Das Wiederaufleben

We're expecting a new recruit tomorrow morning. We're gonna meet him and Grand General Spike tomorrow morning at Princess Twilight's castle. I say "him" but that's kinda just an assumption on my part. None of us know anything about "him" other than he's joining the Phoenix Centurions. Fang is really hoping it's a mare, and Marks is relatively excited to meet the kid. Well, excited considering it's Marks we're talking about, anything other than disgruntled groans or impatient sighs might as well be taken as a sign of the apocalypse. Anyway, I just hope this kid is as good as Spike says he is. There's little room for buck-ups on my team. Commander Scootaloo, signing off.

Scootaloo dropped the pen from her hoof, shut her journal and leaned back in her chair. Sighing contentedly, Scootaloo swivled around to stare at her chambers. It was a small room with cold steel walls. On her desk sat her journal, a picture frame containing a picture of her and Rainbow Dash, the latter of which was wearing a Wonderbolts uniform.

The memory of Dash's initiation into the group was well engraved into the orange mare's mind, despite it happening all those years ago.

Nine years ago, the image of Scootaloo's adoptive big sister in the blue and yellow Wonderbolts uniform streaking across the sky brought the now twenty four year old mare a wave of nostalgia. She briefly recalled her sister's huge smile as Scootaloo was clutched to Rainbow Dash's chest and the feel of the smooth uniform against her fur. It was such a wonderful day that brought so many happy memories to the orange mare.

Before Scootaloo could reminisce further however, a timid knocking sound came from the door to her room. "The door's open." Scootaloo called out.

In a swift motion, the door slid open revealing a dark blue thestral mare with a steel silver mane and tail and two piercing cyan eyes off put by an innocent and friendly fanged grin. "Frau Scootaloo", the pony said with her heavy Germane accent.

"Hello Fang," Scootaloo said as she met the eyes of her tech specialist. "Need something?"

"Nein." Fang said with her toothed smile. "Marks just vanted me to tell you dinner's almost ready."

Scootaloo nodded. "Okay. Tell Marks I'll be down in a minute."

The thestral nodded before turning around, shutting the door behind her and humming a quiet tune as she went on her way.

Scootaloo couldn't help but grin as she listened to Nacht Fang's song fade as she trotted farther and farther away. Ever since Fang had joined she had been a blessing to serve by. Her candid happiness and optimism was the perfect counterbalance to Hit Marks's "Verbitterung" as Fang called it. More than once has Fang's Positive outlook diffused some serious tension in the team. Couple that with her knack for all things mechanical and electronic and you have Scootaloo's favorite thestral.

Eventually Scootaloo got up and walked towards the kitchen to find Hit Marks, her artillery expert, setting the table. Upon seeing his commanding officer, Marks gave a slight nod. "Commander." The silver earth pony said.

"Marks." Scootaloo greeted. "What's cooking?"

Marks turned to his cooking. "For you and me," He began, "Hay salad. For Fang: Tofu."

An audible groan resonated from the dining area. "Can it, Fang!" Marks called. "We're out of your fancy synthetic meat so tofu is gonna have to do."

"Not my fault I vas born a carnivore, scheisskopf." Fang called back.

Marks groaned and turned back to his cooking. "You have a seat, commander. I'll be done in a minute." Scootaloo nodded and sat down besides Fang, who was busying her self go over schematics for her latest project.

"Whatcha working on, Fang?" Scootaloo asked her subordinate.

Fang smiled and handed over the piece of azure parchment. Scootaloo observed the paper closely and read the label at the top.

"Das Laserkraftwerk?"

Fang nodded. "I'm vorking on an anti-armor energy weapon!" She cried enthusiastically. "Imagine it, commander! A weapon capable of punching right zrough a panzer tank's armor vithout firing a single bullet and packing all zat firepower into ze size of a simple assault rifle!"

"Yeah..." Scootaloo said, trying to hide her confusion. "You... You get right on that."

"I am!" Fang cried. "I just need a power source."

Scootaloo cocked her head to the side. "It's a laser beam, right?" She asked. "Won't a regular battery work?"

Fang sighed, looking to her CO with a face of utter disappointment. "It's not zat simple, Commander." She began. "In order for it to vork, ze power source needs to output a tremendous amount of energy while being small enough to make ze weapon capable of being wielded by a hoof." The thestral sighed once more and ran a hoof through her mane. "Until I find a power source like zat, Das Laserkraftwerk is nothing but a fantasy..."

Smiling gently, Scootaloo patted her tech expert on the back. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

Fang simply shrugged.

"So tomorrow we're supposed to just chaperone a meeting for ze princesses, ja?" Fang inquired.

"Yep." Scootaloo affirmed. "A simple, easy job."

"Hate to interrupt, but dinner's ready!" Marks called from the kitchen.

Dinner passed by relatively quietly. A few questions about the new recruit Scootaloo couldn't answer were asked here and there, but mostly they just ate their respective meals. Well, in Fang's case, she merely spent most of the time poking the block of tofu with her fork and making disgusted faces.

Once everypony was finished, they retired to their rooms, ready to sleep or whatever it is Fang did when her non-nocturnal cohorts were sleeping. Scootaloo plopped down onto her bed and fell asleep almost instantly. The orange mare needed all the rest she could get in case this new recruit proved a hoof-ful.