Driving Life with a Lead Foot

Skyline had stayed up all night modifying his suit. Specifically, he wanted to be able to fly with his wings while the suit was on. And, he needed to program it to armor his wings as well. He had been working nonstop for hours, and when he finished, he looked at the clock.

Four thirty two. In the morning.
Skyline sighed and collapsed in his bed, metal parts scattered here and there. He had closed his eyes for barely a second when his phone rang, scaring the daylight out of him. He got up and hit ANSWER CALL.

"Who is this?" He said sleepily.

"Skyline?" It was Twilight.

"Twi, it's, like, four thirty. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"A better question is, why aren't you?"

Skyline was rubbing his eyes with his hands when it hit him, and his gaze snapped to the front window of the garage. Sure enough, there she was, grinning apologetically.

Skyline opened the door to the penthouse living area and hopped down the stairs. He then threw the bolt for the customer doors and opened it.

Twilight walked inside and closed the door behind her. "I brought you some coffee..."

"What kind?"

"Triple shot espresso with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles."

"How the hell did you find out my favorite coffee?"

Twilight laughed. "Our data we gathered on you when you were in other dimensions? It got pretty detailed."

Skyline put his hand on his face. "Oh, man. I'm not even gonna ask how you did it."

"And you shouldn't. But that's not why I'm here."

Skyline grabbed the coffee and took a large sip. "Then tell me, Princess of Friendship, why do you grace the halls of my home and business with your presence?"

"We got the Intel on the area that you wanted. The Wonderbolts did a fine scout."

Skyline grabbed the Manila folder and sipped his coffee. He spread out the contents of the folder onto a workbench, pushing the tools aside. "Tell me what I'm looking at here."

Twilight went into full brainiac mode, and began to explain. "We've narrowed down the location of Chrysalis and her followers to this area of the Everfree forest, in its deepest part."

Skyline grabbed a ball peen hammer and with a little magical assistance, was trying to fix the bent frame of the wrecked Nissan.

"Here, marked in red marker, is a group of changeling officers, so we believe that it's a patrol. And over here we see a clearing that must've been made by Chrysalis, it not being natural."

Skyline, still banging away, sighed. "Any other Intel?"

"We noticed there is no sound way to go in by ground, and we can't fly too close."

Skyline stopped a moment to think. Then he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Afterburner.

Afterburner letthemseethesky@equine.com

Skyline: hey afterburner! Get up. I need you to do a few things.

Skyline waited a few moments, and soon, he got a reply.

Afterburner: sure thing boss. ;) what's up?

Skyline: I need you to get one of your pilot buddies to fly a cargo plane for us

Afterburner: do I even want to know?

Skyline: nope. Just do it

Afterburner: I'll tell him it's an order from the princesses

Skyline: alright. See ya in two

Afterburner: ten four. I'll go get Fastback

Skyline put his phone away. "Twi, do you know who's going to help me over the coms?"

"Me."

____________________________________

After a rather fast drive to Canterlot, the two walked into the castle and followed a few directions to get to Mission Command. Twilight joined the princesses and Skyline went to go check out the weapon collection.
To his surprise, this is where he finds Fastback.

"Hey, Skyline, I found a Ripper. It's on rack 8-B."

"Nice. The Ripper is strictly military, and I've been trying to get my hands on it for forever."

"Yep. I had a feeling."

Skyline found rack 8-B and grabbed the gun known as the Ripper. It was a close to medium range balanced gun that could convert from Assault rifle to SMG at a moment's notice. He smacked a magazine in and filled his ammunition shoulder sling. He then proceeded to grab Fastback, who had picked a Silenced SCAR-H, and they headed to Mission Command. He sent a quick text to Afterburner to meet them there.

When Skyline reached the room, the Princesses stood up. Skyline proceeded to walk up to them.

"I assume you have a plan?" asked Celestial.

"I always do." Skyline replied. "Afterburner! You do as I asked?

"Yeah, but you better let him know what you intend him to do."

"Give him this." said Skyline. He handed her a small white envelope.

Afterburner left the room, and Skyline followed, grabbing Fastback. They reached the hangar, and Afterburner approached a blue haired man and handed him the envelope. He opened it and read it. Soon after, he told us he'd prep the plane for takeoff.

Skyline went to wait with his team outside Mission Command. He made sure had their weapons, and he checked that their silencers were properly secured. Soon the plane was ready for takeoff and they entered through the cargo door. Skyline turned and saluted the princesses, and Skyline pressed his hand to his backpack and within seconds, the metal encased his body and his wings spread outward. "Ya said ya wanted to see it Twi!"

Twilight smiled. "Looks like something you shouldn't stand in the way of!"

Skyline laughed. "You're right!"

Skyline took a safer inside the bay and rested his head on the wall. Today, one shall stand, and one shall fall...

Afterburner's POV

Afterburner walked to the pilot's cabin and checked in with Altitude.

"You alright here?" Afterburner asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but your friend Skyline is pretty crazy, judging by his plan."

"What did the letter say?"

"Can't tell ya. It also said to withhold its contents from you."

"Goddamnit, Skyline..."

She turned around and headed to the Bay Area. When she got there, Fastback was sharpening a knife, and Skyline was sitting against the wall, eyes closed and head on the wall.

She walked over to Skyline and took a seat next to him. "Why does information need to be withheld from me?"

Skyline smiled. "It'd be more amusing if it surprised you."

Afterburner sighed. She then closed her eyes for just a moment, and began to doze off

______________________

When she came to, she was awoken to Altitude's voice over the intercom, telling them to get ready.

Skyline came over and threw her a suit. It's tag said GLIDE SUIT.

"Put it on, Fastback already did."

Afterburner put two and two together and she looked at Skyline. "How high are we?"

"Very. Put it on."

Afterburner got up. "Do you have a death wish? And you're not even wearing a glide suit either!"

"I don't need it. Put it on, quickly, we gotta jump soon."

"Celestia, you're an idiot."

"I know I am."

Afterburner put on the suit and stood next to Skyline. Soon, the lights turned red and the bay door started to open. Skyline, per the norm, stood at the edge of the door and back flipped off of the edge, plummeting below. Fastback jumped out next, and reluctantly, I followed.

As soon as I jumped out, I felt entirely weightless as I fell, going faster than I'd probably want to. Soon, ahead, she could see Skyline unfurl his wings, which were apparently fully armored, and he started to glide the rest of the way. Fastback enabled his suit, and Afterburner pulled the cord to activate hers. Soon, they reached the ground and she noticed they were in the deepest part of the Everfree Forest.

"Skyline...." She said, out of breath," you're an idiot..."

Skyline's helmet visor turned pure white and he enabled Coms chat.

"Tell me something I don't know." He said.

Just then, there was a little static heard, and then Twilight began to speak.

"Alright, Altitude has confirmed your landing. You all alright?"

Skyline laughed. "I can't die that easily."

"Good. Head north for about a mile and a half."

"Ten four." Skyline said.

Skyline activated his active camo, making him invisible. "You two start walking, I'll check our perimeter and scout the area."

Afterburner pulled out her Honey Badger Assault rifle and checked to see if it was loaded. After assuring she had loaded it, she and Fastback began to walk

*Time Skip*

Afterburner and Fastback continued to walk until they saw a small concrete building.

"That's probably an outpost. We need you to clear it out" said Twilight.

"Loud and clear, we're moving in." Said Skyline."Afterburner, Fastback, get the north side door. I'll get the south."

"Alright." Said Fastback. "Come on, Afterburner."

The two jogged silently to the northernmost door and waited for Skyline's mark.

"Mark."

They kicked down the door and quickly scanned the room quickly. They took down the three changelings inside and Skyline gave the all clear.

Skyline and Fastback were examining an enemy map layout when Afterburner turned and saw a lone door. "Guys..."

Skyline turned and strode over. "Twilight? You getting this?"

We could hear the taps of a keyboard over the coms. After a few moments, she spoke again. "We believe..... That it is a passage to the base, but we are thinking that you'll have to move fast before they notice their team you took out is dead."

"Alright." Skyline said. "Let's move out."

They started to walk to the door, and Afterburner opened it for her team. As she went to follow, there was a hushed bang, and soon a sudden searing pain shot through her. "Skyline...."

Skyline's POV

Skyline entered the door, and looked forward. Total black. He was trying to make out the path when he heard a pained voice. "Skyline...."

He turned and saw Afterburner fall to her knees and fall to the ground, blood soaking her gear.

"Goddamnit!" He pulled out his sniper and switched to hear vision. Soon, he found the shooter and took a deep breath. When he pulled the trigger, the bullet passed clean through his head, the body falling to the ground.

He rushed over to Afterburner. "She was shot in the stomach from behind. I can get her back, but we'd need to do it now. I can use med-foam to fill it, but we got maybe an hour, and helicopters can't get too close.."

Skyline grabbed his shoulder. "Go. Get her out of changeling range. Get her to safety. I'll arrange your evac."

"What about you?"

Skyline looked at the door again. "I have things to settle."

Skyline looked at Afterburner, who had passed out already. Skyline saw something in her hand and grabbed it, knowing that she held it on purpose. Fastback filled the wound with the med-foam he brought and hoisted her limp unconscious body over his shoulder. As he went to leave, he turned and saluted Skyline.

"May the pistons forged bring you where you must go."

"Thanks. I won't need it."

Fastback gave one last look before turning and running south, to where the mission started.

"Chrysalis, I don't want to have to kill you, but I will do what I must." Skyline muttered.

He activated his VISR night vision and ran into the underground tunnel. He holstered his weapon and pulled out a collapsible Compound Bow, which had his name etched into it with a knife, along with many, many tally marks.

He kept his finger on the string as he ran, and soon he reached another door. He kicked it open and took aim.

But the room was empty.

He jogged to the stairs and entered a room he suspected would lead him to the next room. But this room was empty as well.

He saw a rather elegant door, which Skyline suspected would lead to the throne of hers.

He kicked this door in and looked up. He was not disappointed.

Inside there were about fifty guards and Chrysalis herself, sitting atop a throne made of what looked like black mahogany.

Skyline holstered his bow, and took a step forward. He then grabbed his helmet and threw it aside. "Do you really need your guards to keep you safe? What happened to the cocky son of a bitch I once knew?"

Chrysalis glowered at him, and ordered her guards aside. Immediately, they formed a path for her. She walked past them, her sickly green eyes fixated on Skyline. "Your armor is white now. I assume it's for personal symbolic reasons?"

"How about let's go back two years, huh?" Skyline said. He punched a few things into his arm data pad and his armor changed to a black color, but with green trimming.

"How interesting." Said Chrysalis. "You seem to have conflicting ideas."

"I know what I'm doing, and you're coming with me."

"You know that won't happen."

"Will it? I have the upper hand."

"Do you?"

Skyline pulled something from his belt and gave it to her. "Hold this."

Chrysalis knew what it was in an instant.

A grenade pin.

Skyline threw the grenade at the group of guards. Skyline pulled out his pistol and swept Chrysalis's legs from beneath her, and shielded her from the blast. Skyline shot the remaining survivors before they could even recover. "It's kinda dumb to have them so close together, you know."

Skyline looked down and got trapped by her bright green eyes again. They seemed to pierce the back of his skull, and he couldn't look away.

Skyline shook his head, and pulled her off of the ground. "Let's go. Walk."

Just then, a helicopter rushed in, and it wasn't friendly. It shot through the glass ceiling and Skyline dove for cover. With a helicopter on his tail, he used his pistol to shoot Chrysalis. A single bullet hit her in the chest. He didn't have time to find out if she died. With guilt in his heart, and lead in his feet, Skyline dove through a window. He ran until he saw the outpost again. When he got to it, he ran to hide in the tunnel once more.

Something didn't feel right.

Skyline pulled out what he had got from Afterburner and put it into the dirt ground. It was a tracking device. He couldn't let the whole plan go to hell.

After he was sure the helicopter was gone, he activated his suit EXO system and ran to the evac.

He was only a hundred feet from the evac point when he started to feel sick. The world turned a dark shade of red, like blood, and collapsed.

__________________

Skyline opened his eyes and first noticed how bright it was. He looked to the side and saw an open window, and saw that he was back in canterlot.

He noticed he was not in a hospital. He took a deep breath, and then noticed that he had visitors.

The four princesses were standing to the other side of the room, waiting for him to regain consciousness. When Skyline sat up, Celestia walked over. "How are you feeling?"

"I...." Skyline couldn't really answer that question. He felt fine for the most part, but something was off.

Skylines hand rested in his leg and he found it strange because there seemed to be a knife in his pocket.

Then, out of nowhere, in the deepest part of his mind, he could feel something snap, like broken glass. Without meaning to, like his arm was controlled by another being, he grabbed the knife and drove it into Celestia's neck.

Celestia stumbled back, blood staining her clothes. She looked at Skyline with possibly the most painful look, and for some reason, Skyline felt no guilt in his heart.

The other princesses were stunned by this act and moved on Skyline immediately. Skyline retrieved his knife, and threw it at Cadance. The knife spun through the air and hit her hard in the eye, killing her.

Skyline was screaming inside, but a small part of him hadn't heard from in years kept saying a chant: "Death is magic, kill them all."

Skyline punched Twilight in the face and she fell aside. He grabbed Luna and put her to the wall. Skyline found his pistol on a nearby table, and put it to Luna's head.

"P-please! Stop! What are you doing??"

"I-I......" Skyline tried to stop it, but he could feel it overcoming him. His face then proceeded to smile. Wide. He pulled the trigger and Luna's life was no more. And then he pulled the trigger again. And again. And again. Soon, where Luna's head used to be was a bloody hunk of meat, blood flowing and spraying everywhere. Skyline looked at his hands. They were completely red. Bright red. Skyline then got up and retrieved his knife from Cadance's eye socket, but not before twisting the knife.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Twilight move, and he turned to finish her off when she said "Skyline, if you do care about your friends, you won't do this." Which she said in a very frightened voice.
Skyline's face again contorted into insanity. "But Twily, this the best thing I could do. We're spending your last moments together, and then you'll go that nice place after death."
Twilight was now hyperventilating and looked ready to scream. She started to get up, to run, when Skyline grabbed her by the throat and held it down. "It's not nice to run from your friends."
Twilight was starting to sob, and she frantically looked back and forth between the corpses of the princesses, which pooled blood everywhere.
Skyline flipped the knife in his hand. "Where should we start....?"
Twilight started to sob.
"Shhh, you should be happy." With this, he caressed her face with the knife, a cut deep enough to bleed.
Inside Skyline's head, however, his real mentality has trying to free himself from the chains of the disease now possessing him. The disease was knocking on his door, and time was up. He was going to be overcome by it, and all he could do was say his apologies.
"I'm sorry, to everyone I've ever met. You'll be dead soon, I'm sure, and there is no stopping it if it knows what I know."
At this point, the disease was staining his mentality, slowly consuming him.
"And I'm sorry to myself.... I have come to terms with my haunting past and I have come to terms with my untimely death... I'm sorry..."
At this point, the disease has consumed him, his true conscience gone. His body then began to admire Twilight's wings, and chuckled. "I think I'll start with the wings, don't you think?" He put the knife to the base of the wing and began to cut.
Twilight screamed in pain, and Skyline covered her mouth. "Shhh, it'll be over soon..."
Skyline pushed harder, and began to saw through the bone. After he had made a nice weak point, he stood up and yanked the wing as hard as he could.
Twilight seized up in pain, and Skyline held her wing in his hands. He then brought the knife down onto her head. "Goodbye, my little birdie."
He then stabbed and stabbed and stabbed until Skyline stuck the knife in once more and sat backwards.
"How beautiful..."
He got up and grabbed his pistol. He walked through the hallways, and shot every person he saw in the neck. His diseased mind took pleasure in walking down a hall filled with the sounds of dying people, choking on their own blood. He was walking down a flight of stairs when he heard a voice.
"Skyline?"