Strange things are afoot . . .
"Worthy of trust and confidence."
-Oath of the secret service.
The sun glistened over the glorious city of Canterlot as both human and pony alike walked it's streets in harmony.
It had been this way for more than four years ever since the discovery of quantum teleportation through the use of nanotechnology. A portal had been opened in the far north of the tundra of Siberia, and since then, humans had flocked to the peaceful country known as Equestria. The entrance had long been improved, allowing passage for both ponies and humans between the two worlds. Obviously, Equestria was the more popular destination, the ponies preferring to stay in their war-free land and the humans longing for fresh starts and new beginnings. Below, the pony known as Twilight Sparkle made sure the preparations for the upcoming celebration were coming along nicely.
"Rainbow? Remember to perform your sonic rainboom as soon as the princesses take their seats next to the president." She instructed.
"Relax Twilight! I'm gonna dazzle every last one of those humans with some new moves. Gotta keep 'em on their toes y'know?" Rainbow Dash spoke brashly.
The purple mare chuckled, and went back to checking off items on her to-do list. The president of one of humanity's more prominent countries, the United States of America, was due to visit in less than a day in celebration of the two species' union. It would be glorious . . . IF Rarity could provide proper dresses for the princesses, IF Applejack could cater with acceptable food, IF Fluttershy could organize the dove fly-by correctly, and IF Pinkie Pie could provide proper entertainment. She had already gone over the specifications with Rainbow Dash. With her brother Shining Armor organizing the royal guard and her thorough completion of the check list, nothing could possibly go wrong.
Nothing at all.
With the festival in Canterlot coming to fruition, another more seedy reunion was taking place deep in the bowels of the Everfree forest. The insidious ponies dressed in red garb stood in a group, accompanied by a few bipedal figures boasting firearms and wickedly sharp knives. They chatted amongst each other, some speaking of change and others speaking of condos in the Bahamas. The humans, or more effectively known as mercenaries in this case, wore sinister grins as they anticipated the arrival of their paychecks.
Three pounds of pure Equestrian diamond for each man.
The ponies however, or more commonly known as the Hell Storm Reapers in this region of Equestria, shook in anxiety. They sat shivering in the wake of their earth pony leader, known only as the Leviathan, awaiting his command to begin their holy crusade against the demon princesses of Canterlot.
"Comrades! Brothers in arms!" The Leviathan spoke in a commanding voice.
The ensemble in front of him cheered and waved their weapons in the air. A crude smile crept onto the Leviathan's face as he sensed the bloodlust in their cries.
"We are gathered here today in hopes of a change for the better! With the help of our newfound allies, we shall take the wretched capitol from their putrid rulers and begin anew!" He roared.
The ponies in the crowd cheered louder as they reached towards the Leviathan, wanting, needing, guidance. They clawed at his red cape, wishing for his praise. The humans cheered equally as hearty, but the Leviathan knew their motives. He was not blind to the gluttonous and selfish nature of these humans. That's exactly why he recruited them.
"Make ready my friends, for today we shall bask in the blood of tyrants!" Spoke the Leviathan.
In a tsunami of shouts and yells, the consort of thugs and cult members cheered up a chorus of appraisal so loud, it rocked the trees around them. The Leviathan grinned once more and took his leave off the platform. If one were to describe the Hell Storm Reapers, you might call them filthy and terrible. But the reapers begged to differ. They covered the crimes of rape and murder with a façade of righteous proverbs. They believed everything they did they had divine right to do. But however you looked at it, the Hell Storm Reapers were terrorists.
No more, no less.
Mike Decker slept.
The flight over to Siberia on Air Force One was a long and dreary one, consisting of dull inflight meals for the secret service and the constant replaying of the movie Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. After he had memorized all the lines until he could fully recite the children's movie and grew tired of airline delicatessen, Secret Service Agent Mike Decker had conked out. He awoke to the sound of the pilot over the intercom and the ceaseless shaking arm of the man next to him.
"Hey Decker. Decker! Wake up man!" Said the agent as he nudged Mike's arm.
Reluctantly opening his eyes, Decker saw the face of a newly recruited agent. Young, in his twenties, and full of fight, agent Ramirez had enlisted in the service only a few weeks ago. Mike didn't like his type.
"Jesus kid, I'm up! Quit pushing me already!" He complained in a groggy voice.
The pilot spoke in a calm voice as the large plane made their gradual descent onto the runway.
"Please fasten your seatbelts as we make our descent. Refrain from using the restroom as we may experience mild turbulence. Thank you." He said in a mechanical voice.
The microphone from the cockpit clicked off, signifying the end of the pilot's instructions.
"Have you ever been?" Said Ramirez.
"Me? Where?" Asked Decker.
Ramirez gestured out the window toward the docking station where the portal to Equestria sat.
"Equestria." He said.
"Oh, no. Can't say I have. And you?" Spoke Decker.
Ramirez shrugged.
"Meh, once or twice. Little too scenic for me." He responded.
The two spoke no more the rest of the way down. As the plane skidded to a halt on the runway, Decker could see that the once desolate area this must have been was now a thriving city where the wealthy could purchase a ticket to visit the most magical place in existence. He had met ponies that bothered to visit his earth however. Some even bothered to stay and make a living. One of them even, was a close friend of Mike's.
A unicorn, Starry Night.
Decker always thought those pony names were a little odd. Even still, they were hard-working souls that could earn their keep. Before he knew it, the jet had docked and the personnel were herding out of Air Force One and into the terminal bays. Decker, being the commanding officer of the Secret Service on this particular escort mission, assembled his men near the president and the first lady.
"Mr. President, if you'll follow me." Decker spoke to the old man.
"Of course. Come on Beatrice, we have a party to attend!" The president said with glee.
Obediently, the first lady followed with much joy in her eyes. Like Decker, this was their first time visiting such a place. The agents moved in a loose box formation surrounding the president and his wife as they made their way to the transition portal. The large passage that the group was following looked much like an airport terminal would. Various stores like McDonalds, Starbucks, and even a Radio Shack dotted the strip malls as they walked through. Finally, the group rendezvoused near a large arch with a violet colored ethereal wall running it's entire length.
"Alright boys, on me. Keep it tight and don't lose sight of the president or the first lady." Decker ordered through his earpiece as he approached the automated ticket handler.
"Please deposit a ticket or show your V.I.P. pass please." It said in a feminine voice.
The agents and presidential personnel all flashed their wristbands as the laser began scanning the small barcodes.
"Thank you. Enjoy your stay!" It spoke once more.
The president, his wife, and all the staff passed through the turnstiles as they approached the large portal. Grasping hands, president McCreary and the first lady prepared to take their first steps into the land of Equestria. First to move in were the agents as they were given the responsibility of securing the other side of the portal to provide safe passage for the president and his wife.
"Alright guys, take it nice and easy." Said Decker.
The thin line of agents pierced the wall and had disappeared from sight as they moved through the portal. Mike Decker felt a cool rush of air and a wave of nausea overwhelm him as he stepped over to the other side. Hitting the ground, Mike noticed that he was lying facedown on dirt. Looking up, he observed several ornately designed buildings and shops as ponies and humans alike milled about.
Then he reeled over and threw up.
Just outside the castle perimeter, princesses Cadence, Celestia, and Luna oversaw the final touches on the coming festival. The unicorn and earth ponies finished nailing up the supports while the pegasi hung the decorative banners. The human construction workers started the final preparations by taking down the scaffolding and setting up the service stands that would sell various treats.
"Luna?" Celestia beckoned to her sister.
"Yes sister?" The princess of the moon responded.
"Today is going to be a day to remember." The princess of the sun spoke as she smiled at the two different races working together in complete harmony in front of her.
In the distance, Captain Shining Armor of the royal guard and his wife Princess Cadence stood beside each other surveying the placement of the royal guard ponies. Despite the complete lack of conflict between the two species, security would have to be tight seeing as though some of the worlds greatest leaders would be in attendance today. Shining Armor sensed this, hence his alert status at the moment.
"Honey, loosen up a bit! Today's a happy day!" Cadence said in a lighthearted tone.
"I know it's just, something's up. I can feel it." He said, his wary eyes darting to random figures in the crowd in front of him.
"Ha, you know what you need?" The pink princess leaned over to a cotton candy stand and levitated one of the sugary treats towards her husband.
"Wha-"
The pony captain didn't have much time to respond to that seeing as though a clump of pink fluff was now lodged in his mouth. Cadence chuckled heartily as her husband rolled his eyes at his wife's antics. To their left, an orange pony donning a brown Stetson trotted over and confronted the two with some apple-themed delights.
"Hey there you two! Why don't ya'll try some 'o Applejack's famous apple fritters while you're snacking off the carts." The farm pony spoke with a slight country accent.
Princess Cadence gladly tried one while Shining Armor chewed the cotton candy that was already in his mouth. Nearby a horn blew, signaling the arrival of the president of the United States. Trailing behind the older man was what the ponies could only assume was the first lady and a detail of staff. Following them were some shady looking humans dressed in suits, almost attaching themselves to the president's side.
"Wow. They sure look like a secretive bunch don't they?" Said Applejack to nopony in particular.
"What? How can you tell?" Asked Cadence.
"I tend to catch onto these kind of things. Element of honesty, remember?" Said the farm pony, tapping the necklace she was wearing.
A quirky pink pony with fluffy hair rushed towards the group at an unnatural speed to greet the consort, only to be sidestepped by the men in black as they stopped her, one of them reaching for his firearm.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Mike Decker yelled as he drew his sidearm.
The pink pony skidded to a stop and looked at Decker with curiosity in her eyes. She eyed the gun in his hand, comically bending her neck to get a good look at it.
"Agent, lower your gun please." Said the first lady.
Mike hadn't noticed he was aiming the barrel of the gun directly between the pony's eyes, which was drawing quite a bit of attention. Lowering his pistol, Decker apologized in a humble voice.
"Sorry ma'am. She just startled me is all."
"Understandable agent, but you need to loosen up a bit. Today is a day to celebrate!" The president cut in.
Nodding his head, Mike holstered the gun and resumed his position, putting his men at ease. The princesses of the land, accompanied by a large unicorn in blue armor approached the consortium and smiled.
"President McCreary, such a pleasure to have you here!" Spoke Celestia.
"Likewise your highness. Princesses, meet my wife, Beatrice." Said the president.
The first lady grinned and bowed respectively as the princesses smiled with approval. Resuming from where she left off, princess Celestia spoke once more.
"This is my sister, Princess Luna, and my niece, princess Cadence. That is princess Cadence's husband, Shining Armor, captain of the royal guard. You've already met Pinkie Pie, one of the elements of harmony." She said, motioning to the pink pony who stood waving next to her.
The president bowed for the other princesses and shook Shining Armor's hoof. Returning to his wife's side, president McCreary began introducing his staff. After speaking highly of all his faculty, the president gestured to the man next to him.
"This here, is Agent Mike Decker. He's my most trusted agent in the service. This fellow has saved my life more times than you can imagine!" Boasted the president.
Decker bowed for the princesses. Across from him stood the captain of the royal guard. They both awkwardly eyed each other for a few moments until the president and the princess were done conversing. Through his darkened glasses, Mike could easily make out Shining Armor's features. The pony had obviously gotten in a fight or two before today according to his muscle tone and the small scuffs on his armor.
"Agent Decker?" Hailed the president.
Mike snapped back to reality and noticed that president McCreary was actually talking to him.
"Yes sir?"
"Why don't you take the rest of the security detail and go with captain Armor? He'll help you post the men in the best places." Said the president as he started off with the princesses towards the ornately designed platform that was to be the stage where they would be seated.
Keeping his agents with him, Decker approached the guard pony.
"So . . . Shining Armor is it?" He asked, unsure of how to shoot off the conversation.
"Yeah. If you'll follow me, I can take you to the command post we have set up not far from here." Said Shining Armor.
"Sounds like a plan. C'mon guys." Mike spoke through his earpiece.
On that note, the combined force of guards began their trip to the guard post, completely unaware of the malicious group of ponies and humans wading their way through the crowd.
The day was proceeding just as planned for the Hell Storm Reapers as they took up position near the podium and at various positions giving them good vantage points over the crowd and the security detail. The Equestrians had posted their guards, and they still had no clue of the coming attack. In a small café near the town square, the Leviathan met with the leader of the mercenaries to plan their attack. The two wore clever civilian attire so as not to be suspected of terroristic activities. All of the malevolent ponies and mercenaries did that day.
"Once I give the signal, my loyal followers shall take out the guard ponies here and here. You must take your men and eliminate the agents at these specific locations. From there we will apprehend the president and the three princesses. You have the equipment correct?" Said the Leviathan.
"Yep. These MI grenades ought to do the trick." The man said, tapping the suitcase next to him.
A personal invention of the mercenary, MI (Magic incapacitating) grenades were used to render a unicorn's magic useless, perfect for a quick snatch and grab on magically powered targets.
"Good. When we capture the princesses, meet here with the human president and we will discuss next steps." Spoke the Leviathan as he pointed to a location on the map.
"You got it. We'll have him as soon as we clear the podium." Said the mercenary.
The Leviathan shifted in his seat and leaned toward the man.
"And what if the humans succeed in securing their leader? What will you do then?" He asked.
The mercenary leader, a middle-aged man wearing a red beret and chic sunglasses, smirked and brushed off the question.
"Don't worry, our man on the inside will take care of that."
The stage that stood in the middle of the Canterlot town square was brimming with streamers and confetti as the president of the United States and the princesses of Equestria took their seats overlooking the celebration. In front of them stationed at various positions stood the royal guard and the secret service, ready to spring into action if need be. Mike Decker and captain Shining Armor stood guard at the helm of the stage, scanning the crowd for any suspicious looking figures.
"Hey, you see anything?" Asked Decker.
"No. Why?" Whispered Shining Armor.
"That's what's bugging me. I don't see jack-shit." He replied.
The crowd ahead of them looked normal. Just a bunch of happy, smiling civilians sharing a beautiful day together. Behind the two, the leaders of the two countries spoke like old friends, discussing casual and pressing matters. The elements of harmony sat together on the other side of the princesses. The rainbow pony had just arrived, her performance of the 'sonic rainboom' both flawless and mind-blowing. Decker, suspecting a possible attempt on the president's life, ordered a sitrep from his men on the perimeter of the crowd.
"Harrison, what do you see?" Decker asked through his earpiece.
"Nothing sir." Replied the man.
Mike switched channels.
"McConnell, you see anything up there?" Decker said as he looked to one of the watchtowers in the distance.
"No sir." Reported McConnell.
Calming down, Decker needed one more bit of reassurance. Switching channels once more, he spoke in a calmer voice.
"Ramirez?"
Silence.
"Ramirez? Hey Rookie!"
Nothing.
"Where the hell is that kid?"
The Leviathan smiled a devious smile. In a few moments, he would set his plan in motion and the wretched kingdom of those witches up on stage would end in such a glorious downfall, it would be remembered for generations. Nodding to the man next to him, the Leviathan removed his cloak in a dramatic fashion, gazing at the princesses from his vantage point as the mercenary leader signaled the strike.
"So it begins." He said.
High above in a watchtower, the walkie-talkie on mercenary Joshua Blake's waist clicked on and a voice crackled through.
"Do it." Was all the voice said.
Creeping silently through the door, Blake walked up to the secret service agent standing guard, pulled out his knife, and slit the man's throat. Catching the agent before his body thudded onto the hard wood floor, Blake set the man down and reached for the box he had set down outside the room. Undoing the latches on it's side, Blake pulled out a long tube and loaded the shell in the front as he stepped toward the window and aimed his RPG-7 at the base of the stage.
30 seconds ago . . .
Shining Armor squinted in the blinding sunlight and was able to just faintly see one of his guard ponies fall backwards into an alleyway.
Then another.
And another.
Somehow, his guards were dropping like flies and he could do nothing to stop it.
"Agent Decker!" Shining Armor whispered loudly in the man's direction, but the agent was too preoccupied at the moment.
Mike Decker was too busy watching the small black dot that was agent McConnell pitch backwards into the small room on top of the watchtower he was stationed in. Touching the button on his earpiece, Decker hailed the agent in a silent yet frantic voice.
"McConnell? Do you read?" He asked.
Two seconds later, a figure with a long pole-like object emerged from the window, setting his sights directly at the podium.
Decker had milliseconds to react.
"MR. PRESIDENT GET DOW-"
BOOM!
The explosion that followed was earth shattering. The base of the stage was totally destroyed, bits of splintered wood flying everywhere. Mike Decker was thrown to the ground as the ear-splitting shockwave of the RPG knocked him at least ten feet from where he was originally standing. Battered, Bruised, but not dead, Decker shot up and clambered back onto the stage in a desperate attempt to save the president.
"All agents converge on the stage!" Decker screamed through his earpiece.
Jumping through the lingering smoke, Decker caught site of the podium where the president and the first lady sat nearby. The president was being carried away by a . . . pony? At that moment, gunfire erupted in the crowd, and the torrent of screams began. Drawing his sidearm, Decker alerted any active agents through his headset.
"We have a priority one situation! The president has been taken! I repeat the president has been taken! Cut them off near the back end of the stage!" He yelled.
Still on the stage, Shining Armor stood guard near the princesses and the elements, who also assumed aggressive stances. At that moment, three humans and two earth ponies confronted them menacingly, two of the humans pulling out small metal orbs. Shining Armor prepared to charge just as the human assailants threw the objects. They bounced near the stallion and the princesses and came to a stop right before their hooves. The grenade-like sphere went off and a shockwave rippled through the ponies. Any unicorns that got hit, including Shining Armor and the princesses, wavered then hit the ground.
"Grab 'em!" Shouted one of the mercenaries.
Too dazed to fire accurately, Decker could only watch as the attackers grabbed the princesses and the purple pony known as Twilight Sparkle, hopping off the stage and starting off in a random direction. Before he could chase after them a man armed with a kukri jumped in Decker's way, threatening him with the large cutting knife.
"Eat it you son of a-"
That was all the mercenary could get out before Decker put a bullet in the man's head.
"Advise all units, any armed men not in uniform are hostile! I repeat, hostile! Check your fire and watch for civies!" He ordered through his mic.
Proceeding to the center of the stage, Decker took in the full scope of the chaos surrounding him. Stray bullets emanated from the crowd as hundreds dispersed wildly in every direction. On the floor lie Shining Armor, breathing but in critical condition. He wasn't physically hurt but obviously that shock charge had done something to him.
"Come on buddy, I got ya!" Decker said as he pulled him to a safer spot.
The other elements stood in shock, shielding their other unicorn friend who had collapsed from any harm. In front of them, a pony dressed entirely in red confronted them, cackling like a villain would in a movie. Decker put two bullets in him.
That's all it took.
The pony slumped to the ground in front of the traumatized ponies, blood leaking from the two new holes in his head. Catching a glimpse of the first lady sitting terrified in a pile of rubble, Decker ordered the nearest agent to secure her. Below, he caught site of a small security detail moving to stop the mercenaries that had made off with the president. Catching up, Decker found that it consisted of only him, agent Dexter, agent O'Riley, and agent Ramirez.
"Alright guys, lets go get our president." He said, motioning for them to follow him.
Following the closely knit alleyways that the mercenaries had gone down, Decker and his team had finally caught up to the group carrying the president. Three armed men trailed behind the ponies that had president McCreary slung over their side.
"Watch your fire! Don't hit the president!" Said Decker as he aimed carefully at the pony carrying it's precious cargo.
One shot later, the pony dropped to the ground and the president rolled away, completely exposing the mercenaries.
"Weapons free! Weapons free!" Mike shouted.
It was over in a few seconds.
"Move up, secure the president!"
The three agents advanced and hounded the old man, checking for any wounds. Decker stood to the side and issued orders through his earpiece.
"All agents, this is Decker. We have apprehended the president. I repeat, we have apprehended the president. Move to the location that I have marked on your GPS's." Said Decker.
Behind Mike, two shots rang out as the agent whirled around to fight off the incoming assailants. But something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Before him lay the facedown motionless bodies of agents Dexter and O'Riley, both with small red holes in the back of their heads. Agent Ramirez stood in front of them, his pistol's barrel smoking. The kid smirked, and Decker felt a sharp pain in his waist.
And you?
Meh, once or twice.
Meh, once or twice.
Meh, once or twice.
The distant conversation with Ramirez echoed in Mike's head.
But he never heard the third shot as he fell onto his backside, a small bullet hole in his midsection beginning to gush blood.
Ramirez continued to smile that conniving smile of his as he bent down, slinging the unconscious president over his shoulders. Mike couldn't do anything about it. He barely had enough strength to utter words, all willpower sapped from his body because of that one bullet.
"You son-of-a-bitch! You took an oath!" Decker screamed as he writhed in pain on the ground.
"Yeah, I did. I just got paid more to double-cross you guys." Said Ramirez.
Decker watched Ramirez walk away completely unhindered with the president hanging over his shoulders just as he blacked out, an unrelenting darkness overwhelming him.
Agent Mike Decker awoke to the sounds of mild gunfire and screaming, a familiar figure standing over him.
"Decker? Are you okay?" Asked the pony.
Shining Armor.
"No, do I look like I'm okay? There's a hole in my god-damn stomach and that bastard got away with the president of the United States of America!" Complained Decker.
"Well, as long as you're still alive, we'd better see to the criminals that just made off with our leaders." Said Shining Armor.
"Alright, help me up." Decker strained.
The pony captain hoisted the man to his feet despite the agent's constant groans of pain. The last bit of blood that hadn't clotted trickled down his shirt, but Decker persisted. Standing up, Mike noticed that Shining Armor wasn't alone, a few of his own royal guards standing watch a few feet away.
"Your man escaped with the president in the same direction that my guards said the Hell Storm Reapers went." Noted the pony captain.
"The what?" Asked Decker.
"The Hell Storm Reapers. They're the ponies responsible for this whole fiasco. We bag their leader, the Leviathan, and this whole operation falls apart, you'll see." Said Shining Armor as he motioned for the small group to follow them.
Slapping a new clip into his handgun, Decker followed the brave guards without hesitation.
The group emerged from the back alleys of Canterlot, only to confront a group of reapers and mercenaries harassing a small assembly of civilians. Nearby, two agents and a guard pony lay dead in a bloody heap, a smirking pony standing over them. Utilizing years of practiced execution, Decker set his sights on a mercenary with a pair of shades and a red beret. He fired, and the bullet pierced the man's glasses, bursting his left eyeball into tiny red bits as it passed through the lens.
"Guards, Forward!" Yelled Shining Armor as the ponies engaged in expert fashion.
Skulls were crushed, limbs were severed, and every last mercenary and corrupt pony was slaughtered. Setting the civilians free from their bonds, the group continued on down the street. They passed panicked crowds, burning shop stalls, and dead bodies when they finally came across a small checkpoint manned by a few mercenaries. Behind them sat the town's treasury. Through the window, Decker saw multiple corrupt ponies and humans passing by each other.
What he saw next however, made his heart skip a beat.
Agent Ramirez, the president slung over his shoulders, passed by two ponies carrying the princesses and a small purple pony in their magical grip.
"Did you see that?" Decker asked Shining Armor.
Unaware of how loud he was actually speaking, the ponies and mercenaries at the checkpoint looked directly at them and snarled. The mercenaries flipped the safeties of their rifles and opened fire, barraging the group with holy hellfire.
"Jesus, me and big mouth!" Moaned Decker as he returned fire with his meager pistol.
The walls near and behind them were immediately filled with pock marks, the mercenaries never seeming to run out of ammo. Two of Shining Armor's guards had already been cut down and agent Decker could hardly get a bead on any of the assailants.
"We need to get a move on! My president and your princesses are in the treasury!" Decker said, emptying his clip with the utmost accuracy and precision.
Seeing no options, Decker was about to suggest waiting till the mercenaries ran out of ammo until he saw a good opportunity to end this fire fight once and for all. One of the mercenaries, a skinny Asian man in his twenties, pulled the pin on a grenade he was holding. Time seemed to slow for Decker as he analyzed the situation. The universe had thrown him a bone, and Mike decided he would take it.
"Gotcha . . ." He seemed to whisper in slow-motion.
With unbelievable accuracy, the bullet fired from Decker's gun impacted the grenade and burst into tiny bits of shrapnel in the man's hands, killing, maiming, and all around destroying the remaining mercenaries at the checkpoint.
"Bingo. C'mon, lets move." Decker said, leaving behind an exasperated Shining Armor, his mouth agape.
Decker, Shining Armor, and whatever remained of the pony captain's guard force regrouped at the front door. They stacked up to breach, some waiting by the windows and others ready to kick down the door.
"Ready?" Asked the captain of the guard.
"You know it." Replied Decker.
Agent Ramirez sat smiling as he and the rest of the mercenaries counted their paychecks in the west wing of the treasury. The diamonds that sat in front of the poor, greedy excuse of a man shimmered in the sunlight that shone through the window. With Decker out of the way, nothing was going to keep Ramirez from a deluxe condo, a new Porsche, and cold martini on the beach.
BAM!
The loud sound startled Ramirez and the mercenaries that were sitting in the room as they looked up from their new riches. Gathering up as much as they could, the corrupt men picked up their weapons and headed out the door to confront this new bump in the road. Ramirez remained for a moment, staring at his treasure trove. He could feel the diamonds slipping through his fingers like sand through a sieve.
"No . . ." He snarled as he picked up his satchel and headed down the hall to the small room where the Leviathan was keeping the president and the princesses.
"On your left!" Yelled Decker.
With a swift kick, Shining Armor bucked the lower jaw off of a reaper, causing it to fly straight into two others, knocking them to the ground. The breach ended just as soon as it began, the attacking Equestrians incapacitating any hostiles with expert proficiency. Kicking down the door was the easy part, fighting their way to the room where the mercenaries kept the real prize was going to be tough.
"We're clear! Captain, take your ponies and go down that hall, I'll search this one!" Shouted Decker.
With a quaint nod of the head, Shining Armor and Mike Decker split up, each taking their own path down the labyrinth of halls. Decker snaked down each corridor, aiming his gun like a rail-shooter at an arcade. He rounded a corner, passing a bust of some famous pony, and gazed upon two mercenaries stuffing diamonds in a small satchel.
"C'mon, we gotta high-tail it outta here before- oh shit . . ." Said the smaller one, looking down the barrel of Decker's gun in horror.
They were down in two shots, one for each of them.
Advancing further down a dimly lit hall, Decker encountered a lone Hell Storm Reaper sharpening his blade with a small rock. Mike took a step further and crunched on a piece of glass, getting the attention of the pony. The reaper looked up from his blade even as he continued to run the jagged rock across it, smiling an evil smile.
"Hello my friend, have you come to be freed of all sin? My blade beckons you." He spoke.
"Fuck you."
Just as Decker was about to pull the trigger, the overhead lights went out, flickering uncontrollably until the power was restored. The entire time, the malevolent pony smiled his evil smile. The lights regained full power, but the reaper was no longer there, all that remained in his place was the small rock he was sharpening his scimitar with.
"Well shit. Come out, come out, wherever you-"
Decker was cut short as a sharp sting ran across his cheek, a thin red line forming just above his jawline. The shadow that swept past him was lightening fast, it's blade sharper than Mike could have ever imagined. At the end of the hall stood the reaper, standing tall with the sword floating in his telekinetic grip, a wide grin on his face. Upon further inspection, Decker could see that this evil thing was a unicorn. A bat-shit crazy, fucked-up-in-the-noggin unicorn. The pony ran the blade across his tongue, sampling Mike's blood.
"Delicious. You taste good, I want more." The reaper spoke in an eerie tone.
His horn lit up a bright red, and he was gone, but only just. Decker could feel the sharp stinging again, but this time along his back, and again on his leg. Falling to one knee, Mike was getting really tired and infuriated at the frivolity of this game. This sadistic game of hide-and-go-seek. Mike could almost sense where the pony was going to end up this time as he drew his knife, whirled around, and slashed the air with his combat knife.
Only it wasn't the air.
There the pony stood, quivering with an almost pitiable look of confusion on his face. The two stood frozen in time, one stopped mid-slash, the other standing stock-still as a thin red line formed at the base of his neck.
"Oh . . . my . . ."
That was all the pony could say before he trailed off and the gash in his neck opened up and began flooding out it's contents. He slumped to the ground, permitting Decker passage to the next room over.
"Alright then, moving on." Mike mumbled to himself as he limped away from the Leviathan's second-in-command.
For what seemed like an eternity, Mike wandered the halls, not encountering any more hostiles. His awareness had almost dropped, but that changed when he rounded the next corner. Moving hastily down the hall was a young man, possibly in his twenties, wearing clothing identical to Decker's.
"RAMIREZ!" Yelled Mike.
The traitor stared right at Mike with fear in his eyes as he ran through the next doorway. Decker pursued wildly, letting his guard down as he barreled down the passageway toward the thing he wanted to rip apart most in the world at the moment.
"Oh no you don't you little bastard!" He cursed.
Running through the same doorway Ramirez had used to escape, Decker's face was met with a large vase as it smashed to pieces on his hardened skin.
"OW, FUCK!"
Mike reeled back, clutching his face and clearing the broken shards of terracotta out of his sight just as Ramirez came at him with a letter opener he had grabbed off of the nearest desk. Unable to use his gun seeing as though he had dropped it when he was hit with the vase, Decker parried the kid's inexperienced thrust easily and grabbed his arm as he flew by. Using Ramirez's momentum from the attack against him, Decker threw the kid toward the wall, but there wasn't solid plaster when the false agent slammed into it. Ramirez hit a glass pane, easily smashing it to bits as he tumbled out the window he was just thrown out of. The traitor fell through the air, screaming all the way until he stopped abruptly, suspended in mid-air. Ramirez's body was pierced by a tall flagpole, his torso making a sickening meaty sound as it slid down the metal pole.
"Good riddance you punk." Decker sneered as he turned away from the window.
Mike, battered and bruised, continued down the hall toward whatever challenge awaited him next.
Shining Armor and his guard ponies, or whatever was left of them, were exhausted from fighting their way down the plethora of halls filled to the brim with fanatics and corrupt humans. They finally came to a pair of double doors sitting at the end of a long corridor. Inside, the pony captain could hear multiple voices speaking frantically about the situation at hoof. Smirking, Shining Armor ordered his two royal guards to stack up on the door and await his command to knock it down.
"Now!" He signaled.
The door was knocked down with such force, it flew across the room slamming directly into a mercenary. Rushing in, Shining Armor found himself face-to-face with the one pony in the world he didn't want to be near at all.
The Leviathan.
"Stand down. You are hereby under arrest for the kidnapping of Equestrian royalty and foreign officials." Shining Armor spoke determinedly.
The Leviathan cackled as he rushed toward the stallion who was now the one thing standing between Equestria's freedom and the total downfall of life as he knew it. His other guard ponies were too busy to notice their captain get head butted across the room as they engaged the other reapers. With the wind knocked out of him, Shining armor could only gaze across the room at his wife and little sister, both looking terribly weak.
"Shining . . ." Was all Cadence could say before her head slumped back down.
In a moment of hope, Shining Armor noticed that both of his guards had prevailed, the two veterans now confronting the Leviathan.
"Stop . . . y-you f-f-fiend!" His Lieutenant stuttered, fear lingering in his voice.
With a smug grin, the Leviathan advanced on the two ponies, catching them completely off guard. The first one he reached was bucked out a nearby window, the second one receiving two deadly blows to the head.
They were gone in less than a minute.
"NO!" Yelled Shining armor as he moved to attack.
Looking foolish, Shining Armor was bucked across the room and into a glass case containing a model of the town hall. Like several bones in the pony captain's body, the model smashed into bits. Grunting in pain, Shining Armor could only look up in defeat as the Leviathan trotted over to him, preparing to deal the killing blow.
"Any last words, you foolish colt?" He hissed.
BANG!
Shining Armor looked up at the Leviathan, his face wearing an odd expression. The evil pony's eyes rolled up in his head as he fell over on his side revealing a small hole in the side of his head. Looking for the culprit, the captain of the guard saw a lone figure standing by the door, a smoking gun in his hand.
"Asshole." Decker muttered under his breath.
Walking over to the injured pony, Mike leaned down and hoisted the captain onto his shoulders for support.
"Hey there buddy, you look like use a hand. Or two opposable thumbs." Joked Decker.
The two chuckled lightly, both looking like hammered-shit, and then proceeded to cut the president's and princesses' bonds, ending the wild goose chase that had already claimed so many lives that day.
Despite the past events that had occurred earlier that afternoon, Decker rested peacefully under the shade of a tree. Taking another sip from his water bottle, Mike noticed that a familiar pony donning blue armor had taken a seat next to him.
"Can I get a sip of that?" Shining Armor asked, gazing out at the destruction that was the city square.
Decker handed the bottle to the pony as he levitated it towards his lips. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet and company of each other until Shining Armor decided to speak up.
"Decker, I need to ask you a question." The pony said.
"Shoot."
"What you did back there, rallying everypony and pretty much saving the day, that was amazing. How did you pull it together in a time of such widespread panic and do, well . . . that?" The captain of the guard asked.
Mike savored that for a moment and thought of his next words carefully. He could have given Shining Armor a long speech about honor and doing what's right, but he was just too tired to think at the moment. So he just said the first thing that came to mind at the moment.
"Well dude . . . it was just another day at the office."
Yeah, that'll do.
