The Quest for Changeling Dust
Hello, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Abbarridisimo Tratante, Mr. Tratante to my employees, Abbarro to friends, though you'll no doubt come to know me as Riablo. For nearly a year now I've ran the biggest company in Equestria. Tratante Industries sells technologies to ponies that they never imagined possible.
You see I am human, one of the many that now exist in Equestria since the incident from three years ago. Not much is known about the incident except that it was ended by the six holders of the elements of harmony, and by the six human heroes that helped them. Many humans returned home, around twenty decided to stay.
I was an engineer back on Earth so coming here with their unadvanced technology I had to adapt. Then I realized I can use my human knoledge and sell hundreds of different products that were invented back on Earth and claim them as my own ideas. After quickly becoming a millionare I built a modern mansion right out of the Canterlot city limits. It could be seen from nearly anywhere in Canterlot and the train drove right by it. With all of its high-tech gizmos and doo-dads and sheer size alone it put the royal castle to shame.
I had become a man of power, of importance, which of course attracted the wrong crowd. Little money here, lotta money there and the next thing I know I'm Equestria's kingpin of crime. Surrounded by the best guard's money could buy, griffon mercenaires, unicorns who practice dark magic, skilled pegasus archers, I was untouchable.
But I was the adventurous type and wanted a little fun. Changeling dust is an extremely powerful drug that made weed look like tylenol. After the incident with changelings taking taking over Canterlot I've had more than enough to sell. It's formed when the changeling transforms it's appearance. A smoke cloud forms around their bodies and falls to the ground. It leaves a purple powder that can be collected and when snorted leaves you 'trippin'.
Before the attack from the changelings there was only one way to get the drug. Find a changeling hive, force them to transform in battle, and slaughter them all. Then we'd collect the dust and go home. I formed a group of changeling hunters with four humans. Me, the leader, known as Riablo. 'Tiny Tank Tim, a speedy midget with one hell of a six-pack. Sensei Seth, a black belt with a short fuse. Finally Sarge, an ex-military officer with a thing for weapons. We were armed to the teeth with high-tech weapons, not one of which I had shared with ponykind.
Owning the cleaning crew of Canterlot means I have more than enough changeling dust to get me by for years, but these are the tales of how the job used to get done.
The Quest for Changeling Dust
"So let me see if I got this straight. You want us to join you, a guy we're to call Riablo 'cuz your not gonna give us your real name, a guy who wears a mask that changes your voice, and take the the only high-tech weapons in all of Equestria, which you happen to have, to murder a hell of a lotta changelings in order to collect an extremely powerful drug worth $600 a pound," said Sarge, "and we get to pick whatever weapons we want from your armory?"
I watched as he looked around my vault filled with guns, swords, knives, explosives, etc. I chuckled at the hungry look in his eyes. He was tall, about 6' 9", an African-American-Equestrian with brown hair and eyes. He was really well built. I finally said, "You seem to get the idea."
"Well I'm sure as hell in," he replied.
"So what's the pay?" asked 'Tiny Tank' Tim. He certainly earned his nickname. Standing at only 4'2" he was built like a truck. Veins seem to pop out from every inch of his body with his muscle build making him look like a viking. His long blond hair and brown eyes only complemented this look.
I answered him, "A sixth of the profit each while the man who pays for the supplies gets two-sixths."
"Oddly fair for mob work, I'm in," said Tim.
"What can you tell us about the creatures?" asked the third man. Sensei Seth, a martial arts master, stood a little to the back in the shadows. His eyes were a shocking green and his hair was jet black.
He wore white clothes with his black belt. He was niether particularly tall or particularly short at a fair 5' 8" tall.
"They're evil creatures that prey on the innocent and transform into their loved ones. They feed off their energy until the prey dies," I explained, "They often attack villages and towns."
"Well then I'm in just to rid Equestria of these beasts," said Seth, "though...... the other perks are nice."
"Then you have an hour to choose your gear, meet back here," I told them turning. I walked straight to the glass case with my gear. I put on my bullet proof camo suit with a jacket loaded with gear. The 8-inch dagger I brought from Earth hangs on my hip. My military grade assault rifle is strapped to my back. My belt serves as a container for six grenades, plus a holster for my pistol, and I finally put back on my helmet. I can't trust them to see my face. It looks like a cross between a full head motorcycle helmet, a swat helmet, and a gas mask. Oh, and it's camo.
I go back to where I spoke to the group, the door to the vault right next to an atomic bomb. The first back was the sensei. Seth had an odd collection. On his back in an X shape were to sheathed katanas. Crossing down the middle of the swords was a strapped sniper-rifle. A pouch of shurikens hung off of his left while a pouch of kunai knives hung off his right. In his hands were to Uzis with silencers.
"The weapons kind of clash," he said with a smirk, "but they're all quiet, quick, and deadly." He sat down on a box labeled 'Danger Explosives' and waited for the rest.
The next to come was Tim, whose gear was similar to mine. He wore a swat uniform, and he was wearing a sash made of ammo like you see in the movies. He found a dagger similar to mine and had it strapped to his thigh. In his hands was an AK-47.
"Kay, I'm ready to go, where's Sarge?" asked Tim. Right as he said this Sarge stepped around the corner ready to take down the whole royal guard. He held an assault rifle in each arm, a camo suit that had nearly every inch covered in grenades, a sledgehammer hanging off his side, and an actual bazooka strapped to his back.
"LET'S GET THIS PARTY FUCKING STARTED!" he yelled excitedly.
"Now that everyone's ready, there's a hive twenty miles west of Hooflyn. I estimated they'll make there move onto the town within twenty-four hours. Our ride's waiting out side," I told them.
I nearly laughed when I heard their gasps at the RHINO. It's a heavily armed all-terrain vehicle with eight wheels, missile safe armor, and guns pointing out of all sides. A missile laucher sticks out of the front and a man controlled machine gun turrent sits on the top.
"DIBS ON THE TURRENT!" yelled Sarge as he easily hopped on top, " Have fun on the inside." I drove the RHINO while Tim and Seth manned the weapons. We drove for nearly three hours untill we were in the mountains. We could see the city lights in the distance. I spotted the two guards in front of the hive's entrance.
"That is a changeling," I whispered to my new partners pointing at the insect like creatures.
"Damn, that thing is fugly," Sarge decided.
"MmmHmm," Seth and Tim agreed.
The Quest for Changeling Dust
After giving it some thought it seemed the best strategy was to avoid attention for as long as possible. Picking up a good size rock off the ground I began to explain my plan.
"Seth, I'm going to throw this rock, and when they go to check out the noise, take 'em out," I said. He just nodded. Pitching the rock, it pegged the stone wall ten yards to the beasts' right. In a puff of smoke two wolves went to check out the noise.
I expected to hear a gunshot, but without so much as a sound the two wolves fell to the ground. In another puff of smoke they reverted back to their natural form. After a second I realized that a shuriken was pierced in the back of their heads.
"Holy crap man, nice aim," stuttered Tim with a look of appraisal. Going to the cave entrance I look in and see no changelings for quite a distance. Coming up with a plan I decide that the best strategy is to take out the queen and while they're chasing us we'll finish off the rest.
"Okay we need to get to the heart of the hive.