Hunters: Forged in Fire

Nats, Flyders, Mosquitos, and other annoying pests buzz about around two ponies kneeling waist deep in murky swamp water. A dull pink earth mare with a white mane like fresh snow and shining sapphire eyes wearing leather armor while aiming a rifle barrel through the blades of tall grass that surrounds them. Next to her is a dark gray unicorn stallion whose horn has a slight curve to it that parts his dark blue mane down the middle, his eyes currently covered by a pair of binoculars as he's on lookout.

"Did you spot him?" The mare asks with very little change in tone.

"No." The stallion mutters as he lowers the binculars from his dull brown eyes. "Probably still looking for our target."

Just as she was opening her mouth to respond a roar shakes the trees. The sound is unmistakable for it was the roar of their quarry. Breaking the tree line was a monstrous rock formation with a bronze coated stallion gripping its back. A wide grin on his face as he seems to swing around an imaginary cowpony hat as the cragadile below him thrashes about trying to throw the unwanted rider off. The success its having was very little in the way of the rider's strong hold on one of the smaller scales on the hide.

"Sprocket! Luster! Now!" Bronze yells out from his position.

In that moment, a sound like thunder rings out. A trigger gets pulled and a bright blue streak leaves the barrel of the rifle. Once the shot connects to the target an explosion erupts. The force powerful enough to knock the cragadile off balance and send their friend flying off its back. Sprocket and Luster both stood up in shock that Bronze didn't let go on his signal. The unicorn pulling two pistols from his belt and tossing them to the mare while he charged his horn. They still had a cragadile to deal with and now it was just angry. Luster slung he rifle to her back, taking the pistols from her fellow Hunter.

"I'm going to go check on Bronze." Sprocket said before rushing forward.

Luster rushes out of the grass behind the unicorn with her pistols firing off in the direction of the Beast to cover her friend. The cragadile lets out an earth shaking roar before starting its charge at its attacker. Bronze has already gotten back to one knee by the time Sprocket reaches him. Before the unicorn could say anything, Bronze grabs his hand to place something in it. A rock? Sprocket just looks at the earth stallion with a bit of confusion only to meet his grin. Then a smell wormed its way into Sprocket's nostrils and he almost gagged, this wasn't just some rock. His eye fall to the rock in his palm and he is just now figuring out its a piece of the Beast they're fighting.

"Give that to Queen and let her take it back to the Lodge." Bronze orders while rising to his towering height.

Bronze gives out a low whistle while reaching towards his back to pull the sword free from the weapon clamps on his heavy plate. The response to the call was a resounding squawk so loud it gave their Beast a pause. From the sky comes a streak of fire that first hits Bronze's sword before taking a sharp angle towards Sprocket. The unicorn cast a quick spell on the Beast part before holding it out. The streak of flames grazes over his outstretched hand with little effort, leaving no damage on the surface of the unicorn's coat before taking back to the sky. Sprocket's eyes look down towards his friend, his sword now set ablaze as Bronze is walking towards the monstrous cragadile he was riding just moments before. The Beast didn't seem to notice the approaching challenger at first, too focused on snapping up the dual wielding mare peppering at it with bullet fire.

The earth stallion leapt up from the ground and slammed both of his hooves into the back of the cragadile, causing it to hiss out until it transformed in to a roar. Bronze let out a roar of his own before driving the flaming blade into its skull. The roar of anger turned into one of pain before slowly dying out and its own body falling limp. Bronze throws both of his arms up in the air with a cry of victory.

"First round's on me!"

Ponyville is home to Sprocket Spring, Luster Shine, and Bronze Spear. Three Hunters who just cashed in on their chosen quarry. The town itself posses one of the largest Hunters population and the closest to Ground Zero, thus is one of the most well protected of the cities as well as the current capital. All three were born and raised here, all aspiring to be Hunters, though not at the same time. The first to become one was Bronze Spear, born to a long line of Hunters and former Royal Guard. He's slightly bigger than most stallions of his kind, only overshadowed by one of the Apples Bronze quicklyr Ponyname for himself and became a local hero for Ponyville. Next would be Luster Shine, born to a family of Earth Ponies, she signed up mostly to support her family and hone her skills. Any bits she makes from the hunts, most get sent to her parents. Sprocket Spring passed around the same time as Luster and the two hit it off quite well and quickly became friends. The unicorn s a hybrid, born to an Earth Pony weaponsmith as his father and an capable Badlands Unicorn mage for his mother. Though he is semi gifted with magic, he mostly uses it to tinker with weapon and armor upgrades. The two wouldn't meet Bronze until later and by happenstance while sent to reinforce a hunt. They met as the rest of the Cadre was running, except for him. After receiving the help from Sprocket and Luster, the three immediately hot it off and been together as their own Cadre ever since.

Which has led them here, in the middle of the Ponyville Hunter's Lodge Mess where Bronze and Sprocket are engaged in a friendly eat-off or in Bronzes case, the "First Round." All three of them finally in some more comfortable attire. Both stallions seem to be on their fourth bowls of stew each, all the while Luster watches one along with a small audience of Hunters. This was the two's favorite after hunt ritual ever since Bronze found somepony to rival his own appetite. Sprocket sets his bowl down on top of the pile while a stack on Bronze's side was at seven. In that moment, the unicorn concedes defeat by throwing his hands up with a smile and a shake of his head.

"All right. I give." Sprocket muses as he crosses his arm across his chest. "You win, again."

"Awe. Don't give up Sprocky!" Luster chimes in with a grin, always loving seeing these two have their little games. "You might beat him some day!"

Bronze shakes his head. "In his dreams, maybe. I got an appetite to take on a Beast!"

The table erupts in laughter as all three friends smile and lean in closer to one another. For them, this is just another night after a job well done. They fight hard as a team, they relax together as friends. Even despite the state of Equestria they're currently born into, how dark it will get, these three will always shine brighter together. As the trio of Hunters were coming down from their revelry, the audience around their table had dispersed. All three are in agreement that it was time to turn in for the night and rest up.

It had been a few days since their last hunt. A couple days to rest, recoup, and a little recharging leaves the trio of friends ready for anything. For now, they're making do with being right outside in the open air of the lodge's training yard. Luster is seated on a nearby bench while she watches her boys train. Bronze is instructing Sprocket how to wield a swing a sword. More specifically he's allowing Sprocket to train with his Arc-tek blade while Bronze is handling a normal blade. She can hear the brown-coated stallion give out instructions between the clashes of metal. They've been at this for months upon the unicorn's request and Sprocket has been improving. His movements are less clunky, more refined, and his handling of the sword is getting better. She just smiles to herself, she's already been to the range this week, but Luster is saving for a good firearm. So far today is looking to be another beautiful day.

A door on the far end of the yard opens and out steps a lavender unicorn mare dressed in a uniform that would suggest a high ranking Hunter. The rest of the yard starts to grow quiet as this mare strides across the open area, all eyes on her as she strides. A quiet mutter starts to wash over the yard between the other Hunters, repeating the names 'Twilight' and 'Head' as the mare has only one group she's after. Bronze is the first to notice the mare that's stepping ever closer to them and stands at attention.

"Headmare Twilight!" The large stallion salutes, the name causing the other two of his friends to stand at attention.

The very mare standing before them has an aura that commands respect, and though she was on the younger side for being a Lodge Head, her eyes did portray years of experience as a Hunter. This mare is Twilight Sparkle, a Ponyville resident since she was born here to a family of unicorns. One of two siblings to become Hunters and earn a name for themselves. She is both feared and respected amongst the Ponyville Lodge for various reasons.

"Bronze Spear, Luster Shine, and Sprocket Spring. I would like to see you in my office." Is all Twilight says to the trio before turning right around and going back from whence she came.

Ticking of a grandfather clock fills the noise in the room as the trio of friends find themselves in Twilight Sparkle's office. The odd request has them on edge and each one trying their hardest not to sweat bullets. Each one is silently standing at attention while the mare before them is going through papers on her desk. This continues on for a couple more minutes when a deep sigh leaves her mouth and she sets the parchments down on her desk.

"You three are probably wondering why I asked you to come here." Twilight speaks for the first time since they arrived, standing up from her seat to walk to the window behind her desk. "I need you all to do a job for me. A private hunt, if you will."

"It would be an honor, Head Twilight." Bronze speaks up.

"Excellent." The unicorn soon turns around and walks up to the three. "This will be dangerous, more than what you three are used to but I'm sure you can handle this where others have failed."

She gazes at the three with an icy stare that has become her signature look, glad to see they haven't flinched, yet. Hunters are usually good friends with failure when they first start out until they get their bearings. After that, its hard fighting with all their might to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. Though she also is aware this isn't always the case. Failure still persists and takes lives without remorse.

"This will require a group of skilled Hunters, much like yourselves. There is a Manticore prowling too close to Ponyville for comfort most Hunters I've sent to deal with the problem have failed to slay the Beast." Twilight is now marching from one end of the room to the other in front of the Hunters. "I have reason to believe that it is stronger than I gave it credit for. Which is why I'm asking you three to try and take care of this. If you can't, then get out there as fast as possible without attracting it here. I will not be losing anymore Hunters to this thing."

"Ma'am, If I may ask, how many Hunters have we lost?" Sprocket asks.

"At least three squads. You will be the fourth and hoping to be the last." Twilight replies with a hint of finality.

"How long do we have to prepare?" Bronze is getting right to it.

"A day to get your gear and gather supplies. The sooner this Beast is down, the better. I will be providing you a signal flare should it get to dangerous. Fire it off and reinforcements will come."

Without another word, the three left the office to go prep their gear, spending the rest of the day getting any needed supplies. The following morning is when they meet up after breakfast to head out, with the trio quietly approaching the gate to leave Ponyville for their hunt. Sprocket is getting some spells ready while Luster is strapping her rifle on, and Bronze takes a good look at his sword one last time before sheathing it. The guards see them approaching and start to open the heavy steel doors just enough for the group to leave. Creaking to a close once they pass through and locking right behind them. Luster pulls out the map given to them by the Headmistress that would lead them to the old cottage outside of town.
The trek only takes them a good half hour, Sprocket finds it strange that a Manticore is this close to Ponyville of all things.

They happen upon the cottage, the last sighting of this Manticore. They see the worn down building but no Beast to be found. Bronze cautiously approaches the door of the old home with his blade drawn and slowly opens it to peer inside. He finds nothing but furniture that has seen better times and better care. He then motions for the other two to come up a join him. He turns to face his friends once he hears that they are close enough.

"Luster, I want you to see if you can get a vantage point. Sprocket you're on me for support."

Sprocket knew exactly what 'support' meant to Bronze. He would gladly provide it as he moved out with his friend towards the thick undergrowth that resides near the Everfree. The goal is simple and he didn't need Bonze to explain it since this is always the play: Either Bronze or both stallions would bait the Beast to where Luster is camping so she can snipe at it while they battle. Luster watches the two disappear into the foliage of the forest from her post, bated breath a she keeps an eye through her scope. So now she waits for her boys to lure the Beast here. She breaths out and waits.

"Sprocket, anything we should know about Manticores?" Bronze asks in a hushed tone.

"Creatures of brimstone with a temper as hot as their breath. Ice magic should be a good counter."

"What about this one?" He turns to loo at the hybrid unicorn.

"Not much." Sprocket keeps his eyes scanning between the trees. "Not a soul has survived for us to know anything except what the Headmare told us."

Bronze just nods as he begins to unsheathe his blade, the unicorn casts an ice spell on it in response. The unique build and technology of the sword taking on elements of ice with the core circuitry becoming a freezing hue of blue while the edges of the blade become white with frost. A distant roar catches both of their attentions, causing both stallions to look in the direction to gaze upon their quarry. They two smile a little and move in to grab its attention, sword and spell at the ready.

Luster is brought to alert by hearing two familiar voices yelling out, focusing her sight on the tree line she spots her team mates running out of the brush in a panic. A roar of an unreal magnitude shakes the very forest as the Beast breaks out just after the two stallions. She gasps at the sheer size of this thing, it was almost double the size of a regular Manitcore! Luster takes a calming breath to steady her aim, and pulls the trigger. A bang rings out as the shot lands it's mark and hits the Beast right in the eye, casing it t take a few steps back while roaring out ash in pain. Sprocket turns around to blast it with an ice spell, landing a direct hit. Bronze then surges forward to strike the Beast with a lateral slash to push the advantage. The Beast falls on its side, leaving the three to their victory. Bronze turns towards Sprocket with a wide grin and gives him a thumb up. Time seem to slow and He doesn't see it, Sprocket is about to call out.

The Manticore's tail impales Bronze clean through his chest.

Sprocket makes it only just to catch the stallion as he begins to collapse. Blood is starting to flow out of the corners of Bronze's mouth as he stares up at his friend. Silently he presses the handle of his sword in to Sprocket's palm, his last wish needn't be said. Soon he draws his final breath. Now holding a lifeless corpse of his friend, Sprocket cries out in anguish, his magic acting without command as frost soon erupts around him. Just as the Manticore is about to strike him down but is struck in the face by ice, knocking it back. Snow starts to cover every conceivable surface; trees, grass, fur of the Manticore, even the side of the cottage that's facing them. The only place where it isn't; the area around Sprocket and the body of Bronze. The unicorn is crying as he presses his face against the mane of the deceased friend, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Not a care about the sound of the flare going off or the retreating Beast as it escapes the sudden surge of magic. Luster comes running up, sliding to a halt against the ice and snow to wrap her arms around the unicorn with tears in her eyes as well. After a while the bawling dies down to the two just sitting in silence as a group of Hunters are approaching.

"Where's did all this snow come from?"

"I see them! We have one down!"

"Did he do all this?"

"There's no way..."

"Report to the Headmare! Now! She needs to know what happened!"

Hunters start to surround the two, checking them over for any injuries but neither speaking a single word.