"Hurry!" yelled a black stallion, waving a hoof as if to grab something. In the distance a female changeling could be seen running to avoid green shoots from behind."There's no other way you got to jump!" The stallion lifted his hoof and began to shoot back from a gadget attached to his fore hoof. Her face covered with terror after noticing the size of the cavern. Seeing no other way out she nodded. She desperately tried to open her wings but they were too badly injured from earlier events in the day.
Across the cavern the stallion hooked himself to the side of the ledge to have a better chance on catching his friend. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped into the caverns darkness. Both extended a hoof to try and grab each others. He barely missed her right hoof before they both slammed against the side of the caverns wall. He clenched her hoof tight and gave a nervous smile. She did the same as he began to climb back unto the ledge but he froze. The load he held suddenly felt lighter, this concerned him considering he still held her hoof tight in his.
Slowly turning his head to look down, his face flushed with horror. A stray shot from the other side had burned through his friends right limb, causing it to detach from its owner's corpse. Quickly he detached himself from the harness, and joined his friend in a free fall.
He reached out and grabbed her unconscious body mid-air. A voice echoed through the darkness.
"I never took a chance to slow down and ask myself... How do I end up in situations like these? It wasn't easy to just watch her fall... So I joined her in death." The voice slowly chuckled "But, legends like me...don't die that easy."
The day before
In a small encampment, a light was born out of the darkness of the forest. It Flickering out of a small tent. The shadow of a figure approached, a faint voice was heard,
"Why are you up so early? The sun isn't even up yet."
Rubbing an eye, a brown Pegasus stallion named IB(for 'Independent bullet') stood facing an older black stallion. On his flank, his cutie mark flashed from his brown fur, a single 7.92 bullet stood. The gold casing and the sliver bullet flashing in the light of the lantern. His darker brown main was done in a small pony tail at the end.
"Hey IB." The stallion responded. Wearing a black cloak, a hood covered his face. His dark muzzle being the only part that stood out into the light.
"Dude, I know you want us to get up early but...seriously." Realizing he was talking to his superior, he stood up straight and spoke in a military manner, saluting with his wing "Sorry to intrude Mr.Neon Sir."
Neon turned around and gave warming smile. He saluted back, "At ease Bullet. And please, for the last time, call me Zero." Moving back to his small brown desk, another voice as heard.
"What are you two doing up so early?" A green unicorn poked her head through the flaps, her spiky dark and light green mane covered her face. Put up in a style very similar to a certain pony DJ.
"Sorry if we woke you Raider, IB was just going back to bed." Zero says with a smirk
Being the newest member, Raider tilted her head, "You know I never got to ask, but, why do they call you...uh...'Independent Bullet'?" with air quotes around the name.
IB chuckled, " I guess I never did get around to telling you the story. Well when...Zero...found me in my home town we were under attack by bandits. My entire squadron had been killed, I was the last of the militia. I defended my home with nothing but my great-great-great granddad's rifle and a small hoof full of bullets of the same caliber. They had me cornered and I had one bullet left. With that single bullet, I killed four of the bastards."
Raider looked at him in confusion, "How is that possible."
IB chuckled again, "Four of them where lined up right behind another. One bullet through the forehead at pointblank range was enough to take em' down. They took me down after that. After beating me senseless, one of them came up to me and told me to start praying. I spat in his face. He put a knife to my throat and I closed my eyes. Waiting for my death to come, but it never did."
Zero rummaged through his knapsack as he sat at his desk, "And that...is were I come in."
IB rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah~. Noticing that there was no blade in my throat, I looked up to see Zero was standing over me with the bandit floating in mid-air. 'T-that's impossible!...you don't even have a horn!" I remember the bastard yelling in fear and shock. 'I don't need a horn to kill maggots like you.' I heard Zero say before blacking out. I didn't see the colt die, but Zero told me that none of them ever walked again." IB laughed while nudging Zero's shoulder. " And that's how I got my name. I fought for mt home and Independence and boy do I love these bullets." he said while balancing a rifle bullet on his nose.
"You know what I just realized something... " Raider mumbled. IB and Zero tilted their heads at her. "None of us call each other by our real names just after stuff that resembles us and our personalities."
"It's a hella' lot easier than trying to remember any pony's real one." Zero chuckled.
"Why do you think we call you Raider? When we first 'met', you just stole everything from us and we had to chase you down till we caught up to you." IB stated putting his hoof on her forehead.
Raider blushed as she pulled away, "Well I regret nothing. I ended up joining the best our land had to offer and sailed across the sea." She said with a cheery voice, moving her mane to the side revealing a tattoo. The other two stallions did the same to show identical tattoo to hers.
A pair of rifles head to hoof style, on the left was a heart with angle wings and a halo. On the right was a broken heart with horns and a devils tail.
A bright light percied the tent where the campfire was relit. "Looks like Ember is up." Zero said.
Strolling into the tent, a yellow mare with a fiery red mane that flowed along the back of her neck freely. Her cutie mark was a orange ember crystal shard engulfed in flame. "Take that off Zero, we already know how you look." She giggled. She proceeded to undo the upper buttons of Zero's cloak before pulling back his hood. Zero closed his eyes...well...eye closed. He immediately covered his right eye with a hoof. His body was now fully visible, his entire body a pitch black, one his sides where...bat wings.
"You know I don't like being the only bat pony here." Said as he felt around his desk and picked up a brown stetson hat and placed it atop his head. "Plus my bandages are withering, and we used the last ones to patch up Ember's cut yesterday." Covering the bandages on his right eye. He opened the left to stare down Ember, hoping she would give back the cloak.
"Silly Neon, your just a hybrid not a full bat pony. Now quit making such a big deal out of it. And I am sure Elixir will have some spare." Ember giggled while patting his red and black mane.
Zero blushed a bit, knowing The truth in her words. He had the normal body of a stallion, the only trait that showed him as a bat pony was his wings.
The group exited the tent and walked towards the lit campfire where three logs served as benches. IB took a long stare at Raider's cutie mark. A robbers mask surrounded stacks of gold coins and a money bag. Zero noticed his staring, "Eyes to the front IB."
Raider looked back at him blushing. "Were you staring at my flank?...." Zero smirked. Raider shuddered looking the other way. And taking a seat next to Ember, who sat next to Zero.
"No..I mean, yes, but n-not like 'that'!" Seeing that see was out of earshot, IB whispered to Zero as he sat on his right. "Thanks for making me look like a perv."
Zero smirked again, "Anytime buddy."
"I'm suprised the twins aren't up yet." Raider said, looking around while taking out rations from the night before. Blushing as she got a glimpse of IB.
As if on queue, two white blurs shot past the fire causing it to go out. "Ha! I win bro, now you got to split your rations with me." a light energetic voice laughed.
"Only cause of the bloody wings!" a deeper more sternful voice responded.
"Fine first one to the rations win!"
The sound of hooves racing was soon cut off by a loud crash. Ember struck a stone and flint to relight the fire. That sound was the twins crashing into raider and IB next to the rations box. The white Pegasus lifted a hoof and placed it on the box, "I...win..." She said slowly.
Getting out of the pile, the mare grabbed two small bags of rations and flew to her spot by the fire. She was a small white Pegasus with a short and lightly fluffed ocean blue mane that ran down her neck, her cutie mark was a potion bottle filled with green fluid and a small red cross in the middle.
"Damnit Elixir!" yelled the large stallion getting out of the pile. His fur was of the same color, but his mane was a dark Prussian blue and was much longer. Everypony sat around the fire and ate, everyone but him.
Giving a sideways look, Zero smirked, "Here Stone, take mine." he said throwing a bag of hay and fruits. Catching the bag, the white earth pony smiled.
"Your just too kind Mr. Neon." He said. Zero watched as he opened the nag with his nose.
"Well, we got to keep the tank fueled don't we? or else it won't able to fire those guns."
Stone just looked up and smiled, " You know it!" he began to flex. Stone was the largest in the group, his cutie mark being a grey iron shield with a blue cross in the middle of it.
Looking around at his friends, IB smirked letting out a chuckle, "You know, every time I see us...I don't just see a bunch of rag-tag mercenaries. I see something...more..." Every pony looked at him,"...I see...The Elements. But not those little softies the Elements of Harmony, no, I see something far more powerful and grand. We! We are the Elements of War!" he yelled standing on his hind legs. "Mercy and Understanding!" pointed to Zero, "Defense and Brute Force!" to Stone, "Strategy and Tactics!" to Ember, "Fire power and Weapons! " he points to himself, "Stealth and Reconnaissance!" to Raider, "...And the Wild card." he waves to Elixir. Elixir may have been a Pegasus but she knew her way around potions. They all shared a laugh as the sun began to rise.
As the conversation went on, Zero noticed Raider in the corner of his eye. "Go ahead Raider, ask away."
Blushing a bit, realizing she was caught staring at his flank this time, "W-why don't you have a cutie mark?"
He moved his mane to show his tattoo, "This is my cutie mark."
"I meant your real one." The rest of the group went silent as Zero lifted himself off his spot on the log and walked towards her.
"Look...I'll let this slide since I never really did tell you, but never...never! Ask about my eye or cutie mark again." he said with a deep threatening voice. His face flushed with anger.
Raider stared, shocked, and finally nodded in response. She had never seen him so angry in the week she had been in the unit.
"Good. Now we have to get going, we still have a job to do." Zero commanded while helping Raider up by a hoof.
"Right, the Capital is not far from here." Ember pointed West. After taking down the tents and grabbing their gear, they continued on their quest, to make ensure peaceful relations with the many kingdoms of this unknown land. Raider walked next to IB, she looked back at the Twins and Ember. She whispered to IB, " How did they get in?"
"Well..." IB started,"...Ember was actually one of our many rivals, but, after awhile, she called a truce and offered her services. The Twins got in like you, highly recommended by your clan leaders." She pondered over this as the group walked for a short amount of time.
"Everyone down!" Zero ordered, ducking behind some rocks. A group of creatures huddling around one another. They were as black as Neon's fur, had big blue eyes, holes in there legs with bug wings and a strange horn.
"Don't see those back home." Stone said in awe.
"We aren't home." commented his sister.
"Looks I think that ones hurt." Ember pointed out.
"We should help it...him...her?Wha-what is it?" Raider muttered.
"Can't tell, they all look the same to me." IB whispered, unsling his rifle that hung on his side and holding it in his wings.
"It's your call sir." Raider said holding a dagger in her magic.
Zero was silent for a moment before more cries of pain where heard from the injured creature. "Okay, I will go down there, IB keep me covered in case things go South, the rest of you, surround them on all sides. But don't come out until I give the order."
"Yes sir!" they answered and saluted in unison. Zero put in his hoof out and the rest following making a hoofs-in thing. "Live strong..." said the Twins, "Bleed on..." said Ember and IB, "And never stop..." said Zero and Raider. "Smiling!" all said in unison before breaking. 'Live strong, bleed on ,and never stop smiling!' had been Zero's, and his unit's, motto since he first started recruiting awhile ago.
As Zero stepped out of the brush and approched the strange creatures. Tapping one of them on the back. The creature jumped, turning around it hissed at Zero. Zero twitched when he noticed they had fangs. "Is there a problem here?, We-uh, I heard some yelling from my camp and came to see what was going on. I everything alright?" Zero said calmly to reassure the creature he meant no harm.
It seemed to sense it in his words and eased up, moving to the side, It revealed he source of the screams. Another creature was lying on the ground, tears streaming down its eyes. A bloody back leg drew Zero's attention. Knowing the cause of the injury, Zero brought his right leg to his head, specking into a grey metal brace that sat just above the hoof. "Why is there a bullet in it's leg?...IB?" he growled. The beings stared at him like he was crazy, talking to a metal thing on his leg, and slightly jumped when another voice was suddenly heard.
IB responded shuddering, his voice emitting from the brace, "W-well when I was target practicing...I-I noticed that thing flying, it looked strange s-so I shot its leg with a tracking bit...at least, I thought I switched out the bullets."
Zero rolled his eye. He took off his bags and pulled out a small medical kit. "Look, I can help with this. You are going to have to trust me." He told them. The creatures glared down at Zero, eyes narrow. With ponies naturally hating them, and vice versa, they did not trust him, but they had no idea what was in their sister's leg. They where out of options. An armored creature spoke, "Fine, But only if you promise that you are alone and don't tell any-pony of our presence." Zero nodded. The creatures back away to give him room to work. Sitting next to his wounded patient Zero asked the wounded creature, "What's your name?" noticing her snout was smaller than the rest, she was likely younger.
"M-My designation number 470. My designated p-profession...huntress." she said with a voice that brought a chill down his back.
"Okay...470, I'm going to take this out of your leg. You might feel a pinch, but at least the pain will ease." He said pulling out a pair of tweezers. The bullet hit one of the few spots not surrounded by holes in their legs, but only half of the bullet went in. The other half stuck out of the tough fresh. Zero smirked, "I'm impressed by his accuracy." he thought, "Why do they have holes in there legs?" he asked himself. "And how tough is their hide for only half the bullet to penetrate?"
One yank at the bullet and a lot more crying later, Zero patched up the wound and asked her,"What are you?... If you don't mind me asking."
The same armored changeling spoke,"Before we answer any questions. Answer us this, Where are you from? No-pony in Equestria would willingly help a Changeling."
Packing up his medical bag Zero responded, "We're not from Equestria, we sailed the sea from our home-land to make peace with locals on this continent."
"W-we!" exclaimed the changeling," There are more of you! You said you where alone!" The three changelings, including the armored once, made green spears with their magic.
Zero backed away slowly, Stone's voice can be heard as well as a sudden rustling, "I wouldn't do that if I was you!" Startled by the unidentified voice, they begun throwing their spears at Zero. They stood in awe as the spears seemingly floated in the air a foot away from Zero's eyes.
"Boy... you guys really don't listen well." Stone could be heard. Zero gave a smirk, and gave a gesture of tapping something in front of him. "Calm down, Your scaring the poor saps." he chuckled.
After a few seconds, Stone and his sister suddenly appeared out of no where. Elixir holding an empty bottle that read, 'Invisibility potion. Warning: May cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome' and Stone holding his trade mark tower shield. Raider, Ember, and IB joined in behind them, emerging from the bushes. IB loaded a stripper clip into the chamber readying for a possible standoff and to add scare factor.
The changelings slowly backed away, seeing they were out-numbered. Zero's smirk turned into a frown after he saw the fear on their faces.
"Are they Hostile?" Stone asked as he retracted his shield into nothing but a leg brace, similar to the one Zero wore.
IB glared at the Changeling strange insectoid bodies and fangs, "Definitely Hostile." IB chuckled as he pulled back the bolt on his rifle to chamber a cartridge then walking forward, "Its been so long since a good fight." IB was stopped as Zero put a hoot in front of him.
"No killing," he whispered, "...we barely got here, we don't need to start raking up a death count. Tasers only if they don't take my offer."
IB sighed, "Fine...man I never get to shoot anything." he mumbled the last part.
Zero shot a glance at the frightened creatures, "I will make you a deal, You don't attack again, and we don't kill you were you stand, we will even help you take your wounded friend here back home, or, base, or wherever you reside." he said walking over to the armored one, extending a hoof. He shook it in fear "Deal!" his voice quivered. Ember walked past them all and stood over the crippled changeling.
"Someone's got to carry her and it is not going to be me...STONE! Get over here and carry it!",she yelled sternly while poking the changelings damaged leg as it greenish blood, "Eww."
Stone made room on his back and walked towards her and knelt down. "C'mon, hop on." he said while gesturing to his back. She stumbled backwards whimpering in pain, "Well, would you rather walk, or have someone else carry you?" Stone said in a sarcastic tone rolling his eyes. The changeling looked at Zero with a smile and her eyes wide. Stone noticed the change in her face, "Um..." Stone muttered while looking back at Zero, "Zero!. I think it...I think, she wants you to carry her!"
Zero's eyes widened, "Eh?" He looked back to see her limping towards him. Ember and Raider giggled at the scene.
"Hey Zero! How are you so good with the ladies? It's a mystery how you don't have a mare-friend yet." Elixir joked.
Ignoring her comment, Zero took up his bags and lifted up the Changeling onto his back.
"You got anyone of major power or high ranking we could speck to?" IB asked one of the changelings who stated he was called '110'.
"Only a Queen, Queen Chrysalis. But some of us call her Mother." 110 stated as if he was talking to a ghost.
"Can you take us to her?" asked Ember, while poking a stick through one of the holes in his leg. He nodded rapidly.
"Then Lead the way."Raider yelled in excitement.
The three changelings lead the way, the armored once leading them. The group closely followed, still being new to the land they would prefer not to get lost in this massive forest. But Zero trailed behind the group. The changeling on his back opened her eyes and asked with a frown "Why?" Zero looked back at the dazed being, "Huh?"
"Why did you help us? Why did you help...me? Our kind are sworn enemies." she said covering her eyes.
"Do you know the Elements of Harmony?" he asked with a blank face.
Her ears pined back "Mother's enemies...", she whispered.
"Well, from what IB says, we are the Elements of War." he said with a sly smile.
He lifted up her head in curiosity, "The...Elements of W-war?" Zero nodded. "Then what Element are you?
Zero looked back at her with a sideways smile,"Mercy and Understanding."
He tilted her head, "T-there is mercy in war?"
He chuckled, "Well, no one wants to be merciful to their enemy...but I've always tended to see things from both sides of the battle, I understand their reasoning, and chose to be the mercy many often wish for." After some time, Zero suddenly felt hooves wrap around his neck, he paused for a second.
"Thank you..." he heard her whisper.
Zero laughed and dropped the changeling on her hooves, but she did not wince a pain. "There, the love already transferred to your wounds, you should be able to walk fine now." Zero said with a knowing smile.
She went wide eyed at the statement, "W-what do you mean?" she asked with a quivering voice.
"Back in military training, they taught me about you changelings. Kinda sad you have to steal love to survive." Zero said with a frown. "Do you have a nickname I can call you by? Calling you number 470 won't really work for me." Zero questioned as he continued walking.
"Before I became a huntress for Mother, I was told I 'Acted very innocent'...'Avi' for short. I was told the more innocent and nice I acted, the more love I would receive." Avi said following. As the two caught up with the others the leading changeling stopped and pointed to a near mountain. It looked normal like its surroundings, only difference is that this one had countless amounts of changelings swarming around it.
Ember ejected her visor from the metal head band hidden behind her mane and began to scan the horizon. "The scanners pick up an approximate number of about a few thousand." Ember said retracting the visor.
"Yeah Yeah, show off your super advanced crap..." IB said with bitterness in his voice. "I'll take my old Karabiner98k over a laser rifle any day." he said patting his rifle with a wing.
"Your just envious that Zero gives me better stuff cause I'm more intelligent than you.This head visor included." Ember responds with a sly smile. IB huffed.
"No, just cause I trust you with such a thing." Zero said flatly.
"Still would be cool If you gave us our visor's already..." IB mumbled under his breath, ears pinning to his skull.
"Follow me ponies, and I shall take you to see our Queen." The armored changeling told them as he made his way towards the hive.
"If they all have weapons where is yours? I highly doubt any-pony would walk around the Everfree without a dagger at least." Avi asked as they approached the dark entrance. Other changelings starring them down and even hissing.
"My mind is a lethal weapon, It can kill when it wants too." Zero said as he slowly trotted in and followed behind the changelings. The rest had stopped at the entrance's opening.
"To bad its never loaded." Stone chuckled, smiled a nervous one as he looked back into the darkness. Ember lit a torch and began to walked in. Elixir walking behind her brother, and Raider trotted awkwardly close to IB.
Some time later, they found themselves in the Queen's presence. The armored changeling stayed close to Zero as Avi and the other two changelings joined and disappeared into the crowded packs of changelings. This changeling Queen seemed to be taller than the others, wings and horn bigger, and had a crown that matched the color of her skin. She raised her hole filled hoof and the room became silent. " Explain yourself Number 245! Why have you brought these...ponies..." She winced at the word, "Into our hive?"
"They come from a land beyond the sea my Queen. They have some seeking a pact of peace between us and their kingdoms." The changeling bowed.
Chrysalis was silent for a moment, "Leader of this herd..." she says with bitterness in her voice "... come forth and reveal yourself!"
They all turned back to look at Zero, he already began walking forward. "That would be me." he said sternly with no fear.
She started the way down the steps from her throne and stood face to face with Zero.
"Wow she's less threatening up close." Raider said with a giggle.
"It's kind of cute." Stone added.
"Your kind is not welcomed here." the Queen said, stroking Zero's cheek. The team readied their weapons in caution. "If you came here for peace.... you won't get any. I am already repressed enough as it is by Celestia's Treaty. I don't need anymore other lesser rulers coming here with talk of 'Fairness' and 'Peace' and 'Harmony'!" she hissed loudly, pushing Zero causing him to stumble into IB. "Guards! Kill them!"
"Oh, don't go and do that." Stone said in a mocking tone as multiple armored changelings came up to them, horns at the ready. The main entrance was then sealed by a large boulder.
Ember whispered to Zero, "Do that thing with your vision and find us a way out of here!"
He nodded to that, closed his eye and placed a hoof over it. He re-opened it to the same room, empty, not one member of his team or a single changeling in sight. Zero looked to his side and noticed a door that was once not visible now opened. An escape route. He closed his eye again before returning to reality. Before he could, a sharp pain pinches through his wing. Experiencing this sudden hit caused him to kneel down, letting out a light grunt from the pain, Turning his head to find a green spear pierced into his wing. Blankly staring at the object, Zero manages to dislodge it. The world quickly shifting back to reality. To his surprise, him and his team were backed up to a corner taking cover behind Stone's shield.
"Sir! They began their attack! We've been cornered!" Raider shouted over IB's gunfire.
Zero looked to Ember and Elixir, "Get over to that wall! There is a hidden door there!"
"I can't hold them off forever!" Stone yelled.
"And I'm running low on ammo here!" IB yelled as he pulled back the bolt to allow a steaming gold shell eject out, and loading another stripper clip into his rifle before throwing threw a frag grenade Ember and Raider fought their way through the hoards of changelings before getting to the spot Zero pointed out. Ember fired a laser pistol as Raider planted an explosive.
"Get Down!" she yelled pulling Ember to the floor as the wall exploded. "The door is open!" she yelled as she sliced the throat of another changeling. One by one they ran through the new exit, Stone stood the only one left as he held his shield and Punched a changeling in his muzzle.
"Just run it! We will cover you!" called Raider, taking cover behind a wall and throwing a knife at a changeling readying to take a blow at him. Slowly taking a few steps back, Stone showed for the first time, a sign of fear.
They were countless stories high, desperately looking for a landing pad. IB called out a pond bellow them, "Aim for the pond!" he yelled jumping through the smoky wall. Raider and Ember followed yelling in fear and excitement. Zero looked down and froze for a few seconds.
"C'mon Stone!" Elixir yelled, "We're gonna make it!"
Stone quickly retracted his shield sprinted over in the direction of the hole, but he suddenly stumbled and fell. A magic spear clipped him on his left hind leg, taking a large chunk of meat with it. Elixir gasped in horror, losing her words trying as she tried to speak. Tried to call out his name. Her heart sank even more at the sight of the changeling army rushing over his body, removing him from her sight. She finally was able to cry one word, "STONE!"
Zero looked back, hearing her cry as she froze in place. He ran to her, grabbed a smoke potion from her bag, then threw it on the ground in front of them. He pushed himself over the ledge holding Elixir. "He is strong, he will be fine." Zero said trying to comfort her in mid air. They landed in the pond, she was the first to come up for air. She thrashed around in the water until IB pulled her out, followed by Zero. IB was holding Elixir's body as she cried on his shoulder. "They got Stone didn't they..." IB muttered.
"He's fine, just run!" Zero yelled pulling himself out of the pool of water. Ember and Raider made a break for the forest. Elixir was struggling to stay on her hooves ,"IB, go with the others! I'll handle Elixir!" Zero ordered. IB saluted and followed the other two into the depths of the forest.
The entire changeling army began to spew out of the mountain, "Elixir! We need to go! Now!" he put her on his back, since she collapsed. He ran into the forest as fast as possible, he soon caught up with IB and could see Raider and Ember in the distance. They could hear the buzzing of changelings behind them.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" IB started yelling to himself when he heard the buzzing. Zero noticed Ember and Raider had stop ahead of them.
"In here! A cave!" Ember yelled as Raider dove in. They took refuge in the cave until they heard the buzzing pass over. A changeling had stopped and peered into the cave, but thought nothing of it and flew away.
After a few moments, IB stuck his head out of the entrance. "Raider, go scope the scene." He whispered to her. Raider nodded and got up, but halted when IB suddenly stuck his head back in the cave.
A single changeling came running then stopped in front of the cave. "Wait! Wait for me! Don't leave me here!" she yelled lifting a hoof. She sighed, gazed into the cave, and began to walk in. IB silently pulled out his knife bayonet and lunged out at the changeling, pushing them out of the cave back into the open. As he put the knife to her throat, the group rushed out.
"Give me ONE good reason not to cut your throat right now!" IB spat at her.
"I-I....I didn't...k-know..." she quivered. "
You didn't know what!?!" IB yelled.
"That t-the Queen would order an attack!"
IB pressed the blade closer to her neck and pressed his hoof on her neck as well.
Gak! she dispelled as her airway was cut off. Zero was examining the changeling, and realized who it was, Avi.
"IB stand down." Zero said putting his hoof on his shoulder.
"What! These things tried to kill us! And they did just that with Stone!" IB hissed as he pulled away from Avi. Avi inhaled and exhaled catching her breath.
"I can tell that what she said is truth, she did not know a fight would escalate, nor would she fight." Zero assuring IB, patting him on the back.
"Also IB, I can assure you Stone is alive." Ember stated looking through her visor back at the mountain. Elixir was starting at the changeling, her left eye twitched every now and then. Zero helped Avi to her hoofs, "Have you always been one to take near-lethal hits?" he said almost with a chuckle. Avi turned to see her left wing was almost completely torn apart.
"No, this was caused by one of my brothers stray spears...when the hive flew out after you, I was the only one that could not fly. So I tried to keep up by sprints, but...they where too fast." Avi said with her head down. "Am I your prisoner now?"
Zero thought about it for a moment, he knew she could not return to the hive with a injured wing. He also remembered Stone, maybe there could be a form of prisoner exchange. It's possible. "I suppose so." Be said putting a tracking bit on her horn. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Honestly, I was never fond on taking prisoners despite my willingness to grant mercy to my foes." He walked over to Ember , who was scanning the area with her visor. "Anything?" he asked.
"The changelings are continuing to move south." She answered.
"Any towns or cities nearby? We might have to make for the capital another day."
"Yes, a small town south-east. As well as a larger town to the North." She retracted her visor.
"Alright, let's get moving while we still have a few hours of light." Zero said.
The group had been walking for about two hours now and the sun was setting over the horizon. They soon cam across a small clearing, "Okay, we make camp here for the night." Zero said stepping out of the brush.
"Don't you think we should keep moving? We do want to get ahead of the changelings don't we?" Raider asked observing the sky.
"You all need rest, especially Elixir over there. We make camp." Zero said putting some wood in the middle of the clearing to start a fire. Elixir immediately rolled out a sleeping bag and plopped face down and started snoring. Avi watched with amusement and gave off a faint smile.
"Why are YOU so happy?" IB hissed, making her stomach drop.
"I-I was always interested in the idea of sleep and dreams." She quivered as IB gave her the Mal de ojo. She calmed as Ember asked a question, "So changelings don't sleep?"
"Nope, we never suffer from extreme fatigue, so sleep is unnecessary. Yes, we can get tired, and we have the option to sleep. But we are never allowed to." Avi said with an almost sad look.
Ember rubbed her chin with her hoof, "Hmm... interesting." She took a seat next to Avi, "Tell me more." IB rolled his eyes and finished setting up his tent. Ember was always a curious one, always trying to gain as much knowledge as possible, even if it likely wouldn't benefit her in the future similar to a certain purple alicorn we know.
IB pulled a cast iron pan out of his backpack and heated some meat ration over the fire. Raider lit a cigarette, which she hadn't done since they where back in Thesarian. And Zero, well, who knows what he was thinking as he sat on the ground and started into the darkness of the woods. He looked up at the moon to find the time, "You all should get some sleep." He said getting up off the ground.
"Are you sure we are safe to sleep with this...Thing being here?" IB said rudely.
"My name is Avi." Avi muttered under her breath.
"Don't worry about her, I can keep an eye on her, You rest." Zero said reassuring him. Raider finished her cigarette, grabbed a piece of meat ration, and went into the same tent as IB. Elixir was already crashed out on a sleeping bag, so Ember rolled her up like a burrito and carried her over to the other tent she set up earlier. All who was left was Zero and Avi, it was so silent you could hear the owls hoot, and crickets chirp.
"So... uh, don't you need sleep?" Avi asked rubbing her neck.
"Don't you?" Zero responded sitting on a log across from her.
"I could if I wanted to, but we changelings were always taught to ignore our edge to sleep when it came." she said drawing in the dirt with a stick.
"Well, maybe you should. You're going to need your rest." He said giving her his sleeping bag which he never used.
"How am I sure you won't try to kill me in my sleep?" she asked looking at the bag he gave her.
"Trust me, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it a LONG time ago." he said with a smirk. Avi's face reddened a bit, "If you say so." She replied in a sarcastic tone, rolling out her sleeping bag and slept. The silence and peaceful sound of nature caused Zero to doze off. He closed his eye and saw faces only he could remember and a landscape one could only dream of. He was asleep.
Who knows how long he slept, but he forced himself awake at the sound of an Eep! A magic spear stuck out of the ground, inches away from Avi's head. Zero looked up to see a horde of changelings flying towards them. "Get up now!" Ambush!" Zero said pushing Avi out of the way of another spear.
IB and Raider came rushing out of their tent, "Went the hell is happening out here!" IB exclaimed, Zero lifted an eyebrow.
"Why is Raider wearing your Jeep cap?" IB looked at Raider, she gave him a big grin before he snagged it from her head and put it on his own. IB was suddenly tackled by a changeling launching them into the brush. "IB!" Raider yelled as she ran after them and disappeared into the darkness.
Some changelings rushed into the tent where Elixir and Ember slept. There was a crash and a yelp. The changelings were thrown out of the tent and fell as a lump in front of another group of changelings. Another changeling was thrown straight up out of the tent, ripping through the fabric as a white blur rushed up, tackling it in mid air. Elixir punched it rapidly and threw it into the distance, then flew after it.
Ember emerged from the tent and faced the group of changelings, "OK.." she lifted a hoof, "...if you don't wish to die, I suggest you run now." The changelings laughed and paced toward her slowly. Ember pressed her fore hoof and a button was heard, revealing a cloaked gauntlet. FWOOOMP! A large ball of flame spewed out engulfing the mass of changelings, they ran away crying and yelping. "I warned you, now time to find Elixir." she ran off into the forest.
As Zero fought off some changelings, Avi was tackled by one of her brothers, "What are you doing! I'm a Changeling like you!" she yelled as she tried to brake loose from him.
"You are a traitor to your own kind! We saw you giving information to the orange pony!" he raised a magic spear, "Now you die a traitor's death..." Avi continued to struggle, and at the sight of the spear flying towards her, she closed her eyes. A loud BOOM! sounded which roared like thunder and echoed throughout the forest. She opened her eyes again to see the spear centimeters away from her head in the ground and the body of her kin fall lifelessly to the side. Avi got up to see Zero holding up his fore hoof which he wore his brace and smoke emitted from a small hole on the edge of it.
The changelings looked at each other terrified, one by one they began to scurry away and fly into the darkness of the night. Zero walked over to Avi and helped her up. "Humph!" he huffed.
"What?" Avi asked.
"I'm surprised you didn't run while you had the chance."
"Well where would I go? Back to the hive?! They obviously don't want me back there now! They DID try to kill just now..." she pulled the spear out of the ground.
"...and destroyed my wing...and left me for dead out in the wilderness."
"Valid points." Zero said.
"Hey, what happened to your team?" Avi asked scanning around for them.
"I don-" he was cut off by a familiar laugh he heard in the distance. "Chrysalis!" Zero muttered. He ran into the woods towards the sound, "Wait for me!" Avi followed.
"IB! IB!" Raider yelled as she paced through the darkness of the forest looking for her friend. A familiar yell was heard in the distance, and she sprinted towards it. She came to a halt as she saw IB on his knees swinging his rifle around in all directions fending off some changelings circling around him, like sharks around their prey. He had his bayonet attached to the end of the barrel, his face was streaked with blood from a gash on his forehead, and his left wing was mangled, so he held his rifle with his right wing and balanced it on his left fore hoof.
Raider watched in horror, she pulled out one of her knifes and prepared to lunge out at one of the circling changelings. But there was a loud Crack! and her unconscious body flew forward out in front of one of the circling changelings.
"R-Raider!" IB yelled but could hardly speak due to pain. He spat out some blood, reached for a stripper clip from his backpack and tried to load his rifle. His vision began to fade as he watched a changeling put Raider's limp body on the back of another, then they looked at him.
His wing loosened its grip on the rifle, letting it hit the ground with a Clank! as he toppled over the pain, blacking out.
"Take them back to the hive, the Queen is especially curious of this one." A changeling said nudging IB's body. A changeling put IB onto his back, "Don't forget his weapon, The Queen might be interested in examining it." The same changeling commanded. They flew up through the canopy and disappeared into the night sky.
Elixir continued to choke the changeling's lifeless body.
"Elixir!" Ember could be heard in the distance when she appeared out of the shrubs. "Elixir! What are you doing!?" she yelled running over to her.
"I'm trying to get this thing to tell me where they are holding my brother." She slaps the changeling's corpse across the face. "Tell me!"
"Um, Elixir, don't you know they still have to be alive to interrogate them." Ember said, cocking her head to the side as a response to Elixir's actions.
Elixir looked at the changeling, barely realizing it was no longer breathing. "Oh...I thought it was just giving me the silent treatment."
Ember face hoofed, "Well, it would not have been able to tell you anyway. I don't think Stone is in the changeling mountain anymore." she said helping Elixir off the ground.
"How do you know?"
"My visor couldn't pick up his heat signature. But, his brace is still giving off signs of blood pulses. So he is alive." Ember said looking to the mountain.
Elixir flew up over the canopy to scout the surrounding land. "Hey! You said there was a town to the North right?!"
"Yeah! And when I meant town, I meant the capitol of this kingdom!" Ember yelled back at her.
"Well, it's on the side of a mountain!" She could see the silhouette of the town, and could see lights shine from windows.
"Don't you think we should go back to camp?" Ember asked as Elixir flew back down to ground level.
"Nah, Zero and the rest can take care of themselves, I'm going to find my brother!" Elixir was about to take off when Ember stopped her.
"Wait..." Elixir glared at her. "...you're going to need some help." Ember gave her a warm smile and Elixir returned it. Together they made for the Capitol of the kingdom of Equestria.
"But Zero! What if it's a trap!?" Avi yelled trying to catch up with him, Zero jumped out of the brush into another clearing, Avi followed. Chrysalis stood at the opposite side of the clearing with a few guards to her sides.
"Oh look who decided to show up. The hero.." she looked at Zero before she turned to Avi, "..and the traitor." Chrysalis taunted with a small grin on her face.
"Give me one good reason not to kill you right now." Zero asked.
"Oh please! You wouldn't dare to- " before she could finish, Zero raised his brace and there was thunder again. Chrysalis's right fore hoof gave out from the bullet grazing her.
"Ugh! Fine! If that's how you negotiate...ATTACK!" At that moment, a mass of hundreds of changelings poured out of the darkness of the forest.
"IT'S A TRAP" Avi yelled like the captain of a ship.
"Run...Run!" Zero then yelled like a powerful wizard.
They bolted away from the horde "HAHAHAHAHAhahahaha!" Chrysalis's sick and menacing laugh faded as they ran from the clearing.
The changelings where firing magic spears at them, Avi did the same back in retaliation. Zero and Avi where surprisingly faster than the flying changelings, and soon where far ahead of them. Zero noticed a rickety bridge up ahead that crossed over a ravine where an old ruined castle was on the other side.
They stopped and were still cautious despite the buzzing they heard in the distance behind them. "I'll go first to make sure it's safe." Zero told Avi as he put a hoof on one of the old planks. He made it about halfway when he heard a Snap! The bridge dislodged from one side and fell, Zero jumped and landed on the ledge on the other side of the ravine.
"Hurry!" Zero yelled waving his hoof, Avi shuddered as she looked down into the abyss. "There's no other way! You have to jump!" Magic spears flew in their direction, but every spear never came close to it's mark. Avi tried to see if she could fly over, but her wing had not healed at all, it probably never would. She nodded as a sign.
Zero took a hook and lowered himself down a little over the ledge to better her chances of a successful jump. Avi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and took the leap. She barely caught Zero's hoof and sighed in relief to be holding his hoof.
Zero began climbing back up to the ledge when he heard a yell. He looked down to see a spear in the side of the cliff and only gripping Avi's severed foreleg. His face flushed with horror, he detached the hook and free fall with Avi, who went into shock due to pain. The darkness soon engulfed them. Twinkles of water erupted from the bottom of the ravine, a river. He hugged Avi and positioned himself so they would land on his back. They landed hard in the water and the splash echoed throughout the ravine.
Zero surfaced and grunted from the pain in his back. He dragged Avi's unconscious body to the rocky shore, put her down, and collapsed next to her. He groaned, "How DO I get into situations like these?..." he asked as if repeating a thought of his out loud.
He got up, dressed Avi's severe wound and put her on his back. He noticed a series of ledges, but realized it to be a path up out of the ravine. They had escaped.
