Like a Bullet from a Gun

Alex's headset - Red

Daniel's headset - Orange

Connor's headset - Brown

Rhod's headset - Blue

Take the shot.

A second after Alex muttered this phrase, the unmistakeable sound of a gunshot rang through the air. Looking down at where the bullet was supposed to hit, Alex could a Changeling leaning up against the wall, and as he slowly slid down the wall it revealed a splash of blood and brain matter glued to the spire. He could see the Changeling who was next to him eyes light up in fear, before he too was taken down with another gunshot ringing through the air.

Two tangos down. Four to go. Connor, this is your time to shine.

Got it!

Shortly after, Alex could hear the roar of a war cry, followed by the stamping of hooves. Looking over to his right, Alex could see Connor charging towards the spire, followed about half a dozen ponies behind him. Even though he admired Connor's courage, he couldn't have felt a little peeved at the fact that Connor had disregarded all sense of stealth.

As you would think, as Connor was running down towards the spire, he fired off a whole clip worth of bullets. All but one of them hit the side of the spire, but one managed to get itself lodged in the side of a Changeling's chest. It spluttered something unintelligible, then collapsed to the floor. Motionless. Connor quickly got out a new clip, and as he was reloading he pointed towards the other three Changelings left, signalling for his squad to finish them off.

They did as he commanded, and all of them simultaneously charged, kicking up a large cloud of dust behind them. The dust blocked Alex's view for about twenty seconds, and when it was clear he could see many of Connor's squad standing over the Changeling's dead bodies.

Connor, you got some talented ponies with ya.

I know right? Really makes you feel like you're in safe hands. came the static covered reply.

Connor, you are in charge of them, not the other way round.

Guess what? Shut it.

Shut up all of you, ready for the next stage. Everyone/pony, charge the spire!

He shouted this so the headset could pick it up, but so could the ponies who were crouching behind him. Pointing towards the spire, Alex started to run forward, squad in tow. His gun suddenly felt very heavy in his hands, but that was because he wasn't exactly the most fit person in the world back on Earth. Persevering and running forward once more, Alex could hear the clipity clopity of hooves behind him. God he loved that noise.

After about thirty seconds of solid running, all four squads met around what they presumed to be the entrance, a large gaping hole the size of a truck.

So, how are we gonna go about this?

I say we charge in. Surely brute force will be the way of the future. Amplify, got the explosive ready?

"Yeah!" shouted a deep croaky voice from behind him.

Okay, let's charge!

Shortly after, the clipity clopity of hooves and feet picked up once again, as the small army made their way inside the black towering spire.

Disgusting.

The only word going through Alex's head at that moment was Disgusting.

Black walls, black floor, black ceiling, and to top it off lots of neon green slime dripping form above in the narrow corridors packed with what looked like black cocoons.

Effectively, it looked like a child's nightmare.

"They must be nocturnal," muttered Alex, discarding his headset long ago. "All of them are sleeping inside those cocoon things."

"Looks like a beehive. But with no bees." said Connor.

"How does this place share any fucking resemblance to a beehive?" mumbled Daniel, who was standing next to Alex as they delved deeper to the main barracks; where they were to set of the explosive.

"Fine. Sorry, mister Technicality..."

"Look." interrupted Rhod. "If they are nocturnal, it will be eaier to plant the bomb without these, these things knowing."

"I guess you are right." responded Conspire. "Amplify, still got a hold of it?"

"Yep." came the muffled response.

After several minutes of silent, monotonous walking, they reached what looked like some sort of mess hall. It had a black table, many stools, and off to the right was a counter. Near the top of the room was a large set of double doors, that presumably led to the main barracks.

"Okay, drill time. We go for a breach. All of us on the left and rights sides of that door, and I will open it. I will signal if clear. Understood?"

A chorus of 'Yes sir's came back to Alex's ears.

"Just what I like to hear."

Moving into position, alex could hear the muffled sound of talking from within the barracks. Leaning forward, Alex could hear what they were saying.

"B-but Chrysalis," came a young female voice. "I-I have a husband and children! Please, may your kind soul have mercy on me this time? Please?!"

"Me? Kind soul?" came a deeper, but still feminine voice. "You seem to have me mixed up with another one of you, you whining little bitch. Now, just hold still...."

"You guys hearing thi-" Alex was cut off by an ear-piercing scream erupting from the room they were situated outside of.

"Breach."

Alex, with all his strength and might, kicked open the door, shredding it to pieces. When the dust from the wreck cleared, Alex could see a large black mare with dark green hair. She was currently in the task of impaling a cream coloured pegasus with her horn, and Alex could see blood on the ground. There were about 50 changelings surrounding the black mare, which Alex interpreted to be the cult leader or something. All the changelings were string at the door, their bright blue eyes open wide with shock. Slowly turning around, the black mare looked at the group of 18 troops with a hatred only known to Lucifer himself. With a cold, heartless voice she said:

"Well? What are you waiting for, children?"

As these words were muttered, Alex could hear a deafening buzz as all of the changelings took off into the air,a their fly like instincts telling them to charge at the opposers. Alex fired off 14 rounds into the swarm, all shots hitting and killing some. Rhod, Daniel and Connor soon joined in on the firing, and so did the pony troops with their spears. They charged in a multitude of directions, their blades taking down the changeling like a hot knife through butter. Gunshots rang through the once desolate air, as the changelings fired their neon green magic bursts in all directions, one of them hitting anything but the walls and the ceiling.

Alex once again heard that oh so familiar voice of Chrysalis.

"Any last words?"

Surprised at her choice of vocabulary, Alex quickly looked over in the direction he heard her voice. Being held down by Chrysalis was none other than Shockwave, his struggling being easily contained by the devil mare. Looking over to Alex with new found courage in his eyes, he turned back to Chrysalis.

"Yeah. Die for Peace."

"NO!" shouted Alex, but it was too late. Alex saw the burst of energy come expelling out of Chrysalis' horn, the beam hitting Shockwave straight in the chest. His blood splattered everywhere, and all that was left of his torso was a gaping, seeping hole.

"You fucking faggot!"

"Language, now dearie." said Chrysalis, looking up from her newest victim. "Do you even think that your weapons can defeat me? The mighty Queen of the Changelings?! I can protect myself easily from all the spears and blades in the wor-. That's not a spear, is it?"

"No, bitch. Die for Peace. Not in Peace."

Alex shot of twenty rounds into the Queen's head, sending yet more green blood everywhere. It coated the nearby wall and floor, as her lifeless body hit the ground. As her head hit the cold black tiles, the rest of the swarm dropped dead, and a satisfying 'Kablomb' sound was heard.

"Woot!" shouted Rhod. "All of them are dead now, right?!"

"As much as you may know," corrected Amplify. "They can still stay active for another 24 hou- SHOCKWAVE?! NO!"

Amplify ran towards his deceased friends body, tears falling free from his eyes.

"Fucking hell..."

Walking slowly over to where Amplify was sobbing over his friends loss, Alex decided to speak up.

"Amplify, you need to focus. We can get them back for what she did. I know it won't bring him back, but it will help. Now come on, let's blow these suckers sky high before they wake up again. After all, you are the only one here who knows how to activate the bomb."

"I-I guess you are right. Come on." said Amplify, holding out his hoof. Alex gladly shook it, as he walked over to the centre of the room where the bomb was to be planted. Amplify followed him shortly after, and did the pony equivilent of kneeling as he pulled a bomb-like object out from his saddlebags. After fiddling with a few buttons and wires, an annoying beeping sound echoed throughout the room.

"That's our queue!" said Alex, running out of the room quickly, followed shortly after by his (now reduced) squad members. He cruised through the tight passages and corners, jumped over ledges and cocoons on the floor. Slime was still dripping from the ceiling and at one point it landed on Alex's arm, and it burnt through the top layer of skin. 'It must be acid.' figured Alex. After a solid five minutes of running Alex was finally out in the sweet sunshine again, accompanied by his squad. They couldn't stop now though. Pelting up the banks where they had first set up and down the other side, Alex moved into position where he could get a good view of the detonation and still be safe. Looking down, he could see Amplify galloping, before shortly jumping and landed beside Alex.

"Amplify, how long left till the explosion?"

"Explosion should be happening right about........ now."

*KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Looking behind him just after the blast had finished, Alex looked in marvel at his bumps on his back.

"What the fuck are you?"

THE END