Pollution expelled from the smoke stacks on the northern edge of Menehattan. The ever setting sun on the horizon emphasized the roaring uprising of smog into the atmosphere.
“Find those two or it'll be us that'll be growin' the boss's petunias! And I don't mean usin' fertilizer!”
Though, most residents either ignore or overlook that particular detail.
“If they get away again, the boss will have a conniption! Move it now!” A gruff dark blue pegasus wearing an eye patch barked at his underlings.
His subordinates scurried about, searching the littered alleyways of occupied buildings. A random mix of unicorn, earth, and pegasus ponies flipped whatever boxes they thought would house the hiding stallions as well as look inside the dumpsters. The observing occupants closed their respective windows and curtains in response to the yelling, not wanting to get involved.
After a couple of minutes, the search came up fruitless for the pursuers. One of the earth ponies came up to the one eyed pegasus, “We...didn't find 'em...” He said it in a meek manner and automatically winced, obviously afraid of his superior.
“What? Damnit!” The boss pegasus stomped his hoof in anger. He turned his attention to a white unicorn conducting his own search on a pile of garbage, his horn glowing with magical energy. “X Ray, did you find anythin'?” His temper subsiding for a moment.
The aforementioned pony ceased his action, “I'm afraid not Bolt.” He said, adjusting his slightly ajar glasses with a hoof, “I can't sense a magic trail.” His voice calm and collected. “They're not using magic to hide themselves.”
The stallion, now known as Bolt, stomped his hoof again after hearing his second-in-command's input, “How do ya hide two ponies that big! One is the same size as a princess!”
The two stallions in hiding was spectating from underneath a huge pile of wet boxes and other debris not too far from the head honcho with smirks on their faces.
X Ray thought for a moment, “What if they're not hiding?”
The pegasus gave the unicorn his full attention.
X Ray continued his thought, “Perhaps, they aren't hiding at all?”
“Hmm, if that's the case...” The dark blue stallion scanned over his subordinates, “Minx! Get over 'ere!”
A lavender colored earth pony ended her investigation and made her way over to Bolt. “Wassup? Change of plans?”
Bolt nodded, “Yeah, keep yer group in the general vicinity. Me and X Ray'll search else-”
A sneeze stopped him mid-sentence. It wasn't the fact that somepony sneezed; it was the fact that it came from a pile of trash that nopony had examined yet.
“You couldn't hold it in, could ya Mach?” The smaller stallion whispered to the bigger, giving an unamused expression through his mask.
Mach rubbed his nose and gave a quiet chuckle, “Sorry Neon, somethin' tickled my nose.” The pegasus answered his unicorn brother.
By now Bolt, X Ray, Minx, and their underlings are staring at the pile.
“You think they found us?” Mach asked, breathing in hard to clear his nose.
“Well, the fact that they're staring real hard and walking toward us. I'd say so.”
Bolt now stood relatively close to the pile with his cohorts beside him. “Alright, come on out. We have ya surrounded.” The dark blue pegasus motioned to his subordinates to encircle the lonely heap of recyclables. “Don't try nothin' stupid.”
Chuckling came from the scrap pile. “Then I guess we'll play it smart.” Neon called out.
This in turn caused Bolt to raise an eyebrow in confusion.
X Ray was the same until he felt a shift of magical energy. “Everypony, get back!”
The white unicorn's warning was to late as a bubble shield of sorts expanded quickly out of the once clumped together boxes and debris knocking back anypony that was close enough into either the walls of buildings or the garbage piles. That included Bolt, Minx, and most of their underlings, but X Ray, having caught on to the move, jumped just outside the range.
With their cover gone, Mach and Neon stood to their full height. Both wearing form fitting jet black uniforms and masks with red tinted lens. The two differences between them was height and species.
Bolt rose to his feet, being one of the lucky ones to not land head first into a building. X Ray dusted himself off, “Orders?”
“Stand guard for now.” The pegasus said, being cautious while Minx staggered to her feet, being closer to the blast radius. She was also lucky not to crash into a building. “Minx, you alright?”
The mare nodded, “Yeah, just a little dizzy.”
“Well,” Neon broke the status check, “It took you long enough to find us.” He finished as the two brothers moved into battle stances.
“Don't worry 'bout that.” Bolt said, motioning his subordinates, with ten of them being unicorns, that wasn't inflicted by the blast to surround the wanted stallions again. “Ya might want to worry about yer own safety.” The pegasus chuckled, “Besides, I always did enjoy the hunt.”
“Bolt, I must advise against this tactic.” X Ray warned the dark blue pegasus. “We've already tried this strategy.”
“Yeah, Bolt, can't you think of anything else?” Minx added, getting over her dizziness.
“Opinions duly noted.” Was Bolt's response, with an ever present smirk, however miniscule.
X Ray noticed this, “Hmm, you have a plan?”
The winged stallion's smirk grew in size.
While this conversation was taking place, Mach and Neon were assessing their options, their backs facing each other. “So, any ideas?” Neon whispered to his pegasus brother, glancing around at his opposition with his horn glowing a bright neon blue.
“Well, I can't fly us outta here.” Mach whispered, also sizing up his opponents. “There's a lot of pegasi around. Any chance you can teleport us away?”
“I could, but it's the same for me. Too many unicorns.”
“So, you two decidin' on givin' up?” Bolt interrupted the brothers' plan making.
“Nah, just evaluatin' our choices.” Mach responded with a grin and a chuckle.
“Is this a game to you?” X Ray questioned.
“Everything is a game to him.” Neon answered shaking his head in disappointment. Unless you tick him off that is...
The dark blue pegasus' smirk widened, “Heh, then ya might find this fun.” His face went serious, “Unicorns! Hold 'em!”
Doing what they were told, the horns of the unicorns that surrounded the wanted heroes glowed with energy and grabbed their hooves with magic, effectively rendering them immobile.
Mach gently tugged at his restraints, a grin spread on his lips as laughter escaped his mouth. “Not too shabby.”
Neon shook his head with a unamused expression at his brother. “Can't believe I know you.”
Minx gave a snicker, “Glad ya like it.”
X Ray kept a monotoned look throughout the ordeal, but gestured to his superior and friend. “Nicely done Bolt.”
Nodding with satisfaction, Bolt approached his prisoners without caution, “Excellent work.” He forwarded his attention to the captives, “Now then,” His facial expression back to seriousness, “On to business.” He gave the brothers his full attention, “Why are you interfer-”
A bright flash stopped him for the second time in mid-sentence. Everypony jerked their head toward the origin of the flicker. It was a camera being held by a female earth pony. And by the looks of her face, she forgot about the flash. “Crap...” She muttered under her breath.
“Damn, what's a journalist doing out at this time?” Neon muttered. Mach said nothing. His usual easy going demeanor replaced by that of extreme seriousness. “Mach?” The blue coated unicorn offered a glance at his sibling. Ahh, Vortex of Valor finally surfaced, hmm?
“Hold it right there!” Bolt shouted, though the chestnut brown mare did not waste any time running away from the crowd. The dark blue pegasus dipped his head and sighed from exasperation. “X Ray, go get 'er...”
The white unicorn acknowledged him. “Understood.” Was all he said before he galloped after the mare.
The dark blue stallion sighed in defeat again. “This must be the night for distractions.”
With the leader's concentration on something else, Mach finally answered his brother, “Hey, can you free yerself?”
The dark red pegasus didn't bother whispering, and in doing so, caught the attention of the neighboring captors. “You can't break free just like that.” One of earth ponies said.
Neon nodded, ignoring the stallion. “Yeah, if a unicorn or two lost their footing.” He grinned up at his sibling.
“Hey, what are you two plannin'?” The same earth pony as before walked in front of Mach.
Mach grinned back, “Good.” The grin dropped, “When you do, go help that journalist. If she gets caught, she's probably as good as dead.”
“Right. But, what about you?”
“I'll be waitin' until you get back.”
“Hey, I asked you a question!” The earth stallion shouted yet again.
With this all said and done, the partners glanced at each other and nodded sharply. Before anypony could react, Neon readied a magic orb and released it on a random unicorn. While Mach readied a wing and flapped the appendage with in-pony strength creating a gust of wind strong enough to knock back a couple of the unicorns as well as the ponies near them. Then proceeded to headbutt the earth pony in front of him.
With the hold on them weakened, the blue coated stallion jerked at the restraints, but they didn't break. “A couple more!” Neon called out. Mach primed his other wing and swung with the same strength as before effectively knocking over two more of their captors.
The subordinates raced to get the prisoners under control. Some jumped on Mach, only to be thrown off as soon as they vaulted on. Neon just used his magic and levitated the unwanted weight away.
Neon jerked on the constraints still with no luck of breaking free. “Damnit!” The blue coated stallion readied his horn and fired a blast of magic at the restraints, this time cracking them. Giving one more tug, he broke free. Upon doing so, he immediately teleported in front of Bolt, who just now turned around to the ruckus. “Have fun.” Bolt saw his smug grin before he dashed after X Ray and the mare journalist.
Bolt didn't understand, until he saw what Neon had left behind. “Aww, hell...” The dark blue stallion looked away for a few seconds only to see everything hit the fan.
Mach tugged at the confinements, cracking the restraints with strength alone.
“Secure 'im!” He ordered. “Grab his wings! Hell, grab his whole body!”
The unicorns that were knocked over staggered to their feet. Their horns glowed the color of their coat and wrapped Mach with a form fitting shield, freezing him with his wings outward, but still allowing him to breath.
The unicorns kept a constant stream of magic on the shield, strengthening it even further. The earth and pegasus ponies that were either about to jump or already on him hopped off, examining their newly acquired bruises and seeing if anything was broken.
“Finally,” Bolt let out a breath of relief. “Somethin' goin' right. Now to wait for X Ray.”
“But, Bolt, what about the unicorn?” Minx asked.
“Don't worry, X Ray can handle 'imself.” The winged stallion turned away and relaxed his shoulders, but the excitement wasn't over yet.
Cracking noises were heard.
“Sir!” One of the unicorns holding Mach shouted. “He's breaking free!” Sweat began to form on his brow, as well as the other unicorns.
“What?!” Bolt responded, turning back around, almost giving himself whiplash.
“Keep 'im contained!” Minx ordered. “Fix the cracks!”
The unicorns tried to reseal the gaps, but as soon as they were sealed, Mach would give a grunt and more openings would appear. By this time, sweat was rolling down the brows of the unicorns. Their strength was leaving them as one by one, they fell over.
Seeing this, Bolt gave an order, “Everypony else, jump on 'im! Keep 'im still!”
His subordinates leaped into action. The random mix of earth and pegasus ponies grabbed anything they thought would halt the uniformed pony. Some grabbed hold of his legs while others hung from his spread wings, hoping the extra weight would hinder his progress. Seeing that there wasn't anything else to grab, the rest of the crew simply watched.
Their attempt was in vain, however, as more chuckling came from the oversized pegasus, “I didn't say I was givin' rides.” The stallion said, giving the riders worried looks.
With a final heave and grunt, Mach broke the shield at his joint areas and primed both his wings and body and released his pent up energy, flinging the ponies on his wings and bucked the others off to the side, but doing something unexpected, he flung his wings again at a couple of ponies cushioning their fall with air pillows. He stood tall, having hardly broken a sweat. The magic barrier dissipated with the pieces on the ground evaporating into nothingness.
The uniformed pegasus flapped his wings lightly, stretching them, then brought the appendages to his body. He also stretched his neck, letting it give a pop. “Ah, better.”
Bolt scanned over his crew. Most of the unicorns were either unconscious or dead tired. The earth and pegasus ponies were better off, but not by much.
“Girls!” Minx called out to her group, which was of course all females. “You alright?” She trotted past Mach to examine her squad.
“Yeah, we're fine.” A pegasus answered. “I thought I was gonna hit the ground a lot harder than I did.” The winged mare examined the ground.
“I thought I was too.” The other mare spoke up, an earth pony. “Wonder why I didn't?” She asked, looking around in bewilderment. “Were we the only ones?” The mare spotted the rest of the ponies on the ground, each in worse shape then the two mares.
Minx furrowed her brow, “I don't know why, but I know who.” She turned her attention toward the uniformed pegasus. “Why'd you do that?”
Mach glanced at her, “I was a gentlecolt long before I was yer enemy.”
His answer only seemed to make her angrier, and if it was possible, she furrowed her brow even more and started brooding.
With Minx handled, the dark red pegasus brought his attention back to the eye patched stallion. “Bolt, was it?”
“Yeah?”
“I'm gonna ask ya a question.”
“What might that be?”
“What's gonna happen if that journalist gets caught by yer friend and my partner doesn't stop 'im?” Even though Mach's brow was furrowed, it was hid behind his mask.
Bolt was silent for a moment, “When X Ray brings 'er back, we'll take 'er camera, smash it, and set 'er free. Nothin' more.”
Mach was silent for a few moments, “That's it?” Surprise was in the uniformed stallion's voice.
“What, you thought we would cement 'er hooves and throw 'er in the water?”
Mach shuffled a hoof, “Well...yeah.”
Bolt shook his head, “I ain't a murderer. And neither is X Ray an' Minx.”
The uniformed stallion visibly relaxed and done something unexpected again: he sat down right in the middle of everypony. A playful grin returned to his face with a chuckle, “Coulda fooled me.” His easy going demeanor returning once more.
Bolt gave a puzzled grin, “Yer a strange and...” The gruff stallion skimmed over his crew, “Resilient pony.”
“I've been called those before,” Mach said, still with a grin on his face, “Just not at the same time though...” He continued, looking up at the sky in thought.
“But,” The dark blue stallion's grin subsided, “You should know I can't stand idly by and not do nothin'?” He shifted to a fighting stance.
Mach's grin turned into a smirk, as he stood to full height, “Wouldn't have it any other way.”
“No Bolt, he's mine!” Minx shouted from the sidelines.
The one-eyed pegasus's posture stumbled at the outburst as well as Mach.
“Come again?” Bolt rose a mildly surprised eyebrow.
“This chauvinistic asshole is mine.” Minx repeated, walking toward her comrade.
Chauvinistic? Mach thought, backing out of his stance.
The gruff stallion eased out of his, “Ya sure?” He asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yeah, he's mine.” She said, staring at the oversized pegasus.
“Wait, Bolt,” The mare pegasus from before spoke up, “You're just gonna let her?”
Minx glanced at her subordinate, “The size of my enemy doesn't matter to me.”
“Well the gender of mine does to me.” Mach retorted, hastily sitting back down and crossing his front legs. All with a childish scowl on his face. “And by the way, I'm chivalrous. My mother didn't raise a mare beater.” He said, then turned his head sideways.
Minx glared at the stallion, before galloping full speed toward him, preparing to headbutt him.
Acting on instinct, he flapped a wing, making him spin out of the way of her charge; once again resting on all fours, already in a battle stance.
Bolt raised a mildly surprised eyebrow. He's faster than he looks...
A surprised expression etched itself on the lavender colored mare. I missed? I never miss...! She steeled her gaze and turned rather hurriedly at her opponent, who was easing out of his stance.
“Like I said before, I'm not gonna fight you.” The pegasus reiterated, a lazy grin on his lips.
“If yer not going to fight, then hold still!” She stomped a hoof in anger.
Mach chuckled, “I'm sure you don't really want to hit me either.”
“I'm pretty sure I want to hit you.”
The pegasus rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, that's what somepony from a robbery thought too. I'm pretty sure he almost broke his hoof after he hit me...”
The lavender pony didn't give his story much thought before answering, “A two bit story like that won't change my mind.” Minx responded, scraping the ground with a hoof, getting ready for another charge.
Mach shrugged, “Kinda hoped it would.” A lazy grin returned to the uniformed pegasus's face, seeing that no matter what he said to her to change her thoughts, she was determined. “Alright, but I'm not gonna let you land a blow on me.”
