We walked through the door of the tree house with the intent of getting a plan of defense.

“Twilight, we need a map of Equestria and the regions surrounding it.” I said walking up the stairs.

“What, why?” She asked with a confused look.

“We need to know where to set up defenses. I also would like to send a letter to the princess.” I said.

“Why do you need to send a letter?” She asked, afraid of what I might say.

“I’m putting in a request for extra troops.” I said pulling out my pen and grabbing a piece of paper.
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Princess Celestia,

This is my formal request for a larger garrison of troops. I wish to create an enlistment program for ponies that would prove useful to the Rangers as follows.

Engineers-Those good with tools and general construction. Must be able to do precision work.

Marksmen- This includes current royal guards.

Medics- Doctors and nurses.

Recon- Map makers, explorers, etc.

Infantry- This would include any able bodied pony that is of age and willing to fight.

Without this there is no possible way to beat back these possible invaders. I hope you take this into consideration.

Sincerely, Captain Rush.

“There, now if she’s not an idiot this will be put through.” I whispered rolling up the parchment.

“Wait, what is that?” She asked staring at the writing utensil.

“A pen. Now will you send this?” I asked.

“I guess. Spike, send this Celestia.” She said in an unsure voice. Spike gripped the request in his claws before hitting it with flames. I watched as the ashes magically swirled out the window.

“Alright, now we need to set up a plan of defense. Perhaps it would be better to do this at the station.” Said Jet, rolling up the maps and placing them under his arm.

“Would you mind if I come? I want to see your races ability at planning.” Asked Twilight.

Probably some sort of planning fetish. I mused to myself.

“I guess that’s alright, what do you say battle?” I asked Jet. After thinking it over he gave me a nod.

“Yeah, you can come. Might want to bring Spike if the princess agrees to that request.” I said following Jet down the stairs.

“You heard him Spike, let’s go.” Said Twilight in an excited voice.

“I think I’ll sit this one out.” He said walking over to his basket bed.

“Well if you would rather stay here and reorganize all the books.” Hearing this he stop in his tracks and sighed.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” He said in a defeated tone.

Walking into the Ranger room I saw a small group playing what appeared to be poker. I looked to my right to see Trip and Tool in a pushup competition. We walked up to the large table in the middle of the room. Jet spread out the multiple maps on the table so we could have a clear idea of what we were working with.

“Hey cap’ what’s going on?” Asked one of the ponies playing poker.

“Were setting up a plan of defense for when the dogs invade.” I said looking over the map.

“Alright, wow this doesn’t look anything like I thought it would.” Said Jet.

“Tell me about it. Alright, looks like the main concentration of diamond dogs live out past the Appleoosan Mountains, if I’m reading these images right, so I’m guessing that’s where there attack would come from.” I said studying the map. Said images portrayed the inhabitants of the area.

“Right, so if there coming from the west then we can setup along the ridgeline and flank them when they pass by going for Appleloosa.” Said Jet.

“How do you know they’re going to attack Appleoosa? Why not the buffalo tribes?” Asked Twilight.

“She has a point, if this is going to be a land grab then they aren’t just going after Equestrians. They will try and take out anything and anyone in between.” I said walking over to my bag and grabbing what remained of the bottle of wine.

“Is this really the time to drink, Rush?” Asked Jet.

“It’s always time to drink. Now back to the Buffalo. Do you think we might be able to get them on our side? It shouldn’t be too hard, all things considered. We tell them that the dogs plan on taking them out, they join us, and now we have guides to the area.” I said before taking a sip from the bottle.

“This would work, but we have one overbearing problem. Do we have enough time for all that?” Asked Jet.

“That same problem remains for training. We have an unknown amount of time here. We’re going to have to jam as much in as we can.” I said setting down the bottle.

“Do you think you could setup a boot camp here?” Asked Twilight.

“It would be a good idea, that way we don’t have to move all trainees to Canterlot.” Said Trip from behind.

“Oh this is going to be a long day.” I said taking a large gulp from the bottle.

By eight, the rest of the squads had come back and we had most of the plans mapped out.

“Alright so we’ll set up a base here, and have training done at both Canterlot and here.” Said Jet. I heard the sound of a loud belch from behind me. I turned around and saw Spike holding a rolled up piece of paper with a ribbon on it.

“Spike, hand that to me.” I said reaching out and grabbing the letter. I brought it up and read it aloud.

“Dear Captain Rush, your request has been granted and I hereby give you free reign to carry out military operations as you see fit. I trust that you won’t abuse this power.
Sincerely, Princess Celestia.”

“Well alright, I guess we better get to work.” Said Twilight. We all turned and looked at her, not quite sure that we heard her right.

“Twilight, its like six thirty. I don’t know if you noticed but it is getting dark outside.” Said Jet.

“Oh um, must’ve gotten caught up in the planning.” She said as her face reddened.

“Right, well I need to go find my kid.” I said putting on my BDU jacket along with the rest of my gear. I placed my 1911 snugly into its holster.

“Do you really need all of your gear? I mean your just going to pickup your kid.” Said Jet.

“I’m not taking any chances. Never know, maybe there are assassins.” I said jokingly as I pulled my hat backwards and brought down my mask.

“What are you smoking?” Asked Jet.

“Whatever it is I need more.” I said with a laugh as I closed the door and walked down the stairs.

“Guy’s fuckin nuts!” I heard a voice with an Australian accent say down the stairwell.

Walking out the door I felt the cool night air blow against my rolled up sleeves. I walked down the street that lead to Sweet Apple Acres thinking that they might have gone there after grabbing something to eat. I passed by the, now closed, apple cart. It would take about ten minutes to get down there.

“I wonder if this still works.” I said to myself. “Guess it couldn’t hurt to try. Play Fortunate Son.” I said hoping to get a response from the mask. To my surprise the familiar drum beat started playing.

“Well fuck me, it still works. Ha, Jet would be pissed if he knew I had this stuff on here. Alright, pause.” I said to the protective gear.

I walked down the path, until I came to the entrance of the farm. I looked over at the farm house to see Apple Jack sitting in a swinging bench on the porch. When she saw me her eyes lit up and she walked over to me.

“Howdy, Rush. Ah wouldn’t suppose you’ve seen Apple Bloom have ya? She was supposed to be back before dark.” She asked in a hopeful voice.

“I was actually coming over her to see if they were with you.” I said in confused voice.

“Ah’m worried, where could they be?” She asked in a concerned voice.

“Calm down AJ, maybe they’re at Rarity’s.” I said.

“Ah already checked, they ain’t there.” She said.

“C’mon they can’t be too far, where did the-” I was interrupted by a sudden static coming from my radio.

“Did you get that thing working yet?!” Whispered a high pitch voice through the static.

“I’m trying!” Said another.

“Who’s there?!” I yelled hitting my mic.

“Are ya feeling okay?” Asked Apple Jack, not able to hear the voices through the mask. I took off my mask so she could hear too.

“DAD!” Came a voice through the mask.

“Scootaloo?! Where are you?!”” I asked confused.

“Were at Zecora’s hut. You gotta hurry, there’s a gryphon after us.” She said through the radio which was followed by static.

“Scootaloo? Scootaloo?!” I yelled at the radio getting no response.

“What in the world are they doing in the Everfree?” Asked Apple Jack worriedly.

“Doesn’t matter, if we don’t get there soon then there done for!” I said pulling down my mask. There was no doubt that whatever that gryphon wanted, it wasn’t good.

“Well then let’s go!” She said.

“No. You go get the Rangers and Jet, I’ll go into the Everfree.” I said turning around.

“But what if-

“Just go!” I yelled as I sprinted down the road.

I would have to run through the town and then onto the path to Fluttershy’s and then into the forest. I ran through the town as fast as I could, jumping over any obstacles in my way, refusing to sacrifice any speed. What normally would have been a thirty minute walk through town was cut to a seven minute sprint. When I had reached the path I was out of breath and sweat glistened in the moonlight off my arms.

I was tired but refused to stop. I jogged down the path, looking for any sign of the CMC. I heard a voice echo down the path. I started to run down the path hoping I would get there in time. I rounded a bend in the path and saw the hut. Right outside of which was a gryphon wearing a black vest with a dagger held in a claw sewn on the back.

“You’ve got five seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t blow your head off!” I yelled at the gryphon, who turned around in surprise.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is. I was just here for the kid but you’ll do much better.” He said with his wings flared. He jumped up into the air and shot off to the right.

“Son of a bitch!” I said, unable to track him as he passed into the dark forest. I started walking towards the hut, all the while looking for the gryphon. When I had gotten to the door I started to push open the door only to be knocked to the grown by the gryphon tackling me.

“Oh this will be easy.” He said raising a claw. My arm shot up and I hit him with a hard punch to the side of his head. The momentum from the blow knocked him off of me. I sat up and placed my pistol back in the holster. I was going to have fun with this one.

Let’s make sure they never come after our family again! Said an angry voice that echoed in my head.

I watched him get back onto his feet and pop his talons out of the claws. He pounced forward using his back legs and then his wings for more speed. I brought my fist into an uppercut motion that he flew straight into. The gryphon flipped from the impact and slammed back first into a tree.

I ran at the gryphon and drove my knee pad into its eye and slamming the back of his head into the tree trunk. I moved back about five feet before getting back into a fighting position.

“That all you got, bitch!” I taunted. This seemed to get his attention as he got to his feet.

He flared his wings again and I prepared for another charge. Instead of charging this time he shot straight up until I couldn’t see him as his colors blended into the dark sky.

I guess he’s too much of a bitch to finish the job. I thought to myself as I searched the sky.

I turned around and knocked on the door. Hearing no response I knocked again, this time louder.

“Scootaloo, you in there?” I asked, about to push open the door when I heard a loud screech from behind. Looking back I saw him charging again and this time I wouldn’t have time to do much. I raised my arms in an attempt to soften the blow. The gryphon hit me full force. I was thrown to the ground, knocking all the air out of my body.

I tried desperately to suck in air. The gryphon stood over me and grinned. He grabbed my vest and raised his claw again, this time he was sure that he would take me out. I looked up at him, dazed, through the visor. I heard a thwack as something hit him in the back of the head.

“Get away from my dad!” Yelled a voice. I looked over and saw Scootaloo throwing another rock. The gryphon let go of my vest and turned around angrily.

“Why you little brat!” He yelled walking over and grabbing Scootaloo’s hair. Seeing this I felt a cold knot in my head.

So much hate. Perhaps it’s time we put that to some use. Said a voice that sent shivers down my spine.

The cold feeling slowly washed over my body. I felt myself changing, both physically and mentally. Any feeling of tiredness I felt was gone. My only emotion right now was hate. I could see a black fog form around me as I looked at my arm. It was all different now, my uniform and armor had turned into a hellish mix of armor that covered my body. I put a hand on my face and felt the mask. It was still there, but there was something wrong about it to, I just couldn’t place what.

I slowly got to my feet and looked over at the gryphon. He was still gripping her hair and shouting at her. I saw a tear run down her cheek and felt something inside me break. I saw the gryphon raise his claws and his talons slide out.

My hand shot out and grabbed the gryphon’s wrist. He turned around in confusion and saw the monster. His eyes widened in fear as he let go of the child’s hair. He was lifted off his hind legs and brought to eye level. Dark maroon eyes glowed with power like hellish beacons of death.

I brought my fist back before swinging it forward where it made contact with the gryphons gut. His body was thrown into the air from the impact before he slammed into the ground. He dared a glance at the being before him while tried struggled to breath. It had to be at least seven feet tall. He had to escape, whatever punishment he would receive would be better than what this thing would do.

I looked over at the small orange filly who looked at me terrified. I pointed to the door of the hut, hoping to spare her from this violence. She did as directed, not wanting to anger something that looked like it could, and would, rip you limb from limb.

Turning back, I saw the gryphon with his wings flexed in an attempt to fly away. I quickly grabbed the gryphon’s wing and pulled it to me. I could hear him shriek in pain as I threw him to the ground and stomped onto his wing, snapping the bone inside. There would be no escape.

His face went from a grimace of extreme pain to fear as he broken wing was once again gripped by the freezing cold hand of this creature. Again he was brought to eye level. His fear worsened as another cold hand wrapped around his throat. He hoped that whatever held him now would just kill him, what he feared was the most painful action a flying animal could have happen. His fears were confirmed when he felt the pull.

I stared at the joint which connected the wing and body. I could see every movement of the muscles as they slowly disconnected. The gryphon tried as hard as he could to get away, clawing at him, pushing. Nothing worked. He let out a loud screech as the muscles slowly tore, one by one.

My vision focused as I saw the flesh start to tear away. I could see the sinew and ligaments starting to come apart as blood fell from the horrific wound. A demonic smile drew across my lips as the smell of blood rushed into my nose. With one last pull, the wing detached itself from the body of its owner. The gryphon let out a loud screech of pain and sorrow as the last of his wing’s connection broke.

Through the unending pain another fear took hold as his other wing was grabbed. He was going to do it again. He felt the pulling of muscles, again going through the unbearable pain. Suddenly the pulling stopped. Looking through the tears that had welled in his eyes he saw his wing hanging limply by the bloody sinew.

He looked up in fear as to why it would stop. His vision focused onto the glowing red orbs. As he stared he felt a cold sensation form in his chest. That was when he saw them. His head became filled with horrible scenes.

He saw what appeared to by children and females of the human’s species lined up against a wall and executed, what appeared innocents slaughtered before his eyes as the humans laughed, seeing a mound of rotting corpses outside of a destroyed school building. Then the worst of it happened, the victims of what had occurred slowly turned into gryphons. He had seen more than any sane creature could handle.

I released my stare on the now limp gryphon as I dropped him to the ground. When he hit the dirt he started to cry and whimper, believing it all to have happened. Everything he had ever loved was dead and gone, along with whatever masters he served. He looked up at the living nightmare before him.

“W-what are you?” He managed to get out while the scenes continued playing out in his head. A bit of the black fog swept under the gryphon. Only one answer came to my mind. A being of righteousness that will strike fear into my enemies.

“Archangel.” I said in a deep voice. I watched as a large, sharp, black crystal shot through the chest of the gryphon. A couple inches below the tip of the formation was the gryphon’s heart, impaled upon the crystal. The tips of his broken ribs pointed upwards as if clutching at the foreign object.

The blood of the impaled gryphon stained against the rock shared an uncanny resemblance to the horn of the last known creature to be able to use dark magic. I reached out and wrapped my hand around the bloody crystal and watched it dissolve into the black fog which rejoined the cloud. I felt something else flow through me now, I was getting even stronger.

Good, good. You are much better than the last. Now child, claim your reward. Use his death to benefit you.

I dropped down to my knee and pulled out my KBAR. I carved into the gryphon’s claw. One by one I removed his talons.

Now, let me help you.

The talons were surrounded by the black fog and brought down to my hands. I felt a small movement and the fog was gone. I looked at my gloves and noticed a small bit of black metal on each of the knuckles.

“Rush is that you?” Asked a voice shakily from my side. Hearing the voice I felt the cold feeling start to melt away. My head shot to the right where I saw Jet, Twilight, Rarity, and Apple Jack who were flanked by a couple of Rangers. A bright purple light was glowing off of Twilight’s horn.

“Yeah, it’s me!” I said, hoping they didn’t see any of that. I could feel myself turning back to normal and watched as the black fog dispersed.

“What the fuck was that!?” He yelled angrily keeping his pistol trained on me.

“I don’t know… whatever it was it’s gone now.” I said, watching the armor turn back into my regular uniform.

“Well, are you okay?” He asked, lowering his pistol.

“I feel fucking dandy. That guy’s fucked though.” I said, as the last of the cold faded away.

“Are the kids okay?” Asked Apple Jack, reminding us of why we were out here in the first place.

“I don’t know, but we can’t bring them out here with a dead gryphon. Rangers, do something with this body and tell us when you’re done. We’ll be inside.” I said pushing on the door. I opened it to a crack and poked my head into the room to try and see anything.

“Scootaloo, you in here?” I asked, looking into the room.

“Daddy!” She yelled, crawling out from underneath the bed. I saw the other two crusaders crawl out with her.

“Hey kid.” I said dropping to one knee and wrapping her in a hug. I heard Apple Jack and Rarity call to their sisters, happy that they were unharmed.

“Are you okay Scoots? He didn’t hurt you too bad, did he?” I asked rubbing her head. She mumbled a response into my chest that I couldn’t make out. I heard a small sob and pulled her out of the hug.

“What was that thing? It saved me.” She said, looking up at me with her watering eyes. I thought to myself. Racking my head for an answer that even I didn’t know.

“He was a… uh… friend.” I said, giving the easiest answer I could.

“He didn’t seem too friendly.” Said Twilight, behind us. I heard Jet say something to her, but I couldn’t make out what.

“That gryphon… he was going to…I didn’t know what to do. I just felt so weak.” She said, starting to full out cry. I pulled her back into my chest in an attempt to comfort her.

“You’re not weak kid. You saved me back there. If you hadn’t thrown that rock, I would have been done for. It takes a lot of bravery to put yourself in danger for me like that.” I said, trying to make her feel better. Her crying slowly stopped and she went silent.

“That’s odd, where’s Zecora?” Asked Twilight. In response, a door in the back of the room opened. I lifted my head to see the owner of the hut walk out with an oddly shaped blue bottle. She sat the bottle down on a shelf before turning to the group.

“I see that you doing fine, as last I saw you were about to flat line.” She said, looking at me. It clicked in my head that this was who had fixed me up when I passed out from blood loss.

“Wait a second. You know Rush?” Asked Twilight confused.

“Yeah, she’s the one who fixed me up when I got here.” I said standing up. A knock on the door signaled that it was time to go.

“That’s our cue. Thanks for hiding the kids Zecora.” I said walking to the door with a passed out Scootaloo slung over my shoulder. She gave a nod as she was thanked by the others. I walked out the door with Jet at my side to see the four Rangers had disposed of the body.

“Well done. Escort the others home when they come out and then you may turn in for the night.” I said before walking past them.

“You know what this means don’t you?” Asked Jet as we started down the dark path.

“I really wish I didn't.” I said tiredly.

Author's Note

I'm sorry this one took a bit longer to get out. I had a problem with depression caused by some meds I've been taking. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.