Maximum Overdrive

“What are we doing in Dracona and why does it have to be in the middle of winter?” Midnight demanded as she wrapped herself in a black parka.

“I happen to have a friend who lives here who I'm sure will be more than happy to get back into service.” Exodus explained as he stood a ways away from the loading ramp of the VTOL, the jet engines’ low rumbling blowing snow around more than the blizzard already was.

The trip had taken just over three and a half hours and now the quad of superhumans stood in the middle of the Draconian tundra simply trying to see through all the snow. Even the nano-vision with it’s advanced imaging didn’t help all that much.

“And they live in Dracona of all places?” GemMid shuttered, huddling up with her brother. “Why are they so important that they can’t come to us?”

“Simple, she doesn’t know how to get to us. Regardless, she has information that will be vital to a future operation.” Exodus explained as he looked over his maps. “Alright everyone, we’re aiming for a town under strict martial law. The airspace is locked down tighter than… well, use your imagination.

“We’re going to go in, find the operative and extract her. If you find her, and you’ll know her when you see her, tell her you’re there to rescue her.” Exodus instructed and entered into the VTOL again for a minute before coming out with a modified SCAR-H hooked to his suit and hanging in front of his chest.

“Not taking the autocannon, Sir?” GemEx grinned as he patted his own firearm to ensure it was still there.

“Nope. We shouldn’t need that level of firepower.” Exodus shook his head and took off. As soon as the others all caught up, the four operatives engaged their Maximum Strength module and took off even faster, all following behind Exodus since he knew where he was going. Apparently.

~~~

“And you don’t want us to go in cloaked, why?” Midnight had to agree with GemMid’s question. The four of them were aimed towards entering into nothing less than a military fortress.

“They won’t have anything large enough to threaten us.” Exodus replied as he examined the walls with his ACOG scope. “Provided that we don’t otherwise interfere with their operations. We’re here for Veto and that’s it.”

“You make it sound so easy.” GemEx muttered as the four anthros gradually approached the gates.

“Halt! Was wollt ihr?” One of the dragon/human hybrid gate guards demanded as he was joined by five of his friends all clad in large overcoats.

“Die Rückholung eines bestimmten Gefangenen ” Exodus shouted back, standing still with his gun lowered. “Wir sind hier wegen Veto!”

“What’s going on?” Midnight leaned in and whispered to GemEx.

“Basically they asked what our business is, Exodus told them to mind their own business and that we’re here for Veto.”

“Ahh, Veto you say? The Führer will be glad to be rid of her.” the guard grinned to his friends before turning back to the group of super soldiers. “What business have you with the Miststück?”

“My business with her is between us and does not concern you. Let us pass and there will be no trouble.” Exodus demanded calmly while two of three behind him began to get eager for a proper firefight. Midnight was completely content with remaining pacifistic.

“Trouble, huh? You think the four of you with your kleinen Waffen can hope to defeat the entire city of Drachenstadt? Ihr seid wohl verrückt!” the guard shouted as every guard around and above him took positions with their weapons aimed at the quad of soldiers.

“Das ist ein Kampf, den ihr nicht gewinnen könnt...” Exodus announced sombrely before turning his head slightly to address those behind him. “Midnight, GemMid, please silently dispose of the five before us.”

“Yes sir!” Gemini Midnight saluted before shimmering away. Midnight was hesitant but she too vanished. A minute later, three of the five officers suddenly had holes explode from their chests one after the other, with the other two trying to find the attackers without success.

“Höllenengel! Höllenengel!” the remaining two guards shouted hysterically as they ran back into the city, leaving the entrance wide for anyone to enter.

“Regroup.” Exodus ordered calmly and both young mares appeared obediently behind him again, as though they hadn’t even moved. “Let’s go.”

As the four entered, Midnight took the opportunity to re-evaluate the remaining guards as they watched in fear as the group entered into their city.

“Why aren’t they attacking us?” Midnight quickened her pace to walk alongside Exodus. “They’ve certainly got more arms than us.”

“‘Höllenengel’ means hell angel. They’re probably already familiar with what we are and are too afraid of incurring our wrath.” Exodus explained in calm dulcets as he lead everyone towards the center of the city. Even he was noticing that wherever the Guards had run off too screaming Höllenengel likely had the remaining residents hole up in their homes and holes.

“Not that I don’t mind a free pass into the city...” Gemini Exodus put himself into the conversation as he continued to keep eyes on the surrounding civilians. “You do know where we’re going, right?”

“Yes. We’re here.” Exodus announced as he held up short of a public square with what looked like some sort of medieval gallows at the center. “Talk about out of date.”

“No kidding. It even smells old!” Gemini Midnight exclaimed with disdain. “So what, they’re trying to publicly execute Veto? Are we going to get to shoot a rope just as she falls to her death, thereby saving her in the last possible second?” she asked eagerly as her brother merely stared at her in bored disbelief.

“You’ve been playing too many video games.” he noted, shaking his head as Exodus began walking towards the gallows with purpose.

“So what does this Veto look like, anyways?” Midnight inquired as she tried to look past the glaring or gazing heads of the Drake citizenry.

“That.” Exodus replied, pointing at a figure cloaked in black on the stage, standing next to a womanly figure impossibly clad in a nano-suit.

“She’s already suited? How?” Midnight inquired in confusion as the crowd split and let the soldiers approach the executioner as his prisoner.

“The project may have my name but that doesn’t mean that it had started with me. I took a chance to look through the Project files back at base when you were training, looking for something specific, looking for operatives who’d already been suited and were liable to join us.” Exodus explained quietly before he alone stepped onto the crudely built wooden stage.

“Halt! Du hast keine Macht über uns, Dämon!” The executioner exclaimed, readying his axe towards Exodus as he did his best to look intimidating.

“What?” Midnight leaned over to the twins as Lex rolled his eyes behind his mask.

“‘Stop, you have no authority over us, demon.’” he translated in boredom.

“Ich bin wegen den Gefangenen hier. Übergib sie mir und wir werden friedlich gehen.” Exodus replied, remaining still before the tip of the comically large axe.

“‘I come for the prisoner. Turn her over to me and we’ll leave in peace.’” GemEx translated again for those who didn’t speak Draconic.

“Wirklich? Das ist alles weswegen sie hier waren?” the executioner asked incredulously, lowering his guard as the crowd began to murmur.

“Now what’s going on?” Midnight ordered, not very content that she’d been left out on the language lessons.

“They’re surprised.” GemMid explained even though she herself didn’t speak Draconic. Her brother was the one who’d taken and mastered the Draconic and Zebran languages while she had taken the Basilese and Harpic language courses.

“Well no shit. Why are they surprised?” Midnight placed her fist on her hip insulted, turning to face her younger directly.

“They probably weren’t expecting us to be peaceful Dämonen.” Lex explained as he watched with arms crossed over his chest. Despite the blizzard, it seemed like the city itself generated enough heat to naturally warm the entire city to a comfortable level even with the snow still sitting on the ground.

“Von mir aus, nimm sie und verschwinde von hier!” the executioner set down his axe and unlocked the chains that bound the captive before Exodus lifted her to her feet and dusted her off.

Getting in close, the two seemed to exchange words before Veto nodded and the two stepped down from the stage with the crowd remaining as close as they dared.

“Let’s go.” Exodus ordered and took off at a sprint from the city with Veto hot on his hooves. The remaining three shared a glance before taking off after the pair, quickly catching up at the VTOL.

“So that’s it? No heated firefight or other battle?” GemEx looked disappointed as he pulled his mask off in the safety of the cargo hold of the enclosed VTOL.

“That’s it. We can head back to base and get ourselves properly established.” Exodus shrugged off his weapon and hung his mask from a hook on his hip. The look of utter disappointment on Lex’s face was as though he’d been denied being able to cuddle his pet dog or something.

“Question. We just escaped that place, why are we going back?” Terra demanded as she worked a brush through her hair as Midnight worked on drying her own.

“Because our operations require maintaining the suits and that base is the only location in the world with the proper equipment.” Exodus replied firmly as he entered into the cockpit and took off.

“Then why did you have me shut down the reactors?” Lex shouted up over the sound of the roaring engines as they took to the skies. “What was the point!”

“There was no point. I simply didn’t have anything for you to do and you gave yourself the job!” Exodus explained over the intercom. “The staff have probably already fixed everything and are working to prepare for our arrival as it is.”

“Was soll denn das Geschrei?” Veto calmly asked of Midnight in confusion. Midnight simply looked at the woman in silence before replying.

“I have no idea what you just said.” Midnight shook her head as Veto lifted her’s in comprehension before pulling her own mask off. The first thing Midnight noticed were the rows and rows of sharp teeth in her mouth, the kind of teeth that looked like they’d rend flesh from bone without too much difficulty or bite through steel without so much as a chipped tooth.

“Weißt du, du bist sehr hübsch für eine menschliche Stute. Bist du aktuell in einer Beziehung?” Lex burst into laughter from across the bay but otherwise remained silent before whispering the translation to his sister who equally burst into laughter.

“Du wärst überrascht was ich mit einer Drachenzunge machen kann, verstehst du? Ich kann neue Orte erreichen, die du nie für möglich gehalten hättest.” And with this Lex and Terra collapsed on the floor, clutching their stomachs in raucous laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Midnight demanded in confusion as she quickly found Veto’s hand on her leg. “What- what’re you doing?” she demanded as she stood and hopped away from the Dragon woman.

“She- she likes you, Midnight Prime! She want’s to show you a whole new world with her tongue!” Lex explained breathlessly as Midnight’s face went crimson.

“I- I- I- What!” Midnight stammered before reeling backwards into the opposite wall from Veto, near to where Lex and Terra were still laughing.

“Es sei denn du bist nicht an weiblichen Drachen interessiert; in dem Fall entschuldige ich mich für mein Verhalten, mein Anführer.” Veto suddenly looked apologetic and held her hands up in surrender, though she remained where she was. Midnight looked down at Lex for a translation as he continued to laugh with his sister.

“What did she say?” Midnight demanded expectantly. Exodus gave her the response.

“She said, ‘Unless you’re not into female drakes; in which I apologize, my leader.’”

“No! I’m most certainly not into females! Of any species!” Midnight declared, still red as a bell pepper. “Not that I haven’t thought about it… But, no!” Midnight admitted openly before exploding with protest once again.

“Du klingst zwiegespalten, kann ich helfen? Willst du darüber reden?” Veto offered innocently, although Midnight seemed to take it as more offers and cowered behind her knees on the bench.

“‘You sound conflicted. Can I help? Do you want to talk about it?’” Exodus translated as Lex and Terra collected themselves and returned to their net seating, still chuckling.

“I- no. I’m fine, thanks.” Midnight mumbled, still hiding behind her legs with her arms wrapped around them. Veto nodded compliance before stepping up to the cockpit and shut the door. She knew at least one person who would appreciate her tongue.

“I can’t believe she was so direct with you!” the female Gemini remarked with a grin. “That can’t have been comfortable, could it?”

“Not even remotely.” Midnight mumbled back. Her mind went back to what she’d said, about thinking about experimenting with such frivolous activities. In truth, there was only one she’d ever even considered would be… safe enough to try such things with and now… Now she thought that Twilight was dead.

“I noted that you said you had thought about trying loving another female…” Lex poked at Midnight’s side in jest with his elbow before continuing. “Have you ever-”

“No. Never.” Midnight admitted. Truthfully, she’d never even been with a male so trying out lesbianism was so far beyond her scope of things to try that it would take ages to find it on a list. “Question though, did it seem like Veto and Exodus knew each other more than Exodus let on?”

“You know, it kind of did now that you mention it.” Terra admitted with a thought. “I wonder what their relationship actually is…”

~~~

I’m not translating this since bit it’s not directly influencing the plot of the story.

“Verdammt du machst es schwer dieses Ding zu fliegen, wenn du das tust.” Exodus groaned as Veto worked him over. “Gut zu wissen, dass du immernoch erstaunlich hierin bist nach all der Zeit. Midnight weiß deine spezifischen genetischen Talente vielleicht nicht zu schätzen, aber verdammt. Ich habe das vermisst.”

“Hey, ich bin froh dass du dich überhaupt an mich erinnerst. Ich war nachts immer so allein ohne dich. Ein Drache kann nunmal nur so viel  mit ihren eigenen Klauen machen.” Veto grinned back past her snaking, curling tongue.

~~~

“Yeah, something tells me we don’t want to find out.” Terra shuttered at the mere idea of the two older soldiers. Together. “Anyways, we’ve got some time to kill, tell us about you? Who were you before you were suited?”

“My name was Twilight Sparkle.” Midnight began with a sigh, still looking gloomy as her face pressed into her knees. “I had just finished high school with my friends when we went out drinking for my eighteenth birthday.”

“Really? Happy belated then.” Lex announced with a friendly pat on the back. Midnight had to give at least a small smile at this before continuing.

“Sunset and Flash had both taken me out to this club that Exodus was working security for at the time. Granted back then he introduced himself as Malachi. Malachi had been staring at me, wondering if I was legal to be in the club since I wasn’t drinking as much as my friends were so had Sunset get my attention and go over to meet him. Of course, Sunset had ulterior motives the entire night but that’s not important.”

“Later on, we get attacked as we’re heading towards Sub-Zero,” Midnight continued though GemMid interrupted briefly.

“The super-exclusive club right?” Midnight nodded to her question.

“And I see Malachi using his suit powers. Now, I'm obviously a unicorn so I figured he was the same with a spell to hide his horn. They do exist but they’re very expensive.” Midnight continued as the night played out through her mind over again. “But no, I see him shimmering and take a bullet to the forehead at point blank range.”

“And no shield spell can do that, right?” Lex inquired as his sister sat against him listening intently.

“No,” Midnight shook her head firmly. “Even a level four shield spell would break at point-blank impact. There was no physical or magical way that he should have survived that gunshot. But that’s not where it ends. Malachi’s hand glows red before plunging into the attacker’s stomach to severely injure him.”

“Also not possible?” Terra asked, tilting her head to the side to let her brother watch.

“Well, with certain scientific requirements on top of magical assistance it is. But since his hand was glowing with the same hex-pattern as when he was shot that idea was thrown out the door.” Midnight sighed and looked up at the opposite wall.

The entire craft suddenly nosedived for a minute before being recovered with the spray of water just outside the windows.

“Sorry about that everyone, had to avoid a small craft.” Exodus explained breathlessly over the comms. In the background a female voice was panting equally as heavily but sounded like she was trying not to be heard before the comms went silent again.

“Right, small craft.” Terra glared at the locked cockpit door. “They’re totally fucking in there right now.”

“Yep, total orgy.” Lex agreed as Midnight simply shook her head. Whoever Exodus was with was none of her concern. “So anyways?”

“Anyways, we call the police and leave the scene. We get inside and Flash and Sunset have already had some drinks when they decide to go dance, leaving me with Malachi. That’s when I tell him what I saw.” Midnight sighed again but rested her cheek on her crossed arms, looking at the Gemini twins.

“How’d that go over?” Terra smirked as Lex worked at brushing her hair while listening himself.

“As well as you can expect. He took me outside and revealed the suit in all it’s brilliance before taking me up to the roof to explain everything. That’s when the Project showed up and kidnapped us. Next I know I'm waking up in the suiting chamber with a tech injecting an explosive into the back of my neck.”

“Is it still there?” Terra asked in shock. Midnight shrugged in casual reply.

“No idea. Exodus told me that the suit had disabled it during the initialization but I have no idea what that means. As far as I’m concerned, I still have a blasting cap in my spine.”

“You seem quite content with that, given the circumstances.” Lex noted, setting the brush aside to begin braiding the mint green hair of his twin, leaving out the single strand of pure white to hang in front of Terra’s face.

“If Exodus says it’s been disarmed, then it’s been disarmed.” Midnight retorted adamantly, almost glaringly looking at the twins. “So far it may seem like he’s the one responsible for getting me into all this, but I choose to look at it like he’s the one keeping me alive and sane.”

“Except that you technically died. Twilight Sparkle is dead.” Lex said pointedly as he continued to work his sister’s hair into a single thick braid.

“Only in name. As you can see I'm alive and well.” Midnight protested, indicating to her body. “I will be the first to admit that I do miss being able to feel my own skin or wear proper clothing…”

“I honestly don’t remember either of those myself.” Terra admitted, mumbling under her breath. “Lex and I have been in suit for so long as it is, we practically grew up in the deep layers suits.”

“Yeah how does that work, by the way? Does the suit just grow with you or do you have to get it re-fitted every so often?” Midnight looked at her friends inquisitively.

“The nano-particles automatically take some of the nutrients we get from eating and use it to alter the suit. The Nanosuit becomes your body and works in a similar fashion.” Terra explained. Midnight shrugged back in response but otherwise remained quiet.

~~~

“How long are those two going to be at it, they’ve been in there for the last three hours!” Terra exclaimed, looking at the cockpit door. Suddenly the lock disengaged and the door swung open with Veto poking her scaly aquamarine head out to look directly at Midnight.

“Exodus Prime will, dass du dir etwas ansiehst.” she announced before taking a second to try and translate herself. “Prime… Need you. Follow.” Midnight stood and glanced at the twins before joining Veto in the cockpit.

“Please don’t add me to your orgy.” Midnight muttered as Veto took her seat next to Exodus with thousands of buttons and switches that did things Midnight could only guess at. Veto chuckled at the comment as Exodus looked over his shoulder.

“Come here.” He ordered as Midnight stood directly over his shoulder. “We’re just over the highway leading out of Canterlot.” he explained as they all hovered over, as Exodus had said, the main highway some kilometers away from the city.

Below was pure chaos in the form of a five car accident, with two cars upside down and one completely torn in half as it was buried under a semi-trailer.

“Why are you showing me this? What’s so important?” Midnight demanded, looking over the scene from on high. Exodus gave Veto a nod and the drake hit a switch, activating some kind of satellite imaging of a very recognizable car upside down and burning. “That looks like…” she mumbled before her world came crashing down a second time. “Please don’t tell me that’s who I think it is.”

“Two bodies, one heat signature.” Exodus informed of Midnight. “I’ve got Veto tapped into the police broadband and she says that the two occupants match the descriptions of Flash and Sunset. Flash was the driver and is severely injured. He is not expected to live if rescue teams try to recover him. Sunset…” Exodus droned off as the craft began to lower to the ground in a nearby field.

“Don’t say it.” Midnight’s eyes began to water as she nearly jumped out of the craft altogether if it wasn’t for the Gemini twins holding her down in the cockpit.

“Sunset has been pronounced dead at the scene.” Exodus announced and Midnight, no, Twilight burst into tears. “We can save Flash but you won’t like how.”

“You have to suit him, right?” she asked through sobs. Veto nodded sombrely.

“Not only that but we’d have to rebuild most of his body and replace the bits that are unfixable. The nanosuit is good but it can’t completely restructure the shattered legs or destroyed eyes and wings. They’ll be replaced during surgery.” Exodus announced as the twins let go of Twilight and immediately began to grab all the necessary items for the rescue as Veto joined them.

“And this is his only chance at surviving?” Twilight sniffed as Veto and the twins sprinted from the craft with bags shouldered. As they sprinted over the fence between the road and the field, crews and civilians looked on in disbelief as Lex physically ripped the car in half down the middle with his Maximum Strength to let Veto and Terra in to work.

“Yes. Unfortunately nothing can be done about Sunset Shimmer. I’m sorry.” Exodus replied as Flash was lifted onto a stretcher while Terra covered his injured body in a cementing bio-foam.

“Fine. But when he survives, and he will survive, he takes my name.” Twilight announced forcefully. Exodus nodded acceptance as the rescuers loaded up and Veto returned to the co-pilot seat. Midnight bolted from the cockpit and slid to her knees at Flash’s side, his legs covered in the white almost-concrete like foam as was his face from his eyes to his burned hairline.

“Ugh, what…” Flash muttered incoherently as he writhed on the stretcher.

“Flash, I'm here.” Twilight took the boy’s hand in her own and held it close.

“Sunset?” Flash mumbled as he fought to look around. “What’s happening? Why can’t I see and what’s on my face?”

“Sorry Flash. Sunset…” Twilight drifted off as the twins remained silently working on Flash to stabilize him during take-off. “Sunset died in the accident. You’re legs are completely destroyed beneath the knees, your eyes are gone and your wings have been severely damaged. You likely won’t fly ever again.” Twilight explained through new tears.

“Twilight? But, I thought you were dead? A train accident or something. Shit, I'm dead too… Never thought limbo would be so dark.” Flash muttered in defeat, falling limp. “Well, just take me to my fate now, please.”

“No, you’re not dead. You’re still alive. Like I said, your eyes are gone and you’ve got some kind of foam over your face and legs.” Twilight reported, looking over the rest of the body before her.

“It’s a nano bio-foam designed to stabilize any and all injuries a victim may suffer, short of a heart attack or death.” Lex explained as he stuck a third IV needle into Flash’s arm to begin the blood circulating to clean it out.

“Who’re you?” Flash asked, turning his blind eyes towards the new voice.

“My name is Lex, code name Gemini Exodus. I rescued you with my sister Terra, code name Gemini Midnight and a new addition named Veto Exodus.” Lex explained as he started up the centrifuge.

“Why do you all have the same last name?” Flash chuckled before groaning in pain. “Ow…” he hissed as he clutched at his chest. “I think something in my ribs are broken. Can you use more of that foam?”

“Sorry, we have limited amounts of it and we’re already drastically short on it after using it on you. You’ll be fixed right up when we get you into surgery at base.” Terra remarked from her seated position against the wall of the craft. “As for the last names, that’s how we identify ourselves. We take the first names of our superior as our last name. When you get suited you’ll probably have Midnight’s name as your last.”

“When I’m what?” Flash sat up suddenly to have Lex and Midnight push him back down. “Uh-uh, no way am I going through all that! I was there for Twilight’s suiting, I heard everything they did to her before they supposedly killed her! Fuck that noise!” he proclaimed, trying to free himself of Lex’s super strength.

“Flash, this is your only chance at surviving and it’s quickly declining the more you move around! It’s either you get suited or you die!” Midnight shouted, trying to get Flash to remain still.

“Then I’ll die! There is no way in Tartarus that I'm going to go work for those bastards who took you away from us!” Flash continued to struggle until Terra and Lex both took a side and firmly planted her arms onto his body with MS (Maximum Strength) activated, holding him down completely.

“Flash! Sunset Shimmer is dead! Do you think she’d want us to just give up and die, or would she want us to go kick some ass?” Midnight screamed, her grip on Flash’s hand tightening as all resistance ceased.

“She’d want us to get drunk and kick some ass…” Flash finally admitted with a forlorn sigh. “Fine. But what makes you think that i’ll even be able to survive the process as I am?”

“You’ll be heavily sedated during the surgery. We’ll suit you up as soon as that’s done so you shouldn’t feel too much.” Terra explained as she and her brother let go of the stallion and sat back on their haunches.

“Fine. But could I get some morphine or something right now? This pain is going to give me a heart attack as it is.” Flash requested to have Midnight stick his neck with a needle. “I suppose I should say, ‘Hi, new friends’.”