The Guardians

Day#: 359. Location: Canterlot. Personal: Stones.

“Okay, how about this one. A wife wants to poison her husband’s iced tea. She gets confused and mixes up both their iced teas. Now both drinks are poisoned. The wife drinks hers fast while the husband drank his slow, the wife survived but the husband died. How is this possible?” Tyrock asked.

“What did the husband do?” I asked as I checked the placement of the sun making sure the light wouldn’t reflect of of the scope of my rifle. I was lying on one of the many rock ledges that covered the mountain side. A different one sense the guards are now scoping out the first ones.

“I don’t know just answer the riddle.” I smiled, we have currently been doing these riddles for almost two days.

“What do you mean you don't know, you can't just kill someone for no reason.” I said trying to mess with Tyrock a little bit more.

“Do you know the answer or not?” he asked.

“Ugg, give me a minute then.” I stopped to ponder the question. “Okay, the ice was poison so when the husband drank slowly the ice melted and released the poison into the drink. The wife drank hers before the ice melted so it did not release the poison in the drink.” I answered after a few minutes. “Got any more riddles?”

“Give me a minute.”

I smiled as I leaned into the scope of my rifle. As I pulled the crosshairs up on Cadence’s head my right index finger gave a small twitch, a sign that I would normally take as to pull the trigger on an enemy. I lifted it away from the trigger and rested it on the side of the rifle. We have been watching her for the last two days nonstop. We had also taken out a few more members of the changeling recon team. In doing so Cadance has become a little more jumpy as the days go by. Today Cadance is supposed to go and check the girls progress on the wedding preparations.

“Hey Sarah anything on Cadance yet?”

“For the hundredth time no and that will continue be the answer until I let you know when I find something.” she exclaimed as I moved the scope over to the kitchen checking Applejacks progress on the food. “So far I have only seen small changes in her attitude, likes and dislikes. None of it is enough to mark her as a threat.”

“Just keep me posted. Also keep an eye on Twilight she seems to think something is wrong.” I said pulling Applejack up in the scope. She was currently working on the massive wedding cake. I could also see Twilight lying against one of the support beams, pouting.

“Cake, check.” Applejack said running over to a near finished ice sculpture as Twilight put a check on her list. “Ice sculpture, check.” again another mark. “Best darn bite size apple fritter you have ever tasted..” She then stuffed one in Twilight's mouth, instantly bringing a smile to her face.

“Mmm, check.” Twilight said as she chewed the apple fritter. I could see part of Spike sitting over to the side. I couldn't hear or see what his was doing but then Cadence walked in. My trigger finger again gave a small twitch even though it wasn't near the trigger. She walked over to Applejack, who gave her a low bow.

“Hiya, Princess!” Applejack said standing back up.

“Please call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.” Cadence said as I gave the rifle grip a tight squeeze, wishing I could put a round in her head. Everything she keeps saying is making me nervous, I don't know how but I know she is an enemy. I just don't know how to find what she is doing so I can kill her.

“Hiya, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You come to check out what's on the menu for your big day?” Applejack asked again bowing.

“I have.” Cadence said as they walked over to the tray of apple fritters. Cadence levitated one into her mouth chewing it slowly. “Delicious! I love-love-love them.” she then gave a small nervous laugh. Again a small bell with a red flag started shaking around in my head.

“Jane?” I asked as I watched Applejack take a brown paper bag and hand it to the princess. I heard Jane sigh on the radio.

“Yes, that is another thing that's different. She used to love apple fritters, again that doesn't make her a threat maybe she's just nervous about tomorrow. You know pre-wedding jitters.” she answered.

“Fine just keep an eye on her, I’m going to see if I can find a few more changelings to kill and see if I can get one to talk.” I said getting up from my prone position. I did a quick check of the positions of the princesses and the elements of harmony along with the bearers. Right now Rainbow Dash was in the royal gardens practicing her sonic rainboom. Fluttershy was in the throne room practicing with her song birds with Pinkie setting up the reception. After I was satisfied that I could move without running into one I took off my helmet making it so I could hear the area around me better. after setting it down and placing the rifle on my back I immediately started for the last marked position of a changeling hiding. As I rappelled down I started to get a feeling that something about this mission was making me feel like the lives of these ponies was going to change forever.

As I quietly moved my way down to the city limits I dropped the thoughts to focus on not getting caught. I ducked into an alleyway to give me more cover to move around the city. Most people don't know this but the alleys use to be the main roads, back when Canterlot was just starting out. They twist and turn but if you have a sense of direction you can get from point A to point B without ever stepping into the new main streets. Unless you need to get from the east side to the west side, or vice versa. The new major main street basically cuts the city in half leaving a large area to walk across. As I headed out I checked the marker to see if I was getting any closer to the last known pony to has been in contact with the fake Lyra. The target was about 35 feet away near a shop called Donut Joe’s. As I moved towards it, I pulled up its magic signature to pinpoint its exact location. When I did I could see the target enter the alleyways, heading almost straight for me. I immediately stopped, puzzled.

“What the hell, these things are suppose to blend in. walking through the alleys would raise suspicion.” I thought to myself. “Unless it somehow knows I'm here.” with that thought I ducked behind a dumpster and pulled my rifle off of my back. Quietly lifted the dumpster lid and slipped the rifle between two garbage bags. The suppressor was still locked on. I could hear the clip clopping of hooves moving through the alley as a shadow appeared around the corner. The pony that walked out was a brown colored unicorn stallion with a dark brown main sticking back on his head. I couldn't see a cutie mark but I pulled him up in the crosshairs anyway. I took a deep breath and held it, the pony stopped and looked around then slowly started to back away head low with his ears pinned back, I slowly let out the breath, confused. Then it looked straight at me and mouth something, it looked almost like "I'm sorry." At that moment I felt a hard blunt object strike me on the back of the head then everything went black.

Personal: Stones. Location: unknown. Time: unknown.

I gave a small groan as I started gaining consciousness.

“Alright, step one make sure you are still in one piece.” I immediately started moving my fingers and toes making sure that my spine was still intact. I could feel some restraints around my arms, legs and chest. I could also feel one on my head. Holding me down on some kind of table. I could tell I still had my vest on but no weapons. I could feel that the table was some kind of wood, very rough and I could feel a few splinters digging into the skin of my arms. “Okay everything works.”

I also could feel a headache starting to form, but that doesn't tell me how long I have been out, it also reminds me that Tyrock might not know what happened to me yet. I opened my eyes slowly, expecting some kind of bright light in my eyes. Instead all I saw was the barely lit ceiling of a cave. There was a small hint of wet earth hanging in the air. I noticed the light would give of a small flicker, so that means there is a flame somewhere nearby, either a candle or a torch. I took a deep breath testing the limit of the straps around my chest. I could get about half a breath but I could also feel that the anchors are about as old as the table. At that moment I heard the sound of hooves marching. There was also a set that wasn't in sync. After a few seconds I heard the sound of a heavy wooden door scraping across the ground grouped with the sound of iron hinges squealing like a stuck pig not helping my headache at all.

The marching stopped but then I heard the sound of wood smashing on stone. Almost like a spear hitting the ground in a salute. As I layed there I could hear something walking closer to the table. Then I saw movement out of the corner of my right eye. I couldn't see it that well but I could tell it was the same color of the changelings. At that moment the table gave a small shutter then started rotating forward. As I was tilted upward I felt the strap around my head come off, giving me the ability to look about the room. The first thing my eyes settled on was the tallest changeling I have ever seen. It was the same size as Celestia and had a dark green mane that hung limp on the right side of its head. It had holes in it like the rest of the creature. I could tell it was what the changelings would call a queen. I turned to the left and right of me checking for more changelings. I saw two identical changelings in dark blue armor standing on both sides. They had that pose of a true soldier, strong stance with a thousand yard stare. They were both carrying spears, along with a sword strapped to their sides. As I looked back and forth I figured while I was here, might as well have some fun before I was tortured for information.

“You know,” I said to the queen as I looked at her two bodyguards. “If they weren't here, this would actually be pretty kinky.” At that moment one of the guards swung the butt of his spear into my gut forcing the wind out of my lungs, other then that I barely felt it. “Okay I take it I guessed wrong, let me try again. You want them to watch as you suck my…” again I got a staff of a spear in my gut but from the other guard. I gave a small chuckle as the queen walked closer.

“Unless you want the other end of that spear in you stomach I suggest you shut up!” she said to me. She stuck her hole filled hoof under my chin turning my head back and forth as she looked at me. In this predicament I could look her straight in the eye and I didn't like the way she was looking into mine. I pulled my head away as she smiled, showing off her large k9s. “You’ ll do nicely.”

“For what?” I asked.

“For helping me take over Canterlot of course.” she said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“Ya I don't think so,” I said with a small smirk. “I don't play well with bugs.” she looked at me with surprise, which quickly turned to anger.

“Do you know who I am?” she asked getting right in my face. Close enough I could almost taste her breath. Which by the way tasted like shit.

“Yeah , I know who you are.” I said tensing up my right arm. “Your a dumb bitch that seriously needs a tic- tac.” I ripped on my arm tearing the straps anchors straight out of the table. I continued my swing until it connected with the queen's face. The force from it launched her across the room into the very surprised guard on my left. With the queen out of my face I could see the other guard moving to stab me with it spear. I used my elbow to knock the spear head upward into the ceiling then jabbed my elbow into the guard's head, dazing him. I quickly grabbed his sword handle and yanked it out of the sheath in a reverse hold, I then stabbed it into the guard's eye, killing him. I shoved him away with the sword still lodged into his head just as the spear fell out of its hole, the queen also started moving. I grabbed the falling spear and tried to jab the queen with it, before it could reach her she quickly teleported out of the room letting the spear dive into the last guards chest, causing it to give a weak sputter then grow silent. I dropped the spear as I reached over to release my left arm from the straps. After that I began to undo the rest of the straps. Once I was free I reached down and pulled the sword out of the changelings eye along with the other out of its sheath.

“If these can cut into a changelings hide then I’m keeping them.” I thought as I gave them a few test swings. They were a oily black color that rippled in the torch light, they were a three feet long with a diamond shape head. Now that I had weapons I started looking around at the cave that I was in. It was rectangular with rounded corners and about 17 feet in length and ten feet wide with the table in the middle. I could also see a couple of torches hanging on the walls in an iron hold. At the back of the room I saw my weapons sitting on the ground. I guess they thought I wouldn't be able to escape, I did a quick check to make sure they are still in working order. Once I was satisfied I stuck them back on my vest and headed for the door, along with the two swords I picked up from the changelings. At that moment I heard buzzing, almost like a giant pissed off bee hive was right outside the door.

“Let's see. Option 1, stay in here and use the door as a bottleneck to make it harder for them to attack me.” I thought this was the reasonable idea. “Option 2, I could open the door and shoot any non pony son of a bitch dumb enough to get between me and the way out of this hell hole.” I thought this idea out for a few seconds then shrugged. “Fuck the reasonable way.”

I shoved the door open and charged out into the cave. What I stumbled upon was exactly what I called it a few seconds ago, a complete hell hole. It was the crystal caverns under Canterlot, but instead of being able to see the crystal all I see is a black swarm of changelings covered in their blue armor standing in perfect rows about fifty feet below me. As I looked around I almost had thought to turn back and sit in the room. Then I saw Cadence, not the Cadence I have seen before. This one had dirt and scuff marks along with a look of complete exhaustion. She was in a metal cage behind the blasted devils. She was looking at the changelings with disgust then she saw me. See looked at me with confusion then I figured she guessed I was there to help her because she opened her mouth and screamed for help. At that moment I felt over four hundred sets of eyes turn towards me. The changelings close to me hissed and charged.

“God fucking damnit.” I said as I pulled the rifle off of my back and got into a more stable stance. I pulled the cross hairs up on the first ones head and fired. The changelings brain exploded out the back of its head causing the bullet to lodge itself into the head of the changeling behind it, effectively taking out two with one shot. As those two dropped I turned and fired again taking out another changeling. As the bullet casings fell to the ground I keep backing up keeping a good amount of room between me and them, I felt the bolt lock into place letting me know that the mag is empty. I quickly dumped it and loaded another one from one of the vest pouches. As I fired I caught sight of Cadences horn glowing, at that moment I saw a couple of changelings slam into the walls, snapping their necks. At that moment I felt the presence of a wall behind me, as I slid against it I heard the bolt lock up again. I quickly slapped it onto the vest and reached for the blades next to the firearms. They disengaged from the magnets just as the first changeling reached me. Then I felt a small tickle surrounding my body, quickly followed by a flash of light. I blinked away the spots in my eyes to find myself down on the ground behind the changeling horde. I turned to look behind me to find Cadence and the cage sitting not two feet away.

“Quick help me out of here, I can help you!” she said as I heard the changelings hiss and turn around. I did a quick pro and con list for letting her out.

“If I let her out she might take me to Celestia and have me executed, but if if do let her out, she could help me get out of here and I could always escape later.” after the quick though I stabbed the end of the sword into the ground and pulled out my pistol and fired at the lock. A large hole appeared in the outer shell destroying the inner components. As the lock fell away I slipped the pistol back onto my thigh watching her, just in case she wasn't going to help me. Cadence turned and looked at something behind me.

“Look out!” she warned. I yanked the sword out of the ground and spun, catching the flying changeling just under its chin. The sword cut through its neck with ease. The decapitated head flew and slammed into the bars knocking the door open as the body fell to the ground already forming a pool of green. Cadence looked at the head and quickly looked away when her cheeks bulged.

“Look either you can stand there and become a problem or you can get out here and help me like you said you would!!!” I yelled at her as I stabbed the other sword into another changeling. I quickly threw it away from me just as a blast of light pink flew past me and struck a changeling coming at me from the side. I caught a glimpse of her charging into the hoard with a spear held in her magic. I smiled and roared at the changeling and charged swinging the swords left and right.

120 minutes later.

I sucked in a deep breath trying to get my racing heart to calm down. I could see a couple more changeling heading for me. I threw away the broken spear in my hands and grabbed pulled back the slide of the AS50 and fired a shot into each of their heads killing them. As soon as I was sure they wouldn't get back up I did a quick look around, checking to see if there were any more opponents to face. The ground was littered with the dead bodies of changelings, the air smelled of death and the ground was slick with green blood. My eyes finally settled on Cadence, she was sitting on the ground with a broken sword lying next to her. She was panting like a dog stuck in the Sahara desert as sweat dripped off of her like a rain storm. I could tell I wasn't in any better condition. The vest and my clothes stuck to me like a second skin. I reattached the rifle back on the vest and walked over to where I dropped the sword when the got knocked away from me somewhere in the struggle. In the process I looked over at Cadence when she layed down on her stomach and rested her head on her folded hooves. After making sure the swords were fully secured I walked over to her. She lifted her head as I came closer, I reached up and pulled the vest off to give my body a better chance to breathe. I sat down to the right of her and set my vest on my right, keeping me between her and a set of weapons. As her breathing settled down I started to lay back a little more.

“How are you feeling?” I asked taking a few more breaths. She looked at me with a look of confusion then she nodded.

“I'm fine, you?” she asked looking a little tired.

“I'm good, though word of advice don't give away the location of your rescuer.” I said with a slight chuckle. She smiled and nodded. I leaned back as I stretched out, a few of my joints gave a small pop.

“What have you done?!” a voice rang through the cavern. I jumped up and pulled off one of the swords ready for an attack. I turned around to find the queen standing on a small walk way about twelve feet up. She was looking around at the bodys of her army. “How did you survive, my guards are the best fighters in all of Equestria?” she asked with a high source of venom in her voice.

“They were the best now that title belongs to me, bitch.” I snarled back.

“You think you have won? I still have you trapped down here. You will never escape in time to stop me. Soon queen Chrysalis will rule all over equestria. Hahahahahahaha.”

“Not while I’m still breathing.” I said throwing one of the swords at her. She teleported again a few feet away causing the sword to sink into the crystal she use to be standing in front of.

“Fool, I already have a replacement army on their way. After I take control of Shining Armor’s mind I nothing will keep us out of Canterlot.” She gave another evil laugh as her appearance changed to match Cadence.

“Not my Shining Armor!” The real Cadance said.

“He’s not yours anymore, he now belongs to me.” Crystalis said followed by yet another evil laugh. Then she vanished in a flash of green fire.

“Nooooooo!” Cadence shouted as she tried to charge up her horn. All it gave was a weak sputter as a small spark fell to the ground, flickering like a dying ember from a fire. I looked at the spot that Crystalis disappeared then I scooped up my vest slipping it on as I started climbing up to the wall face.

“Where are you going?” Cadence asked trotting over beneath me.

“I'm going to stop her.” I said

“What?” she said as I reached the top. She struggled but she flew up next to me. She began to pant again. I chewed on my bottom lip.

“If I could get her out of here I would, but the way I'm going can only fit humans and she doesn't look like she could make it, maybe I can get her to go to the mines then she would be able to fly out of here and rest.” I thought. “Hey if you head down that path you be able to find a way out of here.” i said pointing to another tunnel, she looked behind her.

“You want me to go that way?” she asked as I nodded.

“I’ll head this way and see if I can stop her in time.” I said jerking a thumb over my shoulder as I turned away heading for the exit.

“Wait, what are you?” she asked, I stopped.

“I’m Stones.” I said after a few seconds then continued walking. Heading for the one chance I have left to stop this war.