Tears of Harmony

"There's no room for weakness, doubt, dissent. That's the point of Unity; a single collective, vying for a single goal, for the betterment of all. If you can't agree with that, then you have no place in my new Equestria. Go now, and may posterity forget that you were our compatriot."

I ached. From hoof to horn, I ached. Day after day of fighting, stalking, and little sleep was starting to catch up to me. Sixfour quietly regarded me each day with silent, glowing eyes, and it is because of him I was sure that I could go on.

But some nights, I could hardly climb out of bed, let alone go on another hunt. It'd been a week since the battle at the garage, but Koss had instructed me to check in with him each day to see if he'd found any new gems, and so I did. Sixfour tagged along each time, of course, but we'd not spoken since the garage battle. I knew he'd be by my side forever, and not because he was programmed to, because he wasn't, but because he believed in Harmony. We all did, but as each day passed I began to wonder just what lengths we'd go to in order to return it to the galaxy.

"Ah, it's our resident freedom fighter. You'll be pleased to hear I've located another more gem, and it's under light security. It's being moved for some odd pony monks, some of the few Equestrians living in The Dome. They probably think the light security acts as camouflage, but unfortunately for them it made it easier for my friends to unveil just what exactly they're moving. I have the details, but my friends want me to come with you. To prove we're working together in good faith" Koss explained.

I frowned. I wasn't happy about stealing from fellow ponies, but I had to remind myself that these were soul gems intended for use by 'monks' living in The Dome. They wouldn't be good people, regardless of race. Koss needing to come along was a bit upsetting too, as it was a symptom of the distrust so many of the other races had for Equestrians; his friends wouldn't tell us what we needed to know unless he was there to make them trust me.

I was about to agree when another thought occurred to me: Koss, or his friend, was lying, and I would be walking into a trap. I shared a look with Sixfour, who shrugged. "Alright. Let's get going" I said. I had no real reason to distrust Koss, as he'd been on the level with us thus far, but I had to admit I was a bit suspicious.

"Splendid," Koss said, clapping his talons together. "Let's get down to the skyboat. I can tell you a bit about the monks and the nature of the cargo caravan as we go."

We touched down in a district of The Dome that seemed so different from the rest of it. Whereas the rest of The Dome was a confusing mishmash of narrow streets and tall buildings choked by smog and smoke and dampness this part of the sprawling metropolis bore hints of the original science colony that The Dome grew into. The streets here were wide, the buildings low, and there were even planters and rows of trees, all long dead of course, but the remnants were still there. It seemed this area had once been the living quarters of the pony scientists that had first put down roots on the planet. It made sense to me that what few ponies who lived in The Dome would choose(or be forced) to live here.

It also made moving around unseen and unheard harder. There were a few taller buildings on the outskirts that we were all using to move around. We'd met up with Koss' friends in a more industrial area and, once they'd established my bona fides, proceeded towards the area they'd christened 'Twilight's garden', where we were now. The caravan was supposed to pass through here on the way to the 'Temple of Moonlight', wherever that was and whatever that meant, where the pony monks were. I'd asked Koss about the nature of the monks and why they were here in The Dome, but he hadn't been able to tell me anything beyond the name of their temple.

"The Sons of Gilda are in position, but I'm certain you'll be able to handle this all on your own. I'm interested to see you in action again" Koss said from behind me. We'd set up observation on the top floor of a modest office building, long abandoned. There was a roof access door just a few feet from me, which I was to use in case of emergency. The plan was to have one of the SoG mercenaries fly out to stop the caravan, at which point I'd approach to help ease the process of 'relieving' the monks of the soul gem. Really I felt such a large presence would attract undue attention on our part, but if it had to be done this way then so be it. These would be one of the last gems we needed anyway.

As scheduled the caravan came gliding down the street, a single hovercar with a monobike riding alongside, a pony riding it. The windows on the car were tinted, but that wouldn't matter much. They slowly went along the boulevard, the streets quiet and deserted. As they passed the office building a SoG Griffon flew out from his perch and gently came down in the street in front of the hovercar, which slowed. The monobike pulled alongside the Griffon and they began to talk, the Griffon gesturing to the buildings around them.

I turned to head for the stairs when I noticed the pony on the bike stagger, one hoof kicking out to keep himself and the bike propped up. The SoG Griffon fell to the pavement, weakly kicking at the ground and clutching his throat. "What the f--" I began to say, interrupted by the distant and muted report of a high-caliber gunshot, and the SoG mercenaries scattered from their hiding spots, the hovercar's driver gunning the engine.

I immediately threw my cloak to the floor and busted open the roof access door, galloping up the steps and out into the sky with a single beat of my wings. Predictably, whatever sniper had slugged the monk and the mercenary with one bullet started firing at me, and after the first barely missed shot I knew I was going to have to rely on my shield; they were a good shot.

Diving down between the buildings I hammered my wings against the wind and banked out low above the streets, following the hovercar as it raced down the avenue. Some of the SoG mercenaries moved into formation alongside me and I ignited my horn, firing a blast into the street next to the hovercar to knock it askew. The vehicle bucked and swerved but recovered, picking up speed as the driver began to swerve back and forth across the streets to throw off my aim. I was about to take another shot when the deep thrum of a skyboat filled my ears, the heavy aircraft slowly zooming overhead and slowing to turn. "SCATTER!" I shouted as the roof turret opened fire on us, the Griffon immediately to my right falling to the pavement trailing bloody feathers. I banked sharp to the left and dove in between the buildings once more, the skyboat above giving chase.

"SIXFOUR! DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP THAT CAR ON YOUR SENSORS!" I screamed into the radio, and looked up as the skyboat turned overhead. I dropped to the street and hit the ground galloping, ducking down an alley as the skyboat's cannon fired, the shell hitting a building just above me, the rubble and shrapnel thumping against my shield.

"Acknowledged, Princess. The target vehicle is 63 yards to your right and moving Northeast at a speed of 134 miles per hour. Sons of Gilda mercenaries have moved to pursue both it and the skyboats chasing you. Over."

"SKYBOATS? AS IN MORE THAN ONE!?" I shouted back as I took back to the air, racing along the buildings just below the rooftops to keep under cover from the skyboats. There was a street a few hundred yards dead ahead of me, which would put me out in the open, but I was out of options.

"That is correct, Princess. Sensors indicate two Type Sixteen Light Response Skyboats in pursuit, controlled and commanded by a Type X Strategic Field Support Gunboat. Over."

Sweet Harmony what the FUCK? I though to myself. The older Type Sixteens were similar to what the Sons of Gilda were using; they sported a single ball turret in the roof of the vehicle running twin machine guns, and a front-facing cannon in a sponson mount on the port side of the hull. A threat with good gunners, but slow and as aerodynamic as a brick. The Type X(exx, not ten) was a newer design, if my research was to be believed, and was less a troop transport and more death-with-jet-engines. Faster, better armored, and with dual chin-mounted ball turrets and missile pods on its wings. Facing it would be a death sentence.

"KEEP ME APPRAISED OF THAT TYPE X'S LOCATION AT ALL TIMES, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? WHAT IS THE LOCATION OF THE TARGET CAR?" I asked as I barreled down the alleyway towards the street. I was hoping to use the brief moment I'd be out in the open to fire on the hovercar, but if that Type X was anywhere near me I'd be dead within seconds, shield or no.

"The target vehicle has turned left relative to you and you are now on a prime intercept path. Proceed along your current route and you will pass over the target vehicle in 8.94 seconds. Increase velocity to decrease interception time and adjust vector of attack. The Type X Gunboat is 1,347.7 yards to the South-Southwest and is approaching the combat area at a speed of 346 miles per hour. Over."

I lowered my head and pressed my wings against my body to reduce wind resistance, my speed increasing as I approached the end of the alley. I'd never be as fast as Rainbow Dash, but the less time I was out in the open the better. I threw open my wings and raised my head just as I cleared the end of the alley, the hovercar passing directly underneath me right as I did. I turned and fired, the magic blast hitting the vehicle in the rear, the force bashing it against the pavement and scrapping the on-board power plant. The hovercar skidded along the pavement, throwing up sparks along the street as it went, jumped the curb, and rammed nose-first into a building. I immediately dove down to the wreckage, the Type X screaming overhead as I did. I galloped up to the wreck just as the driver-side door popped open, the driver struggling to squeeze out of the busted vehicle. I hardly missed a step as I shot him through the head and gripped the door in my magic, rending the steel as I tore it away and climbed into the cabin. I shot the passenger when he reached for a gun and a quick glance revealed there were no other passengers. There were a number of metal cases and crates in the back storage area, slightly charred and covered in soot from when the rear-end of the car had exploded. I tore into the cases, pushing the larger crates aside, until I found a small case containing a single soul gem.

"SIXFOUR! SIXFOUR I'VE GOT THE GEM! YOU AND KOSS GET THE FUCK OVER TO ME RIGHT NOW!" I yelled, scrambling back out of the vehicle and galloping to the nearest alley. I'd just made it in when the Type X's nose gunners opened fire, the sidewalk turned to dust in my wake as the bullets tore it apart. I never stopped galloping as the gunboat soared overhead, its jet boosters producing a high whine as the pilot fed more fuel into them. I ran as fast as I could back towards the office building, knowing that Koss and Sixfour were moving to meet me. I was relatively safe from the skyboats in the alleys, but I knew they were doing their best to track me, and I just had to wonder just who was in those boats. I was certain it was one of the other Griffon mercenary bands, who'd somehow managed to catch wind of me and what I was doing. Either that or it was a random Minotaur marauder party, but they wouldn't have brought this much firepower to a random fight, and it didn't explain the sniper from earlier either.

"Understood, we are on our way. Be advised, Princess, that all other Sons of Gilda mercenaries on-site have been eliminated or ordered to retreat. We're on our own. Over."

It's just as well; they couldn't help us against that fucking gunboat. I slowed to a rapid canter as I turned right down another alley, the skyboats circling overhead like sharks, keeping track of my position. Pretty soon they'd start bombing and shelling the buildings to try and force us out into the open, where they'd move in for the kill.

"Flurry Heart!" I heard Koss call. I slowed to a halt and looked to where I'd heard his voice come from. I'd entered in a little courtyard and saw Koss and Sixfour approaching from the left, Koss gliding along. He came down into a canter and the two of them trotted up to me. "Been a long time since these wings got a work out. So what's the plan? There's a bit of a sewer network that runs throughout the entire Dome that we could use to slip away."

"It'd keep us away from those skyboats. Do you know anything about these guys? Something's up, since they had that sniper in the perfect place" I said.

Koss nodded grimly. "I caught a glimpse of the markings on those boats, they belong to the Ironhand Reavers, led by one Tim'mrak Gornta. That lunatic is here for you" Koss explained. "You'll recall that he wants to capture you alive and sell you off."

I hummed an acknowledgement. "The sewers it is. Here, take the gem" I said, hoofing the case over to Koss. "It'll be safer in your talons. If Tim'mrak's hunting me, I want to keep him away from the soul gems we have. That gem and all the others we've acquired are imperative to the restoration of Harmony and the future of all Equus's races: guard them with your life, please" I explained.

"I haven't the slightest care for this harmony crap; I just want to be paid. But since these little gems are key to that, I'll certainly guard it with everything I've got. Shall we be going?" Koss said.

That was good enough. "Let's split up. It'll be easier for you to sneak away alone, especially if Tim'mrak is on my tail. Sixfour and I will draw those skyboats as far away from here as possible and then try to get into the sewers. Good luck!"

Koss nodded and galloped away, disappearing into one of the buildings and leaving me with Sixfour alone. The skyboats continued to circle overhead, trying to keep track of us. One of the lighter ones passed over and I saw that the gunner was facing us, meaning we'd been spotted. I nodded to Sixfour to follow me and I ran, hooves clopping against the concrete and the sound echoed by Sixfour. We had five soul gems, all we needed to do now was find one more and we could leave this place, and Harmony would return to the GALAXY.

We just had to survive long enough to do that.