed a rifle from a stallion and fired three shots.

After he got the vent open he felt something hit his back then two more in quick succession. He crawled in to the vent and started coughing up blood. He looked down and was shocked to see that the bullets had gone strait through him and he was bleeding badly. "Got *cough* to get to the surface." He coughed up blood as he climbed up it. He reached the out side of the vent and saw he was on the mountain side of Canterlot mountain. He pulled out a flare tied it to the camera strap lit it and tossed it. He watched as the flare was falling till another griffon dove from the clouds and grabbed it and carried it away. He smiled before he passed out and tumbled down the mountain side.

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Throne room the next day.

"How the fucking hell did this happen!" Shouted the Captain. Behind him stood the princesses, as well as Shining Armor and Blueblood.

Lined up in front of them was May Maud and some fifty of Luna's night guards. May and Maud stood and took the verbal abuse with out flinching the guards where shaking in fear. The knight captain was shouting at them with a fury and decimal count to match the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"This is exactly why I was against the parade! Not only did three griffon spies infiltrate our factory but one had a camera and made it out with it! On top of that his camera was not with him meaning we have to assume he passed it off to another agent! I have half a mind to arrest the lot of of you for dereliction of duty! Plus at lest one of you clowns last night is guilty of aiding enemy spies! " He was now huffing and puffing.

"Your right sir. We have no excuses for our failure. I was the only one that was able to hit the third spy but i missed his head which aloud him to escape. I am willing to take any punishment you see fit." Said May the guards to her right looked at her like she was insane.

"You did noting wrong Luetenet Tachibana. In fact unlike my guards you where able to hit the griffon in a open space, witch my guards failed to do in a confined space. As well as one gave them directions to what is or was a secret base." said Luna with a cold tone.

"A non-combatant had to stop one of the griffons. The federation forces where not this incompetent and they sacrifice there own troops. I mean what is wrong with them, why can't they hit a target right in front of them? I mean they hit the target in training but in their first battle they forget their training. I know only the guards who pass the basic training get guns." said Jay.

"I am deeply disturbed as well there has been a marked decreases in the quality of competence in the royal guard over the years." Said Celestia with a sigh. "That said we have discussed what to do at length and decided to give the responsibility of reforming the guard to Princess Twilight's Knight Guard Captian Jay Johson, as well as giving Twilight herself full authority over all appointments of guard mobile suits pilots." countered Celestia.

"You can count on me Celestia." Said Twilight with pride

"I agree, with the guard as they are they are a danger to public if we put them in mobile suits. Princesses I requesting that all Wonderbolt active and reserve units be brought in for retraining as well as suit training. As they are the elite of Equestria guard forces they must be ready to respond to any threat as well as fill in for the slack that will come when other branches are being retrained. This means Rainbow Dash as well." Said Jay.

Twilight nodded "Of course. You are the knight Captian of Equestria. I'll leave you to do as you see fit. Just don't be too hard on her." said Twilight.

"Now where would the fun in that be? May you countiue as planed go back to Ponyville and start teaching the testers for the civilian suits. Take Maud with, as reward for her action she and her family will get a civilian suit tuned to help with their rock farm. Also Princess Twilight I'd like to barrow Applejack to help me question the Griffon diplomat Miss Ironclaw." said Jay.

"Of course she'll meet you at her room." said Twilight.

"Well then I guess for now we are done here." said Celestia.

"Almost, I expect all of my night guards to triple there physical training regime till Knight Captain Johnson starts their retraining program." said Luna.

"And they will be the last on the list so I expect them to be in the best shape of all the guards I train." Added Jay getting a audible groan form the guards present.

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Two hours latter.

"A'h don't know what help I can being here captain, but I sure will try." Said Applejack she was upset that her mare friend was not coming home with her today but she understood why. That doesn't means she likes it mind you, but she won't hold it against Jay. As he was just doing his job after all and was at one time in his life a farmer so they both had a understanding about doing what you have to do.

"Your the element of honesty, I'm hoping that means you are good at seeing through lies. Also if she knows who you are it might shake her up. Besides your bigger and stronger then me so if she tries something I feel safer having somepony competent with me that is strong enough to handle her." said Jay.

Applejack blinked. "Wait your trying to use me to both be a lie detector and your body guard?" she asked.

"No if I wanted a body guard I'd have May or big Tom here they would kill her the instant she tries something. I want you here to restrain her if she tries something. Your a farmer and rancher. So you have practice at restraining troublesome animals and well I heard about how you and Rainbow Dash play around with ropes and you always have one in your hat. Oh by the way, sound proof the walls in your house. Apple Bloom has a very intimate knowledge of what you and Dash do in bed." aaid Jay.

Applejack's face went red "Eeyup." Was all she said. She also made plans to do just that when she gets back.

Jay knocked on the door not even looking at the day guards that stood on ether side. "Miss Ironclaw! It's Knight Captain Jay Johnson of the Harmony guard I am coming in to speak with you I also have the Element of Honesty with me!" Called Jay through the door. Before opening it and walking in with Applejack behind him.

He closed the door and looked at the Griffon. He seen one or two around and was not put off by her sitting there in a lacy bath robe seemingly letting her head plumage dry after a shower while working on a model of a Zaku Kai. She looked up and smiled. "Given I was placed under hose arrest I guess some Griffons got arrested doing something stupid that will make my job harder." she said.

"Actually the three spies are dead. One had his throat slit after his balls where blown off, the second had his head caved in by a earth pony and the last bled out from bullet wounds. But they had at lest one accomplice who the last one was able to pass a camera off to. We know it was damaged but not if the film was so if you have it, turning it over or telling us who dose would help your situation." Said Jay smiling as she dropped her modeling tools and covered her beak.

"I... I..." she ran in to bathroom and was heard throwing up.

"Guess she didn't know they where killed. But did you have to tell her how they died." Whispered Applejack.

"She might have known they were but the how has a nasty habit of making you visualize it. Also given I said earth pony with you here she might have it in her head that it was you who killed one of them. Which will shake her more and dissuade her from funny ideas." whispered Jay.

She came out of the bathroom and sat in her seat. "Do you know there names?" She asked.

"Only the one that dueled my lieutenant. One Marucs Bonewing of the Imperial army. The other two are unknown." said Jay.

"I... see. I ask cause my eldest son joined the army." She lowers her head. "I was asked to use the event to gather information on the new weapons, armor, and the new race. I sent it out last night by messenger birds on the ship. But all I got was some information about the a factory in the mines from lose lips Blueblood, over heard her and the buffalo diplomat about civilian suits and more powerful mobile suits you humans have, and a little about you have a new airships being built. Oh and that you have some crazy plans for the night sky. Can I see if either the other two is my son?" said Ironclaw.

Jay opened his camera and pulled up the first picture the griffon that was shot to death. When she shook her head he looked at her and asked. "You sure you want to see the other one? His head was crushed."

"If it could be your son would you?" She asked in response. He nodded and showed the picture of a griffon with a mangled head. She sighed "It's not him both my sons have there fathers feathers. His are the wrong colors. Thank you for showing me." she said.

"A'h don't blame you for needing to see. Ma'h little sister is one of the pilots for them new mobile suits. And I'm more then a little worried about her and her herd. The whole lot are pilots." Said AJ reaching out to her as family minded mare.

"She was with human Luna was talking to? I think Fritz was his name." she asked.

"Eeyup that's them. They are good bunch of girls and Fritz is better then I could have hoped for her our cousin and there friends. But I still worry even if she is wrapped in the giant metal war machine." said Applejack.

"Yes. But until we can confirm you have no connection to this event you will remain in your guest room. All mail and packages will be searched with no exceptions." He looks at the model. "I'll have them bring up some more modeling tools and some painting supplies. So you can properly finish your hobby." Said Jay as they started to leave.

At the door Jay smiled. "My suit is black with dark red trimming. It's not a Zaku but I thought you like to know the colors I use." He said before closing the door.

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Canterlot armored train platform.

"Buck I can't believe that the bolts are being called for retraining first. This is totally not cool." Said rainbow as she watched her suit being unloaded by the engineering team. She hated to say it but she looked forward to the first ride on the world's fastest train.

"A'hm feelin' the same way Rainbow but you know as well as any of us that it's long over do. Besides with wonderbolts going first it will set a example for the rest of the guards and they will be done faster and the sooner the bolts are done the sooner they can cycle the other guards through, and the sooner you will be back home with me. So show them why your the not only the fastest flyer but the most awesome pony around." Applejack gave her big kiss "Now be sure to look after ma'h sister, as well as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They have to stay here and run guard patrols till the princess can get some more pilots that they can trust not to wreck the city." Said Applejack as she held Dash in a hug.

Dash pulled back and gave her marefriend her trademark grin. "Is it just me or is it kind of ironic that it's safer to trust the Cutie Mark Crusaders, then the guard to patrol Canterlot in giant war machines?" Applejack gave her shove as she laughed at her joke.

"A'h'll be waiting for you.... And sound proofing ma'h bed room. Apparently AB been hearing us and talking about it." said AJ.

"That explains so much about some of Scootaloo's questions." Said Rainbow Dash.

Pa: "Last call all passengers. Engine one is now leaving for Ponyville Base. Last Call."

"A'h got to go Sugar Cube. Be safe." Said AJ as she boarded the train.

"I will and you be careful, too." Called Rainbow Dash as the door closed.

Author's Note

Thanks again to Zaku666 and Bryan Luna for all there hard and swift work.