The Division 2 - One Last Hope (Remastered)

by Mkchief34

Chapters

Prologue - Sunset's Return
Chapter 1 - The Arrivals on the Potomac
Chapter 2 - The Strategic Homeland Division, Part One
Chapter 3 - The Strategic Homeland Division, Part Two

Prologue - Sunset's Return

Prologue - Dawn's Early Light

Equestria, Ponyville, Castle of Friendship

10:00 AM Local Time

"Twilight, please."

"No, Spike. I'm not doing it."

Spike the dragon, number-one assistant to Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Magic, slapped his claw to his forehead and groaned loudly. Twilight sat quietly at her desk, watching her magical journal, the one connected to the human world and her student Sunset Shimmer.

About three weeks ago, Sunset had written to Twilight telling her school was cancelled for the foreseeable future due to a supposed flu epidemic across the United States. There hadn't been a single message from Sunset since that date. By the first week's end, Twilight was worried for her student. Now, she knew after three weeks that something was wrong, very wrong.

However, due to her royal duties and constant work that needed done in Equestria, Twilight had little time to even power up the Mirror Portal, let alone journey through it to find Sunset. Eventually she resigned herself to the possibility that it wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

Which led Spike to his current predicament of trying to convince her to take a break in order to go through the Portal. Twilight had been obstinate in her refusals, citing her load of work and the excuse that "Sunset will be fine, she always is". Spike, on the other hand, knew that this wasn't Twilight talking to him, it was her barely controlling her worry and anxiety.

"Twilight, for the love of Celestia, just go." Spike said. "I'll go with you if you want, but..."

Then, the journal lit up, signalling a message. Twilight smirked triumphantly as she picked it up to read Sunset's message, only to drop it in shock once it was opened.

"Spike?" she whispered. "Look at this."

Inside the pages of the journal were countless messages scrawled over each other, almost as if they were water inside a clogged pipe. And now it seemed the figurative pipe had burst.

"I can't even read this." Spike said. "But it doesn't look good."

"I'll see if I can sort it out." Twilight replied, beginning to fix the messages inscribed in the book. Eventually, the messages were descrambled, and they began to read through them.

And with each line, they grew more and more horrified. The last message was early in the month of November, but judging from the written times, these messages had been sent later than that.

December, 2019.

Twilight, this is bad. Really bad. Remember that flu epidemic that I told you about? It's not flu, and it's not just an epidemic anymore. Apparently it's some kind of Smallpox, and according to the news, it's being spread by bank notes. The National Guard's moving into Manhattan to help keep the peace. Supplies are starting to disappear from store shelves, and here in Canter City, they've closed the school and everyone's been ordered to stay home.

I had trouble sending this through to you. Whatever magic that's in this book is being interfered with by...something. I'll try to keep you updated.

Sunset.

January, 2020.

Twilight...my god. I can't...look, this Smallpox is even worse than we thought. It's some kind of weaponized version called "Green Poison". The Army's moved into Manhattan, half the time there's no cell service or internet, and the President's declared a state of nationwide emergency. The Apple Family's been giving away their harvest to help keep everyone here fed, but it won't last long. The Grocery store ran out of food a while ago, and the Gas station gave away the last it had three hours ago. Even Sugarcube Corner is out of food, Pinkie hasn't baked a single thing in days. It's starting to show on her.

Luckily, we've got enough supplies to last us a while. The TV news is our only source of information right now. We're hearing rumors that a Joint Task Force is heading into Manhattan to keep the city under control, but there's also rumors of the Rikers Island inmates breaking out, and get this...people with hazmat suits and homemade flamethrowers roaming the streets on garbage trucks and burning whatever they can find.

Please send a reply soon, Twilight.

Sunset.

February, 2020

Twilight, things have somehow gotten even worse. No cell service, and no more internet. Power's barely on, and we're running out of food. Granny Smith died on the 17th from old age. We had a funeral, but it was a small one. The trees aren't growing apples, and a few of us are sick now. Spitfire, Flash Sentry, and Thunderlane were running our jeep into some nearby towns to look for supplies and came back with some food, water, and fuel, but two hours later they're sick. Haven't heard anything since then.

Also, we've learned from the radio that an elite government agency called "The Division" has deployed a "Second Wave" of responders to Manhattan, which apparently has fallen into complete anarchy. The flamethrower guys, they're called Cleaners, and they're real. There's also Rikers inmates running amok, and even mercenaries from some company called the LMB controlling the UN.

And my magic is starting to fade. Twilight, if you're getting these...I hate to say it, but we need your help. This is all I have left, Twilight. Please hurry. We can't last much longer.

Sunset.

As Twilight and Spike continued to read through the accounts of the rapidly- deteriorating world, it wasn't long before Twilight broke down crying.

"Twilight?" Spike asked. "Are you okay?"

"NO, SPIKE. I'M NOT!" Twilight yelled, causing Spike to gasp. "How could all this have happened and I didn't know about it! Sunset could be dead or sick for all we know! We need to go find and rescue her!"

"Twilight, breathe." Spike gasped. "We can't just go through and be okay ourselves. We need to prepare."

Twilight nodded, and wiped her tears away, before nodding in a resolute manner.

"Spike, take a letter." she said. "We're going over."

====

It wasn't long after Twilight sent the letter that two Solar Guard Platoons were preparing their weapons and armor inside Twilight's castle, and the Elements of Harmony were loading supplies into magical chests that could be summoned at will.

"What are our orders, Princess?" Lieutenant Quick Shot asked.

"We're going into the human world to find Sunset Shimmer and help aid whoever's left on the other side." Twilight said. "I'll get the portal ready."

As Twilight sprinted out, Applejack wiped some sweat from her brow as she loaded bag after bag of apples into a chest alongside bread and other foodstuffs.

"I sure hope that they're all okay." she said. "Whatever happened must've spooked Twilight a new one."

"That's true, because I've never seen her like this before." Fluttershy said, as Twilight reentered with a frantic aura around her.

"Okay, the Portal is open!" she said. "Once you're ready, head on through! Spike, you're clear on the instructions I gave you?"

"Yep!" the dragon replied. "Good luck!"

As Twilight gave him one last hug, she, the Element Bearers, and the Guards entered the portal. As it closed behind them, Spike began writing a letter to Celestia.

====

As the vision of the combined ponies returned to normal, they all dropped their jaws at the state of Canterlot High and the city around it.

"What happened here?" Pinkie Pie gasped, staring at the scene of chaos and destruction around her. The school was covered in Caution tape, with graffiti and broken windows covering the sides. Each building looked burnt-out, looted, or both. In fact, the only thing that seemed untouched by evident carnage was the portal itself.

"Sweet Celestia...what caused this?" Rarity gaped. As they came together for protection, they heard a mechanical pump and click come from behind them, then a voice.

"Twilight, is that you?"

Twilight spun around to see the human version of Applejack standing behind them, holding a shotgun. As she lowered it, she sighed in relief.

"Applejack?" Twilight asked. "What's happened? Where is every...one?"

"Long story." human Applejack replied. "We need to get you all to Sweet Apple Acres before it gets dark. Trust me, Twilight, this isn't the world we used to know anymore."

As the ponies followed human Applejack through the desolate streets, she explained that six months ago, the global pandemic of Green Poison essentially crippled the entire world. The internet had died long ago, the phone lies were shot, and nearly every city in the United States was in a state of barely controlled anarchy.

And apparently, very few of Canter City's residents had survived. At Sweet Apple Acres, the human versions of Applejack, Big Mac, Cheerilee, Redheart, Scootaloo, Pinkie, and Sweetie Belle were still alive. Everyone else had died, gone away to look for supplies, or was missing. Furthermore, supplies were running low, and the farm barely had enough electricity to run a ceiling fan, let alone their entire farm. The apple trees were half-gone, used for firewood or chopped down when they died.

In any case, the entire United States was in a state of complete collapse.

"So, if everypony here's dead..." Rainbow Dash asked. "Why did you stay?"

"Because I need to take care of this town." human Applejack replied. "Every so often, drifters and scavengers come by to look around for supplies or barter with us. We're running low on basically everything, and already I've lost too many friends to just leave them behind."

"I know how you feel." Twilight said as they entered the orchard.

"Do you?" Applejack said bitterly. "Sunset's been trying to contact you for months and you didn't reply."

"We only just got her messages. Something was interfering with the journal." Twilight replied. "We brought supplies with us. Speaking of, where is Sunset?"

"Last I heard, she was heading to Washington, DC in order to find help." human Applejack said. "Apparently she heard rumors that some elite government force is going there from Manhattan to retake the capital. That was three weeks ago, haven't heard from her since."

Twilight nodded as they entered the farmhouse, now looking much more run-down, but suitable for a base of operations. As the Guards began unloading supplies, Pinkie took to helping her human self begin making dinner, while everypony else took jobs from human Applejack.

Twilight sat down in the family room, and looked at her hooves. All this had happened and she didn't even know about it until a few hours ago. As tears began to form in her eyes, she looked up at someone clearing their throat.

"Twilight, don't blame yourself." human Applejack said, sitting down next to her. "Sunset's magic hadn't been working for months. Sending all those messages at once was kind of a last resort before she left for the capital."

"And it worked." Twilight replied. "And now she isn't here. Applejack, how can we get to Washington, DC and fast?"

Human Applejack smiled and motioned to a door marked with "garage".

Twilight couldn't believe what lay on the other side of the door. The Canterlot High school bus, now armored and loaded with supplies and fuel, lay inside the old barn, ready to go.

"We were gonna use it to reach DC ourselves, but I figure you'll have better luck." human Applejack smiled. "It's got all the fuel you'll need to reach DC inside, along with whatever supplies we can spare."

"Thanks, Applejack." Twilight said. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it." she replied. "You'd best be off soon. We've got work to do here, and you've got to find Sunset. I'm glad you showed up, though."

"I am too." Twilight said as they entered the main house. "Hopefully Sunset's doing alright."

====
Washington, DC

Near the White House Lawn

The rain howled and the wind tore through the deserted streets in such a manner that any living person wouldn't dare try to traverse such a place.

Except for Sunset Shimmer. Ever since she made it to DC, about one month ago, she had been trying to locate whatever it was that had snuffed out her magical link to Equestria, with no success. As she flung her sidebag over her shoulder and loaded her Remington shotgun, she looked down at her wristwatch with a sigh.

While on her way to DC, she had crossed paths with two men. One was a Russian Virologist, the other...she didn't know. What she did know was that the other man had given her the watch and told her to take it to the White House, now the Base of Operations for the DC JTF, and show it to their "Division Coordinator".

Sunset continued to trudge along the overgrown lawn of the White House as the shotgun in her hands glistened in the rain. Finally, she reached the gate and knocked.

"Who's there?" one of the civilian JTF called out. "ID yourself!"

"I need to see your Division Coordinator." Sunset replied. "Something about a wristwatch that I got from some guy and his Russian friend?"

The gate slowly opened, and Sunset was hustled inside. As she handed her shotgun to the quartermaster, a man came down the stairs wearing a similar watch. Sunset came forward and they eyed each other.

"You're the Division Coordinator?" Sunset asked.

"Yep, Manny Ortega." he replied. "Where'd you get that watch?"

"Some guy I met outside of Manhattan gave it to me." Sunset replied. "Didn't get his name, but his Russian pal's apparently a virologist. You got any clues about what that means?"

"Yeah, I do." Manny said. "Inside my office, now."

As Sunset was brought inside Manny's office, the Division Coordinator headed for the SHD radio system, linked to Manhattan's Post Office.

"Captain Benitez? Yeah, it's Manny Ortega here. Listen, we've got a possible lead on Keener and Tchernenko here in DC. I need Agents here ASAP." he said. "And send 'em quick before the storm gets worse."

As Manny got his reply from the New York JTF Commander, he sighed as the rain continued to lash against the White House windows.

Author's Note

Yep, we're going to take back DC, bitches.

Get pysched.

Chapter 1 - The Arrivals on the Potomac

Chapter 1 - Nighthawk Squad

New York, Manhattan
Post Office - NY JTF Base of Operations

Security Wing

Roy Benitez ended the connection to the White House and sat back in his chair with a sigh of exhaustion. It had been nearly six months since The Division's Second Wave deployed to Manhattan. And since then, Manhattan had changed significantly.

The Post Office now featured a refugee camp and fortifications akin to the LMB at the UN, with the JTF receiving major upgrades in gear, training, and tactics. Before this, the JTF in Manhattan had no specialized units or training, and low-grade arms and armor.

Now, teams of JTF were taking on what remained of the Factions and winning, alongside K9 units, support gunners, field medics, the list went on. Even better was the now-restored SHD Network sending out a call for any surviving First Wave Agents to return to the Base of Operations. If so, their rogue status would be cleared in exchange for a oath of allegiance and continued loyalty to the US Government.

It was dubious at best if it would work at first, but surprisingly, three teams of MIA First Wave Agents returned and rejoined The Division as combat trainers and operations support. Even Paul Rhodes, still cynical as ever, but a bit more optimistic, felt good about the Division retaking and stabilizing Manhattan.

Then Manny Ortega brought them back to reality with his report of a possible fix on Aaron Keener and Vitaly Tchernenko. The two of them were top-priority targets for The Division, and despite new measures taken to find them, the pair was considered lost...until now.

Benitez flipped the intercom switch and spoke into the microphone.

"All SHD Agents, this is Captain Benitez. I need all available teams in the briefing room for a crucial operation. Again, all SHD Agents report to the Briefing Room. Benitez out."

====

As the Agents of the Second Wave settled down in the Break Room, Benitez came in, followed by a recovered Faye Lau. A few months off of her crutches, she had a slight limp as a consequence of her hurried recovery. But now, she was an official Division Coordinator, instead of acting commander.

"We've got a problem outside New York." Faye spoke. "I've received intel from the Division Coordinator in Washington DC. They believe that Keener and Tchernenko are there now, or on their way."

The assembled agents murmured among themselves as Benitez continued.

"We all know what Keener's done ever since the UN." he spoke. "We need to find the bastard and put a bullet in him, not to mention rescue his russian pal. We would send every Agent we could, but DC right now, to say the least, is perdition to everyone who goes there."

"There's four new factions, with weapons, armor, and equipment we've never seen before." Faye said, lowering her brow. "We believe that even veteran Agents would be overwhelmed in just a few minutes of combat with these guys."

"Which is why we've already chosen who'll be going." Benitez said. "You might know them as Nighthawk Squad. They'll be shipping out in a few hours with a JTF convoy in order to reach DC. When we can, we'll follow up with reinforcements. Until then, we focus our efforts here in Manhattan to continue reclamation efforts. Am I clear?"

The assembled agents replied in the affirmative as they began to retrieve their gear. Lau motioned to the armory, where four SHD Agents wearing urban clothing were checking their weapons and SHD Tech.

====

"We all set?" asked Ethan Harris, the Leader of Nighthawk team, as he fitted his Ballistic Vest with newly-acquired SHD-Grade plating.

"Affirmative." Kyrie Johnston replied, sliding a 552 Holosight onto her 870 Combat Shotgun. "So, Washington DC. What can we expect?"

"A city on the brink of total collapse, three factions we've never seen before, and a helluva car ride ahead of us." Leo Vance said, mounting a MK 32 Grenade Launcher onto his rucksack. "We'll have to swing through Massachusetts in order to reach DC."

"Why's that?" asked the team's newest member, Thomas Delworth.

"Because most major highways are blocked, flooded with stops, or both." Ethan replied. "We'll be taking a few back roads on our way to DC, but some of the best of the JTF are coming with us. Not NYPD or National Guard, but army veterans. Plus, we've been given new SHD Tech to go with us. Not much better than that, in my opinion."

Ethan gestured to the new equipment lying on an SHD crate. Apart from the new model Turret and Seeker Mines, the Manhattan-model skills were being left behind. Their new equipment included the Hive, being equipped with explosive drones, Chem Launchers, combat and medical drones, a new-model Ballistic Shield, a new Pulse Grenade, and their newest piece of gear, the Firefly robot, which could blind enemies with streams of light more powerful than a flashbang grenade.

"So, any intel on our factions?" Thomas asked.

"The usual suspects." Ethan said. "Scavengers called the Hyenas, quarantine survivors known as the Outcasts, rogue military going by the True Sons, and apparently rumors about some security contractor. Not much more than that, other than they're reportedly known as Black Tusk, and they're the best of the best."

"Best of the best?" Leo said, smiling. "We'll see about that. Let's get a move on, Agents. Our rides leave in thirty minutes."

====

As the JTF convoy headed for the now-cleared and maintained Brooklyn Bridge, Ethan peered out the window at the Manhattan skyline, almost as if wanting to say goodbye to the city he fought so hard to protect.

As he settled back into his seat and put his last working pair of headphones in, he turned on his Ipod and began to relax. The drive to DC would take at least seven hours, and with who-knows-what waiting outside the Manhattan Quarantine, he figured it was now or never.

"Hey, Ethan?" Thomas asked as Ethan lifted his headphones. "What do you think we'll do first when we get to DC?"

"The first thing we always do." Ethan replied. "Establish a Base of Operations, secure a perimeter, and then do what we do best."

"And what might that be?" the rookie SHD agent asked again.

"Protect what remains." Ethan smiled. "You should get some rest, Thomas. We've got a helluva drive ahead of us to reach the capital."

"Roger that."

As the four agents began to doze off, the JTF convoy exited the cleared Brooklyn Bridge and began the drive to Washington DC, and the White House.

Author's Note

So, this took forever to get out. I've been busy, but more frequent updates are coming.

Next time - The JTF reach Canter City, and must defend the ruined town alongside the Equestrians from a group of violent scavengers. And in DC, Sunset speaks with Manny Ortega.

EDIT - Changed names again.

Chapter 2 - The Strategic Homeland Division, Part One

Chapter 2 - Canter City

As Twilight helped the human Applejack load gasoline into the refurbished bus that would take them to Washington DC, Applejack stood back and wiped some sweat from her brow.

"That should do it, Twilight." she said, as Twilight replaced the gas cap. "You should be ready to go once everything here's taken care of."

"Alright, and thanks for everything, Applejack." Twilight said. "Is there anything else we can do?"

Applejack was about to reply when a voice came over the walkie-talkie on Applejack's belt. Twilight recognized it as the voice of human Big Macintosh.

"Sis, we've got a few trucks incoming, with some armed fellows inside. I think we've got trouble."

"Right." Applejack said, replying through the small radio. Twilight, get everyone inside. They could be traders, but I'm not betting on it."

Twilight gulped and headed out, and everyone was soon gathered inside the house, the gate to the orchard was quickly closed. As the three flatbed pickups and one SUV drove to a stop outside the farm, a company of armed men and women stepped out. Their clothes were filthy and covered in patches, but what scared Twilight was the various civilian grade weapons held in their hands.

Not to mention one of the pickups had a machine gun mounted on the truck's flatbed. As the group of scavengers approached, one of them pulled out a battery-powered loudspeaker.

"Alright! Whoever's in there, come on out! We don't want any trouble!"

Applejack, inside the farmhouse, tapped into the rudimentary speaker system they had rigged up at the gate.

"And neither do we." she spoke. "What do you want?"

"We're in need of supplies." their leader said, carrying a hunting rifle. "We heard this place had some. You up for a bit of trading?"

"Not at the moment, no." Applejack said. "You'd best be off, we don't have anything to spare."

"Can't we take a look around for ourselves?" the leader asked. 'Seems to me you might have some after all, and you just don't want to share."

"We know the folks that we trade with, and you're not one of them." Applejack replied firmly. "Leave us alone. We're not trading with you."

"Look, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way." the scavenger growled. "Your choice."

The scavengers were so focused on the lure of fresh food, they didn't notice a set of four figures moving into offensive positions behind them.

====

cursed inwardly as the JTF convoy took the exit for "Canter City" off a rare stretch of cleared highway from Manhattan. It had been a few hours since they had left the city, but so far they had cleared three roadblocks, four civilian settlements, and avoided two firefights with scavengers or rioters already, and it wasn't even Eleven AM yet.

"So, what can we expect from this place?" Thomas asked.

"Not sure." Kyrie said, manipulating her SHD Watch to the Division's Archive, or basically their version of the internet before the global blackout. "Huh, this is interesting. This town's apparently been the site of several paranormal or extraterrestrial events, including wormholes appearing during a school athletics event."

"Well, that's something you don't hear about every day." Leo said. "You got footage we could see?"

"Nope, data's scrubbed." Kyrie groaned. "Not by the usual folks."

"Usual folks?" Thomas asked.

"FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA, etc." Kyrie replied. "The usual government agencies. This data was apparently scrubbed by the SHD before the outbreak. Won't tell me why, though."

"Not important right now." Ethan said. "Driver, stop the convoy. I think we might have trouble brewing."

"Yes, sir!" the JTF Driver replied. As the convoy of Humvees and military pickups skidded to a halt, Ethan picked up his Enhanced ACR assault rifle and exited the vehicle.

"What's up?" Thomas asked.

"There's an ECHO here." Thomas said, downloading the virtual reconstruction into his watch. "Let's see what's going on."

As Ethan activated his SHD interface, a hologram appeared of several armed men and women, most likely scavengers or Rioters.

"You sure there's stuff here?" one of them asked.

"Dead sure." another replied. "Those assholes at the last settlement said they got a still-living apple orchard here and it hasn't been harvested yet. That's good food going to waste. I say we go in and teach 'em a lesson about wasting supplies."

"Then let's go." said a third. "We won't get another chance like this for a long time."

As the ECHO faded, Ethan motioned his SHD team forward.

"What's the plan?" Thomas asked, loading his Military P416.

"We stop 'em cold." Ethan said. "JTF, hold position! We'll take care of these assholes."

"You got it!" the JTF sergeant replied. As the agents entered the town, they stacked up behind a toppled bench and a burnt SUV at the sight of about ten scavengers yelling at a farmhouse gate.

"Looks like that's them." Ethan said. "Thomas, flank over to that fountain and get your Pulse ready. Leo, prep a Seeker on my signal. Kyrie, let's use that Firefly as a distraction. Once we thin them out, I'll push in. We clear?"

"Yep." the Agents replied as they loaded their weapons. Slowly advancing through the debris, Thomas aligned his P416's ACOG scope to a Rioter's head.

"Engage!" Ethan said as Kyrie Ethaned the rioters with the Firefly. The small robot buzzed forward and prepped its strobes for combat. Each flash from the strobe had more power than a flashbang grenade thanks to high-powered LEDs and SHD tech. The Firefly moved to the hostiles' right flank, and let loose.

====

"FUCK! I CAN'T SEE!"

"What the hell?"

"Where are they?"

As the Rioters' vision turned white and they scrambled to recover, Thomas opened fire with his P416, dropping two of them with a pair of quick bursts. Once the Rioters realized they were taking fire, the one on the technical's turret began to return fire.

"Hostile technical! Flank its gun!" Ethan yelled as Leo's Seeker Mine unleashed seven Mini-mines, which detonated at the feet of seven unlucky Rioters. As they were blown apart or injured by the blasts, the machine gun's ammo belt locked in place, jamming the weapon.

"It's jammed! Take him down, Kyrie!" Ethan yelled, as his ACR dropped three wounded hostiles with three clean headshots. Kyrie lined up the scope of her M700 Carbon and loosed a clean shot on the gunner, killing him. As the Rioter's leader opened fire with a shotgun, Leo tossed an ovoid object out of cover.

This was The Hive, a new piece of SHD tech capable of delivering micro-drones to Division agents or hostiles, equipped with varying payloads. From Stim drones that revived downed agents, to a magnetic field that increased outgoing bullets' velocity and impact, to Restoration drones that healed the armor of friendly Division agents.

The final payload was Leo's favorite. The Stinger Drone sent out a swarm of micro-drones equipped with SHD-grade explosives mixed with shrapnel. The drones attached to targets and their armor and detonated, shredding the armor as well as the unfortunate hostile. In the case of these Rioters, they were the unfortunate ones.

The drones swarmed out like a horde of locusts, and began tracking the three remaining Rioters. Five drones attached to each of their ballistic vests, and exploded as one. The detonations on one caused the others to follow suit, peppering the area with shrapnel. As the Rioters fell, the Hive self-destructed, its payload expired.

"Clear?" Kyrie asked.

"Clear." Ethan said, exiting cover and approaching the gate. "I'll talk with whoever's listening on the other side of the gate. You three, secure the area."

As Ethan tapped the mic, an accented voice spoke.

"Hello? What's going on? Who's there?"

"Ma'am, those Rioters won't be giving you any more trouble." Ethan said. "Can you let us in?"

"Who are you?" the voice replied.

"My name is Ethan Harris, I'm an Agent of the United States Strategic Homeland Division. My team and I have neutralized the hostiles outside, and the area is clear. We have supplies with us in case you're in need of anything. Can you open the gate?"

"One sec." the voice replied. Ethan looked away for one moment, and the gate creaked open. As the four Agents entered the orchard, the farmhouse door opened. A girl of about nineteen, wearing cowboy-like clothing, albeit rather dirty and patched, and equipped with a shotgun, answered.

"You killed those people at the gate?" she asked.

"We did." Ethan said. "Rest assured, we're not looking for trouble. We were assigned to the Manhattan Joint Task Force. We're en route to Washington DC."

"Well, if you're going there, there's some people inside who might want to go with you." Applejack said, standing to the side. "Talk to them first. They'll probably want to talk to you, anyway."

"Much obliged." Ethan replied as the four Agents entered the house and froze. Sitting in the family room were twelve equine beings, of varying colors and types. Six of them wore ornate gold armor and carried a spear on their backs, but all of them also had a pistol or shotgun with them.

The others were varied in color and shape, though one with a lavender coat and a horn and wings seemed to be the most interested in her.

"So, you're heading to DC?" she, at least it sounded like a she, asked.

"Yep." Ethan said, one hand on his PF45 sidearm.

"We are too." she said. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, and…"

"I need a favor. A big one."

Author's Note

Update!

EDIT - Made changes to the SHD Agents' reaction to the Equestrians.

EDIT 3 - New Names again.

Chapter 3 - The Strategic Homeland Division, Part Two

Chapter 3 - Joining the Fight

"Alright, let me get this whole thing straight." SHD Agent Ethan Harris said as he and his team sat in the family room of Sweet Apple Acres, after listening to Princess Twilight Sparkle's explanation of their situation. "This whole town is a parallel existence of your homeworld, and one of your kind who has been masquerading as a human is in DC?"

"Yep." Rainbow Dash said.

"And you want us to help you find her?" Kyrie replied.

"Yes again!" the Equestrian Pinkie Pie replied.

"Fucking brilliant." Leo threw his hands in the air. "Aliens on Earth, living in a town that's basically magical horse-pony land, straight from the saturday morning cartoons. What else could happen today?"

"Leo, watch it." Ethan said, before sighing and turning to Twilight. "Look, we believe you. Honestly, we do. However, our mission is to stabilize DC and take the city back, not go looking for some girl that happens to be an alien. We have bigger things to take care of."

"So, you're not going to help us?" Twilight asked, fearful.

"We are going to help you, Princess, but what we need to do takes priority in any situation." Ethan replied. "Anyway, If we're going to reach DC by tonight, we'll need to leave soon. A JTF convoy's waiting for us near the outskirts of town. We'll give transport to whoever needs it."

"Thanks a bunch." Fluttershy said. "We'll go get ready."

As the Equestrians headed towards the garage where the armored bus was being prepared for departure, Ethan pulled Thomas Delworth aside..

"Do you trust them, boss?" Thomas asked.

"No, I don't. Not yet." Ethan replied. "But seeing as we don't have a lot of options, we'll need to work with them for now. But if this goes south, we'll need to have a backup plan."

"Copy that." Thomas replied as they returned alongside Leo and Kyrie to the JTF convoy outside of town. After alerting the JTF sergeant of their new escorts, they took their seats in a Humvee and waited.

====

Five minutes later, the armored school bus joined the convoy, which Ethan decided to drive, seeing as the Equestrians had never operated a car before. The other SHD agents did the same, leaving the JTF to manage the convoy.

"So…" Twilight asked as Ethan took the wheel. "Isn't DC the capital of the United States?"

"Yeah, but not really anymore." Ethan replied. "Ever since the initial outbreak in Manhattan and the subsequent months, we've basically collapsed as a nation. The Division is the only thing holding us together as of now."

"Speaking of…" Applejack asked. "How are we supposed to find Sunset once we reach this city?"

"We'll deal with that when the time comes." Leo replied as he spun the cylinder on his .357 Magnum sidearm. "Shouldn't be that hard, right?"

"You don't know that for sure, Leo." Kyrie replied. "We've got three factions waiting for us, and all of them have their own territories carved out of DC. It'll be tough to dislodge them."

"Which is why we need to start small and get the major civilian settlements on our side first." Ethan said. "I've read of three major ones in our Area of Ops. The Campus, Theater, and Castle. They've got the manpower we need, and we have the supplies, leadership, and weapons they're short on. Once we get to the Base of Ops, we'll start at the Theater."

"Wow." Twilight said, a little impressed. "You guys sound like Generals planning for a battle."

"We are, sort of." Kyrie replied. "The hope of the world rests on our shoulders, Princess. We won't fail. We can't fail. If we do...we're doomed. All of us."

"What started all this?" Rainbow asked.

"That's a long story." Leo said, as they proceeded to tell the Equestrians of the Manhattan outbreak, the Second and Third Waves, and the SHD Network Blackout. The ponies were stunned when they realized what their world had undergone in the span of only a few months.

"That's mostly it." Ethan said. "Even though there are more SHD agents out there, we're the only ones heading to DC. Every other Agent was needed to help weed out the rest of the factions in New York, and start clearing the Manhattan DZ. So for now, we're all there is."

"Then what can we expect to find in terms of hostiles?" Quick Shot asked.

"Good question." Kyrie replied. "There's three dominant factions in DC. First up are the Hyenas. Violent scavengers and street thugs ruled by a council of their strongest leaders. They're also experimenting with biological warfare in the form of a narcotic called Spice. Next are the Outcasts, who are survivors of the Roosevelt Island quarantine. They're apparently out for blood against all they believe betrayed them. They're essentially a militarized cult. Finally, the True Sons. They're rogue JTF and military led by General Antwon Ridgeway, a JTF-Colonel turned warlord. They're the most expansive in terms of territory, and well-armed and trained."

"Every one of them will try to kill you, so don't hesitate." Leo finished. "We've also heard rumors of some government security contractors taking over settlements near DC. So far, they're unconfirmed."

"I see." Quick Shot replied. "Any friendlies?"

"Mostly Civilian Mlitia from each of the three settlements." Leo said. "Equipped with basic ballistic armor and scavenged weapons. Over time they'll get better equipment probably thanks to us."

"By the way, I've wanted to ask a few questions about your equipment in particular." Ethan said. "That armor and those spears and bows won't be much use in a gunfight, by my opinion."

"That's where you're wrong." Quick Shot said. "Here's the deal. Our armor and helmets are enchanted with several shielding spells that give it not only a golden appearance, but harden and reinforce it to the point where it can take a blast of heat over 1000 degrees, the equivalent of dragon fire."

Leo gave an appreciative whistle, impressed.

"Not only that, it's made with chain compression layers along with plate." Quick Shot added. "Each layer, three in total, is powerful enough to take hits from a hand-held battering ram. We've tested it against all kinds of projectiles, from arrows to explosives."

"Well, I didn't know that." Twilight said. "I thought we haven't needed armor like that for over 1000 years."

"Just beacuse we haven't fought a war doesn't mean that we're not ready for one at all times, Princess." Quick Shot affirmed. "And our bows have a tensile strength that can pierce the first layer of our armor without a specific head. I think your ballistic armor won't be much of a problem."

"Let me test that, if you don't mind." Ethan said, pulling out a Tactical M1911. Before anyone could react, he fired seven .45 ACP shots directly at Quick Shot's armored chest.

And seven times, the bullets fell to the floor in a crumpled mess.

"Shit." Kyrie said, astounded. "That's something to behold."

"Those weren't rifle rounds." Ethan said, loading his ACR and firing three shots, with the same results, only Quick Shot felt three distinctive impacts on his chest.

"Okay, can we stop trying to shoot each other now?" Twilight asked. "I'm getting nervous somepony or someone's going to get shot."

"We'll be fine." Ethan said, before he went to the window. "Huh, there's a town up ahead. Crossland, Massachusetts."

"You wanna take a look around?" Kyrie asked.

"Yeah. I remember doing a live-fire exercise near here with members of the National Guard before the Manhattan Outbreak." Ethan said, before activating his radio and telling the lead JTF driver to hold position. About five minutes later, he walked into Crossland and was greeted by the typical scene of looted buildings and destruction.

Except for a section near the town shopping mall that seemed a little too clean. Ethan noticed the parking barricades and police fences had been stacked into a defensive circle, and the windows were reinforced.

Then, Ethan saw the glint of a sniper scope. Diving into cover as the bullet hit the ground, he called out.

"Don't shoot! I'm with the US Government, Strategic Homeland Division! I'm only passing through!"

There was a scuffle, and the main doors opened. A man wearing a weathered and stained police uniform came out, a hand on a sidearm.

"Can you prove it?" he asked.

Ethan unfurled his SHD Wristwatch and showed the man the holographic seal of the Division.

"Alright, come on in."

As the two men entered the mall, he could see it had been turned into a civilian settlement. Various planters and machines powered by batteries or solar energy were being tended to, along with solar water stills and crates of supplies.

"What's your name?" Ethan asked.

"Sergeant Jeff Bryant, Crossland Police." the officer said. "I lead the settlement here. Where are you heading?"

"DC." Ethan said. "Our network issued a distress beacon to the capital. My team, some friendlies, and a few JTF teams are en route."

"Good for you." Jeff said quietly.. "Well, seeing as you're here, I might tell you about the two strangers that showed up a few days ago."

"Who were they?"

"One guy had a watch like yours, the other guy was a russian doctor or some shit like that." Jeff said. "Stayed a day then left us a crate. Not sure what's inside, we haven't opened it."

"Let me see it."

====

Ethan found out the crate was a Division Supply Drop, emblazoned with the Phoenix logo. As he scanned the RFID tag and unlocked it, he found a tape player and a recording, a set of journals, and an assault rifle in good condition, a Remington RU556. Ethan took the rifle out of the crate and found it had already been modified. The weapon was equipped with a 552 Holosight, light extended mags, an Omega Suppressor, and a Handstop. It also featured a long barrel, most likely to compensate for accuracy and bullet velocity.

Suffice to say, it was a clear improvement over the worn ACR that Ethan had been given in Manhattan. He looked over at Bryant with a raised eyebrow.

"Mind if I take this?" he asked.

"Go ahead. I'd hate to waste a piece like that." Jeff shrugged before nodding. Ethan handed the officer his ACR in a trade and slung the RU556 onto his rucksack.

"I'd best get going." Ethan said. "By the way, those two men who showed up...you know where they went?"

"They said they were heading to Arlington, Virginia." Jeff said. "Then to DC. Problem is, anywhere near DC is suicide."

"Figures. Those two guys are wanted by the SHD." Ethan said. "If you could do me a favor, I'd check for signs of viral contamination in the settlement, and everywhere you can. I can't tell you why, but it's important."

"Alright." Jeff said. "You'll be leaving, then?"

"Yep. Good luck to you."

"Same. Stay alive."

As Ethan left the settlement and hiked back to the convoy, the sun began to set and the sky darkened, signalling the coming of nighttime.

Author's Note

Yeah, I know I made the Guardsponies' armor a bit OP but then again, they need to be able to survive against guns with spears and crossbows, and a few firearms. Seemed the best I could do.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.

EDIT - New name fixes and a weapons upgrade.