The Northern Guard

Vanhoover Docks
Cosmo

I steeled myself as I stared up at the dragon. It was in the middle of rearing its head back when I tackled Trixie to the side and clear of the fireball it spit down at where we had been standing. “Ideas, NOW.” I ordered.

Trixie hauled herself to her feet and started pulling me with her. “Does staying alive count?” She asked as she threw up a shield, deflecting another fireball.

“That’s what I’d call a goal.” I leaned out around the shield, firing off the full cylinder of my revolver. Too bad I’m just pissing that monster off by bouncing lead off its scales. “How do we kill that thing?”

Lucky for me, Trixie’s glare doesn’t burn through flesh and bone. “You want to kill it?” Yup, that is the stupidest question I’ve heard all day.

“No, not at all.” I droned sarcastically. “I want to discuss philosophy with him and maybe invite our new friend to tea.” I dragged Trixie back and dove down an alley behind us. We moved far enough down and found a dumpster to hide behind.

We ducked down in time for the dragon to try and fit down the alley. I heard it grunt and stomp off into the distance after a few minutes. Trixie poked her head out and waved me back down the alley. “I think he was too big to fit.”

I peered around the corner of the alley into the street, watching as the dragon continued to trudge off down the street. “Now back to my previous question… How do we kill it?” Trixie’s silence was deafening as I felt her glare burn into the back of my skull once more. “What?”

“Hasn’t there been enough killing?”

Face, meet hand. “Trixie, that thing is more apt to turn you into a pile of ash then listen when we ask it nicely to leave.”

Off to the side I heard a loud thud and the clunking of armored greaves. “You alright Cosmo?”

“I’ll be fine.” I said. Grabbing Trixie, I turned her to face Cloud. “Trixie, Cloud. Cloud, Trixie. Now that we know everyone, and it’s obvious that someone is insistent on ruling out killing the monster, do we have any ideas on stopping our new neighbor?”

Cloud tapped his foot before he snapped his fingers. Wait, how’d he do that in power armor? “Could we put it to sleep?”

“I don’t know a sleep spell that’s powerful enough.” I retorted.

“What about an ice spell?” Asked Trixie. “Dragons would hibernate if it gets too cold… Maybe that could work?”

“But how long would it take?” I looked down at Trixie and crossed my arms. “And what’s to say it won’t thaw itself out while we’re trying to put it on ice?”

“So we need to keep a muzzle on the thing...” Added Cloud. “Could some steel cable work?”

Maybe Cloud’s onto something. “There’s was a crane near one of the cold storage warehouses by the docks… Head down and see if it’s still there.” I watched Cloud nod and rocket off towards the docks. “Trixie, you and I are going to try and slow that thing down.”

“Really?” Trixie questioned sarcastically. “Here I thought we were going out for dinner.”

I rolled my eyes and started walking down the street. “Maybe if we live through tonight I can make that happen.”

“Then what’s the sticking point?”

I shrugged. “You saying yes?”

Trixie was quiet for a few minutes as we neared the sounds of an angry dragon spewing fiery death about the harbor district. “Let’s make a deal.” Trixie said. “We both keep each other alive tonight, and you and I get something to eat after everything calms down.”

“So just do my job? Easy enough.” I chuckled at the thought that dinner was an excuse for surviving a fight with a fire breathing walking tank of death… Alright, enough pessimism!

As the dragon came into view we both stopped and watched as it hurled balls of blue fire into the train station. “You ready?” Asked Trixie.

I pulled my grappler off my belt and aimed it towards one of the adjacent apartment buildings. “Just try to keep up.” As the line hooked onto the building and rocketed me forward, I released the line as I hit the edge of the building before kicking off and falling towards the dragon. I managed to grapple onto its back before it turned to face me and pulled out my magnum, firing another six shots into the back of its neck. Even at point blank they bounced off its scales. Damn it…

“Heads up!” yelled Cloud as he rocketed past the dragon, firing blasts from his gauntlets as he passed. Trailing behind him was the steel cable I was hoping he would find.

“Cloud, the cable!” I yelled as I ran up the dragon’s back and jumped off its head. He passed me in time for me to grab the cable and swing down around the monster’s jaw while he used the line as an anchor to swing around and finish wrapping the cable.

As we stood on the bridge of the dragon’s nose, Cloud used the jets in his greaves to quickly weld the line together. “There’s our muzzle.”

The two of us dropped down off the dragon as it started to shake its head in an effort to open its maw. Judging from the smoke coming from its nostrils, and the now red-hot cable, I’d say we thoroughly pissed it off. “Alright, that’s one way to do it.”

“Then let’s put him on ice already!” Yelled Trixie as she started blasting away at the dragon, ice starting to form on its legs. I shrugged and joined her in the assault.

“How do we even know if it’s a he? Or a she for that matter?” Asked Cloud.

“How the hell should I know?” I asked. “It breathes fire, tried to kill us and has no sense of hygiene.”

“You just described every wild dragon in existence…” groaned Trixie. “You do know that, right?”

I heard the cables begin to groan and put more power into the spell. “Let’s pick this up. I don’t know how long that-”

SNAP!

“Oh come on!” I yelled as the dragon freed its maw. As it turned towards us with smoke pouring from its mouth I caught the glow of fire coming from deep in its gut. I did the only sensible thing and killed my spell, using my magic to toss Trixie out of the way as a fireball was hurled towards me. Something tells me I’m going to feel this one in the morning.

______________________________________________________________________________

Vanhoover Docks
Cloud Runner

“Cosmo!” I yelled. As the fire cleared I saw him falling to his knees under an umbrella of sparks coming from his horn. His body armor was smoldering after the blast. Turning to face the dragon I kicked on the jets on my greaves and blasted up above it. With my free moment I managed to set the microfusion breeders in my gauntlets to overcharge and dove down towards the dragon with weapons firing.

Trixie had run over to Cosmo and was dragging him away from his resting place and behind a jersey barrier that had been moved when the waves hit. I didn’t have much of a chance when the dragon smacked me to the ground with its claws before blasting me with another one of its fireballs.

______________________________________________________________________________

Vanhoover Docks
Cosmo

“Fuck…” I groaned as I felt myself propped up against some sort of wall. I opened my eyes to a red tint on my vision and a warm sensation on my face. I tugged my helmet off and stared at the faceplate. Too bad it wasn’t fireproof.

Trixie held me back against the wall and wiped my mane away from my eyes. “Just relax.”

I heard a crash behind us and managed to peer up over the barrier. Cloud was getting his ass handed to him by the dragon. “That armor won’t last long if that dragon keeps up his barbeque.” I looked down at my smoldering body armor and tore free the roasted forearm portions. “Well we tried your way.” I said.

“And how well did your bullets work?” Questioned Trixie.

I shrugged and checked my radio. Lucky me, it’s still in one piece. “This is Ranger calling any friendly guard units in the harbor district. I’m pinned near the train station. Can anypony assist?”

“Ranger, this is Spartan Thorne. Fireteam Majestic is two minutes from the city limits. What’s your situation?”

“Thorne, I’ve got a walking fire pit trashing my partner and our gear isn’t cutting it.”

“Copy that. We’re diverting to your position. Thorne out.”

“Trixie, keep your head down.” I said as I jumped over the barrier. “Hey ugly, down here!” The dragon turned its attention at me and blasted another fireball towards me. This time I had my shield ready and shook off the heat and force of the blast as I kept walking forward. “You know… I don’t know why you’re here, whether it be to invade or destroy. But at the end of the day that doesn’t matter-” I teleported to the right as another fireball came crashing down. “Because this is where your story ends!” I dug down deep to gather up my remaining reserves of magic and fired a blast right into the dragon’s open maw.

Cloud caught me as I started falling to my knees and kept shooting at the dragon with his free arm. “Tempest to Majestic, forget hitting the ground. Just strafe that fucker!”

“Tempest?” I asked.

“You’re one to talk.” Cloud caught a glimpse of the Pelican coming in over the bay. “Majestic, you get that?”

“You bet we did. Get your heads down”

I looked up at Cloud as he started to drag me back. “We’re not gonna make it.”

“We’ll make it!” He assured.

My doubts only increased as I saw the volley of missiles erupt from the launchers on the Pelican. “Get down!” I yelled, using what little strength I had left to throw up a shield.

______________________________________________________________________________

Cosmo’s Loft, Three Hours Later
Cosmo

Beeping. Damnit I hate that noise. “Shut that damn thing off!” I groaned. The beeps from the heart monitor that was hooked to my chest were like drum beats on the inside of my skull. I felt someone prop me up in bed and hold a steaming cup to my lips, forcing me to take a sip of what was easily one of the foulest concoctions I’ve ever tasted.

“Feeling better?” I heard Trixie ask.

“What was…” I stopped myself as I felt my headache melt away. “That was disgusting, but yes I am feeling a bit better.”

Trixie nodded. “Good. That tea I gave you should help deal with the symptoms of magical burnout.”

I turned to face Trixie and finally opened my eyes. She was caught in the glow of a neon sign that was hanging on the building outside the window. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I felt someone else plop their hands down on the other side of my bed. “You kept your promise.” Piped Archer.

I chuckled and laid my head back on the pillows. “I do try to keep them.” I turned back to Trixie and smiled. “So, dinner?”

“So you weren’t kidding then…” She muttered. “And here I thought you were joking.”

I threw my arms up in defense. “As long as you don’t bring any of that shitty tea, we’ll be all set.”

“You think I drink that garbage for pleasure?” Trixie chuckled. “I’ll be back.”

I stared at Trixie’s backside as she walked out of the room, her tail swishing in a way that I couldn’t help but be drawn to. “Cosmo, you OK?” Asked Archer.

“I’m fine kiddo.” I said. “You want to go somewhere tomorrow?”

“Where?”

I shrugged. “Anywhere but here?”

“Sure thing.” Archer finally left the room, leaving me in silence for long enough for me to start to doze off.

“Nice kid.” Said Trixie as she walked back in the room, two steaming hot plates in her arms.

. “I’ve got a soft spot for orphans.” Trixie put a plate down in my lap and the smell of fresh alfredo hit my nostrils. “Now that smells good.” I grabbed the fork that Trixie laid out on the plate and scooped a bite into my mouth. Damn, just as good as it smells. “When did you learn to cook like this?”

Trixie shrugged. “Sometimes you just got to put your best foot forward.”

We both ate in silence, Trixie putting the plates on the window sill behind her once we had finished. As I looked up at her I saw a strand of hair fall down across her face. I couldn’t help but smile and brushed it out of the way. “Thank you. For everything you did today, even though it was way outside your comfort zone.”

Trixie leaned over the side of the bed. “My pleasure.”

I felt my heart catch in my chest as I looked at Trixie, and on impulse I leaned forward and stole a kiss. I pulled back and smacked myself. “Shit, Trixie I don’t know-” I heard the door close, the lock clicking and saw a beam of blue light flash across the room. I just sat back as Trixie tossed her shirt to the side (she did leave her sports bra on) and crawled into the bed, straddling my waist. “Uh… I surrender?”

“Sure you do.” Trixie leaned down into me and wrapped her arms around the back of my head, pulling me into a long and drawn out tongue-wrestling match. We both pulled apart panting. Trixie stat up, tossing her sports bra to some unknown corner of the room. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

“Sleep is overrated anyway.” I muttered as I pulled Trixie back down and pulled the sheets over us.