The Onyx Guard

NO POV.

Sergeant Rico and his team all ran back towards the castle, Joseph made sure their tracks were hidden or gone to avoid the Changelings from following them. Rico led them through the gates of the castle and towards the war room where he saw Shining Armor talking with a mare. The mare had purple fur, dark purple mane with a light purple highlight, and had a horn.

"You shouldn't have run off like that! That was reckless of you!" Shining Armor scolded the mare

"I thought we could make it! I read the battle plans and studied-"

"You aren't a soldier!" Shining Armor slammed his hands down on the table, he calmed down a bit after he saw that Alpha Squad was stand there

"We interrupting something?" George asked

"There's more of you?" Shining asked while looking at the three new members

"This is George McGraw, the team's heavy weapons expert and intelligence, good combination of brains and bronze. This is James Ramirez, our scout, he has a keen eye for finding weak points. This is Joseph Castillo, our sniper and holy man. He's also a damn good tracker and is the best sniper there is." Rico introduced his team "This is Shining Armor, from what I could tell he's the one in charge here."

"For this base, yes, our real leader is Princess Luna. She's hold up back at Canterlot, our last stronghold in Equestria." Shining then walked over to Alpha Squad "I'll be honest with you all, we're losing this war. Our supplies are low, we don't have enough abled bodies to fight, let alone those with any combat experience, and our morale is low. We need a win, even just a small one." Rico looked at his team and then back at Shining

"There was mention of something jamming our comms, right?" Rico asked

"Yes, we located it at the city hall but it's heavily guarded. There are changelings posted all over the perimeter, not to mention snipers, heavy turrets, as well as a few diamond dogs as their shock troopers." The mare explained

"This is Twilight Sparkle, she's our intelligence officer, NOT a soldier." Shining Armor shot a quick glare at Twilight

"Were you able to get a find the crystal?" Rico asked Twilight

"N-No, but considering how well fortified it is it's our best assumption."

"Alright, Alpha Squad, new objective. We head to city hall, you, Twilight, you're coming with us." Rico told her

"Absolutely not, out of the question!" Shining Armor protested "She isn't a soldier!"

"Can you shoot?" Rico asked Twilight

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Can you follow orders?"

"Yes."

"Then congratulations, you're a soldier now. You're going to lead us to city hall and we're going to blast that crystal to bits."

"I'm the ranking officer here, not you!" Shining Armor glared at Rico while getting in front of him

"With all due respect, "sir", but take a look around. You said it yourself, you need a win. And right now you have a chance to get a win, we have plenty of experience in war, and no offense, but you clearly don't know all to tell about it." Rico said, from what Applejack told him Equestria was a world of peace, never having seen all-out war on this scale in centuries. While Rico had no doubt the Captain could handle himself in a fight, he wasn't nearly experienced enough to handle these kinds of situations. Shining Armor glared at Rico, but deep down... He believed in what he said. Before all this all Shining really knew of battle was the changeling invasion of Canterlot and a few skirmishes. Shining sighed and looked away

"Fine. But she had better come back, you hear me, Sergeant?"

"Affirmative, sir. Twilight, go get geared up, we'll be leaving soon."

"Yes, sir." Twilight saluted before heading off, Rico turned to Shining Armor and spoke

"Sister?" Shining Armor was surprised that Rico was able to figure that out but he nodded "I'll make sure she comes back safe, you have my word." Rico told him before walking off to brief his team on everything he knows so far.

The rest of Alpha Squad were stunned to see that not only were they alive, but that they were transported to a whole nother world.

"Thrown out of a war only to be thrown into another? This is some bullshit." George scoffed "Least these fuckers aren't as tough as the fucking Locust."

"But at least the Locust couldn't fly without a Reaver or a Gas Barge. So what's the plan, sir?" James asked while polishing his Lancer

"We can't get back home far as I know, and these people need all the help they can get. Saddle up, Alpha, we're in for another war." Rico said, his squad all shook their heads and groaned, but were at the very least glad that they weren't alone in this world.

Twilight Sparkle stood at the gates of the old castle and saw Alpha Squad marching over to her, as Alpha Squad marched everyone there eyed them with wonder and hope, hearing about how they had saved Twilight and her squad's life and took down the onslaught of changelings.

"Everyone ready?" Rico asked

"Yes, sir!" His squad and Twilight all said

"Then let's go, I'm ready to kick some ass." Rico said "We better move fast while we still have the cover of night to our advantage, Twilight, lead the way." Twilight nodded as they all ran out and headed for Ponyville, this would be the first time Alpha Squad actually walked through this town, and they could see that the destruction of war was the same as in their world. They saw buildings and houses in shambles, the streets having small craters from explosions, blood, and even a few bodies of ponies.

"They attacked Ponyville about two months ago, the attack happened so fast that we weren't able to launch a successful counter attack until it was too late." Twilight explained with a somber look on her face as they traveled through alleyways in order to stay hidden "This war... It's been Hell..."

"No, it hasn't." Joseph said as he knelt down and picked up a small stuffed pony doll that was smeared in dry blood, and next to it... Were the bodies of a mare clutching a small filly.

"The buck do you mean? Look at around you!" Twilight silently but angrily shouted at him

"War isn't Hell, because at least in Hell the innocent are spared." Joseph said as he gave a quick prayer before laying the doll back down next to the filly.

"Enough chitchat, Twilight how far are we?" Rico asked her

"Not too far, but there's snipers hiding inside the buildings, they picked us off when we first tried to break in." Twilight told him

"Alright, Joseph, you find a vantage point, George and I will draw out their fire. James, you and Twilight try to find a way to sneak inside. We'll keep these grubs busy." Rico ordered

"Are you crazy? We need all of us together." Twilight protested

"I'll be sure to take that under advisement, kid. Now move it." Rico ordered her as his squad moved out. Joseph searched around until he came across a fairy large house with an attic, kicking in the door he had his Lancer drawn just in case, he slowly made his way upstairs and made sure to clear the rooms. Inside the master bedroom he came across an elderly couple that were holding together in their arms... And a pistol in the man's hand. Joseph removed the pistol away from them and covered their bodies with the blanket

"Your love was strong, you hearts stronger, and you will find eternal happiness in paradise. Rest in peace." He prayed as he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Joseph pulled down the ladder leading to the attic and climbed up, seeing no one was hear he headed to the window and opened it, pulling out his Markza he used the scope to look to see his squad

"Got you in my sights, sir." Joseph said over the comms, a bit of static was heard but he was still hearable.

"Copy that, you located any of the snipers yet?" Rico asked while poking his head out from behind a corner. Joseph surveyed the area and checked the rooftops and upper floors of buildings

"Four snipers spotted sir. All on rooftops. I believe I see City Hall, it's the most fortified building there."

"What do you see?"

"I see about five turrets, two at the front doors with guards standing by near sandbags, two on the roof, and one in one of the windows posted up high. I count a dozen guards around the building." Joseph described as he adjusted his scope

"Alright, Joseph focus fire on those snipers, take them out first. After that me and George will head out and draw their fire, we'll keep them busy at the front." Rico and George ran out and hid behind buildings and destroyed debris, Rico glanced up and searched for Joseph, soon he saw him and raised his hand. Signalling him to begin. Joseph took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, he had one of the snipers in his sights and soon fired, shooting him right through his head. The shot rang out and caused all the changelings to go on full alert, which then made Rico and George begin thier assault on the city hall. George used his Boomshot to fire at one of the gunners manning the turret, it was near some ammo some when the explosion hit it created a bigger explosion and the ammo to begin firing off in multiple directions, killing and burning some nearby changelings. Rico fired his Lancer at some changelings that were firing from inside the building

"James, get moving. We'll hold them off." Rico ordered as he fucked behind cover as the turrets fired down at them.

James followed Twilight as they circled around the building, they saw changelings inside through the windows and saw that they were all moving out to defend the front doors

"Let's move." James said as they ran out from behind cover, vaulting in through an open window they had their weapons drawn just in case "Any ideas as to where inside it could be?"

"Best guess is in the Mayor's office." Twilight said before ducking down behind a pillar to avoid the bullets that were unleashed on them, seeing dozens of Diamond Dogs and Changelings inside

"Sergeant, we got hostiles still inside." James said as he mowed down two dogs

"Take care of them as fast as you can, no telling if they already called for reinforcements or not!" Rico said. James looked at Twilight and saw her closing her eyes while ducking behind the pillar, he glanced over and saw that many of the enemies were mostly targeting her. Thinking fast James rolled out from behind cover and fired, moving up to a cough for cover. He killed two more changelings and shouted

"Head down and shoot! I got you covered!" James said as he then threw a smoke bomb "Now! Move up!" Twilight took a deep breath and ran towards James, yelping as bullets whizzed by her. Ducking beside him Twilight poked her head up and fired her gun, James leaned out from behind the couch and shot a dog in the leg, making him fall out of cover and giving Twilight the chance to shoot him. Soon some diamond dogs wearing simple metal armor came charging at them wielding shotguns

"Ah, shit!" James switched to his Gnasher Shotgun and used it to smack away the gun out of a dog and blast him in the head, Twilight tried fire at them but her hands kept shaking and causing her to miss. James saw they were about to blow her apart and ran forward, shoulder bashing a diamond dog and blasting another to bloody bits

"You got any smoke bombs?" James asked as he switched back to his Lancer, Twilight nodded and James grabbed them, throwing them out to cause a smokescreen "Move!" James ordered as he ran forward, Chainsaw revved up as he sawed a few Changelings in half with the blades, Twilight tried to follow behind but kept hesitating and hiding behind cover. It wasn't until the smoke cleared that all the diamond dogs and changelings we're dead

"Come on, we got a crystal to blow up." James said as he looked around, making sure they wouldn't get snuck up on. Twilight gulped and ran out towards James, they ran down the hallways and Twilight led them to the Mayor's former office. In the center of the room they saw a massive black crystal surrounded in a purple-ish aura "Set the charges, quick!" James said as he stood by the door. Twilight pulled out the bomb and planted it against the crystal, putting in a timer she stood up

"Charges set!" James nodded and the two soon ran out of the room, just in time as the bomb went off and blasted the crystal to bits.

"Radio jammer down! Comms are online!" James said while he and Twilight took cover from the enemy as they retaliated.

"Good work, you two. Alpha Squad, fall back. We'll hide in one of the buildings and wait for things to die down, we don't want them follow us back to base. Move it!" James and Twilight both ran and gunned down any enemy soldiers that followed them as the exited out the window they used to crawl inside earlier. They regrouped with Rico and George while Joseph gave them covering fire

"Pop some smokes!" Twilight grabbed some smoke bombs and threw them, creating a loud cloak of smoke for them to use as cover.

"Move move move!" They all ran and took to the alleyways, soon barging into an empty house and remaining hidden

"Joseph, status."

"Leaving bird's nest, taking cover inside what appears to be a gingerbread house of sorts." Joseph said while he hid behind a counter, the building he was in appeared to be some sort of bakery.

"Stay low and keep quiet, radio in if you can move or need assistance."

"Copy that, sir. Joseph put." Rico turned to his team and spoke "Alright, we'll stay here for the time being, we made a lot of noise and pissed off those grubs so we may be here for a while. So rest up, check your gear, and make sure you're weapons are locked and loaded. I'll take first watch." Rico went over to a boarded up window and peeked outside, seeing Changelings and diamond dogs searching for them. James, George, and Twilight all sat to rest, checking their gear.

Twilight couldn't help but glance at them all, eyeing their weapons, gear, and being mesmerized by how efficient and skilled they are

"What you want, kid?" George asked as he leaned against the wall

"W-Where did you all come from? I've never seen anypony like you all before, not to mention the way you fight. Our own soldiers are skilled, but aren't anywhere near as well as you all are." Twilight said. James and George both looked at each other before turning to Rico

"Only need to know information. Nothing more nothing less." Rico told the two, he knew that if they were all going to work together then they should know the truth, but he also knew that they couldn't share everything.

"Well, for starters. We're Gears, we're all trained and bred for warfare."

"Gears?"

"Soldiers. We've fought in the Pendulum Wars, the Locust horde, and even the Lambent wars." James said while leaning against the wall

"The... The what? That's impossible, Equestria never had any major wars such as this before in thousands of years." Twilight said as she assumed they must be crazy or something

"That's because we're not from Equestria." Rico told her

"Then... Then where are you-"

"Shh!" Rico silenced them as he hid, all of them getting down and staying silent. Rico peeked out the window as he saw a squad of Changelings patrolling by, watching as they talked with one another. His finger on the trigger ready in case things went south, then he saw them all run off in another direction, his eyes glued on them until they were out of sight

"Clear. Twilight, see if you can get in contact with command." Rico ordered her as Twilight started to raise in her brother

"Shining? Shining Armor, are you there, over?"

"Twilight? You did it, radio contact has been reestablished! We're sending out word back to Canterlot to try and get the civilians out of here. What's your location, over?"

"We're laying low in one of the houses but were separated from Joseph, we're waiting on Rico's orders, over."

"Rico, you copy?" Shining started to try and call Rico as he responded back

"Copy, command."

"Get back to base and regroup, we're gonna try and find a way to get the people out of here."

"Copy that, we'll try and get my squad mate back before we go."

"Negative, we need you back here now. We already made a lot of noise as is and I doubt our location is going to stay hidden any longer. We need every able body we have." Shining Armor tried to get Rico to come back

"I understand, sir, but I am not leaving one of my own behind. I'll have James, George, and Twilight head back to base while I go and find Joseph." Rico said before turning off his comms

"You three, lock and load and get moving. I want you all to head back to base and get ready for a possible assault. I'll go find Joseph and we'll regroup back at base."

"But sir! We can't just leave you here!"

"You aren't leaving me, you're just waiting up for me back at base. Now move it." Rico ordered them, the three of them hesitated but soon agreed to his order as they all grabbed their gear and prepared to head out, Rico keeping an eye out for any patrols as he watched his team retreat back

"Stay safe, Alpha. I'm not losing you all again." Rico said to himself before running off to find Joseph, sticking to the alleyways to stay out of sight through the wartorn town.