“Red One checking in.” I said tapping the mic attached to a loop that ran around my ear holding it in place. I was currently sitting on a hill near the edge of a small farm. The smell of apples and fresh rainfall floated on a gentle breeze.

“Red Two checking in.” Tyrock said a thousand yards north of me on the other side of the small village in the distance. Ponyville was the name that Jane has given us, the home of our charge.

“Red Three checking in.” Sarah said from the house about 1.5 miles south east, deep in the Everfree forest. “Alright boys let’s get started. Red Four says that one of the ponies is an owner of the apple farm near Red One.”

“Target description?” I asked, pulling out a pair of binoculars from the camouflaged pack lying on the ground next to me. I then removed the yellow tinted glasses that were connected via Bluetooth to the small radio computer attached to my right wrist.

“You’re looking for an earth pony mare with a blond mane and fur that matches the color of sunset orange. Her cutie mark is three red apples. I would suggest a stick and run on this one. Also be extra careful. She has three family members that lives and help on the farm. Target declared number one.” Jane stated as I rolled onto my stomach, using my arms as a bi-pod to hold the binoculars steady.

The first time I had ever heard of cutie marks was almost two days ago. Jane and I were having a discussion about who we were here to protect. That’s when she told me that we had six ponies, (which by the way are completely different from each other,) to protect. This is another reason why I have yet to begin to trust her. When people keep holding information from me, I start getting a little hostile. If Jane wants me to stop acting like I’m getting ready to kill her she better stop holding back the info.

As we were talking about the ponies we were protecting, the topic of why the tattoo on her butt was burned into the office floor came up, along with the topic of why ponies have cutie marks. One thing lead to another ending on the fact that I didn’t care. I only wanted to know if they were different so I could identify them. That was actually the last time I have spoken to Jane directly. Letting Sarah play messenger is the only way that I can work with Jane without crushing or slicing open her windpipe.

“Red One, can you confirm visual on the target?” Sarah demanded, adding a couple of beeps over the radio to help emphasize her point.

“Ya, ya, I’m looking at her right now.” I said turning my sight on the mare in question. She was dragging a wooden basket, using her mouth to grab the handle. She pulled it under a tree along with four others.

“Ok Red Three, take a note. Subject is about 3’2”, weighs about 75 to 80 lbs. She is also wearing a brown hat similar to that of a cowboy hat.” I said, observing the pony as she backed herself up to the tree and gave it a swift strong buck, knocking all the apples off the tree and causing them to land perfectly in the baskets below, not a single one missed. She then dragged the baskets to a nearby wagon. “Also mark down that the subject is strong enough to clear an apple tree of all its fruit with one buck, put the timer to 1.5 minutes." I said putting the glasses back on.

"Noted, be prepared to attach tracker in t-minus 90 seconds... Mark." She said a timer popping up on the top right of the glasses. It started counting down as I reached into my pack and pulled out a small tracking chip roughly the size of a fingernail and looked like a microSD card. It was a jet black color with a small wire sticking out the top to serve as an antenna. It also had a waterproof coating and a small adhesive strip on one side allowing it to be attached to anything, and the strip was sticky enough that it wouldn’t come off accidentally. The only way to remove it was to remotely activate the release mechanism built into the main body of the tracker. Inside is a valve that will release a tiny amount of Nanobots specifically programed to destroy only the adhesive strip? Once they do that they would self-destruct and leave no trace. The tracker also had a microphone built in so we can hear any nearby conversations. “T-minus 60 seconds... Mark.”

I threw the pack onto my back and started heading down the hill. Once I reached the fence surrounding the farm I jumped up on one of the fence post. I got on top and used it to climb up into the tree hanging over the fence. I then started jumping tree to tree just like I did with the guards. Soon I heard the sound of something thumping on wood. The timer on my glasses read ten seconds.

When I landed in the next tree I was about ten feet off the ground. I could see baskets already laying underneath. Then I saw the target. She walked over then checked the placements of the buckets, not looking up even once. When she turned around to buck, I plucked an apple and threw it at her. Just as she balanced on her front hooves the apple hit her squarely in the back of the head, just below her hat and knocked it off.

“Ow! What in tarnation?” she said as she face planted into the dirt.

Just before she could look up, I threw the tracker into her upturned hat just as the timer hit zero. When she grabbed her hat, I could see the tracker was attached and wasn’t going to move. She didn’t even look at her hat, she just put it on and looked up. By that time I was already over in the next tree, watching her through the branches.

“Now looky here George, I know you don’t like the apple bucking season, but remember, you don’t give fruit then you don’t stay. So bear with it for now, remember, it's only three times a year.” She said giving the tree a swift buck.

“Also mark down that subject needs to get her head examined.” I whispered to Sarah as I headed out of the apple farm. Once I was clear, I checked with Sarah that the tracker was working then I switched the channel over to Tyrocks. “Target one is marked. How are things going on your end?”

“Good on this side, although Pinkie Pie was a little trickier than expected. I ended up sticking it in her hair.” He explained.

“How many times do I have to tell you about using their names?” I growled into the mic.

“I know, I know. Don’t use real names over the radio.”

“No, don’t use them period. Reminds me of someone I want to stick a knife in.” I said switching back over to Sarah. “Who’s next on the list?”

“Next one is a white unicorn. She has a curled Purple mane. Cutie mark is three light blue diamonds. The target is marked as number 3.” She said as I pulled out the binoculars again. “Be warned though, information states she has a monster of a cat on the premises.”

“Ohhh a cat, better send me a tank to take care of it.” I said as I spotted targets 3 just as she stepped into a house that I could only describe as one would see from a child’s story book. “Target has been spotted. Looks like it’s a slow day in town, I’m moving in.”

“Copy that. You have eight minutes before targets is scheduled to have lunch with target 4. I would advise that you hurry before that happens. I would also suggest placing the electric sensors as you go.” She said as I grabbed a small black box out of the pack. It was eight inches by two inches and about four inches deep. There were claps on the one side keeping the lid secure and the equipment inside protected. We have found out that electric sensors can pick up magic as well as it would with electric sources.

“Give me five minutes then I’ll head for target three.” I said as I ran for the edge of town. When I reached the buildings on the outskirts, I slid for a pile of hay like someone would if they were sliding for home base. The bales were stacked three high on the side of a house, near the back porch. I slowly raised my head over the top edge seeing if anyone was in the general area. When I didn’t see anyone, I opened the box to find four stacks of electric sensors. The stacks were two high and there was foam in between each stack. I reached in and pulled one out. The sensor was about the size of a deck of cards and had a wooden paint job on it so it would blend in with either a tree or a wooden beam. There was a small connection point on the left side. I quickly plugged in the antenna that was lying under the Velcro strap on the top. There was also a small camera on the bottom right side of the sensor along with the actual sensor just above it. The sensor and the camera were on a rotating cylinder so it could view a full 180 degrees. The sensor could detect any electronic device up to 500 yards or in this case, magic. We are going to place them all along the edge of Ponyville and use them to triangulate targets 3 and 4s position.

I undid the strap and looped it around a square support beam next to me. Right up against the bottom of the roof. I had the camera facing the front of the house so it could catch anyone walking by the left side of the house and across the bridge in front of it.

"Stones, we have an unknown magic signature about ten feet off to the right of the house." I ducked back behind the bales once the strap was secured. Then I heard the sound of two ponies walking around the corner.

"Come on Bonbon, I'm telling you, they are out there this time. I'm sure of it. “

"That's exactly what you told me last time before you dragged me to Froggy bottom bog, and the time we ran into a manticore because you said they were near the castle of the two sisters. Forget it Lyra, I'm not going into that accursed forest again!" Bonbon said, turning and stormed past the bales.

She was an earth pony mare with a cutie mark of three wrapped pieces of candy. She has a beige coat and a pigment blue mane with a rose pink streak in it. She walked past the bales without even looking back. Then the unicorn ran after her. The unicorn had a magic mint coat, brilliant cyan mane and tail with a white streak running in it. She has a cutie mark of a golden lyre. I logged her with the sensor as Lyra. Her energy levels are about 24 watts. That was about 26 watts lower than Jane.

“Bonbon wait up, if I’m wrong I’ll clean the house and the shop for the next two years.” Lyra said, sounding desperate. Hearing that for her supposed friend had cause Bonbon to stop. I jump over the top of the bales, landing on the other side. I peek over the top, Bonbon was standing in front of Lyra with her nose just inches from her face. Bonbon’s face supported a searching glare, trying to see if Lyra was lying. After a few seconds, she brought her head back with a deep sigh.

“Pinkie promise?” Lyra asked, getting a confirmed nod from her friend. Lyra sighed. “I cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I wouldn’t betray your trust. After all, that’s the fastest way to lose a friend.”

“Forever!” Came a loud female voice from the north.

“The hell?” I thought as I ducked down, looking in the direction the yell came from. The pony that yelled it had to have lungs of a opra singer for it be heard all the way across Ponyville.

“I still don’t know how Pinkie Pie does that. So can we get going, I’m hoping we get back by dark?” Lyra said as my mouth dropped open. Bonbon sighed, then I heard Lyra give a small squeal as they started walking off. After they left, I heard a small beep from my radio.

“Stones status?” Jane asked. “Stones respond, I repeat respond.” I reached up and pressed a hand against the activation button.

“I’m here, did you get her marked down?” I asked as I checked the area, again no one in sight. “Also ask Red Four how the hell target 2 can hear a conversation from all the way across town. And what the hell a pinkie promise is?”

“A pinkie promise is a promise that target 2 created and cannot be broken. The only answer for being able to hear it was Pinkie Pie just being Pinkie Pie.”

“What do you mean Pinkie Pie is just being Pinkie Pie?”

“Red Four says; ponies say she is just random, but our word for it is breaking the fourth wall. She also said not to think about it too much or you might go insane.” I groaned then slammed my fist into the bale next to me. The bale scattered when the twine holding it together snapped, causing the straw to spread all over the ground.

“Tell Red Four she better go through her memory and tell you everything by the time I get back. If she leaves anything out, she is going to wish I was back on earth. I also want the info recorded, typed and stored.” I said, walking a few houses down. I pulled out another sensor and attached it so it was facing another bridge.

I continued to do this until I reached the targets house. I have been lucky not to run into anymore ponies along the way. When I reached the edge of the backyard, I hid behind a pair of blueberry bushes. Once I was hidden, I pulled out the binoculars and started checking the windows for any movement. Then I spotted the target. She was standing in front of a mirror in the main ground room, levitating multiple dresses, holding each one up to herself, most likely she was trying to find the right one to wear to lunch. After a few minutes she finally decided on a dress that was more about fancy than it was functional.

“Let’s hope she doesn’t have to run from anything today or she’s a dead mare.” I thought as she headed for the front door.

I stowed the binoculars and ran for the back door. As I reached it, I heard the front door open then closed telling me that the target has left. I gently gripped the handle and slowly turned it. The door was unlocked and swung it open on silent hinges. I had to slouch to fit through the door. When I stepped in, I could tell this wasn’t just her home, it was also her fashion shop. There was a sewing machine near the middle of the room. There was also a small stage that had three, five foot mirrors on the back, allowing anyone to see themselves from different angles. It was placed near a wall with a curtain behind it. I walked over to it and reached into my pack. I felt around until my hand grabbed ahold of the small cordless drill sitting near the bottom. It was a dark gray color with an eighth of an inch drill bit on it. I looked around the shop until my sights settled on a roll of tape sitting near the base of a ponikin. I grabbed it and tore off an inch and placed it on the top of the mirror in the center. I then took the drill and placed the tip right below the frame, right on the glass then I started drilling. I placed the tape so the glass had a smaller chance at cracking. After a few seconds the bit was all the way through. I placed the drill on the ground then pulled the tape off leaving a 1/8 inch hole in the glass. I then reached around the back, checking if the hole went all the way through. Once I was satisfied I reached into my pocket and pulled out a camera about the size you would find in a smart phone. I took it out and stuck it in the hole from the back, the lens was higher than the rest of the camera so it fit into the hole and made it so the camera would stay in place. To be safe, I grabbed the tape and stuck a piece on the back, making sure it wouldn’t fall out.

As soon as I reached down to pick up the drill off the ground I heard the handle on the front door turn. I turned to the front window and saw a purple unicorn standing in front of the door with target 3. I looked at the back door judging the distance and wondering if I could make it before they walked in. but I wasn’t fast enough, the door swung open quickly followed by the two ponies. I dove behind the mirrors hoping they didn’t see me.

“I say darling, this dress will make you shine in Canterlot, you simply must wear it.” A female with an English accent say

“I don’t know Rarity, I’m just going to talk to Princess Celestia about the spell. Maybe she can see if it did anything.” Another female voice said.

“But Twilight darling, I insist, we can’t have you walking about all those nobles with nothing to wear.”

“Rarity, I lived in Canterlot almost my whole life. I never had to dress up unless it was for a party and I definitely never had to dress up to see the princess.” I heard the target sigh.

“Alright darling, if that’s what you want. Now where did I put those books?” I then heard her shuffle a few things around the room. “Ah here they are. I hope somepony will get as much use out of them as I did.”

I quickly lined my eye up with the gap between the mirrors, trying to see where they were. I then saw the target levitate a cardboard box from behind the table that had the sewing machine on it, but as she brought it over the bottom opened up dumping half a dozen fashion books onto the floor.

“Oh, Sweetie Bell, I thought I told her to tape this box up.”

“Rarity it looks like she taped the top of the box. I assume that she thought it was taped on the bottom as well. But don’t worry it’s an easy fix. Do you have any tape we can use?” When she said that, I looked down to the roll of tape I had in my hand.

“Shit, let’s hope they don’t notice.” I thought as I looked back through the gap.

“Of course darling, I have a roll right over…” Rarity said looking down at the spot where the roll of tape should be sitting.

“Shit, she noticed!” At that moment I felt something stab into my leg. I looked down to see a snow white cat with a small pink bow tied to its head digging its claws into my shin. “So you are the monster kitty they were talking about.”

“What’s wrong Rarity?” Twilight asked.

“I could have sworn I placed the tape right next to that ponikin over there.” Rarity said, looking about the room

“Maybe you put it in the cabinet.” I looked through the gap to see them digging through a cabinet on the other side of the room with their backs to me. I then felt the cat dig its claws farther into my skin. I glanced down at the little shit. Then I got an idea.

“Guess what you useless piece of shit, you just got promoted to useful piece of shit.” I thought as I grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and threw it across the room to the kitchen area. The cat gave off a screech as it flew across the room followed by a loud crash as it landed in a cupboard of pots and pans. The pans scattered across the room with a ringing of metal.

“Opal, darling are you alright?” I heard Rarity yell as Twilight and her ran to the fur ball’s aid. I rolled the tape over to the kitchen and quietly made my way to the back door. I could see the cat stumble around with stars circling its head giving off a small meow. Twilight and Rarity were looking worried at the cat as the tape rolled up to the cat. At this point I was behind the corner out of sight.

“Oh Opal, I thought I told to leave the tape alone. This is exactly what happened last time you played with it.” Rarity said scolding the drunk walking cat. I gave a small chuckle as I quietly opened the back door turning the lock as I went out.

“Rarity maybe we better take her over to Fluttershy’s. She might be hurt?” Twilight asked.

“Serves her right, maybe this time she won’t mess around with things that don't belong to her.” She said as I shut the door behind me. I then ran for the bushes behind the house. Along the way I pulled out a sensor and looped the Velcro around a branch of a tree near the bushes.

“Red one to Red two, are you there?” I asked as I checked the connection of the sensor.

“Ya what’s up?” He asked as I headed east for the next target’s location.

“What did target 4 look like?”

“A purple unicorn with an indigo mane that had a pink strip in it. She also had a cutie mark of five white stars surrounding a larger pink star. Why?”

“I think I just ran into her at target 3s house so if you're worried about her coming home anytime soon you should be fine.” I said attaching a sensor to the side of another home. I now had the southern half of Ponyville covered by sensors. As I walked I checked the coordinates to find the next location.

“Red three what is the next targets description?”

“Target 5 is a cyan blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail. Her cutie mark is a red yellow and blue lightning bolt coming out of a white cloud.”

“Where is the target's house?” I said trying to find it.

“It's five meters in front and……. twenty meters up?” She said surprised.

“What do you mean twenty meters up?” I asked as I tilted my head back. Then I saw it. “Is that a house made from clouds?” I thought as reached up and pulled my glasses off to get a better look. “Red three can you tell Red four that I'm going to hurt her if she doesn't explain this when I get back to the house.” I reached into the pack and pulled out the binoculars.

When I put them up to my eyes my brain was still trying to catch up. The house was a mixture of a swirled cloud and of old version of a Roman palace. There were white roman columns and some type of cloud vine hanging from various places. There are also appeared to be a rainbow waterfall pouring off the edge evaporating as it fell. It looked like there was also a rainbow colored pathway leading from the top floor to the bottom. The fact that made it even stranger was that the clouds it was made from constantly moved but the house still kept its shape, also the whole formation didn’t move even with the constant breeze. The fact that all this was possible made me want to hit my head on a tree or something just to make sure I was actually seeing this. I put my glasses back on

“Red three, any idea how to do this?” I asked glancing around for anyone in the area.

“Do you have the air rifle?”

“Ya, hang on.” I said as I pulled an out a black case a little bigger that the one that held the sensors. When I opened it inside was a tan brown compressed air rifle. The stock was folded over the top and the barrel was lying above it. I pulled both of them out and screwed the barrel in and unfolded the stock. I then reached under the foam and pulled out a magazine of tranquilizer darts. The rifle normally only fires pellets but we had modified it to fire feather tranquilizer darts as well. I quickly slid it in and pulled back the bolt slipping in a dart. I then stuffed the case back into the pack and picked a bush to hide in. once I was hidden I heard the sound of something whistling through the air. I turned to see a rainbow blur shooting over the trees. The blur then started corkscrewing through the air then launching straight up getting high into the air far enough that I couldn't see it then it started diving for the ground pulling speeds faster than I have ever seen a creature with wings do. I could almost see a Mac cone forming in front of the creature, but just before it reached Mach 1 it came to a dead stop. That’s when I finally could see the creature. It was the target. A Pegasus with a rainbow mane and cyan fur. Then the Mach cone around it launched it back into the air like a slingshot. Taking everything I know about physics with it. As I watched it disappear I cursed into the mic.

“God fucking dammit, how the hell is this idea supposed to work if I can't even shoot the damn thing.” I said letting the rifle lay on the ground.

“What do you mean you can't shoot it?” Sarah asked.

“I mean the target can almost pull Mach 1, the dart can't go that fast, even then how the hell I am supposed to lead it if I can't even see it!” I said. Then I see the target land on the edge of the cloud house. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.” I thought looking at the target stomp on the cloud in frustration

“What if you…” Sarah started.

“Shut up, hang on!” I said grabbing the rifle off the ground. Once I lined my eye up with the scope I could see the target laying down on the cloud trying take a nap. “Okay, so flying at the speed of sound makes her tired, go figures.” I thought as I flipped the safety switch.

I lined the cross hairs onto her ribs, just below her shoulder blades. When I pulled the trigger there was a small puff of air as the dart zipped through the air. It caught the target just between her third and fourth rib, the inertia from the dart forcing the plunger to pouring the tranquilizer and a small tracker into her blood system. She jumped into the air with a yelp. looked back and pulled out the dart with her hoof. As she looked at it her eyes rolled up into her head as the dart fell to the ground below. Thankfully she landed on the cloud, out cold. I pulled up her tracker on the computer.

“Okay signal is good. Target has been marked.” I said into the radio. “but how in the hell did it grab the damn dart? She has no appendages to grab it with. Whatever, the jobs done and I’m sick of this fucking bull shit.” I thought as I walking over to the dart sticking in the ground. I grabbed it and snapped the needle off sticking it’s tip back in the housing of the tranquilizer fluid making it so it wouldn’t stab me when I stuck it in my pocket. After that I slung the pack over my shoulder and headed for the extraction point with the rifle in hand. “Red one to Red two what’s your status?”

“Give me a second.” He said followed by the sound of an air rifle firing. “Target 6 marked heading for extraction point. ETA two minutes.”

“Don't forget to dispose of the evidence.” I said slinging the rifle’s strap over my right shoulder.

“Yes mother.” He said with a slight chuckle. I smiled and headed for the edge of the Everfree forest. No matter what I could always count on Tyrock to have my back. A few minutes later I was ten feet into the Everfree. I could see target 5 waking up and looking around. She shook her head and took off into the sky.

“Tyrock position?” I said looking around for movement.

“Behind your dumb ass.” He said stepping out of the undergrowth. I smiled then held my hand up. He grabbed it by hooking my thumb with his and gave my hand a good squeeze.

“Successful?”

“Yep, no problems whatsoever. Target 4s house is being taped as we speak. Target 2 was a little sticky but the tracker is in place. Target 6 is tagged and should be waking up right about now. How did it go for you?”

“All targets marked but had a few close calls.” I said shrugging. “By the way did you hear target 2 yell at all?”

“What do you mean?” he asked puzzled.

“I mean did she just for no reason yell ‘forever’?” I asked sticking my left hand in my pocket.

“No, I didn't hear anypony yell.” He said with a shrug as he headed deeper into the Everfree. I stopped and stared at him. “What?”

“Why did you say that?”

“Say what.”

“You said anypony not anybody.”

“I had to listen to Pinkie Pie rant about a party it seems like forever, so excuse me if a few words are stuck in my head.” My expression then turned cold.

“That's the second time you’ve done that today. You’re not get attached are you?” I asked worry creeping into my voice. He gave me a sideways shrug. “God damnit what the hell is wrong with you, don’t you remember anything they taught us at training?” I asked stepping in front of him .“What’s the first rule of protecting?”

“Never call the target by name, and never get attached to the target.” He said in a monotone voice.

“And why the hell not?

“Because if you get attached to a target you start letting personal decisions get in front of orders.” he said dipping his head. I sighed then put my arm over his shoulder.

“Tyrock look at me.” when he turned his head I saw a look of disappointment. “Look I don't like this any more than you do but if we start get familiar with them we won't be able to do our job. I’m not telling this to you because I like to hound you. Remember when I asked about our parents back at the academy?”

“Ya, when they wouldn't tell you, you hacked into the mainframe and they locked you up for a month in the box.” He said quietly. “You changed after that, you became colder towards the teachers, you still obeyed orders but… you looked like death was hanging over your shoulder. You still haven’t told me what you found.”

“They locked me up because I let the thought of our parents get in the way of a direct order. “And the file It was buried under so much red and black ink, Tec would have to have worked on it for a century just to get the title.” I lied as my shoulders dropped. Tec was a nickname we gave a guy from the academy. I did find the file but everything about it would only cause more harm than good. I didn't even understood it until I came here but I was waiting for more answers before I told him. “Just try not to get attached, okay.”

“Alright I’ll try not to get attached but you have to stop giving Jane the cold shoulder.”

“Fine I’ll give her a chance but if she leaves something out that could get us killed I’ll skin her alive.”

“Stones, thing about it from her point of view. She was created for one purpose. To protect the caster of the spell by any means necessary. We do the same thing when we are put on a job. If lying and keeping some info under wrap keeps these ponies alive then god damnit let her keep it wrapped up.” I stood there looking at him, thinking over what he said. After a few minutes I sighed lowering my head. I then looked up at him and smiled.

“Where did that little dimwitted cousin of mine go?”

“He got recycled for the new and improved model that can now kick your ass.” He said grabbing me around my head causing me to bend over. He started grinding his knuckles into my scalp. I then grabbed his waist and flipped him over my head causing him to release his grip. He landed a few yards away on his back looking up at the trees. I walked over and looked down at him.

“Are you sure he got replaced? I don't think the new model is any better.” I said with a smile. He smiled then sat up looking over towards Ponyville in the distance. I turned to look and I saw target 5 flying through the air acting like she didn't have a care in the world. I also saw targets 3 and 4 walking up to a small cottage smiling and laughing.

“Still regretting your choice?” Tyrock asked standing up. I didn’t answer, I just turned and headed deeper into the Everfree.

Author's Note

Hey guys I know most people like to have a valentines theme for the holiday but I'm sorry this isn't going to be one of them. If you like the story let me know. If not that's fine to. Leave a comment on what I'm doing right so this story can continue being good. here is the link to the map I used to write this chapter.map of ponyville

P.S. No cats were harmed in the making of this chapter.