Analysis Anarchy: The Red Spy

~Narrator's POV~

Okay... 'Follow the wind to the northeast. Take the next left on the right desert dune, and you shall see the sign of our base of operations'... This must be it.

Doesn't look like much, to be honest. But, I guess appearances can be deceiving. Time to enter the town and find this 'Dr. Wolf' and 'Commander Firebrand'.

Oh, hey there. Pleasure to meet you. My name is Echo Harmonia Nymph, but I'm mostly known as Echo Nymph. My friends call me Echo or Nymph. I came to Coal Town, because I found some of the members missing from the Rift Café, and I was curious. Upon the wall of SugarCube Corner, in Ponyville, I found this hiring pamphlet for Blu Team members. It said that if anypony is interested, come to Coal Town and speak to a 'Dr. Wolf' and 'Commander Firebrand'.

Now, I'll be honest, I've never played Team Fortress 2, and probably never will. But I have my share of knowledge and talents. Who knows? Maybe a Pony of my skills and talents might have what they're looking for.

I enter the town, only to be greeted by screams, crashing and fire. Obviously, somepony has ticked somepony off and is now paying the price.

"Um... Hello? Excuse me?" I tried to call to the Ponies that passed me, trying to get their attention.

"I said I was sorry! It was supposed to be a joke!" A red and black Pegasus stallion, dressed as a Blu Soldier, shouted as he flew past me.

"Come back here, you edgy pillow of feathers!" A blue Earth Pony mare, dressed as a Red Soldier with a familiar red and green plaid scarf around her neck, shouted after him, stopping just in front of me.

She was a blue Clydesdale mare with a light grey blaze, socks. Her mane and tail were a dark greyish blue and looked similar to Hagrid's hair from Harry Potter. Fetlocks were a little unkempt and she spoke with a strong, familiar accent.

Oh, yeah! That's right, she's Scottish. The Pegasus stallion must've made fun of her ethnicity.

Not cool...

"Um... Hello, Miss?" I tried to speak up, but she was already gone.

Suddenly, there was an explosion, and something large was about to fall on top of me. I quickly took a step back and the object fell in front of me.

It was a large Hippogriff male. With his bird-half resembling a bald eagle and his pony-half of an average brown stallion with light beige hooves and a well-combed silver tail. His pony half must be Earth Pony. His Cutie Mark was of a silver feather quill. He stood a foot taller than Big McIntosh, so he was taller than me. Light grayish-violet eyes, and he was dressed as a Red Heavy.

Wait, I've heard of this guy. Silver Quill! He goes through so many antics in Ponyville, and yet is a punching bag for karma. How's he still alive, I'll never know.

"Hello? Mr. Quill?" I spoke up, extending my hoof to the Hippogriff.

With a sigh, Silver Quill picked himself up nd dusted himself off, "Geez. That's the fifth time that propane tank exploded!" Then sulked, "And I didn't even touch it!"

"Mr. Quill?" I asked, tapping his shoulder with my hoof.

"Not now, Keyframe." He retorted, his back turned to me, then thought for a second, "Wait. When did you start calling me, 'Mr. Quill'?" He turned to look at me and stared.

"Hi." I waved my hoof timidly.

"You're not Keyframe." He noted.

I gave him a deadpan look, "No. I am not." Then asked, "I was wondering if you can help me find Dr. Wolf and Mr. Firebrand? I'm here to apply for the Blu Team."

Silver Quill smiled, "Oh. You've come to join our little, dysfunctional group, eh? What made you think you have what it takes?"

"I'm tougher than I look. If that's what you're implying." I answered in a deadpan tone, then regained myself, "I just happened upon this pamphlet in Ponyville..." I showed him the scorched piece of folded parchment, "And thought I'd give it a look-see."

"Well, I'm kinda glad you're applying." He smiled at me, "We could use another Pony in our ranks."

I smiled at the Hippogriff. This is good news. This might end up being a good day after all. I can't wait to get started!

Then Silver Quill placed his claw over me shoulder, "Firebrand and Doc are just this way."

With that, the Hippogriff lead me to the back of the town, toward a ran-down shack. Inside was a Unicorn stallion and an anthropomorphic white wolf discussing something. I believe I heard them talking about recruits and who to choose and not to choose.

Well... That made me extremely nervous...

The Unicorn stallion's height was the same as an average stallion. His fur coat was a light brick red. His nails and hooves were a maroon color. Mane was two shades of a blonde color. His mane was slick back, a milder style compared to Doc's. Matching golden-blonde tail. And his eyes were a shade of gold. I couldn't see his Cutie Mark because of his lab coat.

He wore a Red Medic's uniform and pack. So, I was guessing he was the Red Team's Medic.

The wolf stood about a foot taller than Apple Bloom. His fur was as white as the snow with light grey paws. Light blue eyes with deep understanding, and yet a strong form of authority. He wore a uniform similar to the Red Engineer. So, he must've been the Red Team's Engineer.

I narrowed my eyes at the Unicorn stallion. I recognized him as one of the Chief Officers of Princess Celestia's Royal Guard. Head of the Forward Operating Base in the Badlands, if I recall.

Silver Quill and I entered the shack, but the Unicorn stallion and arctic wolf didn't turn to see us. Silver Quill cleared his throat, getting the wolf and Unicorn's attention.

~Commander Firbrand's POV~

Dr. Wolf and I were just discussing what to do with GibbonTake's resignation as the Red Team's Spy. When Silver Quill cleared his throat to get our attention. Dr. Wolf and I turned to the large Hippogriff.

Dr. Wolf gently smiled, "Hello, Silver Quill. Can we help you with something?"

"Actually..." Silver Quill paused, rubbed his chin in thought, "I have found someone who wants to apply for the Blu Team."

"For the final time, Silver. We're NOT switching you! You're the Red Team's Heavy for a reason!" I told him sternly.

Silver Quill shook his head, "Not me this time. She just showed up."

"She?" Doc and I repeated in confusion.

Silver Quill stepped aside, revealing a green Earth Pony mare standing behind him. She timidly waved at the Doc and I with a small smile. Dr. Wolf and I stared at the mare wide-eyed and surprise.

The mare stood at least as tall as Princess Luna or Shining Armor. Her fur coat was a mint green color, with a white freckles, white underbelly and socks. Her long mane and tail were a ginger-red color with a black ombre. Her hooves were shamrock green. Her eyes were heterochomic. He left eye was deep hazel and her right eye was sap green. And they seem to glow from the inside. Her Cutie Mark was of blue flames.

I narrowed my eyes at the mare. She looked like an ordinary Earth Pony, but she doesn't feel like one. There was magic emitting from her aura. Something haunting and powerful...

"Uh... Hello. You two must be Firebrand and Dr. Wolf." She spoke in a clear British accent, "My name is Echo Nymph, and I was hoping to apply for the Blu Team."

"Echo Nymph, huh?" I repeated, then scratched my head, "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Echo Nymph rubbed the back of her head, "I'm mostly a fanfic writer. I was named after my great-grandmothers. Echo Eclipse and Harmonia Notes."

"And you're saying that you wish to apply for the Blu Team?" I asked. Echo Nymph nodded her head in confirmation.

"Do you have any experience with Team Fortress?" Dr. Wolf asked.

The mint green mare thought for a second, "Well... No. But I've watched a lot of videos on YouTube, to understand the game and its characters. Does that count?"

I raised a brow, then asked, "Can you name the nine classes?"

"Let's see..." She started, then answered with a smile, counting with her fingers, "There's the Engineer. The Demoman. The Sniper. The Heavy. The Scout. The Pyro. The Soldier. The Spy. And..." She clapped her hands, "Oh yeah! And the Medic."

"Whoa." Silver Quill smiled, "That's pretty good." Then he asked, "Are you sure that you didn't use a cheat sheet?"

Echo Nymph just glanced at him with a deadpan expression.

"Do you know what Team Fortress is?" Dr. Wolf asked her.

"It's a team-based, Multiplayer, First-Person shooter PC game from the Valve Corporation." She answered. Dr. Wolf and I looked at each other, then back at Miss. Nymph. Her smile faded, as clarity brought her down, "You don't have anything for somepony like me, do you?"

With a sad and honest look, Dr. Wolf answered, "I'm sorry, Miss. Nymph. But we're looking for applicants that have played the game before."

"And just knowing about the game doesn't quite cut it." I added blatantly.

Echo Nymph nodded, then lowered her head, "I understand." She gave us a small smile, "Thank you for your time, Gentlemen. I'll show myself to the door."

~Echo Nymph's POV~

I turned and left the shack, leaving Silver Quill, Dr. Wolf and Firebrand. As I made it half-way through the base, I heard a voice shout, "Watch out!!!"

I looked and a rocket flew toward me and hit me, blowing me into the air and toward one of the roofs. I crashed onto the roof of one of the buildings, but there was a large burn mark on my upper arm. And it hurt... Badly.

"OW! Son of a ing piece of ! That ing hurts!" I cursed under my breath, rubbing my arm and my fur turning white for a second.

"Oh my gosh!" A tall Unicorn mare shouted in worry, as she ran up to me.

She stood almost as tall as Princess Celestia. Her fur coat was a dark orange color. Her eyes were an emerald green. Cloven hooves and nails were a darker orange color. Her curly mane and tail were a ginger-red color. She wore the Blu Medic uniform.

"Are you hurt?" She asked me, extending her hand to me.

"It's okay. I'm fine." I assured her, giving her my hand and she helped me up to my hooves, "This happens to me more than you think." Then I tilted my head, "What happened?"

"Oh, well... I was aiming my crossbow at Voice, but I guess Toon got in the way and clashed into me." She explained, then frowned, "I guess the safety wasn't on and his rocket launcher must've hit you."

"It's fine. This isn't the first time this has happened." I assured.

The mare looked at me and smiled sweetly at me. I smiled back, then noticed something in the distance. An Earth Pony stallion, dress as the Red Sniper, was aiming his rifle at the back of the mare's head. With a swift motion, I moved the mare behind me, drew my black TT Pistol and fired it at the stallion.

~Boom! Headshot!~

The mare looked and saw the stallion fall to the ground. "How... How did you do that? When? Where? What?" She gasped and asked in shock and surprise.

"I saw him aiming his rifle at you." I answered casually, withdrawing my pistol, "He would have headshot you, if I didn't step in. So I got him before he could blink."

"Voice... Didn't... See... You... Coming..." The mare slowly said, with clarity evident in her voice.

"Yeah. It's the reason why Princess Luna is training me to be an assassin. Like the Shadowscales of Elder Scrolls. It's second nature to me." I nodded, oblivious to the idea that it her, "Being the black sheep, and ignored throughout fillyhood..."

She quickly grabbed my hand, "Come with me. I have an idea."

With that, she dragged me back toward the shack. Silver Quill, Firebrand and Dr. Wolf were discussing, until the mare and I came charging in without knocking. She explained what happened on the field, and that I have a talent of taking out a target without being seen. It turns out the mare's name was Keyframe. Dr. Wolf and Firebrand were impressed with the story. And it turns out they've been looking for a new Red Spy since their old one, GibbonTake, left to become a pirate.

"Wait, wait, wait." I spoke up, "You want me to be your Red Spy?" My eyes widened, "I was hoping to apply for a spot in the Blu Team."

"You've shown to have the qualifications for the job." Firebrand told me with a large smile, "Played the game, or otherwise."

"You can use your talent for the benefit of your team." Keyframe smiled.

I smiled and bowed, "Okay. I accept your offer to be the Red Team's Spy."

Dr. Wolf smiled, "Marvelous." Then he walked off to the back of the shack, "Let me get the contract, for you to sign, and we'll get you started."

"Just make sure you lose that British accent." Silver Quill told me, "It's obviously fake, and it's not working."

Everything froze around me. Voices of my fillyhood echoed in my head. My heart raced and my blood boiled. Did he just told me to lose my accent?

You... Just... Made... A... Huge... Mistake... Buckbeak!

I turned to him and spoke in a low tone, "I am not faking... I am British..."

Silver Quill looked at me with surprise, "Really? Are you related to Antony C?"

"I'm giving you a ten second head-start... Before you find out why the citizens of Equestria call me 'The Green Plague'..." I warned him.

Seeing the anger in my eyes, and the tone in my voice, Silver Quill swallowed a lump in his throat and ran out of the shack.

Welcome to the Red Team, Echo Harmonia Nymph.