They Walk Among Us

"Ya guys ready?" asked Big Macintosh, face still lazy and calm despite what they were about to do.

The whole group looked at each other and nodded.

"Here goes..."

Big Macintosh then entered a code into the keypad next to the giant vault-like door. The edges of the door began to hiss and smoke, and the group watched as the giant wheel in the middle turned, opening the door for them as it moved to the holed in the side.

As the door was opened, a magnificent view met their eyes. Las Pegasus, city of lights, city of sin. Twilight could see buildings tightly built together on both sides of the road, barely leaving any space for a human to walk through. Some of the lights were still up and running, but others were either dead or blinking like a diner's neon lights. The Sun was still shining brightly through the Las Pegasus streets. It was still around 1 p.m.

"Let's go." said Big Macintosh, running outside. The group quickly followed after him.

As Big Macintosh slowed down his pace, so did the rest of the group.

"So where is the distress call coming from?" asked Twilight.

"Baltimare." said Big Macintosh.

Twilight noticed Steven giving an amused look as Big Macintosh said their destination, but she easily shrugged off whatever thought she had about that. There were far more compelling things to think about.

"Um... Big Macintosh?" asked Twilight. "How far is Baltimare from here?"

"Around five hundred kilometers." said Big Macintosh, strangely still very calm despite telling them new like that. Everyone else nearly doubled over in shock.

"How are we going to walk that far in one day?" asked Twilight.

"Well, you can teleport, right?" said Big Macintosh, not sharing a bit of the panic being felt by the rest of the group. "You can just bring us there."

"Sure I can teleport." said Twilight, trying to make a point to the otherwise far-too-calm Big Macintosh. "But I don't know where Baltimare is! I've never been there, so I can't even imagine what the place looked like! I at least need the coordinates of the Resistance Outpost there!"

"39 degrees, 17 minutes and 44 seconds North, and 76 degrees, 37 minutes and 22 seconds West." said Steven, in a tone that sounded like he was reciting something from memory. "Woah..."

Twilight stared at Steven with her jaw dropped. Everyone else simply looked confused as to what utter nonsense Steven had just blurted out.

"How did you know that?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know." said Steven, who was just as confused as the rest of them. But since there was absolutely no other choice, Twilight had to trust him about this one.

"Can you charge up my magic like last time?" asked Twilight.

"Sure." said Steven, balancing his hooves into a war-like stance. "Ready?"

"Ready."

As Steven started to gather up his own magic, Twilight beckoned for the others in the group to come closer to her so that no one would be left out as she teleported. Soon enough, Steven's horn began to glow a brilliant blue. Unlike before, however, he easily managed to keep his balance as he walked towards the group and transferred all of his magic to Twilight.

Also unlike before, Steven gave just the right amount of magic to her. She still felt very powerful after his magic was transferred to her, but the difference was that now it didn't overwhelm her. Princess Luna must have trained him really well. Much better than Steven himself probably knew.

"Okay!' shouted Twilight. "We're going at the count of three!"

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

Shots were ringing everywhere around them. Twilight could see beams of red light going haywire in all directions possible, and she could hear bullets being fired as well. The sky was also tainted with lots of different colours- Red, Blue, Green, everything was there. Their teleportation was off by a little bit. They had just landed in the middle of a Celestia-damned warzone!

"Duck!" screamed Big Macintosh, pushing everyone downwards.

Twilight looked to the left. There was a fairly large building that side, and it was swarmed with human soldiers from Black Wesa, donning black, heavy armor and wielding large guns.

"The enemy is that side!" said Big Macintosh. "So we'll split up and find cover on the other side! Go!"

The group immediately dispersed- Big Macintosh, Steven, and Octavia ran and hid behind a huge boulder, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Bush went behind a large piece of debris, and Twilight and Fluttershy ran behind a couple of crates.

"We can't hold out much longer!" shouted Steven. "There's nowhere to run!"

"I can see the Resistance Outpost over there!" said Octavia. "We have to try to reach it!"

"But there's no use!" said Rarity. "We'll get hit before we even get close to the outpost!"

"We have to try!" said Rainbow Dash. "What do you think, Big Macintosh?"

"We run for it." said Big Macintosh. "Better we die trying than get captured by Black Wesa."

"I'll cover for you!" said Bush. "Wish me luck, mates!"

Bush then used his magic to pull out both of his revolvers from out of the holsters and began to shoot. Twilight saw two... three... five of them go down in the few seconds he was open. Bush then quickly took cover behind a group of barrels as he reloaded.

"Nice going!" said Steven.

"You guys run!" said Bush. "I'll cover you here!"

"And I'm not leaving without you, Bush." said Steven. He then quickly jumped out of his cover and pulled out a hoof. All of a sudden, the hoof began to glow blue, and a large shield of magic suddenly spread out. Steven, with his shield on, ran to where Bush was hiding and picked him up.

"Let's go." said Steven, holding out his other hoof to him.

Bush smiled. "I can always count on you, mate."

Bush and Steven then ran to the Resistance Outpost, easily catching up to the rest of the group as they ran. Twilight smiled- Even in such times like this, at least friendship can still be accounted for.

Just then, however, they came upon a dastardly realization. The soldiers that was backing them up just now were only reserves. The main fighting force was right in front of them, completely blocking their path to the Outpost.

"Aw... Dammit!" said Steven.

Just then, the back line of the main army looked back and saw the 7 ponies standing in a straight line behind them. They also saw their reserve army running to catch up to them. Perhaps they thought that if they caught this rebel group by themselves, then they would gain more honor. Or perhaps they were just paranoid about their enemies. In any case, however, the back line completely dissolved their formation with the rest of the main army and began to surround them, leaving absolutely no place to run in between them. They also kept their distance from them, so that they would have time to shoot and kill before they managed to escape.

Twilight glanced at Big Macintosh. "What do you think we do now?"

"Cover us with you magic barrier." said Big Macintosh.

"What?" asked Twilight. "I can't make a barrier that big! It'll be unstable and very thin!"

"I can help." said Steven.

"Eenope!" said Big Macintosh. "The shield you made just now to protect Bush had already drained enough of your magical energy. You need to rest for our attack later."

Twilight stared at Steven. It was only then she realized that Steven's right forehoof was slightly limping. He was not doing a very good job covering it, as every time he tried to straighten it, he would wince in pain and smile nervously. Only a force of great pressure could leave Steven in such a state. Twilight wasn't sure that she could handle this.

"I'm not sure I can-"

"You have to try!" said Big Macintosh, who was unusually louder in the warzone. "Your special talent is

magic, after all."

Twilight looked at him fearfully for a while, and then nodded. She was going to have to do her best to help her friends survive this. She was not going to give up so easily.

"Troops!" said one of the humans. "When I count down to zero, the fire at will! Three!"

Twilight took a deep breath. They were going to shoot her with all they've got.

"Two!"

Twilight went and positioned herself in the middle of the group. She began to store up the magical energy she had left.

"One!"

They were going to shoot them with all they've got. So Twilight was going to fight back with all she's got.

"FIRE!"

Twilight immediately unleashed a purple shell that covered every single one of them, easily absorbing the energy of the beams of light that were being shot at them. The rest of the group stayed huddled together around Twilight, waiting for a chance to strike.

"I can't hold on much longer!" said Twilight, screwing up her face to gather whatever concentration and energy she's got left.

"Eeyup." said Big Macintosh. "As soon as Twilight's shield is destroyed, we'll run for it. Just run and don't look back."

The group hesitantly nodded. They knew that what they were about to do next was suicide, but there was no other choice. They had to run.

Twilight groaned in pain. She was going to have to release the shield soon. Her head was getting more tired by the second.

"We'll regroup at the Resistance Outpost." said Big Macintosh. "Until then, good luck."

Twilight screamed, and then the shield went out. But only for a split second.

Right when they were about to run for it, Twilight's purple shield was replaced by a blue one. But it was not Steven's. It was not brilliant blue like Steven's was, but it was a beautiful sky blue. Only then did Twilight realize that standing in the middle of the group on two hind hooves was a new pony. A blue-maned, white pony. A blue-maned white pony carrying a boombox.

"Vinyl!" exclaimed Octavia in surprise. "How did you know we were here?"

"I saw Twilight's purple shield." said Vinyl. "Hey, guys!'

"Vinyl! We-"

"No time to chat." said Vinyl. She quickly pressed a button on the boombox she was holding, and it immediately separated into square plates which kept unfolding and unfolding itself to become one very wide square. Twilight and the group then watched in awe as the simple boombox built itself up into into a large platform, with a handle to control it with at the front and the speakers at the back.

"Hop on!" said Vinyl. The group didn't hesitate.

Vinyl then pressed a couple of buttons and flipped a few switches, making a transparent dome appear, covering the platform. Vinyl then removed the magic shield, letting the glass dome get the full brunt of the firestorm. Much to Twilight's surprise, however, the beams of light didn't even leave a single dent or scratch on the glass.

"Hold on to your hooves, my little ponies." said Vinyl. "And hands, my little humans."

Twilight then heard an extremely loud 'BOOM!' come out from under the platform, where the speakers were. The vehicle then launched forward, driving and hitting into some Black Wesa soldiers on the way.

"Roadkill!" shouted Vinyl, laughing merrily.

The vehicle was going very fast. Twilight could swear that she saw soldiers who weren't even touched by the vehicle go flying sideways.

"Vinyl?' asked Twilight. "Are we by any chance going at the speed of sound?"

"Yeah!" said Vinyl, giving a loud woot. "Not fast enough to break the sound barrier, but just as fast as sound. Which is pretty literal too, I guess, since we are running on sound after all." Vinyl pointed to the speakers at the back.

Rainbow Dash began to join in the fun that Vinyl was having. She began to woot and shout "Look at that guy's face!" as they Black Wesa soldiers crashed into the vehicle (Although they were wearing helmets). Twilight found it very impressive that the Resistance managed to build a vehicle like this that would have no effect on the passengers whatsoever even when they were travelling at the speed of sound. This was amazing!

Soon enough, Vinyl entered the Resistance Outpost and easily stopped the vehicle. She then flipped a switch and the glass dome opened, allowing the group to exit.

"That was awesome, Vinyl." said Rainbow Dash, high hoofing (or was it handing?) Vinyl.

"Awesome indeed." said Vinyl. "I gotta pack this up. You guys go to the command center- they're gonna need you there. Just go straight and turn left."

Vinyl then drove the vehicle away, leaving the group on the back entrance.

"Let's go." said Big Macintosh, now back to his usual calm self.

The group then walked towards the door. Rainbow Dash reached to open it, but...

"FREEZE!" shouted a few humans as they entered the Outpost.

'Woah!" said Rainbow Dash. "Chill, guys! We're Resistance too."

The leader of the Resistance, a pony clad in heavy armor, then stepped up in front of them and began to stare each of them down.

"We have two humans and five ponies." said one of them. "I think they're Resistance."

"We have no proof." said the leader. "Will the leader of your company please show yourself?"

Big Macintosh then stepped up in front of them and looked at the leader.

"Big Macintosh." he said. "Team Leader of Section T's Team F."

"I know who you are." said the leader, who then took off her helmet.

"Berry Punch?" asked Rainbow Dash, whose look of surprise slowly grew into a wide smile.

But her question fell on deaf ears. Wondering why Berry didn't answer, Twilight and Rainbow Dash leaned forward to see what was happening. What was happening was beyond their wildest imagination.

Big Macintosh and Berry Punch were kissing. They were standing there, completely still, lips touching the other's with great fervor and spirit. They weren't making a sound, but the aura of what they were doing quickly spread around the Outpost. Twilight noticed that some of the Resistance even dropped their guns at the surprise of what was happening. She could see Rainbow Dash blush, and she felt her own face getting hot too.

"Are they... really going at it?" asked Octavia.

"Why of course, darling!" shouted an excited Rarity. "They have been quite the 'hot talk', if I may use such slang, among us in the Resistance for their fiery relationship and romance!"

At the sound of Rarity's words, Fluttershy's head dropped down greatly. She tried to hide her face with her mane as well, but Twilight could see that Fluttershy was blushing heavily underneath. No one else (except maybe Rarity- she's got an eye for this stuff!) noticed it, however.

Rainbow Dash gagged. "Get a room, you two."

Big Macintosh and Berry Punch then released each other from their kiss, but continued to look each other in the eye. As the sound of hoofsteps appeared behind them, Twilight looked back to see Vinyl walking back up, boombox in hand, smiling as she did so.

"Those two, huh?" asked Vinyl, as she smiled seductively. "Reminds me a lot about what we're missing up on, Octavia."

Octavia blushed but said nothing.

"Now can we get a move on?" asked Vinyl. "The Black Wesa soldiers are getting closer."

At the sound of those words, Big Macintosh and Berry Punch immediately stood back to attention.

"Right." said Berry Punch. "Follow me."

She then led them into the command center, a large, circular room, with a hologram table in the middle of it. A few humans and ponies were standing around it, arguing and agreeing to what course of action is best to take.

"Black Wesa is far too close now." said one of them. "This outpost is as good as lost."

"Not while I'm around!" said Vinyl, who quickly ran the the enormous window to the front of the Outpost that oversaw all of the battle there. She then pressed a button on the wall, and the floor underneath her quickly started to open up. Twilight saw Vinyl fall down, but just when she was about to go help her, Vinyl came back up, along with an elevated platform, wearing headphones as she put her hooves on the turn table that appeared in front of her.

"Since I was appointed as one of the commanders here," said Vinyl, "I had them build a custom DJ turn-table here. A weaponized one, of course." She smiled cunningly.

Just then, her horn began to glow, and she reached into the microphone in front of her.

"Testing!" said Vinyl, whose voice echoed across the room and outside the Outpost as well. "Testing! Okay, guys, get ready for some hardcore DJ madness!"

Everyone inside the command center began to pull out ear muffs and wore them. The rest of them was also offered ear muffs, and they all accepted them. All of them except Rainbow Dash, of course.

"What are you, crazy?" asked Rainbow Dash, knocking the ear muffs out of the hand who offered them to her. "I want to hear this thing full-on! And I'm not that weak, anyway!"

The human shrugged and walked away, mumbling something which cannot be heard by them. In fact, Twilight could hear almost nothing at all.

But she was wrong.

Almost immediately, Vinyl began to scratch and turn, releasing very loud noises. The whole building was positively shaking, and Twilight found herself wishing that it would not cave in. Twilight then looked out the window- The Resistance soldiers who were fighting were now also wearing ear muffs, and the soldiers of Black Wesa were down on their knees, hands to their ears. They acted like they were in complete agony.

"This is just beginning!" said Vinyl excitedly into the microphone. "Now..."

"BASS DROP!"

Just then, the music began to change noticeably, into a kind of 'wobble' sound. The general tone of the music became much more deep and scratchy, and Twilight was glad that she was wearing those earmuffs. But that was not the strangest thing that happened there.

From around the building to the outside, the Resistance soldiers quickly piled on back up into the command center, and the building also started to release extremely large, very wide sky blue shockwaves, blowing back the soldiers a good 20 metres back every time a shockwave hit them. Twilight could feel the ground vibrating as the soldiers in black kept rolling back towards their own base.

Then all of a sudden, VInyl stopped playing. She was huffing and panting, but she still wore a satisfied smile.

"Now that..." said Vinyl. "That's blowing them away with music."

Everyone in the room began to clap for her. The power needed to amplify a sound so loudly needed a great amount of magical power, and Vinyl looked like she was running dry.

Twilight then turned her head to the right, where she saw Steven looking down at a shivering, fearful, earmuff wearing Rainbow Dash, who was lying on the floor, grabbing onto her arms and legs. Steven was laughing greatly at this strange sight, and twilight found herself compelled to laugh too.

"Okay," said Berry Punch. "Now that they're back in their base, we now have time to think of our next move."

"What do we do?" asked an aged human. "They might have been staggered by that last blast, but they will just come back! We're still heavily outnumbered! This base will be lost!"

There was a tense silence for a while.

"So it is." said Steven Reilly, still looking at the holographic map on the table.

There was even more tense silence.

"What do you mean?" asked the old man.

"This Outpost is lost." said Steven, as calm as Big Macintosh. "We can't hold it any longer. We'll just be wasting lives."

"Now listen here, newbie." said Berry Punch, who angrily walked up to him and confronted him. "This Outpost is the most strategically important Outpost against Black Wesa? How dare you suggest we lose it and return home as failures?"

"I didn't say that." said Steven.

Berry Punch stood there, confused.

"But you said you wanted to retreat!" she said.

"I did." said Steven.

"But we can't go home as failures!"

"And we won't" said Steven, still as calm as ever. "How many more Outposts do you have in here?"

"This is the last one." said Berry Punch. "All the others have been captured."

"Good." said Steven.

Berry Punch looked like she wanted to kick his face in with one hoof. And Twilight was beginning to feel the same way as well. What they hay was Steven trying to say?

"Listen to him, Berry." said Big Macintosh. "He looks like he got a plan."

"I do." said Steven. "You see, I think that all of us, except for a select few, should go to their base and bring all of their forces here."

Steven then pointed at Outpost on the map.

"While we do this, all of you retreat."

"Retreat?"

"Yes." Steven then pointed at another point on the map. "To here."

Everyone stood in silence. But Twilight understood what he was trying to say.

"You mean to lure their whole force here!" said Twilight. "And then hold them back while the others trap them inside and ambush them!"

Suddenly, the old man smiled at Steven.

"The Art of War." said the old man. "All war is deception. Subtle to the point of formlessness, and mysterious to the point of soundlessness."

"Only then can you be the director of your opponent's fate." said Steven, smiling.

Berry Punch softened her expression. "So who would you like to be the bait? I take it you yourself are going as well?"

"Of course." said Steven. "And if it's not too much trouble, I'd like my team as well."

"Very well." said Berry Punch. "Prepare to evacuate the Outpost! We ride out swiftly and silently through the silence of the woods! Do not burden yourself with treasures, take only what you need."

At those words, the command center sprung into life, soldiers and scientist alike going to prepare for their strategy.

"Now don't go in until their whole force is taken." said Steven to Berry Punch. "There should only be a few left when you go for it."

Berry Punch then left, and Big Macintosh approached Steven.

"What about me?"

"I don't know, Big Macintosh." said Steven. "You're our Leader, so I can't give you orders. Even I am only allowed to reveal that plan with your permission."

"Never mind that, Steven." said Big Macintosh. "For now, you are the Master Strategist. Tell me, where does your gut tell you I belong?"

Steven thought for a while.

"With the strike team." said Steven. "They're going to need your leadership."

"Eeyup." said Big Macintosh. "Good luck, Steven. Pray that your plan works."

"I don't believe in prayer." said Steven. "I believe that success lies on the strength of one's own arm."

"Eeyup." said Big Macintosh. "Well said."

Twilight then approached Steven, smiling cunningly.

"Quite the bossypants, are you not?"

"Well, I had to." said Steven. "I mean, come on! What else could I have done?"

Twilight laughed. "I'm just kidding with you, Steven. This plan'll work."

"Hey Steve!" said Rainbow Dash, running up to him.

"Hey Dash." said Steven. "Are you ready?"

"Ready to die for the sake of a half-boiled plan of yours to work?" asked Rainbow Dash, looking playfully angry. "More than I'll ever be."

Twilight smiled. Sure this was going to be a tough plan to execute, but she was confident that it would work all the way. All they had to do was just keep in mind that they had to hold the enemy's attention until the strike team was done with their own mission. They were now shark bait.

And she hoped to everything possible that they would all be alive by the end of this.