Chapter Four - The Demolition Sisters

Twilight knocked on the oak door with vigor. Today was the second day of recruiting for Team Rainbow, and she could not wait to get the day started. A golden glow opened the door a crack and a tired golden eye peeked through the crack. She waved happily and singsonged, "Good morning!"

He huffed and closed the door. She heard him unlatching quite a few locks. The door opened all the way this time, and Grey Vulcan stepped out into the humid early Spring morning air. "I guess seeing you every morning will make them good," Grey smiled warmly. "How's it going, filly?"

Twilight would be lying if she said she did not have a small, schoolfilly crush on her former teacher while she was in school. When you are picked on by your classmates and he, is the one pony to stand up for you, how would an impressionable filly not fall for him? Those feelings rose to her cheeks every time he would compliment her or say something sweet unexpectedly. "Today is going well," she answered and led him down the steps. They stopped in front of Twilight's car, and she saw him frown. "What?"

"I am not fitting in that thing," Grey chastised the small bright purple car; the latest in 'environmental friendly smart cars'.

"It's bigger than it looks," Twilight pouted.

Grey stifled his laughter which escaped through his hoof as a snicker.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Nothing," he cleared his throat. He opened the door and inspected the chair doubtfully.

"There is a lever on the side you can press to push the seat back," Twilight informed as she settled into her seat.

He located said lever and used his hoof to push back on it. The chair electrically, slowly, moved back as far as it could go. He climbed in and felt slightly claustrophobic. Ignoring the flaring pain in his joints, he buckled his seatbelt, and asked, "Who are we condemning next?"

"We are not 'condemning' anypony. We are going to scout the Pie sisters."

Grey levitated their dossiers from off the dash and brought them up to his muzzle.

Name: Limestone Pie

Callsign: N/A

Rank: Sergeant

Age: 27

Place of Birth: Trottingham

Height: 5' 6"

Weight: 245 lbs.

Background: Limestone Pie is the oldest of four sisters. When she was twelve, her family moved to and bought Rock Farm, because of fierce competition back in Trottingham. At the age of eighteen, she enlisted into the Equestrian Army and joined the 23rd Demolition Company. After her two-year mandatory service commitment, she stayed for six more years, afterward, she went back to Rock Farm to help with the family business. In her years of service, she quickly earned a name for herself for being the strongest and toughest in the army. She won eight light heavyweight boxing championships. . . in the male division.

Psychological Profile: Limestone Pie is brash, hot-headed, ill-tempered, and impatient. She respects strength over rank. She holds a high regard for the safety of those around her; she takes missions seriously. She does not back down from a challenge which can lead to borderline obsessive behavior. Underneath her tough exterior and gruff demeanor. . . there is a rough interior and gruff demeanor.

Training: Eight years in the Equestrian Army (active duty), E.O.D. certified.

Relevant Experience: Spent her eight years clearing unexploded ordinance

Notes: She has a strong sense of duty and protection for her family. She exceeds expectations when teamed with her three siblings. In her first deployment, survived IED explosion with minor injuries and single hoofedly dragged her squadmates from the raging inferno of the truck before it exploded. She was promoted to Sergeant afterward.

Grey whistled and put down her file, "She's just a barrel full of monkeys."

"I'd say," Twilight giggled.

Grey picked up the second file and began to read.

Name: Maud Pie

Callsign: N/A

Rank: Corporal

Age: 25

Place of Birth: Trottingham

Height: 5' 6"

Weight: 240 lbs.

Background: Maud Pie is the second oldest of the Pie sisters. Unlike Limestone who joined because she liked it, and her other two sisters who joined out of obligation, Maud acceded to the Army for the college scholarship. After her two commitment years, she went to Las Pegasus University, where she picked up a Doctorate in Earth Science and a Masters in Geoscience. She is Head of Geology in Princess Luna's Royal Conclave of Scientist. She developed a personal scanner that can "see through" stone and determine its composition. She currently is helping with the family business in Rock Farm.

Psychological Profile: Maud Pie is level headed, calm under pressure, and persevering. She is easy going and likes talking about rocks (also to them, apparently). She has a strong sense to protect her siblings.

Training: Two years with the Equestrian Army's 23rd Demolition Company (active), E.O.D. certified, Las Pegasus University: Ph.D. Earth Science/ Masters in Geo Science

Relevant Experience: Two years clearing explosives, helped develop sonar/x-ray technology

Notes: Maud Pie is a significant contribute to the family's farm. Has a pet rock named Boulder.

"I've heard about Maud Pie. Her family makes the best rock candy," Grey commented.

"Her family also supplied the rocks for building the wall around Everfree," Twilight added.

He set the file aside and picked up the third, "Are we there yet?"

Name: Pinkamena Diane Pie

Callsign: N/A

Rank: Corporal

Age: 23

Place of Birth: Trottingham

Height: 5' 6"

Weight: 238 lbs.

Background: Pinkamena Pie is the second youngest of the Pie sisters. She joined the Equestrian Army at the age of 18, where she joined her two older sisters in the 23rd Demolition Company. She quickly became adept at creating explosives and within her first two years of service, developed an explosive capable of cutting through steel. Near the end of her four-year service, she also helped develop Composition Five, C-5, which is twice as deadly per ounce than C-4 and harder to detect.

Psychological Profile: Pinkamena has shown signs of asocial, bipolar, and psychopathic behavior. Coupled with her affinity for dissecting small animals as an adolescent and pyromania, one should not let their guard down around the seemingly cheerful Pinkamena. Also, keep all sharp objects away from her when not in the field.

Training: Four years of active service with the 23rd Demolition Company, E.O.D. certified

Relevant Experience: Four years of E.O.D., the development of two explosives

Notes: Eat cupcakes at own risk, do not leave her unsupervised around explosives, do not leave her unsupervised around sharp objects; we advise not to leave her unsupervised at all.

"Ooo," Grey awed, "I like crazy. I think she is going to be delightful!"

Twilight frowned at him and rolled her eyes.

"Let see. . . there is the rude one, the stoic one, the crazy one. . . what's left? The funny one?"

"Don't count on it," was Twilight's flat response.

Name: Marble Pie

Callsign: N/A

Rank: Private

Age: 23

Place of Birth: Trottingham

Height: 5' 5"

Weight: 220 lbs.

Background: Marble Pie is the younger twin sister of Pinkamena Pie. Marble grew up in a sheltered life because of the complications after her birth. Her family kept her in a bubble of sorts to keep her from getting injured or sick. Her father forced her to join the Army so that she could get out of her hermit-like behavior. She was deeply terrified when she was not cleared to enter the 23rd Demolition Company, where her three other sisters were. Instead, she was put into the 2068th Markspony Squad. She broke several of the Army's and multiple international military range records and currently holds the record for longest recorded hit on a four-inch diameter target at an astounding distance of 3,002 yards and 7 inches.

Psychological Profile: Marble Pie suffers from crippling social anxiety and insecurity. She prefers to be by herself or with her sisters. She has great attention to detail and precision.

Training: Four years of inactive service with the 2068th Markspony Squad

Relevant Experience: Multiple awards for sharpshooting and marksponyship

Notes: While noticeably smaller than her sisters, Marble Pie is a proficient hand-to-hand fighter who was taught by Limestone. She not only has an affinity for sniper rifles but also boast an extensive collection of shotguns.

"Oh, Onyx is going to eat Marble up," Grey chuckled, "That is if he can get past her three sisters. She is just precious."

"Three thousand yards is way past impressive. Marble is talented," Twilight commented.

"Did you talk to Darklon?"

"He called me in the middle of the night. His exact words were 'this training facility is complete shite,' and he hung up."

Grey laughed, "Yeah, that sounds like him."

"Princess Celestia already has the Corps of Engineers working on a new training facility in the old Wonderbolts Academy."

"Fantastic. It's great to see pony's taxes put to good use."

"You mean besides your paycheck?" Twilight gibed.

"When did you develop a sense of humor?" Grey reflected.

"About the time you started getting old," Twilight jabbed and stuck out her tongue at him.

"Good thing I'm not old then," Grey harrumphed and crossed his forehooves across his chest.

Twilight laughed.

The rest of the ride passed by in silence. With ten minutes of intense debating over what to listen over the radio and what music was best, they parlayed to take turns listening to each of their favorite genres for thirty minutes. By Twilights calculations, she would be able to hear to her station one more time than her mentor, which did not escape Grey Vulcan.

Thick, lush forests opened out to flat plains and meadows which finally transformed into a dry, arid landscape. Barely any cars traveled down the dirt road where there was no shortage of trucks hauling mountains of rock away.

Upon hearing Grey mumbling to himself, Twilight asked, "What are you doing?"

"Praying to the Mother that this tiny shit doesn't get stuck out here," Grey remarked.

Twilight scoffed and rubbed the dashboard with a hoof, "Don't listen to the mean stallion, Lavender Coupe." She snapped her head to him and glared at him, "You need to stop disrespecting my car or you can walk home."

"Okay, okay," Grey held up his hooves in surrender, "My bad, my bad."

A few minutes went by and they zoomed past a 'Pie Construction Inc.' sign that informed them their destination was five miles ahead. Fifteen minutes later, and a quaint two-story concrete building came into view. It was relatively large, and most of the parking lot had each spot filled with cars and trucks. They drove past the building, heading for the Pie residence instead. Ten minutes and they are pulling up to gate that reads 'Pie Family Rock Farm'.

"You think this is the place?" Grey mused.

Twilight rolled her eyes and turned off the car. She climbed out of the car and stepped onto the crumbling dry earth. Rocks, boulders, bare land, all greeted her sight. She was kicking herself for spending the night tirelessly imagining what a rock farm would look like. She spotted a white sign that read 'Trespassers will be shot'.

"'Survivors will be shot again,'" Grey read the sign on the other gate post. "Hm. Challenge accepted."

Grey began to walk down the cobblestone walkway that led to a quaint, wooden two-story house with a straw roof. Behind the cottage stood a large storage silo and a squeaking windmill turned lazily. When they reached the door, he rapped on it quickly five times paused then knocked two more times. The door violently swung open and a pair of shotgun barrels introduced themselves.

"Yaer're tresspassin' on private property!" Limestone's sharp, edgy, Trottingham accent spoke behind the shotgun.

Grey smiled warmly at the mare, "My name is Colonel Thatcher of Princess Luna's Royal Armed Special Forces. And this is my colleague, IQ," he introduced them.

"Doesn't 'splain wot yaer're doin' 'ere," Limestone hissed.

"We are here to recruit you to join a special, secret team of elite soldiers, Miss Limestone," Twilight explained.

Limestone cocked an eyebrow and examined the two with her intense yellow eyes. Limestone set the shotgun aside to the left of the door and beckoned them in, "C'min. We're just 'bout done with lunch anyways."

Inside the cottage looked and felt no different from the outside. Grey had wanted to make a comment about the house being made of wood when there were rocks around but opted instead to ask, "Are all your sisters here?"

"Yea, wot uv it?"

"We were hoping to recruit all four of you. You four work well together and have impressive resumes," Twilight spoke.

Limestone led them to a living room area which was furnished with comfortable looking couches; a fireplace sat unused in the middle of the far wall, and a large TV and media center filled the right wall as they entered.

"Sit," she ordered and eyed them until they sat together on a couch. "Pies! We 'ave guests!" she shouted then sat in a large chair, glowering at them. "Ma 'n Pa are still at th' fact'ry. Yaer lucky t'day was our day off."

Maud was the first to enter the room, her stoic face and calm blue eyes scanned the room and located the visitors, " 'allo," she greeted them in her cold monotony. She sat to the left of them on the longer couch which blended with her gray coat.

Marble appeared next and when she spotted the new entities, she released an 'eep!' and quickly hid behind Limestone's red chair.

Pinkamena entered last. He wild blue eyes stared at the new ponies through her straight, pink mane and she smiled warily at them, "Hi," she greeted meekly and sat beside Maud.

"We don't want to take up too much of your time, so let me get straight to the point," Grey started, "war is brewing. We need the best soldiers we can find who are the best at what they do. You four show great promise. The secret task force we are recruiting for will hopefully end the war before it ever truly begins." He looked to the four mares, "I can't guarantee you will live to grow old; I can guarantee that this will be an experience you have never gone through and it will be worth it. Every pony, every Griffin, every Dragon, all of Equus will thank you for securing their way of living and freedom."

"That's some speech," Maud was the first to speak, "if things are as dire as you make 'em out to be, then I will join. I won't let anyone ruin what we have all worked so hard for."

"I'm in!" Limestone announced.

Pinkamena tittered nervously, "Well if they are joinin' I guess I can tag along."

Marble had stepped out from her hiding spot with determination in her eyes, "Mhm!"

"Excellent!" Twilight smiled, "When everything is prepared, and the trainers are ready to start, we will send you a letter with directions to reach the facility."

Grey Vulcan and Twilight Sparkle left a few minutes later, with Limestone's diminishing patience apparently presenting itself. With the two visitors gone, Maud returned to the living room after escorting them out. They all exchanged varied glances. To the curious onlooker, the scene would appear to be four mares standing idly around, but to the Pie's, their little twitches and glances spoke volumes to one another.

The author could probably translate their movements into words, but the author will not. They are talking in private, and it would be rude of the author to reveal what they are saying when the readers will find out later in the chapters to come.