The Harmony Initiative

Chapters

Chapter 2: Know Your Enemy (To The Best of Your Ability)
Chapter 3: Communion
Chapter 4: Operation Red Star
Initiative Soldier Interviews #1: Solemn Vigil, Lone Shadow, & The Hantzsch
Chapter 5: Air Strike
Chapter 6: Operation Dragon's Breath
Chapter 7: Scientific Pursuits
Harmony Database: Personal Notes and Progress Reports (Set #1)
Chapter 8: Fuse
Month 2: Prologue
Chapter 9: Blade and Shield
Chapter 10: Variables
Chapter 11: Operation Crimson Blade
Chapter 12: Solemn Hour
Chapter 13: Isolation
Chapter 14: Breakthroughs and Reports
Harmony Database: Personal Notes and Progress Reports (Set #2)
Chapter 15: Speak
Chapter 16: Judgement
Chapter 17: The Battle of The Hive (Part 1)
Prologue
Chapter 1: Operation Witch Hunt
Initiative Soldier Interviews #2: Izetta, Midnight Spice, Sour Marmalade

Chapter 2: Know Your Enemy (To The Best of Your Ability)

When she came to the hangar to see the fruits of the soldier’s labor, Starlight was met with panicked ponies from the medical bay rushing through the sliding jaw-like blast doors from the pristine, blindingly white halls.

Almost everypony in Harmony had heard about the rather unfortunate first mission, the news spreading like wildfire. Many of the ponies panicked, minds reeling from what was being said. Recruits in the barracks vocalized their concerns and even the Central Lab had began to suffer from decreased morale. Starlight had hoped it was just a rumor being spread through the base, a horrid one at that, but Twilight’s grim face had all but confirmed the reports.

While Commander Sparkle was conducting the operation alongside her brother, Starlight had the pleasure of organizing her science teams, preparing the Biology Division for the arrival of at least one new subject. The mare in charge of the division, a strange blend of a casual appearance and a stern and rather formal work ethic, had volunteered herself to perform the autopsy, should Twilight give the proper authorization of the project. The other ponies seemed reluctant and even hesitant at the idea of splitting open an alien creature.

Fortunately, if there was any disgust or if she hadn’t actually wanted to perform the autopsy, Sky Lance kept those feelings to herself and hid them behind a veil taking the form of an eager smile and her speeding towards the autopsy chamber’s prep and examination chamber before Starlight could say another word.

As they reached the mechanical frame of the hangar’s doors, the two science ponies flanking Starlight exchanged concerned glances, but Starlight helmed through, her hooves clopping against the cool metal floor.

She had hoped to see the hangar in an orderly state, like usual; Maintenance ponies rushing around and doing...whatever it was that they did, Pegasi forming in their cliques readying themselves in the event the invaders had aerial forces themselves and Griffons helping out wherever they could without causing too much trouble. The usual.

Instead excitement rose through the hangar as Starlight took light steps. Roars burst from the catwalks and a cacophony of screams and shouts rang in Starlight’s ears. Maintenance ponies scrambled out into the single column of light shouting and waving their hooves at the pegasi and griffons blocking the slow descent of Rainbow Dash and the thick arcane enchanted carriage she was harnessed to. The cyan mare tore off her helmet and continued to lower herself, maneuvering around those who blocked the way. She tossed her helmet down, missing a blue pegasus by a few inches.

“C’mon!” She shouted. “Move it! We don’t have time for this!”

It dawned on Starlight rather slowly that the pegasi and griffons weren’t necessarily trying to block the way. Hooves flew and made contact with beaks while talons swiped, sharp and grazing fur, sending small strands floating down slowly. Curses sailed through the air with the rough wind that swept through as the roof of the cavern began to shut. A grizzled, rough griffon dove for a target, a grey pegasus narrowly avoiding the tackle, making the griffon slam himself against the side of the sky carriage.

Blue surrounded the opposing groups, separating them like children being put in time-out. They froze in their motions, eyes glancing around as they were lowered to the ground and Rainbow Dash speedily made her way to the central platform. When Starlight released both the griffons and pegasi across from each other, she flung a wall between them, conjured from a thick aura surrounding her horn. Two from both parties charged the moment the blue energy formed between them, earning themselves well deserved zaps and shocks before stumbling back.

“Stop it!” Starlight shouted. The griffons growled and snarled, snapping their beaks. Starlight’s magic enveloped them again. “Now! Calm down and then I’ll let go.”

Their breathing was ragged, coarse and rough. The pegasi shuffled away, taking refuge beside a pile of supply crates. When Starlight eased her magic, each griffon huffed and walked off to the other side of the hangar, beside another pile of crates directly opposite from the pegasi.

Commander Twilight had placed herself between the two parties, fire in her eyes as she glanced at both of them.

“My office,” She growled, stepping forward. Both parties exchanged worried glances among each other, neither one moving anything besides their heads. “Right now!”

With a jump, both griffon and pegasus alike rushed through the bay doors and started down the hall. Once Twilight’s presence was realized by everypony else, the noises suppressed; the ponies working maintenance doing most of the shouting, trying to separate the warring groups.

Rainbow Dash planted her hooves on the ground hurriedly and struggled to ease her way out of the harness of the sky carriage, while the medics unloaded a light blue stallion from the transport onto a white gurney. He waved a hoof at his squadmates in the carriage and gave an almost reassuring grin. The stallion rested his head down and rested his eyes as the medical ponies carried him away, allowing himself a moment to relax.

The surrounding pegasi and griffons who were either too tired to participate in the fighting itself or were uninterested entirely watched from the safety of their metal perches, gazed down with a mix of terror and disbelief as another pegasus was levitated out, three holes in his throat. His blood caked fur and lifeless form shook Starlight. She felt the cavern begin to spin.

Easy, Starlight told herself, trying to steady her body. He’s...in a better place. Far from all of this.

“Oh Luna!” A stallion called from one of the metal perches. Voices circulated around the cavernous hangar in a cacophony of hysteria. Pegasi stood, clamouring among each other, yelling over each other, eyes wide and terror on all of their faces. The panic began to sweep all around, spreading like the plague. Griffons remained stone-faced, but had tried their best to keep their comrades calm.

Chaos erupted all around. Voices calling out and cursing the invaders, Celestia, Luna and everything inbetween. Starlight felt her hooves begin to pull her back. She shouldn’t be here. This shouldn’t even be happening.

Starlight’s horn lit up. She tried to conjure a spell, it’s area of effect spanning the whole cavern. Peaceful memories entered her mind. Memories of finally being at peace with Twilight and her friends, meeting Trixie, and hundreds of others. It was all she could do to keep herself from passing out. These ponies needed to calm do—

“ENOUGH!”

Starlight’s horn burst, sending sparks of magic flowing around her.

Twilight marched down the steely cool path, standing tall and regal. Her wings curled gracefully at her sides, feathers preened carefully and extending just beyond her flanks. Her eyes burned with fury comparable to the sun, eyes fixed on the dead stallion. A sharp frown formed around her lips and she breathed with audible frustration.

The voices had ceased. Starlight’s eyes scanned the room. Ponies and griffons alike stared at the lavender alicorn making her way down the metal path and towards the medical ponies standing at attention and the body of the now-former Wonderbolt spread on a gurney; lying on his side and eyes closed. Were it not for the wounds in his neck and his lack of body movement, Starlight would have thought him just blissfully sleeping.

Twilight stood above him and placed a hoof on the steel railing of the bed. Starlight felt herself creeping forward carefully as to not provoke Twilight to shout again. Her tall, regal, princess-like form was beautiful; soothing in a way. Her presence in the hangar managed to put all the workers and soldiers at ease. Starlight couldn’t help but to rest on her haunches as Twilight continued her whispers.

With a spark of her horn, Twilight craned her neck down and pressed her head against the deceased stallion’s. Her purple aura surrounded him before dissipating into nothing. Starlight felt her brow come together. What kind of spell was that?

“I’m sorry Dazzle.” Twilight whispered. She closed her eyes and released a steady breath. Starlight felt her brow raise and come together as she watched Twilight whisper a silent prayer. Starlight herself wasn’t familiar with the tongue in which Twilight spoke, but she listened attentively as though if she listened close enough, she’d be able to understand.

She placed a hoof on the stallion’s head and opened her eyes, heavy with moisture. She hadn’t let a single drop release and fall. Instead she swallowed and looked towards one of the medical ponies, blinking her tears back.

“Clean him up as best you can,” She ordered. The mare nodded. “I want him prepped for a memorial service.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Starlight stood aside, watching the ponies somberly carry Dazzle’s body from the sky carriage. Another pegasus stepped out, trembling and wet trails streaking down her cheeks. Crimson caked her forehooves and chest, as if she had stepped in a puddle full of blood. Her magenta eyes watched soullessly as Dazzle was carried off. She kept her head low and looked over at Twilight who let out a sigh.

“Ma’am.” She spoke softly. "We tried our best."

“I know, Fleetfoot. I’m sorry for your loss.” Twilight said simply watching Dazzle get carried off. She hadn’t turned to face the pegasus stifling a sob under her hoof. “Nopony should ever have to experience that.”

Fleetfoot stepped down and sat on her haunches. Rainbow trotted gingerly and wrapped a hoof around her. She allowed her grieving friend to spill herself out onto her chest. Fleetfoot sobbed and gripped onto Rainbow tightly.

Captain Spitfire stood at the edge of the carriage. She avoided the gaze of all who stared at her keeping her eyes trained on her own hooves. Starlight offered a helping hoof only to have the gold pegasus swat it away angrily. Twilight's ears flicked, turning her head. Still, Spitfire avoided her superior officer's sympathetic gaze.

“Spitfire, I—”

“Ma’am! I’m…” Spitfire stopped and lowered her head, opening her mouth and struggling to find her voice. She muttered under her breath and banged her head against the floor of the carriage. Her ears drooped as Twilight’s hoofsteps came closer. “I’m sorry. I...I need to be alone for a little bit. M-m-ma’am.”

Twilight nodded and brought the mare’s chin up. Spitfire. “I understand. Take as long as you need.”

“T-thank you.”

“D-did…” Starlight started, clearing her throat. Spitfire shot a glare. “Did you recover—”

“It's in the back.” Spitfire spat stepping off of the carriage. Her eyes narrowed. “It better have been worth it.”

Starlight’s mouth opened, readying her scripted apology, but she held her tongue. Even after all Twilight had taught her, there was nothing that could ever prepare her for trying to comfort somepony after the death of a close friend. She was out of her element on that one.

It would probably have been easier once Spitfire cooled down before Starlight offered her condolences. Ponies often said things they didn’t mean when they were angry. It was a lesson learned the hard way for Starlight.

Once Spitfire cleared the hangar, Twilight looked above at the pegasi and griffons surrounding her from the metal perches, each one doe-eyed and most unable to actually look down at the carriage.

“We are not supposed to be fighting each other.” Twilight spoke, a dim glow surrounding her horn, amplifying her voice. She glowered at each one of her little ponies with a mix of anger and disgust. “Our goal is to protect every living creature in Equestria and beyond! We can’t do that without each other’s cooperation! Whatever problems you have with one another needs to go now. I expect everypony to be back in their stations in fifteen minutes.”

A murmur swept through the crowd. Twilight turned, flicking her hair and started towards the hangar doors. Starlight reached a hoof out and touched the alicorn’s flank. She shrank back, as Twilight turned furiously. Both calmed themselves.

“I’m sorry Starlight,” Twilight apologized, wiping her mane out of her eyes. “Did you need something?”

“I-I...” Starlight cleared her throat and waved for her two assistants to step closer. They complied, although hesitantly, bringing a gurney of their own with them. “The biology teams are on standby in the labs. I suggest we analyze the alien body to try and begin our understanding of them. With your clearance of course.”

Twilight paused and stared into the rear of the sky carriage.

Sure enough, the body of Equestria’s first extraterrestrial lifeform lay slumped and jammed into the corner of the carriage’s interior. Three holes bore into its head with a sickly green liquid dripping down. Starlight couldn’t help but hold a hoof up to her nose in disgust. The peculiar glow from the rear of its cranium and chest sparked interest in Starlight’s two assistants who stepped inside and prodded it with their hooves.

Starlight shook her head and faced Twilight.

“Okay. When you’re finished...Doing whatever you’ll do with it, send me a report detailing the findings.” Twilight stopped herself mid turn. “I want to know everything. Anything that could help us in the fight against them.”

Thud!

Starlight jumped and hopped behind Twilight. The body of the grey being was on the floor now, her two assistants looked down at it with disgust, curling their lips and prodding it with their hooves.

“Oh Celestia,” Starlight muttered while regaining her composure. Her magic enveloped the being and dropped the body onto the gurney. “Bring it to the labs!”

The commander had begun to leave again, increasing her pace. The science ponies followed gingerly, eyeing the alien body as they trotted along. Starlight cast a quick glance at the hangar before she left. She wasn't a pegasi by any means, but she knew their beliefs and their traditions. The death of a Wonderbolt, or any other pegasus for that matter, would be felt by all. But the death of a pegasus would be a deep wound for the pegasi.

The death of one was a death for all.

***

It was quite interesting that nopony in the science division had wanted to undertake in such a monumental chapter of Equestrian history. Stranger still was that nopony in the Biology Division had volunteered for the position of Alien Autopsy Specialist.

Even as she put on the full body suit, the noisy leathery surface crinkling with each miniscule movement, Sky Lance could feel the eyes of nervous and somewhat disgusted ponies watching her before she entered the autopsy chamber; an isolated room in the science wing with windows all around so ponies could watch every incision, organ removal and so on. It was quite bland, even with the table in the center.

As strange as she found it, the fact that nopony had willingly volunteered to learn the anatomy and structure of this alien being, Sky Lance had to keep herself from jumping with joy when Starlight Glimmer herself had approached her with the task. To be the first pony in Equestria to learn and explore the body of a visitor from the stars? There was no chance she would pass it up.

Performing an autopsy had its perks and definitely could easily have been categorized as Sky Lance’s definition of ‘relaxing’. Granted she wasn’t one of those ponies who took pleasure in seeing a once living creature inside out. There was a special kind of calm that Lance had felt, much like a farmer seeing the fruits of their labor or a pony raking leaves during autumn. It was the calm a pony felt when she was in her element.

It was an act she had seldom performed in Canterlot, but every opportunity was a chance to excel and that was truly the most fascinating aspect of the often bloody endeavor.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Starlight’s voice called from the intercom. Sky Lance’s ear twitched, her hooves bringing her forward with an unusual bounce in her step. The light from the ceiling was almost blinding, but the mare had endured far worse. Instead she brought all her focus on the frail shriveled being laying lifeless on the table.

Admittedly, Sky Lance expected something more. It was pathetic to look at. Weak frail limbs and bulbous head. Abnormally large eyes. Glowing chest and semi-transparent skin on the head. Lance furrowed her brow. No mouth? No nose?

Interesting. Sky Lance checked the scale. Forty Five kilograms.

“Let’s see what we have.” Her robotic assisted arms whizzed and buzzed to life before falling silent and they began to move. On the side, next to the table was all the equipment she would need: scalpels, pins, tweezers, saws and a clipboard and pen. Basic tools of the trade for a job as messy as this.

Eagerly, Lance took the pen in her grasp, recorded the weight and dropped it. The chance to find out all this creature's little secrets had filled Lance with a kind of glee comparable to a filly getting her first library card.

An arm primed itself with a scalpel, the other floating down and placing itself on the being’s chest for support. Lance braced herself mentally. It wasn’t everyday that a pony got to see the insides of...anything. Of course, a land as peaceful as Equestria would be ignorant to blood and gore for the most part. Most ponies would shy away from such a brutal task. Lance on the other hoof…

She began slicing, the scalpel digging into the skin smoothly. The blade sunk in a little deeper than she would have liked, tearing into the leathery gray skin with ease. Green ichor rushed from the wound as Lance carved her way down to the base of the chest and started for the other shoulder.

“The skin is…” Lance paused, eyes intent on keeping the slice straight. The arm raised itself as she took a look at her handiwork. “...very leathery and thin. It takes virtually no effort to cut into its body.”

Lance raised her head and looked out to the crowd of ponies gathered, a few looking into the chamber with disgust while the rest wrote down notes on their clipboards. Commander Twilight Sparkle grimaced and turned away, disinterest apparent on her face. Or was it something else?

Regardless, Lance proceeded with the autopsy.

She carved a line down the chest and toward the pelvic region. As she reached the bulging stomach, Lance felt a bit of resistance. With a light tug, she was able to proceed down the body.

“Got a bit of resistance around the stomach.” Lance whispered to herself. A bead of sweat dripped down from her brow and onto the suit’s visor. She cursed under her breath and shook her head, hoping to get the small moisture out of her sights. It remained. With a huff, Lance returned to work.

“Prepping the subject for muscular evaluation,” Lance announced pleased with her near perfect incisions. She dropped the scalpel and began to peel the skin back, her ears buzzing with a morbid delight at the slippery, sloshing of flesh separating from muscle.

The muscle tissue was nothing special. Strangely colored, taking on an almost bronze hue and very tightly pulled together along the chest. The abdominal region still bulged. The glowing in its body grew brighter.

What use would a being have for bioluminescence inside of its body? Perhaps it was native to a dark homeworld? One where the land was shrouded in darkness? That was hardly believable, but Sky Lance had tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

Starlight buzzed on the intercom.

“Sky Lance?”

Her ears perked up. “Yes?”

“I don’t mean to rush you,” Starlight gave a coy smirk underneath her hoof. Lance was sure she was gagging beneath her humble facade. “But can we hurry this up?”

Really? Speed up an alien autopsy? “Of course.”

Lance looked down at the body. One of her robotic arms reached for the saw. No matter. She'll figure it out. Let's see what we've got inside.

“Everypony,” Lance announced with a tinge of excitement. “It may be best to cover your eyes for this part.”

The ponies complied, raising their clipboards ever-so-slightly as the saw revved to life and Lance angled it towards the creature’s chest.

***

The autopsy had more or less been successful. About as successful as one could be.

By the time Lance had finished up and looked out of the observation windows, most ponies were studiously taking note of everything Sky Lance had reported. Others had left to get sleep, but those who stayed relaxed and eased themselves as they watched Lance crack open the invader’s chest like a walnut and carefully removed its innards. Perhaps it was the previously cramped space that had caused so much unease. Maybe it was because all of the remaining ponies had shared the same lust for knowledge.

Only their notes will tell.

Sky Lance stood in the clean room outside of the autopsy chamber placing the last of the plastic bags on the table before wiggling her R.A.A.G.S. saddle off of her body, letting it fall against the spotless floor with a loud clang. She winced, but dismissed it, taking another look at the bags full of recovered material. Most of which were hardly anything she would have ever believed to have been implemented into a being's body.

She shook the hood off her head, her messy emerald mane bouncing ahead of her eyes. With a quick flick of her hoof, her mane was swept aside and no longer a bother. She proceeded to slip her way out of the suit, like a snake shedding skin and clumped up the suit, tossing it into the disposal bin behind her.

“Sky Lance,” Starlight trotted inside the room with a smile. She frowned at the sight of the inactive R.A.A.G.S., levitating it towards a socket in the wall, a cushioned mold designed especially for it. “What do we have?”

“Were you not watching?” Starlight gave a coy smirk. Lance sighed in response. “The organs seem fairly...similar to our own in some aspects, although that assumption may change when my team and I begin to study them more closely. What I can’t place a hoof on is what I found in it’s head, embedded in the brain.”

Lance pointed at a bag in the back row, a blue lined...device of some kind. It was out of her field of expertise. Starlight’s light blue aura surrounded the bag and floated it between the two ponies.

It was implanted deep inside the creature's brain. Lance had to try with robotic precision to keep the brain intact and not reduce the grey matter into mush as she tore the implant out.

“What is it?” Starlight asked. She examined the device inside closely, turning and getting better angles. “Do you know?”

“No,” Lance picked up her trusty cap and set it gently atop her head, brushing her mane off to the side as to not get caught in her eyes. “With your permission, I’d like to take it to R and AT for examination. Possibly even bring it to Applejack in Engineering.”

“Of course,” Starlight said with a nod, placing the bag gently back on the table. “Don’t forget to fill out a report for Twi—The Commander. She’ll want to know everything you’ve found.”

“If it’s all the same,” Lance sat on her haunches and scratched the back of her head. “I’d very much like to send the report after we examine the organs some more.”

“I’ll let her know then. For now, just report back to Biology. The more we learn about our enemy the better.” Starlight turned and pressed her hoof against the door panel. The doors slid open with a smooth hiss.

“On that, we can agree.”

***

Project Code-Name >>> Anomaly

Research Notes:

We've discovered the subject's brain is quite large in comparison to anything else in Equestria and appears to have been enhanced via an implant of some kind. While we do not know the nature of the enhancement yet, we can assume that—because of the frail and weak build of the creature—it was meant to enhance the being's intellect and possibly even grant it a boost to combat capabilities. The Robotics and Alien Technology and Engineering Teams have been trying to analyze the foreign object found in the being's brain.

The creature's internal organs seem to hold a very unusual genetic structure. These structures in genetics would not be possible in the natural world without some kind of genetic manipulation of some kind (the leading theory is some sort of magic capable of rearranging the genetic structure to suit some kind of needs. Possibly to be able to survive in Equestria's atmosphere?). Only further studies will grant us the answer.

On another interesting note: no reproduction organs. Could these beings be clones of some sort?

Dr. Sky Lance personal note: It may pose a great deal of challenge for the troops, but I would very much like to request another body for the team to study. The more we learn about these beings, the more we will learn how we may be able to combat them.

Chapter 3: Communion

Ethan shuffled nervously in his seat. The glares of the ponies across the table bore into him like daggers to his conscience. He stared at the clock, down at the cushions of his seat and towards the varnished walnut tabletop, but always felt their cold and accusing eyes trained on him. He settled for the door, tapping a single talon as fast and as comfortably as his body would allow while trying to consume himself in his thoughts.

A practice that made him feel equally uncomfortable.

Commander Sparkle was something of an oddball. Upon first meeting, she was a gentle pony, not exactly someone Ethan would have thought of when it came to the leader of The Harmony Initiative. He remembered her silky smooth hoof as she reached out for a quick shake and her gentle smile. Her eyes glowed with the kind of hope only a pony could have. She was, without a doubt at the time, the single worst pony they could have chosen to lead Harmony.

But then in the hangar, any preconceptions of her being nothing more than the epitome of what a pony should be was shattered. The way her anger fueled her. If the old tales about Celestia and Luna were true, Ethan hoped he wouldn’t be banished to some God-forsaken spot in the stars for the rest of eternity.

Ethan’s blood ran cold as the door slid open, a strong and smooth hiss accompanying its movement. The block of light emitting from the doorway vanished, the shadowy form of Commander Sparkle walking in amplifying Ethan’s fears. As she entered, it took everything for the young griffon to keep himself down in his seat.

“Fighting amongst each other is something I will not tolerate in Harmony’s ranks.” She said sternly taking a seat at the head of the table. Ethan felt a great weight lift from his shoulders as the ponies across from him drew their sights to the commander. “Especially when one of the individuals involved was appointed leader of Fireteam Ruby.”

The room fell silent.

“Those ponies attacked a member of my Cast first,” Gilda growled, pointing a sharpened talon across the table. She turned, scowling, releasing a low rumble from deep within her throat which ceased before she spoke up again. “Everything afterwards was self defense on our part. Besides, Ethan couldn’t hurt a breezie, even if he wanted to.”

The griffons chuckled and squawked silently. Ethan rolled his eyes, but remained quiet. There was no truth to that statement, but being among the smaller griffons compared to the other powerhouses of Fireteam Ruby led to ‘playful’ teases and jests such as that. It wasn’t the first time he had heard that.

“Aw, horseapples!” The hazel pegasus in charge of his own group barked. He pointed his hoof directly towards Ethan. “I saw what you did!”

“You mean the part where I saved an earth pony from becoming paste on the hangar’s floor?” Ethan frowned, leaning on the edge of the table.

“A pegasus would have caught him,” The pegasus growled. His little group of friends nodded and agreed amongst each other, save for one pegasus; black with a silvery white mane. He sat with his hooves crossed and shook his head. He was the only one who seemed to disagree with his partners in crime. He hardly participated in the brawl. In fact, he stepped between Ethan and his hazel leader before Gilda shoved him out of the way and practically instigated the fight. “Besides, with all that blood, I’d say you were trying to take off his hoof.”

Gilda snorted. “We’re in the middle of a war. Shouldn’t take a genius to realize that every griffon in this place has their talons sharpened to a razors edge, ready for a fight.”

Purple magic enveloped Ethan, sparkling and flowing like a small hurricane around him. His eyes darted around the table, looking at Gilda and the rest of his squad and over to the pegasi, each with raised brows and expressions of worry. The aura washed over him, in a thin shimmering veil.

“You seem to be the center of this.” Twilight’s horn ceased glowing and the aura which surrounded Ethan slowly faded into the air. “So, I’ll ask you to explain to me what happened. Brisk Bolt seems to think you tried to kill somepony. Did you?”

“What?!” Ethan shot up, heart skipping a beat. Twilight did nothing more than stare with an inquisitive gaze. He felt himself relax and sit back down. “No, I didn’t. He was walking down the stairs from one of the hangar bays and he must have missed a step. I didn’t see how he fell, I just know that he did! He went over the railing and I barely caught him in time, I didn’t mean to draw blood! I-I just tried to save him! Then feather-brain over there started shouting at us!”

Silence fell over the room, save for the grating buzz of the light overhead. It was the truth and yet the ponies across the table shook their heads and whispered amongst themselves. The hazel pegasus which Ethan assumed to be Brisk Bolt had sat and scowled at not only Ethan, but all the griffons. Were Twilight not in the room, Ethan feared another fight, this time with Gilda ready to put her talons to use.

During the brawl in the hangar, she had shown restraint against the pegasi, curling her talons into a fist and playing defensively more than anything else. The other griffons of Fireteam Ruby had followed her example. Ponies aren’t exactly the best of fighters Ethan had learned. No matter how bold and how dirty they would try to fight, a griffon’s maneuverability and predatory flexibility was an obvious advantage over flailing hooves and erratic movements.

“He’s lyin’!” Brisk shouted maliciously. His head spun towards Ethan. “Griffons aren’t exactly the truthful type. I’m willin’ to bet he’s just trying to save his own hide! The griffon friend of yours shoved him off that catwalk and you know it!”

Twilight turned and faced Brisk, whose scowl broke apart. He looked away and towards the ground.

“Well, if Ethan is lying,” Twilight spoke, shifting her gaze to the griffons’ side of the table. “Then I’m either very bad at casting a lie elimination spell or Ethan is wearing something that counteracts one, and judging from his distinct lack of any clothing, I’d say he’s telling the truth.”

Brisk frowned.

“I can’t believe you’ll just take his word for it.” He said crossly, stubbornly stomping a hoof on the floor. It was like he had forgotten already that a spell was cast on Ethan. “He ain’t even a pony!”

“That doesn’t matter!” Twilight roared back. Brisk recoiled, pulling his hoof over his mouth. “Pony, griffon, zebra, it doesn’t matter who anyone here is. You’re all soldiers, you were chosen to protect and defend everyone. Race shouldn’t matter. You should learn to trust these griffons with your life.”

“Permission to speak freely Commander?” Brisk asked raising his hoof like a child in school. Twilight nodded. He fixed his gaze on Ethan with accusing eyes. “I ain’t exactly comfortable putting my life in the hooves of a griffon.”

“Permission to speak freely Commander?” Ethan didn’t break eye contact with the feather-brained pegasus glaring at him.

“Granted.”

“This may be a surprise to you—” Ethan raised his talons, each individual digit flexing in and out. “—but Griffons don’t have hooves.”

Brisk slammed a hoof on the table and stood. Ethan remained unwavering, lowering his talons. “Listen to me, you fu—”

“Enough.” Twilight interjected. “You already know what The Initiative’s goals are. When it comes down to it, I need you all to trust each other. From this moment forward I’m grouping you four together.”

Ethan bolted up and returned his gaze towards Twilight. From the blurred movement in the corner of his eye, Brisk and his clique had done the same.

“Ma’am, Fireteam Ruby was designated to be a griffon only unit,” Gilda said with a glare.

“I know,” The Commander remained steadfast, unwavering. “I suppose that may have been a mistake, one which may have promoted Brisk’s discrimination. We are to work together for the future of all of Equestria and beyond, no matter the race of those you are fighting beside. This can be a valuable lesson for both of you. From here on out, you four will be Fireteam Topaz. Gilda, I’m giving you command of this team.”

Gilda shook her head. She took a glance over at Ethan. He felt himself go stiff. She hadn't exactly given him a hateful glance, but Ethan felt that She and him would have a bit of a chat later that night. Not that Gilda would give him flak for it, but it was hard to tell what she was thinking.

“Alright,” She said with moderate disdain, turning back towards Twilight. “We’ll get it sorted out. Not like we really got a choice.”

Twilight looked over to Brisk with a raised eyebrow.

The pegasus cursed under his breath, huffing and puffing like a child getting his toy taken away. Ethan would have done the same admittedly. Well maybe not, but he found himself scowling at Brisk all the same. He would prove himself, even if the feather-brained pegasus wanted to play the stubborn trooper unwilling to put differences aside. After all, Commander Sparkle had just given the order.

“I don’t agree with it,” Brisk said, shaking his head. “But I guess the decision is already made.”

Twilight nodded and let out a sigh. “It’s for your own good. Believe me. You’re all dismissed.”

The pegasi were the first to start moving, swearing and cursing under their breaths before falling silent as they passed Twilight. There was no denying that she had believed her judgement to be the best. Not that she sat with a smile, but she ignored some of the louder comments about her decision, as if they had never been spoken.

Ethan couldn’t help but to grimace and feel bad for her. She was trying, not only to lead those under her command but to maintain and direct them towards a single goal.

Even as he stood, all Twilight had done was sigh and ease herself. She closed her eyes and just sat in her seat in a state of peace, or so it seemed. When her eyes opened, she let a frown creep on her face. Ethan didn’t know what being an alicorn entailed in the job description, but he figured that it called for a pretty hefty workload.

The door closed behind Ethan with a soft and gentle hiss.

***

The soft breeze of winter surprisingly didn’t send a chill down Twilight’s spine. The moonlight hills and surrounding ferns swayed with the wind. Hills rolled in the distance and a single tree sprouted from the dirt just ahead of Twilight. She realized that she had seen this surrounding landscape before.

The memorial facility had been among the largest Harmony had to offer. The doors leading to it had been slightly off putting, creating a facade of the memorial being nothing more than another cold metal room full of coffins and altars where ponies could pray for their fallen companions. It was a room Twilight had dreaded to see, not only because of its morose nature, but because she knew her soldiers deserved better than to be stuck in a case of metal inside a room made of metal.

Instead, it had the illusion of an open field, as if the doors lead to the afterlife itself. At the time, it took the form of a moonlit field, the silvery blades of grass swaying in a summer breeze and the clouds above rolling gently. Twilight and the staff had been so enraptured by the facility’s divine facade that they forgot that it was exactly that. A Facility.

The walls and ceiling was nothing more than a display screen almost the size of the medical bay. Nopony could explain how the wind had rolled through however. The flat layer of grass had been real, that Twilight knew for sure. There was enough room for everypony in The Initiative to be buried, a thought that Twilight had quickly dispelled.

The ponies who had attended the funeral had been a bit too few for Twilight’s taste. She hadn’t known the stallion personally and neither did a majority of the ponies who had hung their heads low and come to grant their last wishes before he was lowered into the ground, but she wanted everypony to be present, even if it was too much to ask.

Twilight stood off to the side while ponies approached, one by one and offered their blessings before falling back in their formation. Spitfire had been the first, lips twitching and hooves wiping her eyes as she whispered and placed a feather beside Dazzle’s head. It was a gesture that all the pegasi who had come repeated. Fleetfoot was the last and taken it harder than anypony else. She shrugged off Twilight's hoof for comfort, allowing herself to completely soak in the loss of her comrade. She returned to the crowd of ponies solemnly, resting herself beside Spitfire.

“Dazzle’s death will not be the last.” Twilight had said. Ponies shuffled nervously and hung their heads lower, with only a few maintaining a strong and stone-faced demeanor. “He will be remembered and missed greatly by all. We all must bear in mind, this is a war and not everypony will make it out of it. But despite it all, we have to endure. I don't want to lie to any of you and say what you want to hear. You ponies deserve the truth."

She was no good at speeches. She had practiced what she would say during the funeral time and time again, hoping one version of the speech wasn't too verbose and another wasn't to morbid. Instead she settled for something short and down to earth. Or at least it was to her. The ponies who listened didn't seem too reassured, but they agreed and understood what Twilight was going for. At least she hoped that's what the nods meant.

Dazzle was buried in the center of the grassy field, just before a lone curved obsidian wall, spotless as though recently polished. When the dirt was poured over the silver, stainless metal coffin, Dazzle’s name etched itself on the upper left corner of the slab. Twilight had tried not to let it disturb her, but it was written in small cursive lettering. There was a lot of room for other names.

A small speck of light materialized, forming and increasing in radiance before taking the shape of three ponies. Alicorns, two with flowing manes, seemingly unaffected by the wind. Luna and Celestia fluttered their wings before their hooves met the ground, barely making a noise. Cadence gingerly set herself down beside Twilight.

“Twilight,” Cadence said bowing her head. Twilight felt a surge inside herself. She leaped forward and embraced the unsuspecting Cadence, almost toppling her over. “Oh! Well, hello to you too!”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Twilight released her embrace and composed herself. “It’s been awful here! In Harmony I mean. I mean, first it was just the fact that I was secluded from everypony else, then it was trying to make sure everypony was pleased and happy with all the facilities, t-then one of my soldierswaskilledandnowthere’sproblemsamong—”

“Twilight,” Cadence spoke with a calming hoof resting on Twilight’s back. “I’m sorry to hear all that. I wish I could do something to help, I really do. But we brought you here to discuss more pressing matters.”

The purple alicorn nodded and brought her sight towards the Regal Sisters. Both held grim expressions, eyes drained of hope and brows low. Celestia had at least tried to break the monotony of seriousness with a weak smile. Twilight felt one form around her lips, moreso out of reflex and years of returning the gesture the same way.

“Where are we exactly?” She asked.

“Nowhere,” Luna replied. “Not any place specifically. I crafted this dream for all of us, in the event that we must convene. I apologize as there was no warning prior to you arriving here. In the future, I shall notify you if we have important matters to discuss that parchment and quill cannot do justice.”

“Will it be just us?” Twilight asked, looking around.

“No.” Celestia answered. “The Council of Nations funding The Harmony Initiative shall be joining us as well. We decided it would be fair to allow them to convene with us. After all, they are a part of The World’s defense just as much as you are.”

Four shadowy figures manifested into the world, bodies clear and yet their faces obscured by a shadowy blur. A massive figure appeared beside a two smaller, more frail pony-shaped forms. Another stood to Luna’s right, wings outstretched and pecking at its shadowy feathers; a griffon. Beside it was the last of the figures, a grand and tall being, a winding and almost branch-like formation on its head; antlers. A Stag.

A thick shroud manifested behind the council, winding and coiling around them like a viper. The light from the moon was obscured. Twilight looked up and stifled a shriek. A massive set of wings stretched out, leathery and bat-like in appearance. The massive figure curled its wings in and opened its maw, letting out a short guttural growl before setting itself down, lower so its head lay right beside Twilight. She could not make out the shadowy dragon’s features, but a golden eye managed to peer through the thick veil surrounding it. The eye looked with mild disinterest.

“So this is her,” The Dragon spoke, releasing a puff of smoke from one of its nostrils. It clouded the clearing for a moment before vanishing unnaturally around Twilight. It’s voice was deep, and slow, smooth, but with the right amount of coarse. Despite the inquisitive tone (At least she hoped it was), Twilight bit her lip and couldn’t stop herself from trembling. Perhaps this was just his equivalent to a whisper, the thought of which terrified her even more. “Fear not Commander. We are all allies here.”

“I see, Twilight had wanted to say. Instead, she let out a whinny more akin to a shriek.

“Oh dear,” The Stag giggled. His voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter, maintaining a strong, yet elegant accent reminiscent to Canterlot’s elite. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have said anything. I think you’ve frightened the poor thing!”

“Fear not the dragon, princess,” The Zebra spoke. She sat on her rear, back straight and head held high. “We have much to discuss, specifically the weapons our enemies possess.”

Twilight looked quizzically between everyone present.

Celestia stepped forward, her brilliant rainbow mane flowing wondrously. “There have been reports of ships in the sky over several regions of Equestria, Zebra Savannas and Griffon Kingdoms. It’s certain that these are The Invaders’ crafts, however their purpose remains a mystery.”

“Given the hostile nature of our adversaries,” The Stag continued. “We suspect nothing but wicked intentions. Should any of these crafts be located by The Initiative’s scanners and scouting pegasi, swift action must be taken.”

Twilight pondered the thought. Ships capable of travelling between the stars? A fascinating, if not terrifying, idea. It made sense, being that they were from the stars as Luna put it about three weeks ago, but Twilight never really thought about the possible dangers the squadrons of pegasi would have to face, should they need to be used in an aerial assault.

“If we were to destroy the crafts,” Twilight began. “What will be done with them?”

“It may be in your best interests to salvage what you can.” Celestia said, sitting on the grass. “If you can.”

“The site shall be quarantined,” Luna elaborated. “It shall allow you a small team of engineers to salvage anything of importance. We’ll give them the space and time needed to dismantle everything they can.”

Twilight nodded in understanding. She found herself gingerly turning her head towards The Dragon. The idea that his race would completely dominate the skies against any alien ship was hopeful at best. "Could the dragons be capable of aiding us against The Invaders' crafts?"

"Perhaps in the future," The Dragon spoke with a gravelly growl. "For now, The Invaders have left dragons....confused. The Dragon Lord has not made an official choice as to what my people will do. In any event, The Harmony Initiative will continue to have my support."

Twilight frowned. She didn't know much about dragon politics, but she hoped they would be able to spare something. She entertained the thought of spoiling Spike and allowing him to grow completely. She instantly shot the idea down and chewed harshly against the inside of her mouth almost to serve as punishment for even thinking of putting her Number One Assistant's life in danger like that.

“I would like to ask,” The Griffon spoke. “The griffons may be willing to pay a pretty nice sum for any spare material you can give us. We are, afterall, an industrial powerhouse for weapons and armor. We would be willing to share those weapons and armor. For a price.”

Another ring of smoke erupted from The Dragon’s nostril. A soft glow of orange flickered as the beast opened its massive jaws. “Dragons have no need for petty arms and armor. But you may do well to remember we are all allies. The price should be considerably low for those of us less fortunate.”

The Pony stomped a hoof on the ground. “Or no price at all!”

Saddle Arabian, Twilight thought. Truly everyone had pitched in what they could for The Harmony Initiative. It fascinated Twilight, but at the same time made her truly feel the weight of burden resting on her shoulders, like a pony doomed to carrying the world on her back.

“We have an established system of trade already set,” The Pony spoke with his exotic accent. “Surely, any new weapons and armor would be covered by the resources we give you.”

“With this I agree,” Said The Zebra. “For The Initiative, we already pay a fee.”

“Yes,” The Stag interjected. “We’ll already be spending enough trying to fund Harmony and Princess Sparkle. We have no time for your peoples exploits.”

Twilight thought about the offer. The Griffon Kingdoms were in a precarious position. They were capable of making profit off of the war against the invaders and the thought of them trying to exploit that sickened her. But The Griffon wouldn’t try to set up his fellow representatives and council members for economic downfall would he?

The Griffon looked questioningly behind the thick veil of shadow blanketing his face.

“The Griffons shall get their metals,” Twilight answered. She could feel the gaze of each shadow fall on her, as boring into her with accusing glares. “But, you will not charge them any price for the arms and armor. Tensions are high enough without somepony trying to make a profit off of the war.”

The Griffon nodded his head. “I see. Very well, so be it.”

Cadence craned her head close. “Good call.”

Realistically, Twilight felt that it shouldn’t have been her that made that call. It was more impulse that allowed her to even respond.

“If that is all, this meeting shall be adjourned.” Celestia and Luna said in unison. The two looked at each other with gentle smiles before Luna continued. “Unless anypony else has anything else they wish to address.”

Silence.

“Very well,” Luna turned towards Twilight “We shall meet again at the end of the month to review the progress you’ve made with The Initiative. Until then."

Everyone bowed their heads, save for The Dragon of course, and before Twilight could do the same, her eyes shot open. She found herself staring up at the metal ceiling of her quarters. She shot up from her bed and looked around. Spike was gone, most likely fetching breakfast for the two of them.

"Oh joy," Twilight sighed. She allowed herself to fall back into the comfort of her bed. Even then, the burden of responsibility was crushing her. "I wish we had a garden."

Chapter 4: Operation Red Star

Fireteam Topaz

The lounge was often a quiet spot and a favorite hangout among soldiers and off duty personnel. Stark, clean, black leather chairs were seldom vacant, with groups of ponies, zebras and griffons alike taking residence around tables, each wooden and a decisive choice of either round or squared. The bar was mostly empty, though the few who silently sat and stared into blank space enjoyed the lack of company.

The lights were mostly dimmed, allowing for a spotlight to shine onto a stage where a peculiar pink fluffy pony would often entertain the troops. At the moment, she was gone, vanished in a backroom whose door Ethan could barely see behind the curtains. He hadn’t quite paid attention to the performance, but she did wonders for most of the ponies and griffons who watched.

Shelves were full of the world’s most diverse cast of beverages, ranging from Apple Family Apple Cider, Griffonstone Brandy, several Zebra concoctions that Ethan hadn’t the slightest clue how to pronounce and even rare Saddle Arabian drinks. Of course, ponies tended to stick with what was familiar, sticking to their tame, but tasty cider. While Ethan was a griffon in almost every sense of the name, he preferred the taste of ice cold cider rather than the bitter, staleness of his people’s alcohol.

As always, his fellow friends had chastised him for it, teasing and jesting if one could call it that. Ethan didn’t mind though. These were griffons who had welcomed him as a member of their Cast with open arms and Gilda had constantly reaffirmed that they were all like family and, as she put it, they always wanted a little brother to pick on. Besides, he had proved himself in the firing range, at least gaining some inkling of respect from the group’s more bitter members.

Jallen, a burly barbarian of a griffon with a deceivingly soft-spoken voice, flanked Ethan’s left. His massive digits wrapped around a wood mug, filled to the brim with foam and very little drink. Nevertheless, he took several swigs, a beard of browning bubbles forming around the edges of his beak.

Across from Jallen, another griffon, of Forrester variety sat. His beak was short and black, feathers a gradient mix of grey at the root to hazel. Lucas stifled laughter and sipped his own mug of an exotic Zebra beverage. He giggled and slammed a fist against the table, rocking the whole thing. Ethan stifled a yelp. Lucas’s guffaws continued unnecessarily, lowering his head against the table. Ethan looked away candidly. His boisterous personality and reckless demeanour was probably what led to the crack in his dry beak.

Once the ponies, zebras and griffons of the room stopped staring, Lucas finished his laughing. Ethan rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his mug.

“Good god, would you two shut your mouths,” Gilda growled. “Keep it down.”

“Sorry Gil,” Jallen said, wiping his beak. He looked about the lounge. “Sorry everyone!”

Gilda groaned, taking a frustrated sip from her mug. Her eyes met Ethan’s, gentle and maternal, betraying her typical stern and authoritative face. “You okay kid?”

Ethan nodded simply. “I’m fine.”

“It won’t be that bad,” Gilda tried to reassure. “Just keep a levelled head and we’ll probably make it out of this. Just prove we can work together as best we can and maybe Twilight’ll make us a griffon-only unit again.”

It was three days since Fireteam Topaz became an official unit under Harmony’s roster. Ethan hated the idea, but understood the rationale. Still, he couldn’t entirely bring himself to approach any of the ponies alone. Or in the company of his fellow griffons, who growled and snarled each time the two groups passed each other in the halls. It was like watching packs of dogs threaten each other, but never actually fight.

“Yeah, maybe,” Ethan sighed. He took the last sip from his mug and placed it down on the table. “Really not lookin’ forward to dealing with that guy again. Him and his other buddies. I’d probably end up with a bullet in my head before they decide to actually work with us. I mean, I’m willing to try and work things out.”

Lucas smirked. “Speak of the devil.”

“Hey,” Ethan shot up from his seat. Ethan looked up from his now-empty mug at the charcoal pegasus. He stroked his silvery mohawk mane nervously. “Thunderlane,”

He managed a smile and extended his hoof, which Ethan hesitantly shook. He could see the frowning and glaring ponies behind the friendly stallion, shaking their heads and rolling their eyes before returning to their drinks. Brisk Bolt still managed to be equally as irritating from a distance where Ethan heard none of his words just as much as when Brisk was across a table accusing him of attempted murder.

As if a pony would know anything about murder.

“Hi,” Ethan said with a hint of suspicion in his voice. He looked at Thunderlane with a raised brow. “What’s going on? We’re not fighting you guys again.”

Thunderlane pulled his hoof back. He looked genuinely wounded and for a moment Ethan felt a little bad. “What? N-no. We are going to be working together from now on. I figured at least one of us try talking to the other. After all, you know what The Commander said; we gotta trust each other and all that.”

“Right,” Jallen leaned back in his seat, gulping down his drink and wiping his beak with a soaked arm. “Is that it?”

The stallion raised an eyebrow and frowned. “Look, I’m trying to be friendly. I don’t have a problem with griffons. In fact, I knew Gilda before all this. She’d vouch for me.”

He looked at her, hoping for some sort of reassurance. Ethan had done the same, as well as the other two griffons who had stopped drinking. She rolled her eyes, nodded and said cooly; “Yeah, I know him. Probably my second favorite pegasus. He’s cool.”

“Your friend there,” Jallen raised his mug towards the group of pegasi. “Brisk Shit or whatever his name is. What’s his deal? Griffons kill his family or something? Skin his pup? Don’t know a lot of ponies having hate for...anything.”

Thunderlane looked back at his alleged friends. “Brisk Bolt is a good stallion. R-really! He just doesn’t trust anyone...who isn’t a pony. He’ll come around. I know he will.”

Ethan scratched around his head, the smooth feathers parting as his sharp talons gingerly scraped against skin. The idea that Brisk would actually like Ethan was a bit far fetched, although the two barely knew each other. After all, given a few proper minutes or hours together, who knows what might happen? But doubt still clouded Ethan’s mind. “And if he doesn’t?”

The stallion frowned. He turned back towards his friends, still occupied with a conversation of their own. Maybe he thought it would have been better if he stayed with them and tried not to make friends.

“I don’t know,” Thunderlane admitted. “But I’m at least willing to put differences aside for something better.”

His stance was straight, confident and full of pride. Ethan contemplated him briefly. He certainly seemed like the truthful type and if the distasteful glances his ‘friends’ were any indication, then he did genuinely want to improve relations between Gilda’s Cast and his group of pegasi friends. A small goal compared to what Harmony would be going up against, but a pretty decent one to Ethan. What good would months or even years of bitter hatred do for anyone?

“Ethan,” He said, attempting a friendly grin.

Thunderlane’s eyes danced between the other two griffons, but frowned when they gave no answer. His gaze returned to Ethan’s, giving him a friendly smile. “Well, it’s a start huh?”

Ethan nodded. “I guess so.”

“You guys gonna kiss?” Lucas asked with a smug grin. Ethan felt the urge to rip of the rest of his cracking beak. Thunderlane chuckled nervously.

“Fireteam Topaz to the barracks. Fireteam Topaz to the barracks.”

Well, what great timing, Ethan thought to himself, standing up and looking to Gilda. Obviously displeased, she flapped her wings, taking off from her seat before landing back down on the ground beside Thunderlane. She pointed a talon towards Brisk Bolt.

“Let’s get moving!” She turned towards Ethan. “Remember; levelled head. Don't let him get to you.”

***

Unlike the ponies in the squad, Ethan had no need for a robotic arm system, whatever the eggheads in the lower levels had started to call it. He easily slipped on the thin vest, curling in both of his wings before stretching them out of the hole designated for them. He was surprised at how light his armor ended up being and how comfortable it wrapped around his body. Ethan grabbed the headset from the bench and slid it over his head.

It was an unfortunate, although very comfortable and conforming piece of attire. He would have settled for an earpiece, but he rather not go trying to fish it out of his ear canal.

Binoculars hung from a sling around Ethan’s neck and several pouches hung around his side, each full of magazines for the rifle he would be lugging around with him. Wrapped around his left foreleg was a rough leather holster for the simple pistol Harmony issued to all soldiers. Nothing really impressive, but Ethan wasn’t too picky. After all, if it could kill an alien, it was good enough.

Compared to the others, Ethan felt like a twig. Thunderlane and Gilda both wore essentially the same standard armor all soldiers were issued, although while Thunderlane favoured maneuverability and protection, Gilda preferred just maneuverability. She removed the pauldrons and kept the bare essentials; a holster for her pistol, a forearm piece with circular slots, side packs which clung to her side and a headset which conformed comfortably to her head.

Brisk Bolt wore a massive reinforced chestplate, chitin-like in nature. It overlapped the standard issue vest and looked like a general pain in the ass for anyone to maneuver with. Despite the thickness and probable heavy weight of the armor, he was able to float and glide with relative ease and his robotic arms had enough freedom to move in an array of varying directions. He looked at Ethan with a smug grin. A grin that Ethan ignored.

“Try not to let him bother you,” Gilda said, tightening the holster around her forearm. “Even he will know when to accept your help.”

The barrack doors slid open with a hiss, Shining Armor walking leisurely in with his trusty data-pad levitated before him. Ethan swore he never left his quarters without it. Chances, he even went to sleep with it beside his bed.

“Alright everyone,” Shining levitated a small pad in front of his face before lowering it and taking a good look at the mixed bag that was Fireteam Topaz. A small semblance of a smile spread on his face. “You’ll be going to the Zebra Savannah for this one. One of their experimental science outposts has been targeted by the invaders. A large group of Sectoids were spotted in the—”

“Uh,” Ethan raised a talon. “Sectoids sir? Seriously?”

Shining Armor pursed his lips. “It’s what the ponies down in Biology started to call them. Something about...Science stuff. Hey, if you’ve got a better name...”

Heads turned and Ethan felt the spotlight shining on him, flickering and buzzing in that annoying low tone. Or maybe it was just the grating buzz of the overhead lights. “Sectoid is fine.”

Shining Armor let out a short chuckle. “Anyway, there’s a large group of them. Possibly up to six. Maybe more. The recon team was unable to get close enough to the site to get an approximate number. Keep your heads down and watch each other’s backs. Head on out soldiers!”

Brisk snorted and rolled his eyes. Ethan grit his teeth. He picked up his rifle; a long barreled and gold lined heavy framed firearm with a massive scope along the top of the frame. It was a far cry from the rifles he used back in Griffonstone and a bit heavier than he would have liked, but it was still a sniper all the same.

“C’mon Ethan,” Gilda took a glance at the high powered rifle he held in his talons. She loaded herself with crimson shells wherever her armor allowed; on the top of her forearm guards and several slots on her chest. She grasped a shotgun off the rack and loaded a few of the shells into it. “Seriously? You’re a griffon. I didn’t order you to sharpen those talons just so you could hang back and play hide and seek.”

He shrugged. “The Zebra Savannahs are pretty open. Flush the Sectoids out of the building and I could start picking them off.”

“Maybe the kid does have some brains after all,” Brisk chided with a sideways glare. His robotic assisted arms grabbed the heaviest thing on the rack; a massive, boxy, thing. A limp grip bounced and clacked against the frame as the stallion trotted past Ethan. Gilda stopped him with a rough shove against the chest.

“Stow it,” Gilda growled, narrowing her eyes. “Like it or not, we’re a team now until Twilight says otherwise. Deal with it.”

When the squad arrived in the hangar, The Commander stood beside Rainbow Dash, their conversation ending the moment they had come within earshot. Griffons and ponies alike had both slowed their work, casting eyes in the fireteam’s direction. The clopping of hooves and scratching of talons on the smooth metal garnered more attention than Ethan would have liked, but he moved forward beside Gilda.

Twilight turned to Gilda and the rest of Fireteam Topaz. There was a sternness on her face, authority in her eyes. “Remember; one goal. Safety for all. Look out for each other out there.”

“I’ll keep their heads straight if worse comes to worse,” Gilda replied, casting a maternal glance over to Ethan and a glare at Brisk. “We won’t let you down.”

“Of course,” Twilight nodded, craning her head towards the arcane assisted carriage. “See you on the other side.”

“Will you be watching us ma’am?” Thunderlane asked. “The same way you did with the Wonderbolts?”

Twilight grimaced at the mention of the team. “Your vests and headpieces link to you all visually. Whatever you see out there, we’ll see back here from Mission Control.”

The squad began to board the carriage. Rainbow strapping herself in with child-like enthusiasm. The blue helmet she picked up off the ground matched her coat color, the tinted visor blending into everything except for her eyes.

“Remember,” Twilight said. “You must trust each other with your lives”

***

The Zebra science facility was fairly simple in structure, secluded from the rest of the world in the safety of a small and sparse ‘forest’ just below a hill of golden ferns and grass. The main structure was in a ‘U’ shape, and divided itself into three sections, the two outer edges home to metallic dome structures and connected by a central wing made of a mix of wood and straw. Most of the windows were shattered and as Rainbow Dash made the descent around the structure, Ethan spotted a gaping wound in the structure where one of The Invaders’ pods smashed through.

If there ever was a fire that raged, it had vanished, leaving charred wood, straw and chunks of rock around the area.

As Rainbow circled around the sight trying to figure out where to land, Ethan pointed his binoculars out the window, peering down at the recently unfurled chaos. Sure enough, zebras were encased, mid-scramble, trying to get away.

Zebra pulled chariots and carriages slumped over in strange angles, either torn apart by flying debris or shot at with whatever it was the Sectoids had shot at them with. Canisters and barrels speckled the open expanse outside of the main structure, a few burnt and charred while zebras sank into their emerald imprisonment beside volatile tankers full of that rich Saddle Arabian oil everyone east of the Celestial Sea was crazy about.

“It’d probably be best to watch where you shoot,” Ethan warned.

“Why? Are some of the zebras still alive?” Thunderlane asked.

“No,” Ethan responded morosely. “Well, maybe, but some of the ones in that green stuff are next to oil tanks. Just something to consider.”

Ethan set his sights on the roof of the main structure. If enemies were to be drawn out of the building, he could start picking them off from the roof. He thought about maneuvering around the large dome, if the space between it and the edge of the roof would be enough for him to slide through without having to jump into the air and paint a target on himself.

There was also a small supply shack of some kind near the rear of the facility grounds. The roof may have been sloped and thatch, but if he was quick enough, perhaps each Sectoid that came scrambling out of the building, flushed out with the help of his squadmates, would wind up with a third, smaller eye right on their foreheads. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking on Ethan’s part, but he didn’t see them hitting him, especially if he used the slope of the roof as cover.

Rainbow set the arcane assisted carriage down in a clearing just outside of the facility’s grounds. The entrance to the dome-capped end of the structure face the group, a flanked by two sconces whose fires still burned.

One by one, everyone unloaded from the carriage. Ethan was the last to exit, earning a beakful of Brisk’s tail. He spat out stray strands and cast the oblivious pony a glare. Brisk stared at the building, soaking in every detail before looking over at Ethan. He recoiled for a moment once their eyes met. Without the safety of his partners in crime, Brisk said nothing out loud; instead muttering something to Thunderlane, who just rolled his eyes and whispered something back.

Take it easy, Ethan told himself. Might be an asshole, but didn’t look like he did that on purpose.

Bringing his binoculars back up, the horrors of The Invaders’ attack caused Ethan’s breath to catch in his throat. He had seen other griffons and even a few ponies scurry and try to retreat before, some of those griffons Ethan had shot himself. But there was something different about walking past each of the zebras. Had a warm summer-like breeze not rolled through and gently caressed his body, Ethan would have thought time stopped altogether.

The four readied themselves, Ethan pulling the bolt of his rifle back and checking for a bullet, the two pegasi using their robotic arm systems to pat themselves down, making sure they truly were fully stocked.

No more than five minutes since arriving at the site and Ethan was already beginning to sweat underneath his protective vest. The inner fabric stuck to his chest, clinging to the hazel feathers rather uncomfortably. Even the pads which protected his hind-legs were starting to dampen his fur.

“You sure you’ll be fine here?” Gilda asked Rainbow, pumping her shotgun and flicking the safety switch.

Rainbow sighed and removed her helmet. “I’ll be fine.”

Gilda narrowed her eyes and tilted her head skeptically.

“The thing’s got guns.” Thunderlane pointed out. One of his robotic arms lifted and pointed at the thick cylindrical tubes, belt fed from a compartment on the carriage. “Rainbow will be fine.”

“Fine,” The griffon huffed.

Suspicious still, Gilda nodded and turned towards the facility. She hovered in the air, as if walking with her two hind-legs was beneath her in some way. It was either that, or she just didn’t want to step on the emerald webbing covering most of the dirt.

Scorch marks covered various spots in the dirt, leaving embers in their wake. Thunderlane’s ear twitched as the breeze began to pick up. His head went all over the place, anxiously looking for any indication that somepony—or somezebra in this case—had survived.

Unfortunately there was none.

The steps leading to the double doors was home to a zebra, a stallion if the body mass was any indication. A chasm parted his head, clipping off his ear, which lay in its own spot just beside him. A dried pool of blood dripped down the steps and stained his green encasement. Ethan felt his stomach churn.

“Oh Luna,” Brisk muttered, covering his mouth with a hoof. Thunderlane looked away and shook his head.

“Oh God,” Ethan managed. “What’s even the point?”

“Leave it,” Gilda ordered. “Nothing we can do for them now. Let’s just find these bastards and take them down.”

Gilda recklessly threw open the door and waltzed in without a second thought. Brisk trotted in next, his massive machine gun raised, followed by a cautious Thunderlane. Ethan raised the pistol from his holster and edged his way inside, despite knowing there was no immediate danger. He swung his rifle around, allowing it to dangle freely on his back.

A part of Ethan was thankful that the lights were still running in the facility, even if there wasn’t anyone around. The rickety wooden floors creaked with every step the squad took.

“Must have been a lounge,” Thunderlane noted. His robotic arms held his rifle close to eye level as he began to scan the room, each of his hoofsteps taken lightly and bringing him forwards ever-so-slightly.

Off to the right side of the room, cushions and lavish velvety pillows were spread across the floor, surrounding a dark wooden coffee table that may have been set up straight at some point. Small cups and glasses were knocked over, cool tea spilled and staining the ornate drapery sprawled and kicked wildly around the edges, forming pockets and bumps underneath. The indentations of where the zebras sat were still visible on the cushions and yet strangely enough, there were no bodies inside.

Directly in front of Ethan, several more cushions were surrounded by a thin curtain torn from its emplacement on the walls, secluding what Ethan could only assume to be a prayer area. A small statue of a golden figure stood leaning against the walls of the alcove in which it rested; a bronze zebra mare sitting in a state of peace, despite her precarious position.

“I think we should take it slow,” Thunderlane suggested. He glanced over at Gilda who was taking in some of the fine art plastered with dripping crimson on the wall beside the door leading to the rest of the facility. Thunderlane pressed a hoof up against his ear. “Central, this is Thunderlane are you reading us? Do we have an exact count of how many of the aliens are here?”

“We’re reading you loud and clear,” Shining Armor responded. “That’s a negative. We suspect they are still inside the outpost. Proceed with caution.”

“Aye, aye,” Gilda spoke into her mouthpiece. She turned to face the squad. “Alright. We do as Thunderlane said. Take it slow. Keep your heads down and keep quiet. If you find anything, I need you to radio it in. Brisk, Ethan. Do a clean sweep of every room.”

“Aye,” Ethan nodded. He looked towards a frowning Brisk Bolt, his eyes avoiding Ethan’s. He looked back to Gilda with concern. “Maybe I can perch myself on the roof?”

“No,” Gilda scowled. “These things are weak right? Your pistol should be more than enough for a scrawny little freak. Besides, Brisk has that gun. Stay behind him; he’s a tank. Try not to kill each other.”

Stubborn griffon pride. Ethan shook his head and sighed.

“Right,” He whispered. “Don’t play it the smart way, play it the griffon way.”

***

Twilight watched each individual screen with a held breath. Out of habit, she bit the inside of her lower lip as her eyes danced from screen to screen. She hoped the other ponies in Mission Control didn’t notice her growing anxiety as the soldiers began to traverse out of the zebra break room.

Ponies mostly worked among the terminals, monitoring Harmony’s facilities and making sure everything was green across the board. Alongside that, they also noted whatever they could about the outside world, filing reports on alien activities, if there were any, and the general state of the world. It was a job anyone could easily overlook, but each pony worked around the clock before being replaced with someone else just as studious as the previous pony.

But as Fireteam Topaz steadily stepped through the wooden corridors, walls sparsely decorated with what Twilight could only guess to be motivational and zebra scientific posters, most of the ponies couldn’t keep their eyes glued to their terminals anymore.

Shining Armor and Spike watched just as intently as Twilight, although she hadn’t known what they were expecting to see.

“Maybe grouping griffons and ponies wasn’t such a good idea,” Twilight commented watching the young griffon, Ethan watch with probable annoyance as Brisk Bolt stormed into a room, completely ignoring Gilda’s ‘heads down and quiet’ order. “They aren’t at all working the way I thought they would.”

“Nothing happened yet,” Shining Armor said simply. He turned and scanned Twilight. “They’ll figure it out. Gilda might be headstrong, but Ethan sticking with Brisk is a decent move. If Brisk suppresses an enemy, Ethan could easily cap one of the aliens. Kid’s got eyes like a hawk. No pun intended.”

Twilight winced. “I guess you’re right.”

She brought her gaze back upwards. Ethan and Brisk entered a small lab of sorts. Counters and tables were full of beakers and other scientific glassware as well as quills and books. The zebras had probably left in a rush, leaving cabinets and drawers open and some burners still boiling unknown ingredients in vials and beakers. The initial panic must have been riveting for the scientists. Twilight felt her heart weigh down at the thought of what the zebras involved must have gone through.

***

“Goddess,” Brisk groaned, lugging his massive machine gun with his robotic arm system. Beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead and into his eyes. “How in Equestria do zebras work in this damn heat?”

“Very easily apparently,” Ethan answered, raising his pistol as he entered the room. His arm lowered as he looked around. “And probably even better without something trying to kill them.”

Too parched to give any sass, Brisk let out an exasperated sigh.

Maybe it was the foreign language or the sloppy nature in which the diagrams were doodled on the chalkboards, but there was something unsettling about this particular room. A certain energy permeated the room, whispering in a language Ethan could not discern. It made his feathers stand at attention. The room was like a class, with long tables and seats around each one with books and quills and inkwells set with relative neatness compared to the other parts of the room.

Ethan spotted the source of unease the moment his eyes met the crimson pool amassing on the floor and bleeding through the cracks of the wood floor.

“This is wrong,” Brisk whispered. “These were just scientists.”

“A-are those,” Twilight’s voice cracked. “Are those children?”

Ethan nodded quietly while forcing himself to move closer. He scanned the room, eyes gazing over empty glass cabinets and the equipment shattered on the counters. The bodies of those unfortunate enough not to be consumed by green lay slumped and littered the floor. Five bodies at most, all drowning in a pool of their own blood. Horror consumed their eyes, screaming and frantically calling for a help that would never come until it was too late. The size difference of the bodies made Ethan bit down and grind his teeth. He stood over one of the bodies, a single shot from an alien weapon marking a whole in his chest.

“God,” Ethan muttered, looking towards the bodies curled together, taking hopeless cover behind the counter. The young griffon hoped that this was somehow better than being cased in green and letting the aliens do whatever it was they did with them.

His eyes caught a glint of movement behind a wooden cabinet. Ethan raised his head and saw her fling herself out of sight.

“We got something!” Brisk took aim, but Ethan leaped, flapping his wings and forced the gun down. “The hay are you doing?”

“It’s not an alien!” Ethan eased his grasp off of the machine gun. He turned back and looked at the cowering figure. A zebra, shuddering in the corner, stiffly staring at the two. She slowly peeked her head around the corner of the cabinet, her azure eyes meeting Ethan’s.

Ethan stepped forward, sliding his pistol back into its holster with ease. “It’s alright. We’re not gonna hurt you. You can come out now.”

The zebra’s ears flicked, complying hesitantly. Her stripes glistened under the fading luminescent light dangling above, her coat covered in sweat and specks of blood. Not her own, thankfully. Each hoofstep was slower than the last, trembling yet still trying to retain her balance.

Ethan extended a talon, gingerly as to not frighten the zebra mare. Her eyes widened.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

The moment the first bolt of green fizzed past his head, Ethan threw himself on top of the zebra, feeling the heat from the next two bolts radiate against his now-outstretched wings before charring the wall.

Dakka Dakka!

Brisk Bolt’s massive machine gun unleashed a stream of hell on the Sectoid cowering around the doorframe. Ethan raised his pistol towards the door, waiting for one of the skinny grey bastards to pop out.

Brisk darted for the counter, ignoring the splashing blood gathering on his hooves. He slammed his body against the cabinets, sending glass cylinders and beakers tumbling around him. “Well, there’s three of ‘em! I saw ‘em!”

Ethan shot up, one arm around the zebra and the other clutching his pistol, aiming for the door. The mare screamed and kicked, but Ethan maintained a steady grip around her torso as he struggled his way over to Brisk.

A Sectoid popped out, raising its arm.

Bang! Bang!

Ethan didn’t stop to see if the bullets met their mark, but if there was no emerald streak trying to stop him, he figured that question had answered itself. The zebra broke free from Ethan’s grip, wildly thrashing and eyes darting everywhere. A second Sectoid appeared at the doorway, arm raised. Out of pure instinct, Ethan dove for one of the tables, kicking it over and crouching down behind his new wall.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

The zebra mare spoke—screamed and shouted really—in her native tongue as she slipped and fell, trying to regain her footing, eyes darting from body to body of her colleagues. The bolts fizzed and hissed against the wall behind her sending up black plumes of smoke.

“Head down!” Brisk shouted at her. She stiffened up and shut her eyes, squealing and sobbing through grit teeth. She remained still, save for her body convulsing and her trying to swallow her panic to no avail. Her frantic breaths were shallow, shaky through her grit teeth.

“Cover me,” Ethan said.

Brisk hesitated before standing up, mounting himself on the table, while his robotic arms stabilized his massive gun. He aimed at the door’s general direction and opened fire.

Dakka Dakka Dakka!

Ethan flapped his wings once, giving him the little boost he needed, tackling into the lone mare in the center of the room, still rigid. She let out a yelp when Ethan’s talons gripped her soft, rigid torso and flung her back to where he had once been behind the knocked over table. She was still stiff, but at least had the good grace to move, and keep her head down.

Blam! Blam!

Gilda’s shotgun roared down the hall, splashing the wall with the Sectoids’ sickly green blood. Ethan relaxed himself and Brisk lowered his gun. Thunderlane was the first to enter the room, charging in and doing a quick scan.

The zebra mare screamed.

“Whoa, whoa!” Thunderlane lowered his assault rifle and approached slowly. Brisk, like an obedient dog, stepped gingerly to his side, eyes trained on the zebra. “We’re not gonna hurt you.”

Her breaths came rapidly, trying to calm down. Ethan could see puncturing wounds where his talons grasped her. He felt a pang of guilt wash over him as she looked straight, never down at the ground and approached Ethan. She swallowed before speaking again, slowly and still incomprehensible to Ethan. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes before scanning the other members of the squad.

“What’d she say?” Gilda asked. The zebra flinched at the sight of her, but did her best to relax.

“I don’t know,” Ethan admitted. She hid behind him, using him like a shield, away from the rest of his squad’s sight. “S-should we…?

“Take her back to Rainbow Dash,” Twilight commanded. “We’ll bring her back to Harmony HQ and figure out the rest here. For now”

“Yes ma’am,” Gilda spoke into her mouthpiece. She looked towards Brisk Bolt. “Think you can handle that?”

Brisk nodded his head reluctantly. “I’ll get her there.”

“Good. We’ll try to make our way around to where the pod crashed. If there’s any more of ‘em, they’ll probably be around there.”

Ethan guided the zebra beside Brisk Bolt, her fragile and trembling frame clinging close to his side. He looked back at her worriedly. “Everything will be alright. Brisk will keep you safe.”

She faced the pegasus meekly, eyes darting from the mixed group of griffons and ponies, but never looking down at her blood-soaked hooves. She calmed herself, speaking in her native tongue, raising a hoof, gesturing as she spoke. The squad scratched their heads and exchanged worried and confused glances with each other.

When the mare finished speaking she looked between the four, a small glint of hope in her eyes as she let a sheepish grin spread on her lips. Her eyes glistened and her lips began to drop, her eyebrows starting to raise.

“Don’t worry,” Brisk lowered his gun, one of his arms gesturing for the zebra mare to follow. She hesitated, looking back at Ethan before glancing at Thunderlane and Gilda, who nodded their heads in Brisk’s direction. “I’ll get her back.”

“When you’re done with that, I need you to set up outsidel,” Gilda ordered. She turned to Ethan. “Think you can work your way up to the roof?”

Ethan felt the rifle on his back tingle with excitement. “Death from above? Oh hell yeah.”

Gilda marched out of the room, Thunderlane following, gun darting around, checking uselessly for any hostiles. Gilda’s gold eyes met Ethan’s. “Get up there and keep your aim on the crash site. Brisk, stay on ground level. We’ll need your gun when we flush ‘em out. Radio us when you’re in position.”

Brisk huffed and muttered; “Yes’m.”

“Sorry Brisk,” Gilda growled. “Didn’t quite catch that.”

Another huff. “Yes. Ma’am.”

***

Ethan set his rifle’s bipod along the rim of the roof, his talons gripping the handle and eye peeking through the magnified scope. The heat was dreadful, but Ethan endured. The sun beat down on him like the devil, forcing beads of sweat to roll down his forehead. The vest began to stick horribly to his chest and he had to remove the dampening pads on his hind-legs, tossing them off to the side while he waited for Gilda and Thunderlane’s signal.

That being the sound of their guns firing and hopefully flushing the enemy out into the open.

Ethan scanned down below, swivelling slowly and watching for any movement. His mind thought back to his time in Griffonstone, more specifically watching the outer walls and making sure there were no bandits threatening the town. He had essentially done the same thing, although the anticipation that someone would practically be sent into Ethan’s sights. They also were usually incapacitated for the sake of being able to pass judgement later on.

Sectoids weren’t bandits. Not in the traditional sense. It would be only a minor change, but one that he could pull off. All he had to do was aim a little higher than usual. Not too bad, right? After all, he had killed one Sectoid with his pistol a little while earlier.

The heavy hoofsteps and clumsy form of Brisk Bolt baking in the sun below crossed Ethan’s sights. He looked around, gingerly stepping over the encased zebras helplessly lying in the courtyard. His eyes darted from body to body, before he rested himself behind a shoddily built wagon and began to load up his heavy machine gun. He had a clear view of most of the courtyard. If a Sectoid came out of the building, chances were they’d be full of bullets before they could even get behind a barrel.

Ethan continued to survey the land, keeping mental notes of what he saw. Directly outside of the burning hole in the side of the wall, a small platform stood, an oil tank surrounded by several encased bodies. It was massive, but Ethan was still able to see most of the courtyard beyond it; the other entrance/exit to the adjacent metal dome’s base structure.

“Watch your fire Ethan,” Twilight warned, her voice low. “We don’t know if those zebras are still alive, but we shouldn’t take any chances.”

“Understood,” Ethan spoke into the mouthpiece. Truth be told, that bit of news forced a heavy weight on his heart. He was known for being a damn good shot, hell, even Gilda complimented him in the shooting range not two weeks ago. But the thought that a simple mistake could cost the lives of innocents who may well still be alive made a knot form in Ethan’s stomach.

“You got that?” Ethan radioed to Brisk. The stallion cast a glare towards him.

“I can hear just fine bucko,” He hissed. “I got ears you know.”

Jackass.

Ethan shook his head. Maybe Twilight wouldn’t notice if Brisk ‘accidentally’ got in the way?

No, Ethan shook his head again. Bad idea. We’re a team now right?

Ethan continued to look down his scope, aimed towards the gaping hole in the facility, ready for anything.

Blam! Blam!

Bratatatatatatat! Bratatatatatat!

“Get ready!” Gilda announced.

“Gotcha!” Ethan alerted. Sectoids scampered out into the open. The three creatures gazed up towards the roof, blinking their leathery eyelids almost curiously before scampering towards a row of crates and barrels. Ethan brought his rifle’s scope up and steadied his breath. They continued, dashing for cover with all the speed their little legs could muster. Ethan’s talon squeezed against the trigger gradually. He drew in a breath and led the shot.

Krapoom!

The Sectoid leading the charge fell, a massive chunk of brain matter shoved out of the clean hole the rifle’s bullet punched through. It fell with a pained chirp. The other two ignored their fallen comrade.

Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka!

They ducked their heads down further, out of Ethan’s line of sight as bullet trails streaked and smoked passed the cowering Sectoids. Ethan grit his teeth, looking down at Brisk Bolt shooting almost aimlessly in their general direction. All those bullets flying and he only took down one of them. The last Sectoid dove for the barrels, knocking one over.

“Yeah!” The pegasus shouted. “How do ya like that?”

Blam! Blam! Blam!

From the far side of the facility, four more Sectoids scrambled out and about, each wounded and no doubt running for their lives at this point. Gilda and Thunderlane came storming out, shouting and blasting the retreating aliens.

Ethan took aim, his talon starting to pull the trigger. He drew in a breath and led the shot.

Krapoom!

There was one. Ethan drew back the bolt of the rifle and brought the scope back up to his eye and trained his sights on the Sectoids still trying to evade the ravenous Gilda and cautious Thunderlane now taking cover behind a carriage, selecting their shots carefully.

One Sectoid stopped, turned and raised its arm as it backpedaled.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Thunderlane rushed back behind the carriage. Green bolts sailed past him, setting the wall of the zebra science outpost ablaze.

Krapoom!

“Down for the count!” Ethan shouted as he pulled the bolt back. He raised the rifle at a Sectoid still running for cover. It tripped over green encased zebras and rolled on its back and back on its feet. Ethan drew in a breath and squeezed the trigger of his rifle. He led the shoot.

Click!

Ethan’s heart stopped. It wasn’t the fact that Harmony’s rifles only had three shots per magazine that scared him. That didn’t bother him too much. In fact, as of now, he was grateful for it. The Sectoid continued to run, knowing full and well that nobody would risk trying to kill it as it disappeared behind the oil tank.

I almost shot that. Ethan wasn’t sure if the tank would have ignited then and there if his single bullet pierced it, but he let out a morbid sigh of relief at the fact that he didn’t have to find out.

“Watch your fire!” Gilda shouted, her voice echoing through the courtyard and through the radio. Ethan looked up, watching as bolts of green scorched the carriage his squad leader was using as cover. The distant and almost muffled blasts of her shotgun roared through the supply yard while Thunderlane’s rifle selected targets carefully, the shots unable to connect to their respective targets.

“Brisk Bolt,” Twilight’s voice cut in through it all. “Move in to flank them. Ethan, keep him covered.”

“Understood!” The two complied in unison. Ethan shot a glance down to Brisk, who looked up, doing the same.

“You trust me?” Ethan asked with a grin. Brisk looked back towards the tanker with worried eyes. Ethan loaded in a fresh new magazine into his rifle.

“No choice! Watch the ones by the barrels!” Brisk ordered as he launched himself out of cover, flapping his wings vigorously. Ethan complied, watching as one had already began to charge its arm cannon at Brisk Bolt’s bulky, elegant flying form.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

The bolts streaked through the sky, Brisk twisting and turning unnecessarily to avoid the already off-target shots of green. He soared and hovered off to the side of the tank. His robotic arms raised the massive lead canon.

Dakka! Dakka!

Before he knew it, Ethan could see splashes of sickly green pour off from behind the oil tank. The Sectoid behind the barrel blinked its soulless black eyes, raising its head and arm.

Ethan drew in a breath and steadied his sights as quickly as he could. As the green enveloped the tip of the alien blaster, Ethan’s talon squeezed the trigger.

Krapoom!

The creature dropped with a sickening thud and slosh as the gaping hole in its head released most of the creature’s contents.

“Nice shooting kid.” Brisk commented with a grim smirk. He turned to the Sectoids firing their necromantic green energy bolts at Gild and Thunderlane. “You guys keep your head down!”

Unable to do anything else, the two complied, while the Sectoids ceased their assault.

Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka!

The storm of bullets was deafening, but the Sectoids all dropped, sprawled over a pool of their sickly green ichor, twitching and writhing in agony before expiring. Gilda and Thunderlane stood from their cover, peeking out before emerging from behind the bullet scarred carriage. Ethan was surprised, if not extremely grateful, that they had managed to survive Brisk’s onslaught.

“Damn!” Gilda shouted, hovering her way over towards the center of the courtyard. She eyed all of the bodies with a sick smile. Her eyes met Ethan’s. “Good thing you brought the rifle huh?”

“Seriously?” Ethan moaned with a grin.

“Good work team,” Shining Armor sounded in Ethan’s ear. “Scanners aren’t showing anymore enemies. Let’s bring you guys home.”

***

“Good work Topaz,” Twilight said through a smile. The ponies of Mission Control clopped their hooves against the steely, cool floors. Others let out hoots and light cheers at their stations before going back to work, faces smiling towards the glowing blue lights of the terminal screens. “Head back to Rainbow Dash.”

“Aye aye,” Gilda sighed. She emerged from the hole in the building and fixed her sight on Ethan, still standing on the roof, aiming down and scanning the rest of the courtyard. Twilight fixed her gaze to Ethan’s screen and watched him lower his gun and wave a salute down to Brisk Bolt.

He raised his hoof slightly and rolled his eyes.

“I think that went well,” Shining Armor remarked, looking over to his sister whose body had finally eased and relaxed. She released a deep breath and faced him.

“Yeah,” Twilight sighed. She looked around at all the ponies milling about, smiling triumphant like it was their own victory. Perhaps it was everyone’s in their own way. “Alright everypony, settle down. This may be our first major victory, but it definitely won’t be the last. We’ve got a long way to go.”

The room began to settle, ponies returning to their stations. Twilight liked that about The Initiative’s diligent workers. Orderly and unquestioning loyalty. If only the soldiers were as easy to work with.

“Don’t you think they’ve earned a little break?” Spike said. “I mean, they work around the clock without so much as a thanks.”

Shining Armor shook his head. “That might be the case, but the war isn’t over yet. They all know that.”

“Also,” Twilight faced her assistant. “The Harmony Initiative must remain vigilant. We are after all, Equestria’s first and last line of hope of defense. The ponies here have to work around the clock.”

A moment of silence entered between them.

“But what about the zebra?” Spike inquired.

“Yeah,” Shining Armor looked at Twilight worriedly. “It’s bad enough that The Harmony Initiative is a rumor among the world; a group of ponies working in secret against the alien threat.”

“I can have her arranged to speak with Zecora,” Twilight answered. “Perhaps we could give her a place in the science teams. After all, that was a science facility. She could be useful.”

“And if she refuses?”

Twilight pursed her lips. “I can...do a memory wipe spell on her. She’ll forget what she saw. We return her to her home and she gets to live her life as if it never happened. In fact, I might even do the wipe anyway. After what she might have seen...that would be a mercy.”

Spike and Shining Armor exchanged anxious glances. Shining Armor spoke. “Understood sis. If that’s what you think is best.”

Twilight nodded somberly. It was the only option she saw. Sure, she could just let the mare go, but what if the stories spread. The Harmony Initiative wouldn’t be so secret anymore. A part of Twilight thought it to be a good thing, but Luna and Celestia had put a lot into making sure The Initiative remained hidden from the public eye.

The alicorn turned and started for her quarters. “Spike, take a letter.”

***

“...Breaking news from the Zebra Savannahs:

“A research outpost in the Har-an Itef region has been victim of a devastating attack from invading forces, following the same pattern of chemical warfare as all other attacks. From the limited reports we have so far, there are no witnesses of the attack and more than a hundred of the research team as well as children from near...b-by....Oh Celestia.

“There are no survivors. A-a-as I said, reports are limited so far. W-we’ll have more information in the coming days.

“To the families of all affected by the attacks; the ponies of Hoofington express our deepest sympathies. Equestria’s heart goes out to you all. We’re praying for the safety of all throughout The Known World. This is Lucy Song from the Equestrian News Broadcasting Network signing off for now.”

***

After Action Report:

Sergeant Gilda >>> Active

Corporal Thunderlane >>> Active

Corporal Brisk Bolt >>> Active

Private Ethan >>> Active

Alien bodies have been recovered.

Alien weapon fragments have been recovered.

Initiative Soldier Interviews #1: Solemn Vigil, Lone Shadow, & The Hantzsch

One Day After The Manehattan Incident

“Aegis believes that you are a capable mare,” The interviewer said, taking Solemn Vigil from her thoughts. “Swift Step also vouches for you.”

Solemn pursed her lips before her eyes forced themselves away from the door beside her and towards the three ponies sitting across from her, backs straight as they could be with their muzzles tilted ever-so-slightly to the ceiling lamp. Canterlot high borns no doubt. They were the only ponies that could pull off an appearance of stark white coats, cream yellow in the case of the mare with the clipboard, and look totally pretentious while they did so.

If she didn’t know any better, Solemn would have said she was the princess of friendship herself, but the distinct lack of wings allowed that thought to vanish. Her clean cream coat was another stark difference, although her prim and proper raspberry mane was fashioned in an eerily similar manner. Solemn was torn, thinking the mare was either an avid follower of Princess Sparkle or the originator of her style.

The two ponies beside her were Royal Guards, battered and bruised after the endeavors endured the night before. A mare and a stallion, both white, one with a dark blue mane and the other with a maroon unkempt mane. The stallion held a worried gaze over Solemn, his golden eyes occasionally meeting hers. The bandage over his left cheek thankfully changed since the last time the two had seen each other, with only one splotch of blood spread across the middle rather than the whole bandage coated in it.

The mare still wore her breastplate, dented at the bottom of the chest and leather straps that were chafed and coarse. Slight stains of crimson covered her forehead and hooves, ruining her perfect white coat. The feathers of her wings were just as messy as her mane, strays jutting out in several spots, desperately awaiting preening.

“I am Moondancer,” The cream yellow mare said, holding a hoof against her chest. “I am from the Equestrian Bureau of Defense. I thank you for coming on such short notice. How is your mother? Aegis told me about a little about last night.”

“She’s recovering as best she can,” Solemn answered bleakly.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Moondancer wrote in her clipboard. “Aegis told me you held your own fairly well amidst the chaos. You even took down a Royal Guard. No easy feat for an untrained civilian.”

Solemn swallowed and cast a worried glance to the window on the door, the darkness of the halls and the secluded office allowing her to see her stained navy blue coat. She shuddered, knowing full and well that the guard she had ‘took down’ was no longer living. They didn’t see the wild look in their friend’s eyes when he struck the ground, the pure utter terror of what had just happened to him as his life came to a painfully abrupt stop.

“Was that the only pony you killed?” Moondancer asked, her eyes boring into Solemn over the rim of her glasses.

She remembered the streets were mostly empty for miles, but there were those who were lucky enough not to get dragged away. They were the ones who started attacking each other. Solemn didn’t know why her mother nor herself were affected as well as a small hoof-ful of other ponies in the area scrambling and running for their lives.

Snow crunched under her hooves and her lungs burned like the pits of Tartarus itself, but she kept going, carrying her mother’s mostly limp form on her back, her ears pounding from the senseless screams and shouts echoing through the vastness of downtown Manehattan. A group of ponies fought behind her, either chasing her and fighting each other or chasing her while fighting demons unseen by everypony who maintained their sanity.

A large chunk of the group must have broken off. When Solemn looked back, there were only two ponies there, faces shifting from looks of horror to that of pure agony. It was then she, quite literally, ran into Aegis. And it was then Solemn defended her mother from the two attacking ponies who had given chase since hellfire rained from above.

It was an old spell she had learned when she was younger. A simple blinding light spell which sprang from her horn in a brilliant radiance like an explosion of pure sunlight. The two ponies shielded their eyes, as well as the Royal Guards affected by the ghastly influence of the green haze.

Solemn’s horn began to glow once again. Her aura surrounded the two blinded ponies, lifting them up only slightly before slamming them down with all the might her magic would allow.

They didn’t even twitch once she let go of them.

“No,” Solemn said morosely.

Moondancer scribbled some more on her clipboard.

“I’m not sorry I did it,” Solemn Vigil admitted, bringing her vision to Moondancer’s. The cream yellow unicorn tilted her head slightly. “I’m only sorry I had to.”

“It’s a good attitude to have,” Aegis spoke, his voice still gravelly like he hadn’t had water in years. “I might have done the same in your shoes. I’m gonna miss those guys though.”

Moondancer raised a brow before her pen lifted once again and brought it against the paper on her clipboard. She nodded her head slowly, flipping through several pages and glancing at the various notes she had written down.

“If there’s any way I can help,” Solemn spoke. “Then...I will. At least to do my part for Equestria.”

“I have an offer,” The mare spoke. Solemn’s ears perked up, twitching and she brought her attention to her. The mare simply looked over at Aegis and Swift Step with an inquisitive gaze. “Aegis and Swift Step believe you to be a good candidate for the Royal Guard.”

It was a thought she had seldom entertain. Solemn may have wanted to join as a filly, but as she grew up, the idea seemed less and less realistic. She knew she wouldn’t have what it takes to make it through their rigorous training regimen. “Am I being recruited?”

“For the guard?” Moondancer replied. Solemn noticed her horn glowing slightly. “No. What I am about to tell you will not leave this room. Regardless if you choose to accept or deny the offer.”

Solemn swallowed again, but nodded.

“The threat that attacked Manehattan last night was caused by forces outside of Equestria and The Known World. Alien life, if you will.” Moondancer floated her clipboard down onto the cool, walnut tabletop. “As of 3AM this morning, Princess Luna has reinstated The Harmony Initiative, I am one of the many ponies enlisting the help of whoever is willing to join the organization’s ranks in order to repel this new threat against Equestria and The Known World.”

“I-I’ve been considered?” Solemn’s mouth and throat ran dry. “W-why me?”

“Because I’ve seen what you could do,” Aegis answered. “I vouched for you personally before Moondancer finished the same process with Swift and I. You might not think it, but you’ve got potential. I don’t think Swift and I would have made it out of the downtown district if you hadn’t come along.”

“That’s why we considered you,” Swift stepped in. “You patched us up pretty good. I’d say if you didn’t become a soldier, you could easily fit the bill for a medical pony.”

“These two hold you in moderately high regard,” Moondancer said. “The choice of joining The Harmony Initiative is yours.”

It was a chance to fight. Atone for the deaths she had caused the night before and protect Equestria. It truly was a chance to make some change and do better for the world. The Harmony Initiative, whatever it was, had the potential to do more than the Royal Guard could ever hope to achieve. Solemn Vigil thought only briefly before her worries returned to her.

What ifs plagued her mind. What if she wasn’t good enough? What if she failed everypony that would be counting on her? Surely, all her friends and family would be wondering where she had run off to. She wasn’t even allowed to tell them! Would she even know about it after she left the room?

What if mom won’t be alive after I leave? Solemn shook the thought from her mind. Somepony has to care for her mother.

“I’ll accept,” Solemn answered finally. The corner of the mare’s lips curled into a smile. “On one condition.”

The smile faded. “And that is?”

“My mother,” She said. “I want her safe. If you can at least do that for me, then I’ll join and fight.”

The mare thought for a moment, looking down at her clipboard and floating her pen, jotting something down.

“Alright.” She said, raising the clipboard and marking it with an elegant flourish with her pen. “I’ll see what I can do. Welcome to The Harmony Initiative. We’ll contact you shortly.”

***

Three Days After The Manehattan Incident

“My name is Moondancer. I come from the Equestrian Bureau of Defense.”

The charcoal stallion nodded simply, releasing a sigh.

“I’m sorry to hear about your losses,” Moondancer said in a low tone.

The thought that his parents were a part of the mess that took place in the city just three nights ago had already settled in, but hearing the mare speak the words forced an uncomfortable and dreadful atmosphere in the room.

“Lone Shadow, son of one of Canterlot’s most distinguished Royal Guardsmen,” She flipped a paper around her clipboard. “Decorated, to say the least. I am truly sorry about your parents. Equestria has lost a lot of good stallions and mares.”

He grit his teeth hard, almost cracking them under the sheer intensity of his anger and frustrations. Both mother and father—the two ponies who had not only ensured the defense of Equestria, but also the ponies who had raised him, taught him everything he knew; the principals of the Royal Guard and what it truly meant to be a good pony—were gone. Vanished, disappearing without a trace.

The train ride from his home in Canterlot had been arduous and fraught with visions of his parents’ mangled corpses somewhere on the streets, hidden under black tarps while the city police worked in tandem with the Royal Guard to understand completely what had occurred. Instead, Lone had ran the length of Manehattan, reaching Fort Shimmer in less than an hour after his train arrived and managed to compose himself before inquiring about the whereabouts of his parents.

The few who had remained in the fort had no answer. Some refusing to speak about the events while others openly admitted they hadn’t the slightest clue of where they could be.

He scoured the affected districts of Manehattan as best as he could without the official Royal Guard armor to grant him proper access to the quarantine zones, watching as ponies worked through the horrors stuck in motion. Ponies wrapped in some kind of green goop. Each quarantined zone was exactly the same. Lone began to wonder which of those ponies trapped in their green prisons were his parents, begging to be let out underneath all the material.

“We don’t know what any of this stuff is.” One guard said when Lone had asked about the bodies. “We’re finding more and more every hour it seems. I’m not sure if they’re even still alive.”

Lone hadn’t pressed the issue further. He left the scene in lower Manehattan and found himself in a cafe where ponies may as well have forgotten that an attack even took place in Equestria. It was like Manehattan was safe, as if Lone would go back to Fort Shimmer and find his parents were there the whole time, although he knew the chances of such were nonexistent.

It was during his third mug of coffee that two officers approached him. It was after that third mug that he followed them back to Fort Shimmer, in a secluded room in one of the lower levels of the fort where Moondancer had waited.

She could have been waiting there for thousands of years and she may not have minded it in the slightest. Her ears perked up at the sound of his hoofsteps clopping down the concrete floors of the hall before entering the room. Lone hadn’t returned the smile she gave him and judging by how quick she had gotten down to business, she may have taken offense to that.

“I’m gonna find the bastards who took ‘em,” Lone spoke through grit teeth. He willed himself to do nothing more than that; grit his teeth.

“If that really is the case,” Moondancer replied, floating out a golden folder. A single shining star in white stood out among all the plain yellow. “I may have something of interest.”

Lone tilted his head.

Moondancer floated up a golden folder, a single white glowing star decorating the back of the rather plain file. She opened it carefully, as if the slightest hint of roughness would tear and wrinkle the fine paper inside.

“Your family history is rather interesting, I must say,” Moondancer said while reading the assorted papers. “As is your own personal history. Graduated at the top of your class in Canterlot’s Royal Military Academy. Impressive, considering you had to deal with Windshear.”

Lone nodded. Of that, he was proud of. Some sleepless nights and weeks of studying was well worth the chance to get a ‘head start’ in things before officially becoming a Royal Guard. It was the same thing his father had done and his father before him.

“Now,” Moondancer placed the papers down gingerly. “Of course, I didn’t come all this way to speak to you about your history. Not completely anyway.”

The stallion shuffled in his seat. “So why am I here?”

“Because you want to know what happened to your parents,” Moondancer answered, pushing her thick framed glasses up her muzzle slightly. “The Royal Guards will work diligently to defend us all, but after the events of the attack, can we really hope to repel our enemies with nothing more than blades and shields?”

Lone Shadow opened his mouth to speak, but the words never manifested vocally. He had heard the reports. Hell, half of Equestria had heard them and the ENBN was probably still reporting news of the relief efforts and would be for the next week or so. Lone had even seen some of the outcome of the attack. Guards, officers and civilians either encased in prisons of green or, if any news reports were to believed, those unaffected by that had slaughtered each other in the streets like rabid animals.

Could the Royal Guard even begin to win against an enemy capable of such? Nopony even knew what it was the attacked Manehattan nor the magic involved to launch such an attack on a massive scale.

“Are you trying to get me to quit The Guard?” Lone asked, furrowing his brow. “To abandon my duty to Equestria?”

“The opposite in fact. What I’m going to tell you will not leave this room.”

Her horn gleamed slightly. Lone frowned. The moment he left the room, this conversation will have never happened. He would wind up thinking he was there asking for his parents’ whereabouts again until somepony brought up the subject of whatever it was Moondancer would bring up soon. It was a trick he had read about in books some time ago. Of course he knew the counter-spell and chances were he would activate it before leaving. He sucked in a deep breath.

“Okay.” He said. “I’m listening.”

“I have been sent on behalf of Princess Luna and Princess Twilight Sparkle to recruit ponies into a new military program.” Lone’s ears twitched. “The Harmony Initiative.”

“The what?”

“The Harmony Initiative. You will act as a soldier in its ranks. Your military record already shows you to be a distinguished and reliable pony to have in our ranks. The Initiative is the world’s first—and last—line of defense against this alien threat. I have been tasked with recruiting ponies into The Initiative.”

Lone cocked his head again. Alien. The word repeated itself in his head. It would explain much of what happened.

“So you’ve come to recruit me,” Lone motioned with a forehoof. “For this Harmony Initiative?”

Moondancer nodded. “It should be no surprise. After all, you are from a well known family from Canterlot, distinguished, the list goes on. Your name was pretty high on the list of candidates.”

“Did you know the attack was going to happen?”

“Nopony did. Nopony saw it coming. But The Initiative has been around for ages, of that I’m sure of. The organization has maintained a close eye on numerous ponies, griffons, zebras, even the changelings after their reformation years ago. In the event of an attack from the stars above, those with exceptional skill and those with the willingness to fight would be taken into Harmony’s ranks should they choose to accept.

“Which leads me to my next question,” Moondancer floated a paper before her and raised a pen which seemingly materialized from underneath the table. “Will you be joining us in our fight?”

It didn’t take long for Lone Shadow to find his answer. “Yes. If it means fulfilling my duty to Equestria and potentially saving my parents, I’ll join.”

With a quick flourish with her pen, Moondancer marked the paper before her before she stacked it on top of the other papers and closing them inside a folder. She extended a hoof.

Lone grasped it with his own, feeling her velvety smooth fur against his.

“Welcome to The Harmony Initiative,” She said. “We will contact you shortly.”

***

Four Days After The Manehattan Incident

Cherry Pop sat slouched in the seat and kept his eyes trained on the mug of coffee. This was probably the first time he and his ragtag group of friends had come to find the mayor not in his office. And probably the only time they’d be called there and not get an earful of his deceivingly high pitched voice for causing some sort of issue in the town.

“You requested a drink,” The mare spoke in her annoyingly official tone, perfectly accentuating every word and pronouncing them like they were delicate flowers without the slightest flaw. “Did you not?”

Her perfectly curled purple mane and tail beautifully dangled off swayed gently with the southern breeze of the Griffon Empire. Or was it a kingdom? It was further out east than Griffonstone and down south of the continent. The mare was drastically out of place in the town, dressed in an elegant, yet regal and professional blue short dress. Most ponies around town fashioned armor of leather or no clothing at all. Most ponies and griffons owned nothing more than a room full of their belongings.

To say the least, it was more than a miracle that this mare hadn’t been shot and killed for everything she owned the moment she set hoof in the town’s dusty border. She could even have been kidnapped in broad daylight just because of the snobbish way she had her nose stuck in the air. She must have been from Canterlot.

“I wanted a soda,” Cherry sighed. Nevertheless, he grabbed the mug with a hoof and took a sip. He wrinkled his nose and placed the mug down as gingerly as his hooves would allow. “Could’ve at least put some creamer or sugar.”

“I find it quite interesting,” The mare ignored Cherry’s disdain. “That any pony should accompany himself with griffon mercenaries. Griffons who, might I add, had preferred to keep themselves grounded.”

“Wasn’t my idea if that’s what you’re getting at.” Cherry rested a hoof against his head, leaning onto the table. “When I joined the group, they already clipped themselves.”

Any griffon mercenary band was a tough bunch to figure out. Some were all about honor and duty and traditionalist values of their homeland while others favored newer ideals, the spoils of a good fight, the coin to be made.

Then there were the oddballs, namely the griffons and earth ponies of Hantzsch. Cherry Pop didn’t exactly know the history of the group, but they practically adopted him when he had arrived in the Southern Griffon Kingdoms looking for work. Raiding raiders and catching criminals with the help of six others wasn’t exactly the line of work he wanted to indulge in, but it was rather rewarding.

In a week's time, Cherry Pop went from an unsuspecting Fillydelphia-born travelling rum merchant in Griffon territory into a silver-tongued mercenary who did nothing more than drink, do good deeds for others for a price, sleep and drink again. Not exactly the life he wanted to have, but it was a life of a certain luxury and freedom Equestria would never be able to allow. Sure, his parents were probably worried sick that their son hadn’t come back from a trip to the store, but this was his life and the life he was proud to be living.

“This band of ruffians that you travel with,” She grinned sheepishly as the ponies and griffons behind Cherry no doubt cast glares at the unicorn. “I mean no offense of course! But surely the muscle and brawn of your compatriots could be put into use for something good?”

“Uh, we are doing good,” Cherry said, raising an eyebrow.

“Why yes of course!” The mare lifted a set of papers in front of her. “Saving a hostage from a bandit stronghold deep in the mountains for example! Of course, ponies do need more than two legs to walk properly, so I suppose him losing one hoof is okay.”

“He’s still alive right? Besides there’s no way you can heal a leg shredded the way his was.”

“Oooor this one!” She pulled another paper out. “A group of wingless griffons and earth ponies turn in a notorious gang leader to the great city of Whitehaven, but alas...instead of facing a public trial like he was supposed to, one of our fateful heroes took it upon herself to execute the would-be prisoner in full view of Lord Angelcrest’s grand hall.”

“Bastard had it comin’!” The shrill voice of one Cherry’s companions called out. “‘E was a killa!”

The mare shook her head. “I mean really! Why are you all among the list of candidates?”

Cherry tilted his head. The mare’s eyes went wide and she held a hoof over her mouth with a quiet squeak. “U-uh, f-forget I said that! It was nothing! I’ll be on my way!”

“Candidates for what?” The mercenary band all asked in unison. The silver unicorn grinned sheepishly once again, a small bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. Her eyes danced between them all before sighing in defeat and composing herself; straightening her back and maintaining a regal demeanor.

“My name is Rarity,” she admitted. A dim blue aura surrounded her horn before simply vanishing. “I come on behalf of an Equestrian based organization. You have heard of the attacks on Manehattan haven’t you?”

“Aye,” the griffons behind Cherry said in unison. Otto, an armored tank of a griffon spoke up, the rumbling bass of his voice vibrating Cherry’s chest. “Nasty business, that. I say it was somethin’ foreign. The same thing that’s makin’ griffons disappear.”

“Otto,” Cherry turned to face him. “You can’t even read. How’d you even hear about it?”

“Lorin got one of them radios down at the tavern. It’s like one of you ponies are in the box an’—”

“Please dear,” Rarity spoke. “We all know how a radio works. Let’s get back on track now shall we? Your friend Otto is partially correct in his assumption. The attack was from—dare I say—an alien force.”

“How does this involve us?” Cherry asked.

“Because dear,” She raised several folders full of papers. “You and your friends are among the many Griffonstone believes to be able to prove of some use in repelling the impending alien threat. I have been sent to request your assistance, which you could most certainly deny.”

Cherry turned to face his band. Each looked with raised brows, exchanging nervous glances and scratching their heads. He noticed the uncomfortable way the griffons shuffled and twisted their beaks into a grimace. The earth ponies looked like this was their true calling, each one suppressing smiles and their overall excitement.

“Uh…” Cherry’s mind drew up a blank. He turned to the griffon flanking his right. She was a rough one. The black feathers from her now-gone wings were strung around a necklace full of all sorts of charms. She raised a talon and scratched her chin before her brilliant purple eyes met Cherry’s. He leaned close and whispered to her, “Eva—erm...Boss, what do I do here?”

She scanned Rarity, looking down at the folders while tilting her head. She opened her beak several times and closed it. She let out a sigh. “Money.”

“Pardon?” Rarity raised a brow.

“I’ll do it for money,” Eva said simply in the gentlest tone she could muster. The rasp in her voice was still there, but pitched higher than usual. Her ‘diplomatic’ voice as she called it. “No money, no help. We are mercenaries after all. The hell is this organization called anyway?”

Rarity bit her lip, her unease becoming more and more apparent. “The Harmony Initiative. I-I can speak to Lord Ebonwing about a payment. Does this mean you will grant us your aid?”

“Sure.” Eva said simply.

“Great,” Rarity said with an exasperated sigh. It was an elegant flourish that marked the papers inside the folders. She grimaced with each mark made, but sealed each folder before they vanished into thin air. She took that typical Canterlot posture of hers once again and hesitated before saying; “Welcome to The Harmony Initiative.”

Chapter 5: Air Strike

She stared at the red bandana hanging on the edge of the table just beside her bed, longingly and dreadfully. Her body ached and screamed with every small movement she made, but nothing hurt more than the terrifying prospect of what she had been told days ago.

Her wings were gone. She would never fly again.

They were crippling words no pegasus should ever bear to hear. She wanted to find herself back in the cloud fortress that was home to so many of the Royal Guards ready to protect Equestria and Her allies in a minutes notice. She would be greeted by the grand pegasus architecture; a mix of solid tangible material and fluffy clouds. Friends would tease and jest because she had the equivalent to a filly’s nightmare.

At least, that was her hope. Her friends had already left the hospital no more than an hour ago to return to Canterlot or Cloudsdale. She didn’t pay attention to where they were going. Just the fact that they left. A part of her knew that they wouldn’t be able to stay forever, but she had desperately hoped one of them would come back and go against their duties. There was an incredible sense of loneliness that plagued her mind.

Now, she lay motionless on her stomach and stared at the crimson bandana, the last gift her friends left her, a reminder of their friendship. It was all they could offer to give her and she didn’t mind it.

She had been confined to the bed for little more than two weeks. She knew the damage was bad. Shrapnel from the bandits’ cannons bore into one of her wings and when she landed from the crash, her other wing snapped as well as several other bones in her body. The aching sensation and loneliness never left her.

For two hours she writhed in unbearable agony hoping someone would hear her screams, shouts and whimpers. She knew her sounds would be drowned out until the cannons cease firing and the griffons were either in shackles or routed from their stronghold. In that time, she had waited as patiently as anypony could with broken bones spanning her whole body.

It was a total of three hours before the search party had found her broken and shuddering form slammed against the rocky surface of the mountain. To say the least, it almost shattered the men’s morale when they first laid eyes on her as the pegasi medical team lifted her onto a gurney and straight to the nearest medical center. She stayed there ever since, confined to her bed and moved around only when the doctors needed her to. There was little she could do besides that.

The door to the room creaked open. She turned her head, several muscles screaming in pain as she did so. Two slender unicorns trotted in, identical save for one of them bearing a red mustache. Each wore striped blue and white vests and white shirts underneath. Hanging off their sides were a set of hazel leather packs, dangling freely as the two walked forward.

“How are you..?” The question died on her lips, having answered itself. Unicorns. Of course.

The two pale yellow unicorns approached with what could have been genuine sympathy in their eyes. Their matching candy cane colored manes floated gingerly in their enveloped magic. The one with the mustache spoke up first.

“A rather unfortunate situation for one so skilled in the skies,” He said with an odd bright tone to his voice. “Wouldn’t you agree Flim?”

“I do agree Flam,” Said the other. “Whatever is one to do in such a precarious position?”

Her eyes danced between the two stallions. She grit her teeth, but wasn’t even sure if she should be growing angry.

“What do you want?” She asked, the neutrality in her voice betraying the ever-present growing frustration building up.

“Why we’ve come with a proposition!” Flim beamed. Beside him a gold folder floated labelled Icarus.

“But before we get to that,” Flam interjected. “A question: What is one of the Royal Guard’s most talented and combat savvy pegasi to do without her wings? A former Combat Flyer grounded? Preposterous!”

She furrowed her brow. Flam pulled the collar of his shirt calmly re-adjusting.

“Could you imagine dear brother,” Flim spoke. “The idea of being grounded for the rest of one’s life? If only there was a means to allow a pegasus to fly again!”

“What in Tartarus do you want?!” She roared, slamming her charcoal hoof on the rail of her bed. Strands of her silver mane fell into her eyes, but she was far more concerned with the sharp pain enveloping her body. She closed her eyes and repressed tears, gritting her teeth to the point of near cracking.

A moment later, the pain subsided and she was fine. She gasped for air, taking in deep breaths. She looked at the two stallions, both of their horns glowing brighter and their green aura surrounding her.

“Miss Strike,” Flim said floating the golden folder to her, blocking view of her beloved bandana. He opened it.

“We would like to grant you the ability to get your wings back,” Flam continued. The words and language were foreign, speaking of servos, implants and other scientific technobabble she wasn’t able to completely understand. The diagram, however, did wonders of portraying completely what it was they were offering.

Prosthetics, but more than just that. These boasted of faster than average speed, unrivaled versatility and arcane based technology. Their design was both aesthetically pleasing, managing to maintain that grand pegasus ornate design while remaining collapsible and rather unnoticeable when not in use, folding up and staying at the sides almost like normal pegasus wings. Curved elaborate pieces of metal jutting from her side seemed silly at first, but the probability of flying again….

“Of course,” Flam said. “At the moment, the designs and functionality of such an ambitious project are all in the final prototype stages.”

“But we have the utmost faith in our associates that these wings will become a fully functioning reality,” Flim continued. “In the highly unlikely event that the wings won’t function as intended, you will still be able to fulfil your duty of protecting all of Equestria.”

“What’s the catch?”

“How would you like a spot in something far greater than the Royal Guard itself?” Flam questioned. “After all, if they can’t protect the ponies vanishing from their homes and city streets, who can? Of course, that’s where we come in.”

“You may have noticed the missing populace,” Flim continued. “How is it that all these ponies are just going poof without a trace? Maybe there is a greater force that we never knew about? Who else to rise against and investigate these mysterious disappearances than something greater than the Royal Guard itself?”

She lay confused now. Something greater than the Royal Guard? A peacekeeping force greater than that of Equestria’s largest and most well known order of warriors? Impossible.

“Should you choose to accept,” Flim said. “We can cover this in better detail.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then this conversation will have never happened,” Flam answered. The words left his lips smooth and unwavering, but she failed to understand. Much to her surprise, Flam continued, almost as if reading her mind. “We will take our leave and you will forget that we had ever met.”

Still, she didn’t understand, but she hadn’t pressed the question further. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know. There was no way she could deny herself the chance to take to the skies again, even if the wings weren’t exactly hers. But if the wings didn’t work? At least she may have the ability to fight again in a little while.

“Alright,” She sighed. “I accept.”

***

2 Hours After Operation Red Star

“Pegasi around the Vanhoover area were grounded after the discovery of an unknown flying craft in the skies. Eyewitness accounts describe the object as a ‘round metal vessel’ of some kind, capable of high speeds. Pegasi are advised to stay clear of the skies while the Royal Guard attempt to diffuse the situation. Anypony inside the city are advised to stay indoors and remain sheltered until the threat has come to pass.

“We’ll have more information on the story shortly. In other news….”

***

1 Hour After Operation Red Star

It was like an out of body experience, allowing a mostly metallic capsule to envelope one’s body and using nothing more than just an inkling of energy to do something as simple as walk, trot, gallop or fly.

Initially most pegasi considered the hulking suits to be far too large and too clunky to properly position oneself, but as they soon found out, the most basic movements and aerial maneuvers were almost second nature in them. Sure, the massive canons built into the sides of the body would take some getting used to, but nopony complained once they had been strapped and encased in the safety of the armored shell.

The process of equipping such an advanced piece of armor was rather long and arduous from accounts of other pegasi in the hangar assigned to aerial combat. A pegasus would stand in the center of a platform while other ponies assembled the armor around the various parts of their body. It was a process which shouldn’t be rushed so only the most patient and calm of pegasi were selected to act as interceptors for the alien spacecrafts.

Commander Sparkle entered the metal floored alcove where one such pegasus stood diligently as the ponies around her fit the armor snug around her firm and robust frame, covered with an underarmor as to not let her flesh get caught in the armor’s hinges.

“Commander,” Air Strike stiffened, causing a few of the maintenance ponies to jump back with the armor plates dropping. They returned to their duties urgently without a word, locking the lower hoof-guards into place before working on the upper hoof armor. “Sorry. I’d salute, but…”

Twilight waved a forehoof. “I understand. I was just checking on all of the pegasi getting headed off to Vanhoover.”

The armored carapace consumed Air Strike’s hooves, folding over each other and hardly causing a shift in weight. She didn’t know what made it so unnaturally light, but she’d chalk it up to magical enchantments. From what she had seen, that was the logical solution for any obstacle in Harmony Headquarters.

“How are the wings?” Twilight asked, stepping in front of the charcoal mare. Air Strike felt her face twitch, but maintained her deadpanned expression. “I heard what the ponies in R and AT managed to accomplish. I almost didn’t believe it!”

Twilight’s eyes glossed over to the prosthetic wings; ornately silver metal attached via an implanted socket where Air Strike’s wings used to grow. It still felt foreign to her, the neural link talisman implanted in the mechanics of the sockets making her spine tingle occasionally. It was astonishing; the unrivaled ingenuity of earth pony mechanics mixing with unicorn enchantments crafted into something so simple that would grant pegasi all over Equestria the ability to fly should they ever lose their wings.

Air Strike understood Harmony tech would most likely never see its way into hooves outside of the organization, but she wished at least their advanced prosthetics would see its way into hospitals and places all around Equestria.

“They’re perfect for the job,” Air Strike answered, her voice even and smooth, troublingly so for somepony in her position. . “Blend well with the thick suit and respond almost as well as my old wings. Pretty much built with the suit in mind.”

The curved metal arches sprang up with a low, but still audible whirr and a brilliant blue aura glowed behind them, lightly as to not wind up taking off before the maintenance ponies were finished covering up the small bits of Air Strike’s body. The magic sheen gleamed off the cold metal plates which enveloped her.

The corner of the commander’s lips curled up. There was a sparkle in her eyes, although it was hard to tell if it was from the light dangling above or from her general amazement of what Harmony was able to accomplish on its own in just a matter of weeks.

“That’s amazing!” Twilight stepped closer, but stopped midstep, watching the ponies raise their brows before they finished up, casing Air Strike in the most high impact resistant suit money could buy. Despite all of its plates and moving pieces, the armor managed to hug every curve of the mare .

The maintenance ponies stepped away, allowing the stationary platform which kept Air Strike sturdily grounded to lower.

“The ponies in Engineering really outdid themselves,” Twilight commented.

“Thank Celestia for that,” Air Strike said glancing down at the two canons flanking her side. “Feel sorry for the band of aliens that would have to deal with three more of these. Speaking of, any word on the craft?”

Twilight’s expression shifted, her smile fading and eyes darkening. “Of course. The recon teams are still keeping an eye on it. As best they can anyway. That thing is fast.

“I don’t expect the job to go easy, but your weapons and arms combined with everypony else in your squadron should be enough to at least disable the vessel. I’m not asking you to take it down, go inside and clear it of any aliens. Just take it down. We’ll send in a squad to do the rest.”

“Understood ma’am.”

Twilight looked out from the cavernous alcove and down at the other ponies getting ready for the upcoming battle. Air Strike stepped forward, ears twitching with each heavy footfall.

“We’ve never seen what the alien crafts are capable of,” Twilight said. She cast a glance down at a group of griffons dragging ponies into their little gambling card game; Doppelkopf. The commander shook her head with a slight smirk. Air Strike had to admit, she was a bit of a fan of the game, even if the expert griffons hosting the games never took it easy on her like they said they would.

Twilight faced Air Strike. “If you or anypony else sustains too much damage, I need you to pull back and disengage.”

“We will ma’am,” Air Strike approached a side table full of her belongings and sat on her haunches, a loud metal clang causing Twilight and herself to jolt a little. She smiled apologetically. “Sorry about that.”

The alicorn simply nodded before continuing. “There is a small chance you will have assistance from the Royal Guard, though I don't see what assistance they could provide us. They'd just wind up throwing sticks and stones at metal.”

Air Strike picked up the silver helmet and slid it over top her head, sliding on with ease despite the crimson bandana resting on her mane. The moment her metal encased hooves let the helmet rest, the visor sprang to life, a single crosshair in the center and a multitude of other displays including ammo count on the upper left corner, a status link of the armor as a whole to the lower right and a compass right beside it. The helmet even managed to cover her ears, but she still heard the outside world just fine.

“Aren’t we supposed to be a secret though?” Air Strike asked.

“We are,” Twilight answered after a moment of pause. “But no doubt, everypony knows that there’s someone out there actively fighting against the alien threat. I would much prefer to stick to Luna’s initial plan of remaining in the shadows, but the ponies need someone to look up to for hope and if we could provide that...”

Twilight stepped forward. “You understand don’t you?”

Air Strike nodded gently.

“Anyway, I didn’t come here to bore you with all of that,” Twilight stood straight and tall, completely unwavering, her energy seemingly restored. “Before I go, I would like to think you already know this but...If you can take down the alien craft, then it would be preferable to do so away from the city. There’s already enough of a scare with the fact that there’s an alien ship looming overhead. We’ll also need you to remain near the affected area until the fireteam arrives. Just in case somepony gets a little too curious.”

“Gotcha,” Air Strike said through her helmet.

“Alright, Banshees,” Air Strike’s ear had no room to flick or twitch. Vapour Trail’s soft voice rang again. “It’s time. Everypony ready?”

“Ready,” Blue Bell sounded.

“Ready,” Lightning Dust's answered.

“Ready.” Air Strike’s wings began to glow, brighter now. She lept into the air, the blue glow intensifying as the mechanical arches sprouting from her torso flapped once and gingerly kept her afloat despite the armor.

Twilight’s horn lit up slightly. “You all know what to do. Good luck everypony. Remember, outside of the city if you can.”

The Banshee Squadron all floated out of their alcoves embedded within the rocky surface of the hangar’s walls. Lightning Dust fiddled with one of her hoof guards as she hovered out into the open and checked her cannons before finally paying attention to where she was flying. The armored carapace enveloping her seemed weightless with the way her wings managed to flap at a normal pace. Blue Bell hovered at attention, awaiting orders just beside Lightning Dust.

Air Strike joined the two, her mechanical wings flapping out of nothing other than pure instinct. The trail of blue that followed her attracted the attention of everypony who saw it. She was already used to the wondrous gazes of those down below. After all, she was one of the only pegasi with those implanted wings.

Vapour Trail’s brilliant mane and tail poked from her armor as she flew, her wings keeping her afloat just below the giant maw-like doors in the roof of the hangar. She looked at the other three mares in the division.

“Alright everypony,” She spoke, a slight tinge of nervousness in her voice. “ Let’s go save Vanhoover.”

She launched herself upwards, Lightning Dust and Blue Bell trailing behind.

The ever increasing hum of Air Strike’s new wings filled her with a strange kind of joy. She couldn’t help but to allow a smile to form underneath her helmet. A trail of blue followed her as she took to the skies behind her fellow pegasi.

Author's Note

I originally wanted to post this as it's own parts in what would end up being Chapter 6, but I don't want there to be too much stuffed into 6. Anyway, I'll have chapter 6 posted some time during the week or maybe next week.

Chapter 6: Operation Dragon's Breath

Twilight sat inside the hangar, waiting for the massive doors above to open once again. It had been a few hours since Banshee Squadron left the base in search for that alien craft flying around Vanhoover. She had hoped Fireteam Topaz would have returned by now. After all, there was much to be done and she had yet to eat dinner. Her stomach grumbled and roared, garnering curious glances from the several ponies surrounding her. Nopony said anything of course, but she could see and hear the repressed snickers judging from the way they returned her ginger smiles with grins wider than usual.

A small gathering of ponies eagerly awaited the arrival of the arcane assisted carriage—the one which Twilight still struggled to find a proper name for. Flanking the alicorn’s left, Shining Armor stood about as diligently as a pony who left his family behind could. Years in the Royal Guard treated his posture well, granting him a proud and majestic stance while he waited patiently. Beside him stood Zecora whose glistening blue eyes did the nervous movements for her. The stoic manner in which she sat on her rump betrayed the visible discomfort on her face.

Flanking Twilight’s right was the head of the Biology Division, who eagerly joined the group with a set of gurneys and two of her personnel, both equally uncomfortable with the idea of lugging bodies out of the carriage. The emerald mare was a bit of a mystery to Twilight. She had presented herself quite professionally through her letters requesting more autopsy material, but the mare beside her hadn’t reflected at all what Twilight would think to be a scientist.

Sky Lance’s cutie mark—two spears of black clouds—seemed to contradict her profession. Not that Twilight had any qualms about it. In fact, she enjoyed the rather extensive lab reports on the sectoid’s organs and other scientific jargon even she didn’t quite understand. The rapid rate in which her work was done was astonishing to say the least.

Strangely, it was around these ponies Twilight became conscious of her height. She was nowhere near as tall as Celestia in terms of physical stature, but she realized now that she had to look down at those she sat beside and even the few who passed by. She wondered what called for such a drastic change. Roughly fifteen years as an alicorn and it had seemed that the physical effects were beginning to kick in.

A loud clang echoed in the hangar and a column of light peered through the circular hole opening up. Rainbow Dash lowered herself gingerly, head turning back and forth while pegasi and griffons alike cleared the way. Her magenta eyes met Twilight’s.

“Glad to see us?” She waved a hoof, increasing her speed slightly. The carriage hovered wondrously above the cold metal floors, a calming whirring sound emanating from the arcane coils.

“Very!” Twilight beamed as Rainbow landed and began to unstrap herself from the transport. Fireteam Topaz sat groggy and tired in the back of the carriage, but thankfully, everyone was unharmed.

“Good work everyone,” Twilight said with a smile. A smile which slowly faded as Sky Lance’s assistant pulled out three bodies stuffed into the nearest corner of the carriage as they had hoped the bodies would fall out in the middle of their flight. We need a storage compartment for that.

“Yep,” Gilda said with a confident grin, fluttering her wings as she exited the carriage. “That’s what we’re aiming for.”

Twilight smiled and faced Ethan. He slung his rifle balanced on his back and stepped out gingerly. Brisk Bolt came out with a grimace on his face, granting Twilight a quick salute before following Thunderlane. The alicorn returned her gaze to the young white feathered griffon.

“Thank you,” Twilight said. Ethan cocked his head. “For saving the zebra. Where is she?”

“In the back,” Ethan replied. He turned to her, watching as she trembled, eyes darting all over the hangar, full of a mixture of panic and curiosity. The sight of Zecora managed to ease her only slightly. Zecora extended a hoof, which the mare gingerly took, smiling and speaking in that exotic tongue of hers.

It took a moment, but the zebra pounced on Zecora, embracing her in a teary eyed hug, speaking through exhausted breaths while her voice cracked and she gave a laugh of what Twilight assumed to be relief.

“You did good,” Twilight remarked. Ethan stiffened up.

“It was the right thing to do,” He said. He looked up at the regal princess. “Right?”

“Right,” Twilight nodded. She looked over to her older brother, waving a forehoof for him to come over. “Shining Armor and I were thinking.”

“Given your performance on the mission,” Shining Armor continued. “I think it’s safe to say that Private Ethan doesn’t really roll off the tongue very well.”

“Perhaps, Corporal Ethan sounds better?” Twilight said with a smirk.

“Am I…” He paused, looking back at his squadmates. What remained besides Brisk Bolt, who vanished behind the massive hangar bay door. Gilda chortled, motioning for the young griffon to turn and face Twilight.

“I believe the Royal Guard would call it,” Twilight tapped a hoof against her chin. “A promotion?”

Ethan’s face glowed, eyes meeting both Shining’s and Twilight’s in disbelief. “I-I was just doing my job.”

“A job you’ve done rather well!” Twilight clopped a hoof on the ground. “I wish we could be a little more ceremonious, but I’m sure your friends will be begging for a celebration.”

“There’s a lot on everypony’s plate at the moment.” Shining Armor said. His horn glowed, hovering an encase metal insignia. Ethan grasped it in his talons with adoration equivalent to a filly acing her math test.

“I’d say you should stop by the lounge sometime tonight,” Twilight said. “I’m sure a certain somepony would be willing to help out. You’re the youngest in Gilda’s group right? Try to keep the place clean.”

Ethan shook his head rapidly. “O-of course!”

“Dismissed.” Twilight watched as Ethan strode off to Gilda, who put an arm around his neck as they left the hangar with Thunderlane at their side.

The alicorn turned to Zecora, free from the embrace of the unknown zebra mare, who soaked in the sights of the hangar. Her eyes glistened more from the pure wonder of technologies around her and no more from the tears which had ran down her cheeks. She garnered the attention of only a hoof-ful of the maintenance workers, but other than that, she remained largely unnoticed by the busier inhabitants. Twilight was thankful for that. She did not want too much attention on their new striped friend.

Twilight could not help but to grimace at the sight of the poor mare. She shook like a dog stuck in the rain, but her breathing managed to pace itself back to normal. Her eyes met Twilight’s, scanning the alicorn cautiously. She bowed her head slightly.

Twilight waved a forehoof. “Please. There’s no need for that.”

The mare’s ear flicked. She may have lacked understanding, but she hesitantly rose her head, her eyes trying to decide whether she could actually look Twilight in the eye again or if she should keep her vision confined to the ground. Her head turned to Zecora instead.

“Will she be okay?” Twilight asked.

Zecora nodded taking the zebra’s hoof gently. “She has suffered and endured I cannot deny. I recommend the medical bay with Fluttershy and I.”

“Whatever she needs,” Twilight said. “We’ll provide for her.”

The alicorn faced Shining Armor. “Relay a message to Applejack. Provide her and The Brothers whatever materials needed to make their upgrade to the chariot. I want it ready within the hour.”

“Of course sis,” Shining Armor nodded. “Want me to get the replacement too? I think Rainbow needs some time off.”

“Yeah,” Twilight fixed her gaze on Rainbow Dash. She breathed heavily and dripped with sweat, but remained steadfast in the presence of other pegasi. They might not have noticed it, but Twilight could see the exhaustion in her eyes. “Get Night Glider prepped for flight.”

***

The griffons around Lone roared with laughter, boisterous and gaining the attention of those not involved with the party taking place in the dead center of the lounge. Truth be told, the ‘party’ was only supposed to consist of a young griffon named Ethan and his griffon compatriots. However, unexpectedly, not only had Pinkie Pie been informed that a celebration was in order, but half of the group Cherry Pop seemed to favor so much had caught wind of it. The group of wingless griffons and earth ponies strolled on in like they were already friends with Gilda and the rest of her cast.

Of course, it garnered a bit of hostility initially, but the assumed leader of Cherry’s band of misfits, a black feathered griffon by the name of Eva, paid for drinks. While her crew and Gilda’s managed to get along well, Eva hardly spoke a word. She just watched as ponies and griffons exchanged stories of their exploits back in their homeland before disaster struck. Lone could only do the same as Pinkie Pie later moved in with a cart full of all kinds of goods.

Lone wondered how Pinkie managed to bring them all the food and sweets that she did. It was like there was a secret giant bakery facility somewhere in Harmony Headquarters. He was not complaining by any means though; she made one hell of an apple fritter and Lone knew he’d die happy having tasted one of her blueberry pies.

“Watch out!” Gilda shouted. A silver tin flew across the three joined tables, Pinkie Pie ducking just in time to avoid it. Her eyes were small pinpricks of blue, sweat beading down her forehead as she tried to maintain a nervous smile.

There were several reasons Lone steered clear of the lounge. Drunk griffons were on the top of that list. If he witnessed a group of rambunctious drunkards such as the many who surrounded him and had no clue about what caused the attacks on Manehattan, he would have blamed it on the griffons he sat with. Several tables around them lay empty and most ponies took to other facilities, voicing their displeasure in a way that made Lone sink into his seat and try to avoid all the glares coming his way.

“Uh...” Pinkie Pie’s eyes darted around the tables. “M-more snacks! I-I-I’ll be right back!”

She ran off, completely ignored by everyone. More laughs erupted and the burly griffon beside Lone pounded on the table before giving him a hard slug to the shoulder.

Ethan, the griffon of the hour, raised a mug into the air. The other griffons around him clumsily brought all their mugs to his, dropping large clumps of alcohol onto the floor and staining the young griffon’s feathers. They all cheered appraisals and incoherent shouts before taking sips.

“Remind me again why I thought this would be a good idea?” Lone asked, rubbing the bruise starting to form on his shoulder. Cherry raised an eyebrow.

“Uh, because it’s the first real successful mission since we all got here?” Cherry took a sip from his mug. Lone frowned. “Seriously, I thought us hangin’ out would make you loosen up a bit. Why can’t you be less of a square?”

Lone huffed. “I’m not a square!”

“Really?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “How long’s that Dreamtail Whiskey been sittin’ in that mug of yours?”

“I’m not thirsty.” Lone said a matter-of-factly, crossing his hooves and leaning back into his chair. It definitely sounded better than I think Pinkie misheard my request for some cider over all of your yelling.

“Right,” Cherry said with a smirk.

“How can you call me a square?” Lone pointed his hoof at Cherry’s mug. “You’re the only one drinking water!”

“Yeah, but I at least slapped some protein in my system.” The tan stallion pointed a hoof at the bone sitting on his plate. Lone felt his nose wrinkle and stomach churn. “What? Might be griffon food, but it’s some good stuff!”

“You’re disgusting.” Lone shook his head.

“It’s natural.”

“Ponies are vegetarian. That’s natural.”

“Not this pony.”

Lone furrowed his brow. Who knew how bad of an influence Cherry’s griffon friends had on him and the other earth ponies that were allegedly part of the same clique. Lone took a look around the table and sure enough; even the ponies were taking a liking to the carnivorous cuisine. Lone was not sure what sickened him more; the sheer fact that they were eating it, or the smiles spread on their faces while they did.

It was times like these Lone would rather be in the barracks, sitting on his bunk and reading a good book. He would not consider himself to be antisocial, but he would admit that he had spent most of his first week and half of the second with his muzzle deep in books. The Library facility was hardly anything compared to Canterlot’s Royal Palace, but Commander Sparkle had supposedly chosen most of the books herself. Lone wouldn’t deny that she had wondrous taste.

She had tomes ranging from standard literary fiction to zebra philosophy. In the late hours of the night, Lone had spent his time there, skimming through the various drabble before finding a true gem among the rest and each time he had found them in the section the mighty alicorn would frequent when she too found that sleep eluded her.

Their conversations were brief, but that’s the fault of Lone Shadow. It was not that she was imposing by any means. Lone would see her, stand at attention and wait stiffly until she left with her set of books for the night, usually on military strategy and the generals of old. Even if she ordered him to relax, Lone would rigidly make his way down the aisles and search.

It was only recently that Lone had begun to frequent the lounge with the enigmatic and rather spasmodic Cherry Pop, the fifth squadmate who had a thing for griffons with missing wings. Lone had not gotten drunk per se, but he did hate the guilt of waking up late for roll calls.

“This is ridiculous,” Lone muttered. “With the way you guys are celebrating, you’d think we actually won the war already.”

Eva took a sip from her mug, wincing as she put it back down on the table. “Better to have the good times now. Never know how bad things are gonna get in the future.”

Lone’s ear twitched at the statement. He understood, but at the same time could not get behind the notion of celebrating as crazy as the griffons were. It was just a promotion after all. There was bound to be more than just Ethan’s. Lone knew next to nothing about griffon celebratory customs, but for the sake of the ponies given janitorial duties and Pinkie Pie, he hoped this was the equivalent of Ethan getting his first stripes and their next celebration would be a little more dialed back.

“It’s always doom and gloom with ya,” Cherry remarked. “Why dontcha relax a little bit?”

Lone let out a sigh. “I’ll go relax in the barracks. At least Solemn and Rime can keep their crap under control.”

“Have fun,” Cherry said. “I know we will!”

***

The buzzing machines and the way the workponies did so little actual work made Solemn’s skin crawl. Maybe it was her mother’s personality rubbing off on her, but she didn’t like the idea of machines doing much of the work. Solemn made her way through the factory floor, eyes watching the conveyor belts and the sturdy metal arms tasked with the assembly weapons and arms. The mechanical proficiency of the assembly lines was astonishing, sending sparks flying and completing their designated items in a matter of seconds.

It was off-putting how devoid of actual life the facility was. There were the occasional ponies working on the terminals which operated the assembly lines, griffons operating forklifts and moving things around without any real purpose and even zebras just hanging out nearby. Solemn did not want to think about just how stagnant everything would be in the other workshops in Engineering. She chalked it up to it being fairly late in the shift.

Solemn’s routine was fairly simple; wake up, meet with Rime, eat, check up on Mom and find some way to make herself useful when everything else was done. Most days were spent doing various jobs with Rime and reminiscing on her life back in Manehattan. She missed the fresh air, but welcomed the safety of the underground facilities. It took a little getting used to, waking up later in the day, but that was the peril of the Fireteam Rotation Protocol.

It was a sound idea. At least one fireteam was required to be active at certain intervals throughout the day. In the case of Solemn’s fireteam, Valor, their shift stretched from evening to midnight.

Solemn continued down the engineering hub, her hooves clopping silently among the roars of machines. Her ears fell flat against her head in a poor attempt to block out the growing sound of whirring machinery. She didn’t know how her mother could work in an environment like this for as long as she did; hearing the surrounding mechanics and having to yell constantly over them when a pony was just in front of her.

The rear of the facility was home to a maintenance lift and a set of stairs beside it, both leading to an overlooking hallway, one way leading to the rest of the workshops and the other leading to a stockroom. Chances were, given the time, her mother would be in the stockroom once again, getting materials ready for the next foremare.

As the platform for the lift lowered, the head of engineering—or at least one of them—sullenly stared blankly at her hooves. The rancher hat on her head was scratchy and tattered along the brim, casting a shadow over her morose emerald eyes. As Solemn stepped forward, she raised her head and both of their eyes met. Applejack ‘s expression shifted, her somber eyes still exhausted, but her lips curled into a friendly grin.

“Howdy,” She said simply. The platform stopped and the two ponies stepped on. “Here fer yer ma?”

“Of course,” Solemn replied. The lift raised rather quickly, although now Solemn began to wonder why the mare had not just used the stairs instead. Applejack’s pace matched her own as the two stepped off the platform and followed the signs leading to the rear end of the engineering facility.

“I admire her y’know.” Applejack spoke as the two turned the corner and the machinery behind them faded, becoming echoes reverberating through the hall. “Good mare. Definitely knows how to keep th’ ponies workin’ better than I can. Gotta admit, ‘m always sad t’see her shift end.”

Solemn nodded. “I’d call it her special talent.”

“S’a good one. Wish more ponies would stop relyin’ on them machines and do more of the work themselves. I mean I get that Flim ‘n Flam got that stuff runnin’ damn near perfect, but even those things make mistakes.”

“It saves time right?”

“Yeah, but…” Applejack looked up to the ceiling for a moment before returning her gaze forward. “I guess I’m more of a hooves-on type o’ gal.”

Solemn nodded, but said nothing more. The two approached the sliding double doors, the sign above completely pristine and clearly stating storage in bold white letters. Applejack tapped a hoof on the button resting on the door panel and with a clunky hiss, the doors slid open.

“You know,” Applejack said with a grimace as she entered the room. “Your shift is over. Why don’tcha let Big Mac take care o’ the rest?”

Solemn Vigil entered after the orange mare, her ears finally stopping their ringing from all the mechanical arms and welding equipment. Of course, her mother; the devoted and oh so stubborn Overnight Vigil had been working her flank to the bone in the rear room of the Engineering stockrooms, fetching several boxes full of spare parts and the like for the next series of engineers. Sweat began to bead on her forehead as she maintained a cool, unstrained face with a ginger smile.

“No worries!” She asserted, slowly levitating the boxes down and letting them fall onto the cart she had prepared. They fell with a loud series of bangs and clattering of the internals of the boxes. “Nothing I wouldn’t be able to handle.”

Solemn shook her head. Her mother’s messy blue mane held a matte sheen, contrasting from her glistening purple coat. She walked in a posture most ponies would consider strange, slightly slouched and taking only the smallest steps. She ignored the worried glances Applejack kept giving her, and proceeded to huff and wipe the sweat from her forehead. Classic mom.

“Yer mother ought t’know when ‘nough is enough.” The orange mare said with a smile. Solemn reluctantly returned the gesture, forcing her lips to curve upward. Applejack didn’t seem to notice and if she did, she hadn’t made it known. Instead she brushed her messy mane from her eyes and readjusted the light crimson band wrapped around the upper portion of her hoof. “The Brothers and I are happy t’have motivated and driven ponies around. But she needs t’know her limit.”

“Sounds about right.” Solemn remarked. She gave her mother a wave of the hoof as Applejack took over the cart, and left the room, the door sliding to a close behind her.

“So,” Her mother smiled candidly, sitting on her haunches. Solemn trotted before her and sat in front of her. “Any news?”

“They assigned me to a fireteam already,” Solemn said simply. Her mother frowned. “I’m to act as their field medic. Doubt I’ll be seeing much action though. After all, The Wonderbolts are back to full capacity, with Soarin back in good health and they found a replacement for Dazzle. Plus Topaz apparently nailed their last mission flawlessly. If anything I doubt my squad will be put out so soon.”

Overnight shook her head. Was it disappointment in her eyes? “You should have taken a spot in the medical bay.”

Solemn rubbed the side of her head. Not this again.

“Rime and I were put in the same squad,” Solemn said, pushing her glasses up her muzzle. “It’s not like I’m gonna see action right off the bat. There’s plenty of soldiers here and I doubt that I would even be considered substituting somepony else in another fireteam.”

The older mare pursed her lips. It was a weak excuse and Solemn knew as much. No matter which angle she looked at it, her life was on the line and eventually she would be called on for a special mission. Field medic may have been a bit of a stretch for her, but Solemn knew that those were in short supply. If the constant posters ushering ponies to join in combat roles were any indication, then The Initiative was lacking any real volunteers.

In a way, as Aegis and Swift Step aided her training, she felt the Commander may as well have just chosen her combat role out of a hat. Solemn’s medical training had been fairly limited to accommodate the rigorous combat training, but she had learned enough to at least keep somepony alive for long enough to get them back to base. At least that’s what she hoped she was capable of. There was no way for her to know for sure until it was actually time to work her magic.

Overnight levitated her glasses from her muzzle and gave her eyes a weary rub. “Well at least we’re safe here for the time being right?”

“Mom,” Solemn managed a smile. “Technically, you’re not even supposed to be here. They had a safe house ready for you in Canterlot. You would have had the same level of security we do down here.”

“But here I am,” She responded. Her lips curled into a smile. “Somepony has to look over you.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” Safe.

Silence overtook the two.

“I love you Solemn,” the violet mare said.

“Love you too mom.”

“Fireteam Valor to the armory! Fireteam Valor to the armory!”

Overnight Vigil stopped, her face turning grim. Her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. “N-not anytime soon huh?”

Solemn Vigil stood and hugged her mother. The embrace was tight, almost squeezing and crushing Solemn’s ribs. “I’ll be safe, I promise.”

“Go and make me proud.”

***

5 Minutes Earlier

“Commander!” Vapour shouted. “We’ve got a visual!”

The craft sped away, flying at speeds Air Strike would have thought impossible.

“Air Strike!” Vapour called, her voice right inside Air Strike’s ear. “Don’t lose that thing!”

It was big. Air Strike didn’t know what she expected. The flying disc cut through the air with such grace and agility, she had begun to doubt that there was anything living inside and that the craft was completely autonomous. The iridescent exterior caught glints of the sun, flashing into Air Stike’s eyes. Blue Bell fell behind, followed by Vapor Trail, whose eyes followed Air Strike’s astonishingly lightning fast pace. Lightning Dust zipped by, trying to match pace with Air Strike’s mechanical marvels, but ultimately fell behind with the rest.

Air Strike furrowed her brow, willing her wings to increase speed, while keeping an eye on their monitors. She was bordering the crimson line, verging on an energy overload. Even at the breakneck speeds, plowing through clouds and struggling to keep herself on course, the alien ship soared faster with relative ease.

Vanhoover’s cityscape glittered far below as the sun began to touch the horizon. Air Strike began to wonder just how many ponies were watching the desperate chase and what might have become of them if the alien ship were to crash in the city.

Out of the city, out of the city. The words repeated themselves in her head as she trained her eyes back on the alien craft. There was something wrong. A distortion around the back face of the craft, and the surrounding clouds pulling closer together as it began to slow and a glow of green manifested.

BWOMP!

“MOVE IT!”

Air Strike’s heart jumped in her throat, her eyes and head following the path of the volatile ball of emerald electricity. It sailed past her and the rest of The Banshees before expanding vastly and rapidly. Air Strike’s mechanical wings propelled her forward absentmindedly as she kept her sights on the rest of her squad. The pegasi scrambled in panic as the outer rim of the explosion seared their tails and shocked their armor. They sped up as much as they could, matching Air Strike’s slower pace.

“Banshees!” Vapour roared through the radio. “Open fire!”

“Try to get it away from the city!” Shining Armor demanded.

“Can’t promise anything sir!” Lightning Dust shouted.

Air Strike’s visor lit up, the crosshairs of her targeting system tracing its way to the alien ship’s center of mass, flashing yellow. The ship’s cannon aimed again, charging it’s necromantic ball of death and Air Strike grit her teeth as hard as she could without breaking them. She maneuvered as smooth as possible, strafing and weaving between her comrades as to not delay the lock-on.

Green!

Whooooosh!

The missiles all released in rapid succession, trails of smoke shooting from behind as they whirled around each other, edging closer and closer to the craft.

BOOOOOM!

It’s still moving! The cloud of fire and smoke cleared as the ponies followed the ship, completely intact and displaying no signs of damage.

“Keep firing!” Vapour ordered. Each pony released a wave of explosive death, the automatic targeting systems trying to maintain their line of fire with each missile shot. They each danced around each other as the projectiles tracked their target.

Whooooosh!

BOOOOOM!

Smoke erupted off the side of the craft, tearing a small hole in the hull. It faltered in its path before dipping down, a trail of smoke, dust and debris as it sped toward the city. Air Strike’s heart stopped at the sight of its projected flight path granted via her helmet’s heads-up display.

“Oh no,” She breathed, stopping beside her fellow Banshees.

“Luna…” Vapour’s voice died as the ship plowed through one of the various skyscrapers dotting the cityscape. Air Strike could hear the cries and shrieks of the ponies below, albeit faintly. It was still enough to cause her body to stiffen up as the ship careened and bounced off of another building; glass, concrete, and a mix of wood and metal tumbling off towards the ground.

“We have to help them!” Air Strike wanted to say. Her voice caught in her throat as she slowly drifted forward, brushing clouds out of the way and still trying to figure out what to do. A plume of smoke shot out from one of the blocks, a residential district judging from the smaller structures compared to the initial skyscrapers the ship crashed into.

“Banshee Squadron,” Twilight’s voice called out. Her voice was low, disappointed Air Strike believed. More than just that. Defeated. “Get down there. Aid whoever you can until Fireteam Valor arrives. I have word from Princess Luna; the Royal Guard will be arriving in less than ten minutes. They’ll help who they can outside of the crash zone. Keep everypony away from the crash site.”

“ETA two hours until Fireteam Valor arrives.” Shining Armor noted.

“Affirmative,” Air Strike managed.

“Alright guys,” Vapour Trail flew ahead of the pegasi, turning to face them all. “You heard her. Save who you can!”

“This is bad,” Blue Bell muttered, slowly bringing herself forward. “This is so bad!”

“Keep it together.” Lightning Dust ordered. “Two hours. And then some. We can get a lot done in that time.”

Air Strike shook her head. This was bad. But Lightning Dust was right. Two plus hours meant they could potentially clear the whole landing zone for Fireteam Valor. They could even begin assisting civilians before the Royal Guard arrived. She did not know what Banshee Squadron would do exactly, but she willed her wings to bring her forward, following Vapour Trail into the thick of the devastation.

***

“You must be our plus one.” The silver stallion extended his hoof. “I’m Aegis. Squad leader.”

Solemn watched with a mix of fear and apprehension as Rime took the hoof into her own. “Rime Runner.”

It was a firm hoofshake and nothing more. Aegis released his grip and planted his hoof on the ground, as did Rime. Her fiery amber eyes remained calm, scanning Aegis as if to see if he was worthy of leading the squad. The sheer bulkiness of her armor lended itself to her dominating presence; green plating layered over top the standard issue Harmony vest.

“Cherry!” A tan stallion called, raising his hoof. “Glad I’m not the only earth pony around here anymore. Was starting to think the commander was punishing me.”

Aegis frowned. “Every squad has one. The loudmouth jackass I mean. You’ll get used to it.”

“Right,” Rime nodded. She slipped her hooves into their respective boots, stopping just short of her upper legs. Aegis trotted back to his locker, several articles of armor held up high in his hornglow.

“That went better than I thought it would,” Solemn sighed. Rime raised an eyebrow in response. “Was half expecting a huff here and a puff there.”

“You know me better than that.” Rime frowned. She wiggled her R.A.A.G.S. onto her torso, the two arms springing to life as the body straps secured themselves. The normally thin arms wore dense green plating, similar in nature to the armor Rime adorned. They raised themselves and began to tie her long pale blue and silver highlighted mane into a modest bun. “There were some ponies I didn’t like in the Coast Guard, but those were the ponies I had to work with.”

Her mechanical arms picked up a helmet and slid it over her head, a golden visor above two circular components on both sides of where her muzzle would be. The additional armor plating along the top of the head made it look rather heavy and uncomfortable, although Rime wore it without any complaints. The visor did not seem to leave a lot of side vision as well. It was streamlined and focused, allowing the wearer to see only what was ahead of them. Granted Rime’s weapon of choice, Solemn could see why she chose the helmet.

The helmet Solemn would be wearing allowed for a good bit of visual awareness, the golden visor encompassing most of the face, stopping just above the tip of her muzzle. Two side panels, one with a camera and the other with what she assumed would have been a flashlight.

Not even a week after she had been given her locker, full of all of her armor and respective equipment, the damn thing broke on her. She trusted her horn more when it came to light sources, though truth be told, she did not want to head to engineering and tell the ponies she broke a helmet that may have equated to hundreds of bits worth of equipment.

Thankfully, she was not the only pony who saw the logic of visual awareness. Aegis and Lone Shadow picked out the same helmets, sliding them overtop their heads and taking deep breaths as if to test if they could still breath underneath the armored helm.

Swift Step was opposed to the idea of helmets initially, but upon hearing what happened in greater detail, she slipped one on. It’s visor was divided in half by a steely ring, giving her an insectoid appearance. The space for her muzzle was home to a slight divot, though its purpose was lost to Solemn.

“Of all missions,” Swift muttered under her breath. She slipped on her helmet, taking great care to keep her mane from getting caught onto its components. “This is just great.”

“Those two the ponies from Manehattan?” Rime asked. Solemn only nodded in response.

She could not help but to agree with Swift’s comment. Manehattan was something of a turning point in everypony’s lives. It went to show that no matter how peaceful one was, there were those who wanted to bring harm. It was a concept Solemn was not foreign to, but it was one she had never wished to see on such a grand scale.

“Is it normal to have second thoughts?” Solemn asked. She meant to keep the question to herself.

“Was like that my first run with the Coast Guard,” Rime said. The gold of her visor dissipated, revealing her calm features. “First time is usually the hardest from my experience.”

Solemn drew in a deep breath, staring at her helmet like it was another pony entirely. It was like a rite of passage just to be able to get it on. Solemn’s magic enveloped her glasses and lifted them into her locker, before turning back to the bench which held her head protector. She felt no suffocation as it rested on her head and her breathing resonated in her ears.

“You’ll do fine,” Aegis said. “Three Royal Guards, a pony from the Coast Guard and a loudmouth merc placed in this squad because the commander doesn’t completely trust letting his band loose together? Chances of success seem pretty high, assuming everypony follows orders.”

“If anything, you could just think of this as a big escort mission on our part,” Lone said, adjusting the strap of his shotgun and letting it rest on his back. The crimson contrast of his armor greatly complimented his near black coat and mane. “I mean, having one field medic is better than having none right?”

Solemn felt only slightly relieved. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t worry,” Rime said, her eyes softening from their normally harsh demeanor. “I got your back. What are friends for?”

The barrack doors slid open, an anxious Commander Sparkle and unnaturally collected Shining Armor stepping inside, eliciting a salute from Aegis and Swift Step. Solemn could feel something akin to disapproval at her lack of acknowledging authority.

“Ponies,” Commander Sparkle spoke after clearing her throat. “As you know, you’ll be heading into Vanhoover for this one.”

“The affected area is the West End District,” Shining Armor continued. A smile formed on his lips at the sight of the battle ready ponies. “One of the alien ships was shot down and crash landed, destroying several blocks of the city. The damage is...it’s not looking good.”

The Commander grimaced. Solemn did the same.

“This mission is of utmost importance. There could be civilians in the area.” Twilight drew in a deep breath. “Your priority is the alien craft, but also the safety of any and all ponies who may be caught in the crossfire. You’ll be sending them to Night Glider for extraction.”

“Understood commander.” Aegis acknowledged.

“This is a big mission. Probably one of the most important ones we’ll ever have before we can truly take the fight to the aliens.” Commander Sparkle said. “I want minimal damage done to the alien craft.”

“Of course commander.”

“Good luck ponies.” Commander Sparkle said weakly. “I know you won’t let me down.”

Before leaving, Shining Armor cast a final glance at the squad of ponies. “You guys know you could have put the helmets on before you actually got there right?”

***

“Was it this bad in Manehattan?” Cherry asked as the carriage swirled around the ruined city blocks. Solemn pursed her lips. When Manehattan was attacked, at least most of the city remained intact.

The sprawling metropolis that was Vanhoover was hardly recognizable. The glass towers that once gleamed from the shining rays of the sun were replaced with smoke plumes, tainting the skies and blotting out any celestial light. Buildings which may have been home to families became home to twisted scraps of metal, wrecked moreso from the taller, damaged towers around them than the crash landing of the alien ship. Granted it was only one stretch of a block that was wrecked the most by the landing, Solemn could not shake the feeling of pure terror as Night Glider drew the carriage closer.

Her mind flooded back to Manehattan. The city had recovered faster than she expected, recovering the alien pods and all the bodies in order to try and get the city running back to an optimal level. Solemn gave it another month or two before The Manehattan Incident never happened. Ponies would ask about it and there would be no damage to show for it.

“This is way worse,” Swift Step answered.

“At least in Manehattan everypony had an idea of where to start cleaning up the mess,” Aegis commented.

A streak of blue glowed from the streets down below, rising up before taking the shape of a heavily suited pegasus. Solemn’s eyes scanned her wings, watching the astounding spectacle of their brilliant blue aura allowing her to fly without flapping them.

“Got a clear place for me to land?” Night Glider asked, shouting over the roaring winds and trying to maneuver around towers of smoke.

The armored pegasus shook her head. “A few places, but nowhere close to the alien craft. The rubble’s really heavy nearby. We sighted a few hostiles in the area. Probably what’s left of the crew.”

“Thanks for the info.” Night Glider slowed the carriage and began to lower herself. “Alright guys, I’m gonna try and set us down as close to the ship as possible.”

Nopony said anything in response. Instead, they all looked down at the chaos unfolding below. A crash louder than thunder boomed just below them. A brick apartment met it’s fate, tumbling down and sending smoke through the maze of buildings.

What the hell are we getting ourselves into? Solemn’s breath caught in her throat. Night Glider lowered the carriage, careful to avoid the plumes of towering smoke and cautiously avoided the various piles of junk and debris before the carriage lurched and rocked heavily. Aegis leapt out, followed by Swift Step and Lone Shadow. Cherry Pop crept out carefully, eyes stuck on the forming smoke clouds and raging fires in the buildings above.

Solemn Vigil stood up, but her hooves were planted firmly on the carriage’s floors. Rime’s hoof prodded Solemn’s flank, urging her to move forward, although at a snail’s pace. When her hooves met the jagged, rough surface of the black concrete, she could hardly move any further.

Streets were barren of anything other than slabs of broken concrete, shattered glass, and destroyed wagons and carriages. She preferred the sight of ponies stuck in leathery emerald prisons enveloping their bodies instead of their charred and broken bodies scattered across the streets, even if there were no more than a small hoof-ful of them. Stray sheets of paper drifted low to the ground, one such sheet catching onto Solemn’s hooves. She crumpled it with her magic before letting the ball bounce noisily down the street behind her.

Even with her helmet’s air filtration systems, Solemn’s throat and lungs burned mildly. Everywhere she looked was a twisted and hellish mimicry of what Equestria should have been. Looking at the devastation from above was dreadful, but actually standing in the nightmare was abysmal. The cackling laughter of fires and the twisted heaps of metal and concrete made Solemn want to tuck tail and hunker down in the sky carriage with Night Glider.

“Solemn,” Aegis shook her already shivering form with a steady and firm hoof. From underneath the golden visor, she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. The way they could not completely stay connected to her own and the way he breathed heavily despite no arduous actions asserted his anxiety. “Keep it together.”

“Y-yessir.” She drew in a deep breath. The eyes of her squadmates bore into her, full of something akin to shame or disappointment. She was unsure which, if either. Her legs had not stopped shaking, but she took a ginger step forward, closer to her squad. Rime stood to Solemn’s side, her R.A.A.G.S. maintaining a steady grip on her machine gun.

“You’re gonna be fine,” She said, lowering her gun and turning to her lifelong friend. “You remember the training don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Solemn sighed. She scanned the surrounding area. At least there won’t be any ponies trying to kill me this time.

“Commander,” Aegis placed a hoof against his armored ear. “We’re in the city, you reading us?”

“Loud and clear,” Twilight answered. “Lightning Dust will be your eyes in the sky.”

“Affirmative,” Aegis levitated his rifle, pulling back the receiver. “Can she point us in the right direction?”

“I’ve got eyes on the alien ship,” Lightning Dust’s coarse voice rose up. “It’s a few...erm..seven blocks down from your current position.”

“Fireteam Valor,” Twilight spoke again. “Your priority is the crashed alien ship, but keep an eye and ear out for any civilians. Point them back to Night Glider for extraction.”

“Got it.” Aegis lowered his hoof.

“How’re we gonna do this?” Cherry asked, voice fraught with concern. “Seven blocks is a long way.”

He pointed a hoof further down the street. “I mean, look. Taking the direct route is out of the question.”

“Then we work our way around through the buildings,” Aegis said. He looked up at the surrounding structures. The principle seemed to be ‘the shorter the building, the higher the chance of it being mostly intact’. “There’s six of us...We could split up, cover the left and right.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Lone asked. “Lotta these buildings don’t look stable.”

“You wanna climb that three story tall wall of junk down the street?” Lone shook his head. “Then cutting through the buildings and alleys is the only option. Lone, Swift, with me. Cherry, Rime, Solemn, take the left, we’ll cut to the right. If there’s a clearing in all the debris, we’ll meet up there.”

Solemn winced as she threw her hoof up against her forehead and stiffened up. “Yessir.”

***

Twilight shook her head, taking her eyes away from the screens. “Oh, this is a disaster.”

Through their silence, Twilight could feel the other ponies watching agree. It was only a small section of the city, and yet as the Fireteam split up and tried to find their way around the roadblock, it was as if a portal to Tartarus opened up.

“That crash was out of their control,” Shining Armor tried to reassure. “There was nothing The Banshees could have done to prevent the craft from crashing into the city.”

“There’s no way we could have quarantined this. I should have asked Luna how to deal with this situation! Oh, I’m so stupid! Now everypony is going to know about the aliens, assuming they didn’t know already and everypony is going to panic, what do I do?”

Twilight paced back and forth, hooves clopping noisily against the cold floors. Her mind reeled, tossing out all logic and reason. Her fears and potential judgements of the council plagued her thoughts, spreading like a virus. She dreaded the meeting she and the princess would have about this event, her heart thumping in her throat and her hooves trembling the more and more she thought about it.

Luna would no doubt be infuriated with what was happening so far. She would call upon the most hellish of nightmares as punishment, or have Twilight replaced with somepony who actually knew what they were doing, probably having Shining Armor take command and swap positions. Maybe she would banish Twilight entirely or…

No. Twilight sat on her haunches and closed her eyes, placing a hoof to her chest and drawing in a deep breath. I need to focus.

As she extended her hoof, she released her breath and opened her eyes. She straightened her posture, sitting tall before the monitors as she watched her soldiers traverse what may have been hell on Equestria.

“Be careful in there Valor,” Twilight said. “Lightning Dust, keep them updated. Air Strike, how’s the rest of the city looking?”

“Panicked ma’am,” She grunted. Twilight heard the raspy breathing of another pony, more than likely a rescued civilian. “Police are trying to get things under control and I’ve got eyes on several Royal Guard transports coming in. Taking a pony to a safe zone now.”

“Good. Keep at it.” Twilight released another sigh. “Vapour Trail, how’s everything on your end?”

“I think the aliens were transporting something. There’s a group of them transporting some glowy yellow stuff.”

A supply ship perhaps? If it was, then they may as well have just struck gold. Perhaps some good could come out of what happened in Vanhoover. The science and engineering teams would no doubt have to be on standby once the materials from the craft were recovered. A part of Twilight was jealous they would be granted the opportunity to discover and make tremendous breakthroughs in their respective fields. She had to admit, her own excitement managed to overlap her previous fears by just a small margin.

“Keep me updated on the situation,” Twilight ordered.

“What do you think it could be?” Shining asked. “The ‘glowy stuff’?”

“I don’t really know,” Twilight admitted. “Resources? A fuel source? Whatever it is, I’ll let the research teams figure it out.”

***

“This is some fucked up shit,” Cherry Pop remarked, aiming his shotgun down the shadowy halls. Vulgarity aside, Solemn Vigil could not help but to agree. Shadows flickered and moved on their own from the corners of her eyes. The blue glow of her horn did little to put her mind at ease, neither did having Cherry lead the group through the halls of the apartment and having Rime cover their rears. They crept cautiously through the bland grey hall towards the a warm orange glow at its end.

“Not gonna lie,” he spoke. “Never thought this would be my first assignment out of HQ. I was expecting a nice quiet farmhouse full of several aliens. Something tame.”

“I hear you,” Rime said.

Same here. Solemn agreed mentally.

Cherry hugged the wall, stopping short of the rim of the hole. He looked back at Solemn and Rime.

“I’m heading in.” He leapt into the open and the robotic arms threw up his shotgun, scanning the room before gesturing Solemn and Rime. “How the hell do you figure a hole in the wall and a fire started in this place?”

“Ponies do anything to get out of a sticky situation,” Rime answered, raising her machinegun.

The answer raised more questions than anything else. The first of which would be the necessity of starting a fire in the complex’s laundry room. There were no scorch marks tagging the walls and there was no sign of any struggles against the aliens, and yet the ponies decided a fire would be the best course of action in a building relatively unaffected by the impromptu crash landing. Machines still ran on their various cycles, washing or drying clothes noisily as their respective machines shook in their stationary positions.

Solemn clung close to the wall, the fire’s radiance singing her fur on the right side of her body. Sweat beaded down her head as she approached the end of the room, where a massive wound in the wall allowed smoke to exit and permeate to the rest of the city.

“Cherry,” Solemn let out a yelp as Aegis’s voice called out through the radio. “How’re you guys holding up?”

“Solemn might need a change of pants,” He chided.

Rime spun around, eyes narrowed from behind her visor. “Step off.”

“Right.” Cherry pursed his lips. “So far, so good.”

“Keep it together guys. Let’s see if we can find a place to group up.”

“Aye aye.”

Cherry put his hoof on the ground, earning a deadpanned glare from Rime. He rolled his eyes. “Really? It was just a joke.”

“It’s fine,” Solemn said. Regardless, Rime did not look too pleased. Solemn pursed her lips. “Let’s keep it moving, I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to.”

The alley was a smoke-filled hall, home to dumpsters and surprisingly less rubble and debris than the streets themselves. To the right of Solemn, an exit leading to the devastated streets presented itself, dust and stray papers still following the breeze. They were hardly even two blocks from where they started out originally and Solemn wished the streets would be clear enough for the whole squad to continue down the street and towards the crashed alien vessel.

“Whoa!” Cherry raised his shotgun, the robotic trigger finger readying itself before the stallion pointing the barrel up and shot. A stallion and a mare at the end of the alley shot up from behind a set of trash cans, eyes wide and pupils the size of pinpricks.

“W-w-wait!” The stallion threw himself in front of the mare Solemn presumed to be his wife. His curly mane bounced with each step and his whole form trembled at the sight of Solemn and her squadmates.“P-please, don’t hurt us!”

“We won’t,” Rime said, although she kept her machine gun trained on the two. Solemn used her magic to bring it down. The earth pony did not seem to notice. “We’re here to help.”

The stallion remained stiff, backing up and forcing the mare to cower against the wall, whimpering as she lowered herself and shut her eyes. A pearl necklace shook around her neck and strands of her light amber mane fell out of place, stray strands sticking to the sweat covering her forehead and partially covering the flower placed over her ear. She shivered, pitifully. The dress she wore was ruined, rapidly collecting dirt and grime. Solemn opened her mouth to speak, hoping she could bring the mare some comfort.

She stopped herself.

“Solemn?” Rime furrowed her brow. The stallion stiffened and put a hoof back on the cowering mare. Her aim was shaky, but Solemn tried her best to keep rifle trained on the mare.

“The hell are you doing?” Cherry asked.

“Private Vigil,” Shining Armor rang in. “Stand down now.”

“Look at her flank.” She readjusted her arcane grip on her weapon, still trying to steady her aim. There was no cutie mark, but dark marks formed just underneath her dress, hardly covered by the dirtied fabric. The discoloration even formed along the upper, partially covered portions of her hooves.“ Not just her flank. Hooves too. There’s something wrong.”

Cherry was next to raise his gun, the robotic arms maintaining a steady aim as the stallion’s eyes deadpanned down the sights. The stallion defending the mare recoiled, eyes bouncing from soldier to soldier. He had a cutie mark—scissors cutting a crimson ribbon.

Solemn bit her lip, the pain overruled by the panic starting to envelop her. Her aim had not steadied at all, instead worsening and shaking.

“Stop please!” The defending stallion begged. “She—”

“Step aside now!” Cherry ordered. “There’s no way she could be this old and still not have a cutie mark.”

The stallion stared, mouth agape. “I’ve known Lily my whole life! She’s been through hell! First Manehattan, now this! Please! Just let us go!”

Lily rose behind him, wincing at the accusations being thrown her way.

“Central?” Rime radioed.

“We’ve done nothing wrong!”

Lily reached back, ruffling her dress slightly. Her head whipped around in an unnaturally swift motion, her mouth holding a grey and black metal object. It’s central chamber glowed green.

Solemn’s magic took hold of the stallion, shoving him against the side of the alley, between two dumpsters.

BLAM!

A puff of green and blue exploded where the mare once was, eliciting a shrill shriek from the mare. Solemn backed away, her magic struggling to find the stallion hidden inside the cloud.

He ran out on his own, sputtering and coughing before dropping on his stomach, writhing and wheezing. He kept his eyes shut, crawling towards the squad of ponies.

“Y-you killed her!” He managed through the wheezing. He turned back, eyes opening slowly to the lingering cloud unaffected by the winds. Solemn could see the anger subside, his body relaxing slightly. “W-what?”

The squad of ponies stood, staring at the cloud watching as it dissipated into the air. The limp body of Lily rested motionless, dress soaked in golden blood. Solemn waited for her true form to reveal itself, perhaps a new breed of feral changelings or an illusion cast by an unseen unicorn. None of her suspicions would prove true in the end. The pony remained, eyes shifted to lizard-like slits instead of her original beady gold eyes.

The stallion on the ground sputtered and coughed violently, heaving and snapping the group out of their trance, bringing Solemn’s attention to him

She knelt down beside him, her horn beginning to glow and her aura surrounding the stallion. The aura quickly diffused around him and immediately, his fit subsided. His eyes glistened, watering along the rims.

“I don’t understand.” He wiped his eyes with a hoof. Solemn helped him stand, although he shook and fell back on his haunches. He shook his head and stared at the ground. “I don’t understand.”

Solemn’s looked to Cherry and Rime, both standing still as statues.

“Commander,” Rime breathed. Her mouth hung agape, unable to finish her sentence.

“We saw,” Twilight responded sullenly. “Get moving to the crash site. Be wary of anypony you come across. Civilians are still a top priority.”

Rime dropped her hoof. Cherry turned to the alley’s exit.

“Through the apartment and down the street,” Solemn told the stallion. “You’ll find a pony waiting for you there.”

He had no response. Instead, he looked with teary eyes and nodded solemnly. Solemn Vigil did not look back to see what became of the stallion as she followed her squadmates.

***

“Lightning,” Aegis began. “How’s the streets looking?”

“Should be a straight run once you’re outside of that apartment building,” she answered. “Be on the lookout for glowing canisters. The Commander wants us to try and recover them.”

“Understood.”

Lone winced as glass crunched under his hooves. The kitchen was almost undisturbed, save for a few shifted bowls, plates and fresh salad laying in a mess on the kitchen island. The windows had all blown in, sending glass in every direction, most out on the wood floors and others hiding in the carpets of the living room.

It was as if the ponies who lived there had vanished into thin air and burglars came in from every window, although there was nothing of any real value in any of the rooms. The same could be said about the other apartments they had entered in order to get through the building. The rooms which were not caved in were shaken, relatively untouched since everypony evacuated the area. Or died out on the streets. There was a lack of bodies, but the nagging feeling of ponies not surviving had crept up on Lone too many times tonight.

Blam!

Lone’s ears perked up and body tensed. The shotgun blast echoed through the silent burning streets. He turned to Swift and Aegis, both of whom were edging their way to the kitchen windows. Swift propped herself up on the counter while the robotic arms she wore set their sights on the streets below.

The street was clear, for the most part. Sparse blocks of cement and chunks of rubble were scattered through the block, but from what Lone could tell from the kitchen, the only obstruction had passed. A whole building toppled over. Lone could still barely believe it and it was right there in front of him.

Shouts followed the blast, lasting for only a second before the city fell silent, save for the sirens of medical ponies in the distance. Lone’s ears could not stop twitching. The silence made his mane crawl.

“Cherry?” Aegis hailed, keeping his eyes glued out of the fire escape window. “What’s going on?”

“We’re fine,” Cherry answered. Lone saw movement in a nearby alley across the street. Rime was the first to step outside, her machine gun pointed forwards and scanning the whole street for movement. Her eyes met Lone’s and she waved a hoof.

Solemn came out next, intrepid and practically stumbling her way next to Rime. Cherry popped out next, occasionally turning his head back towards the alley from which they emerged. The three wandered into the middle of the street, just before the apartment building.

“Aegis!” Cherry yelled, scratching the back of his head with a dirtied hoof. “We’ve got some major problems.”

“Great,” Aegis muttered. “Lay it on me.”

The three exchanged worried expressions, as if trying to silently decide who should tell the story. Solemn stepped forward in the end. “We came across a couple. The mare...she didn’t have a cutie mark. Before we know it, she pulls a gun out on us and Cherry took the shot. As of now, we don’t know if no cutie marks will be a recurring theme among them.”

Aegis frowned. Lone could see the look on his face and took note of how Swift bit her lip. No doubt they all had the same thoughts running in their minds.

“It’s blood,” Lone spoke up. “What color was it?”

“Puke green,” Cherry answered sitting down on his haunches. He looked down the street, ear swivelling like a radio satellite. “It wasn’t a pony. The aliens cooked up some pretty spooky shit.”

Not the words I’d use for it. Lone could hardly bring himself to believe it. Cherry was, to say the least, not exactly a pony Lone felt he could trust, but the report did come out of Solemn Vigil’s lips. The idea sent a shiver through his body.

Who knew how many ponies were not actually ponies? If what they said was true, and there was no reason to doubt it, then perhaps it would be easier to spot these ponies because of their lack of cutie marks.

“Let’s get down there with ‘em.” Aegis ripped open the fire escape window and climbed onto the cold metal platform. Lone followed, allowing his shotgun to rest on his back as he stepped down the rusted metal steps and carefully climbed down the rickety, rusted ladder. He released a sigh the moment his hooves touched the ground.

Swift floated herself gingerly, wings blowing up gusts of dust and sending pebbles and small rocks in Lone’s direction. She smiled apologetically.

“Should be a straight run,” Aegis said, pointing a hoof down the street. Two soft glows lit up the far end of the street, just barely visible through all of the smoke and dust. One was a flickering yellow light, flashing on and off, but far too low to be a traffic light. The other was blue, shimmering like the sun on an oceanic horizon. “Assuming we don’t have any surprises in the buildings. The ship shouldn’t have too many aliens. With the six of us, we probably have them outgunned.”

“Sound like pretty good odds,” Rime commented. “I don’t wanna go against Commander’s orders, but I think any civilians should wait until we clear out that crash site.”

Lone grimaced. While it made sense to minimize the danger, his mouth ran dry at the thought of waving off a civilian in desperate need of help. In the long stretch between them and the aliens’ crashed ship, who knew what could happen and who would wind up needing help. The chances of Fireteam Valor finding a pony in desperate need of assistance once the alien ship came into view would be slim. At least, that was what Lone thought.

“Coming down!”

Lightning Dust landed harshly, although her armor adequately braced her impact, absorbing most, if not all, of the rough landing. Each step she took was thunderous, the loud clangs of her armored hooves crashing down onto the pavement only slightly muffled through Lone’s helmet. Unlike the mare who guided them to the landing zone, this one had actual wings. Lone wondered if Air Strike’s were the product of a volunteer pony augmentation program or something along the lines.

“I spotted two ponies entering the alien craft,” She said, running a hoof through her mane. “I think they’re taking hostages.”

“Cutie marks?” Aegis asked.

“I couldn’t see from all the way up there.”

Each pony in Fireteam Valor remained silent.

“Only one way to find out,” Rime spoke up, threatening the silence. “Hostages or not, we should get to that ship.”

“Right.” Aegis turned to Lightning Dust, who removed her helmet and wiped sweat from her forehead. Lone feared her fur and skin would get caught in all that metal plating. “Are you going to be okay back here?”

Lightning nodded. “I’ll be fine. You guys go on ahead. If anypony needs bombs dropped, I’m your gal.” She looked up for a moment, watching a streak of blue dart across the sky and through the smoke. “Or Air Strike. She’ll rein ‘em in.”

As Lightning Dust gathered herself, Fireteam Valor made their way to the fallen alien craft, weapons drawn and scanning their surroundings. The silence, save for the clopping of hooves and crunching of pebbles, was unnerving. Like many things since the fireteam arrived, Lone felt his mane itch and invisible insects crawl all over his body, underneath his vest. Sweat began to build up in his helmet, soaking the internal pads and forcing his mane to stick annoyingly to his forehead.

Concrete ripped and tore up, trailing down the street and the bases of most of the buildings down the stretch of the right block were shattered, rubble blown inward. Looking at the devastation made Lone’s stomach twist into a knot. How many ponies had been on the streets when the ship crashed and how many ponies were struck from the trail of destruction it left behind? Ponies had to have been hurt, killed even. He was partially thankful for not being able to spot blood and spare body parts strewn on the streets.

They came upon a three way intersection, guns ready and trotting carefully. Lone’s ear twitched. He heard chirping. Not from birds, but something else.

“Cover!” Aegis whispered, darting for a downed block of thick concrete. Lone bolted beside him while Swift took to the crooked wagon just beside, hopping inside underneath the dust smitten canopy, the barrel of her rifle poking out slightly through the cracks of the wood.

“What do you see?” Swift asked.

“Two sectoids,” he answered. Swift’s barrel turned slightly. “Right next to that canister of glowing shit.”

Lone raised his head slightly. The two gray creatures blinked curiously at the canister as if they themselves had no idea of what it was. The top cover lifted, revealing an encased golden crystal, although it was hard to say if that was what it was inside. The base stood on four legs which twisted from the base piece and planted it firmly on the ground. The twisting of the top cap of the canister garnered the most attention from the aliens.

Just across the street was the crashed ship, digging into the interior of what Lone assumed to be a grocery store. The strange silver metal shimmered, breaches in the hull scorched and releasing embers. An iridescent field covered the entrance to the ship, but he could not see any farther than the doorway.

Lone’s eyes scanned the surrounding area, finding an alleyway he hoped he could use to cut into the grocery store and flank the aliens. Further to the right of the alley, Lone’s eyes met those of a colt. He shuddered from the inside of the doorframe of an apartment building, frozen, but low to the ground as to not be seen by the aliens.

“Aegis.” Lone pointed a hoof to the child, who shrunk back and crept back into the doorway.

“Shit.” The grizzled stallion looked over to Solemn, Cherry and Rime, each taking cover behind a thick slab of ruined concrete. “Help him back to Glider. Haul ass and get back here. Swift, go with him.”

“Yessir.” The barrel of her rifle wiggled its way out of the crack. Lone crept backwards and launched himself towards the now empty doorway. The colt yelped, stiffening up at the end of the hallway.

Swift brought herself beside Lone, the beige of her armor detracting from her angelic appearance in the colt’s eyes. She brought a hoof up to her helmet and her visor’s golden sheen disappeared. She approached, her arms lowering and folding behind her, still gripping her rifle. Lone rested his shotgun on his back.

“Hey,” Swift spoke in a voice that did not seem to be hers. She was soft and gentle, losing that experienced rasp she normally held. “We’re here to help.”

Lone scanned the colt, eyes falling on his flank. No cutie mark.

He cursed himself for even thinking what he did. The boy could not be an alien. They could not be that cruel. This may have been a war, but there were boundaries not to be crossed.

“Momma and Papa are in there!” The colt pointed a hoof at the door, smoke seeping out of the cracks of the frame.

“Watch the kid,” Lone said, stepping in front of the door. He hoped the fire wouldn’t be right there to greet him the moment the door slammed open. His horn lit up and a pulse of energy rippled against the door. It rattled and shook, but other than that, the door remained closed.

Lone bit his lip and tried again. Nothing. He looked over to Swift and the colt. She was trying to comfort him, kneeling down and speaking in hushed whispers. She managed to bring a soft smile onto his face. Swift’s helmet sat with the colt, mesmerising him as he rotated and took note of every inch of it.

Lone charged into the door, grunting as the wood snapped and he bounced back from the impact. He landed on his haunches and threw off his helmet before rubbing his horn. “Damn.”

Swift cast her sight on Lone, worry in her eyes. Sweat dampened his brow and dripped from the orange tips of his mane. He wiped his head with a hoof and shook his head.

“Door is stubborn.” Lone faced it again, horn charging up. With all his arcane might, he pushed against the door.

It slid open only slightly. He could see the object obstructing the door, although just barely. Smoke poured out from the room and surprisingly there was no response. Given the lack of one, the colt’s parents were either gone, or gone. Lone’s horn flared again. He would at least try to find out what happened before Swift brought him to Night Glider.

He stopped, his throat tightening. No, something grasping his throat. He struggled to breathe, his horn failing him as the invisible force lifted him up onto his hind legs.

“Shadow?” Swift rose up, her mechanical arms bracing her rifle. Darkness clouded the outer rim of Lone’s vision. He clawed at his throat desperately, slamming down against whatever it was that held him.

“Swift!” Twilight boomed. “Something’s got a hold of him!”

Lone coughed and sputtered, the form of what was holding him shimmering with each hit landed. Swift brought the butt of her rifle down on the creature, allowing it to reveal itself. The grip tightened, as the smooth metallic surface of a tendril. The glowing amber eyes of the creature floating in place stared deep into Lone’s being. The several other tentacles began to wrap around Lone’s body and hooves, all of them squeezing with the same intensity as the one around his throat. The metallic squid would have probably laughed at his feeble attempts to loosen its grip.

Fwip! Fwip!

“Ah!” Swift yelped. Lone grimaced and shut his eyes, a deep burning sensation erupting at his side. He tried once again to focus his magic, though he was on his last legs. The air he so desperately needed was slowly becoming unnecessary.

“S-stop!” Swift shouted.

Bratatat!

A puff of gas erupted around Lone before he dropped onto the ground, consciousness fading quickly. He sucked in as much air as his lungs would allow before his whole throat burned and his eyes forced themselves shut.

Lone crawled, though he could not say in which direction. Swift’s helping hoof extended and Lone desperately grabbed it. She dragged him out of the cloud, granting him a moment to breathe. Although weak, his magic grasped his shotgun and aimed at the end of the hallway.

Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam!

Swift knelt beside Lone, dropping her rifle and rummaging through her saddle packs fishing for a medkit.

“OhCelestiaOhCelestiaOhCelestia,” She repeated frantically, eyes drifting to the gas cloud, stagnated by nothing in particular. She gasped once she pulled out the small white spray gun and pulled the trigger, eliciting another puff, although bright blue and less deadly than the one he was in moments ago.

Lone gasped for air, sucking everything in and let his head fall onto the floor. His throat and lungs still burned, but he was glad to be able to actually breathe.

“Oh thank the goddess!” He sighed, still taking in breaths. “I don’t know how much more I could have taken!”

Swift looked to the now empty hall. The mangled corpse of the colt lay sprawled, a metal device still grasped in its mouth. Behind it, the twisted remains of the metal squid which nearly choked the life out of Lone.

“Oh shit.” Lone breathed. “Oh shit.”

“T-t-that was a colt,” Swift muttered. “I-I swear! I swear that was a colt! I killed him!”

“No!” Lone grabbed Swift by the shoulder. She looked down at him, panic in her eyes and breathing sporadic. “That wasn’t a colt. That was a monster.”

“No, Lone!” Swift shook her head. “I just killed him! He was a kid! I just...I just…”

The two ponies’ ear twitched at the sound of shouting and gunfire outside of the building. Swift looked back at the corpse on the ground. Golden blood seeped out of his wounds and his eyes were reduced to lizard-like slits.

Lone tilted his head to the exit. “I’ll be fine. I just need a minute. Go help them.”

“I can’t just leave you,” Swift said, calming herself through panicked breaths. “I’ve gotta take care of that wound.”

Lone looked down at his wound. Thankfully, the vest took a vast majority of the shot, but he bled profusely, even after the healing gas had done its magic. Swift removed her saddle packs and pulled out bandages.

“Talk to me,” she ordered, pulling out a whole slew of medical supplies and laying them out beside Lone.

“Pardon?”

“I can’t focus very well,” she explained, her robotic arms getting a thick canister full of what tiny white spongy pellets. No amount of training adequately prepared Lone for this kind of a procedure. “I just killed an alien that looked like a kid and I nearly watched some floating squid choke you to death. Forgive me for not exactly having a clear head. So I’ll just say it again. Talk to me.”

“Sorry,” Lone frowned. He looked Swift in the eyes, noting the worry as she readied the canister just beside his wound. “Uhh...Ever thought about having a vacation around here?”

“That’s not a very comforting thought.” She shoved the canister into the wound, eliciting a yelp from Lone.

***

BLAM!

Cherry felt a smile creep on his face as he shoved high octane chaos into the sectoid’s stupid little mug. Serves it right for locking up at the sight of him and the other four in his fireteam. The other sectoids scrambled, scampering to the nearest block of cover. Cherry ducked down and cast his smile towards Rime.

“See that?”

“Hard to have missed it.” She said simply before rising up.

Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka!

Fwip! Fwip!

“Dammit!” Rime crouched, escaping the green bolts. “Pretty big crew for a ship that small!”

There were about six sectoids in total, five now that one of them had a hole (or several) embedded in its skull. They each moved like roaches, crawling around, even before they had noticed Fireteam Valor and speaking in strange chirps and clicks.

Cherry expected to make short work of the rest of the ship’s crew, knowing full and well that despite the roughly even numbers, Fireteam Valor was packed with enough arms to barge into Lord Flatbeak’s castle and blast those huge double doors to the treasury. He would have entertained the thought further had more bolts of green sailed over his head.

It was a sporadic movement, but Cherry threw himself up, aiming down the barrel of his shotgun, despite his helmet’s visor muddying up his vision slightly. Long range may not have worked, but he was willing to give it a chance. He took aim at a sectoid taking cover behind the chunk of metal from the damaged ship.

Blam!

“Well,” Cherry said, ducking down once again. “It was worth a try.”

“Seriously?” Rime rolled her eyes.

“They’re falling back!” Aegis shouted. His horn glowed, levitating his rifle and laying down a wide cone of fire.

“Cherry move up!” Twilight ordered. “Keep them pinned! You can flank the one right ahead of Aegis.”

He looked to Rime, something akin to worry in his eyes.

“I’ve got you covered,” She said, mechanical arms bringing up her machine gun as she stood and took aim.

It was arguably the fastest he had ever moved in his life. Cherry’s hooves carried him over the ruined block of concrete, vaulting over it with finesse he hardly knew he had and galloped full speed to a stray sheet of alien metal, the sectoid he was designated to kill under the heavy gunfire. Rime’s bullets stopped and a second after, the sectoid brought up its arm, surprised to find Cherry standing across the street and behind its cover.

As if to curse him, it released a pained and defeated screech.

Blam!

It fell, swallowed by a cloud of thickening golden ichor which blew in the wind. Cherry was not afraid of a little bit of blood, but there was a lot of it from the thing. Aegis moved up, taking aim further down the street at an untouched bench, where a sectoid peeked its head slightly.

A second took cover behind a faded green trash bin and a third on the other side of the same trash bin. Cherry moved back, ducking behind a newsstand.

“Heads up!” Rime shouted, her arms dropping her massive machine gun and gripping the cylindrical green thing on her back. It extended, taking a longer form and the sights popped up. She didn’t need much time to take aim.

Whoooosh!

Cherry recoiled, dropping to his chest and put his hooves over his already covered ear plates.

BOOM!

A wave of heat and fire washed over Cherry and his ears rang like crazy. He rolled on his back and caught his breath, staring up at the darkening crimson sky. His own breathing seemed distant and alien. He closed his eyes and groaned, getting up and sitting on his rump, taking off his helmet and rubbing his head. The burning in his lungs was not nearly enough to annoy him. He wanted his damn hearing back.

A shadow crept before him. He hoped it was an angel coming to take him away from all of this.

“Are you okay?”

Nope. Just Solemn.

“Ears are ringin’ like shit!” Cherry said. Did he shout? It was hard to tell. Judging from the way Solemn recoiled and pulled back, both eyebrows raised underneath her clear visor, Cherry probably just roared like a lion. “Sorry!”

Solemn cracked a smile. That was a good sign right?

She offered a hoof, which Cherry took. Once on his hooves, his R.A.A.G.S. took hold of his helmet on the ground and slipped it back over his head. Strangely, it felt good to have it on. He felt safer.

“Luna,” Cherry said, glancing at the raging fire. The mangled corpses of the sectoids were strewn like gory confetti, and their previous points of cover was reduced to nothing more than ash. “A little bit of overkill dontcha think?”

Rime walked leisurely, machine gun in her graspers. “Orders were to kill ‘em right?”

“I think.”

“They’re dead now,” Rime shrugged. “Better that way.”

Rime joined Aegis, who slowly approached the alien craft.

Cherry looked to Solemn. “She always like that?”

“You get used to it.” she sighed.

“Focus!” Aegis shouted. He beckoned towards the outer hull of the alien ship. Cherry took position right beside the iridescent field in place of an entrance. Another, more obscure field lay just ahead. “Last of the sectoids ran off in there from the rear. Cherry, get that field down. Rime, Solemn, cover him.”

“Is this safe?” Cherry asked, having to force himself an inch forward.

Rime kicked a rock through the first field,bouncing off the second one in the doorway.

“Looks pretty good,” Rime said. “If the rock’s okay, you should be fine.”

“Where’s Lone?” Cherry asked, seeing all of his compatriots waiting for him to enter. “Couldn’t we just—”

“Just get in there!” Aegis shouted.

“Okay! Okay!” Cherry, although reluctantly, passed through the first field, feeling a short lived shock run through his body. Almost immediately, the doorway filled with yelling and desperate shouts as two ponies clambered out and cried for help. A mare and a stallion, both drenched in sweat and covered in dirt and grime.

“Help us!” The mare shouted. “We were stuck in the market, they’re right behind us!”

The stallion made the mistake of turning, facing the seemingly empty interior of the ship. For a moment, Cherry caught a glimpse of his flank. As luck would have it, he had stumbled across a grown stallion with no cutie mark. Without trying to look too suspicious, Cherry snuck a peek at the mare’s flank. Aside from looking plump and firm, she too was barren of a cutie mark. Dark marks spotted her body and her eyes shifted.

With a shove, the mare flew back against the shining walls of the ship and Cherry flung himself back before his arms readied his shotgun, bringing his sights up to the mare. Her eyes widened in terror.

BLAM!

Bratatatatatat!

The puff of poisonous gas erupted with the shrieks of the two ponies, sending a chill down his spine.

“I’m going in!” Cherry announced. Nopony had time to protest. Cherry, despite his helmet, held his breath and galloped into the doorway.

Cherry opened his eyes, the glass on the floor glowing as the alien machinery just barely clung to life. The dying lights segmenting the tubes faded only to come alive once again. The rest of the ship’s interior managed to hold up far better than the exterior. The spotless metallic walls boasted technology far beyond anything Cherry would be able to comprehend.

A cylindrical column of encased green sat in the far end of the interior, on an elevated platform. Some kind of computer rested at the edge of the platform, a display screen floating above the mass of metal.

“Oh sweet Celestia!” Twilight spoke in a amazement. “There’s so much we could learn from this!”

“Head down!” Shining Armor ordered.

And Cherry did exactly that. His eyes found the sectoid’s before Shining lit up his ears with his shouting. Cherry rolled over and backed up against a blocky module, home to a glowing orange crystal suspended just above it. There was no time to make sure if the object posed any threat. Cherry pulled back on the shotgun’s pump, frowning when there was no shell in the receiver.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” Cherry’s R.A.A.G.S. clumsily fed the shotgun more shells until the gun was at full capacity. He pumped once again and rested his head against the metallic module,eyes shut and breathing heavy. He shook his head. “Shake it off, you got this!”

He turned, facing the glowing crystal, moved down from its initial position at the top of the module. It glowed, radiating an almost blinding light. A physical form manifested, taking shape before Cherry’s eyes. A being of obsidian and gold stood, a bipedal creature with no defining features, sat for the glowing crystal directly in its midsection. An alien rifle materialized in its hand, the necromantic glow causing Cherry to shudder.

He locked up as the creature raised a hand and grabbed him by the neck. Cherry’s hooves left the ground, kicking and thrashing wildly. Cherry raised his shotgun, trying to get a good shot at the creature’s head.

It grabbed his arm, twisting and snapping the metal and shooting sparks from the wiring.

Bratatatatat!

As if the goddesses themselves were watching over him, Cherry dropped to the ground, the crystal being not extending the same grand gesture. It ran, darting for the nearest piece of cover while Cherry placed himself back against the thick metal block in the room. He looked towards the doorway, clear of gas and Solemn Vigil making her way inside, rifle ready and head low.

There was no possible way Cherry could complain. On one hoof, she just saved his life, but on the other, her quirky aim might have cost him his life.

He was still breathing, so that was a good sign.

Cherry gave her a nod of approval.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Solemn shoved herself behind the doorframe, but it was not enough. The flurry of green reduced the ship’s wall to a crumbled pile of rubble.

Fwip!

“Ah!”

Solemn dropped, crawling and kicking her way further back before Aegis’s magical field enveloped her and dragged her out of view.

Rime barged her way inside, the golden sheen on her visor obscuring what Cherry would have assumed to be a deathly glare. Her mechanical arms raised her lead cannon.

Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka Dakka!

The sectoids dropped, pained chirps and writhing in pain before expiring right before Cherry’s eyes. All that was left was the other one. Cherry looked down at his remaining mechanical limb, raising it with nothing more than his thoughts and clenching a fist. It extended outward and grabbed his shotgun, using his hoof to pull back on the pump.

“I’ve had just about enough of this place.”

Cherry rolled out from cover and took aim, the being lining up its shot.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Blam!

“Fuck!”

Apparently, hooves were not the best at stabilizing a high power firearm. Cherry rubbed his nose, feeling the blood trickling down his muzzle and staining his beige coat.

The light of the being’s crystal intensified before the physical form vaporized and dematerialized. Cherry huffed as the crystal shattered against the ground. He was so sure there would be at least a small piece of the gem he could potentially keep as a souvenir, but the moment he stood up, trying to stop the blood from trickling down any more, the gem vanished, becoming nothing more than dust in the wind.

Cherry turned to the doorway from which he had entered so recklessly. Solemn rested against the ship’s hull, treating herself to the best of her ability. Rime’s head turned between Cherry and Solemn, as if deciding who was the more important pony or friend.

He could see a mild tinge of regret as she turned away and trotted to Solemn. He could not blame her for that choice. After all, Solemn and her were solid friends. That and a pony could easily recover from a bloodied, or potentially broken, muzzle. A scorching wound to the ribs on the other hoof? Cherry was no medical expert like Solemn, but he knew the chances of survival were a bit of a gamble.

“I should be fine,” He heard her say. “Armor took most of the hit. Is Cherry alright?”

“I think I broke my nose,” Cherry answered, walking over while still holding a hoof up to his muzzle. Aegis knelt down, holding out bandages with his magic and remaining relatively calm. Rime stood on guard as she scanned the area for any more hostiles.

“Serves you right for jumping in without a second thought,” Rime said. Were it not for the helmet he wore, Cherry’s ears may have fallen flat. She turned, a jabbed a hoof at his chest. “Solemn could have died saving your reckless ass.”

“I thought it was just the two sectoids.” Cherry defended. “I could have killed them on my own if that thing didn’t just pop up. She didn’t have to come in! I could have taken that thing down on my own!”

“From what I saw, that thing was gonna snap your neck.” Rime remained steadfast.

“Guys!” Solemn yelled. “Quit it! It’s done, I’m fine. No need to fight.”

She let her head rest against the metal surface of the ship’s wall. “I just wanna go home.”

***

After Action Report:

Captain Aegis Solaire >>> Active

Sergeant Swift Step >>> Active

Corporal Lone Shadow >>> Wounded (12 Days)

Private Rime Runner >>> Active

Private Cherry Pop >>> Active

Private Solemn Vigil >>> Lightly Wounded (5 Days)

Alien bodies have been recovered.

Alien weapon fragments have been recovered.

Alien ship materials have been recovered.

Banshee Squadron Status:

Vapour Trail >>> Active (Aiding the Royal Guard)

Air Strike >>> Active (Aiding the Royal Guard)

Lightning Dust >>> Active

Blue Bell >>> Active

***

Twilight looked at the screens, allowing a sigh of relief to escape her lips. Her ponies would live no doubt. Initiative-grade medical technologies and spells were top of the line. The chances of a pony dying were low with a well versed arcane healer or just regular medical pony on the field.

“That material the aliens were guarding,” Starlight pointed a hoof towards the Swift Step’s camera feed. From the looks of it, she was carrying Lone Shadow on her back, while stepping out into the open street. She kept her gaze on the glowing canister, the crystal exposed and radiating some kind of energy. “We should look into that. See what’s so important about it.”

“Agreed,” Applejack said. “I reckon the engineerin’ team‘ll be real interested in that ship. Maybe Flim Flam can make sense of all that stuff.”

“Looks like you two will be busy for a little while.” Twilight stood, standing tall over her two friends. She had to admit. There was a tinge of jealousy as she soaked in the sheer scope of all the technologies the science and engineering divisions would be collecting. There was enough material to keep everypony in every facility busy for months.

“I’m sure Sky Lance would love to get her hooves on those new bodies,” Starlight noted. “With your permission Commander. I think it would be of utmost importance if we learn more about the alien’s infiltration units.”

Twilight felt her lips twitch. She wanted to deny the request, but in her heart knew Starlight was right. There was much to be gained from the aliens. As disgusting and gory as it would be. No doubt, Sky Lance would have no complaints. It was, of course, for scientific gain more than anything else.

“We’ll see what she can learn from them,” Twilight said simply. “For now let’s get Fireteam Valor back home.”

***

"Reports are pouring in from all over Vanhoover detailing the crash landing of an alien craft shot down by unknown elements. Officials claim the landing has led to devastated zones all around the West End District and destroying most of Elmwood Avenue. Royal Guards from Canterlot and authorities in the surrounding towns are aiding with the rescue efforts. Word has arrived that two or four unknown pegasi are aiding the Royal Guard, although many are reporting them to be sent by the Equestrian Bureau of Defense, but there has been no official word from the office.

"Reports claim a team of ponies entered the affected area shortly after the crash, similar to the same squad of ponies who cleared out Pearlhaven. Anypony with any further information on these ponies are asked to come to step forward and offer anything they can as to who these ponies are.

"Officials in Canterlot will address the situation shortly. For now, this is Lucy Song of the Equestrian News Broadcasting Network signing off. Tango will offer any new coverage when we return."

Author's Note

This was a longer chapter than I initially wanted it to be, but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless!

Chapter 7: Scientific Pursuits

“Oh, I hope she’s okay,” the mare muttered to herself. “I knew she should have taken a spot in the medical bay, I knew it!”

Sky Lance watched the violet mare fidget and whisper to herself with a cocked head and a raised brow. Were the hangar not a simple and mundane place, Sky Lance would not have stared as much as she did. The way she slowly rocked and impatiently tapped her hoof on the metal floor did not attract Sky’s attention. Rather, it was her cutie mark: a yellow eye above a golden crescent moon.

She had been watching every pony’s flanks, more than she would have liked to admit. The reports of blank flanks spread through the Biology Division for hours, remaining something of a 'secret' between the ponies in the division, as if anypony outside were conspiring with the aliens. It was ironic, seeing as most of the ponies outside of the research labs had learned about these new creatures the aliens were deploying.

A vast majority of the ponies under Sky Lance’s command even accused a small group of changeling scientists as traitors, but Sky Lance shut that down the moment to accusations cropped up. Cooperation was a major key in defeating the alien threat and Sky Lance would not tolerate any anarchy among her division.

Unfortunately, the talks of alien spies had, indeed, made Sky Lance a little more cautious about the ponies she worked with.

“Are you okay?” Sky Lance cursed herself once the words left her lips. The mare gave a shy grin.

“M-my daughter was on that last mission,” she explained, slowly setting her rump on the ground. Sky Lance cocked her head. She had not known about families being brought into The Initiative. As far as she knew, families were left behind up on the surface. Maybe if she filed a request to the commander, Sky Lance could bring her family inside the base? “O-Overnight Vigil ma’am.”

“Sky Lance. I’m sure your daughter is fine,” Sky Lance said. “I didn’t get to see the squad in action, but from what I hear, they had a pretty good haul.”

The mare tilted her head quizzically.

“Alien bodies.” No response. “I dissect and examine the bodies of the aliens for hopes to better understand how to defeat our adversaries.”

“Biology Division?”

“Biology Division.”

The violet unicorn looked uncomfortable sitting beside Sky Lance, but she remained in her spot. She had not noticed Sky still casting the occasional glance at her cutie mark. She tried to ponder its meaning, her special talent and a whole slew of information a simple observation would not be able to grant her.

The hangar bay doors slid open, Commander Sparkle trotting her way in, flanked by four ponies from the medical bay. Her wings were spread stiffly and she moved rigidly down the metal path, griffons and ponies casting salutes if they were able, while others nodded. She stopped short just beside Sky Lance and stared blankly forward.

“Finally!” The mare gasped once the carriage teetered in. Sky Lance could not help but to share the same level of excitement, although for different reasons assuredly. Night Glider lowered herself and the carriage rapidly and swiftly, avoiding the jagged edges of the cavern and motioning for other pegasi to get out of the way.

She landed with a rough clunk against the metal and swiftly unstrapped herself from the carriage and headed for the back.

“Stretchers!” The Commander ordered. The medical ponies all bolted for the rear of the carriage, taking two ponies out with their magic; a blue mare and a charcoal black stallion.

“Solemn!” The mare gave her best trot over to who Sky Lance assumed to be her daughter, hobbling and wincing with every other step. The blue unicorn let the ponies put her down gently on the stretcher before being hoisted up by the two ponies. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Solemn slumped her head. “We cleaned it up pretty good out there. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Overnight ignored her daughter’s initial calmness. Her eyes darted from pony to pony hoping someone had the answers. She set her sights on a massive, bulky grey earth pony, approaching as best she could in her modest condition. The white highlights among the blue of the earth pony’s mane shone brightly under the flourescent lights. “Rime?”

“She’ll be fine,” Rime answered. She cast a scowl behind her to a tan stallion, who hung his head low. "If you wanna know what happened, you can ask him."

Uh-oh.

“You,” Overnight breathed. The stallion recoiled at Vigil’s rage, sinking lower and lower as she approached. “You! What did you do!”

“I-I-I didn’t mean t—”

“Vigil!” The Commander shouted. The violet unicorn turned as fast as she could in her meek state ears dropping and face turning pale. The rage was still built up on her face, but she held her tongue. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of it.”

“But—” The tan stallion raised his hoof, but lowered it in defeat, ears dropping. “Nevermind.”

“My office if you will, Cherry,” Twilight looked down towards Captain Aegis. “You too.”

“Yes ma’am.” He answered without so much as a hint of frustration or disappointment in his face. Twilight watched as the two stallions left, releasing a sigh once they vanished behind the hangar bay doors.

“Ponies,” Sky Lance nodded her head towards the carriage’s newly installed storage compartment. The four unicorns trotted forward, opening up the side compartments. The Commander grimaced and wrinkled her nose and turned away in disgust. “Save one of the bodies and prep it for an autopsy. I’m going to see what secrets lie within our new friend.”

She took note of the disapproving look from Twilight. “Commander, we need this. They are not ponies at all.”

“I understand,” she said. “I just...Write up a report when you and your division have enough adequate information for me.”

“Understood ma’am.”

***

“Are you sure about this?” Starlight asked. Sky Lance had to admit, her superior’s ethical views seemed a bit too...simple. The body of the subject lay on the operating table limp and naked. The subject, dubbed Lily by the ponies of Fireteam Valor, looked about as pony as a pony could be. The spots of dark marks and lack of a cutie mark was all it took for the emerald mare to feel okay with the autopsy.

“It’s no Equestrian,” Sky Lance asserted. “You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.”

Starlight bit her lip. “What if it’s a changeling?”

“Then I cut open a changeling,” Sky Lance answered, annoyed. “I wouldn’t think you’d care too much. Didn’t they kidnap your friends a few years back? That's not to say I don't like them. They happen to be some of my best workers.”

Starlight remained silent. Sky Lance donned her favorite uniform, taking off her cap and slipping on the hood of the hazard suit. Through the visor of her mask, Sky Lance took note of Starlight’s grimacing face. She would be lying if she said she did not understand the mare’s discomfort. Not every pony was exposed to the idea of autopsies or anything of the sort, but for the sake of advancing Equestria’s understanding of alien biology, there could be no room for what was morally right and unjust.

“Maybe we should start with Project Eldritch first?” Starlight offered.

“The body is already prepped.” Sky Lance allowed the R.A.A.G.S. to adjust themselves around her torso, the graspers flexing and extending before collapsing back at her sides. “With respect ma’am, if you can’t handle the autopsy, then I would recommend leaving. My team and I will work towards finding out whatever we can about these aliens.”

“Is this even morally right?”

“Is kidnapping ponies, zebras, griffons and anything else capable of sentient thought morally correct?”

“N-no, but...” Starlight stopped herself. “It’s bad enough our soldiers on the field riddle them with bullets. They might as well be killing actual ponies! Now we’re prodding around in their bodies, just to ‘further understand them’?”

“If my time in the Royal Guard has taught me anything,” Sky Lance turned and faced her colleague. “It’s that some enemies are more deserving of mercy than others. Those with blatant disregard for civilian lives deserve none. What is in that room is a crude bastardization of anything Equestrian. It may look like a pony, act like one, maybe even believe it is one, but in the end it is nothing more than a carbon copy of something that was once so kind and loving for those around it now made for the sole purpose of killing and abducting the very beings they were made to mimic.”

Again, Starlight paused and pursed her lips. Her eyes flicked from Sky Lance to the door leading to the operating room several times, screaming the same thing over and over again. There has to be another way.

Unfortunately for her, there was no other way. At least no other way that Sky Lance could think of. Ripping open and extracting the bits and pieces unaffected by the soldiers’ bullets and examining those bits and pieces was as good a way as any to learn about their alien adversaries. It was not like they would just waltz into the base and happily explain themselves to the ponies. Everypony had already known that.

No. Sky Lance tapped her hoof against the door panel and with a loud thunk, the door itself slid open. The subject’s body lay elegantly on its side. There is no door number 2. Not one that I can see.

She looked out of the windows, only a small set of individuals from the Biology Division watching with clipboards ready. She smiled under the visor of the hazard suit, only seeing one pony out of the seven grimacing and turning an odd shade of green before the first cut was even made. These were the same people who had taken the copious notes and led examinations of their own on the Sectoids in the passing weeks.

The group consisted of two changelings, two griffons, two unicorns and an earth pony. Sky Lance had not gotten to know them personally, but she at least had the decency to learn their names.

They each lifted their pens and Sky Lance began the procedure.

She checked the scale, recording the weight of the being. 275 kilograms. She had expected as much from the being. She jot down the weight into her notes and placed the pen down gently on top of the paper.

The lifeless reptilian eyes of the blank flank stared endlessly into Sky Lance as she took a scalpel into her mechanical grip. The first cut is always the most anxious. Sky Lance pressed the blade against the pony—no, the alien’s—upper leg joint and started cutting down towards the lower leg. She felt relieved at the sight of green and white underneath the coat of fur.

Well, there’s all the confirmation I need. Sky Lance momentarily paused in the middle of her incision, taking note of her initial observation. “Well, we can all rest easy knowing this isn’t actually a pony.”

A short murmur sounded from outside the chamber. The cut continued and she peeled back the skin, taking a closer look at the tissue. “Besides, coloration, the muscle tissue closely resembles that of an actual pony. Strange.”

Admittedly, Sky Lance was eager to start poking her head inside the being. She wanted to know if the aliens had stayed true to pony anatomy. Or at least find the source of the cloud of poison that erupted when it expired. There was much to learn from the mimic.

“Alright everypony,” Sky Lance raised her blade. “Let’s see what she’s got for us.”

***

Project Codename>>>Mimic

Research Notes

>>>Initial Observations:

It would appear that this being acts as an infiltrator of sorts, gaining entrance to our cities and possibly even military outposts. However, it is clear that the creature cannot replicate a pony’s cutie mark(1) and, as was shown when encountering ‘Lily’ attempt to cover this with a dress or take the guise of a young blank flank child. The question remains as to how the aliens were able to create a carbon copy of a pony.

>>>Initial Findings:

From what my teams can tell, there is no distinct pattern in which the aliens choose the forms of the ponies(2). From what we have seen so far, it is clear that the aliens kept the idea of Equestrian diversity in mind, allowing for each subject to take form of a mare, stallion, colt, or filly. As of now, only one distinction remains between each subject: subjects later in age appear to have mottled hazel or green spots along their flanks and upper hooves while the younger subject can easily pass off as a normal colt or filly.

There were an interesting amount of discoveries made from Silver Scalpel and Domara, both of whom have taken the liberty of assessing the alien’s organ structures. While alien in nature, it would seem that the aliens have ‘remodelled’ almost all internal organs to closer resemble pony organ systems, there are some organs that interestingly serve no actual purpose. I have found that the subject’s skeletal structures are segmented, much like a serpent’s. I have reason to believe this can grant the creature a diverse range of flexibility and maneuverability should it need to engage any of our soldiers in combat.

We have also found that enormous glands found in the thoracic cavity produce a potent toxin and is capable of being expelled through ducts with what we could assume to be considerable force. First Aid, after a chemical analysis, believes she can ‘enhance’ our medical sprays by using the venom as a kind of disinfectant. With your approval of the experiments, we can potentially work with The Flim Flam Brothers and Applejack to integrate the substance into our medical supply.

(1)—Some ponies in the research teams theorize that the aliens have no access to the magical qualities of ponies. Because the aliens genetically manipulate themselves to resemble ponies, they have a kind of ‘Newborn’ effect. Similar to how foals are born without a cutie mark, these aliens have no special talent of their own, therefore their flanks remain blank.

(2)—Could it be that the ponies, zebras, and griffons that were abducted were used as a ‘template’ for these creatures’ physical makeup? There is no way to come to a reasonable conclusion at the moment, but that is the leading theory among the Biology Division.

Sky Lance Personal Note:

Please refrain from thinking of these beings as anything Equestrian in nature. They are, in fact, alien creatures designed for the sole purpose of infiltrating our cities and psychological warfare against our soldiers. I understand that these creatures look as though they are ponies, but I stress, our soldiers should feel no remorse for killing them on the field.

Furthermore, I believe that the gas emitted from the bodies can be synthesized and used against the aliens in the field. With your approval, Commander Sparkle, I can have part of my team work on such a project with a few ponies from engineering.

***

Felix sat in the farthest corner of the workshop, away from the droning machines and the socializing workers. The low level workshop was always the quietest, and that was the way he liked it. Crammed in the lowest denizens of Harmony’s base of operations and able to do his work with hardly any interruptions and almost no noise to bother him. The low constant hum of the power flowing through the facility had even been numb to his senses, hardly ever noticing it unless brought up by the other workers passing by the small space Felix would have called his office.

The black griffon sat around several cabinets and drawers full of small components and tools behind an shining white smooth surfaced desk and a computer screen which was left off most of the time. His talons searched for a flaw in the brace he held with delicate care; a mix of ornate griffon metalwork and rune imbued purifying tanks.

The reports of aliens capable of spitting out a poisonous cloud and even puffing some of the poison out after getting killed was troubling among the ponies and other staff working in the base. The brace held in Felix’s talons would have no doubt changed the game in that field.

In theory, the brace would wrap around the wearer’s throat and the two small tanks imbued with runes would have allowed them to pass through the cloud of poison unaffected. The only problem was that it was all theoretical and yet to be tested.

A knock came from the far end of the room, against the plated metal doorway. Given the rhythmic nature of the knocks, he let out a disgruntled sigh. Looking up, peering through the darkness were a set of pink eyes. Felix could make out the white and black (or was it black and white?) striped form of Zeldamar, leaning against the doorframe. Truth be told, Felix may have mistook her for another zebra, were it not the lack of jewelery, save for the lone earring on her left ear, and the relaxed state at which she stood idle.

“Starlight called for you,” Zeldamar said in a sweet and soft tone. Felix could not help but to frown at her words. “What’s the matter? You look like you could use the company anyway.”

“Kinda busy here,” Felix said, bringing her attention to the metal brace in his talons. He lowered his head, continuing his work, making sure the fittings would not be too tight for anypony or griffon or zebra wearing it. “What’s it for anyway?”

“Commander gave the clearance to examine the alien alloys,” the zebra explained, stepping into the room and closer to Felix’s corner workstation. “Hamza asked Starlight if there was anyone who could assist, so she asked The Brothers and now they're allowing for a small team of engineers to help the other eggheads in R and AT.”

“Last time I checked, you were part of Combat Technology,” Felix set the brace down on the desk. “Why’d she send you?”

“She didn’t.” Felix cocked his head. “I’m technically on break, but since they’re fixin’ up the lounge and I’m not a fan of the jocks in the rec room and I overheard The Brothers asking for engineers from W2L1, I decided I’d let the only person I knew who worked here know that he’d be needed.”

“Thanks for that I guess,” Felix sighed. Zeldamar held an odd grin on her face. She sat on her haunches, patiently. “Now?”

“Now.”

Damn. Felix brought himself up from his seat. “Fine. Let’s go then.”

The griffon uprooted himself from the seat and headed for the door, Zeldamar catching up with a prance behind him. The roars of the machines echoed down the hall and Felix thanked whatever higher power he could that he had not needed to move through the central facility. He immediately redacted that thanks however when he gave some thought about where he would be headed.

Felix tapped a talon against the door panel, waiting for the doors to slide open before setting foot inside the elevator. The annoyingly orange floor and endless mirrored walls forced an unsettling shudder to permeate through Felix’s body. He wished a stairwell was available to the lower facilities. He found it strange that The Initiative would readily build an elevator unit that could crap out at any given point rather than start with building stairs. Not that it mattered to much for him, being that he was a griffon and could easily just fly up the shaft.

“So,” Zeldamar spoke over the music. “What were you working on?”

“Rebreathing unit to combat the poison cloud the Blank Flanks produce,” Felix explained, staring forward at the door. “Simple rune magic to purify the lungs, triggered by chemical sensors that detect an imbalance in the air.”

“Right.” The zebra feigned understanding.

The rest of the elevator ride was silent, save for the annoying polka-themed music playing on a loop. Their respite came not only a minute later, Felix overwhelmed with a sense of gratefulness as the elevator slowed and jerked to a stop.

“I’m gonna head over to—”

“Felix!” Benjamin cut off. “Talk about coincidence huh? You free for the moment? Hamza is arranging for a team to examine some of the alien materials found from the crashed—Zeldamar told you already didn’t she?”

“You know it!” The zebra giggled. “Sorry to pop your bubble there. I’ll see you two later, I’m gonna head to the mess. A zebra has to eat after all!”

She galloped down the hall, dodging and weaving between the various inhabitants either on break or on the way to their respective facilities. Felix could not help but to let a small grin spread on his face as she crashed into a pony carrying several binders, sending papers flying and garnering unparalleled rage from the pony.

“She needs a damn off switch,” Felix commented. Benjamin stifled a giggle. “I’ll go down to the crazy Arabian.”

"Yeah," Benjamin slid past Felix and entered the elevator. "I gotta get the rest of the guys."

***

Initially, Felix had not liked Hamza. Primarily, it was the way in which the slender equine carried himself and gave off the impression that he had all the right answers. His chocolate brown coat and shining teal mane were groomed with the utmost care and lacked any of the fine Saddle Arabian attire his people normally wore. If his height and slenderness was any indication of his nationality and ethnicity, then his lack of a cutie mark would distinguish him from the rest of the ponies that worked in the facility.

“This stuff took the impact of the pegasi Windigo Missiles?” Felix held the iridescent plate of metal in his talons, examining it curiously and meticulously. He slowly rotated and inspected every angle of the clean sheet sliced from the craft’s exterior hull.

Hamza nodded. “I could scarcely believe it myself. To think that The Invaders have created something so…strong and yet retain such a light weight is unbelieveable.”

Felix placed the plate of foreign material back down on the table, as did the others in the secluded section of the Robotics and Alien Technology division. They all could not help but to look down at the separated plates of alien metal whilst trying to listen to Hamza speak.

“As of now, all the staff in R and AT are devoted to finding out what we can about the inner workings of the crashed alien vessel.” Hamza explained. “To make it easier, I have divided the division into several parts, each with the task to study various parts of the alien ship. I’ll not bother you with the details of the other teams, but know that all of our roles here are equally as important. The Commander wishes to understand how these alloys work and if we can replicate them in some way.”

“Will we be reporting our findings to you directly?” A stout emerald earth pony asked.

“You will be reporting to Bronze Sprocket for the duration of the research project.”

The aptly named Bronze Sprocket stepped up, standing beside the Saddle Arabian. Contrary to his namesake, Felix almost chuckled at the sight of the dirty blonde earth pony. As if to further cement the irony of his appearance, Sprocket’s mane was an even brighter shade of yellow than his coat. There was a twinkle in his bright blue eyes, gazing around the table and examining the entirety of his little division.

“It’ll be a pleasure working with you all, I hope,” the stallion spoke modestly. “As you already know, The Commander wants to know more about the alien materials. Now, I’m not asking for miracles here and I know we won’t be able to completely understand what we’re working with here. But if we can at least...find some use for these alloys, I’d consider it a job well done.”

“Should we start with a durability test?” Somepony asked.

Felix scoffed. “Seriously? What’s the point in that. The damn thing already took a direct hit from a Windigo Missile and survived a high speed collision with several buildings and Vanhoover streets. If anything, that was our durability test.”

“Agreed, although you have my clearance to conduct such tests if it please you.” Sprocket walked to the head of a table and prodded a sheet of the metal with his hooves. “How about something that will yield more fruit, so to speak?”

The stallion picked up the sheet of metal, rearing up on his hind-legs and examining every angle he possibly could. “A little metallography wouldn’t hurt I think.”

“Um, sir?” Felix raised a talon. “I don’t mean to disappoint or anything, but I think this may be a little out of my field. I’m more of a machines and building type of griffon. Not saying I can’t do this, it just might take a while to figure all this stuff out.”

“And you’ll be able to put that knowledge of yours to use in the coming days,” Sprocket brought the sheet of metal on the table. “For now, get to know the ones you’ll be working with for the duration of this project. Everyone will have their time to shine, believe me.”

***

Zeldamar loved the noise of the Combat Technology facility. Her hooves clopping silently on the glossy white floors among all the ruckus surrounding her as she trotted past ponies trotting past her.

Ponies discussing new gadgets and tech the soldiers can use on the field and the sound of distant machines crafting new weapons and the assembly of weapons by griffon talons. To her left, ponies were zipping themselves up in experimental armor and the heavy thunk of hoofsteps of ponies clad in dense aerial combat suits reached her ears; a sound that would bother and annoy any other pony or zebra. Desks were spaced evenly to allow ponies to conduct their tests while others recorded the results.

To her right, Zeldamar’s ear flicked as griffons clicked weapon pieces into place and fiddled with small electronics. Beyond them, a changeling strapping some kind of device around a shaking pony while a group of people watched intently for...something to happen. Zeldamar turned away. She had no interest in their debacle.

Arguably the best sound she had heard whenever she entered the facility was from the far side, where the orange painted walls ended and glass panels of the firing range began.

Bratatatatat!

It was like music to her ears. The rapid fire of assault rifles and weapons in their experimental stages. She lived for this part of the day. A table was set with the blueprints and even printed out models of several of what could be The Initiative’s new standard issue rifle. It overlooked the firing range through the glass, down below where she could watch and listen to the rhythmic and meticulous workings of the weapons. Sure, they were muffled through the glass, but they were still there nonetheless.

A charcoal unicorn watched the latest weapon testing, levitating a small datapad in her golden aura. Her slender frame seemed as though she would topple over just from a small breeze, swaying slight in her still position. Her teal mane was tied into a short ponytail, although hastily tied from the looks of it. A few strands popped out here and there while her bangs remained unkempt and short, stopping just above her brow.

She turned once the firing had stopped, granting Zeldamar a friendly grin. “What took you so long?”

“Zebra’s gotta eat, Kirin.” Zeldamar looked down at the olive crate sitting beside her friend. “What’s going on there?”

“Got a pretty nice present for you.” The unicorn gestured towards the crate beside the table. “Commander wants to know more about these things. Starlight figured she could spare a few workers to see what they can find out from the alien weapons.”

Zeldamar’s face lit up. “Alien weapons? Seriously? I get to play with them?”

“Well,” Kirin rubbed the back of her neck. “Play is not the word I’d use for it.”

“Lemme see!” Zeldamar jumped up and tossed open the crate. Her beaming smile was overshadowed by a growing frown. “The hell is this?”

There were no alien weapons per se. No, it was just charred fragments of them, laying in a messy pile on top of each other. Some of the pieces still burned with an orange hue, consuming the edges of the fragments along with black ash. The shining sheen of silver was reduced to a dull coat of grey and only a small portion of them looked like they were still capable of being fired.

“I figured I’d bring it to a mare who has a way with firearms,” Kirin said innocently. “I figured you could at least try to put it back together or something.”

“Shouldn’t R and AT be looking at this stuff?”

“They’ve got their hooves full with the alien ship,” Kirin levitated a piece of the alien weapon fragment. Despite being half destroyed, the green glow remained in the isolated chamber in the gun’s center. “Who cares though? Weapons are kind of our thing. We figure out how to get these things up and running again, maybe we can use them out on the field. C’mon Zel, at least give it a chance, some of the others are. Should be easy!”

“Well, where do we start?”

Kirin shrugged. “We could tear it open. See the inner workings. Y’know, for somepony with a knack for weapons, you’re the last person I thought would ask where to start.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Zeldamar rolled her eyes. “Should be easy enough. Alright, set it down, let’s see what we’ve got to work with.”

Zeldamar brought a lamp closer and cleared a section of the table, making space for her and Kirin to get to work. Her hooves reached out for a toolbox and Kirin floated the local robotic arm system, strapping it around Zeldamar’s torso. Immediately, the limp arms sprang to life and went to work, picking up a screwdriver and holding the almost intact weapon steady with the other hand.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Zeldamar shouted. Kirin scrambled back, eyes wide and darting around the table.

“What?”

“There’s no holes for a screwdriver,” Zeldamar said with a joking smile, stifling a giggle. "For a pony raised by griffons, I figure, you'd be used to a little bit of noise!"

“You scared me half to death!” Kirin released a long drawn out sigh and rolled her eyes. “Oh Luna,”

“Oh, relax.” Zeldamar put down the screwdriver. “Maybe I can pry it open. If there is a spot for me to do that.”

She looked around for any signs of a possible opening. Her eyes caught a small slit down the middle of the sights, or at least the equivalent of one. More like a small rip in the metal Gotcha.

Her R.A.A.G.S. grasped the gun’s exit and started to pull it apart to the best of her ability. The gun was sturdy, not even doing so much as groaning as Zeldamar pulled with as much intensity as her robotic hands would allow.

“Damn!” Zeldamar turned to Kirin, who watched with nervous apprehension, as if chaos could unfold at any given second. “Gimme a hand with this will ya? Take the two sides with your magic and pull when I give the word.”

“Alright.” Two formless blobs of gold enveloped the two sides of the weapon. “What about that green stuff?”

“It’ll be fine,” Zeldamar reassured. “Now pull!”

There was only a slight creak from the weapon as it shook vigorously. Zeldamar could just barely see it start to split apart, a grin forming on her face as the weapon snapped and crackled in several spots. Just a little more!

The green canister was starting to shake, as the metal ripped and warped around it. The tear was spreading a lot faster now. Just a little further and...

Dink!

The canister dropped on the table, landing perfectly on its head.

“Ha! Got—”

Boof!

The black cloud settled in a matter of seconds and Zeldamar opened her eyes, both of which burned as she looked around. She lowered her hooves and chuckled. “Glad I’m still alive!”

The green glass cylinder was gone, shards of the glass shooting out everywhere. The spot on the table was reduced to black and there was no trace of any of the green power source. Zeldamar turned to her left, staring at the mortified Kirin who stood still with her eyes closed. When her eyes opened, the instantly met Zeldamar’s, worry and pain apparent.

She raised her glass covered hoof at Kirin, blood slowly materializing on her fur. “Should be easy right?”

***

20 Minutes Before Arriving at Harmony Headquarters

Cherry hardly turned his head to see Aegis shuffling towards him in the cramped space of the carriage.

“You pissed off at me too?” Cherry asked. He already knew the answer.

“No.” Or not. “Not too much anyway.”

Cherry faced the floor.

“So what do you want?”

“Look kid—” Aegis set himself across from Cherry. “—I get that this whole thing is new to you. I’m sure in that mercenary band of yours, everything was just willy nilly, get the job done and collect the money type of crap. I read your file before The Commander assigned you to this fireteam. If I’m being honest with you, you’re not exactly cut out for this line of work.”

Cherry, honest to whatever god there was out there, could not agree more.

“Now,” Aegis continued, his expression softening slightly. “I’m not going to tell you to leave The Initiative or anything, but I can at least give you a few pointers. First; that attitude, the comedian thing and overall slight disregard for your teammates? That’s gotta go. We’re a team. You can joke every now and again, but I like my squad to have the mission in mind. Second; you see that?”

Aegis pointed his hoof down the carriage. Rime sat across from Solemn, worry in her eyes. She had not noticed Aegis pointing at her, nor did she see Cherry swallow on the spot. Prior to entering the carriage for extraction, she had some less than exemplary things to say and a menacing hoof almost broke Cherry’s chest, and all it did was point at him to emphasize the point.

To say the least, Cherry was probably her least favorite pony right now. Solemn was a little hard to figure out. In some ways she seemed grateful that Cherry was safe, but in others she seemed to let Rime do the talking for her.

“She’s gonna kill me whenever you and The Commander aren’t looking you know.” Cherry said with a frown. His lips shifted to the side and he gave Aegis a weary stare.

“No,” he said simply. “As much as I’m sure she’d like to, she won’t. She’s a good soldier. Haven’t seen her in action before all this, but I at least read her record and Solemn says nothing but good things about her. Now, my issue is, I can’t have this conflict between you two. We are a unit. We have to act like it. This is the closest thing to family you will have besides those ponies and griffons back at base.”

Cherry glanced over at Rime, rapidly turning and facing the wall when he noticed her giving him the death glare. “Yeah, that’s not exactly going to go very well.”

“She might be stubborn,” Aegis said. “But she’ll come around. I’m not asking for miracles here. I can tell that what she said is getting to you. Take it as you will, but let me tell you: I think you know you’re out of your element here.”

“She didn’t have to come in to help me.”

“Uhh, yeah she did. I gave the order.”

Cherry sat straight, brow furrowed. “So why is Rime pissed off at me and not at you? I didn’t order Solemn to come in after me.”

“Because if you didn’t blindly run into the enemy ship without us to back you up, I wouldn’t have had to give the order.” Aegis stated sternly. Cherry sank back down into his seat. “I take full responsibility for what you did. I ordered you to get inside the ship, which you did. However, I should have been a little more clear. I wanted you to take point and we would follow soon after. I wasn’t willing to risk passing through that cloud the Blank Flanks made when you killed them.

“All I’m trying to say is I don’t want this fireteam to fall apart. You’ve got potential in you. The others might not see it, hell I even doubt it sometimes, but you’ve got something. I could be wrong, but either way, consider us an extension of your family. We need to ensure each other’s safety and we need to trust each other and have each other’s back.”

Cherry nodded. With nothing more to say, Aegis settled into his seat and rested his head against the cool walls of the carriage.

“By the way,” he added. “Chances are, Solemn’s mom is going to have some words for you when we get back, so be ready for that.”

***

Twilight looked down at the two ponies with nothing more than sympathy.

Aegis held a proud and stoic composure, back as straight as can be and face unwavering from any emotion.He still wore his combat worn armor, covered in concrete dust and ash. His R.A.A.G.S. folded up at his sides and remained motionless. Twilight had the urge to wave a hoof in front of his face, just to make sure he was still alive.

Cherry, on the other hoof, was a little worse for wear. He had long since abandoned his R.A.A.G.S. and blood had caked his muzzle. She had half a mind to send him to the medical bay and have him returned once he was better. But this meeting would be brief and his life, fortunately, was not on the line at the moment.

“Cherry,” Twilight began. The stallion cringed at the sound of his name. “I understand you come from a...different background than the rest of the ponies in your group. Regardless of this, has it ever occurred to you that certain actions will often yield poor results?”

Cherry raised his head only slightly.

“If I may,” Aegis raised a hoof. Twilight nodded. “Don’t be too hard on Cherry ma’am. I gave the order for him to enter the craft. I should have told him to wait until the poison cloud cleared or at least have him flank around with one of the others. I even ordered Vigil to enter and assess the situation. I should have had better control of the situation.”

Twilight paused. She tried to imagine herself in the stallion’s shoes. It did not take her long to realize that she was far too excited to see the inside of the ship to even think about ordering Cherry to hold his ground and wait for Aegis’s orders. The lives of her ponies were in danger and she was more interested with seeing the inside of an alien ship; something she would have seen regardless of how the situation was handled.

She found it slightly hard to be mad at the stallion for that reason.

“I’m not going to punish Cherry,” Twilight said. Cherry hardly reacted to the words. “Not much anyway. It’s quite clear that he could use a bit more patience and discipline. I think a little more time in the Proving Grounds facility will do the trick.”

“Seriously?” Cherry shot up, eyes wide after he realized what he had said. “S-sorry.”

“I like to believe there is goodness in everypony.” Twilight leaned back in her seat. “You may have gotten off on the wrong hoof with your squad, but given enough proper training and teambuilding, we can make a proper soldier out of you. It’ll be rigorous and it’ll be rough, but in the end, it will all be worth it. The training will be harder than what you may be used to, but I have faith in my soldiers.”

Cherry grimaced.

“Don’t think of this as a punishment Cherry,” Twilight asserted. “Think of this as a way to improve yourself and better the relationship between you and your squad.”

“What about Solemn’s mom?”

“She’ll…” Twilight tapped her hoof against her chin. Admittedly, there was probably no real saving that relationship. “She’ll come around eventually.”

Cherry seemed less than pleased to hear that, like he saw through the lie.

“Commander,” Aegis spoke up. “I’d like to personally oversee Cherry’s...re-training.”

“Of course. You're dismissed. Cherry will report to the Proving Grounds after resting up and getting that nose looked at."

Aegis stood with a salute before turning around and walking out. Cherry followed his motions sullenly and less rigid before disappearing behind the door. Twilight released a tired sigh. As much as she would dread it, she needed sleep.

***

The moonlit field surrounding Twilight would have been beautiful on any other night. However, the glare from Princess Luna detracted from any calm she would have found that night. The oily shadows of the other council members surrounded her, coiled in the center of land that remained the moment The Dragon appeared and circled around them. She felt trapped, not only because of The Dragon, but because Luna had her locked in the dream until she ended the spell that brought them all there.

“What happened in Vanhoover was unavoidable Commander,” The Stag said. Truth be told, Twilight was only slightly relieved he had spoken those words. On the other hoof, it was not Princess Celestia nor Luna who spoke the words.

“However,” Celestia spoke, Twilight’s heart dropping. “The damage done was more than we could have anticipated.”

“Tell me, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said, a sharpness to her voice. “How do you expect we cover this up? At least if this had occurred in a forest or an unpopulated area, we could have had some kind of explanation. Instead, hundreds of ponies, if not more, end up dead and the threat of alien invasion is known all around Equestria and Beyond!”

Twilight trembled. She pursed her lips, trying to find the right words to say. What could she say? The mission was, in fact, a disaster, and there was no real recovering from it.

“That situation was out of her control, dear princess.” The Griffon defended. “You saw the recorded footage of the aerial fight. There was no way those ponies could have avoided that kind of a crash landing.”

“Those ponies could have led the ship away.”

“The speed of The Invaders’ ship heavily outweighs the speed of a few mere pegasi,” The Stag chimed in. “Even a pegasus with the highest end technology substituting her wings. What happened in Vanhoover was out of anyone's control.”

“It would appear that this little war of ours is no secret anymore,” The Dragon rumbled. “Perhaps it is time everyone know what we are dealing with. Those with the courage to fight should be granted the option.”

"I agree," The Pony nodded his head. "The Initiative needs soldiers."

Luna and Celestia both sighed.

“We did not wish for the populace to learn of what we are dealing with.” Luna spoke lowly. “But it seems that this was unavoidable. The civilians of the world deserve to know what we face. I do not, however, agree with the notion of allowing anyone to join The Initiative. The lives of our ponies are of utmost importance to us.”

“Sacrifices must be made.” The Stag voiced. “They will be made, regardless of what you do.”

“We shall contemplate our next move with the populace,” Celestia continued. “For now, Twilight, remain vigilant. These aliens will not give up so easily. Have your troops ready to report for duty.”

“I will.” Twilight bowed.

The image faded and Twilight was back in her quarters. Spike looked up curiously at her from the base of the bed. His beady emerald eyes scanned her tired face worriedly, searching for signs of distress. If there was one thing Princess Celestia taught her well, it was feigning comfort.

“How’d it go?”

“Y’know Spike,” Twilight sighed, pawing at her weary eyes. “Can you send a message to The Brothers? We need a garden facility down here.”

Author's Note

I hope you guys like this chapter! If you point out any errors, feel free to point them out!

Harmony Database: Personal Notes and Progress Reports (Set #1)

Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Research Division
>>> 22nd of Moonfall
>>> 12:14 P.M.

It would seem that the aliens are employing a new type of weapon on the field. There is a chance however, that the recovered material could possibly reverse the effects of the 'Necromantic' Gas pods; the same pods used to kick-start the alien invasion. Regardless, I’m sure we can still find something worth researching. I’ll put in a request with Twilight for aid from all the divisions, including Engineering to help see what we can find out about these things. We must treat this with the utmost urgency and caution. This may very well solve one of Equestria’s problems or grant us a better way of fighting the aliens.

***

Private Solemn Vigil Medical Bay Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Fireteam Valor
>>> 23rd of Moonfall
>>> 1:23 P.M.
>>> Addressed to Captain Aegis Solaire

Captain, as you may have heard I'm on medical leave for the next few days for 2nd degree burns. The doctors say I'll make a full recovery with no lasting damage but I'm confined to the Medical Bay til then. I won't say I'm mad at Cherry for rushing in like that, but I can't say I appreciate his little stunt either. As I've been lying in bed for the last few hours, I've been running the mission in my head seeing what I was doing and I think I made an mistake. When we were dealing with the sectoids outside the ship I could have used my Flash spell to blind and take them out before they could run back to the ship and perhaps when they did get to the ship I could have avoided getting shot had i used it. I hadn't wanted to use it since it reminded me of what I did to those ponies in Manehatten and I paid for not using my skills to their utmost. I would like to start making active use of Flash in the field and perhaps teach it to the other unicorns in the fireteams if I could get permission for it?

***

Private Rime Runner Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Fireteam Valor
>>> 23rd of Moonfall
>>> 2:11 A.M.
>>> Addressed to Captain Aegis Solaire

Captain Solaire. I heard about the decision to keep Cherry as part of the team and I can tell you now, I don't like it. He's obnoxious, has no consideration for his teammates and worst of all his recklessness puts those around him in danger. He might cut it for a mercenary but I could never stand someone like him in the Coast Guard. Honestly, I believe he is a liability to keep around, but if you and the Commander think he can be whipped into shape then I will abide your decision.

However, if he does anything to jeopardize Solemn again...Damn shooting him...Damn beating him to death.... I will cook him alive. I'll jack his body temperature so high he'll wish it was the aliens shooting him. I know how I sound right now, but I refuse to allow anyone or anything to threaten Solemn, Faust damnit.

***

Co-Head of Engineering Applejack Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Division
>>> 23rd of Moonfall
>>> 2:36 A.M.

I thought I saw it all with the alien’s flying ships and mock ponies infiltrating in our cities. But something made entirely out of mechanical parts and is capable of thinking all on its own? I’ve seen plenty of timberwolves, but these things are just crazy. I don’t even know what to call them.

I shouldn’t be here. I need to be back at the farm or something. Pretend none of this is even happening. I’m just a face ponies think of when they hear the word Engineering, but I ain’t even that good with machines. I just know how to tell ponies what to do and fix and build only simple stuff. Flim and Flam are the real runners of the show and they know it. The whole facility would still be run by hooves and talons instead of conveyor belts and programmed robots. They at least have the decency not to order me around like I’m one of the regular workers. Maybe they ain’t too bad after all. Still, I’ve got my eye on them, just in case they try anything shifty.

I don’t know what Twilight was thinking bringing us down here, tearing us away from families or what little of them we’ve got left. I hope Big Mac is managing alright without me. Without the ‘real’ me anyway. And I hope this all pays off in the end. I hope we find Applebloom somewhere in this mess. I could die happy knowing my little sister is still alive. Maybe Granny, Celestia bless her soul, will even rest easy knowing that she’s okay.

***

Engineer Overnight Vigil Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Division
>>> 23rd of Moonfall
>>> 8:32 P.M.
>>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

Miss Sparkle... Commander... I just wanted to apologize for my outburst the other day. It was unprofessional and uncharacteristic of me. I promise it won't happen again, but I will not apologize to that stallion for hurting Solemn with his foolishness. Rime explained to me what had happened and I can't overlook someone causing harm to my child even indirectly.

Now that that is out of the way, I wanted to thank you for bringing Rime and I back to Solemn. I heard how uneasy and worried she was here. I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw me finally arrive. Like a filly opening her Hearth's Warming Eve presents. I think the only time I've seen her happier was when Rime came here to join her.

Those two have been a part of each other's lives since elementary school. Rime got into fights after being teased for her size. Solemn got bullied for being so quiet and shy. Solemn wanted somepony to end her loneliness. Rime wanted somepony to make her feel happy instead of angry all the time. And Rime became something of a big sister to Solemn. Hmhmhm. Big sister indeed. My, how that filly grew. Since then, they have been almost inseparable. Oh, how Solemn cried when we had to move from Vanhoover to Manehatten because of my job.

Solemn's childhood dream was to be a Royal Guard so she could emulate Rime, but she came to think it would be too unrealistic for her over time. I think Rime joined the Coast Guard so she could live Solemn's dream for her and still be her protector. I heard there she demolished her room in Coast Guard's facility when she found out Solemn was moving away. Truth be told, part of me has always suspected they harbor affections for each other even if they don't realize it.

I'm so happy we are together again. I have my daughter back. Rime has her best friend. And Solemn has her mother and closest companion. Thank you again, Commander Twilight.

***

Squadron Leader Air Strike Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Banshee Squadron
>>> 24th of Moonfall
>>> 4:47 A.M.
>>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

Commander Sparkle, the mission over Vanhoover has been bothering me since it ended. It took everything I had to keep up with that ship, the others couldn't help falling behind, and it took 2 entire salvos to bring that damn ship down. And I don't even want to think what would happen if that thing actually hit us. (Thank Faust.) From what I heard, we merely shot down a scout or maybe a small transport ship. If we had such a hard time against that, how would we fair against a dedicated combat vessel? We gave it our best and and took the aliens down yes, but as much I hate to say it our best just isn't good enough. And something tells me the aliens are just getting started with us.

Which brings me to the point of this message and why I'm making it at this ungodly hour. I'm sure the techies and thinkers are coming up with new ways for us to knock the aliens out of the sky, but it won't matter if the aliens just outrun us. I do have something in mind that can help... but you won't like it.

Commander, I think the other interceptor pegasi need to undergo the prosthetic procedure like I did.

I can promise, I'm not liking this anymore than you, but I don't make this suggestion lightly. I know it is one thing to give this procedure to a pegasus with missing wings, but it's quite another to ask a healthy pegasus to have their wings replaced with a fabrication. But can we afford not to take advantage of it? Do we risk letting the aliens have control of the skies? I won't say we should force it on the others, but I do ask you to consider encouraging them.

P.S. I know you have a lot to think about as is, but maybe you could consider the transport pegasi as well? It would speed the fireteams' deployment drastically.

***

PROJECT RED GLARE PROGRESS REPORT
>>> 24th of Moonfall
>>> 7:19 A.M.
>>>Harmony Initiative: Combat Technology Division
>>>Proposal To Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer
>>Status: Awaiting Further Clearance
>File by: Doctor Kirin

I’ve gathered a small team of four others to aid Zeldamar and myself in the research of the alien weapon fragments(1) and potentially reverse engineer them to suit the needs of our soldiers on the field. If we can come to understand how the aliens utilize various components, we can further advance our somewhat stagnant advance weapons programs. We've already brainstormed ideas for designs of the new weapons, as well as several potential ways we could produce our own variation of the 'energy' based weapons. We can discuss this in further detail if you wish.

(1)--a little warning about the power source in these fragments being extremely volatile next time? You'd think that with all the abuse the weapons took just getting here that the ones mostly intact can take more than a four inch drop against the table.

***

PROJECT SAFEGUARD PROGRESS REPORT
>>> 24th of Moonfall
>>> 9:14 A.M.
>>>Harmony Initiative: Robotics And Alien Technology Division
>>>Addressed to: Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer
>>Status: Ongoing
>File by: Dr. Bronze Sprocket

It may please you to learn that my sub-division within the Robotics and Alien Technology Division has made great strides with understanding the alien materials from the crashed ship. While we would need years to completely understand how the materials work, some of the crew theorize we could try to replicate the process of creating a substance similar to what the aliens utilize. I have taken the liberty of beginning the process with a small group with Doctor Iron Sights at the helm in that department. The main bulk of the team is dedicated to understanding not only how the materials work, but primarily, how we can incorporate the alloys into our current personnel’s armor.

With the Commander’s clearance, I would like to request soldiers ahead of time, preferably one of each current species residing in Initiative Headquarters. I would very much like to test the prototypes, in terms of fitting of course, on each of them.

***

Engineer Samanya Hayden Personal Terminal
>>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Prospect
>>> 25th of Moonfall
>>> 10:24 PM
>>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

Greetings Commander. First let me say I am delighted to be a part of this venture. The ideas and discoveries we can make here can change the world in ways I couldn't dream of before. (What wonders await.) And of course, protecting our home from these deplorable invaders. (The things we could have learned if they only came in peace.)

I've been familiarizing myself with the technologies we have to work with, especially the weapons, and I had an idea or two of how we might improve upon them. I have some modifications in mind for our ballistic weapons by adding to the casing of the rounds, increasing their penetration and stopping power, though it won't fit on the smaller caliber weapons. I also came up with a new weapon schematic for the interceptors. In essence, it is a lightweight cannon that fires specially designed shells that detonate in proximity to the target and should offer the same damage to the aliens' craft as the Windigo Missile but more reliably though it doesn't quite have the range the Windigo has. With your permission to develop them of course.

I look forward to working with all of you. Scientia Potentia Est.*

*Hayden Family motto, meaning "Knowledge is power"

Author's Note

A couple of entries courtesy of Solemn Vigil (the user). I think I'll start accepting other files/reports and such from you guys should you want to write them. Of course, I'll credit you if you decide to do that :twilightsmile: .

Chapter 8: Fuse

One Week Later

The doll slumped over when Twilight’s magic released it. The corners of her lips dropped, but she was determined to get it to stand upright.

“What’s that?” Spike asked.

“Dazzle.” Twilight answered simply, trying to adjust the pony into an upright position. She gently released it with her magic, but he slumped over on the shelf. The alicorn released a sigh, setting the plush stallion back on all fours as best she could. She released again and he stood, as proud as a plush crochet doll could. Twilight admired the spot on features and even the miniscule patch of fabric that made up the cutie mark. Not even a second later and he fell flat on his muzzle.

“I thought Sweetie Belle made that for Spitfire?”

“Spitfire has her own way of coping.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes with a hoof. She hoped Spitfire would take it, or at least thank her for bringing it and then promptly reject. Instead she looked more pained than anything and just shook her head. Judging from the carefully knitted doll, Sweetie Belle had put countless hours making sure Dazzle’s features were accurately represented in crochet form. Twilight did not want to have her efforts go to waste.

“You should consider getting some sleep,” Spike suggested, grasping her hoof in one of his little claws. He gestured to the bed, but Twilight shook her head. “Why not? You’ve been up for days!”

Twilight yawned. “I’m waiting on those reports from Starlight. I would have liked to overlook the science team, just stand by and watch, but Starlight said I’d be a bit distracting.”

Much to her disappointment, being the only alicorn in the base as well as the commanding officer meant her subordinates often felt pressured. She had tried to reassure everypony that she was understanding and that she was capable of more than just giving orders, but it seemed that only the griffons and a small hoof-ful of the changelings truly believed that. She knew Gilda most certainly did, especially after her little ‘celebration’. Twilight cursed herself for not setting some ground rules there, but at least the ponies managed to get the mess cleaned up and fix the bar’s countertop.

Still, Twilight would be patient with her ponies, griffons and whatever other species was crammed in the farthest corner of Equestria. They would come around eventually. All she needed from them was a little more time.

There we go. Twilight smiled, watching her magic aura unravel around Dazzle and letting the stallion stand all on his own. He stayed this time, hooves planted as firmly as a doll would allow.

“Staying up isn’t going to make the reports come any faster.” Spike released Twilight’s hoof. “C’mon Twi, there’s been no action for a week! That’s a good sign right?”

“No, Spike,” Twilight sat and looked down at the dragon. He started for his own bed set up just beside her own. Her eyes stopped following him when he disappeared behind her. “That just means The Invaders are planning something. The fight isn’t over. It won’t be anytime soon.”

News reports flooded from all over Equestria detailing the attack on Vanhoover. Ponies reported soldiers of advanced technology and the like fighting against the aliens. Princess Celestia and Luna had yet to speak about the matter and Twilight found herself fretting at the thought of what they would reveal or if they would reveal anything at all. She saw no harm in having ponies know about The Initiative, but she was sure that panic was going to set in throughout Equestria like wildfire.

It was something that had interrupted her dreams as of late. Twilight was unsure of how she wanted Equestria to react to the news when it came. What would happen? Would ponies frantically try to flee the nation? Where would they go once they left? Would the princesses even allow the citizens to leave?

Her mind reeled with thousands of questions. How would The Invaders respond to the news, if they could even understand it? It may very well narrow down their search for whoever it was setting back their advances. The Initiative may have a base in one of the most secure places of all of Equestria, but if the aliens were to find out where that was, she doubted being able to successfully repel an attack or even follow up with a counter. It was too early in the war and they hardly knew anything about the enemy.

“Commander to Engineering! Commander to Engineering!”

Ooh, that’s it. Twilight straightened her body and stood on all fours. She turned to her left, looking at herself in the mirror. She grabbed her brush and fixed the stray strands of her mane and tail, hoping nopony would notice the dark bags forming under her eyes.

She headed for the door, granting a last glance at her quarters.

“Are you coming Spike?” He was already fast asleep in his bed, snoring loudly and peacefully. Twilight’s lips curved up. “Well goodnight to you too.”

***

The memorial was as quiet as it could be with a mare flying in circles above the obsidian obelisk standing in the center. Watching her golden coat shimmering with the fake moonlight was mesmerizing, especially without her bright blue and yellow uniform hugging her body. Soarin watched as she completed a full loop and launching herself into the air, stopping short of the room’s ‘ceiling’. She allowed herself a moment to relax before her body flipped over and she spun in a graceful nosedive towards the ground, bringing herself up mere inches from the grass.

Despite being a Wonderbolt himself, Soarin had to admit that watching a routine that he had actually performed time and time again, but with just one pony, was mesmerizing. The way she stretched her body during turns and her relaxed composure as she spun and flapped her wings gently brought a smile to Soarin’s face. When his eyes met Spitfire’s, she brought herself down onto the soft bristles of grass with a graceful landing.

“This what you’ve been up to?” Soarin asked with a grin.

“Someone’s got to keep the kid company,” Spitfire said with a faint smile. “He was always sensitive like that.”

Soarin watched her expression soften and felt his own grin drop. She looked back at the monolith behind her, erected with only a single name inscribed, although too small to see from the entrance of the faux-meadow the two pegasi stood in.

As selfish as many would have considered it, Soarin found it relatively easy to move on, while others stayed behind and allowed the loss of one heavily affect their day to day lives. The Wonderbolts were synonymous with family among the ranks, Soarin never doubted that. What he did doubt was keeping himself in the same rut day in and day out. Pegasi culture was, in a sense, foreign to him in that regard. They were a proud race and it showed.

Sure, it was hard at first, and there were a couple of sleepless nights in the medical bay after the wounds had settled, but Soarin knew there would be more names to add to the curved obsidian slab. He knew little about wars, but the things he did know was that there was always going to be casualties. More than one anyway. It was best to accept that fact than to try and avoid it.

“We’re missing you down at the rec room,” Soarin said, motioning his body to expose the door behind him. “Was wondering if you were coming back.”

“I will,” Spitfire answered, a tinge of uncertainty in her voice. “I just…”

“What?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about something,” she said digging into the dirt with a forehoof. “About us. The Wonderbolts I mean.”

“Like what?”

She grimaced. “Soarin, we’re performers. We’re not soldiers or anything. Do you think maybe we should...I don’t know...leave?”

“No.” Soarin said simply. Spitfire looked down, her eyes veered off to the side and she chewed the inside of her mouth. “I get it Spitfire. You’re scared. I’m scared too, but if we leave this, we should leave our duties as wonderbolts behind as well. We were meant to bring hope to the ponies of Equestria and ensure their happiness. What we’re doing here isn’t all that different.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Without a doubt.”

She gave a warm smile, the kind Soarin saw only one time before in the time they had known each other He could still see the uncertainty in her eyes, but she was trying to believe what he had said. He longed to see that again in the weeks he had spent in the medical bay and even in the times after, when Spitfire seemed to hardly have any time for him and the rest of the Wonderbolts. There was a mix of feelings stirring inside of him. She was somepony he could depend on and somepony who had always been there for him. Had there ever been a moment where it was the other way around? Soarin could not remember. She had every right to be scared now. He would be there for her, to help her cope.

"I'm here for you Spitfire," he said with a smile. "The other Bolts are too. You're the captain after all."

The golden mare snickered and rubbed her eyes. "With the way you talk, I'm starting to think you should be the captain."

"No offense, but I don't think anypony could yell at the rookies like you can."

Her expression softened and her body seemed to relax. There was an odd gleam in her eyes as the faux-moon hung high and shone down upon the lone grave. She approached hesitantly. "C'mere."

She moved forward, reaching a hoof out towards him. He accepted the hug, but Spitfire added her own spice to it. Their lips connected, Soarin's heart stopping when he felt her's against his own, but he could not pull himself away. There was a storm of emotions, all of them sublime and lovely. He felt guilty for allowing himself to enjoy this moment with his superior, but he did not want it to end. What would the other Wonderbolts do when they found out? If they found out? No matter how hard he tried to will his body to move away, he could not.

He put his fears to rest, relaxing and letting his wings fold at his side, pulling Spitfire closer.

***

Zeldamar pulled the trigger of the rifle in her R.A.A.G.S. grip, but was left with the disappointing click of the bulky weapon. She jerked her head up and let the goggles press uncomfortably against the end of her stiff mane. Down the range, several burn marks scorched the dummies from various distances, a few even trailing against the walls and windows, but it was not those things that had caused her to grimace and cast a scowl out to the unicorn watching from the observation window.

“I thought I asked for an enchanted amethyst at full charge!” She shouted to the charcoal unicorn. “What happened?”

“It was at full charge ma’am!” Kirin explained. She levitated a small data pad and swiped at the screen with her hooves. “I triple checked everything!”

Sure enough, the screen showed the initial readings of the enchanted gem. Charged at full capacity, almost breaking the threshold of recommended enchantment power.

“I don’t get it,” Zeldamar sighed, throwing down her goggles and placing the experimental rifle down on the table. The braces of her R.A.A.G.S. undid themselves and dropped to the floor with a thunk. “The rifle should be able to consume the arcane power at a reasonable rate.”

The door to the firing range slid open. Kirin trotted in, data pad held in her golden hornglow.

“It’ll be alright Zel.” The unicorn levitated the rifle, disassembling it to its bare fundamental modules. It was one thing Zeldamar had prided herself in; creating a new line of weapons approved not only by Starlight Glimmer, but by the Commander herself. The one thing she was not proud of however, was their lack of functionality.

In the time since getting patched up by the doctors, Zeldamar, Kirin and four other ponies had brainstormed possible ideas on how to replicate the alien weaponry, although in a more primitive manner in comparison. The team spent countless hours watching footage of the soldiers in action on the field, in hopes they could better understand the intact weaponry as well as successfully open up and dig through the fragments brought to them.

Progress had been slow, but it was still progress nonetheless.

“If I had to guess,” Kirin examined the crystal housing chamber. It rotated in a field between the two. “I’d say it has something to do with heat distribution. The aliens are able to harness the power sources without them overheating. That and the focusing lenses in this are cracked.”

Kirin levitated another component of the rifle, a piece that surrounded the crystal’s chamber. It’s vents still steamed after the numerous shots Zeldamar fired down the range. Her horn lit up brighter, giving the amethyst a quick scan. “Hmm. Crazy hot, but still has the magic in it. Lot’s of juice left over.”

“Is that it?” Zeldamar stood up, taking on a more dignified pose. “How about we water cool it? Ooh! Or use nitrogen?”

“And protentially freeze it?” Kirin thought it over. “I mean, we could try and do that, but I don’t want to test this damn thing anymore.”

Zeldamar frowned. “I’m not about to give up this project.”

The zebra pointed her hoof down the range. She motioned to each of the burn marks and the destroyed dummies lying in a heap of burnt fabric and hay. “Imagine soldiers going out on the field with this stuff. This could be a turning point in the war!”

“I’m not saying we should stop altogether,” Kirin defended, reassembling the weapon in her magic. The pieces snapped and popped together before she set it down with ease on the table just before the range. “I’m just saying we need a break. Come back and look at this stuff with fresh eyes.”

“Nonsense!” Zeldamar waved a hoof and headed for the door. She climbed the steps with ease, Kirin following behind her until they reached the top. The facility was mostly empty, save for a few workers hard at work conducting tests and filling out reports. As if to reflect the late hours of the night, the lights were dimmed accordingly, the few left sitting at their desks resorting to their lamps for proper light.

The set of tables overlooking the firing range were packed to the brim with various components and a blueprint concepts scattered throughout. A single porcelain mug sat, steaming from the hot coffee waiting inside. Zeldamar was grateful that it was still a little warm. Sugar packs surrounded the mug, far too many for the average zebra, griffon, or pony.

Fortunately, Zeldamar was not the average zebra.

“What we need is a little more of brainstorming,” Zeldamar said, her hoof edging towards the mug. Kirin’s magic swept it away and the zebra cast a scowl to her friend and assistant.

Kirin raised her brows. “Um...Pardon me, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“And why not?”

“For one,” Kirin started to clear the tables, keeping the mug levitated just outside of reach and rolling over two chairs for herself and Zeldamar. “That much sugar in coffee will kill you, assuming tampering with the alien tech doesn’t. Second, if you want to keep working on this stuff, at least get some rest and wait for the rest of the team to wake up so we can all help out.”

“Seriously?” Zeldamar hopped up on the seat, spinning slightly before she stopped herself. “The sooner we figure this out the better.”

“It’s just an overheating issue with the enchanted gems we’re using.” Kirin lowered the mug and Zeldamar quickly grabbed it, taking a sip. Or two. Kirin frowned. “So far, that’s all it is. We figure that out, we could have this stuff tested further. Hell, we might be able to ”

“You could do without the covered barrel,” A voice called out. Zeldamar spun around, as did Kirin, searching for the source. Another zebra sitting at her desk looked over from across the facility. Her black stripes almost blended well among the darkness surrounding her. White bangs sprouted from her short cropped black mane, reaching down above her emerald eyes. She held a sweet grin, but was more focused with her work than what Zeldamar and Kirin were talking about. “An open barrel and more vents would do the trick, as would more focusing lenses. I'm sure you want it to be accurate.”

“And you are…?”

“I’d prefer to leave it at Samanya if you don’t mind.” She grabbed a standard issue pistol in her hooves, turning it and examining every angle of it. “I know it's not my place to snoop, but I saw your blueprints when I walked in.”

“And?” Zeldamar leaned in her seat, ears swivelled in Samanya’s direction. “What did you think?”

“I already gave my two bits,” She said. “I’m sure you two can figure out the rest.”

Zeldamar looked at Kirin. As if reading her mind, Kirin’s horn lit up and a pen levitated before her, as well as a new sheet of blueprint paper.

***

“How’re the ribs?”

“They’re fine.”

“Is the wound completely healed?”

“We went over this already ma’am.” Doctor Redheart gave a second glance to the patch of bandages covering Solemn’s side as if to see if everything truly was alright. The pain had subsided days ago, but the aching from every small movement still took some getting used to. She turned to Overnight Vigil. “She’ll be fine. Luckily for her, the armor took in most of that hit.”

The white earth pony looked down at her clipboard before looking Solemn over one last time, as if she were still injured in some way. “Do you eat well? Breathing any issue? Anything wrong that I should know about?”

“Nothing,” Solemn answered. Her mother’s lips shifted to the side, but remained quiet all the same. She felt like a filly being taken to a doctor’s appointment. Again. She appreciated her mother’s concern, but each day she visited the medical bay, she had insisted on essentially shadowing Solemn while the doctors did their occasional checkups and made sure everything in Solemn’s body was in working order.

Ever since her first field operation, Solemn spent most hours in the medical bay where the nurses and assistants kept a close eye on her. The personnel were still unsure of how to properly treat the kind of damage the alien weaponry caused. So far, normal medical procedures worked just fine, but it was the aftereffects they were mostly worried about.

Soarin had been sick for a few days, even after his predicted recovery time. The doctors were sure it had something to do with the alien’s weapons and not a fault of any of the spells or enchantments in the equipments. Luckily for Solemn, whatever ailments that befell Soarin never revealed themselves in her.

“Alright,” Doctor Redheart said stepping out of the way of the examination table. “You’re good to go. Remember—”

“Come to you whenever I’ve got a problem ,” Solemn finished. “I’ll be fine ma’am.”

“You should be good to head back to your designated quarters.” Doctor Redheart perked her head up from her clipboard. “Back in the barracks I mean.”

Solemn nodded simply, keeping herself from releasing a relieved sigh. She did not mind the medical bay at all, but she felt like a prisoner with free reign of the prison itself, although the moment she stepped outside, there would be trouble.

“Just remember to take it easy for a little while too,” the doctor led the two unicorns out of the room. “At least until the aching subsides.”

Solemn nodded again and watched as the doctor trotted down the cool blue hallway, following the curve of the walls. Despite the benches lined up against the wall with all the reading material on the stout, smooth circular tables, Rime took to leaning against the cold surface of the wall just beside the door to Solemn’s examination room. Her teal mane flowed freely, stretching down to her shoulders.

“You know,” Rime said with a grin. She pushed herself off the wall and trotted over to the two. “You could have waited with me out here.”

“I’m just making sure she’s okay,” Overnight said innocently. She put a hoof before her mouth. “Oh, I didn’t embarrass you did I?”

“Well,” Solemn pursed her lips. “Not really. I mean, I don’t think so.”

“Pretty sure that’s a yes.”

Solemn gave her mother a coy smile. The group started down the halls with no clear direction in sight. It was something they had done often, as had many others who were stuck in the medical bay or just exploring all the facilities before somepony decided to send them back to their respective facility. It was something that had quickly become part of the morning routine for Solemn more so than for Rime and her own mother. The ambient blue lighting and the rubber mats on the floors that followed the curve of the corridor.

There was a quiet bliss in the wide halls of the medical bay, coiling around in its wide circular shape for reasons Solemn could only theorize. She imagined that the medical bay was centered around a massive rocky pillar which held up most of the underground network Initiative Headquarters was nestled in. Parts of the pillar had to be hollowed out to allow for hundreds of rooms the facility seemed to have. The coolness of the air made Solemn feel like winter had finally ended and spring was finally there.

“I’m going back to my quarters if you two don’t mind,” Overnight said, motioning with her head towards the lobby doors. Meticulous mechanisms sealed the double doors, unravelling and sliding apart with soft hisses and turning gears as they opened, allowing a group of workers to enter, chatting amongst each other. “My back is killing me right now and I could do with some sleep.”

“We’ll be in the mess down here,” Solemn responded. Her stomach grumbled in satisfaction, as did Rime’s. “I guess I’ll see you later? Do you need help getting back?”

“I’ll be okay.” Overnight brought Solemn in for a quick hug before walking past the double sliding doors. Rime and Solemn continued down the halls in silence.

The mess hall in the medical bay was often quiet, save for the clattering of the assorted pots and pans in the rear of the kitchen. Rows of glossy white tables with equally spotless benches settled on either side. Vents hung high on the ceiling and the walls gave way to the occasional morale boosting posters, often depicting a hazy black figure clad in armor standing in a backdrop of stars (Welcome To The Initiative!). Each of which was faded, some even covered behind planted ferns and shrubs.

The left side was home to a counter stretching down most of the wall, ended by a door leading to the kitchen. As Solemn edged closer to the counter, she took note of the ponies serving the food; doing so with little evidence of enjoyment. Their faces were blank as they put together hayburgers and slapped fries and mashed potatoes on the plastic trays, working like an assembly line before the line of ponies at the end of the counter took the trays and wandered off. Solemn thought about how dreadful it must have been to have a job like that. A part of her was grateful for being assigned to something a little more exciting, if it was a little bit life threatening.

“Wish there was more variety with the food around here,” Solemn admitted, taking a tray in her arcane grasp. “It seems like yesterday they were serving the same thing.”

“Probably because they were.” Rime took hold of a tray packed with everything on it. “Any ideer wher’ t’het?”

Solemn scanned the tables. There were plenty of spaces to sit, but she spotted Lone sitting by himself, rubbing his neck and wincing as he swallowed down his water from a clear glass. It was another part of the routine Solemn found herself in since arriving at the medical bay. Lone was unique company. She often let him do most of the talking since she could not understand most of what he talked about and he liked to keep his muzzle deep in books. She started off towards the edge of the table where he sat.

“Rime, Solemn,” He nodded weakly. “Thought you got tired of me. Eh..It’s nice to see you too Rime.”

“Doctor Redheart had me called in a little later than usual,” Solemn answered bringing her tray down across from the charcoal stallion. Rime dropped hers harshly against the table. Lone winced from his reaction to the sudden noise. He raised a hoof to his neck and rubbed. “How’s...uh...how’s the neck?”

“Drier than the moon,” He answered. “At least I sound a bit more badass when I talk though.”

He proceeded to exaggerate his voice, deepening it as low as possible before breaking into a coughing fit.

“Well, you get the idea,” Lone said, still coughing between his chuckles. “How about you? The ribs doing alright?”

“Doing better than yours, I’m sure,” Rime joked.

“Still doesn’t make sense to me. Same armor, same weapons, yet my armor craps out on me, but Solemn’s takes all the damage.”

“There was a wall,” Solemn said simply. She was not so sure that it made much of a difference in the end. According to Swift, Lone had been out in the open, nearly strangled to death by some ‘floating metal squid thing’ when he was shot. Solemn had the cover of the alien ship’s outer hull, despite it falling apart when she was hit. Still, more of the armor was damaged. She still had the damage on her body to prove that it happened, but she gave it a few weeks before it would go unnoticed even by herself.

Solemn had her doubts about using alien alloys for armor, but she figured that the scientists would find out some way of making it work for ponies. She would hate to have to be the one to field test the armor though.

“By the by,” Lone said, taking a bite of his hayburger. He looked at it with disgust, drawing slices of onions out and tossing them down on his tray. “Don’t know if you’d care for it, but Cherry was—”

“Don’t care.” Rime cut off.

“Even if it was an apology?” Lone tried, shrugging a shoulder. “Might not be the brightest pony, but let’s be real here, he’s been hanging around some of the craziest loonies from the Griffon Empire.”

“He doesn’t belong here.” Rime took a bite of her burger. “I’d be surprised if he makes it out of the next operation. He's gonna get himself or one of us killed”

“With the captain training him with the other rookies in the Proving Grounds?” Lone sipped from his water, recoiling before putting it down. “Huh...Warm. Uh, anyway, Aegis is kicking ass down there from what Swift told me.”

“Good. Maybe that’ll put some sense in him.” Solemn cast a worried glance to Rime, but she was too busy staring down at her food.

“Maybe. Fifty bits says he’ll stay.”

“Are you two serious right now?” Solemn shook her head. Lone and Rime stared at her innocently, as if there was nothing wrong with what they were talking about. “You’re not actually going to place bets on something like that are you?”

Rime and Lone exchanged glances. Solemn could see it on Rime’s face; the consideration.

“I get he’s...different, but aren’t we supposed to—”

“I’ll let Aegis sort it out.” Rime decided. “I don’t want to think too much about that idiot.”

***

The labs were quiet during the night, troublingly so for Twilight. Were she not the Commander of The Initiative, she would have spent every waking moment in the general research facilities. Starlight led her to a small gathering in a corner of the facility lit by the single beam of light on the ceiling above the ponies: Flim, Flam and Applejack. The screens lit up around them cast a soft glow against the walls and components resting behind them.

“Right there!” Starlight pointed her hoof at the display screen, tapping it repeatedly, lost in her own excitement. “See that?”

Twilight stared at it, then at the ponies around her, some with more excitement than others. She turned back to the screen and squinted, scratching her head.

“What am I looking at?”

The triangular structures floating before her on the computer screen did nothing more than just glow their yellow hue. There were hundreds of them in the background, spaced apart by microscopic miles, just floating around in space, glowing faintly as the screen display focused in on just the one. It flashed, a small spark of electricity coursing through it while the thicker rims released what looked like smaller forms of the already microscopic specimen.

Twilight took her sights away from the screen and looked towards the division heads.

“This—” Starlight pointed a hoof at a separate screen showing the same machines, although closer together. “—is what those canisters in Vanhoover were holding! We initially cracked them open and took samples of the crystals inside—”

“But it turns out,” Flim continued. “That the crystal structures were just a ruse!”

Starlight looked at him with a raised brow. “Not exactly. Technically speaking, these small cybernetic machines are what comprise most of those crystals. Sky Lance found that they aren’t just mechanical, but actually partially organic as well!”

“With our team’s analysis,” Flam spoke, trotting to another screen. The machines lined up and brought themselves together, opening up and glowing with more intensity as they created a bridge between two unknown structures. Electricity coursed through each machine trailing and coursing between each other. Twilight assumed it to be some kind of simulation. “We believe these machines are capable of bridging the gap between machine and organics!”

“If we had access to a specialized facility,” Flim broke in. “and further research, we can cybernetically augment our soldiers without the use of unicorn magic! Ponies like the great Air Strike who has so courageously volunteered for our advanced prosthetic program won't have to be magically charged. We’ve even dreamed of a kind of ‘exo-suit’ of sorts that interfaces with the user’s body!”

“Exo-suit?” Twilight asked.

“Imagine for a moment,” Flam raised his hoof, eyes glistening as he thought of his sales-pitch. “Our soldiers are crippled on the field, surrounded by the enemy and on their last legs! Whatever are they to do?”

“But out of the blue,” Flim underwent a similar motion as his brother. “A pony or griffon clad in a superior form of armor; a cybersuit that thinks and feels just like an actual biological body, able to withstand the impact of enemy fire without so much as a drop of blood comes and saves the day, decimating the enemy with unparalleled firepower!”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Ugh! Don’t listen to that nonsense. MY teams in Biology could easily develop ways of using this material to genetically enhance and perfect our soldiers on the field. We’d be able to replicate the aliens’ genetic adaptations!”

“So we’d be more like them?”

“Yes!” Starlight composed herself and cleared her throat. “In a way. You see, the soldiers will still retain what makes them...well, them! We’d be altering what we already have to work with. We’d use the machines to connect the alien materials.”

“Are y’all crazy?” Applejack finally voiced. She trotted between the three ponies, disapproval apparent on her face as she stepped closer to Twilight. “You can’t seriously be thinkin’ ‘bout playin’ with this stuff do ya?”

Twilight remained silent.

“Oh come on Twi! We’d be givin’ up what makes a pony a pony, or..or what makes a griffon a griffon with all this stuff. We’d be no better than the things we’re fightin’ out there.”

“It’s not like that Applejack,” Starlight asserted.

“It sounds t’me like y’guys are fightin’ fire with fire.” Applejack sat against the cold metal floor, her right hoof running over the red band around her upper left hoof. Twilight wished she had not spotted it. “We’re s’posed t’be fightin’ them aliens, not tryin’ to be like ‘em!”

“Ponies, please!” Twilight looked at the group of ponies before her. “Just give me the respective files and I’ll figure this out sometime later. I need to consider where to put all of our resources, or if I even should. Have you all at least agreed on a name?”

“Granted the feats we would be able to accomplish, “ Flim spoke first.

“The way the machines can easily meld together, not only with machine and flesh—” continued Flam.

“But also create a genetically superior soldier in almost every way,” Starlight added.

“They’ve taken to callin’ this stuff—”

“Fuse.” Each pony said in unison.

Author's Note

This marks the end of the first month :rainbowwild: ! This first 'Act' may have gone a bit slowly, but trust me, it's going to step up soon enough!

Month 2: Prologue

Princess Luna sucked in a deep breath.

This was a moment she had been dreading. The soft and sweet choir of nighttime insects and nocturnal birds was so rudely interrupted by the clamorous roars of the ponies waiting in the court below her throne to hear the response to last week’s disaster. The winter breeze briskly brushed against the alicorn’s coat and dug into her skin like icy fingers running themselves through her fur. The way her body reacted—shivering from the cold and stiffening up—was something she had not felt before her own ascension.

She found it ironic; how tired she was during the time when she was supposed to be in charge of the nation. Her eyelids were heavy and she even had to stop herself from yawning before her subjects. She stared blankly forward for a time before her eyes closed, only to have them open a moment later. She stretched her back, straightening as far is her muscles would allow and relaxing herself with a deep breath.

The two night guards flanking Luna waited patiently, staring forward and keeping the press at bay with nothing more than their presence. The barrier of Royal Guards and Night Guards down below the thrones stood vigil before the ponies, shouting and flashing photos. Newscasters stood by with massive equipment being lugged around by ponies, setting up cameras while others already began reporting to their respective news networks.

Princess Luna looked to her left, the grand seat of Equestria’s most powerful pony sitting empty. She chewed the inside of her cheek, biting down harder than she would have liked. A thousand years and Celestia still took her time getting ready for the Night Court, leisurely making sure to keep up appearances, as if they changed in the slightest during the day. Luna willed herself not to tap her hoof as the chorus of ponies yammering away and asking questions when The Court had yet to begin began to increase in volume, even if it was almost unnoticeable.

It had been another two minutes before she finally arrived, entering through the thick, tall, double doors and hardly garnering the attention of the newsponies. She ignored Luna’s glares and took a seat on her throne. She sat, tall and regal; back straight and face stern. She looked to Luna and gave a nod.

“Alright everypony,” Luna spoke, a sternness in her voice. The voices of the ponies began to die down. Cameras still flashed and news anchors diverted their attention, allowing the recording equipment to properly focus on her. “Let us begin.”

Silence swept through the court, spreading like an infection.

“As I speak, Equestria reels after The Vanhoover Attacks,” Luna began. “Relief efforts are up to par with that of Manehattan and we are constantly uncovering more ponies buried beneath the rubble. I have personally sought out ponies in an attempt to aid the Royal Guard and local authorities in recovering and bringing families back together. However, Equestria is not the only victim of attacks of this nature. As you all may be aware of, a research facility in the Zebra Savannahs was decimated, leaving no survivors. The Griffon Empire is suffering from massive abductions on a scale comparable to that of Manehattan.”

“We’re at war,” Luna said simply. The ponies in the crowd murmured, panic apparent in their eyes. A few had even begun to visibly shake. “You all have known that since The Manehattan Incident. We do not know our enemy’s purpose. Not yet, but rest assured, we are working hard to find out. The nations of The Known World are banding together in an effort to repel these invaders from the stars.”

The moment her lips closed, ponies all around the room burst into shouts and chaos permeated through the room. Several ponies scrambled for the doors, shouting and giving an excuse to the Royal Guards standing outside of the doorway. Families in need of safety, lovers to keep safe, children to look over. The Night Guard filed the ponies out one by one, gritting their teeth and using their bodies to pen the panicking newsponies in.

The Night Guard below the thrones readied their lances, in the event that somepony’s first thoughts would be so bold as to outright attack the princesses after hearing such news. Fortunately, most ponies had more questions about the news rather than any heated feelings, barring the ponies frantically trying to leave the room. Microphones levitated closer surrounded by arcane fields, some coming too close for comfort. Pegasi operating cameras hovered above the air, avoiding the crowd blocking their views and lining up for the perfect shot of the princesses and the ponies below them.

Luna stomped her hoof on the ground and silence swept over the room like a veil. “Everypony please! Believe us when we say you are safe for the moment.”

The panic was still in everyone’s eyes and their bodies shuddered. It was a poor choice of words, but the message seemed to be well received among the gathering before Luna. Most tried to relax themselves, but they had not been prepared for such news. How could they be?

“How will we fight them?” A stallion asked.

“How long will it last?” Asked a mare.

“Will we survive?”

"From the stars?"

Luna spoke up once again. "Our enemy hails from a land far from our planet. How far, I am uncertain, but they have traveled a vast distance, perhaps millennia before arriving here. Their technology vastly exceeds our own in every possible way. But they lack even the most fundamental forms of magic, which I believe grants us an edge, although a small one. You have seen and heard what they are capable of. Manehattan, Vanhoover, Har-an Itef. Regardless, we shall not fall to such a malicious enemy. We shall fight to ensure the freedom of everything in The Known World."

“Princess Luna! Princess Luna!” A pony called out. “Are the ponies sighted around Equestria associated with any organization under your command? Who are they and who granted them the authorization to combat the enemy threat with such force?”

Luna hesitated. She looked to Celestia who nodded and took charge.

“The Equestrian Bureau of Defense has been investigating these matters alongside the Royal Guard,” She answered. Luna felt a small weight lift off her shoulders. “We have reason to believe that these elements mean us no harm and when these ponies arrive at a scene, everyone should seek safety and not interfere. We do not know their true motives yet, but rest assured, we shall find out.”

Luna felt her heart drop.

“This is not what we agreed.” The sudden telepathy caused Celestia to visibly stir. She turned her head slightly, a gesture that made Luna’s blood boil. Could she really be so bold as to lie to her own people? Who knows what else she had decided to hide from her loyal subjects.

“They should not know,” Celestia replied. “It’s for The Initiative’s safety.”

“They’ll figure out something is amiss sooner or later.”

“Later. They’ll be focused on where the war is rather than who is helping them. They’ll just be thankful there is someone to fight the battles for them. Those who wish to fight can fight. It will be better this way sister.”

Luna cast a scowl, but said nothing more. Perhaps announcing the existence of The Initiative would have been too bold of a move. But the notion of lying to her subjects forced a pit in her stomach.

“So,” another pony raised her hoof. “Do you advocate the support of these soldiers fighting of the enemy? If they are in an area, should we look to them for help?”

“So far there are no reports of them causing ponies any harm,” Luna said, sharper than she would have liked. Even the mare she addressed, recoiled in her sudden shift in tone. Luna cleared her throat. “While we do not advocate civilians fighting alongside them, we do agree that they should be considered a friendly force and they should be there to help.”

A murmur spread through the crowd. Most looked uncomfortable, grimacing and questions burning on their faces. Luna felt herself growing more and more uncomfortable. There was not much she felt she could say to put her little ponies at ease. The threat of war against an adversary nopony knew anything about? An organization stuck in the shadows and the advent of a new age for ponies? They were not things Luna felt she could explain in less than a few sentences.

Perhaps there was a good reason Celestia withheld the information of The Initiative. Maybe she saw a threat Luna had not? The Princess of The Night straightened her back and continued to stare down at the ponies below. They were not prepared to face the struggle she had lay out before them. She was certain that months down the line, she would not see some of these ponies again. She had faith in The Harmony Initiative, but she found that even then, that faith was beginning to wane.

The following questions had all remained the same to Luna’s ears, all of which asking how the war will be fought, who is fighting and when it will be over. She and her sister answered and addressed all they could, granting the same answers in varied ways.

“War is a new concept to the modern ponies of Equestria,” Celestia said, bringing a semblance of silence to the ponies. “My sister and I are no strangers to conflict. On the scale in which we shall fight, no doubt all corners of the world will be brought into this struggle, but we are prepared to face the worst our enemies have."

"Can ponies help with the war if they so choose?"

"Of course," Luna answered. "The Royal Guard is always open to volunteers looking to make a difference. It is no easy thing to ask of anypony, and we shall not force any to join the ranks. Ponies should also support local authorities in whatever ways they can. We will warn everypony in Equestria however; be wary and extremely cautious. At the first sign of danger, safety over yourself and those around you should be paramount."

More questions came, faster than Luna could answer them.

“Court shall be adjourned for tonight.” Luna announced a moment after. She cast a scowl to her sister. Celestia’s face seemed to shrink. She turned her gaze downward and towards the crowd of ponies. “We can proceed with this meeting in the morning when delegates from our neighboring nations arrive. We shall discuss our plan of attack against these beings.”

***

“Princess Luna?”

Moondancer pressed a hoof against the pastel blue door, opening it slowly and poking her head in through the cracked frame. The beautiful Princess of The Night sat by her balcony, unmoved by the chilling breeze which crept in.

The princess turned her head slightly, not wishing to break her gaze from the city below. Candlelights flickered in distant windows while most homes remained unlit. The lower portions of the mountain Canterlot rested on were completely shrouded in shadows; not a single light other than those from beams of streetlamps. Beyond the curve of the city hugging the parent mountain, fields of darkening green stretched out for miles.

“Come in Moondancer.”

She did, shutting the door behind her. Despite all the technological advancements made by Equestria and The Griffon Empire respectively, every time Moondancer entered Luna’s study felt like a trip to the past. Shelves reached towards the domed ceiling, scrolls and books inhabiting the spaces, most of which held no titles on the binding or were too worn for them to be seen, even with her glasses on. Shelves were separated either by windows or paintings, each depicting some scene of the night. The sky in each painting moved on their own, clouds covering the twinkling stars in the dark indigo background. There were no radios on any of the tables, and no fixtures for lights other than candlesticks and an oil lantern.

Princess Luna shut the doors to her balcony, the last chill of winter entering behind her, throwing up the drapes and sending a thick shiver through Moondancer’s body. She shut her eyes and her teeth chattered. She hugged herself and rubbed her hooves against her body as the last of the chills died out inside the heated room, leaving only silence, save for the crackling of the fireplace.

“Quite the address today,” Moondancer said.

“Indeed.” Luna said simply. She stepped towards a glass display, staring up at the set of armor resting on the body of a mannequin inside the case. “I find myself disagreeing with my sister on most things as of late. I feel like we've grown distant, despite living in the same palace together.”

The Lunar Princess armor set stood tall and proud, towering over Moondancer. The sharp and jagged edges reflected the tumultuous era in which it was made. Anypony who dared to get in close to the princess would easily be threatened should she have been missing a weapon or drained of magic. The sharp violet hue shimmered as Moondancer stepped towards it, like water being brushed by the wind. Princess Luna grimaced as she looked at the indigo plates and the lapis lazuli eye in the chestplate center. Moondancer could sense it in the air: the regret and the pain that built up for a thousand years and a longing for atonement.

“Celestia’s star pupil is out there leading Equestria’s most advanced defense organization,” Luna turned and faced Moondancer. “Mine is working under the guise of an investigator that acts as a shroud for that organization.”

“I don’t mind the job Your Highness.” Moondancer raised her glass and mixed the wine inside. “In fact, I find it perfect. Recruiting ponies for Twilight alongside Ms. Belle and Ms. Bon has been it’s own reward.”

“You may not mind the job,” Luna stepped forward. “But I do. You are capable of much greater.”

“Is that why I’m here?”

Luna was silent for a moment. She walked towards her dark wooden desk before sitting on a cushion behind it, her brilliant blue eyes gazing into Moondancer’s. “There is...much for us to discuss.”

“I have all night.” Moondancer settled into her seat, a velvety crimson pillow lined with gold trimmings. Luna smiled, offering wine, which she accepted graciously. Since the Vanhoover Attacks, Moondancer’s workload had all but tripled; having to fill out multiple forms for her ponies to investigate, relinquish resources to aid with the rescues, and devote most of The Bureau to investigate suspicious activity throughout Equestria as a whole. Stress levels were high for the unicorn and her many other subordinates. This was a much needed break from everything in The Bureau, even if it was still technically ‘official business’.

“I’m sure you’ll be needed back in your office soon enough,” Luna said. “Either way, we should have enough time to speak.”

Moondancer took a sip, savoring the antiquity of Luna’s wine. “Thank you for that. It's been a while since I've had a break.”

Luna’s horn glowed, bringing out an ornate silver canister, placing it on the table and turning it’s latches towards Moondancer. She looked up at the princess with a raised brow. “I have given much thought as to your role in our current struggle against The Invaders. You pretty much run the Equestrian Bureau of Defense.”

“I advise Administrator Blueblood and run specialized tasks for him.” Moondancer humbled herself. "I mean, sure he gives me a lot of paperwork here and there, some more important than others, but I keep his office in working order."

“Case in point,” Luna said with a chuckle. “Blueblood wouldn’t know his horn from his hoof without your assistance. However, it is a role which can be replaced, although by somepony who may seem less capable. But it is a sacrifice to be made, should you so choose.”

“I’m being replaced?” Moondancer dropped her chalice on the table. She struggled to find her words. “P-Princess Luna, I cannot...This...P-please, I need this job. This is, by far, the most important thing I have done ever since I was reunited with all of my friends!”

“I know,” Luna replied simply. Moondancer tried her best to hide her growing frustration. “But as I said, I am giving you a choice in the matter. You don’t really think I’d just uproot you from something if I didn’t have something else to offer do you?”

Moondancer sat in thought. What could Luna possibly grant her that would be an improvement to her current position? She would not have the power to uproot the arrogant prince from his position as administrator of the EBD, even if she was the princess. House Blueblood had too much power among the Royal Families to allow that to go unnoticed and the last thing Equestria needed was a civil war over something so simple. The fact that they allowed the non-unicorn families of Canterlot to bend the knee to Celestia during her rule countless generations ago was almost an affront to their beliefs that they and the Princesses should rule over all.

Although most days, Moondancer was sure it was them who wanted true reign over Equestria.

“Well,” Moondancer composed herself. “Let’s hear it.”

Luna's horn glowed, bursting into a brilliant blue light which spread and diffused through the walls. Moondancer knew the spell well. She soundproofed the room.

“We are constructing a new base for The Harmony Initiative, in another undisclosed location.” Luna answered. Moondancer’s ears fell flat. “A new base would require a new commander.”

The box opened. Moondancer edged herself forward slightly looking down into the padded walls. In the center, an emblem of the highest honor sat. A metallic blue alicorn with the arching crescent of the moon behind her. The metal seemed to glow underneath the candlelight, a glint of another object catching Moondancer's eyes. A black nameplate with the words Commander Moondancer engraved.

“W-w-what?!”

“I know,” Luna sat. “It is a lot to ask for, but somepony with your abilities can easily do as good a job as Twilight Sparkle. You have the intellect, you have the charisma and you have the teachings of a thousand year old monarch just as Twilight does. Should she have refused, you would have been my second option.”

“M-ma’am!” Moondancer cleared her throat and sighed. “I’m already doing my part for The Harmony Initiative, a part that I quite enjoy. I-I’m not fit to lead anypony.”

“Your current role in The Bureau says otherwise.” Luna lay her forehooves on the tabletop. “Prince Blueblood may think himself to run the organization, but his work ends the moment yours begins. I have watched The Bureau under my nephew’s leadership, if one could even call it that, and I can say without a doubt that you could easily replace him, would his family allow such a thing. I have already found suitable replacements for you, although they would lack some of your skills.

“I understand that you think yourself not worth leading a branch of The Initiative, but I have faith in my star pupil, much in the same way Celestia has had faith in her own. I cannot stress that enough my dear. You will have access to all of the same resources and technology as Twilight and the best soldiers this world has to offer.”

Moondancer thought for a moment. Did the benefits of being in charge of her own contingent of ponies outweigh the benefits of working under Blueblood's shadow? She could not say for sure. She was a good organizer, without a doubt, possibly the best one The Bureau had to offer. The recruitment force for The Initiative was also relatively low in numbers. Moondancer pulled most of the strings in that department while she was not muzzle-deep in paperwork for the arrogant prince. While he sat and relaxed in his lavish office, who was the one filing and filling out papers and making statements for the press regarding activities and investigations since Manehattan?

Oh Goddess, she's right. Moondancer brought her hooves up to her face and shook her head. She could have run The Bureau by herself if she could. However, the organization did not pride itself in the battles against The Invaders. There was that major difference. While The Initiative preferred to attack and kill the enemy in broad daylight, The Bureau covered their tracks as best as anypony could. That was Moondancer's specialty. She could not even predict how commanding her own sect of The Initiative could harness that kind of an approach. Would it be wise to refuse such an offer? Luna had already gone through the trouble of creating a nameplate for her. It was like she knew Moondancer would accept.

“You flatter me Princess Luna...” Moondancer cleared her throat again. She brought down her hooves and looked her mentor in the eyes. She could see the hope in them. Hoping she would accept, hoping she could bring this war to a closer end. Hope that she could possibly do an even better job than Twilight perhaps. “But, this is a huge leap for me. I-I-I... don't know if I can do this.”

The hope faded. Luna's expression turned grim. "I see."

"I'm not rejecting your offer ma'am," Moondancer said sharply. Luna's face softened only slightly. "I just need some time to think it over. Like I said, it's a big leap."

“Of course,” Luna nodded. “You’ll have the month to come to a final decision, although I suspect I’ll be hearing from you beforehand.”

Author's Note

Well, here's the start! I can tell you, I've got a lot planned for this second month!

Chapter 9: Blade and Shield

Cherry’s hooves burned and ached, as if the pits of hell were opening and trying to consume him. Given the week he has been through, that did not seem so far fetched at the moment.

“Keep it up!” Aegis shouted, briskly galloping ahead of the group. He turned his head slightly, curving his path to follow the path of the track. “One more minute!”

Cherry felt the giant maws of death clamping down behind him, plucking out strands of his tail, forcing him to gallop faster, shutting his eyes and breathe heavier. His breaths were ragged, and his lungs felt like they were being pierced by daggers. Growls only forced him to go faster, but Cherry knew his legs would give out at any minute.

The beating of hooves on the ground, the desperate gasps for air and the roar of the beast behind him shook the stallion to the core. He was sure that older ponies would be having heart attacks had this been a real life or death situation.

“Shitshitshitshitshitshit!” Cherry willed himself to keep going. He confused his own heavy breathing with the one coming up behind him. His tail brushed as the claws swiped at him. He knew it was not real, but sweet Celestia, did it feel real. The desperate clawing at his tail, the desperate look in the other recruit’s eyes as they helmed forward, and the desperate manner in which Cherry’s hooves carried him all added to the possible realism to being chased down.

“Longest...Minute...Ever!” Sour Marmalade shouted. She galloped faster, her tongue sticking out of the left side of her mouth. Cherry cursed under his breath as his body continued to burn.

“Time!” Aegis brought himself to a smooth halt, transitioning from a gallop to a light canter and stopping. He turned, stone faced as the other three recruits continued past him. The illusory manticore fizzled as it swiped and its claws went through Aegis’s steadfast form.

When he was certain that the illusion had faded completely, Cherry let himself fall onto the grass with an audible thump. His muscles relaxed, aching with every rise and fall of his body. He did not care if staring into the lights would cause him to go blind. From what he heard, the eggheads figured out a way to cure almost anything. Maybe it was true, maybe it was not, either way, Cherry would take this moment to relax and drink some water. He crawled to his canteen, heart dropping when he felt the weight. Or lack thereof.

Beside him Sour Marmalade fell on her stomach, crawling to her canteen desperately.

She gulped down greedily, breathing heavily when she was done. She cast Cherry a glance, then another at her canteen before drinking again. Cherry could feel the hope fading as she surely finished the rest of the water.

“Sorry there buck,” she said with a sly grin. “Shouldn’t have downed all o’ yours after the old man’s first trial.”

“You are a mercenary, no?” Midnight Spice asked. Her Prance accent was oddly alluring. Her voice moved through the air, smoother than the calmest waters and innocent like a filly. Cherry wondered how a mare like her made it into The Initiative. They were probably getting desperate. “Shouldn’t you be...used to this conditioning?”

“Yeah, well,” Cherry sighed. There was no trace of exhaustion on her, save for sweat gathering and glistening from the lights above. “We ran pretty hectic jobs, but my place was usually setting up the ambush.”

“Should’ve told me that before last mission,” Aegis said standing over Cherry. Like Midnight, there were just a few beads of sweat on his forehead. “Definitely would have changed my approach.”

Cherry released his breath, hoping to gain the feeling of another days work off his shoulders.

“Well,” Aegis said again, levitating another canteen to Cherry, who grabbed it and twisted off the cap. “I suppose I’ll give you guys a bit of a break. Five minutes and we’ll get back to it. Then we’ll call it a day.”

Aegis trotted away, the soft hoofbeats on the grass fading and replaced with the heavy steps against the metal floors.

“That stallion’s gonna be the end of me,” Cherry groaned, savoring every little drop of water.

“Agreed,” Marmalade said, weakly getting up onto her hooves. “All my time raiding tombs and going through ancient ruins and I’ve never had a workout regimen as brutal as this.”

“You ponies are strange,” Izetta scoffed. She sat stoic and inquisitive beside the downed stallion who was still, disappointingly enough, catching his breath. She offered a frail, thin hoof, an obsidian shoe gathering dirt and grime on the base. Cherry accepted and brought himself up. He noticed the glistening sheen on her silver forehead, bringing a faint bit of color on the swirling black markings on the left side of her face. “You complain of too much physical work, yet you joined this initiative as if you did not know it was a military force of some kind. Of course there would be physical training. I would think they would not have to spell it out for you.”

“Well,” Marmalade waved a hoof egregiously. “If anything, I should be the one complaining more than Sweet Cher over here. I mean, technically he’s not a recruit. How the hay are you back here anyway?”

“Because I’m an idiot,” Cherry said crossly. He knew that much to be true. “And plus, Aegis actually checks to see that all trainees are present in the facility. Shale doesn’t exactly do the best reports to the commander. I wish Aegis was more like Shale.”

“Hmmm. Serves you right then.”

“Yeah.”

A part of him welcomed the intense training regimen. He knew, from what Aegis had said would be involved, the trials would be arduous and brutal at best. He would be fighting an uphill battle to prove, not only to himself, but to the rest of Valor that he had worth.

And that was where the other part of him wanted to drop out like he did back in high school. It was not the training, nor working with the recruits that constantly seemed to tease him. It was a certain steely gray mare with a long blue mane. Cherry wanted to believe Rime would come around by the time he was finished with whatever else Aegis had planned. He knew better than that however. Mares like her; with devotion and dedication to the cause she fought for? They don’t handle ponies like Cherry very well. He was a careless mercenary at best, because his past approaches to dealing with problems often did not lead to somepony getting anything more than a broken limb. That did not exactly lead to death. Getting shot by an alien weapon? That was a different story.

At least Cherry would feel a bit better if he would be able to prove her wrong whether she liked it or not. He would see his way through Aegis's insane workout and team-building regimen.

The steel double doors slid open, Aegis walking out, tall and stiff.

“Alright, settle down!” He shouted, waiting a fraction of a second before all the talking stopped and the recruits stood rigid and quiet. “I figured I tortured you guys enough in here. I had more planned for the morning workout, but, well, we’ve gotta move on. Follow me. Cherry, up here.”

Crap. The stallion trotted clumsily to the grizzled Royal Guard’s side.

The corridor was dark compared to the bigger section of the Proving Grounds facility. To Cherry, and most of the other recruits, it screamed ‘keep going! Evil lair ahead!’. Despite the soft blue glow, it was the fog forming from pressurized pipes underneath the grated floors that gave such an illusion.

“You’re doing a lot better.” Aegis said simply

“Really?”

“What, don’t believe me?” Aegis tried his best to sound offended. Must have been an old man thing to do. “For what it’s worth, you lasted a solid ten minutes longer than last time.”

“That’s because there wasn’t a fake monster trying to kill us.”

“Ha! If you knew it was fake, why didn’t you slack off like you usually do? Not like it could actually kill you.”

“I…” Cherry thought, slowing his pace. For once, Aegis slowed and met Cherry’s lax speed and kept an ear open for the answer. “I’m pretty scared of manticores.”

Most ponies may call it an irrational fear, something akin to finding a shark in any body of water or a fear of heights, no matter the height itself, but Cherry hated monsters. Griffonstone had its fair share of freak shows and circus acts of strange animal amalgams, but each one made a knot form in his stomach. A huge one. It was not quite something he would consider himself proud of.

“Well if it keeps you up and running, I’m not complaining.” Aegis paused. “I think the squad will be better with you back.”

“Now you’re just trying to make me feel better,” Cherry laughed. “Rime would surely disagree. Solemn would too now that I think about it. Maybe Lone…”

“Rime’s a tough nut to crack, but she’ll come around. I’m...sure of it. Solemn? I don’t know, girl doesn’t seem to care about it too much. Sort’ve an introvert, so it’s kinda hard to tell what’s going on in that head. Lone would sooner crack a joke at you than get pissed, I think. Regardless, Swift and I didn’t just cram those team-building exercises for nothing.”

Cherry looked at the grizzled stallion. He seemed confident in his words, like all of Cherry’s efforts in the last two weeks would really pay off.

“Come on, kid. Let’s teach these idiots how to shoot.”

The group of recruits entered the Proving Grounds shooting range. Multiple lanes were set up, one for each of the twenty ponies, deer, griffon and changelings which stood behind Cherry and Aegis. Black walls separated each lane, each one outfitted with a rack full of all sorts of weapons and a set of R.A.A.G.S. besides them. The two-toned, black and orange walls were home to large, bold, angular letters, elegantly labelling the room Shooting Range 01.

Once all the recruits were lined up, Aegis explained, in extreme, meticulous detail, the Robotic Arm Assisted Grasping System to the non-griffon recruits. Unfortunately, Cherry had to be the guinea pig and slipped one onto his torso and feeling his body tingle as they sparked to life. He showed the proper way of equipping the system, most recruits shuddering as the arms themselves sprang to life and followed the will of each user. He had to admit, his reaction was very much the same. Once Aegis gave the word, Cherry picked up a rifle, R.A.A.G.S. clutching it close to his chest and ensuring the safety was on.

“I’m gonna ask that everypony pick a lane and pick up a rifle,” Aegis said. “This thing is not a toy. You don't point it at each other, and most importantly, if you are not engaged, safety on. Cherry, if you would demonstrate for us how to shoot.”

“Think of it as...a game of sorts.” Cherry said with a smug grin. He turned and raised his rifle. “Aim down the sight and start pickin’ ‘em off.”

“Disregard that statement. War is not a game. He’s right about one thing; what you want is to aim down the sights,” Aegis explained, breaking his glower from Cherry. “Those are not just paper thin targets down the lane. Those are the soulless bastards that are trying to threaten every stallion, mare, and foal on the surface! Don’t worry, the robotic arm systems will keep the weapon stabilized. Find your target and pick ‘em off.”

Cherry did exactly that. He drew in a breath and brought his head closer to the sights and stared down the range.

Bratatatat!

Cherry looked up, frowning.

“Really?” Aegis shook his head. The target stood, bulletless. Cherry’s ear twitched as the soft chuckles and nickers of recruits met his ears. “Seriously? That one was at least fifteen meters away, kid and you missed.”

“I...uh...use a shotgun for a reason.”

Cherry put down the rifle before sliding out of his R.A.A.G.S. and placed it in the enclosure built into the wall. Once Aegis ordered for the recruits to take their weapons, the two stallions walked past the lanes and up on an overarching platform overlooking all the lanes from behind.

“On my mark!” Aegis shouted. The whistle around his neck floated to his mouth and the recruits tensed, each one aiming down their respective lanes. Cherry watched intently each one intently, waiting for Aegis’s signal. He blew, deafening Cherry's right ear.

Bratat! Bratatatatat! Bratatatatatatat!

The recruits lifted their heads, looking around. The fourth lane from the middle plumed with smoke. Down that lane and many others, the targets were riddled with holes, most of which penetrated in the chest and head area. Cherry whistled as he glanced down at each recruit looking at one another with confusion and trying to find their sharpshooter.

“Hahaha!” Izetta shouted. She lifted her head, a smile beaming on her face, probably the most emotion Cherry had ever seen on her face. The end of her rifle steamed, the smoke trailing off down the range while casings lay at her slender hooves. “I did it! How was that?”

***

Medical Report<<<Psychiatric Report

The zebra (Named Abeni) found by Private Ethan during Operation Red Star is making great strides in both physical and psychological aspects. Fluttershy and Zecora both reported that she still suffers nightmares most nights, but after what she has been through, that is to be expected. When she is awake, she is often paranoid, although not as bad as when she had first arrived here. She has decided to eat willingly now, not rejecting the food so long as she sees us making it in front of her. According to Zecora, she initially thought that we were ‘servants of the star devils’. Because of this, we have decided not to use such an intrusive approach next time we have a civilian in the medical bay.

She has, however, requested to see the griffon who has rescued her from the research facility last month. Normally, ponies/zebras with this level of trauma require higher clearance for the patient to have visitors and guests. All I ask is your clearance that she be able to see the griffon, in hopes that we can further understand what happened the day of the attack. I do believe that your presence would help calm her as well, being that you are an alicorn. That status tends to have that effect on ponies.

-Doctor Redheart

***

“Any word from mom or dad?”

Twilight looked the letter over, re-reading over the details written in the neatest and most elegant calligraphy she had ever seen, courtesy of her mother. Twilight had learned the techniques of the quill strokes, but being that most of her letters were written through Spike, she had fallen out of practice. “They’re worried about us. Supposedly, Cadence is letting Flurry Heart stay with them for a week or two. They hardly ever spend time with each other, so I guess that that’s fitting.”

Shining Armor barely looked relieved. He slouched and let his ears fall, shifting his lips to the side and chewing on the inside of his cheek. His gaze was hollow, looking down at the holo-map a few hoofsteps away from him. The grand Crystal Palace stood tall and proud among the northern land before the Sea of Ice, defended by the city-wide Crystal Wall. It had taken a few years to complete and Cadence had always considered it an eyesore, but with what has happened in recent days, most would probably believed Shining Armor knew about the invasion.

Twilight often thought about debating the matter of Shining Armor’s family with Luna. On one hoof, the whole family would be safe under the facility’s walls. But on the other hoof, there needs to be somepony of alicorn status in The Crystal Empire. Ponies need a figure to rally to and what better figure than Cadence.

“Dad was asked if he could represent our family in court again,” Twilight said, hoping the change of topic would help clear her brother’s anxieties. “He’s been sitting on the decision, but I think time is running out. He has to pick a side soon.”

“He’s been sitting on it since Granddad passed away.” Shining said, not breaking his gaze from the table. “Nobody really has to represent our family though. The fact that I’m married to Cadence means we’re part of The Royal Family. Not just another bunch of nobles. I’d say he should keep his current job. Canterlot could use a bit more empathy.”

Twilight nodded, before her eyes went back down to the letter. “Mom got another job helping refugees from all over the place.”

“The aliens attacked again?”

“A village off the coast of Horseshoe Bay.” Twilight recoiled. “We weren’t notified of that attack.”

“There couldn’t have been one,” Shining said matter-of-factly. “We would have been notified. Right?”

Shining Armor looked down at the map, glowing its radiant blue. Twilight re-read the letter. There was not much details about it, aside from there being survivors who made it all the way to Canterlot, but the news was jarring. Allegedly, one of the survivors Twilight’s mother patched up was due to speak about the events in a few days. Twilight would keep her ears open for that report.

“They won’t be so bold as to attack Canterlot,” Shining said out of the blue. “Would they?”

Twilight’s eyes led themselves down to the glowing holo-map in the center of the room. Canterlot stood proud and majestic, towering over all as she hugged the mountainside. It would be an easy target. Demoralizing the ponies of Equestria would just need Canterlot to fall, Twilight was sure about that. But the chances of Celestia or Luna allowing such a thing to happen was highly unlikely.

“Celestia and Luna wouldn’t let them, right?” Spike voiced, as if reading Twilight’s mind. “If they were to try? They’d just blast the aliens out of the sky if they wanted to.”

“They won’t,” Twilight tried to sound sure about it. Her voice faltered. “Canterlot could have been their first target. It would have been a devastating blow to Equestria. Celestia and Luna may have been able to prevent anypony from getting hurt, but I guess we can’t really know for sure.”

“There has to be a reason none of the major capital cities in Equestria, The Savannahs or anywhere else weren’t hit yet.” Shining Armor approached the table, looking down and leaning against the steel frame. His eyes darted around, looking over all major cities. Again, his eyes met the Crystal Empire, forehead wrinkling and biting his lip. "They've been too quiet. They have to be planning something."

“Maybe Manehattan was just a test?” Spike suggested.

The thought of a race so powerful as to use a whole city as a test site for their invasion technology sickened Twilight. There was so much good that could have been done if that technology took a benevolent and less sinister direction. Should ponies have gained that level of technological prowess, surely, they would be put to greater use. Travelling the stars and unifying those who would accept their friendship. There would be no need for violence and no need to intrude on a primitive species’ lives, Twilight was certain of that.

“I just hope the ponies down in R and AT and Combat Tech get something out soon if that’s the case.” Twilight said. Her eyes drifted, finding the window to her office/quarters just above the communications control room. The files the ponies had sent to her were not lacking in detail, and she would not be surprised if the projects finished within the week. “I want my soldiers to be protected, but that extra bite could definitely give them an edge. When we’re sure the new armor works out, I think we’ll devote our resources towards weapons development. Maybe that'll hold the aliens off for a while.”

“Have you given any thought to the Interceptor proposal?” Shining Armor asked. Twilight tried to keep herself from allowing her lips to drop.

“It’s a fantastic idea,” she admitted. “But it lies in the choice of our interceptors themselves. I won’t force anypony to go through with such a procedure, but if there were volunteers, then I’d very well grant them that option.”

Twilight flexed her wings, as if to take a moment to make sure they were still bone, flesh and feathers. She had grown accustom to them, very easily adapting to life as an alicorn and relying on her wings in the years following her ascension. While they may not have been there her whole life, the fact remained that they were a part of her now. To lose them and replace them with cybernetics? The idea seemed foreign.

“Regardless of what I do,” Twilight continued. “We have to be ready. The aliens have been quiet for too long. They won’t just sit back and leave so soon. We’ll have to be ready for anything. I want all fireteams on standby, ready for operations.”

***

“...Several cases of ponies going missing may be related to the alien threat The Regal Sisters spoke about. The town of Sapling is nothing more than a ghost town now. Royal Guards have been dispatched to investigate the area along with The Equestrian Bureau of Defense.”

The reports on the radio were disconcerting at most. What was worse, they were not even the first set of disappearances since Equestria announced she was at war. Moondancer, under Administrator Blueblood’s request, dispatched several agents across the country to investigate these new disappearances. It was unlike the others; no reports of flying objects and no green canisters to suck ponies up. These were ominously covert in nature. Aliens did not seem to do stealthy for abductions. That was not their way. They may have stealth units made to look like ponies, but as far as Moondancer knew, that was the extent of their covert operations.

As if being a blank flank was not already hard enough for fillies and colts. When the public catches wind of such an alien threat, Moondancer was sure to see bullying rates going through the roof. From the limited information Princess Luna divulged to the high ranking Bureau members, they should be more focused looking for grown ponies to persecute and accuse of being alien spies. Even then, the act of doing something so brash left a sour taste in Moondancer’s mouth.

The view of a rain-soaked Canterlot from the EBD tower was something to behold in Moondancer’s eyes. As the pink-orange horizon slowly gave way to the darkening blue skies, the clouds continued to roll over, bringing down pouring rain, like the souls of those Equestria had lost wept for those who had found the strength to live under the threat of war. The cream-coated unicorn wished she could see the stars behind the thick blanket of clouds.

“Is everything alright?” Rarity asked. Moondancer’s ears flicked, swivelling on their own as the white unicorn’s hoofsteps came closer. “You look troubled.”

Lights from carriage lanterns flowed down the streets like ants, navigating through the maze that was her home. She liked to imagine these ponies were trying to lead their lives as if Princess Luna’s announcement had not shaken them down to the core. But Moondancer knew Canterlot ponies better than most. They would pretend as best they could and crack the moment the doors to their homes shut behind them.

“I’m just taking a break,” Moondancer answered. It was a partial truth. She felt burdened; a weight dropped on her shoulders that may have amounted to the weight of the mountain which held Canterlot. “I need some time to think.”

Rarity remained silent. The scent of coffee wafted through the office space, far more powerful than the dimming candle kept on the dark lacquered maple table. She liked the mixing aromas, although she could not quite picture herself in Saddle Arabia anymore. Perhaps it was for the best.

“I’ve always admired Canterlot from the safety of my office.” Rarity said softly, stepping towards the window besides Moondancer. “I envy them. They live such simple lives and help to make Equestria a better place. They are not ready for what will be coming.”

“We weren’t.”

“But there is hope for the ponies down there,” Rarity tried to reassure. “With The Initiative hard at work, we have a chance at winning.”

Moondancer tried to share the sentiment. After hearing Luna’s offer, not only was she the highest form of honored she could think of, but she was also sure that the ponies and other races that were a part of The Harmony Initiative were beginning to get desperate.

“How was your last meeting with Princess Luna?” Rarity asked, shifting the subject. “It seems that that may be the source of some of your troubles.”

Moondancer pursed her lips. “It went well. Definitely gave me something to think about, let me tell you. Or not. I don’t think I can tell you.”

Rarity chuckled sweetly. “Was it really that bad, dear? Or was it all classified information?”

“Classified, I’d say. It is regarding The Initiative, but besides that, I can’t really say.”

Moondancer ran through the scenario in her mind. So far, The Invaders have been ‘attacking’ places one at a time. Would Twilight be able to focus on two operations going on simultaneously? What about, when a city is besieged? Could Twilight’s forces contain an attack all on their own?

The more Moondancer thought about Princess Luna’s offer, the more it seemed necessary. She would have to pick out her leading personnel, similar to the way Twilight did. Unfortunately, Twilight had chosen all of the best and most of her friends. Moondancer tried to think of where her own friends would fit into her contingent of The Initiative. Each position seemed too...out of their league and she knew, without a doubt, Rarity would grant her the same answer she did with Twilight.

“I’ll not put myself in the safety of a metal tomb while ponies above suffer.”

“Moondancer, dear,” Rarity spoke softly. Moondancer turned, brow still upturned. “Things may seem grim now, but is it too much for us to just try and keep hope?”

“It’s not about losing hope, Rarity,” Moondancer replied. “It’s about our next move against the aliens. How much are we going to give up just to make sure we win this?”

“You’re sounding pretty hopeless to me,” Rarity said with a smirk.

“Moondancer?” Grace stepped into the doorway, three hooves planted on the ground and a single one clutching stacks of papers. Her mane was tied in a loose bun behind her head and she panted heavily, no doubt from the arduous climb up the stairs.

“Come in.” The unicorn sighed.

“News from Manehattan’s Lunar Memorial Hospital. They’ve gotten one of the pods from the initial invasion open!”

“They got it open?” Moondancer turned and trotted closer. “What did they find?”

Grace shuddered. “N-nothing ma’am.”

Moondancer tilted her head. Her eyes widened when she realized what she meant. All this time trying to get the pods open, we were hoping to find something inside.

“Grace, send word to Morning Glory. Tell her to prep a chariot for Manehattan, I want it ready in fifteen minutes.”

“What about Administrator Blueblood?”

“I’ll let him know what happened. He’ll understand.”

Author's Note

Gonna be slightly busy with stuff for a while, so that may take my attention away from the fic. I try to go for a chapter a week, but with tests and allergies kicking my ass, that might not work out too much. I'll still have this fic among my top priorities :rainbowdetermined2:

Chapter 10: Variables

“That section of the hospital is—”

“Moondancer and Rarity Belle of the Equestrian Bureau of Defence.” Moondancer pushed past the double doors from the reception area into the Astral Ward. The cerulean mare behind the reception desk turned and watched, through the slowly closing doors as the two mares rushed down the hall. “That’s all the clearance I need.”

The halls of Lunar Memorial Hospital were quiet. Solitary gurneys lay without anyone to rest on them and those who did rest on the small hoof-ful of blood caked fabric were motionless, leaving Moondancer to assume the worst. ‘Survivors’ were still being found in the heavily affected downtown areas of the city. It pained her to have to see ponies in such a state, raising the hairs on her neck and making her stomach tighten into a knot. She praised the Royal Guard and The Harmony Initiative for being able to look at the things they did without anything more than a bite of the lip.

“I suppose the morgue is full,” Rarity said somberly, holding a hoof up to her muzzle as she and Moondancer turned the corner.

The deeper Moondancer and Rarity wandered into the sectioned off section of the hospital, the quieter it grew, save for the clopping of the two mares’ hooves against the white tiled floors, echoing down the dull halls like a steady drumbeat. Bodies of the recently deceased were replaced with green webbing cluttered in messy piles, spreading to the walls like a virus. Soon, Moondancer found herself walking against Rarity’s soft coat, the two trying not to get their hooves stuck on the sickly green material placed recklessly on the floor.

As they rounded a corner, a tall, fair burgundy stallion stood outside of a sealed door, ordering his subordinate, who looked sick after closing the door behind himself. The taller pony’s face was wrinkled, worn from years of stress and late nights. Bags formed under his maroon eyes and he dragged a hoof across his forehead, bringing down the facemask from his broad jaw line.

“Go home, Prong,” he said to the sickly green stallion. “I can handle things here. After all, you have a family to look after.”

“S-sir,” Prong stammered. “If you find her...I need to know. You’ll let me know right? Even if she isn’t...there? She had a necklace. A bird charm! Please.”

“Of course. Now go. You need some rest.”

The green stallion nodded, hanging his head low as he trudged down the halls past Moondancer and Rarity. His superior sighed and muttered under his breath, turning his head slightly at the approach of the two mares.

“Mrs. Moondancer I presume?” The stallion held a hoof up to his chest, tapping the soft, stained fabric of his lab coat. “Doctor Sharp Scalpel. Or Scalpel. Or Doctor. It doesn’t matter what you call me.”

“Miss Moondancer. Equestrian Bureau of Defence.” Moondancer levitated her badge, and gestured her head towards Rarity. “Miss Belle. She’s my assistant and has my authorization to shadow us.”

“Right. I didn’t think the EBD would send out ponies so fast, let alone high ranking officials such as yourself.”

“The EBD prides itself in the swiftness of agent dispatch.” Moondancer said proudly. “Even so, your message to my secretary was rather cryptic. I figured that I should come here as soon as possible and assess the situation. Speaking of, do you have them ready?”

“I was just about to...figure out how to put them away. You want to see them now?”

Moondancer nodded. She had seen the photos of the affected areas. Ponies frozen in fear and terror as an unseen attacker cast them in the emerald webbing, surrounding them like a changeling cocoon. Seeing the formless webs in the halls before the one she stood in was just as racking as seeing the photos. She tried to mentally prepare herself to see an actual pod, even to see one cracked open and to see what secrets or lack thereof lay inside.

Scalpel raised his hoof again, pulling his face mask over his muzzle. “Just a fair bit of warning. Thing smells worse than a bucket of rotten apples. Plus, I’m not really sure what you’re expecting to see. Might be disappointed.”

“Then let us be disappointed,” Rarity answered. Moondancer nodded in confirmation once again.

When Scalpel opened the door without a word, the stink hit her immediately. She used her magic to cover her nose as she walked forward. The room was blindingly white, save for the two-toned blue on the lower section of the walls. The lights above shone down brilliant rays comparable to the sun on the solitary pods, reflecting off the glossy, yet rough surface and off the glass of cabinets and shelves.

The pod Moondancer approached was split down the middle, one hoof holding one half up while the other half lay haphazardly on the other side of the table. Despite the less-than-stellar cut down the middle, Moondancer could just barely see the look of horror frozen on the pod’s surface, like a carved statue, hollowed and sliced in two. Various articles of jewelry lay inside, corroded and warped from spheres to blobs of pearl. A locket lay inside, the exterior misshapen from whatever process went on inside the month prior. Moondancer took it in her arcane grip, the latch swinging off and opening it.

The photo was faded and disturbed, eaten away at the edges. She could barely make out the pony depicted, but she would not waste time trying to figure out who the pony in the picture was, nor the pony who used to be in the sickly green pod. So far, her being here seemed to be nothing more than just a waste of time. A minor inconvenience at best and a major nuisance at worst.

“What exactly were you hoping to find?” Rarity asked, holding a hoof up to her muzzle.

“A body at least,” Sharp Scalpel said. Two other face masks were levitated towards the mares, one of which Moondancer put on gratefully. Still, the stench pierced through and stung her nostrils. “The families have a right to see the recently deceased. Now it seems they won’t get the chance.”

“Any way to identify who was trapped in there?”

“Could run a couple of tests,” Scalpel said. “Can’t really promise anything. Whatever happened to the ponies inside, there’s no trace of them besides what they were wearing at the time.”

Moondancer willed herself not to gag as she stepped closer to the dissected pod. Slime dripped off the walls of the enclosed pod, reeking of rot and piercing through the arcane aura surrounding Moondancer’s muzzle and the mask underneath. No fabric from clothing and no loose strands of fur.

“Why’d it take so long to get these opened up?” Moondancer asked.

“Damn thing was harder than a sterile colt in a brothel. Saws hardly worked on those things.”

“Interesting imagery,” Moondancer remarked. “So what did it take?”

“First pod was chipped all to hell. Tried to saw our way through the damned thing. If there was someone inside, we would have heard her most likely. Second time through, we used a precision arcane cutter spell to carve our way through. Took hours, but it ensured that if anyone was inside, they wouldn’t get hurt.”

Moondancer knew the process. An isolated field of superheated magic, a barrier surrounding the beam used to cut its way through a material. If the pod was skin-tight, then there was little room for error. The barrier would have to be concentrated with such precision and care as to not damage the pony inside, thin and not hot enough to burn through the shield. The hours of work required would have driven a pony mad, either through the intense magical drain of such a procedure or through the sheer possibility of making a mistake.

“How many other pods did you manage to get open?” Moondancer asked. “Was there anything at all?”

Scalpel gestured his head. In the far side of the room, another table was another pod opened in a rather brutish fashion, holding cracks and leaving chips and pieces on the ground around it. It was far too small to be an adult and far too empty for Moondancer’s liking. As she walked closer, a glint of liquid caught her eyes.

A part of her seethed that the first pod was that of a filly or colt. The saw would have definitely cut and carved through flesh, scarring the poor soul lost inside. A part of her was also thankful that the pod was empty. Dead mares and stallions were one thing, but Moondancer would not be able to stomach a dead foal, no matter how deadpanned and stone faced she appeared.

“What’s in here?” She asked, turning to Scalpel. He cocked his head and raised his brow. “The fluid. What is it?”

“Don’t know.” Scalpel shrugged. “Currently having Doctor Streak examine it. Hopefully, we can pull something out of it...genetic material, something...it’d hopefully help us identify who was in the pod, may Celestia bless her soul.”

Moondancer nodded solemnly, looking back down at the empty pods. They weren’t kidding when they said they found nothing in the pods.

“What would be the point of causing all that chaos and destruction?” Scalpel sighed, sitting on his haunches besides a set of drawers and cabinets.

“It’s called declaring war.” Moondancer said. She walked away from the pods, to Rarity, who—despite her mask and hoof against her muzzle—still wrinkled her face in disgust of the scent.

“No, no, I mean, why go through the trouble of making a scene like that if they weren’t even gonna do anything with the bodies? From what it looks like, they just crashed their stuff, caused a scene and didn’t recover the material in time to keep their hostages alive, assuming that’s what they were doing.”

“It’s like they wanted to keep us distracted.” Moondancer muttered. Her mind reeled at the thought. “But from what?”

“Beats me ma’am,” Scalpel followed the two mares out of the room, pulling off his face mask and shutting the door. “I apologize for the lack of anything...useful. EBD asked to be updated on the matters of these pods. Of course, we’ll be sending more reports of our progress. Should I send them directly to you or to the EBD in general ma’am?”

“Directly to me. Don’t worry. We’ve come at least a small step closer to understanding the attacks. We’ll be on our way now.”

When the door shut behind them after leaving and Scalpel walked down the hall, avoiding gobs of green webbing, Moondancer and Rarity let out a sigh. The two mares leaned their backs against the wall and took off their face masks, throwing them down on the ground.

“They aren’t going to find anything here,” Moondancer said. “No matter how many tests they run, they are just going to keep hitting blanks. I want a pod secured, ready to go to Twilight. Maybe her science team can make heads and tails of it.”

Rarity bounced the curled end of her mane in the base of her hoof. “You sound so sure that they’ll make more progress, even if their technology is more advanced. I think the fact that these ponies got it open in the first place is amazing, given Canterlot Royal Hospital’s attempts. Give them some time, darling.”

“Rarity, it’s been a month.” Moondancer stood, offering a hoof for Rarity, whose velveteen grip met hers. “We can’t waste anymore time here. We need to know what happened to these ponies. I need to know.”

Rarity nodded, following Moondancer down the halls, the two keeping their eyes trained down on the ground. Moondancer’s mind was reeling, like there was a puzzle ahead of her, but she could not identify any of the pieces. That, and there was too many of them. The initial confusion and panic that spread throughout Equestria and the rest of the world returned back into Moondancer’s mind, planting seeds of doubt where there was normally calm and collectiveness.

There has to be something we’re missing. Moondancer thought as she pushed past the doors to the reception area. Too many lives were lost just to cause the biggest distraction in Equestrian history. Causing the lives of thousands to be lost in a mere matter of hours, and then manipulating the very ponies sent to help into killing each other and those not affected by the gas the alien’s pods released. The chaos that enveloped the city in those few, excruciatingly long hours, had been the worst and most violent event in equestrian history since Luna’s Rebellion.

Discord would have been proud if he were still around, of that, Moondancer was sure.

A dank atmosphere permeated through the stairwell as Rarity and Moondancer climbed further up to the roof where Morning Glory awaited, alongside several police pegasi securing the roof, as per Moondancer’s request. Before opening the door, the two unicorns’ horns glowed, creating a shield over their heads and bodies, domed and clear. Rain pelted their shields as they stepped on the metal catwalk onto the carriage-pad.

Morning Glory sat on the steps leading to the interior of the carriage, kicking her rear hooves like a filly sitting on a stool far too tall for her. Her small maroon frame was often overshadowed by her abnormally large wings, resting in odd angles whenever she sat, either to prevent her wings from getting dirty or just to allow herself to rest comfortably without her feathers poking into the ground. She hummed a tune, eyes closed and holding an invisible microphone close to her lips, bobbing her head from side to side. Moondancer smiled at the sound of her rough voice trying to mimic somepony as sweet as Sapphire Shores.

The maroon pegasus brushed her tan mane from her eyes, long, unkempt and completely shaven on the left side. She opened her eyes, meeting Rarity’s first, then Moondancer’s before shooting up and wiping a hoof on her muzzle, trying to hide the blush setting in.

“Find everything you were—” Glory recoiled and gagged. “Oh! You smell awful! The heck was in there?”

“Just focus on getting us back to Canterlot in one piece,” Moondancer answered. She stepped past the police officers and into the carriage, stuffing herself in the farthest corner in the dark interior. “Try and make it quick. I need a bath as soon as possible.”

“Yes ma’am.” Glory began to strap herself into the brass fixtures of the carriage after shutting the door behind Rarity, who sat across from Moondancer, face full of thought.

“Something on your mind?” She asked.

“I don’t know.” Moondancer watched as Manehattan shrunk beneath her, lights blurring and the city’s skyscrapers reaching out for them as Glory took them higher and higher. “It doesn’t make sense. None of this is adding up. That’s a lot of work and wasted time just to cause a distraction, assuming that’s what it was.”

“A distraction from what?” Rarity tilted her head.

“I don’t know. Maybe there’s something the aliens were up to that we don’t know about. Everyone was so caught up with the attacks. If I were an evil mastermind, I’d have taken full advantage of that, especially since the three most powerful beings in The Known World were busy organizing efforts to deter the chaos.”

“I admit, it would be a smart thing to do, but that is far more resources lost in trying to take our eyes from whatever it is they don’t want us to see.”

“From what we’ve seen, there is a lot at their disposal. Economy and resources shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Whatever the case, I’ll file a report to Twilight and Princess Luna when we return. And after I bathe of course.”

***

Gilda watched from the observation window, alongside Fluttershy and several security officers who surrounded the shaking pegasus. Ethan held back a chuckle as he looked away and back to the conversation at hand.

The zebra continued to speak in her native tongue, causing Ethan to cock his head. When she finished Abeni nodded and gave her best grin, sheepish and nervous, eyes trying to avoid Twilight’s inquisitive stares and Doctor Sweetheart’s inattentiveness, focusing moreso on taking notes on her clipboard besides the commander’s pet dragon, also writing, although on a parchment scroll and transcribing the conversation. He scratched his head, trying to make heads and tails of what Abeni was saying.

Ethan glanced over to Zecora inquisitively.

“She says she is glad to see you and that miracles to you, the higher powers shall imbue.”

“It’s nice to see she’s in better shape,” Ethan replied with a soft smile. She looked way better without blood in her mane and with a smile on her face, even if it was forced to some degree.

Abeni turned to Zecora, speaking again. Her words came out rapidly, even causing Zecora to have to stop her and—Ethan assumed—ask her to slow things down.

“She believes she is still here because she has information,” Zecora said. “She is still unsure why she is here, in a safe haven, but she assumes it is for good reason.”

“I…” Abeni bit her lip. Her meek, exotic voice caught everyone, save for Zecora, by surprise. “Science project...work in home. Help?”

“What kind of project?” Ethan asked.

“Magic.” Abeni said simply. She turned to Zecora.

“All things in the world have magical properties. It becomes a matter of unlocking these qualities.”

“Wait,” Twilight put up a hoof. “She was studying magic? Like unicorn magic and the like? No offense, but what is a zebra exactly going to be able to do with that kind of knowledge. It’s not like they have the ability to manipulate the magic surrounding us the same way unicorns are able to.”

“We make device,” Abeni said. She raised her hooves, motioning wildly around her head, as if putting on a crown or helmet. “Allow...magic.”

“A device that allows for magic?” Twilight paused, raising a hoof to her chin, as if pondering the possibilities of what would be accomplished. Ethan had to admit that he had done the same.

“Magic is...all round. Unicorn have...connection. Naturally!” Abeni’s face lit up, pointing a hoof to Twilight’s horn. “Use horn and innate. Do understand?”

Twilight nodded, just barely. “Unicorns have an innate connection to the arcane, as most other ponies do. So far, unicorns and alicorns are the only species that can actively manipulate it. I’d never even think it possible for anything other than a unicorn or alicorn to actively use magic. That was really what your people were working on in that facility?”

Zecora translated once again, to which Abeni nodded her head vigorously. She spoke to Zecora.

“Her team had come close to their goal, but the situation had gotten out of control.”

There was silence.

“We were attack...Fire and...dead all ‘round…” Abeni sucked in a breath. “I take break, uh...give kids tour, make...inspire to do science. Hear yelling down hall...I try and hide kids, but it….it….”

“I’m sorry,” Ethan said. He could not imagine placing himself in her position; trying to keep all those children safe from some unknown assailant. Ethan still had the operation fresh in his mind, even if it was a few weeks since then. He remembered their bodies littered on the ground like ragdolls strewn about their sleek black and white manes and coats caked with blood. Abeni must have struggled to cope with the fact that she never got to see them safely back to their homes. She must have beat herself up every moment since then.

The way they huddled up and the scorch marks on their bodies burned like a mosaic in Ethan’s mind. His blood boiled at the thought of his enemies being so merciless as to kill children. In the hours it took for Fireteam Topaz to arrive, Abeni must have used everything in her body to even try and hide herself. How she survived the initial attack puzzled Ethan, but he did not want to press the issue. The pained expression on her face stressed that more than anything else.

“You’re a strong mare for being able to handle yourself, even after that.” Ethan said softly. “I know it may not be much, but I’d like to think myself to be a pretty open griffon. I’m here if you need me.”

“Thank you, Ethan.” Abeni bowed her head. Admittedly, it caught him off guard, her low, accented voice saying his name.

“Is this why she wanted to talk to us? Tell us what she was working on before we had to come down and clear the area?” Twilight flexed her wings and brought them back in. “Not that I mind, but couldn’t she have just reported this to one of the doctors?”

“Not likely,” Doctor Sweetheart answered, dropping her pencil on the table and setting her clipboard down. “She’s had some trust issues with the staff. The corporal is really one of the only few that she completely trusts, the others being Fluttershy, Zecora and myself. We haven’t gotten this much out of her since she’s arrived.”

Abeni spoke up, looking at Zecora with pleading eyes. She pointed a hoof at Twilight, gesturing at her horn and speaking faster. Zecora was taken aback from Abeni’s sudden change in pitch and her frantic pace. When Abeni stopped, she smiled sheepishly, looking around the table, as though hoping for some kind of confirmation.

“I must admit that I do not understand,” Zecora scratched her head. “But she has confidence in her plan. In exchange for a life back home, Abeni wishes to help in these metal catacombs.”

“She wants to help?”

“To finish her lifelong project, in hopes to help those who helped her, should you choose to accept.”

Twilight opened her mouth, already deciding her answer. Ethan watched the alicorn’s hoof extend, immediately retracting, the moment Abeni reached her own hoof outwards. She looked up worriedly at her, as though she had done something wrong. Twilight looked to the side, a hoof held up against her ear. She whispered her answers to whatever questions came buzzing through the earpiece, sighing when the exchange finished.

“Sorry to have to cut this short,” Twilight said, standing from her seat. “Duty calls. Spike, would you mind staying here? I’d like a written report of this conversation.”

“Sure thing.” The dragon nodded. Abeni watched with a frown as the doors shut behind the regal alicorn, then stared back towards Ethan and Doctor Sweetheart.

“Everything...okay?” She asked.

“Yes,” Sweetheart answered. “Ethan, did you have any questions for her?”

The griffon nodded. “I...The pods that struck the facility. I’ve heard the reports of what they did in Manehattan, and they seem pretty...thorough, for lack of a better word. Yet, the room you hid yourself in wasn’t affected. After securing you and checking the place for any survivors, there were several other rooms with unaffected bodies. Did the pods just avoid these rooms?”

“Ethan, I—” Doctor Sweetheart put her pencil down again.

“They put...shield,” Abeni answered. “Block...cagaaran.”

Ethan raised a brow. “They?”

“Weeraryahanka. Attack.”

“I thought the aliens were the attackers,” Ethan shifted in his seat, edging closer. Zecora shifted as well, placing a hoof on Abeni’s back, whispering into her ear. “Why’d they shield you?”

Abeni’s eyes widened. “No! No, no, no. Servant! Attack by servants!”

Sweetheart paused, looking up from her clipboard. She dropped the pencil on the table. “Beg pardon? What is she talking about Zecora, a little help?”

The shaman translated, Ethan listening closely and intently. The words came out as whispers, too low for Ethan to understand, not that he could anyway. Zecora pulled back, face turning grim when Abeni finished her response. The two zebras turned and faced the trio ahead of them, Abeni trembling nervously and Zecora still internalizing the information.

“They were attacked by ponies.” Zecora said solemnly.

***

When he opened his eyes, the nightmare which had plagued him every night was over.

Dagger shuddered in his bed, clutching his throat and making sure the stitches were still there and patted his hooves against his chest, unsure if he should be grateful for still having all ribs intact. His breaths came ragged and in short bursts. This time, nopony stood over him, waiting to have him dragged out. For the first time since awaking from the nightmare that was what those around him called ‘The Manehattan Incident’ he felt safe.

But he would not let himself be deluded into thinking he was truly safe from the ones trying to bring him harm. He barely escaped death once, from the hooves of his own commander and the voice which controlled and forced him to commit atrocities against his fellow guard. Dagger knew that death was close. An unspeakable force which everypony seemed to forget existed because they were so caught up with how perfect everything seemed. How perfect everything was.

The door to his quarters opened. The light was blinding, peering over the black shadows standing in the doorway, staring with no mercy and no signs of sympathy. They stepped forward simultaneously, the sounds of their hooves hitting the ground like a roar of thunder each time.

“N-no!” Dagger struggled to his haunches, pressing himself tightly against the walls. His voice cracked, struggling to barely make out even a whimper. He wished desperately that he could blend and meld into the wall, to escape their punishing glares. “P-please! I told you everything you wanted! Please! I-I don’t want to die!”

The two unicorns remained silent, approaching like patient demons about to ready Dagger for a final trip to Tartarus. He was going to die. He was sure of it now. Their horns glowed, a crimson hue surrounding them and slowly, Dagger was dragged out of his room and blinded by darkness which enveloped his vision. A rough linen cloth of sorts he guessed. Air struggled to find their way into his lungs as he desperately thrashed with what little energy he had in him.

“Enough!” One of them hissed. The magic enveloping his body tightened and his whole body erupted in pain. “You have spirit, but your work is better placed elsewhere.”

The magic released Dagger, falling onto a rough metal surface with a rough thunk, ribs and hooves shooting pain all around. He winced and held back tears from the pain, glad that his captors covered his face. What little pride remained withered away as he felt the floor beneath him shift and lower. An elevator. A loud one at that, rumbling and creaking its way down to what Dagger knew to be the depths of hell.

When it stopped, he was lifted again and thrown, falling down and slamming against a rocky surface, groaning and yelping in pain. Something landed beside him, blowing dust through the cracks of bag over his head. Multiple hoofsteps surrounded him, followed by multiple whispers. The bag lifted from his head and he clenched his eyes shut, whimpering and curling up.

“Back to work vermin!”

The steps went away and the voices ceased.

Ponies everywhere, pickaxes in mouths and digging away at the rocky walls. Mares and stallions covered with dirt, grime and Celestia knows what else surrounded Dagger, paying him no mind as they stared blankly into the walls they chipped away at. Some walked around with buckets full of various chunks of rocks or gems.

The cavern was endless, illuminated by occasional lampposts and lanterns. Some gems managed to illuminate the way, ponies taking whatever chunks they could, breathing heavily and stinking of sweat and exhaustion from their seemingly endless work. Some ponies were even missing limbs altogether, struggling to keep themselves balanced while they swung, swaying from their own depleted energy and vigorous actions.

Others bore marks; scars from whips or scorched marks where they were branded over their flanks, taking away the one thing that made them individuals. Dagger looked up with horror as the lift used to bring him down here elevated, taking away most of the light in his immediate area, forcing his eyes to adjust to the prevailing darkness.

“Get up,” A mare said, grabbing his hoof and forcing him onto his haunches. She spoke a bit of a twang to her voice, sounding dry and coarse. She scanned the stallion, looking up and down at Dagger’s pathetic form.“They don’t like when one o’ us sits around doing nothin’.”

“What do they want?”

The mare pointed her hoof to the pickaxe on the ground, walking over to a chiseled part of the rock face. Another dirty and dulled pickaxe lay against the surface, her hoof tapping the end of the handle. “Work.”

“Who are you?”

“Don’t worry none ‘bout that.” She said sternly. “Just get t’work.”

She picked up the pickaxe and started swinging again sending chunks of rock flying out while also managing to keep them out of her amber eyes. Dagger looked around him, watching the ponies work in misery, before he saw the guards walking above, standing on platforms and catwalks with weapons in their magical grasp. One of them locked eyes with him, raising their weapon just barely.

Dagger walked beside the mare, pickaxe in mouth and began swinging. Trying to ignore the swelling pain in his chest and hooves.

Chapter 11: Operation Crimson Blade

Air Strike felt a twinge of freedom as the wind rushed past her. She was sure there would have been more freedom if she was alone on this scouting run, allowing her to use her new wings to their fullest capabilities and getting to Westport faster, assessing the situation before The Wonderbolts flying about fifteen minutes behind her arrived at the scene.

“Something on your mind?” Vapour Trail asked. “Been a little quiet since we left.”

“I doubt you’d like what I’m thinking ma’am.” Air Strike said simply. She looked over to Vapour Trail, who remained silent with a cocked brow. “N-not that way.”

“Right.” The two banked left, avoiding a cluster of clouds. The mountains rolled by, small griffon villages nestled below at the base of each formation while others rooted in nests along the deathly slope. The sun peeked softly from the jagged spires of stone, beckoning Air Strike to cease her flight and watch as the brilliant rays vanished behind the stone teeth of the earth. Griffons flew and danced as they celebrated whatever holiday they celebrated on a day like this.

Fireworks erupted like anti-air cannons sending out flak shells. Air Strike lost track of Vapour Trail and the colorful swatch of colors surrounding her distorted, a drab grey taking form, rain soaking against her bare mane and fur. Explosions erupted all around, other pegasi flying and maneuvering around the puffs of fire and smoke. Griffons followed, firing their boomsticks and speeding up, slashing their talons wildly at the pegasi.

Fire bursted in front of Air Strike, consuming her in smoke. When she opened her eyes, the wonderful visage of the Grimbeak Mountains returned. She looked behind her, watching the fireworks burst and pop farther and farther behind.

“Close one!” Vapour Trail said with a laugh, bumping Air Strike on the shoulder. The mare’s smile fades. “Whoa. You alright?”

Air Strike shuddered. Voices echoed in her head like ghosts whispering threats of remembrance. “Yeah. You’re right, there’s just a lot on my mind.”

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Vapour took Air Strike out of her thoughts. “Makes me wish the Commander sent us out here more often. I hate being stuck in that place.”

Air Strike nodded in agreement.

“You know, we’ve got, at least, another thirty minutes before we get to the AO and I’m pretty sure Central will start bugging us about our comms being out in about five minutes. If you got something on your mind,” Vapour Trail turned her head to the silent mare beside her. “We’ve got time.”

The steely gray pegasus opened her mouth ready to speak. She wanted to vent. Scream obscenities about the fireworks just moments ago, but thought against it. Besides, it was not the griffons’ fault for trying to celebrate a national holiday. Her mind drifted for a moment, looking around, hoping there was nothing to trigger another flashback. Her eyes caught the glint of the blue aura of her prosthetic wings, trailing behind.

“I filed in a...something for the Commander to consider.” Air Strike said sullenly. Vapour Trail looked hurt. “Not a transfer or anything ma’am. Not that there’s anywhere for me to go.”

“Well, what was it?”

“I thought the other pegasi should go through the same procedure I did. The Commander never really got back to me yet on it.” Air Strike said simply and quickly. She hoped a blunt delivery would help soften the blow to a degree. She braced herself for what may have possibly been the sweetest sounding yelling and shouting from Vapour, but looking over at her current wing-mare, she looked as though she were still trying to process the information.

She looked back at her wings flapping and keeping herself afloat despite all the heavy armor she wore. Her eyes followed their fluid motions, watching every feather shuffle as the wind moved through her wings. Her eyes then glanced to Air Strike’s wings, motionless, outstretched at her sides and leaving behind a trail of blue as the arcane jets propelled her forward.

“So you want us to be like you?” Vapour Trail’s voice was low and she kept her vision forward, away from Air Strike’s. She could not tell if she was angry or frustrated or if she was still deep in thought about it. “Just rip off our wings and replace them?”

“When you put it like that,” Air Strike shook her head. With Vapours voice, she was probably along the lines of frustrated. “It sounds bad. Think about it; when we chased the ship back at Vanhoover—”

“You outmaneuvered all of us.” Vapour sighed nodding her head. “That’s a lot to ask of us you know. ‘The wings make the pegasus’, you know how it goes. I can’t ask the other banshees to go through with that.”

“Pardon me ma’am, but if you had to choose, would you go through with it?”

There was silence between them.

“I don’t know, Strike.” She finally answered. “I see it’s uses, but—” she gave her wings an extra two flaps. “—These things are my life. I-I can’t lose them.”

“I understand ma’am.” Air Strike did. She remembered when her own wings required amputation. The isolation and loneliness, the horrifying idea of not being able to fly ever again. It took her a while to get used to her new prosthetics, and it took even longer for the skepticism that she would even be put to good use to go away. “But they were mine too.”

“But that was different. You’re wings were damaged in battle. Those new wings of yours? It was just...necessity. I didn’t know you before this, but apparently you were the best at what you do if they decided to gift you with those wings. To just willingly take mine off? I don’t like it. Chances are, the other two won’t either, let alone anypony else. I can’t...I just can’t get behind sacrificing something like that.”

Air Strike stayed silent. It was a little bit of what she expected. If she had told Lightning Dust, she was sure there would be some harsh words and statements. Who knows, maybe Vapour Trail did have a few of those hanging around somewhere in that timid mind of hers. Air Strike was partially grateful it was her she told and not anypony else.

“The benefits outweigh everything else,” Air Strike said finally. “Would you really let personal pride get in the way of something as important as this. Think of how fast we could respond to calls for help, keep up with alien ships and—”

“I get it.” Vapour Trail continued. “I don’t like having to silence other ponies, but I’d prefer if you kept this just between us. At least until the commander comes back to you.”

“Understood ma’am.”

***

1 hour ago

“I am Midnight Spice,” the mare said simply. She stood stiff while Blaze and Fleetfoot wiggled their way past her, eyes trained on Soarin’s and hoof against her forehead. “I shall be your sniper for this mission.”

Soarin nodded and let a smirk creep on his face. He reached a hoof to hers and lowered it, planting it on the metal ground gently. “Are all mare’s from Prance this formal?”

“Is it an issue?” The mare tilted her head, relaxing slightly. “I would like to think this a good thing, no?”

Spitfire chuckled. “Don’t worry. Formal or not, you’re a welcome addition to the squad.”

Midnight Spice bowed her head and smiled. “It will be an honor to serve with you ponies. And the Wonderbolts no less! Please excuse me, but I truly am a fan.”

Soarin felt his confident smirk return to his face as he turned to Spitfire, Blaze and Fleetfoot.

“See?” Soarin gestured towards Midnight Spice. “Told you we had fans down here, Cap’n.”

“Fan or not,” Blaze said strapping her armor in place before she threw on her saddle bags full of medical supplies. “I don’t mind this one. I dunno if you guys heard about her performance in the range. Aegis let this one out early because she kicked so much ass!”

Fleetfoot kept her eyes trained on the ground, even as her R.A.A.G.S. started adjusting the straps of her armor, bulkier than before, with multiple pouches for ammo on her chest and lower back. Her under armor matched her arctic blue coat, pads covering her shins and shoulders. The collar jutted out, stiff around her neck, restricting some of her head movements, keeping her vision trained forward.

Her specialized helmet—a silver, angular plated helm with a single gold visor—sat beside her as she loaded up bullets into the box magazine for her machine gun. Soarin feared for whatever had to be on the business end of that cannon.

“Make her feel welcome,” Spitfire spoke with a smile. “If she performs as well as you say, I don’t see her leavin’ this squad.”

“Please!” Midnight Spice whinnied, waving a forehoof gingerly. “You flatter me. But I need no praise. It is my duty as a soldier to protect the innocent.”

Soarin marched to his locker, pulling out his kevlar vest and padding. Despite the repairs done to the vest, he gulped when he saw the scorch marks from the alien weapons burning through and into his skin. He shuddered at the thought of it happening again, but he slipped it over his head, nonetheless. The band around his torso buzzed, the robotic arms going to work and tightening the vests straps and pads protecting his hooves. The double visor of his helmet stared at him blankly, reflecting his own image, distorted and warped, like a reflection in a flowing river.

He doubted himself a lot since the first operation. He ran through multiple scenarios in his head, each one worse than the last. A group of Sectoids swarming his squad. He wanted to believe the Wonderbolts could handle themselves in a sticky situation like that.

They were not the scariest things the aliens had to offer by any means, but they were the only things he had experience with. Everything else came in the form of dossiers, detailing the enemies encountered on the field by the other fireteams. The thought of the aliens using pony bodies to infiltrate cities made Soarin shudder and a being able to generate a body for itself from a single crystal? He would not be surprised if the aliens had some kind of bug that planted its egg in somepony from a single bite.

Probably a bad thought.

“Hey,” Spitfire whispered, offering a soft peck on Soarin’s cheek. “Don’t get cold hooves on me now.”

Soarin looked around the locker room, the other ponies minding their own business, paying the two no mind. He looked back at Spitfire, who looked less-than pleased with the gesture. “What?”

“Don’t think the others should know?”

“Well, you’re whispering, so I don’t know what’s up with that.”

The locker room doors slid open, Central Officer Shining Armor trotting in. “Wonderbolts.”

“Sir.” They stood rigid, saluting in unison from their various spots in the locker room.

“At ease,” Shining walked forward. “This is a special mission straight from the griffon counselor. You’ll be heading to the griffon village of Eastport. Word is, the griffons had a major military convoy moving through the area. The King lost contact with a retaliatory force sent a few hours ago and now the counselor wants our help. Eliminate any hostiles and secure the convoy. Once the area is secured, we’ll send word to King Grimwing. Await further orders until then.”

“Any idea what we’ll find down there?” Spitfire asked.

“We sent out two interceptors to scout the area—Air Strike and Vapour Trail. They should have relevant intel within the hour, so keep an ear out. They’ll also be your air support should you need it.”

“High explosives?” Midnight Spice raised her hoof. “Apologies sir, but is there no civilians in this area? After all, it is a griffon national holiday; the Feast of Seeds.”

“Vapour Trail is outfitted with high powered machine guns. Air Strike should only be used if the situation really requires her. The same can be said about Vapour Trail. They’ll assess the situation before you land.” Shining Armor looked down at his data pad. “You have your orders. Hop to it everypony.”

***

“Got eyes on the convoy.” Vapour Trail sounded in Soarin’s ears. “Griffons under heavy fire. Something’s up. Hang on. We’re heading closer.”

Soarin flipped his helmet, looking at himself in the reflection of the visor, wiping away a specks of dust with a hoof. He flipped it once again and slipped it over his head, struggling to keep his mane underneath it all. His ears slid out of their appropriate sockets, wiggling just to make sure he can still feel them. Wind swept through the interior of the carriage, brushing briskly against his under armor and chilling his skin underneath.

The closer Night Glider flew towards the landing area, the clearer the distant battle became. Griffon rifles fired with crippling ferocity mixed with the shouts of what could have been both parties involved in a conflict. More shots fired, drowning out the screams and cries for help. If the accents were anything to go by, the griffons were in bad shape.

Soarin turned, looking at the passing landscape below, hoping to get a view of the town. Instead he was met with a small hoof-ful of farms and dying trees sloping down the drab mountainside. As Night Glider banked and turned, the waterfront came into view, a fishing hamlet stretching down the beaches and short cliffsides. Despite the sounds of distant battle, the hamlet was largely unaffected by the fighting. As the carriage flew forward, more homes appeared, most built into hollow husks of thick greying trees with thatch roofs and structures built atop of branches like advanced nests.

Soarin pressed a hoof up to his ear. “How’s it lookin’ guys?”

“Multiple hostiles in the area,” Air Strike called out. “Blank Flanks!”

“That it?” Spitfire slid into her helmet. She gave the two filters near her muzzle a good smack. “You’d think the aliens would be smart enough to at least send in griffon spies.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Twilight sounded sternly. “You have your orders. Get down there and clear them out.”

“Yes ma’am!” The Wonderbolts shouted in unison.

Crimson bolts and bullets whirred past the carriage a moment after. The carrier lurched forward, bolting down to the ground rapidly before adjusting itself and coming closer to the ground. Trees with structures melded into them came into view, slowly passing by the windows. Other buildings were made in a more traditional model, with a foundation and boxy in nature. Pits of fire burned in the streets and several wagons and metal automotive carriages were set ablaze on the roads. Griffons screamed as they rushed away from the scene while others came, rifles in talons and feathers covered in grime.

“Reinforcements!” One of them cried out, taking aim.

“For us, lad!” Another shouted, grabbing the rifle from the young bird. “Reinforcements for us!”

“Landing zone is a no go!” Glider shouted. “Too hot! Gonna need you guys to hop out from here!”

“Alright everypony, you heard her!” Spitfire roared. “We’re dropping down!”

One by one the pegasi stood and dropped from the rear of the carriage, their wings spread as they rode the wind down onto the ground behind a barricade of wood and rubble. The griffons who built them lay motionless on the ground with their weapons inches away from their talons. The sight made Soarin’s stomach churn.

Spitfire turned her head slightly to Soarin. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

“I didn’t know what we were dealing with last time.” Soarin said, smirking underneath his helmet. From behind her visor, Spitfire’s eyes glistened and a single brow was raised. “I promise, Cap.”

She leapt out from the carriage, Soarin following behind. Were it not for the armor and even the under armor covering his body, Soarin would have felt right at home in the open sky for the brief moments he was in it.

When he landed, Soarin leaned himself against the wall of a residential home on the right side of the street. Spitfire lowered herself behind a pile of debris, what probably was once the nest to one of the many griffons in the large town. The cobblestone street was ripped apart, water and blood mixing into the cracks along with chips of broken wood and hay. Bodies of griffons lay lifeless ahead of the blockade of rubble the Wonderbolts took cover behind, long wood-framed rifles stuck in their dead grips.

Just down the road, a line of automotive wagons sat, mostly undisturbed by the destruction and chaos surrounding them. Trees that were once homes to the countless griffons of the town were either left in shambles or set ablaze completely. The main path sloped down the mountain’s steady decline, whipping around and leading its way down to the docks. A steady breeze of wind brushed against Soarin’s armor, ears and tail, making him regret even coming out in the first place. Through the smoke blown past the road Soarin spotted movement, his body tensing and the arms at his side raising his rifle as he pressed himself closer to the corner of the building.

Fleetfoot raised her machine gun, one robotic hand setting up the bipod on the rough uneven surface of a thick tree branch and aimed down the road. Beside her, Midnight Spice stuck the barrel of her rifle through a crack in the rubble, uncomfortably taking aim down the scope as she grasped the underbarrel of her rifle with one hoof and put the other around the trigger. Her R.A.A.G.S. folded up at her side idly standing by.

Blaze settled opposite of the street from Soarin, taking cover behind the weak thatch wall of a modest sized home. “Spice! What do you see?”

Midnight Spice wiggled in her position, bringing her head closer to the scope. “Six down the block! Ponies!”

“Not ponies rook,” Blaze announced from behind an overturned wagon. “What about the griffons?”

Midnight swivelled slightly. “Dead. The ponies are moving closer.”

Soft beating of the ground sounded from behind the squad. Soarin turned, rifle pointed at the group of griffons. Four in total, wearing no armor and three of which pointing their rifles back at Soarin and Spitfire. Two were short and stout, grey feathers covering most of their bodies, save for the silver around their eyes and sprinkled around their wings like spots on a cheetah. Another stood tall and proud, back straight and wings spread as she stood high on her rear legs, as if there was not a band of ponies down the road ready to kill them.

The biggest of them kept his rifle down, held in one of his thick, talons. Soarin was sure he could easily tear through the fabric of his armor with just a single swipe. Hell, his helmet was mostly metal and Soarin still felt that the rugged griffon could tear it to shreds if he wanted to.

Clearly, the old griffon was in no mood to perform such a task and if he was, he hid it well underneath the scowl and frown on his beak, directed at his fellow squadmates.

“Stand down, stand down!” The brown feathered griffon silently shouted. His voice was thick and caused Soarin’s chest to rumble every time he spoke with his thick accent. He pushed his way past his squad, ushering them to lower their weapons, eliciting growls from each of them as they scanned Soarin and the rest of the Wonderbolts. The griffon turned to his flock, giving Soarin a clear view of a long scar down the back of his head, running all the way down to the base of his wing. “You buffoons too stupid to see that these lads and lassies are here to help?”

“How can you be so sure?” A younger grey bird asked, his voice more tame and reined in than his superior. “I’ve never seen equipment like that before, even from Equestrian Royal Guard.”

“Who cares? They hadn’t shot at us when their fancy chariot brought ‘em here. That’s the first one all day that didn’t try to kill me.” The larger, rugged and older griffon turned back to Soarin, then to Spitfire. “Who’s in charge o’ this here unit?”

“That’d be me,” Spitfire answered simply. She ushered the griffons to enter cover, which they did, albeit, unwillingly. “Captain Sp...Shh….Sugar. We’re here to help the king secure the convoy.”

“Aye,” The thick griffon nodded. He poked his head out over the rubble, cursing under his breath. “We could use that help. King wants this convoy so bad, but ‘e’s to stupid to send in more men. Sergeant Arthur by the way. Don’t worry about my lot. We’ve got your backs Captain Sugar.”

“Appreciated.”

Krapoom!

Dust erupted around Midnight Spice as she brought her trigger hoof up to the receiver of her rifle, pulling back the bolt. “Pardon me, monsieur, but they are attempting to sabotage your convoy!”

Soarin poked his head around the corner. He counted six—five now that Spice took care of one—ponies dashing for cover behind various pieces of rubble. One stayed behind, kneeling down beside one of the griffon automotives, blocked by a fallen chunk of wood.

“Got another playing with the convoy!” Soarin warned. One of the ponies peeked out for a moment, a silver and gold bandana covering his mouth and horn glowing with a crimson aura. Soarin raised his rifle, taking aim, but the unicorn brought himself back behind the solitary tree trunk. Others appeared from behind cover, adorning the same articles of clothing; a white button-up shirt and golden ties. Some wore black vests over their shirts, but one fact stood out to Soarin; “They aren’t armed!”

“Of course they aren’t bloody well armed,” Arthur scoffed. “Unicorns don’t need guns ya bampot!”

“No, no,” Soarin returned behind the safety of the home’s wall, turning to the rugged, elderly griffon. “They use alien weapons! I didn’t think they could even use ma—”

“Bolts!” Twilight shouted in the radio. “Focus! Vapour, Air Strike, How’s the situation looking from above?”

The two interceptor pegasi zipped by overhead, flying in circles, accompanied by Night Glider, still carrying the carriage with her as she tried to match their pace.

“All Blank Flanks ma’am!” Air Strike called out. “All taking cover near the convoy. Got nothing on the buildings though. Hang on...Got a squad...two squads running up to your position from the docks. They’ve got a long way to go, so you’ve got time to secure the convoy.”

“Got eyes on something in the water!” Vapour Trail warned. “Boats ma’am! Four of them! Permission to engage?”

“Granted.” Twilight answered. “Wonderbolts! Start moving up! Midnight Spice, stay back and give them long range support.”

“Affirmative Commandant.” Spice relaxed herself.

“Who in hell is she talkin’ to?” Arthur asked.

“Nevermind that,” Spitfire said. “We’re moving up!”

“Go on, we’ll cover you!”

Soarin was the first to dash out of cover, wings spread as he dove past the rubble blockade and fell behind the charred remains of a griffon automotive, the heat radiating off of the metal surface uncomfortable. With all the crimson bolts flying by, there was no way he could try and find another piece of cover to hide behind.

Daka Daka Daka!

“How’d you like that you bastards!” Fleetfoot shouted. Soarin peeped out of cover, two new bodies added to the rest. The unicorn beside the automotive stood, as though to assess the situation. His eyes grew wide looking at the dwindling numbers on his side of the battle.

Krapoom!

A bullet ripped through his head, shooting a cloud of crimson from the wound. Soarin’s stomach tightened at the sight. Were they supposed to bleed red? The dossier did not—

Bratatatatatatat!

Spitfire opened fire wildly as she slammed herself against the automotive, wings still spread, slapping the visor of Soarin’s helmet. She cast a playful glance at Soarin, a sly smirk almost completely hidden under the golden sheen of her visor. She turned around, watching the griffons fly up, perching on the homes of their people, opening fire, almost carelessly with their semi-automatic firearms.

As the crimson bolts sailed through the air, the lowered themselves, gripping on to the thatch roofs of the buildings or laying low on thick tree branches.

Papoom!

Arthur fired, dropping a stallion making his way for the central convoy vehicle. Soarin rolled out of cover, prone and R.A.A.G.S. taking aim down the road at a stallion galloping closer, horn trained slightly to Soarin’s left.

Bratatat!

Dust blew around Soarin’s body where several arcane missiles met their mark, cracking the stone and sending fizzles of smoke around him. Three geysers of blood sprouted from his chest, crashing into a jumbled mess of mangled corpses littered around a crater in the cobblestone. Again, red blood.

Two of Arthur’s griffons brought themselves down beside Soarin, dashing for an alleyway and a torn chunk of wall missing from a building’s main structure. Tables and shelves full of alcohol were littered near the rear, completely blocking the rear doors, one with an exit sign dangling haphazardly and the other probably a rear office where the owner took shelter. The female griffon in the bar kicked over a table beside the window, aiming down at the convoy. “I count two more!”

A stallion stood, horn glowing furiously, sparks of red forming from the appendage aimed directly at the convoy. Behind him, another stallion galloped from a thin alleyway, shouting at his compatriot, “No! Don’t!” forcing his horn to relax.

Krapooom!

A single bullet tore through the skull of both unicorns, dropping them in an instant in the middle of the cobblestone path. Spitfire let out a whistle, her hooves clopping around the charred vehicle resting besides Soarin. He stood, rifle ready, walking beside the two griffons, scanning the road. Those reinforcements Air Strike and Vapour Trail spotted had not come yet. Soarin gave it a few minutes before they arrived and they were back to fighting.

“Damn!” Arthur guffawed obnoxiously from the roof across the street. He flapped his wings before he landed with a harsh thud on top of the recently brain-drilled stallion, picking up his head with a talon, a single digit jamming itself into the hole. “Lassie’s a good shot!”

Soarin was not sure whether to smile at the devilishly skillful double kill or to feel sick to his stomach at the griffon’s actions. There was something wrong. Not just the fact that Arthur was deliberately trying to make the hole bigger, forcing Midnight Spice to turn away and held a hoof against the side of her helmet as she walked forward and Fleetfoot audibly gagging. By all means, Soarin tried hard to understand what it was he was trying to accomplish, but when he turned and looked down at the ground, the pool of crimson pooling up made the hairs on his body stand straight.

He wanted to rationalize it—tried to rationalize it—by telling himself it was just the griffon’s blood pooling over the alien’s. It did not make a lick of sense, but no matter how hard he tried to rationalize it, it was undeniable to him.

“Sugar?” Soarin turned to Spitfire. Her head turned fast, expression hidden underneath the visor.

“That gonna be my new nick—”

“I don’t think these are aliens.” Soarin cut off. Spitfire cocked her head and Soarin pointed a hoof at the dead stallion below him and the mass of red forming.

Boom!

“Air Strike! Vapour!” Spitfire shouted. “What’s going on?”

“Troop transport ships!” Vapour answered. “We’re taking care of ‘em!”

“We’re still waitin’ on those reinforcements,” Spitfire said, lowering her hoof into the blood below. She recoiled, backing up and wiping the hoof against the charred automotive. “Spi—I...Sickle! Get up on that perch! Heart, keep her company! Soa—Soapbox, Fast Lane, with us! Keep an eye out for any more of them. We’ll hunker down with the convoy and hold the line.”

Soarin trotted forward matching pace with Spitfire. “Soapbox?”

“Look,” Spitfire snapped. “I’m trying here. A little preemptive thought would have been better, I admit. Just roll with it for now. We’re almost done here.”

“Right.” Soarin looked down at the bodies. Griffons and unicorns sprawled in uncomfortable positions. “Just hang on. Is this really what we’re supposed to be doing? Killing ponies?”

“They’re…” Spitfire paused. “We have a duty to protect the innocent. It’s...”

“I see movement!” Fleetfoot warned.

***

The boats in the water were small, carrying only six ponies a piece. They carved through the water effortlessly despite riding against the current. Their wooden chassis were painted a steel grey, lined with crimson, masts holding no banners while oars poked out from the sides, slowly, but surely pushing each ship forward, simultaneously at the same pace, each lined up in a row of hulking wood.

From high in the sky, Air Strike could barely make out the moving forms of the crews on the deck, readying themselves for an assault on the docks.

“This isn’t like the aliens at all,” Shining Armor said. “It’s too blunt. Too open.”

“Do we still have the green light?” Air Strike questioned. She slowed herself down, the hum of her prosthetic wings dying down.

“Yes.” Twilight voiced simply. Air Strike looked to her left and right, gaining confirmation from Vapour Trail and Night Glider. She brought her sights back down on the ships, about half a kilometer away from the docks now. The town militia—consisting of fisherman primarily, Air Strike assumed—fired their boomsticks, ducking and lowering themselves as beams of crimson shot through the air, missing entirely and setting miscellaneous boxes ablaze.

“Engaging!” Air Strike announced. Her visor glowed, her eyes watching the yellow targets locking onto the first two ships and waiting for the signal.

Green!

Whooosh!

The torpedos sped rapidly, some plunging into the waters, erupting in white columns of liquid. Two of the torpedos found their mark, erupting the two boats beside each other in a fiery blaze of death. The ponies on board screamed, shouting orders at each other while most dropped off the sides of the deck, plunging into the waters below with reckless abandon. The other four ships sped past their falling brothers and sisters, leaving them to sink and be taken by the violent waves.

“Air Strike! Vapour!” Spitfire shouted. “What’s going on?”

“Troop transport ships!” Vapour answered. “We’re taking care of ‘em!”

Vapour Trail sped past, the miniguns at her side revving and whirring loudly as she slowed her pace and approached the ships alongside Night Glider, still carrying the troop transport and unloading massive hellfire at a steady rate. The ponies on the bridge of the ships, one by one, started to hit the deck, scrambling for the nearest bit of cover. A brave few stood tall, horns glowing before blasts of crimson shot through the sky.

“Argh!” Vapour grunted, her hoof armor steaming. The miniguns at her side spun faster.

Ratatatatatatat!

Vapour Trail’s miniguns were twin dragons, unleashing a volley of death; anti-armor rounds puncturing through the hull of the ship’s metal while Night Glider’s thick cannons acted as a steady marching beat among the cacophony of cries sounding down below. The griffons settled at the end of the docks continued firing, despite their early age firearms either missing completely or doing no real damage to the ships or the crew.

The ships lurched and bowed, remaining vigilant and continuing onwards towards the shores, lowering slowly. Air Strike hovered above the fishing hamlet, her visor starting to light up again. The oars were pushing hard and fast, almost reaching the docks. Air Strike grit her teeth waiting for her visor to give her the all-clear.

“Strike?”

Green!

“Got it!”

Whoooosh!

Trails of smoke left Air Strike’s salvos, rushing through the air at speeds a pegasus could only dream of, barrelling towards what was left of the transport fleet. The explosions vibrated Air Strike’s helmet wildly, the sheer force of the shockwaves causing most of the griffon fighters on the docks to take to the sky like pigeons clearing out a forest.

“Sweet Luna,” Night Glider gasped. Smoke plumed from the wrecks, the tall masts, thick and grey burning like an effigy to the griffons of Eastport. They threw their arms into the air, cheering and cursing their invaders firing wildly in celebration, although their role in the fight could be argued as being nonexistent.

Sounds of gunfire echoed from deeper in the town.

“Spitfire,” Night Glider spoke. “How’s everything on the ground?”

“They’re pushing!” Spitfire answered, roaring in the radio. “We’re handling it. A little more than just a squad or two though!”

“Wanna make sure everything is fine ma’am?” Air Strike asked Vapour, who was still taking in the destruction, watching the fires rage like a pyre in the middle of the water.

“Yeah.”

“Damn!” a long beaked griffon praised as the heavy armor clad mares landed on the wood, causing a heavy creak on the thick dock floorboards. “Some gear you gals got there!”

“Thanks,” Air Strike said simply. “Is everyone okay?”

“Got some wounded, but we stuffed ‘em in the town ‘all.” Another answered. “Unicorns never play fair I tell you. Threw all the spells they had at us, an’ that red shit burns like the sixth pit o’ hell!”

“Aliens must be stepping up their game if they can start pumping out spells like that.” Night Glider commented. “Last time I saw ‘em, they still used their own tech. A lot can happen in a few weeks I guess.”

“Aliens?” the long beaked griffon recoiled. “Ain’t no aliens here! Since when the hell do they start comin’ in on wooden ships?”

“Could be trying a new tactic,” Vapour said, adjusting her steaming hoof armor. Thank Celestia for thick armor plating. “Like, they’re really trying to blend in.”

The waves crashed against the dock, a small shadow blotting out the setting sun for a moment before crashing down onto the wooden planks between the two parties. The unicorn adorned a silver and gold bandana, dripping wet and hanging off the stallion’s neck. The metal torso armor was smooth, a singular piece worn over a white shirt and gold tie. A hole the size of Air Strike’s hoof poured blood—crimson blood—entrails and bones slipping out from where one of Night Glider’s cannon shells ruptured through his body.

Her eyes drifted further down in horror at the mark that claimed the stallion’s flank. The scarlet mark on his flank was torn and withered, grazed by a stray bullet or two.

Air Strike turned away, her stomach twisting and churning as she backed up from the body. She wanted to take off her helmet, let everything out from her last meal. She looked at the smoking wrecks floating adrift just off the coast, bodies filling up the water with red and wood bobbing, carried away with the current. As the bodies continued to rise, some twitching and others still alive, crying for help, Air Strike felt her chest tighten and her body shake.

“N-no, no,” Air Strike shuddered. “No, t-those were aliens. Had to be!”

“I’m sorry lass. These are some high class bandits we’re dealin’ with.”

“We thought you knew,” the female griffon said. “Heard about your group. Thought you all about defending the common folk and stuff. Didn’t think it was exclusive to the aliens or whatever. Don’t tell us that if you all knew these were ponies and not aliens, you wouldn’t have come.”

“What?” Air Strike recoiled. “N-no, we would have! It’s just...we...weren’t expecting actual ponies. I figured it would have been their infiltrators or something.”

“Commander?” Night Glider raised a hoof to her ear.

“Continue the mission as planned. It’s too late to go back.”

***

Spice drew in a breath, taking aim at the stallion too busy giving orders to his subordinates to notice the mare about to put a bullet in his head. Her hoof tightened around her rifle’s underbarrel, willing herself to move her other hoof against the trigger. The stallion was so still; as if he knew she was there and he was taunting her. Bullets ripped through the carriage he took cover behind, making him duck his head a few inches lower. Midnight followed his movements.

He turned his head.

Krapoom!

Spice swivelled, not wanting to see the fruits of her labor. The other unicorns took notice, pointing hooves and shouting in her direction. The shieldbearer unicorn tried to readjust himself, angling the shield to try and protect himself from both Midnight Spice and blaze and the ponies and griffons on the ground. Their horns glowed with a fiery red, the aura surrounding the sharp appendage unstable and shoot stray sparks of magic. They should not be able to use magic. She read the dossier over and over again in her quarters, on nights where sleep escaped her. The science teams claimed they lacked the capacity to use magic, yet here they were, horns glowing and taking aim at Midnight Spice.

They looked so real. She tried to get a view of their flanks, just to make sure they really were the alien infiltration forces she heard so much about. As they moved into cover, she could not catch a glance at their cutie marks. One poked his head out from behind an overturned wagon, staring down the sights of her scope.

She hesitated.

Bratatatatatat!

“Don’t lock up now rook!” Blaze ordered. “Last ones are down there. Let’s take ‘em down!”

“Y-yes!” Midnight raised her rifle again. Down the sight, more ponies came into view, rushing towards the convoy, only to be gunned down by the other Wonderbolts and the remaining two griffons. Everywhere she looked, it was nothing but red. Red! Everywhere she looked.

Spice put her head down, catching her breath. They should not have red blood! She repeated it over and over in her head, like a mantra. No, no, no! This is not what I wanted to do! “Commandant Sparkle?”

“C’mon Spice,” Twilight said sternly, yet softly. Her voice was intense, but there was a hint of caring. “I need you to focus.”

“I was told we were fighting l'envahisseurs!” Spice shouted. “We’re killing ponies! These are not aliens!”

“I’m sorry Spice, but it’s too late to turn back now. I need you to focus and help your squad! We can discuss this later, but now—”

“I understand, Commandant.” Midnight sighed, regulating her breathing. In and out. In and out.

She rose her head, hooves gripping her old rifle, the antiquated wood rough against the under armor she wore and practically pressing her visor against the scope. Sweat beaded up on her forehead .

In and out.

As a stallion’s glance fixed on her, her hooves tightened and she bit her lip, still trying to regulate her breathing. The gunfire beside her became muffled, blocked out by the voice in her head, screaming now ‘don’t do it’ over and over again. Her hoof pressed against the trigger unwillingly, grip on the underbarrel tightening and teeth about to crack under the pressure building up. She tried to focus on her breathing before pulling the trigger.

In and—

Crack!

The pain came in a flash, jolting her head back and making the rifle in her hooves drop to the ground.

“Oh shit!” Blaze caught the limp pony, grabbing her by the wing with both of her metallic arms, dropping her assault rifle onto the streets below. She brought herself down slowly, planting each hoof firmly against the roof. One of her arms quickly went for one of Midnight’s hooves, pulling her up the slope slowly while trying to keep her head down as low as possible. “Captain! Captain, we’ve got an issue!”

Blaze looked around frantically, letting go of Midnight. She did not slide or move a single muscle. Immediately, Blaze started rummaging through her saddle packs and assorted pouches.

“Talk to me. What do we got?”

“Spice is down!” Blaze continued to panic, pulling out bandages and an assortment of syringes and subsequently placing them back inside their respective bags. The moment she would lay them out, they would just end up sliding off the roof. “I repeat, Spice is down!”

The single visor was cracked, a hole seared where her right eye would have been. Instead, there was just shards of gold and blood.

“What’s the damage?”

“Shot to the head ma’am!” Blaze carefully placed her hooves at the sides of Midnight’s helmet, taking care to keep the glass shards from getting caught as she slipped it off the dark violet mare’s head. The blood soaked the internal padding and continued to drip out of the helmet and the gaping wound where her eye used to be. The glass shards of gold dug deep into the surrounding skin and whatever was left of her eyeball was reduced to nothing more than slightly steaming paste. Blaze’s stomach churned violently.

“Is she still breathing?” Spitfire sounded agitated. “Dammit, is she still breathing?!”

Blaze shuddered. She held a hoof out to Midnight’s open mouth, hoping for anything.

There!

“Barely breathing ma’am.” Blaze pulled her hoof back. One of her mechanical hands pulled out a stabilizing elixir. “I’ll keep her alive ma’am.”

The blue liquids slid sloppily down Spice’s throat, streaming off the sides of her mouth in her barely conscious state. The pain welling in her eye was unbearable, but she tried to ignore it, instead trying to figure out how to manage her breaths. Everytime she wanted to breathe in, her body released the breath shaky and unsteady. The magic which shot through her burned. It felt like a thousand vicious dogs tearing away at the affected area.

“You’re gonna be okay,” Blaze continued to panic. She rummaged more in her saddle packs, taking in deep breaths. “Can you talk to me? How’s the pain?”

“Ça fait mal. C'est mauvais.” Midnight groaned. “Burns.”

“Here. This should help.” Blaze sprayed the first aid healing concoction above Midnight Spice, tapping a hoof nervously and impatiently.

A blue aura floated above Midnight, hovering above her like a heavenly aurora amidst a violet sky. The stars coming into view shone and sparkled gently against the backwash of violets and blues. Soon the pain had ceased for the most part. There was still the stinging pain in her eye, but as the blue cloud lowered and wet her face and mane, she relaxed, resting her other eye. As much as the uncomfortable thatch poked against her head, it was all she could do at the moment; just rest and wait.

The fighting would be over soon.

***

“Should I go keep ‘em covered?”

Soarin lowered his head, a magic bolt slamming against the ashy wooden trunk that was his cover.

“They’re focused on us right now.” Spitfire raised her arms, firing blindly into the open. “Keep up the pressure!”

Soarin raised his body, sitting on his haunches and resting his rifle on the piece of cover, keeping his head low and level with the sights of his firearm. As he and everypony else found out rather quickly, these ponies they were fighting were unbearably predictable and headstrong. Running in and out of cover, as though trying to intimidate the ponies and griffons set up behind a barricade of wood and charred metal.

Unfortunately for them, Fleetfoot’s machine gun made short work of their faulty tactic, the mare setting herself up in the middle of the barricade, laying prone atop the bulky automotive wagon. It would not have been Soarin’s first choice, but most of the unicorns hesitating before firing and someone else, probably in an attempt to keep whatever was inside the sealed metal doors of the remaining convoy vehicle safe and intact.

Despite the barrier created in the moments before the second wave, taking away most of what could be used as cover by the opposition, they still came, hiding behind magic barriers supplied by weaker and skinnier unicorns while their bulky and armored counterparts stood tall and approached mercilessly, walking past their fallen allies, even going so far as to use their limp bodies as a kind of cover. It was unsettling to Soarin, that these ponies had such disrespect and disregard for their dead.

Bratatatatat!

Soarin’s bullets started to crack the arcane shield sheltering three ponies as they rushed forward, horns charging. Soarin set his sights on the pony manifesting and maintaining the curved shield. There had to be an easier way to burst through that shield. Without Spice’s sniper support to take down the shieldbearers, cracking through their thick walls of transparent red magic would keep them coming farther than Soarin was comfortable with.

“Damn!” Soarin shouted, his ear grazed by the searing hot bolt of magic. He lifted a hoof up, a small trickle of blood running down the exposed burning flesh. Spitfire cast Soarin a quick glance. “I’m fine. Hit my ear, I’ll live.”

Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka!

“Enemy shields down!” Fleetfoot shouted.

“Focus fire!” Arthur commanded.

Papoom! Bratatatat! Papoom! Dakka! Dakka!

The unicorns frantically galloped, running in vain as the bullets tore through their flesh and punctured their bodies. Even in the midst of their zig-zags, Fleetfoot’s heavy chaingun fire made short work of them and the last group of unicorns behind their now shattered barriers.

Bratatat!

Before the unicorn had a chance to put the shield back up, his head whipped back and body fell limp, thudding sickeningly against the cracked cobblestone.

Papoom! Bratatat!

Despite the quiet, Soarin’s ears were ringing, breaths coming out slow and steady, moisturizing his visor slightly. He scanned the street for movement.

No such luck, thankfully.

“Area all clear Commander,” Spitfire said. She kicked the body before her. “Unless our girls in the sky see anything?”

“All clear,” Vapour Trail answered. “We’ll continue a routine scan of the area just to be sure. If you can, there are griffons at the dock who can use some medical support.”

“Negative,” Twilight interjected. “Night Glider, I need you to meet with Blaze and Midnight Spice for immediate medical extraction. Her vitals are stable for now, but I we need her back ASAP. Spitfire, Fleetfoot and Soarin will stay and help secure the convoy until the councilor’s cleanup crews arrive. Until then, we’ll have medical crews on standby here at HQ.”

“Yes ma’am.” Spitfire nodded.

Soarin walked further down the road, feeling it safe enough to walk out in the open. Spitfire covered his back, whipping her rifle down alleyways and trained on the many windows overlooking the group of pegasi and griffons. Soarin nudged the bodies on the ground with a rough kick. Even with bullets to the brain, courtesy of Midnight Spice, Soarin gave them a harsh shove. He continued down the road, repeating the process.

“Can’t believe we’re out here fighting our own now.” Soarin whispered to Spitfire. “We were supposed to be keepin’ ponies safe, not killing them.”

“I don’t know.” Spitfire sighed. She looked down at the bodies, the massing blood on the ground causing her to physically shudder. “The aliens gotta be involved somehow.”

“The whole thing is messed up,” Fleetfoot said, landing beside Soarin. “Doesn’t matter though. You saw all those innocent griffons when we got here. It’s not just ponies we’re protecting guys. It’s innocents in general.”

“Yeah, but—”

Soarin stopped, cut off by the coughing and sputtering unicorn below him. “Well would you look at that.”

The beige unicorn’s horn was cracked down the middle, the magic he attempted to manifest leaving and diffusing in the air. The bandana around his neck hardly covered his bleeding muzzle, soaking in the crimson liquids seeping from his nose. Despite the smooth armor, seemingly built around him, several holes punctured his body and slowly oozed blood. His body twitched, but he was alive, and his eyes set on the convoy, disregarding the ponies looking down at his pathetic body.

Soarin kicked the stallion on his side, eliciting a grunt and wheezing coughs from the beige unicorn. He kept his rifle slung around his neck, R.A.A.G.S. reaching down to the holster on his leg, raising the small pistol at the unicorn.

“Wait!” Twilight ordered. “Keep him alive. I want...him...Soarin, would you mind giving me a look at that cutie mark?”

Soarin lowered his head, helmet camera up close to the patch of burnt flesh on the stallion’s flank. A scarlet hexagon with an eye directly in the middle. Or at least, Soarin assumed it to be an eye; A circle with a thin crescent above it. Magically etched onto the pony’s skin and hair. Soarin could hardly make out the ruby cutie mark underneath the markings. Whoever these ponies were, the initiation to their cause must have been an indoctrinated nightmare. At least that was what Soarin thought.

All around him, each fallen unicorn held the same mark on their flanks.

“I know that mark.” Twilight muttered. “Shining Armor; Solemn Vigil to the interrogation room. Now.”

Chapter 12: Solemn Hour

Solemn pushed her hooves against the ground, resisting in vain as Rime pushed her forward against the seemingly frictionless floors of the rear Engineering hallway storeroom. The low buzz of the machinery roared down the hall where ponies had just watched as Rime continuously pushed and shoved Solemn towards the rear end of the facility.

“Dammit Rime!” Solemn growled. “Cut it out, would you? What the hell are you doing?”

“It’s for your own good!” Rime shouted, giving Solemn a shove down the hall. The rear room was mere meters behind Solemn, sealed off and closed. “I swear, this is for a good reason! You have to believe me!”

Solemn shook her head, horn glowing and enveloping Rime Runner, panic in her eyes and panting restlessly. She looked around, struggling to move her body and gritting her teeth in futile efforts to continue doing Celestia-knows-what with Solemn. She looked behind her, struggling to turn her head and grunting with every ounce of resistance Solemn’s magic put up. Her eyes returned to Solemn’s, glancing past her head and struggling to break free of the magic surrounding her.

“Please!” she cried. “C’mon, Solemn, we need to get you someplace safe!”

“We are safe,” Solemn groaned, pressing a hoof against the bridge of her muzzle. “What’s gotten into you? Could you just tell me what’s going on?”

“Security is looking for you.” Rime explained between breaths and grunts. Solemn’s ears fell flat. She felt her grip loosen on her friend. “I don’t know what they want, I don’t know what they’re gonna do, but it is definitely you they’re looking for.”

Rime pushed forward, shattering Solemn’s magic barrier and continuing to shove and push the blue mare onwards to the rear of the facility. Solemn was split between fighting Rime and turning herself in, or going with whatever it was Rime had planned for her. Given the brute strength the grey mare possessed, there was only one thing Solemn could actually do. Wouldn’t hurt to try to talk her out of it.

“Look,” Solemn tried. “Don’t you think there’ll be less of a problem if I go willingly?”

Rime shook her head. “I don’t know. They’re out in force, Solemn. Please, just go to your mother!”

“You realize they could just look at the surveillance systems right?”

Rime grit her teeth, shaking her head. The soft beating of hooves came from around the corner of the corridor, vying for Rime’s attention. Out of instinct, Solemn’s body moved backwards on its own volition, subconsciously doing what Rime had wanted. Her rump pressed against the cold steel sliding doors, tucking her tail between her legs as the guards simply walked around the corner. Shining Armor led them, haggard and, at best, slightly annoyed. Solemn tried not to think about how long they had been looking for her.

“I’ll just—” Solemn began.

Rime had already begun moving; pressing a hoof against the control panel, allowing the door to slide open and for Solemn to fall on her haunches inside. With no more than a quick glance, Rime turned and mouthed ‘sorry’ before she pressed her hoof against the control panel and the door closed right in front of Solemn’s muzzle.

“Rime,” Shining Armor sighed. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do. We just need you to—”

“No!”

“What’s going on?” Overnight cocked her head. Her magic gently laid a set of spare materials in a cart, ready for the next foremare’s shift.

“I don’t know.” Solemn shrugged, frustrated. She shook her head. “She never pulls a stunt like that. She practically dragged me all the way over here!”

“Rime, stand down, that is an order!” Shining Armor shouted. Solemn backed away from the door. “The Commander wants the two of them now!”

“She’s not a threat!” Rime breathed heavily. “I swear on my mother she’s not! She has nothing to do with those ponies up there!”

“What is she talking about?” Overnight stepped closer, worry wearing on her face. “Solemn, what did you do?”

“I don’t know what they’re talking about.” Solemn said. She pressed her ear against the door, using a hoof to block the noise in her other. The steel was cold against her hair and skin.

“Corporal Rime Runner,” Shining Armor voiced sternly. “I am ordering you to step away from the door control panel. Move, or the security officers will open fire and you will be confined to sublevel C Seventeen until you are deemed fit to return to action.”

“Rime?” Solemn pounded on the door. “Rime! Dammit open the door! I’ll come willingly, just don’t hurt her!”

There was no response, her pleas seemingly falling on deaf ears. Solemn pressed a hoof against the door control pad, trotting jittery in place. A flash of red washed over her hoof, the word denied glowing above. Solemn shook her head, furrowed her brow and tried again, pressing her hoof against the pad, desperately, watching the door for any sign of movement. Denied. She tried again. Denied.

Again.

Denied.

“Dammit!” Solemn punched her hoof against the pad, breathing heavy and pacing in anticipation. “Rime! I’ll be okay, just open the door and let me do this on my own!”

“I-I can’t.” Rime said. “I promised her mom I’d keep her safe and I’ll be damned if I don’t keep good on that promise.”

“Solemn…” Overnight said, holding a hoof up to her mouth. Solemn turned, reading the worry and lack of understanding on her mother’s face. Her eyes sullenly scanned Solemn, as if she were somepony else entirely. Overnight trembled, extending a hoof. “Solemn, what did you do?”

“I-I...I don’t know.” Solemn answered softly. She sat on her haunches, grasping her mother’s hoof in her own and pressing at to her chest. “Mom, I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize this. I’ll just go with them and I’ll explain...whatever...whatever they want.”

Overnight’s lips quivered, but she nodded, taking her hoof back and blinking back worried tears. She gulped and continued to nod. “O-okay.”

“...whatever the case, she might be a conspirator with those ponies out there. Twilight wants them for questioning and nothing more.”

Rime was silent, possibly mulling over the situation in her head. Solemn wished she could be out there with her; reassure her that everything would be okay and that it was just a simple interrogation. That was all it had to be right? Solemn had done nothing wrong as far as she was aware. She had already been on her way to see her mother before in Engineering time and time again, and nopony seemed to have a problem with that. She hardly spoke to anypony besides those in Fireteam Valor, sans Cherry since he’d been hanging with his usual crowd and others.

Solemn tried to make heads and tails of it. Who else do I talk to? Aegis, Swift, Lone, Rime, Mom, Applejack whenever the situation warrants. I don’t know anypony else very well. Who, Solemn, who?!

The blue mare rested her head against the door, harshly. There was nopony she could think of, why was there nopony she could think of? Solemn cursed under her breath, trying to understand.

“I…” Rime sighed. “I don’t know sir. I can’t let you hurt her. I can’t let you take her away. She is completely innocent. I know she is! Please sir, you don’t have to do this.”

“Commander’s orders.” Shining Armor never backed down. Solemn tried again to get the door open in vain. She would never have thought Rime Runner of all ponies to have been the one to lock her in any room. “I understand that she’s your friend Corporal, but I can promise you that no harm will come to her. The more you keep this up, the more the suspicion will grow against her. You, of all ponies here, want to keep her safe. Trust me when I say that releasing her from that room will guarantee that safety.”

“Out of the way.” It was Aegis! Solemn felt a burden lift from her back. She let out a sigh of relief; thankful for his timely arrival. “Bring her to the interrogation room; as if a pony like her needs detainment.”

Ouch.

“I’ll talk to her in there. You’ve got surveillance systems in there anyway. Out of the way Rime.”

There was another bout of silence between the ponies. Solemn took her head and body away from the door, feeling the tight grip of her mother as she backed away. Solemn placed a gentle hoof over her mother’s protective hug, feeling the old mare’s muscles tightening and still barely trembling. The door controls flickered for a moment and the doors slid open with a hiss.

Aegis stood, stoic and calm, collected and formal. His mane had been carefully brushed over, the hue of blue partially blending into the soft blue reflections against the metal walls. Behind him stood Shining Armor, and four other security officers, each one clad in padded black jackets and holding long barreled rifles, though not like those that would have been used on the field. They were far too simple and small. There was no magazines loaded into them. Solemn wagered they were full of some kind of tranquilizer darts. Twilight always promoted the well-being of those under her command.

Aegis turned his head slightly. “I hope you don’t mind, but for comfortability sake, I’ll shut the door behind me.”

His horn glowed, Shining Armor’s horn glowing as well. “Don’t worry Captain. Just in case you want in on the conversation.”

“With all due respect Aegis, Twilight wants to question her personally.”

“And she will,” Aegis nodded his head, rolling his eyes. “First, I’m sure after Rimes stunt, she’ll need a bit of reassurance. Just give me a few minutes.”

The stallion walked in further, Shining Armor ready to raise his voice in protest behind him. Aegis pressed a hoof against the door’s control panel, paying no mind while it slid and hissed shut. He hung his head low, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

“With that out of the way,” Aegis faced the two mares, Overnight still carefully protecting Solemn with her tight grasp. “You two can relax now.”

“Captain?” Overnight slowly eased her grip off of Solemn. “Could you tell us what’s going on? Why do they want Solemn? What happened? Did she do something wrong? Did she—”

“Relax,” Aegis ordered. The two mares complied to the best of their abilities, Overnight’s body weakly holding herself up and Solemn’s mind meandering and still trying to put the puzzle of her folly together, still trying to uncover, in her mind, what had gotten everypony so paranoid as to make her the target of such an investigation. “Please. Look, I wanna help.”

“What’s going on?” Solemn asked.

“I’m not gonna sugarcoat it for you,” Aegis said simply. “It’s looking bad for you guys out there. Especially you, Solemn. Can thank that cutie mark of yours.”

She recoiled out of impulse more than anything else. She was fully aware her situation was grim. However, she still held on to a small parcel of hope that she was not too deep in whatever mess she was in now.

“What does my cutie mark have to do with anything?”

Aegis paused, tilting his head to the side before reengaging eye contact with Solemn. “Your mark there was the same one found on a group of ponies who attacked a griffon convoy no more than twenty minutes ago. Innocent civilians were killed by these ponies and the Wonderbolts had to put them down.”

Solemn’s chest tightened. She looked back at the marks on her flank. The only hint of red on her body; the eye overlooking a small white star, entrapped in a bordered hexagon. Other ponies with her cutie mark? Could that even be possible? Oh Celestia, no wonder Rime was so panicked.

Her eyes met her mother’s. Overnight’s eyes darted, looking at Solemn’s and dancing between her cutie mark and Aegis.

“How did Rime find out?” Solemn questioned. “How did you?”

“Hell if I know how she found out. As for me, the Commander asked for help trying to convince you two to go with the security team peacefully. She doesn’t want violence. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that, but trust goes both ways, you know how it is.”

Solemn nodded her head. Despite not wanting violence, she did not get that feeling from the team standing outside of the doors and standing at the ready with their rifles.

“As of now, Twilight is investigating the matter personally,” Aegis continued. Solemn’s chest felt compressed, ready to burst in on itself and collapse completely. The stallion stepped closer. “Trying to anyway. Think of this as a kind of heads up. I know things seem pretty bad right now, but I’ve known you two for a while. I vouched for you, Solemn, and I’ve known Captain Armor for a long time. If his sister is anything like him, then she’ll be fair, understanding, and completely just in whatever she decides to do with you resulting from her...interview.”

Solemn fell on her haunches, running her hooves through her messy mane and shutting her eyes tight. The situation was grim. Dire at best. Even if she managed to explain...whatever Twilight wanted, Solemn doubted she would be allowed to return to her daily way of life in Harmony Headquarters. She feared even more for her mother. She was a sweet mare and in no way, shape, or form should she be punished for anything Solemn had done wrong.

She tried to think. Was it even possible for a pony to share cutie marks with another? Solemn tried to make sense of it. Of course, given the amount of ponies in Equestria and the rest of the world, the chances were slim at best, but Solemn would not have ruled it out entirely. But the way Aegis explained it, there was a group of them. All with the same cutie marks. Solemn’s cutie mark.

She tried to recount the days of her youth, when she was a blank flank. How had she gotten her cutie mark? She saw school grounds, playgrounds, the city streets, all popular locations from her childhood; typically ones where Rime had not needed to tell off bullies and pretty much defend her for most of the time the two spent together. Her flank was bare in most memories, lacking the cutie mark of the hour.

“The ponies out there must think I’m evil or just completely working against them.” Solemn said, opening her eyes and struggling to keep eye contact with Aegis. “For all I know, they could be right! I don’t even know what the hell this mark means! I just...remember waking up one morning and there it was. I couldn’t even tell them if I wanted to.”

Aegis was quiet for a second. His expression softened and he straightened his form. “Y’know, in Canterlot there’s this old saying. ‘There’s no such thing as an evil pony. They’re just ponies who have lost their way’.

“You know, Luna wasn’t exactly evil when she turned into Nightmare Moon,” Aegis continued. “It was the jealousy that made her lose her way. Sure, many would argue she was. Her actions were selfish and she had nearly killed Celestia, but corruption is very different from being innately evil. The night we met, for example. I could tell just by looking you, those ponies you killed...you didn’t want that. Hell, you practically said it yourself. A mare like you? Not evil and still following her way.”

“She’s a good girl!” Overnight stepped forward. “She’s never done anypony any harm on purpose! She-she-she’d never put us on the line. She’s—”

“She’s innocent.” Aegis said simply, shifting about. “I know, I’ve heard it already ma’am; from Rime, to the fact that both of you are acting this way. The point is, no matter how the ponies out there see you, no matter how you see yourself, there is no true evil in Equestria. Believe me.”

“Sir?” Solemn asked. “Why are you telling us this?”

“Because there’s nothing I can say to Shining Armor nor Commander Sparkle that can sway their opinions on what to do with you, whatever it is they want to do.” Aegis explained plainly. “But what I can do, is at least try to ease the panic Rime just put you through. For what it's worth, I’ll have something for her to do because of this little stunt. Anyway, I just need you to know, I can’t bail you out of this one.”

Solemn let out a puff of air, shaking her head and slumping her body in disappointment. That much, she was completely aware of. There was not a single thing she could do. Run? Even if she managed to find a way out of the base besides the hangars, then ponies would be on her tail the whole way. That, and her mother would be in no condition to endure such an arduous challenge. Hide? Rime already proved how futile that would work.

Just go peacefully with security as to not promote anymore suspicion against her? Arguably, that was the best and only option Solemn could see. Her fate and the fate of her mother was in the hooves of Twilight Sparkle. Whether she was angry or scared or just overall confused remains to be seen. Given the security force gathered outside of the engineering storeroom, it may have been a culmination of all three. They were, in fact, possibly armed with tranquilizer guns.

Just in case the nervous mare and her frail, partially handicapped mother tried to resist.

It was a bit toss at this point. There was no other choice besides coming in peacefully or having to be dragged into the interrogation facility. Solemn cursed under her breath. Aegis turned around, ears twitching and horn flickering. He whispered and nodded his head, looking back at Solemn with an odd kind of discomfort.

“Am I supposed to be okay with this?” Solemn snapped. "Just let them take me and keep me caged up until the war is over? I came here to serve Equestria, to...to deliver justice for ponies against the aliens! Isn't that enough? Am I really supposed to be okay with having this happen?"

“No,” Aegis narrowed his eyes, twisting his head back towards her, glowering. “You’re supposed to be dragged off to Celestia-knows where in the base, possibly detained, with minimal connection to friends until the situation blows over or until they decided you’re too dangerous to be kept around on the surface before completely branding you a prisoner without so much as a complaint!”

He turned his whole body, approaching the mare. “I don’t know what more you could ask for, kid. I don’t know what I can do for you. Instead of keeping you in a cage, I’d put you on a short leash. A very short one. You ought to be grateful that they’d even let you out on operations with us, if they’d let you. At least a ‘thank you for trying’ would have been nice, because the way I see it; me putting myself on the line for you and you having to deal with Commander Sparkle is getting off easy, even if you are gonna be missing in action for a while.”

Solemn averted her eyes, hoping to keep herself sheltered from Aegis’s glare. He pressed his hoof to the door panel and trotted off without another word, not doing so much as huffing or puffing out of restrained anger or frustration. He muttered something to Shining Armor, who nodded solemnly and trained his eyes on Solemn, letting out a sigh. She released a one of her own, overshadowed by her mother’s gasp for air, looking at her daughter with the utmost terror.

She looked pale, the violet hue drained from her face. The looming shadow of guilt and misunderstanding loomed over the two of them, threatening to consume the both of them. The questions consistently flowing through their heads remained hidden, tucked away behind pursed lips. Overnight inched slowly towards the door, Solemn taking one of her hooves, much like she would when she was a filly.

As Solemn guided her mother towards the relaxed security officers, she cast a soft glance to Rime, eyes glued to the floor and face oozing regret. She leaned against the wall, forehooves crossed and deep in thought.

“Rime,” Solemn spoke out softly. The grey mare snapped from her trance and raised her head slightly, ears flicking. “I just…”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Her eyes were tired, wet as a result of what she had undoubtedly considered a failure. “I tried, Solemn, I really did.”

Solemn released her grip from her mother and put a gentle hoof on her friend’s cheek, wiping a stray tear coming down. “Thank you. That’s all that matters to me.”

“Ms. Vigil,” Shining Armor said. “I’m sorry, but we need to go. I was supposed to have you prepped for interrogation twenty minutes ago. I swear to all of you, as Celestia as my witness, you and your daughter will not be harmed. That isn’t my way, nor is it Twilight’s. Please, I need you to believe me.”

Chapter 13: Isolation

“Solemn?”

The mare’s head shot up from her thoughts.

“I-I’m sorry Commander.”

Twilight looked down at the poor mare, obviously unable to completely grasp the severity of the situation. And the situation itself. Solemn Vigil was a good soldier, one who Twilight likened to Fluttershy, if she had the stomach for violence. It pained her to have to see such talent go to waste because of nothing more than suspicion. It was especially painful to see the makeshift apparatus locked around her horn and the glowing rune encased in a small locking mechanism.

It was degrading and morally reprehensible in Twilight’s eyes; to have fear of sabotage or espionage make a pony resort to something so barbaric. The fact that she had one of the engineers whip it up in less than an hour because she was trying to keep conditions in her favor may have been seen as overkill in most ponies’ eyes, but for now, it was completely necessary and Twilight had to seem confident with her own decision.

But even if it all was a little suspicious, Twilight was not taking any chances. It was too big of a coincidence that other ponies had branded themselves with insignias mirroring Solemn Vigil’s cutie mark. Could she be the mastermind behind a force meant to thwart The Harmony Initiative during a time of unrest and panic? The chances were low, but there was still a chance, nonetheless. So far, Twilight had yet to decide how to deal with Solemn and her mother.

Of all the things that happened in the past three hours, that had to be the one thing that made her sick to her stomach. It was bad enough to have a friendly soldier detained, but it was even worse to have her mother detained as well, especially one who had seemed so caring and maternal to everypony, not just her daughter. Almost out of habit, Twilight tried to put herself in Solemn’s shoes. Would she be any different in that position?

At least neither were in the real interrogation chamber. That spot was reserved for the surviving member of the convoy attack. There were many ways the scientists and Starlight Glimmer had designed the facility to make a prisoner talk. But that was exactly the problem. Solemn and Overnight Vigil were both soldiers under Twilight’s command. To just throw them in the chamber and have them tortured...

Twilight cleared her throat. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to get this over with as soon as possible.”

Solemn remained silent, looking up at the alicorn from the rim of her worried brow. Twilight’s horn glowed, casting a short bolt of magic towards Solemn, the small orb diffusing along the surface of her coat and mane. Twilight gave much thought as to how she was going to question Solemn in the time Shining spent trying to get her and her mother down to the sublevels of the base. Shining suggested the silent treatment for Overnight and possibly even the same for Solemn, but Twilight thought against it.

“Just a precaution.” Twilight said in the friendliest tone she could possibly muster. “I don’t expect you to be a liar in the slightest, but...well, the world has a funny way of proving my previous preconceptions wrong.”

“Yeah, me too.” Solemn said simply, hanging her head lower.

“So,” Twilight spoke, trying to ignore that last comment. “You were born and raised in Manehattan, correct?”

“I was,” Solemn answered. “Downtown area. Where the invasion started.”

Her form glowed a soft blue, Twilight feeling a slight tinge of relief at the sight. It was a visual cue for Twilight; Solemn would not notice, of course. It was for Twilight’s eyes only. “I see. Your file said you use pretty adept level magic from time to time. Did Overnight teach you all of it?”

“She taught me the basics really. Mom was always pretty busy with her job. I stuck to reading books when I wasn’t with Rime or May. I learned a lot of the magic I know by myself.”

Twilight waited a moment for the spell to process the information, content when the spell made the mare softly glowed a light blue. “I’m more or less a self taught unicorn myself. My mom helped where she could, but she could only help so much. Speaking of...I’ve heard a lot about your mother. She...seems like a nice mare. Reminds me a lot of my own. However, none of your records say anything about your father.”

“My dad…” Solemn paused, pushing her glasses up her muzzle and sighed. “He wasn’t around much when I was younger. Mom doesn’t talk about him a lot. I’ve...never really questioned it. I figured that if he wanted to stay with us he would’ve.”

Twilight waited again, making a mental note for herself. Again, it was the truth. “Is there anything at all that you remember about him?”

Solemn shook her head. “I was too young to even remember what he looked like. At least, I think. I don’t know.”

The aura of magic around her flashed yellow. A partial truth. Something was missing. Another mental note was made, causing a slight stir of worry to brew inside Twilight’s mind.

It was not common for a family to divide in Equestria, at least, to the best of Twilight’s knowledge. A nation founded on the ideas of love and friendship and carrying traditions which valued those very things would spread among the population like a good natured plague. Even on the advent of advancing technology, ponies still found the time to love and care for one another and families all around were no exceptions.

I suppose it wouldn’t be farfetched for a pony to just stop loving their significant other. The thought did not sit well with Twilight, but the idea was not all too foreign to her. Perhaps there was a limit to how much a pony could bear of the same surroundings and even ponies themselves. Twilight could not adequately imagine it, but she ruled it as a possibility. Love was not exactly her specialty.

“Okay, moving on.” Twilight said. “Your time in Manehattan. I’ve read over the extended interview Moondancer had with you. Simple childhood, very few friends, but overall very good natured. Of all the things I’ve read, none could tell me anything about your cutie mark. How did you get it?”

Solemn pursed her lips, looking away, towards the walls. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Twilight looked at the mare, confused. “Getting a cutie mark is one of the most important things that can happen to a pony. I’m sure you know how you got it. It’ll be easier to just tell me now, Solemn. You want your name cleared, right?”

Solemn shut her eyes and sighed again. She looked up at Twilight, mouth open. “I don’t know Commander. I’ve thought about it for so long now, and every time, all I can remember is just...waking up! It was there and mom congratulated me. I’ve just chalked it up to signifying my perception or something similar. My whole life, I never questioned it. It just felt...wrong to doubt fate like that.”

Again, she flashed a darkening yellow. Twilight narrowed her eyes. There had to be something that she knew. The lie detection spell never failed Twilight, and given Solemn’s inability to use magic, there was no way that she had counteracted the spell in the slightest. Clearly, there was a level of magic done on the mare that even she did not know about. To have to go digging into memories was not only a breach of privacy, but far too much work to go through just based on suspicion.

But for all Twilight knew, Solemn did know a way to counteract her spell, as unlikely as it was. Whatever would have been the case, Twilight was not satisfied. She wanted to believe Solemn was innocent, but so far, the evidence, or lack thereof was stacked against her.

Solemn looked up, over the rim of her glasses and under the bangs of her mane as though trying to assess the level of punishment based on Twilight’s demeanor. The alicorn tried to remain steadfast, tall, straight, and refraining from showing any emotion on her face. Truth be told, Twilight did not have much of a plan. She had hoped, desperately, that Solemn could prove herself, that the questioning would have turned in her favor. Now, Twilight was lost.

She looked around the room; a small chamber, probably bigger than a closet by a few square feet, but big enough for a pony to stay in, should there be a cot or a bed. There was already a small table separating Twilight from Solemn Vigil, one that, if shifted over to the farthest wall, could act as a desk, with a lamp for late night reading. Glancing around some more, Twilight grimaced. There was not much that could have been done to the room. Perhaps a few modifications and the room could be retrofitted into a simple containment cell for Solemn, and the same could be done to another room for Overnight.

“I’ve thought it over a thousand times in my mind,” Twilight said, Solemn turning her head and looking up at her with a pleading look. “I want to respect the privacy of all of my soldiers...but after the last mission...I’m sorry Vigil, but somehow, we need to dig a little deep in your memories. Furthermore, I...I’m going to have to place you under containment for the time being.”

Solemn turned pale, eyes shrinking. “W-wasn’t my word good enough? You placed a lie detection spell, I passed, right? I-I’m not a spy! I swear, I don’t know what more I can do to prove that!”

“What you can do,” Twilight said, raising a hoof. “Is allow Princess Luna to...explore. I don’t quite like the idea as much as you do, but I see no other option. Whatever results she yields will determine what will be done with you moving forward. For now, I’m sorry to say, but you and your mother will remain here in sublevel C for the time being. Security will watch over you for the time being, until we can get a proper holding cell, with accommodations that should make things at least a little more comfortable.”

“What? N-no! I have nothing to do with those damned ponies! I’ve done nothing wrong Commander, as has my mother! She...She can’t even hurt anypony in here! Just because those ponies branded themselves with my cutie mark doesn’t make me a part of whatever thing they’ve got going on!”

“A mare is dying in the emergency room as we speak because of these ponies! She may not even be able to see out of her right eye again because of what happened! It does matter that they have your cutie mark branded on their flanks, Vigil! You wouldn’t be here if that weren’t the case!”

Solemn brought her face down, hanging her head low and letting her ears flop against her head. Twilight composed herself, releasing a sigh of exhaustion.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized once again. “But as it stands, we’re in a tight spot. Ponies working against us, each with your cutie mark practically branded on their flanks. We’ve gotten lucky so far, just being able to get one back here. I don’t want to have to do this to you, I really don’t.”

“I’m sorry Commander.” Solemn continued to stare down at her hooves. “I...I swear, I’m innocent. I don’t know anything. I’m sorry that...whoever is in bad shape, but I can’t take responsibility for that. I know nothing, Commander.”

She was still outlined in yellow, much to Twilight’s dismay. “We need to be sure. Solemn, I’m sorry, but both you and your mother will have to stay down here until Princess Luna can visit you in your dreams. I would do it myself, but I’m nowhere near capable of performing that kind of magic.”

“But…” Solemn raised a forehoof, lowering it a moment afterwards and hanging her head in defeat. “I understand.”

She can’t remember? Maybe somepony isn’t allowing her to remember. A memory block spell perhaps? Could somepony even do that? A Fiducia Compelus spell maybe? No, she’s too...herself for that.

Twilight stopped at the doorway, turning to face Solemn. “Has anypony, besides those who interviewed you to join our ranks, cast a memory wipe spell on you? Or by chance a Fiducia Compelus spell?”

“N-no.” Solemn shook her head. Yellow surrounded the mare, fluctuating between the neon color and a deeper, darker shade of orange. “I don’t know about the other thing. I’ve never even heard of that spell.”

“I see. I’ll have security escort you to a new chamber with your mother within the hour. I’m sorry.” Twilight sighed and turned away as the door slid to a close behind her. The two security officers stood still and rigid beside the doorway of the wide hallway, despite Twilight’s presence. She was thankful they were a little on the loose side of things, not bringing their hooves up for a salute when she passed.

“Get everythin’ y’want outta her?” Applejack asked, her voice like salt on a festering wound.

“Not exactly,” Twilight admitted in a low whisper. She did not need to look up to know that Applejack was giving her the infamous scowl of disapproval. “She’s….I need Luna’s help. Something isn’t right. She says she can’t remember much, yet, my spell is caught in the middle. I’d wager the memories are there, but she just has no access to them. Somepony’s been tampering with her head.”

“Twi,” Applejack stepped closer, following Twilight down the corridor, passing concerned a small set of concerned staff being sectioned off by security. “Are ya sure this is really what you wanna do?”

“Would you rather have me toss the two of them in Sky Lance’s little nuthouse? At least keeping them out of there ensures they won’t be harmed. I know you don’t agree with this Applejack, but I need you to understand that I’m trying my best to keep everypony in here safe.”

“Everypony in here huh?” Applejack slowed her pace before stopping completely, causing Twilight to turn around. The orange earth pony rubbed the pink cloth wrapped around her upper left forehoof. Twilight hated when she did that. Just another grim reminder of the last time the Elements tried to keep loved ones safe and failed. “Beggin’ yer pardon, but you just put an old mare and her daughter in what may as well be prison.”

“Please,” Twilight rubbed a temple with the flat of her hoof. “Applejack, I’m...trying my best here. Just give it until Luna speaks with the two of them. Afterwards, we’ll see about what we can do with them. Trust me, they’re safer here than they are in the interrogation lab. For now, I need a moment with Overnight.”

Although clearly disgruntled and not at all pleased, Applejack nodded and shifted her lips, hoof still rubbing the band of fabric around her hoof.

***

The balcony overlooking Canterlot held a perfect view of the city and the castle, the divide between the two different social classes very apparent from the top of EBD Headquarters. It was a sight Moondancer had seldom been granted the pleasure of seeing, but when she did, like many of the grand visages around the tower, she enjoyed every second of it. The view from Blueblood’s office was pleasant, but foreboding in a strange way. The single lamp on his wooden desk only illuminated a small radius of the large room. Despite the darkness, Moondancer often felt a wave of relaxation whenever she entered the office.

Especially now that the invasion seemed to be lowering in intensity. So far, there was no news regarding the aliens since Equestria had declared a state of war and the news that was heard only pertained to unidentified objects in the sky by pegasi all across the nation. Moondancer would have been a fool to believe that the aliens had vanished a month after what they had done in the month prior. If anything they were planning something big. Something huge to shock the world more than they had initially done.

“Administrator,” Moondancer bowed her head, out of habit. The stallion prince had has back turned, leaning both forhooves atop the marble railing of the balcony. His dirty blond mane flowed freely as the mountaintop winds rushed through the night, glistening perfectly underneath the radiant shine of the moon.

He turned his head slightly. “Moondancer. I trust your excursion to Manehattan proved worthwhile?”

“Not quite,” Moondancer admitted stopping herself at the entryway to the balcony. “I don’t exactly know what I was expecting to find. All we have now is speculation and theories. Obviously, that won’t do us much good in the long run.”

Blueblood was silent. Although she could not see his face, Moondancer could tell that he was frowning, displeased that another possible lead turned out to get The Bureau nowhere. Everywhere they turned, it seemed that the aliens were covering up their tracks or Luna ordered the Royal Guard to handle the situation. By the time any EBD agents—connected to The Initiative or not—arrived at the scene, operations had to be conducted swiftly and without taking enough time to examine the affected area.

After releasing a sigh, Administrator Blueblood eased his body off of the railing and leaned his side against it instead. “And here I thought you would have found something of importance there. No offense.”

“None taken,” Moondancer replied. “I was hoping to find something correlating what happened in Manehattan to the Spring’s Gift Abductions. That and I doubt the doctors in the hospital would have put in the proper report on the matter to both you and the princesses.”

Blueblood gave a slight nod. “Yes, the report was rather detailed in comparison to Doctor...The Doctor. Whatever the case, we still have a job left to do. I trust you scheduled my appointment with Jade Dream for next week?”

“Of course. I also reminded him to pack all of his documents beforehand. We don’t want to repeat our last meeting with him.”

“Quite an aloof stallion for one of such a high position in Canterlot’s nobility. No matter. Unfortunately, Canterlot’s defense takes priority over all other locations in Equestria. Should the invaders try to claim Canterlot, the city needs to be ready. A shelter system deep inside the mountain would prove useful to the citizens, wouldn’t you agree?”

The Administrator turned his head, awaiting Moondancer’s response. “I’d assume the defense of Equestria as a whole would take priority over all else. What good is Canterlot if it's the last bastion of ponykind?”

“What good is Equestria without leaders ready to do whatever it takes to keep her safe? Assuming Celestia and Luna fell, by royal decree, it would be the EBD’s job to maintain peace and order among the population.”

“Kinda contradicting don’t you think? EBD has multiple hubs all over Equestria. Blueblood Tower in Manehattan is a sterling example. I’ve never been inside personally, but everypony knows it’s just a fancier, probably better equipped version of our headquarters here. Either way, if the princesses were to fall, as unlikely as it is, and Canterlot were to be taken, destroyed, or...harvested, operations could easily continue. Protocol Twenty Four would be enacted if you were to be lost in the battle.”

Blueblood looked away, snorting as he chuckled. “And that is why I am glad Luna appointed you under my wing. Metaphorically, of course. I suppose I am contradicting myself.”

Moondancer cast a glance towards the Royal Palace, a sense of foreboding emanating from the grand architecture dating back thousands of years. She hesitated with her decision of spearheading her own base of operations for The Harmony Initiative. Luna was still expecting an answer no doubt. Moondancer felt as though, from her observatory, the princess was watching.

“I just want the ponies of Equestria to be safe.” Blueblood spoke softly, ridding his voice of any hints of nobility and for once, appearing to Moondancer, like a normal pony. “I apologize that your workload remains so...demanding. I’ve tried to keep things fair, but I must admit...things are looking dire. For all of us.”

“I understand,” Moondancer said simply.

“We’re supposed to be keeping the peace,” Blueblood said, gesturing with a forehoof at the city below. “Now we have technologically advanced vigilantes doing the work for us. Do you know how bad that must look? Royal Guards and even the EBD can’t be relied on to keep Equestria safe. Don’t mistake my words for contempt though, I do express my gratitude for those who are willing to put themselves on the line to defend our country. I’m quite surprised that they aren’t all unicorns, if the reports are to be believed. Everypony should have their eyes focused on the impending dangers.

“But would you look at the news! Photo Finish is looking to retire, much to the public’s dismay, business is booming all over Canterlot, Songbird is returning to make her final album, A.K. Yearling is on the cusp of finishing her next book. Everything seems so fine.”

Blueblood stared down at the city, the wind blowing through his mane and his eyes gazing down with forlorn hopelessness, as if a any moment, the city would be reduced to ash and he knew he would be powerless to stop it. “They have no idea what’s coming.”

Moondancer nodded in agreement. “We have hundreds of drills and protocol still being shipped out all across major cities, towns, and settlements. We’ll have to hope that even with those things in mind, the populace will be safe from the invaders.”

The silver stallion let out a soft laugh. “Yes, I suppose hope is something everypony will hold onto. Even us nobles. In times of danger, hope is all we have.”

“On that, we can agree.”

“Moondancer!” Rarity called. The door to the office was wide open, Rarity standing regal and well composed; her back straight and muzzle slightly in the air. Like most of the time she entered Blueblood’s office and saw the stallion, her eyes became stern and cold, a not-so-secret hatred burning for the unicorn. “Administrator. Letter from an old friend, Moondancer.”

The unicorn held a simple parchment envelope, an indigo wax seal keeping the paper from opening. Moondancer’s horn glowed softly, taking the paper in her own magic. She looked over to Blueblood, who gave a silent nod of approval.

“Well,” he sighed, with a hint of a smile leaving his face, returning to his formal demeanor. “That was a nice chat Moondancer. I suppose it’s time for me to return to work. You have the rest of the night to yourself. As well as yourself Rarity.”

***

“Do you mind telling me why that convoy was so important?”

It was a rather bold thing of Twilight to ask of a council member. But it was a rough day, one full of stress and to say the least, very tiring. She had gotten nowhere with both of the Vigils, gaining, more or less, the same responses from both of them, although one clearly more panicked than the other. Questioning Solemn had been rather easy, but her mother was another problem entirely. Never had Twilight ever felt so sick with herself for simply asking questions with a compassionate tone.

Regardless, Overnight most likely had the same spells cast on her as Solemn. The two either had faulty memories, or there was something else at play that Twilight was not able to see. As Twilight stood in Luna’s dream realm, both mares were being held in a retrofitted containment cell. A science office repurposed with a bed and a few tables and books Twilight picked out personally. Not that either of them would read them. Twilight pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the present moment.

“That is none of your concern, Commander Sparkle.” The Griffon answered plainly with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“One of my soldiers nearly died keeping that thing safe!” Twilight hissed. “Ponies tried to kill my soldiers. Ponies! That alone draws some suspicion and the fact that the party involved all harbor the same brand on their flanks that one of my field medics has for a cutie mark. I have a right to know!”

Twilight could not see his face underneath all the shroud and shadow concocted by Luan’s dream magic, but she knew for a fact that The Griffon held a stern glare directed at her. His silent anger surrounded them like an aura, possibly hoping that he could perform some method of damage to Twilight right then and there.

“Last I recall, your job was to protect us all from the alien threat,” The Griffon finally spoke. “You’re not supposed to ask questions Commander Sparkle. You’re supposed to train your soldiers to kill our enemies. A feat, while difficult, you have proved useful.”

“No,” Luna spoke. “She is right. Her job is to exterminate the alien threat. However, ponies with access to transport ships and attacking a small Griffon settlement along the coast is no alien threat nor is it a simple bandit attack. Given Commander Sparkle’s reports, mixed with the captain on the ground, those ponies had exceptional magical ability and were far too coordinated to be the average bandit attack.”

The Griffon scowled from underneath his shrouded face, that much Twilight was certain of. “While that may be the case, every delegate representing their people in this council have their share of secrets.”

“But so far, none more than you,” Luna pointed out. “This council was formed on the concept of trust and mutual defense. A virtue which is waning with every passing moment.”

“Important documents! Military plans, protocols in case the Harmony Initiative didn’t work! Weapons, for the king’s men and the kingdom as a whole, new weapon blueprints, things to help us turn the tide of war. It doesn’t matter, most of it is destroyed now. Shouldn’t we just move on from this and bring our attention to the problems at hand?”

“Those weapons,” Twilight prodded, stepping forward. “What kind of weapons are we talking about here?”

There was a pause.

“We’ve...developed a bomb. Although experimental, we theorize it has the capacity to annihilate a whole city if unleashed against the aliens. As it just so happens, the last vehicle the convoy had left, held said weapons.”

Twilight grit her teeth. “You mean to tell me that not only were my soldier’s lives in jeopardy, but the lives of countless civilians in the area as well?”

“Why weren’t we informed of this sooner.” Luna growled. “Without any location of a base of operations that the invaders may be using, your weapon is pointless.”

“Development of the weapon began months before the invasion.” The Griffon explained. “We didn’t know when we’d need to use it, but apparently the aliens have proven a formidable enemy that we get these weapons in their proper military installations, in the event that things get...dicey. You wished to know, and now you do.”

There was a bout of silence. Twilight gave some thought on the weapon. Capable of destroying a city? Could there even be anything as powerful as that?

“Why develop a weapon like that before the invasion?” Twilight asked. “There’s no reason for something so...unethical to even exist in this day and age.”

“You both know as well as I that The King is rather...untrusting of others outside of the empire. Contingencies needed to be made and defenses needed to be bolstered. In the event that any nation wishes us ill and tries to invade, we would have a counter attack. None of our troops need be sacrificed to teach the opposing side of their follies. Even alicorns would not be safe from the devastation of these explosives.”

“We could easily destroy these bombs of yours before they even reached a city.”

“Be that as it may—” The Griffon sat, back straight like he was on the winning side of the argument. It made Twilight’s blood boil. “—You may cease the destruction of a city, but lives will still be lost. The after effects of the detonation will undoubtedly unleash famine and sickness on the affected land.”

Luna looked away, face twitching, muscles tensing and teeth grit so hard, Twilight thought they would shatter under the sheer force of her rage. “You would design a weapon so...destructive, so devastating...and consider using it against your own allies!? After the atrocities of Manehattan, I thought there was only one group of true monsters in the world. How foolish of me to think that the invaders were the only monsters in our midst.”

“I apologize profusely for the choices others have made, but right now, there is no reason for us to—”

“Begone from our presence!”

Twilight recoiled at the princess’s outburst and the dissipation of The Griffon’s slick, shadowy form. Rain poured from the seemingly clear skies, pelting Twilight’s coat and mane, but not sticking and making her wet in the slightest. She kept her eyes trained on the Princess of The Night, who stood legs spread and body hunched over.

“The nerve of such wretched, untrustworthy, yaldsons!”

Luna huffed, staring in the direction where The Griffon used to be. She breathed heavily, eyes boring into the empty space as she tried to compose herself before Twilight, closing her eyes and breathing roughly through her nostrils.

“Have we not earned their trust!?” Luna shouted again, stomping her hoof against the ground, in perfect unison with the flash of lightning and cracks of thunder. “Have we reverted back to the Dark Age of distrust and deception?”

The blue alicorn opened her eyes, brows furrowed and chest rising and falling vigorously with her intense breathing.

“I’m sorry you have to see us in such an...undesirable state. Truly, our anger is one you do not wish to see. Forgive me, Twilight Sparkle. But I have much to think about.” Luna’s horn glowed a brilliant blue.

“Wait!” Luna stopped, staring at Twilight, with a raised brow. “A soldier of mine, Solemn Vigil, and her mother, Overnight Vigil. I think they may connected to the ponies leading the attack on the convoy. I’ve tried questioning the two myself, but they...I think a spell was placed on them so they can’t access certain memories. I understand that you’re able to access certain parts of the mind. Could you take a look, help prove Solemn and Overnight’s innocence or involvement with those ponies?”

Luna pursed her lips. “I will do as you ask. But another night. I have duties I must attend to for now. I apologize, but for now, We require a moment to ourselves.”

Chapter 14: Breakthroughs and Reports

“If this isn’t the coolest thing you’ve ever seen...” Zeldamar took a moment to marvel at the technological killing machine before her. Sure, it was missing a few pieces of external framing, but the purple glow to the rifle’s crystal priming chamber was stellar, leading to a long, vented rectangle tube where the charged bolt of magic would come speeding through. Thanks to her mystery zebra friend’s advice and the help of the other brilliant minds in the lab, the vented barrel managed to hold griffon, rune imbued glass lenses for better accuracy.

That, and Zeldamar did implement a closed loop liquid cooling system to just for good measure. It was a pain to install, but after days of trial and error, the team managed to make the tubes short enough to stay out of the way for the most part. As proud as she was of the design, it was worth nothing if it did not function properly.

It was fairly early in the morning and quiet down in the Combat Technology facility. Most desks were empty and those that were not held a pony sleeping or writing their own reports on their experiments. The dim lighting reflected the early morning lighting one would find on the surface, although there was no viable way to replicate a sun climbing onto and hovering above the horizon.

“Wow,” Felix cocked his head, rubbing his eyes groggily. “You have a pretty nice piece here. But does it work?”

“That, my grizzled, brute of a friend, is exactly what we’re about to find out.” Zeldamar wiggled her way into the basic R.A.A.G.S. with a smile. She grabbed her coffee, downing half of the mug and setting it down as gently as a sugar and caffeine induced zebra mare possibly could under such a momentous occasion. “Think about it, if I get this to work; that’s like...more pay for my whole team!”

Felix shook his head. “W-wha..do we even have anything to spend that money on besides stuff at the lounge? The fact that we get paid is a little...redundant, don’t you think?”

Kirin frowned. “Well, if this bad colt right here works, it’ll be a pretty nice morale boost. Either way, this thing is definitely a step up from where we were weeks ago.”

“Yeah! C’mon Felix, lighten up! This is gonna be the coolest thing you see all day.”

The burly griffon grunted and walked over to the windows overlooking the shooting range, Kirin following him and giving Zeldamar a reassuring smile. The zebra grabbed the rifle and trotted excitedly down the steps and into the shooting range, the dark walls of the narrow lane brightening up along with her mood. The two lanes stretched down a few meters, each with a target lazily stood at varying distances. Assuming the rifle works without a problem, range should not be an issue.

“Talons crossed?” Zeldamar looked up at the windows where Felix and Kirin stood, overlooking the eager zebra.

“Sure.” Felix nodded simply.

Zeldamar huffed, returning her gaze down the sights of the newly crafted rifle. “You’re no fun Felix.”

“I have a meeting with the team in ten, just show me what you wanna show me.”

“Party pooper,” Kirin muttered, shaking her head with a slight smirk. Felix paid no mind to her comment.

Zeldamar took aim, anxiously, praying to whatever gods or goddesses that could be watching over her at that exact moment. The cardboard dummy awaiting destruction sat at the end of the lane, taunting the zebra with the childish alien decal, smiling and waving a webbed hand. Zeldamar grit her teeth, hearing her own heartbeat and tightened her grip on the rifle.

As she pulled the trigger, a harsh glow grew in intensity deep in the crystal’s chamber, the amethyst gem flowing with magical energy, the gun itself humming with an ever increasing pitch. Zeldamar kept herself under control, her own energy building, anticipating the lavender bolt of hot death that would leave the rifle and scorch the cutout staring stupidly at her down the lane.

Bbvvvvnnnnn…

Chooown!

“It works!” Zeldamar beamed. “Holy hell, it works!”

Even after it met its mark, Zeldamar could still see the trail of violet every time she blinked her eyes, trying to contain her joy and not drop the weapon. The smoke trail led to the burning remains of her cardboard enemy, the rifle venting the excess heat through the openings down the barrel, sending steam around her.

She looked up at Felix, brow raised and smile just barely present on his beak. A smile all the same.

“Well?” Zeldamar awaited his reaction, suppressing her own.

“I think we just gave the aliens a run for their money.” Felix remarked. “Damn fine job. Got another shot ready?”

Zeldamar took aim, a smile spread on her lips and readied the rifle for another successive shot at the closer cutout.

Bbvvvvnnnnn…

Chooown!

“Whooo!” Zeldamar hooted. “Yes! Yesyesyesyes! Take that you piece of xeno filth!”

The zebra hopped in place, whooping and howling in her own excitement. Another cutout lay destroyed, embers still burning and fire crackling down the lanes.

Zeldamar stepped out of the firing range, prototype rifle in hand and a beaming smile on her face. Kirin had shared the pride as well, looking to Felix to see if he had shared their excitement and felt their accomplishment. Zeldamar at least wanted to hear him say—

“Nice work in there Zel.” Felix said with a grin.

Although it may have been the initial excitement, Zeldamar could not help the mixed feeling of pride and appreciation. It was often rare when Felix smiled, let alone gave Zeldamar a compliment. At least, that was how she interpreted his comment. He was always so stern and isolated, but Zeldamar always figured he could use a friend to counteract that seemingly lonely bird.

She gently placed the rifle on the mount on the table, overtop all the experimental design papers and almost knocking over her mug of coffee. She rearranged her pens, pencils and papers out of the way, shooting the occasional glance to the rifle to make sure it would not tip over. The weight distribution posed no problems, but one could never be too sure.

“I gotta head on over to R and AT.” Felix pointed a claw behind him, towards the exit. “Armor fittings and all. Good job Zeldamar.”

“Yeah,” Zeldamar gestured her head towards the work desks. “Got to file a report to the commander. I think she could use some good news after all that’s happened this week.”

As Felix walked away, Zeldamar cast a wide grin to Kirin who frowned and stomped on the ground with a hoof.

“Somepony owes me thirty bits,” Zeldamar said, giving the charcoal unicorn a soft bump on the shoulder. “Told you we’d get him to crack a smile.”

The two stood in silence for a moment, watching as Felix walked out and down the hall, then fixing their gaze towards the rifle sitting on the simple gun holder. The metal seemed to glisten in the low radiating lights above. Steam no longer vented from the ported barrel and the glow of violet had begun to die down.

“Wanna put off the report for a little bit?” Zeldamar asked.

“Hell yeah.”

***

Releasing a breath, Felix stared down at the metal alloy chestplate before him, the voices and machinery becoming nothing more than distant echoes to his ears as he reached out towards the new armored vest. The griffon model in particular was of his design.

The way he figured it, the metal plating was best worn above an under armor layer, constructed of a lightweight ballistic fiber which anyone could easily slip on, covering most of the upper body area, the sleeves stopping just short of the talons. After all, a griffon who does not like the idea of scratching an enemy’s innards out of their body is no true griffon. The black material sat too tight for Felix’s liking, but for the sake of the protection, he preferred the idea of living through a battle.

The plates of metal themselves were visually akin to brushed metal, glistening and shining as the light’s rays cast themselves on it. The carapace-like plating on the lower chest led up to a solid arched chestplate, a single central crease for more of a design flair than anything else. Identifying violet lights glowed faintly underneath the metal plates of the vest, and the creased chest stop below where the neck would lie, a sturdy block signifying the insignia of The Harmony Initiative; Commander Sparkle’s cutie mark.

It was something that led to much debate among the Robotics and Alien Tech subdivision. Felix was initially against the idea, but the way he saw it, the world already learned about the aliens. They’d find out about The Harmony Initiative sooner or later. In the end, it was up to the commander herself, and she approved of it.

“This thing’s pretty tight,” Ethan spoke, garnering Felix’s attention. The sharpshooter flexed his wings and stretched, the black under armor fitting snugly around his body. “Is it supposed to be like that?”

“Does it affect maneuverability?” Felix grabbed a pen and readied his notepad for more notes on adjustments.

“I think it’ll take some getting used to, but nothing too bad.” Ethan approached Felix, eyeing up the armor set awaiting a test fitting. “That it? I was kinda expecting something bigger.”

“It’s lightweight and can take a hell of a shot. Had to evenly split the alloy from what we recovered. Besides, it’s meant to protect vital organs primarily. Keeps you from being too clunky or from standing out too much. Ready to try it on?”

“Let’s get to it.”

Truth be told, Felix was just dying to see his design on someone other than himself. Sure, the armor looked pretty nice on him, but Felix was no soldier. If he was good at one thing besides engineering, it was hiding excitement.

Ethan slipped the armor above his head and slid it on his body, the metal plating loosely hanging off as he slipped his arms through their respective holes and let out a breath of surprise. The spaulders hugged his shoulder, arched and creased straight down the middle. “Damn! Weren’t kidding, this thing is lighter than my current kit!”

“Press the central insignia to lock the armor in.” Felix ordered, trying to keep an even-toned voice. Ethan looked up at him with wide eyes and a smile that screamed ‘no way!’

Upon doing so, the armor whirred and hummed, tightening up and hugging the curves of Ethan’s body, ceasing at the most precise moment. The once loose plates now clung tightly to Ethan’s abdomen and the chestplate adjusted itself, sliding down and granting unrestricted head movement in most directions. The identifying glows dimmed, their violet color becoming unnoticeable under the brightly lit conditions.

Ethan gave his wings a weak flap, lifting himself up slightly and landing as he would without the armor.

“How many griffon models were made so far?” Ethan asked. Felix handed him his hind-leg armor cuffs; solid silver plating wrapping around the upper flank and lower leg.

“About six. We made one deer variant and the rest pony and changeling, should we get any more of those down here. Wings move good?”

“Wings spread great.” Ethan responded, standing tall and proud in the middle of the lab, disregarding the ponies and griffons walking around him and casting him sideways glares. Felix took notes, being sure to mark down comfortability of the wings and Ethan’s ease of movement. He glanced up at the young griffon, admiring his own handiwork. “How’s the armor fare against alien weapons though? I mean, kick-ass looking armor is one thing, but can I take at least a shot or two from alien fire?”

Felix nodded confidently, gesturing his talon towards a group of unicorns running through the specifications of the armor to a charcoal unicorn who was much too fascinated with his own suit. Unlike the griffon variant of the armor, ponies were less about balancing good looks and protection and seemed to focus primarily on the protection aspect. For the most part, the vest chest was blocky, creating a broad and imposing figure. Much like Felix’s design, the armor donned a central block along the sternum which held the single star insignia. The pauldrons rested in a mostly square shape and the hooves were encased in armor, save for the joints which separated the plates of silver and grey.

“You can thank those guys for spending hours trying to mimic alien energy weapons. Might not be the same thing, but the armor still put up with hot temperatures and has a good melting point. As long as you don’t get shot in the same place twice, you should be fine. Small arms aren’t much of a problem either. If, by chance, griffons decide to start fighting us too, then a Sturmtrommel should just bounce right off you.”

“Nice,” Ethan beamed, flexing his wings once again. Even the pouches resting at his sides and waist were layered with small pieces of alloys. “You guys really outdid yourselves down here. When will it be ready for the field?”

“It technically already is,” Felix said, finishing up his notes and putting down the pad on the table. “Depending on how the other suits feel for the other races, Bronze Sprocket thinks we can get started on mass production once we get our claws on more alloys. For now, five might make its way into one of the existing fireteams, yours included. This, mixed with the crystal energy weapons we’ve got cooking up, will undoubtedly give us a slight edge, if any.”

“Yeah, totally,” Ethan breathed, adjusting the pauldron. “This is straight out of Ringworld.”

Felix looked up to Ethan. “What?”

“It’s...It’s an old comic. Main character has a...suit..like...I’ll just…”

“Didn’t think anybody else knew about that down here.”

Ethan snorted. “Well, I figured you would, you know, being an egghead and all.”

Felix did nothing more than scoff. He tried to think of what other tests needed to be run on the armor. There was already a durability test, done, technically, three times—the first being The Banshees’ missiles on the alien ship, the second run by hydraulic presses all around engineering, and the third being unicorn magic concentrated on the finished sets—and Ethan was already doing the fitting test. Tons of hours and only a small clawful of sleepless nights yielded better results than Felix could have ever imagined. The alien alloys were nothing short of miracle metals.

“How goes the fitting?” Sprocket asked, cocking his head. He changed his glance over to Ethan, watching as the griffon continued to flex and stretch in awkward and precarious positions. “It seems to be rather...flexible.”

“It is, so far,” Felix said. “Although it’s just one griffon set, I could see about getting Gilda or the new old man to fit into the armor, for the sake of seeing if there are any patterns with the fit.”

“We could always run fits on non-soldier griffons.” Sprocket suggested, raising a forehoof. “Either way, it looks like quite the success to me.”

“Maybe it is.” Felix looked at the smiling stallion. “Of course, the only real way to tell is if the armor is field tested. Would the commander even approve of something like that?”

“Maybe,” Sprocket shrugged. “If you put enough detail in your report, maybe she’ll see the value in it.”

***

Twilight shifted her eyes over to the isolated chamber where the lone unicorn stood, chained to the ground and standing completely still and staring into the empty void between the glass of the interrogation chamber and the lab in which Twilight stared back. He was stripped of his armor and clothing, revealing scars and burns, most of which Twilight wanted to believe were caused prior to the battle in griffon territory. She knew better than to believe such a lie. Fleetfoot, Blaze and Spitfire had all voiced their displeasure of having him crammed in the carriage with them and would have undoubtedly acted towards the stallion in accordance with their negative emotions.

Monitors scanned and kept track of the stallion’s vital signs, steadily beating and beeping with his heart rate. Two doctors watched over the machines in the room, casting the occasional glance to the stallion standing completely still in the next room. His holding cell was cylindrical in shape flanked by tubes pumping oxygen, leading into an isolated ventilation system.

Aegis stepped into the side lab, his stern expression maintained, even in the face of an enemy. It was a trait that Twilight was grateful for. Most other ponies would have sooner tried teleporting inside and taking their angers out on the stallion. To their credit, the stallion deserved as much in Twilight’s mind, but there was still information to be extracted and she would have preferred to keep him alive for a little while longer, out of pity more than anything.

“He ready to talk?” Aegis asked. Since Solemn’s detainment, it had seemed that the captain held no ill will on towards Twilight. “I’ve been brushing up on my technique.”

Twilight grimaced. “I understand Royal Guard methods are a little more ‘hooves on’ than what the chamber was originally intended. Are you really comfortable with just walking in there with him?”

“He has an arcane blocker wrapped around his horn.I doubt he could do anything to me, even if he wanted to.”

Twilight pursed her lips.

“Okay. I’ll teleport you in with him. Just...be careful.”

A violet glow encapsulated the captain and a moment later, he was inside the interrogation chamber, standing before the silver coated and golden maned unicorn staring blankly ahead.

“I think,” Aegis spoke, immediately levitating his scroll behind the prisoner; a diagram of pony anatomy “The best way to end the chapter of a story, is with a little bit of excitement. Thankfully, we’ll be spending quite a lot of time together, in other words, That’s an awful lot of chapters to this little story of ours.”

“Wouldn’t think they’d have you doing this,” the stallion spat.

“Why, because I was a Royal Guard?” Aegis faced the shackled prisoner sitting on his haunches. Aegis did not see the point in granting him bandages for his wounds, but if Twilight wanted to at least fake the idea that he was going to be okay, then who was he to object?

“Well, that’s not what I was thinking exactly. But yeah, I guess. I was expecting a griffon or zebra. At least those primitive filth would have killed me sooner than I know you would. We’re not so—”

“Different, I know the routine. Let’s be honest here, the only thing we’ve got in common is the fact that we both are magic users. Aside from that? We are nothing alike. I dedicated my life to honor and country.”

“And yet you would so readily resort to torture. Do what you want, I won’t speak.”

“That’s the first mistake you made,” Aegis cocked his head. “I can make you talk. How about we start off with a high note. Can I get a medic in here for this? Someone with decent healing ability and able to stomach what I’m gonna do to our new friend.”

A moment later, a mare was rushed into the control room, subsequently teleported alongside Aegis; glancing nervously at the prisoner, Aegis and the observation windows.

Aegis’s horn glowed, although the affected area of his arcane influence was nowhere to be seen. The prisoner stared up at the former Royal Guard, just as confused as the mare standing behind the self appointed interrogator and the ponies watching from the control room, ready for whatever information would be spilled in the following hours or possibly even days.

“What is this?” The prisoner sighed, resting on his haunches. “You think just standing there is going to make me talk?”

Aegis remained quiet. Twilight stepped towards the observation window, trying to gauge for herself what it was he was trying to accomplish.

Crack!

The stallion tensed, placing a hoof against his side and coughing, sputtering blood. His widened eyes stared questioningly at Aegis, trying to formulate words in vain as more blood came rushing from his throat. The assistant nurse gasped, backing away and placing a hoof against her mouth, eyes shrinking to the size of pinpricks.

“What have…” The white unicorn shut his eyes and grit his teeth, clutching his abdomen and releasing shaky breaths.

“My father was...a studious man. His philosophy on magic was very...undesirable and unorthodox. In fact, he was told by the princesses and their court wizard, personally, that he was not allowed to study magic used for the sole purpose of violence. Now, self defense and killing somepony in cold blood are two different things obviously, which is exactly what he taught me before I trotted along to the local recruitment station.”

Aegis stepped forward, releasing his grip of magic.

“Now you’re probably wondering how I was able to just rip—” Another sickening crack forced the prisoner to cry out in pain again. Aegis gave his face a harsh slap, the stallion grunting and shutting his eyes. “—two, now, of your ribs straight out of their natural position. I’d ask you to turn around, but...well, broken ribs and all. Telekinesis often requires a visual of the object you want to manipulate. Unfortunately, I can’t look inside your body and pull bones simultaneously, that’s too much work for just one pony.

“Sometimes, a little abstract thought tends to help. It just so happens, I’ve got this trusty diagram of pony anatomy. It may not be exactly like what you’ve got stirring about in there, but it’s close enough to give me a vague idea. Now, before I get to cracking again, I’ve got a few questions for you.”

Aegis held a hoof up against his ear, listening for any objections. Satisfied with the prisoner’s silence, he planted his hoof back against the ground and walked around the pony in chains, face to face.

“Let’s start simple, shall we? How about a name? Yours.”

“Zealous Spear,” the stallion answered, wheezing in between breaths.

“Great. Who do you work for?”

Spear stared Aegis down, swallowing hard. Sweat beaded along the top of his forehead, his eyes darting for something else to lock on to.

“It’s not within my liberty to say.” Spear said, swallowing hard and breaking eye contact. “I’d sooner die than tell you.”

“Not exactly the answer I was hoping for,” Aegis sighed, horn glowing once again. “You are keeping count right?”

SNAP!

“ARGH!” Zealous Spear howled in pain, shutting his eyes and gritting his teeth, about to crack under the sheer pressure. He doubled over and sucked in air as best as his shattered bones would allow. Twilight winced, trying not to imagine the pain he must have been suffering at the hooves of the former guard, sharing the same expression as the panicked nurse teleported inside the holding cell alongside Aegis, minus the hoof covering the mouth.

Shaking his head, Aegis looked down in what Twilight assumed to be pity. The alicorn glanced over to the monitors of Spear’s vitals. His three right ribs were broken, flashing a dangerous red at the doctors watching. They each were paralyzed, watching with pained expressions as Aegis continued to taunt and strafe around the prisoner. Nurse Sprinkle trotted over, her horn glowing and her face wrinkled as she stepped closer and knelt beside Zealous Spear. Watching the monitors on screen, Twilight took note of the rapid repairs her magic managed to accomplish; the diagram of the ribs flashing from red to orange.

Truth be told, Twilight was genuinely amazed with how much the average unicorns’ magic managed to progress over the years alongside pegasi and earth pony engineering and ingenuity. It was like Equestria knew the world was progressing and was trying its best to catch up, through the ease of use of magic. Whether or not that theory had any weight to it remained to be seen, but now was not the time for thinking of such things. Twilight redirected her focus to the main interrogation chamber.

“Feeling better?” Aegis asked, feigning sympathy. “Great. You know, I really don’t want to have to keep doing this to you. Especially because I don’t want to keep having dear old Nurse Sprinkles keeping you alive. Look at her. The mare can barely stand!”

“Then just kill me already.”

“Not before you tell me the name of the ponies you work for.” Aegis knelt down, his whispers unable to be understood up by the chamber’s intercom link. Zealous Spear shook his head, scowling at Aegis when he pulled himself away.

Twilight looked away when Aegis raised his hoof, instead looking to the technicians who have also averted their attention, focusing on the monitors and screens on the dashboard below them.

“Tell Aegis to write a report after his—” SLAP! “—little interrogation.”

***

The halls of the Royal Palace were pleasingly quiet, save for the chorus of birdsongs and chirping of crickets in the royal gardens. Moondancer was often set at ease when she made the arduous trek to Luna’s observatory, despite the ancient steps kept in pristine condition that fought her with almost every step. Thankfully, Moondancer had finished the final climb and was on the final stretch of velvet, marble and the finest pastel walls Equestria has ever produced in her entire history. The moon’s light were broken by arched windows and columns reaching towards the excessively high ceiling, casting a cool bluish light which seemed to compliment the late night winds of mid winter. The solitary mare’s light scarf and coat swayed with each step and gust of wind which rolled in.

As Moondancer stepped closer to the double doors leading to the observatory, she tried to imagine how Luna’s guards could stand in the same hall for hours on end, in the chilling cold and nothing more than blue and violet sinister armor. It must be some kind of enchantment in the armor. The two standing vigil both stepped aside as Moondancer proceeded down the hall, both offering grunts and keeping their eyes trained down the extensive hallway.

With their magic, the two unicorns pulled open the doors, granting the cream coated unicorn entrance, pushing her glasses further up her muzzle as she took those several steps before the grand double doors slammed shut behind her.

It was, without a doubt, an upgrade well worth the investment, even to Moondancer. The observatory walls were home to what must have been thousands of scrolls and hardcover notebooks full of an ever-expanding catalogue of stars and planets. Moondancer often tried to understand whether or not it was a hobby of Luna’s or if she was preparing for something bigger than Equestria could ever possibly hope to imagine. Most of the scrolls and books dated back thousands of years, possibly even before Luna had become an alicorn and seized control of Equestria alongside her sister.

As the shelves rounded the room in true Canterlot fashion, books with names were often catalogues made by other astronomers gathered dust in the higher shelves while studies and notes on anomalies and the like rested dormant below. Aside from dreamwalking and ruling over the Night Court, the fact that Luna had managed to keep track of her solitary work in Canterlot, doing nothing more than observing was a testament to her work as a princess and a scientist.

Standing on a platform overlooking the library, the alicorn of the night herself stood, a clearing in the ceiling allowing strong breezes of mountain air and winter cool to sweep inside. Wearing nothing more than her royal attire, Luna gazed into the lenses of the rather ornate telescope, horn glowing with a quill and parchment floating beside her. The domed ceiling shifted, rotating unnaturally and silently, causing Moondancer to follow and trick her body into believing the room as a whole was spinning. She stumbled, catching herself on a table resting beside the steps leading up to Luna’s observation platform.

“Who goes there?,” Luna turned her gaze to the young unicorn entering abruptly, body tense. “Oh. Moondancer. I was not expecting to see you tonight.”

“I apologize,” Moondancer steadied herself, bringing herself upright and slowly ascending the even porcelain steps. “Not a busy night? I’d have thought you’d be in the courtroom at this time of night.”

“On the contrary. There is much which plagues my mind, my dear pupil.” Luna rested her quill and parchment on a podium beside her violet telescope. “I assume Twilight has sent her report of her last operation?”

“That’s...part of the reason I’m here.” Moondancer hopped up the last step, gazing outwards and up to the sky. “There’s no way we can keep this story under control.”

“Of course. Trust is already waning amongst ponies after we discovered what Twilight’s team calls the Blank Flank. Such an unfortunate title for something. An insult oft used by foals now seems so taboo. It should also be no surprise that Lord Angelcrest has approved development of such a weapon.”

“What?” Moondancer tilted her head.

Luna was quiet for a moment, levitating two cushions, one underneath her haunches before she sat and one for Moondancer, which she placed close beside her. The telescope was cleared off to the side, beside another arched window. “I’m surprised Twilight left that out. Perhaps it was for the best.”

“What kind of weapon are we talking about?”

“A bomb of unparalleled destruction. The griffon representative did not divulge much information, but he has made a point of its destructive capability. Can you imagine? Canterlot, our grand capital, here one moment and consumed in fires and spreading poison in the next?”

Moondancer felt her chest tighten and her stomach twist. “There’s no way.”

“I have had my doubts as well. But our ally would gain nothing from lying to us. But you did not come to speak of weapons capable of mass destruction. Why have you come?”

“I came to accept your offer.” Moondancer said simply, looking to the blue alicorn and her flowing starlit mane. Luna remained still. “As you know, I’ve read over Twilight’s most recent report on the griffon representative’s requested mission. Obviously, Twilight’s group won’t be able to divert forces to fight the aliens or the rebels we have on our hooves. I’d like to take command of a task force dedicated to fighting the rebels.”

Luna sat, grimacing, scanning over Moondancer. “Leading a military campaign against ponies rather than invaders is a vastly different task than what I would have given you. Is this truly what you wish to do?”

“Yes. I’ve agreed to partaking in The Harmony Initiative in order to protect ponies against evil. I may not be doing the amount I should for this group, but I want to. I know I’m not exactly cut out for leading a group of the world’s best soldiers fighting against ponies, but I intend to keep the peace while Twilight takes on the bigger threat.”

Luna nodded, continuing to look out into the distant stars. “If that is what you wish.”

“What?” Moondancer leaned forward. “You asked that I become a commander for a sect of the Initiative and I am accepting that offer. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“It is!” Luna defended. “I do, believe me. It is not your acceptance that troubles me. We all have a common enemy we should be fighting. The idea that there are those who wish to hinder our progress towards peace through our defense against these alien beings fills my heart and mind with despair. I never would have imagined that we would be fighting enemies from so close to home.”

“Neither would I.” Moondancer turned to the open skies once again, the lone moon hovering brightly over the fields and distant street lamps. “But somepony must take charge against these dissidents.”

Luna’s face wrinkled, worry and thought present on her features.

“If that is what you wish, my dearest pupil.”

“A commander with nopony to command serves no purpose.” Luna said quietly. “Have you started looking for new recruits?”

“Of course. Like Twilight’s soldiers, these ponies, griffons, zebras and deer are the best of the best. I have no doubt that they will not fail us.”

***

“Twilight?”

The alicorn batted her eyes, waking herself from her daydream.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy.”

The commander’s quarters seemed more crowded with only three inhabitants sitting around. Twilight had desperately wanted sleep. The past week had been hell; watching over interrogation sessions, reading the files sent to her by various ponies around the base voicing their disdain and displeasure of the Vigil’s detainment and reading files based on the progress made towards soldier equipment among the science divisions.

To further rub salt on the wound, each of her friends, save for Rainbow Dash and Rarity, seemed to have already made up their minds on the whole Vigil Dilemma, as Shining Armor had started to call it. Applejack had obviously disagreed with the handling of the situation. Overnight was arguably the best foremare who worked in the facility, beating out even Iron Gizmo, and Moondancer personally recommended her for an assistant position. Pinkie often referred to it jovially, but Twilight knew Pinkie Pie enough to know how her hints worked. Starlight even held a harsher tone since the incident. Was it truly hard to believe that Twilight was doing nothing more than trying to keep everypony in the base safe?

Shining Armor, although initially disgruntled with the idea, seemed to be the only pony who saw the importance of such a decision. His stance was impartial, agreeing with Twilight, but disagreeing at the same time, although he never made it apparent when she was around.

“This isn’t you.” Fluttershy said. “We were supposed to protect and keep ponies safe, weren’t we? Isn’t this the exact opposite, Twilight?”

“They’re still with us right?” Shining Armor reasoned. “We’re not going to hurt them Fluttershy, we just need to be sure they can’t hurt anyone.”

“We get that,” Spike cut in. “But it doesn’t make it any better. Haven’t they proven themselves?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Twilight spoke. “Right now, they’re safe and so are we, assuming they are who we think they are. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to keep them in there until the war is over.”

“You mean who you think they are.”

Spikes words made Twilight’s blood boil. How had he not grown suspicious of Solemn in the slightest? Perhaps it was Twilight’s own mind that increased the magnitude of the situation and maybe not as many ponies knew about the event as she had thought, but for those who knew, was it so wrong to be cautious?

“I just don’t understand why we had to outright detain them,” Fluttershy said. “Maybe escorts around the base would have worked better?”

“It doesn’t matter, Fluttershy,” Shining Armor voiced, annoyed. “Either way, they are possible threats. Twilight was just ensuring the safety of everypony in here.”

“There had to be another way, something less drastic. We need unity and harmony not suspicion. We can do better, I know we can."

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed. Fluttershy was right, but she was also too trusting. Twilight understood the concerns, but was there really anything better than having them isolated for the time being? The voices of her friends faded momentarily. Had Twilight been in the wrong all along? Was there really another way? What would Fluttershy or anypony else have done? Detaining Solemn and her mother was the only way Twilight could think of that kept them safe, both the two unicorns and the rest of the base. Should they actually have been spies, then that put everyone in the base at risk.

Assuming they were fast enough to do so, at least Solemn would be capable of going through the security facilities and disable the base's defenses and allow for anyone to come in. Everypony in the base knew their current location, which meant Solemn would have known too, transmitting the location to somepony in the organization that Harmony had encountered earlier in the week. But Solemn had done nothing to even remotely connect herself to those ponies, except having the wrong cutie mark. But was that really her fault? A pony does not have the ability to choose their cutie marks.

"Twilight?"

“I’m scared, okay?!” Twilight shouted, Shining Armor, Fluttershy and Spike falling quiet. The alicorn rubbed her eyes with her forehooves and cursed under her breath.

“I’m scared.” Twilight admitted once again. “I thought other ponies would understand. We were fighting a war against aliens, not...ponies!”

The two of her friends were still quiet. Shining Armor cast a worried glance towards Twilight.

“I know it was a tough decision, and I knew most ponies would disagree with it, but can’t they see that I’m just trying to keep us safe? Isn’t that what ponies want? To be safe? I thought that until Luna had her say on the matter, I could decide what to do with them. The backlash wasn’t anything like I thought it would be. Some ponies are understanding, but can’t the rest of them see why this would cause a problem?”

“We do,” Spike said. “But Solemn and her mom haven’t done anything to even make us consider they’d be conspiring against us.”

“Her cutie mark—”

“It matches the ones those ponies branded themselves with,” Shining Armor cut off. “Which is why I feel we’ve made the right choice. We don’t understand what it means, nor does Solemn herself. Can we really trust a pony with a mark like that? One that dozens of our enemies have just branded themselves with?”

Thank you. Twilight silently let out a sigh.

“I get that we built this organization on trust and unity,” Shining continued. “But I agree with Twilight. We can’t just let them out without knowing anything more about them. It may be a breach of privacy on our part, but all these are precautions to make sure they really are on our side.”

“I swear, they will be let out if Luna can find anything to prove their innocence and if they have nothing connecting them to the ponies encountered before.”

We just need a little more time.

Harmony Database: Personal Notes and Progress Reports (Set #2)

Co-Head of Engineering Applejack Personal Terminal

Harmony Initiative: Engineering Division
9th of Sunrise
5:56 A.M.
I don't believe this. As if it wasn't bad enough with the damn aliens running around snatching people; now we have ponies, actual ponies, attacking our allies, and on top of everything they're running around with Solemn's cutie mark. Now Twilight's got Solemn and her mom locked up while she tries to get to the bottom of this. Locking up Solemn was one thing- I don't like it, but I get it- hauling her ma in on top of it; that's just wrong.

I can't imagine those two being enemies, spies, or anything of the sort. Overnight's got the Engineering Department running as finely tuned as any of the machines here; she's practically a mom to everyone down here. And she couldn't ask for a better daughter either. Mare put her life on the line to go out there and fight for us and got herself shot saving a teammate. I hope Twilight sorts this out soon. Really don't want something bad to happen to those two.

***

Engineer Overnight Vigil Personal Log (Pen and Paper entry)

How could this have happened? After all Solemn and I have been doing for everyone, how can they think we could be spies? Did they think Solemn coming to visit me in Engineering was some sort of rendezvous to compare notes or send information? Do they think I was gathering information during my shifts? Why did this happen?

I could barely keep it together when Commander Sparkle came to question me. She even put me under a lie detection spell. She wanted to know about our past, the people we associated with, and how Solemn got her cutie mark. And even with all of that, she still doesn't think we can be trusted.

I never really saw how Solemn got her mark or what it ever stood for; I just remember how proud I was when she finally found her destiny, how wonderful and unique her cutie mark looked. But now there are those... ponies... are out there attacking others and wearing Solemn's mark all the while, slandering it. They're the cause for all of this, Luna damn them.

Twilight even had records of our friends and family. What could she hope to find from that? Solemn only had Rime and May for friends and I mainly had my coworkers. Twilight even asked about Solemn's father. Constant Watch...there's a name I haven't thought of in a long while. But for some reason she didn't seem to have anything on Constant. Which is strange seeing how he was part of the Union Science Council.

Oh Constant, where did you go? Why couldn't you stay and see Solemn grow up? Why couldn't you have stayed one more day to see her find her destiny? You just drifted away. Even the Science Council lost track of you. I thought your work there made you happy.... I thought Solemn and I made you happy... All you left us was that letter with your cutie mark stamped on it; 'You are relied on. You are needed.' That was it. To this day I still don't understand it. Maybe one day I'll find out. And maybe I'll figure out what your mark means too. You and Solemn have that in common.

***

Corporal Rime Runner Personal Terminal

Harmony Initiative: Fireteam Valor
9th of Sunrise
12:16 P.M.
Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

Commander, I'm sure it is rather obvious that this message is in response to your 'detaining' of Solemn and her mother. Rest assured, I have things to say to that but first I wanted to tell you some things of a personal nature.

I didn't have an easy childhood growing up. I never had much luck in the way of friends. My larger size either intimidated the other children or gave them cause to mock me for it. I got into fights for it time and time again but the teasing never ceased. One day, it finally stopped, but only because they found an easier target to push around. The bullies had cornered a little blue unicorn filly, stole her glasses, and pushed her around until she broke down and began to cry, which only served to encourage them further. The sight of it just pissed me off. I flew into a rage and beat up every last one of them. After that, I expected the unicorn to run off screaming in terror over what I'd just done, but imagine my surprise when she hugged and thanked me for saving her. That filly was Solemn Vigil. And we've been together ever since.

Solemn always dreamed of joining the Royal Guard but she never thought she had what it took to join. Her mother told me how she idolized me for always being there for her, to protect her. I wanted to stay close to Solemn, and achieve her dream for her. That was what gave me the motivation to join the local Coast Guard.

My mother was a Royal Guard. And her mother. And all the mares in my family, back to Cold Wind. I studied and trained for months upon months before I applied. Mom didn't live long enough to see me join, but I fight to honor her and Solemn as if she were a part of my own family.

A pony without family is left shivering alone in the cold.

So, when you took Solemn and Overnight, you left me no one to turn to here. You didn't just take the Vigil family, you took someone from MY family too. Don't expect me to fight for you while you have this witch-hunt going.

***

Solemn Vigil Personal Log (Pen and Paper entry)

I don't understand it. How could this have happened? I wanted to make up for the ponies who died in Manehatten. To protect Equestria and help make the world a better place. And prove that I could do something worthwhile. I fought as best I could. I promised to be faithful to the Initiative. I vowed to uphold the tenants of Harmony. I swore to trust Twilight and be honest with her. But it wasn't enough.

Now, Princess Twilight thinks I'm a threat to the cause. Even worse, she thinks my mother is as well. She thinks we have something to do with that group of killers, all because they're running around with MY cutie mark. How can that be possible? Why did this happen to me?

Now I'm being suspected of espionage and treason, my mother is in jeopardy, and I don't know what they're going to do to Rime. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to be a part of this. Mom and Rime wouldn't be in this fiasco. They only joined because I did and now they're paying for it and it's all because of me and my cutie mark. And it kills me that I can't do anything about it.

Mom... Rime... I'm so sorry...

I wish we could go back to the happier days back home. Running errands and doing odd jobs for the neighbors. Surprising Mom with dinner when she got back home from work. Paying a visit to Rime on her patrols. Going with Rime to see May perform stunts and hanging out afterwards, just the three of us. I miss that so much.

May...

We haven't seen or heard from each other since the aliens came and this madness started. I just hope you're alright, May. I know Mom and Rime think about you too. I wish I- we could see you again. You always knew how to make ponies laugh, how to cheer them up, how to just make their day better. What I would give to see you right now. It feels like a part of my heart is missing, without you around. I don't even know where you are or even if you're safe or not. I just want us back together again.

May, wherever you are, I miss you.

***

Private Earth Step After Action Report

Royal Guard: Manehatten Division
9th of Sunrise
7:17 P.M.
Addressed to Investigator Moondancer

To be honest I'm not sure what I could tell you about the attack that you haven't heard from a hundred other reports. They all seem to go the same way: ordinary night, all peaceful, until the sky falls in and then everypony goes into a panic either running for their life or going mad and going after each other. That's how it went on my end and I'm pretty sure that's how it happened on the others. Well, except in my case there was one thing, or should I say one pony, that stood out.

My squad was dispatched downtown to try and provide whatever help we could but we were overwhelmed by a veritable stampede of ponies getting the hell away from whatever was causing this disaster right after we arrived. We managed to hold position through the oncoming crowds until the 'others' started showing up, the crazed ones. They came at us running, with a wild look in their eyes, their only thought to tear us apart. We held them off at first, at least until some of my squadmates started to turn and went mad as well. We had to make a hasty retreat, lest we got overrun on the spot, and we each took off in a different direction, I could only hope my team would be fine as I took off down an alleyway and five of the crazies broke off to pursue me, a unicorn, a pegasus and three earth ponies. I tried to lose them down the maze of alleys but they were relentless and while I put some space between us I eventually got myself cornered in a dead end.

The pegasus and unicorn were the first to show, the earth ponies trailing behind some ways. The pegasus tried to dive bomb me, but being an earth pony I braced for the hit and proceeded to give her a left hook to the face before throwing her into a dumpster and causing the lid to shut on her. Unfortunately, I had turned by back to the unicorn who decided to skewer my back leg with his horn and try to pin me down. He would have kept me busy til the earth ponies arrived, and with a bad leg I wouldn't have had a prayer. Until I had some help from above. Literally.

A pegasus simply dropped out the air right on top of the unicorn and put him out instantly. A cute pegasus mare: green coat, yellow mane, pink eyes, and a smiling sun for a cutie mark. She just gave me this sweet, little smile, as if saving ponies like that was part of her daily routine. Before either of us could even ask for a name, we heard a scream from the other side of the alley. Apparently a stallion was running, carrying his filly into the alley from a Royal Guard that went crazy and in his attempt to get away, he went right into the path of the three earth ponies still chasing me. Now the four crazies were beating on the stallion as he tried to use his body to shield the filly from their attacks. With my leg in such bad shape and the mare that saved me starting to shiver in fear, I didn't think there was much hope for them.

At least I thought she was shivering in fear, until I saw her smile widen and she took off like hell on wheels. She flew right at them then spun around in mid-flight and kicked one the the earth ponies in the head and sent him skidding down the alley out cold. The others quickly turned their attention to her and I thought she would get mauled like that father did. Instead, she managed go hoof to hoof with the Royal Guard and civilian. She didn't seem to have much in the way of technique or style but she made up for it in viciousness and an incredible ability to dodge. She rained jabs, blows on weak points and even bites on the three, only taking some glancing hits in return, all the while her grin grew wider still. I finally got why the mare was smiling; she was a battle maniac. She didn't just seem to enjoy fighting, she loved it.

Despite their best efforts, the earth ponies eventually succumbed to her ferocious assault and went down; the green mare standing victorious. I had thought that was the end of it, but the pegasus looked over to the crying filly tending to her dad's beaten form. Something about that must have really set her off because she snapped back to the beaten crazed ponies; her smile wider than ever. With a crazed gleam in her eyes like that of her opponents and a demented grin on her face, she slowly walked over to her fallen foes. That's when I came to the horrible realization as to why she seemed to smile more and more as the fight went on. It wasn't the smile of a pony happy to see you or that of a pony that loved to battle...

It was a smile of a pony that reveled in inflicting pain on others... and she was just getting started.

I hobbled over as fast as I could with my bad leg, hoping to stop her from doing something that couldn't be undone. I pulled her hoof away and turned her towards me, getting a close up of her sadistic smile and that manic look in her eyes. As she stared at me, a look of realization came over her and her look of madness slowly passed being replace by a look of horror instead. She broke down and cried into my shoulder, frantically repeating, 'I'm sorry' over and over. The poor mare thought she killed those ponies and I spent most of the night comforting her and watching the father and filly until help arrived.

Gotta say, I hope that mare is okay. And I really hope no one gets on her bad side again.

***

Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer Personal Terminal

Harmony Initiative: Research Division
11th of Sunrise
8:14 A.M.
Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

There was a point and time in my life where I would have easily tossed ponies into a dungeon for nothing more than his or her cutie mark. I don’t think I need to explain exactly when that time was for you to know what I’m talking about. Would it really have been so hard for us to have a trial or armed escorts?

Have you really so much to fear from a single mare and her mother who -- might I add -- has difficulty walking? I understand your lie detection spells set off an alarm or two, but was confining them to a prison cell before Luna had the chance to scan over their memories necessary?

I understand the safety of all in the base is paramount, but safety is often built on trust. I’m sure you’ve noticed most ponies in Engineering are going so far as to refuse to work as an act of protest, some soldiers even threatening to do the same, if Solemn or her mother isn’t released. Now, I’m hoping you’ll listen to reason and do exactly that. Their trust will be a hard thing to gain back, but I’d be willing to help however I can. Maybe we could offer Overnight some Fuse treatments to help relieve her pain? There’s a start.

I know you’re scared, but the truth is, so is everypony else. Suspicion is a weapon just as dangerous as any blade or rifle.

***

Captain Spitfire Personal Terminal

Harmony Initiative: Wonderbolts
11th of Sunrise
3:45 P.M.
Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle

The detainment of Solemn Vigil, while many will argue was unjust, is completely necessary. It's been met with disagreements and it's understandable. But those ponies haven't seen what those unicorns did to the griffons of that town. Corpses burned and houses destroyed for no good reason. Griffons lost their lives to ponies with her cutie mark, and even though she'll be playing the innocence card, I don't think we can trust anybody who shares their cutie mark with the enemy.

Most ponies are going to want Solemn Vigil's freedom. I think it'd be best if she stayed where she is now. We don't know how much we can really trust her.

***

PROJECT SAFEGUARD PROGRESS REPORT

Harmony Initiative: Robotics And Alien Technology Division
11th of Sunrise
5:14 P.M.
Addressed to: Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer
Status: Complete
File by: Dr. Bronze Sprocket

Armor fittings have been completed and durability tests have shown immense promise. Soldiers need not worry about flexibility and maneuverability with the armors designed by various members of the team. I'm quite proud to say that this armor could truly make a difference between life and death for our soldiers. Mass production should be able to begin soon, with yours and Commander Sparkle's approval.

***

PROJECT RED GLARE PROGRESS REPORT

Harmony Initiative: Combat Technology Division
11th of Sunrise
7:19 A.M.
Addressed to: Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer
Status: Complete
File by: Dr. Zeldamar

After many sleepless nights and copious, copious, struggling, we've finally created a full functioning arcane laser rifle! We're not able to completely replicate the process of using whatever the aliens use for power cells, but we've managed to circumvent that through creating a stable and regenerative enchantment to amethyst crystals with help of several unicorns (Might want to give those guys a break for a while). In essence, not only do our soldiers have powerful super heated magical beams firing through these things, but reloading isn't even a problem! Infinite ammunition for all of our troops!

Author's Note

All entries, save for Starlight's, Bronze Sprocket, Zeldamar and Spitfire's, courtesy of Solemn Vigil.

If you want to write entries for your own characters, don't be afraid to shoot me a quick PM about it.

Chapter 15: Speak

Midnight Spice had mostly slept since she returned to the base a week ago. While not a Wonderbolt at all and having known them for no less than a few hours, Soarin had taken the time out of his day to make sure she was still breathing. From simply popping into her room to even offering the nurses help tending to the wound or other menial tasks the nurses and doctors could have easily accomplished themselves, his presence was felt even when she had slept.

It was a curious thing to Midnight Spice. Why a pony as esteemed and as distinguished as he would waste his time helping to tend to a former sharpshooter with only one eye now. He sat beside her, recounting...something. As astonishing as it was to be in his presence, Midnight found it hard to completely focus on him or whatever it was he spoke of. He motioned and gestured with his hooves, but Midnight was too consumed with her own thoughts to keep track of the wonderbolt.

She looked around, her eye still adjusting to being her only source of vision. She had grown tired of the pale alabaster walls glowing a dim blue thanks to the lamp sitting beside her. Most times when she was alone it was off, making a considerable difference as she soon discovered. Darkness would sweep over the room, which was frightening at times, but in an odd way, it made her feel slightly more comfortable. A small stand was set up besides her bed, blocked off by the thin spindly IV stand. She hated the constant beeps more than anything else.

Balloons and a few flowers rested on the stand, both items allegedly given to Spice by Sour Marmalade and a makeshift ‘get well’ card, courtesy of Cherry Pop leaned against the glass vase. If there was anything that had ceased the pain, even if only for a moment, it was knowing that ponies she had known for only a month’s time had cared enough to send best wishes. She still wished they had visited as much as Soarin had, but she understood how military life was. Everypony had a duty to fulfill.

“How’s the eye?” Soarin asked. Midnight scanned his face, the wrinkles and heaviness in his eyes. She had lost track of time, waking up whenever the doctors needed her to or whenever her body felt as though it had had enough rest.

“It hurts terribly,” Midnight admitted. “I wish for it to leave.”

Soarin nodded, feigning agreement. “I can’t imagine. The other Bolts were pretty worried. It’s like our fireteam is the only one that’s suffered real casualties. Commander seems to feel real confident with us out on the field. At least you’re still with us.”

Midnight thought through the mission for the short moments she was awake earlier in the week. She agreed to fight invaders not other ponies. She had slaughtered enough ponies in her lifetime. Enough to drive a mare mad with grief and remorse. How many of them had families? How many of them had just found themselves in that life just by chance or out of necessity? It hurt to think about for too long, but Midnight Spice was unable to suppress the thoughts.

The pain that came with thinking those dreadful thoughts always lingered, but no amount of pain could match the one lingering in her right eye. Or more accurately, where it used to be. The patch of bloodied bandages on her eye was a grim reminder of her follies. Joining The Initiative had been a mistake. Even if it meant finding her daughter, Midnight Spice was well aware of the chances of actually finding her little filly.

“Any news?” Midnight asked.

“Nothing you haven’t heard already,” Soarin answered. “Whole base is talking about the whole Vigil thing.”

Midnight hummed in acknowledgement. She was impartial with the commander’s decision on the matter. There was a chance that the Vigils were, in fact, innocent, as so many ponies had claimed. While she agreed to an extent, Midnight Spice was injured in the field by ponies bearing the same cutie marks as Solemn. She would be lying to herself if she said she would not have done the same. Like a mare who had suffered through years of abuse, Midnight Spice would have shut herself away from those who had wished her harm, even if all it would take was a little suspicion.

Violence against one another was once something many ponies thought to be a thing of legend. As the world advanced and the power of harmony seemed to wane, things had seemed to change for the worse. Midnight had taken notice of it when ponies around Prance were suffering break-ins, thievery, griffon pickpockets and the like. They played roles in influencing her into joining the Equestrian Coast Guard. She had done her duties, dispatching of pirates, defending the cities and nurturing a relationship with her daughter. As a reward, she was stripped of her child and left without a proper home.

Spice could not help but to think of Solemn Vigil in a similar manner. Aegis had spoken highly of her during their training regimens and the two even had the pleasure of meeting, although for a brief moment. Solemn had done nothing more than show her proper technique of wrapping bandages and applying the right amount of sedatives to ponies in need, yet her reward? Condemnation, alongside her mother.

“I should hope she is okay,” Midnight Spice said aloud. “After all, it was not she who had flared her horn.”

“Pardon?”

“Solemn Vigil,” Midnight Spice answered. “It is unfair to think of a pony so… négatif. I pray she find solace wherever she is.”

Soarin exhaled. “You’re better than most ponies down here.”

“She has done...absolument rien pour moi. No wrong doings. Perhaps she is innocent, I do not know. She does scare me. I want to trust her, but can I really? She bears the mark of the enemy, but is nothing but kind. I know not how to feel about her.”

Soarin was quiet for a moment. “I fluctuate sometimes. I want to say she deserves better, but until we know for sure that she can be trusted, then I say keep her down in the sublevels. We’ve been in enough trouble already. I’d say let her mom go though. That’s just...wrong.”

“I would like to give her a chance.” Midnight mused. “There is enough distrust and malice in the world and I wish not to add any more to it.”

Soarin smiled softly. “You’re a good pony. I wouldn’t even begin to know how to feel if I were in your shoes. I’m a bit on edge on the whole situation. You seem to be coping well enough though.”

“Un petit peu,” Spice spoke. “I contemplate transfer to Sécurité du Siège. There is a sense of calm here and at least I will not have to bloody my hooves.”

Soarin stared at her with concern. “During the operation, when you locked up...why? I understand that killing isn’t really easy, especially when it comes to other ponies. When Celestia diverted The Wonderbolts to a more militaristic direction, I was scared of having to deal with pirates and the like.”

“C'est plus compliqué. When I was in the Coast Guard and stationed outside of my home city, griffons had always posed a problem. Prance is a small country in comparison to empires the likes of Equestria or The Griffon’s. It does not help our case that we are nestled within The Griffon Empire, bordering The Unknown Waters, but what did help was Equestria as our allies. Foes typically were pirates, each hoping to rob trade vessels and possibly hold the innocents on board for...rançon. My partners and I dispatched the fiends when ordered.

“Many moons ago, a small town required quarantine. A small group seized zebra refugees and threatened to kill them. My partners had snuck in through the sewers. The hospital the hostages were held granted them entry through the back. I sat in the trees and kept my rifle close, scanning windows. The squad moved and took care of the terrorists with ease. I had spotted a griffon with his back to the window, shouting when my friends entered. His family must have followed him. A grown girl and a small boy, shouting, doing no good in trying to diffuse the hostilities. The zebra cried, yet remained mostly silent. It was when the griffon raised a claw to kill her that she made a sound.

“The shot boomed loud. I killed him and saved the zebra. I should have felt good, no? I did not. I had wished to shoot the griffon’s arm and nothing more. I...I must have slipped. The bullet tore into his throat. A family lost a father. A husband. The zebra thanked the heavens profusely leaping towards my friends, but the boy. His mother, looked towards me with such hatred. Both called me...us... Tueur. Un monstre. A monster. While they did not see me directly, I knew it was me they had spoken so illy of.”

Soarin was quiet again.

“I left the Coast Guard the following week. My daughter vanished shortly after. Nopony seemed to know anything about her disappearance. I left my home, searching. Killing became a chore thereafter. I gave help whenever it was needed, regardless of want. I thought beyond the faces I had snuffed out. Families mourning the loss of someone I had killed. It tore away and ate at me. The hamlet of Fishhook is where I stopped and decided to focus more on the search for my daughter.”

“I’m sorry.” Soarin said simply. “About your daughter. That must not have been easy. I don’t blame you if you go through with your transfer.”

Midnight Spice nodded gently and rested her head on her pillow. It hugged her gently. She despised remembrance. She lay in silence, thinking as Soarin tried to brighten her mood.

***

"Lifting shadows
off a dream once broken
She can turn a drop of water
Into an ocean..."

Sweetie Belle’s soothing voice enraptured most ponies in the lounge. Cherry listened intently as the piano followed, a humble and moving melody working in serene accordance with her angelic voice.

Eva placed her cup down violently, interrupting the relaxation Cherry had began to feel. The clinking of beads and charms lining her necklace was oddly calming to him, especially amongst the boisterous roars and guffaws of wingless griffons surrounding his table. A myriad of topics were raised and only a hoof-ful of them remained on the table for more than thirty seconds before somepony or griffon said her name. The news spread like wildfire, as it should have, but it put a strange feeling in Cherry’s stomach. For once, it was not the drinks of the lounge which had bothered him.

Cherry and his compatriots sat in their own secluded corner of the lounge, save for several workers and soldiers who were able to tolerate the group. They crowded a row of four tables together and spoke among each other.

“Can’t believe we’ve got a traitor in the ranks already.” Lorin commented, a green-tipped feathered griffon spoke.

“Mare got what was comin’ to ‘er.” Otto remarked. “Sidin’ with the enemy like that.”

Cherry shifted uncomfortably beside Eva. Solemn would not really ally herself with the enemy would she? She was not that kind of pony. She was too soft to do anything like spying on The Initiative. Or would that be exactly what she would want everyone to think.

“That’s not fair,” Marmalade countered. “A cutie mark doesn’t make the pony. She’s done more for us so far than you have.”

“Really now?” Otto raised a brow, turning in his seat. “What’s she done that I ain’t?”

“Last time I checked,” Cherry cut in. “She was actually a part of an operation. How’s guarding the shitters treating you?”

Otto released a growl. “Will you so readily defend a traitor? That Royal Guard in the training ground been screwin’ with yer head?”

Cherry scowled.

The griffon beside Marmalade released a chuckle, gruff and wheezy. Cherry had only met her friend, Keller, on one occasion during Aegis’s strict and arduous training and team-building exercises. Cherry learned just how fearsome the griffon species was, having the bandages wrapped around his hoof and patches on his belly to prove it.

Keller turned in his seat, a monstrous beast of a griffon hardly able to keep himself in the rickety wooden chair. Cherry felt himself shrink under the all seeing glare of his beady dead eyes, sheltered under the shadow of his hardened brow. His long beak was home to many cracks, missing a portion along the left upper maw, allowing the group of mercenaries a peek at his slender and spotted tongue slithering about inside the his jaw. His talons gripped the edge of the old seat, digging into the lacquered wood, dusty and jagged, yet razor sharp. His body bore marks, stories of bloody conflicts etched underneath his dark and fading brown feathers.

For a moment, even Marmalade’s expression shifted to that of worry as his chair creaked and Cherry’s mercenary band fell quiet. His steely gaze scans through the group with something more akin to cat-like curiosity than a glare of annoyance. Cherry let himself relax, remembering that bloodthirsty killing machine Keller and normal Keller were two sides of the same coin. Currently, it was normal Keller who was casting an inquisitive glance towards them.

“Would you so readily condemn a girl to a fate of solitude alongside her own mother?” He asked. His voice was thick and coarse, yet gentle enough to betray his hardened exterior. It caught Cherry off guard. Rs were rolled just about every time they were pronounced and Hs were thick with phlegm. Keller pointed a talon towards Oliver, a stout griffon two seats away from Cherry. “You. Have you a mind of your own? What do you believe?”

“I believe you’ve been hanging around ponies too much old man.” Oliver remarked, scratching a talon against the glass of his cup. He cleared his throat and swallowed hard. “They’ve softened you up. If we were in Griffonstone, she’d have been exiled or sentenced to death, as is her rightful punishment.”

The old bird’s thick brow cast a darkness over his eyes. “Hmph. A boy with no mind of his own I see. You there,” Keller’s talon shifted to Cherry. “You think she’s innocent?”

Cherry remained quiet. He had given much thought on Solemn’s situation, although he had never formed an actual opinion on the matter. Granted how little he knew her and how little she liked him, he should want her gone and away like that, right? Locked in a room with her mother and nothing less or nothing more? No trial, all suspicion?

The more Cherry thought about it, the worse it sounded. He had not known her well, but what little he did know did not seem to add up with what every cynic believed. She was sweet and he would be lying to himself if he said she was not at least a fair bit attractive. Unicorns without a type of Canterlot-leveled pomposity was always a welcome sight to most ponies outside of the capital city. Regardless of her appearance, she seemed too...meek and timid to do any of the things Commander Sparkle accused her of.

It seemed unfair in all regards.

“Well, come on boy, are you daft?” Keller cawed.

“No.” Eva answered for him, ripping a chunk of meat off the t-bone. “Cherry has a mind of his own, he just hardly uses it. Probably the hardest I’ve seen him think for a while.”

The group of griffons laughed and chuckled. Cherry tapped against the rim of his seat impatiently, waiting for them to subside. When they did, he cast them a glower.

“I think somepony is angry now!”

“Look at ‘im! Think he’s hankerin’ t’fight one ‘o us!”

Cherry grit his teeth.

“Enough.” Eva ordered. She stood from her seat, the beads of her necklace clinking and clattering together in an unnatural rhythm. “We’ve had enough fun for tonight.”

The griffons and earth ponies nodded and chuckled in agreement. One by one they rose and one by one they had followed Eva, casting mocking glares and threatening growls towards Cherry. If it were any indication, Cherry was sure to have some fun when he retired to the barracks when he was finished in the lounge. Marmalade stared at them, disgust and apparent distaste in her eyes. She stood from her seat.

“Why do you even hang out with those assholes?” Marmalade slid a chair out and sat across from Cherry. Keller did the same, sitting beside the young adventurer. “Most times, you don’t even agree with them and you’re always left alone at the end of the day. Why put up with that?”

“They’re my friends.” Cherry answered, sipping from his cup. “Everypony gets into disagreements.”

“True,” Keller responded. “But friends only disagree to the point of wantin’ to hurt one another when one o’ them ain’t truly a friend.”

Cherry remained quiet, looking at the other seats. Would things be so different had he taken to being with his own fireteam now? He was sure no matter where he would go, ponies, griffons, deer and changelings alike would have granted him the same treatment. Rime would have easily berated him and chastised him, no matter what his stance on Solemn’s situation would have been. She’d find a reason to give him flak, that was what ponies like her did to ponies like him.

Aegis was the leader, cool, and level headed most of the time and more often than not, kept others from giving Cherry too much of a hard time. Swift Step was a run of the mill Canterlot pegasus, minus the snobbish attitude. Bright smile and one hell of a body. Lone was...well, he was often by himself or in the library whenever the time allowed for it. One probably would not have to wonder why he was even called Lone Shadow. He stayed true to his namesake. As far as Cherry knew, of all the ponies to have an actual problem with him was Rime.

He made attempts to improve their relationship, hoping that bringing her coffee in the morning or taking over her duties would do something. Instead, she kept giving him that deadpanned glare and Cherry often times felt his blood boil. Not in the sense that he was angry, but his body would literally heat up. He held his beliefs to himself, but Rime was supernatural. Unicorns may have possessed an innate ability to use magic, but some ponies outside of the species came dangerously close.

“I don’t know,” Cherry admitted. “They’re the first group that really took me in after I came to Griffonstone. Eva’s the only one who really keeps them from going too far. Didn’t really see a reason to leave them then, especially because the coin was good. Now, I’m having second thoughts.”

Keller huffed. Or laughed, Cherry could not quite tell what it was. “Good coin is all it takes, eh? Who am I to judge. Was a pirate for a time after all, and that coin was good.”

“Then some no name mare comes along with promises of vast treasure.” Marmalade said with a smile. “Bet you’re not regretting listening to me now, are ya?”

Keller huffed again, his craggy beak shifting. “Not at all, my friend! After all, raiding ancient tombs surely keeps an old bird on his toes.”

Marmalade gave a short chuckle and brought her attention back to Cherry. “Look, point is, you don’t have to surround yourself with those idiots. I’d say if it weren’t for you already being in a squad, Aegis or the Commander herself would place us three along with that one freaky stag lady and Spice. Wouldn’t we be so much better than those featherbrains?”

“Spice is in the infirmary.” Cherry answered.

“Besides the point.” Marmalade rolled her eyes. “Look, alls I’m sayin’ is you don’t have to put up with that shit. Real friends are the only ones that matter.”

***

It had been a rough few days for Rime. First Solemn and her mother were 'detained' for possibly being connected to a paramilitary shadow organization. Then there was the scene Rime caused trying to protect them from being hauled off and failing at it. And last but definitely not least, the message she sent straight to Commander Twilight stating her refusal to fight as protest to the so-called 'Vigil Dilemma' which could be construed as conduct unbecoming at the very least if not outright insubordination and possible grounds to have Rime thrown out of the Initiative for it.

All in all, things could be worse, Rime thought as she made her way to the barracks' mess hall, her stride noticeably slower considering how recent events weighed on her. She passed the food counters as well as the tables and their occupants and took a seat at an empty table along the back wall, preferring the comfort of solitude for the time being. Rime laid her head on the table using her forelegs as a pillow. She let out a huff at the unfairness of the situation. The Vigil family was basically in jail, no trial or anything, just on the suspicion of being connected to those outlaws. Oh, how Rime wanted to kick in the Commander's door and demand the Vigils' release or maybe find Shining Armor and throttle him as a way to vent her frustrations, but she pushed those thoughts back down. Getting mad now wouldn't help the Vigil family.

Thinking on the subject of families, Rime's thoughts turned back to her own. She remembered her mother, Ice Breaker, the latest in continuing the family tradition of mares serving in the various divisions of the Guard. It still hurt Rime to think of how her mother died in the line of duty, setting off the avalanche that buried an entire diamond dog slaver gang and their base in an effort to cover her squad's getaway with the abductees. It was heartbreaking to learn they never could find her mother's body for the funeral, yet she was also proud that her mother served with such conviction and dedication, that one day she herself could live up to such a standard. And still, some part of her truly believed that her mother survived thanks to her family's affinity for the cold.

And of course there was her father, Evergreen Frost. Rime was grateful to still have him in her life. During her younger days, he sometimes took her to his job at the lumber mill on the Vibrant River outside of Manehattan for the day when her mother had to run extra shifts for the Guard. Rime's larger size was useful when she helped him move the trees to the river, though that was to be expected with two powerful earth ponies having an even more powerful daughter. Those were long, tiring days but so very memorable, especially when her dad and his co-workers started to sing. There was one song that was their favorite, but it was so long since she last heard it. How did it go again? Rime closed her eyes and put all of her thought into remembering.

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
Sing, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

When the waves meet daybreak's shine
Bend your shoulders to the line
Wild is the river
Flowing forever
Sing, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
All my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
Row, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

When the midday sun is high
Fight to leave our woes behind
Deep is the river
Flowing forever
Row, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
Sing, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
Heave, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

When the night her wings have spread
On the deep we make our bed
Silent the river
Flowing forever
Sing, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo, heave ho
Sing, my brothers
Yo, heave ho

Yo, heave ho
Yo... heave... ho

It felt so good to remember. She still had it. Rime let herself a small smile. However, her revelry was broken by the sound of clapping. She tentatively lifted her head to look around and saw the occupants of the mess hall looking at her, giving her a round of applause. Rime's eyes went wide and her face red; was she so absorbed in her thoughts that she actually sang it out loud? Judging from the looks on their faces. her impromptu audience -fireteam members among them- seemed to enjoy the little performance. Rime, however, simply facehoofed in embarrassment and decided to quickly beat a retreat back to her quarters in the barracks. Maybe she gave the base something else to talk about besides the Vigils now.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long :twilightsheepish: . I'm trying to juggle this story and 2 research papers (One of which is almost done thankfully). Should have a chapter ready for next week!

Rime's section courtesy of Solemn Vigil.

Chapter 16: Judgement

“Solemn!” Rime shouted down the street. “Come on, we’re gonna miss it!”

“I’m coming!” Solemn called back, through panting breaths. She streaked wearily past

“What the—that’s me.” Solemn watched as her younger form galloped after a younger Rime Runner. They galloped down the street, racing towards the nearby park. Music beats rumbled in Solemn’s ears and even from the few blocks away that she and Rime had to go until the arrived in the park, the young fillies' chests vibrated from the deep bass permeating throughout the downtown districts of Manehattan.

The older Solemn watched, dumbstruck as she witnessed Rime and herself gallop like the free spirits they were. A small crack of a smile spread on her face once they disappeared, following her younger self down the opposite sidewalk, casting several glances around the street and crossing once the wagons and carriages were clear, the moment her hooves touched the dirty, grey concrete, the vehicles returning to the street at full strength.

Keeping an eye on her younger self, Solemn trotted past various ponies, releasing a yelp when one kept on walking in her direction, not caring if he would bump into her. Instead, she phased through him, and several others as she looked around in sordid disbelief. Ponies walked through her without so much as a care. Solemn looked at each of them, confused and having an odd sense of violation. She shifted herself out of the way, leaning against a brick wall of an apartment complex and stared down at her hooves. Her form was transparent, yet still retaining enough of her color to remain familiar.

A dream. That makes sense. Solemn brought her eyes to the sky, watching the clouds slowly glide past at a slug’s pace. She hoped to find a trace of Luna somewhere, in the sky, part of the crowd or an inanimate object with eyes glued onto Solemn. She had no such luck finding anything of the sort. All sense of her surroundings faded, walking freely through the shades of the past without a care. She knew this day well and while she may have lost sight of her younger self, she knew herself well enough to know where exactly where she and Rime would be headed on a day such as this. The further down the streets she trotted, the fresher the air became, a mix of sea water and pollution filling her nose and lungs.

The buildings ceased as she reached the end of the concrete path, a journey that took less time than Solemn remembered. Behind parked wagons and carriages on the road running perpendicular from her, Solemn spotted a sign of wood just slightly raised on a row of wooden posts, reading Battery Park. Solemn crossed gingerly, passing the parked wagons and wandering through the fence into the grass. From the open park, Solemn looked around, soaking in all the sights and sounds she began to realize she so desperately missed. Watching the water roll and wave around, guiding boats to docks, ponies too preoccupied with themselves and the stark skyline of Bucklyn across the river. The visage of the city skyline was beautiful, the towers of concrete and glass adding their own shine as they reflected the sunlight.

Colts and fillies darted past Solemn, giggling and screeching in excitement towards the center of the park where gold flags bearing the mark of Equestria elegantly flapped with the riverside breeze. She caught sight of herself and Rime once again, joined by a green pegasus flapping her wings rapidly and only hovering mere inches off the ground. Solemn’s breath caught in her throat. How long had it been since she last saw May? Although the May in front of her was just a child and much about her had changed, she was still a sight for sore eyes.

“That’s the Summer Sun Celebration,” Solemn muttered. Despite the dreamscape mirroring the real world with startling accuracy, Solemn felt disconnected. She knew it was a dream, a faux visual conjured by the magical confines of her mind, yet in all others, she was the subject of the dream. Not anypony else, it was always her. Watching her younger self being the center of the dream felt unnatural.

“That it is.”

Startled, Solemn turned, coming face to face with the darker of the Regal Sisters, the silky blue of her coat glistening in the sunshine and her ever-flowing mane twinkling like the night sky itself. Ponies pushed past, walking through her, although she did not seem to mind it as much as Solemn did.

“Princess L-Luna!” Solemn knelt down, muzzle touching the grass. Even for a dream, the grass which she had knelt upon felt real. She raised her head slightly, watching the hooves of the alicorn gently motion for her to rise. Overnight stood alongside the princess, more focused on the sights and sounds of her old home.

“Solemn Vigil,” The alicorn spoke, raising her forehoof slightly as though to guide her. “We have much to discuss. Fear not, I wish only to help you and your mother.”

The crowded streets vanished, a black space surrounding the ponies. Overnight yelped, scooting herself closer to Princess Luna and gripping tightly to her body. As the colors faded, Luna looked down at the two ponies, concern heavy on her tired face. “Fear not Mrs. Vigil. Here, there is no sense of direction unless I will it. We are neither falling nor rising. Moving forward and moving backward. ”

Solemn braced herself despite Luna’s words. She felt like she were travelling for a thousand miles, moving nowhere, yet their destination lay just ahead. Light shined what seemed like miles away, as though the three ponies were in a tunnel, but rather than approaching the end, the end was coming to them. Solemn’s tail tucked itself between her hind legs and her ears fell atop her head. She tried not to imagine what lay ahead of her. An eternal nightmare? Punishment for the few things she had done wrong in life? Was this really the price to pay for having a certain cutie mark?

A moment later, the light enveloped her, blinding at first, but her eyes adjusted in a mere two blinks. Everywhere she turned, there was nothing, save for her mother and Princess Luna, horn glowing and deep in concentration.

“Forgive me if I come across anything...too personal.” Luna said. Before the three ponies, a wall of images manifested along with orbs, playing back memories like movies before their very eyes. Overnight released herself from Solemn, stepping closer to the series of memories, gazing up at them with such wonder and awe that Solemn would have thought she had never experienced them before. “Twilight’s instructions were a tad vague for my liking.”

“You’re going to be searching through all of our memories?” Overnight asked, a slight blush in her cheeks.

“I can sort through memories faster than most ponies would think. It takes time, but it is possible for me. Magic in the dream world is a wonderous thing.”

In each memory, Solemn watched as recollections of all kind played around her, some her own and others from her mother. There were thousands, maybe millions swarming around them. Stressing over unpaid medical bills in the late hours of the night, dealing with bullies from school at a young age, making friends, losing them, everything that Solemn and Overnight Vigil had done in their lives floating around them while Luna worked. Her horn glowed, memories fading and others flocking toward her in speeds unimaginable.

An orb floated close to Solemn, the images blurred and bright. She watched, holding a hoof out to the orb and letting it float into her hoof. She heard faint grunts and cries of pain mixed with shouting. Figures were shrouded by shadows, surrounding pony whose eyes she viewed from. Her heart dropped. Was this it? Could it be the key to understanding her cutie mark?

“Filly! It’s a filly!” A voice called from within. Overnight’s ears perked up, trotting over to Solemn’s side and stopping with a gasp. A soft smile spread across her muzzle.”

“That was the happiest day of my life,” Overnight said, watching the memory. Solemn, as a foal, squirmed and wiggled about, yawning as Overnight held her close. She looked up at a doctor, their voices joining the countless echoes and choir of muted conversations from the other memories. “I knew my little Solemn would grow up into somepony for the good of the world. Boy, was it tough, but I regret none of it. I wish her father was still around to see what she would become.”

“The hardships of parenthood are often worth the struggles,” Luna commented, eyes scanning the wall of memories and dreams, mind racing like clockwork faster than Solemn and Overnight could process all the images. The combined wall of both ponies’ memories made for a collage of good and bad times, wonderful dreams and nightmares. “Hmmm.”

“Is your work really more important than your family?” Solemn’s ears perked up, scanning the many bubbles for the source. Overnight did the same. “She’s barely even a year old, Watch. How can I just watch her on my own and work at the same time? At least your work could let you stay with her here at home on most days.”

“They have foalsitters for a reason.” A deeper, rougher voice answered. Solemn continued to search for the memory, her hooves carrying her past hundreds of others in the colorful bubble-scape Luna had placed them in. “She’ll be fine without me.”

“What about me?” Overnight asked. Solemn turned to her left, finding the source. She grasped the memory in her magic, stepping closer to it. A stallion stood in a doorway, body blocking the only exit in sight and head only turned slightly in Overnight’s general direction. “Please don’t go. I need you. Solemn needs you. We love you, Constant. I love you.”

The stallion was quiet, turning away from the mare. “I’m sorry. Duty is the forefront of prosperity. Everypony has a role to play in the world in order to make it a better place. The work I need to do is too important for me to let it fester any longer. Maybe in the future, we’ll see each other again.”

“That was your father.” Overnight walked beside Solemn, extending a forehoof to the bubbled memory. She stared down at it, longing in her eyes. Her pained expression shifted, as though the mask of happiness were finally giving out. “So focused on his work. I still don’t know why he left. To this day, I can’t believe The Union wasn’t enough for him. Constant Watch...”

“Quite strange indeed,” Luna remarked, horn still glowing. Memories dissipated, vanishing with not a single sound, save for the echoes of memories cut off before being thrown into the void. “It pains me to say that it does not bode well for your current situation. It would seem somepony is hard at work keeping the Equestrian Bureau of Defense away from your father.”

“Can’t you bring him here?” Solemn asked. She wanted desperately to be able to see him again. The memories she did have of her father were fuzzy and almost nonexistent.

“Believe me,” Luna looked away from her work for a moment to gaze down at Solemn. “I have tried since Twilight came to me on the matter. Darkness shrouds my mind whenever I try to find him. I fear the worst for him. I pray that all ponies, no matter their character, find peace once they move on from this life and enter the next.”

Overnight looked down at her hooves. Her voice wavered and shook. “How did he die?”

“I’m afraid I do not know.” Luna answered simply. The bubbles of memories gathered, spreading out, forming a wall before the three ponies. Solemn looked forward at the wall of memories before her. In chronological order, each one played like a movie before her eyes. Even memories she could barely remember—being no older than a few months old or memories she had tried her hardest to block out—played and passed by her before they could complete their loops.

“He was a traveller for a time, venturing westward. Farther than my magic could reach and farther than those whose hoofsteps he followed.” Luna explained, eyes glossing over the memories, mind running faster than what Solemn could have imagined.“For what it is worth, your husband, the times I had entered his dreams, had the two of you in his mind most nights. Though he could never have anticipated Solemn as a grown mare, he had high hopes that the two of you were happier without him.”

Solemn shifted her lip to the side. She was unsure how different life would have been with Constant Watch in her life. Overnight, undoubtedly, would not have stressed herself working longer hours. Maybe her gait would be gone and Solemn would still be in Manehattan, even after The Incident. He would have been a strange variable to have been included in their lives.

Luna furrowed her brow, the wall ceasing movements of recollections. Several gaps separated the blocks of memories. She flared her horn, but Solemn was unsure of the desired effect. Luna tried once more, frowning and staring at the blank spaces.

“There is powerful magic at play.” She said finally. “Dreams and memories are missing from both of your minds. There have only been a few cases where I’ve needed to remove such foulness from the world, but none since my return. Somepony removed these somehow. But who, with magic equivalent to my own? This realm is my own. Nopony comes here unless I will it.”

It was something that made both Vigils shudder.

"How could that happen?" Overnight asked.

“To my knowledge, from what I have observed, of all the things I have seen,” Luna turned to the two unicorns. “None are more mysterious than this. There are no written records of the spells I use to remove something so important to a pony’s being.”

“Could it be Discord?”

“Highly unlikely. The fool’s magic would not be allowed to spread through his stone imprisonment.” Luna continued to stare into the voids. “Nopony should have this kind of power.”

“Multiple ponies, pooling their magic together could potentially allow them to do something like this right?” Overnight asked. “A group of ponies a few years back did that to amplify their telekinesis so they could carry more weight. They got bigger machine parts down for repairs that way, no matter how much I told them how dangerous it was.”

Luna shifted her lips, unsure. “A pony would need to know a spell capable of such magnitude, a spell that, again, has no written records. The spell came to me when I had ascended countless centuries ago, an innate power which I had seldom used.

“I wish no ill will on you ponies. I have seen some of these dreams before and I can see that you both harbor only the best of intentions.”

“Then why would Twilight lock us up?” Solemn found herself asking.

“Fear can drive a pony to do many things they’ll regret sooner or later,” Luna said. She drew her glance elsewhere as though lost in her own thoughts. “She may come to regret her decision or she may not. Whatever the case, you know your true intentions. You know where your loyalties lie. Ponies may come to fear your cutie mark. They will not understand and some will even come to dislike you for it. However, a cutie mark does not always define a pony. Will you let yours define who you are, or will you continue to be the pony you always were? Think on it my dear ponies.”

“I-I will.” Solemn stammered. Luna’s wisdom was talked about in books and fables, but to actually have heard her speak the words to her? It was something else entirely.

“Believe me when I say that we will get to the bottom of this,” Luna spoke softly. “It is troubling that you both have been victim of memory extraction on such a level of this. I do not believe you to have taken memories from your minds on your own volition. Very few ponies would ever even think of such a thing.”

***

When Solemn awoke, her body felt restored, as though the sheets around her body was like the tender hold of a loved one. It was something Solemn had longed for more than she cared to admit. The hold of her mother was a tender and familial one, a grasp that she had grown quite used to growing up, as had many other ponies that she knew and had yet to know.

Overnight slept on her own bed beside Solemn’s, separated only by a simple desk where books and a single lamp sat. She had no idea what time it was. The only way to even have a clue was based on the lighting in the room, probably accurately dimming and brightening with the daylight outside of the base. She’d asked a security officer outside the room for a clock or a watch or something to help both her and her mother keep track, but they had often refused, some nicer than others.

It was a trend among the guards she had noticed. It was often the griffons who flat out rejected her requests for virtually anything. When the hour had grown quiet, she could hear at least one of the guards speak ill of her and her mother. She was far from a traitor in every sense, but her patience wore thin most days and it was Overnight who had to bring her down a notch or two and plead that she ignore the words. There was only one outburst made by Solemn in the eternity she had been trapped in the holding chamber.

“I won’t have my damn loyalty questioned by a feather brained freak of nature!” She shouted at the door, blood boiling and seething. A moment later the door opened and a griffon clad in security leathers barreled in, an earth pony following suit, only the earth pony came between Solemn and the griffon.

“I’ll beat your traitorous skull in, ya hear?” The griffon threatened. The earth pony slapped the baton out of his grip and started shoving him back towards the door. “Think I need that? I don’t need a weapon to beat your traitorous ass!”

“Stop it!” The earth pony shoved him back and looked towards Solemn. “I don’t wanna have to put a muzzle over your mouth. Shut it and there won’t be any problems.”

“Should put a muzzle on him.” Solemn replied, garnering a growl from the griffon standing by the door. The earth pony only glared at him, picking up the dropped baton and spitting it back towards the griffon.

“Quiet.” He said. “It’s bad enough that you’re in here. Don’t need you starting trouble with us.”

Ponies had been more forgiving of Solemn’s situation. Their softer and gentler words had been welcome and she would have much preferred two ponies guarding the door to the room at all times rather than an alternating cast of ponies and griffons. Having two griffons was the worst, but two ponies were generally quiet in comparison. Since the incident with security, Solemn was prone to reading or writing whenever the boredom struck or the guards taunted her and her mother from outside. She was thankful that she was still able to use her magic.

Solemn rose from her bed, the sheets and blankets wrinkling as she stretched and rose to her hooves on the cool floor. Overnight groaned in her bed, lying awake for only a few minutes before Solemn had rose.

As Twilight walked in, she was flanked by two security officers; a griffon to her left and an earth pony to her right. They held no weapons this time, but Solemn was still weary, standing between them and her mother, as tall and as proud as she could make herself appear.

“I…” She sighed, looking back at the guards. “Leave us.”

Reluctantly, the two security officers did, the door sliding to a close behind them. Twilight sat, letting out a longer sigh and shutting her eyes. Although it had only been days since the two parties last spoke to each other, the burdens and stress of those days were heavy upon Twilight’s face. Solemn was sure it was Rime’s doing that the commander bore bags under the eyes and a kind of laziness in the styling of her own mane. When she opened her eyes, her expression softened and her body relaxed.

“I’m letting you two go free. It was wrong of me to uproot the two of you from your duties down here and throw you away the way I did.” She said sullenly. “I’ve let my own fears take over and...well, I shouldn’t have acted on impulse.”

“We aren’t the enemy,” Overnight replied, a hint of anger in her voice. “My baby has done more than enough to prove that she isn’t some double agent for those ponies—whoever they are.”

Twilight nodded. “I understand that. You’ll no longer be confined to this room, or any other. Your clearances have been returned to you—to an extent—and you will report to your typical duties starting tomorrow morning.”

“Just like that?” Solemn asked.

Twilight pursed her lips. “Well...there is a catch. For the sake of security, I’ll have Starlight Glimmer place a tracking spell on you both. As well as a security escort for you Solemn.”

Solemn held her tongue. Instead Overnight spoke for her. “That’s a...step up I suppose. Will Solemn really need an escort though? Can’t we be trusted with the tracking spells on its own?”

“It’s only temporary. For now, I...It’s been rough, not just on me, but for you two as well. I want to believe you both can be trusted. Only time will tell. You two are dismissed.”

It took a moment for it to sink in, but Solemn ultimately stepped forward, Overnight following with her awkward gait. There was little in the sense of freedom to Solemn as she stepped past the doorway; the brightly lit white chamber contrasting to the dark, greys of the lower level halls.

“Overnight!” Twilight called. The weak mare turned, worry returning to her eyes. “Before you report to Engineering tomorrow morning, I want you to report to Starlight Glimmer in Research. She may have something to relieve you of that physical pain. Think of it as an apology gift.”

“Thank you ma’am.”

Solemn stepped forward, standing as tall and as proud as she could, swallowing hard and granting Twilight a proper salute, catching the alicorn by surprise.

“I swear, Commander,” she spoke. “I will prove myself to be a loyal soldier to The Initiative. I want to earn your trust again, as well as the trust of those who question my loyalties. I won’t let you down Commander.”

Twilight remained quiet, even as Solemn relaxed herself and trotted away, aiding her mother down the corridor, watched intently by the two security guards which had followed Twilight.

The alarm sounded, painfully ringing in the ears of all parties present.

“Commander to Mission Control! Commander to Mission Control!”

“Looks like this can be your chance.” Twilight whispered solemnly.

***

His eyes opened and the first thing he was met with was complete darkness. Loki seldom woke up in the late hours of the night and hardly has The Hive ever been as quiet as it was. There was usually a patrol or two that passed by his small section of cavern or the occasional group of friends making their way back to their respective denizens of The Hive where they would continue their drunken conversations or lay on the floor in unnatural and uncomfortable positions until it was time for them to get back to work.

Loki glanced around, the green glow of the hatchery surrounding him at his post. The rock he used as a bed had been naturally chiseled to accommodate his hard exoskeleton, years of erosion allowing for the changeling to sleep the night away alongside the younglings. It was not uncommon for hatchery caretakers to do such a thing in the late hours of the night. Should a hatchling be ready to leave its egg, the nearest worker or wet nurse would be alerted of such through innate senses. It was a strange ability, but one that gave much credence to the idea of the whole Changeling race functioning as a sort of hive mind, although since Chrysalis was gone from the picture, individuality was returning.

Tonight, none of the eggs seemed to be disturbed. Of course, if he was awake there were at least three possibilities; an egg was ready for hatching, there were intruders in the midst or Loki’s body had decided he had enough sleep for the night. Intruders were rare in The Hive, but he never ruled it out as a possibility. He chose to work there for the silence and seclusion from most of the main network and others who had relished in their newfound individuality.

Loki had discovered his, but despite their new freedoms, everyone had a role to play in The Hive. If he had things his way, he would stay in his own fissure and read and study. What little friends he did have he managed to keep things brief, being that The Hive worked in such an orderly schedule. He did not mind it much though. He was doing his duty for The Hive, even if it was not the duty he would have chosen for himself.

There was still the matter of a possible threat to deal with. Several points of his crimson carapace cracked as Loki stood up and stretched. His membranous wings stretched as well, glowing a slight lemon-lime hue as he flexed and retracted them. His silvery chitin back plates folded and unfolded before settling back into a relaxed position. He took his first steps out of his rockbed with caution before standing in the center of the cavern.

Torches lined the cavernous maze between indents in the walls where dozens of glowing emerald pods lined the walls, reaching as far up as the ceiling. A few stirred, the hatchlings inside bound to come crawling out at any moment. He was surprised to find none of the wet nurses tending to the little ones in their eggs, nor any of them sleeping in their designated crevasses in the walls. Their presence managed to soothe the unhatched in their deep slumber and development. Yet there was not a single nurse in sight that Loki could see. Perhaps they had sensed the invader too?

Maybe it’s some kind of joke? In truth, Loki could not see any of the wet nurses playing any type of joke on him. It was more their style to lecture others about the cruelty of jokes and pranks. Unless the invader or invaders passed through most of the cavern already without Loki knowing and the wet nurses had just run away in terror, there should be no reason that all of their posts to be empty, save for a few of their belongings.

Following twists and turns, Loki was met with the Central Hatchery chamber. A single pillar stood in the center, lined with hundreds of small pods, each glowing a translucent emerald. They clumped together in a claustrophobic bunch, prodding and pressing against one another as they trailed up the silky webbing on the pillar and ceiling. It was here, Loki expected to find the wet nurses, and yet there was nothing. Not a single sound or sign of another changeling having passed through the area. He could still feel the unease of the little ones and someone else. There was something or someone here that did not belong. He was sure of it.

Loki circled the column, briskly trotting past the eggs and down the opposing tunnel from where he had come. Despite the lack of any signs, Loki knew it was toward the Southern Hatchery, surely where he would find someone who had even a slight notion of what was going on. Not a single soul in sight, besides the hundreds lining the walls, developing inside their eggs. He stopped upon an intersection, two tunnels imbedded in the walls, both leading the Western Hatchery. Steps sounded from behind him, quiet, but just loud enough for Loki to take note of the light hoof falls against the quarried stone.

“Loki?” The blue glistening eyes of Broadshell stared at Loki with intrepid curiosity. Contrary to his name, he was a rather slender and abnormal changeling. Unlike most of the other changelings born before the rule of Chrysalis, he had kept a few of the scars from The Hive’s troubled past. His golden carapace was pocked full of holes and slashes, despite thriving in the same way as the rest of the changelings in The Hive. “You got the feeling too? I just checked this side of the hatchery.”

“Nothing?” Loki asked.

“Nothing. Do you think Needles found someone?”

“Did you hear from her at all? She’s got the entire west section to deal with.”

“Maybe we should split. I’ll start looking down there.” Broadshell pointed a cracked hoof down the leftward tunnel, darkened and illuminated with nothing other than the soft glow of the fragile eggs. “Hopefully by the time we find her, we’ll have some guards crawling around here.”

Loki shifted his lips at the idea, but was left no time to argue. Broadshell had already begun his intrepid trot down the tunnel, leaving Loki by himself at the cavern’s intersection. With no option other than to begin his own search for Needles, he started down the right tunnel. Exchanges between him and the other patrol drones were often kept short, but slightly too short for his own liking. Especially in a time like this where everyone seemed to have vanished from their posts.

The stirring of the unhatched was slightly unsettling. Most of those awaiting their official introduction into the world were many weeks behind to be this active, especially at this point and time in the night and their development cycles.

“I hope Needles is okay.” Loki muttered to himself.

A rumble shook the hatchery, disturbing the little ones. Each one squirmed and Loki felt his heart start to race faster and faster until they ceased. Despite their calming down, Loki felt his legs begin to tremble. He willed himself forward, lighting torches left unlit by the changelings in charge of the day shift.

“Argh!”

Loki jumped. That was Needles. With as silent as a trot could be, Loki skipped forward towards the source of the groans. From further down the corridor, two green orbs glowed, flashing—no, blinking— repeatedly. Loki slowed himself, approaching intrepidly. Another rumble shook the cavern, dust falling onto Loki’s head and rocks shifting. He feared an earthquake, but it must not have been anything of the sort. The region never experienced one if Thorax or The Elders were to be believed.

Dust erupted before him, blowing out the torches on the walls. Still, Loki pushed forward as the dust diffused through the cavern until the green eyes were closer. They met his and the breaths became heavier. Loki took several steps, craning his head to see slightly better. Another changeling, a blue to orange gradient coloring her body. A wing was missing and her back carapace had all but fallen off. Needles looked up, expression softening only slightly before terror overtook her. Loki opened his mouth, only for her to hold a hoof up to her muzzle.

“Shh.” She gulped, her sparkling eyes full of fear and panic appearing on her soft-shelled face. She beckoned Loki over with a forehoof. He approached, falling low to the ground and crawling at a sluggish pace until he reached the rock face beside her. Beyond the fallen pillar which she had taken cover behind, the hall curved, illuminated by the eggs which stretched on.

“What happened to you?” He asked, examining her cracked hooves. “We’ve gotta get you to the apothecary.”

“I’ll be fine.” She winced once Loki took a hoof, horn glowing slightly and repairing the cracks as best his magic could allow. “I fell from the shaft. Something chased me. I thought it was a special breed of us, something that was a secret. Instead, it came at me, charging and screaming. I ran. Damn thing carved through a few of the guards like it was nothing. I took a shortcut to get here, but...well, you see how well that turned out.”

“Where is everyone?”

“Scrambled. I don’t know what’s happening. I think...I think the aliens are here. Something’s wrong.”

Another rumble shook the cavern. A hiss and groan stopped Loki’s heart. He raised himself from the fallen pillar, only to have Needles’s magic force him lower to the bumpy surface of the floor. Another thud sounded from around the corner of the hall. Loki shot Needles a scowl, opening his mouth in protest.

“Shh!” She put a hoof against her lips and spoke in a hushed tone. “It’s here!”

Loki felt his stomach twist and his heart drop. Heavy thuds and scuttling roamed behind the shattered rock. He could feel the intensity of his heart beats increasing rapidly as the thuds edged closer to the fallen pillar the two took shelter behind. Loki held his breath, as did Needles. His ears perked when the steps ceased and started to fade away.

He looked over towards Needles who had all but frozen in fear. She turned her head slowly, breath still caught in her throat.

“We need to leave.” She whispered. “Now.”

“Agreed.”

Chapter 17: The Battle of The Hive (Part 1)

Loki peered around the corner, looking back and forth. Content that nothing was there, he trotted forward, legs buckling under the weight of Needles. She did the heavy breathing for him, breaths uneven and harsh.

“How’re we doing?” Needles asked.

“Nothing yet.” Loki huffed, stepping forward. So far there was a total of three close calls with whatever it was roaming the Hatchery. Since then, screams of panic and terror sounded above, following explosions and vicious growls and other noises among the chaos. It was all the confirmation Loki needed to believe the aliens had arrived in The Hive.

He lurched forward, stopping short of an opening which may have led to a way out. He hoped it was towards King Thorax’s Court. He knew he and Needles would at least be safe there. Guards should be corralling a vast majority of the population there in the event of an emergency. Which probably meant that the aliens would have an easier time killing everyone if they broke in.

Enough of that. Loki told himself. He peeped his head forward, staring down the emerald glow of the halls. Something was putting out the torches as it scampered down the corridor and into another opening at the end. Ahead of the small being was...something. Loki could not quite make it out, but it was big. Slender and towering over the smaller figure touching the eggs along the walls.

“What’s going on?” Needles asked. “Are we good?”

Loki stayed silent, shushing the changeling on his back and continuing to watch the dark figures. He felt his heart drop as one of the eggs dropped and splashed to the floor with a sickening pop, the hatchling starting to scream and cry out. Immediately, the tall slender creature reared up, roaring and sending slime and thick spit all over the smaller creature and the hatchling before it dropped and the hatchling grew quiet.

He threw a hoof up to his mouth to prevent himself from shouting in anger. He threw himself back against the wall and stomped a hoof on the ground.

“Hey!” Needles whispered. “Keep it down! They’re gonna hear us.”

Savages! Loki cursed them in his mind. He dropped his hooves and tried to clear his mind. “Sorry.”

Once he was sure they were a good distance away, Loki crept through the hall, trying his best to ignore the colorful puddle forming at the end of the hall. He crept through an opening along the hall’s wall and repeated the tactic of stopping behind fallen rubble and poking his head out to be sure the area was clear. It seemed to be a stroke of supernatural luck that they had remained hidden for so long from the intruders. Several moments nearly gave the two changelings heart attacks and may have even gotten them killed were they not disciplined enough.

Loki had heard the rumors of the little grey ones, although he never thought he would ever catch a glimpse of them. The metal brace around their arms made them slouch, as though the weight of the machinery rivalled their own body. Their strange bulbous eyes and lack of facial features was unsettling, but not so far off from the smooth, almost featureless, carapace of the warrior castes which sparsely dotted areas within The Hive.

He had not, however, heard of anything outside of that. Sitting in an alcove in the hatcheries tended to keep him out of the loop, outside of his own studies when he was not needed or whenever the various wet nurses dismissed him or declined his requests to help. He thought it better not to worry about what kind of aliens there were terrorizing the surface world, seeing as they would have no need to attack a changeling hive. But as fate recently proved, he was wrong and he felt that he would be paying for it now. One mistake could cost him and Needles their lives.

“All clear?” Loki asked. Needles nodded and he rose as tall as the increased weight on his body would allow. The two approached an alcove and a steepness starting to creep in on the ground. Needles gripped on slightly tighter to his body.

“A way out!” Needles pointed upwards. Light! The two allowed themselves a moment of reprieve as Loki slowly and silently approached. As relieved as he was, Loki hung his head low and his eyes grew weary. He should not be leaving all those eggs unattended. He should be trying to rid the hatchery of the intruders! But he knew he could not deal with them by himself and Needles was injured far too badly for her to be any effective help.

Loki’s ear twitched. Scampering. Loud thuds. A stark, harsh screech confirmed its presence, as well as Needles’ gut-wrenching screams. “Run!”

He never looked back. Green bolts flying past him assured him it was a terrible idea, as did the heavy footfalls against the rocky ground increasing in speed. Loki’s heart thumped harder and harder against his chest and his legs felt as though they would give out at any moment. He desperately hoped for a contingent of guards to be waiting for him outside of the cave entrance, waiting to kill the first alien that came out. Hopefully, he would not be confused for one of them.

“Run faster!” Needles shouted.

“I’m trying!” So close! Come on! Fire burned his hooves, which galloped with such intensity, almost seized by the creature gaining speed behind him. The constant thumps of its spider-like legs hitting the ground and what Loki hoped to be its slobber spitting against Needles’ and his back was all the more reason to keep hope. He swore there were shadows moving about at the cave entrance. Just a little more!

Had there not been aliens shooting at him, nor an unknown beast chasing him, Loki would have felt a little relieved upon seeing the open chambers of the hive. He had not a single clue where to go! He turned left, avoiding a fallen pillar and several stone slabs. Something else moved in the rubble ahead of him, more noise reaching his ears, like voices indecipherable and muffled from the panic, but he was too focused on the grand arching doorway further head. Loki turned back, quickly catching a glimpse of the creature which still gave chase. It’s hollow, glowing golden eyes stared intently at its prey, four legs digging deep into the ground as it reached for Loki’s leg.

“No!” Needles shot magic at the beast, causing it only to stumble slightly. “Dammit, get away!”

“Cherry! Waste that thing!”

“Got it!”

BANG! BANG!

Loki sheltered his head with a hoof, hanging low and shuddering from the vile shriek behind him. Softer steps approached ahead of him. Multiples.

“Nice shootin’ Cherry!” A mare said. Loki lowered his hoof, turned, and peered at the figures standing before him. Ponies and griffons. Other changelings had gathered with them too.

“Yeah, well—” A tan stallion stepped aside with a chuckle, two arms protruding from a band around his torso holding onto...something. Loki could not make heads or tails of it. Or any of the other soldiers for that matter. They must have been something akin to griffon weaponry, except magically powered. Those that weren’t were boxy, simple and all the same tan color. “—I’ve got my moments.”

“Your moments almost got those two killed.” A broad steely gray mare chastised. “Should check to make sure they aren’t full of holes.”

“Hey, changelings aren’t made like that anymore!” Needles shouted, defensive and bitter. Loki scowled back at her, but she hardly seemed to care.

The mare stared, taken back by her fierceness. “M-meant no offense.”

“I’m Captain Aegis Solaire,” The white stallion introduced, extending a hoof and helping Loki stand, legs still buckling under the weight of Needles. “We’re here to help. We’ve got a few others with us and we’re trying to find a safe place for them. You two need to come with us.”

“How can we trust you?” Needles asked.

“I wasn’t asking. Stick close and don’t go running off somewhere.” He said. “Got something on your leg by the way.”

Loki looked down and around, flicking off the bits of meat dangling off his hind leg while trying not to gag.

“This one’s still alive!” the tan stallion called. Loki hoped to see Broadshell surrounded by the soldiers, but instead, he was met with a black shelled, scrawny one. She sputtered blood, a luminescent blue coating her hooves and belly and the armor of the soldiers. Loki barely recognized her. Her name was lost on him, but she was one of the wet nurses who worked his wing of the hatchery. She had to have cropped up there no more than two weeks ago.

A blue unicorn knelt beside her, horn glowing and a gently hoof on her side. The wounds on the changeling mare healed, although the cuts were still visible by their glowing blue leaks of blood. The cuts must have run deep, possibly by one of those purple things that roamed the hatchery now. “That should ease the pain. Can you walk?”

The changeling shook her head weakly.

“How is she?” the white stallion asked. Loki kept his distance from the soldiers, as did the others who were alive and well, save for one. The blue unicorn looked up at him, displeasure in her eyes and slightly shook her head. “Damn. How much longer?”

“Probably another minute before she passes. She’s losing blood fast. I can—”

“There’s nothing we can do.” He cut off. “I’m sorry. Supplies are limited.”

“Wait!” A beige mare ran up and knelt down beside the wounded. “You work the hatchery?”

She nodded.

“Emergency exits anywhere? Are they still around?”

“Just...one.” She answered. “Others...blocked. Aliens...looking.”

“Thank you. Find peace in the next world for me, will ya? You deserve that much.” The mare planted a kiss on the dying changeling’s forehead. “Rest easy.”

Needles grunted, creeping closer to Loki’s ear. “We should leave these guys. Who knows what they’re up to?”

“We don’t have any other choice. Where would we go?” Loki asked. “Good or evil, these ponies and griffons might be the only thing keeping us alive.”

***
Twenty Minutes ago

“Oh Luna.”

The map’s sea of blue was tainted by crimson, alien hostiles marked accordingly, surrounding the whole entire hive network that was one of the largest discovered in the world. Several of the alien vessels had surrounded the spire of rock and craggy surface.

“That’s a little close to home.” Shining remarked.

Twilight nodded silently.

“How the hay are we gonna get our soldiers in there?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It’s surrounded all over! We don’t have enough Pegasi loaded with interceptor suits to put a dent in the alien’s line!”

“You’re a fast flyer aren’t you?” Shining Armor spoke sternly. “I’m sure you can dodge whatever the aliens throw at you.”

Rainbow’s brow wrinkled, coming closer together. “Damn right I’m a fast flyer. But one mistake, just one, and this whole operation is over. No amount of support from the Banshees nor The Wonderbolts could see me in and out of there.”

Every second, every tick of the clock, a changeling was dying, no doubt about it. Twilight scanned the alien lines, watching as the ships shot bolt after bolt against the craggy surface of The Hive. She could not risk the lives of her transports, nor the interceptors for a mission as dangerous as that. Like Rainbow said, one wrong move and it was over for everyone. But perhaps, there was another way to get the ponies inside the hive.

“Get me Starlight,” Twilight ordered a passing comms pony. “I need her here within the next ten minutes.” She turned to Shining Armor. “Notify Fireteam Valor and Topaz immediately. How many of the new arcane weapons have been produced?”

"We have six so far."

“Twilight,” Shining shook his head. “You can’t honestly believe we can fight the whole alien force there. We’d need the whole base on standby to deal with an attack of this magnitude.”

“We’ll save who we can.” Twilight voiced sternly. “Starlight and I will use our combined magic to teleport the troops there. Even if Rainbow were able to get a fireteam into The Hive, they’d track her and be able to track her back here, I’ve no doubt about that. We might be far away enough from the hive to get them there in two hours, tops, but we don’t have that time.”

Rainbow snorted. “Teleport them there? If they’re smart enough to have ships fly by themselves and use weapons that can burn through almost anything we have in Equestria, won’t they find out about your magic? What about getting them back?”

Rapid hoofbeats sounded from the hall behind Twilight. She turned, watching a mare trotting past security and officers trying to keep her out. Her swiftness countered the heavy, lurching movements of the guards. Her auburn mane was slightly frazzled, as though she had just awoken and had undergone a bout of morning hysteria. “Commander!”

“Let her through!” Twilight called out to the guards. They nodded, taking breaths and casting sideways glares at the mare who managed to outmaneuver them all. Like a child outrunning playground bullies, the mare turned and stuck her tongue out, teasingly and confidently before returning to her relaxed and scandalous strut. As she approached, Twilight’s mind continued running like clockwork. She thought back to a night of tireless reading; files of ponies eligible of joining The Initiative.“Private Marmalade?”

Memories of her file came to mind. An explorer. Adventurer, but more importantly, a thief. The Changeling Hive was home to one of the most complex system of caves and labyrinths in the world and was fairly secure, boasting a rather strict military system. Yet somehow, the mare standing before Twilight had managed to go in and out with the help of a few friends, one of which was probably giving the younger griffons quite the history lesson.

“Whole base is talkin’ about an alien attack. Say it’s Thorax’s Hive.” Marmalade cast a quick glance to the glowing presence of red on the glowing map.

“It is.” Twilight answered. “Your file said you’ve been there before, stole something from a young princess.”

“I won’t be arrested if I confess will I?” Marmalade asked with a sly smile. Twilight felt a festering wound tingle in the back of her mind, but ignored the comment. “Yeah, Keller ‘nd I did a job a few years ago there. We’ve been pretty hush hush about the details, but I guess it’s about to come spilling out.”

She approached the table, keeping her eyes trained on the massive stoney spire being bombarded by alien ships hovering above. She placed a hoof at the base of The Hive and traced out a rough path.

“There’s a tunnel spanning underneath the entire hive,” Sour Marmalade informed. “I used it to…help relieve the Changelings of any unwanted properties. It spans miles, but I don’t think King Thorax uses most of it. As far as I know there’s only one entrance in The Hive and that’s through a secluded section of the hatchery.”

Shining Armor leaned forward, as did Rainbow Dash. Marmalade proceeded. “It’s a long stretch of underground caverns, but we camped in at least twice before we made it in. Given the lack of patrols in those tunnels and how some of them were even deliberately cut off and secluded, I suspect Thorax would use them for emergencies only. The Hatchery itself spans the whole underbelly of the hive, making up the entire lowest layer. There’re more than a hundred ways into it, but only one way leading out to the surface. Keller and I found several sections of cave ins replaced with whole walls of eggs and changeling female goop.”

“Umm,” Rainbow shifted uncomfortably. “Well, how far exactly is the entrance to these tunnels?”

Marmalade shook her head. “Dunno. That was awhile ago. I’d wager it’s around here—” She gestured far north of the spire. “—only problem is urgency. If we could find the entrance and go in through there, I don’t think we’d get to The Hive before everyone inside is dead or worse. It took me two days just to reach the place. Imagine trying to get a small group in and getting a whole population out.”

“But it’s our only real option.” Twilight said. “Don’t worry about going into The Hive. It’s getting out we should worry about. Marmalade, get this Keller and report to the barracks. The fireteams should have navigators who have been in The Hive. That should speed things up.”

“Wha..!? I.. Y-yes ma’am!” Sour Marmalade turned and broke into a gallop down the halls.

Shining Armor glared at Twilight. She could feel his lack of approval boring into her. “Are we really doing this?”

Twilight looked back to the glowing map. “If we can get as many of the changelings as possible to that spot—”

“—We can lead them out through the tunnels.” Shining Armor finished, shaking his head. “I get that. It’s too risky. We can’t risk losing two of our fireteams out in the field.”

“Would you be so ready as to let the changelings burn to the aliens?” Twilight furrowed her brow. “Our first directive is to ensure the safety of all of our allies! That is exactly what we are going to do.”

“We should cut our losses and leave!” Shining shouted. “It’s dangerous enough trying to figure out a way in, but getting out? That’d be near impossible! I know Thorax is a friend to Equestria, but as it stands, any hope of helping the changelings is lost.”

“Careful. I may be your sister, but I’m still the commanding officer of our troops here. I have the utmost faith in our soldiers and their abilities. Starlight and I will create the portal and they’ll take over from there. We keep track of everything here and do what we can to save The Hive.”

“I know! We just can’t—”

“There are more than a hundred thousand changelings in that hive. By the end of the day, there will be nothing left. I will not—can not—allow that to happen. Our fireteams will go in there and get those changelings out and that is final.”

Twilight stood tall over her brother. She looked down at his glaring face, wavering and almost uncertain. Twilight dared not to look away, but she could feel the eyes of everypony in the control room on her. She understood the value of her soldiers’ lives, but the lives of civilians always comes first.

Shining looked down to the blue of the map on the table, silent and nodding. Twilight allowed her muscles to relax as Shining did. “Fine. We do it your way.”

***

“Who’re you?” Rime asked.

“Base security fraulein,” Steel answered, saluting and pushing out his chest. Solemn got a good look at the strip of walnut that stretched down from his chin to the top of his chest before disappearing underneath his armor, matching his gray feathers. His beak is small, but the hooked end made Solemn uncomfortable, like his bites would be as deadly as his razor-like talons. “I was held in reserves. Steel Longtalon. It shall be a pleasure working with you all.”

Rime scanned him, making Solemn shift uncomfortably between the two. When Twilight said she would be granting Solemn a personal escort and Steel was introduced into the fireteam, Solemn felt her stomach tighten up. The thought of having someone watch her through the base was fine; she understood the sentiment, but the idea of having someone personally escort her and keep watch during a mission made her rather uncomfortable. It was understandable, but ultimately unnecessary.

Thankfully, Twilight had assured her that another officer would be overlooking her in the base. She figured that eight and more soldiers around her at all times was enough for a mission. It did not make her feel any better about being sent on what may end up becoming a suicide mission.

It was something that everyone else in the barracks agreed with, save for Aegis, who always managed to have a sternly positive outlook on any situation. Although he was silent, Solemn tried to gauge where he was in terms of fear or frustration or...anything. He was blank, like most of the Royal Guards seen populating Canterlot and depicted in almost every little fillies’ book Solemn ever read. Swift Step constantly flexed her wings and took the occasional bite on the edge of her hoof, but there was not much besides her own mannerisms that Solemn could see that bothered her.

“Worst. Idea. Ever.” Sour Marmalade muttered under her breath when the combined fireteams entered the barracks. They wasted no time strapping straps, adjusting armor and loading machine guns, snipers and shotguns. “I don’t blame any of you guys if you shoot me on ‘accident’ for this one.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I’d have wanted to.” Cherry remarked in his corner of the barracks, keeping a watchful eye on Solemn, or rather, Rime Runner, slipping on her armor beside Solemn, unaware of his cautious glances. He looked back to Sour Marmalade once he noticed Solemn cock her head. “Whatever plan you came up with must have been good if The Commander was willing to go through with it.”

“Technically, she already had her own plan,” Marmalade explained. “I just finished it up for her. After all, what other mare in the base can say they stole Princess Ambrosia’s stuffed giraffe and practically made a living off it?”

Ethan’s head perked up. “That was you? Gilda and I read that in the papers! Everyone was talking about that!”

“Yup! It’s where I got the money to start up my bar. Before joining this bunch. The last big job. Most ponies like me would rather their last jobs be some kind of crazy, cursed skull from the goddess or something, but I’m a simple mare, and money is money, no matter the trophy I’m stealin’.”

He sighed and shook his head with a smile. “If I knew a noble’s—a changeling one, at that—stuffed animal was worth as much as it was, I’d have turned to a life of crime and tried to steal and sell every noble’s bedside doll in Griffonstone.”

“I could give you a few pointers when we get back!” Marmalade hopped in place and flexed her hooves once she was finished.

“If we get back.” Solemn muttered, turning back to her locker and using her R.A.A.G.S. to finish loading the last magazine for her rifle. Rime put a gentle hoof on her back.

“None of that.” She said lowly and gentle. “I promised your mom I’d look after you out on the field. We’ve got pretty good chances, you and I.”

Solemn grimaced. “Good chances or no, we’re outnumbered by...a lot. Can we really hold our own against an invasion force? We’ve only dealt with scouts and they gave us a hard time.”

Rime paused, retracting her hoof and furrowing her brow. “We have changeling guards to help us, even if it is just a little. We have at least two navigators to help us track our way around the place and we’ve got big fucking guns. Hell, you and Marmalade are even outfitted with the most advanced armor I’ve ever seen. You might not have the rifle, but we’ve got some serious heat. We just play it as careful as we can.”

Her words, although mostly true and slightly reassuring, did not make Solemn feel any better in the long run. She admired what the ponies were able to do with the alien tech that comprised most of her current armor and even the new arcane laser rifles, but superior equipment did not mean a pony was invincible. Solemn picked up her rifle and leaned her back against her locker while waiting for everyone else.

“Is it even a good idea to bring a sniper?” Ethan asked. He held his own carefully, as though it were a bomb ready to go off at any minute. “I mean, it is close quarters.”

“Aye,” Keller answered. “But there are open enough areas. Long range’ll come in handy.”

“You’ll be fine. Just gotta play it smart.” Marmalade responded. She adjusted the rectangular spaulder of her armor, the identifying light on it having gone out. Solemn admitted that the armor did look nice on her. Despite the bulky armored top, it really did accentuate Marmalade’s curves and...What would they look like on Rime?

Whoa. Solemn gave her head a hard shake. She looked to Rime who was too busy cleaning the barrel of her machine gun. She silently thanked Celestia Rime did not notice. Across from Solemn, Gilda stood and walked over to Ethan.

Solemn had never seen the griffon variant of the new armor. Whoever crafted it must have really wanted their skill to be known. An arched chestplate and spaulders with razor-like edges, the soft lavender glow of The Initiative’s insignia on the small block of armor below the beak and the black under armour which seemed as thick as Solemn’s vest. Gilda and Ethan bore the armor which hugged their bodies snugly while still leaving room for their wings to flex and stretch.

“Damn right my kid’ll play it smart.” Gilda said, matter-of-factly. She turned to Ethan, sitting on his haunches and checking the receiver of his rifle. “Play your cards right and I’ll see about pulling some favors to let you back in the lounge after this mission.”

Ethan smirked and bobbed his head. “Won’t let you down ma’am.”

The barrack doors slid open with a soft hiss. Each soldier stood at attention, saluting and standing rigid and still as Commander Sparkle trotted in alongside Starlight Glimmer.

“At ease,” Twilight sighed. “Is everypony and griffon ready?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Aegis answered. “Will we be granted support for the landing?”

“Actually, neither Rainbow nor Night Glider will be taking you there.”

“We’re not taking the carriage?” Rime asked. “How’re we getting there?”

“I’ll be teleporting you all with Starlight’s help.” Twilight answered. “Unfortunately, where that teleportation spell will take you is...unknown. But that’s why you have Sour Marmalade and Keller with you. They’ll be your navigators through this mission.”

“Specific objectives ma’am?” Aegis stepped forward.

“Sour Marmalade says there is a tunnel deep underneath the main structure of the hive.” Twilight informed. “Your priority is to extract any civilians you can. Thorax’s Court should be well defended against the alien invasion. If he’s still alive and if you are able, any civilians should be sent there. I don’t know how well communications are going to be with us here, nor do I know if they’ll be able to trace any of the calls. Regardless, I trust each of you to work closely with those beside you.

“The safety of the changelings is paramount, but do not take any unnecessary risks. I understand some of you will want to save everyone. You can’t. That’s the hard truth, but take solace and comfort in the lives you do save. Is everypony ready?”

Each member of the fireteam stood at attention and saluted. “Yes ma’am.”

“Then let’s begin.” Twilight and Starlight faced each other, both taking deep breaths and putting some distance from each other. Solemn had not expected them to make the portal in the barracks. There did not seem to be much space for them to do so and the task itself would probably have been tremendous. Their horns glowed, sparks of magic trailing and coming together between the two ponies. Surges of magic followed the trail, leaving behind smoke as more and more arcane power was delivered into the small violet orb forming between Twilight and Starlight.

The magical orb expanded more and more until, like a tear in reality itself to an endless void of black, the only traces left of it were along the rim of a dark hole. Truth be told,the sight of it was unsettling to Solemn. She’d have to step through that to get to the hive? She would rather take the sky carriage, even with all the...aliens attacking…

Oh Luna, I just can’t win, can I?

“This is it!” Twilight shouted, straining to keep the portal open, even with her intense alicorn magic. Each soldier lined up, waiting for the one in front of them to walk through before they took the leap of faith.“Remember: civilian extraction is your top priority.”

“Alright. Move out!” Aegis leapt through the portal, followed by Swift Step and Gilda. Solemn took a deep breath. Rime pressed a hoof to Solemn’s flank, eliciting a yelp and was subsequently pushed.

When her hooves left the ground and the portal touched her muzzle, she swore she could feel her heart stop and all hope crack away. A moment later she was no longer in the barracks of Harmony Headquarters, but surrounded by drab, grey rocks and pillars. Pebbles and gravel crunched underneath her hooves with each step she took forward. Aegis knelt down and scanned the hall. It was big. Solemn had no idea how far the hall stretched, but its immense size probably covered a few hoofball fields, easily.

Colorful liquids mixed together on the floor, like a rainbow being painted by a foal. It all pooled together under her hooves, lightly splashing upward with each step. Solemn glanced at where the pool’s trail led.

Bodies. Not a lot, but enough. She looked down at her hooves, soiled in a mixture of luminescent blood and quickly finding the driest spot on the cave floor. Shells of changelings were cracked, others were completely squished underneath the fallen chunks of stone from the high ceiling. Burn marks scorched the walls and changeling blood decorated it in a sadisticly beautiful way. Solemn’s blood boiled at the sight. Defenseless civilians slaughtered and all for what?

The portal let out a groan before Rime stepped through and Solemn shot her a glare.

“What?”

“That your way of trying to tell me something?” Solemn said with a smirk. Rime’s face went from grey to red in an instant.

“W-well—”

“Save it for the trip back home, you two,” Swift Step laughed, walking past Solemn and taking position across the hall from Aegis. A shriek echoed off the walls, making Solemn’s skin crawl and her hairs stand at attention. “Solemn, behind me, Rime with Aegis.”

The two sprang into action silently, Solemn kneeling down behind Swift Step and keeping her gun trained the opposite direction down the stretch of empty hallway. There were small arched doorways dotting the walls, some with shut doors and others with rubble sealing whoever was left inside. Those that were open were just barely illuminated by the light creeping in from the outside. She thought she could see the end of the hall, but Solemn was unsure; the grand archways could have led to an even bigger stretch of hall. She heard stories of how decrepit and evil the hive was when Queen Chrysalis was in power. Her drones would tend to the halls and would forage the local land, draining love wherever they could until she planned a revolution in Canterlot that made the changelings’ presence known to everyone. They were not the myth many ponies believed them to be.

But whenever Thorax came into power, he must have focused efforts on the complete restoration of the hive’s structure. Save for all the tattered banners swaying gently in the soft breeze, rubble and blood spatters on the walls, Solemn could imagine the whole place as being someone’s home.

Once everyone was through the portal, it closed. It was hard to grasp the magic and physics that would have gone into the process, but Solemn pushed the mind boggling thoughts to the back of her mind.

Aegis raised a hoof to his ear. “Commander? Come in, Commander. Central? Anypony?”

No response.

“Well, I guess we are alone on this one.” Aegis sighed. The fireteam was split down the hall, taking cover behind various pieces of rubble. Ethan propped himself up on a fallen pillar, taking aim at the archway opposite of where the main group was facing, collecting their things and possibly trying to recover from the effects of travelling the portal.

“Got nothing down there.”

“Run! Dammit, run!”

“What?” Ethan turned, eyes growing wide and ducking low behind Gilda. Aegis, Rime, Swift, and Steel rose their weapons, Solemn following suit. Somepony was running, fast. Solemn initially thought them to be heavily deformed, before she realized she was looking at several changelings scurrying past one another, running away from what must have been the aliens’ newest project.

A four legged creature chased, hunched over with legs as sharp as blades digging into the cave floor, the sound of heavy steps and crunching, cracking rock underneath its weight. The lavender shell glistened with blood, as did one of its legs and its hollow glowing eyes bore intently at the three changelings. It lunged at one of them, pinning her to the ground with one of its legs and an arm. It raised it’s head.

“Help us!” one of the changelings pleaded when they caught sight of the fireteam.

Bbvvvvnnnnn…
Chooown!

Both Aegis and Gilda’s rifles spat out a solid beam of violent violet concentrated magic, the beams coming together for one unstable bolt that tore a hole straight through the creature’s torso, bringing it down on the screaming girl. Aegis moved out of cover, signalling for Swift to follow beside him. The two standing changelings rushed back to their friend, picking her up and asking questions at breakneck speeds.

“Is she okay?” Swift asked. “We have two medics with us if she needs them. Our unicorn can cast something to mend that wound.”

“I’ll be fine. Elytra can mend the wound once we get someplace safe and even then, I can still walk.” The golden color of her shell morphed into a sickly green color where the monstrosity had stepped on her, cracking the shell slightly, much to Solemn’s disbelief. She would have expected the whole hoof to have been broken just from the weight of the beast alone.

Solemn stepped out of cover, past the changelings and stopped before the creature. Spines ended in an orange bioluminescent glow on it’s plated form and the legs were much sharper up close, making her head spin even faster on the thought of how that golden changeling’s hoof was not shattered..

“What can you make of it?” Lone Shadow asked, prodding it with the barrel of his rifle. The hole made from the arcane laser still steamed, a rancid stench. Both Solemn and Lone wrinkled their muzzles.

“Gods!” Ethan chirped. He covered his beak with a talon, waving his over in the air around him. “And I thought the restrooms back at base smelled bad!”

Solemn poked at it with her hoof and used one of the hands of her R.A.A.G.S. to cover her nostrils. “Well, it’s...an arthropod. That’s probably as far as I can get with it. Starlight can probably bring it to Sky Lance back at base to do a better job telling us what this is.”

“Those things were swarming the whole section!” One of the changelings warned. “They might be coming this way! We have to get somewhere safe!”

“Noted.” Aegis said. “Marmalade. Any of this look familiar?”

“Not at all.” She answered simply. “Drop me off at Thorax’s court and maybe I’ll have an idea, but Tw...The Commander dropped us off in the middle of this big ass hall. If anything, one direction will lead us to The Court. If I remember correctly, halls like this were one of the main corridors connecting everything.”

“Right. You guys. We’re gonna take you someplace safe. There’s about twelve of us right now. The odds of the enemy attacking us and winning are awfully low, given our gear and weapons. Stick close and don’t stray far. Keep your heads down and do what you’re told.”

Another shriek sounded through the walls, reverberating down the hall and making Solemn’s mane and skin crawl again. She pressed herself against the wall, behind a boulder fallen from above and aimed down the sights of her rifle. She could see them now; two changelings—one running and the other on the runner’s back, injured and bleeding—chased by another one of the insectoid alien. The one on the runner’s back shouted and cried for help, both running past Solemn and the others in her fireteam.

“Cherry! Waste that thing!” Aegis ordered.

“Got it!”

***
Present

“Why is changeling blood all those different colors?” The tan stallion asked. Loki was unsure whether or not to feel angry. Maybe under different circumstances, the question would not have bothered him as much.

“Well…” Elytra paused.

“Wow.” Marmalade whistled, shook her head and looked past Loki back at the stallion with a furrowed brow. “Dick much?”

“J-just curious!”

“It’s nothing, really.” Elytra replied. “We never really learned why. Before Thorax, changelings had this dark green stuff, but afterwards, when our bodies were restored, we just kinda accepted it. The bioluminescence is an even bigger mystery to us.”

Loki followed the soldiers alongside his fellow changelings, one blue shelled bug offering to take Needles and prep her for medical examination the moment they found a safe spot. There were five of them in total. As much as he wanted to deny it, the chances of Broadshell being alive seemed minimal at best. If anything, he would have to have found a damn good hiding spot.

Besides Needles, the medic, and himself, a golden shelled changeling followed behind a turquoise one, both of whom watching the military unit march them carefully down the cavernous tunnels that made up their home. The medic at least had the good grace of introducing himself as Elytra and was obviously grateful to the soldiers for his life. Whatever he had seen while Needles and Loki squabbled and hid from the aliens in the hatchery, it was clear these ponies and griffons granted him a new clarity on life itself.

The ponies and griffons guiding them did not seem to keen on giving their names when Loki asked. The leader seemed to be the white stallion taking point beside a grizzled old griffon. Despite their whispers, Loki caught the name Aegis. The female griffon was Gilda, one of the ponies in the back was Cherry, a younger griffon was Ethan and somepony else was named Solemn. As far as names went, that was all Loki had gotten out of them, and even then, they were merely whispers amongst each other and not directly told to him nor the other changelings beside him.

The professional manner in which the unit moved, checking corners and swiftly shuffling down the rocky corridors, was not lost on him. These ponies and griffons were something else. An entirely different combat unit than the Royal Guard or Griffon Army. Loki was unsure if they could truly be trusted. They may have saved lives so far, but they could easily take them with their level of technology. While they shot arcane beams and boasted scatterguns beyond that of a griffon blunderbuss, changeling seclusion may as well have left the entire hive with sticks and stones; still resorting to spears and blades while the rest of the world around them advanced. The soldiers escorting Loki and the others were just a testament to that.

They walked through the halls in silence, the changelings shuddering at every shake and every shot fired in the far off distance. The ceiling of the caverns stretched higher and higher, pillars coming down to support the massive structure.

“Are you the ones that have been fighting the aliens?” Needles’ voice slipped out in the form of a pathetic croak. The leader turned his head a fraction of an inch, eyes still trained down the sights of his gun. “We’ve all heard the reports. Never thought you guys were real.”

“We are.” He said simply. He looked over to the one named Sour Marmalade. She trotted with the energy of a simple mare taking a leisure stroll through a park, seemingly without a care in the world. “Where are we?”

“Judging from the tapestry hangin’ above us,” She spoke, looking up. The indigo gradient to sky blue adorning rough fabrics hung motionless even as another rumble shook The Hive. “We’re approaching Thorax’s court. If there’s a defensive position set up by the changelings it’d be there. If not, we’ll have to get these guys to the hatchery by ourselves. Shouldn’t be too hard, but defending them while searching for the rest of the changelings would be a pain in the—”

“No!” Needles shouted. “I’m not going back down there! You have no idea—”

“We are the most advanced and well armed ponies and griffons you are ever going to see in your entire life,” Sour said confidently. “Whatever’s down there, I’m sure we can handle. You saw Cherry over there smash that bug back there. No offense.”

“I am not going back down there. There has to be another way out.”

“You shut off all the others, your buddy said so himself before he kicked the bucket.”

“Loki.” He turned and looked to her pleading eyes. “We can’t go back. Not after all of that. Do we even know if that emergency tunnel is real?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Aegis said. “Like it or not, that leads to our only safe way out. Thorax never told you?”

The Changelings were silent. Looking at the others, Loki could tell he was not the only one unaware of a tunnel network below the already existing one. Was it supposed to be a secret? Why would King Thorax keep that kind of information to himself? Perhaps he never anticipated the war coming to them in such force. Even then, the idea did not sit right with him.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Cherry snickered earning a stern glare from an armor clad mare, covered with blast padding and pouches along her waist. Her tall, bulky frame lurched heavily with each step, the metal plating of her armor shifting and sliding with such grace, it would have made the very best blacksmiths in The Hive jealous.

“Every minute we waste, changelings are losing their lives.” She voiced, harsh and annoyed. “There’s nothing funny about that.”

“Y-yes ma’am. Sorry.” Cherry resumed keeping watch of the rear line alongside Gilda.

Loki’s ears twitched. He heard buzzing. Not faint like a fly’s, but loud, increasing in volume until the ground shook. Before the grand entrance to Thorax’s court, four heavily armed guards blocked the way, obsidian spears pointed towards Sour Marmalade and her old griffon friend. The black armor each guard donned contrasted from their mostly colorful hides and chitin, granting a faux threatening appearance over their gentle and friendly shells. The leader boasted a helmet which covered his whole head, even managing to hide his horn underneath a black sheath, pointed and painted white at the tip. His blue eyes were barely visible through the tiny slits of the helm from which he growled underneath.

“Halt intruders!” He shouted. The sentinels marched forward, looking at each other before steadying their polearms. “Release our civilians and we may allow you to leave with your lives.”

“Shit move for a bunch o’ bugs wit’ nothing but sticks pointed at probably the most well armed military force from the planet.” The old griffon scoffed, throwing his rifle on his back and lowering himself on all fours. The other griffons followed in his motions and the robotic arms the ponies had equipped lowered their weapons on their own. “But if it means we can come through and be granted an audience with the King himself, I’ll play.”

The guards did not waver, keeping their spears steady while exchanging glances. Darkness and fear wore heavy on the faces of the guards Loki could see. The old griffon’s beak shifted to something resembling a winning smirk. “Well, we’ve complied. Will you let us through? The King will be wanting to meet the soldiers trying to save his people.”

The guards turned to their armor clad captain with uncertainty. His steely cold glare through the visor of his helm was enough to keep them from tucking their tails and running. At least, that is what Loki thought. The brave changeling continued to stare at the soldiers, scanning each of them for what felt like hours.

“You there.” The leader asked, pointing at Loki. Of course it had to be me. “Is it true? Are they here to help us?”

“They’re…” Loki scanned each soldier, from the meek blue unicorn to the grizzled old griffon, unsure of what to make of it. “Well, they did kill a whole lot of the aliens trying to kill us. That’s enough for me to trust them.”

“Very well.” He gestured for the other guards to relax, which they did in an instant. “Any acts of aggression—”

“Will be met with death, blah, blah, blah,” Sour Marmalade trotted between the guards and onto the silk smooth carpet, creased and wrinkled from recent abuse and dusty with grime which descended from the ceiling high above with every rumble. “Heard that last time I got caught here.”

The court was bustling full of panic. Everywhere he looked, changelings huddled together, some bleeding more than others while soldiers and medical staff ran back and forth between all the clusters of civilians. Groans and cries met Loki’s ears instead of cheerful laughs and demands for quiet.

“Was expecting a little worse,” The grizzled griffon commented. Loki felt his blood boil. Was there anything worse than this? Families huddled up together, medical personnel flying high above the crowds, all sitting and writhing in their own pain. Loki forced himself to look away from it all and focus his sights towards the stone, cold floors and the hooves and paws of the military unit guiding him. He was safe now, yet he and the other changelings escorted by the group found themselves still following the military unit. He wanted to hear at least one of them say it. Assure him that they would be safe. Maybe that was why he still followed them. “All the damage we heard on our way here and only this to show for it.”

“There’s probably more wounded outside of the court,” Aegis said. “Unaccounted for and waiting for help.”

“Loki.” Needles said. The changelings were departing, stopped by soldiers waiting to take Needles off to get treated. “Tell the king about the hatchery. We need to save the children. Please.”

“I will.” Loki said. He turned, hoping to find the military group waiting for him. Instead, they were still walking, making their way to Thorax’s throne. Loki shot Needles a worried glance. “Be safe.”

The throne King Thorax fashioned for himself was modest and simple, on equal level with everything else in the massive chamber. His modesty was arguably unmatched by any other ruler the changelings had known and it was everyone’s hope that Princess Ambrosia would share the same qualities as her father when she came of age to become Queen. The throne itself was stone engraved with symbols that had lost meaning to most generations ago that only the king and his family was able to understand. Despite the clutter of changelings, guards and medical drones in the court, several paths divided the clusters, leading to the throne where the king stood before a small band of his elite guard.

The unit spread out in front of Loki, presenting themselves to the king, who still had his back turned to them. Beside him, smaller and more timid, Princess Ambrosia stood, glancing around and worriedly looking to her subjects with her amber eyes. Her cascading green and gold shell shone underneath the light of the central chamber's rocky chandeliers. She lacked the antlers of her father, but she did have a single horn, like most other changelings.

Surrounding the King and Princess were their guards, adorned with black armor, sharp and jagged plates above their colorful shells. They braced themselves, but kept their weapons steady. "My King!" One of them alerted.

“King Thorax,” Aegis bowed, as did the rest of his soldiers, save for Cherry. The grey mare’s hoof met the back of his head and brought him down with a rough shove.

“What?” The King turned with a raised brow and gesturing for his guards before stopping them from readying their blades. “Who are you? How did you get here?”

“We’re with...We’re here to help, your grace.” Aegis raised himself, as did his subordinates. “We saved this small group and was hoping two of them could be given medical attention.”

“Just you? No offense, but I was hoping for an army or...or something...bigger.”

“It’s just us. Apologies, but Equestria can’t find a way past the alien blockade. We’ll work as fast as we can to ensure the safety of as many of the changelings here as possible.”

Thorax narrowed his eyes. “How do you expect us to get out? We’re surrounded on all sides.”

“There’s at least one emergency tunnel leading to the outside somewhere in the hatchery.” Sour Marmalade answered. “Last time I recall, it’s the only one left of the hundreds that used to be there.”

Thorax looked at her crossly. “How do you know that? You know what? Nevermind. You say you’re here to help and, well...Half the guards are here, making sure the entrances are secure, hoping that more will flock here. The plan was exactly like yours. Lead everyone to safety through the emergency tunnels once we’ve gotten enough people back here. The problem is I’m constantly losing contact with the guards I’ve sent out. We were never prepared to handle the invaders, Princess Celestia assured me we would be under no threat, but, I guess you can see where simple assurance gets us.”

“Where to?” Aegis asked.

“We haven’t been able to get anyone out of the western section!” One changeling cried.

“Those bugs are everywhere!” Cried another. “The higher levels are doomed!

“We can reach those evacuation tunnels,” Thorax said. “But we’d need to clear out the hatchery first. Not a single wet nurse or guard has come out of there so I can only assume the worst. The guards we sent down there never came back.”

“I did, Your Majesty,” Loki raised his hoof. “L-Loki. The eggs are...intact. I think they’re trying to take them.”

“Take them!” Princess Ambrosia roared. “Father, we cannot allow this!”

King Thorax nodded in agreement.

“Understood.” Aegis turned to Gilda, lowering his voice. The two discussed what Loki assumed to be plans of attack. Gilda looked back at the others and back to Aegis, nodding with obvious disdain. Aegis returned his sights to Thorax. “We’ll send in a small group of three into the hatchery. They’ll clear out as much as they can.”

“Thank you. I shall send a small contingent of guards with them.”

“No need. We can handle ourselves. Another thing, though; we need a navigator.” He looked towards Loki, whose heart was thumping so hard, it felt like it could burst through his chest at any moment. “Someone who knows their way around the hatchery. One of ours has been down there before, but we need to be sure.”

"Truly?" Ambrosia cocked her head. "If I may ask, which one?"

Marmalade bit her lip, but raised a hoof. "It's...been a while."

"A thief among your ranks? Here to atone for what you've done?"

"C'mon, it was just a stuffed animal. I'm here to help now, honest!"

"Leave it alone," Thorax told his daughter. "You will have your navigator."

Thorax’s royal gaze fell upon Loki first. Of course they did. Lady Luck did not seem to favor him tonight. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to go back down there are you?”

“Do I really have a choice?” Loki asked before he could catch himself. He felt his heart drop as he looked up at Thorax, whose face was relatively unchanged. “Meaning no disrespect. I want to help, I really do, but...”

“You do have a choice. I won’t have any of my people tasked with something they are unwilling to do themselves.”

“I...I’m not too sure I can go back down there.” Loki stared down at his hooves. The dark cramped spaces and the fear of being slaughtered by one of those purple bugs made his stomach twist in on itself. And if any of the soldiers missed, that would have been an unbearable sight to behold. Loki would not be able to bear watching the younglings die around him. He would much rather see the aftermath of the troop’s battles than witness the fight firsthand.

“Of course,” Thorax lowered his head. “In any event, I shall grant you one of my elite to act as navigator. Stinger!”

The onyx plated guard to his left stepped forward, armor plating coating the guard in sinister plating kept from Chrysalis’s rule. The jagged and sharp edges contrasted to his colorful shell underneath, much like most of the other guards in the hive. Unlike the other guards surrounding him, this one had no horn, nor did he have any wings. He held a hoof up to his chest. “Yes, your majesty.”

“Show these soldiers to the emergency tunnel entrance. Clear out any enemies you find along the way. Once you have ensured that we still have an exit, do a full sweep of the hatchery and report back to me when it is all clear. I want to start sending the first batch of groups down once I know the whole hatchery is free of enemy terror. We must begin collecting the eggs.”

“Of course.”

“Ethan, Marmalade, Thunderlane.” Gilda ordered. Subsequently, a young, lean griffon, the navigator mare and a charcoal black pony stood at attention. “You guys think you can handle clearing out the hatchery? The bugs think it’s a small scout force down there, so it should be a quick cleanup. Once you’re done, give the word to the captain overlooking the entrance and help them do a thorough sweep.”

“Um…” Ethan raised a talon. “No offense, but...A sniper in the tunnels? Not exactly the best idea don’t you think?”

“Keep that pistol handy.” Aegis said simply. “Inaccuracy is not tolerable down there and as it stands, you, Marmalade, and Thunderlane carry the most accurate weapons. As for Marmalade, she’s been down there before, so she’ll know the lay of the land for the most part. With Stinger’s help, they should be in and out of the hatchery in no time.” He looked to Loki. “We’ve kept you safe so far, we can keep doing it. Plan is to split our team up to cover the most ground and we could use somepony who’s been through the hive. I’m under the assumption that you still would like to help.”

Loki felt his stomach twist tighter. Did Loki really need to help these ponies and griffons? If they wanted to kill everyone like Needles thought, this would have been the perfect moment to turn on everyone and open fire.

But what if they could not keep him safe? There was so much danger outside of the court’s walls and not even the most well equipped soldiers could successfully fight off against the alien invasion force, could they? But these ponies had to be the ones that the news spoke of. They held off an attack from pirates and even whatever destroyed part of Vanhoover. That had to count for something, did it not?

“Dammit.” Loki sighed. “Alright. I’ll go with you.”

***

“That looks…” Ethan tried to think of a word for it, but there was none that could describe the deep dread of the cavern’s entrance. Stinger had already walked down, just to make sure the entrance was safe, taking two guards with him, presumably to order them to stand in their new posts. “You keep your young down there? With only a small clawful of guards and nurses?”

“It’s not as bad for us. Besides, we never anticipated the invaders to come here. We lived in peace for almost twenty years.” A captain said. His face was that of worry, almost hidden underneath the armor of his helmet, which Ethan was certain was the same material as their natural chitin plates. “Are you sure you guys won’t miss?”

“He’s the best damn sniper we’ve got,” Brisk Bolt said, taking Ethan by surprise. A compliment? Now that meant they were making progress. As if reading his mind, Brisk looked at Ethan and said, “Don’t let that get to your head.”

Ethan suppressed a smile.

“I know you can’t promise us much,” The captain said, disdainfully. “But please...no explosives. No stray gunfire. Families will be mortified if their hatchlings are discovered to be killed. We don’t expect you to know when the aliens will shoot, but…”

“Believe us,” Thunderlane cut in. “Those eggs are our top priority. We’ll do our damnedest to ensure their safety.”

“Thank you.”

The entrance was still as uninviting as the first and fifth time Ethan looked at it. The utter darkness, barely illuminated by the natural lights of Thorax’s Court which only shone through a fraction of the way down the caverns.

“Wait!” The captain blocked the entrance with his hoof and Ethan stifled a sigh of moderate relief. “You should know that a small contingent of guards were sent in to assess the situation before your arrival. We don’t think they survived, but if you can find them, they should prove invaluable for aiding your efforts.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” Sour Marmalade said. She faced the entrance, took a deep breath, and stepped forward. Haggard, uneasy, and admittedly terrified, Ethan followed after Marmalade walked in, R.A.A.G.S. keeping a steady grip on her arcane rifle. As the walls of the cave closed in around them, the realization that there was no chance he could adequately use his sniper dawned on Ethan. Even when the slope ended and they activated the flashlights on their weapons, Ethan could only focus on what would ultimately be his own ineffectiveness.

But it was an Initiative tech gun. It had to be good, right? Every step taken made Ethan resent Aegis’s orders and Gilda’s agreement to them. Sure accuracy was great and all, but Ethan preferred the distance between his enemies to be a little more vast than room’s-length.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Stinger spoke, taking Ethan by surprise. He sounded younger than he would have imagined. “You guys aren’t Equestrian Royal Guard are you? That’s some serious gear you’re packing.”

Marmalade snorted. “If we were Royal Guard we’d be dead before we got in here. What happened to all the signs down here?”

“Hatchery drones know the sections by heart. We saw no need to keep them and the wet nurses thought them an eyesore.

The group turned past a corner, Ethan’s eyes growing wide at the sight of emerald. Not emerald—eggs lining the walls and glowing in such disorganized symmetry on the walls and even some spots of the ceiling. Breaks in the line of pods were given for sconces and torches which had remained unlit, or put out by unwanted guests. To think that the changelings built a whole tower on top of all these eggs and that the network lined the whole underbelly of the spire made Ethan want to sit and give up. There was no possible way that they could find aliens in this whole network before the aliens slaughtered everyone above them.

Halls twisted and turned, making way for chambers, each lined with eggs from top to bottom and supported by a single central pillar. Stinger spoke of those who had worked the hatchery with the greatest respect, as though they were honored just as much as veterans who had seen the worst Equestria and the Griffon Empire had to offer each other. It was incredible to think that there was a magical network or natural adaptation that allowed the workers to keep in touch with each and every single one of the eggs to know when certain ones would hatch. If Abeni’s research back in Harmony Headquarters could see the light of day, Ethan would very much like to be able to feel whatever it is that any magic user did. The possibilities seemed endless. It was no surprise that the magically proficient were capable of ruling whole lands and vast empires.

The Griffons and Zebras seemed to be emerging powers in comparison to Equestria and The Crystal Empire. While the griffons controlled more land than Equestria, it was nothing more than a kingdom of squabbling lords who thought they should be the king of Griffonstone. The last time the empire was truly united was during the invasion of hippogriff lands and several city-states with no ties to any of the other world superpowers.

“We should be coming up on the central hub of the hatchery.” Stinger announced quietly. The soft footfalls from each soldier kept them on their toes. At any moment, the enemy could sneak up on them and they would have to fend off against more of those purple bugs. The armor around Stinger’s hooves shifted, blades reaching forward at the base of his hooves like claws on a cat. “From there we could judge where the lost patrol has gone and possibly where the invaders are roaming.”

“How’s that work?” Ethan asked. “Wait, don’t tell me: Magic, right?”

“Magic helps.” Stinger admitted. “But changelings evolved with a sense of...community. We are a hive, and in a sense we are one. It takes a lot of concentration, but we all can find out where we are. Down here, with all the little ones, it will take me time to find my friends.”

“How will you find the aliens then? If changelings work like some sort of hive mind, I’d assume anything outside of it, you can’t exactly sense.”

“They may not be out of their pods yet, but the young ones can sense danger just as well as any of us.” Stinger slowed himself, signalling for Ethan, Thunderlane and Marmalade to do the same. When he was certain there was no movement anywhere nearby, Stinger continued forward, slower and more cautious. “I can feel their discomfort, their fear. The highest concentration of it should be wherever our invader friends are. As I said before though, I would need to focus for a moment, which is why we must go to the central chamber. There, we have easy access to all the major paths in the hatchery. Wherever enemies remain, we shall find them and dispatch them with haste.”

Ethan still tried to wrap his head around the concept. To be able to communicate with everyone. Surely Abeni has thought of such things with her research. “It’d be just like the old movies.”

“What was that?” Stinger asked.

“Nothing.” Marmalade answered with a slight chuckle. “Gilda said you were a bit dork sometimes.”

“What? She called me a...No, she wouldn’t do that.”

“Right.” Thunderlane giggled. “She could have her whole gang play a prank on you several mornings on end, but calling you a dork? She’d never do that.”

Ethan frowned. “At least I don’t sound like I’m drowning in glue whenever I sleep.”

“Ooh, he’s going straight for the jugular there.” Marmalade said with a smile.

“How would you know what I sound like when I sleep?” Thunderlane asked with a hint of annoyance.

“When I patrol some nights, I can hear you right outside the B-Quarters door. I figured it was you. All the athletic ones do that. Except for Cherry. He’s about as athletic as a snail.” She sighed, as though lost in her own thoughts. “Stallion could work wonders if you catch my meaning.”

“Umm.” Ethan closed his beak. He probably did not want to know what she meant. Stinger looked back at the group with an arched brow. “It’s uh...classified.”

“You know they separate mares and stallions for a reason, right?” Thunderlane said.

“Pssh, with a door without a passcode?” Marmalade gave herself a little wiggle as she laughed. Ethan looked away, the air starting to feel a tiny bit hotter. “I mean, it’s not like I’m sleeping with him… But I'd like to see what else that mouth can do besides a smooch here and a kiss there. Mare has needs after all and so far, nopony else—”

“We’re here!” Stinger said, cutting off the stuffed animal thief. “We’re here.”

The central chamber was everything Ethan expected it to be. A central pillar, thankfully devoid of any eggs. Webbing lined the floors, silky, but sticky, cascading all around until they met the pods on the walls, stacked on top of each other. Besides being generally larger than the other chambers, the layout had remained the same. Every step was met with a ear-tingling sloshing sound that made Ethan shudder uncomfortably. Blocks of rubble, fallen from the ceiling miraculously managed to avoid hitting the walls and only one sconce on the wall provided illumination in the far side of the room.

Stinger approached the central pillar and pressed his head against it, eyes closed and kneeling down.

“What’re you doing?” Ethan asked.

“Searching. Please, I need quiet to focus.”

Stinger continued to kneel quietly, speaking words like a mantra, or maybe Ethan was just imagining his lips moving. It was dark and damp. He hated every moment of being in the hatchery. He glanced at the walls, the eggs sitting without so much as a twitch of movement. Most of them anyway. Those that did move were more transparent than others, giving Ethan a view of the small larvae growing inside.

“Always wondered how changelings grew up.” Ethan admitted. Thunderlane walked beside him. “Kinda cool, but a little bit depressing, given the circumstances.”

“There was a lot more eggs than I thought there would be,” Thunderlane said. “Kinda scary to think that the king wants to take all of these out.”

“Thorax will find a way,” Marmalade chimed in. “He almost always does.”

“Found something!” Stinger announced.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

“Shit!” Marmalade knelt down, her belly just barely scraping against the floor. “Get down!”

Stinger dropped down and crouched beside the central pillar.

Light footfalls sounded from across the chamber, behind the pillar, but something else made it’s presence known. Something loud, like the constant roar of a manticore. Marmalade looked back at Ethan, and to something at his side. “Ethan. Got a nice spot for you over there. Not much cover down here, but we’ll manage. First chance you get, I want you to waste ‘em.”

Ethan glanced over. An alcove just large enough for him to fit in, or at least he hoped. Slinging his rifle on his back, Ethan reached out and started crouching his way over to the alcove while Marmalade and Thunderlane took cover behind whatever wall did not have any eggs lining them and started to take aim. Ethan climbed into the hole, a little roomier than he initially thought and pulled out his sniper. He sighed in frustration. He only had the view of a part of the doorway and if he wiggle himself, he could cover the left and right entrances.

Ethan aimed at a crack between the central pillar and the opening archway directly behind it, holding his breath and waiting for what seemed like forever. The roaring grew louder and Ethan thought he saw shadows dance in the crack of vision. The first figure glided past the archway, unaware of the presence of the sniper and his squad. Another one passed by slowly. They were definitely flying. It stopped right in Ethan’s sights, looking around. Ethan cast a quick glance to Sour Marmalade, Thunderlane, and Stinger. They seemed ready, Marmalade and Thunderlane staying low and raising their rifles. Ethan glared down the scope. He caught a glimpse of the fleshy bald head and two golden orbs staring back at him.

Boooom!

“Engaging!” Ethan chirped, pulling back the bolt of his rifle. He was unsure of what to call them. They floated above the ground, thunderous roars from the holes in their backs which seemed to be the only way they kept flight. Their erratic movements did little to ease Ethan’s worry about his sniper. Their glowing eyes seemed to scan the surroundings. Ethan aimed at the fleshy bald head, seemingly about to be corrupted by the mechanical parts all over it’s small body. The scampering sounds of sectoids’ feet slapping against the almost wet webbing of the cave

Bbvvvvnnnnn…
Chooown!

Sour Marmalade’s arcane rifle roared through the caverns, like a demon. From Ethan’s perspective, she shot at no direct target, instead focusing on keeping enemies in their cover, for fear of receiving a hole in the brain or chest. The dying chirps of a sectoid confirmed she had hit her target. A second shot roared out from Thunderlane’s rifle, the violet beam slamming against the skull of a sectoid flanking to the left. Ethan checked the two doorways to his left and right. They were relatively clear for the moment. No movement so far on those—

“Sectoid moving to the left!” Marmalade shouted. “Damn thing's heating up!”

Or not. Ethan spotted it, trying to swivel in the alcove. The barrel of the rifle butted against the walls.

“Do it!” Thunderlane ordered. “I’ll cover you!”

Bbvvvvnnnnn…
Chooown!

The violet beam zoomed across the room, Thunderlane’s shots connected with the sectoid’s head, splattering blood all over the glowing emerald pods. Another sectoid rushed out immediately, bracing it’s arm-cannon. Ethan took aim, holding his breath.

Can’t risk missing. Ethan cursed, putting down his rifle and reaching down his left arm for his pistol.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Thunderlane whooped, ducking low and looking behind him, panic in his eyes. The bolts came dangerously close to a gathering of pods, just barely disturbing the babies inside. They stirred, but did not pop open like Ethan expected. It was amazing to watch the mobility and maneuverability of his teammates. They dodged and rolled over before taking carefully placed shots. Ethan wished he could do the same thing.

Another sectoid cropped up at the small crack of visibility. Ethan took aim down the sights.

POP! POP! POP!

“Quit giving them warning shots and hit them already!” Marmalade shouted.

“I’m trying to!” Ethan shouted back. It was a mistake for him to be down in such confined spaces. The aliens Thorax and Loki warned about came in a small force. Granted all the shouting and gunfire, Ethan was surprised there were no more aliens coming his way. Chances were, they had only encountered a small scouting force trying to get a lay of the land, or find the alternate entrance to Thorax’s Court.

Ethan hoped it would just be this scouting force and no more of the floating aliens. Or the big bugs.

Stinger rose from behind the pillar, the claws on his hooves extended, releasing a war cry of staggering proportions. For a moment, the aliens ceased fire, glancing over at the charging changeling coming their way. He leapt upwards and disappeared behind the pillar blocking Ethan’s vision. He looked to Marmalade and Thunderlane, both with guns raised, but struggling to find a proper target.

A sectoid ran out from the left doorway, flanking Thunderlane and Marmalade. Ethan raised his pistol out of pure instinct and pulled the trigger.

POP! POP!

It went down with a pained chirp, getting the two ponies’ attention. Thunderlane looked up and gave Ethan a nod of approval.

Even from the small alcove, Ethan could hear the rips and tears of metal blades against flesh and the increased volume of the flier’s twin back jets growing louder.

“Watch it!” Marmalade jumped out of the way, a severed metal arm flung in her direction and causing her to yelp and stare at it with wide eyes. “Crikey!”

Ethan leapt down from the alcove, pistol trained on the archways as he moved toward the central pillar. He peeked over towards the two ponies, both cringing and wincing at every sloppy and nauseating sound of flesh torn. He dared not look to see what became of either Stinger or the aliens. Slow and heavy steps sounded from beyond the pillar, followed by heavy breaths. Ethan almost pumped Stinger full of lead when he rounded and met the group.

He was covered in sickly green gunk, his hooves taking the brunt of the damage, blades now jagged and crooked. From head to hooves he was a mix of onyx black and pungent green, dripping slowly and sloshing in clumps against the floor.

“You could have gotten killed.” Thunderlane chided. “Is that just the base tactic for all guards?”

“Only the ones that don’t use magic.” Stinger huffed. “Good news is, the little ones only sensed that group. We should find that emergency tunnel now. Once we do, sweep the hatchery for good measure. Surprising that none of the eggs were harmed in that short fight. I must thank you for your accuracy.”

“No need to do that. It’s kinda our job.”

A thunderous roar boomed through the chamber, echoing off the cave walls.

“Crap!” Thunderlane turned, raising his gun to the right archway. “We lost one. Must have been one of the flying ones.”

“We get the rest? Definitely?” Ethan asked. Thunderlane and Sour Marmalade strafed, keeping their guns trained on doorways and any other openings they could find. It was all quiet. Ethan stood from beside Stinger, looking to Thunderlane for confirmation. The stallion’s eyes met Ethan’s and he stomped a hoof twice with a stern nod.

“Don’t know what you saw from that little alcove, but Stinger is...Well, he’s a good fighter. Definitely good material for us, I’d say.”

Stinger waved a hoof, flinging blood onto Thunderlane’s charcoal cheek. The stallion did his best to mask his disgust with a sheepish smile. “You flatter me. But please, we must find the last of the invaders. Keep your eyes and ears open. Follow me, the little ones shall be our guides.” He started towards the archway on the left side, behind from Ethan, but the ponies and the griffon waited for him to put some distance between them before following behind.

“How can he stand the stench of that shit?” Marmalade asked, wrinkling her muzzle.

“Trust me,” Stinger said, turning his head slightly. “Be grateful you don’t have this junk on you. It’s worse than you can imagine.”

He stopped. There was a three way intersection, breaking off into the left and right. Smoke trailed above a torch on the wall and the left hall was painted in a whole assortment of colors. Thick liquids melded together creating a rainbow along the walls of cracked shells and small bodies. Amidst the blood smeared walls, black and grey empty forms twitched on the ground, some gasping for air before they ceased moving entirely. Ethan’s stomach churned at the sight of it all. The short-lived cries of the few still alive resonated deeply within the griffon’s mind, making him shudder and Stinger release a failed breath, dying in the musty and daft air.

Ethan closed his eyes and looked away. He tried in vain not to picture the aliens lifting the eggs, only to smash them and kill the life being carried inside. The savage nature of the aliens seemed to hold no bounds. When he opened his eyes, he hoped to have the stunning visage taken away from him, just a part of his own hyperactive imagination. But no. The blood of babies and their broken bodies lay on the ground, spread out and motionless, never to experience the world or feel the love of their parents.

“T-those are…” Stinger stammered. He stepped forward, soiling the cascade of thick changeling blood with the alien gunk on the bottom of his hooves. “Wh-what were t-they doing down here?!”

“Y’know,” Ethan said, trying to take his mind away from all of it. “For an alien with a jetpack and burners, this one is pretty quiet.”

Marmalade sucked her teeth and slapped Ethan on the arm. “Shut it.”

The group stepped forward, cautious of the blood they stepped on. Stinger stared at the bodies of the young with disbelief. Granted there were not as much as Ethan originally believed, but the copious amounts of blood staining the walls may not have been blood. Ethan thought it to be the fluids from within the pods that added to the blood. He hoped it was.

“This is vile.” Marmalade muttered. She pointed to removed fleshy sockets in the walls “Some of the eggs aren’t even smashed. Just missing.”

Ethan looked to the walls. Of course, she was right. What could aliens hope to gain from taking the eggs? Ethan tried to think of something—anything—that could rationalize it.

The jets returned, louder this time. The group turned and floating in the center of the hall was the amalgam of machine and flesh. Clutched in its hand was a glowing canister, the pin pulled already as one of its jets started to give out, causing it to lean on the wall. It laughed, a deep throaty laugh before flinging the grenade in their direction.

It bounced off the walls, slapping against the pods undisturbed until that moment. Stinger shouted, as did Marmalade and Thunderlane, but Ethan locked up, watching the grenade bounce until it was down at his claws and it was then that he started to move, not of his own volition. Stinger grabbed him and flung him back, and kicking the grenade forward.

BOOOOM!

A pulse of green shook the caverns and the ceiling began to crumble, dust and pebbles falling on the heads of the squad. Ethan’s vision was blurry and his whole body erupted in pain as the first waves of the ceiling fell, sending smaller rocks flying and forcing Thunderland and Sour Marmalade low to the ground. They started galloping the moment they saw and heard the grenade hit the ground and yet as far away as they were from it, they still felt the dizzying effects of the blast. Marmalade sheltered her head with her hooves and even used her R.A.A.G.S. to provide a little more support.

“Holy shit!” Marmalade shouted. “Damn! It’s like the whole hive is coming down!”

The rocks fell less and less, one hitting her in the flank, forcing a scream from her lungs. Once they were sure the chaos subsided, Marmalade removed her hooves from her head and picked up her rifle. She manuevered on her haunches and rubbed her cutie mark gently with tears in her eyes. The rock didn’t puncture through, but it came damned close. She did not know which one in particular to blame, so she kicked all of them in her general vicinity like a school-filly throwing a tantrum.

“Cut that out.” Thunderlane snapped, rising from the rubble on his hind leg. He gave it a firm shake and tested it to make sure he could still walk on all fours. Marmalade, despite lack of any real damage, other than the hurt in her flank, did the same and looked around. Darkness surrounded them, unfortunately only able to see thanks to the blood of changeling hatchlings. Marmalade did not want to imagine what that must have been like for the parents of those hatchlings.

“That’s not good. We gotta find another way back to the court and get someone else to guide us.” Thunderlane said, clicking on the flashlight on the side of his rifle. “Ethan? You okay?”

“Lane…” Marmalade whispered. She pointed at the ground closest to the blockage.

Blood was pooling fast underneath the griffon, staining his feathers and fur. Marmalade wanted to believe it was neither Ethan’s, nor Stinger’s. It lacked the distinct luminescence and multicolor hue. She ruled out Stinger in an instant.

“We gotta get help!” Sour Marmalade said. Thunderlane rushed to the griffon’s side, breathing heavily and dancing over rocks.

“P-please don’t go.” Ethan begged weakly. Thunderlane knelt down beside him. The blood was not rushing out as much, but his arm and leg were definitely caught underneath the boulders.

“I won’t.” He tapped his ear quickly and tried to compose himself. “Aegis? Solemn? Anyone! Oh thank Celestia, Solemn, we need you here now! Ethan’s...He’s...Dammit, kid!”

Ethan’s breathing was decreasing and his eyes demanded to be closed. He clawed at Thunderlane’s chest gasping for air. Thunderlane gave Ethan his hoof, placing it gently down beside Ethan, who clutched it, gripping him hard.

“Stay with me, Ethan,” Thunderlane pleaded. “Solemn, I need you here now, he’s fading quick. The whole ceiling came down on his arm and leg. Pieces are too heavy for us to lift them off.”

“Wait!” Marmalade rummaged in her saddle packs. “I’ve got a medical kit. I can...I can try something! Anything, I won’t let him go on my watch. Solemn trained me herself at base before she was taken. I don’t have magic, but I should be able to keep him alive for now.”

There was silence as Marmalade set up and knelt beside Ethan. She placed her rifle at an angle, lighting the scene to see what she had to work with. Her heart stopped, instantly and eyes grew wide with panic. Ethan’s eyes closed, but he remained awake, still breathing and as well as a griffon could be with more than a hundred pounds of rock pressed against his arm and leg, pinning him to the floor indefinitely. Blood pooled up slowly underneath him and onto Sour Marmalade’s hooves. He lost so much already and was losing more. “Shit, this is bad.”

“ You really think you can keep him with us?”

“Keep Solemn on the line. Tell her to patch in to me. I might need her to kinda walk me through this.”

***

“It’s getting worse.” Swift Step said watching the latest group of civilians being corralled into the courtroom. Shrapnel pierced their colorful shells and equally multicolored liquids poured out from their wounds, each color corresponding to the shells of the changeling.

Steel grunted in agreement. “I hope the best for your friends, fraulein. Even more for these people.”

Since Aegis left with Loki to clear out the eastern sections, more and more refugees stumbled in, each one worse than the last. Steel relished the opportunity to help these people, but he longed for the medical skill that would be required to properly help the wounded and dying. A griffon with a gun who knows only how to kill to defend the people could only do so much.

But Steel would not allow that to deter his noble efforts of helping these changelings. He would kill all the aliens attacking if he could, if it meant these people could stay in their hive and go back to their peaceful lives. But the realities of war were not lost on Steel. These bugs would be routed from their homes and quite possibly could become one of the largest wandering vagabond groups in the world. Steel hoped that one day, whenever the aliens were defeated, the changelings would be able to return home and repair what was lost. In the coming hours, Steel tried to imagine what could possibly be lost if the whole craggy spire was not reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash.

“We’re in over our heads here.” Swift said. “No contact with home base and we’re stuck having to escort almost a thousand changelings through dark depths that only two of our fireteam members have actually been in. A cave network that only the leader truly knows about.”

“Have hope!” Steel beamed, stiffening his back and flexing his wings. “We are not alone in this fight.”

“You seriously work base security?” Swift asked. “Should totally request a spot in a fireteam.”

“I am content with my current position.” Steel replied with a smile. “After all, someone must keep ze peace at home!”

“True enough, I guess.” Swift said. “You don’t seemed bothered by all of this. No offense or anything, but it’s almost like you don’t even realize what’s happening.”

“But I do.” Steel said lowly. “It’s true griffons and changelings have not gotten along very well in recent years, but they still have a right to live and enjoy life. I simply am trying to find the most silver lining in our situation. What is the Equestrian expression? Am dunkelsten ist es vor der Dämmerung? Darkest before dawn, ja?”

Swift Step nodded. “Of course. Wish I could see it that way. Been nothing but trouble since we’ve got here.”

“North gate!” Guards cried. “North gate!”

Steel rose from his post, locking eyes with Swift Step. Both took to the air and darted towards the largest forming congregation of guards. Changelings screamed and shouted, children cried and guards shouted orders at one another, filing themselves through the grand doors leading to the western sections of the hive.

“Oh Celestia.” Swift Step raised her rifle at the insectoids scampering down the hall, shooting only when she was sure there was no stray changeling in her sights.

Steel did the same thing, although struggling to take into account the spread his machine gun was likely to produce. The front line of changeling guards raised magical shields and planted the feet of their spears into the ground while the second line prepared their horns for magical strikes against the oncoming enemy.

“Hurry behind the shield wall!” Steel ordered, his roaring voice gaining the attention of the panicking civilians.He raised his gun and prepared himself mentally. He waited until the last changeling was at least ten feet before the shield wall produced by the guards before his talon pulled the trigger.

Dakka! Dakka! Dakka!

The bullets tore into the hard violet flesh of the leading arachnoid, spilling its thick, puke-colored blood from each new bullet delivered from Steel’s rapid firing. Civilians ducked their heads low and slowed to a scrambling crawl towards the wall of guards as the volley of bullets and magic stalled the enemy creatures.

In all his years, Steel had never faced an enemy with such ferocity as this. Griffons were vicious, but knew when they were outnumbered and when to pull out of the offensive. These things kept charging, screeching and snapping their claws before being struck down. One leapt into the air, legs and claws outstretched in hopes of gaining a kill before its death. Instead it was impaled by the crooked and jagged tip of a spear, its sheer weight causing the guard to falter. It screamed, thrashing wildly before it grasped the pole and pulled the spear deeper.

“Back!” Steel shouted, hovering over soldiers and blasting the creature until it ceased. Bullet casings rained down on the guards below Steel, but no one objected or raised their annoyance.

“They just keep coming!” Swift called out.

Bratatatatat! Bratatatatatatatatatat! Click!

“Shit!”

Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka!

“Stand strong!” Steel ordered. Magic bolts fizzed and soared in the air as more and more of the arachnids came scrambling about. The changeling’s spear-wall remained steadfast, the guards themselves standing with more confidence and fervor, the sentries standing between each spear-bearer shooting their spells with rapid intensity. “Keep the innocents safe!”

The guards roared and braced themselves for the incoming wave of enemies. Sectoids began to appear at the end of the hall. Immediately after Steel spotted them, bolts of green soared opposite of the magic blasts and hail of bullets. The insectoids collided with spears and halberds, pushing the defensive line back. The shields of the sentries were wavering from the rigorous attacks of the creatures. Swift moved closer, as though to completely be certain that she would dig each bullet right into their heads.

“Agh! Fucking die already!” She shouted.

The pressure on the wall eased up as the insects’ senseless onslaught began to waver. More and more died, relying on the little grey ones further down the hall. The guards were shouting, panicking and desperately trying to keep their arcane shields up.

“Just a little longer!” The captain shouted, horn glowing and firing off some bolts. “We’re thinning them out.”

Steel glided over to him, taking a moment to mow down one of the large insects starting to claw its way through the magic barrier, caught between bodies of its own dead and narrowly dodging spear thrusts. He grabbed the captain and swung him around. “Your men are wavering! Pull them back soon!”

“Not letting those damned bugs through! We kill the last ones and we pull back.”

“Agreed. Shut the door and my friend and I shall deal with the rest.”

“Not your call!” Swift Step shouted above the noise. A volley of green pelted the magic barriers and each shieldbearer cried in pain, receding back into the central court. The spearwall threw off the bodies of dead bugs, before slowly backing away as well. “Crap! Alright, but we need some guards out here with us!”

***

Loki climbed up the pile of rubble, Solemn flanking his left and Rime on his right. Voices spoke in hushed tones down the wide open hall. The group wanted to believe it was more civilians, but Loki thought it may have been a trick. It had to have been, right? There was no way someone could speak so calm in a dire situation such as this.

“Quiet!”

Loki looked at the ponies crawling with him, each of them frozen solid. He looked behind him to Cherry. “Was that you?”

He sighed. “Of course. No it wasn’t me. Came from over the pile.”

Aegis, Gilda, Keller and Brisk Bolt stood down at the base of the fallen cinders. The ponies and changeling climbing clung to the shadows of the expanse of the hall, the moonlight peering in and an amazingly clear sky, despite the attack on the hive. The explosions in other parts were loud and clear as day, however.

Solemn jumped, making Loki stifle a squeal and Cherry and Rime having to suppress laughter.

“Yeah, reading you pretty clear.” She spoke with a hoof against the ear. “Well...Well, what’s wrong with him? I might be able to—”

She fell silent and Loki stared at her as though she were the craziest thing he had seen all day. She looked back at Aegis and started descending off the rubble.

“That was Thunderlane,” Solemn trotted away from Loki and over to her leader. Loki looked back at the grimacing Aegis “Something’s wrong with Ethan. A tunnel collapse I think. The signal was weak, but I got that much Marmalade wants me to walk her through the procedure.”

Loki peered over the fallen pillar, keeping an eye out for any of the insectoids. Cherry and Rime lay beside him, guns at the ready and ears perked up, stiffly. Lone Shadow crawled up beside them. “Think we’ll lose him?”

“Hope not.” Rime admitted. “Met him last week for the first time. Good kid. Out of place from the others in Gilda’s group. Don’t know if you ever saw him shoot. He’s a damn good shot. Probably the best. Don’t want to lose that.”

“So,” Loki cut in. “Who are you guys? Really?”

Rime shifted uncomfortably, as did Lone and Cherry.

“A little hard to explain.” Rime said. “Hell, I don’t even think we’re at liberty to say who we are. Might end up getting kicked out of The In—uh, the group.”

“Is it really that secretive?”

“Not as much as we’d like. Been around for a while without much attention apparently. Vanhoover really killed that for us. Don’t know how much Luna told the press on the issue, but the bottom line is, we’re trying to keep things safe.”

“As safe as we can with all the aliens killing people and whatnot.” Cherry remarked.

Loki focused back down the expanse of the hall. To think there was a whole organization prepared to fight the alien threat was odd. Were they just waiting for years hoping their skills would be put to proper use? Loki would not consider it a waste, but rather a test of patience. His ear flicked, hearing Gilda huff in frustration.

“Shit.” Aegis cursed. “Shit, shit shit. Dammit, alright.”

“Those are my kids,” Gilda said, defensive. “Dammit, I knew I should have gone with them. I’ll take Solemn to them, wherever they are.”

“I’ll go with—” Rime started.

“Negative,” Aegis cut off. “We’ve got to work fast. Steel and Swift Step are still holding the fort with Thorax. Celestia knows how well that’s going. We need to move faster. Loki, you said there was a section where the young ones are—not the hatchlings, but the schools and carehouses...where?”

“Down the hall there.” Loki pointed a hoof over the edge of the rubble pile.

“Okay. Cherry, Rime, go with Loki. Keller, with me.” Aegis ordered. He turned to Gilda and Solemn. “When you’re done, I want you both to do a sweep of the higher levels of the hive. Radio in if you can. Group up with Keller and I in...Is there a place we can meet up in there?”

Aegis looked to the shadows where Loki rested. “Should be another central chamber right above Thorax’s court. I don’t know how bad it is, but I assume it’ll get worse the further up the hive you go.”

“Great. Whatever the case, Solemn, Gilda, meet us up there, we’ll try to assess the situation from there.”

“Gotcha.” Gilda acknowledged.

“Maybe we don’t have to go down there,” Solemn suggested.

“Are y’crazy?” Gilda tensed up. “That is my kid down there bleeding out.”

“I can direct Marmalade while we work up here. So long as she gives me all the details, I can...I can…”

“Time is running out,” Aegis cut in. “I get that. We need to get civilians out of here as quick as possible, but we need our own soldiers just as much. At the very least, you can have medical staff make their way down there and help out.”

“I wanna see the damage for myself.” Gilda asserted. “We help him and then we get—”

“Solemn and Marmalade should work on Ethan. Let some of the guards protect them. You and Thunderlane can take to the upper levels. I know Ethan is a member of your cast, but we need as many guns as we can get to—”

BOOM!

“Hit the dirt!” Aegis ordered. The ceiling crumbled and dust fell, but thankfully Loki was sure that all the damage that could have been done in this hall had already been done. He looked up into the cracked and open ceiling. An alien ship floated past, slowly, the circular metallic shape glistening from the moonlight that broke through the pillars of smoke burning other sections of the hive. Voices sounded further down the hall. Each of the soldiers stiffened and grew silent.

“See? Ma’am, I don’t want to disrespect, but this whole situation is fucked! I say we go home, we can’t deal with this!”

“You doubtin’ the Dominoes kid? It’ll take more than a few scrawny shits and their magic blasters to drop one of us! Besides, the changelings are gonna want to help us. After all, we’re comin’ in and saving them, right? And Thorax is king, so surely, we’ll have some pay to collect by the end of this thing.”

Cherry pulled down on the under barrel of his gun, raising it and aiming straight for the ridge of the rubble.

“Wait,” Aegis said. “Stand down. Not aliens.”

Pebbles and rocks crumbled and crunched under the steps of the unknown party. Loki lowered himself as silently as he could, leaving Rime, Cherry and Lone at the front line. As the voices came closer, Loki shuffled slower backwards.

“Look guys,” A feminine voice spoke. “We just help ‘em out and get our money and we’re done! Sound good?”

The first thing Loki saw was a single feather. Ocean blue cascading into a silvery white base. Golden eyes peered over the curve of rubble and soon after a whole body, wrapped up in rough leathers and spare scrap metals on the important bits of the body. Her mismatched, golden and cerulean eyes gaped wide, staring at the soldiers before her. Rime and Cherry readied their guns, probably a second away from giving her the same treatment they did with the aliens. Behind her several more figures appeared, each donning the same armor and all readying their guns towards Rime and Cherry. Not that it persuaded them to lower their weapons.

“Whoa!” The leader stopped herself and her group, each holding crude weapons of brass, iron and wood, rusted from what Loki could have guessed as years of use. “Now hold your horses fellas! We got some other...high tech mercenaries on the scene.”

“Not mercenaries,” Cherry clarified, raising his gun. “Want me to waste ‘em?”

“Now hang on!” The leading griffon slung her weapon on her back and threw her talons into the air. She gestured towards her band of griffons and they lowered their guns, eyes still set to kill at the slight chance that the soldiers would make a move against them. “I’ve heard of you guys. The radio talks about you guys every now and then, and Luna, I’m pretty sure, said something about you guys. High tech weapons and no shortage of heroics.”

“Sounds about right,” Aegis answered, rifle still pointed at the band of griffons. “Question is, who are you? Griffon Empire doesn’t care enough about the changelings to send a unit in.”

“Really?” The leader stepped forward, pushing Aegis’s rifle towards the ground. She held out a talon and smiled smugly. “Oh, I’m hurt! Domino’s Dominos at your service. I, of course, am Domino herself—Killer of Bandits, Raider of Raiders, Scourge of The Jilliad Plains. These guys with me are, obviously, my little pieces that occasionally help me. Looks to us that you bunch could use some help.”

Loki read her face. Her beak was shifted to a small smile, and golden eyes held no sign of betrayal or malice. Just want of coin. Loki could see that all too well.

“We can.”

“What?” Loki stepped between them, eyes glaring at Aegis. “I’m all for help but—”

“I’d give it about another hour before everyone else in here is turned to ashes and burnt to a crispy crisp, or eaten by your bigger, badder, cousins.” Domino interjected coolly. “Changelings, these guys, us. We’re all fair game to the aliens in case you haven’t been paying attention and those big bugs seem pretty hungry if you ask me.”

“My orders, my priority is the safety of your people.” Aegis said, turning to Loki. “Even with as many changelings we have in that court, we need to get all we can. Every changeling needs to be on their way to the court within one hour or two. Two would really be stretching it.”

“You can’t make that call.” Loki growled. “We don’t even know these people!”

“I get that it’s hard!” Aegis shouted. “It doesn’t matter what we do, the aliens are winning. The next hour is going to be bloody. We either get your people into those emergency tunnels, or we die. Loki, there is no other way out of this.”

***

Corporal Ethan >> Wounded (Fatal)

Corporal Solemn >> Active

Corporal Rime >> Active

Private Longtalon >> Active

Corporal Shadow >> Active

Private Sour Marmalade >> Active

Private Keller >> Active

Corporal Thunderlane >> Active

Corporal Brisk Bolt >> Active

Sergeant Swift Step >> Active

Captain Aegis Solaire >> Active

Sergeant Gilda >> Active

Corporal Cherry Pop >> Active

Prologue

Manehattan glowed wondrously from the streets.

The towers erected decades ago were concrete and brick fingers reaching into the heavens. Even during the dead of night, the city was lit up as if the sun had never set at all. Street lamps buzzed in low harmony with brightly lit billboards and snow was falling gently through the streets, onto the meager crowds that trotted in the city.

Lily wandered the city among the crowds, taking in the sights around her. Neon signs advertising various shows and acts, wagons being pulled in the streets and ponies yelling at each other for no real reason other than the simple fact that someone was crossing the street when they shouldn’t have. A haze of fog filled the sidewalks as ponies released their breaths. Everything from the thick coats ponies adorned to the fresh pollution tainting the air made a smile creep on Lily’s face.

She loved the city.

She bore saddlebags full of all sorts of souvenirs which bounced rhythmically at her sides and jangled softly against each other. Lily saved as many bits as she possibly could to make this trip happen and it took a lot of convincing her sisters who feared disaster, but she made the trip worth it. It was boring to be stuck in the same flower shop in the same town all the time, living the same boring life. Lily figured she could use the excitement of the city.

Lily’s ear flicked at the sound of a news broadcast coming from a radio near a small restaurant that was beginning to close up. A group of three ponies surrounded it, but Lily had heard it all the same.

“...according to reports from Canterlot, multiple missing ponies cases have been raised in the surrounding area. Princess Celestia and Luna have both addressed these matters briefly saying that Royal Guards were investigating the matter. The Regal Sisters have been quite elusive and no more about the matter was said. In other news…”

The mare shuddered. She was glad her sisters had been safe from all that. It shook the town when Applebloom had gone missing. Lily tried to offer her condolences to Applejack, but the orange earth pony snapped at her. She apologized a few days later, an apology Lily accepted. She couldn’t relate, but she could imagine how devastated the Apple Family must have been since then. There were no clues and the Royal Guard had done next to nothing, especially with the lack of any evidence. Even more unfortunate was Granny Smith's new position as the town's crazy old lady after claiming watching Applebloom flying without wings.

Sometimes, the skeptical attitude of ponies knew no boundaries. It made Lily sick how quickly ponies turned on each other during strenuous times.

Lily stopped at the edge of the sidewalk as the traffic light turned green, allowing the flow of wagons and carriages to continue at a sluggish pace. A motorized carriage putted and coughed its way down the street. As fast as they had managed to move, Lily always preferred pony power rather than the power of a noisy engine.

Across the street was a green painted entrance to the subway. Unfortunately, Manehattan hotels called for very expensive hotels and as much as Lily wanted to stay in one of the high standing towers, she was but a poor earth pony from Ponyville. She had spent a fair amount on a room in Bucklyn for a few days.

“Look!” A little grey filly cried. She tugged at her father’s mane, and pointed a stout hoof up.

“Ow! Okay!” The filly’s father glared at his little girl, fixing his mane. Lily couldn’t help but to smile.

Kids.

The stallion’s eyes widened. “Wow. Good eye kiddo!”

Other ponies in the crowd stared into the sky with a mix of wonder and amazement. Lily’s ears perked up and she found herself doing the same.

A shooting star!

A bright one too! Lily felt a surge of excitement rush through her. Oh, how much would Rose and Daisy envy her at being the first in the family to witness…

“Is it…” A pony off to the other side of the street said. Some of the ponies pulling chariots were slowing down to get a look at the blazing object streaking slowly in the sky. “Is it coming closer?”

It was. Progressively, the object got bigger and it was headed straight for the middle of the intersection. It broke apart, sending fiery chunks smashing into buildings and other blocks in the city. Lily dove back behind other ponies when a piece of the falling ball of fire broke off from the main asteroid.

Boom!

Lily covered her ears and hit the ground, her heart pounding and feeling bits of wood and concrete rain on her. The cold snow stung her belly, but Lily kept herself low, fearing more falling space debris would strike her when she least expected it. She looked up when most of the commotion had stopped.

The smoke trail from the asteroid was still visible and the small crater where it landed was steaming. Lily stood and watched as ponies crept close to the glowing green crater. She herself had wanted to run. She wanted to leave and run back to her hotel in Bucklyn.

A ghastly green aura flowed from the crater in the concrete. Lily stepped back while others investigated. The stallion and his daughter were gone, halfway down the street in a full gallop. Lily felt her hooves wanting to do the same. She began to creep away slowly at first, heading for the entrance to the train station across the street.

The crowd of ponies was out of her line of sight now. It was just a few more steps and she would be in the safety of Manehattan’s underground. Her ears flicked at the sound of a loud metal bang.

Then the screaming started. Lily looked back only for a moment, freezing in her steps. Ponies were running, scrambled in all kinds of directions. The green from the crater came lashing out, spindly green tentacles grabbing and dragging ponies towards the crater, the ponies clawing at the ground with their hooves. Pegasi flew away, saving themselves and not looking back.

Lily watched in horror as one of the tendrils darted towards her.

“No!” She screamed. As best as she could, Lily broke into a full gallop towards the station. She could feel the energy spreading, panic pushing her to go faster.

Lily leaped down the stairs, not caring what would happen when she landed and hit the ground.

She never did.

From the bottom of the stairwell, two unicorns came charging out, stopping at the base of the stairs. Their ears fell flat and their lungs emptied themselves.

“Please!” Lily pleaded hanging on tightly to the steps with her two forehooves. The unicorns’ magic enveloped her, tugging, but to no avail. Lily struggled to inch herself forward, her muscles burning intensely. “Please! Help me!”

Her hooves slipped. The unicorns’ started shouting, sparks flaring from their horns.

They let go. Lily cried out to them before disappearing from the subway entrance.

***

The Royal Guards stepped out of the chariot, six in total.

The whole city block was deserted. It sent chills down Dagger’s spine. He’d never seen a city as busy as Manehattan have an empty street like this. He was born and raised here and not once he seen anything like this. Down the street a few blocks down, a crowd of ponies were blocked by several other Royal Guards.

“Goddess!” Swift Step looked all around, taking note of the blinking lights. Her voice echoed down the city’s wide corridor. She rushed forward and knelt beside...something. Dagger didn’t know what he was looking at.

It was shaped like a pony, but it was frozen, cast in a green oozing webbing. And they were everywhere. Frozen in motions of terror, crawling away from something. Dagger’s eyes scanned the streets for anything that might have given him a clue as to what happened. Ponies were even frozen mid run. The snow had gathered on all of them, and Dagger swore he could see them twitch or shiver slightly underneath the webbing that enveloped them.

Wagons and carriages were abandoned and fires burned on the street. Trash was littered all over the place, chunks of concrete were buried deep beneath a thin sheet of snow.

“You think it was Changelings?” Dagger asked.

“I doubt it,” Aegis said, taking off his helmet. He brushed his blue mane out of his eyes and furrowed his brow. “I’ve never seen anything like this when they attacked Canterlot.”

Dagger shuddered. “Then what was it?”

The group moved on, avoiding the question. Dagger fell behind with Swift Step, looking at all the frozen chaos surrounding them. Dagger felt the eyes of the green statues watching him as he moved, pleading to be let out of their encapsulation. He wanted to draw his blade and start ripping and tearing into the webbing, hoping it would set them free. That was his job as a Royal Guard wasn’t it? Help ponies who needed it most?

“This has gotta be some kind of necromancy,” Swift whinnied stretching her wings out. Dagger agreed wholeheartedly. As his eyes darted, looking from the slow and cautious advancements of his squad to the sickly green webbing spread throughout the blocks.

Aegis turned to Swift. “Doubtful. Nopony has been able to use necromancy in centuries. It’s a lost art. Why don’t you take off and scout up ahead. See how bad the damage really is.”

Swift reluctantly flapped her wings, sending gusts of snow into Dagger’s mane and helmet. She hovered slowly above the rest of the group wincing and grimacing down at the street. She occasionally shot glances into the surrounding buildings. Occasionally, she'd fly beside a window and signal, waving her hoof downward to unknown elements, though they were most likely ponies who had survived the initial assault.

Dagger brought his gaze back towards the street.

His ear flicked. Something moved somewhere. He looked to the sidewalks, watching papers fly mindlessly through the air. It couldn’t have been that. The sound came again, like soft, wet trotting. There wasn’t a lot of places for anything to hide.

Aegis stopped and looked around, ears twitching. He frowned and continued forward.

“Aegis!” Swift shouted. “I got something up here!”

Dagger cantered behind the squad of Royal Guards, dodging and weaving between the bodies of ponies. He struggled to breath at the sight of them. A cloud of green started to permeate through the air. Dagger questioned whether or not the air was safe to breath with it around, especially after what he was seeing around him. He covered his muzzle with a hoof, slowing his pace. Aegis did the same and soon everypony else in the group did as well.

Before the group was a sinking crater. A metal shelled orb lay in the center. Several holes released the green glow slowly, lined with silver rings. Four arching arms reached out and rotated around the spherical center, completely separate from the main orb component. It would seem that the gas cloud had come from the pod, but none of the ponies could say for sure. If the gas originated here, the pod had long since stopped pumping it out.

“By Celestia,” Dagger whispered.

He felt a sharp pain in his head and grunted, coughing into his hoof. He took a quick breath and shook his head. He raised his hoof to his muzzle again, but the pain erupted, harder this time. He felt like his head might shatter. His hoof moved on its own, away from his mouth, allowing him to breathe the contaminated air. Whispers entered his mind, speaking in a tongue incomprehensible to the guard.

“Dagger?” Aegis raised an eyebrow. And a sword. The other guards soon followed.

Dagger didn’t remember drawing his. He clutched it tightly in his mouth and let out a growl. His teeth cracked under the sheer intensity of his grip.

Rearing up, Dagger jerked his head and sliced his blade into the unsuspecting guard to the left of Aegis. He went down with a yelp, crashing onto the ground before Dagger’s hind hoof stomped down releasing a sickening crack underneath the poor guard’s helmet.

Aegis shuffled back, earning a cut against his muzzle as Dagger lunged forward. Aegis’s horn glowed and his blade floated in front of Dagger’s, locking tightly. Dagger’s breathing intensified, burning his lungs and his muscles aching.

He wasn’t in control anymore. His eyes darted wildly as sweat began to bead on his forehead. Aegis moved his lips, but no sound came out. All Dagger could hear was the blood flowing in his veins and his heart pounding against his chest.

Another guard came and swung his blade, missing Dagger’s eyes narrowly. Another jerk with his head and the Dagger’s sword met the guard’s golden chestplate. Aegis bucked the wild earth pony, sending him off towards the sidewalk. His blade fell beside him, clattering against the concrete.

Dagger looked up, dazed. The guards were yelling at him. No not at him. But something inside. Something that filled him with rage and fear. Their words were muffled and their forms were blurry. Their image faded, replaced with black demons laughing hysterically. Their horns burned in a orange blaze and their eyes were lifeless orbs boring into his soul.

“Get away from me!” Dagger tried to yell. Violently he grasped the sword back in his mouth and kicked, thrashing and jerking his head wildly. He tried again to find his voice, mustering all his will. “Get away!”

***

“Following a series of unidentified objects landing in the Manehattan area, several contingents of Royal Guards have been dispatched into the affected districts. According to several witnesses of the event, the objects in question emit some kind of spell capable of immobilizing ponies. Following several Royal Guards that were dispatched to investigate seemingly going rabid, The Royal Guards have done their best to quarantine the area in an attempt to contain whatever is going on in the city.

“Reports claim another unprovoked Changeling invasion on Equestrian soil or Luna herself as being the cause of this tragedy, but nopony has verified if that is the cause of the attacks. The Royal Guards and The Equestrian Crisis Administration has warned civilians to steer clear of the affected districts of Manehattan.

“Princess Luna is currently outside of Canterlot Royal Palace ready to make a statement on the attacks.”

...

“Ponies of Equestria!” Luna’s voice boomed, magically amplified. The commotion of ponies in a crowd stop at once. “It is my duty to regrettably inform you that an attack has been made on Equestrian soil. The attacker as of now remains unknown, but rest assured; Princess Celestia and myself shall work around the clock to discover the source of this unprovoked aggression that endangers our way of life.

“It pains me that so many blame me for the attack on Manehattan tonight. My duty as Princess of Equestria is to ensure the safety of my subjects! The years of Nightmare Moon are long over! This tragedy and crime against our nation will not go unpunished!”

…

“And there you have it everypony. Be safe tonight. This is Lucy Song of the Equestrian News Broadcasting Network signing off.”

***

“Thank you for coming Twilight,” Princess Luna said. Her voice was thick, full of worry. She had tried her best to prepare herself for the young princess’s arrival, but the thoughts of her subjects being outright attacked during the night; when Equestria was under her protection clouded her mind. Even if that attack had come the night before. Ponies were startled and they had every reason to be.

“I got your message,” Twilight said, wiping her eyes. Her mane was frazzled and she still had a few clumps of lint from her blanket. She pawed at the ground with a hoof, trying to smooth the lumps on the red carpet beneath her. “This is about those attacks, right? I still can’t believe it. I tried to come as quickly as I could. ”

“Neither can I,” Luna admitted. “I apologize. I believed my sister would have been ready before you arrived.”

The Royal Court fell silent. Emptiness was the norm during the night, save for a few of Luna’s Night Guard, who stood sentry beside the grand double doors and beside the throne. The pale moonlight shone in from the sides, bathing the room in a beautiful silver light and casting colorful glows from the stained glass windows.

Luna had seldom spent nights in here. The chances of a pony wishing to convene during the night was a rarity. But there was too much happening for Luna to stay within the confines of her room; her balcony, cataloging the stars of the sky. She needed company now. Loyal company. And her guards did more than enough to fill that role, even if they said nothing.

She couldn’t believe that ponies actually believed she was the cause of the attacks last night. Princess Luna thought she had done enough for the ponies of Equestria to persuade them of her good intentions. Now, Equestria was at the precipice of disaster and an overall state of discomfort and the first few hooves that wished to place blame pointed towards Luna.

The princess sat and furrowed her brow. Her breathing intensified. How dare they.

Twilight pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. “P-Princess Luna?”

“I am sorry Twilight,” Princess Luna rubbed her head. “There is much plaguing my mind.”

Twilight paused and tried her best to fix her mane and look presentable. Truth be told, Luna nearly blasted Twilight to oblivion when she first teleported into the throne room no more than ten minutes ago. Luna had expected her to have taken a chariot or the train or some kind of transport like a normal, sensible pony. Still, she was glad the Twilight had treated the matter with urgency.

“I know you didn’t do it.” Twilight looked up cautiously at the Princess of The Night. "The attacks, I mean."

Luna managed a smile. “Thank you.”

“Do…You know where the attacks came from?”

Luna frowned solemnly. “Yes.”

The doors gently opened. Celestia walked slowly, her hooves muffled by the velvet carpet rolled from the throne room to the grand hall beyond. Her face was grim, eyelids heavy and mane almost motionless. The guards lowered their heads, Celestia responding with a wave of her hoof. “Leave us.”

The guards cleared out as Celestia approached her golden throne. Luna looked at her sister, who sat and stared at the ground in front of Twilight. She let out a deep sigh and shut her eyes for a moment. When they opened, she gazed upon Twilight.

“The attack on Manehattan,” Celestia’s voice was soft, yet still profoundly powerful. She still held her formal, even tone. “It was a day that shall live in infamy for the rest of Equestria’s days. For now, we must remain vigilant and bring those who would wish us harm to justice.”

Twilight nodded, glancing at Luna nervously.

“Are we…” Twilight spoke low, her ears falling down slightly. “At war?”

A silence consumed the room. Luna swallowed. “Yes.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “W-with who? How will we fight them?”

Celestia cast a worried glance at Luna, her lips sealed tightly. She opened them, but no words came out. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Luna dreaded every moment of this. She and Celestia had spoken about in the hours after the attack and those thoughts weighed heavily in her mind. “The stars have sent us adversaries. Powerful ones. Whatever chances at peace with them have been squandered the moment they sent their machines down upon our subjects.”

The Regal Sisters let those words sink in. Twilight stared, mouth agape and eyes unwavering. Luna was not shocked at the young alicorn's reaction. After all, how often did ponies in Equestria hear the words 'we're at war' ? In all of Equestria's history, only two real wars had been fought. Neither of which were in the lifetime of any of the ponies wandering Equestria now.

“H-how do we fight them?”

“Tell me,” Luna spoke. "I know you bury yourself in books. Have you ever come across The Harmony Initiative in any of your readings?"

Twilight hesitantly shook her head. “The only thing about The Elements I know about come from a lot of old pony tales.”

Luna grimaced at Twilight's ignorance. She couldn't help it. Then again, she supposed an organization shrouded with secrecy and meant to remain away from the public's eye should have no traces of it in any book. Records leading up to their formation would be fabricated to make it seem as though the ponies involved so many generations ago had died.

At the time, the idea of foreign elements from the stars was such an abstract idea and so frowned upon for various reasons. Luna knew that there was endless possibilities when it came to the endless void above and she had cataloged a vast amount of stars over the years, some with the theorized capacity for life. She had formed The Initiative with that in mind, hoping it would never be needed. Instead, it had been needed, except the threat was a little more closer to home.

“They were meant to protect the ponies of Equestria from any threat from above,” Celestia said. She looked out of the window, down into the streets of Canterlot being bathed with the early morning sun. “Originally, I wanted to disband the organization. I had feared that the ponies involved were wasting their talents looking for a threat that never existed.”

“Instead,” Luna continued. “The Harmony Initiative has remained, hidden from public view as it always has been, run by a select few individuals maintaining her facilities. Nopony else officially works under it yet, but we have contact with ponies who are the best in all fields. Scientists, engineers, soldiers. Should Harmony ever be needed they will be notified and they shall flock under its banner.”

Twilight nodded in understanding although there was still something missing. It hadn’t quite clicked yet, Luna noticed. Her next words only confirmed Luna's suspicion. "Why are you telling me this?

“Twilight…” Celestia looked at the purple alicorn with pain in her eyes. Luna pursed her lips. Her sister had known Twilight for most of her life. To ask someone she had known like a daughter to go away for what might have been years was like actually losing a daughter.

But Twilight had hardly known Luna. For the near fifteen years since Luna’s return and after Twilight’s ascension, they had hardly gotten to know each other at all. Still, Luna felt horrible for what she would ask. If anything, she would want Twilight to have disdain more-so for her rather than Celestia. It was clear that her sister hadn’t completely agreed to what they were about to ask, but Luna knew what was necessary. It was her idea after all.

“Tonight, we are reinstating The Harmony Initiative.” Luna finished for her sister. Twilight’s eyes widened and ears perked up at that. She stared at the two Regal Sisters with disbelief. Her expression shifted, a look of horror at the two sisters who stared with relative calm.

“Wait,” She voiced weakly. “A-are you asking…?”

“We must maintain order among the populace,” Celestia said solemnly. “The Royal Guards will be unable to launch attacks against these fiends on their own. As of now, they lack the resources to completely defend Equestria from this threat. With the collective resources Equestria, Zebras and The Griffons pooled together to fund The Harmony Initiative, we will be able to bring them back.”

“You will act as their commander,” Luna said. “You and your friends will be under the safety of Harmony Headquarters. We cannot completely direct you, but I advise keeping your friends close. We cannot bear to lose any of The Bearers.”

“B-but…” Twilight stammered. Her eyes bounced between the two princesses. Luna felt a pang of guilt come in the form of a lump in her throat. She didn’t wish to burden Twilight with such a heavy responsibility, but as it stood, there was only one viable candidate. "I can't!"

“You can,” Luna spoke with worried eyes. “It will not be easy, I will not lie to you about that. But right now, you are our only option for leading this endeavor. You will have access to the most advanced technologies at our disposal and your soldiers will have the financial support of Equestria, The Griffons and The Zebras combined. This alien threat must be dealt with swiftly and with the utmost urgency. We have the utmost confidence that you will succeed as leader of The Harmony Initiative.”

"We know we have taught you a way to deal with problems without the use for violence," Celestia said sternly. "I wish there was another way, but as it stands, our foes have no capacity for peace. Violence is a must"

"Friendship and love can overcome any obstacle." Twilight said with a whimper. Celestia sighed.

"There are some issues even they cannot fix. The Harmony Initiative needs a leader. You may not be a military commander, but you will give the ponies under your command something to rally under, of this I'm sure. The image of an alicorn leading her ponies for the greater good is more uplifting than you realize."

Twilight took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them and cast a glance outside. The countryside and forests surrounding Canterlot soaked in the dawning sun. It dawned on Luna that Twilight would never see the sunlight again, at least for a while. How long that would be remained a mystery. Luna frowned at the sight of the young alicorn. Her eyes began to water, but she held them back and took in another deep breath.

“I accept.”

Chapter 1: Operation Witch Hunt

Twilight’s eyes opened slowly.

The metal ceiling of the commander’s quarters greeted her, it’s cool surface emanating a chilling aura. The low hum of the light fixtures buzzed incessantly, dimly lighting the modest room. The particular spot on the ceiling Twilight had spent most of her mornings waking up to already began to collect dust and cobwebs.

Twilight sat up in her bed, the silky smooth sheets draping off of her lavender coat and getting caught in one of her feathers. She flexed her wing nonchalantly and let it fall onto the surface of the mattress.

“Another wonderful morning,” Twilight sighed looking at the painting gifted to her from one of Canterlot’s many artists resting between two shelving units installed into the walls. Ponyville hung beautifully on the wall, under the protection of the sun. It made her heart heavy every time she looked at it. “Here in the middle of...somewhere.”

The alicorn stepped off her bed and looked down at the small cot on the ground. Spike was up early this morning. Twilight felt a smile creep on her face as she stretched and proceeded towards the desk bolted into the ground overlooking what Shining Armor had called Mission Control.

She watched over the ponies who seemed to work around the clock sitting behind technological wonders she had never believed possible. Terminals glowed a brilliant blue light in ponies’ faces as they tapped the screens and others looked down at the holographic glowing map in the center of the room, writing things down on notepads. Twilight hadn’t known what they were doing exactly, but she felt it best not to bother them. A wall was dedicated to several monitors, each would be linked to a soldier on the field. The thought of essentially watching through the eyes of her troops made her shudder.

Equestria was on the advent of a new technological age. Carriages that moved on their own and computers with very minimal functions had arrived only recently. Everything in this facility blew those things out of the water. Twilight was a tad bit jealous they had horded these things to themselves.

On a small platform overlooking the map of The Known World, Shining Armor stood, speaking into a headpiece microphone. His blue eyes caught Twilight watching from above and gave a gentle smile and wave of his hoof.

Twilight happily returned the gesture.

A small lamp flicked on under the influence of Twilight’s aura. The beige folder she had been given from Princess Luna still sat, gathering a light amount of dust.

The door to her left slid open. Spike walked through the door, holding a bowl of simple cereal and a plate of gems of all kinds. “Good morning Twilight.”

“Good morning Spike,” Twilight said, taking the bowl in her magic. She took a meager spoonful. Cornflakes. Twilight faked a smile when her assistant shot a hopeful glance. “Thank you Spike.”

“No problem Twilight.” The dragon tossed a ruby into the air before it fell straight into his gullet. Twilight winced as he swallowed without even chewing.

“Still trying to settle in?” Spike said after obliterating his plate of gems. Twilight took her third bite.

Twilight rolled her eyes and held a hoof to her mouth as she spoke with a full mouth. “Of course not. Everywhere I look, there’s metal, metal and even more metal. I'm perfectly settled in. A little garden or something wouldn’t have hurt you know.”

Spike raised a worried brow, but nodded in agreement. “Don’t worry Twilight. At least you’ve got your friends, right?”

“Yeah,” Twilight put down her bowl down on the desk. She stared out into the dark glowing Mission Control Center. It wa true, all her friends were here, but Twilight would be lying if she said most of them came willingly. Compromises were made between them and promises were to be kept, but Twilight had found that at the moment, the most difficult decision as Harmony’s commander were made trying to keep her friends together.

She’d be lying if she said she appreciated Luna and Celestia’s faith in her. So far, the two weeks she spent in the middle of nowhere underground was fraught with challenges. Training ponies how to handle themselves in a high stress environments, organizing the science and engineering teams, and even learning her way around the facilities were just a small fraction of the problems.

Worries plagued her mind. Twilight feared what one wrong misstep would do to Rainbow Dash, who insisted she be allowed to fly the troops to and from Harmony Headquarters. Pinkie Pie might exhaust herself, trying to keep the morale of the troops up, however unlikely that may have been. Fluttershy was a total stranger to violence, but wanted to help around the medical bay. Twilight had to allow it. Everypony in Harmony would need a task and Twilight’s job as of now was placing ponies where they could possibly be of most help. She didn’t even feel like she was commanding anyone.

Not a single alarm had gone off, but ponies were already feeling the dreadful effects of worrying about family on the surface. At times, Twilight even thought of her parents in Canterlot, probably the safest city in Equestria during times like these. They had said their goodbyes, but when asked where she was going, Twilight couldn’t say. Instead she lied and said she would be heading to the zebras and aiding them in their efforts. She promised to send them letters. It was the least she could do for them.

Twilight’s eyes wetted as she let out a sigh.

“Hey Twilight,” Spike stepped towards the mare and placed a rough comforting claw on her back. “It’ll be okay! We all have rough times, right?”

“I know Spike,” Twilight said, voice shaky. “I just...after we came here, things have been snowballing downhill. I’m not fit to lead these ponies into war! Shining Armor would make a better commander than me!”

“But you’re an alicorn,” Spike insisted. “And you’re Twilight Sparkle! You’ve overcome so much before. It may be tough, but we’ll get through this. I know we can!”

Twilight felt a bit of hope. She smiled gratefully at her dragon companion. “Thank you Spike.”

The flow of the blue map in the central hub emitted a red light. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. The moment was finally here. The first alarm.

“Commander to Mission Control. Commander to Mission Control.”

Twilight stood up, trying to compose her trembling body. She looked at Spike, who cast a nervous glance.

“Well, something was bound to happen sometime,” She said morosely. “C’mon Spike. Let’s go see what’s up.”

***

The Wonderbolts

Soarin had considered himself a brave stallion, but the feeling of having two more appendages coming out of his body was slightly off putting.

Well, maybe they weren’t really coming out of his body, but the saddles implemented into the torso of his rough crimson vest may as well have been a part of his body. He barely noticed it at all. The engineers had insisted that the Robotic Automated Assisted Grasping System (Or R.A.A.G.S. as Flim and Flam had called it) would not get in the way of normal body functions, namely the wings. So far, they had been right about that.

Soarin thought and the arms did what he wanted. Despite the engineers giving a lengthy explanation that had caused Soarin to nod off, he managed to get systems to function flawlessly without their instructions. They pulled kneepads up his legs just below the sleeves of his uniform under his protective vest. The pads uncomfortably wrapped around his joints. Truth be told, a part of him wished he had brought his Wonderbolts uniform. At least then he wouldn’t have felt so clunky with the vest wrapping around his torso and extending plates as far back towards his flanks.

The barracks were about as quiet as they ever were. The dust in the air was thick, clearly visible under the bright beams of light from the high ceiling of the facility. There were a few treadmills and weight lifting equipment set up, presumably extras that had no place in the Rec Room. Several ponies isolated themselves here, leaving The Wonderbolts alone to get ready for their first engagement. Soarin almost appreciated that.

When Soarin was finished making sure his armor was strapped tightly, he moved towards the weapon rack.

He would have doubted the functionality of the rifles and small arms if he hadn’t tested them with the other soldiers a last week, when he and his fellow Wonderbolts were introduced to The Harmony Initiative. Their ‘training’ was just learning team tactics and military orders; things he and his friends were already used to. The highlight of it all was learning his way around these new weapons.

The engineers called them assault rifles, stemming from the Griffon homeland. They were blocky and thick, chafed on the edges as if each one of them had seen regular use before The Harmony Initiative was activated.

Spitfire picked one up, the hands bringing them close to her eyes. She stared down the sights and grimaced. “I’ve fired at nonliving targets before. I don’t know if I can actually kill something. Something living and breathing.”

“First time for everything,” Soarin said sullenly. He was in the same boat as her. If it came down to it, he wouldn’t have time to hesitate, this much he knew, but there was a nagging feeling that he would end up not firing in the long run. “But keep in mind what these things did in Manehattan.”

“Right,” Spitfire said with a frown. Her arms lowered as she flapped her wings gently, lightly taking off of the ground. She brought her hooves down and sighed. “Well, at least we can still fly around with these things on, for whatever it’s worth.”

“It’s not much. We’d still have to group up back with Rainbow at the sky carriage.” That was just standard protocol. Soarin initially relished the idea of being able to fly with his squad of Wonderbolts, but the idea almost instantly became exactly that. An idea. Central Officer Shining Armor had made it clear that he and his squad may have been pegasi, but as it stands, the enchanted sky chariot in the hangar was for all soldiers, no matter their race. Soarin greatly disagreed, but he knew better than to voice any complaints.

“I guess she’s lucky,” Fleetfoot interjected. She picked up a rifle and sat on her haunches, letting her arms get a feel for the weapon. As they did, she ran her hooves through her mane, trying to perfect that straight-out-of-a-race look they all had. “At least she gets to fly.”

“I mean, we get to fly too right?” Dazzle looked over at Spitfire, an eyebrow raised. He slipped a holster around his silvery left forehoof. His arms slid the pistol inside, patting it as if it would just hop out on its own. “Right Captain? We don’t have to let Rainbow fly us in. We are pegasi after all.”

Spitfire shook her head. “I don’t wanna get chewed out for not following protocol. Whatever the commander says goes, and if she says all personnel gotta ride the carriage, then we ride. Doesn’t matter what we are.”

Soarin felt himself frown as he loaded the gold plated bullets into the magazine.

“That’s not fair,” He grumbled. Spitfire cast a hopeful smile as her R.A.A.G.S. started filling her pouches with spare magazines, her rifle dangling around her neck.

“Chin up! Heard the eggheads were talkin’ about expanding and adding a new facility.” The other two ponies perked up. “Might be that they’re making an additional Rec Room for us pegasi.”

"That'd be great!" Dazzle beamed.

The doors to the rec room slid open. The silver coat of Shining Armor radiantly glowed under the fluorescent lights. Following behind was the commander; Twilight Sparkle, gingerly taking steps towards the now-ready soldiers. She gave a sheepish smile, standing tall and regal.

“Commander! Central, sir!” Soarin said, assuming a rigid salute posture. The three other ponies beside him did the same.

“Please, no need.” Commander Twilight raised a hoof. Soarin and the others relaxed, lowering their hooves, while still maintaining their rigidity. Soarin felt his ears flop as Twilight frowned.

In the two weeks that Soarin had been stationed in Harmony HQ, Soarin never had the pleasure of meeting his commander. Central said he wanted her to get settled into the new facilities before she would actually take over. It made Soarin’s mane itch. Not that he didn’t like Twilight, but he couldn’t get behind the notion of setting a pony who had never even seen a fight as the commander of an organization dedicated to fighting beings from the endless void.

Central Officer Shining Armor proved as a better candidate for commander than his sister. At least he was Captain of The Guard before The Harmony Initiative was created.

“I know that we ask of a lot for you,” The Princess spoke low. “But it is imperative that we eliminate the threat with as little damage as possible. If you can, try not to resort to violence.”

A part of Soarin wanted to visibly cringe. That was such a foalish idea. She wanted to extend mercy on the very things that had possibly killed hundreds in Manehattan two weeks ago? Soarin would rather shoot to kill than let any of them live.

If I could bring myself to do it.

“You’ll be heading into a small town just outside Fillydelphia.” Shining Armor spoke. “Pegasi reconnaissance teams spotted several of the same pods used in Manehattan surrounding the area.”

“Won’t we just end up like the Royal Guards who first investigated those crash sites?” Fleetfoot asked with a raised hoof, the robotic arm miming the same motion. Soarin, Dazzle and Spitfire nodded in agreement.

“There’s a chance those pods could have the same effects on you.” Twilight interjected. She levitated four masks, each with black tinted goggles and air filters jutting out of the side. Soarin pursed his lips at the sight of them. Nonetheless, his left arm took hold of the mask and held it close. A small device jutted out of the side of the mask, like a scope without a purpose. “These are magically enchanted to filter out anything those pods pump out. They should keep you safe. We’ll also be able to watch you with these cameras and monitor your vitals from Mission Control. We’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Spitfire shot Soarin a worried look. He understood her worry. The thought of one of his best friends trying to shoot him down sent shivers through his body.

“The recon teams believe that whoever sent the pods down are operating in the area,” Shining said sternly. “If that is the case, we need to dispatch them by any means. Starlight would like at least one of these things intact, so try to keep explosives to a minimum. I know we’ve never encountered anything like this before, so I can understand if all of you are scared.”

“But this is a chance for us to protect the ponies in that town.” Twilight said. “If you can, please ensure the safety of any and all civilians in the area.”

“Don’t worry ma’am,” Spitfire shot a hoof up against her head, casting a dutiful salute. Soarin and his fellow Wonderbolts did the same. “We’ll pull through.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “Good.”

“Report to the hangar for immediate deployment,” Shining Armor ordered. “Rainbow will see you to your destination.”

The ponies gave another rigid salute, followed by a “Yes sir!” in perfect unison. They trotted through empty halls, passing through the med-bay and through more empty halls. Soarin watched the windows leading to several various rooms, ponies watching with concern as he and his fellow Wonderbolts dashed to the hangar.

It was built within a cavernous part of Harmony’s Headquarters. Metal catwalks lined the walls, leading up to several bays where pegasi flocked around with several griffons. Despite being the most open space in all of Harmony’s Headquarters, Central denied any pegasi and griffons’ requests as a fly zone. He claimed it would impede troops coming in and out. Another thing Soarin strongly disagreed with.

Pegasi watched intently from the upper perches and metal platforms which housed saddles with dual canons. Griffons stared with initial disinterest while Soarin and his friends stepped through the metal blast doors.

The center of the room was an open chamber, a small metal platform where a cyan and rainbow maned mare stepped towards the troop transport, eagerly.

Rainbow Dash was strapping the harness of the sky chariot around her torso. She slid a blue helmet over her head, a tinted blue visor connecting to a protective face plate. Soarin could barely make out her smile smiled as she waved a hoof to the Wonderbolts walking into the hangar. Only Spitfire returned the gesture.

The carriage was thick, boxy and very metal. Four coils lined the transport’s bottom corners, sending pulsing rings of magic evaporating into the air. Intricate swirling designs lined the rims and an emblazoned logo of a star surrounded by smaller sparkles were in the direct center of the exterior walls. Two long barrels fed by golden belts flanked the side of the carriage. The inside was home to padded seats with just enough space for six ponies and compartments for their equipment and even a medical box.

“Ready to go guys?” Rainbow asked, voice full of excitement. Soarin wished he could share her enthusiasm.

“Yep,” Spitfire replied climbing on back. She stiffened up as the carriage lurched under her influence. The magic pylons had allegedly relieved some of the weight, making Rainbow’s job easier. Chances were that without them, she wouldn’t even be able to get the behemoth of a vehicle off the ground.

“Alright!” Rainbow cheered. Soarin clambered into the seat across from Spitfire. Dazzler and Fleetfoot came on next. The four exchanged glances as Rainbow began to flutter her wings and the chariot began to lift with a low hum from the arcane assists. Pegasi stared, doe-eyed as did the griffons watching. “Let’s get moving!”

The metal roof of the cave split open, the glowing silver light of the moon peering in, only slightly obstructed by the surrounding trees. A deep chill swept inside, bringing in a light flurry of snow.

Despite the circumstances, Soaring was glad for a chance to be reintroduced to the open world.

***

The town was quiet and empty.

From above, the town was on its way to becoming a part of the local urban developments. Despite its small size, the streets were a maze of concrete, lined with chariots, fire hydrants, street lamps and mixed homes, some made of straw and hay and newer buildings of brick and mortar. Fillydelphia lay undisturbed just a few miles off, blinking lights and streams of traffic flowing without a care in the world.

In the center of the town was what Soarin assumed was the affected area. A ghastly green cloud surrounded a brightly lit trading post/fueling station combo, chariots and transport wagons unmanned in the parking lot. The Wonderbolts all put on their masks, Soarin praying it would in fact prevent him from turning on his comrades.

“Guess that’s where we’re headed,” Soarin said.

“That stuff don’t look good,” Fleetfoot noted. Her face twisted, both brows curved. She looked among her fellow pegasi.

Rainbow landed the chariot a little ways outside of the deployment zone, fearing the green cloud would affect her.

“Don’t worry about me guys,” She said when Spitfire asked what she would be doing while the Wonderbolts investigated the town. “I’ll be waiting here for you. If I hear any action, I’ll try to keep my head down. Or help out, just give me the word.”

“You sure?” Dazzle asked, flapping his wings off of the chariot. “What if something tries to attack you out here?”

“This thing’s got weapons,” Rainbow said plainly. She kept herself strapped to the harness and sat on her haunches. “Like I said, I’ll be fine.

Spitfire nodded and Soarin followed her into the town’s depths.

The streets were devoid of any life. A thin veil of snow blanketed the road, gently crunching underneath the steps of the squad. The thermal enchanted armor kept each pony warm from the cool breeze that rolled through in between the boxy homes lined up beside each other. A few lights in several houses were still lit, ponies peering around the window frames and retreating the moment they spotted Soarin and his group. Several motorized carriages lined the sidewalk, as well as more traditional ones. Barren trees sprouted from small plots and swayed in the wind.

“It’s like a ghost town,” Fleetfoot spoke solemnly.

“At least we know that some ponies made it to their homes safely,” Dazzle whispered.

Spitfire raised a hoof to her ear and tapped her earpiece gently. “Central, come in. We’ve arrived at the town. Do you read us?”

Their ears buzzed with static for a moment. Central’s voice broke through. “We’re reading you loud and clear here in HQ. All systems are green. Approach the affected area with caution.”

“Aye aye,” Spitfire responded.

“You think the aliens are still here?” Soarin whispered, matching pace with the golden pegasus. Fleetfoot and Dazzle spoke amongst themselves, trailing behind.

Spitfire shook her head. “Hard to say. Maybe? You know, a part of me wants to believe it’s just Changelings or something.”

They approached the trading post, the only building on its own block, and heavy with a green fog and dimly lit street lamps. Flanking its left was a yellow-lit glowing sign labelled Jackpot Motor Station, the words 'motor station' covering up an original sign that said 'trading post'. A roof was erected over several pump stations, supported by several rectangular white pillars. A few motorized carriages sat, ponies encased in green inside, some in mid-motion, trying desperately to escape. Beside the pumps, a green machine sat, the green mist thickening around it, as well as a higher concentration of encased ponies.

Soarin stepped over a the webbed encased body of a pony curled up clutching something. He cursed himself for thinking it could be that the mare was holding a foal close to her in their final moments.

“Those poor ponies,” Soarin muttered. The parking lot was full of vehicles of all kinds, each one with ponies encased in that green webbing. “All of this and for what?”

Fleetfoot’s eyes were full of worry, her breathing heavy under her mask. She trotted up to one of the frozen bodies. “Do you think some of them are still alive?”

“I don’t know.” Soarin admitted. He looked to Spitfire, but she wasn’t staring at the bodies. She tried her best to avert her gaze. She fixed her sights on the central building, a beige walled building with windows lining all around the sides. The interior was dark, save for one flickering light somewhere behind the register.

There was the occasional trash bin along the patches of grey sidewalk unaffected by the chaos as well as a dumpster on one side of the main building and another at the edge of the parking lot. If there was going to be a firefight, there was more than enough places to hide behind. He fixed his gaze on a dumpster right next to one of the windows. Something moved.

Soarin’s heart skipped and he made a dash behind a dormant wagon just outside of the pump stations. The squad followed his lead, bodies slamming against the wood.

“What the hay Soarin?” Spitfire sounded, minorly annoyed.

“Saw movement behind one of the dumpsters.” He answered. He took a quick peek around the corner of the wagon. Nothing there now. Of course not. He retreated behind the wagon and looked worriedly at his leader.

“It may be best to split up,” Twilight suggested through the radio. “Fleetfoot and Dazzle to the right. Soarin and Spitfire will take the left and check out the building. Try to group up around the back. If you see anything, report it.”

“Be ready for a fight,” Central voiced. “Scanners are picking up several unidentified presences in the area.”

“Gotcha,” Fleetfoot said. She trotted carefully out from behind the carriage, her rifle held closely. Dazzle followed behind.

Soarin looked to Spitfire. She bit her lip nervously, watching the two ponies with an almost maternal gaze. She returned her sights to Soarin.

“Alright?”

“Alright.”

The duo crept out of cover and moved up, Spitfire ducking behind a trash can and Soarin slamming himself against a support beam. His ear twitched at the sound of the wind cutting through the town. His eyes scanned the trading posts interior. He saw nothing inside, save for a few posters on the walls and racks full of all sorts of goodies; food and snacks primarily. Anything beyond the rows remained a mystery. There was no movement that he could see.

“Moving up,” Soarin said.

“Got you covered.” The joints in her robotic limbs twisted, bringing the rifle up to her eye. She swivelled slowly, ready to fire on the first thing that moved.

Soarin sprang out from behind the beam and dashed for the door, his hooves clopping clamorously against the concrete. He stopped himself just short of the door and flanked its side. The jagged surface of the walls scratched his skin and made his fur itchy. He looked back at Spitfire and jerked his head towards the other side of the door.

She nodded and floated herself forward, carefully keeping a lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Her hooves gently clopped against the sidewalk as she turned to face Soarin from the other side of the door.

“No trouble inside,” Soarin noted. He took a quick peek through the glass door. Nothing. The glass blocking most of the counter was shattered and small shards of glass littered the tiled floors in the aisle in front of the door. “Scratch that. Somepony bashed through the counter window.”

“Came out,” Spitfire said. “The glass shattered towards us.”

She placed a hoof against her earpiece. “Keep your eyes open. We got signs of a struggle.”

“It’s pretty bad over here,” Dazzle answered, voice wavering. “There’s a lot of bodies here. Some aren’t wrapped in that green stuff.”

Soarin shuddered. He hoped those ponies didn’t suffer, but a part of him knew that they did. If there were bodies of ponies devoid of slippery green webbing, they must have come after the gas had subsided, trying to save loved ones. Which meant that whoever had conducted the attack was still around.

“They’ve got holes all over them!” Dazzle’s breathing was becoming erratic. “Oh Luna, t-they’re—”

“Keep it together!” Spitfire ordered. “Look, whoever did this is probably still—”

“Hang on,” Fleetfoot sounded. “We got movement. I say again, we got movement.”

Soarin’s heart skipped a beat and his mouth ran dry. Spitfire swallowed. Her breathing was starting to increase under the enchanted mask. He didn’t know what it was, but something about Fleetfoot’s voice and discovery made Soarin’s stomach twist into a knot.

“It...It’s heading into the building.”

Another door creaked open. Soarin and Spitfire locked eyes. Neither one drew a breath. Scampering on the tiled floors sounded, tapping lightly somewhere inside.

“Bolt 1-2,” Central’s voice broke the silence. “They are inside the building. Move in to eliminate or incapacitate.”

“C-copy that,” Spitfire stammered. She looked up at the stallion across from her and signalled towards the door.

Soarin pushed the door open slowly, realizing almost immediately how much of a bad idea that was. The door creaked noisily and pushed aside stray glass shards and plastic wrappers. A shadowy form lurched over the green glow of an encased pony. It froze, body rising and falling with each breath.

Soarin cursed himself. His shadow blocked the light cast from the lamp post outside. The creature stood and turned. Grey skin wrapped tightly to the creature’s form, wrinkles forming around its eyes and bony arms and legs. The taut leather skin was like a shriveled, spoiled fruit, glowing at the chest with a brilliant orange radiance. Bulbous black pits rested on its head where eyes should have been, staring deeply with an emotionless and threatening gaze. It lacked a mouth, just a layer of grey skin covering its lower face.

It’s thin frame darted, scampering on all fours towards a rack of food. Soarin’s hooves kept him locked in place. It raised a frail arm, a silver plated device beginning to glow green. A webbed hand stabilized the device as the light grew in intensity.

Bratatat!

Smoke gathered at out of the barrel of Soarin’s rifle. A sickly green ichor poured out of the creature’s head where several bullets met their mark. A knot formed in his stomach. He felt sick.

“Holy sun and stars,” He muttered, his hooves carrying his trembling body towards the creature’s body. A part of him wanted to poke it, feel it’s rough skin against his hooves and then stomp its Celestia-damned head in. Another part of him wanted to throw up.

He stood over the corpse, watching it spasm and twitch unnaturally. The webbed fingers reached out towards Soarin. The stallion remained where he was, breathing heavily as its hand fell and body remained completely motionless. His hooves had failed him again, remaining locked in position.

“T-that was,” Spitfire stammered, entering slowly. “Oh Luna, that was really something from the stars. I don’t think we’d ever see anything like that here in Equestria!”

Soarin wasn’t sure whether or not he shared her bewilderment. These were the things that caused so much chaos? They were so...unimpressive. Soarin expected more but at the same time was glad it was just these things. A threatening brute of a monster may have made Soarin tuck tail and run back to Rainbow.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Green bolts soared through the air, two splashing against the wall and one straight into Soarin’s side. With a yelp, he flapped his wings and brought himself to the side of the racks. He winced as he landed on his haunches, back against the uncomfortable shelved surface. He looked down at his side, grunting while he turned his head.

“Not good,” He grunted. Whatever he got shot with, tore a clean, charred hole through his armor and straight into his ribs. Blood rushed and trickled from the wound and stained his vest, a searing hot sensation flowed and diffused throughout his body. Soarin stamped a hoof on the ground and bit a forehoof, holding back tears.

Bratatatatat!

Spitfire shot towards the bit register, the bullet casings landing in a heap beside Soarin. She stood with grit teeth, unwavering as her robotic arms took most of the rifle’s recoil. She stared for a moment after she finished firing, breathing shakily. She turned her head towards Soarin.

“Soarin!” Her eyes shot to his blood soaked hoof. “Oh my—Y-you’re bleeding!”

Soarin nodded slowly, managing a grim smile. “Glad to see your eyes still work.”

Spitfire trotted to Soarin’s side, examining the wound. She grimaced and looked up at Soarin with sullen, watering eyes. “Y-you’re gonna be okay! Alri—”

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Spitfire ducked, narrowly dodging three energy bolts, each shattering a window behind her. Her arms raised, the rifle starting to blast blindly towards the register window, Spitfire rising and backing towards the shattered glass behind her, taking aim as she did so.

Bratatatatat!

Click!

“Holy…”Spitfire bit her lip. “I got it. Wow, I can’t believe…”

She brought her sights back to Soarin, who was beginning to rise up. He winced, but fought through the pain, allowing himself to rest on the rack, knocking over some candy. His rifle slung around his neck, his R.A.A.G.S. trying their best to assist the wounded stallion, it reached into a saddlebag and pulled out a thick white rag, and roughly applied itself onto the wound.

“Commander? Central?” Spitfire panicked. “Is he—”

"Soarin will be fine,” Twilight reassured. “Let’s...Let’s try and finish up here. Scanners indicate three more enemies in the area.”

“R-roger.” Spitfire trotted again to Soarin’s side. “I’m gonna bring you back to Rainbow.”

“No,” Soarin shook his head. “Group up with Fleetfoot and Dazzle. I’ll be fine.”

Bratatatat!

The shots were muffled inside, but echoed throughout the town. Spitfire looked out of the window.

“We got them pinned out here!” Fleetfoot shouted into the radio.

The exchange clamoured, ringing into Soarin’s ears. He looked towards the side window, watching his two squadmates peeking over the cover of a dumpster, firing relentlessly to an unseen target.

Rage built up in Fleetfoot’s eyes, the flash of each shot taken with her rifle reflecting the burning anger beneath her mask. She took a moment to dump her magazine, dropping it carelessly on the concrete with an almost inaudible clack! before she popped another one in her rifle and continued to fire in rapid bursts.

Dazzle took aim quickly and fired, eyes wide and grimacing with each shot. His left hind-leg dangled above the ground, dripping thick crimson liquid down his hoof. It was clear that his shots weren’t as accurate as he wanted them to be.

Beams of green darted past them, dissipating the further along they flew into the air. Spitfire glided towards the window, Soarin limping his way behind.

The mare crashed through the glass and set herself down beside a wide wooden bench, taking aim, crouching down and firing.

Bratatatatat! Bratatatatat! Bratatatatat!

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Death rained all around the ponies, Soarin watching from behind the front line. He peeked a head out from the window. There was two of the monsters left hiding behind a motorized carriage, a third scrambling with a bleeding leg, trying to get to its comrades before one of Dazzle’s panicked bullets dug itself into its chest stopping the creature entirely.

Soarin’s rifle was still slung around his neck and one of his arms was busy keeping his wound sealed up. The other reached for the holster halfway down his forehoof and slid out the sidearm, bringing it up to his sights.

Bang! Bang!

His aim was off, and the two creatures diverted their attention for a moment. Dazzle fired again, grazing the elongated head of one of the enemies. It turned back towards the stallion and raised its arm, the device on its forearm beginning to glow. Dazzle stood, panicked, hooves trying to decide what the best course of action was. He took two steps out from behind the safety of the dumpster.

“Dazzle get down!” Soarin shouted. The stallion just turned his head, body heaving and completely oblivious to what Soarin just said.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Dazzle’s eyes went wide, blood spurting from his mouth. His R.A.A.G.S went limp, as did he, save for his forehooves which gripped and clawed desperately on his throat where the bolts of green struck. He coughed and struggled as Fleetfoot dragged him beside her next to the dumpster.

Spitfire let out a monstrous roar, one of her graspers reaching into her saddlebags and pulling out a metal ball. A grenade. She pulled the pin and gave it a hard throw before dipping down and galloping over to Dazzle.

It bounced lightly, rolling underneath what the creatures were using as cover. They blinked their leathery eyelids.

BOOOM!

The chariot erupted, sending chunks of metal and wood all around. Even from where Soarin was standing inside the station, he felt the heat of the raging fires rush over him. It’d take a miracle for anything to have survived that. Soarin’s side erupted with pain once again as he ducked, a stray piece of debris spinning wildly towards his head.

“No!” Fleetfoot’s scream echoed. Soarin turned to the green chipping dumpster, laden with scorch marks. Dazzle still coughed and sputtered, but his eyes were barely staying open. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon! Stay with me!”

Blood erupted from the stallion’s muzzle as a response. Soarin made his way towards the side door, cursing under his breath as shards of glass poked under his hooves.

He ignored it and limped as fast as his hooves could carry him.

“Spitfire!” Fleetfoot pleaded, tearing off her mask. Tears streaked down her cheeks and her lips quivered. “T-t-there’s gotta b-be something we can do! We gotta get him help!”

"He's..." Twilight spoke through the radio. Soarin could hear her ragged breaths and chewed on his tongue. "His vitals are....

Dazzle wasn’t moving anymore. His hooves fell limp at his sides and the blood freely flowed from the holes torn in his neck, staining Fleetfoot’s arctic blue hooves and pooling around her. He lay motionless. Fleetfoot covered the wound with her own hooves and whispered to the lifeless stallion through grit teeth.

“Fleetfoot...” Spitfire swallowed and drew in a heavy breath. “He’s gone. I’m...I’m sorry.”

Soarin fell to his haunches, ignoring the pain. He bit his lip and looked away from the crying Fleetfoot. Rainbow Dash was flying through the air, bringing the sky carriage with her. Breathing became harder for Soarin, but he fought through it.

Soarin wanted to lay down. Forget that any of this had just happened. He closed his eyes. The image of Dazzle taking three bolts to the neck burned beneath his eyelids. Even through his closed eyes, a warm tear managed to break through and slide down his cheek.

***

“Four unidentified individuals have been sighted in the small town of Pearlhaven. Witnesses claim they were fighting the unidentified and possible assailants of the attack on the town; similar in nature to the attack on Manehattan two weeks ago. According to several eyewitnesses watching from the safety of their homes, the four ponies were clad in unrecognizable armor, and had access to highly advanced weapons, including a rapid fire variants of Griffon firearms. One of the ponies involved was reported to have fallen in action, but after an explosive was set off, the fighting ceased and the ponies were spotted leaving the scene via a pegasus pulled carriage.

“No more information was reported and the Royal Guard are currently investigating the site of the attack. We’ll have more on this story soon. For now, this is Lucy Song of the Equestrian News Broadcasting Network signing off.”

***

After Action Report:

Captain Spitfire >>> Active

Lieutenant Soarin >>> Wounded (14 Days)

Corporal Fleetfoot >>> Active

Private Dazzle >>> KIA

Alien bodies have been recovered.

Alien weapon fragments have been recovered.

***

Author's Note

I figured, being that this X-Com and I am capable of naming soldiers and whatnot, maybe I could include some people's OCs! I'll make a blog post once I get everything figured out, but I think that'd be pretty fun, so when that's up, I'll post a link to it in the description.

Initiative Soldier Interviews #2: Izetta, Midnight Spice, Sour Marmalade

One Week Before The Vanhoover Attacks

“I hear you are something of a healer?” The silver unicorn asked, feverishly bouncing the curled end of her mane in her hoof. Izetta had to admit, she was lovely for a pony and much less snobbish than most unicorns she had met in her time. Her silky smooth fur held an astounding sheen, her left side elegantly reflecting the light peering through the clearing outside and through the arched stained glass windows of Izetta’s home.

The two sat across from each other, a circular table crafted from twisted branches and vines to hold it together. In the center of the table, a gilded gold candelabrum sat, unlit and just short enough for Izetta to peer at her guest without having to move it out of the way. Despite what may have been considered grand, Izetta knew there were several things missing.

She was embarrassed that this pony had to see her home in a state of disarray. Shelves no longer held neat rows of poultices and potions, but were replaced with messy mixes of empty bottles and sealed jars. Her ingredients were scattered, some dangling from their respective drawers and others spread on her spare table, besides numerous mortars and pestles which required extensive cleaning. Books were open on the same table, turned to pages of glyphs many ponies would consider undecipherable.

“I suppose you can say that,” Izetta replied, casting a glance down at the set of folders on the treetop table. She moderated herself, telling herself not to reach out with her slender silver hooves. “Shaman may be more appropriate in your tongue. I commune with the forest and together we work to bring peace.”

“Yes,” the mare adjusted her mane as she sat, as though there actually was a flaw in the violet curls. “Forgive me, I know very little about your people’s culture. The markings on your face. Do they have any particular meaning? Sorry if I sound intrusive, I’m just curious.”

“Thicket may pride itself in its prejudice against your race,” Izetta said with a grin. “I do not. Apologies are ultimately unnecessary. As for the markings, they are in fact a sign of my position as the village shaman.”

Izetta ran a hoof along her face, feeling her slender and angular features. The ink had not vanished in the almost fourteen years they had been there. Early in her life, when the village High Priestess deemed her worthy of becoming a healer of Thicket, Izetta had been given the swirling marks, painstakingly painted in the darkest ink until they were finished hours later. They were like vines consuming the right side of her face and throat, a symbol of her innate connection with nature and The Everfree.

She wore them like a badge of honor, the deer now able to recognize her as a valuable member to their society. Perhaps they would have liked her even more if she had more disdain for the ponies of Equestria.

There was a level of comfort that rested on the inquisitive unicorn’s face. Izetta smiled moreso out of pity than anything else. It was a habit procured from years of watching the unfortunate citizens of Equestria wander into the wrong sections of the Everfree Forest and having to clean up the mess both sides would make. Most would stumble in without so much as an inkling of an idea of where they were and the next thing they knew Izetta would kindly escort them back to their civilization.

Vines coiled around the leg of the table, smoothly sliding and causing the unicorn to shift nervously. In their grasps, wooden cups were held, carved and smoothed simply, as well as a kettle of tea. The two grasping the cups placed them down on the table and were subsequently filled with Izetta’s finest blackberry tea. Once their job was done, the vines vanished, uncoiling and slithering out of the room.

“Hmm.” Izetta grunted. “Ironic. I suppose I should apologize to you. I have been a terrible host so far. Blackberry tea? It is quite a favorite of mine, madame…?”

“Rarity,” the unicorn responded. Her horn glowed a brilliant aura of blue. The cup floated slowly, but surely Rarity had taken a sip, eyes widening. “Oh! I must say, that is very good!”

“Why are you here?” Izetta asked. “I trust an important pony from Canterlot, such as yourself, would not have come all the way to the denizens of the Everfree for one shaman, although I’ll admit, I’d be quite flattered.”

“Actually,” she grasped the folder on the table. “I come from Ponyville. I’ve come on behalf of The Harmony—Oh!”

She placed a hoof over her mouth, face burning a sweet shade of crimson.

“If there is one thing I am sure to do when anyone enters my clinic,” Izetta said, before sipping from her wooden cup. The tea soothed as it slid seamlessly down her throat. “Well, let’s just say, I don’t tolerate liars. Shall I ask again Miss Rarity?”

“N-no!” She regained her composure, clearing her throat and sitting up with that regal straightness to her back. “I come from The Harmony Initiative. I have been tasked with—”

“Explain.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Explain.” Izetta ordered simply. “If you want my trust, I want to know everything. Why you are here and what I can expect?”

It was a lengthy explanation, one Rarity was not prepared to give and one Izetta was not prepared to receive. Thicket had heard rumors of the goings on of the outside world, stricken by the plagues of industry.While stuck in the seclusion of the Everfree Forest, Equestria was struck by an unknown force. Izetta stopped drinking when Rarity brought upon the idea of aliens.

Had that really been true? Izetta had almost decided to usher the unicorn to take another sip from her tea, but her special brew never failed. Had she even thought about sidetracking, the effects of the potion would kick in and she would be redirected back on track. Unless Rarity knew a spell to counteract the potion, but the chances of a pony knowing magic to counteract that of a Deer? Highly unlikely.

A single vine returned, pouring more tea into Izetta’s cup and hovering over Rarity’s before realizing she still had a few sips left before leaving and disappearing into the hole which spread open in the floor. Izetta grasped her cup with her hooves and took a long sip, swallowing slowly. She tapped her antlers against the wall as she turned her head and glanced around her home, in its state of disarray.

“I assume you are here to recruit me into the ranks?”

“I am,” Rarity said. Her horn released a soft glow. “Should you refuse, there will be no memory of this conversation and I shall take my leave. If you accept, I shall contact you shortly and you will be relocated to our base in—”

“I see.” Izetta stopped her. Rarity’s face was that of relief and she let out a deep breath.

Izetta turned her head. She looked down at the surrounding trees, watching as her people walked on and enjoyed their lives without a care in the world. They had no idea what was coming, or if anything was coming. If anything Rarity said was to be believed, which undoubtedly it was, then everyone in Thicket and beyond would be in danger. Izetta pledged her life for the greater good of Thicket over all.

“These deer would need my help should this war of yours come anywhere near here.” Izetta turned to Rarity with worry in her eyes. “You say I’ll be making a difference, but what about those who have come to rely on me here?”

The unicorn had not much of an answer. She struggled to find her voice. Izetta continued to sit in thought. I pledge my life to protect and ensure the safety of my people.

“I’ll pledge my services to your Initiative,” Izetta said after a moment of silence. “On the condition that a suitable replacement is found for me. I am no High Priestess and I can easily be replaced. I would like the chance to evaluate them myself before I am carted off to whatever part of the world awaits me.”

“Of course,” Rarity said with relief in her voice.

“Will that be all? Or was there more for us to discuss?”

“No. That is all.”

“Excellent.” Izetta raised her cup to her muzzle. “I suppose I shall be hearing from you soon.”

***

Five Days Before The Vanhoover Incident

The wagon’s door shook violently as someone knocked, causing Spice to stir in her bed. She sat up, grumbling and groaning, rubbing her head and throwing her blanket off of her body. Her dark violet coat was like a towel drenched in sweat and her short wavy gray mane was in disarray. She stepped over trinkets and tools, pricking her hooves on broken glass, which she swept under her bed with a flutter of her wing. There was no time to keep the wagon clean. She was always on the move and there were always more important matters to attend to.

Rain pelted the windows and walls, creating a steady beat of low drops every passing second. Midnight Spice shifted her way around a bucket collecting water for her in the center of her travel wagon, dripping slowly and dropping in the bucket with a soft ploop! It was a blissful sound admittedly, something Spice was used to while wandering the greeneries of Equestria’s unpopulated denizens. The surrounding nature was comforting. She found that even through the most tumultuous of thunderstorms, she could sleep like a foal.

Midnight Spice stopped behind the door, bracing herself for anything. When she opened the door, Spice was met with a cream coated earth pony, mane split in half between pink and blue curls. She carried dark hazel saddle packs over the back of her leather jacket. An umbrella poked out from a pouch sheltering her from the rain. Her face was stern, yet there was a hint of softness to it as if she were forcing her own authoritative expression.

“Uh…” Spice cleared her throat. For the brief moment the two stared at each other, she tried to imagine the best possible Central Equestrian accent she could manage. “Bonjour—erm...H-hello?”

“Agent Bon Bon of The Equestrian Bureau of Defense.” Her voice was smooth and calming to Spice’s ears. The mare reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a badge. It’s gilded gold wings and swirling frame held a picture of her, as well as her name. “Mind if I come inside? We’ve got some things to talk about.”

“I am in trouble?” Despite her late night grogginess and dry throat, Midnight Spice’s voice managed come out smooth and pleasant. She had to try hard as to not speak her native tongue, one most ponies would consider ‘fancy’ and that of high class.

“Not at all.” Bon Bon waved a forehoof.

She backed up from the doorway, expecting Bon Bon to invite herself inside. Instead she remained outside, looking up and down the empty dark road, lit only by the external lamp hanging beside the doorway.

“Come in,” Spice said. With a nod, Bon Bon entered intrepidly, as if to be sure there was no one else to eavesdrop on them. When she set her hoof down, she relaxed, but Spice could also see the cringe manifesting on her face. She did not need to speak for Spice to know why. “I...was not expecting guests this late at night.”

“Quite the home you’ve got here,” Bon Bon said walking beside the blue bucket. She moved past it, ignoring the junk littered all around.

“M-merci,” Spice gestured towards a small seat across from her bed. “You come at a rough time, I must admit. Please! Take a seat, I shall accommodate for my guest. Shall I make tea?”

“That won’t be necessary Miss Spice.” Bon Bon sat on the rickety stool, holding out her hooves to her side as she tried to keep herself stabilized.

Midnight sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her eyes with a forehoof. “So why have you come?”

“Have you been kept up to date on the news lately Ms. Spice?”

She nodded. Tragedy seemed to be a major factor in modern society. Midnight Spice had taken note of how it struck even before the attacks encountered throughout the land. She wondered if it was the advancing technologies in the world that angered a deity of some sort and now they were facing punishment. A silly thought, but one most were starting to believe in around the undeveloped countryside surrounding Prance. It was something Spice had not believed herself until a little recently.

Advancing technology or no, tragedy struck all around Prance and her ponies.

“You probably wouldn’t be surprised if I told you there were ponies combatting the growing threat against all of us.”

Spice’s heart dropped. “You have come to recruit me into The Guard?”

“Not quite.” Bon Bon’s eyes drifted, she turned her head, adjusting herself on the stool before her eyes caught and glued onto something. She reached down, pulling out what Spice mistook as a broom. When the glint of metal caught the moonlight, her eyes widened and pupils became pinpricks. Her wings spread, but she refrained from lashing at the mare, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

“I came with an offer.” Bon Bon continued to examine the rifle in her hooves. “I have friends in some pretty high places that would like to use your skills for something a little more...auspicious. I understand you’re a type of marksman?”

“I do not do that anymore,” Spice hissed. She snatched the old musket from the earth pony, clutching it to her chest. The cool wooden frame held ragged edges and plunged a splinter or two into her skin and the metal of the barrel sent shivers down her spine. “I now dedicate myself to helping ponies, not killing them.”

Bon Bon raised a hoof. “You see, it won’t be ponies on the receiving end of your friend there.”

“Ça n'a pas d'importance.” Spice placed the rifle gently down on the bed beside her. “Killing is still killing and I will not allow myself—”

“Even if it meant killing the ones who took your family and friends?”

Midnight Spice was silent. Like many things in life, the idea was enticing. A chance for vengeance? Would it even be worth it in the long run?

“That is not who I am anymore,” Spice managed. She looked down at the rifle beside her. The rusted barrel and the chipping wood was like a flaw to an ancient masterpiece. It had been a long time since she last held it with the intent to hurt something or someone. She did not know if she could do it again. Even if it meant getting back the people who she held dear.

“I understand that, but do you have any idea how many ponies you could save? I read about what you did in Horseshoe Bay. About twelve ponies would be dead if it weren’t for you. These friends of mine? They’re saving the world almost every day just by existing. The situation in the outside Vanhoover? That would have been a lot worse had they not come.”

“I…” Midnight stammered. It was what she wanted right? She wanted to help ponies. They needed help. But violence was not the answer she wanted. There was too much of it floating around in the world. She did not want to contribute to it any more than she had already done.

“The attack on Fishhook two years ago,” Bon Bon continued. She opened her folder and skimmed a hoof through the lines, stopping halfway down the second paper. “A small band of griffon brigands held a schoolhouse hostage, but an unknown assailant managed to perfectly line up three of them, bringing them down and heavily wounding a fourth one. Local authorities reported a purple pegasus with a mixing bowl cutie mark—” she shifted, glancing over at Spice’s flank, as if looking for confirmation. “—wandering the area. Since then there’s been multiple reports, some even saying the the mysterious stranger was in fact, the Mysterious Mare Do Well coming back and searching for ponies in need. Of course, those are the official stories.”

Midnight Spice looked down. Of course the Equestrian Bureau of Defense would know the real deal. Chances were, when somepony said they had eyes everywhere, they actually did.

“I know why you left Prance, Midnight,” Bon Bon said. She passed over the folder, turned to the third page of the many papers held within. “My friends and the EBD are investigating these missing ponies cases all over the world.”

Midnight stared at the photo. She was not sure what was worse; the innocence in her eyes back in those days or remembering the filly she clutched in her hooves, beaming a smile towards the camera. Midnight could remember the sweet scent of her mane and the softness of her fur from that moment. While Midnight herself had her vile rifle slung over her back, the vest she wore boasted the faded sigil of the Equestrian Coast Guard. Prance division.

“I can see you’re struggling.” Bon Bon said. “I know you want to leave that part of your life behind you. But Equestria needs you. The ponies of Prance need you. What you will be doing a great service and helping ponies everywhere.”

“Ne me tente pas! I cannot—will not—be swayed! I want no more violence! I...I…”

Midnight’s ears fell flat and she buried her face into her hooves. She felt the warmth of tears crawling slowly down her cheeks, wiping them away whenever there was too much. “There is no avoiding it. Conflict should not be the only answer, but everything I do results in it. Allez savoir pourquoi. I wish to help, but....”

She looked up at the mare, whose face was soft and worried. Spice could not read her expression properly, but she felt it was that of pity and sympathy. She sniffed and wiped her face with her hooves, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“These friends of yours. Who are they?”

“They call themselves The Harmony Initiative.”

***

Five Days Before The Vanhoover Attacks

“Y’know,” Marmalade took a glass into her orange hooves and started cleaning out the inside. “If you were going for a disguise, Your Highness, you failed.”

It was not everyday that the stunning Princess of Friendship walked into a fine establishment such as The Lucky Yak and it was not every day, Marmalade assumed, that the Princess dyed her violet coat a creamy vanilla color. And…

“Is there a convention I didn’t hear about?” Marmalade asked. Before the mare could raise her question, Sour rose a hoof and pointed at her torso. “Missing wings there babe.”

“Sour Marmalade I presume?” The mare asked, ignoring the comment. Everything, from mane to tail, was a stark recreation of the violet alicorn everypony had known, minus the violet and being an alicorn of course. Despite the missing wings, Marmalade was sure an uneducated pony, griffon or yak would have assumed the mare across the counter was indeed the princess herself. “File did mention you were a bit on the stern side.”

“That’s me.” She continued to clean the glass cup, one ear raised in the direction of the unicorn. There was a spot of grime stuck deep inside, but no matter how hard she scrubbed with her hoof, it remained. “Pretty weird to walk into a girl’s bar like that discount-Sparkle.”

In the silence that followed, Marmalade had hoped she would have gotten the spot out of the cup.

“Is there a place where we can speak more privately?” The mare asked.

Marmalade groaned. “Listen lady, whatever business you think you have—”

Her head shot up when a folder slid down the counter. It bore the Royal Seal, two alicorns swirling around a central orb. She looked up at the mare and back down at the folder. She stuck the glass cup down on the counter and opened up the folder, grimacing. There were pictures of her, donned in her leather armor and standing among a group of scrawny ponies whose names were fuzzy. She held a bright smile, wrapping a hoof around him and holding an ornate wooden totem in her free hoof.

She read her own file, chuckling and grunting every time she came across an error. She did not recall stealing from a tribe of buffalo nor did she ever serve time in jail for attempted assault on a security guard in Manehattan’s Freepony Tower. There were a few misconceptions about who actually discovered the lost fortress of Whitebeak Castle buried beneath several trillion clumps of sand and who managed to find Blackmane The White’s great treasure.

Marmalade raised her head, her full attention directed to her visitor.

“My name is Moondancer,” the unicorn spoke. “I come on behalf of The Equestrian Bureau of Defence. Do you mind if we go somewhere more private to speak?”

Sour Marmalade glanced around her bar. She did not expect there to be many ponies inside, especially at this time of the night. Besides Moondancer, there was only one other pony at the counter, although he was out. His head was slumped against the mahogany and if it were not for the steady motion of his torso rising and falling rhythmically, Marmalade would have thought him dead.

All around the rest of the bar, the most ponies around a table were three, but they were too drunk to try anything stupid. In total, there was at least eight ponies in the bar, most of which too consumed with their own business. Marmalade thought about telling Moondancer that business could be conducted out in the open, but thought against it. Chances were, magic would be used regardless and they’d end up in someplace private no matter what Marmalade actually wanted.

“Alright,” she said. “Let’s head into the backroom. Follow me.”

Marmalade followed the counter to it’s end, waiting for Moondancer to meet her by the rear door. Inside was a modest office, decorated with old fading promotional posters and a thick table home to a radio and piles of papers. It was nothing special, but Marmalade spent countless nights since her last adventure here, reflecting on the good old days and trying to fight the urge to get back out there and take the world by storm.

Those were the days.

A green stallion slept, snoring heavily on the desk and drooling all over unfinished paperwork. Marmalade cursed under her breath.

“Cash, wake up.”

The stallion stirred. He lifted his head and blinked groggily. His thin hoof pawed at his eyes and he blinked even more, eyes shifting between the two mares.“What?”

“Get up, mommy has work to do.”

With a groan and a little ‘encouragement’ Marmalade shoved the stallion out of her seat and took his place. When he shut the door behind him, Moondancer sat across from her, placing the open files on the desk and pushing her glasses further up her muzzle. She cleared her throat and took a good look around the room, eyes bouncing from poster to poster and scanning the bulletin board set up behind Sour Marmalade.

“So, is there anything that isn’t on any of those files that you know about me?” Marmalade asked with a smile. She kicked her hooves up and leaned back on her chair, resting her forehooves behind her head. “I’m curious as to what the great and powerful Moondancer knows about little old me.”

“Don’t call me that.” The unicorn said crossly. She looked down at the papers. “Well, we know you were an avid fan of Daring Do, which is why you entered the archaeology field twelve years ago. Despite graduating from Fillydeplhia Community College, you rejected numerous runs and expeditions into ancient griffon ruins and ancient equestrian castles. You joined with a band of mercenaries—”

“Freelancers.” Marmalade’s voice was low, her hooves tensing up. Technically, Moondancer had been right in calling them mercenaries, but realistically that was a bit of a broad term. Marmalade preferred freelancer because there was no negative connotation to the title. Not every job they took was bad anyway. It was not like the Badlands was home to many ponies anyway.

Moondancer shifted, but her face remained steadfast. She pushed her glasses further up her muzzle. “The point is, you’re experienced. You’ve seen what we have on you on two files. I’m sure I could find more if I were in my office in Canterlot or Manehattan.”

Marmalade would not doubt that. She heard stories about ponies from the EBD. Conspiracy theories mostly, but still stories that seemed to have more credence the more she thought about it and the more she examined Moondancer, assuming that was her actual name. It really did seem like they knew everything about everyone, keeping tabs on every little thing the ponies of Equestria did like silent observers, watching the lives of mice in a science lab. Celestia knows how many notes the EBD had on the ponies and griffons Marmalade used to run with.

Celestia probably did know.

“So,” Marmalade said. “You’ve done your homework. Why? A pony from Canterlot shouldn’t be interested in a low-life Fillydelphian such as myself, dragged out a little ways from Appaloosa. Why am I so special to you?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard about what happened in Manehattan? The Zebra Savannah’s research lab?”

“Of course,” the orange earth pony answered. “It’s been on the radio for a while now.”

Moondancer’s horn glowed softly.

“I won’t sugar coat it,” she began. “As it turns out, the EBD and Princesses have been investigating the matter since ponies starting going missing a while back. It should be no surprise that the enemy we face is not native to Equestria. That would explain the advanced technology of our enemies. However, in order to combat these beings, Princess Luna has allowed the formation, or reformation, of The Harmony Initiative.”

“The what?” Of all the questions, running through her head, Sour Marmalade’s mind picked out the most simplest and possibly the most vague of all of them. Foreign beings? The Harmony Initiative? What the hell is she on about?

“The Harmony Initiative is dedicated to ensuring Equestria’s safety from alien threats. That’s the short version. Those ponies Lucy Song has been reporting about? Those are agents from the organization fighting back against the enemy and cleaning up the mess.”

“And you’re offering me a position?”

“Those were my orders.”

“A pony with no real training or experience with military tactics? You want me to join a military organization without formal training?”

“You will be trained.” Moondancer opened the folder again and read over the files inside. “From the looks of it, you’re in pretty good shape either way. The training regiment is...rigorous and harsh, but you would not have been recommended if you weren’t able to handle it.”

Oh this is ridiculous. “Now why would I want to join your little crusade?”

“Well, not only would you have access to some of the world’s most advanced technology, but you would be doing a great service to Equestria and all of her allies. We’ve studied your files carefully and we believe, with the proper training, you will become a capable soldier for our cause.”

“One last adventure,” Marmalade muttered. She shrugged and took her legs from the table, sitting up and looking down at the file. “Just one condition.”

Moondancer raised an eyebrow. “Just like that? No questions, no opposition?”

“Hold your horses,” Marmalade said with a smile. “I’m kinda getting to that. You have files on me. That means you have files on the group I used to run with. Don’t deny it. In case I reject your offer, at least one of them would be a backup plan. I’m not new to this kind of rodeo. Still, I ain’t goin’ unless Keller’s with me.“

Moondancer’s eyes shifted to the image of Marmalade’s group of friends. “And which one would that be?”

“Big guy in the back.” Sour pointed a hoof at the burley griffon in the rear of the group. A thick, craggy, face managed a weak smile through a chipped beak and unkempt feathers. “Old fart is hard to miss. You find him and convince him to join up and you got yourself a deal. I’d start looking north of Griffonstone”

With a long sigh, Moondancer nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”