Chapter Twenty-One
Fire from the Skies

The first explosions rang through the sky as the Felines rained fire on the first hangar of the Appleloosan Airbase at Shining Armor’s request, the fuel tanks inside only adding to the intensity of the blasts. The hangar crumbled to the ground in minutes, leaving only two to go.

“Move it, Peace Fighters!” Shining commanded, levelling his CSC-12C and opening fire on the Imperial troops that had come to stop them. Automatic and semi-automatic fire clattered in the air as the two sides battled. Shining Armor in particular kept the heat on the Empire, loading and emptying magazine after magazine of his CSC-12C in to the enemy.

“Sharpclaws, take three and flank them around the right side. We’ll keep them pinned down!” Shining Armor ordered, spotting the flank of one Imperial soldier hanging out of cover and delivering four rounds into his cutie mark, putting him down.

“Understood, Champion Armor!” Sharpclaws declared, referring to the Peace Fighter captain using the title of the highest rank of the Feline Army. Selecting the three Peace Fighters closest to her Sharpclaws took off into the rubble of the city.

Proceeding past a house that had a half-scorched name of ‘-aeburn’ on the mangled mailbox Sharpclaws and her assault team pushed down an alley in between two houses and came up on the open flank of the Imperial soldiers Shining Armor and the rest of the squad were battling. Taking aim on the enemy the Feline’s team opened fire, cutting them down in mere moments.

“Nice job, Sharpclaws! Now, let’s go get the last of these hangars!” Shining declared, the team moving near the second hangar. Getting on the radio Shining yelled “Feline artillery, get ready to fire on the second hangar!”

Sliding the aircraft door open Shining slid a radio beacon deep into the building and ran as far away as he could with his team, reaching cover and turning around just in time to see the Feline artillery strike the hangar; the shells flaming like meteorites from space as they impacted the building, blasting it apart with the aid of the fuel tanks inside. One spectacular explosion in particular vaporized the hangar, leaving just one more.

“Let’s keep moving, Peace Fighters. We’ll be done here soon!” Shining Armor declared, rushing forth with his fellow soldiers. With but one hangar remaining the Empire would throw all that remained at the Peace Fighters scattered across the city to keep them away.

Final hangar in sight the Peace Fighters were about to end the battle in Appleloosa when Imperial attack craft soared overhead. They were Airborne Vertical Take Off Rocket Propelled Attack Craft-75s, vehicles designed with a blending of helicopters and rocket planes, with thruster technology that allowed them to move faster than DRAVMs and other aircraft save for FMAAUMs. They were fast and lethal.

Diving behind cover Shining and the Peace Fighters with him watched the AVTORPACs firing at them, machine guns blazing away on all three. Their vertical thrusters streaming fire into the air to keep them afloat.

A metal thunk behind Captain Armor alerted him to Master Sharpclaws reloading her rocket system, spinning it onto her shoulder and looking up at the Imperial aircraft. Taking aim on the first one the Feline Master fired both tubes and sent two rockets streaking through the sky. The pilot of the lead AVTORPAC saw the missiles long before they reached him and reacted appropriately, firing emergency thrusters which sent his vehicle flying to the right. The rockets flashed by him and detonated harmlessly on the walls of the final hangar.

“Damn it. I’ve got a plan” Shining Armor exclaimed, bolting from cover, immediately getting the attention of the pilots of the AVTORPACs, who turned to give chase. Sprinting around the right side of the hangar Shining was followed right behind by the enemy.

Reaching the other side of the hangar gave the Captain a moment of respite, and he got on the radio. “Feline artillery, be ready to fire!” Captain Armor declared, arming the radio beacon and taking it with him inside the hangar.

“Champion Armor, the beacon is telling us it’s still attached to you. If we fire you vill be killed!” the artillery officer protested.

“FIRE! That’s an order!” Shining yelled, looking up at the windowed ceiling of the hangar and watching flaming streaks trial through the afternoon sky, barreling down on the hangar. Outside, the three AVTORPACs had surrounded the hangar, waiting for Shining to come out. One was on the far side closest to him, and the other two were closer to the rest of the Peace Fighters, still hunkered down.

When the streaks of fire turned to dots in the sky as they turned toward the target Shining ditched the beacon to the floor and ran as fast as he could back out into the street, surprising the AVTORPAC pilots who spun around as they prepared to shoot him. All three gathered above the hangar and took aim.

Suddenly the artillery strike ripped through them, tearing all three aircraft asunder as they streaked toward the intended target. Landing in the hangar and setting off the fuel tanks the building detonated in a massive fireball, incinerating both the hangar and what remained of the AVTORPACs.

The Appleloosan airbase was destroyed.

“Well done, Peace Fighters. Now it’s time to get out of here!” Shining Armor declared, once more getting on the radio and saying “All on-station DRAVMs, it’s time to leave. Let’s get moving.”

Shining watched the DRAVMs fly in and land at random places in the town, one landing near his team and all of them boarding. Taking one last look at the flaming ruins of the hangars Captain Armor silently congratulated himself and his soldiers on a mission complete, and leaned back in his seat to relax.

A heavy clang was heard on the roof of the DRAVM and all inside looked up at the ceiling, wondering what it was. Suddenly the vehicle rocked like a raft on the stormy sea and began to fall at an uncomfortable speed.

“What was that?!” Shining yelled, staggering into the cockpit as best he could. Alarms were going off like crazy on the displays.

“Our rotors, sir! They appear to be destroyed!” the pilot exclaimed.

Without the rotors, vertical lift was impossible on the DRAVM, and the only reason they weren’t rocketing towards the ground at terminal velocity was because the thrusters were keeping them steady as much as they could.

Suddenly the thrusters gave out and the DRAVM soon slammed into the earth, kicking up plumes of dirt and throwing everyone inside violently to the floor, knocking them all out.

Vision blurred and head swimming Shining Armor awoke, looking out the cockpit window and seeing a pony standing outside, looking in at him. The pony seemed to be of a black color, with glowing blue eyes. As his vision began to clear Captain Armor got a better look at the pony outside, the individual coming into focus. The black coat was revealed to Shining to actually be a black suit of armor, fully encasing the pony’s body, and the blue eyes were actually the visor. The pony walked forward and casually smashed the glass of the cockpit, grabbing Shining and pulling him out, throwing him to the ground hard.

Looking up at the pony standing over him Shining Armor saw several words printed on the chest; what appeared to be a title and name.

ELEMENT GEAR OPERATIVE 001: MAGIC GEAR.

Author's Note

Author's notes: I know this chapter was short like the last one, but I'm having a really hard fucking time writing these combat chapters now. This story is more about plot rather than combat, and I think the way I've been writing it recently shows that.

Legal note: Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Master Sharpclaws and all related characters belong to me. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro.